Robbie always keeps his face gentle while he is with Spetsas. This was one time he had to struggle to do so. He sipped his wine, brushed his lips with his napkin. “You just might get your chance to make your dreams come true.”
“The time is coming when Cherinians will be split, most of them against me. I’m certain they’ll welcome your assistance.”
“Never! I will never help them.” He was shaking, so Robbie checked with his healer. “How can that be, Cherinians against you? Why? No, that is impossible, you are playing games with me.”
“I wish I were. We all have to live by certain rules, the Cherinians also. There is already a lot of resentment among them, for not all agree that my rules are right for them.”
“Panagia kai Christe mou, it is unbelievable. Who would dare stand against you.”
Robbie grinned. “My wives do so all the time.”
He grabbed at this offered excuse to escape from the shock he was suffering, “Ahh, the lovely ladies, you must please give them my love.” We all chuckled at the looks on the faces of Cherine and Dommi. “Please, you are serious about this, you know it for a fact?”
“Yes.”
He was silent for a while. “That is why you have not made me a Cherinian? You fear I will join them?”
“I will not until you’ve learnt to look at yourself honestly my old friend. Do not worry, they will offer to link you so that you have the power to fight me.”
“I swear that will never happen.”
Robbie had the same argument with us when he returned. We agreed that it is very likely Petsas will ally with those who turn against us and we wanted to know why he’d told him.
“I had to, it is our only chance we have of him changing in time. If he takes my words to heart and looks for the truth, maybe he will stand by us.”
“I would not bank on it!” Dommi spluttered angrily.
“I’m doing so my love, I really don’t relish going through the same experiences with him a second time.”
I was trying to understand him so I carefully asked, “You could block him so that they can’t link him. We could do that to all potential allies of theirs.”
“Samantha, God - or your Arthur - decreed that one thing must remain inviolate for all life. Freewill. We would not be Cherinians if we acted that way. We might as well give up and join them ourselves if we are even willing to consider doing it.” On paper that comes out wrong, he was not suggesting I join our enemies, his mind was open to me and I understood what he meant.
Efineh is very happy. She realises that with Cherine expecting there is no way we’ll leave for her reality. She is certainly making the most of her time here, travelling with Irfan to the most primitive corners of our world because he wants to go there. In between, I make sure she has a healthy dose of luxury and love. If he is not with her, she stays with us in our home and loves being at the kitchen with water freshly boiled for Robbie to have his coffee in the middle of the night. She then sits with us while we joke and fool around in the nude. Even Robbie has stopped feeling inhibited by her presence and sometimes pulls her by the hair to give her a kiss. He then teases her that she should forget Irfan and join us. She plays along by pretending to consider it and her eyes are dancing with impish little lights as she glances at me. Hmm, is she teasing Robbie or me?
“Robert, we need your help or advice. A small number of Cherinians are secretly arguing that Cherinians must take over our world. A lot of what they say sounds attractive to our Cherinians and we fear they may succeed in acquiring a following.”
“Have you tried talking to them?”
“Yes. They claim they are not answerable to me or Cherine, that we were not voted in as leaders they have to obey, only as figures to whom they show respect. I answered that I would call for a vote, since I know I would win by an overwhelming majority. They also know that and answered that they don’t care if millions vote for us, they are splitting off from us and intend living according to their own rules.”
Our hearts sank as we listened in. It is starting. Our son not even born yet and his future followers are already rebelling. We all had to control ourselves so that our son does not sense us.
Robbie asked, “How do you expect me to help?”
“We don’t have the powers you and Cherine have. If you speak to them they will listen to you.”
“Why should they? Do you expect me to use my powers and gifts against Cherinians?”
“Are they really Cherinians Robert?” Cher asked.
“Until they prove otherwise. What are some of their new attitudes?”
“As I said, they want Cherinians to rule our world, breaking your promise to the Normals. They plan that the United Nations becomes a world government, with representatives of each country to argue on behalf of their people. However, Cherinians will have the final say.”
Robbie commented, “You make them sound like our Cabal!”
Cher’s face was white. “They are building mansions without permits on land they claim they have automatic right to as superior citizens and openly plan to use Normals as servants. They also plan on demanding that a third of the United Nations budget is given to them, even if it means charity work has to be cut back.”
“How the hell did you allow it to get to this?”
“They were very secretive and we only heard about it once they started trying to recruit Cherinians.”
“How many have joined them and how many in the original group?”
“Seven and another four have joined them. We suspect a number of others are considering joining. Mostly the fear that you will interfere has held them back. Robert, the seven and the four are made up of our most talented Cherinians and together they make a formidable force.”
They waited silently while Robbie thought and communicated with us. Finally Cher could not hold back anymore. “What must we do Robert?”
Robbie sighed and we were glad that Robert had not asked. He gave her a smile. “There is no urgency, we’ll still arrive there at the same time whenever we leave here. Put this on the backburner for a while and visit us in Freddie. I need to think before I allow my anger to dictate my reactions.”
“Any thoughts on this?”
Empathia looked at me, waiting for me to speak first. I gestured for her to speak. “I’m troubled by one thing dad, that is before we even start considering our future action. It is too sudden and too extreme. I do not believe they would act so openly if they do not have support from elsewhere. I think that if we go there expecting to deal with less than twenty people we’ll find ourselves confronting hundreds.”
“From other realities? That makes sense.”
It had not occurred to me and I was shocked. I could see that she was right, but I could not think straight. I withdrew from the conversation, no longer aware of the noise surrounding me.
I don’t know whether they were talking when I came out of it, for I immediately started speaking. “We might not have hundreds to face. That negates the advantage to the others of not declaring themselves. I think this group have volunteered to be their test case so that they can see to what extremes we will go. They probably expect Robbie to be paralysed by his own rules. That suggests to me that as a precaution they have split their souls so that if you block them they can overcome your block when the others return their split halves. They are willing to face your wrath because they know that whatever you do, you cannot permanently turn them back into Normals.”
“Jesus, if the answer was so obvious that you thought of it so quickly, then they have found a way to counter any disciplinary action I take.”
“Empathia, stand by me on this for all our sakes. Robert, not the action you take, we are all in this as one, say as we take.” Empathia agreed with me - and so did the rest of our loves. Robbie shrugged.
“That seems to be besides the point right now, there doesn’t seem to be anything effective we can do.”
“Who says?” I grinned at them.
Robbie exploded, mostly because he did not believe I had a truly workable answer. “For gods sake Sam, stop playing games with us and tell us if you’ve thought of something.”
“Not that fast dad, let me do it my way. Do you remember when you sent the imps off on a mission and then told them off for not having fun while they were away? If we are to remain who we are, we must remember that lecture of yours all the time.
Now, let’s consider a few ideas. First of all, it seems we make our decisions knowing from beforehand that if we win, we lose. The trouble is that if we lose, we lose anyway, there is no way we can win except through corrosive actions that only seem to me to be the actions of losers.
So, they took it for granted that Robert and Cherine would jump to you for help. They are expecting us to return with them. That is why they stated they want to keep a third of the budget, knowing that you would not tolerate children becoming their victims. Think about it, they could use their powers to fill a warehouse with diamonds if it was money they need. I’d say they want you to go to them, so I guess we will have to oblige them.” Robbie gave an exasperated sigh and then gave me a weak apologetic smile.
“Go on my love, the way you are confusing me, they will not need to take any action to win.”
Empathia also giggled when I did. “I think she has a plan dad, she can’t help it, she has to confuse us first so that we can’t put up a good argument against her ideas.”
“Traitor!” I laughed as I pulled her to me and kissed her nose. “Let us hope that the first answer I found is what they really plan.” Robbie’s eyes widened.
“I did not mention what you will do, all I said is that I hope those are their plans. May I finish? We go there and do as expected - if you are convinced they are genuinely trying to break our rules. Here is where we change the game-plan. You tell them that you know they have split their souls and why; it does not matter if they had not thought of it - it will actually deflate them even more. Regretfully you explain that you did not just block them, you burnt out the parts of their minds they’d opened doors in. Point out to them that all is not lost, their healers, that are with the other half of their soul, can create a new body. Here is the punch-line. Go back to the shadow Robert. When you split yourself, for the Robert that had to die, was his death less real because you would continue?
Remind them they will never be Cherinians or Talents, will never be linked by anyone because they cannot be. Ask them how long before they grow to hate their other half who is bound to categorise them as Normals and forget them. Whether we lose or win ultimately, for those eleven the battle is lost. As a last gesture of empathic generosity, offer to make them infants again so that they grow up without remembering what they lost.”
His face was pale as he stared at me. “You expect me to burn out their brains?”
“Same as you did in the reality where Cherinians went amok and killed their world.”
“I can only do that if they try to attack me.”
“They are not that stupid Sam, they will have studied us.”
“I agree with both of you, that is why only I will go to their world.” I put my hand up to stop them refusing me. “What they will not know is that you are there as the void, waiting for them to attack.”
Empathia grinned. “They will think we are that arrogant that we only sent you?”
“From studying our tellings they probably think I am that arrogant.” I grinned. “Don’t you dare agree with me.”
“You do realise that burning their brains will not stop them effectively if they split their souls? All they have to do is create a new body, go to the void, join there and return to a healthy brain.”
“The void? Will they dare after we tell them that Robbie has shown their Robert how to become the void? If they do try it, Robert will promise to place their souls in stasis until close to the end of time.”
“You are presuming too much Sam.”
“Don’t I always dad?” I enjoyed my family’s laughter, but I also kept a part of my mind examining my plans for flaws and preparing new strategies.
Robert and Cher were pleased with our plan of action, though Robert could not believe that Robbie would show him how to become the void. I dismayed them all by admitting that he would not. It would have to be a temporary bluff.
“According to the prophesy, the problem will escalate to the point that we will be the outcasts. I do not recall it saying anything about all the other Roberts and Cherines. If you have to submit to them or leave, then you make your choices. However, in the meantime, you must not be seen as a serious threat to them. Only we must assume that role.”
“It is a pity the Sparklers won’t remain on our side, they could have handled the void part.”
“Not really, they would be attacked with great losses to them. I personally prefer they play the role meant for them.”
Robert exploded. “I cannot believe that the majority of Cherinians will side with them!”
They wanted me to explain my cryptic remark, but I refused. I wonder, is that why the prophesy did not specify that our alternates will stand by us? Will what they perceive as my arrogance lose them for us?
Robbie wanted to wait until after my birthday and the family agreed with him. I asked that if they truly want me to enjoy it, I’d rather take care of the problem first. I made a few changes in our plans, we hosted an official supper where many alien leaders in Freddie spontaneously promised Robert and Cher their support, we slept and left early in the morning.
The main change in my plan was bringing Robert from RT with us (I’ll call him Rob to avoid confusing myself and you), while Robbie jumped directly to the void, a distance from the Earth vicinity, became the void and masking himself he hovered over us. Vincent joined him. Against everyone’s advice I demanded Robbie place a protective umbrella over the house that could selectively allow people through. They all thought I was wasting a tactical advantage.
The instant we arrived, we were surrounded by the family of Robert and Cherine, pretending surprise.
“Thank god you came Robert. Now they will cease making threats and negotiate.”
“I told you,” Samantha said, “there will be no negotiations. Robert cannot afford to compromise any of his ideals.” Good girl, I like her. I guess she must have my good points after all, even if she is far more innocent. Not that that will last for much longer.
“Where are they?”
“I’m certain they’ll put in an appearance soon.”
They provided us with drinks and while they talked I sank into my thoughts. The obvious became clear first. This will be the easiest confrontation we’ll ever face. From hereon they will attack without warning and their plans will be far more sophisticated. This definitely is a test case for them. I wondered how those responsible for testing us felt, knowing they would lose and pay the price. I smiled at my foolishness, of course they believe they will win, they will not believe we can win a fight with all of them acting as one. They must be drunk with the powers they’ve discovered unifying their talents brings them. As long as I’m not being too self-confident, I reminded myself - and went through my plans again, looking for flaws. May I confess something that only you and my family will know? At times like these I feel like a very little girl, whatever my experienced age may be.
A man with a long thin face spoke. “You have been advised of our position?”
“Why don’t you explain it to me, they might have misunderstood you.”
“I doubt that since you will have shared. Conflict is inevitable between us if you do not accommodate our ideas.”
“Not if they are as you stated.”
He nodded. “Then we demand you order Vincent to become visible, we have an important point to make to him.” Robbie gave him the go ahead and he coalesced a body.
“We challenge your right to act on behalf of or with him against us. You are not a human being and no circumstances, whether distasteful to you or not give you the right to harm a real human being.”
Our breaths caught as we saw the audacious trap they’d laid. I felt my emotions freeze as my mind raced. Somebody had to speak before Vincent answered, for it was obvious what his reply would be.
“I challenge your right to challenge Vincent. First of all, Vincent is fully human and has a soul. Secondly, you do not have the right to define what his rights or role in any conflicts are or will be - apart from his family, only Arthur does. Thirdly, if we or any other human being, which does include the Normals, are attacked, as a fellow human being he has the right and the duty to act as their protector, as will any of us. Vincent is a full member of our family and he is a Cherinian and your sophistic arguments are wasted on us and him.”
“He is not a Cherinian, just a tool of Cherinians.”
“I have it from much higher authority that he is.”
“There is no higher authority.”
“You disown Cherine and yet dare to call yourselves Cherinians?”
“Cherinians is but a handy description describing Gifted Humans of use to us temporarily. She is nothing more than any other Cherinian. All we owe her is a place in the history books as the first Gifted Human.”
It is extremely rarely that anyone outside of my family can leave me speechless. I took a deep breath to control my anger. “She is acknowledged by trillions of humans in all known realities as something far more important than your demeaning description implies.”
“All known realities, Samantha Teller? Known by whom, by your family only? As for the trillions, do you honestly believe the majority of them believe in the garbage your father has enforced on all of us? They fear him and so hide their thoughts and ambitions from you, but from now more and more of them will break away. We are the true majority.”
I laughed, but even I could hear that it was forced. “You make presumptions and state them as facts. You argue like a child!”
He flushed. “Time will prove who is being the foolish child. Vincent, how do you answer us?”
“My name is Vincent Teller. Only friends and family are entitled to call me by my first name.”
As soon as they were out the door, Vincent was crowded, everyone wanting to hug or kiss him. As soon as they quietened down he said, “I am so grateful to you Samantha. If they had thought to press me for a clear answer I might have had difficulty in maintaining your illusion. They are right, I may not act against any humans.”
I ignored everyone’s patent dismay and shrugged. “Then we must maintain the illusion for as long as possible.”
“How does that benefit you?”
I decided to change tactics and grinned nicely. “Vincent, who are you, how do you define yourself?”
“As the protector of course.”
“Of our family primarily and then all other humans?”
“I understand the point you are making Samantha, but it does not supersede the fact that I may not harm a human.”
“Utter nonsense!” I laughed at the look on his face. “I’ll counter your argument just now, but first, let me say one word. Robert.”
“Yes?”
“I was not speaking to you love. I gave that name to Vincent to ponder.”
“I do not understand.”
“Have you ever harmed Robert? Do you not consider him a human being?”
“I had just been created and my need to protect Cherine overrode …”
“Utter nonsense dear Vincent! All you can argue with are excuses because you fear to think for yourself and deny the instincts that control you - which means that in a way you are still as immature as that Vincent was. Try to consider these points - first of all, you had two creators who defined what you are. Arthur and Robert. Neither of them placed any limitation on what you are allowed to do in the protection of your primes. I agree, while you were naïve and single minded, you tried to define yourself for yourself. Despite what I just said, you have matured since then, so I charge you as our protector, examine your beliefs again, but this time, do it more honestly.”
I reached out and placed my hand on his arm, flooding him with my love. “Vincent, stop thinking of yourself as only our protector. You are not some special kind of robot. Open yourself to us and see yourself as our brother, son and even father. It is your duty as a human being to protect us, just as it is our duty to protect you. If anyone is about to harm you, I will harm or kill them, I promise you.”
The family stood silent, their emoting seesawing as our argument progressed. At my final and emotional argument they came to life and did their best to affirm all I’d said with their own emoting and words of love. Poor, poor Vincent. He has left to think, probably changing himself. I hope the changes he forces on himself do not make him unhappy.
I was angry with myself. I’d allowed them to manipulate me and out-argue me by comparing apples to oranges. Everyone tried to convince me I’d done very well, but I saw a hundred ways I could have handled the situation more efficiently.
As Robbie had instantly realised, the disappearance of Vincent meant Cherine is in danger. I had badly miscalculated! This was not a test of powers, it was a feint, drawing Robbie here so that they can capture Cherine. I doubt they intended to secure Freddie for themselves, but Cherine with any of the family they could imprison would force Robbie to capitulate.
Both Vincent and Robbie arrived too late to protect Cherine.
Their attack was two-pronged, the one only meant to distract any defences available within Freddie. The deadliest helicopters from the U.S Forces, manned by minor talent Cherinians were teleported from Earth, each of their guns shooting two thousand bullets per second in all directions but our house.
A second party composed of their strongest Talents jumped into the house to capture Cherine. They were instantly enclosed within energy fields created by all my loves. It was not expected the fields would hold them for more than a second or two, but now Jesus and Christós had the time they needed to spin a magical sphere that could hold them captive.
The Unation ship fired on the helicopters, only molten slag crashing into the ground. At that moment Vincent and then Robbie arrived in the house. A grinning Cherine, with eyes burning with battle fervour shared with him and Robbie gravely thanked our two friends. He then turned to Empathia, Jade and Haven, our three brilliant warriors and strategists and flooded their hearts with love while he held Cherine to him tightly.
The instant we had left, Haven had suggested they prepare a defence in case the other attack is a ruse and the three girls had speedily prepared the trap, warning all aliens that they should be ready for the possibility of an attack.
This is the first time I have failed my Cherine so badly and I am grateful to the three. It never crossed my mind that the problem in the other reality was only for the purpose of drawing Robbie and Vincent away from our home and Cherine - because of them being in Freddie, which I tend to think of as a safe place.
Hettie advised the American president of the loss of his helicopters, explaining what had transpired. She was careful to make clear that none of us hold anyone else responsible. Messages poured in asking after us and for the full story. She promised to meet them later, but did allow the media to film the damage caused by the helicopters and the still smoking remains of metal.
I was feeling very humbled as we sat with our friends discussing what happened and what the fate of our captives should be. Robbie was thinking of disdainfully returning them to Earth, but everyone was arguing against it.
“Samantha?” Robbie asked, hoping I would back him with logic. I cringed. “What is wrong?”
“I failed Cherine and all of you. I thought I was being so clever, but I was the only one hoodwinked by them. Look what they did to our Freddie.”
A chair scraped and Allan sitting by me took my hands into his. “Am I to blame myself? Should everyone blame themselves? Samantha, you and we had hours to consider the problem, they had days or even maybe years. A bunch of highly intelligent and advanced Cherinians…”
“I will not have you call them advanced Cherinians!” fiery Cherine spat out.
“My apologies, highly talented mutants (Cherine glared at him and everyone smiled) planned this as a group. Samantha, it is not possible for any one person to outguess all the possibilities such a group can think up. I’m amazed we’ve done so well.”
In a hollow, sad voice, Diana said, “We’ve killed fourteen Cherinians. The second time any Cherinian has killed another already and they’ve barely started fighting us.”
That was partly why I was feeling so low, but it would not be fair of us to blame the Unation, they’d done what had to be done, that is all, and I said so. I also insisted that Robbie should not return in time to save them. If they had not planned for their survival by creating bodies, then let them follow the natural evolution of souls and be reborn.
“And what do we do with our captives then? Let them go as Robert asks?”
“No.” I gave him an apologetic look. “We have to destroy all their gifts, gifts they have misused. However, even as Normals, we must not return them. Perhaps we can take them to the prison planet and place them on a different island.”
“Why Sam, surely it will cause them loss of confidence that will delay them trying again soon.”
I shook my head. “They have proven that they’ve studied our tellings so I think they expect you to let them go. We cannot fight them for long if we continue to let them go every time. All they would have to do is keep trying until they succeed. That is also why I do not want them returned as Normals. They will then be able to share with others and they will know how we defeated them. It is better they disappear. That will worry the rest far more without teaching them anything - and they will no longer be that confident that attacking us is safe for them.” I bit my lip, my face draining of blood as a thought came to me. “Not the prison planet dad, another one. If any of them do get back some powers it would be a catastrophe for us if they are able to recruit from the other prisoners. They might succeed in opening powers in one of them for them to jump back here with an army.”
I think he did it for my sake, not because everyone agreed with me.
* * * * *
They did not forget my birthday, but none of us felt it would be right to have a party so we stayed in our Freddie home and close friends and family came to quietly celebrate. As an eleven year old I was offered Tia Maria, a liqueur, and when my healer interfered I warned it to leave me alone. I got tipsy enough for the load on my shoulders to temporarily vaporise. When everyone left, our games became erotic and Robbie concentrated on me. I was happy and relaxed as I drifted off into sleep. That of course is when our mind throws up the weirdest ideas. Shocked I sat up, unwittingly waking them all by my sudden emoting.
“I’m sorry. Dad, I’ve just realised why they attacked us!”
“I though we already knew?”
“What? It’s not clear what you’re saying Sam.”
“Because of the prophesy, they knew you will become their enemy and fight them. So, they decided to neutralise you before you start and while you are unprepared by capturing Cherine.”
“Holy cow!” Cassie exclaimed.
Cherine pretended indignation, “Are you calling me a cow?” and the mood changed as everyone burst into laughter. We decided it was nice to know the why, but more important was that we plan ahead from now. Cherine pulled me into her arms and demanded I sleep, so that they could.
We are now using a conference room in a treehouse for planning our future strategies, screening and blocking any mind from trying to ‘hear’ us. We have restricted ourselves to one representative of each species that we are confident will remain our allies. We all feel terrible that Solomon and the Sparklers are excluded. Neither Solomon, nor Sol nor us consider Sol to still be Solomon so she remains with us. We would not argue against any claim that we are hiding behind our fingers and playing games to suit us. Having Sol with us means that Solomon knows exactly what is said and planned, but he is symbolically excluded. Our Hettie and Eddie are included in our team, as are Jesus and Christós. Although the Inguel have their leader included in our group, our isi is also included as part of our family.
We are creating two lists under the headings ‘Defensive’ and ‘Offensive’. The second meaning of the word offensive certainly suits it and we hate it. Under defensive actions comes training so that our instinctive reactions are instantaneous. We are also concentrating on training Freddie while also examining ways to strengthen him. None of the ideas Robbie has had in the past for making the hulls invulnerable are as effective as we need, so a new idea was examined. Robbie collected some void energy and used his mind to compress it to the maximum he can. When he brought it, as a sheet, into normal space, we used missiles (donated to us by various governments) to try and penetrate it. Not even the wake at full blast from the Unation spaceship seems to be able to damage it. A side effect is that it takes tens of times as long to vaporise.
Robbie created a globe out of compressed energy, placing instruments inside and it was thrust from normal space into the void, attacked, returned to normal space and attacked again with everything we could imagine - apart from the gift of Samuel. It withstands all, but there is more damage within it than there should be. Obviously the new shield will not be as flexible as the old ones are.
The Wirms were asked not to wish themselves to us and we left for a reality where the Earth is not only uninhabited by humans, but also does not hold as wide a variety of lifeforms. Robbie sealed off the openings to the water between the shields and opening the outer shield he allowed the water to vaporise in space. He has spent weeks coating the inner shield, on the outer side, with a thin membrane of the compressed energy. He created a honeycomb layer of normal shielding which then was covered by another compressed layer. He then rebuilt the outer hull, similar to the inner one but nearly five times as thick and strong. He does not toil alone, we all help, Vincent being the void so that he gathers and brings the energy for Robbie to ‘treat’. It took over five months before we were ready to fill the space between the inner and outer hulls with water and during this time the still rivers and ponds within Freddie sank and acquired an unpleasant smell. Many kinds of fish were dying off until we noticed what was happening and dealt with the problem by teleporting fresh water into our rivers and ponds.
