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~~~(POV: Dannon Mayer)~~~
~~~(Location: S-SS 919, Under Mayer Ranch, Umatilla County, Oregon)~~~
~~~(Date, Time, Year: May 1st, 10:45 AM PST, 2022)~~~
~~~(Current Age: 21 Years)~~~
The Alien interior of S-SS 919 continues to remind me that I'm from another planet whenever I'm here. I've lived my life with incredible powers and the knowledge I'm from another place in the universe.
Seeing the controls, walls, and technology of this spacecraft shows that I'm made from nothing on Earth.
"You're showing increased levels of adrenaline and chemical releases indicating anxiety. But I don't need data to see what you're thinking about."
Naedra's voice pops up with her figure on the terminal beside me. She folds her arms and leans more toward her left hip as she looks at me. Her miniature holographic form would draw the attention of every AI developer on the planet if they knew she existed.
She's right about my state of nervousness. In fifteen minutes, I'll meet one of the most powerful people in the American Military.
"It's okay, you know. To be on edge about what's happening. The whole of Earth knows who you are now, and it's safe to say you're the most famous person on the planet."
I can't help taking a breath and releasing a small sigh. She's doing her best to ease me. It's clearly heard in the sound of her voice.
"Way to make me feel better there, Naedra."
Sarcasm is said to be a lower form of wit, but there are situations in everyday life where it's warranted. I stand up, walk away from the terminal, and enter the room where Mom and Naedra designed my suit.
Naedra appears on a new terminal within the room. She jumps from the terminal, and her hologram grows in size. Matching my height of 6'5.
"There is something I want to discuss with you before you leave."
It's funny how she completely avoids the fact she made me feel a little overwhelmed by what she said earlier... I've never been the sensitive type, but everything is starting to pile on.
"You're becoming more human, Naedra. Ambushing me with a topic I probably don't want to talk about a little before I leave."
A tactic a lot of people on Earth use. All she does is walk toward me and place a hand on my shoulder. Of course, I can't feel it. She's a hologram. Her eyes are level with mine, and that's when I notice her unique irises.
They're blue and purple, and nothing like a humans. Her pupils are in the shape of a diamond you'd find in a card deck.
Her hair reaches down to the middle of her back. It's dim white like the rest of her body. Asymmetrical lines run along her body. What I assume to be data travels through them. She's beautiful by humanities standards.
"Look, I just want you to think about setting some time aside in the future. You haven't taken a moment to study your people's history other than briefly during the three days after Antarctica."
There is a reason for that. Lots of reasons. If I said them aloud, she'd call them excuses. The tender lining in her words shows how much she cares about this. How much it'd mean to her if I learned about my people.
Naedra is all that's left of my species' brilliance. A remnant of the people I originate from. Aside from Mom, she's the only family I've got.
"Look, I've got a meeting with a Four Star General, and I don't think I'll have any time for studying."
I don't sound angry or frustrated. The words leave my lips calmly and controlled. My attention turns to the Celaxian skinsuit floating in the display case. Naedra has been working on a different color.
The one in my closet is a neutral grey, the one in the display case is black. I haven't asked her why she's made another suit of a different color. A little afraid to ask.
"It's okay, we're not in a hurry, Jaecor. Just keep it in mind, for me?"
She's gotten good at leveraging our friendship to do what she wants me to do. That's very human too.
I start moving away abruptly, and her holographic form passes through me as I walk to the door. Leaving the room we are in and making my way to the ship's exit.
Since the ship is buried under the property, it makes coming and going easy for me. A hatch connecting the outside to the underground can only be accessed with flight. It's clever of Naedra.
As I lift off the metal floor of the ship, I float through the hatch and into the open air. It closes behind me, and I turn toward the house.
There will be a lot of things to prepare for, and I'm not sure if I'm ready for all of them. But I'm not turning back now. There are people who'll need me.
~~~(POV: Eloise Mayer)~~~
~~~(Location: Mayer Ranch, Umatilla County, Oregon)~~~
~~~(Date, Time, Year: May 1st, 10:55 AM PST, 2022)~~~
~~~(Current Age: 38 Years)~~~
My eyes keep bouncing between the TV and the stairs. Dannon is in his room, supposed to be putting his skinsuit on. Ignoring my Motherly instincts for the past five minutes has already been hard enough.
It's not even ten seconds later; I'm on my feet and walking up the stairs. As I slowly ascend, I look at the pictures that line the wall. Some are from when Dannon was a baby, and others from when he was a toddler.
As I reach the top of the stairs, I see the more recent pictures from when he was in high school and after graduation... Before he traveled around the world for a while...
"He's grown up so much..."
Dannon isn't a little boy anymore. I miss the days when he was first learning to walk... The times when I didn't have to worry about him as much...
As I finish walking down the hall, I look through the open door of my son's room. He's sitting on his bed and looking at his skinsuit hanging on the closet door. He sees me and gives a brief, forced smile.
I take a step inside and make my way to the bed. Taking a seat next to him and looking at the skinsuit, too.
"There was a time that I could look at you and know exactly what you're thinking..."
That time has passed... When I look at Dannon now, it's hard for me to know and understand what he's thinking. It hurts me that I can't help him like I used to.
"And now..."
The sadness in those two words makes a terrible ache to go through my heart. There is so much I want to say to him. Things I think he should hear from someone who cares about him.
A big part of me is grateful that he's reconnecting with Nicole and Cassie. To have friends again. He's been talking to them the last few days, and I can see it's helped him.
"And now I see a man who thinks he has to carry everything on his own."
A Mother never wants to see their child take on everything alone. I'd give my life and soul for Dannon to be free from dealing with the weight of everything he's doing. Dannon being a hero is my idea, and I will not regret that.
I just wish it was easier on my baby...
His arm wraps around my shoulders and gives me a side hug. He kisses the side of my head and stands up. Grabbing the skinsuit off its hanger and leaving for the bathroom. I stand up and start walking to the door.
Only to stop and look into the mirror on Dannon's dresser. My blond hair and blue eyes contrast with Dannon's black hair and brilliant hazel eyes.
It's moments like this I'm reminded I'm not Dannon's real Mother... That knowledge in itself hurts more than I can put into words...
~~~(POV: Dannon Mayer)~~~
~~~(Location: Mayer Ranch, Umatilla County, Oregon)~~~
~~~(Date, Time, Year: May 1st, 10:59 AM PST, 2022)~~~
~~~(Current Age: 21 Years)~~~
I slowly walk into the backyard. There is a small breeze that passes over, and my cape lifts from the ground and billows in the wind. Mom is watching from the porch. She's seen this more times in the last two months than ever before.
As I look back at her, she's not crying or on the verge of tears this time. It's amazing how strong she's grown since the first time I had to leave.
I crouch down as I look away from her. I place my hand on the ground, and a breath of air fills my lungs. Small pebbles, rocks, and dirt begin to circle around me. A second later, I look toward the sky.
CRRRRRRAAAAAABBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMM!!!
The Earth and air shake as I break through the sky. Turning in the direction of the FBI Mobile Command Center. It only takes a second before I need to slow down. As I do, I'm hovering above the location I'm meeting General Winters.
I'm about 50 feet off the ground, and everyone below is watching me. It's soldiers and FBI agents. There is no media or cameras. I watch the front door of the Mobile Command Center open, and a man wearing a military uniform exits.
Medals decorate his left chest, and his shoulders have four stars on each side. That's General Winters. I slowly descend from the sky and gently land with my right foot first. Walking a few steps before stopping in front of the man.
He's around 6'0 and clearly a man who is used to being in command of others. I look down at him as I'm standing a little over a meter away.
After a couple of seconds, he holds out his right hand.
"General Julian D. Winters. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. It's a pleasure to finally meet you in person, Dannon Mayer."
He looks to be in his early 50's. His voice is steady and paced. Not a sign of weakness or nervousness in him. I reach out my right hand and grab his own. Lightly shaking it.
"You're the one who scheduled this meeting, General Winters. What is it you wanted to talk about."
It's not a tone of a questioning nature that leaves me. It's one of objectiveness. I want to get through this and move on with my day.
However, I'm not without manners. After our handshake, the General turns and indicates for me to enter the Mobile Command Center. I do so, and as I walk through. All eyes are on me.
I notice the TVs and screens that have other military officers and political officials talking with certain people in the Mobile Command Center.
"Right this way."
General Winters takes my attention away from the larger room where all the action is, and I follow him into a private area. As we enter, a large TV covers the wall adjacent to the door. The President of the United States is sitting at a table through the screen.
Along with who I assume are the rest of the Joint Chiefs.
The only one in the room with me is General Winters. The TV is currently muted, but if I wanted to. I could focus and hear them in DC. But I did say I have manners.
After a few seconds, the TV unmutes. General Winters steps forward and places his military hat on the table.
"Mr. President, allow me to introduce to you Dannon Mayer."
He turns to look at me as he finishes saying that. They're all waiting for me to say something, but I remain silent. The General looks back at the TV after a couple of awkward seconds and shares a look with the men on the other side.
My arms rest at my side, and I can't help thinking this will be far more tedious than I want to deal with...
"I'll cut to the chase, Dannon."
The President's voice cuts through my thoughts. Forcing me to pay attention.
"You pose a dangerous threat to the security of the United States. What we want to know is what you plan to do now that you've shown yourself to the world."
Or maybe not tedious at all.
He's basically asking me what Mom asked me a few days ago. What limits I'm placing on myself. How much I'm going to interfere in the world and its people.
"Care to elaborate?"
Those words tell me time is of the essence.
President Nick A. Marshall is a man considered to be one of the better and most competent leaders of the modern age. Up there with JFK and FDR. How he's talking to me is proof that he's not speaking from a place of weakness.
He's the leader of the free world, and if he wants to declare war on me. He can. Not that I think he will; they wouldn't do something like that without finding the limits of my powers.
Something I haven't even done yet.
"I'll help those who need it, whether it be from natural disasters, man-made disasters, or senseless slaughter. You know what I mean, don't you."
The certainty in my voice leaves no room for doubt. I'm telling them if people need me, I'll not let anything stand in my way.
"Politics isn't a subject I'll directly interfere with. But my actions around the world will have indirect effects."
The more I talk, the more nervous the men on the other side seem to get. The look of anger on the man next to the President is what concerns me.
Benjamin T. Jones is the right-hand man of President Marshall. The Whitehouse Chief of Staff.
"Will you be interfering in conflicts and wars."
The words come out as a demand. All from the lips of the President. I can see the fear and threat of someone like me interfering in human affairs.
"If the innocents involved call for me, yes. I will."
That seems to end any conversations they want to have with me. The President presses a button, and the TV screen turns off. I look at General Winters, and he looks back at me.
He picks up his military hat and places it back on his head.
"Whether you like it or not, Dannon. You'll become a subject of major scrutiny in the global theater. I've already heard whispers that Congress is moving for hearings regarding you."
It's the reality of an existence like mine.
I follow him outside the Mobile Command Center. As I look at the sky, I can't help thinking the mess of my revealment is only just starting. A breath enters my lungs, and I close my eyes.
"General Winters."
The man's name leaves my lips without me turning to look back at him.
"I'm not a conquerer."
The racing heartbeats of the soldiers and agents around me start to pick up.
"I'm not a God."
I doubt anyone outside the people I grew up with will ever know me. Not question my motives and end goals.
"I'm a refugee."
KAAAAABBOOOOOOOOOOMMM!!!!
The air cracks and bursts as I adjust and turn in the direction of my home. The world is a big place, and many people will want my help.
This is just the beginning.