...And We Will Have Snow

Chapter 7-6: The Agenda

Zeke called a meeting of the little band of perpetrators. Ryan and Bear were all smiles. Rosita and Xayna looked pleased, if not quite as exuberant. Sedna was her usual stoic dronish self. Zeke could never tell with her.

"Was this the plan all along?" he said.

Bear looked innocently at Ryan. Ryan looked at Rosita. Rosita looked at Xayna, who looked at Jen and said, "It all seemed pretty spontaneous. Didn't it?"

Jen cocked an eyebrow at Bear. "Bear claimed I started it by telling him about my discovery of microclimate links. But I'm pretty sure he had an agenda."

Bear traded his look of innocence for one of mild chagrin. Then he looked at Sedna. Her presence became more intense. She said, "Yes, there's an agenda. It's the one we've had all along. It's to help people own their lives. Tell them, Bear."

Sedna knew that her drone presence gave her a physical advantage that could turn into a disadvantage when it came to matters of trust. Ironically it was the exact advantage they were trying to demonstrate was not real, and the very fact of her presence was proof of that. But they were a step away from getting others to understand this. Zeke was close. Jen was close. Bear was more intimate with the dream than Sedna was. She knew she could trust him to explain it well.

Bear said, "You already know most of it. We just want to help people achieve their true potential. That was the original WBI agenda with the Sun Domes. It was and is the aim of the Dome Dream, and the World Dream.

"Here in the Shell you're exploring a new aspect of that potential. Sedna is here because she wants to add that to the World Dream, to broaden the dream for others.

"Xayna and I are here because we've been very impressed by how open your people are to these dreams. It seems to be a combination of native beliefs and the special environment.

"That environment is both a temptation and a danger. Human bodies aren't well adapted for exploring an underwater world. Being shifters, Ryan and Rosita can adapt themselves, and that aids them in their research work.

"I have to admit that Xayna and I were attracted to the sheer pleasure of it, the ability to experience this environment unimpeded. All of us normally hide this ability, because the ability itself brings with it a temptation and a danger."

He paused to look at Zeke and Jen. He wanted to know if they were already ahead of him. He decided they were keeping up, but wanted him to get to the point. So he said, "Okay, you already know all this. And you know that we decided that hiding it was a mistake, because we were mainly hiding ourselves from realizing how many of you had already guessed what we were up to. That was a big relief to us, because being open about it in a group of accepting believers is way easier than trying to hide it from suspicious skeptics.

"But I think you're guessing that the temptation and danger of shifting is the same as what you find when swimming in the sea. It's not. So this is what we need to discuss before we talk about teaching others how to do it. Zeke, you and Jen both understand the importance of agreement, because you helped us stress that in our demonstrations. But we were mostly concerned about the agreement of others, being sure they were willing to accept what they would see so it would become real to them in a positive way, not a nightmare.

"I think you both also understand about the biological aspect of it too, how there must be a resonance at the cellular level for the shift to be possible. Jen has the example of her shifting sea creatures. Here's the difference. Those creatures shift to gain a survival advantage. There's no expectation of shifting back. They completely become their new forms, breed true as their new forms.

"We don't want that. Shaman shifters want to shift back. We shift for a temporary advantage. For us, and for anyone else who might learn how to shift, the dangers of losing the ability to shift back to normal are real.

"And that's not all. The danger of shifting back to normal at a bad time is also real. Imagine yourself swimming in the form of a sea lion, and being chased by a shark. Suppose this scares you out of your wits and your body's reaction is to shift back to human form. Probably not good. Dumb shark wouldn't know the difference, just be happy for an easy meal. You get the picture."

They did. Both Zeke and Jen had just sworn off any notions they might have had of becoming shifters. Zeke was also alarmed at the potential legal ramifications; "no shifting on company time" would surely be counterproductive.

Bear said, "Or suppose the shark only nipped you and you got away. Lucky you, being an amateur in the company of professional sea lions. What happens to your bleeding flipper when you shift back to arms and legs? But if you stay in sea lion form long enough to heal, will you even remember how to shift back by then?

"These are real questions. The shaman answer is to maintain an intense personal dream state the whole time, keeping the body tuned to the alternate reality of being neither human nor seal, but a superposition of both forms. And to have an escape plan."

Bear grinned and said, "Okay, Zeke, got all that written into the contract? Then let's talk about how to make shifters out of everyone who signs up."