Adobe .pdf - Notes from An Alien

6 ~ Mercy
The activities of the Worlds' Council's first years were taken up with assuring the implementation
and guiding principles of the Territorial, Regional, and Local Councils. The more arduous tasks of
setting boundaries, dealing with trade and commerce, instituting Worlds' Law, and developing a
Worlds' Protective Force took more years.
During this time, two most critical parallel developments were occurring:
Pockets of dissent were cropping up.
Delva was growing up.
Velu, Zena, and a few others expected dissent to eventually develop even before the general
populace's assent to the new governmental arrangements. It was one thing to be in a state of
hopeless confusion and welcome what appeared to be a solution. It was something else to watch
the new arrangements being developed and wondering how to grab a piece of the power.
Delva decided, when she reached her fifteenth birthday, that she would become the Worlds'
Mediator—the person who traveled widely and negotiated wisely to help the Worlds' Council
maintain peace and further both Worlds' regeneration and prosperity.
Delva's parents were fully convinced she was up to the task. They also knew she had quite a few
years of growing and travel to accomplish before she approached the Worlds' Council.
Delva, her parents, and Morna began a program of visiting each of the 406 Local Councils and
living with them for a month. Some welcomed them with open arms, some gave Delva no end of
opportunities to develop her skills in negotiating. By her thirty-forth birthday, she had
accomplished this first goal. There were now more than 406 Local Councils, due to more cities
and towns being brought back from collapse, but she felt word of her abilities would spread to the
new Councils, and, hopefully, influence their operation, so she set out to accomplish her second
goal—obtain a written recommendation from each Regional and Territorial Council that she could
present to the Worlds' Council. This goal was achieved in one year.
At their final destination, the Beselima Territorial Council's headquarters—on the former
corporate planet, Anga-Param—Delva and her parents had an historic conversation. The only
record of this was in Morna's electro-plasma mind.
"Mother, tell me again about your visions during my birth."
"Delva, you've asked me that so many times. You think there's still more to be gleaned from the
symbolism?"
"I do."
Zena cradled his daughter's hand and said:
"Dearest, you still amaze me."
"Father, you still downplay what you and mother have given me. Apart from being loving and
encouraging, you were the ones who caused the plasma storm that gave me my mental and
emotional powers."
"Caused is too strong a word."
"Only if you define cause too narrowly."
Velu cradled her other hand and said:
"Akla was the cause."
"So you believe."
"So I believe."
"Mother, you've had a great trial all these years putting up with a husband and daughter who
don't share your religious beliefs."
"Trial? No. Blessing."
"Your ability to see challenges and emotionally nettlesome situations as blessings is still
something I find truly amazing."
"Such is the power of Akla's spirit."
Delva stood and walked to the window. After what seemed an eternity, she turned and said:
"Tell me again, mother."
Velu stood, took Zena's hand, pulled him up, walked to the table, and beckoned Delva to sit.
"Delva, you've consulted with scientists, farmers, priests, writers, lawyers, cooks, artists,
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