Patsy Murray

by Douglas E Roff

  To the Lord, that no longer mattered.

  The existence of guards was interesting as they served no purpose but one, and the existence of a building served no purpose now that Adam and his entourage were Immortals themselves. There was no need for physical form or, for that matter, holographic form. But there it was, which suggested that his Lord had changed his mind about their deal.

  For that proposition, it was far too late.

  The Blades Adam had been gifted had merged into one, the ancient beings, to the extent deemed necessary by them, had imbued Adam and Niona with new and profound wisdom and knowledge. Niona then gave even more knowledge to the Professionals, in part to bestow a gift they would want, and in part to convince them to stay. If the left, they would forfeit Immortality and knowledge.

  It turned out even Zoia decided to stay, though some aspects of her existence on Hana’s planet still troubled her. Adam assured all that they could leave at any time and go home, if they wished, but suggested they should stay until they saw his blueprint for the new planets he had been working on. In his estimation, there would never be a need to choose; trips abroad in the Universe would always be permitted as were all forms of existence. The Professionals had no real reason to leave; they could go anywhere and do anything they pleased so long as they dedicated some of their existence to him and his projects.

  Adam and Niona had ideas for changes on Hana’s planet too, and they would see them implemented. His counselors were equally excited as the task was monumental, organization critical and some new rules had to be put in place. This combination of factors was critical to the decisions of Zoia, Parinder, and Janaia to remain on Hana’s planet. They were not building a city; they were constructing a civilization like no other, breaking down the moribund class system of the existing Immortal-dictated RealVerse. It would not survive on Hana’s planet; the new system was nothing like the old.

  Adam turned his attention back to his Lord.

  ***

  “Why all the guards and why the facades of physical material that are no longer necessary? What have you in mind?”

  “I think the question is what have you in mind, Adam? It appears that all the boones granted to you earlier were premature and Hana’s planet, the one you told me about, has disappeared. That planet is devoid of life. So where are all the Immortals you requested as well as my captives and your faithful? Liara and Hanta are also now missing; it makes me wonder what is underfoot?”

  He paused.

  “The appearance of the two Blades did not fool me; I know what they are, and you have been missing just long enough for them to combine and endow you with powers never meant for a mere mortal.”

  “I am a mere mortal no longer. You saw to that, and you authorized all matters you raise in one way or another. I fail to understand your complaint, and it sounds as though you are the one conspiring to defeat the will of other more powerful Immortals, including the One True God, now revealed to me. This knowledge is something you have always known but have kept from all who inhabit not only the RealVerse but also the portions of the Reality over which you have had dominion and authority. I can only assume your lack of candor was to plant the false impression that, as far as anyone was allowed to know, you were the mightiest Immortal in all of Reality. That is false.

  “But only Immortals might be able to comprehend this.”

  “Perhaps. But I still retain immense power and authority; we shall soon test your hypothesis as to who is mighty and who is dead.”

  “I assume that you intend to remove my Immortality, as well as that of those who abide with me? Are you planning to restore those foul creatures to high status who betrayed me?”

  “As a matter of fact, I do. You are, as of this moment, stripped of Immortality and shall be returned to Earth. The others shall be put to death immediately.”

  “I’m afraid this will not work out for you so well this time, Lord. And, you shall need a new name now. You are ‘Lord’ no more. I name you, Lord Seth.”

  “You may name you anything you like; I accept no naming from any pitiful mortal like you.”

  Adam paused, watching the Lord squirm. His ‘magic words’ had done nothing to Adam, who should have been writhing in agony at his Lord’s feet. No matter what he tried, Adam did not react to him.

  “I have erected a safe space for you to live and have transferred all your former Immortals to new homes on new planets where they will live out mortal lives, grow old and die. They shall be cared for in the short term but will have to learn to provide for themselves eventually. If they do not, they will all surely die. They are, after all, now mortal. I fear chaos, but we will help them until they are able to work and sustain themselves.”

  “You lie!”

  “Your guards are gone, and I will now transport you to a new planet, a peaceful planet that will be much to your liking called Iticia. The Iticians draw all nutrition, water, and atmosphere for living from the air they breathe. They are advanced and kind. But I warn you that, should you help foment trouble or attempt to change their society in any way, or try to assume any power over them, you will be sent to quite a different planet that is hostile and where you will dwell alone. The Iticians are a warm and friendly civilization that have known no crime, conflict or war for hundreds of thousands of years. That is why your behavior must be exemplary. Niona will check up on you; the Itician Global Council has accepted you to live among them unless you cause discord. If you do and they inform me, you will be removed immediately. You are warned, and it is your final warning.”

  Seth paused, thinking he could never be stripped of his Immortality, at least not by Adam or any lesser immortal so that he would play along with Adam’s delusion for now.

  “I should have killed you when I had the chance.”

  “Yes, you should have, in retrospect.”

  Chapter 41

  Niona’s new pregnancy had been difficult and filled with days in which she felt like any mortal woman; cravings, discomfort, mood swings and occasionally ill-tempered behavior. Most days were like the comfortable and blissful pregnancy of an Immortal; calm, quiet and often taking time to communicate with baby. She was both, and neither, all at the same time, and on any given day she could be one, the other, or both.

  Adam didn’t understand what she was going through and Niona wouldn’t talk about it, so he just left her alone, held her when she could stand to be touched and did whatever was commanded when the request seemed rational.

  Her irascibility toward the captives was a constant source of conflict between Niona and Adam, and between the other ladies who sided with Niona on the matter and Adam. Adam had no intention of making anyone leave who had not already left; the “guests” were pleasant to be around most of the time, offered to help and do their part and tended to their home and gardens if not needed. Adam spent time with them; Niona and her supporters lived in a small oasis of outright contempt.

  All of the Immortals wanted them off their planet and as quickly as could be arranged. Like the others who awaited Adam and Niona’s final decision on their fates, the consensus was to erase any memory of the past few years and send them on their way. But on reflection, this didn’t seem like the right action to take.

  Adam wanted his guests close, partly because he wanted to keep an eye on them, and partly because no matter what else had happened, he had a history with them. History meant something, though not the same to the created Immortals as to Adam.

  Though the decision to send mortals and ex-Immortals back to Earth had already been decided, Adam was slow to send the women away. The Immortal ladies argued that the two remaining nerds, Beata and JoJo, could easily be sent back to Earth and would do just fine. They were talented and had money. Same for Misti who could return to Barrows Bay or go wherever she wanted as long as it was nowhere near her present location. Hecate had been on Earth many times before so that she would adapt easily, and Fionna was no stranger to the planet having spent
many lifetimes with Adam and the family in New York, the Islands and the City of Light. Kendra could go back to London while the only one left was Darii who was no longer a child and had been on Earth for many lifetimes. She could have some of Adam’s money; he did not need it any longer.

  The same was true of Torii and Hanta, and to a lesser extent, Liara. Their logic was impeccable and, in reality, was probably the best outcome if their minds were cleansed and they had no memory of all that had happened in their recent history. Removing memories and altering certain pathological tendencies was fine with Adam; he wanted them to be whole and happy, not dead.

  But truth be told, he wanted them nearby and not far away. He still felt compassion for all of them; Darii, after all, was his daughter. He was willing to forgive them and let them stay. They all, to a woman, wanted to stay, to be near the man they still claimed to love and to accept whatever attention, and restrictions, they were given. They still remembered their past transgressions while on Earth; it was only if they were forced off Hana’s planet that mind and memories would have to be altered.

  The Immortals argued that, at least for the mortals who had tried to bargain their way out of Adam’s grasp, they should be allowed to go; it was, after all, their idea. Adam argued that that was when the choice was between a bargain and death, of course, they would agree to anything that kept hem breathing. Death was off the table.

  He was firm in his conviction, but numbers were against him. His most successful argument was that Niona had once betrayed him too and now she was now his co-leader. If a new civilization were to have any chance at success, it would have to begin with them; lead by example and start with forgiveness.

  Saldana, Linette, and Celeste stayed out of the argument while Patsy saw both sides but generally said nothing. The ladies who sought the expulsion of the renegades seldom listened to her anyway. Though Cia and Eene were Immortals along with Adam’s wives, the Immortal ladies who were angry with the bad actors were nonetheless suspicious of Cia and Eene, who had been, after all, transformed by the now-deposed Lord Seth.

  Adam argued that he too was elevated by the former ‘big boss.’

  Hana, as always, was the pacifist, so her vote did not count to some anyway.

  Adam counseled waiting until after Niona’s baby was born and Niona was once again wholly herself again. He would not go against the wishes of the Immortals if they were in the majority, and in any event, did not think them wrong. He just wished things were otherwise.

  The ladies seeking expulsion were firm and said they would wait, but the inevitable was expulsion, and no one on the planet would contest that decision if and when made.

  Adam had no idea how he could preach a new age for mortals and Immortals alike if this kind of revenge were taken on those who had once been enemies, even close family. To Adam, they were de-fanged when he and his closest allies were made Immortal. What was the danger now? They had no weapons or access to any.

  The Professionals and Noki thought a quick review of all the evil done with and without the assistance of the deposed Lord Seth would be an adequate reminder of the potential for problems if any reverted to their old ways. Darii, Misti, and Fionna were especially targeted as they organized the betrayal and were complicit in much of what Lord Seth had done.

  They reminded Adam that they had let men and women in the residences, had been depraved beyond all that was acceptable and had been in league with the Seth. He had brought in some of his lieutenants to ravage the women, willingly or not, and run wild among those who had been principals or complicit in that betrayal of Adam and his design for the safety of the Islands.

  Noki argued that expulsion rather than death showed compassion toward traitors and was consistent with Adam’s new proposed order. Noki sided with the proponents of expulsion as fair and “humane.”

  Niona still kept secret the paternity of the child. The cause of her discomfort must lay in the identity of that Immortal or Cyclical Immortal, but still, she would not say who was responsible.

  All the Immortals of the Island and the professionals, as well as others, were of the opinion that all should be revealed at the new beginning; some even had questions for Adam.

  He was fine with his story; all of it. There was nothing to hide except the reasoning behind his views of the new order. He said to ‘ask away’ if they were all to be tested for purity; in that case, he too would submit.

  He asked if they were all comfortable with what might be revealed. He wasn’t sure they would.

  ***

  When it came to the paternity of Niona’s child, Adam drew the line. If Niona had no desire to make public a private matter, he fully supported her. He reminded not only his women on Hana’s planet but all of its inhabitants that he was the father, he would raise the child s his own and that any further intrusions into Niona’s personal matters would only raise his ire. If someone had something to say, come forward and say it. Now.

  Few would dare question him although everyone knew Adam could not have been the father, and during the hiatus between the dissolution of their union and reunion, Niona was well known for her promiscuity and sexual fervor. What did it matter? To Adam, singles capable and desirous of sexual union were usually promiscuous; so was he. What did it matter who the father was if Adam accepted the child as his own?

  It did not. Unless …

  ***

  For Adam, while believing that newly opinionated new Immortals might cause a fresh dimension of disciplinary issues and potential trouble, he fervently believed that this new breed of thinking and feeling Immortals, given free will, would be the cornerstone of peace and harmony in his part of the RealVerse. He accepted the challenge of disagreement, as he did with mortals, willingly assuming that Immortals would blend intellect and rationality with passion and emotion in the context of a mortal/Immortal civilization in the early stages of development.

  Adam was ecstatic.

  Free will was unpredictable, but with training, discipline, honesty, and acceptance core values were central to his experiment. The ‘X” factor was the immortal who now had mortal thoughts and desires. That would likely be good, bad and unknown. Only time would tell. It was the basis for the Earth Experiment of his first lifetime; it would be the core of this new experiment too. The other Immortals senior to him were watching. They knew Niona’s secret and knew she could not keep it hidden forever; the unintended consequences of this birth were not yet understood.

  Truthfully, Niona should have spoken up and at least told Adam of parentage. However, she did not.

  If one of her physicians was not going to voluntarily show backbone and expose the truth to Adam, one of the ancient Immortals would. Her time was rapidly approaching, and her secret had elements of danger no one wanted.

  Adam would have to choose principles over expediency or vice versa, and soon. It wouldn’t be a task he would treasure, and it could cause a rift in a new experiment that showed great promise.

  The Lanarii, the Ancients from the Blades, were watching. They had seen this situation before, and it never worked out. The wrong choice was always made.

  Principles, leadership, and adherence to the rule of evolving law were to be tested. How would this conundrum end? Was free will in this case worth the risk?

  Adam thought he might have to be a tyrant for a while until things developed and settled down.

  Chapter 42

  According to her physicians, Niona’s due date was rapidly approaching if all the signs of a healthy pregnancy for mortals, and the rare Immortal/mortal combination, were holding true. In fact, what her Immortal physicians “knew” was nothing more than a small amount of experience a few Immortal elders had learned long ago in a different age; some possessed arcane knowledge passed down from physician to physician in the form of “genetic” knowledge, and some were pure guesswork. Immortal physicians could aid mortal physicians much more than the other way around, but not always. Immortals could suffer from a
variety of maladies neither understood nor relevant to mortals.

  But all the physicians agreed that something was wrong and that Niona’s pregnancy had become increasingly difficult for Niona to sustain, and that she was feeling both pain and discomfort. Immortals didn’t feel pain and discomfort in Immortal form, and the vast majority never transformed to physical form long enough to be injured. It was even rare for any Immortal to ever transform to physical form; there simply was no need in the Immortal realm, and it was dangerous.

  What the physicians did agree on was that whatever was affecting Niona had to have something to do with paternity. There was no other factor or plausible explanation. Immortal-mortal pregnancies were almost always more comfortable than mortal-mortal pregnancies, shorter in duration and the female very often didn’t even “show.” There were no “moms” and “dads” in the traditional sense in the “created” Immortals world. Knowledge was initially transferred genetically and, later, was augmented by a senior Immortal, such as Lord Seth. Thus, an Immortal that was to be a physician was given the appropriate knowledge by a senior Immortal physician.

  No other knowledge was given as none was needed. The Lord treated his subjects as tools that had to be managed in such a way as to never gain too much knowledge, make independent decisions outside the Immortal’s assigned job, and never present any single Immortal or group of Immortals to challenge his authority. This system had worked and maintained order for eons untold, though it hadn’t always been this way, nor was this the manner in which other portions of the RealVerse were governed by other “Lords.” The Lord could be thought of as a Governor who was put in place and left there or replaced, so long as the intent of most senior Immortals was being fulfilled.