Chapter XXIV: Annunaki
The Earth was visible beneath the ship, a blue and green marble in the vast nothingness of Space. The Lord Anu stood on the observation deck, his gaze fixed on the planet below him.
"My Lord?"
"Yes?"
"The Council is ready for your report."
"Very well."
Anu followed the servant out of the observation chamber and into a luminescent chamber - twelve other individuals were assembled, sitting in a circle, incomplete only due to the absence of the leader in question.
"My Leader," the other twelve paid him the jest of respect accompanying the code of etiquette. "Welcome."
"My Lords," Anu returned the gesture, before sitting down.
"We trust you have a report of your last visit to this planet," the business of the meeting began.
"I do."
"Please, share it at your convenience."
Anu looked at each member of the Council and stood up so as to command better attention to his narrative.
"The last time we were here, a great civilization overthrew us in a most destructive conflagration. They did not survive, but we did. As a result we spent many years nurturing a new civilization, subservient to us and reflecting our interests. Yet, our ancestors left, permitting them to take on their own destiny. What remains is a vague account of our presence here, largely seen as fantasy and lore by the ancients. You all know why we left - to address a war on the heels of one we had just lost. All that is history now and we have returned to this planet to reassert our dominance over the human species."
"Has this force, called `magic' by the humans, offer to aid us in any way?"
"My biggest concern at the moment revolves around several aspects: humans are once again moving toward becoming a planetary civilization. They possess the ability to travel in Space and to unleash the force of the atom. Technologically, they are approaching the level of the same civilizations that defeated us twenty thousand years ago. I cannot recall magic being a factor in the last major war here from my investigation of the archives."
"Describe your alliance with the humans in your midst."
"Things have changed. He calls himself Herr Kamm and leads a resistance, intent on overthrowing the regime of power in the same region the Basques were when we were here last. He appears weak and indecisive, but commands with remarkable brutality. In their history, there is another dark one who delved deeper in magic - his name was Voldemort. Alongside, he has a light analogue, known as Albus Dumbledore. Both have been dead for over twenty years."
"What did they do in their respective lifetimes?"
"Voldemort was feared for his brutality, intelligence, determination and sheer power. Albus Dumbledore was his polar opposite, remembered not only for his power, but also love, compassion and understanding for those around him. One Harry Potter, the chief nemesis to Kamm's efforts, is the protégé of Dumbledore and the one who defeated Voldemort in a final confrontation over twenty years ago."
"Is there any way their abilities can be matched by contemporary candidates?"
"It is possible that Harry Potter is among the strongest wizards that exist at the moment. However, he is one part of a core of six that forms the center of the Order of the Phoenix, a clandestine, independent organization that is concerned specifically with elimination of dark wizards, such as Kamm. This core of six, together forms a formidable force that is surrounded by other very capable individuals."
"How does Herr Kamm compare to this Order?"
"He commands a bigger force that compensates for the concentration of talent in the Order. Discipline is tight, the hierarchy is well-defined, and punishment is both timely and severe. There is constant training and expansion of skills. Kamm's Unforgivables, as they are called, self-destruct upon capture, which means that it is unlikely they will divulge any important information. While the organization is not as old as the Order, it is staffed by experienced fighters who are continuously getting better; I believe they are a match for the Order."
"Lord Anu, this whole mission has been of your initiative. Can you convince the Council that the assistance of these humans will be useful when the time comes for our planetary invasion?"
"One curiosity I observed in my time there is that humans are divided into non-magical and magical. The former constitute the vast majority and represent the technological threat I described earlier. The latter are much fewer in number, but vastly more powerful as individuals. Taken together, they can wreak havoc on the currently dominant power structures and allow us to take control much more efficiently, with much less destruction than we might take otherwise."
"Our technological edge far outstrips that of the humans. They have simply returned to where they were twenty millennia ago. We had a severe setback, but not nearly such a complete collapse. Our technology alone can succeed in overtaking this planet without significant difficulty."
"You forget one crucial fact, my fellow Council members. While technological parity may have existed the last time we were here, our main downfall was caused by the microbial life of this planet. Both our physiology and technology was affected very adversely and hampered our ability to fight, judging by the records. Unfortunately, those who died of the complications were quarantined and disposed of before proper specimens could be taken and the research completed. Our technology was compromised beyond retrieval; in the retreat, we risked extinction had we stayed behind to gather the aforementioned samples. The very fact that twenty thousand years have elapsed before we have the ability to even return to this part of the galaxy simply underscores the urgency of this fact. We need allies among this divided species if we are to complete our objectives."
"What have you promised the humans we are aligned with, then?"
"They will receive a share in power once we do become the dominant force on the planet. Humans will be reduced to what they were when we first arrived here. Once we understand how magic works, as well as master its properties, our current allies will join the rest of the humans."
"How long would this vision take to accomplish?"
"Mere months," Anu nodded confidently. "I will divulge further plans of our invasion to Herr Kamm and describe his role. Him and I have worked together to form his organization into a number of divisions, corresponding to our respective invasion sites. They have been preparing for the event, however, without prior knowledge of what is going to come to this planet."
"The invasion has been prepared; it only needs the word to happen."
"I am glad to hear that is that is the case. I will personally inspect the preparations."
"What is to be done in the meanwhile, Lord Anu?"
"Our priority at the moment is to seal the cooperation of our human allies. I have found them to be easily corruptible when offered ways to enhance their power and influence."
"May I," stood up an aged member of the Council, "propose that we give them a token of our appreciation for their cooperation? Perhaps, a mental ability of a kind; I have found in our archives that this was debated prior to the last war over this planet."
"It is possible," Anu agreed. "They have shown no indication of telepathic communication. We can project into their minds, but they are reliant upon speech to communicate with us."
"Shall you require anything else, My Lord?"
"I shall require an entourage for the final stages of my mission on this planet."
"That shall be arranged."
"Excellent."
"This Council is deeply grateful for your report, Lord Anu. Your efforts are much appreciated."
**
The Annunaki were an ancient race, evolving over the millions of years to become an intergalactic force, travelling between galaxies and stars in an ever-expanding journey of exploration and colonization. The Earth was one of those rare worlds that offered water, life, and plenty of resources in a single combination. They had come for the first time over four hundred millennia ago. Probes sent several thousand years earlier had revealed the presence of semi-intelligent life. Primates, not unlike their own evolutionary ancestors of millions of years past, promised the beginnings of a civilization that was too lucrative to ignore.
Yet, they did not interfere immediately. It was worthwhile to watch these species for some generations to see what happened to them, and whether they became smarter, or started forming larger and larger communities, developed imagination and abstract ideas - these were the criteria at the time.
Centuries passed, before conclusions could be drawn. Lord Anu's predecessors, just as intelligent and visionary as he was, finally decided to involve themselves directly in the developmental process of these species. Their genes were documented and classified to the smallest detail. The scientists among them had worked on similar initiatives on other planets before, but nowhere before where the task was to create a species that could be called autonomous, free-willing, inquiring and thinking.
The practical need was to create a worker. If their civilization was to establish a permanent presence in this part of the Galaxy, then Earth was the ideal ground for that venture. Rarely did so many fortunate factors accrue in one place in their exploration of the Cosmos.
The screens in front of Anu turned to another frame and the words shimmered in the dim light of the background lamps.
Years of genetic experimentation followed. Manipulating the genetic code of these species by itself did not lead to enhanced intelligence. Questions of combining the Annunaki's own genes with those of the earthly primate came up. Fierce debated, disagreement and arguments ensued as s consequence; some thought the venture fatal to the species, as it could cost the whole initiative, others were dreamers and supported the new ideas. There was no precedent up until then. It would create a hybrid species, between two distant, unrelated worlds. The predictions held that it would work and the final product would be a thinking, free-willing, inquisitive species.
That much was clear, but what then - would it see them as gods, masters and rulers, would it be too asking. What was the implication of exterminating it, if the experiment went out of control? That is, the moral implications went even deeper than the scientific ones, and nobody really knew the answers to those. Millions of years of experience at being a civilization still left some unlikely mysteries to be solved.
It was finally decided by the contemporary Council that the experiment would commence. Those who opposed were left with their arguments, while the scientific teams broke the new ground and proceeded to mix two genetic codes from opposing ends of the galaxy.
The results were ultimately remarkable. Increased brain size, smaller jaws, less hair, the ability to walk on two legs without resorting to all fours; most remarkably they saw the ability for speech and language. Through their research, the new species could be enhanced with even further with the right knowledge and stimulates, but it was determined by the Council that that was not a necessary step.
The physiology did not differ significantly from its evolutionary predecessor. What the Annunaki liked about the ecosystems of the new planet was that on a global scale it offered many different kinds of hominids. It was a chance to see how their new creation would fare in this competitive environment. Through the controlled population grown on board the orbiting colony, the enhanced level of intelligence translated directly into the behaviour of the individuals: they attempted complex communication with one another, basic principles of mathematics were successfully taught to them, and they even managed to use some elementary tools to achieve objectives set by the scientists.
The Annunaki were not prepared for what would happen to these new species after they were released in the environment their predecessors came from. Some simulations were run, hypotheses had been formed, but nobody could have predicted the war that would happen later...
The reproductive cycle had been shortened to nine lunar months, and this allowed for fast population growth to occur in all the experimental sites that had been chosen around the globe. Tight-knit family groups soon formed, complex hierarchy emerged, and the division of labour also soon became a fact. Yet, what surprised the Annunaki most was the manifestation of abstract thinking - these beings developed ways of translating what they saw on rock faces and caves. They returned to these sites periodically, communicating the meaning of what was depicted to one another. This behaviour intrigued the Annunaki - they had not expected this complexity from their creations.
More curiously still, some of the individuals on board began to report psychological connections with the planet. This was not unexpected, but the frequency of these interactions began to be somewhat of a cause for alarm. The reports were unanimous in their descriptions of entering the minds of certain beings of the new species, exchanging images and thoughts - interestingly enough, the thoughts were indecipherable, as they translated into combinations that were never seen before. This, however, the scientists among them had an explanation for: the development of a language among them.
The individuals were sorted out and carefully monitored. They had seemingly received special prominence in their respective groups. As if they were figure of authority and commanded respect among the other members. Cave drawings now seemingly turned to illustrate the Annunaki themselves - crudely at best, but still very recognizable. Tall, thin, luminous eyes, flying around in the inconceivable machines they used for close observation on their subjects.
Worker colonies were finally given the permission they needed to be set up. The ability of these creatures to learn and conceptualize had been deemed remarkable and the Council was keen on consolidating its hold on the planet. Alongside, intelligence had been received that a new civilization had entered the galaxy from the opposite end and was rapidly advancing through its unoccupied sectors: it was a matter of time before the two met.
The life expectancy of the species was remarkably short - barely thirty regional solar years. The high reproductive rate was maintained, both out of the species' own initiative and the artificial efforts of the Annunaki themselves. The result was that the total population gradually became larger. The less advanced species of hominids were slowly displaced. Some were hunted to extinction. Only isolated populations remained in regions that were too remote or inaccessible. But, the Annunaki were certain, their days were numbered.
Slowly, but surely, their worker groups grew. Able to use more complex tools, understand more sophisticated orders, given better knowledge to do their tasks, the species progressed rapidly to a fully self-conscious, autonomous level. Nearly a thousand solar years had elapsed since the experiment began. They even lived a little longer now - almost forty solar years.
Their social life continued to be a continuing source of fascination. Some had developed ways of preserving their way of life orally. The Annunaki were learning to understand them. Through careful observation and recording, languages were written down and gradually understood. As the groups grew larger and more complex, the respective languages became more sophisticated. Some had used the cave paintings to develop a more standardized system of recording information. The Council was immensely pleased when it was informed that writing had come into being without their assistance.
Yet in the grand scale, the total number of humans, as they had come to be called, was too small, the populations were generally far apart, disparate and unaware of one another's existence. There were as many languages as there were isolated populations. They did not live very long either, which only enhanced the position of the Annunaki in keeping their charges suppressed and controlled, forever focused on their jobs as the material backbone of the developing colony on the planet. Contrary to their expectations, even the primordial hominid species survived in the more extreme regions of the planet.
Their development had been stalled and remained dormant under the watchful eye of the Annunaki. Those who had been chosen to occupy the colony on the surface acted as agents of the leaders above, maintain a close eye on earthly affairs. Without realizing it, the humans had called them the Watchers. Simply, watching, following. They were not ones to cross, because they were harsh and punishing, not compromising at all. It was not safe to cross, provoke or anger them in any way. Not one and two unfortunate humans had met a nasty end at the strange, powerful weapons they carried.
Yet, despite the best efforts to contain these pockets of humans and keep them specialized on their tasks, the pressures of growing populations meant that some managed to escape. Some were killed, others captured and returned, and yet other ones managed to vanish and resurface in other groups. That's when the Annunaki first understood the natural affinity of the human animal to be curious, even if they knew that they had put it in as part of the original design. That is, now was the first solid evidence of its manifestation. Humans liked to explore. The procedures were modified and some were allowed to escape without penalty, just to see what they might do.
The worker colonies were dependent on the ability of the Annunaki to supply food and resources for the humans. Even that became a source of fascination for the researchers. After the modifications, the capacity of humans to be both competitive and compassionate with one another was not something the Annunaki had seen in any other species they had tampered with before. They were sure that humans were social beings, but some of the evidence effectively countered that point. Purposefully, they aggravated the subjected populations: sometimes, not enough food was released and the longer they kept it that way, the more likely it was that more humans would fight and even kill one another for the right to live to see the next day. Yet, even in these instances, they shared limited quantities of food with family members.
At some points, overpopulation became another problem. It had been agreed that sizes would be capped to prevent destabilization, escapism and violence. In those instances, the oldest and most inefficient workers were taken aside and killed; the bodies were either left for the predatory species of the planet, or sometimes, burned. If it were determined that the males and females of reproductive age were too many, a portion were sterilized - from the very young to the ones approaching thirty solar years in age.
A particular behaviour puzzled the Annunaki greatly. Most times, the humans would kneel down either in the morning or in the evening, looking up at the sky - sometimes even at the orbital colony itself without knowing it - and chant strange words. They could be understood and arranged, but the resulting couplets did not make any appreciable sense to them. The same behaviour repeated when a human died. Those who were related to him and the wider group would behave even more strangely. The dead were burned, buried, or thrown off from great height. In some cases, it was more extreme: a human was killed in the middle of such chants. It was not logical or necessary, but the observing scientists made it a point of curiosity to continue to observe this behaviour. What confused them most about it - it only seemed to deepen and become more ingrained into the fabric of these communities over time. Their image also became more prominent. Lords from the Stars - this became the most referred to title to describe them in the couplets that were constantly recorded and compiled.
Every worker colony was specialized. Some were directed at mining precious metals: gold, silver and platinum. Others worked in the more arid, cold and dangerous places on the planet, digging up diamonds, iron, or uranium. Mining was the first bastion of the Annunaki's colony on Earth. Others were occupied with construction, fabricating and building the components of factories, buildings, research centers and residential areas for the newcomers from the Stars.
Anu was impressed every time he went over this record. It helped a lot that they knew these species very well. Watching the accomplishments of these humans now, he could not help but be impressed with their progress, even if the objective called for their near annihilation, for the second time in twenty thousand years.
Humans became increasingly more complex, both in skills and abilities. Their total population grew, despite the restrictive measures taken to curb their reproduction. What was even more unacceptable, the Watchers, designated to keep humans controlled, began to be corrupted. The genetic experiments had made the daughters of men especially beautiful creatures. The success of the experiment meant that it was not impossible for an Annunaki to copulate with a human. Some of the Watchers could not resist the temptation. At first, it was sporadic, reports were covered up, but the cases only grew more in number over the decades. The Council began to observe the offspring of these relationships. Humans of gigantic proportions, with incredible strength, of heightened intelligence slowly asserted themselves as a separate community, one nearly outside of the control of the Annunaki. They came to form their own settlements in the vast spaces between the worker colonies. The Council did all in its power to control them: some were killed, others successfully converted to reflect the Annunaki interests, while others simply could not be brought under control.
For the first time, a fear crept that they were losing control over their creations. The Watchers had been punished severely, in fact, nearly exterminated as an Order, and only tentatively were they re-assigned to their former duties, this time with much enhanced control and transparency. Genetic modifications had been implemented to curb their desires, but it never quite disappeared...
Human societies were evolving too. The availability of skills and technology had created a culture among them, one that coupled with their curious beliefs, language and sense of community, formed the ingredients of a formative civilization. The then-Lord Anu was confident that it was possible to hinder and stall their development, but it could not be stopped. Soon enough, humans would realize that they were not alone or isolated. It was a matter of time before the Elohim succeeded in facilitating this venture. That, incidentally, was the name they gave to these giants, freaks of nature, independent, brash and intelligent as they were.
What worried the Council was a newly discovered ability of humans alongside their innate curiosity: that was the ability to adapt and innovate, despite the circumstances they were thrown into.
A/N: Next chapter will wrap up this little account, before we get to the present day again...
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