Little Cherine Book 06 - BPost041
“Yes. Two things. First of all, the souls that still hate, allow them to stay with their over-soul.”“You have something in mind?”
3901
“I cannot. To do that I will have to keep them permanently within the warp. They will arrive at the end of time stunted and shunned by all other over-souls. Because they cannot see the truth, it does not justify our allowing them to lose everything at the end. What I am willing to agree is that as new Meéjeira children are to be born, they are chosen. I hope that if they grow up in a society that resembles the way the Meéjeira were, their hearts will blossom.”
“It is still a lot you ask of them. I think if you accept my second suggestion it might help the Meéjeira to accept your terms.” He paused to increase the tension. “Robert, offer to replace all the planets they used to have, not just the one.”
“Good God!! Do you know what you are asking for? It could take millions of years!”
Their experience told them they should demand this concession and agree to Robbie’s terms, which they realised he will be inflexible on. The fact that he had not immediately rejected the idea, only been aghast at what it would cost us, suggested to them he will agree. When Alki protested it would not be fair to ask this of Robbie, it made them even more determined. Robbie allowed them to twist his arm and we finally had an agreement.
Soon as we were alone Haven showed she is distraught. She knows what it meant and cost Robbie to create one world and the idea of him having to create more than a dozen of them freaked her out. Robbie placed her on the couch opposite him, not touching her or speaking with endearments, so that she understands he is respecting her opinion.
“Haven, if I told you I tricked them, would it upset you?”
“Yes.” She looked at him. “How would you trick them?”
“I offered to replace the planets they lost. I did not in any way offer to re-create any of the blown up planets. It will not be that difficult for us to find another twenty planets, if we have to, that are suitable. A few may need terraforming, but that the Inguel and Kinytians are masters at.”
“But even Ordinx and Alki thought you meant to re-create the planets they lost!?”
“I was careful not to say anything to give that impression. If my friends also misunderstood, it is their fault is it not?”
She thought about it for a while. “Make it twenty planets, if their positions are good then you will not have cheated anyone and we have an extra five planets as compensation for allowing us to misunderstand you.”
He was delighted and showed it, explaining as if we had not understood, how he respects that she stood up for her people and has not allowed him to go scot free for practising a deception. By the time he took her in his arms she was already flushed with pleasure and pride.
The next morning she told the eight that she had watched how they had negotiated and it gave her an idea. She suggested to Robbie that if he can find suitable planets or can terraform them, he will not have to re-create the old ones, but then he will have to provide an extra five. They were pleased to hear that Robbie has agreed.
Again we had the problem of how to get news from them. Haven insisted on going with the eight, taking the five slivers for releasing back to their owners. Robbie had a talk with Vincent.
“Haven, the warp will be left slightly open and it will be guarded by Vincent. He will give you a sliver. Soon as you wish to return to us, order the sliver to return to the protector. It will pass through the opening and Vincent will allow you to pass through and return you to us. I’m not happy about you going and there will be many broken hearts if anything happens to you. At least agree to dance with us in the void and give each of your loves a sliver of yourself. It would not be a good idea for you to take slivers from us with you, but we’ll do so soon as you return.”
Haven had a naughty gleam in her eye. “I see you are learning Robert. So my fighting you did some good after all.”
3902
“Each of my loves has taught me something about life, love or females in general. You are the first to teach me to be careful of giving. I cannot promise to apply your lesson at all times.”
She nodded, smiling at Athia. “You would not be Robert if you did.” Before we could go dancing we ended up in bed again and Haven found out what it is like to be loved by forty one lovers within one afternoon. We took pity on her in the early morning and let her sleep. Soon as we’d had our breakfast, we left for the void. Haven returned disorientated from having so many slivers taken from her, so Robbie insisted she stay another night and have a couple of good meals so that her healer can care for her body. By the time we went to bed she was literally throbbing with passion and she had another glorious night, almost getting Robbie to penetrate her.
They only managed to leave the next afternoon. Most of us expected her to be gone hours, perhaps a day or two at most. The third day her absence nagged at us like an abscess (Robbie gave me that simile, as I do not know what it feels like). Robbie took her body and placed it in stasis. Thereafter we really worried. Robbie went to the warp, but Vincent confirmed she has not been in touch with him. He hovered there for a while and deciding he should not barge in, returned to lend us his strength.
By the third week Athia and Robyn were crying in each others arms. By the fourth we were all grieving, certain by now that something has gone wrong. Robbie was trying to hide from us his thoughts that if they have harmed her, he will seal the warp forever. Unlike us who only suffered pain, he also was in a rage and found work to keep himself from going crazy.
On the forty seventh day we got a message from Vincent that Haven is on her way back. We all burst into tears and sobbed as if she had died. Strange how fear and worry affects us. Robbie quickly brought back her body and placed Athia over her so that hers will be the first face she sees.
“Time is not the same there. I did not know so much time passed. I thought about ten days had passed. I was hoping you were not worrying too much.”
Robbie knows what has priority and gave her and all of us the time for us to wash away the bad memories and be filled only with joy and love. Only when we had settled down did he ask her for news.
“I was part of the entity that attacked Cherine the first time I was here. Cherine had just released a blast of what I thought was energy to harm me. That was how they saw our golden circle of love this time. The eight did not mention it, as they soon realised from my memories you had not been attacking them.
The five slivers, oh Robert, I made such a bad mistake. I should have kept them until everyone knew the full story. I sent them back almost as soon as I arrived and they were destroyed.” She cried. “It hurt! I could feel them being killed. It felt like they were tearing my children to death.”
Soon as she recovered she continued. “Once the eight had helped our entity understand, it sent the information on to all the souls. When they saw the eight standing on our world, how can I tell you how it affected everyone? If I had told them you are a god and have to be slavishly obeyed, they would have done so. It is more difficult explaining that you are mainly a male who knows how to love.” Robbie chuckled. “You are impossible to describe Robert, you have to be experienced.” That made us all smile.
“What did happen, I did not expect. Robert, they all want to meet Athia. The eight were very impressed by her and they told the people that any species that has someone like her must be good.”
“I endorse that point of view.”
“You would Robert, you like being thought of as good.” Haven waited, by now she understands that we use banter to relieve ourselves of an excess of emotion more often than just out of high spirits.
“The eight did mention the effect the image had on the children. If we had listened to them more closely you could have made much stronger demands. As Athia kept on trying to tell me, it is not the past that matters, it is the children who are the future. Your agreement has been confirmed and I was asked to let them know how soon we can free them.”
“They agree to no further hostilities? Are you certain you trust them?”
“You have already beaten them Robert; seeing you create a world, a whole planet out of nothing! They will not try to betray you, I promise.”
3903
“Vincent?”
He appeared. “You want them released?”
“Give them a message from me when you do. I am acting immediately so as to show good faith. They must prepare three million souls of those who died as children and where possible their parents. We begin the transfers tomorrow. Sam, let Ordinx know we need food machines. A platform will be waiting, close to their dome. I ask that they load it with about five million machines. Tell them I will be making the delivery in the morning. My loves, we must have an early night, tomorrow will be a long day.”
Cherine gave a cheeky grin. “You sleep Robert. We have a wife we’ve all been missing.”
As everyone laughed, teasing him, I called to Freddie and asked him to jump in time. Then I left to meet Ordinx and told him the good news. I also told him they have two days. Soon as I got back we went for supper and then as Robbie wanted, we went to bed very early.
The healers and Sparklers had a difficult time, their memories taxed to the maximum as they struggled to link souls to the correct bodies. The over-soul entity let go of them in lots of fifty thousand and the first platform filled up quickly. Most of them were children.
Robbie used a refined version of Natalie’s gift to walk among them unseen. He took me with and held my hand, tears in his eyes as he watched the young ones, their confusion and fear to believe. As he turned to speak to me a tear escaped and rolled down his cheek. “This is what we are all about my sweet Sam. Always remember that."”
'I will father.' I silently promised, as I nodded.
On all worlds we repopulate, we accept there are certain problems we cannot handle from day one. The worst is sewerage. When creating towns we try to place them close to an ocean and then place a pipe that reaches far into the water. It is a bad solution, sending partly untreated sewerage, but we cannot create large machinery in Freddie. The problem has often been discussed, but we decided it is up to the people of that world to use whatever technology we’ve salvaged for them to solve it.
Aganthi, Maria, Noelle and Irene with help from the other girls are hard at work on the surface, building a complete town. Jade, Wendy and Candy are concentrating on the decorating of the buildings. Robyn does not seem to have a practical turn of mind and cannot help them much, but she learnt she has green fingers and is trying to create a park environment for the children. The first settlements are in temperate zones where it does not get cold, so they need somewhere safe and outside to play.
Dommi suggested the girls forget about building houses and construct huge halls where hundreds of children can sleep in safety. Aganthi finds those easy to build and within days she and her team have created hundreds. Despite this, most of the people have to sleep in the open.
I don’t tend to get stuck into any one job, preferring to walk around while trying to identify problems those we are helping are shy about asking us to help them. For instance, I saw that the Meéjeira love swimming. I asked Robbie to create breakwaters so that the waters are calmer where the children swim.
It was now time to begin looting the past. We have recovered-returned to their bodies over half a million and it is becoming apparent they are in need of many things. Clothing, bedding, utensils, paper and writing implements. The list is endless! Our friends, Terrans and aliens, are doing all they can to help and the store rooms are being stripped bare as they pile whatever we have that can be of use, but for such a population, our stuff is only a drop in the bucket.
“Shiyra, are you ready to face your Ii?” He rubbed some grime off her cheek. “We need help to provide some necessities here. We have to ask for a few thousand volunteers from your people.”
It would have been unfeeling of us to expect Haven and Robyn to come with us at such a time, so Robbie told them where we are going and that we will return within a day.
Haven put her arm though Shiyra’s in a possessive way. “I’m not letting her face them alone. I have some things I want to tell her Ii anyway.”
3904
We had days of travel ahead of us (Robbie was taking it easy) so everyone grabbed the chance to relax. To us relaxing does not mean lying around doing nothing. It means meeting friends to talk, reminisce and have a few laughs. It also offered Vincent the opportunity to return to an alt Earth and replenish our stores.
If we stay at home we usually have guests, Alki, Ordinx, Allan, Keith and their families. Socrati enjoys taking long walks though the countryside and forests and he was very pleased when his family accompanied him. When he visited us, he asked whether he can take a long walk on the planet when we return - as a Meéjeiran.
“I find it amazing how orderly they are. Apart from them being emotional which is understandable, I saw no panic, no arguments, everyone tries to help.”
“Don’t get carried away Perikli,” Robbie said with a smile. “Don’t forget they had melded, all of them one soul. I am grateful that the entity created was able to separate the souls again. I imagine they are bound to know each other far better than any other people ever have before. Unless they become Cherinians, I expect them to be facing all the problems of civilisation, including crime as new generations are born. When we visited their original planet we did see law enforcement and prisons.”
“It may not happen the way you think Roberto. Crime is also a matter of upbringing, the culture they grow up in. If their children mature in the society we see forming now, it is less likely any of them will turn to crime. The sense of all being one, the empathy they have for each other should be passed on as a way of life.”
He shook his head, cynical. “I don’t think so Themi. Within two generations I bet there will be crime. There are too many people and they have to form cities again. Just as an example, look at the reports we are seeing coming out of Sweden, now that they have allowed immigrant invaders to flood their country. All I’m saying is that it only takes a few gone wrong people, without hearts, for a society to revert to a less civilised era.”
“How will the world support so many people? Surely we cannot bring back enough technology to make a big difference?”
“We will stay to help them and I’m not bringing back everyone right now. For them to create the technology they need I am told they should be at least seven to eight hundred million. The rest we will bring back over ten years. They will feel the strain of having to build for so many new returnees each year, but it will get easier as they go along. Don’t forget we have billions of souls to return to other planets also. That is the real reason we are travelling to the Ii.”
“I’m curious as to how you expect them to be of help instead of just adding to the problem. Nothing of their own technology will have survived.”
“We will not be taking them back directly. They will be taken to their own planets and given a few decades to organise themselves. Only then will they be able to help.”
“It sounds to me as if you are trying to do too much at once Robert.” Em-e glanced at her father, but only smiled at his comment. She is serene in her conviction that Robbie can do whatever he sets out to do. Since Cherine is still her best friend and Cherine only smiles when she thinks or speaks this way, we do not say anything to disillusion her. (Em-e: You make me sound silly Sam and I’m not! How many times has Robert decided to do something and failed? And, I smiled at my father because I love him and knew he was concerned about Robert.) (S: Sorry love, I did sound patronising. What I really was aiming for was to show how much you love him. I guess we all believe in him to the same extent.) (Cherine: How do I put a raspberry here? You and I love are the only ones who do not have the right to say that.) (S: I should do this more often. I managed to get Cherine to write in here!)
The Ii are still in the same place. Robbie went to them as the void in case they attack and asked that they send out a representative. He promised not to hold the representative.
*We see you wish to ask for our help. Wait outside to help the souls we send to you. We have been following the changes in our future with interest and the ones you have named Shiyra and Merlin have done well. The Meéjeira you name Haven may visit to speak to us without fear.*
*I thought you had to allow the future you see to happen or else you change it?*
3905
*We saw that we said what we said and her visit was made. It is a brave soul she has, Robert. If she had not hated so strongly, your creating a new soul in the manner you did would have left it crippled for a long time, as with your mate Diana.*
*Diana is not crippled!*
The Ii did not reply to that and he left there angry. While he waited outside the Ii, he calmed down and thought about what it had said. He grew sad as he accepted it is right. Because her devotion to him gives him so much pleasure, he has ignored the fact that she is not whole. By the time he picked up their eight representatives, his heart was weeping with foreknowledge of what he will have to do to help her become more independent of him. Us girls are not that confident he will succeed (despite what Em-e said previously), for him to succeed he will need Diana’s cooperation which we doubt she’ll give. All he’ll manage to do is hurt her as she’ll feel he is not happy with her as she is - or will she cooperate because she is hurt? I hope not. Anyway, if she is crippled because of the way she is devoted to him, then so is he crippled because of the way he is devoted to her and us! Perhaps he should be healed first so that he can judge her fairly? (Cherine: Anything and everything you have recently said that upset me, you are forgiven.)
“Greetings family and friends of Robert. We have seen you have been successful and it pleased us. Before we proceed with our discussions, we ask that Haven visit us and make her demands. Samantha, you are able to take her?”
“Why should we trust you?”
“You do not have a choice Samantha. Your actions have altered our future many times and the future we now live has meaning. We dare not try to alter it.”
Robbie gave me the go ahead, so I left with Haven for the void. Once there we found Vincent waiting for us. He enfolded us and delivered both of us to the outer shell of the Ii. Haven pulled away from me as we entered.
*Greetings.*
*Greetings from my people, the Meéjeira. Do I have to say what I was going to, since you already know what I intend saying?*
*It would be wise of you to do so, or else the future may change.*
*The future does not need changing, it is good?* I asked.
It responded by mimicking a chuckle. *It is good Samantha, for their people and ours. Of your future we may not speak, or so we understand.*
*I am not of those of authority of my people…* Haven began.
*You are the only Meéjeiran here, so you may speak for them, your people will accept your authority.*
*As Athia tried to teach you Haven, you are out on the field and have authority to speak, the Ii is correct.* I reassured her.
*As I was going to say, I do not have the authority, but I assume it with confidence that my people will approve of all I have to say. We know now that you are not all of one race, but a Unation of many species and that not all the species are responsible for what was done to us. Rather than try to apportion blame we would rather you collectively accept responsibility.*
*It has been accepted.*
*You have been aware of our search for you over the long time since you destroyed us and of the hate that drove us. Our hate was a cry for justice and was necessary - if no Cherinians existed. Robert has offered us an alternative future and we have accepted it. The only matter still outstanding is how we resolve our past. We have been advised by Robert to demand your help so that you make sacrifices and by those sacrifices find the peace you crave.
3906
This is not a universe that offers peace. I am young and not wise, but I have had many occasions to watch how the Cherinians react to problems and have learnt a little from them. I reject their advice. Ii, I have come to ask that your people join ours in friendship. Only a future where neither is beholden to the other and only friendship between the races and love between the individuals are the ties that bind our futures on a common purpose, can be worthy of either of our races. This is the dream my Cherinian family have taught me to dare dream. Are you willing to share it with me?*
*It is a good dream. The Cherinians have named you Haven, a place where those who travel through time may find calm and security. We ask that your people nominate you as the final judge for settling any misunderstandings that will arise between us. If you so wish, the position may be shared by Shiyra.*
*I am not worthy and my mind is still that of a child. Choose someone worthier.*
*Samantha may decide. Is our choice worthy of our trust Samantha? Does she have the heart of a warrior, which means we can expect honesty and impartial judgement?*
*I think your choice is excellent, between the two, Haven and Shiyra, your races will find true justice. Not the kind of justice of governments, but the kind that true hearts search for. I ask only that you confirm you will accept their joint decisions whether you are able to see them as correct or not, whether you understand their reasons or not.*
*Your words have set the future as we see it Samantha. The commitment you demand has probably prevented a war that would have destroyed us all. We accept this future.*
The instant we returned Robbie wrapped his arms about Haven, his eyes on me, asking me why she was terrified. I explained. Quickly he hid his pride in her, knowing how she feels, able to empathise from his own experiences, he knew that right now she only needs love and the comfort of his arms.
It was not to be. The eight bowed to her. One of them who is dressed as if he is a king spoke to her, his voice stern. “Haven, you must recall your first loyalty is to your people, not to this family you adopted.”
We felt her steel herself and she looked at Cherine. Pulling away from Robbie she replied, “My first loyalty is to who I am, what I believe in.”
He smiled. “The warrior of Truth?”
Her voice reminded us of Dark Cloud, “Is that something that amuses you?”
“No, it pleases me.”
Soon as the formalities were over everyone concentrated on Robbie, listening to his ideas without comment.
“You believe that as our civilisation crumbled it left behind storehouses and equipment we could use now? After so many years?”
“We will return to the past to collect them. It might be said I am hoping I am right. If not, we do have an alternative.”
“You would rescue the equipment you need from the last of our races?”
Robbie stared back coldly and then decided his misunderstanding was only fair. “How can there be misunderstandings between us since you see the future?”
“Not anymore. As the Ii we do, but we have been apart too long. Minutes with you changes the future.”
“I was thinking of the alternate reality. You had not attacked the Meéjeira there and the meeting of the species brought about a flowering of their science and a strong economy for all. I would be willing to ask them to help us.”
Another of the eight asked, “I do not sense my Ii, is it your doing?”
“Yes. We have departed, travelling back in time. Why conjecture about what is available when we can go to see?”
3907
When our daughter Gina is being loving or her question is meant seriously, she calls Robert ‘dad’. When she wants to tease him or is being flippant she calls him ‘granddad’ or ‘pappou’.
“Dad, is there some way we can use the Ii as a sort of barometer to test out various futures?”
He thought about it. “I don’t see how love.”
“What if you asked them to see the future of mum and then to look again to see what would happen if you go to the future and coming back change it to save her? If they say the changes are not bad, then we could do it.”
The eight asked for an explanation.
“I’m afraid it is not possible. The future will not change just because Robert is thinking of doing something. He would have to do it. If he does and does not like the results he can try again…and again and again. Every time he does so, the results are likely to be further off the mark.”
She seemed to accept it. A few minutes later she asked, “Dad, you remember the stories of Dune and the drug that makes it possible for them to see the alternate futures and choose which one they want? If we ask him, would Arthur give us that drug?”
“Gina baby, thanks for thinking of it, but I would rather we don’t. If we have to later, we can ask him then.”
“Sam, we don’t have to ask Arthur.” Dommi instantly had our undivided attention. “Meli could create the planet Dune.”
“No! Meli, do not try it. Most of them were not nice people and the drug could give them the power to escape from your reality. Or else they might invade the world of the Gillians.”
The eight were curious about Arthur and we explained. They were polite, but did not hide the fact that they do not believe us. Apart from Ordinx and Solomon, I cannot think of another alien who does. If they do, it is because they think of him as a god we believe in.
Allan agreed we should not create a Dune planet, he said it could not be created without the rest of the species and planets that are part of its story. Meli had already decided she would not be interested, so he did not say it to influence us, more so as to confirm her decision is the right one.
Speaking of Allan, I should have mentioned that when Jess became a Cherinian, the next time she became an adult her appearance had changed. Allan got very angry with her and she never took on that appearance again. From what Eleni showed us, she looked a lot like Dommi. We all guessed who she was trying to look like. For a while it worried Eleni, for she guessed, and we had to confirm, that Jess had done so because his old love is still his ideal beauty. Allan claims she is not, not anymore. Because Eleni and Jess are so different in appearance, he claims he no longer has one ideal beauty.
The eight are far more likeable than the first lot (they admitted they chose to be eight so as to provide the same representation as the Meéjeira). The one on whose clothing I commented, turned out to be royalty, but he explained his title is purely symbolic and he had no official position in the government of his world. We were told that his power came from the fact that his people loved their royal families. None of the eight are pompous and do not try to negotiate for any reason but because of what they believe in - I hope it is not because they ‘saw’ our feelings; how we had reacted to the self-serving ways of the other team.
We went far back, to the time when the planets were still populated by descendants of those who’d refused to leave, and from there went forward until those descendants were either dead or reverted to their animal heritage.. The eight examined each planet, searching for machinery undamaged by neglect; hoping to find storehouses still holding stock not decayed. If travelling had cost money, the trip would have been a financial disaster.
There remained but one planet, the richest, for us to examine. Robbie held back, thinking.
He spoke of our religions, of monasteries and monks where knowledge was stored through dark ages. Alone with us he told us about the story ‘The Canticle of Leibowitz’. The next day he asked we all meet at the taverna.
3908
“Are there any here who do not understand why we cannot change the past? I have an idea, but I fear it may change the past. Should we examine my idea and what the effects of changing the past would be upon us?”
Eddie said, a bit tongue-in-cheek, “Robert, whatever your reasons and though we be certain from before we will not agree to risking it, we would still like to hear what you have to say out of curiosity.”
“From the planets we have been to, we have found that either time or the failing civilisation destroyed everything. My thinking is that once we have been to a planet we cannot go back in time to make changes without creating an alternate reality. This holds specific dangers for all of us.
If I do not have a protector, if Vincent does not exist, all this, Freddie, us, we would all stop existing.”
He paused to give everyone time to get over the shock.
“What if we go to this planet further back in time when there are still sentient beings? An organisation is formed to salvage and secrete materials we need? We then jump back to this time and collect our cache. Would time consider our interference as needing an alternate?”
Merlin spoke for all of us. “I regret it would Robert. Consider, we remove materials, hiding them so the locals no longer have use of them. It would speed up the fall of their civilisation.”
“Thank you. I thought so too, but some people consider my fear of trying to alter the past an unreasonable phobia. I suggest we pay our alternate cousins a visit.”
“I’m not in favour of that Robert.” Luigi surprised us by his objection. It surprised us even more when Haven agreed with him and then others did too.
“Please explain.”
Luigi bowed to Haven and she stood up.
“This alternate was formed by the Qkwesinitie attacking us whereas in theirs it did not happen. It has been a long hard road for both of us and we only arrived where we are now because of your intervention. Think what the effect on them will be when they hear of what happened in our reality. I fear it will poison them against each other. You are capable of playing with time, use that to solve our problems, instead of taking the risk that we destroy something beautiful.”
“Did you have the same objections Luigi?”
“No. Robert, think of our own planet. The wealthy countries cannot afford to spend the money to save the third world countries, at least, not all of them. We would require from them that they help succour fifty billion people and that is just of the Meéjeira species, what about the Unation planets? Another thirty species with each of them having large populations on a number of planets? If they try to help we will bankrupt them, cause the downfall of their own civilisations."
“We have two potent arguments against - any arguments in favour?”
The eight did. They insisted that the Unation of any reality has a responsibility to help, whatever the consequence to them. Haven and Athia stared at each other as they made their argument.
“We do not intend causing harm to anyone, your arguments do not make sense to us. I see a middle road, a way to spread the cost without hurting anyone. Come on Sam, you have guessed?” I refused to answer, so he continued. “We need spaceships. Real ones I mean. We know what currency is acceptable to all civilisations, energy. We will visit a few dead realities and mine the fuels they require and trade with them. We do not buy all we need from one reality, but spread our trading over a hundred realities if we need to. The crew will be aliens to the Unation and there will be great excitement and curiosity about them, so it is important the crew refuse to divulge where they come from.” He laughed. “Not that they will be believed if they tell the truth. My friends, may I leave the details to you, I need to rest.”
“We will have to trade on the black market for a lot of what you want, there will be some risks Robert.”
“We can arrange for locals to act for us and we stay hidden by some remote asteroid. I might enjoy being part of this.” Hettie replied.
3909
Suggestions piled in and it seemed to us girls like this was a game to everyone. The sniff of danger woke them up and I suppose it felt good to them to be doing something instead of having to sit back watching Robbie do it all. We should do this more often.
We spent months scouting the area, secretly monitoring people and then, having identified the product we can sell and someone we thought will be suitable for managing our trade, we left for other realities. Lynda had identified a dead reality rich in the ores that the final product is refined from. To say it is refined sounds simple, but the truth is it needs energy to refine it: the pure product has to be bombarded by another energy source.
“There is enough zerdium here to flood the market, but to find active arenicide is not possible in the quantities needed.”
“Do we know what arenicide is? Could our scientists identify the type of radiation it emits? We also need to know in what type of environment it is found.”
“We know of it,” Chantel said, “it is incredibly difficult to mine. It is found in debris from dead suns. A piece of rough ore as large as your head would have a surface attraction that would destroy machinery made of the strongest materials we know. The only way to extract what we need is by laser beams. The arenicide in pure form has a lower density and is crushed into a fine talc. Then it can be handled with normal precautions.”
“Why isn’t it more expensive than zerdium then?”
“When activated, a spoonful of the dust can process over thirty tons of zerdium.”
“I need a sample. I cannot identify something whose properties I do not know.”
“You cannot walk into a shop and buy some Robert, both are strictly controlled by the governments.”
“We don’t need to buy nor to steal. All I need is to be in the presence of it as the void. Same as when we returned to the original galaxy of the Inguel to spy on how they created the fire worlds.”
“I have a question, but it may be stupid. Why do we have to mine the materials we need for trading? Can’t we use the food machines to create them?”
“What you suggest Sam smacks of perpetual motion. You cannot get more energy than you put in.”
“Not necessarily Allan, if we can use them to create arenicide, the energies used by the food machines is different from the radiation the arenicide emits. The zerdium is needed in large quantity, so the food machines will not be a practical solution. We will need a small sample of arenicide for analysis for a food machine to be correctly adjusted. I have a feeling we may need to produce a new machine specifically for our purposes. Arenicide is too heavy for the food machines.”
“While you scientists work on it, we have to return to the planets of the Inguel to borrow a few spaceships. If you will excuse us?”
Soon as we jumped home Robbie placed me on his lap. “You girls keep on surprising me. I see children and forget you are not.”
“I am.” Candy interjected and he grinned with pleasure.
“I need to sleep for a couple of hours. I suggest you stay here so that I get the rest I need.” We let him go and soon sensed he was asleep. It felt strange not being with him. It meant we had to keep our minds and hearts quiet since he monitors us continually.
“Sam, does Freddie ever sleep?”
“Not that I know of. I’m not sure he can.”
“That would be horrible! He can never dream!”
“I hope you girls are not turning theory into fact again? All you had to do was ask me.”
“Do you sleep Freddie?”
3910
“I’m asleep right now Cherine.” He chuckled at our puzzlement. “I am a part of Robert so when he sleeps I share his sleep with him.”
“I don’t see how you can be talking to us and be sharing his sleep. Freddie, does it mean you are part of our lovemaking?” The question greatly amused him. For a while he would not answer despite our pestering him.
“Cherine, you tell me, would Robert allow another male in his bed?”
“Not even in his mind?”
“I would say especially not there.” We thought about it for a moment.
Haven asked, “Freddie, why can’t you appear to us, like Vincent does?”
“He does what is needed.” He replied enigmatically.
The CherInguel made us welcome. We watched from a distance (in case we affected them) as the CherInguel from Freddie did a storytelling for the first time ever. When it ended we returned to Freddie so as to let them have time to themselves and to save Robbie from the effects the storytelling has had on the local CherInguel.
They say babies (of Normals) do not care what the person who loves them look like. It is the same for dogs. The eight aliens living on Freddie chose the shapes of their bodies, but the cells used to create the bodies come from us. Bitsy took some time to become friendly, but after meeting through the years such a variety of aliens, he is no longer as xenophobic. There are no fleas on Freddie and we keep him clean and young. He has grown wise for a dog and from his thoughts we can sense a deep happiness from knowing he is loved so much by all of us.
Whenever he can, he wants to be on our laps, happiest if Robbie allows him to sit on his lap and pets him, so he surprised us by choosing to sit on the lap of one of the eight. When the alien understood what Bitsy wanted, he gently picked him up and sat him on his lap. We felt betrayed when Bitsy preferred his lap thereafter, whenever he is around. The two of them even take walks together, the alien talking to him.
From the ships they have, the CherInguel made seventeen spaceships available to us, four of them transporters of cargo. The four ships are massive, about five times as big as the next biggest ships. We jumped forward about a year, collected the Inguel scientists who want to travel with us and made ready to leave.
Robbie was worried about carrying the ships back through time and the distance we have to travel. One of us suggested we carry them within Freddie. An Inguel told us our atmosphere would not be pleasant for the pods and could affect their health. It was suggested they stay at the top of the dome above us, sharing the space with the Sparklers. It meant Robbie had to create a partition and let all the air from above the partition out into the vacuum of space. He made a large opening at the top and the spaceships flew in under their own power. (Rosie: Sam is becoming modest, she made the suggestions.). (Sam: Look who’s talking! She gets embarrassed every time I mention her.)
One of their scientists brought a strange looking plant that he told us has been adapted to live in our environment. He pressed a part of it that looked like a wart and told Jodine to talk. She said, “Hello.”
“Good day, this is the commander in charge of our flagship. The plant we sent you, as may be obvious, is a transmitter. Whenever you wish to communicate with us, there will be an officer on standby.”
“Robert here, thank you for the transmitter. What range does it have?”
“From within your ship you should be able to contact us up to six hundred thousand miles away. If you take it outside, in normal space, up to fifty times the distance. Beyond that it depends on what interference there is. To give you a long range transmitter would have been difficult as they are more sensitive and we do not think we can adapt one to your atmosphere.”
“When we are ready to return, I would like to take it into the void and see if it will work from there, transmitting from a platform to Freddie. Commander, please pass on a message from all of us here. Welcome to Freddie and we look forward to seeing your officers and crew on the surface.”
I hope you enjoy reading this story of fantasy, adventure and love - and should some of it be true for our reality, I hope you will love our Cherine.
Αλέξανδρος Ζήνον Ευσταθίου
(Alexander Zenon Eustace)16th December, 2019
- posted: 16th December, 2019
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