Touched by an Alien

world has flood stories in every culture, so Noah’s Ark has a basis in reality. Almost all our Biblical stories are rooted in some fact. I’m guessing there really was a big bang, a supernova, if you will, that caused this story. The parasites are real, that’s for sure. I think they’re sentient, and they believe they’re in Hell.”
    “Flying through space alone for millennia, no company, no warmth, nothing familiar. Yeah, that would be Hell,” Martini said quietly.
    “And your religion doesn’t believe in a Hell, so your translators weren’t thinking that way. You do believe in souls and that they can be redeemed, but you don’t have the creation stories we do; you all believe in evolution.”
    “Our world’s creation story is based on our double suns,” Christopher interjected. “But the view is they created life together, not that they destroyed anything to bring it about. It’s not scientifically logical, though, at least not in the way it’s described. Which is part of why we don’t agree with the theory.”
    “Alpha Centauri’s is an affirmative story. Most of our Earth religions’ creation stories are similar—a God-being created us, we showed up, fully evolved, from the get-go. None of our religions deal with evolution, and it’s only science that gave us the big bang theory.” I saw where this was headed, and it made my body feel ice cold. “We know the parasites are real. So the probability of the Ancients’ religious text being accurate increases.”
    “Which means their suggestions for how to overcome the parasites are accurate as well,” Beverly said, still sounding outraged.
    “True. But no one’s paid attention to the key thing. James has,” I nodded toward Reader. “But you all ignore him because he’s a human male who happens to be both handsome and not a rocket scientist.”
    Hit that one right, based on reactions around the room, from the women in particular. Reader cocked his head at me, though. “What do you mean, Kitty?”
    “Rage. They talk over and over again about what to do to avoid the parasites. Put up defensive shields, yes, but most of those shields are based on being a good little girl or boy. That the A-C ozone shield actually worked against the parasites would reinforce their attention on physically preventing exposure. But you can have a moral shield, and anyone can do that.”
    I scrolled through again. “The first chapter in this book deals with the creation story, their Garden of Eden. The next one deals with the aftermath of this version of original sin, and details how to avoid becoming an outcast by ensuring one of these lost souls can’t join with yours. And more than any other instruction, keeping your calm, not getting angry, is the one mentioned over and over again.”
    “I count twenty times just on this one page alone,” Dad added.
    “You all know they’re attracted to rage; you’ve told me so yourselves. But you’ve been on this planet for decades, and you’ve never once mentioned that any A-C has been a target of a parasite.”
    “They aren’t attracted to us,” Gower said.
    “Because James said you don’t get as angry as humans do. You don’t have the capacity for it, as a whole. I’m sure individuals can, but I’ve noticed you all really keep it under control, even when you’re really angry with each other.” I looked at Christopher. “You control it the least. Because you’re not a scientist or an agent, you’re an artist. And there are too many similarities between our races for me to doubt this one—artists tend to feel things more, and differently, from the average person.”
    I looked at Martini. “You’re similar, but to stay sane you and the other empaths put up emotional and mental blocks. Meaning you can’t get all that angry unless the blocks are down.” I turned to Gower. “I’d also venture to guess that most of the A-C emotional activity happens here, or at Home Base, or somewhere else safe and secured and, above all, reinforced with whatever it is you brought with you that prevents most Earth governments from knowing you exist.”
    Gower nodded. “We have a variety of shields up, all of them based on the ozone shield or the invisibility cloaking.”
    “This is the second time it’s been mentioned. You have an ozone shield?” I’d been wondering when Dad was going to go eco-friendly in the middle of this. Now was the time.
    “Dad, yes, they do. Bigger issues than saving the whales