Make Me A God - from the Ekcolir Reality. see the original cover art |
Special thanks to Miranda Hedman (www.mirish.deviantart.com) for the DeviantArt stock photograph "Black Cat 9 - stock" that I used to create the blue "sedronite" who is in the image shown to the right.
First Reality
Gohrlay's Brain |
Roben: the Gohrlay analogue in the Ekcolir Reality |
In the Final Reality
The version of Gohrlay who exists here in the Final Reality is a secretive and mysterious creature. In the short time since she first revealed herself to me, I have been encouraged to imagine that she is living out her current life here on Earth as a perfectly normal member of the human species. What if that image of normalcy is not the true story?
Grean |
Is Gohrlay a superhuman? Recently, I've begun to imagine even even more extreme possibilities. I must wonder: is Gohrlay actually human or is she something else, possibly an entirely new type of life or even something that would best be described as a goddess? And maybe I am making a huge mistake by trying to fit Gohrlay into our conventional categories. She might be an entity that is beyond my powers of comprehension.
Clarke's Law
The religions of Earth are due to quirks of human biology, ignorance and a third source: exposure to what seems like miracles performed by a few visitors to Earth who had access to advanced technologies. It is Gohrlay's access to advanced nanotechnology that gives her "super powers". For example, I suspect that Gohrlay might be immortal. If she is, that is due to the ability of her nanites to repair any and all damage to her body.
Hierion Domain |
Gohrlay also has the super power of invisibility. If anyone becomes aware of her special nature (as endowed by her nanites) she can use "her nanites" to edit that knowledge of her existence right out of a human brain.
building R. Gohrlay |
God vs Goddess
As outlines above, Gohrlay has goddess-like powers. That they are technology-generated powers makes no difference for our analysis of Gohrlay's status as a goddess. Gohrlay could use her nanites to shift her physical body to any desired form. So, what evidence is there that Gohrlay is actually a female and not just using her female form as a convenient disguise?
bedtime |
femtobots and zeptites, oh my! |
Many human's are uncomfortable with the idea that a goddess can be human. If you like, think of Gohrlay as an iceberg. The tip of the Gohrlay iceberg is her human body form. Invisible to we Earthlings are here nanite components and her connections to the Hierion Domain. Nothing prevents Gohrlay from simultaneously being a human being and also a goddess. As a human, it should surprise nobody that Gohrlay is devoted to helping Humanity survive its technological adolescence and spread outward from home to have a glorious future of adventure among the stars.
"Balance" (detail) by Bao Pham |
"Balance" (detail) by Bao Pham |
Some humans find fault in gods who allow human suffering. As a goddess, Gohrlay is not "all powerful". She is constrained by the same "laws of physics" that control the rest of the universe. Yes, some human fantasy writers have fun imagining omnipotent deities, but Gohrlay is my candidate for being a science fiction goddess, not a fantasy god. Gohrlay is not responsible for the human condition of Earthlings. Gohrlay finds herself here on Earth just as we mere mortals do and we are all in this together. Gohrlay wants what is best for Humanity in the long run, but she is also operating under constraints.
in the Ekcolir Reality (source) original photo by Karen Elise |
Divination
Planet of the Gods |
When those archives were created, there was no way of knowing exactly what future would exist in the Final Reality, but due to the Momentum of Time, some types of futures were more likely than others. According to Gohrlay, we are still on a trajectory through time for which the "Future Time Archives" provide a useful guide to future events.
Next: an Escapist struggle in the First Reality
visit the Gallery of Book and Magazine Covers |
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