The Zondon: Terrorists and Aliens (an International Suspense Thriller)

  General Li thought this was highly unusual, but Stanovitch, with Thomas' help, assured him that it was a secure arrangement.

  The general consented, though he didn't appear as vivacious as before, as though he had found himself suddenly reduced in importance to the network.

  The next morning, a crate containing five briefcases was loaded into the back of the jeep, and they were off.

  * * *

  Ibrahim noticed the green spot over to the East. He began moving towards it until he came down close to the earth's surface near where the spot was. He was in a desert area that looked like Afghanistan. The spot was on the horizon.

  He continued to follow it, until it began to fix itself to a point on the ground.

  Slowly, he brought the ship down.

  Ibrahim began to look in surprise. He could see boys his age, dressed in Pashtun and Tajik clothing, who were involved in some sort of military exercise with guns. They were spread out. Was he really in Afghanistan?

  The green spot was fixed to one boy sitting off in a place by himself, somewhat hidden from the others. Ibrahim was able to get the image magnified. Then, he looked in shock.

  It was his brother -- Ismail!

  No one had noticed the ship. He brought it slowly down behind some rocks just on the other side of Ismail, and stepped out, taking the control crystal with him.

  He climbed around the rock. There was Ismail, sitting, looking not at all happy.

  'Ismail!' Ibrahim called.

  'Leave me alone! Stop tormenting me!' Ismail answered. Then he looked about. 'Wa! Ibrahim!'

  Ibrahim put his finger up to his mouth.

  'Ibrahim!' he continued in a low but excited voice. 'How did you get here? You were lost! I thought you were dead! Oh Ibrahim! I'm sorry I knocked you down! Allah has been punishing me! Please forgive me!' He was in tears.

  Ibrahim held his arms out and they embraced and cried.

  He took Ismail by the hand and led him around the rock, out of sight of the others. Ismail didn't notice the ship yet.

  'Oh, Ibrahim! You were right! Papa was right. I thought about what you said and what Papa said. I don't think they want to do Allah's will here. I just want to go away from here. I want to go far away!'

  'I can take you,' said Ibrahim.

  'But how can we get away from here? It's so far from anything! And how did you get here anyway?'

  'Remember I used to dream about the stars?'

  'Yes. You're the "head in the stars" boy,' remembered Ismail. 'Can you take me to the stars or what?'

  'Actually, I can.'

  'Huh?'

  'Yes, look.'

  Ibrahim used the control to flash the ship to a more visible colour so Ismail could see it.

  Ismail looked in shock.

  'B-but Ibrahim!' he said, almost in a whisper. 'This is witchcraft!'

  'No it's not. I went to find Allah's will, and He helped me find this. Here, get in. We'll go to find Papa and Mama.'

  Finally with some persuasion, Ibrahim helped his twin brother inside the ship, and they lifted off.

  Again, a green spot appeared on the horizon.

  'See that green spot?'

  'Yes!'

  'That's where Papa and Mama are,' said Ibrahim.

  He followed the spot, not going too high, but low enough to see villages, farms and caravans, and occasionally, a large town.

  Ismail was silent, and looked like he was troubled with some doubt or other.

  Finally he said, 'The mullah and Colonel Rasheed say if we run away we'd be betraying our brothers.'

  'No, you're not,' said Ibrahim with a burst of confidence. 'He who is the Word of Allah, Peace Be Upon Him, said this: "If a man says, 'I'm your brother, join me in my fight', but his actions are contrary to the Truth, know then, that you must choose between Allah's will and your brother's. If a man says, 'I'm your brother, hid me from my pursuers,' consider his ways carefully, lest you prove yourself the true brother of Allah's enemy, and a fellow partaker in Allah's wrath."'

  Ibrahim didn't remember where he had heard that, or if indeed he had. The words were just there on the tip of his tongue, and he knew they were from the Word of Allah. They seemed to answer Ismail's concerns.

  Finally, the green spot rested on a house in a small village. Getting a good look at the house, Ibrahim took the ship up the road outside of the village, and landed. They got out, and with the control crystal, Ibrahim sent the ship into orbit.

  Together, they walked down the road to the village, and knocked at the door.

  The door opened, and almost immediately, they were in the arms of an ecstatic mother.

  She called out to a young man outside, telling him to fetch Papa, quick.

  'Oh! My two sons! I thought I would never see you this side of heaven! Oh! Allah is good to me!'

  Papa soon arrived at the house, breathless, thinking there had been an emergency.

  Soon, he was in tears, embracing both of his sons. All four were weeping with joy.

  This, of course, called for a celebration. Papa and Mama prepared the best food they had, and even slaughtered a lamb and had it roasted. Ibrahim enjoyed a meal, the likes of which he hadn't eaten in many years -- since his mother had last cooked it for him.

  When it was over, and the others were getting ready for a night's rest, Ibrahim pulled his father aside.

  'Papa, I have to tell you some things.'

  'Yes, Son?'

  'I remembered what you used to say about following Allah's will. After you two didn't come back to Kabul, they sent us to a school in Jalalabad and began to train us in jihad. But I remembered what you said about jihad. When they began to take us to a camp in the mountains, Allah led me to go a different way, and Papa?'

  'I'm listening.'

  'I think I've found Allah's will. But you might not believe me when I tell you about it.'

  'Son?' said Papa.

  'Yes, Papa?'

  'I've known for a long time, since you were very small, that you were special. Thirty years ago, before you were born, Allah gave me a sign. '

  'A green shooting star?'

  'I dreamed about a green shooting star. I knew that a child would someday be born to me, a child from the stars.'

  'Oh, Papa!' He gave his father an embrace.

  Finally, he said, 'Tomorrow, I must go to join the others.'

  'I know, Son. I thank Allah that he brought you here in answer to my prayers.'

  That night, he slept beside his parents and his brother as they used to when the stars were only a dream.

  Epilogue - The Gloreen

  Subject: Our New Company

  To: Beta

  Cc: Esther

  Cc: Bobby

  Cc: Matt

  Cc: Sam

  Cc: Boz

  Cc: Bennie

  Cc: Phil

  From: Ernie

  Dear All...

  Sorry I've been out of touch for so long.

  While in Egypt earlier this year, I came

  across a great business opportunity,

  and I've been going everywhere setting

  up a network of people who are experts in

  the field. I'm afraid I can't tell you much

  about it over the Internet as secrecy is

  important to this. All I can say is it's a

  security company, providing the service in a

  little known, but very important area. The

  company has been launched already, with seven

  partners who are all security experts.

  In the process of doing the ground work for

  this, I met an old friend, whom I used to know

  very well. We found that we have a lot in

  common, and the chemistry was just right, so

  we got married. Her name is May Lin. We're

  now living in the old house on Soi Pikul that

  we all lived in - Salem Hou
se. Also we have a

  place in North East Thailand, in the town of

  Pak Chong, but out in the country. We spend a

  lot of our time there, but keep the place in

  Bangkok for business in town.

  So anyway, you all know where we live. Come

  by sometime and visit. If we're not in

  Bangkok Boz will also be glad to have you.

  Just send an email when you're going to be out

  this way.

  cheers...

  Ernie

  Ibrahim's arrival at the Akah village was the beginning of a happy climax, clinched by that of Thomas, Rosa and the real Nicolai Stanovitch. Both arrivals were a bit unnerving at first -- the sight of an approaching flying saucer, and then the imposing figure of Nicolai Stanovitch. It varied from person to person, but the old man was on hand to make the proper introductions.

  There is little in the way of narration that could be added at this point that wouldn't be superfluous. Suffice it to say that it was a time to celebrate. The other six ships were called, and together, the seven were awakened to what they once were before being born as Zondon.

  They were, in fact, the seven original Gloreen who had been chosen to plant the garden with the Wisdom bearing tree, and build the House of Energy. When the seven saw that their mission had been subverted, they made the necessary preparations, modified the House of Energy by boring the extra passages, and hid the pointing signs in the right places. Then, just as the end came, as the seven Zondon did thousands of years later, they sent their essence into a crystal which transported itself clear across the galaxy to the Zondon planet of Zuz. The receiver was none other than Zizz, who saw to it that it was placed in a good spot, so the energy forces could go off to find Zondon hosts. Thus, the mission that they had begun as Gloreen, they continued as Zondon, and later as humans.

  Zantrid, the leader, had been born as Tsav, and again as Ibrahim, which is why he had been chosen to retrieve the crystal of warning. As for leadership, however, that continued to be Ernie's role for the time being, who before being Phondesh, was a Gloreen named Vintron.

  Early in their Zondon existence, there was a series of episodes that, if written in a book, would be every bit as interesting and full of suspense as this, if not more so. It involved seduction, control, betrayal, but finally, reconciliation. Memory of this was not contained in the green Zondon crystal in any detail, but it nevertheless left a deep mark on those so affected. For Tsav, it left him with a revulsion towards Glaat wisdom, quick to detect the presence of evil, and a deep sense of caution to a level -- good in an individual perhaps, but not necessarily so in a leader. That is why the leadership mantel fell on Phondesh.

  The honour of having once been the leader was not the only reason Ibrahim was chosen to retrieve the crystal of warning. As the youngest of the humans, it was a chance for him to prove himself strong and at the same time, humble and wise with the Wisdom of the Middle Pillar, and to curb his overcautious tendencies, which could have ended up crippling him as an adult.

  Ibrahim spent a lot of his time with his own family when not on excursions and reconnaissance flights into space. His traditional upbringing had left him with a profound respect for his parents. This was, of course, reinforced by Ernie and Uncle Abdul and others, so that no matter how much exposure he had to the outside world and to his pre human memories, and Zondon and Gloreen consciousness, he was always quick to recognise Wisdom when it came from his own father and mother. Thus Sayed Zalman continued to be his best friend and mentor. Sayed also developed a close friendship with Abdul, and they would visit one another often, usually travelling by space ship.

  And, yes, Ibrahim did get to visit Zizz on two occasions after that. I must also add that grot fruit isn't nearly as appetising to humans as it is to Zondon. Nor, as May Lin also discovered, is durian very appealing to the Zondon palate.

  Before the ancient Gloreen had hidden their seven ships in the Antarctic, they had modified them to suit the needs of their human pilots. One feature of the ships that especially suited Ernie and May Lin was that of co-merging. Whenever one ship touched another, the two could be made to merge into one larger ship. This way, the newly-weds could spend time together even while in space.

  Another romance that came about was that of Thomas and Rosa. Even before finding themselves the only teetotallers at Ernie and May Lin's wedding reception, they had begun taking more than a passing interest in each other. They were wedded in Mendota, Nicolai Stanovitch was Thomas's best man, and Rosa's sister, Maria, was the bridesmaid. Of course, Thomas and Rosa only had the one ship between them.

  Nicolai Stanovitch proved to be a valuable ally indeed. Among the memories left behind in his brain was a master plan of how the Glaat intended to gain influence over the people of the earth. If plan A failed, which Dosh's plan indeed did, there was plan B, and beyond that, plans C and D that would would involve other Glaat entities. All this became a part of the knowledge base of the Gloreen for the purpose of preventing Glaat activity in the solar system.

  As for Stanovitch's vast wealth and power network, he solicited the help of Thomas Gromley, and occasionally that of Les and Joseph whenever they could spare the time, in setting up foundations for the dispersing of funds to the poor and needy as well as in making large payments to those to whom restitution was due. Some operations were closed down, and others cut loose to sink or swim as they could on their own. In others, he slowly began to weed out the bad elements and appoint more deserving individuals in their place. This, of course, had to be done carefully with the help of his friends.

  Some of the sub networks that were cut loose continued with funding from different sources. Though Operation Nostradamus, as well as the contingency plan, Operation Christmas Lights had been aborted, Aziz's part in that affair was carried out anyway three years later, when it did exactly what Joseph had predicted: sent America into a recession and made the people very angry. This happened in spite of tip-offs to the FBI, the CIA and other agencies.

  As for the briefcases, they were taken into space and sent on an orbit that would eventually crash them into the sun. Thus, there are five less weapons of mass destruction to be accounted for.

  As a close friend of Thomas and Rosa, Dr. Stanovitch also became a familiar face at both Iron Hall in Belfast, and the Assembly of God Church near Mendota as he would often be called on to tell his story. Of course, he only told the portions of it that didn't sound too much like science fiction, nor appealing to conspiracy mongers.

  Ed Durant and Boz O'Hannan continued to work at Crayton Securities. A year later, Sean Flynn decided to donate Boz's services to his favourite local charity, a Catholic organisation working with homeless children and AIDS victims in the Klong Toey slum run by a nonconformist Catholic priest.

  Rabbi Simcha remained the happiest rabbi in Jerusalem for the rest of his days. His prayer had been answered and the world now had only to wait for Moshiach ben David. Under his, and his son's tutelage, the Yeshiva continued to produce some of the most Torah observant, and yet warm and open minded rabbis; worthy of the memory of the Rebbe of Markovitch. He continued to receive frequent visits from Ibrahim and the other Planters of the Garden.

  Eddie Magawan not only got his article in National Geographic, but also a paperback in print in the same genre as Eric von Doniken, giving evidence from the Tomb of Thakanamen that extraterrestrials could have lived on Earth a long time ago. He didn't claim any sightings or personal experience (as he well could have), only what could be dug up and dated. Thus, it retained a bit of mystique and actually sold quite well. 'Truth is stranger than fiction' often sells better than 'truth suspected of fiction', or even 'fiction stranger than truth'.

  Speaking of which ... many and exciting were the adventures of the Gloreen, with numerous encounters with the Glaat, who tried every means they could to enter the earth's atmosphere and influence the course of human history, only to be thwarted every time by our seve
n protectors. It would make for many hours of captivating reading, which unfortunately, the reader will never enjoy, as the author thinks endless sequels don't become a good science fiction idea.

  Appendix I

  Glossary of Obscure Words

  Words indicated in parentheses as Zondon don't exist outside our novel. Other made up words that contain Greek sounding prefixes or suffixes may be labelled fictional science. Some definitions are from actual science, and are labelled as such (factual science). Hebrew, Arabic, Thai, one Spanish word, and a few Singlish words are also labelled as such. For Singlish grammatical usages not listed here (like 'lah', 'ah?', 'a bit the...,' and '...one,' etc.) surf to Coxford Singlish Dictionary at www.TalkingCock.com. Singlish definitions listed below are borrowed from that site.

  adoi (Singlish) -- A Malay exclamation of disgust or pain, similar to 'alamak', but used to denote a lesser degree of exasperation.

  ah beng (Singlish/Chinese) -- In strictly local Singaporean or Penang speak, an unsophisticated Chinese boy, usually Hokkien, stereotyped as one who speaks gutter hokkien and likes neon-coloured clothes, spiky, moussed hair and accessories such as handphones or pagers, all of which are conspicuously displayed. He also likes to squat, even when a seat is available. In wider usage, especially in Hongkong, it can mean something like a mafia boss. An ah beng's side kick is ah seng. Example from Singlish usage: "Wah lao eh, why you so chao ah beng one?" (Goodness, why are you such an ah beng?)

  Allah (Arabic) -- Arabic for 'God'.

  Allah Aqbar (Arabic) -- 'God is great', an Islamic proclamation often said in prayers, and sometimes as a war cry.

  Amieroo (Zondon) -- A sub group of the Zondon, who live on what's referred to in the book as 'the Amierooian planet'

  Baba Kamma (Hebrew) -- One of the tractates, or volumes of the Talmud.

  cho bo lan (Singlish) -- A Hokkien phrase meaning 'useless and idle'.

  dyni beam (fictional science) -- a beam of energy capable of manipulating objects from a distance.

  farang (Thai) -- Thai for gringo, or a white Westerner.

  Glaat (Zondon) -- A species of extraterrestrial creatures, distinct from the Zondon, perhaps slightly superior in brain capacity, that early in their history largely succumbed to the dark knowledge and became corrupt.