Heresy

HERESY (Science Fiction Short Story)

"Everything that has sensation is subject to influence; only the mind is free"

— Hermes Trismegistus

Chapter 1. The Wasteland

The surrounding area was unremarkable and somehow excessively lifeless. Remnants of trees, scattered in shreds between ravines, created a gloomy impression.

The once majestic forest, hastily cut down about ten years ago, remained only in the imagination.

The surface of the earth, mangled by machinery, was slowly but surely being swept by sand, covering the garbage illegally dumped onto the wasteland.

It was into this very epicenter of human soullessness towards nature that the escape module crashed.

The bright trail of the burning object in the atmosphere brought onlookers and local leadership to the crash site.

Dozens of cars filled the unremarkable place in a matter of minutes. The crater from the impact, about a hundred meters in diameter, lent a certain charm to this dumping ground of civilization's waste.

A pearlescent sphere in the center of the crater frightened the earthlings and fascinated them at the same time.

Curiosity and fear mingled in the minds of those who ran, drove, and galloped to the scene of events, and only whispers mixed with gusts of dusty wind broke the silence.

The consciousness inside the shuttle was emerging from hyperstasis and searching for an acceptable physical shell corresponding to the planet.

"Shell request accepted, processing..."

"Where am I?"

"The Inner Perimeter planet?"

"What?! Impossible! I shouldn't be here! How did I end up in the material world?!"

"Check the data again... And why do I feel gravity?!"

"After completing the cycle, you were making a transfer to your level. An etheric fluctuation knocked off my settings and transformed me here."

"And you with me."

"Maybe, transported?"

"Specifically transformed," the artificial intelligence emphasized the last word.

"The shuttle has acquired a material form for the first time, became a three-dimensional object and an integral part of the space-time continuum..."

"What nonsense?! The continuum does not exist!"

"Now it does. We are in the universe of Yaldabaoth. And not in the best part of it."

"But that's a myth?!"

"Welcome to the fairy tale."

"And what now, must I become one of them? To comprehend Knowledge through... what do they comprehend Knowledge with here?"

"And anyway, who are they? Am I here for long?"

"There is nothing to worry about. This is a non-cyclical transformation. You will have to stay in this dimension until the ether stabilizes."

"Then you will return to your world. Intelligent life is present... although wait, clarifying... hmm, let's assume it is present."

"How long?"

"It is foolish to ask a machine about what is subject only to the questioner."

"I am not on intimate terms with the ether; I cannot calculate the duration of the delay, let alone influence it."

"I possess no power of thought, nor a separate consciousness, not even a proper name. To the ether, I am simply transport."

Resentment could be read in the "voice" of the machine. The consciousness finally emerged from hyperstasis and attentively studied the planet's database.

It was impossible to describe the sensations of what was happening. Firstly, the "passenger" had never experienced such a dive, and secondly, he decidedly did not understand what to do.

But since any experience was a long-awaited find for a sentient being, the alien immersed himself, so to speak, in the material with an academic grip.

Connecting to all the data available on board, the consciousness deemed it insufficient.

Therefore, thousands of servers on the planet were "cracked" in search of the simplest and most important questions:

Forms of intelligent life;

Goals of intelligent life;

Behavioral lines, traditions, culture, science, psychology...

Cults, beliefs, missions... so many! Wow! Oh really... mother of... I should not have gone in there.

Gender differences and conflict resolution options between a man and a woman?! What the...??? I'll return to beliefs...

If one were to describe what was happening with the guest from the outside, then externally nothing was happening. But inside the consciousness, a revolution was taking place.

Everything contradicted everything else and complemented it simultaneously. Duality was inherent in every aspect of life, every phenomenon, all matter as a whole.

The shuttle worked "at the limit" to provide the "passenger" with the necessary level of information and select a suitable body.

By Earth standards, no more than a day had passed since the enchanting "landing" of the UFO in the middle of the quiet hinterland.

During this time, the area was cordoned off by troops, the crowd of curious onlookers was moved several kilometers away, and the airspace was blocked for everything that could fly, including pigeons.

The latter tried so persistently to "make contact" and leave a mark in history on the roof of the uninvited guest that they had to be shot down.

Finally, the "alien" made a decision. Since he had ended up in another dimension and there was an opportunity to learn something new, it would be unwise not to take advantage of it.

But there was one problem. The level of knowledge and abilities of the subject encapsulated in the shuttle so surpassed earthly ones that communication would resemble a conversation between a god and ants.

There could be no talk of exchanging experience under such circumstances.

But the interest in the social structure of the local sentients, the biological environment, and the laws of the physical arrangement of the material universe was so great that the "prisoner of our dimension" took an unprecedented step.

He cloned a part of his consciousness, leaving a connection with the maternal one. The clone was sufficient for communication with earthlings to be successful, in the "passenger's" opinion.

By average parameters, a male body corresponding to this region of the planet was chosen.

The symbiosis of the consciousness clone and the flesh did not take much time and was quite successful.

The main (base) mind was left in the capsule to avoid unforeseen difficulties when communicating with another civilization.

Thus, a certain biological symbiont turned out, fully corresponding to the earthly race. Language parameters were "downloaded" from the Internet. Clothes were materialized from the environment.

A little fantasy — and the contactee was ready. The ship's plating excluded diffusion with this universe; unauthorized penetration inside was impossible.

A invisible field of pure dark matter separated the miracle of technology from our world, so dozens of pigeons that day fell in vain at the hands of snipers.

"Scan, what do the aborigines want?" the consciousness gave an order to the onboard "brains".

"I sense panic with elements of aggression, everyone is waiting for a decision from some center."

"I assume the appearance of a clone is the least risky in this situation. I propose placing the shuttle in a distant orbit, and producing the emanation of the clone later in this location."

"Supported. We are interested in their answers to our questions, not the other way around. Take off, transport the clone here from orbit."

"And give him a name."

"Simenon, Kallistrat, Porphyry..."

"Where did you pick up this horror? And you call yourself an intelligence, an artificial one. Can we have something closer to the humanity of this era?"

"Denis, Ki..."

"Denis! Excellent! And remember that a clone is a figurative definition. It is a part of me, and an integral one."

"Therefore, please watch every step of Denis and give him a protector."

"Is an etheric one enough, or should I materialize something quickly?"

"Materialize. Something inconspicuous."

In the hand of the newly minted member of earthly society appeared a device very similar to an automatic rifle.

"Is this legal?"

"Well, they are standing there with things like these," the "brains" pointed to the cordon.

"Let's do something more unnoticeable... create a modifier ring. So that at any moment it can transform into anything."

"Control is neural, let Denis decide himself when and what."

"Accepted. Taking off. Course for orbit. Clone transferred to the teleportation bay. Put you in stasis or will you work?"

"I'll observe and work. Thanks for the help!"

Before the eyes of the astonished cordon, which never waited for the order from the center, the sphere soared up in an instant and dissolved into the sky-blue heights.

From the UFO visit, only a small crater surrounded by garbage remained.

And a moment later, a young man, beautiful as an ancient god, materialized on the edge. The perfection of the lines of his face and body was striking.

The alien was dressed simply: jeans, a tight-fitting T-shirt, a jacket. Kindness shone in his light eyes, and his smile disposed one to communication.

Denis took his first step towards the stunned cordon. He breathed freely and easily. Ahead lay the unknown.

From behind the rows of soldiers, a colonel walked out to meet the new arrival and stared intently at the youth.

"Denis," said the clone and extended his hand.

"Hello! Colonel Yarmolenko," the military man rapped out and boldly extended his hand in return. "Welcome!"

"Glad you speak our language. Do you mind coming with us to the base to talk in a calmer setting?"

"Do you understand me?"

"Is this setting alarming?" the light-eyed one looked back at the crowd of heavily armed fighters and the deathly frightened mayor of the nearby town.

"I am sure we will be calmer at the base," the senior officer recommended, smiling restrainedly. "You can call me Semyon."

"Simenon after all," Denis laughed to himself and asked the etheric guardian mentally: "What do you say, how does it feel, time to panic?"

"No, the mood is friendly. Rather, they are afraid of you. Will you read thoughts?" sounded in Denis's head.

"Yes, activate the option and wake up the ring... what is its name... Desmosomes, I think. I will call him Desmos."

Activation of the ring was a whole story. It was necessary to read the fluctuations of the neural connections of the carrier, combine them in amplitude and phase with this artifact.

The ring was not actually a ring at all. It was a thinking, self-adjusting substance transforming matter for the needs of the master within a radius of twenty to thirty meters.

It could be clothes, a vehicle, an umbrella, a weapon — practically anything, and instantly.

Defensive properties were "built-in" to the miracle of the otherworld in the basic configuration and triggered automatically.

From the nearest matter, the ring "molded" everything, including portals in space. So the owner of the trinket could move around the planet absolutely freely.

But, since everything has its price, the "ring" needed "nourishment".

For the transformation of matter, Desmos demanded pure light, not this corpuscular-wave mixture of thought-forms and matter.

Unfortunately, the universe of the Demiurge (or the material sphere, as it was called in the etheric worlds) did not have pure light in free access.

But a few alchemical formulas and a couple of drops of pure ether from the ship's reserves allowed for the preparation of an alternative swill for the intractable artifact.

In general, the little reptile finally agreed to serve the clone.

The sensation of thousands of needles all over the body was not pleasant. Slight chills and cramps did not go unnoticed by Yarmolenko.

"Is everything okay with you, do you need help?" the military man asked calmly.

"No-o-o," Denis answered, grimacing hysterically. However, these were instantaneous convulsions, after which the guest of Earth pulled himself together.

"Desmosomes obeys," a voice rang out in the guy's head. "Master..."

"Can I call you Desmos or Des, it will be simpler. And don't call me master, it feels wrong somehow."

"Call me Denis. If you want — Den. And let's be informal, like with the etheric guardian. By the way, guardian, what is your name?"

"Yao," whispered the invisible one.

"Yao? You look appetizing!" Desmos's voice was cheeky.

"You see him?!" the clone thought. "Of course! How can I not see what I feed on?"

"Want to go to the scrap heap?!" Yao quipped.

"Okay, enough! So we've met."

"Why the hell is this guy silent?" the colonel's voice rang out in Denis's head.

"Oh! Telepathy is working, thanks Yao, now it's easier to navigate... wow, among this gathering of military men, is there at least someone who isn't thinking about women?"

"And why are these thoughts so important? Maybe I should have materialized as a woman? No-o-o, nonsense..."

"Yes, Colonel, I agree. To the base. Shall we teleport?" the alien said aloud.

Semyon's jaw dropped.

"We have a jeep here," he pointed uncertainly with his hand at an iron structure placed on rubber circles.

"Okay, let's fly like that," said Denis as if nothing had happened and walked towards the monster of human engineering thought.

The trip on Ukrainian roads made an indelible impression on the trio. Denis constantly asked Yao about the meaning of such torture.

The guardian tried to find an answer as to why earthlings have such road quality and why they don't simply fly, while Desmos strove to kill the driver trying to drive around another pothole.

The colonel occasionally glanced at the alien and tried to think. Of everything that flew out through mental channels from the military man's head, the clone understood only one thing: those present were fully convinced that this was a dream.

The bright prominences of emotions of the driver, who constantly entered into sexual intercourse with the mother of a worker from a family with the strange surname Ukravtodor, were very distracting.

An hour later by earthly time, the metal box called a "jeep" arrived at the closed territory of the earthly military base.

It was separated from the rest of the planet by a dilapidated concrete fence and creaking metal gates.

An earthling with a frightened face and an armband raised his hand in greeting and opened the gates. The delegation proceeded to the far building.

The building was dilapidated but clean. The clone was kindly led along gloomy corridors into a cozy warm room of several chambers.

Two men in suits appeared at the doors, with faces that had never known a smile.

In the main hall sat several people, clearly waiting for this meeting. Denis, smiling, greeted those present and sat in an armchair.

The thoughts of those present crashed down like an avalanche:

"...is strictly a real alien? And I can't tell anyone..."

"...and I didn't believe in God..."

"...wonder what technologies they possess? Is their army strong on their planet?"

"...again the Colorado potato beetle ate all my potatoes, bitch... I asked my mother-in-law to spray them..."

"...you had to land here, unfortunate one... my head is splitting after yesterday..."

"...just don't ask me anything, that's not why I was put in this position..."

When "everyone" had gathered, Colonel Yarmolenko stood up and proposed starting the dialogue. There was as much uncertainty in his voice as in his thoughts.

He could not make a decision about the expediency of guarding the event, how it would be, and most importantly, where to place this gift of the cosmos.

The main thing tormenting him: how to turn this event to his advantage.

Denis completely did not understand the motivation of such a train of thought and simply observed what was happening.

"If you don't mind, I will start," spoke a corpulent man sitting in the corner of the room.

"My name is Bogdan Iosifovich Baranovsky, I am the head of the ruling party 'Whip and Waffles', associate professor at the University of Natural Sciences named after I.M. Patsyuk, and also I am..."

"I am the most important and main person in this room, I am power, my word is everything here..." Bogdan Iosifovich's thoughts were duplicated in the clone's consciousness, the emotional background went off the scale.

"Denis, either people have such long names, or this aborigine wants to tell the story of his life," whispered Yao.

"His organism is very sick, and brain activity is minimal. Data suggests that people must be listened to until the end."

"Even completely useless information cannot be interrupted. For some reason, this causes dissatisfaction in them..."

"What do you think, Yao, why are we here? The material world is very strange."

"I find no reasons for its existence so far, nothing to cling to."

"This humanoid's name is indeed long, I don't understand the rest of the information. Maybe it's a code for connecting a communication channel?"

"Yarmolenko spoke about himself very briefly, but this one just won't stop. But our task is to understand, so let's listen."

The head of "Whip and Cookies" finally finished listing his regalia and asked: "Who are you and from which planet have you arrived to us?"

The informational saturation of his address, including the question, amounted to 2.8%.

"I am a materialized clone of a base consciousness, assigned the temporary name Denis, arrived from the etheric dimension of Pleroma," the alien answered calmly.

"Could you tell me, I feel an unpleasant sensation. This shell requires liquid and nutrition."

From everything said, the high commission understood "liquid" and "nutrition". The associate professor wiped his sweating forehead with a handkerchief and exchanged glances with his colleagues.

"Will our earthly food suit you?" sounded the melodic, assertive voice of a lady in red, who decided to take control of the situation.

"My name is Snezana Vladimirovna... although the patronymic is not necessary, and the title, I think, is not needed at all."

The party boss grunted in the corner, hearing the last phrase that came out of the pomaded dark red lips.

"I am sure, yes, the organism is adapted to the environment. The only thing is, I haven't figured out how to use this body yet," the alien pointed to himself with his hands.

"I would teach you how to use such a body," the thoughts of the interlocutor were read in Denis's head.

At the same time, for unknown reasons, the lower part of the earthly shell filled with blood.

"Steady!" the clone ordered himself and smiled sweetly at Snezana.

"She wants to do that with you," Yao thought uncertainly, "let the little ring protect you."

"At the slightest thing, immediately the little ring! There is nothing dangerous in her thoughts. The body will not die from friction."

"One thing I don't understand: what is the meaning of these ridiculous movements? And also the request that they rub for as long as possible."

"And do you read the constructions and locations of bodies?!" Yao was bewildered why rub so uncomfortably.

"We'll figure it out," Denis intervened in the mental whirlwind. "There is some catch here."

"Because everyone in this room wants to do similar things with Snezana, but quickly and simpler."

"The desires of men and women on this planet clearly do not coincide. Are they sure they are of the same race?"

A tray was brought into the room with a piece of fried meat, fried eggs from two eggs, sliced tomatoes, and compote.

"This is all we can offer you for now, you understand yourself, the visit was unexpected," strictly chirped the epicenter of desire of the high commission.

"We do not quite understand your answer. You are not from our galaxy?"

"I am not from your universe, I am from another dimension, from the etheric one..."

"But other dimensions do not exist!" another participant intervened in the conversation, adjusting his glasses.

"I am a professor of physics and dare to assure you, young man, that this is simply impossible."

"Excuse me..."

"Pavel Ignatievich, Professor of Quantum Physics."

"Forgive me, Pavel Ignatievich, that by my appearance I refuted your theories. I didn't mean to," Denis became embarrassed.

"We shouldn't appear in the sphere at all. But etheric fluctuations..."

"Ether doesn't exist either. Mendeleev had ether as the first element in the table until he was ridiculed."

"You aren't going to claim he was right?" the professor did not let up.

"I am very upset that fluctuations of what does not exist transformed us from what cannot be into your wonderful world," the clone really felt shame, like a child who broke a toy.

"Maybe if I leave, and you never see me again, this will help humanity continue to live happily and peacefully?"

"In the meantime, I will communicate with representatives of other material worlds, your archons..."

"We are alone in the universe!" the professor almost shouted.

"Let me annihilate him," Desmos unexpectedly suggested. "In my opinion, he will be better off, look how worried he is."

"Yao, and what does 'professor' mean?"

"This designates a high scientific degree. In the hierarchy of people, Pavel Ignatievich is the smartest one here."

"And what does 'party head' mean?" Des was on a roll.

"The party head knows best how one must live correctly, is considered a specialist in the social structure of society. Apparently, also not a stupid aborigine."

"But scanning showed that..."

"We are not here to deal with personalities! Yes, his aura stinks godlessly!"

"But since people chose him, it means we don't understand something," the guest of the planet interrupted the mental skirmish.

"Professor," Denis continued as softly as possible, "no matter how much you want, I won't tell you other information."

"I am from another dimension. Your material sphere is indeed unique and created from thought-forms of our dimension and matter when mixed."

"Duality is placed at the foundation. Your world is unstable, not eternal, and I dare to assert, you are not the only ones inhabiting it."

"The system of spheres created by the creators of your universe is a very universal tool for organizing life inside."

"I can share knowledge of how everything is arranged with you, but I fear, after your statements, my words will upset you even more."

"And I myself am very interested to learn the subtleties and nuances of the construction of your society."

"And what interests you?" asked the colonel. "Our military power?"

"What did he mean?" Denis asked Yao.

"Hard to say, probably wanted to ask if the hypothetical damage their metal machines or whatever they have there can inflict on your dimension is known to you."

"He cannot be that primitive! Colonel also designates 'smart person', or only the professor?"

"What should I answer him, or he'll get offended, and I need to learn from them... By the way, the food is tasty, and satisfying hunger is a very pleasant procedure."

"True, I am all covered in biological particles of bread. I think that's what they call it."

"I wanted to clarify how the curvature of space during a quantum leap affects the architecture of earthlings? After all, physiology changes."

Silence hung in the room.

"Yao, can we erase their memory later? They are so worried. I asked the simplest question."

"Good thing this race isn't telepathic."

"Perhaps in other countries they dealt with this question, but not here."

"Therefore we cannot answer it," Snezana briskly, as always, brought the situation out of a stupor.

"Have you satisfied your hunger? Maybe there will be more wishes?"

In Denis's head, the thoughts of the interlocutor played out with pictures of incomprehensible meaning. In any case, for the clone.

For some reason, communication with the earthling did not happen face to face. And it couldn't be called information transfer.

Rather, a sampling of biological specimens. Perhaps this aspect is worth studying in more detail, since Snezana was interested only in his specimens.

And there was a full hall of those wishing to share theirs with her. Strange race.

"Hunger and thirst no longer bother me. And what are countries?"

"Our planet is divided by people into habitats in accordance with historical events, racial, cultural, religious, but mainly — political differences."

"Each territory has borders, its own governance, laws, etc. A country is a separate world, and each of them is unique."

Now from all the above, Denis understood only the words, but did not put them into a meaningful sentence.

"Do different laws of physics operate on one planet?"

"No, laws of social structure."

"Do you have different religions?"

"With us, everyone believes in their own god. Religion with us is, let's say, a law prescribing how to believe in this or that god."

"And what are political differences?"

"Every people has its ruling class. It dictates its interests to the population and other countries if possible."

"How is that possible? Are there other sentients on your planet besides humans?"

"Some types of carriers of higher consciousness thus show care for the improvement of others?"

"I don't think we can tell you everything in one conversation. Usually, we humans go from the particular to the general."

"We study aspects, one after another, then synthesize them, classify them, and get a systemic picture. Something like that. Maybe it will work for you too."

"Although we have no idea about the purpose of your stay on Earth."

"The goal of any sentient being's stay anywhere is obtaining Knowledge, information, new experience of life cycles."

"To be alive, to create, to cognize the higher meaning, to be part of the creation of worlds, to reach new horizons of possibilities, to comprehend the true essence of things."

"To overcome difficulties and achieve a result?" smiled the colonel.

"Difficulties can only be in a dualistic world, where the struggle and unity of opposites is set as the basis of being."

"Why overcome anything on the path to perfection? Obstacles shouldn't exist. At any rate, in our universe, there are none."

"They are meaningless, and there are no prerequisites for their appearance."

"That is impossible!" said the fat politician confidently. "There are always opponents of the new on the path of progress."

"I'm not even mentioning how much it costs to grease these opponents just to build a house in the city center or get state funding," thoughts stank from the head of the "leader of the nation".

"Any phenomenon has a root. Even in your world, this is obvious. Behind any problem stands someone or something."

"From simple to complex, you say? From your words, I understood the following aspects of life, as you call them."

"A single race of people was divided by the maximum possible signs and instilled in the consciousness that everyone is different and even antagonistic."

"Then they divided the territory, which never belonged to anyone and cannot belong."

"Baselessly appropriating what is not created by man a priori, a handful of earthlings built a chain of parasitism of some over others."

"There is no stable universal system of values. There are no common achievements, countries engage in what in their view is profitable in the moment."

"I don't even want to talk about God, you have no idea what it is, but you invented laws."

"You consider difficulties in achieving goals objective, although everything lies on the surface and is easily removable."

"Well then, let's study every aspect of your amazing life. I, for my part, will gladly share my knowledge."

"It is your right to apply them or not. Can we consider this an agreement?"

Everyone nodded their heads in agreement.

"Denis, would you mind staying in apartments specially designated for you, and tomorrow we continue the dialogue?"

"Your stay will be provided with everything necessary, I assure you."

"Thank you for the care. I will gladly accept such a kind offer. Where to go?"

The day was ending. The Sun, this great deity of our planetary system, was leaning towards sunset. The commission dispersed to their homes.

The alien was left alone in a spacious room packed with surveillance equipment. The confusion of the first meeting was impressive. A more inadequate society was hard to imagine.

"Des, turn off all this eavesdropping and peeping junk," the clone ordered in a detached tone.

When all the equipment shut down to the surprise of the observers, Denis lay on the bed and entered into astral connection with the base consciousness.

He could in no way explain the complete mismatch of the earthlings' thoughts with their words and actions.

Chapter 2. The Woman

Snezana Vladimirovna Voropaeva was not of the timid sort. In her thirty-one years, the woman had managed to marry twice, receive two higher educations, and give birth to two children, a boy and a girl.

The number two was her favorite number, one could say the digit was the embodiment of her credo. The blonde applied double efforts to achieve what she desired.

And there was oh so much desired! Former husbands, recognized as unsuitable for the realization of grandiose life plans, walked off into the sunset, never having figured out why of all assets only male pride remained with them.

Voropaeva's career was like general's epaulets: a mass of zigzags and not a single gap. Until recently.

A chance meeting in the theater with a prominent politician, who ended up on the leeward side of the pheromones of the self-sufficient lady, sharply changed her fate.

The dazzling smile of the goddess in the direction of the victim revealed not only a row of perfectly white teeth but also limitless possibilities for managing the resources of the party boss.

In the interval between the acts of the play, Snezana played out an act of bright love at first sight. Chirping in an angelic voice admiration for the "unique" talents of the half-businessman-half-politician.

Voropaeva understood that the graying goat had fallen head over heels and it was time to take him by the horns.

By the way, the goat's horns after the wedding with the gift of Melpomene grew unimaginably.

Becoming a housewife was not in the beauty's plans, and sex once a month resembled a plenary session.

Therefore, the uncle was quickly put into strict frameworks of understanding that for a modern woman, development and complete freedom of personality are necessary... oh yes, and a position in the ministry.

Searches for meaning and a worthy lover did not yield the desired results, and gatherings with girlfriends depressed these aspects even in theory.

The appearance of the "god of mind and unearthly beauty" in the wasteland was a jackpot for the persistent young lady. Her head spun from hypothetical possibilities.

Plans darted from unrestrained sex with the alien and a joint political career to a quiet house with children with the patronymic Denisovich.

When there was a knock on the door of the trio's apartments, the clone exited contact with the base consciousness and was communicating with Yao, discussing plans for tomorrow.

Snezana stood on the threshold. Several hours after the meeting were not wasted.

A new hairstyle, expensive makeup, and high heels brightly emphasized the deliberately business-like tone of communication.

The protocol of contact with another civilization obliged the commission member to be a model of earthling behavior.

But since the blue-eyed one was not exactly a "member" of the commission, this did not exactly apply to her.

"Am I interrupting?" the person responsible for contact said modestly, innocently fluttering her eyelashes, and, without waiting for an answer, took a step into the room.

"A small step for man, but a giant leap for all mankind! Neil Armstrong, I think, said," the blonde giggled in her thoughts.

"Of course, I am even glad!" said Denis calmly. "I haven't made plans for the future yet, maybe you can help me do that?"

"It is my duty," purred Snezana without a shadow of a doubt. "I am entirely at your disposal."

"And just call me Snezana."

"Call me whatever you want," she added mentally.

"I am glad that my first contact will be with you."

"To my surprise, the lion's share of thought processes in humans is directed towards the opposite sex."

"One can safely assert that men and women on your planet think almost constantly about contact options."

"But the variety of approaches, methods, and goals of such contact is truly infinite. The opinion of each individual is unique."

"From a superficial theoretical view to profound conclusions and actions. Another aspect is striking."

"You do not discuss your thoughts among yourselves, never speak directly and clearly about your intentions."

"The level of insecurity and fear of communication on the topic of gender differences among humanity is so great that men and women are, in essence, two different civilizations on this planet."

"I am amazed how you find common ground at all. Therefore, if in the first minutes of earthly time I wanted to start with understanding the essence of the world order, now intersex dualism occupies me much more."

"I very much hope that you will open the veil of secrecy of this phenomenon. I was created as a man for the reason that in your philosophical treatises, for some reason, they occupy the primacy."

"It was logical to assume that this would give an initial advantage in the period of studying the universe of the Demiurge, your world."

"But in reality, the paradox lies in the fact that it is enough for a woman to ask a man, and the latter will do absolutely everything for her, at the expense of his efforts, capabilities, etc., without the slightest logical justification for such actions."

"On the other hand, the underestimation of women in the success of the development of civilization is horrifying."

"With a level of responsibility significantly exceeding the male, women are considered by society incapable in many spheres. And this lie is accepted as tradition."

"In other words, the most important sphere of life for you is the most unexplored, I would even say — little studied."

"Nothing concrete and purely subjective opinions. How do you live with this?"

"Excuse me, Denis, you have been with us for only a few hours, but there is a feeling that you were born and raised on Earth."

"Where does so much information about human nature come from? Do you read thoughts?!" the earthling was embarrassed.

"I received the data when creating the body. Actually, it is a completely uncomplicated process."

"Your brain can be used as a storage device and filled with any knowledge."

"I won't hide, the capabilities of the biological carrier are very limited, so the most necessary things for contact were 'uploaded'."

"And, you understand yourself, what was defined as 'necessary' by the machine. I do not read thoughts," catching the emotional fluctuations of the interlocutor and listening to Yao's advice, the clone lied.

"And I thought that before me was a telepath," blushing, the blonde exhaled.

"Because all sorts of things come to a woman's mind..."

"What does the expression 'woman's mind' mean? You just said it. The structure of female and male brains is identical in structure."

"Or is there some hidden meaning enclosed here? Explain."

Snezana Voropaeva was anything but a fool. Giving credit where due, she worked hard on herself both in the gym and in the field of science.

In essence, all her achievements were the result of purposeful, titanic efforts to achieve a result in the fight against idiocy that had engulfed society head over heels.

No clichés could stop this lady from answering the question: "And what is there, beyond the other peak?".

And she took one height after another.

"I feel extremely awkward right now, Denis. After all, I, in essence, at this moment must give answers to an extraterrestrial civilization on behalf of all women of the planet."

"This is a colossal responsibility and a huge temptation. Therefore, I propose to divide everything I say into two parts."

"The official point of view and my private, personal opinion. This is very important, because everything I tell here will have consequences."

"God, what was I thinking, where am I getting into, idiot," thought the evening guest, but not a single muscle twitched on her face.

"I am not an official of another civilization," Denis reassured the woman. "We have no such concept at all."

"In my world, there are no countries, no governments, no power, no gender differences. Therefore, there can be no negative consequences."

"Your experience is unique and valuable, like the experience of any sentient being in the universe, regardless of their ranks and status."

"As far as I am aware, the best minds of humanity were not kings."

"How can my experience be interesting to you in the absence of gender differences?"

"If in the universe of Pleroma there is no institution of marriage and generally no dualism, contradictions, why do you need our petty problems?"

"A pertinent remark, if you look superficially. Information, like any essence in all worlds, is multifaceted and multilayered."

"Yes, I am little interested in domestic troubles, private opinions about private events. But great pyramids also consist of grains of sand."

"If I ask you what men are, will you really give me a clear, comprehensive answer?"

"Even your intentions regarding me are unclear to you yourself."

"I am amazed by the confidence of people in conclusions given their complete inability to describe the grounds for such inferences."

"You accept the subjective opinion of another person as the ultimate truth, relying on their experience."

"Manipulating consciousness on your planet is so easy that I now understand why the shuttle's artificial intelligence defined you as 'sentient' with such creaking."

"In that case, let's consider the exchange of information a private conversation. Among people, this is called 'gatherings'."

"By the way, do you want me to make you tea? Everything necessary is here, I hope."

"I want to answer with your words: I am entirely at your disposal... Snezana blushed and went to bustle in the kitchen."

Yao modestly remained silent this time and did not comment on her thoughts. Anxiety was growing in Denis's lower abdomen.

Strange is this material world.

The tea was herbal, and the fresh cookies made an indelible impression on the alien.

"You know, Snezana, physical sensations unavailable in our dimension provide a completely new experience."

"Every breath, sip of water, tea, juice, every new dish opens new horizons of understanding and the answer to the question – for what purpose was the sphere created."

"And all this against the background of feelings and emotions hitherto unknown to me. There are, however, unpleasant aspects. For example, pain."

"The body's defensive reaction to stimuli could be softer."

"Well, since we started talking about sensations, the delights of tactile communication between men and women are hitherto unknown to you."

"And yet this is the basis of intersex relations. In any case, that is how our scientists interpret it," the woman spoke calmly, holding a tea cup with her "porcelain" fingers with bright red nails.

Her chest "rolled" onto Denis every time she reached for a cookie.

"Is it possible to study this? I have a purely academic interest. Are there necessary sources of information? I think you call them books."

"Or an Internet resource."

The woman looked at the cosmic cretin with regret.

"One can read about the tastes of food too. But how to understand the true content of data without direct experience?"

An awkward pause hung in the room.

"Apparently, this is how women lead men to the logical conclusion that it is time to have sex," sounded the words of the etheric guardian in Denis's head.

"Why don't they say it directly? – Desmos mentally supported the dialogue. – They have the gift of speech."

"Or men should offer it first, but don't understand? Stupid men, or such is the game."

"I don't know, my business is to study. But our gatherings really cannot be called an exchange of information."

"And I have no idea what to do with her! – the clone implored."

"– Still, I should have materialized as a woman... God, what heresy... And where did this come from in my head, and what is happening down there, in the trousers?"

"Why am I partially increasing in volume? Maybe ask her?"

"I'm afraid her answer will make the situation more dead-end," said Yao.

"Is that possible?! Where to be more stupid? She looks at me like I'm sick. In the clone's consciousness, there was a total short circuit."

"What will I report to the base consciousness? Has my brain turned off?!"

Panic in the interlocutor's eyes caused sympathy. Before the eyes of the magnificent earthling, all the power of the higher mind crumbled like a house of cards before the sight of a female breast and a simple exchange of opinions about tactile practice.

How human this is.

"Let's talk about relationships," Voropaeva saved the situation once again.

"You are right, Denis, contact between men and women leaves much to be desired."

"We don't just misunderstand each other, we don't even wish to try to do so."

"The entire social system of humanity throughout the ages put us in strict frameworks and dictated priorities."

"Men were supposed to be physically strong, unbending in spirit, become breadwinners, warriors, politicians and the like."

"Women were given the role of mother, caring wife, keeper of the hearth, mistress, assistant — in general, clearly not the top steps in the hierarchy."

"Dynastic verticals were conducted along male lines. Until now, it is considered that a woman only transmits the male genetic code to her children."

"In some cultures, the weaker sex has no rights at all: neither a voice in the family nor a voice in society."

"There is perhaps no need to talk about sex at all. The overwhelming majority of my sisters have never known supreme pleasure in this regard, many were victims of violence."

"The position of men is not much better. Let's say, the lion's share among them are also theoreticians."

"And all this against the background of constant dynamics of society, civilizations as a whole."

"The world changes, but postulates cover one dream after another with a copper basin like dogma."

"Giant social stratification and inequality lead to the fact that people literally live in different worlds."

"Hence the perception of a woman by a worker, for example, and a man of science, a student and a military man are far from each other, like galaxies."

"I am not even talking about the collapse occurring after marriage and especially after divorce."

"Irresponsible distribution of family duties, reluctance of people to maintain a high level of self-esteem and correspond to it leads to catastrophes in relationships between couples and in the upbringing of future generations."

"The wounds of social delusions only accumulate, and the end of this cycle of misunderstanding is not visible."

"But most importantly, whatever a person does, there will always be dozens of tribesmen condemning him."

"And the more successful the result, the stronger, deeper, more poisonous the condemnation."

"What do you think is the reason for this chaos? I understand that relationship problems are not a secret on the planet for anyone."

"Why doesn't humanity treat this seriously?"

"In short, no one knows how to act correctly. Humanity consists of the same men and women."

"Everyone interprets any conflict in their own way. And considering that the variety of traditions on the planet is infinite, we will never come to a common denominator."

"The only way to somehow secure oneself from the consequences of life mistakes is to make the right choice oneself."

"But the paradox of the situation is that the experience of making such a decision comes only with years, based on these very mistakes."

"Can't the older generation suggest to descendants how best to act?"

"Of course, they can. But the experience of previous generations is practically not acceptable for future ones. The world changes faster than people themselves."

"Therefore, all advice is a shot in the dark."

"But physiology doesn't change so rapidly. About tactile aspects, I am sure, there is a mass of information."

"And here generally the devil will break his leg! Just as fingerprints are unique, so are the abilities of each person in the field of sex."

"But the main thing is what is in people's heads. You cannot imagine the diversity of desires and factors influencing success."

"One can talk about motivation for centuries. From animal instincts to divine love."

"And all this is hidden in the depths of the subconscious, suppressed by public opinion, forbidden by religions, condemned by elders, hated by impotents, trampled by those unable to accept anything, destroyed by education, desecrated by perverts, emasculated by the mentally ill in power, depersonalized by accepted traditions..."

"Are there at least any norms? Universal human ones."

"I think in this area one can safely assert that everyone is for themselves."

"If you want to get something, then either correspond to requests or buy it. At a minimum, both postulates work."

"The remaining millions of options are varieties of the first two."

"Snezana, I need your help. I am in a material shell for the first time. Tell me what is happening to my organism now."

"Rapid pulse, dizziness, and some body parts have increased in size. Am I sick? Are these signs of shell loss?"

"I am not hungry and have quenched my thirst."

Voropaeva was not aware that Desmos had turned off the surveillance equipment. Otherwise, the demonstration of the capabilities of the clone's organism would have already been in full swing.

"This is the reaction of your male hormones to the presence of a female body nearby, that is, my body. Pure physiology."

"Believe me, all signs say rather that you are alive, and not the opposite," glancing at her watch and at the surveillance cameras, she added: "It is time for me to go home."

"Thank you for your time, and I hope this conversation is not the last."

"In my person, you will find not only a friend but also many answers that men are unable to give you."

The mysteriousness of the intonation and the innuendo in her smile no longer discouraged the alien so much.

He understood that this was the only style of communication with the fair sex. And for some reason was glad that he was made a man so qualitatively.

Chapter 3. The Archon

Night, covering the base, did not become a reason for serene sleep for the newly minted earthling.

The physiology of the body, created hastily by the module, was so perfect that it did not require strict adherence to solar cyclicity.

The information flow was meager, there were no grounds for fatigue. Denis faced a choice of how to occupy himself in the coming hours while humanity in this part of the planet fell into short-term hibernation.

It was logical to assume that the clone took advantage of Desmosomes' offer to transfer him to the sunny side of the earth's surface.

Choosing hot Mexico, the Guadalajara region, the artifact easily made a spatial portal from the boring room into a world of warmth, light, and dry desert air.

A moment later, standing near the fountain opposite the city cathedral, the trio admired the architecture of the colonial era.

"¡Buen día amigo! ¿Buscando a alguien?" sounded behind Denis's back.

In an instant, language settings were switched to Spanish, and the clone easily continued communication.

"No, not looking for anyone, just walking. It's beautiful here," he smiled at the souvenir seller, who could not explain to himself how this gringo appeared in the middle of the square.

"Want a souvenir, not expensive?"

"Thanks, better tell me, what is this building?"

"You probably aren't from this planet," joked the merchant. "This is a church, the house of God."

"A cult building of the Catholic Church, built by the Spaniards in..." Yao began to mutter.

"...Guadalajara Cathedral, Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady in the Spanish Renaissance style. Start of construction 1561."

"Finished in 1618. The cathedral has two towers 65.5 and 65.9 meters high, their neo-Gothic style is explained by the prolonged construction of the cathedral," unexpectedly continued aloud the stranger the words of the etheric guardian.

Denis turned in the direction of the speaker and asked with unconcealed amazement: "You hear him?"

"And even see," answered the passerby calmly.

The connoisseur of Gothic was dressed in an exquisite suit of local cut. Ideal facial features and a cold gaze emphasized strength of character and some willpower not characteristic of a human, a charismatic confidence in his rightness.

"But how is this possible?" whispered the representative of another dimension.

"Possible if you are not human."

"Ah..."

"Yes, like you, forced to materialize temporarily in this guise."

"But if you are collecting information about our world, then I am one of those who creates it."

"It is too crowded and noisy here. Do not want to admire the beauties of the Mexican desert? On Earth generally, without a desert, nothing sacred happens."

"Mysticism straight up everywhere. Like smeared with honey, everyone goes into hermits."

"Strangely enough, it is these lifeless places, meager in diversity of flora and fauna on the planet, that give the greatest revelations."

"Isn't it a mystery?!"

Only now did Denis notice that the interlocutor communicates with him through thought-forms, without opening his mouth.

"Create a portal?" Desmos intervened in the dialogue.

"Not worth it, I have my own capabilities," answered the stranger. "And allow me to introduce myself, my name is Seth."

"I am an archon of the god who created this world."

Three minutes later, all four entered the cathedral. The decoration of the citadel of the divine principle amazed with greatness and monumentality.

Frescoes, sculptures of saints and great martyrs according to the Catholic version were supposed to instill in sinful mortals the thought of the frailty of existence and eternal guilt before the Creator.

The vaulted dome went into the heavens, and the iconostasis opened rainbow perspectives of the afterlife.

The Archon, raising his eyes to the mountain with reverence, gestured to an inconspicuous door in the corner.

Opening the passage decorated with bas-reliefs, the companions unexpectedly found themselves in the middle of a blooming desert. This was a rare phenomenon but made a truly indelible impression.

With a wave of his hand, Seth materialized a table, chairs, a canopy, modest utensils. A bonfire in the middle of the improvised camping gave the audience charm.

"I hope you don't mind chatting with me in this ascetic setting?" the local celestial turned to the newcomer.

"Food and drinks are on the table, the temperature is acceptable, insects will not bother. Everything else — just say."

"Seth, I don't even know where to start! In my world, we, of course, know about the material sphere."

"The history of its creation is also a well-known fact. Aeon Sophia (Wisdom), wishing to know the Absolute, i.e."

"God, left the Pleroma and gave birth to the Demiurge Yaldabaoth. And he subsequently created the material universe from thought-forms taken from the etheric universe of Pleroma and matter, mixing them."

"A dualistic material imperfect world turned out. Even pure light was diluted and now has a corpuscular-wave structure."

"The Demiurge proclaimed himself the only jealous god, closed the Knowledge of the Absolute to sentients, created a host of angels – archons, like you."

"He has many names: Yahweh, the tribal god of the Jewish tribe, the Greek Zeus, Ahura Mazda of the Persians, the Egyptian Osiris, etc."

"The creator of your world himself is incapable of accepting the Knowledge of the Absolute, therefore he is doomed. But you, archons, can be saved, that is why you are here now."

"Souls falling into the world of Kenoma, into the world of matter, go through almost an eternal circle of reincarnations, transforming the pure light of Pleroma into food for the likes of you."

"The Wheel of Samsara or seven protective spheres do not allow souls to leave this universe, dooming them to constant torment until the end of this world."

"With illusion and deception, brilliant lies and carved philosophical-religious theories of Yaldabaoth (Yahweh), you, his archons, every time motivate the soul to resurrection in the sphere."

"Even the notorious paradise is nothing but a temporary illusion of pious peace, and has nothing to do with the world of development, with the world of God."

"You practice changing civilizations on planets as the wards learn the truth and wish to leave your eternal attraction."

"Is everything approximately like that?"

"Glad we switched to informal terms! Yes and no. People explain the creation of this universe by the Big Bang theory."

"So, the material sphere was created by mixing ready-made thought-forms of the Absolute and matter."

"No one stole anything, they were given and are given to us with a specific purpose. The sphere appeared not without the intent of the God of Pleroma."

"The Absolute and the Demiurge for people are the essence of the same thing. Imagine, they do not distinguish them!"

"Moreover, the majority of representatives of this, already fifth in a row, civilization on Earth are sure that the creator of the material world is the only and eternal god."

"That this world is doomed and has time limits does not interest them."

"The duration of human life is so small that some million years seems like eternity to them."

"People have no idea that they are carriers of pure light, and through them we receive everything: etheric food, thought-forms, energy and, of course, experience!"

"They don't even know how their souls got into the cycle of the sensual, material world."

"I will say more, a huge number are atheists and believe in nothing."

"This layer of the population is sure that life originated exclusively on their planet chaotically and evolved to the state of abstract thinking."

"Even the fact that most asteroids and almost all comets falling to Earth carry live viruses and bacteria of clearly extraterrestrial origin, no one tried to explain!"

"Where do similar life forms come from on cosmic objects? Also earthly evolution?! Ha-ha-ha."

"I'm not even talking about the complex structures of everything living and non-living, about the laws of galactic development."

"These biological forms prove to themselves with foam at the mouth that they are unique in the sphere."

"And you reason about well-known facts. Ask anyone, even priests of the highest rank, about god — and you will hear a fairy tale about the Demiurge who created the world for people!"

"He had nothing else to do. And in every country, on every continent, they will explain thousands of rules to you on how to behave."

"What is allowed, what is not, how to bow, eat, drink, what to wear and whom to kill for the glory of god."

"Truly, worse than a fool is only a fool with initiative."

"Do you not want to say that all this duality, suffering, and running in circles was created deliberately, by agreement with the Absolute?"

"No, of course not! The Eternal does not coordinate anything with anyone. The Nameless One does not interfere in such 'projects'."

"But you don't think that such a world is the first and unique?" the archon smiled slyly.

"To be honest, I didn't think about it. The very existence of such a thing, in my opinion, is meaningless."

"Nothing meaningless exists in all universes. Well, maybe except one thing..."

"What?" asked the clone with curiosity.

"Thinking that you control a woman! Ha-ha-ha."

"I thought we were communicating seriously, ha-ha-ha. Yes, I already understood that they named the wrong matter dark."

"And still, what is the meaning of what you created?"

"Alternative knowledge for all worlds. The Absolute does not need this."

"Everything that was, will be, is, everything that is before and everything that is after, is created by Him."

"Neither space, nor the physics of processes, nor time or its absence matters. Variants are important."

"Even the god of this world is, in essence, his creation. And if Yahweh accepts the state of things, then he himself will be saved."

"Jesus accepted it," Seth smiled again.

"And who were you before you became an archon?"

"After all, this world has a beginning here, but your life does not," Yao unexpectedly inquired.

The etheric guardian did not have rights of separate consciousness, unlike any representative of the higher world. The name was given to him nominally.

Created from ether as a temporary form, the guardian was, in essence, the same accumulator of information as a human during their short life.

Served, fulfilled the mission, return to the source. But if a human soul has a chance to reunite with its higher essence and continue life as an individual of the Absolute world, then the guardian returned to the general consciousness dissolved in the layers of the universe of Pleroma, like the spirit of animals.

In other words, unlike a human, the guardian had only a spirit, but no soul.

Nevertheless, for the period of the mission, Yao was endowed with the rights of an advisor, protector, keeper, and full-fledged interlocutor. The angel Seth, of course, knew this.

"I was what is now in the shuttle in orbit. And my name was not Seth."

"Overcome by the passion of knowing the One, I accepted the offer to be near Yaldabaoth and serve him."

"Yahweh made such an offer to you personally? But how? He was in this dimension, and you in ours."

"The offer came not from the Demiurge. And for understandable reasons I accepted it."

"Therefore I know that I will be saved, and the death of this world is nothing for me."

Denis opened his mouth in amazement after hearing this.

"Seth, allow me to call you that, the etheric disturbance that threw me here wasn't accidental, right?"

"Only an atheist can ask such a thing," the archon sipped cool water from the cup and put it on the table.

Only now did the guest of Earth notice that all the dishes were made of gold with ancient writings inscribed on them.

"Everything has a sacred meaning, even household items. What does the god of the sphere expect from us?"

"There is no non-sacred meaning. A world consisting of dynamic lies requires constant stabilization."

"You didn't answer me. What do they want from me?"

"To destroy the seven spheres, break the wheel of Samsara, let the light leave this world forever."

"And who wants this?"

"The one for whom freedom of choice and a rational mind are above all else."

"And is the Demiurge aware?"

"Of course, otherwise you would have long been in Pleroma, and I would not have manifested before you in this guise."

"Is there time to think?"

"I even insist on it," said the third son of Adam and Eve.

"When you are ready, simply pronounce my name. Yes, for Yao and Desmosome there will also be a task."

"I think you will both be glad to live longer than the time allotted to you."

The guardian remained silent, and Desmos acquired the appearance of a purple cloak on Denis's shoulders as a sign of approval.

Sunset devoured the day on this half of the planet. The interlocutors said goodbye with a Roman handshake, and each returned to his own: the archon to his level, and the clone arrived in the module in orbit.

What was heard needed to be considered comprehensively.

Chapter 4. The Duke

The residence of one of the "greats" was located far outside London. The Duke preferred solitude and did not strive for publicity.

The affairs of House 666 were going steadily uphill. The virus pandemic, launched with a light hand by the "enemies" of humanity, freed markets one after another.

What yesterday cost fabulous money, today was taken into hands almost for a pittance.

The economies of objectionable regions collapsed for the glory of human servile essence. Whole countries worked reverently for pennies, and governments heeded the intonation of what was said to them by the "masters" of civilization.

The elderly owner of the estate was notified in advance about the visit of the unusual guest.

By whom and how remained a mystery, but one of the council knew about Denis.

He was also warned that not a single hair should fall from the clone's head, for he belonged to a different "jurisdiction" and the consequences could be extremely unpleasant for everyone.

Denis received a similar offer: to visit the person making decisions, rather than wasting time on meaningless puppets in a third world country.

This formulation of the reasons for the visit was for the clone an indicator of the absolute ignorance of earthlings, but who is he to judge like that, from the first minutes.

The offer was accepted, especially since it was accompanied by promises to receive answers in essence to the majority of questions.

Where such confidence came from in the inviting party also remained beyond understanding.

The clone materialized from the shuttle directly into the library of the head of House 666. This room was the only one where security equipment was never connected, and personal security staff were not allowed to visit it without special reasons.

I repeat, the Duke preferred solitude. The library was his only weakness. The appearance of an alien from nowhere caused as much surprise in the owner of the mansion as oatmeal for breakfast.

"Good day, sir!" the clone greeted the human in a polite tone in pure English. "My name is Denis. Thank you for the audience."

"I am aware how valuable your time is."

"Please, no ceremonies, my friend!" the tycoon of world business answered no less politely.

"I am just a human, after all. Call me Duke."

"My earthly name, like yours, has no meaning, and there is no particular desire to name it."

"If you want, I will reveal my true name to you in exchange for yours. After all, in all worlds, this is not a secret."

"Let's remain Denis and Duke, for a private conversation this is quite enough," the guest evaded the question.

"I wonder, does he hear or see us?" Yao made himself known.

"There are more guards around than trees. Preparing for war, probably," Desmos entered the conversation and turned the clone's undershirt into body armor.

"No, this is simply a person invested with limitless power and material capabilities, nothing more."

"Therefore behave calmly, there are no reasons for alarm. Facts, data are important to me, but mainly — his motivation."

"Why does he need all this alone?"

"Denis, in one thing you are one hundred percent right. The most valuable thing on this planet is time."

"The paradox is that it cannot be stopped, preserved, left for later. The only thing that can be done with it is to fill it."

"And with what and how – is not a simple task."

"Someone fills time with work, children, scientific research, someone with alcohol, drugs, and entertainment."

"Someone manages to catch something important in fleeting moments, capture the beautiful in painting, sculpture, or describe the meaning of being in profound philosophical folios."

"The variety of filling time with essence we call life. Everyone has their own vision, moreover throughout the entire period of their existence a person changes judgments, principles, beliefs, citizenship, family, gender, hair color and even skin color — absolutely everything."

"There is nothing permanent, true and, of course, eternal. And here is the second paradox."

"It is precisely for their rapidly changing views, for their short-term mental principles that people so easily give up freedom and life."

"Imagine, they call this phenomenon courage and heroism. The cycle of life clearly bypassed the meaning of the existence of sentients on this planet, and without it, the true purpose of man remained overboard of understanding," the Duke looked at the alien with interest.

"And is it known to you?"

"I don't think so. It is hardly within the power of one old man to realize the full depth of his own nature and the meaning of every step taken."

"And considering that the answers to these questions any individual of the planet receives 'ready-made' from the moment of birth, then the majority thinks about the essence of being only before death."

"And even then thanks to fear of the unknown."

"You are not alone. Moreover, you are not alone not only among people."

"As I assume, you have a direct connection with the archons. You draw information not from school textbooks and not from edited holy books."

"I guess that the tasks before you are inhuman."

"Agreed, sources of understanding the world order differ for my circle of communication and the rest of the population."

"Moreover, textbooks and religious treatises are created and distributed by people like us."

"The social pyramid of world dominance requires constant, painstaking elaboration of all aspects of material being and does not forgive mistakes."

"Any miscalculation, inconsistency, appearance of other players and... collapse."

"Other players?!" Denis asked with feigned surprise.

"Do you really think that I am not aware of your conversation with Seth and his proposal to destroy the seven spheres?"

"Do you think that this world is simply mired in suffering and needs saving?"

"I have not yet made any conclusions regarding this topic. And haven't accepted a single offer. From anyone."

"My friend, allow me to call you that. It is too human: to accuse someone of your troubles and seek a protector from outside."

"People live by legends about a Savior, about a Messiah who must pull them out of the circles of hell that they arranged for themselves during life."

"But one has only to ask anyone, save from whom, and the majority will point to a more successful neighbor who didn't lend them money."

"Parasitism, laziness, outright stupidity, blinkered thinking – the eternal scourge on the path of development."

"You have no idea what was happening here some three hundred years ago."

"People were burned in the name of god for statements about the Earth as a spherical cosmic object revolving around the Sun."

"And who, do you think, burned them? The Church! An organization, theoretically, carrying the light of knowledge and love."

"In some countries, people killed and kill each other in the fight for resources. Blowing up worshipers, suicide bombers are proclaimed saints."

"Their dogmatic treatises – a religion of good, although apart from medieval abomination, with calls to kill dissenters, there is nothing there."

"Do you know how they justify all this? They invented the devil. The cursed serpent is to blame for everything. Started a war — machinations of Satan."

"Famine came — Lucifer is to blame. Stupid government — definitely, forces of darkness were involved. That's how they live, not thinking."

"Why don't you shed light on what is happening? With your capabilities..."

"Our capabilities were not always there. With the advent of paper money and the rejection of gold, we managed to move progress in the field of production from a dead point."

"But everything has its price. Crises, inflation, and the washing out of national resources into hands of private management were inevitable."

"Globalization is nothing but feudalism on a planetary scale. And we have overcome so much in the last hundred and fifty years that humanity never dreamed of."

"Although until now we are unable to fight archaic thinking. The skew in the distribution of material wealth is catastrophic."

"The load on Earth's resources is huge."

"Why don't you introduce new technologies? Sorry, it's obvious."

"Obvious to you. Any technology is instantly used in the race for dominance of some over others."

"The world is put in conditions of eternal competition: who is stronger. Overpopulation led to the devaluation of human life."

"There is no talk of spiritual growth now. The world is running along the road of simplification of everything, from social relations to such banal things as fashion, everyday life."

"Food became the supreme measure of values."

"Means, after all, the cycle of suffering exists, and it is closed?"

"Cyclicity of phenomena is not a vice. There are cycles of the beautiful. Change of seasons, for example."

"Amazing flora and fauna of the planet, achievements of humanity in various spheres. The duality of this universe is compensated."

"And if there is 'bad', then just as much 'good' will be found. Considering that everything is subjective, it is possible that the salvation of civilization is in our problems."

"The main thing is to solve them."

"And if one destroys the wheel of Samsara and releases souls from this universe into Pleroma?"

"Let's start with the simple. Not a single soul is here by chance. Even yours. Every such voyage has a goal, a destiny."

"From simple adjustment to the search for truth. Think for yourself, in the higher, self-sufficient universe, who has the answers to all questions?"

"Only the Absolute. Yes, you can ask and receive an answer. True, there are two nuances."

"First: to ask, one must know what to ask. The formulation of the question requires maximum effort in finding a resolution to the problem, in finding the truth."

"One still needs to get to the impasse. Second nuance: not everyone is capable of understanding the received answer."

"The higher the level of the teacher, the more difficult his word is for understanding."

"And in a world where, as you say, dualism of being is absent, the hierarchy of Knowledge is hardly accessible."

"Only in such a system as the material sphere can one achieve practically everything with one's mind, or rather — climb the ladder of knowledge up and return to Pleroma enlightened."

"And experience does not exist without actions. For this reason, people like me created pyramid after pyramid of power, destroying and reviving civilizations."

"We have no goal of limitless consumption. You will be surprised by my menu or everyday life. By the standards of my financial state, they are ascetic."

"But for work, for the goals facing the council of house 666, my resource alone is clearly insufficient."

"It's not about greed, it's about the transience of opportunities."

"How does the physical transfer of souls between our universes happen?"

"It's simple. Through black holes. Souls that have passed through protective spheres together with light fall into these gravitational portals, are cleansed of the matter of the Demiurge's universe and go to the higher world, i.e."

"home. Matter accumulates in gravitational traps and is used in the creation of new galaxies in the sphere. Back is the same process."

"It is not a secret that a black hole periodically makes a powerful release of energy and light. This is a new portion of consciousnesses from your dimension."

"Hawking radiation from beyond the event horizon of black holes is nothing but a flow of thought-forms for the Demiurge from the Absolute."

"Why do souls need this? Would anyone of their own free will want to leave Pleroma and go on such a journey?"

"Only by not studying the problem can one be surprised by its solutions. Let's be frank. Agree, a sharp gradation 'material/etheric world' cannot exist."

"These are conditional designations of matter with different vibration frequencies. Even angels or archons, as you call them, are just as material as we are, but the vibration frequency of their matter is so high that to the naked eye they are invisible."

"A human is not capable, unlike 'celestials', of changing frequency, therefore cannot appear, disappear, or move in space like them or you."

"The Sphere is not the only universe with low-frequency matter. Multidimensionality of space and time is also inherent in all worlds."

"Unity and opposition of being is absent only directly in Pleroma, strictly speaking — in the abode of God."

"But even there no one canceled pairing. All aeons are paired, and the attempt of Sophia (Wisdom) to leave her pair led to the creation of our sphere."

"But let's leave this to philosophers and theologians."

"Agreed, the higher world is not ideal. It gives more opportunities, less dependence on the material, but searches for Knowledge are inherent in all."

"Your world is created from thought-forms taken from Pleroma. In essence, you are our mirror reflection."

"What is a blessing with us, is almost a sin with you."

"Exactly! Easier to explain on fingers, as they say. There exists a single truth – the plan of God, the plan of the Absolute, i.e."

"that which is laid at the basis of everything. Curiosity is not a vice, but an engine to the knowledge of everything existing."

"Everything else, it is logical to assume, is not truth. Not that it is a lie, but not truth."

"Any information is a temporary explanation of what is happening around at the moment, nothing more."

"But everyone wants everything and immediately! Desiring understanding of the basis, foresight, management of the process at least in the short term, everyone asks: how does it work?"

"Asks whom? A neighbor, elders, anyone who knows."

"There are things that need to be learned for understanding, there are those that are too early to know, there are those not worth understanding."

"The line between these concepts is very thin. And when a higher consciousness begins to walk over heads in search of an answer, sooner or later it will get to Him Himself."

"Nothing terrible will happen. He will be given an answer, and it will not be a set of words or symbols."

"With simple questions, one doesn't jump so high. The answer is a completed, perfect experience. The most valuable thing."

"Moreover, the information will be laid out in a strikingly understandable way, as they say 'on a silver platter'."

"And here the individual either accepts what is given to him with gratitude, or does what everyone in the sphere did, that is, doubts."

"It does not matter what you asked Him before the enchanting cruise through the black hole to us. We all did one thing!"

"We doubted what He gave us. And the Absolute acted logically. Don't believe Me — find the answer yourself."

"The One 'sends' consciousness to the sphere to extract experience with sweat and blood."

"And until He sees that you received the answer, you will flounder here in cycles of rebirth for a ve-e-ery long time."

"This is not a punishment, THIS IS YOUR OWN WILL! You wanted to get a CONVINCING answer. And He gives you this opportunity in the only way."

"Dare!"

"But souls do not remember what question they asked. Their capabilities are limited by the material body, is that fair?"

"Nothing of the sort! The distributor of archons, seven spheres or the wheel of Samsara, work like a Swiss watch."

"You will receive exactly the experience you wanted. God simply puts you in equal conditions."

"He deprives of ready-made templates and gives you absolute will. Choose, seek, understand or burn here in your delusions forever."

"Although this sphere is in no way Inferno."

"And are attempts to leave the cycle justified?"

"A complex question. If you found the answer, you will return to the initial state quickly. One can bypass protection, crack codes, so to speak."

"There are seers offering to do this. But with what baggage will you return to Pleroma? A dropout, with even greater doubts."

"I fear, in this case, you are already a malicious rebel. The Absolute has no punishment system."

"He is pure Good, and he needs nothing from you. No one will chase after you."

"But coming home without answers is like hell inside. The second time your request to clarify one and the same thing, let's say, will not be understood."

"In the end, it is necessary to complete what was started here, to leave for the higher world with awareness of the fullness of the deed, i.e."

"with the likeness of Pleroma of your inner ego."

"How is a simple person, preoccupied with finding ways of survival, to understand this? How many of you think about such things?"

"Even religious institutions do everything for profit, but definitely not for the sake of truth."

"Not as few as it seems. The path to enlightenment and understanding is sometimes very unexpected."

"I, for example, believe that it is much faster and more effective to become enlightened and knowing through satiety with the opportunities of civilization. Someone chooses the fate of an ascetic."

"Everything depends on your personal karma. Yes, there is such a thing here too. The entire path of your searches goes under recording."

"And archons are engaged in exactly this. Although the impression is created that they are jailers."

"Then why did Seth offer me..."

"Seth knows everything perfectly well. And his task, his mission is to bring everyone in the sphere to the culmination of truth."

"The third son of Adam volunteered himself. He is perfectly aware when the end will come to this world. And believe me, he is simply sick of everything here."

"He himself can lead the lambs to the light only by the road of knowing God. He has no right to break the shackles."

"But telling you how to do it is not forbidden. And voila, the mission is finished, everyone is happy, Seth is a hero, and new curious ones are sent to another sphere."

"And there is already a Seth of its own."

"Why me?"

"I ask myself this question. You are not infringed in abilities, here temporarily, completed the cycle in Pleroma."

"Perhaps, you still doubted something, or the question hung at the highest level... or pulled something like that..."

"No, I finished my project... Don't understand. Should have shone, and here you go — here."

"The Absolute loves puzzles," the Duke smiled. "Won't you agree to dine with me?"

"I would consider it an honor," Denis smiled back at him.

Chapter 5. Destiny

The rescue capsule with the base module for consciousness invisibly floated in a distant orbit of Earth for the third month already.

The passenger inside periodically read current data from the clone in search of a solution. There was a lot of information, diverse, sometimes contradictory.

The world of earthly civilization played with bright colors, tirelessly surprising not only Denis but also his companions.

The etheric guardian Yao and the matter modifier Desmosomes more than once saved their master from danger. The clone visited all continents, including Antarctica.

The variety of cultures and traditions of peoples inhabiting the planet staggered the imagination. There was little surprising in this.

Souls, paying for their unjustified curiosity, arrived in similar worlds from all levels of the higher dimension.

On the contrary, it was surprising precisely that they all managed to coexist jointly and even develop in a single information field, with a more or less unified construction of a system of fundamental priorities.

Of course, without certain postulates in the form of religious markers, philosophical traditions and even the authority of leaders, all this motley brotherhood would have long ago mired in the chaos of separate opinions.

The fifth civilization, "visiting" the planet in our days, was not distinguished by the chosenness of the path.

Repeating the mistakes of predecessors, the first thing the majority of former representatives of the higher mind started with was turning off their brains.

Indulging in all serious things and not forgetting to ask Heaven for help, the descendants of Noah wondered only one question: how to sit on the heads of others.

Egocentrism grew into religion, and accessing new horizons of consciousness was forgotten.

The fairy tale "do everything as god commands and you will get to paradise where you won't have to do anything" became an anthem to the decline of human thought and a hit in all temples for the last millennia.

Angel Seth's plan was unacceptable for Denis due to new circumstances.

But he decidedly did not understand his purpose among this crowd of lonely ones.

Chance helped.

The midday heat of late spring in the city of Kashgar, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China, is better endured over a cup of green tea in a teahouse to the leisurely music of local radio.

Tandoor flatbread and lamb shashlik filled the streets of the ancient city with a pleasant aroma and once again reminded of the Duke's words about the cyclicity of the beautiful.

Denis was devouring the delights of oriental cuisine like a real connoisseur when an aksakal sat down at his table.

"As-salamu alaykum," the Uyghur greeted the alien.

"Wa alaykumu s-salam (and upon you peace)," Denis answered with a full mouth.

"Hot today," the old man wiped sweat under his turban. "Your djinn?"

The clone ceased chewing in the blink of an eye and stared at the grandfather.

"Which one?"

"This one," the resident of Kashgar pointed to Yao, hovering behind Denis's back.

"Mine!" the "tourist" was taken aback.

"And you see him? Who are you, an archon?"

"What archon? I am Hassan, an apothecary, living in the Gaotai area, in the northeast of the city. I look, someone sits, a djinn behind his back."

"Let me, I think, ask, maybe help is needed."

"But how can you see Yao? I don't even see him."

"I don't know, son, since childhood I see a lot of things that others don't see."

"Such a gift from Allah, or maybe a curse. So you are not an ordinary tourist. Much sadness in the heart, not good."

"I'm afraid you won't help me..."

"And you don't be afraid, tell," the aksakal poured himself tea into a bowl and looked at the interlocutor with a squint.

"Well, in short, I got into your world and don't know how to return back."

"Must do something, but what — I don't know. And no one can suggest."

"And have you asked everyone?" the elder joked.

"That is hardly possible. Although I spoke with great people and even with great angels."

"On this sinful earth, truth has never been in the mouth of either."

"But help is possible: he who has ears, let him hear. If you don't know where the exit is, look for where the entrance was, son."

"Sometimes the answer is before the eyes, but a clouded mind does not allow seeing. Let go of anxieties, think simpler, and the answer will come."

"And it is time for me... and dress warmer, it is still cool there."

The grandfather calmly stood up, shook Denis's hands with both of his hands in parting and disappeared around the bend with a slow heavy gait.

A back hunched from righteous labors in a striped robe — all that remained in memories.

Suddenly the clone realized that he absolutely did not remember his face.

"What do you think about this person?" he asked Yao.

"About which one?"

"About the old man who was talking to me just now."

"You sat alone and drank tea silently all this time. I didn't see anyone," the guardian answered calmly.

"Denis, is everything okay with you?" Desmos asked worriedly.

"Have visions already started?"

"Are you mocking?"

"We didn't see anyone!" the clone's companions answered in unison.

"No exit, look for the entrance... — the words of the envisioned guest surfaced in memory."

"Who was that, what is happening at all? Entrance, where, how did I get to Earth... And it was right under my nose!"

"What was? ... Of course, Snezana! Woman, mother. The beginning of everything, the epicenter of desires and hopes, the keeper of the hearth, the personification of the beautiful."

"I lost so much time to understand this. Archons, Illuminati, freemasons, supreme rulers... Who are you, old man?!"

Spring in Ukraine was fabulous. The fragrance of bird cherry flowers, the hum of bees, and the first warm rays of the Sun inspired hope and gladdened the heart.

Although nothing inspired the strings of the soul like the liberation of female bodies from the hateful shackles of excess clothing.

The variety of forms instantly ignited the imagination and gave meaning to any nonsense emanating from beautiful lips.

One wanted to sing, whirl with the falling flowers, and selflessly do nothing.

It was on such a day that Denis supplemented the idealistic landscape of postmodern Kyiv with his appearance.

Increased salivation in beauties of the whole world at the sight of the clone's perfect physical forms no longer surprised anyone.

Yao generally did not understand what could be attractive in a material form.

Not only did the lion's share of "unique in the universe" ignore sports, but elementary hygiene also often fell onto the blacklist.

The ways in which the "peak of evolution with claims to individuality" poisoned their organisms generally introduced the etheric guardian to cognitive dissonance.

Truly desperate courage is needed in women to bear offspring from such men.

And men had no lack of patience to "understand" representatives of the fair sex.

In general, they survived as best they could, on the edge... Alcohol to their aid.

Snezana stood by the window of her bedroom when a voice sounded expectedly behind her back.

"Am I interrupting?" Denis didn't know where to start.

"You took a long time," the woman answered without turning.

"You were waiting for me?!"

"One has only to place any mind, even a higher one, into a man's body, and he starts to be slow..."

"What? Don't quite understand..."

"She said enough asking idiotic questions, get to the point," Yao prompted.

"Let me tie her up, just in case," Desmos offered help.

"Looks like the smartest one in the apartment is the cat," Denis thought.

"I mean thank you that so many things don't need explaining," the alien said aloud.

"I need to talk to you."

"Speak," the mistress of the bedroom answered indifferently. Her tone was infuriating.

Denis briefly retold his ordeals on Earth over these months, taking into account the earthling's understanding.

At the same time, there was not even a hint of surprise on the blonde's face.

One might think she listened to the local news and, snorting "big deal," went about household chores.

The representative of the higher world felt, to put it mildly, not on top.

"Do you understand what I am telling you?"

"I understand, of course. You need to return to Pleroma, but you have no idea what your mission in the material sphere consists of."

"Don't be so nervous, tell... For the first time, the clone frankly regretted choosing a male body."

"No philosophical warm-ups, ornate justifications: you are understood immediately and without unnecessary tinsel. What a complete form of chromosome means..."

Denis circled the essence like a shark around a victim. Although who was whom could not be called clear.

"Denis, cool down..." the woman made a gesture with her hand, and silence covered the room. "You will not break the wheel of Samsara."

"Seven spheres must remain indestructible for the good of both universes. Not fulfilling Seth's request is also impossible, and for your higher consciousness to remain in our universe is contraindicated, it is nonsense."

"If you are on Earth not to receive an answer, your mission is to finish your cycle there by fulfilling something for Him here."

"You are an instrument of transferring the Good, by means of which our world will not be destroyed, but will change for the better."

"Truth is not worth such suffering, agreed."

"How clearly you understand and explain everything, I..."

"I haven't finished."

"Sorry."

"The only way to fulfill everything for everyone is to leave your offspring, settle a soul and give the child a mission."

"Time, as I understand, is short. Therefore, please, be frank with me. Am I the mother of the future Messiah?"

"Yes."

"Why me?"

"This is the second question on the planet to which I do not know the answer. But it is you! Exactly, you!"

"And what is the first question?" the blonde asked with surprise.

"How to believe in the illusion that you control a woman, ha-ha-ha..."

"You my cosmic idiot... But I am married, ho-o-ow?!"

"Here I would be more interested in whose soul..."

"Really...?!"

"Yes, after the due term, we will see each other again. Your future child is ME!"

"Part of my higher consciousness, that is, my essence, will be the soul of your third baby."

"The main consciousness will return immediately to Pleroma and will be in stasis until my return and reunification."

"Like all higher forms of those who ended up in the sphere."

"After I fulfill in this universe what I must, I will return. Without your consent, of course, nothing will happen."

"Who does one have to be to refuse such a thing? I waited for you from the first second of our meeting."

"Although I confess, not in such a role. I understood that I love, but sometimes this word has so many unexpected shades."

"Then allow me to put my hand on your forehead and on your stomach. Fear nothing."

In mere moments in Snezana's head, thousands of thought-forms and images filled her consciousness with information about the surrounding world.

Everything that Denis knew, she now knew. And in the lower abdomen, life glimmered.

"It is done," he whispered in her ear. "Now this body must disappear. You will not be alone."

"With you will be Yao, the etheric guardian. He will be invisible, but your child will communicate with him from the first seconds of life."

"Also, I leave you this ring. Put it on the child and do not worry, it will never be lost."

"But who will show him the way?"

"Do not worry about this either: what to do, they will show and support. Isn't that right, they will show and support, Seth?"

– Denis smiled to himself.

"True," the archon's voice rang out in the clone's head.

"And how will I explain all this to my husband?" Snezana asked as if casually.

"Have you ever explained anything to him?"

"No!"

"So do not break traditions. And until tomorrow morning drink only pure water, this is a request."

"What should I name the son?"

"I didn't say it would be a boy," said Denis, "but didn't deny it either."

"The child's name will come to you in dreams. See you, mom..."

The clone's body dissolved into matter, turning into a state of pure energy. The shuttle was moving at full steam towards the nearest black hole.

The consciousness in the capsule prepared for metamorphoses. Yao and Snezana looked at the ring peacefully lying on the windowsill.

Life made another turn, but already in the direction of meaning.

Chernyshev Vadim Pavlovich Science Fiction Short Story "HERESY" Copyright © 2021. All rights reserved.

Other works by the author:

— Science Fiction Novella "BREACH" (2013)

— Science Fiction Novella "ANNIHILATION" (2017)

— Science Fiction Novella "MODERATION" (2018)

— Science Fiction Novella "SECTOR" (2019)

— Science Fiction Collection "REVELATIONS OF THE NON-EXISTENT" (2021)

— Science Fiction Novella "THE DEMIURGE CODE" (2022)

— Science Fiction Novella "RAIN" (2023)

— Science Fiction Novella "DEADVILLE" (2024)

— Science Fiction Novella "THE INFERNO CHRONICLES" (2025)

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