Afterworld 2: The Reformation

A F T E R W O R L D 2

T h e R e f o r m a t i o n

2nd Book in the AFTERWORLD TRILOGY

by

R. Vincent Riccio

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2011 .. R.Vincent Riccio

ISBN 9781450775861

2nd Edition

(04/2013)

Epic Science Fiction - Fantasy

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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FORWARD

From the Author

The concept of Afterworld originally spawned its germ of an idea from the timelessly brilliant work of Dante, The Divine Comedy. Little has been done on the subject since those days some seven hundred years earlier. I imagine that has been because everyone, authors included, felt that Dante Alighieri, an obviously incomparable literary genius, had made the last word on it. The trouble is, Dante's work, as beautiful, brilliant, and poetic as it is, is difficult to read and fully understand without lots of help, and preferably a fluency in Italian; as such much of it is largely lost on many non-Italians today. I certainly don't pretend to have Dante's talent, nor am I endeavoring to negate, or even add to, the brilliance of his work. It is that the subject of afterlife, as complex as it is, with as many beliefs and superstitions that have traditionally surrounded it, needs to be further, and even continuously, explored.

There is too much myth and superstition in the world and too few who take the trouble to learn the facts or explore the complex theologies and philosophical import. It is more critical now, in our own modern and highly technological era, when we have generally strayed so far away from the humane considerations that are within the Afterworld matrix and culture. Afterworld is, allowing the somewhat oxymoronic characterization, a humanistic interpretation of afterlife based on what science and logic we have about life.

Like Dante, I often revert to satire to make many of my points, which are strewn, sometimes sardonically, about the pages of this saga. The medium for this must be science fiction and fantasy, because this is a fantastic realm that we are dealing with, however it might actually be structured. Those who don't believe in either God or an afterlife will still be gratified at the humanistic and humane culture that exists in this complex dimension which is constructed for prior-life creatures. And, whether one believes in such a place or not, I believe you will find yourself definitely wanting to go there, mainly since the alternative stinks!

What I hoped to do was make people take another look at a subject: (1) we are all concerned with, whether we talk about it or not; (2) we all wonder about, even if we're too afraid to admit it; and (3) we all have fantasies about, wherever they come from. Surely there are enough people out in the world telling us what afterlife should be like. The fact is, nobody knows! Everyone guesses. Nobody, no matter how bright, how educated, or how holy, knows! What is presented here, in the Afterworld Saga, is a rendition of afterlife that is reasonable and desirable, based on how we have already been created and what science we know.

Now, it has been several years since Afterworld first was published, in 2001, and although it eventually found overall success, there have been varied opinions regarding it, from those who love it, to those who hate it, and everything in between, all for varieties of firmly held reasons. I knew when I wrote this book, based upon this subject matter, that such responses were going to occur, and therefore was unsurprised when they showed up. To a certain extent, all novels face a modicum of such reactions; but this particular novel concept has engendered so many polarized opinions from readers that, at this point, I thought I might try to clear some things up about the book concept itself, especially as some readers will venture into reading this long awaited sequel, and others will wonder if they should.

First, Afterworld, is a theoretical place where souls go after life here, literarily constructed so as to exploit human behavior and personalities: that is the most obvious thing. What is not so obvious, and why the book has been written in the first place, is the precise character of that place; it's something everyone thinks about at one time or the other in their lives. We learn about Afterworld through its people - their behavior, cultures, and stories - and often through their own descriptions and accounts. It is first and foremost of all a place of perfect balance, not just there, but balance overall in a person's entire life, from prior life to afterlife and throughout eternity. Therefore, a person's existence in afterlife is in balance with his or her prior life. What one has done in prior life will have much to do with what happens to that individual in afterlife, where balance and justice are inexorable and inescapable.

Afterworld is also not a religious place, per se, and, as we see from its many episodes of satire, not a place where religion itself is extolled by anyone, even God, if you believe in Him; and there are people in the novel who don't, just as in prior life. The question of His existence, or not, is never truly answered, because it is not likely that we can ever know it with certainty, here or there. If such an entity exists, as most of us believe, it would be GOD, immensely different from us, and truly unknowable by such as we; all churches and religions preach this basic doctrine, but then proceed to try to describe and explain Him anyway, which provides its own self-inflicted satire. It is also illogical to think that human beings, which is to say, creations, are suddenly going to become something entirely different than their original Godly design, and attain perfect, Divine Knowledge. Many religions say that we will; that would appear to be an inconceivable and illogical possibility for a penultimately logical God and a comparatively limited humanity.

What I believe is not important, and in fact I do not put that forth in the Afterworld series, other than the reasonable thought (and perhaps heartfelt hope) that afterlife has to be something like this if we are ever to enjoy it. What is important is exploring the logical possibilities from what factual evidence we have, and projecting where we might go from there; otherwise, you're just shooting the breeze. And there is a lot of wind blowing around our dusty little planet. Thus, each of you is left to his or her own beliefs about the existence of God, and even afterlife. The characters in the book have their opinions, you have yours. God Himself is not talking; never has, never will, and it just might be because He's not there; or, if He is, He's silent for some unfathomable reason we can only guess at. No one knows, no matter what anyone says; and if they say too much, they end up on the Preachers World, paying for it!

For most of us, Afterworld is not a place of contentiousness, that is, combative interaction, as we have here in prior life; nor is it a place of mean, evil, or mendacious people, because the soul is stripped of all its prior-life artifices and cannot be any of these, not there; the time for such behavior is past, and the rest of eternity is spent balancing out one's prior life, as well as one's eternal spiritual life, always moving toward perfect justice, which eventually will reign for all. Afterlife for us makes no sense in any other context; it can't be exactly like life here on Earth, otherwise there is no reason for either existence.

There has been some slight criticism of the Afterworld saga that there is not enough of a plot, by some who are traditionalists: odd for science fiction-fantasy readers. The fact is, the plot, which is there, as in many great novels, is a subtle one; it is primarily the coming of age of the main character, who metamophosizes during the course of his many travels. It is also the similar development of the many other Afterworld lives he touches, all of which is part of what the Guide, Trainer, keeps telling us is the Divine Plan. Seeing that Divine Plan come to fruition, through the interactions and developments of the many characters in afterlife is what the plot is all about. The drama is not whether or not the characters will get to where they're supposed to go - we assume they will in afterlife - it is, rather, how they get there, as well as whom they touch and affect in the process. Afterworld is a continual discovery of new people, places, cultures, and things, with enough differentiation and abundance to keep its inhabitants interested forever.

The Afterworld is also not some purely spiritual place of perfect good or evil that we as creations were not designed for; that would be inconsistent with our created design. Nor would it be a place of eternal heaven or hell, since either situation would be unjust, requiring either perfectly good or perfectly evil people, neither of which we have any of! Those ancient concepts come from pagan religions, some five to six thousand years old, and have never been divinely inspired.

As Trainer tells Townsend, with billions and billions of years of spiritual afterlife, punishment for that extended time would not be balance or justice, it would only be revenge, which cannot happen. If God exists, He is not in the revenge business, and if He doesn't, there is no entity that would seek revenge; so, in either case, it would not occur.

As for a place of perfect good, you would need perfectly angelic people to appreciate and enjoy that; we don't have any of those, and it isn't reasonable to think we'd change into them. The religious vision of a soul staring at whatever it is that God could be for all eternity would be so boring to tears for human beings that it would actually end up being torture and hardly good at all.

I believe what occurs in this Afterworld I have constructed is reasonably the best a sentient being could ever hope for: and that is a perfected life of absolute balance, eternal justice, and infinite change and adventure, all of which is managed in one fashion or the other, either by God or Fate, so that we each reap what we sew, in one form or the other.

What satire occurs in these novels lampoons many of the simplistic concepts we have about religious and spiritual thinking, about right and wrong, good and bad, honorable and dishonorable, moral and immoral, beautiful and ugly. The Afterworld Saga seeks to analyze human behavior and cultures, and how we interplay with and relate to each other. As such, it is the personalities and attitudes of people which are important and significant, not the specific places or customs, or bizarre types of creatures there are. In fact, the subtle character of the Afterworld itself is that bizarre creatures are not so bizarre after all, lampooning what racial and bigoted feelings occur throughout prior life, which is to say, ours.

Also irrelevant is language, for it is illogical that there would be different languages in afterlife so that people could not understand each other; the latter case is an affect of imperfect, Earthly life. Therefore this is removed as a key element. There are only slight differences in the way individuals present their language, depending on their personalities, but the language itself is the same: afterlife language.

Overall, what Afterworld is, is not a place at all, but a dimension where personalities exist and interact with each other, and where all the practical considerations of prior life are nonexistent; only the heart and the soul of creatures survive. Perhaps for some of us, the truly evil ones, afterlife will never be a pleasant enough place, and we can see that occurring in the Afterworld; but one would have all eternity to think about it, and there is some justice in that. One might think that somewhere in all that time, even the worst of us will find moderation and harmony with the universe and everything and everyone in it. Toward the understanding of that end, the Afterworld Saga was created.

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CHAPTER 1

The existence of Gary Townsend had been a bizarre one. Thirty-five moderately boring years on Earth, then a major heart attack that catapulted him into his afterlife and the incredible Afterworld reality that would unfold before him for all eternity. His eternal Guide through Infinity had been the robust and curious creature, Trainer, a large, man-like being in a pristine white suit with gold-tipped burgundy cane, whose entire existence had been solely within the Afterworld reality, and who was as inscrutable as he was helpful. Gary had come to think of him as a kind of angel with a fair sense of humor.

The young Earth man had mined this fortune in the friends he'd found his first year of afterlife, as he still reckoned things. Gina Montefiore was a comely six hundred year old teenager who was killed by a wayward chariot of the Roman Empire, at the end of that ignominious reign. She and Gary became fast friends from his earliest days in Afterworld, and eventually lovers, maintaining their close friendship, even after he had met one of the strangest and most beautiful humanoids in all creation, the blue-skinned Galenite, Rayanna, who became his permanent mate.

The gorgeous pale-blue lady had come from the proud planet Galen, of the Third Creation, whose religious and political leaders had managed to eradicate from existence all those of their kind who did not measure up to their religious leaders' vision of physical perfection, or so her people were told. This engendered a singular afterlife experience for the Galenites, one in which they had to die many times, through many dimensions, until their inbred pride was eradicated from their personalities. Rayanna had been an innocent, who had died in prior-life before reaching complete adulthood, and known little of her racial pride. In Afterworld, and after meeting and becoming intertwined with Gary Townsend, she died again, to the next Galenite afterlife existence; but, with help from Gary, coupled to her passionate and profound love for her newfound Earth friend, she quickly paid her dues and eventually came back to him, with one more surprise: an egg, produced from their union, and which would eventually develop into their child.

Townsend had also met a fellow traveller, a drifter from nineteenth century Texas, Sam Littell, with whom he'd shared some adventures, and eventually introduced to the beautiful bronze beauty, Elissanda, from Earth's fifty-eighth millennia. Gary had met the spectacular future lady after Rayanna had passed on to her next afterlife, and was depressed at the likelihood that he would never again see the Galen beauty he had quickly come to cherish, and was not yet in the mood for another romantic tryst. Thus, he introduced her to Sam, before heading back to Greenville, the dreary but colorful little town he first came to after his passing, and where his intimate friend, Gina, continued to live.

On the way there, Trainer zapped him to the Preacher's World, a planet in another dimension which was comprised solely of wayward preachers. There he encountered a variety of religious zealots, all struggling through their selfish and unenlightened lives. In his nine month sojourn there, he battled with a few, intellectually challenged several more, and was a help to others who were more innocent than most, before finding himself back to his normal afterlife.

Gary's continuing inner drive to journey and adventure led him to the far reaches of the universe, and a small farming planet, Thessarian, where he met the diminutive, green, furry, ball-like creature from Orion, Mastann, and his adoring family. There, the little creatures became his comrades, helping him to engage in strenuous work and put on some muscle, earning him credit with the eternal powers-that-be.

Townsend's adventuring eventually led him away from the farm planet and to an intermediate stopover point, where he shared a potent drink with the master engineering thief of Earth's fiftieth millennium, Follosada c' Comeda Syntark, a seven foot tall, stately bronze man who had stolen all types of incomprehensible items, up to and including a presidential palace. It was this charming agnostic that caught the imagination of the young analyst, and engaged him for an extraordinary afterlife caper, which was to steal, analyze, and perhaps destroy the sole planet which controlled the storage and distribution of all the divine power which fueled everything in the Afterworld reality. At first, Townsend thought it was a joke, and surely impossible, even for the likes of the brilliant and accomplished engineer from his distant future. It's dumfounding preposterousness rattled around his brain for some time after that meeting. Until one day when the lights went out; and the computers stopped working; and the transports would not function.

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It was there, on the planet Omere, that he once more encountered Rayanna, the beautiful blue Galenite, amazingly returned to him from her penitence. She confronted a slightly different man than the one she had left. In the afterlife tradition, he had changed some to fit his mind's vision of himself, and was now slightly taller, heavier, and more muscular. The hazel green eyes and close-cropped ash-blond hair in a youthful face betrayed the identity of the man the Galen beauty loved dearly. Both of them had now paid enough of her atonement to balance the divine scales. They could now be together for all eternity if they so chose, a promise which they had in fact made to each other.

Still stationed on the comparatively small, out-of-the-way planet, at the fringe of the western quadrant of the Afterworld universe, where Gary Townsend's transport had unexpectedly dumped him after an even more unexpected bumpy ride there, both he and Rayanna sat on a hillside overlooking the large, salt water lake stretching out before them; the expansive sea occupied all the visible space to the distant horizon. It was a special place for them, where they had come together and bonded themselves as mates for all eternity. It had been a month since that day, counted in Omere's planetary time, which was similar to old Earth's, and which Townsend still maintained in his head as well as he could for his own personal sanity. His Galenite mate realized this and amiably deferred to her true love's preference, since planetary time had little relevance to her after her tragic and painful life, death, and Afterworld atonement; plus, she now had little love for her home planet and its people.

It was here, on this hillside, that Trainer met with them immediately after their powerful emotional reunion and filled in all the eternal blanks in their lives, letting them know how much their struggles for each other meant in the eternal scheme of things.

Trainer continued to be miffed, however, since his ward, Gary Townsend, had been a man with a troubled heart, and a skeptical personality, brilliant as he was. The eternal Guide could not understand how the distrustful Earth man could fit in with the far more congenial and carefree atmosphere into which he had transitioned. Nor was he comfortable with not knowing everything that the young Earth man was about to accomplish, in some cases, even advising him against a course of action which turned out to be profitable and necessary for the new afterlife resident: part of the Creator's eternal Plan. But, Trainer's superiors had advised him that this was the Teachers' purpose for being, their charge. The duty of those like him was to advise and to guide; what their wards ultimately decided to do was completely up to them, since freedom was the crowning divine achievement and rule.

The most confusing development for the ageless advisor came from Townsend's interaction with the ingenious and resourceful master thief from the young Earth man's future, Follosada. It was hard for Trainer to comprehend any valuable purpose for their plan to shut down the power control network of eternity. But, he was told, they could not interfere with the plans of the souls who came to Afterworld; again, they could merely advise and watch. In that no one could be permanently harmed, and perfect order would eventually be reestablished with a more appropriate system, this action would be only another occurrence in eternity, and one for which the Creator had allowed in His Divine Scheme; therefore Trainer and his other Afterworld compatriots should not be unduly concerned.

As Gary and Rayanna watched the peaceful scene before them, having made passionate love earlier in the day, they now relaxed and observed the large white sun touch the horizon in the deep, azure sky. Their plan was to stay there until near dark, as dark as it ever got in Afterworld, something more like permanent dusk until the sun rose the next day.

Bright stars and moons kept nearly every planet dimly lit, since most beings had comparatively Earth-normal types of eyesight. There were some small areas of the nearly limitless universe which circled around black holes and other dead stars which produced no great light, and these were nearly completely black, but few souls inhabited the planets in those systems. There were some: creatures with infrared vision and/or sonar sensing systems, and thick skins. Still, most of them preferred to be on planets or moons with suns that provided adequate light and heat, for that allowed the multitude of trees, plants, and enormous variety of foliage and other fauna to inhabit them, all of which were a pleasantry for most of the beings which existed.

Dark planets had little life on them, being comprised mostly of rock and ice and scant amounts of water. Food was transported in by shuttles periodically for those locales which did not use machines run by the Divine Power to create it instantly, and which had little in the way of edibles growing there; of course, food wasn't necessary, but it was a pleasant convenience that most beings took advantage of, and the Afterworld accommodated that desire. For most creatures, such planets were totally inhospitable, but they were available for those that desired it.

As the sun set, and became a glowing half-disc in the lower sky, the Earth man and Galenite, now a mated couple, could see the lights on the boats cruising the lake come on, as did those in the distance around them. They sat hugging each other, silent, absorbing the beauty of the scenic panorama, relishing their unspoken bond, feeling an intimate part of the universe. When the half-disc had finally sunken into the sea, they stood up, turned, and walked back over the rise, and to the little Inn at which they were staying.

Coming up over the hillside, they could now see the town in front of them, and all of its lights sparkling in the dim light. It was a pleasant sight as they strolled back down the hill and into the unadorned town. Their desire was to stay there for a few months and decide where it was they wanted to live; but first they would travel to Jewel City to meet with Sam Littell and the future beauty, Elissanda, who had become his constant companion in the last several months. It was reasonable to assume they would all wish to continue their close friendship and find a place they could jointly call home, somewhere to come to after many travels. But, until now, all travel plans had taken a back seat to their loving and further bonding.

Halfway down the hillside, they noticed that the town's lights began to flicker. This continued as they made their way to the bottom of the rise. When they reached level ground, and had walked a few paces forward, all the lights went out, and only the normal pale light offered by moon and stars reigned. The buildings were dark. The transports that had been moving about came to a stop. People were coming out of the various structures and looking around for answers.

Reaching the center of the town, Gary came up to an eight foot tall, orange being with eight eyes and four arms, covered with large, metallic scales, clearly some type of reptilian thing, a common species in a multitude of forms throughout the universe. What's going on? he asked it casually.

The lights were out, which you can plainly see, little one, it answered in an ironically high-pitched voice. And none of the machinery will work. No one can understand how this can occur! Not in this reality. Perhaps the Creator toys with his creations.

I don't think that's it. I don't believe the Creator would do that, he answered.

Who else! the creature said.

We'll have to see. I don't think it will be gone for long. My Guide always tells me how much in balance everything is, so it's logical to assume that power will eventually be restored. When, is the real question.

I hope you are correct, kind sir. This is truly an inconvenience. And much unexpected.

That's true, but it can't actually hurt anyone. Permanently.

Yes. Let us hope. I bid you good evening. The thing bowed and then made it's way toward the center of town.

Gary, dearest, came the soft, melodic voice of his pale-blue beauty, this can exist not from the bronze future man you discussed with me. The master thief?

Follosada.

Yes! He cannot be the cause of this, my love, can he? Surely he would be incapable of accomplishing what you told me he suggested. I am correct in this, am I not?

I think he just might have, Rayanna, amazing as it is. He said he'd contact me once things got going.

Oh my. You would choose not to collaborate with him to do further damage, would you? This unseemly act appears that it could be fraught with eternal dangers which we can know not!

I don't think you have to worry about anything like that anymore, beautiful lady. From what Trainer told us, our trials are done.

Perhaps! But not if you choose to delve into the divine systems which operate this universe! Dear Gary, you could very well embark upon a course with a destiny much different than the one you would have by leading a more benign lifestyle.

I doubt it. Whatever Follosada is doing, I think he considers it more like, oh-h, fun! You know, like going through an amusement park.

Fun, she reiterated. This type of ‘fun' I have had quite enough of, I think, dearest. I wish not that you put yourself in a precarious position. I can lose you not from this point forward. I have had quite enough tortures.

Townsend chuckled. I understand your trepidation, my dear lady, but I think you need to have a little more faith now, in yourself, in what our teachers have told us. In God!

This is a far different story than you told when first we met!

I know that. But anything that gives me you, can't be that bad.

Thank you. Most gracious and appreciated, my love. I also feel this same way. But I recall that it was too much faith that got me, and many others of my kind, into as much trouble as we had.

Yes, I realize that, but you were listening to self-centered, pride-filled, genocidal psychopaths! Those people are not running this Afterworld.

She shook her head charmingly. I have cast my lot with yours, my mate, and I will abide by your decision, whatever it is, but I will find it difficult to be completely happy when you put yourself in what seems to be an unsafe posture.

Well, I don't want to make you unhappy, Rayanna.

She sighed. Yes. This I know, for I feel exactly the same. I would remove you not from your great adventures, for I know it is this character of yours which I love, and which has saved me from my most wicked fate. And has helped still others. No, you must do what you feel, my dearest Gary. Clearly this posture has been given to you by the Creator for purpose. We shall continue to be bound forever, whatever the circumstance, for good or ill. I can do nothing less.

I know. Me, too. Whatever I do, here, it might take us away from each other for a short time, but we'll be back together soon enough.

She nodded and held his arm more tightly.

Listen. There's something I've been wondering about, my beautiful lady.

Yes? Regarding me?

Right. The way you talk.

The way I talk? Do you understand me not well enough?

Yeah! Sure. It's just that, well ... what language do you think you're speaking, first of all?

Language? Oh! Yes, I see. I speak Galenist, naturally. You wonder how it is we all understand each other when there are so many languages. We all speak the same language, my love, but we hear in our minds what our native tongues were. I know not why this is, but it is. I would imagine it is for our convenience, so that our feelings are not more uncomfortable in a strange place.

Right. That's what Gina told me when I first came here.

Then, why is it you asked?

Well, it's not just that. It's that you seem to me to speak very formally. Even to me.

Formally? Hm-m. You like it not? How I speak? It displeases you? she questioned worriedly

No-no-no. It's not that, lovely lady. The fact is, I think it's adorable. I wouldn't want you any other way. It's just ... different! But, you also use no slang, no contractions. You know what I mean?

Not exactly. The way I speak is the way we speak! We are very formal and orderly people, as I have told you. Our usage in language is always to convey the most precise expression. Slang, as you call it, was forbidden.

Forbidden, huh. Well, we already know your leader people weren't all that good at following their own rules.

Yes. I am now very well aware of that, she added drearily. Still, the model is to be as close to accuracy and true meaning as possible, and this is what you hear. I subscribe to that, and see no problem with it. We have not in our language either slang, or what you would call ‘contractions,' which to me are half-words.

Hm! So, what do you hear, when I use them?

The language seems a bit strange and stilted to my ears, these half-words, but I do understand the sense. Some words you use I understand not with your first employment of them, but I get the sense due to their context, and remember it for next time I hear it. Does this solve your problem with me, my love?

Sure! I have no problem with you, Rayanna.

Thank you. It is much appreciated, master, she said with a smile, betraying an inkling of her sense of humor.

Gary Townsend chuckled, giving her a squeeze. Now, I'm going to have to see if I can find Follosada. He never told me how this Control Planet venture is going to work! You know, if the transports and computers aren't working. He said that some of the local shuttles would operate, but nothing seems to be working right now. I wonder how the heck he managed to accomplish this.

It seems not to be the type of thing a sane person would wish to discover! the Galenite stated drolly.

Townsend smiled, again acknowledging her occasional playful wit, immersed within her general elegance and formality. Well, my lovely one, it may be you only have to be a little less sane.

Yes. This sounds too much like ‘a little bit with egg,' dear one.

The Earth man laughed aloud at that. A little bit pregnant, huh. Yeah, well, I don't think it's as bad as that. Trainer keeps telling me that everything is part of this Divine Plan, so whatever this is that Follosada is doing, that must be part of it, too. Makes sense, no?

Unfortunately, yes. Still, I am less than sanguine about it. I wish not to have you put in any type of harm's way, however slight. But, I understand that you must do what you feel. You have done well for yourself and others with these feelings. I fear I would worry more were I to stand in your way. Yet, we have come a very long way to find each other. We would wish not to have this effort destroyed.

Jeez. Are you always going to worry about me like this, from now on?

You say this as if it displeases you.

No! No, that's not it. It's just, well, unusual to have someone worry that much about my well-being, that's all.

I am afraid you will have to get used to this, my dear Gary, since that is what comes with the type of love you have wished your perfect mate to have for you. This one does.

And I'm eternally thankful for it, believe me. I think it's neat that I can be somewhere else doing whatever, and there's someone back home who genuinely loves and misses me. I never had that before.

What of your parents?

I don't know! I never thought of them that way, that's for sure. But I'm glad I have it now, with you.

That, you have, my love. What will you do next?

See if the computers are working at all. If not, I'll just have to wait to see if Follosada manages to show up somehow.

A fascinating being, this Follosada seems. It would be interesting to meet the man who commands more attention in my mate than his true love.

Gary smiled again at her Galenite jest. No one has more interest for me than that, Rayanna. But, like the other things I've done, this seems like something that needs doing. I have a strong feeling about it.

She sighed softly. I understand. Best to argue not with such feelings within you. So. If this future Earth man exists not here, on Omere, how will he effect his arrival on the planet with none of the machinery operating? Also, I see no manner in which he could possibly do anything without it.

Yeah. Good questions. I don't know the answers. But if anyone can do it, I think this man can.

Which, perhaps, provides even greater disturbance, my love. He plays with the divine powers that operate this reality. Difficult to understand how this can be pleasurable for him. More difficult, still, to comprehend how this accrues as benefit for afterlife.

Well, you're not God. We'll have to see.

Rayanna sighed again and clung to the arm of her beloved more tightly, as they trekked toward the travel center and the computer terminals there.

* * * * * * * *

CHAPTER 2

The Inn at which the two newly united lovers were staying was darker still than the dimly lit outdoors; however, candles still worked, and there was an ample supply of those which were used to provide atmosphere for the beings that wished it. Currently they were employed to provide essential light, and the two retired to the restaurant at the Inn for something to drink. The food dispensing system was not operational, thus no one would be eating until it was. There was a bustle of various travellers there who had also been dumped onto the remote planet after a bumpy transport ride, as Gary had, and they, too, were passing their time with various beverages, delivered slowly, while they discussed their unusual plight.

Young Townsend had spoken to several of the entities that they'd come in contact with, asking if they knew whether or not the computer system was working; all stated that it had been tried without success. Apparently there was some blinking and sputtering of lights and symbols on the screens, but nothing intelligible in a mostly dark setting. It was all the more difficult to negotiate in the otherwise darkened building.

Rayanna sat peacefully at a small, white table with a red covering, sipping a purple, fizzy liquid with a greyish foam on top, a brew native to this planet; it was one of the few things available besides water, and she had learned in her relatively short Galenite life not to be fussy. After her multiple ordeals, there was little that could substantially disturb her composure, short of losing her lifelong mate now that she had bound herself to him.

Gary sat down across from her, nursing a local tea. The taste was light and somewhat fruity, but mostly it was wet and warm and passed the time. We have no choice but to stay here on this planet until something changes, you know, Rayanna.

Clearly that is true, my dear one. We could walk about the planet. Slow sojourn, but there are other locales than this little travel town, she replied. There should be some interest in them.

Not terribly different, though. We're not going to find the likes of Jewel City on this little parcel of the universe, that's for sure.

I believe that glittering spectacle is truly unessential for us to enjoy our togetherness, my mate. We can go to the sea that you love so much and swim, perhaps sail. There is still wind. This would seem like an amiable enough passage of time.

Mm-m. It doesn't seem like we have a whole lot of choice, unless we want to roam around the planet aimlessly. I can't imagine the power systems will be completely out for much longer.

I fear I share not your optimism, my love. The current situation is already bizarre and unexpected. There is no indication in particular for a short duration. It seems you have too much faith in this future man Follosada's stories and abilities.

I suppose that could be. Time will tell, then, won't it.

She nodded as she sipped more of her drink.

After finishing their beverages and a little bit more