Observation TwoStanding Dividedby Michael E. Lloyd |
Observation One table of contents Observation Two table of contents Synopsis |
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The story to date: Observation One |
March-April 2003
A vast electrical circuit closes.
The huge discharge focuses two rich radio beams down to a point not far above the surface of the Earth.
And there, in an unseen sphere, a holographic “Radimote” is born and glides to land in northern Spain — invisible still, but watching and listening and ready to roll.
Its Handlers, hovering undetected in their star-craft “Mater” in fixed orbit over Africa, rapidly learn the basic social niceties of the new world they have travelled far to study. So they are soon ready to endow their virtual missionary with a carefully selected, female human form.
Her first precious target is Toni Murano, a young music student. He haplessly follows the beautiful siren’s unspoken call, but very quickly loses sight of her and is instead entangled in the major security alert which she has unintentionally caused. He manages to slip through that ragged dragnet, only to end up instead on a very sharp hook: the mysterious visitor in the red silk scarf finally makes quite definite contact, he christens her “Carla”, and he is overwhelmingly embraced in the “Doman” mission of exploration ...
Press-ganged on the spot into obedient service as an Illuminator for the visitors’ initial observations, Toni is soon once again the quarry of national police and security services, and is forced to take on a crisp new identity. Then, led by Carla and her senior officer “Quo” on a rapid chase round Europe, he helps the Domans to build their initial maps and models of the Earth, and to search in vain up the echelons of power for a political leader with apparently flawless integrity.
Despite repeated false starts and many unexpected hurdles, the visitors finally manage to complete that first phase of their mission, with rather disconcerting findings on the broad front of human integrity. But they have also met some true heroes, including Raymond, a brave American diplomat.
They must now move on to their delayed second stage of operations, for which they have just received some significant changes to their Orders. Toni’s particular talents seem unsuited to this next challenge, and he is sent back home with full Doman honours and a convincing cover story for the authorities.
Desperate to see his abandoned girlfriend Paula once again, he opens the letter awaiting him in his bedroom and discovers she has run out of patience and love, and has found a new playmate ...
The full story of Toni, Carla and the Domans in Europe is told in Observation One: Singing of promises ... But now the visitors must begin Observation Two ...
Copyright © 2006 by Michael E. Lloyd
