LC_Satellite 001-Boxee (the alternate LC story)-Book 11 - post012

Post 01
Post 11

“When Robert left the room, he closed the door behind him and leant against the wall for a minute to quieten his trembling. By the time Cherine walked out he was gone for his practical field training. She walked the streets for an hour and entered a park. She sat on a bench and closed her eyes. She desperately told herself, *If I could block my mind then I can block him. I must!*

106

A hall was hired, for the guests would be in their hundreds. Half her village had accompanied her parents and there were many council members and other important personalities who wanted to attend the ceremony that marked the day Cherine would officially be considered an adult. On the eve of the day, the parents of Cherine were brought to the house of Arthur to meet her. They sat stiffly, despite the best efforts of Arthur to relax them, until Cherine entered the room. Her father came to his feet, but her mother only stared at her without expression while tears coursed down her cheekseks

Without a word, Cherine used her healer to reach out and touch her parents. A gentle soothing, warmer than tears, spread through them. “Mother, father, I have spent the afternoon remembering my years with you. I have not forgotten your love.”

With those precious words her mother burst into sobs that eloquently spoke to Cherine of her grief and love. The eyes of her father filled with tears but he did not try to claim Cherine for his own pain, knowing his wife was in greater need. She took his hand and tugged at him for him to sit by her mother. She then crouched on her knees before them.

“We will make the time for us to speak of the years since I left so that you do not doubt my love for you. Arthur has taught me that we should never take responsibility for the evil of others, please stop blaming yourselves.”

“How could a Master Healer want to destroy a child?”

She smiled. “Whether Master Healer or farm labourer, all are only men with their fears, loves and hates. He thought me a mutant who would change our people – he was proven right mother. I’m glad that the changes I brought were for the good and not as he feared. How can any of us know how I would have been if I’d stayed in our village. Here I was lucky, I had a wise man to guide and protect me.”

An hour later, her mother asked her, “That boy, Robert, that you did it for, was he worth it – has he brought you joy?”

Arthur stopped breathing as he waited for her reply.

“He was and is worth it mother. He has not brought me joy, but he opened my heart to love.” She pretended a cheeky grin. “Has it not been true for you, which would you list as the best of your life with father, joy or love?”

“You do not need to wait for tomorrow, you are already more adult than most who are double your age.” Her parents agreed with Arthur.

107

The people sought to show they honoured her and Cherine was made shy by the love they showed her. The Council asked her to choose which home she wanted for herself and she asked that they officially give her the mansion she shares with Arthur. They gave her a deed declaring it and a large tract of land surrounding it as hers and of her descendants in perpetuity, but they pleaded with her to choose a home within the city so that they’ll know she will return to them every time she leaves. For a moment there was grief in her eyes, but she laughed and asked them why she should love a house more than her people. Arthur suggested his home and she accepted and everyone was happy. She was asked whether she had prepared a vow and she nodded. They led her to the steps so that the crowds outside could hear her.

“I am Cherine. Until this day I was Cherine the child who belonged to her people. As of this day, I am Cherine the adult who belongs to her people. My life is dedicated to healing our world and to helping my people grow so that their spirits shine like the stars. This is what I am and this is what I vow.” She waited for the applause and shouts of goodwill to abate and then raised her hand. “Thank you for sharing this moment of change with me. Since you are here as my witnesses, I ask you to be patient with me as I have thoughts I wish to share.”

She raised her head to stare at the few stars that could be seen and then faced them again. “My vow will take me from you at times. I will always return. However, I need to ask of you a commitment. The land that is being healed, the growth of green and the raising of water is not stable. It will need years of dedication by those who love our world for the new life to become a part of our ecology. The agents of POL, our agents of life, they must continue to move to new lands to heal and rekindle the process of life. We need those who will give of their free time to sustain the healed areas and using gifts they will be taught, give of their love and energy so that those lands become a permanent heritage for all life to rejoice in. Please volunteer to become part time agents of POL and give of your time freely so that you leave this a better world for our children than we found it. Thank you.”

Arthur looked exasperated. “You could have warned us of what you planned, do you have any idea what it was like today? Thousands came and we were not prepared for them.”

108

“Those who do not return would not have continued for long and time spent training them would have been a waste.”

Arthur sighed. “Why is it I can never remain angry with you for long?”

“Soon you will be angry with me for a very long time. Consider this the warning you asked for. Arthur, when the time comes, please try to keep alive a corner where you remember that I love you.”

“What are you planning?”

She sat next to him and raising his arm she put it around her. “Hold me for a while. Nobody has touched me for so long.”

He breathed her name with sorrowful regret, “Cherine. I’m sorry, I’ve spent so many years being alone, I forgot how important it would be for you.”

Five days later Arthur sat at his desk, a note held limply in his fingers as tears filled his eyes. When he could see clearly again he re-read it.

Arthur, father,
I had to leave. My heart sorrows for I know I will hurt you, but I had no choice.
Father, I have given up on my first dream, Robert will never love me. There is little point in my waiting any longer.
I have a promise to keep. I’ve checked and found that one of the satellites can be aimed for sending a signal to outer space. Please ask those who control the satellite to allow me to turn it for a few days. I’m taking Ntchizi to the star beings and with their help we’ll send a message to her people. It will take two hundred years for the message to arrive and then it will take a few years for them to send a ship to collect Ntchizi. For my promise I have exacted a promise from her. When it is time for me to die, she must leave my body so that she lives when they arrive. I have made a good bargain, for the guilt would have been terrible to die with if she’d stayed with me at the end. After we have sent the message, I need to find a lifeform that will last two hundred years. Can you think of any? This is my thought. No single organism, that I know of, lives that long. I am choosing a communal lifeform. We will choose a nest of ants. Ntchizi agrees that it would work, though it would not provide her with the comfort of being in a sentient mind. Arthur, I cannot trust anyone with the knowledge of which ant colony we’ll use. There will be those who will fear and decide to destroy her hosts. I dare not risk it.
Ntchizi has also promised that when her people come, they will do all that is in their power to help protect our descendants from the Children of Rea.
Once I have done with the above, I mean to remain alone for a time. Solitude will open me to new gifts for me to pass on when I return.
Please do not search for me, father, I will return, that is my promise to you - I will always return to you.
Your daughter,
Cherine

109

With shaking hands he poured himself a drink. He suddenly felt very old and afraid for her. He was refused, as he could give no reason, but four days later the telecommunications department reported to him that they’d lost control of a satellite. Reluctantly they agreed not to try and wrest control from Cherine for three days.

Philip ignored his wishes, but had to report to him that his agents found no trail and their spy planes had not found any signs of a warm body. Arthur had been convinced they would not, but he thanked Philip and reassured him.

Six weeks later, while making his report for the maps to be altered, Robert heard that Cherine had disappeared. It took him two weeks to decide to return. He spoke to Philip, but he insisted he talks to Arthur. Without comment, Arthur handed him the note. Robert blanched and collapsed into a chair. The two of them talked until the early hours and then Robert walked until mid-morning before returning to collapse in his bed. His sleep was restless and two hours later he washed and dressed.

“She must have given you a hint of which direction she’ll take. If not a hint, then you should be able to guess, she’s spent her last years with you.”

“Cherine is not a person who confides her thoughts easily. I cannot help you Robert. Give her the time she needs and be here for her when she returns.”

Now that Robert had opened himself to his love for Cherine, he could not rest, a foreboding filled his thoughts days and nights as if something deep within himself was impotently trying to send him a warning.

Post 13