Chapter - 5 - Act II - Liberation
The Annunaki Elder Council
Chapter 5
The Annunaki Mother Ship
Having been summoned, on extremely short notice, to his people’s head legislative body, Enki waits. He is blanketed by darkness and abides by a strict prohibition on verbal communication. Grave penalties await any politician who is even perceived to have been disrespectful. The Saharan regent has served just under three hundred fifty-four years in the extensive Annunaki government. He has received several dozen summonses in that amount of time. Despite this, Enki has never been able to ascertain the height of the cement room’s ceiling, which always remains cloaked in darkness.
A tiny diplomat, no larger than a pre-pubescent child, attracts all the occupants’ attention to the chamber’s center. Bathed in a single pool of downlight, the testifying politician’s featureless face casts no shadow. As the Gray, an alien species of some annoyance, turns towards him, Enki is reminded of the species’ distinct black eyes. He thinks a thought he consistently has the instant he sees a pair of them: “It is no wonder the humans fear the Grays.”
A smudge-free white uniform clings to a petite body. It lacks any semblance of contour, apart from its bulbous head. Though gray in color, its skin is only marginally darker than its uniform. This makes its black collar and sleeve cuffs very useful in distinguishing the politician from its clothing. The Gray Ambassador turns its slanted black eyes and motionless mouth a fifth of a turn at a time. It communicates with each Annunaki elder as they sit high on their ceremonial marble pedestals. Caressed by much softer lighting, each of the five elders struggles to peer over their smugly postured, angular reptilian mouths. The one facing the tiny creature assures it, “You may tell your superiors we have everything under control.”
Xeno adjusts the telepathic broadcaster that is wrapped around the back of its massive skull. It deliberately uses its three long fingers. While Grays cannot speak, their thoughts are substantial enough to be broadcast with the assistance of certain technologies. Xeno’s staticky thoughts ask, “Under control?” Retrieving a small, white display pad from its back, the ambassador reads it. Monotonously, it reports, “Two villages have disappeared overnight. A third burned to the ground. That was before your understaffed regency office could secure the area. In addition, three crates of weapons have disappeared from your armory in the last year. That alone leads the Gray leadership to believe that your slaves will soon engage you in open rebellion. All while utilizing the cover of the dense Saharan jungle, of course.”
An Annunaki elder counselor, seated to the left of Xeno’s gaze, stutters, “H-h-how did you know all of that information.” Attached to the elder’s tall marble podium is an information display. He uses a scaley index finger to vigorously search through menus.
Xeno returns the reading pad to its back with a soft magnetic click. It executes a brief fifth turn, and despite a clenched mouth, it answers, “The Gray intelligence networks are simply far older and more extensive than those of the Annunaki.” The extraterrestrial’s proclamation remains in the air like a stink. Several in attendance broke the uncomfortable silence with nervous coughs. The tiny representative continues, “I am the Gray ambassador to the Annunaki. I am also your representative on behalf of the Intragalactic Confederation of Inhabited Planetary Bodies. As such, I can pledge two things. If the Annunaki cannot uphold the terms of their agreements with the Grays, there will be consequences for this council. If the humans you control are not kept in line, there will be consequences for you all.” The diplomat nods its forehead, and a shadow spills down its featureless face. It broadcasts, “I bid this council good day.”
The Annunaki Elder Counselor, seated to the right of the elder who had just spoken, pounds his hand. He uses it to assist an elderly rise to his feet as he snarls, "We are not finished with you, Xeno!"
"I said good day," repeats Xeno, turning purposefully toward the chamber’s exit. It passes through the faceless mass of bodies lining the darkened chamber’s rim. The diplomat does not even allow for the chamber’s large double doors to fully open. It turns sideways, leaving as quickly as its smooth, deliberate movements will permit. The chamber doors began to close before their opening swing had finished. They seal themselves with a massive clang. Once again, the chamber’s wings fill with darkness.
The elder counselor, seated to the right of the last Annunaki to speak, examines his recessed information display. He bellows sharply through his marble podium’s microphone, “The Council calls Enki forth!”
Enki remains enveloped in darkness until asked to step forward. He emerges with his pristinely steamed and precisely folded toga draped just so over his scaly left shoulder. Fully aware of Xeno’s offense to Elder Council customs, the regent bows his head. He occupies a downlight that throws a shadow down the front of his garment. "Your honors," Enki says, behind an immense amount of ceremonial respect.
The Annunaki elder seated to the right of the elder who summoned Enki hisses. He says, “You have jus-s-st witness-ss-sed our telepathic tongue lashing. I think you owe this council an explanation. We have assumed responsibility for your incompetence. What has been happening? Why is so much of it happening on your watch?”
Enki hisses, “A lot has trans-s-spired, and we know very little at this point. We have not had much time at all to inves-s-stigate.”
Jamesh is seated to the right of the last counselor to speak. Through a furrowed reptilian brow, he instructs, “Tell the council everything that you know. Start from the top.”
“Well.” The Saharan regent explains, “A little less than a week ago, inventories collected by my office started failing to meet quota. As the week has gone on, the problem has only gotten worse. With a measly fifty vessels at my office’s disposal, we were simply unable to investigate the reason behind the shortages. Logistically, it was only possible to continue to collect the essential needs of the Annunaki. Day by day, though, a noticeable decrease in each human village’s population was observed. But once again, my office could only do so much without the manpower to begin a regional census. Then, without warning, three entire village populations disappeared within the span of 72 hours. One of those villages disappeared mere moments after military medical personnel had removed several humans for a potential mental illness. I am currently waiting on a report from that medical division as to possible causes of the human’s condition. I have high hopes that it will provide answers to our problems. It was only a short time ago that the village mentioned earlier burned itself to the ground. Our collection teams made several attempts to land. However, they could only touch down once the fires extinguished themselves. That was long after the humans had vacated.”
Patrik, seated to Jamesh’s right, loses track. “How many villages does that make?” he asks.
“Three at last count,” answers Enki.
Travish, seated to Patrik’s right, hisses, “Why are we just now hearing all of this-s-s? Why did the Gray ambas-ss-sador bring this-s-s to our attention and not you?”
The regent spins to keep up with the council’s flurry of questions. He says, “I did not have anything to bring you until I had fully investigated. But as I have already explained, the regency office is woefully inadequate to investigate an issue of this magnitude. Simply put, Gray Intelligence had an answer for you before I did.”
Immaru is seated to Travish’s right. As though he is tired of dealing with the issue, the counselor inquires, “How many Annunaki do you need to solve this?”
“To launch a full-scale investigation or to stop the human uprisings?” queries Enki, quickly executing a fifth of a turn.
“All of it,” clarifies Andru, seated to Immaru’s right. “How many forces will you need to investigate, police, and continue collections? As well as reinforce the security infrastructures in all of the villages involved with our hunter-gatherer institution?”
“All the villages?” The regent reminds his elders, “I would have to consult with my colleagues to get a better picture of the problem.”
“No need,” Jamesh interjects. “You are hereby promoted to head regent in direct command of all regions on earth. What are your needs, head regent?”
Hiding the elation of his promotion behind a wall of stoicism, Enki tabulates quickly. He determines, “Twenty thousand Annunaki forces should be a good start.”
“Done,” Patrik approves with a resolute nod. “Begin your investigation. You are dis-s-smis-ss-sed.”
Backing toward the chamber’s exit, Enki bows. He says graciously, "Thank you, your honors." Executing the council’s customary three-step spin, the newly appointed head regent breaks the elders’ line of pedestals. He is met by Amah, who had been waiting for his supervisor in the shadows. Both Annunaki men exit in silence. They are silhouetted by an intense, warm light that escapes the Annunaki Council’s elaborate grand foyer. The intimidating fifteen-foot-tall double doors are manually opened and closed separately. Each by its own armed, ceremonial Annunaki guard. And also by its very own large golden door handle. Enki and Amah glide their leather sandals over the room’s highly polished gray granite tile floor. They shield their eyes from the pink-granite-adorned foyer’s bright lights. Proceeding to the area’s only relocation chamber, Enki activates its door with a wave of his palm. It slides open.
The head regent enters the small chamber, followed closely by his twenty-year subordinate. Amah asks, "Sir—?"
Enki interrupts with a halting hand gesture. To ensure their privacy, he waits for the closing metal door to isolate them. After it does, he whispers, “Amah, I fear we may have to start keeping our plays closer to our chests, old friend.”
“You’ve just asked for quite a large number of resources, sir. Do you want me to start finding personnel to lead and coordinate all of these divisions?”
“Find as many personnel as you need to,” concedes Enki, leaning against the chamber’s far wall. “I will be leaving their coordination up to you.”
Amah objects, “Me? I’m no investigator.”
“Thus,” Enki says with a horizontal wink. “Close to the chest. Deck seventy-six, sector seventeen d.”
A pleasant-sounding automated woman’s voice acknowledges softly, "Destination accepted. Please close your eyes to prevent temporary or permanent blindness. Thank you." Low-frequency harmonics resonate through their small metal chamber. They abruptly stop as the chamber lights extinguish. Both Annunaki close their eyes in time to avoid damage from the intense surge of energy discharged by their matter relocator. Returning, the woman’s voice assures them both, "Relocation complete." The single hydraulic door slides out of Enki’s way. As he proceeds through it, she continues, "You have arrived at—Deck seventy-six, sector seventeen d. Have a nice day!"
Turning right down the adjoining corridor, Enki whispers, “You may not be an investigator, but you are an excellent coordinator. You have been coordinating my affairs for years, have you not?”
“Yes, I have.”
“Do not worry,” consoles Enki. “I will investigate the disappearing villages. You police the rest of them and collect their sacrifices. Just remember to keep me informed.”
“All of the villages that disappeared are adjacent to one another.” Amah asks, “Should I reinforce the security in them?”
“No.” Turning a corner down another corridor, Enki insists, “I will take care of that too.”
“Sir.” Calculating intently, Amah furrows his reptilian brow. He questions, “You just asked for several divisions on behalf of the entire regency office; what are they all for?”
Enki pulls his associate into an outcove by the shoulder ridges. Mere feet from his office’s entrance, he hisses into Amah’s earhole, “Do you not agree that the regency office of the Annunaki should have much more influence than it does?”
“Of course!” Ensuring their corridor remains empty with a glance over his shoulder, the subordinate whispers back, “You know that I think humans deserve to be under our thumb!”
The head regent instigates, “We insist the humans call us Gods, but all we do is collect their sacrifices.”
“Agreed. Earth should belong entirely to the us-s-s. But Enki, we can’t breathe in Earth’s atmosphere. The atmosphere’s nitrogen ions are still not compatible.”
Unfurling a plan that has been years in the making, Enki corrects, “We can’t breathe the atmosphere—yet. Twenty thousand troops come with engineers, Amah. Engineers who could terraform Earth. They could theoretically inject nitrogen into the Earth’s atmosphere. That would transform the regency office into a permanent on-planet organization."
Amah leans away to inspect the seriousness on his supervisor’s face. He leans in again and reasons, “You’re aiming for a power grab.”
“You say ‘power grab,’” acknowledges Enki. “I say strengthening the regency office.” He continues their path to his office with a shrug, saying, “Again, this all remains close to our chests.” Wall-to-wall metal paneling lines their trail. The regent waves his palm in front of another door frame to open his private office’s entrance. Xeno, the Grays’ Annunaki ambassador is already waiting for them. He stands next to Enki’s desk to avoid sitting on large furniture that was clearly made without its species in mind. “Oh!” blurts Enki out of surprise, halting over his office’s threshold. “How did you get in here?”
Xeno directs his gaze to the room’s only occupied, bare-metal aluminum chair. Enki’s attention follows. He finds a veiled Annunaki woman wearing the Annunaki woman’s traditional hooded toga. Her head covering dishevels around her scalp as she makes deliberate eye contact with Xeno. The reptilian woman announces, "I speak for the ambassador." As though she were reading through thick fog, she tells Enki, "The ambassador says—we gained entry to—your office because—Grays are far older than the Annunaki. Their intelligence—networks are—"
Enki enters past Xeno and crosses assertively to his desk. With a reestablished air of confidence, he sits and scoffs, "Yes, yes, their intelligence networks are far superior to ours. I heard him the first time in the council chamber." Amah takes his customary place along the office’s rear wall. The newly appointed head regent leans back in his large leather chair. He insists, “Please lower that hood when you are in my office, madam. Antiquated traditions have no place when conducting regency busines-ss-s."
The hooded Annunaki woman is disagreeable after a glance at Xeno. She explains, “The ambassador has found Annunaki male chauvinism problematic. When he is conducting business, he prefers my hood remain.”
“S-s-so be it,” concedes Enki. “May I at leas-s-st have a name? Or will that just feed into my chauvinism?”
“Lydia,” she says as coldly as she can.
Enki asks, “Are you a telepath, Lydia? I know that only rare female Annunaki can telepath.”
"Yes. I am a telepath." Lydia again makes obvious eye contact with Xeno. After telepathically interpreting the ambassador’s thoughts, she says, "The—Annunaki elder council—monitors the Gray’s—telepathic communication devices. A telepath." The reptilian woman acknowledges, "Like me, allows the Grays to communicate freely within Annunaki territory."
Peering over his desk at Xeno, Enki acknowledges, "I can understand your desire for secrecy." He laments, "Unfortunately, the council would not want me meeting with you. Ambassador, I am sorry." Politely gesturing to the room’s exit, the head regent stands and says, "I am going to have to ask you to get clearance through my elders before we speak further."
Instead of turning to Enki’s door, Xeno rotates his almond-shaped eyes again in Lydia's direction. She repeats, "I’m sorry—Enki. Gray leadership—was under—the impression—you wanted—the regency office—to have—a greater presence—on Earth. I could—have helped—make that happen." As the ambassador begins to leave, Lydia rises from her cushion-less aluminum chair.
Following a warm shift in tone, Enki pleads, “Why leave so abruptly? Please, stay! Sit! Sit!” Lydia retakes her seat while Enki settles cheerfully back into his robust, brass-riveted chair. He assures Xeno, “I am sure we can work out something that could be mutually beneficial to all of us!”
Lydia’s gaze strains into the ambassador’s black eyes. She says, “We—do not intend—to take much of your time. Recently—a Paladeian ship—has entered—Earth’s orbit. Gray scans—show a large quantity—of highly advanced—weaponry.”
“Gray scans?”
Lydia confirms, “Yes. Some of your Annunaki scans—have revealed—similar findings.”
“So, my elder council is aware of the Paladeian presence, then?”
“No.” Lydia interprets, “The Annunaki council—is not aware of—the Paladeian situation.”
Enki asks, “If the Annunaki leadership is not even aware of the situation, how do you know our scans show anything?”
Without even glancing at Xeno, Lydia answers, “Grays are far older than the Annunaki. Their intelligence—”
Enki interrupts the woman’s recitation by showing her the palm of his hand. “Never mind. Ambassador Xeno, what can I do to help you, and how will it benefit the regency office?”
Lydia explains, “Annunaki sanctions—from the I.C.I.P.B.—would be detrimental—to all Annunaki society. But especially the—regency office. If these Paladeians—were to look hard enough—they may discover—the Annunaki’s propensity—toward oppressing humans. If they—were to confirm—any Annunaki-driven—human genocide—or the—forced imprisonment of humans,—sanctions—would almost certainly result. Especially—in light—of documented actions—taken against children. Such as—abductions and weapons use.”
Enki defends himself with a guilty stutter: “W-w-we have very few patrols to take action with. I-I-I cannot be on every collection ship.”
Xeno continues through Lydia’s interpretation, “Enki—I know you have to do—what you have—to do. I’m just—not sure—Paladeians—will be as understanding—as I am. You asked what—you can do. Your elder council—just granted this office—twenty thousand troops. Use some of them—to help us—limit contact between—humans and Paladeians. Grays are already jamming—Paladeian communications. We have also tapped—into your—main computer—to employ Annunaki signal—jamming technology too. I am not confident—we can prevent—Paladeian communication indefinitely. Regardless—they cannot be allowed to help—the humans in their adolescent—rebellion.” Xeno slowly removes the tablet from its back. The diplomat looks again at its interpreter, who says, “The ambassador would like you to hear a broadcast.” The I.C.I.P.B.’s official representative presses a point on its display pad.
Enki's office walls come alive with hidden speakers. An extremely bored-sounding Paladeian, entombed in static, repeats, "—Mykil, come in.—Gabril, come in.—Hachiman, come in.—Ira, come in.—Lugus, come in.—Acan, come in.—Montu, come in. This is Chevy.—Mykil, come in."
Xeno depresses its pad’s screen once again before moving it to its back. As the staticky noise in Enki's office fades, Xeno makes eye contact with Lydia once more. She interprets, "That broadcast—goes on like that—for sixteen hours—every day. On a Paladeian ship—orbiting Earth. Let’s try and—keep it that way."