Fantasy Journey to Year 1,000,000,000

"They are called spaceships. They go to other planets," said Taylor. "We are fifteen hundred years in your future. In the future, your follows grow into the millions. They spread out into space, most notably to a planet called Ramada."

"Your story about being from the future... was true?" said Khalid, looking confused.

"Yes, it was," said Taylor. "Anyway, I know this is a lot to take in, but your people think my friend here was sent by the Evil One, and they are preparing for the final battle detailed in your Book of Blood."

Khalid laughed. "This beauty? An agent of the Evil One?" He leered at Pam; she smiled back, shyly putting one leg in front of the other.

"I know, it's comical, isn't it? Anyway, we want you to talk to your guys, tell them to stand down, and then everything will be fine," said Taylor.

"But... what about my empire? What about my conquests?"

"Once you've done this very minor thing for us, you will be returned back where we found you. You can be raping and killing innocents again by lunchtime," said Taylor.

Khalid considered, rubbing his goatee. This had possibilities. "All right. I will help you."

The Al-Sanaa Manske was the largest manske in Foyahd, the capital of Ramada. The Lufti, the Revered Yosef Kaleel Mustafa Ben Ali, was just getting ready to give his mid-day sermon when three people suddenly appeared on stage.

"I have come!" Khalid proclaimed.

"Who are you?" Ben Ali demanded.

"Who am I? Don't you recognize me?" said Kalid.

"Pam, I just realized we are going to have a problem," Taylor whispered. "How are we going to convince these guys that we've brought them their religious leader from 1500 years in the past?"

"Don't they have likenesses of him?" Pam asked.

"In their religion, making likenesses of him is a death sentence," said Taylor.

"You didn't tell me that."

"You didn't ask," said Taylor.

They exchanged challenging and flirtatious looks.

Khalid was increasingly exasperated that he wasn't being recognized. "I am Khalid Mustafa Hussein Al Saddiq, the Emir of the Grand Sisinphate!"

"Blasphemer!" Ben Ali roared. "Guards, seize them!"

Suddenly the ground shook. People screamed. A blue light came down from the heavens and shone on Khalid. "I am Khalid. I am your Emir. Obey me or die!"

In moments, they were all on their knees.

"Forgive me, please forgive me, master!" Ben Ali cried.

"Rise, my friend," said Brother Khalid.

Ben Ali slowly stood. "Is it... is it really you?"

"It is," said Khalid. "And I have a message I want you to deliver to all good followers of the God of Blood."

"To all of them?" Ben Ali asked.

"Is that a problem?" Khalid asked, with just a touch of menace in his voice.

"I am the Grand Lufti of the Suttis," said Ben Ali. "I can only speak for the Suttis."

"Suttis? What is that?"

"Can you really not know, oh great one?" Seeing the expression on Khalid's face, and quickly backtracked. "Of course. You wouldn't. After you... died, your follows split into two factions, the Suttis, and the Shiars."

"Two factions? Why?"

"A great disagreement of interpretation of the Book of Blood. The Book of Blood states that the God of Blood is to be worshiped on the Seventh Day of Dagmar, and every seven days thereafter. Suttis believe that falls on a Sunday; Shiars believe that falls on a Saturday. We have been bitter enemies, ever since, and have been slaughtering those infidels for generations."

"That is preposterous," said Khalid. "How can you believe in such things?"

"Then what is the truth, Emir?"

"The truth is that you should worship the God of Blood on Tuesdays!"

"Tuesdays? Are you certain?" The Lufti saw the look on Khalid's face, and added hastily. "Yes. Of course. It shall be done. What is your message?"

"That the time of the Evil One has not come. The Final Battle is not upon us." He gave Taylor and Pam a wicked smile.

"Are you certain?" said Ben Ali. And then, "Yes, of course, Emir."

They went to the largest Shiar Manske on Ramada and delivered the same message. However, even with the light show provided by Pam, the Grand Lufti of the Shiars was not convinced.

"Liars!" he said, pointing a bony finger at them. "I recognize that woman who accompanies you. She is an agent of the Evil One. You all must be agents of the Evil One! Guards-"

Suddenly his voice was cut off, as well as his head, as Khalid drew his curved sword and used it. The Lufti's head went rolling to the ground, joined by the rest of his body only seconds later.

Khalid held up his sword, dripping with red. "Blood!" he cried. "The true words of the Great God Laquinta! Heed my words, or you shall make an offering of your own!"

And so compelling was his stature, that all the Shiars got on their knees and prayed for forgiveness.

They spread the message to Manskes all over Ramada. But each time they delivered the message, Khalid's smile grew broader, and there was a glint in his eyes that Taylor didn't like or trust. He tried to screan what Khalid was up to, but couldn't make any sense of it. He whispered something to Pam, and she nodded.

Suddenly the scene flipped, and they were at the spaceport again. Once again long lines of warriors were waiting to board rockets bound for Earth.

"What is this? What has happened?" Khalid asked.

"I asked Pam to take us forward a week to see the results of our little intervention," said Taylor. "Your boys still seem to be getting their war rockets ready to attack Earth. Any idea why, Emir?"

Khalid gave a broad grin. "It will do no harm to tell you now. In the Book of Blood it states that there will be a long period of anarchy, where followers of the Great God of Blood will be pitted against each other."

"Yeah, they've been doing that for centuries," said Taylor.

"It is a winnowing process, a process of creating the best of the best."

"There's nothing like a healthy competitive spirit to kill off the weak among your followers," said Taylor.

"Exactly," Khalid smiled. "But when the time comes when all Laquintans are united, that will be the signal for the Final Battle to begin."

"Wait a minute. We brought you here to stop the Final Battle, and instead, you started it?"

"Exactly," said Khalid, smiling broadly. "Soon the streets of every city on your world will run red with the blood of-"

"Pam, get this asshole out of here," said Taylor.

Khalid immediately disappeared.

"Do you wish to know where I sent him?" Pam asked.

"No, not really," said Taylor. "You promised to fix this."

"You also promised me something as well," said Pam, moving close to him.

"You have to deliver first."

Pam sighed, and looked unhappy. "Very well."

Taylor looked at the spaceport. The lines of warriors waiting to board their ships were still there. But one important detail was changed.

The spaceships, some fifty or more of them were... gone. All gone.

"They cannot kill if they cannot get to Earth, can they?" Pam asked.

"No. I suppose they can't," said Taylor. There were also followers of Laquinta on Earth, but they were fewer in number and not as well-

Suddenly, they were back in his apartment, and Pam's arms were all over him. "So I have delivered on my promise. Now make love to this body, as you promised."

"I never promised to make love to you," said Taylor. "Not until you say the words."

"I cannot. I will not lie to you, Taylor." She stared at him so earnestly he wanted to take her right then and there.

"Only to yourself, it seems," Taylor sighed. He went into the kitchen. Pam followed.

"Taylor, you cannot deny reality," she said, as Taylor retrieved some popcorn kernels from a container.

"You're the one doing that," said Taylor, as he put the kernels into the atomic cooker. He pressed some buttons, and it hummed.

"I am a diagnostic program, Taylor. I have no feelings."

"Then why do you keep asking for sex?"

"It is this female body, Taylor. It needs it. Is that not good enough for you?"

The cooker chimed. Taylor opened it, and removed the contents. He went out on the terrace, and gestured for Pam to follow.

He sat on an oversized padded chair, and gestured for Pam to sit with him. She sat down and snuggled up against him. He said, "Open your mouth."

Pam obediently did so.

Taylor put something in it. "Chew."

Pam ate it. It was crunchy. "What is it?"

"It is called popcorn," said Taylor.

"This body likes it," said Pam, her eyes widening.

It was a brilliant evening. The moon was out, as were the stars. Taylor's apartment overlooked the Pacific Ocean. They heard the roar of the waves and saw the reflection of the moonlight on the water.

"So what is this reward you have promised me, Taylor?"

Taylor looked at her for a long moment, and then leaned forward and kissed her. Pam wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back.

"Do you like that?" he asked, after he pressed his lips against hers.

"This body does," said Pam, looking eager for more.

He kissed her again. "But do you like it?"

"I note it, Taylor," said Pam. "I can only be what I was made to be."

"No," said Taylor. "You can be more."

And they sat there for some time, together, kissing and hugging and touching, feeling each other's bodily warmth, looking in each other's eyes, and just enjoying the feeling of being... with each other.

"We're naturally glad that the attack from Ramada has been foiled," said the holoimage of Admiral Von Windhoek."But... did she really wipe out all their rockets?"

"Yes sir."

Von Windhoek shook his head. "No one should have such incredible power."

"No one in our time does," said Taylor.

Von Windhoek bit his lip. Taylor could screan that he was starting to believe. "There were also unconfirmed... reports that Khalid, the prophet who started Laquintaism some 1500 years ago, was seen on Ramada. Would you know anything about that?"

Taylor frowned. "Maybe this is something we don't want to get into in a holocall."

Von Windhoek sighed. "Such incredible power. What if she decides to eliminate all of us?"

"That's not the problem, sir," said Taylor. "I told you what the problem was."

"What... that in a billion years, aliens might decide to retroactively erase the galaxy?" He looked at Taylor, and his eyes grew wide. "You were telling the truth, weren't you?"

"Yes," said Taylor.

"Is there anything we can do about it?" Von Windhoek asked.

"I don't know," said Taylor. "I think the key may be to get Pam to recognize the value of humanity. If I can convince her, maybe she can convince her people."

"And how is that going?"

Taylor looked at the bathroom. Pam was taking a shower, with the shower door open. She was soaping her heavy breasts while giving him a sly smile. "It's a work in progress, sir."

The Laquintans were not the only ones who were affected by Pam's arrival. All major religions on the planet Earth attributed some kind of meaning to it. Pam was fascinated by religions, and wanted to learn more about them.

"I think I am beginning to kockk religion," she said, sitting down on the couch next to Taylor. She put her legs over his.

"You are? Then kockk me."

She gave him a sly look. "Your people use religion as an attempt to understand the true nature of their existence. In their own very crude way, they are trying to screan Tisson Crae, even though they have no screaning abilities whatsoever."

Taylor looked thoughtful. "I have never heard religion described quite in those terms before."

"You have never before benefited from the analysis of such a superb research and diagnostic tool."

"Certainly not a pretty one," said Taylor. He smiled, and saw the look in her eyes. "It's funny you should mention religion. We have invitations from the Archbishop of Equality and the High Priestess of the She-Goddess Aura. They both would like to meet with you. Would you enjoy that?"

Pam nodded.

Henry Egan was the Archbishop of Equality of the First Equalitarian Church of North America. There were a number of Equalitarian churches all around the world, but the First Equalitarian was the largest, with well over 200 million members. People were drawn to it because of the incredible guilt they felt over inequality. Egalitarians had analyzed the Bible, and concluded the entire text was one big metaphor for the pressing need to redistribute income and property so everyone had exactly the same.

So successful was the Church's message, that it had amassed nearly a hundred billion dollars in donations to do its good works. The main branch of the church in downtown Boston was an entire city block long, and ten stories tall with large spires, enormous stained glass windows, and huge frescoes and statues inside, all testaments for the enormous need for redistribution.

"It is so nice to meet you, Pam, and of course you as well, Captain Taylor," said Egan, welcoming them into the church. He gave them a tour before taking them to his office.

"This is a big place," said Taylor, staring at the giant statues of social justice warriors, and the five story stained glass windows.

"All paid for by the generosity of those who want equality for all," said Egan.

He took them to his office, which he was also very proud of. His desk was a 300 old antique made of real wood. The oriental carpet was another heirloom which had cost even more than the desk. The chairs were refurbished from the Palace at Versailles.

"I have heard much about you, Pam," said Egan, as he sat down behind his desk. "Is it true that you come from the distant future?"

Pam barely looked at Taylor. "Yes."

"And is it true that in this future, mankind has evolved into a state where all are... equal?"

Pam frowned. "I am not sure how to answer that. We each have our own functions. I am a diagnostic and research tool. Another of my group is a specialist in determining Shursta. Another focuses on the intricacies of Trista. But we are all part of the same group, and when we are together, as one, we decide, as one."

"You all become a single being... all of whom are equal?"

"Yes," said Pam.

"How exciting," said the Archbishop. "If only we had the ability to do that, to merge ourselves into one, great being. It would be grand."

"Speak for yourself, Archbishop," said Taylor.

Archbishop Henry smiled at him. "Do I smell the scent of individuality, sir? But of course, you are a dashing Survey Service Captain, and Survey Service Captains have the hubris to believe they are in a class of their own. No offense intended, Captain."

"None taken," said Taylor levelly. "And what of Archbishops? Do they think themselves in a class of their own as well?"

"Of course not," said Archbishop Henry. "We are the very same as the common man. That is why I want your help, dear," he said, turning to Pam. "If you could... endorse us."

"Endorse you?"

"Simply tell the world what you have just told me. That Equalitarianism is the wave of the future. That some day, we will all be exactly the same."

"I did not say that."

"But that's where we're heading; all being part of one being. Totally equal," said Henry.

"But you aren't equal," said Taylor. "I've done some research. Your salary and benefits is the equivalent of over 500,000 credits a year."

"I am merely compensated for the important services I provide," said Henry.

"You have seven homes in six countries. Yachts, planes, spaceships, air cars... I did some digging. Your net worth is said to be north of sixty million credits," said Taylor.

"That's not true," said Archbishop Henry. "That is lies, spread by the unequalists."

"Really, then what is your net worth?"

"Captain Taylor, I can see that you're a skeptic. I respect that," said Archbishop Henry. "But I really wish to speak to Pam. Would you permit us to converse in private, just for a few moments?"

"No," said Taylor.

"Yes," said Pam.

"Pam," said Taylor, in a warning voice.

"I wish to hear what the Archbishop has to say. It may further elaborate my dataset on the matter."

"Magistero here will show you out," said Henry, waving a hand as an assistant came running forward. He saw the hesitation on Taylor's face. "Really, Captain. You can be right outside the door. We aren't going to kidnap your lovely friend here."

Taylor looked doubtfully at Pam, but then he nodded.

He let himself be walked outside.

Pam came out several minutes later. Her face was blank.

"Pam, are you all right?"

She gave a forced smile. "Of course, Taylor. We can go now." And a second later, they were back at his apartment.

"What happened?" Taylor asked.

"I gave him what he wanted," said Pam.

"You did?" said Taylor.

"I made him equal," said Pam.

Henry Egan suddenly found himself inside a cave. No, a mine. And he was dressed as a miner, and held a laser pick in his hand.

"Hey, you, get back to work!" said a supervisor.

"This is a mistake," said Egan. "I'm the Archbishop of Equality!"

"Oh, pardon me, your lordship," said the supervisor. Someone else laughed. "Now get back to work, or there'll be no supper for you."

The disappearance of Archbishop Henry was taken as a sign, a miracle, that the Equalpocalypse was at hand, the end times when all peoples on the earth would suddenly become equal. Congregants poured into churches to give up all their worldly possessions. People prayed day and night, convinced the end of inequality was at hand. The population was worked into a frenzy-

Until Archbishop Henry, his clothes tattered, and his face caked with dirt, reappeared three days later. That's how long it took him to earn enough money to buy a bus ticket from the mines to get to Sydney.

The Archbishop announced he had had a revelation. The Equalpocalypse had not yet come. But it was coming soon. Everyone had to give to the church to make it happen, and dig deep.

"His entire premise was unbalanced," said Pam, watching the holo as she leaned against Taylor's chest. "You humans are entirely unequal. Some have greater abilities, greater motivations, and others have less. How then can you all be equal?"

"It has nothing to do with equality, and everything to do with envy," said Taylor.

"Envy?"

"When people see other people with bigger homes, better air cars, better technology, they feel envious. They want to steal what the other people have, but that's not considered virtuous. So instead they dress it up in terms of inequality. They say people have more because they earned it unfairly. Therefore, it has to be redistributed--taken by force of law, and given to others, who have done nothing to earn it."

Pam thought about that. "It is resource allocation. It sounds a little like Tisson Crae."

"I suppose, in a way it is."

"Except that those who propose it have no conception of Tisson Crae or how to expra it."

"Which is another reason why we have such conflict on our planet," said Taylor. "The Equalitarians are almost as bad as the followers of Aura."

"Aura?"

There weren't as many followers of the she-Goddess Aura as there were of the Churches of Equalitarianism. But their numbers were still in the millions.

When Pam appeared, and demonstrated her powers, many members became convinced that Pam was the second coming of Aura. Pam was invited to appear before the College of Cardinals in their main Churchery in San Francisco. Vera Labia, the High Priestess of the Church of Aura, was their host.

Taylor had a distinctively uneasy feeling as he and Pam stood in the Church of the She Goddess, surrounded by their College of Cardinals. It wasn't that he feared for his personal safety, or Pam's; it was just that he felt uncomfortable being surrounded by so many zealots. They had wild looks in their eyes, and their expressions were all of shock and amazement as they stared at Pam. Most of the Cardinals were women, though there were a sprinkling of emasculated and liberated men.

The followers of Aura were anti-technology. They believed that technology and industry were destroying the planet. They subscribed to the unproven theory that factories emitted gases causeing temperature change, the daily fluctuation of temperatures from the morning to the evening which they considered to be unnatural. They claimed, without evidence, that in past centuries the temperature was constant throughout the day, and further claimed, without evidence, that industrialization was causing the temperature to fluctuate during the day. They wanted to deindustrialize the planet.

The followers of Aura were especially critical of the Survey Service. They had been lobbying for years to get it shut down over fears that Survey Service rockets were harming the environment. Taylor felt uncomfortable standing there in his Survey Service uniform, aware of the unfriendly looks he was receiving.

Labia, the High Priestess, welcomed Pam with deep bows, as did the entire Congress of Cardinals. "We are not worthy, we are not worthy, we are not worthy," they all intoned, as they bowed.

"On that we are agreed," Taylor muttered. He thought he saw a hint of a smile from Pam as she looked at him from the corner of her eyes.

Labia stood up and looked Pam in the eyes for a long moment. Then she said, "It is said in the Holy Book that the She Goddess will return to us one day to right the world of its wrongs. Are you her? Are you the She Goddess, Aura?"

Pam looked at Labia. "No," she said slowly.

The Cardinals gasped.

"It is also said that when the She Goddess returns, that she will at first come in secret, and deny her presence, so she may roam among us undetected and observe us committing our sins. Is that what you are doing?"

"No," said Pam again.

The Cardinals gasped. "It is her!" one of them murmured.

Labia bowed low. "Tell us, oh mighty She-Goddess, what is it you would have us do."

Pam frowned. "Whatever you wish."

"The Goddess is tempting us!" a Cardinal moaned.

Labia looked up at her. "We know we are wicked in our ways. We know we use electricity, and consume products, and live in homes, and eat meat, and other less sinful foods, all of which kills trees and flowers. How can we atone for the mur*er of trees and flowers?"

"I do not know," said Pam, looking at her curiously.

"The She Goddess challenges us!" said a Cardinal.

"Please, please forgive us," Labia pleaded. "We seek your guidance. We seek your punishment for our sins. Tell us how to make restitution for all your good nature that we have wantonly destroyed with our wicked existence."

Pam looked at Labia for a long moment. "You wish to be punished?"

"Yes!" The Cardinals intoned.

Oh no.

"You wish to make restitution?"

"Yes!" They cried.

"Very well," said Pam, simply.

And then, before Taylor could say a word, they vanished. All of them. Labia and the entire College of Cardinals.

"Where did they go?" Taylor asked. "Where did you send them?"

"Not far," said Pam.

Suddenly, they were in front of the Church of the Goddess, on the expansive front lawn.

"They are here," said Pam.

Taylor looked around. He didn't see anyone. All he saw were trees and flowers.

Trees and flowers he didn't remember seeing when they entered the Church. When they had first entered, it had just been one great big lawn.

"You didn't...."

"I turned them into trees and flowers. I thought they would be happier that way." Pam turned to him. "Do you wish me to change them back?"

Taylor looked at the trees and flowers. He thought about the near constant demonstrations outside of Auburn base from followers of Aura who demanded the Survey Service shut down because they claimed rocket launches were harming the environment. He thought about the pressure they had put on the World Government repeatedly to try to get the Survey Service disbanded.

And then he looked at the trees and flowers again. So peaceful and so very quiet! "No, they look just fine to me," he said.

Something was changing.

Pam was becoming more and more desperate for sex. That night, she wore the same skimpy nightgown she always did, made of sheer pink material that was almost see-through. But as they got into bed to go to sleep, she pressed her body against his and kissed him passionately. Taylor, who slept in his underwear, could feel the warmth of her full breasts pressing against his chest.

"Please, Michael, please," she said. "This body cannot delay much longer. This body needs your touch. It is female, and the female body cannot be complete without the male inside of it." She looked into his eyes, silently imploring him.

Taylor was powerfully tempted. Her words were extremely arousing. It was Pam, and she was beautiful, and practically nude, and very willing. But something held him back. "No."

"Please!" she cried again. She reached down and felt him with her hand, tracing her fingers over his explosive growth. "You want it. I can see you want it."

Taylor took her in his arms and said, "This body wants to have sex with you. But this mind does not, and will not, not until you do."

"I... I..." Pam grabbed her head. "I... I think I feel something, Taylor."

Taylor sat up abruptly. "You do?" he said excitedly.

"This body... this body desperately wants to feel your touch, Michael," she said, running her hands over him. He could see her nipples were hard and erect.

"But you, what do you want?" Taylor asked.

"I... I...." she looked desperate. "I think... I think I feel something...."

"What?" he said.

"I...." He could see tears in her eyes. "I do not know."

She was almost sobbing. Taylor took her in his arms.

"Please, Michael, please. I need it so badly," she whispered into his ears, between sobs.

Taylor hugged her tightly. "You're almost there, Pam."

"I am?" she said.

"I can screan it," said Taylor. "You're almost there. You're so close. Just take the last step."

They fell asleep together, in each other's arms.​