The Unveiling

Chapter Five: Convincing aliens

Valerie was fast becoming convinced of Acin-om's sincerity. One of the biggest barriers to her own acceptance of the Balazons had been understanding the reasons why the aliens attacked her husband and others, and why the aliens had caused the disappearance of so many people. Now that she understood the details about Xsalma's motivations, her apprehension was beginning to melt away like butter on warm toast. However, when she looked at Stephanie, she saw a little girl who seemed frightened. Valerie reached for her daughter's hand, held it, and smiled comfortingly at her.

Stephanie was rigid.

"Would we really have destroyed ourselves in a nuclear world war three without your help?" Nick asked.

"We think so," Acin-om said. "Our forecasts aren't perfect, as the future is always changing and hard to predict, but the odds didn't look good. Now that we are out in the open, we can do more to help mankind, but if the world rejects our aid and forces us to leave, the odds won't be much better than to have just let the nuclear war go forward."

"Why would anyone want you to leave?" Nick asked.

"Some people will not trust us," Acin-om said. "Many fear what they don't understand."

Nick shrugged his shoulders indifferently as if to say he didn't care what other small minded people did. Then a new thought seemed to hit him, and he said excitedly, "You mentioned something earlier about not being male or female. Then why do you look like a female?"

"Before I entered the exultation stage I, too, was a simple physical creature such as you. In that primitive form, I was a female. When one changes from mortal to immortal, one retains some of the external characteristics of their former life."

"Wow," Nick said slowly. "It must be wonderful."

"How long has mankind been in the dark stage?" Valerie asked.

"Since shortly after humans reached sentient status—approximately six thousand years ago."

"How long does it last?" Valerie asked.

"Millions of years."

"Oh," Valerie said and looked again towards her daughter, noticing a more frazzled look than before; no mere hand holding would suffice this time. She reached over and pulled her daughter in close. "What's wrong, sweetheart? You haven't said anything the whole time. There's no need to be afraid. Ask Acin-om any questions you wish—it's like having God in your living room. Anything you could possibly desire to know, she will have the answer."

Valerie looked at Acin-om and said," I hope you don't mind if I call you by a female pronoun. I know it's not totally accurate, but that's how I see you."

"Not at all," Acin-om said.

"She's not God!" Stephanie said, pointing an accusing finger at the alien. She looked up at her mom. "What about all those Sunday school lessons? What about everything I've been taught? You told me we were going to live forever in heaven when we died. How do I know what's true anymore!?"

Valerie thought about this carefully for several seconds, understanding and regretting the disservice she may have done her children by not expressing her own doubts about religion a little more forcefully as they were growing up. She felt guilt start to creep over her, but forced it back with the fact Nick had turned out different. He seemed to adjust instantly to the Balazons' presence, so it couldn't be all her fault.

Nick had never cared much about religion. He seemed to emulate some of Valerie's skepticism. He used to tease Stephanie with some of the difficult philosophical questions like how it doesn't make sense that a loving God would torture people in hell forever. It just seemed to make Stephanie stronger in the end though. She developed a good relationship with her youth pastor, who helped ground her with answers to these difficult questions. It wasn't long before Stephanie could skillfully defend herself against Nick's attacks and quote more of the Bible than either one of them.