Meltdown Ophilion - Book One

PROLOGUE

-- Date: TS-3072, August 15 (Terra Standard Calendar) – (8457-G – Ophilion Calendar)

- Mission location: Milky Way Galaxy (Marin-Calen - Ophilion)

- Arm: Centaurus

- Sector: Lambda 9

- Star system: Hanthran

- Planet: fifth

- Class: 1

- Name: Ophilion

What you are reading is based on my mission report. When the human population (Notes 2.3) on Ophilion approached a potential C.A.S. (Critical Annihilation Scenario) we were sent to monitor (passively) the planet and render service, if required, according to the Code of the Merenthaal.

Since the events and key persons were of an outstanding nature, I have chosen to dramatize this account for the general public. I have left out certain critical details in accordance with procedures regarding classified material. In the future, once the declassification has been confirmed, I may write a separate report filling my readers in on these details, but by then I may be on another mission in any part of the Milky Way Galaxy – or even beyond the borders of it.

The way in which the endgame played out was, in part, due to the decisions and actions of four Ophilion individuals (humankind). Their names are: Orion Formoren, Cellion Rimala, Felerom Collimmer and Jenna Rozalant. They were all of pre-adult age at the time. (As a rule, we target young individuals when enlisting local participants – it's difficult to construct suggestive patterns that adults will even recognize, much less accept and enact) It was a close call with the three "com kids" – Jenna was raised in a different environment, but still, tricky. (my explanation for this difficulty can be found in Notes 3.1)

I witnessed some of the events I relate in this narrative, mostly near the very end, but on all other accounts I took interviews from the individuals in question or witnesses who were at the scene. If you detect any inconsistencies, please re-read the section or chapter before requesting access to the Merenthaal archives (gaining access will take time).

If you come across something which you cannot reconcile, it may be that I have made an error in my narrative. Feel free to consult the official archive reports regarding "Ophilion – C.A.S." and if you would, please contact me personally regarding your research. Although I am now immortal, I am human, and I do make mistakes.

Regardless of where in the galaxy you were born or now reside, bear in mind that you and your world may, in any given era, find yourself in a similar situation. If you do, you can be sure that we, the Merenthaal, will be sent to your world to monitor, serve, and, if the situation warrants it, intervene and use some of the advanced abilities and technology we possess.

If you are eligible, and if you are interested in a post of service, please contact the Merenthaal Commission nearest you. If you feel prepared you may take the entry exams and proceed from there to become an apprentice and, once you pass the final trials, an officer of the Merenthaal – the Balance Keepers – the Dimensional Agents. I warn you in advance that the success rate of applicants is only about thirty percent. The job requires all your heart, soul, and intellect; but if you are accepted, and if you have the character necessary for this service, it is a life of true wonder.

There are directives and regulations, yes, and codes and laws – and you will recognize their importance; however (and here I am speaking in an unofficial capacity) there are many lesser rules which can be bent and even broken where the situation warrants. My advice is to gain experience before too much bending and breaking of rules.

I realize that I have used this introduction as a recruiting advertisement but technically there is nothing improper with that. The truth is that we are understaffed. We need quality personnel. Thank you for your consideration. Perhaps, in the future, I will meet you on one of the settled worlds of the Milky Way Galaxy - what the Ophilion call Marin-Calen. Perhaps we will meet aboard one of the ships of one of the Galactic Fleets - perhaps the fleet which I help to command - the fleet known as Isorropia.

At the end of this narrative you will find notes that may be of help in understanding the nature of Ophilion. You will find other relevant facts that may be of interest to you, like the nature of inter-galactic travel and some of the history of Terra (Earth) in relation to this narrative. I also give a brief outline of our organization: the Merenthaal, and the classes of persons (human and non-human) involved in this event.

I have chosen to use the Ophilion language as well as English, interchangeably, where time frame and measurements of distance are concerned. It may be confusing, at first, but I believe it brings the reader deeper into that world and their culture. (more information in Notes 2.4)

Measurements of Time – Terra Standard (English) to Ophilion (actual time difference is approximate)

Year: "cenro" (SEN-roh) – 351 days

Quarter of a year, season: "regta" (REG-tah) – 88 days

Week: "porthen" (POR-then) – 7 days (there are no settled worlds where humankind do not use a seven day week as a cycle of work and rest - it seems to be programed into our DNA)

Day: "calah" (CA-lah) – 30 mec-lan

Hour: "mec-lan" (MEK-lan) – 50 mec-tah

Minute: "mec-tah" – 50 mecs

Second: "mec" (slightly longer than our Terran second)

The daily time cycle: there are 30 main divisions in the daily cycle – roughly an hour TS – each of these broken down into 50 mec-tah – each mec-tah into 50 mecs – making their smallest commonly used division slightly longer than ours:

Timekeeping: Zero mec-lan is set at sunrise at the equator – approximately 6:00am TS.

Measurements of Distance – Terra Standard (English) to Ophilion (actual distance is approximate)

Meter: "relon" (RE-lon)

Centimeter: "relon-pah" (RE-lon-pa)

Kilometer: "cal-tig" commonly called "CTs"

One thousand kilometers: "rel-tig" commonly called "RTs" (used primarily for measuring distance off-world)

Umnahl: (OOM-naal) -- 5.57724 light years (Terra Standard) -- used for measuring distant objects in space. (Ophilion is approximately 8,965 umnahls from Earth)

– Philip Costa, Commander and Research Officer, The Henosis.