“What’s that?” asked the earthling.
“It’s the Gates of Life, a gift from the Lactians to the Barkan inhabitants.”
“Gates of Life?” asked Derek again, watching an endless procession of pilgrims climbing up a narrow winding path on a steep slope to the top. “Is it some kind of a ritual?”
“You could say that,” Kumimago smiled. “A long time ago, when my race lived on our native planet, we had an incredible technological boom in all the areas of science-in medicine, as well. Our doctors learned to treat the majority of illnesses. However, with time, it became obvious that in spite of all our efforts to stay healthy, every subsequent Lactian generation was weaker than the previous. Just as we found a new vaccine against one virus, another more deadly one would appear. Initially effective treatment methods were turning out to be useless after years, while illnesses became chronic. The doctors had scrutinized over this problem for a long time until a truly genius scientist Armesteh created the Gates of Life. This machine, the prototype of which you can see on the mountain, could renew all the body cells completely, except the nerve cells. After this scientific breakthrough was made, the vaccines, antibiotics and surgeries seemed to become a thing of the past.”
“Apparently, it had some drawbacks,” said Derek quietly, noticing his companion’s glance grow heavier.
“That’s right. The machine worked without causing any side effects. However, for some reason there were Lactians who were able to retain their newfound health for the rest of their days, while the old illnesses were returning to the others after a while. After having carried out a great deal of testing and research, Armesteh and his colleagues found the reason. It turned out that every illness leaves a mark on the subconscious of the Lactians. And the subconscious as a part of the nervous system could not be healed by the machine.”
“But you said that some of your compatriots were totally healed,” said the earthling surprised.
“Only those whose wish to live let them cleanse their consciousness from the true source of all illnesses: fear, and its constant companions – anger and hatred. The humaneness of our society wouldn’t allow denying medical treatment to those who fell sick a second time. These Lactians were coming to the Gates of Life again and again, and by marrying those who were totally healthy, they transferred their illnesses to the new generations. With time, the energy system of our planet became exhausted; a disaster was looming and threatening to extinguish the whole Lactian civilisation. Bordering on extinction, we realized that we couldn’t afford to be weak or nurture the deadly illnesses from generation to generation by healing the bodies of those who were ill in their souls. Our government passed a new law: everyone wishing to be healed by passing through the Gates of Life had to undergo a test in order to prove their vitality: to get rid of fear and to fill their mind with love. This very path is the test. The ill person has to walk it alone without anyone’s help. You see the only way to a real cure… Some, however, choose to walk the path differently. Instead of getting rid of fear and hatred, they fill themselves with anger, grow hard and deplete their body and spirit while overcoming the obstacles. Sometimes it works and they make it to the Gates, exhausted physically and spiritually, but full of furious determination. Nobody stays on their way; it’s their choice after all.”
Lora had seen the Gates of Life before, but now she was interested to know what Derek would say about the policy of the Lactian Health Ministry. The earthling didn’t make her wait long to satisfy her curiosity.
“It’s pure genocide…” he whispered quietly when they went back to the shuttle and were getting ready to travel back to Titanium. “Who gave them the right to decide who to be healthy and who to die of illnesses?”
“What are you talking about?” the girl glanced at him in surprise. “Every Lactian had and still has a choice. No one stays on their way to salvation, no one kills them! And you’re calling it genocide?!
“But, in fact, their government took the life of millions of their compatriots in order to create a more perfect race! The old humaneness turned out to be a relic of the past, an obstacle on the way to preserve the Lactian civilization!”
Lora shook her head. Her disagreement with Derek’s words was obvious.
“You are justifying their actions?” He asked, in disbelief.
“I don’t see anything that needs justification,” she answered. “Moreover, Andre Mendes’s philosophy is very similar to that of the Lactians.”
The young man raised his eyebrows in amazement.
“When our founder revealed his knowledge to the people of Earth,” Lora started explaining, “Many came to him to learn. But his teaching was useful only to those who were ready to change, to rethink their lives and only through self-knowledge and forgiveness to gain strength, wisdom and health. Not everyone was ready for such a strenuous task. Not everybody wanted to spend time on a spiritual quest. The majority just wished to get to the final result, overlooking the very way the Lactian representative was talking about.”
“But some simply might not have had enough strength!” said Derek indignantly.
“If someone does not have enough strength to fight for his own life, why should others rush to save them?”
“Because people should help each other!”
“Help was never denied to them: Andre’s knowledge was, and remains to be, accessible to everyone – the Gates of Life as well.”
The young man sighed deeply.
“How can your ideas be so rational and simultaneously so contradicting with everything I believe in? All this philosophy is totally void of any compassion!”
“It’s not true,” answered Lora calmly. “Compassion and help are not foreign to our society. However, any conscious living being must take responsibility for his life.”
It took more than a month for the ‘Solar Flotilla’ to settle on Vistana’s orbit. Lora and her friends patiently waited for the Council’s affairs to go back to normal and asked for a meeting.
Soft dim sunset lighting in the councillor’s office didn’t prevent Lora from feeling fresh as if it were early morning.
“The Council is meeting tomorrow at eleven,” Jean sat in an armchair and looked intently at the girl opposite to him, “We’ll consider your suggestion, but you must be ready to provide strong arguments in its favour. The distance to Earth is quite long; moreover, the lack of information about the current events there doesn’t guarantee the safety of such an expedition.”
“I’ll get ready for the meeting. I don’t think the Council will be against Derek and Paul being there? Our guest has his own reasons…”
“… And the shuttle captain will tell us about the technical details of a possible expedition,” the councillor finished her thought.
“That’s right.”
“You’re already quite well prepared! Alright, let’s see what the Council will say.”
Excited with the appointment, Lora immediately headed for Paul’s apartment. When she went inside, she saw him working on the holographic interface of the central computer. Derek was holding a thin transparent tablet displaying data from the archives.
“How did it go?” asked Lora. Both men simultaneously took their eyes off their work.
“I’m almost done with the calculations,” answered Paul.
“And I got to learn about the history of the ‘Solar Flotilla’ voyages in more detail,” added Derek. “Any news from the Council?”
“Tomorrow at eleven we’ll have an opportunity to present all our arguments to them. We’re all going to attend the meeting, no exceptions.”
“That’s great!” replied the earthling. The news seemed to give him somewhat of an energy boost. He briskly stood up from his seat. “I completely forgot that I have to make it to Doctor Borshchevsky on time.”
“Let’s get together in the canteen an hour before the meeting,” suggested Paul. “And discuss the details.”
Derek nodded in agreement. He was already at the door when he turned and added with unconcealed gratitude.
“Thank you for agreeing to help me.”
In the morning, before the Council meeting, Lora put on her trainers and set off to the viewpoint as had been a custom of hers for many years. It was almost a ritual to go jogging down the endless dark circle for an hour, throwing away every single thought and listening only to her breathing and the rhythm of her body. But today she didn’t run. Instead she sat down on the cool floor right at the glass window and probably for the first time looked at the empty space overboard: not simply with a belief that a new home was awaiting them somewhere, but with a hope that this home may be Earth.
“Paul told me I would find you here,” a quiet male voice distracted her from her thoughts. She looked around. Derek was behind her.
“I come here every morning for a jog,” explained the girl.
“He said that you always come out in this sector. Any particular reason?”
“The least number of ships approach the transport terminal in this place because there are repair docks under us,” answered Lora.
“I was lucky that you didn’t run far away from the teleport cabin,” grinned the young man, “I had no idea that you’re so keen on exercise.”
“It’s more of a meditation than exercise,” shrugged the girl.
“Sitting in such a position it certainly looks like it,” smiled Derek, “Can I join you?”
He sat next to her and crossed his legs, looking at a rather monotonous landscape outside.
“I don’t know how to meditate. But, I’m sure I’ll easily fall asleep after five minutes if not earlier.”
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