I grinned. “It does not matter what we name them, over time the connotation will change to mean ‘humans’.” They all ignored me.
If you wish to read from an earlier book, from Book 01 to Book 08, use this link button to open the LC Book Index:
6391
“The Gentles?”
“More like it, but a bit…umph.”
“Umph!!”
Jade grinned at Cassie’s offended tone. “Since we found them thanks to Roula, why not Roulans?” To her embarrassment we all enthusiastically adopted the name.
King Illafayéd is as cheeky as ever. Leonida had joined us at the taverna and they sat together talking. He asked, “Do you know the truth of this matter that forced Solomon to name Robert a criminal?”
“No.”
“Strange, why then have you stood by him?”
“All of us, of all species, our judgements are tempered by the foreknowledge we had thanks to the prophesy. Besides, could any Cherinian turn against them knowing that Arthur has not?”
“But he loves him as a son.”
“I was implying that Arthur knows what truly happened. He has done much since then that shows he still loves Robert. I am happy to wait, trusting in this family that have changed so much for so many species. I should mention that it also helps that all of us know that at least part of the accusation is false. He does not fly into rages, he is one of the most patient men of his species that I’ve met.”
“That is true. It is in my nature to question everything Leonida, I intended no criticism.”
Cultures that have advanced scientifically or have become world powers through modern warfare, like to think of themselves as sophisticated. To me the word sophisticated indicates they are a people who have lost the art of living in reaction to simple joys and pains. Because the Roulans still have a simple culture, Freddie became a place of joyful voices and laughter. Circles forming spontaneously, people sitting on the grass to listen to some person tell a story, usually based on their own history, but exaggerated. Even if they’d heard it ten times, there would still be exclamations or laughter rewarding the proficient teller.
The mood at the taverna was light and everyone was enjoying seeing Robbie and Cherine smiling and laughing. The two kings were talking about what it is like having more than one wife and much of it was amusing. King Illafayéd moved from table to table, complimented the females on their beauty, of whatever species they were, and seemed to be content to share the mood everyone was in.
“Samantha, you are worried?”
Startled I looked at him. “No, I was sharing with Freddie, it is beautiful seeing how happy a place this is with your people here.”
“Most of them would say this is a beautiful place because Samantha is here.”
I laughed. “Shame on you, at your age and still trying to seduce every female you see. May I ask, when you abdicated, what happened to your wives - surely you had many?”
“Seducing females, is that not the purpose of males? What else are we good for?” He chuckled. “They were all given private homes and an income.” He hesitated. “Would it be inappropriate for me to raise a serious question at such a time?”
Robbie called out, “With Samantha there can never be an inappropriate time for questions.” I laughed and nodded.
6392
“The Ipohin, have they proven to be what you expected?”
“I think my expectations were too simplistic. I thought they would use their mental powers to grab wealth and power over other people. I suppose I expected something from the dark ages with people being tortured, raped and enslaved. For a while I thought it was Michael affecting them, but I’ve come to the conclusion that they are mainly constrained by their own personalities, acting according to their upbringing and environment. We have not had any wars on our planet for over twenty years and prime health with the food machines ridding us of starvation has gentled our people.”
We all felt the explosion of emotion in Robbie. With a beaming Cherine in his arms he made his way to me. “If what you say is true, then there is hope! Thank you my love.”
I was dismayed, I’d only been responding to King Illafayéd without thinking what the repercussions of my words would be. I still fear that with time the Ipohin will resort to barbaric methods to achieve all they wish for.
“You are wrong you know.” Cherine as always had seen clearest into my thoughts. “They may do as you fear, but what matters is that we now have proof that evil cannot accelerate to its worst instantly. Societies can be changed so that over many generations it would be difficult for them to even do what they’ve done in our first battle with them. Robert was right, there is hope.”
“We’ve been lucky Cherine. Examine any slum in any city and you’ll find people who would think nothing of carrying out the worst atrocities we can imagine.” A thought struck me and I forgot about them for the moment. Nobody spoke, waiting for me. “That is it! I’m certain it must be so!”
Robbie obliged by tilting his head as he asked, “What now?”
“There are Normals who are potentially gifted Cherinians and they become wealthy without our gifts. Even if they come from the slums, wealth changes them, they move into a more rarefied atmosphere where it is important to their ego they be seen as caring and civilised. As I said about old politicians, pretending changes them. The nature of the beast becomes gentled. Robbie, if a slum kid develops enormously powerful talents, he will act out his fantasies without any constraints.”
“But such a kid is less likely to be linked by anyone Sam.” Aganthi said.
“I hope so.”
She shook her head. “This is something that we must not only share with Cherinians, we must warn the Ipohin also. They would not want such people to become Ipohin.”
Empathia called out, “We must not share this with anyone!” Startled we all stared at her, our minds held back so that we do not invade her thoughts. She grinned. “Don’t you see? We must only tell Michael. Let him show the Ipohin the dangers. After that, he can tell the Cherinians and it will raise the esteem his own followers feel for him.”
Robbie laughed. “That’s my girls.”
We made certain he chose Aganthi that night.
The conversation must have percolated through my mind for the next day I was struck by something that was related to our previous revelations.
“When Michael first left us he acted as Robbie did during his early battles. He acted as if he was so powerful that he could afford to do what he wants and openly showed that he still loved us. Time has changed him in some ways. He has a practical streak to him I’d not suspected.”
Dommi chuckled, “You mean he started off as a Robert and has ended up as a Cherine?”
6393
“Hey, why me, you mean a Samantha!” The place was filled with laughter as everyone insisted ‘a Cherine’ and she got teased.
Since King Illafayéd asks so many questions, I decided I had the same right. “If a man decides he no longer wishes to live and the State discovers his intention to end his life, would the State have the right to intervene?”
“At the time I was king, I would have answered yes. Now that we are Cherinians, perhaps you could guide me?”
“In other words, you did not only have the right to decide whether someone lives, but also whether they die. Do you still have the death penalty?”
“At the moment. As Cherinians we find it difficult to end a life so the present king is discussing it with the teachers.”
“If the death penalty is abolished, would you still have the right to intervene?”
“It would not be right to save a life? Samantha, many times people wish to die because they are hurting. With time they move past the pain and life is worth living again.”
I nodded. “I won’t argue, as you are right. However, try to imagine a situation that is alien to you. Arthur is writing what is in our diary as a story. The story in his reality - as in ours - is illegal because it includes some descriptions of child sex. He has secretly made copies of his story available to those who wish to read such stories. Imagine that he makes a mistake and betrays himself, is caught and is taken to court to be sentenced to a long period in prison. He is fairly elderly so has little hope of ever being free again.
When he is sentenced, he asks the judge whether the warden of the prison has the right to stop him from writing his story by withholding writing material from him. The judge cannot tell him that he is allowed to, for then it makes the trial a mockery of justice, so he tells him he is not allowed to continue writing his story.
Arthur then tells the judge that he refuses to live in a world where he is not allowed to express his thoughts just because the majority of people do not like what he thinks, and he intends killing himself. He flatly states that he is killing himself in protest.
Does the judge or the warden of the prison have the right to order he be monitored to try and stop him from killing himself?”
“You ask me a difficult question Samantha for we have no laws to regulate what people think, say or write. As you have seen, the lowest of our people have the right to dispute what our king says.”
“Keep the question then for those times you meet with other philosophers.”
Chapter Two Hundred and Fifty Seven
We stayed for two weeks and then jumped to Haven-R. Robbie believes that Richard (alternate of Henry) is far more practical and capable of being cunning, so he asked him to pass on our message about who is allowed to be linked to Michael. We don’t know whether Michael has not communicated for his own reasons or because Arthur has not chatted for a while.
Thanks.
6394
We still feel it is safe to jump to our planet-healing teams but we would do so even if it was not. We helped bring the species back and moved them on to their next project, allowing a couple of their ships, with Unation personnel on board, to jump on their own. While they were visiting us socially, they mentioned that they’d visited a planet within the previous solar system and they thought we might find it interesting. They confirmed there was no sapient life, but would not explain further.
We had nowhere to rush off to so we returned to the planet as suggested.
“They were right, there are no humans. Even as the void I could see it is an attractive planet, but I cannot work out why the CherInguel thought it was worth a special visit. Shall we go in our bodies?”
Of course all our CherInguel and Kinytian friends wanted to come with. Robbie created a large platform for those who wanted to join us and as they entered, those who were not sheathed, he sheathed - apart from the Kinytians.
We landed in a large open area with grass that looked more like a dainty moss. The scientists used their instruments to examine it and took samples. Only once we relaxed and felt confident it was safe did we walk off towards heavier vegetation. As we drew closer, but still at a distance, the trees and bushes looked ugly. They did not have any leaves and seemed to be full of thorns. We did see flying creatures, so we thought they might be the reason we’d been told to come here.
Voices exclaimed as we neared the trees. Every one of them, including small bushes, have flowers. We had not seen them from further as they have very little colour and the petals are translucent. In shape they resemble the domes at the top of some minarets with the point missing, the tips of the petals curving outwards on most of them like the petal tips of pomegranates. From close up it looked as if the petals had extremely fine wires within them and something wispy and almost invisible between the ‘wires’. At the bottom end of the flowers was a spongy mass with a yellow-green colour, some more yellow and some almost a light green.
As beautiful as they looked, what their purpose is, is what we found amazing and a little bit revolting. Evolution has taken a strange path on this planet. All flying creatures and most of the plant species are made of flesh. For the rest of it, let me give an example instead of just explaining.
The spongy mass inside the flower attracts the flying creatures, which we think are all insects. There is a considerable variety of them, but none have bright colours. When the insect enters the flower, it sips at the nectar on the spongy mass. The flower senses them but delays in reacting long enough for the insect to get most of the nectar. Then the tips of the petals snap shut, imprisoning the insect. It panics and crashes into the petals. What we thought of as wires are extremely sharp and they cut into the insect. It bleeds. Once a tiny pool of blood has gathered, the petals open and the insect finds its way out, often dropping to the ground where it crawls to safety or is eaten by other insects that live on the ground.
The center of the flower changes from light green to yellow, with a red drop to the side of it. Now a different type of insect flies in. It burrows into the spongy mass until its head clears and a tiny proboscis unfurls and sips at the blood. Once it has drawn all the blood it wiggles in reverse until it is clear and flies out.
In other words. The first group of insects are only interested in the nectar. Once they have drunk their fill they make their sacrifice of blood and weakened fall to the ground. There, if they survive, they scamper up the trunk and finding a safe notch they wait until their bodies have used the nectar to signal their sac which then opens to feed the ‘eggs’. The insect dies and the next generation hatches, feeding off the mother until they are strong enough to fly.
The second sub species that drink the blood are the pollinators. Pollen inside the spongy mass clings to them as they wiggle in and out. Since the blood they drank was minuscule they need to visit four to five flowers a day, thus pollinating the flowers.
6395
We spent the day watching them and walking around, even using the platform to investigate other areas. They were all the same. We returned to Freddie and only the scientists went to visit during the next two days. They noticed something we had missed. If a flower has not been visited by the nectar sipping species and it is growing desperate, it bleeds so as to be pollinated.
At any time, the plants do not only have flowers. Those already pollinated shrink until they look like little brown balls. A different species feeds on those. The pulp inside is flesh filled with blood and seeds. The seeds are excreted and with the natural fertiliser available to them they germinate.
We named it the Blood Planet.
* * * * *
Michael’s next step was obvious. He purchased a number of key corporations as the leader of his Federation and transferred them to countries within the Ipohin Federation. He and his men used their link-gifts to give their companies an edge until they had cornered the market. Normals had to begin employing Cherinians to counter Michael. Robbie decided we should not interfere.
“Are the Cherinians doing a good job of containing child abuse?”
“According to them it seems so. Over these years the population on the prison planet has grown dramatically. We cannot continue to send them there from all realities without spoiling the planet.”
“I wonder how the older generation are surviving with so many younger men arriving. Shouldn’t we check?”
He smiled. “I’ve been saving this for when we need some good news. That time we brought a number of them back had an effect on the rest of them. They no longer see their situation as hopeless and many have given a lot of thought to the reasons they were taken there. The Cherinians who continue to supply them in our absence reported to their Roberts that they are finding more and more of them are now fit to be returned.”
“I don’t trust them dad. Look at how I nearly messed up.”
He shrugged. “A number of them will revert to abusing children, I have no doubt. Samantha, we have to allow others to take over and find their own answers. If we try to continue to decide on our own we’ll be overwhelmed. What of the day when we have hundreds of alternate Earths with Cherinians?”
That shut me up. Hundreds! Maybe even thousands someday! What a beautiful dream.
We have started a new search for a solar system with planets suitable for the Akiards. We have identified a number of planets that are all desert or almost entirely desert. Everyone was amused when Robbie went to search them personally, ostensibly for dangers, because we knew the reason. His imagination is carrying him away and he’s secretly hoping he’ll find worms as in the Dune series by Frank Herbert. We joked about the kids becoming his Fremen with blue eyes from the melange.
We are limiting our searches to the outer spirals closest to the spiral arm our Earth is in. There is no specific need for it to be so, but the kids are pleased that we are doing so, as they realise we are influenced by our need to feel they are almost our neighbours - even if in a different reality. I should mention that we are searching only within Haven-R.
Vincent returned to a reality where the Ipohin are not many, to collect a few supplies we needed. He brought with him a newspaper (yes, on paper, they are not that advanced yet). I’ll type out the article in brief:
Our reporter has managed to secure a copy of a speech given by Michael Teller to his followers. We have already made a full copy available to our government for them to study as much that was said affects all the people of our planet, Normals and Cherinians.
6396
[In the first part of his speech he outlined the gains achieved financially and promised future growth with added technologies bought from other species and realities.]
Cherinians have named us Ipohin, the name suggesting that we are a poisonous sub-species that will destroy the Normals and Cherinians. I have been asked by many that we rename ourselves. I have refused - not only thanks to my warped sense of humour, as I’ve heard said. I want us to keep the name so that when it has become synonymous with all that is good in mankind, all that drove them from the sea to standing on two legs and finally to the early stages of reaching out to the stars, our very name will be a rebuke, eternally reminding the Cherinians how wrong they were.
A number of incidents have forced our council to make a decision. No Ipohin will link a Normal without first securing permission from a panel who will examine the person proposed. This rule applies to all species of Ipohin and Normals.
It is with regret that we’ve had to make this ruling, but some irresponsible persons have linked people totally unsuitable to being opened to the powers the link gives us. Murders and attempted murders of Normals, Ipohin and Cherinians by such new inductees forced us to take action and those people are on their way to being reborn as Normals.
We are part of the human race, and must never forget that, but for the Normals we would not exist. It is only natural that as a superior sub-species we occupy positions of power and have the wealth we deserve so that we may live in comfort. For all that to be our due, we must fulfil our roles as protectors of all Normals of all species. Even, should such an occasion arise, the Cherinians. Stretch out your hands in friendship to all so that we remain one people in all things that count to humans of all species.
[The rest is not pertinent, dealing as it does with internal Ipohin administration problems.]
The newspaper article, the announcement itself, disturbed me more than it did the rest of my family, but for a different reason. I took some time by myself to think it through. I grew convinced I was right.
“Dad?”
“You are ready to share what troubles you my love?”
“I’d rather verbalise it so that all can hear and consider the possibilities.” Once the area had filled and everyone settled down, I spoke. “You’ve all read or shared the article. I appreciate that certain things have disturbed you, but I’m not here to discuss those points nor to make any suggestions as to how we should deal with them. They can be discussed and collectively decided upon later.
I’m more worried by what the announcement suggests. Cherine my love, please don’t panic at what I have to say, it sounds dramatic but is not.
I think we’ve lost Michael.”
Of course I was forced to stop as everyone panicked anyway and the buzz of voices (even thoughts) made it impossible for me to be heard. Cherine’s sharp call for silence stopped them.
“I did not mean that I think he will be an enemy of the Cherinians but, in the important ways that matter only to my family, he will not be part of us.
We all know how sickened he was by the thought that he would have to fight us, killing Cherinians and Normals. In hopes of avoiding or delaying that time for as long as possible he used the excuse that they have to broaden their power base among the Normals. Since no Ipohin have an aversion to accumulating wealth without taking risks or working for it, it was logical to assume they’d go along with him, instead of just grabbing whatever they wanted.
6397
I believe that Michael is hoping, if I read between the lines correctly in his announcement, that he can steer the Ipohin into becoming something closer to what Normals are like, accepting part of the obligations we Cherinians adopted to prevent the excesses we foresaw.
He is pampering to their need to be thought of as superior beings while providing the material gains they are driven to acquiring, so he hopes they will react as civilised people and accept his way of ruling them in the belief that he is securing them the position within society they deserve. He may succeed, I hope he does, but it also means that he will remain leader of a third political power.”
I turned to my father. “Everyone has joked about it, but they were wrong. I hope with all my heart that you remain our leader for all time. However, I did guess there would be times you need to hand over for a while. I had hoped and dreamt that it would be Michael. He might have changed us slightly but he is smart, thoughtful and does not act impulsively as I do. He would have been the best you could have hoped for. He’ll have to fulfil his role in a different way I guess, while I continue to mess up.”
This is Robert. As always, when forcing upon us a point of view or a new truth we did not want to see, Samantha has withdrawn. The moment she spoke we all realised she was right, that the signs were there, we just had not thought it through. She was wrong of course, even should Michael return to us, I would still want her as my backup or replacement - for as long as Cherinians still want me as their leader. She may be impulsive as she said, but I do not know anyone who is as capable as her and who treasures the dream of Cherinianism as much.
I foresee that, if she is right, Michael himself has not realised where he is headed. As his actions and ideas drive him to the same conclusions as Sam inferred, he will still find it difficult to ally the Ipohin with us. He must remain to be seen as their leader without any allegiance to us - apart from that which a son feels for his family.
I want to put it on record that I have no objection to Michael remaining the leader of the Ipohin. I sensed in him from early on that he is ambitious and he would not have settled to only being my son, remaining uneasy and frustrated. This is a positive development, as long as he never allows any differences to provoke conflict between us. I could never fight him.
One last comment. Sammy did not carry her thought processes that extra step. It is impossible for Michael to remain leader of his faction without him starting to believe in his own rhetoric, turning it into his dream, all that he knows is wrong justified by him. Will his friends and family stand by him? I think they will. I foresee we will clash at that time and, as I’ve said, I cannot fight him. Will Samantha have to carry that load for me? I hope not, for she adores him. I’ll have to do it - if Cherine stands by my side.
I think that Robbie’s worries caused him to lose his enthusiasm for searching for the best planets for our kids. He settled on the one the kids themselves had liked so we returned there. At least this world does have an ocean - the kids have learnt to enjoy going to the seaside, even though they will not enter the water. We returned there a few thousand years in the past, the Inguel seeded it with micro-organisms from the Akiard planet and we jumped back to our time.
We are determined to build enough houses to keep them going for the next two generations. After that they’ll have to build for themselves. We studied original Akiard towns, styles of housing and so on. The Unation ran a number of models looking for ways to improve and avoid errors in the layout that existed on their home world. When we presented the mock-ups to our kids they were dismayed. They have grown up amongst us and they are influenced by a number of species so the houses were not attractive to them. With a bit of emotional blackmail from our side, we got them to design what they wanted. We took what they created, referred to the homes we’d built in the Orgg reality, made some changes and they were happy.
The Wirms have confirmed they will remain on planet with their Akiard partners/friends, so any of them can jump to Freddie whenever they wish to visit, wherever we are. I think many of us, of all species, will be crying when it is time to part.
6398
The Unation ship departed for home, taking a number of species with, including Muyzith. They returned within the day but we found out they’d stayed within their systems for over ten years. We sensed great excitement and anxiety, but they refused to explain and only suggested we return to visit their worlds in the near future, asking we arrive about eight hundred years after our last visit. I guess they are asking because that is when we arrived.
I still spend time alone with my two daughters, sometimes both together but usually alone with one of them. Truth is, not that often anymore with Efineh as she is devoted to Irfan, so I do not see her every day. She came to visit me in my apartment.
We chatted about various things and then I asked her, “When are the two of you going to marry? Has Irfan asked you?”
“Yes. I told him he should wait to visit my world first. Maybe he won’t like it and if he doesn’t, I cannot marry him.”
“Sweetheart, your world is exactly what he wants. It is our world he does not enjoy living in. Give me a hug and then go ask him when and where he’d like to marry you.”
With all the exotic options available to him he surprised even Efineh by asking that they wed on our home world, whenever we feel we can return there. Without waiting to ask anyone else Robbie sent Freddie on his way.
“What about the council? They will demand you appear before them.”
“I’ll have to refuse, they’ve already declared us outlaws, why should I obey?”
To me, this just shows how strange are the mechanics of prophesies. Another aspect of it coming true because my little Efineh wants to get married.
Another thought about prophesies. If it had not existed, would we have had the foresight to adopt the strategy we did, refusing to explain why Robbie killed the four children? Somehow I doubt it. It also makes me wonder, surely Campbell is intelligent enough to have worked out that we know the truth and yet have kept quiet about his involvement? Why does he think we do so, does he create scenarios in his mind to justify the way we are reacting? I bet it worries him because he ascribes the same kind of thinking to us that he indulges in.
Arthur, if you forced this prophesy on us to mature us, you are succeeding. If you did not, then maybe you truly are not the ultimate Author and you, just as we, are a puppet whose strings he plays with at his whim or with a plan we do not understand.
6399
The instant we arrived, Michael jumped to us. “Where is she!” We grinned at his barely suppressed excitement. Robbie felt like he wanted to cry from happiness because his son was happy for him.
“I’m sorry, Arthur was teasing you. Here are the bride and groom.” He is fast! Instantly he was at her side for a hug, a huge grin of joy on his face.
Michael asked Robbie, “It is your decision dad, do I listen to Arthur or do I tell the truth?”
“If you think it will help you with Campbell.”
He waved the suggestion away. “It is more likely to reflect badly on me. I did make some pretty strong statements about you.”
“I bet you enjoyed that.” Robbie was grinning and we felt how Michael responded.
“With all of you being such loveable manipulators, I don’t understand how any Ipohin came into existence.” He agreed to wait.
“Where is the wedding going to take place?” He chuckled. “Are you going to invite any Ipohin again?”
“Do you count Campbell as one of them?”
“As with Cherinians, there are Ipohin who range from one extreme to the other. Ipohin are only Cherinians at the wrong extreme, just as Campbell is an Ipohin out at the wrong extreme.”
“Who do you consider lies at the right extreme of Cherinianism?” Em-e asked.
He controlled his chuckles as he stared around at us. “You won’t become upset if I tell the truth? My brothers and sisters, the Akiards.” And he dares to call us manipulators?
I suppose Efineh knew, but we should have guessed. Irfan wanted the wedding at a monastery in Tibet. I jumped there to explain to the monks and ask for permission for us to hold a mixture of marriages, one a typical Tibetan and the other a Cherinian. Without batting an eyelid, they agreed.
Efineh went with Irfan to his parents. They collected their relatives and friends also and returned to Freddie. It would have been cruel to hold the wedding immediately and, anyway, the monks had asked for about a week. I’d left money with them for flowers and whatever else they needed for a traditional wedding. Part of the cash went for them to pray daily for the bride and groom.
6400
We took the couple to a town in Tibet and ordered them wedding clothes. I could sense they felt they had quoted a very high price, but when there is so much poverty it is small-minded to complain or haggle. When Efineh complained about me accepting the first price asked, I told my lovely daughter that the joy we’ve given them should count as a blessing for their wedding. For the first time ever Irfan hugged me.
Three days passed without anyone from the council visiting us. On the fourth day Solomon with Socrati came. Sol had tears in her eyes and Solace and Elpida were hugging her tightly, their eyes also shining. Sol was upset and had been since we’d arrived because she’d held back, refusing to share with Solomon. Seeing him brought to the fore all her yearning to be part of him, even for a brief few seconds and it hurt her.
“Robert, Cherine, my family, you are well?” He let us greet him, but his stance did not encourage us to hug him as we always do. “I am not here as Solomon your friend only, I am here as presiding judge of the Cherinian Council.
Robert, cut short this evil that weighs on every Cherinian heart and agree to appear before the Council. You may even have Samantha represent you if you wish.”
“I’m sorry Solomon, not yet.”
Socrati spoke up. “Then come and make a statement that you need more time. You know we’ll gladly agree to whatever you ask for.”
“I can’t, I’m sorry. You’ll have to allow the Council decision to stand for now.”
“What of your presence then? If you are declared a criminal and you openly arrive without the Council taking any action, will it not reflect badly on us, losing us the respect of our own people and of the Normals? Is that the price that must be paid Robert?”
“No.” He floundered in his thoughts, almost ready to give in. “Sam?”
“I suggest you advise the Council and all parties that you waited a few days to give us the opportunity to surrender to the Council. When we did not, you arrived in Freddie to confront us and if we still refused, to arrest Robert.
You did not arrest him because you feared we might resist and that could lead to a calamity for the Cherinians and Normals. We undertook we will leave this reality within a fortnight and the two of you decided to agree as a temporary measure.
I think you need another reason for your lack of decisive action or else Cherinians will be accused of cowardice. Make a statement revealing that Robert announced to you that he will return some time in the future to make himself available to the Council and that he undertook to fully respect your authority, decisions and sentencing if he loses the case. Because of his examplary history, you reluctantly agreed.”
“Would that be legal?” Robbie asked me.
Proudly I stared back at him. “Until you are proven guilty and relinquish your position as our leader, whatever you decide is legal.”
“What about the RT Robert who took my place?”
“He is not our leader, he is only acting on your behalf in your absence.”
Solomon was badly troubled. “This is not right Samantha, and most Cherinians will see it that way, causing many to join the Ipohin.” He sighed. “As you said, we have no other option.”
Sadly we stared at the space they’d emptied and each of us hoped with all our hearts this farce will end soon, it is hurting too many of our friends and loved ones.
I hope you enjoy reading this story of fantasy, adventure and love - and should some of it be true for our reality, I hope you will love our Cherine.
Αλέξανδρος Ζήνον Ευσταθίου
(Alexander Zenon Eustace)- posted: 13th April, 2020
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