THE

ADVENTURES
OF THE

TM

Sarillion’s Struggle for Freedom

By Jorian Clarke
 The Adventures of the Idea Seekers:
Sarillion’s Struggle for Freedom

Chapter 4
Kimma learns about the Darkness

“Yeeha,” shouted Tra. “I say Spec, that was some mighty fancy flying.”

“No better than your incredible shooting,” responded Spec calmly. “Can you

come in and check on Kimma while I readjust our flying coordinates? I will need about

three minutes to update our plan.”

The spaceship was now on autopilot as Spec bent over the plan table in his

universal chart room punching buttons to determine their current flight path and adjust for

the unexpected surprise departure.

Tra unbuckled herself from the demistifier and slid back into the spaceship

through the connector tube.

“Seems like a good time for a snack,” she remarked.

Grandfather Lahzar had always said that a little food is a good way to replace the

energy that a Cloud encounter takes. And one thing Tra could do as good as she could

fight, was eat. The suggestion about a snack came before she saw the look on Kimma’s

face. Of course it’s hard to tell when a person is feeling sick when their skin color is

naturally blue, but you didn’t have to be an Idea Seeker Reminder to see that Kimma was

in need of a little healing help.

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“Are all of your escort trips as rough as this one?” Kimma demanded. The

Princess’ manners were gone because she was still scared and a little bit mad.

This day wasn’t like anything she had expected. “I do NOT believe that my

Father would approve of that kind of flying. And as far as shooting when there are

common citizens around, that is definitely not Sarillion protocol. As a matter of fact, we

do not use weapons without first trying to talk to the offenders.”

Tra shot a knowing glance at Spec and decided to hold back a response. After

all, Kimma still didn’t know what the real trip was about and Tra wasn’t sure she wanted

to be the one to tell her. As she reached inside of the supply pantry to gather some

things to make a sandwich she noticed a package to Kimma with Grandfather Lahzar’s

handwriting on it. That was odd. She hadn’t noticed that earlier when she was loading

supplies, and she didn’t remember him saying anything about it.

“Kimma, it looks like this is a present for you,” Tra said to her as she handed her

the football shaped package. “Can I interest anyone in a Tra BOB sandwich?”

Spec looked up from his star chart and noticed the frightened look on Kimma’s

face. He decided at once that putting their guest at ease was more important than doing

the final calculations for determining the travel velocity on their revised escape plan.

“Kimma, a Tra BOB sandwich stands for a big ole’ bite sandwich. It takes a

whole three foot long loaf of bread, sixteen tomatoes, three heads of lettuce, two cans

each of Saba, Machooian olives, pickled pachu buds, a pound of cheddar cheese and

some mayonnaise. Tra’s BOB sandwiches can feed a whole Whydinfey family for two

days. I suggest we start you out with just a slice of it until you can determine if you and

Tra share the same taste in food,” Spec smiled again at Kimma.

She did find his smile comforting, but with the way she was feeling one smile

wasn’t going to go very far.

“I’m not hungry at all right now, thank you,” she said with a bit less of an edge to

her voice. She did feel better to see that her manners were returning.

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“I know Nana would be scandalized that I am not going to have lunch, but I am

afraid if I eat anything right now it may not stay down.”

“I can fix that easily,” replied Tra. She immediately started throwing all kinds of

strange looking vegetables and fruits and some things that Kimma had never seen before

into what looked like a jar with a cover and flipped a switch that made it all start whirring

around. “I will make you one of my Tummy Tension Soothers.”

She poured the now thick green liquid from the blender into a large glass.

Kimma had seen some strange food before at banquets her parents had for visiting

dignitaries, but this concoction was certainly right up there with the strangest dishes she

had ever seen.

She hesitantly took a sip and immediately exclaimed, “This is really quite good. It

tastes sort of fruity, like bananas and mango, but it is thick like a milk shake at the same

time.”

Her love of cooking and baking sprang up and she was temporarily distracted

from what had just happened in the palace courtyard.

“You know on my home planet, I am known as quite the cook. I love to learn new

recipes and when you have time I would really appreciate a lesson in how you made this.

I could make something for you and Spec in exchange,” Kimma said sincerely.

From where she was now standing in the kitchen galley, Kimma couldn’t see

Spec behind her and he was shaking his head vigorously at Tra and making hand signs

for no. He had read Kimma’s fact sheet that Grandfather Lahzar had put together and

from this he knew what a bad cook she was. But Tra hadn’t taken the time to read it so

she couldn’t figure out what he was trying to signal to her.

“Of course, Kimma. I love to eat more than I love to cook. I’d be delighted to

show you around the spaceship kitchen equipment. I think this might be the perfect

match. The computer has a whole database of different recipes we have picked up from

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our travels around the Universe. You can cook to pass the time as we travel to Vonta.”

Tra ended quickly because she knew she had just let the wrong planet slip out.

Kimma turned briefly around at Spec and did a small frown. She had stopped

mind reading until they could set the rules for listening in on each other’s mind

conversations. But something he had just thought was strong enough that she noticed it

without trying and it seemed like he was troubled by something. Spec rushed forward to

change the conversation before Tra got them further in trouble with Kimma – either in the

kitchen or in their true travel destination.

“Kimma,” he blurted out. “I think you should open your package from our

Grandfather Lahzar. Neither Tra nor I know what it is or knew it was on board. Knowing

Grandfather, it is bound to be something wonderful, chosen especially for you.”

Kimma took one more swallow of her green Tummy Tension Soothers drink and

sat down to open the package. She put it to her nose and took a sniff of it. It had a

mildly sweet smell like tropical fruit.

“How kind of your Grandfather Lahzar. I believe I met him briefly just once a few

months ago when he was on a diplomatic mission to Sarillion. I think he was negotiating

for exchange of agriculture from our planet to yours. Isn’t Machoo a planet with much

farming?” There was something familiar in the slight scent that came from the odd

shaped package. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but there was something that

she knew she had smelled before.

Just then Tra gave a little grunt and emerged from the kitchen galley with three

plates and what Kimma thought was the most enormous sandwich she had ever seen.

Spec had not been exaggerating about feeding a whole Whydinfey family for two days.

“Spec, your usual,” and she handed him a plate and cut off an eight inch section

of the sandwich.

“Kimma, try just a little and if you like it I can always make more.” And she cut off

about a four-inch piece.

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“And for me, a little appetizer before we eat our full meal later.” With that she

curled up in the chair next to Kimma and settled down to eat the remaining three feet of

sandwich.

Kimma didn’t think she had ever seen a girl eat quite that much in one sitting.

She was as fascinated with Tra’s dietary habits as she had been earlier with her

demistifier shooting and her cooking skills.

“Does she always eat like this?” she turned to Spec and whispered. Tra’s mouth

was too busy chewing to answer for herself.

“Oh my gosh no,” corrected Spec. “She usually eats standing up. And that’s not

even half of what she usually goes for after a Cloud battle.”

Kimma found herself wondering just exactly how much food the pantry could hold

and hoped they also had a food replicator on board.

“What do you mean a Cloud battle?” queried Kimma. Her concern for her Father,

her Mother, Nana and everyone else on her planet suddenly came back with a stronger

sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach than before.

“Tra, I think it is time that we provide Kimma more information. Can you hit the

switch on the Viewscreen?” Spec asked.

It was a good thing that Kimma had already started to eat her sandwich.

Because what she was going to see next would certainly cause her to lose her appetite

again. Her beloved planet of Sarillion appeared as it looked from space. She had never

viewed it quite like this before. She could see the moon Washi where she spent her

summers. And the second moon Lithia, which was uninhabited. But something didn’t

look right. There was a dirty haze over the planet like smog on planets that still had

industrial pollution from their cities. It seemed to cover the jewel-like beauty of Sarillion

and make it hard to see the planet clearly.

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“What you are seeing now Kimma is a computer projection. It is showing what

Sarillion will look like in six months if the Darkness is successful in clouding your planet,”

said Spec.

“What is this Darkness you keep referring to? I don’t understand. Why does

Sarillion look so dirty?” Kimma questioned. But before anyone could answer her, the

Viewscreen went into a taped message.

“Hello my darling,” said Queen Keyara her face looking tired and sad. “If you are

viewing this message it is because I have not been able to talk to you directly about what

your future will hold. You must be brave, you must be diligent, you must hurry home as

soon as you are done with your training and be ready to take up the battle with the

Darkness.”

The screen flickered and for a moment it looked like it would fail. “Your Father

and I have long been involved in a group that includes many species from many planets

throughout the Universe. On every planet there is the knowledge of the good that is

throughout the whole Universe called the Essence. Some planets are more enlightened

and more developed in their practice of good than others, but each planet has a basic

knowledge. The Essence is the Central Light of all existence. It is the summation of all

good things you know…joy, beauty, kindness and abundance. It is pure Love without

any conditions, expectations or disappointments. Anyone who looks for this Light, listens

for this voice of good, and wants to make a difference for others will hear what they are to

do.” As she described this, her face changed to radiate the beauty and strength that

Kimma was used to seeing from her Mother.

Queen Keyara continued, “When someone starts their formalized training and

completes their first level, they officially belong to this group called the Idea Seekers.

The Idea Seekers listen for the Essence, and do what it says, reflecting and representing

the message of good. It is said that all things work together for good, for those who seek

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and love the Essence, who are called according to the purpose, to bear witness to the

only real power there is.”

Kimma paused the tape and turned to Spec and Tra, “Do you know what she is

saying? Do either of you know where I could find these Idea Seekers?”

Spec smiled again and said, “Kimma, another thing you have in common with my

sister, you need to slow down and be patient. Let’s finish your Mother’s message and

then we can answer any questions you may still have.”

Kimma unpaused the tape and turned back to the image of her Mother on the

Viewscreen.

“Your Father and I have dedicated our lives to showing forth the Essence on

Sarillion as did our parents before us and theirs before them. There are many others on

our planet as well who are actively in the service of good. This is why our world and the

moons that surround it are the wonderful places they are today. Your Father is a Master

Idea Seeker Prophet, able to predict what will come and to be an inspired spokesperson

for good. I myself found that my talents led me to become a Master Idea Seeker Scribe.

I write down and record all the knowledge of good our planet has known. I have sent a

copy of these writings with you for your study. These will help you in your Idea Seeker

training on Vonta. This is your real trip destination, Blaycor was just a stop over so we

could prepare you for your real mission.”

Kimma paused the tape again for a moment and looked right at Tra. “You said

Vonta just a minute ago. You know more about this I am guessing. I think I owe the two

of you an apology and some thanks.”

Queen Keyara continued, “Our recognition and practice of good has kept the

Darkness repelled. However, recently some of our people have left this way of life and

have allowed themselves to be attracted to and mystified by the Darkness. Our whole

planet is now threatened because more and more people are allowing themselves to be

clouded by the Darkness by the choices they are making. He has sent some of his

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different representatives of evil, his helpers, the seven Clouds of Chaos. We managed to

get rid of Gluttony Cloud, Greedy Cloud and Jealousy Cloud with the help of some

Master Idea Seekers sent to us from other planets. But now we are under attack by

Angry Cloud and he has been effective in hypnotizing our people, as you may have seen.

More people each day are accepting his lies as truth. The Darkness has targeted our

planet now with more bad supposing and joy crushing anger and he hopes to put us all in

the numbness of dumbness.”

At that point King Daveau joined his wife in the message tape. He now

continued the explanation. “So far as we know, the Darkness has sent Angry Cloud two

times to try to capture you. We have watched and tried to wake the people in our

kingdom to the need to not allow themselves to be clouded. But the Cloud Sickness is at

a higher level than we have ever known before. Instead of a brief time spent being upset,

some people are now living in anger every day. We are not sure which other Clouds will

be used as well in the battle against us. It is your turn now to join in the fight against the

Darkness and you will be asked to learn and train earlier than any of us had originally

planned. Someday soon when you are ready, you will be back. With your help we know

we can completely rid Sarillion of Angry Cloud and release the hold he has on our planet.

“Your training will teach you how to remind people of who they are, what they are really

like, and what they really want to do. Then the lies of the Darkness will no longer seem

real as they do now to those who are clouded.”

Queen Keyara continued beaming with confidence and joy, “My darling Kimma,

since an early age, you have had the natural talents of an Idea Seeker Reminder. This

Idea Seeker role prepares a person to help in the healing of the heart and soul and body.

The people who are active Idea Seeker Reminders spend much of their time in hospitals,

homeless shelters and wherever there is a need for kindness. While you didn’t realize

what you were doing, without any formal training your natural talent has allowed you to

be able to wake people up from Cloud sickness ever since you were a small child. And

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you could do this even though your natural skills were untrained and unchanneled.

Imagine what you will be able to do when you learn how to focus your natural skills!”

“We no longer have any Idea Seeker Reminders on our planet and this is what is

needed to fight Angry Cloud and bind up the broken hearted who have been clouded and

tricked by the Darkness and his evil helpers.”

All of a sudden there was a tremendous crash on the left side of the spaceship.

Tra sprang into action and scooted up the connector tube to her fighting seat in the

demistifier.

“Spec,” she reported. “It looks like we are flying through a Cloud land mine field.

I think it is time to take evasive action. I am going to see if I can’t send some of these

traps back to their master and his Clouds for a little surprise.”

Spec gave one last smile to Kimma and helped her get buckled in to the

passenger chair again. Without realizing it, Kimma had taken Grandfather’s package and

was holding it close like she had done with her dolls back when she was a little girl. Just

like Spec’s smile, there was something about this package that made her feel like there

was hope, and without any conscious thought, Kimma found herself hugging it closer.

“That’s odd,” she thought to herself. “Is it moving or am I just feeling things that

aren’t there?” Ever since she had started hugging the package, she could have sworn

that there was a light purring noise and a crackling sound. The package was a pouch

with a drawstring that kept the opening at the top closed. Kimma pulled open the top and

a shiny black seed about the size of a grapefruit fell into her lap.

Spec turned from the control panel as he banked a hard left with the spaceship.

“Kimma, do you know what you have there?”

“I have never seen anything like this before. It looks like a seed pod, but wait, it

is cracking open.” Kimma was amazed at what happened next.

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A wonderful aroma burst forth and a little arm poked out from the pod and then

another. It began to curl around Kimma’s neck, but not in a frightening way. She realized

it was reaching out to hug her as it started to purr, coo and chirp.

“Spec, I am not sure what this is, but it is hugging me,” Kimma called out. “Is that

okay?” After the day she had just had, Kimma wasn’t sure about anything anymore.

“You have a Compassion Plant Baby, Kimma,” explained Spec. “A genuine

Compassion Plant Baby is hard to find. You can tell it is real because it doesn’t want

anything from you, it just wants to make sure you are okay.”

And indeed that is what the little thing was doing. It was now completely out of

its pod and its little furry body was stretched up tall so it could reach Kimma’s cheek to

give a little tickly kiss and to snuggle underneath her chin. It was sending little sweet

thoughts into Kimma’s mind saying, “It’s okay, Kimma. We gonna be fine because we be

always tucked under the wings of Love.”

It’s timing couldn’t have been more perfect because just then the Viewscreen

was turned on remotely with a broadcast from outside of the spaceship. A loud and deep

voice rumbled into the sound system and said,

“You can not avoid my Cloud Mist. I will make you understand my control. You

will do what I tell you to do. It is better for you that way. Give up and surrender, then

peace can come. No one cares for you like I do. Everyone else will let you down, but I

will not. I am the Darkness, the planet of Sarillion is mine now and it will be easier for you

if you just do what I want. Don’t think and try to resist me.”

Now the Viewscreen showed a visual of a caped figure whose face was hidden

from view. The figure looked big and scary. It seemed to have a lot of confidence, yet

something was wrong. Kimma didn’t like the feeling of coldness and hardness she felt

from him. Her heart was racing, but not in a good way. He made her feel all tight and

jittery inside. She didn’t want to think, she just wanted to do things even if they didn’t

seem right. Part of her was shocked that it seemed like these horrible feelings were her

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thoughts. She wanted to turn the ship around and get rid of Spec and Tra. She was mad

at her parents for having sent her away from home and lying to her about where she was

going. Why did Nana interrupt her riding lesson? Her parents obviously didn’t know how

to run a planet. Richard, her riding instructor, was stupid for having sent her to the

palace. Her parents weren’t strong like the Darkness, or smart or cool. All this talk of the

Essence and good being stronger was the old way of thinking. She wanted the

adventure and all the other things the Darkness could bring. This was far more attractive

and easier than the learning or practicing that the Idea Seeker training sounded like it

was going to require.

The Darkness gestured to a planet behind him and it did look like he was indeed

in control of Sarillion. The picture zoomed in to different scenes happening on the

surface. People were yelling at each other and fighting for no reason. Those that weren’t

fighting were just angry with no one in particular. There were angry men and women and

children. Why even the dogs appeared irritable, something Kimma had never seen

before on her planet. They were snarling at each other and barking loudly at little

children. Sarillion appeared to have a haze around it and the beautiful moonlight didn’t

seem to be getting through.

The Darkness continued with his lies, “What can three children do against my

power? Why those two Machooian twins aren’t even Master Idea Seekers! How will they

know what to do when the time comes? Everyone wants to do my bidding. You will like

letting me do all of your thinking just like the other smart Pleethars on Sarillion are doing.

They don’t have to work hard, they can just play and enjoy life. You think you can resist

me, but you can’t hold out forever….”

With an unhurried and graceful movement, the Compassion Plant Baby reached

over to the Viewscreen and turned it off mid-sentence in the speech of the Darkness.

“Patooey,” it chirped waving away to the Viewscreen where the Darkness had

just been. “Me no empty hot air listen to. My Kimma is everything many ok. Passe,

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passe. Her Mother and Father safe are too. Spec and Tra to the Essence connected are

and they to good listen. They all time, every day, what to good do and know. We not to

that windbag listen. Passe, passe.” And with that it curled around Kimma’s neck like a

warm soft scarf and instantly she lost all fear and felt at ease.

The Viewscreen went back to the message of her parents. Her Mother spoke

again,

“Kimma, there is love and support all around you no matter where you go or what

happens to you. Learn to listen, and the ideas that you need will never fail to come to

you. Share your understanding of the Essence. Help heal others so they know hope

again and can spread the message of good.”

Her Father added, “The plants, the animals, the people and the very rocks and

stones around you will give you strength to do what you are called on to do. We are also

doing this. Do not worry for us. We have been and always will be fine, no matter what it

appears like at first. We look forward to seeing you again and having you join us in the

fight for good.”

They both joined hands and finished by saying,

“Be at ease and grow daily in the way of the Essence. Listen to become the Idea

Seeker that you have always been.”

They both now looked happy and strong and as the picture pulled away to show

the planet Sarillion, it appeared to twinkle and shine brightly again without the mask of

dirty cloud mist.

Kimma felt a strong rise of compassion for all the Pleethars and animals on her

home Planet who might still be consumed with Cloud sickness and she knew in her heart

she could be of help.

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