The Good Reaper Read Online Free PDF Page A

Looking to the opposite
direction, the sky was pitch-black and we could see a slight bluish glow over
what looked like a vast sea beyond the island. It was overwhelming and
beautiful. Our ship descended quickly but I did manage to get a view of the
land mass before we reached the ocean. It looked so much more rugged than the
shores of Ranjisan. The shoreline appeared to be a rocky cliff and there were
no signs of civilization. I caught a glimpse of waves lapping the shoreline
just as Captain Meissa skillfully dipped the ship into the ocean about an Earth
mile from the shore.
    All Ranjisi space crafts are waterproof and capable of
navigating in air or water. We descended down about a quarter mile and slowly
headed toward the land mass. I continued looking out the portal, hoping to see
a whale or shark but it only took a few seconds to reach a depth where it was
too dark so see anything. It was pitch-black.
    After about ten minutes, the ship began to ascend and as we
continued to rise, the water outside of the portals began to brighten. Finally,
with one big splash we broke the surface of the water. The six of us crowded
around the portals and tried to see as much as possible while the captain
maneuvered the ship to a docking area. We were in some kind of huge underground
hanger. I immediately began to wonder if there were humans who knew of our
presence. Even with Earth’s lesser developed science, I found it hard to
believe that there weren’t high-level humans in government who knew we were
there.
    When the door to the exit ramp opened, my senses were
immediately overloaded. My clothing felt heavy and it felt as if my shirt and
pants were sticking to my chest and legs. I began pulling at the fabric as I
walked down the ramp. When I reached the bottom of the ramp, I placed both feet
on the ground and stopped to quietly celebrate the moment. I was standing on an
alien planet and it only took six Earth months to make the voyage.
    Ranjisi scientists knew that P3 would not be capable of
venturing very far into space until they understood the concepts of
electromagnetic and possibly even symbiotic propulsion. But the evolution of P3
knowledge was as it should be. Humans would not be ready to interact with
advanced races for years to come. Before they could become a part of the
inter-galactic community, tribal and geographical wars would need to be just a
part of their ancient history. That day was a long way off. Before humans could
accept the concept of life outside the human race, they needed to evolve to the
point where they realized their own race was one.
    “Take slow deep breaths,” was all I heard as I had a sudden
impulse to sit on the damp ground. I looked around to see that four of the
others were already sitting down looking disoriented. “Go ahead and sit down.
You will start feeling better in a few minutes.”
    After a short rest, the six of us stood up, looking and
feeling a little wobbly and disoriented. “My name is Tom Saunders,” the same
voice said. “No need to know my real name. I will be assisting you with your
first level of assimilation here.”
    “As you already know, the air here is heavier and contains more
moisture but the gravitational pull is the thing you will need to adjust to.”
    “It’s supposed to take a few days, correct?” One of the
cadets asked.
    “Yes. Some of you will adjust quicker, however, the
heaviness in your legs is somewhat permanent,” Tom said.
    “I’ve heard you can strengthen your legs while you are
here,” I said.
    “That is correct but it would take your full two-year
deployment to get to the point where your legs are strong enough for light
exercise.”
    Two of the men in our new group of volunteers were speaking
in Ranjisi when Tom held up his hand and asked for everyone’s attention.
“Listen. From this point on, you should not speak in Ranjisi. I realize that
most of you will not be able to converse because you have learned different
Earth languages. But