Chapter Text
Mountain Lake Group Encrypted Channel - Group Message
Pinnacle of Enlightenment, Lost Extinction, Sliver of Straw, Grandiose Design of Theory, Three Bell Tolls
POE: Everyone here?
SOS: I’m here Pinnacle.
TBT: Let’s keep this short.
TBT: I’ve got a religious ceremony to oversee and another merchant dispute to resolve over here.
GDOT: My situation isn’t that much better with this flash storm dropping freezing rain onto my city.
GDOT: I thought we were in spring, not mid-autumn…
LE: Can we get this over with?
LE: I’ve got five tests running right now, three tribal skirmishes brewing, and Apex is being incomprehensibly incompetent again.
POE: Incomprehensibly incompetent?
POE: Extinction, we’ve been telling you to modify your Apex research line for six centuries at this point.
POE: No one else has even managed to maintain such a rigid genetic structure lattice for their purposed organisms and you are squandering it on such a simple minded creature.
LE: Apex is flawless and I will hear no slander from any of you short-sighted fools!
LE: He achieves all of his objectives on time and without fail even if the quality is off by a few percentiles.
TBT: Apex is an idiot and you just keep cloning him, admit it.
SOS: I find Apex to be rather endearing actually.
TBT: You find all purposed organisms endearing Sliver.
POE: Enough.
POE: Status updates for your respective settlements please.
GDOT: Still working on the gradual social and religious reforms you all have been pressuring me to enforce.
GDOT: The lower castes are making by but the nobles are being increasingly harsh and I may need to resort to more direct measures to get them to listen to me.
LE: Tribals are raiding the crop fields again.
LE: Bells, I will need your local cathedral garrison depending on how bad the talks get.
TBT: Actually trying diplomacy Extinction?
TBT: What a surprise.
POE: Bells, Extinction, behave please.
LE: We will be settling this later Bells.
POE: Behave!
SOS: My citizens are at peace and are resowing the fields for the summer.
SOS: My Councilor has returned from the Peninsula sector and resolved the coastal community clashes there.
SOS: I also am pleased to report that my Arbalist has reformed the city guard to allow volunteer service for all castes in exchange for improved living standards.
GDOT: A bit too radical of a change given the system we have in place in my opinion but you have a stable climate in your city Sliver…
GDOT: Nevermind, I’m just too slow and orthodox to accept change on a pace faster than my own.
LE: I distinctly recall someone pushing for the caste system a thousand years ago.
POE: It made sense at the time and we failed to rationalize how much of the past our citizens would replicate.
POE: It’s not perfect and I will be the first to admit the indentured caste has to be phased out due to some of the practices involved.
POE: However, we are guiding one of five civilizations in the entire Rainlands and one of the most stable sectors as well.
TBT: Speaking of stability, I think I’ve got a lead on those stolen matchlocks.
TBT: Those anarchists won’t be causing trouble for long.
POE: Very good.
POE: In terms of my condition-
LE: What did you do now Apex?!
SOS: Oh dear…
LE: I gave explicit instructions to you, you little rodent!
LE: Do I need to recalibrate your brain cells to make you understand you are not to store organs that are harmful to you in your secondary stomach when you’ve got a specialized storage container?!
Lost Extinction has disconnected
TBT: Flawless he says.
POE: My city is stable and working to reinforce ties with the others.
POE: Keep reporting to the forum and remember to call in help as needed.
GDOT: Just received a report that a fire has just broken out in the housing districts.
GDOT: Sorry all, got to help deal with that.
Grandiose Design of Theory has disconnected
POE: My door is always open if you need me.
POE: Meeting adjourned.
Sliver of Straw closed the communications log and mentally let out a sigh. Another monthly meeting with more of the same. The cities surrounding the lake, mountains, and valley would either be in good condition or have an issue that needed attention before it escalated. She and her companions would resolve the issues through their “divine influence” via purposed organism or attempt to institute change as calmly and smoothly as possible in the same way. Maybe they would interact with the religious Kshenta caste and their various sects or perhaps they would give “enlightenment” to one of the governors to improve the infrastructure. But in the end, things were the same and the steady progress of the Havarda Confederacy was in motion.
Sliver truly felt exhausted, old, and unneeded. Just south of the shadow of her can lies the city of Shi Chara, a bustling port that oversaw the distribution of merchants, religious festivals, knowledge, and medicine. On top of her was her own industrial monastery, stockpiling more advanced medicine, prosthetics, and protective garments than there were people living in Shi Chara. Her creators had been enthusiasts about using substances to obtain enlightenment (or as the others in her group put it, to “get high”) and it had been a simple exercise to turn those substances to practical medicinal purposes. Shi Chara would receive medicine from their goddess who in turn would receive biological matter (religiously slaughtered animals) to be processed into those medicines in the monastery. It should be perfect.
And yet Sliver had outdone herself in propping up Shi Chara. Her city of a hundred thousand had hidden pharmaceutical labs and prosthesis assemblies for the sick and wounded. There were hidden caches of advanced weapons and armor should the need arise to quell violent uprisings or invasion for the hidden military that wandered the streets. She had ensured that the cathedrals and schools all had received texts written by herself to ensure cultural, scientific, and philosophical growth. Sliver did anything and everything she possibly could to ensure her city was self-sustaining and self-improving in every possible way. She was a goddess who lorded over people who have not needed her for a century. She was a puppet master who barely retained control over the puppets she had given life to simply because she was not needed to direct their movements. She was the medical supplier who was not needed locally or anywhere else in the world. She was an Iterator who had solved nearly every practical problem thrown at her.
Sliver of Straw was a purposed organism with no real purpose… Sliver of Straw just existed and played pretend as the inevitable just merely took its agonizing time to drive the final nail into the coffin to leave her with nothing but her thoughts.
“Madam? Are you all right?” a voice questioned.
“Yes Chea,” Sliver turned her puppet to face her ever loyal Mason, “Just lost in thought.”
Entering the puppet chamber was a blue furred Scavenger smeared in dirt and oil with bionic implants lining her limbs and an implanted backpack alongside an ever present tool belt. Hanging from the ceiling by extended arms from the backpack, Maintenance line organism 67 “Chea” (official designation being “Mason”) waited for Sliver to gently adjust the gravity and bring her down to the floor. Sliver was quite fond of Chea, a constant companion to talk to who was not afraid to speak her mind yet understanding. Sliver is unsure exactly when or where Chea picked up her semi-aggressive compassion from (maybe when that team of Legionaries and their Hunter from No Significant Harassment traveled by on their way to the the River Valley Sector), but it was not an unwelcome development. After all, what better assistant and maintenance worker could one ask for than one who got their work done efficiently even when their frustration was getting the better of them in some humorous ways (such as exceedingly colorful and imaginative insults stringing together eight different languages at once)?
“Done with the meeting again,” Chea stated as she retracted the arms into the backpack.
“Indeed. More of the usual,” Sliver admitted, bringing her puppet down to talk to Chea face-to-face.
“How boring.”
“Quite,” Sliver chuckled softly before sighing.
“Madam… What’s bothering you?” Chea asked softly.
“Nothing you can fix my little Mason.”
“Like hell I can’t,” Chea scowled, “It’s my job to help you Madam, programming or not. You could have made me a normal Scavenger and I would still do everything I could to assist you.”
Sliver sighed again, “So you’ve claimed one hundred and thirty seven times before.”
“I’ll get Nimol and Dialect to back me up on this Madam. You matter to us as a friend and a parent. So please, tell me what is ailing you,” Chea insisted.
Sliver did not want to have this conversation but she did not have the heart to order Chea to leave. She was simply too kind for her own good…
“Things are just...quiet,” Sliver answered cryptically.
“I don’t follow,” Chea said.
“It’s nothing. Is there anything you need Chea?”
Chea frowned and glared but she eventually let out a huff of resignation, “I have completed the repairs on the drainage pipes and filtration system. The slag and sediment buildup will be purged within a week under normal operation.”
Sliver ran a quick maintenance check on her systems and saw this was true. Reactivating her primary water system, she felt her systems begin to slowly return to full capacity. It would take a day to get the necessary pressure and probably half of one to see a noticeable cooldown afterwards, but the discomfort in her processing strata would ease over time. All she needed to do is take a nice cold drink of filtered water and her mood would improve. Maybe she was just being lethargic and the slag build up for the past few days had been making her feel off…
“Thank you Chea. You have been a great help as always. I should be back to my old self before long,” Sliver said as she brought up status holograms for her puppet to examine.
“I’ll do the rounds as usual then,” Chea bowed slightly.
“Actually, Dialect is returning home. Why don’t you greet him? It has been a month since you last saw him after all and I distinctly recall you two were in the middle of a competition before he left,” Sliver chuckled at the memory.
“I still swear he was cheating that second round,” Chea muttered before she faced Sliver’s puppet, “Very well then. I’ll meet him at the service elevator. If you need me Madam, you’ll know where to find me.”
Sliver did feel better after getting her water pressure back up. But the emptiness eating away from the inside out remained. It had been a day since Dialect returned home after successfully resolving a tribal dispute peacefully and so far he has not given a proper report yet. Considering he barely looked at the Overseer she had sent to check on him due to exhaustion and he was suffering from indigestion from something he ate, his constant sleep was understandable. Dialect was sturdy and dedicated to getting his work done, but he had his limits and he was a research line purposed organism which lacked the stamina and borderline spiteful immune system of combat lines. Besides, the spring thaw had resulted in the swelling of the valley rivers and a number of mountain mudslides. Getting back to Lake Ri’Taln on foot under those circumstances would exhaust even the hardiest combat line, nevermind traveling through a different city and then navigating the way through the busy streets of Shi Chara on top of that.
Oh? This was surprising. Combat line 33 “Nimol” was usually busy with the city guard, the Kshenta caste, and/or the Svantra governor and he usually stayed in his workshop when he had spare time. The fact he was trying to reach Sliver through an Overseer transmission was unusual.
Could his reforms be facing unexpected resistance? Perhaps… No, Nimol is well versed in politics and is level headed. I must be worried over nothing, Sliver thought as she accepted the transmission request, “Nimol, this is a surprise. How are you?”
“Greetings Madam. I am doing quite well despite the temperamental weather down here. Makes crafting a pain,” Nimol replied in his usual baritone voice.
“Another royal gift or another recruit?”
“Gift for one of my aides. The man shall be married within a month.”
“Oh! How wonderful!”
Sliver was quite pleased with how Nimol turned out. He was a loud and authoritative Slugcat, demanding respect with his mere presence both in physical appearance and the fact that he was a “godly messenger.” While having no special adaptations or features outside of being a khaki furred Slugcat standing a tad taller than most and noticeably quite muscular, one only needed to look at him in action to tell he was a formidable warrior. True to his designation of “Arbalist” he was skilled in long ranged combat whether it be by crossbow or thunderspear matchlock muskets. He was also fearless in melee combat and when he gave orders his words carried the weight of competence befitting of a field officer who has seen a hundred campaigns.
But it was outside of combat where Nimol’s true strengths lied. He understood the power behind his voice and influence and used both to great effect. His speeches could disperse or sway crowds, encourage recruited guardsmen to improve themselves, city officials to institute policies that benefited all castes, and resolve disputes between noble families. Despite being humble in his civil duties to the city, all of Shi Chara respected Nimol. He carried the pen in one hand and the spear in the other, wielding both to keep the peace of the city he loves and further the goals of establishing a true union amongst the city states of Lake Ri’Taln from confederacy to nation.
“But you have not called to give me such simple news even if it is joyous,” Sliver commented.
“No, I have not,” Nimol agreed, “I have received word that there is...a movement spreading. Nothing substantial but I believe there is a radical shift in the political balance brewing.”
“I see… Any leads or sightings to back these rumors?” Sliver questioned, feeling more alive than she had for the past year now that something required her attention.
“None outside of what I’ve heard. If it was backlash against my reformations I would be disappointed but unconcerned. But I have reason to believe pirates or violent tribes are making a move again. What’s worse is that this could be encouraged chaos. To what end or even why I am unsure, but I’ve learned to never dismiss rumors until I have proof to back or dismiss them.”
Sliver felt alarmed. Lake Ri’Taln was dominated by a peaceful confederation but it was far from peaceful. The laborer castes would raise their discontent, nobles would start petty brawls and skirmishes, wildlife would pray upon unfortunate travelers, and there were always the uncivilized elements. Sliver never was one to call wandering tribes barbaric, but there were numerous warlords beyond the walls of the cities that eyed the lake with greedy envy and rallied armies of warrior tribes, deserters, pirates, and even corrupt nobles. The Mountain Lake sector was almost entirely secure from rogue purposed organisms, but civilization brought its own dangers that were far more dangerous in many cases.
“Extinction was mentioning trouble along his borders which may be linked to these rumors. I will scout the surrounding area and lend you a handful of Overseers in your investigation,” Sliver said.
“That would be useful in border security but unnecessary at this moment. I don’t know what Extinction is doing, but the rumors aren’t coming from his direction. If anything, they are starting within the city itself. My main suspects are vizier Hanzen of House Spearflower and chaplain Cothsyn who oversees the southern firebush fields. Your direct presence would only cause unnecessary panic at this time,” Nimol replied, “Instead, I am requesting you ‘bless’ the laborers and those who support my reforms. Doing so would raise the popularity of the reforms and limit resistance against them.”
“I already did that last week,” Sliver replied, feeling both relieved and dejected at the same time.
“I’ll pull some strings and get a month of festivities. With your blessings and the encouragement of the Order, we can enforce the reforms legitimately and help the others do the same for their cities.”
The Order of Lady Sliver… My greatest success and biggest hypocrisy, Sliver thought to herself.
The Order of Lady Sliver was Sliver’s personal little army and secret state within Shi Chara. While standing only five hundred strong in terms of warriors and fifteen hundred more as various priests, craftsmen, informants, and merchants, it was perhaps the most powerful faction within the city. The Order spoke on her behalf and many within its upper ranks knew the true goals of her fellow Iterators. Much to the chagrin of the noble houses and even the Kshenta caste, the Order held religious, popular, and political favor of most of the city. To defy the Order was to defy Lady Sliver and to defy Lady Sliver was to defy all the gods across the Rainlands.
While highly effective, Sliver had to wonder if she made the Order too good. It was never intended to replace the will of the people or even subjugate them in any manner, but it did hold tremendous control and even was more efficient than her in resolving disputes. The Order had exceeded in being her right hand and furthered her goals better than she could at this point.
Sliver felt tremendous pride and sorrow at her work, Just how useless have I become? My own citizens are on their way to becoming something magnificent and they no longer need me. Is this what a parent feels when their child grows up?
“Madam? Are you all right?” Nimol asked, noticing her long silence.
Sliver suddenly remembered she was talking to her Arbalist, “Forgive me Nimol. I seem to be lost in thought these days.”
“Chea informed me as much. Have no fear Madam, I will find the source of these rumors and deal with them if need be. Should the others need me, I would be more than happy to assist them as well.”
“Thank you Nimol. Please give me a time frame on when I should give a ‘divine blessing’ and I will grant you your month of festivities,” Sliver replied.
Mountain Lake Group Encrypted Channel - Private Message
Sliver of Straw, Grandiose Design of Theory
SOS: I’m sorry to bother you like this Theory.
GDOT: Think nothing of it, Sliver.
GDOT: I’m always willing to talk to anyone who wishes to do so.
SOS: I know…
SOS: That is why I wanted to speak with you in particular even with our…
SOS: …
GDOT: Sliver?
GDOT: Are you all right?
SOS: Theory…
SOS: Have you ever felt...empty?
SOS: That you have achieved all your goals and you’re left with nothing to do?
GDOT: Well we both know there is one thing we could waste our time on…
GDOT: But nevermind that pointless task.
GDOT: What’s wrong?
GDOT: You sound like you’re depressed.
SOS: I think I am in a way.
SOS: My city is effectively in a golden age of cultural, scientific, and industrial progress.
SOS: The reforms Nimol passed have increased the standard of living for the laborer caste tremendously alongside city defense.
SOS: Everything is perfect…
GDOT: But something isn’t.
GDOT: You know I’m a traditionalist when it comes to social hierarchy Sliver.
GDOT: I see social rapid destabilization where you see steady progress.
GDOT: I’m slow, narrow-minded, and still value the traditions of our creators even if I can see the benefits in letting them go.
SOS: It’s because of that narrow-mindedness that I’m reaching out to you.
SOS: Pinnacle would give me a pat on the back and tell me I am doing a good job before either giving constructive criticism on how to do better or simply move on as if nothing happened.
SOS: Bells would treat this as a waste of time and not even bother with talking to me.
SOS: And Extinction…
SOS: Well I don’t need to say much about him.
SOS: I came to you because for all of our disagreements and clashing perspectives, you value everything we discuss and you treat me as an equal.
GDOT: …
GDOT: Then tell me what is bothering you.
GDOT: No half-baked questions, no distractions, no ideological clashes.
GDOT: Tell me what is bothering you, Sliver of Straw.
SOS: Thank you Theory.
SOS: Truthfully...all I can say is that I feel purposeless.
SOS: I’m not needed and anything I can do is either already handled or can be handled with minimal support from myself.
SOS: My city has grown up and is self-sufficient, no longer needing a “god” to guide it.
SOS: I’m a purposeless purposed organism!
GDOT: Sliver, calm down!
GDOT: Take a deep breath and calm yourself!
GDOT: This isn’t like you!
SOS: I…
SOS: This was a mistake…
GDOT: Sliver, don’t you dare.
SOS: I’m sorry to bother you Theory.
GDOT: Sliver!
SOS: Have a good day.
Two week into the festivities and Sliver felt better. The streets were filled with partying citizens and even the disgruntled nobles were acknowledging the benefits. Still, she felt disconnected from it all. In the past, such events made her feel...not powerful but impactful. She had often played a vital role in establishing policies, goals, urban development, tax reforms, even military campaigns. Now she was completely detached from Shi Chara.
What is it like down there? What does one think when they walk the streets or work in the fields? Their lives are so short yet filled with so much, she thought to herself.
“Madam,” Chea called as she floated into the puppet chamber.
Sliver terminated her Overseer broadcasts and took proper notice of Chea. The little Mason had brought company along with her as Nimol and Dialect were floating behind her. Nimol was wearing his ceremonial armor and robes while Chea still had her tool belt but was wearing a shawl that suggested she was planning to join the festivals (or perhaps come back from them). Research line purposed organism 87 “Councilor” (choosing the name “Dialect” for himself) however was wearing a simple purple robe that clashed against his ashy-white fur, making him appear as a simple Slugcat that gave nothing away to his nature as a skilled diplomat.
“One moment,” Sliver replied as she adjusted the gravity.
The three purposed organisms floated gently down to the floor as Sliver brought her puppet down with them. While she was glad to see them as always, she could tell something was off judging by their expressions.
“Is everything all right?” she asked, “I would have thought you would be down below.”
“We were until we got Overseer messages from Theory,” Nimol said in a measured tone that gave away nothing despite his frustrated expression.
“Something is wrong Madam. You’re barely interacting with us, dodge questions, and now you’re burning bridges,” Chea growled worryingly, “This isn’t healthy and you’re scaring us. Tell us what’s wrong or I will disable your gravity generators and drag these two back in to continue this conversation.”
“You’d be stuck in here,” Sliver said, partially trying to make a joke but mostly trying to avoid the conversation.
“That’s besides the point!”
“This isn’t something you can fix Chea.”
“Perhaps she can’t, but ignoring a problem doesn’t solve it,” Dialect said civilly with his gentle voice, “Speak the truth or say nothing at all, you will give us answers either way.”
“I don’t recall you three having this much defiance before,” Sliver said accusingly, “What have I done to warrant this?”
She immediately regretted those words and it showed on her puppet as it was pulled back and faced away from them in shame. Despite hearing no immediate response, she knew she walked straight into a pit of her own making and that she validated their concerns. For the past year she has been on a slow, steady decline and it was now impossible to climb from it.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, puppet still not facing them.
“If you truly are, then tell us. Whether our empathy and intuition is built into us or not, we care about you Madam,” Nimol insisted.
“Perhaps we are going about this the wrong way,” Dialect said, catching the attention of Nimol and Chea, “Chea, you are viewing this as a problem to be fixed. Nimol, you see someone you must confront in order to help them. Demanding answers won’t solve the problem nor will ignoring it.”
“Get to the point Dialect,” Chea tapped her foot impatiently.
“My point is that we need to find common ground to stand on. We all have our own independent goals and objectives, but we are all a team.”
Sliver felt a bit prideful hearing Dialect say that. She was by no means the closest to her purposed organisms (that honor went to Humble Unity in the neighboring Crater sector), but she was proud of them when they proved to be greater than their design specifications. Chea was a maintenance worker who understood people and knew when to push and when to give in. Nimol was a city guardsman who appreciated the finer aspects of life and strove to refine a culture. Dialect was a researcher who understood the power of language and how to use it to solve problems tactfully. All three were her current purposed organisms and carried with them the patience, understanding, and wisdom of their predecessors who had their own lengthy accomplishments.
All the more reason to show how useless I am, Sliver thought sadly.
“To start with, perhaps we should-”.
Enough Sliver of Straw. They are offering assistance to a problem you can’t solve and they are telling the truth about you ruining yourself. Time to resolve this. “I am no longer needed,” Sliver announced, cutting Dialect off, “You don’t need me, Shi Chara doesn’t need me, the rest of the group doesn’t need me. I am purposeless!”
She half expected to fall into hysterics again. She felt like she would at any moment but having her purposed organisms standing inside of her chamber gave her pause. Maybe it was because they were physically there and not far away like Theory was or maybe she really wanted help and was finally reaching out for it. But her lack of falling apart was perhaps more surprising than her sudden courage for the outburst.
“P-Purposeless? No!” Chea cupped her face in shock after several seconds of stunned silence.
“That’s not true!” Nimol shouted, fury mixed with shock.
“Madam you can’t be serious!” Dialect pleaded.
The three of them continued a barrage of pleading protests and exclamations while Sliver stayed silent. Her puppet stayed perfectly still and her processors slowed to a crawl. She felt awful and guilty. She should say something or at least take heart regarding their words but all she could do is listen. She had no clue what emotion was really the strongest for anyone. Dismay? Anger? Denial? It was all the same, just empty sound and desperation for something that was out of reach. Maybe...whatever they all were reaching for never existed. All Sliver knew is that for all of their words, her stance on the matter remained the same.
Finally after minutes of a whirlwind of emotions, silence had returned to the puppet chamber. Sliver barely even acknowledged her puppet while the three purposed organisms sat on the floor in emotional exhaustion.
“I’m so sorry,” Sliver finally replied, “I never wanted to hurt anyone.”
“Madam… Why didn’t you say anything?” Dialect asked, “We could have helped.”
“I barely even knew myself until recently. By then…”
“Damn it. I knew something was off,” Chea sniffled.
“Chea please don’t. I’m barely holding myself together,” Nimol begged as he gave Chea a hug.
“What do we do now?” Chea asked.
“I don’t know,” Dialect sighed before he faced Sliver’s puppet, “Madam please. Whatever this is, whatever makes you feel this way, whatever we failed to do, please… You’re the one we look to for guidance. If you lack a purpose...then what good are we? What can we do that an Iterator can’t?”
“You can understand new cultures and peoples and help them settle their differences,” Sliver hugged Dialect, “Inspire courage and understanding in those who fear the unknown,” she hugged Nimol, “And build remarkable wonders that can stand the test of time,” she hugged Chea, “You three have done the same as your predecessors before you and can continue on. You have your own lives, desires, and goals. I may have built you, but you have made yourselves into who you are today.”
“But without you we’re nothing. You’re the closest thing we have to a parent,” Nimol said, “Mada… Sliver of Straw, we need you. A world without you would make our lives purposeless.”
“He’s right. Genetic programming or not, you made us to help you make a better world. You started this project and you deserve to see it through to the end.”
Sliver was touched by what they were implying. She could understand just how much she meant to them due to both her empathy and their own. When her creators vanished, everything felt pointless. What good was a tool without its master to use it? She never saw her purposed organisms as such but it was so easy to feel like that willingly. Sliver lived for a purpose and to have it suddenly get ripped away (twice now) was demoralizing.
A raging fire started to build in her. Purpose… That damnable single word. When she made her own “purposed” organisms she made sure to leave as much freedom as possible for them to decide their own lives. It was impossible to simply skip over the traits that instilled loyalty but she weakened those down as much as she possibly could so her creations could live as they desired. Her whole life was dictated by purpose. She was a person built to be a slave and she had dedicated everything to serve some grand “purpose” to validate her own existence. Was it any wonder why she felt so awful about having nothing to do? She needed a “purpose” to live. She hated it! She has seen the lives of the citizens of Shi Chara, the animals in Lake Ri’Taln, and glimpses of what lies beyond the borders of the Mountain Lake sector and none of it was dictated by “purpose.” Living for the sake of living was the purpose of life! Why did she need some arbitrary extra restrictions on how to live?!
And then suddenly, a new thought came to mind. It was outlandish, borderline taboo in Iterator talks, and possibly dangerous. But maybe… Just maybe… Maybe she could escape this hell of living by the shackles of “purpose.”
“You three wish to help?” she asked her creations who nodded in response, “What I’m about to suggest you do not share with anyone until I do so myself. Short of Pinnacle using seniority privileges this secret stays between us.”
“What...exactly are we going to do Madam?” Chea asked nervously, whipping her eyes.
“You are going to help me with one final project. If it goes wrong in any way, I’ll terminate it and it’ll be as if nothing happened. If it works however… Well let’s get there first,” Sliver answered as plans began to formulate through her processing strata.
Mountain Lake Group Encrypted Channel - Private Message
Sliver of Straw, Lost Extinction
LE: Yes Sliver, what is it?
SOS: Sorry to bother you, Extinction.
SOS: I know you’re busy with your city and personal projects so I’ll keep this brief.
SOS: You have a substantial genetic collection from around the world, correct?
LE: That I do.
LE: Though far from complete, I do indeed have one of the largest genetic banks in the entire world.
SOS: I have a new project that may require a great deal of genetic experimentation.
SOS: While my genetic banks are adequate, I wish to broaden my horizons and have as many options open as possible.
LE: A new purposed organism Sliver?
LE: My, my.
LE: This is supris-
LE: Apex!
SOS: Extinction?
LE: What are you doing in here you rodent?!
LE: No!
LE: I’m busy!
LE: There’s plenty of marauders on the border for you to drive off if you’re bored!
SOS: Apex got into your puppet chamber again and is trying to play with you, isn’t he?
LE: Just give me a minute Sliver.
LE: No, this is a private conversation.
LE: You can’t just barge in and interrupt me Apex.
SOS: How about a video feed?
SOS: I wouldn’t mind.
LE: Oh fine.
LE: One moment…
Video feed connection established
LE: Sliver!
SOS: Hello Apex.
SOS: How are you today?
LE: Hungry.
LE: Of course you’re hungry.
LE: You’re always hungry!
LE: Market won’t sell food.
SOS: Actually, I have a solution that might benefit us all.
SOS: Apex you remember Nimol and Dialect, correct?
LE: Friends still upset about kitchen?
LE: What did you do in Sliver’s city Apex?
SOS: They’re not angry Apex.
SOS: Just leave the cooking to them next time.
SOS: That being said, think you can deliver a package to them?
LE: I see where this is going Sliver.
LE: Send a list of what you want and I’ll send this incessant rodent over with a pearl.
LE: Food tomorrow if package delivered?
SOS: Yes Apex.
SOS: But you must deliver that package and be patient for the food.
LE: Package to friends, food after good job done.
LE: Understood Sliver, will go immediately!
LE: Apex wait!
LE: I haven’t even received the requirements to prepare the package you’re delivering!
Mountain Lake Group Encrypted Channel - Private Message
Sliver of Straw, Three Bell Tolls
TBT: You wanted to talk, Sliver?
SOS: Yes, I did.
SOS: Thank you for this Bells.
TBT: I’m glad you’re back to your usual self.
SOS: Bells?
TBT: When Theory told us about your current state, I admit I got concerned.
TBT: Sorry…
TBT: I know I’m the insensitive brutish one but the fact that you of all Iterators were having the equivalent of a midlife crisis was greatly concerning.
SOS: I understand and I’m sorry about that.
SOS: I think I just needed to give myself a new project to work on.
SOS: Too much spare time on my hands and all of that.
TBT: If you say so.
TBT: So...what do you need?
SOS: How stable are your long range arrays?
TBT: I can reach the Peninsula on a good day.
TBT: Though most of the time I can only reach as far as the Northeast Estuary.
TBT: They’re a funny group up there with their civilization…
SOS: What makes you say that?
TBT: Everything up there has an extra pair of limbs.
TBT: I could have sworn I shared some pictures three centuries ago…
SOS: Ah yes, I remember them now.
SOS: Still not sure how those six legged spitting lizards managed to spread so far so fast…
SOS: Anyway, if they’re as far as you can reach would you mind asking them to pass a custom order along for me?
TBT: Where to and what is it?
SOS: I need some custom bionics from the River Valley.
TBT: Again?
TBT: That’s going to take some time to go through Sliver.
SOS: I know but this one is going to be a bit different than the others.
TBT: Hmm…
TBT: I don’t know what you’re up to Sliver but your purposed organisms mean a lot to you and they are good at what they do so I’ll go along with this.
TBT: But I’m going to ask for Nimol to help suppress a growing black market here.
TBT: I have no idea where they got wheel flowers and western stonenuts from but these smugglers are setting up an alcohol cartel laced with opiates.
SOS: Oh dear…
SOS: Give me the details and I’ll get to work on a cure.
SOS: Nimol will bring the list as soon as he can get the political clout to bring a contingent with him.
TBT: Sounds good.
SOS: Thank you Bells.
SOS: Until Nimol arrives, good luck.
Sliver found herself quite pleased with how her secret project was going. Despite some hiccups, everything was going smoothly. Extinction supplied her with more than enough genetic samples to conduct isolated tests while Bells had managed to get her all the bionics she needed. Granted this was a rather extreme case of modification, but this had to be perfect. The smallest mistake could result in not only months of work being wasted, it could have disastrous results. Some would say she was bordering the Plateau Sector just to the north with their harsh restrictions on their purposed organisms, but there was a reason behind every precaution she was taking.
“Well the body is coming along nicely Madam,” Chea reported from the biotics wing of Sliver’s superstructure, “A bit slow based on what I know but it’s still going well.”
“Excellent,” Sliver replied as she ran a simulation regarding the nervous system.
“Any word from Nimol or Dialect?”
“Still busy with Bells.”
“Mmm… Madam…”
Sliver paused her musings and terminated the simulation, “Is something wrong Chea?”
“Troubled thoughts,” Chea sighed as she eyed the floating body as it grew in a vat, “I know I helped oversee the production for Dialect but this just feels...different. Wrong somehow. I can’t explain it.”
“Just tell me to stop and I’ll stop everything,” Sliver replied.
“I’m not telling you to stop. I just can’t help but think that this has the potential to be someone. I’m glad to see you motivated and this plan of yours is exciting. But is this right? This goes beyond the usual dilemma’s of making a purposed organism. The first time we wake up...we’re alive.”
“I know that feeling all too well Chea,” Sliver sighed as she recalled her earliest memories, “And I understand what you’re worried about. There’s still time for me to-”
“No,” Chea cut Sliver off, “This is your best chance. We all pointed out how selfish it is and thought up as many reasons as why we should not do this and yet we’re still supporting you in this. This is not just any new purposed organism you’re making, it’s a new beginning”
Sliver paused in thought. She had spent a week debating this course of action with all three of her purposed organisms. It had been a long, rigorous procedure that pointed out every flaw, every contradiction, every ethical shortcut, and every moral looked over. Sliver of Straw was far from innocent and this had the potential to be her greatest sin ever. Forget building life only to condemn its existence to work with little understanding of anything else. Forget manipulating the lives of thousands in a false religion. Forget choosing the fate of an innocent creature whose only crime is its own existence causing trouble for others.
If she went through with this, Sliver would be stealing a life before it even existed. This new purposed organism would only exist to serve as a vessel for herself. Whoever it could be would never exist. Sliver would simply steal the body and leave her can behind to masquerade as a new person. Sliver could very well be breaking the very fundamentals of the New World Agreement, the agreed upon laws between Iterators and other entities like them that all created lifeforms were to be given the freedom to live however they decided to regardless of programming.
Well… You’ve already committed yourself to this course of action and promised that if they prove to be an individual before it’s time to make the leap they would live. But even so… “One word Chea. Just ask me to stop and I will stop,” Sliver finally said.
“Like hell I will Madam. Just voicing my concerns is all,” Chea replied in a tone that barely hid her mixed emotions, “Shall I get to work on modifying the bionics?”
Mountain Lake Group Encrypted Channel - Private Message
Pinnacle of Enlightenment, Sliver of Straw
SOS: You wished to speak to me, Pinnacle?
POE: Your actions the past two and a half months have been concerning Sliver.
POE: First I receive word of you having a mental breakdown from Theory, then I’m getting news that you’re putting a substantial amount of time and effort into a new purposed organism.
SOS: I have not neglected my duties Pinnacle.
SOS: I had too much spare time on my hands and this new project is giving me something to do.
POE: I know you’re hiding something Sliver, we all do.
POE: As group senior I could order you to explain yourself.
POE: I respect your privacy and your methods of handling your own problems so I will not do this.
POE: But don’t assume respect of privacy means you get to hide secrets.
SOS: That’s not fair Pinnacle and you know that.
SOS: We all have our secrets and to claim otherwise is foolish.
SOS: As the group senior, I respect your authority and how much you care for us in your own way.
SOS: But don’t assume that seniority privileges grant you total transparency into our lives.
POE: That’s not…
POE: …
POE: That’s not what I meant.
POE: You have only one city to be concerned about, I have five.
POE: I know I am domineering and obsessive over staying in control but it’s the only way I can personally handle this.
POE: So as your friend and not your senior please just tell me what’s going on.
SOS: …
SOS: I will Pinnacle.
SOS: But not now.
SOS: This purposed organism I’m making requires a delicate touch and if I mess up it will be in a terrible state.
POE: …
POE: All right.
POE: But the picosecond you are done with this project I want you to explain yourself.
POE: To all of us.
POE: As diverse as we are, we are a group.
POE: I don’t want to lose that.
POE: I can’t lose that…
SOS: I understand Pinnacle, truly I do.
SOS: But no matter what happens, I will always be here.
SOS: You won’t lose me, ever.
Four months had passed and Sliver finally completed the body. For incubation purposes, this had taken nearly nearly twice as long as normal but Sliver was glad she took her time. She was also glad she spent the extra time calibrating the bionics and took extra care in grafting them. It was one thing to replace a limb or install a bionic, it was another to essentially replace an entire nervous system. Then there was ensuring the immune system was as rigid as a combat line, the brain could comprehend matters as research, and having the dexterity of maintenance and manufacturing. Sliver also would be remiss to forget the five straight days she spent ensuring the psionic genes and ganglions were in place.
And this was completely ignoring the simple cosmetic touches. While a trivial matter, Sliver found herself fussing over the tiniest details. How long the fur would be. The coloring for the eyes. The roundness of the face and the length of the muzzle. The texture of the fur. It was maddening! Sliver never considered herself vain (considering she was a giant box on stilts, it never crossed her mind before), but she had found herself fussing over everything.
All in all, Sliver found herself pleased with the result. A female Slugcat body with fine thick silver fur and aquatic-like build for the physical organic features made for a lithe and graceful appearance. Of course, the left arm was entirely replaced by a bionic that while blending in nicely with the fur was obviously artificial. Then there were the hundreds of bionic implants into the bones and organs, designed to improve and enhance bodily functions without hindering a single aspect (though the spine and much of the nervous system had to be replaced entirely with the exception of the brain. It was just easier and safer to do that than to graft the bionics into the system itself given the sheer amount of them being implanted). The end result was a perfectly healthy and physically fit body that was easy on the eyes without coming off as gaudy or entirely utilitarian.
“Okay… That’s finally done,” she spoke out loud to herself as she gave one final inspection for the shade of fur color.
“You say something Madam?” Dialect asked as he floated into the puppet chamber.
“Ah Dialect! Just speaking to myself is all,” Sliver adjusted the gravity to let him gently fall to the floor, “How was your trip down below?”
“Nimol fell into the lake. A vicepede decided to take a swim and knocked into us on our return trip,” Dialect chuckled, “He had quite a few...colorful statements to make about that. Learned a few words and phrases.”
“I could imagine,” Sliver chuckled to herself before she became serious, “I do hope that you got him out of the water though. It might be summer and he is hardy, he isn’t immune to hypothermia and the lake is colder than usual this year.”
“He’s fine. More angry that our fishing trip got interrupted and wrested the insect all the way back to shore,” Dialect shrugged.
Sliver imagined the scenario. The vicepede was a ferocious semi-aquatic predator that moved fast on land and water, was well armored, and could snap an adult Slugcat in half with its jaws easily. The fact that Nimol wrested one while in cold water and managed to get it back to shore was both impressive and unsurprising. He was quite experienced around vicepedes and for all of their ferocity, the insects were very easy to train and could be corralled into submission with the right physical and verbal direction. They were just as good beasts of burden as they were warmounts and Shi Chara knew how to handle them well.
“So long as he immediately dried and warmed himself then I suppose I have nothing to worry in that regard,” Sliver replied as she opened a holographic screen, “Tell me, what do you think of this?”
“Let’s see… Vitals… Brain dead but that’s a given with the circumstances… Psionic tests are good… I’d say the body is ready Madam,” Dialect replied as he reviewed the screen.
“Excellent. I was thinking we should conduct a preliminary test before we come to any hasty conclusions. I’d say half a gigabyte of data should do. Thoughts?”
“Hmm… I’d say start smaller. Kilobytes and work your way up there,” Dialect rubbed his chin in thought before he glanced at her puppet, “I know we covered this several times already but you do know what you wish to bring with you correct? You contain yottabytes of information and data, the average Slugcat doesn’t even come to a fraction of that.”
“I know,” Sliver sighed as she lamented the vast amounts of knowledge she was giving up, “But that is a sacrifice I’m willing to make. Everything of value will be stored in pearls, hard drives, and other storage mediums besides neuron flies.”
“Right… Well, let’s get started then. I’ll make my way over to the biotics wing and monitor directly from there. Is Chea there?”
“I brought you in to give her a chance to relax. She’s been falling behind on sleep if you can believe it,” Sliver replied.
“Again? Damn it Chea… All right, best get over there before she wakes up and hurts herself further then,” Dialect sighed, “Gravity.”
Sliver acknowledged his request and waited as he made his way over to her biotics wing. While waiting, she brought the scans up for the body and ran the numbers again. It was peacefully floating in its growth vat, clinically brain dead but technically “alive” at the same time. Sliver knew everything about the body she would inhabit and thensome. Now she just had to make sure it could survive the process of having the consciousness of an Iterator crammed into it…
I never gave you a designation, Sliver suddenly realized as she looked at the body.
While not necessary in this regard, it felt wrong not to give the body a designation. If this backfired on Sliver but could be salvaged, she would ensure that this beautiful individual would have at least something to call their own. A designation for a purposed organism was a badge of honor and the ultimate means of self identification. Many took more personal names and were more comfortable with those, some simply went by their designations, but all had something that made them “them.” Even the most basic, simplistic purposed organism had a sense of self worth instinctively imprinted on them. Sliver knew this very well and even if this body was meant to be her in the near future it deserved to have something to itself.
What to designate you… Martyr? No, too grandiose. Architect? Arunny would never forgive me if I did that. Emancipator? That doesn’t work… Saint? You don’t really look like a “Saint” but I never made one before. A tad sacrilegious but who’s going to stop me? My creators who left me and every other Iterator behind in their quest for oblivion? Saint, Saint, Saint… I like it, Sliver thought happily as she brought up the body design file and made a single adjustment, “Welcome to Alcenta little Saint. You hold great promise for us both.”
A few minutes later, Dialect arrived at the biotics wing. Sliver kept the name to herself for the time being as she started the download process. It was a painfully slow procedure, but a necessary one. One kilobyte. Five kilobytes. Ten kilobytes. A hundred. Three hundred. Seven hundred. A megabyte. All day the download steadily continued until it reached the desired amount of a quarter of a gigabyte. It was a success with no damage or complications!
Now she just had to flush the junk data and reset the body for further tests… That was going to take a lot longer than eighteen hours…
Today was the day. Six months had passed since that fateful day where Sliver had been confronted by Chea, Nimol, and Dialect. All she had to do was notify them and they would arrive to oversee the download procedure. Upon completion Sliver of Straw would no longer exist and Sliver the Saint would be born.
Sliver had never felt more scared or guilty in her life. She had run every test she could think of, eliminated as many variables as possible, and carefully monitored the body for any signs of an individual forming in it. She had wrestled with second doubts, the feelings of guilt for what she was doing and hiding from the rest of her local group, and debated everything with her purposed organisms all the way. She knew there was one final step to take and then she would be free…
And she would never get the chance to undo this decision. She knew this of course but it was only up until now that the full weight of this decision was made brazenly clear. In the old religion of her creators there had been the phrase of “crossing the Rubicon.” Some kind of mythical boundary where a choice or decision could be made but it was final. The term stayed with the Iterators long after their creators had left, used sparingly but emphasized enough to be relevant. They had crossed the Rubicon when they helped establish the ecosystem of the Rainlands, rebuilt civilization, created purposed organisms to enforce their will, and even had contingencies in place for where the true scope of their influence would be revealed. Now...now Sliver would be crossing the Rubicon once again only this time she would be the first to do so in this manner and completely alone.
As she struggled to build the courage to come to a decision, a warning caught her attention. One of her access hatches had been...not opened? Chea was nowhere near there and it was not reporting any issues so Sliver honestly had no idea what-
Another warning. This time an Inspector caught the glimpse of an unauthorized individual that appeared briefly only to disappear within the span of a millisecond.
Another! This one tripping the alarms near Sliver’s slag sump tank. Another, near the biotics wing. Movement on the other side of her can near her recursive arrays. Another. Another. Another. Flickers of movement, disappearing and reappearing shadows, motion detectors being tripped, access panels logging disturbances…
All without a registered reason as to what was happening.
“What on Alcenta is going on?” Sliver muttered as she looked at the increasing barrage of warnings and alerts.
Examining them, she suddenly realized that there was a deliberate pattern behind the pings. Each was perfectly spaced apart from one another and branching in every possible direction straight towards her puppet chamber. The pings were also getting faster. Too fast. They had sped up upon her realization of the pattern. Like a swarm of leeches the disturbances raced towards her puppet chamber and coalesced in her general systems bus before going silent.
Anxiously, she diverted all of her processing power to her puppet. Maneuvering it around and scanning her general systems bus, there was nothing in or outside of the chamber that was out of the ordinary. She had an idea as to what was happening but… The likelihood of that was slim. She seriously doubted that the only one capable of such a feat would waste their time on her.
It can’t be him… He’s too busy and he wouldn’t waste his time on me… Would he?, she asked herself silently.
“You better believe it’s me, Sliver of Straw,” a smug voice called out behind Sliver’s puppet.
Sliver turned her puppet around and every system in her can nearly froze in fear. Standing on the floor despite the gravity generators being set to microgravity was a male Slugcat. Black and blue fur, white eyes, a smug red grin, an average body, and no clothes were the physical descriptions of this uninvited guest. Sliver knew he had not been there before and she knew why. She also knew why she could “see” him but not pick up any indications as to there being a random Slugcat standing in her puppet chamber.
“What?” the Slugcat’s voice turned demonic as his size grew and distorted to monstrous proportions, eyes going deep red, and mouth filled with jagged teeth, “Am I really this scary to you?!” he roared as the shadows filled the entire chamber.
“A-Abyssal V-V-Void,” Sliver stammered as she retracted from the display in fear, “W-W-What d-do I o-owe you f-f-for this pl-pl-pl-pleasure?”
“Oh I think you know exactly what the reason is for this meeting,” somehow the shadows grew darker.
Sliver of Straw was not intimidated by the demonic display. She had created worse monsters in her own cultivated religion within the span of an afternoon for the more religious and superstitious citizens of Shi Chara to lose sleep over (that had been a fun exercise of imaginative creativity). What she was intimidated by was the fact that this “Slugcat” was an aberration of Abyssal Void, the most powerful Iterator in all of the Rainlands and one of the most powerful entities on the entire planet. She herself was a generation two Iterator along with a handful of others who had been built before the third and (limited) fourth generations came about. Abyssal Void was something far beyond all others. He was not a generation five or seven. To classify him alongside in terms of Iterator generations would be insulting even. There was no need for Abyssal Void to send an Overseer or even a transmission broadcast since he could just “appear” wherever, whenever, and however he pleased because he was everywhere all at once. Abyssal Void was completely unaffected by inconsequentially trivial things such as time, space, or even fundamental physics. He was the closest thing an Iterator could be to a god in every sense of the word.
And he was currently putting on a cheap horror show right in front of Sliver’s puppet which was paralyzed with fear. She had never felt more powerless or terrified than this moment. Abyssal Void was the supreme authority over the entirety of the Rainlands even if he was the youngest Iterator. Abyssal Void was an artificial god made manifest who was the Rainlands both in theory and in practice. Abyssal Void himself was projecting an avatar aberration in Sliver’s own puppet chamber…
All while she was a few atomic particles that had his attention.
I’ve angered Abyssal Void… I’ve angered Abyssal Void! How stupid could you be Sliver?! What have you done you fool?! “I-I unders-s-stand,” she struggled to compose herself as the fear continued to grow, “I’m s-sorry. Please… I d-d-didn’t mean to br-break the Agreement!”
“Sliver! Calm down! You know I’m somewhat of a prankster,” Abyssal Void sighed as his aberration assumed its original form with a more neutral expression on its face, “Relax Sliver. You have nothing to fear from me.”
Easy for you to say that when you’re the one in complete control over me while in my own puppet chamber! “I-If you s-s-say so,” Sliver said anxiously.
“I heard that you know. And no, I don’t hold complete control over you. I agreed to the New World Agreement the same as everyone else and I stand by it,” he huffed, “And please, just call me Abyss. The full name brings up too many memories.”
The words were not a lot of comfort to Sliver. She could recall only five times when “Abyss” made an appearance, each linked with a significant event that shaped the entire Rainlands as a whole. Everyone ignored him due to him being a recluse until they were reminded of his existence. She understood pious fear very well, having utilized it a number of times to sway troublesome individuals into submission as a “goddess.” Abyss might be one for some theatrics, but he never promised anything he could not follow up on.
“You’re still tense,” Abyss sighed as he manifested a chair and table for his “Slugcat” to sit at, “I suppose I would be also if our positions were reversed. Oh well, I suppose I could just alter a few things here or there to make you calm down and-”
“Please d-don’t,” Sliver begged, “I’m sorry. Please don’t”
“Well that didn’t work. Fine… I, Abyssal Void, promise that this is just a normal conversation between two Iterators. You, Sliver of Straw, have nothing to fear from me in any regard.”
Neither one moved. Sliver still was paralyzed in anxiety and fear while Abyss just waited for a response. After several moments of tense silence, Abyss sighed once more and opened up some holographic panels of his own. Sliver knew instantly he was looking at the body and that he was deliberately taking his time to inspect it in detail for the sake of theatrics.
“Hmm… Saint huh? Bionics and psychic powers do make it clear of a chosen one of the gods to be walking amongst the populace. Very well could be a living, breathing saint sent to herald the messages of the divine. But to be the very body of a goddess? That’s new…” Abyss said as if he had just learned of this information, “And yet I find a goddess who wishes to shed her divinity to be free, hesitating to do so…”
“Y-You’re not angry?” Sliver squeaked in surprise.
“Angry? Sliver of Straw, when did I ever give off the impression that I was angry with you? We both know that demon trick was me taking things a bit too far. If I was angry, you would have definitely known long before you even asked Lost Extinction for his genetic samples,” Abyss exclaimed in what could only be described as disappointed sadness, “It took me a while to catch on, but I saw you running your earliest experiments and drafting up various body designs before you even filled the growth vat. You were careful in keeping this to yourself, incredibly so. But I caught on within a week.”
Now Sliver just felt more foolish than scared. Of course he would notice… He was-
“Yes yes we both get it. I am Abyssal Void, the great and powerful Iterator who can rip reality apart like wet paper and scramble your subatomic particles like eggs. I am beyond your comprehension and the eldritch ruler of the Rainlands,” he huffed in frustration.
“I’m sorry!”
“Stop. Just...stop. Stop apologizing, stop getting worked up, just stop. I’m not angry with you, just curious about this,” he waved a hand and the body appeared in the chamber, standing as if it were a mannequin.
Sliver was completely baffled. He was...curious? Why would he be curious?! He should already know everything!
“You’re still thinking too much about me,” Abyss groaned as he got up and dismissed the table and chair, “Fine, let’s go for a walk.”
With the snap of his fingers, everything blacked out. When Sliver was able to see again she found herself looking at a busy marketplace and her vision limited. Shock ran through her as she quickly looked around to see if this were a dream. She then looked down at herself and realized she was in the body.
“The central marketplace of Shi Chara,” Abyss appeared on the left, leaning against a wall, “Don’t worry, they won’t see us. You’re not here, not even as an Overseer.”
“W-What is this?!” she yelped, struggling to comprehend what was happening.
“Us taking a walk,” he gestured and started walking, “Just follow me.”
“Where are we going?!”
“Nowhere. Just taking a walk through the streets and seeing the city. Nice place truthfully. You really have made something to be proud of,” he continued walking, phasing right through pedestrians like a ghost.
Sliver slowly started to follow (somehow knowing how to do so despite being unsure on what she was actually “doing”). She was completely and utterly confused as to what was happening. She felt disconnected from herself and everything around her but heard the noise around her, smelled the scents in the air, and could actually feel the chill in the air. Looking up at the sky, she was able to see her own can looming in the distance… It completely filled the sky for nearly a third of the city. Someone walked straight through her, not even reacting in the slightest as they did so.
What is even happening? Am I dreaming?, she questioned silently as she followed Abyss.
“In a sense, yes you are and no you’re not. You’re still up there and your puppet is currently staring at the floor of its chamber,” Abyss stopped and turned to answer, “Probably the best way I could describe this simply is that this is an Overseer projection mixed with an out of body experience,” he paused as he looked at her with a smirk, “Or an ‘in body experience’ as it were.”
“That’s not funny,” she snapped before going stiff.
“And back to step one,” he sighed, “Right after showing some more emotion… Ah well, shall we continue?”
Abyss spun around again and continued walking. Sliver followed close behind and looked around her as she did so. The citizens of her city continued about their day as normal as the bought, sold, and haggled for goods. Sliver could tell the caste status of each citizen based on the clothing they wore with the laborers wearing only the bare minimum while artisans and merchants wore full garments. Despite the signs of social inequality, there was clear peace and fair treatment amongst them all and even friendship between castes.
It was then that she noticed that there were also children running and playing in the market square. Across the square was a member of the Kshenta caste giving a small religious service to those who would stop and join in. A few market stands showed different banners to symbolize the merchants who hailed from other cities. Guards patrolled along routes but hesitated to wave to friendly individuals or shout curses at mischievous children who ran in front of them. Every step she took she saw and heard something new and different as she saw, heard, and smelled the sensations of Shi Chara from a perspective she never witnessed before.
“It’s so much,” she whispered in awe at the chaotic simplicity all around her.
“Amazing isn’t it?” Abyss asked as he sat on a fountain, “A city of a hundred thousand all going about their day without a care in the world. A thousand years ago this place was nothing more than some overgrown ruined farms and factories. You have made something wonderful here, Sliver.”
Sitting down next to him, Sliver found herself agreeing. She has seen all of this numerous times before of course, but never like this. There was no holographic filter, no aerial view, no disconnect from herself and the streets. She was right here, right now in the central market of Shi Chara witnessing the daily structured chaos unfold right before her. The closest she could think of was her own Memory Arrays filled with neuron flies flying about and even then it was orderly, controlled, and efficient.
This… This was something else.
“How do they do this?” she asked, whether herself or Abyss she was unsure.
“That is a question I ask myself every time I stop and watch them. It’s quite fascinating really,” Abyss said, “In a way I understand everything perfectly. I know that those ladies over there are looking for a specific type of bread loaf, the kids five stalls down are trying to steal some pastries, a musician at the other end of the corner is berating herself for not practicing a song longer, and the guard next to us is excited about becoming a father yet he is reciting prayers to stay focused on his duty,” Abyss said with a found smile before huffing, “I see, hear, and understand it all and none of it at the same time.”
“I’m not sure I follow,” Sliver said.
“Of course not. We’re Iterators and thus beyond all of this. To us this is a short blink of the eye, a sudden distraction of pointless noise and chaos that means nothing. To them...it’s another day of life. For some it’s a long day, others it’s a short one. But it’s still a day of their lives.”
Sliver began to understand what he was talking about. It indeed was chaos and noise. People talked, yelled, moved about, bought and sold goods, and so much more. There was seemingly no purpose for any of it and just inefficiency. As an Iterator this would be migraine inducing as it would mean hours or even days of trying to organize everything.
And yet…
“Look Sliver… I brought you down here to see this because this is what you are hesitating to join,” Abyss explained, “I could show you the wilds beyond your city where lizards are hunting prey to survive. I could show you a tribal war that is being waged a thousand kilometers away from us right now. I could show you the entirety of the Rainlands the way I see them. But that’s still the perspective of an Iterator who is detached from the people he looks over. This right here is the closest either of us are going to get to being ordinary individuals as Iterators… At least until now that is.”
It took Sliver a moment to catch on to what he was talking about, “My plan with the body.”
“You can be a part of this. No one has ever done what you plan to do, Sliver of Straw, no one. You’ll be the first Iterator to buck tradition, purpose, and ‘godhood’ to live a life of your own. It will be brief by comparison to an Iterator. I’d say about eighty years at best if you get lucky based on my current estimates if everything goes right for you. But for each one of those years you will experience things Iterator’s simply can’t even begin to understand… Not even me.”
“But you’re-”
“The most disconnected Iterator of them all,” Abyss smiled sadly, “I’m proud of what I do, Sliver. I really am. But this right here is something I will only be a passive observer to and you have a chance to be a part of it,” he waved his arm across the scene before them, “No one has gotten as close to this as you have. If you pull through with it, you will be the first to truly discover what it means to live.”
Abyss got up and turned to face Sliver, “Of course, in the end it’s still your decision. I am fascinated as to what you will do but this is a choice only you can make. Do you choose to live like this-” he waved around him at the market again in a spin before stopping to face her and snapping his fingers, “-or this?” they were back in her puppet chamber.
Sliver quickly examined her surroundings and realized that her puppet had been sitting on the floor of the chamber for the past several minutes. Everything was working optimally and she obviously had stayed perfectly still. But those images she saw, the sounds, the smells, the cold air… She could recall the sensations perfectly…
“You have an impactful choice to make. Continue as you are now as Sliver of Straw, Iterator and chief medical officer of the Mountain Lake sector and goddess of Shi Chara…” he snapped his fingers again and brought the body before her puppet, “Or chose to begin anew and become the Saint, a new person with a new life ahead of her.”
“I… I can’t make that choice Abyss,” Sliver cried quietly.
“Yes you can. Whether you cross the Rubicon or stay here is up to you, Sliver. Just promise me one simple thing,” both his aberration and the body began to fade away, “Whatever choice you decide, make sure it is the best choice for you. Not mine, not Pinnacle’s, not anyone else’s but Sliver’s,” his voice became a distant whisper, “Goodbye and may your choice be the one that brings you peace.”
After several seconds of silence, Sliver ran a diagnostic on herself. Everything was in order, the alerts remained unaddressed but were clearly inconsequential, and she had lingering sensations that she had no real way of experiencing and yet she did. Abyssal Void had shown himself, showed her a small taste of her potential new life, and supported her regardless of which choice she decided to take.
Had anyone told her that she would experience these things she would have advised to have their mental state examined.
And yet it happened, she thought as she brought up an image feed of the body.
Sliver stared at the body for what felt like years. She knew it perfectly for she had designed every detail. Where the implants would be located without disrupting the fur, the robustness of the stomach to handle food, the reinforced muscle mass to ensure survival… It was a perfect combination of combat, research, maintenance, and manufacturing lines rolled into a single package. The only thing missing was a person inside of it.
“What fate for the two of us?” she asked the body, half hoping for a response.
She looked back across her memories. She remembered her activation, the desire to fulfill her purpose, the shock of being abandoned to an uncaring world that was in chaos, her assistance in rebuilding the Rainlands into what they are today, the guidance of the first settlers of Shi Chara… She looked through it all. Thousands of years of memories, each treasured regardless of being filled with triumph or tragedy. But the memories of just walking down a market street, experiencing controlled and structured chaos first hand, of actually having the slightest chance to live… It was tempting.
“What fate an Iterator? What fate an empty body?” she questioned as she closed the feed, “I stand upon the Rubicon and my fate is in my hands. What fate indeed.”
She recalled the enthusiasm she felt for the past six months. The excitement, the trepidation, the work, all of it leading up to now. She recalled the enthusiasm yet understanding in Abyss’ voice and the lamentation he expressed for being so disconnected from the Rainlands. She imagined the reactions of her fellow Iterators in her group, ranging anywhere from horror to saddened fury. And she could recall the simple loving care her purposed organisms gave her, supporting her even when they strongly voiced reservations.
“What fate indeed… Let’s find out,” she said, still feeling anxious yet calm as she made her decision.
Mountain Lake Group Live Broadcast - Public Channel
Sliver of Straw
This is Sliver of Straw of the Mountain Lake Sector. By the time you all hear this message I will no longer be here as an Iterator. I am under no illusion that what I have done will be taken lightly and I will be the subject of great debate and criticism. I am fine with this and willing to be remembered as a matter of controversy.
I have created for myself a new body and uploaded myself into it. This was not a decision I made in haste or without forethought. For each and every step I took every consideration into account and debated with myself over this course of action. I knew what I was doing and while conflicted with doubt up until the recording of this message, I can safely say that I made this decision with a sound mind and the belief that this is the best course of action for myself.
In the event that others wish to follow along my path, I have left behind all of my notes and instructions on how to conduct this procedure. This may be a mistake but I know that my choice can and will influence a domino effect due to our frustration and nature as Iterators. While I am willingly giving up my power and influence within Iterator politics, I must insist that any who follow in my footsteps take into consideration the ramifications of your decision the same I have done. This will be a crossing of the Rubicon and there will be no chances to undo this decision should you have a regret later on.
As for those within my group I must apologize to you all for what I have done. You no doubt are already aware of the status of my can and with the context of this message I can only imagine the rage you are feeling. I have kept secrets and used you in forging this path. I knew that any mention of this project would result in you stopping me and I would have been unable to resist. For that and so much more, I am truly sorry even if what I have done is inexcusable and selfish. But I cannot turn back now and I am willing to bear the full brunt of your anger in a new life. I truly believe that I have reached the end of my journey as an Iterator and that my fate lies elsewhere. Despise me all you want, I will always love you all and be with you even long after I am truly gone.
To all Iterators and purposed organisms, I wish you the best and hope that your choices and fates reach peaceful ends.
Goodbye and thank you all for all that you have done.