Charles nod in agreement with Theo and Nissa. "We don't know exactly what went wrong, but things here have not gone according to whatever plan was created when you were working."
Henri is only half-listening, trying to identify the new sensations the nanites (he assumes) have opened to him. "I intended to wait until we were safe from the storm, but I was hoping you could shed some light on what was here before and how the clean up was supposed to go."
Hamel and Ta-Hashar are shocked by the revelation, Ta-Hashar the most it seems. They argue a bit. Hamel tries to convince Ta-Hashar he wouldn't have beat the coldwave on foot 700 years ago. It's obvious to anyone in the vehicle that Hamel is right; seeing how quickly the wave of black approaches, there's no way he would have made it, assuming the storms were of a similar speed.
You learn from the argument that ensues between them that Hamel and Ta-Hashar were both working for an interworld groups called the Services, Ta-Hashar as a volunteer and Hamel as a conscript. The Services were involved in the evacuation of Utopia, the environment of which had been destroyed in a horrible conflict. Utopia had been extremely hostile to most lifeforms for 13 years at the time they arrived to work on Aviary.
Aviary was one of the Service's contributions to a planet-repopulation effort set to commence automatically as the environmental reegineering program provided the right conditions. The overall program was led by the last of the planet's native inhabitants, who Hamel considered very stubborn, before they too stepped through the gate and shut down access to this world until it had had a chance to heal.
The eggs they were placing in Aviary came from dozens of worlds; the majority were donated by the Atlantean Diaspora, Ta-Hashar tells you.
Nissa is impressed by the little men (despite their argument—it is an emotional moment for them, after all), and she also thinks Guardian Nine and even Four are better people than those who shut the gates and left the two men for dead, likely along with many, many others who were there to help.
<You two are truly heroes,> she says to the men in Atlantean, trusting Kate to translate. <After we are rested and the cold has cleared, the plan is to find out whether the bioscrubber is operational.>
She’s sure just one isn’t enough. She’s not sure Utopia has enough bioscrubbers… but hopefully the men didn’t lose their families in vain, and the Utopians can one day have a true Utopia. Or at least not a Dystopia. A Regular Earth would do.
"How long was it supposed to take to restore the environment enough for repopulation to begin?" Charles ask the two once their argument dies down.
Nissa is impressed by the little men (despite their argument—it is an emotional moment for them, after all), and she also thinks Guardian Nine and even Four are better people than those who shut the gates and left the two men for dead, likely along with many, many others who were there to help.
<You two are truly heroes,> she says to the men in Atlantean, trusting Kate to translate. <After we are rested and the cold has cleared, the plan is to find out whether the bioscrubber is operational.>
She’s sure just one isn’t enough. She’s not sure Utopia has enough bioscrubbers… but hopefully the men didn’t lose their families in vain, and the Utopians can one day have a true Utopia. Or at least not a Dystopia. A Regular Earth would do.
"The bioscrubber? There are hundreds of them all over the planet. We had a whole team helping to set them up. They were supposed to come on and trap the gloom. ..." Ta-Hashar pauses and then sounds a bit bitter when he continues "You know what that is up there in the sky? What that is coming for us? It's an engineered lifeform, like a floating algae, but it eats heat and light and uses it to reproduce. These people have their stupid war and I lose ... everything."
Nissa’s sunspot eyes widen. <Eats… heat… and light?>
"How long was it supposed to take to restore the environment enough for repopulation to begin?" Charles ask the two once their argument dies down.
"Ten years. Maybe 20. Depended on how fast that gloom reproduced and how effective the bioscrubbers were. I mean, maybe they just didn't work. Maybe the gloom mutated ..." explains Hamel more calmly that Ta-Hashar, "I don't understand why it didn't work."
It's at that moment that the two increase in size dramatically and suddenly, ending up more on Theo's lap than in his hand. Nissa is probably sent flying in the commotion.
Nissa is probably sent flying in the commotion.
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE…!!”
Surprised by the sudden growth of the two Atlanteans, Theo quips "It's fine, gentlemen. Have a seat."
Ta-Hashar moves off of Theo's lap quickly, embarrassed.
Hamel pretends he's going to remain sitting on one knee, but then moves. He seems like a bit of a joker.
"40 minutes until Utopia," the Pilot/Henri says through Communicator Kate.
During the trip, Hamel asks about the continued existence of various transdimensional agencies that you haven't heard of, worlds that you haven't heard of, threats that you haven't heard of, about your own world, which despite his questions he doesn't seem to know.
"I had two years left on my term in the Services," said Hamel. "I guess this makes me a free man."
Henri is only half serious when he suggests that Hamel owes Utopia two years of his life.
Nissa zigzaggily flutters toward the now-all-grown-up wizard.
<It didn’t work because the bioscrubbers were never activated… is my guess. Maybe when we investigate the site, we’ll know more.
<Your expertise will help, Hamel.> She turns to the Atlantean. <As will yours, Ta-Hashar. I know you lost everything because of your work here. But if you are part of the effort to save a dying world, I will proudly tell my nearest and dearest Atlantean contact that you are the greatest Atlantean Prince I have ever known.>
He technically already is, considering the other guy. Which reminds Nissa…
<There might actually be a vacancy. And there are definitely Atlantean councilmen who would seat a centuries-old, formerly-time-paused Prince on that throne.>
Ta-Hashar listens with interest. He's still somewhat morose about having lost the life he had planned, but is intrigued by the idea of a 'seat' at an Atlantean table.
“T’entends ça, mon gars? On va être de la royauté!” says Hamel.
"Hear that, dude? We're going to be royalty," comes the translation from Kate.
Charles aren't that surprised when the two resume their normal size. He'd been wondering when that would happen. But they are rather shaken up by the revelation of what the 'storm' consists of.
"That's a terrifying weapon," Charles say, with a shudder. "Though who was crazy enough to actually *use* a weapon that would destroy their own world...?"
"Either they miscalculated, they thought they had a way to control it, or they were losing and wanted to take everyone down with them," they muse, after a moment's though. "Which doesn't help us unless they did have a way to control it and we could get it somehow, which seems unlikely"
"...so basically we hope we can get the bioscrubbers working."
You can feel Mother Utopia. You can sense her presence, but it also feels like bursts of random noise rather than the organized noise you felt with Aviary. When you try to visualize, it's more like static than images.
Hamel feels it too. He looks concerned. He looks at you and sees that you've felt it.
Mother Utopia is speaking, but she's not talking sense, just bursts of noise.
Henri nods to Hamel to acknowledge their shared experience, but holds up a hand to hopefully forestall him speaking about it just yet. "Director, who among your people can speak to Mother Utopia? Really speak to her? Not the 'we know what she wants because of what she does' response that I got from the Guardian."
Legato chews on some of his pocket jerky feeling abit overscaled for his usual work.
Henri nods to Hamel to acknowledge their shared experience, but holds up a hand to hopefully forestall him speaking about it just yet. "Director, who among your people can speak to Mother Utopia? Really speak to her? Not the 'we know what she wants because of what she does' response that I got from the Guardian."
The Director is flying in the other vehicle, but the communication is relayed through the vehicles comms. Mindy the Minder answers before anyone else can, "Many claim to know her will; you have met some of them. I do not believe anyone can communicate with her. I do believe there is an intelligence at work."
Henri nods, ”Having spoken to Aviary, I guarantee there is. I can hear her trying to talk to me as we approach the city.” He gestures at Hamel, ”You hear it, too, don’t you? Did you speak to her before your assignment to Aviary? Do you have a history with her?”
"So... that thing you drank made... some kind of receiver in you?" Charles ask Henri, putting together an idea of what happened from their statements and questions.
Theo looks over to Nissa. "I wonder if some Atlantean nanotech could help enhance my physical and mental abilties?"
Henri nods, ”Having spoken to Aviary, I guarantee there is. I can hear her trying to talk to me as we approach the city.” He gestures at Hamel, ”You hear it, too, don’t you? Did you speak to her before your assignment to Aviary? Do you have a history with her?”
Hamel answers at length, "'She' is there but it is like she is an old lady drooling over her gruel. She is trying to speak but something is wrong. Utopia Island Station was supposed to be in charge of it all. Everyone was supposed to get out of here and then with the gates closed and protected, the re-terraforming of this once beautiful planet was to begin. The atmosphere would be cleansed of the gloom, the temperature would rise, seed pods buried over the planet would thaw and burst spreading quadrillions of seeds and spores into the air. After a couple of years, the birds would hatch. The fish. All the forms of life that had been here before or replacements from other worlds in the Julian Cluster would step out of a machine and become the first of their line, become the ancestor of their entire species' lineage on this planet. And while these species were young and making the wilds theirs, the new Utopians, would be born on Mother Utopia, like chicks in a protected nest. When they were strong enough, they would spread out over the planet. One hundred years after we were to have left, many thought the planet would be reborn. Some thought two hundred. It was all to start though with Utopia Island Station locking down the gates, communicating with all the other stations, and initiating the process."
Nissa gestures toward the big-armed and the big-headed and others. “Meet the Utopians,” she says to Hamel.
And to Theo, “I don’t know… do you really want robots inside you? I’ve seen them up close.”
"Whats wrong with robots in you? How's that different than prosthetics?"Legato asks Nissa. "Though, if Theo is anymore Bronzed God, folks'll have heart attacks."
"So..... Old Lady holding everyone back here? Is 'she' holding things back? Is that what cha means?"
"Whats wrong with robots in you? How's that different than prosthetics?"Legato asks Nissa. "Though, if Theo is anymore Bronzed God, folks'll have heart attacks."
Theo gives Legato a sideways glance. "Thank..you?"
"Allons demander à maman," says Hamel.
"Let's go ask mom," comes the translation from Kate.
The Utopians in the vehicle are speechless and grim. Today has been mindbreakingly full of revelations.
Nissa gestures toward the big-armed and the big-headed and others. “Meet the Utopians,” she says to Hamel.
"This part, the Utopians took care of," says Hamel. "They were of course into genetic engineering so I am not completely surprised, but they do not exactly resemble their ancestors."
The ship approaches the glowing shield that protects and lights Utopia. It opens to allow the ship to enter and closes again, keeping the light and heat drinking gloom out.
The ship circles the island three times. You can see an island and work and play, busy with people who were born to make and grow things as they produce the goods to keep each other alive. You see entertainers entertaining, healers healing, nurturers nurturing, and everyone doing the thing they seem best suited to do. You see the estates of the Guardians where different studies and managerial tasks are performed, and within those estates you find an elite, with the best of all those from below. There they're working with just as much with diligence as any others and with a little less independence and freedom.
The ship lands quite near the entrance to Mother Utopia, at the very center of the island and the top of the rise.
Henri visibly braces himself as they approach the city, fully expecting the noise to increase. He tries to call out, "shouting" into the storm, trying to be heard.
By the time you've landed and exited your ship, word has gotten around that new knowledge is being generated and all the Guardians have decided that your discoveries are relevant to their areas of research. You can see a dozen little groups with Guardians, Minders, Communicators, and others.
Every Communicator on Utopia is here this evening; if anyone fights with their lover, they will have to wait until tomorrow to have empathic communication with them.
Where to? What's next? Sleep? Another visit to Mother? As always the Utopians freely offer all the comforts a body could want.
Theo isn't necessarily tired right now, so he'll stick nearby if anyone has any question for him. And to mind Ta-Hashar and Hamel. They seem like good folk. The godling guesses any discussion of 'Meo' will be ignored at this point.
Charles look around at the gathered Utopians, then back at their companions. Particularly Henri. "Are you getting anything more from the nanites?" they ask. "Especially... anything about what's going wrong?"
Hamel says that he came through the gates on Utopia Island Project when he arrived on the planet. At that point, the mountain was crammed with people, goods, equipment, and possessions. Almost everyone was trying to get off-world and the few trying to get on to do the work of setting up the terraforming were treated like heroes and quickly forgotten in the commotion.
He does know that the entrance to the Utopian Island Projects control center and AI access is under water. They didn't want the newly born people making a mess of it before they developed the culture to make sense of it.
As for how to repair her, he's at a loss. He thinks trying to find out why she isn't communicating comes first.
Henri nods, looking at the crowd. "We have factions here that disagree on exactly how to interact with Mother Utopia. We may need to exercise some diplomacy to even get the opportunity to be allowed in her presence, let alone dare to say she requires repair."
Nissa flutters over to Henri. “On it!”
Nissa flutters over to a group associated with Mother, preferably one with a Guardian.
“There are gentlemen with an uncanny ability to communicate with Mother Utopia. The darkness is drowning out her words almost to silence! However, if you would permit them to be in her presence, they may be able to hear her urgent message.”
If need be, she tells of the discoveries the boys have made in just one crazy night. She is very diplomatic about it.
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"Everywhere you stand on the island, you are in her presence. Where would you be closer to her?" asks one Guardian.
"In the birthing chamber again?" asks Guardian Four.
"At the bottom of the bay," says Hamel.
Everyone laughs, although some do so only after confirming with their Communicators.
"Anyone know how to swim?" asks Hamel, apparently not kidding. "I mean, that's where the AI is housed for the whole island. Somewhere they wouldn't get to it easily."
"There were transportation options left from the ancestors. Were any capable of traveling under the water?"
"Hamel, do you detect a pattern in the pulses? I think she's attempting to talk to us."
"We're quite good at swimming," Charles say, waving a hand at the gills on their neck. "We might need some help with the technological parts, however. We suppose we can stay in contact via communicator, if we have the range."
"There you go, Hamel. How deep do you believe the chamber to be? I would hope there would be some sort of airlock and air source so a technician could work. Whether either work after 687 years is another question..."
Legato whistles lightly and leans in. "It aint gonna help swimming part... but the breathin part I can help with. For a handful of yas. Only once tho, but it'll lastcha for a good few days." Legato states rolling a handsized marble around-one some of you saw previously used to enact magic-"Ya eyes'll sting I bet, won't help lookin or silt, darkness or them bad energies. So we'll have ta sort that out. I ain't ever used this one-its fer emergencies."
"There were transportation options left from the ancestors. Were any capable of traveling under the water?"
"Hamel, do you detect a pattern in the pulses? I think she's attempting to talk to us."
"There you go, Hamel. How deep do you believe the chamber to be? I would hope there would be some sort of airlock and air source so a technician could work. Whether either work after 687 years is another question..."
"I have no idea. I wasn't expected to go there. I really don't know much about this place except what people told us as they came past our Aviary."
"We're quite good at swimming," Charles say, waving a hand at the gills on their neck. "We might need some help with the technological parts, however. We suppose we can stay in contact via communicator, if we have the range."
The Atlanteans are interested in Charles' physical adaptations and make mention of the Fishers as physical differences that made them best suited for life on the water. You have not met any Fishers.
Fishers? Nissa asks Kate (rather excitedly), are they mermaids? Or any chance they are like my friend Pah? She has a mental image of Pah, which she will describe if Kate can’t see mental images. (Nissa isn’t actually sure how telepathy works.)
"With Legato's help, we could certainly take a couple of you with us," Charles point out. "In our true form it wouldn't be hard even if you weren't good swimmers. Would that be Henri and Hamel?"
"Aye, I could take 7 and provide for a while." pausing a moment then double taking at Charles "True form? Oro whatzat like?"