Chapter 5

The night was cold, but not too cold for a true believer like Frim Lieter. He was a gaunt man, but handsome. His fine features and dark hair gave him a refined appearance. Below him, at the base of the rock sat his trans-rig, its power-cover making sporadic popping sounds as it cooled in the chilled air. He sat crouched on a high outcropping of rock, staring into the blackness above him. Other peaks rose around him in the darkness. Together, these crags formed the mountain range known as the Pillars of Rimlex. As he watched the darkened heavens, the stars seemed to squint as they emitted flashes of red and green. The triple moons of his planet, gold, silver and blue respectively, climbed slowly into the night sky, the last one still hugging the distant horizon. Bracken's father had been acquainted briefly with Lieter during his younger years, but they seldom met anymore. Their separate fields of study had drawn them apart.

The frigid air jabbed at his neck when the warm collar of his coat accidentally fell across his back. He quickly pulled it tight again and continued his gaze into the sky.

Lieter was an astrogazer, a member of the select group assigned to the great eyepieces and sound-sensing space probes at the Tizra mind training center. Lieter had another pursuit though. One which had completely captivated his thoughts. He was determined to become a Touch-Point, a link between his planet and the powerful race which he believed was seeking to make contact across the vast distance of space. This night, as he had done on many previous ones, he patiently waited for them to appear.

Nearby, in the shadows, someone else waited too. A rimmer, tightly gripping a stone club in his hairy hand, crept along the ridge toward Lieter. The hunter's eyes were black and beady. His dark hair was held back by a leather headband. His hide tunic was torn and dirty. His weapon had been fashioned by the Death-Maker, an old man who lived in the deep cave near his own. Death-Maker called him Steen. Other Rimmers, known as the People of the Rock, dwelt near him in the narrow holes and tunnels which honeycombed the Pillars. The farmers who periodically saw their half-clad bodies darting behind the rocks when they cultivated near the Rimlex Pillars had named them Rimmers. The fearsome visage and great strength of these people kept most outsiders from exploring the Pillars.

Legend held that they were the descendents of a clan who years earlier had left their lands and homes to follow the Night Ruler. When he abandoned them, they retreated to this rocky citadel, making it their home. Here they had dwelt over the centuries, living a barren and lonely existence among the towering rocks.

Lieter was the first outsider to return more than once to the Pillars. His frequent visits had become a threat to the Rimmers. It was time to destroy this intruder. They had sent Steen to kill him.

Lieter was still two hundred feet from the Rimmer. Steen knew he must be closer if his club was to strike his target. Quietly he began to close the remaining distance.

Frim was awakened from his thoughts by a movement near the horizon. A dot of light was gradually approaching him. As it did, a faint hum became audible to his attentive ear. Transfixed, he whispered under his breath, "They've come!"

As the light moved closer it began to take on a more definite shape, like a bright, polished disk. Spinning, it knifed its way toward his perch. The humming grew louder. As it drew near, Frim began to tremble with anticipation, overwhelmed by the knowledge that this would be a Contact. Finally, he would have a tangible encounter with the aliens.

Vague impressions wove their way into his mind. Then within his brain, a voice began to speak to him. "We are glad that you have waited so patiently, Frim Lieter." The words buzzed in his head with a warm pulsation. "Your faithfulness will be rewarded. You have known of our existence for a long time. Like the others who have known, you have had the insight to recognize the importance of our appearance. Congratulations! You will become another link in our system of Touch-Points."

Brace Estim, a brilliant Astro-Gazer, had been the original Touch-Point. Frim remembered Estim's theory in which he expounded the multiple phase program. Aliens, he claimed, were establishing a structure called "accelerated evolution" to advance the growth of the race as well as save Nerkush from the certainty of war. Touch-Points would be the contacts for this Process and would be trained for future leadership.

Overwhelmed with excitement, Frim was unaware of the Rimmer's approach. Steen crept closer. The appearance of the glowing saucer only increased the certainty of the threat that this stranger posed to his home. He must be destroyed. Jumping swiftly to his feet he raised his club.

Abruptly a thread of energy lashed out from the side of the spacecraft. Striking the Rimmer, it held him in a blue-green cage of light. Lieter turned to see the terrified face of Steen frozen under the continuous flow of the paralyzing ray.

Then the beam of light withdrew and the Rimmer ran back to his cave screaming with fear. The voice spoke again. "The creature will not bother you again! We have merely frightened him! He will have quite a story to tell his companions in the caves . . . one which will convince them to stay away from you."

Frim turned back to watch as the massive disk came to rest in a large quarry about a hundred yards from him.

The humming sound slowly abated and again the voice whirred in his mind. "Come quickly, we have much prepared for you."

From the underside of the space disk, a stairway gradually descended. Frim scrambled down from the rocks and ran to the ramp and climbed the stairs. At the top he was met by several creatures. Each was dressed in a shimmering garment which covered their humanoid bodies from the neck down. Their heads appeared very much like his own in shape and color except for an odd angular quality. Again the voice hummed in Frim's mind. 'This way, we will begin the treatment at once." He was unafraid as they led him to the Transition room where the mind-expanding operation took place. He had heard of the treatment from others who had been privileged to be Contacts. Frim knew that through a simple operation his mind and senses would be altered to enable him to contact the Disk Command Center at will. He would be an agent commissioned to carry the message of galactic assistance and evolutionary restructuring.

In the Transition compartment he was led to a soft leather-like couch where they motioned him to lay back. '"The operation is short and quite pleasant," the voice assured him. For one brief moment Frim felt afraid but as the probes above his head lowered into operation, he was overcome with a deep sense of well-being. Color and sound seemed to knit in his mind as he yielded to the waves of energy that surged through his brain. His senses echoed with reverberations of excitement. The operation continued for about ten minutes. Then, as quickly as the sensation had begun, it was over. Words hummed in his thoughts again. "The probe is complete. You will find it quite easy to contact us at any time. Just remember, Frim Lieter, that all circumstances must be arranged before we will manifest ourselves. We don't want any unwelcome guests at a Touch-Point gathering." The friendly alien motioned him toward another doorway. "This way, and we will give you a tour of our spacecraft."

He fell in place behind his guides as they led him along corridors and through rooms filled with what appeared to be navigational and power instruments. The voice explained the instruments but Frim understood little of what he heard and saw. Though he was a highly educated man, he was being shown a technology far beyond his ability to comprehend. Finally they reached what appeared to be the control room. Other creatures were seated around the room, apparently operating different mechanisms for the maintenance of the space vessel. In the center of the room hung a large screen, seemingly suspended on nothing. Projected on it was a sector of stars containing the Trion constellations. Frim recognized it from the maps he had been studying in his research at the Institute. "A familiar sight, Frim Lieter?" The voice nudged him from his wonder.

"Yes, I've done much research on this sector of space. It has always fascinated me. I had been hopeful of discovering more about its unusual structure."

"We know. We would like to help you in your investigation. Watch closely and remember." The screen instantly magnified the Trion star system and Prim found himself examining it at a closer range than any other scientist had done before. He took rapid mental notes. What he was seeing now would increase Nerkush's knowledge of the Universe by many years. Suddenly the screen went blank.

"It's time for you to leave now." The disk creatures pointed him toward another door. Following them again Frim was led back through the vessel until he came to the bottom of the ramp. It was near dawn and the chill air made him shiver. The creatures saluted him as he departed and left words of encouragement vibrating in his brain. "Bring others to your level of understanding. Time is running out for Nerkush, but our plan will save them." The thoughts filled his mind, not so much as sentences but as seed concepts that would later grow into speeches and articles. The alien voice spoke one last word of farewell and then warned him to move back from the disk, for it was about to lift off. As Frim watched, it began to hum and spin, rising rapidly into the gray morning light. As it moved away from him, it grew smaller and smaller until it appeared as just another star. Then it was gone.

Frim walked slowly back to his trans-rig. Climbing into his seat, he was acutely aware of the awesomeness of his experience. He had been chosen! He was special! He would be a leader in the new order! Nerkush could now have hope! As he sped along the road toward his home, the sun rose above the horizon ahead of him. Yes, he thought, a new day was dawning for Nerkush. But how little of that new day he really understood.

At that very moment on the other side of the Pillars something was occurring that would have changed his whole perspective about that day. Falling swiftly from the sky the glowing disk returned. It followed the towering rim of the pillars for awhile and then dropped suddenly into a Pile of rock. Abruptly it ceased humming. Gradually its glow faded and its true identity became apparent. It was nothing more than a large boulder. In the twilight its surface grew cold and dark. Then slowly, almost unnoticeably, ghost-like images rose from its interior. Without a whisper they quietly slipped away one by one.