She watched as Ntchizi worked at the interface of her mind and then she was shown a gift. It was not the one she’d asked for, but she saw it would serve her. I am sorry Cherine, I do not recognise a…flying potential.
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7161
7162
7163
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7166
Chapter Two Hundred and Eighty
We get the hint, time for me to write. The reason I’ve been so quiet is that I know Arthur is not excited by details of how we coped with supplying so many volunteers with accommodation, teleportation travel via Cherinians, foods and the petty temper tantrums of professionals who consider themselves experts. They find it difficult to adjust to the differences in culture that make primitives who lack their ‘civilised’ toys, act with dignity and hold an expectation of being treated as adults and given choices as their due. For most of them their experiences come from helping in third world countries where self esteem of the locals is low and they are treated with reverence. Since most of the local people working with them also attend our centres, they try to act as we teach, irritating the experts by their almost loving willingness to do whatever is asked of them, coupled with their need to know why. As we sensed they were making fun of the locals, I tried to help them understand. They were not amused when I reminded them that here they are not experts, they are demons and have to continually prove that they are good demons.
By the request of National Geographic (no longer under control of the Globalists), Robbie and Jade are full-heartedly devoted to painting all the species of animals, birds and plants that are extinct in our reality (and most others) so we don’t see much of them. We can sense them when they take a break for a meal and if they are in need of some loving we keep our link as subtly as we can so that Jade feels she has him on her own.
Since I never gave it much thought, I’d sort of off-handedly assumed that the Mediterranean only became a sea once the Gibraltar Straits allowed the ocean to smash through. I had ignored the fact that for the sea to form, the land had to be lower than Europe and Africa. As soon as I arrived on this planet and took my first look, I realised that rivers from both continents poured their waters into the basin and a substantial area was under water in the form of large lakes. This made it easier to identify certain areas, Cyprus for instance. The central mountain that the island originated from has not been pressurised into rising to any great height yet, but it is not under water. I asked Diana to accompany me.
7167
“I’ve been trying to work out the sequence. You found seashells at the top of Mt Troodos so it must have been part of the seabed at some time. The period when the area becomes a sea and the plates move, forcing the mountain to form should not be that far apart.”
Diana’s excitement soon brought Claudia plus some of the other girls who were not busy. The soil, even the surface, was covered in seashells. I listened to what theories the girls ironed out and it made sense. They decided the only explanation was that the Mediterranean must have existed far back in time. They theorised that before Africa moved to its present position by creeping northwards, the Mediterranean must have been one with the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. I’ll place a sketch here in case you can use it.
We have collected some amazing seashells for our Freddie museum. We never collect any that are occupied, but the variety we’ve found is astounding. I guess you could say we’ve caught the collector’s ‘bug’ as we’re even considering searching the sea bottom in the world of Kiris and Nericha. It goes without saying that we’ll check on the Earth of Orgg. Being an alternate, nature just might have come up with some subtle differences.
We’ve been here five months so we’ll have to return next month. We arranged that all volunteers will live in pleasant communes where they may enjoy some of the amenities they are used to, but those are placed at a great distance from any of the local civilisations. Cherinians bring them to work and take them home every night. That should also reduce the likelihood of the local girls having babies that would alter the local bloodlines. Every six months the volunteers have to return home and they are replaced by others who are awaiting their turn. We will return those already here before bringing their replacements, which also gives them the opportunity to publish their papers, appear on chat shows and so on before we get roped in by the media.
Because of Pirusi, we’ve started classes for the very young. Mostly they play under supervision which gives their mothers some free time, but while they play, opportunities are grabbed when they occur naturally for them to be taught some of the values we consider important. You only have to have been present when a group of such youngsters are together to realise how many opportunities are presented by their squabbles, bullying and so on.
The moment the kids first arrived, we held a ceremony and pinning little metallic badges on them we inducted them as Warriors of Love. Pirusi was quick to understand and is determined to be the best such warrior. Isn’t it a pity that a number of unpleasant things had to happen for her to be given the opportunity to strive to reach her potential? If her parents had not died, if Sebura had not needed her, she would have grown up in her village a typical girl with only the worry of how she could attract the right young man to take her as his mate. Her customs would have guaranteed she remained narrow-minded and I doubt she would have attended any Cherinian centre as her village is remote from all larger towns.
7168
We’re leaving and I had to pressurise Efineh and Irfan to come with us. When I told her we would be visiting Jeskine, she quickly changed her mind. For these last few weeks we’ve been flooded by urgent requests that this and that scientist be allowed to remain for completing their studies. Relying on our own scientists, Robbie decided that only fourteen of them should stay and he warned them that they only have another full year to collect and collate all the information they need. Before agreeing, he demanded they commit themselves to share whatever they’ve learnt and work openly with their replacements when they arrive.
Sebura is still ostracised by the majority of his people, especially the young, so I let it be known that we will be showing on our screens scenes from the days when I was still considered a demon. We put up screens in all the centres and the girls told me that everything came to a standstill in all the towns and cities as people came to watch.
I saw Sebura sitting with Pirusi lodged between his legs and going to him I asked him to make clear to Piri that what she’ll see happened a long time ago, so she must not fear for him. That made him suspicious of me, but I walked away with a grin before he could ask.
The show started with me sending Sebura to the Feshidi to bring me ten students and ended with the attempted invasion of the land of the Orati and their repulsion by the various creatures that sent the Feshidi rushing back to their homes. When the show was over I appeared on the screens as I talked.
“The Feshidi are loved by us and we did not show the way we came to know them so as to shame them. We did so for a number of reasons, some of which you can discuss with those who are teaching you at your centres. What I wanted to remind all of you is that when people allow their leaders to become demons, then they become less important to their leaders than the flies that irritate you in the heat. It was easy to laugh as we saw the army beaten by insects and animals but, what many of you do not know is that those men returned to a great shame and to suffering. Officers were sold as slaves, losing their homes and families because they did not obey their fat demon Klerisanamome by conquering the Orati. Can the Orati people imagine sending out their sons to steal from and kill their neighbours and if they return without succeeding, killing or destroying their sons? Those soldiers had no choice then and they have done a lot to improve life for their people since by helping them build homes and clearing land for them to grow food. Isn’t that a far better way for any nation to use its army?
Another reason I showed the scenes that you saw is to remind you that people who are brave can sometimes be brave without believing in what they fight for, for the simple reason that their own honour demands it of them. Sebura, my friend, made some mistakes, but they were the mistakes of youth and hot blood, but let us never forget that he was and is a true Orati Rider. I called him friend for I have seen his struggles to grow and watched how he changed. I’m asking that he travels with us when we leave as I want him to spend his time with whoever of us is dealing with a problem. I want him to question us and himself as he tries to understand why we make the decisions we do. Sometimes his own honesty will force us to see that we made a mistake and sometimes he’ll learn from us. I am so confident that he will be wiser by the time he returns, that I am asking all elders and leaders from now to accept him as my ambassador to all your nations.”
When I was alone with Sebura, he only asked, using a wry tone, “I am not Sir Sebura yet?”
“Not yet, for now you are only a friend. The day will come when I am forced to call you Sir Sebura and I wonder, which will you then prefer, Sir or Friend Sebura?”
I had a moment alone with Ashema. “My friend, we are moving into difficult times. I ask that you consider some changes in the Elders. Experience and caution are required even more urgently for keeping your people safe, but there will also be a need for the courage and daring of the young. If you find wisdom in my thoughts, could you convince your people to elect three new elders from your riders? The young should have a voice, but they must remain in the minority so that your wisdom still controls the council.”
“That is why you take Sebura?”
“No, him I will need for Efineh. Her husband is not a man of war or hard decisions, he advises where Cherinian wisdom is required, but he would not have the wisdom to advise her with regard to many problems your people will experience over the next years. Sebura sees clearly where others lose themselves in the many answers.”
He took my hand, “You truly have a way of bending all to your will.”
7169
I refused to cringe and smiled, “So do you my old friend, for we have both discovered the secret to success. Will for that which is going to happen anyway.”
When Freddie jumped, we went to a dead reality. We paused there so as to give the returning volunteers time to write their reports, and for those Cherinians who’ve exerted themselves helping, time to relax. We then jumped directly to our reality. We arrived in February, early enough to join in and enjoy the carnival atmosphere as various parades took place and people danced on the streets. It was expected that as people, especially the youth, settle for a life in front of televisions and computers, that they would not find carnivals ‘sophisticated’ and they would die out. Instead, over the decades we’ve seen them grow in popularity and cities and countries compete to produce the best and most popular carnivals.
Sebura allowed Robbie to indulge himself and he spent half a day buying Pirusi a wonderful selection of colourful clothes from shops in Athens and London. He then took her for a double thick milkshake and brought back one over-excited little girl who couldn’t stop talking until she curled up in Sebura’s arms and fell asleep.
Sebura feels uncomfortable in trousers and keeps on fidgeting, pulling at them, but he does not want to look different from everyone so he wears them. He especially hates shoes and wears sandals. He feels the cold keenly so he has to be bundled up like an Eskimo. In other words, his life during winter is a misery whenever we leave the house. My loves tease him and he scowls at them and I do my best to hide my smiles.
The third segment of Boxee did not sell well, it seemed as if the novelty had worn off and people were not interested. Then for no reason I can understand, the demand for the fourth segment caught everyone by surprise and suddenly millions of copies of the third segment were downloaded. Having a number of segments published on a more or less regular basis has helped preserve the momentum, so Arthur better paste the next one soon.
What we wouldn’t do for Sebura we do for Pirusi and take them to Dar where she can relax in the tropical heat. She swims a bit and Sebura tells her she is braver than him for daring to enter the sea with us. That had Piri upset for a day and then she nagged at him until he was forced to join us. The only one he trusted to teach him was Vincent and though he can now swim, he is nervous of going deeper than his waist.
I should also admit that we have a lot of celebrations that we recently were not having a party for, so this trip was also meant to be for Coral’s wedding anniversary and the birthdays of Tina, Rosie, Diana, Melina and Rania.
We’d just enjoyed a good supper, Piri was half asleep in her chair and Robbie was enjoying his coffee and cigarette. Meli placed Piri on her lap so that she can sleep. The moon had just risen to cast its long shadow of pearly light over the ocean, all the way from the horizon to us as we listened to guests talking and laughing and making plans to go to a dance or to the casino.
“Why do you allow people to have too many children on your world? You’ve warned us on my world, so why do you allow it since you know what will happen?”
Robbie lit another cigarette and stared into the ember for a moment. “I am not god and I am not Samantha.”
I shot up. “What do you mean by that!”
“Do you feel she has imposed her will on your people whenever she is convinced of her truth?” Sebura glanced at me, but was careful not to even nod in answer.
“That’s not fair!”
“It’s not? How is it that Sebura is with us then? Why isn’t he doing what he wanted to, lording it over his people as their Elder or maybe by now even Prime Elder?”
I forced myself to sit back. “That is for Sebura to answer.”
7170
“You see Sebura, she is doing it again.”
We could hear the edge in his voice, though he kept it soft so as not to disturb Piri, “What is she doing, I do not understand.”
“She is trying to force you to learn and grow so she demands you answer, hoping it will make you think and see the same truth she does.”
He looked at me so I added, “Can you answer his question?”
“I must think before I reply. Perhaps tomorrow.” When we went to bed we sensed him sitting by his bungalow and later he walked along the beach, his mind examining thoughts that obviously troubled him. Robbie gave me a nasty grin before closing his eyes.
“Sometimes a bull elephant is alone without family. If such an elephant comes to the land where Orati live, we may kill it for the meat or we may kill it for our riders to show their bravery. That is right to do, for elephants have their own land and they should not forget they are elephants. If we used ropes to tie it and make it tame like the cattle of the Feshidi, that would be wrong, for an elephant is not a cow, it is wild and must live or die free.
Samantha did not tie me so that I learn to live like a cow. That is what you tell me she does Robert. She used her strength to force me to remember that I am an elephant and elephants can hurt people. She made me live like an elephant for a time so that I could become a good rider, one who protects his people. I will never be the bull elephant she wants, for I am like that elephant that has learnt to live for itself but, I think I will be a better elephant than I was. Have I answered you Robert?”
“If that is the answer you found for yourself, then it is the right answer - for you. What should she have done if you were not a bull elephant but a rat instead?”
I laughed. “Sebura, he only asks you because he collects rats. Would you like to hear about his rat?” He listened with interest, but he did not really understand. A man who refuses to kill someone who attacks his family, that was too strange for him to picture. What did he care how Robbie’s rat turned out, what mattered was that he allowed him to live. I’m going to have fun introducing him to Petsas.
Pirusi is being exposed to some weird experiences for an Orati child. Nicko and his wives and daughters collected all the girls who wanted to go with and they took Pirusi to a new amusement park in Athens. Everyone was convinced that her screams must have been heard all the way to the tops of the mountains surrounding Athens. They teased the poor girl by telling her that candy floss is made from clouds and she told everyone for the next few days that she’d eaten clouds.
I hope you enjoy reading this story of fantasy, adventure and love - and should some of it be true for our reality, I hope you will love our Cherine.
Αλέξανδρος Ζήνον Ευσταθίου
(Alexander Zenon Eustace)- posted: 8th Jun, 2020
If you wish to read from an earlier book, from Book 01 to Book 10, use this link button to open the LC Book Index: