GAIA

by Morton Chalfy

  Obediently he followed her out the door and helped keep the flowing fabric from dragging along the floor. Maeve led him to a sun-filled workroom of large, wide cutting tables and an array of sewing machines arranged around the walls. There were five or six people working at various places and constantly coming and going in a way that made it hard to take a good count. At one point a worker came in from an adjoining room followed by a robot cart carrying multiple rolls of fabric. On command the robot measured the required length off a roll and neatly sliced it across and held it out to the worker.

  “Impressive set-up,” commented Lucas. “Not much privacy, though.”

  “Privacy later, work now,” said Maeve and sat at a machine with an oversized work table and a long-armed sewing head. She set to work carefully running up the seams she had pinned and creating pleats. Lucas watched with interest as she expertly operated the machinery.

  “You're pretty good at that,” he said.

  “I should be. I've been at it since I was eight.”

  While she worked she spoke to the other sewers about the state of their projects. “Remember we only have a week to finish everything before we have to pack it all up and ship it off.”

  “Slave driver,” came a catcall. “Finish your own stuff before you talk,” came from another. From the tones and expressions, from the laughs and the body attitudes Lucas could see that it was all comradely fun among the group. Maeve's broad grin confirmed it for him.

  “Have you ever seen a more motley crew,” she asked him in jest. “I mean, really.”

  Within an hour Maeve had completed what she could without another fitting.

  “Okay,” she said, “let's go eat and talk.”

  She put her arm through his and led him to the dining room. Lucas noted that with her holding his arm, claiming him as it were, he stood taller, threw his chest out further and tried to control the grin that spread across his features.

  Chapter Twenty

  Harrison awoke from his long nap disoriented and muzzy-headed. He was alone in Moms' room but still floating in a dream state. For a long moment he sat on the edge of the couch and waited for his head to clear. When it finally did, when he could clearly remember where he was and what he was doing, he set out to find Lucas.

  Starting at the dining room he made a circuit of all the places Lucas might be but didn't find him, or Maeve.

  “Well, if they're together,” he thought, “I might as well just wait.”

  He found an unoccupied easy chair in the main hall and sat down. In no time at all he was again fast asleep.

  “Grampa, Grampa, wake up.”

  Lucas' voice felt like a rude yank on his consciousness pulling him awake.

  “I told you not to call me that,” he mumbled.

  Lucas looked startled. “When did you tell me that? I don't remember that.”

  Harrison shook his head. “What?”

  “Not to call you Grampa.”

  “I don't remember. Maybe I just thought it.”

  Sufficiently confused they stared at each other until Harrison was fully awake and Lucas could see it.

  “Let's go somewhere to talk,” said Harrison.

  “Can it wait? Moms sent me to find you.”

  “I want to know what your search turned up.”

  “I'll show you after we see Moms.”

  “Okay.”

  Moms was in her office, again clothed in the robe with Maeve working around her on the final fitting. When Harrison caught sight of her as he came through the door he said, “What's that? Your goddess get-up?”

  “Close,” laughed Moms, “it's my I'm Not A High Priestess But You Can Worship Anyway dress.”

  “Whatever for?” asked Harrison.

  “For next week's Gaia Gathering in Las Vegas. I'm doing the opening and closing ceremonies.”

  “In that?”

  “Yes, of course, in this.”

  “Then I'll ask again, whatever for?”

  There was a silence in the room until Moms turned to Harrison and said, “The Gathering will bring several tens of thousands of people to Las Vegas. People who work hard all year to advance Gaian policies about the environment, the wilding movement and the biodiversity movement. Many of them want an iconic figure to personify the group.”

  “And you want to be it?”

  “Better me than another is the way I feel.”

  Harrison studied his sister's face closely and shrugged, “If that's what you really want. To start a religion.”

  “It's not a religion,” said Maeve, rising to her feet. “It's a movement to save the Earth from people.”

  Harrison, surprised by her vehemence, shifted his gaze to her and then back to Moms. “Call it what you will, the True Believers will soon be demanding an equivalent to the Book of Common Prayer and they'll turn this place into the goal of a pilgrimage.”

  Harrison thought his sister looked smug at his recital.

  “Worse things could happen,” she said.

  Harrison shook his head, “Are you crazy? Are you prepared to be the High Priestess? To cater to your followers? To turn this place into a church? Because that's what you'd be asking for.”

  “I'm prepared, yes.”

  “But we've spent so much time and money making this a secret working headquarters from which to fight off the government. How will that work with thousands of pilgrims?”

  “Well, you're conjecturing about all that. I'm just trying to provide an image that will grab a lot of people and focus their minds.”

  “How come I didn't know about this decision?”

  “The Board knows and approves.”

  “I thought I was on the Board.”

  “You are, but you weren't here, we had a quorum and took a vote. I won.”

  “Why didn't you let me know?”

  “I didn't have a secure means to give you my rationale so I just waited for now.”

  Harrison glowered a little. “Okay, I'm here now. Give me the rationale.”

  Moms sighed, “I thought I could count on your support.”

  “You can. For anything that's not as hare-brained a scheme as this seems to be.”

  “It is not hare-brained,” said Maeve hotly.

  Harrison ignored the outburst and continued to stare coldly at Moms.

  “Every movement needs an icon. An image that personifies the whole. Because we are already a large node in the Gaian community there's no reason it shouldn't be me. I want to insure our relevance for the foreseeable future. This is the best way I can think of.”

  “You're playing with fire. Icons get assassinated. They certainly get libeled and slandered and dragged through the mud.”

  “They also inspire and motivate and uplift and give hope,” said Maeve.

  In the silence that followed Lucas said, “I assume this is part of the explanation for that message?”

  Moms and Maeve both looked surprised and Harrison looked confused.

  “Obliquely,” said Moms, “but yes, yes it is.”

  “Will you explain it now?” asked Lucas.

  “Okay, but not this minute. Let's eat in my apartment later and I'll tell you all.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  They ate a simple meal in silence, Lucas and Harrison glumly with downcast eyes and resigned body language, Maeve and Moms alive with the promise of the next week. When they were done and settled with coffee and tea Harrison asked, “Why do you want to do this, expose and elevate yourself? You've always been happier behind the scenes giving directions.”

  He sounded genuinely worried about what the future held for his sister. She, on the other hand, seemed energized and delighted by the prospect.

  “Why, is simple,” said Moms. “Cultures, countries, alliances all come and go. Nothing lasts like religion. I'm looking at the long view, that's all. If I have to pay a personal price, and that's wholly conjecture, so be it if my goal is accomplished.”

  “Your goal of becoming a religious icon?”
>
  “My goal of caring for the Earth and its life forms far enough into the future to save our species from itself. And save some of the other life forms with us.”

  Lucas studied Moms carefully, glancing often at Maeve, “What about the messages?” he asked.

  Maeve looked peeved at him for asking the question but Moms leaned back in her chair and returned his gaze frankly. “I can only tell you part of the story,” she said and looked at him expectantly, waiting for an acceptance of her implied conditions. Lucas looked at her for a long moment and then shrugged. That way he remained noncommittal but gave her permission to continue. Moms smiled at his maneuver but resumed speaking.

  “Gaia has followers all around the world, in governments and out, in the boardrooms of major corporations and associations, in places both high and low. We don't always know who they are but often, more often than you'd think, we find them helping us. Sometimes surreptitiously, sometimes in the open. This is one of those situations.”

  Harrison cleared his throat, “You mean you have a mole in the government?”

  “Umm, yes, you might say that.”

  “They'd have to be in a pretty powerful position to hide the messages the way they have.”

  “Sort of,” said Moms.

  “Who?” asked Harrison angrily.

  “I'm sorry. I can't tell you.”

  A silence fell on the group, Lucas looked thoughtful, Harrison seething, Maeve demure and Moms patient.

  “I get the feeling,” said Harrison through clenched teeth, “that we're puppets being controlled by government agents while we think we're acting in opposition. I don't like this feeling.”

  “Other way around,” said Moms. “We control them.”

  “That's what the dupes always think,” said Harrison. “I need to know who it is before I take another action.”

  Moms shook her head. “It's too dangerous to share. If it came out the entire movement would be compromised and a lot of good work would be ruined.”

  “Then count me out,” said Harrison.

  Moms looked at him sadly, “Don't say that Harry. Please have enough trust in me to carry on.”

  “It's not a question of trust,” he said through clenched teeth. “Trust has nothing to do with it. It's working blind. What if you're wrong? I don't like being a pawn, they get sacrificed too readily.”

  Harrison glanced at Lucas who gave him a funny look. “What does that look mean?” he asked.

  Lucas looked at Moms, “I think I can find out who it is,” he said.

  Moms looked startled, “Don't,” she said. “Don't do it.”

  “Can you really?” asked Harrison.

  “I think so. I'm pretty sure I can.”

  “Look,” said Moms, “don't do anything until after the convention. Let me put my plan into motion. You can easily stay on that long and we can talk more openly afterward.”

  “You mean you can talk more openly,” said Harrison. “I'm openly saying I don't like it.”

  “Please,” said Maeve. “Please trust her a little longer. It would be a shame to ruin all the effort we've put into this.”

  Harrison looked around the room. “Well, if I'm to go down in flames it might as well be with you. Okay, we'll let it rest for a while.”

  Moms turned to Lucas, “You'll let it rest as well?” she asked.

  “Sure. I really don't care what side I'm on if it's with Maeve. Anyway, shallow as that may be, love is stronger than loyalty.”

  Maeve blushed and Moms looked satisfied. “Okay,” she said, “in that case it's back to work.”

  Lucas and Maeve rose to leave and Moms waved at Harrison to ask him to stay. "Would you like to have that argument now that we're alone?"

  Harrison regained his seat and said, "Yes. Yes I would."

  "Okay then, tell me what you don't like."

  "Mainly it's the religious aspect. Neither of us believe in any sort of religion and I can't see you taking it up at your age. It's unscientific and highly cynical and adds another layer of secrecy to the mix and makes it harder for me to whole-heartedly support you."

  "Even if it's the most effective way of reaching both our goals?"

  "What goals?"

  "To save the world for me and to save your freedom for you."

  Harrison sat silently for a moment. "Freedom for everyone, not just me."

  "Oh, Harry, who are you kidding? I know you, remember? You're happiest when you have no responsibilities, no constrictions and no reins on your actions. You may empathize with the rest of us in theory but when it comes to freedom yours comes first."

  "Even if that were so I couldn't achieve mine without achieving it for others."

  "That's not the case and you know it. Besides, what does freedom consist of in your mind? The ability to do what you want without some thug coming to the door and dragging you off to prison. It's just not something you can get to on your own. Freedom can only be won for a group with enough strength to defend it. Individuals can't keep themselves free."

  Harrison knew she was right but wasn't done objecting. "When we started down this road the goal was to promote the principles of Gaia and specifically to do so by helping the refugee populations find acceptable homes. We worked with the refugees because their flow across the landscapes was pushing more areas into desert, impacting water supplies and mostly, spreading disease across the globe. Now we're engaged in, in...I don't know what anymore. It's being out of the loop that's made me so paranoid. Can you wonder that I don't want to blindly follow you down a road I consider intellectually bankrupt and morally manipulative?"

  Moms leaned back in her chair. "Harry, you're so biased about religion that it's keeping you from thinking clearly. For a moment try to disregard the evil that has been wrought in the name of religion and think about it as a notable aspect of human psychology. Religion provides a larger framework for one's life than just the demands of physically staying alive. Religion gives context, it provides rationale and it embeds a person in a community of like minded people. These are all very positive effects and can remove much fear and anxiety from a person's life. What's wrong with using these characteristics to form the basis of our organization?"

  "Only the fact that all religions begin benignly but they all end up teaching intolerance and hatred of non-believers."

  "Not all. Perhaps many but not all. Besides, Gaia accepts all life forms as part of the fold and that means all humans without regard to ethnicity or origin"

  "Sure, now. But what about later when opposition develops? There's never been a group that hasn't engendered its own opposition and this won't be any different."

  "Perhaps not but no movement grows without fighting for its space."

  "You're determined to go through with this?"

  "Yes. And I want your help."

  "Well, at least I won't oppose you openly."

  "That's something. Keep an open mind, won't you, and maybe I can convince you in the end."

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  The entrance to the convention hall was formed to look like the entrance to a huge grotto with a free-form roof, fake stalagmites and stalactites scattered throughout and a gentle slope downwards into apparent darkness which led to the auditorium. When their party arrived they were ushered to a robo-car which carried them far into the bowels of the building to the staging area.

  The Hall occupied one section of the ground floor and the levels below it of an otherwise standard massive cube. Besides the convention hall there were meeting rooms, relaxation areas, a food court and a short hallway to the casino. Three levels above the public areas were taken up by several thousand hotel rooms. Above that were fifty levels of apartments, shops and restaurants.

  Once inside the building and out of the searing Las Vegas sunshine one could be in any city in the world. The similarities were enhanced by the presence of a Grow Tower looming over the cube, its glass walls darkened to filter the harsh desert sunlight.

  Lucas stayed in the backgrou
nd as much as possible, his appearance disguised by a broad-brimmed hat and dark glasses, baggy pants and oversized shirt. The backstage area was dimly lit and provided many dark nooks where he felt invisible.

  The auditorium was filling with Gaians, many balancing drink cups, tablets, bags of giveaway goodies and handfuls of snacks as they found seats. The front rows were roped off for VIPs and the seats behind them were the first ones filled.

  The murmur of the crowd had a pleasing sound, relaxed people with a positive vibe in advance of the presentations. Harrison stood backstage in a shadowed space with Lucas and looked over the crowd with interest. The people were comfortably dressed, smiled a lot and easily formed chatting groups that seemed to flow and morph and re-cluster. As the hall grew fuller the murmur rose to a muted roar that took a while to quiet after the first warning notes of a bell.

  People took their seats and settled down, the VIP area filling last and a recorded orchestra struck a loud chord to signal the opening of the presentations. The president of the Association walked to the center of the stage and greeted the crowd, welcoming them to the convention and then said, “And now, let's have a warm welcome for our spiritual leader to present the invocation, Miriam Barnes!”

  The lights in the large room had been dimmed to black and a pinspot sent a shaft of light to illuminate a small circle into which Moms stepped. She was wearing the angelic white robe and held her arms out to the side. Her hair had been teased into a halo-like coif and the symbol of Gaia, the Earth in space, hung around her neck.

  The effect was suitably dramatic and brought a series of “oohs” and “aahs” from the crowd.

  Moms began to speak, intoning the invocation which asked for love of the Earth, tolerance for differences and wisdom in deliberations. The crowd responded with applause and approval as she declared the convention open.

  She came off the stage to more applause and asked “How did that look?”

  Assured that she had made a dramatic and arresting appearance she led the way back to her dressing room. Maeve went in search of their photographer. They had worked for half a day to position him in the best spot, seeking a really dramatic and effective image. When she found him and viewed the images he had collected Maeve smiled broadly.