Notes from An Alien (10 page)

    "What kind of tests?"

    "Neurological and endocrine."

    "I can see the possible need for the brain tests. I felt the force of the explosion before I passed out. I can surmise the endocrine tests are to evaluate the extent of impact of the event on my emotional health. Just so you know, I'm aware my parents died in that blast. I was laying here, eyes closed but mind awake, for the last few hours and my internal conversation with Morna brought me up to date. It will take time to realize my grief but I have important work to accomplish and my parents would want me to carry on."

    "Obviously, the monitors told me you were awake. I've been here since just before you regained consciousness. I still think you need the endocrine tests. Not to evaluate deep shock but to appraise your ability to take on the role the Worlds' Council wants you to perform."

    "You're not just a doctor."

    "I am a doctor, physical and psychological. I'm also a close friend of many of the Worlds' Council members and they will soon announce your appointment as Worlds' Mediator."

    "Now for my third life-goal."

    "Excuse me?"

    "I set myself three goals when I was fifteen. First, to visit all the existing Local Councils and live with them and learn from them. Second, to obtain recommendations from all the Regional and Territorial Councils to the Worlds' Council to appoint me as their mediator. Now, the third goal can be sought."

    "And, that is?"

    "Bring the Worlds to a truly unified and lasting peace. Not just some political arrangement born of hopeless anxiety but a deep and firm commitment of all the Worlds' peoples to see themselves as one people and be willing to put that vision into abiding action."

    "Delva, I've heard stories about you and your qualities and I've prayed they were true. But—"

    "Prayed?"

    "Yes..."

    "Why?"

    "Because, even though I'm an extremely rational doctor, I believe in Akla as the most recent Prophet from God and I prayed that His prediction of a Helper to His Work would appear. The stories I'd heard seemed to point toward you as His Helper."

    "Doctor... Verluin... My mother was a believer. My father was not. I have yet to find enough compelling evidence to think of Akla as more than the most gifted individual known to our civilization."

    "Perhaps, Delva, since I'm the prime physician to the Worlds' Council and you are the Worlds' Council's Mediator, we will have occasion to discuss this issue."

    Delva smiled and Verluin felt a surge of love...

~~~

A Portion of The First Worlds' Council Meeting with Delva In Attendance:

    Council Member Atalz: We welcome you to this chamber and wish to congratulate you on receiving a unanimous vote to become the Worlds' Mediator.

    Delva: It is an honor that I worked very hard to achieve.

    Atalz: The work ahead will be significantly harder.

    Delva: Yes.

    Council Member Busiln: Before we request you to consider our agenda for your position, we would be happy to hear any indication of what you perceive to be your first duties.

    Delva: Thank you. I'll begin with what I conceive my ultimate duty to be—inducing a peace of the Worlds that goes beyond mere political and trade considerations. Next, I want you to know that this overarching goal will be ridiculously hard to achieve. There is a long road that must be traveled to truly unite the Worlds on the basis of every citizen's constant awareness of their Oneness with all other citizens. Part of what I feel my first duties are, is to set up programs of education that can reach all citizens and teach them the unassailable truth that they are one people. This awareness has nothing to do with slighting their allegiance to their town or city, their love for the Region, Territory, or World of origin, or their religious belief or lack thereof.

    The second immediate duty I perceive is to give the Worlds' citizens a project that can help weld them in the bonds of mutual exertion toward a worthy and valuable goal—the exploration and ultimate settlement of the World of Angla-Palli, moon of Beli-Pallos.

    The third immediate duty I would wish to pursue is another round of live-in visits to all the now existing 1,034 Local Councils. This task will take me at least 86 years. To stave off your incredulity of such a commitment, I offer the written testimony of doctor Verluin Namis, this Council's esteemed prime physician, to the effect that the circumstances of my birth and the hereditary contribution of my parents insure, barring accident or foul play, my living to at least the age of 150.

    The education of Worlds' citizens is, in principle, the most important task of this Council but the live-in visits to Local Councils is the most practical way to accomplish my specific task as Worlds' Mediator. I would, of course, expect the Worlds' Council to work with me to choose the most appropriate schedules of visits and I can assure you that my faithful assistant, Morna, will capture more information than centuries of expert analysis could utilize as practical action. Morna's records will be our legacy to the Worlds' citizens—a lesson in living, a catechism of the struggle to attain lasting and glorious Worlds' peace.

    Morna: My dear Council Members, I have served Rednaxela, Xela, Velu and Zena, and, now, Delva. I am the best means for assuring Delva's continued existence if I have the right information. What she offers the Worlds is too precious to not insure. I ask that this Council clear the way for me to affect connection with the Top Priority Worlds' Mesh. I am able myself to gain access to lesser Meshes.

    Delva: We would be happy now to hear the Worlds' Council's proposed agenda for my position.

Extended Silence followed by furious whispered communication among Council Members

Council Member Busiln: We have decided to forestall any recommendations to you until we can observe the earliest results of your proposed plans.

    Delva and Morna: Thank you.

~~~

Delva began immediately to find appropriate people in each Region to be the founders of what she named the Angi Oneness Curriculum. She forwarded her recommendations to the Worlds' Council and named Verluin as her liaison.

    She recommended that the Unholy Lands be renamed Aklana, which was approved by the Worlds' Council.

    She sent a detailed evaluative challenge to each Territorial Council to find ways to explore new economic models as a means of stimulating creativity and assuring competent operations of trade and commerce. This venture was named, Would You Buy My Values?

    She found the people needed for research and development for a new class of SailShip for inter-World travel but recommended the exploration voyage to Angla-Palli be performed by ShipFour.

    One thing she clearly realized, and the Worlds' Council was being educated, by her, in, was that the Worlds needed a lot of creative experimentation.

    Another thing she realized was that she absolutely needed to ask Verluin to marry her.

7 ~ Words

The Worlds' Council, along with the Territorial, Regional, and Local Councils, was evolving. Trade and commerce had been common on the former religious World of Anla-Purum but the former corporate World of Anga-Param had only known the all-devouring authoritarian mentality that had developed high technology while turning its citizens into zombies.

    The former settlers from Anga-Param, now living on Anla-Purum, had adapted quickly to the free-flowing market atmosphere, developing a nearly constant stream of new tech which made many of them wealthy. The ones who returned to Anga-Param became just as wealthy, though the citizens who had stayed on their home World were prone to being ruthlessly cheated in transactions.

    The former religious World was becoming technological and the former corporate World was becoming familiar with bribery.

    A third situation, the intermarriage of the citizens of both Worlds, was creating a totally new type of Angian...

~~~

The Worlds' Council, working closely with all its subsidiary Councils, took five years to settle on permanent Territorial boundaries. Many people were unhappy, many were outraged but, the lure of new inter-World activities and its promise of new arenas of employment, influence, or power helped them remain silent or encouraged them to scheme.

Religion had certainly not disappeared. There were still believers in the Lord's Army, the Faith of Eternity, and the Disciples of Faith, though in far fewer numbers than the followers of Akla. The biggest difference in the role of religion, on both Worlds, was that all Territories began to have residents from all the Faiths, though Aklana was still predominantly Aklan and the Aklans were still extremely prone to travel and offer whatever aid to others they could. They only died in their travels, now, from freak accidents.

~~~

Delva and Verluin were visiting the village of Ut in the Vesol Region of the Aklana Territory. Since their marriage, she had co-opted his presence with her—the Worlds' Council could find another prime physician.

    They were sitting in a cottage with Nii and Rzo, two local Aklans. Nii was calming her children and assigning them their evening tasks while Rzo finished bringing the evening meal to the table.

    Morna said: "I find the lives people are now living seem to be either intensely peace-filled or avidly tasking."

    Rzo set a plate in front of Delva and said: "Morna, you knew Rednaxela better than anyone and you spent time in Akla's Presence. Tell me how you view the role of religion in our rapidly changing Worlds' culture."

    "My view of religion is that it is a two-edged sword—either it carves a space for sharing and love or it cleaves the heart from the mind. There are many who love to cleave but the carvers are still with us. I think the principles of religion should be taught widely but only if the fanatic edge of faith is restrained."

    Delva chuckled and said: "So poetic, Morna."

    "I am learning, no?"

    Nii came and sat at the table: "Morna, I heard what you said and it's got my curiosity up about you. I find you to be not just poetic but deeply, well... Metaphysical. Do you essentially repeat things you've learned or do you have a creative component to your mind?"

    "The jury is still out on that one, Nii."

    The shared laughter turned itself into the ritual of social dining. After a moment of various appreciative sounds, Delva spoke up:

    "Morna is extremely creative when she manipulates the vast amount of information she's gained over the years. She's a poetic journalist of sorts. I wish, when I have eighty things to decide immediately, that she could be a novelist and create the perfect plot for me to follow."

    "Delva, I do not believe I would want that kind of creativity. It seems to make certain people unbalanced. And, I would like to convey a little more of my thinking on religion."

    "Please do."

    "Rzo, you and Nii and Verluin are believers. Delva is not, yet she acts like the same principles inform her behavior. I've had numerous discussions with her about this and we feel that the more the Aklan principles and practices can be learned by others, the more permanently secure our Worlds will be. Especially needed is a greater sense of oneness, shared by the overwhelming majority of our peoples. How do you feel this can be implemented?"

    Rzo took a sip of his drink, then said: "Well, first I think Delva's Angi Oneness Curriculum needs to teach people that all true religions are, in reality, one religion."

    "You're implying the principle that all the religious prophets who have claimed knowledge from God have had the same mission. Yet, people find it very difficult to see the similarities, except for certain very simple truths like do what you would have done. Especially difficult to integrate are the social laws of various religions."

    "Morna, social law is a relative thing. Peoples evolve even through their most depraved periods of senseless war or unloving subjugation. God sends His Messengers when we've lost our way."

    "And, each one has been hated by most of the followers of the previous religions."

    "Yes, but God is very patient... Morna, was Akla different then other Angians you've met?"

    "Completely. He was the most equitable and caring individual I have ever met, in spite of the massive hate he stirred in the followers of the other religions and the constant slaughter of his own followers."

    "How did He maintain His equilibrium?"

    "Delva and I have often discussed this issue, also. We have yet to find a completely plausible theory."

    Rzo pushed his plate aside and said: "Spirit is non-material, right?"

    There was a prolonged silence at the table. Morna's softly-colored indicators were undulating through waves of change. Delva finally said:

    "Morna, you will find no answer for Rzo. We've reached the limit of your creativity."

    "Delva, I will outlive you. I may succeed in breaching my boundaries after your material body and brain have returned to dust. And, you need to change your physical location swiftly if you wish to forestall that eventuality."

    Delva immediately stood and said: "Verluin! Go find the children. Nii, Rzo, grab some food and clothing. We must go, now!"

    Morna began her chant: "Tracking shows six individuals. They've set fire to the meeting hall and are one mile to the Northeast. On foot. Round-trip signal to Territorial Protective forces is three seconds and breaking up. No opportunity to receive orbital defense but we have the weapons aboard the transfer pod. We can get there before they do."

    Delva said: "Can you use me to induce a plasma shield?"

    "At great risk to your well-being."

    "Do it!"