/Nexus - 0803 - New Times Magazine/pages/0068/image.png)
Page Content (OCR)
space. She does not have the high SL of the Directors, but she is an invaluable asset to their team. It is she who pilots the other team members into the Ancient Arrow excavation in the canyon wall, and later on makes observational contact with the beings who are speculatively believed to be the WingMakers, and who Fifteen believes to be representatives of the Central Race. Fifteen is very insistent that Samantha, during her remote viewing excursions, not make contact with the beings she encoun- ters nor draw their attention to her pres- ence, but only observe and report. Under "normal" circumstances this should be no problem, because usually an RV is invisi- ble in the environment she is viewing. However, the beings Samantha encounters sense her presence immediately and attempt to contact her. Probably "attempt" is entirely the wrong word, for the Central Race evidently need not "attempt" any- thing. Among other things, they create worlds and solar systems. Anyway, this development greatly alarms Fifteen for he is convinced that if the Central Race learns of his plans to develop BST, they will take whatever mea- sures are necessary to prevent it because they will evaluate it as too powerful a tech- nology to be entrusted to such as the human inhabitants of Earth. And this, he fears, will leave Earth vulnerable to the pending invasion, for Fifteen does not trust that whatever measures the Central Race may have lined up to defend Earth against the invaders will be strong enough to with- stand them. Solution: Samantha's mind must be wiped clean of her encounters with the Central Race. Ultimately, she is taken off the project altogether and forced to submit to a complete erasure of her memory that such a project had ever existed in her life experience. Now I do not know how the story turns out because there are only eight chapters available at present. However, the feature of the story that strikes me most profoundly is that Fifteen and the Labyrinth Group come out looking indistinguishable in character, albeit on a smaller scale, from the predatory invaders of Earth anticipated in the year 2011. Fifteen may be the smartest, most astute and most powerful man on Earth, but he is clearly filled with fear and anxiety and he is intransigently intolerant of any situation in which someone else knows something to which he is not privy. This is most emphatically not "a two-way street". For instance, everyone in the Labyrinth Group is wired with a subcutaneous computer chip, by means of which their exact location anywhere on Earth can be ascertained at the press of a switch and their softest whisper recorded. And guess who .. everyone in the Labyrinth Group is wired with a subcutaneous computer chip, by means of which their exact location anywhere on Earth can be ascertained ... as his hands on the levers of control of all this invasive technology? Who has the power—and uses it decisively, without hesitation, and with only momentary "moral collisions"—to wipe out the memory of selected experiences in the minds of other humans, and even to wipe out other humans entirely, at the slightest "threat" that they may compromise his overarching agenda? Fifteen. most emphatically not "a two-way street". For instance, everyone in the Labyrinth Group is wired with a subcutaneous computer chip, by means of which their exact location anywhere on Earth can be ascertained at the press of a switch and their softest whisper recorded. And guess who most emphatically not "a two-way street". Nevertheless, Neruda, now aware him- For instance, everyone in the Labyrinth — self of his position as designated "heir Group is wired with a subcutaneous apparent", as we already know, defects; computer chip, by means of which their which is the only reason, presumably, exact location anywhere on Earth can be allegedly, we have this story to contem- ascertained at the press of a switch and their plate. The eight available chapters take us softest whisper recorded. And guess who only to the point at which Neruda reaches the irrevocable decision to defect, but does not describe his defection or subsequent . developments. + everyone in the Whether the story is "literally true" or Labyrinth Group is wi red not is practically irrelevant, it seems to me. with a subcutaneous It succeeds in what I perceive to be its most . probable intent: it holds a mirror up to our- computer chip, by selves and discloses a clear choice between means of which their what we have been and what we can become. Fifteen, notwithstanding all his exact location anywhere power and brilliance and all the exotic on Earth can be technologies at his exclusive command, is ined nevertheless surrounded by fear. So had ascertained ... Neruda been—how could it have been oth- erwise? He was raised practically from infancy in the shadow of the ACIO and had always looked up to Fifteen as a second as his hands on the levers of control of all father. Yet even at that, when he really this invasive technology? Who has the "sees" the alternatives, he "walks away". power—and uses it decisively, without He makes a different "choice", which is the hesitation, and with only momentary "moral _ prerogative of everyone, every moment of collisions"—to wipe out the memory of every day. It is the way of the "Sovereign selected experiences in the minds of other Integral". humans, and even to wipe out other humans The "old paradigm"/"new paradigm" entirely, at the slightest "threat" that they contrast between Fifteen's mentality and may compromise his overarching agenda? _ that of the WingMakers is clearly pointed Fifteen. up for me when he reads a passage to computer chip, by means of which their exact location anywhere on Earth can be ascertained ... OAT HAIR BAD APRIL — MAY 2001 NEXUS +67 www.nexusmagazine.com