I wrote this in 2012 or 2013, and it may be a bit cringe. It was based solely on my own reaction of immediately quadruple-checking the paragraph of names in the first book, and then wondering what would happen if Four asked about the particular one that, to me personally, was conspicuous by its absence. Presented as it was in August 2013, complete with original ending AN.
"What happens if we try to have children with humans?"
"It's happened many times before. Usually it results in an exceptional and gifted human. Some of the greatest figures in Earth's history were actually the product of humans and the Loric, including Buddha, Aristotle, Julius Caesar, Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, Leonardo da Vinci, Isaac Newton, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein. Many of the ancient Greek gods, who most people believe were mythological, were actually the children of the humans and Loric, mainly because it was much more common then for us to be on this planet and we were helping them develop civilizations. Aphrodite, Apollo, Hermes, and Zeus were all real, and had one Loric parent."
Gods. That word nags at me even through my need to know about Sarah. And it would be silly to pretend I've never heard the stories; we've lived here for ten years.
"Henri, what about the one they call Jesus?"
"There were Loric on Earth then." Henri's response is instant.
It's also a dodge. I look at him and wait. He sighs.
"He displayed many characteristics of the half-Loric. Charisma, power, wisdom, love. Like many half-Loric, he collected crowds of followers. They persist to this day, proving his ability. There were Loric on Earth at the time."
He's still avoiding an answer. That makes no sense. A straight yes or no would be simple. Unless—
"The Elders cited the unmistakable similarities as evidence and added him to the list. But unlike every other half-Loric in history, no one has ever claimed him as child. Whoever he was, we had nothing to do with it."
The idea of someone as powerful as a half-Loric, but without any known connections to Lorien, is troubling. Mogadore is enough to worry about without adding one of the other fifteen planets to the mix. So I have to ask.
"Are you sure?"
"No Loric can resurrect the dead, John."
And there's my answer.
An enemy who can reverse any damage done to it or others is effectively invincible. What planet could have produced such power? "Do we need to worry about any others?"
"He encouraged peace, and he died two millennia ago. No one else like that has ever surfaced. We can and must focus solely on the present enemy: Mogadore. And although children between Loric and humans are possible, producing one here would be reckless and impractical with the Mogadorians on the hunt."
Henri switches back to discussing Loric love, and I let him, lost once more in thoughts of Sarah.
Neither of us mentions the other stories surrounding the man from the distant past.
It's easier not to think about it.
This has been an exercise in writing from a mindset other than my own.