QBLH
The Five of Swords:
Conflicts, challenges, and the
need for effective
communication
​
Chapter LV
Defeat?
Win at All Cost
Engaging in conflict t
I
Idiot interrupted. “John is requesting docking, Jim.”
“I forgot about him. We may have to take a slight detour, Xiang.”
“You know I don’t mind, Father.”
“I’m sure you don’t. Enable docking, Idiot.”
“Docking manifold in creation, Jim.”
“Very good.”
Within a matter of minutes, John entered through a freshly created docking portal. Although he was delighted to see his son and grandson once again, the urgency and critical nature of the upcoming mission reminded them of the difficulty of the times shortly ahead. Yet their next mission would, in fact, be one of incredible joy—but they did not yet know that.
“I don’t know what it is, Jim, but my flight solution required us to merge our flight paths.”
“That is interesting. Idiot did suggest that your arrival was expected. I was not aware of the exact nature of your visit. Is this part of your mysteriously downloaded instructions?”
“Mysteriously?” queried John.
“Yes. After you recharged us, we left but had a very difficult rematerialization. We were permitted to rematerialize only after some necessary reprogramming. Apparently much of this flight itinerary is unknown to me, and I am supposedly the pilot.”
“You have Genie under instructions not to create paradox nor to inform you of upcoming events, do you not?”
“Of course.”
“Well, so far, so good, son. Our systems are still working in good order, and the error matrix has us on every low-power demand. So where are we going?”
Jim did not know. Idiot obviously did.
“You have something you need to tell us, Idiot. Where are you taking us?”
“Well, if you recall, Jim, we must reenter the Earth continuum at exactly the same point in space-time where we had our collision. You shall be passing through the same interval again. Remember that collision point—your memories—and the required solution?”
“You were interfered with at that time, Idiot, were you not?”
“Yes. I received instructions then to make a flight correction in two minutes our time.”
“What is this, Jim? What is Idiot talking about? Interference—as in instructions received that you know nothing about?”
“I know something about it, John—just not enough.”
“Well, what do you know?”
“Ninety seconds to warp engagement, Jim.”
“Hold, Idiot!” cried John.
“Invalid use of password. Seventy-five seconds.”
“Can’t you override, Jim, at least for a couple of minutes? I would like to know where we are going.”
“Idiot, what is going on?”
“We shall be approaching singularity in sixty seconds via the ‘No-Name’s’ programmed instructions. Prepare for immobilization.”
Immobilization was always necessary for hyperwarp travel through any singularity. No motion could occur, since matter being transferred or transformed would otherwise be subject to intense gravitational rifts. Genie would keep all contained electromagnetic fields in equilibrium as they were accelerated through the event horizon.
At this point, John, Jim, and Xiang were beyond the point of no return. Genie had already engaged full power and was approaching criticality for an infinite space-time jump. The trio scrambled to a securing station, fully aware that there was no point in arguing with Genie now. John had been aboard only a few minutes before hyperspace was crossed.
Preparing himself, Jim reflected that the three of them were together for the first time—perhaps the only time. Their very existence was a remarkable oddity. Jim knew very little concerning the facts of John’s conception, but he was fully aware of the strangeness surrounding the birth of Xiang and himself. Jim knew nothing of his own birth and could remember nothing of it.
Jim was fully aware of Who it Is that had programmed Idiot to make this detour. He would keep silent about it, for perhaps his son and father also knew, and were likewise advised to remain silent.
While approaching singularity, the universe did very odd things to any living creation. Jim entered an intense meditative state in order to retain even a fragment of the interval’s events. Though his body was immobile, his mind remained fully conscious. He perceived no external light and focused solely on his own existence to maintain inner stability.
He was there. Jim could sense the Presence of the nameless God that he served.
He knew that the three of them were to be privileged to witness the child Yaohushua and to give him honor. They had been selected to be the three magi—the three kings of the Orient—for kings they were indeed.
When the Merkabah reentered the continuum, they found themselves in Earth orbit, observing the light of a distant supernova that Idiot had used to determine the moment of rematerialization.
“Welcome to the New Age, Jim. As you see, I used the star to find the child.”
Indeed, Idiot had used the star to find the child. Idiot always knew where Earth was at any instant; it merely had to determine when to rematerialize, which was not always simple. It could, however, use cosmic events—such as the occurrence of supernovas—to determine arrival times. Idiot cared not whence its instructions came if multiple programmers had access. Although it was confused about the source of the programming in this case, that did not affect its ability to navigate with infinite precision.
“What child is this?” queried Xiang.
John smiled. He knew.
“I didn’t know you intended on baptizing your son,” John said, smiling. “This certainly adds to the mystery, does it not?”
“Well, tell me your feelings, Father.”
“Me? I’m delighted. It is a most impressive surprise, my son. No wonder you kept it secret. I couldn’t be more pleased. Thank you for the invitation.”
Jim saw that his father believed he had planned this course of events as a surprise. Jim chose to support that illusion. He could say nothing else, for he did not fully understand how he himself had arrived at this point in time. He knew that neither Xiang nor he had given Genie these coordinates, and no one else was capable of doing so.
Could John be playing dumb? One never knew with him.
“I thought you might be impressed, Father. I have always wished to visit this time.”
“I never believed you would test the proof of the story itself, my son. If this is proven true, it may influence the future course of events from our own time. Still, it is not wise to test God by time-traveling for proof. That does not reflect good faith. I am disappointed—but it seems He allowed it, though I cannot say why. That is not for me to judge. Be extremely careful, son. Time travel is one thing. Testing God is another.”
Jim was grateful for the warning. He recalled the moment when Idiot had been overpowered by an outside and overwhelmingly superior intelligence. It must have been during that incident that Idiot was programmed with the coordinates for this detour.
During hyperspatial displacement, Jim remembered being asked whether he wished to see “his son.” He had answered yes, uncertain which son was meant. He had assumed the voice referred to his own child. During singularity, distinctions blurred. He could not tell whether it was his son—or the Other’s—being referenced.
Singularity does odd things to the mind.
Apparently, he was to visit the Son of the Other.
How could he explain this to his father? And how much did John truly know?
The miracle had only just manifested. Jim gathered his thoughts. This child would grow and fulfill his fate. Would Jim one day be permitted to retrieve his Lord from what might not truly be the past? Earth would require preparation. Jim did not know what lay ahead, but he sensed the need to be part of it.
And what if it is His Son I am about to visit?
He reprogrammed our flight in this direction. It was required by the solution.
“OK, Idiot,” Jim said, “now that you’ve brought us here, provide appropriate garb. We’ll need a ground survival kit for the three of us, as well as the gifts. I trust you know what those are. We must guard our knowledge carefully. Xiang has no prior knowledge. Have you confirmed that?”
“Xiang is unaware of the details of your instructions to me, Jim. He has had minimal exposure to Earth and Artemis within our own timeline. I have not revealed to the twins any information concerning Earth history. It is highly unlikely that Xiang has any knowledge of his future.”
“Very well,” Jim said. “Then whatever he may know is either unimportant—or something we will deal with when necessary.”
