MENTAL ESSENCE
PAGE 118
    "There is a group of males on the other side of the planet who are not exactly a homicidal gang, but are unpleasant enough to merit your physical attention," OM thought.
    "Where can ship pick me up?" Trent asked.
    "One and half miles to the east there is a small grove of trees and I am still waiting for prob 88n3 to reply on gravitirium indicators," OM replied.
    "I have a hard time believing a civilization capable of developing gravitirium would commit genocide on a less developed civilization," Trent thought in reply.
   "Should prove to be an interesting encounter," OM returned.
   "Ship is in place," thought OM.
   "Okay, let's have a talk with the ne'er-do-wells," said Trent as he settled into his seat.
   "These beings have a religious tone to their enterprise.  The hierarchy is comprised of men, women and their children.  The congregation is expected to supply food and valuables in exchange for passage to the great afterlife, you know, the usual.  They call their enterprise The Members of Gods Family," OM stated.
   "Are there others?" Trent asked.
   "Dozens," OM replied.
   "Of course.  New destination Ship, to the cargo ship.  I am going to need several pounds of gold," Trent answered.
   "May I ask your plan of action?" asked OM.
   "I do not believe terminating every dishonest being is practical.  So, I will play on their greed to expose them.  Hopefully their victims will develop some common sense and it spreads," Trent said.
   That night Trent landed with one hundred pounds of gold and waited for the morning services to begin.  At the rising of the sun a bell rang three times, and the faithful began to arrive with their tributes.  Trent waited for the appearance of the Supreme Apostle then made his way to the front of the crowd. 
   "Good morning you the faithful.  I am now ready to receive you tokens of faith," said a man heavy proportions.
   "My I speak?" Trent asked while displaying the gold in an obvious manner.
   The heavyset man fell into an almost hypnotic gaze at the       
   "Why yes. Of course you may," He said as he and four of his associates moved closer toward the gold.
   "I will gift this gold to your god if you can prove he exists," Trent stated.
   "God needs your tribute.  A tribute like yours will spread his word to the stars and beyond," the man said.
   "So, in short, there is no god.  Goodbye!" exclaimed Trent as he turned to leave.
   The man waved his hand in the direction of the gold.  His associates ran at Trent while producing knives of various styles.
   "There no god, there is us.  Give up gold or die," ordered the man.           
   Trent made the fight look good, which he won of course.  Trent chased the leader into the room behind the alter.
   "You are about to suffer an excruciating intestinal inconvenience.  This inconvenience will continue until you have given back all of the offerings your victims have provided.  Now are we going out there so you can begin the give back, or do you prefer to die in agony?" Trent asked.
   The man grabbed his stomach and agreed to the give back
   "I will return in one week to establish a school.  I hope there will be no further problems, and all of these beings will be happy," Trent said as they walked to the alter.
   "Your tributes will be back to you.  You have my word," stated the man.
   He told his associates to being to distribution.
   "My name is Trent.  I will return in one week to help you rebuild your world.  There are others all over your planet who will be doing the same.  If you work together, your lives, your communities and your futures will be much brighter," Trent stated to the crowd that had gathered.
   Trent was two years into helping rebuild the planet when one of the communicans from Loma Dena came from Pace.
   "Well, I've done it!  We designed a water molecule which allows me to adjust its viscosity electronically.  Now I can travel with you!  I am on my way to Heptom as I send this message.  Telemetry analysis indicates your just over eight hundred light years out, so I should be there in a year or so," Pace said in her message.
   Trent had one of those rare emotion spikes.
   "OM, where can I meet Ship?" Trent thought.
   "Two miles to the west there is wooded area," OM replied.
   "Plot a rout to intercept Pace.  We will be a maximum velocity.  I do not want anything to happen to her and what can you tell me about this viscosity alteration?" thought Trent.
   "The Amoi developed a process that sounds like it might be similar.  Pace would have that data.  Basically, it was developed to compliment a state of stasis for long term space travel of a year or so.  However, the side effects where terminal proved to be terminal in the long run.  Pace would also know of that finding," OM replied.
   "Perhaps she found improvements on the process," Trent thought.
   "Perhaps," thought OM.
   Trent boarded Ship at the prescribed rendezvous point.
   "Ship, you know your currant objective and we will not bring the cargo ship with us," Trent thought.
   "Underway," said Ship.
   "Can you estimate how long it will take to intercept he?" asked Trent.
   "She will be taking the cleanest course which will mean an interception in ten to twelve days based on the fastest ship available to her.  Why are you so concerned?  She is an excellent pilot and she is well aware of the possible hazards.  She will take all necessary precautions," OM stated.
   "You can measure the stresses, but I can feel them.  I do not believe she can withstand some of those stresses at high velocities, even with this new process," thought Trent.
   "I understand.  I also believe she would have taken extremes into consideration.  Perhaps you are acting on emotion rather than fact," thought OM.