Solcar - 12. Quinto 195806.49 & Chelsea 31 December 2015

Osclar

“My Lords, you have requested my presence in the Council Chambers?”

“We wish to receive a report on your current assignment, Lord Osclar. It nears conclusion, and we ask you bring us up to date on your activities.”

“Certainly. If you will indulge me, in order to maintain consistency and simplify descriptions. I shall use Terran units of measurement and descriptions during my presentation. You may access further details off the grid if you so desire.

“High Lord Solcar, guardian of star cluster ΔΣΠ-1907, was found guilty of sexual interaction with a female life form―a being from one of the worlds under his protection. He was sentenced to experience extreme emotional distress as felt by the dominant beings of Terra―the third planet in orbit around star AC305. Inhabiting a human for five years and then transferring his essence into another.

“The length of the punishment, combined with the five years in each entity, provided one thousand opportunities to experience fear, anguish, pain, and sadness, all negative emotions felt by his hosts. I await the resolution of the one-thousandth experience within the next hour.

“As his consciousness was superimposed on the humans, his energy would cause certain events to be modified or created to achieve the desired punishing feelings.”

“We are aware of the sentence, and the procedures followed to accomplish the desired results; please proceed to report on your activities.”

“Very well, my Lords. You tasked me with auditing the imposed judgment and its effectiveness; I traveled to each location where Solcar made an appearance―a moment before the events leading to the desired emotional reaction. If the expected disturbance in his psyche occurred, his essence was released, allowed to travel on, and inhabit the next being on the timetable. As required, I remained behind.”

“And in your opinion, were the intended results achieved?”

“Yes, my Lords. The nine hundred and ninety-nine events I have witnessed all caused what could best be described as a sense of despair in Solcar.”

“Was the aftermath also successful?”

“Yes, it was. In each instance, I reversed the effects of our interference in the natural course of events. The losses never occurred as far as the host was aware. They will have no recollections of the events engendered by us. I would be remiss, however, if I did not remind the council of one item―should any of those still alive encounter Solcar while he remains on Terra, echo memories of the altered realities might resurface in the hosts.”

Colt & Tony

“Hey, babe, welcome home. How did it go?”

“Oh, Colt. It was horrible!”

“Really, Tony? What happened?

“I had to twiddle my thumbs, pick my nose, and scratch my butt for a couple of hours. Oh, and I had to drink a latte from Starbucks.”

“You’re such an ass, Antonio. Sometimes I wonder why I put up with you.”

“’Cause you love me?”

“Yeah, well, there’s that. I guess Mario had it under control?”

“You have no fucking idea! One of the smartest things we’ve ever done was to hire him and Troy as our managers. After the embezzlement and harassment fiascos with the two guys we had to fire, it’s good to have family working around us.”

“Don’t go getting all Italian on me! I’m not calling you Godfather!”

“Hmmm, now that you mention it... Nah, couldn’t handle you people slobbering over my ring all the time. Back to the boys, they’re incredible; everybody thinks they’re a married couple ‘cause they work so well together. They fucking finish each other sentences! And then, they show up with their significant others on their arms, and tongues start waggin’. Troy’s boyfriend is fucking gorgeous, and my future sister-in-law could be a model if she didn’t insist on being a lawyer.”

“Glad to hear it. Makes what I want to talk to you about much easier. We’re not going out until 10:00 pm, correct?”

“That’s the plan! What is it you want to talk about, Colton?”

“I want us to spend the final two weeks of April in Europe. Now that we have competent and trustworthy managers at both Prime and Woof, it’s cool for us to enjoy some time off.”

“Wicked! I’m in! Why those specific weeks in April?”

“We met two years ago today, on December 31, 2013, and we welcomed the new year together. A year ago today, on December 31, 2014, we agreed to share a home, and again we welcomed the new year together. I’d like those weeks at the end of April to be our honeymoon. So today, December 31, 2015, I ask of you―Antonio Napoli Martinelli, will you make me the happiest man in the world by becoming my husband? ”

“Oh, babe... considering I have a pair of rings in little velvet bags in my pants pocket, and I was planning on asking you the same thing later tonight, I would say we need to start planning a wedding. Of course I’ll marry you, Colton Nicholas Mann!”

“I love you, Tony― I love you more than words can say. Just think, we’ll welcome a new year together again, and we’ll be doing so as an engaged couple. As far as the honeymoon, I picked the end of April because I hope you’ll agree to a ceremony at the beginning of spring. I like the symbolism of having met in winter and beginning a new phase in our lives in spring, as nature experiences a rebirth.”

“We should both call our families now and let them know. Your ‘rents are gonna be pissed you didn’t tell them, considering they only left New York three days ago.”

“They’ll get over it. There is one more thing I need to talk to you about. I have a long record of relationships not ending well; I plan to ensure there will be no more history repeating itself. You need to know some things concerning me but it would take too long to tell you in casual conversation.”

“I don’t need to know anything about your previous relationships, Colt. Those are history. All I care about is our future together.”

“In this case, I think you need to know, Tony. You won’t have a problem with any of what I’m about to reveal. And, if everything goes as planned, those DNA injections Santa mentioned last year on Christmas Eve could have an unintended benefit―you could end up sharing my knack for perfect health.

“As I said, it’s a long history I have to share, and it would take too long to tell you in the traditional manner. We’re going to do this a different way; please close your eyes. I’m going to hold your face in my hands and count to three. You’ll feel a tiny electric spark, and then everything will be made clear. One, two…”

Solcar

“Our existence begins as a spark generated by the flames of two High Lords. For millennia this spark is nourished until it too burns brightly on its own. The new flame gains consciousness and soon takes its place on this Council. Here we remain, overseeing this universe and the stars within it, until we ourselves metamorphose into a burning giant. We assume a place within a cluster, we may accrue orbiting objects, and we might even nourish new life forms within our system. In time, our energy is depleted, and we wink out of existence.

“And yet, with all our might and longevity, we never experience the thrill a Kittean pup does while howling at distant celestial objects. We never rejoice in decadent pleasures of Luxorian excess. We never thrill to waves crashing on sand as a Terran child does. Our future might be fixed but our road there is not. To oversee the clusters we are entrusted with and the life forms they harbor in a proper way, we must learn how to live. We must not only exist.

“I challenge you to explore the worlds under your protection; you should interact with life forms of all kinds. Your flames will burn brighter if you do, and you will be better prepared to guide the evolution of those under your protection. My years as a human on Terra have profoundly affected me and have led me to make a difficult choice.

“I have lived many lives, I have suffered many losses, I have experienced many loves, and I have learned many lessons—all of them I treasure. I do not care what you may think of my choice; you will, according to our traditions, not interfere with my decision, and you will abide by it. I hereby surrender my position on the Council and relinquish all my powers as a High Lord. I wish to remain human―to exist for just a moment as we measure time. My joy will know no bounds as long as that existence’s shared with the man I love.”

―The End―