Chapter Five
**********

"Okay, Jim. I'm still leery about this whole Armageddon concept, but
I'll listen. Explain your reasoning here."

"Right, Scully. I'm not sure if it qualifies as reasoning. It's a
feeling, and I'm not happy with that either. I don't like all this
mystical mumbo-jumbo, you know that."

"Yeah, we're really switching roles here, Mulder. But it's not the
mystical stuff that bothers me, it's the Apocalyptic stuff, the idea of
Ultimate Evil, especially personified in Aliens from Outer Space. Its so
dangerous, like I said before. Once you set yourself up as the Defender
of Good against the Evil Aliens..."

"I know. But I don't think they're evil because they're Aliens.
Serendipity isn't evil, and I don't know her mother, but I'm sure she
isn't evil either. Aliens aren't any more or less evil than we are, and
I've known lots of evil Humans. But this could be the most dangerous
threat our world has ever faced. I don't think any one human could ever
rule the world. But Beings from another Galaxy could. They have
technology we don't, for one thing."

"Ye-es. And the children, bred to be an army to defeat us."

"Right. See, it's nearly the Millennium. Forget all that about the new
millennium not starting until 2001. Doesn't matter. Imagine the world a
few months from now, when women start giving birth to 'monsters' hatched
from eggs. Picture the fear and horror. Women fearing their own
children. Men fearing and hating their own wives. Women trying to
protect their 'monster' children from hate-filled mobs."

"Our planet could create its own Apocalypse!"

"Yes! Then maybe an Alien space ship arrives. Or the aliens come
disguised as Saviours."

"The Messiah?"

"Perhaps. Or they could tailor their appearance to fit in with whatever
culture they're operating in."

"It sounds so... complicated. Why bother?"

"But Chief, human invaders have done things like this for millennia here
on earth. Spread disease. Bred slaves. Used propaganda. Why should we
think Aliens are any better?"

"True. Okay, so what do we do?"

"We still have our two years here on this Island, Lost in Time. We'll be
prepared, we'll know what might happen. Maybe we can stop at least some
of it. They won't be ready for us, but we'll be read for them!"





************************************************




"Okay, everyone! The Conference on Fighting The Battle of Armageddon is
now officially open. Who wants to start?"

"Yeah, Chief. I'll start. I think that Serendipity's father and his
people will try to start an Apocalypse here on earth, by playing on our
fears and hatreds. If women start giving birth to half human, half alien
beings, there may well be mass panic all over the world. I suggest that
we make plans to counteract as much of this as possible. We need
preemptive strikes, people. Any suggestions?"

"Well, Jim, if there were some way that we could arrange it so that the
women gave birth in a safer environment, and that they knew the truth
ahead of time, then we could avoid any mass panic."

"Good idea, Naomi. Now how do we do this?"

"Jim! The Spirits! They can come and go from our Island. We could use
them as messengers!"

"Yes, Daddy Blair. Send them out to warn the women, lead them to a safe
place."

"Then, when our time here is up we can join them."

"Right. I and my little sister can lead them. Instead of an army of
frightened, malleable slaves, ready to fight for him at a word, my
father will find something very different!"

#########################################################

"O Great Goddess Mazu, help me! I have always been your faithful
worshipper, even when it was very dangerous here in China. I helped to
rebuild your Temple, and I come here to pray every day. Every time I
have asked for your help, you have given it to me. But now I need it
more than ever. Please don't fail me now. I am pregnant, and there is
something strange about it, for I have not lain with a man in two years,
since my husband died. This I swear! Also, I have already had the only
child that I am allowed under the law. What should I do?"

"MY CHILD, GO DOWN TO THE SEA AND WAIT. A GREAT WHITE WHALE WILL APPEAR
AND OFFER YOU A RIDE ON HIS BACK. TRUST HIM. HE WILL TAKE YOU TO A SAFE
PLACE."

"Thank you, O Great Goddess. I am your faithful servant, and I will do
as you say."


##########################################################




"So, the Spirits go out and find the women who are pregnant with
half-alien eggs, and lead them to a safe place? How does this work,
exactly? I mean, it sounds good, but I can see problems ahead."

"Me too, Chief. But we have Time on our side. Time to work out the
bugs."

"Yeah. The bugs. Such as how to get women out of really dangerous
situations alive. How to transport them over thousands of miles of
desert, or ocean.  How to..."

"Transport! That's it! My Flying Carpet. We need to find more of them,
and teach the Spirits how to use them. If they can persuade the women to
get on and ride with them, that's one problem solved."

"Mom, you're brilliant! Sometimes, anyway. I'll get right on it. More
Flying Carpets. More Flying Carpets."

"And more Spirits. We need Seven Spirits. I'm sure of it."

"Well, Jim, let's see. We have the Spirit of the Ring, and the Spirit of
the Jade Palace...'

"AND YOU HAVE ME!"

"Right, Moby. Don't worry, we hadn't forgotten you. =A0 What about your
friends?"

"NO! SORRY! THEY AREN'T GREAT SPIRITS, AND HAVE NO POWERS. =A0 THEY CAN
HELP, THOUGH! THEY CAN LEAVE THE ISLAND WITH ME, AND HELP ME TRANSPORT
THE WOMEN AND THEIR EGGS."

"Good. What about Danielle?"

"PURRR!"

"DANIELLE IS BECOMING A GREAT SPIRIT. EATING ALL THOSE MICE HELPED. SHE
MAY BE READY BY THE TIME WE NEED HER."

"PURRR!"

"Again, good. So we need three, or maybe four more Great Spirits, Jim."

"Yeah. Any ideas where to find them, Chief?"

"Hey! I'm an Anthropologist, not SPIRITS 'R US!"

###########################################


"Sedna? Sedna? It's me. The Shaman from the village. Remember?"

rrrrrrrrrr

"I'm here to comb out your hair. We are having lots of bad luck, lately.
Something is wrong and we need to set it right . Work with me, here!"

rrrrrrrrrr

"There! That's better. Your hair is all combed out, and... Oh! Please
let go of my arm, Sedna. What's wrong? Something that mere hair-combing
won't fix?"

rrrrrrrrrrr



……………………………………………………….



"Are all the women here?"

"All the women you told me to invite, Shaman. The men think we're having
a quilting party."

"Good. If there's one thing we need lots of here in Nunavut, it's
quilts."

"Yes. What else are women for?"

"Well, I want to be the first woman Member of Parliament from Nunavut.
But that's neither here nor there. Attention everyone! I have some
important news for us all. Last night, I went on a Shamanic Journey. I
visited Sedna..."

"Sedna? Who's Sedna?"

"The younger generation needs to learn more respect for their
traditions! Sedna is the Sea Goddess and the Mother of the Animals, as
you very well know, young Lady! But She warned me that something
terrible is about to happen, and only we women can prevent it. We must
journey to the Sea, and await a Visitation. A Visitation from a Great
Spirit Whale."

"What! I can't leave home now. My husband will never let me..."

"Your husband has nothing to do with it. Our Goddess has given us a
warning. Only disaster will result from not following her advice. Who
wants to be responsible for a great disaster? No one? Good! Neither do
I. Let's make our plans to leave now, tonight."


############################################



"Right. Let's get on with this 'more flying carpets' business. Hey!
Spirits?  Can you try to find me some of these useful home
accessories. Don't care what colours they are, or even if there are
holes in them. Just as long as they fly. Got it!"

"I will endeavour to do so immediately."

"As will I, O my Master. Your wish is my command."

"Um. Hold it right there, okay? I know that I'm the new Sorcerer, and I
wear the Ring and everything. So, in a sense, I have the right to order
you to do things, but I'd rather not be referred to as your Master. Try
Boss. How's that?"

"What's the difference?"

"Well, I'm uncomfortable with the term Master. Makes you sound like my
slave, or something. That's not what this is."

"Sure it isn't."

"Look, could you explain this hostility you feel for me. To my certain
knowledge we never met before I called you to bring me the Jade Palace.
So what did I do?"

"Nothing. But you will most certainly use me, and the Jade Palace, and
then abandon us. I can do nothing about it. I'm just a Spirit, tied to
the Island and your Ring. I have no rights."

"That's not true. I'm giving you the freedom to leave, right now if you
wish. Go ahead, take the Jade Palace with you. Or you can stay and help
us. Whatever you decide, it's your choice."

"You mean that?"

"Yes."

:: i don't want to leave. i like it here. they need me. i can bring them
more books. ::

"Very well. The Jade Palace wants to stay, so we will stay."

"Good. Will you try to find us more Flying Carpets?"

"I'll try. They don't make them anymore. Not much demand for them.
But I'll try."


############################################



"Greetings! I wish to speak with you. May I?"

"Go away, buru! You're not welcome here. We are the Spirits of the
Ancestors of this village. You are trouble, buru. We are adalo fuu! Go
back from whence you came, buru."

"I cannot. I was purchased by one of the men of this village. I must
remain here, unless I am sold again."

"That's too bad. =A0 We still don't want you here. We are the Ancestral
Spirits of this place. We are here to protect our descendants from
danger. Especially from buru like you."

"Oh really? Well, there are worse dangers than I represent, as you will
learn. But I can help you fight those dangers, if you let me in to your
little clique!"



#########################################



"Go ahead, buru. What lies are you going to tell us?"

"Why do you assume they're lies? Why do you assume that I'm incapable of
truth? Because I'm a foreign Spirit? I can't help where I was born, and
lived, and died. I'm foreign, that's true. But why does that make me a
liar?"

"You don't belong here. Spirits should stay where they belong. Where
they fit in. Foreign Spirits destroy our Kwaio ways, our kastom. All
around us are the foreign ways. All around us are the foreign Spirits.
We cannot cope. But we can send turn you away. We can do that much."

"And if you do, you will destroy your own village. You will destroy
Kwaio ways. You will destroy Malaita. You will destroy all the Solomon
Islands. You will destroy..."

"Enough! We are adalo fuu. We have existed here for many generations.
You are buru. But we will listen to you this once. Tell us your news,
and then depart."

"You think that I am dangerous. You think that the Christians who come
here and try to convert you are dangerous. But you do not know the
meaning of danger. There are Beings who are coming here from another
world, very very far away. They will destroy not only your way of life,
but the ways of life of everyone in this world. We must all band
together to stop them, no matter of our differences. You need me,
despite what you think of me. I have power, too, don't forget. If
you want to help your descendants, if you want to even HAVE descendants,
you need my power."

"Tell us more, buru, and we will listen."



###############################################



"Good Evening, Boss. I have found a Flying Carpet. It's pretty
moth-eaten, but it flies."

"Great! Good work. Let's see. Well, yeah, there are some moth holes, but
I think there's more carpet than hole. Should be able to carry a Spirit
and a woman or two. What do you think, Mom?"

"Looks good, Sweetie. I'll test drive it later."

"No big hurry. We've got time to try them out and teach the Spirits how
to drive them. Don't wear yourself out."

"Blair! Honey! I'm just fine, okay?"

"Okay. But I'm not used to my Mother being pregnant. It never happened
before. I think I'm still in a state of shock."

"Well, I was shocked too. But I'm coping. I'm just curious about how
this egg is going to get out of me. I mean, no human woman ever gave
birth to an egg before, that I'm aware of. I'm not sure our bodies are
designed for it."

"I suppose it will, well, slide out the same way a baby would, only
neater, since it's in this neat little package and everything."

"Slide out? You think babies slide out? Men!"

"Sorry! I'll just go off and practice my sorcery. Or something."

"Slide out! Slide out!"



**********************************************



"Women!"

"What's the matter, Chief? I thought you liked women. I thought you got
along with women really well."

"I do, and I do. It's just sometimes.... I mean, women get upset over
the least little thing. You know?"

"Yeah. Guys never do that!"

"Hey! Who's side are you on, here?"

"It depends."

"Gosh! Such loyalty."

"Come on. What happened?"

"Nothing really major. Mom is worried about giving birth to an egg, and
I tried to reassure her. Told her it couldn't be that difficult. That's
all. I was just trying to help."

"Chief, let me tell you something. Now, you know a lot about women, but
you have one handicap. You've never been married. Being married is
different from having girlfriends, or even living with a woman. Trust
me."

"Okay. So?"

"Never, ever suggest that women have it easy, either when they have
babies, or have their monthly periods. It's suicide. Okay?"

"Okay. I knew that."

"Okay. Hey, we've been getting along really well, considering."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. No one's been murdered. Yet."

"Right!"

"Though I have thought of committing murder myself."

"Oh? Who?"

"Well, I thought of feeding Moby Dick to Tic or Toc. When he was in
miniature form."

"Baby Dick? Oh, Jim. That would have been too cruel!"

"Yeah. Imagine the mess if he decided to resume his original size in
mid-swallow!"

"Ewwww!"



****************


"... and so, I guess I'm pretty much pissed off at men right now."

"Well, that's understandable Naomi, considering your condition."

"Yes. But I shouldn't have taken it out on Blair. It's not his fault."

"I'm sure Daddy Blair will be fine. He's tough."

"I'm just worried about this egg business, I guess. It's making me lose
my centre. I need to meditate, burn some sage."

"Good idea. But don't worry about the biology. My father's people have
been doing this for a long time. They know what they're doing. There
shouldn't be any problems with the birthing process, just because of the
alien species factor. Wouldn't want to lose any of their brood mares."

"Brood mares? Am I a brood mare?"

"To them... yes! They need you to breed up their new little army."

"Well... I'm no brood mare. Not for anyone."

"Good. Stay mad. It helps you focus."

"I'm not used to being angry. I've always tried to let bad things go.
Keep a calm centre."

"Keeping a calm centre is a good idea. Letting this go... well, just ask
me about what happened on my world. We have to fight this, Naomi."



***********************************************



"Okay, I'll bite! Tell me more about what happened on your world."

"Well, Zenathian females are larger than the males. We're rather
dominant in some ways. We're very protective of our mates. We're fierce
warriors, very active in politics and religion. So, although males and
females have equal rights under Zenathian law, we females do tend to
dominate society. The males never seemed to be unhappy about it -- until
my father's people showed up. My father's people..."

"Um, excuse me, Serendipity. Why do you always call them 'my father's
people'? Don't they have a name?"

"Well, yes. But Zenathians never use it. We call them 'Them' or 'They'."

"Okay. Go ahead."

"Yes. Well, when They showed up, Their males not only were dominant, but
dominating. Their women live in harems and wear veils. Their only
purpose is to please the men and bear children. Some of our Zenathian
males thought this sounded like a good idea, and they believed Them when
They said They would help them set up such a world."

"But that wasn't Their plan."

"Of course not. They had Their own agenda."

"As such people always do."

"Naomi, I think we're going to get along. We obviously have a lot in
common."



***********************************************



"Jim-Love? Why would anyone want to own another person, or run their
life? I mean, isn't it a full-time job to run your own life? And isn't
making ethical decisions for yourself hard enough? Yeah, I know that
parents have to make decisions for their children, but then supposedly
the children grow up and can make their own decisions. Why would anyone
want to treat any rational adult that way? I just don't understand."

"What's all this about?"

"I've just been thinking about what Serendipity told us. You know --
what happened on her world. I don't grasp the concept of slavery at all,
or the concept of harems. I know that love relationships can be
difficult, but locking your partners up in a harem as a solution? I
don't think so! I mean, would you want to lock ME up?"

"Don't tempt me, Sandburg!"

"Come on, Jim! Get serious, here!"

"Okay.... No."

"That's good, Man. Because I sure wouldn't stay locked up."

"You'd drive your keeper mad inside an hour. So would your mother."

"Jim. I can tell you from experience. Anyone assigned to keep you locked
up would have to be already certifiable as part of the job description."

"So we're agreed. None of us are harem material."

"You got it. Um... Jim? Just step into this room here, will you?"

"What for, Sandburg?"

"Just do it. Quit arguing. Okay. What do you think?"

"It looks like a bordello... if you want my opinion."

"Well I did ask. But yeah. You're right. It does. It's supposed to be a
room in a Sultan's Palace. Here! Take off your clothes and put these
on."

"What for, Sandburg?"

"God, Jim! Just do it. Quit arguing. I'll be in this room for a few
minutes. After you've changed just stretch out on one of the couches and
relax, okay? Nothing bad is going to happen. Just enjoy yourself. Try,
anyway."

"Okay.... What are you doing in there, Chief?"

"Just a minute. Hang onto your pants!"

"I'm not wearing pants. I've got this long flowing robe thing on. You
know, Chief, just because we're involved, doesn't mean I've given up my
membership in the Macho Man Association.  Don't expect me to start
dressing like RuPaul or anything."

"Jim! Okay, Palace. Cue the Hoochie Coochie music!"

"The WHAT, Chief? Omigod! Wow! That's some outfit."

"Thanks, O my Master. Allow me to dance for you?"

"Sure, Chief. I guess there are good points about this harem business,
hmmm?"

"Yeah! If it's in fun. Not as a full-time occupation!"



*******************************************



"Mistress Naomi Sandburg."

"Um... yes?"

"We have found more Flying Carpets. The Boss is busy and left us
instructions to bring them to you."

"Oh? Busy? Again? My, my! Well, it's none of my business. Let's see
these carpets. Oh dear. When were these woven? The year 1999 -- B.C.?"

"Our most humble apologies, Mistress. These were the best we could
find."

"Oh, it's not your fault, Spirits. Don't trouble yourselves. We will
simply have to make the best of it. I have an idea, though, if I can get
my hands on a loom. I can take the worst carpets apart, and use the
thread to re-weave the better ones. Maybe I can even figure out how they
made Flying Carpets, and weave my own. Start my own little business:
Naomi's Flying Carpets!"


************


"Well, Jim. Did you like that dance?"

"Groan!"

"Sounds like it! Hey! If I've been dancing, how come you're all sweaty
and out of breath?"

"Moan."

"That's my Jim. Man of few words."

"Sigh."

"Tell me one thing. How come you know what a bordello looks like?"
************


"Ahhh. Yawn. Mornin', Mom."

"It's the afternoon, Sweetie. But it's nice to see you. Finally. Have a
good, um, sleep?"

"Oh yeah. Very good. Sorry I, um, slept so late. What've you been
doing?"

"Well, I've been working with The Jade Palace to set up a weaving room.
I'm going to repair some of the Flying Carpets, and see if I can
discover how they were woven. Then maybe I can weave my own."

"Hey! That's a brilliant idea. Wow!"

"Thanks. How's Jim? Is he awake yet?"

"Yeah. He's setting up a gym. Says he needs to work out."

"Ahem. O--kay. Exercise...hmmm. How about a Jacuzzi?"

"Yeah! Steam room, too. Great minds think alike."

"Oh!"

"What's the matter, Mom? You look pale."

"It's nothing, Sweetie. Just felt a twinge. Oh!"

"Another twinge? JIM! SPIRITS! We need you! NOW!





************************************************



"All your vital signs appear to be normal, Naomi."

"Well, that's reassuring. But I'm still getting these occasional
twinges. Not pains, or contractions, just twinges. Like something is
pricking me. I don't remember having them when I was carrying Blair."

"It may not have anything to do with the pregnancy. Maybe it was
something you ate."

"Maybe, maybe, maybe! Jim, Spirit, this isn't a judgement against you,
but you're not qualified Doctors. You don't really know what's going on,
if anything. We need a Doctor. This is my mother's life we're talking
about. And my brother's or sister's."

"Granted, Chief, but how do we acquire one? We cannot return to normal
time, or the Aliens will find us. We cannot bring any living being
across The Veil of Time. Medical equipment, yes. But none of us knows
how to use it."

"Spirits? Could you learn how to use modern medical technology?"

"I? I tender you my regrets, but such is not possible."

"That is true for me as well. Spirits cannot utilize technology, in
general. We are from a different realm."

"Hmmm. What we need is a robot doctor or some.... Of course! I should
have thought of this before. The perfect answer!"

"What now, Chief?"

"Spirits, we are Lost in Time, right? So we're not living in any
specific time, and thus not limited by the specific technologies of our
own time. Right?"

"This is correct, Boss. And so?"

"Well, I figure that at some time in our future the technologies
predicted in Science Fiction will be invented. So why can't we bring
these technologies to our Island?"

"There is no reason why not. What did you have in mind?"

"The Emergency Medical Hologram from Star Trek Voyager!"



**********************************************



"An Emergency Medical Hologram? What on God's Green Earth would that
be?"

"Well, actually it's not on God's Green Earth! Oh, this is too difficult
to explain. How can I possibly...."

"Blair, Sweetie, I know. We'll just go and see if Moby Dick can show us
Star Trek. If Voyager is on, the Spirits can see for themselves. Come
on, everyone."

"Mom, are you sure you're up to this?"

"I told you. I'm fine. It's just twinges. This will take my mind off it
for a while."

"Okay, let's go...."
.................................................................

"Moby? We were wondering if you could find Star Trek Voyager on some
channel or other. The Spirits need to see what an EMH is."

"OH SURE. NOW I'M THE LOCAL DRIVE IN. LET'S SEE...."

"Moby? I've been wondering. How did you get an antenna in your head. The
other Spirits say they can't deal with modern technology."

"WELL, JIM, THAT'S A LONG STORY..."

"As if we haven't got lots of Time on our hands..."

"...BUT I'LL TELL YOU ANYWAY. NOW ONE DAY I WAS OFF THE COAST OF
CALIFORNIA AND A SPEED BOAT STARTED ROARING AROUND, SCARING THE LOCAL
POPULATION. SOME POOR WHALE CALF NEARLY DIED OF FRIGHT. NOW IF IT HAD
JUST BEEN A SPEED BOAT ON ITS OWN I COULD HAVE TALKED SOME SENSE INTO
IT, BUT UNFORTUNATELY IT WAS BEING DRIVEN BY A COUPLE OF DICKHEAD
HUMANS. SO I SWALLOWED THE BOAT."

"You swallowed....?"

"THAT'S WHAT I SAID. OF COURSE THE DICKHEAD HUMANS WERE INDIGESTIBLE, SO
I BURPED THEM BACK UP ON THE NEAREST BEACH. THEY WERE SCARED SHITLESS,
BUT UNHARMED. THE BOAT THOUGH...THAT WAS WORTH DIGESTING. I ABSORBED ALL
ITS TECHNOLOGY. NOW I GUESS I'M A SORT OF CYBORG SPIRIT."

"Moby, I take back everything I ever said about you. I think we can be
friends after all."

"OH GEE, JIM! THAT'S A RELIEF!"



************************************************



"Okay! We've watched several Star Trek: Voyager episodes. Are you
Spirits getting the hang of the EMH now?"

"It's a wonder, Blair Sandburg! Even several centuries into the
future the human race still goes about its business upside down! Doesn't
the blood rush to your heads that way?"

"Er... yeah, but we've gotten used to it by now. Do you think there is
some way we can bring such a device to our Island? Upside down or not,
doesn't matter to me."

"Well, Boss, I think we need to consult with another Spirit on this."

"Oh, goody!"

"We need The Spirit of the Future. Only She would know the proper
procedure. We ourselves have only dealt with the Past and the Present."

"I thought Past, Present and Future were all one."

"In theory, yes. But in practice? Suffice it to say that when amateurs
begin to interfere...brrr!"

"I get the picture! Okay. How do we consult with this Spirit? Can I call
her?"

"Oh, no! The Spirit of the Future is not at anyone's beck and call. We
must needs put in a request for Her presence, through the proper
channels, and await Her answer, at Her leisure. The Future makes no
special effort to accommodate Herself for anyone."

"Wonderful! How long will this take?"

"Patience, Boss."

"SO... WE'RE GOING TO GET MORE VISITORS HERE. WE SHOULD HANG A SIGN UP
IN THE HARBOUR MOUTH!"

"What, Moby? 'Welcome to Blair Island!' "

"RIGHT, JIM! AND UNDER THAT -- 'ABANDON HOPE ALL YE WHO ENTER HERE'."


*************************************

Chapter Six

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