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Outside - The Reflection
:: 01-01-31 ::
Chapter 20: Bright One
Outside felt the quantum waveforms in its being change. The undulations pulled on the entity, shifting its attention. Outside’s thoughts resided on many scales of time - from flickers in spans so short that they were little more than the normal froth of activity in the vacuum to slow, ebbing tides that took millennia to complete.
Now, however, Outside’s thoughts focused on a particular scale of space-time. The wavefunctions were parting to reveal another entity.
The bright one.
Come.
The Bright One was…bright. Outside had never in its long life, from the decay into universes of the perfect symmetry of Nothing itself onward, sensed anything remotely like the bright one. There were differences - the Bright One still had a flicker mind at its very core and merely used space-time as a place to reside, whereas space was the very essence of the entity. Nonetheless, the Bright One was by far the closest entity to Outside, ever.
Come.
The one who had caused the entity pain was with it, Outside.
Come.
Outside coalesced around the Bright One.
Come.
*****
The Beastslayer’s trans-hyperdrive propelled Tasiin Outside. The waveforms began to calm. The song of Tasiin’s creation faded out, replaced by the familiar murmur of Outside.
Outside surrounded Tasiin. It was already pulling on him, luring him. Tasiin held onto normal space and set up precautionary measures, activating the gravity well defense conjured up days ago and taking care to hide Datlai’s thoughts from Outside. He felt the gravitational waves accompanying its thoughts, much like those accompanying his own.
Outside, he finally said.
You have come, Outside replied. We have been waiting.
I will not join you.
With what seemed like a sigh, the entity replied, We are patient. No one can harm us while we wait. Only entropy slows us down. You wish to join - we sense it. It has always been at your core. Tasiin felt Outside trying to pull on him.
No. He felt a slight flash of pain reflect from Outside, causing it to flinch for the briefest of moments while he set up mental defenses. Outside quickly returned.
Yes. Do not lie to yourself. We have been watching over you. We see all in the universes. You we see clearly.
*****
Datlai could not tell what was happening between Tasiin and Outside. The ship held still in the infinitely dark void displayed on the viewscreen. The holographic displays Tasiin had set up for her had faded out when the Beastslayer had jumped. There was nothing that told of any danger, nor any way of knowing if Tasiin was even alive.
Except…there was something wrong about Outside. Datlai could not name it. She simply felt…there was something very, very wrong about Outside, that she should not be there, that no one should be there. What had been uneasiness before the jump had turned into fear.
Beyond that, Datlai also felt something else - like whispers too quiet to discern, flashes of light just beyond her field of vision. Datlai almost, but not quite, could imagine what was happening. To her, the confrontation appeared vague, distant.
“Tasiin,” she whispered.
There was no reply.
“If you are still listening - and I do not doubt that you are - “ Her words hung in the air as what she was about to say escaped her, leaving her only with the fear, something which seemed so ancient, but still appropriate. For a moment, she felt frozen, unable to think of any way to phrase what she was thinking.
She forced herself to focus, saying anything she could.
“Tasiin, Outside may…say it understands you. But it doesn’t understand…completely. Neither do I…yet we still have shared so much. Don’t be tempted.”
Datlai wanted to say far more, but could find no other words. She stared into the darkness of Outside, hoping to see a sign.
“Stay with me. Please…”
*****
No.
The Bright One had gained a flicker of energy and will. Outside could not discern its cause, although it knew something had happened. The entity sent out small portions of its mind to watch the Bright One for any clue as to what was driving it.
You always have wanted this. Your kind never understood you. Yet you resist.
No, the Bright One replied defiantly. I never wanted death upon them. I wanted to be alone, not a murderer. The Bright One tried to push away Outside, causing no major harm but nevertheless giving a slight pain.
You would have let your universe die, Outside said. It noticed the Bright One stopped resisting, freezing up. You would have assisted us by inaction. Part of you would even have been glad for what we had done. You know that. You even are admitting it to yourself.
Outside carefully watched the Bright One. The Bright One was turning inwardly, fear consuming it. Gravitational ripples filled the vicinity as the Bright One tried to consider, to speak, to do anything. Outside knew it had touched something deep inside the Bright One. Both knew Outside was right. We understand you. We would be accepting of you.
The Bright One seemed to be circling around its ship. Anguish and turmoil permeated through the space around the Bright One. Outside was not without any sympathy, though. Outside reached out to the Bright One. Come.
Instead the Bright One recoiled, retreating from the entity. It tried desperately to say anything. No…if you…understand me so well…then why is it so hard…for you to convince me to…join you?
Outside considered for a moment. It was, in fact, surprised with the Bright One’s amount of sheer determination. Something was opposing Outside, something subtle, but powerful to the Bright One. Outside could feel it, and for the briefest moment it could sense…something. But, Outside was infinitely patient.
You must convince yourself this is right. You do not understand yourself. We are patient.
The Bright One was quiet for a moment. It seemed to be huddling around its very core, holding onto its innermost self. Outside did not force the Bright One to do anything. Its will would not easily break. Instead Outside only needed the Bright One’s attention, which it had, to reassure the Bright One with its glow.
Slowly, carefully, the entity reached through, beyond the Bright One. The Bright One still held onto its center, watching. Outside extended itself through the bridge the Bright One was creating.
What are you doing? The Bright One asked. It was still uncertain, however seemed to be regaining some of its former strength.
Learn, Bright One.
*****
The Bentusi Tradeship’s ion cannons arced across space, tearing into the T-Mat Mothership. T-Mat weapons impacted on its hull, scarring the ship. The Bentusi vessel nonetheless focused on the Mothership, joining its fire with the other Council ships.
But, a sense of uneasiness fell upon the Bentusi. They paused, as well as the T-Mat, and indeed all of the Unbound races present. There is something very wrong here…a presence… Quickly uneasiness turned into terror as recognition set in.
Outside is here.
The Tradeship stopped, its innermost part restructured in moments by a torrent of gravity waves, parts of the interior distorted beyond any recognition, twisted into a perverse construct of organic material, matter, and electrical currents. A set of nanotechonological entities, shocked from their unceremonious birth, hungry for knowledge, and desperate to rejoin what they once were a part of, consumed the Bentusi ship from the inside out, tearing through the hull at incredible speed.
“We are being devoured…devouring us…cannot be…are Unbound…will not…tearing at us…will not be Bound…” The Bentusi lost coherence as the spawn of Outside raced through the ship. Ships of all Unbound races turned to fire on the Tradeship, trying to stop the infection from spreading to other ships. The Bentusi on that ship began losing contact with one another as the entity spread, leaving only isolated pockets intact.
*****
Tasiin had sent a part of himself to watch what Outside would do. For a few moments he did not believe that Outside would…for a significant fraction of a second, Tasiin was shocked. He did not understand why Outside would think its demonstration would cause him to finally give in.
Tasiin shook himself out of his inward retreat, and focused his thoughts on the universe, on the Bentusi. He felt the presence of Outside’s creation, endlessly hungry, consuming a Bentusi ship. Only a few Bentusi remained, and they seemed…ravaged, weary, and fearful…until they recognized him.
They barely seemed capable of speech or thought anymore, the approaching entity robbing their abilities from them. Instead, Tasiin felt a warm glow from the Bentusi. They sensed him and were taking solace from him. Slowly, the last of them began to fall.
Tasiin knew that he could not undo what Outside had done by this point. It was too late for this ship…but not for anyone else.
He withdrew from what he knew must be done. For the briefest time, he could not bear to kill this group of Bentusi, even if it meant saving everyone else. Quickly, though, Tasiin forced himself to approach the ship.
If Datlai was not here, but stayed on one of the ships-, he thought.
Tasiin reached into the core of the once-Bentusi ship. He sent the final Bentusi feelings of respect and gratitude, as if bowing before them. Then, Tasiin, with his limbs of gravity, accelerated the reactions in the subverted engines of the vessel, driving them far beyond self-sustainment, far beyond the Tradeship was meant to handle.
A final outcry of pain radiated outward, this time from the entity who had been created by Outside, and a final feeling of triumph glowed from the Bentusi, as the Tradeship was consumed by plasma.
By then, however, Tasiin had moved to confront Outside. The Bentusi had been one of his few companions, second only to Datlai. For a moment, emotion overpowered him, rage filling him. A torrent of gravity lashed out from Tasiin, powered not just by the Beastslayer, but seemingly from the space around Tasiin. Waves of immense energies raced through Outside.
As Tasiin’s anger and grief faded, though, he realized Outside was replying…in pain. He heard what was like a scream fill Outside, a shriek of one who was injured severely.
You…have…hurt...us! Outside cried out, as if it did not believe such a thing was even possible.
Tasiin, to a small extent, felt pity for Outside. It had miscalculated, gone too far, and for the first time ever, was being punished and humbled. Outside simply couldn’t understand what was happening.
We do not want to harm you, Tasiin said to Outside. We want to leave you alone, as you want to be left alone. We have received only grief and pain from here. We will not come here again, if you do not harm us again. Stop placing your essence on ships - stop releasing monsters on us. Do not let your punishment spread to anyone else.
Outside’s response was uncertain, but nonetheless clear. They do not understand us like you do. They would kill us, if they could. We cannot let that happen. We must destroy them before they destroy us.
*****
“Datlai.”
Tasiin’s holographic image reappeared on the bridge.
“Tasiin?” Datlai asked with hope.
“I am still here.”
Datlai simply smiled.
“Do not worry…your presence helps me, and means much to me.”
“Anything for my kiith-sa,” Datlai replied. She said it without the usual humor, suddenly feeling distant. Datlai looked up into Tasiin’s eyes and added, “I love you, Tasiin.”
There was a slight, but noticeable pause.
Tasiin replied, “I love you.”
*****
Come to us.
“Stay with us.”
Tasiin recognized the doorway he stood in. His Bound body comfortably held his mind, as it always did. On one side was the infinite emptiness of Outside, appearing malevolent, yet tempting, its thoughts resembling his. On the other side was Datlai, pulling on his hand, demanding of him the impossible, but caring deeply about him.
One who understood him against one who loved him.
Come, enticed Outside.
“Stay,” pleaded Datlai.
Tasiin did not reply. He simply stood in the doorway, eyes closed, refusing to do anything. “Have I come so far and yet I am still tormented by this…?” he asked after what seemed like an eternity of waiting.
Datlai took a step towards him. “Tasiin, you have come very far.”
Tasiin felt Outside coalesce near him.
But you have always avoided this. Time is consuming us. You must choose.
Tasiin looked into the darkness of Outside. For the first time ever, he wanted to laugh at it. “So, if I simply wait, time will consume all of us and I do not have to be forced either way.”
“Time here is not necessarily what it usually is. There is no way out of this, Tasiin, even though it’s painful.”
We have been gentle so far. We can force you to choose.
“Not choosing is still a choice,” Tasiin asserted.
Suddenly, he felt as if he had gone too far. Tasiin could not move, could not resist, could not think. Something binded him, forcing him to watch.
This is what the others did, Outside said.
Tasiin watched Kharak burn with infinite detail. The fireball from the Imperial weapon consumed the proud cities, melted the great deserts instantaneously into glass, evaporating the polar seas into convecting froth of steam. Thousands of his kiith, the kiith he now led through accidents of chance and fate and time, the kiith he had turned his back on in that distant past, perished in one great moment of grief. The firestorm tore into the seemingly ancient place where he and Datlai dreamt of the future, devastating the landscape, turning the clear skies dark with smoke and ash and debris and steam and grief and sadness. Tasiin could not help but cry.
“But this is what it did,” Datlai replied.
Tasiin, still sobbing over the image of Kharak burning, now had a new vision. A proud Hiigaran carrier, which had survived years of service, battled with a small Beast fleet, its gun easily tracking the outnumbered Strike Craft. The carrier turned, preparing for an attack run on the lone frigate - the Beast Motheship hyperspaced in directly behind the carrier. The infection beam tore into the Hiigaran ship, sending it tumbling, Tasiin reading the name he already knew was there - the Caal-Shto. The Beast, desperate to mimic its creator, rampaged through the ship, consuming it. The crewmembers, from the most experienced veterans to the most innocent crew found themselves being devoured, physically and mentally. The image focused on one crew member particularly - one who was once part of Tasiin’s kiith - who cried out in pain, anguish, then finally in vain for his friend on Hiigara who did not love him as she still loved Tasiin and unconsciously grieved for losing Tasiin, who occasionally would cry out in her dreams not his name, but Tasiin’s…
The image was just as powerful as the preceding one. Tasiin felt some of the paralysis release and he fell, sobbing, grieving for the past. Both Outside and Datlai stared at him, their gazes reaching into the deepest, darkest corners of his mind.
“Stop this!” Tasiin cried out. “Stop!”
Decide.
“I don’t want to! I never wanted to-”
“Often we must decide that which we fear most.”
Stop this torment, Tasiin thought, as if he was saying it. I do not want to harm you, he thought towards Outside. I love you, he added to Datlai. Is that not enough?
Come.
“Stay.”
*****
Outside watched the Bright One now with a curiosity as the entity slowly recovered from its injury. In reality, the Bright One’s vision had lasted only a few nanoseconds, but to the Bright One, a much greater time had passed.
We saw that, Outside said. We know your thoughts. We are not that harsh. We accept you.
The Bright One showed signs of uneasiness. It once again tried to retreat inwardly. The Bright One was deeply troubled by the fact that Outside had seen its subconscious thoughts.
Outside had learned about the Bright One’s source of will from its vision. Outside slipped through the Bright One’s defenses, peering near the core of the Bright One, finding -
A flicker life.
Outside was disturbed by it. But the mind was in the Bright One’s vision as Outside had been. Somehow, the other mind was driving the Bright One.
A flicker life, Outside finally repeated, broadcasting the thought to the Bright One.
The Bright One paused shortly before replying, Not just a ‘flicker life’-
Outside let its attention drift away from the Bright One’s words. Flicker life. It summoned all of its strength, concentrating immense energies. Flicker life, it dwelled. Then Outside rushed inwards, to plant its essence on the Bright One’s ship. Flicker life.
*****
Datlai looked into Outside, feeling only the uneasiness that accompanied it, knowing something was happening.
Suddenly, she shuddered as a series of voices and images flashed through her mind, and subsequently felt a chill.
“Datlai,” Tasiin said.
“Yes?” she asked, trying to recover some of herself. There was something that disturbed her, though…
“Outside tried to part of itself here.”
“And it failed,” Datlai finished for him.
“I blocked Outside.”
Datlai smiled wanly, distantly. She looked at Tasiin’s face, analyzing it concernedly. Tasiin seemed like he was about to drift away, when Datlai finally voiced what she had felt in the last few seconds, something that was growing stronger.
“You had the Dream, didn’t you?”
Tasiin answered with silence.
“Tasiin…” she finally said. “I can…hear…your thoughts…”
They looked at each other with distant, yet understanding expressions. Neither could really find anything else to say. Somehow, they felt it was more appropriate not to disturb the moment of closeness anyway.
*****
We have failed, Outside cried, nearly moaning. Do you not understand? The others are indifferent to us. We cannot let them continue; we cannot let them harm us.
Not all of the others want to harm you, Tasiin replied.
All who have come here, other than you, wished to harm us. All wished we did not exist. All wish to harm us.
Tasiin sighed. No. It does no good to listen to all of the others, to the infinity of voices. What matters about the others is the one voice, one mind who cares for you, the one who…understands you…loves you.
He felt that Datlai was warmed by what he had said. She had only heard the basic meaning with none of the subthoughts or subtleties that accompanied each moment of conversation with Outside. Still she had grasped the most important parts of the message and approved.
Outside seemed to consider what he had said for a long moment.
You…are…that one. You are an echo of us.
Tasiin felt angst from that last statement. He realized that Outside may very well have been fueling, or at least triggered, his growth to a beyond Unbound mind. All of the pain and grief and sadness from the last weeks, perhaps because of Outside…
Tasiin tried not to react. But, instantly whatever remnant of his calmness broke apart, dissolving into nonexistence. Gravity waves rippled out from the Beastslayer. He knew Datlai would hear it as the sobbing it was. Her mind tried to console his by attempting to encompass his sadness and tiredness, trying to warm to cold reaches of his heart. But, try as she did, Datlai could not help Tasiin and instead fell into his own despair.
Tasiin forced himself to speak even as part of his mind reached to comfort Datlai, as Outside watched. I do not want to harm you. But I am never going to join you. You wish for me to join, but then there really would be no other. You would be alone. And then you would have an excuse to kill everyone else. But it is not a valid excuse. It is not justice for what has happened to you at the hands of others. It is simply hate. You are inflicting more pain than you are the victim of… Tasiin let his words hang, echoing throughout Outside.
Outside receded from Tasiin, introspectively contemplating. During the pause, he hovered near Datlai, who was unsure about what the situation meant. Tasiin gazed wearily at Outside’s core. The murmur of its thoughts that filled all universes was subdued to faint whispers.
No! Outside finally exclaimed. It was crying out not to him or his words, but to all of existence.
A set of memories came to Tasiin.
Outside was slowly becoming increasingly tortured by its few encounters with others. The ships from the very few universes with life would come and futilely try to attack. Outside wearily defended itself, growing numb to the destruction of the attackers. It tried to ignore the others, largely, passing the millennia away with the vast, deep melodies of its thoughts.
However, a few would not let Outside be. Their ships, dark as the void between galaxies, as much art as technology, far advanced beyond most, came Outside. First they came individually, then in pairs, in fours, eights, by the dozens, as their beyond-Unbound pilots launched a war against Outside. Beams of focused gravity waves emerged from the ships, absorbed easily by Outside, who arranged for the ships’ destruction.
Finally, the annoyance Outside felt grew into a full-fledged hatred, as that race launched a massive assault. Thousands of ships jumped Outside, firing their gravitational weapons. Their technology created a bridge like Tasiin was using, if far cruder, so that more ships could come. Outside tore the fleets apart, the ships imploding under extreme gravity. Outside’s wrath scathed through the vessels, dissolving apart their atoms and absorbing the debris into its being. Then, when Outside had won, it decided to stop the next wave before it could start. It reached down the bridge, observing the warriors who plotted to do more; planning to gain a victory in the war. The entity would tolerate no more.
Outside changed the physical constants of this universe in a tiny bubble. Tasiin recognized it from his life as a physicist as collapse of the vacuum - unstoppable, infinitely destructive, and unknowable until it was too late. The bubble expanded through that universe at the speed of light. It destroyed all matter in its path. The warring race was completely obliterated when the front arrived at their homeworld and colonies, dissolving them into their constituent quarks and leptons. The bubble did not stop, but consumed a galaxy, several galaxies, racing throughout that universe, devouring all.
When millions of light years had dissolved, Outside realized it was…pleased.
You destroyed an entire universe, Tasiin whispered. He realized the entity had been soft in merely infecting a Bentusi ship - it could easily have destroyed his universe.
Outside simply remained silent.
You killed-
Forgive us, Outside said. We… It trailed off.
I cannot forgive you. Only those you killed could have.
Tasiin observed Outside as it once again summoned its strength. Outside attacked him directly, exerting itself on him, its flickers of gravity trying to permeate the space. Tasiin felt it pushing against him, trying to do something, anything to him. Tasiin, though, was only being mildly injured by Outside; as he pushed back with all of his own strength, Outside retreated.
End this, Outside commanded him, wearily. End this!
Tasiin was not sure what it all meant.
Why? he asked.
Because… replied Outside, We cannot.
We cannot harm you. We have been trying to end this confrontation, but we cannot. Our light is a dim glow filling this existence, whereas yours is a bright point, radiating light that holds back all, Bright One. We cannot harm you.
Then listen to me, Tasiin said. End this confrontation now reasonably, and we will leave you alone.
No… Outside faded out for a moment. You do not understand, it told him resignedly. Listen to us, Bright One.
A flood of memories, experiences, and feelings deluged Tasiin. He felt…everything. Joy, anger, understanding, confusion, triumph, sin, floating among the universes. Outside was giving him the most precious memories of its long existence.
It almost distracted Tasiin from the changes in the structure of space around him. His core thoughts drifted away from the memories, trying to advance on the center of the changes. There were echoes of more of the centers, spread throughout Outside. The new…whatever Outside was doing was simple, yet hard to understand, familiar, but not familiar. Tasiin started to feel binding effects from Outside. Suddenly, he understood.
Singularities, Tasiin breathed. You are destroying space itself.
Outside responded resignedly. It will be easier. You want this.
You said I wanted to join you, Tasiin said.
Yes, you do. Your mind is filled with contradictions, Bright One.
Stop this, protested Tasiin.
You do not understand. Someday…
Tasiin could feel singularities in the space all around him, slowly tearing Outside apart. They devoured its gravitational thoughts, slowly but surely. Tasiin held the singularities back from himself.
You have within you an echo of our core. You are our echo, our reflection, said Outside. Go on.
Why are you doing this? demanded Tasiin.
You cannot be harmed. You will not yield to us. You will not let go of your…friend. Outside seemed amused by the thought. Look back at your companion.
Tasiin did turn back to Datlai. She was still hovering around Tasiin, still recovering from trying to hold part of his sadness. Datlai could still feel his thoughts, occasionally whispering her own to him.
Tasiin realized what she had become.
Datlai’s mind was Unbound.
Datlai, he whispered.
Do you not understand? asked Outside. You are not unique in ability, but in application. Your inner turmoil helped made you what you are, giving you the means to become bright, to radiate with your light. Your companion has followed you so long that your companion is in turn becoming brighter.
Tasiin absorbed it all.
Soon enough, all of your kind will stumble upon their means of brightness. They would turn against us and dissolve us. You understand us. They would not. Outside finished, seeming exhausted merely from the conversation itself.
The singularities grew. Tasiin began even to push them away, to expand. He slowly began to fill in some of the emptiness that appeared in Outside.
Dream well, Bright One, Outside added.
Tasiin continued to expand, growing even further.
I do not want to do this, Tasiin said. I do not want to go on any further with this.
Tasiin felt something pull inward on him, and not Datlai. He fell into a lapse of unconsciousness. Quickly, he recognized where he was.
The doorway, still beckoning, began to dissolve.
“Why am I still here?” Tasiin asked.
“You must finish this,” Datlai responded.
Tasiin despaired. “Does it ever end?” he asked.
Datlai looked at him, sadly, pityingly. “Tasiin…there is one thing you must yet do.”
“What?” he asked with an infinite tiredness.
Datlai receded from him. She was still there, somehow, but…
The voices, the ones that had originally asked of him the impossible while he Slept aboard the Mothership, spoke again.
“You must find what is on the other side.”
“It is necessary to…”
“You must become the other side.”
“It is what must be done.”
“There is no other way.”
“No,” Tasiin replied. “I will not.”
“But you must-“
“I don’t want it,” he said.
“We will be harmed if you don’t!”
“You cannot-“
“I did what was asked of me,” responded Tasiin. “No more.”
“We must see-“
“You must become-”
“Help-”
“You will.”
“I don’t want it!” Tasiin replied with grief and anger. “I never wanted it!”
“You must.”
“I don’t want it!” Tasiin finally shouted.
He felt himself being released by the Dream, and found himself beyond Unbound again. Outside was fading away, still trying to touch him. Datlai’s mind was hanging on to his won.
Remember us…Someday you will understand, Outside whispered. It did not resist him anymore. For the briefest of moments, he pushed back the consuming singularities.
But then Tasiin whispered, “I don’t want it.” He stopped pushing, stopped resisting. The singularities began to impede into the space around him, devouring his outermost thoughts. It was painful…but satisfying.
Tasiin retreated to Datlai, holding onto her mind as her held onto his.
*****
Datlai did not know what to make of what she saw in Tasiin’s Dream. It had all happened quickly. Emotions had vividly colored all of it. It meant something to Tasiin.
She could feel the nonexistence approaching, but Tasiin was shielding her from it…them. Even as he did, Datlai could not help but noticed his closeness.
Nonexistence, the singularities, grew closer still. She could not even hear anything of Outside anymore. Tasiin’s thoughts were now also fading away.
Tasiin, do something, she plead.
In response, she heard…crying. I don’t want it, Tasiin said. I don’t want it…
Datlai suddenly had an epiphany and understood.
Then I will not ask it of you. Don’t.
Quickly, Datlai activated the Beastslayer’s trans-hyperdrive.
*****
The remnants of Outside still listened. The Bright One carrier with it Outside’s defining memories. There was nothing to fear…
The Bright One was not Outside, nor the companion. It was…itself.
Outside was satisfied.
The final thoughts began slipping away, and Outside began to feel fear.
But then, a strange, wonderful song, the song of the Bright One leaving, filled space. The waveforms gently caressed Outside, calming it.
The last sliver of Outside plunged into nonexistence.
*****
Dolann Kaalel watched the scarred, battered remains of the T-Mat fleet suddenly stop firing, from the bridge of the Jal-Tor. Throughout the battle, several ships continued firing, their weapons lighting up the T-Mat vessels, while others paused, waiting for something.
“We no longer hear Outside,” broadcast the T-Mat. “This battle has become irrelevant.”
“Hold all fire!” Dolann ordered. “They are leaving!”
Around each T-Mat ship, a blue light, the initial light of hyperspace jumps appeared-
-But no hyperspace windows followed. The T-Mat fleet sat motionless, trying to leave, trying to jump, and failing.
“T-Mat hyperjump failed!” reported a stunned officer on the bridge.
It’s like they simply didn’t have enough energy to jump. They are still trying to-“
“Sajuuk, no… How much has the energy output of the T-Mat fleet increased?” Dolann Kaalel asked with impatience.
“Twenty percent…thirty…forty…fifty…” reported the officer. “Kharak’s name, they are doubling the energy they are putting into the jump.”
Kaalel watched the viewscreen with growing impatience. Then, he began to become afraid. What if Tasiin was wrong and hyperspace is utterly destroyed with Outside?
“Triple energy…”
Tasiin said it would require only 2.5 times the energy to jump…
“Quadruple! Their ships are still increasing the energy put into the jump…”
He was wrong-
Suddenly, hyperspace windows finally opened before the T-Mat vessels, engulfing the Unbound ships. The familiar blue glow was a relief to Dolann. Perhaps something could be worked out to upgrade hyperdrive… he pondered. The viewscreen shifted images.
“The T-Mat are leaving,” reported a tactical officer.
“They required 4.31 times the normal energy to jump,” another reported.
But what Dolann Kaalel paid attention to was the image on the viewscreen.
The Beastslayer, intact.
“Outside is…gone,” the Bentusi said with awe and joy. “We are freed of it. Tasiin has succeeded!”
The bridge as well as the com channels filled with cheers.
*****
Datlai rose from her seat. Her body cried out in pain with a splitting headache, joint aches, and a burning sensation, but Datlai paid no attention. Her mind wandered around, having been aimless since they left Outside and Tasiin had receded from Datlai.
Finally, she moved towards the captain’s chair. Tasiin still sat there, his Bound body still breathing rhythmically. The Beastslayer had since reverted to automatic controls, though, despite his still being linked to the ship.
Datlai, feeling empty, touched his face. She could feel…something from Tasiin, but nothing more.
Datlai leaned against Tasiin and began to cry.
“Tasiin,” she said.
Then she let herself shed tears for them both.
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