Authors: Stel Pavlou
Decipher (10 page)
Like a jigsaw puzzle of concentric purple circles the image slowly built up until the screen turned more and more purple with each overlay. And what was becoming clearer to everybody was that structure had indeed been revealed within the energy waves. With the exception of the military, a mood of excitement and incredulity filled the room. Cubes. Oblongs. Curved surfaces. All the hallmarks of construction stood out as glitches in the purple. It was intricate. Vast and dense. Like the layout ofâ
“That's a city,” Scott whispered. “Under the goddamn ice ⦠A lost city!”
“And somehow,” Dower said gravely, “it appears to be linked to the sun.”
Pearce was mesmerized. “Not a lost city.
The
lost city. Ladies and gentlemenâwelcome to Atlantis!”
The
lost city. Ladies and gentlemenâwelcome to Atlantis!”
Â
“My God ⦠we're talking about a complex adaptive system on a scale I've only ever theorized âabout,” Hackett murmured darkly.
Gant flipped text up onto the screen in a separate subbox.
Tales of the Deluge: A Global Report on Cultural Self-Replicating Genesis Myths
by Dr. Richard Scott. In his hand he had a hard copy. He scratched his cheek in between thumbing through the hefty document.
Tales of the Deluge: A Global Report on Cultural Self-Replicating Genesis Myths
by Dr. Richard Scott. In his hand he had a hard copy. He scratched his cheek in between thumbing through the hefty document.
“Dr. Scott,” he said, “according to your research, in Central Colombia, South America, and I quote: âBochica, a bearded man of another race, brought law, agriculture and religion to the Chibcas savages. But one day his evil wife, Chia, appeared to thwart his plans and flooded the lands, killing almost everyone. Bochica exiled his wife to the sky where she is now the moon, and brought the survivors down from the mountains to start over.'”
Scott was excited. Felt that rush of adrenaline coursing through his veins. He knew what the Major was driving at as Gant turned another page.
“Or what about this? In China, the water god, Gong Gong, caused a twenty-two-year flood. People escaped to the mountains and the trees. While according to the Chickasaw Indians, the world was destroyed by water and all except one family and two animals of every kind survived.”
“You want to try another letter?” Scott suggested excitedly. “How about âI'? The Incas reported that torrential rains fell and volcanoes erupted, flooding the earth and burning it. When the sky went to war with the earth, they believed the Andes were split apart. Whereas the Inuit thought there was a terrible flood followed by an earthquake that happened so fast that only the quick-witted were fast enough to flee to the mountains or take refuge in their boats.
“There are more than five hundred deluge legends around the world,” Scott summarized. “I built on the work of Richard Abdree who studied eighty-six of the legends back in the mid-1980s. Three were European, seven African, twenty Asian, forty-six American and ten were from Australia or the Pacific Rim. He found out that sixty-two of these
cultures had never come into contact with the Hebrew or Mesopotamian legendâthe one from which we derive Noah. That means they sprang up independently. They are distinctâand separate.”
cultures had never come into contact with the Hebrew or Mesopotamian legendâthe one from which we derive Noah. That means they sprang up independently. They are distinctâand separate.”
When Scott started work on the project he found a wealth of information he frankly hadn't expected. He'd discovered flood stories that were Roman and Scandinavian, German and Assyrian, Hebrew, Christian and Islamic. There were Sumerian flood stories and Babylonian. Chaldean, Zoroastrian, Pygmy, Kikuyu and Yoruba. There were tales of an ancient deluge from the Basonge, Mandingo, on the Ivory Coast, Bakongo, western Zaire and Cameroon. The Kwaya of Lake Victoria shared a similar tale, as did the Hindus and the Chinese. In Thailand it was the Kammu, and in the Philippines the Ifugaos. There were the Batak in Sumatra who also saw the earth resting on a giant snake. Curiously, the symbol of the snake cropped up time and time again. The list of flood myths went on and on. From New Zealand to Arkansas.
Everywhere Scott looked he had found an ancient culture that believed the earth had at one time or another been devastated by a vast torrent of water.
But there was a problem, and Scott was already starting to see the connection between Atlantis and the sun. Hesitantly he said: “Many of these same ancient myths also refer to the cyclical nature of the destruction of the earth.”
Â
“How many myths are we talking about, Dr. Scott?” the Admiral inquired.
“If I had to hazard a guess,” Scott replied, rubbing his hands together nervously, “I'd say over a hundred. Our own Christian beliefs see the turn of the millennium as something to fear. The Age of Aquarius began in 2010âthe symbol for water. The Mayans predicted a cataclysm would befall the earth on December 24, 2011. That was just three or four months ago.”
The linguistic anthropologist eyed everyone around the table. Deeply concerned.
“The Dusan tribe of western Borneo, or Kalimantan, have the idea that the sky retreated when six of the original seven suns were killed,” he explained. “The pre-Hispanic
Mexicans believed various past ages were each brought to an end by violent upheavals. In the old Mayan
Annals of Cuauhtitlan,
written in 1570 but based on texts thousands of years old, these past ages were called âsuns.' They were epochs, or in Mayan:
Chicon-Tonatiuh.
Even Amerind people, and remote tribes of the Amazon have beliefs that many times over the earth has been destroyed by fire, prolonged darkness and a deluge.
Mexicans believed various past ages were each brought to an end by violent upheavals. In the old Mayan
Annals of Cuauhtitlan,
written in 1570 but based on texts thousands of years old, these past ages were called âsuns.' They were epochs, or in Mayan:
Chicon-Tonatiuh.
Even Amerind people, and remote tribes of the Amazon have beliefs that many times over the earth has been destroyed by fire, prolonged darkness and a deluge.
“The Voguls of Siberia believed recurrent devastation was accompanied by terrible thunder. The Welsh Triads refer to three cataclysms as a deluge, a fire and a drought. Anaximenes and Anaximander of the sixth century B.C.E, and Diogenes of Allollonia in the fifth century B.C.E speak of the world being periodically destroyed and reborn. Aristarchus of Samos, two hundred years later, said the earth underwent destruction by fire and water every two thousand, four hundred and eighty-nine years. The people of Hawaii, the Bengal Sea, the early Icelanders and the Hebrew traditions all share similar myths. The
Visuddi-Magga
, the ancient book of the Buddhists, mentions an older book called the
Discourse on the Seven Suns,
and speaks of the same periodic destruction.
Visuddi-Magga
, the ancient book of the Buddhists, mentions an older book called the
Discourse on the Seven Suns,
and speaks of the same periodic destruction.
“The Chwong people of Malaysia say this earth is Earth Seven and that everything is turned upside down and destroyed at intervals. Egyptians believed in
Tep Zepi
, the first time, before the present age when the gods walked the earth. The Greeks and Romans had this notion too. Under Hinduism it gets a little more specific. Their belief is there are four ages that span five thousand years for our existence. The Golden Age, which was unpolluted. The Silver Age, where the scattered people no longer remembered their roots or lineage and perceived themselves as different tribes and families. They say this was followed by the Copper Age, when trading began. Followed by our Age, the Iron Ageâthe Age of Kali, when sinning developed. The rich became richer, marriages broke down, people stole. War, technology and science became the evil of the day, until a cosmic renewal known as the Confluence Age briefly destroyed the earth by fire and flood.”
Tep Zepi
, the first time, before the present age when the gods walked the earth. The Greeks and Romans had this notion too. Under Hinduism it gets a little more specific. Their belief is there are four ages that span five thousand years for our existence. The Golden Age, which was unpolluted. The Silver Age, where the scattered people no longer remembered their roots or lineage and perceived themselves as different tribes and families. They say this was followed by the Copper Age, when trading began. Followed by our Age, the Iron Ageâthe Age of Kali, when sinning developed. The rich became richer, marriages broke down, people stole. War, technology and science became the evil of the day, until a cosmic renewal known as the Confluence Age briefly destroyed the earth by fire and flood.”
“Sounds great,” Hackett mused.
Scott added, “The Hindus say that time is now.”
“Did you also know,” Pearce added, “that the Chinese were the first people ever to chart sunspot activity?”
“No, I didn't know that.”
“Oh yeah. They've been doing it for more than two thousand years. They were the first people to scientifically recognize the cycle. They have twelve astrological years. Y'know, the Year of the Rooster and so on? That's very close to sunspot cycles.”
Silence clung to the air as Gant keyed the screen. Dramatically, multiple images from the international news channels played side by side. Ferocious images. Frightening.
Â
“At the same time the gravity wave hit Malaysia. Fifteen hundred dead in a series of typhoons. Tokyo was hit by a tsunami. Two hundred dead in earthquakes in California. And snow storms in the Midwest. Pre-tremors felt in London ⦔
“London?” Scott queried. “London's not on a fault-line, is it?”
“The British Geological Survey say it is. And they just started measuring activity from some unusually deep fault-lines that stretch all the way across to France. Earthquakes hit London on a large scale once every two or three hundred years. The last one was in 1776. So the next one's past due,” Gant told them. “And London, like a lot of Europe, isn't built with earthquakes in mind. So when the big one does hit ⦔ He didn't need to elaborate.
“We've also charted for some time sunspot cycle activity which matches
El Nino
, and the indications are not good.”
El Nino
, and the indications are not good.”
El Nino
was a weather phenomenon where an area of the Pacific Ocean the size of Europe warmed to a greater degree than usual every decade or so. The result was that the Trade Winds reversed and went East. The heat flowing with it raised temperatures several degrees farther. It meant flooding in the Americas and droughts in the Western Pacific and Africa.
was a weather phenomenon where an area of the Pacific Ocean the size of Europe warmed to a greater degree than usual every decade or so. The result was that the Trade Winds reversed and went East. The heat flowing with it raised temperatures several degrees farther. It meant flooding in the Americas and droughts in the Western Pacific and Africa.
“1983 was an
El Nino
year. It caused dust storms to hit Melbourne with ten thousand tons of dust at fifty miles an hour, creating a wall of dust five miles across. It was a hundred and ten degrees Fahrenheit in the city, a hundred and
thirty in the desert. By the time of the next
El Nino
in 1998, most of the Pacific Basin was on fire due to massive droughts, while America and China were hit with the worst floods ever recorded. Three months' worth of rains fell in some places in six hours. July of 1998 went down as the hottest global month ever recorded. A few years on and 2012 is shaping up to be the worst recorded year for climatic change and natural disasters in history.”
El Nino
year. It caused dust storms to hit Melbourne with ten thousand tons of dust at fifty miles an hour, creating a wall of dust five miles across. It was a hundred and ten degrees Fahrenheit in the city, a hundred and
thirty in the desert. By the time of the next
El Nino
in 1998, most of the Pacific Basin was on fire due to massive droughts, while America and China were hit with the worst floods ever recorded. Three months' worth of rains fell in some places in six hours. July of 1998 went down as the hottest global month ever recorded. A few years on and 2012 is shaping up to be the worst recorded year for climatic change and natural disasters in history.”
Hackett was on the edge of his seat. He raised a finger like a schoolboy. “And this is linked to the city under the ice ⦠How?”
Gant exchanged a hesitant, uneasy look with Dower before continuing. The Admiral nodded for him to proceed. Gant pressed the button and the images on the screen were replaced with video feed from the Arctic. The image on the screen was alive with a mass of bright pink gases undulating in huge swathes across a dark sky and disappearing over the horizon.
“This is the Aurora Borealis at the North Poleâthe Northern Lights, created by the plasma that's ejected by the sunâhitting the earth's atmosphere. Pink is good. Pink says there's little activity. Pink says that the earth's magnetic field is deflecting the plasma. Green ⦠Green is bad. Green tells us that the plasma is penetrating the earth's magnetic field and is bombarding the atmosphere. But we
know
the activity is badâso bad that we're on high alert. So where's all the green gone?”
know
the activity is badâso bad that we're on high alert. So where's all the green gone?”
Hackett was cautious. “You're suggesting Antarctica?”
“I'm not suggesting,” Gant advised. “I'm telling you. Look.”
Vast ribbons of green energy swirled above a sparkling city that sat in the darkness below.
“Melbourne, Australia. That's how far north it's stretching,” he said. The screen changed again. To daylight and ice. Antarctica. The caption read:
Live Feed from McMurdo Station.
Despite the daylight, the sky was still alive with the green phenomenon.
Live Feed from McMurdo Station.
Despite the daylight, the sky was still alive with the green phenomenon.
“That's not unusual,” Hackett chipped in. “That happens from time to time. A plasma cloud has its own magnetic field. It'll react to the earth's field. When the plasma storm is positive, it gets attracted to the earth's negative. Gets sucked
right on in, and it's
going
to go to the South Pole. Opposites attract.”
right on in, and it's
going
to go to the South Pole. Opposites attract.”
“Except
this
plasma cloud is also negative,” said Gant.
this
plasma cloud is also negative,” said Gant.
Hackett almost choked. “That ⦠th-that
is
unusual.”
is
unusual.”
“Unusual? You know it's impossible, Professor. Like does
not
attract like.” Figures and charts spewed onto the screen. “By our calculations, all it takes to cause a global environmental disaster is just three successive plasma storms to hit and be absorbed by the atmosphere. We're talking storms of such magnitude that entire continents will be engulfed. Seas really will boil. Increased atmospheric pressure and ionization will trigger earthquakes and in turn will create tidal waves in the oceans. But to suck in a plasma cloud takes a power source of unimaginable proportions. Something currently beyond our own technical capabilities. Something, somewhere in what we believe to be Atlantis is the only likely candidate responsible for what's happening. Some kind of device that the Chinese may have uncovered, and are manipulating.”
not
attract like.” Figures and charts spewed onto the screen. “By our calculations, all it takes to cause a global environmental disaster is just three successive plasma storms to hit and be absorbed by the atmosphere. We're talking storms of such magnitude that entire continents will be engulfed. Seas really will boil. Increased atmospheric pressure and ionization will trigger earthquakes and in turn will create tidal waves in the oceans. But to suck in a plasma cloud takes a power source of unimaginable proportions. Something currently beyond our own technical capabilities. Something, somewhere in what we believe to be Atlantis is the only likely candidate responsible for what's happening. Some kind of device that the Chinese may have uncovered, and are manipulating.”
“Legend states,” Dower interjected, “that Atlantis would rise again of its own accord. For the past fifty years, despite environmental protection measures, the ozone layer in Antarctica has depleted, creating a hole that has allowed cosmic rays and other radiation to bombard it like no other place on earth. The ice has begun to retreat. So we cannot rule out the possibility that something in Atlantis is waking
itself
upâis reacting to what's going on around it. London didn't wake up. New York sure as hell didn't react to a gravity wave. But Atlantis ⦠did.
itself
upâis reacting to what's going on around it. London didn't wake up. New York sure as hell didn't react to a gravity wave. But Atlantis ⦠did.
“We cannot prevent what's happening to the sun. It would be ridiculous to even suggest such a thing. But make no mistake: mankind's back is against the wall. A device that just lit up the security net of an entire superpower is something to take very seriously. There is every indication that it is speeding up the changes that are taking place within our atmosphere. It is helpingâwhether by design or flawâto destroy us.”
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