“We don’t know, you know what it is like seeing as a soul. All we could sense is that the pain was excruciating. Other adults who were close by did not seem to care. Their emoting was blocked.”
The trouble with applying our logic to aliens, and these are truly aliens to us, is that more often than not, their logic does not resemble ours. Well, the logic is the same or similar, but we do not have all the facts. The conclusions we leap to only rarely hold more than a glimmer of truth to them. But then, I could say the same is true of every single one of my loves - including that most alien of creatures among us, Robert.
Sometimes it helps when I jump to conclusions, if I’ve understood some basic fact of their alienness. Mostly it only blocks me, serves to blind me to the truth for longer than I should have allowed. I felt I had knitted together the facts I had into a plausible theory, so I returned to my family and friends.
I politely waited while they finished what they were discussing. When Robbie gave me a quizzical half smile, I saw they all stopped talking and looked at me.
“I’ve come to some obvious conclusions, but please keep in mind that I may be wrong. I think the mixture of Neanderthal, Cro-Magnon and modern man, the last being only conjecture, led to the existing species developing in a different direction from us. They are all natural Talents, with a capital ‘T’.
If we assume the craters were created by psychic warfare, I’d say that they came to the decision that their talents are not favourable powers, perhaps saw them as leading to their destruction and even extinction. They probably came to view them as evil. Instead of disciplining their gifts, they are trying to rid themselves through attitude and pain therapy of anything that is supernatural. This has led them to a dead end. They cannot advance technologically, because much of science smacks of magic to them.”
“What leads you to that conclusion?”
“I asked Freddie to check their radio broadcasts. He thinks they are not using vacuum tubes and have developed elementary transistors and chips. Why then haven’t they branched out into television? I think a moving picture on a screen too closely resembles their psychic bubbles. If they used only logic they would be capable of and should have developed television but, if they react to it emotionally, they can’t. They don’t even have cinemas!”
“What would be the effect of them meeting us?”
“I’ll ask you a question before replying. The adults creating bubbles, were they concentrated in small areas, such as prisons or mental institutions?”
Tina exclaimed, “They’ll think we’re crazy!”
“We can get around that problem. We could even gain an advantage from it.” That caught their attention. I grinned. “I suggest we only allow Robbie to go. Having an entire planet confirm he’s crazy will be a major ego boost for him.” As can be logically extrapolated, knowing how easily my loves can be distracted, the serious conversation temporarily deteriorated to puerile slapstick comedy as they threw french fries at me - some of them had been dipped in ketchup! Yuck. Oh well, at least it makes Robbie happy listening to them laughing and screaming like little girls. (R: Arthur is right, your humour has developed sharp claws.) (Ashia: Not really, she just writes it funnier than she was.)
“If Freddie appeared as a second moon, what would their likely reaction be?”
Serrive (Sprite), son of Ordinx and Ashiir replied, “I think they will assume Freddie is created by their insane. It could lead to them hurting them to make us disappear.”
“Actually, according to their laws they are committing a crime Robert. There is also the possibility that they are neither considered insane nor criminals, just too immature to be part of their society.”
Robbie grinned. “If immaturity was a reason for locking people away I would have been locked up a long time ago.”
I let Meli go ahead, with her earnest look and serious dark eyes she is much more effective than I am. “But you have been locked away Robert, for years! That is why you have to spend so much time in Freddie. It was the only way to protect our people.” I felt how her tease was about to earn her a special night and I wondered whether I’ve been overdoing it.
I stopped being amused when I saw what the only answer was. “Robbie, we either have to leave and stay away or, we must grab their leaders. If we travel through realities and visit other worlds, with time they’ll have to accept we are not just a bubble created by them.” I raised a hand to stop anyone speaking. “However, there is a danger we should consider first. They are already suffering a form of psychosis, trying to force them to change might lead to a mental breakdown.”
Many decided they had the same fears as I. Robbie shook his head. “We’ll have to risk it, we cannot allow them to continue this way.”
At the thought of what might happen, I’m not that glad we allowed Arthur to choose a reality for us. I don’t consider this one ‘interesting’, as he said. I think it is sad.
We grabbed all thirty three leaders plus their families and Freddie instantly jumped.
They were paralysed by fear for the first few minutes. Then they realised that their families were with and among the others with them were leaders they knew. They drew closer together.
There was nobody else in sight, we felt the trauma would be severe enough thanks to the strange environment without compounding it at this stage. They muttered to each other, confirming details of how they’d arrived. Then they did the unexpected. They drew apart, even family members not staying together. If a child tried to draw closer to a parent, they threatened it.
Samuel muttered, “Each of them think they are in their own private hell and the others are not real.”
“Either that or they think one of the others has drawn them into their imaginary world. I guess that would explain why they are especially hostile to their own children.”
The screens caught their attention and they watched as planets and solar systems sped across them. When the first one put her hands above her eyes to hide the sight of the screens, they others followed suit.
We decided that in this situation, sending children to play close by would not be relaxing. Robbie grinned at me. “Well friend of aliens, is this a job for you?”
“Nope, I think you should.”
“You’re not afraid of failure are you?”
“Of course I am, I have a perfect record, why should I spoil it? Dad, I’m not afraid of failure, I’m certain of it. Give me a moment.” I jumped home and ageing myself to a woman of about forty I got dressed and walked in the general direction of our guests.
“My name is Samantha.” I never use my surname because it is ambiguous and could confuse them. “I am a human being, just like you, but from a different reality. Let me explain realities so that you understand what I’m talking about.” I spent over half an hour talking, despite their ignoring me. At least I caught the children peeking.
I pointed. “In that direction you will find a group of houses with all the conveniences. They are yours to use during your stay. There is food and drink in the kitchens, please make yourselves at home. I’ll give you time to grow used to being here as I know it was a shock for you, then I’ll return to answer your questions.”
Even as I was talking, Aganthi and four girls were quickly building additional houses. We’d only planned on one house per family. Within an hour a child got to his feet and ran towards the houses. First the other children followed, each going to a different house, and then the adults. From the way they were walking it was obvious they needed to go to the toilet and, illusion or not, they were too prudish to relieve themselves out in plain view.
Aganthi kept her eyes closed. She giggled. “They flushed.”
“Aganthi!”
She grinned at Robbie. “I wasn’t spying on them, not directly. Freddie sees all and I watched through him. Since they think Freddie is an illusion, I wanted to know whether they would flush the toilet after using it.”
“Please don’t.”
“Dad, we have to spy on them. We’ll never get anywhere if we don’t watch so as to know which ones are more flexible.”
Three days have passed and we have to return. None of them are eating. They only sip water to wet their throat. A couple of kids gave in and sneaked a chocolate. They had not known what to expect and loved the taste. I think they were under the impression they were biscuits.
They were returned to their homes within an hour of being taken (contributing to their sense of it only having been an illusion?). We kept a watch on all of them. They all did the same thing. The leaders resigned their positions, then each of them, from eldest to youngest child, phoned, were collected and locked up with those we’d wondered about. New leaders took over, but we did not watch them closely, guilt tearing at us, we only concentrated on our victims. The worst devastated was Cherine. Finding a people born with gifts, stronger at birth than she was when she met Robbie, yet condemned to never becoming Cherinians and joining the family of nations and species, the family of humans who love each other, it felt cruel and unbearably unfair to her.
We listened in on therapy sessions and most went along similar lines.
“Did you create the projection?”
“I thought I was caught in a projection by someone else. Now I don’t know, it might have been me.”
“Did you participate?”
“I tried to avoid doing so. I tried not to look or listen. I had to give in when my thirst became unbearable, but I only sipped enough water to wet my mouth.”
“If it was your projection, why didn’t you participate? Isn’t that the purpose of creating it? Wealth, all the best foods, sex with goddesses.”
“Oh, so you also participated by needing to urinate and defecate? Did doing so provide you with pleasure?”
They all soon accepted that they were responsible for projecting their experience, for using their extrasensory abilities. With most of them the therapists announced this as an important stage in their being healed. They were placed in cubicles and encouraged to project and if they did, they were prodded with electrical sticks that left them convulsing and in agony.
After the first day, for the leaders, their physicians were more practical and real to life. “The projection was initiated by others. It is statistically impossible that all of you forgot your training and succumbed to immature but dangerous projecting at the same time. We are forced into suspecting a group planned it, hoping to force us to revert to the old ways by confusing the people. Learning that their leaders reverted, unblocking all the training, is having an effect, but not as the schemers planned. The public is not interested in returning to the old ways that nearly brought us to extinction. They are terrified.
You will undergo the same training and blocking you did as a child and as soon as we are confident you are not in danger of a relapse you will be released so that the public see that the rumours are not true.” They were put through the same torture as their families.
“God! How could I have allowed this!? You even warned us Samantha.” He held his hands over his face as I searched for the right words. “We must leave and never return here again.”
“I was thinking I would like to stay.”
His mind shot into mine as he looked up at me. “What for?” I could sense everyone else was also upset with me.
“You said it when we first came here. We cannot leave knowing every single child is being tortured. I’m determined to give it another try.”
“And send more of them into therapy!?”
“No, the ones I choose will not undergo therapy.”
There are times that Robbie makes my heart feel as if it is about to explode with my love for him and I radiate my feelings. Then, there are times when he has no reason to trust me, but he does not question me, allowing me to do what I think is necessary and that explosion of love for him gets buried deeply within me, treasured in secret forever.
Diana’s lips were trembling. “We cannot go through that again Sam.”
Robbie pulled her to him. “Our Samantha wouldn’t do that to us or them love. Sam, what do you want us to do?”
“As I see it, the present generations are condemned to their psychotic fears from their past, we cannot help them. Just as on every other Earth, they have their orphanages. I want us to steal their orphans. We bring them up in Freddie, encouraging them to use their talents while teaching them to use them responsibly and as Cherinians.”
“How many?”
“We might not be able to return them to this Earth so we should have at least enough for them to repopulate a new Earth if necessary. We can start with a smaller number since this will be an ongoing project, not just limited to present orphans.”
Samuel King pursed his lips in thought. “I won’t debate the ethics of it at this moment. What does strike me is that those old craters look mighty awesome. What if they cannot control their powers? Teaching them about us could lead to them trying to take over.”
I smiled at Samuel, though I was not smiling inside. “Would you like to discuss the ethics of not trying to help them?” Jesus smiled at him so he kept quiet, not arguing as he loves to do.
Robbie said, “We need parents.” He was inundated, even the Akiards pleading to adopt.
Robbie chose one of the most beautiful spots in Freddie, smooth flat land and gently curving hillsides that toddlers and small children can run around on without accidents. We built a village surrounding the area and Robbie pulled out of storage, seesaws, slides and other games.
It was no longer enough to watch as souls. We projected and visited their cities. We carefully integrated, talking to adults, learning where their libraries are, collecting samples of their music and secretly recording their dances and theatre. We also studied their orphanages, not only noting their locations, but also how they are run.
We stole about fifty babies and toddlers from each country. In total we took one thousand eight hundred. While doing all the above we reverted to an earlier problem. We decided the parents had to learn the local language of their adopted child and Claudia immediately volunteered.
I stayed out of the arguments this time. She is just as stubborn as I am and I would only put her back up. Dommi usually stays out of such disagreeable arguments, but this time she shushed everyone.
“If Claudia wants it so much then nobody has the right to refuse her. Claudia, we are dealing with a gift we know nothing about and it could be a catastrophe if you lose it. Would you mind if Samantha asks Arthur to write for us and he awakens the same gift of languages in one of the girls? Samantha, it could be useful for you as the friend of aliens.”
Claudia always knows when she is being manipulated, but she gave in anyway. Next thing I know they’ll be using me to terrorise children. (R: Samantha! That was unforgivable. Delete and apologise to Claudia and Dommi.) Sorry Claudia, I was angry and used you to strike back at Dommi. Forgive me for not deleting, but I’d rather I keep the moments I’m not a loving Cherinian to balance the way I make myself look so clever all the time. Actually, I was not angry with Dommi, I knew what she was doing, just as you did, and I thought it was clever of her, but I was angry with myself for becoming a person who could be used this way. (R: Since you made Claudia laugh I won’t insist. Please be more careful love, someday you might not be able to repair the damage.)
After the above, I was scared to make any suggestions. Robbie sensed it and entering my mind played with me and then asked to see. We are on our way to bring Orgg and Jeskine to Freddie to help with the children. He also decided the kids should have Wirm friends once they are old enough to understand how careful they must be. eiu found out and asked to bring them from now. She promised they will be careful. Robbie agreed.
Just in case I gave the wrong impression, none of the people of the last reality look like Neanderthals. A number of them have features that indicate what we believe happened. Jeskine, quarter Nean as she is looks more like one than any of them. The kids we brought, being babies and toddlers show their mixed lineage more clearly, but they are cute.
Both Jeskine and Orgg walked around from home to home, checking the babies. They made a point of visiting the Akiard parents as they were touched that such a species would want to adopt a Terran child. The couple, Kolph and Siriaa, within these few days, have grown to adore their little boy, Mulki (they named him). Though only about six months old, he continually creates bubbles; they mostly only have swirling colours and his bubbles float around bumping into walls and furniture. I wondered what would happen if I left my body and entered the bubble - not that I’ll try. What if the baby is distracted while I’m in there and it disappears?
“You should have spoken earlier, we can’t expect our healers to solve all problems if they don’t have a healthy body to reference. We better ask the Unation physicians to enter all the data they can into their healing computers for analysis.”
They brought five Nean couples who are expecting for the computers to monitor and analyse what the problem is. They can only identify the problem if one of them is about to abort.
Robbie is always happiest when Freddie is full of children. This time he is also a little bit anxious. Our healers have checked them and any obvious problems have been dealt with, but their evolution has been different from ours and they might have missed something critical.
We promised to return Orgg and Jeskine within hours of their departure, but did warn them they might end up staying in Freddie for years. We want all the babies to think of them as an uncle and auntie as they grow up. Since neither of them are prepared to have a child yet, they are over the moon and we hardly see them until late in the evening.
I’m not quite certain how to explain the bubbles. None of us can create one, unless you count the sphere Robbie created with the sun. I have the feeling they are not the same. I think that if I took the world I created inside me where Hesina lives and exteriorised it, placing it in a sphere for all to see, that would be similar to what the kids do. It would be fun to be able to do that, but I haven’t thought of how it could be useful. I also don’t see how they could have caused the ancient craters. They must have other talents that are more dangerous.
“I don’t feel like returning to deal with the Ipohin, Campbell and so on. Where shall we go?”
I asked, “Can we go for a short visit? I want to collect Efineh and Irfan, I miss her. It might also be a good idea to collect a few volunteer specialists for the babies. Especially doctors of the mind. If they study what we know of their history and what the adults are like now, they might provide us with pointers that prevent us from making some very basic mistakes.”
As soon as we arrived we jumped to our home in Athens.
All our friends came to visit. Perikli felt upset and declared, “We’re not letting you leave without us again. You stayed away two months and we worried the entire time!”
“I’m sorry, we had to delay our return and it’s my fault. Efineh was travelling with her husband and I didn’t want to return until she is free to be with us.” Efineh blushed with pleasure and embarrassment.
Once they had shared with us, they all decided to go to Freddie as soon as it is morning there. I’ve just realised we are lucky Robbie did not create the land in Freddie as a sphere or else we’d have to have time zones.
When Hettie told the world our news, she called the kids ‘Maria’s babies’ and that is how everyone refers to them now. The Ipohin committee asked to examine the children. We knew they were hoping to discover new powers, but we gave permission anyway. Campbell decided to push his luck and made a public request. We refused to allow him entrance into Freddie, but Robbie created a large platform and the families and children we chose were transferred. We tried to give him children who had achieved varying degrees of sophistication, the most proficient starting to include living beings, though they were sketchy and not properly formed. The public agreed it was very generous of us.
The first evening we had to ourselves, I asked for us to play the game where the music stops and the dancers have to freeze until the music starts again, the last to stop or anyone who moves losing and leaving the game. I whispered in Wendy’s mind and she agreed to do as I asked. The rest were not too keen since our reactions depend on which generation Cherinians we are.
Wendy called out, “Nobody is allowed to move, when we return from Kefalari I’ll start the music again.” We walked out.
Even in Kefalari we could sense the girl standing frozen, not moving. It made Efineh uncomfortable and she could not relax.
“It is not a fact but, the girls you are sensing, that is how I feel about your people my love. They are frozen in time for us because we have not returned. I think it is time to finish what we started. Before you agree or disagree, listen to what I propose.
We will go there, handle Sebura, get our other centres working properly and then we’ll leave. You’ll stay on your own for three months and we’ll return. You’ll come with us for a trip or two and return the same day. Efineh, we will repeat that for as long as it takes you to find and train your second in command. I will, now and then, stay for those three months with you - if you want me to. You will be spending five to ten times as much time with us for as long as you want. The day you feel you can hand over, you decide whether you want your home to be there or here with us. It was stupid of me to bring you here and then expect you to happily return to your world.”
She burst into tears of happiness and threw herself at me. As she sobbed I saw I had been right, she’d hated the idea of leaving us. I kept to myself my own little sorrow. I know that as she gets involved, has her successes and her commitment becomes a part of her life, she’ll want to stay there, only taking holidays with us. Even during those holidays, she’ll be worrying about her people.
Before we departed, I had Efineh share my memories of my time in her world. It worked for both of us, making the past a part of the present. I cradled Efineh as if she were my baby, exchange kissing until I felt she is strong again.
I had told Aganthi I wanted her with and extended an invitation to Haven. She was thrilled and kissed all our loves goodbye.
“Robert, this time I want you to come more often and stay longer. You may bring ten of the girls each time so that they all have a turn. I also want some of the Spartans to come with.”
“Send Vincent for me when it is time.”
“No, Vincent stays with you.”
“I’m shocked at your selfishness! You know he felt he had become part of your project, how can you ask that he stays away? Stop worrying my little butterfly, we’ll be in Freddie and another reality so there will be no danger.”
“Okay, but go to Haven-R.”
They had left in the evening but arrived the next day in the early afternoon because of the two previous visits. The people from the towns who had come to be with them when they previously left were still there, rather ragged and worn out from too much feasting and drinking. Their calls of welcome and the brightening of their eyes was all Sam needed to feel how much many of them have grown to love her. She greeted Samuel and his family mind to mind while she and Efineh walked into the crowds. Irfan, Haven and Aganthi moved over to Samuel.
Samuel asked Haven, “Are you here to take my place?”
She kissed him and the girls. “I don’t know why she chose me, but it was not for replacing you.”
Thena wondered, “Could she want you here to deal with Sebura?”
“She is warrior enough to deal with him on her own.” She shrugged. “We’ll find out.”
Irfan found the time problem rather confusing, but from the way Samuel and his family greeted him he realised they knew him. “Where is Sebura?”
“After he was brought back from your reality, his supporters thought it was a sign of his favour and they got drunk. He collected his men and returned to the town he is the elder of. We are worried, for he has nearly two hundred of the younger riders and the more brutal of the older ones with him. I’ve been keeping an eye on them. The riders have been drinking so we are ready to protect the rest of the people should they become too boisterous.”
They watched Sam walking among the people with a smile for everyone. The elders gathered around her and led her back to her family. She stood on a table so that all could see her.
“We are happy to be back among our friends. As some of you have realised, many years have passed for us. Every time we thought of returning, knowing we would be leaving my daughter Efineh here made my heart sore and I waited just a little longer. Finally I decided I missed all of you too much, so here we are.
Both you and us are tired, so we’ll not have a feast tonight. I suggest we prepare our best feast ever tomorrow. We’ll even show you on the screen pictures of the world we use for travelling between worlds. I love you all and thank you for waiting for us.”
The elders were invited to join them for a drink. Sam sat next to Ashema. “If Sebura does not control his supporters and they start to cause damage, what should we do?”
“The same that we would do to any elder. He will be voted off the council and we will send riders to remove him and his supporters from the town.”
“That means bloodshed. It is not my place to interfere, but if you trust me, I’ll help. All I will do is use my healing powers to make them sleep. Your riders can then collect them without anyone being killed.”
“They will not be welcome in our land either, do not send them in our direction.” Gifexa said.
Kinestasi hesitated, but also said, “Nor ours.”
Sam smiled, “You may send them to us. They will teach our people many things.” Haven kept her grin to herself as everyone protested.
After midnight, once all the locals were asleep, Sam and the girls kept an eye on Sebura’s men. Many of them had drunk themselves into a stupor. A few Sebura managed to round up, mostly the older riders. Most of them could not be controlled and it was only a matter of time. Two riders came across a woman and while trying to rape her fell asleep. Another group tried to break into a house that had supplied them with drink earlier on, men were waiting to defend the owner and a fight broke out. It did not take long for the rest of Sebura’s men to arrive. Both groups fell asleep without hurting anyone. Sam sent Vincent to wake up Ashema.
“Most of them are asleep. By the time your men arrive, the local townsmen will have heard what happened and they’ll attack them, or else, Sebura will hide them. May I assist your men in arriving there within minutes?”
“We first have to call a meeting of the elders to vote.”
They were brought to the house and Vincent showed on the screens what had happened. The council voted to throw out Sebura, men were called and they were jumped to the town. They rode back with all the men, including Sebura.
“We cannot leave them with you.”
“Why not? Is there an Orati law or is it that you do not wish to?”
“It would not be right! What would the people say?” Gifexa hid his smile behind his hand.
“They would say that the elders have acted wisely and fairly. They warned Samantha that Sebura would cause trouble and she accepted responsibility if he did. It is her duty to correct her mistakes.”
The elders had still not agreed hours later when the prisoners arrived. The older ones who’d shown restraint were allowed to return home. The rest remained in a group, still in shock at how quickly things had gone wrong for them.
“Haven, why don’t you train them?”
Haven looked like an eleven year old girl so the riders were shocked when she made her way through them and faced Sebura.
“When Samantha is on your world, she is a Normal girl. She hides her powers from herself and only releases them when she needs to help others. You have seen her bleeding, she bears the scars, even that of an arrow. For my challenge I will do the same.” She looked at his riders and by sensing who was the most dangerous, she picked him out. “Get off your horse, I want to see what kind of warrior you are. Can you kill a female child? Give him his weapons.”
Disturbed, but also curious as to what was intended, the elders gestured for their men to obey Haven.
He stood undecided, not clear what Haven wanted of him and feeling he would look ridiculous if he attacked her. With a shout Haven ran at him, twisted, twisted again and snatched his spear and knife out of his hands. She threw them to the ground.
“This time stop me. Pick up your weapons and use them.”
After the third man none would accept her challenge. They were insulted by the men watching and their lips thinned, but they controlled themselves. She walked over to Sebura. “Surely you, their leader, can do better than them?”
“This is Samantha’s revenge because I loved her daughter Efineh?”
Suddenly she looked like Darkcloud of old, her eyes ice-cold as she called out for all to hear, “Coward! You were voted an elder. The position is not only that of power and glory, you took on responsibilities when you accepted the trust of your people. Instead of protecting your town you allowed your men to get drunk and terrorise the people it was your duty to protect. Now you blame Samantha! I say that you are not a true rider!”
She turned to the others. “Take their horses. The day they are true warriors, Orati riders, their horses may be returned to them.” She turned to the elders. “Will you advise them of their sentence?”
“Sentence? Ah, the council has voted and removed you Sebura. You are no longer an elder. You and your ri…men have been exiled from the land of all Orati. All the neighbouring nations have refused you admittance, only this land granted to Samantha accepts you. You will stay here.”
Sebura’s eyes searched out Samuel and all could see his hate. He turned his eyes towards Efineh and though she did not show it, she cringed at the hate she saw. His eyes passed over Irfan and they were filled with contempt for him. He hid his emotions as he then stared into Sam’s eyes.
“What is it you wish?”
“You will stay among us. Those of you who wish to learn how to be true warriors, Haven will teach you. Those who do not, no duties will be expected of you. Live among us in peace and do not cause trouble. As and when each of you is considered worthy of being called an Orati rider, you will be given back your horse and I will intercede on your behalf with the council.”
“That is what you expect of my followers. Speak clearly, what do you plan for me, for I know you have no intention of giving me back my horse.”
Sam stepped closer to him, looking up at his eyes. “From the first day I met you I was impressed by your mind. You are one of the most intelligent men I’ve ever met. You stood by me for reasons of your own, but I accepted you were an ambitious man and forgave many of your selfish acts. I could no longer forgive you when you planned to hurt a child and use her for your own ends. You have troubled me Sebura, for I can see what your potential is and for a time I thought you only lacked wisdom. With wisdom, I thought, you could be another Ashema. Unfortunately, I’ve realised you are flawed and will never be a good leader, you could never become an Ashema, for you would first need to know how to love your people. You cannot love anyone, only your own dreams of power. I wonder, you showed your hate openly for all to see. How is it a man can hate, but cannot love?”
Ignoring what she’d said, he asked again, “What do you intend?”
Sam shrugged. “Nothing. You are free to do as you wish within the area granted to me. You will have your own house, the same to eat as everyone else and anything you need, just choose it from our store. What I will be interested in seeing is what you will demand of yourself.” She stared at him for a moment and walked away.
Vincent had brought from Earth enough meat to feed everyone and since they are meat eaters, that was a lot of meat! Much more space was taken up by the beer and cold drinks (from now onwards, only pure fruit juices). He did not forget the chocolates everyone loves. Perhaps because of what they had just seen, everyone acted with greater excitement and enthusiasm than they should have, but they instantly quieted and took a seat on the ground when Vincent put up the screen.
