19 {Just Before]

Minutes later, after their appearance at a critically-important University lecture… this small, obscure, ancient school called Southern Michigan University… a lecture that was being monitored by over eighty spaceships in the Terran system… all cloaked… a lecture by a land-mark, once-in-a-generation human mind… his identity and writings were already being sent in transmissions to dozens of species, to be reflected upon… those three very lithe, four-meter-tall, almost-identical, non-gendered figures moved in perfect sync down the poorly lit hallway of an ancient building. Built in 1902, the hallway’s wooden floor usually creaks and groans with any human passage. It was now totally silent. The beings weren’t actually making contact with the floor, more like glided across it with a half-meter to spare. They were nearing the well-known, well-monitored-from-afar, end-of-the-hall office of Dr. Thomas, at the furthest point from anything of any earthly importance.

The three conversed, but nothing that human ears would ever detect.

^^Anti-infective Containment fields intact?^^

^^Intact.^^

^^Decided, the Consortium?^^

^^Yes. Anomaly allowed continue. No intervention.^^

^^Thomas with us?^^

^^If he chooses.^^

^^Others of this species invited?^^

^^A few. Emissaries extending final invitations now, and a few highly-infected specimen collections, maximum quarantine for continued study. Little time left.^^

Figure (on the right) communicated to Figure (on the left), ^^Abtorsh approaches.^^

The lone, squat, rounded figure came up to the right. The cloud of caustic smoke billowing from [z]is Orb easily hid the ‘no smoking’ sign prominently posted at the top of the stairs. Since [z]is home-world atmosphere of sulfurics required his supplemental whiffs from the Orb to survive, it’s smoke will surely eat away the hallway wood.

^^Offer Thomas, we will^^ said the towering Figure (on the left).

^^Agreed. [Z]e? Our station better^^ mentally rasped the squat figure’s telepathic message, past the smoking Orb and the orange glow of his own protective containment field. 

^^Thomas to choose^^ telepath’d the Figure (in the middle).

^^[Z]e home smell better^^ shot back Abtorsh.

crisbaj

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‘The Last Last Lecture’ is copyright ©2018-2021 by crisbaj. All rights reserved. No reproductions, reprinting or reposting without express permission of the author.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Contact:  http://www.crisbaj.com

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