Conspiracies

                                    

                                          
          Ceraon stayed in his physical body much longer than usual before opening his eyes and taking in the first long breath that brought him out of his deep meditative state. He had spent the time reflecting on his encounter with the priestess but in the end he was unable to make sense of the emotion she elicited from him, or perhaps he from her? That she was strong and possibly malicious he understood, but his feelings towards her confused him. He was drawn to her in a strange and inexplicable way and even though she had threatened his life he sensed something from her as well, was it ... affection? 
                          
          Aphaea followed the stream up to the camp from the wooded valley, her specimen's safe in the pouch strapped to her waist. Approaching the shuttle she saw that Ceraon was back and sensed his confusion. 
                          
"It seems you had an interesting encounter at the settlement," She said to him.
                          
 "Mystifying would be a more accurate description," He replied.
                          
 "You encountered something ... different, unexpected," She asked.
                          
 "Yes, He replied, "Something ... someone much more stimulating than those little humans you have in your pouch." 
                          
Aphaea placed her hand on the pouch, "I think you might be surprised, and don't be so quick to minimize their importance."  
                          
         Melete returned from her spirit travel, entered her body and wasted no time in addressing her companions. "There is much more going on here than was documented in the database," She said alarmingly, "We need to return to the ship and brief the counsel."   
                          
Aphaea sensed alarm in Melete, the one member of their group who is experienced and proficient in exploratory matters such as this, "What did you discover Melete, what concerns you so," She asked.   
                          
          "I am not completely sure," Replied Melete, "I met three beings at a vast temple complex, they referred to themselves as  The Sisters,  they are strong and appeared to be of high standing among the humans. I am sure they are the leadership cast on this planet yet I detected in them an uncertainty."  Then she turned to Ceraon, "I sense you also encountered something unexpected at the human settlement, something that has you, troubled." 
                          
     Ceraon wished he was better and concealing his emotions and thoughts especially with someone as wary as Melete. "I encountered a being that possessed superior psychic energy," He confessed. 
                          
Melete looked seriously at her charge, "Did you interact with this being," She asked.  
                          
Ceraon focused on the thoughts he wanted Melete to sense and said, "No, I only observed the humans and returned here as directed." 
                          
 "Nothing else?" She asked —
                          
"No nothing else," He answered, "However," Ceraon continued, "I do think we need to investigate this situation more before reporting, all we have now are suspicions."
                          
 "And these specimens," Added Aphaea proudly pulling the three startled humans from her pouch.
                          
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        Fayala sat at her table,  wine glass in hand, servants standing by to refresh her cup when summoned. Mira and Ohas were there as well sitting cross-legged on the large oval table top. After their unexpected encounter with the Miorpean at the shrine, Fayala had carried Ohas and Mira to her personal setting room. 
                          
    Ohas was still not accustomed to being picked up and hand carried about this new temple. She had been allowed the choice of either relenting to Fayala's insistence that she be carried or trot on the floor behind the long-legged giantess.  A few days of tiresome hiking through the vastness of the new temple with its long halls and expansive courtyards convinced Ohas to join Mira on Fayala's broad shoulders.
                          
            They truly enjoyed one another's company and as the Ten Spirit Priestesses now shouldered much of the burden in managing the human settlements there was more time available for the Sisters to study the deeper mysteries of this natural world.  Ohas had taken up drinking wine at the Goddess's insistence. They would spend most evenings together, discussing the day's activities, meditating, engaging in spirit travel, and enjoying the evening meal.  They usually finished the day  on Fayala's large table enjoying a cup or two of wine waited on by their human servants.  
                          
          On this evening, the Sisters sat quietly each slowly sipping from their cups while trying to make sense of the otherworldly visitor that had presented itself unafraid and inquisitive in their midst. 
                          
"She is  a Miorpean," Said Mira reflectively, "and an experienced one, she was able to conceal her presence from us and when discovered displayed no fear, no diffidence."  
                          
"So, they have returned then," stated Fayala. "I should have known it would only be a matter time." 
                          
Ohas set her cup on the table, "she appeared to be more, curious about us, I mean, I did not feel threatened by her." 
                          
         Mira stood and walked across the table, she presented her cup to a servant who dutifully filled it. "There must be a mother ship in orbit that most certainly detected the presence of the settlements. They would have dispatched an exploratory vehicle with three or four researchers to investigate and report."
                          
 Ohas stood up, "what is their intentions and do we have anything to fear from them, those are the important questions that need to be answered."  
                          
"Well, responded Fayala, "two things for certain, the Miorpean made no attempt to hide her departure and direction so her craft is located south of here near the settlement of Tensas and," she paused .... "She does not fear us."  
                          
Fayala sighed, "I think I should visit these Miorpeans and get a feeling of what they are about ... eye to eye."  
                          
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          Just like the Sisters ritually partook in their evening of meditation and wine so the Circle of Ten communed each evening as the sun set when flora life-force was at its wane.  The collective mind link was a powerful tool as it allowed the Ten to expand their consciousness and awareness exponentially to a level not even the Sisters could reach. Few could escape the grip of their psychic envelope. No human was free of their influence not even the fugitive human family that lived far out in the rural woodland. 
                          
     Consequently, when the Miorpean interstellar ship entered the planet's orbit, The Ten knew.
                          
 When their Shuttle descended through the atmosphere and landed near Tensas, The Ten knew. 
                          
When the human family was taken from their home by a Miorpean, The Ten knew.  
                          
When a Miorpean visited the Sisters, The Ten knew.  
                          
And when a young and naive Miorpean intermingled with Spirit Priestess Sativia, The Ten knew...
                          
     "It is decided," Stated  Amitabha, "We will monitor the activities at the Miorpean camp through the human family they refer to as specimens as well the activities at the temple through the human servants there.  Sativia will peruse and encourage an intimate relationship with the Miorpean that contacted her. She is to engage his trust,  we believe there is much we can learn, much we can exploit to our advantage."
                          
     Amitabha paused then concluded the communal meditation,  "We now control the humans, it will not be long before the Circle of Ten is strong enough to challenge the Sisters and eventually the Miorpeans themselves."