Tablet of Destinies (3 page)

With the future of the Chosen Ones in mind, the Lord Enki had constructed what were termed ‘Creation
Stations'. These stations were storehouses of Enki's accumulated knowledge and psychic communications with his Logos. Stored within these time capsules was a record of mankind's evolution and the true reason behind it.

Maelgwn had been made aware of the existence of these stations when he'd encountered one of his own past-life incarnations, Durak.

Durak belonged to a mortal human tribe known as the Homo Delphinus who had been developed from a Nefilim/dolphin gene pool mix. An archaeologist by trade, as several of Maelgwn's past-life incarnations had been, Durak had uncovered one of the Lord Master Enki's stations. Unfortunately, Durak's project and his findings were monitored by some of the Nefilim, and before the archaeologist was given the chance to draw any great amount of knowledge from the Station, it had been destroyed. There were several other stations scattered throughout the inhabited star systems of the galaxy. One only needed to know where to look.

Via some past-life regression, Maelgwn had discovered how he might track down another of Enki's Creation Stations and gain access to the storehouse of knowledge contained therein. ‘Durak had a stone key,' Maelgwn advised as he led Noah back to the conference room where they had left all their electronic paraphernalia.

‘Stone?' Noah queried.

‘As in crystal,' Maelgwn clarified. ‘This served not only to grant entry to and activate the station, but it worked as a locator as well.'

‘So where is this key now?' The Governor's claim rekindled Noah's hope, as he took a seat. ‘Please don't tell me it was destroyed.'

‘No, it wasn't destroyed,' Maelgwn advised in a tone that implied it may as well have been.

‘What then?' Noah's will to know was so strong that he perceived the answer telepathically. ‘Oh no,' he whined. ‘Inanna has it! You're kidding?'

‘Afraid not.' Maelgwn cringed, anything but thrilled by the notion himself. ‘When Inanna took Durak into custody, she confiscated the stone along with all his other personal possessions.'

Inanna was one of the Nefilim who Maelgwn had had grievances with in the past. Still, since the Goddess had stepped down from her position in the Pantheon of Twelve, their rapport had improved.

‘Is Inanna aware of what the stone is used for?' Noah stood up in panic. ‘She could have destroyed all the other stations by now.'

‘Noah, calm down.' Maelgwn encouraged him to be seated once more. ‘To her, it is just another rock.'

Noah breathed a sigh of relief.

‘And, that being the case, I plan to visit Inanna personally and see if I can't persuade her to hand it over.' Maelgwn looked to Noah, interested to know his thoughts on the move.

‘But surely your request will raise her suspicions?' Noah played Devil's advocate, as was his way.

‘En Noah!' Maelgwn was surprised at him. ‘Do give me a little credit as a diplomat. After all, I have been a diplomat for over one hundred years now.'

‘A thousand apologies, Governor, I meant you no offence.' Noah curbed his excitement and regained his sensibilities.

‘None taken,' Maelgwn said affectionately and rose, which seemed to indicate that the meeting was at an end.

‘So what do you wish me to do?' Noah thought he must have missed something.

‘Nothing at present, but continue to develop your mental, physical and spiritual skills,' Maelgwn enlightened. ‘I just needed someone to be aware of my intentions in case I fail to return.'

‘But is your wife not aware?' Noah ventured to inquire.

‘Tory has enough on her plate at present.' Maelgwn explained his reasons for keeping her in the dark. ‘And besides, the reasoning of a pregnant woman is always a little …' He tried to find a polite way of putting it. ‘… hyperactive. I shall make her aware of our progress, once she is feeling more herself.'

‘After you've visited Inanna, you mean?' Noah dared to voice his understanding of the situation, because he knew that Tory wouldn't like it and the look on the Governor's face told him that Maelgwn knew it too. ‘Why not let me go,' Noah suggested, ‘and avoid any possible misunderstanding?'

Maelgwn forced a smile, grateful for the offer, but shook his head to decline. ‘Although my past intimacy with the Goddess, Inanna, was not of my own choosing, I feel I shall be able to use the connection to our advantage and so you see … I must go.'

Noah didn't know what to make of the Governor's
reasoning. Did he mean he was prepared to be unfaithful to his good wife, in order to achieve their objective?

‘Now you really are selling me short.' Maelgwn was momentarily annoyed that Noah, who knew him well, could even entertain the notion. ‘A seduction was not my meaning, I assure you. Besides, Inanna is completely faithful to her husband these days.'

‘You hope,' Noah cautioned, for although he'd never really had dealings with the Goddess herself, some of her past atrocities against humankind had been vividly documented in his Chronicles.

‘Have no fear, En Noah, I shall get you the key to unlock the primordial eras devoid from your Chronicles,' Maelgwn guaranteed. ‘And I shall know, not only the reasons behind humankind's evolution, but the true purpose behind the Nefilim's evolution as well.'

The Governor and Noah emerged from the promenade underneath the amphitheatre's centre stage, to behold a beautiful sunset sky over Central Park.

‘It's later than I thought,' Noah commented, admiring the vibrant colours splashed across the horizon.

‘Time flies when you're having fun, hey Noah?' Maelgwn jeered. He knew his advisor felt uncomfortable with the information he'd been made privy to.

Noah forced a smile. ‘I suppose the thrill of borderline horror could be considered fun … by some.' He shot Maelgwn a sideways glance, whereupon the Governor gave a hearty laugh and slapped a hand down on his shoulder.

‘You are far braver than you give yourself credit for, you should —'

‘Governor!'

Both men looked ahead to find Candace had manifested in their path.

‘Praise the universe I found you … I have been trying to will myself to you all afternoon!' Candace was panicked and fuming. ‘I thought the Nefilim had abducted and were restraining you.' Her statement was really a question. As Head of Defence she wanted to know how he'd managed to avoid being sought by her.

‘Is there some emergency?' Maelgwn avoided the issue, and, as Candace's demanding demeanour waned to a concerned state of being, he knew at once what grieved her. ‘Tory,' he uttered and, willing himself forth to his wife's side, vanished before Candace could explain what had happened.

‘Dear Goddess,' Noah gasped, grabbing hold of Candace's arm to prevent her leaving. ‘Is the Governess alright? What's happened?'

‘When I went to fetch our Governess from her reading place this afternoon, I found her possessed by a large, fiery, ethereal body, which dispersed when I made myself known.'

‘What was it?'

‘I don't know.' Candace freed herself from Noah's grasp, a mite annoyed by her admission. ‘I've never seen anything like it before, either here in the physical realms or in the astral.'

‘Was Tory harmed?' Noah pressed for information as Candace backed away from him, preparing to make herself absent.

‘The encounter has left her unconscious,' Candace was
sad to advise. ‘We'll know more once she has come to.'

‘But what of her babes?' Although Noah rushed to voice his final query, Candace was gone before he did. ‘Damn it!'

As Noah was not a close family relative, he felt he'd only get in the way if he went to the Government Healing Chambers to get an update of the Governess' condition.

‘How might I be of aid?' he wondered. His mind dwelt upon the large, unknown, fiery ethereal body that Candace had spoken of.

‘Yes … I must discover the nature of this being.' Noah was resolute as he closed his eyes and willed himself forth to his personal library.

 

Back in the Governor's private healing chambers, Tory had regained consciousness and was sitting up in bed, feeding her face, as happy as a clam.

‘Tory!' Maelgwn rushed to her side, having manifested nearby. He would have taken hold of one of his wife's hands had they not both been wrapped around a sticky piece of fruit.

‘Now don't make a fuss,' Tory cautioned him, as she slurped on her juicy morsel. ‘As you can see I am fine, and according to our good physician the babies are fine as well.'

Praise be.
He breathed a great sigh of relief and looked to the Head of the Healing Sciences on Kila, Cadfan, who nodded to confirm the Governess' words.

A smile graced Maelgwn's face as he looked back to his wife. ‘So what happened?'

‘I blacked out, probably from too much sun.' Tory shrugged and then leant forward to impress on her husband: ‘It's
nothing
to worry about. I promise I shall be more careful in future.'

Maelgwn raised both brows, still not completely reassured. ‘Well, just as a precaution, I would prefer it if you found somewhere to read that is inside the city limits.'

‘Oh Maelgwn,' Tory whined. ‘I just knew you'd make an issue of this. I love my reading spot —'

‘Is the solitude and pretty view really worth risking the wellbeing of our unborn children?' he queried.

‘Where is the risk?' Tory scoffed. ‘Even if these children die in birthing, their immortality gene will kick in and resurrect them.'

‘I don't want a debate, Tory.' Maelgwn stood, irked by her persistence and unreasonable attachment to the place.

‘Now who's acting like a pregnant woman?' Tory commented under her breath.

‘Sorry to disturb, Governor.' Candace entered, looking happier than when last seen. ‘But the Vice-Governor is awaiting an audience in your council chambers.'

‘What!' Maelgwn was doubly concerned by this news. ‘Brian should be on the other side of the galaxy … what in the name of the universe is he doing back here?'

Candace, still smiling with delight, merely shrugged. ‘My husband wishes to discuss the matter with you directly.'

‘I see.' Maelgwn looked back to his wife and their unfinished debate. ‘If you think my request so unreasonable, perhaps you could ask Candace if she thinks returning to your reading nook is a good idea.'

‘Over my dead body.' Candace was immediately opposed to the suggestion.

Maelgwn smiled as he left his Head of Defence to make his wife see reason. Only another female stood a chance of winning a debate with Tory in her prenatal state of mind.

Once Cadfan and his staff had been excused, Candace outlined to Tory the state in which she'd found her that afternoon. The Governess was completely floored by the report of her fiery celestial encounter for she remembered nothing of it.

‘Have you told Maelgwn about this?' Tory questioned, her voice hoarse with the shock of it all.

‘Well, no …' Candace raised both brows as she realised: ‘He has yet to give me the chance. I —'

‘Good,' Tory jumped in, most gratified by the fact. ‘He doesn't need to know.' As Candace frowned, preparing to query this, Tory became more adamant. ‘I see no need to cause him undue worry.'

‘I warned you about that place.'

‘And what did I tell you?'

Candace bowed her head, not game to debate spiritual issues with the holder of the Tablet of Destinies.

‘If a celestial being has touched me and my babes, then it could only have blessed us, meaning that there is no cause to be concerned by the encounter.'

Candace raised her big brown eyes to challenge the Governess once again. ‘Then why not tell your husband?'

‘Because he'll start fussing,' Tory explained. ‘He's bad enough as it is, I can just imagine what he would be like if he truly thought he had cause for concern.'

Candace gave a heavy, sympathetic sigh. ‘I don't feel comfortable withholding information from the Governor —'

‘But this is not an affair of state, Candace!' Tory tried one final personal appeal. ‘What if I were to promise not to go back to Devaglen? Then could we drop the subject?'

‘What did you call that place?' Candace queried, curious that the name had rolled off Tory's tongue so naturally. ‘Devaglen?'

‘Did I?' Tory held a hand to her mouth, just as astonished by the piece of information her subconscious had spat up. ‘Yes, I did, didn't I?'

‘Is that what you think the entity was, a Deva?' Candace asked, thinking Tory must know her own reasons for calling the spot what she had.

‘Perhaps,' Tory uttered as her eyes glazed over and her thoughts wafted away elsewhere. ‘I need to speak with Noah —'

‘Oh damn, that's right,' Candace said abruptly, frightening Tory from her speculative trance. ‘I told Noah of your encounter,' she explained. ‘He's the only one I've told … oh, except Cadfan. As he is your physician I felt I had to tell him,' she justified.

‘Is that all?' When Candace nodded to confirm, Tory breathed a sigh of relief and waved off the concern. ‘Not to worry, as they are two of the three men I need to consult on this matter.'

‘The third being?'

‘The Head of the Mind Sciences,' Tory enlightened. ‘My old friend Thomas Mateus.'

‘Thais, the Centaur?' Candace asked. She hadn't had too much to do with the Shaman, although she'd worked with his Chosen mate, Hero, for many years before the time of the Gathering.

‘The one and only,' Tory confirmed.

Thais and his mate Hero were the only souls amongst the Chosen Ones who weren't Homo sapiens. No one knew why this was, bar the Centaurs themselves and the Lord Master Enki. As with all the Chosen Ones, Thais and Hero could assume any form they chose, and so employed the more compact Homo sapiens form for convenience when in the city. When in the wild, however, the Shamans assumed a myriad forms and were both very active in the wildlife protection programs and had incorporated it into their esoteric work.