Short Story the Sanctuary - Book Report/Review Example

Running Head: Science Fiction Short Story Science Fiction Short Story Short Story – The Sanctuary Richard Conway has been with theFederal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for 27 years now. He cannot imagine himself as doing anything else except work for the agency. With his unparalleled skills in the paranormal area, his work assignments in the recent years have been all about solving cases related to parapsychology, psychological weapons, apport technique and ESP. Richard also has extensive experience in the investigation of incidents concerning Psycho kinesis, hypnosis, telepathic hypnosis, hypnopedia, subliminal perception and psychopharmacological warfare. His devotion for his work has resulted to him sacrificing even his own time for his family. There were moments that he felt he was ready to give up and move on, but agency work runs through his veins. And every time he attempts to leave the agency, another much more interesting and intriguing case comes up and he feels compelled to return to do the job he has been trained to do. After having served the FBI for more than half his life, Richard is determined to leave it all behind to concentrate more on his personal life. In the meantime, he has to face what could perhaps be the most challenging task he would ever encounter. At the FBI Headquarters in Washington DC, a laboratory is being maintained where extensive studies regarding aliens and other non-human creatures is continuously being done. The Sanctuary, a maximum-security area, stores specimen from what is perceived to be over 50 alien races. The FBI delivers to this area every proof of alien life that would come to their attention. This laboratory also holds classified information regarding confirmed sightings and proof of humankind’s interaction with creatures from out-of-this-world. Very few have access to this area and scientists who are assigned to The Sanctuary are committed to serving their mission for the rest of their lives. Otherwise, Scientists who need to return to the ‘outside world’ undergo a process in which their memories are erased and the information taken out from their memory are stored as a software which may be transferred to another person. Only five of FBI’s top ranking Directors know of the existence of The Sanctuary and these very same persons have the task of maintaining the operations of this laboratory. They are likewise in charge of maintaining the confidentiality of this laboratory. For decades now, the US government has yet to arrive at clear conclusions regarding the existence of creatures from outer space. It is now year 2085, and technology has advanced immensely to be able to aide scientists in their studies of the paranormal, particularly in terms of alien existence. Government has tried its best to conceal all these studies, while media and other concerned groups insist that there is a cover up going on regarding alien studies. Information regarding the existence of The Sanctuary has repeatedly leaked to the media for decades now. Since no clear information regarding the existence of this laboratory is being given out, there are so many theories involving The Sanctuary. Reports of The Sanctuary being the entry point of aliens have circulated in the news. Some even say that The Sanctuary is actually being controlled by aliens themselves. There are even allegations that the US Government communicates with these species and has regular transactions with them. Still, due to anonymity of the persons and The Sanctuary’s operations, no one can be certain of these speculations. Richard continued to read the memorandum stating his new assignment. He is to be transferred to a chemical laboratory to investigate the death of one of the scientists. The location of the laboratory and other details were not stated and he would only know of these by the time he is brought to his area of assignment. He has a nagging suspicion that he is about to enter the widely known habitat of non-human species, The Sanctuary. Actually, this place has intrigued him incessantly. In the last 10 years of his assignment at the FBI, he has read numerous articles and books regarding this place and he has found an exceptional fascination towards The Sanctuary. Whether The Sanctuary exists or not, he would like to find out. Although at 47, he deemed it a bit too late to be involved in a case that could be considered surreal, he still could not contain his excitement with the thought of actually being in the same place with other non-human creatures. Carrying a bag that contains his personal things, Richard proceeded to the office of Deputy Director Carl Hansen located at the 7th Floor, FBI complex, Washington, DC. Their appointment is at 10:00 AM, and he was advised that they would be traveling for at least six hours to get to their destination. He was all set to face this new assignment. Deputy Director Carl Hansen welcomed Richard upon his entry to his office. Then he led Richard to his conference room, instructed him to sit by the window. “To begin your assignment, we need to get you to sleep”, said Director Hansen. He then called one of his assistants to administer the injection that would put him to sleep all throughout the trip. The next thing Richard knew was waking up inside another conference room, where all the walls are black and the lights dim. In front of him is Director Hansen, who apparently has been waiting for him to wake up. “Welcome to the Sanctuary”, said Director Hansen. Adjusting to the dim lights, Richard rubbed his eyes and looked around him. Everything seemed to be blank. Except for the two chairs and one conference table, the room did not contain anything else. Director Hansen continued, “you came here to assist us in investigating the death of one of the scientists”. He then handed to Richard a file that contained the necessary information. “You may have heard so many things about The Sanctuary. I’m not sure what are these things, but one thing is for certain, this laboratory indeed exists. The Sanctuary has been standing here since the beginning of the century. And this place is concerned about the existence of our other neighbors in the universe. While here, you would see things you have not dreamt of seeing, and there will be occurrences that you may find difficult to explain. But that’s beside the point. You’re not here to understand the phenomenon, but to get into the bottom of Dr. Collin’s death”, he continued. Richard scanned the pages of the report and saw pictures of a man whose body is heavily mutilated. “Dr. Collin has been a scientist for more than a four decades now. He has been here all his life. His task is to spearhead the team that tries to revive bodies of creatures that are unexplainable in nature. More often than not, he has managed to put back to life the bodies that have been entrusted to him.” Director Hansen continued, “Due to the nature of his job, Dr. Collin has established good relations with some of the outsiders. There is always a language barrier, but he has managed to communicate with some of his patients. Until late last month, when he was found dead in this chamber.” “Have you arrived at any suspects?” Richard inquired. “A few days before his death, Salem, one of the creatures he revived was found to be missing from his chamber. You see, these creatures, although not all of them are violent and harmful, are still kept in their own chambers and are only allowed interaction with Dr. Collin and his assistant, Dr. Soon. Yet, for the first time since the laboratory was constructed, a creature managed to escape his chamber”, Director Hansen explained. “Where is Salem now?” inquired Richard. “He still could not be found. The Sanctuary is locked and it is impossible for it to escape the laboratory without the knowledge of the security team who monitors all entries and exits from this place,” answered Director Hansen.” We have no other suspects at the moment, and honestly we’re at a loss after Dr. Collin’s death. He’s been a great asset to this laboratory “ Richard carefully sorted out all the information given by Director Hansen. “I would like to meet Dr. Soon,” replied Richard as he further scanned the files entrusted to him. “Dr. Soon has been in shock since the incident. But I’ll take you to her,” Director Hansen said. Dr. Soon’s office is located at the other building. Like the conference room Richard first saw, it was also dimly lit. There were monitors, which enable Dr. Soon to look at the activities per chamber. Richard looked into the monitors and saw different creatures; some are pleasant looking while most are hideous. All of them are engaged in their own activities inside their respective chambers. The office, Richard found out, is adjacent to Dr. Soon’s own chamber. Director Hansen led Richard to the room where Dr. Soon is staying, and immediately left. Richard found Dr. Soon sitting on her bed, staring blankly into space. Her chamber, just like any other rooms in The Sanctuary, is dark. However, the difference lies in the paintings and photos hanging on the walls. This room has a human touch, Richard thought. After a few minutes of silence, Dr. Soon stood and fetched herself a cup of coffee. “Do you remember anything from the day Dr. Collin was found dead?” Richard began. “Salem did not do it,” replied Dr. Soon. Richard looked intently at Dr. Soon as she proceeded, “Dr. Collin wanted to return to New York to be with his family and has repeatedly requested for his transfer. Director Hansen refused to accede to this request.” She fidgeted with her hands then whispered at Richard, “They’re watching me. They’re watching you. They control everything here. Our lives. Our minds. Our feelings.” Returning to her fixed stare at the wall, Dr. Soon whispered again. “I’m next” The following day, Richard visited Dr. Collin’s laboratory. Inside the lab are huge glasses where preserved bodies of the creatures are being kept. As in the previous day, Richard found the creatures more hideous than not. He moved closer to Dr. Collin’s workstation and scanned for items that might be of help. He looked into files and found words and sketches that are incomprehensible. He opened Dr. Collin’s computer and scanned the documents that he thinks would help him in his investigation. He copied all files that he thinks are important into his flash disk and proceeded with scanning the hard files on the table. Richard was reading the files when he suddenly heard an emergency alarm and felt a commotion outside Dr. Collin’s laboratory. He rushed outside and saw security scampering towards the hall entrance. Richard approached one of the security persons and asked what’s happening. “Some of the creatures have gone berserk. They are trying to escape their chambers.” Richard rushed to the scene where security people are trying to contain the creatures. Appalled, he saw security men firing at the creatures. Apparently, their ammunitions contain sedatives to put the creatures into a state of calm. The scene was nothing like the incidents he has handled before. Creatures in all shapes and sizes are trying to run over the humans in their attempt to seek escape. But what caught Richard’s attention is the creature that almost looked liked Salem. Perhaps, they are of the same species, he thought. This creature is one of those that are difficult to control. This one runs so fast and could melt anything with just one stare. The eyes are so powerful that no one dares to cross his path. The creature ran towards Richard’s direction, but it stopped and stared at him. To Richard’s surprise, the creature seemed not intent on putting him down, but instead he felt a rush of words entering his mind all at the same time. The last time he remembered was seeing the creature open his mouth in an attempt to babble. Then he passed out. In his mind, Richard saw a world different from ours. Salem-like creatures are all abuzz. Everything seemed to be peaceful, and there was friendly chatter among the creatures. He found himself looking at each one of them and amazingly understanding their language. He even found himself amused at their friendly conversations. Then suddenly, he saw himself at war with other creatures. He is a soldier and he is fighting earnestly against other hideous-looking creatures. He can almost feel the pain inflicted by every bullet being fired at him. Everything was in chaos. Then he saw himself inside Dr. Collin’s laboratory. He was on one of the beds, strapped to it. He was unconscious but in his mind, he was seeing a much younger Dr. Collin perform an operation on him. He was deep in thought, and seems to be trying to revive him. The next scene, he saw himself as an FBI agent, working with an older Dr. Collin on something that he cannot exactly fathom. Dr. Collin was engaging and friendly. Human touch, he thought. He has always been amazed at the thought of experiencing human touch. It seems that this kind of touch is foreign to him. The next scenes went by in a blur. He was speaking in a language he could not understand. There were Salem-like creatures. There were other creatures. There was war. There was an argument. He saw Director Hansen speaking with other creatures inside the conference room. He saw Salem-like creatures struggling to be freed. Then once again, there was chaos. Richard woke up sweating and panting. Was it just a dream? Everything seemed real. He felt each moment as if he was really there. It could not be, he thought. He looked around him. He was in his chamber. He went outside to see what happened to the commotion earlier. Everything seemed calm now. As he was walking towards the bigger conference room, he overheard creatures talking inside. It seemed like Director Hansen is speaking in another language. And there were other voices, more distinct, yet talking in a strange foreign language. Then suddenly, he felt a searing headache. He leaned at the wall and started hearing strange sounds. Then all of a sudden, he started comprehending the conversation going on inside the conference room. Director Hansen is arguing with who ever he is talking to about Dr. Collin’s death. Director Hansen continued. “We keep our promise to take your prisoners in The Sanctuary as part of the deal. We honor our deal with you, Karkausses. As agreed, those who fit the qualifications are transformed into agents and scientists. Dr. Collins transforms them into human form, train them and eventually send them out to the outside world where the government could maximize their services. But before they are sent out, their memories about their real identity is erased and they take a human identity.” “Perhaps, these creatures had other plans. One of the creatures could have killed Dr. Collins. This is why we commissioned Agent Richard Conway to investigate on the death because he would understand these creatures. Richard is one of the Neshlings who were transformed into human form.” Upon hearing this, Richard started to hear again the words that the creature communicated earlier to him. They were incomprehensible, and yet Richard seems to understand the words. He tried his best to listen more intently, but failed. Suddenly remembering the data he took from Dr. Collin’s laboratory, Richard went back to his chamber to collect the data. Strange words were still being played inside his mind and he felt compelled to search for answers as soon as possible. Upon entry to his chamber, Richard found Dr. Soon staring at his bed. “They hired you because you’re one of them,” Dr. Soon whispered. “I don’t remember anything”, replied Richard. “They erased your memory because you’re one of Nesh’ best soldiers,” Dr. Soon said further. Then Dr. Soon led Richard to her laboratory and hooked him up to the chamber where the creature that stared at him was kept. Richard wore his earplugs and closed his eyes. At first, there were strange sounds, and then he started to understand the words being said. “We’re alike, Richard. We belong to the same species. Help us,” the creature said. “Dr. Collins was the only person who is bent on helping us escape this laboratory. His idea of releasing us to the outside world gives us the chance to live longer, even though we would no longer be able to return to our planet. But the government wanted more from the Karkausses and in return, they do not want to support Dr. Collin’s mission to reinvent the lives of the Neshlings and instead, they want to use us against them.” The creature continued, “The government would be willing to allow the Karkausses to live in the US in exchange for their access to the Karkausses’ minerals. The Karkausses are having second thoughts about agreeing to this. To manipulate the deal, the government is using the prisoners to twist the conditions. The US government has long before agreed to keep Karkaus’ prisoners in exchange for the right to conduct studies in their territories. But now, they’re taking things to the next level.” “The government wants to convince that the prisoners could not be controlled and that the Karkausses should start pulling them out from the laboratory. This is in their effort to prove to the Karkausses that they have been doing more than their part of their bargain and that they should be given additional reinforcement. Dr. Collins does not agree to the plan, and so they wanted him dead.” “ Director Hansen instructed for the killing of Dr. Collins to frame up Salem. Salem has likewise been killed and sent out of this planet.” Learning what he thinks is enough for him to take action; he realized that the battle, this time, is between Director Hansen and him. Dr. Soon, who was behind him, started to speak. “I could never understand what they are saying. But Dr. Collins gave me enough information before he passed away. Director Hanson is using you as well, and he plans to kill you as soon as he gets confirmation for a deal with the Karkausses.” “Do these creatures have a way to escape? “ Richard asked. “Before Dr. Collins passed away, he gave me a key to a chamber that leads to a space ship where the creatures could board and escape. But only a Neshling could enter the chamber to open it, and that’s you,” he then gave Richard a key. Richard faced the creature again. “I am a Neshling who could open this chamber. We are leaving the laboratory tonight. Just listen to what I have to say,” he communicated through his mind. Later that night, another war started. Led by Richard, the creatures managed to escape The Sanctuary. In the exact way that Richard witnessed before he woke up, there was battle, but this time, between the creatures and The Sanctuary’s security. They were able to escape The Sanctuary, but Richard hopes that he would be able to come back to help the other aliens who have already been dispersed into the world by Dr. Collins. The government would surely find a way to use them to get a good deal with the Karkausses in the future. Commentary The Sanctuary focuses on the protagonist’s journey to self-discovery. He performs his tasks thinking that he is what he perceived himself to be. His strange connections with the surreal world enable him to become a superior agent. He takes this as pure talent. However, he discovers that his ability to comprehend paranormal activities is borne out of the fact that he is one of the strange creatures. He takes the assignment with the objective of being able to return to his ‘normal’ life. And true enough, this assignment indeed led him to go home to his true race. He was able to blend with the creatures he felt a strange connection with even if he was still an FBI agent. The theme of this story is all about survival. When other elements seem to control your fate, you have the ability to resist this kind of control and use your strengths to your own benefit. In the story, the protagonist has superior skills and he was able to use these skills in the service of his true race and also, in giving assistance to his adoptive race, the earth. The story is inspired by such movies like Body Snatchers, Signs and excerpts from episodes from X-Files. The theory that the US government has long been involved in the investigation and research on creatures from the outside world provides writers ideas to create stories regarding human race’s interaction with other species, either the friendly kind or otherwise. The writer believes that such interaction exists and is manifested through reports on paranormal encounters. The Sanctuary, being the main setting, gives the characters a chance to interact in a neutral ground, where humans and other creatures co-exist. The Sanctuary is not actually found on Earth, but in another dimensions where only select representatives from both sides could go. This story depicts man’s interest on what they perceive to be our neighbors from the outside world and the creativeness that this interest could bring. Reference List Body Snatchers 2007. 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