Chapter Two:
Lt. Thomas "TD" Dodge, Lt. Maryanne Stewart and civilian scientist John Landon had been rescued by apes. They were nice people and had treated the stranded explorers well. At the moment they were clad in clean warm clothing not their own while their own clothing was cleaned and dried. Landon seemed more wary of the apes as did Dodge and Stewart wondered why. Already they had been fed by a Chi who sat with them and asked them about their home and everything. Stewart was willing to talk to them the most then Dodge but Landon was not warming up to China at all. China seemed a bit sad at this but did not press for answers, instead she told the history of this world. Of the nuclear war, the thousand years of "dream time" before human and ape woke and restarted civilization.
"You seem a bit wary of us." Elgar the husband of China and one who could be a bit blunt, he was Chi as well. "Why is that Landon?"
"Last time I saw apes was somewhere else, this could be an illusion." Landon said, "it was before."
"No, the forbidden zone keeps them away, even in mind." China said, "they live in ruins and are blocked by all."
"You know of them, the mutants?" Landon asked.
"Everyone does, it was they who kept all of us in dream time, something helped us wake and now they are kept in one zone." China replied, "we make sure they have food and water but they are isolated as is needed."
"I think we need to contact Dr. Zauis, he will know what to do." Elgar said, "if you were in dream time, if the containment fell."
"No, no this is too elaborate, feels too real, they could create illusions but if one looks, well one can see it is false." Landon said.
"Would you explain what is going on?" Stewart said getting upset, "in English."
"This is no illusion, you say that this original Caesar's came from the future, from now and all? That should have created a paradox." Landon said, "for you to know about it and all."
"Unless that future was in another dimension." Stewart said, "yes, you have talked a lot about that, or the future was changed with the past."
"Then we must have Drs. Zira and Cornelius sent to the past to make sure this future stays." Dodge said.
"Already being prepared." Elgar said.
"Elgar!" China said "that was classified."
"Not to them, and who will hear here?" Elgar replied.
"Rest, tomorrow we will take you to Dr. Zauis." China said.
The three found themselves in a comfortable room in hammocks, apes did not sleep in beds but in hammocks and it made sense to them, people that lived in trees would probably be more comfortable in a hammock. They slept and only Landon had nightmares. He woke in the night to find a concerned Chi over him and found it was China, it was then he saw the age in her face, the grey around her face and knew she had to be older. She tucked the blanket around him and started to hum quietly, his mother he remembered had sung to him and this was as soothing as that. Soon he was back asleep and did not dream anymore.
Meanwhile Dr. Zauis was studying the sleeping human before him, as he had human guests once and while he had a room set up for humans with a bed. This human, a doctor and colonel feared him and came from either another dimension or was the Taylor in the ancient records found of recordings of Zira and Cornelius. He did not like military ranks so would refer to Taylor as Dr. Taylor not by his military rank. The human looked strong as most human males were, he left the human to sleep and saw his wife coming in with a neatly folded and clean set of clothing. Somehow Taylor had ended up nearly drowning and had kicked off his clothing to stay afloat. This was his uniform and it was now clean and dry.
"How is he?" Renna asked.
"Asleep still, I would propose a third option but come, see this." Dr. Zauis said walking to the deeply sleeping human and pointing to a scar, "that is real, the mutants have not broken the seal."
"Nor will they, they think they are the last, and humans rule the world." Renna said, "I don't think he traveled through dimensions."
"You think this is the Taylor spoken of?" Dr. Zauis said.
"Yes, and there are others now, Elgar and China have found three others they will bring them this morning."
"I will get the human up." Dr. Zauis said.
"No I will, he seems to be terrified of you." Renna said, "and I know you don't mean him any harm but he still does not see it that way."
"I know, by the great God above I know." Dr. Zauis replied, "I will prepare breakfast, grains and milk should be good for us all."
Taylor woke up to someone brushing his hair from his face. He opened his eyes and felt fear as he saw the ape face above him. But then this face was lined and old and gentle in a female way. He sat up and nearly got up before he realized his lack of clothing. He saw on a nightstand his uniform and Renna let him know that breakfast was on the table. She left him to get dressed and a few minutes later he came out dressed and still with a beard. He dared not ask for a razor and took a seat at the table.
"We shall say grace before we eat." Dr. Zauis said, "would you do so Taylor?"
"I don't know what to say." Taylor said.
"I can do so dear, it is not a problem." Renna said, "you will find that the great God is father of us all, ape and human."
The prayer was one that Taylor liked, it was humble, full of blessings and he felt like it included him. He ate his breakfast and found it was very good, several grains were mixed together and cooked, honey and fruit added and milk. He recognized the milk as goats milk. A glass of juice was provided and he ate well and had some questions. Perhaps this Dr. Zauis was not one for harming someone for just existing and that existence needed to be stamped out. He noted the change in dress as well, a simple white tunic over brown trousers, no shoes, a sash in blue. Reena was clad in a longer tunic of purple with brown trousers without shoes as well. She had earrings on as only females in any ape culture were allowed these. She looked older, like a grandmother and Taylor felt more at ease, perhaps it was the food and the fact he was dressed in his uniform that helped that but he decided to ask some very important questions.
"What does the great God mean to you?" Taylor asked.
"He created all, the universe, us you everything." Renna said, "all who truly think as you and I do are his children."
"It is true, there was no reason for apes to learn to speak, this was not the virus that caused that or Caesar himself. It was God and as such we now thinking beings share this earth with humans." Dr. Zauis replied.
"And how do humans view this?" Taylor asked, "I can't see my species as anything but warmongers hateful and destroyers, they caused the nuclear war."
"While that is true humans now are peaceful and have learned the lessons the great God has taught them." Renna said, "there is still a military and all…"
"You don't believe in war but what's that gun yer totin'." At a look "old earth song."
"Ah, well the world is a better place now, more peaceful, caring and loving." Renna said," there are problems but we all want to get along, the mutants are kept in the forbidden zone and the cult of Caesar is now in check."
Taylor was not one to care much about the human race. He had seen a lot in his long life for he had live a long time. Born in 1920 he was now fifty two years old though he did not look that at all, nor did he feel it. He felt a man twenty years younger in the prime of his life. In fact that was why the ANSA recruited him, Landon and Dodge, all were older men and all looked and acted decades younger. The youngest of them was Stewarts and she was thirty. How old were those seated here? Taylor dared not ask but they had to be at least his age. He helped clear the table and then was given a few history books to read while he waited in Dr. Zauis office. Before long his crew arrived and all were reunited. A Gor came in clad in the blue uniform that he had seen on all the Gor he had met.
"Doc humans here fer the crew." He said.
"Send them in." Dr. Zauis replied.
"Yes sir!" The Gor replied.
Two people entered a man and woman. The woman was clad in an over-gown of emerald green with short puffed sleeves. It was low cut and open much like a Tudor gown to show off the lavender under dress that had long sleeves. Her brow hair was piled on her head. The man was clad in a tunic and breeches with short puffed sleeves, an under tunic of light blue that matched his stockings. Both had sturdy brown shoes and belts. The man had a short brown beard and blue eyes.
"I am Adam Wells." He said.
"I am Dr. Nova Temple." Nova said looking at Taylor with a smile, "it is a pleasure to meet you."
"I am pleased to meet you." Taylor said.
Nova, this was his Nova, though not really. This Nova was educated could speak and was clearly doing very well. Dr. Zauis saw the brief second of shock on his face before he schooled his features into a smile. Something very bad had happened to Taylor and he wanted to make sure he stayed in touch. He had a conference in New Washington in a week and he intended to get to the bottom of just what fully had happened to this human even if that future was erased this human still suffered from it.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
So there it is, everyone is alive and no, this is not an illusion by the mutants at all. The timeline shifted and changed but how and why Taylor and Landon remember is another thing altogether. Dr. Zauis is good here, very good a peaceful ape who yes is religious. No Caesar here is not a god, and the religious views have shifted shall we say?
Anyway, review please!