Earth, 35th Century. You can cheat death by downloading your consciousness into a Virtual Universe, with thousands of imaginary worlds to choose from, and countless 'lives' to be 'lived.' But someone of vital importance to the Virtuaverse has been m...
Location: Somewhere between Andromeda and the Milky Way
Before you ask, let me assure you that in the balance of all things, it's better to be alive than dead. I don't say that from a personal perspective of actually having been dead, but I've come pretty close a few times. Being deprived of all your senses – no amount of wisdom you might gain from crossing over could compare to a kiss from your child or lover, a hug from a friend or the sense of belonging you get from sharing and eating a meal with family and friends.
From the moment Teepee and I were in Crow Mother's embrace, we were enveloped by the much larger embrace of the billions and billions of souls that had been kept in data storage on the Dromedaries' mining planet. So much light, all around us. Billions of faces. Their gratitude was overwhelming.
Okay, that's it. I've been getting too damn sappy in these last few chapters. If you were thinkin' on gettin' a buncha New Age wisdom or sage advice on how to live, go to your local library. You read that right – get up off your butt, support your neighborhood hover-bus company, or buy a bicycle and get some exercise. Get out there and meet people – your chances of making a friend are about even with getting mugged. Be brave and take the chance.
Now, you probably figured out that Angwusnasomtaka, aka Crow Mother aka Agnes Somtaka, is Teepee's mother (or Bird, as he now prefers) – which makes him a demi-god, I guess. She restored all his human parts except the arm cannon. He insisted on keeping that. Halfway to Terra Veritas, with Bird asleep on the wind between the stars, we chatted.
"I see you figured it out," she deadpanned, soaring around a passing comet.
"You could have given me a hint that was slightly less vague, you know."
"It wouldn't have made any difference. You're a brilliant detective, Danny Boy, but you were never mentally quick on the draw. It's your gifts of seeing what others miss and making sense of 2+2=5 that serve you well." She laughed and winked.
"Coyote told me he wanted to grow old with me," I told her, not without a bit of pride and pleasure. Her response, though, was unexpected.
"A God who makes a mortal a promise pays close attention to the way they word that promise. Think – exactly what did he say?"
I searched my memory and found it...slippery. At last, I was certain I'd got them right. "He said, 'If you succeed, I will grow old with you. Would you like that?' Those words, exactly."
"Did you answer him with a 'Yes' or a 'No' – this is very important, Daniel Crow Feather, because it likely concerns my son as well - did you answer him with words?"
I blushed furiously. "Not with words, no. I...this is embarrassing...I marked him as my territory, the way dogs and wolves do."
"Was he also in canine form?" I'd never heard her so demanding before. I nodded.
She smiled a rather wicked smile. "Occasionally, young Crow, you show flashes of inspiration that can only come from the Great Spirit. I tire of this long journey. Let's take the expressway, hm? Remember expressways? There's an Astral one, too."
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