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Frannie went over to the window and pointed out to the banner of colorful cloths that Caro had strung on the roof over the porch. “The ‘line with sails’ are prayer flags. Just like Caro’s Tibetan prayer flags. Every time the wind blows they send their prayers out to the world. They generate good karma.”
She scurried into Karl’s office, the rest hurrying to keep up. Frannie pointed at the top shelf. “‘Turn a holy drum always clockwise’ means to spin a prayer wheel. Just like Karl’s Tibetan one up there,” she said pointing with her white paw. “Every time it turns, it sends the prayers written on the scrolls inside out into the world. They generate good karma.”
“Wait a minute, Frannie,” said Nani Pei. “There’s no prayer wheel on that shelf.”
“Don’t worry,” Frannie Annie replied. “He and Caro will be buying one next weekend. You can see it then.”
The other critters all looked at each other as they tried to take in that piece of information, but then they had to scurry to catch up with Frannie, who was already hopping down the hallway. Frannie then led the group back to Caro’s room.
“‘Ring a bell’ means to ring a sacred bell like Caro’s Tibetan Tingsha up on her shelf. Every time it rings, it generates good karma.”
Then, without leaving the room, she continued, “Roberta, you were almost perfectly correct, but it’s not about a door bell; it’s about a ‘door gee.’ That bronze thing up there is a stylized lightning bolt that the Tibetans call a ‘Dorje’. It generates good karma.”
All the critters looked Frannie, still slightly puzzled. She went on. “Don’t you see? All these things generate good karma — nice karma. Unobtainium must be some kind of good spiritual merit generated by devices. These aliens are using prayer flags, prayer wheels, Tingshas, and Dorjes to collect Unobtainium. The space pod is powered by karma!”
“Aber was mit der Hummervogel, ah, the hummingbirds?” asked Herr Professor Bear.
“Hummingbirds beat their wings hundreds of times per second. Their colorful jeweled wings must be acting like super prayer flags, shedding nice karma by the bucketful every time they beat the air. Its like a small prayer flag in a hurricane.”
“I didn’t understand until I realized that our alien friend understood nice as it applies to things like hot chocolate, but not nice sentient beings. On their world, they must not have good or evil aliens—only enlightened ones. They use devices to generate karma.”
“Ach du lieber!” exclaimed Herr Professor.
“Holy cow!” exclaimed Wabbit.
“Goodness gracious!” exclaimed Nani Pei.
“Ah so!” said Roberta, nodding in understanding.
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