To answer their next questions, I told them he believed that if everyone ate only certain foods we would grow taller and that he designed his ships for future people. They are now re-examining everything, they no longer trust the plans and it will take forever to build the ships.”
Here goes:
I had itchy feet, so I asked Samuel. “Shouldn’t we visit Kaproti? You are still their leader.”
“No thank you.”
“How about your gypsy friends then?”
“We’re in the past Sam. After I’ve been to them I just might join them as storyteller for a few weeks.”
I went to Haven. “Why don’t you, Jade and I go to the mountain for a few days?”
“I’d rather not right now Samantha, unless you really want to go.”
I sat by Robbie and sighed. He asked what was wrong. I told him and he grinned. “Why didn’t you ask me?”
I perked up. “Where would you want to go?”
“On the other side of the planet. However, I don’t think I should go with you, I better take one or two of the girls that haven’t had any adventures yet.” Grr!
I took a break so as to recover.
I’m feeling better now, but still very puzzled - as is everyone else in Freddie. I’ll start again - Cherine sensed me and putting her arm through mine she suggested we go for a visit to Rapperten. I went as Tsina and she as Tserika. We appeared within a room in the tavern/casino set aside for those of us who need to jump into the city. We usually arrive there or within the house of Kiris. We wandered through the gaming room, sat at a table and had a drink and walked out onto the street. I kept myself aware of all passing by us because I knew that Cherine would not bother worrying about anyone recognising her as the witch who’d been arrested. I soon realised she was leading us down into the slum area.
“Are you planning something? Have you sensed someone you want to help?”
“My only thought was that we could emote some positive feelings to make everyone feel good for a little while. Feel them Tsina, all most of them get to feel from everyone around them is anger, fear and hate.” I could feel Jade was concentrating on us, sharing through me, so I stayed relaxed as I knew we’d have instant help if it is needed.
We did as Cherine wanted, but I cannot state positively that we did much good. I believe that when people spend all day feeling bad about life, a few minutes of happiness helps only for those few minutes. They need something more lasting for it to make a difference.
Because of Cherine leading us according to the needs she sensed ahead of us, we took a few turnings and walked through an area I have never visited before. I felt good about it, as if we are going where I would like to be - it was only a vague feeling, barely strong enough for me to feel it, but maybe Cherine sensed me and was encouraged by it. As we walked through a narrow and dingy side street I saw some old books through the dirty window of a shop. I tugged at Cherine and we entered. I was disillusioned pretty quickly, most of it was cheap tattered rubbish. However, something drew me deeper to the back.
“What is it?” Cherine whispered.
“I can’t read it but I think the writing looks different.”
The owner, an elderly male, cranky but trying to be polite because he could see we were from the upper side of town, demanded we leave the parcel of papers in their pile, as that is how he is selling them. I asked how much per heap and he asked for eight points of a tsarl, which I guessed from his sudden inner tension was far above his real price. I paid, covered the book with papers on either side and told him to throw away the rest of the pile.
We walked through the ugliest part of the town and came out by the filth strewn alongside the river, close to where Neri had gone to die.
“I doubt they were capable of sensing us, misery wraps people within their own minds. Anyway, feeling good for a moment isn’t going to help these people much, Cherine. I think the only thing that could do them any good is dying.” The folds on her neck paled, but I carried on, regardless of how I felt her hurting, “I mean that they can’t adjust the way they’d have to, for being linked. Anything else is only a temporary relief. What we should be concentrating on is that no one is required to be born into this kind of squalor ever again.”
Our little Cherine has changed; pain, life and Robbie have made her grow wiser. She made herself think about my statement, even though it is almost a cliché, as we walked away from the river. “I understand what you mean and I suppose it is one of the ultimate truths. It must be our goal Sam, but it must never blind us. We are not a church or religion, we do not hold to the creed that we must suffer now so that tomorrow we do not. We must never cling to a narrow goal that excludes doing all we can today, not tomorrow. These lives, these persons, with all their hardness, cruelty pain and anger, they are precious to me.
What we have done today, it is not a waste of time and effort. Some will have but a thought that is gentler. Some may be swayed from a deed that would have intensified this miasma of hopelessness. Each of them have a cumulative meaning Sam. We’ll do what only the heart can do, while those like Kiris do what they can to remove the reasons for children growing into these kind of adults.” She smiled at my surprise. “Kiris is not a Robert, he is a Kiris, just as Orgg is Orgg, and in the days to come, many a Robert will wish he too could be more like a Kiris or an Orgg. Our future needs all the varieties we find and we must support them all with our love. I think our Michael is closer to being a Kiris than a Robert, did you think of that?”
“He will be pleased to hear that you said so.”
“Kiris or Michael?”
“Uhm…both…?”
When we returned to Freddie I asked isi to have her people preserve the book I’d found. They told me they would have to separate the book into individual sheets to preserve them, but they will keep a note of the order. They gave back to me the book two weeks later. As soon as Rakil came to Freddie, I asked him to come with me to my apartment. I showed him the book and asked whether he can read some of it to me. He expressed his surprise as he tried to read it.
“This is in the ancient language! Where did you find it?” I told him. “Give me time, I need to work out what is said word by word and then draw meaning from it.” Hours later he read me the first page, his voice trembling with emotion.
I, Sirdusa Rapperten, have decided to keep a journal of our re-birth. This will, we hope, serve as a factual record for our descendants so that our Mother is never forgotten. Our mother that we destroyed by abandoning her.
As evidenced by the ruins and records we have discovered on other planets, we too, like them, grew more knowledgeable and less wise with each generation. We built cities, machines to serve us and discovered latent abilities the mind of each human has, so that we became creatures glorious, as if filled with magic. Our populations grew until we needed new planets to hold us. With time we grew soft and over millennia we lost our will and our populations shrank. We separated into those who stayed in cities and those who preferred the ancient ways, close to the land. Both groups only survived because our machines remained faithful companions and servants.
Forty and more generations passed and then a species far wiser and more powerful found us. They spent years with us as friends, fathers to our courage, warriors in our weaknesses. They told us of their Mother who was ancient when our Mother was nothing more than dust in space. They spoke of a future they search, a light that will give meaning to existence for all species. They told us of a people that travelled through time, calling themselves Cherinians. They might have had six limbs and been terrifying to their eyes, but they learnt to see that all they spoke of was true and love for all life was truly their way of living. When they left, their people waited for the Ingul who called themselves Cherinians to return, until it was decided that to be worthy, they must find their own way to the future promised them. As they have travelled, they have met other species and inspired those who would be inspired, to join their pilgrimage.
They offered us the opportunity to join them, showing us that we had reached the end of our time if we remained by ourselves. Even the sharp faced nomads trembled and secretly wept at the beauty of the future offered and we
My apartment was crowded long before he’d finished reading the above, Robbie and Cherine holding themselves to me as they wept, and as the others listened, they too felt their eyes fill and tears coursed down their cheeks. Syrina called for isi and shared with her. Her reaction was so extreme we feared for her, but she jumped and shared with her people. We had to return to the taverna, for all species, all friends had to be part of this moment and my apartment would not fit any more people.
It seems that every single Kabetu learnt of what was happening and jumped to Freddie, abandoning tasks, meetings, families or whatever. It was a time of such powerful emotions that our hearts felt as if they were being torn by tempests born in the heart of a sun. Everyone urged Rakil to read the next pages. Battered by his own emotions, he laughed wildly. “I am no scholar, I need time to read and understand.”
Robbie put his arms around Rakil’s shoulders, emoting like a father for him. “We all need time to calm down. Rakil, would one day per page be possible? We could then meet each evening to learn what you’ve translated.”
“It will go faster as I understand more words. Robert, how could this book have been lying undiscovered for so long?”
“It is just as well it did.” Kiris said forcefully. “If its existence had been known there are those who would have destroyed it.”
Nericha asked aloud the question all were asking themselves, “But how did Samantha know?”
“I did not know Neri. I just had a feeling something important was in that shop. It drew me.”
“Why would it draw you and not one of our species?”
“I’m not lazy! I just like to think!” Mostly the Terran Cherinians laughed.
“As I was attempting to explain, sweet Neri, Samantha has no gift for finding artefacts. She has little interest in things of the past, unlike Claudia and Diana. What she does have, is a strong ability to sense what could affect Cherinians.”
A Kabetu spoke to another next to him, but we all heard. “Everything I have known, everything I have believed in has been a lie.”
“Not a lie,” Dommi contradicted, “You just did not know all the truth.” She nodded to herself as she added, “We rarely do.”
The revelations in the book explained another matter that had perplexed us. We’d had no reason that made sense for the Kabetu only inhabiting such a small part of their world. Taking into consideration the number of generations required to build the cities they have, their population should have been larger. We’d worried about their low birth rate, though also been pleased since they will become Cherinians in the not too distant future. By the way, a fact not previously mentioned - it seems all species living on worlds that are not their mother planet either suffer a reduction in their birth rate, or a massive increase for them to survive a hostile environment.
There were a lot of questions to be answered. Why had they decided to settle this planet? Where are their benefactors? Of what species were they? Have they survived to our time or will we have to return to help them? Whatever the answers are, we have all suddenly come to life, the passion of wanting answers flowing through our blood again. This is heady stuff for me.
Kiris suggested Rakil not return, that he stay in Freddie to finish the book. We gave him an apartment close to the top of the treehouse and only Maria is allowed to go to him for providing him with food and drink. When he needs to take a break, he visits at the taverna. We can all sense him, the kaleidoscope of emotions that he swings through as he understands what is written, and we are expecting some rather dramatic news.
The Inguel, as a natural precaution, before treating the pages, had scanned them, by x-ray, infrared and by normal means, so they were able to publish a few thousands copies for handing to our Kabetu Cherinians. When they received their copies, they accepted them as if being given something holy. Cherine suggested to one of them who has a printing business that he waits for the full translation and re-publishes the book with the translation included. He promised to sell them at cost or even cheaper if necessary, but Cherine promised we will subsidise his costs with gold, for it is important that even the poorest are given the opportunity to read of the past of their people. We also need to disseminate them widely, for we suspect the Council of each city is going to try to destroy all copies they can confiscate. Not that it worries us, for they will not succeed, as we can keep distributing until they give up.
I’ll type in the next page of the book, but after that I’ll only enter a synopsis. I repeat the last interrupted sentence:
Even the sharp faced nomads trembled and secretly wept at the beauty of the future offered and we gathered our treasures, our art, our books and whatever each individual felt was important to them. What we could not bring with us, is our machines and the beautiful presence of our Mother.
The ….(the word does not translate since it does not exist in present day Kabeti, but Rakil writes it as ‘Brobesk’) Brobesk adapted one deck of their ship to create a miniature world for us. It was beautiful, but the sky was too low. There were a number of common decks where various species may meet and exchange knowledge and form friendships. The Brobesk do not have the ability to leap through time, but they have discovered that our universe is made of numerous probability universes. They translate to another such universe and when translating back to ours they aim for the time and place they wish to arrive in.
We arrived in this probability universe and then the great ship did not move, only drifting though space. The Brobesk came to each deck to speak of their failure with honour and respect for every species, by doing so in person. They explained that the leaping from universe to universe affected certain critical parts of the great ship, killing or damaging them and they now can only travel in space for a short time. The great ship was dying, but they had decided they would use the time remaining to finding suitable planets for each of the guest species. They claimed they hoped to succeed and have time to find a planet for themselves. We did not know that they lied to us.
Planets were found for three species before they found this planet for us. They studied it, made adjustments and told us to remain in the continent they would disembark us on, for at least eight of our generations, for the other continents are not ready for us. We landed at this place named after my grandfather. They promised to return to us if the Cherinians came to them, then our people watched as they returned to their ship that hung like a small moon in the sky. They must have ordered their ship to depart, for the decaying parts of their propulsion system exploded, an immense fireball consuming the entire ship. For moments our people watched with horror and then the effects of the explosion reached them. People were thrown, trees were smashed and the sky remained ashen for nearly thirty years of this planet. Less than a quarter of our people survived and those that did were traumatised, trying to forget what happened.
That is how we arrived and now I will write of how we learnt to survive and build a new way of living for our children. This time we will not build engines and
As he writes we see how they evolved. He shows the early stages of guilt and anger being twisted into ugly stories and within his lifetime he is able to see the seeds of what is to come. The promise of Cherinians becoming the threat of magicians, and the existence of aliens becoming spirits of the damned. The nomads parted from them from the first generation, their history assumed to have followed the same patterns of denial, and they were not seen again until emigrants travelled to the area Dakost is today and they discovered the tracks of their great grazing circle. The writer had no family or children and his name died out, only remaining as the name of the city. Rapperten was obviously a scholar and wise man and it is a pity that his writing was forgotten or lost, for he gave important advice that could have led to a better life for all.
The Cherinian Kabetu found their own history as being of interest and cause for some grief for what was lost, and they wondered about their Mother world. What did affect them strongly, emotionally, was the fate of the Brobesk, a people so filled with love for all life that they saw to the future of the Kabetu before their own. They felt shamed by their amnesia and twisting of what was so beautiful into something that was cause for so many terrible tortures and deaths. Robbie could not help capitulating to their need.
“We will return in time and save them. We cannot change the past of the Kabetu, but we will help the other species who died - who seemed to die.”
We did not leave immediately, despite the impatience by the Kabetu Cherinians. They find it difficult not to blurt out the truth to every person they know and then find themselves placed in an embarrassing situation, as they cannot explain how they know and their friends and family laugh at them, thinking they are joking. It made it more urgent that we bring in their families. We discussed it with one hundred that we know are married and secured permission from ninety four of them. The other six shamefacedly admitted they do not think their wives would be good Cherinians. That forced the others to rethink and another seventeen came to the same conclusion. We gave priority in checking the twenty three wives as most of them have at least one child. Disheartened we came to the conclusion that their husbands know them well. We’ll worry about the children later, since their fathers can keep them healthy. We contrived a meeting without others present and brought the women we’d approved to Freddie. When they saw their husbands, they lost some of their panic and over days we managed to get them to listen to what we told them. Some are very ignorant and closed to new ideas, and yet we soon felt curiosity and then excitement as they began to understand what it means for themselves and their children. With these women forming our nucleus, we feel we can now bring them in larger numbers.
While all this was going on, Robbie prepared a small platform and as souls only, he and Claudia left for the past. They did not return to the exact time of the explosion, satisfied as to the truth by the cloud that sheathed the planet. They jumped much further into the past and examined the species within the ship. They returned and prepared for saving the four species that would still be aboard during the explosion. Four different environments were sealed off by the Spartans in their World, Anadir and CherInguel were gathered in the hundreds of millions from our reality and from their home planets and Robbie took them back one thousand six hundred and ninety four years, which was one year before the ship exploded.
Robbie enthused about the Brobesk ship; not only the size has impressed him, the designs to suit a number of species were very reminiscent of the spaceships depicted on the covers of science fiction books he still keeps in his library in our Freddie home. By now we’d all returned in time with them. Our platform with our bodies waited a great distance away and we followed as Robbie took the Spartans, Inguel and Anadir, for them to familiarise themselves with the species and the layout of the ship. Of course the future Kabetu were still on board, but they were ignored by all. Being contrary by disposition, I of course shot off to visit them on their level. The feelings I was soon emoting brought all my loves to me.
The environment created for them was beautiful, but what really impressed us was the architecture of the Kabetu homes built or designed by them - and their gardens. These were obviously a sophisticated people who had passed beyond the complex needs of a civilisation still at the age of technology, and they had found a mixture that was far simpler, which brought peace and happiness to them. I appreciate that for any species to achieve that, they only have two roads they can take. The one is Cherinianism and the other is technology so advanced that it becomes invisible. It is such a pity that they were not wise enough to keep whatever would have kept their society vibrant and growing, as it also stilled their evolution so that they calcified and would have died out if they’d remained on their planet.
At least we find one encouraging truth in what we’ve learnt. The ideas of Robbie about a multitude of species helping to keep us alive is likely to work for all our species. I’d like to add that we must try to avoid accepting lives that are peaceful and happy as our goal. We would do far better in striving to live lives that are interesting. I must keep in mind that it is important we never become fixated on one point of view, so here’s an idea: what if we create ‘holiday’ planets, where people from each species can take turns devolving into vegetables for a while - that fact that it happens so consistently might indicate that we need it. Still, whatever else I need, the day I no longer experience epiphanies, is when I want to be re-born, so as to start afresh, with millions of questions to torment my mind.
One difference, more than any other, set them apart from their descendants. They love to talk and theorise, their minds still open to new ideas, however radical. Nothing was too trivial to be examined and it was amazing, the complex thoughts they would evolve to explain the simplest phenomena, and yet, they showed no interest, or avoided, practical, real life problems. A pity that the present day Kabetu don’t have some of their love for the abstract, but I would not want them to be as extreme. No wonder the sight of their friends being blown up and the catastrophic destruction of their own people and equipment caused them to experience a nervous breakdown, blocking them from their previous ways of thinking.
The ship was already parked in orbit and the Brobesk with the help of other species were altering the atmosphere, seeding the land with micro organisms and so on in an urgent effort to have at least a part of the planet compatible to the physical needs of the Kabetu. Ferries flew in a constant stream from the ship to the planet and back again. Cherine says I should stop calling them Kabetu and use their original name, Arim-se-Binud. I cannot do so unless the Kabetu make that choice themselves. Anyway, I came to admire the Brobesk, who must have been under tremendous strain and yet they talked and laughed and showed pleasure in working with the other species, displaying much enthusiasm for the future that awaited the Kabetu and promising them they would return as soon as they find the Cherinians.
He raised his head to speak as if he saw us, a note of hope in his voice. “Are you Cherinians?”
Robbie helped our isi take a shape visible to him. “You have come a long way to find us.”
He trembled a moment, but quickly controlled himself. “I feared it was to no avail, our ship is dying. Will you stay with us during the end of our time? We would treasure your presence.”
I was fascinated to see how the emotional responses (changes of colour) were faithfully reproduced by her soul in the body of energy Robbie had created for her. She made their gesture of respect. “We are not of those who first came to you, they are from our future. It has been said that you wished to meet Cherine?”
“It is possible! I must let my people know.”
“Not yet. Were you told of Robert?”
“The source of love for Cherine?”
isi felt us and sent us a smile. “Correct. He is also our leader, leader of all Cherinians. He wishes to speak with you in confidence.”
“I would be honoured. This is a dream I never expected to come true within my lifetime.”
“Your lifetime, unfortunately, does not extend far into the future, unless you listen to us and do as we ask.” Robbie nodded in greeting after his startling introduction. “We are friends of a few of the descendants of the Arim-se-Binud, and a book written by a descendant of the Rapperten family was discovered, describing their meeting with your people and their arrival at this world. Should I call you Captain?”
“Iq-fara-Sievlo would be less pretentious of me.”
“Iq-fara-Sievlo, the minute you attempt to leave this planet, your ship will explode and all will be killed. It is important you do not communicate this to anyone until we have explained our intentions and agreed the procedure. Normally I would not have confided the future, as we dare not change the past of those we know and love in the future, but I am confident you will see the reasons for the sacrifices I’ll ask of you and keep our conversation in confidence.”
“You ask me to allow three guest species to die?”
“No, I ask you to allow me to save them and your people in the manner I can.”
He turned to isi. “Your council?”
“We have trusted him many times and will do so again. I should mention that Robert is also my mother.”
“My mother had died and I was dying because I was a child and my soul was damaged. He changed himself into an Inguel female to share souls with me in the manner of my people. Once I was strengthened, he returned in time and brought my mother back to me. Therefore he is a male, but also my mother.”
“You are that…you are isi-mi-Metti!? It has been a long time since your people left us and your story was taken to be of allegorical meaning only - a lesson we were meant to learn from. Are your people truly then from a different universe, not just an alternate? Robert, we are doubly honoured to meet you and we will act in accordance with your wishes.”
Robbie chuckled. “We do not ask for blind obedience, all I ask is for the opportunity to explain what needs to be done and why.”
He gestured. “It was said to us, that no Cherinian commands another and the possibility of such a society existing drove us to build our ship, including as the Ingul asked of us, space for a number of other species to join us. If it is truly so, we willingly consign our future into your hands. I must first ask my people not to enter the room while you are here.”
He was quick to understand why Robbie had to do things the way he does. They know of the void but do not know of the Worlds. That took more time explaining than anything else. Even when told they would have to die, he remained trusting and friendly, accepting the need because of the wisdom he thought Robbie possesses and seeing it as a final journey for them so that they can arrive on the other side as Cherinians. It was not the time to disillusion him.
“Will you be able to keep it a secret for a year while concentrating on transporting the Arim-se-Binud and ensuring their survival?”
By now we had confided the truth about the damage the explosion of their ship would cause. “But, may I not move our ship further away so that the explosion does not destroy them?”
“Nothing of their past is allowed to be changed. I’m sorry.”
Sorrow settled on him like a dark and heavy mantle. “To plan and speak lightly with those I know are to die because of us, it will be a difficult thing to do. I should at least tell those who share the fate of my people. None would betray us to the Binud.”
“Your attitude would change. If you feel the secret is too heavy, allow me into your mind and I will erase the knowledge we just shared. I came to you in the hopes of us working together in preparation for that moment.”
Bravely he met Robbie’s eyes, trying to hide his grief. “I offered control of our future to you. I shall bear it.”
“We can save every single person on this ship, that has not been my worry. What does concern me is your culture. How do we save all you will need to continue your lives as the species you are. We want to save your music, your art, your history and all the knowledge your ancestors struggled for so many generations to earn. I will not have time to save much within the time between the departure of the last Arim-se-Binud and the explosion. I presume all withdrawal of stocks of a technological nature from your storerooms are strictly regulated, so that the absence of a number of pieces from now would cause comment and suspicion. Do you have most of the information on computers and can you broadcast it?”
“We can do so.”
“Could you set your computers to broadcast all the data they hold for our computers to record?”
“That can be arranged - what reason do I give, for this will be an effort that needs the help of many experts.”
“They would, I shall explain it as the Cherinian thing to do. I shall arrange it.”
I spoke to Robbie mentally and he chuckled. “Samantha, friend of aliens has just remonstrated with me, she feels I have been cruel. I’ll allow her to explain.”
I felt myself within a body and he turned to look at me. I nodded. “Iq-fara-Sievlo, I am Samantha. My father has not told you all the truth. None of you will die.” He jerked with surprise. “I’m going to make an assumption. You will not ferry the last Arim-se-Binud and leave immediately, will you? You will have to wait for the ferry that carried them to return. That gives us time to speak to your people and warn them of what we intend. Each of them may carry the items that are of importance to them and we may also be able to transport goods that are too heavy for them to carry themselves. You will all be teleported to another world that is suitable for each of the species being saved. From there we will have time to consider the future you wish for.” I smiled, sending him the feeling so that he would recognise the intent of what could look like a grimace to him. “Does that make the load you carry lighter?”
We returned to Freddie. Once our technical people learnt of what was planned, they made available repeater stations that are small enough to be close by the Brobesk gigantic spaceship, but without being visible to any of their electronics. Robbie took a few and asked Iq-fara-Sievlo to make a test broadcast. Once we saw the data being captured we quickly returned to bring more of them so as to increase the rate of transfer of data. Technicians monitored the equipment as they temporarily recorded and re-broadcast the data to their main computers. Once we were satisfied that it all worked properly we gave the go-ahead for the full stream of data to be broadcasted. Once the data was all received, Robbie asked that they re-broadcast a second and third time just in case there is any corruption of data. We left the technicians in a large platform and jumped to a few weeks before the explosion.
By the time we were only days away from the explosion, we had come to know the four species and felt more confident of their discretion. Most of the Kabetu were on planet and the last trips were mostly of equipment being supplied. I jumped to the private office of Iq-fara-Sievlo, after first warning him of my impeding visit.
“I think it is time you confidentially announce our presence. The Arim-se-Binud must not sense any changes in your people and they must not see you preparing to abandon your ship. In the areas they never visit, we would like your technical people to start stripping your ship of computers and any other instruments that could be of use to you. Load them in the ferries you are not using, crew them and we will teleport the ferries. Once their cargo has been unloaded we’ll bring the ferries back for the next shipment. Do not only concentrate on practical matters such as seeds and plants and micro organisms. Send your art, books, if you have any, and anything else you treasure.”
None of us helped. The entire transfer of goods was undertaken by the Spartans on their own. We could sense intense joy among them as the mountain of goods on their World grew. With the crew that stayed behind, they planned and created storerooms to preserve all sensitive items or refrigerate what needed to be kept frozen. We were startled, and very pleased, to find out that they had carried with them frozen embryos of their people from those who could not travel with. Robbie has added another three ecological environments in the hope that some of them will want to stay in Freddie. He is excited by the idea of them having children to fill our world with their sweetness.
Most of our Kabetu had moved to the Sparkler World from the first arrival of the ferries. They were almost deferential to the Brobesk, but soon were helped to relax and friendships were formed. The Brobesk colonists were distraught when they learnt of the consequences of the explosion on the Kabetu. They pleaded to be allowed to visit Kabeti to repair some of the damage by helping them, but we refused. We like the way they are and the direction we see them growing in. Again, too readily and without arguments, they accepted our decisions. We need to have some of them stay with us in Freddie and be present during our tomfoolery.
We knew much of what was being said and followed the changes in attitudes towards each other among the five species and even rejoiced at the new friendships being formed, so we were not surprised when a joint delegation that included Kiris and Nericha came to make a request. For this once, Kiris came coached by Rakil and Avery. He startled them and us, by ditching it all and formulating his own questions, as a process of getting to what he wished to ask of Robbie.
“Robert, is life a single force and each of us are just an atom from it, children of that force?”
“In a sense you are asking whether there is one mother soul. I don’t know Kiris.”
Kiris let us sense he’d been misunderstood. “Is life not a primary force that even souls must be the children of?”
