Little Cherine Book 12 - BPost007

arthur.grafo13 (53)in #sfandf-fiction • 4 years ago (edited)

I don’t know how we’re going to put up with Robyn for a day or two. We made certain that Dimi shared how she emotes to us when he is not around, so that he can never doubt how much he is loved.

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In the end we found twenty three persons responsible. It was not just one Talent, three of them were working as a team, one making the transfers and the other two cleaning up all traces left. They tried to claim that they may have broken the law, but that morally they are not guilty of any major crime as they never transferred any funds for their own benefit and it was always done in such a way that the transfer could be traced and the funds recovered. Apart from the judges, the public did not agree with them and there was quite a strong demand that the victims (of the shares that crashed) be compensated. Unfortunately that was not possible and it left us feeling guilty. We did ask all Cherinians to let us know if anybody lost all their savings and were suffering, but we already do that so it did almost nothing to lenify our feelings of guilt.

At least this experience did force everyone to face a weakness in the system that could have been exploited far more viciously and now it will take more than just some Talents to pull the same trick. I’m not saying it cannot be done, but it will take more talent and it will have to be combined with great hacking abilities and they’ll hopefully have a shorter run before being stopped.

I was asked to explain why we cannot compensate those who lost money. Since the market is not that different in many ways, I expect Arthur to understand our reasons, but because the future may be very different I’ll try to give a brief explanation. Small to medium direct personal investments are not that common anymore. Many tens of thousands of investment groups have formed (whether based on friendships, family ties, professional ties, common interests, religions and so on) and the rest of the public invest their funds in big companies that claim to be wise and successful about investing other people’s money. Brokerage fees and costs, banking fees and transfer costs plus taxes on profitable sales have made it impossible for any small investments to make money even when individual investments made a profit on paper, so I doubt the market will ever try to accommodate the small investors again.

The heartless aspects of aesthetics (the branch of philosophy dealing with beauty and taste) made itself felt at the Olympics. In brief, this is the story of Maria (sorry but that is her name, which is common in Catholic countries). Maria is from Central America, she has a round face and her body is blocky and muscular, built for power one would think, not for speed. She is a runner and though she is the fastest in her country she was not expected to win even a bronze.

Maria did not expect to win either, but the contrast of her body shape and speed made her famous and the European advertising agencies loved using her for a range of health food products so she earned enough to leave her childhood misery behind. At least, so she hoped, but it was not to be, for none of us do, we have to learn to come to terms with the past for us to create a future that gives some meaning to our lives. Maria was barely literate, had never been taught psychology so she did what so many strong personalities do: she clamped down on her childhood memories and tried to make herself invulnerable.

Maria’s grunts when television journalists tried to question her were famous and provided comedians with many cruel jokes. Maria angrily spent almost all her time on tracks running, pushing herself to cut just another second off her best time. Somehow she felt that any improvement would force the world to admire her instead of ridiculing her.

Are you asking yourself, where were the Cherinians with their famous empathy? The answer is that despite the changes and improvements there is still far too much misery and pain for all who suffer to be noticed - especially when they seem (on the face of it) to be successful and doing well financially.

Maria qualified for the Olympics, but she barely did so, just scraping through. She was puzzled and watched her taped run again and again, but could not find any reason for her tripping a couple of times. Her trainer had a specialist sports physician study the tape and he told them that her nervousness was probably to blame.

At the Olympics she lost her third position during the last seconds and came in fourth. Her countrymen were disappointed, but claimed to be proud of her. Maria was devastated and as soon as she could she watched the tape of her run. Again nothing had tripped her, despite her feeling something. Rage coursed though her like fire and when she went out to eat nobody dared approach her. Michael and Ahní were at a restaurant eating with a friend who represented Greece in the high jump. Maria recognised them and leaving her table she placed herself by Michael and glared at him, unable to find the words to ask for his help (everyone knows we understand them, whatever language they use, so that was not the problem). Many Cherinians and other Talents have experienced her emoting so Michael and Ahní were not unsettled by the rage, but they were puzzled by her reason for standing before them.

“Is there something we can do for you?” Ahní asked.

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“Can speak to Haven?” A note should be added here. Haven is admired and considered their hero and champion by street kids all over the world, especially once she beat up five policemen who were torturing some kids.

Ahní smiled. “Please wait here, she needs a few minutes to dress as she was swimming. Why don’t you join us?” She gestured towards an empty seat. Maria glowered at her and then, without answering, she returned to her own table. The friend made a slightly callous comment and laughed, his laughter carrying to Maria. Hardly able to contain herself she came to her feet, her chair falling over with a loud crash, and rushing to the cashier she placed a fist full of notes on the counter and almost ran out. Ahní was waiting for her on the pavement and Maria was forced to stop so as not to knock her over.

“You are owed an apology for what just happened Maria, but I have the feeling that you have been hurt too many times for just one apology to make a big difference. I am very sorry about what happened and I now see that the man my husband and I thought was our friend is not the kind of man we like. May I walk with you until Haven arrives, I’d like to get to know you.”

Ahní is tiny compared to Maria, like a little elf, but Maria thought of her as being like an angel and she could not believe that such a creature of delicate beauty would want to be seen with her. She decided that Ahní would soon be joking with others about her, but she felt it was worth it if she could only spend a little time with her.

A city hosting an event like the Olympics is not going to have many quiet corners so Ahní asked and then jumped the two of them to the hotel outside Dar. She felt what Maria needed so she asked for her permission and the two of them were suddenly dressed in t-shirts, shorts and were barefoot. Ahní laughed and called to Maria to run with her as she raced away over the hot sand. She allowed Maria to catch up and they ran side by side until Ahní sensed Maria needed to stop. She collapsed on the sand with a laugh and Maria sat also, keeping her distance so as not to annoy Ahní.

“Have you ever drunk coconut milk? Give me a sec, I’ll get us one each.” Maria was fascinated as Ahní floated to the top of a palm tree and cut two green coconuts. When she handed the one over, Maria saw the top had been sliced off. Maria noticed with a thrill flashing though her that Ahní seated herself close to her.

Haven had been ready to join them for a long time, but she saw Ahní was getting through to Maria and she suspected that Maria actually needed someone like Ahní more than she needed her, so she waited with us, watching through Ahní.

Gently, I’d even say lovingly, Ahní drew out of Maria her history. We shared from Ahní and it shattered us, I can barely imagine what it was like for her as she kept herself open to Maria.

When Maria was nine years old she entered her back garden to speak to her mother and saw another woman she knew with a bloodied knife in her hands standing over the corpse of her mother. She turned to run, but the woman caught her and placing the tip of the knife to her eye she threatened her. Terrified, Maria swore to never speak about what she’d seen. The body of her mother disappeared that night and the woman moved in as lover of her father. The woman felt that she had to totally crush Maria so that she would never speak - that is what Maria thought, but it could be that the woman was just cruel and enjoyed the idea of seeing a child been hurt badly. She convinced the father that he should have sex with his daughter, roughly pulling her skirt up to show him her torn panties. She told him that he had worked and slaved to feed and clothe his daughter so he had the right to use her body as he wanted. She pulled out his dirty penis and ordered Maria to suck him. When her father also gave the order she tentatively tried to do as she was told. The woman grabbed the back of her head and forced it forward so that his thick penis choked her. That same day he raped her and used her in all ways that the woman could think of.

The woman made a mistake, she did not crush Maria’s spirit. Sullen and quiet Maria who never spoke, felt hate grow in her until it lent her the courage she needed and at a moment that she was alone with the woman she stuck a knife into her belly. She grabbed what she could and ran away, going to the closest city she became what we call a street kid. She learnt to use her body so as to eat, but few of the men were as violent as her father so she ignored what she had to do but afterwards, with the little money she’d earned tucked into her clothes, she would run for hours until she felt she had sweated all the poison out of her body. She was lucky in that a boy who protected her from a bigger girl convinced her that she is strong and should not do drugs. He died a few months later, but she stuck to her way of life until a man approached her and taking her to a school field ordered her to run around it as fast as she could. She could see he did not believe his watch, but he told her she will run for her country and providing her with a room and food he trained her for the next four years. She did not think it odd that she had to have sex with him, nor that he was not at all affectionate - after all, she knew she did not deserve affection.

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I think that what made the sharing of her life so powerfully affecting was that she was not emotional about it, relating what she did as if it were a normal way for a child to grow up. How alien to such children must seem the life most children live.

“Why did you want Haven?” She sensed that Maria felt that Haven did not want to come, that she did not deserve to have Haven visit her, so Ahní explained that she felt she was becoming friends with her and asked Haven not to come for a while. She asked whether she wanted Haven to come now and she nodded, barely able to believe Haven would come for her. Haven decided it would be nicer of her to appear further down the beach so that Maria has time to recover before they meet.

Haven listened as Maria tried to explain what she felt when she ran. Haven asked to be allowed to share the memories of the runs and Maria found it natural that Haven has the right to ask it of her and agreed. Haven sent to us that she agrees, something was tripping Maria. Since nothing could be seen, Robbie had to go back in time and observe as the void. With his energies covering Maria as she ran he was able to trace the source of the energy being used to trip her. When Robbie sensed why she had been tripped it enraged him. For someone to do that because they want to win or they want the runner of their country to win is not right, but it is a motive most of us can understand. Maria was tripped because the person (who, to our shame turned out to be a Cherinian) was repulsed by the fact that someone who looked like a female version of the Hulk could run faster than the sleek runners.

We proved to the Olympic committee what had occurred and the media made a big thing of it, but Maria did not get the bronze medal she deserved. However, the committee found a different reason for awarding her a medal and that helped soothe the rage and pain in her.

Whenever we are in our home reality, Maria can often be found running in Freddie and then Ahní, Haven and others will be found sitting with her. She is not learning to speak English or Greek, but thanks to Claudia we understand her. She has employed someone to teach her to write and read. She shyly presented us with the following (translated into English by me), which the media got hold of from her and published.

One final point we all find interesting - somewhat like the saying ‘out of the mouths of babies’? Maria did not ask a Cherinian as she writes, she confided in Ahní, an Ipohin, and the two of them became friends with Ahní helping her open the suitcase that held the past so as to let it blow away like ashes, freeing her so that she can begin to achieve some of the potential within her. We think we allowed her some literary licence with her poem, while Maria differs, clinging to her insight, seeing Ahní as a Cherinian.

We’ve been here many months and I’ve been waiting for Efineh to become homesick or else worried about her Centres. It seems she has chosen to view her absence from the Orati world as not being real as we sense she is more and more spending time lost in her thoughts. I asked Alki to lend me his small sailing boat and refusing any crew I bundled Efineh into my e-car and at the marina we boarded the boat and sailed off on our own - with the girls taking turns watching us and helping out by a sort of remote control use of their powers. Neither Efineh nor I are any good at sailing so we leave it to the girls and only sometimes steer. Efineh knew why I’d done this, but she did not help me, keeping her thoughts to herself until I ask. We stopped between the islands of Páros and Náxos and went ashore for a meal at a fish taverna. She ordered barbouni (mullet) with salad and chips, while I stuck to my favourite, whole kalamari (tiny, just a mouth-full each one). We shared a big bottle of beer and soon were teasing each other and laughing.

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There are few lights outside the homes, shops and tavernas and the moon had not risen yet so the summer sky of milky way and stars was not hidden as it is in the city. Not as many stars are visible as can be seen from mountaintops, but there were enough to slow the jokes so that our hearts could speak to us - or for us. Efineh sat opposite me so I was able to stare at her face while she kept her eyes half-closed, probably studying me without making it as obvious as I was.

“Nobody can have more than one true home.”

I played along and asked, “Which do you consider your true home?”

“Between the Orati Earth, here and Freddie?” I nodded. “Neither, none of them, all of them?”

I sat up, she’d certainly managed to capture my full attention now. “How can that be, where else could…you’re not thinking of Goldi’s Planet are you?”

“No.”

“Then where?”

“In the sense you are speaking of, nowhere. I also made a mistake, when I said that nobody can have more than one true home, I meant, at the same time.”

I pretended a cheerful grin. “I love it when you confuse me, but I also hate it! Fine, first define for me what constitutes a home for you.”

“You.”

“Ah.” I sat back, ate a couple of slices of pale-gold melon. “Home is where the heart is? A sort of cliché isn’t it? When you loved Irfan, was home where he was?”

“It’s not that simple Sam - perhaps that was partly our problem, I was his home, but he was only sometimes my home. At other times I missed you too much.”

I was touched, but also not too happy. “Sweetheart, I’m like a mother to you. All children grow up and start their own families. It doesn’t mean they don’t love their mothers anymore, but their own husband and children come first in their life.”

“I love you like my mother, but I’ve also had to love you like a daughter too often for me to only think of you as my adopted mother. I also spent most of my first years thinking of you as a demon who was very special, so in a way I got confused and came to think of you as a goddess for a while.” I knew her confession was not meant to be lacrimatory. I also sensed she had not ended; had more to say. I gestured for two coffees and kept my eyes on her, but made certain my facial muscles kept my look soft and loving but without pity. She would freeze up on me if she thought I felt sorry for her.

“Any one or two of them would not affect me the way I have been affected. For you to be a daughter needing my protective love, you could not be my good demon, but my good demon is important to me, I hold her tightly within my heart.”

“The good demon is the part that is causing all the damage and pain?”

She shook her head violently enough for me to wonder for a moment whether she was angry with me. “How would you feel if Robert turned out to be selfish, not caring about the future of Cherinians, only interested in controlling everyone?”

I sidestepped her question. “I don’t see how I can help you.”

“I do not expect you to help me - whether you can or not. Sam, mother, at this time I happen to be taking a journey through my heart and I need you to only be a friend so that none of the three aspects of you overpower the others. Does it make sense?”

I guessed it did, even though I did not understand, so I nodded. She sat back, closing her eyes for a minute and then opened them with a smile and sipped at her coffee. I think I’m going to need some time alone with Dommi - perhaps she can guide me to be whatever my sweet Efineh needs for her to grow beyond me without her love for me dying.

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After that evening the rest of our cruise was a joy, memories of beauty in the contrasts of rock and sea, in the contrasts of tourists wearing their technological trinkets, mini food machines hanging from a belt or bulging an elbow purse, to the Greek women who had once been young and modern, but now wore the black dresses and scarves of older customs in admittance that life had worn them out. I’ve sometimes wondered whether it is that admission that makes them concentrate so avidly on their grandchildren, their children being too close to the time of their dreams and anyway, they have already achieved the dreams of their parents or they have not. The grandchildren, their years as adult are still too far away for disappointments to have to be faced now or probably within their lifetimes at all. What is funny in a sad way is that life has turned them into pragmatists and cynics and somewhere deep within their hearts they hide the knowledge that there is no magic for their grandchildren; they too will grow into adults with all their sweetness-sourness, greed and munificence, strengths and weaknesses - and loving dreams and ambitions for them cannot influence them to choose the paths that will teach and evolve them, only the spirit they were born with and their own dreams or lacks thereof will prove their worth. Yet they allow themselves to dream for their grandchildren.

Lol, I wanted to write about Efineh and I, but ended up philosophising about the elderly. Yes, we enjoyed the above sailing trip and laughed like children when three dolphins raced alongside for ten minutes and placed our faces close to the surface of the sea as we looked at the seabed ten or twenty metres down, the rays of sunlight dancing beneath as the water swelled and sank, but what remains warm within me are the memories of feeling her presence and treasuring it like the sun in the sky.

Golden summer has been replaced directly by storms of rain and freezing winds. We sit in our nighties and dressing gowns, a mug of Milo or Ovaltine held in both hands, the warmth of dancing flames in the fireplace weaving a spell upon us. An indication of its potency is that the television is off, no music is playing, there is no chatter, we each have taken something to read or lie quietly within our thoughts, softly touching the closest loved one now and then so as to remind them of how happy we are to be with them on such a night. Not one of us wishes to be in Freddie. We know that when we go to bed and as we drift off to sleep, the sounds of the wind and rain lashing against our windows will be the lullaby that makes sleep a warm comfort.

November is not only the month that brings the cold winds, it is also the month we all get together to celebrate the existence and our love for our Dommi. This month holds wedding anniversaries and the birthdays of many others, but most special of all for all the girls, including Cherine, is the birthday of Dommi. It is also the month we laugh at Robbie, for he never really gets soppy about any of us, but he does so for Dommi and it embarrasses her even as it is a source of secret joy. Her next birthday will be very special and we’ll have a huge problem since we cannot think of what to do to make her 74th birthday this year as special as we want to.

When the first e-cars were designed thanks to the Boxee story, we each wanted to have our own e-car. With the long trips we keep on taking, our absences, if more than a day or two, meant the e-cars would have faded and we’d only have the frames when we returned. We indulged ourselves for the first year, but after that we took the practical course and rid ourselves of most frames and kept only four. We hardly ever use them, but they are used often enough for it to be worth keeping-maintaining them. Whoever wants to uses them chooses the colour for that day.

Dommi never uses our e-cars. Never.

This led to Robbie and Jade getting together secretly and they designed a car out of plastics, metals, beautiful wooden trimmings and the body was enamelled by a special paint the Muyzith supplied us. Her car does not look like anything ever seen before and anybody would be excused for thinking it is only meant to be a work of art, a stylisation of how an artist would imagine a car. It runs on an engine supplied by the Anadir and will not need to be refuelled for at least a thousand years or more. The music system inside was chosen by Wendy - and Keith installed a fitting so that Dommi’s AI companion can link itself to the car and monitor it. Robbie wrote a card and in it he told her that since he fell asleep and dreamed himself away last time he bought her a car, he has hardly dared to sleep for the last week, but that it was worth it if she sees how deeply she is loved by all of us.

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The first time Dommi drove the car to Kefalari, she had Goldi with her and they went to visit her mother at their home. Afterwards, she parked and sent to us which coffee shop they were going to sit in, for us to join them. Unknown to her, a British tourist saw her parking, recognised her and he bit down on his hate and anger that she should have something so beautiful just because she has power, not because she earned it, so, he drove around the block and carefully made it look like he lost control and crashed into Dommi’s car. He had expected his car to protect him, but it had not been maintained and fell apart and he was injured. Because of his injury nobody thought of the possibility that the accident could have been deliberate. Luckily a slightly more cynical Greek Ipohin checked his thoughts (which we could not have done anyway) and informed us of the true reasons. There was nothing we could do about it so we only used our teleporting gift to take it to Freddie. It took a few days, but Jade and Robbie did a perfect job and it looks brand new again. Robbie told Dommi that this will be the only car allowed in Freddie and she can bring it here whenever she wants. She cried and then Cherine made them leave for a holiday on their own and when they returned Robbie showed us that she cried again.

I’m not allowed to detail what happened and the reasons, as Robbie says that the future should not feel they have the right to judge the case. Its importance was for other reasons.

A Cherinian did something that Dimi considered harmful to others and he reported him. The Council studied the case and decided they should not try the accused as the evidence was too nebulous. Dimi was righteously wrathful and would not listen to anyone, even threatening to take the law into his own hands to punish the man. Robbie had to intervene and he stopped Dimi, but then Dimi stopped talking to us.

The man who caused the problem took the decision of the Council as permission to continue doing what Dimi had accused him of. Dimi obeyed Robbie as far as hurting the man, but he did not stop monitoring him. He felt the pain of the person who was being hurt and in a rage he attacked the man, causing him far more agony than he was guilty of causing. A charge was laid against Dimi by the man he attacked and the Council decided to hear the case.

I could feel Robyn controlling herself, hoping I would offer to defend Dimi in court. I kept silent as long as I could and then taking her hand jumped for privacy. “Robyn love, if I take the case and win, everyone will say he was guilty but I got him off. His case is very good, he does not need me.”

She controlled her emoting so that I would not sense her and looking me straight in the eyes she said, “Please.”

As I came to my feet in court, I was asked, “Samantha, you are appearing for the accused?”

“You will be advised about that later.” Dimi was not the only one to give me a startled look. “I wish to lay a charge against the Council and I petition that the case against the Council be heard first as the outcome could affect the case against Dimitri Mansfield - if there still is a case to be heard.”

“What is the charge?” He knew as I had to give advance notice, but as a formality I had to speak it aloud.

“I charge the Council with responsibility for the suffering caused by a Cherinian to third parties and I demand they explain why they condoned such action, despite Cherinian rules and laws that are very clear about any Cherinian abusing their gifts or powers.”

He was not supposed to ask me any further questions as it could compromise my case against them, but we are more lax on such technicalities than the courts of Normals. “You may dispute the wisdom of our decision, but I do not see how you can translate that as condoning his actions.”

“You dismissed the charges against him without giving him a warning or reserving the right to hear a case against him if he repeated the offence. His subsequent actions show he believed you condoned his actions.”

“Has he made such a claim?”

“His actions are prima facie evidence or, at the least, they are strongly suggestive of the message he understood the Council was sending out.”

“The Council approves the charge for a hearing and the case will be heard on the nineteenth of April. However, the actions by the accused, Dimitris Mansfield, in our opinion, are not in any way dependent on the results of the charge you have laid.”

As sweetly as I could, maybe even a tiny bit eagerly, I replied, “If you are absolutely certain, I’ll agree.”

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They carefully refrained from looking at each other and Solomon advised us, “We shall take a break for half an hour.” When the session was resumed they advised us that the case against Dimi is postponed as requested by the defence, to be heard after the charge laid by me is heard.

Dimi did not look pleased as we walked out. “You should not have done it, now I’ll be treated as if I’m guilty for months! I would have preferred to deal with it now.”

“You will. Dimi, you will be laying charges against that bastard, holding him responsible for forcing you to act against your nature and beliefs so as to protect innocent people and you are claiming a few million as compensation for the trauma he caused you. Since your case will be a civil case, it will have to be postponed for after your hearing, but nobody will assume that you are guilty anymore - as you obviously fear they do now. One more thing Dimi, find yourself another defence attorney, what I did today I did for Robyn but, I will not defend anyone who has insulted our Robert without apologising.”

Dimi did apologise and nobody was surprised when the man withdrew his charge against Dimi on the condition that Dimi withdraws his civil suit. Dimi did, but with the warning that if he hurts anyone again Dimi will cause him far more pain than he’s suffered to date. Being a bully he backed down and everyone who loved Dimi felt he had been vindicated. I also withdrew my charge against the Council, but in a private conversation I asked Solomon to make clear to the rest of the members that they should be careful of giving an impression that we approve of violence or causing others any suffering, physical or mental. He asked me whether my challenge of the Council had been a bluff and in reply I kissed his cheek and jumped to my loves with a smile on my face.

The scientists in Freddie have been examining something recorded during the latter part of our visit to the era just after the Big Bang (relatively speaking), just before we departed to meet the silkim. They are puzzled by what they see and the unbelievably hot spray of radiation that surrounds it, but what forced them to ask us to return there was the fact that they thought up widely divergent theories and none of them fit comfortably with all the presently known facts. Robbie asked them to debate their theories in public and then those of our loves who’ve studied physics tried to explain what they argued - with a singular lack of success as they are far in advance of anything taught at Terran universities. The little we understood sounded almost like magic and lit sparks of curiosity in us, so we all looked forward to the visit. Robbie asked the representatives of the scientists whether the debate had opened anyone to new ideas, but they told him that nothing new was said at the debates. Robbie shrugged and giving us a rueful grin, announced we would be leaving in two days. Cherinians sped off to other realities to bring any scientists who’d like to join us on this trip.

Some of us clamoured for Robbie to stop at the silkim world, but once they were asked for details of the method they would use to convince them to leave Freddie, they pulled a face and agreed we should not visit them.

Since this was not to be a journey of exploration and it should not take long for us to reach the target area and time, Robbie offered to take ten thousand school children from each reality - if their schools arrange for teachers to accompany them. He did suggest that children who have previously shown an interest in astronomy should be given preference. Organising the school kids and their transport to Freddie delayed us another three days.

Robbie seems to operate under the misconception that children cannot have heart attacks. They were not the only ones who were in danger. When Robbie departed, we did not jump. Robbie had Freddie shoot away from our solar system and then the spiral so that the kids could see the entire galaxy under us. Once he thought the wonder of it was beginning to pall, he sent Freddie shooting like a missile in the direction of the heart of our galaxy. Just as some were beginning to scream, thinking we would crash, Robbie jumped us to the destination a-reality.

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Robbie did not feel it was safe to return in time at great speed while in normal space, so we did so from the void. It was not as impressive, but galaxies could vaguely be seen and the children and their teachers were told what to watch as Freddie tried to focus on how the galaxies moved (at the rate we travelled through time, it looked like they were dancing with each other).

We arrived at the time we were aiming for and then Freddie sped towards the area the phenomenon had been observed. As we slowed down, Freddie moved to normal space and the kids were stunned as they watched suns and planets speed by us until Freddie stopped. All the screens now concentrated on the object we were here to study. Because of the radiation we were very far from it, too far to see many details. The screens did filter the light, heat and radiation so that it looked impressive as they danced in various colours. The scientists did the best they could from this distance and then asked Robbie for a platform - their ships cannot travel close to such a super source of radiation.

“Why don’t we use one of the drones I was using for recording the time closer to the Big Bang? We’ll also get a fair indication of how much closer Freddie can move and what kind of shielding a platform would need.”

When we saw that the scientists were no longer watching the screens (that were patched in to the recordings from the ship Robbie was carrying) and none came to the taverna in the mornings and we were told they often forgot to eat or sleep, we realised they have discovered something truly unique and perhaps even inexplicable. There is no species without representatives among the scientists. Even the species that are not very science orientated, like the Elipians for example, have their representatives in the laboratories and the scientists share their discoveries with them while also explaining in layman terms what it all means and, where they can see that clearly, what it portends for all humanity. It is no surprise that even the species who are not science orientated are studying to become scientists. Up to a point I think it is good, so, at this time, we must not question how it affects them.

Since Robbie returned he has changed the place we meet with the scientists. He has chosen a place in the fields where the scientists sit on a slightly elevated area and the kids and teachers sit in a circle around them. With the number of kids present, the Sparklers have to help us by creating similar ‘platforms’ for the kids to surround and watch and hear all that is said. Knowing that children are listening has forced the scientists to choose those who are capable of simplifying their explanations while also providing some of the background required for the new data to be understood. Freddie repeats what is said for all the species to share and learn.

Both Ambros and Pambros cannot send their Silver Boy personae into space as the radiation would kill them just as quickly as it would kill any non-Cherinian, so they also join us for these daily meetings. I wish with all my heart that I could write, word for word, what they tell us, but Arthur is so hopeless at writing what I say that it would all instantly become meaningless garbage and convince everyone in his reality that we are all imbeciles. As an example, do you recall the time (on Cherine’s Great Birthday Trek - 47 years old) there was a discussion with me talking about tribes of galaxies and those tribes being part of…well, thanks to Arthur not writing it properly, both I and the scientists were made to appear to be knuckleheads. Of course we know about groups of galaxies, clusters and super-clusters and the points we were trying to make were more complex and not as Arthur wrote. I don’t understand why Arthur decided to write a science fiction story when he is so ignorant. He should have stuck to a love story or, at best, added some fantasy elements to it.
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What we are looking at are the super-radioactive remains of a sun - to be precise, the outer core. What has caused such excitement among the scientists is not only the fact that we have the core of a sun available for study. As rare as that is (this is the only such sample ever found so we expect it to be very rare), what has them not only arguing with each other but also with themselves, is that no scenario lends itself to what they see. First of all: the core of any sun must be under tremendous pressure. That is not something that nature can be flexible about, with the nuclear explosions taking place in there, there has to be immense pressure and thickness of some kind of matter surrounding it or else there very soon would be no sun. Secondly and thirdly jointly: what could strip a sun? The first force that comes to mind is a black hole; the sun must have been stripped to the heart by an anomaly - powerful tides stripping it layer by layer and then the black hole must have sped away - or else the stripped sun did. The scientists are setting up a large number of models for their computers to test on almost a daily basis and none of them work - in all of the scenarios the core of the sun explodes.

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Robbie has announced that we will not return in time to see how it happened, at least we will not for a couple of hundred years. He wants them to find the answer from examining what exists at this time as it will help them grow in knowledge in many other fields of science.

To the one side of us, a teacher sat with his pupils in a half circle around him. When the scientists stopped answering questions, he told the kids that what they were seeing and learning is a fine example of the hostility of the universe; that mankind must not only fight for their very existence, but also learn the secrets of nature so that we can control nature instead of being at its mercy. It sort of reminded me of a time when I felt that way because I’d been hurt, but I sensed the teacher meant it to be a philosophical lesson and he was not speaking emotionally. It therefore surprised me when I sensed Robbie was about to contradict his statements or argue with him. He stood by the teacher to ask whether he can join them. Trying to hide their excitement, the kids eagerly agreed.

“I could not help overhearing what you told your students. Would it upset you if I gave my own points of view and even challenged what you told them?”

Robbie grinned as he looked at the kids. “You don’t know how lucky you are - in my days at school we were not allowed to argue or debate anything a teacher told us. With the mind control they practised on us, I’m surprised we did not end up with totalitarian governments by choice.” The kids stared at him, all that he referred to not making sense to them.

“What Mr Teller is trying to explain to you is that if children are not encouraged to think for themselves then they do not challenge the rights of any Authority - whether it is a dictator, a policeman or a teacher.” The kids laughed and their eyes were bright with interest again as they looked back at Robbie.

“Your teacher said that the universe is hostile - by that I take it he meant the universe is hostile to life in general - not to any one person or species in particular.” The kids nodded. “Whether we talk about the universe or nature, in this instance I think we are talking about the same thing. Let’s begin by superficially examining the universe.

It does not matter whether the universe started with a bang or, as happened with ours, by the will of our author. What is important is that we say there are certain laws about how the mini and macro world interact. For instance, what if the big bang had been only slightly different so that everything converted to iron, which outside of black holes refuses to change into a gas. You are aware that our sun will die someday because it will have used up the hydrogen it burns and the iron will collapse the sun, which paradoxically means the temperatures will rise to temperatures that should only exist at the time of the big bang. Okay, I’m generalising and might even have some of the facts wrong, but what I’m trying to build towards, is the question, what would the universe have been like if the laws were slightly different and no oxygen and hydrogen and so on were produced? Would we then have the right to claim that such a universe is hostile to us? The truth is, it would have been neither hostile nor friendly, it would only have had different laws driving it.

Take a look around and what do you see in Freddie? A world that is shared by a number of species that are alien to us. What does that mean? You see an Anadir and you say, they are different to us in this and that way, but are similar to us in the following ways. You see an Inguel, a Sparkler, an Eminixx, Muyzith and or a thousand other species and what do you see? A thousand species means you see a thousand species that differ from us and from each other? If that is what you think it means you did not take the next step that logic demands. Each of those species represent millions or even maybe billions of species. They each - apart from the Sparklers who as usual seem to be an exception to most rules and the Ambros families, come from planets or solar systems that are hosts to a zillion lives, from microscopic to elephant size and larger. All of them are alien not only to us, but also to all life from our planet.

We don’t have any idea of how many sapient species exist out there, all we can do is hope that we do meet all of them over time - even if it is not possible. I’m not going to mention alternate realities, for they too have species that are unique to them and their set of realities. Let us imagine a small number of sapient species exist - say five thousand for each reality…it is a ridiculous number since we already know of about three and a half to four thousand just for our galaxy and there are probably a half trillion galaxies out there. Five thousand then. What about worlds that have life, but none sapient? If our experience is any guide, there are probably a thousand such worlds for each world of sapients. The term, ‘worlds with life’ does not only include planetary life. There is life within suns, in space - such as Ambros and others…don’t forget that the Sparklers originally lived in a dust or energy cloud.

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Wow! The more we look, the more life we seem to find of an infinite variety. What a splendour of a universe we live in! It would almost be tempting to say that the universe favours life - is friendly towards life!

Sorry, it is not. The universe only operates according to certain rules and life obeys or disobeys its own sets of rules. We certainly, us sapient beings, disobey the rules of the universe in many ways,” he grinned and with a shrug waved his arms to include all of Freddie. “Surely you don’t think that the universe approves of Freddie and its ability to cross over from normal space into the void and with a leap cross the divide from our reality to others?

If we could do as the ancients did and create minor gods to represent things like greed, love, hate, ignorance and so on, then I would name the god of ignorance as being one of the most hostile gods we have to deal with. If your transportation breaks down while you are crossing the desert and you have no means to communicate to call for help, you could die of thirst with water just under your feet, whereas a Bedouin who knows the ways of the desert would not die. Let us say I take some of you outside Freddie in a tiny platform and something happens so that you tumble out into the vacuum and I need a few seconds to save you, how many would die? Would you try to hold your breath until I get to you? It is the best way to guarantee damage as pressure is lost and air decompresses, expanding within your lungs. Exhale and then try not to inhale so that I have the few seconds I need for saving you.

The universe does not depend on us for anything; our existence does not give it meaning, its own existence does that well enough thank you. Thinking of it as hostile and something that needs to be dominated is wrong. Think of it as the womb of all life, but with laws we need to learn so as to maximise the ways it can nurture us.

Before I jump far away so that you can’t ask me questions and make me feel stupid, I am going to make one crazy suggestion. Ask Samantha to explain to you the theory about how all of life competes and how such competition can be beneficial - not hostile.”

For us non-experts, one of the facts that we find amazing is the speed at which the core spins. It is a little like the ballet dancer who spins with her arms straight out and then, as she lowers her arms, bringing them alongside her body, her spin speeds up. We can picture the sun spinning as the black hole approached and began to strip it. Perhaps the rapid growth of speed in its spin helped preserve the core so that it was not drawn in. I wonder whether the spin was far greater than it is now, for if it was, wouldn’t that help prevent the core from exploding? I guess we’ll have to wait a couple of centuries to find out.

One of my loves asked the scientists this morning whether my idea had any basis in fact. She was told that a large number of models assumed the spin speeding up. Pedantically, Lucy demanded to know whether the increase of speed I’d suggested had been pushed to an extreme so as to see what would happen. Even as she was promised that a few of the models would be adjusted, Chantel quietly let us know that the Kinytians were listening and they altered a few of the models they were running. Once they pushed the spin to impossible speeds, the sun did not explode. They insist it is not possible for the spin to increase so dramatically without other effects that were/are missing. Still, in the eyes of my loves I was their freak love for a little while and it was lovely feeling how proud they were of me. Luckily they could not show their feelings as it would not be right of us to show that the Kinytians have already answered our question using experiments designed by the other species. I think I will be taking some walks for the next couple of mornings as I feel I need the exercise.

Robbie did something that endeared him to everyone but especially to the scientists. We all met him in the void and protected within his field, he took us to visit the sun core. When we returned to our bodies the scientists babbled like excited children, but the rest of us were too awed to speak. The image had not given us a true picture of the size. The core must be as huge as our entire sun!

Luckily this area is not bombarded by radiation equally from all directions. The core is the main culprit so it is relatively easy for us to place a permanent laboratory here by hiding it behind and within a small planet (dragged into the correct position by the Unation ships). The core is not situated within a galaxy, it is just on the edge and nowhere close to the center of the galaxy; it looks as if it was flung out of one of the spirals. That is good, especially this far back in time, as there are too many super-sized planets and suns and studies over a few hundred years show that there are suns going nova at the average rate of one every fifteen years - with the harsh flares of radiation from suns forming being just as lethal.

Next [Book 12] - Post 008