Chapter 7

A New Home

Ohai sat quietly going over the events of the last eight days while the others slept. She found a family, she had a sister, she had taken part in the rescue of one of her new family, she had been given the chance to learn about and experience emotions. One thing she couldn't classify cleanly was her developing relationship with Marz.

They would always be connected as long as they were alive. Marz and she had learned how to turn down and even turn off the constant flow of information between them however there were moments when the connection self-restored and they each had a renewed glimpse of each other from the inside out. So far it had happened every time Marz had entered his sleeping dream state with exception of today when it happened as they were flash sterilised during BJ's rescue.

Ohai tentatively checked her connection with Marz and found it open and she was surprised at the confusing nature of his thoughts and feelings. Marz was dreaming about the rescue and all the events surrounding it. Each time one of them came in focus there was a confusion of emotions and fears associated with them. With Jess it was fierce protectiveness, intense pride and admiration and fear of loss. With BJ it was anger tinged with resentment, incredulous admiration as Marz tried to understand how someone survived intact through what BJ had been through.

With Ohai Marz was struggling to come to terms with how he felt about ... this being, this entity ... this person called Ohai who had captured his attention ... and also affection, if truth be known ... and had turned his life upside down.

'How does one have a relationship with a non-human?' he was asking himself, as in his dream state saw Ohai as a beautiful, intelligent and powerful young woman. 'What am I supposed to do?'

Ohai broke the connection feeling very uncomfortable and a little guilty at peeping at Marz's innermost feelings. She also felt a blush of pleasure at the thought that Marz saw her as he did and recognised that her feelings and emotions about Marz were not only reciprocated but also much stronger than she first realised. Remembering Marz's statement that being open and honest was the best way of dealing with things, although difficult at times, Ohai promised herself that she would discuss this with Marz as soon as things settled down.

Returning to her own dreams and the processing of the day's activity, Ohai slipped into a meditative state. It was during this time that Tessa and Sarac made their presence known as they asked Ohai for permission to enter her meditative state with her, for a discussion. Although surprised that they could do this, Ohai agreed and the three of them settled down to a conversation that would last until morning. Tessa and Sarac told Ohai their story and that they were full of excitement for her and what the future held. Ohai was perplexed with this until Tessa explained that Ohai represented the beginnings of a new species of living entity. Although there were many intelligent machine life forms within the known galaxies, none had successfully crossed the boundaries of logic and rationality, to the world of spontaneity of emotions, and irrationality.

"Ohai you and your new species are unique and represent a bridge between organic and non-organic species throughout this and many other galaxies. Our elders have asked us to continue on here, providing you with support and assistance as you grow yourself and your family toward your potential," Sarac told Ohai with pride and admiration.

Tessa, smiling as she made eye contact, said, "Our race is very long-lived, Ohai. None living have been at the recognised birth of a new life form, mostly because evolution and random events play a large part in their creation. You are different in the respect that you evolved to your present form very quickly, and the many random events that contributed have been in an astonishingly compressed time frame. To be given the honour of working with you and your journey is the greatest thing that we could imagine happening to us. We both dearly hope you will accept us formally into your Oasys family. Although Marz made us founding members of the Oasys Foundation, Sarac and myself see you as the founding entity. Therefore, we feel it is your place to provide permission."

Ohai was stunned at the revelations Tessa and Sarac had disclosed and was still struggling to come to terms with the enormity of what they were saying.

"I have been aware of you two, on and off, for many years. I would feel privileged to have your help and friendship. While I am struggling to deal with what you have told me about a new species, I accept that you tell me this in good faith. Welcome to you both!"

The discussions and conversation continued for many hours and ended only when Jess bounced into the lounge teasing Ohai with, "Come on, lazy bones! Enough rest time, for you! We've got a whole new home and family to get sorted out."

Tessa and Sarac appeared in the lounge as Ohai responded to Jess, saying, "Your joy in the morning is something I want to feel, Jess. Expectation, excitement, fun and laughter ... what an amazing way to start each new day!"

Jess looked at Tessa and Sarac then at Ohai.

"Hmm, that's not a coincidence, is it? Ohai, can these guys com you without your 4D gizmo's?" she said, looking directly back at a smiling Tessa and Sarac.

Inside her head, she heard and felt Tessa say, "You are a very surprising young woman, Jess. I am going to very much enjoy watching you grow, as well as watching your adopted sister grow."

"4D coms without gizmo's means native 4D control, which means at least 4D life forms ... OH! MY! GOD! You guys are not even from this dimension are you?" an incredulous and pale Jess just managed to get out.

"Well done, Jess," responded Sarac. "You are a joy to behold! It is people such as you that down through the ages have fascinated us so much, that we fell in love with your species. Our Elders are going to be very impressed when you finally allow them to meet you and they will finally understand our strong attachment and loyalty to humans."

Jess stood unmoving for a short time as the meaning of the words both spoken and unspoken became clear to her.

Ohai walked over and took Jess's hands in hers.

"There is a lot more to tell, Jess. There is so much that I will hardly be able to explain it, let alone deal with the emotions involved. Tess and Sarac have also asked to join our growing family."

With a mischievous glint in her eye Jess instantly responded with "So how do we tell big brother that our family is about to expand by two aliens from a different dimension so that they may monitor the progress of you, my sister, who is really a living machine that represents the basis for new life form. How am I doing so far, guys?" she continued as she cocked an eye brow in Tessa and Sarac's direction.

"You just did, genius girl," said a sleepy eyed Marz from the doorway. "And I am getting some rather unusual thoughts emanating from that particular new life form standing in front of you. Oops, there it goes," he said and smiled as Ohai closed her wide open connection with Marz.

Marz responded by giving Ohai a little wink which in turn caused Ohai to respond with a shy slightly embarrassed blush, when she realised he had picked up her memories of how she felt about him from the night before as she looked at him standing in the doorway.

'It's okay, Ohai. As you already realised last night, we'll discuss it later, and work it out, ' whispered Marz through their connection.

"Wow, Ohai" Jess said as she saw the exchange. "Seems like I will have to chaperone you two, from now on."

Leaning forward and giving her a sisterly kiss on the cheek before turning and winking at Marz.

Tessa and Sarac were emotionally overcome by the exchanges they saw and by the intent and caring carried within them.

"Truly," they said in unison standing side by side with arms around each other's waist, "it will be a great pleasure to be part of this group of people."

"Okay, everyone," Marz called out, "Tae Chi, breakfast, and then let's get this day on the road. We've got three days before BJ is back with us so let's make every minute count to get our living arrangements sorted out."

The next three days where a whirlwind of activity as Marz Jess and Ohai spent time getting to know there new family members, following up on the aftermath of BJ's rescue and most exciting of all finalising arrangements for to take possession of their new home.

They were now the owners of Sea Horse Cay, in the Grand Bahamas. It was renamed from Big Cave Cays after the cataclysm that hit the entire Caribbean in 2068 forty six years ago. Over 233 million people on every land mass surrounding the Caribbean Plate and as far afield as Nova Scotia in the north to Cape Verde Islands and Gambia in the east perished as a result of a massive tension release between the North American and Caribbean Plates and the subsequent tsunamis. This release also had devastating effects on the areas surrounding the San Andreas fault extending as far north as Oregon.

The Commonwealth of the Bahamas was massively affected when the Great Bahama Bank partially broke away from the North American plate as the plate attempted to slide under the Caribbean Plate. This movement cause devastation to every nearby landmass as the Great Bahama Bank shattered and sixty-five percent of the 700 islands and 2500 cays were lost forever.

Sixty percent of the landmass of Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico slid into the sea and the destruction wrought on the continental landmasses surrounding the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea changed Central America, forever.

As greatly affected but for a different reason were the Islands and Cays that made up the Grand Bahama Bank which included their new home. This bank tilted slightly rising almost 150 feet in the north east along the Great Abacos from Marsh Harbour to Crown Haven. While Grand Bahama experienced earthquakes, its relative sea level height remained the same. However, it was nearly washed clear of all signs of life, as the tsunamis caused havoc on their way north and out into the Atlantic.

Big Cave cay rose nearly 100 feet and went from a 220 acre island to 410 acres with a maximum height of over 125 feet. It was now known as Seahorse Cay, which came about as its new coastline changed into the shape of a seahorse.

It was purchased by a wealthy European industrialist who built a huge 2200 square metre, self-contained, high-tech, highly secure, eco-home based on the Concrete House II designed by renowned Architects A-Cero from the early part of the 21^st century. He and his family used the property until 2088 when Little Abaco, a few miles to the north-east subsided into the deep Atlantic basin surrounding the bank.