Notes from An Alien (16 page)

    The overarching rationale was to take their audience on a journey—from the concept of unbridled freedom of action, through the pitfalls of governmental oppression, to the lush fields of unity in diversity.

    Their supreme goal was to set up a Worlds' Conversation that would make people think about their duties as individuals and how that impacted their responsibilities as Worlds' citizens.

~~~

During the debate there were a total of 243 riots. 687 places of business were destroyed. 16,319 people died.

    All the violence was focused through the interests of the Independents and Dissatisfieds. The destruction was unleashed on businesses that were known as the most upright and equitable establishments. The deaths were shared equally by anarchists, law-abiding citizens, and Protective Forces.

    The general population got the message Delva and Mura had worked to instill. The violence drove the message deep into the general population's minds and hearts.

    The ensuing elections for Local, Regional, and Territorial Councils saw a slight decrease in Independent Movement sympathizers.

    The Worlds' Council, well before its slated regular re-election, announced the acceptance of Mura as their member representing Anglana's World.

13 ~ Power

In spite of recent riots and deaths, the Worlds' economies were thriving. The three Created Worlds were fully inhabited and had begun their contributions to the Worlds' commerce and services. The agricultural World was already contributing twenty percent of all the Worlds' food, the applied technology World had programs running for improved transportation (both land and space), and the World for general exploration of learning potential had formed a strong bond with the applied technology World. They were also eagerly awaiting the creation of the final three Created Worlds, slated to begin in two years—Worlds for pure research, cultural advancement, and art. The farm, factory, and school would be joined by the lab, salon, and studio.

~~~

The banishment of the Independents from Anglana's World did nothing to slow their machinations. They were working to build bridges between their movement and certain communities of the Disciples of Faith. The Disciples, since the death of Xela, had become fractured into a number of sects ranging from those who were very close in their practices to what the Aklans believed to those who had corrupted their beliefs to conform to the changing economic and cultural expectations. The most corrupt sect was the Reformed Disciples of Faith. They were also the most numerous and the one that the Independents were targeting. The preferred method of engagement was to have certain numbers of Dissatisfieds "convert" to the religion. It took only a matter of months until the leaders of the Independents were able to claim the allegiance of sixty Communities' memberships.

    Those Communities changed their name to the Independent Reformed Disciples of Faith.

~~~

The Created World devoted to a general exploration of learning had begun a project, in concert with the applied technology World, to enhance a person's abilities in plasma communication—lifting the natural reception of generalized thoughts and feelings between worlds to a disciplined ability to receive and transmit specific thoughts and feelings. The trained abilities would only be usable during the close approaches of Anga-Param and Anla-Purum. It took the enhanced flow of plasma between those Worlds to enable the ability. The Created Worlds were using a special plasma apparatus to mimic the necessary conditions.

    There were, however, certain people who had an innate potential and could sense and transmit thoughts and feelings wherever they were, though only with those in close proximity. Velu and Zena had been the first people recorded with this ability. The researchers were hoping they could eventually train others in these abilities.

    The plasma communication abilities of Delva were superior in all respects. She could influence people in very specific ways based on her keen reception of their thoughts and feelings. It was said she could even convince someone intent on harming her to immediately confess and beg forgiveness.

    Mura would soon have abilities exceeding even Delva's.

~~~

Anglana had desired the attendance of Delva and Mura. They found their way to their favorite portion of Anglana's extended consciousness and began to commune.

Anglana: This will be the most important of any of our gatherings.

    Delva and Mura:
?

    Anglana: Delva, you now have the opportunity to end your physical life in a way that will give birth to Mura's child. This will be a gift of Akla.

    Delva and Mura:
?!

    Anglana: You now must discuss this between yourselves.

"Mother, I don't want you to end your life."

    "Mura, dearest, I would only have mere months to live even if I refused this offer."

    "Mother, I haven't told anyone yet but, if you have your heart set on this, you must know. I have accepted Akla as the Prophet for this Age. I am an Aklan."

    "I suspected as much and Anglana is extremely persuasive when it comes to such things."

    "No, it wasn't Anglana pressuring me. Her mind-set is completely Aklan and she claims communication with Akla Himself but I've done my own study, very careful study. I think the most influential person was father. You know I've used Morna's recordings of him and I'm sure you've sensed my slow approach to my own decision about faith and science."

    "I haven't been mentally spying on you, Mura."

    "I know that but you're my mother and, even without your abilities, you can read me."

    "Yes..."

    "Morna thinks I'm an idiot."

    "Mura, I have never applied that word to your decisions."

    "No, Morna, you're too well-mannered."

    Mother and daughter shared a warm laugh.

    Morna became busy with cross-correlations.

    "Mura, this decision means you accept the motive power of the spiritual World in our physical lives. That's something I've never been able to grasp."

    "I think it's because your so intelligent."

    "Yet, the Aklan belief is that intelligence is the prime gift of God."

    "Yes, but it's also the spiritual attribute that includes free-will."

    "So, I'm choosing to use a psychology derived from the material world to justify my lack of belief in Akla's spiritual power?"

    "Nice try."

    "What?"

    "You do believe in the spiritual realm. You just don't believe it has spiritual entities in it. It's just a layer of morality surrounding all we do, somewhat like plasma."

    "Now I'm convinced you're ready to be a mother."

    "What?"

    "We've spent countless hours together but we've never discussed spirituality in depth. It's always been about what the Worlds' need. Yet there you are voicing my spiritual belief in words that make even me understand it better."

    "I guess your untiring efforts with me have rubbed off."

    It was Morna's turn to offer a laugh. Rednaxela offered his explanation:

    "My mother uses the same ability with me. I have yet to equal her insight."

    Even Anglana shared her colorful water-spray of laughter.

    Mura took hold of Delva's shoulders and said: "Mother, my beliefs are capable of comforting me if you decide to let your body die but what would be your own comfort in death?"

    "I'm very old, Mura, old enough to have lost the desire to struggle with the Worlds' problems. My comforts in facing my death are the knowledge that it will give you a child, a form of my immortality, as well as the comfort of knowing that you have more power than I to influence others and your child will have even more. But, there is one thing that doesn't comfort me and extending my life wouldn't supply that comfort. You and your child will still have to struggle, to fight with all you have, to educate the masses and to put up with the immorality of those corrupted by their will to power."

    "Your spirit and Father's will combine and guide me and Akla will help me guide my daughter."

    Delva spoke in the liquid tones of Anglana: "Yes, a daughter, and she will be called Verta—a name meaning the Comfort of Knowledge."

    Morna spoke up: "I can name one more comfort, Delva."

    "Oh?"

    "I can supply Mura with your image and voice whenever she needs it."

    Mura began to sob.

    Delva embraced her.

    A glow began to surround them all.

    Delva and Mura rose and approached the water.

    As they entered Anglana's liquid presence, the glow intensified around Delva, becoming a swirl of color—red, blue, green, purple.

    Mura could feel a process beginning in her loins. She gave herself up to it.

    Delva's physical substance was sublimating in the intense plasma glow and being transferred to Mura's body.

    Morna was in high analysis mode but was incapable of discerning the details of the process.

    The water began to churn violently. The display of color intensified. A cone of light grew skyward, aimed at the Mother planet.

    Suddenly, a brief and total darkness enveloped the scene. Slowly, the daylight began to return and revealed Mura standing in the water with a baby girl in her arms.

14 ~ Speech

The Independent Reformed Disciples of Faith were on the move. They were attacking only farms. Farms were relatively isolated and ripe for undefended attack. Plus, the rising Worlds' economy had lured most farmers out of their fields to the towns and cities. Hence, most farmers were Aklans because they had no fear of death and the Aklan Scriptures gave primacy to agriculture as a profession. Until the Created World for agriculture was fully functional, attacking a farm was a strong economic statement. The Independents and their recent religious cohorts were making it what they called a moral issue—if the Worlds' Council wouldn't take action on their demands for more freedom in their commercial interests, it was only fair that they attack the most basic industry. The Council was forcing them to conduct business in a way they deemed unfair and force would be used against force.

    The  Independent Reformed Disciples of Faith, who carried out most of the attacks, added their own spin: Aklans worshiped a false prophet and deserved chastisement.

    The Local and Regional Councils were still corrupt enough to defer protective action to the Territorial Councils. The Territorial Councils, mostly due to Delva's unremitting efforts, were a bit better but only sent their Protective Forces long after the violence had occurred. The Worlds' Council was in nearly constant consultation about how to increase the membership of the Worlds' Protective Force.

    It took a number of years to bring the situation under control. The new recruits to the Worlds' Protective Force were not as well trained when committed to protective actions and more than a few atrocities happened. Slowly, the Territorial Councils' elected memberships showed fewer Independent sympathizers. Some traced this to the Aklan members of the Mediation Board. In their work with Regional and Local Councils, they made sure any surviving Aklan farmers were present. Those farmers characteristically asked for the pardon of the instigators of violence.

~~~

Mura took Verta wherever she went, including sessions with the Worlds' Council. This presented a bit of discomfort for a few of the Council members but her being Delva's daughter as well as the sole member representing Anglana's World made the Council adapt to the unusual situation. When she was still quite young,Verta's lack of distractive habits made things even easier.

    As she grew older she still kept her peace. She was vitally interested in what these people were saying. Her abilities with plasma communication grew extremely strong during the years she attended the Council's sessions though there were moments when her intense concentration on a discussion caused temporary confusion in the participants. Verta thought they were just getting old. Mura knew what was happening but decided the education her daughter was receiving far outweighed a Council member's momentary confusion.

~~~

As Verta approached her adolescence, Mura became acutely troubled. Even though the corruption in the Worlds' government had decreased slightly, the actions of the Independents and their religious storm troopers weren't stopping. There was still a significant portion of the general population who could be swayed by the idea that there should be no restraints in trade and commerce. Mura's mother, Delva, had instituted the Angi Oneness Curriculum but there were few teaching it. Mura, as a mother, was now completely focused on the future and she knew that, whether more people embraced the Aklan Faith or not, more people had to accept the concept of the Oneness of all Angians.

    If people could continue to believe they were so different and special that their ideas could be supported by force, Mura could only see a dismal future for her daughter. No matter that the Worlds' governmental structure had brought Angians from near extinction to an expanding and prosperous family of Worlds. There was still far too much potential for corruption and violence. That was unacceptable to Mura.

    She prayed and consulted Akla's Writings. She consulted with Verta. She ran it by Morna and Rednaxela. Then, she made her decision.

~~~

Anglana welcomed Mura and Verta. Verta went off with Morna and Rednaxela and Mura spent an hour or so in abstract communion until Anglana requested Mura reveal the purpose of her visit.

    “Anglana, I've spent years serving the Worlds as a Council member and I've seen some improvement in conditions. Some improvement but not enough. I feel I should relinquish my membership and travel the Worlds to teach Akla's Cause.”