Naero bowed. “Thank you, High Master.”
“I know this cannot have been easy. I know very well how you felt about the Ejjai. How many still do, and with just cause.”
“No, Master. You were right…more than right. Hatred, is a waste of time, effort, emotion, and energy. It often harms the hater, more than the hated. It is better to let go of that, and bring things into greater balance and harmony. I see it all now. We need to fight harder to prevent such things from taking place. No race or species should be enslaved or used in such a fashion. It is the height of wrong, and the mark of evil minds.”
“Agreed. You have worked very hard this second year, Naero. And now I have a little reward for you–for all of your tireless work and relentless effort.”
Naero grinned. “A reward? What are you talking about?”
Master Jo smiled. “Just take my hand, and trust me. Close your eyes, Naero.”
Naero did as he asked. They transported to some place else on Oorrii.
Already she had a strange, heady feeling.
When she opened her eyes, at her first look around in the fading twilight, she thought that she was in the middle of just another patch of thick jungle or forest.
Then she made out the trees. Galu and snoka trees.
She closed her eyes again for a long delicious moment and savored the sweet, cloying aroma of shinga flowers.
As the very first glimmer of dawn flickered on the horizon, joyful voices from Naero’s most cherished dreams and memories sang their song of greeting nearby.
The ancient Kexxian words, laden with gentle power, rang out clearly, just as they had for millions of years.
Sha nii hah, ahluu-nii-haa, mah nah-hii, jah ah-loh, ah-dii!
Then came the song of praise and thankfulness.
Yah-duu Ah Shah Lah! Shah hah lah shah-dae! Yah Jhah Vah Shah-Lae. Ae duu vah. Ae duu vah shah lah!
Naero fell to her knees, placed her face in her hands and wept, sobbing beyond all control.
There were Tua still alive, somewhere in the galaxy. How funny. If she had thought about, it might have just occurred to her that if Master Jo had done his Noah’s Ark thing, that he would surely have an enclave–a place for the peaceful Tua.
Here she had thought them all dead, and herself to blame, especially after the entire planet of Janosha was lost.
Naero rose up eagerly, smiling and wiping her face.
Master Jo grinned pleasantly on his own. “What do you wish to do, Naero? More than anything else right now? Think and decide carefully. It is your choice.”
She did not respond.
Naero did not hesitate.
She was already well-versed in Tua genetics and Biomancy.
Naero changed shape into a Tua approximate with blue-black hair. Her eyes fixed straight ahead, she went forward, to join the Tua as one of them. She wanted nothing less than to be one of them, and share their ways and their love once again.
Deep within her, her heart sang, and she hurried on, waiting for the tribe to take up their next song of wonder.
13
For the next month she became Kali, a young female Tua among that tribe. It was not so rare for individuals from other tribes to wander about looking to find a new place for themselves.
She recalled all that she had known and relearned about the Tua way of life until it all felt natural. Each day was precious to her. She had never known such peace and serenity in all of her life.
Or had she?
Something still troubled her in the back of her mind at times. What had she forgotten? Was it something or someone important? Thinking about the past grew fuzzy and difficult to recall. She was so happy. Why then was her past so troubling to her mind? Why did she continue to suffer from these strange images and dreams?
By then she had proved herself many times over, and she had many handsome suitors.
Why then did that trouble her as well? Love in all its forms was a way of life among the Tua. Why shouldn’t she take a mate herself, and know all of the good things in life? After all, she was a Tua now…
Or was she?
Why did she even think like that? What did now mean? How could she have been something or someone different before? People could not change what they were.
Then the very next day the shining Halaena child appeared in the village, like a little star, walking down the main trail, serene, fearless, and determined.
The Tua lined up, males on one side, females on the other, and they bowed to the shining spacechild in great reverence.
Kali saw the child approaching her like some doom, the girl’s tiny footfalls thundering across the ground as if in slow motion.
Their eyes locked, and Kali gasped, bringing both of her trembling hands to her trembling lips.
Looking into those impossibly blue eyes suddenly made Kali feel as if some great power had hurled a burning stone straight through her chest and hollowed her out.
As the Halaena drew closer, Kali dropped to her knees.
It felt as if her brain and her mind were suddenly on fire. And a voice in her mind called out to her that she had shut out before.
Shetharra. The child’s name was Shetharra. Kali knew that somehow. How did she know that?
Shetharra the little Halaena girl threw her arms Kali, and it was as if a thunderbolt shot through her and drilled her into the very ground.
“Mama, come home to us,” Shetharra told her, holding on so tight.
Naero awoke all at once inside of Kali, like one who had just been blasted through a mountain. The barriers were all down now, and in a moment she perceived all that had passed.
Although she still looked like Kali, she had regained the mind of her base form.
She scooped her oldest daughter into her arms and rose up, carrying her into her hut. “I’m sorry I was gone for so long, my little duck.”
Shetharra continue to plant soft kisses on her mother’s furry face and hold her tight around the neck. “It’s all right, momma. Did you have fun playing with the fuzzy mouse people? They look like they would be fun.”
“Yes, I did, my sweet one. But you’re right, it’s time for me to come home now.”
She put Shetharra down for a bit. There were things to be put right.
Her daughter looked up at her and grinned, twirling slightly from side to side. “Momma. You could make me into a little fuzzy mouse girl, and we could play with them together if you want?”
Naero laughed aloud. “Maybe some day, little duck. Not today. I’ve already been away too long.”
She made a Tua replicant with the proper appearance and imbued it with Kali’s memories and personalities. Naero gave the replicant her Tua clothes and all of her Tua things. Kali would be free to live out her short span of life just like any other Tua, about three decades total.
Naero returned to her base form.
She and her daughter emerged from the hut with Kali. The Tua were very impressed and awed to have two such mighty Halaena among them. Naero explained that her young daughter had wandered into the village, and that they were returning now to the Halaena enclave on Oorrii. They promised friendship and continuing aid and assistance to the Tua. They said that they would visit again soon.
Once the farewells were said, and the proper songs sung, the two Halaena walked into the jungle and got the hell out of there.
Naero met with Khai and Master Jo once back home. She instantly began to apologize, but Master Jo stopped her.
“The fault is not yours, Naero. It was mine for tempting you that way. Both Tess and I felt that it was important for you, as a shapechanger, to experience losing yourself in a form that you found tempting. That will keep you from falling into such trouble again later.”
She thought about that and began to feel very angry.
She quickly handed her daughter over to Khai and rounded on Master Jo. “You knew this was going to happen?”
Master Jo held up both hands. “We thought it might, yet nothing is certain. A
gain, I’m sorry.”
“Sorry?” she fumed. “If my daughter wasn’t here with me, I’d do my level best to kick you into next week, Master or no Master. How’s that for Time Dilation? With both of my feet rammed up your ass! Do you know what you did to me? Do you understand the pain you’ve caused me and will continue to cause me? On into the future? You don’t get it. I wanted to be a Tua. It was wonderful! It was like tearing myself apart coming back out.”
Tess rushed in at that moment. “I heard yelling. I thought you’d be pissed off after you came back out of it. That’s understandable. But please don’t be too hard on Master Jo. We both decided that it would do you good to experience this problem. At least here we could help you get back. What if it happened with you on your own? You’d be lost forever.”
Naero clenched her fists. “I’m still not certain that I shouldn’t kick both of your assess into mush!”
“We probably couldn’t stop you at this point, N. But whether you like it or not, all shifters need to deal with this kind of thing. You have to be able to find a way to bring yourself back out if you get stuck. You won’t always be here on Oorrii under controlled conditions, with help standing by.”
“Well, get the hell away from me before I change my mind. I need to spend some time with my family and get my head straight after all of this. No more rewards. No more setups.”
Naero turned away and stalked off with Khai and Shetharra in tow.
Her recovery took over a week.
Then Master Jo and Den came around, insisting that she take up the last year of her training.
This involved Astral and Interdimensional knowledge, wisdom, and travel.
Master Jo had been her guide into the Astral Plane and other dimensions once before, but that had been a rush job while they were on a mission. They didn’t really have the ability to spend much time exploring and learning the finer points about such things.
Having Den Kurtz with them for Astral and dimensional travel was just as natural and logical as having Tess along for shapechanging.
Den could transform himself into any type of energy being at will.
Den explained how transforming into an astral energy being form automatically transported him to the Astral Plane, without having to go to sleep or into an astral trance. “And because I’m completely in an energy being form, there is no vulnerable physical body to leave behind or protect.”
“Yes,” Master Jo said. “But the increased danger is that if you are attacked and destroyed in the Astral Plane in this form, you are dead and lost forever. Just as a physical being destroyed in the Prime Material Plane can no longer exist in the Astral Plane. Dead is still dead, wherever you are slain.”
Naero had to ask. “How important is the Astral Plane to the Spacer Mystics?” she asked. “Just what is it that I need to learn?”
Master Jo tried to explain. “As a Mystic Master, you must be able to enter and leave the Astral Plane safely, by yourself, and with others if need be. While in the Astral Plane, you must be able to navigate it, learn its expanse and how to deal with, overcome, or defeat its many dangers. You must learn to do all of these things to my satisfaction.”
Naero grunted slightly. “That sounds like a tall order. Tall, but doable. To a degree, I’ve managed to do much of that already. Anything else?”
Master Jo popped to the other side of her, his hands on his hips.
“Naero, as usual, I’m glad you asked. You’re so great with questions, I love that. Akin to matters at hand, you will also need to be able to work with the Dimensional Council.”
“Yeah, I’ve heard of that. The High Masters keep going off to these vital meetings.”
“Naero, you need to know that it changes constantly, and it also constantly gets bigger. It is chaotic and maddening at times, yet there are advanced intelligences out there, some so far away that we will never be able to physically meet with them. They are both from distant galaxies on the other side of the universe, and even from other universes and dimensions entirely.”
“What is so vital about these meetings that the Mystics are always risking their lives and leaving themselves vulnerable for our enemies here? What does it matter so much?”
Master Jo just grinned for a moment, hugging his knees to him while he floated up in the air.
“Are you going to tell me, or just giggle to yourself up there, bobbing around?”
Master Jo burst out laughing. “Knowledge, wisdom, and enlightenment, Naero. A myriad of experiences. Sentients who have faced down similar threats to ours. Some failed, and their galaxies and universes are dying or being destroyed while we do what we do here. We cannot help them now. They made too many wrong choices and are doomed. That is just one chance to learn from the folly and mistakes of others, Naero. Just one. That is not enough?”
“I was just asking to learn. I did not say the Dimensional Council was a waste of time and effort.”
“No, but you implied some of that, and that’s all right. Some skepticism and critical thinking is always helpful. But understand this as well, Naero. In our current situation, from what you have told me and what we now know, the G’lothc are doing everything they can to break out somewhere. They do not care where. And right now it appears that they are finding some success bleeding through the Astral Plane, and then into our own. They are gaining influence, seeking power to use for their ends, and searching for hosts to work their will through, if not house their dark souls.”
He looked Naero right in the eye.
“We have no idea exactly how they are managing these temporary, breakouts, or how to stop them. But they are growing more frequent, lasting longer, and getting worse. Therefore, if these attacks are starting in the Astral Plane, we need to find a way to end them or patch things up so that they can’t attack us from those directions.”
Master Jo and Naero placed themselves into astral trances, while Den felt confident simply going with them in his astral energy form. While in the Astral Plane, they spoke to each other using telepathy. Mindlinks there were super easy, especially if users knew the mind of the person they wished to speak to.
And bonus, it worked across vast distances as well, once you were linked to a person, and in that reality, you could move away or to a sentient you were linked with literally at will–in a flash of thought.
Den took a turn at instruction, not leaving it all to Master Jo.
N, you first need to learn about the numerous dangers in the Astral Plane and others. There are various kinds of what are referred to as feeders, singly or in packs, who directly feed off of the Astral and Cosmic energies of others. Some can be chased off or decoyed easily with attacks or a bit of power shot off into the distance. Others go for the source, and must be fought off or destroyed outright. And some are mindless, while others are actually sentient or partially so.
They went hunting for some of those dangers.
For lures, as in Old Earth fishing, Den and Master Jo used small bundles or pockets of various types of energy in shielded pods to lure in a multitude of feeders.
Some were huge and transparent, like giant, semi-living, gleaming soap bubbles. They could be anywhere from the size of a transport to a city. These energy collectors or feeders ate or gathered energy as they drifted about on the astral currents, either actively hunting or drawn by naturally occurring energy spikes and pockets in the ether.
These are bluugians, Master Jo explained. They are relatively harmless to us. You would have to stay inside the digestive tract of one of them for days at a time for them to even weaken you.
Other feeders were not so innocuous, and many feeders fed on each other whenever possible. Some feeders were in shape, similar to lampreys, eels, and huge, bloated gulpers that looked to be bloated blobs with enormous mouths, hence the term, gulper.
Many of these feeders were translucent, and their glowing insides could be seen, as they fed and digested energy.
There were some that looked like combinations between whales and
squids.
Then there were the pack feeders, such as sparkling glurim, who looked like sparklers crackling when they fed. They were practically invisible, otherwise. Next came waves of shimmering kreth, who had mouths on both ends and attacked in swarms or shoals similar to Old Earth piranha.
Kreth were vicious, and had to be dispersed and shredded by energy blasts before they drained their victims dry of power and left them behind as empty husks.
Malanches were something in shape between an astral manta ray and a large astral shark, with beautiful glowing, elongated tails and fins. They could hunt in mated pairs, small family pods, or large groups. In the latter, they could be quite formidable.
Next there were zippers, feeders that race in at impossible speeds to spear their prey, gobbling up energy, and then blazing away like comets. They could attack singly, or in coordinated showers of them.
That first week, Naero and Om cataloged over a hundred varieties of weird feeders, with various levels of threat to her.
The following week, they began their cautious pursuit and observation of the two major sentient bands of energy feeders in the Astral Plane: the Khalon, and the Rell. These were astral peoples, humanoid energy forms in shape, but with odd heads.
The Khalon had horns, spikes, and boney ridges growing out of their faces and heads. Some of them also had four arms. The Rell had multiple eyes across their odd-shaped skulls, and sometimes what looked to be two necks. They had what at first Naero thought was long glowing hair, but then at closer inspection, it was comprised of prehensile tentacles which they often used to fight with, or even glowing energy tendrils like those of jellyfish, which were also used in battle.
The two races apparently hated each other with a fanatical vengeance, and made war against one another on a regular basis. Thankfully, they were often kept quite busy doing that.
Khalon and Rell also devoured each other as food sources, and anything else that was Cosmic energy–anything that they could capture or kill. They traveled about in glowing, open boats and greater ships of war, sailing upon the astral winds and energy currents. They made their sails and clothing from the flayed astral hides of whatever or whoever they slew. The way of fixing and curing such astral hides was still a mystery to many.
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