Chapter Theme Music: Hold ~ Carbon Based Lifeforms (The Path)
<08/11/149,565 {Avion 148} - 05:49 | Transperation Station 9, Genosis, Altiri Sector Space>
<Karnak to ACS414 Date Equivalent: 08/11/2009>
Before long, that fateful day fell into our laps, and I among the others was a nervous wreck walking. Rose and Lulu helped guide us into the station we would be using for our operation, getting the doors open and the systems checked before going any further.
After walking into the spacious main room of the advanced and clean facility, the others slowed down for a moment, giving myself plenty of time to think and consider what was happening right now. We had docked all of ours ships to the outer mooring bay, and were now entering transperation station #9. This station that floats in space is a holy sanctuary for all of us in Genosis, and there were moments in time where loads of prestigious research was done here.
One of the details Rose wanted to be certain of before we boarded however - was the total absence of all personnel aboard. Unlike all other purges, this one must remain a secret until we can launch our signal. Hiding our attempt is not going to be easy, since the psionic surge of energy is something any Altiri could detect at any range. Luckily, the place was totally abandoned for the cycle, though that will change after today.
This station doesn't require people onboard to run the facility at all times. The station for the most part is not even in operation, especially for its purpose in conducting transperation. The more advanced AGCR system here can run on its own, resistant to errors for far longer than it could in one of our starships. Since transperation is so rare that only eight total attempts over thousands of years have been made, (where only four of which successful), it isn't unusual for this place to be devoid of other Altiri crew. The point is, we're alone in this station, and nobody else knows we're here.
"Remember to keep using our physical voice at all costs until we begin. It's the only way we can hope to shield our planned activity from the queen and her snooping scryers." Sherika only meant to take additional precaution, needing not point out the obvious fact that any Altiri could aim ordinary clairvoyance into this station and see what we were up to at any moment. Optimism requires that such extra detail be unspoken, and I wasn't about to disagree.
After everyone seemed to catch up to us, I waited for Fionne to point out in general where we would have to go. The last time I scanned Georgia, a rare air current had dragged its temperature zones down into the lower forties, and since it should still be before sunrise there, we have time on our side. Even so, I'm more alert and nervous than ever, all fragments of doubt scratching at me from beyond the void I cast it to. I had also never conducted a purge before, so this wasn't going to be easy to hold much confidence to.
"Over there is good," Fionne pointed, addressing our collective attention to the observatory deck in the corner. The place she pointed had several reinforced windows for viewing the outside world directly, right where we could see the reflected light of our star amidst the infinite cosmos, with slight angular view of our ring nebula. That view really will be good for the process, helping us stay focused.
Technically, there is nothing in this facility that is meant to conduct or even help with a purge. All of us can send a purge from our ships or anywhere else, but there is a good reason for coming all the way out here to do this. One element required is our immediate proximity and presence to each other for the psionic amplification aspect. With some of us separated on our own ships, a purge is not possible. We can't all warp onto just one ship, because if we leave the consoles for too long in corral position, the AGCR will need readjustment, causing ever-so-slight microscopic movement of our ships in outer space, which locks us out of the teleportation machines used to get back. Plus, if my studies on this purge process are accurate, this will drain the living hell out of all of us exactly ten seconds following our action, and keep us drained for far too long to pilot a ship safely. Despite the preparation for risk, Talor packed all of us additional water bottles to hold for the time being, the substance set to instantly restore at least part of our lost stamina.
I was as sure as I was ever going to be, and I had all of my sisters on the station with me, preparing themselves for the most challenging day of our lives.
"If ever there is a time to be wary, it is now. Do not make mistakes and ruin the only chance you will get, Lumina." Standing and facing me so closely, I was still somewhat intimidated by her words, as they were a warning not to fail, less I fail myself while dooming all of my sisters in the process.
"I can't thank you enough for pledging to do this with me. I will promise you that this choice will never be in vain, Hurma."
"Tch! It better not be! Why did I even agree to do this in the first place?" Though still locked in vice with doubt, Hurma was here with us as well. Despite the threats and promise she made earlier to not be involved in this purge, she changed her mind in the end to join me. I don't know what in the world possessed her to sacrifice those abilities she cares so much about for something she doesn't think worth effort, but I've never been happier to see her with us now, agreeing to engage in the amplification process with us. Hurma is going to be part of this purge as well.
"That is something that puzzles even myself, but I'm so happy you're on my side. I must still remind you that you have the option to standby and not take part."
"Don't make me feel worse than I already have Lumina. I really was serious earlier, when I said I would leave the Cy-Stars..."
"Well something changed your mind, I reckon."
Hurma didn't look me in the eyes anymore, uncertain of the reasons herself. "I don't know really. Joining your purge was the most difficult choice I've ever had to make. I can't seem to stop you, and I certainly don't want to leave you forever either... I don't know why I'm doing this Lumina. Maybe it's only because I love you and Talor that much, that I just don't have what it takes to abandon you. Or, maybe I'm curious to see what will happen. I know that physical interference in that world is not possible, but if all of this somehow goes south because Reed turns you away, I'll make it my personal mission to ensure he wishes death on himself through my voice alone, however I have to do it."
So she threatens to destroy Reed instead of put any shame or harm to me? I'm just glad I don't have to worry about such a thing; I am too sure he will never turn out to be the heathen Hurma despises so much.
Derria snapped her fingers before us both, directing our attention to the others collecting at the observatory deck. "I'm overjoyed that Hurma is helping us out as well, but I need remind you that we are on a very short time table here. This station will only be abandoned for no more than another cycle or two, and once we run out of time, there may not be a second chance."
"Right, I'm joining you now." I couldn't fight back the smile in me, anticipating what I've been wanting to do for so long a time now, and I nodded by head to the direction for Hurma, ensuring she would follow us.
Derria is right to be cautious about our time too. Even though we can still send a purge if one is not already sent, sneaking onto this station is not going to go unnoticed for long. Once the Royal Scryers realize what we are up to, if we back out of the choice to purge, then all telepathic eyes will be locked onto us suspiciously. In a convoluted way, this really might be our one and only chance to get this right.
After I reached the others, who were all gathering themselves in a specific circle of linked arms, with myself facing the closest window, all of us began first with the instructional phase, to remind all of us what we needed to do, how we needed to do it, and how long we needed to take. Fionne led us off first. "Listen up everyone. We've all studied how to send a purge extensively, and while Lumina will be our main sending node, we all must support her with precision energy, precision timing, and precision processing. One false move, and it could kill any one of us. If anyone needs another refresher on exactly what to do and when to do it, speak up now."
"..."
"I'll take that silence as good news. We're all here today, not as the Cy-Stars aggressor group, but together as sisters, to send and aid in the purge process for Lumina, targeting individual human, designation Reed. Since we are going through with this purge without prior approval, we can only assume fierce consequences will follow us afterwards, but we will have accomplished our goal, and Lumina will meet one on one with the person she desires to, regardless of those consequences. Lumina? Knowing even this is something we must face as a team, are you still willing to proceed?"
Nervous as I was, I was also more certain about myself than I've ever been in my whole life. I won't forgive myself if I don't purge Reed and try to change at least one person's life for the better. "I am. Once this is all over, I'll do my absolute best to mitigate all of the blame from this onto myself, to keep you girls out of prison, if they try to impose this as punishment. Even from a jail cell, I will be complete, so long as I may connect with Reed, as no Altiri has the power to stop telepathic connections from distant worlds."
Everyone in the room stood silent briefly, hesitant to the light of my promise, unsatisfied with the idea of allowing me to take full blame for all of this. "Very well," Fionne concluded. "In that case, we shall begin the ascension, followed by our concentration aura. Lumina? You must focus all your thoughts on Reed specifically during the process, as well as the process itself, with perfect balance. We will invoke the sacred chant to synchronize our efforts during the ascension. Is everyone ready to begin?"
At once, we all replied verbally that we were ready. From here on out, we would need to switch our dialogue to telepathic channels, to intensify the effect of all our feelings, merging and mixing together during the ascension phase. We waited only two minutes in passive energy collection before beginning together as one!
Chapter Theme Shift: NORTH ~ (Shamanic)
With no further delay, I led myself and my sisters to ascension, channeling our psionic energy back into ourselves, becoming self-aware and mirroring every ounce of thought, sensation, emotion, and resolve in all of us. Like a magical crystal pillar, everything we were spun around us in an invisible light, most beautiful to our minds. We maintained this pattern for a while, building up our collective psionic energy, higher and higher.
"The moment is upon us, sisters. Gather every thought that makes you strong, and concentrate on my energy." On my command, the uncertain shape of this building energy surrounding us became much stronger with the help of my sisters. Even though this was only the beginning, there was much more amplification to be had. This much psionic energy is very easy to sense and detect at range, something we have always been masters of.
At last, every thought I've ever had about Reed began to surface within me, as I had to balance my thoughts between him and my sisters, as well as this psionic data field. The very core purpose of my mission must be realized now! I'm using this information to my advantage, to send Reed the awakening he must inherit, to hear us all, to sense us all, and to understand a world beyond his own. We shall all beg of his astral ears at once; we shall all beseech his ability to feel all of us!
With everyone standing together in a circle, our hands all clasped and linked together with our eyes shut and our minds opened, it was a burdensome already to concentrate on this purge, but every one of us showed no weakness, and Derria was up next, to begin the sacred chant of our ancestors. "Our minds awaken, our souls linked. Hear the voices of our clan! Take our extensions we offer beyond!"
Loud and clear, Derria only set an initial tone for the rest of us to follow. Junko was up next, followed by Sherika. "Our energy builds, but only for one. We deliver all we are, until our power is none."
"Sense the music of our existence, our memory, our intelligence, our personality. Ignore the false boundary that holds us back, and realize all beyond ourselves!"
In turns, the rest of continued, Rose speaking before Fionne and Ashiela, following our perfect circle of harmony, all while building our energy to new heights. "In the name of our only purge, to the tune of our love, feel our hearts! Sense our souls beyond the skies and the stars!"
"Our sacred purge shall possess your mind, your thoughts, and your entire personality, until you become awakened like us, until you become alive!"
"Inherit our power. Deliver our consciousness onto your own, mapped as though our senses are yours."
Though I would have a bit more to add later, it was now my turn to continue the chant, and build my energy higher. I could already feel my pulse rising, by body trembling in the vibrations of our invisible hymn. "We are the signal you have been destined for! You cannot hear us yet, but you will think from us, until our minds may become one!"
Next it was up to Hurma and Talor, who would be followed by Derria, Lulu, and Luna. "Our purge shall be your guidance. Let it through; allow this to control every part of you. Do not dare resist!"
"Our voices will be heard; embrace them. Embrace everything we sing!"
"The gates of reality open! The boundaries of thought are shaken up by consciousness. We are alive! We are awake!"
"This is our call, to bring your awareness into our world. Impart our experiences, so that both our realities may overlap."
"Echoes and signals carry our hearts. Beyond the outer rim of perception, time vacates; space unwinds; energy seeps; reality redefines."
"Our eyes awaken! Our voice shall be heard! Feel our pulse in a world of infinity! All shall hear us, in time!" At last, it was at this point where our resonation of energy was stretched to its greatest potential, and where I would need to inherit the rest of the process, concentrating more of my thoughts on Reed and of the purge reaching him. My sisters were now silent with their voice, though helped me in amplifying this purge to its rightful level, certain as it would be to reach him from across the universe. "Reed! Hear my voice, feel thy heart. I call out to you, knowing you will feel us all. Accept this purge from me! Accept my feelings towards you. I know you will sense us, and I will be here for you, always!"
At the peak moment, I did what I was supposed to, filtering our psionic fields through myself alone, blasting all of this collected energy outward into a singular, fixed location I've already memorized before. Every thought from be turned to one singular purpose and vision. Learn of me Reed. Learn of us and let my purge teach you telepathy, please! My desperation went with this purge, and in a singular moment, every nerve in my body awakened so strongly, I felt I could fly from the floor.
About a nanosecond later, all inside me tingled and weakened, while I began to feel the exhaustion of my mind soon after. The pulse which sent out signal through was instant in deliverance, a power nearly exceeding my every capacity of all consciousness, and I felt the same resonate between my crew simultaneously. I knew then, at last, that our work here was already completed.
With our purge signal sent to Reed directly, in a matter of seconds, he should instantly feel our influence from across the stars, realizing at last that there is much more to the world around him. If he is asleep, this shall waken him with intense passion. If he is awake, this signal shall infuse all we are into his mind directly, even should it take a long time. Our successful launch of the purge was as easy to confirm as ever, and now, we have made a choice we can never go back from. "We have done it," I cheered.
"That was still..." Lulu merely meant to express how difficult it was to pull off such a challenge, but the weight of her words escaped her seconds later, after a submerging and overwhelming lightheadedness took over, for all of us at the same time, inciting a warning from Derria.
"Here comes the drain! Everyone drink your water now!" Even as Derria decreed her warning, it was already too late to act on it. Every last one of us quickly dropped to the floor like dead-weight mannequins, our minds clouded and our heads pressurized beyond ordinary comprehension.
I too was vulnerable to the intense psionic drain crashing onto me from above, its weight pulling me to the metal floor stronger than any gravity, compelling me not to move, though I tried and tried to struggle, reaching for the closed water bottle I let slip from my hand. If only I could drink some, I would feel slightly better, given time.
Everyone of us who spoke sounded as if their lungs were being crushed, and Junko pointed out the reasons why. "This drain might actually kill us if we don't replenish ourselves quickly. Fight it sisters! Fight the urge to rest and drink you water."
I followed by her example of course. After seeing Junko in her epic struggle to merely sip up in a broken slump, I too convinced myself I had enough in me to drink this purified water, its freshness brought to us from Karnak, our thirst evidence of its linkage to psionic energy. With enough struggle in the minutes that followed, I too managed to drink enough to sustain myself from the pressing danger of passing out, though the sensation of dizziness and weakness refused to leave us. "Nobody panic. Take it slow and drink."
After more minutes passed, with everyone recovering just enough strength not to pass out on the spot, it became clear to all of us that our entire ability to move, let alone stand upright was diminished, and would be for far longer than anticipated. Hurma shared her concerns with most impatience. "This isn't good Lumina." Hurma, even speaking in her mental voice could not hide her elevated breathing from the workout she so clearly underestimated. "I'm too wiped out to move. It feels like I might be forced into a sleep if this continues."
"You must be cautious of your thoughts Hurma. Psionic strain is nothing to joke around with. If you sleep now, you might not wake up after given the risk of coma."
"That is not my first concern, Derria. If we don't recover fast enough, they'll come for us. They'll find us in this state. They'll..." Hurma's nervous voice trailed off, her eyes shifting with her vision seeing double.
I of course knew of this risk and concern. It's only a matter of minutes now before the source of our powerful signal is traced down to this facility. If the Royal Scryers send a boarding party to take us in, we may not resist in our current state. "Do not exhaust any more of your strength Hurma. It doesn't appear we can do anything about this. The drain of a purge is even more powerful than we all anticipated... Our lives are more important than our fear. If they take us, I will make certain none of you bare the blame."
"Lumina," Talor called in such a weak voice. "I can fight this need for sleep no longer."
"You must drink Talor... I..." Even I was losing consciousness in the same way. Despite all promise I made to keep myself from fading out, I along with most of my sisters were powerless to stop this advance, even after drinking our water. What happens to us next is a future I may not know, despite all of my planning. "I can't... keep my eyes open..."
Rendered powerless, all I could do now is hope and trust that everything will be okay. I have more lives than one to protect now, for Reed, and for my sisters, who I'll always be so proud of. I want to fix everything right now, but instead, I must rest...
