About five hours later, after making a quick drop off of some supplies at the Glendale Armory in the boondocks of Edinburgh, Che sets course for Planet Gaia instead of heading straight to the Tau 31 jump hole.
Erieth has been passed out in one of the guest cabins since Dublin and won't be aware of the detour. It's unfortunate in a way, because as far as Mr. Araya is concerned, Gaia is the beating heart in the absolute center of the Living Universe.
After parking the ship in a geosynchronous orbit above the planet, he enters the observation cabin, sits on the floor inches away from the window, and begins his quiet meditation ritual to recharge and realign his chakras beside the wellspring of unfathomable energy.
![[Image: WsnUaha.jpg]](https://i.imgur.com/WsnUaha.jpg)