We entered 'The Cave' and I closed the door. The furnishings were rather spartan as I hadn't really done anything in here. There were still a few crates in here that I was using as end tables. I felt that Abzari would be more comfortable in here, and the truth is the Hybrides may be spies. Whether they know it or not.

"Have a seat Abzari, and I'll get right to it as I have several questions for you. First, were you unmarried on Earth?"

"Yes, the woman I was betrothed to in childhood was killed by an abandoned land mine when I was eighteen. Then I was off to college and medical school. I just never found the time to pursue a relationship after that."

A perpetual loner. Hmmm, that sounds familiar. I was getting the feeling I was in for a painful story here.

"When you woke up, describe what was happening and what was different about yourself."

"When I woke up, I was in an all white room. I thought I was in paradise, and I would soon meet Mohammad. I started to call for him, but then the metal orb appeared."

"What did he call himself?"

"Rafiq, a boy I knew from childhood. He was killed by the Russians just before they left."

"I knew you guys had it rough, but damn..."

"All I've know is war, Michael."

"What did they change on your body?"

"I was fifty two years old when they kidnapped me, and now I look like I did when I was eighteen."

Did they fix anything?"

"Yes, I had a bullet wound in my right thigh, it is no longer there."

"Holy crap, Doc. how'd that happen?"

"The wound was from when the Taliban was fighting from the hospital where I worked, it was a stray bullet."

"OK, these questions are more personal in nature, fair warning. Is your penis bigger?"

"What?!, what relevance does tha..."

"Doc, mines about eight centimeters longer. I want to know what we have in common. It may give some clues as to what the aliens are up to."

"Yes, I have been just as curious, and no, it's approximately the same." Gee Doc, too bad. Or maybe he's just already hung.

"When you prayed, what did you pray for?" There was a long pause, apparently I'm in sacred territory.

"I prayed for Mohammad to return and deliver us from that evil."

"OK, Doc, there's some commonality."

"You prayed to Mohammad?"

"Doc, I prayed to anyone who would listen, Jesus, Mohammad, Ganesha, Buddha, I didn't care who. I just wanted someone to come and rescue us, the human race just wasn't gonna' be able to pull it off."

"So, you do not have a singular faith?"

"No, Doc. I'm a bit of an Agnostic."

"I thought this would be the Sacred Barge of the Believers."

"I've never heard that before, that doesn't seem like a Muslim thing."

"It's not, Michael. In the back of my mind, I've felt we may not have gotten everything right in our religion. A long time ago Muslims were the voice of science and reason, living in harmony with those of other faiths. Now a small percentage of us have twisted a once benevolent faith into a bramble of lies, and I wanted that to end. However, I think there's a hidden force behind the evil on the surface, and we'll never know who it was."

"So, do you feel this is the work of the divine?, this vessel has to have shaken your faith somewhat."

"Yes, and sadly, it has."

"Well, hang in there Doc. When I first met Anna, it was a terrifying experience for me."

"I can see why." Everyone is going to view Anna as a freak, ugh...

"Yea, thanks Doc. When I grilled Olaf the next day, I said something to the effect that since they scared me shitless with her, that they got me wrong, and that they couldn't be God, because he is infallible. Then he said and I quote; "Even a God can make a mistake, Michael." That scared the crap out of me. God, or Alah, may very well be on the other side of that wall."

"But Michael, what would Allah need with technology?"

"That's the thing, Abzari. If these beings showed up back then to our ancestors, wouldn't that look like God's magic to them?"

"I will have to contemplate this for a while, Michael."

"No pressure, we've got time, meanwhile, keep praying, Doc. And when you do, I'd point the mat towards the shield wall. OK, what about Minoo? what's her story?"

"She was made famous by the cover of National Geographic."

"I thought I recognized those eyes, that's were I seen her before. OK, so we both have a taste for famous people, what else?"

"She was brutally beaten by the Taliban years later for some weak infraction of dress code. I was the doctor for her recovery."

Holy shit!, is there no end to this man's suffering? Well, maybe now.

"So, did she dominate your thoughts?"

"Yes, I couldn't get the image of her beautiful eyes out my head, and how horribly disfigured the Taliban had left her."

I don't know how much more of this I can do, I'm way out of my element here.

"How is her mental state?, she was rather quiet. I couldn't get a good impression of her."

"At home, she is a somewhat childish, curious creature, and a bit more talkative."

"Well, if she hangs out with Anna long enough, you'll never get her to shut up."

That was good for a laugh, and I hope I broke the tension a little.

"The truth is Doc, we have GOT to make this work. We will have to drop a lot of our former cultural mannerisms. For instance, when you asked to examine Anna's stasis device, you should have asked her. As for me, I have to retrain myself to forget all those shitty stereotype things about Muslims. Were I lived, there was nothing but mistrust, and my personal thinking upheld that mistrust. But since I've been here, I've realized that there would be many cultures represented here, we have to get along, and not just tolerate each other. We have to understand each other, and be friends. We... must... make ...this...work. We'll die out, or fall into those old ways of feudalism if we don't. I for one don't want that."

"You have left me with a lot to think about, Michael. This surprises me considering your background."

"I think I missed my calling."

"You should consider a position of leadership here, you seem to be asking the right questions, and have a vision of our future."

"Leadership from anyone is something we should avoid like the plague."

"Yes, but it will present itself."

I know, and I dread it.

He paused for a second, it now looks like every time somebody does this, I'll end up regretting it.

"I think it's only fair you tell me about Anna."

"OK, Doc, you're right. We have to bear our souls and confess here. I was infatuated with that movie, it just turned me upside down. It was a life changing event. I lost weight. Quit doing some things an old guy shouldn't do. I started to be more sociable, and realized that being alone wasn't for me anymore. But change is hard, and I was taking it one step at a time.

Anna to me was a hero. Her determination to save her sister and Jesus-like sacrifice was inspiring, and in a way, I was in love with her. I tried to keep reality in check, she's a made-up fictional character. But why can't we aspire to be like her? She had many desirable qualities, that's why she's sitting in my living room right now. She was the embodiment of everything I wanted, warmth, a capacity for deep love, kindness, bravery, empathy, intelligence, and spunk. All wrapped in this beautiful shell. Her inner beauty equaled her outer beauty. And not the typical American version of beauty either. I guess that's why everyone was infatuated with her sister.

When I awakened here, I too felt I was dead. When I first seen the Habitat, I had a panic attack, if I would have been my old self, I would have had a heart attack. Then Anna showed up and I panicked again. Frankly, she is freakish, and I didn't know how to act. I feared she was one of them, or some kind of robot. Later that day I found myself running my fingers up her leg, she was positively silky, with skin like a baby. I just keep asking myself over and over, what did I do to deserve this?"

I had to pause for a moment, what I would ask next could be embarrassing.

"By the sounds of your story, Doc, you DID deserve this. When Minoo showed up at your door, from what little I understand your religion, she would be a gift from Mohammad, and you would've welcomed her immediately."

"That's fairly close, Michael, and no, I was expecting seventy-two of them."

That was good for another laugh, I'm sure the other two heard that one.

"Our first day was something of a train wreck. Oh,.. since your a doctor, this question may be appropriate. Did you examine Minoo physically?" I kinda' squirmed when I asked this, I was really uncomfortable asking it, but he is a doctor, I'd assume he'd be very curious about her construction, or so I thought.

"No Michael, I still feel she is a gift, and I will not defile her."

"Understood, but when Anna gets her new arm, I'd like for you to give her the once over. They should be cut from the same cloth, and as long as she's OK with it, I am too."

"That would be acceptable, Michael. My own curiosity as to what they are is very high, but I do not want to risk the retention of my gift."

"Again, understood. I think it's time we go visit again with the ladies, and Abzari, I've enjoyed this visit, and I hope we're one step closer to figuring all this out."

"I as well, I did not know what to expect by coming here."

I just hoped I hadn't been too offensive, but we have to sweep that shit under the rug. I want to know what those crazy aliens are up to. I got up and opened the door for him.

"Shall we?" We headed to the living room to two chatter-boxes. That's my Anna. Minoo said maybe six words for the half hour we talked. She certainly seems to have a way with people.

"So, what have you two been talking about?"

Minoo goes; "Weddings." Followed directly by Anna; "And babies!"

Facepalm.

I wanted an intelligent, cultured equal. I hope we have some way to do some reading in the future, we got a long way to go. But I have the feeling they were jerking our chain. That's something Anna would do, and the fact that Anna set us up like that was encouraging.

So we said our goodbyes, while promising to do it again. We set up a run together in three days, and they left with smiles on their faces. We had them too.

Now if we can just do this with two hundred and forty eight more couples we'll be all set. I'm not holding my breath.