March 4, 1909 My wife and I have been abducted by creatures whose physical, mental, and technological prowess far exceeds that of humans. They call themselves the Limoli (singular Limolus- pronounced "lee-moh-lie" and "lee-moh-luhs" respectively) and resemble nothing so much as enormous, bipedal cats. Their tails are immense and their teeth are sharp and they are most certainly stronger than the average human male. Most alarming about the Limoli are their powers- they can move objects with their eyes, and just will fire, ice and thunder from nothing! I'm half-convinced that these creatures are angels or gods... Perhaps even devils. Nothing mortal should have command over the elements, least of all with such ease and an almost deadly grace and beauty. These Limoli initially operated under the fear that I (and all other humans) was a savage beast due to my initial silence and prompt assault of one who attempted to come near, but some admonishment from my wife and voices in my head from one of the aliens put a stop to that. These creatures are thought-thieves as well- they can simply read my consciousness like an open book! They've let me keep my journal due to their inability to read English without stealing the knowledge from my brain, and if need be I can write in French to throw them off should they learn to do so on their own. All I can do right now is comfort Maria and hope we can make it back to Podunk. George _____________________________________________________________ March 10, 1909 They have abducted us so that we can raise one of their own. I can't fathom the logic behind it, but since coming aboard this vessel (I have learned that we are on a "starship") I have thrown logic to the winds, hoping that a Limolus was not commanding said wind. The child's true parents both passed- the mother in birth complications, and the father in combat somewhere else in the "star system"- so they have passed on the infant to us, as we yet lack children of our own. Maria, pehaps not surprisingly, has already grown attached to the child and named it "Giegue"- the most alien word she could think of. Though it may seem cruel, I want absolutely nothing to do with Giegue. My primary concern is in getting my wife and I off this thing. Though I suppose I could learn from this species before we leave- perhaps noticing my interest of their powers, they have begun teaching me about "genetics" alongside Giegue. Tiny life-books that give the workers of the human body the instructions to build... Astounding! George _____________________________________________________________ July 5, 1909 The Limoli are strangely willing to teach me the secrets of all life- perhaps it's common knowledge for them at this point? This completely obliterates everything I've ever been taught... The closest thing I've read to it was a few ideas by a Mr. Charles Darwin, but he couldn't have ever dreamed of something like this! Ladder-shaped lifethreads comprising all existence, tiny chemical bonds keeping creatures together! The very idea that we are not a Creature, but rather billions upon billions of individual Creatures joining together to create one larger Being is just mindboggling! This negates the entire book of Genesis- nevermind the rest of the Bible! Perhaps I'll stay with these Limoli and see what they have to teach me. I could completely overturn modern thinking with these facts- I'll certainly be regarded as a radical, but haven't all great thinkers? I've even begun taking a shine to this little Giegue, lately- he behaves almost exactly like a normal human child, and Maria's begun spinning a lullaby for the little youngster. How did it go? "Take a melody"... George _____________________________________________________________ March 4, 1910 It's been a year since we were abducted. Strange as it is, I've begun to think of Giegue as my own son despite spurning the boy when I first met him. He's a remarkably affectionate little boy, and a quick learner- he seems to be capable of observing and mimicking the PSI (PSIonics - mental powers) of other Limoli with a remarkable degree of efficiency. He's also able to converse with us on a quite reasonable level, and asks just as many questions as a human boy his age. Ha, my alien son. Barely a year ago, I would have laughed. The Limoli seem to grow oppressive towards us- me specifically. They seem to suspect that I am searching for a way to obtain their PSI - while certainly, what man wouldn't want to control the elements?- it is a power I don't actively seek. Nevermind that I would have not a single clue as to how to even obtain such skills... PSI doesn't occur at all in humans, the Limoli told us that with their tests of our lifethread (with more than a bit of relief in their voices, I noticed). Humans with control over energy, fire, ice, thunder... Now there's a thought. George _____________________________________________________________ March 5, 1911 Our second year on the starship has passed. A month or two ago, I began hearing rumors amongst the scientist Limoli that work was nearing completion on a device that would allow a Limolus to alter their genome for more desirable genes. They think I can't understand when they speak in their own tongue, but I can- Giegue thought it necessary to instruct me in the Limolus language, and I can hold a basic conversation with our kidnappers. The thought had been in my head ever since some of the higher-up Limoli on the vessel began suspecting me of it- humans with PSI... Humans with PSI. I had the tools. I had the time. And I certainly had the will to do it. When every last being on board the ship was asleep, I escaped from the room they keep us in at "night" and managed to stumble into the room with the experimental gene manipulator. Some of Giegue's shedded fur (they altered climate conditions on the vessel to emulate seasons to prevent some form of homesickness for the crew, and most recently they had changed it to something akin to summer) provided the lifethreads I needed to even accomplish this. With a block of wood between my teeth to keep myself from crying out and alerting everyone as to what I was doing, I altered my genome and included the gene for PSI thanks to the unwitting donation from my son; if any of them knew what I was trying to do, I would have been executed on sight. The process took several hours, and multiple times the sheer pain of the operation made my entire body burn hot and freeze cold at the same time, my brain feeling like it was turning to soup as it was reconstructed while I was still conscious. Taking less time was the other minor alterations- improved strength, speed, intelligence, none of which would take effect in me but would be all too present in my descendants. But in the end I held, and just before the higher-ups awoke to perform routine inspections of the ship, I had already covered my tracks and dragged myself back to my "room" with my wife. The next day, I suggested to my wife that we have a child of our own- a human child. Expressing delight with the idea of giving Giegue a brother or sister, she agreed. She is now two months pregnant. God forgive me for what I have done, for thieving from this species their greatest skills. George _____________________________________________________________ March 7, 1912 The third year on the starship has passed some months ago. Keeping my newfound psychic powers hidden from everyone is becoming increasingly difficult as they grow stronger. The Limoli in command regard me with more suspicion than ever before, though I maintain healthy friendships with many of the "lesser" Limoli often assigned to menial repair-work or teaching Giegue and I. Now it isn't a matter of "if" they will find out what I have done- it's "when". My son was born a month ago. The looks of panic upon the faces of the Limoli was certainly something to behold when Maria's water broke! My boy is of a healthy weight and size. In the meantime, I've begun spending more time with Giegue at play and in conversation to give Maria some time to herself, as well as time to rear the child without Giegue's constant questions. The poor boy's confused as to why his mother suddenly doesn't want to see him, though he was calmed considerably by my assurances that she still loves him just as much as she ever has. He hasn't called me "dad" until recently (whereas he's called Maria "mom" for as long as I can remember)- why did I have to start bonding with him just after committing such a grave sin? With the development of my powers, I've discovered that I can sense each and every single Limolus on the ship. The most potent "beacon" of psychic power on this vessel seems to be Giegue... How strange. And above all, I sense a very faint pulse of psychic power from my biological son. The modifications worked. George _____________________________________________________________ May 2, 1912 I am badgered by questions almost constantly from the commanders of this vessel now, whose names I still don't know. I think they can sense my rapidly-developing psychic powers- I've increased in raw potential to the point where I'm well beyond many of the "lesser" Limoli on this ship, and I believe I'm approaching the level of many of these higher Limoli. Strangely, these powers are easier to hide the more I develop them when everyone else is asleep... Perhaps it's simply having control over them that makes it simpler to shield their presence. Perhaps this, or they are sensing the burgeoning psychic talents of my blood-son- an infant suddenly being born and giving off a weak psychic signal. Against all odds, they seemed to accept my mock-hypothesis that increased brain-activity in humans from learning so rapidly in infancy could give off something of a mock psychic beacon, though I don't believe for a second that any of them bought that. I need to get out of here. I am thankful to the Limoli for teaching me such reality-altering facts such as the finer workings of genetics, but I've always felt like a rat in a cage on this flying contraption. I need to find a way to escape, and take my wife and children with me. To hell with them- if they want me to raise the child, I can do it back on Earth as a proper family. Humans will hate him and be afraid of him, but Giegue is my son, and I want nothing but the best for him. He should be able to see rolling green grass and bright blue skies instead of the sterile white walls of an intergalactic spaceship. I've learned that there are "escape pods" on this ship- emergency vessels that can go a short distance (short for them, anyways). I could use one of those to get back to Earth. I just have to develop my powers enough that even the higher-ups pose no resistance to me. I just hope my wife won't hate me for this. George _____________________________________________________________ July 5, 1912 My son John is six months old, today. He's becoming quite the cantankerous little boy. Giegue is excited by the prospect of a younger brother to play with, and waits to see John grow up enough that they can play together. I've located the escape pods on the west wing of the ship. I'm almost strong enough to go ahead with this plan. We'll be home soon, Maria, with Giegue and John. George _____________________________________________________________ March 4, 1913 The fourth year on the starship. Tomorrow I'm going to escape with my family. I've honed my new talents to what I believe is their limit. Coincidentally, the Limoli have plans to execute me tomorrow on suspicion of treason. They're quite comfortable in their assumption that I don't know what they're saying, and I believe they've found that somebody used their gene-manipulator without permission years ago. Frankly, I'd like to see them try to kill me. I just hope I can remain friends with many of the lessers after this is all over. I've begun having dreams and visions of.. things yet to come? Things that have already happened? But I see them from the point of view of someone else- a blonde-haired girl who commands the elements, a silver-haired boy with glasses, a muscled gang-leader out for revenge. What do these visions mean? Are they the future, or the past? Or are they just strange thoughts flitting through my head, like I suspect they are? I'll find out once I'm back on Earth- perhaps Giegue has his own visions, and can relate to me on the matter. None of the Limoli have thought to so much as read my mind... Just one quick burst of telepathy and they'd all know. Do they trust me that much? Knowing that they do makes my betrayal of them sting far more than it probably should. I hope they can forgive me for this. George _____________________________________________________________ March 6, 1913 The escape was a disaster. We all managed to make it to the pods after I blew down the door. I'll never forget their looks at me when I did that- Giegue's expression of sheer betrayal, Maria's of disbelief, and John's crying at the noise. None of the Limoli were so much as a challenge to me- not even the "trained" commanders. I injured several, but made a point of it to not kill any of them or seriously harm them. I may be a horrific hybrid of a man now, but a monster or a mindless killer I am not. From that point on, however, things went to hell. Maria dawdled in getting into the pod, torn between coming back with me or staying with Giegue (who seemed resolute to not leave the ship). I attempted to telekinetically force the both of them into the pod, but the security guards caught up and put a stop to that. The pod's door sealed before either of the two could get in... John crying in my arms for his mother, I could only watch as the pod flew away and they began to drag away my wife and my adoptive son. I don't know what they've done to Maria. They've probably executed her for being an accomplice to my escape. I can't bear to know her fate- the simple atrocity of my actions alone is enough to weigh upon my soul like Atlas bearing the weight of the world. I only know that Giegue is still alive because of my attempts to contact him- he simply terminates my psychic connection when I attempt to apologize to him through telepathy. I've since made it back to Earth. My old neighbors and friends simply act like nothing had happened, as if I went on vacation for half a decade and just now came back, with a son instead of my beloved wife. The Limoli haven't come back for me. They know that they'd have to fight me, and that fact terrifies them. I'll never love anyone else so much as I did my wife for as long as I live. George _____________________________________________________________ It's been ten years since I escaped. How time flies. John has grown up happy and healthy, despite his distant father. I've become something of a recluse since I returned, and have devoted all my time to the honing of my psychic powers, and the construction of a robot to defend my children and their children from the Limoli- none of them suspected that I was paying far more attention than I should have when they decided to impart technological knowledge on Giegue and I. If I am the Adam of human psychics, then this robot can be Eve as their protector. I have sworn my son to complete secrecy regarding his psychic powers- he is not to reveal them under absolutely any circumstances, unless there is danger that necessitates their use. He is adept at his powers, which manifested when he was eight years old due to stress involving monetary issues and various bullying at the time... I'm not sure why there is a delayed activation in PSI with humans, or why it seems that mental stress is a factor in these abilities even emerging, as Limoli are proficient in their abilities soon after birth. The dreams and visions have become clearer, and some years ago I discovered the ability to activate these psychic visions of the future at will. The blonde girl I saw is named Ana, the silver-haired boy is Loid, the muscled man is Teddy, and the boy whose eyes I saw through is named Kenneth, but prefers the nickname "Ninten". He will embark upon a mission to gather the fragmented pieces of my wife's lullaby, whose notes have been etched into the various features of the Earth itself. I hope that these children, under EVE's protection, can improve this world. And above all, I hope they can defend us from the Limoli better than I ever could. Kenneth will be forced to confront Giegue, and settle his grudge with me as my great grandson. I hope to find it in the good Lord's graces to forgive me for my sins. Ninten, Loid, Ana, and Teddy. Good luck to you and your own descendants, and protect my Earth from the Limoli. George