Benjamin's Island School, Protocol 101

My Name Is Benjamin Linus, and I will tell you the secrets of this Island..You dont have to Believe me... In Fact, you probably won't.. but I digress... Lets Continue with our little chat.
The Island wasnt always here.. At one point, it was as far away from this Earth as you can Imagine.Across Boundless Seas of Time and Space..The Island came to this planet, from the farthest reachesto revive itself from a long and costly struggle, a War of Evolution, whereby its inhabitants nearly caused their own extinction.
Every species evolves, it is the natural order, to adapt for survival inever changing conditions. Over the slow steady course of Time, We Humans Evolved, from the proverbial 'Caveman' to our present modern selves.Some might argue, that we have come not so very far from them, indeed,The Modern Man is Cruel, eradicating entire species of flora and fauna without even the slightest thought of what that species might contribute to ourEvolution. Perhaps in one of those plants or animals the secrets of the universe,or the key to such Knowledge, was LOST...
Whatever the case may be, The Island chose this place, for its recovery.Small, Isolated, and Compatible, Rich with Resources, Earth became Home.It Adapted Readily to its new niche, and began to heal...
We Think of an Island, and do not Easily factor in Sentience, or consciousnessinto the equation, for we Humans are bound by science, what we consider 'Rules',Immutable, Concrete, Unflexible. Few Have the Imagination necessary to think waysthat might not seem realistic by 'normal' standards, but there are some...those that see science as an ever changing, evolving learning platform.There are those who Imagine a Great Creator, a God if you will, who created us all..and their 'Faith' is where they learn from, taking the words of Charlatans as truth.
I am telling you all of this so you WILL ask questions, I do not wish for you to be taken in by merely my words, make your own determinations, see for yourself The Uniqueness and Mystery of The Island, but Beware!! Knowledge always comes at a price...The Price you are paying right now, just by listening to what I have to say,may be your restful night of sleep, or it just may be your Sanity...
I'm not sure of all of the details, the 'when' or 'how' exactly, but I do know thatThe Island and its original Inhabitants were superior to us in many ways, at one point.Time passed slowly , while its Inhabitants learned quickly, exponentially, until itbecame their undoing.. obsessed with Science, they pushed Faith and Spiritualityto the realm of Myths and Legends, eventually a schism occurred. On one side, were the 'Men of Science' (the Majority), and on the other, 'The Men of Faith', (A smaller, more secretive group of mystics).
The Men of Science had discovered many advantages from their endeavors.Advances in genetics, robotics, and mathematics fueled their ever growing desireTo extend their own natural limits. They succeeded only too well...'Men of Faith' were regarded as ' backwards' and 'old fashioned', even Dangerous.'The Men of Science' all bound together in their supposed 'superiority', bred only amongst themselves, while the Men of Faith did the same out of necessity.Two distinct races emerged, each with their own characteristics.
The Men of Faith weren't left out of the evolutionary loop. The secrets they knew, the abilities they had, were by no means ordinary. They learned the workings of the Inner Mind, and from that, developed techniques of extraordinary power.With their minds only, they learned to bend time and space, light, and matter. They could move between places with but a thought, move objects with but a whim,and they could even extend their own lives many many years, simply by Intent to do so.
Eventually, The Men of Science encountered a problem. Their gene pool was slimming from continued inbreeding to facilitate certain 'desired' qualities. Their solution was to become more dependent on nanotechnology. Integratingthe nanobots into their bodies, they soon became symbiotized to them, dependent ontheir assistance to sustain their ever weakening flesh. One radical theory was introduced, Re-Integrate the population of the race of the Men of Faith. This was considered taboo.Yet the desperate times called for desperate measures, and this action was approved.
The Men of Faith absolutely did not approve, for the race of the Men of Science was far too weak, and completely dependent on Nanotechnology, which was regarded by The Men of Faith to be an abomination. The Men of Faith did not make alterations to their bodies, they would only ever alter their consciousness to adapt to a situation.They had fared better than the Men of Science, breeding as they wanted, instead of forced, manipulated reproduction. They wanted no part of the Re-Integration, and made it very clear.They were free from the trappings of Technology, free from sickness and disease.Their simple agrarian lifestyle was far removed from the industrial society that belongedto the Men of Science...
The Men of Science were not pleased with the refusal of the Men of Faith to participate in Re-Integration. They decided to force the matter by making War upon the Men of Faith.They sent their machines to capture members of the Faith, for their studies in Bio-Engineering.The machines would overwhelm their subjects, taking the victims in their sleep, leaving little opportunity for resistance. They were microscopic, and there were billions upon billions of them.The Men of Faith were without recourse, and succumbed to the demands of the Re-Integration.What they did not give up were their secrets, sometimes taking them to the grave. Others hid themselves in plain sight, denying their abilities. They held out a long time, yet eventually the power of the Men of Science's War Machine won out. The few remainingMen of Faith bound themselves to their sacred land, becoming one with it for all eternity.They opened a portal through time and space, and pulled their entire remaining civilization through this portal. They tried to hide in this, our tiny world, far even from our primitive pre-civilization, surrounded by far reaches of ocean.
Yet even this was not far enough away from the Men of Science, and their machines...The Nanobots were scattered everywhere on the sacred land (now an Island).The Men of Science soon followed...
Finding our primitive world, they found what they were looking for in the native population.Primitive Humanity was newly blossoming, strong, and adaptable to their needs.They Integrated with us, somewhat slowly, as to not dilute their race into extinction.From this combining of species evolved Modern Man. Through all their efforts to rebuildtheir race, the Men of Science never forgot their Grudge with the Men of Faith.Already had they been adapting natives from around the globe to suit their genetic needs.They integrated their Sciences into the native cultures, the oldest cultures, India, China, Cambodia, Japan, Persia, Scandinavia, Africa, Mexico, Peru. They set up shop on the sacred Island, which they now called 'Isla de Soleras Perdidas".
The Men of Faith
In an ancient world, they were an ancient people. They were the Men of Faith. Some among them trace their ancestry far beyond the count of years, for them aeons would hardly begin to describe the connection they had to Time. Far back to the very beginning spark of life did their memories take them, across all boundaries we can imagine to limit them with...
A simple people, they lived with the land, raising their crops and livestock. So too did they live with the sea, harvesting the many nourishing treasures of the ocean.It is told that some of them live so closely with the sea, they breathe the water as if it were air...
Testaments to their achievements may be few, for they had no need for lasting monuments. Their monument was their memory , which all had access to at will.Yet beautiful Temples did they build, always surrounded by one of their primary Elements of Spirit, Earth, and Water...
Some of their Temples were deep underground, adorned with marvelous hanging gardens and naturally flowing fountains. Some were deep under water, the murky depths adding to the beautiful mystery of who they were. They were hard to find, but believe me when you see them it is like seeing Heaven, (they have special ways of bending light, mind you..), and in all their diverse splendor is reflected one Constant... Change.
Evolution had brought them to a point where the matters of our universe would bend to their will, they shaped these temples from solid rocks with nothing but the Power of Thought. They would gather together, and singing, they would all attune to the correct vibrations needed to shape stones, forming massive temples with little effort by our standards.
Here they pondered the deepest mysteries, and became enlightened by them. Ever did they forge new pathways in the Inner Mind, and from there outwardly changing themselves to adapt to any situation. they had knowledge of all things, and were happy within knowing their place in the Great Wheel of Time, and they were at Peace...
But Time moved steadily onward, and the Peace they enjoyed would not last Forever...
The Men of Science
The Men of Science prided themselves on their technical accomplishments. They had developed many Technologies that they saw as essential to their Evolution. When they came to the Island(preceded by their NANO's) they began the process of integrating this world to suit their needs. They collected information, and studied many lifetimes, our ways.The Island (and those BOUND to it), resisted the influences of the Men of Science, and their many machines, strongly. So strongly, that at first the Men of Science were unsuccessful at infiltrating the Island, personally. They bided their time, and let the Machines do the dirty work for them, preparing. They infiltrated OUR kind, in many countries on the globe, and pooled the genetic information, integrating it to their own. They had previously been foolish, and vain in attempting to alter small parts of the genetic structure, hoping to force evolution, and perhaps their own narcissism was revealed too in this.. They had Removed a piece of the Genetic code that they had seen as superfluous, that of the small 5th toe. What they had not factored in, was a component of their SOULS, and what part of it lived in their small toe. (Their Body Is The Temple Of Their Soul.) This created a serious FLAW in their Evolution, It would Ultimately lead to their Extinction, if too much time would pass before they fix this, the FLAW would exponentially increase and cause their already weakened DNA to collapse, and their Race to Cease Existing. We must remember their sense of Time isnt as OURS, they see many of our lifetimes as but fleeting fancies, as if it were we, idling away the hours in leisure on a day off, or an extended vacation. They waited, and they Slept, Knowing Dreams as they had never known, and Our Human Emotions, Our Passions. They found great LOVES , Built Empires, and crumbled them as the incoming tide would a sand castle. And some of them are written in our History Books as the great Lovers and Forward Thinkers, Artists and Conquerors. They bred subraces, planning births and deaths for many generations, as we would a specific type of livestock, their secrets passed from generation to generation, and also their POWERS. (Few had them, for they were the Elite, the top of the Genetic Genepool, The most well bred.) Their Souls passed from Body to Body, Living and Dying in a Karmic cycle of The One True Way. The Wheel of Life Turning, their peaks and their valleys influenced Our burdgeoning society, but they purposely released their knowledge slowly, so we would not Surpass them. Our Species, being so young, and coming so far without genetic manipulation, had great potential for Self-Destruction. They saw us as Impulsive, and Instinct -driven. They believed we could be as volatile as the most explosive chemicals, so they handled us with Care. They Kept Hidden, bending Light (a talent they had adapted from the Men of Faith) to hide right in front of us. Always They Studied, Not always were they Subtle. Some of THEM became enamored of some of US, and they sometimes walked doubly in our footsteps, vicariously living lives that werent their own, while their chosen counterpart slept in an altered state in a hidden place, Unaware...perfectly is stasis. Many lived lives like this, and it became an accepted practice. Their 'Genetic Warehouse' to them had many advantages, not only could they reference and harvest the choicest DNA quickly, their Stasis technology could keep their Subjects indefinitely in a suspended state of animation. In this way did they study our Dreams more closely, our Passions more deeply, and our Imaginations more intensely.Some of them eventually emigrated to the sacred Island, and they brought their Experiments with them...They had all but enslaved most of the Men of Faith, but had an overwhelming obstacle in the Island. The Men of Faith were Bound to it, and put up a fight the only way they could, with the natural mystic powers they possessed. The War Between Them was costly, many of the most well bred Men of Science Fell (into the Death), and they were buried in the Sacred Land where they Fell. When they did that to their fallen comrades, they didnt realize to factor in that they were returning to their beginning, and the Fallen became Reborn again, as one of The Faithful. (The Men of Faith had learned a thing or two of their estranged brethren, and had reprogrammed many Nanos to their own Ends.) All This I Tell You Because You Need To Know What We Are Dealing With Here, Behind The Illusions , and The Razzle Dazzle! Do Not Be Fooled! They Walk Amomg Us! Im Just One Of The Good Guys , Who has Discovered Many Secrets by Watching Them.. Closely watching them from Within... A Spy Among Their Ranks. I Watched and Learned Their Secrets by Pushing Their Trash around, and Changing Their Lightbulbs, Performing Their Manual Labor, Their Simple (HA!) Genetic Recombination Tasks. They had no time for such base things, and saw themselves as above the tedium of such uncouth activities. They Paid Me No Mind, and I Bided My Time. Eventually I Staged a Coup, I Am Now Fully In Control Of It All, Right Where I Want To Be.. I leave off here with the palpable air of Mystery still clinging to your Imagination, and as you Think upon my Intent, just know that Every Thing Happens For a Reason..
Let's Have a Drink, Shall We? I'll pour. We are blessed to have our own distilleries where we create some of the finest artisan alcohols in the world. We have McCutcheon's original formula, or would you prefer to have some Blue Dharma Tequila? There is some also a fine Brandy I distilled myself, from native Island fruits, my private stock. And of course theres Rum!I always like to have a bit of Brandy when I recall this next chapter in my life.. well let's begin...
When I came to the Island I was but a young boy, but I felt very old inside, and weary. I had borne the brunt of my father's misery over my mother's death in giving birth to me. He was convinced in his heart that I was responsible, however unreasonable that may seem to everyone else. Then again, we've all heard it said that you cannot reason with a drunk.
Even my father's dear friend Horace Goodspeed could not convince him that it was an accident. I fear my father might have also laid some of the blame on him, as he had grown close to me over the years. My father begrudged me this, a relationship based on mutual respect. This was something I could never get from him, he was too deeply scarred by the pain of losing my mother.
Horace, or Horse as I so affectionately referred to him as, took me under his wing, and taught me a great many things. When I was still a boy we discussed advanced theories far into the evening. He loved to lecture, and fueled by a few brandys you could really see his passion for the Great Truth. Horse instilled in me a great thirst for knowledge, and one evening he revealed perhaps the biggest Secret of all... That within those Numbers lie the key to Our Evolution.
Of course he swore me to secrecy, and we laughed and played it off but I saw Fear in his eyes for the very first time. Fear that he may have may have made a very grave mistake. I saw too a sadness drawn from the deepest part of his soul, borne from compromise, and shame.
I poured him another brandy to allay his fears, (he dearly loved his brandy), and he smiled again. He took the bottle from me, poured himself a tot more and then reached for another glass. As he poured me my first drink, a silent tear rolled from his eye. It fell in my glass mingling with that delicious brandy and we toasted, 'Namaste!'
I consumed it all in one long slow draught. I felt as if I had taken a magic potion, becoming reborn with the power of Secrets. I tossed my snifter into the fireplace and it blazed a bright blue. I looked at Horse with the most determined look I could muster. He was curiously grinning and clearly fascinated by the fire in my eyes. He then too finished his brandy in one long slow draught and tossed his snifter into the fireplace. As that blue blaze exploded in a brief moment, I knew he would teach me everything he knew, and the consequences be damned.
At first, I dreaded his lectures on The Numbers. I found them them tedious and boring, and rather preferred my studies in Zoology. But it was in this subject I truly excelled. There was a cold comfort in Numbers. I would develop my own personal theories on how they would relate to the many mysteries I saw on that Island, secure in knowing that one day I would know all of the secrets... and be in control of all of them...
I was a frustrated young man, and found escape in my books. I became fascinated with the persona of Dean Moriarty, himself a great mathemetician, and arch-nemesis of Sherlocke Holmes. He wove complex mysteries for the famous Crime-solver, layer upon layer, and twist upon intelligent twist. He employed tactics of deception and feint, of cunning and avarice.It was through this fictional character that I learned many of my skills in the mastery of men.
I knew I would need to possess the knowledge of all the great leaders of history to become one of them. I studied ancient texts of the Masters who ruled throughout civilization, the Great Warriors.I derived strength from knowing that even the most fearsome were once children themselves, Lost, and Frightened.. and thence rose to conquer entire nations, and establishing Dynasties of their own.
Another of my heroes is the boy Temuljin, who later came to be known as The Great Genghis Khan. From scared and lonely youth to the ruler of millions, his struggle reflected upon my own personal one in many ways.. metaphorically speaking. He was alone save for his horse, without food or water. Many hundreds of miles of steppe lay between him and the people he knew as his own.
Starving, he might have killed and eaten his horse, but he was smarter than that..He knew without his horse he was as good as dead, so he made a small cut in the horses neck and drank its blood, satiating both his thirst and his hunger. He survived by using what means he had available to him in the most efficient manner.Like him, I too had a 'Horse', and used him to carry me along the paths of Secret Knowledge.
I've always felt he didnt truly die in The Purge, for his knowledge lived on in me. I felt for him as I might a father, but he was ultimately a tool to be used for my Evolution. I did not ever become fully emotionally attached to him, (nor any human, after Annie died...), for those who I might have bonded with were all bound to die. I had a mission and I would fulfill it, at any cost.
I was prepared to make any sacrifice necessary to establish my status as the Alpha male. Then and since I have sacrificed much of what you may take for granted everyday...But your world most certainly isnt mine..I live in a truly special state where the only limits we cannot defy have not been found .
I like to think of it as a Fountain of Pure KnowledgeFrom the source of Pure Light I'd like to think of this phase as a Training lesson in Island ProtocolSo what I want to know is Who has Questions?I would like to know if there are any questions;.?If we can only begin to understand the possibilities.. .The special properties of the Island, which exist Nowhere Else, contribute to the magnificent evolution that is created when one comes Here.Our technological advances in Biochemistry alone are astounding. And there are so many fields of study we persue that are all relevant and on the cutting edge of technology and Human AdvancementIve had quite the experience here on the Island, Just talking about it makes me all misty eyed and reminiscent...
*****FLASHBACK********
Upon waking I hurriedly did my business and ran to school, I was late for my first day! My father was late too he was supposed to give me a ride but he was still passed out, he had been drinking Scotch the night before.I set my new watch from Horse and set off.I took my usual Shortcut thru the JumgleI had run run 2 miles in 16 minutes and had only stopped for 1 minute at the small stream that was about halfway. The water from that particular stream made me feel very invigorated.. and i just couldnt wait to get there and learn Island ProtocolAs I caught my breath , I was looking at my muddy shoes when I suddenly blacked out and fell over. When I came to, I looked at my watch immediately I had passed out for a half an hour! Now I was definitely late! I just ran. I was still late only by a few minutes, as my shortcut was almost as fast as the drive. I had wanted to be early for my first day and now I had mud all over me. I changed fast into my spare but there was nothing I could do about my shoes. As I ran to the door of the hatch to meet him and saw that he was standing there waiting, lost in thought, looking a bit worried. "Ben! what happened ?" he asked me. "Why are you out of breath, what's wrong?" "Nothing, it's ok I - I just tripped." , I told him. He looked at me curiously and chuckled. "Ben youre gonna have to be careful around all this equipment we're going to be around, but I know you will find your compsure. You are quite the young gentlemen, I've noticed, you act very mature for a kid your age. So do you like Annie?" he ribbed me. I blushed. "Horse!" "I'm just teasing he says.You should smile more , Bejamin, its good for you. Anyways lets get to it, " I know you are special Ben, thats why Ive decided to instruct you personally, and one-on-one. You are being trained for a very special position, Ben, He pushed a code into the panel of the hatch and a second panel opened. He turned the knob in that panel and a third opened. He inserted a key he kept around his neck and turned that. A small hidden hatch door opened! "Come on Ben, lets go thru MY shortcut." I eagerly followed him into the darkness."You arent afraid of the dark, are you Ben?" "No, Mr Goodpeed, I'm not.""Not yet at least..." I heard him mumble."What?""Oh, nothin, dont mind me.. Here we are." He switched on the dim lights. There was a small elevator at the beginning of what looked like a deserted warehouse." Not over there Ben we want the Basement, not the Penthouse. My office is down there. He inserted his key in the elevator panel and the last number on the panel lit up. Down we went... floors! I had no idea that you could go so far down into the earth! "Just follow me, it's alright." The door opened into a very busy area bustling with Dharma personnel, it looked mostly to be a small office, but everyone had guns! No one paid us any mind. We proceded to a door in the back of it, and Mr. Goodspeed opened a closet. He wheeled out a big cart that had tools and cleaning supplies on it."Now, Ben, your first priority is to know what all this stuff is for, and even though it may not seem it, this is a very important job. The machines I work on need special attention, so pay attention to every detail and think of this as a learning experience. I'll show you how all of this stuff operates as we work on it. Very few people know the things I know, and you can never talk about what we do with anyone, not even Annie. There are strict protocols against it."
"Just stay close to me anyways, believe me you'll learn a thing or two."
******(Sighs)What were we talking about again?Oh yes!, Ive learned alot about this Island...Would anyone like to know some of the Secrets?Or we could discuss the many mysteries?I'll be at the Church of John Locke if anyone would like to discuss further...Class Dismissed.