Page 29 of Destroyed Desire
“This is one of the most important religious artifacts in human history!” She spins on her knees to spear me with a disbelieving look. “It’s been missing since like 586 B.C. You’re telling me that… that aliens have been coming to Earth since 586 B.C.? I don’t believe this!”
She stands and begins to pace. It’s clear this item has great meaning to her people. Running her hands over her hair, she points to the chest.
“How did this get here? Did you guys just yeet it through a portal?”
“It likely came on a trade ship. Talarions engaged in trade when they weren’t raiding. It could have been on another planet for a very long time before coming here.”
Flipping a hand in the air, she blows out a hard breath. “This belongs to Jerusalem. It shouldn’t be here. People have been looking for this for, well, for forever.”
The disdain in her voice bothers me. I want to fix it, but I cannot. There is no way to return the chest to Earth.
“This religion is your own?”
Fern shakes her head. “No. But it is to many, many humans. It’s sad to think all these things in here were taken from peoples who probably found them important.”
“Mmmm, yes. I understand and I agree. Though my people have been raiders since the beginning of time, it was time for a change. Our world has changed. I wish I could return many of these things to their rightful planets, but that is not something I can do.”
“You could take them back on a spaceship or something?”
I pick up a small metal ball. It pops open in my hand, revealing a large red stone in the center.
“Some of these items are from many galaxies away. It would take two or three lifetimes to reach them by ship. Only portals allow us to jump quickly through time and distance.”
Moving away from the chest, she gives it one more look and shakes her head before walking through another row. I follow her at some distance.
“I would like to create a collection of artifacts which my people may browse and observe as a way to remember our past and honor the objects with a purpose beyond simply sitting in this climate-controlled cave.”
“A museum?”
I think on that word, but the meaning does not come to me. “What is a museum?”
Tucking hair behind her ear, she lightly touches a braided cord of purple and silver thread wrapped around the hilt of a dagger. “It’s just as you said. A place to put collections of important items for others to enjoy. We have them on Earth. Humans were also raiders at one time and took things that didn’t belong to them. We have many artifacts with a violent past but we display them, so the history is never forgotten.”
“Yes. That is what I desire. You know much about these museums?”
She briefly glances at me. “I don’t know. Yes, I guess. My dream job was to work in a museum one day as a curator. Maybe be an archeologist who went out and found the stuff to put into a collection. But I never—I needed a job close to home so I could care for my mother. So, I never pursued it.”
Moving closer, I brush hair away from her shoulder. “Perhaps you would care to assist me. You can search for anything that belongs to Earth and begin a collection for your home world.”
This doesn’t make her smile as I had hoped, but she doesn’t look displeased with the idea, either so I continue.
“I can detect signatures from most of the artifacts, an energy signature that helps me determine which galaxy and planet the item is from. Some of the items are losing their signatures due to age. Now that I am no longer portal master, I have time to begin cataloging. The hope is, someday, some the items can be returned.”
“How? You can’t manipulate portals anymore.”
“My cosmic abilities are paternally transferred. I am able to pass the gift to a son.”
Our eyes lock and hold. “Yes, you mentioned that.”
Just then, an alarm sounds inside the cavern followed by a booming voice.
“Anaash? Maneshha has arrived.”
She saunters in flanked by her brothers and surrounded by palace guards. Her cool eyes assess me as if I’m an inconvenience to be tolerated. It’s Fern who gets her full attention. Moving between the females, I motion to a row of items that have been set aside for her consideration.
“Take what you wish.”
She eyes Fern over my shoulder. “I will.”
