Chapter 4: Dear Life

“It’s alright, you’re alright, be calm, there’s nothing to fear.”

I mentally intoned this over and over, until Buzzy responded.

(All the following conversation is conducted by mental wifi via chips. Italics and bold is dispensed with.)

“Where am I?”

“You’re safe, in a safe place, with friends.”

“Are we friends?”

“Potentially. We are friendly and wish to be friends.”

“You hurt-ed me. Who are you, lord?”

“I am Gruncle. I will call you Buzzy. It was a necessary, and minimal pain, to enable you to talk with me. Are you in pain or uncomfortable now?”

“I am uncomfortable with the straps binding me.”

We are prompt to release Buzzy from the seat belts

“Better?”

“Much better, I’m grateful. (emotion not words)

Why am I brought here? How have I displeased the Mighty?”

“You were selected to be a messenger from us to your people.”

“That is the role I have been trained for, since I was small. What message shall I preach?”

“No more slaughter, Buzzy. Never again offer blood sacrifices.”

“What offerings are acceptable then?”

“Kindly thoughts. Offer us friendship. These we appreciate.”

“Will we receive blessings in return, Great Gruncle?”

“Thinking kindly thoughts and behaving kindly towards everyone, blesses you inside. You will be calmer, more content, and feel at peace.”

“Is that the message? All of it? It is a very simple commandment.”

“Don’t make a rule or law of being kind. It should be viewed as an aspiration, not a regulation. Feelings of guilt are unproductive.”

“Will there be frequent communications between us?”

“You are not alone in the universe.”

I intend this as an excuse for not hanging around long. We have other places to go and perhaps new peoples to see.

“Then we will offer prayers expressing our gratitude we are not alone.”

Not what I intend, but a cult religion unwittingly started by Mark, isn’t as easily erased as a stone altar can be obliterated. Never being very religious myself, I’m uncomfortable with the subject. It’s pretty obvious everything we observe appears designed. The universe had a beginning, science proved that. A probable creator is something I can accept.

“Direct your gratitude and prayers to the Creator, not us. We are only creatures too. Similar to you, but wiser in some things, and in someways different than you. Understand?”

“It is a lot to accept, but I will work at understanding it. How will my people know I speak with your words, Great Gruncle?”

The disassembled seat belt, shoulder straps acceleration harness attracts my attention. It has shiny metal parts and fittings. These people have no metals. The knife we confiscated from Buzzy, is volcanic glass. Obsidian, sharpest substance in the universe, capable of a cutting edge only one atom thick.

“Wear this harness you were bound with, as a symbol you remain bonded to us. The people will respect it as an alien artifact. Keep it dry and clean. Wear it only on official occasions. We will retain your butchering knife in exchange, since you will have no further need of it.”

“My gratitude is boundless, Great Gruncle.”

“Direct your gratitude to life, be glad you’re alive, Buzzy.”

We returned Buzzy to his-it’s jungle world, hoping we have reduced the harm we can’t completely eradicate. The cargo cult religion Mark started, will be a kind one we hope.

(Returning to normal verbal communications.)

En-route to the Space-plane’s hanger located in MOM’s massive snowball comet head, Missy and I wasted no time in getting naked and renewing our long acquaintance.

“These cyborg bodies are very life-like. Your body is very beautiful, Milly.”

“And your body has incredible stamina, Ricky. I’ll always love you.”

“Guess what? I think declarations of eternal love mean a whole lot more today than in the past. Our lifetimes are greatly extended. I’m very pleased I will have many centuries in which to enjoy you again, Milly.”

‘Don’t forget your other mates, and there are new women to seduce and recruit.”

“You don’t say?”

“I do say.”

“Are you ready for a rematch yet?”

“Grab ahold on my big old tits and hang on for dear life, my sweet pinky RICKY!”

“You appear very young, Milly. Younger than any memory of you I have.”

“You appear to be the wise old man you are, Ricky. So wise up, and focus on the task at hand.”

Hope it’s enjoyed and thought provoking.

Yob