The Ivory Cat

<p>The Egyptian gods (if they exist) are the many which is the One: innumerable aspects of a single unity living in a time-space in which all time is now and all space is here and everything can be true at once.</p> <p>Normally the gods don't meddle in human affairs asking only that Cosmic Order be preserved. But now and then-</p><p>In a moment that was all moments a simultaneity that in human terms would one day be known as circa 1333 BC Bastet the cat-headed goddess (if she existed) looked with interest upon Pharaoh Akhenaten and Queen Nefertiti and their children upon a fishing boat bearing a numinous ivory cat a fearful slave in Bubastis an arrogant and unhappy princess in Mitanni some venomous and ambitious plotters a naive idealist or three and a scatter of other human and feline players. She smiled a bland cosmic smile-</p><p>-and meddled.</p>