The Children of Eternity (49 page)

“You know, I’ve learned a lot about mothers and sons and their love during the past few months. There were so many reunions after Jesus brought His people home. But you know, I just saw what I think is the most incredible reunion of them all. I saw what ends a son would go to in order to rescue his mother. I’ve also come to realize just how good we have it here. The Father’s love is so special, and I guess that is His greatest gift to us. There is so much of it that it overflows, and we in turn give it to others.”

“Well said,” replied Christie, his mother. “Your father and I were wondering if you’d mind spending a little time with us. We’ve so wanted to have time with you. Jerry said that Professor Faraday wouldn’t be expecting you back for at least a week. Why not spend that week with us?”

With his mother’s help, Christopher got up to a sitting position. “I think I’d like that.”

“Your friend Jerry said that we ought to take you fishing,” continued Christie. “He materialized all of the stuff the three of us would need. He said that you’d probably enjoy it.”

Christopher laughed openly. That was Jerry. “Yeah, I think I’d like that too.”

Christopher spent that week and then some with his parents. They had missed out on so much of his life growing up. During those precious days they spent together, they gave the term
quality time
new meaning. They couldn’t recover the years when they were apart, but they could start creating fond memories from this day forth. By the time Christopher returned to his responsibilities at the research facility, he was feeling better than he had for a long time.

Three weeks later journeyman third class Christopher Pace was pondering a new engine cooling design for the starship
Messiah
. He leaned back in his chair and looked out the window to gaze once more at the still skeletal craft sitting alongside the
Intrepid
.

The
Intrepid
itself hadn’t seen any battle action in nearly four weeks, though Captain Smith and his crew had taken her out on several shakedown cruises to work out the bugs. Its raw power made it one heck of a deterrent. The demons weren’t likely to bring down the wrath of that silvery avenger upon themselves again. There was even word of a ceasefire between Satan’s legions and the people of the now much larger and more powerful Monrovia.

Apparently, Satan wished to concentrate upon his expanding earthly kingdom rather than bother with internal affairs in Hell. That was probably a mistake, for his internal difficulties weren’t going away. It was estimated that Tim Monroe and his forces had liberated nearly 50,000 souls. He was rapidly becoming a force to be reckoned with.

Christopher looked up to consider the design that seemed to float just above the white table before him. Yes, he had an idea now. That idea was laid aside as Jerry entered the room with a man in a blue cloak at his side. Under the man’s arm was a large and very ornate black box. Christopher immediately recognized the insignia of the Knights of Zion upon it. The handsome, dark-skinned man bowed slightly before Christopher, who immediately rose to his feet.

“I hope I’m not interrupting something important,” said the knight, looking at the transparent engine displayed before him. “A hyperdrive engine, if I’m not mistaken.”

Christopher was impressed. “No, you’re not mistaken.”

“I too study FTL drive systems,” said the knight. “My name is Barasuka Collins, knight of the order of the Knights of Zion. I have been entrusted with a gift for you and for Jerry Anderson from Lord Timothy Monroe. Lord Monroe sends his greetings and his eternal thanks. He has sent both of you a very special gift. He said that it will certainly be unique, the only two of their kind in all of Heaven.”

The knight sat the box on the floor and opened it. Within were two finely crafted swords with gem-encrusted scabbards. The knight then personally presented one to Christopher and the other to Jerry.

“These swords are a Monrovian variation on the demonic sword. Yet they are essentially unique, designed for the human hand,” said Barasuka. “The blade is composed of angelic metal. It is one of the very few materials found in Hell that can survive teleportation to Heaven. This weapon has very unique properties. Lord Monroe has included a personal letter that expresses his gratitude to you and describes the proper use of the sword.”

Christopher drew the sword from its scabbard. Never had he seen a blade that glistened as this one did. “I had the honor of witnessing Lord Monroe do battle with a demon general armed only with a sword like this. Never have I seen such exceptional swordsmanship. I cannot imagine a more wonderful gift. Please extend my thanks to him. I will treasure it.”

“As will I,” said Jerry. “Please tell him that I too will treasure this gift as a memory of the time that we worked together to defeat the armies of Satan.”

The knight smiled broadly. “I will indeed pass these words on to Lord Monroe. I’m sure that he will be pleased.” There was a pause. “He is going to change the face of Hell. He will bring relief to the captives.”

“Of that I have no doubt,” said Christopher. Jerry quickly agreed.

The knight bowed once more and took his leave, vanishing into the blue mists.

“I have a feeling that we will be hearing from Tim Monroe again,” noted Jerry.

Christopher shook his head. “Of that I also have no doubt…” He paused. “I wonder if we’ll ever go back there.”

“I don’t know,” admitted Jerry. “I visit my mother in Refuge once every week. She is doing much better. Interestingly enough, she has a gift of materialization and she has come a long way with it.”

“Like son, like mother,” said Christopher.

They both had a good laugh over that one. Then they opened the letter from Tim Monroe.

Christopher read through it. It wasn’t very long, only a few paragraphs. “Tim says that he is very sorry for the way that we were treated that last day. He says that he was only thinking about his people.”

“And his own ambitions,” said Jerry. “Tim couldn’t bear the thought of not being Lord Monroe.”

“Yeah, that too,” noted Christopher. “He thanks us for coming back and rescuing Karen.” Christopher chuckled. “He says here that he is interested in the tractor beam technology we used to save her and her dagger—and that if we were prepared to share it, he would make it worth our while.”

“That’s Tim,” laughed Jerry, “the eternal entrepreneur.”

“He goes on to say that he now has three people sufficiently skilled in the art of materialization to fabricate even the most intricate components, and two of them are his own people. He now has twenty-eight daggers in his air force, and he’s building two new, much larger hangars in which to store and maintain them. He’s training pilots to fly them, and your friend Karen is in charge of his flight school.”

“That doesn’t surprise me a bit,” said Jerry. “She was a good student—she will make a good teacher.”

“I guess they’ve found some caves in the Vendikar region in which to build a second underground city,” Christopher continued. “He is also starting to build some homes for the farmers on the surface. He claims a population of over fifty-six thousand people now.

“He says also that he has just signed a new treaty with the demons, one that concedes a huge amount of land to him. It enlarges his kingdom by a factor of nearly thirty. Now, for the first time, he has to give serious thought as to the form of government his new enlarged empire will take. That’s about all he has to say.” Christopher handed the letter to Jerry.

“I doubt that Tim will be satisfied with what he has for long,” said Jerry, scanning the one page letter. “I don’t think Satan will honor the treaty for very long either. In the end there will be another war, a far longer and more devastating one.”

Christopher nodded. “I suppose it is the nature of empires.”

The two young men got back to work. There was plenty to do if they wanted to get the
Messiah
off the pad in four months. Tomorrow they would be traveling into Zion together to commune with the Father. They both had some deep questions to ask. They hoped that He would grant them some answers.

T
HE
H
OLY
P
LACE WAS INDEED
busy today. It was full of singing and praising saints. Christopher and Jerry made their way through the joyful crowd in search of a good place to sit.

“Since the rapture of the saints, this place has been so crowded,” observed Jerry. “I think the day of sitting down within a mile of the presence of the Father is long gone.”

“We’ve gotten a lot closer than that a couple of times,” said Christopher as they moved through the crowd.

“Yeah, I remember,” said Jerry. “That was so cool.”

“You’re really going to ask the Father that question today?” asked Christopher.

“I am,” confirmed Jerry. “I mean…I have to know.”

“Here’s a place,” said Christopher, pulling Jerry toward an open spot. They immediately sat down and began to clear their minds. Christopher noticed that the voices around them were fading. “Oh yes, please let it happen,” he whispered. A moment later, he opened his eyes. Yes, he had been here before, but this time it was different. Bright sunlight streamed through the large window at the end of the long hallway. Beside him, Jerry too had opened his eyes.

“I was hoping that the Father would bring us back here,” said Jerry.

“Hey guys, long time,” said a voice from behind them.

Christopher turned to discover both Jonathon and Lilly standing there. “The four children of eternity are together again,” he said.

“You gotta love it,” said Jonathon, giving his friends a thumbs-up.

Christopher and Jerry rose to their feet and looked out the window across a great plain of tall grass with large oak trees scattered about. It appeared to be about midday.

“The Father does get around,” said Christopher.

“Well, speaking of the Father, let’s not keep Him waiting,” said Lilly, leading the way to the Father’s study.

They quickly made their way down the hall and into the study. The Father stood by the great window. He stretched out His hands to them.

“Well done, children, well done indeed.”

The four ran to the Father to hug Him. Hugging the Creator of the universe was a wonderful feeling.

The Father turned to Lilly. “Elizabeth tells me how wonderful a time you have been having with your mother. Your mother is very glad to be reunited with you. Do not feel that you are neglecting your studies when you are with her. She needs you now. Love must sometimes take precedence over matters of duty, even such an important duty as the one you have been given.”

“Thank You, Father,” replied Lilly.

Then the Father turned to Jonathon. “I love a cheerful son, and you are certainly that. You have walked through the Valley of the Shadow of Death and you have triumphed. Now I give you a new commission. Learn all that you can from the family elders around you. Profit from what they teach you. The day is coming when the unity of your family will be of utmost importance, for I am sending all of you on a mission.”

“A mission?” said Jonathon.

“Yes,” confirmed the Father. “As Lilly has already learned, you will not always be granted the knowledge of what is to come. It is for your own protection that this is so. What you need to have is faith—faith in My plan, faith in Me. I will never leave or forsake you.”

Jonathon nodded.

“Christopher,” said the Father. “On your most recent journey you learned the true meaning of sacrifice. You reached out with all of your being to someone you didn’t even know, someone who intended you harm. In doing so, you have changed her life and her outlook. That one selfless act will reap great dividends. You will see them.”

“I understand,” said Christopher.

“For now, take a rest. Get to know your parents better, for they love you more than you can imagine. They have just come through the great tribulation. They do have things to teach you.”

“Like how to fish?” asked Christopher.

That comment brought laughter to the Father. “For one thing. Your earthly father may make a fisherman of you yet.”

The whole group laughed.

Then the Father looked at Jerry. He was silent for some time. Jerry was unsure what to say.