Tales of the Journeyman. The Elvanol Paradox

Chapter 13 The Paradox

Chapter 13.    The Paradox

 The Journeyman worked out the route approaching the Paradox while the children slept in their cabin. He had plotted a course between the twin suns of Beta Antaeus that called for a change in the configuration of the Sentinel. It required an elongated version of the craft’s exterior shape with increased heat shielding. Fearic had purposely carried out this manoeuvre in their absence so as not to arouse the fears of Hannah and Fred. Leaving the twin orbs behind and now on the far side of the galaxy, he reformed the Sentinel’s configuration and now approached the children as they raised themselves from sleep.

 Neither Fred nor Hannah could remember much about the rest of the journey or even retiring to their sleeping berths after the Journeyman had finished his account of the Library Moon. Now he quietly entered the cabin where the two had been sleeping and roused them from their rest. ‘We are approaching the Paradox and I think you should be prepared. You cannot possibly imagine the immensity of this phenomenon.’

 Hannah shivered as the Journeyman spoke these words. Both children had already witnessed some incredible sights on their previous adventures with their alien friends; now listening to Fearic she began to fear what lay ahead of them.  She believed that the Journeyman was alerting them to something that would blow their minds. Hannah thought back to his description of this wonder and shuddered in anticipation as she remembered the seriousness of his manner as he described what was before them. Fred seemed far less concerned than Hannah        

 ‘While you slept I plotted a fast course to take us to the far side of the galaxy and we are as I speak, rapidly approaching the Paradox. If you come with me back to the bridge we should almost be in view.’

 Fred and Hannah dutifully followed the Journeyman. Arriving at the forward screens of the ship. Fearic pointed to a small dot on the main screen as the children sat down. The silver dot rapidly took shape and form as Fearic slowed the vessel down to a complete stop.

 ‘Oh my God.’ Hannah muttered and Fred gulped and slid down off his seat. He slowly picked himself up and shamefacedly spluttered ‘What is that?’

 Before them was a structure of immense size that filled the whole of the main screen. Fearic drew the Sentinel back several hundred metres and adjusted the scanner to afford a better view of the whole of the Paradox as much as that were possible. Before them was a huge double helix shaped entity; twin arms of the helix snaking off into far space. To put the size into perspective the two ends or entrances of the spirals were about fifty kilometres apart. The two entrances must have been five kilometres in diameter. Both spirals were a kaleidoscope of colours constantly shifting and changing. Hannah thought she could hear a rising and falling mix of sounds emanating from this structure but she knew this was impossible inside their cruiser.

 Fred was the first to speak. ‘It’s like an enormous strand of DNA in space or should I say gianormous.’ Hannah now found her voice ‘Fred there’s no such word as gianormous.’

 ‘There is now.’ Fred muttered.

 Fearic smiled.  ‘In fact Fred is almost correct.’ He then proceeded to inform them of its size, stretching more than one hundred kilometres out into space. ‘One famous galactic poet has described it as a parody of life itself. Perhaps in your Earth language something like heaven and hell. The evil turmoil of the Achos Spiral and by comparison, the heavenly peace of the other side of the double helix, the tranquillity of the Portals of Transcendence. At least that’s how it used to be and now we have to figure out a way to restore that.’ 

 ‘Where do we start?’ Hannah asked; ‘how much authority would we have to change things?‘

 ‘No one had the authority to change it, but knew how and did it; so it seems to me