“I apologise. Father, if you do so, you will humiliate me. Only I have the right to do that.” I would not have been surprised to see Robbie’s jaw drop. He sat down and reaching across the table he took his fathers hands in his.
None dared ask to share and even I gave the excuse, ‘for the diary’. The amused look he gave me was bitter, but he agreed, demanding I do not write of his emotions and thoughts.
I wish to scrupulously honour his request so I will only state the following. He found the man at his business and apologised. The man would not accept his apology and demanded he leave.
“If I were a person of this world, of this city, how would you have dealt with me?”
“You would have been arrested.” A bystander answered. “Arrested and flogged.”
“Then I waive my rights as a visitor and agree to be punished.”
“With the planet that looms over our heads, you expect us to believe you? No officer would dare to arrest you.”
“I am the son of Robert Teller and my word binds my father. No action will be taken, whatever your courts decide. I acted foolishly more than out of malice, but the honour of your family must be cleansed of my error.”
“Hey Greco, if this is the son of Robert Teller, then you invited a baby to your home.” Michael stiffened, but he kept quiet.
“It is true?”
“I do not wish to use that as an excuse. You see an adult before you, do as you would with an adult.”
“As to diavolo (Oh hell), I’ll look an even bigger fool if I accuse a baby of showing disrespect to my daughter!” His companions laughed and agreed with him. Despite his efforts, they refused to take the matter further and he had to leave feeling very humiliated.
I now wished I had not asked to share. When he returned, all my wives treated him with admiration for showing the courage to apologise. I made myself scarce and sat under my waterfall for hours. This is the one place I get total privacy, not even tendrils exploring my emoting. I dreaded the moment our eyes would meet and took the cowards way and spent the night alone.
In the morning I sat on my balcony and thought more clearly. I sent Michael an invitation. Jade brought him and, taking one glance at my emoting she quickly left.
“Take a seat Michael.”
He offered me a slight smile, perhaps hoping to gentle the tension in both of us. “Should I be afraid to sit close to you?”
“It does not matter where you sit, since I want you to enter my mind.”
“It is not necessary Sam.”
“Then do it to humour an old woman.” He burst out laughing.
I let him see my worry, but I had him go deeper and examine my fears. He returned a chastened man.
“You really thought that of me!”
“You hope to force me to re-examine my attitude to their laughing at me, to prevent my hating Normals?”
“Not just them Michael, it will happen many times. You will be insulted, derided, called a mutant and even a traitor by some, and many other things. It has happened to all of us. If you do not have the courage to open yourself to them completely, you will not accept it all as manifestations of their fears and start to hate them.”
“Their fear justifies them?”
“I can only answer you by asking you to share directly from my mind again. Please do.” I shared with him my hate for Noname and then my love for Sharipya. He is astute enough to understand the point I was making without me needing to say anything further.
“You are likely to be embarrassed a number of times over the next few days. Every time someone shows admiration for the courage you showed in returning to apologise, you will think of me. Michael, I don’t want you to hate me.”
Quickly he knelt before me and took my hands. “I could never hate you.”
“Then find a way to neutralise the situation or else you will.” I was exaggerating, but I did feel it was important he deals with the problem, not I. His warm eyes seemed to see deep into me as he nodded, agreeing.
He waited until we were at the taverna with numerous friends of all species present and then he related what had actually happened, making himself look very small and ridiculous. Everyone laughed as he’d intended, but then they flooded him with their love and this time their admiration meant something good to him. I stayed in my apartment that night also.
Since Bruce is with us, Jesus took him wherever he visited when dealing with governments. Cherinians from their recently split off reality had returned to tell of their fate and Bruce was honoured wherever he went. Being far more suave than any of our family, he took it all in his stride and his warm personality won him even more friends. It is only rarely that Robbie achieves the same effect, so he watched him with keen interest. They also spent many hours talking on their own and slowly it felt as if certain tightly wound springs within him gradually relaxed.
Sharipya and Asimi provided a diversion that brought great joy to us, not only for what happened, but for what it implies for all their species. Almost all six thousand new Elipian visitors decided to be linked as Cherinians. Never in our wildest dreams had we hoped for it to happen so quickly. By invitation we joined their ceremony, with Lucy being given pride of place as an Elipian. They love ceremonies, but I will not describe it as it was very similar to the previous one.
By the way, they have adopted a new name for their Cherinians, thought up by Asimi while she was in a Terran form: Cheripian.
“You have all rejoiced when you felt the gift of empathy, dreaming it would make true brothers of all humankind. Experience has shown that empathy alone is not enough. If your morals are lax, it is possible to invent reasons and ways to use empathy as a tool to gain what you wish. Being a Cherinian without moral guidelines turns us into monsters, a curse on all life, for we have tremendous powers, just as being a magi without selflessness has made us a curse on our own people in the past.
Robert Teller and his family have not asked of anyone that they ally themselves with them. All they hope for are a number of friends who will remain neutral because they believe in all Cherine has gifted us with and trust in his dreams.” He waved his arm towards us as we sat silently listening. “What do you say? Do you wish to join their enemies or do we stand by them as true friends?”
A young woman immediately stood up, facing us, and bowed her head to us and then stood proudly. With delight we watched as all of them stood up and followed her example. All our friends rejoiced, but many aliens were puzzled when they saw tears on our cheeks.
“Robert Teller and all the Tellers, call on us when you need our help but, just as important, consider our reality and world as your home and refuge whenever you feel a need to recover your dreams and determination to fight on behalf of all the people you are the protector of. You trusted us, knowing that our magic combined with Cherine’s gifts could make us formidable foes. Allow us now to become formidable allies and friends.”
Christós stood up and his expression was bleak. “I wish I could make the same offer for my people, but I did not lead them well and I fear they are more likely to join your enemies. I and a few of my world will stand with you and should we face magi from our reality we will be far sterner with them than we are with your other enemies.”
Robbie stood up. “Speak not of sternness beloved friend, speak of love. It is the only way we can help all of life attain its potential. I have something else I must protest at. Those who we all have called our enemies, we have a duty to them also. Will their souls not also join us someday? We have taken lives and probably will again. I ask that where we can, we avoid doing so. If it is possible, use your powers to reduce theirs and once they are no longer a threat to anyone but themselves, we can begin the difficult process of bringing them back to us.” Robbie did not like the emoting he was inspiring so he grinned. “You see? I too have learnt from your alternate, our great Teacher.”
When the governments learnt of the commitment made by their Cherinians, there was great consternation in the corridors of power. Secretly they met and argued and came to the conclusion that their Cherinians had acted in the interests of their planet - because they feared what Freddie and the alien spaceships represent in their skies. They did not show any understanding of the issues, but we left it to their Cherinians to teach them of the true threat to all Normals if we lose.
We announced we are leaving in two days and accepted all the official invitations, but the private ones were those that really meant something to us. Iisous asked Candy and Iziko if he can travel with us and they welcomed him to stay for as long as he wishes.
Robbie decided it is time he keep his word and announced we are travelling to the world of the Muyzith. He explained we will travel slowly and take two weeks to arrive.
“Before we arrive at your home, would you like to visit alternates of yours? It might be of interest to you to examine how they differ from you and what effect it has had on them.”
Amsiu asked for a day to consider it and they all withdrew to their ship. I guess they are going to merge and examine the possibilities from all angles.
As far as I am concerned, this visit, if it happens, however different the alt-Muyzith are, it will not count as the new to us reality Michael asked to experience with us.
“Freddie, can you search for a moon sized rock that is not in orbit within a planetary system?”
“It should not be too difficult. I’ll call you when I succeed.”
The next morning all the Muyzith were standing around the taverna when we jumped there for breakfast. The main reason we break fast at the taverna instead of at home is for the company, so tables were ready for them. They joined us, but politely waited for us to finish and Robbie to light his cigarette.
“We have decided it would be advantageous to visit alternates. Robert, we have searched in a number of realities but never found any signs of our people.”
“Lynda love, can you help?”
“After Angelica finds her rock or before?”
He chuckled, “After, I don’t want her throwing rocks at me - instead of pillows.” Since our Angel was amused, we were free to grin.
Freddie found her an interesting specimen so she had to wait while the scientists examined it first. Laughing, Robbie asked Freddie to find another one and we left the scientists there in platforms. It seems the area has a lot of detritus and he found another within the hour. Robbie created large platforms for everyone to watch and then prepared to sheath Angelica. She shook her head so he stopped. He exclaimed in shock as she jumped outside.
We arrived to find her with Jesus and Christós floating in normal space. She kept her mind open so that we could hear them communicating.
*Just a small one, Angel.*
Out of nowhere a fireball appeared and sped past her at enormous speed. As it shrank in the distance it exploded.
She continued creating/destroying fireballs until Christós told her she is ready. She called out to him, En guarde! and dozens of fireballs from all directions shot at him. He did not move and they exploded against him. We were not the only ones who screamed in shock. As the red hot matter flew apart and the flames cooled down we saw Christós standing with his arm raised, his thumb sticking up in approval.
*The rock now.*
She took a while, apparently exhausted. When the fiery comet flashed past us we were not expecting it. The trail it left expanded for as far as we could see behind us and within two seconds it impacted against the rock that was hundreds of thousands of kilometres away. Filled with awe we watched the rock shatter into tiny fragments.
Not giving us time to react and probably considering her attack on Christós a fair demonstration, suddenly fiery comets from all directions converged on our Angel. Neither Robbie nor Vincent had time to react, within a split second she was in the centre of a multi explosion far larger than had struck the rock. We all cried out when the fiery detritus swirled around and fled away from her as her spinning form became clear. With her over-excited laughter in our ears, she jumped back into Freddie.
No three guesses as to who is everybody’s darling. Darling! Heck, she is worshipped by all of us. Cherine grabbed and smothered her in kisses as she babbled, thanking her. For the first time ever Cherine feels her Robbie is safe and has an invincible guardian.
“Teach me then, I won’t hesitate.” Robbie found it funny and laughed, knowing that she can’t.
In the end it was Cherine Robbie had to choose that night and she drove us crazy with her fierce and exhilarated passions. Even after making love three times she had to get up and walk around the house hugging herself with joy. What a night!
Do you recall all those thousands of pedo short stories on your hard disk you’ve collected? Go read one of them. I’m not spoiling the memories of last night by writing about them.
My family teased me, claiming I am cruel. Cruelly I offered my computer for any of them to write for you. Sorry, no takers.
The scientists were really upset at missing the demonstration, even though they were excited by the data and samples they collected from the first moon. They claim the moon is an impossibility, built up in layers in a manner that could not happen naturally.
“Are you claiming it is artificial?”
“We don’t know. We are hoping it is.”
Robbie left his body and returned to their rock. He sank into the rock and came out the other side.
“I can’t say whether it is natural or not, but I can confirm it is not a habitat. It is solid throughout.”
The scientists looked at him with amazement. “We never thought it was a habitat! We wondered whether it is the result of a mining operation. In our opinion it was created to provide an easy way of transporting the minerals to their home world.”
Now we had to return for Iziko to examine it. Not that he did, he just stared at it from all angles with admiration and tried to work out how he could do the same. Profit margins were already shooting up in his mind.
Robbie promised, “We’ll come back some other time to pay the miners a visit. Shall we continue on our voyage?”
Freddie was ready to jump to the reality Lynda had found, but first Robbie had a small private ceremony to perform. He wrapped his arms around Aven and kissed her, thanking her for an amazing honeymoon. Only then did he turn to Empathia.
“I have a presentiment about our honeymoon. You are going to drive me nuts!” He grinned. “I bet it will be interesting.” Haven of course laughed the most.
“Why have we arrived earlier? What do you hope to achieve?”
“I did not choose the time Amsiu, this reality is eight or nine years younger than yours.”
Amsiu was worried. “Perhaps you should allow us to travel the last part of the journey in our ship. They are not expecting you and will activate their defences.”
“What do you think Samantha?”
“I’m not worried about their defences, what I need to know is, how will our sudden arrival affect them? If it will have an averse effect on them, we better warn them we are arriving.” I turned to Amsiu. “I would prefer you are not the ones to warn them. First of all, your presence here will probably be a shock to them and secondly, I would prefer nothing is explained about our history. They are alternates and therefore slightly different from you. We could learn a lot by watching how they react to us.”
“How do we give them advance notice then?”
“If they have also invented one, could the translator contact them?”
“Only if they are listening. That would mean they are expecting you.”
“Let’s try. The worst that can happen is they don’t and we surprise them. Freddie can stop within sight of their telescopes, but far enough not to be considered a threat.”
We activated the translator and the Muyzith were able to confirm from the ship receiver that it is broadcasting, but there was no way we could know if their alternates are listening. Robbie asked Freddie to time his arrival, giving them three days to prepare.
We stopped at the edge of their system and waited two days. No reaction. Robbie asked for permission from Amsiu to visit the planet as the void. He agreed, for he was just as puzzled as us.
“I do not know why you would not give us permission to visit your world. It is beautiful! Apart from Goldi, the most beautiful planet I’ve ever seen - and that was as the void. I can’t wait to see it with my own eyes.”
“The people?”
“As far as I can see everything looks normal. Amsiu, from what I was able to work out, they have spaceships, but not for inter-system travel.”
They were dismayed, obviously thinking that if they are Muyzith they just have to be superior beings like them. I can feel the excitement and anticipation building in me, I have a feeling this reality is going to be very different.
Freddie hailed them on bands he heard their communications use and Amsiu spoke to them, only giving warning that we are arriving in a massive spaceship, but soothing them with words about us being peaceful. They gave us permission to enter their system, but asked that we orbit a sister planet that can be of no strategic value to either of us (so they thought).
“This is Admiral Siddhor of the Muyzith fleet. May we speak to one of our people that you hold captive?”
“There are no captives within Freddie, our world-ship. The Muyzith with us are from a different reality.”
“If your intentions are peaceful as declared, falsehoods would not serve to gain our confidence.”
“Amsiu?” (We were communicating from the Muyzith spaceship in Freddie.)
“This is Amsiu, Acting Leader of my reality, the planet of the Muyzith. No falsehoods have been spoken, we are guests and allies of the being that spoke to you. Would the appearance of our ship outside Freddie convince you we speak the truth?” He kept his hands off screen for they were trembling. He was upset that they called us liars.
“Your vessel is unarmed?”
“Ours is a small inter-planetary vessel, but we do not carry arms.”
“There are sixteen vessels under my command and they are all armed. Any suspicious action will force me to order your annihilation.” Robbie gestured and Amsiu made way for him.
“My name is Robert Teller. Before our friends meet with you outside Freddie, we have a request to make of you. It is more of a favour we ask so that the tension is relaxed between us. Please order your ships to attack Freddie, our spaceship, with your most powerful weapons.”
There was a stunned silence from their side and then Admiral Siddhor spoke in an ice cold voice. “You wish us to attack so that you have an excuse to retaliate or perhaps attack our planet?”
“How can there be an excuse when you are acting according to my request. Admiral, I request and authorise you to attack and undertake there will be no retaliatory action from our side, either against your ships or your planet. We come in peace and want to speed up the process of getting to know each other.”
“There will be no attack. I am only authorised by my government to attack should it be necessary to free our people or in self defence.”
“The Muyzith spaceship will be leaving Freddie in a few minutes. An opening will appear, please keep your ships out of direct line of the opening as gasses may be released under pressure.”
Although our Muyzith assured us there was no need, Robbie preferred not to take chances and followed them as the void. After a verbal exchange, a suited figure left ‘our’ Muyzith ship and entered the ship the Admiral is in. An hour later our ship returned into Freddie with two of theirs following.
We felt their emoting as they entered Freddie and saw that it truly is ‘world-like’, with land, rivers and so on. They were shocked at discovering the number and variety of spaceships within our skies. Stunned crewmen brought their ships to rest beside our Muyzith spaceship and we waited a small distance away for our Muyzith to greet them first. The only one who was not present in his body was Robbie, as usual, as he had to sheathe our visitors (without them realising it), even if they stayed in their spacesuits.
“Robert Teller, leader of the Cherinians. Admiral Siddhor, scion of the Arvi-Siddhor royal family, his father the King Oxir-Siddhor. Robert, they are sheathed, they may remove their suits safely?”
“They are. Will you excuse me, I wish to return to my body to welcome them properly.”
“This is Samantha Teller. Her small size is meant to indicate that she is in her child phase. Samantha is named by all Cherinians ‘Friend of Aliens’. It is her duty to assist you in getting to know them and become their friends.”
The Admiral removed his space suit and gave me their sign of respectful greeting. “This is a wise tactic and I will suggest it to my father.”
“Having a child meet you?”
“No, using a child as ambassador. That is what your title represents, is it not?”
“Not really. Ambassadors are never truly friends, they only represent their country or planet. I am only meant to learn about you so that we become friends. If there is any misunderstanding, it is my role to speak on your behalf and force understanding among my people. After all, that is the fun of being aliens, we have different ways of seeing the world.”
Msito laconically said, “She will be your friend, whether you want her to be or not.” I frowned, appreciating her humour, but afraid of misunderstandings. Luckily Robbie joined us and I was out of the limelight.
It was obvious that the Admiral is still suspicious of us and he kept an eye on our Muyzith, as if waiting for a secret signal from them. I giggled as I came to a conclusion. Robbie turned to me. “And?”
“I want to ask the Admiral a question. Admiral, you have proof that it is impossible for other realities to exist?”
“That is correct. How did you know?”
Amsiu chuckled. “It is her job as friend of aliens to know. We’ll explain later, why don’t you explain why other realities are an impossibility? Did you have a Romveusi about four hundred and fifty years ago?”
“Exactly! So you do know his theories? He conclusively proved that alternate realities are impossible.”
“That is remarkable, he did the same with us, but then he went on to prove they exist. Allow me to synopsise his ghost realities theory.” This time I sensed Robbie listening very carefully and I’m certain it started to make a kind of weird sense to him also. The Admiral claimed he is not qualified to judge the merits of the theory and Amsiu arranged for his computer to transfer the full mathematical proof for him to transfer onwards to his home planet.
I just knew that Amsiu would not broach the subject we were all interested in, including the Muyzith themselves, so I asked. “Admiral, each species is different, some with one sex, others with two and others that go all the way up to eight. Some form families and rear their young, others do not. What about yours?”
“I presume we are the same as them.” He gestured towards our Muyzith.
“Please indulge me and answer my question as if they were not with us.”
“Two sexes and we do rear our young.” He must have noticed our Muyzith react and suspected the truth, for he explained, “About eight hundred years ago our governments decided professionals should take over the rearing of our children. The experiment lasted about five hundred years. Then the people began to argue against it when a female refused to allow them to remove her foetus. It was removed against her wishes and she dedicated her life to forcing a change. She had a way with words and her followers grew into a serious number of converts. One of them deliberately had herself impregnated and then refused to allow them to take her foetus. When the authorities tried to act against her will, the rioting was so serious that a large number of people died of starvation because of the damage they’d caused. The law was adjusted and parents are now offered the choice.”
“Over eighty five.”
“Thank you.”
Amsiu and the others were devastated. They’d been certain theirs was the logical and humane way to raise children and had expected their alternates to feel the same, despite the proof we’d supplied them. We could literally feel their superior attitudes and self confidence wither away. I can’t help it that my mind instantly searched for ways to mend their self image. I’m not at my best when this happens, but I do try.
“Admiral, I must congratulate both you and your alternates. I wish our species had the same courage. Our instincts demand that we be parents, whether we are suitable parent material or not, so anybody who has the honesty to admit they do not wish to bring up a child is seen as a monster. At least both your cultures tried to find the ideal for all children. That is what life is all about, that we dare to examine everything and search for new answers in all spheres.”
When the Admiral learnt how it was with our Muyzith (soon I hope, we can call them our Muyzith also) he started to believe in alternate realities. We were so deep in conversation, mostly the two parties, that the Admiral forgot himself and the ships outside broadcast a challenge, demanding we allow their ships to return with all personnel or they will attack. Freddie broadcast it on the screens and the flustered Admiral ran to his ship to reassure them they have not been harmed.
The Admiral and his officers were given a guided tour of all the ecologies and they met the variety of species that travel with us. They were also struck by the beauty of the Elipians, who now, as Cheripians are at prime health and at their most beautiful. He was shook up when he met our kids roaming around freely. We’ve all forgotten how alarming they can appear to be and it took nerve for him to stand without his gun in his hand as he talked to them. It did not take him long to realise that these people are very special to us and our Muyzith had nothing but praise for them, informing him they are warriors of love, not war. Dazed he returned to us.
During his absence, Angel wheedled Msito to admit to the Admiral that her people need help. “Don’t you see, they have shared your experiences, they are of your species and culture and they will have knowledge and experience that can help your people find a balance without traumatising them the way we do.”
“I cannot take such action unilaterally. I will confer in privacy with my group Angelica.”
“Please do, promise?”
“I will.”
Since the Admiral is not just an Admiral but also a Prince, first in line to rule, we decided we should do a telling for him. At the urgent request of Amsiu we agreed to end our telling at our arrival at the Muyzith world. Funny, that means they’ll think we are leaving them hanging deliberately.
Admiral Siddhor refused to pass on the recordings of our tellings, correctly judging them too alien for his people to understand without our direct presence. He spent hours each day communicating with his base and he convinced them we are friendly. On the last night of our telling we noticed our Muyzith retire into their ship and when they emerged Amsiu spoke to Meli, authorising her to continue up to the present.
When the telling ended they cringed when their alternates stared at them with a mixture of horror and pity. Amsiu went directly to Siddhor.
“Students still write their thesis on the subject and do not forget, we still have a number of people who have not adjusted. Yes, we can help. Our coming together was indeed fortuitous, both our people will benefit and have much to learn from each other.”
Msito was beaming as she came to me. “Samantha Teller, sister, I foresee the day Cherine will be asked to link us. What will you call us then?”
“Family?” I laughed at her emoting. “I don’t know, what would be suitable?”
“Ch’Muyzith?”
“We would be honoured.”
Cherine was so happy that she sat on my lap for well over half an hour. I had not realised that holding a child (maybe because I was a child also) for that long would be painful. I thought our bums have adequate padding for it to be comfortable for the person I sit on. Every time she moved her bones seemed to dig into my thigh bones! Still, I loved holding her.
Michael had watched with keen interest all that happened while trying not to interfere. When the family was alone that evening he sat by me. “I think I have proof that I will do as you hope.”
“I’m sorry?”
“I’m talking about your plan that I take over as leader and then subtly sabotage my followers. I have proof that I will.”
“What kind of proof?”
“Samantha, if I really wanted to win, I would not bother with dad or mum, I’d grab you.”
I thought I sensed how lonely and difficult it will be for him and my heart reached out to him. “Michael, would you like me to join you?”
He stared at me for a moment and then as tears came to his eyes he crushed me to him. God! He’s just as bad as his father at flooding a heart with love. That combined with the smile and eyes of Cherine, I pity and envy the girls he loves someday.
The next day started cruelly for me. My healer had left it to my body to recover from the night I had experienced, not realising we would have to get up this early. Robbie woke us at half past six and made us get up and get dressed, warning us breakfast will be ready by seven and whoever is late will have to go hungry. I was tempted to go hungry for an extra half an hour of sleep, but the minds around me were so full of excited thoughts that I would not have slept anyway. I made up for it by not using my healer to cleanse me and had a luxuriously hot shower. I was a bit late, but had breakfast anyway.
