Maria took up the monologue now. The Ophilion shifted their gaze to her mesmerizing eyes and attractive round face. "As Jenna has told you," she smiled at the Regalan, "we are aliens to your world, but not to this galaxy. We have been observing Ophilion for the last three hundred cenro, for reasons which Jenna has also explained. We are now entering the endgame – the final phase of this cycle."
Here Maria lost the carefree look in her eyes for a few seconds as she prepared her next sentence. She continued in a sober tone. "It has fallen to us – the four of you included – if you accept – to act at this time." She paused to let the import of her words sink in. "The developments on your planet that have taken us to our present point were brought about by the people of Ophilion, not by us; it is the natural result of the combined choices of the majority of the population.
"Many have called this succession of choices 'progress', but others, especially the Regala," she nodded to Jenna, "have seen the truth: the balance with nature has been broken; personal freedom is almost dead, and the rulers of Kypro have put their confidence in the Baccaran – that malignant alien force that hates human-kind," she and Arthur shared a glance and Maria raised her eyebrows, "us included."
Then their host's smile returned as quickly as it had disappeared and the young Ophilion were again relieved. "But here, aboard the Antarious, none of that affects us. We are free from all worries here – for a time."
So far, the young Ophilion had been sitting as if in a trance. Anything their hosts told them seemed like magic to them. None of them, at this point, fully accepted that they were really on an alien spacecraft in the asteroid belt – it all seemed too surreal.
"We'll talk about your planet in the near future," Maria continued her monologue, "but for now, on a more personal note: we called you friends and comrades, and so you are. Let me show you." Maria reached into her blouse and pulled out a pendant.
The Ophilion gasped in unison. It was the same kind of pendant as the ones they wore. They were more astonished now than they thought possible; but Maria hadn't finished.
"Let me explain." Their host said. "This is a medallion that has been awarded since ancient times to the Balance Keepers – the Merenthaal. Some receive it after they have rendered service worthy of it, as we did, others before, as a sign of their acceptance to service, as you have. It is only given to human-kind and only for the purpose of serving human-kind.
In your case it is a sign of acceptance; so far you have not rendered service to merit this medallion, but if you wish to do so, we will give you your chance. Jenna," Maria turned her eyes to the Regalan, "you have begun to render service by living in accordance with the Ancient Code and working for your people, and for accepting the mission you were offered." Jenna watched her with round eyes. "You demonstrated great courage by trusting us and going alone to Kypro." Maria cracked a grin. "Well... almost to Kypro." Maria couldn't suppress another giggle and Arthur lips betrayed a smirk. Then Maria's smile faded. "But your medallion, as yet, is undeserved. However, these things count in your favor."
Maria's eyes grew brighter as she prepared to divulge secret information she knew would delight their visitors. "Would you like to know what the scrip means?" Like Arthur, she didn't wait for an answer. "Jenna," she said, "remove your medallion and hold it in both of your hands."
Jenna complied, mechanically, still in a state of compounded shock and wonder.
Maria sat on the edge of her couch and reached across the space between them, enfolding Jenna's hands in her own. Jenna gasped as she felt something like an electrical impulse pass through her which left her brain and spinal cord tingling. She suddenly felt as if she could see and hear and smell everything around her twenty times better than she normally could. But her brain was bewildered, saturated with so much new information. She sat staring at the medallion, unable to move.
"Now," Maria said softly, "concentrate only on the script, and on nothing else." Jenna tried, but her other senses distracted her.
"Try harder." Maria said patiently. Jenna's companions looked on in wonder and alarm.
Mercifully, a thought came to the forefront of the Regalan's mind; it was something her meditation instructor had taught her when she was learning the art of telepathic relay. She closed her eyes, cleared her mind and controlled her breathing. Slowly the sounds and smells around her faded. She tried opening her eyes and focusing anew on her pendant. This time it looked obscure, fuzzy.
She relaxed her mind further, forcing her thoughts to focus on just the writing, and slowly the alien script became clear, only this time, instead of the strange hieroglyphics she had contemplated since she was a child, there were words there. She saw them not as Ophilion scrip, but in their true form, and she could read them and understand.
Despite her many astonishing experiences of the last few days, this, for her, was the most remarkable. Jenna looked up incredulously at Maria who nodded for her to read it. Jenna mouthed the words to herself. A smile of enlightenment came to her lips and tears from her eyes which fell past her pendant and splashed to the soft, rich, multi-colored carpet upon which her feet rested.
She had been wondering for seven cenro what was written on her pendant, the meaning of the text that surrounded her name. Now she knew, and now, for the second time, she was face to face with the enigmatic Merenthaal – and she could understand. She looked up at Maria with deep gratitude.
"I'll bet the others would like to know what's written there." The alien spoke. "Do you think you can read it?"
Jenna thought about it for a few seconds then nodded gravely. She licked her lips, took a breath, and attempted to compose herself. Her voice was soft and low. She read slowly, pausing after each phrase. "Chosen for Service to Human-Kind – to be an Agent of Mercy and Justice – to Bear the Weight of Love and Freedom – to Learn and to Teach – Others First – Self last..." by now she was softly crying. It felt very different reading it aloud. She steadied herself with another deep breath and continued. "– The Merenthaal – This Medallion Presented to..." She paused. ...Jenna Rozalant – Filos-Paas – Bonthran-Tell – Ophilion – 8449-G."
Each of the young people felt the weight of the words immediately, and the responsibility it would entail to earn the right to keep these medallions and the privileges that accompanied them.
"We want each of you to read the words on your medallion so that you know that it is real," Arthur said. "All of our medallions bear identical script, excepting our personal information." He turned to the pilot. "Orion."
Orion looked up. He slowly removed his necklace and Arthur held his hands. Orion felt much the same as Jenna had, and within half a minute he was able to read the script on his medallion. He began laughing and crying at the same time. It was as if all the emotions of the last porthen were compacted into that minute of time. He tightened his grip on his pendant while Arthur supported his hands from beneath. When he was able, he read aloud: "Chosen for Service to Human-Kind – to be an Agent of Mercy and Justice – to Bear the Weight of Love and Freedom – to Learn and to Teach – Others First – Self Last – The Merenthaal – This Medallion Presented to Orion Formoren – Colang-Brez – Kypro – Ophilion - 8456-G."
It was Fel's turn next. Maria held his hands as he read: "Chosen for Service to Human-Kind – to be an Agent of Mercy and Justice – to Bear the Weight of Love and Freedom – to Learn and to Teach – Others First – Self Last – The Merenthaal – This Medallion Presented to Felerom Collimmer – Colang-Brez – Kypro – Ophilion – 8456-G."
Last of all it was Celli's turn. Arthur nodded and placed his large strong hands around her small delicate ones. It took the com-op longer than the others to be able to read aloud the words imprinted on the silver-gray metal. There were too many emotions and events that her mind was evaluating. Finally, she was ready. She read carefully, slowly, intonating each phrase. "Chosen for Service to Human-Kind – to be an Agent of Mercy and Justice – to Bear the Weight of Love and Freedom – to Learn and to Teach – Others First – Self Last – The Merenthaal – This Medallion Presented to..." She faltered; she thought of her family in Kypro; her mother, her father, her brother and sister. She thought of her job in the Tur-Lam 64 assembly plant, her position as a dat-com programmer. She tried to remember what everything in her short life had meant to her. She almost wished she were back in her apartment, viewing images on her wall-screen, oblivious to this other reality. The weight of this experience seemed to be crushing her, like the pressure of deep water.
She knew that if she read aloud her name she must renounce her current understanding of her world in favor of a completely new level of reality. She slowly turned her eyes up to meet the eyes of the dimensional agent holding her hands tenderly in his. The look in his eyes would determine her choice. As she looked into Arthur's eyes she saw... herself. Everything she had ever wanted was there. She could see his past – at one point he was in his fourteenth cenro – he had had the same fears and aspirations; he had longed to know what was beyond the things of the physical universe. He took chances to go further, and... he had attained. He had come to the edge of infinity and had stepped beyond and he had become an agent of the Merenthaal.
There were many other things that she saw in those brief moments – in Arthur's gray eyes – that she could only guess at: Heartbreaks and tears. Disappointment. Broken dreams. Pain. Labor. Worry. Freedom. Responsibility. Celebrations. Travels across the galaxy. A golden city. Music, art, poetry – literature of the richest quality. Love: pure and breathtaking. Battles with frightening dark creatures. Places – worlds that were marvelous and horrifying. Forests, oceans, deserts, plains, mountains and stars.
"Cellion Rimala" she managed a whisper, "Colang-Brez – Kypro – Ophilion – 8456-G." It had been done. There was a fleeting pang of regret replaced suddenly and inexplicably by a wave of euphoria. She had survived this test as well. Where she might go from here was a separate question, but, perhaps, she would have time to think about that later.
Celli continued to look into Arthur's eyes. She knew that he knew what had happened – what was happening to her. Yes, these were the people from her dream; this was the ship. But what would happen to them now? What would these super-beings ask of them? What did they really want with them?
Arthur smiled at her with his eyes and told her telepathically: Wait and see, Cellion Rimala. Celli heard his voice from inside her head, as she had during the relays, only louder, stronger. She inhaled deeply and slowly let her breath out. That answer would suffice for now.
"Now," Arthur said and shifted his gaze to the others, "what about ours?" He removed the pendant from around his neck and placed it in Celli's hands. "Read the writing on my medallion so that you know that they are the same as yours. Don't worry, you'll be able to read it now without my aid. The knowledge of our writing will be with you always. It is a gift that we have given you for your efforts thus far." The young Ophilion would only later begin to appreciate this priceless reward, once they were introduced to the libraries - to the books; the stories.
Celli studied the medallion for a few seconds; it was the same as hers, but not identical – the tree branched differently, the cut and tone of the yellow stones varied slightly, but it was the same kind of medallion. Celli took a breath and read: "Chosen for Service to Human-Kind – to be an Agent of Mercy and Justice – to Bear the Weight of Love and Freedom – to Learn and to Teach – Others First – Self Last –The Merenthaal – This Medallion Presented to..." She paused, learning the names before reading them aloud. "Arthur Keats – Kanjiroba – Nepal – Earth – 2127 N.E."
Maria gave her pendant to Orion. He took it carefully, feeling the warmth of it; studying the curves of the branches and roots and stones; the circle that held it together. He looked into her eyes and saw the humanity there – the love. He understood that she saw him, for who and what he was, and nothing more or less. It was deeply comforting.
He read it to himself twice then took a deep breath and read aloud: "Chosen for Service to Human-Kind – to be an Agent of Mercy and Justice – to Bear the Weight of Love and Freedom – to Learn and to Teach – Others First – Self Last – The Merenthaal – This Medallion Presented to Maria Kidjo – Aconcagua – Mendoza – Earth – 2133 N.E.
Orion looked back up at her. It was true. What Maria and Arthur had told them was true. This was the deciding moment – the culmination of his dreams and his search. Whatever would happen after this, whatever this bond with these aliens actually meant, at least he knew that he had found something that was true, and it seemed to fill a large gap somewhere inside of him.
"Pass our medallions around to each other," Maria instructed, "we want you all to know and be sure."
There was something about the feel of the agent's medallions – it was the energy they contained – the combined energy of countless years of service throughout the galaxy: years of love and freedom and the weight of responsibility that accompanies it; the adventures they had had – they felt this as they held and gazed at their medallions – at the tree in the circle, the yellow translucent stones – medallions that were the same as, but not identical to theirs.