Little Cherine Book 11 - BPost018

arthur.grafo13(54)

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She pointed south. “It rained too much so we moved here. Here it rains too little. Nowhere rain is as needed. It is the same for you?”

“Some years we have too much and some too little.”
“You go to the rain place?”

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When Arthur makes them real for us, it might be a good idea to bring Bobby to this world. He should enjoy it here, but I believe his story and presence will teach those who study our ways more than we can just with words. I’ve been trying to imagine someone showing hate every time they feel love for me and I must admit I think Arthur is asking a lot of us – and his boxee Cherine and Robert.

Diana said something that had us in stitches – we haven’t laughed that much for a long time (not that I understand why I laughed). “When Arthur began writing about us, I think he wanted Cherine to be his real hero. Either Cherine or Robert. Instead Samantha took over. In his boxee story he is facing the same problem. Bobby has taken over the story.”

Sometimes I watch Sebura while they ride or at camp. He is stern and demands a lot of his men. If he thinks a trail is fresh enough and out of the way of normal travellers, he’ll push them to exhaustion until he is satisfied that those he is following have either crossed the border or joined a group of traders or students of our centres. The big difference is that now, when they are relaxed, he jokes with his men and listens when they speak of their families.

Freddie, with Robbie and some of the girls, jumped and returned within the day. When I sensed them I joined the rush to hug Orgg and Jeskine. Robbie has not brought them to visit us. He wants the bubble youngsters to spend some time on planet practising their gifts. The Sahara is only about a quarter or less the size of ours, but it is the ideal place for them to explode their bubbles. Those for whom the gift came naturally have tried to teach the others and most of them can now cause explosions, although only those with the natural talent can cause the really big and violent ones. This trip they are to practice controlling their bubbles, bringing them to the edge of an explosion and ‘withdrawing’ them without the explosion. Robbie explained there might be times they need to threaten or bluff without wanting to cause any destruction if the enemy capitulates.

They are delighted to be spending time with their ‘uncle’ and aunt’ but also proud that Robbie is trusting them to cause explosions without harming the environment.

The locals, at all centres, were curious about the bubble power so Robbie arranged for a demonstration to be held in two weeks time. That means poor Vincent will have to bring food from other realities as the visitors will expect a feast with lots to drink. I never mentioned, because I thought it is only logical and thus obvious, but Vincent transports the goods in a platform he creates – and, the meat is never halaal. Apart from us not subscribing to the religion, our healers, a long time ago, informed us that the meat is less healthy because of the suffering of the animals.

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We’d hoped Jeskine and Orgg would visit us in the evenings, but they stayed with the youngsters. We decided to go to Freddie for supper as we were missing Maria’s cooking. As we sat to eat, Vincent arrived to warn me that Sebura and his riders have come across another gang of deserters and they are fighting. I touched his hand and we jumped so that we floated above them. I called for healers to be sent to me and as any of the riders were hurt a healer would enter their body. Those of the gang I allowed to die, despite Vincent’s anger.

“Stop reacting and think! Do you wish for them to be taken as prisoners and killed? It is better they die this way.”

“It is not necessary for them to be killed.”

“It is.”

I could sense him as he floated alongside me and it was not unexpected when Kirsten arrived. She slipped her hand into his and I guess they communicated privately, for his frown smoothed out. Since none of the Orati riders were dying they could not lose the battle and soon all the deserters were dead. The men looked up and saluted us with their spears and we returned to Freddie and my food that was cold now. Maria gave me a wink and disappeared into the kitchen so I pushed away my plate.

“I’m starting to get the impression that Samantha and Haven are the only Cherinians among you.” Even I was shocked by Robbie’s words. “Those men had the option to stay in the army and do good. They preferred the ways they knew, to pillage, rape and kill. If people choose evil, then they must be prepared to pay for the harm they cause. I’ve told you and you’ve told others that everyone has the right to protect themselves and their loved ones – which among all decent people includes their society in general. We’ve said we have the right to kill if there is no other solution. Why is it that only Samantha has the courage of her convictions?”

“I don’t really Dad, I’m just afraid.”

“Afraid?”

“Of what executing prisoners would do to the Orati. The way the men were killed was clean and according to their traditions, perhaps even the way the men themselves might have preferred to die. If they were taken as prisoners they would have been faced with choices unpleasant to the Orati. I’ve only put off what is bound to happen, that is why I said I’m afraid.”

“The option you suggested to the elders was not bad, it took cognisance of all they believe in.”

“It doesn’t, all I’ve done is load the solution in their favour. It is bound to happen sometimes that one of the evil men will turn out to be stronger and a fierce warrior. If he kills two Orati riders, what do they do then? They’ve lost two good men and still have the problem living among them. Do they let him go to continue killing? Do they execute him because they recognise the threat he remains?”

“We and they are aware of the possibility Sam. The elders discussed it after you left. They do not wish to distress you by killing, so they’ve decided to maim the prisoner so that he is not capable of living by violence. Give them time love and they’ll evolve a better way. What is important is that you are allowing them to find their own solutions instead of imposing yours.”

“I’ll still feel responsible for each death. I accept that responsibility Dad.”

Dad was not happy and neither were the other girls, each, I suppose, for their own reasons, the only one approving and admiring me was Haven. I’ve given some thought to her. She never was a soldier, she has not been trained to kill. All that formed the person she is, is the hate she was born with. That it should have led to her having such strict and practical rules of what is right and wrong is amazing to me. Strangely, it is not Jade who is closest to resembling her in that way, I’d say it is Empathia. On further reflection, the sacred forty two, are they not similar? Could it be that the military mind, even when opened to intricate questions of ethics, tends to see answers more strictly defined as either black or white? If I lean on Samuel so often for that reason, surely it would make more sense if I were to learn to think like them?

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Angelica: I guess you know our Samantha by now. Once she had the idea she became determined to try it. She asked to be sent to a world without her memories so that she can become a soldier. Robert was not the only one who hated the idea. Luckily Meli managed to talk her out of it.

I still think it would have been a good idea, give me some backbone or something…

This is a big moment, very important to both us and Arthur, for I want to help him understand the effects he’s had on us. We have been troubled and struggling to adjust to a change, that is why I have not written of it before. We’re beginning to find a balance so it might be time for Arthur to learn of how he affected and sometimes changes us. I can’t really describe our original feelings as they were different for each of us, but I’ll describe what happened.

Our memories, from the day we were born or even before that for many of us, have changed. We still recall our old memories, but they no longer are true for us. In a sense you could say the new old memories have been juxtaposed or layered over the previously true ones.

When Arthur decided to describe, for the first time ever, how we find our gifts and open them, he had no facts or descriptions from us and assumed those he wrote for his boxee story. Because he assumed, it became true for us. Previously, the experience and method used for opening new gifts was the same for all of us. Now it depends on the personality of each one of us - and for the rest of the Cherinians. The aliens with us confirm it is the same for them.

In a way it is as if our minds have been violated and we suffered from shock. Those, outside the family, who do not believe in Arthur suffered the worst. Allan was furious and he has threatened to castrate you should we find you. I won’t even tell you what else he said about you. We’ve decided he was in denial, knowing you exist and your influence over us, but not really allowing himself to totally believe.

Once we began comparing the ways each of us ‘remember’ finding and opening our gifts, it became interesting. For Robert and Jade, it was very similar as it was for your imaginary Robert - but then I expect you would have assumed that. I doubt you bothered to assume for the rest of us and all the other Cherinians. I’m not saying either the old or new way is worse, just that being changed without a by your leave is a kind of violation of my person.

Our reactions to your offer was a real mixed bag. Most of the aliens pleaded with us not to agree, they feel they cannot bear to have to adapt all over again. The only ones to have fun with the idea were the imps. They started a sheet of suggested assumptions changing our past for us to pass on to you and asked everyone to contribute their ideas. Not many of them were amused, a vista of possible changes yawning in front of them as they read the girls first suggestions.

I changed my features to look like a Feshidi and paid a visit to the last church of The Fanged One. It was just idle curiosity, I thought the religion is dying and wanted to learn something about it before it disappears. I don’t know what I expected; gaudy colours, paintings, drums rolling as priests use their tricks to mesmerise believers - like in the movies? I’d like to think I entered without too many preconceptions, but perhaps I didn’t, perhaps I had images from other pagan religions colouring my viewpoint. The entrance was musty with the scents of stale sweat and old fires. The stone walls are daubed with mud, as in the village huts. Everywhere I looked I saw teeth, claws, tusks sticking out of the walls. At the far end was one red and black mask, about eight feet tall. It was the face of the Fanged One.

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