They’d ordered food, and eating did help me a little, but I mainly wanted a dark place to curl up in, and only half paid attention to Ruuel describing the results of the visualisation – not looking at the log file he shared at all – until he started pointing out details in the ghostly image overlaid on Selkie’s office which he hadn’t mentioned but which were in the museum he’d been describing. And something which he didn’t remember being there. Not to mention that the things he had described were exactly correct.
"We will obtain a current log of the museum for comparison," Selkie said. He paused a beat, then added to me: "Attempting to use this ability to see your own world would be crass stupidity."
Guess I’d been looking too obviously delighted. "Probably," I agreed, reluctantly. "Will stay away from trying to visualise Earth until have better idea of limits. Dream visualisation I had night before last of sheep was set on Muina though. And one with origami cranes was Earth building. Possibly all the energy isn’t in the looking but the reproducing."
"Either way, you will limit visualisations to controlled experiments until further notice. Knowledge of the expansion of these abilities remains restricted to the assigned squads. For the short term, the other events of today are wholly restricted, even within your squads."
He brought Isten Notra into channel with us then, and she gave us a very cheerful run-down of the content of the Nuran history.
"What this book primarily gives us is confirmation of certain assumptions, and a timeline, but also a few discoveries," she said. "The author was not directly involved in the creation of the Pillars, but details her memories of the project from the time it was first proposed by a group called House Dayen. The major revelation is that stabilising travel through deep-space was only a fortuitous additional benefit, while their primary goal was the aether, which was intended to power what is termed as great devices. There was considerable debate between the controlling houses regarding the risks, and it was the unexpected support of a House Zolen which saw the project move forward. The author notes that during the period of construction, House Zolen also built a number of insufferably proud underground dwellings, which is almost certainly a reference to the Arenrhon installation.
"The Pillars project was considered a resounding success until gates began to tear between real-space and near-space. Ionoth became an immediate issue, and after numerous attacks House Dayen created the Ddura using one of these great devices. The disaster followed only five days later. First, news of an attack by unknowns on House Dayen, swiftly followed by loss of contact with Kalasa. And reports were received from those within sight that a wound had appeared on Daman, which is one of the names for the Muinan moon.
"Nurioth and Teklata fell silent within hours of Kalasa. Most of what the author terms focus towns were not responding, but one reported that the platforms had ceased to work, and instead stung any who touched them. Those settlements still with mind-speakers shared what little knowledge they had, and there was considerable argument as to whether the Ddura were responsible, as the Ddura cannot access Kalasa, and that was the city which fell first. Within a day of Kalasa’s loss, as more and more voices fell silent, a decision was made to flee."
Isten Notra paused, then added: "What remains gives us some more detail on the methods used to access deep-space, and protect a sizeable town’s worth of refugees from the aether and Ionoth encountered."
"Thought aether came from platform towns, not deep-space," I said, finding that the more my headache receded, the harder it was to stay awake.
"Indeed," Isten Notra said. "Our observations have certainly shown that aether is generated on Muina. Whether all the aether encountered in the Ena is that same aether is yet to be ascertained."
"How much does this change?" Maze asked.
"In the short term, nothing. The information about the Arenrhon installation usefully establishes that it was not part of the Pillars project, but does not explain its actual purpose. Perhaps it is one of these great devices. But much of the book merely establishes a timeframe and order for information we already have."
"And leaves open the question of why this Inisar of Nuri has been forbidden to speak, yet chooses to pass this on," Ruuel said, and I thought this a fair point, but was too busy falling asleep to even hear the response.
I woke in my apartment – on the window seat, not in the bedroom, and all neatly tucked up. I’m guessing it was Maze who brought me back, but would he know I needed to sleep in the window seat at the moment?
Isten Notra had sent an email with the first few pages of the book translated, and I suppose that fact that they’re leaving the translation to her for the moment is a demonstration of the current level of secrecy. I guess that’s to protect Inisar, since there was a possibility the Nurans had spies on Tare. The history book becoming public knowledge would basically be a statement to the Nurans that Inisar had betrayed them. I find it more than uncomfortable to not be able to talk about this to the rest of First Squad or Fourth Squad, but I’ll make sure to keep my mouth shut.
I’ve been switched to the same shift as Fourth Squad, with all my appointments being weapons training in the morning and Sights training in the afternoons, with a little physical training wedged in between. And in another week it’s back to Muina, so it’s obvious they’ve decided to use me to find Kalasa. First, Second, Third and Fourth will all be part of the same mission.
Just now I’m more worried about six nights of coping with the problems in my head, than anything a whole week away on Muina.
Friday, June 6
Keszen Point Warehouse
No dreams last night. Nor yesterday after the meeting. Not that I can remember, anyway. I’m not quite ready to relax, but I’m starting to hope.
One thing about switching to the later shift is that I’m awake when The Hidden War premieres each week, although I’m not going to make the mistake of watching it with company again. Last night’s episode was mission-focused and action oriented, except for the last ten minutes or so when Nori, the main character, is called to a testing chamber and – along with the godly-good and lusted-after-by-everyone captain of Squad Emerald – tests the newly-discovered enhancement talents of the wide-eyed and kittenish stray. Then Nori was assigned to give the stray some basic combat training and baby-sit her.
I don’t think it’s a good thing to have a link made between Zan and the main character. Nori’s not her squad’s captain, and doesn’t look at all like Zan, but just like Zan (so far as I can tell) she’s painfully and secretly devoted to the godly-good and lusted-after-by-everyone senior captain. And I bet Zan’s going to get all sorts of smirky comments from that bitch Forel thanks to that. I debated contacting her, but I figure Zan was going to be taking a firm attitude of indifference toward anything on The Hidden War, and that there was no need to add my voice to the crowd. But I’ll make sure to try and chat with her in the next few days.
This morning’s shooting practice went much better, since I’d actually had some rest beforehand and wasn’t distracted by any imminent meltdown. I’m still terrible at knowing one of the targets is sneaking up behind me – since they’re not alive my brand-new people detector doesn’t help at all – but I’m getting better at remembering to check occasionally. I still miss moving targets 99% of the time.