Seymore's Interlude

by Franci Neale

  Chapter 22

  Filling in the Blanks

  Geralty landed at Middle Mind without incident; but at first he wasn’t sure where he was. It was definitely an office and there were several desks, all seemed to be in use, but he was alone. There was an inner door though and that told him that this must be Seymore’s office. He opened the door and looked in the next room. It was occupied by The Meddlers and Geralty quickly shut the door before he was noticed.

  Apparently he had landed in the right place. He went over to a table with chairs and sat down, set the envelope addressed to Valentino on the table and waited to see who would find him. He looked around at the big office and admired the handsome wood panels, long shelves of books behind glass and the heavy mahogany desks. There was a very high ceiling with rosettes and two elegant Perspex glass globes hung on brass link chains from the center of each. The high arched windows allowed light to stream in and fill the room. The room felt wise and safe. His observations ended as he heard a door open.

  The three newcomers were laughing and talking and at first didn’t notice him. He wasn’t sure who they were but they seemed to belong here and he guessed they were the assistants that Seymore had talked about. When they finally noticed him, the tallest said, “Hello. How did you get here?” and, before he could answer, he went on, “Coming from a party, are we? You’ve got all kinds of shiny stuff in your hair!”

  Geralty smiled but refused to be embarrassed and said, “Well, yes I did come from a little party. Seymore arranged for me to use his transport marker and he and my friends at ES360 had a little send-off for me.”

  The assistants’ attention quickly focused and they each straightened themselves and smiled and the same tall one said, “You’re Geralty! Wow, we are really glad to see you. We’re your assistants while you’re with us, which we hope will be a good while by the way. I’m Nolan, this is Celic and the short one is Lyric” Geralty shook hands with each in turn, smiling and making sure he remembered their names. Nolan continued, “We were just down at the transition area to see if the holograms we projected were appearing OK and, as luck would have it, they are. We’re practicing so we can easily cast them and send them on to your station. ”He paused and Geralty didn’t know what to say, so he just nodded like Seymore does when he’s not sure what’s next.

  Lyric was a very tall, slender young woman who walked over to him and said, “We could take you on a tour of Middle Mind. You’ve never been here before, have you? ”Geralty quickly answered that he hadn’t and that a tour was an excellent idea, but that he wanted to see Valentino first as he had some personal information and messages for him. Lyric quickly stepped back and looked chagrinned. So Geralty quickly added, “After that I’m all yours and we can tour anything and everything, I hope.”

  Lyric brightened and said, “Valentino was at the transition area, but I could send him a message. ”Just as she said that Valentino walked in the door, instantly recognized who his visitor was and walked over and shook his hand. “We have been looking for you. We got Seymore’s message earlier and this crew has been on pins and needles ever since. I assume you have met your assistants.” He said he had and Valentino said that they were at his beck and call for the entire time he was at Middle Mind. Whatever he needed was their job to provide.

  Valentino gave the three lively assistants an I-hope-you-are-listening look over his half-glasses and guided Geralty over to the front of the office under the big windows to his desk and they sat down. Valentino began, “Seymore is so proud of you and what you have accomplished for ES360.He also said in his message that you are carrying a personal message to give me. ”Geralty went and picked the letter up from the table top and handed it to Valentino. He thanked Geralty for bringing it and went to his desk to slip it into the top drawer.

  Then he said, “I have had a desk and chair set up for you in the front near me so you’ll have a place of your own. ”He led Geralty over to the corner nearest the door to point out an elegant dark cherry desk with a satiny finish and a matching square craftsman rolling chair. The set was not large, but still grand in its own way. Geralty sat in the chair and put his hand on the table palms down. He materialized a green felt desk pad, some pens and a pad of paper. All that practice in the big meadow with Mesa had paid off.

  He looked the desk over and opened a few drawers, turned to Valentino and said, “This is really wonderful. Seymore told me you are a generous, but this is unexpected and really appreciated.” He stood and spontaneously hugged Valentino who seemed both surprised and pleased.

  Nothing went unnoticed by the assistants and their respect for the famous brothers was extended to Geralty as they watched him with Valentino. They knew that their temporary assignment to help in the communications and transfers for ES360 was exceptional and each intended to make the most of it. Any one of them would have loved to change places with Geralty. Next best was working for him.

  Geralty was only vaguely aware of the pedestal that the assistants were building under him and was much more interested in the tour of Middle Mind and completing his own assignments for the benefit of Seymore Place. But he did want to have a good relationship with everyone that he would be working with so he heeded Valentino’s instructions and vowed to make the most of the coming tour and remain level headed.

  He and Valentino went back to the three assistants’ desks at the back of the office and Valentino told them, “Geralty is all yours for a grand tour, but treat him well and bring him back safely because he has important work to do while he’s at Middle Mind. ”Valentino patted Geralty on the back, and with eyes twinkling with mischief wished him, “Good Luck!”

  Geralty waited for a moment as the assistants gathered around him and then simply said, “Let’s go!”

  Celic asked if Geralty could fly. Before he could answer Lyric said, “Of course he can, he’s a Mercury fragment. ”He smiled and told them he could fly but hadn’t for a while so he might be clumsy at first; he didn’t correct them that he was a Mercury pattern not a fragment. There was a difference but it didn’t seem important at the moment.

  They all walked out of the office into a long elegant corridor and out the big doors at the end on to the campus. Geralty was already impressed and said so. Nolan told him, in his best tour director style, “The campus is a collection of architecture and landscaping from academic memories of transitioners as well as those of Seymore and Valentino from their last tour at The Rim. Everyone loves to come here because it was so solid and reassuring.” Celic interjected, “All of us are usually stationed in the transition area of Middle Mind. Being posted, even temporarily, in this area is a real coup for everyone. Then to get to work with someone from the famous station on top of that is stupendous. ”Everyone agreed and again Geralty hardly knew what to say so he simply thanked them and said he was in awe of the place himself.

  They all leaned forward and pushed off to fly low under the old trees following Nolan down a path that lead to the entrance of the Transition Zone. At the entrance Nolan signaled for everyone to land and they settled in a small paved area near the gate. Nolan turned to Geralty and said, “We’re not allowed to fly in the Transition Zone. It’s not good for those transitioning to see such thing ahead of time and most of the transitioners near the entrance just arrived and may not yet recognize that they have shifted out of The Rim.”

  As they walked through the gate, Nolan showed his pass and handed one to Geralty who did the same. Celic said, “We don’t have many guests here. Most are simply moving to arenas where they can make new choices. Everyone in this area is still projecting their individual chosen environment brought with them from The Rim. They will eventually want to move to the next stage. There are a number of different choices and we can’t show you all of them, but we got access from Valentino to show you where Seymore was so successful and to the areas where transitioners leave Middle Mind for parallel positions or support stations.”

 
; It was clear that Celic was well informed. They were using mental communication, but Geralty decided to reply in real sound and see what happened. He asked, “Celic, what are parallel positions and support stations?” Celic didn’t seem to notice the change in communication method but Geralty could tell that Lyric did. Celic easily answered, “Parallel positions are for those who return to Middle Mind after transitioning to play roles and help recreate circumstances that move personalities toward completing their transitions. They are invaluable to the terraformers like Seymore since they add authenticity to the recreations of the transitioner’s environment by actually creating familiar situation that are being evaluated by the individual making a transition .The support stations are sort of like ES360 but none are as creative or inventive as what Seymore has done. Mercury Place and the Psyche Essence are both Support Stations, important ones, and there are lots more. They all have different purposes and are dedicated to supporting The Rim’s pure creativity. As you know, it’s the only place for original creation. Even here we can’t create the full measure of magic that happens at The Rim. Wish we could.”

  Geralty said, “I haven’t been to The Rim, but I had the honor of meeting someone from The Rim and was deeply impressed. ”They looked at him with even more respect. Geralty wished instantly that he hadn’t said that for fear he would be asked to explain about Sarah and he didn’t want to do that and, in fact, would avoid it. He quickly changed the subject.

  “How do you know where a transitioner is in the process? Do they tell you?” He really was quite curious about transitioning as it was a vital function to the entire support system. Lyric said, “A transitioner is moving through when they give up their Rim image either all at once or in stages and can levitate. It’s really obvious and as soon as that happens they naturally gravitates to the area where Valentino and Seymore do their incredible work. Or at least they used to. When Seymore left, a group of his personal assistants took over the terraforming and Valentino is still the oversight for the parallels and returning personalities. ”She stopped and they all walked along in silence and Geralty took in everything in the busy area.

  Nolan said, “Seymore is often missed here. He has incredible abilities and enormous personal powers. They are going to add at least two more assistants to the team that took his place. I’m hoping to be one of them.”

  Geralty didn’t say anything. He was not sure what to make of Nolan’s ambitions, but he was again deeply impressed with the reputation and standing of his mentor. He looked at Lyric and she seemed to understand his thoughts. He smiled and she gave him a fleeting glance that said he was right.

  The group was walking at a fair clip and it wasn’t long before they left the initial transition area behind. Ahead was an enormous panorama of every sort of terrain; mountains, meadows, lakes, shore lines and every manner of house and building. They were standing along a concrete ledge with a strong railing that was an observation area. The view stretched for what seemed an eternity and was in places curling in on itself and changing. Geralty asked “What is this?” Nolan answered, “This is the current terraformations that are being used to complete transitions. Everyone here has shed their image and now can levitate in order to move from place to place. At this point the personalities are essence with no image of any kind. The scenery is designed and redesigned to accommodate their mental images and situations that are being cleared up and understood so the individuals can move to the last stage of making a new choice .When a new choice is completed an image will be expressed. This is one of my favorite places. I can stand here forever watching the changes being created by the terraformers. I think it’s wonderful!”

  Geralty was also impressed and understood a great deal more about Seymore’s remodel of the cottage and his collaboration with Mesa in creating the beach house area. He was now pretty sure that he had the best position anywhere in the Support System.

  They continued for a long time walking slowly along the railing and watched storms, volcanoes, car crashes, and all manner of events being formed and reformed for the invisible transitioners. Eventually, Celic said, “Let’s move on. There are lots more to see.”

  Geralty had had enough as well and turned with Lyric to follow Celic. Nolan could hardly drag himself away from the terraforming, but finally caught up. He asked, “Where do you want to go next, Celic?” and without pausing said, “I choose R&R.”

  Geralty said, “What are the options? ”Lyric piped up and said, “Besides R&R we can go anywhere but to Support Service since they are always at the various

  Support Stations not at Middle Mind. Or you can choose Selection Services, Preservation, Orientation and Reorientation.”

  Geralty looked at her and said in sounds, “I’ll tell you what. You tell me what all those places are and I’ll choose.” She smiled and just like Sarah she was instantly prettier. She began, “Well, R&R is Recap and Records where those who are finished with the transition process go to review and re-establish where they are in relation to their chosen purposes. They record the progress they have made and how they made it. It’s quite easy as they have fully clarified their experience in the transition processes before they reach R&R.

  “When they have done that, they can go to Orientation to train to be a Parallel and return to Middle Mind transitions to help others do what they have just completed. Or they can choose Reorientation to prepare for immediate return to The Rim; not so many of those right now, and we’re not sure why. Selection Services is for those who are either permanently or temporarily by-passing both Middle Mind and The Rim and choosing positions at stations where vacancies are available and there are usually lots wanting to move to entirely new environments. Selection Services is just a chance to review what’s available and ask for either a chance to audit or request a placement; sort of an employment agency for the Support Stations.

  “Sometimes a few bypass R&R and to go Preservation. We haven’t had one of those for a long time so it’s basically inactive and just a storage place for what’s been saved. There are some transitioners who have completed a purpose or they have reached such creative levels that it is essential to preserve everything about their achievements. All the data and examples are retained at Preservation.” Lyric looked at Geralty and waited to see what his choice would be.

  “That’s a lot to choose from, but I choose Preservation. I understand there’s nothing going on there, but I’d like to see what has been saved. ”His three companions all looked slightly surprised and couldn’t completely hide their disappointment. Geralty turned to Lyric and said, “Lead on!”

  She quickly turned around and they walked to the beginning of the terraformations area and then took a path up through a grove of alders that reminded Geralty of the alder woods at Seymore Place. For a brief moment he was homesick. After a short distance an impressive, flat, round adobe building was visible. It was solid, quiet and almost seemed to float in the wooded atmosphere. They went to the entrance and it was open. It led to an inner court yard that had a few stone benches and a collection of fabulous alabaster sculpture. Looking around the edge of the court yard there were 12 separate sides each had a floor to ceiling window facing the courtyard that allowed for a clear view of the contents of each section.

  Geralty moved to one of the windows and looked in to see a wall of books and records and a few miniatures of great machines. He didn’t recognize any of them or know what they were for. In the next window he saw more records and fabulous paintings sitting on and around easels. All of the windows revealed an amazing collection and library of samples and displays of concepts, invention, philosophies and talents.

  They were the only visitors. No one had said a word since they had entered the path to the building. Geralty, using sound now exclusively, said, “Why is no one here using this fabulous treasure house? ”There was no immediate response and suggested no one knew the answer. Lyric finally spoke and said, “These are all from what at The R
im is called The Past. We don’t know what that is so we aren’t able to make anything of it. No one has yet figured out what to do with The Past. It’s one of those magical things that The Rim has created that we are still trying to figure out so we can take advantage of it.”

  Geralty thought for a few minutes then said, “I see, then let’s go to R&R and see if there is something there to learn and use to our advantage.” Everybody laughed and they all turned and hurried out of the silent storehouse; but Geralty took one last, long look. There was something about The Past that intrigued him. And it always would.