Adobe .pdf - Notes from An Alien

Delva read the message and pocketed it.
Mother and daughter were silent.
Anglana spoke:
"She wishes to enlist you in the Independents' cause."
Mura stared at her mother and said:
"That was the life-from speaking again?"
"The life-form's name is Anglana."
"Seems appropriate. People say she owns the planet."
"Mura, Anglana is the planet."
Another silence...
Mura offered:
"I went into hiding after father died."
"I knew you had dropped out of society. It makes me happy that your father's death was the
reason."
"How have you been doing?"
"I've suffered from the absence of Verluin but Anglana is trying to teach me a way to connect
with him."
"Connect...?"
"We share a healthy dose of religious skepticism, Mura. Your father was devout to the end but
he always showed extreme rationality. Oh! I forgot. Morna?"
"Yes, Delva. You have a beautiful daughter."
"Morna, introduce her to your son."
"Mura, meet Rednaxela."
Rednaxela said:
"Mura, I should warn you that you're in the presence of two intelligent AIs, a very wise woman,
and an unfathomable mystery called Anglana. Share your thoughts with caution."
Mura burst into laughter.
Delva began to cry.
Their conversation continued for four hours.
As the light of Angi gave way to the glow of the Mother planet, Mura said:
"Mother, I'm feeling like I've totally wasted my life."
"What would you do to redeem it?"
"Can I stay here?"
"You're welcome to do that, I'd treasure getting to know you again, but you need a new plan, a
fresh goal to shape your actions."
"You've already taught me the worth of the Worlds' present form of government and the
weaknesses of the Independent Movement. And, you've hinted that you know of ways to foster a
new form of peace that would completely do away with war and violence but, from what I can
gather, it would take a very long time."
"Yes, longer than I have left to live."
"How long, mother?"
"Anglana says two years."
"Then I'll stay with you and learn from you."
"Mura, you barely know Anglana but I must ask, do you trust her?"
"It makes me doubt my sanity but I have to say yes."
"Then let yourself incorporate some of Anglana's essence. She assures me that you have powers
within you that are buried under the waste from your impetuous life-style. You're naturally
intelligent but you have the capacity to pass far beyond the combined intelligence of your father
and me. Anglana says you also have powers that Verluin and I lack."
"Mother, it sounds like you think father is still alive."
"In a way he is—in my heart. Anglana thinks it's more than that and she's been extremely
patient with my lack of faith."
"Faith?"
Morna chimed in with:
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