Page 238 - The Chronicles Ser2 (6-10)

could lose hundreds of Terra sized worlds in its volume. Yet if what they had been informed was so;
this world was artificial and hollow, a machine rather than a planet.
“Sensors; even this far out, are reading standard gravity plus zero point zero one.” Leeson remarked
amazedly.
“If all of these worlds are as they said; artificial… And this is where the Oxygen breathers are; or
rather their descendants, then… just where do we begin?” Myra said…

… Arthur awoke again in his room; there was some kind of commotion going on outside. This
time he was lying on a reproduction of the bed from his hospital room. He wandered over to the
door. Before he had a chance to press the opener it slid open. One of the aliens confronted him, it
was a male called Karda. He seemed frantic.
“Arthur remain calm and follow me” he said in immaculate English. “To use a phrase from your
world “We’re Bugging out!” The Council has informed us that our activities have been noticed by the
“Others” and we are preparing all specimens for transit to a safe location. The enemy will be here
soon and we must leave no obvious traces behind. I’ve been asked to tell you that our Command are
grateful for your assistance and we we’ll retrieve you as soon as we can” Karda said hurriedly and
virtually dragged Arthur down the corridor of the facility to the Sarcophagus room
“Who? … What?” Arthur tried to say but stopped short at the site that confronted him. Humans;
reptilians, and other species specimens were being put into individual Sarcophagi. He was bundled in
one of the units and before he could react; the lid sealed and the field initiated that would hold him
in stasis. He had time to reflect on how his “captors” had treated him once their initial experiments
had been completed. They had treated him with dignity and respect. They even changed the
environment of his room to be more realistic. They seemed fascinated by “Terrans” as they called
Humans from Earth. The aliens called themselves “Volanz”. It wasn’t what their species was called it
referred to their class status in their society. Arthur got the impression it translated more as they
were a group of “rebel” scientists. They had eventually told him of the why and the where; but just
what their final aims were as regards to some of the specimens they’d collected, he couldn’t fathom.
The race to which the Volanz belonged had modified their DNA so much over countless eons; that
they could now no longer reproduce normally. Their efforts were concentrated in finding suitable
“Donor” races that could result in a Hybridised form to perpetuate their kind and their vast
knowledge. He had been made aware that the Human species seemed to be one of the most
promising.

After the initial “rough housing” he had been treated respectfully. The aliens always wore
breathing apparatus when in the areas of the “Oxygen breathers” as they referred to most of the
specimens. He had managed to get to know some of them by name. The female “Nurse” was called
Jarme; there was Karda, he was one of the “Guards”, the terms were relative, there being no real
class structure other than family in their society. Arthur had gathered that it was a Matriarchy,
women ruled the roost. The “Doctor” an older female it turned out; was called Hutta’ Gar. The last
syllable was a sort of marker or term of respect. He’d learned that there were six such terms in
common use. These were; Gar, Nun (pronounced Nu an), Uul, Mer, Yem, and Thu. All the Gar’s were
medical and technical, Nun was the class used for Engineers, and Uul were political and legal. Mer
and Yem seemed to be general population seniors; and Thu was used for explorers. All the terms
denoted seniority. There was one other term; used only for ruling classes. Kang; was the suffix that
was applied to the Matriarchy.

He’d been told what had happened after he was taken from the Hospital. The Volanz had
monitored those around him closely and remotely. The woman; Arthur was always referred to as the
man, had been disturbed by his departure. The Volanz had a difficult time understanding Human
emotions. They had feelings, but nothing as intense as the “animal” feelings of lesser races. It took
Arthur a while to understand that they were referring to Helen, from the descriptions he got from
their “mind transfers” he thought they were referring to Helen’s Grandmother; Felicia. Arthur liked
her in an odd sort of way. She was a forceful; determined woman so it came as no surprise that the