pdf file - Notes from An Alien

Honor
Alunur found a resting place on Anla-Purum in what had been called the Unholy Lands and was now
Aklana. Being surrounded by Aklans wasn't as bad as he'd feared when his contact had told him where to hide
next. This Territory remained in most minds as a place that was either unspeakably glorious or mind-numbingly
dangerous. Either reputation sufficed for Alunur's purpose—avoid Independents.
The daily life of the family he was staying with was so normal that he wondered why people so often
attributed miraculous powers to these people. They did pray in the morning before beginning their daily routine
but the routine was, well, routine. The father kissed his wife and headed out to the mining facility; the mother got
her children ready for school then rushed off to the university for her classes in history; the children went to
school, came home and did their homework, went out to play, and returned before dark to be loved by the
mother and father. Yes, they did pray again before sending the kids off to bed. But the reputation of Aklans being
some rare form of spiritual beings wasn't apparently true. They were merely good people. Good people who took
him in and made him feel welcome. Good people who without trying made him feel protected.
Alunur spent the first weeks just recuperating from the harrowing passages he'd navigated in the past
two years. Staying one step ahead of dangerous Independents was easy with his financial resources. The uneasy
and exhausting part had been acclimating to environments where his status as rich and educated mattered not a
bit. He was humbled, confused, distraught, and witheringly tired.
The Besul family were a healing force just by their acceptance of his need to quietly sit, eat, sleep, and
sketch. One day, with out premeditation, he'd asked for a pad and pencil. He was surprised he had artistic ability.
He'd thought his talents were studying, writing, and negotiation.
His passion about hiding his new creations was eventually penetrated by the youngest child's persistent
unveiling of her own efforts in drawing. After each presentation of another of her self-proclaimed masterpieces,
she would beg him to show her his sketches. He eventually did.
Mother Besul was the first to rank his work as genius. The children couldn't grasp the reason for her
excitement but they did like his work. Father Besul was calmer than his wife but insistent that he be able to
contact an artist of his acquaintance who could help Alunur become recognized.
“Mr. Besul, I can't become known for anything.”
“Alunur, when will you finally call me Taliv? But no matter, we accepted you here because you're a child
of God in distress. We hadn't expected the testimony of Anglana to your trustworthiness but I still don't
understand how a man who appears out of nowhere, who has wealth but seems a natural recluse, can receive the
blessings of Anglana.”
“She recommended me for a job once. I had to escape attention because certain people didn't like a
decision I'd made. Mr.— I mean, Taliv, I'm hiding from the Independents.”
“Whew...”
“Yes, I was, well, in an influential position and the Independents were counting on me to make certain
things possible for them. I realized that, if I did, my entire holdings would be wiped out. In fact, a large portion of
the Worlds' wealth would have been obliterated. Before I left my job, I gave the authorities the names of key
individuals, people since arrested and under constant supervision. Still, those people have many friends...”
“There used to be a Council member named Alunur, but his last name wasn't Pelv.”
“Taliv, I'm who you think I am.”
“My, my... You poor soul.”
Taliv told Alunur he would make very private inquiries about a possible resolution of the situation. He
assured him that, if things worked out, he might be able to live a less restrictive life. He didn't tell him that the
inquiries were about how to communicate with Mura.
Mura and Verta were slowly approaching Aklana. They had been summoned by the Aklan Council of
Justice but were instructed to visit certain localities on their way.
Their visits over the last three years had brought deep satisfaction to Mura. She could see that people,
even those with no interest in an organized religion, were willing to discuss moral issues and were extremely
open to the need for a general awareness in the citizenry of the Onenesss of all people. They readily saw that