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For everyone, the past few weeks have been full of joys and challenges. My family had the fabulous opportunity to go to Spain to visit our son who is there studying for the semester. As we were taking off in the plane on March 11, unknown to us, Japan was being hit by the earthquake and tsunami. When we made it to our hotel room the next day and checked out the European CNN we discovered that Japan and the whole world was in turmoil. We watched throughout the week, in between visiting the sights in Madrid, as the horror played out (is still playing out); but we were cushioned there, in a new and fascinating reality, isolated in a way, from the world's angst as we experienced the beautiful Spanish culture and language. It was a strange juxtaposition, the beauty of our experience next to the fear and pain taking place in Japan and across the planet. I checked my Twitter account, watched Tweets spreading the fear of radiation poisoning, causing iodine supplements to disappear off the shelves of stores in California.
Even though we were isolated on our holiday, we were not unaffected. We had concerns for our daughter, who is getting a Masters degree in Japanese, has connections in that country, and is supposed to go to Japan this summer for her studies. (This is still not settled, although for now it looks like it won't happen.) I truly feel we were in a bubble of grace as this drama happened in the world, dulling the intensity of the pain and fear that cut like a knife for many being affected. My daughter said when we first heard of it, that, although she would never wish this on her dear Japan, the Japanese government was the best prepared of any government by far to handle this type of a catastrophe. This has since been collaborated by scientific experts. We know the crisis is not over, however; perhaps this is the beginning of the worst of coming events. Perhaps not. I am not attached to whether it is or not. I work diligently to stay conscious and side-step the addictive psychic hooks of Fear Porn that forever circulates, especially during these times. I feel continually wrapped in that bubble of grace, loved and protected by the Universe. I am blessed as I sit and watch the upheavals of the planet and the theatrics of world politics play out before us. For within that horror is also the beauty of life and Spring and new Beginnings and Freedom--the Joy of Being!
Many blessings to you all on this fabulously gorgeous spring day!
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
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Sunset on the highway
Chapter 9 (cont'd)
Kahotep awoke first. He examined the back of her head, admiring her bountiful curls. Unable to resist, he wrapped one of her sweaty dark ringlets around his finger. Feeling the tug on her hair, she stirred and turned over to face him, gracing him with a sleepy smile. He returned her smile and whispered in her ear so as not to break the spell too quickly. “So, my Sweet Lady, what would be your pleasure for the rest of the afternoon?”
“Well, besides you…” she traced the outline of his hand that was now resting on her breast, “I would...like to drive the shuttlecraft!” A mischievous grin adorned her face.
“Well, it seems you are awake,” he grinned back at her. “So, do you have any experience driving?”
“Absolutely none,” she answered honestly. “I’ve only ridden the public shuttlecrafts. I’ve never had an opportunity to learn to drive. But I always wanted to.”
“Well, it’s time you get some experience then. All right, Lady, I will teach you!" They jumped enthusiastically out of bed, dressed, and raced to the craft.
Akana climbed into the pilot’s seat. Her chair seemed too big for her and she could barely see up over the control panel. Kahotep joined her in the seat next to her as her co-pilot. “The first thing you need to do is to sign in,” he began, “so tell the craft your name, that you are the pilot, and then instruct it to adjust to you.”
Excitedly, she complied. “I am Akana of Atlantis,” she told the craft. “I am the pilot of this shuttlecraft. Please make adjustments to accommodate for me.”
“Welcome, Akana of Atlantis! We will make our adjustments now,” a pleasant voice from the shuttlecraft replied.
Her seat moved slightly forward then back, then to the right and left. It raised up and down then finally rested in a position that greatly improved the fit of her chair, as well as her view out the windshield. Immediately, a seatbelt closed across her lap.
“Push the green button that is lit up here on the console between us,” her co-pilot instructed. This she did. A holographic map of the area appeared at a forty-five degree angle in front of her.
“You can see where the cabin is—here.” Kahotep pointed to the three-dimensional version of the cabin. Now if you touch it thus,” he touched the image of the cabin on the map and it immediately enlarged, “you can bring it in closer. Touch it twice and it’ll return to its former size. You can do this with any part of the map. Now—where do you want to go?”
“I’d like to explore the area first, until I get used to piloting.”
“All right then, let’s map out a small path. Lightly trace the direction on the hologram where you want to go then hit the blue button on the console. This will lock in your program.”
She drew about a five mile trail around the trees in the forest then pushed the glowing blue button.
“OK, now what?”
“Now you need to use voice commands,” he said. “Tell the craft to follow your plans.”
“Please follow the path I have indicated,” she told the computer.
Gently, the craft began to rise. It slowly followed the directions that she had just mapped out. Then it gently landed back on the shuttleport.
“Well done! Now, do you want to drive without programming it first, Kana?”
“Of course. What do I do?”
“Use your voice commands to get the craft to ascend, then trace the path you want it to follow with your finger.”
“Now?”
“Sure, I think you’re ready. And I’m here to back you up.”
She took a deep calming breath. “Ascend!” she commanded.
Slowly, the craft rose up as directed. It hovered high above the shuttleport and turned southwest as Akana traced her outstretched palm through the holographic map. To speed up, she merely had to trace faster, so she experimented. The movement was a little jerky at first, but she quickly assimilated her new skill and smoothed out the ride. She let out a big hoot as she sped the vehicle around in ever tighter concentric loops.
“So you’ve never driven before, you say?” Kahotep asked in disbelief.
“Not ever, and was that a mistake!” she replied. “This is great!”
“So where are we heading, Speedster?”
She grinned. “I want to see the crystal cave.”
“Oh, nothing like a little challenge for your first flight out, is there, dear?” Kahotep laughed.
“Not at all,” she replied.
The shuttle was now heading toward the active volcano on the northeast corner of the island. She touched the map and an enlarged view appeared. She found what she was looking for—a shelf along the inside rim where they could land the craft. She decreased the size of the volcano on the map back to normal then smoothly guided the craft to a safe landing onto the ledge.
The door on the craft lifted up and they carefully emerged. After assuring themselves they were on solid ground, they both looked around. The ledge was packed down smoothly, apparently used over the years as a landing strip for others wanting access to the cave. Over the ledge, very far below, lava flowed freely. The smell of sulfur permeated the air.
They made their way to the inside edge of the rim, up against the wall of the mountain, to the opening in the cave. She had pilfered a couple of lightsticks from the craft and handed one to Kahotep.
She got on her hands and knees and easily crawled through the cave entrance. Kahotep crawled in after her. Once they made it through about a three-foot tunnel, they stood up. Their lightsticks illuminated the way as they stepped carefully down a softly sloping path. After about two hundred feet it opened up into a large cavern. Their lightsticks revealed a grotto encrusted with jeweled crystal treasures.
“Oooh, Kahotep! I’ve heard about this cave, but I never would have imagined this!”
The cave was actually a huge geode that had been formed millions of years before from cooled molten lava. The walls were thickly covered with a wondrous display of sparkling crystals. Even more astounding were the long spear strands of quartz crystals that stretched across the entire cave, each about the width of a grown man. Akana approached one to examine it more closely; she was dwarfed by its size.
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