Keeper's Sea (Sci-fi Book in the Works)

"On the shores I saw them once, a land great in majesty and barren of our needy hands. They glided over waves and grass, and stretched over distances far and mysterious. . .
I had with me but a simple bag and travel gear. Nothing of value or worth but to myself. And one night I had sat to rest on a rocky ledge that over looked the Green Sea.

I had drifted to sleep, long enough to be dreaming. And in my dream I was standing on a cloud, tiny wisps curl around my ankles. Suddenly the sky began to vibrate, hum even. This hum soon became louder, louder until the cloud beneath me started to shake. Blue sky became night, and the cloud instantly transformed into a dark abyss. I fell.

I leaped up from sleep, only to look sharply into the eye of a Keeper, keenly watching me. I trembled before this floating, black sphere, gazing into its single, empty lens in anticipation of falling back into the nightmare.”

Transmission End } ] } ] } ] Recorded 2872 <~Eon Cycle~>

 

Long time no-see, stranger. We want more.

 

This world is our world and it isn’t. You could say that it has evolved, so much so that one could hardly recognize it. Just as we did not recognize the former world of the dinosaurs, the world of prehistoric man. Even our forefathers could not have imagined the world at present. So let go of this world, for now, and allow your imagination to turn the pages that follow. For no age is ageless, all time has a beginning, and so we begin.
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At the dawn of the 21’st century, human civilization vanished. All that remains of them is a cultural skeleton: Their skyscrapers and behemoth cities, endless miles of village stretching into infinity, now eroding as they are consumed by the forests (which are at this point ancient forests).
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There were survivors of the Great Vanishing, as we call it, and tales now circulate these new people as to how and why the ancestors (You) had vanished. You will hear many stories in your travels, but there is no confirmation beneath any of them. For the moment, what you believe about them is up to you. The truth is something yet to be discovered.
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This world is quite different, I say again. The people of this Dawn are not what you might expect, but then again they are. After all, humans will be humans, and Keepers – oh, that’s right, you’re not familiar with the term. You will learn of them soon enough.
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That last line reminded me of that part in Plan 9 From Outer Space when the alien is talking about how stupid humans are, and mentions all the horrible weapons humans have made, and then lists one we don't know and says 'oh, that's right... you haven't heard of that one yet.'.

 

sounds like a load of old bilge from a bible somewhere

 

Overlooking the Grand Assembly
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I


took my place among the crowd of onlookers who busily chattering and debating one another. We huddled noisily around the west section of a room built much like a coliseum. The speakers would step down from their bench and present their case before the Assembly. Laser blue maps, diagrams and colorful imagery weaved through the air to present their case.



“This is no way to win the favor of the Keepers. We all know that. It will bring nothing but ruin,” spoke an elderly man to my left. His eyes gazed absently at the Assembly, seeming to reminisce the values of previous times, when invading Keeper Territories was a topic forbidden of discussion in public.



Now the times had changed, and I among many others was curious as to what the verdict would be.



The long metallic beams that circled around the room and beneath our seats began to flash. A gentle hum cascaded us, gently lulling our conversations to silence, as the first Minister stepped down to speak. I adjusted myself on the smooth hard surface of the bench, which was constructed with particular curves to provide back support. For me it seemed to do little but assist in back pains. The lights dimmed, and a blue luminescence filled the Speaking Floor.



“We now present the 118th Meeting of the Grand Assembly. Our attention goes to the presence of the Keepers, their significance to our World and the prosperity of our civilization. It has come to our attention that information necessary for our continued evolution is withheld in Keeper territory. May we be wise and understanding of our perspectives here today, empty of ideals and open for compromise.” The young man stepped down with a reflective look, taking his seat on the first step. He was a new Minister, recently elected. His lack of experience provided worry for the conservative groups, but I was disinterested in politics and merely acknowledged him as any other competent government official.



The audience remained utterly quiet. I could feel the tension thick in the air, the anxious thoughts scattering about in everyone’s minds.



A thin man dressed in decorative robes stepped down. He had no hair and was quite old, possibly 100 years or so. He arrived at the center and cleared his throat, beginning nervously with, “So we are here.” The Assembly eagerly wished to pass introductions, so he continued, “Despite the benefits Keeper information may give us, we risk the ruin of our civilization. For nearly 1000 years, the Keepers have let us be, guided us, directed us and prevented us from destroying ourselves. They have kept us in check, and when we have overstepped our boundaries they have made it most clear to us that there are consequences. If we were to now, deliberately, invade their territory. What would the consequences be? You have learned of the Vanishing, over one hundred years ago? No? Towns and villages wiped away without a trace, without a cry. They may let us flourish or just as easily disappear into the night. Must we suffer the same fate of the Ancients? Surely, this Assembly could see the dire consequences of such an act. I conclude my statement.”



The crowd was mixed. Some nodded, some shook their heads furiously. I found myself skeptical with the traditional view, but I admit I have not witnessed the Vanishing, and may not truly appreciate what the speaker is attempting to convey. From the looks of it, he probably was around at that time. The lifespan of an Tekran is roughly 250.



The lights gently flickered again, and a red glow surged up beneath the feat of a seat across the room. A younger man with a full head of gray hair walked in stride, lights beneath him until he reached the center. He spoke with authority, “I am Mikael Vernin, Representative of the 11th District of the Assembly. I understand Representative Airoun’s points, but provide you with a grander and more open possibility. It is now in our power to go under The Watch, for the first time in history. We have never before been able to keep our recon droids undetected by Keeper Sentinels, until now.”



He raised his hand. The floor projected tiny grids which he re arranged in the air, finally choosing one to enlarge for the assembly with a flash of his palm.



A choppy video screen was displayed. “This,” he stated with a booming voice, “Is a Recon Droid Camera, Monitoring the edge of the Badlands and maintaining borders with the Keepers. It has shown us the way through, and the way out. The borders are now lifted, and we are free, Assembly, free to learn what the Keepers forbid: The Key into Kosmos.”