1. "Here he comes!" Vanna whispered to her friends.  They shrieked like teen girls do when their favorite celebrity arrives; their voices part of a massive crowd.  "His limo is landing now," a news reporter said, "and it looks like the entire shell wants to see him."  The reporter laughed from his vantage point on an elevated news dais.  "Look at that crowd!" he commented as the camera panned over the cheers of well wishers.  

2.  A shiny black State limo touched down and the engines quieted to an idle purr.  The side hatch opened and Bri's stately figure appeared, waving warmly from within.  "And there he is," the news anchor at Balipor observed, "representing Vejhon on behalf of the President."  "Actually, on behalf of the Theites," a panel guest amended, "Theos demanded his presence as a condition to signing." 

3.  "It's perfectly natural for kids to excel in nearly anything nowadays," another panelist said, "but Bri's success and influence on the entire shell is truly unprecedented."  "That's a fact," the reporter on location said, "we have some really young people in politics today, but Bri is the first to write a living treaty with Theos."  The anchor interrupted, "For those who don't know, our diplomatic relations with Theos has been sketchy at best -- they perceive us as a sibling colony, and trade has existed for Dans, but a tangible, living treaty between us has never existed until now." 

4.  "That's because Theos' economy is so complicated that it requires holographic layers of clauses and provisions to consummate," a panelist injected.  It was met with a couple of chuckles, "...and I didn't think anything could beat our own Proletariat," a panelist wisecracked.  Everyone laughed in the spirit intended. 

5.  Bri's body guard didn't look older than 12.  "Don't be fooled by the kids," the reporter added, "there's not a shellan in this crowd that those kids can't take down."  "It's actually become a novelty..." one panelist began, "...another novelty..." a different panelist re-qualified.  "...another novelty," the original speaker accepted and continued, "in addition to our #1 Statement..."  It couldn't have been timed more perfectly...

6.  Right on cue, a Psionic Guard emerged from the vehicle, Bri's State-appointed guard.  "Kind of takes your breath away," the Balipor anchor commented.  "That gives you an idea of just how important this treaty really is," the reporter on location said, "Bri has his own Psionic Guard not only because of his popularity, but because of his emergence as a leading statesshellan on terrestrial the interstellar affairs."   

7.  "I heard he was going to be absorbed," a panelist commented.  "For our interstellar audience," the anchor injected, "'absorption' isn't as sinister as it sounds -- it simply means that Bri, because of his prolific efforts in interstellar commerce, could become the property of the State."  "That's not to say 'enslavement,'" a panelist clarified.  "No, definitely not enslavement."  "Well, the Psionic Guards are absorbed," another panelist clarified.  "That's exactly right," the anchor agreed, "they are emblems of the State, and Bri's absorption would have essentially the same meaning, only he wouldn't have any oaths or contractual obligations. 

9.  The reporter began laughing as Bri was given a 10-foot berth by the Psionic Guard; an invisible barrier that pushed the cheering crowds away.  His wavy blonde locks, athletic frame and gleaming smile looked just like a holo star, radiant and genuine.        

10.  The camera zoomed in on a sports logo under his silk shirt.  There was laughter, "Another Shellshocker fan," the reporter commented.  "Bri's schedule is so busy, he doesn't always have time to change his clothes."  The logo disappeared and was no longer visible.  "Theos asked him to dress comfortably," the Psionic Guard said to media personnel within the vicinity psionically.  "We were just touched by the Guard," a reporter confirmed calmly, which was a legal censure.  Nobody disputed the authority of a Psionic Guard.    

11.  As Bri entered the Balipiton, another camera crew took over, and the presentation took on an entirely different tone.  Now it was quiet and reverent.  The theatre's interior had a sensational blend of gold hues, reds, greys and subdued lighting that made the centrally-rotating dais look alien and otherworldly.  It was architecturally soothing and spiritually uplifting to behold.  The Dais was the featured architectural element.           

12.  Bri took his seat on the dais, and something pixilating next to him took its seat also.  It sank into the seat cushion slightly and was greatly distorted.  A reporter on the inside observed, "Theos shares an undefended border with Jol, so it's possible that a Jolvian emissary was invited, since any treaty with Theos would have an affect on Jol."  The anchor added, "We don't experience forced annexation issues here, but Jol and Theos have a lot of colonies that occasionally drift into each others space.  It's been a sensitive issue for some time now."  

13.  The Jolvian restrained his pixilation so that his natural white scales were clearly visible.  The Theites were sheik and elegant in their uniforms.  Bri's party rose to honor their arrival, whose leader, Ambassador D'lan, greeted Bri warmly.  Then he moved to Micha, Bri's Jolvian friend and squeezed the back of his neck as a sign of familiarity.  Micha was a juvenile, so he was not allowed to reciprocate, but stood at attention.  "I see you had a tactical advantage," D'lan directed at Bri while looking at Micha.  "Honestly, Mr. Ambassador," Bri said, "I couldn't have pulled it off without him."  "I'm telling your High Up," D'lan whispered.  Micha grinned. 

14.  There is no way to fully estimate the value of Jolvian reconnaissance and intelligence, and Jol preferred to keep it that way.     

15.  The Ambassador motioned for Bri to sit at the signing table, whereupon the Vejhon-Theos treaty rested.  An SGK served as pen barer for Bri and a Blue Funnel accountant held the pen for D'lan.  Bri's Psionic Guard stood behind him just outside the spotlight, and a saucer jock stood behind D'lan, just outside the spotlight opposite the Guard.  The geomantic positioning was symbolic for both cultures.  Since the event was being holovised throughout Theotia, the Ambassador waited for a cue from his cameraman, and then motioned for the pen barers to present their quills.

16.  Both signed a document in their native language, then traded documents so that signatures appeared on both documents.  They exchanged documents again, shook hands and stood shoulder-to-shoulder for the audience to see.  When the formal signing was completed, President Aqu'Sha of Vejhon, and Czarina Estuses of Theos entered to surprise both delegations unannounced.  It was as if the Goddess Alena had descended from Mount Theistra herself.  "This is unprecedented," the Balipor anchor said in genuine surprise, "The Heads of State of both Vejhon and Theos are in Balipor right now..."

17.  They didn't want to upstage the signing of the treaty until after it was signed.  "We're getting thousands of UFO sightings all across the shell," the anchor said, "SpaceCom has informed us that the saucers are part of Czarina's security detail:  Please ignore them -- they're watching out for Her Majesty like they're supposed to.  Please stop calling the station.  We see them." 

18.  The press switched its attention to Czarina Estuses, who looked like the beautiful Princess in every fairy tale.  "I'm moving to Theos," a technician whispered, "I'm hypnotized."  "See that little light?" the anchor whispered.  The tech nodded.  "That means we're still live..."

IN THE SHADOWS

19. In the shadows and cracks of society where a spotlight is least likely to shine, was the undying sufferance of the Secret Society.  For all intents and purposes, the Society did not really exist.  Then again, very few have dined with the devil and lived to tell about it. 

20. Technically, Bri's exaltation above moral corruption, slander and legal ensnarement was not a threat to the Secret Society since Bri was not a member of the Psionic Guard.  Bri was a product of the government and the government was protected by the Psionic Guard.  Bri was guilty through association and because he declared during an interview that the Psionic Guard Director was God.  That made Bri one of them. 

21. The Secret Society was not against the 'vitality of government' per se -- they understood a need for government.  They were aggrieved at how the Psionic Guard clandestinely infiltrated and disrupted Secret Society affairs.  Only the Guard and the Society were at war, but since the Psionic Guard enforced the mandates of government, the government was viewed as misguided pawn brokers who neither deserved nor understood the power it held.   

GOING HOME

23. "I'll be fine Vicar," Bri said.  He knelt to one knee and asked, "Please bless me."  Vicar Miles gave him a 'Guards-knows-best' smirk and touched Bri's forehead with two fingers.  He felt Miles' energy flow into him, and then arose refreshed.  "I'm off -- don't follow me," he ordered his entourage while pointing at his head, which meant, "Don't follow me psionically either."  His retinue would remain unfocused until his return. 

24. This was the only place on Vejhon where Bri could let his hair down, switch off his popularity and enjoy the solitude.  At his request, the State never mentioned which rainforest he hailed from.  The locals cordoned off his rainforest as a scientific preserve and nobody knew the difference.  Officially, Bri was  touring the outer banks with details to appear on evening news.  

25.  "Promise you'll never besiege my mother with cameras, and I'll give you everything else," he told the media while clutching his crotch for emphasis.  It worked for Kor.  They got the message.  The fantasy tabloids sent every girl's temperature into orbit with the caption, "Bri's Promise."  Nobody attempted to locate or harass El Sha; she could visit them, when she pleased.  Bri kept his word and gave his body and image to all who wanted it:  He became the unofficial poster boy of Vejhon.    

26.  The last mile to El Sha's home was a time of introspection:  During the trek, he shed the weight of two civilizations and liberated himself to do and think whatever he wanted.  This was a welcomed break from political affairs. 

EL SHA

27. The vegitation became thicker as he neared the pantheon lower terrace.  He parted one last curtain of moss-laced vines and there it was, completely hidden until the path ended; "The most beautiful place in the Universe," he said in adulation.   He ran through the garden and up leaf covered steps to the pantheon's main floor. 

28. There she was, like a living Goddess, serene and more beautiful than any other woman in the Universe.  Her glowing countenance and graceful manner made her soft-spoken words deeply hypnotic.  Her face gave light to the stars, and any shellan would give his last breath to defend her.  

29. She smiled expectantly when Bri came into view and held her arms open to invite his embrace.     

30. She was something an artist would have changed his religion to paint:  Her frame in translucent, eggshell silk; thin braided metal belt, matching bracelets, reclined on a stone bench padded with handmade silk pillows.  The surreal tints of luminous green with swaying light and shadows was deeply dreamlike; she had this tantalizing affect on everyone.   

31. Bri hustled across the marble floor and knelt down to lay his head in her lap.    

32. She stroked his hair softly and lovingly.  In that one eternity, Bri felt loved by the God who made her.  "The One was in a great mood..." Bri thought, "... when He made her."       

33. After a faultless moment, she gently lifted his head and kissed his forehead, then motioned for him to sit beside her. 

36. Bri took his clothes off and submerged himself in the cool, clear water.  El Sha smiled in approval, accepting her right to inspect her son's body.  She was the only woman in the Universe who looked upon his nakedness as a report card rather than a temptation; fully aware of the carnal fire that her sons ignited in others.  Precision sculpted instruments are hard to ignore.      

37. Bri drank some of the water as a symbolic communion, and did so every time he visited.   It was an existential way of bonding with his rainforest home.  He also thought of Kor, whose soul was everywhere and probably in the water too.

38. He rose from the creek, shook the water off and dressed himself again.  "More than this place," he thought, "it's mother who makes it beautiful; she makes it larger than life.  She is the breath of the forest, "... sculpted in Uhura's likeness," he thought.  

39. "Do you see Kor at all?" he asked.  He could have read her mind, but it was expressly inappropriate for kids to probe their parents, ever.    

40.  Her face morphed into elegant consternation, an expression Bri had memorized.  

41. She gently shook her head while searching for the right words.

42. "Yes," she said, "He lives within walking distance and he does stop by on occasion...like a ghost."  Most Vejhonians believed that they could communicate with the dead, but she did not mean it in that context.  Kor was very much among the living.  "Sometimes I feel like he's with me," she offered, "But he's really..." the missing word was ambiguous.  Bri understood.        

46. That look was permanently imprinted in his mind.  He grinned; almost chuckling.  El Sha smiled back -- she knew that he wasn't mocking her.

49. "I think he does love me, though."  It was a sobering anecdote.  He had tried to ignore it.  Not a total mood killer; Kor isn't associated with words like 'love.'  'Lust' maybe, but definitely not 'love.'  

50. A mother's love is eternal.  She cared about Kor even though he never visited.  She only caught a glimpse of him now and again.  It was a cruelty that bothered Bri more than her, apparently.     

51. He understood the subtext of what she wasn't saying and bridled his insatiable urge to probe -- there might be more; "Restrain thyself," he thought. 

52. "I don't know what to say, Mother," Bri resigned.  It was a respectful confession of psionic restraint.    

53. She redirected her attention toward an aurora-like discoloration in the watershell.  Bri followed her gaze to the source and stared at it too.  From that distance, the watershell was invisible, except for it's filtering effect. 

54. She replied, "You don't have too, Kor is..." Again, she didn't finish.  The antic wasn't irritating, it was proof of the injustice that Kor inflicted upon those he should have cared about the most.  El Sha and Bri didn't make the grade.    

55. Bri didn't want to torture her any further, "I understand, Mother, I see him even less than you do."  Actually, that wasn't true; he was attempting to empathize.  Typically, when Bri took a little stroll through the forest, Kor would invariably stumble upon him and feign complete surprise. The habit was unbecomming, but consistent.     

56. She knew the volumes that Bri wasn't saying because she had lived those volumes long before the boys were born, yet, nobody knew her story.  Someone knew... but 'someone' wasn't talking, or at least, Bri had presumed as much.

57. She smiled sweetly and allowed her complexion to absorb the swaying light and shadows.  The changes were gentle and timeless here. 

58. Her eternity was everywhere and Bri was content to bask in the moment.  

59. "It’s not this place," he started, but El Sha interrupted him, "untold Brilliance," she parried.  Touché.  

60.  She placed her hands on Bri's strong shoulders and gave him a kiss on the cheek. 

61. “Thank-you,” she said.  She knew his lines just as well as he knew hers. 

62.  "Mother, there's something I've always wanted to ask you," he said matter-of-factly.

63.  El Sha looked into his eyes and gently nodded her head.  Indeed, this departed from the usual:  

64.  "Who's my father?" he asked.  The question had come up before, and the answer was always elusive. 

65.  El Sha looked toward the sky, raised her slender arm and pointed.  "He was from the stars," she answered.  Her pose reminded him of a statue at Balipor.

66.  Always, he assumed that she was being allegorical or evasive, but this time, he finally understood that she meant his father was literally from the stars.

67.  "He said he was a messenger from God, and..."  El Sha turned her gaze back to Bri, "...you are the message."  She tilted her head, smiled and shrugged. 

68.  A thousand thoughts went through Bri's mind because he knew that she wasn't kidding.  He skipped the drama of asking, 'Why didn't you tell me?'  What he wanted to know was much deeper and she knew it. 

69.  Bri looked at her penetratingly and whispered, "What was his name?"  She beamed for moment, feeling 30 years younger.

70.  She hesitated, as if she had promised never to reveal his identity, after all, she had mated to bare children and not to acquire a mate.  There was no danger in finding out 'who' but the delay seemed to say something.  

71.  "There's more..." Bri whispered.  "isn't there?" he said flatly.  He knew that she was holding out on him, and she knew that he knew it.  

72.  "He never told me," she answered, but before Bri could deflate, she added, "I learned his name psionically -- he didn't want me to know it."  She pointed at her head so that Bri interpreted, for the first time in his life, that he was being invited to resolve the mystery psionically.     

73.  Bri cocked his head as he read it from her, "Daniel?... Who's Daniel?"  El Sha pressed her finger against his lips for speaking out loud.  She was suggesting that he not probe further.  "There's great wisdom in not knowing more," she said psionically.  "Does Kor?" Bri asked.  El Sha shook her head "No."

74.  They both became introspective; understanding that the last part of their dialogue never happened.  Psionists are quick that way. 

75.  "Are you a..." Bri started to ask.  She psionically hushed him again and nodded her head, "Yes."  Her mind revealed nothing, just like a...

76.  "You've got to be frackin' kidding me!" Bri realized incredulously as he suppressed an irresistible urge to laugh.  He leaned back on one of the plush oversized satin pillows, grinning ear to ear while staring at the sky.   Yes, of course she had a life before he was born.  Kids forget that their parents were not always parents.  

77.  "Please give Him my regards when you return," she asked.  She flashed The Director's Seal in Bri's mind and buried it.  Only a Psionic Guard could have kept that information cryptic for so many years.  "I can't frackin' believe this..." he said to himself, and wisely perished further contemplation of the matter.  He transposed his disbelief into a pseudo topic and let it drift away.  Somehow, it all made sense to him now.   "Azoth," he sighed deeply, feeling like a tremendous weight had been lifted. 

79.  "Anything else?" he asked anecdotally.  She held his chin for a moment.  He knew too much already. "Give him my greetings too," she added, referring to Kor.  Bri rolled his eyes, wondering what sort of assault Kor had planned for him today... the other reason why he made everyone else stay with the car.  There wasn't a fallen leaf anywhere in Kor's kingdom that he wasn't aware of...