- •I am Courtney Hunter and this is part of my story. It is also a part of the story of all of us.
- •I grudgingly had to admit that Punga was striking, too, not in a pretty way but with the sort of beauty generated by a powerful
- •It was a weighted question and it dropped heavily from a great height because Tap had the advantage of standing and Courtney Hunter did not. That was a great disadvantage.
- •It seems most regrettable.
- •It was Tap's final concession. If Courtney argued, Tap would give the order for termination. We sensed Tap was very cold, shivering, and she knew she needed to lie down.
- •Is this wise?
- •Individual: Percy Dingwall, male
- •Virtually being kept a prisoner. But today falls outside of the usual boss/trainee relationship and so I must insist on a more equal footing, otherwise I wouldn't be interested."
- •I wasn't sure what was going on, but I did know whose side I needed to be on. I sat. A second later, Franz Scheidt lowered his
- •If we are needed.
- •Ian swallowed. We felt his fear. He knew it should have been Rugia Malwala making this report, but she said she was too busy. Ian felt victimized. He was right to feel so.
- •It is fated.
- •I'm dreaming. This is not real.
- •It will strengthen us.
- •It is as we have foreseen.
- •I worried and chafed at the inactivity. I paced restlessly around the dark computer room, watching as stern faces anxiously
- •I felt my heart contract. This was my worst nightmare coming true.
- •It is not possible.
- •It is the only way.
- •It is her weakness and her strength.
- •It was now or never. Courtney steeled her courage, knowing that whether this worked or not, she could get hurt badly. "Wrong again," she stated quietly, lifting her hand and pulling the trigger.
- •It was eight days before Tay tried to communicate. Her eyes fluttered open to see Courtney leaning over her, gently applying ointment to her new skin.
- •It is we who hold the deposed Torgga.
It is we who hold the deposed Torgga.
Our path now lies in a new direction.
Courtney and Tay Tap will show us the way.
So spoke the voices of we Guardians, and all present knew that a new era had begun.
Tay and Courtney remained seated as first the Speaker and then the House officials bowed again and took their leave. "Can you make it back to our rooms?" Courtney asked softly.
Tay nodded, lost in deep thought. "Courtney, what is this Earth weapon that I must watch out for?"
"Alcohol."
"Alcohol!" exclaimed Tay in surprise.
"Rubbing alcohol. I knew from my experience with you that cold bothered you terribly. Haichen told me that the only thing she knew about where you were was that it was terribly hot and dry. I dosed him down good and the heat evaporated the alcohol almost instantly, dropping his skin temperature drastically. He went into shock and passed out." Courtney smiled.
Tay laughed explosively. "Humans!"
From Guardian Courtney Tap's Logs
The events of the last few months have been strange, fearful, and yet wondrous. I have come to a much greater understanding of my planet and a greater love for its people. I have also come to understand, to some extent, the philosophy of an alien people. My people now, too, for I am Tap and the Chosen One. How impossible this would have all seemed on the day I decided to break into Tap's private quarters. The Guardians would tell me that it was meant to be, that my decision was just the Universe unfolding as it should,
no matter how surprising and shocking that might seem to us. I have come to accept that we are star stuff, as is the entire universe. Whether for good or bad, we are part of the same web, the same universal conscience. We have only to listen quietly to understand each other, our planet, and its place in the universe. I hope we can do so before it is too late.
Tamma is the first to be born into a new era. Ahead of her are turbulent and hard times for both her peoples. They must learn that the future, however uncertain, lies in the hands of those who can leave behind the hatreds and biases of the past and move on courageously with open hearts and minds. They must learn to respect this planet and our universe.
Planet Earth struggles for survival. It is a rose lying on the black velvet of space. Its future lies in our understanding of the balance of nature, its resources, and the universe.
From the dark depths of time, turtle watches the rose Earth she created and is sad.