Little Cherine Book 05 - BPost062
Meeting such a composite, created by ancients…even in terms of the Sparklers, we must treasure the memory forever.
3411
As you know, there was a misunderstanding at the end and I think you expected some sort of dramatic action from my part, yet you see Shiyra here with us.
Shiyra is here as our honoured guest. She and I have had a disagreement and I told her what she considered unpleasant truths. She thinks I am wrong. For that reason, so that we preserve and strengthen again the friendship between her and ourselves, I invited her to join us for an indefinite period. This is an opportunity for both sides to learn from the other. Please make welcome our newest member of the Freddie starship-world.”
Soon as she thought she can speak to him without being heard, she slightly tipped her head to him. “You are a gracious victor.”
“Shiyra, the victor, of the two of us and our people in general will be the side that learns the most out of our time together.”
She smiled. “I am certain you did not intend I should keep quiet so that your side are the losers?”
He laughed with genuine amusement. “As Samantha will say, I speak too often without thinking.”
“What pleasure is there in pretending to be a fool? I noticed that aspect of yours during the storytelling.”
“No specific pleasure Shiyra. It helps prevent me from thinking I am more than I am and reminds those who love me that I am but a mere male of our species. All females are born with the conviction that us males when adult, remain children in our simple desires.”
“You must warn the others that since I was not allowed to bring the mass of souls with me that I need, it is likely I will meld and form a new personality. I fear I may become foolish at times.”
“Foolish or emotional?”
“They are the same.”
“That sounds promising. Is that why you chose to appear to us as a child of our species?”
“My appearance will be the same for all now, this is a real body, the same as yours. I cannot afford to waste energy on creating illusions.”
“You have but to ask, any energy you need that is not for the purpose of destroying us, it will be made available to you.”
She left as soon as she could, her looks betraying her troubled mind. We are used to that. All species at first look for ulterior motives when he acts this way. They are cynical because life has taught them nobody is this generous and open unless it is a façade to lull them for some sinister reason. Of course he has his ulterior motives and when they understand them, they are even more amazed. It does not matter if they have seen and heard our storytelling, they need a long time to understand that Robbie is no male of a certain species. He is the protector of his loved ones and then of all life. His dreams reach beyond matters of our universe - even beyond those of yours Arthur. How anybody can fear him I do not understand.
Perhaps the history books of our world are wrong. It seems to me there are no great men or women in the way we think of them. There are only men and women with great or small dreams. Robbie looks to me to take over from him so that he can return to his painting and the loving of his family. That is one dream of his he will never see realised, for I lack that one aspect - I have no great dreams. I live here, now. I see problems and though I try to extrapolate, see how they or the solutions can affect the future, the main thrust of my thoughts are aimed at the present and near future only. At the risk of making myself sound egotistical, perhaps I only serve as a counter-balance to Robbie’s dreams, helping to keep us balanced within the reality of the present so that we achieve his dream a step at a time.
Shiyra has been given the house Aganthi built for me, but she does not spend much time there, not even to sleep. She has taken to walking all over our world and accepts it as normal when she finds nourishment waiting for her at the required times.
3412
Now this world awaits a decision by Latreia. She thinks she has made her decision and so does not realise we wait here for her. The decision she made was for the wrong reasons, she is not following her heart, obeying rather what she sees as her duty. Agapi wants to talk to her, but we are holding her back. It will be better for Latreia if she should find herself through her own acceptance of what has become obvious. Her love for Robbie has grown to the point of a quiet desperation. We can feel it and are therefore not at all anxious, we can wait for her. We all have our studies, this world is beautiful and has much to offer us, so we do not mind staying.
The one who does not have our complete understanding is Lynda. She refuses to share our bed, though she is part of our circle and we feel how miserable she is each night once she is alone. She must know we can feel her, but she does not care. Because she is so deeply caught up in fighting her own battles she is able to ignore us.
Agapi is beginning to get cold feet. The thought of having to face her family frightens her. First of all, she has always been a part of their circle and she finds it difficult to imagine herself not feeling that link when she is with them again. Since this has never happened before, we cannot even guess how it will feel to her and them.
I made a crack about this world, Freddie, becoming a world of women and that was why we are stuck here. Men would not normally hold a whole world (or spaceship, if you want to think of it that way) hostage to the hearts of three girls. I said what I said to Aganthi and it was meant to be humorous. Robbie heard though and responded seriously.
“Not a world of women Sam, a world of Cherinians and we will do this for even one heart. I think though that you have forgotten one very important aspect - Shiyra. How do we take her back to Earth while she is still hostile? She is capable of causing great damage.”
“How much?”
“If she dared to, she can cause damage to us here. On a world where Normals are unaware of her powers, she can be an unmitigated disaster. It might be better you all look in my mind and re-live with me those hours of our battles - that was what happened you know.”
Nervously we entered, were welcomed with motes of love and then he opened his memories to us. I’ll quote them as if I were there watching.
The Ii saw that Robbie stood unharmed through a blast that should have destroyed a planet. It was at that moment, after their short conversation, that I originally left Robbie. The Ii kept a wary watch on him and must have been thinking furiously while it waited for him to react in some hostile manner. As the seconds ticked by it must have grown more desperate for it did the unthinkable. The Ii decided to attack him with the dark energy it encapsulated itself within. The void (Robbie) resisted for as long as it can, but those forces have the power to shut off the heart of a white star. Within seconds the form of Robbie tattered and shredded until there was nothing for the Ii to attack any longer.
If they had not succeeded, the damage to their ability to survive his counter-attack with their dark shield almost depleted, they must have known, was negligible, so it is understandable that they did not ponder or question. It was almost stupid of them, for the platform still existed and with Robbie gone it should have dissipated, destroyed by its own forces unleashed against itself. Still, it was a visible shock to them when Robbie appeared before them again. He stood calmly, his features not betraying the fire raging through him. Even now he suffered as the void, for the energy they had aimed at him was not sympathetic to any of the energies of the void. It is an energy of the void, taken, collected by the Ii perhaps millions of years ago. In its original state it had been rare with only a few molecules in size or mass at any spot. In the concentrations it had been used, the force was like a poison to the void.
To Robbie, he is the void and it must be cared for. Instinctively he drew as much of the dark energy to himself as he can and it was tearing at his soul. Even knowing he had survived it, we cried out. The pain was intense and we cannot see how he possibly survived it.
*Farewell parent and friend.*
Even as Robbie cried out in protest, the protector drew all the dark energy to itself and disappeared. Robbie left the image of himself standing silently while he wept his sorrow within the dome.
3413
Shiyra appeared. “Nothing can survive that, it is not possible! You have lied to us, you played a game pretending you are mortal.” She bowed and then kneeled (using our Terran forms?). “You are God and tested us. We have failed the test. What is to become of us?”
“Your attack has cost me dearly. I will demand payment from you.”
“Anything.”
“The Ii will undertake to stay here until I return and give permission for it to move. You, Shiyra, will become child of the Ii, no longer a full part of it until I return you. I give you this one last chance to learn empathy. If you fail, then all of the Ii will be broken back into individual souls to resume the learning process you so unwisely interrupted.”
“I am made up of a number of souls, to do as you ask will… I fear it will kill them.”
“You condemn yourself with your own words by admitting what you have done to them! Is there no end to your coldhearted stupidity?” He thought and decided quickly. “I will send you a segment of my memories. Learn from them how to give a small part of each soul. Use those parts to create yourself as Shiyra. The main body of those souls are to remain with the Ii.”
Robbie gently moved us out of his mind and we returned to our bodies. Nearly all of us needed time and to cry a few tears for the pain we had felt him suffer. Cherine and Jade though wept, sobbing their hearts out for the protector. Dommi and some of the girls held the two but soon everyone was crying for the protector. At last we saw that no longer is he just the protector, he has become a friend to all of us and is loved for himself, not just because he is a part of our Robbie. Even Robbie sat with tears in his eyes.
I had tears in my eyes, but I could not cry, my thoughts were whirling. Robbie was the first to pick them up and then they all turned to look at me, all wanting to enter my mind. I picted a grimace to them, not happy with them looking to my thoughts for hope.
“You do have a valid point Sam, if the protector is destroyed, who was the old man, can a future Robert become so powerful without the protector? You sense that losing him is a form of amputating myself? Again, your other thought, that the protector is part of me and I should have felt his demise makes sense love.”
I played devil’s advocate. “Not necessarily, on both counts. You may have, at some time in the future, recreated the protector at a time of need when you are desperate to save us, Robert. As for you feeling it, when he was attacked by Noname, intercepting and taking the brunt of that blue sheet, you did not feel what was happening to him.”
Meli grimaced. “She loves to think the opposite of whatever we do.”
I replied sombrely, “I don’t like giving hope when I don’t have all the facts.”
“Sometimes we need to hope my baby.” Dommi said. “We will not blame you if you are wrong.”
I knew she was wrong, they will, but I kept quiet. Robbie came to me and put his arm around my neck, pulling my face close to his and he whispered, “I like it when you are a little girl and I can pick you up and hold you to me.” Softly he kissed my lips. “I need food, I’m starving.”
We watched him eat, glad to see him drink a couple of beers. It is not the same using the healer to relax.
Sol asked, “Shiyra, is she going to spend her time wandering around our world?”
“She has some adjusting to do. Not to us, but to the changes within herself. Sol, you must know what she is going through.”
“I think so, in a way. It is easy being a multitude of beings and harnessing them to speak or think as one. Once they begin to meld though, that time of transition is difficult - the worst. Each voice tries to cry out in the hope of remembering itself. It is painful, melding and then being shattered apart by the needs to be of every soul.”
“Why don’t we suffer? We each share a sliver of soul from the others.”
3414
“It is not the same Irene. We are not allowing the slivers to meld with us. We keep them apart so as to feel our loved ones at all times within us, a part of ourselves.”
“We do!? We don’t meld them!? Why didn’t anyone tell me!?” Cassie cried out. Jade clapped her hands with glee as Dommi fretted for a second before realising she was being had.
At least we now watched over Shiyra with sympathy. Knowing someone, anyone, is suffering is never pleasant. Robbie had to enforce a rule strictly, keeping us away from her. He said our intentions may be good, but she needs this time alone. He insists we must let her decide when she is to come to us for companionship. If it had been one of us, Dommi may have argued, but she only shook her head, recalling all the times he’d thought this way and been wrong, but allowing him to keep his rule for the time being.
“Maybe you are right about Shiyra, Roberto, but not about my daughter. Why must she suffer alone? Let me go to her please.”
“No. Not you Agapi. Who do you think she will be comfortable with?”
“Sam.”
“No, please, I’ve interfered enough in everyone’s life. Not me.”
“Whenever you are ready Sam.” If I had been a little girl as he’d wanted, I think I would have pummelled his chest with my fists in frustration. Instead I sat slapping my thigh while opening my mind to Latreia, trying to sense every nuance of her emoting.
“Are you up to making this a special night for her?”
His eyes crinkled with amusement. “Confident are we?”
“Oh, it’s easy, I just didn’t want to do it. I mean, if she finds afterwards that you were not worth it, she will blame me.”
His eyes turned sombre, a hint of sadness, not what I’d expected of my teasing. “You’ll have to bear another burden for me my love.”
He got thoroughly told off by everyone as I walked away, smiling to myself.
Latreia was sitting on a high hill, gazing down at the figure of Shiyra in the distance. I sat down next to her.
“Empathising?”
“I…yes.”
“When you think you are suffering in the same way as someone else, it is easy to empathise. That is usually when we are wrong you know. By identifying yourself to what you think she is suffering from, you are not open to what is really going on in her heart.”
“She has a heart? After the way she made Roberto suffer you still think so?”
I laughed. “How can you empathise with her and also remain angry?”
“I feel both.”
“Actually it is not her I am empathising with.”
She threw me a quick glance, her cheeks reddening. “You mean me?”
“You! Whatever for? No, I was thinking of your brother. What a really shit position he’ll find himself in when we return, whatever you decide. If you join us he will be unhappy and if you stay with them he will be forced to endure your suffering and he will feel he is to blame. I suppose he will also be angry with you - it might help him to bear the pain.”
“Angry?”
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“Of course. No one likes to know the person they love, loves someone else more, but is staying out of pity.”
I could sense the worry in all the others. They were now questioning their wisdom in letting me handle Latreia and sending tiny pleas that I be more gentle. I blocked them off.
She turned on me in anger. “It is not pity! I love him very much.”
I stared back at her without answering for a while.
“How would you feel if he fell in love, but closed his heart to his love so as to stay with you?” I got up and walked away.
She shouted at me, “You are horrible,” but I pretended not to hear and jumped home.
Robbie was staring at me with wonder and a sadness. “I’ve never seen any of you so ruthless before. Come to me my love.” He wrapped me in his arms. “Jesus, if I’d known what words you were planning to say I’d not have let you go my love. I should have spoken them, not you.” He looked at Goldi who was in tears. “Sam was right love. She has forced Latreia to face the truth.”
Everybody forgot me. When I’d jumped, Latreia had wailed and Shiyra heard her. She looked up and saw Latreia and even she could not avoid feeling the agony. She hesitated and then turning walked up the hill. By the time she got to Latreia, Latreia was sobbing her heart out. She was not certain how to react and surprised herself by sitting down and pulling Latreia to her. Gently she held her without speaking a word.
“Well, I’ll be damned! This was not expected.”
We watched in fascination as Latreia realised who is holding her. It made her cry all over again.
“What can make one of Robert pain like this?”
“Sam, she…said things to me…”
“That one! She made you pain?”
Latreia pulled away and looked her in the face. “That was not fair. Sam made me see things I did not want to, but I had to.”
Shiyra gazed back into her eyes. “Perhaps she should talk to me then. She will make me pain also?”
Latreia wanted to giggle, but kept her face straight. “Do you want her to?”
“I want something…I do not know what. How did she do it to you?”
“I have to hurt someone and cannot face it. She made me see it will be worse not to.”
We yelled, hugging and kissing each other.
“How can it be worse not to hurt someone. Ah, is it someone you hate?”
“No,” shaking her head, “someone I love very much. I also love Robert and this family and I did not know how to tell the other ones I love that I’m leaving them. I was ready to stay with them so as not to hurt them.”
“Why Samantha, why not Robert? Is it not his position?”
“It cannot be him - I see that now Shiyra. Only Sam could have spoken as she did. I was silly, I shouted at her, I was nasty when she was trying to help me.”
“I do not understand. That Robert, he has so much…power, but it is Sam who does the thinking. It is a pity she does not have the power also. Oh!” She stared at Latreia and we could tell she did not really see her anymore. She looked as if a battle were being waged within her. Suddenly anxious, Latreia gripped her.
“What’s wrong?”
3416
Shiyra stood up, not noticing that Latreia was holding to her, so her hand let go. Shiyra walked away as if Latreia did not exist. Robbie jumped to Latreia.
“Don’t worry, I’ll explain what her problem is. Did Sam help you my love? She frightened us when she spoke like that to you.”
“She must love me a lot. Roberto, I have been such a coward, do you still love me?”
“You are already in my heart - come into my mind and see just how much.”
Out there on the green hilltop, Cherine reached for her and the circle snapped, pulling her into our hearts and lives forever. She collapsed to her knees and Robbie quickly was down to catch her in his arms. We all jumped and there was so much joy and love it must have been felt by everyone (actually, Ashiir did tell us they felt it and realised what had happened). We celebrated on board the ship and all who were free of other duties joined us. Latreia got petted, caressed and kissed so much I’m surprised she was not irritated. She did spend most of the evening happily sitting on Robbie’s lap, her mother sharing with her for a while.
It was late and we were all looking forward to returning home and making love to our little baby girl, but she pulled away.
“I have something to do first, can I meet you back at home?”
She jumped and we saw the dark silhouettes of trees and a large rock. Without hesitating she walked to the rock.
“Shiyra.”
“Latreia, what is it?”
“Feel me please.” Shiyra touched her and Latreia giggled. “I meant feel my heart, my joy. I want you to share it with me for tonight. Will you, please?”
She then did something very cunning. “Hold me to you please.” and she shrank to a baby. Shiyra began to glow and in her soft light she looked down at Latreia.
“What have you done?”
“I am a baby Shiyra. I made myself closer to my real age. I am like a child of two years.”
“What is your real age?” She watched as Latreia shrank further. She knelt on the grass, her glow softly golden and her eyes looked liked two dark pools as she stared. She took Latreia by the neck and raised her, holding her out for a moment as she stared at her and then she brought her up against her body and poor Latreia stopped choking.
Shiyra had chosen the body of a ten year Terran. It responded to the feeling of holding a baby against her and she probed at the feelings, trying to analyse them. Latreia slowly grew herself back to the age of two.
“Don’t analyse it Shiyra, just feel.” She giggled. “You nearly choked me. That is not how you pick up a baby.”
“It looks to me like you girls better revise your plans for tonight. I think we’ve lost Latreia to Shiyra.” He pretended to be miffed about it and we all laughed.
“Not my daughter Roberto. She is more likely to bring Shiyra to our bed than for her to stay away. She did ask her to be with her for tonight.”
“Robert, she is not ready.” Sol said, her worry obvious.
He laughed. “You’re not seriously suggesting I’d have sex with her?” He looked at us as we stared back solemnly. “You don’t…you too my sweet Candy?” She could not help it and gave a huge grin, but he took it the wrong way. “I don’t believe this, my own loves think I’m a sex maniac.”
3417
“You must admit she is sexy. While she was around we were having sex every night to help you cope with temptation.” Cherine teased..
Shiyra found herself slightly rocking Latreia, softly speaking to herself. “Memories, so long ago, you bring them back. Our species, we too had arms. You look like an abnormal Qkwesinitie baby.” She spoke to the air. “Robert, you must be watching, what do I do now?”
He jumped to her. “I believe Latreia has invited you to join us for tonight. Do you accept?”
“You wish to use this body for sex?”
“No. Tonight belongs to Latreia, if she grows up…” he smiled at her baby big eyed stare, “Contrary to what you may have heard or think, Shiyra, you will not be touched by me.”
She looked down at Latreia and spoke softly to her. “That is meant to be reassuring? Was it an insult?”
“Did you think that taking on the appearance of beauty and all we find sexy you will seduce me Shiyra? I am seduced by other things that you are not aware of yet. Like the tender way you are holding my baby daughter.”
She quickly handed her over and Robbie grinned.
“Why do you invite me to your side for this night?”
“Latreia invited you. I think she wanted you to sense the love between us, not the animal part of our sexual congress. That, I suspect, to you, as another species watching us dispassionately will appear ludicrous.”
“It is the same for all species, is it not?”
“No. The act itself varies. Only the love I imagine and hope is the same. Oh, you meant the watching? I suppose so.”
“If it does not displease you, I will watch then.”
“Shiyra, we will be going to the void first to dance, join us there too.”
She shuddered. “No.”
“A pity, you will be amazed at the love you feel. Nothing can happen to you in the void Shiyra, I promise.”
“The……is there!”
“I cannot catch what you said. What are you talking about? Is it some kind of creature?”
“The dark energy we attacked you with. It returned to the void? The …..., another kind of Ii, will sense it and come. Why did you think we stayed in normal space as souls?”
Robbie placed Latreia on the ground and sitting down he closed his eyes. Latreia was not big enough to stop him falling over as he left his body, but Jade and Cherine were there in time to grab him. The hours passed as we anxiously waited. Dommi told Cherine to bring Robbie home. Shiyra obeyed Cherine and came with.
“I have to go to him Dommi, there must be a problem for him to be away so long.”
I cut in. “No Cherine, you must not go. I think I know what he is doing and you will not find him there.”
“What do you mean - where will he be?”
“I think he is searching the void. He is probably many galaxies away from us by now. He must be searching for signs of this creature Shiyra mentioned. He will get upset if he hears any of us went to the void without him when there is a possibility of a hostile creature being there.”
3418
Even Latreia stayed awake, using her healer to keep her going, only snuggling up against her mother. Us older girls all took in our arms the younger ones and tried to comfort them with the warmth of our arms around them and our love.
“No point in us starving. I’m not willing to cook for you so we better go to the taverna.” Dommi refused to listen to any arguments and meekly we all jumped, bringing the body of Robbie with us. Shiyra had not spoken the whole night and came with us without anybody telling her to.
We were soon joined by friends. They looked at Robbie without asking, but obviously concerned, so Meli explained to them.
Ordinx asked Shiyra. “Can you explain what it is he is looking for?”
“He searches for the ………I do not know whether to hope he finds it or not. If he is powerful enough to destroy them, I hope he does.”
“The name you give them, we cannot hear it properly, can you give us a name we can hear? A description will also help.”
“Translated it will mean ‘the enemy who devours all life’. To explain them I will need to tell you our history, for we can be said to have created them.”
Rosie said, “Devourers might be a good name for them.”
I do not like names that inspire dread, but kept quiet. Shiyra nodded in agreement.
“It is a story from a time before you existed on your planets. At first we were a young race and still foolish enough to want to expand and dominate all the worlds we found. After thousands of years our government and those who became our allies and partners covered many hundreds of planets and over thirty species. Very little new exploration was undertaken and we began to concentrate on arguing philosophies, searching for new ways for art to express our souls. We grew soft, no longer a warrior people. Those species who had accepted us as their masters also became partners and though there are always those who look to cause trouble, planets swayed by leaders that want to break away, in general we were a healthy group of species, growing.
We had developed our sciences to the point where they no longer served us, so we turned away from new learning and sifted through what we knew and kept only that which allowed us to grow as a people. Many of our philosophers warned us we have reached the end of our time and are degenerating. It was at this time that a ship of ours announced the discovery of a new species far in space and systems from ours.
Careful and hidden monitoring of them showed us that we had discovered a young race still hungry and growing. They had not met any other species yet, but already controlled about fifteen solar systems. We kept watch, but did not announce ourselves while back at the centres of our governments, we argued. There were those who demanded we meet with this new species and welcome them. Those who believed this was the correct way were in the majority and of all the species. However, one…man, someone we considered a philosopher, made his voice heard.
‘There is no need to announce ourselves.’ he said. ‘By the time they reach our worlds we will no longer be strong. We are dying. Every species of our Unation is turning inwards, all looking to develop our souls into one ultimate soul ever since we discovered the void. We have stopped looking for challenges and life holds little meaning. This race is young and hungry. They will destroy us within a generation or two. This will happen whether we announce ourselves or when they arrive here. We will never reach our dream of uniting as one soul, for they will attack and soon our people will be concentrating on surviving only.’
The people asked him what we should do and he told us we only had one choice. We had to bring out our old weapons and destroy them in one blow for our children’s sake. He was a powerful personality, convinced of his ideas, seeing them as the only truth in a world of fading personalities who had turned inwards and now only feared life and wanted a peaceful end. He was a charismatic speaker and he had a plan, a purpose, whereas the rest of those in government waffled. His support grew and the unthinkable became accepted. We made plans to use weapons that can destroy a planet in one blast.”
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Shiyra would not look any of us in the eye as she continued, but the grief in her voice was obvious. “The first of our ships that were seen by the enemy were welcomed with joy. We watched from home, but the distances were so great, the pictures only of the past, so were powerless to interfere. The ships had no people on board, for the ships were themselves our weapons. We watched as the enemy joyfully sent us messages of welcome as the ships plunged into their worlds, blowing them up.”
There was shocked silence for a long while. Ordinx asked, “Surely you did not send ships to every world at the same time? Could you not recall those that left later?”
“We could not. Once the first world was destroyed, we believed we had to destroy them all. Not to do so would be to invite retribution. We could not allow even one planet to survive. So did our leader tell us and we accepted his words. We did not survive long after that. We looked to the void for peace and soon those who did not join us lived as animals, their small numbers unable to support our complex civilisation. The Ii was formed from many smaller meldings and when we found no purpose in existing anymore, we hid ourselves between the suns and slept, hiding from them. Until you awoke us.”
I was surprised that it was Aganthi who spoke. “Your Ii was not created out of love!”
We were shocked by what she’d told us, but I was also curious. “Why did you react that way to us? What were your thoughts, plans?”
“We were troubled. We can see our time from beginning to end. You did not exist in it. That frightened us. How can you be and not be? We learnt that Robert has the power to change the future just by a thought. It is terrifying not knowing where you are going. Fear made us feel alive again and then we thought, if we can bring in new experiences at intervals, new souls joining us, it will give us purpose again.”
I gave a grin the others saw as vicious. “You decided you wanted Robert?”
She replied in a flat voice, “With him we can choose the future we want - perhaps the past too.”
“God!” Their ambition left me stunned.
Iniquion glanced at Fe’jene and spoke. “It seems you Cherinians and your Robert frighten all species, not just us.”
Sol and Ordinx also glanced at each other. Ordinx said, his voice soft. “Yes, they are the most frightening people in any universe and yet, all they bring to all of us is love.” He saw our surprised looks and nodded. “My love belongs to my Ashiir, my child, my family and friends and then, at its most abstract, to my people. You ask that love reaches out to all life. I think you do not know how strange and terrifying what you demand of us is.”
“Yet you came to me willingly.” I said.
“Fear is not always a good reason to hold back from the future.”
Dommi nodded. “That is true, most people of my world have not learnt that lesson. They live stunted lives because they fear change, to explore and grow.”
I asked, “Ordinx, can that answer what has troubled me? I wondered, why apart from my love for Robert, I choose this body age. Is it because growth, exploration, they lie easier within the province of youth?”
“That would suggest maturity brings about chemical changes to the brain and therefore the mind. Damn, but I’ve been stupid.” Cherine had for some time now mostly been keeping her body at an age in her early twenties. Without another word she jumped home and returned within a few minutes as fourteen year old - still older for the sake of her baby. I did not look directly, just out of the corner of my eye and saw Lynda was sitting, her expression morose. She might have felt me, because she looked up and directly at me. I pretended not to notice, if she wants to talk to me she must initiate the conversation.
“Has telling your story helped you see the truth Shiyra?”
She did not look at Sol when she replied, “We can see the truth Solomon. We are puzzled though, how did Robert know to call us sick?”
Cherine reached out and touched her cheek softly. “Any people who deny themselves love are sick Shiyra.”
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“I need to think.” She walked away and we watched her figure fade in the distance, a sad solitary little girl and our hearts went out to her. I cannot help wondering, if we had watched a little tentacled creature, totally alien to us, would we have felt the same? Cherine answered me directly, confirming we always will, since we feel what it feels.
We decided we have to take Robbie home as his body needs to be massaged and it will feel odd doing it in public. Sol asked us not to jump and we saw a swarm of Sparklers descend to us. They covered his body and we wondered what they were doing. They seemed to brighten and then they drifted away. Robbie was gone! Sol smiled and suggested we jump home. With relief we saw him stretched out on our bed.
“We have secretly been practising for a long time. What if one of you are injured and we need to bring your body back to safety? You will excuse me my loves, we have a need to celebrate our achievement.” We surrounded her and she collapsed under our bodies as we threw ourselves on her for a kiss. Cherine was the first to pull away and she stood waiting for us to let go of Sol.
“You are well named, Sol, a sun that brings light and warmth to our family. Please convey to your people our gratitude and love.”
Sol bowed her head to Cherine and vanished. All species must have spent that night out in the open as the Sparklers, in their joy, put on a show for all of us. I wondered what Shiyra thought of it. If only Robbie had been with us, it will have been a perfect night.
Candy must have been almost caught unawares for she had to jump to Robbie and just made it on to his chest before he opened his eyes. He pulled her down while his eyes were still closed and kissed her. With a grin in his voice he said, “Hmm, that must be…Shiyra?” Candy giggled and pulling his ears she made him kiss her again.
He blew on his coffee and taking a sip told us what he’d done. “I went out to the maximum distance I dared to, but I did not sense any life form or strange energy. That does not mean anything. If the creature is made of energy it might be able to blend in with other energies.”
“Robert, you better look in our minds and hear what Shiyra told us.”
He sat back and shut his eyes, as if he felt the pain of those billions dying.
“She did not explain what this has to do with the creature they fear, but we are guessing it has something to do with the race they killed.”
Robbie stared off into the distance, his eyes dark and weary. “Where does it end? How can we undo all the evil of all time.”
“You don’t. Just that which you feel you have to. You are thinking of returning to the past to save that race?”
“How? There is no planet left for us to repair.”
I suggested he relax, get over being away from his body for so long and after talking to Shiyra again we can discuss it.
“I sense a change in her. There might be hope after all.”
He could also sense Lynda. She sat away from us as usual, but she was listening.
“Lynda love, no luck with Arthur yet?”
“None. I’m starting to think he doesn’t exist. What if he is only…part of your subconscious, like the protector?”
“I don’t think so love. We do have a number of Allans after all. How would my subconscious Arthur explain their existence?”
“All that stuff he told us, I can’t sense any of it.”
“Perhaps his reality is different, not just an alternate to ours?”
I hope you enjoy reading this story of fantasy, adventure and love - and should some of it be true for our reality, I hope you will love our Cherine.
Αλέξανδρος Ζήνον Ευσταθίου
(Alexander Zenon Eustace)2nd December, 2019
- posted: 2nd December, 2019
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