He was helped to communicate with some of them and within a day they were asking whether we have a spacesuit for him to visit them. Robbie sheathed him and Ivgos spent about five hours in their ‘city’ being shown around.
Allan gave Sebura a wink as he asked me, “What if we analyse Ivgos and discover the source of his gift and are then able to show everyone how to be the same as him; would you consider it a part of linking Normals when they are to become Cherinians? What would it be like having someone like Sebura as an Ivgos-blessed-Cherinian? Would we even want such a Sebura?”
Sebura grinned, appreciating the humour, but I sensed he was curious as to what my answer would be. By now many of my family were silently chuckling in their minds, certain Allan would get the big tick for his tease. I pretended to be examining Sebura for a moment and then gave a delicate shudder. “Allan, I’m truly grateful to you for helping me visualise Sebura as a Cherinian. It would not be necessary for him to also acquire the Ivgos gift for him to be alien to the person he is. He might, with empathy as his gift, be a nice or nicer person, but he would not be the Sebura we all know and have grown to like. I’d miss this Sebura and even grieve over the loss of him.”
Allan did not have an instant answer and Sebura emoted a mixture of puzzlement and pleasure. Allan almost stuttered as he asked, feeling his joke had fallen flat, “Are you saying he must never be linked?”
“We can’t do that! If we did then we would grieve for the loss of the Sebura who should be. All I want is to postpone the inevitable for a while - after all, he will be a Cherinian for so long, surely if we have him as he is for a few years longer he will not begrudge us the time?”
We all turned to look at Angelica, startled by what we sensed she was about to ask of us. “Mother, father, could I be blocked off from being a Cherinian for a while? I’d like to experience being a Normal. I wonder whether you’ll like me.”
Empathia corrected her, “It is more important that you wonder whether you will like yourself. Not being a Cherinian is not enough, you’ll remember what it is like being a Cherinian so, in effect, you’ll remain a Cherinian and only be one without the gifts and the link you’ll ache for.”
Em-e was curious. “What would you want to do? Should you still be Angelica or would you want to forget who you are?” Her questions led to many more by others but I did not take part, more interested in hearing what my loves think and monitoring the reactions of outer family and friends. Only two of the government leaders were with us and they were listening with obvious fascination, the rest were on the ship enjoying themselves and talking privately, maybe coming to new accommodations with their fellow politicians. They better take their time instituting some of the changes they have decided on or else there will be many awkward questions for them to field.
Sebura sat next to me and I noticed that Piri and Efineh moved closer so as to hear. “What they talk about, it is the same you did when you first came to our world?”
“Nothing like it. I still had my gifts, I only kept them blocked off. I also had Samuel and Vincent to watch over me. Sebura, the gifts or powers, they are not what are important, what makes us Cherinians is the way we think. You’ve shared the attack on my daughter Gina and should recall that apart from an ability to heal and a slight ability to sense others, she was more like a Normal than a Cherinian in her abilities. However, she still thought as a Cherinian and that enabled her to accomplish within one lifetime more than most of us will over a thousand years.”
Without thinking, he nodded. “Aihh, it is true, she would make a good wife for a rider.” I grinned as he actually blushed when he heard himself. Robbie, sitting almost on the other side of the taverna, laughed out aloud as I answered, “She is, Sebura, she is. Just as your Piri will.” I’m not the only one, all of us love sensing the flare of love between them when we say something to make the one proud of or feel loved by the other. It is a harmless game we play, indulging ourselves while knowing it is good for both of them.
We have arrived by the Anadir planet, deep in the past, just before the destruction of the Xudypaf planet. We are remaining hidden as they must not know of us until the ship of Sedpyz has effected its rescue and made for Earth.
The day arrived when the bad news was transmitted and Sedpyz launched his ship on its journey home. His kind are not sensitive to souls so many of us, of all species, flitted in and out of his ship, eagerly monitoring this one person who is responsible for our being here to save his species in the tens or hundreds of millions. He almost drove himself insane with anxiety during the entire trip, afraid he would arrive too late to save anyone. His species must differ from all those we know as he did not concentrate on saving his family or friends - to him, all that mattered is that he saves enough of his species for them to continue existing. I can’t help feeling that deep within himself he must have thought of his family, but that might be my own bias forcing me to think it could be so.
I mentioned the above thoughts to a Xudypaf named Xupdugl. The moustache-like appendages, two per side, drooping from his ‘face’ give his kind a melancholic but wise look to our species, but I also sensed his emoting and it was not happy. “Sedpyz, as you name him, refused to join and be part of a family, for he grieved for the unit he had lost. We are blessed that he did consent to having his genes passed on.”
“Is there any way of knowing who are his original unit? We’d like to save them for him.”
“As Trader he and his unit would have lived too closely to the edge of the atmosphere for them to suffer from the first stripping for long. I do not know of any way we could identify his unit and I do not see the purpose in concentrating on them since Sedpyz cannot be returned to them.”
“You have seen us return in time and still cannot see how we could solve that problem?” While he thought about it, trying to work it out step by step, I wondered at the way life is. “Xupdugl, the traders and crews for spaceships stay at the outer edge? Who stays at the greatest depths?”
“Miners also live at the outer limits as all the ore is obtained from asteroids. Most of our people live between the outer and inmost depths, though very few live permanently where it is difficult to breathe.” That was news for me, we had not known they are not built for the depths where their air turns to liquid, but it makes sense - even though I had assumed they first came into existence down where the atmosphere should be the most nutritious (sorry, I’m assuming again, after all, in our oceans for most food to be nutritious it does need sunlight to help it photosynthesise). The scientists present took over the questioning and there was considerable excitement emoted by them as he answered further questions with more details. By the way, he was not being co-operative; he was trading - paying us back for saving their lives with information, since that is the currency we value.
Arriving at the gas giant provided us with many surprises. For instance, even with the outer atmosphere stripped away, there were tens of millions still surviving in the almost vacuum of space. This was thanks to the fact that they do not float freely, but build or grow habitats that float freely (more or less). The buildings, we learnt, are created out of the same hard but resilient plastic of the statuette and can last for centuries under the lashings of the worst storms the planet can inflict on them, but the vacuum will soon kill them all as they are not airproofed. Freddie waited out of sight for Sedpyz to gather the small number he could save and only when he departed did Freddie appear. During this delay billions of Sparklers and Spartans were gathering souls and healers were collecting a variety of cells from each dead body (the only species where more than one kind of cell makes up a body). As soon as we became visible, Robbie sent out the platforms manned by various species for collecting the most urgent cases first. Solomon saw to it that those still within viable habitats were transferred to the gas giant the Sparklers had created within their World. The Anadir spaceships had arrived at the time the ship of Sedpyz was departing and they were alarmed at our sudden appearance, but then they realised we were saving lives, not taking them. A platform with our Anadir travelled to what they assumed was the Admiral ship and they were given permission to enter immediately upon identifying themselves. It did not take long for them to coordinate their efforts with ours and by the time we were ready to leave we felt confident we have saved all the Xudypaf. Freddie opened for the Anadir ships to enter and we jumped directly to their home planet. It is not often we make such large jumps in normal space but some worried the sun might pulse-expand again.
Somehow, without thinking of the consequences, our friends told their alternates about the Sparklers killing all of them and then hunting them down in the void, hoping it would explain why they are not the super powerful Anadir their alternates expected them to be. The anger affected the Sparklers so badly that we had to put everything else on the backburner and do a telling on the Anadir planet. For the telling to be shared by all at the same time we had to have the Sparklers help us, but they found it difficult to concentrate on using their gifts while having such strong feelings being directed against them. The original site shared fully, but for the other areas this was not one of our best tellings.
When the telling ended with our arrival by the world of the Xudypaf, Robbie joined the girls on stage and pointed out some truths. We could sense he was not getting through to them and were glad to see Ahram ask to speak. When he began to explain what ‘alternate realities’ means, not the theoretical stuff but in practical day to day ways, we thought he would not win any converts. He did better than Robbie did, for he succeeded in getting them to discuss the matter amongst themselves.
When Robbie began making plans for us to search for a suitable gas giant, the Terran government guests began to take a more active interest in the problems of the local Anadir and the Xudypaf. They asked for a meeting with the local Anadir leaders and suggested a treaty of alliance.
There is one important difference between our Anadir and the local alternates. This lot think nothing of our meeting their children and when officials visit us in Freddie, many bring their spouse and child with. Robbie is behaving himself and it has led to our Anadir secretly taking pride in the fact that their little girls drove our Robbie nuts.
A new problem has come up. The Xudypaf want to be close enough to their Anadir trading partners for them to continue trading. Though it would take time and hard work and we could swop suitable gas worlds, the planets must be more than suitable ecologically. They must not have any form of life. We cannot judge with absolute surety which species may evolve into sapience so we prefer to leave all planets with life alone. Many Sparklers are travelling throughout the galaxy in search of suitable gas planets. Hopefully it will only take a week or two and then the real planning and work starts. As we began to relax, the scientists pointed out that solar systems tend to be of similar age to their neighbours and the indications that the sun of the Xudypaf is ready to collapse makes it imperative that we study the Anadir sun and others in the neighbourhood. Freddie had to visit a number of suns, leaving ships filled with scientists of various species to conduct their tests at each solar system.
Allan watched the star maps being shown on the screens alongside with everyone else and surprised us when he came up with a good idea. One of the neighbouring suns does not have any planets at all, just lots of debris. He asked whether we could create a solar system by finding suitable planets that are not populated by any kind of life. He envisioned a solar system with a planet for each of various species. Everyone loved his idea, though they were awed by the concept of moving a number of planets of various types plus they realised the mathematical complexity of situating the planets in the exact orbits that will result in a stable system is horrendous enough to give an AI a headache.
I’ve never felt my Gina emote so much indignation, even though she did try to hide it by speaking sweetly. “Allan, that is not fair, you are using Sam’s idea without acknowledging it.”
I laughed, hoping to break the spell of shock she’d placed everyone in. “My love, his idea is not the same as mine and even if it were, that happened more than a century ago. Allan, my idea only vaguely resembles yours and it was impractical - that is why it never happened. Yours is practical and I hope we end up doing it in all the allied realities.” I turned to Guhpan. “Perhaps this would have been a better way of achieving what you hoped for from the Ribbon world?”
“You could create a solar system with one hundred and twenty seven planets!?”
I flushed. “No, we can’t. I’m sorry, I didn’t think it through.”
Ivgos, the little brat, just had to pipe up, “You will make her your family now?” We really should stop the imps from spending so much time with him. I felt happy when Robbie only laughed, feeling loving-proud of me instead of being jealous of Allan.
We did not need to travel to the lonely sun to learn what its life expectancy is, but we did have to visit for examining the asteroids as life could have evolved there. Sparklers could have gone but the truth is we all wanted to visit. Freddie jumped the main part of the gap between the solar systems and then travelled within normal space at great speed, showing the outside on all screens. When we arrived, as Freddie moved among the varied sized asteroids, Robbie created numerous platforms for the scientists to travel outside Freddie. Within days they assured us that they are fairly certain there is no local lifeform, but they have news that is astounding, mostly amazing those of this reality. The sun used to be a wanderer. On its journey through the galaxy it attracted three planets, from different solar systems. The relationship of the sun with the three planets was not stable and two of the planets crashed into each other. The waves of the explosion stripped the third planet of its gas mantle, leaving only the tiny core, which is intact and presently the largest of the asteroids. I’m not certain it can be classified an asteroid any longer, but it does not feel correct to name it a planet. It is believed that the drag from the adopted planets is what slowed down the sun so that it finally settled in this area.
Everybody had the same idea and there was great excitement as we waited to hear whether it is practical. We wanted to know from Robbie whether he can use the ultra heavy core for creating a new gas giant as home for the Xudypaf. He really did try to think of a way, he consulted with all the scientists but in the end he had to admit he did not think it is possible. Deflated we returned to our original plan. Now the core became a problem, but an analysis showed that it could be a source for many rare metals and minerals so it was included within the layout of the planets. However, it was planned that it would be moved far out so that it does not affect the planets we place in orbit.
The mood was so gay at supper time that it felt like a party. Wendy was asked to play some music and she chose to put on some music for dancing. Once the first couples got up to dance everyone else joined in and from the empties we can see that quite a lot of booze was drunk. Robbie and us girls got home early enough to want to make love, but Robbie was in the mood for making it a very long night for him. He took two girls at a time, jumping to other realities so as to make love, rest a bit and then return for the next two. After my turn I did not have quite the same incentive to stay awake and fell asleep. I was gently shaken awake by Cherine, who wanted to know why I was giggling and crying at the same time. I hugged the dream idea to myself, considering it so as to shoot it down if it is impractical before I get everyone’s hopes up. Robbie returned and picking up from Cherine what had happened, he waited for me, Aganthi quickly bringing him a coffee.
“Robbie, what if the core is taken to a Sparkler World and they imagine it becoming a twin to the planet of the Xudypaf, as it was, would it be stable when returned to normal space?”
When Robbie decided it would work I was happy at the way it made everyone feel, until Rosie said to Robbie, in mock despair, “How can you expect us to be like Samantha when she can come up with better ideas than anyone even while she is asleep.” My loves laughed until they felt me.
My face flamed with embarrassment as I turned away from them, putting on my clothes so as to take a walk in the garden on my own. En masse they pounced on me, holding me until Robbie could get his arms around me. I let him hold me for a moment and then reprimanded him, reminding him he still has a number of our loves to take on their mini honeymoon and the night was a-wasting. He laughed, kissed me, gave a tight squeeze and choosing the next two, left with them. I pulled Rosie to me and went to sleep holding her.
In the morning, Sol called for Solomon and Robbie passed on my idea to him for his decision. He seemed to glow as he answered that I was right, it can be done. Robbie instantly cut in to stop everyone commenting, his arm draped over my shoulders, “As a reward for thinking of it, I’m taking Samantha on a short trip. We’ll be back tomorrow.” Cherine must have primed the rest of our loves for they instantly touched each other as she touched me and we appeared in the London apartment belonging to the parents of Dommi. With so many of us appearing at the same time, there has to be some law of nature that prevents us appearing within anything, like a chair or table. I grinned and pulled Cherine to me when I saw the look on Robbie’s face. I let him see that whatever he had planned for me it would be far better with our loves sharing. He laughed. “I didn’t really bring you here to have a great time Sam, I needed an excuse to get you away from the others in Freddie - especially Solomon…didn’t you see the way he seemed to glow?”
The number of planets needed were cut down to the minimum by some species agreeing to having a moon, with some planets orbited by up to five moons the system became far less crowded. The numbers were agreed and then a young Elipian female, born in Freddie, asked whether we could have a moon just for the Ambros alternates, their Silver Boys and for Batsy. It was furthermore suggested the solar system should be known as the Cherinian System with an appellation added to identify which reality it belongs to. Only ours will be known as the Prime Cherinian System, the others will have a name generated by a computer program. Refusal of such name is allowed, in case the name generated is unpleasant or has unpleasant connotations in some language. One last detail was agreed, that only the Xudypaf of all realities, if their home sun is unstable and need a new home planet, are allowed to have their home planet within the system [ensuring them many trading partners]. Someone suggested we have a mammoth party when the first Cherinian System is created, but we (everyone) insisted a party right now would be nice. The ‘after’ party can take place on one of the new CS planets, the choice to be drawn by luck. See? If Robbie’s idea had worked and we had bred for luck, we would always win J
The Xudypaf we’d brought with us from the moon were amazed by how different everything is from the way they had imagined. Thanks to Sedpyz, and the original group he had brought, reporting that the Anadir had saved more of their people and taken them to a new gas giant, they had all presumed it was so and now they were living through very different circumstances. On one thing they all agreed. Although they understood that we had taken them back in time, they still regretted not having their primogenitors with them. To see others of their time period alive and preparing for a new home and life while their progenitors were all dead of old age seemed unfair. However, they felt they had nothing to trade with, so they did not ask us to bring them back to life.
Earlier, I hinted that the Xudypaf are different to all species by mentioning that our healers had to collect three sets of cells for each person to be given a body. After extensive tests and experiments, the scientists have come to the same conclusion our healers did - they are made out of three different genetic or DNA sets. The theory is that the proto-Xudypaf formed at great depths. Three different organisms discovered that by cooperating they survived where others did not and over a vast time and under enormous pressure they evolved into one, but at cellular level they kept the basis of their origins, as do we - watch how an egg evolves into an infant and you’ll know what I mean. Even the core of our brains belongs to an earlier period, in an evolutionary sense.
When we are at home, with family and close friends, we struggle to find a way to enable the lunar Xudypaf to trade with us. Technology-wise they have nothing and they do not seem to be artistically inclined - no paintings or literature or music that we have sensed or seen. It might be that we are forced to bring the dead back to life without them asking us. However, we would like for them to trade for what they want so that they feel they did achieve it according to their own ethics - as they see it.
Meli asked Robbie to help her adopt the body of a Xudypaf. She wants to visit them in the Sparkler World, on or in their planet. We were all quick to understand why, but Wendy, Jade and some others (even outside our family and of different species) envied her for thinking of it first. Robbie asked Sol to have the Sparklers find out from the leaders of the Xudypaf whether such visits would be welcomed. After all, some species could find it insulting that another species adopts their shape or body, thinking of themselves and their shape as being sacred - once again, do not look far afield for such craziness, did our own species not consider itself made in the image of God? Would we not have felt they were blaspheming…or something like that? It never fails to startle (and sometimes amuse me) when we see something we consider very odd in another species and then have it pointed out to us that the same strangeness is mirrored by our species.
At this time, she is closest to Rania and Assimé, so it was Rania who asked, Will you share the purpose?
*This will be the first Cherinian System and I wish to be a part of it. If I can grow large enough to split myself without losing the essence that gives me life, I would like the moon of Ambros, Pambros and any other alternates of theirs to be a part of me, alive and sharing with them.*
I tried to work out a way for Ambros and Pambros to leave a part of themselves upon her surface, but only the obvious is possible; they will each have to create a Silver Boy and give them autonomy so that they can survive independently while remaining capable of fully sharing whenever we visit. Actually, we do not need to visit, the Sparklers can form their World in this reality whenever either of them wishes to share with their planet bound aspect. With that last step in my thinking process I relaxed and was happy to help in any way I can.
While Batsy fed, so did we, back at the taverna. Empathia kept on forgetting to eat, staring at the Ivgos family. We tried to ignore her, wanting to give her time to work through whatever is worrying her, but finally Cherine put down her fork. “Empathia, what is it?”
“What we are doing is not fair. Ivgos and all his family should be Cherinians, there is no reason for us to make them wait.”
Robyn nodded. “I feel the same way.”
As often happens, once time has passed, some fears of Robbie and ours fade away and we can re-examine them more dispassionately. We did need to ask Kainas, but he was in the Sparkler Athens at a restaurant enjoying a Terran meal while projecting and Kiris and the rest of the Kabetu were with him. Feeling impetuous, we did not want to delay until the next day as Ivgos should share from Batsy now, not once she splits. We decided to have our after-dinner dessert at Kolonaki Square and asked a Sparkler to let Kainas know we would like to meet him there.
Word spread so we asked the Spartans to create repeater stages for everyone to be able to share from up close. Actually, as Cassie pointed out, this linking will be unique. Cherine has agreed to do the linking, which does not happen anymore and, this will be the first time that individuals of so many species are being linked at the same time. Just as a reminder, these are the eleven of the family:
Seuria, of the Esli-e-a
Argidsi and Ardrigio (counting as one, I think), of the Jymnifwe
Grosts, of the Grosts
Morbo, of the Higmoki
Haikra, of the Eluc Liguju
Tsektsit, of the Litpekeo
Oreattea, of the Patiquel
Ahram, of the Marmirie
Jajaji, of the Simsan
Bolwor, of the Bowlafo
Guhpan or Guhpanquau of the Silvery Frozen Sky-dust, of the Albaelits
Ivgos and his parents (Leussan)
As soon as the above points were made, we got carried away and wanted more. We wanted at least one Xudypaf and the girls started hammering me in my mind to accept Sebura. I wanted to, but something warned me he is not ready. We felt that if a Xudypaf is to be linked, the first one should be Sedpyz - unless we meet him and feel he is not suitable. There was a feeling of disappointment for a while and then we perked up as Alki, Allan and others reminded us of how important it is to be linking twelve species. Robyn said that linking Ivgos by himself is more than special enough and there was so much love in her for him that it reminded me and I secretly passed a message to Robbie. I saw approval in his eyes as he asked us to wait a few minutes as he needs to go to the void first. Cherine did not need to get the information from me and remained calm when she sensed Robbie disappear.
He was really amused by our antics, but his answer to me nearly upset some, until they realised he was being funny. He admonished me, as he wagged his finger, “Get thee behind me Satan.” I actually felt flattered as I felt his mocking reply implied he was tempted.
A platform floated down from up high and it was blocked so that we could not sense who was in it. The instant it landed, it vanished and we saw Dimi, as I’d asked for, but with him were Gregory and Michael with his family. There was so much hugging, kissing and crying from joy that we were delayed leaving to meet Kainas by two hours. We were still wildly excited as we spread ourselves over a couple of coffee shops in Kolonaki and none of us could get enough of being cuddled and kissed by Michael. Ahní was also being monopolised by Allan, Eleni and Jess, so at least she did not feel left out. When I saw that Greg was left with only Robbie, I jumped to him and sat on his lap.
He frowned as he looked at me. “And you are…?” At the look on my face he howled with laughter. He was careful to hang on to me until he stopped and then he apologised. I did not let him think I find him funny until he became embarrassed. Robbie tut-tutted me mentally and opened a conversation with his brother. Feeling like a spare wheel, I was tempted to get away, but he asked me a question and soon we were having an interesting conversation and Robbie moved away.
“How do you pass your time - do you see much of Dimi?”
“He comes over in the evening now and then.” He shrugged. “I’m in the same boat as most of the other younger Cherinians, with little interest in anything and nothing of importance to do.”
“It sounds to me like you only have yourself to blame. How many university degrees do you have? What hobbies do you have? Do you spend any time helping Normals?”
“The answer is none and no to all of them.”
“And you feel that I am wrong to be critical of you because my life is filled with meaning and adventures?” Something in the tone of my voice or my emoting must have warned him, for he did not answer me. “Greg, I have taken eight courses which I know well enough to get a degree. I have also attended numerous lectures and learnt a bit of this and that and spend at least ten hours a week studying or learning from the internet. I have read most of the classics and I have a list of poets I love. I meet with monks every day as I want to learn how to reach deeper into myself - I’ve discovered that the less anyone knows himself the more likely he or she is likely to successfully fool himself. The difference between us is that I’m interested in everything and you are not interested in anything. How many years of meeting friends at coffee shops or pubs and gossiping about others can you bear?” I ignored those listening in, for I was angry by now. “You know what, I was really lucky because I had Robert who expects that we demand the best of ourselves. He may have been a pain in the arse at times, but at least he saved me, prevented me from turning into someone like you.”
He let me go as I came to my feet. His face was flushed, but he is insecure and did not know what to do or how to react. His eyes quickly glanced at Robbie to see how he was taking it, maybe hoping Robbie would save him. I touched his chin to make him look at me, to see the love in my eyes. “Gregory, if you decide you need a Robert of your own to be a shit and help bring your mind to life, I’m willing to help. Until then, I don’t want to hear you complain of being bored ‘like all other younger Cherinians’.” I am really stupid!! At this moment of great joy I chose to try and help Greg by being nasty? I couldn’t wait? Damn!
Kainas joined us, the square filling as hundreds of Kabetu Cherinians came with. The majority had the tact to sit at tables a small distance from us, leaving Kiris and family and friends to join Kainas and us. Robyn was sitting on the lap of Dimi, but she felt it was her idea so she spoke loud enough to be heard, explaining to Kainas what we want. He surprised us by not emoting much interest and casually gave his approval. Our family realised that he is not as good at playing the game of ‘let’s avoid paradoxes’ as Robbie and because he already knew it was to happen it had not excited him. We stayed long enough for all the Kabetu (and us) to have a couple of eclairs each and then returned to Freddie. I was hoping Lusalith would be back, but I did not sense her.
Grosts faded out for a while but they all emoted their excited eagerness and pleased responses and in a burst of love, Ivgos threw his arms around Robyn (she is slightly shorter than him). We promised it will happen straight after we’ve had our breakfast and everyone chatted happily at the same time until we ran out of steam. Before we went home we each wanted to get a kiss and hug from Michael and Ahní, so it took a while. Dimi kissed my cheek goodnight and I was pleased when Gregory did the same. I’m not certain that it meant anything as he kept his emoting shielded from me.
I got up a little earlier than the others so as to bring my diary up to date. Today is a very important day and I have a feeling it may turn out to be more important for all Cherinians and Cherine as The Light than for Ivgos. Well, that is my thoughts from a selfish point of view.
Everyone was nervous so we were surrounded before we were halfway through breakfast. Ivgos joined us with Seuria curled around his neck and both of them emoted happy feelings. The rest of the family waited outside the taverna area, amongst the Akiard and Bubble kids. Anyway, Ivgos was also nervous and anxious so we gave up on finishing breakfast and Robbie went straight to the first stage, the hand of Cherine and Robyn in his. The rest of us followed and the Sparklers began to broadcast the main stage area to all the other stages. All waited for us girls to walk on to the stage and then Ivgos led his parents and family to stand before Robbie, Cherine and Robyn. There was absolute silence as nobody wanted to miss a word.
Robbie’s voice was very gentle and loving. “Would you like to have one Akiard friend stand by you to represent all of them as your friends?” Avirki was called and he joined them. Robbie spoke more than he likes to so as to turn the event into a ceremony for the sake of Ivgos and his family. He spoke of the time he was Ardrigio, sharing a body with Candy (it made everyone look at a bemused Ardrigio and Argidsi). The two of them felt strange listening to Robbie talk about their lives, thoughts and emotions. Robbie mostly talked about the family and how the love of each of them for Ivgos bonded them so that they grew to love each other. He went on to talk about what being a Cherinian is and claimed the Ivgos family are the best examples of what being Cherinians is all about.
Avirki had the courage to interrupt. “When Guhpan killed the bandits and Haikra with Tsektsit killed the guards, was that Cherinian of them?”
Robbie sensed how troubled the Akiards were by this and felt others respond to the question with their own doubts. “We should all keep in mind that they were not Cherinians and had to respond to danger and in the latter case, to cruelty and the victimisation of innocents. They did so, in both cases, with courage and determination and if you accept what I have repeatedly said, we should all feel admiration for them. Avirki, have I not said that Cherinians must also protect themselves, not only others? If it is a choice of allowing someone to take my life or my taking theirs, as long as they are the aggressor, not I, then it is my duty to do whatever is needed to protect my life. If I can avoid taking theirs, then I must do so, but if killing them is the only way I can protect myself or others who are innocently being prosecuted or victimised, then I must do so. If anyone needs to discuss this subject to a greater depth, I will be available after the linking of our new friends.”
We’ve waited and Lusalith arrived. Arthur, I changed your instructions and told Ivgos with Seuria to stand at her side, lightly touching her. For a moment we thought Lusalith would fail as she was awestruck that you asked for her and as god of her people she does not dream dance. She managed to do so but I can’t help wondering whether she was able to do so because you assumed she can. The sphere then slowly descended and as it did, it took your form. From here I write in real time via Athene:
“Ivgos, I will link you and then I will show you how to link your family. For your world and the Federation worlds of your home systems, you must be their Cherine and your family must be strongly united, that is why you must be the one to link them. I would like to touch you as I link you - please relax and invite me into your mind.” Arthur is still holding his one hand so he reached out with his other and let Cherine take hold of it. As Cherine left her body, Robbie kept his hands on her shoulders but her body did not need to be supported.
Robbie and Robyn are acting as the connection for everyone to sense in detail what Cherine is doing to link Ivgos. The first step was when she entered his mind, then a part of her called to Ivgos. Not the surface of his mind, I doubt he can hear her. She called to the hidden part of him and as it opens to welcome her it suddenly blossoms as it links and the conscious part of his mind senses the link in a flooding of joy and love.
Ivgos thought the tears were from joy, as it was for him, so the party mood was not dampened. The party lasted from yesterday noon until this evening. Hardly anyone has left and most people are sitting or walking in groups, talking and enjoying the feeling of all of us being as one for these two days. The image of Arthur faded within the hour of his last communication in private with me, but we are Cherinians and will carry it within us for a very long time.
“Why does everyone prefer me to remain a child?”
The question was asked in earnest and Robbie treated it seriously. “It has a lot to do with the role you are expected to play in the lives of your people. First of all, a child is less threatening in appearance. Second, nature provides most species with a need to survive and for that to happen, adults have an instinct that demands they protect children. The instinct is so strong in many species that they even feel protective over the young of other species - even non-sentient animals. When you affect others by freeing emotions, if you are a child, the way you affect them is purifying, far more than it would be if you do so as an adult since most people do not have an instinctive need to guard themselves from the ambitions of children.
Because all us girls are happy remaining children, he accepted what he was told. He did not think, as boys of our species might have, that it is different for us because we are girls. I doubt he understands that an important part of our enjoying remaining children has to do with Robbie (and with sex).
Lusalith waited until we had settled and the new Cherinians were spending most of their time learning how to use their gifts. “At the time I returned to my people, it had not been decided that the planets should be shared and that my people should be included. All I knew was that the idea of creating a new solar system sparked an exciting idea. I realised that our people are one of a few, thanks to our Author, who do not have a myriad alternates. If we do, they are recent alternates and only one of all the realities allied by Cherinians has our solar system. I needed to ask my people whether we should request your assistance in creating a number of alternate worlds within the allied realities for us to populate - if we are wanted.”
Robbie teased us, mentally and in private. *I don’t like it when any of you sound insecure, but a god feeling that way is refreshing.*
Lusalith was not only reassured by all the species that they are wanted and their existence treasured by all, they also promised to contribute in any way they can to help make it happen. All the Dream Dancers in Freddie felt very loved and their emoting was a pleasure for all to contemplate for many days. I wish Lusalith had not asked me to stay away when she needs emotional support for I felt her suffering. My poor, sweet, beloved little god.
Sparklers have found the various kinds of planets we need and somehow they and the Unation navigators have worked out a system that makes it possible for the Sparklers to show the navigators where they are situated. We are leaving for the first one in the morning. When we arrive, our first duty will be to double check that there is no form of life, not even some very basic one cell amoebas. Once that is confirmed we’ll then check the other planets as life could be affected if we remove a planet from their system - the orbits with the gravity effects, however slight, of the other planets in our system is thought to have affected the way life developed on our planet. Once that is done to our satisfaction, we then study the effect of removing the planet, projecting forward over a few million years. It usually takes guests longer to understand the importance of this part of the exercise. I don’t understand why they find it difficult to think on such a large scale, after all, it is only necessary for us to imagine the other planets shooting off in various directions, affecting neighbourly solar systems. If even one of those is inhabited and we are responsible for destroying them and their planet, we could not live with the guilt.
Months have gone by, Arthur, and all is as hoped for. The Muyzith and Unation scientists informed us that the new chaos theory developed by the multi-dimensional perspective Michael uses enabled them, within a fraction of the time they would have otherwise required, to work out the correct way for removing the planet we want without unbalancing the rest of the system.
The planet has been transferred to the Sparkler World and we are on our way to the next one. Arthur, during such times, it is rarely that anything happens that would be of interest to you. I’ll only write if something does happen - but if you want to chat at any time, please do.
Bernie tried using me to make it true. She complained that it is bad for Cherinianism that I lied to you and she should have a little girl so that my lie becomes truth. When we get carried away by our need (this time it was my fault), my loves and I always forget that nobody is stopping us, only our own decision to prevent our family from growing to the point where we have to split. Once she allowed herself to recall the truth, she was glum for the whole day.
