Whizzing Along the Silky Way - Pt.1

After my return to the temple, I spent the next few weeks quietly, trying not to get in anyone's way.  I attended all the prayer sessions and listened to Head Nun's talks.  It was like the old times once again.  However my spirit for adventure seemed to have become second nature and I began to feel rather bored and restless.

Lao Tze, whom I hadn't seen for some time, popped in one evening and asked how I was getting on.  He told me he was on his regular "maintenance trip" to the Silky Way, a galaxy of colourful stars way up in the heavens.  It was his job to polish them and see that they shone brightly to illuminate the way for space travellers.  It sounded quite exciting and before I knew it, the words were out of my mouth.

"Lao Tze, can I come with you?  I would love to see those beautiful stars!"

He looked at me and said, "I thought you had promised Head Nun no more adventures?"

"Well, yes, but it's so ... so quiet here ....please, let me come with you!"

"You will have to get Head Nun's permission first, my friend."

I of course expected Head Nun to refuse to let me go, but surprisingly she said that she had thought over the whole matter. "It's your life," she said, " ... and I don't want you to be miserable on my account. You can go on one condition: you send me messages off and on to let me know you're safe, then I won't have to worry so much."

"Oh, thank you, Head Nun," I cried.  She gave me a big hug and sent me off with her blessings.

Soon Lao Tze and I were whizzing our way through the heavens.  The weather was fine and we did not encounter any obstacles.  After some time we saw bright lights looming up and Lao Tze said that that was the Silky Way.  He slowed down and in a short time we found ourselves surrounded by the most beautiful coloured stars of different shapes and sizes.  They twinkled and shone brilliantly against the dark emptiness of space and we could hear soft, celestial music as they twinkled. Lao Tze sprayed each star with some kind of polish as we went along.  I then asked Lao Tze to send our first message to Head Nun describing the beauty of the stars and assuring her that we were safe.

We must have spent more than an hour polishing the stars before the job was completed and Lao Tze said it was time to go home.  We were slowly descending from the stars when suddenly, Lao Tze's star started to splutter.

"Oh no," he muttered.  "There's something wrong with the computer..."

"Can you fix it?"  I asked anxiously.

"I'm trying ..."  The star continued to splutter and shake.  "I'm afraid I can't do anything - we've got to land somewhere ...."

Lao Tze headed for the nearest star and managed to land there.  It was pitch dark except for a small pale moon.

"Well, we've got to wait till morning before I can start repairs," said Lao Tze. "We had better stay on board till then."

My heart was pounding away.  We had landed in unknown territory ... who knows what was in store for us.

"Don't look so scared," said Lao Tze.  "Remember, you're with me and there's nothing I can't fix!"

He gave me a pat and settled down to sleep.  I wished everything wasn't so strangely silent as I curled up next to him ....

(To be continued).

Whizzing along the Silky Way ...