May 2018
The night was still as Message lay there trying to sleep. Next to her The Alliance Project was snoring. “I don’t know if something is trying to get into him, or out of him” she grumbled to herself. Soon she fell into the realm of sleep reserved for those who dream.
She held up both hands to see sleeves covered in Dahomeyian royal native dress. Off in the distance, she saw someone running toward her. It was her father, The Legate. He went on one knee and said, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Essence could not come in time. I could not come in time. I don’t deserve you.” Message put her hand to her face and felt that it was full of tears. She cried out,” I forgive you Father, it was not your fault. Father, please come back. I need you.” The Legate started to fade away as he said, “Tell Essence I said thank you.” Message was left alone. She lifted up her hand and it was gone…….
Message sat up, gasping. She touched her body to make sure that she was still there, and she was. She squinted to see if her father was around, and no one else was there. She sat on the edge of the bed and pondered what that dream meant. The Alliance Project was still sleeping, but now had started snoring. Message went downstairs and a servant met her there. “Do you need anything, my dear Dahomeyian Rulership?” “No, thank you”, said Message curtly. The servant stepped back, frightened by the intensity of Message’s words. Message went to go get a glass of water from the Hydration Hookdown that was attached to their house. “Essence, Essence,”she whispered. It was a word that became a chant.
“You know what happens when you drink too much water and go to bed?” Message turned around and gave a weak smile. The Alliance Project was there. “So you woke up. Your snores even wake you up haha”, she said as they giggled together. They went back to bed and Message slept, but that thought still haunted her.
The next day, The Alliance Project went to oversee construction of a new pipeway that would provide the planet with water. Message entered the Assembly of the Many to call for a response to Mythology. Some voices murmured in the background. “We don’t even know if he is the stuff of children’s tales, how do we fight that?” Message overheard their words but did not see their faces. She stood in front of the Assembly and said,
We face a great threat that will destroy us all if we do not take action. Therefore I am asking that we arm a submarine and go and find Mythology. When we attack first we have the element of surprise. If we counter-attack, we might lose. And if we lose, there will be no more we.
Drent, the new Advocate-Counsel, nodded in approval. The Assembly of the Many cast their votes, and the Marshal Peacemonger gave the results to Drent. Drent counted them and said with a solemn voice,
“The Assembly of the Many has said no to the Mythology resolution, your Dahomeyian Rulership.”
She held up both hands to see sleeves covered in Dahomeyian royal native dress. Off in the distance, she saw someone running toward her. It was her father, The Legate. He went on one knee and said, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Essence could not come in time. I could not come in time. I don’t deserve you.” Message put her hand to her face and felt that it was full of tears. She cried out,” I forgive you Father, it was not your fault. Father, please come back. I need you.” The Legate started to fade away as he said, “Tell Essence I said thank you.” Message was left alone. She lifted up her hand and it was gone…….
Message sat up, gasping. She touched her body to make sure that she was still there, and she was. She squinted to see if her father was around, and no one else was there. She sat on the edge of the bed and pondered what that dream meant. The Alliance Project was still sleeping, but now had started snoring. Message went downstairs and a servant met her there. “Do you need anything, my dear Dahomeyian Rulership?” “No, thank you”, said Message curtly. The servant stepped back, frightened by the intensity of Message’s words. Message went to go get a glass of water from the Hydration Hookdown that was attached to their house. “Essence, Essence,”she whispered. It was a word that became a chant.
“You know what happens when you drink too much water and go to bed?” Message turned around and gave a weak smile. The Alliance Project was there. “So you woke up. Your snores even wake you up haha”, she said as they giggled together. They went back to bed and Message slept, but that thought still haunted her.
The next day, The Alliance Project went to oversee construction of a new pipeway that would provide the planet with water. Message entered the Assembly of the Many to call for a response to Mythology. Some voices murmured in the background. “We don’t even know if he is the stuff of children’s tales, how do we fight that?” Message overheard their words but did not see their faces. She stood in front of the Assembly and said,
We face a great threat that will destroy us all if we do not take action. Therefore I am asking that we arm a submarine and go and find Mythology. When we attack first we have the element of surprise. If we counter-attack, we might lose. And if we lose, there will be no more we.
Drent, the new Advocate-Counsel, nodded in approval. The Assembly of the Many cast their votes, and the Marshal Peacemonger gave the results to Drent. Drent counted them and said with a solemn voice,
“The Assembly of the Many has said no to the Mythology resolution, your Dahomeyian Rulership.”
