“Did we just witness what I think we did?” asked François out loud.
“What?” asked Sabrina.
“When was this?” asked Dedrick mentally.
“About two million Earth years ago,” replied Jorh. “We are as surprised as you are. We had not anticipated something like this could take place. But now, it explains many things. It would appear your species and ours have more in common than sharing the same sun. A part of us is in you. That would explain why we are able to communicate telepathically with your kind. You can hear us because part of our DNA has morphed with yours.”
Jorh turned to look at Gahneo and Mahhzee and went on, “The three of us had been wondering about that. You see, back when our people used to visit your planet, we had tried many times to establish some form of telepathic connection with the animals of your world but had never succeeded. I was at a loss for the reason your landing on Kesra had triggered a reaction in our ship’s systems and had awakened me.”
“Now, we understand,” concurred Mahhzee with a caring smile that betrayed her feelings for the small group of Earthlings.
“You mean we’re… You’re the reason?” The biochemist in Liu was completely baffled. “But… you can’t transfer DNA like that. It would take countless generations over several millennia to take place. How can this be the…?” She was now speaking out loud, too distracted by the puzzling discovery to care to think only.
“We are fairly certain. The blue liquid you saw the creature drink was a genetic compound our scientists used to cure diseases on my planet. And the Tayags, the small eggs of Ghervz, provided everything our body needed to cure itself from anything we had ever encountered over the millennia. We know its genetic signature, and we know what it can do. There is no doubt. Your current human DNA was genetically spawned that day by the combination of those two elements. The Zarfha records show the animal’s intelligence grew substantially over the next few hundred years. It took many more generations to develop what you call self-awareness, but the seed was planted.”
“No way! That’s the missing link?” Tendai was just as dumbfounded as the rest of them. “You’re saying that’s how we branched off and went from ape to man? I think most of our scientists would have disagreed with you on this, Jorh.”
“I am sorry to disagree, Tendai, but we are confident this is how and when your kind began its journey to become human. Although some apes on your planet began walking on two legs long before this event, the ship’s archive never recorded any sign of intelligence beyond that of your primates, until this. The Zarfha archives don’t lie. It is a shame that none of the other creatures on your world had a chance to get to that evolution step, be glad you did. You are the last representatives of an amazing, wonderful and unique race, a hybrid in a way, combining the genes of two worlds, and it pleases us greatly to know some of us is in you.”
“It’s so hard to believe… We look so… different from you… Vera was looking at the aliens in a different way, she realized. They were all looking at each other a bit differently. The events of the last few weeks had brought them closer, but this new information was quite different. There was a sense of belonging, a new level of understanding and connection; a feeling of inner peace.
A long silence followed. The aliens listened quietly to all the thoughts floating in the room while their human companions, unable to shield their mind from them, tried to make sense of it all. It was quite a revelation. Most anthropologists back on Earth would have been amazed. Some would have been crushed, all their confident theories proved wrong, but finally knowing what had set man apart from the rest of the animal kingdom would have been one of the most profound answers of all time. And for many religious entities around the world, such a revelation would have caused quite a stir in their beliefs. François, looking at his alien ancestors in their hovering chairs, thought about the many God’s mankind had venerated throughout history. Every supreme being, every Deity who had been imagined, coming down from the heavens above or the Earth below to create man, were standing right in front of them. And as amazing at it may seem, Francois realized man had finally met his maker, or at the very least, one who had played a major role in its evolution.
The following day, the ship was resting on a large plateau of ice, on the continent of Antarctica. Jorh and Gahneo had left before the human passengers had gotten up to go find the “White Light,” the power source Silargh and his crew had originally come to Earth to collect.
“They are back,” announced Mahhzee to Dedrick’s group.
Outside, the two aliens and their hovering container were approaching on the white ground below. Dedrick wondered what the “White Light” the aliens so desperately needed was. The Kahnus had mentioned that the “Light” was only found on Earth. But what was it? He would have to ask. After entering the purple back gate, Mahhzee’s two companions soon reached the cargo bay and secured the precious item. She was already taking the ship back into space when the two aliens entered the cockpit and sat among their human passengers.
“The light is secured,” told Jorh to his sister.
“Everything here is ready,” she replied.
The vessel was now stationary fifty kilometers above Earth. The outside view was breathtaking, even if the planet looked sadly dark. François, staring at the continents slowly shifting as the Earth revolved below, was momentarily distracted by a small object flying towards them. It took him a few seconds to make out the satellite. There were still countless of them orbiting the planet. Although several had crashed back on Earth over the years, following the great chemical war, many were still flying blindly on their preset loop around the globe, sending their data to no one. It flew by at several thousand kilometers an hour, only a few meters from the vessel. He jerked back instinctively. He was still trying to get use to that. Jorh had assured him the ship would automatically move out of the way, if one of them was to come too close. There was absolutely no reason to worry. Still, it was unnerving. He turned his attention back to the conversation at hand. Tendai was still trying to find a solution to their food problem.
“Maybe we could start replanting some of the seeds we have with us from our greenhouse and with your help—”
“You will run out of food and water long before you can rebuild anything on your planet. Earth’s air and waters are polluted. And you won’t have anything left to drink soon,” replied Jorh, looking at the small group.