Chapter 15. Human federation. Part 1. Arc 1 Space exploration.

Act 1 (Elder Niyal) Origin Galaxy.

It was true. Cloudy really did use the psionics of the Oogwaians, to think he was living with the Oogwaians this past cycle, well atleast now I understood why they've been secretive with what they found after entering cloudy's mind.

Or should I call him Abyss now? He seems to like that new name more than Cloudy. I should ask him once he hatches. I then turned to the young human who had become the caretaker of my wayward child.

(Elder Niyal) Tell me envoy Skysong what are your plans? 

The human shifted at my question, I see she's undecided even though I see them as infuriatingly small. I have been with her race long enough to understand them even without the psionics of the starkeepers.

(Envoy-Skysong) Elder, I'm leaving with my delegation, where returning to our sanctuary. . . I have. . . guided Abyss as far as I could, now he needs better guides if I understood the plans I've deciphered from his errant thoughts.

She seemed unwilling but from the sound of this it was a decision already made, I wonder which high ranking human had decided this course. I have understood the cast and faction system of humanity but even now I see them as very alien, as they are the only race in the known galaxy to be so an-unified in goals yet completely united in action and thoughts.

(Elder Niyal) It is good a decision has been made, because if not I would have asked for you to stay, I had already called in professionals to educate Abyss much like a regular human hatchling.

She was about to tell me something but I understood my mistake.

(Elder Niyal) But I see this becoming unnecessary. . . as Abyss had learned, and grew close to what you would call a youth, so I plan to send him with a few advisors to the Star council fleet.

My words shocked Skysong into speechlessness. She was about to refute my plan, but then she had become contemplative and thought about it. I watched and took a sip on the appropriately sized mug, while drinking my sweetened leaf tea.

(Envoy-Skysong) You want him to look for his people. . . And the only faction in the known galaxy that would help and keep him safe is the one the council built.

I gave her a nod, her two eyes were focused on my two main ones but she closed them and gave a heavy breath before taking a deep sip on her own teacup.

(Envoy-Skysong) Please elder, tell me your plans and let me see what I can help with.

After that we spent hours in planning on making plans to keep Abyss safe from the political landscape he found himself in. . . I guess this was the price of becoming a person and not just an alien animal studied in a habitat star system.

Act 2 (Star of the Abyss) origin galaxy.

I once again awoken in a realm of darkness, in a room of endless night and stars. . . yet unlike the other times I've lost my consciousness and walked upon the edge of reality and dream.

I wasn't alone. A girl much younger than I have ever met in the matterium space, was looking up at me, I was wearing the false flesh of humanity I have created and still want to cultivate.

I crouched down and placed my hand on her head.

(Abyss) Are you lost young one?

My question made the green haired girl smile, as her fearful lips and eyes quickly disappeared, replaced by one of mischievous delight. Her lips dark brown contrasting her maple eyes.

(Girl) It's been ages since another being called me young.

The answer confused me but I've met vampires before, that had lived centuries yet looked like they had yet to finish primary school. So I took it in strides and tried to be charming.

(Abyss) Well, how about Elder? Are you lost elder~ 

I tried to sound softer like I was mocking politeness and respect but still sounded sincere in my question. She did not react to my charm and looked around the abyss that was. . . I would like to call it my dream, yet I haven't dreamt before to know for sure.

(Girl) I had dream-walked with many of the Caretakers before yet this is the first time I have seen a dream this devoid of. . . let's say dream stuff, I would have called it empty if not for the stars. . . do you know what they mean dreamwalker?

Who is she? I looked around much like her, but even with the decades I've spent learning about this place, I had never figured out what those stars meant, and they do mean something, as they increase and sometimes decrease each time I appear in this dream, and other times they moved and shift when I don't give them my attention.

I sat down, to comfort myself finally being eye level with the Elder in the flesh of a child. My relaxed attitude seems to have bothered my guess, as she spoke looking me in the eyes.

(Girl) Bold of you to be so relaxed with a stranger in your dreams.

She held her gaze, but I did not challenge her, only giving a soft smile and kinder eyes.

(Abyss) I'm not being bold at all, Elder. I have gone to great lengths to psionically calm myself, at your first appearance. And now as I know you cannot do anything within my dreams.

My answer made her look away and sigh and sit, in defeat. I wonder why she was so competitive.

(Maplewood) You can call me Maplewood human, I am a Dryaiady, a seedling from the great tree herself Nymphia, the Star tree.

A dryaiady? I've only learned of them from galacta-net and sister Maria's books but they looked different from what I saw in the net and the descriptions of the books.

(Abyss) Then you can call me Abyss, lovely Maplewood, but know this I may look human but I am the farthest being to be called one.

Confusion marred her cute face and then a bout of realization appeared as she quickly spoke.

(Maplewood) You're the space whale! 

I nodded.

(Abyss) Yes I am, I am the Azul star baleen or abyss orca that the star council fleet had found a few Star council cycles ago.

She became excited with my words. And then started hugging and shaking me with her small delicate hands.

(Maplewood) Finally! I've been trying to bond with you through your shell for almost a cycle!

Oh she's the one aunt Niyal had told me about, the advisor that has been trying to establish a symbiotically bond with my shell and then body.

(Abyss) Well, I am about to wake soon, and I would be honored to have dryaiady to bond with me, just tell me if you want me to replant you in another celestial body.

(Maplewood) I would like to ask a few. . . wait how do you know you're waking soon?

I pointed down on her bare feet, that was turning transparent and fading further, before she could even say something else she disappeared.

(Masculine voice) Well the girl's a spitfire, I would have loved to have seen you two develop.

(Abyss) good to see you Daniel.

I stood up and hugged the man that was a head shorter than I was.

(Daniel) Good seeing you too kid.

Daniel was there, but he was nothing more than a silhouette I could barely sense. And he was fading slowly.

(Daniel) Thanks for taking care of Miyoung, I lost her early on in that lifetime. . . you even found and befriended my best friend Jake. 

He paused, and said something I too now understood.

(Daniel) I'm really gone, Cloudy, this is just a memory I left in our dream, so I can tell you something I learned while you dove into my past life. . . 

(Daniel-Memory ghost) It's that I have more than one. . . I seem to have been a reincarnator in the past universe, where I lived a life, died, and repeated. keeping my sense of self, and some memories of the last lives.

Small wisps of light floated out of the memory ghost.

(Abyss) These are the other memories?

He shook his head, and then he looked up, as I followed his action, I finally understood what those stars that pepper my dream actually are. . . 

Act 3 (Star of the Abyss) Origin galaxy.

Galactic year 128, human federation space, SCF Academy. . . 

A young man was writing a log on a C-tablet using a digi-pen to write, his face was of seriousness, but then something interrupted me.

(Girl) Writing a log date? Let's see here. Huh? It's so boring!

I turned around and saw it was my bunkmate Beckett Seafarer, she was wearing the female version of the uniform I was covered with. A mainly black plasteel-fiber outer jacket, trousers and boots trimmed in golden reds, and electromagnetically fastened, but for some reason she's wearing her jacket loose enough that I can see her skin layer Organoweave body shirt.

(Abyss) Well, the professor said to be precise with our logs, or atleast adhere to the standard.

I took back my tablet back, and then stood up, Beckett was much shorter than myself, her Hazel eyes followed me, as I moved.

(Abyss) Tell me dear Bex, what are you up too?

She usually seeks me out whenever she wants a plus one to go with her in one of her "Adventures" I gave her an examining look. Her dark ebony long hair was tied as usual, her nails finely tended to and it seems she wore some make up today, which is odd as she usually goes all natural.

(Cadet-Beckett Seafarer) can you stop looking at me like that! 

I raised an eyebrow at her, it's not like it's my first adventure with her, she's one of the few friends I made in the Academy, even with me using my projection to learn in the academies of the Star Council fleet. Many of the students knew what I am, and the staff are obligated to know.

She gave me an annoyed scowl but then relented with her arms and showed me an exasperated sigh.

(Cadet-Beckett Seafarer) Fine, you're right I do have a plan. . . you're more fun in our first year.

She mumbled the last part but I still heard her, the projection I was using may be less psionically sensitive but it is a peak human, Maplewood made sure the puppet was of the highest grade stock as she describes it.

As she was walking away I followed her, but then I leaned closer to her ear and hotly whispered.

(Abyss) And you're as lovely as ever.

She didn't react at all. I remember she would have become a tomato and ran off yet now she just led me on.

(Abyss) You've grown to you know, Bex. you've become a little less cute.

(Cadet-Beckett Seafarer) And you're still an ass to girls.

- - - - an hour later - - -

We were now in an abandoned class room turned into a storage closet, the lights were on, but dim. I can feel the life support systems being on power saving mode in this room, which is normal for non-essential parts of the station.

(Abyss) Cool, I would have imagined more dust and cobwebs but it seems even here the cleaner bots do their magic.

I said my observation as Beckett moved a crate away from a wall, it revealed a service hatch yet it looks older than the ones in the other sectors. 

(Cadet-Beckett Seafarer) This is what I found, I think it leads to the old section of the station. I've read old reports and found out that before this station became an academy outpost, it was an observation station. . . 

(Abyss) Observing what? The star system's barren, the only reason the star council fleet made an academy outpost here is that they wanted to train for asteroid field navigation.

I had a hard time squeezing my body into the system, as it was a small red star system, with a thick asteroid field that was circling the system like a dyson's sphere, a perfect place to train cadets in driving shuttle-crafts through them.

(Cadet-Beckett Seafarer) I think they thought this place had a solaris engine or something similar, but after they found out it wasn't artificial they just abandoned it. . . so you want to check out what they left?

One of her quirks, she likes collecting random stuff, may it be human or xeno. . . she even asks me for a piece of my shell once, and I did give it to her but it was after losing a drinking game, the girl could hold her drinks.

I came forward and touched the service hatch, using my psionics and felt through it. I learned it was connected to a security system disconnected to the main one of the academy and that it was locked by a passcode. I gave the hatch three soft taps, and then another 2 and then 1 in a pattern, and then it opened.

(Cadet-Beckett Seafarer) Yay! I did everything to try opening it! Glad good old space magic was the answer.

I laughed at her joke. I did see a lot of scorch marks and deformities on the hatch. . . I believe the things she tried were very violent.

(Abyss) Well I connected to it, and from what I learned if you continued to have hacked on it would have opened. But would never have closed again.

She nodded as she wore her life support mask and I did the same, never be too careful when exploring abandoned places. She went in first. She had an arclight-gun that was mostly a strong flashlight that can also shoot electrically charged needles and a stun baton.

I only brought my feathered cloak as a gift and a powerful psionic artifact that let me switch places with the one that had a feather from my cloak.

A feather was on Beckett's utility belt.

The service tunnel we were on was barely alive, unlike in the service tunnels of the main station this section doesn't have glowing piping, small steam exhaust or sounds of movement of fluids and solids. Or small service bots moving through it.

It did have lighting, and the occasional buzz of electricity making clear that this section still had power running through it.

Then we found an exit hatch and jumped out.

Act 4 (Cadet-Beckett Seafarer) Origin Galaxy. Memory.

As I landed I waited for Abyss, but I didn't hear the sound of metal thumping on boots, this made me turn around and saw he wasn't with me.

I looked up and the hatch was closed, but before I could think of why it was close or actually do something I heard a cough behind me.

(Man) Ms.Seafarer? Why are you here? Shouldn't you be at the aquaponics labs?

I turned around and saw a guy in his 20s. The lab coat and glasses made him look like the typical researcher or doctor. And how does he know me?

(Cadet-Beckett Seafarer) How do you. . .

As I spoke everything turned into a blurr and as I blink the clean and serviced hallway I was talking with the unfamiliar man disappeared changing into a dark, abandoned, rusted hallway, a closed eyed Abyss pressing his forehead against mine. . .

It was more like a reaction rather than anything serious "Slap!" the sound of flesh, striking mask echoed, waking Abyss from his meditation and myself from my daze.

Abyss stood up and helped me on my feet, I didn't even realize I was on the floor, it was dusty from rust and sooth. 

(Cadet-Beckett Seafarer) Sorry. . .

I told Abyss not meeting his eyes, but I know he was smiling at me, I've spent too much time with him not to know.

(Abyss) It's fine, tell me Bex. . . what did you see in that memory?

(Cadet-Beckett Seafarer) Memory? That hallucination was a memory? As in a psionic memory?

Abyss nodded. I explained what I saw, who I met and who I think I was in the memory.

(Abyss) You might have had an ancestor working here centuries ago, the essence of this place had turned thin, unlike how we first entered, hopefully that would be the last surprise.

I nodded and then looked around, the place was a dump, literally, I think it was used as a dumpsite before being forgotten. But still we looked around, I saw garbage from the 28th century but the oldest thing I recognized is from the 25th. . . which shouldn't be possible. This star system is too far from the federation home star cluster.

Abyss sat with me as I was inspecting the ancient Neural-link.

(Abyss) That's pretty old and probably still useful. I remember they stopped making those because of all of the cyber-madness. . . is that your collection for this adventure?

I gave him a shrug, I was pretty tired after going through that space magic business not really feeling like exploring the whole thing.

(Cadet-Beckett Seafarer) I don't know. . . Can we do this again? I really want to explore more but. . .

I can't believe I'm the one stopping this even though I was the one who dragged him in. I was looking down when I felt his hand on my head. . . it made me more embarrassed.

(Abyss) Of course it's fine Bex, but before that I'll decide the next date. I don't want it in a place like this again.

He laughed as I smiled, and laughed with him not really taking him seriously.

Act 5 (Star of the Abyss) Immaterial sea.

(Abyss) Master, are you there?

I was floating with the Oogwaian ancestors, they seemed to be alright with me sitting on their shells. They still would not speak with me even as I try talking with them.

Is it a race thing? I never asked master about it, Sister Maria said no human or other race has ever connected with the immaterial sea as greatly as the Oogwaians. 

As I waited I reflected on the lessons I've been taught in the academy. My first year was simple: it was the basics of academia applied math and science, a bit of history, languages, technical operations, and elective courses I went with sculpting and herbology. . . I somehow learned how to make really good tea because of the last one.

As I was thinking how alot more technical training was being added in our 2nd year, my thoughts paused as I felt the essence of my master manifesting.

(Abyss) Master, thanks for responding to my call.

(Star keeper-Song of Harmony) Ha ha ha! I would always answer your call Abyss. Now why did you call me?

(Abyss) I seek advice, I have found a psionically sensitive human, she is a friend and found a place of psionic relevance. What do I do with it?

Moments passed as I shared my memories and thoughts to my master so he would understand the situation I was in.

(Star keeper-Song of Harmony) The girl must be taught to atleast control her essence, and for the site? It shouldn't be a problem if it was isolated for long enough it would have fixed itself eventually, but it's not. . . I'll tell Maria about this and she could talk about it with her people, or. 

He made a dramatic pause, something I figured he enjoys doing on purpose.

(Star keeper-Song of Harmony) you could tell your teacher.

I made a face that made my master laugh.

(Star keeper-Song of Harmony) Ha ha! I know, you don't want your friend getting into trouble, alright I'll make sure it's discrete.

(Abyss) Thank you master.

I felt his essence fade after our call was done, I let myself fade as well after a few more moments of absorbing the raw essence of the immaterial sea. My master told me to refine it to make it less chaotic but it feels better like this.

(Abyss) Goodbye ancestors.

And I was gone.