C70 The Black Entity.
The Black Entity.
Meanwhile…
Vigal System, VDN Queen of Hearts, on route to Merag.
Roland groaned as he leaned up from his bed, he couldn’t get any decent rest these last few days. There simply had been to much going on lately, especially the last two weeks before they had set out to Merag.
Kadim’s offer had been so enthralling to him, that he had realized to late how he went into this little tale of Karlo’s grandson being alive, hardly prepared. His mind had to work overtime to craft a sustainable mixture of truth and lie, so he had something to present to the Admiral.
Add in the hearings and reports about the Xa’Leen situation, without sufficient prove from his side, and you had a whole bureaucratic mess. Luckily Kadim was right, news of Andrew being alive flipped a switch for Karlo, even if he was skeptical at first.
It was a tricky path to tread, to suggest breaking off his undercover assignment due to contact with a Psyker that offered information about Andrew. And that same Psyker to have warned Roland, to withdraw from Salim as there was an imminent attack.
But thats were he had gotten creative, using what little he had from his conversation with Kadim to craft a scheme, one were he could mention the Nah’Rahan. That their, ruler, as he placed it, not only had Andrew, but was in fact the one that attacked the fleet in Vigal, and destroyed Saratoga.
Well, he could not quite place it as fact, but as what that made up contact shared with him. And that was information, true or not, that he had to bring to Karlo’s attention, personally.
He did have to imply as well that this contact claimed to have tie’s to someone within Cradle, just to add plausibility to his little tale, and that was a two edged sword. As was the suggestion that Andrew may be a latent Psyker, information Karlo found at first preposterous, and then immediately put under seal, just in case it turned out to be the truth.
The fact that he could give information about the Xa’Leen, without having actually fought them, aside from that vision Kadim gave him. Well, it was a bit of a crux, but what he provided matched the informations that followed from the settled systems that were attacked, which was a boon to his tale if nothing else.
It did place the information given as somewhat reliable, enough for Karlo to set Roland up with his current mission.
Though Roland did try to convince Karlo as well of how destructive the Xa’Leen may be, given that Kadim implied they might be able to cause massive damage to the Commonwealth. But even Karlo who was skeptical himself, could not easily sway the entirety of High Command to consider withdrawing from the attacks on the Seltran.
“ Old fools. “ He uttered, even though he found himself wondering then.
Just how accurate was Kadim’s suggestion that they might need the Seltran ? To cooperate with them to counter the Xa’Leen ? And was there even another enemy held back by the Seltran ? Not to mention a third power that supposedly was watching the Xa’Leen attacks from a distance.
It all sounded so out there now, but if true, the Commonwealth was looking at wars on a massive scale, were the Seltran front may look like nothing but child's play. Cooperation between the Commonwealth and the Seltran may become pivotal.
And it helped little that this part of the information was something he could not even share with Karlo, not yet. He would have to find the right timing, giving up to much information right away would likely just become a detriment. And in his eyes, every good plan was build at least on a foundation of plausibility, which he lacked for this information.
“ Ahh. “ He groaned, thinking about plausibility.
That was a good thing to consider right now as well. He somehow managed to have Karlo send him to Cradle with the expectation to get Andrew back, and they are using the Vorden as a front for Diplomatic relations in this, as they could hardly send an official diplomatic mission.
The Vorden’s contact to the Siren was limited, so that was probably good enough for a cover. But, that was still just a cover, once they were in Merag, he would have to come up with a reason or a means to gain access to Cradle.
Sending an armed vessel for diplomatic talks was nothing new for the Vorden, even if it was scoffed upon. Vorden preferred to project power, and their ships were usually coveted by pirates, even unarmed once. So they had a valid excuse not to send an unarmed vessel, but would the Siren accept such reasoning ?
[ Kadim ? ] Roland tried in his mind, hoping to make contact with that elfish looking girl, and she did say she would be nearby, sort of. But there was no response, and for a moment that vexed Roland, until he recalled, she did mention that she could not read his mind.
“ Kadim ? Are you around ? “ He tried again, this time speaking the words.
Yet there was no response once more, so that Roland gave up and just leaned back. His eyes closing as he considered how he may have to get crafty to get the Siren’s to talk with him.
“ Going on gut feelings alone will only carry you so far. “ He heard Kadim’s voice, and opening his eyes, he found himself standing in that black room once more.
“ You could have given me a little more to work with you know. “ Roland near protested, not bothering to make sense of the way she made contact with him.
“ Or, you could have simply asked ? “ Kadim suggested, which caused Roland to sigh, realizing that she was not one to easily get along with, not from his current viewpoint.
“ Mathew Mornings. “ She then offered.
“ Who now ? “ Roland asked, not seeing what she was getting at yet.
“ It’s the current Diplomatic contact for Cradle, and somewhat of a new Organisator of Siren affairs on a broader spectrum.
The Siren will likely contact you once you start approaching their gate structure. It be best not to wait for that though. Send a message towards the station they are constructing in Merag, ask to speak with Matthew Mornings, and that you need to get in contact with Modaran. “ Kadim explained.
“ So, I take it, this Modaran is Nimilia’s son then ? “ Roland summarized for himself.
“ Yes, and he is Matthew Mornings. Matthew is the current persona he uses to facilitate contact with the Commonwealth, funnel psykers into the Siren territory, and manage a lot of Siren affairs within their Territory. Many of the Siren are not even privy to that, as he can disguise his presence better then the Siren could.
But the Siren Queen knows. Right now, she has become more of a figurehead, a front for Modaran to operate behind. “ Kadim elaborated further.
“ I see. “ Roland mused, considering briefly how that may impact the political landscape before he asks, “ And, he can get me in contact with Nimilia, to get Andrew ? “
“ Andrew is likely already in Siren hands. Nimilia is aware of our movements, and she suggested as much. The Siren may not yet understand the scope of what they have, or who he even is, but he will be in their care. “ Kadim responded.
“ So, you have contact with her ? “ Roland asked, wondering what this whole charade was about then. Though at least, it was to his advantage.
“ Yes, but she is the one that made contact. It is not easy to find her, not unless she wants to be found. And it appears she has tools at her disposal to contact us that even I was not aware of.
It seems that she agree’s with our current movements, which suggests it to fit into her plans. “ Kadim admitted.
“ Ah, great. “ He grunted, trying to sort this information into a frame he could use for his next steps.
He could already account for a lot more now.
Modaran, he was still the means to get Andrew back to Karlo. And though he still had to make an effort to account for Andrew’s state of mind, considering the incident and whatever he may have gone through, it would get him the freedom of movement he may require for the next steps.
That could likely be achieved through Modaran as well, to get in contact with that black entity. Though, what were Kadim’s plans for him there ? He would likely have to get into whatever accounted for the inner circle, and then what ?
She did say the entity was essentially sealing itself in, and that it would be a means for himself to stay alive. Which may also imply that it could hold the means to fend off, or least offer assistance to fend off whatever would be coming for the Commonwealth.
“ His name is Anthony, though the Commonwealth currently knows him as Sovereign. And as I said, he already has a means to balance his more volatile nature. What he needs, is a counterbalance, something that gives that volatile nature a purpose. “ Kadim explained.
“ Ah, right, Prediction. “ Roland muttered as Kadim was at it again, estimating his thoughts so accurately.
“ Indeed. There are quite a few likely conflicts in the future. And at his current pace, Anthony will not be able to endure them. “ Kadim suggested.
“ Ah, and I guess, for him to fail would be bad, because it would release whatever dreadful thing comes after ? “ Roland half guessed based on her previous warning to him. About not bothering to defeat Anthony, as it would release something very bad, by her words anyway.
“ Yes. “ She blatantly agreed.
“ So, how do you expect this purpose to take form ? “ Roland asked, feeling slightly frustrated as it felt like he had to yank every bit of information from her. Rather then her bluntly stating her intentions and expectations for him.
“ Your a schemer, telling you what you wish to know would dampen your own perspective and efficiency. “ Kadim responded, though just to his thoughts then his actual question.
“ But to answer. His power, it involves many aspects, but one primary aspect is absolute rulership. But it is flawed by his character as he, means well. He has his plans, his visions, and they are held back by his perspectives.
To put it bluntly, part of him see’s humans as sheep, needing someone to heard them towards one goal. As otherwise, they would all diverge onto different paths. Which in his eyes, would lead to conflict and stunted growth.
The other part thinks that this diversification and the resulting conflict is a necessity for growth. The freedom to choose, to think and act as you desire, even if it may bring eventual harm to others.
Neither perspective is wrong, nor is either right, and both have their merits. But he is seeking for the middle path, and can’t find one without conflicting values, which forces him into inaction. Guided also by his believe that he has no right to impose his view onto others. “ Kadim answered his question, indirectly as usual.
But that was enough for Roland, he could grasp the concept he was being pointed at. If conflicts and wars were in the future, then his purpose was most likely to enable a decision for Anthony.
Considering his own perspectives, and that Kadim approached him with the knowledge she seemed to have of him, the militaristic route seemed the most likely.
To herd the sheep and enforce his will.
The alternative would be to just act as an outside force, one that be indulged for a while by the Commonwealth, long as there was reason to be grateful. While also using the Commonwealth as a sort of shield.
But both would seem to stand in conflict with what Kadim described of Anthony’s intent. So, the best thing might be to use free will, to foster true rule. For that, war may just be the right Catalyst.
“ His soul has always been more of a drifter. More often then not, his development was circumstantial. “ Kadim offered, as if to agree with the plot that Roland just formed.
“ I gather, he does not have a lot of people around himself at the moment ? “ Roland asked, just to make sure his current web of thoughts was weaved correctly.
“ There are a few Siren around him, and a new First. “ Kadim responded.
“ A, new First ? “ Roland wondered.
“ Yes, Nimilia created her as a Sister, without the decrease in abilities. She is just as strong, but she is also inexperienced.
She is Anthony’s mate, and what you could call, his most priced possession. She is the most likely trigger for him to break, should she come to harm. “ Kadim responded, and the last part nearly sounded like another warning.
“ You keep, hinting at something bad to happen, if he breaks, or looses. What exactly is this, disastrous something that would be released ? “ Roland finally asked, unable to just take her warnings without a bit of proper clarification.
Though Kadim just remained silent, watching him as though she was expecting him to speak again. As if his words had not reached her at all, which he found quite frustrating.
“ For that matter, you suggested that he is, a version, of an Original, and I guess, that would apply to myself as well by what you said in our first meeting. Who the heck is he, if he is that important ? “ Roland now nearly demanded.
“ I can not tell you. “ Kadim responded this time.
But Roland was not satisfied with that response, and he even believed to have found a flaw in that statement, as she had previously remarked on her trying to awaken him through his memories.
“ I don’t buy that. You said before, you were trying to awaken me, through memories. I would have recalled everything myself then, would I not ? “ Roland insisted, though working on half a guess in his claim.
“ To be told, there once was war, and to have personally experienced that war, would result in different perspectives. “ Kadim responded calmly.
Roland would groan at that, and briefly reach up to massage his temples, trying to consider his options to apply pressure. He was not willing to accept that claim, and simply go on some vague knowledge and instructions, he needed something more tangible.
“ Well, that wont do. You can not expect me to work towards a goal, and evade consequences, if I don’t even know what these consequences are. “ He then insisted.
Kadim seemed to think for a moment, or pretend to, Roland could not quite tell. But after a few moments she would nod, seeming to have come to a decision.
“ Imagine a people that know no ill, no pain, no sorrow, no disease or war. All they have is beauty, joy and a long life. Well, and, without understanding the scope of it, the power of creation itself at their fingertips, and the ability to shift between humanoid, and beast. “ Kadim suddenly started to explain.
“ Is this, going to be some sort of fairy tale ? “ Roland uttered with a hint of annoyance. It sounded like she was about to go at it in a roundabout way again, instead of giving him a clear response.
“ You wish to understand, but to do so, you have to understand the root cause. If I told you that he is a man, with a monster sealed inside of him, would that tell you anything of value ? “ Kadim shot back.
“ Fine. “ Roland relented, and Kadim would nod satisfied in response, before going on with her story.
“ These people, lived only for the present, and had no ambition other then to enjoy their life and the presence of one another, and they were content with it. They only looked up to the stars once they understood that their Star, a blue giant, was reaching the end of it’s life.
The star was smaller then their home-world, on which they had become so plenty in numbers, that they could easily share their essence with their star. Using their powers of creation so that it may burn eternally.
And when the star was healed, they begun to wonder, what else was out there in that endless void ?
So they created another world in the image of their own. They gave that new world a soul, and every world they created after it, even their own home-world. Then they begun to control their star to take them through the Universe where they met other beings.
Some of those they would eventually come across, grew envious of their power, the wealth and the beauty, and they sought to make it their own. That was the first time that pain and sorrow was introduced to them. But the souls that they gave to their worlds lashed out then, struck the aggressors down, to protect their creators, which deeply saddened them.
So to prevent a repeat, they reached out, disarmed others, and gave them instead their vision of life. Teach them to cooperate, coexist, and celebrate life and its beauty. And that seemed to work, so well in fact, they soon forgot the sorrow again they experienced. “ Kadim spoke, pausing briefly so she could create a chair for him to sit down, a sign that this was going to take a while.
“ Go on then. “ He grunted after sitting down, hoping this was actually heading someplace meaningful.
“ Since they held no true concept of negative emotions, such as pain and greed, they did not fully understand other beings. And when they eventually left, believing to have created an utopia for others, they left in fact a vacuum.
The Utopia they created collapsed on itself, ravaged by those that watched from the outside. Or those that only played along, biding their time till they were free to harvest the spoils of beings that foolishly believed in the vision of these wandering folk.
And that would become a frequent occurrence. As they, lets call them, the builders, kept wandering the universe. They visited new galaxies, taught the people there coexistence, build themselves new worlds, and then left. Leaving either devout worship, or war in their wake without ever realizing it.
And they did so for many cycles, watching the universe die and renew itself for many times. Until eventually, it would seem that the universe itself conspired against them, tired of their ignorance.
At that time, they had millions of worlds they called home, and had created the position of the High Lord, the N’Khar as they called it. A guardian that would protect them against those that initially showed hostility, which was perceived simply as a lack of enlightenment by the Builders.
By then, something within the Universe had gathered all it’s might, finally to make the Builders aware of their ignorance. “ Kadim went on.
Roland would just shift in his seat at that point, hoping that the important part would come up soon. Though the mentioning of a self renewing universe was something he found at least an interesting concept.
“ Their home-world was struck in two, and with it, their entire species.
One half of them was thrust across the universe, where they salvaged the remains of their home-world, and weeped for the loss of the other half. While the others did the same, unaware that either side was still present, but simply displaced.
The displaced half choose to assume their bestial form, and not to return to their former selves, never to forget their roots and those they lost, and from then on calling themselves Those who are lost.
While the other half chose never to use their beast form again, to reflect in what they had lost, calling themselves from then on, Those who seek. And both sides would see the universe renew itself many times, before they would see their lost half again.
But when they did, they had become so different from one another, that instead of the cooperation and coexistence they both still taught to others, they broke into defensive hostilities. Seeing the other half as someone that had ill intent for them. “ Kadim went on, briefly pausing to allow the said to sink in..
“ Around that time, some of their kind ventured out, still influencing other species.
And since the Builders had not learned their lesson, the power that sought to correct them struck out once more. But this time onto a single vessel on which there was a couple with their child, concocting a more devious plan, one that would have a longer lasting effect on the Builders.
The couple perished that day, but the child survived. A mere baby, unable to fend for itself, on a world that saw it as a curiosity, as a strange creature that need be prodded and understood, which only taught it pain.
And by the time the child could grasp the world around it, it had learned to live with pain. An aspect of it’s life that changed only when it’s power over creation manifested.
Soon as the people of that world understood what they had in their grasp, they started to hide the child away, have it use it’s power, so that those that controlled it, could find prosperity, and the means to be above anyone else on their world.
This brought many changing era’s of war and peace, changes and struggles, all for a power that was not theirs. And all that time, the child slowly grew, learning that kindness and friendship were things given to it in return for it’s creations.
Pain was simply the reward given for it’s failures. “ Kadim explained, and Roland felt like she was finally getting somewhere with her story, as she was awfully focused on that child.
“ Eventually, another war broke out, and somehow, the fortress within which the child was hidden away was hit, and it opened a path for the child to see the world it had created, with the gifts it gave to these people.
That day, was the first day the child discovered it’s ability to turn into a beast, and it was also the day it lost any reason and restraint. And when it came to it’s senses again, it stood amidst a sea of blood, as it had spend decades hunting down every last specimen of the beings that taught it only pain and betrayal.
There had been no distinction for guilty or innocent. Knowing only pain, it repaid these beings in kind, seeding terror in them, until the last one was felled. And only then the child was able to realize the horrors it wrought.
It sealed the beast away then, and with it, every emotion it was aware of, so that it could no longer be hurt, or hurt others in turn. And by the time it turned a man, it had left that world, wandering the universe, and watching it with ever growing disdain.
Until it found it’s own kind for the first time, the once that called themselves, Those who seek, confused by their blissful ignorance, and their refreshing innocence. It was something that made him feel a sort of envy for the life he could have had, another emotion that soon would be sealed away.
And that was not all that made them different from him as, where they were white and silver within distinct features of theirs, he was black. As though he was branded, reminding him that he could never be like they were. “ Kadim would explain, and at that point Roland was sure, this was about the black entity.
At that point Kadim paused, like this was a point for him to digest what was said. It sure did not feel like this was the end of this tale yet, but by that prolonged pause, this was obviously of significance.