“It is still important we meet Feifoa.” We explained why. “How do you want us to go about it this time Arissi?”
The dry air had a tang to it that made Goldi feel she had fizzy bubbles in her nostrils and she was able to trace the spicy scents to various plants bordering the farmer town, which was made of large rocks that seemed to be piled on each other in haphazard heaps. She had suggested to Arissi that they avoid arriving within the town, but do so on the very border. The fiery red plants seemed to be a good indication of where the locals considered the edge of their town reached. They had been seen, but were apparently being ignored, so Goldi felt she had the time to pay closer attention to plants and insects. The soil itself is a deep ochre and much of it is covered in patches of a fine hazel brown dust. Arissi told her the dust is believed to come from the rocks. Goldi noticed something that did not seem to belong to the variety of vegetation - an ice-blue spear tip rigidly stuck out of the ground. She called to Arissi to look as she reached out to touch it. He was amazingly fast in his reactions and stopped her hand.
“It is a plant, but a touch will cause death. That which looks like wetness is the poison. I cannot believe they have allowed this to grow so close to their town - what if a youngling strayed out here and touched it!”
“I am sheathed with the energy Robbie gets from the void, poison cannot harm me. I want my healer to analyse what the poison is - perhaps it can find an antidote.”
Goldi noticed that a small number of farmers had stopped to watch and since they stood behind Arissi, she guessed he had not seen them. She gave him a smile and touched the blade and Arissi took an involuntary step back. The exclamation by Goldi was lost in the furious shouts of the farmer community. Then something happened that we are told has not happened since the hunters rebelled. They leant over to pick up stones and threw them at Arissi, shouting the worst insults they could. Goldi jumped to stand between them and Arissi and the stones fell by her feet.
The farmers stopped, but they still quivered with fury. Then they realised that Goldi was standing, that she was not dying, and their anger turned to unbelieving shock. No creature of their planet, from the tiniest insect to the largest animal had ever survived touching the poisonous blade so they could not reconcile what their eyes saw with what they knew should be happening. Goldi sent us her giggle and told us what the poison was. Arissi had been shielded when he was brought to Freddie and when he had been projected into a Terran, he was no longer an alien to all that surrounds us and our foods and drinks. However, when not shielded and in his own body, the sticky syrup was the worst poison nature has created on their planet. The poison is what we call sugar.
The blue sugar is not digestible by our species and therefore must be very different to our sugars. The metabolism of all life on the planet does not convert anything to any kind of sugar that resembles what our bodies use, but the sugar they do use is a distant cousin of our sugars, in a chemical sense. To us it would not taste sweet, more a sort of brackish bitter. That posed the interesting problem with regard to the seeds we ate in the mental world of Arissi, how could it taste sweet if it has no sugar in it? We’ll check for some samples before we leave. Before I continue with the visit, I’d like to mention that they do not seem to use salt in the form we do - and most carbon based aliens do, so that is another puzzle for us to deal with later.
It is unfortunate that our posture, our preference for standing upright, conveys to the locals a hostile attitude. Seeing Goldi stand straight as if preparing to attack with her back claws, convinced them she was about to attack. Goldi quickly bent her body from her waist so that it could be seen she had no intention of launching an attack.
“You were angered because you thought he had allowed me to poison myself? My name is Goldi and I come from a different world - where the syrup of that plant is part of the foods we eat. Arissi would not let me accidentally harm myself, we consider ourselves family. Are there any among you who remember Irasbit and his females Mesitta and Amiissi? This is the youngest youngling of theirs and he is known as Arissi. We have come to speak with Feifoa. Is he still alive?”
“Feifoa stood as father to my father, I have come to honour him.”
“Reminding us that he shamed us by rearing a son of the murderers who name themselves hunters is what you do. Leave now.” Arissi had already planned for such a demand. He did not refuse, for it would have only antagonised them even further and honour would have forced Feifoa to stay away. Instead, both he and Goldi sat on the ground, Arissi clawing some of the soil away so as to nestle comfortably. They spent the rest of the day and all of that night waiting. The next morning a few farmers stopped to stare at them, but then walked away. As the noon sun beat down on them a farmer, a golden elder, stopped before them.
“I am Feifoa. You may tell your father you have seen me so it is time you leave.”
Goldi grinned. “You and your people are not curious about me?”
He kept his hunter eye on her, insulting her. “I am curious about the insects I see among the roots of plants that are dying. It does not mean I am willing to waste my time with them.”
“Some insects that live among the roots help the plants grow bigger and stronger so that you have more food. Perhaps I am such an insect?” Arissi gasped with dismay, but the elderly golden only continued to stare at her.
He gestured. “Is that why the two of you sit on the soil?” With an impatient nod he turned away as he said, “Follow me.”
If the enclosed space he took them to was his home, it had no covering. Since it rarely rains, we had reasoned that they cover their dwellings to protect the younglings and females from the sun and winds that sometimes carry enough dust to choke the breath. Since Feifoa does not have a family, we think he did not see why he should bother with a covering. He did not have any seats with rungs for forward and back claws either, but Arissi followed his example and made himself as comfortable as he could, ignoring his dangling back claws.
“Irasbit has a fofor family?”
“The full fifteen females and thirteen younglings. I am the thirteenth.” Arissi allowed his wings to droop, as if abasing himself. “May I speak my thoughts?” Feifoa gestured for him to continue and he turned his front eyes to Goldi so that it would seem he was not interested in what Arissi had to say. Goldi sent Arissi a smile and he seemed to gain courage from it. “You told my father that our people will stop existing. My father tells us that our family are proof of all you said and he longs for the days when he could learn from your clear sight. He curses the darkness that lies between our people.”
“He always was determined to change what cannot be altered. He has not grown any wiser.”
“Perhaps the one that came with me, Goldi, is proof that your words not only made him wiser, but his younglings also, so that even his youngest demands a hunt for ways our people can survive. I have tried and now have come to you so that your golden wisdom can tell me whether I have succeeded.” He then went into the long story of how Goldi found him in his dreams and all that followed from it. At first it could be felt that Arissi was not believed. As he piled words upon words, describing much that was not possible for him to have imagined, Feifoa stopped pretending lack of interest and listened closely and even asked penetrating questions, surprising us when some of them were about the void. Some he asked of Goldi and she answered without any kind of embroidery of the facts. He must have sensed it, for he did not contest anything she said, only wondered that it is possible.
Arissi was still talking when Feifoa turned to Goldi so as to be looking at her with his front eyes as he asked, “Is it possible for me to come to your world for a visit? Is it also allowed for me to visit this place of darkness that I have seen in dreams?”
“All it needs is that you do not fear and trust me - as this youngling did, the son of your son.” She stretched out her hands and Arissi touched her with his wingtip. Goldi waited and Feifoa forced his wing to reach for her. They arrived in Freddie. Off we go again…we are in a different reality. I’m sorry, I got the giggles when I realised that Arissi will want the girls to do a telling for his ‘grandfather’.
Robert here. Sam came to her above conclusions and became very unhappy. She withdrew for a day and then she moved out of our home, sleeping outside and walking on her own as she lost herself in her thoughts - which we all stay out of, even Cherine. I have a queer feeling she is going to change us and I’m told our alien friends feel the same way. Everyone is trying very hard to concentrate on Feifoa and Arissi so that she does not sense our nervousness. Meli decided to do another telling in the Sparkler World so that our Samantha has Freddie to herself.
Samantha is not the only one who likes Feifoa. What is more important is that Arissi has grown to think of him as his grandfather - a sort of elder or golden father, since they do not have the grand relationships we do…grandfather, grandmother, grandchild and so on. If they are to live longer lives, perhaps it may be a good idea they create within their culture those relationships. I decided to risk the discussion with Feifoa while we lounged around after a telling, with plates of food and drinks. I explained about our family units and our interest in knowing our ancestors so that we know where we come from. He took his time thinking about it before answering.
“I do not like your suggestion Robert. Our people are quick to anger and hatred grows easily among us. My people are the same as the hunters in that regard. We do not forgive wrongs and slights. As we are now, that hatred dies with the individuals who give it a nest in their lives. If we change as you think we should, then the son and the son of the son will be hated. Look at Irasbit, many of his own people hate him because they showed weakness and treated him badly as an early youngling. Their hatred does not widen to clutch at his sons and they will have little problem in creating or becoming part of fofor families. Of course, with the changes Arissi is about to bring his people, it is likely he too will be hated. But, his children will not. Expanding our family relationships as you suggest, are they worth the other changes they will bring?”
“I cannot advise you on that, all I can do is tell you what I thought and the reasons, but it is you and your people who must examine all the pros and cons and decide.”
Feifoa slightly swayed as he glanced at Arissi and caustically said, “To do as you suggest, this youngling would then be son of my son, as Goldi named him.” His wings fluttered as if slightly horrified by the idea. Goldi interfered and helped Arissi sense the true feelings of Feifoa. She will have to pay in some form, even if those affected do not ask it of her. I’m not certain how and most of my family and friends do not agree with me. I wonder how Samantha will argue, for or against me?
As Sam would have put it, in a rather stuffy manner, I said to them, “Your lifespan will be much longer than it was so you should give the problems it will cause you a lot of thought if you don’t want your planet destroyed again.” Cherine spoke directly to my mind, claiming that his show of humour indicated a fondness for the youngling and my closing remark had been totally superfluous. I’m not as stupid as I may appear to be at times, I kept my mouth shut and soon as I could I started a conversation with Ordinx - he is one of those sometimes crusty old men Sam loves so much and he was worried about her. Cherine is allowed to share Sam’s mind, but she refused to give anyone a hint, not even by only assuring us she is alright. She claims that if we worry about Sam, it shows her that she is loved and she needs it. We only had that discussion once and at that time I made the mistake of telling her that we also need to be shown that we are loved, instead of being left to worry. Immediately all the girls sided with Cherine. The ungrateful little louts! I am teasing them Arthur, not you.
I am back and I will not discuss the thoughts that occupied me these few days. This is not the time for them, first we must see to the future of this planet. After spending a day concentrating only on those who love me, I placed myself opposite Arissi and Feifoa. “Arissi, sharing in a third telling, has it helped you understand more about what Cherine offers all life?”
“I have more questions.”
I smiled. “Good! And we’ll answer all of them. I’m glad, it means that sharing again did help. Have you understood what Alki means to us?”
“When you fly, there is air under your wings that holds you up?” He agreed. “Alki is that air for us. Because we don’t fly a lot, we say he is our rock, because rocks hold us up, but they also protect us. Do you think that Feifoa could be the air under your wings, as he was for your father? With him, could you fly higher than ever before?”
“I am the youngest, the last of the younglings of my family, it means I am also the weakest. You must choose Sovia, he is the strongest.”
Feifoa cut in, “It is the same with our families, when we realise there will be no more younglings, the last one is treated tenderly like a female and it weakens them.”
“Feifoa, we did not choose Arissi - I’m sorry, I meant it was not Goldi who chose him - it was Arthur.” I grinned. “Leave questions about him for later, but accept, for now, that it is Arthur who created you, us, the worlds we live on and all the stars you see in your skies. Arissi, one more question and then I’ll tell you what I’m thinking of doing. Do you prefer to be the Robert or the Cherine of your world? In other words, the choice is yours, would you rather be a female, a mother, or a male, a hunter - but a hunter who does not hunt? In both cases you will be too busy helping your people to be what tradition says you should be.” Goldi was feeling aggressive as she quickly placed herself by his side, her hand taking hold of his wingtip. *You should have discussed it with me first!* I felt that everyone who heard agreed with her. *What was there to discuss, my love? We already know his people will not listen to us, but they will not refuse to listen to Arissi - especially when we help him do a telling…in the way we show the Orati.* I sent to her the picture of a screen showing the animals charging, in defence of the Orati. She relaxed and sent to me that it was okay for me to continue.
“If the choice belongs to you instead of your fofor family, then you must choose to be a male,” Feifoa said. “As a female no hunter or farmer or elder of either people will listen to you. To do what you ask of them would force them to change, become females, which they will not do.” I had not realised it would or could happen. For a moment I wondered whether I should push for Arissi to choose to become a female so that he is more effective in changing his people, but then I decided I did not have the right and…he can become a Cherine later on, once he has found his Robert - if that is what he is destined to become.
Even the drudgery of setting up the communities in ways that maximise their chances of surviving is exciting when we share their excitement and joy at being alive and having another chance to ensure a future for their families. We have planned for it and insisted that each main hunter nest have a farmer community nearby and Alki and Campbell have helped them work out a system of trading that will minimise misunderstandings. Of course, most of such precaution relies on people having a clear understanding of what the other side expects of them.
It was confirmed that the pulverisation of asteroids crashing into the planet must have released certain minerals from the asteroids that reduced fertility of all life, including vegetation and all else all the way down to microscopic life. The scientists became very excited by this discovery and asked to stay here for a few more years as they want to map the layers of the planetary surface. When Robbie and we understood why, we thought Robbie would agree to stay. Instead, he went for the shortcut. “We’ll leave you here for the three years you need. Miriafisio, we’ll be jumping straight back to you three years from now as I am excited and want to hear the answer as soon as possible.” I don’t know whether they envied us not having to wait or were more excited about the process of finding out the truth. I found it tempting to stay, as I could imagine how the discovery of facts would excite them, but I would not without my loves.
As soon as we returned and their platform was brought back into Freddie, they came to Robbie, not even returning to their own families first. We could sense their excitement and his voice rang out, “Our preliminary conclusions are now proven not correct, Robert. The top layer of rock and soil are not part of the original planet. Somehow the planet was artificially covered to the height of seven hundred meters on average with dust or soil from elsewhere and the asteroids only uncovered the original soil at a number of points, sending the inhibiting minerals of the original planet into the atmosphere so that they affected the entire planet.”
“We also thought so, but slowly we are coming to the conclusion that life did evolve here.” He spoke to his personal AI and it relayed through Freddie the information for us to see on his screens. “If our theories are correct, this planet is not native to this solar system. It is calculated that it drifted through the galaxy for close to a billion years. We theorise that during its travels, it drifted through a nebulae, the birthing ground of suns and planets as you know. It collected dust and grew in size. It would have lost much of the dust once it departed from the nebulae, but it was subjected to intense gravity stresses and might have also passed through an area where a sun was being formed. The metallic molecules of the dust, to an extent, melted so that most of it became the metal layers and rocks we see. The intense heat and then cooling resulted in the planet acquiring air and water. Please note how the surface of the original planet seems to be covered by layers of metal.” The illustrations on the screen changed and Miriafisio gave us a minute to study it.
“The original planet was very old and not big enough to have a molten core. There were, at the time it entered the dust cloud, impact craters larger than any on your moon and cracks that travelled for thousands of kilometres along the surface, sometimes almost reaching one third of the way to the center.” The screens showed the original planet with the new layer looking like a ghostly shadow over it. We could see the awesome craters and ravines. “All that served a useful function, anchoring the new surface. However, as it cooled and contracted, a few prior elevations composed of the original material either were exposed or came close to the surface. Minute traces of the minerals that poison life on this planet did escape directly or through underground rivers, but not enough to impede or slow down the rate of growth of life. To an extent, blood samples show us that life did adjust to the minute traces, providing only a small level of immunity for all life from the larger quantities that were released into the atmosphere after the bombardment from space, but the said immunity was unable to prevent the reduction of fertility. As you know, in all species, the foetus or seed is more sensitive to abnormal quantities of various chemicals and minerals, which explains why so many pregnancies resulted in foetuses aborting before they had matured.”
Their own excitement left them oblivious to the disappointment Robbie felt. He had hoped to discover that an older civilisation had terraformed the planet and planted the life forms that made this world so unique. We think he was hoping we’d be shooting off into the distant past in search of those advanced civilisations. As Miriafisio continued to explain, now and then interrupted by excited comments from his colleagues, Robbie began to pay attention and he realised what a unique world this is and how miraculous its existence is (I’m not making a pun with regard to you Arthur). They projected pictures clearly showing that the upper layers, in a few places, had slipped, opening ravines where the surface of the original planet seemed to be only tens or hundreds of metres below the surface. Within a few seasons, those areas were covered with water, growing into lakes and seas, and the sediment helped build up another layer of protective material. The scientists are convinced that if we return in time, we’ll find many instances where life died out locally because of a temporary exposure to the original surface of the planet.
Their most startling theory was that the planet has been contracting in size for millions of years, ever since it departed from the dust cloud and was captured by the solar system it is a part of now. They claim that the original planet was very light and porous and the weight of the overlay is making it collapse upon itself. They are convinced it has or will stop decreasing in size because the overlay is not flexible and as the areas of weakness reduce, they will not place pressure on the weaker substructures underneath them. It sounded like they were saying that if a sponge ball is covered with a sheath of metal plates, the metal will not continually place pressure on the sponge as it will provide for itself the support needed to hold its size and shape.
“Robert, we must place an interdiction against mining on this planet. The concentration of metals in pure form, already smelted to a degree, could be tempting, as the costs of extraction and purification will be a fraction of the normal costs. Any disturbance of the metal belt could cause massive damage to the planet by releasing the toxic minerals and chemicals while increasing the chances that the original planet surface collapses further.”
“The present absence of technology could partly be due to the lack of metals close to the surface?”
“There are a number of areas where the top layer is thin enough for the metal to be mined without requiring high technology. Luckily those areas also tend to be where the original planet has broken through and killed off all lifeforms, so it is not likely the avian dominant species will go there in search of metal.”
We restricted our arguments, debates, whatever you want to call them, within our home. Only close friends and family have been allowed to share what Arthur wrote and for a while there was disagreement among us. Some agree with Arthur and others are shocked that he would say anything like that about any species. They argue that if it got out, it would give the impression that they are not the same as other species and are lesser beings in some way. I’m not surprised that it was Empathia who came up with a marvellous solution to a number of our problems. She suggested that Faiiis remain on planet as ambassador for his people while we take Sovia with his new fofor family to be the ambassadors of their people on the planet of the Reggheri. Because they are similar in many ways without being the same, she is convinced they’ll help mature each other so that they become more open to new ideas. She could be right, being similar in certain ways, they are more likely to listen to each other without allowing contempt to block them.
Faiiis needed time and convincing for him to agree to represent his people, submitting to our machinations only after we promised him it would only be temporary, until his people either confirm the appointment or else send a proper ambassador. Now we are ready to deal with the people of Arissi. Actually, Arthur is right, they must choose a name for themselves.
It would have been more honest to name Faiiis our ambassador. He appeared in our place at the meetings and argued on our behalf. Faiiis and Arissi had the good sense not to mention how he’d tried to prove his ‘manhood’, as the idea of one sapient being attacking another would not have made him popular - even if they don’t like me.
Feifoa was the greatest surprise. When he appeared at their meeting place, there were no gestures of rudeness. They ignored him until he stood up to address them. There was no heckling, no turning of heads to stare at him with their hunter eyes. Respecting the courage he was showing by daring to appear to speak to them, they respectfully listened to him. He is not a storyteller, his descriptions are abrupt and down to earth, but it was what was needed and his speech held them for hours as they sighed and made their sounds of startlement. He asked for a screen to show how the planet had been affected by the space dust and explained that life had formed out of the heat and cooling of the added layers and made clear that the original planet has a heart poisonous to all life. He spoke of the ability we all have to use our healers and of the hundreds of millions of healers from all the species of over a hundred solar systems scouring the planet in search of the minerals that inhibited their ability to have children. When he stated that all would soon be able to have more children, he continued with the likely scenario of their people starting to compete for food.
Among our people, someone like Arissi and Sovia would have felt at least some hidden resentment that their Goldens had been willing to listen to Feifoa but not them. We did not feel anything negative from them and when we talked with them in Freddie, they sounded surprised that we should have harboured such fears. They explained that their father is highly respected now and his children, especially the two of them, will be honoured and welcomed into any new family they wish to join and it is already accepted that Sovia will be one of the storytellers of his people.
Cherine asked, “Do you intend continuing with the same ratio of females to males?”
Irasbit faced her as he answered, “We must, until it is seen that the food supply has grown. We will then decide whether to revert to smaller numbers of females per male or whether we should greatly increase the numbers.”
“Increase?” Cherine asked, “Why would you do that?”
“Should we not learn from those who are wiser than us? You have no shortage of food and your male has more than three times the females our hunters take as family.” We responded to his sly humour in ways that gave him pleasure, but I have a feeling that he is genuinely puzzled by our family structure. There is a strong sense of distaste being emoted by both him and Feifoa because of the fact that we do not have new younglings because we choose not to. To them, family only exists for that purpose and personal immortality is not as important. We’ll try to illustrate the fact that family means much more to us, if we can find the way to put the points across in ways that are comprehensible to them.
Irasbit is still too young and tawny to be named a Golden, so it was a clear mark of honour when he was told to sit with the Goldens. Goldi sensed Arissi and she hugged herself, not really wanting any of us to hold her. She has had her moments of fearing that her efforts to help Arissi were going to backfire on her and end up only hurting him, so she has the right to be a little selfish and hug her joy to herself for a while. At the end of that meeting, as the Goldens made the decision to meet again two nights later, Irasbit and Faiiis were told to invite the golden from the dreams of Arissi to be present for answering questions. It did not seem to occur to any of them that Goldi or her family might feel they slighted us and even Arissi concentrated on the fact that our existence and appearance is still controversial and the Goldens who’d insisted on her presence showed courage when the majority are still against us. In hushed tones he told us that if Goldi says anything to upset the others, the Goldens responsible for her presence could find themselves and their fofor families at the bottom of the pecking order. Goldi went to the meeting terrified of opening her mouth.
The Golden who demanded Goldi take position for speaking to them was also the one to aggressively demand of her, “Golden, would you expect us to spend an entire day hunting and then to bring to you all we caught, returning to our families with empty claws?”
Goldi did not show her delighted surprise at his repeating a question we’d already dealt with, but she sent to Arissi a warning not to react yet. “I would not.”
“Would it be expected of us by others of your family?” Again Goldi confirmed we had no such expectations, pleased that he was following the same line of reasoning as the Elder from the past had, since it made it easy for her to see the solution. She sent Arissi a message mentally. The Golden looked angry, his voice harsh, “It is what you offer us and what you offer we must offer in return. How do we do so?”
“Would you like my family to tell you such a story?”
Arthur, there is not much more for me to write about before we leave. I know you don’t need the details of agreements made and the lowering of barriers between hunters and farmers. I did achieve the one thing you moaned about. I spoke to Feifoa privately and explained why it is necessary that they give themselves a name as a species and not only descriptions of how they live. It seems that the idea is one of those that only needs to be spoken of for it to become obvious. He tried to convince his people that they should name themselves in honour of Goldi, but luckily many objected. Sol suggested Feirassi to Faiiis and when he passed it on they accepted the name without realising Sol had made up the name in honour of Feifoa-Irasbit-Arissi.
Are they going to need a niche of their own or can they adapt to living in your parts of Freddie? We had not planned on taking any with us, apart from the ambassadors to the Reggheri, but Robbie says he does not mind taking a small group with. He is worried that they will see the technology of many species and want to spur their people into mimicking us when they are returned. Being aware of the possibility, means you have the time (and I know that with all species cooperating you also have the means) to guide them into developing a technology that suits them. Yes, now I’m glad I thought of you taking them with you. Sam, can you guys leave the people of Faiiis for later? Perhaps Faiiis can be brought back to serve as Ambassador at a later time? I have the feeling the Feirassi should have some time to themselves as they have a lot of adjusting ahead of them. Lol, we had no intention of going to the Reggheri right now. We have to return Kiris, Campbell and others to the Kabeti planet and once that is done with, we’ll go to the dream mountains. I think Kiris, Nericha and many others will be saddened if you leave them. The dream mountain will be taking Kainas so they have the right to come with. Hmm, I bet my namesake will also not want to miss this. Campbell says you are darn right! Maybe we should go there directly. Check with Kainas that there is no one left behind he’d like to share his adventure with. No other of his species has done anything like this before and it will be an incredibly important adventure for him and all his people. I really wish I could join him, how amazing it must be to see how circumstances affect who we are or become. If they are also not of their present species, it will really feel weird to them when they recall it all afterwards.
This is the first time Goldi has shown herself to be merciless in her teasing of Melina and Jade. She has been quoting sayings by individuals and leaders of various species when they commented on our loves tellings, the main one being that it is our most powerful or potent weapon. She insists that when we return she is going onto the chat show of David to tell our world how their tellings affected an entire species more than saving their planet and bringing their dead back to life. Meli seems to have fallen for it and is upset. Of course Goldi will be telling her by now that she is teasing since she won’t want her to worry all night. Actually, this brings to mind that there have been a few small developments I’ve never mentioned. For instance, here is one of them that just might be pertinent. You should have realised by now that there are Wirms on many planets, in many realities where they have their local friends and stay with them. Staying with them does not preclude them returning to their home reality and sun for dancing their celebrations and the pleasure of being in their nest with their family, but they time it and are usually back within the hour. Wirms also belong to families and furthermore, they also have friends from many Wirm families and they love to talk to each other. When we stay away from our Athens for longer than a few weeks (our side), our Wirm friends will briefly hop back home to visit their family or friends. They can’t do it often as we tend to return within a small timeframe since our last departure. However, it does mean that when we return we sometimes find that everyone already knows some of all that happened to us.
How do Wirms stay on planet without you to help them? I thought they need certain chemicals and that you also have to provide them with temporary bodies that can withstand planetary gravity? Did you miss out on the fact that they were linked and became Cherinians?
The excitement is almost palpable. When the Kabetu Cherinians heard of where we are going, they all wanted to come with. Robbie told them we would leave during their late evening and return before morning, which means they can all come with. They have elected to spend most of their time in the Sparkler World with those of their species that wait for their planet to learn about us Cherinians. A few, such as friends and staunch supporters of Kiris will remain in Freddie. Of course I do not need to name those who are almost family to Kiris and Nericha, such as Averis, Rakil and Ezikel, but we were surprised to see that Nericha kept Kwintana with us. Cherine asked Kiris and Nericha to walk with her on their own. Niriki was happily playing with Syrina and our isi and I was allowed to listen in - as a matter of fact, all our extended family were allowed.
“Not as much as others, but more than many.” Nericha giggled at the emoting of Cherine due to her answer. “There is still an emptiness in her which we are trying to fill by using her to help the poor of our world.”
Cherine grinned. “I can’t quite see her being filled that way. You have made her wealthier Kiris?”
He laughed. “Not only wealthy Cherine, immensely influential and all the females look up to her as their representative. There is talk of her someday becoming the first female to be elected onto our Council.”
Cherine walked in silence, as if lost in her thoughts for a while. Kiris and Nericha were very puzzled, quick enough to understand that Cherine had asked them to walk with her for a reason but not able to work out what it was. Nericha took a guess. “Something about Kwintana troubles you?”
“Should something about her trouble me?” Nericha came to a stop and Kiris turned to look at her. He stared into her eyes and returned to put his arm around her. He sensed that she was hoping he would work out what it was Cherine wanted. As much as Kiris loves Nericha and tries to sensitise himself for her sake, he still plays according to his own rules.
“Your questions do not have the meaning of the words you use. Speak plainly Cherine so that we know what it is you are asking.”
She smiled. “The first answer I need is from Nericha, not you. Have you sensed that Kwintana misses her husband?”
“No.” Nericha hesitated and Kiris saw from her throat ruff that she was in shock. “You want Kiris to bring him back to life?”
“Is there anything left for him to return to? Would Kwintana give back to him the main part of her fortune?”
Kiris shook his head. “It would not be fair to ask that of her.”
“Then you don’t want to bring him back to life?”
“Why should I, I did not kill him, he took his own life!” Cherine looked into his eyes and turning away from him, walked on. He sensed he’d disappointed her and struggled within himself. It did not help him when he sensed that Nericha had understood what Cherine was asking of him but was not willing to help him, also wanting him to work out what she meant on his own.
He tried a little bit of subterfuge. “Does Robert feel the same way?” Cherine did not indicate she’d heard him and Robbie gave us a smile and shrugged, understanding what Cherine wanted, but also glad she has chosen to take care of the problem.
Kiris let go of Nericha and jumped so as to stand facing Cherine, who had to stop walking so as not to bump into him. “You are trying to make me feel responsible for his death. I am not!”
“Do you recall what Samkin said to you at the time?”
“I do not need him as a friend!” He knew that Cherine and Nericha knew he was deliberately misunderstanding and his reluctance to admit he was responsible came up against his pride. With face drawn and looking older, he said, “I accept I was partly responsible. Cherine, I will not accept all the responsibility, he caused all that happened by trying to destroy me!”
“I agree, the ultimate responsibility was his, but I did need to know that you can see you also played a negative role. That is all I ask Kiris. Let’s return, Maria has lunch ready for us.”
I liked what Cherine was doing and I also agreed with her wish to have Kiris ask for Ofkertis to be brought back to life. He will have to handle the problems it may cause, so the decision has to be his. Unfortunately, within ten hours Freddie will be filling with his Cherinians and we have to leave so that we can bring them back on time. I pointed it out to Cherine, but she refused to allow me to nudge her. As a matter of fact, she seemed to forget all that had been said and talked and laughed and did not exclude Kiris and Nericha. A few hours later, Nericha asked Kiris to go with her and they jumped to the side of the river, but far from everyone. I could not share, but Nericha did afterwards, so I’ll write as if I was sharing at the time.
“It is not fair, what she is doing! If I do as you say and tell her I do not wish to bring him back, then I will be responsible for his being dead!”
“I am not a child anymore and we are partners, in many ways we are one Kiris. This decision must not be taken alone by you, I must have the right to decide also. Whichever way we choose we will both have to pay for the decision and it is not fair that I pay for something you do not consider I have the right to decide upon.”
I think that her words forced him to make a decision that was still anathema to him as he did not want her to have to share the guilt. “If Kwintana wants him back I’ll ask Robert to help me. What if she does not want him?”
“Then he must make a new life for himself without her. We can afford to give him enough wealth to live as he was used to.” He crushed her to him without saying anything. They walked along the river bank for a while without speaking, allowing their souls and hearts to teach the other of their love as they enjoyed the alien landscape.
Nericha took Kwintana for a short walk to the beach. “Robert can help Kiris bring back your husband if you want him.”
At first, all Kwintana did was try to decide. Then she started to grow angry. “I have made my own life and I’m happy and now you want to force me to return to living the way I did before. I cannot!”
“Nobody is trying to force you Kwintana, the choice is yours.”
“You know that is not true! I cannot be made responsible for his remaining dead! Where is that empathy of yours you keep talking to me about when you try to use my own empathy against me?”
Nericha sensed Kiris grin, so she did. “If you don’t want him back, we can give him a different appearance and name, buy him a nice home and a business in Dakost and we’ll tell him he has to stay away from you.”
Once the pressure dropped off her shoulders, Kwintana felt free to face her own fears and feelings. As they ambled along the beach, Kwintana confided, “When we first married, he was a good man. He made me many promises and though he did not keep most of them, some he did - which is more than most husbands do. He had other females, but he was careful not to humiliate me and always gave me the respect a wife should have…even when I could not give him a child. He wanted a son to take over the fortune he had made and it sorrowed him that with our death it would all be lost.” A little later, she said, proudly, “When we married, many females envied me, even the beautiful ones. He was strong and very good looking and could be charming when he wanted to. He was already becoming known as a good businessman and was wealthy enough to offer me a good life.”
Nericha said very little and as they drew close to the taverna, Kwintana suddenly said, “You better bring him back. Neri, you see to it that he becomes a Cherinian or else I will throw him out without any of my money.” Nericha laughed and hugged her.
“Thank you. I did not like it that my Kiris had to feel guilty because of him.”
This must have been one of the weirdest ‘return to life’ scenarios. As Ofkertis opened his eyes, Kiris was sitting to one side, leaning forward and staring at him. Suddenly Kiris burst out in loud laughter, shaking his hand at Ofkertis. Finally he managed to say, “When I heard you had killed yourself, I was in such a rage I could have killed you! I never imagined I would get my revenge by bringing you back to life.” Somehow I do not think it was an auspicious start to the new relationship they’ll have to forge.
Ofkertis was not given much of a choice. Without giving him the time to adjust, he was told he would stay in Freddie for the duration of our trip and if by the time we return to his planet his wife wants him back, he’ll be suitably aged in appearance, but altered and given a new name. His wife will then have to marry him. Robbie explained to him that if they marry, he will have to sign a contract in which he waived all rights the law gives him, so that all property and business interests remained the sole property of Kwintana. Kiris then promised to set him up in a business of his own so that he does not have to depend on his wife. Now we will have to hope that the miracle of a second chance will change him so that he can be linked. At the moment he is too bewildered and frightened of our magic for us to sense how he is going to react. The truth is, we don’t sense any love for his wife from him. It will certainly make life less complicated if he is happy to go off and make a new life for himself.
