“Athene would warn me if he wrote for us, Arthur is not responsible.” She winked a smile at me that also served to confirm Arthur has not written.
Enikas drew closer to Cherine and the other Akiards took the hint from him and encircled her and us. I noticed he avoided looking at Riivjii as he said to Cherine, “Campbell spoke as a friend, you must not go there. If there is reason for us to visit, your warriors will do so for you.”
Robbie answered, “Neither Cherine nor anyone else wants you to go where we would fear to visit.” He smiled. “At least you can be relied upon to fill our hearts with love. We’ll do as the others are doing and take the time to consider all the possibilities before jumping to stop Mr Dray - actor extraordinaíre.”
Lynda visited the Muyzith ship to reality-daydream and from there went to the Anadir and the Unation laboratories where she was also monitored. Thanks to an idea by Syrina, she went to the Sparkler World where Sparkler and Spartan Thinkers joined with Batsy, Ambros and Pambros, each through their Silver Boy, with other species who are still living there taking part. All of them only used their own abilities to monitor her and a number of them fled as they sensed the final deaths of people from tens of thousands of species. Lynda has to sense them also, but she has worked herself into a frenzy, determined to do all she can to save the reality, so you could say her need blocked off what she could not bear to experience. Soon we were to learn how important it is that we all feel the same way as her.
The Muyzith called for an urgent meeting so we did not wait for any who were not ready. Quihqur asked their President Aviensa to speak for them. Emoting his worry and grief, he waited for us to settle and then he explained why they had called for the meeting so urgently.
“The AI that monitored Lynda has the entire theory of Romveusi, as it has been developed over the five hundred years since he wrote it, and combining the information we gave it of Lynda’s report plus its monitoring of her while she visited the reality in her mind, it came to certain conclusions that indicate all realities may end up being affected, bringing about the end of sapient life in all of them.” A wave of fear flooded him and all his people who were present, as he beseechingly spoke directly to Robbie. “It has projected that should we all arrive in the reality of Dray, his Talent will drain us of all psychic abilities since he does not believe in extra sensory powers and we will lose our souls. There is only one person who can travel there safely and that is Cherine as The Light.”
“His lack of belief will not affect her?”
“He neither believes nor does he disbelieve, for the possibility of such as her existing cannot have crossed his mind.”
His argument made sense so we waited to see how Robbie will react. Cherine climbed onto his lap and her little girl voice carried to the edge of the crowd, even though she spoke softly. “I will only go if nobody insists on coming with.” She sat back with Robbie’s arms around her, as if she needs to be warmed.
Agapi said what we were all about to say, “Then you’re not going as I refuse to stay behind.” It sounded as if hundreds of voices echoed her sentiment and then we realised it had been hundreds, everyone present, of all species, had agreed with Agapi. Lynda was the most insistent as she felt guilty. I sensed Cherine reaching towards me in the hope I’ll find a solution acceptable to all without risking more than her life. She knew I would not even try, but she was desperately hoping.
I softly asked Lynda, “Do you think Dray will refuse to believe in robots?”
“Do you mean a robot with a metallic body or an android?”
“Jesus!” I grinned as I looked around, just to be certain he had not jumped from his reality to answer me. “President Aviensa, can your people make an android that looks very lifelike? Dray must think of it as being a man or woman of our species. The AI must not have the Laws of Robotics built in - it must be capable of drugging and kidnapping him.” Robbie said, directly to my mind, *Drugging and kidnapping! I had hoped I’d raised you better than that!* Some of us could not smother the giggles, making everyone wonder what we’d shared.
“Lynda, Dray is American?” She nodded. “We need to check whether they have the same Japanese multinational corporations in the electronic industry. If not, we may have to use IBM. It all comes back to perception - if Dray finds it believable that x or y corporation made the android, he will not have any power over it. Basically, I want the android to pretend it is a normal human being, but I want the tags that will help create some credibility as a backup. For instance, an accident could betray the fact it is an android. Lynda, don’t forget to double-check that Japan is not an enemy of the USA. If anybody thinks of any other details we should check on, please mention them to any of us girls - no point in telling Robert, the moment he has a girl in his arms, especially if she is a Cherine, he forgets everything.”
Robbie complained (privately) that I was being sexist and all the girls agreed with him. They demanded he punish me by making me his numero uno for the night.
That was a brilliant strategy! By showing everyone you are thinking of us and for us, visibly thinking ahead and taking precautions to assure our survival, everyone cheered up and we are approaching the problems in a more positive frame of mind. We do not agree that Cherine should go and everyone is putting forth an argument as to why they should be the one to go in her place. Cherine, for this once, is not arguing and she is listening to all that is said by everyone as if she is trying to decide which one of them should be chosen. I know her too well for me to trust her when she is like this.
Because we are waiting for the android, many can be found each day debating how it can be possible that the power of one mind, however powerful, can limit an entire universe. To what degree can his beliefs affect the laws of nature? What if he chooses not to believe there are stars and galaxies, opting for a belief from one of the pagan religions? What if he chooses not to believe in alien species - will they stop existing? What of the belief in self existence, surely that is more powerful, more immutable? I would have argued that he can only affect possibilities that are abstract in nature, if Lynda had not told us that he has affected the existence of souls. Hmm, is their existence abstract?
The day arrived when Cherine decided to argue on her own behalf. “I have carefully listened to each of you argue and given consideration to what you said. However, you all ignored certain important facts. Did none of you ask yourselves why Arthur named Robert and myself as The Light as the two only people who should travel to that reality? Myself as The Light suggests, to me at least, that he considers the ability or resistance of my soul as being more enduring because it gets its essence from a large number of realities and a billion trillion people, giving us the time to neutralise Dray. As for Robert, has he not categorically stated, many times, that he endowed Robert with the ability to protect me against all dangers?” She smiled, shrugging her tiny shoulder. “You should have noticed, as final proof that I am right, the fact that Samantha has not joined your arguments and debates.”
“Not fair!” I managed to call out, but nobody listened as they were too busy arguing against Cherine and each other.
Lusalith worked her way to me and touching my arm she mentally asked me to jump with her. We arrived in the garden of my apartment and she promptly entered the pool. A couple of minutes later she joined me on the bench. “Samantha, as you know, there are times when I must leave. Cherine will not be upset if I leave now, will she? I won’t be away for long.” I gently squeezed her to me and told her not to give it a second thought. She pulled away and jumped to her platform, sending her thought to me, *I’ll be back soon.*
I leant against the parapet and stared down at the land of Freddie far below, enjoying the lights and the sensing of so many family and friends beneath me. I jumped back to the taverna and as space was made for me to sit at a table, the platform of Lusalith reappeared. The Akiards must have sensed her intentions for they moved apart, leaving a circle of grass for her platform to land.
We had a good laugh this evening. The prime minister of Belgium asked us, in his dry manner, why we have not abducted the leaders of the reality of Dray. When he then asked whether we did not because we know there is no Cherine and Robert for that reality, Robbie asked Freddie to turn back. I wonder whether our governments are going to get fed up of us bringing leaders from other realities for them to educate.
Once we had the new little Cherine (she is a baby and Robert is sixteen) plus Hettie and Eddie and all our friends and the government leaders, someone suggested we take everyone to Goldi’s Planet so that the beauty of the planet helps to soothe and heal their fears and anger. Themi was backed by others of his profession when he told us they do not need any further sights that are alien; he said they need to be taken to a familiar place, which means we must first return to our or an alternate Earth. Although I’m looking forward to being in our Athens home for a while, I do not want the Dalai Lama to leave. We’ve had meetings and talked for many hours, but I feel I’ve barely scratched the surface of what I could learn from him. That is why I pushed for an alternate Earth, pointing out that all the alternate Earths must take turns at helping new realities. Jade tried, half-heartedly, to convince us that the reality of Christós is an alternate Earth and we should go there. Apart from those governments not being friendly to us, the shock of meeting Christós would unsettle them far more than visiting aliens would. Still, she did help me realise I need to look outside the box when considering alternate Earths. Until now I’ve never included any of the ‘magic’ realities since their governments have not joined with ours in treaties and so on.
The local Teller family visited us in Freddie as soon as we arrived and they confided that our arrival has been eagerly awaited. They sensed our instant suspicion and it amused them, but they refused to explain. However, they did ask us to wait in Freddie for a few hours and then to allow them to jump us to our destination. Our close friends were told they must come with so we asked whether the two new Cherines and Roberts can; when they were included, then I asked for Campbell. I’m glad I asked while we were alone at our home as it meant he did not sense their reactions and we had time to explain. Denise, second daughter of Robert and Aganthi, made the comment that if they can consider their Eddie and Hettie friends, then why shouldn’t we include Campbell. I’ve never met Denise before as she is only one and a half years old and we have not been to this reality for about seven years of their time. I admit I am not drawn to her as I find her too self confident and…well, not brash but sort of harsh in her opinions of Normals. Our Aganthi just adores her so I better find a way to see deeper into her as I adore our Aganthi.
The Dalai Lama of this reality, the sixty seventh one we visited/discovered, is not the same person as ours, so ours accepted the invitation that was brought by a Cherinian, with open curiosity and he, with his monks, have left to visit at the small temple in India - since the local Dalai Lama is still not permitted to enter Tibet.
We promised not to peek in the minds of our hosts as they blindfolded us and then jumped. We sensed a large number of people and were able to work out that there are many politicians of different countries plus numerous from the media, so we prepared ourselves to react with great pleasure and surprise. I bet our local family sensed us and found us funny. We had to listen to speeches about their hopes that we will be visiting more often while remaining blindfolded and then we were finally told to remove the blindfolds. We could never have effectively pretended our reactions. They were a mixture of surprise, amazement, pleasure and pride at the honour and love they have shown us. When our eyes were uncovered, we found ourselves standing on the road outside our home and we instantly realised the house has been designed to be an exact copy of our Athens home. We learnt that they did not allow the local Cherinians to build the house, the Normals did so after visiting our reality and secretly being allowed to see the interior of our home, plus they were provided with copies of the blueprints of our building plans. They wanted to do this as a gift to the Prime Teller family so that we also think of their reality as our home - even if only a home away from home. It certainly beats having to jump from Freddie each day or staying in hotels - though a weekend at one now and then will still be nice.
Since Eddie and Hettie, Alki and a few others who could have been responsible were with us, it did not take a genius to figure out that it had to either be Michael or Tasso who let them into our home and given them the plans. I mean, even the Greek authorities do not have a copy as they accepted it would make us more vulnerable. It does not matter who it was, since it was done out of love.
As soon as we entered the house it felt as if we were entering our home and we were puzzled. It was not something we could comment on, but our alternates felt us. Their Cherine explained, “The house was completed a few months ago and guards were posted to keep it safe and clean until you arrive for a visit. A Mr Voyenna sent a message, asking to meet one of our family. Because of the way he phrased his request and because he is the head of the San Francisco Zoo, we were curious and Robert with Diana went to visit him. He asked Robert whether he has walked through the house and Robert answered that he has. He then asked him how the house felt to him, wanting to know whether it felt like a home or was it just an unoccupied house. He then explained that scents are important and suggested we live in your home for as long as we can so that the first time you enter it the house subliminally announces itself as your home. He was worried that you might not stay long enough for it to grow to feel like a second home to you and told us that as alternates our scents are almost identical - a close enough match for the effect we want. We’re glad to feel from you that he was right.”
“Cherine,” Robbie answered, his voice worried, “we are not likely to spend that much time in your reality and with our visits being years or decades apart, the investment to create this and keep it for us can’t be justified. Could it be converted to an orphanage?”
Before anyone could answer him, our Cher did. “This is our home and if you want to create an orphanage, I suggest you go build one for them.” We mentally cheered her and Robbie flushed as he capitulated and apologised - ensuring his joke totally collapsed. Theresa then pretended to kiss him for wanting to change it to an orphanage and we pretended she’d betrayed us. With our fooling around we began to use the house as our home without noticing it at the time. Within the day this home became one more corner of love for us and we treasure it. Cherine told her world how we feel and it made many people proud and happy. I bet we’ll be visiting far more often than Robbie projected.
Unless we have a reason for doing otherwise, when we arrive at a reality we have not visited for a long time, we arrive at what should be an equivalent time, close to the time we left the last reality-Earth plus the time we spent in Freddie since then. Next explanation (I think I’ve already vaguely explained this one before, but, what the heck, here I go again): A multireality organisation has been formed, employing Cherinians from all the realities that signed up, and they keep all the realities updated on a daily basis of all the news of every reality. The news is first delivered at our reality where it is checked, collated and so on and then sent out to all the member realities. The governments and media share the costs and the news-couriers wear distinctive uniforms and it is good to feel that Cherinians are proud of their jobs and wear their uniforms with pride. A great side effect is that this has helped nip in the bud many local malicious rumours before they could antagonise Normals against their Cherinians.
The reason I gave the above explanations is for the next comments to make sense. Although we have not told his story yet, as I mentioned, Ivgos was also warmly welcomed and invited to visit the local orphanages. What was news and caught them by surprise was the presence of leaders from two realities plus the new Roberts and Cherines with families and soon-to-be Cherinians. By now the Mansfield couple had settled down and were starting to become protective towards their own Robert and Cherine, so they were also welcomed. Hearing of the ages of the Cherines, parties were organised with clowns, pop bands and singers, magicians and other entertainers and we made certain that Ivgos and his brother are invited. The rest of us stayed away so that more local children can attend the parties and, for this once, Bryce followed our example.
Eddie grinned. “Yes, me Tarzan.” When Bryce just stared back at him without responding because he had never heard of Tarzan, it provided us with a good laugh, but it also made us kids feel really old - for the first time ever! None of us were surprised when Dommi decided to be six years old that night. (Cherine: Gosh but Sam can be funny sometimes. She mentions about Dommi but keeps quiet about herself coming out of the bathroom as a skinny little five year old. Robert was in heaven having both of them at such young ages in his arms.)
The delight Ivgos broadcasts during his trips and afterwards has made the extension of our stay for his sake a real pleasure for all of us. Eddie went with as guide and protector, but for each continent we found the most knowledgeable guides and then watched in fascination as we saw plants, birds, reptiles, insects and animals that we had not even imagined existed. Our isi recognises most of them and she claims she had not realised we would be interested, that being the reason she withheld her own wonder from us, only sharing with her own species. I suspect Freddie is going to grow much richer in the number of species from all the kingdoms of our planet - well, maybe not much more from the fungi kingdom, they could become a real pest when they spore. As usual, we will leave it to the Inguel to work out what can safely be added to our little world.
Many of the realities discovered only recently (say about the last twenty years, Earth times), do not have the subdivisions that exist in our reality. This is one of them, it has Cherinians plus a few Talents who are not linked, but there are no Ipohin or Campbellites. The local Campbell is slightly gifted but nowhere as powerful as ours, so we found it natural that ours would decide to spend time with him. He did not keep his feelings hidden (blocked) from us and we could sense he does not want his alternate to take the same route he has. A week later, our Campbell visited one evening at our Athens home.
“My local alternate still has some rough edges to him, but in some ways he is closer to being a Cherinian than I am. If I ask the local Robert to consider linking him, I suppose you would want to capitalise on it when we return to our reality?”
Like one, all my loves turned to look at me. I giggled. “It would be great if we could arrange for David to invite both of us to his chat show.” When he answered me with a smile I left my seat and sat next to him on the sofa. I sort of half hugged him. “Could we do that to a man loved by a Cherine? Please go ahead and ask Robert.”
Robbie sent out a message to our guests that when they are ready to leave, they should let us know. Over the next week most of them were back in Freddie so I jumped to the temple in India. The monks asked me to wait in the garden so I watched the monkeys, enjoying their antics. A couple of them sat staring at me like tiny wise old men and I could not help wondering whether any of their species will ever become Cherinians.
When both Dalai Lamas came to me I politely waited to be spoken to first. The one I do not know glanced at mine and then he genuflected, showing me respect, as if he were a monk and I the Dalai Lama! I don’t know why but my eyes filled and I bowed my head to him. “I am not worthy.”
He honoured me by answering in his own language. “For each of us, only our souls can judge this life once it is over. You Cherinians have changed much and I ask myself, how will you judge yourselves if you no longer can die?”
I asked, as humbly as I could, so that he does not think I am sassing him, “Each time we go to the void as souls, do we not see ourselves as we truly are? Does death change something?”
My Dalai Lama added, “They are able to unite their souls into a family of souls when they create out of their souls a spirit World.”
“She speaks truly, for I have spoken to such souls.”
The other Dalai Lama seemed to accept what he was told with reservations, but he politely changed the subject. It seems he had not pre-confided his thoughts to his alternate, for our Dalai Lama showed, just for an instant, his shock when he told me, “Our reality needs a Samantha. Are our Teller family not worthy?”
I answered, “I am told that having a Samantha in the family is both a blessing and a curse. It is for them to decide whether they can bear the curse - which often is translated into a great pain in the heart.” I looked away, my real feelings spilling over. “I sometimes think that even one Samantha is too many, that I am more often a curse on all beings, Cherinian and Normals. The one who pays the price more often than any other is my Robert.” I could be accused of being falsely modest or of childishly fishing for compliments, but at that moment my grief was real and those were truly my feelings.
The hand of our Dalai Lama covered mine so that I looked at him, for I was aware that he rarely touches others and he has never touched me before. “I have spoken to great depths of you and we both suspect there is much to learn before we are wise enough to guide you, as you seem to be asking of us. Until then, there are aspects in which your soul has advanced beyond ours and we shall treasure all we learn during your visits. Samantha, we have chosen to use Cherinian monks as our news-couriers, so that whatever each Dalai Lama learns, the others can know of it. Perhaps we shall learn from each other and we hope this self knowledge will help you grow alongside us.”
From the very first time I learnt of the Dalai Lama, when I was still in years a baby, I was entranced by the idea of such a person and idealised him long before I met him. That may explain why I still feel so humbled by the thought that even one of them finds me worthy to spend time on. To imagine a great number of them thinking so, it is enough to make me want to crawl into my shell - where I will probably spend a long time weeping.
Everybody, including my family, respect my privacy…except for Cherine. This time she went two steps further and shared with our family and then with the local Teller family. For a moment I entertained the idea of finding another planet like that of the Orati so that I can spend a decade there on my own. Not that I trust my loves to let me do so.
The local Cherine and her family did not ask, they just flooded us with their yearning until I gave in and promised to ask a Samantha to split for them. They are not very confident of themselves yet and tried to hide from us who else they desperately wanted. Since we can’t very well give them a formula for them to create their own, we left it to Goldi to make her decision. She gave in and we had to delay our departure for a week as the entire planet wanted to celebrate. The Cherinians of this Earth are slightly less than fourteen percent of the population and yet the Normals are already less fearful and many who do not feel they can link, dream of their children doing so. It is rarely that we are referred to as mutants in this reality and there seems to be a casual acceptance of us when they see us on their streets or in their shops. If I had to describe this reality, I’d say it is the one where Normals like their Cherinians! With all that is happening, we now feel far closer to these alternates and I know my loves will bond further once they have a Samantha. At least, that is what they say.
We are on our way, travelling from reality to reality without knowing where we are going as Robbie asked Freddie to keep it a secret from us. This is fun. We spend much of the day listening to everyone trying to work out or guess where we are going and then, once we are on our own, we try all our wiles to get it out of Robbie. Of course we stick to certain rules, for instance, tickling is allowed, but trying to spy on thoughts he wants to keep to himself is not. We only don’t obey that rule if it is to help him or to save him from himself. As you know, I’ve needed that kind of help a few times so I accept it as being necessary within a loving family.
All of us who have been on such trips before felt it when we crossed into an a-reality. For a second or two we were all frightened, convinced Robbie knew of some emergency. Freddie stopped and one of the spaceships in our sky was let out and without wasting any time, Freddie jumped to another a-reality. Again a spaceship was let out and we immediately jumped. This was done five times and then we jumped to a sixth a-reality.
The scientists who had remained in Freddie were working intensely, monitoring the equipment outside. Though a full day passed, their intense concentration did not flag, but they received some interesting data a couple of times and we felt sharp spurts of elation-anxiety-surprise-disbelief. By this time Cherine had moved off Robbie’s lap and none of us let him tempt us into taking her place. We all stared at him, our eyes and emoting demanding he share with us. He glanced at Ivgos who had been given colouring books and was happily filling them in and then he lit a cigarette and stared off into the distance. Alki tried to get him to confide his secret and when he refused our pappou we changed our tactics and pretended it is just an ordinary day and started to break up into smaller groups for chatting and playing.
Lusalith appeared among us and she asked me, “What is going on?”
“We don’t know and it seems we are not allowed to ask.”
Robbie grinned. “You are allowed to ask, you’re just not going to get any answers until the experiment is over.”
The equipment was brought back in and then Freddie jumped in reverse to the a-realities where we collected the spaceships. After collecting the last one we sensed Freddie jump to one of our realities. We settled at a safe distance from a pulsating galaxy and scientists began to drift to the taverna. Lusalith does not enjoy large crowds so she prepared to leave and Robbie asked her to stay.
Irreisfa spoke for all the scientists. “We must begin by apologising to you Lusalith. We wished to test some theories, but for the experiments to be effective it was necessary you did not know what we planned. For many years you have been a puzzle to us. We learnt that those times you suddenly left Freddie to return to your home planet, you arrived there at exactly the right time for solving a problem of your people. Since it could not be coincidence, we began to ask ourselves questions. The obvious one was, what is this god power of yours that keeps you linked to your home reality and your people? How can it exist across realities?
We thought up a number of experiments but in the end we chose to use the same equipment and methods we use for monitoring communications with Arthur. We hope the results of our early experiments please you. Lusalith, your powers for maintaining contact are either the same Arthur uses or else they are very similar.”
From the first words I had opened myself (sensitised) to Lusalith. At the final statement, it felt to me as if Lusalith was dizzy, about to faint. She never feels like that and it frightened me. As if guessing my fear, she whispered to me, like a child lost and afraid because she has suddenly discovered the world is vast, far larger than she had believed possible. “The same as Arthur! How could it be, I am nothing compared to him.”
“Nothing!? You must be joking! After all these years you still don’t understand? He is the one who is just an ordinary person.”
“Not to our realities Samantha. To all of us he is all that a God can be. How he achieves what he does, it does not detract from the miracle of what he achieves.”
I turned to Irreisfa. “Why the a-realities?”
“The experiments in our realities were successful and we considered it important we learn whether it is the same in the a-realities. We are pleased to announce that the results were exactly the same.”
“How can that be? It doesn’t make sense!” I said.
Ifosi answered me, “Whether it does or not can be debated separately. For most of us, the facts are a great comfort.”
“A comfort?” Cherine asked. She smiled. “Sam, why would you say it doesn’t make sense; if the link with Arthur works, why shouldn’t Lusalith’s link to her people from the a-realities make sense?”
That changed everything for all of us and even Lusalith was beaming her pleasure. I wanted to make certain there is nothing but joy in what she’d learnt, so I added, speaking to the scientists, “Apart from the reasons given, your success has also doubled our chances of finding Arthur. I’m certain Lusalith will be more than happy to collaborate on all further experiments designed for the purpose of learning how to find Arthur.” Her slightest reservations vanished and we all felt how she hugged her joy to herself. Damn it, she should have someone to love as family for sharing such moments. I’m a poor substitute, but I accompanied her to her home and changing to be of her species, I entered the water with her, holding her. I enjoyed the way the water cooled during the night and realised Freddie is slightly too warm for them. Neither of us slept and as the sky lightened she looked at me, her eyes smoky dark.
“Your intentions are of a loving nature, but you must not do this again Samantha. It may seem cruel to you, but there is a reason why my people isolate their god; feeling I belong and am invited, it weakens me as a god.” Her eyes did not change, but she let me feel her yearning. “Another five minutes Sam, for me to remember?” For all of the five minutes, I made certain that all she sensed from me was love.
That same morning, but much later, Cherine took my hand and we jumped to her apartment. Robbie followed, but for the others, Cherine asked privacy for the time being. Robbie did not try to take either of us to hold and sat a slightly larger distance away from us. Cherine gave him a smile and then sank into her thoughts. “I have a feeling that Ivgos is more powerful than any of us suspected. Apart from the way he makes us feel about him, haven’t you noticed Sam that he affects the way his extended family feel about each other? How is it that so many individuals of differing species love each other? I would not have noticed, but when all of us in Freddie began to be affected, it became too obvious.”
Robbie and I looked at each other and I giggled. “I wonder why you were the only one to notice if it was that obvious?” Robbie chuckled. I asked, “Cherine, why the secrecy?”
“I don’t think Ivgos or his family should know until they have finished with the notifications. I’m not doing it for anyone else’s sake, Sam, Ivgos already carries too heavy a burden, I want to see to it that he has a few years of being a child before he assumes new burdens. Sometimes his heart makes me want to cry.” Robbie also nodded his agreement as I quickly gave in, for I too have felt how his gift gives him little pleasure and how he has missed out on the childhood he should have enjoyed. I think we can arrange it to be as Cherine wants. Once she sensed we agreed, she relaxed and moved to the lap of Robbie, where she belongs, and I jumped to spend a few hours soul searching with the help of the Dalai Lama.
We have decided it is time for us to take Riivjii back to his people, but we are going for a quick visit to the Ribbon Planet for another group of divides to be notified. Robyn suggested to the family that Ivgos stay in Freddie while they and other volunteers spread the word to at least fifteen divides, excluding those reserved for Ivgos. Ahram and Seuria were quick to understand why we wanted Ivgos to skip this visit and backed Robyn.
I sat next to Riivjii. “After this stop we are taking you to your planet. How do you want to handle the problem?”
He hesitated a moment and then emoted a chuckle. “I nearly accused you of acting without honour.”
I nodded. “In a way that is exactly what I am doing. Riivjii, you know I grew to love Faiiis, despite his being such a simple lad? You have not extrapolated from there or else you would have understood that I love you and all your people. You represent a unique way of viewing the universe, Cherine and all life and I treasure that. That is why I am named the Friend of Aliens. I am the Friend of Aliens out of selfish motives - I want life for all Cherinians to be as rich and varied as it is possible, so each new to us species contributes a new portrait and colour scheme for adding to the Tapestry of Life. I will do whatever is necessary to ensure your species remain a part of that tapestry while also growing to achieve their potential. My scheming may be dishonourable at times, but not my motives.”
“I would still ask that you and the Cherinian females help me. I alone cannot achieve what is needed, for some of my people have argued the same arguments you have and yet remain divided, so I will only be another familiar voice. We need you to provide us with a reason for consensus so that the sacrifice becomes acceptable by every single soul.”
“The Anadir yearn for bodies and life in the worlds of matter and yet you are puzzled that we see anything less than that a sacrifice?”
“But I have never asked for you to want anything less. Why should I or we? What is asked is that you do not allow yourselves to be figures of authority who block the growth of your people. You yourselves have seen the same is demanded for the survival of your people and for that reason you played this charade to enlist my assistance.” I suddenly recalled an example and told him of the way the Inguel Cherinians on their planet had allowed themselves to have leaders of the third cycle and how it trapped them. He listened as I repeated the words of Robbie and I sensed the change as he let go his fear. Pleased, I added, “I will come with to help.”
This time we returned to the planet of the Reggheri within days of Faiiis leaving it. They were expecting me and met me at the same place we had duelled and I could see they were disturbed by the arrival of Freddie. Riivjii left my side to explain, so I took the opportunity to study the land. I looked for insects, especially flying insects for the Unation to take their details from my mind for adapting their mini cameras. While I was doing so, I could hear all that Riivjii told them and their reactions.
“The arrival of their spaceship with the entire family and dozens of species with their own spaceships inside is not a sign of betrayal. Before bringing me back, Samantha and I duelled and I lost.”
“Why are you alive!”
Riivjii glared at him. “You must be a very recent rebirth for you to have misunderstood what the challenge was meant to achieve. Samantha saw through my taunts and drove to the center of our needs. She offers us a way to free our children without sacrificing that which we treasure - our lives. Cherinians refuse to take lives or to sacrifice any entity, of any species, and she has shown me why we went wrong and has promised to show all of us a new way to achieve what we need.”
I spoke, although not formally acknowledged yet. “It is not enough to satisfy or ease your fears - the new generations offered their future out of their love for you. We must show them that you are not sacrificing yourselves for their sake or else it will poison their souls and they will not achieve their potential. Let’s do it in two stages; come with me to Freddie and I will show you what is offered. Once you are satisfied and accept it with joy, you can then reassure your children so that they come to us without the fear that we wish to destroy you. With open minds they will break away from all that has crippled them and we will help widen their horizons so that they begin to grow once again.”
Though they tried not to show it, there were many of them who feared and Riivjii and I argued the points they raised with reason, cold logic and emotional arguments and did all we could to reassure them. Finally they agreed to come, mostly out of curiosity - if these ossified souls can still feel curiosity, I foresee a great future for their new generations. Unfortunately the present generations will not break out of the chains they bound themselves in, but as long as they help their children grow, we can help them return without memories of past lives so that they also achieve their dream.
Arthur, this is Robert. Samantha was not aware that Freddie showed everything, her discussions with Riivjii that were not implied to be private and what happened on planet. We also shared the pain of her empathy and love for them that reaches out to encompass all the species we know and have not met. She returned to an emotional welcome by all species, especially the Akiards. The eyes of her pappou glittered like polished metal as he tried to control his painful emoting of pride and love. For the first time ever we shared with the Ivgos family, showing them what happened from the first attack by Faiiis and ended with showing them her thoughts as she struggled to find a way to save his people. It was not really ethical of us to do so, but our own hearts are bursting with the need to have others know her as she truly is.
From there we jumped to the Unation ships that are healing and bringing back to life the planets and species the nomad spaceship computer destroyed. Robbie is trying to keep hidden his pleasure at seeing how they have implemented his ideas with regard to adapting their warships to suit their new peaceful purposes. Very few crew wanted to return, but we carried messages back to the home planets of most of the species asking the families to join those who are mated and or have children. The ships inside have been changed and they are far more interesting to visit now - plus the general tone of emoting is much more pleasant for us to share.
When we travel in Freddie, years may pass for us and because we like to return to whichever reality we are going to within hours or days or, at worst, a couple of years from the date we departed, we tend to think of those we return to as being lucky as time seems to barely pass for them. We do find that if we allow too many years to pass for us, especially if they are filled with new experiences, then both groups find it difficult to adjust to the other. I have not seen and miss Samuel and his family, my Efineh, little Piri and, strangely enough, I also miss Sebura. I miss many of them and I said so. Robbie explained to the government leaders and asked whether they prefer to return home as the world we are going to is rather primitive. They know about it from a telling and surprised us when they asked to come with. Since Robbie was being polite, he asked whether anyone else wanted to return home. We are all on our way and I’m excited about seeing my Efineh again.
I was not the only one to feel touched when we sensed the pleasure Ashema emoted when he came to greet me - we returned six months after our departure so everyone had the opportunity they needed to miss us. (
