Nineteen - Playing Doctor
As the Firefly sped further and further away, Pheledra began to recollect her energy.
Mandhi, oh Mandhi!
Aramanda appeared amidst a blaze of photons. Wave, Fabby and the two cats were stunned in awe. They were afraid. Aramanda�s eyes were two tunnels of white light which seemed to pull them into another dimension.
"Mandhi, what shall I do? What shall I do?"
"First, calm down."
"Why did you rebuke me? Was it really you? What did I do wrong?"
"There is no time to discuss it now. You must transfer temporarily into fifth density, so you can go back without being seen by the Kultaki. I see a big conflict taking place on board the Kultaki starship. You must materialize back into fourth density right where you were. But, don�t worry, by that time they�ll be too busy to harm you. Pheledra, listen ... something rare and unique is occurring ... an anomoly. I see constructive interaction taking place between opposite polarities. Even now, someone is calling upon you. Listen! Do not allow old concepts to hinder!"
"What do you mean?"
"Perceive! Perceive beyond what you think you know! See to it!"
Even before Aramanda had completely departed into the void, Pheledra was beginning an arc to turn the Firefly around, and at the same time, boosting their energy level to the normal fifth density frequencies.
Nestingwave could look right through his hand. It had been a long time since they had been in fifth density. Experiencing it now, he recalled the bliss he had willingly left in order to serve as an evolutionary lightworker in lower densities. The whole ship swam in ambient light. Even outside space was no longer black but full of pulsating waves that were not only visible but fully tangible even beyond confined senses. With every thought, geometrical patterns of color coalesced. Speech was no longer necessary. He fully knew the mind and soul of his companions at every moment. The long periods spent in fourth density had caused him to become accustomed to strife and struggles totally alien to his normal higher state. When he attempted to use fourth density techniques of focus and control over his thoughts, the effort itself tended to lower the frequency. In fifth, every thought materialized rapidly, unless the energy of it was gently withdrawn or redirected. In the lower densities there was more opportunity for self expression and experimentation, and that held a certain appeal for him, but he quickly put those thoughts out of his mind and settled down to focus on a good outcome for the problems at hand.
Fabby enjoyed the temporary integrated blend of his machine and human parts while Inky and Ginger simply took for granted their enhanced felinity and basked in awareness of their profound ancestral wisdom.
For Pheledra, it was effortless to know Anadia�s soul and intentions completely.
Anadia, Anadia, here I am ...
Anadia, leaning on the sink in the retiring room, lost all fear and opened her soul like a flower. She saw Pheledra�s intentions. She saw her own destiny. It was clear and deep like a quiet pool in the moonlight. She was a child returned home to mother. She knew what she would do and how she would do it. She walked out of the retiring room and headed back to the Physical Healing Center. There were no other Kultaki in the hall.
Most, who were not engaging the astral roach, were already sleeping off the party. She strolled right past the on-duty nurse who was hungrily watching re-runs of the destruction of Miraba. As she passed one of the rooms, she saw a white coat hanging on a hook. She went in and put it on, then rummaged through a couple of drawers until she found a sterile mask. She put that on too.
"I�m going to play doctor," she said.
The lift took her up to the deck where Boots was languishing inside the jar within the glass cage. With her one good hand and arm, she removed the heavy lid, took out the jar and saw Boots gasping for air. She remembered the scratches on her face so instead of removing Boots from the jar, she merely picked up a sharp key hanging from a hook and jabbed holes into the lid.
"This is better for the transport, little one."
Boots was about dead from lack of air and he was so grateful to feel the cool breeze in his lungs. He panted and panted until his color returned.
The down lift took them to the lower deck and into the feasting hall. All was quiet. There, still on the table, was the container with Violet�s parts. She set the jar down and put the few parts that had been dumped out back into the container and looked around.
The two tough looking Kultaki were lying passed out in their own puke. Evidently, they had come back after dragging her to the Physical Healing Center and finished off a few more flagons. She kicked one of them with her foot.
"Hey!"
There was no response.
"Hey asshole!" She kicked him again.
"Huuuh?"
"Hey asshole, get up right now and get your buddy up. You�re going to haul this container over to the transport station.
"Whuuu ... Why?"
"These two spies are being sent out for further study and interrogation."
"Huuuh? ... okay."
The tough looking Kultaki stumbled around trying to get himself together.
"Hurry up!" she said.
"Okay, okay."
He managed to rouse the other one who was equally disoriented.
"Grab that container and follow me," she ordered.
With the jar safely in her good arm, the sterile mask hiding her face and her stump hidden by the white coat, Anadia set off with the two half stoned Kultaki carrying the container. They were right behind her. She headed for the hub of the starship but something was not right.
"Halt!" she said. She closed her eyes for a moment.
Boots was fully alert and amazed that Anadia was walking around inside his head. She seemed to actually care about him.
"Take the lift up a level!"
"Uhhh ... why?" one of the toughies asked.
"Shut up and do as you�re told!" she barked.
He grunted as they walked to the lift. They got off at the next level.
"Turn left!"
"Where are we going?"
"Shut up!"
Anadia led the way directly into His Excellency�s trophy and awards room. She went right to the center of the room where the Galvernian crystal was still over on its side at the edge of the blue velvet pillow.
Boots was thrilled to see his old blue velvet pillow once again. It reminded him of home and better times.
"Get that!" she nodded in the direction of the pillow.
The toughies set the container down and one of them scratched his head. "... the crystal?"
"No, you dunderhead! The pillow!"
"Uuuh, okay. Why do you want that pillow?" he asked, as he tossed the blue velvet pillow into the container with Violet�s parts.
"I am a doctor! If I say I want a blue velvet pillow, I have good reason!"
"Yes sir."
They started out again toward the hub. Again, Anadia felt uneasy. Something was just not right.
... unfinished!
"Stop!" she barked. "Go back!"
The two toughies looked at each other, shrugged their shoulders and followed her back the way they had come.
"Halt!"
They were in front of the ladies retiring room.
"Set that container down!" She pointed to one of the toughies. "You ... come with me!"
She started into the retiring room but he hesitated and said, "uh .. but ... that�s the ladies room. I can�t go in there."
"What! Do you see this white coat?"
"Ye ... yes sir."
"I am a doctor! If I tell you to go into the ladies room, you go into the ladies room. Follow me!"
She angrily pushed through the door with the toughie right behind her.
"See that cushion?" She pointed to a red couch with yellow stripes.
"Huh? You mean that one?"
"That one, asshole! Bring it!"
He picked up one of the striped cushions off the couch and followed her back out into the hall tossing it into the container, shaking his head.
"Follow me!"
�Where are we going now?� the other one asked.
"Wherever I say!" she snapped.
She led them right back into His Excellency�s trophy and awards room, right over to the Galvernian crystal.
"Set the container down! You! Put that red and yellow cushion on that pedestal! Carefully, and I mean carefully, place that crystal on top ... and be sure it�s straight!"
While one of the toughies complied, the other looked puzzled.
"I don�t understand. Why are you doing this?"
"Do you have a medical degree!?"
"N ... no sir."
"Well you slug, there are mysteries you will never be able to understand!"
"Yes sir ... I mean, no sir ... I mean ..."
"Follow me to the hub!"
Lance will never notice, she thought.
When they arrived at the transfer station, fortunately, there was no one else in sight.
"Put that container on the transfer pad and get out of here!"
"Should we write up a report?" one of them asked.
"Write up a report? I�m going to write both of you up for insubordination!"
"No ... please ... no," the toughie whined.
"We�ll see. Now get out of here!"
The two tough looking Kultaki quickly scurried away. Anadia took a deep breath.
She was very weak from the exertion. She placed the jar containing Boots along side the container and stumbled over to the control panel. The horrible pain was burning up her arm. She could barely see the monitor to set the controls. She almost passed out.
Anadia, Anadia ... tell me the coordinates. Pheledra�s thought was a distant echo.
Anadia summoned her last strength. She rubbed her eyes and was finally able to focus on the screen.
Quad ... 9 .... sector 1 ... 4 ... coordinates are ... 1 ... 459 ... 91
Thanks Anadia ... transfer in 10 microns.
She collapsed to the floor and slowly crawled toward the transfer pad. It seemed a billion matons away.
I must go ... I must go ... goodbye Cobi ... my love ...
She drug herself onto the pad next to Boots and lost consciousness.
~
The lights flickered, then dimmed on the Kultaki starship as it began to wobble slightly. Cobishandra was startled.
"What now?"
She had tried to go back and visit Ana but she was gone. Where could she be? She had her suspicions, so she went to check on Boots. When she saw that Boots and the jar were missing, she headed for the hub.
On the way, two soldiers rushed past her toward a down lift.
"Hurry, they desperately need reinforcements!� one said to the other. �He wants us at the power station immediately!"
"What�s going on down there?" the other one asked as they went past Cobishandra.
"That bug is out of control and His Excellency wants us to pop it. Be sure your blaster is set to the correct frequencies."
"Check!"
The lights dimmed once again. Cobishandra paused and looked around. There was a lot of scurrying in the adjacent hallways. Everyone seemed to be very excited. Some were in a big rush. The starship had always been her home. This had never happened before.
She reached the hub and saw the power on in one of the transfer stations. As she drew closer, she saw Anadia, the jar with Boots and the container with Violet�s parts waiting on a transfer pad.
"No!"
She rushed to the pad. Alarms were flashing on the instrument panel. Cobishandra quickly grabbed Anadia and hoisted her up. Without a look back, she went out of the transfer area carrying her across her shoulders.
On the Firefly, Pheledra was pacing. "Something�s wrong! Something�s gone terribly wrong. The coordinates are correct. The power is on. No transfer! Fabby, are you getting any new information?"
"Yes, I�ve got it now! The Kultaki ship is wobbling. His Pestilency was a bit over confident. The astral roach is causing havoc in their power system. When they swing back to the coordinates this time, I�ll be able to follow the undulations and the transfer should occur safely."
A few microns later, the jar with Boots and the container materialized aboard the Firefly. Pheledra immediately grabbed Boots out of the jar and cradled him in her arms, giving him little kisses on his forehead. Boots purred and licked her hand.
"Where�s Anadia?" asked Fabby.
"I don�t know," said Pheledra, �for some reason, she didn�t make it. Could she have gotten scrambled in the transfer?"
"No, not a chance," said Fabby, "alarms would be going off."
Pheledra closed her eyes and concentrated for a few moments. "I can�t pick up her thoughts any longer. Perhaps our shift back to fourth density ... maybe she passed out ... or ... died. I�m so sorry we lost her. She wanted to come over so bad. She was very brave. I don�t know what happened. It would have been a tremendous adventure for her ... and for us. I�ve never heard of any entity in fourth density crossing polarities. It was an incredible anomoly. Fabby, have you ever heard of such a thing?"
"No, Pheledra. Choice for negative or positive spiritual polarity always occurs in third density. It�s the very purpose and meaning of third density existence. There is no record of such a thing ever happening before."
"Ohh," Wave sighed, "will I never ceased to be amazed!" He looked down at the container and shook his head. "Fabby, store this. We don�t have time right now to reassemble Violet."
While Fabby slid the container into a locker, Pheledra retrieved the blue velvet pillow and stared at it. She placed it next to the other cats. Boots meowed and treaded on it to get it just right, then curled up and sighed. It was so good to be home.
Continue on to Chapter 20
PART 1
Introduction by the Author
Prologue
Ch.1-The Mission Ch.2-An Astral Roach Ch.3-The Conspiracy of Light Ch.4-The Kultaki
Ch.5-His Pestilency Ch.6-Brain Storm Ch.7-Feline Processing Ch.8-Red Alert
Ch.9-The Day of Days Ch.10-Empathic Agony Ch.11-Oldtime Melodrama Ch.12-Orange Flies
Ch.13-A Boots Assist Ch.14-Vision Delivery Ch.15-Sudden Capture Ch.16-Cat Torment
Ch.17-The Horror Ch.18-Cobi and Ana Ch.19-Playing Doctor Ch.20-Open to My Soul
Ch.21-Self Sufficient Monkey Ch.22-Total Destruction Ch.23-Alone in Space Ch.24-New Plans
Ch.25-Prepare for Contact Ch.26-Dhati Knows Best Ch.27-Healing and Peace
