She saw a few moments later as her parents climbed out of their biopods, and both Beverly and Daniel wept. There was their daughter, as beautiful as she could be, and glowing more brilliant than the sun. When the light wore away, she was a six-year-old girl who looked like the darling six-year-old girl she was always meant to be. No longer was she the apparent victim of a cruel disease, but her hair had returned, her eyes emphasized the beauty of her facial features, her frame was healthy and strong, and she no longer carried herself as if in constant pain. They then picked up on their neural link and began to talk to each other within their minds, and they knew she was one-hundred percent healed.
“Would you like to choose a tech city to call home? Or would you like to stay on Earth? Or would you like to keep your home on Earth, while trying out the different views in the tech cities throughout the solar system as your whims suggest?” asked Eliza.
“If possible, we would like to stay here, serve, and perhaps visit the tech cities on special occasions. We’d like to learn how to control our glow, of course, but we would like to assist you in your efforts here on Earth if that is okay?” said Beverly.
“Of course, what you choose to do now, is your choice alone to decide on. We can guide you, we can answer questions whenever you have them, but the greatest learning comes from freedom. As far as the glow is concerned, we all are learning how to control the glow. It takes time and focuses. Most people in public won’t see it, however, because they do not believe it is possible. The mind is interesting in that regard. I am proud of your choices, Beverly. Daniel and Erin, she speaks your minds as well. I can tell. All three of you are now fully read-in members and citizens, and as such you may continue to live in your home in Kearney, and you will have quarters anywhere you wish, accessible via the various jump gates in each of your rooms, with access to any location with similar gateways that you wish to go to or visit. This means, you also can take weekend vacations to the Bahamas in a snap, or head to the tech cities on the Jovian moons, the moons of Saturn, and on out to Pluto and even the Oort clouds. Believe me, the view of the Milky Way is quite a sight from out there.
“Amber, will you please show them to their Pathway guest quarters, first? I’ll have James introduce himself to them there shortly, and he will show them what needs to be done. You will have freedom, yet, Beverly and Daniel, there are also a lot of things that need to be done in the real world to ensure our civilization is worthy to head out into the Cosmos. You will now have affluence and influence, but I encourage humility always.
“I hope you know that I have made sure that the finer things of life are available in the tech cities, but as you are already aware, with optimized physiological and neurological capacities, a humble life and the challenges that come with it are actually quite savory, especially as we learn to overcome them. We also want to make sure that we preserve life, rather than leave desolation in our wake, so we will each do what we can to help others, as well as have a positive influence on the world around us and find kindness in how we approach others.”
With that, Eliza and Yesha smiled, hugged everyone, and left the room, and, Erin for a small moment missed Eliza and Yesha. She was rather enjoying their company. She wasn’t sure what to say, how to react, or how to feel. Somehow, clarity came rushing in, and joy took over.
“Don’t worry, Erin, you can talk to me whenever you want to.” Eliza linked with her, this time in the real world, and mind-to-mind. Erin thanked her mentally and then drifted back.
Amber showed Erin, Beverly, and Daniel too and through their Pathway guest quarters, which were actually quite spacious, with twenty biopods in what seemed to be a group interface. She then showed them each of their office rooms, master bedrooms, large bathrooms with a shower and a Jacuzzi in each one, a large, spacious, and beautiful kitchen, and twenty computer terminals and keyboard interfaces. There were a lot of other features that brought awe and amazement.
“Why twenty?” asked Erin, looking very much like the six-year-old she was, but with an obvious sense that she was wise beyond her years.
“As you run missions, do studies, quests, and journeys you will find friends who are ready for this training and an increase in physiological and neurological health and capacity as well. There is so much to do, so the more we have working with us to get things done…”
Erin interrupted, “…The sooner we can get those things done and journey through the Cosmos. Awesome! I knew that, but it was nice hearing someone else say it.” Erin sighed, “It is so wonderful being around people who are caring, loving, innovative, and compassionate. I never knew I could be so happy and at peace. Thank you, Amber, for everything.”
There was a balcony which overlooked a beautifully flowered forest, with more animals, reptiles, insects, and birds of every sort than one would typically imagine which were actually communicating mind-to-mind with each other. They had all been optimized to become sentient and were kind to each other and humanity.
Erin, Beverly, and Daniel could now pick up on their conversations, and they grew more obvious merely by focusing their minds on them. No longer were they predator versus prey, they were friends of each other and friends of humanity as well. On occasion, one would apologize to the other for being a part of the cruelty that led to the death and dismemberment of their friend’s ancestors for the sake of engorging their bellies for the next winter. The other would sigh in a dramatic manner, then chuckle, saying, “Hey, that’s how Nature created you. I’m only glad we have both transcended our nature and we can now see each other as deserving of life, just like the other.”
Erin combed Amber’s mind, and she could tell that she came here to visit often. She also knew that as requested or if ever in need, she would come to help or even check in on Erin.
Everything was clear to Erin as to what she needed to do, and she wanted to get to work on her part of the future right away, and on whichever project or mission James had in store for her. But, Amber let her know that even though she had the intellect of a timeless genius, she was, in fact, a six-year-old in the real world, and there were labor laws. Nonetheless, she could volunteer to do research or explore and help for self-development and although there would be missions and quests for her, there was no problem with her practicing in labs at her leisure, visiting the animals in the forest, or periodically visiting some of the people Eliza would eventually identify as future zonal commanders of the Intergalactic Mission Contingency Command Spacecraft zonal regions. Many of whom still had no idea that they had already been selected, contingent upon their choices, their actions, their perspective, the kindness, and their love of life.
“Come with me,” said Amber.
Erin followed Amber, as they walked down the stairs from their balcony and came upon a cow. “Her name is Chloe,” Amber explained.
“How are you?” asked Chloe.
“Hi,” said Erin giggled like a little girl, the little girl she was, somewhat surprised.
“You are high,” asked Chloe, a white cow with black spots, as she mooed in a manner that suggested that she was chuckling. “I’m kidding with you,” Chloe had the humor of the average small-town socialite. She continued, “Seriously, it is very nice to meet you, Erin.”
Erin then remembered to use her neural link, to make it so that Chloe didn’t have to read her lips, “I could tell from afar that you could speak to the other animals and creatures, but, you can actually speak to us too?” asked Erin.
“Of course, I can. We’ve tried to for many millennia, but thank goodness to Eliza, now we can. Is there anything you would like to know or are there any questions you might have?” asked Chloe.
“I have a question,” said Amber. “I figured out a way to grow steak with hair follicles from some of the most savory of cattle, I mean Cows, out there in Nebraska. I know, I know, I know, it may sound mean, cruel, and crazy to eat a steak now that we’re friends, but I found out how to savor the delicious taste without ever having to see one of your brothers ever
chopped up again. Do you mind? What do you think, Chloe?”
“Moooooo! Mooohooo, moooo!” Chloe laughed in the usual way that a cow would laugh, and then she said, “I don’t mind. Honestly, I understand the old ways of the ecosystem, and how all of that works. While I love grass, you enjoy eating a delicious sirloin steak or a New York Strip steak, and I actually kind of find it funny. You’ll be eating re-encoded hair follicles, which have been re-infused as sirloins and strips. You’ll be eating my brother’s hair, so I don’t mind. It sure beats the heck out of seeing one of my brothers die so you can have a nice meal. You don’t know how long that tormented me, although I was a milk cow, and that was torture enough. Now, just one cup of milk every now and then and you can fashion a billion gallons of fresh and healthy pro-biotic milk, yogurts, butter, cottage cheese, all manner of other cheeses, and more. I can’t complain. I hope you enjoy it! It comes from a good place.
“How was your trip to the Virtual Universe, Erin?” asked Chloe the Cow.
“It was more amazing than anything I have ever witnessed, and the journeys were more exhilarating than anything else in the entirety of my six years of life. Now, what I need to do is focus on my studies, so I can go through school in the real world, like a normal girl. However, I kind of know everything they’re going to teach, and would like to jump through and finish now, especially since in the Virtual Universe I have like five Ph.D.’s! But, I’m a six-year-old girl here, so I understand I have to wait. I might as well learn from you from time to time if that is okay?”
“Oh, of course, but keep in mind, James may actually have a mission or two for you every now and then, too. There are times when you will find that there are jobs that you are suited for better than anyone else. No matter your mission, quest, or journey, you’ll still need to experience the real world in real-world time, at least for now. So, think of going through first grade and the other years of school as being an undercover student, at least until you can become an emancipated minor. Once that is the case, you’ll be able to work just like your parents, and wherever you wish. You are extremely intelligent, but I am sure you can imagine all of the boys and girls now in school that are your age who have no idea about Eliza’s inventions and who would benefit from a wonderful friend, tutor, healer, and mentor throughout schooling, such as yourself.”
“I can see. That makes sense completely. If I were in their shoes, I think I would have loved to have a friend in my life, much like I have become now. After learning from twenty-million minds, I know there are those who suffer without saying anything. Still, the signs will be clearer than ever before, that I might need to help them, and quite possibly, use this new-found genius and help their families as well. Thank you, Chloe. I guess we’ll see each other soon, won’t we?”
“You can visit me any time, my dear. I won’t be aging anytime soon, so if you need me, just link and I’ll answer.”
After their conversation, Erin returned with Amber to their quarters and there was James. Erin had to swallow a couple of times, he was a handsome man, and her now mature mind, a mind that had now experienced many years knew what a handsome man was. He saw her, recognized her for the brilliant mind she had and respected her for an angelic six-year-old child that she was, waived, and kindly motioned for her to follow him. He took her into the living room, where her parents were sitting and waiting for her to arrive and began to do what he did best.
“You are a psychologist by trade, Beverly, you will have many missions to that end, and you will find it both fulfilling, a deep sense within of joy, and your clarity grow as you engage in what must and can be done to create a variety of Virtual Universe environments that will assist in our creation of what we will call the Correctional Matrix. In time, you will meet many amazing individuals, all of whom will be leaders of change, leaders of the beauty of the mind and its capacity to grow to a fuller potential, a potential of meaning, purpose, bursting with fulfillment. You will work closely with many toward the goals of training, coaching, and mentoring many who were once lost in toxicity to a quickening of the virtues reticent of a powerful and loving being themselves, nurturing a civilization capable of preserving the life-giving qualities of our Universe, by helping it to breathe, rather than exhale alone.
“Beverly, this matrix will be an environment that will afford people who have been exposed to the worst environmental conditions or who have made unhealthy choices that led to their criminal and unfortunate acts, a necessary change, leaving themselves and many more who have become victims of cruelty and injustice with a chance to learn from their mistakes and to move forward as healthy, helpful, powerful, visionary, and kind members of society. This will be different from what we know now as prison; this will allow someone who has been a victim of toxicity themselves to learn, to grow, and to become the decent human being they were always meant to be, capable of love, capable of kindness, capable of benevolent forms of confidence, knowing they are loved, possessing remorse for life and of showing dignity and respect toward others, while earning the reciprocal respect of others every step of the way. It will also provide them, through these experiences, the clarity of how their ingenuity and vision can help advance and preserve civilization while allowing them to rejoice in the efforts of others Universe-wide.”
James then turned to Daniel, who listened with eager intent to someone who he held in high esteem. Daniel had seen his journeys and his accomplishments through the minds of every citizen of Pathway. He was someone who had a genuine heart of gold. Daniel had also seen the love that Eliza had for him, the kind that James alone was growing to understand and reciprocate.
“Your work is with animals, Daniel, which is an interesting career indeed, but you know something special about them, you know they have each matured through Nature to possess qualities that are a part of this equation that will lend to our Universe’s first breath. You will have an opportunity to study every species of animal throughout the world and within the oceans, no matter the depth. You have been physically altered in such a way, because of your intense propensity for love, so as to be able to withstand pressures of any sort, because, we have so much to learn in order to benefit from each other, so we can work to increase each other’s’ abilities to enjoy this world and this Universe together. Doing this, we will become an advanced civilization that preserves life and brings beauty and abundance to the Cosmos, with the ability to adapt to any and all environments we find ourselves in, while also enjoying them in a fuller manner. In this way, life will be rich and full of beauty and love for all.
“Erin, you are still young, but you have a very wise mind, however, there are a lot of children out there who still suffer. I presume Chloe has already talked to you about this, but, I am assigning you to work with different children in your own school, at least to begin with. Eventually, and in the same day, you’ll be able to attend many different schools, while having the advantage of helping many people relatively near the same time. This will help you to multi-task your abilities, your attention, and bring clarity to your situational awareness, which will be very necessary when you engage in your big goal, to be the ultimate historian of our world and eventually our Universe. There is much more that burns within you, and you will achieve so much more, but for now, this is your main goal. You will have an alibi since you can easily convince those you know that the healing processes were a success and since you are so young, living in a smaller town, most won’t allow their minds to process, conceive of, or notice the miracles that took place with your healing. They will remember your vibrant spirit and appreciate you more than ever. In time, they will see the beautiful person you truly are, just as they already feel you are. Within your own home in Kearney, there will be jump gates that only you, your parents, and the children you are assigned to work with will be able to access. You will be able to register for travel to any location necessary by using your neural identification.
“Everyone, here are your dossiers,” James explained everything in detail, sending
them each a compartmentalized neural package through their neural links.
“Is everyone ready?” James smiled, bowed, and left them each with a dossier to pore over with the more finite details for their missions, and then like that, he was gone.
Erin studied more closely the details of her dossier, and she realized that both she and her parents would still be living in Kearney, but with quarters available both in Massachusetts and in any luxury tech city suite they wished to visit. The first suite they would recognize as a tech city home was located on the frozen nitrogen and water crust of Triton, one of Neptune’s fourteen publicly-discovered moons. The environment created within the bio-dome was of four gentle yet identifiable seasons, like those experienced on Earth, with the beauty and cleanliness expected of any perfect city, and within each tech city was every single amenity anyone could ever ask for.
She and her parents, who now looked like twenty-two-year-old versions of themselves, professionally groomed, handsome and pretty, right away decided to check it out. They went through the jump gate in their Melrose campus living quarters, setting the parameters using their neural links and identifications as trained and found themselves in their domicile on Triton. She followed shortly behind. It was beautiful looking out at Neptune, as Triton went around the planet in retrograde orbit and the magnitude of it all was breath-taking and different from anything Erin had ever seen before in the nighttime skies, at least in the real world, which was remarkably beautiful in its own way.
Further than Before- Pathway to the Stars Page 48