MENTAL ESSENCE
PAGE 112
    "What do they call their planet?" Trent asked.
    "The most common name is Vanntia," OM answered.
    Trent thought for a moment then said, "Let's do a scan and see if there is another formation out there."
    After the scan Trent made his way out of the latest formation back into stage one space.
    "Do you have a favorite direction?" OM asked Trent.
    "Oh, I suppose an intersect leading away from our old formation and the new one.  At the most propitious velocity.  I will be in suspension until something turns up," Trent thought.
    "Eight hundred thousand- and forty-three-times light speed is the fastest we can safely travel without well placed sensors.  When we do find another formation, we will not sense it until we make physical contact, just like the last one.  Therefore, one hundred- and forty-three-times light speed is the fastest we can safely travel," OM said.
    It was one thousand fifty years, three months and four days later when they had not encountered another formation.
    "Trent!  Trent!" thought OM.
    Slowly Trent opened his eyes, "Yes."
    "I thought I would wake you.  We have been traveling for one thousand fifty years and have found no other formations.  Plus, if we begin our return to Loma Dena now, we should arrive about the time the gravitirium production facility will have been restored," OM stated.
    "Ship, Loma Dena if you will," Trent said in a groggy voice.
    "Underway," replied Ship.
    "I will be in suspension," Trent thought to OM.
    "Would you like to return to Klemet on the way back?  The monitors will make it a much faster trip," OM asked.
    "I suppose they have had time to use the knowledge we left them," said Trent.
    Scanning by the probe made the trip back to Klemet a one-hundred-year cruise.
    "Trent!  We are coming up on Klemet," OM thought to Trent.
    Trent slowly sat up, "So, what have they done in our absence?" Trent asked.
    "They are recovering from a war they engaged in a thousand years ago.  Apparently a hundred or so years after we left, they use the knowledge provided them to develop germ and gas warfare.  The survivors have been trying to rebuild.  Should we make contact?" OM asked.
    "No.  Once again, I should not have intervened.  I seem to be responsible for the deaths of more beings than any being we have encountered or even heard of.  Can we remove all traces of the info we gave them?" asked Trent.
    "I will scan their working electronic devices for any references to that material.  Anything written on paper is more difficult to purge in totality.  There are forty-two languages," OM reminded Trent.
    "Let's do the best we can.  Destroy any and all chemicals related to weapons and sterilize what we can." Trent ordered.
    In three days, they had solved as many problems as possible, and left for Loma Dena.
    "You do not want to go into suspension?" OM asked Trent.
    "I cannot stop thinking about the beings on Klemet," Trent replied.
    "You did not provide them with formulations for weapons," OM answered.
    "I did not provide them with the knowledge to be able to not develop them," Trent thought.
    "It must be part of the natural cycle of evolving capabilities.  Most every class five and higher life form has developed weapons capable of destroying themselves.  Warnings do nothing.  All beings seem to scheme, dream and connive to reach dominance," OM stated.
    "It does seem that way," Trent replied.
    "Remember, even the Ree went through that scenario," OM added.
    It took another two hundred and sixteen years to navigate back to Loma Dena.
    "Ship, it would seem your body style has become old fashioned," Trent said looking at the latest styles.
    "It is the way of all things," Ship replied.
    "Pace, this is Trent," Trent announced.
    "Trent, this is Pace.  Nice to hear your voice.  Land at T3 after you park the freighter."
    "You haven't changed a bit," Pace said, giving Trent a hug.
    "Neither have you," Trent exclaimed.
    "Stop already.  I'm going well over three spans," Pace returned.
    "But, a good three spans.  How long is a span?" Trent asked.
    Pace just smiled, "I arranged an update at the science center."
    "The place looks great.  I notice no evidence of the blast," Trent said looking around the grounds.
    "Once the radiation was cleaned up just about everyone in the alliance volunteered to help in the repairs.  Of cause the gravitirium complex was the toughest.  It's still not perfect, but it works for the most part.  Orin says hello and Aukous passed away a long time ago," Pace said with sad voice.
   "Aukous was a good being," Trent replied.
   "The team would like to do a diagnostic on you as soon as possible," stated Pace.
    "They can have me at their convenience.  Are there annoyances anywhere in the alliance?" asked Trent.
    "None.  Now for the most important topic on the agenda, the new formation.  What's it like, and is there anything not in the transmissions?" Page asked.
    "Oh, nothing different.  It is younger than this one.  Everything is closer together.  The elements are the same, the physics and chemistry are the same.  I imagine there are other formations out there just waiting to be discovered," Trent answered.
    "I have a new friend for you," said Page.
    "You built me a gravitirium pet?" Trent asked.
    "Were not that functional yet.  You'll be surprised," replied Pace, adding, "After the techs, the Chancellor and about a thousand others would also like to see you at your earliest convenience."
    "I am a popular being at the moment.  How are you feeling?" asked Trent.
    "Feeling.  Fine.  With the gravitirium apparatus up and running if anything breaks, I'll have it fixed in no time.  Why, do I look funny or something?" Pace said in a suspicious tone.
    "No.  You look just fine," Trent returned.
    "You on the other hand seem a bit down.  Something you want to talk about?" Pace asked.