There was unease in the Presence.
Rumors of Others pervaded. Others who perceived Mass.
Of course this was laughable. The Presence still harbored doubts as to whether Mass existed.
And yet it was now communicated about the Presence that the Others not only could perceive Mass, but they actually were discreet aliquots of Mass. Disquieting indeed. Mass, it was rumored, elicited Emotion. A state of consciousness governed by Mass.
The Presence could only perceive Emotion as traces of energy that might show on sophisticated sensors - or might just be randomness.
Knowledge appeared in the awareness of all the Presence. Calculations had been made. No parallel presence or presences were possible in eternity. All doubts obliterated.
And yet wonderings persisted. Piercing the aura of the Presence.
* * *
Two people in a pick-up truck were driving home a hundred miles from a Dixie Chicks concert.
The night was full of stars. Green light stirred in the east.
``Do you ever get the feeling...'' the driver said.
``What feeling?''
``The feeling that there's something else out there - something besides us...''
``Could be,'' her friend said as he pushed in the lighter. He rolled down the window.
``Could be I suppose. Look at the stars, just look at those stars...''