They did approach the government through our ‘Freddie Muyzith’ to suggest trade between their nations, indicating they want to buy Muyzith artwork and asking what they can offer in return.
Freddie hovered over the moon so that the installation could be examined from close, but it was all just molten slag so we went into orbit around the planet. Periga and Jevinnah jumped to us as soon as Freddie appeared in their skies. Periga has changed. Instead of his link and change of heart making him appear softer, he looks less muscular, but as if he’s toughened and is more wiry.
After we’d greeted each other, Robbie asked, “Have you had many problems?”
“Since you left, a man and his wife emerged as leader of a group that reject all we’ve learnt about the Whites. He has a small band that follow him and they are intent on killing the Whites. There is also talk about him planning to force the rest of us to reject our link to Cherine.”
“How serious a threat is he?”
“Not serious, we monitor him and his men so they have not succeeded in harming anyone, but the abuse and hostility towards the Whites has set back some of the good you’d achieved.” Either Robbie has matured or else become more observant, for I noticed he did not ask if they spied on the thoughts of the renegades - by saying he had only heard what they intend doing, to Cherinians proves he had not.
Robbie smiled, “Did you expect that becoming a Cherinian would make life perfect for you? Even among the Cherinians you’ll find differences of opinion and attitudes that’ll trouble you. Wait until the girls do a telling and you’ll see what I mean.” Personally I felt that doing a telling, with the problems they already have, would only make it worse for them, encouraging a number of Cherinians to think as the Ipohin. Not that I’d ever ask that we refrain from doing a telling unless all the family feel that way.
We spent the next few days visiting the various towns with Periga, Jevinnah or Amiso. As was only to be expected, they avoided the town where the couple that still hate Whites live. Sheena made every trip and devoted herself not only to talking to the Whites, but also to the Blacks. She is popular with both and the odd person who emotes dislike or fear of her does not dare to speak out because of all of us being with her. Actually, after we felt the first such person, an Akiard kid or two make certain they stay by her side whenever we are on planet.
The appearance of Muyzith among us received a mixed reception, many Iktrians still feeling resentful. The Muyzith were not obsequious in any way nor did they make a show of being penitent. They mostly listened to the problems confided to us and looked to solving those they could. The Iktrians have the same instinctive admiration of height that us Terrans have, and their height combined with their slender gracefulness won them many admiring glances, despite the residual resentment.
At last the day came when they could not avoid taking us to the town they’ve been avoiding. Robbie guessed that those we want to meet will know we are coming and leave town to shun us, so he delayed going until it was afternoon and they’d returned. Just before leaving, Sheena went into Maria’s kitchen and took a sharp knife used for slicing meat. As she walked out with it we sensed the confusion of the Akiards, but none of us said anything. She has the right to deal with the matter in the way she wants, as any of us do.
When we arrived, Cherinians and those who are neutral surrounded us, hoping to block us from the small group that stared at us with hatred. Sheena’s eyes seemed darker than usual as she stared across at them. Nobody tried to stop her as she walked across, but all conversation died as the Iktrians stared at her anxiously. We sensed what she was doing within her mind and it was sickening.
Sheena ignored the man who was their leader and went directly to his wife. “If you don’t allow yourself to feel, how can you heal?” She raised the knife. “Feel the pain your baby son felt when you killed him.” She projected a baby’s terror and unbelieving grief that it’s own mother was killing it and then she plunged the knife into her chest, sending the feelings of being sliced, the deep terrible pain and cry of despair.
“Show me your home.” The husband was too shocked to speak and led the way, opening the door for her. She put the woman on her bed and covered her, feeling how frozen her body was. “She will wake up soon. You are a foolish man, by following her you did not allow her to heal herself. Bring me a bowl of warm water and a small cloth.”
Like a daughter tending her ill mother, Sheena used the damp cloth on her face, arms and legs. The woman sighed and opened her eyes. As soon as she saw Sheena, still covered in blood, she remembered and the pain hit her like a fist and she doubled up as she cried out.
“Shh, don’t worry mother, I’m here, cry, forgive yourself…” Sheena continued to soothingly murmur until the woman fell into a deep healing sleep. She stood up and using her healer she closed her wound (it had protected her and healed the slight internal damage, holding back from healing the outer wound until she gave it an order). She used her gift and the blood disappeared.
“When she wakes up, tell her that if she comes to Robert, he will return in time to bring her son to you. He will not bring with him his memory of dying at her hand, so you’ll have one more chance to bring him up with love. Farhigo, do not fear, all Whites can love, he will not try to enslave you with his needs if you bring him up correctly. Feel my love for my family.” She sent her emoting and walked out as he stood blind to her departure, lost in the rapture of the most wonderful and powerful feelings of love he’d ever experienced.
“Sheena love, how can I keep your promise? I’ve not been able to bring back any of the Whites, I can’t sense their souls.”
With her face set in determination she answered, “I will come with you.”
Sheena is everyone’s little heroine, but the Akiards, especially the younger kids, are emoting adoration and pride of her. To them she is a true warrior of love and none of us would contest that appellation in any way. The strange thing is that we can sense that Robbie does not intend making her his special love of the night, as a matter of fact, we sense there will be no sex, all he will be doing is holding her in his arms.
We waited two days and returned to the town. This time there was no group holding back, sending us their hatred. Some still did not like us, but they’ve lost those feelings which had driven them previously, Sheena’s sacrifice having proved to them that they are wrong about the Whites. Nervously, and fearfully, the couple edged closer to Sheena. She took their hands and brought them to Robbie. Once they relaxed, he searched in their memories, identified the place and time. He lay down on the ground with Sheena beside him and they went to the void.
When the body of a baby appeared, people drew back with exclamations of fear. When it opened its eyes and cried, emoting a strong yearning for love, the mother rushed forward and held him to her bosom, tears streaming down her face.
“The Whites of your town will come every day to your home to teach your son. Mother, treat your son the same way you would if he were normal, do not give in to his yearning.”
“Why did you help me? How did you know?”
“I too have a son I adore.”
Robbie asked Cherine not to do a golden circle of love. After the telling ended we took a break for everyone to nibble at some snacks and enjoy something cold to drink and then everyone returned to sit before the platform. Robbie stood upon it on his own. “You are shocked at the events that unfolded before your eyes and I am guessing you are thinking that my people are ungrateful, that you are not like them and will never turn against all Cherine stands for.
For some of you it is true, just as it is amongst my own people. For the rest of you, even should you be tempted to become an Ipohin, do not forget that you are still a Cherinian and try to hold true to as much of what is precious about being a Cherinian as you can. Once your needs have been satisfied, you will see how trivial they were and the way will be open for you to return to live within the common heart of all Cherinians.
We now have another matter to deal with. Msito, please join me.” Obviously puzzled, she joined him. “The effects of the radiation the Muyzith used to mutate you, creating the Whites, are fading. Soon you will not have any more Whites being born to you. The Muyzith have offered, if you wish it, to irradiate a small area. Those wishing to give birth to a child and wanting that child to be born a White, they could visit the area for a short time and they will conceive the child as a White. This is your planet, we have no wish to impose this on you, even though the effect would only be local and therefore voluntary. We will be staying here for another three days. Please discuss it between you and give us your decision when we return to enjoy the farewell party you have organised for us.” He gave them a smile. “For those of you in the mood for it, Cherine now offers to help create a golden circle of love for all of us to share in.”
Much later, Periga came to Freddie alone. “What you have asked of us is not fair Robert. How can we decide? If we refuse, then our children think we do not want them.”
“You want to refuse?”
He sat down heavily. “We can’t. All parents with White children are demanding we agree.”
Ashia guessed, “Especially those who killed their children?”
“Yes. Those of us who attacked them at their villages also feel too guilty to decide.”
“Is it the fear of your species mutating or is it that you just don’t like Whites?”
“The first. Do your people find it easy to accept such changes?”
Robbie admitted, “No, they fear and hate what is different.”
“Then why ask us?”
“Because you are different from us. You still live close to the land. You breed your animals and know what to look for so as to improve the bloodlines, so you know that not all mutations are bad. Do you feel that the Whites have lost anything you treasure about yourselves as humans?”
“They have no future, you said so yourself. What about their souls?”
“How did I return the baby boy then? We discovered they do have souls, I thought you understood that from the telling?”
“We thought it meant you had found a way for Sheena only. I must tell my people, this takes a great load off our minds. For those who killed their children, can you bring them back please?”
As soon as Periga departed, Robbie left his body and we wondered where he was going. We were dismayed to discover he’d gone to spy on Periga. His instincts were right though, he placed his people under tremendous pressure, telling them that since we are to release them of a terrible guilt, they owe it to us to agree, since that is what we want.
The town was surrounded by hundreds of thousands of local Cherinians, all come to share and celebrate the return of long dead babies. Sheena cringed, for Periga had told them that Robbie is unable to sense the souls of the babies, only Sheena can, so she was treated like a tiny princess or goddess. Without preliminaries, Robbie and Sheena lay down on the ground, calling for the first parents to come to them. There were instantly loud protestations, the ground was still damp with morning dew and they demanded they be allowed to bring mattresses. Tina suggested they bring three, one for the babies to be returned. Robbie suggested four. He wanted the parent who killed the baby to return with him. It was a terrible thing to do to them, but he’d been assured it was necessary as many have blocked off the memories and they need to confront the past and heal.
They brought back three hundred and thirty seven babies over four days. Then an elderly man pleaded with Robbie for him to give life again to those he’d attacked and killed in the villages of the Whites. Immediately all the others who had taken part in such attacks joined him with their fervent pleas. Robbie insisted on waiting three days for Sheena’s body was suffering from her long absences and the new project was bound to drain her. She was already having nightmares as her mind tried to regurgitate and rid itself of the memories of so many babies being slaughtered.
This has been a traumatic but also beautiful time for all of us. Our Cherinian Muyzith have shared with us and it has shattered them with the guilt they assumed. Two months of watching such beautiful people (I’m talking about their personalities, not their physical beauty) being slaughtered because they want to be loved would have to affect any soul, whether Cherinian or not. Seeing those people brought back is the only thing that has helped keep everyone sane.
On the last day, Robbie asked all the Muyzith to meet him. “I am receiving disturbing messages and need to return to our home planet to see what is actually happening. I wish to ask of those of you who are Cherinians and those who are not, to wait for us here. We will only be gone about a week but if you use this time correctly, opening your hearts to the people who killed, I think you can help them come to terms with what they did and recover their balance so that they stop devoting themselves to the Whites they’d killed. It is not healthy for either of them. Sheena, I would like you to stay with them. Use this time to teach them about all we believe in - be the Efineh of your world.”
Efineh instantly volunteered to stay with her and we agreed. Robbie was only partly sending Sheena to help the others, he felt her daily involvement would help heal her too. Efineh will be a good companion, helping our little snow princess find a new but healthy balance. Her parents asked to go with and Robbie had a private meeting with them, asking them to be the port of refuge for her, but not to try and dominate or guide her otherwise. He demanded that Sheena age herself so that she has the apparent age of about twenty. Efineh keeps that age most of the time, so she did not have to change. It was a strange couple they made with the contrasts in colour of skin and hair.
There were long hugs and kisses and some eyes showed a glimmer of tears held back as we parted with our two loves. Angelica really wanted to stay with her friend, but she sensed that Robbie did not want her to, so she did not ask. We explained to the Iktrians that we do not want a decision on the perpetuation of the Whites at this time, we will discuss it after our return.
Five days have passed and Robbie is not back yet! From day one we’ve had to control ourselves for we’ve all wanted to jump to find out what is happening. However long he needed to be there, he should have returned within hours as promised. Those of us who are stronger are looking after those whose minds are threatening to fall apart and all of us are looking after Cherine and Tseri. We have been discussing the possibilities, between ourselves and with our friends, but today Cherine decided we have to do something so we called for a meeting. We asked Alki to take over.
“Roberto’s wives argue that he must be in trouble and want to jump back to our home world. We all think they are right, for his absence cannot be explained. I am worried about Freddie jumping without Roberto to protect his family but I do not see any alternative.”
Akiar asked to speak. He went to stand before Cherine. “We are your warriors, you must stay here and allow us to search for him. We give you our oath that we will not return without him.”
Tears filled her eyes and reaching up, floating, she kissed a smooth part of his cheek. “We are family, where we go, we go together. No oath is required where there is love my beloved children.”
“I take it that means we are all going. Cherine, I suggest Freddie jumps there to the void and only I return to Earth to find out what happened. I’ll first visit Hettie and Eddie as they are the most likely to know. I suggest some of you visit RT, their Robert might also have news for us.”
“You are not going without me!” Eleni ordered. Since everyone was determined to go, Alki found it impossible to control the meeting. He placed Cherine on a table and everyone fell silent.
“What Allan suggested makes sense. Allan, you will not go; if Samuel will, I ask that he does. As for visiting RT in their reality, I do not think any of the direct family should, we do not know who else might be there. There are a number of Anadir in RT so I suggest one of them, someone not widely known as a close friend of ours, jumps there. We will not wait here, we’ll go to our reality in case we need to consult with others.
Both of you, all you do is find out what happened and return, do not take any risks or try to help our Robert if he is in trouble. That we will all do together as a family.”
Freddie jumped and they left. Both of them were back within the hour.
“Eddie informed me that Robert arrived, checked on the news that had been bothering him and finding out that his fears were groundless, he left to check on some other realities, telling them he will jump directly to Haven-R when he is finished.”
“I have the same news,” Moirafa said. “My people spoke with their Robert and he told them the same. Their Robert asked them to pass on the message that he will visit you here as he is disturbed by the disappearance of our Robert.”
When he appeared we were very emotional, for not only do they look exactly the same, but he also still feels the same. He hugged each of us before sitting to the coffee Maria had ready for him. “Tell me what happened.” We let Cherine speak for us.
“It does not make sense. He arrived, checked and found that the conclusions he’d come to were not substantiated. He told me what they were, he thought he saw a pattern emerging that indicated Campbell is preparing to move all his supporters to one reality. There they would take Earth over, Campbell declaring himself Emperor of Earth and that reality. It seems someone gave out misleading signals deliberately. After satisfying himself that nothing like that is being prepared he jumped to a number of other realities for news, returned and had a meal with us and then left for the void to check on a number of realities he has not visited for some time. The Sparklers confirm that he did jump - and that it was of his own free will, taking his body with him.”
“No, although I expect Solomon does not feel it would be correct for him to visit, but since Robert is not with you, he states that no one has the right to object. Strictly speaking he is not right, but I doubt anyone will complain.”
Cherine was blunt. “I don’t care if they do, what comes first is that we find Robert. Can you take me back in time to the moment Robert jumped?”
“With pleasure.”
She returned totally mystified. “He did jump to the reality he said he was going to and he was concentrating on the where and when. I don’t understand.”
Dommi tried to soothe the growing panic. “It has happened before. Once he realises I’m certain he’ll release the sliver for us to find him.”
Cherine was having none of that. “If he had or would, it would have arrived before we jumped here. I can feel it, there is something wrong.”
I could see only one alternative. “Dommi, you’ll have to block me off and let Le’sase take over. Robert, can you then take him to the time Robert first arrived here? Le’sase should be able to follow him as he jumps.”
Le’sase had to keep his distance and try to block all emoting so that Robbie would not sense him. He followed him from reality to reality, listening as he met various Cherinians. He returned to this reality, did as Robert said and then jumped. At the third reality, Robbie was feeling tired, so he booked a room at a hotel. The next morning he ordered from room service and there was a knock on his door. Robbie opened for the maid to bring in his tray.
As she placed the tray on the table she turned to him. He moved towards her expecting to be handed a slip for him to sign. He did not see any paper and looked at her. He swayed and then suddenly Le’sase felt as if he were exploding with pain as a mental scream filled his mind. Instinctively he pulled away, just as a hand jerks away from a hot plate.
By the time Le’sase recovered and was able to return, he saw Robbie getting to his feet, shaking his head. He sat by the table and poured some coffee, looking as if he were suffering a severe hangover. He put his head in his hands for a while, lit a cigarette and drank two cups of coffee. He seemed to recover, showered, dressed and going down to reception settled his bill and walked out. He turned into an alley and concentrating on the fourth reality he jumped. Le’sase followed him.
For a while he looked around trying to sense where Robbie was. He swept the entire area but there was not even a hint to guide him. He jumped back to the previous reality, timing it to return a few seconds after he’d left, in case Robbie was still there, but the alley was empty!
He waited a few minutes and then decided he needed me to help solve the puzzle. Dommi had given him a key for releasing me. I came out of my hiding hole and when I sensed I was not in control of my body I realised Le’sase had called me back - which meant there is a serious problem. I opened myself to him and he shared, muting the scream and pain so that I would not also suffer. I felt something he had not, perhaps because there was no pain. I felt disorientated for a moment. (The mind can feel pain when it is disrupted violently, not having a body only meant he did not suffer as strongly as Robbie did.)
*Samantha, wait, do not leave.*
*Solomon, I jumped back to arrive fifteen minutes after I left. Where is Freddie?*
*They waited for you nearly two weeks and left. Your sense of timing has been damaged.*
*I better return to Haven-R, they’ll be worried.*
*Stop! Samantha, you are not thinking. If you return there at the wrong time, how will that help? Anyway, they did not go there, they are jumping to all the realities they know of to search for Robert.*
*I need my body Solomon, I’m not good at thinking like this.*
*Go to Adam then. I’ll meet you there.*
Adam shared and then sent me to the emerald isle. I looked around for Jo.
“She left to be reborn. Solomon is keeping an eye on her and he’ll let us know when it is time for Cherinians to visit her.”
“Adam, what do you think happened?”
“The scream was only perceived as a scream. What it did was affect your sense of time. Robert must have been affected more strongly and it may have affected his spatial coordination also. Samantha, I have succeeded in re-orientating your mind, you should be able to return to Freddie. When you do, tell Solomon to be present at your arrival at this time so that he sends you to me.”
Solomon materialised and I ran into his arms. He sat with me on his lap. “Oh my Samantha, I have missed this so much.”
Adam explained what had happened. “I fear that Robert is lost in time and in some other reality.”
“Why didn’t he send back the sliver ? We’d have gone to him.”
“It is likely all slivers he holds were damaged in the same way.”
“Oh god! How are we going to find him?”
Solomon answered, “I’ve called for a Wirm to take you to Freddie. Sam, convince the others to return to Haven-R, when Robert is able to return he will go there.”
I had to enter normal space for the Wirm friend to sense me and keeping contact with my mind she wished us to Freddie. As my loves sensed me there were screams of joy as I entered my body.
We returned to our reality, reminding Solomon that he must be present to meet me in two weeks and left immediately for Haven-R. Four days later Robbie returned. He has been back with us for two days now and I’ve asked him to write of his adventures.
I might as well start after the attack that Sam described.
In the alley, I fixed the place and time in my mind and jumped. The instant I arrived I realised I had been sent to a different reality for there were no Cherinians to augment my gifts. I only later guessed that the time period was way out of what could be explained, but it took a long time for me to realise what had been done to me by the Screamer.
The Athens I found myself in was barely recognisable. Something about it struck me as familiar. It took me a while to work out that I was in the period I’d existed in the second last incarnation where I’d been sent to South Africa and married my Cherine as a vineyard owner.
The history of this world/reality had differences to ours, but the basics of Greek history were the same. The year was 1860. I had no money that was of any value and I decided it was the first priority if I was to stay here for a while. I felt I should not jump realities until I’d worked out what had caused me to come here. I also needed to work out, is this a reality I’ve been to with a Cherine and Robert in the future? If so, I had to be very careful I did nothing to change the future.
I jumped to South Africa, where the future Johannesburg would be. My intention was to mine some gold for me to sell in Athens for Drachmaes. It was pretty stupid of me as there were already people mining. My only other choice was to jump to the western coast, alongside the river where I had read of the first diamonds being found. I’d read that the diamonds were so plentiful that I could just pick them up off the ground. As they say, ignorance is bliss, but it is also dangerous.
Like an idiot I walked around searching for diamonds, my feet scrunching them as I stepped over them. Finally I woke up to the fact that diamonds in the field would not resemble anything I’d seen in shops or magazines. Since I knew the area was full of diamonds, I started to examine some of the stones. Nothing I saw gave me the impression they were anything but common stones. You might ask, if you mined diamonds to empty the pipes Campbell was going to own, how come you had a problem. I’d answer that it was different. Then I’d used machines from the Unation and as the void I’d also been able to identify what needed to be moved. Funnily enough I never actually saw what I’d mined, and what I did see, they have been collected stripped of all soil, in a way, as if they have been scrubbed clean and lightly polished. The same with other precious metals or gemstones I’ve mined over the years. I’d check the way they felt with my energy as the void - different metals have different ‘tastes’ to the mind.
I lay down on the burning sand and went to the void. It was empty. As the void I now was able to identify which stones were diamonds and even able to choose those that were clear and without cracks. I collected a handful, placed them on my chest, surrounded my body with energy and returned it to Athens.
After trying to sell my stones at three jewellery shops I gave up in disgust. I slept under a tree and early in the morning I jumped to Amsterdam. I found a jeweller who offered to buy them after cutting a window to check the quality. I could sense what he offered was only a fraction of the true value, but I did not care, after all, I could return to the desert to pick up more whenever I wanted. If I am taking something for free, I guess it makes me feel a bit better about it if I know at least one other is also benefiting. I would not accept the local currency, demanding I be paid in British gold Pounds. I’m certain I was overcharged for those also, but now I had a medium that would provide me with cash in Athens. I sold a couple for Drachmaes and moved into a small hotel.
Why all this trouble to stay in Athens? I’d worked out I was close to the time Chara would need an operation and this time I refused to allow her to die. Somehow I would return to my own time within this reality and if Cherine and Robert existed, I’d take Chara to them. Have you seen the fallacy yet? How could there be a Robert and Cherine if I stole from Christos the reason he’d be ‘adopted’ by the professor? He’d stay in Athens and take some menial job without a future and, more important, he’d never meet Anne.
I still cannot believe it! I Robert Teller, protector of children, allowed a child to die screaming with pain. I helped ease her last few minutes as she lay in the arms of Christos. Perhaps she sensed it, for she looked at her brother with total trust, believing he would make things right for her again. He was not the only one who wept as she died.
During this time I performed an experiment. I warned the hotel I would be away for a short time, but did not specify how long. I then tried to jump ahead ten minutes. The hotel told me I’d been away for three weeks (twenty four days). I was now not confident of arriving when and where I want so I tried to think of a solution. I came to a conclusion. I would have to live through the years and follow Christos to South Africa, wait until Anne arrives and try to sense whether her presence strengthens me.
I assumed the Greek name ‘Dimitri Kalogyrou’ and started painting (nothing of pure fantasy or science fiction). My paintings did not attract a big following, mostly other artists found them interesting because of my techniques. I was introduced (by another artist) to a parliamentary minister who liked some of my work and of the five paintings he bought over the years, he hung one of them on the wall in his sitting room. I wonder if anything I painted survived the years. I decided that if they do, I’ll buy one to give to the Robert of that reality. I think he’ll appreciate the quirk of time that made a Teller part of the history of art in Greece.
I never despaired of seeing my loves, of returning to my time. I was convinced that either Anne would unknowingly help me or else I could jump to any time in the future and finding a Robert send him to my loves to collect me. There was also the hope that with time my problem would fade away. Still, I did miss them so much it hurt.
I was not surprised that most Greeks grew to think of me as an eccentric and said that I was unfriendly. Apart from my own thoughts that preoccupied me, I also had to repulse their inquisitive questions. Many people wanted to know where I came from, who were my parents, where did I get my money from, where did I learn to speak English so well and so on. The latter came about because I came to know an Englishman, a middle-aged confirmed bachelor who worked at the British Consulate, but who had a love of art. We met once or twice a month for a meal and some good wine and he’d lend me some out-of-date English newspapers.
Seeing as to how Christos was dabbling in poetry at this time, I tried my hand without any decent results. Samantha wants me to paste in here one of the ‘poems’. I prefer to think of it as a series of images that speak of the pain I felt at the time: (Sorry Arthur, it is quite long)
When Christos left Greece, I jumped to Cape Town, giving me over a month to make my way and cement a few contacts by spending freely in the hope it results in my being invited to visit once Anne is around. Now I was an Englishman named ‘Robert Powell’ with enough wealth not to work and be a dandy. I was not suited to the role and I guess it showed, for though my money ensured me the invitations I wanted, they made it obvious they looked down on me as a first generation wealthy.
I enjoyed watching Christos work and make friends. I sort of thought he is quite a likeable fellow, even if I say so myself. He certainly seems willing to work much harder than I’ve ever thought reasonable.
I was on the street when he (and I) first saw Anne. It was a shock to my system, my spirit soaring and my hearts racing as I imagined her to be a Cherine. Of course she was not, she still had two lives to live before becoming the personality I love, but still, I could not help thinking of her as Cherine. Just seeing her, sensing her, it filled me with happiness and a terrible longing for all my loves.
