076: Drifted Dimension – Seven
The first thing Pryseia became aware of was the pain radiating out from her heart. It felt like she'd been run through by something massive, and that it still lay buried within her chest. It made it difficult to breathe.
The next thing she became aware of were voices talking, the hushed murmur of people quietly at work. The quiet hum of equipment and a steady beeping filled wherever she was with ambient noise.
Pryseia forced her eyes open to take stock of her surrounding, as she was no longer within the cockpit of Zaanlaa. Instead, she appeared to be in a lab on a world she didn't recognize, the scenery through the large windows that lined the side of the room she was facing dominated by the glare of twin white suns.
Within the lab, however, were rows upon rows of of clear, cylindrical tanks mounted upright on counters that came up to Pryseia's chest, all of them full of an opaque, greenish liquid, a darker shape floating within each one.
"Looks like the Fext brood should be ready," said a voice from behind Pryseia, and she whirled to find a pair of usgaisjans bundled in sterile full body suits, "The higher ups on Karnon are eager to get the next batch trained."
"Then let's hurry up and get these things packaged, I'm ready for lunch." Their companion replied, pushing a cart loaded up with smaller canisters.
Dread coiled around the pain lancing through Pryseia as she stepped in front of these two, demanding, "And just what is all this, hm?"
But they paid her no mind, walking through her as if she wasn't even there. She didn't even feel them as they passed through her. Sighing, she turned to see just what they were about to do. Whatever she was about to see, she clearly could not affect it.
They came to a stop next to one of the tanks, one of them tapping against the screen mounted in the counter before it, while the other stepped up to the tank next to it to do the same. One after another, a gurgling sounded from within the tanks, the fluids and whatever they contained draining out into whatever apparatus lay within the counter below. Glancing across the readout on their screen, the first usgaisjan called out, "This one looks good, no defects."
"Not this one," their companion responded, "Looks like it'll develop nearsightedness within a couple years worth of growth. May as well just render it down so we don't have to worry about corrective measures down the line."
"Good plan, I'll get this one ready to go." The first usgaisjan said, pulling one of the containers off the cart and slotting it within the hatch that slid open on the counter in front of them. And the next tank over, a growling hum came from within the counter, and soon after the tank was refilled with that greenish liquid, now empty of the dark shape that floated within it.
A ding sounded from the first usgaisjan's counter, and they removed the container, a pit opening up in Pryseia's stomach when she saw the baby that now lay inside. Its skin was a bluish green, the sage green nubs of what would grow out to be their crest of horns clearly visible through sparse, emerald green hair.
"The stats on this thing are pretty impressive," the usgaisjan said as they set the canister back within the cart, "Someone's going to be very happy to get this one."
"Hurry up and register it, we don't have all day." Their companion snapped, already moving on to another tank.
The first usgaisjan grumbled something uncomplimentary under their breath, tapping away at the small screen embedded along the curve of the now filled container. Pryseia, who had watched this entire scene in horror, felt her blood run cold as a name appeared on the screen once a chime of confirmation sounded.
V'tala Fext.
And the next thing she knew, the entire room was blasted with light.
Blinking as the blinding white light receded, Pryseia found herself in some type of open room, rhythmic shouting coming from the gaggle of children before her as they followed along with the usgaisjan instructor leading them through a series of martial arts maneuvers.
A second usgaisjan was weaving their way through the neat rows the children were lined up into, watching with a critical eye as they followed along with the instructor, a thin rod clutched behind their back.
"The power comes from your hips and shoulders, you need to have them lead when you throw a punch." They snapped, giving the child a sharp lash against what should have been their leading hip with the rod. Tears sprang to the child's eyes, but they didn't let them fall, instead shifting into proper form to execute the punch again. The disciplinarian nodded curtly once they saw their instructions had been heeded, and then continued on with their inspection.
Again and again the children were led through increasingly complicated forms, the disciplinarian lashing out at every misstep, while the children silently accepted this mistreatment. Unable to do anything more than observe, Pryseia screamed out her rage at the scene before her.
When the lesson came to an end, the children were sweat slick and heaving to catch their breath, but not a word of complaint was uttered as they were herded out of the room by the instructor. As the last child made to follow after, the disciplinarian's rod swished down before them, stopping them in their tracks.
"You didn't make a single mistake this lesson. In any of your lessons." The disciplinarian said, "You've been noticed, V'tala Fext, and as such, you're being bumped up to the intermediate classes. Tend to your ablutions and then head to the mess hall, in the morning you're to report to Training Hall H."
Her mossy yellow eyes staring at the centre of the disciplinarian's chest, V'tala only nodded before turning to continue after the rest of her classmates.
Pryseia tried to follow after her, but she stepped forward into nothingness and the world fell away.
It was more the sudden increase of pain that had Pryseia falling to one knee as the ground rose up to greet her, the grass around her bleached white by the twin suns that hung in the sky. She barely had the time to wonder if she'd been brought back to the world where she'd seen V'tala be decanted before voices cut through her thoughts.
"This discovery could be exactly the thing we need to stand up to Tymbos encroachment, but it's also exactly the type of discovery that could have raiders swarming. That's why I've requisitioned a unit of their finest. I won't stand idly by to let our best chance at success be wiped out by some random scouting party."
"I appreciate the concern, but I still think a unit of troops would be a more substantial deterrent."
Forcing herself upright, her flesh hand clutching uselessly at the pain in her chest, Pryseia turned to watch two usgaisjans in cobalt uniforms make their way into a prefabricated structure. Teeth grit, she followed after them without hesitation. She'd recognized the second voice from the log Viatrix had found in the Hyttan transport.
They voice of V'tala's first dryhten.
"If anything, a unit would put more of a target on your back than act as a deterrent," the usgaisjan that Pryseia didn't recognize was saying, "That many troops stationed on a barren world far from any kind of advantageous positioning? It would tip them off that we'd found something worth defending. The dregil may be fewer in number, but they're equal to a unit in terms of their capabilities. And as you well know, their discipline is incomparable."
"True," the dryhten conceded, "And you said they've been given some archaeological training?"
"Enough to be of help at the dig site beyond just keeping you all safe. I know you hate having personnel you can't use."
"Well, let's get this over, then. I'd like to be on the transport within the hour, there's a long flight ahead of us."
The pair stepped into another room with a group of more uniformed usgaisjans milling about, who all snapped smartly to attention when the dryhten's companion entered the room. They then fell into step behind them as the pair passed through to another room. Pryseia stalked in after them.
Inside were children, the oldest maybe in the middle of their adolescence, the youngest being V'tala, who barely looked to be in her first decade of life. Pryseia rounded on the woman who was to become her dryhten, powerless to do anything else.
One by one, the children were partnered with the adults, a light going out of their eyes as each dlegh was pledged, and then V'tala went down on one knee to swear her oath, Pryseia weeping unseen before her.
"I am your sword, your shield. Your word is my law. My life is your tool. Thus bound, V'tala Fext will serve."
"Thus bound, you rise." Her dryhten commanded, and as a now vacant V'tala stood, Pryseia's vision went white.
The pain had her on her knees before she had a chance to take stock of wherever she'd been pulled to next, but as her hands made contact with smooth, dusty metal, it was safe to assume she was in some kind of artificial structure. She could hear voices coming up behind her, low and conversational, and she tried to focus on them instead of the agony ripping through her chest.
"-seen anything like this before. This has to be proof of alien life!"
"We won't know until we get further in. This could be a relic from our own people, long forgotten."
"Don't be foolish! We're on a world lightyears from Tymbos, and from everything our archaeology has unearthed, all of our collective history, there has never been a time beyond ours where our people have been able to make the journey to the stars."
"That we know of! There could have been civilizations wiped out so completely that nothing remains! Until we develop the means to travel through time to make sure, we'll never know for certain."
"Well the odds of it are statistically impossible, so I'll be assuming this is of alien origins until proven otherwise."
Leaning back to rest on her knees, Pryseia watched as a trio of usgaisjans passed her by, V'tala trailing silently behind the uniformed pair deep in conversation.
She looked older now, but not by much. Mid adolescence at most, she moved with the grace of a trained fighter, her empty eyes scanning their surroundings for any trace of a threat. Heart clenching painfully at the sight, Pryseia shoved herself up in order to fall into step with her, as hollow a gesture as it was in this memory she'd found herself in.
She took the opportunity to take in their surroundings, and it took her absolutely no time at all to see that they were in some type of Hyttan facility. The organic look of the metal around them was unmistakable. She wasn't sure what the purpose of the place was, but the hall they were walking through had an industrial feel to it. Dim lighting filled the space, the limitless fuel source that the Hyttan used in all their ruins still powering the building after all this time.
They arrived at a closed door not long after, and one of the two adults placed a hand against it, searching for the means of opening the door. It gave Pryseia a small sense of amusement as they completely missed the access panel that sat just to the right side of the door for several minutes, fumbling around like fools before they got the door to open.
The pair gasped at what they saw inside, recoiling back as if some monster was about to spring at them, and Pryseia stepped through the door to see what the fuss was about.
A Hyttan transport ship sat alone inside of a hangar bay that looked like it could hold a dozen such ships, bits and pieces of equipment laying scattered about as if dropped in a rush, with the intent that they would be come back for later. Whatever happened to the Hyttan prevented that from happening.
"That's definitely not one of our ships." One of the adults whispered, and their companion could only nod before asking, "Should we check it out?"
"We have no idea if there's any security measures in place. Empty halls are one thing, but a ship? I would have defences put up to guard that."
"What should we do, then? Go back for a squad to clear this section out?"
The other usgaisjan, who Pryseia now recognized as V'tala's dryhten, said, "No, Tymbos forces were seen in the area, we don't have the time to waste. We have to see what's inside that thing before we're forced to either flee or fight."
Pryseia knew what was coming even before the dryhten's gaze turned to V'tala as she ordered, "Run reconnaissance on that ship, and anything that may lay inside. We don't have that much time."
Without a word, V'tala nodded and walked into the room without hesitation, Pryseia at her side.
She quickly proved her dryhten's worries unfounded as she made her way through the hangar, no security measures springing to life to stop her. It didn't take her long to find an access hatch to the ship itself, and unlike those she was guarding, V'tala was able to get the door open right away.
Inside, the ship's interior was in a similar state of disarray, items left on consoles or dropped on the floor, though there was a path that had been cleared through the mess - a path cleared as the crew made a hasty exit, perhaps? Pryseia had no time to ponder as V'tala made her way further into the ship.
A quick search through the crew area of the vessel revealed little beyond the discarded mess, and then they were stood in front of the door to the cargo hold itself, where Pryseia knew a Storlayacas lay in wait inside. V'tala raised her hand to the access panel, but stopped before she could make contact, her blank expression momentarily flickering with confusion.
"You can hear it's call, can you not?" Pryseia whispered, even though she knew this younger V'tala couldn't hear her. As intently as she was watching the girl, Pryseia swore for a moment that clarity returned to V'tala's eyes, but barely a heartbeat later, the mask of neutrality fell back over her face, and she opened the door and stepped inside.
At the far end of the cargo hold crouched Enaruli, and the sight of it stopped V'tala dead in her tracks. The scattered crates and inscrutable equipment strewn about the cargo hold may as well have not even been there, V'tala's gaze locked onto the machine before her. Pryseia could sympathize - she'd felt the same the first time she saw Zaanlaa.
V'tala stood there, transfixed for a long moment, before she pulled some type of communication device from where it was hooked into the protective vest she was wearing and said, "The path is clear. I've found something."
She didn't bother waiting for a response, and the two adults joined her a few moments later, gasps spilling out of them as they caught sight of the Storlayacas.
"Is it a statue, do you think?" One asked, "A representation of whoever built this ship? Their god?"
"I have no idea, but I intend to find out. Come on." The dryhten replied, making her way to the machine, V'tala silently falling into step after them. Pryseia wasn't sure why she was shocked that neither of them had even acknowledged that the girl was there.
Enaruli was bent down on one knee, an arm extended as if to act as a ramp for easy entrance. Or exit, most likely, for whatever Hyttan had been the last to pilot the thing. And as they drew near enough, the cockpit hatch swung open, dust falling off it in a flurry, disturbed after who knew how long. The two adults stopped short at the movement, ducking behind a console in case an attack was incoming, V'tala stepping in front of the pair without needing to be prompted, gun drawn and levelled at the machine before her.
When nothing happened after an uncomfortable tense handful of seconds, the dryhten hissed, "Investigate that thing and report back your findings."
Holstering her sidearm, V'tala strode forward without a word.
Her own heart pounding painfully against her ribs, Pryseia followed after her, scaling the arm and scrambling into the cockpit, clutching her chest as she leaned against the back of the cockpit and watched as V'tala was anchored into the pilot's chair, Enaruli whirring to life around them.
"I am in command of… this machine. It's a weapon." V'tala said over her communicator as Pryseia fell back into oblivion.
She came to propped up against the back of the pilot seat, V'tala still sat there, though she looked older than the last time, while on the screens around them Pryseia could see a cityscape being ruined as Enaruli advanced, twin white suns hanging in the sky as artillery rounds bouncing uselessly off the energy shield projecting from Enaruli's left forearm, sending them into the buildings all around. In Enaruli's right hand was an energy rifle, which V'tala levelled at the truck mounted cannons firing at her, liquifying them with a single blast.
Pryseia stumbled to her knees as the world shifted again, and she found herself on a stage, the dryhten standing next to her before a cheering crowd as a medal was pinned to her uniform jacket. Off to the side, V'tala stood perfectly still, all except for her eyes, which scanned the crowd for any danger.
The next jump had Pryseia falling to the side with a cry, the pain ratcheting through her worse than before. She could barely make out the office she'd landed in, the dryhten talking to another uniformed officer.
"I understand that you need the Vessel for the supply run, but the Great Machine has to make the assault on Sarkos next. That's months worth of travel if we have to take a standard ship!"
"I fail to see how this is a problem?"
"The pilot is a dregil, and the Great Machine has refused to accept another. Whatever hold the Great Machine has on it, we don't know if that would extend into death. If the dregil dies, we may never be able to use the Great Machine again, and the dregil has already reached its twentieth year of operation."
"If it's longevity you're worried about, talk to the techs in Colonization. They've long used stasis pods for long haul flights. That should keep your weapon from losing its edge."
Everything became a blur after that, a cyclical loop of the same events happening over and over and over again, and Pryseia could do nothing but lay there and try to breathe through the pain.
V'tala in stasis, ferried between worlds.
V'tala in Enaruli's cockpit, her foes powerless to stop her.
V'tala in stasis once more, then Enaruli - stasis - Enaruli - stasis - Enaruli - again and again and again and again, everything bleaching of colour as Pryseia rolled onto her back, agony wiping every sense from her mind, those twin white suns glaring down upon her with a light so bright she could practically hear it as it forced her into unconsciousness.