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I will tell you this: Those who re peace and love For this they suffer reat wars in his name, many bloody events even worse than what you have just seen

She stopped There were rude buildings just ahead and she felt that she would bethem They were es But she was filled with outrage What kind of a lesson is this? What good is it?

Ekel, your kind cannot learn peace until you are drenched in violence You have to disgust yourselves beyond all anger and fear until you learn that neither extortion nor exhortationAll this takes a long time It is a difficult lesson

Why?

Partly because of your doubts

Is that why You brought me here? To settle my doubts?

There was no response and she felt suddenly bereft, as though Ship had abandoned her Would Ship do that?

Ship?

What do you hear, Ekel?

She bent her head, listening Hurried footsteps She turned A group of people rushed past her down the hillside A young roup He stopped beside Hali

"You stayed the whole time and did not curse hiHe took her hand

"I am called John Will you pray with me in this hour of our sadness?"

She nodded and touched her lips pretending that she could not speak

"Oh, dear woman If he had but said the word, your affliction would have passed froreat man They mocked him as the son of God, but all he claimed was a kinship to Man ’The Son of Man,’ he said That is the difference between gods and ods do not murder their children They do not exter man’s manner and his voice the power of that event on the hillside It frightened her, but she realized that this encounter was an important part of what Ship wanted her to experience

Soht

You can come back to your own flesh now, Ekel, Ship said

Wait!

John was praying, his eyes closed, his grip firm on her hand She felt it was vital to hear his words

"Lord," he said, "we are gathered here in your name One in the foolishness of youth and the other infire, we ask that you re as there are eyes to read and ears to hear, you will not be forgotten"

She listened to the earnestness of the prayer as it unraveled from his mind The firm touch of his hand pleased her There were faint veins on his eyelids which trembled as he spoke She did not even mind the universal stink which came from him as it came from all of those she had encountered here He was dark, like Kerro, but he had wild, wiry hair that framed his smooth face and accented his intensity

I could love this man!

Careful, Ekel

Ship’s warning aht had surprised her But one look at the old, liver-spotted hand that John held reminded her she walked in another time This was an old woman’s body which enclosed her awareness

"we ask this in Yaisuah’s name," John concluded He released her hand, patted her shoulder "It would not be good for you to be seen with us"

She nodded

"Soon ill ain," he said, "at this house or that, and ill talk more of the Master and the home to which he has returned"

She thanked him with her eyes and watched hi the houses below her

I want to go home, Ship

There cae, then the lab’s dazzling lights pained her eyes after the Earthside dusk

But those other eyes weren’t the sa the vital agility of this familiar flesh It reassured her that Ship had kept the promise to return her to her own body

Ship?

Ask, Ekel

You said I would learn about interfering with Time Did I interfere?

I interfered, Ekel Do you understand the consequences?

She thought about John’s voice in prayer, the power in him - the terrible pohich Yaisuah’s death had released It was unleashed power, capable of joy or agony The sense of that power terrified her Ship interfered and this power resulted What good was such power?

What is your choice, Ekel?

Joy or agony - the choice is mine?

What choice, Ekel?

How do I choose?

By choosing, by learning

I do not want that power!

But now you have it

Why?

Because you asked

I didn’t know

That is often the case when you ask

I want joy but I don’t kno to choose!

You will learn

She swung her feet off the yellow couch, crossed to the screen and keyboard where this terrifying experience had begun Herbody

I did ask; I started i back in that ancient time when all I wanted was Kerro Panille

She sat down at the keyboard and stared into the screen Her fingers strayed over the keys They felt faers had touched these keys She saw this instrument suddenly as a container which held raw experiences at a distance You did not have to go in person This s acceptable She took a deep breath and punched the keys: ANCIENT HISTORY RECORDS - YAISUAH/JESUS

But Ship was not through intruding

If there is any of it you wish to see in person, Ekel, you have but to ask

The very thought sent shudders through her body

This isin it

That, Ekel, is a choice which you may have to share