Gifts (Part 68)

I wake up and find a small package on the nightstand on my left. It is wrapped exquisitely in blue and green foil paper and has an angel cut out pasted to the foil paper. A small note is affixed.

"Open this package now" is written in Yal-hune's delightful cursive.

I turn on my side and start to open the package. It open easily as the two box parts are completely wrapped and fit within each the other. Inside is a small wristwatch type device - or at least it sort of looks like a wristwatch. I pick it up and see it has metal bands that clip over one's wrist. I put it on and it adjusts itself to my wrist automatically! Not too tight, not too loose - a perfect fit. At the same time a screen has been activated. It's clearly cutting edge Confederation technology. I wonder what it does.

I look closer at it. There is some sort of panel with three primary color buttons positioned in a triangle around the screen. Red, Blue and Yellow. I don't know what it does, but it certainly looks cool.

I walk into my bathroom. On the mirror is a note taped to it, "Shower, dress then press the blue button."

I do as the note instructs and take a shower and get dressed. It's Christmas Day and I crack out a Dolce & Gabbana suit, a Calvin Klein shirt and a Hugo Boss red and green tie. I put the device back on. (I wasn't sure if it was waterproof and didn't want to accidentally depress the blue button while naked in the shower, not knowing exactly what would happen.)

I grab my wallet, my phone and then I look at the device again. I depress the blue button. I feel a strange sensation and recall it as the time traveling 'feel' - a sort of drowsiness. A flash of white light occurs and as I get my bearings, I realize I am standing on another world. The scope of the differences is awe-inspiring. I am in a structure that extends up many miles overhead. There are crystalline structures all around me and the floor is also crystalline and prismatic and looks as though it is many feet deep. It is incredibly beautiful. I think I am on Htra-deg, Yal-hune's home world. My suspicions are confirmed when I see a group of women with pink hued skin in ethereally flowing garments with bared bosoms walking a few hundred yards away. Where am I? What is this place? Where is Yal-hune?


Someone speaks into my mind gently.

"Greetings. We have reserved a place for you, if you will please follow me."

I turn around and see a simply angelic and beautiful girl stand before me. She is wearing a unique headdress and her gown is like a sparkling dynamo of flickering white and light green light - like St. Elmos fire. The dress covers her from her neck to her feet. She looks all of 14, but I know that on Htra-deg they have very long transitions into adulthood, due to their longer life cycle, and that she may already be well over 100 years old. I try to communicate with her mentally, as she did with me.

"Is there a special event occurring? Is Yal-hune already here?"

"Yes, you have been invited to a projection ceremony for your planet. Yal-hune is here and you will see her shortly. She has a part to play in the projection. My name is Issha-la and I am your escort and guide for the duration of the ceremony."

I look at my new wrist-device and realize the power it contains to transport me across the galaxy in the blink of an eye. I wonder if I am the first human to set foot on Htra-deg.

My guide turns to me and smiles.

"You are the first human to set foot here in a physical manner, however a good number of humans over your world's history have been here in a less corporeal manner with an energy body and consciousness."

"How is it I can breathe and move around? I know the disparate gravity and atmosphere should make such impossible for me?"

"In the transport process your body is adjusted somewhat. Higher isotopes of your existing human anatomy are manufactured, but are supported by your energy anatomy. It is somewhat complex, for you to understand. Needless to say these higher isotopes permit you to function here in our higher specific gravity and your lungs and organs can process our air without deleterious effects. You, in essence, are now in an 'upgraded' version of your regular body - one that is specifically compatible with this world."

"And the teleportation devices can do all this in the time it takes to transfer me?"

"Yes. Our world has been teleporting people around the galaxy for well over a million of your years. We have, long ago, not only perfected the process, but perfected many additional processes that can coincide with the cell disintegration and reintegration process. The Confederation teleportation system facilitates the teleportation of one species of sentient being into another worlds environment and is able to reverse the process on the return trip. This has been a great boon to diplomacy and relations. When one sentient race can see how another lives close up, they can appreciate the similarities and differences with their own world."

"Amazing. The computers that store and process all that information must be incredible! Thank you for that information Issha-la!"

Issha-la catches my eyes with hers, smiles again and she seems amused by my enthusiasm. I suppose it would be like someone coming to Earth and then getting all excited about an elevator.

We get closer to a whole group and I suddenly realize that the people of this world are all extremely beautiful. It is amazing to see the vast variety of this intense beauty. There is a strong desire to try and get to know everyone here. Sometimes one meets people and one knows instantly they are the sort of people one wants to befriend. On this world everyone seems to have that quality - a sympathetic appeal to ones consciousness. A plethora of riches - mind wise. Its like passing a conveyor belt of suitcases, each with a million dollars inside, only a Plexiglas partition stands between oneself and the cases. Here, passing a group of people, one has that same, and actually much worse, sense of loss. Money is nothing next to the appeal of this beautiful, unique sentience one wants to immerse oneself in.

I notice a group of women to my right. They all have a similar appearance to Yal-hune and as I stare in their direction, they notice me. My excited thoughts are like shouts and I realize how much I don't really fit in here. However, all around me are positive countenances and I feel not a whit of hostility or anything resembling a "look at the freaky et!" vibe an alien would get on our world. They look at me with slight curiosity, the way one might find a painting interesting.

"You must remember we are part of a Confederation of worlds with vastly different beings. The human race is not significantly different from our own in terms of general appearance. There are many sentient species which are much more visually diverse and which would draw more attention. Your clothes are somewhat amusing, but I realize this is quite normal apparel for your world."

Issha-la smiles as she says this and it is the nicest smile one could imagine. Full of benevolence, love and empathy. Her thoughts in my mind manifest with a sweet voice that is like mental candy - so sweet and delightful it almost tickles the consciousness.

Issha-la and I begin ascending a tiered seating area that forms an enormous circle around a centralised dais. Its easily twenty times the size of Earth's largest stadium and yet for some reason it seems, not at all, large or meandering. It feels quite cozy and I am assuming this is a property of the way things are here. Vast size and scale do not carry with them the same baggage they do on Earth.

I watch as thousands of people fill these seats and it is all done so coherently. No tussling, jostling or stepping around people. Its as if even getting seated is practiced. Men are interspersed with women evenly. Issha-la is on on the left side of me an another woman is on my right. Then comes another man and so on and so forth.

"Polarity is very important in the generation and conducting of high energy flows. In a projection such as this the minds of all are used in the most intelligent manner. The seating arrangement is part of this balance and strengthens the flow."

"Do you know Yal-hune?"

"Yes. Many here know Yal-hune. I have a closer relationship than some because I am what you would call her second cousin, once removed. It doesn't quite translate, because of our age disparities with your world, but the basic concept is accurate. All here in this section know Yal-hune closer - including you. This permits and facilitates a greater flow of energy for the projection."

"So what exactly is this projection?"

"On Christmas day we have a projection for your world that takes advantage of the already more positive consciousness, love and compassion that is generated by the masses during this holiday. However the ceremony is about to begin I will explain it more later. First we prepare a special shield for your consciousness. This ceremony may be a bit out of your regular frequency spectra."

Issha-la moves and raises her hand and a sparkling white globe of light appears within her palm and grows. It moves of its own volition to me and surrounds me. It sparkles less and becomes crystal clear as it settles around me and even though I can no longer see it - I can sense its presence. I realize this 'young' girl is on the same par with Yal-hune in her abilities.

I hear in my mind a million thoughts begin to sing...