Trance, an avatar of the sun, did not die. She never lived, as humans conceive of living ... and so her consciousness could not cease to exist apart from her form. The others, however ~ mere human mortals ~ had that inherent and heart-breaking vulnerability known as fallibility. A parasitic species, has invaded the human collective on the space ship Andromeda. A species which has conquered numerous species over the past millenia. They want to possess human bodies ~ effectively enslave humanity ~ and, in exchange would grant eternal life to humanity.
So? Does that sound like a deal to you? Would you enslave yourself in exchange for longevity beyond your wildest dreams? What matters to us, in this existence? Quantity/longevity? Quality? Or some reasonable convergence of both? What defines a good life? Its length? The wealth in which it existed? The amount of wealth and materials it amassed during its span? And, should we consider, as we form live our lives in connection with other living humans, that we will not live forever, that ultimately, death will separate us from those we love in this lifetime? Does death really mean the end? Does quantity really equal success? On what scale? Does love really live on? Does love live? Or does it transform itself into some more abstract form of energy that resides beyond our primitive emotional realm?
This means challenging my self to compassionate, encouraging, genuine and hostile-free exchanges. It also means contemplating my reaction to the thoughts, feelings and expressions of others, prior to acting upon them. 
