Robbie cupped her face and stared into her eyes. They filled with tears. “I’m sorry, I don’t know why I need to go home.”
“We’re going home love, that deserves a smile, not tears.” Freddie ignored her request.
Robbie ignored it all and taking Cherine in his arms he called to us, “Let’s go home. See you there Alki.”
We were all puzzled when being home did not rid Cherine of her feelings. Something else was calling to her we decided. Being in our reality actually seemed to worsen her condition. Unfortunately Solomon and Socrati chose this moment to arrive. Robbie did not rush to embrace them. Giving me a look of apology he spoke.
“Solomon, Socrati, welcome, nice to see you. I regret I cannot deal with any problems you bring. We are here to stay until we are free to leave. If you need to talk to anyone, talk to our leader, I’ve handed over to Samantha.”
I asked them to go to the taverna with me. Once there I explained what is happening. “I appreciate we are causing you problems, but it cannot be helped, Cherine comes first.”
“We’ll deal with the problems Sam. Is Robert of RT no longer leader?”
“Not while we are here. I don’t know if it would help or make matters worse, but you can answer any who criticise you, that Samantha is leader and she has decided the family may stay here. There is another aspect you should consider. This reality, this Earth, it does not belong to the Cherinians, it belongs to the legitimate governments of this world. They have not banned us from staying here.”
“What about Michael and the Ipohin?”
“Did he not declare this reality our haven? Let us solve the problem of Cherine and then I promise to meet again with you if it is necessary. I can’t concentrate on anything while I’m worried about her.”
The next day the Cherinian council called for me to attend their meeting. Their invitation was couched in polite terms so I went. A Cherinian man I did not know addressed me after the greetings. “We understand that your arrival here is somehow connected to a problem Cherine is facing.”
“I don’t know for certain that that is the case. It could be a problem she is facing or it could be a problem we are facing.”
“Please explain that.”
“When something is troubling Cherine, it hardly ever is a problem of her own, more often something that will or could affect those she loves.”
“Samantha Teller, we are all acquainted with the manner in which your husband appoints you as leader in his place. Is your appointment this time permanent?”
“I doubt it.”
“In that case you are not our leader, but acting leader?”
“No, that is not how it works. Every time I take over as leader I am the leader and Robert is subject to my decisions, same as everybody else.”
I did not see any Wirms represented, but decided it would not be wise to raise the issue. I strained to sense what most of them were feeling and I found the majority were uncomfortable with the decision and the manner in which it was being presented. I wondered what pressures had been applied. “Neither I as leader, nor the previous leader ever empowered this council to make such demands.”
“To put it bluntly Ms. Teller, we view your assumption of the position of leader of all Cherinians as being a charade enacted for the sole purpose of side stepping our demands. As for the authority of this Council, that is not the sole prerogative of any person acting as leader at any specific time. We have taken upon us the authority required for us to perform the functions this council was formed to perform.”
I stared back at them without replying while my mind raced. I felt this was not the time to take extreme action as it might split the Cherinians. To tacitly accept their decisions and changes of the specific functions they were meant to perform would be just as catastrophic. I decided I had no choice. Before I could speak Ordinx stood up.
“If I may Samantha? As representative of the Anadir I herewith announce our withdrawal from this council. It no longer is acting under the mandate given to us at inception. Only the leader we chose to serve has the right to alter our mandate. Samantha, the Anadir accept you as our leader.” He jumped.
One after the other all aliens stood up and confirmed they were taking the same action for the same reasons. Solomon looked around the room and started getting to his feet. I saw Socrati trying to beat him to it. We could not afford to allow this so I put up my hand.
“Any others wishing to follow those who left, stay seated please, I have an official announcement to make.
I, Samantha Teller, leader of all Cherinians, herewith dissolve this council. A new council will henceforth take over all authorised duties. I appoint Solomon of the Sparklers as chairman. Solomon, you will please submit to me by tomorrow morning your suggestions as to the balance of council members. This meeting is adjourned.”
“This Council is NOT dissolved! We do not recognise your authority to do so.”
Solomon stood up. “Mr Taylor, as chairman of the council I declare it dissolved, as ordered by our leader.”
He stared at him angrily and turned to me with a bitter look. “I am ashamed to call myself a Cherinian. You have ignored the Council that was properly constituted with the excuse that what Cherine wants is all that matters.”
I exploded. “I herewith order that no human being may name themselves Cherinians if they do not accept that the wellbeing and wishes of Cherine are prime. Not only is she the mother of all Cherinians, our future lies in her and none that do not care for her have the right to name themselves after her.”
“Samantha…”
“Not now Solomon. Say what you have to say tomorrow when you bring me the list of Cherinians you wish to serve with you. Good day.” I did not jump. I walked through them and out onto the street before jumping.
Within minutes of my arriving at our Athens home, Cherinians were jumping to Freddie. My family and our close friends who’d sensed something was wrong had immediately jumped to our home and I shared with them. Cherine was white as a sheet. “Samantha, I would not want what you demand.”
Suddenly all concern or disapproval of what they’d shared disappeared. Cherine sensed the change and kept quiet. Robbie rubbed his hand over his face. “We better go to Freddie.”
We waited until the stream of Cherinians arriving had slowed down to a tiny trickle. I asked Robbie to create a platform so that all can see me.
“Cherinians, it is obvious you have heard of what happened at the council meeting today. Before we discuss it, please share from my mind.”
“No.” Meli jumped to me. “No mind can survive so many. We’ll do a short telling of what happened today.”
When it was over I returned to the platform. “Too many of you are sending me love for me to gauge the number who disapprove. Can you try to block yourselves please?” There was growing amusement when no disapproving emotings were sensed by anyone. I saw Samuel and raised an eyebrow. He gave me a wicked grin and stuck his thumb up.
“This is terrible. Now the imps will accuse me, claiming none of you dared show disapproval because you did not want to have to listen to me argue with you.” As they laughed they let go their blocks.
Nobody cheered or anything like that - if that was what you were hoping for. For those who cannot read English, Freddie had screens with translated copies. I hope his translations are not anything like those old programs that translated the words and messed up the meaning. From the awe being emoted by all as their attention shifted to Cherine, I’d say he did a good job.
I sent to Robbie an idea I had for his approval, but he only smiled.
“I would like volunteers to do a census of Cherinians within this solar system and accompanying void in this reality. The volunteers should question each Cherinian to find out how many accept what Arthur wrote. Those who do not, please note them as being Ipohin, not Cherinians.”
“I am touched mother that you would wish to swell my ranks however, we do not accept them.” As he talked Michael stepped closer to Cherine and bowed. “On behalf of the Ipohin, as decided by our council who are present, we confirm that we accept the words Samantha spoke at the meeting and the writing of our great Father, Arthur.” He straightened and kissed Cherine lightly on the lips. He looked up at me. “We disagree on minor issues of what a Cherinian is, but we too dream of all humans growing. Anyone who does not believe in Cherine and what she offers is not an Ipohin, find another name for them.”
Some species took a bit longer as they consulted, but they all gave their allegiance to Cherine, even the Wirms. Solomon alone stood without speaking for a while. He looked grave, but Sol let us sense that he was amused.
“To be certain of us Samantha, would you send volunteers to the Sparklers?” He glanced at Leonidas, “Brother, may they do the same for your people?”
Leonidas did not hide his smile. “With pleasure.”
I did not smile and spoke severely. “Will both of you ask each of your nations to form five hundred lines. As they confirm to our volunteers their beliefs, they may leave or remain with us, but must stay apart from those still in line. Please make certain all Sparklers and Spartans understand that while they are in line, they must not move about. Thank you.”
There was laughter and some clapping at the look on their faces. Suddenly I was surrounded by Sparklers and Spartans. They wheeled about me and then with me as the center they formed in lines, radiating out to the inner shields of Freddie in a half globe.
All was done out of humour, but it was also awesome. Leonidas called out, “Samantha, the lines continue outside Freddie, reaching past the outer edges of your solar system in all directions. You specified only those within your solar system may be counted. Will you make an exception for us?”
I was trying to think of a clever repartee when Cherine jumped to stand by me, her arrival temporarily spoiling the effect as Sparklers flew out of her way. She did not speak, but raised her arms. A glow spread out from her and as it grew so did the Sparklers and Spartans react by dizzying dances as it touched them.
“To the end of space and to the end of time, you are all loved.”
As everyone knows, I do tend to react in irreverent or inappropriate ways when I’m overcome by awe and emotions. As she brought her hands to her side and the glow died, I sent her a thought, *I had not realised what a ham you are.* She burst out laughing.
During all this, the Terrans present had gone through expressions of awe and then laughed as everyone did, but there was also some embarrassment. They knew that of all the species, ours alone have to be counted, with many turning away from our Cherine. At least, of the millions of them presently in Freddie, we did not sense that even one had repudiated her.
Christós and Jesus stepped forward. “Our people are not of this reality but the two of us are Cherinians.” We could all feel that of all in Freddie, only one was not but we did not count him, for though he was awed by what he was seeing, he did not truly understand what was going on. I’m talking of Isaac, the man brought to us from the magic reality and who still remains an enigma to us.
I re-appointed only the original members of the council, adding to them that one representative for each species be allowed. Without asking Robbie or me they are allowed to add a representative for each new species that link as Cherinians. That brought up a different argument.
“Then you should allow every reality of Terran Cherinians to send a representative. Why don’t we appoint the Robert of each one?”
“Some good decisions have been made since then Samantha.” Socrati protested.
“Then re-introduce them and as long as they fall within your mandate, vote and implement them. I would suggest that before any decisions are voted on, they be made available for all and any Cherinian to comment on. If even one objects, then the matter must be re-examined. If their reason for objecting has any validity, you must reconsider.”
Even though the definition of the Ipohin has changed for the better, Michael still stays away, rarely visiting us. He must remain their leader so we understand - even though we miss him all the time.
Cherine seemed to recover, but it was mostly due to the emotional events we lived through. Then her disquiet and unease returned and seemed to grow.
“I don’t understand. You all claim that as the protector my instincts warn me if something bad for Cherinians is about to happen. I feel nothing. What is affecting Cherine?”
“Whatever it is, I think it will come to a head soon.” Allan’s eyes narrowed in thought. “If an attack is planned, but the victims are not Cherinians, would you sense it?”
“Not even if they are Cherinians, only those close to me.”
From that moment Vincent, Robert of RT, his family and some of us patrolled the planet, dividing the continents between us. In most senses it was a futile exercise; if someone is attacked, we might react faster, but we could not prevent the attack.
Perhaps they knew of our patrols for they chose to act in broad daylight. Cherine screamed even as Hugh and Chara cried out in distress. We arrived to find them on the ground, curled up in agony, and Anne was gone.
Even as we sent our healers to help we realised with shock that Cherine had not come with us. Robbie instantly jumped back. Cherine was gone. He left his body so suddenly that as it fell over his nose smashed against the side of a table. As the green void he scoured the planet for Cherine but he did not find her. We could not understand how it was possible since we could still sense our link to her. None of us had waited, using whatever gifts we have to sense the link and follow it to her. Sparklers and Spartans rushed to Earth in the billions and the Wirms wished themselves to her. None of us were successful.
We probably would not have stopped searching without any order or plan, but Robbie sensed a sphere of energy approaching Freddie. We all jumped there.
“Robert, I am relaying to the screens a message broadcasted by the person in the sphere.”
“Cherinians, I represent the Advanced Humans. We hold your Cherine and granddaughter Anne. Surrender according to our terms and their souls will be spared.”
“Kill them.” His cold answer shocked us and not only those of the family burst into tears. “I swear not one of you will live for long.”
“Before you make your decision, it would be prudent to listen to our terms and exactly what we threaten to do. Prime Robert Teller, you will reabsorb Vincent. You will keep your mind open to all so that we can sense when you have fully merged. When that is done we will direct you to a place on Earth. There you will allow a team of our people to enter your mind and imprison you.
Dommi called out in anguish, since we knew they’d analysed our Cherine correctly, “You know that Cherine is The Light! How can you…”
“She is prevented from becoming The Light, so we do not fear her.”
That was not what Dommi had intended saying. I called out, “There is no way you can prevent her, you are lying.”
His voice was amused. “I recognise your voice, you are Samantha. For someone who is admired for her clear logic, you are being extremely illogical. If we cannot, why is she still our prisoner?”
I’d only spoken to delay him. Within that precious minute I had Vincent follow me to our base on the moon. *Robert will do as they ask, we don’t have time.*
You want me to appear to split myself?
*Later! First of all, stop trying to sense Cherine. Concentrate on your sliver within her. They can’t have blocked that.*
With a cry in my mind he disappeared, so I returned to my body. I motioned to Robbie to stop him from speaking. “Only others say I’m logical, I pride myself on whatever small craziness there is in me. I’m coming out to you, we cannot sense you from here. I need your reassurance that if Robert surrenders and obeys you, Cherine and Anne will be released. How can we know you will not feed them to the soul destroyer anyway?”
“We never offered to free them, so there is no point in you leaving Freddie. We are not as stupid as you seem to think we are Samantha. We know that imprisoning Robert would not buy us the security we need from your attacks and you will have the backing of all Cherinians and the Ipohin - for all we know that upstart Campbell might join you. No, we will keep her, but she will not be destroyed.”
“You lie! There is no way you can keep her for long without destroying her sanity.”
“Sane or insane, she remains our prisoner. Since you need a small consolation for all you’ll lose, we offer to free Anne, once we have purged her of her recent memories. Stop stalling Robert, surrender now or I leave…”
We screamed with joy as we saw Vincent enclose his sphere in stasis. With our hearts in our mouths we saw he had another stasis field with him. He jumped into Freddie.
“They are safe Robert.”
He collapsed onto a chair. “They are in the first stasis field?”
“That is my problem. I did not dare attack as it might have given them time to harm either of them so I placed them all within stasis. We now need to work out how we release the two of them without the rest of them being free to attack.” Everyone groaned. We’ve been through this before and they also realised it would be impossible if any of them are touching either Cherine or Anne. We also have a new problem, one that did not exist previously. A problem I created.
The first time, when we had to rescue the three girls, this is what I told him:
I am speaking of the time Robbie was to take Michael to face the Gnolats. That time I was trying to use my mind to foresee future dangers. I established that taking one stasis field out of another would result in a cataclysmic explosion.
Robbie went to examine the stasis field the girls were in to ensure the least possible time was passing within it. When he was satisfied that for one second of their time to pass, months of ours would go by, he relaxed and asked Vincent how he’d found them. As he told Robbie I quickly jumped to my apartment and going under the waterfall pretended I was meditating. He was not fooled and an arm reached through the curtain of water and pulled me out, drenching me. He ignored my sopping clothes and hugged me to him.
Alki insisted we take a break to eat. Afterwards, while they nibbled at the problem of getting our loves back, I came here and brought the diary up to date. It left me feeling thoughtful for a long time.
“Arthur is changing or he’s maturing or something.” Even if the others don’t hear me, Robbie does.
“What’s worrying you?”
“How many times has he told us that nothing can prevent you from saving Cherine. Robert, think back over the last few years and see if that is still true.”
He surprised me when he nodded and said, “Yes, it is.”
“You couldn’t even find her this time!”
“But I did.” He grinned. “You are right, but so am I. In the beginning it had to be directly. Slowly that changed so that it became a team effort. Since I’m included, directly or indirectly through Vincent, I’m happy to have it this way. It doesn’t prove Arthur has changed in any major way that we should worry about.”
“There have been other changes. At first you could do impossible things, like taking one stasis field out of another and then you couldn’t. Here is the part that shows he is to blame. That you cannot, follows natural laws; that you could was breaking them, but no price was paid. That is unnatural.”
Allan’s voice cut across the girls, “The Great Arthur wills it.”
Robbie got in before I could. “And how does he will it this time? How do I get my loves out oh divine oracle of Arthur?” You could have knocked me down with a Wirm when I sensed he was partly serious - hoping he’d have some kind of answer.
“I’m sorry, I was being stupid, it just makes me mad when any of you ascribe to Arthur successes you should be proud of achieving.”
“In a sense you are wrong Allan. When we break natural laws it is because Arthur has not thought them out properly, leaving them flexible until something happens to set them as rigidly as all the other laws matter has to obey.”
Cassie piped up, “Samantha the setter of natural laws.”
I nodded. “You are right.” She pulled a face, she hates it when I take what she says and make it seem reasonable. “I bet you are glad I am.”
“Let’s use an example. What if you are wrong and I had not tested the law and Michael or Robert had tried to jump out of their stasis sheaths?”
Jade came to her defence. “Maybe all the explosion would have done is return them to us - where they belonged.”
“That sounds great! Shall we test it?”
Dommi reproved me, “Your tongue grows sharper day by day.”
“If I could turn it into a razor blade that could cut that damn stasis field to get them out, I’d be happy.”
Gina shook her head negatively. “No, they’d prefer to stay in there where it’s safer.” My own daughter! I loved the way she preened when everyone laughed. Still, life is cruel; just when I thought I was winning this round!
Well after midnight Dommi demanded we go to bed. I lay there feeling how everyone missed Cherine and wished I could find some simple answer to get her and Anne out. I dozed off, crazy ideas floating through my mind. Suddenly I thought of something and I froze. I woke up totally and fear filled me. What if I was wrong? Everyone was instantly awake, Robbie searching for what had frightened me.
“What is it?”
“Maybe…maybe there is a way to get them out.”
He waited a minute. “You don’t expect us to go back to sleep after saying that do you?” A few girls giggled nervously.
“First of all, you must not try to enter as the void. You are made of energy and it could prove to be dangerous, even if you’ve done it before. As Cassie says, the law had not been set at that time. Anyway, you don’t need to, you don’t even need to become the void.”
“She’s going to take the long way around, shall I make you a coffee in the meantime?” I gave Claudia a weak grin.
“I have to love. Robbie, you can will a new stasis field inside the one Vincent created. Enclose the others, not Cherine and Anne. Make that one run in reverse so that years pass within minutes. When they are babies, dissolve it and Vincent can get rid of his without anyone being in danger. If any of them are touching either Cherine or Anne, they lose a piece of themselves but our healers can grow it back.”
My loves screamed with so much excitement that all our friends jumped to our livingroom. We had to calm down and get dressed to go out to them. Aganthi was quick and rushed off to make Robbie a coffee. She refused to answer any questions, only her face struggling to avoid being split in two by her wide grin.
Solomon had been visiting Leonidas, the two of them trying to find a way to get Cherine back, so they joined us as everyone in Freddie came to see. Robbie created a platform for the stasis to float just an inch off it and Freddie showed everything in close up on the screens.
Everyone went silent as Robbie willed the inner stasis into existence and with fascination we all watched them grow younger and younger until they were all babies. He got rid of his stasis and Vincent concentrated, speeding his up until they were less than a second slower and then he dissolved his stasis shield. They barely sank as they rested on the platform. Anne cried out as she saw us. We waited for Hugh and Chara to grab her while we anxiously stared at Cherine. She did not wake up.
“Is she in a coma?”
“No. I would have found her if she was.”
We had expended a lot of energy so when Maria brought out fruit with cheese we nibbled. She soon brought us various mezedes with flat bread and we finished it all. Robbie was pleased. I looked up at our sky, the Spartans were still glimmering and lights from the spaceships were creating strange effects. Although it was about four in the morning, Freddie did not change night into day, sensing it was better for us.
“This time we are entering in an organised fashion.” He looked around. “I’m going of course and the following will be with. The rest will have to watch her from outside and keep our bodies healthy for us if we are there for a long time. Christós, will you join us? Excuse me for asking but, if we need to assume bodies, would you be as you are but with a long beard and a wand or something so that you are obviously a wizard. Dommi, Samantha, I want both of you.”
“I’m not the best at this sort of thing, take one of the girls who are.”
“Samantha, we don’t know what we’ll find in there. If she is in a make believe world, we might need what you are good at. Come as a nine year old, being younger won’t affect you in there. Dommi, sorry love, as a mother?” She nodded. “I want a warrior with. Haven, normally if I were not to take you I’d choose Aganthi or Jade. This time I want to try something different. I want to take her Warrior of Love. Akiar, would you come with? Change your appearance so that you cannot be recognised as an Akiard but keep your fierceness, size and strengths.”
Christós asked, “Robert, would you mind me bringing Isaac with?”
“You’re not going to tell us why he is here?”
His eyes twinkled with amusement. “I can’t, you have to work it out yourselves.”
“Won’t he panic? Has he ever left his body?”
“Isaac panic? He has never known fear. He’ll be with me, I’ll help him.”
Robbie dismissed the problem of Isaac for now. “Fine. That makes six of us.”
“Dad, I think Noelle or Irene should come with.”
“No, sorry loves, but I don’t think there should be more of us.”
Before starting he made us go to the void and share with Adam. He told us to dance and kiss exchange with all those we love, but demanded we do not split off any new slivers. We guessed he wanted us filled with as much psychic energy as possible and complied happily.
We waited silently, doing our best to block our own emoting so as not to cause any interference in the vague echoes Robbie would be trying to sense. Therefore it was a shock when another personality suddenly entered. Don’t you know that six is not a good number? For magic, seven is the best.
Samuel, what makes you think magic is involved?
That was the impression Robert gave, isn’t that why Christós came with? I want to help.
Robbie let him stay and concentrated on sensing Cherine. It felt like hours, but we’ll never know how long it was when Robbie suddenly flared. *I sense other minds in here!*
We sensed the sudden anger flare in Dommi. *Then we must search them out first.*
*It, not them. There are many, but I only sense one of dangerous power.*
He asked Dommi to wait where we were in case we have to send Cherine out alone. The rest of us linked to Robbie. The deeper we travelled the more amazed we were at the signs of great mental activity and we wondered how it could be possible when none of it could be sensed from outside. Robbie plunged through what looked like an energy storm so we followed him. Stunned at the sight before us we stopped without taking form.
The man sitting at a desk placed on a lawn looked up, waited a moment and then a flash of irritation showed on his face. “Are you going to gawk all day or create your bodies? You can’t enter as you are.” Behind him was a wall that rose into the sky, disappearing into the distance without seeming to end. His desk was placed before a large metal gate and behind the gate were soldiers. His fingers tapped on his desk impatiently.
Christós took the physical appearance agreed and slightly bowed. “Our apologies, we were taken aback by how well you seem to be organised.” We promptly followed his example.
“You know the rules?” He handed us a leaflet. “Read it carefully before signing and entering.” We collected the leaflets - I’ve made a copy for the diary.
We saw that just behind where we’d materialised was a pond, a tree and three benches. We went to the benches to read and discuss our thoughts in some privacy. Not that anyone seemed interested in watching or listening to us. With amazement we read the pamphlet and tried to puzzle out the meaning. Why give weapons or gifts to those who enter and why no restrictions on who is allowed to enter? Hadn’t they taken into consideration we might manage to come here? Was that why players have to declare whether they are entering to save the princess or not? Why would any Talent turn her imprisonment into a game?
