If their decision is negative we’ll have to annul the marriage. At least those who have a positive decision will stay married knowing it was the right thing to do.”
“Well, at that time? My mother, Alki, Dommi, Em-e. I think we’ll have to block my mothers memories so that she is my mother of that time.”
“You little scallywag, you want to make me go through hell and have our marriage annulled.”
“It would be interesting.” Empathia said, making all of us laugh. “That Marian, if she is told of all the years and what they have been like, would she agree?”
Robbie shook his head. “She’d have a fit. She hated me.”
“Em-e?” I asked.
“As I was then? I think I would be too afraid to decide.” She gave a grin. “I’d be terrified of Marian so I’d decide whatever she does.”
Cherine grinned at Alki. “And you pappou?”
“If I recall, I was against you marrying him.”
“Oh dear, that only leaves Dommi to save you.” We all looked at her.
“As I was before or after Ydra?”
“At the time he proposed.”
“I’d agree.”
“Not looking good Robert. Is it worth doing it or should we just annul our marriage?”
“I don’t think we can or should annul it with so many children. We’d have to divorce.”
“How do we do that, by saying it three times as you did before?”
“As good a way as any.” He grinned. “I think that if we are to do that, to be fair we should first call an Erbil. Let them decide whether we should divorce.”
“Simito, is that a custom among your people?”
“No. She or even the male may ask family and friends, but they can only advise.”
“I think we should call an Erbil.” Robbie insisted.
Cherine shook her head. “No, we stick to what is custom.”
Simito and others were starting to look worried at Cherine’s insistence. We played along and pretended to also be worried.
Allan asked, “Robert, do you accept the three against and only one for or would you require an Erbil to be called?”
“On the conditions Cherine has given, I’d accept.”
“Fine.” She stood in front of him. “In front of witnesses I say: I divorce you Robert Teller. I divorce you Robert Teller. I…” She stared at him and then burst into peals of nervous laughter.
He grabbed her. “Say it, finish what you started.”
“Finish it!”
Suddenly afraid she stared at his face that had turned hard. “You really want me to?”
“Yes.”
She looked at us, looked back at him. “No.”
“If you don’t I will. Finish it Cherine. Just once more.”
“I…div…I can’t Robert!”
He shook her. “Do it now!”
“I div…orce you Robert Teller.” She burst into tears.
“We are no longer man and wife.” He stood up and then knelt before her. “Cherine, will you marry me? I’ve been dying to marry you again for a long time.” His intentions had been good, but we’d all shared how he’d made her feel and were not as happy for him as he’d expected. As I felt the trembling of her soul again and again I grew angry.
“Cherine, call an Erbil.”
She felt me. “No.”
“You have to, you declared it custom.”
Michael put his arm around my shoulder. “Drop it Samantha, you’ll only cause pain.”
Defiantly I stared back at him. “Cherine must suffer but not Robert? That is fair?” I felt the damn tears spill over. “He didn’t have to do it that way, many married couples marry again because they still love each other. That would have only made her happy.”
He pulled me to him, half smothering me. I heard his voice above me. “When is the wedding? Will you hold it before Ahnì and I leave?”
“In three days time, if Samantha is not going to insist on an Erbil.”
“She won’t, go ahead.”
I only realised Robbie was kneeling before me when he pulled me away from Michael. “Will you give her away?”
“She has a mother and father.”
“You are her daughter, her sister and her mother. We want you.” I glanced at Cherine and nodded.
I was angry with Robbie for a long time. We are so careful not to allow anything or anyone to hurt her and then her protector fills her heart with pain. A long while later, Cherine sat next to me and rested her head on my shoulder. “Please stop being so angry Sam. Some pains are beautiful if they highlight the happiness that was intended.”
“You’re nuts.” I leant my head over so that it rested on hers. “I guess I’m even nuttier for loving you so much.”
After a while she said, “You know, he stole the idea from me. I chickened out, so he did it for me.”
Zwithinia’s Erbil grilled Simito. They had heard of the reason he’d left to be with Michael and they did not like the idea of her being part of it. They asked for Michael and they grilled him also. They decided they did not approve the acts Simito could be forced by circumstance to perform, but that the purpose was honourable. They warned her that she will need to be strong if she intends standing by her husbands’ side and approved the marriage. It was announced and four days later they were free to marry.
The wedding had to be performed outside the town as nearly everybody from Freddie and the other spaceships wanted to be present. Since they are not a religion orientated society, the ceremony was simple but dignified. They did not have an official perform the ceremony, the bride and groom themselves made their vows to each other before us and that was it. Simito decided to emulate our custom and kissed the bride - scandalising some of the Meéjeiran.
The party lasted from mid afternoon until late the next morning. A dance floor was also set for us with our kind of music and it had a large crowd watching the entire night. We pretended not to hear the comments softly flying between them.
That same afternoon the couple moved to Freddie.
Robbie asked, “Aren’t the two of you having a honeymoon?”
“Our lives will be a honeymoon. It is not a custom of ours.”
“So what? If you see a custom you like, you should adopt it.”
“Dad, stop trying to change everyone.” Michael admonished him. We made certain they had a week to themselves. Michael left us for a couple of hours and when he returned we felt the joy of his family and wondered.
Teasingly we complained that Robbie and Cherine have been living in sin all this time (although Robbie did practice his usual restraint, refusing to make love with penetration until they marry) because we were impatient for the wedding. Michael visited me while I was in my apartment studying.
“Can you help delay their wedding?”
“Why, are you planning a surprise for them?”
He put a finger to his lips, “It is not time yet. Will you?”
“I don’t see how. I’ll do what I can Michael.”
I tried to think of a way, but I was dry of ideas. Left with only one option, I spoke privately to Cherine, telling her of Michael’s request. She asked no questions since anything Michael wants she’ll do.
“It’s time we return to Haven-R.”
“Father, one last indulgence. May we first visit Orgg and Jeskine? I haven’t seen them for years.”
“Cherine, would it please you to marry me there?”
“Hey! You’re not the only one marrying her!” Claudia complained.
“I am, she did not divorce all of you, only me.”
“I think it’s fair.” Dommi backed Claudia and Laura.
Robbie was too happy to refuse us anything. “Okay, we all marry her. That means she’ll have fifty three honeymoons.” We all yelled our approval as Cherine watched us with a bemused but delighted expression.
When we arrived, we waited for the usual influx of Cherinians but no one came.
Michael called, “Let’s all go” and jumped with his family. We all followed.
The royal courtyard was filled with people! As the Prime Minister of England stepped over to us we realised they are from prime Earth.
“Robert Teller, were you planning on a wedding away from home?” He took Cherine’s hand and lightly kissed it. “Would you truly disappoint so many people who care for you? Take a look.”
He pointed at a screen. It showed crowds gathered in city squares carrying banners calling for us to return home. The scenes jumped from city to city.
“Our people demanded we come for you, to bring you home.”
Her voice trembled. “But how…why?”
The scenes changed and we saw Michael appear before dozens of microphones. He explained about the four children, not naming Campbell, but by inference it was clear who was to blame. He explained why he’d attacked his father, blaming the prophecy. “He felt that it had to be brought to completion so that no part of it remains unfulfilled, in the hope the worst will then be over. I say it is time he returns to those he loves, to his home world. What do you say?”
He waited for the cheering to soften. “Ipohin and Cherinians are not enemies. Just as various religions worship the same God, so is it that we believe in the same things, we just don’t agree on all aspects of what is required of us. Not even Cherine demands that we all think the same way, empathy demands we tolerate each others differences. With time, who knows, they may grow to meet us in some ways and we to meet them. If not, it does not matter, for our differences are not that important.” He grinned just like a naughty little boy confiding to a friend, his joy obvious to all. “My father, Robert, has divorced my mother Cherine. He did so because they love each other so deeply that they need the symbolism of being married to each other again. I do not know where they intend being married but, can any of you think of any place more fitting than here, among their own people, here, at their home world?”
Cherine could not bear the beauty of her emotions and Robbie picked her up to squeeze her to him as they listened to the roar of the crowds calling for them to return home.
Hardly daring to believe, he whispered to himself, “It is over.”
King Meesartus declared a holiday and ordered a feast to be prepared. Cherinian Roulans, even Neans, took those leaders willing to see their world on a tour while the feast was prepared. They were taken to see the inter-species village we’d created and they were impressed, a number of them asking that we do the same for them.
Robbie did the expected for a while, talking with those who wished to meet him. It became obvious that his mind was wandering so no one was insulted when he got up, took Cherine in his arms and walked off.
“Your son is a manipulator just like you.”
“Me? No, the qualities he inherited from me are those of honour, mainly his commitment to all you have brought us my love.”
“It’ll feel good to have Solomon visiting us again, I’ve missed him.”
He climbed the steps of the wall and the sentries silently withdrew. He stared down at the river. “We’ve seen some weird worlds. Even those hostile to us have a majestic beauty to them. I hope future Cherinians remember to treasure our universe.”
Cherine stayed silent, knowing he needed this time to lose himself in his thoughts and dreams.
“Where do we hold the ceremony? We can’t choose any one country.”
Hettie, Eddie, Bruce and the ex Chinese president Chung had been discussing the subject for hours.
“There are only two possible choices. The preference for Greece has become accepted by all so I do not think any country will feel slighted. The other choice is the moon, that belongs to all of mankind.”
Hettie disagreed. “There will be secret resentment if Greece is the venue. As for the moon, it is too abstract for the masses, they want to feel the wedding took place on our world.”
“No country has the infrastructure to host such an event! There will be millions of guests.”
Eddie pointed out, “We must choose a place where strict security can be enforced by Robert. There are a number of undeclared talents plus those who have been linked who are neither Cherinians nor Ipohin and they could use the occasion to attack the family.”
“Not to mention all the statesmen and other dignitaries who’ll be present.”
“I suggest we ask Samantha to join us.” As soon as they agreed, Hettie called for me and had me share their conversation.
“We haven’t discussed it, I think the two of them were hoping to use the same ruined church they’d originally got married in.”
“Mt. Pendeli?” Bruce used his computer to zoom in on the area. “Sam, that area has been built up, the church is ringed by apartment buildings.”
“It sounds like we only have the North Pole left.” I joked. I turned serious. “Why not? Robert could create a huge platform just for the wedding. It does not belong to any country so would represent all of mankind. Would it affect the world weather patterns if the platform is there for only a few days?”
The Inguel were asked and they reported it would not. They warned us that anything longer than five to seven days would start to disturb weather patterns. We all agreed and they left it to me to ask Robbie. Back in Freddie again, with about five thousand Roulans and Neans we prepared for returning home. I insisted (at the request of Hettie) we hold a meeting with all government leaders first.
I asked them straight out, “Before we arrive, I think we should know what you consider would be necessary for us to program for.”
“If the family would do a world tour, visiting the capital city of each nation, it would be a gesture all would appreciate.”
“What was the date when you left Earth to come to this reality?”
“October the fourth.”
“It might be wiser to allow three days for the court case. If you visit three cities a day it would take about fifty days in total, that is if you do not need to take a break.”
“November fourteenth is an important day for us and it would mean a lot to us if we can spend it alone as family. Would two hours at each city be long enough? If yes, we could do four a day.”
It was agreed that the names of the countries will be placed in a box, the box shaken thoroughly and the order of our visit will follow the order in which the names are drawn. Each leader must take his turn at drawing one slip out.
“What about speeches? You surely can’t expect Robert to give more than one hundred and fifty speeches?”
It was agreed he would only thank the people and the local government would make a short speech.
I’ve learnt to be wary. “Has any country an order for the arrest of Robert or any of us?”
They agreed it was not the case and the Spanish leader grinned. “Don’t worry, even if there were and they tried to ignore the United Nations immunity given to him, their own people would lynch them if they tried.”
Buffet tables for all the species were spread out, the girls chose music for Freddie to play and we had a lovely relaxed evening. We only managed two hours of sleep and our arrival was announced.
These days have been hectic. We toured the world and sometimes, because of the way the names were drawn, we would visit one country, jump to the other side of the world for the next one and then jump back to a country next door to the previous one. We also wanted new dresses for the wedding plus we wanted to visit close friends. There was no time for personal experiences worth recording. It was just a tiring period that will stick out in our memories because of the love we felt everywhere.
Two days before the wedding, Robbie formed the platform. There has never been anything this size! It is about the size of London! He carried soil for part of the floor area, warmed up the interior, planted flowers and bushes, created thousands of benches, tables and dance floors. Freddie took over the running and maintenance plus the hundreds of screens needed for everyone to see the ceremony. Links to local media via satellite were also installed. I won’t even try to count the number of toilets and wash basins! We did not cater for the handicapped for there are none anymore. It would really be a surprise if anyone turned up in a wheelchair.
Caterers from all over the world delivered the food and drinks on the morning of the wedding - today! I’m all dressed up and ready to go, just waiting for confirmation that all our guests have arrived. I’ll write about everything else afterwards as I’m too tense to think straight now. Gosh, I cannot believe how excited we all are at being married to Cherine again!
You said you want it reported in order. There were millions of people there, including Solomon with about twenty Thinkers, Adam, a few of the dolphins from the emerald isle, species released from the Sparklers, but not given permanent bodies yet and so on.
I arrived with my family at the same time Alki and our other friends plus the RT family did. Not long afterwards my mothers arrived, all as adults, even Candy. There was total silence as everyone waited for Robert and Cherine.
A golden ball formed at the top of the platform and as it sank the glow died and we saw my father with my mother at his side. They landed next to the rest of my mothers.
There would be no greetings, speeches and so on, not until afterwards. They stepped forward to the altar where Alki awaited them with Samantha at their side. They took their positions, Robert frowned, smiled and leaving Cherine with Samantha he stepped over to Alki to whisper something he wanted Alki to say during the ceremony. As he walked back a mist formed around him. He stopped, thinking it is one of those mist machines used to cool down an area. It made no sense to him so he searched for the nozzle. He saw it and walked over to Cherine.
Alki asked who was giving away the bride and Samantha spoke. I noticed my father was fidgeting and wondered. As Alki started to speak Robert shuddered. Suddenly he screamed at Alki, “What do you think you are doing you bastard, stop it!!”
His face contorted with a fury and terror we sensed came from deep inside him and it was as if a sun went nova within him. A burning light surrounded him and suddenly it exploded. The first energy blast hit my mother, knocking her down as she was burnt and a column fell over her. The blast reached out burning hundreds of us. Both Teller families, Adam, Christós and Jesus and other close friends, Alki, government leaders and more were severely burnt. His fierce fires reached out to Cherine again but luckily most of it was spent on the pillar covering her.
He screamed at everyone, “I hate you, leave me alone you bastards” and then he rose into the air screaming. Cherine tried to raise herself to go to him and he screamed, ‘no Cherine, noooo…’ and he smashed his way through the platform shield above us and disappeared.
Those of us with healers had to heal ourselves first before we could help others. Cherine, Samantha and Alki being the closest were burnt worse than anyone else. Cherinians not harmed immediately concentrated on the Normals. It was almost half an hour later before we were in a condition to worry about father and try to find him. Billions of Sparklers and Spartans searched, but he is not on Earth or anywhere close by.
Arthur, Cherine does not sense any link remaining to my father, that is why they are all falling apart - hell, we’re all falling apart. Can you help?
“Ladies and gentlemen, the whole world saw that those closest to Robert Teller were burnt more severely than those further away. Of all of them Cherine, Samantha and Alki Georgiades suffered the worst burns. Thanks to the prompt assistance of other Cherinians and Ipohin, not one life was lost and everybody is fully healed.
There is a lot of anger and some harsh comments have been made. I think that it is time we remember we are intelligent human beings and ask ourselves, how and why did this happen.
I might be biased, but of all the family, the one I trust the most and feel comfortable asking difficult questions of is Samantha Teller. I have invited her to this show. Please welcome Samantha.”
There was a stony silence, only three people half-heartedly clapping as I took a seat. “Thank you.”
“Can you explain what provoked Robert to do this?”
“I can. The Anadir developed a drug for psychotic patients. It is simultaneously an inhibitor and exciter. It suppresses or inhibits the emotions that are in control of the patient while exciting those he is not aware of. In other words, patients are often so caught up in emotions of anger, fear or hate that normal drugs turn them into zombies which makes it difficult for them to be treated effectively. What this drug does, administered as a mist under medical supervision and with physical restraints, is suppress the emotions presently at the surface of their minds and release those most deeply hidden from ourselves. It is there that the causes for their problems can be found.
In every person there is a dark side we suppress. When someone hurts you and you daydream of getting your revenge, imagining terrible things you will do to them, if you are a decent person those imaginings relieve you of any need to actually take revenge and you move on to other things. The hurt, the rage, they are hidden from you and no longer tempt you to act out your fantasies. The drug releases those feelings so that the physician is able to learn of all that damaged that mind.
In Robert’s case, he was filled with joy and love. The drug suppressed those feelings. David, I have a scene nobody has seen before in detail, could you show it to the viewers?”
A technician took it from me and it was played. It showed how we returned to bring back a species, our joy at seeing the teddies and then their attack. It ended with Robbie grimly forcing himself to outdistance them and then his collapse as he was reassured we were safe now.
“What you saw, that is a real life experience. We normally call them memories afterwards. What are memories. Do they not carry with them all the emotions we felt? Recall them and are they not accompanied by the emotions, fear, pain, terror, anger, hate? Those are what we normally suppress.
All of you know of his devotion to Cherine. If he could attack her twice, how can you believe he should be held responsible for all the others he hurt?”
“Not only Cherine I think. All his family and close friends were the worst affected. What do you suggest Samantha? Have you found Robert, is he alive and for how long will the drug affect him?”
You all heard him scream at Cherine not to follow him. That proves that even during such a crisis his protector instincts managed to surface. Anyone who cares for us or Robert, please pray we find him soon so that our love reaches into him to release him from his suffering. We will be leaving with Freddie to wait for him alone. We need to be alone, for we are hurting and there is too much anger and hate of us for us to stay here.”
David went over any points he thought some viewers might not understand, thanked me and reminded his audience that Robert has never willingly done anything to hurt anyone and is their benefactor.
It was agreed that Hettie, Eddie, Bruce and Chung would stay behind to use their influence to soothe the leaders who’d been injured. Michael vowed he will find the person who installed the canister. Empathia told him it is likely the person had been mentally compelled and would not recall anything. She found it extremely unlikely that anyone would be foolish enough to install it directly as they know our Cherinian memories would identify them. Michael promised to visit us often at Haven-R so we were all tenderly hugged and then we left.
Since Arthur deletes all our chats on his side but not ours, there is nothing else to write here, for all I’d want to share right now is how he tries to find the words to give us the courage to wait for our love. Every single shape here in Freddie only serves to remind us of the emptiness in our hearts and our fear that he may be suffering. On top of everything else he’s said to us, Arthur has had all of us chatting with him, personally needing his reassurances that he loves Robbie and we won’t lose him. He stopped talking to me for a day because I was nasty. He keeps on telling everyone that Robbie will have changed when he returns, but that his love for us will be as strong as ever. It made me suspicious.
[Arthur, when Robbie returns, if someone hurts a Wirm, will he kill him?] He was offended by my question because it implied he engineered the entire scenario and our suffering so as to achieve his wish. I don’t blame him, but I’m glad I asked. I did not really believe it, but if I had not asked, the question would have festered and made it real for me. In the end he agreed I did the right thing, so we are friends again.
Another two weeks have passed since I wrote. Three weeks since the aborted wedding. We tried everything to find him but now have stopped, as we know he is alive and that Vincent is with him. The Wirms found them, but informed us that Vincent instructed them not to reveal where they are, but to reassure us that he is looking after him. My non-wife Cherine perked up at the news so we don’t have to worry about her anymore. As before, the most vulnerable is our isi, so we make certain she is with us or else she is called to the Unation ship to study.
To be honest, I don’t understand why they haven’t returned. Vincent must know we are suffering so, even if they stay wherever they are for a hundred years, they should have returned within a day. Cherine tells me to stop thinking with my head and use my heart. I told her she is only allowed to confuse me when she is my wife. I left feeling worried when no one threw a pillow at me.
We are not allowed to spend even one day alone. Not even me! Alki, Allan, Eleni, Jessie, Manoli, Dimitri, Perikli, Savva, Freddie…the list is endless, them and their families make certain a few of them are with us at least for the largest part of the day and evening. Michael and his family visit at least once a week and his presence strengthens all of us.
Seven weeks and two days and today Vincent returned! He has refused to share directly with anyone.
“There is much to tell you and most of it will hurt and some of you may feel betrayed. Living it will be too strong and stop you from thinking correctly. I suggest, if Samantha allows, I write of it in the diary. Freddie can show the pages on his screens, translated for all species and nationalities. By living his experiences secondhand, it will be easier for you to regain your balance. Once I feel the time is right, I will return for Robert and you may all share from him directly. I am not doing this only for your sakes. His recovery has left him very fragile and your horror and condemnation of the changes in him could shatter him.”
We were still feeling hurt, so I asked, “Is that why you refused to react to your slivers that we sent you? You thought our arrival there would break him? Our love would not have healed him?”
“You decide afterwards. Samantha, he was not sane most of his time there, the drug damaged him badly, driving him to wrong conclusions. He needed to work his way back. That is also why I sent away the Wirms.”
I shrugged. “They’re not much use, if we ask them to find someone who’s hiding from us, they refuse.”
“As they would if the family were in exile and your enemies asked them to find you? You would have been his enemies if you had come too early.”
“I’m sorry.” I said to the Wirms. “Vincent, go write. We’ll leave you alone, only Freddie will monitor for posting each finished page on the screen. We won’t read as you write, it might inhibit you. Please give us as many details as you can.”
I’m putting my own heading before Vincent starts.
Samantha has a gift for seeing the truth. I did follow Robert for their sakes, but I also knew he would need me once he recalled the pain he caused his Cherine and loves. It was not easy following him for he was speeding from reality to reality, as if trying to escape from himself. He was long past the point where his body was starved for oxygen when he finally arrived at an alternate Earth new to us.
He’d been driven to their Athens by an unconscious need, but as I watched, I realised he was hardly aware of his surroundings, stumbling like a man who is drunk, in a daze. I foresaw what would be needed and decided to solve the ethics later and collected from a bank vault a sum large enough to take care of Robert for some time. I searched his school day memories, found a face he liked and vaguely copied it as I changed my appearance. I willed passports into existence for both of us, placing his in a pocket without him sensing it. He was dressed in a smart suit for the wedding, so I could hope we would have less problems than if he’d been dressed casual.
“I say old chap, you must be British. You look like you need a strong coffee. Allow me.” As I led him I told him my name was Trevor. I bought cigarettes and ordered coffees as he sat without resisting me. “Have you been long in Greece?”
