The Mightiest Force

More than anything in life, I love to travel. It has become my hobby, my vocation, and perhaps the very purpose of my existence. I drift from one place to the next, rarely lingering anywhere for long. Occasionally, I admit, it is utterly exhausting. Journeys of such vastness can drain one’s vital essence, but in the end, it is always worth it. Besides, I must confess there is nothing else in this life I’d rather do.

There is a profound beauty in moving from one world to another. Like a surfer catching a wave, you glide through various dimensions, assuming whimsical shapes and guises. Before you lie worlds of staggering beauty, sights that set the imagination ablaze.

I have written articles and books about the places I’ve visited. I’ve collected and sold curiosities and extraordinary artifacts, earning my keep along the way. It felt as though I had seen everything there was to see. Yet, even if I were immortal, I would never have enough time to explore every corner of the universe. It is forever expanding.

Not long ago, while hurtling past Proxima Centauri, I couldn’t resist stopping by Shardon. I speak with total sincerity when I say that planet produces the finest cinnamon donuts in the known universe. Sated by my favorite treat, I opened my navigation tablet and set a course for my next destination in the constellation Cygnus.

I swept through a countless multitude of stars–some I had even visited several times. I believed nothing could surprise me anymore. And yet, to my own astonishment, I found myself in a star system entirely new to me.

According to the Okirfus Handbook, it is most commonly called the “Solar System.” Most of its planets appeared lifeless and failed to catch my eye. But one of them was inhabited. I must admit, Earth truly managed to strike me with wonder.

It wasn’t that the planet possessed some exceptional physical beauty. Rather, I was fascinated by the creatures that had dominated it for several millennia. Man–that was the name of the being that managed to captivate my jaded imagination.

Inhabiting the mind of one of these specimens, I remained on Earth for about twenty years by local reckoning. Through his eyes, I learned virtually everything there was to know about the planet. Though, I confess, even now as I depart, a few unanswered questions remain.

In technical terms, this planet is far from the most advanced I have visited. The true dawn of earthly civilization is yet to come. But it was something else entirely that drew me to them.

I experienced the full spectrum of my host’s emotions and sensations, and I must say, it was staggering. I had never felt anything like it. Joy and sorrow, love and hate... Claudio, for that was my host’s name, left a colossal impression on me. For two years he dated a woman named Rosetta, and then they bound themselves in marriage. Within five years they had offspring–two girls. Based on the films and books Claudio consumed, they were a truly happy family. Yes, Rosetta often scolded Claudio for leaving his socks scattered about, or their eldest daughter, Ophelia, for wearing skirts that were far too short, but they loved each other nonetheless. By earthly standards, it was a nearly exemplary–one might even say ideal–family.

I had no intention of leaving Claudio’s body. His life was vibrant and engaging. He possessed all the resources I required to study humanity thoroughly, so I was perfectly content. By the age of forty, Claudio had risen to the position of director at one of Europe’s largest trading firms. This led to frequent global travel, granting me the perfect opportunity to further acquaint myself with Earth’s other cultures and traditions.

About two years ago, tragedy struck the Kerbing family: Rosetta was hit by a car. As far as I knew, she remained in a coma. Not a single day passed without Claudio visiting her. The grief and pain I felt alongside him were almost unbearable. I honestly don’t know why I didn’t simply migrate to another host. Perhaps, during my time in Claudio’s body, I had truly grown attached to him. I felt an obligation to share his burden of pain.

Furthermore, in all the time Rosetta lay in that coma, not a single thought of intimacy with another person ever crossed his mind. Literally, not one. And believe me–I would know.

When the time came for me to leave Earth, I was deeply saddened that I could do nothing to help my friend. Our civilization, though a hundredfold more advanced than Earth’s, has never discovered a formula for immortality.

Yes, we live immeasurably longer than humans, but we are not immortal. We build gargantuan interstellar cruisers and manufacture the most efficient waste-processing robots in existence; our home world truly has much to be proud of.

Returning to Earth many years later, I managed to track down the Kerbing family tree, and my delight knew no bounds. Four years after the accident, Rosetta had finally emerged from her coma. A year after that, they had a son. I was immeasurably happy for my old friend.

And so, having finished my account, I must once again leave this planet in its tiny little solar system. Yes, humans, like all living creatures, are far from perfect. They destroy their own planet and inflict pain upon one another; compared to them, my race has progressed much further. However, we are devoid of something far more vital–a feeling I didn’t even know existed before my stay on Earth.

I will forever remember that remarkable human, Claudio Kerbing. For it was he who showed me that the power of love is the mightiest force in the entire universe.