Maybe youll want what you dont have? David suggested.
Everything is here, Dandin said, making a sign for David to keep thinking.
Maybe You will start to feel sad?
Yes, Dandin laughed, unless you decide to devote your life to something bigger than you are.
Dandin stopped and looked up at the roof of the palace with a deep sense of respect. There he could see an enormous weather vane that was clearly not used to determine the direction of the wind, but to demonstrate the supremacy of this building over all others. The weather vane was in the shape of a huge wheel with many spokes. Dandin turned to the earthlings with a sad expression of pride on his face.
What does it mean to dedicate yourself to something bigger? David asked.
Service, answered Dandin.
You seem to have decided that for them, said Jean-Pierre, pointing a glance at Van, who had approached the group when Dandin stopped. These can only serve the higher-ups?
Dandin shifted his eyebrows and shook his head in genuine incomprehension.
Service is nature, not punishment. Serving the greater justifies the lesser.
The earthlings moved on.
So, is Vivasvan a kind of God? David asked, raising his eyebrows.
What? No, Dandin shook his head. Although he smiled and proudly added, addressing the Frenchman in particular. He only wants to make the world a better place. He serves by giving energy to this planet, and it shines to every corner of the Universe. He is simply giving out. Looks into everyones eyes and cleanses everything he touches. He wants those with material sight to be able to see.
Dr Capri smirked, throwing his hands behind his head:
So this whole ancient system about demigods and demons, about planetary systems, about the soul is true? Dr Capri asked excitedly.
Dandin smiled softly and spread his hands in surprise, pointing at himself and everything around him: the golden city, the starry sky and the travelers themselves, letting him know that it was clear as it was.
This is reality, he nodded.
Why did you say that your master wants those who have material sight to see? What does it mean? the doctor asked, running his hand over the rough and warm surface of the wall.
Our great Surya wants all to return to their natural and present form. For everyone to open their eyes, do you understand.
No, Jean-Pierre shook his head as he walked ahead. We dont understand.
We are all wandering in the dark and he who has the light should Dandin didnt finish.
Everyone has their motives, Jean-Pierre said earnestly, wanting to remind everyone that they are not here to philosophize. Most of the time they are rather mercenary.
Dandin looked around at the earthlings:
The Master is not looking for profit.
Of course, Jean-Pierre brushed him off sarcastically.
All right, Dandin shifted his gaze to him. What do you want?
Jean-Pierre stopped and turned to Dandin.
We just want to understand whats going on and get back to the Earth, Jean-Pierre said, looking at Debby.
Ha-ha, Dandin laughed. Thats exactly what Im talking about. The fact that you want what you dont have proves that you cant see.
Are you suggesting we stay with the lilliputians and the volcano man? shaking his head, Jean-Pierre said.
Dandin looked up, trying to understand what Jean-Pierre meant, but he could not.
But you wanted something before you came here, didnt you? A true desire cannot depend on circumstances. To hear yourself is to see the world. What do you hear?
The question remained unanswered. The eyes of the earthlings went up to the castle gate, which was about 30 meters high. The gate was decorated with amazingly delicate and beautiful carvings: a semicircle at the bottom, from which a glow emanated, and circles of planets of different sizes above. Debby, Yulia and Van stood next to the gate and looked at the design.
The foundation of everything is light, Van said, explaining the drawing, it serves everyone around them.
Its really beautiful, Debby said.
Is that the solar system? circling the drawing with his hand and looking closely, Dr Capri asked Dandin.
Dandin wondered:
Are you naming our world after the Sun?
Yulia chuckled. Dandin looked at her reaction and quickly lowered his eyes.
This is a map of the world where our planet occupies its corresponding position. At the very bottom, serving those above.
And where is the Earth? David asked.
In the center, Dandin pointed out, where else would it be.
Dandin touched the door, and it slowly opened with such ease, as if it weighed nothing. The inside of the palace was as bright as the outside, but no windows were visible anywhere. Everyone walked slowly along the yellow floor, looking around the interior. Here and there, small creatures peeked out from around corners and immediately hid. Van swam proudly ahead, showing his kindred that he was leading the procession.
Debby and Yulia stopped near a huge sculpture of a beautiful woman. The sculpture was about four meters high, made of the same metal as everything else on this planet. The statue represented a female sovereign seated on a throne. Her face was beautiful, and her body was covered by a light cloth flowing like silk. The rest of the travelers walked forward, Jean-Pierre turned around when he realized that the girls had fallen behind the group.
What happened? he asked. Lets go!
Look, Debby said, there are women here after all, she pointed at the sculpture.
What? said Jean-Pierre in surprise.
Yes, thats right, David said, turning to Dandin. You said there are no women here.
Thats correct, Dandin answered, lowering his eyes so as not to see the sculpture. There are no women here for a long time now, but there used to be one, an amazing woman our lords wife.
And what happened? Debby wondered.
She left the Master.
Are there divorces in paradise? Jean-Pierre grinned.
Dandin left his comment unanswered and turned to move on.
Lets move on, Jean-Pierre shouted to Debby and Yulia, no time to wait.
Part 3 Chapter 33
The screen in the conference room presented information on the Suns activity: figures and graphs showed the situation in real time. The room was buzzing with activity. It was now the command center for all nations at once. Presidents and generals, ministers and heads of intelligence agencies came here. In the next room, a space was set up for press conferences, where representatives of various departments reported to the major news agencies.
It was decided that the focus should be on information about the Sun and the anomaly on it. About Voyager, they were silent for the time being because no one could link the information about the signal to what was going on with the Sun. In half an hour, the head of the European Space Agency had a big press conference. The world needed information.
Numbers flickered on the screen. In the background, people were discussing that weather services had begun to report changes in the weather in all regions of the globe. Jean-Jacques Dordain covered his face with his hands and repeated the same question to himself, What is going on? Just one sensible thought.
When he opened his eyes, a dazed assistant stood in front of him.
What is it? rubbing his forehead, Jean-Jacques Dordain asked.
Monsieur, said the assistant, we have discovered something interesting, he pointed to the laptop screen.
Monsieur Dordain picked up his glasses from the table and put them to his eyes, he gazed into the image.
A new spot? he suggested.
Compared to this, the assistant zoomed out of the image, everything else on the Sun is a spot. It looks like the beginning of a plasma ejection or something. The temperature at that spot has almost doubled in a matter of minutes.