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Excerpt: Jissin, the Commander of All Humanity

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Gyphon

He’s accepted.

          Startled, I turn to watch as a brilliant light approaches from the direction of the Battle Portal set up at the rear corner of the library.  Walking over to look down the wide aisle I recognize Jissin within a huge, white healing aura, then notice large wings of a deep, rich red topped with white flying out behind him, and mutter to myself, “It’s complete.”

          As he approaches, I salute him, hand over heart, as I bow and repeat the prayer, “Long life and swift completion, Supreme Infiltrator, may your Holy cause be protected.”

          He startles me by stopping, smiling and placing his hand over his heart as he gives me the proper Infiltrator response, though altering it slightly, “May your prayers give us all strength.  May the Earth and The Colonies remain in all their fullness, and may humanity endure.”

          “You’ve accepted!” I breathe in disbelief, “You’ll lead us!”

          Walking to me, he gives me a Warrior’s clasped arm greeting, “A very smart young woman made me realize it wasn’t about me,” he laughs, “Time I stopped acting like it was.”

          “You aren’t alone in your regal display,” I inform him, “If that makes you feel any better.  All three Supreme Commanders have wings and healing auras similar to yours.  Ours here in Sea if the Sun is violet with pale gold wings, the one from Melangi Modi is metallic gold with bright green wings, yours from Ansidar is pale gold with blue wings, you’re all quite a colorful bunch,” I grin, “But I must admit, yours are the most impressive set of wings I’ve seen, those things are huge!”

          “So you see my aura here, too, then,” he sighs, “Oh, well, they aren’t for any of our benefits, are they?  They’re for everyone to draw strength from during the coming great war.  If I can offer them strength, I’ll be happy to do it.”  He looks into my eyes, “This is God’s fight, and He sets the field, it’s for us Warriors to obey our Commander and fight.”

          “Guess you’re through with this old man, now,” Klonias grumbles in a raised voice, “but come over and let me look at those things anyway.  I must say, you look like a graphic of a butterfly insect… hmmm… maybe not.  No, more an old illuminated scroll.  Very bright,” he gripes, squinting as he turns his head slightly away from Jissin, holding up his hand as if shielding himself from Jissin’s brilliant aura, “Whatever you resemble, these old eyes aren’t used to so much light.”

          As he walks up to Klonias, the Head Academic holds out his hand, palm facing Jissin, signaling him to stop there, “Let me see you now, turn around, is the effect the same on all sides, or does it distort?”

          Dutifully, Jissin turns slowly until facing Klonias again.  Klonias notes in scholarly fashion, as if compiling information for a Data Hub, “No distortion, it’s as if it’s a solid manifestation.  Very strange.  Healing auras that manifest all the time.  From males, too!  Yes, very strange.  Thought only Brains had them.”  He examines Jissin’s clothing, “That may be comfortable, but it’s certainly odd-looking.  Put on your Imperial Colonial Commander’s uniform, with those wings, you need it.”

          Laughing, I come to Jissin’s defense, “You do realized you’re ordering around the commander of the entire human race, don’t you, Klonias?  Give the man some air!  Would you have ordered Mradrik so quickly, would he have been so kind as to obey if you tried?”

          Klonias’ eye go wide, “That is what I’m doing, isn’t it!  Forgive this old fool, Commander Jissin.  Things have moved too quickly for me to keep up, it seems.  Keep falling into old habits.”

          “You know I don’t mind, Klonias,” Jissin jokes, “So drop the false modesty.  You give orders expecting to be obeyed, but you also know sometimes someone may tell you to get back to your Hubs and stop bothering them, and you’re fine with that, too.  Equal-to-equal’s a good place to be, I appreciate it.”

          Smiling so broadly  his eyes disappear, Klonias, replies, “We could do worse than you, but not ever any better.”  Indicating the uniform on his desk, Klonias asks, “Will you put it on, Jissin?  This old man wants to see what the first in all of history Imperial Colonial Commander looks like.”

          Taking the uniform, Jissin replies, “Of course I will.  Be back in a few minutes.”

          As Jissin walks to the lavatory, Klonias wonders, “How can he be as he is?  There doesn’t seem to be a drop of self-pride in him.  It’s very strange, the most powerful man in the entire human race letting an old man give him orders.”

          Watching my winged friend walk to the lavatory, I comment, “Perhaps that’s why he’s the most powerful man in the entire human race, ever think of that?  God chooses carefully.”

          Klonias looks at me, “Perhaps you’re wearing off on me, as the Earth idiom goes, but I’m getting very comfortable with thinking of God as a person.  There may be something to that Christianity after all.”

          “Not something, everything,” I reply, “It’s all the answers, as well as all the reasons.”

          “Well, whatever it is, reports are coming in from all The Colonies that it’s sweeping through the Brains,” he looks at me, “Plus all you Infiltrators have adopted it.  I can no longer consider it a ‘pagan’ religion, not when so many I hold in such high respect take it so seriously.”

          Grinning, I retort, “Now you’re talking sense!  Study it a bit more, the reason will come to you.”

          There’s a noise from the lavatory, and I look in that direction in time to see Jissin, the Imperial Colonial Commander, walk into the room.  “Impressive,” I comment, “A perfect uniform.”  It’s all pure white with an honorcoat of battlecloth blue, simple and imposing all at the same time.  His deep-red wings, topped with a glowing white fire that flows from his shoulders to the leading wingtips, stand out in glory behind him, his healing aura radiates a brilliant white, especially around his head.

          Smiling as he approaches, I note there’s a calm self-assurance in his gait.  He strides with relaxed confidence devoid of self-importance, a man comfortable with meeting all others eye-to-eye in honest friendship.  Suddenly I understand the imminently important though fine distinction between leading and ruling, Jissin would refuse to rule, but he will lead.  You can give such a man complete loyalty, knowing he’ll never abuse or betray your trust.

          Everything in me screams I must bow low and honor him, but I’m afraid he’ll disapprove.  In extreme discomfort from being under tight rein, I prevent myself from giving him not only the honor he deserves, but the honor I sincerely need to give him.  Nervously maintaining my perch on the corner of Klonias’ desk, I try to appear casual as I watch the Commander of all humanity walk toward us.

          Looking back at Klonias, I note he’s made the effort to stand, and is now doing so, hand over heart, bowing to Jissin.  Thank you, Klonias!  If he’s doing it then so can I, at least this once.  Smiling, comfortable again, I stand immediately and place my hand to my heart, bowing low before my Commander, and my friend.

~*~