Human consternation, I have found, is always the result of a myth being threatened.
Since I had brought my journal up to date, Karl and Neda were becoming increasingly concerned about my forthcoming visit to Micro Island. Karl kept quoting passages that strengthened his warnings about the dangers involved, and I kept quoting passages that strengthened my resolve to go. Neda insisted that I would succeed and that there was no reason to worry about me. Finally it was obvious even to Neda that her constant assurances that I would succeed were an unfailing indication that she feared the opposite.
Fortunately, Griff and Judd visited us regularly and kept her occupied. Both were sincerely trying to live a new style of life. They had quit. their motorcycle gang and had taken jobs, Judd at an auto repair shop and Griff with a construction company. They were deeply interested in my further experiences in 2150.
At last the week ended and early one morning Carol and I said goodbye to our Alpha, our Beta, and most of our Gamma and began our run to the building at the end of the lake. As we passed each Gamma I saw more people than I had ever seen before in 2150, for almost everyone had turned out to send both vocal and telepathic messages of support to us.
As we approached the large administration building we could see the rest of our Delta gathered around our transair. I was moved by the tremendous outpouring of loving acceptance that many Macro beings could produce. As we made our way to the vehicle I saw standing beside it Rana, Eli, and my beloved Lea.
I ran to embrace Lea. We stood in complete silence with no one in the crowd making a sound as we fitted our minds into a union that only twin souls can ever attain. To me she was the most exquisitely lovely, completely satisfying woman who had ever lived. Overcome by my feelings and with tears on my face I kissed her gently. Then taking my face in her hands, she kissed me. It was the most enlightening kiss my soul had known since incarnating in matter.
Then Lea turned, touched Carol's face, and disappeared into the crowd. I shook hands with Hugo, our Delta, and Eli, our Ktar. I remembered seeing him when I met my Alpha members, then in his astral body as he visited his Kton, but I still had not spent further time with him, as I had longed to do. I was convinced that I had never beheld such a handsome and wise-looking man before. He took my hands, then embraced me firmly. He looked deep into my eyes for a long time and said, "You never asked, so, at Rana's request, no one ever told you, but the woman who has been your P.E. tutor is also our Mutar. She is, thus, a member of the Council of Three."
I must have looked strange, for I know my breath was gone as I remembered C.I. telling me that the Council of Three-which consisted of the three Mutars (leaders of 100 million) was composed of two men and one woman whose decisions were binding on all members of the Macro society.
I was stunned to learn that my very own tutor, Rana, was that one woman. No wonder her advocacy of level three entrance for me had been accepted. I looked at her with awe and a new sense of restraint.
She came over to me and took my hand saying, "Now you know why I hoped you would not learn of my other duties. We who have grown up in the Macro society do not feel awe or a sense of distance between us and our leaders. But I know that you were trained differently."
I found it difficult to say anything, but managed, rather lamely, "Will you still be my tutor when I get back from Micro Island?"
She said with a smile, "I will be your tutor as long as you both desire it and believe it possible."
Carol and I walked into our transair and set the sealing doors in motion.
Eli stepped out from the crowd. In my mind his rich full voice rang as though through a great hall.
"Thank you for your admiration, Jon. Know that it is returned.
"You should also know that during your 20th century a soul made a brief sojourn-just 30 years-for the solitary purpose of bearing a child.
"Having many other duties to tend to, she stayed just long enough to see her young son securely entrusted to the loving care of a soul you now call Karl Johnson."
The doors met and melded together and as we took off I could hear Eli answering my unspoken question.
"For what strength it may give you, my beloved son,... I am your mother."
CHAPTER 15: Micro Island
Three hours later we had traveled some 3700 miles and were approaching the northeastern shore of Micro Island. This large semi-tropical Pacific island had risen out of the ocean during the cataclysmic earth changes of the late 20th century. It was about half the size of 1976's Australia. The Macro society maintained a well-protected base on this eastern coast from which it carried on most of its contacts with the island's interior. Carol had explained that this base, where we were planning to land, was completely protected by an invisible force field which had effectively resisted all attempts to breach it. Now as we came in sight of this Macro society enclave I was startled to see it surrounded on its landward side by thousands of people.
"What an enormous number of people," I exclaimed. "Do the Micro Islanders usually gather in such numbers outside the Macro society base?"
"Not that I've heard of," Carol replied. "In fact, Micro Island has a law against coming within ten miles of our base. They used to patrol this zone with policemen and dogs."
"Well," I said, "either they repealed the law or there are an awful lot of lawbreakers down there."
The force field was momentarily removed and we descended into a clearing beside a Gamma building which was surrounded by about 1,000 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens and parkland with large swimming pools and recreation areas. As our transair touched down I saw a very tall man leave the building and run toward us. By the time we were on the ground he had reached us, and Carol introduced me to Orion, the Gammar of this base. She had talked with him during the past week via C.I. video, so now they seemed like old friends.
"Why the crowd?" I asked.
Orion answered, "It seems that President Elgon Ten has proclaimed an island holiday in honor of your visit. He and his Vice President, Sela Nine, are out there now waiting to greet you. I'm sorry there's no one else from the Macro society here, but all the rest of our Gamma is off in the interior using this holiday as an opportunity to tutor."
"What happened to the law against coming within ten miles of this base?" Carol asked.
"In honor of this occasion," Orion explained, "Elgon rescinded it for today."
"Why did they have a law like that in the first place?" I inquired.
"That's easy to answer," Orion replied. "Elgon and his assistants are afraid of our influence on their people. They don't want to lose anyone to the Macro society, so any islander who is caught talking with a member of the Macro society is punished severely."
"Are you that successful in getting recruits for the Macro society from here?" I asked.
He answered, "We might be if they didn't have that law. Even with it we find about a hundred people each year who are ready to go to the mainland."
Looking at the crowd packed outside the invisible force field I was surprised at the number of very small children who were permitted to gather among such a crowd without the supervision of their parents.
"Where are the parents of all those little ones, and why aren't they here looking after them?" I asked Orion.
"They're there, Jon, right along with the children," he answered. "You're just not used to seeing such large families. Here on Micro Island birth control is strictly forbidden. It's not unusual to see families with fifteen to twenty-five children. The more children a couple has, the greater their prestige."