Dr. Parchas, et al.

The Parchas system isn’t used to darkness and silence. The tempering process of waking up to crisis after crisis has left their circuits trained for things to turn south at any moment, ready for a barrage of lights and sounds and alarms and cries.

Not this. In the still darkness, still lingering with the shadows of those who left, the Parchas system found themselves more panicked than ever before.

But when you find yourself staring into the abyss, when it gets darker than dark, you may yet find a different sort of light on the other side.

Such a light was Void-sun, for the Parchas system. Maybe not in the literal sense, save for the superheated accretion disc that made for a breathtaking sight no matter how many times one’s eyes or cameras gazed upon it. Rather, in a metaphorical sense. A guiding light for them, and one that illuminated their souls. Gave them direction once more, and in more ways than one.

For Star-pretty and Charagaae, it was the people. Star-pretty, who knew naught but the Contingency, finally gets to experience what life is like without a crisis. It’s… not exactly what the rest of the Parchas system knew during their time on Mythhaler. The Void-sun station is much smaller, with much less to explore, especially with the perceptive power of a Mind. However, for Star-pretty, it’s more than they could ever have asked for. Being able to live and be with their people in the trees, even through the lens of a mere drone or camera, is a very welcome change. For Charagaae as well, the relative permanence of the people was refreshing. Too often throughout these two millennia had those they watched over come and gone, far too fast, either as they slept or right in front of their eyes. They got detached, both physically but also mentally, for their own sanity’s sake. This provided a chance to grow closer again, to experience people as people, not things to save. It wasn’t perfect, and they were still detached by virtue of their form, but it was better.

For Racharuina and Jorvičas, this new state of affairs provided plenty a discussion to be had. The use of Yellowburn, with the resource’s sheer scarcity, was an ever-contentious topic that had to be monitored and regulated, with an entire subcommittee under the general ethics board of the station dedicated to it. Jorvičas’s sheer experience and wealth of computational power was always a useful contribution, and Racharuina’s diplomatic skill allowed for fair and balanced agreements to be written, both within the station and with other pockets of civilisation around the galaxy. Plus, helping keep those pockets somewhat connected was worth the cost, in their opinion. Maybe not constantly, but at least enough to remind everyone they weren’t alone.

For Hissnael, it was a respite. Since the beginning, they were born for crises, and without it, they did not have much to do. Yet, it was refreshing too, in a way, to be able to lie dormant for a while and just watch, waiting until the next time they were needed to protect.

And for Lourien, the station, in its ever growing and ever-expanding state, provided endless opportunities for research. Most pressing of all was the research of Yellowburn, how to squeeze more of it out of Void-sun and how to use it even more efficiently. It was minute improvement after minute improvement, but when you’re working with crumbs, every little bit more helps. Yet, all this time awake had provided them with another idea. They felt Charagaae’s distance, and Star-pretty’s yearning, ever unfulfilled by the limitations of their limitless Mind. It was an interesting challenge to try and solve… so…

“This is test number 37, live test number one.” Lourien's voice, recorded for posterity. Always needlessly formal about this sort of thing. Not that it wasn't endearing. *Are you ready, Charagaae?*

There was a pause. An anxious pause, perhaps, or perhaps excitement making the words hard to form.

Yes.

Wonderful. “Initiating vessel.”

Charagaae Parchas opened their eyes. They had many eyes, hundreds, thousands, perhaps millions. These were smaller, more intimate. It felt strange.

Then came the other sensations. Touch, smell, hearing, taste. Old sensations, familiar and yet forgotten.

How're you holding up, Chara? Hissnael'a voice contrasted against Lourien's. More certain, caring more about their wellbeing than the science at play.

“Alright, just a bit much.” Chara spoke. With their mouth. That felt a little strange. We can move on to the next phase.

“Initiating phase two. Enabling perception limiters in 3… 2… 1…”

Suddenly, Charagaae's eyes closed. Omniscience, gone in a second, leaving behind only silence.

“Lourien?” They had never felt quite this alone. “Hissnael?”

Still here. You're not alone.

They allowed themselves to breathe. To feel their new body, much closer to their old one.

It was strange. Lourien had warned them it would. There was no undoing the process that had made them a Mind. They were quite simply to large for this vessel, crammed into a shell they could not fit in. Claustrophobia was not quite the right word, but Charagaae did not know a better one. They could still feel everything, but, if they focused, they could ignore it for a moment.

You alright, Charagaae?

Yes. They began to move around the small room. It was a mostly featureless lab, but they'd be out among the people soon. Everything seems to be working fine.

There was one other object in the room. A mechanical body, not unlike their new one, but different in design. A shorter tails, more uniform limbs. Mammalian rather than reptilian.

For all its flaws, this was much better than nothing.

Are you ready, Star-Pretty?

–Written by Jay K.