Alive Again: Jul on, #1

By Jul on Shumm

Alive Again

I remember my last birth life. I remember America, Terra and her wonders.

I do not remember anything after that death, or after these last twenty deaths.

And yet I remember the lives.

The memories are not present, just like in a normal life; memories grow dim and fade away.

And yet, it seems I can fairly easily recall a memory that I need, it doesn’t seem to matter if the memory is from ten years ago or 5,000 years ago.

With each of my walk ins there are certain similarities.

For examples:

1. I always awaken in a body being revived from cold sleep.

2. I always awaken in a female human stock body.

3. The female bodies are always around 18 to 27 years old.

4. Within a day and a half the eyes of the body I inhabit turn green, just like my eye color in my last birthing.

Mood changing green, so dark a green as to appear black or spring green.

My mood can always be judged by my eye color.

I have been told, and I have seen on recordings, that in the heat of battle my eyes turn black. Yet, the after battle glow turns my eyes emerald green.

My good friend, Hist Tech Hisman, has always sworn that he knows when I am plotting mischief, because my eyes become spring green.

I try to keep my eyes lowered from his gaze, to give him no warnings. Over the years it has become almost impossible to put anything over on him.

I knew he could not live much longer, still I find myself missing his hisses, his outrages at my behaviors.

5. Within a week or so, my hair, next to the scalp, will grow out red, all the shades of copper.

It doesn't matter what hair colors are normal for that body.

6. My skin immediately begins to take on the color, hue and texture of my last birth life.

7. My facial bones, skull and in fact, my whole skeleton begins to change.

If the body I am in is short, I grow taller, once a whole foot taller.

Within two months, of every awakening, the changes are complete.

Except once. I awakened in a place of starvation. It took three years for the changes to complete themselves, during that walk in.

Perhaps because I am continuity, the people of the Federated Universe display pictures of me. Pictures from the last twenty walk ins.

I find it spooky, twenty pictures of me, all slightly different, but all the same.

8. I always awaken into need.

Jul on
21st Walk In

Note: Each book of the Jul on Series can be read as a stand alone story.

Alive Again is an adult, teenage, romance (s), action adventure, science fiction, horror story.

Even though it is often eye popping, don't skip to the juicy parts lest the horror grab you completely unaware...

Hang on... what you think you know may be all wrong...or is it?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jul on Shumm
• Release date: Nov 7, 2014
• ISBN: 9781502298553

Book preview

Author’s note:

The Jul on series has been shaped by many authors and story tellers from our past. As indeed it couldn’t help but be. Because these have influenced me...and you.

You will read a sentence, or a portion of the story, that will remind you of other things that you have read. I encourage you to reread the old stories again. To explore, and enjoy, the authors once more.

I am a reader, as well as a researcher, so there are many people who have contributed to alter my perceptions. I don’t wish to slight anyone by leaving them out of the list, but here are a few:

Andre Norton, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Dan O'Bannon and  Ronald Shusett, are just a few...

Kick back, this story isn’t going where you might think...Yep, it starts as an innocent young adult’s story...Allow the horror to grow.

Jul on Shumm

Jul on 21st Walk in

––––––––

I chose the name Jul on when I was awaken to begin my first walk in.

I was confused and scared, clean down to my toenails. When the medic asked my name, I responded with the alias I sometimes used during my last life on Earth.

Due to the continuity, I have established, for the last 5,800 years, I have to continue to use Jul on.

Sometimes I miss my real name.

But, who would have thought that I would continue to walk in, walk in to 21 lives and then to live those lives as Jul on, with my memories intact.

The Hist Techs and the people of the Federated Universe remember me, they await my comings.

I am Continuity.

—————

Jul on, 21st Walk in Introduction

Death is the ending of a physical life.

I was born in 1959, as an American, on the planet Terra, the system of Sol.

I remember that life.

A long life of discovery, re-discovery and a life that made many significant improvements to Terra and her peoples.

I did not live the full normal lifespan allotted to most human kinds, of 200 years, with a sudden onset of aging in the last year or so.

Partly because of false propaganda pounded into the people of Terra, that the normal lifespan was less than 100 years, with a long and painful aging cycle.

Partly because, as I neared my 160th birthday, old age suddenly ascended upon me. It seemed that just knowing the truth of the human lifespan was not enough to combat my early, false training.

Of course, perhaps I shouldn’t have raced my 3 times great grandniece, to the moon, in my latest (untried) scooter.

We didn’t have the nose repulsers then and, looking back, my reactions had slowed to the point that I couldn’t respond quickly enough to avoid the debris.

Death, being dead, has never bothered me. I was born remembering the after death system.

When you die, you leave the envelope you have worn in this life and cross over (a dimensional crossing?).

Suddenly you are standing (apparently) in your old body, but that body is young and healthy, perfect in every way.

Here you are faced with whatever you have been trained to expect.

If you have been trained and believe, you are going to hell that is what you will experience.

Heaven? That is what you will experience.

Until terminal boredom sets in. Until the fakeness becomes obvious, even to you.

Then one of your chosen guardians will tap you on the shoulder and ask. Have you had enough? Are you ready to move on yet?

If you have been trained and believe in the waiting room, that is what you will experience.

Those of you who have been trained to expect the light at the end of the tunnel will have the easiest crossing.

Of course, there are the sub-trainings like:

You will come into the light and see.....God, Jesus, or another prophet.

Whatever you have been trained to expect is exactly what you will experience.

If you have been trained that death is the end, that there is nothing after death, that is what you will experience, nothing.

Until one of your chosen guardians knocks, you up against a (suddenly appearing) wall and asks you. Have you proven your point yet?

When you have crossed over, after all of the interruptions, you will be met by your many friends, those that have not yet moved on.

I say friends, but not relatives, because your Grandfather in this life might have been your neighbor or friend in your last life, or the lives before.

But all of us tend to live through lifetimes in groups, to choose guardians from among our friends.

——————

Let us get back to the main picture.

Eventually you must face the mirror.

No, you do not face God, or Jesus, or another prophet, or even an Angel.

You must face your self chosen creation, your act of divinity, your

godhood.

Did you live this life as you intended?

You will approach the mirror and pull away the curtain.

You will see as an observer, and feel your entire life again. You will see and feel every action you made in this life, see and feel its effects on others

Good, bad or indifferent, you will see and feel every effect, as it traveled through others, affecting their lives, the lives of their spouses, children, employees, on and on.

This is what so many of us are taught to fear.

————————————-

On the other side, with all of our memories within our reach, it is easy to say ‘I screwed up here and there, next time I will get that right’.

Maybe you spend some time visiting, planning your next life, agreeing to work and interact with others. Choosing guardians and agreeing to act as a guardian.

But sooner or later you jump into another birthing, with your agreed upon parents.

And forget almost everything!

Through thousands, even millions of lifetimes, almost all of us choose birthing to begin a new mission, a new life, and a new reincarnation.

We also tend to rebirth, not only in groups, but in cultures, on planets or in systems through out the universe.

—————————————

On occasion, we say ‘I need to experience just these little things’, and we find a friend who plans a short or shorter than normal lifetime.

And we agree that you or I will walk in and take over the body, when my or your friend leaves the body. Generally through an accident, or an illness involving fever.

This is fraught with traps and pit falls. The body holds to your friends’ electrical readings and yet, here you are in charge, with most of your personality intact, unfortunately, most or all of your memories are gone.

You take over the body and live out what ways you have chosen, if you remember.

But the embodied people who have lived with and those that have known the body, while your friend was in residence are confused and frightened, because you are not your friend.

They expect you to act like the former resident of the body and will hound you into complete confusion and bewilderment, in their attempt to change you into the other person.

Walk ins have always seemed clumsy and ineffective to me.

A good theory, but very difficult in actual practice.

———————————-

I remember my last birth life. I remember America, Terra and her wonders.

I do not remember anything after that death or after these last twenty deaths.

And yet I remember the lives.

The memories are not present, just like in a normal life; memories grow dim and fade away.

And yet, it seems I can fairly easily recall a memory that I need, it doesn’t seem to matter if the memory is from ten years ago or 5,000 years ago.

With each of my walk ins there are certain similarities.

For examples:

1. I always awaken in a body being revived from cold sleep.

2. I always awaken in a female human stock body.

3. The female bodies are always around 18 to 27 years old.

4. Within a day and a half, the eyes of the body I inhabit turn green, just like my eye color in my last birthing.

Mood changing green, so dark a green as to appear black or spring green.

My mood can always be judged by my eye color.

I have been told, and I have seen on recordings, that in the heat of battle my eyes turn black. Yet, the after battle glow turns my eyes emerald green.

My good friend, Hist Tech Hisman, has always sworn that he knows when I am plotting mischief, because my eyes become spring green.

I try to keep my eyes lowered from his gaze, to give him no warnings. Over the years, it has become almost impossible to put anything over on him.

I knew he could not live much longer, still I find myself missing his hisses, his outrages at my behaviors.

5. Within a week or so, my hair, next to the scalp, will grow out red, all the shades of copper.

It doesn’t matter what hair colors are normal for that body.

6. My skin immediately begins to take on the color, hue and texture of my last birth life.

7. My facial bones, skull and in fact, my whole skeleton begins to change.

If the body I am in is short, I grow taller, once a whole foot taller.

Within two months, of every awakening, the changes are complete.

Except once. I awakened in a place of starvation. It took three years for the changes to complete themselves, during that walk in.

Perhaps because I am continuity, the people of the Federated Universe display pictures of me. Pictures from the last twenty walk ins.

I find it spooky, twenty pictures of me, all slightly different, but all the same.

8. I always awaken into need.

Jul on

21st walk In

Intro Jul on by History Senior Tech Hisman

The old lizard man, stood tall and straight, and while he walked slowly into the room, he did not limp as he crossed to the podium.

History Senior Tech Hisman paused as he reached the podium. On the wall facing him were the pictures.

To the left, the pictures of the deceased History Senior Techs, to the right, the Current Federated Universe Council President, the council members and officials for this sector of space.

And in the center, the twenty grouped pictures of Jul on.

History Senior Tech Hisman raised his hand towards the grouped pictures and called the traditional call.

Jul on

From behind him rose the voices of 300, 8, 9 and 10 year old children, calling the long call.

History Senior Tech Hisman turned to the class.

The class was the only formal class that he still taught. Still active in many projects, he could feel his end drawing near. Still, he could not give up introducing his Jul on to the young people destined for the services.

"I am History Senior Tech Hisman. The normal lifespan of my people number 1,000 years. I am 1,849 years old.

For almost 1,100 years I served as Hist Tech for Jul on, during her last 6 walk ins."

When Hisman dismissed the class, a boy approached the podium.

————————————

The boy was big and well grown, but his face was a frozen mask of one who cannot, will not share his inner self.

His pale blue eyes were like ice.

Hisman had seen too much in his life to flinch from the thin scars that covered the boys’ face and neck, the scars that showed on his arms and legs, below his short sleeves and his pant shorts.

Hisman knew too much of this boys’ history, indeed the peoples of the Federated Universe were unlikely to forget the boys’ story or his courage.

Sir. The boy stood at attention before Hisman.

Yes, Lou. Hisman waited.

Sir, it has been over 300 years since Jul on... The boy paused. Since Jul on died.

There have been long intervals before, she will return. Again, Hisman waited.

Yes Sir. Sir, I am going to serve Jul on. The boy stood even straighter. Sir, it is...it is imperative that I learn everything I can about her.

Hisman hesitated.

He had only tutored three other students, in his entire career. One of those students was this boys’ uncle.

This boy...Jul on would not tolerate his coldness. Her field physiology techniques were brutal. Hisman flinched. This boy...

Lou, I will spare you one hour, after your classes, a day, for your two year term.

Lou bowed to Hisman, and turned to Jul ons’ pictures.

Hisman observed a startling transformation in the boy.

Lou grinned from ear to ear, his eyes sparkled, and suddenly their blue was the blue of shallow tropical seas.

Jul on, I will be ready. The boy whispered.

————————

The story begins...

Final Payment !!

The charter to ferry some Augurians, around for 6 weeks, seemed like a good idea.

75% of the fee, upfront and non-refundable, meant Captain James Torant, and his crew, were completely independent Free Traders.

Captain Torant had made the final payment on the Bliss and paid for the supplies for this little trip.

Proud and happy he had congratulated himself. Only 22 years old, full masters license, tight ship and an even tighter crew.

The Final Payment was made.

Do the charter and onto real exploration, real trading and real butt kicking.

Torant grinned to himself. If their little plans paid off there would be some real exploration surveys, during this charter.

The remaining 25% of the charter fee would give them 13 months of supplies and still leave a very nice sized emergency and opportunity fund.

————————-

That night as his crew of 19 celebrated, Captain James Torant found himself sitting quietly, detached, and just watching them.

Captain Torant was the oldest of the twenty. The youngest member of the crew was just 16 years old.

All were the youngest sons and daughters of successful independent free traders. Born and bred for space and for trading, but as the youngest children their options were limited to crewing on someone else’s ship.

But James Torant came up with the idea for everyone to crew on one ship.

Share the profits, pay off the first ship and when trading was right buy another ship. Travel together and share the profits.

And then with the third and fourth ships divide the ownerships, but still travel together.

So many opportunities had been lost, by independent free traders, because of only one ship. With two, three and then four ships, most of those lost opportunities, Torant had researched, could be turned into profitable trade.

The Bliss only needed a crew of 6 to operate efficiently, but with the future in mind, he had chosen 19 of the very best.

Of course, to be fair he hadn’t known about the Bliss in the beginning.

And now, after only three years, the Bliss was free!

————————-

The com alert sounded, and Little Tim raced to retrieve the message.

The celebration paused and everyone waited, there was no expected message. They didn’t pick up the charter for another 36 hours.

When Little Tim returned he looked puzzled as he slowly entered the mess.

Captain. Little Tim handed Torant a flimsy paper.

Torant hesitated before reading the message.

What the... Torant turned to Loran, who acted as the Bliss cargo master.

The charter reads 4 cabins and 2 bays, for Royal Jamiz 1 cabin, his sister The Royal Breeder 1 cabin, his guards 2 cabins, his pets and the handlers 2 bays, travel, food and fodder for the pets, a total of 19 persons. Is that correct?

Yes. I still don’t like the wording, but that is the charter. His sister has no name, just the title The Royal Breeder. What does the message say?

"It is a confirmation request for the trip, accommodations and fodder.

1 cabin Royal Jamiz

1 cabin The Royal Breeder

2 cabins Royal Guards

2 bays 9 handlers

Pets

Women 18 + 34 ca

Children 72

Total of 19 persons"

———————-

Torant sounded dazed. What do we know about Augurians?

Augurians were discovered about 200 years ago. They have been refused Federated Council membership, because they are religious fanatics, and if that wasn’t enough. There is also a classified list of domestic abuses. Cassy volunteered. That’s all I could find on the public services.

Classified? No Federated records are classified. Jul on put a stop to that thousands of years ago. Loran pulled out a console and began typing. This is one reason we had everyone copy their family records. Free Traders, especially independents, record everything.

Uh-oh, this is not good. Loran quickly scanned the screens of information.

Loran, we are waiting. Torant groaned out.

Loran hit the pause button and sighed as she faced the crew.

It’s bad, really bad.

———————————-

Augurians are insane religious fanatics, based on a prophet and random selection.

A Royal male is selected from the pets, approximately, one out of a thousand. The same for the Royal Breeder.

The Royal Male is selected for beauty and perfection of body. The Royal Breeder is selected for ugliness and perfection of body."

Loran held up her hand to still the protests from the crew. Wait, it gets worse.

The pets are the women and children of a Royal Male.

A Royal Male selects women from the cattle herds.

Only a Royal Male has pets, all other males, seek relief with the cattle.

Of the pets, all children are raised, to the age of 9, in separate pens. The girls who are not chosen as potential Royal Breeders are thrown into the cattle herds.

The boys are taken to training, for all of the various works. When they are trained, they get a name. Women do not have names.

Most of the...increase of the cattle herds is disposed of or used as fertilizer.

It is not known how the priests are selected, but there are 7 high priestesses.

Augurians are rich, very rich. The Royal Males are brutal.

The women are fully covered and wear facemasks.

Oh, yes, only the Augurian males bathe. Augurians stink." Loran shuddered.

——————————

What about Sanctuary, the conditioning? Jul on would never tolerate this. What language do they speak? Little Tim asked.

"Maybe none of them know enough to ask for sanctuary. They have refused conditioning, but they speak basic.

For some reason their high priestesses commanded that they be given the subliminal basic speak learning, when they were discovered.

I’ll have to read more." Everyone turned to Torant.

We accepted charter for 19 people and pets, not for 143 people. I am cancelling the contract. The fee is non-refundable." Torant surged from his chair.

No! Cassy stood up and slapped the table. "We take the charter, we tell the women about sanctuary, we observe and at the end of the trip, we put in at a sanctuary station and let the officials straighten it out.

And we send out all that we learn to the traders.

There is something wrong. Why has the Federation not stepped in and stopped this? Cassy pointed at the pictures of Jul on, which all Free Traders displayed. Jul on would never allow this theft of individual divinity. She is not here. We must act; I must act for I am God."

The chorus of ‘I am god’ came from the entire crew.

Torant turned to Jul on’s pictures.

Jul on, you gave us back our divinity, we are now Gods. Why couldn’t you have made this easy?

——————————————-

We don’t have much time. Robert spoke up. Loran, we must know everything about the Augurians. We have plenty of water, air and supplies. We must have more room.

All of you women are going into cold sleep, in the hide away. You too Little Tim. In fact only 6 of us are needed for the Bliss; everyone else goes into cold sleep. Captain James Torant ordered.

Wait, a man probably can not get close to these women. You will need one of us. Cassy grinned.

These men are brain damaged beasts... Torant started.

Hold it, the com system. Loran moved to face Torant. I can reach them from here. We can drop the doors and seal off this portion of the ship. If we strip the ten cabins on the other side, they won’t know there are 20 of us aboard. The observation bays, gyms, pools and entertainment areas are all on the other side.

13 of us go into cold sleep. Loran contacts one or more of the women. Establishes sanctuary and we run all recorders and observe. Any and all breaches of humanity will be reported. Anything else? Torant scrubbed at his face with his hands.

"There aren’t enough lifeboats and cold tanks for everyone, if something happens.

When you put us away we will double up. Little Tim sighed Captain, if something happens, you put the women and as many children as you can in a tank, remember they must be flat and not touch each other.

Don’t worry about the men, just space them. There will be enough tanks then. Little Tim stood up. I love my cabin, it’s the only thing I’ve ever had of my own.

I’ll go and clean it out now."

At the door of the mess, Little Tim paused and then turned back.

Captain, if something happens, gas the women and children, bath and dry them, before you tank them. It won’t matter to the cold tanking process, but these women and children will need to make the best impression on the sanctuary station. It might help them.

————————————

Free Traders, especially Independent Free Traders, pride themselves on their individuality.

While most wear coveralls, aboard ship, those coveralls are of every color under the suns. Prints, solids, sober or eye searing and every combination possible.

Free Traders are heavily cross trained each individual able to fill in each other’s position.

While a man or woman may choose to specialize as a medic or cargo master, they are capable enough to grab a spanner and change out a star drive.

It is not necessary to understand how a star drive works, to be able to exchange one with another. All you need to do is remember this color and shape plug fits into the same color and shape socket.

Many years of experience had developed a standard of plugs and sockets, wire coding, etc.

If you have light to see, colors match colors. In the dark, shapes will only fit their mates.

Under or tow, impulse, cruise or over and hop drives are all lined up, but it is impossible to hook one drive into another drive.

————————————-

Where as in the services, exploratory, science, military, patrol, etc, conformity, rank, tradition and assigned duties allows the service members only a small amount of individuality.

The Free Traders claim to ignore all rank, except Captain, during an emergency.

They are loose and sloppy when viewed by a member of the services, but their ships are tight and anyone who has ever seen Free Traders in a tight spot or fight, marvels at their efficiency and stands in awe of their impossible victories.

Many a military leader, when observing Free Traders, has exclaimed in frustration.

"We train our people morning, noon and night, for years.

And yet, the sloppiest Free Traders will out perform 70% of our people, without breaking a sweat!"

Free Traders stand first for their divinity, second for their ships, mates and family, and they always keep both eyes open for honorable profit.

And there is the answer. When the chips are against a Free Trader, it is not a Free Trader, ship and crew that responds.

It is 6, 8 or even 20 Gods locked in as One God responding.

When a Free Traders says I am God, they believe, they know their divinity is limited only by themselves.

And what is stronger than a crew of individual Gods? Those individual Gods melding and working as one god.

——————————————

For 5,000 plus years of the Continuity, the Free Traders have gone their own way.

A Free Trader only calls in one of the services to report a situation that has been handled or to report corruption.

The services are trained to respond promptly to a report from Free Traders.

Smart officials, of any of the services, will give freely of any profit chance, they find, to local Free Traders, for Free Traders have saved countless ships and crews of the services.

Free Traders tend to treat the services like cute kid brothers.

For 17 of Jul ons’ 20 awakenings, Free Traders have taken a significant part.

This is something they don’t forget and something they don’t allow others to forget.

When Free Traders meet with people, they record and observe everything. Turning copies of these recordings over to the Hist Techs for inclusion into the vast libraries.

They introduce sanctuary, individual divinity; encourage growth and the answers games.

Most Free Traders are wealthy and would be the richest people in the Federated Universe, except for their habit of giving away extra wealth, apparently when the mood strikes them.

——————————————-

Captain Torant slipped through the silent corridors of the Bliss. Checking out everything, attempting to prepare for the charter due to board the Bliss in 2 hours.

The Bliss is so empty. Loran brought coffee to the table.

I think everything is done. Loran, you and Chips are going to get pretty bored, staying in Aux control, for 6 weeks.

Chips laughed. "I doubt it will take 6 weeks to record enough humanity abuses to return to a sanctuary station.

I wish I hadn’t read all of that report, on the Augurians, you put together, Loran. I woke up with screaming nightmares."

Torant nodded in agreement. After this voyage we will all go through the report and our recordings. Put it on the circuit as a horror thriller.

With the information we have, we will be able to come up with 6 pieces. Some solid royalties there. But, we need more answers. Buck poured himself more coffee.

Heads will roll, all the way up to the council. So do I swear. Torant said.

Something like the Augurians...situation must have some sort of help from one or more council members. Loran started to say more, when Roberts’ voice came over the com.

Boarding Clearance received. Prepare to greet our guests, in 7 minutes.

————————————————

Two hours later Captain Torant slammed into the Aux control.

Why are the Augurians allowed to leave their planet? He spit out.

Loran grabbed the console and began typing.

They, or rather, the Priestess, their attendant priests, the Royals, their guards and pets are allowed off planet and travel rights. She read further. They can land at stations under quarantined conditions. They are denied any other landing rights. Loran gestured to Chips.

We have watched everything. We had to mute it, to handle the coms and incoming traffic.

"You can’t smell them. The women and children stink worse than unwashed humans and the males stink of...perfume? Something like skunk cabbage in bloom.

I’ve locked the men in their cabins. I told them it is for take off from Makin Station.

You did notice that 16 of those women are very pregnant, one due any day? Without waiting for an answer, Torant plunged on. "I asked the Royal Jamiz, what time to let the pets out to use the observation decks and pools.

He told me, his sister the Royal Breeder, the pets and cattle will remain in the cabin and ‘pens’. Torant grabbed the back of a seat. How do you tell women pets from cattle?"

Loran began typing again. It is illegal for them to bring cattle off of the planet.

Chips spoke up. 18 of those women have bags over their heads and those coverall robes on, the others are naked.

Yes, women, pets are fully covered, cattle are naked. Loran confirmed.

Roberts’ voice came over the com.

Approaching Makin Station. 16-minute queue. Captain, Makin Station is an automatic launch station, but there is a patrol attached. Best leave a protest with them.

Yes. Loran set up the contact and gave Captain Torant her seat. They can start an investigation. We will have more information when we get back.

———————————-

After launch, Roberts’ voice came back over the com. Captain, what did patrol say?

We couldn’t get through. Their com wasn’t switched over to record when they left the office. Torant replied in a distracted manner. Great, our guests are space sick.

"The women