It’s time for the astral trip, said Bishop. Everyone was feeling a little jittery about this one. Beem re-assured everyone that there would be nothing different than transposing, except you will have to get used to seeing your body, lying asleep, without you in it. Your first reaction is a protective one usually. Your body will look so vulnerable laying there sound asleep, but it is in less danger than when you are asleep at night. If you are all ready, we can start anytime, said Beenan. I think we are ready, said Allen. He looked for that nod of approval, which he got. We're ready, said Allen, with a little hesitancy in his voice.

We can do this best by having everyone sit side by side, in a circle, with the chairs in their most comfortable position, as if to sleep. Everyone brought their chairs up closer to tighten the circle. We should join hands to close the circle, said Beenan. Now that our hands are joined, let your bodies rest as comfortably as possible, without loosing contact with your hands. Take deep breaths to help yourselves relax. Now remember the power of Region Six, with its homing device. If you find yourself in an unfamiliar situation, that you don't like, just the slightest wish will take you out of there and bring you directly back to Balenn. Bo, Beem and I, will be here with you at all times, to deal with anything that might frighten you. Imagine a large doorway that you are trying to get through. Concentrate on getting through that door. We will help you open it. We're opening the door now. Help us push. "Bingo", were out.

Now take a look around. Don't be frightened at your bodies resting, they are safe and sound. Now speak to me. Hello, said Sarah. Marie speak to me, he said calmly. Hello Beenan, I made it. Indeed you did, he replied smiling. Cliff, Kirby, Kelly, Allen, are you all with us? I'm here, said Kelly, I think. I'm okay, said Kirby. Me too, said Cliff and me, said Allen. I don't know what's happening, said Allen, but I don't see any of you. We don't see you either, said Beem. To be visible first you have to will yourself visible. You can choose any shape you want, but you have to use your will power to make yourself visible. The natural state of your astral-self is invisible.

 After you have been out for a while, you might want to try different shapes or faces, to see which suits you best. I'll start first, said Beenan. Remember the display of faces on blue smoke from Region Six? Try to see me that way again. We see you, they replied. Good, now try to see yourselves that way too. With that, they all appeared in full view of one another. Look at my body, said Cliff. I'm snoring. That's funny, said Kelly. I can hear you all and see you all, but I have no ears or eyes. You will have to get used to that, said Beenan. In your astral body, you have all the senses you had physically, plus more. You have the ability to enter other life forms at will. You have the ability to split into as many of you as you like and each part can occupy a different life form. You have freedom of time. You can move freely in all of time's parameters, including those not yet understood by your generation. You can communicate with anyone else in the astral plane, just by calling their name. Last, but not least, you are invulnerable in your astral form. Your motions will now be controlled by your will. If you wish to make yourself look physical, just think about it and you will take on a wispy human form, either your own or another. Kelly tried it. It works just like you said Sarah. Let me try it.

You look just like Princess Diana, Kelly laughed. She made herself look like Princess Diana too. How's that for confusion, she said. Okay, said Beenan, take a few minutes and familiarize yourselves with your astral bodies right here in the room for a while. After which, we will travel about a bit.

 Kelly practiced her flying. It sure doesn't take much effort to move, she noted. There is no weight to overcome, said Bo, so you are in a sense, always flying in the astral plane. Kirby tried zipping around the room, like a bumble bee. He even willed himself to look like a large bumble bee. Sarah and Marie laughed at his antics, let's try it, said Marie. They started out by flying slowly and gently, like a feather. They tried going faster and faster. There is no limit to how fast you can fly, interrupted Bo, and you'll never crash, no matter how fast you go. Allen tried staying where he was and moving at the same time. It worked. His astral form stretched out to where he projected it, while remaining in the same place. I'm going to have a hard time putting this into words, he said. No kidding, replied Kirby. There aren't any words for this.

"Hello", said a melodious voice which they all recognized. It's me Bishop. We meet at last, said Cliff. I would shake your hand, but I don't have one. Neither do it, but I'll make one if you will. They both took on the shape of a hand and vigorously shook each other. Welcome to the group Bishop, said Beenan. I am sure we don't have to introduce you. Hello Bishop, the girls said, harmoniously. Hello Princesses Diana, he chuckled. Just fooling around, said Sarah, as she willed herself back to her wispy form. Kelly followed suit. Oh, you didn't have to change form on account of me. I was going to change myself into Paul McCartney. You mean Prince Charles don't you, said Marie? No, I think Prince Charles is too starchy. I like Paul McCartney better. How will we ever know what the real you looks like, asked Sarah? I could say the same to you, replied Bishop. The bodies you occupy now, are but one of many which you have and will occupy. How do I know which is the real you? I see your point, replied Sarah. Boy, this living forever, has its complications too. Being invulnerable is tricky too, replied Bo.

Bishop will be traveling with us on the astral trip, said Beenan. Take a good look at your sleeping bodies, assuring yourself that they will be okay, while you are gone. We can see and communicate, said Cliff, but my sense of touch is gone. I can't feel a thing. Does that mean that we have to sacrifice our sense of touch, when in the astral plane? Your sense of smell is not there either, said Sarah, but Cliff is right, I can't feel either. The sense of feeling should be strong enough in your memory, so you can use it still, said Beem. Will yourself into a shape and then try it. Cliff willed himself into the form of Humphrey Bogart. He touched himself. Sure enough, he could feel. "Play it again Sam" laughed Kelly, as she willed herself to look like Lauren Bacall. This is great fun, said Beem, but we have a journey to make and people to meet, so are you all feeling secure enough to leave your bodies asleep here and come with us? You won't feel any different out there, than you do in here. Remember you don't need air to breath, or heat to keep you warm. You don't even need light. All you have to do is wish yourself to follow me and everything will happen automatically. What about it Cliff, are you ready for this, asked Beem? I'm ready, said Cliff. Let's go. He shaped himself into a large sponge arrow, pointing out of the sphere. Okay, let's just go outside the sphere for a few minutes, to get out legs. Follow me.

Beem's form slipped through the sphere material, like Casper the ghost. Everyone followed with ease. Here we are, outside the sphere, in what you call space. How does it feel? No different then inside, said Kelly. Too bad we can't bring our cameras along. Nothing you see on this journey will show up on film anyway, said Beem. What? You mean that you Ehesti haven't developed astral cameras and astral film yet, said Cliff, jokingly? We have never had the need to, replied Beem, but if you think there would be a use for it, than we will work on that project. This film would have to be playable both in the astral and the physical world of course. That will be an interesting challenge for some of our engineer types. I was joking, said Cliff, but obviously, you aren't.

We can talk about it later, said Beenan. If everyone feels comfortable being out here with no oxygen and no heat, then we will continue on. Marie tried to feel cold, but it just wasn't there. Kirby tried to feel the lack of air and oxygen, but that wasn't there either. Follow me then, to Region One, where most of us live. They all zipped away, like humming birds. They streaked across the Balenn sky, like nine tiny meteorites. Kirby couldn't believe the speed they were traveling. There was no wind, no friction of any kind. The colored lights, refracting from the Balenn mountains, flashed by them in a twinkle. Allen felt the same sense of speed and estimated they were traveling at about ten percent of the speed of light. The group maintained a formation that they seemed to be locked into.

You see that group of orange people, next to that structure, Bishop pointed? That is where we are supposed to rendezvous. Shouldn't we go down there than, asked Kelly? There have been strong clashes politically lately, in Balenn, about the color coding for the main storage area. It is quite possible that those are not the Ehesti with whom we should rendezvous, but other Ehesti wearing the same colors. If they are the right ones, they will come up to meet us. If not, they won't move. The group of orange came up to meet them. They surrounded the blues in a circle. The circle moved around slowly, like a lazy Susan, so each of the astral travelers could meet the orange ones, one at a time, as the circle rotated. There were no verbal introductions, but a strong telepathic communication system was in play. Will your names to be revealed, said Bishop. You will receive their individual names in exchange. Marie didn't respond like the rest, to see what would happen. They all greeted her by her name anyway. I must have a name tag on me somewhere, she thought. The last orange one passed. When they were all introduced, the orange ones formed an arrow, pointing to one of the dotted line structures. Let's follow along, said Beenan and all ten of them formed a blue tail on the arrow.

Kelly was the first one to try it. The orange ones manipulated her into a spot, where she was expected to stay. She was tempted to will herself right out of there, but for the sake of the group, she stayed. There was no sign of hardware or machines of any kind around. It was as if she was pretending she was in main storage. Then something started to happen. She felt different. Kelly was trying to make a mental note of what she was feeling. She sensed a vibration like motion, running, but there was no sign of one. She also felt like waves were passing through her, like ocean waves; one every second or so. The thoughts passing through her mind seemed all jumbled. She knew that her thoughts were part of her and her history, but she felt a sense of separation from it all. It was like she was a spectator in the audience, watching her life on a movie screen. Kelly was starting to feel a little disturbed by the unexplained sensations she was having. She held back her urge to chicken out. It stopped.

The orange one smiled and signaled Kelly to move to the left. The orange one, on the left side, signaled for her exactly where to position herself. Once in place, she began to experience acceleration. It was like she was watching a movie with her in it, but moving at a hundred miles an hour. Sights and sounds of what would be part of her future zipped by meaninglessly. It stopped. The orange ones indicated to her, that the experience was over. She moved out of the way and just a little above where she could watch the others. There was nothing to watch. It was as though the whole thing was a hoax. Marie, Sarah and the rest, showed no sign of being involved in anything. They were motionless. No sense hanging around here, she thought.

Now that we are all wise, said Beenan, let's go to my place and meet my family. Great idea, said Kelly. I've been wondering about your families. How big are they? Where you go back far enough, said Bo, we are all members of the same family. Only those of us that choose to stick together, form the immediate family. We have grown to like one another and have adopted similar attitudes. We have chosen a sign to represent our family, it looks like this\/\ .

 When we get together, we form the sign, as a symbol of love and our intention to stay in the family. Throughout the years, members come and go. They try out other families and attitudes. There are no rules to follow about whose family you can live with; just as long as everyone agrees with the change. We do occasionally reject applicants to the family. Those who have a reputation of disruption and an unwillingness to follow a family attitude are usually rejected. They will sometimes go for hundreds of your years without belonging to a family. They travel for thousands of years, without returning home to Balenn. Some never come back. Let's take a closer look, said Beenan.

They all sped off, following behind Beenan. This area is Residential Four. Each family has its own force field structure to maintain. These are not dotted lines, like in Region One. They look more like solid lines and you can't see through them, like in Region One. Are they a different kind of force field, asked Cliff? Yes, replied Beenan. This particular force field is used mainly for home construction. It is not as easy to penetrate as the buildings in Region One. It is sort of like having special materials for home construction, only is it, asked Cliff? That is true, said Beem. We like our privacy too. Like families on earth, we built our homes with a less penetrable force field. This gives us privacy within our homes, but we can still enter and leave at will, through the field, if we are of the same family. You will pass because you are with family members, but anyone not of the same family, cannot enter, without our letting them in.

There are those of us, who don't respect the privacy of a person's home. There are various ways to break into these dwellings, but most of us respect each other's privacy. An Ehesti, who has been rejected for a long time from all families, will sometimes seek revenge. Part of this revenge is an attempt to destroy our homes. They can be successful at first, but once the families join together, to fight the rebel, everything soon returns to normal. Nothing can really be destroyed in Balenn, but things can get disrupted.

Those orange entities, who guided you through Main Storage, are now various colors as they do other things. The color is similar to your clothing. You change it for different types of jobs or play. Everyone knows we are travelers, because we are blue. Come inside and meet some of us.

Everyone followed Beenan into the force field. Inside there were ten family members. Two of them were orange and the rest were blue. One of the blue members came forward. This is the one we call Bula, said Beenan. He is the oldest and he started our family. Welcome friends of Beenan, he spoke telepathically of course. Beenan introduced everyone to Bula first and then, Bula introduced everyone else. Rather than form a hand to shake, they made a jerky motion, indicating "hello". There were no tables or chairs inside their home. In fact, no hardware of any type existed. There was something blocking their vision outward. It gave the same effect as looking through dirty glass. You could see bits and pieces of what was out there, but you had to strain to see it. The walls of this house are interesting, said Allen. What keeps us from seeing out or in? This force field, we just spoke of, has a visual and audio cloaking compound inside itself. The "dirty window effect" is the visual cloaking.

This area over here is for resting, pointed Beenan. There is a thin force field that keeps you from drifting away. The effect is similar to your video games, when a ball bounces around inside a large square. In the sleep area, when you drift into the force field, it absorbs most of your acceleration. When you bounce, you also slow down to a near standstill. We go into the sleep area, when we want to divide into more than one of us, to perform a certain function. Our main control remains in the sleep area, feeding information back and forth between the parts we have divided into. When the job is done, we re-assemble back inside the sleep area, just as your astral body slips back into your physical body, when you awaken. Very interesting, said Kirby. What do most of you Ehesti do all day, when not traveling? Most of our time is spent on what you would call "play", said Bula. We have occasional work to do, like at main storage, etc., but most of our time is play time. We acquire all the knowledge we can from main storage and than we play games with that information. Something like "Trivial Pursuit" thought Cliff.

Beenan introduced them to Len and Lou who were busy working. Len and Lou are working on a method of preventing the gas Tobid from escaping too rapidly on Tenor. The gas Tobid is required for the life forms on Tenor, but it is rapidly escaping into space. Many will die if the gas escapes too rapidly. They can adjust to a slow dissipation of the gas. Lou and Len are tied into Main Storage and looking for a simple solution. Every change they make on Tenor has to be a complete circle. If any life forms are going to be adversely affected by what we do to help them, they will be notified by us, so they can make the changes necessary to survive. We try to, help them to help themselves, with what they already have. That way, we don't create an imbalance in nature.

Thanks for letting us interrupt your work, said Beenan, as he took the group back outside the work room. Do you help very many other people out, like the Tenor people, asked Sarah? We help out those that seek our help, said Beenan. We are actually helping out Earth right now, by your presence. The information you take back will be of great value, if it gets to the right people. Do you have any people in mind that we should get it to, asked Allen? We will leave that entirely up to you, said Beenan. We were pleased that you were connected with a learning institute like U.B.C.; when we first met. Your friends and co-workers can make the best use of our information. We enjoy helping aliens solve their problems. A tour, like you are on now, usually helps them, at least as much as it will help you on Earth.

Do you wish to visit the home of Bo and Beem, asked Beenan? It is much the same as here, except for different people. I would like to meet them, said Marie. How about we see if we have enough time left later, said Beem? We are running a little behind schedule. Fine, said Marie, but before we leave, is it okay for humans to experience "pass through" with you? It sure is, said Bula. I am looking forward to it. Concentrate on Bula, said Beenan and try to pass right through him, with your astral form. Marie disappeared inside the form of Bula. Everyone watched curiously. She popped out for a second. Come on in, the water is fine, she said. Kirby, Allen, Sarah and Kelly concentrated on Bula, as Beenan suggested and in an instant, they were inside with Marie. Cliff was hesitant, but he too jumped in. Bo, Beem and Beenan also jumped into the act. Crowded, but roomy, said Cliff, as he tried to absorb the experience. There is nothing to see, but haziness, said Sarah. It is a good sensation though. Aren't we supposed to form a symbol, asked Kirby? Any time now, replied Beem. Bo and Beenan concentrated on the family sign.

Okay everyone, follow me, said Beenan. They passed through the force field and up to where they were when they entered the residential area. Next stop is Region Twelve, where the life forms are. Oh great, said Sarah, now I can try out a Sasquatch body. Before we leave, said Beenan, this residential zone four of two thousand five hundred residential zones, we cannot run out of space. We are capable of expanding our world to accommodate as many as we like. When entire families leave on a trip together, the force field that was there house just disappears. Bo and Beem both live in Residential eight fourteen, not far from here. Let us proceed to Region Twelve.

They sped away, across the Balenn sky. They passed over two populated areas on the way. What are these areas below us, asked Kelly? Those are Regions Seven and Eight, replied Bishop. Region Seven is the newest work area, where we are experimenting with anti-matter. Because of the volatile nature of matter and anti-matter when they come together, no one is allowed into Region Seven without special clearances. Region Eight is in control of propulsion and orbital control. They make sure Balenn is in the right place, at the right time. They also adjust Balenn's position, if it is on a collision course with anything like a meteor etc.

Here we are again at Region Twelve, said Beenan. No glass or crystal, said Allen, in amazement. This entire region was glasslike, now it is like Region One, only dotted lines, where the crystal was. Now we can see the people though, said Kirby. That is far more important, wouldn't you say? I suppose you are right, said Allen, but I like the crystal. Thousands of colored entities were moving every which way, as in Region Twelve. They were visible even inside the buildings. There sure is no privacy in this region, commented Cliff. We can see everyone and they can probably see us. That's true, replied Bishop. There are no rules to be broken and nothing to gain, by camouflaging, so everyone is exposed. Each Ehesti here, has his own family home for privacy, when they want it.

How do I get inside one of these Sasquatch bodies, to make it work, asked Sarah? And more importantly, how do I get out? You simply will yourself in and will yourself out, said Beenan. Okay, here goes. She made a strong thought about being inside the Ehesti form and presto, the Ehesti started to move.

 It's me, said the Ehesti; me, Sarah. Wow, this is great. Boy, this is some brain you guys have. She felt for head size. How does my voice sound? It is high pitched, replied Marie, but we can hear you. I feel so comfortable in here. Look at how strong I am. She did a push-up with one arm. The lung capacity is great too, she said. I'll bet I could hold my breath for five minutes. I also feel kind of giddy, like I had just had two martinis or whatever. Does it ever feel nice being taller than you puny humans! She jumped around like a happy child. I am sixteen thousand years old and I know everything she exclaimed. I come from a planet called Balenn, where we control the universe. Everyone laughed.

Cliff willed himself inside the robot. The robot began to move jarringly at first and than it smoothed out. The jaw began to move up and down. It's me, came out stuttering. Why are you having such a hard time speaking, asked Kelly? It’s because the voice is programmed, "en Francais". I have to translate first, before I speak. It feels okay though. I found the language circuit. Now I can talk English automatically Say something verbally Sarah. I want to test my ears. Hello, you bucket of bolts, she said rather loudly. Hello Sasquatch he answered back. These ears are super-sensitive. He twisted his head around and up and down. My head works okay, even without hair he quipped. I don't think I can smell though. He tried jumping. It was jerky and he felt real heavy. He sent more power to the leg muscles and tried it again. This time he jumped four feet in the air. That's better, he said and I think I have the voice mastered now.

Cliff sat down in his robot body, exactly where it was when he got in it. He willed himself out. It did not work. I can't get out, he said. Try again, said Kirby. This time Cliff really concentrated, but still nothing. You try it Sarah said Kelly. Sarah resumed her original position and concentrated. She remembered the instructions Beem had given her earlier on astral projection. She had been practicing at home in the evenings and was getting close to doing it on her won. She concentrated again.

 A stream of blue smoke rose from the Sasquatch form and she was out. How do you do that; asked Cliff? She has obviously been practicing, said Beem. Let me help. He possessed the form of the Sasquatch that Sarah had been in. He sat right next to Cliff and put his arms over his shoulders. In an instant, they were both out.

Thank goodness you guys are around, said Cliff. I could have been stuck in there for who knows how long. I've got to learn how you do it Sarah. I was surprised at my results as well, replied Sarah. I have never astral traveled before today. I must say, it was kind of exciting, escaping like I did. It was easier, interrupted Bo, because you had a concrete memory of what it is like in the astral plane, to focus on where as someone trying it for the first time on earth, wouldn't have that advantage. In your case Cliff, you weren't relaxed enough.

How did you like the Sasquatch form Bo asked Sarah? I kind of enjoyed it, said Sarah. Do you suppose I could take this body back with us? When not used, said Bo, these bodies have to be kept quite cool. We can transpose it to earth, but we will have to find a cool place, preferably a high mountain, to keep it cool and protected, when we get back to earth. I will set it all up for you. If any of you want to try something, speak now. There was no reply, so Bo and Bishop made sure everything was back to normal before they left the area. For reasons, that I can't mention now, you might not want to take these forms back to earth. We don't do any transposing of them, until you are about to return to earth. You can have any form you wish. We will be glad to put one on hold for you, in the meantime. I would like the robot creature, said Cliff. I can learn how to get in and out of it by practicing like Sarah did. Fine, said Bo, we will arrange it for you. In this case, a cool place is not needed as much as a dry one. We can leave it somewhere in the Keremeos, said Cliff. It's hot and dry there. That should work okay, said Bo. Are there any other takers? No one else replied. .Let's get on with our journey than, said Beenan.

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