A PURPOSE IN LIFE

                                             by Enad

The full moon glistened down upon two figures who were emerging from the darkness of the mountain. Both paused and looked up at the stars. It was apparent that the more shapely figure was the mother of the other.

"It is time you knew." The son looked to his mother as if she had kept a very large secret from him. "Your father is missing, perhaps even dead. It was because of his devotion to a cause that he was last seen heading off through space. I see little future hope in what his true cause was. The son was now quite confused. "It all started some time ago, when your father and some of his unique friends were doing some traveling. In searching for a return route home, he came across our civilization. My, and in part, your, people were being torchered from an energy drain of our dimension, though not really so much a dimension, but more of a place not in this universe. In short, we fell in love."

The boy interrupted. "Do you mean that I am not a human?"

"You are part human and part Knophisghtian. Because of that, there are things that I need to tell you. Walk with me back to the Timecave." Together they walked into a cave which was their home. The walls glowed with a white light. The floor was polished like glass and seemed to fade into infinity. "Your father built this because of my life span in this time and place (if those are the right words). The time cave acts as a type of time buffer. In it years can act like seconds or seconds like years. Unfortunately, it can never do the impossible, which is reverse time. My span is almost complete.

My people have little hope for a future because the energy is draining them off little by little."

"Why are you telling me this mom?"

"Because I feel that you must know what life has in store for you. You are an experiment. No one knows what you will be like in the future, but I am very proud of you. We, your father and I, studied you very carefully and aged you with extreem care in the Timecave. You should know that we estimated your span to be approximately 436.27 Earth years. Secondmost, your knowledge and logic are far superior to either your father's race or mine. The Records have taught you well. You have learned well. I love you, son...." She walked out of the safety of the cave and layed down on the ground. After a few hours, the son never forgot the fading to nothingness of his beloved mother.

The boy felt he must travel to where part of him belonged. The cave told him of the only route he could follow and a little of its own history. The cave was built by the direction of his father to a robot with extreem capabilities. However, some of the parts needed were only found within the robot itself. Therefore, the robot had canabilized itself to the point it became part of the cave itself. The boy directed the question of what was his father like to the cave. The cave's only response was, "You are to be called Enad the Encephalon by direction of your father. It is a well chosen name and your capabilities show." Enad felt the name was a little too much, but, ah well, respect is respect. With that the boy's voyage began.

*     *     *     *     *

Enad traveled to the ancient space center of the B.P. period. He hoped to restore a ship to travel through the blackhole, a possible entrance to one of his worlds. The place was covered in years of dust. No one had been here since the Plague. Enad searched and examined various rooms such as the control tower. As he entered the medical center, a dim light in the corner of the room caught his attention. It was a person in cryogenic suspension. With a quick examination of the operation panel, he deactivated the device. When the panel was open it revealed a very shook person. She was about the same age as Enad and very beautiful.

"Where am I?" was the first thing said. Enad calmed her and explained in a very brief detail about her cryogenic nightmare. Her name was Megan O'Shaughnessy. As her name indicated, she was Irish. She explained she was a scientist who was working on experimental space vehicles. This was truly exciting to Enad because he was rather upset at the prospect of restoring an ancient space shuttle. Hours of conversation and exchange of information passed. Enad learned of times before the Plague and Megan learned of the nightmare she had been put into. Trying to save herself from the Plague, she put herself totally out of place in a world so different from her former. All she could do was stick with Enad in hope of...something.

Both took up the challenge of trying to restore the experimental ship. After minor reconstruction, they were able to pilot it back to the Timecave. Here, after months of major constructive surgery with Megan's abilities and knowledge combined with Enad's, a masterpiece was created. They had updated the craft even farther than their capabilities had forseen. Megan found Enad's sophicated equipment canabalized from the cave quite interesting and impressive. The craft was on the smaller end of the scale. It looked somewhat like an upgraded aerodynamic shoebox with two pontooned wings attached to each side. The drive system was created from parts of the cave. It was a very sophicated magnetic light drive. The sensor, communication, tractor, weapons, and other such systems were also remarkable. Four turrets were placed on the pontoons. Each end of the pontoons came to a point in an antaenna-like way. This was for the shields. The time had now arrived to test the ship.

The first thing to do was cristen the ship. In hopes of the sought for qualities, the name Cantible was chosen. Enad test-piloted the ship alone. He took a short trip through the Ocean, then hopped over to the moon. Her control, speed, and accuracy were truly amazing. But of course minor calibration was in need. Within minutes, he arrived back at what was left of the Timecave. After making necessary adjustments, they sat down in front of a fire to watch the sun set. They planned to embark early the next morning.

Megan sat next to Enad. She was deep in thought, as had been most of her appearance since her release from her suspension. She knew about Enad and his background. Months of conversation had found that out. Now she was hesitant. "I'm scared and..." as quickly as she could blurt out "...I am in love with you."

Enad smiled. "I know what you are thinking. I only know of one possible difference between us. My life span is much longer than yours. It could lead to a painful ending."

"Who know's what your span will be like in the other place." She was right. Should he let himself go. He was very unsure, because his devotion to his "purpose" was all he had thought about since his mother's death.

The subject was quickly changed. Fireside tales were told. There was the one about the witchdoctor that Enad particularly liked. Other tales were told for the other's enjoyment. Slowly, as Megan was talking, her mood was turned to the sad past. She told Enad of real events even scarier. The Plague... the Keys... Enad was taken back by the mention of the Keys. He only thought they were old folklore. Perhaps he did find a key to his problem. Perhaps the Keys could, with all their power, hold the energy drain at equilibrium. But the Keys, how could he obtain and use them? Enad's thoughts faded with the sunset.