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Outside - The Reflection
:: 01-01-31 ::
Chapter 11: The Beastslayer's Songs
Datlai was awake. The other Limandatt were asleep in the room, barely more than a compartment, which Dolann Kaalel had given to them in gratitude for preparing the Beastslayer. She quietly stood up and walked over to Tasiin, whose rest seemed be haunted. She wondered if the Dream aboard the Mothership was replaying itself. Worse was the possibility that the presence Tasiin had felt had returned.
“What you are going through I cannot imagine,” she whispered. “But for everyone, for me, for yourself, do not let the presence tempt you. Do not leave.”
Datlai could not really tell if her words had any effect on him. He did slightly calmer, but not enough to know for sure. Still, she brushed his face lightly, as much for her comfort as for his.
“Are you still listening?” she asked into the darkness.
“We still listen and watch,” the Bentusi replied. Their voices seemed fewer, quieter. They also seemed closer, as if they were in the room with her.
“You seem weaker.”
“We are few. We lost many distracting from you. The T-Mat tried to bind us so they could find you. We would not let them harm you. We would not be Bound. Those left behind destroyed themselves rather than let the T-Mat harm you. The frigate and nine fighters are all that are with you.”
“Do you feel the presence from Outside?”
“Yes. It claws at his mind. It is more careful, more subtle, and less aggressive this time.”
Datlai’s hand still rested on Tasiin’s face. She let it stroke his cheek.
“There is something else. His mind is Unbound, sometimes even beyond Unbound, but his body is only Bound. It confines him. Soon he will need to become completely Unbound, so he can then grow even further, or life will become too painful.”
“I am not sure I could let him go like that.”
“It need not be letting go. It would require much change. It may be difficult. His mind can still be with yours, though. He must become Unbound soon, for his sake, for everyone’s sake. Perhaps even for your own.”
“For his sake, then, I will.”
“We knew that you would feel that way. We watch over you both. ”
“So you have said.”
*****
The Beastslayer and its immense escort fleet jumped out of hyperspace, about 10000 light years from the T-Mat attack on Galactic Shipyard 0. The Hiigaran and Taiidan ships moved into escort formations, the Bentusi Cargo Barge floating behind the Beastslayer. Newly constructed resource harvesters launched themselves, gathering from nearby dust clouds.
Amid this relatively placid scene, the Beastslayer was readying itself for battle. At its heart, the trans-hyperdrive charged up. In a short span of time, it would be ready to do what the Naggarok had done - go Outside.
*****
“You are going to launch the ship Outside?” Tasiin asked. He sat before Dolann Kaalel, who seemed to think it was the obvious course of action. “There is something there. Something that does not want us there, something that we should not be around.”
“I have been told about that,” Kaalel replied. “Part of the reason the Beastslayer is going is to find out what it is.”
Tasiin felt as if the entire Universe had gone insane. “While we study it, it can study us, destroy us, subvert us, do what it wants with us…the ship. It might try to infect the Beastslayer. ‘Planting a seed on it’ might be a better term.”
“The Beastslayer will be evacuated except for those going Outside. It will jump out, take a few scans, and jump back in, all within 20 seconds. While it is Outside, every known method of stopping or slowing infection will be running. Upon its return, if it has been found that the Beastslayer has been subverted, the fleet will immediately destroy it.”
Still sensing Tasiin’s skepticism, he added, “We have talked it over with the Daiamid, the Taiidan Republic, the other members of the project, and the Bentusi still with us. We agree that we must not let the T-Mat get this ship, especially if we do not know what it does. Much more important than that, though, is the fact that the entity that is Outside unleashed the Beast on the Naggarok, and then on us. There could be more ‘seeds’ out there, capable of annihilating everything we done. Are we going to let it do what it wants without any regret, forever? Do we not owe it to the Universe to at least try to stop it? We do not even have to destroy it, just find a defense against it, or seal it off, even reason with it.”
“I understand,” Tasiin said. “But if we fail, the situation would become much worse.” He stood up, about to leave. “If the Beastslayer goes, so do I.”
“Tasiin, that is unnecessary…” Kaalel began.
“No. I am the one who knows the most about the Beastslayer’s hyperdrive. I am also the only one to have even begun to injure the…presence, entity. I must go.”
Dolann did not even begin to argue again. Instead he said, “If at any time you change your mind, tell us.”
“I doubt it.” Tasiin left.
*****
Tasiin found the others of kiith Limandatt waiting for him when he returned to the room.
“It appears that I am going Outside.”
Datlai stepped up to him. “I am sure you can hold the…it away.”
“It will be much stronger out there. I told you about the Dream with the-”
“-the door. Yes. But Tasiin, nothing is as obvious as it seems. Stepping Outside in your dreams can mean turning your back on everything, as even you once said. I do not believe you would do such a thing.”
“No,” he sighed. “I would not.”
After giving him a few seconds of silence, Datlai began, “There is something else we should discuss. Tasiin, our kiith has been widely scattered since the Landfall. The journey to Hiigara, the survivors joining kiith Manaan, and…you know of…the loss of…Kator Limandatt on the Kuun-Lan to…the Beast…have thinned our numbers. Only 14 of us are still Limandatt. For so long there has been no order in the kiith.”
“You want to reunite the kiith?”
“Perhaps…However, if we are to become a kiith again, we need a leader - a kiith-sa.”
Tasiin did not answer as the others looked expectantly towards him.
“We had Dolann Kaalel give us a chance to talk with the others on Hiigara,” Datlai said.
“I…I do not know if I deserve this.”
“You led us to here,” Kanell Limandatt said.
“This ship was made possible by you,” Naela Limandatt added.
“But have I been true to the kiith’s spirit?”
“You may not believe so. But I know you to be one of us. Your inspiration does not express itself in words, images, or music, but in mathematical truths of the Universe. Your inspiration is at the very center of the Beastslayer. Even if you dream differently, you still dream.”
“Datlai, can we discuss this outsi - in the hall?” Tasiin asked, catching the irony he was about to say before it left his mouth. Without questions or hesitation, they stepped out of the room together.
“I am not sure I can do this,” Tasiin said.
“This will not be completely official until the situation with the Beastslayer calms,” Datlai replied.
“It is not that. It has nothing to do with the kiith. Only that it seems like now that I have decided to stay here - not go through the door - everything is pushing me Outside. Datlai, I never wanted this, this fame, this power, at the expense of myself…”
Datlai looked at Tasiin and then put her arms around him, pulling him close. He let her, even starting to return the embrace.
“I know it seems daunting,” Datlai said. “Pain never lasts forever. Just be patient and do what you can. No one can expect you to succeed in changing the entire Universe. And you will never surrender to Outside. It can take your body and your mind, but not your soul.”
Again, Tasiin did not answer directly. “Yes, if you want me to be a leader of the kiith, I accept.”
“Good,” Datlai replied. With a playful smile, she added, “Kiith-sa.” Upon hearing it, he let himself smile a little.
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