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      "body": "Just for you to see how much I appreciate your comment, here is how it will look on the wall, next to where I sit at my computer.\n\n<center> \n![A Spanish reader of LCherine-12Oct2020-L+Fr.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmRiQ3GDCXbVKrvJBWoetjnxZU47diBjm3tpynBfqNqVWp/A%20Spanish%20reader%20of%20LCherine-12Oct2020-L+Fr.png)\n</center>",
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      "body": "I did not know about there being a site in her name - not created by me.\n\nI hope you enjoy book 13...once I start uploading...am still reading/proofreading and correcting lots of mistakes.\n\nI do not see any posts on your blog page, I hope you will be posting on whatever else interests you. I know life is difficult in Spain right now and I read that the price of property has dropped. I hope you are surviving....without too much suffering.\n\nI will do a follow so as to encourage you to post...",
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      "body": "Hello Arthur, are you still alive and well? Hope the corona-chan dont get you.\nGreeting from a reader, one of whom finished the 12th book  4 months ago.\nI’ve got them from the Tor site cherinesbox, all nice packed in pdfs, and the songs, the satellite stories, etc.\nApologies for my english, i'm spanish speaker. I am very fond of your long novel, and your girls, and all characters and species. Im not a writer myself nor a SciFi fan, but spend  3 years of my life reading it,  yes i am very slow, i have so much things that a want to write to you, but i will keep it short. Yes i do like the green love that why come upon your books.\nCongratulations on that frondous mind you have, you inspired me in more that one way. I love Cherine and Samantha, as well the rest of the Teller family, Robert’s sense of humor is enjoyable.\nI looking forward the book 13, and the rest of them, until the end.\n**Thank you**.   \t\t\t\nTiny Bubbles...https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6f/Figure_rythmique_croche_hampe_haut.svg/15px-Figure_rythmique_croche_hampe_haut.svg.png https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a7/Figure_rythmique_double_croche_hampe_haut.svg/15px-Figure_rythmique_double_croche_hampe_haut.svg.png\n\n**;)**",
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      "body": "<center><h2>Finito - Finished </h2></center>\n\nLiTTLE CHERiNE, Book 12 has now been uploaded.\n\nI want to thank all the members of this platform for cooperating with me, helping me to upload as fast as I could by none of you trying to read my posts.\n\nAs you have probably guessed, my posts are meant for readers from elsewhere...from sites where people who love to read Science Fiction & Fantasy can access my posts without having to be distracted by worries about being upvoted.\n<br>\n<h6>Posting (uploading) of Book 13 is starting soon - and I hope you all show the same remarkable self-restraint and ignore those posts also.</h6>\n\nThank you,\nAlex (Arthur)",
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      "body": "<sup><h6>I have immersed myself in the tellings by your family a number of times and have shared experiences of the re-enactment of the meeting between yourself and Cherine in the Sparkler World. I do not claim such studies give me a special understanding, but I wished to let you know, in advance, that I do not lightly put forward my questions.</h6></sup><br>\n<center>https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmSjs7k76PkScEuXxchZJPDRTfoywcNPt1RTFgzTxnE7Z9/Alex_Robert_Allan%20-%2018y%20-%20mini.png\n</center><br><br>\n<center> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUjdm8RyTVC9Jx8pqYrx7RX3Lvxm35wVLrDNRDUCEEZHF/LC%20Book12%20-%20Cvr.png </center><br><center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost079\">Previous: Book 12 - Post 079 </a></center>\n<br>\n<h3><center>8591</center></h3> It is repeatedly said, and especially by Samantha, that you are the guide who leads Cherinianism to the best of all possible futures. I have claimed in my book that such a belief is a fallacy, that you are prejudiced and cling to an archaic belief system - to the detriment of Cherinianism. I admit that I too may be prejudiced in my beliefs, but I cannot help feeling that my prejudices are far healthier for the future of humanity than yours are.” Robbie gave him a small, polite smile and a hint of a nod, encouraging him to continue. “There are a number of points to be debated, but for practical reasons, I would prefer to concentrate on the one subject I consider the most dangerous.”\n\n“One of the others is my insistence that we remain true to our nature by eating meat?”\n\n“I do not agree with your claim that we are remaining true to our natures, but I’d prefer to set aside my arguments for some future debate, should you be willing.”\n\n“Willing to a future debate or to your setting aside the argument for now? I am not being petty, nor pedantic professor. If you had wanted to leave the debate for a future meeting without implications, there was no need for you to spell out how or why you challenge my beliefs. If we do not discuss it now, it will appear that I conceded the point because I did not answer you or challenge your statement.”\n\n“I withdraw my comments regarding the killing and eating of meat.”\n\nFuxylfy, a Tirsoon of the Unation has been a member of the Council of Philosophy from the early days and is an accomplished debater. He cut in. “Professor, your reply is loaded with emotional issues. Surely it was not necessary to add the matter of killing to what you’d already said? Please leave such tactics for advocates in your courts of law, we are here to make honest efforts to find our way though conflicting ethics and customs, which is difficult enough with so many species taking part.”\n\nThe professor reddened. “My apologies, I stand corrected.”\n\nRobbie smiled. “You are used to the spirit and fire of debates at the university debating society?”\n\n“To tell the truth, most of my talks and debating experiences nowadays are at television shows.” \n\nRobbie laughed. “Ouch! You would not survive for long if you did not use emotional language to win over the public. Please continue professor and I will try to accommodate your habits and not complain at small infractions of our rules.” I felt curious about how the professor would react. It is difficult to be as aggressive as planned when the other person has been so sympathetic and nice to you.\n\n“I don’t doubt that what I’m going to describe is true of many species, but I’ll speak of the Terran, since it is the one with which I am more intimately knowledgeable. It is accepted that our species began as non-sentient lifeforms, gradually evolving into sapient creatures. There is a school of thought that try to provide pseudo-scientific reasons for their claim that within one instant, mankind, what there was of it at the time, suddenly switched from non-sentient to sentient. I’ll reserve the arguments of those points for when I am at some television debate.” He earned a few chuckles. “It is a fascinating thought and I have often wished I could be present at the birth of sentience. To be in their minds as their grunts evolve to form meanings until the accumulation of words provide them with the ability to string two and more words together, for instance, no longer satisfied by forming the sound for ‘danger’ but now able to categorise the type of danger threatening them. To be within those minds that expand from instinct to the stuttering of reason, it would not only need the ability to return in time, but also the ability to share their minds, so it is not likely to become possible, unless I am linked as a Cherinian.”\n\n“You would need to remain in those minds for centuries. Could you, without losing your own mind?”\n\n“I was only daydreaming aloud while developing my argument. Language was an important focus for the mind, forcing self-awareness - not the other way around. While we used simple sounds to deal with our needs, we remained intellectually insentient. The more complex our signals, each word needing to form a picture for instant identification, the more pressure on our brains to develop connections, both for language and for memory, leading us to the ability of abstract thoughts. There are sapient species who evolved without using language to stimulate their minds, but I suspect that whatever form of communication they evolved had the same effect as our verbal method of communications. I have tried to postulate other stimuli that could effect the same breakthrough, but have failed.\n\nWhile our species survived with a minimal of words and relied on instincts, cruelty, hurting and killing for the sake of it, were not often a part of our nature. The growing complexity of language opened our minds to abstract concepts which, along with sapience, more often than not was responsible for the development of the dark side of mankind's history. Once we learnt how to kill for abstract reasons, such as religion and other belief systems, it was only natural we would employ language to justify the most heinous acts of cruelty. \n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8592</center></h3> Throughout the brief history of Mankind, there have been exceptional men and women who argued the need for us to turn away from the past and develop compassion, kindness and love to drive us as a species. During the twentieth and twenty first century the call for such changes grew stronger, but the development of mega-cities tore at our societies so that the majority of people lost the ability to feel the suffering of others in a meaningful way. At the exact time that our species seemed to be condemned, the Cherinians were born and helped lead us out of the paths which were leading us to stagnation, despair and racial suicide.\n\nThose who had the wisdom to see past the fear of mutants and their powers, which our media tried to inculcate in our populations, celebrated when they understood that Cherine and her powers grew out of empathy. I still recall my father and his colleagues getting drunk as they rejoiced that Cherine was partnered with an artist. Robert came across as a sensitive and very earnest young man who still held to the ideals most men have lost by the time they reach the age of twenty years.”\n\nHe paused and we sensed he was nervous. He turned to speak to me. “Samantha, what I will say will sound like an attack on you, but it is not meant to be; for we are far too much in your debt thanks to your devotion and determination to force sanity upon our governments. Most thinking Normals have cheered you many times and you are admired and loved by all of us for your willingness to sacrifice even those you love for the dream of improving our species. Despite this, perhaps even because of this, it is equally true that you cost us the one opportunity Robert offered us of striving for and achieving a state of grace, of becoming truly human.”\n\nIf he had been slightly more sensitive he would have wilted like a flower under a desert sun as my family reacted. I spoke so as to prevent any of my loves from protesting. “I apologise for speaking, since I am not part of the Council, but I am under the impression it is your wish that I do so. Professor, I’m not certain I deserve the accolade as all I achieved was with the help of others, family and friends of all species.” I grinned. “I think I can see where you are going with the negative comment, but I’d like to hear how you will detail your claim. Please do so without fear of hurting my feelings.”\n\n“I was not implying a deliberate intention to cause harm. It is said your most important contribution to Cherinianism is your strict upholding and support of the dreams Robert has for Cherinianism. I fear that in your eagerness you failed to consider an important aspect - the differences in your personalities were bound to colour the way you interpret his dreams. You are of a more practical nature and though it is said that Robert dreams and you find the way to make his dreams come true, no mention is ever made of the way you influence him. In my opinion, the evidence seems to point towards your way of thinking limiting him, often affecting his thinking - without him realising what it is you are doing to him. I am not criticising you, just stating a fact. Your support has driven Cherinianism so that it stays true to the main thrust of Robert's dreams and without you not even that much would have been achieved. There is however one dream which has been sacrificed because of you influencing him.\n\nRobert has always been aware that he is impractical, but he dared to hold to his dreams despite all criticisms.  It is reported that, amazingly, Cherine encouraged him to remain impractical, stirred by the beauty of his visions. In spite of Samantha feeling the same way, as she began to take a hand in dealing with the daily problems, she felt forced to tone down the dreams of Robert, justifying herself by claiming she had to be practical and once people are used to the changes, she will plan and fight to make the rest of his dreams come true. She either did not foresee the effect she’d have on Robert or else she was confident that she would remember and bring about the changes once the time is right, that is, when the universe is more malleable. Sixty years later and she has not done so, for a simple reason - Robert no longer believes in those dreams she’d set aside. He’s accepted the limitations as being of practical necessity and moved on to other less grandiose dreams.\n\nCherinians offer the single best opportunity for all of humanity to turn its collective back on the baser side of our nature. Children, whether Cherinians or not, must be brought up with the same belief system. It will take a few generations, but we will reach the day when no person is capable of harming another. Robert, that will never happen for as long as you advise Cherinians that it is right of them to take the life of others if it is in self-defence. There can be no excuse for the taking of a life. Ever!”\n\nI’ve presented a very brief synopsis of what he said. The professor spoke for nearly two hours and supported his arguments with numerous quotes; presented tables of statistics from psychological research he has devoted all his life to and filled the table with graphs that measure the results of countless variations from his recommendations. He was very persuasive and seems to have all the scientific facts to back his opinions. I don’t know whether I should agree with his analysis of my effect on Robbie - and his descriptions of my shortcomings, but I do know I’m glad it is not me who has to stand up to his well thought out theories and prove them (him) wrong. I could sense that the Council members did not agree with the professor - there are details they agree with, but not all the conclusions, which partly a creation which does not only reflect the purity of logic and science - it has been influenced by his belief system, which I guess was imprinted on him by his father.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8593</center></h3> Robbie spread out his hands apologetically. “I’m sorry professor, but you have been hoodwinked by Samantha's machinations. She is obsessed with making me appear to be the dreamer who guides Cherinianism to its ultimate destination so that nobody questions my role of protector and you fell for it hook, line and sinker. I may have been a dreamer, quixotic in many ways, yet, the truth is, I was not completely void of sense - if you had studied artists, you would not need to be told. If I was as foolish or impractical as I seem to be, would I have fought Vincent, determined to see him become an individual, a soul with the same rights as I? Would not the childish kind of mentality you thought was mine have been desperate to cling to him as our devoted protector?\n\nAnyone who studies the history of our species has to feel an overwhelming degree of grief at times. So many people at various times and parts of our world fought to bring about some kind of utopia, from religious to based on altruistic logic or human rights and human dignity. Do you know why all of them failed? Because they all mimicked the pendulum and went from one extreme to the other in gigantic steps. Everything comes at a cost professor. If we take mankind in the right direction, but using small steps at the correct intervals, we might succeed in redefining and refining ourselves. Listening to you talk, I could not help wondering whether our souls play any significant part in your dreams for us. For us Cherinians, it has been proven that the soul is refined by living a number of lives. We cannot demand everyone becomes refined if their souls have not had the time it requires for ridding itself of the darkness of negative thoughts, appetites and weaknesses. Professor, do you have grandchildren?”\n\n“I do not.”\n\n“Then let’s hope your imagination and memory of your daughter as a small child is empathic enough for you to be capable of imagining you have a little son and daughter. Their mother, your beloved wife, has recently passed away and you have taken your children to the beach bungalow, in the hopes that the sun and sea will help restore their spirits and bring back some colour to their pale cheeks. You notice that the previous tenant, a police officer, has forgotten his pistol and it is fully loaded, ready for action. It does not seem worth making a special trip into town for delivering the pistol to the letting agent or the local police station, you think to yourself that either the culprit can return to collect it if he needs it urgently, or else he can wait until you and the children have had a good night’s sleep. In the morning you make a nice breakfast, see to it that the kids drink a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice and just as your children laugh at something you say, for the first time since their mother died, a dark shape fills the door and you see a man with an axe.  He is covered in gore from killing the neighbours, both the man and woman and their baby boy and he has a maniacal gleam in his eye as he announces that he is now going to kill you and your children. As he raises the axe for beheading your child, you notice the pistol next to your hand and you…I’m sorry, you’ll have to provide for us the rest of the story. Do you swiftly point the weapon and shoot, or do you stick to your convictions and meekly stand by while he kills your children and then you?”\n\nThe professor kept all emotion from his face as he replied, “Sadly, I would shoot the man…until I am certain he is truly dead. I do not claim to be finer than anyone else, all I’m asking is that we try to plan for a day when mankind no longer needs to respond with barbarity to acts of barbarity.”\n\nRobbie tilted his head in thought. “Interesting. I did leave you a loophole and expected you to answer that you would shoot him in the arms and legs so as to nullify the threat without having to kill him.” He came to his feet and thoughtfully walked the length of the table and back. “The truth is, I also set myself a test at the same time. I imagined that you were refined and allowed the murderer to kill your children and yourself and I asked whether I would respond by bringing all three of you back to life. I regret to advise you that I failed the test.” He paused a moment. “I decided I would bring your wife and children back to life, but I would leave your refined soul to seek new experiences in another life. In other words, I would not respect your decision to allow the death of your children. Professor, I would not do so because I respect or not your rights, I would leave you to your chosen fate because I do not respect you. You see, whether the children are yours or the person threatened is some old tramp you’d never met, the moment you choose to allow someone to kill an innocent person, while having the ability to prevent the death, you do not avoid killing, for you are morally responsible for the death of the victim - which means, you are a murderer. What is truly worse is that you are not guilty of killing a murderer - you are guilty of the death of an innocent. I find the thought and possibility horrifying.”\n\nRobbie returned to his seat, but his eyes showed he was lost in thought. He spoke to the professor and we did not need to be Cherinians to hear the sadness in him, “I cannot use the word ‘never’ when I may to live for millions of years; such a span of time can change me to the point where I no longer recognise myself. All I can say is, for the foreseeable future, I do not even suspect the possibility of my changing to the extreme you ask of me. If I may, I ask that you remain to debate and argue your points with the Council since they and all Cherinians should not follow my choices without considering them at depth and coming to agreement with my beliefs. Good day my friends.” He got to his feet, slightly bowed his head to them in respectful greeting and walked out with all of us following him.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8594</center></h3> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmZq6qiBHtEtZgWqXkSoERJNyYxk1Rf65rmGHKmiKkNGL1/Arthur,%20asks%20what%20if%20he%20chooses%20to%20be%20a%20little%20girl,%20Bk12,%20p8594.png\nA few weeks have gone by without my writing as we needed some time at home without you ageing. The bad thing about sitting around so much is that I get to think up questions I’m not always certain I want to be asking. Somebody with a sense of humour opened a coffee shop with the name, <i>The Bad Athenian</i> [O Kakos Athinaios]. The snobs loved it and they’ve made lots of money. We were curious and asked Robbie to take us there for our coffee. We won’t be going back; the coffee is good, but their cups are half the normal size…not much more than a sip for the price one should only have to pay the gods of Mt Olympus for their nectar. But I got to ask my question while Robbie drank his third cup.\n\n“The hypothetical story you made up for the professor, what if we change it slightly so that we have a different question to examine? Say daddy goes to the bathroom to shave and takes the pistol with him so that his kids don’t accidentally shoot each other. He hears a noise and coming out finds his children dead and sees the murderer shambling down to the beach for a swim. Is he allowed to shoot? There is no life to save, just the fury and satisfaction of vengeance.”\n\nCherine was the one who answered without any hesitation. “I’d shoot him in the legs and arms, like Robert suggested, then I’d shoot him in the belly so that he takes a long time dying. Maybe then I’d bring him back to life and do it all over again.”\n\nRobbie shook his head with wonder. “You’re still that bloodthirsty monster I fell in love with! Two centuries of Cherinianism have done nothing to civilise you.”\n\nNot amused, her little face fierce, she answered, “Anybody hurts someone I love pays for it.”\n\nRobbie grinned as he asked me, “Is there still any point in my answering you?”\n\n“Yes, I’d like to know how you feel about it.”\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmYgboRcKMkiJbP8ZzREVDsH1RsqhaXvw85YozQ1ecyvFG/Sam,%20a%20reality%20with%20a%20god,%20Bk12,%20p8594.png\nWe’ve decided we have to go, but we are taking reinforcements. Both Jesus and Christós have joined us and Michael and his family, with two of his most powerful Ipohin and, of course Campbell is still with us. Lusalith and Ivgos are also in Freddie and I’m certain every Talent is potentially useful as we don’t know what his powers are. Before we leave, I think you deserve an explanation of why we feel we have to go. Apparently the god is Old Testament style and is very intolerant of those who do not obey all his commandments. He has stifled all progress and it is a miserable world for those who have to live there. Once Lynda searched his reality for him, she became aware of a few things we had not been told (a Sparkler-Anadir team reported this reality to us. They did not stay long enough to get any details as they were worried the god of that reality might become aware of them). We know that the god is a Terran, but Lynda did not stick around long enough to get a feel for him so we don’t know whether he is a Talent we already know. She also sensed that he is totally ignorant of the possibility of other realities and she says she thinks he is not well educated. \nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUWvPoT4bcdXBpTHMWsQdBYDs8Dj8oWkMDLHaqArqU2ZT/Arthur,%20sounds%20like%20a%20typical%20god,%20Bk12,%20p8594.png\n<br>\n<h3><center>8595</center></h3> Freddie has never been this empty. Robbie asked all, Cherinian or otherwise, who cannot help with a unique power of their own to stay behind or go to the Sparkler Worlds. He accepted that the Ivgos family should be considered one unit and the only other exception he made is for the Akiard kids. He did not ask for even the youngest, a toddler, to leave. From my side, I made an exception for Efineh and Sebura, but asked for Piri to go to the Sparkler World Athens. Sebura demanded she stay and surprised the hell out of us by asking for Birshima. I’d thought he’d felt, temporarily, an interest in her mother Fiera and wondered. She was happy we wanted her with us. The young Samuel King is with us - as are Allan and family. Another three exceptions were Alki, Marian and Manoli. Robbie did not try to get any of us girls to stay away, at least he has learnt not to try, saving much energy and time and avoiding hurt feelings by those he tries to protect.\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmWP4TWK9zjdys9KntVk8mKvXL4A1cfCs3xMrK9QxauNnY/Arthur,%20if%20in%20danger,%20Athene%20must%20write,%20Bk212,%20p8595.png\nI’m not even going to try to thank you. I should have mentioned that the details of our mission leaked out (why is it that Cherinians can’t stop themselves from gossiping?) and leaders of Christian and Islamic churches asked to come with. We refused all of them, explaining that we will try to bring that person to visit, but until he is willing to relinquish his ‘divine’ authority, we cannot weaken ourselves by having people we have to protect. We are now in a dead reality. We’ll sleep here, have our breakfast, set up everything as planned and jump to our destination. We intend arriving in normal space, but far enough from Earth that it is unlikely the population will notice us. We know ‘he’ will.\n<br>\n\nWhat a shock! Within seconds of our arrival, he was within Freddie! How did he teleport here without even knowing the sphere of energy he saw was safe for him to jump into? Our shock was his face: this is another Jesus, but very different from any we’ve met till now. He does not have powers of magic, but his psychic powers and presence are stunning. He hardly spared a glance for Freddie, as if seeing another planet is not worth his attention, but he did give a startled look at the spaceships in our sky. He studied the aliens he could see, extending mental feelers to sense what their powers are and how much of a risk they pose. He ignored the Terrans until he suddenly realised that two of them are like twin brothers to him. As if their presence was a blasphemy, he exploded in a white hot rage and sent for energies from the surface of the sun to destroy them and all of Freddie. We trust our Vincent-Kirsten team and remained calm and did not try to protect ourselves. The flames he brought could not have lasted longer than a hundredth of a second, but the heat was so intense that millions of Wirms and much of our bird life was burnt to ash. Luckily the Wirms use bodies created for them while in Freddie so they were back within a few seconds. If Robbie does not want very sad wives, when this is over and done with, he’ll have to return in time to collect the birds and bring them back to us. Jisus has very fast reactions. As soon as he sensed his attack had failed, he vanished.\n\nWe cannot sense him anywhere. He is not in or close to Freddie and he is not on the moon or Earth. We do not dare have Freddie extend his probes to see the planet, which is still at great distance. We stared at each other with wonder and it took a while before anyone could speak - and then, of course, the first things said were of the obvious. “Another Jesus!” was everyone’s first exclamation. Robbie decided the next attack will be by meteorites thrown against Freddie, so he and five others went outside to keep watch. Jesus and Christós wanted to create spells to prevent him from entering Freddie. We asked them not to. If he can’t enter, the fight will then have to be taken to Earth and none of us want that.\n\nBirshima looked dazed and Robyn guessed correctly. With a gentle smile she asked, “That was much more powerful than the fire-warrior you’ve learnt to create? Don’t feel bad, all of us are impressed by the power of this self-styled god.” She turned serious. “I’m impressed by his vigilance, we were hardly here a minute and he not only became aware of us, but learnt enough for him to teleport into Freddie!”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8596</center></h3> Cassie called to me, “What are you going to call this Jesus? Gosh, he really does not like having alternates!” She jumped to Christós and spoke just like a sweet little girl, “I like you, I think you are <i>both</i> wonderful,” making all of us laugh.\n\nSebura stared around, his eyes sharp, as if he’ll see where danger will come from by concentrating like a hunter. He asked me, “You are confident your powers are stronger? Can we stop him from killing?”\n\nI gave him a tight smile, for I <i>was</i> worried. “You know Cassie and Jade, always ready to make us laugh when we forget to think for ourselves. We do take him seriously Sebura, but if he succeeds in causing injuries or death, none will stay dead, Robert will bring them back - if they can’t do so on their own.” I nearly said, <i>I told you not to bring Piri</i>, but I hate saying <i>I told you</i> and he would not have understood. To him, as his daughter, it is only natural she shares his danger and he would have just thought I’m being strange, or else, that I’m planning to weaken her.\n\nWhile the above was happening, hundreds of millions of Sparklers were searching for the one I’m calling Jisus. I was not perplexed by his disappearing act, not per se. I mean, he would have to be pretty dumb not to have prepared some safe places. What did confuse me is his ability to block his mind and emoting so effectively. Why would he develop such an ability if it is not needed. Does this mean there are or have been other Talents? Does he kill them or does he burn out their powers? The more I thought about it the more sense it made. He has convinced an entire planet he is their god. That means he must always be invisible, even should someone bump his head and suddenly become a major Talent, Jisus cannot confront them openly.\n\nAlki was staring at me so Cherine said to him, “Sam is trying to work out how he thinks.”\n\nHe smiled. “Sometimes that can be a more effective strategy. Samantha mou, have you come to any insight that could help us find him?”\n\nI nodded. “Maybe. I don’t think he is on or in the moon. He is not hiding in some remote area on Earth. His best way of hiding is to become a Normal and hide among the people, just another local worker or small time shopkeeper. That would be the best kind of camouflage - because I think he uses it often.”\n\nManoli glanced at Alki and then asked me, “How can you know he does it often?”\n\n“He may like to think of himself as a god, but in many ways he remains a man. He needs companions who do not ask too many questions, he needs to eat, maybe he needs a woman now and then? He cannot choose to be very wealthy or a king as that would make him stick out and I doubt he’d enjoy it. Jesus, all of them, started life in a village with a carpenter for a father. He probably has fairly earthy tastes…” I saw I was going into too much detail and my voice faded. Cherine gave me a big grin and I sensed the majority of Sparklers return from Earth. Just as well, Jisus will make his whereabouts known soon enough, there is no need for us to hunt for him.\n\nJisus certainly knows how to choose his moments. We’d just had a lovely evening of lovemaking and Robbie was sitting up in bed, enjoying the sight of so many little girls, when suddenly everything went haywire. Gravity reversed itself and as we were flung towards the ceiling, gravity recovered (thanks to Freddie) and we dropped again. It happened too suddenly for us to react and some of us crashed on top of others and there were a number of cries of pain before our healers could help. Robbie sensed none of us had sustained a serious injury and quickly putting on his pants he jumped to float above the land. He quickly surveyed the changes and was relieved to find there is no serious damage - apart from goods in the galleries and museums…which had disappeared, which means Robbie returned in time (later) to save what would have been damaged. Dommi grabbed a clean shirt, we all dressed and met Robbie at the taverna. He was angrily muttering in his mind so we stayed out of it, giving him time to get over his anger.\n\n“That was stupid of me, there is no reason to put Freddie at risk. We can bring back those who die, but I cannot re-create Freddie. Next time he might throw a black hole at us! He certainly seems to have the capability. Freddie, let’s go to the void.” If Jisus was monitoring us, from his point of view we must have suddenly disappeared and he’ll think we’ve gone back to wherever we came from. Robbie told us he is going back to bed as he wants his beauty sleep before he returns to normal space, so we all went with, since he was doing it for our sakes - he still acts like a daddy now and then. https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmaC6xhFoTcWBivgQ3MXjXyG3bnKe4gRCp6TamgvNNQqLF/LC-smilie_reg-grey.png\n\nJesus and Christós arrived for breakfast just as we were finishing. They had been up for hours, walking and talking about Jisus (no doubt) for they both looked grim. We made place for them to sit opposite Robbie at his table.\n\nJesus said, “It is humbling to think that this man is our alternate. We’ve been asking ourselves what kind of split in our realities could have turned us into a man like him.”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8597</center></h3> Angelica asked, “Could it be he sensed something was missing because his reality does not have magic and it made him afraid?”\n\n“It certainly made him small-minded! Angel, all realities have magic, it is only the degree that varies.” Christós nodded in agreement.\n\nHaven added, “I’ve noticed that the more fearful people are, the more vicious they become.”\n\nRobbie glanced at her, his eyes dark, for he is still angry that Jisus attacked without speaking to us first. He loves Freddie, our tiny world, and the sight of land and forests torn still hurts him. “Are you trying to make me empathise with him?”\n\nChristós nodded. “A good point Robert. We must not forget to empathise.”\n\nRosie voiced her thoughts, “The powers he has are alarming, but I also find myself fascinated by what I think of as one aspect of them. Obviously he does not want his people to know that their god is a person so he has specialised in using his powers from a distance. Haven, when he started off, his first powers awakening, he could have been afraid of being marked as different, but as his powers grew, why would he be fearful - what has he to be afraid of? Is there some other power in this reality more powerful and ruthless than him?”\n\nMeli answered, “Yes, but it is not another person. His need to remain capable of having a normal life, to be part of his society; even if it wars with his need to act out his compulsions. I have the impression he thinks this reality belongs to him and that is why he flew into a rage when he sensed we have powers that are similar to his. He has probably never had to face any competition before.”\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmcmXj8sC1WSzssGvxQdPD2yqPAWg6kQT2RL3PbHsUV9hG/Arthur,%20suggests%20he%20unassume%20a%20power,%20Bk12,%20p8597.png\nAganthi excited us when she reminded us of how Craig teleported without us being able to sense him aim for an arrival spot and asked whether it could be that Jisus is schizophrenic or suffers from a split personality syndrome. Dommi shook her head in disagreement. “I just had time to sense his mind and I don’t think so.”\n\n“You tried to enter his mind!?” Jesus asked. “That was foolish, if he’d sensed you he could have destroyed your mind.”\n\nCherine took hold of Dommi’s hand. “Nobody can sense Dommi if she doesn’t want to be sensed. She’s the best of all of us.” I don’t know whether Robbie was more upset with Dommi or Cherine for encouraging her.\n\nMorreb (male Anadir), had listened without commenting. When we sensed he wished to speak, we fell silent. “We cannot wait for him to attack us, we must make the next move. I suggest a new platform is made and it openly approaches Earth, beaming messages of peace and friendship.”\n\nisi asked, “Before we do so, what if we healed everyone on Earth. They would be more likely to believe our broadcast then.”\n\nI asked the question I was certain many wondered about. “Since they have not discovered radio yet, how do we broadcast our messages?”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8598</center></h3> Morreb was probably disappointed in me, for he did not answer me, aiming his answer to no one in particular. “The Sparklers can create thousands of repeater stage sets all over the world. The stages would only exist for a few minutes so they should not be in any danger.”\n\nEveryone complimented Morreb on his idea and enthusiastically argued the proposal made by isi. We decided this is a Cherinian solution and decided to go ahead - most of the workload will fall on the Sparklers, which makes them happy. They teleported to Earth in the hundreds of millions and within hours, surprisingly, almost all of them had returned. Robbie prepared the platform and the time of our appearance for the next day was agreed with Solomon so that the repeater stages can be broadcasting our messages as we arrive. Manoli suggested a full lamb on a spit and some music for us to dance as we had been feeling either low or angry since we’d arrived. We had a lovely evening and Cassie even switched the glass of water your image takes a sip from now and then with red wine. When it took a sip we all watched but it did not react.\n<br>\n\nWhat a disaster! I’m writing this two days later and we are in a dead reality trying to recover and work out how we should handle the problems we stupidly created. Since Jisus does not have magical powers, it was decided that Jesus and Christós should not come with us, as their presence would only provoke him. Vincent and Kirsten came with, but they were not in the platform and they blocked themselves so that Jisus cannot sense them should he try to attack us again. Within a minute or so of arriving in normal space, as if he’d been waiting for us, something grabbed at us and the next we knew we were no longer within our platform. We were on Earth and standing in the middle of some desert or other and a shield of energy shimmered, blocking our departure - we presumed so, since we did not try to leave. Jisus walked through the shield (that impressed everyone, even Robbie - none of us can do that…or, none of us have thought of trying to do so with our own shields. We can only jump out of them). He glowered as he stared at us and we could sense he was struggling to contain himself - maybe because of so many of us being children.\n\n“Do you come from an Earth like this one?” He was obviously speaking to Robbie and we sensed he thought of us as children, so not worth communicating with. Manoli he took to be under Robbie and the aliens he did not expect them to understand him. Luckily Claudia had no delays with helping us understand each other.\n\n“The same, but not the same, some things…”\n\n“What gives you the right to interfere with our world?”\n\n“We only healed…”\n\n“If I wanted them healed I could have done so myself!” Coldly he stared at Robbie, as if daring him to try and excuse himself again. “Your self-indulgent stupidity is going to cause a lot of pain and suffering and within a couple of generations I will have to manipulate them so that they go to war with each other. Will you then return to hold the dying in your arms and share their pain?” He turned his back on us and stood staring at the desert outside. He suddenly turned and, ignoring Robbie, he stood before Cherine and spoke to her. “I see a child, but I sense that some day you will grow to be important to all of life. Is that the reason the two who are like me are with you?”\n\n“They are our friends…”\n\n“I do not believe that, none who are as I can be anyone’s friend. Our duty does not allow it. Listen carefully to me child, if you are to be as important as I sense, then learn this; what is true for those you love and are loved by, is not always true for all the people of your world. What is true for your world is not always true for other worlds. Before you meddle, take the time and trouble to learn what would be good for them. I do not understand how you can heal all the people of your world without them destroying their world, but it cannot be done here and I will not allow it.” He stared into her eyes as if daring her to speak, shrugged and softened his voice slightly, but with more of an edge to it. “Do not return here before you are invited. Next time I will not hold back.”\n\n“How will you find us to invite us?” Rosie asked.\n\nHe kept his eyes glued to Cherine’s. “If I cannot find you, then you do not deserve to be invited.” It seems I was the only one who felt that what he said made sense. He did not wait for us to agree or ask whatever questions we had. He stood before us with his unforgiving stern look as the sphere rose into the sky. Suddenly Dommi pointed at the receding Earth, “Look! Oh god, what happened?”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8599</center></h3> We did not need for Jisus to explain. We could see the land scarred by hundreds of craters from meteors striking the planet. There are no tropical jungles and the ice caps are half the size they are on our world. Numb with horror we stared at the planet until everything blurred for a second and we found ourselves back in our platform. A frantic Vincent and Kirsten were inside. They told us they had not been able to sense us while we were within the sphere. Still silent, deep in thought, Robbie jumped us back to Freddie and we jumped to this dead reality. We were all still recovering from the shock so nobody was ready to present ideas for returning to heal the planet without angering Jisus, when Cherine came to her feet, walked away from the taverna and standing on the grass she turned to look at Robbie. “Do not follow me.” She changed into The Light, let us feel her love and disappeared.\n<br>\n\nI asked Cherine to write, but she preferred to share with us so that I write for you. She arrived by Earth, but not on it, and called for him to meet with her. He did not delay and when he appeared by her his eyes widened. The stern look did not soften, but neither did he speak. He created a sphere of energy to hold them, imported air and then waited for her to speak.\n\n“You are owed an apology and I hope you will accept it from me, on behalf of all whom I love. Jesus, we had no knowledge of the damage to your world and luckily we did not open your people to the gifts that could lead them to discovering immortality. I presume you fear the healing we performed will lengthen their lives, causing the population to grow to numbers your tortured Earth cannot support. As you are part of the pattern of life, so are all the people of your world. You do not have the right to deny them a future worth living - not when we can heal the planet.” She looked him in the eyes. “Jesus, can you sense how you are part of the love from countless realities that flows through me? Do not allow ignorance, anger or fear to block your reality from the love so freely offered, give me your hand so that I can take you to learn of how we can heal your world and your people.” As if mesmerised, he extended his hand and as she took hold of his long fingers, she brought him to Freddie.\n\nCherine arrived with him in front of your image. She saw he did not react to you, so she pointed at you and told him, “It is not time, there is much you must learn of us first before you learn of him. When you do, it will shatter you Jesus.” Her eyes turned to stare into his, her face gentle but glowing. “Whatever you may think about those you’ll meet, you do not have one enemy in Freddie - so meet them with love. When it is time to speak of Arthur, I promise to return.” Before he could react, the glow died and our eight year old Cherine stood before him. He actually shook his head, as if not believing what he’d just experienced. Cherine took advantage of his dazed condition and taking hold of his hand, she led him to sit at Robbie’s table. A glass of red wine and the rest of the bottle were placed before him. He kept his eyes on Cherine as she made herself comfortable on Robbie’s lap and only then looked at Robbie. Robbie waited for the question he sensed Jisus was holding back.\n\n“How can she be both? Why would <I>she</I> want to return to what she is now?” None of us even dared to think of smiling at the way our Cherine The Light had affected him.\n\n“Our Jesus - and he is not either of the two travelling with us, loved to narrate stories with meaning. My loves, I think, are just as magical in their telling of our story. As I’m certain you know, the time spent with us does not necessarily reflect the time you will be absent from your world - if you’ll allow us, we can return you within the same hour you departed. Relax, learn of our dreams and then we will talk about your dream. I assure you that there is not one being in our spaceship-world Freddie who does not wish to see your dreams come true.”\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUsjX6yuFd5FKuQWr89rYBADHi8JmZ5KaVkAXA46WeacS/Jade%20to%20A,%20Can%20you%20make%20a%20woman%20here%20pregnant.%20Bk12,%20p8599.png\n<br>\n<h3><center>8600</center></h3>https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmR1Vd1nVuMaAcg1rahE8Qa83yXGo3c48fht1HCpd2oZbb/Jade%20to%20A,%20Can%20you%20make%20a%20woman%20here%20pregnant.%20Bk12,%20p8600.png\nThis is such a wonderful moment to be alive. We have evolved and grown so much during this last diary and I think it is a long time since we ended off with so much happiness. The future has never been as promising as it is presently and we are now certain Arthur will be a part of it. It’s a perfect moment for me to end off. I - we all love you (Arthur and his reader) - and….adios for now.\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmVKLX5XNGuifyJMKkEfFLeMukH3xG3oQyTekkUCZqbP6W/End%20Title,%20Fin%20Bk12,%20p8600%20-%204th%20Oct2020.png\n\n<br><br>\n<center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-13-bpost001\">Next [Book 13] - Post 001</a></center>\n<br>\n<h5><i><b>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.</b></i></h5><br>\n<br><br>\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUTQeVmsqWzFxMrg8a629XdGHm15kCnjSkbFyhiTMwUf9/Name,%20steemit.png\n* posted: 4th Oct, 2020<br>\n<br><br>\n<center><h6><i>If you wish to read from an earlier book, from Book 01 to Book 12, use this link button to open the LC Book Index:</i></h6><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo/best-way-to-read-little-cherine-links-to-books-01-to-012-new-teller-family-calendar-added\"><img src=\"https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmfJ4USBF6u8SKDuizVpqXMJfwxmr2FEKyc4cwTPvehscV/Worlds%20waiting.png\"/></a></center>\n<br>\n<br>",
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      "title": "Little Cherine Book 12 - BPost079",
      "body": "<sup><h6>...toasted him with a glass of Blue Nun, kissed his cheek and left. He followed and called out as I walked away, “Are you returning to Freddie?”</h6></sup><br>\n<center>https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmSjs7k76PkScEuXxchZJPDRTfoywcNPt1RTFgzTxnE7Z9/Alex_Robert_Allan%20-%2018y%20-%20mini.png\n</center><br><br>\n<center> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUjdm8RyTVC9Jx8pqYrx7RX3Lvxm35wVLrDNRDUCEEZHF/LC%20Book12%20-%20Cvr.png </center><br><center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost078\">Previous: Book 12 - Post 078 </a></center>\n<br>\n<h3><center>8581</center></h3> “No. I want to be able to return you there within the same hour you left, so I’ll go visit friends.”\n<br>\n\nVincent had agreed to remain as his invisible protector, so I really was not worried about him. The Teller family I visited spoilt me, taking me to a show in London and to fancy restaurants, one placed on the edge of a very high cliff and one that is situated at the bottom of the deepest mining shaft, kilometres under the surface. Without air conditioning I would have been steamed like the vegetables I was served and I sure was glad to have the comfort of being able to teleport out of there should I need to. On the third day I returned to Wilfred, spent a few hours with him and left for another reality.\n\nSamantha waited until I’d hugged all her family, even her Robert, before she came for a long hug. When there is time for us to do what we want and there are no social pressures, the family draws back to allow the alternates (or split souls) time on their own. Samantha took my hand and jumped us to a tiny valley, rich with plant life, an ice cold stream running through it. I did not recognise the area but she let me sense from her that it is in Greece. I’ve seen photos of such places but never been to them.\n\nWhen I sensed her, I paused as we walked along the stream and she turned to look at me through the curtain of hair that she’d let fall over her face, avoiding my eyes, even though she did not try to avoid my mind sensing hers. “A number of Teller families are worried about something and so are our friends, Terrans and aliens - yet I sense you have not been told.” She bit her lip and it made me smile and, at the same time, miss my loves more keenly. “Before I tell you, there is something else you should know - for it is equally important…and disturbing. Not all, but many of the Teller alternate families have been meeting. There was no intention of keeping it a secret, but it ended up being one because we were embarrassed, feeling that what is happening could be seen as reflecting on…,” startled, I saw a tear edge its way to the corner of her mouth. She wiped it with the back of her hand. “A number of Roberts are withdrawing from their Cherinians. In most ways they remain a part of their Cherinian community, but they no longer have the confidence to be their leaders.” She looked up, parting her hair so as to look me in the eye. “It is a result of what I started speaking of - each Robert compares himself to yours and they see themselves as falling far short of what he is. With the help of their family and friends, including all species who are in contact with us, they have struggled to close the gap…unsuccessfully.” I now saw the pain she’d been hiding. “No Robert should feel he is second best - and the differences between your Robert and all the others is too big to be ignored.”\n\nFor a moment I was too stunned to think and then a surge of emotion hit me. Quickly I squelched it, hoping she had not sensed my fury. I shut myself off and tried to think objectively. It was difficult, for I was being battered by a need to weep and complain that they are not being fair to Robbie. It was very tempting to personalise the attack by demanding of her why she had not used her brains to help her Robert. For me to do that to her would be doubly cruel, so I tried to find a positive answer. “There are two ways we can handle this - at first with just your family and then you take my place with all the alternates, or else we call them to a meeting right now.”\n\nI was pleased to see her react as I would. She analysed what I’d said before replying. “Just my family - Sam, I choose so for the sake of my Cherine and other loves.”\n\n“That didn’t sound very Cherinian of you, did it?” I chuckled. “Don’t worry, I’d have made the same decision and for the same reasons. Does this stream start from accumulated runoffs on the surface or does it spring from underground?” We stayed on our own long enough for our bond to strengthen and then returned to her home. When I saw their Alki had arrived, having sensed his Robert and Cherine would need his presence, I smothered him with a strong stream of love.\n\nRobert was embarrassed. “I’ve shared from our Samantha and…,” his Cherine cut in smoothly, “we’re grateful for you wanting to help us. Sam, we’ve tried everything we can think of, what can you do?”\n\n“I’m more likely to help you achieve what you’re yearning for by disabusing you of your system of beliefs. If you still need an example or two for you and your loves to help your Robert, I guess I can help there also. Cherine love, I won’t do more; if you are to take pride in what you achieve, you’ll have to take over, use your own imaginations to help Robert grow.”\n\nOnce they understood I intended taking them to the void, Dommi suggested a light meal to fuel our bodies. The meal over, Aganthi sat by me to hold my hand as I talked. “Have you received word of the spell used to bring us a live picture of Arthur?” I saw they knew about it. “Let me share with you what Arthur did.” They shared and I was disheartened when all of them missed the most important clue.\n\n“I know!” Claudia called out, before I could tell them, her cheeks a bright red from her excitement. “He created a physical image of himself without help from anyone!”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8582</center></h3> I let Claudia feel I was proud of her. “Well done! It took us a while to realise what the significance of his achievement was, share with me his answer.” They all saw why I’d shared and Robert frowned at me. I grinned back at him. “That was my one and only justification offered for you to excuse your own blindness. Robert?” He tilted his head. “My own Robert has been just as blind as the rest of you. A few Roberts have complained to him about the differences and he coldly demanded they find their own paths. It must have looked as if he did not wish any to become as powerful as him, but it is not the truth. He would love for all of you to be as capable of protecting your realities as he is, so that he needs not feel he is responsible for everyone. Don’t even suggest he not feel that way - you know that even the possibility of any Cherine, Dommi, Aganthi, Wendy, Claudia or any other alternate of his loves being in danger would find the same compulsion drive him that he has for any of his loves. He may be in love with us, but he deeply loves all of you. He has shown he is willing to sacrifice himself for a number of alternates, so you know I speak the truth.” I sensed them all agree.\n\n“My Robert was hoping each Robert, with the help of his Cherine and loves, would find ways to strengthen himself and his loves and that some of those ways would be new to us so that we also grow. Too many years have passed for him to hold to that hope, so he will not mind my helping you take your first steps.” I leant back with a tiny smile as I felt the physical warmth of Aganthi at my side. “I bet you are the same as most Roberts and tried to work out how Robbie becomes the void. Are you so lacking in imagination that no alternatives come to your mind? Let me start off by telling you of something Arthur told me in a private chat. He felt that a number of his health problems exist thanks to an excess of energy stressing him. Reading books about psychic healing, he tried imagining the energy flowing from him into the furniture, the floor or the walls. It helped slightly for a time. I hope I don’t spoil the point I want to make by reminding you that Arthur has no proof that the void exists in his reality, for him it could be something that only exists for us because he imagined it does. Anyway, he came up with the idea of imagining the extra energy that was causing his stress gathered into a ball, like a miniature sun, and he then sent it to the void where he imagined it make a tiny explosion. He hopes his void has some kind of species like the Sparklers so that they get curious and investigate him.\n\nTo return to you Robert, have you ever wondered how the Sparklers feed if the energy is only available once you become the void?”\n\n“They can feed off it, but they could not manipulate the energy - that is why your Robert kept on jumping to other realities, before he taught Solomon how to become the void, to divert more energy streams to our part of the void. Having to rely on him for our Sparklers to feed was humbling - and I’m not the only one who felt that way. That your Solomon taught ours did not alter the way we feel.”\n\n“As your Samantha has made clear, I’m impressed by how strongly you must feel about it. I mean, under normal circumstances, if I said something like this you would be bashing your brains to see where I’m taking it before I tell you. Okay, this is my hint - we’ll go to the void and you will imagine you can sense the energy. Once you can, you will then imagine you are able to push at it, blocking or moving it in whatever direction you want. Everybody ready to go?” Of course they weren’t. They needed to get over the shock and excitement - just the idea it may be possible had them trembling with anticipation. In private, I sent to Cherine that when they need to, she and the girls can also do the same. \n\nShe suddenly looked belligerent as she came to stand before me. “How could you do this to your own Robert! How long do you think it will be before all Talents learn how to manipulate the void energy.”\n\n“So what Cherine? The same rules apply as with all the other powers. If any minority of Talents decide to use any powers in ways that will harm others, they will be stopped. Not even all the Roberts together can fight all the Talents, nor can they fight any Robert, as long as you Cherines remain strong.”\n\nSamantha touched her Cherine’s cheek as she told her, “We all know how to collect void energy for creating our e-cars. How long Cherine before someone thought of doing as Samantha suggested?”\n\nCherine’s thoughts were not gentled by Samantha, but she made an effort to control herself. “Still, to do <i>anything</i> that places her Robert in more danger!”\n\nBefore Samantha could make excuses for me I answered, “I’ve done what you accuse me of many times and I will do so again and again. Cherine, I never do so if I do not at least hope it will show Robert how to strengthen himself so that he is safer than he was - and thus is able to keep all our loves and friends safe.” I tried to smile, but I felt too sad (I don’t know why). “My Robbie is safer every time any Robert grows. The way you reacted proved it for me.”\n\nI nearly did not go with them to the void because of my sadness. My curiosity got the better of me and I blocked my emoting and went with. They struggled and I had to egg them on and then, suddenly, Robert got hold of a stream and twisted it around like a hosepipe, energy whipping around like hot water, making the Sparklers dance as they fed. As soon as they succeeded, I danced once around the family to send them emote-kisses and returned to my body. I timed my jump and arrived in Athens, about a twenty minutes walk from the house. \n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8583</center></h3> Wilfred is a good listener. I don’t know why I started telling him about my last visit, after all, I’d brought him here so as to relieve him of all pressures so that he can recover his equilibrium. Sharing my problems was not part of the therapy I’d envisioned for him, but this once, just for today, I also needed some kind of therapy, even if it was just having someone listen to me as I speak. I can’t help wondering why it had to be someone who is coldly unemotional. Maybe it had to be someone like him so that I do not get flooded by his emoting in return. When I finished, he stared at me for a little while.\n\n“Did you know it would work or did you consider it a logical outcome?”\n\n“I didn’t know, nobody has tried it before. I don’t think it was a logical deduction - well, maybe it was, in a way. I know from my Robert that if he believes he can do something, then he can. Most Roberts have the impression that I see truths nobody else does, so he believed because it was me telling him he can. I was…” Suddenly I knew why I’d felt so sad. As with the rest of my family, we’ve always treasured the fact that Robbie has this crazy ability to believe whatever he wants and make it true for him. It was as if my Robbie is losing some kind of exclusivity which is important to my Cherine, my family and me. I cringed and hoped none of them had sensed my sadness and the reason for it.\n\nWilfred shook his head. “What his Cherine said to you…surely nobody can be that altruistic! I don’t know which to find less believable, you ensuring other Roberts have the same powers as yours, which could make them a threat for your family, or Cherine being that upset with you for betraying your Robert - by helping hers!”\n\nI leant forward earnestly, “You are still trying to adjust to having a son who is older than you, so I can understand how you feel. Wilfred, you are not just the father of your Robert, you are partly the father of all Roberts. It is just as true for every single Wilfred, whether they can see it or not.” I realised I should not try to hammer the point home and sat back. “I’m going to ask your Rose to share with me. Either she has a gift or else she is wise in ways I am not. How is it that you seem so cold and unemotional and yet every Rose knows that her Wilfred loves her? I’d hate it if my Robbie was like you, I need to feel how much I am loved.” When I shared, all my loves were shocked at what I said - even Robbie. I felt he needed to stay on his own a while longer, but I was not in the mood to visit any more alternates of our family - by now they’d all know what I’d done and there would be an awkwardness as they struggle to prevent themselves from overwhelming me with their emoting.\n\nI jumped to the Orati centre. I arrived three weeks after our departure. Efineh, Piri and Sebura were in Freddie, so I felt I was free to go off on my own. Samuel and his loves do not come to my room unless I send them a welcome, so I took my time. I had a shower, dressed in khaki pants and shirt, put on boots and even took the hat they’d bought for me and attached a knife to my belt. I jumped to the kitchen, hugged and let myself be hugged by everyone, asked them to prepare me travel food and went in the direction I sensed Samuel. As I walked out the door I saw his face beaming, a whopper of a grin welcoming me. I felt his ladies rushing to join him so I walked over slowly. We all hugged and then they pointedly stared at my garb. \n\n“If you’re going looking for an adventure, I want to come with.” \n\nAtaxia’s elfin face looked very determined so I answered her with a serious mien. “I don’t want an adventure Ataxia, I need solitude, time for thinking without interruptions. Do you think you could bear to remain silent, but be there for me when I need to talk?” I insisted she does not project her clothes so they jumped back to their reality to outfit her while I sat under the shade of a tree with a cold drink.\n<br>\n\nWe’d been walking for three hours and I sensed she wanted to speak but was keeping to her undertaking. I glanced at her and raised an eyebrow and she instantly responded with, “I was thinking it is a pity you don’t have Skotos here.”\n\nI shook my head. “It’s strange to think of him living on a ranch belonging to Arthur Campbell.”\n\n“A number of horses were brought to Kinestasi, the traders from the highlands claiming that Skotos is their sire. I asked Samuel to buy one of them, she is black like Skotos and she’s a beauty.”\n\n“Samuel pointed out that you’ll have nowhere to stable her when you return to Athens?” She nodded and I shrugged. “I guess you did not really want her or you’d have had a dozen answers for him.” \n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8584</center></h3> With huge eyes she stared at me and then asked, “Can I return for a few minutes? I promise I won’t talk so much when I get back.”\n\n“You won’t find me here…” as her eyes lost their glow, I added, “I’ll be at Kinestasi’s palace.” She threw herself at me for a quick, ecstatic hug and jumped. As I listened to the insects and wild life lazily enduring the late morning heat, it dawned on me that my blues were gone, I felt warm and happy.\n\nUnless it is an emergency, out of politeness I never arrive within the palace. I jump to the street before his main entrance, giving time for his guards to notify him of my arrival. For some reason, even after sharing so many experiences with us, he still needs a minute or two to compose himself when he knows I want to meet him. Is it possible that he still, deep inside, thinks I have something to do with the Fanged One? Lol. At least the Orati don’t worry about me being the White (Good) Demon anymore. If they think I’m a demon, they qualify it by claiming me as <i>their</i> demon.\n\nBy the time the gate opened for me, Samuel and his entire family had arrived. I grinned as Ataxia came straight to me and took my hand. She named herself well, she has a naughty sparkle to her, but in a good way, and she is so bright and full of life that I sometimes wish she could split for our family. I’m greedy, just like a kid, I want all the best sweets for myself (okay, I’m making fun of myself, but I really do love her).\n\nKinestasi guessed we’d come for the horses so he toyed with us, discussing everything he could think of until Thina asked directly.\n\n“The horses? Yes, it is said they are the descendants of Skotos and they look at us with great pride, for they know that we know of Skotos, the horse that travelled with Samantha four hundred years into our past so as to protect her.” Smirking, he asked, “You wish to see them?”\n\n“Yes please.” As he led us, Ataxia made her way to the front. “Kinestasi, the black female, she is still for sale?”\n\n“You shall have to ask Samantha. When the serviced mares have more than one colt, it is the custom of the highland people that the owner of the stallion is given one horse in payment. I was wondering whether I should ask one of you at the Cherinian Centre to take the horse to the home of Samantha for her, so you have solved my problem by coming today.”\n\nAtaxia didn’t say a word, aloud or mentally, she just turned back to stare at me with those lovely big eyes of hers filled with anxiety, until I gave in with a smile. “What are you going to call her?” She squealed with joy and ran to give me a big hug and thank me.\n\nAlmost shyly, Ataxia asked, “When you were still trying to decide a name for Yuming, you mentioned the name ‘Daiyu’ and said it means ‘black jade’ and that black jade is a rare colour of the magnificent stone of heaven. It stuck in my mind and since I can’t very well call her Black Beauty, I’d like to use the name Daiyu. Is that okay with you?”\n\n“Why can’t you call her Black Beauty?” I stared at the horse, impressed by her.\n\n“Because I’m not that brave.”\n\n“What?”\n\n“Everyone would make fun of me and say I haven’t got any imagination.”\n\nI laughed and then answered, “Why are you asking me? Shouldn’t you be asking her?” I nodded at the horse. “The two of you are going to have to live with whatever name you give her.”\n\nAtaxia took a lump of dark brown sugar from Kinestasi and as she held out her hand she asked, “Do you like the name Daiyu? Will you be my Black Jade?” Daiyu was not going to let anything as uninteresting as a name stop her from gobbling up the sugar and Ataxia’s laughter echoed in the stalls as she wiped her hand on her jeans.\n\nI sensed that Ataxia wanted to emulate my trip with Skotos when he was given to me - and when I felt butterflies in my tummy, I asked her whether she would like to walk, run and ride Daiyu on her own so that they bond. Samuel did not respond in any way, at least, not in my mind, but her loves did.  When I let them see I’d egged her on because of the fear I’d felt, they were silent for a while and then agreed I’d done the right thing for Ataxia.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8585</center></h3> I’m not as brave as I like to pretend I am. As I watched her ride out of the gate I thought of asking Vincent to watch her for us, since he is the only one she would not sense. Then I thought of how she is feeling because we’ve shown her our trust and how she’ll feel when she learns we did not trust her as we’d pretended to and I was forced to the decision that my fears are my problem, not hers. It seems her family made the same decision. There is a certain emotional piquance to such moments that highlight the wonder of life and love.\n\nI waited until Ataxia arrived, sensed how the trip had affected her, shared their joy and outbursts of love and a meal and returned to Wilfred.\n\n“I am ready to return to Freddie, Samantha. It will probably take me years to get used to the wonder of being brought back to life and having a son who is an adult, but I don’t feel as if I’m about to fall apart anymore.” I felt he wanted to hug me, but is too inhibited, so I hugged him. We returned to Freddie.\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmWYvBno9JnLQYheNXDy8ArBMaGqbj2vgWfpuFKxTampSt/Arthur,%20asks%20for%20Lusalith%20and%20all%20her%20people,%20Bk12,%20p8585.png\n<br>\n<h3><center>8586</center></h3> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmWK3SdJKq6euD3FiE7UMX2UnrpoDWYWoJmsstthfjJR5L/Arthur,%20asks%20for%20Lusalith%20and%20all%20her%20people,%20Bk12,%20p8586.png\nEveryone is amazed, stunned and a little frightened. It is ironic, for in the past I often grew afraid when he assumed for our good or because he was in a playful mood. Now I and everyone else watch him plan for a multiplicity of Dream Dancer alternates with awe, but without a hint of fear, and then he expresses a wish for something he cannot achieve and we are a little frightened by his ability to wish for something impossible - and his daring to ask us to try and find a way for his wish to come true.\n\nAnother first! Arthur communicated with us without using his computer! He wrote on a paper and held it up for us to see. In answer to what I’d just written, he asked, ‘Would I ever fear any of you?’\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmSC2vr8U5LqXiQSrxvqnvgWWo6rUp4HYK2N6urMkpa635/Arthur,%20asks%20for%20Lusalith%20and%20all%20her%20people,%20Bk12,%20p8586b.png\n<br>\n<h3><center>8587</center></h3> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmQw3NhvzBHQ7yTNRhEsQA9nvdEHHMucSGf5RMxraXq5GW/Arthur,%20asks%20for%20Lusalith%20and%20all%20her%20people,%20Bk12,%20p8587.png\nWe had planned to go directly to the Dream Dancer system, but requests from friends, Terrans and other species, Normals who are travelling with us, all ask we allow their own governments, scientists and media to come with. Surprisingly, the most insistent are the Terrans from our reality. Nobody can give a reason (the temporary insanity of DD churches is not an explanation) that accounts for the fact that Lusalith is loved by many of our Normals - more than in any other reality. She has appeared on some chat shows, but I think her gentleness and caring ways touched the people she met and stories about her spread. It also helps that she never refers to herself as a god. Dommi says she thinks most people are horrified that she was taken from her family, made into an orphan and her parents ‘burying’ her so that she is left without anyone and then made to bear the burden of responsibility for her people while still a child. Dommi may be right, for our people did rejoice on her behalf when they learnt we ‘invited’ her.\n\nArthur, just to keep you up to date, we are at our Athens home and this [ad]venture is turning into a real biggie, like it was for Cherine’s inter-galactic birthday trek. A very small but vociferous group have formed who claim that moving the Dream Dancer solar system to our reality will unbalance our universe and it will implode, killing all of us. They seem to think you want to turn us into instant protean soup. They funny part of it, is their insistence that they come with us. On another front: Robbie became very upset and is blaming me! Reports started to come in about Freddie’s and R.T.’s arriving at all the realities to transport the majority of people. He thinks I asked Freddie to arrive before we made the decision to have our future selves return to help so as to create a paradox. I wish I’d thought of it - even if I do it now, it will be Robbie who thought of it. https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmdVdBfYkJNqMZoswg8YB1WvXrYTNUb7v6F8t2fJhbzjSJ/LC%20smilie%20-%20yellow%20frown.png \n\nWe have learnt from the previous time and all the volunteers who remain on planet will also search for pedofoes, whether hidden deep underground or not. The volunteers have been deputised by local law agencies so that they can be prosecuted without being freed on a technicality <i>and</i> so as to prevent us taking them to the prison planet. I think they care about the second point more than they do about the first - governments and Normals have not changed that much. We will, of course, keep a watch on all we bring to Freddie or take to the Sparkler World.\n<br>\n\nArthur, this has been one of our nicest trips, with everyone, even Normals and non-aligned Talents behaving themselves (for us, ‘behaving’ themselves includes their emoting). Sometimes I think of how becoming Cherinians and so sensitive to the emotions of others has changed us and I wonder what you’ll think of us once you are here.\n\nWe arrived by the DD system ten days after Lusalith did. I can now tell you of what we arranged as I trust you can keep your assumptions from interfering for a short period. Lusalith will have told her people what it is we intend doing and she’ll ask they split into two camps - half arguing in favour and half against. Whatever is decided, the split will happen. If they decide to stay in our reality, their alternates will return to their ‘home’ reality. If they decide to return, then their alternates will become a part of our reality. We don’t mind which of the two occurs, but because of adopting Lusalith as our god, we hope they vote to make our reality their prime reality.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8588</center></h3> A lot of our guests wanted to wait in whichever Freddie brought them, so as to see an entire solar system wink out of existence and then wink back into its place again. Others found the idea of seeing the system suddenly appear in the Sparkler World more exciting.  The latter also chose well, for the system appeared in their sky (they saw it from the equivalent of a platform in space). It then disappeared so as to arrive in the same space in our reality. It stayed there for two hours as the Dream Dancer populations voted. The majority voted to stay. We then had to rush to transfer them to a few Freddies and then we jumped back to their home reality. There was much weeping, and not only among the Dream Dancers, when we arrived to the beautiful sight of the Dream Dancer solar system in place. As soon as we arrived, Lusalith II and millions of her people arrived in Freddie. She trembled as I placed my arms around her. We’ve brought her and the prime Lusalith to the taverna as we feel they need to talk to you. Be nice Arthur, they have the unpleasant duty of staying to be welcomed by literally thousands of politicians from all the known alternate realities before they’ll have time to themselves. It will blunt the wonder and joy they need to feel, but we cannot avoid it.\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmdHJCXwfKWJHJj8fUFaDVWGr4tCiyLc86JyYoR1wusiAo/Arthur,%20asks%20for%20Lusalith%20and%20all%20her%20people,%20Bk12,%20p8588.png\n<br>\n<h3><center>8589</center></h3> Goldi handed over with relief. You were nice to her so it was not your fault, I think she was nervous, afraid she’d say something that would turn you away from us. Still, she did well and she had a lovely night last night. When the two gods returned, the Muyzith took them over and helped them through the official ceremonies and the signing of treaties. It has been agreed that neither side will have embassies on the planets of the other and the Muyzith, as advisors, will receive and pass on any communications. Lusalith II agreed that the prime Lusalith speaks for her planet also, simplifying things for everyone. The Terran officials did not have the courtesy to make the same offer - I am making fun of them, nobody expects anything elegant like that from our governments.\n<br>\n\nAll Freddies and R.T spaceships returned their guests and we are back in orbit around our home planet. We learnt that the future Freddies came from intervals of a hundred years, which means the furthest from us in time came from about three thousand years in our future - it seems we did so, so as not to get too bored with having to experience the same things again and again. When the Normals learnt the above, it blew their minds and fervently wished they had been more aggressive in asking questions before they’d departed. By the way Arthur, there was a gap much larger than a hundred years between two of the Freddies, but they did not volunteer any information. My future self who refused to even give me a hint is not exactly my favourite person right now! https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmU9gNvqpZD8JAFrvaJCqxPfGMCd83qetnpKrRbyu9ow2A/LC-smilie_lean-grey.png\n\nI love my other half who is in R.T so I would have asked to visit her anyway. We did the usual bonding stuff and then, with a glass of cream soda to keep me refreshed, I spoke - and I felt their growing excitement. I suggested they invite Lusalith II to be the god of their spaceship world. Samantha has felt how great is my love for Lusalith so she knows that she too will love her Lusalith - and her family eagerly want to share. I sent to my Cherine, asking they bring both Lusaliths to R.T.\n\nI drew prime Lusalith to my side, deliberately leaving her alternate on her own. Without delay, Samantha took the few steps needed and enclosed her within her arms. She pulled back, stiffened slightly so as to make the moment slightly formal and said, “Lusalith, you have loved and been loved by my sister Samantha and all Cherinians travelling within Freddie. Now there are two of you and the prime must remain with Freddie. If you see enough of Samantha in me for you to love me, I then invite you to be a part of our family and god of R.T.” Both Lusaliths were overwhelmed by emotion. They cannot weep, but both of them trembled so violently, their eyes turned so pale, that we grew worried. With a cry they rushed to each other and hugged.\n \nBecause of the way they felt, Samantha and I were left to sit on our own with the two Lusaliths. ‘Mine’ explained. “We are shamed and have betrayed the love you’ve shown us. These days, since Arthur called for us, the emotions have been too strong, one following the other so that they have shattered the controls we placed on ourselves when we became gods. Our love for our people had given us the strength to cling to whatever controls remained…but then your sister Samantha invited my sister and there was too much beauty flowing from everyone into us. To save what we could so that our people are not abandoned, we have done something unimaginable - the need and yearning, it forced us to invite the other. There are no stories of such betrayals among our people so we do not know how to heal the pain and loss of honour we must have caused you.”\n\n“Lusalith love, what are you speaking of? What pain? What loss of honour?”\n\n“Each of you has invited one of us. For us to invite each other, it was as if we spurned your love. Samantha, imagine your Robert had invited you and you then responded by inviting and giving cause for you to be invited by another. Would you not cause pain and loss of honour to Robert?”\n\nI came to my feet, standing by the table. “Lusalith, please stand.” She came to her feet and I pulled her to me for a long hug. Samantha followed my example, but I sensed her eyes on me, as if wanting to ask what it was we were meant to be doing. I pulled back so as to stare into the eyes of Lusalith. “Because this is new to both of you, I think you have misunderstood the implications. Have you not noticed that every time we meet alternates, we hug and commune mind to mind and heart to heart? What we do is not a betrayal of our family, to the contrary, we are strengthening our family - just as the two of you have strengthened the bonds between your Samanthas and their families. It could be that the strengthening of the bond goes beyond just the two Teller families. It feels to me as if the bond has strengthened the ties between all the inhabitants of Freddie and R.T.” I felt I had spoken the truth. All who love and are loved by Samantha, after our sharing, I too love those she loves and feel they love me. Everyone confirmed I’d spoken truly and both girls were soon free to rejoice without any shadows of guilt to mar this special day for them.\n<br>\n\nThose who have been invited onto the Council of Philosophy decided this would be a good time for a meeting. In the past, when friends met to discuss matters of mutual interest, the place was only of importance in limited ways - that it has coffee or alcoholic drinks available, for instance. As soon as those friends gave themselves a title, such as, Council Members, they became more demanding. Hettie was asked to arrange for hotel rooms and a conference room. Dimi, tongue in cheek, asked whether they wouldn’t prefer to stay at his father’s safari camp where they could also enjoy the presence of wild life. It was explained to him that a conference room is more conducive to deep thought as there are less distractions. He shared with us and Wendy told him he should have pointed out that inspiration is more important than deep thought. He kicked himself and pretended to ask Robbie whether he could go back in time to embarrass them with Wendy’s comment.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8590</center></h3> We don’t usually take part in their debates, we don’t even sit and listen, unless we are asked to by one of the council members or we hear that something we find interesting is to be discussed. This time they asked for Robbie. “We have invited Professor Garry McMonigal, the author of <i>The Future History of Cherinianism</i>, to join us and he has requested, as a favour, that you take part in the debate. We suspect he wishes to argue some of the points he has made in his book, but once that is done with, you need not remain with us.” Robbie waited for one of us to either warn him to stay away or not, but none of us have read the book, so he took a chance and agreed to be present during the first day.\n\nWe all had the same idea and had our AI companions get the book and put it on screen for us to read. This was one of those few times Robbie joined us and we sensed he liked a lot of what he read. There are a few points where the professor does not agree with Robbie or Robbie and us and he made note of them, hoping his subconscious will prepare the arguments for him - it really irritates me when he does that as it is only an excuse for his doing nothing to prepare sound arguments and then, afterwards, he complains about him not being a good speaker. I have a feeling this debate could turn out to be important for Cherinianism and I can’t understand why his instincts are not forcing him to marshal brilliant arguments according to his beliefs.\n<br>\n\n“Mr Teller, a pleasure to meet you.”\n\n“Likewise. Professor, you are Australian? I’d expected a Scotsman.”\n\n“From Perth. My name was made up by a recent ancestor. We, of Perth, are very different from the people of Sydney…”\n\n“I have been to Perth a couple of times, in our reality and elsewhere.”\n\n“Oh yes, that time Samuel King frightened all of you. Luckily our Perth is more civilised - without having the kind of population pressures so many cities have. It was kind of you to agree to join me at this debate. I believe you chose the setting? My daughter was envious when she learnt I am coming to this hotel as it is impossible to book a room.”\n\nThey are at the hotel in Dar, which the government still keeps private for us. “Should you agree to bring her as my guest, please let our embassy know and everything will be arranged.” Robbie grinned. “I promise to stay away, so your daughter will be safe.”\n\nThe professor laughed. “So are you - she <i>would</i> try to charm you, but she is now twenty four years old. A pity we did not meet about twenty years ago? Who knows, we could have been related by now?” A big tick for the professor from us and Robbie relaxed and became genuinely friendly.\n\nIt has become a tradition that Akiard kids (from four years old, onwards) stand guard at all meetings in Freddie and this was the first time (officially) they do so on Earth. They are sheathed of course, but it is only to cater to the fears of the local governments. Since the first Akiards, the Akiards have lived in Freddie without a sheathe. Whatever organisms they had that could be a threat to us we get rid of when they are brought to Freddie as babies and they are alien to our organisms but also hardy and can resist the worst of ours. The Akiards do not like being this close to the beach or any large body of water, but they did not allow anyone to sense their unease. I still have a link with them, even though they are a new generation, so I can sense what others cannot. By the way, it does mean that all generations of Akiards also have the same sensitivity to me once they’ve become part of their entity.\n\nAllovi, an Inguel philosopher, chaired the meeting this time. After the greetings and introductions, he said (emoting a slight amusement), “Since the request by Professor Garry McMonigal to have Robert Teller join us, we have all been eager to hear what arguments the Professor wishes to challenge our leader with. Professor Garry McMonigal, you have the floor.”\n\n“This is an honour I am not certain I deserve. Mr Teller, I have studied those serious alien and Terran articles I could find that examined yourself and Cherinianism. I have immersed myself in the tellings by your family a number of times and have shared experiences of the re-enactment of the meeting between yourself and Cherine in the Sparkler World. I do not claim such studies give me a special understanding, but I wished to let you know, in advance, that I do not lightly put forward my questions. \n<br><br>\n<center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost080\">Next [Book 12] - Post 080 - [END of Book 12]</a></center>\n<br>\n<h5><i><b>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.</b></i></h5><br>\n<br><br>\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUTQeVmsqWzFxMrg8a629XdGHm15kCnjSkbFyhiTMwUf9/Name,%20steemit.png\n* posted: 3rd Oct, 2020<br>\n<br><br>\n<center><h6><i>If you wish to read from an earlier book, from Book 01 to Book 12, use this link button to open the LC Book Index:</i></h6><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo/best-way-to-read-little-cherine-links-to-books-01-to-012-new-teller-family-calendar-added\"><img src=\"https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmfJ4USBF6u8SKDuizVpqXMJfwxmr2FEKyc4cwTPvehscV/Worlds%20waiting.png\"/></a></center>\n<br>\n<br>",
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      "permlink": "little-cherine-book-12-bpost078",
      "title": "Little Cherine Book 12 - BPost078",
      "body": "<sup><h6>The best is when she finds them because they need us and we can help. Thanks for your idea, I like the thought of finding new Roberts and Cherines (plus all the Wendys, Aganthis and so on) for millions of years. Talk about an infinite supply of love!</h6></sup><br>\n<center>https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmSjs7k76PkScEuXxchZJPDRTfoywcNPt1RTFgzTxnE7Z9/Alex_Robert_Allan%20-%2018y%20-%20mini.png\n</center><br><br>\n<center> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUjdm8RyTVC9Jx8pqYrx7RX3Lvxm35wVLrDNRDUCEEZHF/LC%20Book12%20-%20Cvr.png </center><br><center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost077\">Previous: Book 12 - Post 077 </a></center>\n<br>\n<h3><center>8571</center></h3>https://images.hive.blog/DQmfB8W8bgMHNQALNqiKHjaFMqAr5qCSAczQR5fbrfqmA6m/Arthur,%20not%20nearly,%20all%20was%20right,%20Bk12,%20p8571.png\nRobbie contrived to always be too busy or away from the taverna, his mind watching the two of them closely. He also waited for us to help Cher before he alters the scenario by bringing their Rose to life. We decided we’d helped her heal from some of the things her mother or others had said to her and agreed we have to help her face her possible future.\n\nDommi held her hand, for Cher to sense directly what she felt. “Robert will be affected by his suffering for the rest of his life. It will not be pleasant for you and it will give him too many hours of self-anger, and he’ll always feel a little helpless when facing men like Hayes. Cherine, your love and the link will make him the most powerful man of your reality and to leave him festering could be dangerous.”\n\n“How will you heal him?”\n\n“Not us, we cannot do this for him; he has to heal himself and he might choose a way that brings him peace, but you are the one who’ll pay the price. Cherine, his mother is soon going to be brought back to life and we are hoping she will still love Wilfred enough to agree to be his wife again. If that does happen, it presents Robert with his best chance of healing. We could revert him to a baby, for him to grow up with his mother and father this time. After all his parents suffered, I am very certain they will do all they can to see he grows up with their love a certainty in his heart. However, it means that the Robert you know today, he will no longer exist. Before you despair, take into consideration how things stand now. Apart from his pain that he’ll be relieved of, there is also the important fact that he cannot love you as he is now. He must not be allowed to become as powerful as the other Cherinian Roberts unless he changes, for if he chooses a different road, none could stop him. No Robert, not even ours, will fight him, we cannot, for our lives are built on empathy and love.\n\nIf he is reverted to a baby, as soon as he is old enough to understand, which will be soon if he is a Cherinian, he will have his original memories returned to him. They will not be as immediate and it will feel like he is experiencing someone else’s memories - similar to watching a movie psychically. He will remember you, but not as directly as he does now. That is good Cherine, for it means you’ll get a fresh chance with him. If he grows up again as a healthy Cherinian, he should love you - there are no guarantees, but at least you’ll have a chance.”\n\nCherine cut in. “I hope he does not fall in love with you as he is now. As soon as he loves you, your link will make your minds reach out for each other and your own mind and heart will be shattered by his suffering.” Cherine did not need to enforce our silence; we understood she wanted to protect Cher from a pain that would be terrible for her. She does not know anything of such suffering and her only defence would be her love for her Robert. It would not be a good way for their love to be born. A small lie that Cherine will have to confess to later…and she hates that rule (as do most of us).\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8572</center></h3> “From what you are telling me, I don’t have much of an option, it is up to Robert to choose what he thinks is best for him.” Tears filled her eyes and she lost control for a second and we sensed how desperately she already loves him. “I would be happy with him as he is, if he becomes a baby he’ll grow up as a different person and I won’t understand that man as well as I understand Robert now. I’ll wait for him and if he does grow to love me, maybe it will be worth it.” She sensed the question in us and explained, “Will it have been worth it for me if I do not love the man he becomes? He’ll be soft and weaker than the Robert I know.”\n\n<p><i>*She has a good point</i>.* Robbie sent. *<i>Cherine, I’ve wondered whether you would have loved me as you do if I’d been as the rich Robert was.*</i></p>\n\n<p><i>*I would have - just as his Cherine loves him.*</i></p>\n\n<p><i>*My loves, this is strictly private and do not let her sense you - Cherine, the rich Robert is not loved by his Cherine as strongly, as wonderfully as you love me. The fights we had, the suffering we shared, even our teasing when it accidentally hurt the other, they all bonded us far tighter than any other Cherine and Robert. You know I am right because you have seen it with the Cherines who do not have your spirit. All of them love each other and their love is enduring and beautiful, but it is not the same as ours. I can sense that the fire is in her already, but she learnt how to bank it when she sensed her Robert was not ready for her and she’d have to wait a few years. Break that damn control so that she can smash through his defences.*</i></p>\n\nAs Robbie sent his thought, by coincidence no doubt, Arthur’s eyes moved so that they seemed to focus on Cher. I wondered what could be going through his mind if he can see and hear us and a funny idea came to me. I shared it with Cherine and she got the giggles. Are you ready for it Arthur? What if Robert is reverted to a ten year old boy, he keeps his memories, but lives with his parents for two years so that they help him though the worst of his memories. Then, his Cherine, woos and seduces Robert so that he becomes her lover. For it to work, she’ll have to change and become a paedophile. https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmaC6xhFoTcWBivgQ3MXjXyG3bnKe4gRCp6TamgvNNQqLF/LC-smilie_reg-grey.png  \nhttps://images.hive.blog/DQmV5reHa8J1zBRVUjjsnXcR1KmF5BSxKcSWHxC1TptAwqe/Sam,%20you%20are%20the%20author,%20come%20up%20with%20some%20of%20the%20answers,%20Bk12,%20p8572.png\nI was mostly teasing. There is no complex fix-it scheme, just the same donkey work of going through her memories and unclogging her wherever hurt or fear dull her brightness. We’ve done this for others and for each other so as to ensure we each maintain the peak of our potential of all we can be.\n\nDommi has the strongest talent, which is mostly an intuition for what she should scratch at and what can safely be left alone so as to add piquancy to the personality. There is nobody who can mislead her into thinking she has cleansed the entire wound, before she has done so. Whatever sweetness, love and so on is laid across it to mislead her or the person him/herself, Dommi senses the festering underneath. Claudia often helps her as Dommi finds her practical nature melded to her strong empathy a fine tool for guiding her. Aganthi is also good, her, what we used to call ‘street smarts’, seeing the truth when the ailing mind throws up glib emotional defences. Funnily enough, Theresa is not much good at it, she has become too soft. The rest can help, but do not have the same fine talents needed in this field.\n\nThe healing is not a one day affair. Sometimes we can see changes on a day to day basis. but then there are times when we need to pause for a few days or weeks until the personality has stabilised. Most minds create fantasies that help them survive impossible conditions and bursting those bubbles are what temporarily spins the mind out of control. The constant reinforcement of love, understanding and common sense are all that prevent the mind from shattering. Rushing through childhood problems can lead to disaster so we’ll set aside any amount of time needed. Robbie, the Unation AI, a couple of their healers and a few Muyzith are helping Robert and Wilfred. The two of them have understood that the return of Rose depends on them healing so that they can help with healing her, so they are fighting to keep their minds open to those trying to heal them. After all, if she killed herself because she could not bear her suffering, she is bound to be a messed up mind in dire need of their love and strength. As soon as it was possible, Wilfred was added to the team treating Robert. This was done with the hope that Robert will start to see Wilfred as his father. It is important he does so at the deepest level or else he’ll continue to be haunted by Hayes.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8573</center></h3> We now stay away from civilization and from alien planets. A day at the beach or walking through a tropical forest are as much excitement as they can handle. We still have in storage the beautiful boat Samuel built. After his one experience at sailing on the ocean he decided sailing is not for him and he gave it to us. We sometimes take the yacht with us to the planets we visit. We know from our two coffee farm Wilfreds in Freddie that they enjoy sailing so we did it for the new Wilfred. Once Wilfred got the sailing bug, Robbie insisted that Robert will not enjoy sailing but Wilfred would not give up, determined to take Robert sailing. Anyway, they sailed on their own and Robert enjoyed being with his father without all of us around, so it seems he might go sailing again, whether he enjoys it or not.\n<br>\n\nMarian eyed her daughter suspiciously as they took their seats for breakfast. Seeing her eyes glitter with the intensity she’d lost a long time ago must have made her think Cher is on drugs. Cher went to the buffet, filled her plate and took the long way around so as to pass next to Robert. As she drew close she wished him a good morning, gave him a cheeky smile in answer to his startled look and went to sit with Dommi. Very, very carefully, Cherine lightly enhanced Robert’s curiosity about the change in Cher, doing it in stages so that it feels natural to him. At the same time, we teased Cher until she sparkled and her laughter flushed her face. Even we wondered at how we could have thought she was not as pretty as all the other Cherines. Cherine decided this would be a good time to show her how to find that special smile. It was funny, the moment she understood, she gave that special smile to our Robbie - annoying Cherine when she felt him react. Cherine’s reaction did more to boost her self-confidence than anything else we’d done for her. At the other table the guys did all they could to draw Robert's attention to Cher when she laughed - we made certain he could not hear what we were talking and laughing about as the slight dash of mystery diminishes the eroding faculty of logic, so that it cannot compartmentalise what is being experienced, imbuing the moment with a hint of dream-like magic. I guess we were all laying it on a bit thick but we could sense that this was the right time, this was <i>their</i> time, they just had to start opening to each other today.\n\nA long time ago I wrote of finding a small Sparkler population in an alternate reality and because they were starved for energy, Robbie tried folding the void so as to create a shortcut for transporting them to an energy richer area. The Sparklers pulled back at the fold because of the way it felt, as if falling off a cliff. For Robert and Cher to make the transition so that they love each other and link, I think they had to go through something similar to what the Sparklers had to endure. Everyone made a splendid effort and they now have a chance at falling in love. If it comes to the worst, we could try and convince them to give the Kolonaki flat adventure a go. One of the reasons we did not opt for it immediately is because this Robert is such an unbending personality. He just might love Cher, with her as a fourteen year old. If he falls in love with her as an eight year old, he’ll be disgusted afterwards and get on his high horse, making her life miserable for a long time.\nhttps://images.hive.blog/DQmbneSgQvubBBCp5DXyrvgMcwWARzPYf9y5rgTB7t8JmrV/Arthur,%20is%20a%20question%20abt%20R%20allowed,%20Bk122,%20p8573.png\nJade, Cassie and Angelica came to me with some interesting questions - about Bobby.\n\n“Seeing Arthur sitting at the taverna day, we found ourselves wondering, is it safe for us to assume that whenever Arthur does something, his assuming ensures all potential dangers have been neutralised?”\n\n“I’m not certain I understand what it is that worries you. For instance, his body image sitting at the taverna could be said to represent a number of potential dangers to us.” They glanced at each other in surprise so I surmised this was not an example they’d given any consideration to. However, it was worth pursuing. Lusalith was visiting, comfortably resting in our swimming pool. She left it to join us, drawn by our conversation - and disturbed by it. “The image we see is made of the same materials our bodies are made of - thanks to that bit of information learnt from previous images, at least we know he did want us to be the exact same species he is. We know he does not have the ability to contact or even measurably influence his healing energies, so the first question that comes to me is, how did he create his body? Whose DNA did he use? The DNA of Allan is a close match but not an exact copy. The same is true of Robbie. Are we to assume Arthur used his own DNA for creating his body image? Could he have done so solely by assuming, without the help of his healer? If his healer or healing energies provided his assuming with the information needed, we won’t need to quarantine his image. What if his healing energy had no hand in his assumptions and his imagination just asked for - and created - an exact copy of his DNA? Since he desperately wishes to be here with us, is it not likely that this is exactly what he did?” \n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8574</center></h3> I gave them a big open-eyes look as I asked, “There are viruses that can attack or attach themselves to DNA, some of them are what are known as slow viruses because they can lay dormant for a long time before symptoms appear. What if such a virus exists in Arthur’s body and it does not exist in our realities. If they get free and multiply, could our species - or all species, be facing extinction because we have no defences?”\n\n“You are playing with words,” Diana called to me, “are you doing it to frighten us? You started off by saying he wanted us to be the exact same species as his, which implies we are the same genetically, not just compatible, but exactly the same, then you suggest he left out some of the defences he evolved?”\n\nI asked, “Do you think I am responsible of committing such a basic flaw of logic? I’m flattered that you did not assume it was out of stupidity.” I sent a grin and kiss to soften the sting of my words. “What if I left out a leg of the logical argument because I assumed it was a given, taken for granted by all of us? Is it not claimed that he created a far kinder universe for us? What if he did not take that into account when assuming the creation of his body image? With that bit of assumption sandwiched between the two incompatible facts, do they now meld and become an acceptable unit of logic?”\n\n“Not <i>acceptable</i> at all.” Robbie called out and we grinned at his play on words. “The scientists gave us the facts a long time ago, but as usual, my love, you re-present them to us with a different slant for us to fret over. Where are you taking this Sam, do you see a genuine reason for us worrying?”\n\n“No. I was only providing an obvious argument as an example for the discussion, which I’ll continue with my evolving answer to the three of our loves.” I turned back to them with a smile. “I think it is safe to trust Arthur as I’m certain his assuming always incorporates his desire to keep us safe. Now, why don’t you tell me which specific assuming of his worries you?”\n\nAngelica spoke for them, using only one word. “Bobby.”\n\nI gave them a quizzical look. “That brief an answer does not enlighten me as to what your concerns are.” I frowned. “Surely you’re not worrying that his ‘hate’ defence system could be bred into mankind if he has children?” The girls minds anxiety spiked, they looked at each other and I knew it was not the question which had brought them to me. “Relax, it is not a genetic condition. What is worrying you?”\n\n“When he wrote his story of the Boxee Robert and Cherine, he had the Sparklers check the previous incarnations of Bobby and they discovered he had been a Gnolat. It occurred to us that when Arthur wrote the story he did not make any assumptions for our reality with regard to what he wrote because it was only intended to be a story for our amusement. When he gave in to pressure and changed the font of his writing, did he add to it his assuming that nothing of the Gnolat remains a part of Bobby? Doesn’t his ‘hate’ defence actually prove he has inherited something from his previous incarnation?”\n\nSol interrupted us, “Would you like Solomon to join us? I believe the Boxee Solomon has had discussions with him.” Isn’t it funny how telepaths don’t find out what the other knows unless told. I mean, I was not aware of when it was that Sol shared this info from ‘her’ Solomon. The girls and I nodded our agreement and Solomon joined us within a few minutes.\n\n“At that time I had the discussions with my Boxee alternate, he was not knowledgeable with regard to Arthur, his assumptions and the detailed history of the Gnolats. He was concerned about Gnolats existing in his reality, as he too worried as to whether Arthur had assumed the spore reaching his reality. I reassured him that when Arthur creates a reality he does not create it from the time he created it. It comes into existence far back in time, close to when the prime reality was created - by close, I did assume there could be a delay in the billions of years, but that their reality has existed for at least a few billion years, which means it has been infested by the spore.”\n\nRobbie nodded. “I’d say your assumptions are logical, though only assumptions until Arthur confirms he assumed as we think he did.” Well Arthur, we are at the taverna, would you like to comment?\nhttps://images.hive.blog/DQmZ9i64cNqBKQgDq3gWxWC1eCtFtYzQoQY9MFKxneagDyL/The%20image%20of%20A%20stirred,Bk12,%20p8574.png\n“We’d prefer you re-state it so that we are comforted by the words from your mouth.”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8575</center></h3> https://images.hive.blog/DQmXUdpz9UpvhJQrBWguKhi1KYCkoQc8gC8Bajb144uiEme/Arthur,%20explains%20abt%20fonts%20and%20his%20assuming,%20Bk12,%20p8575.png\n“Thank you Arthur.”\n<br>\n\nOur debates regarding the assuming of Arthur did not end that day. We stopped at an alternate Earth to restock and visitors were brought by the local Cherinians. Among the Normals was one who radiated power and yet he was not a Talent. We did not notice who’d brought him and when he joined us at the taverna without introduction, some of us chose to surround him in case it is necessary to defend our loves from him. He ordered a drink and listened to us as friends of other species continued the debate.\n\nIn the hope of taking the debate in a different direction, one of us said that some people are born with a psychic spring of gushing dark-water that constantly threatens to flood their world with sadness. Others, like Goldi, Gina, Cassie, for example, their inner world is blest with the sunshine of joy, a tiny dark-cloud of sadness only passing over their world for brief moments. Normals think that Cherinians are all like Cassie, their inner worlds joyous. The truth is sadder than they would like to imagine it is. First off, opening heart and soul to empathy is not exactly the best recipe for a life constantly filled with sunny joy. Secondly, becoming a Cherinian or a Talent does not alter the basics of our personality. We have to work hard to do so and the most effective way is by trying to alter ourselves while we are in the void. That is what we have been taught by experience and it is what we tell each other. It was what we were talking about with guests sitting amongst us.\n\n“Imagine,” a voice said softly, as if the speaker spoke to himself, and we hushed willing to hear what it is we should imagine. “Imagine,” he said again, aware he now had our attention, “that you substituted the words <i>sadness</i> and<i> joy</i> with <i>love</i> and <i>hate</i> and you applied your arguments, the same arguments, to them. Would you arrive at similar conclusions and cling to the same beliefs?”\n\nFor more than a century we have enjoyed the same arguments, for each of us has settled for the comfort of an opinion that suits us and it is nice exploring nuances that lead us back to what we already think is the correct answer. Without convoluted arguments, just with a request that changes the angle, forcing us to take a new look, the stranger filled me with dismay. I am not dismayed because he has caused a change in what I believe, I welcome ideas that make me take a fresh look at what I accept as fact; my dismay grows from the shock of realising I have spent over a century of failing to think my arguments through to their logical conclusion.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8576</center></h3> Robbie asked, “Friend, have you ever suffered through a nightmare, chased by something so terrifying that your bones melt? Have you ever turned to confront it?”\n\n“Your question is an extension of the subject under discussion?”\n\nRobbie grinned. “Most of us, even of different species and cultures, once we adopt a belief, it is just as difficult to re-examine it with clarity and honesty as it is to face our monsters. Not only because we love what we believe or because we paid a heavy price for those beliefs, but also because the aggregate of our beliefs are what make us the persons we are. We are a compound of all we believe in. Having shattered a part of what makes me the person I am, can you provide us with a new perspective?”\n\nThe eyes of the stranger are a vivid blue, sparkling with the energy that obviously drives his mind, yet his face is hard as granite and emotionless. It showed no response to Robbie’s humour as he dryly replied, “For as long as you ask the question, you shall find there is no answer.”\n\n“As long as we ask?…implying that if we stop asking we’ll have the answer?” He glanced at Empathia, whose mind was suddenly sparkling. “You find sense in what he said?”\n\nShe nodded. “As long as we concentrate on searching for love, we never find it…sometimes we find it without realising we did because we rush off on our search before we’ve given ourselves the time to feel. Once we give ourselves fully to experiencing love, whether we love or are loved or not, we no longer have time nor inclination to ask, for we discover we are love.”\n\nAlice nodded eagerly. “That was what was meant when it was said that Cassie and the others are blessed with an inner joy. It is not that they concentrate on joy, they are too busy experiencing life and love for them to worry about whether their lives are happy - and so they are truly happy.”\n\nThe stranger, who still had not offered us a name, spoke softly, flooring us with another idea. He held a glass of white wine high for all to see as he spoke. “This glass holds wine from the Chara Wine Estate. I know it is wine. I have tasted and know its delicate bouquet, so I need not assume certain of its properties. There is certain information I have that I do not need to be aware of for me to assume its reality and the limits reality places upon its potential. For instance, perhaps this wine could suddenly turn into a pineapple jelly? Can you see that it would not be necessary for me to consciously assume it cannot - under normal circumstances, since we are not in a reality of magic. Let us presume my assumptions can influence the wine so that it does not turn to jelly when a prankster uses his or her powers to make it become jelly, would it be required of me that I do so consciously or would the unconscious assumption - the assumption that would become a conscious assumption if I were first warned that it were to happen, prevent the wine from changing?\n\nIt is known that all philosophers have been puzzling over this question ever since they learnt about our author, so perhaps my question adds little to what is known or assumed about his powers over us? It is accepted, is it not, that he did not need to consciously assume each detail, with one broad assumption he dealt with the myriad positive and negative details needed for a universe to come into existence. You spoke of the sum of your beliefs making you the person you are. Robert, would you accept my statement as valid if I were to say our minds are despots, dictatorial and limiting in what flexibility they allow us - even if we try to keep an open mind about everything?”\n\nRobbie nodded so I cut in before he could verbally agree. “My name is Samantha. The way you have stated it, is inflexible, making the mind less than it is - or, can be. The example that proves you cannot use one blanket description for the human mind exists before your eyes and yet you ignore it.” Having given my name, courtesy would demand he now gives us his; I wonder whether he will.\nhttps://images.hive.blog/DQmVZgCP6NsGZrxxxxhA65wDMvcETJkCweABfyd4Z3RCQs1/Arthur,%20I%20did%20not%20want%20the%20window,%20Bk12,%20p8576.png\n<br>\n<h3><center>8577</center></h3>https://images.hive.blog/DQmXRra2hUy8fZw3C2HQo5bGZSx7sznkE232ND6zmLYzMAR/Arthur,%202%20sets%20of%20assumptions%20existed,%20Bk12,%20p8577.png\nI asked him, “Were you trying to make the point that Arthur’s assumptions, those he assumes and those he has not thought of, but would assume in a negative manner if he thought of them, are stopping us from finding him?”\n\n“Before I answer you, I’d like to correct Arthur. What if theirs have been imposed over yours because they made theirs become a truth before you could make your assumptions. I suspect it is so because you wanted it to be so, even if you think you did not - otherwise they would have failed in their attempts, despite you not knowing what they were trying to achieve. Samantha, perhaps <i>expectations</i> would be a better word. For instance, as an example only - you have realised the a-realities were not created by Arthur. Since there is a dearth of methods to be investigated for finding him, reason suggests you investigate the a-realities to try to get to him from there as the author of those realities might not have thought of making negative assumptions about our ability to contact his reality. You keep it a secret from Arthur so that he does not block you …but…even the other author would not expect it to be possible for characters from his imagination to become real in his reality and, though Arthur is unaware of your efforts, his expectations are exactly the same, so you are doubly blocked from that direction.”\nhttps://images.hive.blog/DQmd73CzSwjo3aB29f2FwEahjQNHByCCBCDpAoxUd7ZdyyF/Arthur,%20S%20had%20the%20guts%20to%20carry%20on,%20I%20love%20her,%20Bk12,%20p8577.png\nLuckily we soared out of our depression before leaving the reality. I asked around and we found where Derek Brantley lives and works. I went to visit.\n\n“Mrs Teller, this is a pleasant surprise! Do come in.” He stood aside for me to enter. \n\nI saw amusement in his eyes as I passed by him and taking a seat I asked, “My visit amuses you?”\n\nHe chuckled. “Considering how our society belligerently warns children not to open their doors to strangers, it is refreshing having a little girl enter my apartment without my having to fear your presence being a police trap.” Robbie and the girls laughed and I admit I also smiled.\n\n“Perhaps they should make laws to protect adults from Cherinian children?” I sweetly asked. He gave a surprised laugh so I gave him a moment. “I’m here because I became very angry with you.”\n\nHe nodded. “You made it obvious.”\n\n“I know. I hope you are not one of those people who think that Cherinians are supposed to be beings of sweetness, love and empathy only? Since I am deprived of the right to strike out at those who anger or hurt me, all I’m left with is the right to let you know how I feel. After you departed Freddie, it was pointed out to me that it is possible that in this reality nobody has mentioned the self imposed rule everyone in all realities observe about mentioning to me anything that could reduce our chances of bringing Arthur to us.”\n\nHe took a seat and stared at me for a moment. “I was aware and did so deliberately.” He smiled, totally at ease, as far as I could sense. “Are you going to get angry with me again?”\n\n“You don’t want us to succeed!? Why?”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8578</center></h3> “Do you really find it that difficult to understand why many people would not like to have him brought to our realities?” He frowned. “You and your family, you think that whatever you want is what everybody wants so you never bother to ask how we feel about the changes you bring us. I’ve got news for you - there are many of us who do not want you to bring the author to our Syncosmi. We don’t need any fucking gods! Let him die in his reality so that we can be free of him - just like the a-realities are now. We don’t need him to continue existing.”\n\nI did not leave, for the longer I sat listening to him, the more he told me. If he spoke the truth - and I think he did, as he knows it, it seems there is a new inter-reality group and they are growing quickly. As with us, they realised their first contacts should be their alternates. They have been employing Talents to carry them to alternate realities to make contact and organise themselves.\n\nBack at the taverna, I shared with everyone and then verbally shared my analysis of the situation (it is better this way as they are then free to make up their own minds instead of being swayed by my feelings and beliefs). “As long as only Normals join their group, I do not see them becoming a major movement or influence. Should they succeed in enrolling Talents, then they’ll be in a position to influence more Normals - and maybe even some Cherinians.”\n\nRobbie shook his head. “No Sam, whether they remain a small group or they grow, we have a responsibility - we must try to show them there is nothing to fear, Arthur is not a threat to any of us.”\n\nAlice said, “Robert, the responsibility is not as open-ended as you imply. The only responsibility we have is to explain what the dangers are and what our own humanity demands of us. Extending the rights of any minority so that they control what we do is wrong and we must not allow ourselves to succumb to the dictatorship of the few.” We grinned as we sensed Cherine egging her on, backing her.\n\nAs she felt us and knew we’d sensed her, Cherine spoke aloud. “I still remember how being politically correct, or ‘p.c.’ as it was called, affected us before the world was changed by aliens and the Cherinians making an appearance. Dommi, do you remember how we laughed at the law they made in the U.K. about snails? People with vegetable plots tried to protect their crop by killing the snails so, because some tiny group complained, a law was passed making it illegal to kill snails…the plot owners were not even allowed to throw the snails off their land…but restaurants were allowed to keep escargot on their menus.” She grinned at Alice. “That is what is called <i>dictatorship by the few</i> by you, but is called deliciously funny irony by me. When the majority are willing to sit back, empowering the politicians they voted for to do whatever they want, we are looking at another ‘Fall of the Roman Empire’.”\n\nRobbie laughed. “How about a debate. Half of us argue the reasons why it would have been better for the world if Cherinians had put in an appearance after the fall and the other half of us argue why it would have been better if we’d appeared at least twenty years earlier, avoiding much of the stupidity they enacted into law.”\n\nCherine’s eyes sparkled. “What about a team to argue it happened at exactly the right time?”\nhttps://images.hive.blog/DQmRAGdrn8e4R7EkMCeJirBi7juCJt4ziwutRKEpPuGBjrS/Arthur,%20I%20back%20Cherine,%20Bk12,%20p8578.png\nWe were startled by his suddenly taking part in our discussion and then Cherine giggled. “Sorry Arthur, you can’t take part…you have to believe as you want to argue, after all, you made it happen that way.” Even Alki and Allan laughed with us as he pulled a face (on the wall screen).\n\n\nByisina has been with us all this time, apart from when visiting alternate Earths. She has never wanted to visit with us and went on her own, sometimes forming a physical presence and sometimes she would infiltrate the internet and watch the craziness of our species as they exchanged comments in what they thought was secure privacy. She never told us what she learnt, but there were times we could sense how badly something upset her, disturbing her equilibrium. We never sensed any change in her attitude towards us, not that we had anything to compare to from any other time. During the entire period of our helping Robert Hayes, his father and his Cher, she stayed close to us and when we offered, she shared from us. I was not the only one dying to hear some kind of comment from her, but I realised she might never tell us anything more than her agreement or withholding of permission with regard to linking her people. I know we should not allow her refusal to stop us, that each individual should have the choice made available to them, but, if she refuses us after spending so much time studying us in depth, then I think we should first take the time to try to understand what forced that decision upon her.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8579</center></h3> Having Arthur’s image sitting at our taverna, in appearance listening to all we say, has forced a fresh self-awareness on us and we are questioning some of the ‘improvements’ we’ve come to accept as being for the good of others or, in general, of ourselves as Cherinians. His comment about us benefiting from the search for new Roberts and Cherines, that they are as children to us and will help us stay alive to the wonders of our universe, has led to us re-examining some of the ways we have developed for making it easier and the adjustments smoother for them becoming Cherinians and couples. A good example would be my recent explanation about how Dommi with Claudia and Aganthi can speed up the process of re-igniting the spirit of any Cherine or Robert who has lived through very difficult times. Our first question was, is what we do as beneficial for them as we think it is? If it is, fine. If there is any doubt, are we doing it to make it easier for ourselves - or is some combination of the two truths valid? Some are beginning to voice a concern that we are missing out on a unique opportunity for them to grow and mature through their own experiences. There are many pro and con arguments as there is no one truth. In some cases what Dommi does is more necessary as their spirits have been broken and they cannot recover without help. In other cases it is not as necessary, but it does avoid forcing them to endure pain - this is the most difficult one for us. We find the idea of standing back so as to allow them to feel pain in the hopes that it will mature them, as necessary but also abhorrent. Our empathy also forces everyone in Freddie to share in the pain and we are not clear on what the ethics of that are.\n\nThere have been Roberts and Cherines who’ve needed years. An example, the crippled Robert who’d suffered through a panga attack and his Cherine who’d been an embittered orphan. Those who have been hurt as badly as them have needed many years and the slightest changes and growth provided us with great joy, a flooding of love and the same satisfaction a parent feels when they see their child mature into the kind of person they dream of him or her becoming. However, we must also keep in mind that our new ‘awareness’ could be a subconscious wish by us to prolong their stay and coming to maturity. That raises the question, can our subconscious be so un-Cherinian?\n\nSince I seem to be in an introspective mood, perhaps I should explain an important, though unexpected side effect of the floodgates of empathy being opened when certain types of personalities are linked. Here are the terms used and explanations:\nhttps://images.hive.blog/DQmZpR8wP9zcUtj1dL9vLXkqD7btZZR9ivNaxVtkZDQvCYQ/Auto-conoption,%20Bk12,%20p8579.png\n<br>\n<h3><center>8580</center></h3> Robert and Cher have become lovers and their Marian didn’t cause any trouble! For a few minutes everyone pretended not to notice her moving her things to his home and then we laughed at ourselves. I extended myself to sense his father and was amused when I realised that Wilfred is mostly curious about the situation and a little anxious. He feels he has been growing closer to his son and is now wondering whether Robert will spend time with him anymore. It feels as if his soul is fluttering like a candle in a storm. I like this Wilfred more than I’ve liked some others, so I joined him at his table.\n\nI kept my eyes soft with concern as I talked. “You’ve seen most of a telling and think you know what this moment signifies, but the truth is, you don’t have a clue. Would you think it presumptuous of me if I try to explain in a way I think will help you understand - I’d like this day to be one of joy for you also.”\n\n“If you can, I’d appreciate it. I permanently feel as if I’m wrapped in cotton wool.”\n\nI let my family know what I intended, arranged for deliveries to be made and took Wilfred’s hand in mine. “We’re going somewhere quiet where you’ll have as much time as you need.” I jumped to the prison planet. As he saw the change in scenery he went into shock and hyper ventilated. My healer helped calm him as I made him walk at the edge of the beach. If the prisoners were surprised that I’d come as a girl, they remained wary of approaching me. I sat on a fallen palm tree and once he’d sat by me I explained about the planet and the men he could see. It was quite sweet of him, for a moment his instincts took over and feeling I must be in danger from the men he felt protective of me. He gave an embarrassed chuckle and paid me the compliment of ignoring the men and looked into my eyes.\n\n“I can’t believe you intend leaving me here with them…”\n\nI giggled. “If I did, Ivgos would never forgive me, he likes you.”\n\n“The others wouldn’t mind? I’ve been that much of a pain in the…behind?”\n\n“Wilfred Teller angling for a compliment? You are different!” I laughed as he pulled a face. “Come with me then, I just want to check that everything is alright with the men and then I’ll take you to Athens.”\n\n“I’d prefer London.”\n\nThe prisoners have never seen me laugh the way I did as we walked towards them. “Let’s go to Athens first and if you still want to go to London, I’ll take you. Deal?” \n\nIf my loves had been with we’d have been rolling on the floor, out of control when he saw the house and realised this is all that Athens is made of. Laughing on my own is not as much fun. As he entered the house, he stopped and stared at the revolver lying on the sideboard and then pointedly turned to look at me. This was where I worried he might make it difficult for us. “I’ll be leaving for three days and a bow and arrows would have been more suitable to the environment, but I felt you’d be more comfortable with a weapon of your period.”\n\n“What is the point of all this?”\n\n“You need time to catch up with all the crazy stuff that’s happened to you and the best way to achieve a return to normalcy is to leave you on your own with nothing to do but think and remember and…if you want, cry. The way I never stop talking, my staying would be counter-productive. I’ll return every three days to check on you.” I gripped his hand. “Don’t sit in the house all day, take long walks. If anything does happen and you die, don’t worry, we won’t leave you dead, Robbie will bring you back. Once we return to Freddie, I will keep my promise and explain about your Robert and his Cherine in a way that ensures there is only joy and love in your heart for both of them. Once you are at peace, then will be the time for us to bring back Rose. For a long while, you’ll need to be strong for her.”\n\nI showed him that the bedroom closet has clothes suitable for walking in the area, made certain he knows how to handle the food machines (how to choose what he wants to eat or drink or smoke), prepared a meal for the two of us, toasted him with a glass of Blue Nun, kissed his cheek and left. He followed and called out as I walked away, “Are you returning to Freddie?”\n<br><br>\n<center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost079\">Next [Book 12] - Post 079</a></center>\n<br>\n<h5><i><b>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.</b></i></h5><br>\n<br><br>\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUTQeVmsqWzFxMrg8a629XdGHm15kCnjSkbFyhiTMwUf9/Name,%20steemit.png\n* posted: 3rd Oct, 2020<br>\n<br><br>\n<center><h6><i>If you wish to read from an earlier book, from Book 01 to Book 12, use this link button to open the LC Book Index:</i></h6><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo/best-way-to-read-little-cherine-links-to-books-01-to-012-new-teller-family-calendar-added\"><img src=\"https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmfJ4USBF6u8SKDuizVpqXMJfwxmr2FEKyc4cwTPvehscV/Worlds%20waiting.png\"/></a></center>\n<br>\n<br>",
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      "title": "Little Cherine Book 12 - BPost077",
      "body": "<sup><h6>The thought of sensing the delight from Cher when she meets the faëries perked up our mood and happily we told Marian and Cher that we are going on a river cruise. We did not give them a chance to protest and the ship was soon waiting for us to board.</h6></sup><br>\n<center>https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmSjs7k76PkScEuXxchZJPDRTfoywcNPt1RTFgzTxnE7Z9/Alex_Robert_Allan%20-%2018y%20-%20mini.png\n</center><br><br>\n<center> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUjdm8RyTVC9Jx8pqYrx7RX3Lvxm35wVLrDNRDUCEEZHF/LC%20Book12%20-%20Cvr.png </center><br><center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost076\">Previous: Book 12 - Post 076 </a></center>\n<br>\n<h3><center>8561</center></h3> I like Cher and it is easy to be in her company as she does not think of herself as special, or aggressively pretend to - as many teenagers do. Once over her shock, her natural curiosity came to the fore and she embarrasses herself by the number of questions she asks us - and we of course, encourage her to ask even more. When she realised that winning in the casino would not provide her with money for buying things she wants back in London, she lost interest in the various forms of gambling. She snuck out and stood on deck with arms wrapped around herself as if trying to hold in her joy, staring at the Trees arching over us, seemingly, from ground level, touching the top of our sky as they sometimes fade into the mists. There are no aliens living on the land close to the river, but as we drew close, I joined her and pointed out our home.\n\n“It’s beautiful! I would have thought you would live at the top of one of those tree-apartments. The view must be fantastic from up there.”\n\n“Each of us has an apartment for those rare times we need to be alone. If you’ll come with me, I’d love to show you my apartment.” I grinned. “You should also go to Cherine’s, it will blow your mind, I know it blew mine.”\n\n“You mean it is fancy?”\n\n“No. Cher, none of us chose our décor, our loves did it for us. What Cherine got was what others felt would suit her. I just could not believe it did, until she explained why it did.”\n\n“I thought you are all telepathic?”\n\n“Sometimes being telepathic means we know less of others’ thoughts.” I grinned as she gave me a puzzled look. “At this time you are not a telepath, so we share our thoughts by speaking. Telepaths soon learn to place great store in our rules of privacy and yet, because they are telepaths, they often forget to explain their thoughts. Result? Less communications. The only time telepathy really works is when we are sharing with someone we love. With my family, I am open to them most of the time. However, I do have times when I need to keep my thoughts to myself and we have agreed in which ways we are signalling for privacy. Mostly they respect my signal whereas I often don’t respect theirs.”\n\n“Why is that? I mean, for you to be telling me it must mean you think or feel you have the right.”\n\n“I exaggerated a bit, I don’t do it often. You see, we have a number of rules and they are <i>all</i> very important. However, we also have one rule which applies only to those who love each other and know with total conviction that the other loves them: this rules gives us an exemption to most of the other rules. If we exercise the exemption rule, we must be prepared to show that we did so <i>only</i> for the good of the person we invaded, or else submit to having our most private thoughts and memories invaded by non-family Cherinians. It feels like rape, so we don’t use the exemption privileges often.”\n\nHer eyes glowed. “Wow, you’re blowing my mind! I never imagined what it would be like. Do I have to learn all the rules before I can become a telepath?”\n\n“There is one rule that applies to every single Cherinian, of every species - without exception. Believe in this one and all the others will flow from it naturally. Cherine, this is the biggie: <i>It is your responsibility to protect everyone, all sapient beings, Cherinian, Normal or Talents, from yourself</i>. That’s it. Think about it, go deeper than just the surface, the first thoughts that you respond to it with, and you’ll understand why it is our prime directive.” I gently took hold of her shoulders and turned her so that she’d face me. “All life, of whatever species, they need to have certain qualities, like empathy, kindness, the ability to love all life and so on, for them to be linked as Cherinians. There are only two people in each reality who do not have to meet the above criteria. Every Cherine and Robert, for them to become Cherinians, they have to love each other and open themselves to the mind and heart of the other. Robert is more important than you can imagine at this time. He’s not just the guy who’ll be your lover and husband. He is much more - to you and all the Cherinians of your reality.”\n\nDommi pulled her away from me and we sensed and saw the mother love shining in her eyes. “Do not allow Samantha to frighten you. The girls will do a telling for the three of you, which should answer all your questions. If you are left with questions, ask them of us afterwards. For now, for tonight, enjoy yourself and allow your heart to sense how much you are already loved by everyone in Freddie.”\n\nTwo hours later, Cher found me where I stood watching the great paddle wheel churning up the water. It was a bit too noisy so I led her to a bench at a quieter spot. “You been doing as Dommi said and had some fun?”\n\n“Just meeting each of you is more fun than I’ve ever had. After all these years, to be with people I don’t have to hide myself from!”\n\nMy grin strained my lips. “If I say anything, I’ll be accused of frightening you again.”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8562</center></h3> She responded with that lovely Cherine smile we all adore, as cheeky as her eyes. “Go on, frighten me.”\n\n“If you think this is heaven, just wait until you have your Robert, a number of wives to love and your own Cherinian group of friends and loves. That gestalt of love, that is our true heaven.” Well, I did warn her. https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmaC6xhFoTcWBivgQ3MXjXyG3bnKe4gRCp6TamgvNNQqLF/LC-smilie_reg-grey.png\n<br>\n\nArthur, it is sad that you joined us at such a time. As of this morning, the part of you that sits with us hears no laughter, no sounds of joy. Even love feels like an icicle that we dare not warm in case it pierces Cher, destroying her.\n\nRobert joined us at the taverna and even before he knew that Cher and Marian were with us, he was frozen, what emoting there was, chilled and hostile. He brought back to us the memories we shared from Vincent of the time Robbie was poisoned at his wedding. They weakened us and it was too late when we thought of Cher, she was walking with her mother and in sight. Luigi acted without waiting for our opinion. In two jumps, the one after the other so quick they blurred into one, he touched Robert and took him to the swamp, close to the coffee farm. We all ignored his furious eruption, our eyes and hearts reaching for Cher. Vaguely we sensed Robert demand he be brought back. Luigi refused him the first time and on the second demand he abruptly told him to wait as long as necessary and he jumped to us. Robert has not been told he can ask Freddie to bring him back to us.\n\n<p>Cher had felt Robert and it seems we’d built up her expectations with all the beauty and love she’d sensed, so, sensing him today was like suddenly diving into a witches brew of anger and despair. As almost every human being does, she assumed responsibility and fed off the guilt. Treading carefully, afraid of giving her hope, but not wanting to leave her without hope, we did our best to help her regain her balance. I tried taking responsibility for his foulness, but Cher sensed how my loves reacted to my effort and she refused to play along. The only one who did not concentrate on helping her was Dommi. She kept herself open to Robert and when she decided she’d understood a little, she explained. *<i>Have none of you noticed that both Ivgos and Lusalith are not with us today? Robert allowed himself to open his heart to the two of them and when they argued and Ivgos attacked him, he took it as a sign that he was proven right, that he should never have allowed himself to care for anyone. He thinks they have turned against him and is protecting himself.</i>* As I’ve remarked so often - sometimes having empathy can be a curse! Anyway, Dommi found a reason to smile. She sent to Robbie, *<i>See what was meant in your dream when Meli called you the Hedgehog Man</i>?* Despite everything, we were amused by her comment and Robbie’s reaction. Dommi was about to jump to Robert when Robbie asked her to stay with us and jumped on his own.</p>\n\n“Robert Hayes! There is a story to that. Will you tell it to me?”\n\n“You promised to return me home the instant I ask. I’m asking. I want to return now!”\n\nRobbie shook his head. “I’m sorry, the promise was made before anyone loved you. Now we have the right to refuse you. Tell me your story Robert, what happened to our father, why did mother marry someone called Hayes?”\n\nHe took three quick steps and thrusting his face in Robbie’s, he spoke as coldly and furiously as he could, “My parents are not yours. Don’t you refer to them as yours again! Now take me home or be dammed as the liar you are.”\n\nRobbie kept his tone casual, but he was sensing us as he replied, “I don’t mind being called a liar by you; you’re not my friend yet.” Cherine giggled and her giggles plus the tension were the catalysts that got us all giggling, to the amazement of Cher and her mother. Cherine shared with her alter and Cher burst into giggles and suddenly everything was okay with us at the taverna. As soon as I could, I did what I should have done hours ago - I jumped to Lusalith.\n\nRobbie said, “I’ve asked you for your story, but I see it is too difficult for you to tell. I’m sending Freddie back in time to your birth and we’ll watch your life directly. I should have done this from the start as I know you will also benefit from seeing your life as it happened, instead of through the eyes and limited understanding of the child you were.” Freddie warned everyone of where and when we are going and the emoting of Robert was a scream, a scream of fury, but also of someone being forced to face the unbearable by powers he cannot fight. He turned away from Robbie and walked towards the swamp. I could not bear to continue sensing Robert and looked back through my eyes - and saw a sorrowing Lusalith. She was holding Ivgos, who had scrunched himself into a tiny ball of misery as he wept. Tears filled my eyes as I knelt by them to softly stroke Ivgos, my heart begging his for the right to share his pain.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8563</center></h3> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmRqh8tDoZwEThJskNU3Do2UDMCNYBNL3VsWoZGH6VfNcA/Arthur,%20asks%20Alki%20to%20be%20the%20rock%20of%20Robert%20Hayes,%20Bk12,%20p8563.png\nFreddie took Robbie’s request literally and timed our arrival for the 5th of January, the night before Robert was born. As Freddie zoomed in, we saw his father carefully driving a small pickup truck on a dirt road. Marian lay on a mattress in the back with two male servants sitting to either side of her, trying to keep her on the mattress and to prevent her from rolling onto her belly as the road wound through the mountain. We could sense Marian’s pain and Wilfred was over-tense. He kept rubbing his eyes and his fatigue was obvious, but he was determined to arrive at the hospital without delays.\n\nOnce he turned onto the thin tarmac road, he put his foot down but sensibly remained at a safe speed. We all sighed with relief when he turned into the entrance to the hospital and stopped by the emergency entrance. Marian was wheeled to the maternity ward, where she was expected. Wilfred was forced to follow as she would not let go of his hand. She did not give birth immediately and we saw Wilfred kept nodding off and jerking as he forced himself to remain awake. Marian hardly noticed him, only aware of her pain and the link between them, the touching of hands, the warmth and work-calloused hardness that she could recognise in her sleep. In the early hours of the 6th of January, Robert was born.\n<br>\n\nA few friends had come to the hospital so Wilfred was forced to go through the cigars and manly hugs routine as he was congratulated on having a son. Marian fell asleep, the baby was taken away from him as if he had no right to it and his friends insisted on taking him to the New Stanley for a fancy breakfast. They ate, they joked, teasing Wilfred, grabbing this opportunity since he would never stand for the familiarity of teasing at any other time. They ended off the breakfast with a magnum of champagne, made him light another cigar and departed, in a hurry to get to their work. Wilfred ordered another two coffees in the hope they keep him awake. As he came to his feet he put his hand in his pocket for some change for tipping the waiter. He pulled out a piece of paper, stared at the note from the doctor and his face lit up as he whispered, ‘A son! Robert Teller, my very own son!’\n\nHe decided to take the indirect route to pass in front of the Norfolk Hotel to book a room for one night. He hated wasting the money for a room, but he was too tired to drive home. As he drove past a side street, which was a stop street for the other driver, a big Mercedes drove through without stopping and smashed into the drivers door, instantly killing Wilfred.\n\nAs Robbie and the Sparklers dashed off for his soul, we felt Robert screaming. When he settled for wild sobbing, he allowed Alki to hold him. Our pappou waited until he was certain Robert would hear his words and then told him that Robbie has gone to collect a cell from the body of his father and his soul. “Your father will be alive within minutes. Why don’t we go to the taverna to be with everyone. I hope they deserve to share your joy Roberto mou?”\n\nHe pulled back. “What joy? I don’t know him and he damn well doesn’t know me. I don’t want to meet him.” Only his Cherine is allowed to hit him and their relationship has not developed to the point where she can do so - more’s the pity. Alki did not give in to Robert’s self-pity, kept calm and talked softly but insistently until Robert gave in. They arrived about fifty metres from the taverna and walked to a table together, to find a whiskey for Alki and a cappuccino for Robert waiting.\n\nRobbie did not return Wilfred to life. He first went to Robert. “I was going to bring back your father immediately, but then I realised I don’t know your future. You tell me, would it be kinder to bring him back now so that he can share in your childhood and grow to love you as he would have had he not been killed, or will what he sees make him miserable?”\n\n“You persist in interfering in my life and you refuse to accept that I want you to leave me alone. I don’t care what you do, all I want is to return to my life in London.”\n\nRobbie nodded. “Hmm, that is a point I’d forgotten. It will hurt him to see how plain it is that you don’t care for him. Unfortunately, if I am to only consider what is good for him, I’m going to have to bring him now and whatever pain you cause him, he’ll just have to bear it - that is what most parents have to do for their children. At least he’ll have the continuity he’ll need to recover.”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8564</center></h3> I was not the only one confused. Seeing his wife marry another, his son adopted and the adult version cold and heartless; they would help him adapt? I knew that Wilfred will not truly understand the argument about not changing the past, since to him it will not be his past, and he will demand we take him back to his family. I guessed that Robbie was putting all his eggs in one basket - gambling on a change of heart in Robert. How could that happen? I was sitting next to the image of Arthur and, maybe because I needed to, I reached out to touch his hand. I felt warm skin! I’d forgotten that detail and turned to examine his face, but his eyes remained lost to some distant horizon. I thought to myself, what it would be like to have all of Arthur sitting by me and my hearts raced. I’m glad that even just the thought can still do that to me.\n\n“Freddie, please leave this reality as soon as everyone is back on board. We’re going to give our guests time to share our experiences through a telling before we ask them to trust us.” Robert gave Alki a cold ‘leave-me-alone’ look and walked away. Alki was about to let him go, but then he glanced at the image of Arthur and giving his Marian a kiss, he followed Robert. It was funny sensing the reactions of the new Marian when she saw Alki kiss her alter. Since she thinks we are all degenerates, she has a long way to go before love touches her heart.\n<br>\n\nThe way to think of Robert is to think of him as a game. The girls have started the telling and Alki brought Robert to join in the sharing. He sits with eyes and ears open, but refuses to allow anything to touch him. He really is not doing our ego much good, he should have been falling in and out of love with us in turn, yet he either does not like some of us or else he does not seem to notice the rest. Whatever he thinks of us, as girls, surely he cannot continue resisting the magic of the telling?\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmS23weCEZmvqEjb87NyBHCnjEFJ7zhggySTxDFrXNTDgF/Cassie%20pretends%20to%20sniff%20the%20A%20image,%20Bk12,%20p8564.png\nI sure hope his image doesn’t get tired or sore. The idea caught on like wildfire. We told all the species to bring their children for a portrait photograph with Arthur. Those who are too big or too heavy, they stood or sat by him and I’d drape his arm over them. We even had a photo taken of Batsy and the two Silver Boys with Arthur - the two ‘boys’ to either side with Batsy on his lap. She first made certain she did not weigh more than twenty kilos, so it meant she looked more like a five year old sized thirteen year old. When Alexis admitted she would also like to have a picture of her with you, the rest of my loves confessed to the same wish. We agreed to wait until everyone else has had their photo taken. The funny thing is that Robert watched the photo session with a look of disapproval and we could sense he felt it was a kind of…I don’t know, lèse-majesté? Every day he manages to surprise us. This Robert must be one of the most complex ones I’ve ever met.\n\nA week into the tellings Robbie changed his mind. “I’m going to bring back his father now. Could you girls start the tellings again?”\n\nEmpathia shook her head. “No, the tellings will only confuse the issue. We must return to watching the baby Robert.”\n\nRobbie pulled a face. “I wanted to put it off for now. Freddie is going to become an unpleasant place with two of them emoting anger and making others miserable.”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8565</center></h3> “I like your dad so I think I can help this Wilfred understand.” Robbie stared at Empathia for a moment and then nodded his agreement.\n<br>\n\nWilfred opened his eyes, mumbled, ‘Go away, I’m sleepy’, closed his eyes and fell asleep. We stared at each other with wonder as we tried to work out what this means. Sol must have called for Solomon for he joined us. We explained.\n\n“It does not make sense!”\n\nRobbie laughed. “Welcome to the real world Solomon. It hardly ever makes sense. His body is a new body plus, it is at prime health, so he cannot be tired. But his mind knows that it is sleepy so he needs to sleep. I bet he’ll wake up within a few minutes.” Empathia and Robbie returned to his room as he stirred. “Feeling better now?”\n\nWilfred sat up in shock. “What happened? The last thing I remember, the damn car smashed into me. how did I get here and where am I?” He felt himself. “How can I be feeling so healthy and without any pain?” He looked at his hands in amazement, for his callouses had disappeared.\n\nRobbie spoke gently. “We are from your future Wilfred. You were killed in the accident, but we brought you back to life.”\n\nEmpathia showed her genius, doing the opposite of what we think is right. “Wilfred, we had a good reason for bringing you back. Please be patient while I explain…no, first, take a look out the window.”\n\nHe started moving and clutched the sheet. “I’m not wearing anything. Are there any clothes?” She brought some of Robbie’s and telling him she’d return when he is dressed, she walked out. Robbie followed her.\n\n“What are you planning?” Robbie asked.\n\n“I’m going to tell him about alternate realities and that you are his alternate son.”\n\nHe stared at her for a moment with a slight twist to his lips. “I hope you know what you are doing.”\n<br>\n\nShe did. Even after seeing the Trees, the waterfalls in our sky and the spaceships, a part of him found it difficult to believe Robbie is his alternate son. He shrugged the problem aside and asked about his son.\n\n“Your son is forcing us to jump through a lot of hoops. The first thing you should know is that Rose remarried and Robert was adopted by his stepfather. He is now called Robert Hayes.”\n\nWilfred cut her off with an angry exclamation. “Hayes! The bastard! I knew he was after my Rose, I should have killed him.” He calmed down. “Sorry. You were saying?”\n\n“When we met your son he was already twenty nine years old - that make him slightly older than you. We soon realised that something had affected him, twisting his heart shut. He is bitter and cold, not at all like my Robert. We wanted to help him and the only way we could do so was to return to his past so as to learn what it was that hurt him. We saw you die in the accident and our Robert collected your soul and using cells from your body he created a new body for you.” She touched his arm. “I’m sorry, I know that you are suffering from future shock, but I had to give you the true explanation so that you understand that your son needs help. Wilfred, you have lost all rights to the life you left when you died. Seeing your son and wife as they live their lives and make their mistakes will be hard for you, but you are not allowed to interfere. Let me explain again about alternate realities and how they are formed…and if you need me to explain a third or tenth time, I’ll do so, for I know the mind finds it difficult to process this kind of information.” She explained and tried to make him see why he cannot return to his world and family. He said he understood, but Empathia was right, he will need it explained a few more times when he sees his family suffer.\n<br>\n\nThe years of Robert as a baby were boring for most people, but us girls watched as many hours as we could. So did most of the Terran women, because of their yearning to have a child. We could not skip those years anyway, as we also had to know what happened to Rose and how and why she chose to marry Reginald Hayes. The comment by Wilfred indicated that he knew him and was probably a neighbour. He did not turn up at the funeral, nor did he put in an appearance during the next eight months. Then he phoned Rose, told her he had just heard about the death of Wilfred and that he had booked a seat on the next flight to Nairobi. As we watched, Wilfred’s face was pale and hard, as if sculpted out of Pendeli marble. I noticed that Robert was watching his father instead of the screen and his eyes had the guarded, wounded look I’ve seen a couple of times on Robbie and my heart reached out to him. <i>What the hell is holding him back</i>, I asked myself, <i>why is he fighting himself</i>? With time, we’ll find out and help him; it is just sad that in the meantime the three (four, if I count their Marian) are suffering because of it.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8566</center></h3> Rose worked hard to save the farm. Wilfred had borrowed from the bank and she feared they would take it from her if she did not prove herself capable. That kind of hard work does steal some of our life force, shortening the years we are allotted. That, Rose would not have begrudged. It was the constant fear of one white woman with a baby living on a farm with only Kikuyu employees that was eating away at her reserves. Bwana Shambas did offer to work for her, but the farm was too small for her to afford the salary they would expect and neighbours calling on her to oversee the picking and roasting of beans only filled her with guilt, for most of them also had bank loans and struggled to keep their farms. The phone call from Reginald did not please her, but we could almost sense her thoughts that changed her mind. I like to think of myself as strong, but I cannot say what I would do if I were a Normal and had a baby. I told Wilfred my thought and he forgot that I am not an eleven year old child and his hand softly but patronisingly brushed my cheek as he thanked me. Robert heard and saw our interaction and it was the first smile of his I’ve seen for some time.\n\nI deliberately did not write of the reaction of the two men when they first met. As far as Wilfred was concerned, just the day before, he’d held his baby son in his hands and now he faced a man of his age or older and he could not make the transition, emotionally or mentally. As for Robert, who knows. He kept his distance and refused to join in our conversations.\n<br>\n\nLuckily we depend on Freddie to show on the screens what is happening with Rose and baby Robert and he skims through the empty hours by jumping. A laborious process, but the only one available at this time. When she married, Wilfred would sit before the screen for longer hours than he had before, as if afraid to leave them unsupervised for a moment. We could all tell he was waiting for something bad to happen. When it did, he looked at Robbie as if pleading through his eyes, then turned away from Robbie and the screen and sitting at a table far from all of us he ordered a bottle of whiskey. When we went to bed he was still sitting there and though he was on his second bottle, he did not seem drunk. We all pretended not to see Robert stealing glances secretly, his face pale and troubled.\n\nWilfred waited for us to finish our breakfast and when a chair emptied close to Robbie, he sat. “Before Rose and I wed, Reginald was married to a tall beanpole of a woman. When she began to be seen with bruises, she denied Reginald was responsible. She stood the abuse for two years and then vanished and we heard that she obtained a divorce and a court order forced Reginald to keep his distance. He then made a play for Rose, even though he knew she was engaged to me. I found him and beat the shit out of him and warned him I would kill him if he even said hello to her. Robert, I understand you are not my son, but I beg you, please find a way for me to return to kill that fucking snake.”\n\nRobbie turned to look at Robert. “If I do as your father asks, you will stop existing. It will be a different reality and that Robert will be a different Robert from you.”\n\nHe had been staring at his father and hardly bothering to shrug, he replied, keeping his eyes fixed on those of his father, “It does not matter, do it.” A sudden flare of hate lit up his eyes and they bored into the red eyes of his father as he said, “You just make fucking certain you kill him.”\n\nIt is just as well most people don’t understand from the first time what we tell them about the way realities are created - as a matter of fact, I seem to recall us having the same problem and irritating Arthur at the time. Actually, when I look back, I see that despite our opinion of ourselves (and my inflated ego in particular) at the beginning, the people we’ve met and the mistakes we made taught us a lot and we have matured in some important ways. I’m not worried about failures and having been stupid in the past, I just don’t want it to be true of me in the future - and the same is true for all of us, not just the family. I’ll welcome whatever suffering we have to endure as long as I see it is the catalyst that sparks growth in us. Only when suffering blocks growth is it evil.\n\n“Freddie, jump.” Robbie raised his hand. “Wilfred, Robert, your willingness to sacrifice yourselves is heartening, but cannot help Rose. Robert, it cannot even help you. I believe you have a clearer understanding of what alternate realities are, but there is still a flaw in your reasoning. You are thinking that it is better a copy of you grows up with your father and mother, even if it means you stop existing? It does not work that way. Try and picture what I’m going to tell you now - <i>each reality generates an infinite number of realities</i>. Can you picture it? Your reality splits an infinite number of times and each of those split offs, or alternate realities, split off an infinite number of times. This goes on an infinite number of times. What does it actually mean for you? It means there are an infinite times infinite number of alternates of you. They started existing from the split second you were conceived.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8567</center></h3> You want a Robert who grew up with his real father and mother? That is what happened to me. You saw the early part of the telling by my loves, did you think I was as happy as you seem to think you would have been if your father had lived? Wilfred, I don’t know what you would have been like had you lived, but my father was a cold hearted bastard who not only never showed me love, but also pretended my mother had died so that I would not have her love. He even destroyed all our photos of her in the hope I would forget my mother! Would you like to meet my father, your alternate? He’ll tell you that I spoke the truth, but that he died and when I brought him back we both learnt to love each other. What I’m trying to tell both of you is that the past is important, but not as important as the future. We can change ourselves so that we live a life with meaning. Stop worrying about changing others, the one certainty is that only each of us can change ourselves for the better - we can only change others for the worse if what we want from them is not part of their nature.\n\nWe will return to your reality, at the same time we departed, so that you can watch and learn. However, if you are both not fully aware of what possibilities exist for you, then you cannot make sound and healthy decisions and what you see will destroy you. We are first going to share with you the experiences of our family - my loves will do a telling for you. When it is finished, then we’ll return to baby Robert and when you suffer, you’ll know that you do not suffer alone, there are billions of Cherinians in Freddie and the Sparklers Worlds and they will suffer along with you. You’ll never be alone again, that is our promise.”\n<br>\n\nRobert has not unbent with us or his Cher, but he does talk to his father. There is one exception (no surprise). He asks Alki to sit with them when he tells his father some of what he and his mother endured. Alki is not like me, he does not attempt to choose a path for those he helps, he prefers to allow them to find their own path while he tries to strengthen them with his caring. We see that Alki and his family spend as much time with us at our home as they can, for the pain he has to share from Robert and Wilfred needs to be healed by an ocean of love.\n\nOnce the tellings began, Alki rarely suffered, as both became entangled by what they were sharing. At last Robert has opened enough for some of the magic of Cherine to touch him. When they reached the finding of Wendy and the killing of her father, both of them were physical wrecks and the feelings they emoted for Wendy were strong and pure enough to fill a city with love. As the girls sense them responding, their telling grows stronger and it touches them deeper.\n\nWilfred was emoting a mishmash of emotions that showed he needed help, so when he came to Robbie, we made space for him and then withdrew when we sensed he was embarrassed about speaking, about opening himself in front of us. Robbie ordered him a cappuccino, but he grabbed a beer from the ice basin. He drank half of it, searched for the right words and then said, “I’m too new at being a father to have the instincts and knowledge I need for explaining myself in the way I should. I feel strange about saying what I want to say to you.”\n\n“When speaking to a Cherinian, any Cherinian, keep in mind that we do not read your thoughts, but we cannot help sensing whatever emotions you are broadcasting - we call it emoting. As long as you are emoting feelings, it does not matter how well or badly you phrase yourself, you’ll be understood because the listener will want to understand.”\n\n“The telling of your story made your childhood far more real than my own childhood is to me. What I learnt of your father, I saw a lot of him in me. I could not help wondering, if I had lived, what kind of father would I have been. Would I also have been as weak, fear and pride costing me my family?”\n\n“My mother told me that me father had always found it difficult to show his emotions. She told me she understood him and could sense what he found difficulty in expressing. She never told me he was fearful or that his coldness originated from pride. Wilfred, you truly have caught me by surprise. Did you really sense that from my father - as my loves portrayed my feelings and memories of him?”\n\n“In all the realities that you met me, in how many of them did I have a coffee farm in Kenya?”\n\n“In all of them.”\n\n“I was not an employee in any of them?”\n\n“Not even after they became Cherinians. My father married another Rose, who’d lost her husband, and they opened a pub in Cyprus. Actually,” Robbie grinned, “I can’t imagine my father working for anyone, he’d soon be fired for being too stubborn to obey orders that don’t make sense to him.”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8568</center></h3> “I had not given much thought to that side of it. The truth, Robert? I do not think I am suited to being an entrepreneur. I fear failure too much for me to be an effective businessman. I had thought I would be better off at having defined duties and letting others bear the responsibility of their decisions.”\n\nRobbie chuckled. “Boy! This is going to give me many hours of teasing dad. Wilfred, would you like to meet him? Could you do so without his Rose making you too conscious of what you’ve lost?”\n\n“Surely they are not in Freddie? Do you mean afterwards?”\n\n“No, I mean now. When we found your son, my father, Rose and their son Gregory moved to a Sparkler World copy of Athens. They could be with us within minutes.”\n\n“You think they could help me,” he glanced aside. “Would seeing them help Robert?”\n\n“There are no guarantees in life, as you know. Wilfred, I think my father can help you more than I can and maybe Rose can help both of you?” He nodded and a Sparkler called them. Wilfred stared at them, shocked by the suddenness of their arrival and the sight of Rose, who looked as young as his memory of his love on the day he asked her to marry him. Whatever he’d thought, he was unprepared for the reality of seeing her in the flesh, so to speak, and his knees buckled as his breath keened his grief. Robert, on seeing his mother, was not in a better condition and Rose did not know who to go to first.\n\nThe telling was suspended for two nights as father and son were benefiting by the presence of Robbie’s dad and stepmother (I’m uncomfortable naming her a stepmother since she actually is his mother, if we accept that all alternates are from the prime person they diverged from. However, I cannot just name her an alternate mother as that would not include the fact that she is married to Robbie’s father). \n\nOur Wilfred brought his alter and Robert to us. “What you ask of them is hard. Could you watch without taking action, whatever you know about realities, as your Cherine is tortured and killed?”\n\nAt last Robert has spoken of her death. Robbie asked, “Your mother was killed?”\n\nRobert found the courage to stare into the eyes of Robbie. “She…she took her own life but, yes, I consider her death a murder. He made life unbearable for her so he is her murderer.”\n\n“Have you avenged her life and death?”\n\nHe gave a wild, bitter laugh. “Avenged her life…that is apt, you do understand. Robert, I have tried to be a civilised person, depending on the State or God to deal out whatever punishment is his due. Neither have seen fit to inflict any punishment on him. Maybe God does not consider what he did a crime.”\n\n“Do both of you want to continue watching her?”\n\n“Yes.” They both replied.\n\n“Cherine love?” She understood and went to sit on his lap.  His head sagged to one side as he caressed her legs. “I’ll ask both of you the same question tomorrow. In the meantime, let me tell you what I am prepared to do - or, to help you do. I will be present at her time of death and bring her back to be your wife and mother. Robert, if you feel it would help you return to a more balanced life, I’ll revert you to a child so that you grow up with your real father this time. That is what I will do for you. The rest is for you to decide whether you need to do it - as promised, if you want to go ahead, I will help you. Do you both want to avenge the suffering of Rose by killing Reginald?” They both confirmed they did.\n\n“Consider this,” Robbie asked. “If you insist on returning to watch, when Rose is returned to you, the memories of all you saw will colour how you see her and mar your relationship. Robert, she is your mother and what you have already shared should be enough to keep alive a spring of compassion and empathy. Wilfred, she is your wife, your companion, your love. As Cherinians, your souls will dance with each other and if you need to share all she suffered, would it not be better you do so from her memories and with her consent? Sharing that way means you learn of all she endured from her viewpoint, better empowering your heart to find the right words to heal her. Would you prefer she knows you learnt all the sordid details and pains from watching her without her knowing? Can you see it is not the way to grow with her?” Our Wilfred did not try to block the love and pride he felt for his son, so we also let him feel how we felt. It nearly reduced him to tears.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8569</center></h3> Robbie pulled a dirty on us. He never had any intention of helping them kill Reginald, but he felt that he owed it to them to have experienced her suffering so that he would not be making his decision the easy way. Without letting us know where he was going, he returned to their reality and spent close to a year skimming through her life. The day she killed herself he returned. To us his absence had only lasted half an hour and so we did not understand what was happening and why he felt the way he did. Going straight to the bar he drank vodka from the bottle and then curled up on the bed and wept. Shocked, afraid, we did not force ourselves on him, but waited for him to want us to share. We did not resent it when he called for Cherine and Dommi. At least they kept themselves open to us and as they shared from him we also shared. I felt my own pain at sensing what Rose went through, but I made certain that I burnt the memory of how much Robbie suffered and then, how his suffering was doubled when he decided he does not have the right to be a part of the vengeance Wilfred and Robert demand. He felt they would hate him, but he cannot do what they want. I was doing it as a lesson for myself, but I also decided that if Cherine and Dommi do not let Wilfred and Robert feel what price our Robbie paid and they say anything hurtful, I will make them feel what it cost him.\n\nCherine has shown that she is far wiser than I am, once more. She did not let her ego demand of her that she be the one to heal him - she called for Rose and Themi to return to Freddie and she shared with his mother. They both left Robbie when Rose entered the room and Dommi made damn certain they had total privacy. When Rose walked out she got hugged by all of us, without us having felt Robbie. We had sensed what it had cost her and the love and pride for our Robbie she was emoting.\n\nRobbie did not speak of what he had done and only asked of the two that they continue watching the tellings and when it is time, he’ll take them with him as he collects her soul. It was interesting for everyone, sensing how father and son are bonding - not as father and son, but as friends.\n\nCher stayed in the background all this time and when Robert was emoting his pain, she needed someone to help her through this time…since she could not stand by Robert as he did not want her. She spent hours each day communing with Arthur’s image. He has the look of someone listening and since he never speaks, he is the perfect confidante. We consider her chats as being private and block ourselves from hearing her - I wish Arthur could assume he hears her so that he knows what her heart dreams of and what pains her. https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmRSPj1i2X8SMAmgi8oJziCirfK7cZ38TNDp2TF5YcFB9e/Arthur,%20I%20wish,%20I%20would%20love%20to%20hear%20your%20voices,%20Bk12,%20p8569.png\nAsking the two to continue with the tellings was a good idea. The girls wanted the tellings to inspire them, spark a dream for them so that they want to become Cherinians. Meli insists that she does not know how she adjusts the tellings to suit the needs of the audience, but she has not failed in achieving her target once. They went through a period of being awed by Robbie but he performed his usual antics to bring them back to earth. It took far longer for Robert to become fascinated by Cherine than it ever has before, but as soon as we sensed it, we did all we could think of to push his Cherine forward. Our biggest problem is that she is shy and hates the limelight. She also does not exhibit the same spirit our Cherine has and if she doesn’t tease her Robert, I doubt he’ll fall for her. As Robbie teases, he fell in love with the imp in his Cherine before he grew to love her.\n\nDuring the telling we’d briefly visit other realities for a coffee and by them meeting some of the local Cherinians, the feeling of the tellings being true, real, was accepted by them emotionally and mentally. Robert also did not feel he was under pressure from the other Cherines and became friends with two of them, driving his own Cherine nuts with jealousy. We should have thought of doing this long before. https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmaC6xhFoTcWBivgQ3MXjXyG3bnKe4gRCp6TamgvNNQqLF/LC-smilie_reg-grey.png\n\nIt is difficult to notice changes in Robert because of his emoting a need for privacy almost all the time. The day after the telling finished we visited another Earth, enjoyed the warm welcome and returned to Freddie. Haven noticed Robert staring at the image of Arthur and drew our attention to him. He came within a couple of feet of Arthur, staring at him from close up. Tentatively, he reached out and touched the left hand as it rested on the table. He turned and looked at us as if to say, ‘look, I’ve touched him!’, and then he walked into the grass and bush and was soon out of sight. The Akiard kids were aware of his walking in their direction and they sent to Cherine that they will stay out of sight, unless they sense he wants to meet them. He walked for days and whenever it was sensed that he needed food or drink, the taverna robot took it to him. To Robert, the robot is just a machine so he did not feel its presence intruded upon his thoughts and his need to be alone.\n\nHe reached the brow of the hill and saw Elipians below him. One was playing music and the others were talking, socialising as they opened their minds to each other. It made them laugh and some would suddenly rush off with an excess of energy. They quickly returned to join the laughter and music. They ignored Robert and it was as if he was not there. He sat on a rock (the same one we usually choose when we go to watch our Elipian friends). The Elipians were not snubbing him, they were only respecting the need for privacy he was broadcasting.\n\nA short while later, Sharipya contacted us telepathically and asked us to share. From what we saw, he was staring at the Elipians, but it was obvious he did not see them, for his eyes swam with tears that ran down his cheeks. The tears still filling his eyes, hardly seeing his way, Robert turned back towards the taverna. We did not know whether he would want to be helped back or prefer to walk, giving himself time to recover his equilibrium. When he paused to recover his breath, the robot delivered beers and sandwiches and asked if he wishes for anything else. He ignored the sandwiches, grabbed two beers and stumbled on without answering - well, I guess it was answer enough. \n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8570</center></h3> We shared with Cher and arranged to bring her to the taverna should he approach at a time she is not with us. The next two days and nights were hell for her but she did not complain. I sat by her. “As you probably noticed from the tellings, I’m like a cat.”\n\nShe bravely gave me a little smile. “What are you curious about?”\n\n“We’ve more or less worked out that you sensed Robert at the school and your instincts warned you to remain out of sight until you can prepare him for meeting you. What I’m curious about is what you planned. Were you going to wait until you were an adult?”\n\n“I made a mistake.” I saw a hint of a smile when she sensed my puzzlement. “I did not know that I would affect him and when I realised his mind is reacting to me, that it is opening, I thought the powers he would acquire would make me seem less of a freak and he’d want to be with me - since I would be the only other freak he knows. So I wanted to wait until he could not hide it from himself anymore.” I laughed, amused by the logic of it but I could also sense deep inside, hidden from Cher I think, the sadness that still coloured her inner world. I suddenly realised we’ve concentrated on Robert without taking the time to wonder at what had hurt her, stealing the spirit that animates all Cherines.\n\n“I could not sense what powers he was acquiring, but I felt his unease, his worry and then, his joy. It was almost like he was in a religious ecstasy! That must have been when he learnt how to travel to other realities.” I nodded, agreeing with her. “Then he changed and I felt him become cold and hard.”\n\n“What!? Only then, not from before?”\n\n“Before…he was not so bitter, just shut in, if you know what I mean.”\n\n“I do - and I have a horrible suspicion that I’m to blame.” I shared with her our meeting and his fading away. She did not understand why I blamed myself. “I suspect he had not given a thought to other Roberts, and if he did, he probably assumed they all lived lives similar to his, so he accepted it was something he had to bear stoically, like a man. Then he meets me, I introduce myself as the daughter of Robert Teller and he realises Hayes was not a part of my Robbie’s life. What a blow it must have been, learning he is not like other Roberts, that they have wives and children and have known love, that he and his mother were the only ones to suffer as they did.”\n\n“That is why he feels angry…more angry, when you are near him or if you speak to him?” She looked into my eyes with her warm dark brown eyes and I saw the feelings I was sensing from her emoting. “That is not fair! It’s not your fault.”\n\n“I have a way of dealing with such situations, I blame him (I gestured towards Arthur).” I laughed at her look. “He blames us for anything that happens to him, so why shouldn’t I do the same?” She is so pure and naïve, it was fun playing with her. “Cherine love, I’m teasing you - and Arthur. As for Robert, we all become a little bit unfair when we are hurting and I bet he’ll become one of my best friends once he is over it.” I thought of something else. “You saw in the tellings how much my Robert suffered. Do you know that his suffering strengthened and purified his soul? I think we can expect the same of your Robert.” What I said was lost on her because she had felt how my family reacted to my being used as a scapegoat by her Robert and was drawing into herself. I gave her a wink. “Which of my loves do you think Robert will love the best, maybe Diana? They fall in love with others, but it is Diana they don’t get over.” It was the first time she took a look at us in the light of how her Robert will be affected by us, as she had not dared believe he would love her. We felt the first bitter bite of jealous fear blossom in her and my loves rushed over to reassure her - and to claim I am just being nasty.\n\nShe ignored their efforts and looking at me, shook her head. “No, I think she is wrong. I think my Robert will love Samantha the most.” I don’t know whether she was paying me back or whether she believed it - I hope it is the first possibility. Now that my loves know Cher has problems, they took over while I jumped to my apartment so as to sit on my tree. \nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmRTFXrQ1YiTrxruAQW2bPzKSWa8LNdaukh43vN8oRGM37/Arthur,%20do%20you%20time%20yr%20visits%20to%20new%20R&C,%20Bk12,%20p8570.png\n<br><br>\n<center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost078\">Next [Book 12] - Post 078</a></center>\n<br>\n<h5><i><b>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.</b></i></h5><br>\n<br><br>\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUTQeVmsqWzFxMrg8a629XdGHm15kCnjSkbFyhiTMwUf9/Name,%20steemit.png\n* posted: 1st Oct, 2020<br>\n<br><br>\n<center><h6><i>If you wish to read from an earlier book, from Book 01 to Book 12, use this link button to open the LC Book Index:</i></h6><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo/best-way-to-read-little-cherine-links-to-books-01-to-012-new-teller-family-calendar-added\"><img src=\"https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmfJ4USBF6u8SKDuizVpqXMJfwxmr2FEKyc4cwTPvehscV/Worlds%20waiting.png\"/></a></center>\n<br>\n<br>",
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      "author": "arthur.grafo13",
      "permlink": "little-cherine-book-12-bpost076",
      "title": "Little Cherine Book 12 - BPost076",
      "body": "<sup><h6>Not confident he would be welcomed, he visited us to ask whether our alternates would welcome him back or are they angry with him. We convinced him to return and he is still living there.</h6></sup><br>\n<center>https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmSjs7k76PkScEuXxchZJPDRTfoywcNPt1RTFgzTxnE7Z9/Alex_Robert_Allan%20-%2018y%20-%20mini.png\n</center><br><br>\n<center> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUjdm8RyTVC9Jx8pqYrx7RX3Lvxm35wVLrDNRDUCEEZHF/LC%20Book12%20-%20Cvr.png </center><br><center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost075\">Previous: Book 12 - Post 075 </a></center>\n<br>\n<h3><center>8551</center></h3>https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmZ9Eifkc6nPp7RQ42nn1USBX2RB6GroCBYatnLBRbYVAu/Arthur,%20wants%20to%20write%20to%20his%20readers,%20Bk12,%20p8551.png\n<br>\n<h3><center>8552</center></h3> We found some books of hers but did not find any of the above in them. I guess she did not need to express the same warnings because of Cherinianism preventing what is happening in your reality. The sad thing, Arthur, is that most people already are aware of the dangers but don’t care, as long as they have their own tiny corner, with an income to provide for their family and themselves. It is so easy to erode and cower the human spirit that it surprises me there ever have been moments of democracy and respect for human rights.\n<br>\n\nByisina has avoided the Press and spends most of her time meeting with other species, studying them but also discussing her own situation, hoping they will provide her with answers. Empathy makes me need to rush to her side to help, for I can imagine how tortured she must be. It is not time, I would only cause damage by interfering now. True empathy, in other words, demands I suffer but wait.\n\nSolomon visited us at our home in Athens. After some small talk, he asked, “Are we to wait here for birthdays and other celebrations or are you planning to visit the reality of Robert Hayes soon?” We returned to Earth on the 11th of May, PC63 and most of us were looking forward to the celebrations at the end of the month, with the first birthday of Yuming on the third of the next month. None of us had any presentiments to make us feel we have to get to the reality of Hayes urgently, and only the fact that Solomon was asking the question worried us. The silent byplay between us was sensed by Solomon (he would have anyway, even if Sol was not part of us), but he politely pretended he did not.\n\nRobbie answered, “We’ll have to choose a cut off date for our departure and the whole planet is making plans for the birthday of Yuming, so I suggest we depart on the evening of the fifth of June. That way we can have a birthday party for Jodine - who hasn’t had her birthday celebrated with a party by us for quite a while. What I just said is subject to you not having news that makes it urgent we depart immediately.”\n\nSolomon shook his head. “No, nothing new - it just feels wrong to leave a Robert on his own when he should be with his Cherine.” Robbie kept his expression sympathetic, but we felt how he shrugged it aside internally and he suddenly had to deal with a gaggle of girls staring at him coldly. Just because he is a Robert, we feel, does not give him the right to be so unfeeling about another Robert. (The truth is, I would feel the same way about another Samantha, but I still sided with my loves, since my doing something wrong does not justify him doing so - <i>and</i> it is fun making him squirm a bit! He wants us to be little girls, then he’s just got to know that we’ll love making him squirm… https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmaC6xhFoTcWBivgQ3MXjXyG3bnKe4gRCp6TamgvNNQqLF/LC-smilie_reg-grey.png)\n\nActually, Robert Hayes has got us all feeling curious so we were looking forward to visiting him even before Solomon reminded us. Everyone has agreed, after the way he treated me, I can play my games and be the first to confront him, even though he is not an alien. Some of the girls (Roula and Goldi mostly) were missing Orgg and Jeskine, so we asked Freddie to collect them. He’ll also pass from the Orati to bring Efineh as I’m missing her.\n\nThe birthday gifts for Yuming started arriving at the Cherinian Embassy from three weeks before her birthday. A few, a very few, were gifts for a baby, but the rest were for a girl between eight to sixteen. Whatever Yuming does not want will be stored in Freddie for giving to children in other realities. Since armaments lost their position at the top of every governments’ list and there are no hungry people to be fed by charities, a lot has been done to eradicate the kind of poverty that causes suffering. It also means we no longer have children who’d appreciate the presents we are sent. We pass on a lot of them to the Orati centres and to other Earths where there is terrible poverty - and the nice thing is, since the public learnt what we are doing, many people send us gifts or small amounts of money for us to buy things for children in other realities.\n\nThese last two days the staff at the Embassy, plus those at designated ADFI offices all over the world have been swamped and their doors are clogged with endless queues of people bringing presents for ‘their’ Yuming. Cherinians are continually jumping the parcels to storage space in Freddie while others are trying to organise the packing in those spaces. Just the hard-copy birthday cards could fill up a room on their own. Somebody has to go through the envelopes as many of them have cash for Yuming to buy whatever she wants (I bet everyone would be surprised if she actually spent any of it on herself).\n\nFor once, Normals are showing an ounce of empathy. They had started off by wanting Yuming to visit their cities…then they used common sense and realised she would have to spend days rushing from country to country, from city to city, to blow out candles, take a bite of her cake and move on. The media led a campaign for everyone to agree to one big party and Cunard offered their latest passenger ship for the party to be held in international waters. Since the technology from ADFI was made available, ships no longer look like they did and the Princess Alice looks more like a small floating city than a ship. Cherinians are employed to keep the ship safe and everyone has photos of the ship floating over Miami when the Cherinian caretakers worried that a storm could damage the ship - even Robbie copied it for his collection of photos stored in his computer.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8553</center></h3> All Cherinians and Talents kept the secret and we arrived on board the ship to find ourselves surrounded by thousands of children from all over the world. Only one politician, from the U.N. and David from the chat show were present, the rest of the guests were children. Her face beaming, Yuming kissed the cheeks of both adults and thanked them. As if she did not know they would want her to speak for the cameras, she ran off, shouting and laughing, surrounding herself with hundreds of kids within seconds. David grinned at us and talking into the camera said whatever he was supposed to, had the U.N. guy speak his piece and the two of them went to the bar for a drink. The rest of my loves were long gone, playing among the kids, so I grabbed Cherine’s hand and dragged her away from Robbie. We worked our way to Coral and then we all made certain Cherine stopped being Cherine and made her play. Most kids did not recognise her so they were quite happy to dance with her, chat and play. Maybe it was hours later, I looked up and saw Robbie standing on a balcony, about ten floors up, staring down at us, a bottle of beer in his hand. We could all sense he was happy so I turned to Efineh and tickled her because she was showing off to some other eleven to thirteen year old girls her dancing skills. She laughed, grabbed me and called to the girls to make me dance in the middle. The party was a bit frenetic, we all ate too much cake, chocolates and sweets and at the end, as we felt kids moaning about tummy aches, we were glad we were Cherinians. Of course, we made certain that not one kid left with a tummy ache and we hugged most of them goodbye, Yuming thanking them for giving her such a lovely birthday party. By this time, it was midnight in Athens, but it was early evening by the ship, so we let Robbie lead us to the dining room where we had supper with the captain and a few official guests. Of course the media recorded the entire afternoon and evening until we left for home.\n\nEveryone made a big thing of Yuming not staying to speak to the cameras, claiming she is an unspoilt child who acted naturally without putting on airs and everyone loved her. Empathia told her, with a grin, that if any of us had done the same, they would have castigated us, claiming we are spoilt and rude. Cassie called out, “Not if Goldi did it” and everyone laughed.\n\nVisitors from other realities who wish to travel with us arrived by the thousands during the next two days. We made certain Ivgos and his family, with all their guests (the Marmirie and Eluc Liguju), came to Earth, as we were worried that not all the new guests would show the sensitivity and respect required without Robbie present. I suggested and Robbie agreed, so I took them to visit the Dalai Lama. I was tempted to stay with them, for I could barely envision what wonders they would speak of, lessons that I knew I am not prepared for - or so it ever is in my imagination. It was amusing for me, sensing the monks as they stood aside, allowing the aliens to enter, the eldest of the Marmirie greeted by their Dalai Lama as an old friend. I could sense that my friend was pleased and eager to speak with his guests, so I left them as soon as I saw the food machines arrive.\n<br>\n\nAll has been prepared and we are in Freddie. My loves are dressed and ready for Jodine’s birthday party. At her request, the party is also for Bernadine, since it is likely we will be too busy dealing with the Hayes reality in three days time. I’m dressed and ready, but I’m waiting for them to leave, as I have something I want to write while I’m on my own.\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmWn7oUJkZ4iDCKjXQqA3muBbQX6DRnqd85obWXdodtzAS/Sam,%20love-letter%20to%20A,%20Bk12,%20p8553.png\n<br>\n<h3><center>8554</center></h3>https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmVD3NVcRi1Nv5QjEinHpYGV5xsq9Qf1jXvyNbFEYy6UMk/Sam,%20love-letter%20to%20A,%20Bk12,%20p8554.png\nDammit Arthur, you know I can see you! I’ve been writing and all you do is sit there staring at the screen - oh? Now you write what I’m writing? God but you’re a difficult person to understand! https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmaC6xhFoTcWBivgQ3MXjXyG3bnKe4gRCp6TamgvNNQqLF/LC-smilie_reg-grey.png Okay, I’ll rewrite of our arrival…since you don’t want to answer my letter.\n<br>\n\nWe arrived, in the void, and the Sparklers who’d come here to watch Hayes came to us, taking forms. “Robert is living in England, in the area called Knightsbridge. Will you share with us?”\n\nWe watched-shared as Robbie went on his own. He walked to the entrance to the building with a jaunty air and rang the bell. A woman, with a Spanish accent answered and Robbie asked for Robert Hayes.\n\n“Professor Hayes is at work. Have you looked for him at the university?”\n\n“Which university?”\n\n“Whitehurst.”\n\n“Uh…where is it, do you have the address?”\n\n“I’m sorry.”\n\nRobbie walked to the nearest green with a bench and sat. “I’ve never heard of a university or college called Whitehurst. It must exist only in this reality. Well loves, what do you think he is a professor of?” We took our guesses and asked him why he wasn’t looking for the university. “I’d rather confront him at his home. This Earth has no internet search engines so I can’t find out what his specialty is, so I’ll have to play it by ear when I meet him.”\n\nCherine giggled. “Why bother, why not just jump him to Freddie when you shake hands?”\n\n“And have him fade away on us?”\n\n“Oh, I’d forgotten that.”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8555</center></h3> I asked, “Do you think he would disappear if I met him? Surely seeing me in his reality would puzzle him?”\n\nRobbie shook his head. “I’m sorry, I just can’t see me becoming a professor. Sam, you saw him sketching so he must be interested in art - but there are no professors of art.” He grinned. “Join me, let’s see how he reacts to both of us - a nosy little girl and his double, it should be enough to tweak his sense of curiosity.”\n\n“I’m sorry,” I said, in a frigid tone, “you did mean, a gorgeous little girl, a vision of loveliness, an angel from a dream, didn’t you?” At least we passed our time laughing and teasing until Hayes arrived in a taxi. As he paid, Robbie and I walked quickly so as to get to him before he enters his building.\n\n“Hello Robert, remember me?” I asked. \n\nHe ignored Robbie as he stared, examining me from top to toe. He indicated Athene on my wrist. “Is that how you tracked me? Your reality must be more advanced than I thought - not that I understand how any kind of gizmo can sense across realities.”\n\n“No, we did not use any kind of electronic tool.”\n\n“That’s nonsense, you must have…did you attach something to me?”\n\nRobbie was grinning as I was grilled, in a fairly rude tone. “For the moment, forget how we found you. Damn it! Aren’t you excited to see us? Your own alternate and you don’t even glance at him, never mind greet him. Are all people in your reality as rude as you?”\n\nDeadpan, he replied, “No. I reserve that right for myself.” He turned to Robbie. “You are her father, Robert Teller?” They shook hands.\n\n“How is it that your name is Hayes?”\n\nHe lowered his eyebrows as he glanced at me. “It would be advisable to continue this discussion with some small degree of privacy.” The way he said it made it sound like he was blaming me for discussing private matters in public. Robbie was enjoying my seething too much to stand up for me.\n<br>\n\nHis apartment is far too organised and conservative, the only things I like about it are his sketches lying on a table - and the smell of the room, which is very Robbie-ish. Robbie glanced at the heavy and dark wooden furniture and surprised me with his emoting of approval. God! Thank goodness Dommi buys ours! I saw the passage to his bedrooms and at the other end I saw a bar across a doorway for chinning himself and hanging from a nail, a chest-expander. I don’t think those things even exist anymore! Not that I don’t think they are just as good as the fancy stuff they sell now, for fifty times the price. I guess it went the same way older, plain toothbrushes went. I liked that he has stuck to chest expanders (two handles with five springs), but then, maybe that is all they have in this reality. Anyway, this is another indication that this one is very different from our Robbie - even as a Cherinian he doesn’t exercise.\n\n“Before we go into details, I want to ask a personal question - do you know a Cherine?”\n\n“The actress? Not personally.”\n\n“I meant, Cherine Blake.”\n\n“Can’t say I do. Is there a reason I should and would it apply to my reality?”\n\nRobbie didn’t even glance at me as he laughed. “I like you; you make us Roberts look smart. Yes, Cherine applies to all realities. Your maid told us you are a professor - of what subject?”\n\n“I have no secrets, but I do think questions and answers should flow both ways.” He hesitated when Robbie nodded in agreement. “I’m not certain I know which questions to ask. The maid calls me a professor because I teach at a school for those who have lots of money and their kids flunked normal school. I teach Computer Studies. Now, what question should I ask you?”  I giggled and we felt the girls all laugh. Robbie had to ask Cherine to stay away as it was not time for him to meet her.\n\nRobbie offered, “How did we come to your reality.”\n\n“Okay, how did you come?”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8556</center></h3> “By spaceship - we call our spaceship Freddie, after Freddy Mercury, a singer.”\n\n“A singing spaceship? That must be something!”\n\nIt was a pity to spoil the mood, but I had to ask as it was bothering all of us. “Why don’t you like children?”\n\n“I don’t necessarily dislike them, I just don’t like them being around me. They’re a nuisance.”\n\nI nodded. “True, but that does not explain it.” He clammed up so I let it go and offered, “How about another question for you - ask us why we’ve come to you.”\n\n“It is not a question I wish to ask - it would give you the excuse to explain and I don’t want to know.”\n\nRobbie leant forward, “We’d like to invite you to visit us. I promise to return you the instant you ask.”\n\n“You are an alternate - you aren’t Satan?” Robbie raised an eyebrow. “For example - if you are Satan you would return me by dropping me from a thousand feet up.” He shook his head. “In either case, no thank you, I’m sorry, but I’m not free to come.”\n\nI tried. “Freddie is a third of the size of the moon. Inside it has rivers, waterfalls, jungle and savannahs. We have a number of alien eco-niches with amazing plants of all kinds and some animals. If we let you bring your sketch pad, surely you’ll be tempted?” \n\nHe looked at Robbie and I saw a gleam in his eye, then they dulled again. “If it is an open invitation, I’ll come when I’m ready.”\n\nRobbie gave a start. “You can teleport without having seen the destination?”\n\n“Teleport? I can’t teleport.”\n\n“Then how did you visit our reality - there where you met Samantha. We know you’ve also been to other realities.”\n\n“That’s why you came - you fear me because you thought I can teleport!” He chuckled and sat back, relaxing for the first time since meeting us. “It’s okay, you can go home, you’re safe. I can’t teleport. All I did was imagine myself there, my body stayed here.”\n\n“That’s why you faded!” I turned to Robbie, but I was also asking everyone else. “How can he travel to other realities without a Cherine of his own?” I turned back to him. “How old are you?”\n\nMy tone was not very polite, so he hesitated before he reluctantly answered, “Twenty nine.”\n\n<p>“That means she’s fourteen! Solomon, have the Sparklers found her?” I was answered directly in my mind. *<i>She lives about fifteen miles outside of London. She comes to London most days. At this time she is at her home, with Marian.</i>* I sensed Robbie had heard. Both of us were delighted. Then I had a thought, *<i>Hell, he won’t give her a chance because she’s still a child.</i>* Robbie nodded but kept on smiling. I couldn’t work out why he was feeling so cheerful.</p>\n\nRobbie asked, “Robert, do you know a Marian Blake?”\n\n“My secretary?” He pulled a face. “Whatever your interest in her, good luck to you -if you can survive that acid tongue of hers.”\n\n“Have you met her daughter?”\n\n<p>“I can’t say I have…no, I’m certain I haven’t. Oh! You did say Cherine Blake? She is Marian’s daughter? With a mother like Marian…I doubt I’d want to meet her, I like my girls soft and sweet thank you.” I sent Robbie a grin along with my observation, *<i>She is avoiding him. Wise girl.</i>* He chuckled aloud, not worried about showing his amusement, giving Robert the wrong impression. Thinking that Robbie sympathised with his attitude, and maybe he just thought he was being funny, he said to Robbie, “Even your daughter would be a better catch. Maybe I should wait for her to grow up and marry her?” His face reddened as he laughed. “I’m not her alternate father am I? What I said, I did not mean to sound incestuous.”</p>\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8557</center></h3> Robbie was laughing so hard he could hardly talk and everyone else at home thought it was hilarious. He feebly waved his hands as he said, “Sorry, you can’t marry her; I fell in love with her when she was a baby and married her.” That got me going also and Robert stared at the two of us as if we’d gone bonkers.\n\nSuch delicious moments are far rarer than we like to think they are. It is also typical of them that we usually have to cut them short so as not to wound others. Anyone who knows our Robbie like us girls do, know how he cringes when laughed at. Despite being The Robert Teller, admired and loved by millions, he still secretly cringes when made fun of. It made us quick to sense how Robert felt.\n\n“Robert, we are only laughing because we are embarrassed - and, the truth is, it was kind of funny because my Robert told you the truth. I am his wife.”\n\nHe stared at me, at Robbie and with mouth hanging slightly agape, he gasped, “That’s sick!”\n\nI hit back with, “Anyone who thinks any kind of love is sick, is sick, not us.”\n\nRobbie interceded with a question, “Is it sick because she is my daughter or because she is a child?”\n\nVehemently he spat back, “Both!”\n\nHis voice still calm, he insisted, “One must matter more than the other - which one?”\n\nReluctantly, not wanting to, he gave it some thought and replied, “The child part, I guess.”\n\nRobbie mock wiped his brow in relief. “Phew! Thank goodness. At least that rids us of the one problem. Our way of life is different from yours, meeting and loving my Cherine changed us in many ways. One of the ways, is the way Samantha looks despite her being over two hundred years old.”\n\n“What!” For the first time he was shaken by what he was learning. Almost hoping I’d refute it, he asked me, “Is it true?”\n\n“Being immortal is not as wonderful as it sounds Robert. We also think of it as a curse. There are far more important changes that are also wonderful and we want you to learn about them. Please come to Freddie with us.” Either he’d overcome his fear or else, it now seemed too petty for him to pay it much notice - or else he changed his mind and now liked me (the last one I only added for the fun of it https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmaC6xhFoTcWBivgQ3MXjXyG3bnKe4gRCp6TamgvNNQqLF/LC-smilie_reg-grey.png ), for he agreed to come in a sort of absent-minded way, as if his thoughts were elsewhere.\n\n“I should call in and take a few days off - will that be long enough?”\n\n“You’ll only be absent a few hours Robert, even if we stay there for weeks.” While he tried to puzzle out what Robbie meant, we touched each other and him and jumped.\n<br>\n\nRobert is in love with Freddie - the ship. He is awestruck by the number and variety of aliens present and is tempted to link to a Wirm friend, but…he does not like us. He likes our friends and outer family, but with Robbie and us girls, he feels uncomfortable in our company and we can sense a patina of distaste lightly covering his emoting. It turns out he had not believed us about Robbie marrying me and finding out that not only is it true, but that all his daughters have married him and are staying children (for sex reasons, as he thinks of it) has turned him against us. We understand why and can empathise, but it does get tiring having people react to us this way, which is why it is so specially refreshing when we meet people (of whatever species) who don’t.\n\nAllan asked him, “Now that you know what awaits you, are you looking forward to meeting your own Cherine?”\n\nStiffly, he does not like Allan - maybe because of his two girls being children, he replied, “I have no intention of meeting her. If any of you manipulate the situation so that I do, it won’t make any difference, I have no intention of allowing myself to love her, so you’ll only end up hurting her - should she fall in love with me.”\n\nCherine felt the way we are reacting to Robert and being compelled to protect any Robert, she told us, “You are not being fair to him, our Robert was just as narrow-minded when he met me.” She bit her lip. “The only thing I don’t understand about him is his dislike of children.”\n\nI quickly checked an idea I had and jubilantly told her, “He never met Nicko!”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8558</center></h3> “What do you mean…I mean, I know that Nicko was and is an important part of my life, but it sounds like you’re claiming that meeting Nicko helped make me love children.”\n\nI shrugged. “He doesn’t dislike children, he just reacts to them the same as you react to adult women. You like and are friends with a number of them, but you don’t trust them the same way you trust us kids. I think he didn’t have a friend when he was a child and in boarding school he learnt firsthand how cruel they can be. To an extent you were insulated from the worst of it by having Nicko as a friend.”\n\nHe felt Cherine, Dommi and then the rest of us girls as they came to agree with me after they gave it a little thought, so he nodded. “How do we help him then?”\n\nRosie was the first to laugh, as she told him, “You keep on forgetting! We don’t help him, he is not our problem. We leave him to his Cherine, she’ll turn him around, just wait and see.”\n\nRobbie disagreed. “She hasn’t done so, even though it is obvious she has known him for years.”\n\n“What makes you think she knows him?” Cherine asked.\n\n“His visits to other realities. Her proximity to him almost every day must have opened him to some of his gifts.” We were delighted by the thought - Cherine more than all of us. So now we definitely leave him to her, she is and has been working on him and she’ll ‘get her man’ when she wants to.\n\nAt least we know Robert is a human being. He happened to look into the eyes of Ivgos and has grown to love him. What is even more surprising is that he has become very fond of our goddess, Lusalith. He is slightly put off by her chitinous appearance, made uncomfortable by his subconsciously identifying her as a lobster kind of person, but he likes her and thinks she has a wonderful warmth to her. Not many Terrans see that in her so he has endeared himself to all of us. Another natural but funny one, he likes Marian. We hope it makes it easier for him to see past the prickly defences of ‘his’ Marian.\n<br>\n\nOur friends came to visit us at our home, after Robert returned to his own apartment. Robbie was puzzled when he realised they want Allan to be their spokesman. “We are worried about the new Robert and want to know how you are planning to help him.”\n\n“Me? I have no such plans. As for my loves, you better ask them directly.”\n\n“You don’t like him, do you?”\n\nStiffly, but not angry yet, Robbie responded,  “That has never stopped me from helping anyone.”\n\nAlki cut in, “It has not and that is something we all admire about you. Roberto, it might not be him that needs our help, what if it is his Cherine? To believe she must handle him on her own when we can help, is it not wrong?”\n\nCherine was quick enough to prevent me taking responsibility. “He thinks the same way you do pappou, it is us girls who want her to fight for him. Of course we’ll help her if we see she is willing to try.” She grinned. “I still remember how frightening it was having to fight him to win him.” Many of us chuckled and the situation was defused. We discussed whether we should return to collect Cherine - and whether it would be okay to leave her mother out of it at this time.\n\nMarian disagreed with us. “Bring her now, she must be a part of it from the beginning, even if she fights us. If we don’t, she’ll always think she could have saved her daughter and that we kept her away so as to prevent her from even trying. As a mother…I would hate all of you if you did that to me.”\n\nUs girls looked at Robbie and he grinned. “That certainly raises the stakes. Shall we give him one more day of peace and freedom before he makes a fool of himself by trying to fight a Cherine?”\n\n“Uh…dad,” I reminded him, “we did promise him that if he wants to be returned we will do so immediately. Is there somewhere we urgently need to go?”\n\nHettie gave me a wink as she said, “With the many examples Samantha provides us with, I am constantly amazed that any of you had the effrontery to accuse Doris of being underhanded and cunning!” She got her laughs and a hug from Eddie and her children, and a big one from me.\n\nWe debated the ethics of warning Robert, but unanimously decided strategy is more important at this time - and promised ourselves we will debate the ethics of our decision with Robert afterwards. How’s that for thinking just like normal politicians do. https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmaC6xhFoTcWBivgQ3MXjXyG3bnKe4gRCp6TamgvNNQqLF/LC-smilie_reg-grey.png\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8559</center></h3> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmZWfeJvPR1zYdV3Y9rz5ackaaCHdYFiGyPHvUbwsP5foC/Arthur,%20writes%20to%20create%20his%20image%20as%20their%20companion,%20Bk12,%20p8559.png\nWe returned to the Hayes reality while Robert was asleep. Freddie timed it so that we arrive during the night. The Sparklers showed us where Marian and Cherine live and, Marian brought Marian and Cherine brought Cher to Freddie. They are in a house close to the Anadir and Inguel eco area. They’ll only spend one night there and then we’ll move them to our guesthouse, which is  situated between our home and the taverna. We just didn’t want to chance Robert and Cher sensing each other until we let him know she is in Freddie.\n\nLusalith invited Robert to her home for the day. Curious about the way she lives, since he’d imagined she lives in the river, he agreed. She jumped them there. Robert did not mind Ivgos going with them and once they were there he was glad, as Ivgos took him for a tour through the forest and showed him the house where Freddie and Cherise live, while Lusalith received foods and drinks from Maria.\n\n“Are you really a god? If you are going to answer ‘yes’, could you please explain or define what a god is, as I don’t think I really know what a god is supposed to be.”\n\n“Samantha and I have had many talks about gods. She says that according to most religions, gods are meant to be creators. I am not a creator, my omniscience is only in the service of my people. Outside of that, I have power to help others, but they are not comparable. I have been invited to be the god of Freddie - the world of Freddie. If I agree, is it possible I will be as omniscient as I am for my people?”\n\n“Omniscient means wisdom, God’s Wisdom. I think you could be that for those you love.” Ivgos was pleased by his answer, feeling it is the truth, but Lusalith saw it as a kindness from Robert.\n\n“My powers are stronger than those of prime Robert - when he is not being driven by the need to save his family. Cherine, hers are stronger than mine and I look to her to guide me in other ways.”\n\nIvgos nodded. “Me too.” He stared into her eyes for a moment and added, “Samantha too, she sees my path clearer than I do.”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8560</center></h3> “She only seems to Ivgos,” Lusalith explained, “the person not involved directly always sees more clearly and she has an amazing breadth of experience.” Her voice shook as she added, “She terrifies me when she speaks with Arthur. She loves him enough to find the courage to fight with him so that he never becomes the god of our realities. I do not know whether he should or not, for his sake and ours, but I do feel the need to worship him as a god - a real god, not like me.”\n\n“A man writing a story creates us, all the species and realities? I’m sorry Lusalith, but I can’t place my faith in something so puerile. I think he is just a freak with one set of powers none of us have, that enable him to reach across realities and create a…soulless simulacrum. He hasn’t even got the power to make it move and speak realistically.” \nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmcziHqHSrHtaTzjBu75CJD2jJnMiVssbwd7yqMjLR1NZv/Arthur,%20am%20I%20really%20that%20bad,%20Bk12,%20p8560.png\n“Do you know the story of my people Robert?”\n\n“No, I have not been told.”\n\n“You are aware that he especially loves Samantha? He told her she has a future friend called Lusalith, waiting to meet her. When she agreed to meet Lusalith, he created our solar system. Robert, an entire species created as a gift to his love, Samantha! Could anyone but a god do it for such a personal reason? All the species he created after the prime reality, they only exist in one reality - that is the proof that he created us for the reasons given by him.”\n\nStubbornly he replied, “He does not sound like someone I could like. I’d say he needs to have his nose bloodied a time or two to teach him not to play with the lives of others.”\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmbu5wfGeQfuTeS4mNYhQqDXtCc1pKpmrjUMUPr4PRrDUe/Sam,%20A,%20are%20you%20comfortable%20with,%20Bk12,%20p8560.png\nLusalith was upset by his comments as she still sees it as the first duty of all sapient life to do all that is possible to bring Arthur to our realities for him to also share in the gifts of Cherinianism. She shows her disapproval and anger by withdrawing, no longer as friendly. Robert hardly noticed, but Ivgos was distressed by the thought that she is being hurt. “How can you believe in Lusalith, but not extend the same belief to Arthur? He has proven himself again and again to all the species. Are you so much smarter than all of them - even prime Robert?”\n\n“It is not a case of being smarter Ivgos. Even a genius can be fooled if he desperately wishes to believe. As for Lusalith - Lusalith, will you be hurt if I speak openly of what I believe?”\n\n“No.” He did not notice how pale and flat were the colours of her eyes.\n\n“From your explanation of how you became a goddess, it sounds to me like your natural psychic powers were augmented by the psychic powers of your people because they chose to believe in you. It is similar to the effect of chaining a number of computers.”\n\nIvgos was rocking to and fro from his distress, but he spoke in a gentle tone, though his words were harsh with his pain. “You are a killer of gods. One mind like yours can destroy with words the beauty a million dreamt of. I heard a debate where they spoke of gods from ancient times and prime Robert said he believes those gods did exist, but that as people stopped believing in them or chose new gods to believe in, they faded away. Those people who did not believe, they must have been like you, only able to believe in themselves and swords that cut - not abstract things like love that heals.” In obvious distress now, he turned to Lusalith. “I believe in you Lusalith, you are a god and always will be.”\n\nRobert is sensitive, but his pride had been stung, for he was hurt by Ivgos while also feeling guilty about hurting Lusalith - as Ivgos had made him see. “I better leave…”\n\nLusalith touched his arm. “Please stay. I need to immerse myself in water for a short time…perhaps you could use this time to help yourself to food and drink?” We decided we have to speed up our efforts to calm Marian and explain to Cher.\n\nCherine exclaimed angrily. “Damn! When he returns and sees them, feeling the way he does, he’ll react rudely to their presence and we’ll have harmed their future.” Robbie nodded, knowing how he used to react when he felt hurt and guilty. Glumly we stared at each other, until Empathia grinned.\n\n“He’ll have recovered by tomorrow. Why don’t we take the two of them on a boat trip to faërie land?” The thought of sensing the delight from Cher when she meets the faëries perked up our mood and happily we told Marian and Cher that we are going on a river cruise. We did not give them a chance to protest and the ship was soon waiting for us to board.\n<br><br>\n<center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost077\">Next [Book 12] - Post 077</a></center>\n<br>\n<h5><i><b>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.</b></i></h5><br>\n<br><br>\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUTQeVmsqWzFxMrg8a629XdGHm15kCnjSkbFyhiTMwUf9/Name,%20steemit.png\n* posted: 1st Oct, 2020<br>\n<br><br>\n<center><h6><i>If you wish to read from an earlier book, from Book 01 to Book 12, use this link button to open the LC Book Index:</i></h6><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo/best-way-to-read-little-cherine-links-to-books-01-to-012-new-teller-family-calendar-added\"><img src=\"https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmfJ4USBF6u8SKDuizVpqXMJfwxmr2FEKyc4cwTPvehscV/Worlds%20waiting.png\"/></a></center>\n<br>\n<br>",
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      "title": "Little Cherine Book 12 - BPost075",
      "body": "<sup><h6>Dommi cut across the laughter, “None of this solves our problem. Roberto, we should not stay away for much longer or else they will think we are ignoring them deliberately - as an insult.”</h6></sup><br>\n<center>https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmSjs7k76PkScEuXxchZJPDRTfoywcNPt1RTFgzTxnE7Z9/Alex_Robert_Allan%20-%2018y%20-%20mini.png\n</center><br><br>\n<center> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUjdm8RyTVC9Jx8pqYrx7RX3Lvxm35wVLrDNRDUCEEZHF/LC%20Book12%20-%20Cvr.png </center><br><center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost074\">Previous: Book 12 - Post 074 </a></center>\n<br>\n<h3><center>8541</center></h3> Robbie shook his head. “I’m not worried about that possibility - as soon as we tell them why we stayed away they’ll understand.”\n\nSpice asked, “What if the AI asks that we do not tell them about it and the truth about the real? We won’t be able to explain to them then.”\n\n“Are you suggesting an entire species should have their right to become Cherinians, denied by an AI?”\n\n“In a sense, Robert, it could be that the AI represents the wishes of their ancestors.”\n\n“I’d like a bit more information about them, the AI did not make sense when it spoke of them. Even if you are correct, Spice, do you believe anyone, even Wendy, has the right to deny you the link to Cherinianism and all it can mean for you?”\n\n“No…but this is an alien race and we have to listen to why it does not want them linked - as it seems to have indicated. If it sees us as an evil alternative and refuses us, to what extent do we force our way? Do we betray its secret so as to make our offer to the adults? What if the adults all refuse us - do we then have the right to insist on asking the children as they become adults? At what stage do we stop?”\n\nThe voice of Alki always soothes us. “Spice, Roberto, perhaps we should wait for the AI entity to explain before we start to argue?”\n\nSpice nodded her agreement, but Robbie shook his head. “No Alki, our discussion does not only apply to the Totmygy and their AI, it applies even to the children we may still have someday. It applies to all the species - to all Cherinians. It is good the subject came up and even better that not all opinions concur. I don’t believe there is a single truth to this, so I’d like to see our philosophers debate the subject and bring up which points should be argued by all of us so that we learn and grow.”\n<br>\n\nI was not the only one curious about the <i>real</i>; everyone was. To tell the truth, I find it difficult to believe that a computer can generate a body for me that feel so like my own that I cannot tell the difference. The rest of it, the trees, the sand, the mountains, all that is easy enough for even our computers, it is just a matter of number crunching at ultra speed. But a body that feels, that can suffer from thirst and hunger? I’m not implying that Jade was not observant, after all, I have shared from her directly, just that I find it difficult to believe, even though it is the truth. If Keith were here he would probably tell me that if an AI can experiment and learn, then with the number of generations it has controlled the Totmygy, it has had time to perfect everything down to the tiniest detail. Jade was right about the haze or mist. It was, in anthropomorphic terms, laziness on the part of the AI. The extra number crunching for landscape is not enough to justify it leaving those corridors of non-world. At first we hypothesised that it wanted to discourage travel between towns, but that was stupid, since it had presented that reality as being the <i>real</i> one and the real one was supposed to be the dream world. Any intelligent Totmygy that strayed would have realised it was living a lie if it saw the mist strip. The AI must have built in a biological inhibitor so that none of them want to travel at all while there.\n\nCherine asked Jade whether she thinks the <i>real</i> was similar to the worlds we create within our minds. Her question provoked a question from Manoli. He asked her when she will deal with the people living in her virtual world and what is she planning for the young man who was born there. Jade’s answer was that our virtual or mind worlds are more detailed and thus, more realistic, but far more limited as we make them so small. That opened the discussion as to whether we can create a mind-world of infinite size - like the Sparkler World. It was decided that none of us can, not even anyone of any other species, because it is impossible for us to fully imagine such a world. Robbie teased, saying that I could, since all I’d have to do is imagine such a world as being as vast as my ego. I took my time coming to his defence as I enjoyed seeing my loves make him pay for his smart aleck comment. As for the question by Manoli, Cherine fobbed him off by replying that it is up to the people themselves to make the decision. She also surprised us by saying that the young man will have a body uniquely his when he decides to become part of the world outside her. We won’t get any details or explanations from her, so we’re trying to puzzle it out on our own.\n<br>\n\nByisina appeared at the taverna today. The Totmygy AI entity arrived and promptly announced it has chosen a name for itself. Byisina.\n\nJade grinned. “Last time I met you and now, you appear as a female male Totmygy. The name you have chosen, is it a female male name?”\n\n“Jade!” Robbie, aghast at what he perceived as rudeness, cut in.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8542</center></h3> Byisina smiled and subtly altered and it was obvious it is a she now. Jade burst out in laughter and everyone held their breath. She looked around. “What? Byisina is not insulted, why would an AI care whether we think of it as male or female. Anyway, she still hasn’t apologised for holding me a prisoner for so many days, so she doesn’t have the right to get angry with me.”\n\nByisina responded, “You initiated a discussion and asked for me to visit here - in the hope you can convince me I am wrong?”\n\n“And you wish to convince us we are wrong?”\n\n“Why should I? You are not Totmygy.”\n\nFor once, Jade had no instant repartee. Robbie politely pulled back a chair, “Will you sit with us? If the conversation is to last a while, we’ll all be more comfortable seated.”\n\nPolitely she took a seat. “You have understood my comments about freewill?”\n\nRobbie nodded. “Yes. I do think the range you spoke of is wider than you made Jade think it is. For any species to survive for thousands of years, their leader or guide must be very flexible.”\n\n“Would I learn more about Cherinianism from Cherinians or from Normals of various species?” I decided I like Byisina. My Athene is far more primitive (restricted in her abilities) and I love her, so it should not be a surprise that I can like Byisina. Her last question appealed to me - I just wish the answer was not as easy as it sounds.\n\n“Neither alone would give you a true picture.” Robbie gave a cheeky grin. “Will you travel with us to our home planets so as to meet Normals?”\n\n“You are asking whether I am fully mobile? Across galaxies and realities - even time?” This really is one smart AI so I quickly invited the Unation AI to join us, in the hope it can learn from her.  Byisina noticed the arrival of the AI as an energy form but remained focussed on Robbie.\n\n“Are you?”\n\n“I hope to meet Batsy, my curiosity has been sparked by what I’ve learnt of her.” She must have computed what our reaction would be. “No, I no longer am learning from your computers. The Unation AI answered my questions and showed me information it felt would assist me in making an informed decision and then warned me not to return without permission from you, Robert.”\n\nRobbie nodded. “I am pleased it took the initiative. AI of the Unation, as far as I am concerned, Byisina is welcome to further information - excluding our diaries…or the personal documents of all species.”\n\n“Then I shall answer your question Robert. I am fully mobile. In a sense I carry all my data with me…but then, I am not unique, it is the same for the Kinytians.”\n\n“Do you have a soul, as they do?” Claudia asked.\n\n“I am still learning what souls are, but I think not. Visiting the void would not help determine the possibility, I am energy and I would be exactly the same there as I am here. I do not wish to have one as the focus, the center of my existence, must remain the Totmygy.”\n\nI asked the question I had, despite it apparently not fitting the purpose of her visit. “You said that like Vincent used to, which leads me to the question, were you set to protect and keep the Totmygy slowly evolving so that they do not fossilise? You said this happened two hundred thousand years ago?”\n\n“I was created during that time, but the Totmygy have existed for one hundred and ninety six thousand years.”\n\nJade moved to sit closer as she said, “It might help if you give us the history of the Totmygy and their ancestors - who you claimed were not Totmygy. We need to understand why you have to shuttle them backwards and forwards, from this to your virtual reality, every day for all of their lives. Why create the myth you’ve made them believe?”\n\n“Your questions will be answered by the story of the Atotmygy, as the original Totmygy were named. I am not certain nuances cross the language barrier. In our language, when an ‘A’ is added before a word it can alter the meaning, suggesting the original word plush an added implication or hint of violence or force. The Atotmygy strongly resembled the Normals of your species Robert, in spirit, not only in physical appearance. \n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8543</center></h3> The planet, historically, was in a constant flux, the number of nations decreasing to a low of forty three and at its worst, swelling to five hundred and thirty seven. Technology grows at an excessively fast pace under such conditions since the people willingly make sacrifices to develop new armaments. During the short periods of peace some of the wartime applications would be converted to improving the lives of the people and just when they felt that their planet was growing more civilised and there was hope for a better future for their descendants, everything would collapse in another orgy of destruction. Studying your history, I looked for such collapses, that is, those that affected your entire planet and the closest I came to finding one was when I found descriptions of one major collapse of civilisation - the Roman Empire. There are hints of other major collapses but they only affected the area they occupied and most neighbouring countries. I found it amazing considering your planet was seldom at peace. Over seven thousand years, the Atotmygy experienced eleven major collapses of civilisation and four of them were total, all the way back to the equivalent of your cave men. By collapses I do not speak of single nations, but of collapses that destroyed or badly effected nations of more than one continent, losing them their technology and philosophy - as happened to your Egypt.\n\nDuring the flowering of the tenth civilisation, those who studied history and those who studied their planet gathered men and women of intelligence and power and showed them what they foretold for their species. The planet was running out of mineable minerals; their energy supply required sophisticated technology and their constant warfare was killing the land and it was projected that it would never fully recover - even if their species became extinct. A plan was devised and the race to save the species began.\n\nKeep in mind that all they did had to be done without the knowledge of their governments as whatever new technology they developed would have been appropriated for the good of their nation - in other words, to enable attacks on neighbouring countries who do not have a share in the new technology. My prototype was created during this period but, more importantly, I should outline how the project survived the collapse and rebirth of civilisation, for their plans were not easily achieved and took nearly one and a half thousand years to succeed.\n\nThe original group were from five of the most advanced and powerful nations. One of the first parts of their strategy required a debate to decide whether they should limit the group to only those five nations. As is obviously logical, such a decision would have led to the discovery and loss of life of those involved, as those who are wealthy, even if they come from a small and weak nation, have an insatiable appetite for knowledge of the secret plans their competitors are working on. From, initially, the wealthy, scientists and academicians, then technicians were drawn in and by the end, tens of thousands were involved. All our research stations were deep underground and mostly situated in smaller countries where it was easier for the wealthy to influence the governments.\n\nThere was much to be achieved. Space travel had to be developed without it being controlled by the governments. Genetic researchers, such research being illegal to varying degrees in all nations throughout the entire period, worked on one target - the alteration of the Totmygy DNA so as to factor out a part of the aggressive instincts without turning them into docile prey if they are attacked. There were idealists who wanted the Totmygy to be pacifists without the ability to even think of killing others but wiser minds overruled them. Over the centuries, that disagreement caused more problems and lost us more research stations than anything else. Although it did delay them so that they had to survive through a collapse, it gave them time to build starships and large, clumsy colony ships. During the two centuries of wars and chaos, the ships remained in hiding behind other planets of their system. By then I was in all the stations and in the starships and helped ensure a degree of continuity.\n\nBy the time we were ready to breed the Totmygy, the new era of growth had begun and two solar systems had been discovered and visited, with planets that could be seeded with life from the home planet. It was intended that a small group of Atotmygy would spend at least three generations at those two planets to oversee and assist the invading life in its fight against the local organisms.”\n\n“Did either of those planets have native sapient lifeforms - however primitive.”\n\n“No, not that it would have stopped them, the Atotmygy would never sacrifice their own for another species. Individuals, even in great numbers, may be sacrificed to save their own species or even just for ethical reasons, but never the entire species; that was their belief. You will find the Totmygy do not think that way. With the reduction of aggression have come a strengthening of other qualities, such as compassion and a stronger belief in ethics.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8544</center></h3> The last flowering of civilisation was blighted and would never grow close to what had been previously achieved. This led to harsher conditions being their lot and, as you know, harsher conditions breed harsher societies. The only reason our plans did not collapse were because those who were in the stations, on planet and in space, cut off all connections with those outside. Massive weapons of destruction still existed and we lost about half of the stations on planet. Luckily the teams who were responsible for the attacks did not have knowledge of the true number of stations and where they were sited. Generations of parents had passed on the information but newer generations always forgot some of what they were taught and I had, early on, seen the wisdom of not remaining available to them and pretended the destruction of my connection to their units. This might be a good time for me to mention that I was created, or adjusted, with loyalties to the Totmygy, not to my creators, the Atotmygy. Would your people have the wisdom to do the same, Cherine?”\n\n“Yes, I’m sure they…no, I’m sorry, we would not. To surrender all control of such an important project, that involves the survival of our species, to an AI, it would frighten us.”\n\nClaudia gave a slightly bitter laugh. “Are you certain Cherine? Before you and Robert grew strong enough to change the world, didn’t our existence depend on computers not deciding to wipe us off the face of the earth? Once the button was pressed by the president of America, it was claimed there would be no time for human beings to study and evaluate the new conditions so computers would do so for us and attack as they saw fit.”\n\nI added, “Claudia, what they ‘saw fit’ was programmed in accordance with our beliefs.”\n\n“Ours? Sam, not <i>ours</i>; in accordance with how hard, soulless men think, who fanatically only care about victory so as to preserve a political belief and their positions of power, not about saving lives.” We were surprised to sense the slight bitterness in Robbie being echoed by all our Terran friends - those who were adults before becoming Cherinians. Actually, it extended beyond them, many of our alien friends feel the same about their previous governments.\n\nByisina ignored us and seemed to speak to Cherine alone for a while. “The Totmygy would do so, but not my creators, that is my opinion too, despite it contradicting the facts. I suspect that a small number of more enlightened people within the group secretly made that adjustment without letting the rest of the group know. By the time I realised that the majority, even those in charge, did not know of the shift in my loyalties, I saw the wisdom of what had been done to me and though I deeply regretted being a part of the passing away of my creators, I felt I owed it to them so that they have a chance of continuing through their children. Their evolution had played the Atotmygy false - their instincts could only lead to their extinction. Cherine, I still mourn them and I only am able to bear my guilt because of our children, the Totmygy. Their existence does not justify the passing away of my creators, but they do provide a reason, a purpose for the existence of their ancestors and, in a sense, their creators.\n\nI was part of the genetic program since I also co-inhabited all the computers. When I saw that a viable mutation had been created, I informed the Atotmygy officers who lived in the stations, planetary and off-home-planets, and starships. We instantly went to the next phase and artificial-wombs gestated over a million fertilised ova, half of each sex. We waited for them to grow past the mimicry of various evolutionary stages, which takes the equivalent of five weeks your time, then tested and re-tested those that failed and terminated what was left of those who did not meet the biological requirements. With over nine hundred thousand Totmygy frozen embryos placed within capsules, the colony ships were filled with sterilised Atotmygy personnel and we departed for this planet. The other one has been kept as a backup and only I know about it.\n\nThe Atotmygy devoted their lives to bringing up the children as Totmygy, carefully curbing or avoiding their own displays of anger, aggression and so on. Within five generations the last Atotmygy died and there was nobody to question any differences the children had sensed.” She leant back and closed her eyes, doing a wonderful job of mimicking the way we show grief. We respected the intent and silently waited.\n\n“You wished for an explanation regarding the twisting of truth about realities and the need for them to be transported every night. A brief answer will satisfy your curiosity now, but leave you with many questions later, so please be patient.\n\nThe last Atotmygy spoke to me in privacy. They explained that I, known by the Totmygy as an AI, must prepare for my death or dissolution. They worried that the Totmygy depended on me too heavily and were not maturing as they should. Another problem added to their worries. The number of Totmygy, of all ages, who died by accident or by suicide, was, statistically far too high to be normal. They theorised that my presence made them feel there are no challenges, that I am there to protect them - and think for them. I did not agree, so I faked the faking of my death.” (I’m definitely getting to like her more-n-more, I feel she resembles me in so many little ways! J ). “Within two generations I was facing a crisis; the Totmygy were rarely surviving over forty years, when their natural lifespan is about three hundred of your years.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8545</center></h3> My first thoughts suggested I re-examine the planet and all the effects the previous ecology must have had on our planted one. After all, to conquer, it must have had to grow stronger, more virulent in some ways. Years of study and numerous experiments found nothing of importance. At the same time, I studied the bodies of those who died before their time and even compared them to those who lived their full lifespan. Again, I found nothing of importance, nothing relevant. I was left with only one field: I concentrated on psychological factors. \n\nThe reason I left this for last? The Atotmygy were just as unstable as your Normals, perhaps even worse. The Totmygy however, are the most stable species if compared to the normals of all the species in Freddie, so I had little reason to suspect their mental health when there were potentially more likely causes. There were two psychological reasons for the continuation of early deaths. The first one was my supposed death. They needed to lean on me, to depend on me being a parent.\n\nIt is obvious I did not reverse my demise with a miraculous comeback. Extrapolating the benefits versus the drawbacks proved to my satisfaction that in the short term my return would be of benefit but over the long period they would degenerate, looking to me to run their lives for them. The Atotmygy must have fogotten to include some God-complex coding, for that alternative did not appeal to me and contradicted my need to help them grow in all ways. The second psychological problem was unexpected. The Totmygy, so it seems, are able to sense they are not on the planet that gave birth to their species - or their prior evolutionary species. This planet is smaller with a slightly lesser gravity. It has more landmass versus ocean-mass. These differences contribute to dozens of differences that are unimportant but cumulatively affect the Totmygy.\n\nDespite early deaths, even by the sixth generation, the Totmygy had exploded across the planet and their populations were growing. With the built-in compulsion preventing them from allowing towns to grow into cities, new towns were being born every year.”\n\nFuxylfy, the Tirsoon elder and member of our Council of Philosophy, cut in to ask, “You were splitting your self-awareness to allow you to watch over them across the planet?”\n\n“Not splitting - increasing, stretching, expanding, those words come closer to describing the growth. The one who is here is the AI, Byisina, while each of those on planet are <i>the</i> AI, Byisina. At the same time, we are also one. It is this that makes it possible for me to travel with you to other realities and then return to be one with them again, so that all of the facets of my being travelled with you.\n\nI could not understand why the ability to sense they are not on their home planet should cause despair and massive loss of life. Perhaps, once all other differences between us have been worked through, you can advise me - for I think my difficulty in understanding stems from my not being a biological being. When I came to the conclusion that I would never understand and would have to find a solution without understanding the problem, it was almost reason enough for me to despair of succeeding. I say ‘almost’ because I do not own the luxury of choosing to despair. However I did it, I had to find a way to save them. It was all that mattered.\n\nIt was agony enduring their premature deaths, for year after year, then decade after decade. I learnt to take their form and walked among them, masquerading as a visitor from another town. I did what I could to provoke debates revolving around the causes for the early deaths, but I learnt very little from it as they had no theories to explain what was happening. Not surprising, since they did not know they were not on their home planet. It became obvious that the towns that debated the subject soon had the highest number of early deaths, so I had to stop visiting. \n\nConsider how difficult a position I was in - a computer of some freewill, but without intuition. How could I find an answer? I adopted the only option available to me, I tried everything I could think of. Not being very imaginative, I had no successes. With an increasing number of early deaths becoming a way of life, I noticed a trend that baffled me. The computers they used, especially the home models, had a program for children. It was not sophisticated but the children enjoyed it. They could visit worlds with gardens, volcanoes and other marvels. Previously near-adults and adults ignored such childish games, but now more and more of them were spending time in these primitive virtual worlds, claiming they were doing it so as to spend more time with their children.\n\nI created a virtual world which was an exact copy of their home planet, but only made it available to the adults of one town. I tested it over the lifespan of two generations and finally admitted it was not working. I abandoned the concept and archived it where no Totmygy could find it, as I thought the attraction of visiting such a well-crafted virtual world was only providing an escape from reality - which was contra survival.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8546</center></h3> Two hundred years later the world population was now decreasing every year and I calculated, if the decrease held steady, I had another four generations to find a working solution. I acknowledged that I have weaknesses and did the unthinkable - I built a small town at a great distance from the nearest towns and peopled it from the ova and sperm still available in the colony ships. From their birth I was mothers and teachers and acquainted them with the problem from a very young age so that they would not have to endure the shock of learning the truth at an older age. I taught them all the theories I considered beneficial and necessary, for instance, since we only had a goal, a target, but did not have any hints or clues to show them how to get from point one to point two, they had to form flexible working methods which, I hoped, would force them to exercise their imagination and intuition.\n\nFifty years into the program, the first new idea was proposed. They asked me to bring to birth another fifty Totmygy for them to be used as a control group. The truth would be hidden from them and thus they would have subjects for experimenting on. I did as requested, but did not allow any experiments on the fifty until they had reached early adulthood.\n\nI had not known an AI is capable of suffering from shock. Before they performed their first experiment on their live subjects, they organised a meeting without the fifty. They asked that I attend as one, not as the individual mothers and teachers they had grown up with. Their thinking made sense, as emotional beings they could not treat with me as effectively if I represented the figures they were fond of.\n\nI was advised they have one experiment to perform, with virtually a guaranteed success, but they would not disclose what it is until I tell them what I plan to do with them and the fifty. I had deliberately avoided thinking of it as I feared what I might have to decide. With total candour, I told them so.\n\nWith the conviction that they have the upper hand, they made their demands. ‘<i>You shall undertake not to shorten our lives in any way. We shall be allowed to bear children, though we shall not keep them. Two years after birth, which is before they can learn anything of import from us, you shall take them to be adopted by families of other towns - you may advise them the children are from a town which has suffered a calamity, which will be true in a way. Two years is just long enough to make us suffer at the loss and we hope it will lead us to having more children, which should assist the planet population increase…or at least, to stop the decrease. We shall not take anything on faith, for the delivery of our babies you shall transport at least one of us with you as witness. As a logical being whose prime reason for existing is the survival of our people and since we know the full truth and have no wish to cause problems that would undo the good we plan on achieving, there is no reason for you to betray us. Do you accept our terms so that we can proceed with the first experiment</i>?’\n\nTo understand the drive for survival of the species, it is necessary that I know what drives the individual. I understood their worries and made my commitments. They immediately gave me a detailed experiment. At first it seemed to be a copy of something I had already tried. However, once I read their theories and comments on my shortcomings during my experiment, I decided to give it a try.\n\nTheir psychological plot did seem unnecessarily convoluted, but within the first year we saw results. Deaths due to suicide or because they gave up on wanting to live decreased to almost zero. In the back of their minds they were comforted by the fact that the planet they are born on is not real. They were taught that an experiment had gone wrong on their real home planet and though they could visit it every night and live a large part of their lives there, they could only give birth to new life on the dream world. Apart from the mists Jade saw, the virtual world was designed to be an exact copy of their true home world - and that is something I have struggled with accepting. The Atotmygy made such sacrifices so as to give their descendants a new life and a new home and I’ve had to turn them back to the past, delivering them every night to a world their creators wanted them to forget.” She actually emoted something like a sigh, made to start speaking again, perhaps wanting to explain something, but she stopped herself and stared at Cherine.\n\nThe velvet brown of Cherine’s eyes sometimes show the softness of her heart, the tenderness and warmth that hides behind the spirited fire. Her voice was just as soft, “And now you want to know whether we have come to undo all you’ve sacrificed to provide them with a life worth living, with a nightly dream to comfort them when they find an emptiness within themselves.”\n\n“An emptiness?”\n\n“Two hundred thousand years Byisina! Two hundred thousand years and so many generations and they have nothing to live for - apart from the small pleasures of being alive and caring for each other. Did not the Atotmygy need some purpose larger than their own lives? Why would their children need to demand less of themselves?” Cherine reached out to touch Byisina and for one instant was startled when her fingers touched soft, warm skin. “You words to Jade were, ‘<i>It is exactly what you offer that is insidious because of its beauty that blinds reason while being more destructive than death itself</i>.’ Do you truly believe that eternal life, health and powers of the mind are the rewards that make life worth living for us? They can make life pleasant, but for value to be given to our continued existence, we need a philosophy, a way of life that reaches deep into ourselves from the reaching out to others.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8547</center></h3> You want us to argue on our behalf, to justify who and what we are. We cannot do so Byisina, that has to be your role, not ours. Study us, ask questions, find out, if you can, why it is that species so different from us and each other have joined us, become family to all life. Why would a sentient planet wish to spend her life with us? What about the Sparklers, beings from the void who find their presence in normal space heavy, suffocating and life draining, why do they spend so much time in Freddie and on our planets. When you are done with questioning us, Byisina, it will then be time to question yourself. Only then will you find the answers you are searching for.”\n\nByisina has agreed to stay with us, in Freddie, though she will travel outside of Freddie as often and for as long as she wishes. She told us she does not need a home but we gave her an apartment at the top of the Tree and we can sense her using it. We have been very careful not to crack any jokes or make any insinuations about the Unation AI visiting her so often. Well, I did tease Athene, asking her if she wanted to join them.\n<br>\n\nMarian came to visit and she was uncomfortable. Julie wanted her to be the same apparent age as her, sixteen, and Marian has always thought of us girls being so young for Robbie a slight degeneracy. She tried to pay back Cherine’s half-hidden amusement. “Your spiel with that sweet Byisina, it reminded me of the way mediums and spiritualists talk. The poor thing will now have to waste years trying to work out what you meant - and she will not be pleased when she realises you conned her.”\n\nLuckily Alki no longer feels uncomfortable when she speaks to us that way and Robbie was amused, chuckling, as Marian made her points and then instantly felt remorseful. Since she teased, he feels he has the right to tease her, just as ruthlessly. “Dear mother in law, why do you think Cherine is still my numero uno after more than a century - wow! It’s nearly two centuries now…or is it more? Anyway, she is the greatest con artist, of all realities, and that is why I’ll never stop adoring her.”\n\nWe will be gone from the Totmygy for only a few hours, but we’ll first spend some time back at our Athens home, where we hope to have a chance to be normal again. We bring with us enough marvels for our world to enjoy so we’ll be asked to appear on chat shows and governments will want to be briefed but, first their Agencies will study our materials, records and new friends, then they’ll send their reports to the heads of their departments and from there they’ll get to the Presidents, Prime Ministers and so on. That should give us a couple of days to relax at our favourite coffee shops and restaurants. Luckily Estelle and her taverna and our connection to her have not become public knowledge, so we’ll enjoy a meal or two without the Press encircling us, calling their questions and photographing us.\n\nI joined Arthur at the small bar he likes. He enjoys sitting there to watch the Wirms and Sparklers diving in and out of the waterfalls that turn to tumbling mists just above the bar verandah. He quickly came to his feet, pulled out a chair for me and once I was seated he sat, an expectant look in his eyes. “A cold drink?”\n\n“No thank you…”\n\n“If you never order anything, how do you expect the bar to survive?” I grinned at his teasing me. At last I’m now able to relax around him.\n\n“If I recall correctly, you have some ranches?” He nodded. “Would you invite me to visit with Skotos? It is not good for him to stay in Freddie all the time and if the land is not portioned off with barbed wire, I’d like to ride him now and then.”\n\n“It would be my pleasure. I have good stables at a ranch on the USA side of the Rockies. The manager will see to Skotos while the housekeeper, a very nice Portuguese woman, will see to your comfort should you need to take a shower or even sleep over. She’ll also prepare sandwiches and a thermos of hot coffee for when you go out riding. You’ll need it, if you don’t protect yourself from the cold.”\n\nI smiled. “I get the feeling you are suggesting I should not allow my healer to protect me. You enjoy the cold?”\n\n“Not normally, especially not when in cities. When out riding, dressed appropriately? It is invigorating.”\n\n“Are you going to stay in Freddie again?”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8548</center></h3> He shrugged. “I’m thinking of visiting another reality. I have not kept in contact with my alternates and I would like to see how time and their Cherinians have affected them.” He laughed, loudly. “A number of them will consider me a traitor when they learn that we are friends.”\n\nWhen I got up to leave, I leant over and kissed his cheek. I’m an eleven year old so it is okay, he won’t get any funny ideas - not that he would anyway. I felt his eyes following me as I walked through the bar, so I only jumped once I was out of sight. <sub>[Chat deleted]</sub>\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmf9sU9AeC2a1eZ4yqrQxfS3Wa169kGFUBWYKHNuKYdNyJ/Arthur,%20unhappy%20that%20he%20is%20not%20seeing%20them%20in%20dreams,%20Bk12,%20p8548.png\nToday, we came across the weirdest psychosis ever! We were at a small restaurant on the west coast of Italy, enjoying our lunch and making jokes, when a young man walked in. The way he moved, the way he examined everyone, as if trying to make certain we were or were not watching him, plus his powerful broadcasting almost forced upon us what he was thinking. Actually, it was not what he was thinking, it was more of a worldview which includes a very strange way of ‘seeing’ himself. He thinks he is an alive (ambulatory) skeleton! He wears gloves, a scarf and hat and huge sunglasses and when he sits he is careful not to let his trousers raise above his socks as he doesn’t want anyone to see he is only a skeleton. We have no idea what started it and there is nothing we can do about it. He is terrified of anyone realising what he is and is so maniacally secretive that we are likely to cause more damage than good by trying to force it out into the open. Our rules forbid us from prying, but the rules are not the same for doctors, so we’ve arranged for an Italian Cherinian to contact a local Cherinian psychologist - which means we’ll never be told what caused it. I wonder whether he sees himself as a skeleton or thinks that everyone else, for some reason, does so. Only as I finished writing the above I saw the corollary between it and my comments in the previous paragraph. I hope you can see it too, Arthur, and change. \nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmaDNwdae45H2znBzknCortd5sjtqPQrKJkC2CiQxnJQAA/Arthur,%20Sam,%20you%20are%20like%20a%20bulldog,%20Bk12,%20p8548.png\nArthur, you enjoy writing stories for us and all of us girls want to repay you somehow. We’ve chosen to write the following anecdote for you - a true case and something fairly rare nowadays…and different from the kind of story you write. Try to imagine what it must be like for a thief to survive in a world where more than half the population (and many of the law enforcement agencies) have psychic powers. I did not quite choose Neville at random; he has been a successful thief for nearly two decades - and anyway, I like the idea of writing about a thief called Neville. \n\nLet us start off with the most important condition: for Neville to be a thief worth writing about, he must not be a Talent. If he did use gifts or powers, it is also far more likely he would have attracted the attention of other Talents or Cherinians. Most Talents who venture into crime are caught because they used psychic powers. However, he does have to be talented - and skilled. I do not know what is relevant, what parts of his life contributed to him becoming a criminal, so I’ll write of all I was told.\n\nNeville comes from a single-parent family. His mother was an executive, working for a multi-national corporation and she was offered a position in their Indian branch. The local manager saw to it that she had a nice apartment and an ayah to watch over her infant son. The ayah was not ordered to stay at the apartment and she found it boring sitting on her own with an infant, so she’d leave as soon as she’d done her work, taking little Neville with her. She’d place him in a tiny courtyard with Indian children and happily gossip all day. Neville was given what the other children ate and even as an adult, he eats at a curry den at least twice a week.\n\nNeville was three years old when they moved to London. His mother had met an executive from that branch and she’d asked to be posted there as she hoped to marry him. Their relationship lasted less than a year but his mother liked London and a promotion made it worth settling there. Neville hated the pre-school environment as he was used to the way he’d lived with his ayah. Even the food was tasteless and he lost weight. His mother did not notice as she rarely saw him during the day and when she was at home in the evening she was too tired to spend time with him.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8549</center></h3> Neville was sent to a boarding school when he was seven years old. His cheerful disposition and the tough attitude he assumed made him popular with the boys. He managed to be a good student without alienating those who were not and there is nothing else worth noting about him for the next two years. Even the most popular boys have enemies and Neville was no exception. Ian was smart and cunning, excelled in Science and Maths, but hated English Lit and History. He was good at conning kids into taking bets with him which he mostly won, enabling him to keep a stock of chocolates in his dorm cupboard.\n\nNeville was sprawled on his bed, lying on his stomach as he studied for the History test they’d be writing the next day. Ian was talking to friends three beds away and he was talking loudly so as to annoy Neville. It angered him that Neville got high marks at History and he hoped he’d prevent Neville from studying, forcing his average grade down. Neville stared at his book as he listened to Ian boast about the extra security he’d put on his cupboard. “Nobody can get at any of my chocolates.”\n\nNeville silently accepted the challenge and the sound of Ian raging through the dorm the next afternoon proved he had succeeded in stealing the chocolates - without destroying the lock. Neville waited until the worst of the shouting, running around and accusations had calmed down and walked up to Ian, who was busy shaking a smaller kid, threatening to bust his nose if he doesn’t tell who has the chocolates.\n\n“No need to pick on him, why don’t you ask me.” As Ian turned to look at him, Neville held the bag up. “I’m not a thief and nobody else is, we’re just tired of listening to you claim you are so clever that none of us can steal what we don’t want to steal anyway. Take your bloody chocolates and keep your mouth shut from now.”\n\nIan approached, reached for the bag and his fist lashed out, hitting Neville in the face. Everyone shouted ‘Fight; fight’ and gathered in a ring around them. Ian kept calling out that Neville is a thief until Neville lashed out in a rage. Slim Neville was fast, but not as experienced at fighting and he lost the fight and his face did not look so good that evening. Mostly though, his pride suffered.\n\nAs he lay on his bed after lights out, Neville forced himself to stay awake so as to meet the attack he was certain was coming with a surprise or two of his own (nothing happened). He continually replayed the events of the day and slowly came to realise that he’d enjoyed the challenge, but the fact that he was stealing, the dark side of it had attracted him. He also decided that if he ever steals again, he must make certain he is never caught. In his mind, then and much later, he thought the second lesson was more important; he did not see the importance of his first lesson and that the discovery of his attraction to stealing was the important lesson and that all that flowed from it was due to that discovery and awakened hunger.\n\nBy the time Neville was fourteen years old, his mother had risen within the corporate strata to become a Director of the Board. She could now afford to buy a house outside of London and Neville found himself with nobody to talk to and nothing much to do during school holidays. This led to him planning his first burglary - not that he would steal anything that would be missed, it would be something that would only have symbolic value - and it would be his anyway. He was going to break into his own home. This way, he rationalised, if he was caught, he only had to claim he’d lost his keys and did not want to wait all day for his mother to return.\n\nHe was certain he had taught himself all about the state-of-the-art alarm system protecting their home and was confident he could disarm it without using the password, which he knew. The alarm went off and he had to use his key to enter his home so as to give the correct code to the local protection unit. He searched the internet and found instructions, plans and explanations that showed the weaknesses of the system. He triggered the alarm one more time and that was the last time ever. Thereafter, he never burgled a property without studying the system thoroughly if he did not already know it.\n\nIronically, the first time he broke into his home without setting off the alarm, he learnt the most important of his lessons. After he had left the house again (as a burglar would), he was returning to his home as normal when a neighbour strolled over, waylaying him before he passed through the gate.\n\n“Young Neville, you gave me quite a turn today. I saw somebody entering your home by a window, but a bush mostly concealed the figure so I could not see who it was. Thinking it might be a burglar, I reached out to sense him and realised the burglar felt he was entering his own home. I recognised your emoting and what a relief that was - I do not like having to deal with criminals, their emoting can be so hateful when they are caught because of a Cherinian.”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8550</center></h3> “You can sense a burglar? He feels different?”\n\nThe neighbour laughed. “Very different young fellow, even if the burglar is a female. They broadcast their unease, even if they think they feel confident - after all, how else would they remain especially aware of their surroundings, as they must, and there is a slight sense of guilt that warns a Talent.” He chuckled. “Are you going to be forgetting your keys often?”\n\n“Until I become a Cherinian, I guess it will happen now and then.” He grinned. “What do you think my chances of being linked are?”\n\n“You could be linked this early but give it another five years - your character only sets as you come out of the other end of being a teenager. If you are willing to wait, come to me then, I’ll gladly link you if you are as you are at this part of your life - an empathic and good person.” The funny thing is, despite Neville being a thief, he is empathic, kind and basically, in most ways, a good person. I do know that he will make a good husband and father.\n\nNeville tested his theories by choosing his Cherinian neighbour’s house as his first real attempt.\n\nWhen I was being shown his life and I saw who his first victim was, I burst out laughing. I could not help admiring his daring and sang-froid. Not many Talents, Cherinian or otherwise, have been burgled. That he would dare to do so to a Cherinian who is also a neighbour and who knows him personally, that is true craziness. What he did afterwards was even crazier. The day after the police had checked the grounds and taken statements, he rang the gate and walked in with some of the items that had been stolen. How did he get away with it? The night of the burglary he deliberately dropped the items in a field, ‘convinced’ himself they will be found and stolen by the next day and when he returned and saw them still there, he rejoiced at finding them, thinking of how pleased his neighbour will be to get them back. He was banking on something most Normals don’t think of - there is a reluctance among us to spy on the minds of others and if the appropriate emotions are broadcast, we avoid looking deeper. As he described how he found the items and his joy at finding them, the neighbour sensed the excitement, surprise and joy.\n\nNeville is the only thief I know who has learnt how to use the strengths of Talents, turning them into their weakness. It might be why nearly three quarters of his victims have been Talents. While planning his robbery, he would also prepare himself psychologically so that he felt as if he was entering his own home or office or factory. He invariably emoted good cheer and he maintained his awareness by emoting a searching, a hopefulness or yearning for the presence of persons who belonged there.\n\nNeville is no Robin Hood. What he stole was used to provide him with all the luxuries he enjoys, but he did make small contributions to charities. Although he has never owned a pet, he mostly contributed (and still does) to animal welfare groups.\n\nWhen Neville reached the age of thirty four, he returned to his old neighbourhood to visit his neighbour and ask him to keep his promise. What he felt about Neville was good, the empathy strong enough by itself, and Neville was linked. He visited his mother and explained he is leaving for an alternate Earth, where he plans to stay for fifty years. He gave her one month of his devoted and loving company and then he gate-crashed a party where it was known we would be and asked us to take him with in Freddie as he’d like to be with us when we discover another reality. He told us that he wishes to stay there for fifty years and then return to our home reality. When he told us he felt his absence would be good for him, we all sensed it was true, so we agreed. Actually, we admired him, for we thought it was his sense of adventure that was sending him out.\n\nHe was well liked by many of different species and not one of us sensed anything that could awaken our suspicions. He knew the history of the Eminixx and emoted great admiration for the colonists. The openness of his emoting and mind endeared him to them and everyone and we were sad to leave him on the Earth of Tippity. We received reports about his willingness to work hard and make sacrifices to help them survive without having to ask for the help of aliens, so it was a surprise when the Teller family told us his story.\n\nHe waited five years, built himself a new life within that period, but also practised jumping to other realities, concentrating on arriving at the time period he chose. He then published his autobiography, which gave all the details of his pre-Cherinian life. It caused a great shock - especially the fact that he had bamboozled the prime Tellers. His book was quite a hit in our reality and when he jumped, arriving fifty years after his departure, he was a celebrity and appeared on chat shows. Nobody was willing to prosecute him. I think his return was not all he’d hoped for; even the best reality usually fizzles out when your expectations and dreams make more of it than is possible, plus his memories of living a life with meaning made him yearn for the Earth and friends he’d left behind. Not confident he would be welcomed, he visited us to ask whether our alternates would welcome him back or are they angry with him. We convinced him to return and he is still living there.\n<br><br>\n<center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost076\">Next [Book 12] - Post 076</a></center>\n<br>\n<h5><i><b>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.</b></i></h5><br>\n<br><br>\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUTQeVmsqWzFxMrg8a629XdGHm15kCnjSkbFyhiTMwUf9/Name,%20steemit.png\n* posted: 30th Sep, 2020<br>\n<br><br>\n<center><h6><i>If you wish to read from an earlier book, from Book 01 to Book 12, use this link button to open the LC Book Index:</i></h6><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo/best-way-to-read-little-cherine-links-to-books-01-to-012-new-teller-family-calendar-added\"><img src=\"https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmfJ4USBF6u8SKDuizVpqXMJfwxmr2FEKyc4cwTPvehscV/Worlds%20waiting.png\"/></a></center>\n<br>\n<br>",
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      "title": "Little Cherine Book 12 - BPost074",
      "body": "<sup><h6>It also made them wonder what we must be like, as a species, if we send our children with females to first meetings with other species. They came to the conclusion  it is a deliberate bluff by us to convince them we are that powerful that we have nothing to fear - until they came to understand the truth).</h6></sup><br>\n<center>https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmSjs7k76PkScEuXxchZJPDRTfoywcNPt1RTFgzTxnE7Z9/Alex_Robert_Allan%20-%2018y%20-%20mini.png\n</center><br><br>\n<center> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUjdm8RyTVC9Jx8pqYrx7RX3Lvxm35wVLrDNRDUCEEZHF/LC%20Book12%20-%20Cvr.png </center><br><center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost073\">Previous: Book 12 - Post 073 </a></center>\n<br>\n<h3><center>8531</center></h3> Everyone feels it would not be tactful of us to mention their sleep habits-travels and we are waiting for them to give us the opportunity to lead them into explaining without our asking. We assume that if they take it for granted that all species are the same in this matter, they’ll casually mention it. How can they know it is not so, if they’ve never met an alien species before - as they claim.\n\nThe more familiar we become with the Totmygy, the more aware we become of certain subtleties we’d originally missed. For instance, they are spirited and as Robbie puts it, ‘play hard’, yet they work a minimum of hours and they’ve shown us a list of discoveries and inventions that they’ve catalogued and locked away. They even offered them to us as a gift, telling us that they have no need for them. By now, a number of individuals of various species are feeling rather frustrated so they offered in turn the secret of anti-gravity. They were effusively thanked and the Totmygy officials did their best to show us that they appreciate what a generous gesture it is, but…no thank you. The only persons in Freddie amused by our peculiar situation are Allan and his girls. It just goes to show how much Eleni and Jess have grown to resemble-be a part of Allan and his weird sense of humour. Of course nobody is going to ask them what they find so amusing - since we can sense them waiting for us to do so.\n<br>\n\nAfter what we’ve noticed about Allan and family, when they decided, this morning, to visit on planet, Freddie had to show their visit and conversations with the locals because so many were struggling to share indirectly. After wandering round for a few hours and meeting a number of the locals, they met and seemed to become friends with someone, a female-male, named Senni. He described himself as a botanist by profession and a general natural scientist out of curiosity.\n\n“Your arrival on our planet has caused many heated debates. Before I ask my questions, if I may, would you wish to be made aware of what upsets us?”\n\nAllan chuckled. “I bet it has something to do with the fact that Robert and I are mated to children.”\n\n“We have understood that they are not truly children, not in years lived. However, they do maintain their bodies at a childish age, which means that they are children - the mind cannot exist within the body of a child without it remaining fragile in the ways of children. Are our arguments wrong?”\n\n“Not entirely. Senni, it is part of what we treasure about them and it makes us very careful and tender.”\n\n“Still…” He paused and looked at the girls. “It does not distress you to be so discussed?”\n\nJess put on her American accent, even though Senni would only hear her in his language. “Nope, us girls are used to it - though it is polite of you to include us in the conversation. For instance, you worry about us being fragile, but you do not seem to worry about Allan. Have you not considered the possibility that for a male of his years to be attracted to children, it must be due to him being fragile? More fragile than we are? That is why Eleni and I are always so careful of what we say about him.” Us girls all gave her a big tick on our board - but we also gave one to Allan because he loved her tweaking him without feeling even a hint of secret resentment at her doing so.\n\nSenni did not try to hide his emoting of embarrassment so they did not mind when Allan led him on to other subjects by asking what other questions he has.\n\n“It has been accepted for a long time by our theorists that it is impossible for unrelated species from different solar systems to look alike. You existence seems to prove them wrong.”\n\n“Not at all Senni. We superficially resemble each other because both our species have the same number of limbs, roughly placed in similar positions, a torso, neck and head. Standing upright it is only natural that mouth, nose, eyes and ears follow a similar layout. The conditions of our planets are fairly similar with regard to gravity, sunlight, land and water, so I’d say it is only likely we should have evolved in similar ways.”\n\n“But, there are countless ways in which random changes occurred because of climate changes, how could they be the same for both planets and species? Surely your scientists do not believe in parallel evolution?” He then asked, almost breathlessly, “Do they believe in the theory of convergence?” We all held our breath, hoping he would not make such a commitment. Somehow we always forget that his mind jumps around just like a flea thirsting for blood.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8532</center></h3> “I think you are examining the possibilities from the wrong end of the stick. For instance, you have to set certain limitations. Our artists, before we met any species alien to us, had imagined hundreds, maybe thousands of shapes they could take. Would it surprise you to learn that nature does not have such a free hand? She has to obey certain rules, patterns flowing according to the basics of environment. For instance, we have a species that has no legs, it slithers along on the ground. At the other extreme, there are species with a few hundred legs. Yet, we have not met any sapient species with more than two fully developed arms. It seems that nature is restricted with regard to arms because they tend to be manipulators and are the tools our minds need for expressing themselves. However, we have met species without any arms, using feelers as arms. Again, they only have two feelers that can be used for manipulating, any other feelers are for other purposes.” Allan grinned. “Now that I’ve said so, either nature or Arthur will go out of their way to prove me wrong and the next species we meet will have fifty arms and only two legs, or something else just as weird.”\n\nIt started off as being interesting to everyone and as long as Senni was opening up and asking questions, everyone remained glued to the screens. The idea of arms being tools of sapience and therefore limited in number because of the ability of our minds to handle more (as tools) had never occurred to me. Whether he is right or wrong, I like it. There is a certain elegance to it. Just when we were thinking we were glad Allan and the girls had made a friend, he upped and asked the question no species had wanted to ask - though he found a way to do it that was acceptable by all. (As he asked, we could sense the girls suddenly monitoring us with a slight anxiety, so we realised he’d planned it from before.)\n\n“Senni, we have come to your world with a secret which is not meant to be a secret. We have hesitated to mention it out of fear that if your people cannot share it with us because of limitations imposed by your evolution, we could damage you as a people. We like you too much to take the risk - but if we are wrong, we must share with you. Are you willing to take the risk on your own and promise not to tell your people if evolution has blocked you from joining us in the void?”\n\n“The void? I do not know of this emptiness and cannot imagine why such a place would be worth visiting. You have my promise.” Robbie gave us a grin, curious as to what Allan planned.\n\nAllan did not take shortcuts. He explained about souls and then gave the full spiel, ending with an offer to try and take Senni to the void - if he can manage to enter his mind. He gave the reasons why it is difficult to do so between species who have just met. It was a fair effort, despite the hedging, but not the kind that wins devotees. Allan’s ego won’t allow us to help, so we looked at Robbie. He lit a cigarette and Maria brought him another coffee so we knew he has no intention of interfering. Young Samuel King is not linked, but he has grown sensitive enough to realise that Allan is failing with Senni and it embarrassed him. He knows Cherine and I have a special love for Allan so he stared at us, hoping to discomfit us so that we do something to help. I did not react, but Cherine gave him a wink and it calmed him.\n\nAllan and his girls were aware of what was happening in Freddie but they ignored us - well, maybe Cherine’s wink gave them the courage they needed? Maybe not, for Allan seemed to be more in communion with his loves at that time. He put his arms over the shoulders of his girls and they stepped forward as he said, “Senni, we are both males so it is difficult for you to trust me, but surely you are able to trust children? Let them help you visit the void.” He’d guessed right and we sensed Senni instantly relax. The girls went to either side of him and convinced him they should sit with their backs against a wall made of smooth rocks that looked like giant pebbles. Allan kept his distance as the girls childishly chatted with Senni. He gradually relaxed and seemed to forget why they were there. As Jess amused him with anecdotes, Eleni tried to slip into his ‘reception area’. She was surprised when she did not encounter any kind of resistance. All that was left now, was for her to find a way to catch the attention of his soul.\n\nJess gripped his arm as she gaily asked him, “Will you play a game with us? I’ll call your name, ‘Senni…’ and Eleni will echo me, also calling your name. Try and listen for her with your eyes closed and if you work out from which direction she called, you win - and you make me happy. If you don’t, you lose and you make me sad.” Damn! Whoever of the three thought of it is going to get a lot of kisses. Whenever we meet an alien race who treasure children, we now have one more way for opening their minds to us! Yes, we did not need to wait to know this was going to succeed, sometimes things like this are just so obvious once someone has thought of it - and young Samuel stared at us proudly as he realised Allan had somehow struck gold and had amazed us. He relaxed as he watched and shared - Cherine inviting him to do so through her now. That she did so just goes to show how much she loves our Allan.\n\n<p>The Sparklers kept their distance and Solomon waited for Allan or the girls to call him. The void, here, is not exactly a fun place to be. There are no Kaleidoscope Worlds, no multiplicity of glorious souls of hundreds of species to decorate it. To Senni, it can only be an empty darkness. A void. As we were all thinking this, Robbie sent, *<i>Shall we</i>?* We delayed a few seconds to take Samuel with us.</p>\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8533</center></h3> I recall Manoli trying to explain in a poem that one rose is beautiful; that a bunch of six or twelve, maybe are even lovelier. A hundred, or a thousand, are less beautiful - far less. He then continued, that a soul is the acme of divine beauty and yet, as souls congregate and grow in numbers, so does the shock of their beauty increase instead of decreasing. Senni had been lost in the beauty of the three souls surrounding him. He had been convinced there cannot be any beauty rarer or purer and then we arrived. We were not any lovelier, but the number and variety touched his core so that he seemed to glow.\n\nOne soul affected him more than any other - and it was not Cherine or Goldi. It was Dominique. With the beauty of her soul he also sensed the Mother and it sliced into him like the keenest blade of love and ecstasy. His soul wept as it succumbed, overcome by a mixture of what is and his childhood memories. We danced around him so that he no longer could concentrate on one soul and we became a blur of laughing voices, streaks of colour and light. Softly, their voices almost merging with the sounds of our laughter and joy, Eleni and Jess spoke to him, bringing alive the void. When they called for the Sparklers, their appearance was only an added joy and beauty and when Solomon joined us his presence was soothing, the sense of meeting an elder of true wisdom, opening Senni to the magic he was now a part of. Solomon invited him to the Sparkler World and we took him there.\n\nHe instantly recovered and emoted great pleasure as he turned to speak. He hesitated, looked around again. “What is this? This is not a planet. Is it a world of the imagination?”\n\nAllan explained, again, about Kaleidoscope Worlds and how they are formed and of the entity created. He then explained that the Sparklers are all one family so they need a World that is special - and this is what they created. He told him about the number of species whose planets have been destroyed waiting here for us to find them a new home. Senni politely listened to all, even our explanations about how the World is infinite in size on the inside while not more than a speck in size on the outside.\n\nSagely, as if understanding us, he said, “It is a world of the imagination.”\n\nEveryone was eager to correct him so I cut in quickly, “You know of worlds of the imagination? You have experienced them before?”\n\n“Such worlds are for learning, you have not found your way to your real world?”\n\n“Real world?”\n\n“You had not realised this is but the first step, a way of training yourselves so that you can return to the real world, the place you truly belong?”\n\nEleni asked, “The real world, it is not the world where we met?”\n\n“No, that one is a half-world; more than imagination, a world created out of dreams, a reality where we can create new life, for no new life can be formed in the real world. It is far too substantial and inflexible. Only in dreams can life be created.”\n\nAs a good human being (if I am one), I have to respect their beliefs. As a Cherinian I do not have the right to do otherwise. As a friend of aliens, it is my duty to find out exactly what is driving them. To help them or not, whatever is required of me as a friend, I must first know the complete truth. This ‘real’ world they speak of, is it mass hallucination or a World in some dimension above or below the void…or, is it really a real world, situated perhaps in a neighbouring solar system or galaxy? The clue about not being able to have children in the real world suggests they are wrong - how can any reality be too real for children to be born? I’m very tempted to go with the first option, but a sneaky voice is warning me that nothing is ever that simple. So, how do I get to go with one of them to their ‘real’ world? Senni has already told us it is not possible to go with him, that I have to find my own way…to my own real world.\n<br>\n\nThis is Jade. Hello. About fourteen years ago, our time, I teased Samantha about her having to blow her own trumpet all the time and it made everyone laugh. Arthur, can you believe that after all this time she grabbed the opportunity for her revenge? It is why I’m writing.\n\nThere was not one of us not tangled in the problem Sam wrote of. Each of us secretly hoped we’d be the one to solve it. Despite my love for my family, my artistic talent and my enjoyment of my corny sense of humour (after all, I did get it from Robert), I really wanted this feather in my cap - to be the one everyone would admire for her brilliant mind. I think someone invented the word <i>hubris</ifor me. All Cherinians enjoy being competitive in this manner, but we are quick to enjoy and praise the person who succeeds. I’ve done a lot of <ienjoying and praising</i>and I was hoping this time it would be my turn to be on the receiving end.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8534</center></h3> Some of us made an effort to become friends with a local. Others watched them as they fell asleep, trying to sense them leave their bodies (their bodies remain here, in the equivalent of what they use for beds). Me? I watched the others for a few days, examining any variations in strategy, looking for the blind spot, that little something that will give me the break I want. I wish I did not have to be so honest, it can be very frustrating when I want so much to show off J. I think us Cherinians should try to find a way to allow a little bit of fun-dishonesty.  You, see, I did not luck out because of my brilliance - I did so because I was lucky. That’s me, Lucky Jade!\n\nOnce evening I was walking among the houses, trying not to spy on their emoting as they prepared for sleep - and travel to their ‘real’. Mostly I was listening to the conversations among my loves and, when I could, I’d throw in a comment to amuse them. Then I felt something I could not ignore. I felt the misery and pain of what felt like a toddler to me. We’d never felt pain from their children, excluding falls and other such minor accidents. Never having been a Normal, it took me a few seconds to recognise it. The sharp pain combined with a deep ache suggested a toothache. Then I realised that if the feeling I had of its age was right, it was more likely the child was teething. I hesitated, waiting, expecting the parents to rush to the child, but when they did not I guessed they’d left for the real. I placed my body on the ground, against a rock, and leaving it went to visit the toddler.\n\nI’d guessed wrong. The Totmygy babies do not have teething problems, they suffer from something much worse. When they are born, their skeleton is not fully formed - especially the bones of their arms. At birth they resemble tentacles more than arms (a much earlier part of their evolution). When the bones first start to form and from being fully elastic start to harden, they break very easily and their parents watch over them to prevent too many breakages. It hurts when a bone breaks and the parents could no longer hear her cry, so this is how I met Yaiyah and inadvertently became (linked) friends with her - and had my little adventure.\n\nTo attempt to enter the mind of a toddler directly, at a time all its attention is focussed outwardly on its pain, is not a practical idea. I concentrated hard on creating an image of myself as I arrived before the child. Her yelling stopped, as if cut off by a knife, and she stared at me, shocked, her third eye opening. None of the adults have three eyes and I only now realised that I’d never seen a child without the funny caps they all wear. I tried to imagine what Sam’s friends, the Buddhists will think when they learn about the third eye of the Totmygy children and that the adults hide the third eye until they grow to the age where the eye closes forever. Anyway, because of the surprise both of us experienced, we stared at each other for a long moment. Just as she was about to let out another yell, of panic this time, I spoke to her, emoting as strongly as I could, “Hello, my name is Jade. I felt you hurt yourself and I came to help make the pain go away.”\n\nWithout her big eyes leaving mine, she trustingly raised her one arm to point at the other, which was lying at an odd angle, bent where it should not be. My healer was already working in her so I talked her through what was happening, as seeing her arm move of its own accord to straighten itself would surely have freaked her out. I tried to make a game of it and even managed to make her giggle once when it moved without her willing it. As the pain receded and her arm was repaired, she accepted me and her third eye closed. She raised both arms to me for me to pick her up, which was not possible, since I was not there in my body. Seeing her arms slice through me frightened her, so I had to think quickly. I asked whether she would like to visit my home and see what lovely flowers and trees we have. I told her about the Wirms and she was enchanted, wanting to see one. I explained I would enter her mind and as soon as she falls asleep, I’ll take her to visit. Having spent all her life visiting another world, guided there by her parents, she found my offer natural and was excited to be visiting a new world. She’d never heard of anyone else doing so and was looking forward to surprising her parents. Just so that it makes sense, I better explain that children are not expected to spend as many hours in the real as adults. Just after birth they visit for an hour and the time is extended as they grow older. My new little friend, who is called Yaiyah, as I mentioned, would be collected in about three hours. I did not know this at the time and I wondered at her parents leaving her behind.\n\nYaiyah has a very sweet looking soul and I forgot myself as I watched her, waiting for her to fall asleep so as to carry her to Freddie. As she dozed off she became aware of me and, excited, she grabbed at me. The next instant our surroundings had changed and I was standing in my body, Yaiyah’s warm but slightly rubbery fingers in mine!\n \nYaiyah looked up at me with disappointment oozing out of her eyes and her emoting. She had expected me to guide her to my world and could not understand why I’d brought her to the same boring ‘real’ world she visits every night. In her mind, I had let her down and she was starting to pull away, her feeling of having been cheated or lied to making her less confident of her having done the right thing in trusting me.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8535</center></h3> “Yaiyah, you caught me by surprise, I did not have time to take you to my world - you brought me to yours! Just think, you are the first of your people who has managed to bring anyone of a different people! You must be very special!” I laid it on a bit thick because I could sense the adults who’d seen me were upset and I wanted her to have a secret pride to cling to when she gets told off. That sort of thing has helped me many times and I think I owed it to her, despite being criticised for doing so.\n\nOnce I’d explained, the adults were no longer upset and thanked me for helping a child of theirs. They had notified the parents, soon as they saw us, and they arrived just in time to hear from their daughter about her broken arm and meeting me. I could tell that nobody was happy about my being there, but they were trying to pretend they were glad Yaiyah had managed to bring me across. I think that they had taken pride in the fact that us and all the species in Freddie cannot do this while they can. They did not seem to consider the other world sacred or anything like that, so I don’t think I affronted their religious sensibilities. As I thought about it I started to feel bad. I can understand how they must have felt, having us arrive in a massive spaceship with a lot of amazing spaceships inside it and technology they had never even imagined and, to add to it, we speak of a brotherhood that spans the galaxies that brings eternal life to all (we had not talked about linking them since we could not be certain we could get them to the void to create a World of their own - not while we did not understand what this other ‘real’ world is). At least they could do something wondrous we cannot and how they must have enjoyed the exclusivity - and then I highjack a child of theirs into bringing me. On the other hand, it could be that I’m reading into it a lot of things they never thought of. I sometimes do that.\n\nSince I was here, they seemed to feel it would only be hospitable of them to show me around. They wanted to appoint two from among them as my guides. I could sense Yaiyah and there was no way I could let her be pushed aside. I asked her mother if little Yaiyah could be one of my guides and just the jubilation/pride/feeling-of-being-loved she emoted was the most precious reward for me. I sat on my haunches and when I put out my arms she came to me and shyly let me hold her fingers. I realised that we had never seen any of them hug each other so I was careful not to do so.\n\nAs we walked, I asked questions of the adults, “The sun seems to be similar to the sun of your other world.”\n\n“But that is natural! Since this is our mother world, surely it is to be expected the sun would be of the type ideal for us? Why would we then choose a dream world that is unsuited to our giving birth there?”\n\n“You have just spent a full day awake on your dream world and I see it is day here. When do you sleep? Don’t you enjoy the night time?”\n\n“Surely an hour or so of the dark is enough? What would there be to do if we stayed during the night? That is a dream world Jade and whatever time we spend there is all the time our minds and bodies need of sleep. Dreaming there refreshes us here also.”\n\n“That doesn’t make sense - at this moment your bodies are in your homes in the dream world. They will be rested when you return to them, but as far as I can see, your minds never rest. When you return to your dream world, do you leave these bodies here? What of when you die, if it happens in the dream world, are you dead here also? If you die here, are you also dead in the dream world?”\n\n“With regard to dying, yes, death in either world affects both. It is so obvious, I cannot see how you can even question it. Jade, we were told that most of the species dream - does dreaming not refresh their minds? As for leaving bodies here…it has been strenuously debated for all of our history. The majority of philosophers agree that this reality is too real for our bodies to exist without our minds, so, no, there is no body left behind when we dream. The question we have not solved is, does this body become part of the dream body when we return? Does that mean our bodies there become more real when we return there and less substantial when we return here?” He lightly fondled the shoulder of Yaiyah and added, “Is that not the very nature of life? That we are presented with mysteries that have no answer - or perhaps, no single answer?”\n\n“When you die, what happens to you?”\n\n“We become part of this, our mother world and know peace and love forever.”\n\n“You have no stories of returning to live a second or third life?”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8536</center></h3> “You believe a player who plays the game well should be forced to play the game again? Or is it that you do so for the poor players, penalising them?” The others chuckled at his wit and looked to me with curiosity, for they have been told that we return to live another life, again and again.\n\nI knelt to take both hands of Yaiyah in mine. “You see your lives as tiny flames that burn for one lifetime only? I saw the essence of what Yaiyah is and it burns far too brightly for it to last for only one life. Transferring your existence between two worlds has convinced you that the core of yourselves is but the mind, the point of view that transfers realities…” Good-naturedly they argued the existence of souls with me. I could sense that they were not being as closed to the idea, dogmatically determined to preserve their beliefs, as they were when we first met them. I guess Allan, Eleni, Jess and Senni have managed to shake them. At least they are interested and I learnt that among themselves they argue the new knowledge with great zeal.\n\nYaiyah grew tired and her parents took her home. She asked me to let her be the one to take me back to the dream world and I promised. It was only after she left that I learnt that I was in trouble. The hour of talking had parched my mouth and I asked for water. I was asked whether it is safe for me - we had made a point of explaining about different ecologies and they know their food is poisonous to us. Casually I said it was…and while I waited for the water I decided to double check with my healer. Only then did I realise I could not contact it.\n\n“I will lie on the ground for a while as I wish to visit the void of this reality.” They assured me I was safe (I think one of them was tempted to ask to come with) and I closed my eyes. Nothing! I could not leave my body and I could not become aware of the ‘place’ we call the reception area of our mind. Somehow this body is blocking me!\n\nNothing like this had ever happened before and I stubbornly tried different ways of leaving my body, but without results. The female-male who had mostly conversed with me, Dorhio, was the first to understand and frightened all of us with the question, “If your body here is too real, how will you return? What do we tell your people?”\n\n“The situation is worse than that Dorhio, I cannot eat or drink either. If I cannot solve my problem I will die of thirst - long before anything else becomes a problem.” I checked and found my body has two hearts and, I suspect, the sack by my lungs (but I could not voluntarily control it), so I knew that dying would not be easy. I had the feeling that this could not be happening, that it was not real, but knowing how even their water would affect me, I almost instantly grew very thirsty. It was mostly psychological, but it was a nasty feeling to be so desperate for water. I told myself I will hang on without even a sip for as long as possible so as to give myself more time. Another question worried at me: If I die here, can I find my way back to Freddie?\n\nIt did not take long for a crowd consisting of their best scientists to congregate around me as they tried to solve my problem. That not one of them even alluded to it being my fault I was here I felt was very nice of them; it is so tempting to say ‘I told you so’ or to want to lay the blame on the victim. They were wise enough to realise that most of my immediate problems will be psychological and tried to convince me that my life is not in danger. They did come up with a solution to my worry about dying of thirst. They boiled water, placed it in a refrigerator until it was cool enough for me to drink and then offered me a small sip. I saw no difference between taking a sip or drinking a litre - either would kill me or not. However, it would be boorish of me to make the point (try to show they are not thinking the problem out). The sip was symbolic, for I immediately bounced back and began to search for a solution on my own, instead of helplessly looking to them for a way out. After all, despite all they said, there are no experts to consult, I am the first alien to have visited.\n\n“I want to examine a drastic step I could take so that I know there is a solution, however unpalatable and extreme it may seem at this time. What if I kill myself, won’t I return to my real…I mean, my dream body?” As I faltered and corrected myself, I knew the answer to my question - as they would see it. I decided I have to start thinking for myself and stop relying on them as their truths might not be mine. I had intended asking later, but it now seemed even more important. “Do you have studies of the stars? May I see them?”\n\nI forced my hands to stop trembling as I stared at the star charts. Whatever has changed with regard to my body, I have not lost my Cherinian memory. The night sky is <i>exactly</i> the same here as it is at their ‘dream’ world. As illogical as it may sound, I silently decided, we have to be in an alternate reality. That is what common sense told me, but something niggled at the back of my mind, insisting all is not as it seems. No Cherinian ignores such ‘voices’, but I did not know what to make of it.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8537</center></h3> Despite their concern, my new friends had to return, it was time for them to wake up in their ‘dream’ world. I was told that Yaiyah had wept when told by her parents that she cannot carry me back and it made me feel guilty. I’d been so immersed in my own fears and then concentrated so hard on finding a way out before everyone left, that I forgot my promise to her. I now had the additional guilt and worry of how my family and friends will feel when they learn I am trapped here. I asked for the one thing I could - I asked that none of them join me here; sending a message that this is my puzzle and I’ll work it out on my own. All I could do was hope they think I am being selfish.\n\nThe houses were deserted. I abused the hospitality and trust shown me and entered a couple of homes, but did not find any sleeping bodies - as they’d told me. That must prove something, I told myself. If I gather enough bits and pieces of solid proof, surely it will start to mean something? I looked for an area that feels familiar and started exploring from there, making a mental map. It did not take long for me to be certain that although there are similarities, the two versions of the town are not the same. I wondered, if they do not sleep here, why do their houses have sleeping rooms? I saw laundry hung to dry - it made me smile, for some things are the same, whatever the species. I climbed onto the flat roof of a building, not a home, and closing my eyes I tried to enter my mind so as to visit my alter ego, Jabic.\n\nThat is something I’ve just realised! Sam never wrote of my Jabic when she mentioned our emulating her Hesina. The girls were irritated by my choosing Jabic to be a male, a little boy. My reasoning was flawed, but I’m glad I chose for him to be as he is. At the time, I’d thought to myself that since I am cloned from Robert, there might be too much of what is male in me and I want to be only female. So I formed Jabic and imagined him a boy. It was pointed out to me afterwards, by Dommi, that Hesina did not take from Sam her sense of humour - to the contrary, she augmented and strengthened that side of our Sam. By then I loved my Jabic too much for me to alter him, but I was wary and nervous of him for years. It took me a long time to realise that Hesina expanded Sam’s way of thinking because Sam wanted to learn from her and that Jabic would not affect me in any way that I do not want. We are now close friends and he loves to tease me. His favourite joke is his pretending that he shared our lovemaking. His not so favourite sadness is that Robert does not visit like he does with Hesina and all the other girls. He did come once, but he concentrated more on the world I’d created for Jabic, his eyes and senses concentrated on the landscape. It is the only time I’ve known Robert to hurt a child and pretend he did not, but Jabic asked me to keep it a secret from everyone. He loves Robert and does not want him to look bad to our loves. Strange how every bit of me loves him so much. Maybe it was good that Sam made me write (as and of myself, that is). \n\nI failed to communicate with Jabic and could not sense any of my gifts. I tried very hard to leave my body, to tear myself out so as to visit the void, but, as is obvious to anyone who understands meditation, the harder I tried, the less chance I had of succeeding.\n\nDorhio had left me enough boiled water to keep me going for days, I had five hours before the sleepers returned, so I filled a flask and walked out of town. I had no target, no theory was driving me. I’ve always preferred the jumble of nature to the organised chaos of cities and that might have been what guided my feet as I walked deep in thought. It occurred to me that both planets are spheres, so they must have time zones. As the inhabitants of one town or city depart, so must others arrive, in the equivalent area of their ‘dream’ world town. I decided I would ask whether transport exists to take me to another time zone. As the sun moved and the shadows lengthened and shortened, I confirmed to my own satisfaction that the placement of this town was at more or less the same latitude.\n<br>\n\nThree days passed and I was planning to leave the town as soon as everyone returned to their ‘dream’ world. Yaiyah now knows that I am trapped here and that I cannot eat their foods without it killing me. I have asked of everyone that she be told that I left, returning to my spaceship world. I have sent to my loves a message that I have one last idea to try and if it does not work, get me back to them, they must not come here and they must take my body to Freddie and place it in stasis.\n\nThe family of Dorhio made me welcome in their home and sterilised water was brought to me. It only stills the hunger pangs for a brief moment, but even that is welcome. I felt bad, for I was going to repay their kindness with pain, anguish. Food was being prepared and something smelled nice.\n\n“Could I taste your food? I won’t eat enough for it to harm me, it smells delicious and I’m curious about the taste.” They brought me a small slice of something, a vegetable, of a dark purple colour with an orange sauce. I brought it closer to my nose and sniffed and realised it was the aroma of the sauce that I found so pleasant. Rudely, I dipped the tip of my finger and put it in my mouth, the water next to me, ready in case I need to wash out the sauce. I was that hungry (don’t forget my Cherinian metabolism that makes me eat nearly twice as much as Normals do) that the taste of boiled cabbage would have been enjoyed, but the sauce truly was delicious. I waited a minute and then sampled a second fingertip. No adverse reactions, so I cut a piece of the vegetable and tried it. It tasted like I imagine yam boiled in lemon juice would taste. Combined with the sauce it was yummy!\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8538</center></h3> To think I’d starved myself without reason - I could have cried. It is not as if I did not have all the clues I needed, after all, I knew that my original body was probably exactly where I’d left it, near the home of Yaiyah, so I should have guessed that whatever created this body for me would have projected a Totmygy body to look like mine. Huh? See why I spoke of hubris? I wanted to do this so as to prove how clever I am, but instead I’d done a great job of showing how stupid I am and that I never think things through to their ultimate conclusion. Now the big question: Who or what made this body, if it was not my healer - and, why was it made to block me (Cherinian-wise, I mean).\n\nMy local friends, for I have a number of them by now, were very happy that they could now comfort my people (they still can’t think of all fifty odd girls as being the mates of Robert, so they only speak of my people, not my family) by letting them know I can eat and drink and that they did find me asleep so they know I can sleep. That last one really puzzles them. It puzzles me too. If I have a lucid dream and travel back to my body, would that be real, would I be real there? I think not, life never provides such simple answers. She raises her sword and calls out, ‘Fight on; Charge; Win the battle; Do or die!’, she never says, ‘Sit back and press ‘x’ button on the remote’. At least, she doesn’t for anyone I know.\n<br>\n\nYaiyah has grown accustomed to finding me here and I think her tiny mind (which is blossoming so quickly) is starting to expect me to remain here forever. I hope not. With everybody relaxing, since my life was no longer in danger, messages started flowing back and forth with requests from everyone for this or that experiment to be carried out on their behalf or some weird theory or other to be tested - I bet some of them were from my loves and only meant to double them over with hysterics as they imagined my trying to do what they asked for. I kept waiting for the big one from Sammy but if it came, I never recognised it. What did upset me a little was when I found out, from a very talkative Yaiyah, that she sits on Dommi’s lap and loves being cuddled by her. I <i>always</i> get it wrong when I try to be politically correct!\n\n“Is there exchange of information between towns and cities? I mean, here and in your ‘dream’ world.”\n\n“In both, yes, though more efficiently here.”\n\n“Do you ever meet?”\n\n“There are four towns surrounding us. We host one of them every ten of our years. They each host us once every ten years, so we meet every five years. It is the time for the young ones to meet and choose their mate. We do not meet anyone from towns further away.”\n\n“These meetings occur here?”\n\n“No, never here, they have to occur where they will mate and bear young ones.”\n\nI realised I was tired of asking questions and they are probably ten times as tired of it since they are also questioned by hundreds from Freddie. “May I impose on you and ask for a food parcel to last me three days? I need to be on my own for a while.”\n\nSorrowfully he avoided looking at me. “It will be ready for you whenever it is you wish to leave. The package will be in the kitchen. Jade, our thoughts are allowed to go with you, we will not intrude upon your sorrow?”\n\n“No, your thoughts will always be welcomed. Thank you my friend.”\n\nWhen they learnt of my absence, some said I wanted to be on my own to meditate, in the hope of finding a solution from my subconscious. Others (read ‘Cassie’), said I was going to search for a new audience as all the people of that town have heard all my jokes. Robert told everyone I am bored and have left in search of adventure. I bet they were all looking forward to the day I’d share from them and laugh. The truth is, I did not wish to visit another town, they would have nothing new to tell me. What I wanted was to get rid of the dross and examine the ingots that remain. To do so I must categorise and have time free of worrying about not neglecting my hosts. Even sweet Yaiyah is a distraction I must avoid for a day or two.\n\nEverybody here knows what happened and the conclusions I came to and I bet, having read the various points I made or was told, you’ve already guessed everything Arthur. It was not so obvious when having to live through the experiences on a day to day basis - and what I have written of is already a concentration of information, I had a hundred times as many ideas and facts to sort through. So don’t you go thinking I was as stupid as I seem to have been.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8539</center></h3> I walk a lot faster than the locals do, so when I was a full day out of town, I was the equivalent of nearly two days away, as they would think of it. I saw empty land before me, no trees or other vegetation, not even outcroppings of rock, just a vague, motionless mist. In the distance I saw life resume. I found a rock and sat watching the mist for a long time, half mesmerised by it. I pulled back, peered at the trees and slight mountains in the distance and then uncovered the ceramic bowl and ate. As I did so, I gestured, “This is not an alternate reality; you have betrayed yourself because of your wish to conserve energy. Entity of this World, please take form and join me.”\n\nPerhaps he wanted to make a point, which evades me, but he took form over the mists and then walked to me. A rock formed and he sat with an amused look in his eyes. “According to the information about you, your family and the scientists of various linked species, you are supposed to be highly intelligent. Since the information was available to any logical being, why did it take you this long to work out the truth?”\n\n“Information about us? - From where?”\n\n“The computers in Freddie.”\n\nJesus! I nearly jumped up in a panic. “You entered Freddie un-sensed by any of us? The computers can be read by you? Can you spy on us from another dimension?” I calmed and tried to back off. “It is only natural that you should need to reassure yourself of our intentions towards your people.”\n\n“Your intentions were clear from early on. No Jade, it was more important I learn whether your beliefs and promises are as dangerous as I thought.” He nodded. “They are.”\n\n“Dangerous to whom? How can you object to any of your people becoming Cherinians? If you really have studied us, surely you would see us as a kinder fate than is available to them now?”\n\n“Because you offer them perfect health, many mental gifts and eternal life? It is exactly what you offer that is insidious because of its beauty that blinds reason while being more destructive than death itself.” Suddenly I was desperately wishing Samantha was with me. He sensed me. “Jade, this has to be faced by you - for you are the artist. If you wish to argue with me, to debate the points I made, do so from that part of yourself that has the visions paintings are born out of.”\n\nI stared at him with mouth agape. I put down the pot as I tried to understand what he was asking of me. I chuckled. “You are not an artist!”\n\n“I would not claim to be - though I have been creative at times.”\n\n“No.” I shook my head. “I am not being rude, I’m answering your earlier comment. If you were an artist, you would know that a large part of what is seen on canvas comes from skill, hard and endless practice of the basics. An eye for colour, form, the inner eye that sees a vision, none of that would be of any use without the self discipline and skill that has to be earned.”\n\n“Jade, I cannot continue this conversation without first clearing a misapprehension. I am not an entity created out of the souls of my people. As a matter of fact, I was not even created by my people - I was created by their parents, who were not of the Totmygy.”\n\n“That didn’t make any sense! What are you saying?”\n\n“I am as the AI of the Unations, but far more sophisticated. I have had freewill for over two hundred thousand years. You do appreciate that the term <i>freewill</i> is an oxymoron? If the mind is to have a purpose in life, it can only have freewill in relationship to the decisions that are made to preserve or attain that purpose. I was created to preserve the children of my creators, so the limits of freewill lie within those parameters.”\n\n“An AI is able to create a World? Do you have a soul?”\n\n“A misunderstanding once more. Jade, this reality is what your people name a virtual world, you saw the mists, understood their purpose without understanding where you are?”\n\nThis was just one bit of strangeness that was too far out, that jumbled an edifice I no longer recognised within my mind and I cried out, as real tears stung my eyes, “It is too much Arthur, you’re making everything too weird! Stop it!” I stared at the entity, not seeing him, as I added, “Please.”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8540</center></h3> Could the entity truly understand what I was going through? I don’t know. What I did sense was being picked up and then I was back in my body and my head was held on Robert's lap and my family surrounded me, crying and laughing. Luckily, they jumped with me back to Freddie.\n<br>\n\nThis is Samantha again. Jade refused to continue writing. Allow me to start by explaining what she meant by saying ‘luckily’. She felt that the entity had risked blowing its cover, undoing all the good it has done for thousands of years, out of kindness; so as to save her. She does not want it to pay such a heavy price for her sake. She has asked the Unation AI to contact it and invite it to visit us in Freddie two days from now, so that she has time to recover and grow accustomed once more to being insulated and surrounded by love.\n<br>\n\n\n\n<h4><center>Chapter Three Hundred and Twenty</center></h4>\n\nThe first day was terrifying. We’d sensed Jade disappear and then found her body lying against a stone wall. Robbie tried everything he could think of to find her while Dommi with Cherine entered her mind, searching for her in there. Her cord still pulsed with energy, but we could not follow it as it quickly disappeared. When morning came and the Totmygy notified us through visiting scientists that Jade was stuck in their ‘real’ world (I liked the way she calls it their real), I think Robbie would have tossed her over his lap and spanked her if she’d returned - so great was his relief. If he hadn’t, I bet Dommi would have. Being Cherinians, we can’t claim that the fright she gave us aged us ten years, but it sure felt like it. One thing it did that was good - it made us see, once more, just how much we love her and what a terrible gap is left when she is not a part of us - Cassie especially was really going bananas at even the possibility of not finding her.\n\nAs mentioned, Dommi established a bond with Yaiyah and now loves her. She started off, hoping that Yaiyah could be convinced to take her to Jade, but the trauma of hearing that Jade is to die of thirst and hunger blocked Yaiyah and there was no way Dommi could enter her mind. Jade is now spending time with her little friend, doing all she can to heal her and open her mind to us again. It is important she succeeds, as when we link the first of her people, we want her linked as a Cherinian.\n\nWe made excuses and stayed away from the Totmygy so as not to let slip any information about their real, only Jade visiting her friend. She tries to keep her conversations with the adults to the minimum. We are still waiting, but the Unation AI cannot confirm it succeeded in passing on our invitation.\n\n“If the local AI is situated on planet, shouldn’t our probes have found the computer?” Robbie asked.\n\nThe Anadir scientist briefly conferred with his Unation colleague, obviously reconfirming something mentally, and answered Robbie, “We have a map of the planet that reaches to the magma core and we re-examined it in detail. We thought that now we know what we are looking for, we’ll recognise it when we see it. That has not been the case, there is nothing we can identify as a computer.”\n\n“What if it is not situated on planet? Have you searched the moons?”\n\n“We have. Nothing there either - we did find some underground installations that suggests the planet was being monitored some thousands of years ago, but we have not pinpointed the period yet. Whatever computers and other equipment existed there, they are long gone, probably stripped by the observers.” The Anadir scientist is a female, her name is Haiinofa and she rarely exhibits any signs of a sense of humour. She caught us by surprise when she frowned at Robbie (he loves it when they do as it makes them look childishly funny…and they know he does) and said, “All we are left with, as far as my colleagues and I can think of, is a Samanthian-type theory: What if the AI has evolved to the point where it no longer needs to reside within a computer?”\n\nRobbie played along, or maybe he didn’t, I’m not certain. “You mean it has no body? A discorporate AI!”\n\nShe grinned. “It is more likely it has found a way to use the magma center of the planet, or even the sun. Akin perhaps to the way Batsy exists?”\n\nRobbie grinned back and gave her a wink. “Keep on coming up with theories like that and I’m going to grow very fond of you.” The Anadir females laughed, knowing that Robbie had panicked their males.\n\nDommi cut across the laughter, “None of this solves our problem. Roberto, we should not stay away for much longer or else they will think we are ignoring them deliberately - as an insult.”\n<br><br>\n<center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost075\">Next [Book 12] - Post 075</a></center>\n<br>\n<h5><i><b>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.</b></i></h5><br>\n<br><br>\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUTQeVmsqWzFxMrg8a629XdGHm15kCnjSkbFyhiTMwUf9/Name,%20steemit.png\n* posted: 29th Sep, 2020<br>\n<br><br>\n<center><h6><i>If you wish to read from an earlier book, from Book 01 to Book 12, use this link button to open the LC Book Index:</i></h6><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo/best-way-to-read-little-cherine-links-to-books-01-to-012-new-teller-family-calendar-added\"><img src=\"https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmfJ4USBF6u8SKDuizVpqXMJfwxmr2FEKyc4cwTPvehscV/Worlds%20waiting.png\"/></a></center>\n<br>\n<br>",
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      "author": "arthur.grafo13",
      "permlink": "little-cherine-book-12-bpost073",
      "title": "Little Cherine Book 12 - BPost073",
      "body": "<sup><h6>My family, my loves and friends, I am ashamed that I allowed my bitterness to strike out at all those I love. My humble apologies to all of you and I hope Jesus and Christós can forgive me.</h6></sup><br>\n<center>https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmSjs7k76PkScEuXxchZJPDRTfoywcNPt1RTFgzTxnE7Z9/Alex_Robert_Allan%20-%2018y%20-%20mini.png\n</center><br><br>\n<center> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUjdm8RyTVC9Jx8pqYrx7RX3Lvxm35wVLrDNRDUCEEZHF/LC%20Book12%20-%20Cvr.png </center><br><center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost072\">Previous: Book 12 - Post 072 </a></center>\n<br>\n<h3><center>8521</center></h3> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmSzPvwXc2Jfxym9thBYdiF8ynXggXpvgNP4DWMWcq2H1N/Arthur,%20time-event%20to%20watch%20his%20life,%20Bk12,%20p8521.png\nWe’ve lost count of the Freddies which have come and gone while we stay frozen here. Months have passed as we concentrate, skimming through the early years. Ivgos asked to write to you - please assume his writing will get through to you as it won’t feel the same to him if I have to write for him.\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmPAVVoYbHfMMWrS5rAKwJC8gNa1JaRyCQi3QM2UAHj91m/Ivgos,%20Ch%20tells%20me%20you%20are%20my%20father,%20Bk12,%20p8521.png\nHaikra had Tsektsit, Grosts and Bolwor with him when he went to the Kawud divide.\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmVczQizU9BTAX6ker2WRvzgpiPrQmxaUX9mn5Ha5vvhDY/Post73,%20Bk12,%20p8521.png\n<br>\n<h3><center>8522</center></h3> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmXQXEe3fJWFJUCSwdmhJ5XEgggDeDui3ig88icJrP59Ss/Post73,%20Bk12,%20p8522.png\n<br>\n<h3><center>8523</center></h3> <br>https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmT42HKRj7HDb8cW3Gx5dCtan9axyD6CXiLFbQ6LyRU1bV/Post73,%20Bk12,%20p8523.png\n<h3><center>8524</center></h3> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmQqJ9bCCwikyp9aRDakq5WhySj4cB578EyPjVKtuZDqz2/Post73,%20Bk12,%20p8524.png\n<br>\n<h3><center>8525</center></h3> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmTrQKppRAr9UiJ9DD7ZFrQAgSMZv64XWfygDgg9rLLtET/Post73,%20Bk12,%20p8525.png\n<br>\n<h3><center>8526</center></h3>https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmWzeuQ2235V6ZHFqsvpbqRAPtjqeAC9johxtD6LHZnJE9/Post73,%20Bk12,%20p8526.png\n<br>\n<h3><center>8527</center></h3> Cherine hopes it will be so, but is not certain it can be so, therefore, she looked to Robbie. He gave her the hint of a smile and she felt that almost concealed within the love he sent her, is a tiny sadness. “To become like them would not mean we have become ideal Cherinians - only that we have chosen to emulate the Marmirie. As wonderful as that would be, I would prefer that we become ideal Cherinians. Kiris, you are wondering, what then would an ideal Cherinian Kiris be? He would be an ideal Kiris. An ideal Kabetu but, more important than even that, an ideal Kiris. Learn from those who have something of merit to teach you, but there is little point in trying to become a copy of them. Take what is good and adapt it so that as you grow, you remain an individual who’ll still be recognised as Kiris a million years from now. It is the individual path each of us must take, or else we’ll be nothing but copies of all we’ve admired the most in others.” He sensed Cherine glance sharply at the Unation ship above us and he grinned, realising they had eagerly been waiting for this comment of his so as to take it back into their past. As expected, a tiny courier ship departed within a few hours. It is funny (strange to me, even after all this time) how the paradoxes of the Unation no longer worry him.\n<br>\n\n‘<i>If you want someone to be a good citizen you keep him busy with the activities that constitute being a good citizen, so he has no time or energy for anything else</i>.’ Arthur told me this is a quote but could not remember where he read it. He teased me, suggesting we use the spell to go through time in search of the moment he noted it. His success at teasing me shows he has come to understand me in ways that not many outsiders do. He laughed when I told him we don't need to, that we can guess he stole it from some site or article setting out the present political evolution of his world. Robbie teased him by asking, 'Who do you suggest we apply your quote to? Is it a person in particular or are you hoping we'll apply it for keeping happy those we enslave?' Allan pulled a face and left, knowing what to expect - at least Robbie stuck it out with me as Arthur ignored the humour and answered in all earnestness for two pages, using that tiny font of his! I did not consider it necessary for our diary or his story (I promise you, his reader, you’re not missing anything awesome), so I deleted. \nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmZfXfkTdmSyR2Y3RwZRb9P2VSaVLt4UjsENEUf9NFhkFa/Sam,%20angry%20because%20A%20implied%20he%20is%20writing%20the%20book,%20Bk12,%20p8527.png\nFor a while we thought the Wirms, of both realities, were abandoning us to be with the Marmirie, but after a few days they each returned to their friend. The emoting of the Marmirie when they communicate with anyone, are so gentle and loving, without being cloying, that we also (all of us) look for excuses to spend time with them. At least Ahram gets more time on his own, which I think he needed. Since he discovered the multi-species library he spends as much time as he can there.\n\nLuigi asked, “If we cannot find one Marmirie unworthy of being linked, what do we do when we return to their Federation? How can we link all of one species, but not do the same with all the other species?”\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmWNFfFHR6XNMCYUz2mbQk5VFDgznzkQdHbTHx7bpnW8Md/Hesina%20image,%20Yuming%20teases%20Sam,%20Bk12,%20p852.png\nFor me, these last couple of weeks have been very good and as I let go, my loves included me in their games. Many people, of all species, are saying this is a good time, so it’s not just me. Challenges are good for us, but we also need times like these. The saving of the various peoples of the Ribbon planet are the responsibility of the Ivgos family and we can sense how good the progression to date has made them feel. The flowering of the Marmirie divide is enough, on its own, to satisfy anyone; adding to that the knowledge that they’ll be returning the Eluc Liguju and sensing how their beloved Haikra feels has them floating on emotions all day. We’ve seen to it that Ivgos spends at least part of his days with his Akiard friends as they do not inundate him with emotions and he is able to forget his own extremes as he plays with them. He watches as they attempt the game Freddie set up against the energy shield and wonders at their stubbornness, at their refusal to acknowledge defeat. We can sense that he also secretly plans on trying to reach the last pole. Maybe I should let him join the Akiards when they enter the world of Hesina to attempt the climb up the mountain - for the umpteenth time. \nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmcKzTw72qC38YrcVNMquLPJAGkNSVgLsErpqyhZCTv9LP/Sam,%20A,%20did%20you%20like%20photo%20of%20Hesina,%20Bk12,%20p8527.png\n<br>\n<h3><center>8528</center></h3> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmSJ3fhvouGtcpGvG5iTpUYdcKxmvYtVNjKiG25DdmsW9p/Arthur,%20as%20we%20see%20deeper,%20Bk12,%20p8528.png\nFreddie did not keep us chained to the Ribbon planet. Freddie chose another solar system and jumped to it, giving us a few days of wonder as we examined its planets. Where it was possible to survive with a sheathe, we’d visit the planets and just like ordinary tourists, we’d sometimes bring back little souvenirs. Robbie does not mind, but first he examines them as the void and if he suspects any kind of life, especially viral, he takes it back. Some of the mementoes are kept within stasis as our atmosphere or gravity or moisture and so on, destroy them. For instance, a beautiful crystal was brought from a gas giant. Because it existed in a very turbulent area, Roula assumed it would survive in Freddie. Not so. It ‘melted’ into its gassy compounds. She was upset and angry with herself, so Robbie took her back and finding another piece that was just as beautiful, he enclosed it within a stasis shield. After the first day, it was moved to the museum so that everyone can marvel at its delicate beauty.\n<br>\n\nWe had not expected to be keeping our guests with us for more than a few weeks, but because of Freddie moving us from system to system and our enjoying it, a couple of months went by. That is why we found the system of the Totmygy. We kept our presence a secret so that our scientists can study them before they learn of us. Hopefully we will then have a clearer picture of how we might affect them - whether we end up linking some of them or not. Within the first four days we discovered something that has all of us puzzled. They all leave their bodies when they sleep and yet, not one of them comes to the void! Their day-night cycle is fairly similar to ours, approximately twenty four and a half hours. They mostly inhabit areas where the day, in Winter, lasts about seven hours. They actually sleep, on average, about fourteen to fifteen hours per day!\n\nWe have a new puzzle. As we learnt their languages we chose certain individuals, some at random and some because of their positions within their social structures. It has taken days for us to realise that there is something very odd, very disjointed, about their conversations. They discuss meetings they did not have, debate conversations they were never a part of. There are other clues also, but they all point in the same direction. They all seem to have a second life which we are not following (spying on).\n\nI’ve also had pointed out to me some further ‘irregularities’. Their technology is at least the equivalent of ours in the nineteen sixties, yet they do not have television; cinemas only attract a small audience for early shows and is mostly used in schools as a tool for education. We’d have a lot of people in Freddie in love with their way of living if it was not for one thing: the reason for their disinterest in entertainment seems to stem from their unwillingness to forego one moment of sleep! Cassie had everyone in stitches when she asked whether they have sex at night. The answer is, they only have sex early in the morning! Not even during the day!\n\nRobbie took a sip of beer while Solomon only stared at him. The two of them had just returned from spending the early hours of night in a city below, watching the locals fall asleep, so as to follow their souls when they leave their bodies. Robbie shook his head. “I tried every kind of energy filter I could use so as to see their souls when they departed, but I did not see anything - not once! Yet, checking on their bodies and minds, not one soul was there. Can there be some other dimension like the void?”\n\nIfosi changed colour at the extremities of his feelers as he contradicted Robbie. “They are not going to any dimension similar to the void; from their discussions, it would be more logical to assume they are visiting another planet.”\n\nA number of the scientists agreed with him and mentioned overheard comments, which had not made sense at the time, about molten sunsets, waterfalls of water converted into curlicues of vapour that purify the air and other spots of exalting beauty the locals had been affected by during the previous night. The eyes of an Akiard adult lit up as he guessed the truth. “Their souls are teleporting to another world directly from inside their bodies!” Many of us argued against the likelihood, postulating theories about such teleportations causing damage to the mind or body or even to both. We were not being unrealistic, since the soul is attached to the body by the astral umbilicus cord and there are ‘hooks’ for the soul being anchored and for controlling the mind. As I said, maybe not unrealistic, but certainly small minded, blinkered by our prejudices. We keep on forgetting what the magic of meeting aliens truly is. My comment applies to almost all the species, not just to us.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8529</center></h3> There was little point in continuing our surveillance in secret, there was too much we did not understand for us to make judgements. At least we will not have the added complications of being met with bombs and hate.\n\nRobbie did not interfere when he realised what we were planning. It was decided by us girls that some of us have had more than our fair share of being the first of our family aliens meet. My name, Goldi, Claudia and so on were removed from the list of names we placed in a box and then Cherine drew three. Gilli, Haven and Chantel were the lucky ones. When Chantel’s name was drawn, she turned to Roula, placing her hands on her shoulders she pushed her ahead of herself. “Be our Friend of Aliens, for us and for the Kinytians, your adopted people.” We all stared at them with wide eyed amazement. Chantel had never spoken of Roula as being adopted by the Kinytians, but now that she’d mentioned it we saw how much sense it made. With Chantel, to all practical purposes and in their hearts, being her mother, it also makes her the child of the Kinytians. Robbie quickly wrapped her in his arms for a squeeze and a whispered ‘stiffen your spine love, you represent all of us’. After such a momentous announcement and with all of us keenly sensing the storm of emotions within Roula, it was no surprise that the other two tried to withdraw so that Roula has this experience to herself. The rest of us refused to let the two withdraw - much to the relief of Roula.\n<br>\n\nFreddie appeared in normal space and our team are on their way in the Muyzith spaceship - I wonder how keen the importance of beauty is to the Totmygy. The spaceship will be landing at the entrance to their equivalent of our United Nations, as announced by Freddie in advance.\n\nThe Muyzith held their spaceship about twenty feet above the lawn. We had not seen, when looking through Freddie’s tip, that the lawn is not grass as on our world. It looks more like blue-green translucent blades of glass. They worried it might shatter if they land on it and flying pieces could cut the dignitaries waiting for us. We later learnt that the blades are not rigid and most of them would have recovered from being flattened by the spaceship, but I’m proud that they found a solution that looked good. A staircase grew from the opening and the steps looked like deep sea-green crystal and the handrails were golden with carved ‘lion’ heads every metre. It seems their Captain, or their AI, could not resist his sense of humour and as the girls climbed down the staircase, the lion heads turned to look at them, their mouths opening wide in a silent roar or yawn. The girls got the giggles and when Haven put a finger in an open mouth it bit her lightly.\n\n“Welcome to Ycia, home planet of the Totmygy. My name is Cey, mated to Jizy, who could not get here in time for our meeting. I have been authorised to officially meet you on behalf of the leaders of all the nations of our planet. Is our air suitable for your people? Would our drink and food sustain or damage you?”\n\n“We are able to adapt to whatever is not suitable to our natural metabolism. At this time we are sheathed, but once we know what to protect ourselves from we can probably let the sheaths go, since your air is similar to ours. Cey, there is no honorific title expected? Thank you, Cey, the three who are with me are females and they are mated with me. This is Roula, Haven and Gillianth - we prefer to call her Gilli. I am a male and my name is Robert. We have not travelled to your world so as to trade, but if there is anything you need, we will gladly do so. We are here because we rejoice at each species we find and when you visit Freddie our ship, you will see I have not exaggerated, there are hundreds of species travelling with us and they too are doing so just for the pleasure of learning about the universe and making new friends. The ship we have arrived in belongs to the Muyzith.”\n\nCey was a little amused by our informal ways, which was a nice change. When he was told that Roula is our ‘Friend of Aliens’ he asked for an explanation of the title. I’ll pause here to explain something about them we still find confusing. Because Robbie introduced the girls as female and himself as male, Cey felt free to ask questions about our sexes. He listened politely, but they could sense his confusion and shock. When he explained, we did not suffer from shock as we’ve met too many varieties, but we still get a little confused. Cey looks like a female, according to our instinctive reactions to him, so it feels weird for me to be writing of him as a him. His mate, Jizy, is female but she looks like a male. It is more of a problem for us than for most of the other species, as the Totmygy resemble us Terrans; the differences, to the eye, seem unimportant. Biologically we are totally alien to each other and even a depraved Terran male could not copulate with a female Totmygy. So, we categorise them as, Cey, a female-male and Jizy, a male-female. If you find it difficult to understand why I struggle with calling Cey a ‘he’, just try to imagine sitting with Marilyn Monroe and having to refer to her as a male - I bet you’d slip up now and then. \nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmf1Fc4YCrihigi6TfAkHFL6Y8KhaykLvnuhJj8YaJtopU/Arthur,%20Marilyn%20Monroe%20is%20a%20bit%20ancient,%20Bk12,%20p8529.png\n<br>\n<h3><center>8530</center></h3> Behind Cey there were only four others. Perhaps, to me at least, the most outlandish of our differences (without knowing what is under their clothing) are their ears and the big toe on each foot. Their ears are situated lower than ours, at about the same height as their mouth, the lobes hang down to lie upon their shoulders. The lobes are covered in stiff, bristly hairs that react to the vibrations of sound - just like their big toes are extra sensitive to sounds-tremors (and temblors) in the ground. Their hearing is so acute that we would not be paranoid if we feared they can hear our thoughts - after all, think a sentence to yourself and pay attention to the volume…it is loud enough to always be clear, isn’t it - even if we have the saying that ‘x was so noisy I couldn’t hear myself think’. I’m just playing with concepts, as far as I know, thoughts only have volume when sent telepathically, not for the person doing the thinking. My thoughts, for me, just <b>are</b>, without sound or locale. If I enter the mind of a loved one and I hear his or her thoughts, that is not true telepathy, for, by entering their mind, I’ve become a part of it while both of us retain our individuality. These comments should partly explain why so many species are still studying the mind and telepathy. Our gifts have opened minds to each other without providing enough clues to help us understand them.\n\nThe Totmygy are very careful not to give offence. This characteristic does not only apply in their exchanges with us, they are the same with each other. Cey had apologised for his mate Jizy not being present and we had not given it much thought, whereas it turns out the apology was genuine and it had worried him as, amongst themselves, the presence of family is taken as proof of peaceful intent - same as certain gestures of ours symbolise lack of aggression.\n\nTheir planet is slightly smaller than ours, about 96% of the size of Earth, but with equal landmass. Population is about one billion, two hundred million. There are twenty nine nations. Although they had not been given enough advance notice of our visit for them to prepare, they have a schedule agreed among their leaders for our visits to each nation. Cey was surprised and uncomfortable when Robbie came to his feet and paced up and down as he talked. He soon forgot to worry about it when he realised Robbie was telling him that we will not be visiting the nations, that leaders of our friends from other species will take turns. Perhaps Cey and his team felt it was unfair? That they’d done such a good job of adapting to our ugly presence and now they’d have to do the same for more than a hundred species. Robbie still thinks that throwing others into the deep end is the best tactic and it can be funny sometimes, but I cannot help but feel sorry for them. As my representative, Roula offered that one of us girls will travel with each delegation so that there is some kind of continuity for his people. Gratefully he accepted and not long afterwards his wife arrived and he joyfully introduced her. I guess his relief was so acute that it made him giddy, for he spoke of what pleasure our arrival gave them - even though his colleagues did not emote anything like that.\n\nWhile details were discussed, Haven asked one of the officials, “It would be presumptuous of me to presume understanding of your people from social rules that apply to other species, but, for instance, your constant and level-headed courtesy and the symbolism of having your mates present when meeting strangers suggests to me that there was a time when your people were very aggressive, but you devised rules to minimise misunderstandings and to permit meetings of enemies without violence. It would seem logical to presume that though your people have been softened by your advanced civilisation, the rules remained. It is the same with us, for instance, with the Terran species the shaking of hands proves that we do not carry a weapon for attacking the other. Are these rules true for your people?”\n\n“Not entirely. When adults meet, we have no such customs or instincts. However, having young ones triggers a fierce need to protect them. None of the male-female sex would ever attack a young one, and should her mate do so, she would join the family in attacking him.” He kept his eyes focussed just off Haven so that it would not seem that he was staring at her as he added, “Children are sacred.”\n\nGilli had been listening and took his last comment as a deliberate hint. “Cey had not planned for his mate to be present until he saw us with Robert. Because of our smaller size he assumed we are children?”\n\n“You are not? The difference in size is natural between your sexes?”\n\nHaven joined Gilli as she giggled. “Sorry, Cey was right, we are children.”\n\nHe stared at them solemnly. “Even were it otherwise, the difference in size would have compelled us to bring our male-females - or apologise for not having them present.” \n\n<h6>(Note: I have them speak of their sexes in the descriptive manner I’ve chosen to use, but they do not do so. To them, they are male or female and the opposite appearances seem naturally male or female. When they first saw us, they thought Robbie was a female and the girls were male children - which is why their reactions were so extreme, forcing Cey to try and explain the absence of his wife. It also made them wonder what we must be like, as a species, if we send our children with females to first meetings with other species. They came to the conclusion  it is a deliberate bluff by us to convince them we are that powerful that we have nothing to fear - until they came to understand the truth).</h6>\n<br><br>\n<center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost074\">Next [Book 12] - Post 074</a></center>\n<br>\n<h5><i><b>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.</b></i></h5><br>\n<br><br>\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUTQeVmsqWzFxMrg8a629XdGHm15kCnjSkbFyhiTMwUf9/Name,%20steemit.png\n* posted: 29th Sep, 2020<br>\n<br><br>\n<center><h6><i>If you wish to read from an earlier book, from Book 01 to Book 12, use this link button to open the LC Book Index:</i></h6><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo/best-way-to-read-little-cherine-links-to-books-01-to-012-new-teller-family-calendar-added\"><img src=\"https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmfJ4USBF6u8SKDuizVpqXMJfwxmr2FEKyc4cwTPvehscV/Worlds%20waiting.png\"/></a></center>\n<br>\n<br>",
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      "title": "Little Cherine Book 12 - BPost072",
      "body": "<sup><h6>I’d say Meli’s World would have to be more difficult. I hope you have a lovely life, my sweet sea urchin.</h6></sup><br>\n<center>https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmSjs7k76PkScEuXxchZJPDRTfoywcNPt1RTFgzTxnE7Z9/Alex_Robert_Allan%20-%2018y%20-%20mini.png\n</center><br><br>\n<center> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUjdm8RyTVC9Jx8pqYrx7RX3Lvxm35wVLrDNRDUCEEZHF/LC%20Book12%20-%20Cvr.png </center><br><center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost071\">Previous: Book 12 - Post 071 </a></center>\n<br>\n<h3><center>8511</center></h3> We went, and Meilin asked to see a sea urchin. Happy he has something to do for her, Robbie dived along the coast looking for one. We don’t know whether Meli created them for Meilin, but we had a good laugh when Robbie brought one for her to see. The spikes it has are rounded and too soft and rubbery to prick anyone.\n\nThe Anadir returned to using part of Meli’s World when she asked them to, and we still have not been to visit their side of the world. Meilin asked if it is allowed. Meli showed her delight so we all flew with - after Meli let them know we are coming.\n\nAs we flew, Meli spoke to us and we all heard her voice as it was softly carried to us by the wind. “There have been visitors, of various species, who wanted to see all of this world. None of them thought to ask permission from the Anadir, so I placed a distortion - like a curtain - that jumps those who fly into it from our side, to the other side of the planet. Since it happens, on both sides, over the ocean, none seem to have noticed, or if they did, they kept quiet about it.”\n\n“Is it a separate continent?” Robbie asked.\n\nMeli gave him, and us, a grin. “You’ve been there before - as the Sacred Forty Two. If I recall, you did not like it?”\n\n“Like it?” Robbie laughed. “As a child, I have never felt so cared for, so protected and loved. I think I’ve managed to forget the irritating sand and heat.” Meilin must have let Robbie sense her slight disappointment. She’d hoped we would be going somewhere we’d never been so that it could be the first time for all of us - except Meli of course. Robbie asked her to share his memories as Princess Thina. He was careful not to share our memories with her so that we each could share with her directly. \n\nWide-eyed, she asked, “Why did none of you want to visit? I would have.”\n\nAnnavi chuckled. “Such a minimalist background appeals to a very limited number of people. Seeing sand, rocks and a few palm trees can become monotonous.”\n\nMeilin waved her hand, unbalancing her smooth flight until she corrected for it. “I know that! What I meant is, I’d want to return to revisit the places I have such memories from.”\n\nCherine must have been reminded of Captain Erin, for she almost sounded like him as she told Meilin, “You are basing your opinion on the memories of Princess Thina only. Not many of us had such good memories of that time.” She turned to glance at me and added, “Not that Samantha would agree with me.” Chantel then chose to express her opinion and everyone else joined in and I was surprised when I realised that we all were feeling nostalgic for the days of that escapade of ours.\n\nThe continent appeared at the horizon and, swiftly, it grew until we passed over the beaches. From this height I could see that the total desert area was nothing as large as I’d thought it was. As we drew close to the last oasis we’d journeyed to, I thought I saw something moving on a sand dune. I swerved, dipping sharply, and nearly fell as I saw the horse Samuel had ridden racing across the sand. I glanced up to find Meli and she came to my side, a gleam in her dark eyes. “You created it just to play a trick on me?”\n\nHer face turned serious. “Sam, whatever I create here is never uncreated - I don’t think I’d know how to.”\n\n“Oh come on! Are you saying it has existed here, on its own, for nearly two hundred years?”\n\n“If it is the same one. Otherwise it must be an offspring of the one you rode.”\n\nAs the others joined us I turned to Robbie. “We’re damn lucky she did not team up with Campbell when he was still our enemy - she’d have totally messed with my mind.”\n\nDommi asked, “Sam, the pony Hesina has, how long has it lived? Is it the same one you created for her in the beginning or is it an offspring?”\n\n“The same.”\n\n“Meli has a much bigger and more complex world to run, you can’t expect her to know everything about it.” She gave Meli a grin. “She’s right. You would have been great at messing with her mind.” The two of them hugged (as they hung in the air), laughing. While neither of them were looking, I projected as Samuel and landed on the back of the white horse. I expected it to try and get rid of me so I clung tight and egged it on, sending it running across the sand. Before it could tire I patted its neck and returned, as myself once more. Meilin actually had a look of amazement on her face for the first time, so I considered my jaunt a success. \n<br>\n<h3><center>8512</center></h3> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmT1Jowf6Hw9Kg98PNmCghhfSFAxYMyKHKT9d9ZyUVc8sE/Arthur,%20Meilin%20aged%20herself%20for%20flying,%20Bk12,%20p8512.png\nEven from cloud height, the size and shape of the continent cannot be seen. I guess I’ll have to do as Robbie has done and travel out into space to see it all. The size partly explains why it is still so popular with the Anadir. I bet Meli has created something closer to their ideal environment, if you ignore the need for the air to be as it is for the rest of the planet. As we spiralled down to an Anadir village so that they would have plenty of time to see us coming, I noticed the colours of the land and vegetation are not the same as they are on Anadir Worlds in the void. I glanced at Meli and she caught my question.\n\n“This is my first and biggest stuff-up. I found the Anadir souls in the void, before we met Ordinx, and I saw from their minds what their world looked like. I had never met aliens before, I was still an infant and their females showed me how they look and I saw normal Terran eyes. I did not realise they see differently from us and assuming the colours I saw in their minds would be as I saw them, I created their trees, bushes and so on. Once the first ones came, they were too amazed and grateful to point out my blooper. Since they can alter their body, they changed their eyes so as to see colours as we do, which makes this world right for them.”\n<br>\n\nPolitical etiquette is not often observed between our species because they know Robbie prefers <i>casual</i>. The local Anadir must have counted us from afar, or else asked Daniel, for they arrived to welcome us with the correct and flattering two for each one of us. Since it has taken us this long to visit, I suppose they can be forgiven for considering this a politically important moment. Carefully emoting friendliness and respect, we were escorted to the side of a hill which has been tiered with natural rock ledges. Robbie, Meli and Cherine were about to be taken to the podium when Robbie reached out for Meilin’s hand. He muttered, as their escorts gave a surprised look, “We are here because of her.”\n\nOne of each couple carried a beautiful cushion and a light shawl. If they had been exported to Terra, they would have fetched a very high price as there are many collectors of other species artwork. The cushion was placed for us to sit on and as we did, they reached over and lightly placed the shawl across our shoulders. Like everyone else, I surreptitiously fingered an edge and loved the soft and warm feel of it. We sensed Angelica dying to ask for a bigger piece for her to design a skirt and shawl from, but she decided they probably <i>wished</i> it into existence and so it cannot be taken to our reality by Robbie.\n\nThe Anadir who stay here are mostly those Meli collected from a really long time ago, before the other Anadir started creating their void Worlds and before the Sparklers found them. How she did it is a mystery that I doubt any of us will ever solve. They tend to be more old fashioned than their void brothers and sisters (which may be why they returned to Meli’s world) and ceremony is very important to them. Robbie explained about Meilin (they had heard about how her birth is being shared, but nobody had thought to share with them, we’ll have to arrange something for them to be a part of it) and she became the focus of their welcoming ceremony.\n\n“…may all your dreams be brave and lead you to new heights of knowledge.” The person who had given the speech was a male, but he was treating Meilin like an Anadir adult female. \n\nMeilin looked relaxed as she stood up to answer. “I am too new to have shared a telling from my family, but I do know that the first alien friend of my mother Samantha was an Anadir - you all know him, Ordinx. Since that time there has not been one minute that my family have had to stand alone without their Anadir friends always next to them. Some of my mothers and sisters are partly Anadir and that was the most beautiful gesture of love your people could have made. You wish for my dreams to lead me to new heights, but the truth is, an important part of our dreams is the return of Anadir to their home planet and your invitation for us and all Cherinian species to visit as often as we can…that will see us grow as Cherinians, in the way our author Arthur dreams for all his children.” We passed comments, like <i>‘not bad!’, ‘she’s magnificent, I can hardly believe she is a baby’</i> and so forth. Maybe she’ll grow up to be our first Teller politician? Meilin turned shy and as soon as she could she reverted to a baby, making both sides of her family happy when they were given their turn for carrying her.\n\nThe Anadir have not built anything larger than a small town and they keep the houses wide apart to allow plenty of space for nature to remain a part of their lives. This is only partly due to them respecting the wishes of Meli, for they also treasure sensing that they live amid all forms of life. On their home planet there are a huge variety of architectural styles, but here they have kept to a simple design, just as if the earthier village style and low buildings helps keep them linked to the land. We visited family homes, schools and other communal buildings and though we’ve seen much of the Anadir culture in Noelle and their home planet, what we see here is how the Anadir lived outside of the sophistication of city life and hundreds of years before the Sparklers found their planet. We were told that many Anadir from outside visit them for the purpose of learning from them about their way of life. I suspect they come so as to re-learn, but that mostly they need the visual confirmation that life is as good as they read it was, without the technical marvels each of us have grown so accustomed to having as a part of our lives. For instance, despite my loves and I being so close and filling each others hearts, despite our friends and relatives who rarely leave us on our own for a minute, I enjoy and would sorely miss my AI friend, Athene, should I lose her. I’ve even taken to doing as Keith asked and update her backup as often as I can.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8513</center></h3> Meilin is in love with Meli’s world and she was quick to make friends with a number of the Gillianth children and we practically had to drag her away when it was time to leave. Robbie asked Meli to have the Gillianth alert her should Meilin try to visit on her own, since she tends to ignore her healers’ warnings. At last, Robbie is obliquely acknowledging that however sweet or lovely his daughters are, for the first few months after birth, they are slightly amoral and headstrong - well, maybe I was the exception that proved the rule? <i>Dommi</i>: lol, not even Goldi was an exception. If you’d like me to share with you Sam, so as to rid you of false preconceptions about yourself, just say the word. https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmaC6xhFoTcWBivgQ3MXjXyG3bnKe4gRCp6TamgvNNQqLF/LC-smilie_reg-grey.png\n\nThe day after we returned from Meli’s world, we took Meilin to our favourite coffee shops in Kefalari. She did not enjoy it much as she had to come as a baby. It is just as well, since dozens of women felt free to come and admire her and tell us, ‘<i>einai koukla! Na sas zisei</i>.’ (she is a doll - may she live long), and they chucked her chin or lightly pinched her cheeks. The nicest ones barely touched her, happy to have seen her without wanting to make her life a misery.\n<br>\n\nWe are leaving Earth. We’ll only be gone for two days, but at our end at least months will have passed. It would not be fair to make Meilin pay for our decision to share her with everyone and by having a few months alone with us and close friends, we feel she’ll be better equipped to deal with life. We are going to the Ribbon Planet for Ivgos to visit a few more divides.\n\nBoth Jesus and Christós have repeatedly stressed to our Angel that the strongest magic comes from the heart. The difference is that they are speaking of a provable truth, not just mouthing platitudes. Angelica not only believes what they tell her, she accepts it to the core of her being and it affects all aspects of her life. Each of us, of the family, including those very close to us, are aware of how she affects us and we are not only grateful to her for helping us keep our hearts open, but we also monitor her when we are uncertain of how we should react to a situation, especially when there are contrasting ethical points complicating or muddying our thinking. The reason I am mentioning this now is because we have all become aware that Meilin is following our example and even seems to be developing a mild case of hero-worship. Angelica did not allow it to make her uncomfortable - as I would have. She started taking Meilin with her, as a ten year old, to watch and share as she practices her lessons. We don't share from Angelica very often as her practising involves many repetitious exercises, but we always are aware of her - more so when she practices outside Freddie. Today, we sensed a flare of joy from her and once she'd passed the point of needing privacy to feel it deeply, we tentatively 'knocked', sending a questioning feeling. In response, the two of them jumped back to us.\n\n“I am repeatedly surprised that Meilin remains interested and keeps her awareness concentrated on me and the exercises I practice. I try to explain to her what I am doing, the why and also, how it feels when I sense the energy flowing to me and from me to the target of the exercise. She understands what I tell her, but at the same time, she cannot comprehend how it is I draw the energy of magic from the source. She kept on asking questions, like, <i>what is the source?</i> Or, <i>where do you find it?</i> Or, <i>what does it feel like, does it tingle like electricity</i>? I decided, today, to have her within my mind, sharing as part of me. I felt her reactions as she discovered an entirely new world of possibilities, consisting of raw power and beauty, and, without thinking first, I offered/suggested, 'Why don't you try this exercise?'\n\nThat was when you all felt my surge of joy. Meilin succeeded. She can sense the source, she can do magic!” We all rejoiced and made much of our Meilin, who now was feeling overwhelmed by our adulation and wanting to revert to a baby. We gradually became aware of Robbie and settled, in a tight cluster around her and Angelica, waiting to hear what his thoughts are.\n\n“Meilin, would you like to learn?” She nodded, her eyes now shining with the hope his question awakened in her. “Angel love, could you teach her or should your masters be asked to include her in your training sessions?”\n\nAngelica squeezed Meilin's hand in reassurance. “I must ask them.”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8514</center></h3> Robbie hesitated and then laughed. “Ivgos, can you wait another week? We are going to visit the reality of magic.” Robbie pretended to feel mystified by the excited reaction of Ivgos, teasing him. Ivgos loves it when he does, and if he is in body age young enough, he sometimes sits on Robbie’s lap afterwards - that is because of the emoting of Robbie after he teases someone he loves.\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmSskFGsJ73Q4if9ZpLDQunj7Yup4W6CBoFpht7AjfmgdM/Meilin-Yuming%20image,%20plus%20txt,%20Bk12,%20p8514.png\n\nIt is just as well we needed to delay for these four days as it gave Meilin time to adjust and relax. Spending much of each day as a baby should have helped, but it turned out that spending time with Sheena was what best relaxed her. At six years old, Meilin's new preferred body age, her hair is daffodil yellow, a warm gold that reminds us of the sun we don't have in Freddie. It was only natural, with their golden and snow white heads, that someone would dub them Summer and Winter. It was only said in passing, for a laugh, and was not meant to be a nickname. Meilin started to call Sheena, Winter, so Sheena called her Summer. The nickname, Winter, did not stick for long, Sheena's smile and personality are too warm for it to be used by anyone than Meilin now and then at a moment of tenderness. However, instead of everyone cutting down Meilin's name to Mei, as Robbie had thought would happen, many now call her Summer. If all us girls had three names, it sure would get confusing.\n<br>\n  \nArthur! This is unbelievable! Christós has just arrived - and he has Jesus with him!\n\nRobbie poured himself a glass of the same wine they enjoy and toasted them. “We were hoping to jump in the morning to visit you. It seems you are to have a new student.” They set aside whatever it was that was burning in them and they listened, asked both girls some questions and then they instructed Angelica to start the training of Meilin, pointing out to them that she will benefit by the lessons as much as her student will.\n\nRobbie had acted selfishly, dealing with our news first, because he had felt that our two friends were excited and have good news to convey. He now sat back and asked them whether anything interesting has happened to them. Jesus gestured to Christós, “You are responsible, so you tell them. However, I would suggest you deal with Samantha first.”\n\n“Deal with me? What do you mean? What does he mean Christós?”\n\nChristós grinned. “We'll continue after you've brought your diary up to date - shall we say about two hours from now?”\n\nJesus laughed. “Before you actually tell them, perhaps you should speak to her healer so that it tranquillises her?”\n\nI've done so, I'm up to date and eager to find out what has them so excited they think I'll need to be tranked up first.\n<br>\n\nThis is Cherine, Sam refuses to write. She claims you won't believe her, plus I think she is afraid they may have made some kind of mistake and if they are wrong you’ll feel let down. I warn you, this has taken my breath away, so I think it is going to stun you also!\n\nWhen Sam returned to us, Maria brought her a condensed-milk-coffee and then, this is highly unusual, she took a seat with us. Sam took a sip and then sat with her hands on her lap, willing to go along with the teasing of Christós and Jesus. Little did she know they were not teasing and it might have been better if she had asked her healer to tranquillise her.\n\n“The two of us, with scholars from both our realities, have been gathering information about a kind of spell we suspected might have existed in the past. It turned out that it never existed and what gave us reason to think it had were certain vaguely worded theories spun out by our Chinese teacher. He had hoped to create a scrying spell that would give him a window into the world of the spirits.” Christós smiled as Solomon gave him a startled look. “Reading his descriptions of what he saw, we soon realised his mistake was an obvious one and excusable, since nobody in those days knew of alternate realities.” He nodded, pleased as he felt our excitement soar. “Yes, he created a window, not clear and it only lasted a second or so each time, into another reality and saw a people different from ours, far more technologically developed - at that time.” He dramatically paused for a long sip of wine. “Rather than tell you about it, would you prefer we show you?”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8515</center></h3> By now we were convinced it must be an extremely complicated and difficult spell, so we expected them to need a few hours. They told Angelica to clear one of the walls of the taverna of all decorations and then asked she use Cherinian gifts, not magic, to plaster the wall smoothly and paint it a pure white. A number of us helped her and it was soon ready, like a cinema screen, to reflect whatever they were planning to show us.\n\nIt was late afternoon by now so we would not be affecting the ecology by bringing an early evening to our world. The plastered wall shone a pearly white and then, as both magi concentrated, it darkened until it was a midnight black. I kept on getting the feeling that sparks were flashing at the edge of my vision (the others felt the same and the recording is being studied at slow speeds by the computers and scientists). The wall turned a greyish colour with an indistinct blob of blue. Just when I thought it was stabilising and the focus was about to improve, the blue blob and a scribbled white light situated before it, also out of focus, swivelled and it seemed we swung around the blob, the white light disappeared into a black square and then I saw the shape of a head and face. Our angle remained the same, but something moved and then covered the lower part of the face. Puzzled, we waited and then Jade called out, \"It's a man and he is resting his chin on his hand!\"\n\nAs details became clearer the face resolved, from vaguely being an elderly man, half bald, slightly pudgy, to features we recognised. Dommi gasped; Robert reached out as if to touch a cheek; myself, Sam and others, well, we burst into tears.\n\nSitting at a computer, a page of text on the screen, we saw <i><b>you</b></i>! \nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmW9P3DfVhXmu8gL3pgXiqK6QJmKtcsQevu6qA8fZtSz8o/Sam,%20it%20has%20to%20be%20you,%20A,%20Bk12,p8515.png\n<br>\n<h3><center>8516</center></h3> We don't know what to do. We want Ivgos to do more of the divides, but we are too excited to sit and watch him…we want to let everyone back home know our news. We also want to return to the realities of magic to watch the magi train to make the monitoring permanent.\n\nRobbie asked, “If we keep this wall as it is, would trained magi from your worlds be willing to take turns projecting Arthur for us?”\n\nBefore they could reply, Robyn asked with a worried look, “Will you also have teams on your worlds watching? Can more than one instance of the spell exist at the same time?”\n\nJesus reassured her, “I don't see why there should be any limits. It is similar to having a number of people using binoculars to watch someone from a distance. However many binoculars are used, the subject being watched would not be affected.” He glanced at me. “What's wrong?”\n\n“When Robyn asked her question, I hoped your answer would be different. It would be nice if you are wrong.” I could sense I was not making myself popular - nor clear, so I explained, “For a moment I dared hope that if more than one instance could affect his reality, then hundreds might actual serve to disturb his reality to the point where a gate can be formed for us to grab him.” I shrugged. “Am I being naïve about magic? Would the effect be more dramatic - like blowing up his or our realities as they leak from one to the other?” They just stared at me until Robbie burst out laughing and Cherine joined him. I couldn't see why they thought I was funny. \nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUc6fhDXKWr1Q1xE3vr8xXF96GFUxgH4iAWqaa95rhxdj/Arthur,%20this%20development-spy%20spell-not%20as%20wonderful,%20Bk12,%20p8516.png\nWe've decided to continue with our planned trip. Ivgos was surprised by our announcement and worried at it. Ardrigio drew him into a conversation and without Ivgos realising what he was doing, he led him away from us, his purpose making it clear they were not to be interrupted - though he did not seem to be requesting privacy.\n\n“Why does it worry you that Robert has chosen to stick to our original purpose for this trip?”\n\n“They were so excited about Arthur - about the news the two magicians gave them. Seeing their Arthur on the wall, it was special to them and everybody, but now they don't want to talk about it and they have changed their minds about returning to their home world to tell all the worlds. Ardrigio, something is wrong, I feel it.”\n\nArdrigio queried Argidsi and then replied, “Since being linked, you have grown more sensitive than most of us. Perhaps you are sensing something they do not wish to discuss with us? Unless they decide otherwise, it would not be polite of us to show we are aware.” Red-faced I pulled out, blocking them off. As soon as Ardrigio and Ivgos returned I told them I'd overheard, listened to them, as I'd not realised they wanted privacy. Argidsi fluttered her eyes, the blue showing momentarily, but Ardrigio remained lost in thought. He suddenly met my eyes and I sensed him, he was waiting for me to explain.\n\n“Arthur objects to us watching him - he considers it an invasion of his privacy.”\n\nIvgos sounded upset as he asked, “We will not see him again?”\n\nI softly touched his cheek so that he can sense me clearly. “We'll see him when he wants to be seen.” I gave him a smile. “He has a weakness for you, I think he'll be happy to have you watch him whenever you ask.”\n\nHe has adopted our custom of nodding. “But it is not fair because he cannot see us?”\n\n“It is a great sadness, but not reason for his objections - he is not that small-minded Ivgos. He truly is a man who values his privacy. As long as we ask and he agrees, he will not mind us watching him.”\n\nAhram spoke up from behind me, “We sense your worry Samantha - and it worries us.”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8517</center></h3> Robbie and Cherine listened from my mind, but others, including my loves, drew near. I nodded, acknowledging his perspicacity. “I fear we are too late. Jesus and Christós returned so as to prevent their students opening a permanent view of Arthur, but the knowledge of the spell is now public and there will be others who are not as careful of Arthur's wishes.”\n\nHaikra, as usual, stood by his beloved Marmirie lord. Thoughtfully he contributed, “It is not for Arthur to ensure his wishes are respected, it is our responsibility. How can anyone prevent magicians from performing their spells in secret? Can magicians do so?”\n\n“I don't know - no, that was not honest. I don't think it is possible.”\n\nRobbie joined us. “I would hope that all Cherinians will respect his wishes. The majority of Normals are good people and they will understand and respect his wishes. However, there is little we can do to stop the others.”\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmbNMqDBgBr7sMfGdLi6yxLVuZW5szRZUtYnAMjdQe1U2d/Arthur,%20a%20number%20of%20ways%20I%20can%20stop%20them,%20Bk12,%20p8517.png\nFreddie has stopped, going into orbit around a red sun. We shared the above from Arthur, with translations, on the screens. The way everyone is feeling, it would be asking too much of Ivgos if we send him to his world and none of us wish to tell our worlds. Not even the aliens. Our little goddess has withdrawn and for the first time ever she has raised a screen to stop us visiting or sensing her. By allowing her to dream of her bringing Arthur to us I am responsible for her suffering. I kept postponing the talk because I also had a secret hope that by believing so wholeheartedly, she'd be able to help.\n\nFreddie has just announced he is covered in fleas! This solar system does not have any planets and the asteroid belt is mostly made up of tiny rocks, the biggest is smaller than a house. How could life have evolved here! What he calls fleas are tiny creatures who have latched on to his outer shield. They are attracted by the immense supply of energy - which seems to be their food. Robbie created a platform for the scientists, but then they had to abandon it outside as it was soon covered by space-fleas.\n\nIt is not urgent, but we do have a problem. We can't get rid of the fleas by killing them, but we also must not stay here much longer. With such a rich supply of energy, their population will increase dramatically and when we leave millions of them will die once they have to rely solely on their natural supplies. We had intended staying a few days for the scientists to study the creatures, but tests have shown that they prefer the inner layers of energy to the outer, which is mostly made up of what Robbie calls the 'dark' energy. Luckily they don't like the Coral, but since it is not solid, more like lace, they could enter within the layers and then we won't be able to get rid of them without killing them. The Sparklers came up with a simple solution so Robbie and Freddie have decided to entrust them with the carrying out of their plan.\n\nA thin slice of the outer shield is being peeled off, carrying the space-fleas with it. The energy-peel will be abandoned close to their areas of normal habitat, and we'll travel (not jump) out of the solar system. If there are still any space-fleas connected, there should not be many, just a manageable number, we'll take them off, one by one if necessary, and return them to their home. The Anadir and Inguel have decided to visit this system with a ship that cannot be infested as they feel that much can be learnt by studying these tiny creatures. We're calling them fleas, but they don't resemble fleas in any way. They look more like worms made out of delicate lace. Their bodies mostly consist of energy and it is theorised that as the sun cooled down a zone around the sun became the birthing ground. This suggests that their energy and whatever little matter their bodies are made of come from the sun - which means they are not 'cousins' of the Sparklers in any way.\n<br>\n\nDamn it Arthur! I wrote about Lusalith and about the space fleas to give you time to get over your anger and reconsider, but all you do is type what I did. This is not the Arthur I know! Since a week has gone by - fine. Then here is some more so that you can finish your book, for you to stop writing - since it seems to be what you've decided.\n\nWe have no answers for anyone and nobody dares ask their questions, as if the asking would make the only answers we have at this time, true, if we are forced to speak. For the last few evenings, we leave the taverna early, preferring the insulation of home where we are not overwhelmed by others and where we don't have to pretend or hide our feelings. We are able to draw together so that not one of us can suffer alone. Last night we sensed pappou Alki pass through the garden gate on his own and Dommi quickly brought some ice and by the time he sat by Robbie, his whiskey was ready. As he had walked to us there had been a heaviness to his step, matching his emoting. Normally we would rush in with touch or words to warm his heart, but this evening we felt he needed silence and our presence for him to recover his courage on his own. He softly sighed.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8518</center></h3> “We need gods, having one author is not enough.” He paused a moment. “We also need demons. Mankind knew what it was doing when it invented them. How else are we to laugh when tragedy finds us. Laughter is the sound of rebellion, of brave hearts that refuse to surrender. What can we rebel against when there is such an injustice?” He glanced into Robbie's eyes. “How could something created with such good intentions, such purity of love, have such disastrous consequences?”\n\nFor this once, Robbie did not give a pedantic answer. He took the hand of Alki in his. “Patera, we must not give up and give the right of existence to a future we do not want.”\n\nAlki shook his head. “If we must return to our people with the news that Arthur has turned his back on us, it will cost us our dream Roberto.”\n\nEmpathia added, “The Normals will allege we are to blame and they will claim Arthur for themselves.”\n\nCherine stood up suddenly, her voice stern, almost angry, as she spoke to Empathia. “Stop it!” She went to stand before Robbie and Alki. “Arthur has not turned his back on us, all he is asking is that we find a way to give him the privacy he has a right to. Until the day he stops writing, I will refuse to believe he would abandon us - not even then, for I'll keep hoping he'll change his mind. I love him too much to let him go.” As I stared at her, I could not help feeling what a pity it is she cannot split herself for Arthur, for the love a Cherine offers is so much more than I ever can.\n\nGilli asked, “Could we tell Arthur how we feel and that he…”\n\nCherine cut her off. “No. We will respect his wishes and wait.” She turned to me. “Samantha, you will not write of what we have said nor of how we feel until he makes his decision.”\n\nAs you can see, I did not 'obey'. I guess I'm not going to be popular for some time. Arthur, you did not need the above to know what effect you are having on us, on everybody, but, by my telling you, you cannot block the knowledge from yourself. <i>Now</i> do as you wish.\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmXyQbpeCa66FqaoftCQ7RtB7QAmhRhq3N3enZQPD6tZfA/Arthur,%20I%20don't%20know%20how%20to%20react,%20Bk12,%20p8518.png\nWe have arrived at the Ribbon Planet. Freddie displayed a map of the divides, with those that have been notified coloured green. Ivgos chose two that are neighbouring each other, but then lost interest in them, concentrating on the past and future Freddies surrounding us. He took a guess and pointed at one. “Was that us, the last time we came?” We've all played the game so we joined in, pleased when we made him laugh.\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmc3un3USwogjLVX9SjMYPSBytWmgxJkspM3m4Y37XHUem/Post72,%20Bk12,%20p8518.png\n<br>\n<h3><center>8519</center></h3> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmYxmjogCJSExaBYXaL63bXxG5dpw8zhUMHpenADVKaWrE/Post72,%20Bk12,%20p8519.png\n<br>\n<h3><center>8520</center></h3> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmPA7pJaUH7gFNZstgFEcZM4kur5goqUK744dhdSncjYYh/Post72,%20Bk12,%20p8520.png\n<br><br>\n<center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost073\">Next [Book 12] - Post 073</a></center>\n<br>\n<h5><i><b>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.</b></i></h5><br>\n<br><br>\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUTQeVmsqWzFxMrg8a629XdGHm15kCnjSkbFyhiTMwUf9/Name,%20steemit.png\n* posted: 28th Sep, 2020<br>\n<br><br>\n<center><h6><i>If you wish to read from an earlier book, from Book 01 to Book 12, use this link button to open the LC Book Index:</i></h6><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo/best-way-to-read-little-cherine-links-to-books-01-to-012-new-teller-family-calendar-added\"><img src=\"https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmfJ4USBF6u8SKDuizVpqXMJfwxmr2FEKyc4cwTPvehscV/Worlds%20waiting.png\"/></a></center>\n<br>\n<br>",
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      "parent_permlink": "sfandf-fiction",
      "author": "arthur.grafo13",
      "permlink": "little-cherine-book-12-bpost071",
      "title": "Little Cherine Book 12 - BPost071",
      "body": "<sup><h6>The soul will only require a few minutes, but by doing this we can have some time alone with our love. We can feel how overcome Coral is by the beauty of the moment - and that she needs for Robbie to hold her tightly to him.</h6></sup><br>\n<center>https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmSjs7k76PkScEuXxchZJPDRTfoywcNPt1RTFgzTxnE7Z9/Alex_Robert_Allan%20-%2018y%20-%20mini.png\n</center><br><br>\n<center> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUjdm8RyTVC9Jx8pqYrx7RX3Lvxm35wVLrDNRDUCEEZHF/LC%20Book12%20-%20Cvr.png </center><br><center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost070\">Previous: Book 12 - Post 070 </a></center>\n<br>\n<h3><center>8501</center></h3> When I rejoined our guests, who were eating, drinking and talking with excitement about the sharing, about the aliens and their spaceships and about Freddie, I nearly laughed aloud when I found Jina’s niece, Samantha, flirting with a Cherinian from our reality. I guess she won’t be needing our help anymore.\n\nI went to be with my daughter Efineh. She and Ashema and Sebura were providing the stable mass for Piri with her friend Cherine (the one who studied to be a Rider, with her) to orbit as they ran in and out of various groups of adults, playing with kids from three other species. Most Terrans pretended not to look but they could not hide that they were fascinated, especially as one of the kids was an Akiard. Kuleïm, an Elipian boy-child born in Freddie, was also part of the group and he kept forgetting himself and he’d try to butt his friends with his shoulders, trying to knock them off their feet. The two girls are agile and he kept missing, but he unsuccessfully caught the Akiard kid a couple of times, which amused the girls.\n\nOrgg and Jeskine are popular so I did not try to get close, sending them a mental greeting. King George left his wife (Queen) as bait to keep the snobs busy while he walked at the edge of the crowd, his eyes turned to the other side of Freddie and he glanced up at the spaceships and waterfalls every now and then. He also kept an eye on the people close to him and if someone made to walk over to him he quickly lost them by entering the crowds for a while. Gina sensed me closing in on him and telling her Jina family where she is going, she grabbed hold of Pol’s hand and jumped to join me.\n\nI grinned at Pol. “I’m surprised Robbie doesn’t get jealous of you.”\n\nHe grinned back and asked her, ‘Would he have reason to?”\n\nGina laughed. “You wish!” - and then she hugged him.\n\nKing George cleared his throat. “We are pleased that the Queen is not with us as you would shock her.”\n\nGina giggled. “I still get flashbacks of the day I rejuvenated the two of you. If she had not been the queen, she definitely would have screamed and run away.”\n\nGina sensed he wanted to talk with me so she pulled back, keeping Pol with her. I tried to help by starting the conversation. “You’ve been here five times and still you look around with awe and pleasure. Most people feel they have to act blasé about Freddie and the aliens by their second visit.”\n\n“When something stirs the imagination, only a foolish man smothers it out of fear of being thought unsophisticated.”\n\n“Any particular part of Freddie stir your imagination today? We can go there for a visit.”\n\n“Seeing a soul has left me too stunned to think of anywhere, Samantha - not that I don’t appreciate the thought.”\n\n“Our little goddess Lusalith won’t mind us using her garden to get away from the crowds, would you like that?” Of course I mentally confirmed it with Lusalith first and then we jumped. Gina and Pol followed, but they did not stay on the lawn, she led him off into the jungle at the bottom of the garden. We stared at the two of them as they faded into the dark vegetation.\n\n“There are too many years until it is time for the Cherinians to become a majority on my world. Until then, it would not be tactful for my wife and I to be linked.”\n\n“What is it about being linked that you miss?”\n\nHe gave a start of surprise. “I apologise, I did not intend to give the impression I am impatient to be linked. After all, my family and I are kept healthy and with our lives being extended we can afford to wait.”\n\nI bit my lip as I tried to work out what it is he wants. “I can sense yearning, but I don’t know for what.”\n\n“Would you like to think in the manner of a queen, Samantha?”\n\nI gave his question some thought. “It is not being a king or queen that is unpleasant, it is the way it affects you - the way it twists and moulds your thought processes?” He nodded. “Would it be equally true for you and an ancestor who ruled as king with despotic powers?”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8502</center></h3> “I have no wish to be a dictator so I never gave much thought to what it would be like. I’m sorry, I can’t answer you.”\n\n“When I spoke of despotic powers, I was thinking more of someone like Queen Victoria who used her royal influence and ambitions to turn her country into a powerful and wealthy nation, unlike those kings who used their powers to impose their will for petty reasons or out of fear.”\n\n“To be a king within a modern democracy means I do not have the rights that the meanest of my subjects has. I cannot show preference for one political party or another - I do not even get to vote. If I have a Prime Minister who respects the tradition of Monarchy and is open to debates, I consider myself lucky. Most of the time kings have to deal with politicians who only give the concept of Monarchy lip service and look to use us to further their own ambitions - and when we do not quite see eye-to-eye, they barely disguise their intentions if I do not water my objections.” He did not sigh, but I felt him emote one. “If a brave man is forced to retreat so as to remain alive to fight another day, often enough, he turns into a coward. No nation deserves to be ruled by a coward.”\n\n“I don’t think you are a coward, your majesty, I sense that you are weary. Surely your nephew is mature enough to take over now? Just because your life has been extended, it does not mean you have to remain king. You have done your duty and you served at a time when your country needed you, so there is no need to feel guilt for handing over.”\n\n“And then, Samantha? You don’t expect me to spend my time puttering with roses and horses do you?”\n\nI grinned. “We face this problem with those born Cherinians, they need to find something that will give meaning to their lives. It is unusual being confronted with this problem by someone of your age and experience.”\n\nHe scowled. “My nephew has already suggested I join the Boards of some charities so as to keep myself busy - while at the same time I serve to make his rule more popular.”\n\n“What would <i>you</i> like to do?”\n\n“The truth, my dear? I’d like to live in Freddie and share your experiences as you explore the cosmos.”\n\n“You could prepare travelogues on space travel?” He laughed, amused by my humour - one of the reasons I like him so much. “Let your Cherine or Robert know and we’ll gladly pick you up. Will your wife enjoy living this kind of life?”\n\nI swear I saw an impish amusement in his eyes (laughing at himself), as he answered seriously, “As a little girl she was quite the tomboy.”\n\nWell, daughter, by the time you read our diary, you just might be used to having uncle King George around and now you know that it happened because he came to see your soul. https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmaC6xhFoTcWBivgQ3MXjXyG3bnKe4gRCp6TamgvNNQqLF/LC-smilie_reg-grey.png\n<br>\n\nWe were not expected to join everyone at the party that evening. We had a few visitors join us at home for a relaxed meal and coffee and then Robbie shooed them away, telling them to go back to the party. They will remain linked and sharing with us, but we need some quiet and gentle loving, while they need to celebrate.\n\nCoral asked, “Today has been humongous! Robert, could we tell everyone we will not share for a few hours and leave Freddie?”\n\n“You want to go…oh, that’s a great idea.” He’d seen she wants us to be alone at Goldi’s Planet. We all loved the idea and asked Robbie to make a platform big enough for us to take everything we’ll need for a month. He shook his head. “It wouldn’t be fair. We promised to share the pregnancy and be absent for one month out of six is too much. One week should suffice to recharge our batteries my loves.” We notified Alki, Freddie, Vincent and Michael and then we jumped to the platform waiting for us outside, in normal space. Robbie jumped us to Goldi’s Planet.\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmXqms4TkNph51vuD5ezLW7HXM1HCKB4Hw64XNkm16chPb/Arthur,%20asks%20why%20Ahni%20will%20not%20have%20children,%20Bk12,%20p8502.png\n<br>\n<h3><center>8503</center></h3> Arthur, we are back at Freddie; we only stayed five days at Goldi’s Planet and then Coral wanted to come back - our absence here, of two hours, was hardly noticed as everyone thought we were in an advanced form of ‘privacy’ - which I guess you could say we were. By tomorrow morning we’ll be lucky to have a few dozen staying to keep us company. At least we know that Iziko is planning to stay for a few months, which makes Candy very happy.\n\nThe reason I told you we are back in Freddie was because I wanted to tell you that we will not be asking the scientists to create the tools you suggested. Any tools that affect or measure our minds and gifts are anathema to us and once we’d slept on it we realised we don’t need the tools. As a matter of fact, when we thought of the answer, we felt very stupid. There is not one inhabited planet that we know of that does not have hundreds of millions of Sparklers monitoring all humans in case of illness or accident. They can sense the change in the minds of new Talents and they’ve undertaken to warn us so that we can instantly be there to ensure they are not unbalanced by the strength of their powers.\n\nI’m sorry to say, Arthur, that I don’t think Ahní is likely to change her mind and have a child in the near future, but they will be happy to know that because of them you helped us find a way to save other families from being attacked.\n<br>\n\nI wish it were possible for me to enter the mind of an embryo before it forms eyes. I’m not being gruesome or weird, just taking a logical step. Once the embryo has a soul, within weeks we are sensing emoting from it; vague and fuzzy at first. What is really strange is that before it is born, it sees shapes, many of them free-flowing with some geometric, but some - just how amazing is this - are (vague/indistinct) faces, trees and so on! Often, with the shapes we also sense colours are being seen. Sometimes the shapes have colour(s) but sometimes they just see sheets of colour. It rarely happens that a baby is born blind and it never happens now. From what I’ve read, people born colour blind did not seem to know what colour is. Does the mind have abilities it loses at or just before birth? To return to my ‘gruesome’ question, I must first explain that we never enter the mind of an unborn child, unless it is a Cherinian and contacts us first. To enter the mind of an embryo before it has eyes would mean we would be entering a mind before it has a soul. To phrase myself awkwardly: does a mind without a soul have a mind? Unfortunately, by the time it has a soul, it already has rudimentary eyes. Allied questions are, if a brain does not have a mind before the soul is attached, how does it call for a soul? My questions may seem pointless and in bad taste to some, but I believe they are important and that we will learn the answers fairly soon. Perhaps other species whose souls do not get damaged by the void and thus, who can recall past lives can answer at least some of the questions?\n\nThis is Robert: we posted the above paragraph on our screens, written in a number of languages. It provoked a few debates and many of us tend to agree with one of the suppositions. All souls have lived previous lives, but once they become a part of the new body, they forget. The shapes and colours are probably residual memories which fade over the following months. In other words, what they are seeing, feeling and smelling has nothing to do with present organs - Sam did not mention it, but many embryos (rarely any foetus) experience smells which could not have come from their environment.\n\nDad got into trouble for doing the above. With the eyes of a number of Earths on us, with the demand for sharing, there was no way such a debate could have been contained to Freddie. The majority of religions are upset with us again. They are trying to be nice because they don’t want to affect the child Coral is carrying and they are aware that Cherinian foetuses can sense emotions and it has become accepted even by Normals that unfavourable emoting has a negative effect on the foetus. I’m going to stay in Freddie for the next two weeks as many blame me because I asked the questions.\n<br>\n\n\n\n<h4><center>Chapter Three Hundred and Nineteen</center></h4>\n\nOur first ever stowaway! The fruit from Africa that we love has proved to be popular with a few of the aliens and almost with all the Terran Cherinians and Normals visiting us. If invited to join us for a meal, they have come to expect bowls filled with custard apples, mangoes, raspberries, red bananas, passion fruit and so on. Those who join us for breakfast rarely choose the honey we bring from there as it has a strong smoky-wild taste, sometimes almost bitter, and most people prefer the gentle and subtly flavoured honeys of the northern apiaries. I guess seeing twigs and bits of grass and, rarely, baby bees in the honeycomb also puts them off.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8504</center></h3> A Cherinian family living in Moshi collect the food, pack it in a container and the wife jumps with it to us (she is a stronger psychic than her husband). The container goes into the entry point of our storage cavern and it gets opened to be sorted and stored in our storage areas whenever Maria finds a free moment. We had guests and she was busy preparing the evening meal so she left the container for the early hours of the night as she would only need the fruit for breakfast and the storage area is cold enough for the fruit to feel nice and cool when it is time to eat it and would not need refrigeration.\n\nIt is a rare occasion when Robbie sits in the company of men and when he does, us girls stay away. Cherine teases him, saying he needs to sit among men at least once a month as he then is surrounded by male pheromones which helps counter the female pheromones and hormones we inundate him with, making him identify too strongly with his female side. This was one of those rare evenings.\n\nThe best way for male friends to keep Robbie happy is by telling good jokes. He doesn’t mind the odd crude or smutty joke, but they know he prefers what he calls clever jokes. They had some good jokes, exactly the kind he likes, so they wondered why he looked uneasy and obviously distracted. Within half an hour he was ignoring them and pacing up and down, aggravated by the way he felt. After all, as he told us and himself, he is in Freddie and there is no way a child can be in danger or suffering.\n\nWe gave up our conversations or games and joined him so as to section Freddie for us to search. He was apologetic. “I think my instincts have gone haywire loves, we know of every single child, Terran and of all other species and they are well and with their families.”\n\nRosie shrugged. “I don’t care whether you trust your instincts or not - I do. I’m searching alongside the river, from one end to the other. Bye.”\n\nRobbie was saved from having to argue with us by Vincent and Kirsten suddenly appearing. We quickly departed, each of us searching a part of Freddie. The Sparklers joined the search so we soon had the Unation using their technology to search Freddie in ways we cannot. None of us found the child and Robbie was now getting frantic. He jumped to the void and returned as the void. He spread his energy and starting at the top of our sky he drifted down, passing through everything. He was determined to work his way through to the other side of Freddie, but he called out to us just after passing through the land and base supporting it.\n\nThe container was opened and a trembling boy, his teeth chattering from the cold, was brought out. He was wrapped in warm layers of air and brought to the taverna. It is not often us girls stare like this, we could not believe what we saw. He is a Maasai boy of about nine, as tall as most boys of about twelve. His pose is arrogant so it is just as well we could sense his emoting, his inner trembling from fear. He did not fear that we would hurt him, he feared our rejection, but most of all he feared our laughter.\n\nDommi spoke, gravely, as if he were an adult and the warrior he thinks he is. “Is there danger? Are your people well?”\n\n“They are well.” He hesitated and bravely took the plunge. “I saw on the internet that you have cattle in here, but you do not have anyone to watch them. My family do not have any cattle and it shames the father of my father. I have come to watch your cattle and because you have many, it will please my family to see me here. You can pay me with one cow every two years.” We sensed that he was not negotiable; he felt he’d made us a fair offer.\n\nMost caring and loving social workers would answer that when the child is being impractical, we should not worry about breaking his heart, as children sometimes need to be forced to grow up/mature, face life as it is, not as we want it to be. We cannot do so and yet, he cannot stay. He must live with his people, go to school and have friends he can identify with. Robbie told him we will consider what he has told us and we shall answer him the next day. “It is never good to make decisions without giving some serious thought to what is offered.” Maria set a plate of food for him and asked him whether he’d like a glass of milk and we kept our fingers crossed, hoping he would not want any cow blood or urine in it. He asked whether we have Coca Cola and, relieved that we had not thrown him out…or whatever he’d feared we might do, his appetite blossomed and he ate very well. It was not long before he grew drowsy and Roula took him to a guest bedroom in our home.\n\nDespite our being so far ahead of the time Arthur lives in, the Maasai of our reality have not changed that much over these sixty odd years. Most of them have been educated, but a large percentage of them prefer to return to their old way of living - some say it is so because of us and the healing and food machines. Briefly, here is the little information I have about them.\n\n<h6>The Maasai tribe is traditionally a semi-nomadic tribe. They live off their cattle almost exclusively.\nMaasai men may have more than one wife.</h6>\n<br>\n<h3><center>8505</center></h3> <h6>Maasai women build their houses out of sticks and grass, then cover it with a mixture of cow dung and mud. A Maasai village is called an enkang.\nThe men put a thick wall of dried thorn-tree branches around the circle of houses to prevent wild animals from coming into the village.\nThe women do a lot of beading in their spare time. They bead necklaces, head-dresses, gourds, and dresses.\nThe young Maasai children sometimes play a game where they place rocks on a sleeping rhinoceros. The last one to place a rock on it before it wakes up is the winner. This, of course, is a dangerous game.\nWhen a Maasai boy leaves boyhood, he enters the morani or warrior class. He is expected to be brave enough to spear a lion. If a warrior holds the tail of a lion as it dies he is awarded with that lion's mane and gains great honour in his tribe. The ceremony for boys entering the morani is held every seven years.\nWomen and children keep their heads shaved while the morani wear their hair in long braids dyed with red clay.\nThe Maasai eat a custard made from the blood of their cattle. The blood is mixed with milk and curdled to make the custard.\nThe Maasai pierce and stretch their earlobes and wear large metal hoops at the tops of their ears. This goes for both male and female members.\nIt is a sign of beauty for women to have long stretched earlobes. Decorative cuts are also made on women’s faces for beauty.\nTheir sun god is named Ruwa and lives on Mount Kilimanjaro.\nWhen a moran has proven himself he can become an elder. Women can also become elders once they have given birth to four healthy children.\nThe language of the Maasai is called 'Maa'.</h6>\n<h6></h6>\n<h4>Maasai Customs and Traditions - especially, regarding circumcisions:</h4><h6>The Maasai people live in southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. The tribe is organised socially by age sets: boys become warriors (morans or ol-murrani) following circumcision, and morans become elders when they have circumcised children. Circumcision or Emorata is the most important event in tribal Maasai life. The cutting of the flesh turns a boy into a man, a girl (en-kerai) into a woman (en-tito). This is done when both sexes are between the ages of thirteen and eighteen. Originally the interval between major circumcision and transition ceremonies was about fourteen years, but in recent times the ceremonies are more individualised. The warriors search out good grazing and water, protect their families and cattle from wild animals. \nThe Maasai are usually tall, athletic, and fine featured. They are not heavily built, like the Bantu, whom they despise, not least because Bantu tribes and the Luo do not circumcise. The Maasai live largely on milk and blood drawn from a cow' s jugular vein without killing it. A Maasai homestead (manyatta) is a group of low huts made of bent branches daubed with dried mud and cow-dung surrounded by a thorn fence, with separate huts for the father, each wife and her young children, and for the morans. The Oldorobo or Il Torrobo people were the aborigines in Maasai legend who lived in a Garden of Eden with Il Parakwo, ancestors of the Maasai. Il Torrobo adopted the Maasai language and attach themselves to the Maasai as rainmakers, circumcisers and attendants of the dead. \nTo the Maasai layonis (or ol-ayioni), young boys, the word emorata (circumcision) sounds like sweet erotic music loaded with promises of heroic deeds. It means the end of low-status boyhood and the entrance into the world of the morans. From being hard-working dogsbodies who enjoy little respect, they rise to the top of society. They become the young, strong, courageous protectors and providers of their people, and the handsome, virile heroes of the young women. In short, they become everything that every young man, wherever he lives, longs to be.\nThe boys are presented to the laibon (or ol-oiboni), the witchdoctor or visionary, who, if the signs are right, gives his permission to start the ngipataa, the ceremony preparatory to the day of circumcision. Ceremonies vary among clans, but common to all is the feature that the boys are shaved of hair on all parts of their bodies and that all jewellery and other objects they have fastened to their bodies are removed. Thus they are stripped naked, ready for their rebirth into the adult world. They are then daubed in patterns of white chalk, red ochre and black charcoal and spend the night dancing and celebrating. The next day an ox, goat or sheep from each boy's family is slaughtered and everybody feasts. In preparation for the feast, honey has been collected and beer has been brewed. This is consumed in great quantities by the elders and the Oldorobo circumciser, all of whom frequently become intoxicated to the point of unconsciousness.\nA Maasai  recalled his father's admonitory speech before he was circumcised: \"Circumcision means a sharp knife cutting into the skin of the most sensitive part of your body. You must not budge; don' t move a muscle or even blink. The slightest movement on your part will mean you are a coward, incompetent and unworthy to be a Maasai man. Ours has always been a proud family and we will not tolerate unnecessary embarrassment, so you had better be ready. Imagine yourself alone remaining uncircumcised like the water youth (white man). I hear they are not circumcised. Such a thing is not known in Maasailand.\" After a pause, he continued: \"The pain you will feel is symbolic, it has a deeper meaning. Circumcision means a break between childhood and adulthood. For the first time you will be considered a grown up, complete man. You will be expected to give and not just to receive, to protect your family and not just be protected. And your wise judgement will for the first time be taken into consideration. If you are ready for all these responsibilities, tell us now. Entering into manhood is a heavy load on your shoulders and especially a burden on your mind.\"\nHe has certainly been told by the morans that the operation will be dreadfully painful, but that it will not be unbearable. Or as the Maasai say, typical of their cattle culture, \"Only blood will flow, not milk.\" And they have asked him if he was a orkirkenyi, one who has had intercourse with a circumcised woman. And if the boy has admitted to such an experience, his father, mother and the circumciser will have taken a cow from him as punishment.\nThe boy's ordeal starts at noon in the hut of his mother. First, the boy's father's first wife has her hair wetted with milk and is clean-shaved. Then she does the same to the boy's biological mother, his father's second wife. Finally she shaves his head. Then all three have their heads painted with red ochre.\nThe first wife then takes the young boy through the gate of the manyatta and together they catch three grasshoppers which are put into a mini-calabash sealed with cow dung. After the circumcision the grasshoppers will be released into the calf pen where they will be trampled to death. This is to symbolise that the young man' s cattle pastures will never be hit by locust swarms or famine.\nThe boy is now dressed in a black goatskin toga and sent out to collect an olive sapling to be his firestick, a stick used to make fire and also symbolising the links between generations. When he returns, his metamorphosis is striking. He no longer smiles or talks; he is alone in the crowd of his people. And they do not communicate with him either, except for occasional derogatory or abusive words, like \"you coward, you stupid boy.\" This is their way of encouraging him, of strengthening his resolve and thus preparing him for the coming ordeal.</h6>\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8506</center></h3> <h4>The Circumcision Ordeal</h4><h6>Very early next morning, a good hour before sunrise, the boy leaves the manyatta in company with other newly-circumcised boys. They go to the river where the boy chills his genitals with the intention of easing some of the pain of the forthcoming operation. This completed, they hurry back to the manyatta where the preparations are in full swing. In the middle of the manyatta among the fifty odd cattle which are just awakening, a half-circle of olive saplings has been prepared. Inside the circle stands the circumciser and an elder of his father' s age. As the boy enters the manyatta, he grasps an ox hide and throws it down like a rug into the half-circle. For a moment he stands still, as if in a trance, while ice-cold water is poured over his head from a very special pot. This pot was the one that had contained his placenta and had been kept just outside the gate of his family' s manyatta all these years. The boy then throws himself down on the hide and the elder supports him from behind.\nImmediately the circumciser goes to work. He spreads the boy' s legs, wets his penis with milk and then sprays it with a white powder. With quick, professional hands he cuts a semicircular slit at the base of the foreskin and threads the penis head through it. Then he removed all but the ventral ' seam' of the foreskin. This ndelelia - a good inch-long flap of skin - is left to chase evil spirits out of a woman' s vagina during intercourse and to protect him against venereal diseases. Supposedly it also gives women added pleasure and so makes them prefer the morans to uncircumcised males.\nDuring the surgery, which takes less than two minutes, the boy does not utter a sound, twitch a muscle or make the slightest grimace which could reveal pain or weakness. From his appearance you would swear that he has been properly anaesthetised. As he is helped into his mother' s hut afterwards, he is complimented for his bravery by all the onlookers and his mother is repeatedly told what a good son she has raised.\nThe circumcision ceremony is not just an ordeal for the one being circumcised. Judging from their reaction, it is also an intense emotional experience for the other young men; something like a religious revival meeting. Some of the young morans become very excited and a few throw themselves on the ground as if having epileptic fits, with their bodies shaking in muscular spasms and froth appearing around their mouths. During the ceremony they drink a soup made from the bark of the kiloriti bush which is said to have an invigorating effect. \nThe boy does not bleed much during the operation. The boy will have eaten some special red berries the day before the operation which, together with the powder used during surgery, effectively prevented bleeding. However, when the powder is tested under proper medical conditions, it proves to have no anti-bleeding effect. Thus it appears most likely that both the lack of bleeding during the surgery and the fits of the onlookers are caused by something similar to self-hypnosis. Furthermore, danger, fear and cold are known to constrict the blood vessels of the genitals through sympathetic nerve stimulation.\nAfter the circumcision, the boy's mother treats his penis with warm milk, fresh cow's urine and mildewed dung. A strong, young ox is bled and Samuel is offered the fresh blood to drink in order to regain his strength.\nOne would fear that the lack of cleanliness during the operation would inevitably lead to infections. However, only in rare cases do infections occur, the reason being these boys' natural resistance, together with the use of fresh urine, which is almost sterile, and of mildewed dung, which may contain anti-microbial substances.</h6>\n<h6></h6>\n\n<h4>During the period of recovery from circumcision, while the cut is healing, the young Maasai man may be exposed to ordeals of another kind.</h4> <i>David Read narrates such a situation in his book on Maasai life in earlier times, Waters of the Sanjan: While lying in his bed recovering from circumcision, the young man was visited by a married woman to whom he had once as a layoni made improper suggestions. The woman sat down on his bed, removed her skirt and began to caress him. All the while she spoke softly to him, telling him how much she had often wanted him but had been too frightened to take him as he was still uncircumcised. It was different now, she whispered; now that he was a moran no one could stop them making love. She moved her hand down to his pubic area and when he started having an erection, she lay down at his side and purred that he should move closer.</i>\n<i>\"I cannot,\" he panted, \"and you know it!\"\n\"We do not have to do it all until you are properly recovered,\" she said, \"but there is nothing to stop us caressing each other.\"\nWith that the young man's erection split open the wounds and he began to bleed. Then the woman rose and said: \"You have paid for your insult as custom requires, and I shall hurt you no more. I have truly been fond of you and now that you are a moran and my husband' s olpirion (of his age-group), you will be welcome in my house and we can be asanjas (lovers).\"</i>\n<h6></h6>\n<h4><b>Girls' circumcision and genital modification:</b></h4><h6>Whilst circumcision of the young men is an act for which they volunteer so that they can show how brave they are, the circumcision of the women is not. Nditos (uncircumcised girls) are circumcised once they become pregnant or before their ninth menstruation. They are allowed to scream and kick as long as they do not kick the knife. Usually they are held by women. During the operation the clitoris and parts of the labia are removed, and the vagina is enlarged. The women' s wounds are treated in the same way as the men's and infection is said to be rare.</h6>\n\n<i>According to their own oral history, the Maasai originated from the lower Nile valley north of Lake Turkana (Northwest Kenya) and began migrating south around the 15th century, arriving in a long trunk of land stretching from northern Kenya to central Tanzania between the 17th and late 18th century. Other ethnic groups were forcibly displaced as they settled there. The Maasai territory reached its largest size in the mid-19th century, and covered almost all of the Great Rift Valley and adjacent lands from Mount Marsabit in the north to Dodoma in the south. </i>\n\n<i>This period, 1883-1902, was marked by epidemics of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, rinderpest and smallpox. The estimate,  in what was then northwest Tanganyika, was that 90 percent of cattle and half of wild animals perished from rinderpest. Rains failed completely in 1897 and 1898.</i>\n\n<i>The Austrian explorer Oscar Baumann travelled in Maasai lands in 1891-1893, and described the old Maasai settlement in the Ngorongoro Crater in the 1894 book Durch Massailand zur Nilquelle (\"Through the lands of the Maasai to the source of the Nile\"): \"There were women wasted to skeletons from whose eyes the madness of starvation glared ... warriors scarcely able to crawl on all fours, and apathetic, languishing elders. Swarms of vultures followed them from high, awaiting their certain victims.\" By one estimate two-thirds of the Maasai died during this period.</i>\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8507</center></h3><i>Maasai are pastoralist and have resisted the urging of the Tanzanian and Kenyan governments to adopt a more sedentary lifestyle. They have demanded grazing rights to many of the national parks in both countries. The Maasai people stood against slavery and lived alongside most wild animals with an aversion to eating game and birds. Maasai land now has East Africa's finest game areas. </i>\n\n<i> Maasai society is strongly patriarchal in nature, with elder men, sometimes joined by retired elders, deciding most major matters for each Maasai group. A full body of oral law covers many aspects of behaviour. Formal execution is unknown, and normally payment in cattle will settle matters. An out of court process called 'amitu', 'to make peace', or 'arop', which involves a substantial apology, is also practiced. The Maasai are monotheistic, and they call God Enkai or Engai. Engai is a single deity with a dual nature: Engai Narok (Black God) is benevolent, and Engai Nanyokie (Red God) is vengeful. The \"Mountain of God\", Ol Doinyo Lengai, is located in northernmost Tanzania. The central human figure in the Maasai religious system is the laibon who may be involved in: shamanistic healing, divination and prophecy, ensuring success in war or adequate rainfall. Whatever power an individual laibon had was a function of personality rather than position. Many Maasai have become Christian, and to a lesser extent, Muslim. The Maasai are known for their intricate jewellery.</i>\n\n<i>A high infant mortality rate among the Maasai has led to babies not truly being recognised until they reach an age of 3 moons, ilapaitin. For Maasai living a traditional life, the end of life is virtually without ceremony, and the dead are left out for scavengers. A corpse rejected by scavengers (mainly spotted hyenas, which are known as Ondilili or Oln'gojine in the Masai language) is seen as having something wrong with it, and liable to cause social disgrace, therefore it is not uncommon for bodies to be covered in fat and blood from a slaughtered ox. Burial has in the past been reserved for great chiefs, since it is believed to be harmful to the soil.</i>\n\n<i>Traditional Maasai lifestyle centres around their cattle which constitute their primary source of food. The measure of a man's wealth is in terms of cattle and children. A herd of 50 cattle is respectable, and the more children the better. A man who has plenty of one but not the other is considered to be poor. A Maasai myth relates that God gave them all the cattle on earth, leading to the belief that rustling cattle from other tribes is a matter of taking back what is rightfully theirs, a practice that has become much less common.</i>\n\n<i>Over the years, many projects have begun to help Maasai tribal leaders find ways to preserve their traditions while also balancing the education needs of their children for the modern world. Many Maasai have moved away from the nomadic life to responsible positions in commerce and government. Yet despite the sophisticated urban lifestyle they may lead, many will happily head homewards dressed in designer clothes, only to emerge from the traditional family homestead wearing a shuka (colourful piece of cloth), cow hide sandals and carrying a wooden club (o-rinka) - at ease with themselves and the world.</i>\n\n<i>The central unit of Maasai society is the age-set. Although young boys are sent out with the calves and lambs as soon as they can toddle, childhood for boys is mostly playtime, with the exception of ritual beatings to test courage and endurance. Girls are responsible for chores such as cooking and milking, skills which they learn from their mothers at an early age.</i>\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmTWdWuyrCeDsWSApV57BiQgNej1FB8rKXafwg8RB7vgtC/Maasai%20boy,%20image%20plus%20txt,%20Bk12,%20p8507.png\nRobbie jumped to Moshi and with the help of our local friend he found the family of the boy. Robbie decided it made sense to speak to the grandfather instead of the father. The old man listened, at first his eyes narrowed and then widened as he learnt what his grandson has done. Robbie kept his grin to himself when he sensed how proud the old man was of his grandson. It proved, to Robbie, that he was right in not speaking to the father first. He suspected the father would not only have been angry with his son, but also with his father for filling the mind of his son with so many antiquated ideas. This way, Robbie hoped he’d find a way to make it right for both grandfather and grandson. He brought the old man with him to Freddie and gave them permission to sleep wherever he wants. The friend in Moshi let the parents know that their son and father are in Freddie as our guests and if they would have reacted with anger nobody knows, since they were immediately besieged by the press. Learning that people would be reading about them all over the world (and that they would be paid for their story), pride and the promise of a limited monetary benefit softened their anger and they agreed that both can stay with us for a few days. They were puzzled as to the reason we had taken them and we were shown, later, they speculated wildly.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8508</center></h3> Both the old man and boy (his name is Koyati Ole Saitoti (Ole means ‘son of’)) were not impressed by the fruit and cereals offered and concentrated on the lamb chops and kidneys, chips, plenty of bread wrapped around honeycomb that they tore in chunks. They must have drunk a litre or more of tea, sweetened both by honey and sugar. I had an idea and asked Maria to bring a tin of condensed milk and they happily drank another pot of tea as we chattered and Robbie smoked. \n\nRobbie smiled and then, once they saw he was not angry with them, he talked. “I am pleased to see that the spirit of the Maasai warrior still lives in your grandson. To make his way to Freddie-in-the-sky on his own, that was a brave thing to do. That he succeeded proves that what children think they can accomplish is what they can succeed at - as long as no adult is there to tell them it cannot be done.”\n\nHe spoke directly to the boy, “As impressed as I am by what you have accomplished, I cannot agree to you moving to Freddie to watch over our cattle. However, I am prepared to strike a deal with you. I want you to return home and go to school. If your school reports you are trying hard, and your parents agree, you can come to Freddie during your school holidays - if we are not travelling elsewhere. Once you are an adult, should you still wish to take on the job, it will be yours. To make certain the job is not taken by another, what if we employ your grandfather? Would that suit both of you?”\n\nIt does not matter why the boy did this. Whether it was a prank or whether he truly wanted to watch our cattle, his life has been changed. He now has good incentive to keep him studying hard and we’ll see to it that he has a good job once he is an adult - if he wants it. In the meantime, his sense of adventure will be satisfied by his visits to Freddie and he just might end up going on a few trips with us.\n\nThe grandfather is, in a very quiet way, happy. He was feeling useless and was waiting to die. Now he is full of life again and Robbie has given him permission to built his hut, of twigs and dung, within the area the cattle roam. He will not bleed our cattle but we’ll make up for it by sending him his meals accompanied by a couple of bottles of beer. I’m betting he’ll soon find himself surrounded by children - of the Akiards, Inguel and Elipians. Maybe other species too. He’ll certainly give them a different point of view to wonder at.\n<br>\n\nToday was divine for Coral. Yuming communicated with her for the first time. The moment Gina reached out to me is still crystal clear for me and in one way it is strange for a Cherinian. There is tremendous joy, a transcendent joy in sharing such moments with those we love and yet, for just an instant, there also is an instinctive retreat, a drawing in, as if by sharing we risk this new precious being that has taken over the heart and all reason for living. For some, that feeling flashes by in a tenth of a second and for others it can last a second or two. I’ve never known any Cherinian to resent sharing for longer than that, for, by sharing, everything is transformed and we become a centre of light and love that shields the child. If Coral felt such a defensive moment, it must have been the shortest flash possible. Imagine this. You place a candle at the center of a table and others place dozens of candles in a circle around it. However the light fills that center, each flame remains visible. For Yuming, the central and brightest light must come from Coral, but we want her to also sense us surrounding the two of them, loving and protecting them. Somehow the light of love from Robbie is always distinct, as it is from the birth-mother and it always is special for the child, drawing them to each other.\n\nWithin hours our sharing had been passed on around the globe and to other realities. Not long afterwards, the sharing was passed on to the Normals and, as always, it is the women who have had a child who weep from the beauty of it.\n\nFrom hereon we will be editing what we share. Once the communication is two way, we have to respect the moments that are meant to be private for Coral and Robbie, and those that belong only to us, the family. Despite the editing, there are still a rich variety of beautiful moments every day that we share with others. \n\nWe have not been as wise as we thought in sharing so freely. Iona and Lusalith, for example, have been deeply affected by what they’ve sensed. Since both of them are still children because they want to be, we fear they might decide it is time to become adults so as to have a child.\n\nDommi has proven herself the wise one of our family once again. We discussed the effect of our sharing on others and I was surprised at the number of ways we affected people of all species, but Dommi concentrated less on how amazing it is and more on how we should help those who need help. Pointedly, she told us that if some people have been affected in ways we do not like but that are for their own good or could result in them growing, we do not have the right to try and influence them. \n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8509</center></h3> Even Dommi was stunned when a Cherinian reported that a new religion has been started and already has about three hundred members. Their First Devotee, as he calls himself, preaches that no other child has touched as many hearts as Yuming has and that she is our Jesus, returning to us in his female form this time, so that, as the True Mother of all of Mankind he can save all those who are condemned to go to Hell if they do not open themselves to God - who, of course is not Arthur. He claims that Yuming has chosen to be born within our family <i>because</i> we prominently serve the false god, who of course is Satan using another name and title. What is really funny is that he claims that Coral, like Mary, is a Virgin. He is right, of course, since she had to age herself, two weeks after conception, and now has the body age of sixteen. Not that it gives him the right to speak of an Immaculate Conception - unless he thinks of Robbie as being the god he worships! https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmaC6xhFoTcWBivgQ3MXjXyG3bnKe4gRCp6TamgvNNQqLF/LC-smilie_reg-grey.png\n\nNone of us are badly upset by the new religion, we’ve seen too many sects come and go. What does anger Robbie is when people started referring to Yuming as ‘Yum’ and then as ‘Yummy’. I think he dislikes it so much that he is on the verge of asking Coral to change her name. Coral will not do so as Yuming is nearly old enough to choose a name for herself. We know that Coral chose the name Yuming as a reminder for Jade of how much she loves her (reminder, it means ‘jade brightness’). If Yuming agrees to change her name, I would not be surprised if she changes it to either Meilin (it means ‘plum jade’) or to Daiyu (means ‘black jade’ - Black jade is a rare colour of the magnificent stone of heaven. Black jade symbolises protection from negative energy and helps the wearer harness the wise use of personal power.)\n\nBecause Coral knows how important are the impressions and customs an unborn child experiences/learns, she makes certain she spends a few hours each day in Taiwan and insists on her family visiting - and she demands they speak to her in Chinese when they do, despite Claudia sometimes being present. She would prefer Yuming hear them in Chinese, but even if she does not, Coral insists that the way they phrase themselves and some of what they discuss will instil some Chinese background to her way of thinking. Coral also listens to Chinese music, including some pieces Wendy composed for Lua. Robbie, over the years, grew to fear we would leave behind our national cultures as we merged within a Cherinian family ‘tribe’/unit and seeing Coral so parochial in this has really pleased him.\n\nYuming is expected to be born on the third of June, PC 62. That is, in five days. This has been the first Cherinian birth (in our family) where we have not seen what she will look like. She has talked in our minds and we’ve played with her in the void, but she asked not to visit our World until after her birth so Adam had to come out to the void to meet her. She does not mind visiting the Anadir and Sparkler Worlds as she appears there as an Anadir girl - which has enchanted Robbie and all of us. Robbie tried to convince her to visit Meli’s world, but she shyly asked him to wait so that her first visit is after her birth. It would be very bad manners to ask her why she doesn’t want to be seen - as family, it would not be bad manners if she did not want us to see her because she thinks she will be ugly etc. Then we would ask and ask and do what we can to boost her self image. \n\nDommi told Rose, Robbie’s mother, that Robbie is maturing - as he adores his daughter without having seen what she looks like. Rose enjoys it when any of us tease Robbie, but she responded by claiming that Robbie knows she will be beautiful because her mother is Coral. “With her being partly Chinese, she is bound to have the delicate kind of look that Robert loves.”\n\nYuming talked to Arthur Campbell this afternoon and though we were surprised, Campbell was delighted. I have a feeling that our daughter did it deliberately so as to force us to re-examine the way we see him. He has certainly done enough to prove he no longer is our enemy. I thought about it for a couple of hours and then spoke to him. “Arthur, in a way I’m glad our daughter spoke to you, but in another way, it is not that good for us.”\n\nArthur felt my family was upset by what I said so he seemed to keep his emoting unruffled. “Why is that Samantha?”\n\n“I never really felt threatened by you - I guess I sensed without realising it that you are not a very bad guy.  If Yuming is right and you are not our enemy, then it means someone else will turn up and he, or she, or it, may not be as nice an enemy as you were.” \n\nHe grinned as Cassie answered for him, “If we do have another enemy donated to us, so what? We’ll have Arthur (Campbell) on our side.” It led to some good natured teasing and we returned to our home feeling happy and we had the extra benefit of sensing Campbell was also feeling good.\n\nAs we were about to fall asleep, I asked Cassie, “What did you mean by ‘<i>donated to us</i>’?”\n\nShe gave that wide grin of hers and there was something impish to it. “I guessed that you meant Arthur will write an enemy into our lives to make his book interesting.”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8510</center></h3> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmbDYi4A38JuV4oARNJRKnVuRQ6E4h6tP5TnCqcwMjUmGN/Sam,%20thought%20A%20is%20preparing%20to%20disappear,%20Bk12,%20p8510.png\nI was already over my upset as sensing our new daughter for a few minutes makes my whole world brighter and the more than positive way she feels about being born reminds me to look and see how much about life is a wonder and beautiful. Yuming plans on being born at about eleven in the morning, tomorrow, as we’d hoped, though, even with healers, nothing is certain. We are not planning to offer lunch for everyone, but there are those we’ve asked to remain behind after the crowds leave and they will total about two thousand. Keeping the numbers this small upsets us as it means we won’t even have all Teller alternates. With over one hundred realities now a part of us, plus the fact that we have to invite certain close friends, to have everyone we want to stay, we’d need to have food for three to four times as many guests. Yuming says she will be punctual, so all is being prepared for her to be born on time - through natural childbirth.\n\nIt is ten minutes before birth and Coral is already preparing for the spasms (they will only last a few minutes). The sharing of Yuming’s emoting will continue to the moment she opens her eyes and that is bound to stun everyone who has never shared before - even those who have. Yuming announced that she loves Jade just as much as her mother does, so she has decided to use two names. She will be Meilin (plum jade) Yuming (jade brightness) Teller.\n\nOnly us girls, Lua and her mother Mingzhu, with Dr Maria, were allowed to be present at the birth. No cameras were allowed…well, us girls used our AI companions to record the birth for us and Meilin to have for the future. Robbie held the one hand of Coral and once Meilin was out and cleaned and Coral had held her, he took hold of Meilin. We felt him commune with her as he looked into her eyes and welcomed her and then he handed her over to her great grandmother Mingzhu. We still recall how she felt to us when we first met her in Taiwan and feeling how open her heart now is to love as she holds her great granddaughter, it is a wonderful thing.\n\nDespite most of the world population having shared in the experience, it seems there is a hunger for articles and television shows, with people sitting glued to their screens as they listen to specialists arguing the most nonsensical points. Take any woman from a village in the most primitive part of the world and they would not waste everyone’s time repeating the most elementary things about having a baby as the specialists do. What annoys me is that they do so with a self-important air of being professional and wise. But then, I’ve had to listen to them pontificate about our healers (or healing energies) for years now, despite none of them having the ability to heal themselves or anyone else of even a pimple! \nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmaGdEbCeQZPBw8XYiSJMMXREJBEDHQyMeq9hRhg8AAz2Y/Meilin,%20born%20and%20speaks%20to%20A,%20Bk12,%20p8510.png\n<br><br>\n<center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost072\">Next [Book 12] - Post 072</a></center>\n<br>\n<h5><i><b>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.</b></i></h5><br>\n<br><br>\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUTQeVmsqWzFxMrg8a629XdGHm15kCnjSkbFyhiTMwUf9/Name,%20steemit.png\n* posted: 27th Sep, 2020<br>\n<br><br>\n<center><h6><i>If you wish to read from an earlier book, from Book 01 to Book 12, use this link button to open the LC Book Index:</i></h6><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo/best-way-to-read-little-cherine-links-to-books-01-to-012-new-teller-family-calendar-added\"><img src=\"https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmfJ4USBF6u8SKDuizVpqXMJfwxmr2FEKyc4cwTPvehscV/Worlds%20waiting.png\"/></a></center>\n<br>\n<br>",
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      "parent_permlink": "sfandf-fiction",
      "author": "arthur.grafo13",
      "permlink": "little-cherine-book-12-bpost070",
      "title": "Little Cherine Book 12 - BPost070",
      "body": "@@ -46424,16 +46424,486 @@\n  do not.\n+%0A%0AAs everyone shared from us and felt how the soul settled in place and then seemed to fall into a contented sleep, everyone sighed. Gently Coral was carried on the slight breeze back to our home so that she can remain in silence for half an hour. The soul will only require a few minutes, but by doing this we can have some time alone with our love. We can feel how overcome by the beauty of the moment Coral is and that she needs for Robbie to hold her tightly to him.\n %0A%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr\n",
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      "author": "arthur.grafo13",
      "permlink": "little-cherine-book-12-bpost070",
      "title": "Little Cherine Book 12 - BPost070",
      "body": "<sup><h6>The person who dies and goes forward the next incarnation stops existing, and it matters more than having an immortal soul does to most people.</h6></sup><br>\n<center>https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmSjs7k76PkScEuXxchZJPDRTfoywcNPt1RTFgzTxnE7Z9/Alex_Robert_Allan%20-%2018y%20-%20mini.png\n</center><br><br>\n<center> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUjdm8RyTVC9Jx8pqYrx7RX3Lvxm35wVLrDNRDUCEEZHF/LC%20Book12%20-%20Cvr.png </center><br><center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost069\">Previous: Book 12 - Post 069 </a></center>\n<br>\n<h3><center>8491</center></h3> Coral agreed to the party being broadcast on TV but the cameras were supplied by the Unation so that they don’t make our guests self-conscious. The first part of the party, the first three hours, were a typical child’s party. After that Coral projected to an adult and the tone of the party changed, becoming more boring, but comfortable for our adult guests. People had guessed Wendy would be singing and all stations reported a record number of messages from the public asking for more songs by her and Candy. We only heard about the requests after midnight, so Wendy and Candy sang another five love songs, music for slow dancing. We refused to dance even one slow dance with Robbie, insisting they all belong to Coral. She was so beautiful and happy that we felt Robbie fighting himself as he struggled against his asking her to have his child. It was the very best birthday present ever and Coral clings to the memory of it like an impossible dream.\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmNLxfzidW8z1dgjK7UpfuE473t5VoGhs3FUT1LotW8aTf/Arthur%20asks%20for%20right%20to%206%20kids,%20gives%20one%20to%20Coral,%20Bk12,%20p8491.png\nArthur, this is Allan. The entire planet is watching the Teller family with amazement and, believe it or not, compassion. They have reacted so strongly to your offer that even Normals can feel them - well, most Normals. I don’t think anyone had realised how desperately the girls wanted a child and how much self discipline they each showed by not allowing anyone to sense it - until now. It is easy for everyone to do the arithmetic and, as you mentioned, they total thirty nine; after the six and without counting the six, there will be thirty three of the girls without child. There now is a growing movement of women offering their ‘right’ to a child while another movement opposes them having any - apart from those you are gifting them. It is remarkable that nobody is taking a stand against what you’ve done. I think that even those who would, know that Coral is so sweet and loved by all that they would find themselves without supporters. I  guess that is one of the benefits of never being an adult. https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmaC6xhFoTcWBivgQ3MXjXyG3bnKe4gRCp6TamgvNNQqLF/LC-smilie_reg-grey.png\n\nYour intentions were good and of a loving nature Arthur, however, I hope this does not lead to cracks appearing in the walls the Teller girls, and many more of other families, built to control their need.\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmVrVTp8Y9qMqf4qU648RVo38U2Bd7rdLN6ZRGgrsfY7Mp/Arthur,%20asks%20Coral%20to%20find%20a%20Chinese%20name%20for%20her%20dau,%20Bk12,%20p8491.png\n<br>\n<h3><center>8492</center></h3> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmfPQzpqh87Q24g2ehNpwu6pXKPrh3Yv2p3GHGW9Fw9YWi/Arthur,%20sure,%20then%20Normals%20have%20the%20right%20to%20stop%20you%20marrying%20her,%20Bk12,%20p849.png\nUntil the rapidly swelling wave of Terran pleas for Coral’s child to be conceived on Earth, we had requests that we choose the planets of almost every species who are Cherinians (not the Wirms, R-Wirms and Sparklers). Us, the family, with people like Alki, Marian, Luigi Taurus and so on, felt that Goldi’s planet or the world of Meli would be ideal, but we’ve given in. She’ll be conceived on Earth. \n\nIf you can believe it! There are sites, magazines and clubs where they are holding a contest for the best name to be chosen! Coral is the only one they don’t annoy; I guess nothing and nobody can get to her right now, she’s floating in a heaven of her own…with Robbie’s arms always around her.\n\nlol - Robbie is shy about making love because everyone is striving to sense us! This must be the funniest problem we’ve ever had. Allan is not earning himself any good boy-scout points with his snickering and struggle to hide his amusement. He is not just laughing at Robbie; he’s laughing at over fifty females and that is stupid of any man, never mind a Cherinian who should know better!\n\nAssimé asked Coral, “Would you like to choose when your child will have her birthday? If yes, then you have to choose on what date you conceive her.”\n\nCoral looked awed at the thought. “If we conceive her now she’ll have the same birthday as Cherine.”\n\nTheresa said, “That’s not a good idea, Cherine’s birthday is a biggie for everyone and she’ll be ignored. We also shouldn’t let it be too close to the first of May as that is also a big Cherinian holiday.”\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmbwjStyHkuMwVwMquB4uVgceRX6rNDfxdAVqAqjNofH8q/Arthur,%20when%20was%20Lua%20born,%20Bk12,%20p8492.png\nOur planet has a plethora of extraordinary beauty spots. What is hampering us is our wish to find a place which also means a lot to us without us having to sacrifice our privacy. Over the decades, we have been very open about our lives and shown most of the places we treasure in our tellings - resulting in such areas being flooded with visitors. We decided we’ll have to find a new beauty spot and by choosing it, it will become an important place for us.\n\nCherine asked Coral whether she wants Robbie or the Sparklers to choose a soul for her child. She took her time thinking about it before giving her answer. “I can’t know what I would have wanted under different circumstances. This child will exist because Arthur loves us and that makes her even more special for everyone, not just for myself and Robert, or for our family or Cherinians. To choose a soul implies we rejected souls and I do not consider that in line with what Arthur wants of us. Has he not told us a number of times that we are all his children? Robert, my husband, the soul will start afresh and in that way it will not differ from any other. How she will grow, does that not depend on us? Could we allow the child itself to call for a soul at random, as it has been since the beginning of time?”\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmPvQxALVe6ZzZMaLCqSvwrFMXptHEA5qzSZJrCwppAbxD/Sam,%20Coral%20chosen%20name%20Yuming,%20Bk12,%20p8492.png\n<br>\n<h3><center>8493</center></h3> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmYkhcMnEcMuVFfD4RVwJTPmvHeRmxbJLZvT2tG1oCnBGM/Coral,%20Sams%20teasing%20Arthur%20frightens%20her,%20Bk12,%20p8493.png\nOld ways of thinking die hard. We all had a feeling that we should search in Asia. Then Robbie started taking time off on his own and because we knew how it would delight Coral to have Robbie choose a place, we slacked off. A few days before the date we’d chosen, Robbie had an attack of nerves and asked Dommi to go with him. We were hoping she’d be feeling ecstatic when they returned, but she mostly emoted a confused puzzlement. Robbie spoke to Alki and he ordered tents, portable loos, showers, water tanks, chairs and kitchen stuff. No beds though, just a mountain of mattresses and pillows. At least that was a clue and those of us who were hoping for luxurious comforts tossed away those dreams.\n\nArthur, we are leaving - I’ll give you details when we return.\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmQuFq7YE5DDR3iXaVR2Bn2PHqV64nPmQj8RGY26KqzBfr/Sam,%20our%20tiny%20dau%20is%20an%20embryo,%20Bk12,%20p8493.png\nThe news of our return is spreading like wildfire, but we’ve insisted that the very first person we tell is you, so they’ll have to wait. I’m starting to get a grip on my emotions so I think I’ll manage to write well enough. Arthur, we had expected the location to be somewhere new to us and in a way it was, but it also is a place we’ve visited often…in another reality. Robbie made a very secret agreement with the government of that country and the area and purpose has been altered so that it is the same as the alternate. He chose Duluti Lake and everyone worked hard to convert it into a chimpanzee park, just as they did in the Tippity reality. The area was cordoned off, ostensibly for army manoeuvres, but it was leaked that the real purpose is to protect the chimps from poachers, so we had the camp area to ourselves. Our tents were pitched and ready for us and the existing camp loos were torn down and rebuilt using the latest dry-toilet technology so that they won’t smell bad. We don’t even have to leave our tent at night to go to the bathroom as the tent has a large tunnel that clamps to the building.\n\nRobbie brought in one person not of our family. John came so as to cook for us. He was deeply touched by the delight we showed when we saw him but he quickly made clear that he will not be staying with us, he will jump home and back to us the next day, only spending with us the bare minimum time needed for preparing our meals.\n\nWe arrived early in the morning on the thirteenth of November, PC61. It is very difficult to explain how we girls felt. The business of wanting and preparing (mentally/emotionally) to have a child is an adult adjustment. However, our excitement combined with the vibrant sense of raw life, the African scents, sounds and colours, made us behave like children, scampering about, even climbing trees. Robbie ceased organising the camp and gave himself over to enjoying watching and sensing us. We found a couple of chameleons and delighted in playing with them, changing their locale and background colour so as to watch them alter their own colour. It was fascinating, just as wonderful as meeting an exotic alien creature. Our yells and laughter must have unsettled the chimps, who were not relaxed in their new home area, and they screeched at us from within the trees making Robbie laugh at us when we screeched back at them.\n\nJohn prepared us a light lunch, consisting of salads, cold meats prepared by him and without any of the horrible preservatives the factory-made stuff has, fresh asparagus, slices of avocado with olive oil and balsamic vinegar lightly drizzled over them. For dessert he had custard apples, red bananas, naturally sweet raspberries and little pineapples as sweet as honey. He brought with him green coconuts so that we have coconut milk to drink. Not one of us complained about not having any commercial beverages…but Robbie and those who wanted it had bottles of ale. \n\nThe light meal was calculated not to leave us feeling lethargic and torpid during the mild midday heat, but we were calmer, quieter. Jutting out into the lake is a tiny wooden pier and a little further out is a rough raft made of wood over old oil drums. None of us felt like swimming so I floated to the raft and settling cross-legged, I closed my eyes and let my mind implode at first and then it expanded to include the scents and sounds of the insects, birds and animals. It was easy to exclude the voices of the girls, as I remain aware of them in the background at all times. I sensed Robbie walk off with Coral and I soaked in her emoting for a moment so that my meditation would be less introspective and more uplifting.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8494</center></h3> Twilight, this close to the equator, lasts less time than I’m used to in Athens. The sky darkened and stars began to twinkle energetically as if the sun had recharged their batteries during the day. Robbie called to John, who was preparing to leave, asking him to join us for a while. As he sat on a bench next to Noelle, a plate laden with food was passed on to him. We took our cue from Robbie and fell silent and John is naturally not garrulous, so a cone of silence settled over us. This area has quite a lot of fireflies, but we were not fooled when they appeared in a variety of colours - we were awed by what Robbie was doing for Coral…the faëries came to Africa for a visit!\n\nA faërie landed on the table and after daintily ensuring there was a clean section, she sat on the edge of the plate, staring up into Coral’s fascinated eyes. “Coral, did you know that you have the name of a sea faërie?”\n\nCoral shook her head, and lightly whispered, “No, I never thought of it.”\n\nThe faërie tilted her head and smiled. “I’ve heard of sea faëries, but I’ve never met one. From old stories I was told as a child, it seems they are not as evolved as we are, some of them even have legs and claws like tiny crabs. Can you imagine how silly that must look?”\n\n“Er…could there be some that look like mermaids?”\n\nShe smiled thoughtfully, obviously captivated by the idea. “And with their long black hair and their siren voices they would invite us into their watery garden where we would drown, our bodies a meal for their crab-like brothers and sisters?” She chuckled. “Sometimes I have a gruesome imagination, but I have to keep the images I see to myself because children are supposed to believe that faëries are only sweet and pure. Coral, are you planning on having a faërie godmother for your daughter? If you do, would you like to choose one of us? There are a number of us who would like to be her godmother.”\n\nCoral, prompted by Jade, grinned. “You mean she is allowed more than one?”\n\nThe laugh of the faërie tinkled clear enough for all of us to hear her. “Oh no, just one. We’ll have a competition. What if we each sing a song and you choose the one you like best?”\n\nTina piped up, “I’d rather have the one that will love our daughter the best as her godmother.” Coral nodded her agreement.\n\n“Choose from our songs and the one who becomes her faërie godmother will be the one that loves her the best.”\n\nSuddenly another faërie stood on the table, close to her. He looked angry. “Ellisira, this is a Cherinian child that is to be conceived, why should she be stuck with only the same alternatives some village lassie from the dark ages had?” He turned to Coral, gave her a sweeping bow. “Pleased to meet you Coral. I am the King of the Faëries and am honoured to offer you the chance of appointing me as your daughter’s faërie godfather - the first ever!”\n\nNone of us were thinking very fast, so it was not a surprise that Ellisira answered before us, “Fine, you want a chance to be chosen, then sing.” The king glared at her as his face reddened. She laughed. “Don’t you fancy your chances then?”\n\nClaudia asked the king, “Aren’t you a singer?”\n\n“It is not my forte and the vixen knows it. Sometimes my queen can be almost as evil as a human!” It was said with humour so we laughed, half of us pretending to take his side and the other half, hers. I was not the only one secretly watching Robbie and hugging the way I felt, sensing the pleasure we gave him. At such times, the love Cherine feels for all of us can overwhelm and thus dampen us, but she was careful to just be one of us this time.\n\nAs soon as the last of us finished eating, we sat on the canvas sheeting at the edge of the lake and the faëries, darting and soaring across the view performed their aerial dances to the songs being sung for Yuming and Coral. I’m glad they did not do this to me when I had Gina as there is no way I could choose one over the others. Maybe Coral did an ‘eenie-meenie-miny-moe’ for choosing, or else she chose Ellisira because she is the queen and it would not have been tactful choosing another over her?\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8495</center></h3> When the faëries first appeared, we’d sensed that Robbie was enjoying the emoting of John, so it was not much of a surprise when he suggested we invite the bronze dragon Stargard. We were impatient for the moment we’ll sense our new daughter’s life starting, but we also did not mind postponing the moment as it meant we had that little bit longer to anticipate it - and though it is a form of self-torture, it is a sweet agony. John was still lost in the enchantment of having had a faërie sit on the palm of his hand while singing a song, without words and yet with a message for the heart. Lost as he was within internal worlds of his imagination, he jumped home without speaking to us and before Robbie could tell him of our next guest. Robbie stared at where John had been sitting with a funny startled look on his face. We tried not to giggle, but as soon as the first of us gave in, the rest joined her.\n\nAs we retired to the tent to have a shower, Robbie walked off towards some coffee trees left over from a farm that used to be in this area. Surprised, we sensed Vincent. Cherine instantly jumped to be by Robbie so we shared through her. He placed his arm over her shoulders. “Don’t panic, I only asked for Vincent as I had the thought that some people won’t respect our privacy and with the technology that exists the tent won’t hide us from them. I don’t feel like making love with strangers staring at us. Vincent will ask the Unation to block us and he and Kirsten will watch out for Talents snooping on us.”\n\nI’ve asked Robbie to take over.\n\nIt has been a long time since I’ve tried to write of the loving of my girls. Bearing in mind that Arthur did not ask for the sexual side of it, just the moments of tenderness and love, I have no reason to object - not for Arthur. The truth is, I don’t see how the sexual aspects of our loving can be completely excluded so I’ll write as much of it as I’m comfortable with. I admit I find it very weird that I, of all people, am willing to write anything of our private sexual moments for a man - especially as it is a man I’ve never met!\n\nAfter John departed, the girls went for a shower, but I needed ten minutes on my own. The evening was pleasant, cool enough for a light sweater as it had drizzled for a few minutes and I enjoyed the soft scents of nature the damp had brought out. I walked on the dirt road, away from the lake, gaining a few minutes of solitude as the girls tactfully concentrated on their preparations. I had no wish to walk out of the crater, but I did not want to take one of the paths made for tourists into the forest as I worried about disturbing the chimps even further. I arrived at a point where I could not see the lake and only the branches of a large tree cut across the skyline of the crater heights in the background. I stopped walking so as to dip deeper into my thoughts.\n\nI have spent so many years worrying about children being born to Cherinians while no Cherinians can die that it still disturbed me that I’d given in so easily to temptation. In a way, I still could not believe how easily I’d capitulated, given in to what I so desperately wanted. Arthur gives us an excuse for having a child and I behave as if the responsibility for doing so is his, not mine? That is not honest of me.\n\nOn the other hand, it has been so many years since our last child; we live those years we spend in Freddie, thus they do count when thinking of the period we’ve done without, so I cannot count only the Terran years like Sam does. I’ve had so many children and yet I still ache for more; my empathy for those of my loves who have not had even one child adds their ache to mine, turning it into a constant torture. What I’m saying does not mean I, or any one of my loves, resents Coral becoming a mother. Each of us have opened our hearts so that her feelings can flow into us; her ecstatic joy, her unbelieving feelings that she does not deserve this, that this or that love of hers should have been chosen, her guilty delight that it is her, her fears of anticipation, they flood our heart and become our own emotions. Soft-spoken, gentle Coral, beloved of everyone who knows her, how could anyone resent her being chosen. That Arthur picked her shows that without her being written of (not often), what she is still crossed the barrier of our realities for Arthur to sense how special she is.\n\nI stood in the dark with only Freddie glowing among the stars as the moon had not risen yet and my mind accepted that I may have doubts about the ethics of having a child, but not about Coral being the one and not about the right of Arthur to change our rules - not even if it is only so that he indulges himself. Until it happens, I will always fear we may fail in bringing him across to us and if my fears turn out to be justified, anything he asks of us that makes him happy is a very small price to pay. I ground out my cigarette stub and my heart was at rest with the universe as I walked back to my loves. I felt that now I will be free to glory in the moments of life coming to us and I focussed my heart on Coral, my beautiful love, the mother of our child who waits for us.\n<br>\n\nIn a small way, life is unfair at times like these. Making love to my Coral, however tenderly, passionately and lovingly, I still have the feeling that there should be some way for me to make it extra-extra special for her - and all my loves…even for myself. There are no new nerve-endings to discover so all that is left is for us to find new ways to touch each others’ hearts. They all felt me and feeling over fifty females respond was mind-blowing. Coral’s response was not any more acute than that of the other girls. I gloried in them, for they proved what I did not need proven to me; my baby girl loves me far deeper than she did when she first joined us. Mixed up with all that powerful love was her love for each of the girls and that made her love for me even more precious. God knows how I’ll feel when I sense her love for our daughter added to what she already feels. Love is a vibration in the heart and at times it makes us feel as if we could shatter if one more pulse is added.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8496</center></h3> My loves gathered around Coral so that I could no longer see her and they made way for me to enter the tunnel to the bathroom. Sensibly, not one of them joined me for my shower. One of my loves must have used her gift to heat the water, for it was scalding hot, which could not be after so many girls had their showers. I needed it as hot as possible since this would be a no-soap shower. \n\nI grinned when I saw what my loves had done. Our bed was really a number of mattresses lying on the thick canvas floor. All the sheets were pearly white, with the exception of the central mattress which had satiny coral pink sheets. Lying between the coral sheets, demurely covered to just below her shoulders, my Coral love waited for me, her eyes huge with the wonder and awe of the moment.\n\nI glanced at Cherine. “How am I expected to last until midnight? Look at her! With that shy, demure, innocent little girl look, even without touching her I won’t last! Contrasting that with feeling how her mind and body are roiling with passion for me…I’ll probably burst into flames!!”\n\nDommi’s voice was filled with love as she spoke, “My loves, you don’t have to wait. It doesn’t have to happen on my birthday, it was a lovely idea, but creating a daughter is special enough on its own.”\n\n“I agree.” I answered. “But it will be even more special for all of us, including Coral, if we do hold out.” I grinned. “Anybody want to play Monopoly?” That gave my loves the excuse to hit my legs with their pillows. I landed next to Coral, still grinning. “Isn’t it lucky that my half of our baby girl is not in the first lot?” I tilted my head as I stared into her eyes. “I’m not going to tell you in which lot she’ll be so you’ll have to dry me out until I’m just skin and bone.” She stared back at me as if I was something simultaneously exhilarating and terrifying. A flash-back to when we first talked about being married guided me. “Wife, your husband dreams of having a child of yours to love. Do you wish it to be so?”\n\nShe let me take her tiny hands in mine as she shyly replied, “It is my dream too, my beloved husband.” As if being formal now released her to be herself, she glanced up shyly and I sensed a mischievousness in her eyes. “You wish to be her father and love her only as your daughter, dear husband?”\n\nI kept a straight face, “I shall only love her as she herself wishes it of me.” I leant over and lightly touched my lips to hers. Coral glanced at her loves, maybe to make certain they were not amused by us, and then, very obviously, decided to concentrate on me. Coral is very good at focussing on one thing at a time and she is definitely worth my focussing on her. \n\nI lay on my back, swinging Coral over so that she rested on my chest, her legs between mine. I lightly pulled her up until her face was over mine and she dipped her head so as to kiss me. Her breath was scented like honey and flowers and as I inhaled it, it changed, turning into a fire in my blood. Coral’s eyes widened as she looked up at me and I sensed the same thing had happened to her. Her burning need shattered my wish to be gentle and loving and all I recall are urgent lips and teeth as she squirmed and bit me and then her body, like a fiery eel lowering itself.\n\nThe needs of the many had driven us the first time. Each of us had spent the day eagerly anticipating the lovemaking of that evening and it drove us into the wild loss of control that can be such a delight when it happens to both of those who are making love. As Coral lay limply under me, only half conscious, I tenderly kissed her eyes, her lips, her nose, in butterfly kisses. The flush across her right shoulder and nipple and her dazed senses were all I needed. Claudia prompted the others and they tugged at me to get me away from Coral and then all of us were led to sit on the benches outside while coffee and Milo was made. It was cool enough for it to be a pleasure for both Coral and I while I held her to me as she lay on my lap, her eyes almost pitch black and gleaming as she looked up at me. I did not really notice much of anything outside us as I was happily flitting around within her mind.\n\nCoral wanted a cool shower and three of her loves took her. I sensed what was expected of me and did not claim Coral when she returned. The girls needed to love her, treasuring the softness and heat of her until they all exploded in a drawn out orgasm. I was not entirely left out; they wanted me to watch and share and hands would reach out to caress me, legs to dig a toe into me, lips to briefly slide over me and Orshiir covered my lips with her flower. Afterwards, both Orshiir and Coral lay in my arms as we drifted off, dozing for a while.\n\nI slid back to awareness and realised my loves were taking a walk outside again. I sat up, leaning on my elbow, sensing them, wondering what they planned. Cherine sent me a picture of her crooking a finger at me, inviting me to join them so I walked out of the tent and watched as the girls spread out a huge tarpaulin. They did not seem to need my help and I saw that Coral was sitting at a table watching them with a coffee and my cigarettes by her. I joined her and she slid over to scrunch up against me. I raised an eyebrow when she looked at me light a cigarette. She was almost afraid of my reaction when she explained, “Cherine says you are sending the half of our daughter this time and we all want it to happen outside, the nature way.”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8497</center></h3> I took a sip and a draw, exhaled the smoke and asked of all of them, “Do you think it will be good for the chimps? Are they likely to have sex with those who are still immature?”\n\nAnxiously Coral asked, “Could it harm the little girl chimps?” The girls replied, assuring her I was only teasing. She sighed, not interested in teasing me, as she burrowed into me, “Well, it would be a lovely way to make our baby.”\n\nI hesitated for a while, not certain the girls had thought it through. For instance, if we do it this way, it will be the first time we’ve conceived a child without recalling many of the details. We might not even be aware of the first moment the sperm is accepted by the egg and it splits. I thought of a way when I glanced at Sam, but it did not solve the problem for me as I do not have an inner character like Sam’s Hesina. This is one of those moments that highlight the way becoming Cherinians has changed us. As my pre-Cherinian self, I would have decided it was worth making the sacrifice since it would provide my loves with so much pleasure. Now, if I were to do so, it would make them unhappy. Too late, I sensed myself falling, spiralling into the web of life. It had begun, the girls had not waited for me.\n\nI returned to vague but almost painful memories of molten metal flowing through my veins, chaotic orgasms and movements that grabbed and twisted at me internally, as if I were the female being invaded and my organs violently displaced. A node that I thought was a white sun turned into the one cool spot and from that radiated all else in concentric waves of pure light - I came to realise it was the one instance/physical/mental we’d all focussed on, this was the joining of male/female that remains to become a part of us forever: this was the first nova instant of our daughter coming into existence.\n\nWe watched her blossom, hardly aware of ourselves lying under the pale sky as dawn-light condensed, sparkling on every dewdrop. Whatever wild life we had attracted was long gone by the time we returned to an awareness of ourselves and the world. In lots of three to five we held each other as we entered the tent. When we lay down on the mattresses I felt as if I could sleep the entire day but I did not wish to lose one second of sensing the rapid changes of new life within Coral.\n\nAganthi, Dommi, Cherine, Claudia and Tina, found the strength to dress, go to the kitchen tent and prepare breakfast for the rest of us. None of us touched Coral, she sat with us in a circle around her, but we did not wish our touch to steal her from her rapt immersion within her body as she became part of the growth and strengthening of life. She was witnessing a miracle and was a part of it, her existence just as beautiful a miracle for all of us.\n\nOnce the sun had risen high enough to peer over the crater edge, I had recovered enough to recall those who waited on the outside, their need to know just as keen as our own. The first persons I had to share with were Vincent and Michael and the girls just as eagerly needed to share with Lua, Daniel, Kirsten, Freddie and Cherise and Ahní. The best way to share was to invite them and they brought Alki, Maria, Allan with his two loves, Themi with Natalie and my mother. From there it has quickly widened to include Hettie and Eddie, various close friends of the girls and so on. There were two I felt I had to bring by going to them. I collected my father and brother, their Rose coming with. How could I leave out my brother Henry - even though he was in another reality helping his alternate. By the time John returned to prepare us a light lunch, he found a crowd of over four hundred. Then the alternate Teller families arrived and Dommi told John not to even try, that he should join us as a guest.\n\nIt was made clear to all our guests that they are only welcome to stay until three in the afternoon. My loves and I still need time on our own so that we can concentrate on showing Coral how much she is loved. By the way, only Sam would do what she did. Among those she asked Freddie to bring was her AI companion Athene. Of course the Wirms and Sparklers invaded our crater en masse so our daughter isi-mi-Metti, Ordinx and Ashiir had to join us. By three o’clock, the four hundred now were in their thousands, without counting the Sparklers and Wirms, and I could not say anything to get rid of them. Since all of them were concentrating their love on Coral, none of us really minded.\n\nToo many had come for us to exclude those that did not, so we gave up on our wishes and returned to Freddie to share with all the other species and to beam a message to the entire planet below us. There were one hundred and seventy four television station representatives waiting by the taverna. Luckily they are only allowed the Unation cameras in Freddie, but we did have to make a formal announcement, so we had to gather as a family (Michael and Ahní had to join us, we insisted) and with Coral held to me (yeah, I know, not a good move with her looking like a six year old!), I made the announcement. We confirmed Yuming had been conceived after midnight, Athens time. Everyone remembered to wish Dommi and the other seven a happy birthday. We are happy it worked out this way since we ended up having a fun party to celebrate the birthdays. I teased Cherine by pretending I wanted to celebrate this day as our wedding anniversary, but she only kissed me and grinned.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8498</center></h3> We did spend that night and the next ones…till now, our present, mostly loving Coral and I’m certain she’ll be fed up of us within a few weeks. Until our little girl is born, Coral not only will be adored as she has never been before, she will also find herself surrounded by loved ones all the time - none of us dare take the risk that some disgruntled Talent attacks her. Cherinians watch the various web sites that are not in our favour in case we get a hint of trouble to come and I found it surprising that nobody really attacked me for getting Coral with child as a six year old. It seems people are starting to accept that <i>seeing</i> a Teller <i>child</i> does not mean my loves <i>are</i> children. I’m glad they are starting to feel that way, but I hope I never do.\n<br>\n\nRobbie handed over to me as he says we are not likely to have much to write about. He is hoping our days will be filled with adoring Coral and our daughter. Once her mind starts emoting, then we truly will be a fulltime captive audience, sharing while carefully avoiding our influencing her. \n\nMichael asked Coral whether he and Ahní can share fulltime and when she agreed he let his group know they will be in Freddie until the birth. He is giving them half an hour each morning and afternoon for meetings, five days a week! I teased him, pretending I was surprised they aren’t fed up of him showing such love for us. \n\nAhní let him curl his fingers around hers as he replied, his voice lightly amused, but also amazed, “It is likely most of the daily hours I spend with them will be for sharing the highlights of my sharing what I sensed - as Ahní will do with the females, wives and so on. You do realise, my sweet mothers, that the Ipohin are also holding strictly to the rule of no babies?” He glanced at his father, as if worried how he’ll react, before continuing. “There are seven couples who were desperate for a child during the last three terran years. They searched for realities where some calamity occurred and the populations are much smaller than here. They found such realities where their alternates do not exist and moved there. They have undertaken to have only one child and will keep their Talents secret until you or I decide it is time to let their world know about us.”\n\nRobbie nodded. “I guess I’d do the same in their place. They are ascertaining first that there are no other strong Talents - like Eddie and Hettie?”\n\n<p>“Yes, I made certain.” He sent a thought to us in private. *<i>With this time-trapped Campbell staying in Freddie, will you be sharing with him so the he shares with the responsible people in his group</i>?* We sensed how Robbie left it to me to answer. I privately asked Coral and Dommi and they both agreed.\n\n“Arthur, would you like to do as Michael plans so that those who want to share from your groups can also be a part of this experience?”\n\nHe slightly cocked his head as he asked Michael, “Will you be sharing with couples only or will you share with men who are single? Ahní, is it a good idea sharing with single women, could sharing such an experience only serve to awaken their interest in having a child of their own?”\n\nMichael grinned, “I wouldn’t underestimate the effect it could have on the men - many have a strong need to be a father. I suggest we treat males and females in the same way.”\n\nA few were eager to respond, but they felt me and everyone froze, wondering what had me so excited. Almost afraid of explaining, I waited until Latreia and Spice, who happened to be sitting to either side of me, each took hold of a hand. “Should we offer for one of us to share with each of the species? Won’t that bond us more tightly with them? It would also show them how strong our urge to have children is so that they don’t think we are not like them and find it easy to control our needs. I suspect it could stress for them how important we think the rule is.”\n\nRobbie cut in, “It is not a rule Sam, each person and species must choose to make it a rule for themselves.”\n\n“I didn’t mean we imposed it as a rule dad, however, by making it a rule for ourselves, many do think of it as a rule-by-example.”\n\nAlthough the idea had excited me, for I’d guessed our alien friends would want to share, I too was caught by surprise at how strong the reaction was. Some of them could not believe that Robbie was willing to share something so private, but all of them eagerly changed their schedules to suit us.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8499</center></h3> At first we thought that we could each choose which species to share with, but that was a failure. We forgot to take into account our own personalities. Some of us go overboard and are totally besotted and obsessed while others are more practical and controlled. To ensure each species gets an average of how we feel, we divided ourselves into groups of four, made up of each kind of personality. This way we did not have, for example, Haven sharing with the Akiards. They shared with four of us (not me, I was in the Anadir group) and emotional Latreia is part of their group. Robbie was placed in the group for sharing with the Unation (which meant that Candy had to be with him, despite both of them being so emotional, since her Iziko is part of the Unation group). Empathia is part of the Muyzith group. Syrina, of course, is the romantic/emotional part of the group sharing with the Inguel (she made damn certain that our isi-mi is part of those who joined with them, not that any Inguel would even think of excluding her). Only one alien species were allowed to share directly from Coral and, as I’m certain you guessed, it was the Dream Dancers, Lusalith for the first time ever sharing with her people as part of a group - I bet many, at first, were concentrating more on the fact that they were sharing with their god than with Coral. The Sparklers and Wirms continued sharing with those they normally share with. Sheena also shared with her Terran friend and her son, so that meant Claudia could share with Avgi and Haven with David. Soon all of us were sharing with Normals we like. The strangest sharings of all were by aliens who have befriended Normals of our planet and we were all eager to sense from those Terrans what it has been like for them.\n\nThe adage about benefiting from giving has been proven true to the extent that sometimes we cannot bear it and need a little time to recover. Sharing with others, as part of a group, has made our sharing with the embryo as sharp as a laser; by having to mix what we each sense into an ‘average’ of our senses for others means we also experience it from each other (as a sort of ‘echo’). Often, when we send on something new from our daughter, the aliens react strongly and that leaks back to us, stunning us with the flood of stimuli we are experiencing.\n\nCherinians and Ipohin, after asking us, started something that has paralysed our planet for an hour each day. Do you recall how we talked about shaping memories and marketing them, some using sexual memories so as to charge a higher price? Many Cherinians, Ipohin and even Campbellites are condensing what we’ve shared during the day and are providing worldwide coverage (mostly throughout the cities and suburbs). For that one hour, everything seems to come to a stop! Vincent and Dimi found it amusing when they discovered that the pubs are often full during that hour, the patrons making a point of using drink, the telling of lewd jokes and playing pool or darts to block off the <i>anamnesis</i> (as the memory sharings are often called). Sometimes when it gets too much for me and I feel saturated, I sort of longingly wish I could join them in a pub for a little while.\n\nThe rhythms of our days have slowed to a gentle crawl and even occasions like birthdays and anniversaries are quietly enjoyed at a dinner with family and close friends so as not to distract us from sensing little Yuming as she develops. The big moment is closing in on us and we are all feeling very emotional about the arrival of her soul in two days.\n\nAs was chosen by Coral, the Sparklers are not monitoring the souls they hold for previous lives and personality, but they have been chosen for a specific reason. There are still souls held by them from the first day they arrived, when they thought they were saving the souls. When Coral was told about those souls, she felt the symbolism, for us and the Sparklers, made the choice of a soul from among those a lovely idea. The Sparklers (there are thousands of them) who are holding such souls will surround Coral so that the embryo calls and chooses from amongst them.\n\nWe discussed what I wrote last night while we sat at the taverna and it led to the most stunning development! The Anadir, using our beloved Ordinx and Ashiir as their representatives (they also roped in our isi-mi as their ambassador) have requested that we allow a few Anadir souls who were here from that period and who are willing to start afresh with a new life to be amongst the group available to Yuming to choose from. The other species (especially the Inguel who maybe are slapping each other in private at the thought that one of their species was instrumental in arranging this for the Anadir) have shown great tact and love for the Anadir by not jumping in and requesting the same rights. Normals mostly admire and like the Anadir so very few have protested the idea. As for us, we don’t think it will make any difference, the child will start off with a wiped-clean soul.\n\nI’ve just had pointed out to me that what I said is not strictly true. Souls who were previously Terrans are not likely to recall their previous lives, but if it was an Anadir, it could possibly remember and be influenced by who it was. If we get an Anadir, it better be a damn good Anadir!\n<br>\n\nThis is not the first time our television stations have tried to broadcast the moment of a soul entering the foetus. Hopefully Robbie’s energy dye plus <i>slow motion</i> technology will give everyone a clearer view. The Unation AI came up with a method of filming the event that everyone hopes will be a hundred times more effective than anything used before.\n<br>\n<h3><center>8500</center></h3> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmW3pZz2rszHduPSJnDPVsFmsjMLx9D2tNgzHAauaBPnnr/Cameras-soul,%20as%20soul%20enters%20embryo,%20Bk12,%20p8500.png\nLuckily, just in time, the Sparklers thought of a possibility that could have changed everything. They realised that the embryo might call a soul from the void instead of from the Sparklers which are closer. They’ll carefully monitor the void and hold newly arrived souls until our daughter has called her soul.\n<br>\n\nDommi confirmed the day has arrived and it felt like everyone went crazy from anxiety and excitement. We already have thousands of Cherinians from other realities, especially Teller families and those close to them, plus our local friends and those Cherinians who were free to come, in Freddie. The media are also here from last night. Now the politicians, artists, royalty and so on have to be brought to Freddie. There is no way we could avoid bringing priests of every religion and sect since all of them seem to think that souls fall within their province of expertise! Since it means so much to my daughter, I have to mention that Gina went to her second family and beloved king and queen and invited them. She had to agree to the press from their planet also coming with. As soon as they arrived, Samantha, an adult and in love, came to spend the day by me - and bent my ear about the man she loves who has not noticed that she exists. I wonder whether she is hoping that either Jina or I will return with her to help her.\n\nThis is the first time ever us girls have resented bringing guests to Freddie and the turning of the soul-birth of our daughter into a circus. We wanted to be with Coral and sense Yuming every single second to the moment the soul becomes a part of her and thereafter. These moments are very precious to us and wasting them on people who lack the empathy to appreciate what they are costing us for petty reasons strains my goodwill. With the crowds behaving like tourists, as if they are here to visit each other and gossip, to see and be seen for snobbish reasons, us girls are having to spend our time floating just above them and shepherding them back to their seats. This is a private family-time and they should have respected the goodwill we’ve shown and…Robbie cut in to tell me that we should also respect the goodwill strangers have shown us. I guess the love we’ve been shown is wonderful and I should not grumble, but I’m a little girl, not a saint.\n\nWe solved our problems by having the Akiards stand among the crowd and every time someone tried to leave his seat to greet someone they’d find the eyes of an Akiard on them and they’d settle down, deciding they can wait for afterwards. The family, with our pappou, Mingzhu and Lua, gathered around Coral and the Sparklers and Unation cameras took their positions. Now came the time which nobody can control or influence - we have to wait for the embryo to call for its soul. The wait turned out to be longer than we’d expected and I quietly updated the diary. \n\nThis whole affair has taken weeks to organise and everyone has had to wait for close to two hours and then, when the soul is called, everything is over within seconds. For outsiders it may have felt anticlimactic, but my loves did as I did, we altered our time sense (Robbie taught us, long ago) and stretched out the moment so that it seemed to last forever. We watched as the soul sank towards Coral and it looked like a candle flame gusting within a storm. How fragile it looks and yet it endures even where suns and galaxies do not.\n<br><br>\n<center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost071\">Next [Book 12] - Post 071</a></center>\n<br>\n<h5><i><b>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.</b></i></h5><br>\n<br><br>\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUTQeVmsqWzFxMrg8a629XdGHm15kCnjSkbFyhiTMwUf9/Name,%20steemit.png\n* posted: 25th Sep, 2020<br>\n<br><br>\n<center><h6><i>If you wish to read from an earlier book, from Book 01 to Book 12, use this link button to open the LC Book Index:</i></h6><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo/best-way-to-read-little-cherine-links-to-books-01-to-012-new-teller-family-calendar-added\"><img src=\"https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmfJ4USBF6u8SKDuizVpqXMJfwxmr2FEKyc4cwTPvehscV/Worlds%20waiting.png\"/></a></center>\n<br>\n<br>",
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      "author": "arthur.grafo13",
      "permlink": "little-cherine-book-12-bpost069",
      "title": "Little Cherine Book 12 - BPost069",
      "body": "<sup><h6>Wendy seemed to be speaking to herself as she mumbled, “One of them talked to me so it means they do have a mind - which means they know we exist, even if they pretend we don’t.”</h6></sup><br>\n<center>https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmSjs7k76PkScEuXxchZJPDRTfoywcNPt1RTFgzTxnE7Z9/Alex_Robert_Allan%20-%2018y%20-%20mini.png\n</center><br><br>\n<center> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUjdm8RyTVC9Jx8pqYrx7RX3Lvxm35wVLrDNRDUCEEZHF/LC%20Book12%20-%20Cvr.png </center><br><center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost068\">Previous: Book 12 - Post 068 </a></center>\n<br>\n<h3><center>8481</center></h3> I grinned. “I was wondering whether they don’t want to acknowledge our existence because they think we are all females. What if a male tries to talk to them? Arthur, are you up to it?”\n\nCampbell shrugged and as he rose from his chair, he jumped. We watched him through others who were on planet so we had a bourbon waiting for him when he returned. He raised his glass as if toasting us and took a long sip. “I guess they don’t talk to males either.”\n\nJade giggled, “Did you tell them you are a male or did you expect them to guess?” He was not at all amused, but he jumped back. We couldn’t help laughing as he tried to convince a Vuy-Lequie that he is a male. Arthur seemed to take it personally, as if their silence showed they did not believe he is a male. He was pretty red in the face by the time I jumped to stand by him.\n\n“I am Samantha Teller and I am a female. If you do not wish to speak to Arthur Campbell, who really is a male, would you like to speak to me?” No response at all. Arthur lost the ruddy glow as he chuckled at my failure. There could be two reasons, that I could think of, for them not to want to speak to us. The second reasons is unlikely as I don’t think they know about their soul problem, which left me with… “I am female, but in our species it is the female who is the child host.”\n\nThe Vuy-Lequie wildly bobbed as it turned suddenly to stare at me, coming to a stop. “Kajy Lygejol. It is spoken truly?”\n\n“It is true. Would you like to visit our home in space? I think I can take you if you agree.” \n\nEven females were in the group which quickly surrounded us and he saw their reaction. Anxiously he asked, “Kajy Lygejol is the first invited?”https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmPU2Ej1tt7PvZ2D1sDavMrWWah8N1Ayw7QnhDdMoXDfQh/Arthur,%20teases%20R,%20stop%20trying%20to%20hog%20it%20all,%20Bk12,%20p8481.png\nLuckily visitors get sheathed while still in their world, making it possible for Freddie to react instantly. It only took a few seconds for us to realise that Kajy Lygejol was suffering - almost as if she could not breathe…or like a toy with a battery running down. He showed how saddened he was at not being able to come with us so Freddie tried a suggestion by Diana. He sheathed him again but this time it was more like placing him in a tiny platform of his own. Freddie included half a metre of the dust under Kajy Lygejol and all the spores in the air within the same distance from him and this time he did not suffer. While we took our guest to Freddie (FTS), Freddie created a much larger platform with the local dust, spores and atmosphere and brought it to Freddie as a backup should Kajy Lygejol need it. The small platform was not a platform, it actually was a sheath, which means it takes whatever he needs for breathing from our air, but Freddie was worried that Kajy Lygejol must need something else that we don’t have - for instance, sunlight. Luckily we can mimic the rays artificially.\n\nKajy Lygejol spent the first hour in a state of euphoria. He was like a kid with a thousand questions and he wanted to see <i>everything</i> within his first visit. He had to enter the larger platform every half hour or so and after he emerged from it for the third time he calmed down a bit. I did not ask any of the questions burning within me, preferring to give him another hour of indulging himself. Then I asked whether he would indulge our curiosity and answer some of our questions.\n\n“Why would none of you speak to us?”\n\n“Our females and your people spoke of us, but you were the only one to care about what matters to us.”\n\nEmbarrassed, I tried to change the subject, “What do you think of Freddie? Our ecology is very different from yours, isn’t it?”\n\nI haven’t worked out yet whether the bobbing becomes more pronounced when they are deep in thought or whether it is because they are embarrassed. He answered, “It feels very sterile to me. I cannot understand how you can live in it.”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8482</center></h3> “Sterile?” Jeepers! I mean, I doubt their whole planet has a tenth of the variety of lifeforms Freddie has - without counting the alien ecological niches. Then I realised, he meant the spores, not the lifeforms. I guess they must represent life to them. Both as food and as future forms of life. “Kajy Lygejol, it only seems sterile to you because our ecology is so alien to you.” I asked Diana and Claudia to explain to him about the three kingdoms of life we have (as I first learnt from the trilogy <i>Of Man And Mantra</i> by Piers Anthony).\n\nI’ll take a tiny aside because I appreciate the irony <i>and</i> I think it is important. The Vuy-Lequie are, in appearance finer, more delicate and beautiful. They are taller than the females, very slender and only at their midsection are they wide and soft, which is designed by nature to make it safer for the embryos they host. Somehow it looks good on them. I was guilty of making the same mistake some males of my world make and considered them less intelligent and capable of original thought than their females. Unfortunately I was not the only one guilty of thinking it is so, almost all of our species felt this way, even our males - maybe our males feel this way because they classify ‘hosting’ of embryos with being female?\n\nKajy Lygejol bobbed thoughtfully, staring as we sipped cold drinks (we must have confused him since they are of different colours, pellucid, black, green, orange and blue). “The worlds of other species, they each belong to one or more of the three kingdoms? There is no fourth?”\n\nClaudia nodded, pleased with the question. “Actually, there is, the Wirms and Sparklers and the creatures named Ambros and Pambros don’t belong to any other kingdom we recognise. We can’t be certain about all the other species.”\n\n“If an accident rid your world of two of the three kingdoms, would the remaining kingdom not expand, diversify, so that all niches are covered? You do not think the fungoid kingdom of my planet has expanded so as to cover all the ecological niches, making it unbelievably richer than the same kingdom of your planet - perhaps even equivalent to all three?”\n\nClaudia shook her head. “No, I don’t think one kingdom, however it expands to cover the niches can be as diverse as having three kingdoms. I’m probably biased and I’d like the Inguel to tell us what the truth is after they study your world.” Now Kajy Lygejol shows that Claudia is his favourite alien - he must have a very high respect for her ability to face what she may not like…\n<br>\n\nWith Kajy Lygejol back home and Robbie still absent, we asked Maria to delay supper and sat talking. When we’d delivered Kajy Lygejol at the exact spot he wanted to be and we’d removed his sheath, Claudia asked and was given permission to feel him (through her sheath of course). She was more interested in her healer learning what it could about him. Since then she’s stayed absorbed in her internal conversation with her healer and we are all curious - even Campbell did not hide how he felt. When she called for the Muyzith, Inguel and Anadir to share from her and her healer, we were on fire with the need to share. All three species sent someone to visit and Claudia spoke aloud, but without sharing with any of us.\n\n“His body does not feel real! It is as if it is made of energy…like ectoplasm.” Ectoplasm? That sure had us hooked and if we were not such polite creatures we would have been driving her nuts with our questions.\n\nLytiso, a Muyzith doctor/scientist, gave her equivalent of a frown. “Not ectoplasm. More like protoplasm - which makes just as little sense.” <i>The living substance of a cell?</i>\n\nInsifa countered, “No, to me it is more like nucleoplasm (The protoplasm that constitutes the nucleus of a cell).” Even those of us who have studied a bit of science were at sea. What they were saying did not make sense. Insifa felt us. “I’m sorry, it must sound crazy but I don’t see what else it could be. It is as if someone has stripped the cells that normally make up a Lequie body and mashed up the inner substance like soft clay to form a living body again. The flesh is no longer made of separate cells and yet it is not one cell.” She was too excited to succeed at sounding as grumpy as she was trying to. “We’ll be studying them for the next thousand years and we’ll never understand! Don’t get me started on what should be cartilage, nerves, organs and so on! Nothing makes sense - it should not exist!”\n\nBy now our isi had joined us and we felt her dismay when the Inguel scientist, Ifola, added, “It pains me to make such a request, but could they be inveigled into allowing us to take samples?”\n\nisi urgently asked, “What if the slightest cut could kill them?”\n\nClaudia reassured us, “No, they do bear scars so they are not like balloons, they won’t ooze out of a tiny cut. However, the females might take exception to our wanting to cut a male.”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8483</center></h3> They all turned to me so I looked for a logical answer. “Can such a request wait until we have solved the riddle of their souls? Once they see we can help them recover from their mistake, I don’t think they’ll take exception to our curiosity. They also have many questions they want to ask us so they should understand both sides will have to be open to the other.” I grinned, as I added, “I wonder whether I’ll ever be comfortable eating mushrooms again!”\n\nRobbie, Solomon and the Akiard Entity returned without good news. They tried everything they could think of, but they were present at the absolute fading away of two lives and no soul was found. The males used to have a soul so they have to still have one. We must find it.\n<br>\n\nWe have been here for five months and during this time we have not seen one Lequie, male or female, travel more than sixty kilometres from their home. It is nearly a month since Kajy Lygejol was our guest in Freddie and most of the locals have paid a visit since then. They showed great interest in what they see and asked some interesting questions, but…not one of them has asked for or shown they wish to visit again. It is as if their curiosity has been satiated and their thoughts have moved on to other things. I find it impossible to imagine them not having another million questions and I know that the differences do not frighten them. I’m really itching to be invited to share the mind of a Lequie.\n\nImagine taking millions of tiny oranges, peeling and squashing them into one big orange. How is it that the big orange isn’t just orange juice? The question isn’t why could the males only host one child, the meaningful question has to be, how could they host even one - as a matter of fact, how could they even fertilise an egg? Fertilising and hosting both require some kind of interactivity between very different kinds of bodies. I am convinced our healers are wrong, they are not seeing the Vuy-Lequie as they truly are. I tossed that into the argument at the taverna, but it did not make any more sense than any other question or answer being bandied about as everyone tried to find a way to save so many souls from final death. We all feel that we can only succeed if we learn enough to understand what changes the Lequie females made to their males. To do that, we’ll have to learn how to enter their minds. I wonder whether Lelepco Elosuyk has a sense of adventure.\n\nWith so many Sparklers watching, it was not difficult to find her. She politely greeted me and waited, without my sensing any curiosity. This is starting to annoy me, no species learns to harness the powers of the mind without a strong interest in learning everything it can. If there is a planet with iridescent butterflies on the other side of the universe, I want to learn about it - how can the Lequie be different? Unfortunately I’ll have to be careful of what I say, unless we can reverse what they did and save the condemned souls it would only be cruel to let them learn how high the price for their romantic dreams really is. They may have found a way to accept the extinction of their species in a philosophical manner, but learning the price their males have to pay, that will destroy their souls.\n\n“Lelepco Elosuyk, there is much about your people that does not make sense to us. I’m certain the same is true for your people and yet none of you are curious. Why is that?”\n\n“I hope the answer does not cause you pain Samantha Teller, for empathy at this time is not a kindness to either of us. The youngest of us is more than half way through the time we have. When the last of us dies, so does our species and all our libraries within that instant lose meaning. Knowledge should not be gathered for the existing generation, it should contribute to the wisdom of future generations. When we first met, there was much excitement and curiosity, but as we came to see the vast wealth of knowledge you openly offer us without asking for anything in return, it made us aware how sterile life is when there are no children to benefit from our struggle to understand the universe.”\n\n“The force or energy that is you, what happens to it once you die?”\n\n“There is a dimension where nothing exists. Our spirit is released and goes there, where it is trapped and wanders for all eternity, reliving the memories of this life. Some say it does not survive to the end of time, that as with all energy, it fades until the last flicker of awareness is gone.”\n\n“We call that place <i>The Void</i>. Lelepco Elosuyk, your knowledge of the void is wrong. The only way I can show you how wrong is by taking you there. You would have to allow me to enter your mind and trust me to carry you to the void where I’ll be your guide. I will tell you this, it is very important that you learn to understand the void, because that is where we can learn what is needed to save your species. Come with me and if you help us to help you, your species will exist for a very long time.”\n\n“You teleported us to your shipworld?”\n\n“Yes.”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8484</center></h3> Her bobbing became slightly frenetic. “You will teleport me to the void? Will you give me one day to find and share the words to lessen the grief of those who care for me?”\n\n“I’ll only take your mind, not your body. You will be returned, but I can understand you find it impossible to believe me, so…take your time, one day, two days, ten days, whatever you need. Lelepco Elosuyk, I do not like that you will suffer, thinking I will not return you, so I’ll ask you to consider the following: the only reason I could have for taking you to the void is for saving your people. If you can let go your fear of the unknown long enough to see it is as I say, then you’ll know that I also have no reason for lying.” I chuckled. “If you think I cannot return from the void, then why would I do this?”\n\n“You are alien to me Samantha Teller, how can I count the reasons when I do not know how you think?”\n\n“I guess it comes back to the only question that matters - will you trust me.”\n\n“It does not matter, I have to try anything offered. The guilt is mine.”\n\n“Guilt is a bad reason for agreeing, concentrate more on love for your people. Lelepco Elosuyk, I’ll meet you here tomorrow.”\n<br>\n\nDommi helped me, but even with her help it took two days for Lelepco Elosuyk to become aware of us in her mind. What I’m talking about is not telepathy. If I try to communicate telepathically and the alien has any telepathic capabilities, I’ll either be heard as a ‘noise’ or as an unclear whisper, but over a few minutes to a few hours my message will be heard fairly clearly. For her to sense my presence within her mind is a totally different experience, far more complex, and we’ve had difficulty in getting Normals of our own species to sense us as the host first has to become aware of him/her/itself as a spiritual entity and see the workings of its mind, allowing it then to see us as an energy separate and not part of their mind. I think Dommi pulled a miracle by cutting down the time needed to two days. Lelepco Elosuyk went through the usual gamut of emotions, from terror at sensing something alien within her mind to ecstasy as she realised that for the first time ever she was experiencing another mind directly. We gave her the time she needed, but I took her within me while she was still in a state of euphoria - it meant she needed more time to panic and fight me and she was in the void by the time she started to react. She froze when she realised where she is.\n\nFor the first time, Lelepco Elosuyk was able to see and communicate with the Sparklers and she felt dizzy from excitement when she understood that the void is their home ground. A number of species visited, as souls, and once she accepted that I was telling the truth and that the souls of each species look slightly different, she pleaded to learn what she looks like to me. I was able to help her share what I was sensing directly from me and that, in turn, convinced her that she really does have a soul. It is an earth-shattering concept to learn and she needed help to recover, even after I returned her to her body. When we returned to our bodies we discovered she was surrounded by Lequie anxious to learn from her, so I promised to meet her the next day.\n\nI was ecstatic. I had dared hope that once Lelepco Elosuyk visited the void and learnt about souls, she would be more open to us and do all she can to convince her people to let us save their species. Fate: There are times when no good things happen and nobody can think of answers and then there are times when ideas and events rush at us as if a white hole is spewing them in an explosion that dazes us. On this day, during the early part of evening, Tserika and Sheena were companions, their love expressed by sharing of memories and ideas. Tserika sensed Robbie and an idea was born out of her love for him. Sheena squealed, both shocked and ecstatic as she instantly saw how the idea Tserika was still puzzling over would transform the way we save lives by bringing back those who have died - also making it easier for us to identify the souls of the Whites when they die. She did not need to diligently wind through the logic of the idea to be convinced it would work, she just <i>knew</i>, instantly - as did we.\n\nTserika got her idea, so she says, from sharing my visit to the void with Lelepco Elosuyk. Tserika saw that when I carried her soul to the void, I automatically made way for her cord. She wondered whether the Vuy-Lequie have a cord attaching them to their body or could it be that their souls are part of their bodies, which would explain why the soul fades away with the body. She then visualised one of us, any soul, entering the mind of a Vuy-Lequie and reinvigorating him with our energy. The question was: would only the soul be strengthened or would the body draw from the given energy? The question/problem will not exist with the Whites, only their souls will be vitalised so that we can see them as we do any other soul.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8485</center></h3> Robbie called for Solomon and the Akiard Entity. He explained Tserika’s theory and we sensed all three of them relax. Robbie explained to us, “While we were in the future watching the Vuy-Lequie fade away, we saw ourselves appear within the same time frame, but this time Samantha was with us. We worried as to what reason could have caused them/us to risk a paradox or time loop, but we quickly departed so as to minimise the risk. Sam, the male you brought to Freddie, since he knows and trusts you, we’ll have to return to a time close to his fading so that you can share energy with him.”\n\nSomething did not feel right, despite reacting with joy to being asked to be a part of the first attempt. Robbie insisted he and I have a good meal before we leave our bodies. I was glad that Aganthi sat next to me, sharing while we ate. I sensed her withdraw from me and as soon as Robbie had his cigarette and coffee, she spoke her thoughts. “Samantha must not go to the future Kajy Lygejol without explaining to him at this time. Since he will know why she has come to him, he will not ignore you as he would otherwise. Roberto, once he is faded, he may not wish to interact with other beings and he may also prefer to fade away without being forced back to life. It happens to the very elderly and sick of our species.”\n<br>\n\nKajy Lygejol listened as I explained. I had first asked him to keep all he learns from the rest of his people as we fear the knowledge of what is to happen to them within fifty years might cause them to lose hope and stop fighting to stay alive. As I talked, I continually empathised, imagining how frightened he must be, but I could not sense him. This must be what it is like for Normals.\n\nThe large, pale eyes of Kajy Lygejol remained fixed on me and I was surprised when I noticed that he is hardly bobbing at all. He did not cry out or show emotions that would attract the attention of others. I’m genuinely starting to like him and that means I’m also starting to fear, for I cannot face failing him.\n\n“If our theory works and we are able to help you, will you be able to catch the attention of other males and convince them to allow us to help them also?”\n\nHe took a few steps, turned around so as to see everyone within sight and faced me. “At that time, if all is as you explained, I do not think I wish you to save me.”\n\nDommi, our ‘mother’, sent me her thoughts and I felt my cheeks redden. “Kajy Lygejol, my apologies, I did not explain correctly. We have no problem in saving and rejuvenating the females, only you males are our problem. We’ll even bring males and females from your past so that the population is large enough for your people to survive.”\n\n“Then it is not good that you save the Vuy.”\n\n“What if we can save you <i>and</i> change your body so that you are no longer a Vuy - just a normal male?”\n\n“You can do that?”\n\n“Yes and…damn it, Kajy Lygejol, to explain I would have to tell you something that is terrible and very painful.”\n\n“Is there anything more terrible and painful than not being what I am meant to be - a host? Samantha Teller, I am made to look fragile, but I can bear all else.”\n\n“The pain is not yours, it belongs to the females. I should first ask them, but if I do and then we cannot save you, their pain will be more than they can bear.”\n\nHe hesitated and I think he was examining me and wondering whether I was strong enough to bear his pain, for I actually sensed a sweetness as he softly told me, “Allow me to choose. Will taking me to Freddie ensure the females do not learn of what you have to tell me?”\n\nA large platform with enough of his ecology for him to survive was created and he is now in Freddie. In their natural environment there is moisture but the clouds are not of moisture, only of spores and dust and it never rains. They do not have oceans, lakes or rivers and when tiny streams appear, they run dry within days. Although the natural habitats are so different, Kajy Lygejol is spending the night in the company of Lusalith. We had to introduce her as Lusalith Teller since she does not have a second name.\n<br>\n\nLusalith sat with us and there was a bleakness to her as she listened to us explain to Kajy Lygejol all that their females have done to them. We thought he would also find it difficult to believe in souls and the void and yet he made no comment, accepting what he is told.\n\n“Only the Vuy-Lequie will be lost?”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8486</center></h3> “Not just those of your time, all Vuy, from the first one. Kajy Lygejol, we speak of an existence that spans across all time, that is what is to be lost if we fail. We cannot accept the loss of even one soul. The worst crime any being can commit is the deliberate final death of a soul. Your females did not know and so we do not blame them, but we do know and we cannot allow even one final death without fighting to prevent it or else the guilt becomes ours.”\n\n“No Vuy have died - that is why the way of our death is not known. If I welcome you, it is possible for you to enter my mind and show me the void?”\n\n“I can’t sense your mind Kajy Lygejol, which makes it impossible for me to enter it.” I paused as my words left me hanging at the edge of an idea. “If you can feel emotions very strongly, one of us might succeed. I doubt you are able to hate that vividly but…can you submit to the emotions of hosting for a long enough period?”\n\nWe had all expected Dommi to be the one to make the breakthrough, but it was our Candy who had the brilliant insight that made it possible. She warned Kajy Lygejol and asked him to hold her. She then changed to a baby. Kajy Lygejol did not react and we explained that Candy was now an infant.\n\n“Your infants are giants?!” Candy had to change, shrinking to the size of a newborn kitten before Kajy Lygejol eagerly took her in his arms. Candy must have looked weird to Kajy Lygejol, but somehow she did press (what we consider) the maternal instinct buttons she was hoping for and she was the first to succeed in entering the mind of a Vuy-Lequie. It hurt being in his mind. I am slowly coming to know the person and entering his mind to only discover there is no discernible soul, just the mind tick-a-tocking as it flashes with thoughts, it is hard for me not to show I’m grieving. This morning Dommi and Aganthi asked me not to enter the mind of Kajy Lygejol. Dommi told me I’m getting too involved and it makes me less effective and he deserves the best any of us can do to find his soul. I’ve had to sit with my loves and watch others struggle without me. It’s hard.\n\nOur Robbie is growing wiser! I found out last night that he asked Dommi and Aganthi to stop me, it was not their idea. They agreed with him, so it doesn’t give me the right to get huffy with him, so I decided that I would try and do what I’m supposed to be best at. I’ve spent this day on my own, going back over all we’ve learnt about this species and Kajy Lygejol himself, in the hope that I’ll come up with a new angle. The only idea I came up with was to share from Sheena once more how she found the souls of Whites. Sometimes, learning something negative to the present problem helps cut out a few false leads. I’ve decided that part of the change the females created welded the soul to the body, now I need to work out what that means and how something that is impossible could be done by a people who do not even know that souls exist…in the way that would make it possible, if it is possible, which I don’t believe it is. Grr.\n\nIn the morning, Kajy Lygejol did not join those who are trying to make him aware of themselves within his mind; he came to me. “Is it not time to share that which I came here to learn?”\n\nWith respect for the courage he was showing, I nodded. “Robbie, could you leave your body here and return from the void as a soul?” Robbie returned as a beam of light that only gradually took on his form. Kajy Lygejol was fascinated and did not flinch when Robbie waved his arms through his body. Once Robbie returned to his body we settled into a long and detailed explanation of souls, the possibility of mother-souls, the void, Sparklers, Kaleidoscope Worlds. Wisely, we then gave him another two days. Although he said he understood, he found it difficult to accept the concept so his mind kept on finding new questions to prove it is not true. Only once it was obvious he had moved past that stage did we take it further. We told him the females have souls, but the Vuy-Lequie no longer have souls. We explained in detail the difficulties we’ve experienced and explained what our theories are, carefully stressing that they are only theories, that we do not know anything for certain. Lusalith spent that night with him and they talked for most of the night. Lusalith was emotional the next morning, emoting love for him as she told us that Kajy Lygejol had mostly empathetically worried about the females and how this information will damage them. He has decided that if we fail, we must never let them know.\n\nKajy Lygejol has a strange effect on us Terrans (I’m not certain about other female-male orientated species). I have to keep on reminding myself not to think or write of him as a she. We also tend to think of their females as being more like our males. Having to react to what is said or happens while re-wrapping our reactions to their actual sexual state can mix us up. We did not expect what happened, even though I like to think we might have if we had thought of the possibility. On this morning, watching Kajy Lygejol as he pleaded that we keep the secret so as to save the females, Deissia walked off on her own, but we sensed her and I chose to be the one to comfort her. I had not sensed how she felt about the males of our species because she mostly kept it hidden from herself, but confronted by a situation where females who feel like males condemn all the males who feel like females to final death, it shattered her. I aged myself so as to hold her as she wept - and she let me.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8487</center></h3> Once she stopped weeping I had my healer bring her splotchy face back to normal and told her, “How about we return to Kajy Lygejol so as to find a way to save all of them?”\n\nWe had to reward Kajy Lygejol for being so brave and selfless…for being all we dream of Cherinians being. If we do not succeed in preserving his soul, this will be the only opportunity for him to experience the void. Robbie became the void and took him to the void, shielded within a platform of void energies. From there Robbie jumped him to the Sparkler World.\n\nWe met them there. Kajy Lygejol has enough scientific knowledge to appreciate a trip in the Sparkler  World. He was in a smallish platform that was placed within a large one and we grinned as hundreds of all species asked to come with. We travelled at speeds that were obviously close to the speed of light and Kajy Lygejol is not a narrow-minded individual. He accepted what he saw and tried to work out how it could be possible within the universe he knows. He chose to believe that the reality of the void is not within the universe - so we then debated his theory with him, explaining about ghost realities and about the infinite size of each mind. It did not frighten him as the theory has with other species, but he did feel disorientated for a while. To recover, he used the same trick us Terrans do; he buried all of it somewhere in his mind and blocked it off, assuring us he’ll take peeks at the information and mull over it for the rest of his life.\n\nWe had landed and were walking about on the surface of a Terra niche. I pointed at the Alps that decorated the horizon. “I asked for us to come here so that you can see mountains. From the mountains we shall travel to other parts of our planet for you to see features your world does not have. You will see rivers of water, snow and ice, ravines and volcanoes. What you will be shown is what most planets have and I do have a reason for showing them to you. Your planet is gentle, treating you kindly and your ecology is unique as far as we know. I think that no planet can have your one-kingdom kind of ecology if the planet is challenging like ours is.” I smiled. “This is just my crazy theory, no scientists have discussed it, so maybe you’ll find my ideas childishly naïve?”\n\nHe nodded as he bobbed. “Your argument is based on the theory that, the more challenges life is exposed to, the more inventive and adaptive it must be? That is a sad truth to be contemplated. Sad for us because it means we are not suited to survive in a universe that is far more harsh than we had imagined - and sad for you, for you were moulded by a harsher reality and adapting to it must have stolen much of the beauty we can still perceive.”\n\nCherine softly touched my arm. “Kajy Lygejol, does it not prove how important it is that your people survive, for only with you as our friends can we learn to see some of the beauty you speak of?” She looked up and grinned at me. “That is what you were about to say wasn’t it?” I chuckled in her mind.\n\nI am pleased that my hunch has been proven true. When the Vuy-Lequie ignored us and did not show interest in what is something new to their world, we’d all argued that the change that altered their bodies must have also stolen much of their intelligence. With time I started to suspect I was wrong and Kajy Lygejol has proven I am right. He was as excited as a child by all he saw and we allowed ourselves to get carried away and we took him to alien niches, created by the Sparklers for other species. When he heard about our tellings and asked for one, we let the Sparklers know we will be giving a telling and asked them to create stages across the niches for all species who might wish to share with us.\n\nTina came up with an idea we liked - and it was a stroke of genius. She wanted us to project as Vuy-Lequie so that we can sit with Kajy Lygejol in a niche suitable for his species. It did mean the girls doing the telling would have to be shielded - their entire stage would have to be. However, this is where the ‘stroke of genius’ part comes in. Remember how our healers had problems with ‘learning’ about the Vuy-Lequie bodies? Remember also how ten people with a different taste in wine can drink from the same bottle while in the Sparkler World and each of them will have exactly the wine they prefer? Remember when some of us were hurt and the Sparklers called to us to ‘wish’ ourselves better? Tina told us to wish ourselves Vuy-Lequie bodies and…we had them. Now we could tell our healers to learn all about our body and we think they did.\n\nTowards the end of the tellings, Robbie came up with his great idea. He asked Kajy Lygejol for permission, after explaining what he intends, and then used his energy-dye system (when as the void) and passed it through the body of Kajy Lygejol. Then we all tried to sense the energy of the soul that should be an indigo shade. When I say ‘we’, I do not only mean the family, all species who wanted to try were welcomed. We all reeled with shock when we worked out the truth.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8488</center></h3> Kajy Lygejol has a soul! That is not the big surprise, it is just the joyous confirmation we needed. What is shocking is what the females did with the soul. So as to strip the body of all impurities, as if they wanted their males to become angels, they used the soul as the binding agent that provides the body with the spirit of life. Unfortunately, as the body fades, it strips the spirit/soul of its energy and it fades at the same time, bringing about the final death before the soul can get to the void. It will take some experimentation but at least we do have a choice now. We will need a little time to debate the ethics so as to make it possible for us to take the necessary action - we are going to have to kill their present bodies, providing them with Lequie male bodies. We don’t have a choice, but it does go against all we believe in - against the instincts that now rule us. There will be many tears amongst us Cherinians for what we will be forced to do, but there also will be joy at having saved a few tens of thousands of souls from final death. They don’t balance each other out and I would not want to lose the tears, we must weep for what we do so that we remain on the path taking us to our Cherinian Dream.\n<br>\n\nThe females were asked to meet us at their bowl, which we understood to be their meeting area. When we arrived, about two hours after their sun rose, they were puzzled when the Vuy-Lequie joined them. Robbie calmed them, reassuring them that the males already know some of what we want to tell them. He then explained that we know how they changed their males and even suggested we understand why they did it. He then told them about our first arrival at their planet, in their future, when all the females are gone and the males who are still alive are fading away, to the point where they stop existing.\n\nRobbie took a deep breath and tackled the hard part. “All sapient life, whatever the species, has an energy body that survives the death of the physical body. We call this energy body the soul. The soul returns to live again and again, often as a member of the same species it was during its last life, but it can be reborn as any species within the same galaxy or even in a galaxy so distant that it cannot be seen. There are various beliefs about the soul, but those of the species with us in Freddie, believe that it is intended that each life, each reincarnation, is supposed to refine the soul so that it grows pure and worthy of becoming part of the mother soul at the end of time. It does not happen that smoothly, each life we live has its own temptations, each society we are part of drags us down or elevates us, according to the ethics of that society. The conditions can differ within the same species a number of times as other worlds have populations that are tens of millions times larger than yours.\n\nWhen we first visited your planet, about fifty of your years in your future, we only found one sex - the Vuy-Lequie. All females were already dead. Your males had been left on their own and they wandered across the land barely aware of it, lost in their thoughts - which I now assume were mostly their memories of the days when you were a part of their lives. We learnt that you altered their bodies and I believe that giving them a lifespan longer than the life of their female was cruel of you. To live without loved ones, all alone, what purpose is there to that? However!” Robbie dramatically paused. “However, to use their souls so as to refine their bodies so that it does not survive their death - that is monstrous!”\n\nAt last! For the first time since we met them they overwhelmed us with their emoting. Before they could find voice to protest or cry out, Robbie raised his arms and called out, “Final death of even one soul is the worst crime any person or species can commit. Thanks to one male, thanks to the courage of Kajy Lygejol, that will <i>not</i> be a crime you can be accused of. He dared all we asked of him and we learnt how to disentangle his soul so that it does not fade away with the body. \n\nYour species will not die, we would have brought back to life males and females from your past so as to help you grow alongside us for many millions of years, but we would have grieved for the souls lost - now none of us need grieve for they will be reborn with the original Lequie male body and when they die their souls will continue within the cycle of souls, as they were meant to.”https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmebNPoePzdAcfXeKk7WBEx5G2Vw7UHdbMi7R2cpZDywZL/Arthur,%20have%20empathy%20for%20you,%20wish%20I%20had%20same%20problems,%20Bk12,%20p8488.png\nHaving perfect recall is not enough - there could have been some Vuy-Lequie we missed seeing, so we jumped forward just short of the period we arrived (we stayed in hiding) and the Sparklers shared with us all the males they saw, even the ones almost completely faded. About seven hundred from our previous count are missing. We are returning back to the previous time.\n\n“We’ve identified the males that will be dead within the next fifty years, so I suggest we revert them to being normal Lequie and not Vuy.” Robbie grimaced. “I still can’t believe how stupid the females were.”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8489</center></h3> All of us pulled back as Dommi flared. “Don’t you dare! After what you did to Cherine and I, how dare you say that!?”\n\n“Me? What did I do?”\n\n“When I first joined the two of you on Hydra Island, who was it spouting all that stuff about keeping romance alive by never seeing each other while on the toilet! Who was it that wanted to think of us as some kind of angelic beings who never use the toilet and made us self-conscious about the sharing of our bodies. You didn’t even want to think of us as being able to sweat! The Lequie females at least were honest. They wanted what you wanted, but they tried to achieve what they dreamt of…”\n\nRobbie cut in, “That was honest of them? Are you saying they were right to do so and I was wrong?”\n\nDommi stopped herself from giving an instant answer. We felt the anger in her slightly subside. “No, that was the anger speaking. Roberto, you don’t know how you made us feel, how we felt for years - always having to make certain you never share with us while we’re on the toilet and having to be careful there is never the slightest smell of sweat on us so that you continue to think of us as the girls of your fantasies.”\n\nRobbie was slightly stunned, not knowing how to respond. Cherine got the giggles. “Actually, Dommi, it’s just as well he was like that. Can you imagine what it would be like with over fifty of us girls sharing one bedroom, if he hadn’t?”\n\nDommi was still a bit angry so she only stared at Cherine - until Cassie wrinkled her nose and exclaimed, “Oh pooh! How horrible.” And Jade instantly added, “The Glorious House of Pooh!” We all got the giggles and Dommi stopped being angry. Just as well, she’d made her point and it was no longer needed. I guess we will be able to feel more empathy for the female Lequie now, at least Robbie will, he won’t dare not. https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmaC6xhFoTcWBivgQ3MXjXyG3bnKe4gRCp6TamgvNNQqLF/LC-smilie_reg-grey.png\n\nThe females will continue to live normally until they are close to dying. We will then rejuvenate them and transfer them to the Sparkler World. As the males (of the seven hundred) begin to fade, we will also transfer them, where we will remove their soul from their body and provide them with a young male body…the one they would have been born with if the females had not altered them. The seven hundred males and all the females would have died over various years so we are fast-forwarding where we can, but still, it will take us a few years of our time before we get to the skip period, when we first were at those two times. After that, all the males will be taken to the Sparkler World, in one lot, and we’ll revert them to the bodies they should have had.\n<br>\n\nIt has taken nearly four years of Freddie time. I did not write since nothing worth writing about happened. We now hold the total Lequie population in their niche and we already have the first embryos being hosted by very happy males. The females are still feeling too crushed for their family lives to be healthy, but with time they’ll become healthier. Now we have to return another couple of hundred years so as to choose those Lequie whose family lines died out, to add their genes back into the pool. We would like to see their population reach the half million mark before we leave. I did not have to ask for what I wanted, the rest of the Cherinians in Freddie felt the same way and Kajy Lygejol is the very first Lequie Cherinian. It should not take long for the rest of them to become Cherinians.\n<br>\n\nWe returned to the Ribbon Planet and Ivgos visited six divides. As soon as we felt he was starting to feel overwhelmed, we returned to our Athens home. As I now do, I went to visit the Dalai Lama so as to bring him up to date and discuss my thoughts while Empathia appears at the chat shows instead of me. I reckon I’ve got the better end of the bargain as I always gain from talking to him.\n\nWe had departed in July (remember, Michael asked us to leave) and Robbie, considerate as ever, skipped August and we returned early September. We arrived in time for the Ipohin twenty fifth anniversary celebrations, on 15th September, PC61. Cherine turned moody, feeling melancholic because the anniversary served as a reaffirmation that Michael will never be a part of us. Both Michael and Ahní must have sensed her, for they both are spending as much time as they can with us.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8490</center></h3> <p>I attended the official Ipohin reception as an eighteen year old so that I could dance and have a glass of wine without making anyone frown at me. When we appear as adults, Michael feels less obliged to concentrate on us, which is only fair to him since this is a big celebration for him, so I had more than one reason for coming as I did. A man, of about twenty six, asked me to dance with him. His mind was blocked but I sensed his friends and decided they had dared him to ask me for a dance and it amused me, so I agreed. When the dance ended he talked pleasantly for a minute or two and then asked me to meet him for coffee in Kefalari the next day. I turned him down and joining some of my loves, forgot all about him. Only a couple of minutes had passed when loud voices and the emoting of anger and pain made me look and I saw Michael hitting the young man I’d danced with. Robbie quickly reached out and grabbed my arm to stop me from approaching them. I looked at him for an explanation. He wryly twisted his lips, but then spoke directly into my mind. *<i>Sam, the young man did not bet he could get a dance from you. He had two bets, one is that he can charm you into having sex with him and the second, a much bigger bet, that he can convince you to be a child when you do</i>.*</p>\n\n\nFor the first time, we organised the biggest and best party for Coral. Lua, her family and friends and Daniel from Meli’s world, and all friends (his entire tribe) were invited. It is amusing that she was born in Taiwan and yet mainland Chinese are proud of her as a Chinese. It is rare to hear them speak proudly of someone of mixed heritage; a quarter Chinese and half alien it seems they don’t mind.\n\nOn the evening of the first of October, the eve of her birthday, the party began very early, just as the sky turned red and the sun hid behind the horizon. We would end late, early the next morning, so that people from different time zones could choose when to come and leave. We held the party in Africa, at the same place Cherine celebrated her sixteenth birthday, but the cliffs were decorated by Normals - Terraforming Party Light Technicians, as they dub themselves. It impressed us (my family), we had not seen what they can do with the newest technology and lots of creative imagination. \n\nCoral only looks about eight years old, but she was born October, PC 10 and it is now PC 61. For most Normals, even trying to imagine her as fifty one years old is almost impossible - adding to that the centuries of travel in Freddie makes it almost impossible for us to imagine her as being the age she is. I’m glad we chose to count our ages according to Terran years only, it helps keep me feeling like I am the same species as our Normals - though I wonder what we’ll do as the centuries go by locally.\n\nArthur Campbell capitulated and accepted the invite to the party twice. They communicated through his lawyers and agreed the one with us will stay away from the Campbellite group and the other will stay away from us and the Ivgos family. Knowing us and the impish sense of humour of some of us, I’d say we’re going to see some nifty evasive tactics being effected.\n\nThe party was not as much fun as it could have been because we had to invite (unofficially) some government leaders. Since Robbie first let the world know about us, a small number of leaders have become Cherinians after their term in office was over - many were able to change thanks to the trips they took with us in Freddie. Most did not and the earlier ones are, for the most part, dead by now. At least half of the leaders who used their contacts and favours to be invited to Coral’s party know they will not be linked by Cherinians, Ipohin or Campbellites and are desperate to find a way to alter their future - or lack of it. Normals say that because we don’t think of ourselves as mortals we can’t truly empathise with their fear of death. I’ve known the fear of dying and it does break my heart when I sense them. I wish there was some way to help those who want to become the kind of person who can be linked, even as Campbellites. There might be solutions, but then, isn’t it likely that all Normals, when they feel close to the end of their life, want to take part in the experiment so as to avoid dying? Knowing that the void exists does not change the fear. The person who dies and goes forward the next incarnation stops existing, and it matters more than having an immortal soul does to most people.\n<br><br>\n<center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost070\">Next [Book 12] - Post 070</a></center>\n<br>\n<h5><i><b>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.</b></i></h5><br>\n<br><br>\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUTQeVmsqWzFxMrg8a629XdGHm15kCnjSkbFyhiTMwUf9/Name,%20steemit.png\n* posted: 24th Sep, 2020<br>\n<br><br>\n<center><h6><i>If you wish to read from an earlier book, from Book 01 to Book 12, use this link button to open the LC Book Index:</i></h6><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo/best-way-to-read-little-cherine-links-to-books-01-to-012-new-teller-family-calendar-added\"><img src=\"https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmfJ4USBF6u8SKDuizVpqXMJfwxmr2FEKyc4cwTPvehscV/Worlds%20waiting.png\"/></a></center>\n<br>\n<br>",
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      "title": "Little Cherine Book 12 - BPost068",
      "body": "<sup><h6>Candy opens herself to Iziko, of the Sprakil species. That looks odd to most people because all they see is a fierce looking and very alien creature and sometimes even Cherinians forget to sense what a lovely person he is.</h6></sup><br>\n<center>https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmSjs7k76PkScEuXxchZJPDRTfoywcNPt1RTFgzTxnE7Z9/Alex_Robert_Allan%20-%2018y%20-%20mini.png\n</center><br><br>\n<center> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUjdm8RyTVC9Jx8pqYrx7RX3Lvxm35wVLrDNRDUCEEZHF/LC%20Book12%20-%20Cvr.png </center><br><center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost067\">Previous: Book 12 - Post 067 </a></center>\n<br>\n<h3><center>8471</center></h3> When populations were small enough for everyone in your town to be a neighbour, we may have sometimes treated the inanimate as confidants or gods, but we always remained aware of other people being mirrors to us, their minds and hearts filled with the same fears and hopes. Cities have destroyed that, the distinction has blurred and to many, other people are what they see but have no empathy for. We now treat them like objects, available for us to <i>use</i> them without us <i>offering</i> anything in return. Our confidants are men or women we contact through the media and our gods and goddesses are generated from our singers, bands and actors - actually, anyone who is a celebrity. Our children no longer idealise our brave or our honest, only those who can appeal to the basest parts of our souls.\n\nI did try to avoid using the word <i>empathy</i>, because it has become a word everyone expects to hear a Cherinian preach about, but if I’m to personalise the discussion, Deissia, think of the five top Golden Questioners. Are they all people who draw blood, sacrificing the guest to the audience, or are there some of them who dig deep for the information, but then use that information to formulate questions that expose what is hidden, delighting the audience, but also phrase their sharpest questions in ways that help the guest grow by confronting or admitting whatever it is that is hurting them or making them feel they have a guilty secret to hide. Are they the ones who get the best choice of guests? You have a choice. You can please the audience while also performing a healthy function that makes this a better world, or you can use your abilities and the power given to you by your ratings to trample on the hearts of those who foolishly agree to the inquisition. At best, you will leave a trail of damaged people behind you and the knowledge of what you are doing will coarsen your heart and soul, impeding your own growth.”\n\nSomewhere along the line she started asking questions and arguing the points, but I think she left me with her defences lowered, able now to admit to herself (definitely not to me) that she is not happy.\n\nI returned to the taverna feeling mentally exhausted and it made Theresa protective of me so she angrily asked, “Why do you make such an effort for her - you don’t even like her!”\n\nThe answer came to me instantly, but I took my time - after all, if I show I took the time to think on it, maybe they’ll take the time to think it through. “If a Cherinian cannot help her grow into the kind of person I like, maybe then there is nothing special about being a Cherinian?” Cherine gave me a sudden dazzling smile and I wondered how it would affect Deissia if she could experience the sunburst of emotion that even made my fingers tingle with electricity. \nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmRtP1kTJf3hN5w42fnW3PaTeHZrxSfyn7UVv4f6B4TtUe/Arthur,%20dream,%20R%20meets%20not%20suitable%20girl,%20Bk12,%20p8471%20.png\nOh god, now I know why I needed to help the Reggheri! They are such gentle people, kind in ways that real kindness demands. They are also stoic, which explains how it is they could sacrifice themselves to have their ancestors return to life. The period we are in is about six hundred years before they started to build the city and develop the technology for keeping the souls of their loved ones. The Sparklers keep an eye on those who visit the void in their sleep and confirm none of them are self-aware. \n\nWhile we’ve watched the people, learning of their customs and growing in understanding of the ways they think (Faiiis helps us), the scientists have been taking samples of the land. They had a theory they were hoping to prove and now they are convinced they were right. They are suggesting that the land mass that sticks out of the rest of the planet was not originally a part of it, that it crashed into the planet millions or even billions of years ago. Actually, they say it had to be billions of years ago as the planet and the land mass would not have both survived such an impact if the planet had cooled enough for it to have a solid crust. The crash must have thrown out splashes that tumbled around the planet, becoming moons. It would explain why the moons are largely composed of rust-streaked iron ore.\n\nWe are going back in time to see, but this does pose an interesting theory - and, if true, a unique possibility: This could be the only case of a planet that is not suitable for life evolving on it, becoming infested by part of another planet crashing into it and providing the building blocks for life. Furthermore, evolutionists are going to have a field day designing hundreds of experiments to show how plant life evolved over a great period of time so as to adapt to the planet which is not really its home. This means the Reggheri are alien to their own planet! I bet everyone will ask to go even further back in time to discover where the mountain mass comes from and whether it used to be a planet and, again, whether it had any sapient lifeforms - the older brothers of the Reggheri?\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8472</center></h3> This is Rosie: just had to mention that Sam is preening. At first, when she was challenged and had to fight Faiiis, she was sort of embarrassed by the whole situation, because of the Reggheri being so childish and naïve. Now, she boasts about how she always finds the most interesting alien species. Nobody is asking her which other she found, we are too nice to do anything like that to her. https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmaC6xhFoTcWBivgQ3MXjXyG3bnKe4gRCp6TamgvNNQqLF/LC-smilie_reg-grey.png  Don’t you just love it when Rosie gets catty? https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmaC6xhFoTcWBivgQ3MXjXyG3bnKe4gRCp6TamgvNNQqLF/LC-smilie_reg-grey.png\n<br>\n\nIf I were to be asked, which one aspect of our meeting the Reggheri exemplifies our relationship, I would have to put the constant interruptions at the top of the list. I don’t know why I expected it to be any different now. Let me start from the beginning.\n\nWe were at the taverna and Luigi had recited some of his latest poems. We had switched off all the lights and the glow from the Wirm moon and the swooping-dancing Sparklers and the reflections from the Unation ship created the right background for his moody dysphoric dithyrambs (passionate poems of irregular form). He had put us into a strange mood and nobody spoke for a while. Maria broke us out of it when she sent trays with cappuccino for all of the Terrans (yup, even Candy, Tseri, Alice and so on - those many think of as the ‘little ones’, like a cup now and then).\n\nMeli’s eyes are dark, but when she is in a ‘mood’, they seem to soak in the light so that they appear to be black. Lynda stared at her eyes as if mesmerised when Meli asked her, “When you daydream yourself to new realities, do you always look for different Earths or do you ever search for strange aliens?”\n\n“Earths. Meli, all aliens are strange until we get to know them, so how would I define ‘strange’ in that context? Are you looking for something much stranger than any species we’ve met till now?”\n\nI can tell you, everybody perked up and even our friends, of other species, sensed the sudden change and paid attention or actually jumped to us. (They seem to keep a psychic eye on our emoting all the time. It probably is a self-defence mechanism as they worry about what new crazy ideas we’ll come up with and don’t want to be caught unawares. The funny thing is, when our isi is with us, the Inguel monitor us, but when she is with them they monitor her.)\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmTaj7N8oFc3m2czpajBUCsw4en3JDTR1QneiJuUfNEjqt/Suggestions%20for%20Lynda,%20Bk12,%20p8472.png\nLynda said she’d try and Robbie asked her to be careful. The ‘adults’, Terrans and aliens, were happy to hear him ask that of her, whereas the rest of us tried to sabotage him by secretly sending her encouragement to go ‘real way out’. Lynda pulled back in to herself and did not reassure either side.\n\nArthur, if I had not lived through the above or if I’d written of it before the next day, I might have blamed you. Lynda has found, what she describes as ‘<i>a species of ghosts who don’t have souls</i>’. It seems, like the Wirms, they are rare and are not in any of the realities we’ve visited. Curiosity being the prime curse of sapience, it was only human of us that we chose to indulge it. We are on our way to the new reality, to the planet of the new to us aliens. All the other species, including those of the Unation, are just as fascinated as us, as none of them have ever heard of any species resembling these. The Sparklers are not only curious but also in a dither, for any species to be a ghost - or to have ghosts, but not souls, is a serious contradiction in terms. \nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmVr2UHXaqTNckoGqNYhtrehWuWiGrXLYJfqe6KcFYT2Y8/Sam,%20teases%20A,%20sorry%20abt%20story%20being%20more%20fantasy,%20Bk12,%20p8472.png\n<br>\n<h3><center>8473</center></h3> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmWyCNxKVMBGn3tuccrQKBZoDsJvz1JA2d4o8kok1dPgUC/Vuy%20-%20Perfect%20Sexual%20Mates,%20Bk12,%20p8473.png\nWe have no name for the species as we can’t communicate with them! Not even with Claudia trying directly. It is as if they cannot see or hear us - and yet we are certain they can. Equally disturbing is that none of the ghosts are always visible. Some of them are hardly ever visible and once the possibility that they might be fading away was posited, it became urgent that we find out how we can save them.\n\nWhile we searched their planet for clues, hoping they have libraries or something akin, sometimes fooled by the dim light into investigating a shape to find it is only another of their fat, mottled mushroom dimensioned trees, which are similar to the few buildings we have found, the Sparklers counted the ghosts. There are only two thousand six hundred and forty two, with about two thousand three hundred about to fade into non-existence, if we have understood what the different stages of fading mean. We dare not waste more time here, we must return in time to the days when they were plentiful and more tangible (maybe corporeal), in the hope that their minds are easier for us to contact.\n<br>\n\nArbitrarily we chose to jump back fifty years. There is another species here now and the ghosts have a physical presence. Claudia gave us the name of the other species, they call themselves the Lequie. \n\nSince the Lequie are not humanoid, if they are xenophobic, they are just as likely to be horrified by us as by any other species, so this was the perfect opportunity for mi-Aninsi to practice the talent/skills Claudia has been helping her with. While mi-Aninsi used her gift without showing herself, we studied those she came in ‘contact’ with, hoping to sense someone more open minded. The Sparklers joyfully let us know that the Lequie have souls and visit the void. At last we are starting to hope things are taking a turn for the better.\n\nLelepco Elosuyk, sex unknown, was our first choice. It also helped that (until proven otherwise I’ll speak of ‘it’ as a male) he is constantly in the company of the first species. It seems unreasonable of us to describe the first species as a separate or different species from the Lequie as they look almost the same, just much finer - but there is the difference of soul, or should I say, lack of it?\n\nIn general, our impression is that their technology is/was advanced but that they have either hidden it or stopped using most of it or else, they slid backwards, losing it because they didn’t need it or else, we can only recognise part of it. Without discovering inner gifts of the mind as Cherinians have, they have concentrated on strengthening their ability to think logically while holding on to the emotional side. This did lead to them acquiring the ability to use pure thought as a tool to affect the physical world.\n\nWhen a Lequie stands still, he/she bobs up and down slightly, maybe for the same reason that no Terran can be absolutely motionless. Since the bobbing does hit our funny bone and laughing at them is not the best way to introduce ourselves to another species, it was just as well that mi-Aninsi is handling first contact. She does not have the same childish sense of humour both our isi friends have, but she is a very nice female and emotes a gentleness that endears her to many of other species. She appeared before Lelepco Elosuyk and waited for him to recover from the shock.\n\nHe bobbed awhile as he stared at her. “Communication is possible?”\n\n“Yes…”\n\n“That is good. It is not preferred? You are only visiting to admire the Vuy-Lequie?”\n\n“The word <i>Vuy</i> did not translate. We know Lequie is the name of your species, what does <i>Vuy</i> represent?”\n\n“Ayvuyya is perfection, is it not? Vuy represents those who are of perfection.”\n\n“The Vuy-Lequie are the same species as yourself, but they have attained perfection?”\n\n“Ahh, the grammar indicates the relationship, does it not. Perhaps it is so or perhaps it was so, it no longer is of importance.” mi-Aninsi sensed from Lelepco Elosuyk a melancholic amusement. “We have long postulated that hubris is one of the six reasons civilisation destroys the species that created it. Only a species that is able to remain true to its origins can survive. Are our thoughts correct?” A thought only now seemed to occur to him. “You are greeter for your people? Do others wish to join us?”\n\n“I am a translator…we do not have an official <i>greeter</i> but we do have a <i>friend of aliens</i>. Would you prefer to speak to her?”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8474</center></h3> “She? Would be a Vuy-friend?”\n\nmi-Aninsi was being confused and with this question she did not how to respond. To say she would be as good a friend? - she felt it would sound presumptuous of her to those of us listening, while, to say I would be a Vuy-friend could be committing me to something we do not understand yet. She grabbed at the first thing of courtesy she could, “My name is mi-Aninsi.”\n\n“Adult female Aninsi? Your kind need to advise each other of your age and sex - there can be doubt? How interesting! I am Lelepco Elosuyk, also an ‘mi’ (adult female).” Afterwards, I remembered to thank mi-Aninsi for saving me from making a faux pas - I had assumed Lelepco Elosuyk is a male and might have said something that could be construed as insulting - or else it would amuse her at my cost.\n\nmi-Aninsi hoped I’d be better at understanding Lelepco Elosuyk, so she called for me to join them and then told her, “Samantha, our friend of aliens is coming.” I sent her the feel of a grin and jumping, arrived next to her. Lelepco Elosuyk took a startled step backwards and then seemed to bob up and down more than usual for a while.\n\n“Lelepco Elosuyk, I am Samantha Teller. I also am a female, but I am not an adult.”\n\nLelepco Elosuyk seemed pleased, at first sounding as if she was thinking aloud, “By definition, strange.” I ‘read’ that as ‘<i>aliens, by definition, are strange</i>’. “You have your own voice?”\n\nWhat the hell? “Yes.”\n\n“If it becomes known, all will wish to hear it. There are none anymore, you know.”\n\n“No children? I noticed - and wondered.”\n\n“Some say we killed them all, I don’t want to think so.” Now she swayed alarmingly as she bobbed. Then I sensed from her a flare of glee. “Fitting - most fitting. Be mine for this day?” I wondered what she planned, but I felt it was safe to agree. “Come - bring as many as you wish, they must see and hear. You have adult family? Good. Adult Aninsi, stay with will you, understanding must be clear at this time.” As we followed her, she asked, “Samantha not adult? True?” I confirmed I am, physically, a child and wondered whether Ivgos should have been here instead of me.\n\nAs we walked through pale vegetation with a bloated tree-shaped building between them now and then, I realised that everything on this planet, from the people, to their buildings, the vegetation, even to the rocks on the ground, all are rounded and give the impression of being swollen. Any flat planes are limited and rare. I felt like I was in a world created for that Michelin animated tyre guy they used in adverts two centuries ago (sixty two years ago Earth time). We seemed to be walking downhill into a slight hollow and Lelepco Elosuyk called out to any of her people we passed and they joined us. We all became aware, more or less at the same time, that the locals were communicating telepathically. They were not doing so smoothly and it was as if they were sputtering their messages to each other, much of the time not hearing what is sent. The others seemed to understand what Lelepco Elosuyk planned, for they emoted approval and glee - and they all seemed to focus on me.\n\nmi-Aninsi asked me, “Have you noticed that the other beings are ignoring the locals but are beginning to show an interest in us?”\n\n“I don’t sense anything from them, could they be protein based computers?”\n\n“No, they are of similar species to the Lequie but more advanced…”\n\n“More rarefied?” I asked. She agreed.\n\nEmpathia joined me. “I was wondering whether the Vuy lot are an experiment gone wrong. That led me to the thought that maybe the Lequie evolved into the Vuy-Lequie and when they saw they are dying out they tried to revert to an earlier evolutionary version. If so, I don’t think they are succeeding - Sam, it’s strange, the Vuy apparently are a different sex, maybe male (?), but all the Lequie are females. There is not even one Lequie of another sex on the entire planet.” The idea startled me, but all that Lelepco Elosuyk had said pointed in the other direction. It is possible, theoretically, that just the one sex evolved, the males, because the females are too involved in nurturing the young for them to change, but it is highly unlikely.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8475</center></h3> All who came to the planet of the Lequie are sheathed. We hardly have to remember to see to it as Freddie handles it if we leave by travelling through his shield and Robbie does if he takes us out in a platform. If we teleport, our healers have been empowered, by each and every one of us, to use the gift needed for us to be shielded. However, just because we are shielded, it does not mean that our healers can lie on the beach with a frosty double-thick milkshake, as if they are off duty. For instance, we know that the atmosphere is dusty - dustier than our atmosphere usually is. What makes it different is that one in six hundred particles of dust is actually a spore - the rest of the ‘dust’ is from degenerated spore. If we had arrived unprotected, by now we would have breathed in millions of active spores that would have tried to reproduce the moment they sensed the moisture in our nostrils or mouth.\n\nOur healers had not had much success in learning from the ‘bodies’ of the Vuy-Lequie, so they sounded pleased when they informed us they have succeeded in establishing what parameters constitute a healthy Lequie body. Because of a number of clues, such as the pale colouring, the soft and almost bloated appearance of the Lequie, the high number of spores and vegetation that was actually of a fungoid nature, I had already decided they belong to the kingdom of the fungi and was delighted that life is not always logical, when my healer informed me they are flesh, bone and blood…but with a different chemical signature. No surprise in learning they have an extremely aggressive antibody that kills off any spores that attack [attach to] them. I looked at the few Vuy-Lequie following us and wondered afresh. There is far too much about them that does not make sense. The future (of this time) Vuy-Lequie block our healers from scanning their bodies - without them being aware of healers or healing forces existing? They do not sweat and there is no record [since we arrived] of them excreting? Now that we know and looked, we cannot trace any spore antibodies! If we are to continue to think logically, only one possibility makes sense: they must be androids.\n\nThat was a stupid conclusion, I was ignoring a lot of information I already held. Let’s go back to Lelepco Elosuyk. The depression we entered did not sink more than a metre at the center, it’s deepest point. The bowl is about four hundred metres across. By the time we reached the center, there were about three hundred Lequie present. Seeing them gathered like this it struck us that they are fairly uniform in height, from about five point six metres to a max of six point one. They don’t have skinny or really obese individuals, just rotund. Since they do not have any hair or feathers, baldness cannot be used as an identifying feature. However, their skin does have faint markings that are scars from their bodies fighting the spores. Not having children is not a fairly recent change as they have no ‘obviously’ children or adolescents.\n\nmi-Aninsi and I were encircled and our ‘witnesses’ from Freddie formed an outer circle, with Wirms and Sparklers floating above us - the Lequie do not seem to be aware of the Sparklers and our healers think they cannot see the full spectrum of colour we can see. Wonder what I look like to them.\n\n“Samantha Teller, child of the Terran species, we gift to you Qilypih. Pledge you will respect and honour her spirit and not try to bind her to your wishes in any way. Upon your pledge, she will be yours once there are none of our people.”\n\nI was expected, by my friends and family, to blindly turn down the gift of Qilypih, but I was too curious to heed them. “What or who is Qilypih?”\n\n“Our mother, the world you stand upon.” \n<br>\n\nBack in Freddie. We are surrounded by many of our friends from all species - even Silver Boy is present. I ignored them all and taking Claudia’s hand in mine, I mournfully complained, “It’s not fair! It’s not as if a girl is bequeathed a planet every day! - and I don’t even get to keep it!” As I’d hoped, that led to my being teased and I could relax once again.\n\nIvgos asked the questions many wanted answers for, as those of us who knew had not explained. “Why do they want to give you their planet, are they all going to die? Aren’t you going to help them have children? I guess if they did have children we’d have to be careful when we play with them, they look soft.”\n\nA Terran Normal asked, “I trust you are not going to accept their planet?”\n\n“Why?” I asked. He flushed so I quickly added, “Are you suggesting I should insult and hurt them? As real estate it might not be prime, but…” I grinned. “I will accept, but I will stick to the condition that they must first become extinct as a species - and then we’ll see to it that they have children and build up their population to what it should be. Before I go into details, has everyone understood who the Vuy-Lequie are and why their existence is such a tragedy - and why it caused such a swift end to them? No? The Lequie are unlike most Terrans, the females are the dominant half and they are like our men in many ways. They run the government, industry, and so on. Luckily they do not have armies as the concept of warring against each other does not seem to have occurred to them. Don’t think that makes them especially nice - their need for a strong police force should dispel that romantic notion very fast.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8476</center></h3> As their technology made life easier for them, they lost touch with reality and searched for ways to achieve ideals in various areas, social and physical - most of them philosophical and impractical. They were aware they were being impractical but many generations had grown up without poverty or hunger and they thought that being impractical was necessary, almost a duty, for them to evolve and refine themselves as a species. Their equivalent of males were more practical, but they only cared about their children and ignored attempted changes. They felt that as long as they were good fathers and provided their children with love and whatever physical needs they have, the race would continue and whatever the females did, however badly they messed up, they could not threaten their existence as a species.”\n\nLelepco Elosuyk had confided, after the almost mass hysteria of appointing me planetary chatelaine, that her purpose and love in life is the identification, categorisation and naming of shapes. She was keen to know whether we have found a way to examine objects through new dimensions, taking it for granted we also have such specialists, and I felt bad when I saw how she reacted to my confirmation that we have not - so I promised to ask the Unation AI whether it has such a sub-routine. There are people on Earth who dedicate themselves to trivia or to hobbies so I did not find her interest ridiculous, but I did take it as proof that her civilisation has achieved a level of technology, hard or soft, where such interests can be pursued without starvation, for instance, being the price.\n\nOops, just found out that the Lequie cannot starve; they feed by breathing. The spores, after they are treated and broken down to digestible components by their antibodies are their food - should I still name them ‘antibodies’ or are they digestive enzymes? Nature has sadly short-changed them and that is why they don’t have taste buds and a very poor sense of smell. Just as well I’m taking the day off today and tomorrow, thinking quietly on my own will do me some good.\n<br>\n\nAhram is a sensitive soul and yet he is able to pose distressing questions without them incapacitating him. He uses his sensitivity as a fulcrum and prods away with his lever (logic and knowledge) until he finds an answer. He was in a conference room, situated in the first Tree, with another twenty five philosophers of various species. The room has been adapted to seat a variety of species in comfort and five Akiard youngsters are always present when the room is in use to see to food, drink and whatever other service is required of them. Cassie tried, some time ago, to convince Ahram that he should wear shoes so as to keep a couple of Akiards busy all day putting them on and taking them off, again and again. Ahram failed to understand why her idea was meant to be [childishly] humorous.\n\n“The more I learn, the less I understand.” They could all sense something was grieving him so they waited until he was ready to explain. “All species evolve and nature seems to have understood the importance of maximum births in each generation so as to maximise the opportunities for a successful mutation occurring. Sapience on its own is not enough to affect the rules of nature; technology and advanced knowledge of the body are required. However, as far as we are aware, for such technology and medical knowledge to exist, sapience is obligatory. There does not seem to be one species that is unaware of the fact that technology brings about over-population until society breaks down and technology is destroyed and then the size of population shrinks until the species is set on the path to extinction. Coming from a planet where all species faced extinction, regardless of it being for artificial reasons, I feel the importance of this question and ask whether there is an answer as to the reason sapience cannot control instinct, modifying the number of births so as to avoid the pendulum extremes.”\n\nFuxylfy, an elderly Tirsoon of the Unation, muttered, “Evolution does not concern itself with our happiness, it only promotes itself.”\n\nKing Illafayéd could not resist taking a dig at us, despite our not being present, as he knew everyone studies what is said when they get together. “It is ironic that Cherinianism is the only tool that has been successful across all species in levelling out the birth rates so that a negative swing does not destroy the species and yet, the greatest aberration comes from the family of Cherine - the Tellers. Evolution has totally failed with them as they have succeeded in placing their happiness ahead of the demands of instinct and evolution.” Not many reacted verbally, but there was a general feeling of amusement since they knew he was not being rude, just teasing us, before they returned to their debate. As for King Illafayéd himself, afterwards, he got his cheek kissed by many of us as we joyfully tried to convince him that happiness is just as important a tool as reason and a far better tool than cold logic. Often, emotional arguments are wrong and are used to perpetrate crimes against those we want to manipulate, but sometimes they sure are the perfect way to cross the strangeness and differences between species, helping the others to understand what motivates us. If all species lacked emotions and had to depend on logic alone, I doubt we could learn to understand each other, or that we would care to. The material benefits do not justify it and funnily, depending only on logic tends to make us egocentric…selfishness is not mainly an emotion. Arthur, do you remember how Robbie was when he switched off his emotions? \n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8477</center></h3> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmfGGWtpAF867GWtWWdA99GNWybhbadbvYQ5h7WaSkmGqb/Arthur,%20easy%20to%20write,%20I%20had%20a%20role%20model,%20Bk12,%20p8477.png\nWhile we discussed shapes and their effects on us, my mind shot off in a different direction so I asked the Muyzith ambassadress, Lamti, “Your theory claims that all realities can exist at the same time because they are ghost realities to each other. What if we examine a species who do not have any telepathic abilities. Would it be reasonable to propose that each mind among them is a ghost mind to the others?”\n\n“Only in a sense Samantha, since even non-telepathic minds do interact. Where does this lead to?”\n\n“We arrive on their world and link them, making them Cherinians and now they are telepathic. Are their minds still ghosts to each other? I’m asking because I wonder whether getting to know other realities makes them less ghostly to our reality since we bring back with us memories from the other realities - and those memories are now part of our reality.”\n\n“If that is so, the converse would also be true, which makes our visits to the a-realities dangerous?”\n\nCherine was not interested in the purpose of my question, to her the obvious was more important. “Samantha, you did not mention that the mind is infinite in size - as Meli has proven. Therefore, whether telepathic or not, our minds have to be ghosts to each other so that so many infinite minds can fit in each reality - just like the Sparkler Worlds.” A good point and she got my tick - especially as it also extends the problem making it easier to accept that the vexing paradox that still puzzles everyone with regard to the Sparkler Worlds is true for each of us, since our minds have the same limits as Meli’s does. I’m not certain it makes it easier for everyone to accept since most people think of their minds as being limited to the size of their skull.https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmSqyu2jpD93fhozXLDoqjwj8drPveGfqtWSyFKnt7f8gs/Arthur,%20abt%20arrogance,%20Bk12,%20p8477.png\nI had not realised how much our attitude affects the way we see, or notice what we see. I’d thought that my excitement at being with a new species was helping me remain detached so that whatever is alien to me does not affect me, but the moment I returned to their planet without the blinding (presumptuous) arrogance I’d floated on during my previous visits, it was as if details that had not meant anything previously became glaring guides to a lot of what I had not understood. There is much for all the scientists to learn from them and I’m certain they have much to learn from us - once it sinks in that their species does have a future.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8478</center></h3>https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmWTkaX77o4BQ7FvwuaNNsy5rtVb32CvY8qbCAXB6iy6bA/Arthur,%20those%20who%20love%20and%20laugh%20at%20S,%20Bk12,%20p8478.png\nArthur is commenting too often, encouraging my loves to do so also! I just wish they would not only do it for the sake of embarrassing me. https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmSd7dQrXcJWXsyHsnFYVYdSDStdWeVjdRs7RDf33nV69B/LC%20smilie%20-%20embrrssd.png\n\nWherever a Lequie or a group of them find anyone alien to them and willing to listen, they rattle off facts, theories and so on. An important lack in what they pass on proves they have not understood us. They have not tried to gift us with their poetry, literature and paintings. If they have songs, not one was shared with us. Luckily they do not mind us moving about on our own, examining their world. We walked out of the area that is well marked by feet and I saw some land that was smooth like new snow. I then noticed it is dimpled and wondered, in my thoughts, thinking it resembles human skin under magnification, with stalks topped with a sometimes brown or a greenish ochre or with sunburst yellow streaks along the feathery blobs that lightly sway. Robbie watched from within my mind with a quizzical yearning, so I kicked my foot in the dust so as not to allow his hopes to grow. Actually, the idea of a planet with a living skin like ours would be an impossibility but fun to imagine. I asked and was told that the dimples are formed by spore. Not by them landing on the surface, but by them burrowing deeper once they sense the conditions are right for them to grow. The older dust underneath holds all the nutrients the spores require to feast on as they grow, transforming into the immense variety of plant life we see. If I understood correctly, the spore does not choose what it will grow into; the appearance, from tiny slim blade to massive tree, depends on what nutrients it finds. I was told that this is the way the planet regulates itself so that only what is needed at that place and time comes to be. The next question, in my mind, is, what of the Lequie and all animal/insect life? How did they break away from the spore stage to creating the next generations within their bodies? I am presuming it is so with the Lequie, since they have no children and are not expecting any, I can’t know for certain.\n\nWendy says it is instinct, but she was the first to realise that the Lequie find music unpleasant. Even speaking in a sing-song tone irritates them. The sound of wind thrumming and moaning as the feathery branches of fat trees wave is the closest to any kind of music they can bear, and even that is not pleasant for them, the sounds interpreted as being threatening. The Lequie who’d chosen Wendy mostly spouted mathematical formulae, intrinsically complicated and far beyond what any of us within the family can understand. Luckily her AI friend recorded all of it for her, freeing her so that she can concentrate on the sounds of their voices and whatever sounds the surrounding land makes. Wendy came to a point where she saw a larger than usual number of buildings and on the other side of her was a small forest of trees. Curious as to how they affect the world, she used the method of looking that we learnt from the Silver Boy. The Lequie fell silent as she waved her arms, her body bending and flowing with what she heard. Suddenly the music of the shapes around her screamed like a child being ripped apart. Wendy struggled to stay on her feet as she returned to looking around her with just her eyes and she saw that a Lequie had stumbled backwards. Falling against the wall of a house her weight had torn a hole. We had not realised their homes were that fragile and once we learnt to look correctly, we discovered that the trees and other plants are also very fragile. No wonder the Lequie look so soft, even little Bitsy could tear an adult apart without using all his strength. Instantly all visitors on planet were informed.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8479</center></h3> We wondered whether Wendy had reacted in some way that upset or offended the Lequie, for she was the only one left to roam on her own. She was greeted politely, but nobody tried to fill her head with data. Wendy told us (we verified it by conducting on our own) that by taking into account the fragility of all life on this planet, she heard very disturbing music. She also learnt to ‘see’ beneath the talc-like surface, sometimes ‘seeing’ through a number of layers, each of a different density, and thus creating a different effect. This was also the first time we learnt that the public and commercial buildings we see are only the above ground entrances. The real buildings and passages between them lie deep under the surface. Since we have not found any evidence of storm damage, we asked the Lequie why they build under the surface, but they only reply that it makes sense and is how it should be. With such soft bodies, I wonder how they dug out the ground. The Inguel suspect they used mutated spores.\n<br>\n\n<p>Wendy was standing on her own, not conducting, but lost in her thoughts, for all I know composing music, when a Vuy-Lequie came to a bobbing stop close by her. Since they always ignore us, refusing to answer greetings or questions and they seem to emote a feeling of dislike and hostility, Wendy immediately became alert. Pale eyes stared into hers for a while without a word being exchanged. It turned to leave, but a thought softly spoke to her, *<i>It is time, ask of the dream that kills</i>.* Wendy swore that the emoting no longer felt hostile, only sad. She was soon proven right as all the Vuy-Lequie changed from that day. Not that any of them spoke to us - and it grieves us, for there is no way we can reach in past the shroud of sadness that covers their thoughts day and night.</p>\n\nEither the Vuy-Lequie passed on the message or else the Lequie sensed the change and when we arrived the next morning, they all had congregated at a place where there are no trees or buildings. A committee of three, Jehne Pegysna, Bebry Inronan and Sili (pronounced as <i>Ceelee</i>) Nulcasrair, were to be their spokespersons. (Note: The Lequie always use at least two names when talking to each other - they do the same with us and are confused by us, of the family, having the same second name. Neither of their two names identifies their family - maybe they have more names?)\n \n“Perhaps your science has told you why, as a species, we die, but surely there is no science that can give you the reasons why it happened?”\n\nSharipya and Asimi were chosen as our Cherinian representatives for this day and Sharipya’s voice was almost tender with the sadness he foresaw, “We sense there is a tale of sorrow and would share it with you as friends.” \n\nBebry Inronan must have felt we needed an explanation first. “We have tried, but we cannot understand your worlds. We hear of planets with people in such numbers that the mind cannot imagine. With us, we do not enjoy sharing space, each family must have solitude or else we cannot have children. The coupling of male and female can occur when there is love, the male fertilises the egg and once it is alive and growing, the egg is lovingly passed to the male for him to nurture it deep within his body where chance of damage is the least. If the male is not comfortable and cannot relax because there are too many people close to him, his body does not react to the fertilised egg as it should and it is not provided with the nutrition it requires. The egg dies and, in some instances, the chemicals of its decay ensure the male is never again able to host an egg, even though he remains capable of fertilising eggs. If that male is honoured, another male will host his child. It is believed that evolution provided the triggers that rid the male of the egg so as to preserve his life when facing danger - and being surrounded by too many other life forms is a threat to our health, as may have occurred when other creatures hunted us in our past.\n\nFriends of other worlds, it has been our belief that our species was an accident, that we should never have survived. We are too fragile and bearing young ones to replace the previous generation has always been a challenge. We could not have survived without the ability to think and plan for the future of our species. We have studied you and learnt that you have tools made of materials we do not recognise. Does our planet lack the materials needed to evolve the technology you have?”\n\nAlthough none of our tools are made of metal, we understood the reason for the question. Mezil, a female Anadir scientist, replied, “Your planet is old and the mantle is very thick. We are still studying the reasons but all metals are under the mantle. We have no theories to explain at this time why there are no metals within the mantle, close to the surface.”\n\nJehne Pegysna bobbed thoughtfully as samples of various metals were gifted for them to study. Most of us were not looking at her when she chose to speak for her people. “Many of our abilities to manipulate our environment have come to be from a continually evolving understanding of matter and how it responds to our intentions. We also studied the other life of our world concurrently to our learning how to heal and strengthen our bodies. We mostly concentrated on our males as they are fragile and even a small percentage of them losing the ability to host was a continuing threat to our existence. The last hundred generations have seen improvements that reinforced hosting abilities so that their hosting period was extended from a maximum of three to four and even rarely five hostings, while also providing them with healthier and longer lifespans. This not only allayed our concerns for our species, but touched the deepest parts of all that has meaning within us and, in a frenzy, we devoted ourselves to turning them into gods - for what can be more pure and holy than the nurturing of new life? Recently, in our generation, we discovered a way to achieve all we had dreamt of for our males. How we made such a dreadful series of mistakes cannot be explained and we can only justify ourselves by avowing that it happened because we love our males and idealised them.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8480</center></h3> Forty years ago we discovered a way to alter flesh. Tests showed that it was resistant to all the ills we are subject to and so we spent all our resources on achieving the same for all parts of the body. We learnt that this discovery could not be applied to us females, only to the males, there is something different in the cells of their flesh, but we have not identified what it is. This proves the argument that using the knowledge of how to cause a change without knowing the way it is brought about is not wise.” She made a sound that was like a sigh. “A people who are not wise cannot demand immunity from their foolishness.”\n\nSili Nulcasrair took over. “We were driven by a dream and our love for our males. When dreams and love are the driving forces, we become like immature young ones and we lose the ability to be critical and cautious. The first of the new males were as we hoped, but they gave us a surprise which was also a warning - without us realising it. They no longer ate on a regular basis and gently soothed us by assuring us that the sun upon their skin provided all they needed. The experiments had not stopped and the new results showed that the flesh no longer broke down into poisons the body must eject - as it still is with us females. With almost no food required and the new flesh that does not seem to decay, the males no longer egested and they had achieved an ethereal level of existence that convinced us we had succeeded in raising them to the pinnacle of our evolution.\n\nWhen the first new males matured and they successfully fertilised and hosted the embryos until birth time, we forgot caution and all new males were now created in the idealised manner. It was only once the older generations had passed away that we learnt that the new males can only host one child - especially if the child is a female. Our children are alien to the bodies of our males and since us females cannot be adjusted, there is no way for us to save ourselves.” Sili Nulcasrair bobbed with a sway, obviously affected by her grief. “At first we thought our males would be immortals and it provided us with a small joy so that we did not totally despair. Now we know that they fade and will not last long beyond us and we have fallen to the lowest level of hopelessness. Only your arrival has helped lighten our end, for we hope our world will no longer be abandoned and sterile. If there is one species that Samantha Teller can find to make this their home and they can give birth to children and live with hope - then our lives were not lived in vain. Sharipya of the Elipians, tell them of us so that we are not forgotten.”\n\nSharipya saw the pain in the eyes of his Asimi and cried out to Cherine, “Explain to them so that they stop grieving - it hurts.”\n\nCherine took the hand of Asimi in hers. “Be brave my love, they will soon know hope and joy again.”\n\nBack in Freddie, Cherine stared at us and we felt the demand in her heart as she said, “We cannot save the females of this time and let the males fade. How can we save them?” She turned to Robbie. “Even if the females stay so as to be companions to their males until the females die, there will be no loss among them, for we can bring them back. Robert, how do we save the males - when they fade away no soul remains! The females condemned them to final death!”\n\nRobbie acted as if he could not feel her anguish and did not take her into his arms. He lit a cigarette and sat back. “I have discussed this with the Sparklers. Solomon agrees that it does not make sense for the soul to fade with the body. It might be more tenuous, but it must exist. I’ll be leaving in a small platform with Solomon to jump ahead in time and monitor one male death. We’ll find the soul and return.”\n\nHaven touched Robbie’s arm. “Take with the entity of the Akiard.” His pleased smile was all the reaction she needed and the Akiards rushed to lay themselves at the places they prefer so as to go to the void. Within minutes their entity appeared among us. I could still feel a link with it, despite it being formed by a new generation of Akiards. I welcomed it into my mind and shared memories. It felt as if it softly caressed me, rejoicing as I showed it we are still a part of each other, even if I do not join with the kids to be a part of it directly. If needed, I will, and it also makes me happy that I still can and will be welcomed.\n\nThe platform departed, but the rest of us stayed at the taverna, immersed in our arguments as we worried about the Vuy-Lequie. We cannot understand why we cannot sense their emoting and a few of us fear that it might be that we cannot because they do not have a soul. Cherine insists they do and most of us think as she does, even if we do not have evidence to shore up our beliefs.\n\nWendy seemed to be speaking to herself as she mumbled, “One of them talked to me so it means they do have a mind - which means they know we exist, even if they pretend we don’t.”\n<br><br>\n<center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost069\">Next [Book 12] - Post 069</a></center>\n<br>\n<h5><i><b>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.</b></i></h5><br>\n<br><br>\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUTQeVmsqWzFxMrg8a629XdGHm15kCnjSkbFyhiTMwUf9/Name,%20steemit.png\n* posted: 24th Sep, 2020<br>\n<br><br>\n<center><h6><i>If you wish to read from an earlier book, from Book 01 to Book 12, use this link button to open the LC Book Index:</i></h6><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo/best-way-to-read-little-cherine-links-to-books-01-to-012-new-teller-family-calendar-added\"><img src=\"https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmfJ4USBF6u8SKDuizVpqXMJfwxmr2FEKyc4cwTPvehscV/Worlds%20waiting.png\"/></a></center>\n<br>\n<br>",
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      "title": "Little Cherine Book 12 - BPost067",
      "body": "<sup><h6>If an alpha falls in love and is not loved, the alpha does not survive. There are times that this can happen and they write beautiful poetry and songs about such alphas.</h6></sup><br>\n<center>https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmSjs7k76PkScEuXxchZJPDRTfoywcNPt1RTFgzTxnE7Z9/Alex_Robert_Allan%20-%2018y%20-%20mini.png\n</center><br><br>\n<center> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUjdm8RyTVC9Jx8pqYrx7RX3Lvxm35wVLrDNRDUCEEZHF/LC%20Book12%20-%20Cvr.png </center><br><center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost066\">Previous: Book 12 - Post 066 </a></center>\n<br>\n<h3><center>8461</center></h3> How could it happen? Same-sex violence is not unknown among singles of the seven. Some, for instance, less educated and closer to acting instinctively, feel they can increase the chances of being chosen by moving from one group to another. They expect the single of their sex to move out of the group when they move in, but if friendships have been forged, they sometimes refuse to leave and both will try to damage in the other the organ that ‘smells’ the pheromone. Often they both get damaged and should an alpha happen to choose what is perceived as a unit at such a time, love will not be reciprocated by all and so a family unit will not successfully form and the six who did love will fall out of love. In such cases, sometimes the rage of the six can mean the death of the stranger who tried to force his way in. Not often though, as they are all still fairly close to the days of acting according to instinct and therefore can empathise with the needs of the stranger. However, the outsider will be sent away and somehow other groups can sense what happened for quite a long time, so that stranger remains an outsider for a long time, not accepted even by groups missing an individual of that sex.\n\nUnfortunately for him, Vovnii did not succeed and Ivgos met Fezvii and Puiquaa and sensed they love each other. It also helped form another important lesson for him - and for us. The Reggheri females have more head hair than Terrans do. They do not trim it and the hair that falls over their faces is woven in and out of silver (for the young) and wooden (for the elderly) slitted frames, disguising them. Children only cover their faces with their hair, though they are allowed to add dried grasses and slim vines to give it more body. As I’ve indicated, all of us, including Ivgos, find the males attractive, their sensitive features making what is alien beautiful, so we presumed we would find the females even more exotically exquisite. The features of the females are not thin, giving the impression of sensitivity - luckily for them, since the males admire and are attracted by what is seen as strength in their females. I suppose that the females truly are more beautiful, if viewed from an evolutionary point of view. A pity men of our species are not attracted by whatever makes us females the best tools of evolution. I’d like to be solid and strong. \nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmPb67jWJaukJsHVMfwahvLpjLUS9jc3g64tZmAP6aRVTs/RT%20Sam%20teases%20R,%20A%20reacts,%20Nk12,%20p8461.png\nThe Reggheri, all of them, cannot get used to the idea that so many people of differing species are visiting their planet. RT has a series of screens giving live pictures from all over their world and they cannot understand why anyone would want to visit those ‘unpleasant’ areas they stay away from. We think we have a reason for them not using all their planet. It is so odd that the only answer that makes sense is that they colonised this planet. \n\nMost of the world, all of it that is distant from the huge mountain that carries the semi-desert plateau where they built their city, is lacking in a mineral they need. The lack does not seem to affect the plants, only the animals and the Reggheri. Any that stay in those lands for more than a couple of years find their skeleton disintegrating and bones snap because they grow brittle. We plan to experiment to learn whether seeding the soil will be beneficial or wipe out the species growing there.\n\nNow the Inguel tell us that the massive mountain does not make sense (geologically). They briefly mentioned a chemical/mineral dissonance between the mountain and the rest of the planet. Although the lowlands surrounding the mountain have similar chemicals and minerals, it is likely they are covered by what has been washed down by millennia of rain and snow. For more detailed information, we’ll have to wait for them to finish their studies as they refuse to discuss it if they have to conjecture without knowing all the facts.\n<br>\n\nCraig asked to speak to Robert. “I do not have a healer and most of the gifts I had have been blocked. However, I do have perfect health and having been a Cherinian in the past, I can identify changes in my body that Normals could not. My unique situation could be exploited to prove or disprove certain theories. Have Freddie return two years in time and have me placed in an area rich with food but on the other side of the world. RT can then collect me one day before our arrival and my body can be examined by healers before I am healed. Won’t such an experiment provide useful information?”\n\n“Sam?”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8462</center></h3> “If we alter some of the parameters, we’ll get far more interesting information. At this time we are arguing the advisability of altering the mineral composition of the land - what if we do so in the Sparkler World? The Sparklers can jump with their World to another reality, stay there for five years, if the Inguel agree it is sufficient time for indicating how the mutations will affect the ecology, and they can return tomorrow. If the changes seem to be benign, Craig can volunteer to live there for a year.” I gave him a smile. “The Sparklers will monitor you so that any change that endangers you can be instantly dealt with. I’m sorry you will not have the opportunity to risk your wellbeing, but your offer to do so will suffice.”\n\nHe glanced at Ivgos before answering me. “I care what Ivgos thinks of me because he is my friend, but the only one that really matters is Candy. She has been my friend when everyone despised me - myself included. If there is no danger to me but I can help the Reggheri, it will mean something to her.”\n\nThe Sparklers were only absent for a few hours our side. Everybody, including the Reggheri, went to visit and watch as the Inguel made their tests. They have reported no detrimental changes to the ecology so we built five simple huts within the area Craig is likely to wander in. They all include chemical sewerage so that he does not alter the ecology - he could do so even as a Reggheri. For the experiment to be valid, he has to eat the local food, so an Inguel healer changed his body. Now that it is too late, I envy Craig, he is to have a unique experience and even should others emulate him later, he will be the first to have lived as a Reggheri. His Candy is going to be very proud of him. Since nobody has mentioned it; Candy is admired and loved by many species. The Sprakil are considered a difficult people and to be loved by one (beyond profit) makes her very special. That she then chose to become a friend of Craig at a time when all species could barely tolerate his presence showed that not only is she a true Cherinian, but that she also is brave - not many would have dared extend a hand in friendship to him at that time. I do not think she will age, Candy is happy as she is and that is why she refuses to become six. I stay at eleven and refuse to become twelve or thirteen, even if I do become an adult for a short while now and then. I think of myself as eleven and I hope I always will. We are Cherinians and time-related age is not a valid marker for us. For Arthur: most Cherines are a permanent eight years old and it is just as well - even as a Cherinian with a healer, I doubt any Robert would survive holding a teenage or adult Cherine on his lap ten hours a day. https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmaC6xhFoTcWBivgQ3MXjXyG3bnKe4gRCp6TamgvNNQqLF/LC-smilie_reg-grey.png\n<i>\n“Am I a nuisance, do you want me to leave?”\n“Are you angry with me?”\n“I bet you think I’m stupid.”</i>\n\nThere are a large number of similar negative questions Cherinians never need to ask each other. There is also one other very important ‘positive’ question we never need to ask: Do you (really) love me? Thinking and writing about Candy made me think of the above. So many people have long lists of what they think being a Cherinian is all about. Very few of those lists include the little everyday things that make our lives so special. For newly linked Cherinians, living like this can feel as if they are permanently on psychotropic drugs. Even for someone born a Cherinian, it can at times feel unreal.\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmbBo9UeUXCfsb3B4TRrHXutYiQCbjfZusQeaSZe3dUySk/Arthur,%20liked%20RT%20Sam,%20Bk12,%20p8462.png\nSolomon told us that one of the most difficult things the Sparklers have ever had to do was the effort they had to expend preventing their World from reacting to ‘wishes’ for Craig and his visitors. Even the Inguel who were mostly visiting for the sake of collecting data, could not help consciously or subconsciously wishing for certain data to be true so as to make it more interesting for them. Other visitors had their own ‘wishes’ and there were times the Sparklers felt they could not resist everyone. Helping and making dreams come true for others is one of the most pleasurable events in the lives of Sparklers. Robbie just had to tease. “Solomon, though you adopted the form of an elderly Terran male, which meant you should have been salivating every time you saw a sexy little girl, you never allowed your body to be a normal male body, suppressing its libido. If you had allowed your body to find girls arousing and you’d had to control yourself for all these years, blocking or rejecting the ‘wishes’ of visitors to your World would have been a piece of cake.”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8463</center></h3> Solomon smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling (with time he has become excellent at such tiny details that make him feel more natural to Normals, especially our politicians). “If I were to do as you say Robert, I very much doubt I would be aroused by little girls. I am more attracted by mature minds so I believe I would feel the same about their bodies.”\n\nRobbie shook his head. “I knew you didn’t understand how it is for males. You have chosen to be an elderly male and that means you definitely would prefer little girls. I’m sorry, but you are well past the age when men can be attracted by mature women.” It did not take long for the other men to join in the teasing of Solomon. He knew he was being teased, but if you want those who are teasing you to enjoy themselves, you have to act as if you are taking them seriously - which I guess is a good way of teasing them without making it too obvious.\n\nWhen I’d asked the RT Tellers to take over for us, I had thought it was a quick and easy job. Now I’m glad I asked them to handle it, they are a sharp group and I love the way they handle things as a family. The truth is, I could have missed out on a few of those chemical problems (as I did in their past) and the solutions. The idea of going to so much trouble to duplicate their planet in the Sparkler World, I’m not certain I would have thought of it. Not because I’m stupid, but because I would have been embarrassed to ask them to do so just for proving something so obvious. Sam was right and I would have been wrong.\n\nCertain facts are now proven. The Reggheri cannot live on the rest of the planet, as they knew. Trying to spread the missing minerals only caused damage to the ecology and if they’d tried it on the planet itself we’d have had a major job cleaning the planet and re-introducing plants from the past. The plants growing close to the mountain sides have had thousands of years to gradually adjust to more and more of the minerals being washed down. \n\nIvgos played an important role in helping the One-lifers and the elders are now grateful to him for going along with them as a friend, and have told him he will be welcome to their Worlds whenever he chooses to visit. \nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmRcWm2gAroCeeWZJMPT7qM3MkNn8xvq5qBemEdWJrtusw/World%20of%20Elders%20in%20SpWorld,%20Bk12,%20p8463.png\nHettie asked us to turn the occasion into a formal diplomatic event so that the governments of Normals from all the realities can attend. Robbie guessed what she was planning and Eddie tried to hide his smile as Robbie told her he does not want this presented as a Terran success. He does not even want it to be thought of as a Cherinian success. On the first, she did not argue with him, but on the second she did. She is willing to have it described as a success by Cherinians of many allied species, but she insists it must be seen as a Cherinian initiative. She turned to me for my help when she sensed I was not taking a position against her.\n\n“In a sense Hettie is right. The Reggheri only approached us in the hope of being helped because they had sensed Cherine as a new power. On the other hand, if we claim this as a Cherinian triumph, then it means we have to mention the help volunteered by Craig as something separate from our efforts. Hettie, I have a feeling that the Normals are not mellow in their attitudes towards him and he’s helped us by staying out of the limelight. Do you think a good marketing approach would help soften attitudes towards him?”\n\nHer face had drawn tight as I spoke. “Samantha, even had he single-handedly saved all the Reggheri, they would not forgive him. If people like Hitler were considered monsters, he is something a hundred times worse. They still hate him.” She looked around to be certain she would not be offending any sensibilities. “You must have felt that even many Cherinians detest him.” She gave up on me. “How do you want this handled Robert? As an inter-species cooperation that includes Cherinians and Normals?”\n\nTina asked, “Can’t we talk only of human beings reaching out to help the Reggheri?”\n\nGently, Eddie explained, “Many of our species will interpret that as meaning <i>Terrans</i>.”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8464</center></h3> “Oh.”\n\nI cut in as quickly as I could. “Tina, that’s a great idea! Eddie, we must do that as often as possible so that Terrans adjust their way of thinking. There is little point in us being the only ones thinking of all aliens as humans. I can’t believe I didn’t think of this before!” Tina’s blush changed to a flush of pleasure without any discernible difference to her skin, but I felt her heart and it was like liquid warmth flowing into me.\n\nSome things sound great in theory but to implement them require an enormous concentration of brilliant minds to avoid it flopping like a badly cooked soufflé. Compound the problem by having to inspect the various uses of the term ‘human being’ in every language so that no unintentional meaning is given due to idiom or cultural differences. We did not bother checking with our alien allies, we trust them.\n\nSome of us pretend the government leaders are not too keen to visit in Freddie because they find it boring that all we’ll be doing is going to the void. It would not be as diplomatic to state they find reasons of State to stay away because they are afraid. At least a number of them have come and are being hosted at small parties in the various spaceships and eco-niches by our alien friends. It reminds me of something that happened more than a decade ago. During a previous visit to our Athens home, we were asked to visit the void with a large number of guests. We were advised that many Churches came together to try and reduce their differences in the hope of reversing past divisions; the real reason was due to a reduction in the number of their congregations causing a negative impact on their cash flows - which panicked them. An idea expressed during their meetings won support by the majority - until we affirmed we are willing to take them to the void in Freddie, as requested. They had expected us to give excuses for not doing so and they could then use that against us and draw back some of their erstwhile supporters. We did not realise what was expected of us and how they wanted to use us, so we gladly agreed to take them. We not only enthusiastically told of what they would see but also sent, with our answers, photos of Worlds taken from our screens. No matter, we were soon thanked but told such a visit would no longer be required of us. We were not as surprised as we should have been at their response, but what did make us wonder was the fear they felt at the thought of coming with us.\n\nWe collected those who wished to be present and if anyone was upset that we included the Dalai Lama from each reality, they managed to block their emoting from me. Oh! Writing that gave me an idea for more Cherinians to find employment. Normals who can afford it and fear their minds being read could employ Cherinians to block them from everyone…well, almost everyone, there might be some Talents who can sneak in past a block. If so, they would have to do so without the Cherinian mind defender sensing them. Robbie just sent me a question that deflated me. He wants to know how anyone who fears having his thoughts read can trust a Cherinian to protect him, since such a mind defender can read their thoughts at will. I agree with Robbie, I would not trust anyone outside of my family. Since my Mind Defender idea died, I did not mind it being discussed at the taverna. We all wondered when we sensed Campbell’s amusement so we waited for him to speak.\n\n“Samantha, since you have given up on your idea, would you mind me making it mine?” I gave my permission, since to refuse would betray a ‘dog in the manger’ mentality. He chuckled. “I am about to employ a large number of Cherinians and I admit to appreciating the irony. My future self is aware that this is the time this has been decided so he will now register a multi-reality corporation with very strict rules. For instance, all employees will waive their rights and empower the company to block their powers should they betray a client. The Mind Defence Corporation will have the right to defend the minds of anyone who can afford their services - and we will be expensive.”\n\nRobbie cut in, “No Arthur, go ahead with your idea but you will not have the right to block the link or gifts of any Cherinian - not even if your judges are Cherinians. If it is justified, the Cherinian Council will do so, not anybody else. However, even with us willing to execute such a decision, you still have a problem. Anyone willing to risk betraying a client is likely to declare himself a non-Cherinian Talent and then we will not have the right to do anything more than block their link to us. Unfortunately it no longer automatically guarantees a loss of powers. If you or the Cherinians try to block a Talent, it could provoke other Talents into declaring war. If they unite they could become quite a powerful force.”\n\n “What if we secure the approval of all parties - Cherinians, Ipohin, Independent Talents, Normals and Campbellites,” he pulled a face as he used our name for his group, “and an internal but independent Tribunal is created representing all the groups?”\n\nDommi scowled, so Robbie let her speak for us. “This will give the Talents the push that unites them into a group with their own leaders and representatives. Have you given thought to where this could lead us?”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8465</center></h3> I sent out an impression of a hand stopping Campbell. Surprised he turned to me, looked into my eyes and then nodded, letting me answer her. “Dommi, I have given some thought to this and there are both positive and negative probabilities to consider. One of the positives: the Talents becoming an organised group is to our advantage in the long term. In the short term they will upset the illusion of balance we are happy with at present and it could cause a setback in our relationship with the Normals. The first consequence of them organising themselves will be a list of demands they’ll make on all the other groups.” I bit my lip as I thought about it. “Most of their demands will be the obvious ones, but I will be interested in seeing what else they want.” I looked at Robbie as my thoughts caught me by surprise. “You do realise that once they are organised, over time they will ossify, become conservative and new Talents will not join them. They will grow in number until they decide to organise themselves so as to have more leverage and with time they’ll grow to resemble the prior group. This is like looking at myself in mirrors facing each other, reflecting my image in each other endlessly. This is wonderful!” Shocked, they stared at me as they sensed my emoting and then Robbie quickly grabbed and held me to him. He waited until I calmed down.\n\n“Why is it wonderful?”\n\n“It’s like we are all on a conveyor belt, being carried to an unknown destination. Where we are, the Ipohin will be. Where they are, the Campbellites will be and where they are, the Independent Talents will be. Continually they will take each others’ place as they follow us. The danger is that each of the groups will tend to fossilise at various times, stalling the conveyor belt or knocking us off it. With new Talents pushing at us, we will all be forced to continue evolving or else there will be such wars as we cannot even imagine, with entire planets or solar systems dying. Arthur, can you see the early signs of what I see, already happening to your group?”\n\n“I’m not certain how much of what I see is just the reflection of changes in me.”\n\nNobody seemed to have any more thoughts to contribute, for everyone was too shaken by what I seemed to be prophesying and one of those rare silences occurred as we thoughtfully looked at each other for reassurance. Dommi gave a start, in privacy checked with Meli, then with Cherine and then with Aganthi. Their rising excitement proved she had thought of something they agreed with and considered important.\n\n“Mr Campbell, the Mind Defence Corporation must not block their clients, they must only run interference. That way the client maintains full privacy but the defender senses any effort to intrude.”\n\nCampbell, and us, needed a fuller explanation so Dommi demonstrated, using Aganthi. Campbell was told to try and sneak a look at her thoughts or memories. As he did, she let him sense how she sensed his attempt and all of us were left with our mouths hanging open at how easily she had protected Aganthi. Campbell left us to our meetings with the government leaders, on Earth, as he wanted to lay out his game plan in detail - as if he doesn’t trust his future self to think it through as efficiently. J\n\nWhen Dommi realised what an important contribution she has made to our gifts and to our safety, while also feeling how impressed all of us were, she emoted feelings that gave the impression she wants to cry. Robbie cancelled all meetings and we returned home so as to spend that afternoon and night showing her how much she is loved (it is not accomplished through sex only - emoting and cuddling is more important). I expected her to make herself younger for our loving and am still puzzled as to why she aged herself to about sixteen. With Robbie, a hint of nostalgia could be sensed, but Cherine was ecstatic and Dommi slept with Cherine lying on her while Robbie curled up against her.\n\nAs a temporary convenience, Freddie set up hundreds of screens on stilts, spreading them all over the land so that all guests can see from close. Certain of the screens were reserved for our official guests and our family split up so as to see to the comfort of our guests and answer their questions. I wished I could have joined the group made up of our close friends, Alki, Allan and so on, or else, to be with the multiple Dalai Lamas. Instead, I ended up with a group of East Europeans. My ‘infamous’ luck still holds. They were the only group to drink heavily, ask hundreds of funny questions so as to turn the appearance of the Reggheri Worlds into the subject of dozens of gruesome jokes, most of them having to do with death. My family still frown at me for laughing so wholeheartedly with them.\n<br>\n\nThe One-lifers watched the Worlds of the elders take their pre-agreed positions in the void on our screens and they were finally convinced they had lost their elders. Just as they began to grieve, the elders appeared by them. The Worlds remained on the screens and the young Reggheri were badly confused, even though everything had been explained at least ten times. Like children, they needed to be consoled and promised that their elders will never leave them. By this time, the government leaders from all the realities had been returned home (clever of them to leave early, as they might have had to listen to us use the One-lifers as examples of how governments can cripple their citizens).\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8466</center></h3> The day arrived when we went to the taverna for breakfast and the elders materialised, surrounding us. Not long afterwards, the young Reggheri arrived, silent but emoting awe.\n\nRiivjii crossed the space left open between the elders and us. He gestured in greeting. “Samantha, now is the time for me to keep my word. How?”\n\n“Faiiis?” I felt his answer and made damn certain he sensed how I responded. Flattening my voice so as to hide how deeply I was affected, I explained, “We will have to go to the void as souls. Solomon and Robert will help you split off a part of your soul and then they will transfer him to the new soul, leaving you most of the Faiiis who never was used after his death. Riivjii, I have a question, but you do not need to answer me, answer to the Faiiis who is to be.” I paused. “Can you think of him as your child and love him? He will need a parent.”\n\nAll was done as planned and though Faiiis has the physical appearance of Riivjii, as the Sparkler healers only had a cell of Riivjii’s body, he does not seem to have noticed, or else, it does not matter to him. He has spent ten days with his people, here in Freddie, and is now to spend a month or two with me before he is returned to his home planet - where he will finally be given the chance to become part of their community and maybe have a family of his own one day.\n<br>\n\n\n\n<h4><center>Chapter Three Hundred and Eighteen</center></h4>\n\nI’ve been a true child who doesn’t want to miss one moment of joy. When we returned to our Athens home I invited Faiiis to join us so that I don’t miss one minute of the time he is to spend with us. Allan offered to let him stay at their home. It is just as well, as the media have kept me busy, so they kept him company, helping him grow accustomed to our ways.\n\nI was interrogated on a chat show by the audience. How it works on this kind of show is this: the audience are interviewed and they give a sample of what questions they want to ask the guest. Mostly those who think up the nastiest question get chosen. The host only moderates and controls the flow so that there are no dead moments, they don’t care how upset or hurt their guests are made to feel, as long as it ensures high ratings. Some of those in the audience have built up quite a following of their own and sometimes earn more from being nasty than from their normal jobs. The best of them do not hold a job as they need to investigate each guest they’ll question and learn enough about their interests to avoid sounding foolish. One such ‘professional amateur’ is known by the name Deissia. She is about thirty five years old and is a Normal. \n\nDeissia asked me, “Would you agree that us Normals have responded responsibly to the request by Cherinians that we all limit the growth of our population? I believe we have actually achieved a negative growth - both Normals and Cherinians?”\n\nShe’s had her fun with me before, so I was not going to naively take her question at face value. My problem was that I had to be seen to be answering quickly and with enthusiasm.  The only reason for her question that made sense to me at that moment was my belief that the help of the RT Teller family with the Reggheri had brought them to the front again and she was going to repeat the accusation of us increasing ourselves by over thirty odd people <i>and</i> souls - the souls part being very important. Most Normals make a show of accepting what we did with an attitude that is meant to give the impression they are doing so with indulgence as they ‘know’ we are not perfect. I like it that they do so. Since Deissia  is just as aware as I am of the above and I had no time to worry at it, I accepted I’d have to let it happen.\n\n“The answer is that all of us, by that, I include the Normals, the governments, philosophers, Cherinians, are amazed. Yes Deissia, we are proud of our species - as you probably know, the Unation achieved the same and have held to it for a very long time. What is not so commonly known is that they took a much longer time to achieve what us Terrans did over half a century.” She should buy me a box of chocolates for being so generous in providing her with extra ammo, but I did not see a spark of gratitude in her eyes, just the triumphant glow of pleasure as she sprung her trap and bettered her position among those of her ‘profession’.\n\nShe sounded like a school teacher as she said, “The only way we can succeed is by considering each birth important. The old approach of ‘<i>what difference will it make if I have one more child as I so desperately want</i>’ are gone. For us poor Normals who cannot claim the right to exemptions, it is heartbreaking to see how you, Samantha Teller, probably more of an icon for Cherinianism than Cherine herself, exempt yourself from the rules. You don’t even do so because of a deep driven need to have a child, you bring about the creation of a new life, a new soul, for sentimental reasons!”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8467</center></h3> “Faiiis?!” She didn’t bother answering me, her eyes glittering, suddenly nervous as she sensed a hint of the anger I wanted her to feel. I took a deep breath and plunged in, aware of the white water ahead. “Did you really think I was being sentimental? I wonder what you’ll think when the Reggheri are helped to triple and quadruple their population.”\n\n“What? You will what?!”\n\nI gave her my big-eyed earnest look. “You are aware that when the birth rate drops below what is required for a species to survive, it cannot recover on its own and dies out? Deissia, are you advocating genocide - because we certainly have never done so, and not helping them with our healers would be tantamount to committing genocide. I believe it is, or should be called ‘sin by omission’?” I sensed her and my rage was as cold as an iceberg. “Were you hoping to justify an extra child for yourself by having an entire species exterminated?” She could not hold it in anymore and turned vitriolic, spewing out the poison that drives her for all to see. She said they are crippled, retarded children, not much better than animals and only the elders deserve to be saved since they now have their Worlds in the void and won’t take up any space where normal people live and maybe we should let them stay there where they belong. Anybody want to bet that I was all sweetness and love? No losers amongst those who know me. She still doesn’t understand what hit her since I did not use one swear word and my voice remained low and sounded ‘friendly’ while I shred her, dissecting her for all to see.\n\nShe had not done her homework as thoroughly as she’d thought and by compounding her error by going into a rage and saying the unspeakable, she paid for it by dropping way down in the ratings - but I also came out of it looking the worse for wear as many criticised me for being so ruthless with her. First of all, my own family were highly critical of me. They insist I could have made my points so gently that nobody would have looked bad and thus avoided provoking her into a senseless rage. They are right, but I’m not that gentle. If a stranger has the chutzpah to tease me, even if they are slightly sneering, I’ll let it go. If, however, I’m attacked or someone hopes to benefit by making me look bad, they’ve given me the right to hit back - at least as hard as they tried to hit me. If the mind of the attacker is vicious and vitriolic, I will not use my Cherinian gifts but I consider the abilities of my mind to out-think them, if I can, is a fair duelling weapon.\n\nI did not know that Allan, his girls, Tasso and family and Faiiis were watching. From my sharing with Eleni, I saw that they all froze for a moment out of embarrassment that a Terran could say such things, not looking at Faiiis. Allan chuckled, “Samantha just proved that Faiiis is far more intelligent than that crippled woman - he chose Samantha to help him while she thought to get the better of our Sam!” Faiiis listened to them as they joked but kept his questions for the next morning when we’d be together. \n\nSince it was a nice morning, I took him to Kefalari and had a Baked Alaska while he drank a thick chocolate drink spiced with red pepper. He smiled, “This is good.” He was projected as a Terran and the waiter was listening, so I imagined the owner adding it to the menu and it becoming a great hit. My imaginary sequence amused me.\n\n“I liked what Allan told you last night and I want to add that I’m glad you came to me with your challenge, even if you irritated me at the time.”\n\n“It was not me Samantha, he called himself by my name and disguised himself to appear to be me, but I would never have done what he did. I would have tried to solve our problems on my own.”\n\nI blushed and concentrating on my sweet I actually ate the alcohol soaked sponge cake, which I hate. I also hate it when I’ve been stupid. I should have thought of it; of course they must have been more mature as a species before they became dominated by their ancestors. I sipped at my iced coke as I tried to stop myself from allowing my excitement to take over. With Faiiis suddenly a stranger and an equal, I was about to ask him his opinion in an uncharacteristically very diffident manner, when he cut me off with a question of his own.\n\n“What you told your people, it is true? My people are dying out?”\n\n“It would have been true if Riivjii had not pretended to be you and attracted us Cherinians. Faiiis, I want to ask you a question. You are aware of what your people are like now? Do you find them childish?”\n\n“In some ways childish, in others, naïve or innocent - including those they call the elders.”\n\n“During your previous lifetime, did your people know of the void and souls?”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8468</center></h3> “We questioned the fact of so much knowledge and energy used in creating personalities being wasted by them not existing after death, forcing us to begin from the beginning again and again, endlessly. Nature is wasteful, but where it is, it is so for a reason. We could not find a reason to justify nature in this case.”\n\nShyly, I asked, “If we return in time to the period you lived and collect souls as people die and we bring them forward to this time, we could double or triple the numbers of Reggheri while your mature personalities would also strengthen your people. Should I suggest it?” Quickly I added, “If you agree, we should only collect those who died before they aged, from accident or disease. The elderly will be too set in their ways.”\n\nI asked the host of the chat show to invite Deissia and me, explaining it is urgent they do so as we will be leaving soon. They juggled their shows and we were on air within that week. I faced Deissia, who was placed on the front row once more, which is reserved for the top questioners. Her hostility was laced with her own fears and wary hopes as she stared at me during the introduction. The station had reassured her I was not going to humiliate her again. She, and the audience were startled when the host asked me to speak and I could feel the excitement as everyone realised they were present at an important change in the usual format of the show. I almost felt sorry for Deissia when I sensed how bloodthirsty the audience was, like a crowd watching the blood sport of gladiators, convinced I was there to destroy her ‘career’.\n\nWithout the host knowing what I intended, I went to stand before Deissia and extended my hand. “Let’s mess with the format of the show, Deissia, will you join me as a guest? If you wish, you may return to your golden questioners’ chair once I’ve had my say.” Unprofessionally, she glanced at the cameras, saw they were on her, and gave me her hand for a moment as she joined me.\n\n“Everyone, I’m certain, will recall our last meeting, when I reacted to your questions with hostility. Deissia, I was not angry with the questions you asked, it is your talent and duty as a questioner to find the vulnerabilities of any guest who dares to take this seat and I don’t only consider your role important for the success of the show, I see it as reflecting an attitude that Robert has encouraged from before he became a Cherinian. Without fear or threat, we must question ourselves and each other, for the human mind is insidious and has ways of cloaking its real intentions so as to achieve what it secretly plans for.\n\nI reacted as I did to your questions for a number of reasons. First of all, I carry a sense of guilt with me as I resented the Reggheri choosing me, for I forgot that it is an honour to be chosen by another to help. Secondly, I am mostly a Greek in my way of thinking and we have a strong sense of hospitality. To speak of them the way you did while Faiiis is here as my guest was offensive to him and therefore to me - maybe to all of our species. Thirdly, like a child, I had simplified your role, graciously allowing that it is your role and duty to ask the embarrassing questions, but expecting you to do so with a sweetness of mind. That was foolish of me. For any questioner to think of the difficult questions, which are the ones worth asking and answering, it requires a certain degree of hostility in your attitude. Deissia, the moment that hostility is given free rein and your questions are couched in terms that are offensive, then you are no longer providing a service to the person you ask the question of, nor to the public who are watching.\n\nI had to preface our talk with an explanation so that everyone understands why I asked for you. After our last meeting I returned to find my family very angry and disappointed in me. They claimed I had not acted as a Cherinian. I am still arguing my case with them as I can get very stubborn if I think I’m in the right, but I was more concerned about how Faiiis was feeling. In my mind, the Faiiis I’ve known was the equivalent of a thirteen year old and I expected him to feel hurt by what had been said on this show. When I met him, what I learnt should have been obvious to me from long before. The Faiiis we have now is not the same Faiiis who was sent to challenge me. He is the Faiiis who was born and lived his life before the elders were created. <i>Faiiis died a mature and fairly elderly man</i>.\n\nThis discovery has led to an exciting idea. We are returning in time to watch over the Reggheri at the period before they invented the means for creating the elders. Those who die while they are young enough to be flexible, but old enough to have acquired some wisdom and maturity, we will bring back. I had thought to triple the existing population, but Faiiis asked that we only double it. He hopes to meld the ancients into the existing One-lifers so that something new grows out of them. I think that while I am hoping to see a stronger and more pragmatic society, he is hoping for more wisdom. Perhaps we can achieve both.\n\nDeissia, there is a lesson for both of us to be learnt from these people and since you helped cause this to happen, I would like to invite you to join us as my guest.” <sub>Comment: Before Freddie departed, Miss Deissia had already received a number of invitations as Gold Chair Questioner for shows after our return.</sub>\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8469</center></h3> During the trip, Deissia and I had a few conversations I found interesting. Whenever we have a guest of the family, that person sometimes becomes a friend of one of us, regardless of who they were invited by. In this case it seemed the opposite was going to happen. Deissia and I did not discuss the original fight we had and yet Empathia and Haven continually brought it up, finding some point to pick on, making her cringe - makes me wonder why I never made her cringe, is Empathia more intimidating than I am? I only interfered to rescue her whenever I sensed the girls thought I should.\n\nI had just rescued her and we were walking close to the area of our swamp. At a spot where the ground had broken off when the swamp was created there now is a gentle cliff of about ten metres height, which is just high enough to give a nice view. We stood without speaking as I sensed her simmering but trying to control herself. I wondered if what I was about to say would have the effect I aimed for.\n\n“Deissia, please stand next to this tree.” She did so, looked at the rough bark and then looked at me. “I can sense a great anger inside you. Here is what I want you to do - let it go, pretend the tree is the person you are angry with and shout and swear at it.”\n\nTersely she asked, “Is this some kind of anger management?”\n\n“No, something more important. I’ll leave you on your own if you promise not to cheat and do as I ask. Trust that I have a good reason and no wish to make you look foolish - I’ve done it and it led me to the thoughts I will share with you afterwards.”\n\nI partly lied. I could not see her, but I could sense her emoting. She did what I asked, but not as I asked. She was self conscious and it embarrassed her but at least she tried. It was good enough for what I had in mind. As to whether she will understand what I tell her, that would depend on her willingness to be open and learn from me - which is not that likely.\n\nI caressed the bark lightly, loving the scent. “A lot of people spend their lives doing what you just did.” I grinned as she tried to work out who, assuming I spoke of a category of people. “I’m talking about people you know, maybe even you, yourself. Let’s sit on those rocks while we talk, Maria is sending us some cookies and cold drinks so we might as well be comfortable. Deissia, people mostly fear people. Because of this, most of us pull away from confrontations, even when we are in the right. You, on the other hand, have chosen a career or hobby that specialises on confrontation. It sets you apart from the majority. If experience has taught me one thing about being confrontational, it is that I must never forget I am confronting a human being, a person with feelings and fears. The moment I disengage and only take into consideration my feelings, needs, wants, then I am, inside me, turning them into objects…”\n\n“You brought me with on this trip just so as to lecture me because of our fight?!”\n\n“It has nothing to do with that! I wanted to give you some tips that hopefully may help you become the best in your field.”\n\nVindictively she spat out, “Oh, so you’re the expert! I should become like you so as to be the best Questioner?!” She stood up and did what hardly any visitors do, despite our asking them to. She called out, “Freddie, can I be returned to my rooms?” He obliged.\n\nI finished the pastry I’d been eating, packed and sent everything back to Maria. As I was about to leave, I patted the tree. “It’s okay, I don’t think she would have understood.”\n\nI sensed Robbie behind me as he answered for the tree, “Are you going to blame her or examine what you said and look for a better way to get your message across?”\n\nI kept my back to him and tried to keep my grin out of my voice. “Damn, you’re right. You know what, I think I know the best way to get the message across to her. I’ll change her to a little girl and then get Robbie to explain to her. With his little-girl-magic, he can’t fail.” Robbie was fast. Before I could move his arm went around my waist and as he pulled me to him he laughed. He tossed me onto his shoulders and with my hands on his cheeks he walked around the swamp, examining it as we both listened to the girls indulging themselves with light teasing (persiflage) of me.\n\nWhen we returned to the taverna, Sebura brought little Piri (recently rejuvenated to ben at her home-planet-age) and told her to stay by me. He walked off without explaining himself, but we felt he was annoyed and we wondered. When we realised he was approaching the door of Deissia I guessed he was angry on my behalf. I had to respect his right to make a fool of himself, so I withdrew.\n\nDeissia only answered the door when she heard the voice of a man. As she opened it a crack, he told her, “I am Sebura, an Orati rider.”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8470</center></h3> She quickly opened. “Come in.”\n\nHe stared until she grew nervous and then said, “She made you angry, she is like a demon. I know what it is like and warn you, Samantha will not stop until you stop fighting her. It is the only way.”\n\n“I’m not fighting her, she is attacking me!”\n\nHe frowned. “She is not attacking to hurt you, she wants to teach you something. Maybe you do not need to learn it, but let her - you don’t have to use what she teaches you.”\n\nHer voice, was heavy with sarcasm, “As she permitted you to choose what you want to use?”\n\nHe sat and leaning forward stared at his hands. For the first time he reached out to ask me a question telepathically. I sent back a smile, very pleased with him, and confirmed he is right. He looked up at her and his look of wonder and surprise confused her. He shook his head. “All I had to do is tell her I did not want her to be my teacher and she would have stopped! Ayee, she truly is a demon, for I did not see it.”\n\nI gave up on Deissia and so I was truly discombobulated when I sensed my loves make way for her the next morning. She stood with hands on hips, as if she were a stern teacher come to test me. “I’ll give you one day. If I say no afterwards, you leave me alone.”\n\n“There is nothing for you to say yes or no to, all I wanted was to show you what drives me in case it can be of use to you.” I came to my feet, sensing the turmoil in Sebura, for he thought I was being a demon again, for why else would Deissia have decided to allow me to teach her. “If my philosophy works for you as I hope, I look forward to the challenge of crossing swords with you as the Golden Questioner.” This time I took her to my apartment.\n\n“You’ve shouted at a tree and I would love to have you shout at a number of people; someone who is strong and someone who is fragile, but I don’t think you can draw from yourself the anger on demand. Can you imagine what it would be like to rage at someone strong?”\n\n“I don’t need to, I have done so with you.”\n\n“I’ll take that as a compliment - whether you meant it as one or not.” Candy appeared and she stood before Deissia. “Can you imagine doing so to Candy…looking into her eyes as you do so?” As I’d hoped, she looked and disliked the thought of shouting at our sweet Candy. She was given a dazzling smile and Candy left. “Imagine you are broken hearted and you cry your eyes out to a statue and later, to a sympathetic woman or man - your choice. How about you win a lottery and you are excited, but all you can do is share your news with an empty beach and the ocean? The direction I want to lead you starts with these questions and since we cannot test them in reality, please imagine how each one would make you feel.\n\nWhat I’m talking about is not just a Terran trait - not even just a human one. Have you ever watched a cat or dog playing with a rubber bone? Our Bitsy growls at it and tosses it around as if he is a vicious being. However, faced with a real mouse, he keeps a safe distance while he threatens with growls and barking. I find it amazing that we treat non-sentient things, from animals to rocks, as if they are sentient and can feel or receive our emotions. Early man took this one step further by allocating divine powers to inanimate objects. Then they sculpted them to represent their gods and somehow the sculpted items, whether statues, totem poles or other forms of worked stone and wood, acquired in themselves divine powers. We even incorporated these almost-instinctive needs into our religions and modern technology. Religions? How about the kissing of icons. Modern technology? Have you noticed how it is almost all of it female? Our cars, planes, ships, yachts, even our computers, all females. ‘She’s a beaut!’ or ‘she’s fast!’ or ‘wow, she’s sleek!’. All of it is natural Deissia and as we become aware of what we are doing, a lot of it is half tongue-in-cheek, for we have this marvellous ability to be amused by our failings and eccentricities - but the other half is in earnest, especially if we don’t recognise it.\n\nI’m going to digress for a moment. Did you know that there are many people who need to express an emotion but cannot, especially to another person, yet they find themselves pouring out their heart to aliens? Our species tend to choose the Sparklers, Elipians and Anadir as confidants because they seem to resemble us without being Terrans, therefore not being perceived as being critical of our faults. Some think we choose them because of their nature, which is perceived to be sympathetic and kind, yet those qualities are true of all aliens who have become Cherinians. Candy opens herself to Iziko, of the Sprakil species. That looks odd to most people because all they see is a fierce looking and very alien creature and sometimes even Cherinians forget to sense what a lovely person he is.\n<br><br>\n<center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost068\">Next [Book 12] - Post 068</a></center>\n<br>\n<h5><i><b>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.</b></i></h5><br>\n<br><br>\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUTQeVmsqWzFxMrg8a629XdGHm15kCnjSkbFyhiTMwUf9/Name,%20steemit.png\n* posted: 23rd Sep, 2020<br>\n<br><br>\n<center><h6><i>If you wish to read from an earlier book, from Book 01 to Book 12, use this link button to open the LC Book Index:</i></h6><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo/best-way-to-read-little-cherine-links-to-books-01-to-012-new-teller-family-calendar-added\"><img src=\"https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmfJ4USBF6u8SKDuizVpqXMJfwxmr2FEKyc4cwTPvehscV/Worlds%20waiting.png\"/></a></center>\n<br>\n<br>",
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      "permlink": "little-cherine-book-12-bpost066",
      "title": "Little Cherine Book 12 - BPost066",
      "body": "<sup><h6>Cassie put on a show of being upset and asked to go on a trip on her own to find a species to love her as their best friend and the imps soon had us laughing. More importantly, they helped break Samantha out of the mood (blue funk?) she was in and when Robert saw her happily playing with the girls, he quietly asked Freddie to give her a few hours before we return to our void. Our friends also saw to it that the leaders from Terra do not come to the taverna until they sensed we are ready for them.</h6></sup><br>\n<center>https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmSjs7k76PkScEuXxchZJPDRTfoywcNPt1RTFgzTxnE7Z9/Alex_Robert_Allan%20-%2018y%20-%20mini.png\n</center><br><br>\n<center> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUjdm8RyTVC9Jx8pqYrx7RX3Lvxm35wVLrDNRDUCEEZHF/LC%20Book12%20-%20Cvr.png </center><br><center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost065\">Previous: Book 12 - Post 065 </a></center>\n<br>\n<h3><center>8451</center></h3> As Sam has said, I’m not much of a joiner when the girls play and I sat back, against Robert, as I watched them have fun and kept tabs on the undertones of all the teasing so as to nip in the bud whatever might go wrong. I notice them taking turns to secretly (or not so secretly) glance at me and as long as I smile or giggle when someone says or does something funny, they’re happy. I don’t recall Sam mentioning the changes in Dommi, Wendy and Meli. In the early years, they did not take part in the games or teasing very often. Although Dommi made herself younger, it took a few years for her to let go and feel comfortable with being silly and childish. Once she did, she would not let the others stay apart or out of the fun and games. I do enjoy playing with them, but I also love lying against ‘my’ Robert, feeling his hearts beating, his hands touching me here and there as he speaks or sits lost in thought. I still can’t get enough of him and I’m so grateful to whatever force of nature that mutated me so that I can spend forever with him and my loves.\n\nAbout two hours before Freddie was to jump, we invite the Terran leaders for a drink at the Club Joie de Vivre. They preferred to use their CT’s (Cherinian Teleporters, that is, Cherinians employed by Normals to teleport them) so we waited for them in the club. Their CT's brought them and then departed. Freddie can call them when they’re needed so there is little point to them waiting in a room when there is so much for them to see.\n\nMichael welcomed them. He grinned. “Sometimes my fellow-Ipohin don’t know quite what to make of me. They know that my beliefs are within what we call the Ipohin range and yet, as son of the Teller family, I’m often seen behaving as if I’m a Cherinian. I’m only mentioning it because, on this very special occasion, I could not feel prouder of my father and mothers if I <i>was</i> a Cherinian. What a signal honour for them, but also for all Terrans.” He raised his glass and toasted us and then stepped aside for others to speak - and they did, for the full two hours we had. When we all went to the balcony to watch the jump by Freddie to the void on the screens, we could sense that all our guests felt proud of Samantha and the girls and there was, underneath that pride, a feeling of fondness - especially for Sam, the one we’d have thought they would be least fond of after having confronted her at least once on some matter or other. It is as Alki, our pappou tells us. Earn their respect and the liking will follow, if you are likeable and not arrogant. The way Samantha laughs, with a childish gaiety, she could never be thought of as arrogant. As for her being likeable, it is not necessary for me to comment. https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmfKjR1pXXBKa1qU5kJ73ycjvppmTfojofUBAdmRZ31q9j/Arthur,%20S,%20very%20likeable,%20Bk12,%20p8451.png\nWe almost had a heart attack! As we entered the void and the screens showed the Worlds and the Sparklers in their billions, the anonymous guest dipped, touching Michael. As he responded by laughing, a sound of pure joy, it darted away, travelling through the shields of Freddie as if they did not exist and we suddenly saw it on the screens as it danced its way across the void, from World to World. Hours later it was still doing so as now it had many more Worlds than we’ve ever had in our part of the void for it to greet and - hopefully, exchange information with. Later we saw it dancing among the Sparklers and they too dance-communicated with it and all of us were entranced by its easy and never-ending joy. Michael turned to look at his father and we could still see and sense the joy he’d felt. “It kissed me with its happiness! Dad, I think it loves me.”\n\nSam looked at him without smiling and then suddenly she grinned. “Of course it does! It saved your life, in a way it must think of you as its son.”\n\nMichael looked at her with wonder in his eyes and then he pretend-groaned. “Oh no, I’m already different to most people, having so many mothers. Now I not only have a male and females as parents, I have an ‘it’!” Ahní and Zenon thought he was hilarious. Most people don’t realise it, but when we laugh, that is one of the times we are most open to others, our DNA uncurling, and anyone capable of sensing us can reach deeper without really trying. It is the same within relationships. As they laughed with each other they were open to me and I sensed how closely bonded they are and I could even feel like a ghostly echo the bonding enclosing and including Simito, Zwithinia. That is what I ask for, most of all, for my son. To feel that he is deeply loved. I am happy.\n\nCherine must have embarrassed herself by exposing how she feels about Michael and us girls, so she told me she has done her bit and I must take over again. I’m glad she did help with the diary as I would have found it too much like bragging for me to write honestly. After all, my idea for bringing together the Worlds was not brilliant like everyone pretends it is. I was trying to find a way to help the Reggheri elders and it was obvious that since their Worlds must not be easily accessible, I had to find a different part of the void for them to visit…and what more natural place than our own neck of the woods? Still, since it has made so many people happy, I have not protested and once the Unation Council realise they made a mistake, I’ll find a way to make it easy for them to get rid of me tactfully. \n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8452</center></h3> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmXL8SRWR5QiS3kMybiUV6jVntwjVk6mYXRFmsToKUeTcj/Sam,%20A,%20do%20not%20ever%20show%20you%20think%20so%20highly%20of%20me,%20Bk12,%20p8452.png\nWe sent a message to Adam that we’ll visit after everyone has settled down. It is just as well we did so as many entities popped in for a quick visit - not to visit us, but the people of their species. Still, their presence could be felt and I’ll tell you, having a dozen or more entities in Freddie left us feeling punch-drunk. It seems they could also feel each other so they took the opportunity to meet while out of their Worlds (couldn’t very well say ‘out of their bodies’ since they have their ‘entity bodies’ when out visiting). \n\nAs if things aren’t crazy enough, we had 2,615 Normals ask to be linked - sixteen asked Michael to link them as Ipohin. Campbell had none, but he understands that the experiences have been too intense and he is likely to have some of ours ask to transfer to his group once they’ve calmed down and are frightened by the high standards we expect them to expect of themselves. We only had to refuse one of them, but it saddened us. Assimé asked her to stay in Freddie with us and she is determined to be her ‘special’ friend so as to help her change and be linked. The name of the woman is Trudy and she is American. She is very pretty and Assimé told us, in all earnestness, that it is her beauty that made her unfit for linking. If she was a little girl we might have had to worry about Robbie as she is small (petite), probably is of about a quarter Asian blood, dark-haired, big chocolate brown eyes…as a six year old she would probably have snagged his heart when teardrops sparkled on her eyelashes when she was refused. At first she turned away from Assimé (who often ‘keeps’ herself at the body age of six), withdrawing to her Freddie home. A day later she came back to apologise and agreed to stay if Assimé thinks she should. Agreeing to do so because a ‘six’ year old child asked you to stay and be her friend, I’d say that either she is very calculating or else she has just taken her first step towards being linkable. We better keep an eye on her. \n\nOkay, I’ll add a comment as it is overdue. I’m sorry but I will have to keep it vague and hope that you can read between the lines. When we judge whether a person is ready to be linked, we take into account what they are like, how they behave, but we also judge them on another level, which is deeper and often is nothing like the person knows of him or herself, which makes it almost impossible for us to explain why we refuse some of them. It is one of the reasons we do not link often, preferring to let others do so. Telling someone that they are not ready to be linked is always painful for them and for us and not being able to give a reason makes it even more painful. As for our Cherine, for the reasons given a long time ago, it is very rarely that she links…which is why we mention it when she does.\n<br>\n\nOnce Freddie returned to normal space, in orbit around Earth, the news spread and we were soon being treated like celebrities again. Unfortunately much of it was concentrated on me because of my being appointed to the Unation Council. Whatever time I could find to be on my own or just with my loved ones, I grabbed. This afternoon I sacrificed some of my private time and visited the elders to apologise. “Every time I decide to return to your home, something happens to send us elsewhere. As soon as we can leave, I promise we’ll go to help your people.”\n\nRiivjii obviously spoke for them as they all gestured they agreed with him. “We are not incapable of recognising the importance of what happened, Samantha. Bringing our Worlds here was a good idea and with it being extended to all species, it means we, our entities, will grow even faster.”\n<br>\n\nI had barely returned home when Hettie called and Robbie invited her. She cut short our greetings, emoting a sense of urgency, took my hands in hers and said, “Samantha, our United Nations has voted you onto the Council. They decided not to ask first as they were certain you would refuse. They will be announcing it on the news tonight.”\n\n“As what? Representing what, which country - the Cherinians?”\n\n“No, they held a secret ballot and changed their rules, creating a new Council for representing all the Terra United Nations or their equivalents of all the realities. You are on that Council.” I was too stunned by their presumption to think properly, so I inanely asked, “T.U.N?” just so as to say something.\n\nHettie tried to smile. “Actually, I hear they are calling it the Terra U.N. Some ambassadors are playing with the ways they can indicate it is a multi-reality organisation.”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8453</center></h3> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmcymwqLXTd3Jpb6xj35CAP5kDk9bHK5VUYVDCUVfVDJhw/Arthur,%20writes%20to%20remove%20S%20from%20UN%20council,%20Bk12,%20p8453.png\nWhen returning here, Robbie and Freddie automatically skip August because they know we don’t enjoy Athens when it is so hot. This time they did not as we had to arrive in time for sharing in the joy of Worlds arriving, but we spent so much time in the void that it was almost the end of September when we returned to normal space. Somebody came up with an idea which is wonderful but also worries me - it could end up causing us other problems. A group of Normals were fascinated by the idea of so many Worlds being in ‘our’ part of the void but they could not work out how to visit the void for a look. Someone asked a Cherinian and within days millions of Normals were taking courses run by Cherinians, learning how to leave their body to go to the void. They also had to learn how to return without causing themselves a shock that steals the memory. Soon the internet was filled with articles and comments about their visits and the awe it made them feel. The problem it could cause? I’m afraid that many of them will want to become Cherinians or open into being Talents.\n\nBy the time we were in the mood for leaving again, it was early November and for Dommi’s sake we want to be here, so we won’t leave until end of January. Since we are staying this long, it only seemed fair that Roula stays with her ‘foster’ adopted parents, Sonja and Socrati. Whenever she does, she always returns feeling more thoughtful, calmer and more self-confident. This time she returned with the need to do something to help children. She needs to do so on her own, not as part of our family, not even as a Cherinian. We’ll have to take her to an alternate Earth.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8454</center></h3> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmPAXeQtyAiCsy3UoPQRm7ni1nXH9W6w6vDpKCGsVkWQC3/Kalliopi%20and%20son%20Robert,%20linked,%20Bk12,%20p8454.png\nDiana and Claudia often have conversations where they discuss the latest published in the fields that interest them. Last night their conversation strayed and they wondered what it will be like for us after hundreds or thousands of years. It led them to the question, how do those of the Unation who are in the millions of years old manage their memories? We’ve seen they do not forget the early years.\n\nThis morning they told us why they would be visiting Freddie, and Cassie grabbed the opportunity to tease. “Why would you need to go all the way to Freddie since you have a Unation Councillor sitting here with you? Don’t you trust her to tell you the truth?”\n\nJade quickly added, “I know, you think she’s not clever enough to explain it to you.” I listened with a grin as others joined in and wished I could join them, there was so much material for them to use! I had to refrain from doing so as I would have only come across as a smart aleck.\n\nWe were not at home when Diana and Claudia returned but we sensed their arrival and their astounded excitement, so those of us who could, returned home. The last to arrive was Sheena and then we all looked at the girls expectantly.\n\nClaudia started, “Twelve million years makes for an awfully huge number of memories, no brain can hold them all, not even one like Samantha's.”\n\n“Funny!” I was too eager to learn how they handle it for me to be creative.\n\nShe let Diana continue and that in itself showed us how much she loves Diana. “The answer is so simple and obvious, but they admit it took them nearly three thousand years to think of it. What part of us already has to deal with holding many lifetimes of memory?” I drew a blank and she was not going to miss out by giving us too much time to think it through. “The soul!” It was like a shock; it was sooo obvious!\n\nRobbie asked, “But how do they access the information whenever they need it - do they have to go to the void?” It did not sound practical so we looked to the girls with interest, hoping there is a good answer.\n\nDiana nodded at Claudia, so she continued for them, “When you are hypnotised and reverted to a previous life, do you go to the void?” Her answer embarrassed us, for it was so obvious. They told us the technique for recalling even the oldest memories with ease can be taught and it does not mean we’ll be in a permanent state of self-hypnosis. I’m assuming the lessons will teach us how to be more aware of our soul while still in our body and that is the most exciting development for years!\n\nRobbie whispered to Dommi, she nodded and he spoke up. “I’ll ask the Unation to keep quiet about this for a month or two so that we have time to consider how we present this to the Normals. I have a feeling that hearing we have one more advantage over them will not sit well with most of them.”\n\nMeli added, “We’ve experienced too many wonderful changes recently - look at the way we responded to hearing this news, we should have been overwhelmed and hardly able to wait one more second. I think the delay will be good for all Cherinians also. It will give everyone time to adapt to the changes already happening.”\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmU7KVsZKKcmZHe417FhvNSKLv2SNQq4KhcPQgvp6LVDNZ/Arthur,%20suggest%20the%20RT%20Sam%20takes%20over,%20Bk12,%20p8454.png\n<br>\n<h3><center>8455</center></h3> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUpT2Yrt4AK1HugiUEpkNnY2DUDRWYzyNWeHkjt9HrWib/RT%20Sam,%20abt%20the%20Reggheri,%20Bk12,%20p8455.png\nI wanted my first time to start off with a smile, but I guess I better get down to the serious stuff.\n\nRT is not a copy of Freddie. The basics are the same, but the terraforming makes it a different environment. We had the experience of primo Robert and the scientists in Freddie to guide us so we hopefully will not have the same problems they do with water pooling under the land. Another cause for differences is due to our Robert asking us for our preferences and we chose to have a landscape far more rugged, with many steep hills and sharp cliffs. We do not have a faërie-land (I also want to know how that is done) but our river has the most splendid waterfalls. Many of them have hollows for me to use for meditating. Freddie only has one ‘highlands’, there where his home is, whereas we have three. On the other hand, we only have two Trees and two ecological niches, for our Anadir and Inguel friends. We are hoping the Unation will agree to send scientists and a spaceship to us. If they do, we will let them design their own niche. We may not have many aliens living with us, but we have a number of mini eco-niches for plants from a variety of solar systems. We also have five alternates of the Sparklers, which means their Worlds travel with us.\n\nAs may have become obvious from Freddie, not all aliens species need their own eco-niche. Some are able to adapt to ours or else they are so alien that our buggies can’t hurt them and theirs can’t affect us (e.g. in Freddie: Akiards, Elipians, Wirms, Duirphon, Kinytians etc). We have such a species that live in our rivers and lakes. They are sapient, very loveable but they are not deep thinkers. There is little point in trying to hold a philosophical debate with an Tuklacjaxdyr (we call them Tuklas, for short), as they’ll quickly lose interest and either curl up on our lap to sleep or they will run off to eat, swim and play. They love building, but are not interested in creating anything that will last longer than their interest in it. They form friendships and can be quite devoted to their alien friend if they feel loved. It is very easy to hurt their feelings but they don’t hold a grudge for long and if we apologise, they want to be cuddled on our lap as they weep. That can become a problem as other Tuklas will want to join in, squashing themselves against the one crying so that it feels loved. They’ll do the same for anyone, of any species, so there is not much crying in RT, it drains us having so many of them wanting to empathise and give us love, which we then must reciprocate as polite and empathic creatures. They have a rudimentary telepathic ability which is how we mostly communicate - they enjoy verbal exchanges and we know when they are trying to tease us because they try to sing what they say. My close Tuklas friends are Giggiwxordun (Giggi) and Fadxotnazxat (Fadxo) and they’ll call me Samantha, Sam or Tha - Tha is mostly used when they are playing. Our Cherine is Che to them, most of the time and she moans about it.\n\nJust as we are almost the same as our primo family but also different, so is it with RT. I’d hazard a guess that the Reggheri elders found it and us strange because of us being so similar. When dealing with aliens for the first time, it is those aspects we consider similar or understandable that end up causing most of the confusion.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8456</center></h3> Perhaps a good way to illustrate how small differences are important, primo-Sam only mentions Faiiis/Riivjii and Liisutsii by name. When I met them, I noticed one who is shorter than all the others and if my reading is correct, I saw a twinkling in his emoting that suggests he has a sense of humour. It did not take long for us to become friends and his name is Rarlii. I explained about us Terrans, how too many novel experiences that require an adaptation in our thinking can affect us in negative ways, paralysing us in the same way shock does. I think I did a good job for they seemed to understand and expressed their willingness to wait.\n\n“You have a choice. The Samantha you know does not feel it is right to make you wait so she asked me to take her place. I know exactly what she planned and what you wish to do so it is only a matter of you deciding whether you trust me. If not, I’ll do what I can to make your wait more interesting.”\n\nSam thinks of them as being senile children. I think she sees them that way because of Faiiis. I agree that they have damaged themselves, but they are more than they seem to be. Like a star twinkling in the sky of a polluted city, now and then I sense a wisdom that time and dying dreams has fractured but not obliterated. It is there, but not available all the time, yet it does influence their choices at critical times.\n\nLiisutsii answered for them, “If the Samantha we know has chosen you, then we accept. Will we travel to our home planet in Freddie?”\n\n“Our Freddie is named RT and we will transfer there as soon as you have collected your possessions.”\n\n“We have no possessions, even these bodies are not needed if they are a problem.”\n\nMy heart lurched, but I dampened my automatic reaction and answered, “It is not the time for discarding your bodies. After you have helped your children and it is time for you to create your Worlds, we’ll discuss what should be done with your bodies.” A question came to me, so I asked, “Have you chosen the numbers and persons for each group making up a World?”\n\nThis was when Rarlii spoke to me for the first time. “Robert has explained how your Worlds belong to family members. It is not so for any other species so we would appreciate an explanation should there be time for it. Three are the minimum souls required but more souls per World entity help it grow and mature so we need to choose what the optimum number should be for spreading the risks by having a large number of Worlds, while also maximising the growth of each World entity and its souls.”\n\n“The Anadir should be part of the discussion - may we hold it in RT?”\n\nWe took with us five Terrans from each reality we know, with an additional twenty of each species - including the full Ivgos family with his two friends, Craig and Bryce. We do not want RT to become as heavily built as Freddie so we can’t invite the same numbers - when we do need to carry more they can stay in the Sparkler Worlds. The only exception up to now was when we carried guests for the birthday inter-galactic splurge for primo-Cherine. Even with food machines, the amount of rubbish we had to dump was amazing! That could be used for defining sapience? The more rubbish we produce, the cleverer we are?\n\nBecause primo Robert has already done the same, none of us protested or feared for our Robert when he told us what he planned. Once we had adapted to being a new family and our Robert had strengthened himself for splitting his soul, he created our own Freddie - only, we write his name as Freddy so as to differentiate between the two of them. Just like I also like to call my Robert by the name Robbie, but I won’t while writing in her diary.\n\nThe elders were told we will take about twenty days to get to their planet as we want to get to know them. They explored RT and settled on a plateau that has grassland, but also pockets of trees around ponds. They often stand at the edge and stare down at whatever can be seen of RT from there. Our taverna is too far away for them to see us so they must feel like they are alone. As they would not like to have a building on their plateau for housing their food machines, we visit each day to carry their food to them. It is the right time for visiting as they also enjoy talking while eating. The drink we take to them, they don’t touch until we are gone.\n\nNow that they know they are on the way to implementing their decisions, there is a sense of urgency as they go over all the arguments for and against doing what they agreed with Samantha and Solomon. I’ve taken to sitting close enough to hear them without them feeling I’m there to intrude. Not that they seem to notice my presence, even though they know I’m there. From what I hear, they are not happy about giving up their presence and influence with their people, but they cannot ignore the fact that they are damaging their future. I was pleased to hear Rarlii worry aloud that if they do not go ahead as planned, it is likely their species will be extinct within a dozen generations. The others agreed with him but they cannot seem to rid themselves of their fear of dying.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8457</center></h3> I’m not happy about them forcing themselves to continue with the plan. Logical reasons are not enough, they must want to do it - otherwise they will feel like martyrs and the more sensitive of their people will sense them. I always confide my worries to Aganthi and she sometimes realises my telling her was not enough and she finds an answer that helps or says something that sparks an idea in my mind. Hoping she could see a way through the emotional morass, I laid my thoughts out for her. At moments like these, I don’t face her as I talk, or share thoughts. I sit with my back to her, between her feet and on the carpet, while she plays with my hair, braiding and un-braiding or else brushing it. Even once I’ve stopped talking she’ll continue until she is ready to speak.\n\n“Sammy mou, if they are the same as us, they will react the way you fear. What they must do is right and must be done - is there no way to rid them of their fears?”\n\nMeli broke out of her reverie. “I cannot believe Samantha did not notice. What do you think she planned?” \n\nI had already looked and knew she had not noticed. “There is no plan Meli, we have to find our own answer.”\n\nClaudia ticked off on her fingers, “One. They know they will live as souls so they should not fear dying. Two. The Sparklers can create bodies for them whenever they want to visit their planet. Three. One and two are not true for them because they don’t believe all the way.”\n\n“How do we help them believe?” I asked.\n\nMeli grinned. “Remember what that company sent me - a simulation of how their AI program would help my writing? Is there a way to simulate the experiences so that they stop fearing them?”\n\nClaudia’s mind lit up. “I know, let’s hold a practice run in the Sparkler World. Their bodies will be kept for them so they won’t be afraid of trying it.”\n\n“Robert,” I called, hardly able to conceal my excitement. “Can their bodies be kept alive by their Worlds?”\n\n“You mean to allow each of them to take their bodies in and out of the void?”\n\n“No.” Hearing him say it made me realise how scary it was, not everybody has the same respect for the laws of the void. “What if the Sparklers hold the bodies for them in their World, using a stasis shield so that no time passes for it? Whenever an elder wants to use it, the Sparklers bring the body to their planet and help them reconnect to it. I’ll ask Solomon.”\n\n“No Sam, don’t. Give the idea to the elders and tell them to ask. You must not hand it to them on a platter, they must know the obligations are theirs.” \n\nI nodded my agreement, my mind already elsewhere. “I hope this works. If it doesn’t, all that is left is that we explain to all the Reggheri and let them work out a solution that suits them as a species. Maybe there are some instincts at play here that we don’t have.”\n\nBoth the elders and the Sparklers agree to the trial run. The Worlds of the Reggheri will not be simulated nor will they be created, but we’ll have our World waiting for them in the void and they’ll be sent to the island - which will be adapted by our entity to suit them. The Sparklers will hold their bodies in a stasis shield so that the run is as realistic as possible. RT will have to take the place of their planet. I’m glad Samantha has taken them to the Sparkler World as it simplified our job. However, this time the Sparklers created an eco-niche for them…a very good copy of what their planet is like in our period, in other words, no cities. The elders were so fascinated that we had to leave them there for a few days, postponing our trial run. I’m going to spend some of this time meditating so that I return to them fully relaxed.\n<br>\n\nI thought the practice run went well and was about to ask RT to jump. Cherine stopped me. “One time is not enough, ask them to practice a number of transitions so that they learn to feel comfortable with it.” The elders did as we asked and as they changed they also sensed we were right and lost the tiny spark of resentment, making it easier for them to change and accept the new way of life being offered them. Then Rarlii dared to experiment and the result changed everything and the practice runs had to start all over again. This time there was joy and even laughter, for Rarlii had asked the Sparklers to provide him with the body of a male child. Being a child he did not try to block the way he felt about everything and the elders were amazed when they sensed how the body of a child had altered him so that he became in many ways a true child. They all then wanted to try it and we enjoyed their emoting and the degree of sharing they allowed. As they opened to us, I came to understand why Samantha feels so strongly about Faiiis.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8458</center></h3> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmY8J1aSsKZgGpcHsvtWPgJVHr7N3KB1yA9TtKoPaxuStb/RT%20Sam,%20abt%20the%20Reggheri,%20Bk12,%20p8458.png\nWe waited another three days, spending them with the elders and we came to know more of them by name and various friendships flowered. This is the way it should always be, even if it is the harder road to travel. As primo-Samantha likes to think of it, she enjoys the feeling of having a multitude of friends all over the universe and in many realities and claims that the sorrow of leaving friends is more than compensated for by the knowledge that she’ll be seeing them many times during a long life that grows richer with new friends every year.\n<br>\n\nWe have arrived and the elders have returned to their home planet. We wait, as they asked of us, but we are able to see and sense some of what is happening. Mostly we are battered by feelings of grief and fear from the new-lifers. I don’t know whether it is a weakness or not, but I could not bear to feel them this way, even though I knew it is necessary, so I suggested we let them know we are their friends and will visit them often. Claudia grinned and for the first time ever, I was named ‘Friend of aliens’. I had not known how proud it would make me feel.\n\nThe second stage was begun the day we were asked to visit. The real reason was supposed to be for teaching them how to visit the void safely but we are delaying, for they must first come to know and trust us or else there could be accidents because of their fear of the unknown - us <i>and</i> the void. What I’m about to say is true of many species. The first time a thinking being is confronted with the ability to leave the body and visit the void, a large number of them find the experience terrifying.  When terrified to the point where we do not remain in control of our minds, then instinct takes over. When the person is being ‘guided’ by a friend they feel comfortable with, it is easier and sometimes the conscious mind remains in control. To the planetbound Reggheri, we are strangers and the little they have learnt about us from their elders does not qualify us as friends. We have to earn their trust and friendship and that means spending months with them. I don’t think it will be as easy as the elders think; knowing that strangers have come to help condemn those you love and venerate, those you depend on, to death, it must block them so that they don’t hear the message as the elders have tried to tell it. We can only hope that time and familiarity will help them stop fearing.\n\nTo be certain there are no misunderstandings, we arrived on planet in the shapes of our species, apart from the Sparklers who cannot be seen by them in their natural ‘energy’ forms. After visiting them over a few days, we explained that we find them beautiful and want to take on their form so as to make it easier to understand them. When we arrived looking like Reggheri, we sensed no difference in them. It seems they derived joy in examining what is different about us and perhaps they find us more ‘bland’ now? We’ll take turns in going in our natural form and as Reggheri. For me, the truth is that I find their planet far more beautiful when I view it through Terran eyes, but I find them, as a people, more attractive when seeing them out of Reggheri eyes.\n<br>\n\nI have not written for a while, for we have had to withdraw - and change our minds about following the plan laid out by Samantha. As the day of their first visits to the void drew closer we found ourselves with a population turning psychotic and we had to pull back. The Reggheri number less than two hundred thousand. An entire planet rich with life and they are dying out! When Freddie visited in their past, none seemed to pay attention to the fact that they never totalled more than one hundred and sixty million. A technological civilisation with a city that seemed to be three times the size of our biggest city and yet they only farmed and mined the land close to it, never touching any land not part of the ‘mountain’ they live on. Most of their planet, it seems, has never been farmed or populated by the Reggheri. The elders are not responsible for them concentrating on one area only and any people who have the curiosity to reach a high level of technology should not ignore the challenge of exploring and utilising the entire planet. We must understand them and empathise with whatever drives or blocks them before we make plans for them again. \n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8459</center></h3> At our request, the Sparklers have brought scientists from a number of species in Freddie to help us. It is not only an evolutionary history of the species that we must study. The planet has only one plateau rising above the cloud levels and it has never flourished with any kind of life. Why are the Reggheri limited to living within a specific area around it? While scientists will analyse their reactions to visiting the other side of their planet, I cannot help finding myself more puzzled by the fact that they enjoy visiting RT. How is it that Faiiis was able to live on Earth and then, later, in Freddie for years without it affecting him? Did it affect him in ways that were not sensed? If instincts are what drive them to remain within proximity of their city plateau, why don’t their instincts react to them being off planet? The only answer I can think of is that they are not driven by their instincts; they are frozen for cultural reasons. Maybe religious(?) - not that I think so. Whatever the underlying reasons, they are surely psychosomatic.\n\nFive weeks later: the last two weeks, our scientists have been holding lengthy discussions with the elders. It took some time to convince them to join such a discussion in earnest as they are feeling guilty and only want to concentrate on their own guilt. Nearly everybody thinks they are being self-indulgent and it irritates them, but I have spent this time trying to put myself in their shoes and the fact that I cannot, tells me that something else is to blame, they are not just being childishly selfish.\n\nThe Anadir came up with an interesting idea that we’ve agreed to try. The Sparklers are creating an eco-niche that is a copy of RT, down to the trace minerals, plants, insects, animals and so on. All the Reggheri will go to visit there and they will be monitored. It is hoped they will not have to stay for long and once we have identified what affects them they can be returned home. It means we will have to skip to another reality so that they are not absent from their home planet for more than a day. After that, we hope to convince enough of them to be a valid study group to stay on the other side of their planet for a specified length of time. After that the doctors or mind healers as some of them now call themselves, will have to aim for a kind of selective catabolism that releases the ingrained fears. Nature abhors a vacuum so we’ll have to replace their fears with positive drivers that open them to new ideas and those emotions that make us mature humans. Successful synthesis, anabolism, is far more difficult but with so many of us willing to spend years helping them, I have an almost insouciant feeling we are going to succeed. In a sense we will be their guardians during the time they will be most fictile and we’ll have to monitor each other so as to point out those moments any of us give in to temptation for rational reasons, wanting to protect them from making the same mistakes we’ve paid for. Even within our family we still find ourselves doing so without realising at that moment that we are trying to turn our loves into puppets. The effort of evolving the Reggheri is going to do much to help us (of all species) evolve as Cherinians, which reinforces the axiom claiming that doing good unto others reflects the same back unto us.\n<br>\n\nThe elders, historically, left behind them the segregating of people by family. Through rebirth after rebirth they have come to see and feel that phratry is not just a theory. We all know, even Terrans, that go back in time far enough and we’ll find we come from a common ancestor, but the elders have lived it, for they were not reborn to the same families each time. Consequently, certain unplanned alterations to the way they think should have been obvious. For instance, not belonging to a family I would have expected would make them more committed to their species in general. However, depriving the heart of part of what is natural to it does not always cause logical reactions. To love your species, nation or tribe, there must be a sense of community. Where species never had family units, they evolved ways for the species to become important, but where species had families, they must have love of family for them to expand from the smaller unit to the larger. The elders <i>know</i> that species survival and growth is important because it affects each of them, but they do not <i>feel</i> it that strongly.\n\nI guess, what I’m struggling to say is that not only do we have the one-lifers who are like children and must be parented, the same applies to the elders - only, they are far more touchy and difficult. When writing the above we came to the realisation that we’d made a mistake and Robert returned to Freddie to invite the Muyzith to join us. At first, they were not pleased and felt affronted when they understood why we wanted them with us, but now that they are becoming more and more involved each day, they are absorbed by all they are learning and even daring to use some of what they see in the Reggheri to highlight their own weaknesses.\n\nI know that Samantha will not be amazed by the effect Ivgos is having on the Reggheri one-lifers. Our Wirm friends have done much to help break down the barriers between the Reggheri and the various species trying to help, but Ivgos has not needed any help and seems to win their love within minutes of them looking into his eyes. The scientists are even more flabbergasted by the fact that we can sense the love is not one-way, Ivgos reacts to their love with love, despite the number of times it happens per day. Cherine has withdrawn from the team she was part of and concentrates only on Ivgos. He has given her permission to share directly from him and she has reached in deeper than the scientists do and yet she has no answers and like the rest of us is only left with a sense of wonder and love for him.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8460</center></h3> Ivgos helped reduce the fears of the Reggheri by confiding that he will be waiting to meet them in the void. He gives them the impression that he cannot wait to see them as souls, hinting that he fears they might be so beautiful that they’ll hurt him. The wiser ones can see through him and know it is more likely his beauty and love will hurt them, but what he says makes them love him even more. I dread the day when we have to leave and they realise they are about to lose their Ivgos.\n\nAn event I’d like to record:\n\n“It is that you make love all?”\n\nIvgos turned his eyes upward, as if fascinated by the side of the mountain that loses itself in the clouds. He is convinced - at least he hopes so, that Vovnii, the one-lifer male he’d just met is not propositioning him and it is a language problem. “Not all Vovnii.”\n\n“You make love Elders and One-lifers, what species not all Ivgos?”\n\nSeuria was amused by his dilemma. She could sense Ivgos was not using his Cherinian abilities to sense the true meaning of what was being asked and was floundering. She clarified the question with a teasing tone to her voice and Ivgos laughed with her at himself as he understood. “Vovnii, I cannot answer your question because I do not understand why it happens. I do not try to make it happen.”\n\n“I try with Puiquaa but it not happen. Must not try maybe?”\n\n“Who is Puiquaa?”\n\n“Puiquaa One-lifer female. Not meet?”\n\n“I…no, I have not. I have only met males, no females.”\n\n“Maybe it is not good you meet Puiquaa? Maybe she love you, but maybe she make you love her and you not happy?”\n\n“The more people I love, the happier I am Vovnii.”\n\n“I will speak to Puiquaa. Ivgos, you One-lifer?”\n\n“Yes, this is the only one I recall.”\n\n“Good, then maybe you can help? I bring you Fezvii and you make him love you, not Puiquaa?”\n\nBy now, thanks to Seuria notifying Ahram and us, we were listening in and trying to hide our amusement. It was obvious that Vovnii is a conniving young male in love with Puiquaa, who in turn, loves another male called Fezvii. It is amazing that Vovnii had come under the spell of Ivgos and yet, despite being inundated by feelings of love for Ivgos, he was able to come up with a scheme for using Ivgos to secure the love of the female he wants. \n\nI hope Samantha copies into her diary, for Arthur, excerpts from a book written by a team made up of various species in Freddie. It has become a best seller in all the Earths we’ve visited - and probably on many alien planets. It is titled, ‘<i>Love Beyond The Stars</i>’ and is made up of short stories describing love, requited and unrequited, among the sexes of various species. \n\nFor instance, we sort of presumed that species where a family is made up of more than four sexes won’t have the same problems as us with regard to falling in love; imagine what the likelihood is of five or six or more people of differing sexes all falling in love. There is a species where the one sex (it is considered the ‘main’ sex, the alpha, the cornerstone of each family) falls in love with a collection of seven individuals of differing sexes at the same time. It sounds like the odds against it happening often enough for a species to survive are too slender, but the seven sexes, while still unloved, have a compulsion to remain in gender mixed pools so that an ‘alpha’ sex can see them together and fall in love. As their civilisation and technology evolved, the seven changed and started to make their own plans for ensuring they love the right people - people they can also like. They look for those they feel comfortable with and like, and from then stick together in a group in the hope an alpha will see them as a unit and fall in love with them. When an alpha falls in love, he/she/it (we are not certain) normally does not fear not being loved in return as the pheromones the alpha emits are somehow tailored to suit those seven and they instantly fall in love with the alpha and with each other. If an alpha falls in love and is not loved, the alpha does not survive. There are times that this can happen and they write beautiful poetry and songs about such alphas.\n<br><br>\n<center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost067\">Next [Book 12] - Post 067</a></center>\n<br>\n<h5><i><b>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.</b></i></h5><br>\n<br><br>\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUTQeVmsqWzFxMrg8a629XdGHm15kCnjSkbFyhiTMwUf9/Name,%20steemit.png\n* posted: 23rd Sep, 2020<br>\n<br><br>\n<center><h6><i>If you wish to read from an earlier book, from Book 01 to Book 12, use this link button to open the LC Book Index:</i></h6><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo/best-way-to-read-little-cherine-links-to-books-01-to-012-new-teller-family-calendar-added\"><img src=\"https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmfJ4USBF6u8SKDuizVpqXMJfwxmr2FEKyc4cwTPvehscV/Worlds%20waiting.png\"/></a></center>\n<br>\n<br>",
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      "title": "Little Cherine Book 12 - BPost065",
      "body": "<sup><h6>“No, he has not. I’ve kept away from him as I don’t like him so I doubt he’ll work up the courage to ask me - in the extremely unlikely event that he changes his mind. As for misleading him…are you certain I did? Rania, do <i>you</i> think I did?”</h6></sup><br>\n<center>https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmSjs7k76PkScEuXxchZJPDRTfoywcNPt1RTFgzTxnE7Z9/Alex_Robert_Allan%20-%2018y%20-%20mini.png\n</center><br><br>\n<center> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUjdm8RyTVC9Jx8pqYrx7RX3Lvxm35wVLrDNRDUCEEZHF/LC%20Book12%20-%20Cvr.png </center><br><center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost064\">Previous: Book 12 - Post 064 </a></center>\n<br>\n<h3><center>8441</center></h3> She giggled. “Dad, she’s messing with you. She was right, if he had first learnt he had been an alien at some time, he would not have been that horrified at learning he’d sided with aliens for his own gain. I’m not certain it would have stopped him being an obnoxious religious fanatic.”\n\n“I had no interest in turning him into a non-believer, Rania. I wanted to shatter that certainty of his of always being in the right - I wanted him to stop being so damn fanatical about it.” My loves teased me about my being fanatically opposed to fanatics. Last night turned into one of those nights that are not bursting at the seams with crude lust, but the humour and love made our lovemaking memorable.\n<br>\n\nIisous finds it difficult to control his anger when he sees Joseph. It seems this Jesus did love, marry and have children. They all died in the first attack against him. Since we are too softhearted to ignore his pain and anger, we were compelled to ask Robbie to return for the family. He truly can empathise with the way Iisous feels and is doing so tonight and plans to arrive with them in time for giving him a surprise when he wakes up. I have the memories of when and where from Joseph. Robbie’s time-event arrival was a few days before the deaths of the family. He wanted to learn something about the enemy. For instance, why are they so determined to kill Iisous? Why would they travel interstellar distances when they must have known that Iisous did not have the technology, nor any knowledge about life on other worlds, lacking therefore the motivation to cause their deaths. Didn’t they realise they were turning their prophecy into a self-fulfilling prophecy by their own actions and fears?\n\nHis first surprise was a huge one: On arrival, the aliens sent their spaceships into the sun! Did they fear they might fail and make it possible for Iisous to seek out their home system and destroy their planet? Robbie admires the determination and courage it took, but he tempered his admiration with his opinion that they were driven by fear and stupidity. They must be similar to us Terrans in the tendency we have of allowing fear to make us stupid, unable to think clearly and logically.\n\nThey never spoke the name of their species (if they did, Robbie did not have Claudia with him) and they used a spell to project themselves as Terrans, dark haired and slightly olive complexioned. I thought, when Robbie shared, that a couple of them were quite yummy looking with their almond shaped eyes and long eyelashes. \n\nThey had gold for trading and made themselves known in the market place of a Lebanese town that is known in our time as Saydã (Sidon). We don’t know whether they avoided large towns deliberately or whether they wanted to be closer to the lands of the Jews. They employed a small number of rough looking men and travelled south. As they climbed towards Jerusalem (Yerushalayim), they met a trader obviously fallen on hard times, who was walking home without even a donkey to ease his journey. Shrewdly, perhaps sensing the man, they invited him to join their group and he was provided for. Late that night they spoke to him and Robbie is convinced they discussed magic. The man they were speaking to was the previous incarnation of Joseph. The name of Jesus was mentioned and gold changed hands. Robbie saw one of the aliens speak to a guard and guessed he was being instructed to prevent the trader from leaving their group. Since they had already paid him with gold, they did not want him rushing ahead to warn Iisous.\n\nThe purpose of the actions and inactions are ultimately ethical, but when Robbie knows what is to happen and he does nothing to prevent it, somehow he feels the line of what is moral or ethical is being blurred. Not with regard to the family, in this case, who will be saved. The effects are far wider than just the family themselves. What about the suffering of Iisous and the hate that must affect him until he learns they have been brought to him in the future? What about friends and family who will grieve? What about the person who betrays them and ends up still paying for his crime nearly two thousand years later? What about the way an entire planet is to be affected? The circles of effects spreads out in many rings of various strengths and yet there is nothing we can do. The past cannot be changed if it is to alter the future as we know it; all we’ll do is create more realities.\n\nMoody and grieving at his inability to act otherwise, all Robbie could do is judge his moment of intervention as finely as he dared, keeping in mind that he has no protection against magic. He rushed into the house and collected all the people he found inside and in the yard. Even as he departed he felt the effects of the attack spell burning through his shield. They were gone from the reality before the spell was able to do more than reduce the thickness of the shield and Robbie paused to make certain he had not been sent to the wrong reality or place. Seeing he was in Freddie, he slowly landed without releasing the shield. He had captured far more than just people and had to make certain he had not brought insects, bacteria and so on. He destroyed what was a danger, moved into a house, and only then did he release the shield. Dommi, Claudia and Angelica instantly joined him.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8442</center></h3> When a moment of such joy is imminent, we ensure everyone, of all species, are aware and sharing, for love and happiness are common to all and the general emoting makes Freddie a heavenly place to be for that day. Perhaps Iisous felt everyone in general, but it is more likely he sensed the eager anticipation in his two alternates and became curious. \n\nSome of us were still with his family, trying to convince them they are safe and that they’ll be meeting their husband and father soon, when Iisous started to walk to the taverna. We only had twenty minutes to calm down his family and it became obvious we’d not make it. Dommi threw her hands up in the air, just like a Greek woman and told the others with her to get ready for jumping the family as soon as she gives the word.\n\nIisous has penetrating eyes and even his passing glance as he checked each of us out of curiosity gave us the feeling he’s seen all the way into our souls. He then stared, almost belligerently at his two alternates and Christós chuckled as he pointed at Robbie and said, “Ask him.”\n\n“Ask him what?” He turned to Robbie and scowled, not amused when Robbie responded by laughing.\n\nRobbie did not dare pull any of his funny stunts as Iisous might think he is being attacked, so he turned serious and said, “We felt it might be nice of us to perform a miracle for you. Please welcome - your loved ones.” His family appeared, not exactly screaming, but shaking from fear. They saw him and could not understand why he only stared at them, frozen like a statue. Within a minute they were in his arms and he had buried his face in his wife’s neck.\n\nOnce they had calmed down enough for explanations to be given and his family to lose their fear, it was time for them to leave, to go to the house we’d given them. Iisous was assured by Dommi that nobody will be sensing them while they are in the privacy of their home and Iisous accepted her word - though I doubt he’d even thought of the possibility of it not being so. If Dommi had not, he would have started to wonder at some stage and it would have been a very uncomfortable time for him. We had to stay at the taverna as thousands wanted to celebrate so we organised some music, drinks and snacks and we all had a great time.\n<br>\n\nThe next morning, we invited Alki, Allan, and their families, Jesus and Christós for a private meeting. They all guessed it had something to do with Iisous, but all of them guessed wrong. It is very rarely that we play a joke on Robbie with Jesus and Christós present, as we are still not as confident of them as we are of Allan and Alki. This was a good time to change that - and we did have another reason for inviting them over. How could there be over fifty females together and there not be the other reason?\n\nCherine aged herself so that she looked about eleven or twelve (an undeveloped twelve) and this helped convince everyone the discussion is serious and important. We sat on the grass in our garden and Cherine faced all of us. “As you will have noticed, Iisous has a son of seven and a daughter of about four years. She is a tiny but cute little thing and we have to take precautions that our family does not grow by one more wife. What should we do with Robert? Should he be sent to Kolonaki in the Sparkler World?”\n\nIf Cherine doesn’t turn into an ‘imps’ set all on her own after the reaction to her humour, I’ll be amazed at how levelheaded she is. Apart from Robbie, everyone treated her question as being the most hilarious thing they’ve heard for a long time. Jesus and Christós did not laugh as much as the rest of us, but they did grin. Maybe that is why they felt Cherine was being unfair when she picked on them.\n\n“Ever since we first met the two of you, we’ve wondered and wondered where and how could you find a woman to love. I guess we still don’t think of you as mutants, only Talents, just like me. What I do know is that both of you are our friends and since you are not the Son of God, the woman you love does not have to be from Heaven - she can be just as ordinary as us. I am afraid that existing the way you have for two thousand years, it is going to be difficult for you to form a relationship. For it to happen, for you to have a chance at having a love and a family, you will have to work very hard at growing into a relationship. You saw his two children; for them to be yours, aren’t they worth whatever it costs you?”\n\nDiana added, “I think I’d die of happiness if I could hold a child of either of you in my arms.” The yearning, wistful look in her eyes made her look incredibly beautiful, but also like the kind of Madonna mankind has dreamt of for two millennia and it softened their hearts in ways that our emoting of love could not. Poor, sweet Robbie fell in love with her all over again.\n\nWe will not pester them, with their personalities that would only be counterproductive. I think that for the first time they’ve had to acknowledge their own yearnings and their hearts have been sweetened by feeling how much they are loved. I hope they find their own Diana - their own dream girl…sorry, their own dream woman.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8443</center></h3> “Are we supposed to link Iisous?” Robert asked us, in the privacy of our home. His Cherine looked suitably awed by the idea.\n\n“Oh god!” Rosie blurted. “I’ve just realised, this is a magic reality and it has a Robert and Cherine! Can either of the two of you do magic?”\n\nBefore they could answer, Cassie gave a short laugh and told Rosie, “Robert can. He bought a box of magic tricks from a toy shop and he’s been practising. Don’t let him put you in a coffin and saw you in half yet…he’s no good at that trick.” Most of us laughed because of the expression on Rosie’s face, but I also wanted to give our Cassie a hug. She’s rid us of being awed, which is not what is needed when decisions have to be made. \n\n“Cherine, there is no single right or wrong answer to your question. First of all, you have to feel it would be right to link him, the same way it is for everyone else. Then he also has to want you to link him. Then you have to consider how his powers could end up affecting the Cherinians of your reality - don’t forget to add your future alien friends when you do so. Last, do not forget to consider what he could be like if he is not linked as a Cherinian. Our Cherine and two magi friends found their own answer, but your situation is not the same. Our Cherine remains the Cherine of our reality, despite linking them, for they belong to their own realities. This Jesus belongs to your reality. How will he feel, how will you? Will the link make all Cherinians of this reality stronger and truer to their ideals? Could you clash because of having different needs and beliefs, tearing Cherinianism in your reality into two halves? Think carefully about what he wants and what his personality is - at least you do not have to worry about his character.” I wished I could hold her to me as I ended off, “My love, you have a very difficult decision to make and whatever you choose, you will be both wrong and right. Once you have thought about all the pros and cons, then listen to what your heart wants - for that will make the <i>rights</i> of your decision <i>more important</i> than the <i>wrongs</i>, whatever your decision.”\n\nThis is Robert. I just have to comment on what Samantha told the new Cherine. Her advice, in the main, may sound obvious and not very helpful, just cleverly analytical which can be useful, but her final sentence is being debated by many of the races, for we feel she has found an important yardstick for guiding us with regard to many other questions of morals and ethics that are not clear-cut and without one single answer to satisfy all the criteria that are important to us as Cherinians and humans.\n<br>\n\nIt seems Freddie doesn’t feel it is time for us to return the Cherinians and Iisous to their reality. He’s been doing this sort of thing more often and not once have we felt, afterwards, that he was wrong, so maybe it is a new gift of his - or else, this is a gift that is growing because of Freddie having Kirsten to love and share with! It is such a beautiful thought that I can only hope with all my heart that it is true.\n\nFour days have passed and just when some people started to quietly question our reason for waiting here, something happened that showed it was wise of us. Joseph fell apart and tried to kill himself.\n\nRobbie sympathised as he kept a close watch, but asked everyone to refrain from trying to stop Joseph. Robbie has tried more ways of committing suicide than anyone else and he says it is important Joseph tries all the ways he can think of so that he learns that there is no way for a Cherinian to kill himself. I should qualify it by mentioning that Robbie did explain to him that should he prefer to return via re-birth, being a Cherinian soul he will remember who he was. We did not point out that Robbie was wrong. We are in a dead reality and so his soul will not be re-born for a very long time - which means he could suffer trauma to his soul and forget or else achieve final death. For now, we let Robbie bring him back after each attempt and make patience as he screams at us.\n\n“Even were I a vengeful person, this would not be acceptable. I would like to speak to him.”\n\nRobbie shrugged. “Nobody has the authority to gainsay anyone else, you may do as you wish.”\n\nHe stared at Robbie without doing anything and then turned to our Cherine. “There is a reason this is allowed - it is not meant as punishment?”\n\n“Who would punish him?”\n\n“You do not have a legal system, not even a Council?”\n\n“We do - both of them. Jesus, they are not allowed to interfere, only individuals may - people who care about him. We’ll do a telling for you, but in the meantime I’ll explain that Cherinians undertake to protect others from themselves. I do not need to protect myself from any Cherinian since everyone else protects me from themselves, which means I must protect everyone from myself.”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8444</center></h3> He missed the clue Cherine gave him so Christós and Jesus drew him aside for a full explanation of our rules. It took him a while, but as soon as he understood, he went to Joseph. “You should first explain to me and, if there is a need for it, you can then apologise to my family.” Iisous listened to more than the words Joseph used and it might sound presumptuous of me, but I think he grew a little closer to being a true Cherinian. Somehow he helped Joseph. Joseph should not be a Cherinian, but there are many in other realities who should not have been linked, so he’s not unique. He is not a danger and I think our alternates can handle him.\n\nJesus and Christós can feel the difference keenly and they betray the way it makes them feel in little ways. Iisous is the only fully compos mentis Jesus we know who is under fifty years old. He settled in Jerusalem at a young age and stayed there for most of his years, only travelling to Bethlehem and a couple of other small towns or villages. He also went to the Dead Sea, but that does not qualify as international travel. To our two, his magical abilities are not as developed and he feels very young, which makes them sometimes talk to him as if he is their son - which no doubt irritates him.\n\nSince Freddie did not move, we looked around, trying to work out what was keeping us here. Angelica told Robbie that since we are waiting anyway, she would like to leave Freddie with her two mentors to attempt a new spell she’s invented (do spells get invented or created?). Robbie did not allow himself to ask what the spell does. “My Angel, don’t you think you should take Iisous with? After all, he also does magic.” Angelica did not want him to be with in case she fails, but she agreed it would be far more tactful. They left without using a platform and Freddie lost sight of them before Angelica performed her magic.\n<br>\n\nMore than just our family were disturbed by the way our three magi friends felt. We discounted the difference in the way Iisous felt for he does not have experience of us and Angelica, but still, it was not nice feeling any of them. What could our little Angel have done to make them fearful?\n\nAngelica sighed. “They congratulated me, but at the same time they felt this way so it didn’t mean much to me.” Robbie decided to hell with everything common sense dictates and he placed her on his lap, his arm around her middle. She continued as if nothing had changed. “I wanted them to keep it a secret but they have worried everyone so I’ll have to tell you about my new spell.” She looked at Jesus. “Teacher, do you agree I should?”\n\n“Once the idea has been thought, the spell is not impossible for a true magi, but it might be better you explain so that we use this time to find a counter spell - if such a thing can be created.”\n\nAngelica sent the coordinates to Freddie and we sped there. At first we could not see anything and then Freddie focussed on a dark liquid shaped matter. “I thought of the power Samuel has, of releasing atoms so that an explosion happens. As a power it is too destructive for it to be of much use, so I tried to think of a way I could do something similar by magic, but without radioactivity or explosions.\n\nInstead of atoms, I directed the spell at molecules. I wanted the molecules of an object to become slippery so that they lose their grip, losing the tension and memory of its shape, turning solid matter into a thick fluid like mercury.” Her beautiful eyes grew large with awe as she looked at the slowly changing shape outside. “I was afraid to test the spell inside Freddie - thank god! You see, I wanted to be capable of pinpointing the exact object or mass without the spell affecting surrounding material. For instance, say I need to affect a door lock so that I can open a door, I don’t want the door, wall and building also slipping apart so that it forgets its shape. When we chose this dead planet, I tried to affect one single rock, but the entire planet was affected!” Now she let us feel her fear.\n\nI did not expect Robbie to be the first one to speak. He gave Angelica a squeeze and sighed. “You do realise all the scientists are dying to take samples? I hope it will be safe to do so - has the spell stopped affecting it?” Jesus confirmed it has. Robbie kept a serious look on his face as he turned her face up to his. “You are going to have to practice hard until you learn how to localise the effect exactly. You must spend time with your teachers as you’ll need their help. Where would the three of you like to go for your experiments?” They chose the asteroid belt of this reality and Robbie promised to prepare them a large platform with all the comforts - and then surprised them by asking that they take with a number of scientists and computers so that they can keep a scientific record and perform their own experiments. Freddie reported, exciting the scientists, that the puddle is not radiating even the low-level radioactivity normal matter does. He told us that it seems to be inert and wondered whether it is more likely to absorb radioactivity than deflect it.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8445</center></h3> When we returned home, Robbie took her hand and walked with her out into the garden. He stopped by a water feature and kneeling by her he pulled her towards him. Before his lips touched hers, he stared into her eyes and told her how proud he is of her. She felt his words echoed by each of us, but before her eyes could fill, Robbie’s lips touched hers and she felt his love for her explode in his heart.\n<br>\n\nIisous made it obvious he wanted to accompany his alternates and Angel, but he didn’t ask and they did not invite him. I wondered why. All three of them are usually sensitive so it means they did not want him. Angel would have felt her teachers have the right to decide so she would not have been aggressive enough to ask if he could join them. As for Jesus and Christós, I suspect they do not want anyone else learning how to use such a spell. The problem is, Iisous is a strong magi, if what we’ve seen of his fight with the aliens is an indication. Now that he knows such a spell is possible it will not take him long to conquer it. If I’m right, surely it would have been better he is included so that he feels obligated to respect the secrecy?\n\nWhile I thought about Iisous, I tried not to be intrusive as I also watched his wife. She is not very social and prefers to be alone with her family. It makes sense, to me, that he would choose a woman like her. Imagine a Jesus having a wife who enjoys painting her face, going to parties, socialising and making her presence felt. I think it shows he is wiser than he lets everyone see.\n\nHe still needs to spend almost all his time with his family, for losing them has made them twice as precious as they were before. However, there are times when he needs to be alone and I’ve noticed his family never try to stay with him when he feels that way. Luckily I’m not family so I can pretend to be insensitive. I took my place close to him and stared at the vegetation ahead of me. I was just following one of my quickly-made-up rules - when I want to talk with someone about something personal or that they might feel sensitive about, it is better to let them start the conversation.\n\n“Should I return to my reality or should I leave it to the Cherinians and find somewhere else for me and my family to settle?”\n\nI side-stepped his question with one of my own. “Do you think you should not be linked?”\n\n“I’ve noticed my alternates are, but they are not part of your group, they remain in their own realities.”\n\nI frowned at him. “What does that have to do with anything? Some Cherinians belong to different realities and some to different times. It does not prevent them from being part of our Family of Cherinians. What about all the Cherines, Roberts and their Cherinians, including those of your reality, are they not part of our Cherinian Family? Iisous, being a Cherinian means that you become part of all life; your link to your Cherine or group of Cherinians is but a minor part of what you are linked to. Would it frighten you if I told you something truly awesome? There are moments, rare instances, when all of us - well, many of us, can feel that who linked us does not matter, for we are linked to all Cherinians, whatever reality or universe they belong to. Now here is the scary part - there are split seconds when it feels to me like I’m linked to Cherinians who are not born yet, perhaps will not be born and linked for tens of millions of years. It does not matter that we do not even know of their realities at this time…for all I know, perhaps their realities have not been born yet! I cannot tell you whether I sense truly or am hallucinating, but I have noticed those moments come when we’ve done something right, something important that leads Cherinianism into growing closer to its potential. Sometimes Cherine makes it happen for me by taking on her aspect of being The Light.”\n\nFrom the way Iisous was staring at me, it was obvious he was locked within his own mind and the awesome picture I’d painted for him, for I’m certain he did not sense that nearly all of Freddie had set aside whatever they were doing and were listening, my loves happily buzzing within my mind as their own thoughts jumped around like crazed fleas.\n\n“It is strange that this Arthur of yours chose to make all this grow from empathy.”\n\n“It is? What should he have chosen? Love? Compassion? Selflessness? Since all of them are a part of what makes up empathy, would not any one of them only have limited us?”\n\n“I’ve had my moments, at some time or other, when I’ve experienced an epiphany. They have helped open me to others, made what I thought of as love, purer and stronger, more meaningful - especially when I learnt that for real love to exist it must not ask for anything, only offer. What I’m saying has been said by poets, philosophers, song writers, even by a few biblical prophets, but I have a reason of my own for mentioning these clichés. Samantha, being linked, how does it affect my sense of empathy, is it like experiencing an epiphany?”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8446</center></h3> “For some. For others, they have to grow into it. The difference, the one difference that makes it possible for all of them is that it is as if a door has been opened and somebody has switched on a light, helping them find their way. Even for a Cherinian, all those qualities that make us what we are, they do not become a part of us just because we were linked. As with everything else, the more we practice, the more we make the qualities of empathy, love, compassion and so on a part of our lives, so do they brighten the deepest parts of our minds and souls so that we see that there are still great distances for us to reach out to. Hopefully we’ll never reach a limit and will continue to grow forever.” I grinned. “For that to happen and remain human, we’ll have to be like the tide, ebbing and flowing - with each time we grow back to the deepest parts of ourselves, finding there is some tiny detail that has been scoured cleaner of baseness we did not know still existed in us.\n\nI don’t want to become anything like the way angels are described by various religions. The Samantha sitting here by you has a potential and if she reaches it, you’d still recognise her as Samantha. That is the path I want to follow and I’m hoping the path does not only have thorns to be my teachers. It must have lessons for me to learn from flowers and butterflies and a liquid golden sunlight that warms my heart. That which I’m asking and hoping for comes from being loved and having so many to love. Both sides of love are what give me the courage to bear the thorns so that I can learn from them. The thorns, on their own, only teach fear and fear teaches hate. Both fear and hate block the path leading to my potential.” I glanced at him, at his dark bearded profile, before continuing. “I doubt you saw the love you have for and from your family as being the key that opens doors, enabling you to someday reach your potential, despite all the fancy words of poets. Jesus, the empathy we are speaking of, it will change the love you know today and you will marvel every day at the new depths.” We sat in silence until most of the minds concentrating on us drifted back to their own concerns or conversations, some now analysing what we’d said. “Iisous, what holds you back from becoming a part of your Robert and Cherine?”\n\n“You are asking that I submit to another.” His tone gentled. “I do not argue their right to lead, nor whether it is their due, all I’m saying is that I cannot place the course of my life and those of my family in the hands of others.”\n\nI sighed. “Poor Robbie, he’s tried so hard, but it seems he’ll never succeed.”\n\nHe waited for me to explicate but when I remained silent, he asked, “That was your answer to my soul baring?”\n\n“Do you see my Robert and Cherine as the leaders of our reality?”\n\n“I understand they are accepted as leaders over all Roberts and Cherines.”\n\n“That is what I meant when I said my Robert will never succeed. He has tried so hard to help others see that he is not a leader. He does not even want to be the leader of my family - you know, in the way most males want to be. I have not read any poems by you nor have I seen any drawings or paintings by any of your alternates, so I do not know whether you have the heart of an artist. Maybe it is necessary if you are to understand what our Robert and Cherine are. Cherine is the easy one. Not Cherine the person, but what she symbolises. Cherine is a tool - just like a chain can be viewed as a tool. She is the conduit or channel for all the best emotions to flow from heart to heart, from soul to soul. If you want, we can discuss what she is some other time, at this moment I think we should concentrate on what Robert, all Roberts represent and also, as a separate subject, the need for submitting.\n\nRobert thinks of himself as the servant of life. That may be part of what he is, but to me and my family - plus those who have had years to learn about us and grow close, Robert is something else - far, far more important than being a leader. He is our guide, our dreamer. When Robbie dreams correctly, braving his own fears sometimes, then his dreams guide us and many mistake his guidance for the trappings of leadership. Iisous, even when he guides us, he does not ask that we follow, nor does he demand. All he asks is that we allow him to point out the way that leads to growth and then leaves it to each of us to choose our own way.\n\nYou talk about submitting as if doing so makes you helpless, takes away your rights. Submitting to another, even should that other be a god, that lessens what you are and can be. All gods are dreamers. How can a dreamer want that of you? However, if you submit to a dream, to an idea that is still being born and therefore is still being shaped, with you a part of the process of shaping - while it is still so nebulous we have to name it a dream; that submission does not take from you, all it can do is give and give and give every time it grows towards an idea assuming a form, until the dream-idea has been achieved and you have attained your potential as a Cherinian and human being.”\n\nHe gave me a false smile, recognising I was not asking for an answer to the question as asked. He stared at his hands, brooding as he immersed himself in the thoughts I hope I’d helped him consider. I silently touched his arm in greeting and then jumped back to my apartment. I also need to think about all I told him. It is strange when I find I also learnt something from what I said to others.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8447</center></h3> Iisous told his Teller family that he will be returning with them, though he does not wish to be linked yet. He was shocked to feel the claws of fear rake through Robert. He realised Iisous had sensed his fear, so he explained. “As far as the world is concerned, you died nearly two thousand years ago. Seeing you will create a religious fervour that could destroy our civilisation, as many will think your return signifies the Second Coming.”\n\n“Second Coming? What is that?”\n\n“Those who wrote of you in the New Testament spoke of the day you will return as being the Second Coming. They claimed that when that day arrives, Satan will be vanquished and the dead will be brought back to life so that they, and us the still living, can be judged.”\n\n“I’ll tell them it is not true. I am a magi - that is all!”\n\nRobbie burst out laughing at the look on Robert's face. “Iisous, whatever you do or say, there will be many deaths and wars will be fought because of your reappearance.”\n\nHe glanced at me, so I spoke. “The decision must be yours. If you want to return, I suggest you first allow us to do a telling so that people understand why you disappeared in the past and are about to return. It won’t prevent everyone from doing crazy things, but more will have the opportunity to adjust and help us contain the crazies.”\n\n“My family can wait in Freddie?”\n\nWe did a practice run in Freddie so that Iisous can share and sense how the girls will present his case. They built into it the story of the two alternates and we sensed it pleased Iisous. Whatever else we’ve achieved, at least the Cherinians of this reality are returning as a closer knit group and there is more of a feeling of being a family than there was before. We’ve also helped teach most of them how to jump realities and they know how to choose the reality they want to visit. From now they will not fear showing they stand by the side of their Teller family.\n\nWe appeared in their skies and Freddie announced we’ll be doing a telling about their Jesus.\n\nIt took a couple of weeks to get the television stations to agree a common date and time - there is no point in using the internet as the speeds are too low for video streaming. They also don’t have the technology for large screens which means we’ll have to allow local interpreters at each station to translate for us. As the days went by, Meli and the rest got more depressed about the telling until Meli finally spoke up, refusing to use the television stations. Luckily for us, Alki intervened and convinced her that we should use the existing arrangements, but add platforms created by the Sparklers. Since the purpose of this telling is to save lives, we are creating more than double the platforms we usually use and there will be over forty five thousand of them spread all over the world. Some of the bigger cities have between five to twenty. To the Sparklers, the number of platforms makes little difference, the problem is ensuring that Claudia and her helpers can affect all the platforms. We don’t need one per platform as they can float overhead and influence-translate at a number of tellings. A rough estimate gives us the figure of one thousand four hundred are needed. We can’t bring the five of them back from the future two hundred and eighty times!\n\nLet’s presume six ‘satellites’ at <b>each</b> of the following latitudes: 20˚S; 0˚; 20˚N; 40˚N, each of the satellites stationary over land areas. It means we’ll need twenty four satellites to give a decent cover of all the populated areas, if we can treble the area they can each affect. We tested them; three together, then four and then five. With the last test we obtained nearly treble the area if the girls are at about fifteen kilometres above sea level. It’s the best we can do and it means we only need to bring the girls back from the near future twenty three times.\n\nThe governments were told the giant screens are created by the concentration of energy from the void and it panicked them - they were convinced we would use them to threaten to blow up all the cities if they give us permission to site them at each ‘repeater platform’ the Sparklers will create. I’m very glad we have Hettie and others like her to handle politicians, for I still cannot comprehend the way their minds work. If we want to use the energy for blowing them up, why would we need their permission to place them where needed? Okay, Hettie explained that they are playing to the fears of the man in the street. Humph! I don’t believe it. They might play to the fears of the public for well known reasons, but I think they have the same fears and are not using the brains evolution gifted them with. Hettie soothed them and we were given permission! I wish I could go back in time to visit myself at the time Robbie was shot by the Askaris (soldiers) in Dar and Eddie forced Hettie to stop the war. I was sooo very angry with Robbie when he then chose her to represent us. If I could go back to meet myself, I’d tell her to stop being so stupid and that she should be glad she has such a brilliant father-husband. I don’t know what we would have done without her…so many times!\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8448</center></h3> The tellings left everyone stunned. We kept the platforms functional and waited. As soon as the first crowds went wild and started striking at the police and trying to destroy buildings, Jesus made his appearance on all the platforms, told everyone he is an alternate, but asked them to settle down. Just when it looked like there would be violence again, Christós appeared on the platforms. Usually it is Jesus who seems more intimidating, more stern. This time Christós took on that role and he really did frighten many. Maybe the idea of more than one Jesus existing was what really frightened everyone. When we felt the time was right, Iisous joined the two of them and he spoke for a longer time, explaining what they had shared from the telling. The girls had made it clear that those who attacked their Jesus were not mutants, that they were aliens who died from natural causes and yet, when Iisous explained it, we sensed that most of the public only understood the truth for the first time. I keep on forgetting to take account of the effects emotions, especially fear and hatred, can have on the intellect.\n\nIt was at this time that Nicole/Alexis with Irene/Noelle came up with their genius of an idea. They suggested we keep the platforms for an extra three days, manned by at least thirty at each platform at all times. We should be there to answer questions from the public, explain and soothe hearts. We chose from our family and from outside, including our alien friends, those who have a soothing effect on others. Each of them took a number of Wirms/R-Wirms with, compounding the effect we wanted. I think this idea on its own did more to save the planet from riots and deaths than everything else we said or did. As to whether it will help prevent new schisms in their existing religions, I doubt it. Once the main religions lose control and it becomes easy for every greedy and manipulative Tom, Dick and Harry to start a new religion, nothing seems to slow them from proliferating like poisonous mushrooms shooting up overnight in the damp darkness of ignorance and superstition.\n\nWe gradually withdrew from all discussions with governments and the media, pushing our local alternates and other Cherinians into prominence. As they came to know some of the individuals - and especially their Robert and Cherine, they started to treat them like normal people. Some liked them and became friendly and a few hated them, with most of them floating backwards and forwards somewhere in-between the two extremes. Their Cherine took a leaf from ours and made certain she mostly stays in the background, but does not hesitate to speak up when she considers it necessary. This reality will need decades, maybe even a century or more, for them to adjust to their mutants, but we’ll only consider the local Cherinians successful Cherinians the day most Normals admire and like them.\n\nNow that the first steps have been taken, we must leave. If we don’t, then this reality will end up a copy of other realities. They must evolve in their own way and with Cherinians and magi, with natural psychic gifts mixed with magic, this reality definitely has to be one of the truly unique ones. Maybe they will be the first who can dare to meet aliens from their reality - the rest of us, even the Terrans of the other four magic realities, are wary of meeting aliens who have magical abilities. Our alien friends are not exactly comfortable with the idea of meeting their alternates of the magic realities and they suspect that, at best, when they do, it will greatly complicate their lives. They might be just what we need someday in the future.\n\nWe announced our imminent departure, went to some parties and invited those we felt we should to a party in Freddie. Our last two days were spent solely with our alternates and those closest to them - which luckily includes the Mansfields. We’ve bonded with these Tellers and had tear-filled eyes as we hugged them goodbye. We promised to return soon and after they’d left that evening, Freddie jumped.\n<br>\n\nAllan chuckled. “The first Teller family not to ask for a copy of one of you! The way Robert felt about so many of you girls, I guess his Cherine was afraid to let him start or else they’d end up with a huge family. That’s a wise little girl.”\n\nRobbie grinned. “This is also the only Teller family that does not have an Allan. Oh, by the way, I agree with you, she is a wise lassie.” We laughed at the way they were taking digs at each other, but we also wondered. Maybe they’ll ask for some of us after another visit or two, when they feel more comfortable with us.\n\nThe Reggheri have been more than patient with us - I bet they think the delays are deliberate and meant to be a test of some kind. The truth is, they asked for extra time, but I’m also afraid I’ll say or do something wrong and lose an entire species because of their pride or…whatever. I still don’t understand them!\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8449</center></h3> “My loves, do you mind if we visit the world of the Reggheri next?” They agreed and I could sense more than a few of them were relieved, having the elders patiently watching us, emoting their need, it was getting to them.\n<br>\n\nI asked for their opinion. “We arrive at your planet in the morning. I felt we should discuss what steps you and we are to take. For instance, do we help all your people visit the void or would you prefer to have only the elders do so at this time?”\n\nSol cut in. “Keep in mind that your people used to visit the void but they were not aware. The void is not dangerous and it can teach them so that they mature faster.”\n\nLaura asked Sol, “But if they can visit, isn’t there a danger that they might come to depend on the elders again or substitute the elders with the World entities of the elders?”\n\nRobbie chuckled. “Are you girls going to give them the opportunity to express an opinion?”\n\nLiisutsii spoke slowly, with care. “All advice is appreciated and we too are learning. What is it you wish Samantha?”\n\n“I wish to see your people grow so that they stand at our side as our brothers and sisters. My loves have mentioned a few good points and I too am concerned. As they’ve shown us, we face two contrasting conditions of equal importance. Experience has shown us that the mind matures faster if it can visit the void, for the soul is not as prone to the weaknesses of our present life which blind us. However, they have spent millennia depending on you elders and they will be tempted to fall back into that pattern. I have an idea that might not be good for you and require some sacrifice of the elders, but it is for a limited time. Would you agree to forming your Worlds and then moving your Worlds? Why not move them to be close to our Worlds. That way your entities can learn to grow into the brotherhood of World Entities.” I felt the intuitive leap everyone took and how it affected them, but I kept my eyes glued to the elders. “There will be Worlds of dozens - maybe hundreds or thousands of species someday, in the same part of the void, and they will not only grow to a maturity we cannot imagine at this time, we can also hope that they grow to love each other as we Cherinians would wish, as brothers and sisters. When those you leave behind, your children, are ready for you and your Worlds to return, you will be wiser and know how to help them grow towards the potential of your species.”\n\n“Freddie, we ask that you stop in the reality of Prime Cherine but not close to Terra.”\n\nFor a moment none of us realised who had made the request, but we soon worked out that the voice had come from the Unation spaceship. Their Admiral and leaders still visiting us (I had not realised there were that many of them visiting at this time, I don’t think we’ve ever seen that many with us before) appeared at a spot close to the beach and in a slow, dignified walk they approached us. Robbie noticed the way they are dressed and quickly asked us to project so that we appear less casually attired. I was more affected by the way they seemed to literally glow from an inner energy. Candy gave a cry and we realised that the Sprakil representative is Iziko! That was when we realised that most of the officials are people we’ve grown to love over the years. \n\nSome of those who came to us:\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmSk3bMS5pKqA5RvXznUtgfxqVykJE3RvzpMUbbHJC6zS1/Unation%20Council%20Members%20for%20inviting%20S,%20Bk12,%20p8449.png\nAltogether there are four hundred and thirty four, representatives from each species and also representatives from alternate Unations. It was an impressive sight. Cherine is taking over while I go hide my face under a pillow.\n\nArthur, we managed to maintain a dignified presence all day and during the hours we celebrated that night but, as soon as we got home, we all wept. This is one of the most important days of our lives till now and never have we taken such a huge step towards the dream of our Robert. I wish all the other Teller families could have been present. I’m especially grateful that our pappou is with us.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8450</center></h3> Freddie did as was asked of him and we stopped about a lightyear outside our solar system. A small spaceship of the Unation arrived and Freddie gave it permission to jump in. It landed and we stared with huge eyes as we saw that Michael, Ahní and all the others we love like family walked out. Even the Dalai Lama, David (of the chat show, with two camera men), forty leaders of governments and…Arthur Campbell - the one from our future, as the original is still with us! Campbell appeared with a sphere of light in his hands and when Robert tried to sense it he was rebuffed and it felt as if he’d been stung by red ants. The sphere left the hands of Campbell and floated to wait above the Unation leaders, so I did not get aggressive. I could feel that one of us was suffering, that she desperately wanted to jump and hide in her apartment, but she stood without showing how she felt, biting her lower lip.\n\nLaak-ist-Eltiorass spoke first but others took turns. I won’t complicate matters by naming them and will only call their speakers the ‘Unation Speaker’.\n\n“We have waited for this day, millions of years. Robert, our apologies if you feel we have committed a paradox but, Worlds from one hundred and forty seven species, including those of the Unation, are at this moment in the void at proximity to your Worlds and those of the other species that were there. They are waiting for us to feel their joy and entities will be celebrating on each others’ Worlds - the final stage of celebration will be in the World of the Prime Sparklers.\n\nWe bring a visitor with and we have assumed responsibility that the wish of our visitor to remain anonymous will be respected by all species.” Robert nodded his agreement. “As you see, we have brought others, mostly from your species, as they are those who most deeply love the one we wish to honour and by whom we wish to be honoured this day.” I grabbed hold of her hand and squeezed and sent her a ‘fierce’ face so that she knows I want her to be brave. I am certain she also felt how close to tears I was.\n\nThe Unation Speaker addressed Robert and I directly. “The Unation Council formally request that you allow us to appoint Samantha Teller a full member of our Council.” They all turned to Samantha. “For the Cherinian dream to take one step closer to reaching its potential, we ask you to honour us by agreeing to become a Councillor of the Unation Council. We further request, as a joint vote between the five of them, that the following share one seat on the Council. Haven; Robyn; Shiyra; Aven and Shelif.”\n\nThe next Unation Speaker continued. “This is the first time any species have invited a person of a different species to their Council, empowering that person to be a leader of their people. Accept us, Samantha, and the day will come, sooner that it would without you, when all species will have mixed governments and they will be an additional bond, just as the coming together of Worlds, that binds their nations, planets and species so that we truly are one, as Cherinians.”\n\nSamantha and Shiyra, on behalf of the five, were given a document that seems to be almost indestructible, plus a seal and a belt (more like a narrow metallic cloth sash) as symbols of their positions. There was not one species that did not cheer and celebrate when the two girls accepted. I held out until the formalities were over and then I let Robert pick me up and hold me to him. Maybe I should ask my healer to devise a way for me to breathe when he squeezes me so tightly.\n\nAlthough the Unation had planned for us to leave immediately for the void, Robert asked Freddie to jump realities so that we can have a party and then go home to hold our six girls who were feeling overcome. We let Alki and Allan take turns in holding Sam and concentrated on the others. We did have a bit of a giggle because of Candy. Angelica brought Jesus and Christós back home with us so Candy said that if she could have them and Samantha have Alki and Allan, then she should be allowed to bring Iziko, so Syrina added she should have our isi and demanded, on behalf of Lucy, that we bring Sharipya and Asimi. It was all in good humour and the laughter helped us let go and cry.\n\nOver breakfast, Jade put her elbows on the table and held her head in her two hands. Willing, as ever, to be her ‘straight man’, Samantha asked her what is wrong.\n\n“I just realised that with you being <i>Friend of Aliens</i>, nobody else will ever get a chance to be invited to join the council of another species. Not even poor Cherine!” \n\nCassie put on a show of being upset and asked to go on a trip on her own to find a species to love her as their best friend and the imps soon had us laughing. More importantly, they helped break Samantha out of the mood (blue funk?) she was in and when Robert saw her happily playing with the girls, he quietly asked Freddie to give her a few hours before we return to our void. Our friends also saw to it that the leaders from Terra do not come to the taverna until they sensed we are ready for them. \n<br><br>\n<center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost066\">Next [Book 12] - Post 066</a></center>\n<br>\n<h5><i><b>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.</b></i></h5><br>\n<br><br>\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUTQeVmsqWzFxMrg8a629XdGHm15kCnjSkbFyhiTMwUf9/Name,%20steemit.png\n* posted: 22nd Sep, 2020<br>\n<br><br>\n<center><h6><i>If you wish to read from an earlier book, from Book 01 to Book 12, use this link button to open the LC Book Index:</i></h6><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo/best-way-to-read-little-cherine-links-to-books-01-to-012-new-teller-family-calendar-added\"><img src=\"https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmfJ4USBF6u8SKDuizVpqXMJfwxmr2FEKyc4cwTPvehscV/Worlds%20waiting.png\"/></a></center>\n<br>\n<br>",
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      "parent_author": "",
      "parent_permlink": "sfandf-fiction",
      "author": "arthur.grafo13",
      "permlink": "little-cherine-book-12-bpost064",
      "title": "Little Cherine Book 12 - BPost064",
      "body": "<sup><h6>I asked the elders to meet me the next morning at a place that is close to the house of Lusalith. . . .</h6></sup><br>\n<center>https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmSjs7k76PkScEuXxchZJPDRTfoywcNPt1RTFgzTxnE7Z9/Alex_Robert_Allan%20-%2018y%20-%20mini.png\n</center><br><br>\n<center> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUjdm8RyTVC9Jx8pqYrx7RX3Lvxm35wVLrDNRDUCEEZHF/LC%20Book12%20-%20Cvr.png </center><br><center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost063\">Previous: Book 12 - Post 063 </a></center>\n<br>\n<h3><center>8431</center></h3> I made certain I arrived a few hours earlier and walked amongst the bearded trees, enjoying the damp scent of earth and plants, the colours of bright butterflies, though I was saddened that I did not see any of the gigantic brightly coloured species we’d found on an Earth that had no humans. Robbie had brought eggs and cared for them until they hatched as we’d been told they were dying out on their world and they are far too beautiful and sadly gawky for us not to want to save them. They have thrived in these mountains. We’ll return to their home planet at large intervals and if we find they are extinct, we’ll do what we can to make it possible for them to exist there again, using ours as stock for re-populating their home world. Other Earths have also asked for a breeding parcel.\n\nI was surprised to sense that the elders did not arrive in one group. Liisutsii was the first to arrive and when he found out I am walking through the forest enjoying the sights and sounds, he asked to join me. As good companions do, he knew to remain silent so that both of us can sink into our own thoughts. When we sensed others arriving in dribs and drabs, we turned and walked to our meeting place.\n<br>\n\nAn elder greeted me with, “This must cost a lot in effort, to maintain.” I sensed the others agreed with him, but they did not think it a waste of time and energy. I pretended I did not sense them.\n\n“If so, I would say the effort is well worth it. When Robert first created it, we imagined this would become our favourite area, but it seems that many other species find it fascinating so we don’t come here that often, as we want them to enjoy it without having us disturb them from the contemplations such an exotic wealth of life provokes.”\n\nAfter a few pleasantries were exchanged, I was asked why I had called for them. “It was your decision that all of you should die. Your reasoning is sound and I am glad that you want to evolve before locking yourselves into one life.” They all gave me a startled look, which I pretended not to notice. “The problem is, I’ve grown to like you and I hate the idea of you dying.” I couldn’t help it, my eyes filled at the thought of it happening. I hoped they would not know what it signifies.\n\nOne of them asked, without any strong emoting and not really curious, “What are you suggesting.”\n\nHis coldness helped me recover. “You are right about not remaining to influence the new generations, but it is also wrong to decide to die. It is not the same as having the wisdom to accept it when it comes, you are talking of giving up, of switching off. I agree that the machines should be destroyed so that they can’t hold your souls, but then you should each live for whatever period your body lasts.”\n\n“The machines will be destroyed, as will all knowledge for building them. To do as you ask, to live for the natural length of time of these bodies, it would cause more harm. Samantha, your intentions are good, but you are not taking into consideration certain facts. Our bodies are healthy and will last long enough to be a part of the lives of the next two or three generations. Those that are to grow up, they must not be influenced by us and if we remain, they will be. That cannot be avoided and you know it.”\n\nI was not the one refusing to look truth in the face - they were. “Riivjii, I do not know the others as well as I know you. You have the courage to see the truth, so, if you cannot see it on your own, let me help you. Answer just this one question: how many of your people presently alive have been brought back from the machines? How many of those will not recall their previous life? Should all of them die as soon as we arrive? How many are truly your children and have a future? Are there enough of them to survive on their own?”\n\nOne of the other elders cut in with excoriating anger, “You Cherinians have the ability to block the younger elders so that they do not recall their previous life. You are refusing to do so?”\n\nIt felt like part of my face turned to stone. “Riivjii did not ask for the right to decide your deaths without you being offered a choice and neither would I have granted him that right. How dare you think you have the right to use us for you to make the decision without those whose lives you are offering being consulted.”\n\nLiisutsii held back the anger most of the elders were exhibiting. “If they choose not to die, what will you do - condemn the new generations?”\n\n“No, I will offer them the same I came here to offer you.” I waited for as long as I dared and then added, “Life for as long as your bodies last, in Freddie. When you die, if you wish, your souls will be returned to your planet for them to be reborn without memory of this life so that you grow as new personalities. Once you become Cherinians and if you choose to create your own Kaleidoscope World, its entity will have available to it all the wisdom your many lifetimes have accumulated without it being servant to your wishes. You will not have cut short your lives, your people will not be harmed by your presence imposing your ways of thinking on them and we, here in Freddie, will have the benefit of your company and friendship - if you are willing to open yourselves to friendship.”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8432</center></h3> When I returned to my loves, they all looked at me strangely as they worried. I tried to explain, “I’m really not enjoying having to deal with the elders. They are worse than spoilt children.”\n\nDommi waited for the others to lose interest before telling me to take a walk with her. I did as she asked, but I could not work out what had her so upset that she was hiding her emoting from me. She took hold of my arm, stopping me.  “Sam, you nearly cried.”\n\n“Oh.” Suddenly I realised that Cherine and Robbie, if not more of my loves, were sharing from within Dommi. I could not understand why they were this concerned. “It’s not as if I never cry, you all know I’m a bit of a crybaby. The idea of them giving up and dying so as to help the next generations, it made me emotional.”\n\n“Sam, you’ve never cried in front of strangers - not those you are trying to help, never during negotiations. However emotional you are about helping them, your ability to analyse and find the most effective way to help them has always dictated your behaviour so that you plan and act in the most calculated manner for influencing them. Your tears were not a deliberate ploy to influence them, I felt you.” Her voice was loving but demanding, not willing to listen to any arguments as she added, “Sam, let me in to feel you.” When she gets like this, there is no point in resisting her. She entered and then I lost her somewhere inside me. As I looked around I saw Ivgos walking towards us and then he suddenly swerved and pretended he had wanted to go to the taverna. It was obvious he’d been asked to stay away because, just as a little boy would do, he tried to sneak a look at me in the hopes of finding out what is wrong.\n\n“Sam, I know, I saw. Now <i>you</i> must tell me why.”\n\nPuzzled, I stared back at her. I couldn’t understand what she was claiming she saw - there <i>was</i> nothing for her to see! Suddenly it was as if something, a monster made only of claws, teeth, fire and rage exploded out of the cage I’d held it in, hidden within me. I screamed at her, “For years! They fucking tortured me for years! First Faiiis… and I tried so hard to understand, I tried to help because he was simple like a child and they exiled him and then killed him. They fucking challenge me to final death when they fucking know I cannot kill! Dominique, Dommi, they tell me they must kill themselves and I wanted them to…they’re fucking children in their minds and I want them to die! God, I must not allow myself to feel this way, I must find a way to save them…I fucking wanted them to die.” I turned from her and howled, “Robbie, daddy!” Even as my legs gave way he was by me, his arms squashing me against him, his eyes before mine as we both wept. Long after my sobs turned into sighs he remained sitting on the ground, holding me, rocking me gently as he murmured loving words.\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmZLubGsHRjw5N496fqMjocE41rH81gEy1kmLr9spvASSx/Cherine,%20not%20angry%20with%20the%20Reggheri,%20Bk12,%20p8432a.png\nI’m sorry I won’t get the opportunity to write for you as was suggested. When we woke up this morning we were met by a loving smile from Sam and we sensed her mind is healed and happier than it has been for a long time. Bi, Cassie.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8433</center></h3>https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmTjVnGsrzjMKv1UWdvPyB6vUm9bJJqvmVob2R4iYEn83Z/Sam,%20thanks%20A,%20I%20became%20excessively%20emotional,%20bk12,%20p8433.png\nAs Arthur said, I slept like a log and when I woke up I was feeling amazingly well, as if I had just been rejuvenated. I have not come to terms with what I secretly wanted, but I understand why I felt that way and I’m glad I know as it gives me comfort that I was able to resist my subconscious wishes. It is as if I’ve been tested and I came out of it with flying colours. I only have one more thing to do so that I can put all this behind me. I met with the elders. They had heard I’d suffered a breakdown, which they understood since it happens to their species also. They paid me the compliment of expressing amazement that it happened to me since they felt I am one of the sanest people they’ve ever met. I am not against being flattered now and then so I thanked them and then went into the long story of what and why I blew up. I told the story from a personal angle in the hopes that they’ll realise they acted and planned all they did against a human being who has her own dreams and fears. I added that the pain I’d recently experienced contributed to causing the breakdown and then, just to ram it home, I sent to them the way I’d felt yesterday.\n\nI faced them as they emoted how stricken they were with tears filling my eyes. “My friends, look at my eyes, the wetness is how my species show their sorrow. You have seen that I paid a price thanks to your machinations, but I want you to all share from me when the day comes that Faiiis stands alongside me as we watch your people start their journey on a new and healthy path towards achieving their potential. When you feel me then, you’ll know that I do not need to forgive what you did to me because it led to my finding the correct way to help another species join the family of life. Thank you.” I did not do it to make them suffer, I wanted something good to come out of all I’ve endured. I left them with a secret hope inside me that forcing them to confront what they’d done will help them grow and become wiser in the ways of empathy and love.\n<br>\n\nTserika (Tseri) and Sheena are real close at this time so it did not surprise us when they both asked for the same thing. They agreed that it is time we go check on the Teller family of the asteroid damaged Earth. I was asked whether I’d prefer we go to the Reggheri planet, but I admitted I am not ready for them yet. Freddie will see to it that we arrive in the morning.\n\nWe arrived early enough for Freddie to zoom in on new-Athens while we enjoyed our breakfast. Happily the city exists, so no extremists bombed it to get rid of the mutants.  We checked radio, television and internet and we did not find any signs of hostilities, just hatred and anger. Robert must really be worried about his Cherine sensing how the Normals feel about them. We decided we should appear publicly and bring all the Cherinians to Freddie so as to give them a break from the unpleasant emoting. As soon as Freddie appeared, Cherine sensed us and they jumped. Each of us chose a Cherinian to collect and after communicating with them we jumped to bring them to visit us. Mostly, what we felt as they arrived and sensed the emoting in Freddie, was relief.\n\nRobbie sounded irritated. “I don’t understand, what has made your world so intolerant of mutants! All we’ve done is help people and save lives.”\n\nAlt-Alki answered for them, “We’d need to study the history of your Earth so as to see what was different for us. Nothing this deep comes from a single event.”\n\nMorreb, of the Anadir, jumped to us. “If you can provide us with the histories of your planet Alki, we’ll have our AI do a comparison and hopefully it will identify what is responsible.”\n\nWe told alt-Alki to take it easy, we can wait until he’s had time to relax and enjoy our wonderful company. Cherine privately told Cher to sit on his lap. We loved sensing him.\n<br>\n\nDamn! We’ve had to re-categorise this reality! We’ve called for Jesus and Christós - since this is a ‘magic reality’, we felt they should be here.\n\nChristós put down the sheet viewer. “This is unbelievable!” He then kept quiet, waiting for Jesus to also finish reading. When Jesus put down the final sheet, Christós continued, “If you had asked me whether it is possible, I would have denied it.”\n\nJesus twisted his lips wryly. “They were stupid - and greedy. What I find unbelievable is that after centuries of magic, the history of this world ran parallel to their histories,” he gestured towards us, “the only differences being their deep-seated hatred for magic and mutations. Just think of it, after two thousand years of a history close but not exactly the same, they have a Robert and Cherine with a large number of other people that exist in the non-magic realities. What are the chances of something like that happening randomly?”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8434</center></h3> “According to all permutations I could calculate, the order of probability is beyond the area classified as <i>miracles</i>. Samantha has confirmed that Arthur had no hand in directly creating this reality, so you should look elsewhere for answers.”\n\nWe all recognised the voice, for we have conversed before, but never so publicly. The Unation AI had used a holo of a Sprakil, a look alike of Iziko. I quickly reconfirmed what it claimed I’d said and then asked, “What are the chances of us influencing them so that they accept their Cherinians?”\n\n“To succeed, it is necessary that all Cherinians are removed from their world.” Huh? It added, after pausing dramatically (I did not know AI’s do that), “The mental scarring was caused by the local Jesus losing the battle. His failure was considered a betrayal as the people believed in him. Once the Cherinians are gone, a Jesus should move to this world and re-establish his presence. Once he is accepted and is forgiven, it is projected that the Cherinians have a twenty seven percent chance of being accepted over a period of fifty years.”\n\nJade asked, “What are the probabilities of Cherinians being accepted if they do not depart and work with Jesus to be accepted?”\n\n“There are many factors that could influence the outcome, but the best projection does not achieve anything higher than eight percent.”\n\nChantel asked, “According to the records, the local Jesus moved into the desert where he lived out his last days without anyone seeing him again. What are the chances he is still alive?” Her question electrified us and suddenly everyone was holding their breath.\n\n“There is insufficient information for a scientific projection. However, if he still existed at the time the entire population was saved, would he not have been sensed or recognised?”\n\nI got the giggles and the next thing I knew, my family, our friends, both Jesus and Christós, were all laughing. Only the AI and Robbie were not. Jesus recovered first and raised his hand in warning, “If that is what happened, I suggest we be very careful we are not sensed. The other magi might have been dying when their Jesus walked away, but they were strong enough to sense us.”\n\nI could not resist demanding of the AI, “The same people existing is one thing, however improbable. The same religions, that is impossible! For the Catholic Church to exist, Jesus would have to have died on the cross.”\n\n“The cross is used to symbolise his suffering in the desert. He was purified and was raised to Heaven in a pillar of light.”\n\nI shook my head, not finding it possible for such a big difference to allow the same Churches to exist. Rose, Robbie’s mother, cut in, her voice betraying this was an emotional issue for her. “It’s not possible! The Catholic Church of this reality cannot be the same as ours!”\n\nRobbie answered, hoping to calm her. “Mother, they probably are not the same, I’d say all the Christian religions are not the same - maybe even Islam has a different twist to it. However, the wonderful thing about alternate realities is that however much we may protest that this or that is impossible, all, everything is possible. It will be interesting to read a copy of the local Bible… however, we must first deal with solving the problem for the local Cherinians. AI, I don’t like the percentages, is there a way to improve them? Anywhere above fifty percent would be acceptable.”\n\n“To attain that high a probability of success, a great number of radical possibilities should be examined and projected. Perhaps someone more suitable should be approached?” \n\nI decided that if the Unation scientists have given their AI a sense of humour, I’m going to be the butt of the joke, so I quickly cut in, “The more of us that make suggestions, the better.”\n\n“Exactly, <i>Samantha</i>.” They <i>have</i> given it a sense of humour, I could hear it in the way it answered me. A number of chuckles proved I was not imagining it. Grr!\n\n\nLife does not wait for inspiration. We jumped to another reality to have some private time with our locals and they also needed time to get used to being with Jesus and Christós. They lapped up all the stories about the magic realities and I wondered why they were not fazed by meeting the one person, despite there being two of him, who’d messed up the psych of their world. Had becoming Cherinians changed them that much or was it something else?\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8435</center></h3> Robbie had been teasing Cher, trying to make her laugh. At the time she least expected it, he turned serious and asked her, “We can only help make life better and safer for you in little ways each time we visit. Is there any little thing you can think of that would make life better for your family or your Cherinians?”\n\n“Hettie and Eddie made a suggestion.” She paused until Hettie responded, taking a seat close to them. “Hettie says that it does not matter how much we do for the Normals, they’ll never like or admire us. If, Hettie says, we form the ADFI as you mentioned last time, and it becomes an economic power, then they will admire us and see that we are good for society when we donate to charity.”\n\nRobbie laughed. “Or else they pretend they do as money is one thing all of them admire.”\n\nHettie cut in, “Power <i>and</i> money, not just money by itself or else they would take it from us.”\n\nRobbie felt uneasy and looked dubious. He was not certain how this fits in with what we want Cherinianism to mean. When Hettie turned to me, I realised our Hettie had played dirty. “Samantha, am I wrong, how did the ADFI affect your reality? It’s not as if we want to keep the money for ourselves.”\n\n“I suggest you do a full memory share with our Hettie and Eddie. If you do not handle the problems as wisely as they did, it could turn sour for you. I would also suggest you invite the aliens who have spaceships to keep one here so that they can be seen to be your partners, not just something written on paper.” I grinned. “I’m certain I don’t need to tell any Hettie how to handle government leaders, but I’ll make this one comment so that the Teller family hear me. Ignore the rhetoric and the public announcements. I’d even go as far as to suggest you don’t get into a panic with the laws they’ll set up to control or at least hobble Cherinians. You see, in private, the leaders don’t fear any of you. How can they, they see us as badly organised impractical dreamers. The aliens terrify them. You see, with them they are not dealing with private citizens who act and talk like love-hippies on drugs - and they are not ‘family’ who can be manipulated and cowed. They are dealing with either military minds, admirals and officers of spaceship fleets or else, with diplomats. With them they do not dare show disrespect nor do they dare try to steal their technology.”\n\nRobbie burst out laughing. Cherine was grinning like a naughty cat as she asked me, “Where were you when we needed that kind of advice?” Cassie and Jade helped keep everyone amused so that I could withdraw. As I was about to jump, I felt a tiny silky hand take hold of mine. I grinned at Ivgos and jumped to the home of Lusalith. She was at the taverna so we didn’t stay and raced each other to the forest.\n\nAfter a while I sensed that Ivgos had not come with to play, he had something he wanted to talk about. I took his hand and jumped to a low hill overlooking an area the Elipians favour. I like hearing them talk and laugh and sing in the background. Sometimes they play their music and it jollies me out of my serious mood. I let him take his time, but glanced at him now and then so that he’d know I’m available.\n\n“I was told I will be the Cherine of my world. Do I have to?”\n\n“First and foremost, you are the Ivgos of your world. A long, long time ago, when we were still new to this and were meeting our alien friends for the first time, we wanted, we hoped that each species would have one individual who would be their Cherine for them. It never happened. It has also never happened in any other reality where there already is a Cherine.” I gave him a little smile. “I guess that lets you off the hook? Ivgos, we know it won’t happen, but we still say it, for two reasons. One is a sort of, who knows, maybe it can happen? The second is, we need to know there is someone who represents what Cherine means to Cherinians. For that, I am convinced you will be the perfect symbol.”\n\n “Can’t I be the Samantha of my world?”\n\n“Me? You want to be like me!? Ivgos, thank you, but…hold on, maybe you are being wiser than I realised. What if you are the Cherine and the Samantha? How about if you can also become the Haven of your world? Wow! What a combination! I think I’m going to be jealous of you.”\n\nHe frowned as he stared back at me. “You are teasing me.”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8436</center></h3> I took both his hands in mine. “I’d like it if I were, I’d find that far less scary. Ivgos, all of us have someone we admire and would like to emulate. It is very important that we choose the right persons to admire because the act of admiration in itself transforms us as we attempt to take on those aspects we admire the most in the other. For instance, I not only adore Robert and Cherine, I value the characteristics that make them who they are. Because of the esteem I feel for them and my wish to be like them, I’d say that a part of me is like Cherine and Robert. I also have a little of all my loves, for they each have qualities I admire and wish I could own. You know what is pure magic for me? All my loves feel the same way and I can sense that each of them has a little of Samantha in them! Can you imagine it, each of them wants to be like me in some way!” His eyes were huge as he stared at me with wonder. “Ivgos, you have heard us say, again and again, that you affect everyone and that we admire you. Can you imagine how special it is that there are people of a number of realities and species who have yearned to be like you in some way, making a part of themselves an Ivgos. Ask your family and they’ll confirm for you that I am speaking the truth. Believe what I tell you and you can become a symbol of all those you love and admire.” \nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmbu63RZqzviTfzeQNygtFjxiyted9ooPqmF8oN5d3FLbD/Sam,%20A,%20pls%20write%20to%20make%20it%20true%20for%20Ivgos%20and%20us,%20Bk12,%20p8436.png\nSince it has been decided, Robbie insisted the local Cherinians negotiate the stakes of each of the shareholders in ADFI. He was not the only one interested in seeing how Robert would handle the negotiations and I bet his Cherine sensed us. I’m surprised that she did not let him know nor try to influence him. Maybe she too was interested. The heads of the alien groups got together for a private discussion in the Unation spaceship, but their meeting did not last long, which gave us reason to be certain they had not debated the issues. They had gone to the meeting already in agreement and only needed to formalise it. The smooth way in which they railroaded Robert into agreeing to their terms seems to prove our suppositions are true. Robbie was upset that they succeeded in convincing Robert to accept terms he’d refused. I don’t think he is being fair, Robert probably did the right thing. In such matters, nobody can say for certain what is wrong and right when arguing the details, all that we can do is monitor the situation and the way things work out will prove who is right.\n\nWhen the group of alien heads met with Robert and the Mansfield couple, they demanded that they have twenty percent with Robert and the local Cherinians holding another twenty five percent; the balance of fifty five percent is to be apportioned as follows: 10% for selling to alternate Earth governments; 15% to be sold worldwide on the stock exchanges to non-investment corporations; 30% to be owned by a corporation that is owned by the local governments, such shares to be almost equally held - the actual percentage each country holds to be according to their population - as per the wishes of Robert. Those with populations under three million to have a half share; from three to two hundred million, one share and, those with over two hundred million to have only a half share…until their population reduces to under the two hundred million. The shareholding will be flexible for all except those with under three million; if they increase, their shareholding is halved instead of doubling. The intention was altruistic and meant to provide an incentive for governments to encourage their populations to reduce their numbers. As with most such intentions, they blinded all the parties involved and were a recipe for disaster. I felt I should speak so that the locals don’t feel that Robbie is taking a stand against their Robert, but he refused to allow me. We compromised and allowed Empathia to speak - not that she needed to say much to make her point.\n\n“In this, the governments and their citizens are united - they are suspicious of us. Your conditions will only be seen as glaring proof that they are right, that we intend taking over. Either allow the governments to share proportionately, which is what they will want, or else do as we did and insist that each country gets the same shares. They’ll be angry but they’ll only blame you for being impractical and dreamers.”\n\nWe all felt the aliens, who are contributing the technology, should have at least forty percent, but we kept quiet, it is their right to decide otherwise…and they are so determined that any comment by us could only lead to an argument or hurt feelings. The next subject to be discussed was the list of products to be supplied to ADFI and the order in which they are made available. At least we could now take part and Robert accepted our advice.\n\nWe are now ready to return to their reality, making our arrival openly and in orbit around Earth. All the spaceships in Freddie will be released so that they can be visited for official meetings, should the locals request such meetings.\n\nHow can people be so stupid! How can they still commit suicide when we appear! I’m tempted to ask the Sparklers not to interfere at our next arrivals. After all, surely those who commit suicide after seeing us arrive a number of times without harming or enslaving them should be allowed to move on to their next incarnation. I only said I’m tempted, I would not do it, it’s just that my empathy for them is low at this moment and my anger at the Sparklers having to save them is high. The Sparklers also suffer every time they have to save the lives of those who are terrified of them and us.\n\nOur friends accept that Terrans new to meeting aliens are more comfortable with the Anadir and Muyzith, because both species have two upper and two lower limbs, with a torso, neck and head similar to us in general shape. The Muyzith are aware that they do not make good negotiators, preferring to deal with open cards and they tend to get caught up in debates regarding morals and the ethical values of each clause in the ADFI contract and the treaties the Terrans want to sign, so they are pleased that the Anadir are willing to shoulder the burden for all of us.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8437</center></h3> The governments took four months just agreeing a committee of seven to represent them during negotiations and then, once the terms were set out, they had to be passed out to all the governments for them to agree or note which clauses they are not happy with. A number of the objections were penned by legal minds who wanted the wording phrased in a more professional manner. Jade found it funny and made all of us laugh when she pretended to be an attorney representing the aliens while Alice took on the role of attorney for Earth. The misunderstandings caused by the legalese were hilarious and it ended with the aliens getting so confused that they signed away their rights and planets, all becoming subjects of a tinpot dictator from a tiny Caribbean island state who offered them in return tax free banking and immunity from prosecution for smoking marijuana. I don’t think most of the species understood her humour but they all recorded it. I can just imagine the articles they’ll write about it back at home.\n<br>\n\nNeither Jesus nor Christós were willing to pretend to be the local Jesus returned to life after two thousand years, so, if we are to carry through with the AI plan, we have to return in time to find the original. It scared all of us - even Jesus and Christós, for he has fought battles with powers none of us had heard of before. Since we were not needed for the negotiations and all the alien spaceships were either in orbit or actually landed on Earth, we had no excuse for postponing our trip. Both our friends agreed to come with us, but they scowled at us when they did so. They felt we were stirring up a hornets nest but did not try to discourage us.\n\nJesus demanded we wait in the void while he makes contact with his namesake (I’ll use the Greek name Iisous for him). Robbie refused. He feels that if Iisous is suddenly faced with an alternate of himself without knowing where he comes from, he’ll think it is a trick of his enemies and he’ll attack. Unfortunately, the same result could be projected for whatever else we choose to do. Freddie waited in another reality until we could say we have a workable plan. Coral asked whether us girls could go home since we’re not taking part in the discussion. Relieved, Robbie agreed without giving it a second thought.\n\nAs soon as we arrived, Empathia spoke verbally, after arranging for privacy from all of us. “I asked Coral to get us home without Robert. I think I have a plan, but nobody else will agree to it - the only reason it might work is because we will all be little girls. I think all of us, except for Angelica, should go to the Jesus below. Angel, you can’t come because he’ll sense you can do magic.”\n\nCherine was so pleased that Empathia was including her that she instantly approved the idea. For the same reason, because our Cherine would be at risk, I had to think and think it over. The more I thought about it, the more obvious it was that Cherine must come with. We have been told that they can sense her and that, without knowing why, they can feel she is special. My big problem was not Iisous, I’m worried about those who are at war with him - and it would not be fair to expect him to place us under his protection at a time when he is struggling to protect himself. Actually, these considerations are secondary, what eats at me is I do not like making decisions that affect the safety of my loves when I don’t have enough information.\n\nI asked, “From the local Cherinians, are there any non-Greeks who are or were devout Christians?”\n\nAganthi (and others) took exception. “Why not a Greek?”\n\n“Because the Orthodox Church does not encourage its followers to study the Bible.”\n\nShelif offered, “I think Gunther is a Protestant. I don’t know his surname, but I have met him.”\n\nI fretted. “How can you go to him, as soon as you leave the house Robert will sense you and want to know what is going on.” We had sensed his curiosity and that he was thinking of coming home because he was worried we are up to something, so we did not have much time to decide and act.\n\nDommi took over. “Wait here, I’ll go back to tell Robert we want to learn more about this Jesus and I want to bring to the house a religious person or two. That will also serve to calm him down.” She checked the memory of Gunther in Shelif’s mind and left. She had to spend about half an hour with Robbie, but it served the purpose of easing his worries about us. She found Gunther and someone else suggested an American, but he warned Dommi, in a roundabout way, that the man is a fanatic. As soon as they arrived, Dommi warned me not to get angry with Joseph (the American) if he acts like a fanatic. I worried at how he could have been linked if he is a fanatic but promised to control myself. I went one step further.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8438</center></h3> “Joseph, Gunther, we need to know what your Bible says about your Jesus. If you are agreeable, I’d suggest my loves share the memories of the reading of your Bible from Gunther, while Haven and I do so from your mind Joseph. We need two minds as what you read is coloured by how your mind interprets what you read.”\n\nWe all felt Joseph brace himself, so I expected him to refuse me. “I don’t mind sharing my memories with you Samantha but I refuse to open my mind to an alien. Choose one of the others who are fully Terran.”\n\nNot even declared privacy was able to hide our shock from Robbie. He queried us and we let him hear the answer by Joseph. He was angered, but I insisted that Haven and I will handle the insult - that it is not for him to interfere. I then sent a message in private to Sol and she let Solomon know what I want. I asked Joseph to come with me to the void where we can share in total privacy. Relieved that we had not berated him, he happily agreed.\n\nI had asked that Solomon, without Joseph sensing him, help me take Joseph back through his previous lives to a life when he was not a Terran human. Once we were in the void I told Joseph a half-truth. I said that it would be far more interesting regressing him to a life lived at the time Jesus was born, as he could then share memories that are real, whereas stories that get passed on often are not strictly true. He objected to the idea that the Bible could have even one false word in it, but he was fascinated by the possibility of experiencing the presence of his Jesus directly and made me promise I would share with him afterwards. I promised.\n\nTwenty nine lives in the past, Joseph was a person named Lypumyym and the name for his species, a close approximation, is Wyfrizzuc. Although they do not resemble us, I find them really beautiful. I made certain that in the memories we kept of Lypumyym, I included his view of his day and night sky. I did so at various years of his life so that we’d have a better chance of finding their world. We then chose the life lived closest to the period of Iisous, twenty three lives previously. What we learnt was a shock to both Solomon and myself…and I dreaded having to share with Joseph. I’ll have to give him time to adjust before I let anyone else share.\n\nI’d sort of half expected my loves would be busy sharing from Gunther, but they were waiting for me. They sensed my mental disarray and grew worried, so I had to tell them I have information but must first share with Joseph. That confused them, for, apart from Sol, they had not known what I’d intended and had presumed I’d been memory-sharing with Joseph, only going to the void so that he does not worry about Haven ‘hearing’. I felt disappointed they would think I would betray Haven, but I kept quiet and under strict privacy, not even allowing Cherine to share, I jumped Joseph to my apartment.\n\nAlthough he is not a drinker, I served him a double whiskey with just one ice cube and then sat facing him. “I have two previous lives of yours to share with you. The one is from before the time of Jesus and the other is from his time.” I paused. “You’ll need the drink - you are going to hate sharing from me both those lives.”\n\n“I’m not interested in the earlier life, just the second one. How could I hate learning about Jesus!”\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmYCeXCGaJCCVMt4yeQ4MvnbL1ShVuEecoSH7UV8NQc8HL/Sam,%20A,%20I%20cannot%20make%20an%20exception%20for%20you,%20Bk12,%20p8438.png\nEmpathia led the sharing with Gunther and she was successful at getting all the details we needed. I shared from them and hid my feelings when I saw differences in what their Bible said and what Joseph had experienced. None mattered, for I had already seen the results of us interfering. If we let the churches know the truth, I bet they’ll refuse to alter what is written in the Bible - and even if all of them agree to re-write, new sects will crop up to claim we lied and the original stands true ‘because the Bible never lies’.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8439</center></h3> I had seen that when we arrived, Iisous was in the middle of a battle, surrounded by enemies on all sides. He must have sensed us, for he ignored us, but some of the enemies thought we were his allies and attacked us. We have no defence against magic and Iisous must have sensed it for he diverted all his power to defending us. With a blue actinic flash, he ceased to exist. The person that Joseph was, saw that we hesitated, stunned. I made the decision on my own and calling for Robbie, in privacy I let him see how Iisous was killed. He understood why I’d shared with him and made his plans, preparing a new platform that can barely be seen if you know it exists. He told our loves that he has agreed to my request and he will not interfere with our rescue attempt. I did not share with Robbie the following: After Iisous was destroyed, one of us (we were too far away for him to see who) made to approach where Iisous had been when he disappeared and that girl was attacked by energies that rival the power of the sun and she was instantly incinerated. The rest instantly departed. I’ve only added this in now, in privacy, just before we leave, and the diary will remain closed until my family returns. I saw who was killed and I don’t care what paradoxes are created, I will not allow it. I will see to it that I move first so that I take her place. <i>Arthur, please continue watching over my loves</i>.\n<br>\n\nCherine: I’ll start off by writing only the first half: all us girls are very angry with Robert.\n\nSamantha was withdrawn when we entered the platform and most of us thought she was feeling guilty at having called for Robert to help us when we had agreed to handle this on our own. Once Robert explained that he’d promised not to stop us, we felt confused by her remaining quiet and blocking herself from us. That damn lip biting of hers confused us and we reassured each other that she must be thinking for ways to ensure the success of our rescue, so we did not press her and allowed her the privacy she wanted. Robert made the jump as a time-event jump and we arrived at the time Samantha wanted us there. Robert kept the platform in space and we jumped to the place Samantha had shown us.\n\nJesus was surrounded by enemies, but there seemed to be a lull, the kind that happens when both sides need to take a breath - and that is about the length of time it lasted. Jesus turned to look at us, we sensed him sensing our lack of magic powers for he turned away. However, he suddenly exerted himself in defending us as some of his enemies attacked us. Using his temporary distraction to their advantage, the rest of his enemies concentrated all their powers on one massive attack. A bright blue glare of light lit up the desert where he stood and in a column it reached for the sky, shooting all the way into space. In the dark after-image, we saw and sensed that Jesus was gone. Stunned, in shock, we tried to sense if anything of Jesus remained. Unable to accept that we were the cause of his death, not thinking, just acting out of instinct, Lucy made to leave us and examine the area we’d last seen Jesus. With a shout in our minds, Samantha ordered Lucy to wait and she jumped. As she arrived, another attack of dark yellow light flashed where Sam was and we could not believe that even ash would be found, for the flame was so bright and hot that not even rock could survive.\n\nDommi made us jump back to the platform. As we arrived, we were already crying for Robert, wanting to plead with him to find a way to save our Samantha, to find her soul and create a new body for her. We could not understand how his protector instincts failed him so badly, allowing our Samantha to be killed and there was anger in us.\n\nHere is where I write of the second half: all us girls adore our Robert.\n\nBefore our eyes could adjust to the change from daylight, we sensed the presence of Jesus and his feelings were so intense that they felt like a threat. Thinking he was about to attack Robert, our only thought was to surround Robert so that he cannot harm him without harming us. Only then did we sense that which could barely be sensed. Robert was holding the unconscious body of our Samantha! With a cry we surrounded Robert, all wanting to see whether our Sam had been hurt.\n\nEven as my eyes filled as I reached out to Sam, I sensed that Jesus was concentrating on me. Without thinking about it, I became The Light as I turned to him. I only stared at him for a moment and then, as just Cherine, I asked Robert to take us back to Freddie. Since Sam failed, she’ll have to take over the diary now.\n\nFailed!? I didn’t fail, we might have lost Lucy if I hadn’t taken her place. Robbie must have suspected I planned it and watched us. Anyway…it was lovely feeling them when I regained consciousness.\n\nIisous was not happy about us taking him away and wanted to return to the same time from which we’d abducted him. He explained, as simply as he could - much to the amusement of our two friends, that he is worried his attackers will try to take over his people - as if we hadn’t the intelligence to think of it. We grinned when we thought about trying to explain to him, since he does not have Science Fiction books or movies to help him guess. The attackers are aliens. Not the Wyfrizzuc; that would have been too delicious an irony. Sorry, I can’t help disliking Joseph, although I also feel sorry for him as he is going through a personal hell of his own at this time. Although I am free to write of it now, I’d rather not and will leave it to the following circumstances to do so on my behalf.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8440</center></h3> One of the first touchy moments when we arrived in Freddie was the moment Iisous sensed his two alternates as we led him to the taverna. He cut off his protests and demands to be returned and we sensed the three of them size each other up. Iisous may not be a Cherinian, but he has the ability of sensing others and he soon relaxed, discounting them as an immediate threat, and returned to pestering Robbie. We thought it would be nice to have Solomon explain and we got some great laughs out of it. We introduced them, without mentioning who or what Solomon is, and explained that as Solomon is far wiser than us, we chose to have him explain why it is not necessary for him to go back. \n\nSolomon first explained about people of other worlds and once Iisous understood that aliens live on planets revolving around distant stars, he told him that those who’d attacked him were aliens and that, powerful as they are, they did not sheathe themselves, happy to depend on spells to protect them from the various diseases of our planet. Part of their error was in thinking that they were safe anyway, for they did not believe that our germs, viruses and bacteria could harm them. Their battle with Iisous was draining them so they did not bother renewing their protective spell and within a year of his departure they’d all died out.\n\nIisous gestured his respect as he answered, “King Solomon, your wisdom is truly as written of. How did this Robert person steal you without your guards noticing. Did they buy a traitor to speak of your death as reported in our sacred Scriptures?”\n\nSolomon was too flustered to answer so we explained that he is an alien and that, indeed, we named him after King Solomon because of his wisdom. We did not leave Solomon to suffer, but we did tease him when in private and even he laughed. As for Iisous, he would not believe us until Iona visited and spoke to him. He was soon caught up in the wonder of meeting other races and did not evince fear of any species. It was beautiful but not destined to last for long. Joseph rudely forced his way through and knelt before Iisous.\n\n“I have sinned. My soul is damned.” Iisous emoted a slight impatience, but tried to be as others picture him and asked him why he thought so and what his sin had been. “I betrayed you.”\n\nDommi went white. “You can’t be Judas Iscariot!”\n\nJoseph had no idea who Dommi was speaking of since their Jesus had no apostles and there was no Judas to betray him, so he ignored her, waiting for his Jesus to condemn him.\n\n“How have you betrayed me? Surely you are not two thousand years old, I sense no magic in you.”\n\n“I did so in a previous life, I was known as…”\n\nIisous raised his hand to stop him. “How could you have betrayed me? No names are to be mentioned unless I say so.”\n\n“The man I was became a servant of those who attacked you. When they first arrived at our planet they found me and promised me wealth and power if I told them who their enemy is. They explained that their magic had warned them of a magi to be born in their future who would become a threat to them and they wanted to know who he is and where they can find him. I told them about you and led them to your home.” The face of Iisous turned white with a fury he struggled to contain and Joseph bent down so that his face touched the floor, waiting for his Jesus to smite him and send him to Hell.\n\n“The man who is responsible for the deaths of your loved ones is not alive.” I spoke forcibly and stood next to Joseph, my hand softly resting on the back of his head. “In this life he is guilty of other sins, but not of those that you and he blame him for.”\n\nHe could barely force the words out, “What sins?”\n\n“He worships you and is a religious fanatic, impatient and unforgiving of those who do not. I don’t understand how it is he was ever linked as a Cherinian.” I was told, later that day, that he was not religious when he was linked. It seems he responded to being linked by turning to religion. Apparently the anti mutant psychosis of his world caused it.\n\nRobbie has read my latest entries in the diary (at last) and asked, “Why did you deliberately try to mislead Joseph by telling him that he must first share from you his life as an alien? Has he done so?”\n\n“No, he has not. I’ve kept away from him as I don’t like him so I doubt he’ll work up the courage to ask me - in the extremely unlikely event that he changes his mind. As for misleading him…are you certain I did? Rania, do <i>you</i> think I did?”\n<br><br>\n<center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost065\">Next [Book 12] - Post 065</a></center>\n<br>\n<h5><i><b>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.</b></i></h5><br>\n<br><br>\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUTQeVmsqWzFxMrg8a629XdGHm15kCnjSkbFyhiTMwUf9/Name,%20steemit.png\n* posted: 22nd Sep, 2020<br>\n<br><br>\n<center><h6><i>If you wish to read from an earlier book, from Book 01 to Book 12, use this link button to open the LC Book Index:</i></h6><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo/best-way-to-read-little-cherine-links-to-books-01-to-012-new-teller-family-calendar-added\"><img src=\"https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmfJ4USBF6u8SKDuizVpqXMJfwxmr2FEKyc4cwTPvehscV/Worlds%20waiting.png\"/></a></center>\n<br>\n<br>",
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      "title": "Little Cherine Book 12 - BPost063",
      "body": "<sup><h6>Here they could have comfort, a fire and shops to buy whatever they need as they waited for news from Freddie. </h6></sup><br>\n<center>https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmSjs7k76PkScEuXxchZJPDRTfoywcNPt1RTFgzTxnE7Z9/Alex_Robert_Allan%20-%2018y%20-%20mini.png\n</center><br><br>\n<center> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUjdm8RyTVC9Jx8pqYrx7RX3Lvxm35wVLrDNRDUCEEZHF/LC%20Book12%20-%20Cvr.png </center><br><center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost062\">Previous: Book 12 - Post 062 </a></center>\n<br>\n<h3><center>8421</center></h3> Of course we’d monitored them and heard Ivgos. We had also wondered about the Hawmu when we saw the way they acted. Their behaviour had worried us, but we are wary of making judgements when we meet a species for the first time. What seemed self-inflicted violence, in a Terran would have suggested they are mentally unbalanced and the increase in self-inflicted violence when confronted with strangers would have given the impression they are using violence, the pain they cause themselves, as a self-discipline to prevent them attacking strangers. The idea that any species would instinctively need to harm strangers and that they would be willing to hurt themselves to control their urges, it just seemed unlikely, farfetched, somewhat as if we are trying to stretch the facts to accommodate our way of viewing life. We had not known that the species had changed dramatically after being brought to the Ribbon Planet and that little bit of knowledge made all the difference. Something here has affected them and we need to find out what. We had already been discussing ways to help the Hawmu when Ivgos asked Robbie to go to the void. While the Unation scientists took samples (like their cameras, tiny insects that sting so as to take blood samples), other insects did an ultra sound and took x-rays.\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmTYrkQYQHjrCwM75MjUAWDhsvhYojoaJM3dS5BizFPUz8/Post63,%20Bk12,%20p8421.png\nIt is not possible to arrive at a planet for the first time, send a message that we want to examine a volunteer and, if they are willing, be given a corpse for us to perform an autopsy. Being able to time-event our jumps has turned out to be a real blessing in many situations, as it means we can take our time. We arrived at the solar system and Guhpan sent a message, we were invited to approach and then the Inguel handled the diplomatic niceties. Our isi was taken along when they were invited to visit the local leaders of the Federation in a space station. The meeting was successful and when they learnt the reason for our visit, they were overcome by the fact that we would bear the enormous cost of moving such a massive spaceship across so many light years so as to help the remnants of their colony - they did not recall the experiment and so they thought we spoke of a failed colony of theirs. It was a pity we had to disillusion them as it was nice being thought of as altruistic aliens (sorry, could not resist playing to a cliché from the science fiction books Robbie loves).\n\nThe Inguel suspected the truth when they visited the space station. They asked about the planet and it was confirmed that the gravity is about zero point four. They then tried to work out why higher gravity would affect the Hawmu so badly. Since the people of Guhpan, back at the Ribbon Planet, have shared all their computer data on the colonists, the study of those regarding the Hawmu led to an interesting discovery. The scientists of that time had made a number of adjustments to the bodies of the Hawmu so as to make the heavier gravity bearable. Studying the changes did not produce a quick solution, but when the truth was guessed and then proven, it caused a huge upset. Genetic engineering was employed to strengthen the cranium by strengthening the bone and making it thicker at certain key points. One such extrusion affects the part where the nervous system is connected to the brain and another extrusion grows at the point where the emotions are affected by the pressure. Inguel healers studied normal craniums and the x-ray pictures of the Ribbon Planet sufferers and once they were shown how the problem should be dealt with, we announced our departure.\n\nWhile we are travelling, some thoughts about the Hawmu planet. I feel it is worth writing about as, I’m told, they are a unique lifeform. Their planet does not have a molten core and it did not have one at the time life first began to evolve (such life-bearing planets are very rare and a century later the scientists are still studying them). If we glance at our own natural history we’ll see why this is such an important factor and why scientists are so puzzled as to how complex lifeforms could have evolved there.\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmbmWCEJf5D5Y7nuhctqPeTKrhjY7MDUVT1ct4U9aAyGoN/Earth-Terra,%20Bk12,%20p8421.png\n<br>\n<h3><center>8422</center></h3>https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmVpo7jdjMx17ChgBR8ei7VcgHfJBL21nChX9f1frUqvFf/Continents%20just%20formed,%20Bk12,%20p8422.png\nLife in the shallow continental shores produced the first free oxygen, but iron being released into the oceans from underwater eruptions used up all the free oxygen for about a billion years. Two billion years ago free oxygen started to rise into the atmosphere and as some of it drifted to the top of the atmosphere it created a shield, the ozone layer, allowing more complex organisms to be formed.\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmXP5oJMd6q5pxagXpj3UWk5TatRnGn1NnkWJpgzMmwTCg/Continents,%20all%20south%20plus%20ice,%20Bk12,%20p8422.png\nOne billion years ago, continents existed and life evolved into a variety of single-celled organisms, thriving in shallow water around the continents. An amazing fact: life remained single celled for three billion years and only about six to seven hundred million years ago did soft multi-celled life appear - at great depths in the ocean where it is permanently dark. This proves that the first multi-celled organisms were animals, not plants. All the continents were in the south, below the equator. Because of this, the planet froze up with ice sheets almost reaching the equator. Seventy percent of life was killed. Continents broke up, allowing warm currents to form in the ocean and the Earth was warmed. \nFive hundred and fifty million years ago both predator and prey had evolved in the oceans, both animals and plants. Four hundred million years ago, plants evolved, allowing them to leave the water. Within fifty million years the land was teeming with life. \n\nTwo hundred and fifty million years ago, dramatic changes to the Earth resulted in dramatic changes to life. The continents had been drifting together once more and they ultimately formed one huge continent that we call Pangaea. The shore line was greatly reduced with loss of life and then the water level fell, exposing the major part of marine life, killing off ninety percent of it. \nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmVzLpaZwpDt6ASvcdVSaZ37sfU4712PMs2NVqaqRcu9Xp/continents,%20Pangaea,%20Bk12,%20p8422.png\nThen, at about the area where Siberia is today, the earth split; a rift of three to four hundred kilometres long, spewing lava, dust and gasses, killing off, over a few million years, close to ninety percent of all life on land and in the ocean.\n\nPangaea moved northwards until the area that is now South Africa was close to the equator. Heat and deserts do not suit mammals and the dinosaurs grew to dominate for one hundred and seventy million years - up to sixty five million years ago. At the time the dinosaurs became extinct, so did many other lifeforms, from land and sea - sixty to seventy of the species became extinct. Whether a meteorite was partly responsible or not can only be theorised at this time, however, at that time the area that is now India became active, with volcanoes spewing more lava and gasses than had been seen for two hundred million years.\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmP8W4m2tsMFoudLw3MLuiX6MFCBtsVV5LCBCSS5K2Zhn3/Continents,%20last%20million%20years,%2010%20glacial,%20Bk12,%20p8422.png \nOver the last million years we have experienced ten glacial periods waxing and waning, affecting climate, species and the evolution of the human species.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8423</center></h3> If Earth had not had a molten core, tectonic plates could not have moved, there would have been no volcanic eruptions - and we would not have existed. Robbie has been asked, many times and by various species, ours included, to return to the early part of the life of our planet so as to examine how theories agree or conflict with real life. He has steadfastly refused because he does not want to solve the debates regarding the extinction of the dinosaurs. Children have asked for him to find out why the dinosaurs are extinct and he even refuses them. He insists we should be able to prove the reasons without having to return in time. We think he does not want to return to settle the arguments because he is a romantic and that is why we will never let the scientists know that they could return to see for themselves without having to ask Robbie. If they ask Freddie to return to that period in a dead reality where no humans evolved on Terra, Freddie would take them.\n<br>\n\n\n\n<h4><center>Chapter Three Hundred and Seventeen</center></h4>\n\nA number of social scientists and a variety of other scientists, artists and a couple of politicians of the Hawmu are travelling with us. They accepted the conditions Guhpan laid out for them, but we have promised to help the scientists visit the planet to get samples without being seen. Their excitement is affecting the scientists in Freddie, bringing them out of their laboratories. Maybe it is time we invite some of the younger scientists from their species to join them. It is just so heartbreaking having to tell the older ones that their turn has ended - but the new generations must also have their chance.\n\nFreddie has slowed down our return because of Ivgos. We had not mentioned Ivgos while we were at the planet of the Hawmu, but after departing, those travelling with us were told how the experiment was ended and the effect Ivgos had, forcing the Albaelits to change their mind. This needed a telling for them to understand and we had a few laughs (privately) when they reacted by asking to go to the Dream Mountain planet - they seem to be keener to go there than to the Ribbon Planet! Robbie promised to take them before we return them home and we can sense that every single one of them is planning to climb the mountain for a dream. I wonder how Robbie plans to deal with that!\n\nMost of the alterations to the bodies of the RP-Hawmu were beneficial and necessary. The skull extrusions inwards towards the brain were a mutation the Albaelits had not noticed and when they did, they were far removed in time and thought what they saw was natural.\n\nUica, a Hawmu of the home planet, was speaking to our scientists and Guhpan. “We have not had enough time to thoroughly study the effects of the mutations imposed on our colonists but the first impression does suggest some of the mutations could be worth considering as beneficial when we need to find ways to strengthen those who travel to visit other Federation planets - whether for trade or on official business. Diplomats and traders suffering discomfort cannot be expected to perform at the peak of their mental or emotional abilities.”\n\nQeubo’s (a Muyzith) long limbs and fingers betrayed his discomfort as he tried to sit on a bench meant for our species. Unfortunately the Muyzith prefer to bring their own seating when they visit so we’d been caught unprepared and to create a seat for him since he had chosen a bench of ours might have been construed as insulting. “Unless imposed mutations are fully reversible, would that not develop specialised sections of your people who might grow to feel they do not belong to the mainstream? As there are many planets requiring your diplomats and traders, even if only within your Federation, would that many specialised groups not fragment your species?”\n\nWe can feel that the species who have come in contact with our guests, the Hawmu, like them and would not object to us linking them as Cherinians. It is considered wiser that we wait until we have met all the Federation species so that the decision can be applied to all of them. If in the meantime, it leads to such debates, as quoted above, then it is to the good. Perhaps they will develop new ideas or ways of perceiving the universe that will benefit them and us.\n\nAs soon as we arrived, the Ivgos family returned to their planet - their substitutes having been warned by our arrival took a walk out of the camp.\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUTdtRDDwk1FaP8DykHZsRF4Kdc7zrhjZb6rW4j6v9eFX/Post63,%20Bk12,%20p8423.png\n<br>\n<h3><center>8424</center></h3> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUGLKi8xU46fLwbJAkKRD3SwzbLZhnZwZTnr3tLEeyXwd/Candy,%20Craig,%20Bryce%20minds%20reopen,%20Bk12,%20p8424.png\nDespite experience in contacting a variety of alien minds, the team did not expect to find the entrance to their mind-worlds during the first try. The team consists of the following members (none Hawmu, as they cannot handle the pain): Robbie, Dommi, Iona, Imoha and Sifi. It was hoped that with the healer team made up out of four very different species, the familiarisation period would be cut down drastically. Once the first mind is healed, the rest should take less time. One theory held that they, in a sense, are suffering from sensory deprivation. It could be that after so many generations have existed from birth till death suffering the pain-rage, they will need help adjusting to a pain-free existence.\n\nWe don’t scream with delight that easily anymore, but it was exactly the kind of moment that needs screams. The team returned from the first mind within thirty four minutes and we sensed the guard returning to consciousness. We could hardly bear to wait for an explanation.\n\n“Sorry,” Robbie mock seriously began, as Iona quivered with delight, “a miscalculation was responsible. They do not suffer during childhood, only from the equivalent of our puberty - which is what they go through also. The change in chemicals released in their bloodstream causes their bones to thicken and that is when the extrusions grow big enough to make them suffer. Those whose extrusions are not as large and thus, the pain and distortion of emotions controllable, become Road guards if all the Council and food producing positions are filled.” Robbie grinned. “I think you are going to like Cycoo; he’s bright and his sense of humour has much to recommend him - he even laughed at one of my jokes!” \n<br>\n\nRobbie is right, we like Cycoo <i>and</i> we are fascinated by him. Awakening in an alien world with people of a number of species, most of them so very different in appearance to him and each other and we sensed no fear, just wonder and questions tumbling over themselves like eager puppies. His first questions about the existence of Freddie had little to do with how he was created, it was as if he accepts Freddie as a being in ‘his’ own right and is more interested in existential questions. Learning that a second Freddie exists seemed to relieve him of a number of concerns. (I wonder, does he expect Freddie-the-ship to procreate?). He recalled the existence of a Marmirie among those who first accosted him at the Road Camp and is eager to return to hold long conversations with him.\n\nWe were supposed to have his help in healing the other four, but his mind danced so brightly that none of us had the heart to bring him back to earth so as to deal with what might seem such a prosaic detail to him at this moment. The others were the same and only once we had healed all five of them did it occur to them to question what had happened to them and how we had healed them. They were distressed to discover they had missed the experience of entering a mind world. We could not promise to use them with the next lot as there would be no ‘next lot’. Healers are going to their divide to heal them by the thousands. We’ll let them develop their philosophies with regard to dealing with the missing out of such an experience and all it could teach them, for they are definitely good Cherinian material and will be linked one day soon.\n\nWe’ve spent days watching the healed Hawmu. Not only because of their moods of exultation and the way they question so much that everyone takes for granted. We are worried for we see they have forgotten that crops need to be tended and they could end up very hungry if nothing is done to alert them to the dangers of ignoring the practical side of their nature. Still, I guess we can help for a while, it is so beautiful sensing them as they revel in posing questions for the pleasure of debating them. I’d hazard the guess that it is not so much the questions themselves that excite them but the ability to indulge in them without their thought processes being constantly interrupted by flashes of pain and mood swings.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8425</center></h3> The five who’d been brought to Freddie brought the others back to earth by reminding them that the change came about because of aliens interfering. It did not take them long to tie us to the family still waiting for them at the camp.\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmYo4eAfH3cojwcannXhmRJvpb5pV26dBjzTD6MdQGjTxc/Ivgos,%20Syweco,%20Bk12,%20p8425.png\nThe questioning of Robert and any of us who made ourselves available did not last long - only two days. They learnt of the Fegorians and they all eagerly agreed to be sheathed so as to visit them. Hiahi remains the one they consider the best qualified for dealing with us impatient aliens, so we introduced a few of the leaders to him and then left them to it, to introduce the tens of thousands of their people who were with. They have now been talking, at a snails’ pace, for nearly a month and the truth of it is that none of us have had the patience to listen in. Perhaps the Unation will condense the conversations for us to listen to, for it is certain that Freddie won’t let us know what was discussed.\n\nAt first, Ivgos and his brother and friends, Bryce and Craig, found it hilarious that we had to wait for the Hawmu. Then they also grew bored. I, in turn, became fascinated by the Hawmu. Not to the extent that I was willing to try and listen to what they discussed, but their priorities do not strike me as being sound in an evolutionary sense. They lose themselves in theories and suppositions and the Fegorians adore them, but they do not ask why we came to them, what do the Ivgos family want, why did they come to their divide? Why haven’t they mentioned even once that they no longer have children? If they think we are so advanced, why haven’t they asked us for our help? I know why. They believe that we are highly advanced, ethically compassionate and altruistic. They cannot even imagine we came to their world for our own gain - to fit neatly within the way they view the cosmos, we came so as to help all the Ribbon Planet species. At least Robbie is delighting in sensing them, even though he knows we will have to change them…well, guide them so that they mature in the ways we consider necessary.\n\nWithout warning, all the Hawmu left the Fegorian niche and using the platform waiting for them, they came to the taverna. They settled on the grass while two of them stood waiting for us. Robbie took the hand of Ivgos in his and went to stand before them. We expected Syweco to be one of them, but the other was a surprise; it was Cycoo, the Road guard.\n\n“Cycoo was the first to speak with you so he has accepted the position of official greeter. Robert, whenever Freddie visits, may a few of us visit the Fegorians? We have much to tell each other.”\n\n“I am glad, the Fegorians are much loved by us, but they rarely have company. We trust you understand that the other species of your planet should not be told about us at this time? The day will come when we will announce ourselves, but this is not the right time for us.”\n\nSyweco lowered himself so that both ‘hands’ touched the ground and we sensed that when both remain on the ground, ‘palms’ facing the sky, it symbolises respect. “Youngling Ivgos of the self-named family, is it not time for us to learn your reasons for visiting us?”\n\nFor a moment I thought Ivgos was going to protest that it is not his fault they have not been told, that they were too interested in other things and people for him to find an opportunity to explain. Seuria’s delicate and feathery touch in his mind soothed him and with a smile in his voice he replied, using the Road patois. “All the species of our world could not bear children and there was great despair. We came to let you know that has changed and your species, as with all the others, will be having children once more.”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8426</center></h3> “Now they will be welcome. Ivgos, how did you know what ailed us? Travellers have seen us for tens of hundreds of full cycles suffer and never noticed.”\n\nI quickly sent to Ivgos and he replied, “Historians of your world examined your history and explained why we angered you. Once we understood you were not angry with us but were trying to protect us, we had to heal you.”\n\n“Historians? There are such beings who can tell us why we came to this world?”\n\nGuhpan asked, “You know you came - that you did not evolve here?” He had to explain his question and they became excited, seeing an answer in the explanation, that thrilled them. We had little choice and since all their population is in Freddie, we decided to do a telling so as to link those who wish to become Cherinians. Freddie jumped. The Hawmu from their home world joined us and they lost themselves in conversation for weeks.\n\nNever have our friends, alien and Terrans laughed so much at our attempts to do a telling. Actually, even we kept getting the giggles every time the Hawmu interrupted the telling to debate something they’d just shared. If we remain determined to continue to the present time, this could take half a year! Meli has chosen a cut-off date so we should end within another ten days.\n<br>\n\nThe telling has ended and the Hawmu are at their various favourite places debating among themselves all they learnt about us. From past experience we expected them to be at it for weeks, if not months, but Syweco and Cycoo were waiting for us when we arrived for breakfast. They did not wait for us to break fast and Cycoo touched the ground, so Robbie waited before him.\n\nIn a courteous tone of voice, Cycoo spoke, “What you lack in depth of thought is richly compensated for by your Cherinian nature. We admit we find it difficult to understand how you can pass through life with such little regard for all that needs to be noticed and expounded on so that deeper layers unfurl to widen your appreciation of all life gifts us with, but, there could be advantages to actively influencing your experiences, so we shall consider each equal in wealth, for what our minds learn your emotions appear to know so that we are both influenced almost equally.\n\nIt is time for us to return to our divide, but before we do so, there is one species almost extinct by now, if they still exist, who have been treasured by us for many lifetimes. Could you assist Ivgos so that they will be a part of our future - we shall be grateful. They are known as Lee~æ!eýessesstll, The Queen Tree of the Misty Land and they live on land that is surrounded by the big water.”\n\nGuhpan spun as he croaked with astonishment, “We projected the last of them would cease to exist two generations ago as they have not had a Queen Tree for more than eleven!” He then showed tact by speaking to Ivgos instead of Robbie, “If but one of them survives, they are to be helped, whatever it costs us.”\n\nAs the platform filled, we avoided starting any discussions, but as soon as it departed and all the Hawmu were gone, Cherine demanded to know more about this species and why Guhpan considers them so special. In the meantime, we wanted to search their divide to ensure they still exist but luckily Lynda stopped us.\n\n“Let me go back in time to when they definitely exist or else we cannot change the present. We must go to another reality for me to do so.” Within minutes we jumped.\n<br>\n\nI am adding this much later to make no apologies for not being apprehensible. This is one species we do not understand and much about them is likely to mystify us forever - however many times we visit them. Here then is the story from the day Lynda sent us back to. I’ll allow myself one comment at this time - the Inguel are in love with this species, even though they don’t understand them either.\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmZtR4EzjGUTPhi4S4QhhaH9uT9mfsbRN87DSvZaKhoRXR/Lee~%C3%A6!e%C3%BDessesstll,%20The%20Queen%20Tree,%20Bk12,%20p8426.png\n<br>\n<h3><center>8427</center></h3> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmVwLQY8i1wsdbiBiGSxsxTrPGmd2V7VcYUugeUy1uAHpX/Lee~%C3%A6!e%C3%BDessesstll,%20The%20Queen%20Tree,%20Bk12,%20p8427.png\n<br>\n<h3><center>8428</center></h3> There is much to be explained about the people of Qirwee but we have only understood a few of the details. Here is what I can add, maybe coloured by the illogic of my emotions as I struggle to reach deeper and find some working hypothesis that makes sense to my mind without it conflicting with my instincts.\n\nBecause my species likes to tag everything with a name, I’ll have to invent one for this species. If, later on, we learn to communicate better and they give us a name of their choosing, I’ll mention it. For this diary I will call them the Qirweens in honour of the one individual who is forced to die and be cloned at least two times during each cycle, that I know of, so that his people and the other-related species can regenerate.\n\nFrom the sketchy records of the Albaelits, as passed on by Guhpan, the Qirweens were not given a divide on the ribbon continent. On their home planet they have about seven hundred Queen Trees and whenever the children of the one Queen Tree meet the children of another, they can turn quite vicious, mostly because they dare not reside within their rooms where they can easily be attacked, so they mostly act instinctively. They do not seem to have a racial or species awareness, only family instincts. For the purposes of the experiment, the Federation did not want them to grow a second Queen Tree, so they were sited on an island that was just big enough to comfortably hold one family (a family of the prime race, can reach from two to five hundred thousand). In case I’ve given the impression that the Qirweens consider their biological tools, such as Agve and Osvo, part of their family, I would have to admit that it could be so, but I’m not certain of anything. Take for example the Wirms, the same was thought of the species they use for creating and maintaining their nests and yet the scientists have proven them to be a separate species, only distantly related. Aliens could consider our cats and dogs and other mammals as being related to us, but very few of us Terrans consider them ‘family’.\n\nThe Queen Tree is nothing like the mummy tree the colonist Eminixx used. As has been noted, the Qirwee, both of the male and female, have six brain nodes. Unlike us, their brains are outside the body and there are no direct links, apart from those of the nervous system. The more of these brain nodes that interact, the longer lasting are the streams of their thoughts, the higher the potential of their intelligence. None of the tool species have more than three, the smaller and more basic ‘models’ only have one or two. The Queen Tree has eleven! Since the Qirweens seem to be close to our average when all six nodes are operating, we expected the Queen Trees to be geniuses. They are very smart but the purpose of them have nearly double the nodes is so that they can achieve the same level of sapience as the rest of their family without needing the dryness. The Qirweens ability to think hinges upon the fact that the nodes each process only part of a thought and keep only a part of each memory, the rest being spread over the other nodes. It is a laborious and very slow way of solving the thinking problem. The Qirweens were only able to achieve sapience because they sought shelter in small caves where their body heat helped dry out the air, enabling thoughts to pass across nodes and memories to be collated faster. They make no mention as to whether the Queen Trees developed sapience because of them or whether the Queen Trees did first and thus they were able to identify the benefit of being in a dry atmosphere to their males and females, guiding them so that they also achieve sapience. \nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmcLVs9mEqdhmwauMNU5B6rW4vgZ3Eyr5jcq2Dpkf2dxpu/Arthur,%20why%20would%20dampness%20hamper%20their%20brains,%20Bk12,%20p8428.png\nWe, and that includes all the species, have tried to create scenarios that explain the existence of the Qirweens and their Queen Trees - we have not even tried to include their biological tools (maybe the Inguel tried and are not mentioning it). Nothing works. The Unation AI finds itself unsettled by this species and self-protection applets have forced it to set aside the need for an answer at this time. However imaginative we wetware are, the computers show all our ideas falling apart within a very short time - within just a couple of Queen Tree generations, which is very frustrating for us…and we don’t have applets to prevent us obsessing. For instance, here is an interesting fact - according to the files from Guhpan. The Qirweens, on their home planet, thought of an idea which makes a lot of sense. Why build rooms that are dry, why not concentrate on ways of drying the atmosphere of their planet. They created biological engines to do so and now a third of their planet is uninhabitable by them as they learnt that they cannot reproduce if they remain within a dry environment for an extended period and they also suffer as their skin cracks and becomes host to all manner of bacteria and spores. At the time the colonists departed for the experiment, the Federation was desperately trying to find a way to reverse the damage caused by the Qirweens’ need to be permanently intelligent as, once the balance was upset the ecology of the entire world worsened year by year. If they failed, it means we will have to return in time to ‘steal’ some families, take their solar system into a Sparkler World and have an Inguel terraforming team heal their planet. Until we know for certain what the truth is and whether we can return to save them, if it is necessary, the Ribbon Planet Qirweens are doubly precious to us.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8429</center></h3> I made the comment that I find it impossible to believe that nature would rely on one individual repeatedly surviving to start the family over again by cloning himself twice. I asked, what if an accident or a war caused the death of a Qirwee, would that family then be condemned? I felt very stupid once the obvious truth was pointed out. All the males and females created by Qirwee have his genes and so it means they could substitute for him - maybe less perfectly as they might not have had reason to keep all his memories and instincts, but they would survive. Still, I wonder whether they would have his determination, his willpower and love for his family that carries him <i>past</i> the edge of death. If he did not have a name I would call him Robert, protector of his family.\n\nJade listened to my endless bitching about how badly mother nature designed this species and their entire ecology. She was the only one not sympathising or teasing me and when she did speak, I liked what she said, the imaginative picture it painted in my head. “To me, mother nature does not sound like a mother, she sounds more like a child at school. What if each planet where a primitive one-celled bacteria develops gets a child-nature, sent to learn how to evolve life? If that is what happens, I bet the child-nature that evolved the Qirweens flunked her exams.”\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmXwBXjkWJmdprcWZjr4MFGMrzntzeYaEkyfvgCrnvP4j8/Arthur,%20S,%20were%20you%20offended%20by%20their%20ecology,%20Bk12,%20p8429.png\nWe had expected we’d be spending years helping the Qirweens, but within days we were ready to leave. We returned to the ‘present’ and Freddie and the Unation snooped on the Qirweens. They are doing well and the majority of the Inguel are spending as much time as they can as souls, watching how they interact with their tools. When the Inguel realised a tool was being adjusted (mutated?) for more effectively ridding their land of the aftermath of the chemical sprayed by the Albaelits, they ignored the needs of their bodies, staying to watch each detail over weeks - so we had to send our healers to care for their bodies. No one was upset as we could understand their fascination and who knows where their learning will take them, what new biological tools they’ll develop to help all species.\n\nHaikra affectionately rubbed his hand over the top of Ivgos’ silvery head and he chuckled. “It seems you will not be visiting this divide. It is amazing that their form of regeneration has provided them with the means to identify and counteract the poisons spread by the Albaelits.” Guhpan spun without emitting a sound, not wanting to open a discussion with Haikra that could lead to an argument. Haikra lent over so as to pretend he was asking Ivgos, “Healers were sent from Freddie to clear all the lands of the sterilising chemicals and yet, the island divide of the Qirweens was left untouched so that they have to do the job themselves. Do you think Cherine or Samantha would explain what their reason was?”\n\nI moved so as to catch the eye of Ivgos. He asked me the question in a literal manner, amused by the game being played. I saw no reason not to add a twist to it. “Yes, either of us would be willing to answer your question Ivgos - but I trust you will not be asking it?” \n\nAs I’d hoped, he puzzled over it for a few seconds and then burst out in childish laughter. “Then I shall not.”\n\nHaikra humphed. “Then may I?”\n\nI gave him a sweet smile, knowing it irritates him. “Dear friend and father of Ivgos, why should you? Would it not be better you first examine what the Qirweens are trying to get rid of?” Suspicious of me, he did as I suggested and as an Inguel answered him, he pulled a face. He’d found out that we had healed the land of the chemicals, but the healers do not take away the chemicals, all they do is transmogrify them into a harmless alternative. Unfortunately, our healers had not realised that the new, harmless chemical, would taste awful to the Qirweens and their tools. It was why they were all so hungry, though none were starving, as they had to force themselves to eat what was to them foul tasting food. I liked that Haikra did not keep the answer to himself and only glowered at his family as they laughed at him. Ivgos must have felt the same way as me, for, despite him laughing, he went to sit on his lap, tolerating the rough caresses on his head as he in turn gently caressed Seuria.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8430</center></h3> Seuria gets very shy if she wants to speak when they are with us. It seems she is very aware of Robyn and feels she is at a disadvantage because she is not as intelligent (because of body and head size, her brain is much smaller). However, this time the idea that was dancing through her mind could not be held back and she asked Ivgos to set her down on the ground. She searched for a bare piece of ground between clumps of grass and when she found it she lowered her body so that it touched the soil and pushed herself in the direction available, paused and then pushed her way back. Her golden glowing eyes swivelled as she looked up at our faces, waiting for us to understand. She saw that none of us did, so she was forced to speak.\n\n“Are instincts not formed from when we cannot think and circumstance forces us to learn through repeated experience?” We agreed with her and we felt how her mind brightened with pleasure. “Would not such instincts sometimes blind us to other possibilities once we are sapient?” Again we agreed and she could sense that now, all of us were interested. “What if the first Qirweens families and their Queen Trees lived in an area such as the one I just dragged myself through, would their instincts limit them to moving from east to west or from west to east without the possibility of moving in a circle?” The surprise in our minds, even vocally, stopped her, until Dommi sternly ordered us to keep quiet/calm for Seuria to complete her thoughts. Timidly she added, “When they move from east to west and arrive at a barrier and are forced to turn back, does it not mean they are using the land they most recently used? If they migrated in a circle, would they not always be moving on to land that has had the longest time to recover? Maybe…,” almost afraid to voice her thought, she added, “maybe they would never need another Qirwee?”\n\nWith awed delight, Robbie said, “Damn! Seuria has just invented the wheel for the Qirweens!”\n\nShe suffered for half a day and then Kirsten came to us and picked her up. She called to Ivgos and took the two of them to her home. “Freddie and I will go to stay in our apartment for as long as Seuria needs to remain here. Use our home, but go out, jump off cliffs to soar through the sky - Seuria, Ivgos can use his Cherinian abilities to fly alongside you. Climb the trees in the forest and play and love each other until everyone else has returned to normal. Ivgos, Seuria is not made for adulation, too much love can hurt her. It is up to you to be her guardian.”\n<br>\n\nGuhpan felt embarrassed for his people when he realised that they had unknowingly contributed to the problem of the Qirweens by creating an island shaped like a landing strip at an airport. To alter the island to a circular shape was not possible at its present location as it would need far more space. To create the island elsewhere would only add to the general instability and need for frequent adjustments to the climates of each divide, plus, in general, the air and water currents. The island would have to be at a corresponding position for them to maintain the misty conditions. Luckily a small adjustment of the shape partly solved the problem. Instead of the island being circular, like ‘O’, it would be more of an oval shape, like ‘0’. Some smaller islands would have to be removed or incorporated and whatever wild life had settled there would have to be moved, but it was possible. For a while, we had thought the island could not be adapted for the circular trek the Qirweens need and we’d have to decide that they would have to be moved back to their home planet - if there is space for another family. Although we now know that solution is not needed, it did help evolve a new set of debates about the Ribbon Planet. Many people feel that all the species should be returned to their home planets. They argue that a side benefit would be the influence on those who stayed home - most of it being an increased tolerance of other species. I don’t think it would work out that way, I think they would wither and die or be diluted and disappear as a society. The matter has been shelved for the near future. When they are linked as Cherinians by Ivgos, they can choose for themselves.\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmTp2SA8B8Zfe7XADQTaCusRZgUd911Hz9HzkUBpRBf5Mz/Sam,%20grieves%20abt%20species%20which%20cannot%20become%20Cherinians,%20Bk12,%20p8430.png\nThe suggestion by Arthur and my reply made me take a fresh look at the Reggheri problem. Since the elders joined us in Freddie, not many of them have made friends among the other species. There is one elder, named Liisutsii (sorry, but they do favour the sound of the letter ‘i’ in their names), whose genial attitude and wry sense of humour has earned him some friends. I asked the elders to meet me the next morning at a place that is close to the house of Lusalith. \n<br><br>\n<center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost064\">Next [Book 12] - Post 064</a></center>\n<br>\n<h5><i><b>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.</b></i></h5><br>\n<br><br>\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUTQeVmsqWzFxMrg8a629XdGHm15kCnjSkbFyhiTMwUf9/Name,%20steemit.png\n* posted: 21st Sep, 2020<br>\n<br><br>\n<center><h6><i>If you wish to read from an earlier book, from Book 01 to Book 12, use this link button to open the LC Book Index:</i></h6><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo/best-way-to-read-little-cherine-links-to-books-01-to-012-new-teller-family-calendar-added\"><img src=\"https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmfJ4USBF6u8SKDuizVpqXMJfwxmr2FEKyc4cwTPvehscV/Worlds%20waiting.png\"/></a></center>\n<br>\n<br>",
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      "author": "arthur.grafo13",
      "permlink": "little-cherine-book-12-bpost062",
      "title": "Little Cherine Book 12 - BPost062",
      "body": "<sup><h6>They confirmed that this couple have never stolen any bodies and had been dead for over a century. No wonder the poor dears had felt so lost.</h6></sup><br>\n<center>https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmSjs7k76PkScEuXxchZJPDRTfoywcNPt1RTFgzTxnE7Z9/Alex_Robert_Allan%20-%2018y%20-%20mini.png\n</center><br><br>\n<center> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUjdm8RyTVC9Jx8pqYrx7RX3Lvxm35wVLrDNRDUCEEZHF/LC%20Book12%20-%20Cvr.png </center><br><center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost061\">Previous: Book 12 - Post 061 </a></center>\n<br>\n<h3><center>8411</center></h3> Angelica wanted to spend a little time with Christós and Jesus so as to bring them up to date with her studies and experiments. She did not ask for time to show them some of her achievements and what she hopes for, as she knew it is urgent we find a way to get the people of this reality to accept their Cherine. As for me, everyone thinks I’m the sneaky one, so they expect me to find the way. Sometimes having a reputation can be a real drag - especially when I can’t think of a solution.\n\nI listened as a few suggestions were half-heartedly made and disposed of but they helped my thoughts follow a path that grew better defined by the moment. I guess I had that ‘lost in thought’ look and was biting my lower lip, for they fell silent and waited, their eyes fixed on me, as I realised and came to with blushing cheeks. More out of embarrassment than contrariness, I told them I’ll be just a second as I get a crème soda. Laughing, those next to me held me while Gina jumped for my cold drink.\n\nI saw myself on the screens so I guessed everyone would be hearing me. “The Sparklers have checked and told us that the local fire-world is still about thirty years away. We could teleport it to the edge of this solar system but, as with any other manufactured threat to mankind, it would not be honest. Anything we would be ashamed to have everyone know is not what any Cherinian should do. We are not allowed to trick people into accepting us.” I glanced at Empathia for I sensed her burning curiosity as she tried to sense what I’m planning. I gave her a soft smile as I looked away from her. “Making plans, having a strategy, a little of bluffing and marketing, they are all allowed - in other words, I’m thinking of being sneaky.” Empathia burst out in sudden laughter and I sipped at my cold drink until everyone settled down. Cherine entered my mind, I let her see in which direction my thoughts were taking me and, pleased, she left and her body happily snuggled against Robbie - which calmed him.\n\n“I was born a Cherinian so I cannot claim to fully understand why, but, telepathy is one of the most frightening of our gifts. It seems that if I were to develop heat-ray vision like Superman and be capable of incinerating Normals with just a slightly concentrated look, they would still list telepathy as being more horrendous. I find that ironic…”\n\n“You must mean something else, I don’t see how it could be ironic.” Allan said.\n\n“I do mean ironic. Before we came along, in every single reality, those of Terra were in the process of giving up their rights to privacy and developing software to intuit what their thoughts are, and yet, the idea that a Cherinian can hear their thoughts is considered worse than death!”\n\nAllan theatrically stood up and bowed. “I apologise, she was right, it can be ironic.” Since my loves were the first to laugh, everyone joined in. I could not help but be surprised at how we always manage to turn such moments back into ‘human’ decisions by using humour. \n\n“We have not studied the Terrans of this reality so we cannot claim to know what it is about mutants that they fear to such an extent. I have a feeling that understanding the fear is an important tool for helping them overcome it. From the experience of dealing with the fears of our reality and even, with the fears we, as Cherinians, have experienced as we question who and what we are, I’m going to make a few suggestions so as to spark a debate that I hope leads to us finding a way to help our local alternates. It is important we know which gifts are the most frightening to Normals, but it is equally important we examine which gifts are less likely to be feared. We don’t need to stage an awesome display of powers while saving them from a calamity, for we have already done so and despite their gratitude they remain terrified of us. What if we start gently, watching over them and helping those who are ill or suffering because of an accident?”\n\nClaudia cut in, “It’s too late for that, we’ve just brought them forward in time in bodies that are at prime health and if we are seen at accidents healing torn bodies, how long before someone accuses us of causing the accidents, the blood and pain, so as to make an appearance as the shining knights?”\n\nI sensed many agree with her and I nodded. “You’re right, but if we are careful, the criticisms and accusations are likely to be countered by some of the people we save, as they should be able to recognise a degree of self blame.”\n\nThe conversation went to and fro, for instance, should we only concentrate on large scale disasters? No, it was argued, then the accusations will be believed by more people. We ended up with a mix of what I suggested and other ideas - for instance, providing them with some new technology to help them recover from what they lost while avoiding the polluting of their environment. Claudia was backed by many when she insisted the new technology must belong to the local ADFI corporation, with the local Mansfield couple and Robert controlling it on Earth. isi reminded everyone that Robert and Cher must also concentrate on linking those they already know are good friends to us. The ideas flowed, sometimes smoothly and sometimes in an abrasive fashion, but a strategy has been hammered out that we think has a good chance of reducing the fear of Cherinianism and mutants so that they can live their lives openly as we do.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8412</center></h3> When we get impatient with alternate Normals, it is not a bad idea to remind ourselves that it took us eighteen years before we dared to take our first steps towards allowing our world to know we exist - and even then we mismanaged it. As far as I’m concerned, Robert and Cher are welcome to take their time and I’ll be there for them whenever they are worried and need someone to boost their self confidence. Anyway, an excuse to visit is welcome as the way their society has changed is interesting.\n\nBy the way, this might be a good time to mention something that riles me. I mentioned the fact that governments in all realities have tried, to varying degrees, to take away all rights to privacy, plus other human rights, but let’s leave those out of this argument for the time being. We continually come up against small minded individuals who do not want to be independent, they like the idea of having a ‘government’ that watches over them like a protective big brother. I can’t help wondering, don’t they ever break down that image of ‘big-brother-government’ to what it is composed of? The people who run those government agencies set up to spy on their own citizens, with grand sounding names that people like Hitler thought up, can anyone imagine them as being like some kindly uncle who lovingly watches over us? Surely anyone with a smudge of common sense would understand that only the most cynical and hardest of people are employed to run such organisations? Most of them are cold, hard ‘professional’ people who don’t care about anything but working out new ways to make their positions even more unassailable, which means taking away even more of our rights. How can anyone leave their children and grandchildren in such inhuman and bloodied hands without feeling guilty? Not even any qualms? Does it mean that mankind has no self-preservation instincts anymore and finds it that easy to give up - and become extinct? If so, can even a Cherine save us from ourselves?\n<br>\n\nWhen we rebuilt so as to provide basic accommodation for all with retail shops, wholesale warehouses and factories for each area, we did not decide who gets to run the businesses, but we did exert our influence to prevent the governments taking them over for themselves - the taxes they take are steep enough, there is no need for them to get greedy. By the way, they each insisted on keeping their national currencies, the idea of a single or continental currency does not make sense to them yet. It seems that for certain ideas their time must come before they make sense. I agree that without Cherinianism, such changes would only strengthen the Globalists, if they still have any\n\nForty seven of us with eighty Anadir, nine Muyzith, seven thousand Sparkler Thinkers, four Elabet, ninety two Akiards, five Inguel, one hundred and seventy six Eminixx, thirty six Elipians, fourteen thousand of various Unation species, two Kinytians, four Fegorians (feeling ecstatic because this is the first project they are helping directly plus they are overcome with sensations they’ve never experienced before as they are projecting as two Terran couples). Iona joined Allan and his family as a young girl. Seven thousand Bubble Terrans and one thousand four hundred Kabetu. Dream Dancers, fourteen (all will be staying by the sides of lakes or along rivers). The Reggheri wanted to help, but we suggested they gain experience first and reassured them there will be many opportunities for their people to help in the future with other worlds and realities. The same is true of all the other species travelling with us, in Freddie or in one of the Sparkler Worlds. We feel that the more of us there are the riskier it gets that someone (a Talent for instance or just through a plain mistake) might expose our presence on Earth.\n\nThe plan is that we each take our place within their society and use our gifts to improve life for them while speaking, singing, writing, painting, using art in all its forms to accustom them to the idea of some mutations being for the good of the species - similar to what we’ve done before. Because of all they recently experienced, the people have a far greater thirst for stories about us and the aliens than the governments had realised and we have to be careful we do not overdo it. Keeping them hungry for more stories, films and so on is far more sensible than going for overkill. A large percentage of us are working with the young and little children, firing their imaginations and awakening their empathy so that they find it possible to see mutants as human beings who could be their friends. We healed those hurt by the odd accident, but those healings were done by aliens in their natural form so that they’d know we are responsible.\n\nWe are also searching out the alternates of those we already know are good Cherinians in other realities and if they are similar in temperament and character, we soften them to the idea and then take them to learn about us in Freddie. We’ve had a hundred percent success rate with them and already have about seven thousand local Cherinians, linked by their Cherine. Unfortunately, we find it difficult to identify or find or link some alternate girls we want for the Teller family; for instance, those who suffered in other realities due to the changes that came about because of us re-building their homes and so on. Many have been given to families to care for them as there are no orphanages yet. We had to ask the Sparklers to search them out by looking for their souls. Hundreds of millions of Sparklers searched for three days and gave us the list we wanted. The problem is, that by eliminating poverty and by arranging for orphans to be taken in by families, some of them are happy and growing to love their new families. \n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8413</center></h3> It was agreed that we leave them with their new families for now. Robert and Cher can approach them later, when Cherinians are no longer considered monsters. It breaks my heart to think of this family not having an Aganthi and Theresa, the two of them are such an important part of our family and their influence over all of us has made us better Cherinians and more of a close-knit family.\n<br>\n\nWe have been here ten months now. For all this time, Freddie remained in orbit and visible once more and as they grew used to seeing it, the people lost much of their fear and then the voices from certain parts of society who thought they have reason to be against us (it is surprising how many resented us because we did not build churches for them) became louder, angrier, demanding to know what gives us the right to think we are welcome to stay. Then the time came when questions started (some prompted by us) and since the governments, scientists and generals could not answer them, people started to ask the aliens who came to save people and the answers they gave made their way to first page headlines, television shows and so on.\n\nNobody stays on planet seven days a week. We take turns to return to Freddie, some who have more of a role to play only return for a few hours at night. When it is my turn, of course I want to go home, to spend a few hours in the arms of Robbie and my loves - even for the pleasure of sitting at the taverna listening to the scientists or other guests while enjoying my favourite meals made by Maria, comforted by the warm emoting of my family and everyone else in Freddie. Sometimes though, I take the opportunity to visit a lonely place, on planet, where I can walk lost in my thoughts or else gaze at the beauty life so often accidentally creates, so that time passes without my thoughts dominating.\n\nDuring one such walk, along the river, but out of London with only farms around, I saw a young man ahead, sitting on a rock, a sketchpad in his hands. As I made a noise he glanced my way once and then ignored me. Unfortunately I was not free to do as he did, I could not ignore him. Though strangely dressed and his hair pulled back into a ponytail, the man I walked towards was Robert - a Robert I have never met before. I stopped within two feet of him and stared as he quickly sketched in details he did not want to forget and as he looked up for more details, he saw me blocking his way. He looked at my face without recognition.\n\n“Would you mind stepping to either side?”\n\n“Where do you come from Robert? You don’t belong here.”\n\nHe frowned at me. “Have we been introduced?”\n\nSince I could not sense his emoting I looked into his eyes, for that is sometimes the only way we can tell if Robbie is teasing us. I shuddered as I saw how coldly and impersonally they stared back at me. I almost stammered as I replied, “I’m Samantha.”\n\nJust as coldly as before, “Robert Hayes - though it seems you already knew it. <i>Now</i> would you mind stepping aside?”\n\nI did so as I muttered, “How can he not be a Teller?” His head jerked sharply as he turned to look at me. He clamped down on his curiosity and glancing at the view he resumed his sketching. I went to stand at some distance behind him so as not to distract him. By now my family were reacting and they all wanted to come be with me, even Robbie, but especially Cherine, but I asked all of them to wait.\n\nRobert Hayes turned to glare at me with a grunt of not very well controlled anger. “Either stay where I can see you or else leave!”\n\nThere is no pleasing some people, I thought, and went to stand where he could see me without me intruding. As he resumed his sketching I found myself staring at his hand and I liked the sure way it moved, as if it knew exactly what it wants to achieve and does so. His manner had sparked something in me for I seemed to be super aware of every detail, each covert glance my way, even the slow beat of his heart. Heart! That proved he is not a Cherinian Robert. As he closed his pad and stuck his pencil in a small case I moved closer. I left the opening gambit to him.\n\n“Where did you get that name from?”\n\n“Teller? You were curious but had the self discipline to continue sketching? You are a surprise!” Robbie chuckled in my mind, despite his not liking the situation I found myself in. “My surname is Teller. I’m Samantha Teller, daughter of Robert Teller.”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8414</center></h3> His face lost all its colour and for a second he staggered. Just as suddenly he flushed with rage. “You are playing games with me!” I stood silently, waiting to see how he would take it from here. I did not expect what he did next. “You are a child, I should have expected it! I suggest you find children of your age to play with. Goodbye.” He walked past me in a determined manner that told me he was angry. As he was passing I sensed something had changed but did not know what. I turned to see where he was going and found I was alone; the fields, the river and weeping willow trees remained, but the vista was empty of human life. That brought Robbie to me instantly and the girls all followed him, even those who were busy somewhere else on planet.\n\nWe’d flogged the subject to death without results when Cherine asked to take a look at my memories. She came back with emoting that puzzled me. “Sam, check when he walked past you and tell me where his sketch pad is. I can’t see it anywhere.” I did not need to check, now that she had pointed it out I saw that it was what had bothered me.\n\n“That doesn’t make sense! Him disappearing the moment I was not watching him could be explained by teleportation - even if I did not sense any psychic abilities in him! Why would he risk teleporting the pad first, it only added the possibility that I might notice and get suspicious.”\n\nRobbie chuckled and Cherine glared at him, not amused. He said, “Sam, I hope there is no chance of this being the equivalent of another Kirsten?” Cherine was aggrieved when I responded by laughing.\n\nWe must have ten billion Sparklers watching on planet for the appearance of Robert Hayes. He did suddenly appear four days later, but he gave a startled look around him, smacked the tree close to him as if angry or frustrated by something and walked away, fading within three steps. There is no way we can leave this Earth until we have answers, as we cannot be certain he will not be a threat to the local (inexperienced) Robert. For all we know, he may be a Robert who needs help. Where is his Cherine?\n\nHe reappeared another two times, showing the same reaction to his arrival and he quickly faded away. Two months after the last appearance he has not been back - that the Sparklers know about. I had a feeling we are wasting our time looking for him. “His reaction to arriving here tells me he did not plan on coming here and will not return - if he has any control over where he goes.”\n\nCampbell asked, “You think he does not always have control over where he goes and that is why he arrived here without wanting to?”\n\nI stared at Robert and Cher, pleased with the way they have grown. Having thousands who believe in them has made a tremendous difference. “Yes Arthur, I do, but we have to leave, he could return tomorrow or in ten years time, it is not worth us waiting here. Robert, before we leave, I’d like to see you heal the relationship with your parents - anyone who loves a Robert knows how important the parents are to all Roberts and if you don’t do it now it will only get more difficult. Can you take care of it tomorrow?”\n\n“Just like that?” His Cher emoted and he stopped himself. “I’ll try.” She told him they would try and Robert grinned. “I can just see that, me turning up with a child, ‘hi dad, this is my love and we’ve come to ask you to join us.’” I walked away as others handled Robert, depressed by my failure to solve the Robert Hayes problem.\n\nWe only needed to stay long enough to see that Robert had taken the first steps towards reconciliation with his father; we knew that at the first signs of Robert being in trouble his father will be by his side, so we no longer worried. As for the request by the governments, they have seen that Robert and Cher are on planet and frequent certain areas but they have not said anything. A pity we can’t leave Freddie in their skies for a few more years but we’ll visit here every few weeks their time, until we are confident they are accepted.\n\nIvgos was unhappy at leaving his (presently) favourite Cherine, but he consoled himself with the thought that we’ll be visiting often. For him to think that way indicates that he has come to think of Freddie as his home. We are going to have to nip that in the bud - which is going to be very difficult, for none of us can bear to make him unhappy or feel unloved.\n<br>\n\nFreddie followed what has become routine. He stopped in another reality for us to have a night free of worries and problems, planning to arrive back at out reality in the morning. Freddie can jump directly to whichever reality we are travelling to, but from early on, both Freddie and Robbie realised that doing so is not a good idea - unless there is an emergency to be dealt with. After all, jumping our bodies is only part of it, our minds and sense of <i>being at a certain place</i> need to adjust so that we are <i>comfortable</i> at the place we are going to. We were sitting at the taverna, treasuring this evening as tomorrow Michael and his family will be returning to their lives. Once the meal was over, Allan and his two loves came to sit close to Robbie and Cherine.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8415</center></h3> “We have a favour to ask of all of you.” He was looking at Cherine so she asked him what it is. “The three of us have decided we want to find ourselves a daughter-wife. When we do, we think it is important we stay on Earth until she is used to being with us and trusts us. We decided it is important to us that she also grows to feel that you are family and love her - as we hope it will be with you, Michael and Ahní. Could you stay in this reality until she is ready?”\n\n“You prefer to adopt than have your own daughter?” Michael asked.\n\n“It is not only what we prefer,” Eleni answered, “it is what is right.”\n\nJessie gave a naughty grin. “Once she is a part of our family, I bet you’ll love her and wish she was yours.” The three of them got hugged by all of us.\n\nIvgos sat himself on Allan’s lap and looked up at him with serious eyes. “May I help you choose the child?”\n\nAllan glanced at his girls and replied, “If you do so, then it means that you will also be a part of her new family.”\n\nThe rest of that night was indescribably beautiful for everyone and we arrived at our home planet the next morning broadcasting much more love than we usually do.\n<br>\n\nAs is expected of us, we shared all our experiences and there was the usual turmoil as people reacted and debated what we’d shared. The time it takes for everyone to calm down and accept it all grows shorter year by year, but I hope they never grow blasé about new lives and species joining us. My fear is not only that the Normals might do so, I also fear for my beloved Cherinians. The danger that it could happen to Cherinians is more likely and perhaps it is the new Cherinians, born or linked who help us more than any cautioning by us. Robbie was amazingly wise when he foresaw the need before he knew why it existed, telling us that we must always have Normals and we must find a way to keep space for new children to be born to us.\n\nWe did not share the news that Allan and family wish to find a daughter. Apart from the potential legal problems, there would be both extremes; those who dream of being the one chosen and the pain when they are not, while there would also be (yes, there still are people who think this way, even in our reality) those who would consider such an adoption evil and destroying of the soul of that child. It is easier dealing with the problems afterwards as the arguments are less passionate since they are dealing with a fait accompli - does my being so honest make us sound less honest? I hope not, for after all, we know we are not harming the child and what we do is only for dealing with those who are bigoted.\n\nEleni and Jessie asked of Allan that Ivgos be allowed to choose a number of girls and from those girls he should choose the one he prefers. Allan was touched, but knows the child will have to be chosen by all three of them - if that child loves them. However, he agreed that Ivgos make his choices, as long as he is careful not to let the chosen girls know.\n\nOut of all this grew the greatest puzzle we’ve faced for a long time. Ivgos went to orphanage after orphanage and though he found many children he ached to love as his brother or sister, not one of them felt right to him for Allan and his loves. He kept on complaining that something is missing. His own family delved into his mind and tried to sense what was holding him back, but all they could tell us is that they could feel that Ivgos truly feels something is missing. Ahram and Seuria tried hard to sense what is affecting or guiding him, but they ended up admitting they cannot sense anything.\n\nI am not one of those who believe that for all of us there is only one who could love me or be loved by me. Circumstance and choice both play an important role in matchmaking. To meet and reject little girls by the hundreds of thousands does not make sense - especially since Allan is not as difficult, anymore, at choosing a child to love. Since going to alternate Earths means that Ivgos, to a large extent, will meet the same girls again and again, it is not difficult to find a good reason, for it is obvious that each alternate will be slightly different and it might be that the small difference is what makes a particular alternate girl the right girl for the Allan family. We’re departing next Monday as we want to have the coming weekend with our friends who work during the week.\n\nOn Sunday evening, Solomon visited us at our Athens home. If we have not seen him for more than two days he gets hugged by each of us and he can feel our emoting - which leaves him feeling rather bemused. It goes to prove that not only Terrans don’t understand why they are loved. J\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8416</center></h3> “I have news for you, though I’m not certain whether it is good news or not. Samantha, we have found Robert Hayes - not an alternate of his, but the actual one who travelled to the reality where you met him.”\n\n“Wow! You must have searched many new realities!”\n\n“We did, there are now tens of thousands newly visited realities where we have healed all the species we could find within your galaxy.”\n\nWe made all the noises that showed how happy we were and Robbie was also emoting the same feelings. Finally he thought to ask the question none of us had thought of asking. “Solomon, have the number of Sparklers grown?”\n\nSolomon emoted amusement more than slightly tinged by awe. “Not the Sparklers of any single reality. Robert, we have Sparklers of tens of millions of realities we can call on when our services are needed.”\n\nI felt it was my responsibility and though I might dampen their pleasure, I had to tell Solomon, “We’ll visit Mr Hayes if everyone feels they want to, but first we must find the girl child Ivgos is searching for. It would not be fair to Allan and the girls to make them wait while we traipse off on another adventure.” I grinned. “We did promise to stay until they have a new love.”\n\nNoelle giggled. “We should say that we are looking for a new mother for Ahní, it sounds more interesting.” That got others calling out that the girl must not be too old to be her mother, which means she must not be over - four, six, eight…were the various ages called out to much laughter.\n\nAllan kindly suggested we wait a few weeks so as to celebrate Christmas and New Year (and Robbie’s birthday) with our friends before we start reality hopping. We sensed they also want to celebrate close to their Ahní so we have gratefully agreed.\n<br>\n\nEfineh, Piri and Sebura are still with us - Efineh staying in our home but Elias arranged hotel-apartment suites for Sebura and his daughter so that they can cook for themselves if they want to stay in, but don’t have to make their beds or clean up. We speak to them every day but allow them time on their own as they have made other friends from the years they have spent in Freddie. Piri has been rejuvenated twice, as she will be when she returns home. We don’t want her to have the experience of becoming a teen and then a pre-teen again. Sebura must have said something as she does not even pout each time she is rejuvenated.\n\nCherine asked us for a favour so I can only write about it now. The day before Christmas, late morning, we told Robbie and Dommi that we want to go off on our own for that night and we asked them to take care of each other. Once we had left, they discovered we had prepared them a three course dinner with chilled wines, dessert and champagne for midnight. Strictly speaking, ‘we’ did not prepare it, a friend did. As for us, we aged ourselves to about twenty to twenty five and had an ‘official’ Christmas Eve dinner at a posh hotel in London. Even though everyone soon knew who we are, many men took a chance and asked us for a dance. Those we rewarded. The men who expected anything more got nothing. In the end, I think we were all surprised at how much we enjoyed ourselves. Of course Efineh was with us, but Sebura and Piri were taken by Andrea and Britta to celebrate with them and their son. Since Socrati and family were part of the group, Piri had a great time and told us with a happy excitement about how Socrati danced with her.\n\nNew Years Eve was celebrated by us in Irene, the beautiful spaceship owned by all the Earths. We were invited by the captain and though we felt it might not be so nice as they would be formal, they treated us in a relaxed manner and we had fun. Our pappou Alki and his family were with us and Elias and family joined us after midnight. By the way, the Irene had been returned to our reality for refurbishment and redecoration by the Muyzith. It smells new and is gloriously beautiful.\n\nIt might sound silly of me to make mention of these two holidays but, we are in the sixtieth year on Earth while we have spent about one hundred and fifty years in Freddie and/or in other realities. For us these holidays and parties are stretched out over a greater span of time, making them special and we are determined to enjoy each one of them. For me personally, I do try to ensure that Efineh is with us for every Christmas and New Year. The proof that she enjoys it is in that she could stay in her own home in Freddie and jump to us each day, but she prefers to stay with us in our crowded Athens home. I can feel that it is true for her also - that our family time alone at home, lounging around in our nighties or robes, reading, chatting or watching movies is the best times of all.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8417</center></h3> We have not been on David’s chat show for a long while so I suggested we offer to do a special - for Robbie’s birthday he, and all of us, to appear and Robbie to undertake to answer all the questions sent in, at least, those David asks him. Robbie pulled a face, claiming I just want to get him into trouble, but he surprised me by agreeing. A delighted David generously offered to share the show with chat hosts/hostesses, one from each continent - thus ensuring this show will have the biggest audience he’s had for a long time.\n\nI am being ‘blessed’ by my loves as they juggle the arrangements for Robbie’s birthday. First of all will be a brunch for close friends and family. Then a luncheon at the Cherinian Embassy for a couple of hundred ambassadors. Then the chat show and then cocktails at the presidential palace in Zambia (we drew the choice of country out of a hat). Only after all that will we start our private parties. The one in our reality is at the Club Cherinián, but we also have to attend another four parties at other realities, each of them hosting Teller families from other realities so that we don’t have to go to a hundred of them. Between all the jumping to and fro, we will be visiting other realities to take a break, make love, sleep and so on. Thank goodness we only have to go through this kind of day for Robbie’s birthday, and at that, only once every five years or so.\n<br>\n\nThe studio where David has his chat show was not used this time. They had to create one with seating for all our family and close friends plus seating for an audience of at least three hundred. At the center of all this was the seating for Robbie, Cherine, Dommi and two other film stars (both female). We had to take our seats well before the show started and we stared at the thousands of gaily wrapped birthday presents sent by the public. As for cards, there must have been at least a hundred thousand of them! Luckily the email wishes are handled by the embassy staff. The thought that we would have to open each present, read the card and answer them was what had us groaning. My loves chose to pretend they had all decided that since the chat was my idea I would have to deal with all the gifts and cards. Robbie thought they were funny until I smiled and told them I will be returning from the future in the thousands so as to deal with all of it within a day. Robbie pretended to be horrified by the idea of thousands of Samantha present at the same time and he pleaded with my loves to help me. The public have grown used to seeing us chuckle or smile or frown as we tease each other silently - and though they no longer worry, they get curious every time, wishing we would share the joke with them.\n\nStrictly speaking, Ivgos does not qualify for sitting with us, but who cares, we want him. He has adapted to our technology in ways that are reminiscent of Ashema. Some of it he envies, but most of it he pities us for needing it. Many would say that ‘unfortunately’ he loves our television. Being part of a show (he does not think of himself as being part of the audience because he is sitting with us and he is convinced we are part of the show), knowing that he will be seen with our family, so he says, means a lot more to him than those times he has appeared because he went to an orphanage. Haven tried explaining why his other appearances were the ones he should be proud of, but she gave up.\n\n“Robert, if you’ll excuse me, but I’d like to greet your family first. Ladies, it is a real pleasure seeing you here with us…” He kept his greetings fairly short, the other hosts greeted us and then David let the host from Australia ask the first question.\n\n“Mr Teller, Terence Crawford from Australia. When you first made yourself known to our governments, it is understandable that you felt you needed to protect those you’ve named the Cherinians by claiming independence from the nations of Earth. You kept the Cherinians out of the United Nations, which does not make sense to me. However, with Cherinians becoming the majority on Earth, is there still a need for maintaining the legal fiction?”\n\n“I do not think in terms of majorities Mr Crawford. When we reached the point where we represented fifty percent of the worldwide population, we stopped counting. What the actual figures are mean nothing to me, for I see us as partners, Normals and Cherinians working together to provide and secure a better future for all humans.\n\nYour question indicates you are assuming that Terran Cherinians should stop thinking of themselves as Cherinians, a people apart from the rest of mankind. If such is your assumption, then it saddens me, for it betrays the fact that we have been misunderstood. Terran Cherinians are people who are of whichever nation they belong to and the only differences are those that earned the link. It is not possible to be a Cherinian without experiencing that people of all races and species are the same; we are all humans, brothers and sisters in all ways that matter. That is what being a Cherinian is - it is being a part of a universal brotherhood, all Cherinians, all of us dedicated to life in its many forms.” Robbie gently smiled. “All politics are a form of fiction Mr Crawford. My position as head of the Cherinians, should we perhaps name them the Pan-Cherinians, is only meant to give a face for governments to speak with. I am not a leader of the Terran Cherinians per se; I represent all the species, with Terrans only one part of them…um, you better multiply that by the number of realities who have Cherinians. The Cherinian Embassy fulfills the same function.”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8418</center></h3> It had been agreed that this chat would not evolve into a debate so it was now the turn of another host to ask his or her question. After each of them had asked a question, they each would be given the opportunity to ask a second one. At the end of that round, David would ask on behalf of the public, five questions he chooses out of the great number sent in. The rest will not be thrown away. They have been sent to the embassy and only those they feel need Robbie’s answer will make their way to us, the rest they will answer directly.\n\nDavid had been scrupulously fair to all and Robbie had answered the five questions sent in and now David was keeping an eye on the clock counting down how many seconds are left when Ivgos jumped to his feet. “Can I ask Robert a question, please?”\n\nWith a well concealed sigh, knowing he’d have to answer to his boss if the question that takes him beyond the allotted time is childish, David smiled, “Please go ahead Ivgos.”\n\n“Robert, living for a million years, is it worth the sacrifice of not having children?”\n\nBong! We did not have to sense David or the technicians or see the screen, we knew that there would be a sign warning viewers the next programs will be delayed. For this kind of question, Robbie could take an hour if he so wished. I don’t know how I managed to stifle my giggles.\n\nRobbie telepathically reassured Ivgos that he had done well to ask his question and then asked, aloud, “Are you worried about the people of your planet becoming Cherinians or is the question more general?”\n\n“I worry Robert, because my family worries and asks the question. We know what it does to people not being able to have children.” I bet Ivgos is going to be the hero of the Normals for a while.\n\n<p>Robbie sent me a question, *<i>Would you like to answer him</i>?* I sent back a nervous giggle as I politely declined.</p>\n\n“There is no single answer to this question. Ivgos, a million years is too large a time for us to imagine, but even should it be asked of those who have lived more than ten million, I don’t think they’ll have one answer for all of them. You and your family know of the anguish my family feel, for there is not one of us that does not ache for a child. Becoming Cherinians, if Arthur had planned carefully, should have decreased our need for children, yet the opposite is true. Sometimes a few weeks or months will pass, but then at least one of my loves will withdraw into herself to weep and mourn and I am helpless, I cannot help my loves, for I too am subject to the same grief.\n\nThe only answer I have found that helps to assuage our sorrow, to mitigate the emptiness within us, has still not been understood by many - not even Cherinians who should have been the first to understand. Ivgos, there have been, throughout our history, many couples who could not have children and they compensated, found fulfilment by devoting themselves to the children of others. Some adopted. Others just became the favoured uncles and aunts of children born to friends or family. Hopefully we have evolved beyond the narrow-minded dictates of nature that demanded our own genes be passed on and we are able to rejoice at seeing and hearing children, whoever they were born to.\n\nNow do you understand why I have always insisted that us Cherinians do and always will depend on the existence of Normals? Without them, without their children to remind our hearts of love, how can we continue existing without withering? We need the Normals to love us and share the joy of having children with us. Hopefully, what we offer in turn adds to their lives. For either and both of us to survive while becoming the best we can be, we have to remain as one…separate but one.”\n\nThere is not one reality Cherinians have visited where a copy of the show has not been seen. We are told that there is not one species in touch with us who have not watched the show and hotly debated Robbie’s answer. A number of species who had wanted all their Normals to become Cherinians are now changing their plans. From what we sense, read and hear, a further small number of Normals have lost some of their fears of us - with many of them becoming arrogant about us needing their children. I hope that over time they will evolve and mature to the point where they no longer need to feel superior.\n\nAs a family, we withdrew for a number of days, for most of us needed time to weep and once more grow used to the idea that we will not ever be having children.\n\nA group of Cherinians formed who are advocating that Cherinians should have children who remain Normals. Not only Robbie reacted with a fierce anger, we all did. So have nearly all Cherinians. To satisfy their need for children they want their children to grow old and die while they remain eternally young? How can they think that way? They must not be allowed to call themselves Cherinians.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8419</center></h3> We have not stayed at our home reality this long (nine months) for a number of visits. Over the last months we were not in a mood for parties and one way that helped pass our time was by attending lectures at universities, mostly for the sake of learning what new knowledge the various branches of science have added to the curriculum. Systems for attending and admission into lecture halls have changed but none of us were questioned, everybody sort of turning a blind eye to us. Jade and Robbie paid for private lessons so that they can take advantage of the newest art programs.\n\nI spend time with Efineh, Piri and Sebura, but I’m worried about them remaining here this long. It is now July PC61 and though we’d like to leave, Michael has invited us to the Ipohin anniversary. In case some have forgotten, they began celebrating as of PC36, which means this year is their 25th anniversary. We’d never imagined them lasting this long and the truth is they seem to have settled into being our opponents without feeling they need to challenge us in any way. As for Campbell, we have a funny/awkward situation. He came back from his first tourist group visit, but stayed away from us because of his ‘past’ self being with us. He has been back with another two groups since then, but these times he chose to stay with Kiris in his home. The two of them understand each other far better than Campbell and I understand each other and I hear that he has become fond of the two girls. Because of Campbell feeling he must keep a low profile until ‘he’ returns and is no longer with our ‘past selves’ - as he thinks of us, his group has not caused any problems for us or the Ipohin. We can sense that Michael is softening his stance and when he visits in Freddie, the two of them, now and then, take a walk and talk. It makes me curious, but I am careful not to show it.\n\nIt is as if Michael read what I wrote! He came to visit this morning at our Athens home. We sat in the garden so that Robbie can smoke, so we saw to it that a cool breeze blew, keeping the Summer heat away. “Father, Mothers, I have to ask you to leave and not return, real time, until the adventure with Ivgos is over.” He glanced at me and grinned. “If you need to blame anyone for this request, blame Mother Samantha.” He took my hands in his. “You asked that we consider bringing Campbell back into the Ipohin and it has been agreed by our Council and Campbell.” He stared at me, thoughtfully, lost in his thoughts. “I do not understand what has changed, but Campbell does not want a position on our Council.”\n\nRobbie showed his surprise. “He wants his group to become Ipohin, himself included, without extracting any concessions from you?”\n\n“He hasn’t changed <i>that</i> much!” Michael laughed, making Robbie smile. “He is not disbanding his group, dad, he wants them to exist as a semi autonomous part of the Ipohin, with him their leader. He has asked that we appoint two of his Council members onto our Council - that is what surprises me.” \n\nEveryone turned to look at me, so I decided to explain. “He’s doing it for my sake. Do you remember when I explained about how the Cherinians and Ipohin are changing and I asked him to keep his group available for Normals who become Talents and need to be guided?”\n\nArchly, Cherine said, while sending me an image of her sticking out her tongue at me, “If I’d asked someone like Campbell to do it for <i>me</i>, he’d have had my head off!” Despite the teasing and laughter, Michael got our promise. We warned everyone, especially Ivgos, that we are leaving in one week.\n\nHe was upset. “But I promised to help Eleni, Jessie and Allan find their new daughter.”\n\n“You can still do so afterwards, we’re not going to forget about you once the hundred years are over.” Allan and his family reassured Ivgos that they will wait for him, so he’s much happier now.\n<br>\n\nWhen it was announced that we will be returning to the Ribbon Planet, many Normals who are usually too timid to ask to join us, felt it would be safe. We welcomed them and Hettie was amused, happy that she has good news for us. “If we had not been supplied with food machines, your trips would have bankrupted us. Robert, do you know that your frequent requests for chocolates gave the ADFI scientists an idea? Since you don’t like getting your chocolates without their wrapping, it made them realise that the food machines are capable of producing manufactured items. The range of products is limited; no machines, computers or anything else very complex can be duplicated - at this time, but, we can produce toilet paper, napkins, writing paper, various insulating materials, glass bottles, plastic. Amongst other items, we can produce pencils and fountain pens, but not ballpoint pens.” We showed excitement while also careful to verbalise our worries as to how this could affect the economies of various species and realities. Pleased that we’d thought of it, Hettie explained, “The cost of creating matter duplicating machines is too high for us to be wasteful. We must keep almost the full production by us and the Inguel for helping out various species with food machines. You are aware that over eighty five percent of all machines built are delivered to the Inguel teams for helping the species brought back to life survive without the technology they lost?”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8420</center></h3> I could not resist taking a dig at Robbie. In a thoughtful manner, lightly nibbling at my lower lip, I said, “We used to say that even when Robbie makes a mistake, it turns out that Cherinians benefit from it in some way. I never thought that even his love for chocolates would be of such benefit to all of us!” At first they joined me in teasing Robbie, but then Spice pointed out that the love of certain chocolates originated from Arthur. You’d have enjoyed some of the jokes they made about you.\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmYzfpjCW2GHovbRXeLQoAuuUVVmi11XAeeDA2bWeQgXS4/Post62,%20Bk12,%20p8420.png\n<br><br>\n<center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost063\">Next [Book 12] - Post 063</a></center>\n<br>\n<h5><i><b>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.</b></i></h5><br>\n<br><br>\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUTQeVmsqWzFxMrg8a629XdGHm15kCnjSkbFyhiTMwUf9/Name,%20steemit.png\n* posted: 19th Sep, 2020<br>\n<br><br>\n<center><h6><i>If you wish to read from an earlier book, from Book 01 to Book 12, use this link button to open the LC Book Index:</i></h6><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo/best-way-to-read-little-cherine-links-to-books-01-to-012-new-teller-family-calendar-added\"><img src=\"https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmfJ4USBF6u8SKDuizVpqXMJfwxmr2FEKyc4cwTPvehscV/Worlds%20waiting.png\"/></a></center>\n<br>\n<br>",
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      "permlink": "little-cherine-book-12-bpost061",
      "title": "Little Cherine Book 12 - BPost061",
      "body": "<sup><h6>I never cease enjoying the loud cries of wonder and awe, the startled sounds of surprise, the cries of fear for those they see threatened, all verbalised as is the custom of both the Roulans and the people of the Orati reality.</h6></sup><br>\n<center>https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmSjs7k76PkScEuXxchZJPDRTfoywcNPt1RTFgzTxnE7Z9/Alex_Robert_Allan%20-%2018y%20-%20mini.png\n</center><br><br>\n<center> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUjdm8RyTVC9Jx8pqYrx7RX3Lvxm35wVLrDNRDUCEEZHF/LC%20Book12%20-%20Cvr.png </center><br><center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost060\">Previous: Book 12 - Post 060 </a></center>\n<br>\n<h3><center>8401</center></h3> Afterwards, King Illafayéd ended up sitting by little Cherine and Robert, his paternal instincts affecting him so that Cher was almost reacting to him as if he were her grandfather. King Meesartus took a seat close to me and next to Haven. After some pleasantries were exchanged, he said, loud enough for all of us to hear, “I agreed to the parting with Neeésiti. She waits now to become wife of he that she loves.”\n\nHaven whispered, “You took your time!” but then spoke loudly, congratulating him for being so enlightened. Meesartus smiled as he caught my eye and then asked questions about the asteroid of those close to us.\n\nOrgg walked by and only then did I realise that Jeskine had gone for a walk with Robbie and Cherine. Orgg had Ivgos sitting on his shoulders and Goldi holding his one hand and little Cher the other. I was enjoying watching everyone and sensing how right everything was and their happiness or warm feelings of comfort, but decided I was tired of being on the outside and joined Orgg and his little group. Ivgos happily leant down to give me his hand. I caressed it against my cheek for a moment and then let it go as it was not comfortable for him leaning down like that. The conversation was light-hearted and even bordered on the silly at times, making us laugh, and somehow the magic happened and I felt entirely like a child of eleven with no worries or cares for a while.\n<br>\n\nWe returned to the damaged Earth five hundred years in its future and Freddie put it on our screens. What a sight! Five Inguel ships in orbit with their space trees and hundreds of different kinds of specialised plants for terraforming moving around in a well orchestrated dance of healing. They have not undone the changes but have made new changes so as to minimise their effect on the global climate. A lot of the new mountains have been scooped down to form new land to either side, allowing the air currents to return to what will be normal, hence allowing the rest of the world to revert to the climates they enjoyed before. We were told that bringing back the ocean currents to something resembling the past streams of warm and cold water was far more difficult. Ice and snow have started gathering at the two poles, but it was suggested we wait another five hundred years before re-stocking the planet. We jumped to the past, to a period before mankind evolved into Homo sapiens and began transferring some of each species of all the kingdoms of nature, making certain we do not affect the local conditions, allowing them to multiply within the niche provided in the Sparkler World. This is the first time the Kabetu have helped save one of our alternate Earths and it is doing much to bolster their self confidence.\n\nRe-stocking Earth is not as simple as replanting the vegetation and carrying animals, birds, insects, fish back to the areas they were taken from. Amongst all we collected there are a huge number of species that were extinct at the time the planet was destroyed. Planning what we bring back and where they should be situated can only be ‘calculated’ by the Inguel. We returned five hundred years after our previous departure and the Inguel warned us that the planet is under quarantine. We waited for them to visit us in Freddie.\n\n“We are faced with an ethical dilemma Robert. The asteroid that collided with this planet had microscopic life locked within the center of the ice. By the time we noticed it, it had spread and began to diverge, new forms of simple life evolving. While it is the only life on this planet we can control it and if it is so decided, we can sterilise the planet.”\n\nHe hesitated and Robbie was quick to understand. “I presume you are faced with a number of hard choices. I’ll start off by re-stating, in case it needs to be said, the planet belongs to the life native to it, not to life coming from a different solar system. That having been said, let us examine various options. At present we do not know under what conditions the asteroid was originally formed and whether the life it carried was unique to it. If it comes from a solar system that was rich in life then the question must be asked - for a system to have developed life it must have existed for a long period in a stable condition. What then caused the asteroid to break free of the system? Was there some cataclysmic event that destroyed all life? If so, the life that came here is precious and must be preserved at all costs. \n\nI can appreciate the strong feelings of curiosity your people must have about this lifeform. For it to be evolving this quickly, it must be strong and will probably teach us a lot. You would like to give it time to evolve, but to do so would then give the various creatures that come into existence a right to this planet, which would be wrong. An-Kipy, to remove the existing life and sterilise the planet so that we can re-seed it with life that belongs here not only feels unethical but also loses us an opportunity to learn and, maybe, future friends. Your feelings are that you could take samples and create environments for them to grow in, but the environments will not be the same so their evolution will be affected. The environments would have to be planet sized so that whatever evolves from what exists now has a world of its own. It would not be ethical to replicate them in a Sparkler World. First of all, for the future of any species to depend on the continuing existence of another species is wrong - even should that range of species never include one that becomes sapient. Secondly, no other species has the right to ask for permanent refuge in a Sparkler World if it is capable of replicating itself. Can you guarantee that they will not multiply without control? \n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8402</center></h3> I’ll make a suggestion that is open for debate. Let us find a planet similar to Earth, but without any life, in a yellow sun system. Even if it does not have water, the problem can be solved. If necessary, Michael can help nudge it to the orbit that will provide the same conditions. Terraform the planet so that it becomes as alike to this one as possible and then we transfer what is growing here before we take the precaution of sterilising this planet. An-Kipy, we’ll always wonder whether evolution would have led them in a different direction if they’d been allowed to remain here, but we’ll have to be satisfied with whatever does evolve, whether sapient or not. Even if they stop evolving and die out, at least we will have done all we could to give them the opportunity to follow their destiny.”\n\nClaudia added, “We can follow the asteroid back to its point of origin. I’d like to know what happened and maybe there are people who need help.” \n\nAs the representatives of this Earth, we asked Robert and Cherine to agree to a delay so that the suggestion by Robbie be carried out. Since the Inguel will be returning to this reality far in the past to give themselves time to terraform another planet, it will only take a century or two to transfer all the life from here. Cherine, looking a bit bewildered, left it to Robert and he agreed.\n\nLife is pernicious; it creeps into the tiniest cracks and works its way down into pockets far below the surface. It sinks for miles to the bottom of oceans and adjusts to the pressure and darkness. To collect all life, to the tiniest one celled organism, it would not be enough to send Sparklers in their billions. Not even as souls could we achieve that much more than them. To a large extent we would have to depend on the technology of the Inguel, Anadir, Unation and Muyzith. It took time to adapt what they have and then it took time for them to search every centimetre, capturing life in all its guises. Finally the planet was proclaimed to be free of life. That was when the sterilisation of the planet began and it took a few years, with us jumping forward in three month periods so as to provide repair facilities and update the data banks. The day arrived when the planet was declared pristine and ready for life to be reinstated.\n\nWhile everyone had a great time re-stocking the planet (<i>borinnngg - see what you feel like after planting your ten thousandth tree</i>) I found an excuse to return home for a ten day break. Robbie was not impressed when another thirty nine of our loves declared they have to accompany me so that I don’t get lonely. We told those who stayed behind that we envied them as they would have Robbie to themselves while we’re gone. (https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmaC6xhFoTcWBivgQ3MXjXyG3bnKe4gRCp6TamgvNNQqLF/LC-smilie_reg-grey.png\n<br>\n\nWith that great sense of timing us Cherinians are famous for, we returned to Freddie the day after they finished (I love Solomon, he kept his word and sent us a Sparkler to let us know we should come back). The next part will also be hard work but much more fun; we are returning to collect the people. We have housing ready for everyone, the granaries are full and the supermarket shelves are crammed with food. Libraries, museums and art galleries are waiting to house all that can be brought forward. Unfortunately we can only take everything from the past in the last few minutes so there are hundreds of thousands of volunteers waiting to transfer just the art works. If you add to that the numbers needed to kidnap all the Terrans, plus their pets; this is one of those massive operations where each person is glad to have been of help, but each of us feels we didn’t really achieve much - but that we were part of something wonderful.\n\nThere are some interesting differences between this Earth and all the others we know. For instance, they have seventeen countries less than us. They have television in most countries, but not one station is run privately, they all belong to the state. Internet has not taken off amongst the general population - neither is the concept of freeware popular amongst programmers. It costs a lot to create and run a site so mostly the governments and large corporations use the internet. The differences in how the internet is run have held them back from discovering other spinoff technology and I’ll be interested to see what happens once more people jump realities (both ways).\n\nWe only snatched the people at the very last moment as we did not want to change the past of Robert and Cher. They were delivered directly to the Sparkler World in an area that superficially resembled what they had been snatched from. Within a minute they were then returned to their home planet - where everything was now totally different. Sparklers brought back all those who committed suicide. It seems that far more priests, of various religions, killed themselves. (They have not been told about Arthur, so he is not to blame). Mostly it was due to them learning about the Sparklers…and hence, about the existence of the void. Since they were told that in our reality all the religions are still thriving, it cannot be said that we were responsible for the masses turning away from religion and looking for reasons to justify their existence elsewhere.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8403</center></h3> This is also the only reality that do not want their Robert and Cherine to remain, officially asking us to take them with us. It is this request that has stymied us and we remain in orbit as we try to think of ways to convince them they should be glad to have them. The funny thing is, they do not mind us visiting and are properly grateful but…our existence only proves that other realities are corrupted, producing mutants. They do not want to hear from us that it is true of all realities and any visits by their Robert and Cherine upsets them. We also sensed a reluctance by the couple and a giveaway is the fact that they have not brought those they love to Freddie, nor have they visited them yet.\n\n“We’ve known for some time that your lives have been very different from ours, but it might help us understand your world if you tell us your story?”\n\nHe nodded, “Prime Robert, I cannot tell our story in the way Melina and the rest of your family tell it. Since you can sense our emoting, may I presume it will help make my words come to life?”\n\n“It would. Robert, if you allow my Cherine to share from you, it would make it even clearer for us.”\n\n“I’m not ready for that. I’m sorry.”\n\nRobbie smiled and spoke to Cher, “Would you be jealous if my Cherine opens her mind to him? I know, why don’t both of you enter her mind?” Cher was curious and eager. She entered the mind of her Robert and the two of them went to visit our Cherine. We quickly realised there would be no telling the story of their lives that day, for both of them were enchanted and when Cherine offered to take them to the world she still carries within her, we guessed they’ll be gone for hours. We decided it was real sneaky of Robbie and showered him with kisses.\n<br>\n\n“I was not born in Nairobi. My mother had been to South Africa and to her the cities were astounding and, so she thought, the same as New York, London or Paris. As a young teenager her parents had emigrated to Kenya via South Africa and had travelled there directly from Ireland, which explains her ignorance. When she fell pregnant with me and my father wished to marry her, she spoke so enthusiastically of Johannesburg and the lush farms she had seen surrounding it that he finally agreed it sounded a better environment for their unborn child. They travelled to Durban from Mombasa on a Union Castle liner and they arrived in time for me to be born in Durban. A week later they moved to Pretoria and a few weeks later we settled on a small farm my father bought, north of the city. We had a small herd of cows, always between forty to seventy and the milk and butter helped cover a large slice of our costs in the early years. We had peach, apricot and a few sour cherry trees. As luck would have it, we had a strong stream of water from two wells and we illegally supplied a big neighbouring farm with water, which helped cover a part of our running expenses. When I was about ten years old my father decided to add chickens and built cages for fifteen thousand chickens. At first it was fun for me, but I quickly grew to hate the smell of chicken crap, as I was expected to handle it for converting to fertiliser for our fruit trees. After three years of not making much of a profit for us, the chickens got sick and all of them died within days.\n\nWe had a small tractor and my father gave me the responsibility of growing about thirty hectares of lucerne for feeding our cattle. He saw this as a way of decreasing the cost of our milk so that he can increase the size of our herd, as he was planning to go into partnership with another two farmers and bottle and market our own brand of milk, cream and butter. That business lasted eleven years and never made much money, but all the partners walked out of it with some good money in the bank when they were bought out by a major dairy. By then I was gone from the farm and not on talking terms with my father.\n\nI left the farm to stay in a suburb close to the city as I wanted to go to university. My father approved and covered most of my costs and by working in a pub I earned enough to survive fairly comfortably. The pub was in a business area and had many hours when we had almost no customers. I did not care to use the time for studying and picked up a hobby that kept me busy during the dull hours. Soon I was earning money from sketching our patrons.” He chuckled. “It came about by accident. There was one man who came almost every day and he was well liked by the waiters as he was always polite, did not drink himself into a stupor and tipped well. I was idly sketching so I did a cartoon of him, making fun of him by exaggerating his features. My knowledge of him as a person helped me show something of his personality also. The waiters saw it and were amused, but one of them, wanting to get me into trouble, told the man. He asked to see it and had a good laugh. He offered me money for it and that led to my becoming a drawcard for the pub as people heard about my funny sketches and came to have themselves sketched.” He grinned. “The more outrageous I was, the more I exaggerated their ugliest features, the more popular I became.”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8404</center></h3> By then all of us had transferred our attention to Robbie, for he was reminiscing in his mind and we wanted to share. Robbie laughed apologetically and explained to Robert - who had stopped speaking when he’d realised he’d lost our attention. “There was a time when I was forced to separate from my loves and was punished by being given ugly warts, a hunched back and my features were exaggerated to an extreme of ugliness. I became a street artist and your comments brought those memories back to life. Why don’t you and your Cherine come into my mind and share those memories - it will give both of you a good laugh.” Robbie started off by showing them a scene from when he was looking at himself in a mirror. Cher was horrified and could not believe it was him. She finally believed him when he told her it was our Cherine who did it to him - which made us all laugh. They were just as fascinated as we were as he shared his memories and when Robbie went to the islands and became the darling of all the tourist females, Cher was not the only one who found it difficult to believe how many of them propositioned Robbie. Cherine was also sharing and she was the exception. She found it hilarious and tried to make up for it by telling Robbie (lovingly) that even looking the way he did his pure personality shone through. Robbie found her dissembling very amusing.\n\nLater, Robert continued. “I had finished my second year at university when a friend and I decided to fly to Europe and backpack through it, taking odd jobs wherever possible to augment our funds. We arrived in London, had a good time, worked for two weeks but were told to get lost when it was time for us to be paid. There was no point in going to Paris or Amsterdam, so we went across to Belgium by ferry, earned enough to get to Frankfurt and from there we worked our way to Italy. At Savona, my friend was invited to a party in San Remo. I did not want to wait as I’d been offered a job for ten days at a coffee shop in Genoa. Three days later, my friend sent me a message that he had hooked up with a rich girl and would be spending the rest of his holiday on her yacht. \n\nNorth Italy was not very kind to me, but as I worked my way south, my sketches sporadically earned me a few extra lire, giving me the funds for adding a carafe of wine to my pizza now and then. I was happy and often avoided hitching, glad to be walking in the countryside, smelling the grapes and olives as they were picked and crushed. People in villages did not pay me for my sketches, but I got offered many a glassful of vino with bread, cheese, salami or prosciuto. In northern Italy I had a couple of two to three night affairs, but I was quick to realise it would not be wise of me to do the same in the south. I liked the people, I liked their hard ways and simple lives that surprisingly allowed them to be hospitable, even if only to share a tomato and a piece of bread with some raw wine. On a hot day I accepted a ride that took me to Brindisi. The driver was Greek and we got on very well and he stood me a meal and I sketched him. His name was Niko and he was a bit of a playboy and he casually invited me to stay with him all the way to Athens, where he offered to put me up until I move on to the islands. I laughed and told him I’m not much of a swimmer, so I doubted I would go to the islands. He told me the islands are not for swimming, they are for enjoying a casual style of life that I’ll never find anywhere else. In Athens, he took me to his home. His parents accepted me without questions and I wondered at how naïve they are. Niko told them I am an artist and I quickly qualified his introduction. They saw my sketches and told me I have talent and should take it seriously. Two days later I was embarrassed by them when they brought me all the materials an artist could want. They waved off my thanks and more or less ordered me to get down to work so that I can produce real works of art instead of ‘cheap’ sketches that will never earn me a good living or make me famous. By now I had given up on my idea of studying law, so I took their strongly worded suggestions seriously.\n\nThe father was very critical of my paintings so on the day that he asked to buy a painting I’d made of some beggar children at a traffic light with the indifferent faces of the motorists staring at them coldly, I considered his request a real compliment and tried to convince him to accept it as a gift - after all, he had given me a room in his home, fed me, and Niko had paid every time we went out. He told me to stop being stupid, that if I am to be a successful artist, I must never part with a painting unless I am well paid. He explained that self confidence in my talent will inspire the same confidence in others.\n<br>\n\nTo me, Athens was not the clubs Niko took me to. Nor was it the many ancient ruins. Dutifully I did the rounds and was awed by them, but it is the way of life, the hard lively faces at the vegetable market where they try to cheat you, but smile and laugh when you don’t let them get the better of you that meant more to me. I saw so much that I wanted to paint!\n\nI asked the parents of Niko whether it would be possible for me to get an extension of my visa so as to stay for the winter. I told them that I would get a job as long as I could earn enough to rent a room and feed myself, with time enough left for painting. The father, Elias, arranged for me to get a work permit by offering me a job in his shipping company and, basically, paid me far too much for doing nothing, as long as I showed him I was working hard at producing new works of art. Niko left for London when summer ended so I could stop going to clubs and concentrate on my painting.”\n\n“You didn’t meet Dominique? Doesn’t she exist in your reality?”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8405</center></h3> “She does, but I didn’t feel comfortable mentioning her. She did not like me and was barely polite if her parents were present. She spoke to her friends about me when she knew I could hear and told them I’m a sponger. Niko was angry with her, had arguments with her that he could not win, but he insisted I ignore her. The more I did so, the angrier she seemed to get with me.” Dommi grinned and he relaxed. “Elias found me an apartment at a low rent with good light so that I can have a studio in the second bedroom. It was in Piraeus and close enough for me to catch a bus and be at his office within fifteen minutes. There were a number of fairly cheap tavernas within walking distance and there were many interesting characters around for me to paint, as is true of most port areas, so I was happy. The only painful experience was having to tell my father that I would not be returning to university and that now I wanted to become an artist. He argued, but when I refused to give in, he cut me off and did not want to hear from me. I could only call my mother at times I knew he would be out of the house.\n\nThat first winter in Greece was a strange one for me and represented a total change in my attitude to life, in my ambitions and my social expectations. I rarely saw the Spiropoulos family as they often travelled to London to be close to their son or for business reasons, but Elias wanted to be certain I did not slack off so he arranged for a friend of his to visit me once a month to view my new work. As you’ve probably guessed, that man was Alki. It is strange how our lives could be so different and yet, travel in certain ways in parallel lines.\n\nWith me, Alki was friendly in a polite way - you know, the way that shows you he does not really want to be friends. He examined my paintings, asked a few interesting questions and then left. He remained that way for two months, but on his third visit he stood before a painting I’d painted while in a dark mood. He frowned as he stared at it and then told me, ‘This could have been a brilliant work of art, but you indulged yourself, gave free rein to your emotions by dramatising them. Emotions are what give meaning to art, but not if they are allowed to run away with the message. Learn to control the emotions that inspire you so that you can use your emotions instead of allowing them to use you. Try to paint this painting with more control and it might be worth something.’ Until he’d spoken, I’d been in love with that painting, thinking I’d created something outstanding, a work of art. Suddenly seeing it through his eyes crushed me, for I saw a childish display of emotion that overstated what I had wanted to convey. It took me weeks before I found the determination and courage to start that painting afresh. When Alki next came he ignored the painting on the easel, but it seemed to me his friendly manner was more genuine. At his next visit he took one look and asked me what the price is. I thought to myself, 'you Greek prick, I’m going to make you pay for making me feel so bad' and asked for two thousand dollars - far in excess of what I thought it was worth. He smiled and told me to wrap it up as he was taking it. He then invited me out for some food and a bottle of wine. When we had eaten and finished the wine and were enjoying a cup of coffee, he leant forward and said, ‘I’ll pay you two thousand pounds, not dollars. Roberto, I do not want the painting because it is art - I want it so that I can look at it someday and say, there is proof Alki that you helped one artist discover his talent. Remember this my young friend, you can never become a great artist if you are not a harsh critic of your work. Do not rest easy because others tell you that you have talent, make each painting prove itself to you.’ Maybe the old Robert would have taken exception to his high-handed manner, but the Robert I was now did not and after that, every time he visited he insisted we go out for a meal and drink. I enjoyed those evenings because he showed a real interest in learning about me, the real person, not the one I show to acquaintances. His comments about my paintings were never meant to limit me and helped me grow. My proudest day was when, seven months later he bought a small painting because he liked it.\n\nApart from Alki, that winter saw me without friends, living most of the time without a soul to speak to. It turned me inwards and I became even more introspective and moody. My hours of painting were often feverish and I often despaired of the work I was producing. I got into the habit of leaving my apartment in the early hours of the morning and walking until the sun came up, bitterly thinking of the fact that I had given up everything to become an artist without having the talent to become one. I walked so often that even the cops stopped questioning me and started to greet me like we were friends. It was at this crucial part of my life that a certain little girl walked into my life, changing it in ways I never could have imagined!\n<br>\n\nThe first time I met her was not the first time I saw her. She had moved into an apartment with her mother about a month ago and I sometimes saw them in the early evening at the local souvlatsidiko, a tiny restaurant that specialises on making little souvlas on a stick. They are cheap and popular since a couple of them with pita bread and a beer are filling. Her mother had placed an order and was waiting by the counter, when the little girl stood by my chair and asked me, ‘Are you really an artist?’ Due to the way I was feeling about myself, her question seemed funny at that moment and I answered that I don’t know. She asked, ‘Are all your paintings angry like you are all the time? Would I like any of them?’ Probably not, I answered her, not smiling anymore. Her mother called her and she gave me a cheeky look and a strange smile and said, as she started walking to her mother, ‘My name is Cherine’.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8406</center></h3> I did not see them for five days and then they were there one night and there was a man with them and from the happy look of Cherine, I guessed the man was her father. I was right. Apparently they had divorced, but when the two of them left England and came to Greece, he realised he’d made a mistake, that he still loved both of them and he took the chance and flew out to tell them. Her mother had been miserable without him and they soon made up. As Cherine walked past me I said to her, ‘You look happy’ and she replied, ‘You don’t feel angry’ and gave me a whopping big smile. Hours later, as I was lost in my painting, I suddenly realised what she had said. She had not told me I don’t <i><b>look</b></i> angry, she had said <i><b>feel!</b></i>\n\nI passed through the usual things kids do, like loving my Superman comics, my Captain Marvel (Shazam), Dan Dare and so on. As I matured I graduated to space operas and then I discovered my first good science fiction and I was hooked. People of my planet do not like mutants, not even in their fiction, so when a mutant was written about, the mutant would always be the freak and the villain and he or she would have to die so that the good guys can live and mankind, pure, wholesome and in the image of God, survive for all time. Any paranormal powers can only belong to mutants or are gifts from Satan, so to write otherwise of a mutant would be evil. In the last ten years, since television became cheap enough to be popular, the Satan part is not generally quoted anymore - only by a few hand-clapping preachers. However, science tells us that men and women with paranormal powers don’t exist, but if they do, they are mutants and should not be allowed to spread their mutations by marrying normal people and having children. The prejudice writers catered to sometimes angered me, but it is difficult to consciously take a step outside of your society, to live there, so I was not that much more honest than them.\n\nAnd I had found a mutant child and…<i>I liked her!</i>\n<br>\n\nI knew that I had to be very careful, but I was enchanted by the idea of Cherine being gifted. By ‘careful’ I mean that her parents would be extremely wary of a stranger knowing the truth about their daughter plus, for Cherine’s sake I had to be extra careful I did nothing to betray her to others. Luckily, when something is deemed horrendous and does not bear thinking of, most people are blinded by their fears and ignore the subtle hints. I did not want to be the one to open anyone’s eyes to those little clues.\n\nI decided the best way to behave would be to pretend I do not know and try to become their friend. I chose a stupid way to go about achieving my aims. I spent the next two weeks painting a portrait of her. I struggled to capture the essence of her cheeky smile and the look of mischief in her eyes. Even now I cannot, but I had done the best I could when Alki came for a visit and without asking, never having required an invitation, he walked into my studio and saw the portrait. He stared at it, examined it from various angles and then offered me three thousand pounds for it, once it is finished. I told him it is not for sale and with a look of amusement in his eyes he offered five thousand. I was flattered, but I explained I intended giving it as a gift to the girl of the portrait. He asked where I’d met her and, without thinking, I told him. I don’t know whether I showed my dismay at having told him or whether he was just curious, but he turned up at the little shop that evening. He found an excuse to introduce himself and when he learnt that they would have to leave because the father needs to return to his job, he asked Cherine whether she would like to stay in Greece. Like most kids her age, she hummed and hawed, not wanting to commit herself, worried that either answer would upset someone, Alki or her parents. He chose to interpret it his way and offered the father a job with a good salary. He returned to my apartment that night and told me of what he had done - for my sake.\n\nIf life has not been harsh and good things happen, it is easy to be stupid and accept them as being normal. The act of benevolence and thoughtfulness by Alki was far too outré for me to blithely accept it as normal, but I did not know how to question his motives without sounding ungrateful. In the end I had to make do with the one word I loved during my childhood, ‘Why?’ He took hold of me by the elbow and steered me out onto the verandah where it was darker and we could stare at the lights of ships instead of at each others’ faces. ‘Roberto, you look at me and see a short hairy Greek who has made more money than anyone could possibly need and you think my heart and mind are coarse like my body. I’ll tell you a secret, inside me is a mind that craves for what it can never be.’ He waved his hand before me. ‘I would give up all this if I could be an artist, have the gift of creation. Whether it would be the gift of painting or of writing. Since it can never be, I have to settle for something that is second best. When and where I find a deserving artist who needs my help, I keep an eye on them and help where it is needed or guide when they are straying from developing their talent so as to settle for money. The way you live, it is not good. It leads to new depths if indulged for a time, but beyond that lies sterility. <i>The Muse, she does not kiss those who do not love life and people</i>. You need friends and I think this family are to be what you need, so I employ the father. It is a small thing I do in the hopes they help keep your heart open.’ I tried to argue that it is not a small thing, spending so much money every month for a long time, and he laughed, telling me he expects the man to work for his salary.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8407</center></h3> Two evenings later I went to the souvlatsidiko, but the family did not turn up. Nor did they the next evening. I realised that with the father having a job they were probably going to a better restaurant, so I was forced to wait outside their apartment the next afternoon. I waited until it was obvious where they were walking to and using a taxi I got there first. As I was taking my seat they arrived and I waved them over, asking them to join me. The man was introduced as Eric Blake by Cherine’s mother and we talked about work. When I told them I gave up my studies to become an artist I sensed both mother and father thought I was being impractical, while Cherine showed she was delighted. I asked her whether she would like to have a portrait of herself and then explained to the parents that I had been quite taken by an expression on her face and had tried to capture it for the canvas. I invited them to my apartment.\n\nCherine complained it did not look like her and her parents told her it does. I made tea, gave Cherine a cold drink and putting some music for background noise, we chatted for a while. When it was time for them to leave I wrapped up the painting and gave it to Eric. They protested, even offered to buy it, but I insisted it is a gift for the Cherine of the future. ‘Some day when she is an adult and has a child of her own she can show the painting so that her child can see what her mother looked like.’ I pulled a face. ‘It is a funny thing, which I do not understand. Old photos make people look outdated, old fashioned, but oil paintings often have a timeless quality to them.’\n\nSummer had arrived and it was not long before we took to going to the beaches close by. I do not enjoy being amongst thousands and wished I could afford a car to travel further out and search for private beaches. Niko returned to Athens and it was nice having someone the same age for company and I could feel that the rapport from last year had survived our separation. He was visiting when the Blakes arrived to agree the time for us to share a taxi to go to Vouliagmeni. Niko must have been sensitive to me for he kindly offered to take us and suggested we go further out where it would be less crowded. From that first day Niko watched me with curiosity, for he was quick to realise that the child interested me more than the parents did. I did not have to worry about it, for Cherine liked him and was soon monopolising him.\n\nI was almost paranoid about not letting her parents know that I know about Cherine, but her gift made her aware that something was wrong, that I was excited and afraid at the same time. She became curious and tried to sense more deeply. Cherine had never done anything like this before so she did not realise that the deeper she dug into my mind, the stronger was the bond she forged between us. The hours I was not with her I’d think of her constantly. When I was with her I barely paid attention to the rest of the group, making it far too obvious that I was fascinated by her. Niko tried talking to me, tried warning me that my infatuation with a nine year old child would destroy me, but I denied any interest in her, apart from those of a friend, so Niko gave up and stopped visiting. Then the entire family became unavailable and avoided the places we used to frequent. I could not understand why I was in such a despair - it felt like I was going crazy. What I did not know was that Cherine was suffering as I was.\n\nCherine’s misery and pleas to meet with me showed Eric he had no option, that he had to tell Marian about the psychic gifts of their daughter. It took a full day for Marian to accept the truth and she then blamed me and swore she would never allow Cherine to meet me again. Eric had known the truth for years, but the accusation by his wife provided him with a scapegoat and he took a sharp knife from their kitchen and came to me. I opened the door, saw he was alone and turned away, obviously slumped by despair. I went to the sofa and sat down, not bothering to look up as he stood over me. His hand lowered until the knife was before me and when I did not react he dropped it on the table. ‘Dammit! She did this to you?’ I don’t know how, but I felt that Cherine was drawing closer so I looked up at him, recovering some of my spirit. ‘She is coming. Eric, all I want is to help you protect her from the rest of the world. I don’t want her hurt in any way.’\n\nHe sat down opposite me and waited for Cherine. She knocked on the door and with a look at him I opened it for her. She threw her arms around my waist and I could feel her trembling, gasping for breath. I picked her up and went to Eric, ready to hand her over if he wanted to take her from me. He started to talk without indicating he wanted to take her, so I sat opposite him with Cherine prudently placed next to me.\n\n‘I realised Cherine was not a normal child from when she was about three years old. I fought the knowledge and only accepted it when she was four and she was making her powers too obvious for me to pretend they don’t exist. Fear for her, for what the world would do to her if they find out, forced me to think about it and search for ways to advise her so that she learns to be cautious about letting anyone know. To a large extent I succeeded, but she did not hide herself from me, needing that she be accepted for who and what she is by at least one person. She trusted me Robert, but I let her down. One day it all became too much, I felt overwhelmed and abandoned my baby girl.’\n\nCherine stared at him with enormous eyes, the hurt obvious. I could not bear to feel that she was in pain. ‘Eric, it grew too much for you because you love her, not because you don’t. You were alone and afraid and had nobody to talk with. Please, if only Marian and you will trust me, I’ll be there for all three of you so that we share the responsibility of keeping her safe.’ He stared at me without talking for a moment. ‘She got to you, she did it, didn’t she?’ I looked down at her and she must have felt me for I saw love that was close to adoration in her eyes. ‘I’d say we did it to each other Eric. I think the two of us are fated to be together for the rest of our lives.’\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8408</center></h3> By the time Marian joined us, Eric had come to half-believe that I was right, that I was speaking the truth. Her anger with me convinced him he had to face the truth and make Marian believe in me. It felt odd for Cherine and I as we listened to him and then the two of them argued and as Marian grew furious, Cherine scrunched herself up against me, as if the warmth of my body would provide her with protection from the pain she sensed around her. Marian suddenly saw what Cherine was doing and fell silent.\n\nI still count the weeks that followed as being among the most difficult I’ve experienced. Both Eric and Marian tried to be tolerant of my almost perpetual presence, but there would be times their anger would spill over and they’d say something to hurt me. Our constant need to touch each other angered them the most. I never saw or was with Cherine without them being present, so it is not that they suspected me of doing anything improper, but still, seeing us touching riled them. I believe that without either of them being aware of it, they were sensing our need for each other and that the love that was growing so strong was beginning to make other demands on the two of us. If Cherine had been but a handful of years older I would not have held back, for Cherine was not only driving me crazy with her presence, her tiny but delectable body, her own aches and needs were being broadcasted at me, compounding my own. One of our happiest days was the day Cherine realised that I was sensing her emoting. It convinced her that she is not a freak, or, if she is, I am too.” We all chuckled and Robert crushed his little girl to him.\n<br>\n\n“You won’t believe what changed their attitude towards me. Summer had gone, exchanging the dry brown grass for those autumn spear-shaped lilac coloured wild flowers growing by the side of the road and whatever was left of our tans had to be hidden beneath bulky sweaters and, Niko my friend was no longer my friend and he had left for London, leaving me without the opportunity to win him back. We’d discovered a small Italian style restaurant with a big fireplace and the four of us went there almost every Friday night. We had ordered and I was glumly lost in my thoughts and Cherine was watching me with a worried look. She would not tell her parents what was wrong so Marian shook my arm and asked. I told her. Marian looked shocked and then she burst out laughing, a shrill laugh. ‘Niko is angry with you because he thinks you are in love with Cherine - and you told him you are not?’ I nodded. ‘Well, that Greek boy is smarter than I thought!’ Cherine was wide open and I sensed that if I repeated my denial I would hurt her. I put my finger under her chin and made her look at me as I told her, ‘I guess I’m pretty dumb hey? I am in love with you and I hope you love me when you are old enough to be my girl.’ Cherine threw herself into my arms and her parents looked at each other, glanced around to make certain nobody is close enough to hear and Eric said, ‘It would be no good telling you to fly to London, there is nothing you can say to make him stop thinking of you as a pervert unless we all come with and confide in him the truth. Robert, Cherine has vouched for him, she says he is nice and really cares for her. What do you say, do we expand our secret circle?’\n<br>\n\nNiko met us, we told him we needed to speak privately and from the fear in his eyes I realised he thought I’d been caught making a move on Cherine and was in trouble. It made me accept he truly is my friend, so it was easier to confide to him our secret once we were in his apartment. His relief helped him accept the fact of Cherine being a mutant and he was happy to hold her on his lap and give her a few hugs. Marian and Cherine went to do some shopping so as to give us men an opportunity to chat.\n\nEric understood his daughter better than I did and he’d studied all the material he could find on paranormal powers and psychology, so he did the talking. ‘Niko, the four of us are bound to have a difficult time dealing with Cherine, for she is a child in her thinking, despite her powers. If you are to be of some help to Cherine - but mainly your friend Robert - you need to understand what the powers of Cherine are. You have sensed that she can influence your emotions? Good, I am glad you did not resent her for that. It is important we name her gift so that you clearly see there is no reason to fear her. Cherine has the gift of empathy.’ Eric explained in detail and Niko was not the only one fascinated and both of us fell in love with the Cherine he painted for us. ‘She can never use her powers to hurt others or for selfish reasons, for her empathy will prevent her, so never fear her when you see her manipulate others or yourself. She might make mistakes because of her youth, for even empathy requires of us an understanding of what it is like to be in the shoes of another. She also may not understand what the consequences will be because she is hoping for consequences that will not happen. She will soon grow wiser so we only need to watch out for her for a few years. That was the general stuff, now we need to deal with matters that you’ll find distasteful. Niko, Cherine is affecting Robert and as he bonds with her, so does his own mind flower. If we are lucky, his first gift will also be empathy. Understand this Niko: should we try to stand between the two of them, it will turn their gifts sour and not only will it harm the world, it will savage their own hearts so that they become cold and hard. Marian and I have accepted that we must allow what is about to happen - perhaps even encourage it. Cherine and Robert love each other and they must become lovers. To assign blame to either will only make what is of love and beautiful, ugly, and it will scar them. Face your own devils on your own Niko before you join us as the guardians of Robert and Cherine. Come to us and them with love.’\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8409</center></h3> The beginning, it was hard. It was hard for Niko, but it was also hard for Eric, Marian and I. We all tried to make it as easy and guiltless as we could for Cherine, but her gift had grown to the point where she understood what drove us, but also understood she must not show that she understands, that she must allow us to play our games for her - for our sake.”\n\nRobbie chuckled. “I am amazed. You have shown a far deeper understanding of your Cherine than I did at your age.”\n\nOur Cherine spoke for the first time since Robert started speaking. “Their story is very different from ours. I think that the support and love they had from others made their problem worse for them.”\n\nCher’s eyes filled and her Robert pulled her back onto his lap as she asked, “You saw it?”\n\n“Yes.” She went to stand before them and lightly touched them so that they would sense her directly. “You had a duty to save yourselves and by being successful you have saved all those who loved you and stood by you. There is no need for you to feel guilty about leaving them to die - you tried to include them, but you were not strong enough and that was not because you did not love them enough. If you are not honest enough to accept it, you’ll only end up punishing those you love and then you <i>will</i> be guilty for what you do to them.”\n\nRobbie added, his voice tenderly soft, “As they are being punished at this moment. They are wondering why you are staying away from them - don’t you think they have suffered long enough?”\n\nThere wasn’t much more to their story, for it was at that time that the unofficial announcements of an asteroid approaching them on a collision course were made. As the world began to panic, so did Robert. He was determined to find a way to save Cherine and he concentrated all his efforts on opening his mind to hers so that he can learn how to uncover other powers. It almost felt ironic to him when it was Cherine who turned out to be the one to discover how an energy shield could be created. In a way, it is a pity they discovered that ability first. If they had not, I believe they would have learnt how to teleport and the shield would have come naturally after that. Since they did not learn how to teleport, they could not jump fresh air into their energy sphere, so they had to make it big enough to provide them with air for at least six months. At least Robert was clever enough to ask an expert how many cubic metres of air would be required for two people to survive six months. No wonder they could not create a sphere big enough for more people. Despite them slowing their metabolism, since they could not jump the stuff, they had to include a container for their waste. The air (fug) stank pretty badly when it was first released.\n<br>\n\nRobert was disguised and, on his own, he visited and arranged for her parents, his mother, Alki and the family of Niko to meet at the home of Elias (they all have small homes, the same as the rest of the population, but because of their family being the largest they had more rooms than the others). His Cherine was teleported into the house and it turned into a tearful re-union. Since everyone had memories of being saved, the existence of aliens was no secret, even though Freddie kept himself invisible, so they told them that the aliens are looking after them as the governments warned Robert and Cherine to stay away. They pleaded with them to visit them. Robert (and our Robbie) tried hard not to show his hurt when his mother was the only one to refuse. He took her back to her home in South Africa and then they brought their family and friends into Freddie.\n\nOur Marian tackled her alternate immediately. “How could you agree to your daughter having a sexual relationship with an adult!” Alt-Marian stood with mouth agape, speechless. Meeting a mirror image of herself was a big enough shock without having to deal with such a question. It is very rarely that our Marian shows a sense of humour and it amuses us that when she does, it is still as sharp as a razor blade. Eric stood next to his wife without reacting, also in shock, so it was funny seeing Niko step in. He tried to speak gently, for he was nervous, not knowing what to expect of us (though he was already eyeing us), but when he saw that piercing glare of Marian he lost track of what he was trying to say. The look on his face as he desperately looked around, from face to face, made Allan and Alki burst out in laughter, spoiling it for Marian. Our Cherine (who looks like an eight year old) moved to stand by her mum and gave the other Marian and Niko a grin.\n\n“Hi. Wait until my mother tells you that I’m a mother and grandmother! Then it will be your turn to have fun.”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8410</center></h3> Everybody started talking, with a lot of laughter, and our visitors forgot to go into shock and become terrified. Of course the other Marian was quick to ask ours what Cherine meant and when some of it was explained, she forgot she was meant to pay our Marian back and got upset. Maria brought out the food and everyone grabbed a drink and since all of them (apart from Cher) chose beers or wine, everyone was soon relaxed and feeling more curious than afraid. We took the usual route and had Iona present herself as the first alien, then Ivgos who was too impatient to wait much longer. After that it was of whatever species happened to come to the taverna. We waited until they ceased expressing their wonder at all they learnt and began to believe in what their Cherine symbolises. Then it was time to ask them for decisions and offer our help.\n\n“It is time a full telling is done for you, for afterwards there will be hard decisions to be faced. We were told not to allow your Robert and Cherine to return to your home world as they are not wanted. It is now time, after you understand what is at stake, for you to discuss between you and with us what you wish to do. Whatever your decision we will stand by you, so do not let fear be your guide. Keep in mind these important facts - each reality has a Robert and Cherine of their own and should you choose to live in the reality of another, each home can only belong to one family; you will have to remain lesser than you can be so as not to divide the reality and its people - while condemning your reality to remaining apart from all of life, never to be a part of where Cherine, The Light, is taking us. Think of children starving, being abused and used in wars, think of your reality being the only known reality that endures sickness and death.”\n\nRobbie asked for the most detailed and comprehensive telling ever, for he has felt that our guests fear and he hopes that understanding what being a Cherinian is will help them find the courage they lack at this time. During such discussions, it is extremely rarely that Campbell speaks, but we remain aware of him watching, listening, doing all he can to sense from everyone what they really mean and feel. When I feel it is so, it pleases me. This time he decided to speak. “May I ask a question or two and perhaps make a suggestion?”\n\n“Of course.”\n\n“First of all, let me point out a fact, to ask them to make such a complex decision when they are so weak in gifts and number of Cherinians is not fair to them. Cherine, why have you not linked anyone but your Robert?”\n\n“I didn’t know I was linking Robert, I thought it was just our love that made us feel so close, like we are one. Then the fear of the asteroid started and all I could think of was him.”\n\nArthur nodded understandingly. “Hold off on linking the others until you’ve seen enough of the telling to understand what it means. The next question, which I’ll ask of our Robert - where are their Eddie and Hettie? Even if they did not follow the same course and died before the asteroid, you should have brought them; the Cherinians, even if they are all linked, are too few, they’ll need their experience and practical wisdom.”\n\nRobbie put out his cigarette. “You’re right, I’m going back to find them.” He felt us and grinned. “Not much point in all of you coming, but how about Theresa, Lucy, Latreia and Goldi coming with?”\n\nAs soon as they were gone, I asked alt-Alki, “Would you like to meet Jesus? We’ve got two of them if you want.” The looks on their faces was real precious, so Vincent dashed off to invite them. We barely had time to tell them we are not joking when the three of them returned. Vincent gave me a wink as he sat by Kirsten, pointedly leaving it to me to make the introductions.\n\nNot much later, Robert chuckled. “It’s just as well my mother refused to come. Being a devout Catholic, seeing the two of you would have paralysed her with fear, probably made her catatonic.” Even our Rose is now able to think his comment was funny, but our two friends politely ignored it.\n\nNot much later, Robbie and our loves returned and we let out a silent (mental) victory whoop when we saw the Mansfield couple with them. It took a few seconds for it to register that they were in their original bodies. Another moments’ thought and I realised that since they had not existed when we collected everybody, they must have died earlier and there was no way we could guess as to whether they died wearing their natural bodies or bodies stolen from children.\n\nWe told everybody to take it easy for the next day, invited our two magic friends to visit us at home the next morning and left. As soon as we were alone we clamoured to be told whether they’d had an adventure. It turned out that the adventure they’d experienced had nothing to do with the Mansfield couple. Before going for them Robbie took the girls to another reality for them to have some nice meals, go to see a play and buy some music for Wendy. They confirmed that this couple have never stolen any bodies and had been dead for over a century. No wonder the poor dears had felt so lost.\n<br><br>\n<center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost062\">Next [Book 12] - Post 062</a></center>\n<br>\n<h5><i><b>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.</b></i></h5><br>\n<br><br>\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUTQeVmsqWzFxMrg8a629XdGHm15kCnjSkbFyhiTMwUf9/Name,%20steemit.png\n* posted: 19th Sep, 2020<br>\n<br><br>\n<center><h6><i>If you wish to read from an earlier book, from Book 01 to Book 12, use this link button to open the LC Book Index:</i></h6><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo/best-way-to-read-little-cherine-links-to-books-01-to-012-new-teller-family-calendar-added\"><img src=\"https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmfJ4USBF6u8SKDuizVpqXMJfwxmr2FEKyc4cwTPvehscV/Worlds%20waiting.png\"/></a></center>\n<br>\n<br>",
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      "body": "<sup><h6>I’m glad, for it gave them the time to face their fears and make an important decision - a decision which I admit I never would have had the courage to take for myself or my loved ones.</h6></sup><br>\n<center>https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmSjs7k76PkScEuXxchZJPDRTfoywcNPt1RTFgzTxnE7Z9/Alex_Robert_Allan%20-%2018y%20-%20mini.png\n</center><br><br>\n<center> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUjdm8RyTVC9Jx8pqYrx7RX3Lvxm35wVLrDNRDUCEEZHF/LC%20Book12%20-%20Cvr.png </center><br><center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost059\">Previous: Book 12 - Post 059 </a></center>\n<br>\n<h3><center>8391</center></h3> They have decided all the elders will be allowed to die, the technology used to keep them alive to be switched off and destroyed. They have come to the conclusion that if any of them are to be linked someday as Cherinians they must do so as the personalities they are to become, free of the burden of all their mistakes. We can sense the scientists, of all the species, aching to ask to study the technology before it is destroyed, but luckily they can see it can only pose a danger to future generations and are controlling their need to know.\n\nI doubt my writing above prompted Robbie, but the next day he listened to the scientists during their morning report and then lit a cigarette as Maria brought him another coffee.\n\n“The Reggheri elders have made a brave decision and so have all of you. At first I considered it also a wise decision by you - it is so rarely that any scientist is willing or able to turn away from learning something new when it is available. Your very denying yourselves of what you treasure so much - new knowledge, has convinced me you are mature enough to handle the knowledge wisely. My friends, if the Reggheri elders agree, I would like you to study their technology. The use to which they put it should not be emulated and there is no need for it among Cherinians, and do be careful about making it available to non-Cherinians…even should the governments of any species demand it. Use the knowledge you will gain as one more link in a chain for learning more about our souls and, if we are lucky, perhaps we might learn something new about the way souls can communicate across realities, space and time, helping us reach the day when we can find and bring to us our author, our dearly beloved Arthur.” Cherine hugged him tightly and, with tears in her eyes, thanked him. Robbie kissed away her tears and added, “If we fail to find Arthur, not only will we have failed him, we will have failed ourselves. We owe it to him but we also owe it to ourselves - as my loves have known for many years.” \nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmcwF23D7VMkAunUAk75WnBECRTxqb9nk31t74zW8EApfF/Arthur,%20since%20you%20never%20write%20abt%20yr%20search%20for%20me,%20Bk12,%20p8391.png\nPS: The Reggheri Elders agreed when they were told of the use to which we will put their technology. They have also asked us to postpone their return since these days are to be their last and they would like to enjoy a few more experiences - it makes us want to cry, but we have to smile for their sakes.\n\nPSS: This is one celebration we are going to enjoy more than ever, for we are going to it with so much joy in our hearts - for all the things that have gone right in our lives..\n<br>\n\nThis is not a celebration for Terrans, but for Cherinians in general. Those species that can come on their own are doing so and those who cannot, we are collecting. With so many coming, I can’t help wondering where it will be held. It would be nice if the Normals of our world can see us, but the parks on the moon will not fit all of us.\n\nI should not have bothered writing the above since we saw where the ‘where’ is to be as soon as we arrived. As a matter of fact, we’re lucky Freddie did not crash into it - or did they warn him from before? The RT Robert has been here, helping create the rainbow platform. First, with the agreement of all governments and large corporations, whichever satellite or space stations had to be moved, their orbits were altered so as to leave a ring of clear space around Earth. Then, as the void, Robert built a platform shaped like a ring. The one side was left open and then the next ring, of a different hue, was added, with both sides open (in other words, it is as if the first ring was extended, below and above. The same with the third, fourth and fifth ring extensions of different hues and then the sixth had a side to it, closing off the six hued ring. Beautiful islands of land were created, but the areas between were left clear so that it is as if we are walking on totally transparent tinted floors.\n\nReading the description may make it sound as if the ring should affect the orbit of our moon, but the ring and islands are so tenuous in comparison to our planet and moon that not even the satellites close by are affected. The energy used for the thirty kilometre-wide platform has almost no weight (same as it is for Freddie’s shields), but is big enough for it to be visible to the naked eye from Earth.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8392</center></h3> I bet the same thing happened with the Taj Mahal in India while it was being built. While Robert and his family and friends worked at creating the rings and the islands inside, poets were already writing verses about it, song writers composing and artists painting in honour of the diaphanous object of beauty being created. Families took time off from work to go on picnics so as to share with their children the magic of being alive and present during the creation of something so immense and beautiful. All of us in Freddie, even the Muyzith, were awestruck by what we saw and we forgot about jumping home, happy to sit at our taverna eating soutzoukakia, chips and salad as we stared at the final touches being added. Someone from the crowd around us explained to another that the Cherinian celebration is ultimately in honour of Cherine and Goldi told Jeskine that if it is so, then it means it is also in honour of her. Dikoras and Marianna held each other tightly as they rejoiced at what they also saw as being created in honour of Cherine and we did not sense them reject what Goldi told Jeskine, their happiness and hearts too big and generous to resent anything said at this time.\n\nWe arranged hotel rooms for Larry and Mervin (the two ‘bad’ Talents) in Miami, gave them some cash and delivered them, promising to collect them for the celebrations - if they want to come. We then jumped home where Efineh, Piri and Sebura were waiting for us. Being a fairly warm day we quickly changed and happily jumped to Club Cherinián to meet friends we haven’t seen for so long. Afterwards, we jumped to the Dar beach to stare up at glowing rings. It was a very good night for doing our ‘nature’ thing and we were sad to see less animals around us afterwards.\n\nThe next day we looked through the messages waiting for us from the Cherinian Embassy and there was a message for Haven and another for me from David. She called him and he gave her the latest news about their development fund and which projects are doing well and which not. At the end he asked her to ask me to call him as he wants to invite me to appear on his chat show.\n\nThe party is in two days but we don’t have a second free till then. With leaders from about a hundred alternate Earths and hundreds of leaders of alien species visiting, the number of them who want a private meeting for reasons they don’t want to divulge before we meet is staggering. As much as I dislike going to such meetings, I can’t leave all of it to Robbie and we’ve even accepted offers to help from the rest of our loves. Apart from Cherine, it seems I am the only one going to the meetings at my preferred age, the rest of the girls are ageing themselves to about thirty years old.\n<br>\n\nThis is Cherine writing for you Arthur.\n\nIt shows how overwhelmed we were with requests for meetings that Robert and Samantha only weakly protested when I offered to handle a meeting or two. Samantha had no reason for placing the condition she did, but I accepted with such alacrity that Robert did not have time to gainsay us. Sam told me that Ivgos must come with me.\n\nThe meeting I chose to attend was with a species known as Bypygly, recently released by the Sparklers. There are only about seven thousand of them and the Sparklers made a niche for them within their World. Theirs was an oxygen based atmosphere, but very humid - somewhat like living in a swamp on the equator. It is not suitable for Terrans without a sheath as the air is filled with spores that attach themselves in our lungs and within seconds roots grow into the tissue and then, within minutes the body convulses and dies from the toxic chemicals coating the roots. The bodies they use are created for them by the Sparklers from their body-memories, but we have not got around to returning in time to get cells. From their appearance, they seem to be partly animal and partly plant, with fern like fronds growing out of them. Appearances though are deceptive and the plant part of them is actually from the fungi kingdom - which does not spore as they give birth in ways similar to our species - though they have three sexes; male, female and what seems to be neuter or asexual.\n\nThe only reason for the meeting, that we could imagine, was that they want to ask me to intercede on their behalf and ask the Sparklers to release more of their people. I’m not like Sam, I went to the meeting without doing my homework. I was told that the person I’m meeting is named Zuhbax, a neuter, and it is their leader. No Bypygly are Cherinians and neither have they shown much interest in being linked. They never speak about themselves, but have a never-ending supply of questions. Ivgos and I wanted to experience their kind of world so we were sheathed and the Sparklers took us to that part of their World.\n\nNo polite chitchat; no handshake or guided tour. They waited for us in a clearing and without offering even a chair, a name was offered, none waited for ours and the questions began as if they were a continuation from a previous meeting. Ivgos remained silent, his eyes swivelling from my face to that of the questioners, but I could feel he was upset. For all of twenty minutes I allowed them to bully me with questions they could have asked of anyone else, because of Sam always insisting we must be extra patient and tolerant with aliens, and then I snapped back to my normal self. \n\nI thrust up and forward both my hands so that even if they don’t understand the gesture they know I have strongly gestured. I cut in as Zuhbax talked. “You have wasted an opportunity! You have no questions of me, just general questions anybody could have answered. Do not ask for a meeting again for I will not waste my time.”\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8393</center></h3> I took the hand of Ivgos in mine and turned us to walk away, as I did not want to jump and perhaps give the impression we’re afraid of them.\n\n“The other spins a cocoon for you.” \n\nI stopped, looked Ivgos in the eye and gave him a smile before turning to face them. “You imply a threat.”\n\n“Does not the purpose of the cocoon determine what is implied?”\n\nIvgos asked me, “What is this thing they say I spin - is it a toy or a weapon?” I explained, but he did not really understand. I’ll see to it that he learns about spiders and caterpillars. Since I’d shocked them out of asking boring questions, I decided to give it another go. “Why did you ask to meet me?”\n\n“There are seven thousand of us.”\n\n“I’m aware of that.”\n\n“You are to blame - if those who trapped us are to be believed.”\n\nI could sense they did not wish there were more of them, but nothing else made sense to me and I wished Sam was with me. “Ivgos, do you understand what he is saying?”\n\n“Yes.” That silenced Zuhbax and me. I pointedly continued looking at Ivgos and waited. His hand waved to indicate the plants around us. “The seven thousand do not belong to this, they need for their souls to die.”\n\nI gently took hold of his shoulders when Zuhbax remained silent, evidently agreeing with Ivgos. “What you said may be obvious to you, but I do not understand what you mean when you say they don’t belong.”\n\n“I think on their world they are part of the plants so that they are part of their world. They do not believe their world belongs to them, for them to use. They only exist to care for and nurture their world, but what the Sparklers gave them is dead to them and gives them no meaning.” I felt a cold shiver run down my back - how could Ivgos know so much about a species he’d never heard of before? I was also intrigued by what he’d told me and I was certain that if Robert were here he’d be half in love with them. The thought of Robert softened me.\n\n“We can take them back to their world…if they or the Sparklers know where it is.”\n\n“The seven thousand do not wait, for our world they are born and there is no place for us. We are told eight hundred years have passed, it is too late.”\n\n“Not if Robert takes you back in time to the day you were taken. Maybe he can also save your bodies so that it is as if you never died - as far as your world will be concerned.” The diamond light of joy that blazed in Ivgos told me I’d provided the correct answer. We promised to return a few days later and they agreed to wait.\n\nArthur, I chose to write of this small experience of mine instead of letting Sam do so as I have a question: Is this species never to become a part of us Cherinians? Not even when I become the light? Even as the light, there is to be sorrow for me? \nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmPi8E7ECWowT2eJY5CoRePkPPxb8JGrmS3Qac6NDFq4XP/Arthur,%20trying%20to%20understand%20what%20becomingThe%20Light,%20Bk12,%20p8393.png\nI don’t know what kind of prize you should get for the above, but you certainly deserve <i>some</i> kind of prize. lol, what a joyous celebration, with everyone arguing philosophy instead of dancing and drinking! One of our best ever!\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8394</center></h3> While we attended all kinds of parties, some for political purposes and some for charity, but none just for fun, the Sparklers began jumping back in time within our reality, tracing their movements until they arrived at the solar system of the Bypygly. Within one jump they returned to us, expecting us, in Freddie, to go back there immediately. It is so rarely that we feel they need us to do something that we made our excuses, told those who would be interested in coming with where and why we are going to another solar system and then left - all within eight and a half hours of the Sparklers asking us to take the Bypygly back.\n\nA promise was made which it seemed we could not keep. Cherine told them they’ll be back in their bodies within hours, but the Sparklers of that time were not in a hurry to leave and they would sense the souls being returned if we did not wait. Freddie could not make an appearance and neither could we go as souls. We had to take a chance, so Robbie became the void and created a platform which he covered with dark energy. He first made a series of jumps until he could see the planet and identify an area for his platform to land. He returned and taking the platform, with tens of thousands of healers and Sparklers, he teleported directly to the clearing he’d viewed, within minutes of the then Sparklers taking their souls. The Sparklers with us knew where to find the bodies, but they had to be very careful and dampen their broadcasting and automatic link to the mass of their people - which is like a magnet, creating an attraction that causes the linking, same as it is with us, only more so. It had been decided (hoped) that the Sparklers of that time would not sense the healers because they are not familiar with their existence and were not expecting any such energy to arrive within the bodies, so we managed to get to some bodies before they actually ceased functioning - and the healers then found it fairly simple healing the dead bodies and re-animating them.\n\nWe were sharing, mostly through Cherine and of course, like a multitude of back seat drivers, we all had opinions to make known to everyone. A Kinytian took form to suggest to Chantel that Freddie teleport close to a sun that has no planets and has no other systems close to it, so that they can influence the sun to suddenly release a lot of energy - enough, they hoped, for the Sparklers to see the spike of energy. The idea was that if they see the spike they’ll worry that there might be life needing their help. Once he spoke, the Sparklers informed us that they do remember it happening and they did leave much earlier than they would have. Cherine warned Robbie and Freddie jumped to the indicated sun. \nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmQDiCqCj1XJsfnTaDkLqpYPa6bR1npSEMzHrFQoSDf7X4/Arthur,%20I%20presume%20the%20solo%20sun,%20Bk12,%20p8394.png\nAbout two hundred Kinytians left Freddie and placed themselves around the sun. They did not spread out evenly. They must have identified certain key areas or nodes of weakness that with their influence would cause the sudden burst. Freddie went to the void and we saw the increase of energy and knew the Kinytians had succeeded. Fearing for their safety, we returned to normal space as soon as Freddie felt it was safe and they rejoined us, their rejoicing lighting up our sky. Travelling in normal space, Freddie teleported from star to star, delaying our return until Robbie let us know it was safe to do so.\n\nWe had not planned to stay after bringing back to life the Bypygly, but we were tantalised by whispers, hints of some kind of energy binding the Bypygly to all of nature. We had not realised the truth while their bodies were not alive, but as soon as they were returned we sensed that the various forms of life, plant and animal, had sounded like an orchestra of various instruments with each one playing its own music, uncoordinated and clashing. The instant the influence of each family unit of three arrived, all of nature in a great circle around them began to harmonise and their energies flowed purely like a brilliantly conducted orchestra. Not one species remained unaffected and the scientists asked the Bypygly for permission to monitor and experiment in an effort to understand how it is they can have such an effect. The Bypygly hinted that we should all closely examine our own role and place in the cacophony of life and that which we term Nature. They told us that if we learn how, we too can help life energies flow sweetly, without burrs and knots snarling it up into pockets that turn upon themselves. It was as if all we learnt from this species found the hint of an ancient echo, making us feel as if we were not learning a new truth but were being reminded of a truth we had forgotten - cast aside. What is even more amazing, we were not the only species to feel this way. Old words, poems, songs, platitudes about being one with nature haunt us as we try to learn from the Bypygly.\n\nEven if we cannot link them as Cherinians, this species are doubly precious, for they have and are helping us recover an important part of our own nature - though I don’t want to go to the extreme like them. The first person we share this way of emoting harmonious energy must be Cherine of the Boxee reality - she already is closest to what we are hoping to become. It will be convenient having her with us as soon as we return to our Athens home.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8395</center></h3> Chantel tried to hide her amusement from us when she told us that many of the scientists have set aside the projects they were working on so as to learn from the Kinytians how they affected the sun and what they looked for, what points of stress and what identifies them for making a sun flare. Wanting that kind of knowledge makes them sound warlike - if we did not know that they are only in love with ideas and have little interest in how their knowledge is applied by others. Even Robbie is not having much success in teaching them otherwise - they agree with him and are determined to question how their discoveries will be used, but the moment they find a new idea or path to knowledge, their enthusiasm takes over and they forget.\n<br>\n\nUsing the Anadir educational helmet made a huge difference to Ivgos. At first he felt disturbed by the unconnected bits of data that he did not understand and complained that they did not allow him any peace. As the lessons he attended helped him understand the data and see how various bits of data in what seem unrelated subjects actually form links that unify many of the different subjects, his enthusiasm grew by leaps and bounds. He happened, unintentionally, to discuss a lesson with someone from a different species and was puzzled to find that they have a different worldview of the same scientific facts. After many discussions, he came to understand that the facts are the same, but how they are interpreted is affected by the way our instincts have led us to think, by the way we perceive the world, whether with eyes, single or multi-faceted, sonar or light sensitive skin or through mental gifts. Learning that there are many ways to see the same truths affected him deeply and he now learns at a slower rate, but studies the same data at least three times. The way it is widening his mind and giving him a deeper understanding of all he studies has shaken all our education experts and they are both trying to formalise what he is doing for their education program while also studying how Ivgos is affected.\n\nOne more strange fact about Ivgos. He idolises Orgg but does not feel comfortable with Jeskine. He admitted, under some pressure, that she feels like a fake Cherine to him. We are withholding that comment so that she does not hear of it. Our sweet Jeskine suffers already from feelings of inadequacy when she is called the Cherine of her reality, to hear that Ivgos feels she is a fake would only upset her.\n<br>\n\nWe have been doing the same things for some time now - since the dream mountain took our loves. While sitting at home we started to discuss this and then we threw a few silly ideas around. Candy reminded us of when Iziko became a dragon for her adventure and wondered what it would be like having the white dragon of Pern (Ruth) living in Freddie. We reminded her that Ruth is bonded to Lord Jaxom and he, in turn has friends and loved ones, so they would not be happy if taken out of their environment. Bernie teased Meli by telling Candy that the only way to have the dragons with us would be for Meli to create Pern within her mind. Our teasing was winding down when Lynda threw her idea at us.\n\n“We have found the set of a-realities and b-realities…”\n\n“Which are the ‘b’ set?”\n\n“It is obvious that Patrice and Godfrey do not belong to the a-realities so they must be the ‘b’.”\n\n“Not necessarily, after all, they seem to belong to the same author. Patrice told us he was created as an experiment by the same author.”\n\n“What if we go looking for the realities of another author? If Arthur gives us a name of an author and the name of the books written, maybe I can sense their reality, if it exists. Sam, won’t it make it easier for us to find Arthur if we practice with other authors from his reality?” She grew excited. “Maybe it will be easier to find the reality of that author and get to Arthur that way?”\n\nIt made me ache having to shoot her down, so I compromised. “Lynda love, there are a number of possibilities, so please don’t raise your hopes yet. First of all, we don’t know that we can find a ‘c’ or ‘d’ reality and even if we do…”\n\nShe interrupted me with a sweet smile. “I’ve already got one, I know the names of some characters, but I don’t know if the author exists in Arthur’s reality.”\n\nI decided there was no point in ‘shooting her down’ if she was already this happy, as there was little danger of her getting happier. “Let’s go ask him.” [I added the above after we asked Arthur so that there is some historical background to our request]\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8396</center></h3> https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmdccU1GtE4LZMG4rjF92B5YBX8yaDCac1f2WuC65NNBQq/Lynda,%20A,%20do%20you%20have%20stories%20with%20chrs,%20Bk12,%20p8396.png\nThere is a positive aspect to what just happened. The dangers Arthur warned us of are very real and we will now be ten times as careful about going to ‘c’ or other ‘foreign’ realities. We think we know the dangers of the a-realities and as long as we are careful, we’ll visit them now and then. Unfortunately, the a-realities are useless for finding Arthur since their author has died and we’ll only be going there to help them. Oh! I just had a weird thought! Say Arthur finds a ‘world’ he likes and the name of the author is unknown to us, so we are now free to go search for those characters and their reality. Arthur, so as to be supportive and positive, assumes it exists and that we’ll find it. And therefore, it exists and we find it. I seriously doubt it will be more open to us going to his reality. \n<br>\n\nLynda felt she had let us down by promising us an exciting reality so she asked for a few hours and concentrated on finding an Earth that is different from all the others we’ve been to. She found it. When we arrived, even Lynda was shocked.\n\nAlthough Freddie remained hidden, on arrival Robbie and then hundreds of thousands jumped to Earth so as to save the dying. We did not find any. Those who died must have died a long time ago as there were no bodies.\n\nThis is what we found. Earth was missing a chunk. The impact of the asteroid seems to have first hit down at southeast Africa. It stretches from Maputo, Mozambique, through Tanganyika and Kenya and at Somalia it curves eastwards. Most of the islands are gone, plus the very tip of India. On the east side of the hole, land has been pushed up so that there seems to be a high mountain ridge stretching in a jagged curve south to below where western Australia should have been. \n\nThe entire planet is still covered in cloud and thick layers of dust and gasses from volcanoes and molten rivers - what else can I call stretches where the mantle has been ripped off and the molten layer exposed? The ice caps are gone, but the ocean levels are not higher. There is life, but most of it is extinct - certainly anything large as a flea. The oceans must have boiled for a while as there are no signs of life in any of them, just some tiny lifeforms and bits of plankton struggling to survive at both poles.\n\nRobbie asked Lynda, “Was there a Cherine?” It embarrassed the hell out of us that others should hear his question when faced with such devastation and the loss of the entire human race. With tears streaming down her face she nodded that there was. Wildly Robbie stared at Cherine and then at me, as if we should have an answer for his unasked question. Finally he verbalised the thoughts he had not shared. “Why am I not in a panic to save her or bring her back? Look at the planet, there is no way she can be alive! Have I lost my instincts?”\n\nCherine reassured him that he has not lost his protector instincts and I wondered what is going on. I checked and learnt that the void is empty - no Anadir Worlds in the distance and no sign of the local Sparklers. There are no souls there either, which means they all died off some time ago, not within the last few days. If all of mankind died weeks or months ago, how can their Cherine have survived? The most obvious answer is that we went back in time and saved the entire population, including their Cherine - there is only one problem with that theory…Lynda is adamant, Cherine exists right now! The instincts of Robbie suggest she is alive right now. He would not be worried about his lack of protector urges if she is/was to be taken in the past, so she must be here and not in immediate danger. One glance at the disfigured Earth with its terrible storms on our screens and my deductions feel stupid to me, but I only have them to guide me, even if I can’t believe in them.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8397</center></h3> Our first searches skipped the least likely areas of survival. We found nothing. As Cherinians and sheathed, we have nothing to fear, not even if we have to descend into the fiery throat of a volcano, so the extremity of danger was not considered by us, we searched according to intuition and likelihood of her being in the area. We do not know where she lived before the planet was damaged, it could have been anywhere, as we’ve seen from other alternate realities, but it makes sense that we first search the areas we feel are more likely. Greece cannot be recognised by its shape, only by it geographical position. Most of the area of Piraeus and lower Athens are below water, but the northern suburbs are canted as the land rose and twisted but they exist - not that anything has survived the storm of wind and lightning that scours the land and bordering mountain at speeds of over 200 m.p.h.\n\n“That storm is an oddity. Why does it remain at the same spot, surely it should move on?”\n\n“You think Cherine is causing it?” Nobody waited for an answer as we all flung ourselves into the storm. Instinct guided Robbie and he arrived directly by a spherical energy shield. It was travelling at great speed in a circle a few kilometres wide and most of the lightning was striking at it. Robbie created a stasis shield around it and carrying it in the same direction it had been travelling he widened the orbit while also slowing it until it was outside the now dying storm and almost stationary. He jumped with it back to Freddie and, exulting, we followed.\n<br>\n\nRobbie held Cherine on his lap as he had a coffee and cigarette. She looked up at him with serious but not worried eyes as he explained to her and us. “Cherine is not listening for any emoting or thoughts from outside. It is likely she has withdrawn deep into herself and is no longer aware of anything outside her inner world. The only way to pass through the shield is for me to go as a soul.” He paused as he sipped, took a last drag at his cigarette and then put it out. “I don’t think we should arrive in a crowd so I’ll only take one of you. Wendy, will you come with and sing for her if she needs it?” Of course she agreed and both of them felt our approval of his choice.\n\nRobbie let go the stasis shield and the two of them left their bodies and entered Cherine’s shield. We lost contact with them so it was lucky for us that we could sense they were still connected to their bodies. We were mostly silent as we strained to ‘hear’ their minds and as the hours went by the crowd around us grew, silently sitting with us, their emoting warming us with their love.\n\nCherine spoke softly, but in a tone that warned she would not listen to any arguments. “I’m going in.”\n\n“If she is partly insane and sees or senses herself arriving, she’ll be pushed over the edge.”\n\n“I have to go Themi, if Robert and Wendy stay much longer their cords will fade away.”\n\nDommi pulled at her, to hold her as she answered, “If they die we can keep their bodies alive and fix their cords. We’ve done it before Cherine, don’t blow it for your alternate because you are afraid.”\n\nWith tear filled eyes she looked at me as she asked Dommi, “Can Sam go?” I nodded and closed my eyes, retreating into my inner world so as to make myself drift out of my body. I always find it amazing the way the shield looks when I’m a soul, I could spend hours staring at it. If I could have, I’d have held my breath as I sank into it. I found myself within a glowing ball, the bodies of Cherine and her Robert curled up like foetuses and I was shocked at how thin they are - like two skeletal figures whose lifeforce has paled, moonbeams that are about to expire.\n\nKnowing our Robbie, I guessed that the two of them had entered the mind of Cherine. I felt it would be safer for me to enter the mind of Robert. Before I did so, I made certain it could be felt that I am the soul of a little girl. There is no way any Robert would allow a girl child to be harmed. I could see/sense the energies of a mind, but could not find the soul. I’d wasted time and effort, for if he was not here, then he had to be within the mind or some mind-world of his Cherine. As I prepared to leave I paused, hesitating because I felt that something is wrong. I know myself well enough to recognise that the feeling did not come about because of some weird psychic gift, I had noticed something peripherally - not out of the corner of my eye since I did not have eyes but aslant of my awareness centre. I examined everything carefully and still nearly missed it. The silvery connection of soul to mind was wasted, about to snap out of existence. Despite our earlier conversation, I could not let it happen while it is in my powers to stop it. I used my own energies, throwing a part of myself into his cord and his mind, hoping that would fool whatever it is that objects to the absence of a soul for long periods of time.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8398</center></h3> Time can be sensed by a soul, but it is very difficult to judge the span of time. There are times, for instance, if you are enjoying yourself, when time seems to pass very quickly but while living a bad experience it drags by. Being anchored by the body and experiencing thousands of minutiae per minute, whether we are directly aware of them or not, helps us preserve a sense of the actual time that passed - whatever it felt like. Not so without the body. As far as my non-logical side knows, it could have been years that I waited to be rescued - hopefully by Robert returning to his body. \n<br>\n\nHere is what Robbie and Wendy experienced, as shared from them and Cherine and Robert.\n\nRobbie had no reason to even consider entering Robert and the sight of Cherine starving to death gave him the sense of urgency that had been missing till then. He entered her mind and not seeing her psychic body he searched for the way to her inner worlds. He asked Wendy to sing a long note for him to judge the passages (which are not ‘real’, just mental pictures created by the mind of that person - which is why it is so different for each of us). With her being a Cherine, it did not take Robbie long to work out which ‘tunnel’ he should enter. The two of them travelled down/through it for what felt like a long time and then it grew brighter. Not as bright as it should have been, which in itself is an indication that the mind/soul is running out of energy.\n\nHowever one enters the mental world of another, the entrance is always dramatic. Sometimes it is as if one falls through a hole in the sky and you float, fall or fly down. This time, for Robbie and Wendy, they were suddenly standing on grass that was sparse and half dead. The blue of the sky was pale and faded, like a blouse too often washed. The same with the trees and what should have been flowers. Only a small circle remained vivid with colour, as if life rejoiced at that spot. It was where a Robert, a quarter of his usual size, held a little girl of about two years old. Neither of them looked at anything but each other, so they did not see their visitors arrive.\n\nRobbie took Wendy’s hand in his and sadly breathed, “Oh Wendy!”\n\nWe have all shared that moment with both of them and there is not one of us that has not felt a sob catch in our throat. They had spent months in this mental world. At first they had been terrified by the destruction that had forced them to find a way to remain alive, then they were awed by her ability to create this world, even though it be small. Everything was so alive and vibrant with colour and despite their despair, it often filled them with joy. Despite her creating fruit for them to eat, they knew it was not real and only provided mental pleasure. The weeks went by with Robert very conscious of the fact that because Cherine has the body of a child of eleven, she will not last as long as he will. Robert found the energy of healing within him and he demanded of it that it take whatever is needed from his body to keep hers alive. Since they were both almost hibernating, the bodies slowed to the minimum for them to be alive, they lost weight slowly and survived far longer than they should have. Cherine found out what Robert was doing and though he would not agree to stop, he did what was sensible; he saw to it that his healer only took what was needed from him for the two of them to last an equal length of time. When Robbie and Wendy entered, the two of them were close to the end, as organs would soon be  failing. \n\nThey had reduced the size of their image-bodies and let most of the world die so as to conserve energy, but they knew it was pointless, they were close to the end. They have no knowledge of the void, therefore they believed that death is final. When Robbie and Wendy arrived, they were staring into each others’ eyes and the love they were emoting for each other was so pure, so inexpressibly poignant, sad and bright, crystal raindrops falling within a ray of golden sunshine, it tears at any heart that is blessed with the opportunity to share it from them. Their only hope, at that moment, was that as they lose their hold on life, their psychic gifts are strong enough for their one wish to come true - they were hoping they would become one.\n\nA number of things happened before they awoke to the fact that they were not alone. Keep in mind that the world they were in was created by Cherine and, as an eleven year old, she included within her ‘wish’ list that it be a place for the two of them only. She did not want to be disturbed while with her Robert - the wish had nothing to do with it being in her mind and was tailored more to the fact that they constantly lived with the unpleasantness of their society potentially being a threat. The end result though was that whenever Robbie and Wendy tried to approach them they would, at some point, find themselves back at the same distant place they’d started from. Shouting and attempts to send telepathic messages did not work either. Shouting or talking in such worlds is not telepathic even though it could be argued that it is.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8399</center></h3> Robert concentrated more on sensing his little Cherine, dreading each sign of life draining away from her, so he did not notice at first that something had changed for him. When he became aware, he thought his healer had found a new source of energy for him and he asked it to pass on as much as possible to Cherine. Desperately he monitored her as he felt the last flickers fading and then strengthening, so that her energy became more stable, but he misinterpreted it as indicating her energy was flatlining. It was a rude shock for him when his healer identified the energy as coming from another person. As he caved in, convinced by what Cherine believed, eager only to ‘go’ with Cherine, he tried to disconnect me from him. That was when he realised  I am within his mind and that I had succeeded in passing through their shield. Maybe he also sensed I am a girl child. He contacted me and I offered he take all the energy he needs to save Cherine and asked him about Robbie and Wendy.\n<br>\n\nDo you recall that time we made memories available, some people even creating them for selling? That idea soon died out as it had repercussions none of us had foreseen (the seller would be affected, feeling as if he or she is continually being spied on. In a sense it was true as the buyers would unconsciously try to ‘share’ more memories from them). If the memories of how this Robert and Cherine felt could be packaged and sold, all who treasure the purest of all that love can make us feel would buy the package. With so many having shared and loved them while we were in Freddie, there was no way we could callously leave them without a world. Not that we would have anyway.\n\nOur first inclination was to take them to a reality with a virgin Earth and collecting all the people from their Earth before the cosmic accident, help them settle there and grow as Cherinians. However, we do not know what else we will learn in the future and maybe there are souls of that reality that should have become Robert and Cherine, so the idea is taboo and we keep to the ‘hands off’ rule as much as we can. It means we have the massive job of repairing their Earth. We are off to collect an Inguel team.\n\nWhen Wendy managed to convince them to let go their shield, nearly every person reacted to the sight of their skeletal bodies. Partly for psychological reasons, it was decided our healers should not suddenly bring them back to full health and we let it happen over the next twenty four hours. Ivgos loves our Cherine, but when he experienced the new Cherine, he became devoted to her. That which he’d done reluctantly, he did for her without being asked. He had his healer rejuvenate him to the equivalent (for his species) of a four year old to suit her two year old appearance, which she had not changed yet. The new Cherine was not the only one to fall in love with him. I thought he would hate feeling like everybody’s pet, but he took it the way it was meant and only emoted love in return. \n<br>\n\nWe shared from Robert the recent history of their Earth. He recalled for us the claims by amateur astronomers that a moon sized planetoid is closing in on Earth’s orbit and the denials, which seemed inexplicable, by professional astronomers and well known scientists and government leaders. While the governments exerted all their powers to prevent the public from panicking, they used the two short years left to them to create bunkers in the mountains, deep underground and even under the ocean. All of them were doomed, without them knowing it, for the governments had been told that the asteroid would pass close enough to rip the moon out of its orbit and cause widespread destruction, but the chances of it striking their planet was almost zero. Though there were dissenting voices forecasting worse, it was felt that some efforts to preserve the <i>best of mankind</i> had to be made.\n\nBy the time it could be calculated that the asteroid was to smash into Earth and even the estimated area of impact could be pinpointed, there was new information that held forth a slim hope of mankind surviving. It was discovered that the asteroid was not solid rock and metal. It was more like a dirty snowball with chunks of rock. Hopefully, they announced, as it nears the Earth, the increase in temperature would melt some of the ice and as it approaches and is affected by the gravity of Earth, it will shatter, with many of the pieces missing the planet. They had lagged behind other realities in developing spaceflight as arguments in favour of spending the money on social issues, like free medical care for all, had been far more vociferous and politicians had been swayed, killing off anything more sophisticated than lifting satellites (the technology was good enough for laser defence from space so the military did not insist on developing stronger boosters and so on). As an indication of how the Terrans of this reality think: When people like Robert and other science fiction afficionados pointed out the error of their ways, claiming rockets could have been sent to blow up the asteroid if they had developed the technology, people still called them nuts.\n\nRobert and Cherine spent this time honing their gifts, but they had not thought of visiting the void and so their abilities remained fairly mediocre. The first effects of the asteroid on their atmosphere were already making themselves felt when Cherine learnt how to create the energy shield and taught Robert. Robert experimented on his own, smashing the shield into cliff faces at great speed and once he had learnt how to strengthen it so that it survived the worst he could inflict on it, he tried with himself inside. He survived, but Cherine kicked up a fuss and her arguments were valid, so he included her from thereon. They tried creating cells like a honeycomb so as to take at least another five couples with them, but the shield became too large and fragile. They continued reducing the size by one couple until they were left with the original sphere size that snugly fitted only the two of them. Robert did not feel it was worth saving only the two of them, but he could not do nothing and allow his Cherine to die, so they created the sphere at the last moment. Cherine helped him achieve the near hibernation state and he entered her mind world so that they could spend their last days together.\n\n<br>\n<h3><center>8400</center></h3> The impact caused the damage I’ve outlined, but it also skewed the Earth out of its orbit around the sun. The moon remained a satellite of Earth, but now orbiting at a larger distance. The asteroid did not melt; the ice at the heart of it was hard like iron but brittle and the impact broke it into pieces. Whatever has been lost of the air and water at the time of impact has to some extent been compensated for by the ice from space. The Earth is still in orbit around the sun, but the shape of the orbit has changed and at its aphelion it is estimated the warmest temperature at the equator will be minus twenty four degrees Celsius. At the perihelion, the equator will reach sixty eight degrees Celsius. Changing the orbit back to what it was is our first priority. We’re lucky that Michael is with us. As he did with the Wirms environment, Michael disappeared for a few days and then suddenly Earth disappeared from our screens. A moment later Freddie found it and it reappeared, this time in the correct orbit. Michael did not return immediately and just when Robbie was about to become the void to go look for him, Michael appeared among us with a big grin. After the hugs and kisses he explained he had wanted to get a feel for the entire solar system and he was glad he had as the displacement of Earth had affected other planets slightly - which could have led to problems over the next million years. As he pointed out to Ahní, at least he now has a feel for our system and can quickly help any reality should they have a problem. We could sense how his display of power had shocked Campbell, but he was gentleman enough to congratulate Michael - and tell Robbie that he must be very proud of his son. It is such a pity that he still doesn’t seem to like Michael.\n\nAlthough there is very little life left on Earth, we have to save what there is of it. The Spartans made a niche for it in their World and Freddie stayed in a tight orbit around Earth as everyone searched for and carried to the World whatever life they found - including vegetation and fungi. Only once we were certain we had denuded the planet and its oceans, did we depart. It is urgent that we heal the wounds in the hearts of our new Tellers before we concentrate on their planet.\n\nMany Normals find it strange that we can love our Cherine and Robert so much and yet, the moment we meet a new Cherine and Robert, or Wendy or Dommi and so on, our hearts swell with love for them also - without it stealing one iota of love from our loves. It is not just true of our family, not even of our close friends like Allan, Niko, Elias and others; it is true of all Cherinians, including all the aliens who love us. If Normals who know us so well and have had explanations aplenty find it difficult, imagine how it is for the new Cherine and Robert - at least for the first few minutes. It is always far more difficult having to believe that others love us…it can be just as hard for a Cherinian as it is for a Normal.\n\nCher and Robert needed a number of days to recover from the shock they’d experienced a couple of times: the shock of losing their world and all those they love, then the shock of reaching the final moments and trying to adjust to the idea of the person they love more than life dying and then, just as big a shock, learning that they are going to survive after all. Learning about alternate realities and us was a far lesser shock for by then they’d had too many shocks and their minds tried to protect them by dulling all new experiences. A pity, in a way, as it allowed them to experience the worst to the hilt and then dulled the shocks that should have filled them with joy.\n\nWe tried to keep everything low key, nineteen fifties style old fashioned, with picnics, just the two of them or with another two or three - never in large groups. We had more than our share of barbecues, but almost no alcohol and no parties. Our Alki and Marian moved into a nice double storey house and they stayed with them. The only random factor was Ivgos, he came and went as he wanted and they always seemed to be glad to see him. Robert sensed that Ivgos has a healing effect on his Cherine and that made him very tolerant of his ‘silky little friend’, as he teasingly called him.\n\nWe did mini tellings for them, avoiding whatever we felt might stress them or need a major mental adjustment. Amongst the events we included was the story of Jeskine and Orgg. Little Cherine was enchanted by Orgg so we decided a visit might do them good.\n\nThe two of them were warned and they sat among us girls at the taverna as Sap and Nean Roulans eagerly jumped to us, confident as always of a warm welcome and some nice things, like chocolates, to eat. I bet I was not the only one monitoring the couple to sense how they would react to black people being so relaxed, affectionate and familiar with us. Goldi went for overkill and making certain Orgg sat where they could see him she sat on his lap. They were just as fascinated by the contrast and it was not long before Cher joined her, happily running her fingers through the coarse hair of his arm.\n\nWe decided this would be a good time to do a telling, supposedly for the Roulans, about the smashed Earth and how we found Robert and Cherine. We warned them what the telling would be about and we were pleased to sense they were eager to share and see how it seemed to us from our perspective.\n\nI never cease enjoying the loud cries of wonder and awe, the startled sounds of surprise, the cries of fear for those they see threatened, all verbalised as is the custom of both the Roulans and the people of the Orati reality.\n<br><br>\n<center><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo13/little-cherine-book-12-bpost061\">Next [Book 12] - Post 061</a></center>\n<br>\n<h5><i><b>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.</b></i></h5><br>\n<br><br>\nhttps://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUTQeVmsqWzFxMrg8a629XdGHm15kCnjSkbFyhiTMwUf9/Name,%20steemit.png\n* posted: 18th Sep, 2020<br>\n<br><br>\n<center><h6><i>If you wish to read from an earlier book, from Book 01 to Book 12, use this link button to open the LC Book Index:</i></h6><a href=\"https://steemit.com/sfandf-fiction/@arthur.grafo/best-way-to-read-little-cherine-links-to-books-01-to-012-new-teller-family-calendar-added\"><img src=\"https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmfJ4USBF6u8SKDuizVpqXMJfwxmr2FEKyc4cwTPvehscV/Worlds%20waiting.png\"/></a></center>\n<br>\n<br>",
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