During a dinner on Saturday at Lorena's house, while she prepared the main dish with Sophia in the house's kitchen, Zara, Merko and Nicholas waited for the food and communicated telepathically, sitting at the table, about the trip that would happen in two weeks:

"I think the other Friday night will be a great day for us to travel. My friend Sanches provided us with excellent tickets," said Nicholas.

"Honey, I'm glad you've got the tickets already. I also have all the passports up to date. I went ahead because this trip to Japan was Helen's great dream, and I was planning to give it to her at the end of this semester. Besides, she wanted all of us to go with her, and I got Merko, Lorena and Sophia to arrange their passports in advance, to avoid unforeseen circumstances and accompany us at the right time of the trip," added Zara, "and say hello to your friend Sanches. Any day, invite him to visit us. It will be a pleasure to welcome him to our home."

"Leave it to me, my dear. I'll invite him. Let's wait after we pass this phase to solve Helen's problems. She needs us."

As if taking advantage of the cue, Helen, the subject of the conversation, entered the dining room. The girl sat down, listening to Merko, Nicholas, and Zara communicating telepathically. She decided then to interfere in the conversation:

"Although you're not moving your lips, I feel like you're saying something about a trip, but it's all very confusing."

Zara knew this was not the right time to tell the truth to the girl. She looked at her daughter and said the following words in a low voice:

"Darling, we have many things to tell you. At the right moment we'll explain everything to you. But have patience. We are thinking of taking you to a trip. Our whole family will go along. But now, at this moment, I need to talk privately with your father and grandfather. Let me take you to make company your grandmother in the kitchen. Come back after with her and Sophia to join us at the table for dinner. Don't tell anyone about this thing of reading the thoughts. I promise you'll understand why you can hear the thoughts of others. This is our secret, okay?" She asked, almost begging.

"Does this have an explanation?"

"Yes, it does. I'll show you it's a normal thing. I can do that, too."

"But how? Why? None of my friends can."

"I already told you that we will explain everything to you at the right moment and you'll understand the reason. Trust your mother. But promise to keep it secret until the right time."

Helen remained confused, but decided to cooperate with her mother. There was no other person in the world whom she trusted more.

After leaving Helen in the kitchen with her grandmother and aunt, Zara returned to the dinner table to continue the conversation. Nicholas looked at her and said telepathically:

"I think Merko can block the telepathic reading of thoughts, because when I was imprisoned on ship Star Hunter, he wouldn't let me read his mind. So, it would be wise to block Helen's telepathy while we talk so we can have privacy. We are solving important issues and this may confuse her head."

"Yes, I can," Merko said. "We all need to be away for a week. Zara, make up a good excuse for Helen and Sophia to skip their respective classes. Despite the importance of attending classes, this trip is extremely necessary."

"A few minutes ago, Helen penetrated our thoughts and was able to use telepathy. Did you see? There really isn't any more time. We need to tell her the truth as quickly as possible," said Nicholas in a worried way, continuing the conversation through his thoughts.

Suddenly, Lorena brought a tray of tender roasted meat as the main course, and before returning to the kitchen to retrieve the rest of the food, she interrupted them with a curious look:

"You're so quiet looking at each other. Is there anything going on here that I don't know? Everyone is looking worried."

Merko decided to open his heart and, returning to speak in the normal voice of a human, said:

"Lorena, we're thinking of making that trip to Japan that we agreed to give to Helen as a gift. Do you remember the conversation we had at home?"

"Yes, I recall. But what about the tickets? And the classes?" Lorena asked.

"We were just talking about it. Nicholas has already got the tickets and we'll also ask for a one-week permit for all of us to travel," Merko explained.

"I think Helen's going to love the idea. Getting to know Japan has always been her dream." Lorena confirmed with an air of happiness.

"This will be the surprise of tonight's dinner," said Nicholas, addressing his mother.

"I'll call Helen and Sophia and get the other dishes for dinner."

Lorena was anxious for them to give the news to Helen, and quickly returned with the girls bringing the rest of the food. After talking a little about the delicious taste of the dinner, Nicholas decided that Zara should give the news about the gift to the girl. She then took the floor and spoke to everyone:

"Tonight, we decided which gift we'll give Helen for her birthday."

They were all silent for a moment, and the girl, dying to know, said:

"A gift! Please tell me, mom. I want to know what it is!"

"We're going to Japan!" Zara revealed.

"Ja...pan? I can't believe! You can only be kidding me. We are in school time and a trip to this far now would be impossible!"

"Yes, it would be. But we decided to go at once because we don't know if by the end of the semester everyone will be available to travel. Coincidentally, there will be no tests in the coming weeks for either the two of you. Nicholas' work, mine and Merko's will also give us time off. Let's take the opportunity to travel. Does everyone agree?" Zara asked.

Everyone nodded and a new, very happy Helen celebrated:

"Yay, Japan! I want to see everything. I want to go to all the places I've always dreamed of. Thank you all. I loved the gift!"

In the face of so much happiness the girl decided to prepare for the trip. Sophia also enjoyed the opportunity to know Japan. Everything would be provided during the next few days. Going to a country with millennial culture would be the perfect chance for a revelation of the true about the girl.

After dinner, as the women talked about the trip, Merko decided to call Nicholas, telepathically, to check on the communications system of the ship Star Hunter. A red light flashed on his bracelet warning of the ship's loss of contact with his planet. It had never happened before.

"Nick, while the women talk, how about we go to the ship to check the equipment? We'll be back soon. They have so many things to talk about the trip that they won't even notice our absence."

"I'd like to go with you, Merko. We have not been on the ship for some time." Nicholas replied promptly.

"Then prepare yourself. I need to verify something that showed up here on my sensor," he said, pointing to his bracelet. "Don't worry, it shouldn't be anything important. I'll take this opportunity to test the robot satellites and analyze the terrestrial gravitational fields," Merko said.

After telling the women that they were going to take a walk in the surroundings to get some fresh air and talk a little, Nicholas and Merko went to the house's garage. They touched their teleportation clocks, synchronized the latitude and longitude for where the ship was and within a few seconds were already inside it.

Merko ordered the master computer, Z8:

"Exit the latency and activate all systems."

"Yes, Commander."

"There's been some time since I've last heard that!" He was pleased to return to his ship's command.

Then, all the lights and systems went into operation. The fusion-powered nuclear reactor room was fully operational again and the master computer Z8 started the safety check procedures on all the controls.

"I'll transmute myself, Nicholas, because I'm missing my old form."

Nicholas looked at Merko and saw him change; he remembered the encounter he had had over ten years ago, the adventure he had lived on the planet Life, when he met Zara, and the scare of seeing the true form of his friends. He pretended to feel nothing when he met them, but deep down he was terrified.

"So that's how you felt when we first met. You didn't really show being so frightened."

"Merko, you're reading my thoughts again. I prefer conversation by the traditional earthling method, except in case of emergency. As for being afraid, I believe that anyone would have the same reaction when seeing beings with forms so different from theirs."

"Fine, since you prefer it. But do not forget to train telepathy, because one day you may need it. As for the anatomical forms of the human beings of the future, we have really become very different from the earthmans who live in this age. That is why Zara and the others presented themselves to you in your human likeness and gradually presented their true form. Imagine how difficult it will be to explain this to a girl like Helen!"

Nicholas thought about Helen's possible reaction to knowing about her true condition.

"Would she react like me?"

But she would be near the people who loved her the most. That would give her a lot of security to accept what they really were. By the time he had received the news, he was alone, and from there on, Nicholas discovered a world totally different from anything he had ever lived. It was a beginning of a new phase in his life and he didn't want to go back. He loved everything he had in his life and never regretted it for a single moment.

Merko took advantage of the stay in the ship and tried to establish contact with the planet Life, because he wanted to know the news about his friends and the king. However, no one responded to their attempts at communication. He began to worry.

"How strange, Nicholas! No one responds to my signals."

"Maybe it's our location on the bottom of the sea. We can try another day. Don't forget, we have Helen's problem to solve."

"Z8, test the robot satellite in orbit."

"Operating satellite systems." Answered Z8.

"Gravitational fields in position for the spacecraft to form a wormhole with the space-time folds, next to Jupiter. Confirm, Z8?"

"Confirmed, sir," the master computer replied in a soft woman's voice.

"Merko, how about we get out of here a little with the spacecraft to test the systems and see the cosmos? It's the most wonderful sight I've ever had in my life. I want to review all those wonders of outer space. We still have some time before they miss us. Our women, when put together, don't stop talking. In addition, we could try new contact with the planet Life from another point in the solar system."

"I'd love to. We must be extra careful, because we can't be monitored," Merko replied. "Z8, prepare the ship to go to the terrestrial exosphere. Activate the invisibility shield and move up slowly."

The spaceship slowly climbed to the surface of the sea, emerging, and pushing the waters away from all sides. At a constant speed it rose to Earth's orbit.

"Let's go to Jupiter's orbit. The planet is quite large and will allow us to hide from the radars and space telescopes," Merko said.

"What a spectacular sight! The moons of Jupiter, the rings of Saturn, the Earth, the Sun, and all outer space. I'm the only human being on the planet to have this vision. Thank you, Merko. You don't know what that means to me," he said, touched for living that magical moment.

Merko, meanwhile, was trying to contact Life again.

"Unsuccessful." Merko retorted after trying a few times. "I'm trying to communicate with the planet Life, but no one answers. This is strange and unusual. After the trip with Helen, we'll try again. But there's no more time now, son. We need to go back. I'll hide the ship in the same place. The bottom of the sea offers no danger."

Soon they entered the Earth's atmosphere at a speed of 9320 miles per hour and a fighter aircraft that was doing flight shunts spotted them. Before warning the tower, the pilot tried to chase them to record the fact. He thought without a photo or proof they wouldn't believe him.

However, the speed of the ship Star Hunter and its ability to move in all directions prevented the fighter aircraft from following them. They then positioned themselves on the Mexican coast, above the landing site, and slowly descended to the bottom of the sea. The pilot decided not to register for lack of evidence what he saw, until the moment he lost the ship from his radar.

"Merko, we narrowly escaped!"

"Nick, it's getting more dangerous every day to leave our ship. They are watching us everywhere. We have to be extra careful when we travel in the airspace of planet Earth" said Merko, who then gave an order to the master computer:

"Z8, get ready to shut down systems and enter latent mode."

The commander of the ship spoke again to Nicholas:

"Synchronize the azimuth and let's go to Los Angeles."

"Yes, Merko."

"You can call me father if you want."

Nicholas smiled. They teleported and within a few seconds they were already in the house's garage. Nicholas said goodbye to Merko, Lorena and Sophia, and took Zara and Helen home.

***

Already in the living room of their house, Zara and Helen continued to talk about the trip:

"Mother, I'm still a bit surprised by this gift. How did you know I would love to travel to Japan?"

"Your grandmother told me you always wanted to go to that country. I also always see Mount Fujiyama in your drawings."

"I'd just love to see it. I know all about Mount Fuji. In fact, it is a dormant volcano for more than 300 years, which is located on the west coast of Tokyo and it's one of the most well-known symbols of the country. But why will grandma and Sophia go with us?"

"It's an opportunity for the whole family to travel together. Your grandmother and Sophia also want to know the Japanese culture."

Zara knew it was important to have the family together at such an important moment for the girl's life. She didn't know how Helen would react, and being close to the people she loved most would help her realize that, even though she was so different, she was accepted by everyone with love and care.

"The human being understands that everyone's equal when learns to show love for their similar and to live with the differences of one another," Zara thought.

On Thursday, one day before the scheduled trip, Merko went to Nicholas' house to see how Helen was.

"Hello. How's my dear granddaughter? Looking forward to going to Japan?"

"Yes, grandpa. I'm sure I'll love the trip."

"I brought you a present: a bracelet. Don't think that it's an ordinary object, because this one's capable of doing magnificent things. Let me put it on your wrist."

And he put it on the girl, who loved the futuristic look of the present.

"Mom, look what a beautiful bracelet grandpa Merko gave me!"

"I'm glad you liked it, daughter."

Helen looked at her father, Zara and Merko in the living room and noticed that they, too, wore bracelets just like hers. She was surprised at the fact, but was pleased with the surprise and couldn't look away from her new bracelet.

"Everybody got their coats? Let's put them in the suitcases, because it's winter there. Check the documents," Zara said.

Nicholas decided to talk telepathically with Zara:

"Darling, why taking her so far away to reveal the truth?"

"Because I don't know what the consequences of this revelation will be. Traveling to the place she would most like to know will awaken pleasant feelings that'll soften the news. I don't know how she'll react. Helen will also be close to the whole family. This will give her the strength to accept her true condition," Zara said, using only her thoughts.

The girl's parents were excited about the trip. As for Helen, she was the most anxious person in the world because her greatest dream was about to come true, but together with it, a revelation would make her very different for the rest of her life. On Friday, everyone was at the airport early and they set off for the Asian continent.

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