Mind over body Book 6 Chapter 7: Exhaustion, a pride and prejudice fanfic

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Chapter Seven: Exhaustion

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Spalatro

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September 1823

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- Cancelled? You are sure about that?

Jane was really surprised. The Mayor of Spalatro had been rather insistent a few days ago and she had been in agreement with his fears. The situation around Spalatro was becoming so crowded that even a local politician like him was beginning to have quite a lot of nightmares.

Luckily none of the accidents out there had been directly caused by the cetaceans. As often when lots of people were involved, it has been Human foolishness who had been at the ground of the five passenger ships that had capsized in the last three weeks.

And not one of the Humans who had found themselves thrown into the Sea had died since they had all been brought to the beach by very helpful dolphins.

- When he called yesterday it seemed quite urgent. Why would he have cancelled?

Her secretary made an apologetic gesture while trying to keep his face emotionless.

- He didn't cancel, Madam, we did. Because you are leaving at four o'clock.

Jane's frown would have been hilarious if there hadn't been a clear sense of betrayal in her eyes.

- I'm quite sure that I'm not leaving at four o'clock today, Reginald. There must have been a mistake somewhere…

- There's no mistake, love, said Maureen's voice behind her. We are leaving at four o'clock and, as we speak, our luggage is brought aboard the Galathea.

Jane was immediately overthrown with worry.

- Was there an accident? Does somebody need our help? Why wasn't I informed?

- You weren't informed because there is nothing to inform you about, love. Just that you and me, we are leaving.

- I can't leave, I've…

While speaking Maureen had crossed the distance between her and her sister.

Jane was soon embraced and comforted.

- I've spoken with Mary, she will take over here for the next three weeks. Geoffrey is already aboard the airship and he is awaiting us.

- What happened? Why?

- We decided that it was time to broke up your experiment, answered Maureen with a wistful smile.

- What experiment?

- The one you've been toiling with for months now, the one that clearly wants to establish that even upgraded Humans can die of exhaustion.

Jane was about to protest but Maureen stopped her with a finger on her lips.

- No more arguments, it's time to go. Geoffrey's waiting.

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- I should…

This time it was Geoffrey's finger who stopped her words.

- Relax and live for the moment, love. This world sure needs you but once you're dead the world will have to do without you too. So, let's just stop, breathe and try to consider what really needs to be done by specifically you.

She let out a long breath and he could feel her muscles relax. As always when he was holding her from behind her head would lean backwards and find the perfect spot between his chest and shoulder where she knew that she could relax her neck and her shoulders.

- There are things that must be specifically done by me, love. Not as many as the others but some can't be done even by Mary.

- Mary disagrees and so do I, dear. And even if I have informed everybody that I was very decided to stay with you the time it would take to have your old, a little more carefree, self, back, I'm quite sure that we won't have more than a few weeks to spend together.

He kissed her hair and was, as always, astounded by her bewitching fragrance. She and Lizzy used the same parfum, the one they still made together as when they were young girls taking precautions to never be left without means to survive.

She wriggled around and soon was facing him.

- I'm very satisfied that you did what you did but even three weeks would be way too long a time. What about the little ones?

- Lizzy will be taking over while you are away, and you know as well as I do that the kids have every possibility to contact you if they need you. But they agreed with me and Maureen that you needed a break to not break.

- It's not…

- Yes, it is, love. Maureen and I we agree totally about the diagnosis. Weren't you upgraded you would already be burned-out. And we don't what you burned out, so we will take you on a trip where the only things you'll be able to do are sleeping, eating the best food, looking at the most beautiful panoramas and last but not least, making love to the two people for whom you are the most important person ever! We will overfly as many as possible of the countries you haven't seen yet. And we will just fly for the whole time of our trip. No stop, no call in anywhere. Days we will let you admire Earth's marvels and nights Maureen and I we will prove to you that our love for you hasn't lessened at all. Quite the contrary! You'll see…

She let a timid smile appear on her lips.

- No chance to convince you to reduce that trip to a few days?

He shook his head.

- No chance at all, love. We've been, all three of us, under pressure for at least two decades during which we haven't really taken the time to relax and to rest. We need it and you, after so many births and the raising of not even one easy child, you need it even more. So, no chance that we will interrupt our trip before we are sure that you are again at your best.

He stoked her lips with a loving kiss.

- And you'll see that once you're back at your best everything that is today exhausting will be a lot easier to manage. You've proven with your restless activities that even upgraded Humans like us can be broken. We can't have that, wouldn't you agree?

She nodded while sighing discreetly.

- You are right, I do feel a little bit of tiredness…

- Let's do what is necessary to overcome said tiredness and this trip of ours will be our first step to find back to what we were a few years ago.

He let his wife's relaxed happiness seep into his own body. And soon he discovered that he too was tired. He stayed awake just long enough to be sure that Jane was safely and soundly asleep. Soon he fell asleep…

Maureen found them sleeping in each other's arms.

She took the next best armchair and sat down. As always, it was her duty to stay awake to watch over them.

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Flying together while holding hands was the most endearing method to look at the world and, like they always did when they shared a dream, they were hovering over the part of the world they were just visiting.

As always, when in their dream-shape, they were both as they had been as young adults. She probably a little younger than him but not by much. And, as she quite soon had discovered, dream-shapes could kiss and make perfectly convincing love.

Jane was never happier than when in his company.

Be it on Earth or in their dreams.

Those are the Mountains where my School is located.

I know, you've already brought me here once…

This time I'll take you within the Temple's Sanctum. He has approved it.

He did?

Jane who was aware that Geoffrey's Master was, aside perhaps from Napoleon but for very different reason, the only Human Being Geoffrey really admired, let her mirth be felt by her husband.

That's kind of him but I'm not sure why it seems to excite you in such a manner.

She could feel that he had grasped her little attempt at mocking his admiration for his Master but he let it pass.

You'll like what you'll see. It is a door to a whole new world.

What do you mean, new world?

You'll see with your own senses, love. I won't risk spoiling your discovery.

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Welcome in my humble abode, lightbearer.

The voice was full and welcoming. Like a devout Christian would imagine the voice of the Savior.

She nodded in the direction of the sitting man.

Thank you for having me…

It was unavoidable, dear. You've always been a part of this portion of the Universe, you've just chosen to ignore it. But, you've been for a long time now able to enter almost daily the realm of Beauty.

She felt his smile and satisfaction.

You even were able to make incursions into the realm of Goodness. It is, of course, not Earth's Mankind's ultimate goal but in your path towards the Perfection at the center of everything, becoming aware of that level is an unescapable stage of one's evolution. And even if you've never been officially introduced, I know that you've been there on more than one occasion. Your soul is, as we speak, rejoicing. Hear his song and let it be your guide.

She looked at Geoffrey.

Will we be allowed to enter together? Last time we both went our own ways.

This time you'll stay together. It is a place he already knows even if he is not ready to embrace the wholeness of what it means.

As usual when listening to something looking like a criticism of the man she loved she chose to defend him.

Nobody I know is aware of every layer of a situation.

You are right and I wasn't alluding to anything he is aware to have chosen. A soul chooses to reenter the Realm of Matter for lots of different reasons. Mostly to be confronted with a situation it has been unable to control during its last incarnation. In his case it was to relearn how to love. Even the most skilled soul won't get a passage upwards if it isn't able to love. That was your mission in his case and it was in your own precious way a real success. He knows how to love now he needs to extend that possibility to himself. Not an easy target to reach, believe me, but it's still up to you to convince him.

The Master's words didn't surprise her. She had always known, he had confessed it to her, that loving other people had been the ultimate hurdle he had to overcome. Now she could agree that he had learned that lesson. He loved her and her sister-wives with all his heart and the love he had in him had embraced all the children and most of the adult members of the family. That dam had broken.

The material world is a rather easy to understand continuum, but it still contains a lot of different layers because each soul has a different bunch of lessons to learn. But the material world is only the first step, the most difficult but still the first. There are others that await a soul on her journey. The higher you go, the layers you'll have to face will be greater and broader. That's a truth every soul that is invited to move towards the Center will have to look face to face.

But there is a door we will be able to cross?

No one coming from your world will be able to do it. But those who have the senses to see all the layers within the pulsing light sphere will be able to ascend. You're not ready, yet…

Why show it to us then?

Because this world will need it soon. You'll act like a key and by entering that room you'll open your world to the Multiverse Grid. It isn't without danger, but it has been decided that, even if you're not ready to ascend, you have proven that you ought act as Auxiliaries along the horizontal axis.

The Horizontal axis? What's that?

That's what some thinkers call the Multiverse. The Center's Creation extends in every conceivable dimension. And those extensions are like your own universe: infinite. The Center needs lots and lots of proving grounds to teach the forthcoming generations of Godlike creatures he needs to manage the wholeness of his Creation.

The words she was hearing weren't totally in accord with her Faith but she could feel that they were true and that the discrepancies were only due to parts of the message that had been changed or misunderstood.

I can fathom that an infinite Universe needs an infinite number of Godlike Creatures to manage it but why go on expanding if there aren't enough managers?

There are enough managers, my dear. The Center has the power to create as many as he needs with just a thought defining what shall be created. But they are all the same and because of that their management tends to be rather bland… That's why he established the School. To provide all the souls he summons day after day with enough opportunities to evolve.

So, the souls are created to become what the Ancients called Gods?

The souls aren't created, dear. It's a lot simpler than that. The Center's Nature is to Create! Whatever he does is part of His Creation. The souls are parts of Itself the Center exhales just by existing. And since the Souls have been part of the Center, they too have the Potential to become full-fledged Creators like the Center. But that isn't a straightforward endeavor. Souls can make mistakes and can retry as often as needed to get a real image of what the Center needs them to be. That's why a lot of his Creation is now centered around giving the Souls the best possible means to evolve.

She felt his mental smile.

Hence the Multiverse and your role as keys to unlock the link between it and the rest of the Multiverse.

Why was it locked?

Because everything is possible within the Creation. And some of the Darker sides of Creation, that are necessary to give some Souls the lessons they need, would be too sharp to be allowed to extend. Those aspects must be restricted and contained. Opening the link could be dangerous so only worlds that have shown that they are able to deal with their own Demons are introduced in the Multiverse web.

And we have been able to deal with our Demons?

It is recent but it is done, now. Time for you and your mate to open the door.

Why us? Aren't there others?

There are but you two are the only ones who can enter together while not triggering the same locks. He'll see one layer and you'll see another. Together you'll be able to create the link. Each of you alone wouldn't be able to do it. It's a failsafe to warrant a little more safety to all those you are about to invade.

What makes us unique?

Your complementarity. Together you are more than the both of you and that's what's important in the Center's eye. When looking at the energy balance of pairings or couples you'll often see that being together reduces the pair's potential. Probably because unmatched people waste a lot of energy trying to bridge the gap between them. It not the case with you and your mate. There is no gap between you. And your sisters add even more to your strength. It's really a unique combination within this time frame. So, it is up to you to be the needed key.

Jane wasn't comfortable with the possibility.

Why even open the link? We've quite enough problems with our only world. No real need to add more of them.

To the contrary, there is a need. You've topped your limits in your current planetary environment. To go on evolving you need to be able to meddle with other realities.

Couldn't we evolve while staying out of the link. You spoke about the horizontal place, wouldn't it be better to aim towards upwards? To evolve vertically?

Did you ever envision to build a tower?

No, I'll admit that building a tower never was part of any of my ambitions.

But you do understand the physical necessities that a higher tower implies?

Becoming larger at the bottom?

Exactly! And what is true for the material plane is also true for the realm of energy. If you want to go higher up, you either need to increase your base or you need to change the materials you use. And at this very moment your mate has not yet reached the threshold he needs to cross. He's still unable to use other means to evolve.

There was a loll in the Master's demonstration. As if he had to look at the facts he was about to speak about.

Remember that Kindness is the key to the next level. Ru is aware that Kindness is important and that it is an unbelievably valuable tool he can use in replacement of pure force. That's a very favorable evolution but it is not enough. It still is only a tool for him. You, on the contrary, you have been for years now able to embrace Kindness in every possible way. To go on evolving together he needs to embrace Kindness as you already do. So, since he cannot change the material to build his stairway to Heaven, he needs a larger base to use to build upon. Hence your presence here today and me offering you the opportunity to open the link to the Multiverse. You don't need it… He does.

Those words erased the last doubt was in Jane's mind. If Geoffrey needed her help, as usual, she would grant it. Happily, and without further ado.

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- I had the strangest dream, love.

He looked up and smiled at her.

- Not strange at all! We were together roaming the clouds and basking in each other's love.

- That part I remember, but there was another part I cannot remember.

- The important part you remember and that's enough for me. Dreams are mysterious and I like the fact that a part of them remains mysterious whatever we dream.

She smiled back and winked at Maureen who was not extremely far away keeping an eye on them.

- Did we speak while sleeping?

- Not a word, answered Maureen. Just smiling faces and a never-ending embrace. You knew where you were, and you enjoyed it. That was enough for me.

Jane took a deep breath and turned around to stroke her husband's lips with a loving kiss.

- It was good but I'm still tired. I think I'll follow your advice and go to bed…

- Go, said Geoffrey. Both of you! You look tired. I'll join you later. I'll see with the Captain where we go first. I propose we cross the Middle Sea towards Alexandrian and Egypt. Lots of fantastic landmarks to see there. Most of them ruins but all very impressive.

- Good idea, said Maureen. You were there, weren't you?

- It's were I met Buonaparte and where I beat the crap out of Nelson. Lots of good memories in Egypt and even more interesting sites. Then we will follow the Nile and go to the Quintana Falls which are reputed to be as impressive as the Niagara Falls in Canada. And we'll end with the South African Sovereign Region. You'll love the trip, I promise.

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Cape Town

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October 1823

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- What a pleasant surprise your Graces… I wouldn't have thought that you would come down the whole of Africa to visit us.

The Governor of the Transwaal Territory -who had been in a former life, Wilhelm the Second, King of the Netherlands- seemed genuinely pleased to see them. His English was perfect even if there were the traces of an accent that showed from time to time with an 'r' or a 't'.

They had just finished with their little shopping trip when a group of foot soldiers of the Royal Guard appeared before them.

And, in their middle was the Governor of the Transwaal Territory.

- We are out of tea, answered Jane with a smile of her own. My husband promised me that we wouldn't need to stop anywhere but no English Lady worth her name would be able to survive without tea. So, I insisted that we stop to make a little bit of a renewal of supplies. We wanted to use the occasion to buy fresh fruit and vegetables and, even if it could seem rude that we had no intention to let anyone know that we were in town.

Wilhelm couldn't help but laugh out aloud.

- How could you even imagine that a group like yours, my Lady, a group composed of the two most famous women of Earth could just go unnoticed?

He bowed in Geoffrey's direction.

- And even if I never have had the pleasure to meet your husband I'm quite sure that he is currently at the side of his wives. I wasn't sure but I hoped that it would be him who would be at your side.

- It still could just be an escort…

- Your Grace your husband has perhaps taken supreme precautions to never be photographed but when looking at the man who's standing at your side nobody will have the least doubt about his identity. You are the best known living people all around the world. I'm quite sure that there aren't as many portraits of your son as there are of yourself. Being a creature of beauty and legend does have a few downsides, your Grace. Being unable to stay incognito is probably one of them. Half the town was humming with rumors five minutes after you've set foot on our airfield's lawn. And the only reason you are not, as we speak, besieged by thousands of your admirers at the airfield is to be found in my selfish desire to speak with you. Do you really believe that, once I knew who was visiting, I wouldn't do everything in my power to have you as guests?

- I was hoping that, if we did our supply trip fast enough the rumors would reach you only after our departure. I'm sorry if our plan was not the politest but socializing was really not on our program.

Once more the Governor laughed out aloud.

- You are most welcome but there is no need to apologize since I will be as rude as you by insisting that you accept my invitation to dine with me and my family. I know that I owe my present position and South Africa's incorporation into Grand Great Britain to your personal insistence. I owe you at least a dinner as a very small compensation to having saved us form the Corsican Ogre's appetite.

- Napoleon's a very polite and respectful man, your Grace, protested Jane. I must ask you to please avoid speaking ill of him.

- Everything you desire, your Grace, but I will insist that if Napoleon is probably when dealing with you effectively polite and respectful, it is not always the case and there are quite a few reports about his lack of a perfect upbringing.

- The same and much worse can probably be said about me, said Geoffrey who spoke up for the first time.

- Probably, acknowledged Wilhelm. But you'll excuse me if I do my best not to say such things about you in your wives' presence. I wouldn't want to shock them…

- We are rather difficult to shock, your Grace, said Jane. And I doubt that we haven't heard everything that has ever be said about that husband of ours. Be it on the bad or the good side.

She let out a discreet sigh.

- I suppose that your presence here is a proof that you won't take a 'no' as an acceptable answer…

- I didn't send a messenger since I was quite sure that nobody would be able to convince you if I you were in the mood to refuse. Being here in person doesn't give me any certainty but I believe my chances to get your approval are better with me facing you than it would have been with any intermediary I could have selected.

- You should have sent your youngest daughter, said d'Arcy. My wife is unable to resist to a child's smile.

Wilhelm bowed in Geoffrey's direction.

- Thanks for the advice, I will remember it should the occasion arise anew. But I will still insist to get your approval to my dinner proposition. It will be a simple affair with my family and a few honored guests I currently welcome in my not so humble abode.

- We've been rude enough for one day, said Maureen. I think we should accept his Grace's gracious invitation. Especially since we are now warned that the airfield is currently besieged by a crowd awaiting us. We have probably the means to make them run but I fear it would shed a bad light on the family.

- It surely would, Misses d'Arcy, acknowledged Wilhelm. And I thank you for your support. And to add another small incentive to my proposition let it be known that I'm quite sure that I'll be able to convince the Tea Producers here in South Africa to be at the Mansion tomorrow to show off with their brands. They are not as well-known as the Indian brands, but I give you my word that some of them are quite worth to be known and tasted. Add to that that even if it is a little bit early in the year I could still give a few orders to get the whole cornucopia of African, European and Asian fruits our markets are able to provide ready aboard your airship the day of your departure.

Jane looked at her husband who nodded once. So they would stay…

- It seems that you've cornered us, your Grace, and since the only alternative would be to flee the scene dishonorably, I think you'll have us as guests this evening.

- Cornered is such a bad tasting concept, your Grace! Let's say that the arguments in favor of you staying were better than those pulling you out of town. And I'm quite satisfied to have your approval.

Jane decided that it would be impolite to insist on the cavalier fashion the invitation has been forced upon them and changed the topic of their conversation.

- So, Transwaal is producing tea?

- It is, indeed. There are quite a few Indian entrepreneurs who have taken advantage of our integration into GGB to join us these last years. Some of them with knowledge about the tea culture and trade. We should, with a little bit of luck and if we happen to find solutions for our water supply problems, be able to become an interesting producer of exotic tea brands. We are currently negotiating with our French neighbors to expand our agricultural knowledge on the other side of the border.

He nodded at Geoffrey.

- And I'm doubly honored to have you here at the same time as your colleague Field Marshal Zulu…

- Tchaka Zulu is here in Cape Town?

- He's a regular guest here. Quite a lot of his family members live here. They could have moved back to French Africa but some of them have build a new existence here and so they decided to stay. And I must admit that the Zulu minority here in Transwall is, with the Indian and Batavian Communities, at the forefront of our economical development.

- No cohabitation problems?

Jane's interest was genuine.

- We try to be honest and openminded when dealing with our citizens. They all have the same rights and we have stopped taking over the land owned by natives as soon as we've entered the Commonwealth. There are still ruffians who try to use their better knowledge of the law to swindle some natives out of their possessions but the Zulu community had made it their duty to be the Natives Advocates and Protectors. They didn't have a very pristine reputation when they first came here but they have shown by their actions that they really meant it with their attempts to reinforce the British Equality Laws. They are still more feared than loved but they have embraced their role with determination and strong will.

- And Tchaca Zulu's repeated journeys here are probably something that serves them quite a lot. He does have a fearsome reputation after all.

- That he does, indeed, but as I make it my duty to invite him each time he is in town, we've come to know each other quite well. If there is a brilliant black skinned man around here than it is Tchaca Zulu. He's even learned English and Dutch.

He smiled at Geoffrey.

- Since I never had the honor to meet with you or Napoleon before I will have to admit that, before you, he was the most impressive man I ever met. I do believe that I'm no fool but, when meeting with him I'm often impressed by that man's vision of Africa's future. It is said that he is a military genius but to me he appears like an exceedingly brilliant man whose engagement in favor of Africa is genuine and inspiring.

He shot an apologetic smile in Jane's direction.

- I wasn't, of course, deliberately excluding King William from the Club of the most brilliant individuals but I must recognize that even if he is a sharp and impressive young man he's still not in your husband's or Tchaca Zulu's league. It is a pleasure to work with him and it is even more pleasant to discover that he listens to what you have to say. But…

And there he looked sideways at Geoffrey.

- He never scared me like your husband or Zulu do.

Jane, even if still a little bit miffed by the cavalier fashion Wilhelm had forced his invitation upon them, was aware that he just spoke out the most pleasing compliment she had heard for years. She did love Geoff with all her heart and soul, but her love never blinded her to her mate's inherent evilness when dealing with strangers. The fact that for Wilhelm William didn't compete in that league was a compliment she appreciated highly.

- That's probably because William is a gentle soul and not a merciless predator always on the look for a weakness in his fellow men. As his mother I know that he is as brilliant as his father but I will have to admit that he works on another level than his father. He doesn't exhale the raw lethality his father is able to project when said father wishes to awe somebody into insignificance.

Geoffrey made a placating gesture.

- I do nothing of the sort, love.

She smiled at the man she loved and who, for this precious moment, looked like the mischievous schoolboy he never was before meeting her.

- Of course not, love. I'm blatantly exaggerating.

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Governor's Mansion, Cape Town

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October 1823

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What happens when two mighty predators meet?

Either they tear each other to ribbons or, because of outside circumstances they do not control, they decide to play the role said outside circumstances force them to play.

Jane had been amused by her husband's reaction when the great -in every sense of the term- Tchaca Zulu had entered the parlor.

She hadn't been at Napoleon's and Geoff's first meeting but the fact that Geoff had intervened to get Napoleon out of a very lethal situation had probably smoothed the roughness of the encounter.

Here, both bound by social rules they did recognize but never really accepted, something different happened.

For a long score of seconds, they both sized the other up while sending out very clear messages about what they thought the other should do to acknowledge that they knew who the real boss around was.

Neither of them being reasonable beings it would probably have ended with a little bout of physical craftmanship when Jane, with Maureen as her usual backup glided herself between the two mighty predators.

- You must be the famous Tchaca Zulu, are you not?

Since she had been informed that he spoke English she chose to avoid being condescending and asked in that language.

The man bowed in just the perfect angle to show respect for an equal with just the subtle head gesture a real gentleman used to add the little hint of added regard a woman deserved.

- That I am, your Grace, and it is a pleasure and an honor to finally meet the woman whose picture adorns most of Earth's households.

- There are indeed rumors about that, answered Jane with a smile. And it is, from time to time, rather upsetting to never be able to just disappear in a crowd. As it happened here, there is always an attentive admirer who's able to recognize me. It had quite restricted my freedom of movement.

- It is almost the same for me, but I have a secret to disappear amongst the people. I just must slip out of my Field marshal uniform and eighty percent of the world's population loses its power to recognize me. Most Europeans and Asians do have real difficulties to recognize the differences between one black man and the other…

- With your seven plus feet, I'm quite sure that you are very recognizable even without your uniform.

- Not as easily as you would think, your Grace. We Zulus are all brawny and tall. It's more or less a racial marker. Add to that the fact that we Zulus are amongst the most beautiful specimens of humanity and it makes it even more difficult to sort out one amongst so many others.

He let out a long sigh.

- But you are nevertheless right, my freedom of movement has been seriously restricted too. I suppose it is our own fault since we hadn't your husband cleverness to hide in the shadows…

Geoffrey, who was just behind his wife, nodded.

- It's no success of mine. It's one of the most stringent rules of my school of fighters: never let anybody see your real face. To be recognized is the most dangerous thing that could happen to an assassin. Discretion or, which is also a skill taught at the school, the art of disguise are especially important tools for a man whose job is to get near enough to its target to be able to kill it.

- Assassination's not what I would call an honorable job, quipped Tchaca.

- That's totally true, your Grace, quipped d'Arcy back. But the more you walk the path of civilization the more assassination becomes a tool of necessity. When your rulers begin to be full of themselves and tend to believe that their worth can be measured by the amount of fat they are showing off, assassination becomes the only way to get rid of your enemies. Never will you be able to lure them into a fair fight.

Tchaca acknowledged the subtle attack followed by the even subtler compliment with a polite bow.

- You are renowned to be a fearful warrior. Would you accept to show me the depth of your combat skills?

- Of course, I would but I must warn you that it wouldn't be a fair fight at all. Not only am I the most skilled martial artist you'll ever meet in your life but, to add insult to injury, I've been upgraded. I'm no longer a normal Human and in my estimation there's no normal man who's still able to beat me while fighting fairly against me. Even upgraded Humans are no challenge for me…

Tchaca who, of course, knew everything about the upgrade and d'Arcy, nodded while frowning.

- And what must I do to be upgraded? Some people in the Emperor's entourage say that only the most outstanding can be selected. And since those same people haven't been upgraded, I can only surmise that they have blown their selection test.

- In reality, intervened Maureen, we grant the upgrade to anyone who expresses the wish to give it a try. What's really decisive is Jane's willingness to use her healing powers while the bug is adjusting the candidate's body. It's not impossible to survive the process without her help but, until now, only twenty seven out of ten thousand and four hundred volunteers have survived without her help. Not a genuinely nice amount.

- So, I could ask you now to undergo the procedure…

- You could, agreed Jane, but were I you, I would wait a few hours more. Nobody will deny that you are an impressive man whose achievements have been, until you've encountered dear Napoleon, astounding and inspiring. That's, in most cases, quite enough to convince me that you deserve to get the right to bother me a lot longer than normally. But I do tend to look at war-chiefs with a lot more defiance than I do when I'm dealing with a great poet, an outstanding scientist or a brilliant composer.

She sighed.

- Whatever bad social skills certain of them have. Your trade is, like for my husband, about killing your fellow human beings. Of those we already have quite a few within our ranks so it is not enough to get my help. You'll have to convince me that there is more behind the ruthless killer to decide me… But I'm a very open-minded person who is quite smart enough to be aware that upgrading you would be a very telling message. I have been for years a very ruthless partisan of the abolitionist cause. And I am aware that black-skinned Humans have paid the worst price in that trade's history. The fact that we have only four black-skinned Humans who have been upgraded is something that bothers me quite a lot. But all four of them are brilliant scientists whose life work is to serve Humanity and I had no problem to convince my fellow upgrades that they would be useful for Mankind.

- I'll agree that it doesn't seem to be the case with me, but I do have other sides that could justify my staying around longer to bother you…

- I'll be very happy to discover them, your Grace…

- Call me Tchaca, please. "Your Grace" is a title I associate with my present military rank and we are about to attempt to forget that, aren't we?

- Indeed, that is what we are about to forget.

She looked at her sister.

- She's Maureen and I am Jane.

She looked at Geoffrey and her eyes were gleaming with mirth.

He shook his head, shot her the hint of a smile and finally spoke.

- And I'm Geoffrey, said he finally.

-°-oOo-°-

- No, not here and not yet, said Geoffrey. We are not yet done with our little trip, love. You are better but I'm quite sure that without your sisters' help and the full set of a Bennet Health Center's machinery it will be an exhausting endeavor.

He looked Tchaca in the eyes.

- I'm not stalling for time here. I'm totally in favor of the made decision, but you must understand that the two days following the introduction of the bug within your body will be the most awful ones you can imagine. The bug is not at all interested to make the transition a benevolent incident. It wants its host to be as he needs, and it wants it as soon as possible. And having your body transformed inside out from head to foot is an excruciating and often lethal exercise. It really kills a lot more than we would wish and to avoid seeing you die you'll need a forty-eight hours around the clock watch. Jane could do it but she's not, currently, in the physical condition to do it alone.

He stopped Jane's coming protest with a frown.

- So, I would advise you to go to Spalatro with the next available airship and to see our sister Mary. She's a gifted healer too and the Spalatro Health Center is one of the best equipped in the world. And at this time of the year with most of the tourist gone they will have a lot of free time to cover your watch for the necessary period. You'll get almost the same treatment than with Jane without forcing us to start on our little experience from the beginning.

He was satisfied to see Jane sigh. She would have loved to do it herself but she was honest enough to admit that it would really tax her not yet restored strength.

- Geoff is right. Mary will be able to do as good as I would. We will inform her of your coming and why you are coming. She'll have everything ready the day you arrive there. And once it is done, you'll understand why it needed to be performed while following that precise procedure.

She looked at him and her eyes were conveying the dread she was feeling.

- You remember what we said about your offspring and your wives?

- I do and I'm still decided to go on. I'm within the Zulu society a political beast. My wives haven't chosen me out of love but because their families needed the link with mine. I don't love them, and they don't love me. I already have quite a few heirs and I should be able to refrain my appetites until I've found a kindred soul. I will be looking around for a woman able to be with me for as long as I live. If I don't find an adequate candidate, I'll think about which of my current wives I will be able to endure… For now, don't worry I am aware about all the personal consequences the procedure will cause.

-°-oOo-°-

Soon to come… Chapter eight : Recovery, will be dealing with the next part of the recovery trip.

-°-oOo-°-