Entry 4-026: January 22, 2016
Hawaii, Paradise and Transporters
In multiple previous posts, I have explained how our trip to Hawaii resulted in most of the set designs for Rome's Revolution. However, lost in all of this is the fact that Hawaii is a wonderful place. Paradise, really. So when I put my characters there, in exile no less, I decided they had been kind enough to me that I was going to let them enjoy the beauty and peace of the islands before taking on the big bad, aka MASAL.
Here is MINIMCOM exhorting them to do so:
“MINIMCOM,” Rome observed, “you have done so many good things for us, I can only trust you. As I said we have entrusted our fate to you and so your word is enough.”
“Thank you,” the avatar replied. Then he turned and in a louder voice, addressed the rest of the family. “You should take this opportunity to enjoy your peaceful surroundings. In one day, I would expect that there will be some turmoil.”
“We could all use some peace,” Binoda said.
“I will be on my way then,” replied the avatar. The imposing figure reached behind itself and grabbed the cape and draped it over its front as if to cover itself. There was a whoosh and popping noise. In a blink of an eye, the avatar was gone leaving behind only a hint of the smell of plumeria.
“He certainly has a flair for the dramatic,” Rei observed.
“Yes, I do,” came MINIMCOM’s voice from the projector. Everyone laughed.
“How did you do that?” Rei asked the projector. “How did you make the avatar disappear? What was that whoosh/pop?”
“It is simply a traveling PPT tunnel as I have used before,” MINIMCOM said. “It is identical to the one I employed to rescue you from the Deucadons.”
“But that one was big and wide and you had to carve it through rock,” Rei mentioned.
“I have perfected it,” MINIMCOM explained. “I can now materialize a minimal tunnel and pass it through an area, the whoosh as you call it and then I extinguish it nearly instantaneously which is the popping sound. The closer I am to the subject, the faster I can execute it.”
“Wow,” Rei said. “When I was growing up, we had this thing in science fiction called a transporter. It, uh, dematerialized things and reconstructed them elsewhere.”
“That is why it was fiction,” MINIMCOM said. “This is the real world. There is no such thing as dematerialization. This is just the normal transport, to use your word, via a PPT tunnel. You may find it useful at some point now that I have perfected it.”
“OK,” Rei said, “if you say so.” He turned to look at Rome who was distracted, looking off in the distance. “Thanks for the explanation, MINIMCOM,” Rei said, closing the subject.
“You are welcome,” replied the projector.
Rei walked over to Rome. “What did MINIMCOM say to you?” Rei asked her. “Did he upset you?”
“No,” Rome answered.
“Then what did he say to you?” Rei asked.
Rome closed her eyes. When she opened them, she looked up at Rei then placed her hand on his cheek.
“In due time, mau emir,” she said. “In due time. For now, let us enjoy what you would call the calm before the storm.”
Rei cocked his head at his wife but did not bother to probe.
“Whatever you say, honey,” he replied.
Calm before the storm. Sometimes I actually feel guilty about putting my characters through the wringer but otherwise, where is the drama?
Entry 4-027: January 23, 2016
Luau 1
When my wife and I took our honeymoon trip to Hawaii, one of the "touristy" things we had to do was go to a genuine Hawaiian luau. Now I guarantee you there were some elements that were authentic and a bunch more that were for show only. When we arrived, everybody got a mai-tai. Trust me, this is nothing special. Everybody in Hawaii serves you mai-tais. Our best one was called the "Back-scratcher" and came with a genuine wooden backscratcher that we use even today.
Back to the luau. No matter how touristy it was, it was still fun. Tons of food. I got to see the next day's pig being roasted. Hula dancers. Beautiful weather. I regret nothing.
But, like everything else in Hawaii, it was expensive so I decided since I had given them so much money, I was going to steal the experience and place in my novel. Or at least until I crushed down the three VIRUS 5 novels down to the one comprehensive omnibus entitled Rome's Revolution. Unfortunately, when that happened, the entire luau had to go as it served no dramatic purpose. Poor Rome and Rei. I gave them this wonderful experience and then took it away. Well, luckily for you, I have resurrected it and you get to see a scene where my characters actually have a good time and come the closest they ever did to having fight. Yes, alcohol was involved.
Regardless, here is the set up and then over the next few days, I'll give you the entire "lost" luau scene itself. Here is the introduction:
There was a knock at the door. Rei was the first to stand up to answer it but Fridone cautioned him to wait until he activated the Deucadon’s stealth cloak around himself and Aason. Rei waited until Fridone had grasped the baby and disappeared from view before he opened the door and saw a boy and girl, teenagers really, standing there holding some leis, draped over their arms.
“Aleha,” said the girl. “Our parents asked that we greet you properly. They have prepared a festive meal for you if you are hungry.”
“Is it not a little late for the evening meal?” Binoda called out.
“No,” replied the girl. “My father knew you would need a little time to settle. He postponed it in order to prepare a great feast for you. It is ready now.”
“Wow,” Rei said in English. Then, in Vuduri, he said, “that sounds great to me. I am starving.” He turned to Rome. “What do you think, sweetheart?”
“We must eat,” replied Rome, standing up. “It sounds wonderful but…”
“But what?” Rei asked.
Rome turned to her mother. “Mea, can we trust these two?”
“Yes,” Binoda says. “I have known them since they were babies. They will not tell.”
Rome bowed slightly then stood up and walked to the corner of the room. She held out her arms to the air and said, “My son, please, Beo?” From out of thin air, Aason appeared and she took him and rested him on her shoulder.
“Mea, Beo, Would you like some dinner as well?” she asked.
“We will catch up with you shortly,” the ghostly voice of her father replied, seemingly moving to the other room.
“Yes, you go on ahead,” said Binoda in assent. “We will catch up to you shortly.” She bowed her head at Rome.
“Ah,” Rome said, “of course.” She started toward the door.
“What about prying eyes?” Rei asked, pointing to Aason.
Rome cradled Aason low so that he would not be readily visible unless someone was very close. “Once we get there,” Rome said, “there would be no reason for anyone to suspect that he is our son. He is just a baby. I am sure they have babies here.”
Tomorrow, the luau begins but what to do you think Binoda and Fridone had planned having been separated for 10 years?
Entry 4-028: January 24, 2016
Luau 2
Yesterday, I set up the luau scene that was in the original long-form version of Rome's Revolution back when it was called VIRUS 5. Here is Rei's introduction to the other side of Rome's family, the mandasurte that was her father, Fridone's, bloodlines:
“Once we get there,” Rome said, “there would be no reason for anyone to suspect that he is our son. He is just a baby. I am sure they have babies here.”
“OK,” Rei said in English.
“Wait,” said the girl at the door. “There is something I must do first.”
She took one of the leis off of her arm and tried to drape it over Rei’s head but he was too tall. He bent over to make it easier on her and she took the opportunity to give him a quick kiss on the cheek.
Rei straightened up and smiled. Rome came over and the boy put a lei over her head and gave her a kiss as well.
The girl said to Rei, “I am Elen and this is Rav. We are Rome’s cousins.”
“Pleased to meet you,” Rei said. “I am Rei, Rome’s husband.”
“Yes, we assumed,” the girl said and giggled quietly, pointing at Aason. She waved to them and led them down to the edge of the beach then around the trees to the rocks on the north side. Set between the palm trees, there was a narrow path that led up and around to another, wider, beach. Just beyond the crest of the beach were some tables and a group of people gathered. As they noticed Rei and Rome arrive, they all waved excitedly.
Elen and Rav led them to the largest table, where there sat some older men and women. The table itself was made of dense pattern of bamboo trunks which reminded Rei of the cane trees on Deucado. One of the men stood and walked over to them.
“I am your Onclare Tenoal,” he said to Rome.
“Yes, I remember you,” said Rome. She gave him a hug which seemed to surprise him.
“You seem less, restrained, than the last time I saw you,” he said with a smile.
“Yes, Onclare,” said Rome. “I have changed greatly.”
“And this is your husband, the Essessoni?” Tenoal said.
“Yes, sir,” said Rei, holding his hand. Tenoal looked down at Rei’s outstretched arm and took it awkwardly.
Tomorrow, the luau begins in earnest. (BTW, Elen and Rav were named after my friends Bob and Ellen. I had to sneak them in somehow!)
Entry 4-029: January 25, 2016
Luau 3
Over the past few days, I have prepared you for the all-important luau scene in Part 3 of Rome's Revolution. It was so important that it was only the second thing I cut out when I collapsed down the novel from the original long-form entitled VIRUS 5 to the one comprehensive omnibus entitled Rome's Revolution. The first thing to go was the abortion named Lawlidon who sadly served no dramatic purpose other than drama itself.
I really liked the luau scene but it didn't advance the story in any substantive way. So now you get to see it, in isolation, and judge for yourself!
“We need to keep our son somewhat concealed,” Rome said, cautiously holding Aason forward.
“Why?” asked Tenoal.
“He is not supposed to be here,” Rei said.
Tenoal looked confused then shrugged. He retrieved another two logs and placed them under the table, along with some cloths. When Rome was satisfied, she placed Aason on his makeshift bed and Rei and Rome sat down.
The meal was very festive. Dug into the sand were some open fire pits where they cooked fish and crabs and lobster. Rome, remembering her mother’s words, did not comment. If anything, the mandasurte were stricter about the Rules of Green than the Vuduri so if they allowed fire, it had to be balanced somehow.
Course after course of food came to their table. There were so many courses, Rei lost track. There were exotic greens and roasted vegetables and rice and eggs and fruit and poi and food that Rei had no clue regarding its origin. It didn’t matter. It was all good.
They also served kefir, a blend of milk and fermented coconut juice that Rei found particularly enjoyable. He could not remember the last time he had tasted alcohol. Rome seemed to enjoy it too. He logged that fact for later.
Rome’s relatives babbled on about their lives, their island, Rei only half-listened. He was tired and he knew it. The fatigue was making him a little morose. Or perhaps that was the kefir. He used his biskar to pick at the meat of the last piece of fish on his plate. He looked up and saw all the happy faces enjoying the bounty the sea had provided for them.
“You know, Rome,” he said. “In my day, this meal, this beach, it would have cost a fortune.”
“What do you mean?” Rome asked.
“Money. Lots of it,” Rei said.
Tomorrow, Rome and Rei have their first and only fight. One which was excised from the modern novel. As I said, as highlighted above in bold, alcohol was involved.
Entry 4-030: January 26, 2016
Money
Rome and Rei represent my ideal of how humans should interact. They both have their experience and moral code but they both make adjustments based upon the needs of their partner. I have often told you that the Rome's Revolution novel and trilogy are not so much about Rome and Rei as they are the "Rome and Rei system" meaning their partnership.
So when I wrote this scene, I violated every founding principle upon which their entire life story was based. I'm glad I had to excise it when I produced the modern version. I didn't like it when they disagreed and now it is gone. But you get to see it this one time:
“You know, Rome,” he said. “In my day, this meal, this beach, it would have cost a fortune.”
“What do you mean?” Rome asked.
“Money. Lots of it,” Rei said.
“You have explained money to me before,” Rome said. “I still do not understand it. Why was it necessary?”
“To pay for things,” Rei said. “For food, for clothing. We didn’t have all your whammy-jammy technology. People had to work for a living and for that living they got paid.”
“People work here as well,” Rome said, somewhat indignantly. “But we do not need money. We get what we need. Everyone is more than happy to provide for others.”
“But people always want more stuff,” Rei said. “They get jealous of their neighbors.”
“Neither Vuduri nor mandasurte get jealous,” Rome said. “They provide for each other. There is no greed here. Did you not ever do something for someone else without the expectation of being ‘paid?’” she asked.
“Of course,” Rei said. “But in general, if I work hard, I want more in return than for somebody who does not.”
“You work very hard,” Rome said softly. “And you get in return.” Rome reached over to put her hand over his.
“I know,” Rei said. “But, without money, it’s like animals or communists. It’s not civilized.”
“Animals provide for each other,” Rome said. “And as you point out, they do not get paid.”
“Yeah, right,” Rei said. “And animals are not civilized. My people codified a method of exchange that removed the subjective measure of value. Each dollar was worth the same as any other.”
“Until I met you, I always believed that your people were less civilized than animals,” Rome said.
Huh? If I was Rei, I'd be pretty upset at this point. Luckily, Rome makes it all better.
Tomorrow.
Entry 4-031: January 27, 2016
Luau 4
Yesterday, we saw how Rome and Rei were at loggerheads when it came to money. Even though this scene was excised from the modern version of Rome's Revolution, it still left me upset that Rome would say she thought Rei's people were less than animals. Luckily, she made it all better just by clarifying her statement:
“Until I met you, I always believed that your people were less civilized than animals,” Rome said.
“What?” Rei said.
“I said until I met you,” Rome said firmly, squeezing his hand. “Now I know you. I know your soul. I know you to be as noble a human as that which has ever lived. Look around you,” Rome said, sweeping her arm. “You do not need money here. This is all provided because these people love each other and because you are my husband, they love you too.”
“Well,” Rei said, returning to his meal. “They certainly know how to cook. This is certainly better than any fish I ever had back in my day.”
“You see?” Rome said. “And that is how it should be. That is what you deserve.”
Rei looked over at his wife, seeing the torches reflected in her dark, luminous eyes.
“I do not know what I did to deserve you, Rome,” Rei said in Vuduri. “But if that is the only thing I ever get out of life, it is enough.”
As the meal was progressing, Tenoal gently b
ut firmly asked them how they came to be there. While Rome left out certain details, she finally did tell him the core of the matter, that of their need to reveal the plot of the Onsiras to the Vuduri.
Tenoal was outraged. “You must announce this to all of the world,” he said, “not just to the Overmind. The mandasurte need to know as well. And they need to know now, before any more of us disappear.”
“I do not know how to do that,” Rome said. “We would do it in stages. Right now our only option is to find a good Vuduri, one who we can trust, who can pass on this message. The good Vuduri, those that have not been compromised, will do the right thing and include the mandasurte.”
“Like they have up until now?” Tenoal asked.
“The Vuduri have been blind to what is going on,” Rei said. “It is time we opened their eyes.”
“You should go to O’ahu,” Tenoal said. “There is a mandasurte city there, called Onalu. It is the center of the mandasurte culture as well as the meeting place for all Vuduri and mandasurte in the South Pacific. There is a plaza at the center of the city. It is called Tanosa Plaza. That would be perfect. You could broadcast from there and you would reach the whole world at the same time. There would be no way for the Onsiras to suppress that information.”
Ah. Thank you, Uncle Tenoal. You have set us up for the double climax on the island known as O'ahu and the city called Onalu which people of the 21st century would call Honolulu.
Entry 4-032: January 28, 2016
Old Friends
When I say old friends, I also mean family. There are people in our lives that we don't see for five, ten, twenty years and when we do, within minutes, it is like no time has passed. This is the truest definition of a blood bond, of family, whether by birth, by marriage or by association.
Binoda and Fridone, a mixed couple, forged many bonds within the mandasurte community and the luau scene gave us an opportunity to see the extended bonds they had formed:
Rome looked at Rei. “What do you think?” she asked him.