Little Cherine Book 12 - BPost010

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

She demanded they choose; the shrivelling of their people as one more species that died out because it did not have a dream big enough to give it a reason for living, or they adopt the dreams of the Akiards and become Warriors of Love and brothers to the Akiard warriors. She reminded them that Warriors of love do not condemn children by calling them failed children; they stand by them and help them grow stronger so that they can take their place among the elders as true warriors with glory in their hearts.

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The Reggheri are like children in their dreams and they have left filled with excitement. Samantha told them to return when Cherine is with us, if they choose to become her warriors; we have a feeling we will not see them before Freddie graces the skies of Earth once more. I have altered my body age to that of a seven year old child as a way of reminding myself I should not think of myself as an equal to Samantha in all ways. Her years of suffering and learning are what separate us and I will do all I can from now on to grow so that she too can be as proud of me one day as I am of her now.

o00o

Freddie jumped to collect Robert.

The Robert who was found by his Cherine while he was in hospital in Nairobi is the one the new Robert stayed with. This was a good reality for him to stay in as this Teller family are not happy to sit back doing nothing all day but drink coffees at Kefalari Square. They are actively involved in helping their Normals and they work hard to ensure that new habits are learnt by their people so that the land recovers and the variety of life is preserved - the latter being more critical. Robert returned to us changed by his experiences and the hard work he shared in. By now he’s been in love with two Cherines and, this amazed Orgg, with Jeskine. We have no qualms about him loving his Cherine. We forgot that he is a Robert. When he saw his Cherine he blocked his emoting and asked that the two of them be allowed to visit somewhere on their own in total privacy. They were taken to the Sparkler World and given the Kolonaki apartments. Only Sparklers filled the city with people and they are certain to respect the privacy Robert asked for.

Cherine felt weird staying in the apartment she’s shared other Cherines living in. She missed Marian, but agreed with Robert that the two of them should have total privacy so that they can relax and grow to know each other without worrying about meeting the expectations of others. Robert took her to Kolonaki Square and ordered mini chocolate eclairs and watched with pleasure as she exclaimed over their taste as she ate all three on her plate.

“All Roberts and Cherines, so it seems, love each other. I asked for us to be alone for two reasons - the second reason I will only tell you later. Cherine, I already love you as a Cherine, in other words, I know how special you are and having met other Cherines, I know I will adore you even more as I come to know you, this Cherine sitting here with me.

I was told that some bad things happened to you and was warned I should wait for you to become confident of my love so that you can speak to me about what happened. I think they are wrong, I want you to tell me from now so that you do not have it hanging over your head. Will you trust me to be a Robert and understand and share your pain without judging you?” She looked down at her hands, her gift reaching out to sense Robert all the way to the core of his heart. He added, “You know that the same man, Craig, killed me? It was quite funny when the prime Tellers collected me, because I had not realised I was dead and they confused the hell out of me with all they rushed to tell me. Sometimes I’ve felt that I should have been given a little bit of time to cry for what happened to me, but all Cherines don’t like self pity so I’ve had to hide how I felt.”

She looked into his eyes. “I wouldn’t mind - sometimes I feel the same way, but crying only makes me feel worse.”

Very tenderly he asked her, “Would crying while someone holds you in their arms help?”

Neither of them cried, maybe the time for tears will come later, but talking about their need seemed to free them and open their hearts to the present instead of concentrating so much on the past. Cherine did not exercise the option Robert gave her, she was still afraid he would condemn her for believing in Craig. Patiently he talked of other things and allowed the love she could feel growing in him to fill her heart.

Since they were not living the pretend lives the Sparkler Kolonaki flats are used for, they were not limited to staying there. They soon learnt they could wish themselves to float or fly and they travelled great distances, fascinated by the way ‘their’ world would end and a different Earth or planet begin. They met a variety of aliens, but the day they met Ambros was the most exciting for them. They met him as the silver boy and talked for hours. Cherine felt a thrill shoot through her when Robert asked Ambros whether there is an Ambros in their reality and, if so, would he create a silver boy to visit them and be their friend?

That evening, Cherine told him of all Craig had done to her, allowing him to share from inside her also. She did not weep as she’d expected she would, her eyes remained dry throughout the telling and sharing, it was Robert who sobbed and gasped from the pain he felt. Having to let him hold her tightly while he shook from his sobbing and compulsively sent his love to her was the healing she needed. Only as she began to believe in her Robert and love him did she find it possible to cry.

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Over the next two months they grew closer day by day, and Solomon was to tell us later that to him they felt as close as any Robert and Cherine and all the Sparklers rejoiced at their love that was born within their World. The two of them built many memories of love and Cherine cried again when they first made love and she discovered she was a virgin again. Although they could not bear to change anything about their present lives, the day came when they realised they should not stay in the Sparkler World any longer and that there is a wonderful future awaiting both of them back on their home planet. Robert then told her his secret plan and they had to delay a day until they could stop giving in to laughter and could face us with serious faces and hearts.

Solomon brought them to the taverna. They landed about twenty feet away and, separating, they walked towards us, Robert towards Robbie and Alki and Cherine towards Marian, Meli and Cherine. She sat by them, glanced back at her Robert without emotion and then said to them, “He’s quite nice.” Their hearts sank at her words.

Robert took a cigarette, lit it and spoke to Alki, “I’m sorry it worked out this way. I feel even worse knowing that because we are the only Robert and Cherine that did not feel as you hoped we would, Samantha is going to blame Robert for our failure. I really don’t see how she could have produced a different result.”

Alki patted his hand. “Don’t worry about it - although, to tell the truth, I don’t think you understand Samantha - if she had been here, she would have seen whatever truth should have been seen so that the two of you would be free to open your hearts to each other.” Alki peered over at his Cherine. “She did not give you her special smile?”

Having felt all of us and knowing they’d tricked us, the two of them burst into laughter and Robert jumping to Cherine swung her around and kissed her. We had a big party that night to celebrate their love.

o00o

Tina pretended she was upset, claiming that Samantha is angling to take over the title of prophet. I guess it was funnier for us because we know how much she hates prophesying. As for the imps; they did not exchange one joke while sharing the adventures of Sam. The only joke they made was when they read the writings of rich Samantha - they claimed that as a typical Samantha she had found it impossible to avoid mentioning herself and some good ideas of hers. R-Samantha must have already been feeling a little self-conscious about it so her face reddened. The imps immediately ran to sit on her lap, emoting their worry that they might have hurt her. The three of them were soon exchanging enough love for us to wonder whether her family will be asking those two to split for them.

Robbie just shook his head, gave Vincent an apologetic glance and squashed Sam to him, his hands like magical creatures brought to a life of their own as they investigated the warm softness and shape of her thighs without him consciously thinking of it.

“Another species! Freddie, are they in the witness memory?”

“I have not found them.”

“Sam baby, what is it about you that attracts those from non-developed civilisations? Why couldn’t you be a little more like me and attract the mature, wise and cultured?”

Sam giggled. “I’d forgotten your propensity for setting yourself up for a fall. I’m glad you haven’t changed.”

“What do you mean?”

She giggled again. “That I love you.” She kissed him, squeezed him in a hug and leaving him came to be held and to exchange love with each of us. I hadn’t realised how much I’d missed the sweet scent of her body and could hardly bear to wait for us to be in our bedroom that night.

Once we were alone we did not get to go to our bedroom for a while. Robbie wanted to share more deeply the moments the unknown power had exposed itself to Sam. After a few minutes he nodded. “You were right, we have to respect his or her decision. Sam, it seems Arthur made a mistake, for I got the impression that it is far more powerful than any of us, Vincent and myself included.”

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Sam shook her head. “I doubt that it is so. Robbie, it must be really powerful to have reached out to a different reality to save us and Michael when he exploded, but I have a feeling that the power to do that was bestowed by Arthur solely for saving us. It is powerful, in certain directions perhaps more powerful than you, but I think it must have some weaknesses that make it more vulnerable - why else would it hide?” she grinned. “I’m dying of curiosity so I hope it doesn’t take much longer to open itself to us.”

Meli chuckled (maybe because she knew I’d write what she said and was therefore teasing you?) “You’re not being fair to Arthur - he only has one mystery to tantalise his readers with and you want to have it resolved soon?”

“Oh well, for Arthur’s sake, it can remain our invisible friend.” She made us laugh and soon everyone was in a good mood as we teased each other. Cherine started just the very beginning of a golden ring of love and the loving that night (I’m certain) will bring tears to my eyes every time I recall how sweet, poignant and passionate it was.

Craig is a citizen of the USA of our reality, even if he was also a Cherinian. Our embassy asked whether they wished us to hand him over or do they consider him subject to our laws. The request for a ruling was a bit of fiction just to keep our relationship open and friendly - they have determined often enough that Cherinians are subject to our justice system if Cherinian laws have been broken. The hearing was set for 11th of July, PC57. Craig will remain restricted within an area in Freddie and any visitors are to be monitored. In the beginning Robert and Cherine avoided going anywhere near his place of imprisonment, mostly for Cherine’s sake. Within days she found the courage to confront him and though she did not for the sake of the trial, she no longer needed to avoid seeing or sensing him. Since Craig and his group have all been blocked, not much can be sensed, thank goodness.

Craig demanded that the media be allowed to broadcast his court case for all the world to see how he had been manipulated by the Cherinians. Since in every single case in our courts the judges have allowed cameras, it was obviously a ploy by him to ensure that the media would be interested. Even though I was born at a time that people murdered just for the sake of being seen on television, I could not understand what Craig expected of the media. What did he hope they would find to justify his history of violence, cruelty, wholesale murders and willingness to destroy an entire planet? Robyn suggests he might be hoping that when Normals see how a small group of Talents (Cherinians) can destroy armies and governments they might turn against us out of fear.

Allen made a comment that was upsetting in a way, but in a way was beautiful for Cherine and Robbie. He told Cherine that she was lucky she met Robbie while she was so young - that if he had not been by her side as she grew up, to shield her with his love and explain certain facts of life in a way that would help her empathy grow, she would have become cynical and hard.

The defence attorneys (Normals, at the choice of the accused but paid for by ADFI) had to be provided with copies of all our evidence and that included material Freddie had recorded. Since I had not been with them I was left out of all the writing of statements and compiling of documents and videos. Being May, the weather should have been warming, but we were stuck in Athens with a cold spell that laid a metre of snow and ice. I looked out the window as the wind violently tossed the snow in a dance that looked beautiful and a wild idea came to me. Within seconds all who were free asked to come with. From our garden, we entered a small platform and jumped to the top of Mytikas, the highest peak on Mt Olympus. I’d guessed right, the storm blowing up there (despite the protection of our platform) sent our hearts racing with excitement and the girls who could not come were jealous of us.

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I’m certain he did it just to be perverse and to prove that he is more hardy than I, but Faiiis appeared, standing in the storm as if he could not feel the cold. Since he comes from a hot environment I did not delay and called to him to meet us at our home and we jumped back.

As we arrived, so did Robbie and the rest of the girls. Faiiis took a pose that showed he is ignoring everyone except me. I smiled. “Welcome. A decision has been made?”

“I fought a diklizr and am declared a male. My people have ordered me to meet with you and explain the following. A law has been agreed, no child may accept a thinking person, not even a god, for battle. No child may make a foolish choice for added glory that determines their immediate death should they succeed. They ask that when time allows you to forgive and return to visit and talk so that they understand what a Warrior of Love is, they will have many questions.”

“I do not need time Faiiis, I was never angry with you or any of your people, only saddened that such a wonderful and gifted species was not growing to discover their potential. I’m ready to visit whenever you wish to take me.”

“I regret I will not take you. It is understood you know how to find our world.”

“Is my family welcome to come with me?”

“They are.”

“Why will you not be taking me?” I asked, suddenly suspicious, afraid they might have decided he is to die.

“I am …” He did not know the word in Greek and used his own language and since Claudia was with, it came through as ‘banished’. “For life, I am not allowed to be seen or heard by my people for I brought them much loss of honour when I attacked you without warning and by using mental powers.”

“I don’t understand why you did that.”

“I had to make you see that you must fight me as there would be no glory in killing you if you did not. All I’d learnt of you showed me you would not want to fight so I had to anger you. I would not have allowed you to die from my mental attacks and brought you back from space that first time when I thought you were dying.”

“How did you get an apartment for the first personality you imposed on me?”

“I spent time on your planet so as to study you. I hired the space for myself.”

I sighed. “Where were you thinking of going?” He did not answer and I did not know whether he blamed me and that was why or whether he really had not made plans. “Faiiis, would you agree to stay in Freddie as our guest? Hold on.” I hid my grin as I sent for an Akiard to visit us in his own shape. As he appeared, Faiiis pulled back in alarm, but sensing us he did not raise a weapon. “This is Enikas, an Akiard. Enikas, Faiiis needs to learn what a Warrior of Love is, may he join you and your families as a guest?”

“You are the one who fought Samantha while we were absent?” Faiiis confirmed he was. “You are brave, not even an Akiard would dare to fight Samantha.”

“Enikas!” He laughed at my indignation and after asking permission, he lightly touched Faiiis and jumped back to Freddie. I am now starting to see that Arthur may be right; the elders of the Reggheri are not as elders of a tribe should be - there is something wrong with them, something almost childish…or senile. Yes, children can bend with changes, but it seems they cannot.

Nobody spoke, waiting for me as I lost myself in my thoughts. I grinned. “This is not a good time for him to go to Freddie. I bet the Akiards will take him to meet Craig so as to teach him that even someone like him should be loved.” My Cherine laughed and put her arms around my waist while Cher and Robert stared at me with wounded eyes. I kept my emoting soft and loving. “Cherine, Robert, the Akiards are right, but them being right does not mean we have to love Craig. Hang on to your anger for as long as it is of some help to you - then get rid of it so that he does not hold you back from becoming the Cherine and Robert your world and the family and friends you’ll soon have, deserve.”

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Everyone laughed and emoted the sweetest love as the two eagerly demanded to know what I meant about them having a family soon. We teased them for a while so Cher went to hide herself in the arms of Marian - and of course Marian fell for her manipulation and told her what I meant. Our home was like a volcano of joy and love from just those two and we all were hugged and kissed - until Robbie decided it was time we go to Kefalari for a coffee.

The court case was starting in two days, so the furthest thing from our mind were the experiments scientists spent their nights and days slaving over. It was a surprise when Robbie was asked to visit Freddie so we all went. The scientists joined us at the taverna.

“We’ve been examining the idea that as the Big Bang exploded and the universe expanded, it found in no-space those scenes we lived through. One of our theories was that as universes die, they reduce to a point and disappear into no-space. If so, the history of that universe is preserved by no-space. Since no-space does not occupy or take up any space, we reached the startling conclusion that sounds very similar to the Muyzith theory about realities - the only way the history of a universe can be preserved in no-space is by not existing…in other words, the scenes we saw were ghosts of incidents that occurred at some time, whether in a previous universe or from a mixture of them, perhaps some even from universes that came into existence billions of Big Bangs ago.”

Robbie was instantly in love with their theory, so I kept quiet. Anyway, I needed a bit of time to sort out exactly what it was that was troubling me. Robbie gave himself five minutes to enjoy himself and then he insisted I share my thoughts.

“I liked the theory of ghosts. We did see that not only life created ghosts; the spaceship, the desert, the rocks, these were incidental to the life forms, but we saw them. Why didn’t we see any suns? I have a feeling that it is perhaps the most important question I have to ask. We should have seen galaxies, black holes, suns and maybe planets. I have a question that may sound as if I have a theory - I don’t.

Could it be that ghosts have different states of being? For instance, the ghost of our sun is stronger than the ghost of our planet. By stronger, I mean more deeply etched into the history of our universe. Let us return to the Big Bang. We were led to expect suns and galaxies should form much later than they did. If there can be said to be a first universe, could it be that it needed two to three billion years to form its first galaxies but, once that universe had imprinted its ghosts into or onto no-space, the subsequent Big Bangs found the knowledge or ghostly matrix for how they should be in no-space? The universe would ‘know’ it should have suns, galaxies - and perhaps it actually had black holes before any of the aforementioned so as to force energy, via compression maybe (?) into forming matter, such as dust, so that suns and so on could form. If I’m right, does it mean that the first black holes, which must have been massive, did not have any matter inside them, that they were formed out of locally concentrated parts of the pressures of the Big Bang, the explosions forming hundreds, thousands or millions of such ‘pinprick’ locales? If I’m right, it means those black holes would not have lasted very long, just long enough to help concentrate clouds of energy and dust so that suns and galaxies could be created.

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Sorry, I strayed from the main questions, although they might turn out to be a part of them. Let us imagine that ‘memory’ of a previous universe, which might even include ‘memory’ of other universes still existing somewhere in no-space (I couldn’t very well say ‘nowhere’ in no-space could I?) helped all subsequent Big Bangs form galaxies within three to four hundred million years. Would such ‘memories’ force the new universe to form along the same lines it ‘knows’? I feel they might try to impose such order out of the original chaos, but there would have to be differences, deviations, which would possibly accumulate - perhaps only accumulating to a point and then collapsing back to the original order once they were too far from laws of nature that could be self-sustaining? I’ve read that scientists have postulated the possibility of universes existing where their suns do not radiate light, so the entire universe would be dark with only points of heat. I loved the fact that they insisted that life could form under such conditions.”

In the temporary silence I heard Robbie chuckle before he asked, “Does anyone need Sam to explain in more detail any aspect of her question - or questions?”

Claudia quickly answered, “That is what I was afraid would happen.” She was so helpless with laughter when she saw my face that I felt it was worth being teased to see her like that.

I spoke to the scientists, “I apologise, you came to share your joy in the discoveries you made and I rudely threw my questions at you without waiting. I hope I did not deprive you of the joy you anticipated - if you sensed us you will know that we did rejoice with you - especially Robert.”

One of them responded most gallantly. “Some aspects of your questions raise interesting questions for us to ask ourselves, but there is one in particular that fascinates me - the idea of black holes forming without collapsed matter being responsible is exciting and possibly the answer to certain points that have puzzled us. Your premise I presume is based upon the fact that during an explosion not all areas within the field of the explosion uniformly experience the intensity, heat and pressure. With an explosion the size and intensity of the Big Bang, black holes as described by you are a distinct possibility. They would be a very efficient method of ensuring the early formation of dust clouds, leading to the formation of suns and galaxies without them lasting long enough to destroy what they helped create. Your idea is a very elegant answer to many questions and I hope we are able to prove your theory.”

Robbie was having a last cigarette and coffee as he waited for some of us to finish dressing and he idly scrolled through the last pages of the diary. We would not be transporting Craig and his group to the court, other Cherinians had undertaken to do so. Robbie gave me a smile. “It is a pity that with that mind of yours you did not study at university a number of subjects. At least you’d be able to ask your questions in a more professional manner.”

The court case is starting to resemble a circus. Small groups of crowds have gathered in support of Craig - they have come here from all over the planet (it really does take the cake as far as being totally crazy - Normals supporting a Talent who kills, maims and enslaves Normals!); the media is represented by the Unation cameras inside the court, but they are also outside in the hundreds, pestering everyone entering or leaving the court room. It has become an established custom, if not rule, that everyone enters and leaves without jumping, not only our family, so they made it difficult for us to get through without either speaking or else showing irritation.

Haven whispered in our minds, upset when she saw who the attorney for Craig is. He is an American Greek who has made a name for himself in criminal law - they say that if the accused murdered his victim in front of the jury he’d still succeed in having him acquitted. The most popular story is of the time a client was caught red-handed at the scene of the crime and he went to ensure the rights of his client are not violated. He saw his client had no defence so he taunted and angered the policemen present until they arrested him also. He secured a no guilty verdict on the technicality that his client had been deprived of legal representation at the crucial time of arrest. Phil uses the English version of his first name so I’ll use that name. Haven told us David told her that many Normals suspect him of being a Talent, but the truth is, he is brilliant and has the gift of the gab - which by itself is not enough to justify labelling him a Talent, as then we’d have to do the same for half the Irish population .

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As soon as the proceedings started it became obvious that Phil has studied our systems and ways of addressing the judges. He behaved in a relaxed and informal manner while still showing respect for the court. He did not exactly heckle the Prosecutor when he spoke, but he did succeed in irritating him - which gave him an advantage. Just to mention something I’ve never explained - it is not forbidden by law but by custom; nobody is supposed to contact the Prosecutor or the judges by telepathy, so nobody could send a soothing to calm the Prosecutor.

One of the very first things Phil told the court was that Craig wishes to be heard on his own and not alongside his co-accused. The court agreed and the co-accused were taken back to Freddie. Another attorney stood up to announce that he will be representing the co-accused and asked the court for permission for him to object should he feel the rights of his clients are being compromised. The tactic was obvious and it was even more obvious that the new attorney was working under the instructions and advice of Phil, but our judges have not studied law and the judicial systems of the Normals and because they found his request reasonable, they agreed.

Rosie spoke morosely, “He’s going to get him off.”

I nodded, “At least one good thing can then be said to have come out of it - nobody will need to ask me to defend them anymore.” Discretely I nodded to indicate Phil.

Cassie grinned and sent to me, “You’ll still be the one everyone asks for - you’re cheaper.” The others threw in ‘Yes, she’s for free’ or, ‘She’s more fun’ and such like and I think we irritated those sitting around us with our childish signs and emoting of amusement.

Instead of taking a lunch break, the court decided to continue the next morning. I think the judges were feeling a bit hassled. Phil continually protested the legality of each and every piece of evidence. Even when they over-ruled him and declared video footage as being legal, he would then protest that it was illegally obtained. When they over-ruled him on that also, he claimed that since the footage had not been filmed by law enforcement agencies it was therefore of paramount importance that the footage should have been presented to a law enforcement agency to hold and protect to avoid giving interested parties the opportunity to make changes - which, such changes, he claimed, could not be identified by existing technology of Terrans of any reality. He demanded to know from the Prosecutor whether he could confirm, under oath, that no changes had been made to any of the films and photos.

We were a pretty dejected bunch of girls by the time we returned to our home, convinced by now that Craig would walk away scot free. A couple of hours later a small group of concerned Cherinians called on us. They went directly to the reason for their visit. “It is important that Samantha agrees to accept the position of Advisor to the Prosecutor or else we’ll lose the case.”

“I’m sorry, I cannot. If I do so, you know my appointment will be seen as a desperate measure by us and that I accepted so as to use legal tricks to ensure his being found guilty enough for repatriation, whether he is guilty or not. There might be a different solution, which I don’t think anybody, apart from the defence attorney, will object to. Suggest that the court appoint a Friend of the Court - a highly respected judge would be suitable. Since rules and laws of the Normals are being used by the defence counsel, it is only prudent that the judges have advice, since none of our judges have studied or worked within the judicial systems of the Normals. I also suggest that the judge chosen should be known as stern but fair and, personally, I have a preference for British judges. Please make it clear that the Friend of the Court is only there to advise on matters of procedure and law, but is not part of the decision making.”

Phil protested and the case was postponed for a week so that the Cherinian government could make a decision - thereby, if they agreed, making the presence of a Friend of the Court, legal. Phil must have known what to expect, but he acted as if he had won an important point. Bruce explained that it was important to him personally, as Phil is showing the world that he has forced the Cherinian court to alter its own rules and, whether Craig is found guilty or not, thanks to the publicity worldwide, Phil’s reputation will earn him astronomically high fees and it is likely he will benefit from his new prestige in other ways.

Sometimes I think I’ve been very clever and then I see I was not as brilliant as I thought. Such a moment sometimes does lead to depressing thoughts, but I can usually bounce back before too long. This was such a moment and Robbie sat by me and took my hand in his without speaking, only there in case I need to speak.

“It’s not fair you know, they should not ask for my opinion, they should ask you - you are our leader.”

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He smiled. “Do they ask you because you find good answers for them?” I felt my cheeks flame and looked down at my hands.

Dommi joined us. “Sam, are you saying you have not realised why everyone has to ask you instead of Roberto?” I looked up with surprise and her lips tightened. “Samantha mou, he is our leader. If they ask him and he gives his opinion, they have to do as he said. By asking you they are free to choose and they know that if Roberto does not agree with what you said, he will say so - so they are not likely to act against his wishes.” If any of my loves, including Cherine, had told me, I would have felt a bit silly - with Dommi telling me I felt silly, but also I felt like a little child whose been trying to play adult games with adults. Okay, I’m not being fair to Dommi, in a way I like being told off or shown I am wrong by her as I then think about it more deeply than I would have otherwise. Cherine: We had a hilarious evening with everyone getting into the act - teasing Sam about playing adult games with adults. Robert enjoyed the teasing, but it made him incredibly tender with Samantha that night - as she played her adult games with an adult .

Robbie signed and the Friend of the Court is now an accepted part of our judicial system. It makes sense at this stage, but I’m happier about it being our way for the future. We have seen movies about court cases and sometimes the judge is shown to be unfriendly or biased and the defendant cannot do anything about it. Sometimes the judge leans towards a tolerance of something society does not approve of, so he or she judges in favour of the defendant when they should not. A Friend of the Court should not only be there to protect the judges when clever attorneys or barristers try to tangle them up in legal knots, they should be brave enough to be a real friend of the court and warn them when their attitude is not impartial and fair.

I woke up from a nightmare and I sensed I had been crying in my sleep. Aganthi was leaning over me, her fingers softly soothing me. I did not want everyone to lose their sleep so I silently told Aganthi I want a Milo and went out. She followed and soon Robbie came out and that brought Cherine with the rest of our loves trailing her. I giggled. “It really is hopeless trying to be nice to a bunch of Cherinians.”

“If you really want to be nice, tell us what upset you so that we can return to our beds before morning.” Everyone grinned at Claudia’s stern tone because they could feel how worried she was. I felt silly and guilty.

“I don’t know why the dream upset me so much when I was asleep - it does not seem so terrible now.”

“I think we should appoint the imps to be our judges and if she woke us up for nothing then she has to make toast for everyone.” I grinned at Gina, her teasing is so gentle.

“I dreamt that I was watching when Arthur created our universe.” Cherine tightened her grip on Robbie so I knew I’d fired her imagination at least. “Since he did not use a big bang - it looked more like lots of smaller big bangs, I became curious as to how he was creating matter out of nothing to fill our universe with galaxies. I saw that…I’m not certain how to explain the thought. Imagine blowing up a balloon underwater. As the balloon expands, so is the water pushed away. I think that is how most of us imagined the universe affected no-space as it expanded.

What I saw was that Arthur just assumed the universe without getting rid of no-space or instructing space to take its place. Even as our universe continues expanding, to this day, so does it incorporate no-space without pushing it away. No-space becomes space and by that happening, the ghosts of past or future universes are released or used as a detail of the blueprint for our universe. If that is true, then all of us, all souls, could have been formed out of the ghosts of souls that were and are to be - without it being a paradox since there is no time in no-space. I think I cried because my soul was not created out of the soul of Arthur.”

Chantel said, “Since you’ve provided all of us with thoughts and images to nag at us so that we don’t sleep, we might as well make some toast. We’ll need about ten loaves, who’ll jump to a petrol station shop to get us bread?”

Roula asked, “In South Africa? Me.” She was joined by Alice, Ashia and Sheena, so Robbie asked them to also buy some of his favourite chocolates (Arthur, no soy in our chocolates anymore).

It felt nice and special, I don’t know why, eating toast and making a pig of myself at four in the morning with all my family laughing and talking around me. With my hands cupped around the warmth of my mug I sank into my thoughts. “For anyone or anything to set rules, it must be of an equal or higher order than whatever has to obey those rules.” Hardly realising I’d spoken aloud, I fell silent as I concentrated on understanding the thought I’d just expressed. When I noticed the silence I found everyone was looking at me. “What?”

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“We’re waiting to hear what prompted that observation.”

“I had the thought that if Arthur created us the way I dreamt it, it means he did not create us out of nothing, it was more like he took what was and changed it into what is for us. In other words, he did not act like a God, all he did is influence energy, matter and life. That led to the question, if he did not create us out of his imagination only, then it is entirely possible for a God to exist. From there I thought of the way God and Satan behave in accordance to certain rules they both or each accept in their own way. Since Satan is the Great Defier of Rules, why would he obey them unless there is some power above them? If it is so, I’d like to know who created those rules. Therefore, my comment: For anyone or anything to set rules, it must be of an equal or higher order than whatever has to obey those rules.”

“Oh lord, we’ll need more toast!” Tina got her laughs, but then everyone agreed they did want more.

During a break at the court, Cherine put her arm through mine and jumped. Since she’d brought me to Dar I knew she had a need for my kind of help - usually not a deed, just an idea or two. We got our coconuts, kicked off our shoes and walked in the damp sand as the beach away from the edge of the water was burning hot.

“When I am the Light, how do you see I will be? Will I have to be like Jesus or a priest and proselytise?”

I have too many weaknesses of my own, it does not matter how anybody else sees me, I have a picture of what I am like and in my eyes I always come short of their image - whether it is something banal like beauty, attractive personality or even intelligence, I always compare myself to those I should never dare compare myself to. I’m not as stupid as I sound, I know that I cannot see myself as I am and more often than not the differences are part of a game I play with myself. Knowing all that, I am able to see the same in others and Cherine is no exception. She’s been the Light a number of times, she should not have had to ask me the questions she did, but she was not being dishonest, she really can’t see herself as she is because of the ways she colours her self-perceptions (it is what I meant when I spoke of playing games with myself). I felt I had a humongous problem and took my time to think about it. Cherine pulled at my hand.

“You can tell me afterwards, the court is almost back in session.”

“Forget the court, this is more important!” It took exactly four minutes for my family to urgently excuse themselves and walk out of the courtroom before jumping to us. They’d felt me and knew something was about to break my heart - theirs too, but they did not know it yet. Knowing how Alki and Marian love Cherine, I called for them and their family to come to us and then we all jumped to Freddie.

Robbie held me tightly, as if he feared I would shatter if he let me tremble as I needed to. Aganthi brought me a coffee so he had to let me go. I moved off his lap so that he could also have his coffee and smoke. “I’m sorry, I’m not ready yet. Cherine, I think we’ll only do this once so I think all the Teller families should be here to share - their Alki’s also - Vincent can you ask them to come?”

All the girls jumped and within minutes we were surrounded by alternates, including RT. I then felt that our two first friends, Solomon and Ordinx should also be with us, but Solomon could not leave the court room - or so I thought. The world was electrified when he suddenly called out that he had to leave so the case would have to continue the next day. I can guess how the world must be speculating - especially as no Cherinian can give them details.

When the Ipohin realised Michael and family were gone, they inferred it had something to do with our absence and that information only added fuel to the wild guesses. Although we had not barred anyone from coming to Freddie, all Cherinians felt it was a family moment and only those we consider very close friends came. Cherine saw to it that Robbie’s brother and father joined us; Themi and Rose were already with us. With so many coming or being called, the expectations were so high I could almost feel them as a physical sensation.

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We sat on the grass and everyone formed a half circle before us. I stood up. “Cherine asked me a question - Freddie, did you record it? Please show it on the screens.”

“The sky was hazy so please excuse the poor quality.” Freddie showed Cherine and I walking on the beach and they heard her question. He froze the screen with my face showing I was deep in thought and then it faded.

“All of us colour the way we see ourselves - those without inflated egos toning down all the bright colours so that we see ourselves as being far less than we are. I wondered how I could help Cherine see herself as she really is when she is the Light. It seemed to me there was only one way.” I paused and looked into her eyes. “I thought of regressing you, blocking you so that you are the child you were when you really were eight years old. That child could not identify with what she’ll see, so she would see you as the Light in the same way we all do.” I saw the look in her eyes, but I turned to Robbie. “Dad, to feel that little Cherine, would it not break your heart? For all of us that love her, could any of us bear to miss the experience?”

The background of puzzled worry instantly changed to a surge of joy, excitement and awe - making it possible for Cherine to feel how much everyone loves her. Very privately I asked Cherine for a favour and she agreed.

“I felt that all Cherines should experience this with ours, they too will be the Light someday, let their families also rejoice and break their hearts with love, why should only we suffer?” Some chuckled, but mostly the feelings of the alternate families swamped us. As I was about to ask them to do what I’d thought of I ‘saw’ how it would affect everyone (mostly the Roberts) and I paled. In a way, it was as if my imagination almost made it real for me and my knees gave way and I sank to the ground. “Oh god! I nearly made a terrible mistake!”

Of course my family instantly tried to enter my mind. I asked them not to share, only allowing Cherine and Robbie. My eyes saw the physical reactions, Cherine’s face turning white, her eyes huge with fear. Everyone held their breaths as we sensed her fight her battle within herself.

“I can only answer for myself, each Cherine must make up her own mind.” She shared with them and the mass emoting of the Cherines was enough to frighten everyone. We felt two of them did not want to agree but, perhaps because they felt the same terror in the other Cherines, they agreed.

Robbie spoke for me. “Samantha has asked all the Cherines to merge their eight year old selves into one, with all of them sharing from their composite. She asked this for two reasons. The stated one, of all of them experiencing the glory of Cherine as the Light. The second reason was also important - by such a sharing they would become close again, closer than sisters, closer than mother and daughter, almost one for a brief time, but it will affect them for a long time.” He paused to give everyone time to comment and then he continued. “The fear you sensed was not for the just mentioned reasons - Samantha saw in her mind how such a composite eight year old Cherine would affect all of us, but especially myself and all Roberts - which does include both Freddies. She feared that such a pure concentration of all we love in our Cherines will steal our love from our individual Cherines. Can you see what a brave decision our Cherines have taken? I think they must be crazy!”

An Alki called out, “You must not do this!” Many voices rose to support him.

Robbie looked at me, uncertain and afraid. I giggled and then something happened for I felt my loves surrounding me and then I returned to my body. Stammering I asked, “What if all the Roberts are only present as a composite Robert? Could they be allowed to continue existing and loving each other?”

Cherine screamed and attacked me - luckily without using her powers. Robbie grabbed her and held her tightly until she calmed down. Surprise showed on Robbie’s face as his arms let go of her and Cherine came to stand before me, her face hard, her eyes dark pools of torrid threat, without love for me. “You will not do this - ever!” I only stared back at her with tears streaming down my cheeks until her face softened and she threw herself at me, holding and kissing me as she apologised and pleaded with me to forgive her. I’d seen she feared that if we did so our Robbie would no longer be the prime Robert so it was not necessary for anyone to forgive her. I allowed my heart to speak to hers as strongly as it could and she buried her face against my chest, both of us holding the other tightly to stop the trembling.

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