Adobe .pdf - Notes from An Alien

was doing what Morna did best, drawing deductions from their conversations and offering her
analyses. As Angi dipped below the horizon, Morna spoke:
"Xela, you are waiting for Pallos to rise, and Velu is waiting for Beli, and I am waiting for your
conversation to wander toward discussion of the various religions. I will help you. Velu, what do
you know of religion?"
"There is too much and not enough of it."
Xela chuckled as she said: "Velu has differentiated between the outer forms of religion and its
internal essence, Morna. What will you say to that?
"I observed religious fervor in the Haria on ShipOne and have studied what your people believe,
which includes more rationality than the Lord's Army or Faith of Eternity. I was also able to
observe Akla and the Narians. Akla seems to have an even more evolved ability to travel the
plasma communication paths than Velu or Zena. I predict a physical war between the Lord's Army
and Faith of Eternity within two years. Religious war is the most contradictory manifestation of
any outward form of religion. Your Disciples of Faith leave room for many outward expressions of
their belief. Akla and the Narians are a puzzle I have yet to assemble."
Xela laughed softly again: "Morna, your normally perfect logical progression in your speech has
become infected with our propensity to follow emotional paths."
"I am trying to relate to you."
Velu giggled and said: "Morna, who designed you?"
"A scientist who was killed shortly after I became functional. Her name was Trulen Gestor."
"That explains it, then. You and my father were meant to find the key to successfully conquering
this planet yet you both have become agents for unification of our Worlds, father through dying
horribly at the hands of the Protectors of the Lord's Army and morphing into a legend and you by
having internalized my father's character and personality. I believe that scientist knew exactly
what she was doing with you. The Angans needed inside information and they needed someone
who could get you to the right place to find it. They also made sure you were nearly indestructible
so, no matter what happened to my father, the information would be available. The Angans will
do whatever they can to retrieve you. But I think they'll fail. The fact that you got what they
wanted without ever meeting an Anlan priest is the most interesting thing of all."
"You will very much like Akla."
Velu looked at Xela's dark form against the starry sky and hoped for her response. Xela sighed
deeply and said:
"Velu, your Angan leaders are more insane than any Purum priest and your World's people are
much worse off than any devout believer of the Lord's Army or Faith of Eternity. They might be
killed in a senseless ritual to appease a perverted concept of God but they die with a trace of faith
in their hearts that can't help but serve them well in the Life Eternal. Your people, Velu, are dead
every day of their lives and die in absolute estrangement from the spiritual realm."
"There were the Haria on Anga but they're almost all gone. What the priests think is happening
with their concentrated use of plasma communication isn't. Anga has trained cells of people to
mimic the reception of the priests' efforts. Most die in the process."
Xela clutched Velu's shoulders: "Is this your best guess, Velu, or are you seeing these things?"
"I'm seeing them."
Morna, as usual, summed-up: "Xela, it appears the Angans, your Params, are becoming
viciously desperate. And, Velu, it appears you are growing in what you call spirit much faster than
we thought was possible."
"Morna, you know I have no desire to avow any particular religious claim but I feel like I'm
beginning to experience what folks call visions."
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
Beli-Pallos, with its visible plasma sheath of purple streamers, began its rise.
Xela said: "Our Mother Planet has been said to inspire religious experience, Velu."
"It's the plasma glow, Xela. It gives the conscious mind a reason to let the unconscious flow
with the ever-present, invisible plasma."
"Can you tell if Pallos' moon has life?"
"We will go there."
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