The Prophecy Chapter Three

This just did not happen. Not in the thirty-fifth century. There
was no need for it. It was barbaric.
No matter how she tugged, the tunic would not close at the
back. She couldn’t bear anything touching her breasts. She
couldn’t even bear touching them herself. And this horrid feeling
every morning, and sometimes at other times of the day. This
feeling of fullness, of something wanting to get out, then her
throat filling with the foul-tasting liquid, which forced itself out
of her mouth.
Gross! She thought as she looked at the contents of the lavatory
pan.
It wasn’t supposed to happen anymore, either. But the diastic
monitor had not been able to adjust the water supply this time.
The alarm bell rang – the first one to ring for over two hundred
years.
Marijam shuddered as she remembered. She was alone then
and managed to disconnect the machine before it relayed its
information to central control. She started to do her own research.
It was called vomiting. It used to happen when there was
something wrong with the digestive system. Nobody had things
wrong with their digestive systems any more.
She’d found out just the day before. Vomiting also used to
happen often in the first stages of pregnancy in the old days when
babies were gestated in a human womb, not in artificial incubators
as they were now.
Surely she had received the Stopes treatment as a child? She
rechecked her medical record. Certainly, it was there. And surely
Gabrizan had done the same?
So how had this happened? She must talk to him. Last night
was the first time she hadn’t seen him since that first time at the
Waterfall when he had kissed the back of her neck, sending ripples
of excitement through her…

Gabrizan had had his interview yesterday for the Northern
Lights Project. He had had to stay overnight at the Nuffield Centre.
Would she hear something soon?
On cue, the dataserve kicked in. There was an important message
for her. She held her breath.
Her father’s picture came on to the screen. He had his official
face on. It was probably being broadcast to everyone, then, and
not a personal message.
Marijam didn’t know whether she liked him most when he
was just being Dad or when he sat there as now, looking wise and
dignified and seeming a whole ten centimetres taller.
‘Well Miss Kennedy,’ her father’s official voice spoke. ‘Good
news. You are invited for interview to join the Northern Lights
Project as a research student. On successful completion of your
Part 1, you would be able to proceed to becoming a full research
fellow.’ Frazier Kennedy then grinned. ‘Well done, sweetie,’ he
beamed.
He really looked happy. For a few seconds Marijam felt
pleased as well. Then that uncontrollable wave of nausea came
again. She ran towards the bathroom.
Just in time, she managed to bend her head over the toilet.
The vile orange fluid came up again.
This is really gross. But really, thought Marijam. This can’t
be happening. Why hasn’t the Stopes programme worked?
She must find Gabrizan. Perhaps he would know how this had
happened. Was it something to do with him?
Pull yourself together, lady, she said to herself as she made
her way back to her room. You’ve got some important business to
sort out here.
The dataserve whirred.
‘Downloading joining instructions for the Northern Lights
Project interview,’ said the tinny metallic voice.
‘Relate,’ said Marijam.
‘Your interview will take place on Level 6, Lab 10 at the Nuffield
Centre,’ she read. ‘Please report 15.30, Day 79, 3500. A

transporter pod will be sent to collect you at 14.00. Please bring
overnight bag. Interview procedures take 24 hours.’
Lab 10! That was where Gabrizan had had to go yesterday.
Perhaps he would be going back there? Perhaps they would be
able to work together. If she was allowed to work at all, of
course, now.
What was she going to do? Was she some sort of freak that
the Stopes programme wouldn’t work on? Or Gabrizan? Should
she tell her parents?
She couldn’t. How could she tell that their daughter was a
misfit, a quirk of nature?
At least Gabrizan was due back this evening. How she was
going to tell him she couldn’t begin to think. But it would be
good to see him.
She didn’t look too bad in the blue velvet tunic. It was the
best colour for the moment. The only one that didn’t make her
look even greener. But it still wasn’t a pretty sight that greeted
her in the mirror. Her hair seemed to have lost most of its shine.
There were dark circles around her eyes. She had not been able to
sleep well for the last two nights. Her face was white.
What will he think? she asked herself.
Marijam felt dizzy as she made her way up the rungs in the
tube. She was used to the fresh air now, but feeling so ill and
worried seemed to make her unsteady. Even so, it was still a thrill
to breathe the natural atmosphere and taste the delicious green
smell. It would be good to see him. Even if she did have to give
him this unbelievable news.
She arrived early. That gave her time to sit and think about
what she should say to Gabrizan when he arrived.
The sound of the Waterfall was soothing somehow. She was
so looking forward to seeing him, despite everything. Everything
seemed so much more alive up on the surface. The running water
moved on its own. The water channels in the caves were driven
by motors. It smelt so different, too. She dangled her hand into
the pool that formed at the bottom of the fall. It felt silkier than
her finest tunic. The soft breeze, moved one of the ferns so it

looked as if it was waving to her. Shoots of green which were
coming up through the now much browner earth. And it was just
eight weeks since the poison cloud had lifted. What was it going
to be like when the others came up to the surface in two days’
time? She was going to have to pretend she was surprised too.
It began to get dark. Marijam shivered. Where was Gabrizan?
It wasn’t like him to be late. She was beginning to get cold. It
hadn’t been this cold before up on the surface. The sun was going
down rapidly now. Some clouds were forming on the horizon – the
first ordinary rain clouds since the poison cloud had disappeared.
Marijam decided to walk a little way up the path which led
from the base of the waterfall to the cliff above. It must have been
a natural path, because it was still easy enough to walk along,
even though no-one had been along it for over 1200 years – apart
from when she and Gabrizan had been up there a few days ago.
She just loved the view from up there. She could stare for hours
at the pink and grey rock which was getting a lace-like coating of
green.
By the time she reached the top, though, the sun had gone all
together. The clouds were so thin and scanty it was still possible
to see the night sky. But she couldn’t see land like she had the
other time.
Marijam sat and stared at the stars. They were so clear and
bright compared with how they had looked from behind the plastiglass
and further dulled by the poison cloud. Time never seemed
to matter to her and Gabrizan when they were out there.
Only it wasn’t ‘they’ tonight. It was just ‘she’ now. Marijam
shivered again. She pressed the controls on her wristband. 20.30
already. He had never been this late. In fact, he had never been
late. Now it was more than an hour after the time he’d said he
would come. Why didn’t he use the mini compu? Was he so far
away that he was out of range? Perhaps being outside made a difference.
Marijam wasn’t so sure she liked it out here so much now that
she was on her own. It was getting colder and colder. She touched
the button of her compu.

‘Gabrizan Taylor 0051,’ she said, after the tinny voice had
asked whom she wanted to contact.
‘Unavailable,’ squeaked the robotic voice. Not out of range.
Nor occupied. Just not available. His interview was taking longer
than they had expected. Oh she hoped he would get on the Northern
Lights Project. And that she would, too. It would be great to
work together.
Except there was just this one little problem. Well, no it was
actually quite big really. Another wave of nausea passed through
Marijam. She knew that this time it was not to do with that
strange biological change that had taken place in her body. Not
directly, anyway. It was because she didn’t think she could face
the other changes which were about to happen.
She shivered again. Well, it was obvious she wasn’t going to
see Gabrizan tonight. He just must have got held up at his interview.
It was almost a relief not to have to give out this dreadful
news tonight. Even though she missed seeing him.
Marijam was quite glad to get back inside. It was more frightening
and less of an exciting adventure to go out there alone. She was
feeling tired as well. Perhaps she would sleep better tonight, now.
The lights were on in the communal room of the Kennedy
apartment when she arrived back. Both Frazier and Louish Kennedy
were sitting there in silence. Their faces looked grim.
‘Well, did you see him?’ asked Frazier. Marijam had never
heard him sound so angry.
‘Did he turn up for you?’ he demanded. ‘Because he sure
didn’t turn up for his second interview!’
‘We tried to get you on the mini compu,’ said Louish. ‘Only
we couldn’t get through.’
Marijam wondered whether it had been because she was outside.
But then her compu had communicated with the centre. Perhaps
it could get to the centre but no further…or perhaps they had
called just as she was trying to call Gabrizan.
‘He’s a waste of space,’ hissed Frazier. ‘We’d set up a really
expensive programme for him. No-one else could do what we had
in mind for him.’

Then Marijam realised what her father had just told her. Not
only had Gabrizan not turned up to see her this evening, he had
not turned up for the second part of his interview. He had disappeared.
He was gone. She was on her own now.
The nausea came again. She managed to mumble something
about being tired, and hurried off to her room.
She just made it to the bathroom in time. Now it came as a relief
to throw up the heavy feeling out of her stomach. As if she
was giving way to all the tension that was inside her.
She came back from the bathroom and collapsed on to the
bed. The tears started. She could hear her parents’ muffled
voices. She couldn’t hear what they were saying, but that her father
had sounded angry and her mother concerned. She heard the
door open and her mother say, ‘Can’t you see how pale she
looked? That boy has hurt her.’
Marijam closed her eyes. Then there was nothing. Just blackness.
Marijam hoped she might never wake up.

Glossary G - L

Gabrizan Taylor

Gabrizan is a Zandrian, with the Zandrian name of Nazaret Bagarin, sent to Terrestra to help investigate the poison cloud that plagues the planet.  When the cloud lifts spontaneously, the mission is aborted and he is called back to Zandra.

Whilst on Terrestra he meets and falls in love with Marijam Kennedy. He has the impression that his feelings for her are stronger than hers for him; he sees her as someone who is intent on having a very interesting career. In an attempt to impress her, he applies to be part of a very prestigious project. It is whilst he is attending his two day interview that he is called back to Zandra. 

He never really gets over Marijam and never has another serious relationship.

He works hard on restoring plant life to Zandra, a planet that will soon be in even more crisis, because of its dying vegetation, than Terrestra was at the time of the poison cloud.

One day, however, he meets Kaleem. He is shocked to find that he has a son. He is reconciled with Marijam and she agrees to become permanently attached to him. 

 

Golden Knowledge

Only elders have access to this. It is the totality of Hidden Information and then some. The Babel Prophecy is Golden Knowledge, for instance. Elders are so naturally wise and have access to so much extra wisdom that they are close to knowing the meaning of life, so normal Terrestrans believe.  

Heads of Service

These are to Terrestra 3500 what ministers are to UK government. They are elected by other members of Council. And will take on a particular role. So, there are Heads of Transport, Science and Education, for example.       

Hidden Information

This is information that is kept from the general public. Heads of Service have access to Hidden Information that pertains to the service they administer. Elders have access to all Hidden Information and also to extra information called Golden Knowledge. For instance, the Head of Transport would have known that in fact a few people did leave the planet, but the Head of Education would not. All elders would know this.

Information is hidden in order to control the population and because a little knowledge can be dangerous. Hidden Information is to Terrestra 3500 what drugs are to earth in the 21^st century. Punishments for accessing or attempting to access Hidden Information are severe.

Marijam dabbles in this a little and Kaleem more so. Kaleem also gets involved with Hidden Information Pedlars.   

Hidden Information Pedlars

These are the equivalent of our drug pushers. They live underground. They try to pull others into their world. They are a criminal force. Kaleem has quite a brush with them in The Prophecy.               

Hololessons

As Kaleem is not able to travel to other planets, he spends some time in interactive scenes that are created with sophisticated holograms and extremely clever dataserve programmes. He learns how life on other planets amongst other cultures might be.  

Holoscenes

The technology for this is good on Terrestra and even better on Zandra. You can go to the gym in your own home, for instance, by calling up a holoscene. A good holoscene will really make you think that you are there.

You can also project yourself somewhere else in a holoscene.  Razjosh visits Kaleem several times this way.  

Ianus

Ianus is one of the Z Zoners who finds Marijam and puts her in contact with Narisja. 

Kaleem Malkendy

Also known as the Peace Child, Kaleem Kennedy and Kaleem Bagarin. However, until almost the very end of the book, he is known as Kaleem Malkendy.

We first meet him when he is sixteen years old. He is different from other young people: he is blond and has skin that tans easily at a time when white Terrestrans are pale-skinned and have dark hair, he lives in a cave apartment beneath the surface of Terrestra whilst most other families live on the surface now that the poison cloud has gone, and he has no idea who is father is at a time when family connections are well-documented. He is bullied by some of the young people in his schooling group. 

The elder Razjosh, the current Peace Child, has been watching him and sees his potential as the next Peace Child. There is also a suggestion that he might be the Peace Child who is associated with the Babel Prophecy. His mother, Maria Malkendy, also happens to own a copy of the famous picture book The Tower of Babel, written and illustrated by a well-known 21^st century artist, Davina Patterson.

Razjosh provides Kaleem with a better dataserve and starts training him up as the new Peace Child. He also uses hololessons and also visits Kaleem in holoscenes. 

Kaleem becomes ill with the Starlight Racer Fever. This is extremely worrying as there has been no disease on Terrestra for over 200 years. The diastics system cannot cope with this disease, and soon it is widespread, causing several deaths and Maria to go into a coma. Whilst ill, Kaleem begins to dream about the Babel Tower and some strange children with adult faces. He continues having these dreams throughout the novel. 

Kaleem is desperate to find out about his father. Whilst Razjosh is on a Peace Child mission, and whilst all on Terrestra are confined to their homes, Kaleem leaves his apartment and starts looking at some Hidden Information. It brings him no news about his father and he only just manages to get clear of the Hidden Information pedlars.

Razjosh’s mission to get help from Zandra with the Starlight Racer Fever fails. The situation on Terrestra becomes even more desperate. Kaleem has to go and live as a spy on Zandra. All is going well until he gives himself away by mispronouncing a word.

He is put into prison. Prisons on Zandra are quite benign, though his situations is slightly uncomfortable as his is kept in isolation. However, the one human prison guard who visits him from time to time, Charlek Smithin, becomes a friend. 

Whilst in prison, Kaleem is allowed to carry on with some projects. Ironically, it is whilst he is there that he learns more about the role of the Peace Child. He suddenly has a brilliant idea about how he can persuade Terrestrans to trade with Zandrians. He and Charlek establish that Terrestra can swap Starlight Racer Fever vaccine for acorns, which Zandra desperately needs and which are plentiful on Terrestra. This can be done without any fear of spreading disease and without any need for Terrestrans to leave Terrestra.

Kaleem is allowed to discuss his ideas with the experts at the Planation Centre. He goes there with Charlek. He meets Nazaret Bagarin there. Nazaret looks like an older version of Kaleem. They manage to talk. Nazaret aka Gabrizan Taylor is indeed his father.

Kaleem successfully gets the powers that be on both Terrestra and Zandra to accept his ideas. Nazaret and Maria are reconciled. In a voice file, Marijam Kennedy aka Maria Malkendy explains the circumstances of Kaleem’s birth.

Kaleem now feels a little more secure about his identity, though he still worries about his otherness, the burden of being the Peace Child and the aggravating mystery about the Babel Prophecy. These concerns provide the basis for two further stories, Babel and Peace Child.    

   

(Aunt) Kayla

Kayla is the sister of Louish Kennedy and therefore the aunt of Marijam. She has constantly tried to instil some fashion sense into Marijam – and failed. Marijam still prefers dull grey ripon tunics.    

 

Lana Gylson

Lana is the line-manager of Tulla Watkins. She knows much about the poison cloud on Terrestra. Kaleem is so taken aback by this that he pronounces a word that Zandra and Terrestra share the Terrestran way. Shortly after that, Kaleem is arrested and is charged with being a spy.

 

Lorretta

Lorretta is the android guide who shows Kaleem around during his hololesson on Tarantet. 

                         

Laguna Bar

This is found deep within the cave system. However, it has a skylight that connects to the surface through a system of mirrors, a little like a periscope. It is such an iconic meeting place that it stays open even after the poison cloud has shifted.

Marijam and Gabrizan met in this bar the night the poison cloud lifted. 

 

London Harbour

This is the biggest town in the A Zone (see Normal Zones). Most Heads of Services and even most ordinary Council Members opt to live here as they can more easily get to the meets, even though most of the time, of course, they work form home. 

It has the name “harbour” because in the days when Terrestrans still travelled, most of the spaceships, including the big supercraft departed from here.        

 

Louish Kennedy

Louish is the permanent attachment of Frazier Kennedy and mother of Marijam. She is full of fun and very glamorous. She stops Frazier from taking life too seriously and is a good contrast to her rather serious daughter.