Can Robert check how many there are of the sexes required for the species to survive? I must not promise them more infants unless I am certain it is true.
Haikra decided that he is the only one fast enough to run through the beasts, grab the infant without pausing and run out. Morbo reminded him that they are Cherinians and can jump in with sheaths to protect them. Ivgos asked them not to do anything. Seuria jumped to his shoulder and rubbed her cheek against his. Ivgos softly caressed her when he saw that the animals did not react to her presence.
Oreattea asked, “Tsektsit, could you fly in circles to find from where they took they infant? Does it have family still living and in need of healing?”
Tsektsit returned to advise them he did not find any evidence of an Amowy home close by.
Craig spoke up, “Their front limbs have fingers - they look like fingers. What if they are like our baboons? They would be smart enough to find a way into homes for stealing food and they probably took the infant for eating.”
“No my friend Craig,” Ivgos said, “they are protecting it. Tsektsit, could you fly to the closest Amowy and ask it to come to us? It should be more knowledgeable and able to advise us.”
An Amowy reluctantly agreed to follow Tsektsit, but it took three hours to arrive. It went directly to Morbo, thinking he is their leader because of his bulk. “You have wasted my time, I am not needed. The mokyj are performing their duty, escorting the infant on its way to visit a relative. The delay is causing the infant to hunger!”
They quickly retreated and Tsektsit, watching from the air, reported they were swiftly escorting the child towards a town. Morbo had asked the Amowy to remain by him and, making a small fire, he offered it tea. His offer was declined, but the offer was accepted as a social nicety indicating they are civilised beings. Morbo explained why they had travelled to their divide and the Amowy visibly trembled with delight.
“My name is Noybtej. This is true? There is no purpose for falsehood?”
“None, Noybtej. I am Morbo.” He introduced the rest of them. Craig and Bryce were amazed that they were accepted as just another species of the Ribbon Planet. “Will you advise us on how we should approach your people to let them know about Ivgos?” Ivgos cringed but did not interrupt Morbo as he spoke about Ivgos being the reason the planet will soon be teeming with new life.
“I will respect your position of Speaker for Ivgos and will see to it that all do the same. Will you remain with us or will you prepare one such as I to speak for him when he is gone from us?” They were amused that Morbo was being thought of as a priest of a god, since Morbo had lost his faith in gods. It is worth mentioning that Morbo does appreciate the irony of his being where his god had sent him to. It has not tempted him to return to his old religion as he appreciates that he could never have arrived as the priest he was; he had to die and become a Cherinian for it to happen.
As they walked towards the city, without entering any towns along the way, Noybtej apologised, explaining that his people know that other species eat the flesh of animals, but they find it impossible to sacrifice the life of another for feeding their guests. Robbie’s eyes crinkled with patient amusement as he sensed a number of our loves, knowing he would soon have to counter the same arguments he has countered so many times before - but there are less of them now, so maybe his arguments have been better received than he realises.
They were taken directly to the leaders, a group of five hundred Amowy. As guests, they were housed, each with a home of a colour that, they were told, suited them. Craig was amused when Bryce was given a light pink house, but he stopped laughing when Bryce claimed his (Craig’s) house reminded him of the colour of urine. They ended up making some bawdy jokes and we hoped this means the two of them are becoming friends. Allan was amused, saying we are naïve, and Robbie and the other men laughed.
During their second day in the city, they learnt that Ivgos (Morbo on his behalf) was not being given the opportunity to make the announcement they knew was waiting for them, as they believe it important that Ivgos knows all of them by name. Even with a Cherinian memory I’d be horrified by the task as they all look the same to us.
Morbo spoke about what had happened to all the species of the Ribbon continent, without explaining the reasons, and the emoting of the five hundred plus their distinguished guests from other towns broadcast a genuine sense of horror at the idea of so many species having to face their extinction. Without waiting for Morbo to finish his speech they began to discuss and argue their duty. Some said that they should travel from divide to divide, providing spiritual comfort by teaching them about the gods while others thought it their duty to unseal the places of communicating with the demons from their past, to plead for mercy on behalf of the entire planet. Smaller factions with their own ideas fragmented the council so that no one decision could be unanimously or by majority be applied. Later, we were to learn that this was the reason they numbered their council at five hundred, depending on their argumentative nature preventing any group of leaders from enforcing their ideas on the populace. They believe in self-governance under the guise of having a government. None of us understand how it can work.
(
Ivgos thought the council were not interested in him so he teleported to a copse of trees he’d seen on his way to the city and rapidly climbing a tree he took hold of one long ropy branch and swung at the end of it until he rose high enough to let go and land on another tree. Unfortunately for him his disappearance disconcerted the council, since they do not know about the possibility of teleportation and Morbo had to calm them down. Since they were raptly listening to him he grabbed the opportunity and told them about Ivgos interceding with the powers that control their planet and life having been granted an extension.
“The few children born recently, they are not an exception? There will be more?” Once they believed, they forgot they are not supposed to be able to come to a common decision and they decided to let all their people know and to have a celebration, with every person to have the rare pleasure of eating a fruit flower. Ahram was quicker than I would have been and offered to supply them enough flowers for all of them to eat at least one, without reducing the number of future fruit. They accepted his offer as a further miracle from Ivgos. Then the family found themselves in a very difficult situation. Since the Amowy are the chosen, they wanted confirmation that they are the first species who have been notified of the existence of Ivgos and what he is doing to bring back hope for all species. They want to send out missionaries to tell everyone how Ivgos came to his beloved Amowy so that they can spread the word on his behalf. I’m not surprised that it was Ardrigio who managed to mislead them so as to avoid having to lie or tell them the truth. He, in a ponderous tone, announced that Ivgos intends that he or his family are to announce the start of new births to all the divides. We’d picked up from Ahram his intention and picking a few blossoms from a variety of fruit trees, we placed them in food machines and churned them out by the thousands.
Ivgos returned to his family and taking the hands of Bryce and Craig in his he led them towards the beach. It was obvious he wanted to be alone with them so nobody else followed them.
“Friends, I am troubled.” They were startled, but both eagerly asked how they could help. “It was the mokyj and the infant Amowy, I was too close to causing harm because of my wish to help. Is that not evil of me?”
Ivgos cocked his head as if listening to thoughts from deep within and his voice held the echo of a sadness that neither had heard from him before. “Friend Bryce, does he speak the truth?”
Bryce has a bright mind and his eyes filled as he remembered. “Love can be evil, Ivgos.”
Craig knows the story of Bryce so he cut in. “It was not the love in you that was evil Bryce, it was the fear of not being loved.”
“Like it was with the mokyj, because they loved the infant but feared me - so they could not sense I was there out of love?”
Whenever Ivgos felt the two of them would not face something inside themselves, he would try to take blame upon himself in a way that made their wish to protect him face their own problems or culpability. His family shared from him and we shared from them and both of us wondered at how Ivgos has matured without us realising it. The truth is that his Cherinian link and the strengthening of his gift of empathy is partly responsible for the changes. We felt the grief in his family as they realised the child in Ivgos is being lost to them - and without showing it, Ivgos felt them. While his family slept that night, Ivgos reached in and told his healer to rejuvenate him.
The visit of Ivgos did not bring only joy, as they had hoped. The nature of the Amowy keeps them split into a multitude of camps and I find it fascinating watching them. For instance an individual may belong to one camp with regard to a certain matter and treat those in the other camps as if they are enemies and yet, in some other matter belong to a camp that includes what we thought were his or her enemies. They maintain accommodation, medical facilities and other areas suited for visiting aliens and yet they do not seem to be capable of communicating in a meaningful way. Guhpan says they were not like this when they first came to the Ribbon world and their home world may need to send physicians to study them and heal them as a society and as individuals - which is something we cannot do until we are certain that they have or have not evolved in a different direction. At least they are true to their nature in one important way - they are deeply committed to their families and having children has brought them great happiness.
We did not bring the family back, letting them travel the Road as a holiday. They have enough carts, animals, food, clothes and so on, and, to make it more interesting for them, we helped project Bryce and Craig to the same species as Ivgos so that they can share the same foods and see the world through the eyes of his kind.
Batsy still takes on the black little girl form when she visits us at our home or at the taverna. She went to visit Lusalith at her home and Lusalith let me see her because she absolutely adored the sight of her as a pure black DD. When she came to visit the next day, everyone pleaded to see her as a DD. There was a slightly awkward silence when we realised she did not want to and then Sheena asked, “Batsy, you know those columns that help hold your body so that it does not slip and slide when we change directions - do you use the columns to scratch yourself when your body gets itchy?”
“Whoa!” Robbie called out in alarm, putting his hands up. “Batsy, don’t even try it…do you know how much mass is out there? You’d shake us to pieces.” Batsy pretended to take Robbie literally and gave him exact details of her mass, with some more on the minerals and so on that she is made of. Robbie played along, pretending to be interested, but the scientists spoilt it for us by becoming excited and asking Batsy to give them as much information as she can about her body. She kindly agreed to go to their offices for their computers to record what she tells them.
It is well known that the president of France has more university degrees than any other politician of his reality - of any reality that I know. He has written two books on French history that have been translated into many languages as he writes from the perspective of a politician. He has promised to make available copies of his books for our inter-galactic library and if there are other books that have not been written in our realities, his government will provide us with copies. This led to all the leaders make similar undertakings. His first name is Pierre.
He gravitated towards Theresa as the one he feels more comfortable with and he insists that her delicate blonde looks will turn her into the most beautiful of all of us when she is an adult - because she exudes character and has a personality that resembles a heady wine. Theresa can sense that there is nothing sexual in his admiration of her looks and that, as their friendships deepens, his admiration of her as a person is tinged by a paternal protectiveness. The fact that she sits by him, thoroughly absorbed by the tales of deceits and double-crossing from his books, of the way political influence is bartered for more influence and so on that he delights in telling her, might help influence the way he feels about her. She is right about his having the gift of making it seem to come alive and she has no problem in convincing us to take turns in sitting with her while he talks. Sometimes Robbie shares directly from her mind and he says that the images that flood her mind as she listens to Pierre fascinate him.
Pierre has the look of a man built for war and hard work, his features rough and rugged. The moment he speaks, Normals say they can sense he is gentle and cultured. The strange thing is that when it comes to personal relationships, especially with women, he is timid and withdrawn - unless he thinks of them as being part of his [career] duties. It seems that the contrasts of appearance and mind-personality act like a magnet, drawing women to him. From the affairs his world knows of, he has been loved by some of the most beautiful and intelligent women, but has never been married.
Pierre hesitated, sipped at his tiny cup of cafe noir and asked, “Theresa, becoming a Cherinian, how has it affected your IQ?”
“You cannot imagine how many times that question has been asked - by Normals and Cherinians, of our species and most of the aliens. Unfortunately the answer tends to depend on the nature, interests and personality of the responder. To most species, the concept of an IQ test seems ridiculous. Sorry, I should have said ‘to most learned people of all species’. Pierre, do we have a need to know the degree of intelligence of anyone because it could affect the way they carry out their duties? Did the creation of the test lead us into using it just by the fact of its existence - and not because we needed it? If the test had been applied to those wishing to study at university, I might have been fooled into considering it an important tool for advancing our civilisation, but we do not. An organisation named Mensa came into existence so that those with high IQ results could be members - placing them apart from the rest of us less intelligent people.” She took a stab in the dark. “You are a member?” He nodded. “Then you can tell me with inside knowledge instead of guessing as I am doing - has Mensa used the influence and power of its members to guide science and mankind in directions that will help all of mankind evolve?”
For a moment we saw he regretted starting the conversation as many other leaders were now listening. Theresa leant over and whispered, “I would not have asked if I did not consider you special to me - I mean in an emotional sense.”
His eyes warmed as he looked at her and he answered loudly, “Not anything like the conspiracy theories describe the supposed group they call the intelligentsia. Members do get together and discuss ways for guiding science in directions we consider would be of value to mankind in general. It is natural we would do so Theresa, for many of the members are scientists and when humans with similar interests get together, their interests dictate the subjects they discuss.”
Theresa continued as if she had not asked a question and he had not answered at all. “Since the IQ test was devised there have been many criticisms of the way it is set out to cater to only a small part of the world population. If it had been engineered to prove the intelligence of all the people of one country, or group of socially similar countries, then we could argue that it does not matter how inefficient and false its results are on an international basis. After all, there is nothing wrong with a group devising a system that is only meant to be applied to them. In actual fact, it can only be applied to a narrow segment of the population of any country and only to a small number of countries, for our cultures are too dissimilar across borders and social and financial levels. If all this is known, what is the purpose of multinational corporations asking their employees from all countries to take the test? Why are the results retained as an important set of data on their cards within the human resources departments of the corporations? Can you see that the IQ test has caused more damage than good?” She grinned. “Now I will answer your questions, I needed it to be qualified so that we know what we are talking about.”
He placed his hand over his breast. “Will my heart survive long enough as you work your way to your answer?” His tone made everyone laugh.
Your question was, becoming a Cherinian, how has it affected my IQ. I’ll have to answer that I don’t know and that the description of IQ must be altered or else nobody else can judge my changes either. Does a vastly improved memory also heighten my level of intelligence? I don’t doubt it would give an appearance of having done so. Would an increase in my lifespan make me more intelligent or just more knowledgeable?
We must do another telling so that you can share in our arguments about the ability of telepathy and sharing of memories to endow us with knowledge painstakingly gathered by another. Although the answers we settled on tend towards the negative, even if it should prove to be the other way, again we will have to settle for becoming more knowledgeable, not more intelligent. Pierre, when does being more knowledgeable achieve or create a new level of intelligence? After all, if I spend decades studying and working at developing new medicines, you could not develop them just by being more intelligent, you must also become knowledgeable. Does the ability to organise knowledge within our minds contribute to our level of intelligence? What of such external organisation?
Pierre, I could carry on for much longer, but let’s revert to a different aspect - that one aspect which is critically important and true of any sapient mind that becomes a Cherinian. Emotion. As you know, the gift of Cherine is empathy. When a Cherinian is linked, this is the first gift that blossoms. The second is opening the door to your healer and then the rest. Even those who know us well and have yearned to be Cherinians for years, thinking they understand us, are caught by surprise by how powerful a gift Cherinian empathy is. I’d say the first impression for many, if they are linked on planet, is that they are tumbling over into a stormy whirlpool of insanity, for it seems unbelievable that anyone can endure so many unceasing emotings of pain, love, hate and all the other emotions.
At first the link overwhelms emotionally, but soon we learn how to protect ourselves while also growing in sensitivity. Cherine leads in that respect and when we talk of her becoming The Light, it actually means her sensitivity breaks through a barrier we cannot even approach without her help. The other gifts clear our minds of a lot of the clutter that dulls the sharp edge of reason. Pierre, here is another distinction to be made: intelligence and the ability to see deeper and truer does not guarantee an improvement in our ability to reason. We learn how to reason from childhood, from even before we are born. The way we reason is affected by habit, by mental sloth, by selfishness, greed, self-deceptions and protective forgetfulness; many good reasons too, like self-discipline, compassion and altruism, but, the worst of the lot is fear, a compound of fears we are usually not even aware of. If you can see the truth of what I say, then ask yourself, how can an increase in intelligence be enough by itself to make an important difference to my life? The mind of any human, whether bright or dull to others, is as complex as a galaxy. If we are to study it and hope to bring an improvement to all, then let us not use methods and words that limit us. Search instead for whatever broadens us by encompassing all the disciplines and aspects of sapience, including the heart in the equation.”
Pierre spoke the one thought that frightens so many, holding them back so that they don’t ask to be linked. “But to stand so naked before all other minds.”
“If we are all equally naked, would you truly be naked?” Jade asked.
Pierre shook his head. “No, we’ll never all be equally naked, not even when Cherine is The Light.”
“I agree with him,” I said, “we’ll always be more open to our own family than to our friends and still less open to others. A growing sensitivity and IQ must not be allowed to stop us being humans. I treasure all the faults of those I love - even some of mine.” My comment sent the conversation in a different direction and Theresa sat staring at Pierre as he walked off by himself, lost in his thoughts.
My loves heeded the request by Theresa and did a telling that concentrated on those matters she’d asked for. Many still do not understand, but for some, they are beginning to see more colours or facets than they could before as the interference Theresa spoke of is in part brushed away. We are going to have many more Cherinians by the time they are returned to their homes, for Theresa forgot to account for the power of the a-ha factor - that which is called by many ‘an epiphany’. It is the one bright flame of the mind that is capable of burning away cobwebs that limit our view.
The Caiy pass through two phases, during the immature, as they name it, they are called the Caiy. The second phase, the wise phase, as the immature name it, they are named the Avut-Caiy. The male Caiy phase lasts anywhere from forty to sixty years. The Avut-Caiy phase, from ten to forty years. For the females, the Caiy phase is from fifty five to eighty and the Avut-Caiy phase, from thirteen to twenty eight years.
Keep in mind that though there is something about them that might, on first impression, sound similar to the Fegorians, there is nothing similar. Their differences are along totally different evolutionary lines. The Caiy, male and female, are sapient. The Avut-Caiy are not. They are not just dulled sapients, they actually are totally non-sentient. The Caiy admire their elders and claim the change shows they have achieved a wisdom they cannot understand. Since we have not monitored them, we cannot say whether they truly believe it as they claim or whether they use it as a sop to their pride, as a tool to make their future more bearable.
Now here is the worst of the tricks their evolution played on them - from our point of view. They only bear children in their second phase.
Since this diary, from Arthur’s side, is a novel for paedophiles, I’ll mention for their sake that the Caiy children partner from about six years old. The male children become sexually active from about six to seven, but the females from younger, anywhere from four to six. Since they cannot bear children, their sex as Caiy is purely for pleasure and the expressing of love. The most passionate love will wither away from three to five years before they enter their second phase.
The Caiy, from their tenth to eleventh year, evince all the maternal and paternal instincts we do and they will search for a female Avut-Caiy showing signs of parturiency. When they find her, the female Caiy will be affected by pheromones the Avut-Caiy is emitting and her body will change so as to lactate, her pouch nipple swelling and the pouch lining weeping a dampness that is both anti-bacterial and nutritional, keeping the skin of the infant soft and supple. The pouch does not resemble that of our marsupials as it seals once the infant is placed inside, for a period of about seventy days. The mother, after birth, will protect her child for a few hours, but then allow a lactating Caiy to take the child. We did not find any evidence that the birth mother recalls having the child afterwards. Should there not be a lactating Caiy present, the mother will abandon the child after three to five hours.
How do a species like this one become Cherinians?
In most species the lack of births affects them as a family unit and as a society. In this one, the disruption causes worse damage, for the females that do not lactate by the age of fourteen, never can again and in their second phase they are sterile. Since most lactate two to four times and give birth a similar number of times, becoming a ‘mule’ changes the female so that she no longer belongs within society and has to move away, usually to shallow caves where the height of the side divides reach out into the sea. Males who are not partnered to a female who lactates, by the age of seventeen they lose the appearance of youth and instead of looking like a Caiy, they become, in appearance only, like the Avut-Caiy. Not even the ‘mule’ females are willing to accept their company. Most of such males die by the time they are in their twenties.
By the time Ivgos and his group arrived, fully one third of the Caiy population had paid the price of not lactating and almost another third of them were close to doing so. This time it will not be enough to only announce the news and move on. How can any decent human being walk away from so much suffering, never mind a Cherinian?
The Ivgos group walked among the Caiy and Avut-Caiy, the word spread and the newborn hope of the few only served to highlight the despair of the rest of them. Nothing but kindness and hospitality was shown to the visitors, but they also did not try to hide their feelings, their emoting of weeping inundating them as the Caiy pointed at their slack pouches that hung like dried skin. That night, Robbie collected the group, reassuring them that they will not be abandoning the Caiy, they are only coming to Freddie to be part of our discussions as we search for a way to help them without them becoming aware of aliens from off their planet.
“We are blind to the answer because we don’t want to re-examine previous decisions? I say we link the Ujvuhwuro, those at the Ivgos mountain and at their home divide, and once they are in contact with the full power of their healing gift, they can travel along the continent helping all the species that need their help. I’m not only speaking of the sentient species, there are a lot of animals and insects dying out because the change is coming too late for them.” Empathia is not just the daughter of Cherine and Robert, we are all her mothers, even those born after her and someday those born of her. However, at such times as today, we make certain the birth mother senses that we all consider her the daughter of Cherine. They do the same to me with my sweet Gina and I treasure it when they do, even if I protest.
There was no way the Ivgos family could return to his divide and leave immediately. The three Ujvuhwuro families were given warning that in three days they must meet with Ivgos privately at the top tier and then feasts at every tier were prepared. Since this was the first divide to start experiencing pregnancies, they all are devoted to Ivgos…even those who have not looked into his eyes. We are lucky that this is not turning into a religion as nobody could have stopped Ivgos if that was what he wanted.
On the third day the Ujvuhwuro arrived at the top tier and though they felt cold they did not complain. All they did was hunker down, their bodies close to the ground. After a while, Robbie felt sorry for them as we could sense they suffer when the temperature is so low and he placed a dome of energy over the tier and further energy was used to heat up the area. Luckily there was only a little snow to turn into slush. Since Ahram is the most respected, if not revered, of all the family, he made the speeches. Only the leaders of each group or species know about us Cherinians, someone had to explain to the rest of the members of the three families. He talked about a group of species from other worlds and what they represent. Then he called for Cherine, her family and friends to appear. At least two or three of each Cherinian species came with us.
It may sound strange when I say that I find such first contact moments heavenly, precious in ways I find difficult to detail because there always is an element of fear amongst all they emote. Those few seconds pass and soon they lose themselves in the awe of learning how much further the horizons are; how much bigger their world or universe is than they’d imagined. Those for whom this is a beautiful moment (despite whatever fears thrill through them) are the ones who enchant me.
As with almost every species, the Ujvuhwuro have more than one way of communicating between themselves. The expression on a face, the look one gives another, all body language that can be learnt. The language that comes from knowing others intimately is rarer and is shared between loved ones, family and sometimes very close friends. For the Ujvuhwuro, it seems to extend to all of their species. Perhaps they can, because their families are so huge and so they had to learn how. If our family grows, will it happen to us?
The reason I mention the ‘other’ language is because we could sense it being used without knowing what was being said or felt as they silently entered the platform brought to carry them to Freddie in their thousands. We’d like them to stay with us long enough for us to learn more about them, but they can’t stay long as we can’t feed them. Food machines would be of no use as they must feed directly and the provider must be alive. We do not know how their feeding feels to their animals, or to them, and though we suspect they do not suffer at all, we do not relish the idea of it happening in Freddie where we would all have to share - after all, that is an important reason why all our meat is imported.
By accident we learnt that the Ujvuhwuro can survive without distress in high altitude zones where the air is very thin, if they are protected from the cold. The air at the top of the dome in Freddie is as thin as Robbie could arrange it plus the gravity there is less than ten percent of what it is down here where we live. Some of the Ujvuhwuro were taken to the top as they wanted to experience the ‘waterfalls’ and they discovered they love floating, upside down, with their eyes facing the ground (in this they are similar to our ‘daddy-long-leg’ spiders who prefer to hang from their web upside down). Some do so with their legs stretched out and others curl them up tight. Sorry, I jumped ahead to after they became Cherinians. Times like these are so exciting for me that it is difficult for me not to skip about.
I’ll skip most of the days and go directly to the time when they were linked (by the Inguel). As they were linked (not one had to be left out because of being unsuitable and they are not as individualistic as our species, deciding as a family unit, so none refused), we all sensed the ‘feel’ of them added to the totality of us in Freddie and it was as if a musical note thrummed and I felt like crying because it was so beautiful. Another species have joined us and I can sense there is something extra they will be adding to us. It should have been obvious what they would bring to all Cherinians. They do not think of their healing gift in the way we do. They do not communicate with their healers and when they wish to heal another, of their species or not, they told us they can feel their healing gift ‘feels’ what is right for the body needing to be healed. Not so with the way Cherinian healers have behaved till now. Not even with the change that the Boxee Cherine brought to the abilities of our healers could our healers heal a new species if it could not compare the ailing body to a healthy one. Now our healers also ‘know’ what is right. The Wuwejbir are also amazed by the changes to their healers, the most important being the fact that they no longer need to touch the body they are healing.
We are a sentimental lot and so Robyn, on impulse, suggested to Ivgos that he should announce that his little friend, Wuwejbir, is part of his family. Ivgos used his newly awakened gift to sense what his family feels like and sadly refused Robyn. He suggested it might happen if she travels with them, but he thinks that now that the prophesy has come to fruition, the family will not grow. He tried to please Robyn by declaring her a special friend - which she is.
Upon our return to the Ribbon Planet, the Caiy were our first priority and the Wuwejbir were happy to concentrate on them and all the creatures of their divide. We did have to return in time to bring back previous generations and Robbie made certain he brought back all those who died because of not being able to give birth or lactate. The Wuwejbir and the family of Ivgos had to stay for weeks after the last healing as they could not bear to miss out on the Caiy excitement and joy as Avut-Caiy became pregnant.
Claudia was speaking to Solomon. “While we are here, we should keep an eye on the souls of the Avut-Caiy. Will they be sapient while in the void?”
“Since we were not to interfere, our people have not been able to note the condition of the souls - whether at the first stage or the second. Are we now allowed to make our presence in the void known?”
Sol answered him, “I think we should try to avoid letting any of the souls know we exist.”
Claudia grinned. “And how will they know from seeing other souls? Why would they think the Sparklers are not of their planet? None who go there in their sleep seem to be aware of other souls.”
Allan cut in, “I don’t know how any of you can stand the suspense! I would have checked on their souls the instant we learnt about their arse-backward evolution.”
Claudia grinned again. “Why didn’t you?”
“You know how it is - we have this mini dictator who takes exception to people doing their own thing and as my loves are fond of me the way I am, I did not want to risk losing my testicles.” He did not get a rise out of Robbie, but us girls played along and pretended to make his life a misery for a while. It is nice that the government leaders no longer react with disapproval when we clown around. Maybe there is some kind of ‘intelligence’ virus in Freddie that makes them grow wiser?
Since we left the Orati Earth, this has been a magical time for me. Efineh, as mentioned, reverted to a six year old for Robbie and then, for my sake, she has kept that age. Piri is delighted and, since her friend Cherine no longer is close to her age, has grown to think of her as her best friend. Since they cannot be separated, it means the two of them spend a lot of time with me and I consider the time I spend with them and Niriki (Neri also joins us now and then), as time well spent. Sometimes Gina or one or another of my loves come to play and chat and those hours are very special for all of us. Nobody has tried to dump any problems on me and if they did, I suspect my loves - maybe even Campbell, would teleport them straight back to Earth. It is funny having my family and friends beaming their happy paternal-maternal emoting at me as if I were their child.
Now that we are travelling again, Ivgos joins us every day and an abashed Bryce asked whether he can be reverted to an eight year old so as to keep us company. We soon had three boy children with us; Bryce, Craig and Asikrik. The imps watched this for a few days and then they struck.
Jade asked, “Freddie, are you taking us somewhere in particular?”
“No. I have not been asked to go anywhere so I’ve been playing, ducking in and out of solar systems that look as if they might be interesting.”
Cassie pouted at Robbie. “I don’t think that’s fair, we should all have some playing time.”
He grinned. “What is it you are asking for?”
Cassie and Jade glanced at each other so that everyone would know the answer comes from both of them. “It would be nice to have a play day now and then. On that day everyone must become a child and play - no working to be allowed.”
If everyone had played along, the imps would have scored nicely without anything happening. However, some adults of various species, plus the two reality government guests frowned, internally, on the idea and it convinced the rest of us that it would be a good idea - at least we should try it once.
When we say it is a play day for everyone, we don’t really mean everyone. Some just don’t like the idea; some, for their species, becoming a child again is not pleasant; then there are those who have to work - for example, scientists in the middle of an important experiment and the crews of the spaceships. I wonder why none of the species went with AI automation? It seems only Terrans liked that idea in their stories.
The play areas were designated and then we gathered there as children and stared at each other, most of us clearly out of our depth and embarrassed. My loves and I split up and got a few games going at the various groups - and more than half the kids gave a mental sigh of relief when play day was over and it was time to revert to adults again. Despite the negativity, I think it was a good idea and I bet those that were the most reluctant will end up being the ones who remember that day with the most nostalgia once they are back on their world.
We’ve decided (us girls) that we want to return to our Athens home for a visit, so we are taking the two Cherines, their families and groups and the leaders back. We are going to miss most of them!
We’ve had to put our foot down with Robbie, demanding we return in March so as to give everyone time to organise our Cherinian anniversary celebrations in May. Sixty years of Cherinianism on our home world! Arthur, I’ll save you asking; adding Freddie time, it is now two hundred and seven years since Robbie met Cherine. (Robbie told me to add ‘and we are still as madly in love’)
I wish you had chosen to ask your question at some other time. This anniversary is important to us and I hate the idea of leaving others to do all the work while we go on a jaunt. Still, we will have to travel to most alternate Earths to collect all our alternates and friends, so we might as well go from now. Robbie has promised to get us back here within hours of our leaving.
I first jumped to invite the Dalai Lama to come with us. “It might sound frivolous of me to be inviting you to come with so as to visit a chimpanzee, but I think you will find it interesting. Arthur asked me whether Tippity will ever become a Cherinian and my first reaction was to reply that only beings with souls can become Cherinians. I had second thoughts and have asked Solomon to help us investigate whether Tippity has a soul and if not, then what does he have?”
“What else could he have? You are not about to postulate a new kind of soul are you?”
I shook my head slightly in a negative gesture. “We know that souls evolve and everyone has been concentrating on the latter evolutions, hoping to ensure we Cherinians don’t miss out on them. What of the early part? How does a soul first become a soul? Surely it could not start off as a soul - like an immaculate conception? I was wondering whether the force or energy of life itself in primitive beings, such as one cell creatures, starts a soul by giving a minute part of its energy - or, what if it is not a deliberate act by ‘life’? What if life can only come about in matter under certain conditions and one of those conditions is that the body has a ‘hook’ for linking to energy and the mind, however primitive, alters the energy so that, as the mind evolves, the way it affects that energy also evolves - ensuring it becomes a soul?”
“Samantha, have you discussed these possibilities with Solomon? Does he…”
“Sorry for interrupting, no, we have discussed various possibilities, but the more I think on the subject, the more possibilities I think up.” I gave an apologetic look and he smiled. I could sense his mind chuckling, but that I had also disturbed him.
“There are two others I would like to bring with.” They joined us and I knew the one, but the other was an old man I had never met before. The conversation was repeated for their sake and both were happy to come with when I reassured them they will be returned on the same day, if they want.
Of course we let every species know where we are going and why and suddenly Freddie was so full that most of them had to move to the Sparkler Worlds. As we travel, there are debates going on, with Sparklers in material bodies and millions of them in their natural state floating above them, sharing and passing on to other groups any conclusions or new directions of thought. Officers from the spaceships and the scientists are also taking part and everyone is eager to begin experimenting in the void since nobody can find a way to identify souls and pre-souls while still in the body. Doing this with non-sentient beings is going to be very difficult as a negative result in the void will not prove anything. One of the recently released aliens (from the Sparklers) who thought of the void as their second home before they were taken over by the Sparklers, suggested the possibility of pre-soul entities remaining on planet as they might not be durable and complex enough to withstand the energies of the void.
Ivgos arrived at the taverna long before we did and he nervously waited for us, his family soon joining him as they felt him. They sensed he did not want to explain so they waited for us to arrive. This is one of those very rare occasions when we decided to meet with him before eating.
“I had an idea, but I can’t try it in Freddie. When we go to your world or mine, I can wait close to some animals and when one dies I can invite it. If it has a soul it will come to me and you’ll know they have souls.”
