Notes - working / ch. 18 nfd

       Evening. You started working on chapter eighteen and realize it needs editing. You want to cut out about four hundred words before adding commentary by Soki. - Amorella

       2109 hours. I  see it has over 850 words; that's fifty some too many. It is rather awkward and wordy besides.

       Let's go through it. - Amorella

       2112 hours. Fine with me.

       2157 hours. We now have this down to 719 words. It is flowing much better.

       Let's move on with Soki's commentary. - Amorella

       2200 hours. I need a short break. Soki's not coming through. It was enough to do what's done here. What is Soki going to say? How is he going to change the chapter? I don't know why I'm a bit apprehensive about this, but I am.

       Take a break, but first post. - Amorella

       2203 hours. The chapter as is?

       No, not until it's completed. Post what you have here. - Amorella

       2303 hours. The chapter appears to be complete.

       Add and post, boy. - Amorella

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Eighteen nfd ©2017,rho Soki's Choice

Untitled

         The three Earthlings are alone observing the dark side of the Moon, Blake utters, "Who would have ever thought we would see this live?"

         "Never in a million years," declares Justin.

         "What does this mean?" asks Pyl, silently questioning, why are we here? What do these people want?

         Justin rebuts, "Why does this scene have to mean something, Pyl? Jeez. Here we are in an alien ship looking out at the dark side of the Moon. This is most awesome."

         "There is a purpose,” grimaces Pyl. “What do they want from us?"

         Yermey enters the room with the observatory windows, "You ask a good question, Pyl Burroughs."

         "Here it comes," mumbles Justin.

         "What's that?" smiles Yermey, thinking Friendly is right behind him.

         Blake grins sardonically, "He means my sister will be direct.”

         Yermey chuckles, puts his hand on Blake's shoulder saying, "Let's all go in this side room where we can talk comfortably. I'll tell you what your purpose here is, that is if you want to be a part of our own journey."

         The relatively non-descript room has two chairs and a couch out of the floor and in place. The ceiling and upper walls create a soft lighting. "Excuse me a moment, I’ll be back. Sit down and relax.” says Yermey as he leaves by a side door no one had not observed.

         Pyl sits on the couch with Justin fitting in beside her, quietly saying, "We are going to be used by these people."

         Justin off-handedly enters Pyl’s mode of thinking. "Pyl's right, Blake," he says. "We need to know more.” while wondering why the man referenced the line, 'I'll be back.' It's a joke. We're being taken for a ride."

         Just then, Yermey returns through the same door, sits in the remaining chair and looks quickly at each commenting, "I appreciate your honesty; really, we all do. First, we respect your species. We want you to feel safe and secure. This is the reason we came here. However, the greater ThreePlanets family is not please we have arrived, shown ourselves, and invited you onboard Ship as guests."

         Yermey then says, "I think Friendly might be able to better explain. "We would appreciate you three teaching us about your culture from your personal standpoints. Our desire is . . .. "

         Friendly walks in through the same side door and interrupts, "I understand you would like some help Yermey." She smiles confidently saying, "It is not often Yermey asks me or anyone else for help."

.

         Friendly's soul is true to her name's meaning. "When in an impossible situation be honest to a fault," is her soul's dialogue and her soul whispers this, so to speak, directly to the bottom, so to speak, of Friendly's heart where it rises unannounced but understandable to her mind. This is not courage, you see, this is communication through her spirit, her immortal part.

.

         Yermey gives way as confidently as Friendly takes charge. Friendly says, "We would like for you to help us better know you as individual human beings rather than as aliens.

         "Ready to help," replies Justin assuming her outward confidence.

         Blake comments, "I think I am missing something here." He sees Hartolite coming into the room and asks,  “Hart, do you think we can really be helpful to you people and helpful for our own species also?”

         "This is important to us, to have you be our ambassadors of sorts. We have come all this way," reinforces Hartolite. "We four are the rebellious ones by being here unsanctioned. We cannot come out and say to Earth, "Hello, we are official representatives from ThreePlanets.”

         Blake asks, “Who is the fourth person?

         “Ship,” chirps Hartolite comfortably.

         "Why have you not used SETI?" asks Pyl. "It seems to me this would be a natural first place to communicate."

         "We prefer one-on-one personal contact," answers Yermey. "We are trying to avoid the cleverness and cultural bullshit. We don't have time for nonsense."

.

         Yermey is touched by Friendly and Hartolite through an unspoken understanding. "We are tearing down the walls so we may be understood in the silence between us."

.

         "You people live five hundred years," responds Blake, "that's seems more than enough time.

         "I don't have time," declares Yermey bluntly. "I have lived more than those five hundred and some years already."

         Blake catches Yermey's eyes; no question, he thinks, these people are human. We have death in common.

.

         Commonality is what souls are, hearts and minds are not, say I, the Soki.

.

         Friendly notes, "Our Parents-in-Charge would use machinery like Ship to deal with Earth firsthand.

         "Communication machinery, though not as sophisticated as Ship," adds Hartolite. "We have no weaponry. We need none. When we think 'run' or Ship thinks 'run' we do. We are very fast plus invisible when need be. We can take care of ourselves. We have always run from danger.

          Pyl responds with her brother’s bluntness, "We have too many pre-programmed machines.” She looks quickly to both Justin and Blake. “We three are willing to listen though. We want to remain on good terms."

         "Good," says Yermey with relief, then he counters with

the darker thought, 'until they get off Ship and on Earth'. 

***

         77.2 reading ease; 5.2 grade level; 872 words

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