Children of the Old Star by David Lee Summers Page B

the wicked with its beam. Those who are wicked are the ones who are terrified.” Clyde put his hands together. “You, the meek, who have inherited this poor Earth, are the ones who will survive. Do you understand?"
    Mouths hanging open, the men and women gathered around the fire nodded. For the first time in over two centuries, the people of Cape Cod, and ultimately the city dwellers in Boston began to feel empowered. They began to feel that there might be some hope of Earth becoming a nice place to live again.
    Reverend Clyde McClintlock never asked for money as he went around preaching the good news of the Cluster, but the money found him. He tried to give it to the bureau of taxation to get them off the backs of the poor. The bureau simply credited Clyde's personal account. Clyde would have used the money to build apartment buildings, but there simply wasn't enough land. Besides that, the taxes on those kinds of properties would have taken all the money Clyde had collected.
    Clyde decided to use the money he acquired to build a meeting hall. He decided it would be a place where the people could gather to hear his words. As far as he was concerned, people could sleep there as well. The hall he built, six months after returning to Earth proved to be one of the largest structures on Cape Cod. He built the structure up in old Province Town, at the very tip of the cape. Even given the building's size, it still overflowed with people, all of them willing to give all they had to the first man who had ever given them hope for the future.
    At the front of the enormous building, Clyde stood behind a giant rostrum. He wore a beautiful white suit. “The way of the Cluster is peace,” he said. “The Cluster is here to help the poor and the downtrodden to victory.” Clyde would close his eyes and look down at the pulpit, his voice becoming nothing more than a whisper. “Let me tell you how the Cluster helped me see the light. Let me tell you how the Cluster freed the slaves of Sufiro."
* * * *
    During his six months on Earth, Clyde had not forgotten John Mark Ellis. With his church booming, he wanted more than ever to contact the only other man who had experienced a vision from his savior. This time, he was able to purchase a first class hover ticket to Nantucket. By memory, he wound his way through the streets of the ancient village. Once again, he stood on the front porch of Ellis’ home. Like last time, McClintlock wondered at the size of the house. This time, though, McClintlock wondered how many of his disciples could live in a house this size. Clyde McClintlock knocked with conviction.
    A grizzled old man opened the door. The man wore a white turtleneck shirt and blue pants. White hair stood out at all sides from under a green stocking cap. The old man cocked his head at McClintlock and looked him over as though he were something found on the bottom of a shoe. “This ain't a tourist house,” croaked the old man. “Private residence, go away."
    As the wry old man started to close the door Clyde called out. “Wait! I'm looking for John Mark Ellis."
    "We don't want no salesmen neither,” grumbled the old man, again eyeing McClintlock in his nicely pressed and tailored suit.
    "I'm not a salesman,” said Clyde with a warm smile. “I met Commander Ellis on Sufiro."
    "You're a friend?” The old man scratched his beard.
    "I don't know if I am or not.” Clyde opened his arms. “I'm Clyde McClintlock."
    The old man's scowl grew deep. At first, Clyde thought he was going to send him away. Finally, the old man shook his head. “I can't say as I know who you are, but I can tell you that Mark has gone."
    "I can get a room at a motel, wait for him,” offered Clyde, folding his hands in front of him.
    "I'm afraid you'd have to wait for quite a while,” wheezed the man. “He's gone off planet."
    "Do you know where?” Clyde's brow furrowed.
    "I think he's gone to Rd'dyggia, to see some mystic or something. God knows what he