Under a Starless Sky novel Chapter 83

The group sat in the great hall. There were many on the circle, many more around the circle. Shen was at the 12 o’clock position, lotus posture, holding a baby. TL was appropriately looking at whoever was speaking, following the conversation- yet, was also holding a private conversation with Shen. A storm of a debate raged around them, varying in intensity from rain to full out thunderous wind. All babies were held. Toddlers were free to roam. Some babies were nursing.

‘You’re in a good mood,’ TL said.

‘Yeah, why not?’ Shen asked.

‘How far back do you track it?’ TL asked.

Shen concentrated. He became puzzled. “I don’t know. I haven’t been tallying.” His smiled deepened. ‘I have actually been happy for a while.’ He frowned. ‘I don’t understand it. It’s not earned. I haven’t done anything.’

‘Oh, you’ve done a lot,’ TL said.

‘Such as?’ Shen asked.

‘You’ve been living your life,’ TL said. ‘You created a community.’

‘You had as much to do with that as I, if not more,’ Shen said.

‘Have you ever considered what the number one thing all abusers have in common?’ TL said. The question brought Shen’s eyes to her’s- what a weird way to begin a proposition. Her eyes met his on all planes, physical, mental, and emotional. Her comment seemed out of place. He didn’t see a connection with anything they were doing. It didn’t mean there wasn’t a connection, as AI personality could make some wildly obscure connections and line them up logically, but he didn’t even see a leaping point. His inner mind was silent as he waited for the connection to arrive. When he didn’t answer, TL filled the in the blank. ‘They isolate people. You want to control someone, you isolate them from others. You control who they interact with, what they see and hear, what they read. People who were abused tend to isolate themselves from others. People who are depressed tend to isolate. People who are sick, physically or mentally, they get isolated. People who are bullied get isolated- first by the people harassing them, second by the immediate group who are not wanting to associate with the perceived ‘weakness’ that resulted in the bullying, and then lastly by the person being bullied- themselves- believing they are unworthy. You created a community. You let people in. You allow for a freedom of discourse. Everyone here has a voice.’

‘I let ghost in,’ Shen said.

‘Ghosts are people,’ TL said.

‘I let Irks in,’ Shen said.

‘Animals are people,’ TL said. “Any act of acceptance is love. You let people in. You let love in. We have created a place where people can come and love and grow and discover their own boundaries. There are good people here. That’s a reflection of you.’

Shen looked at the baby. He perceived a connection, made a face at the baby. Baby mirrored. ‘And now I am being called away.’

TL gave him a hug. ‘Are you worried?’

‘I should be,’ Shen agreed. ‘Every time God spoke to someone in the Bible, something bad happened to them.’

‘He was a tough employer,’ TL said.

‘Maybe mother will be easier,’ Shen offered.

“Based on your relationship with your mother?’ TL asked.

‘Probably shouldn’t go there,’ Shen said.

‘How about the archetypal mother?’ TL asked.

‘I was told not to fool with her,’ Shen said.

‘How about the song ‘Mother,’ by Police,’ TL asked.

‘Oh, that would be synchronicity,’ Shen said, laughing out loud. ‘That would bother me.’ Now the song was in his head and he gave a cross look to TL. ‘You know I hate that song. It reminds me of that one, ‘they’re coming to take me away’ by Napoleon XIV…’

The debate was interrupted. Jerica hit the back of his head. “Are you paying attention?”

“Ow. Yes,” Shen said. Everyone was looking at him. “No. Sort of. Not so much. I think Arne and Orton want to take ships and take Sinter by force. The Valkyries seem in alignment with that. Dragon clan wants to storm Sinter from the sky. You, and the wives, are clearly bias, as you want me to remain here…”

“Mother has spoken. If she wanted us to go to war, that would have been clear in the directive,” Ili said. Ili, who had surrendered her positioned of village seer to the next called, had retired to Shangri-La. She had been listening to the debate. She had been trying to hold her tongue, as she was not an authority here. She was the oldest in the community and by default an authority here. She held her youngest granddaughter, Arne and Aslog newest clan member.

“He isn’t going to just walk to Sinter,” Imly said.

“No. He will have to go through normal channels,” Ili said. “He will go to West Midelay and request passage.”

“They’ll kill him on sight,” Jerica said.

“They cannot. He is protected by Mother,” Ili said.

“Forever?” Ciara asked.

“Until he has accomplished mother’s task,” Ásdís said.

“And what is that?” Þuríður asked.

“Go to Sinter,” Shen said.

“And then what?” Jerica asked.

“Prophesy against them,” Shen said. “Then come home.”

“They will fucking kill you,” Jerica said.

“We take Sinter by force with Dragons and ships,” Ashly said.

“That wasn’t the directive,” Ili said.

“It wasn’t not the directive,” Ashly said. “Go to Sinter and let it rain ash. That’s prophesy enough for me.”

“They intended for us to be ash,” Imly said, referring to the missile strike. People understood the death from tech.

“And someone intervened,” TL said.

“Something intervened,” Calypso said. She was present in the town hall meeting. So was Rock. He was online so much anymore, thanks to the demands of the Valkyries, he had lighted full sentience.

“Mother?” Shen asked.

“Who is mother?” TL asked.

“May I?” Ili asked.

Arne looked at her. “Wow. I don’t think I’ve ever heard you ask to speak…” Aslog glared at him. “What?”

Ili touched Arne fondly, not offended. “I am merely a guest here.”

“Technically, you’re first wife,” Jerica said.