Tag Archives: serialized

24.9 \ 206

Posted on by under Greater Beyond

Raev brought them along the path into the trees riding up toward a short crest. Branch tips curled in vibrant tender spirals. “They made a lot of claims to innocence, lies that we’ve proven. I already knew it because I watched the chain of discoveries here on Hirylien. I had a deep grasp of the social dynamics, with solid knowledge of all the changes taking place. It’s what I did with all my time in that year, with the unbiased absorption of a preteen with full linguistics. I observed when and where everything fell apart. I knew.”

They reached the crest at the end of the copse, which revealed a promontory overlook of the nearby neighborhood. Houses were aswim in greenery, collapsed rooflines and choked roadways blocked with immobile wreckage. A sagging bench was set near a trail that wound down the steep hillside, the local shortcut. Raev stood still in the clear space by the bench, facing the view. Soleil drew level.

“The Hirylien Affliction is an advanced mutation that came from a lab. They were confident they could contain it because they had a counter-agent ready when they released it – though they scrambled conspicuously along expectable timelines, which were too long to save most of our planet given the pace of the disease. Vedani are incredible information trackers, beyond our concepts of safeguards and destruction. They already possessed clarity into most of our systems at that time, and more so now.” Devoid of solicitous gestures, he walked over and started down the trail, making it clear this was not the end and that she should follow.

24.8 \ 206

Posted on by under Greater Beyond, Uncategorized

“Advance intelligence reached Queen Celeste and her Ascendants. You had probably just begun your own schooling. They already had awareness of the Vedani. They had a dark policy of shutout and information suppression. The rapidly evolving possibility of a politically independent-minded planet gaining the sudden edge of an outright alliance with what they’d treated as an exploitable danger caused them to react with violence. Maybe facing full fragmentation and with too many shameful secrets they wished to contain, they decided they could continue their control of the Pan-Galactic Imperium by creating one more.”

The Princess’ eyes were narrowed, gaze turned inward examining scenes in her memory as though on a tiny screen. They paced each other evenly. Lips pressed tightly together, at his pauses she met Sturlusson’s look sidelong to confirm that she was following keenly.

As they passed the end of the oblong school building, it appeared as on some holiday, but the big double doors that would have been at the end were missing. The other shore of this little lake – a reservoir – was easier to examine from here. There was an outlet that flowed for some way toward a ledge. This path would soon depart from the shore, into trees.

Raev continued. “They didn’t have time, or they didn’t act like they examined branches of reasonable strategy. They reached into their arsenal to come up with something efficacious and brutal. How often do the leaders of entrenched governments retain power by acting against the founding principles? Occasional accounting is performed.”

24.7 \ 206

Posted on by under Greater Beyond, Uncategorized

Soleil nodded her agreement to the requested conversation, and the others dispersed thoughtfully, leaving her at the playground with Raev. He massaged his right arm stump, still with no prosthesis, and turned to face her directly, in the Vedani manner. “I have a lot to communicate upon this occasion. Are you ready to listen?”

The tragedy of this planet seeping in at the corners of her eyes, Soleil carefully laced her fingers into a mudra she called the Recording Device, a reminder to keep her thoughts receptive and perception clear. “I’m here, and I can hear you. Speak.”

”Walk with me.” They went along the lake, in the direction past the playground and toward the school. “I graduated from crayons at this school. My father was a Magistrate, and brilliant with systems. I heard from the Vedani, about how you gleaned mirror coordinates to their ship from our contact session with you. My father, Rence Sturlusson, did something similar with system interruption data that translated out to intentional messages. His discoveries were inspiring and invigorating. Vedani hadn’t been able to establish recognition from any other Imperium contacts, but were ready to share technology and make exchanges. We were beginning to create infrastructure for interaction and inclusion, proud to be the bringers of a paradigm shift. I was about ten.”

Large butterflies occupied the shoreline, flapping lackadaisically between spaced out bunchgrasses. Soleil did not try to make out any unusual shapes on the ground, but appreciated the moment’s clement weather. Her hands still held each other, interlaced.

24.6 \ 206

Posted on by under Greater Beyond, Uncategorized

The two ships landed next to a school playground by a lake. “I wish to hold a discussion with Princess Soleil,” Sturlusson explained over the com. “Anyone else who wants to come landside for your own reason, I have a small process available in hand if you are worried. It was a terrible disease that ravaged this place, but you will be fine. Meet me by the tall slide.” Everyone came out.

They gathered for a session with the harmonizer, a Vedani module that could read a physical body and inform it how to adapt to a set of conditions. “People here died to a disease that had a cure possessed by the Imperium, at a time when our planet’s leaders were independently establishing open contact with the Vedani.” Raev Sturlusson dropped this bomb with a take-it-or-leave it tone that brooked no argument at this time. “One of those being my father.” As he finished administering to the last, he looked around at all of them like a tour guide. “You are now free to explore the famous peace and independence of Hirylien. An added note of caution, things can be really bad inside the buildings. Return to the ships at sundown. Princess Soleil, if you will accompany me.”

24.5 \ 206

Posted on by under Greater Beyond, Uncategorized

Ship-to-ship communication was re-established, and Raev Sturlusson’s voice asked a question. “Can the Princess tell everyone where we are?”

Turning to look at her, Wendel pushed a button on her console that lit up. Leaning a step into it, Soleil answered, “We are looking at Hirylien, an abandoned planet of the Pan-Galactic Imperium.”

“She is correct, and we are going to land. Harper, follow Trosper.”

Soleil took the button herself to voice a caution. “The surface might still be virulent.”

“If you fall, it will not be to what felled the former residents of this planet. I can ensure our safety. I have not been duplicitous with you; we’re making good on all our chances. It is you who will decide your fate.”