I’m glad, for it gave them the time to face their fears and make an important decision - a decision which I admit I never would have had the courage to take for myself or my loved ones.
I doubt my writing above prompted Robbie, but the next day he listened to the scientists during their morning report and then lit a cigarette as Maria brought him another coffee.
“The Reggheri elders have made a brave decision and so have all of you. At first I considered it also a wise decision by you - it is so rarely that any scientist is willing or able to turn away from learning something new when it is available. Your very denying yourselves of what you treasure so much - new knowledge, has convinced me you are mature enough to handle the knowledge wisely. My friends, if the Reggheri elders agree, I would like you to study their technology. The use to which they put it should not be emulated and there is no need for it among Cherinians, and do be careful about making it available to non-Cherinians…even should the governments of any species demand it. Use the knowledge you will gain as one more link in a chain for learning more about our souls and, if we are lucky, perhaps we might learn something new about the way souls can communicate across realities, space and time, helping us reach the day when we can find and bring to us our author, our dearly beloved Arthur.” Cherine hugged him tightly and, with tears in her eyes, thanked him. Robbie kissed away her tears and added, “If we fail to find Arthur, not only will we have failed him, we will have failed ourselves. We owe it to him but we also owe it to ourselves - as my loves have known for many years.”
PS: The Reggheri Elders agreed when they were told of the use to which we will put their technology. They have also asked us to postpone their return since these days are to be their last and they would like to enjoy a few more experiences - it makes us want to cry, but we have to smile for their sakes.
PSS: This is one celebration we are going to enjoy more than ever, for we are going to it with so much joy in our hearts - for all the things that have gone right in our lives..
This is not a celebration for Terrans, but for Cherinians in general. Those species that can come on their own are doing so and those who cannot, we are collecting. With so many coming, I can’t help wondering where it will be held. It would be nice if the Normals of our world can see us, but the parks on the moon will not fit all of us.
I should not have bothered writing the above since we saw where the ‘where’ is to be as soon as we arrived. As a matter of fact, we’re lucky Freddie did not crash into it - or did they warn him from before? The RT Robert has been here, helping create the rainbow platform. First, with the agreement of all governments and large corporations, whichever satellite or space stations had to be moved, their orbits were altered so as to leave a ring of clear space around Earth. Then, as the void, Robert built a platform shaped like a ring. The one side was left open and then the next ring, of a different hue, was added, with both sides open (in other words, it is as if the first ring was extended, below and above. The same with the third, fourth and fifth ring extensions of different hues and then the sixth had a side to it, closing off the six hued ring. Beautiful islands of land were created, but the areas between were left clear so that it is as if we are walking on totally transparent tinted floors.
Reading the description may make it sound as if the ring should affect the orbit of our moon, but the ring and islands are so tenuous in comparison to our planet and moon that not even the satellites close by are affected. The energy used for the thirty kilometre-wide platform has almost no weight (same as it is for Freddie’s shields), but is big enough for it to be visible to the naked eye from Earth.
We arranged hotel rooms for Larry and Mervin (the two ‘bad’ Talents) in Miami, gave them some cash and delivered them, promising to collect them for the celebrations - if they want to come. We then jumped home where Efineh, Piri and Sebura were waiting for us. Being a fairly warm day we quickly changed and happily jumped to Club Cherinián to meet friends we haven’t seen for so long. Afterwards, we jumped to the Dar beach to stare up at glowing rings. It was a very good night for doing our ‘nature’ thing and we were sad to see less animals around us afterwards.
The next day we looked through the messages waiting for us from the Cherinian Embassy and there was a message for Haven and another for me from David. She called him and he gave her the latest news about their development fund and which projects are doing well and which not. At the end he asked her to ask me to call him as he wants to invite me to appear on his chat show.
The party is in two days but we don’t have a second free till then. With leaders from about a hundred alternate Earths and hundreds of leaders of alien species visiting, the number of them who want a private meeting for reasons they don’t want to divulge before we meet is staggering. As much as I dislike going to such meetings, I can’t leave all of it to Robbie and we’ve even accepted offers to help from the rest of our loves. Apart from Cherine, it seems I am the only one going to the meetings at my preferred age, the rest of the girls are ageing themselves to about thirty years old.
This is Cherine writing for you Arthur.
It shows how overwhelmed we were with requests for meetings that Robert and Samantha only weakly protested when I offered to handle a meeting or two. Samantha had no reason for placing the condition she did, but I accepted with such alacrity that Robert did not have time to gainsay us. Sam told me that Ivgos must come with me.
The meeting I chose to attend was with a species known as Bypygly, recently released by the Sparklers. There are only about seven thousand of them and the Sparklers made a niche for them within their World. Theirs was an oxygen based atmosphere, but very humid - somewhat like living in a swamp on the equator. It is not suitable for Terrans without a sheath as the air is filled with spores that attach themselves in our lungs and within seconds roots grow into the tissue and then, within minutes the body convulses and dies from the toxic chemicals coating the roots. The bodies they use are created for them by the Sparklers from their body-memories, but we have not got around to returning in time to get cells. From their appearance, they seem to be partly animal and partly plant, with fern like fronds growing out of them. Appearances though are deceptive and the plant part of them is actually from the fungi kingdom - which does not spore as they give birth in ways similar to our species - though they have three sexes; male, female and what seems to be neuter or asexual.
The only reason for the meeting, that we could imagine, was that they want to ask me to intercede on their behalf and ask the Sparklers to release more of their people. I’m not like Sam, I went to the meeting without doing my homework. I was told that the person I’m meeting is named Zuhbax, a neuter, and it is their leader. No Bypygly are Cherinians and neither have they shown much interest in being linked. They never speak about themselves, but have a never-ending supply of questions. Ivgos and I wanted to experience their kind of world so we were sheathed and the Sparklers took us to that part of their World.
No polite chitchat; no handshake or guided tour. They waited for us in a clearing and without offering even a chair, a name was offered, none waited for ours and the questions began as if they were a continuation from a previous meeting. Ivgos remained silent, his eyes swivelling from my face to that of the questioners, but I could feel he was upset. For all of twenty minutes I allowed them to bully me with questions they could have asked of anyone else, because of Sam always insisting we must be extra patient and tolerant with aliens, and then I snapped back to my normal self.
I thrust up and forward both my hands so that even if they don’t understand the gesture they know I have strongly gestured. I cut in as Zuhbax talked. “You have wasted an opportunity! You have no questions of me, just general questions anybody could have answered. Do not ask for a meeting again for I will not waste my time.”
“The other spins a cocoon for you.”
I stopped, looked Ivgos in the eye and gave him a smile before turning to face them. “You imply a threat.”
“Does not the purpose of the cocoon determine what is implied?”
Ivgos asked me, “What is this thing they say I spin - is it a toy or a weapon?” I explained, but he did not really understand. I’ll see to it that he learns about spiders and caterpillars. Since I’d shocked them out of asking boring questions, I decided to give it another go. “Why did you ask to meet me?”
“There are seven thousand of us.”
“I’m aware of that.”
“You are to blame - if those who trapped us are to be believed.”
I could sense they did not wish there were more of them, but nothing else made sense to me and I wished Sam was with me. “Ivgos, do you understand what he is saying?”
“Yes.” That silenced Zuhbax and me. I pointedly continued looking at Ivgos and waited. His hand waved to indicate the plants around us. “The seven thousand do not belong to this, they need for their souls to die.”
I gently took hold of his shoulders when Zuhbax remained silent, evidently agreeing with Ivgos. “What you said may be obvious to you, but I do not understand what you mean when you say they don’t belong.”
“I think on their world they are part of the plants so that they are part of their world. They do not believe their world belongs to them, for them to use. They only exist to care for and nurture their world, but what the Sparklers gave them is dead to them and gives them no meaning.” I felt a cold shiver run down my back - how could Ivgos know so much about a species he’d never heard of before? I was also intrigued by what he’d told me and I was certain that if Robert were here he’d be half in love with them. The thought of Robert softened me.
“We can take them back to their world…if they or the Sparklers know where it is.”
“The seven thousand do not wait, for our world they are born and there is no place for us. We are told eight hundred years have passed, it is too late.”
“Not if Robert takes you back in time to the day you were taken. Maybe he can also save your bodies so that it is as if you never died - as far as your world will be concerned.” The diamond light of joy that blazed in Ivgos told me I’d provided the correct answer. We promised to return a few days later and they agreed to wait.
Arthur, I chose to write of this small experience of mine instead of letting Sam do so as I have a question: Is this species never to become a part of us Cherinians? Not even when I become the light? Even as the light, there is to be sorrow for me?
I don’t know what kind of prize you should get for the above, but you certainly deserve some kind of prize. lol, what a joyous celebration, with everyone arguing philosophy instead of dancing and drinking! One of our best ever!
A promise was made which it seemed we could not keep. Cherine told them they’ll be back in their bodies within hours, but the Sparklers of that time were not in a hurry to leave and they would sense the souls being returned if we did not wait. Freddie could not make an appearance and neither could we go as souls. We had to take a chance, so Robbie became the void and created a platform which he covered with dark energy. He first made a series of jumps until he could see the planet and identify an area for his platform to land. He returned and taking the platform, with tens of thousands of healers and Sparklers, he teleported directly to the clearing he’d viewed, within minutes of the then Sparklers taking their souls. The Sparklers with us knew where to find the bodies, but they had to be very careful and dampen their broadcasting and automatic link to the mass of their people - which is like a magnet, creating an attraction that causes the linking, same as it is with us, only more so. It had been decided (hoped) that the Sparklers of that time would not sense the healers because they are not familiar with their existence and were not expecting any such energy to arrive within the bodies, so we managed to get to some bodies before they actually ceased functioning - and the healers then found it fairly simple healing the dead bodies and re-animating them.
We were sharing, mostly through Cherine and of course, like a multitude of back seat drivers, we all had opinions to make known to everyone. A Kinytian took form to suggest to Chantel that Freddie teleport close to a sun that has no planets and has no other systems close to it, so that they can influence the sun to suddenly release a lot of energy - enough, they hoped, for the Sparklers to see the spike of energy. The idea was that if they see the spike they’ll worry that there might be life needing their help. Once he spoke, the Sparklers informed us that they do remember it happening and they did leave much earlier than they would have. Cherine warned Robbie and Freddie jumped to the indicated sun.
About two hundred Kinytians left Freddie and placed themselves around the sun. They did not spread out evenly. They must have identified certain key areas or nodes of weakness that with their influence would cause the sudden burst. Freddie went to the void and we saw the increase of energy and knew the Kinytians had succeeded. Fearing for their safety, we returned to normal space as soon as Freddie felt it was safe and they rejoined us, their rejoicing lighting up our sky. Travelling in normal space, Freddie teleported from star to star, delaying our return until Robbie let us know it was safe to do so.
We had not planned to stay after bringing back to life the Bypygly, but we were tantalised by whispers, hints of some kind of energy binding the Bypygly to all of nature. We had not realised the truth while their bodies were not alive, but as soon as they were returned we sensed that the various forms of life, plant and animal, had sounded like an orchestra of various instruments with each one playing its own music, uncoordinated and clashing. The instant the influence of each family unit of three arrived, all of nature in a great circle around them began to harmonise and their energies flowed purely like a brilliantly conducted orchestra. Not one species remained unaffected and the scientists asked the Bypygly for permission to monitor and experiment in an effort to understand how it is they can have such an effect. The Bypygly hinted that we should all closely examine our own role and place in the cacophony of life and that which we term Nature. They told us that if we learn how, we too can help life energies flow sweetly, without burrs and knots snarling it up into pockets that turn upon themselves. It was as if all we learnt from this species found the hint of an ancient echo, making us feel as if we were not learning a new truth but were being reminded of a truth we had forgotten - cast aside. What is even more amazing, we were not the only species to feel this way. Old words, poems, songs, platitudes about being one with nature haunt us as we try to learn from the Bypygly.
Even if we cannot link them as Cherinians, this species are doubly precious, for they have and are helping us recover an important part of our own nature - though I don’t want to go to the extreme like them. The first person we share this way of emoting harmonious energy must be Cherine of the Boxee reality - she already is closest to what we are hoping to become. It will be convenient having her with us as soon as we return to our Athens home.
Using the Anadir educational helmet made a huge difference to Ivgos. At first he felt disturbed by the unconnected bits of data that he did not understand and complained that they did not allow him any peace. As the lessons he attended helped him understand the data and see how various bits of data in what seem unrelated subjects actually form links that unify many of the different subjects, his enthusiasm grew by leaps and bounds. He happened, unintentionally, to discuss a lesson with someone from a different species and was puzzled to find that they have a different worldview of the same scientific facts. After many discussions, he came to understand that the facts are the same, but how they are interpreted is affected by the way our instincts have led us to think, by the way we perceive the world, whether with eyes, single or multi-faceted, sonar or light sensitive skin or through mental gifts. Learning that there are many ways to see the same truths affected him deeply and he now learns at a slower rate, but studies the same data at least three times. The way it is widening his mind and giving him a deeper understanding of all he studies has shaken all our education experts and they are both trying to formalise what he is doing for their education program while also studying how Ivgos is affected.
One more strange fact about Ivgos. He idolises Orgg but does not feel comfortable with Jeskine. He admitted, under some pressure, that she feels like a fake Cherine to him. We are withholding that comment so that she does not hear of it. Our sweet Jeskine suffers already from feelings of inadequacy when she is called the Cherine of her reality, to hear that Ivgos feels she is a fake would only upset her.
We have been doing the same things for some time now - since the dream mountain took our loves. While sitting at home we started to discuss this and then we threw a few silly ideas around. Candy reminded us of when Iziko became a dragon for her adventure and wondered what it would be like having the white dragon of Pern (Ruth) living in Freddie. We reminded her that Ruth is bonded to Lord Jaxom and he, in turn has friends and loved ones, so they would not be happy if taken out of their environment. Bernie teased Meli by telling Candy that the only way to have the dragons with us would be for Meli to create Pern within her mind. Our teasing was winding down when Lynda threw her idea at us.
“We have found the set of a-realities and b-realities…”
“Which are the ‘b’ set?”
“It is obvious that Patrice and Godfrey do not belong to the a-realities so they must be the ‘b’.”
“Not necessarily, after all, they seem to belong to the same author. Patrice told us he was created as an experiment by the same author.”
“What if we go looking for the realities of another author? If Arthur gives us a name of an author and the name of the books written, maybe I can sense their reality, if it exists. Sam, won’t it make it easier for us to find Arthur if we practice with other authors from his reality?” She grew excited. “Maybe it will be easier to find the reality of that author and get to Arthur that way?”
It made me ache having to shoot her down, so I compromised. “Lynda love, there are a number of possibilities, so please don’t raise your hopes yet. First of all, we don’t know that we can find a ‘c’ or ‘d’ reality and even if we do…”
She interrupted me with a sweet smile. “I’ve already got one, I know the names of some characters, but I don’t know if the author exists in Arthur’s reality.”
I decided there was no point in ‘shooting her down’ if she was already this happy, as there was little danger of her getting happier. “Let’s go ask him.” [I added the above after we asked Arthur so that there is some historical background to our request]
Lynda felt she had let us down by promising us an exciting reality so she asked for a few hours and concentrated on finding an Earth that is different from all the others we’ve been to. She found it. When we arrived, even Lynda was shocked.
Although Freddie remained hidden, on arrival Robbie and then hundreds of thousands jumped to Earth so as to save the dying. We did not find any. Those who died must have died a long time ago as there were no bodies.
This is what we found. Earth was missing a chunk. The impact of the asteroid seems to have first hit down at southeast Africa. It stretches from Maputo, Mozambique, through Tanganyika and Kenya and at Somalia it curves eastwards. Most of the islands are gone, plus the very tip of India. On the east side of the hole, land has been pushed up so that there seems to be a high mountain ridge stretching in a jagged curve south to below where western Australia should have been.
The entire planet is still covered in cloud and thick layers of dust and gasses from volcanoes and molten rivers - what else can I call stretches where the mantle has been ripped off and the molten layer exposed? The ice caps are gone, but the ocean levels are not higher. There is life, but most of it is extinct - certainly anything large as a flea. The oceans must have boiled for a while as there are no signs of life in any of them, just some tiny lifeforms and bits of plankton struggling to survive at both poles.
Robbie asked Lynda, “Was there a Cherine?” It embarrassed the hell out of us that others should hear his question when faced with such devastation and the loss of the entire human race. With tears streaming down her face she nodded that there was. Wildly Robbie stared at Cherine and then at me, as if we should have an answer for his unasked question. Finally he verbalised the thoughts he had not shared. “Why am I not in a panic to save her or bring her back? Look at the planet, there is no way she can be alive! Have I lost my instincts?”
Cherine reassured him that he has not lost his protector instincts and I wondered what is going on. I checked and learnt that the void is empty - no Anadir Worlds in the distance and no sign of the local Sparklers. There are no souls there either, which means they all died off some time ago, not within the last few days. If all of mankind died weeks or months ago, how can their Cherine have survived? The most obvious answer is that we went back in time and saved the entire population, including their Cherine - there is only one problem with that theory…Lynda is adamant, Cherine exists right now! The instincts of Robbie suggest she is alive right now. He would not be worried about his lack of protector urges if she is/was to be taken in the past, so she must be here and not in immediate danger. One glance at the disfigured Earth with its terrible storms on our screens and my deductions feel stupid to me, but I only have them to guide me, even if I can’t believe in them.
“That storm is an oddity. Why does it remain at the same spot, surely it should move on?”
“You think Cherine is causing it?” Nobody waited for an answer as we all flung ourselves into the storm. Instinct guided Robbie and he arrived directly by a spherical energy shield. It was travelling at great speed in a circle a few kilometres wide and most of the lightning was striking at it. Robbie created a stasis shield around it and carrying it in the same direction it had been travelling he widened the orbit while also slowing it until it was outside the now dying storm and almost stationary. He jumped with it back to Freddie and, exulting, we followed.
Robbie held Cherine on his lap as he had a coffee and cigarette. She looked up at him with serious but not worried eyes as he explained to her and us. “Cherine is not listening for any emoting or thoughts from outside. It is likely she has withdrawn deep into herself and is no longer aware of anything outside her inner world. The only way to pass through the shield is for me to go as a soul.” He paused as he sipped, took a last drag at his cigarette and then put it out. “I don’t think we should arrive in a crowd so I’ll only take one of you. Wendy, will you come with and sing for her if she needs it?” Of course she agreed and both of them felt our approval of his choice.
Robbie let go the stasis shield and the two of them left their bodies and entered Cherine’s shield. We lost contact with them so it was lucky for us that we could sense they were still connected to their bodies. We were mostly silent as we strained to ‘hear’ their minds and as the hours went by the crowd around us grew, silently sitting with us, their emoting warming us with their love.
Cherine spoke softly, but in a tone that warned she would not listen to any arguments. “I’m going in.”
“If she is partly insane and sees or senses herself arriving, she’ll be pushed over the edge.”
“I have to go Themi, if Robert and Wendy stay much longer their cords will fade away.”
Dommi pulled at her, to hold her as she answered, “If they die we can keep their bodies alive and fix their cords. We’ve done it before Cherine, don’t blow it for your alternate because you are afraid.”
With tear filled eyes she looked at me as she asked Dommi, “Can Sam go?” I nodded and closed my eyes, retreating into my inner world so as to make myself drift out of my body. I always find it amazing the way the shield looks when I’m a soul, I could spend hours staring at it. If I could have, I’d have held my breath as I sank into it. I found myself within a glowing ball, the bodies of Cherine and her Robert curled up like foetuses and I was shocked at how thin they are - like two skeletal figures whose lifeforce has paled, moonbeams that are about to expire.
Knowing our Robbie, I guessed that the two of them had entered the mind of Cherine. I felt it would be safer for me to enter the mind of Robert. Before I did so, I made certain it could be felt that I am the soul of a little girl. There is no way any Robert would allow a girl child to be harmed. I could see/sense the energies of a mind, but could not find the soul. I’d wasted time and effort, for if he was not here, then he had to be within the mind or some mind-world of his Cherine. As I prepared to leave I paused, hesitating because I felt that something is wrong. I know myself well enough to recognise that the feeling did not come about because of some weird psychic gift, I had noticed something peripherally - not out of the corner of my eye since I did not have eyes but aslant of my awareness centre. I examined everything carefully and still nearly missed it. The silvery connection of soul to mind was wasted, about to snap out of existence. Despite our earlier conversation, I could not let it happen while it is in my powers to stop it. I used my own energies, throwing a part of myself into his cord and his mind, hoping that would fool whatever it is that objects to the absence of a soul for long periods of time.
Here is what Robbie and Wendy experienced, as shared from them and Cherine and Robert.
Robbie had no reason to even consider entering Robert and the sight of Cherine starving to death gave him the sense of urgency that had been missing till then. He entered her mind and not seeing her psychic body he searched for the way to her inner worlds. He asked Wendy to sing a long note for him to judge the passages (which are not ‘real’, just mental pictures created by the mind of that person - which is why it is so different for each of us). With her being a Cherine, it did not take Robbie long to work out which ‘tunnel’ he should enter. The two of them travelled down/through it for what felt like a long time and then it grew brighter. Not as bright as it should have been, which in itself is an indication that the mind/soul is running out of energy.
However one enters the mental world of another, the entrance is always dramatic. Sometimes it is as if one falls through a hole in the sky and you float, fall or fly down. This time, for Robbie and Wendy, they were suddenly standing on grass that was sparse and half dead. The blue of the sky was pale and faded, like a blouse too often washed. The same with the trees and what should have been flowers. Only a small circle remained vivid with colour, as if life rejoiced at that spot. It was where a Robert, a quarter of his usual size, held a little girl of about two years old. Neither of them looked at anything but each other, so they did not see their visitors arrive.
Robbie took Wendy’s hand in his and sadly breathed, “Oh Wendy!”
We have all shared that moment with both of them and there is not one of us that has not felt a sob catch in our throat. They had spent months in this mental world. At first they had been terrified by the destruction that had forced them to find a way to remain alive, then they were awed by her ability to create this world, even though it be small. Everything was so alive and vibrant with colour and despite their despair, it often filled them with joy. Despite her creating fruit for them to eat, they knew it was not real and only provided mental pleasure. The weeks went by with Robert very conscious of the fact that because Cherine has the body of a child of eleven, she will not last as long as he will. Robert found the energy of healing within him and he demanded of it that it take whatever is needed from his body to keep hers alive. Since they were both almost hibernating, the bodies slowed to the minimum for them to be alive, they lost weight slowly and survived far longer than they should have. Cherine found out what Robert was doing and though he would not agree to stop, he did what was sensible; he saw to it that his healer only took what was needed from him for the two of them to last an equal length of time. When Robbie and Wendy entered, the two of them were close to the end, as organs would soon be failing.
They had reduced the size of their image-bodies and let most of the world die so as to conserve energy, but they knew it was pointless, they were close to the end. They have no knowledge of the void, therefore they believed that death is final. When Robbie and Wendy arrived, they were staring into each others’ eyes and the love they were emoting for each other was so pure, so inexpressibly poignant, sad and bright, crystal raindrops falling within a ray of golden sunshine, it tears at any heart that is blessed with the opportunity to share it from them. Their only hope, at that moment, was that as they lose their hold on life, their psychic gifts are strong enough for their one wish to come true - they were hoping they would become one.
A number of things happened before they awoke to the fact that they were not alone. Keep in mind that the world they were in was created by Cherine and, as an eleven year old, she included within her ‘wish’ list that it be a place for the two of them only. She did not want to be disturbed while with her Robert - the wish had nothing to do with it being in her mind and was tailored more to the fact that they constantly lived with the unpleasantness of their society potentially being a threat. The end result though was that whenever Robbie and Wendy tried to approach them they would, at some point, find themselves back at the same distant place they’d started from. Shouting and attempts to send telepathic messages did not work either. Shouting or talking in such worlds is not telepathic even though it could be argued that it is.
Do you recall that time we made memories available, some people even creating them for selling? That idea soon died out as it had repercussions none of us had foreseen (the seller would be affected, feeling as if he or she is continually being spied on. In a sense it was true as the buyers would unconsciously try to ‘share’ more memories from them). If the memories of how this Robert and Cherine felt could be packaged and sold, all who treasure the purest of all that love can make us feel would buy the package. With so many having shared and loved them while we were in Freddie, there was no way we could callously leave them without a world. Not that we would have anyway.
Our first inclination was to take them to a reality with a virgin Earth and collecting all the people from their Earth before the cosmic accident, help them settle there and grow as Cherinians. However, we do not know what else we will learn in the future and maybe there are souls of that reality that should have become Robert and Cherine, so the idea is taboo and we keep to the ‘hands off’ rule as much as we can. It means we have the massive job of repairing their Earth. We are off to collect an Inguel team.
When Wendy managed to convince them to let go their shield, nearly every person reacted to the sight of their skeletal bodies. Partly for psychological reasons, it was decided our healers should not suddenly bring them back to full health and we let it happen over the next twenty four hours. Ivgos loves our Cherine, but when he experienced the new Cherine, he became devoted to her. That which he’d done reluctantly, he did for her without being asked. He had his healer rejuvenate him to the equivalent (for his species) of a four year old to suit her two year old appearance, which she had not changed yet. The new Cherine was not the only one to fall in love with him. I thought he would hate feeling like everybody’s pet, but he took it the way it was meant and only emoted love in return.
We shared from Robert the recent history of their Earth. He recalled for us the claims by amateur astronomers that a moon sized planetoid is closing in on Earth’s orbit and the denials, which seemed inexplicable, by professional astronomers and well known scientists and government leaders. While the governments exerted all their powers to prevent the public from panicking, they used the two short years left to them to create bunkers in the mountains, deep underground and even under the ocean. All of them were doomed, without them knowing it, for the governments had been told that the asteroid would pass close enough to rip the moon out of its orbit and cause widespread destruction, but the chances of it striking their planet was almost zero. Though there were dissenting voices forecasting worse, it was felt that some efforts to preserve the best of mankind had to be made.
By the time it could be calculated that the asteroid was to smash into Earth and even the estimated area of impact could be pinpointed, there was new information that held forth a slim hope of mankind surviving. It was discovered that the asteroid was not solid rock and metal. It was more like a dirty snowball with chunks of rock. Hopefully, they announced, as it nears the Earth, the increase in temperature would melt some of the ice and as it approaches and is affected by the gravity of Earth, it will shatter, with many of the pieces missing the planet. They had lagged behind other realities in developing spaceflight as arguments in favour of spending the money on social issues, like free medical care for all, had been far more vociferous and politicians had been swayed, killing off anything more sophisticated than lifting satellites (the technology was good enough for laser defence from space so the military did not insist on developing stronger boosters and so on). As an indication of how the Terrans of this reality think: When people like Robert and other science fiction afficionados pointed out the error of their ways, claiming rockets could have been sent to blow up the asteroid if they had developed the technology, people still called them nuts.
Robert and Cherine spent this time honing their gifts, but they had not thought of visiting the void and so their abilities remained fairly mediocre. The first effects of the asteroid on their atmosphere were already making themselves felt when Cherine learnt how to create the energy shield and taught Robert. Robert experimented on his own, smashing the shield into cliff faces at great speed and once he had learnt how to strengthen it so that it survived the worst he could inflict on it, he tried with himself inside. He survived, but Cherine kicked up a fuss and her arguments were valid, so he included her from thereon. They tried creating cells like a honeycomb so as to take at least another five couples with them, but the shield became too large and fragile. They continued reducing the size by one couple until they were left with the original sphere size that snugly fitted only the two of them. Robert did not feel it was worth saving only the two of them, but he could not do nothing and allow his Cherine to die, so they created the sphere at the last moment. Cherine helped him achieve the near hibernation state and he entered her mind world so that they could spend their last days together.
Although there is very little life left on Earth, we have to save what there is of it. The Spartans made a niche for it in their World and Freddie stayed in a tight orbit around Earth as everyone searched for and carried to the World whatever life they found - including vegetation and fungi. Only once we were certain we had denuded the planet and its oceans, did we depart. It is urgent that we heal the wounds in the hearts of our new Tellers before we concentrate on their planet.
Many Normals find it strange that we can love our Cherine and Robert so much and yet, the moment we meet a new Cherine and Robert, or Wendy or Dommi and so on, our hearts swell with love for them also - without it stealing one iota of love from our loves. It is not just true of our family, not even of our close friends like Allan, Niko, Elias and others; it is true of all Cherinians, including all the aliens who love us. If Normals who know us so well and have had explanations aplenty find it difficult, imagine how it is for the new Cherine and Robert - at least for the first few minutes. It is always far more difficult having to believe that others love us…it can be just as hard for a Cherinian as it is for a Normal.
Cher and Robert needed a number of days to recover from the shock they’d experienced a couple of times: the shock of losing their world and all those they love, then the shock of reaching the final moments and trying to adjust to the idea of the person they love more than life dying and then, just as big a shock, learning that they are going to survive after all. Learning about alternate realities and us was a far lesser shock for by then they’d had too many shocks and their minds tried to protect them by dulling all new experiences. A pity, in a way, as it allowed them to experience the worst to the hilt and then dulled the shocks that should have filled them with joy.
We tried to keep everything low key, nineteen fifties style old fashioned, with picnics, just the two of them or with another two or three - never in large groups. We had more than our share of barbecues, but almost no alcohol and no parties. Our Alki and Marian moved into a nice double storey house and they stayed with them. The only random factor was Ivgos, he came and went as he wanted and they always seemed to be glad to see him. Robert sensed that Ivgos has a healing effect on his Cherine and that made him very tolerant of his ‘silky little friend’, as he teasingly called him.
We did mini tellings for them, avoiding whatever we felt might stress them or need a major mental adjustment. Amongst the events we included was the story of Jeskine and Orgg. Little Cherine was enchanted by Orgg so we decided a visit might do them good.
The two of them were warned and they sat among us girls at the taverna as Sap and Nean Roulans eagerly jumped to us, confident as always of a warm welcome and some nice things, like chocolates, to eat. I bet I was not the only one monitoring the couple to sense how they would react to black people being so relaxed, affectionate and familiar with us. Goldi went for overkill and making certain Orgg sat where they could see him she sat on his lap. They were just as fascinated by the contrast and it was not long before Cher joined her, happily running her fingers through the coarse hair of his arm.
We decided this would be a good time to do a telling, supposedly for the Roulans, about the smashed Earth and how we found Robert and Cherine. We warned them what the telling would be about and we were pleased to sense they were eager to share and see how it seemed to us from our perspective.
I never cease enjoying the loud cries of wonder and awe, the startled sounds of surprise, the cries of fear for those they see threatened, all verbalised as is the custom of both the Roulans and the people of the Orati reality.
