The Eleusian Effect

July 16, 2169 0530 Hours

It was like nothing anyone had ever seen or experienced. It was 2169. We, the members of GASA (Global Aeronautic and Space Administration) wanted to celebrate the 200th Anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s declaration to put a man on the moon by putting a man on Venus. We had the technology, but no one could have foreseen, or even imagined what happened when we achieved that dream. We had a crew of 235, 10 bridge crew, and 5 who were senior staff. The senior staff consisted of myself, Chief Medical Officer Darius Barack Obama, the great-great grandson of the 44th President of the United States, First Officer Troy Felloner, Science Officer James Braddock, Telman Harrison, the Chief Engineer and Ship’s Captain, Benjamin Tanner. We were all text book perfect for this mission. Genetically, mentally, and socially, the brass at GASA wanted all single crewmembers, (mostly men) for this mission so there wouldn’t be any reason for doubts or hesitations just in case things got difficult.

Our ship, aptly named the USS Kennedy, was state of the art. Once faster-than-light propulsion was discovered, we could explore the galaxy and expand our understanding of the universe. Earth had come a long way and now it was time to see if anyone else was out there. We started with our own solar system. Mars was already 30% colonized and the discoveries of ancient Martian society had changed the attitude of the whole world. So the next step was to see was on the other planet closest to Earth. Little did we know what awaited us on Venus.

The entire mission was a mere month. Almost routine, the journey to Venus would only last a few hours. It was simple: go to Venus, do a standard planet evaluation and come home. For all intents and purposes that’s what we did. On June 16, 2169, the Kennedy was launched from the Orbital Space Platform Reagan. The Saturn 12 Propulsion system was the main engine for the Kennedy and we had 6 operating in tandem. This was more than enough power to get us there and to get us home. The Kennedy was reminiscent of a fictional spaceship on an ancient television program. It had several amenities and a perfected anti-gravity system so it was not only powerful but comfortable. It had 6 land vehicles with short term orbital capability and 25 escape pods. It was a more than adequate ship. This is my personal log so I will be recording all significant events here.

LAUNCH DATE: JUNE 16, 2169

LAUNCH TIME: 0600 GMT

The Kennedy performed a textbook launch from the pad. Orbital Reagan was the newest platform and it performed without a flaw. The Kennedy left space dock 7A and proceeded to FTL-1 once it cleared the atmospheric margin. The margin is a safety measure in order to prevent FTL ships from potentially tearing the atmosphere off the planet. It’s highly unlikely, but GASA and the Global Leadership thought it a practical decision. We had spent decades trying to fix the environment after the Plasma Wars almost ruined it. Can’t blame them for being cautious.

I arrived at 1441 GMT on June 16. I was relieved that it was an uneventful trip. The Kennedy’s crew was relatively new so it gave them a little time to get to know each other. Hopefully, it will be a solid crew for future missions. GASA had been planning to explore beyond the solar system for the last ten years. The first ship to leave the solar system would go down in history. It was a big deal for anyone looking to make GASA their career.

JUNE 21, 2169 0700 GMT

We had adjusted the ship’s clocks to the Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) shortly after launch. A day on Venus lasts 223 days on earth so GASA figured that GMT would work as the best time measuring standard and it resembled earth time better. We lived on the Kennedy which remained in orbit. We used shuttles to visit the surface. For some unusual reason the atmosphere changed to where it was almost breathable, save a high amount of sulphur and another substance, T-5105. Captain Tanner issued the command that space suits and breathing equipment always be used regardless. He was protective of his new crew.

We were on Venus for a week without incident. We took soil samples, water samples, vegetation samples, and air quality. Most of our excursions were relatively boring but yielded very interesting data. Landing Teams consisted of no less than five people, with at least one bridge member, even if they’re senior staff.

Jim Braddock and I were on the LRE (Long Range Exploration) team heading over to the far side of the planet. It was mid-morning when we discovered what looked like an ancient Greek temple. There were statues of vaguely familiar figures-not so much people we recognized but legends. One statue had a helmet and wings on his ankles; another female was adorned as if she were a queen, and so forth. In the middle of the temple was a device-much like a 21st century hospital pod but enclosed. As we moved closer to the device, we heard some clicking noises and a low hum. The Device then open up and above it appeared swirling lights and sounds. The light danced and swirled until it formed a humanoid female. The hum faded out and the figure began to speak: “If you are seeing this message, it means that we have failed to return to the planet of our origin and that we have been dead many millennia. We are the last of a race that was the most advanced in the quadrant. We were charged to help the inhabitants of the next planet move forward and avoid the mistakes that brought our race to the edge of extinction. Our greed, our selfishness and our eventual disregard for basic humanity caused the ultimate destruction of all sentient life on this planet. When we realized it was too late to save our planet we reached out into the cosmos, sending out a few small consortia of the remaining leaders and elements of our technology, which we felt was the best hope for the survival of our culture, if not our race. The 3rd planet in this solar system was even more beautiful that our own. Our technology, social lessons and wisdom would live on and flourish on the 3rd planet. We were able to communicate with Venus for several years after the designated consortium arrived on the third planet, but there was trouble. Over time, the members of the consortium became self-important, arrogant to extent that they considered themselves god-like due to the exposure to the underdeveloped race of the 3rd planet. The primitive human race was easily dominated and, over time worshipped the members of the consortium. Zeus was the leader of our consortium and the commander of the vessel, Olympus. The beginning of our demise was when Zeus became drunk with power. The simplest of our technology was incomprehensible to those primitive people. Zeus established the consortium as gods and used the Olympus as their headquarters, knowing the primitive race would never enter or question where the consortium lived and kept their technology. Once we had established that the consortium was no longer following the charter of benevolence, they were ordered to return. They had found a chemical compound on the new planet that would have saved our world from the current plague but due to their arrogance they chose domination of an inferior world rather than saving their home planet. The plague had wiped out the male of our species years after the consortium had left so there was no way to continue our race. Artificial insemination methods proved unsuccessful due to the lack of the proper genetic material needed. One last effort culminated in mutating our genome structure but it came too late. Located in the base of this hologram projector is the last genetic material of our race, the last of the insemination serum. This device is programmed to execute an audio visual response. You understand my words because this device scanned your minds and adapted to your language. Also contained in this device is the planet’s database, everything we could save that is the sum total of our world; all the cultures, everything we could save about our civilization. By now, you must have questions of us. Ask.

“Who are you?” I couldn’t help myself. This was the single most amazing discovery in history.

“We are the Eleusians. My name is Venus.”

“What were the names of the members of the consortium?”

These are the names of the Eleusian Consortium; each name is followed by their area of concern and some details we could derive from their communications after they arrived on the 3rd planet:

Aphrodite

Arbitress of psychology and emotions. Her focus was on love, lust, and the effect of beauty in society. She was the wife of Hephaestus. It had been revealed the Ares became her lover. Eros is her son. She was considered the most beautiful of the Eleusian arbitresses. Her symbols are the scepter, myrtle, and dove.

Apollo

Arbiter of music, medicine, health, the arts, poetry, and archery. Also said to be the arbiter of light and truth. He is considered to be the most handsome of the arbiters. He is Artemis’s twin brother, and son of Zeus. His symbols are the bow, lyre, and laurel.

Ares

Arbiter of war, murder and bloodshed. He was once a peaceful, loving man. He was supposed to teach the inhabitants how to avoid these but developed bloodlust and a desire to rule. He is brother to Athena, and is the son of Zeus. Had an affair with Aphrodite. His symbols are vultures, dogs, boars, and a spear.

Artemis

Arbitress of the hunt, wild things, and the moon. Purpose was to teach people to live off the land but not disrespect it. Protector of the young. She became associated with the moon. Apollo is her twin brother. Artemis is a virgin arbitress. Her symbols are the bow, dogs, and deer.

Athena

Arbitress of wisdom, warfare, strategy, handicrafts and reason. Her purpose was to show how to educate and think. Sister of Ares, and is the daughter of Zeus. She is the wisest of the arbiters. Her symbols are the aegis, owl, and olive tree.

Demeter

Arbitress of fertility, agriculture, grain and harvest. Her purpose was to teach agriculture. Demeter is a daughter of Cronus and Rhea and sister of Zeus. Her symbols are the scepter, torch, and corn.

Dionysus

Arbiter of entertainment, festivals, madness and merriment. His purpose was to show the value of diversions and entertainment. He represents not only the intoxicating power of wine, but also its social and beneficial influences. His symbols are the grape vine, ivy, and thyrsus. He is also an expert in psychology and psychiatry Hades

Arbiter of death, commerce and wealth. His purpose was to train and guide the human race to conduct fair and balanced commerce. Brother of Poseidon, Zeus and Hera, and consort to Persephone. His symbols are the trident, the Helm of Darkness, and the three-headed dog, Cerberus.

Hephaestus

Arbiter of fire and the forge (arbiter of fire and smiths) with deformed legs. Once the Olympus was established as the center of power, Hephaestus was thrown off Mount Olympus as a baby by his mother and in some accounts by his father. He was able to set up a place to operate to do his appointed task. He makes armor for the arbiters and other heroes like Achilles. Son of Hera and Zeus is his father in some accounts. Married to Aphrodite, but she does not love him because he is deformed and, as a result, is cheating on him with Ares. He had a daughter named Pandora. His symbols are an axe, a hammer and a flame.

Hera

Arbitress of marriage, women, and childbirth. Her purpose was to teach women how to care for their children and to be help mates to men. Zeus’ wife and sister. Appears with peacock feathers often. Her symbols are the scepter, diadem, and peacock.

Hermes

Arbiter of flight, criminal studies, and travelers. He assisted Hades with commerce training. Messenger of the arbiters. He was the first to abuse his power. His purpose was to educate people about the effects of criminal activity in society. He likes to trick people and is very inventive. Hermes invented the lyre using a turtle shell and sinew. His symbols are the caduceus and winged boots.

Hestia

Arbitress of the hearth and home, the focal point of every household. Daughter of Rhea and Cronus. Gave up her seat as one of the Twelve Olympians to tend to the sacred flame on Mount Olympus for Dionysus. Her symbol is the hearth.

Poseidon

Poseidon Arbiter of the sea. He created horses from sea foam. Arbiter of earthquakes as well. Also called ‘Earth Shaker’ and ‘Storm Bringer’. His symbols are horses, sea foam, dolphins, and a trident.

Zeus

The king of the arbiters, the commander of the Olympus and the arbiter of the sky and thunder. His symbols are the thunderbolt, eagle, bull, and oak tree.

We were stunned. Here we have just discovered not only that the ancient Greek gods of mythology were real beings, also that they were aliens with the mission to make life better on earth. So much of our human history was validated in a few minutes. Knowledge and information that was secret, lost for centuries was all of a sudden in the palm of our hands. We called the other teams to investigate the pod and the area around it. Once Venus was done speaking she gave us instructions on how to operate and retrieve the serum. Unfortunately, time had damaged the containment system in the pod and there was a small explosion. There was minimal damage but the area filled with a gas that seemed to linger and permeate everything within a 10-meter radius. Also, the serum must have mutated and when we tried to extract it. Since there was an atmosphere here, had our helmets off and were unprotected. That proved unfortunate for all of us. According to Venus, the serum originally was supposed to balance the hormones between men and women. This would make them more sympathetic and understanding to one another. The mutation caused an imbalance in the hormonal structure and gradually began to alter the hormones and DNA of an exposed person. The process was gradual so we didn’t see the effects for days.

June 28, 2169 1422 Hours

Another week went by while we analyzed the data from the pod. Mankind had come so far but nothing like the Eleusians. Propulsion, sustainable energy, medical advances and more were entered into our computers. Troy came into sickbay and complained of some unusual pain.

“How long have you been having it?”

“About a day. My chest feels tight.”

“Were you working out in the fitness center?”

“No, I had too much work to do. All that data is too fantastic. These Eleusians could move objects just by thinking about it! We haven’t scratched a tenth of data they left. We’re still loading it into the computer.”

“That’s incredible!”

“Yeah it is. -” Troy’s voice trailed off as he started to faint. “Troy!” I yelled. “Orderly! Get in here!” Two medics ran in and propped Troy up. Get him into a bed!”

The medics moved Troy over to a gurney and wheeled him down the hall to the first bed. I followed them, very alarmed that Troy had fainted. As soon as he was on the bed, I began a medi-scan. He was stable but unconscious. The scan also showed that he lost fifteen pounds in a relatively short time. ‘Supplements?’ I thought, but set it aside. Right now his heart rate was very high so I administered the energy hypo to bring it down. We still had chemical compounds, drugs they used to call them, but since the Martian Colony discovery we were able to replace most drugs with directed energy. The Martians had discovered that with the right amount of energy and at the right frequency, organic cells can respond in specific ways. We have in essence cured cancer, Alzheimer’s, ALS, IFA, and the common cold.

Troy’s heart rate started to drop. I breathed easier and released the orderlies. “Thanks, guys. I’ll call if I need you again.” Once Troy was back in the safe zone, I administered a sedative to allow his body to rest. I figured an hour should do it. I went to my desk and recorded the incident. As I left sickbay to inform the captain and get some coffee, I decided to add a genetic rover to the medi-scan. That would detect any change at the genetic level. I put a blanket over Troy and headed toward the bridge.

I passed some of the other team members that went to the temple. I noticed they seemed a little different. I passed it off as fatigue and rode the lift to the bridge. “Where’s the Captain?”

“In his call room, Sir.” An ambitious crewman spoke up.

“Thanks. And please call me Doctor.”

“Yes, Doctor.” The crewman smiled and relaxed. I strode into the large conference room off to the side of the bridge. The Captain was sitting at his desk eating lunch. “What can I do for you doctor?”

“Just needed to report that the First Officer is in sickbay.”

“What’s wrong with him?”

“He came in complaining of some mild chest pain. Then he passed out in my arms.”

“Is he okay?”

“He has a slight fever, but I am running a medi-scan on him now. It doesn’t seem serious, but I included a genetic rover to be safe.”

“Okay. Keep me posted. I will stop by sickbay in a little while.”

“Roger that, Sir.”

I left the commander’s office and heading back to sickbay to check on Troy. Again I got that uneasy feeling. People seem to be different. Mostly the men. I arrived back at sickbay to check on Troy. He was still unconscious but he seemed thinner. He wasn’t a large man but he had a medium build. Now it seemed smaller and his hair was longer. It was very strange. I checked the scan and it was very unusual. His DNA has been altered. Chromosomes are in a state of flux and his skin started to turn pink. His heart rate had lowered but it wasn’t back to normal. I decided not to give him any other pulse lowering treatment. I decided to stay past my shift just to be safe. Troy was stable so set a medi-alert through my pad and retired for the evening.