Veleda And The Goddess

Time Patrol agents often pretend to be angels or gods when they intervene in past ages. Janne Floris has the role of the goddess, Nehalennia, thrust upon her when she interrupts the rape of Veleda. Then, to return history to its correct course, she continues to play the goddess role, persuading Veleda, the former war prophetess, to preach peace. At last, when Veleda is dying on Walcheren, Janne promises her a life with the goddess under the sea.

Janne is guilt-stricken about this deception. Everard tells her that she has done nothing that needs to be forgiven but that, in any case, she should forgive herself. I would not be able to tell that lie. As far as possible, if I were to work for the Patrol, then I would avoid the role of a deity, especially if it meant promising what cannot be delivered.

Someone that I spoke to once said that the best way to die would be to believe, like Billy Graham, that you would go straight to Heaven: die happy and never know that you were wrong. I would prefer to know the truth or, failing that, to acknowledge uncertainty.