Silver Planets and Lost Worlds

This episode shares a letter from Walter about the history lesson he gave at the council meeting. He shares the story of what Clara did, and why the veils were put in place all those years ago. 

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Transcript

The Star Jelly Files

Episode Five

Silver Planets and Lost Worlds

Hello Everyone, and welcome back to The Star Jelly Files. This week, as promised, we will be picking up here we left off with the council meeting. But instead of hearing from Hum I have a letter from Walter. Walter is as you know a beacon who is in charge of the council meeting archives and our historian. His letter this week covers the history that was shared during our council meeting about what happened when Clara changed the universe and caused the veils to be put in place.  Or at least one of the things that happened. If I am honest there are thousands of stories that are ripples from those events. This is just one. Walter is an interesting beacon. He prefers to sit back and observe most days so he often notices things others won’t, but he will not always tell you what he has noticed until certain events have passed. I would take his account of the history with a grain of salt as you say. He is going to leave parts out until he feels like it is the right time to share them. And I am sure you are asking why I don’t just add those parts in. Well because it is Walter’s story to tell. Not mine.

Walter’s letter arrived to me in a large glass jelly jar and was written out on a small hand bound cloth book. I think he chose the glass jelly jar so I could see the book inside.

 Letter from Walter containing his account of what happened during the retelling of our history.

Greetings Astra,

Here is the letter with the account of the telling of the history at the last council meeting. I was thinking and I decided that it would be far more dramatic if I formatted it like a novel. More entertaining. The way I see it is you have an audience that your broadcast goes to and I have the opportunity to entertain them. Why would I share boring meeting notes with them? So, I drafted something up for you and your audience. The contents are still accurate for the most part, but I did some editing to keep things concise. 

Before I start my account, I should summarize who was there I guess, because Hum did not address that question in his letter. Then I will begin my retelling. 

The council members that attended the meeting that day were all of us. 

Astra- Head Beacon

Linc- The Wanderer

Hum- Beacon of the hidden realm

Bert- Daughter of Theo and Bringer of Change

Chester- The inventor

Vi- Beacon of the healing worlds

Theo- The one who remembers

Key- The one who is lost

Nora- The one who has a sense of humor

Fall- The one who finds new stars

Hugh- The one who chases the horizon

Walter- The record keeper for the council

            Now to begin with my retelling of the meeting. I have decided to begin my story with the end of Hum’s when we were eating the sour fruit from the region of the milky way. Hum for some reason did not include Hugh is his recount of the meeting and I think it is important that he be included in my recount. Also, Hum conveniently left out that yes, we were called to meet because Clara had been spotted on the mantis world, but also because Bert was not surprised by this fact. Vi figured out that something must be going on. Bert was supposed to be retired and tucked away on earth to do research of her own until she felt ready to return to her work with the council. So, we met to learn more about what was actually happening between our stars. So here we go.

            We were all sitting around the giant wooden dinner table that had been hand carved by Linc in the olden days. Waiting to eat until the course of the meeting was decided by Astra. Usually we talked, but that day we weren’t. I think most of the council members were too stressed to eat, or too angry. Most of us where staring at Astra when she took her seat at the table. Expecting some type of grand announcement, I think.

“Why isn’t anyone eating?” Astra asked with a knowing smile on her face. 

“No one is eating because they want to get going with Burt’s trial,” I said loudly as I looked around the room. Trying to force each of the beacons to at least glance at me. To see and feel the honesty of my words.  Some of them turned to face me, but most found other parts of the room to look at. I was trying to draw attention to their discomfort so we could address it head on rather than pretend it wasn’t hanging in the air between us. It didn’t work. 

“Well, that is a waste of food. Especially considering there will not be a trial,” Astra said as she reached out and picked up a warm piece of bread from a nearby plate. It wasn’t bread as most know it on Earth, but bread as we knew it from our home. Perfectly round spheres as small as marbles that smelled of honey and were colored a deep turquoise. Astra dipped it in the salted yellow sauce that sat nearby and popped the piece of bread into her mouth. 

“What do you mean no trial? We all came today to hear the crimes of Bert. The one who lied to us and has caused a great deal of chaos and harm to her realm.” said Hugh. 

Hugh was glaring at the table just in front of me as if it was my fault he wasn’t going to get to yell at Bert. He wasn’t holding a particular form. He was just floating there as a cloud of purple light with green eyes and allowing his anger to slowly wash over me. His anger masked the usual energy of the freewheeling adventure that he usually gave out. I wondered how much he really hated Bert and those who were supporting her, or if he just hated the situation, I had now put him in. Hugh usually avoided fights when he could. 

“I suggest we all eat. Like I said no trial, but instead a sharing of information. And Hugh stop looking so angry already. Did you really think Bert would do something so extreme without good reason? Or are you just angry because you are HUNGRY?” She said with a laugh that she could no longer contain. A joyful sound that filled the room and danced around us. “You have worked with her for centuries so here, eat some of the fresh fruit I brought back from the edge of the second realm. There is a new world there, and their food doesn’t taste quite like anything else we have had before,” Astra said as she slid a bowl of fruit towards Hugh. She was attempting to distract him, and I was grateful. I prefer learning not fighting.

Hugh reached out and grabbed a piece of fruit, and swiftly took a bite as if to prove he wasn’t being stubborn. For a brief moment he came into focus as a short man with a bright red beard, bald head, and large round stomach. ­­­­­Hugh had once lived for a short time on Earth for a vacation and had developed his love for food there. Earth is renowned for the variety of food it has amongst the beacons, and most have plans to visit at least once. The form Hugh briefly wore must have been his guise during that time. His face puckered as he chewed on the fruit and he managed to say, “are you sure this isn’t poisonous it is so sour.” 

I laughed a little at his reaction along with Astra, Linc and Hum. Which quickly made Hugh shift back to his light form and caused him to toss a wave of angry energy my direction as if I was the only one that laughed. Without the eye contact of course.  Not one to miss an opportunity to show Hugh up, especially as he was purposefully trying to make others uncomfortable Hum also reached out and grabbed a piece of the fruit, and the rest of us soon followed. Most around the table had calmed down now that we were eating and pretending to play nice.

Yet, it was Fall who was really giving me something to be worried about. The anger that radiated off of him was becoming alarming, and I was surprised no one else noticed it. Even though he was avoiding my gaze he was still somehow managing to make me feel like he didn’t want me there. He wasn’t eating, wasn’t talking, and was just looking out the window. I knew why he likely hated me or those of us involved, but it was still disconcerting to have him be that angry at me. Fall was one of our best warriors and being on his bad side was never a good idea. He wasn’t even eating. That was a really bad sign. Hum was glancing at Fall too which made my nerves even worse, I didn’t want the two of them to fight. But since there was nothing, I could do I decided just to concentrate on the food. 

As we were eating Astra decided that we needed to move on with our meeting. No help to delay things I suppose, but I was shocked that Astra decided to just dive into her topic without preamble. I guess I should have expected that approach, we had discussed it after all, but it is one thing to discuss it and another to see it play out before you.

 “Now that everyone is eating, and their mouths too full to ask questions, let me fill you all in on why we are actually here today,” Astra said casually to the room. Everyone looked up at her, eating utensils stopped in midair. Astra ignored the looks of confusion around the room and continued on. “Well to get to the point, Clara escaped from her imprisonment 684 years ago. She came to visit me and tell me about a bigger danger that we would need to face.  I sent her away until further discussions and plans could be made.” Astra paused for a moment and looked around the table at each of us to make sure her words were sinking in. Clara, the bringer of war and destruction, was free to wander as she pleased. Or so some of us thought. Others around the table knew she had only traveled to one location. With Bert. 

As the news began to truly sink in for everyone, they turned to stare at Bert and Hum. Bert because everyone had just figured out that it wasn’t just that Bert likely witnessed Clara’s return but was an active part in it, and Hum because he visits Bert often. He had to also be involved. Hugh was rising from his chair. “684 years ago! You are telling me that Bert quit her post at the exact same time that Clara escaped? You told her and none of us? Did you give her a mission? Send her out into dangerous waters without backup? What is this!” He yelled at Astra. 

Although I thought at least part of the anger was meant for Astra, he was angry at Bert for not asking for help. They had spent a few lives together in the seventh realm watching over some newborn planets. I could see the genuine hurt in his eyes at the realization that Bert had abandoned him for real, had abandoned everyone and put herself in danger when she didn’t have to. She could have had help. That part of this also bothered me. But I suspect Bert turned help down when it was offered. My stomach began to turn at that though. I didn’t know how she was going to justify that decision if she was asked to. I don’t know how I would either. The council usually works as a team, not on their own.

The council had every right to be angry. Astra Bert, and probably Hum, were the ones who decided to act without including the others. Or at least most of us think we hadn’t been included. It was becoming obvious to me that all of us probably had some level of knowledge we had not shared with the group. 

“We had good reason,” said Astra calmly. Speaking my thoughts aloud to the council. You have a right to be angry, but if you stop and think for a moment wouldn’t you assume we also had a good motive?” Have we ever done anything without a good motive?” She asked Hugh quietly. 

Hugh didn’t reply. He simply sat back down in his chair and turned to face her. Waiting for her to continue her story.  The rest of the room who had successfully held their thoughts inside also waited. Waited to be told why their world had been altered without their consent or inclusion. If Bert had just quit her job, they could accept that. She had the right to make a personal choice. It was the idea that she had been forced away that bothered them. It was starting to bother me more in that moment as it sunk in how much Bert had really missed while being away for so long, and how quickly distrust had set in about her actions.

 “Furthermore,” Astra said. “Bert didn’t have anything to do with this decision. It was mine, and mine alone. Stop trying to make everything her fault just because you are hurt she didn’t consult with you before retiring.” Astra stared at Hugh for a moment and then allowed her eyes to roam over the others to gage their reactions to her latest news. I followed her gaze to try and gleam any information about what the others might be feeling beyond the anger that was obvious in all of their energies and expressions. 

Some around the table still seemed angry, but Linc and Hum seemed calm and Vi had let her frustration with the situation fall away and had forced her full attention on Astra.  It felt like they were waiting to hear why their friend was taken away from them. Judging by the looks on their faces Hugh wasn’t the only one at the table who thought Bert had been forced out of the council without their knowledge and was ready to be furious about it. Although where Hugh looked angry, Vi looked thoughtful. They were always more concerned with the why before they decided how it made them feel. 

There were others in the room obviously, that I haven’t talked about before now because they for the most part was sitting on the sidelines. Nora, Theo, Key, and Fall were Bert’s peers, colleagues, and friends, but they hadn’t seen each other for a century or so, and the added time since then has left a small chasm between them I think. So, it is difficult to know what to say about them in that particular moment. They were being professional about the situation and waiting for the discussion around what actions needed to be taken and where they could help, I think. That being said, their reactions to Astra were still strong. Nora, Theo, and Key seemed to share Hugh’s anger and confusion and some of Vi’s thoughtfulness. Their knitted eyebrows and frowns not giving too much away about what they were thinking. Fall on the other hand seemed bored with the whole thing. Leaning back in his chair and appearing not to really pay attention to any of the conversation.  Although I guess that made sense at the time. Fall and Bert were never super close. Also, I believe they knew where the conversation was likely going. It was going where it always goes when we talked about Clara, about the past. The conversation would not be pleasant for him. Chester was also one that stood out to me. Where Fall seemed annoyed, Chester seemed fearful about the conversation to come. As a young beacon he had not seen war. The conversation was not going to be easy for him either. Especially if the conversation was going to require my services. 

Astra seemed to come to the same conclusion that I had. Her gaze had paused on Fall and then Chester. Something was off with the two of them, and she would have to address it. 

“Before we go much further with this discussion, I think we need to give Chester a history lesson. Based on the look on your face Chester I am guessing you know the basics of what happened with Clara?” Astra asked as if asking a school aged child a math question she knew didn’t know the answer.

Chester sat up straighter in his chair and quickly glanced at Hum before turning his attention to Astra. “Ummm. Well,” Chester said while glancing around the table again. “I know she encouraged the last war, and that you stopped her, and that she caused a lot of damage, but I haven’t exactly finished reading all of the journals yet,” he said quickly with a guilt-ridden glance towards me. I had given all of the journals to read when he became. He should have read them. Knowing our history was important and required for doing our work. It wouldn’t matter if he wasn’t a beacon, but he took that oath. I would have to give him a lecture later if we had time. Or at least give him more homework to do.

In fact, I decided that it would be best just to give a history lesson to him right then and there. The rest of us needed to share the information anyway. “Perhaps, Astra, I should give a quick history lesson for those that need a refresher course?” I asked as I walked towards the center of the table. Not waiting for her invitation to begin.

Astra nodded her consent, and I pushed Hum and Bert aside so that I could stand at the center of the table. I reached out towards the table and placed the palm of my right hand against the grain of the wood. The grain of the table began to vibrate underneath my hand, and Hum quickly began to explain to Chester what was happening. That he was about to witness history in live action, in seven dimensions. That he would not just see what we saw but be there. Smell it, hear it, witness it, and hold all of the emotions of that moment. The rest of the beacons around the table became restless. Moving their chairs and pushing their food aside. But each was ready to join our lesson. I could tell this because they were now all staring right at me. I interrupted Hum’s explanation. “Alright enough chit-chat you two,” I said with a laugh. “You are being dramatic anyway. This is a necessary part of understanding, not just seeing but developing empathy for what others were feeling. You learned this when you were young. Remember? Let’s get started!” I reached out for Hum’s hand. He was one of the first to see the damage Clara had done and his perspective would be one of the first I shared. I pressed his palm to the table next to mine and gestured for everyone else to join us. One by one the others at the table placed the palm of their right hand on the table, and slowly it began to glow a soft maroon. The surface became warm, and pulled our hands beneath it and into its grain until it held each of us right below our wrists and our hands were completely canceled within its depths. 

A three-dimensional image of a map slowly came to life in the air between us. I was driving the experience and would pick whose memory to dive into first. “Alright” I said, “I’ll start things off, and invite each of you to participate as needed, and Chester, don’t try remove your hand from the table it won’t let go until I tell it to. Even if you want to, you need to experience this, so you can understand what we are facing. But if it becomes to much let us know and we can stop.”

And I began my history lesson.

“What you need to understand first Chester is that when Clara was the head beacon, her intensions were never particularly nefarious. Like most of us she spent her time living amongst the different realms, learning about the beings there, and bringing back information for all of us to learn from,” I said as he glanced at Chester to make sure he was paying attention. 

“What you also need to understand is that sometimes the ideas built on the best intension can still grow to be something that causes irreversible danger, especially when you are dealing with the very fabric that holds our universe together. Clara forgot this fact or chose to ignore it. I never really knew which,” I said with a shrug. 

 I raised my left hand up and began to swirl the golden light that shimmered above the map in front of us until an image began to form before our eyes. “Linc can you give me a hand here?” I asked as the image came into greater focus. I was building a map of the stars based on my own memory, and now the memory of Linc. Linc being one of the oldest at the table could remember the layout of the stars better than most. Especially when dealing with how they looked before everything was torn apart. The map of the stars became clear, and we all stared at the glowing golden images of thousands of planets, millions of stars, and more than a few black holes and oddities. 

“Now the mistake that Clara made, either willingly or by accident, was based on the idea that neighbors should be allowed to more easily get to know each other regardless of what their worlds are like. As you know many of the worlds in each of our realms can differ greatly depending on how their history came to be,” I said as I zoomed into to the fourth realm of the universe. Zoomed in to two relatively small planets. One floated around the double sun of that galaxy as a leisurely pace and gave off a gentle silver light. The other seemed to race around the suns with great speed and showed up mostly as a green blur. 

I focused in on the silver planet. It had been so long since I had seen it. So long since it existed at all. It was heartbreaking to see it floating there in front of me, and the pain I felt echoed in the faces of almost everyone around the table. Fall seemed to be the only one that was unmoved by the show. A bizarre reaction considering he knew what was going to happen. Knew that none survived. 

“Clara’s dream was pretty simple. She thought that every world and every being should be able to visit any world in any realm. Regardless of if they understood what they were walking into or not. She wanted to open all of the doors that were currently locked and leave them that way even on worlds that had not even discovered the stars for what they were yet. This idea in itself was not all that radical. There was a time after all when the universe was just coming into existence. When all of the doors stood open, and travelers that were open minded would jump from place to place,” I paused a moment and glanced at a few of us around the table. 

There were still five of us that could remember the beginning. I was one of them. Bert, Linc, Astra, and Fall were the others. We didn’t often talk about our age, or everything we have seen over the years, but it was hard to avoid the topic when I was giving a history lesson. Sometimes the past followed us even though we didn’t like it. We weren’t beacons back then. We were just normal citizens of the universe going about our lives. 

“The problem was that Clara didn’t experience how the beginning times were so very different then the time she was living in,” I said. “She was born many centuries after the universe, but never took the time to learn the history in and out like we should.”

“She never experienced when all of the planets and galaxies were moving at the same rate of time and development, when they could all still remember the beginning. Couldn’t remember or know how those circumstances made it easier for travelers to adapt to the many worlds that were available to them. Easier for them to understand how travel worked, and what the risks were. She didn’t understand that as time accelerated with the birth of each universe, galaxies and planets began to pop into existence at faster rates, worlds began to change in more dramatic ways, time began to shift and bend in different parts of the universe, and slowly worlds forgot the history of how everything began. This meant that few remembered that there was more than their own world out there that they could explore, and that they had neighbors they could converse with. Some forgot because they became too busy with their own paths. Others because the knowledge was dismissed as fake by future generations and tossed away.”

“All of this rapid change, and change in perspectives, also meant that even neighboring worlds could be completely different from each other in every way imaginable. This made it more difficult for travelers to adapt to their new surroundings. But it wasn’t these changes that caused the doors to close and lock. Travelers struggled a little more than they did in the beginning, but the number of travelers had decreased, and their struggles were small. Clara knew why we closed the doors, but never really felt why it was important. The doors remained open until one ambitious planet decided to fly an entire armada of ships into another realm of newborn worlds and take over the land that they desired. That was when it was decided that the beacons should begin limiting who could see certain parts of the sky before they were ready. Before they could enter with the intent for knowledge not conquest. They would put veils in place to allow planets time to evolve and until they were ready to actually interact with their neighbors without causing harm.” 

“When it was discussed, that in some cases, they would have to decide when it was safe to share knowledge with others about what else is out there. Not everyone agreed, there were lots of arguments. But for better or worse the doors were locked, and the veils were put in place for the first time, and each world was left to evolve and explore on its own. If they made it to the stars on their own that was fine, but we would not assist them in getting there any longer. Each world could still discover each other through space travel when they achieved that skill, but the shortcuts were blocked, and visitors would be held back in most circumstances” I said.

“Clara disagreed with this methodology. Disagreed with the caution that was being used. So, when she became head beacon she believed that the universe was now old enough not to repeat the mistakes of the past, and that it was safe to reopen the doors. She decided that she would begin her grand experiment on a small scale,” I said as I motioned to the green and silver planets that floated in front of me. “These two worlds, the green and the silver, were under Clara’s care, but had never once seen each other.”

“What do you mean they had never seen each other,” interrupted Chester in a quiet voice. His eyes were wide as he started at the two planets hovering over the table. “They sit right next to each other. They must have noticed each other in the sky, even if neither had managed space travel yet.”

“There was a veil that hung between them so that they did not interrupt each other’s paths or interrupt each other’s growth. The silver planet had existed since the birth of the universe. The green planet had only been around a few centuries. So, their beacon had given each of them some space to evolve as they would. After the first disaster this type of veil was used to allow worlds the space to learn and grow at their own pace. While those that were ready could explore and not interrupt them” I said to Chester. He hadn’t yet experienced working in a galaxy where planets were vailed from each other after the first problems arose. He had only worked in places where either one planet had no knowledge of another because they did not have the technology, or where everyone worked together as a galactic community because they had all made it to the stars. He had never worked somewhere more complicated. So, the information I was sharing was like throwing him into the deep end of the pool. I stared at Chester until he nodded his understanding.

“Let me finish my story Chester, and I think that will help make things clear,” I said. “Astra let’s show them the silver world up close. You are the only one that has actually spent time there and your memory will be the most accurate seeing as mine is based off of Clara’s journals.”

Astra nodded and focused her attention on the floating silver planet. The image above the table slowly began to zoom in until the green planet was no longer visible, and we were rapidly falling through the dense clouds that surrounded the silver world. As we fell the clouds began to lessen, and flashes of light began to rocket around us. Blues, purples, golds, and reds flashed across the sky as one may see lightning on Earth. Each flash illuminated the clouds briefly, before the sky faded back to silver. Clusters of color would occasionally collide and fade back to darkness as we watched the lights swirl around us.

As we continued to fall Chester spoke up quietly. “Where is the land? Or the towns? Or the water?”

Everyone around the table smiled at Chester. Despite the seriousness of the meeting, it was hard not to enjoy the fact that his youth was showing again. His definition of what a world should be filled the room, and each beacon seemed to be remembering when they were that innocent.

“This world had none of those things,” said Astra gently. Her gaze left the silver world for a moment so that she could focus on Chester. “This world was made entirely of clouds and vapor that circled a small metal core. Those flashes of light are the beings that lived there. They were made completely of electric energy.”

Chester’s eyes widened even further at the possibilities that this information unlocked. Mainly that there was a whole lot of the universe that he still had left to experience. I could relate to his reaction. Visiting this world had been on my list for some time, and I never got the chance before it was destroyed. Although I did get to meet a few of its residents while visiting other worlds. When Clara was beginning her journey, I was on the other side of the universe watching a few plants come into being and helping them get their start. At the time I was still learning about how worlds were created and learning to work with Linc on how to manage the energies that were created. I was also spending some time helping out an old friend. A certain disco loving dragon that had gotten himself into some trouble. Most of us were on other assignments when Clara started to make trouble. Things had been quiet for so long that we didn’t see the need to be as present as we once were. We were wrong. 

“But how did they communicate,” Chester asked. “Were they sentient or just there?”

“Telepathically,” I said. Effectivity calling our attention back to my lesson. “As for if they were sentient, I think you need to broaden some of your definitions Chester. Just because they didn’t live as other being do or communicate in a way everyone is familiar with doesn’t mean they weren’t sentient beings.” I smiled. Indicating that I wasn’t mad, but that I though we should have a long talk later about the hundreds of questions that were likely flying through Chester’s mind. 

“These beings were actually renowned space travelers,” I said. “They could jump from nebulous cloud to nebulous cloud as they traveled across their galaxy. No technology required. They could then blend in with the weather patterns of other worlds as they studied the beings that lived there. Unnoticed, and without interrupting their lives. The beings that lived on the silver planet where scientist and teachers at heart. They loved to learn. This I think is why Clara decided to make them the key to her plan. Their planet was the first to be approached about leaving the doors open. She hoped that their vast knowledge of their galaxy, and their ability to travel, would make them ideal ambassadors. She also hoped that they would be one of the first worlds to help her, for lack of a better word, guard the door that sat just outside of their planet. So that new visitors would have a welcoming committee of sorts. Clara miscalculated though. The beings of the silver planet had absolutely no interest in possibly harming the growth path of other worlds. They insisted that throwing the doors open without at least working to do some initial education would be disastrous. Since Clara was not interested in educating other worlds, but instead simply allowing them to explore on their own they turned her away with a firm no. They also warned her that if she attempted to rip open the door that sat by their planet, that they would act against her. In other words, they would call the council and tell us what she was up to,” I said.

“So, Clara destroyed them before they could tell on her?” Chester asked warily. He seemed appalled that Clara would have destroyed a world she was supposed to be protecting, because she might get in trouble.

“Actually no. From what we can tell Clara decided that they just needed some time to process her idea, and that she would work on the other half of her plan for a while to give them that time. She thought they would come around to her logic eventually. So, she went instead to the green planet.  One more time Astra?” I asked without looking up at my audience. The story was starting to weigh on me. 

Astra granted my request, and this time zoomed us in to the green planet. Unlike the silver there were no clouds to be seen, but instead row upon row of vast mountains covered the surface. Tall stone houses filled the mountain sides, and small towns were peppered across the surface of the planet. No water was in sight, but from what I remember it was underground on that world 

“Wait are those the beings that live there? They are so tall!” Chester yelled out as the beings of the green world came into view. 

What looked like giant stone statues roamed across the surface of the green planet, turning up dust and rocks as they moved. The beings of the green planet towered almost as tall as the mountains themselves. 

“Yes Chester, some of them were very tall. But they had a lot more room to roam around back then. Their decedents are not quiet that big anymore,” I said with a small laugh. “This was well before they had a population of billions on their home world.” 

“So, Clara thought they would react better than the beings from the silver world? How come,” asked Chester.

“Well it’s pretty simple really. Like the beings of the silver world, the beings of the green world were explorers. At least in the sense that they enjoyed traveling across space. Where they differed is that they traveled via spacecraft and in search of treasure rather than knowledge and had only traveled to their surrounding moons. They had not met any of their neighbors yet. They were not really ready to meet anyone yet. But Clara thought that since they were used to exploring space around their world that it would not be much of a shock for them to see other worlds, and that they could be ambassadors of a sort to those beings that sought travel for reasons of profit. Unlike the silver world, the green world was delighted by the idea of exploring new territory, and at holding a prestigious place in Clara’s plan,” I said. I paused a moment to gather myself. I was almost to the end of the story, and I didn’t like it much. Even though I had left out some of the worst parts. I was trying to save time, but it also hurt too badly to discuss them. 

“This is where things went wrong for Clara. When she reached the point of no return really. She decided that since her grand plan involved introducing new realms and worlds to each other, anyway, why not start by removing the veil between the green and silver world. Why not allow the beings of the green world to help her convince those of the silver to jump on board with her plan? So, she did just that. She dropped the veil, removed their anchors, and suddenly both worlds could see each other clearly for the first time. They were visible through telescopes, and technology, and as it turns out close enough to visit. The beings of the silver world were furious with her. They refused to even allow her on their planet any longer. They also refused to allow the green world beings onto their world for fear that they would not survive the atmosphere there. They had just met after all and they knew little about what each other needed to survive. They did not want to risk a war if a visitor died on their world and preferred to take their time to research the new neighbors before inviting them over for a visit,” I said as I zoomed out from the green planet until we could see both worlds sitting next to each other again as if there were frozen in time. 

“As you might guess the beings of the green planet took great offense to the idea that they were not allowed to explore this world that they suddenly knew was right next door. The risk of the visit was appealing and not off-putting, and they did not understand why the beings of the silver planet didn’t have the same level of excitement. The beings of the silver planet sent an ambassador to explain their concerns, talked about how safety was the most important thing to them, begged Clara to step in, but the beings of the green planet decided that they were no longer open to talking. Clara tried to calm them down, she even tried to replace the veil, but she wasn’t powerful enough to do so on her own. Realistically that probably wouldn’t have worked again anyway.  Something cannot be unseen, especially when it is a big something. All Clara could do was stand by and watch as the beings of the green planet decided that they wanted to move forward with Clara’s plan regardless of this other planet’s views, and that they would get them out of the way for her. Long story short, they launched their own armada and destroyed the core of the silver planet. Along with the beings that lived there,” I said as I let the image fade away in front of us so that we did not have to watch the planet implode.

“Once the planet was gone Clara didn’t stop,” I continued. “She just assumed that she had started with the wrong worlds, and that with practice she could get everyone on board. So, she began jumping from world to world, unlocking more doors and removing more veils, and building a team of ambassadors that could speak to her cause. Unfortunately, with each attempt there was more death and destruction than there was peace and traveling, and Clara did not seem to understand that the destruction was coming from her. Or at least I assume she did not understand, because if she did why didn’t she stop on her own?”

The room was silent for a while as we all pulled our hands away from the table and avoided each other’s gaze. I think we probably would have sat there for longer if Chester didn’t interrupt us again.

“So, no one survived from the silver planet? No one…” Chester asked.

“Well, there is rumor that some were away from home at the time, and that others jumped away while they still could. That they now jump from planet to planet. Still continuing their studies amongst the clouds of new and interesting worlds. That when you look up into some of the storm ridden skies that they are still there on some worlds. There is also a rumor that at least one of their kind chose a different path,” I said gently as he looked across the table at Fall.

Astra interrupted me then, “And on that note, let me make one thing clear. Bert didn’t protect Clara to cause harm, she did so at my request” 

Everyone quickly turned to face her, and we waited in the deafening silence for the reason why. At least everyone else waited for the reason why. I waited to see how they reacted to her horrifying and astonishing news. I had already guessed what the reason was.

“Bert protected Clara because she told us that one of her apprentices had found a way to open all the doors, to remove all the veils at once. For all worlds, and that they are moving forward with that plan against Clara’s wishes. This is why we have begun actively removing the veils from the worlds we think can bear it and opening the doors between worlds where it should be okay. We have begun this work to ease as many worlds into the universal pool as possible in case we can’t stop them” Astra said.

            The rest of the meeting was quiet as we all remembered the past. We ended up stopping there planning to pick up the meeting the next day. To give everyone a chance to really think about what to do now. Who would be sent out to solve the problem and what worlds we needed to visit.

Astra, I think the next story you should tell is about earth, and the first time they noticed someone had snuck through their front door. 

-Walter

Join us next week for another episode of the Star Jelly Files, and a letter about earth.

Thank you for listening to this episode of the Star Jelly Files podcast. I hope you enjoyed this episode and that you are having a great day. The Star Jelly Files is written, produced, voice acted, and created by me, Elizabeth Hamblett. If you would like to support the podcast and gain access to bonus content check out my Patreon at www.patreon.com/starjellyfiles. The link is also in the description.

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