I look up at the size of the buildings. They make me feel like an ant. I look as we pass the first building. The stone is that of the eternal stone. I glance around at the size, and wonder where all of this stone came from.

There is no possibility that it was all mined. I can't see a planet that could have this much perfect stone. Every stone has a perfect sheen. I look closer as we pass a building. There are no doors.

“Grass, where is the nearest health temple?” I ask.

“Just around the next building.”

“Thanks.”

We pass the next building and I see a temple. I head to the stone and look at the writing. I stare at the writing till it shifts. The final design is that of the red cross symbol.

I place my hand on it. I feel a slight tingling. The tingling stops and I hear a male voice. “Are you experiencing any discomfort?”

“No,” I reply.

“You are suffering from a virus infection, do you want it eradicated?”

“No.”

“As you wish, but it is recommended that all infestations of the body be eradicated.”

“Have you been updated from the town's memory?”

“Negative.”

“Why?”

“External communication was stopped in an effort to control the disease.”

“Can you reestablish connection?”

“Negative.”

“Why can't you?”

“It is set with level five clearance and memory cannot override.”

I pull off my hand, “Damn.”

“What?” Peth asks.

“It seems that the stuff we have learned at the town is not being updated everywhere.” I respond.

“But it has to, the shield did not activate when we passed it,” Berg says.

“Grass please?”

“Security has high priority. It will transmit information as long as memory is working. But lower level devices will not be updated. It is a security protocol to protect people,” Grass complies.

“Oh,” Berg says, but I am not sure he fully understands.

I take a quick look around. “You know I keep forgetting your needs.” I look at them. “Do you all need a refill on your food supplies?” They each open their pouches and look in. They each nod in turn after fully checking their pouches.

“But first let's see what the computer has to say about your health. If you would each get checked, I would feel better. One thing though, do not let it eradicate any infestation, or bug, in you. Those little critters are what is helping you fight the disease, understand?”

I walk off a little and let them get checked out, “Grass can you access the city?”

“Mostly yes. We can use protocol that is allowed in the city to access most functions of the city. As you heard the health temple says there are some functions frozen by the desperation clause,” Grass replies.

“Where is the nearest food source?” I ask looking around.

“They are located in each building.”

“Great, how do we get in? There are no doors,” I motion to a wall.

“They are activated by local presence. Just walk up to the front of the building and a door should appear.”

“Neat,” I say as I walk to the center of a building. I take tiny steps up to the wall. It isn't till I get within a hands distance that a section of the wall vanishes the size of a door.

“Boy I wonder how many people hit a wall, while trying to get in,” I say.

Grass laughs, “The door opens in reaction to your speed and distance. If you look down you can see a small metallic looking strip, where the door is.”

“Ha, Ha, like I knew all that. You were having fun at my expense weren't you?” I ask halfhearted.

“Now why would we do that, we are a computer.” A slight pause then Grass, continues. “Okay you got us. We do get bored too and watching you inch up to the building was priceless.”

I look to see where the others are. I see them standing right behind me. I step aside and say, “Side show is over, food inside.” They all enter looking confused. I follow behind them.

I walk into what looks like a reception area. A round desk with a chair behind it sits against the far wall. Seats line both side walls. Everything is made of eternal stone. The center is open.

“I guess we have to go to another room to get your food,” I say surveying the room.

“No, it's right here,” Cliff says as he presses an area next to the door. A panel vanishes and a small area is full of the food cubes. “A different design but still in the same place.”

“Convenient, you know when this is all over I really need to check out how a solid rock can do what it does. Not that I will understand, but dammit I want to know,” I say as I watch them fill their pouch.

I walk over to the desk and put my hand on it. “Location of city center,” I say. There is a slight pause as the computer registers me.

“Unknown citizen, please register with main,” comes the voice.

“I am registered with main. Contact destination planet,” I say exasperated.

“Connection failed, please contact main,” the computer returns.

I pull my hand away, “Great the computers in this city are useless till we figure out this desperation clause. And we can't figure out the desperation clause unless we can get into the computer. This is the biggest catch twenty-two I have ever heard of.”

“So what do we do?” Tieth asks.

“To tell you the truth, I am stumped,” I say.

“There has to be something that can be done. Why would ancestors lock us out?” Berg asks.

“Actually we don't know that yet,” I say with a bit of hope. “One of you put your hand down and see if it registers you.”

Berg steps forward and slaps his hand down on the desk. There is a slight pause and “Ask query.”

Berg looks at me confused, “Ask the location of the center of the city,” I say.

“Where is the center of the city?” Berg asks.

“Citizen you must have registered to access sensitive information. Please register with main citizen,” the computer says and Berg yanks his hand away angrily.

“This is a bit of a pickle. Now what do we do?” I ask, of no one in particular.

“Working on it,” comes Grass’s voice.

“Oh duh, I have the main in my brain,” I say and break out laughing.

“What is so funny?” Cliff asks.

After I stop laughing I say, “I made a rhyme in my language. I hadn't intended to do that, and it just sounded funny to me. The word main and brain sound really close to the same in my language.”

“There seems to be a lot in your language that makes you laugh,” Peth comments.

I look at Peth a little more seriously, “Yes and no. I think Sasa grasped laughter's essence,” I bow at Cliff in reverence of Sasa, then look back at Peth. “We must learn to laugh and smile every chance we get. Life can be cruel and if we do not learn to laugh and smile when we can, we all will become bitter.

Take you four, for example. You look at life too seriously. At least to me. I have only seen you laugh when we talked of Sasa.” I look at Cliff, “What would Sasa think of you if she was here?”

Cliff looks down at the ground, “She would tickle me till I laugh.”

I reach over and raise his chin to make him look at me. He looks up at me and screams. He takes off up the stairs I do not remember seeing.

It takes me a few precious seconds to realize what happened. I start to dart after him when I realize that is the worst I could do. Then for once I remember the cancel temple. I picture it hoping it works.

“It worked,” Grass says, “But he is a bit confused. You better go get him. He is just up the stairs and down the hall. We were able to lock all the doors to keep him an easy find.”

“Thanks Grass, you are a lifesaver,” I say as I run up the stairs.

I hear Peth ask behind me as I run up, “What happened?”

“My fear gift. I forgot all about it. As soon as I touched him, he saw the thing that he feared the most when he looked at me,” I say hoping they were following.

The stairs exit into a hall. I don't even pause to look around. The only thing on my mind was getting to Cliff, before he loses it. I couldn't even imagine what it was like to see your worst fear manifest.

I see him standing in the hall looking around frantically. “Cliff,” I holler.

He sees us and comes running. We both barely stop, with just inches to spare of a collision. “Where did she go?” Cliff asks.

“Who?” I ask confused.

“Sasa, she looked horrible and kept yelling at me for smiling,” Cliff's voice echoes his extreme fear and anxiety.

“She isn't here Cliff, that was me,” I say hoping to calm him.

It didn't seem to work, he kept looking around. “Cliff,” I yell to get his attention. He focuses on me and it looks like a lot of the nervous energy has just left.

“Do you remember one of my talents is to cause fear?” I ask him.

He just nods, but I don't think he made the connection. “I touched you, Cliff, just before you saw her,” I say, trying to have him make the connection.

He looks a little confused, then understanding slowly creeps in. “That was your talent?” he asks, putting it all together.

“Yes, that is a curse to me. I merely wanted you to look at me, and see what happened. Maybe now you all can understand the burden these abilities are. I want you to see that Sasa wants us to laugh, smile, and enjoy life and I caused her to scare you.”

“And you cannot stop that?” Cliff asks calmly and a bit sorrowful.

“No, as long as I fear something I will cause that effect on anyone I touch. Not even gloves stop the effect. It is one burden I would love to be rid of. But once you have a talent you can never be rid of it.”

“I am so sorry Ben,” Cliff says, “I had no idea.”

“I know you didn't,” I turn around to view everyone in turn as I continue, “I know none of you do. I was hoping never to show you all.” I stop back on Cliff. “Grass had shown me a trick to cancel it. Otherwise you could not look at me for about three days.”

Cliff's eyes get huge, “I could not handle that. You are our gift.”

“Well I guess from now on I am fire and you have to keep me from touching you,” I say in jest.

“Hold on,” Peth says and I turn and look at her, “You touched him on the shoulder at the pond.”

I think about it, “Yes I did, but I guess I didn't have fear then. I did have concern, but not fear. I was concerned he would throw up, but not fear. I knew throwing up wont hurt you. It just is gross to see. And all my other fears were not there, because I had forgotten about them, after I had that cool drink.” Peth nods in understanding.

“Of course we are down to our original problem. What do we do now,” I look up, “Anything Grass?”

“There are only two terminals that connect to main. One is the memory center and the other is in a level five clearance area,” Grass replies.

“Well I would say the second, but since we can't get there let's go with the other,” I say.

Cliff nods and I turn and head down the hall. We descend the stairs into the reception are. I look and see the silver strip under the door area.

I have to test Grass's telling me the door opens according to speed and distance. I speed up to a fast pace walk. The wall vanishes just as I am about to collide.

“Nope it opens at the same distance as it did before. With your speed it looked closer,” Grass says and I swear I see a stuck out tongue in my head.

“Sure rub it in. I need more salt in a wound,” I say sarcastically. Grass laughs through the crown.

I get outside and see a big yellow line floating over the walk area, in the direction of the center of the city. “Just for you,” Grass says and laughs.

“Just gotta keep going don't ya?” I say.

“Yep,” Grass says and continues a soft giggle.

“Ben?” Peth asks.

I turn to look at her, “Yes?”

“I do not understand the humor between you and Grass. I get that Grass is insulting you and I see no humor in that.”

The smile fades from my face, “I didn't even think of what it would sound like to you all. Grass can read my mind, so most of the humor is lost.

I'm sure my humor might look strange to you. On my planet we find humor obviously insulting. It takes people years of being together to know how to do it in jest or fun. Although I have met a few that never get the gist of it.

Since Grass and I are linked, we know more about each other then most will ever know. I am sorry you all miss out on the jokes. I will try to keep you in on the loop if at all possible.”

“So what happened to Cliff, could be funny?” Tieth asks.

I think for a moment, “Yes, I guess it could. There is the irony factor. I touch him to comfort and end up doing the reverse.”

“Then I think I get it. After you explained what you did, I wanted to laugh. But I thought it inappropriate in the situation,” Tieth returns.

I look at Cliff, “Now to you it may not be funny. And please do not take offense to him thinking that.”

“I do not find offense at laughter. That is what Sasa always said. I think I see what she meant. I understand why Tieth finds it funny, but I can't see it through the fear.

I think if it was not me that was scared, I could find the humor in it. For Sasa I will let anyone laugh or smile at anything. I hope that I can laugh and smile more too.”

“Well if our comedic host is done, we can follow the yellow brick road,” I say and look up at an angle. Grass giggles.

I start down the path the yellow line indicates. “What is a yellow brick road?” Tieth asks.

“It is a reference to a movie. In it there is a girl that gets sent to a strange land. Well to skip through fast she has to follow a yellow brick road to Oz. This Oz is supposed to have all the answers, and how to get her home.

Ironic, now that I think about it. It is kinda like me. Although this yellow brick road will lead us to your Oz not mine. I look to get you home, not me.”

“But why are you not trying to find your home?” Peth asks.

“Because I doubt I will ever get home. Every time I asked about me getting home, I would run into the same response, 'You can't go home'.

So now I look to get your cities back to you. I may never get to my home, but I can at least help all of you. Who knows I may find something worth checking out when I am finished helping you.”

“I'm sorry you have sacrificed so much for us Ben,” Peth says.

“Actually I have not sacrificed anything for you all. I enjoy your company and you all have shown me so much. Your ancestors have caused me to sacrifice things not you. I cannot hold you responsible for their actions.”

“That is generous of you, Ben,” Peth comforts.

“Nah not generous really, just practical. But I appreciate the thought,” I say.

I don't think any of us were in a talking mood after that. One building looks the same as the next. If it wasn't for the yellow line I would have been wondering in circles.

I am expecting almost a straight line to the center, but that is far from what it is. I have played maze games before, but they have nothing on this place.

Grass could be taking us in a big circle and I wouldn't know. There was one game I used to play that was very close to this. In the game you have to navigate a town called Cantha. But I think this city has it beat in the maze area.

I see several temples as we go down corridors of huge black blocks. I never stopped to think till now how different buildings help in a city. I could never find my way in this city. Every corner looks the same as the next corner. How the Oranians ever found their way I may never know.

I happened to pass a building that looks like all the others, but I had to stop. I felt someone bump into me. I hear 'Sorry' and a scuffle, but I don't pay much attention.