Overlap: The Other Side

<08/30/149,566 {Avion 148} - 18:07 | Orbital Sector Zf41E512, Genosis, Altiri Sector Space>

Proving the villain of all my expectation, this purge we were waiting on was taking longer than ordinary, enough to make us nervous, enough to force us to consider the impossible before due time. Some of my sisters have already forsaken me in silence, assuming the worst given the timing of it all, leaving me to despair.

The queen gave us an official time limit of 780 days, or (3,120 cycles our time), for the purge to enter completion in order to be considered successful, separate from the other condition that Reed's allegiance be brought to The Unity with a variable time limit. We still have some time before our end, however, there is another issue more obvious to the eleven of us. Due to the regional location of our target, and the time already elapsed, there is a strong possibility that Reed's very own purge has failed by now. Unfortunately, if a person under the influence of a purge stays in a warm area for a prolonged period of time (a few months give or take), then that purge signal will eventually wane and die out, instead of moving to its completion phase, and all without a direct way for us Altiri to know about it if it does happen. It has happened before, and it can happen here as well.

For all I know, due to the long summers of Georgia, Reed's purge may have already quit and dialed down to nothing. Just thinking of the possibility made me sick in ways I didn't think possible, the prospect unimaginable, the threat to my heart breaking. I've been doing all I could to keep my mind way from the negative outcome I could not control, as nothing is yet to be proven. Some of my sisters have already given their estimations, and have distanced themselves from me a bit as a result.

In order to cheer all of us up, I requested to join an invitation sent to us by one of my best friends, Sierra of the Stryders, with the queen's preliminary permission that our groups may remain in contact for the time being. Like many times before, me and many others used the teleporters at the specific coordinates to board Sierra's starship in her well-decorated main room of ice and sculpture, so cool and inviting. Sierra had most of her own sisters there with her too, the gathering maximized so that most of us could speak freely and directly to each other.

I wasn't too sure what we would talk about this time, but I held such hopes it would make us all feel better about this, in some way. I know Sierra has been waiting impatiently for this gathering for a long time now, wanting to catch up after all of the chaos we've caused in the last year. For us Cy-Stars, not much has changed; we've simply been waiting and waiting for this purge to finish if ever it does. For everyone else, it's all been about the big talk of the news and rumor, that my sisters and I did something impossibly illegal by purging a heathen. No living Altiri will ever let us live it down, as we are forever tainted with this figurative mark, some looking at us as mistakes, while others see us as direct traitors to The Unity.

"It's been too long Lumina. Please sit with us." Sierra seemed to be the one of the few exceptions in our judgment. She never hated us for what we did, and never once got upset with me with the decision I made. Her only emotion when she learned what happened was of genuine concern and care, as it was now.

So I sat with her, Sierra and many of her sisters clustered into one large circle sitting on the cold steel floor, as if were about to enact some sort of ritual. The sisters I brought with me joined us, sitting around or behind me, passively quiet until they would feel the need to speak.

"It's always a pleasure to join you in a get-together. I only wish most of us could be calmer, myself included."

"I don't know what I will be able to promise given all that has transpired. I do hope this experience will make all of us more rational in the future." Sierra and I kept to a pleasant dialogue at first, but I knew it was only a short matter before she would cut through any hesitation to learn directly what I've really been through.

I as I inhaled loud and deep, I tried to relax as I unveiled my current concern of chaos. "I may not led by the best example of rationality, not anymore at least. Despite what everyone will tell me, I wonder if my own sisters will one day vote to remove me as leader of the Cy-Stars, assuming the worst does not come to pass."

"I wanted to confirm my suspicions though," Sierra offered. "For a long time, I've been hearing repeated rumor about you and your team, rumor that ensures without any doubt that the Cy-Stars will face punishment for their actions, all in due time. Some of the aggressor groups don't even understand the meaning behind the delay, but others including myself quickly pieced together the reason why the queen would have delayed such a thing for you... But, I can't trust rumors anymore. Lumina? I must hear it directly from you, you or any one of your sisters."

Sherika then spoke before I could, announcing her presence and willingness to invite her speech into this moment. "Your assumption is valid either way, Sierra. The rumors are somewhat misleading in some regards, but ultimately speaking, our shared punishment is inevitable, delayed only to concentrate an effect of effort on this specific purge, to limit the sociological damage to the human race."

"I knew that must have been the reason. The queen must be trying to control every point of this situation, even the very person Lumina chose for her purge."

"I won't let her go that far," I decreed with passion. "The queen wants to bring Reed's state of influence and ethic attractions to align with that of The Unity, and quite frankly, so do I. This doesn't mean I'm going to use the same methods to make it happen. My reasons for purging Reed are not in alignment with the queen or the Royal Scryers, as they never were for any other aggressor group."

Derria reminded everyone about something she wasn't technically supposed to say to anyone outside our group, though I saw it coming miles way, willingly allowing her to raise our awareness. "We actually do have a slim chance to escape such harsh punishment indefinitely, as a singular, one-time favor between our group the our past services to The Unity. If the purge succeeds, and Lumina's promises and wishes come true, then the queen may forgive our actions, so long as Reed proves not to be a heathen in the end. I must however emphasize that the collective possibility of this outcome is too low for my comforts."

"As I sated before," Sierra paraphrased, "evidence that the incident was made as an irrational decision of feeling and emotions, void of logic and consideration."

"Don't start that. I considered every little factor in what I've done, in what I've asked my sisters to do. I had to convince all of them to help me in the purge, never coercing or forcing them to take part."

"Do you really think they feel the same way?" Sierra's question quaked every nerve within me for a nano-second, reshaping a feeling I thought I had thrown away, the sense I felt in some of the others. "My abilities have grown as well, and I can tell that, while faint, some of your sisters are gravely regretting the choice they made in helping you, even though I know they would vocally argue they would always follow your lead."

"Sierra, I—"

"Your choice to involve all of them has removed their abilities permanently so. Even if any of them leave the Cy-Stars and join another group, or even if a change in leadership occurs, they no longer have their chance to purge their own favored human subject, nor do they even have the ability to see that other world anymore. Their sacrifice and willingness to help you now rides entirely on the success of your purge, driven by your desires to help this individual."

"We all knew the risks Sierra..." No matter how I tried to affirm it though, I couldn't shake the fierceness of tone from my mind. I didn't want her to be right. I didn't want this to be true, that it could even be possible for anyone to hate me.

"Whether or not this was something you can live with is totally on you. I just think, you should know that some level of selfishness was involved here; a selfishness that is unfortunately required for a leader to send a purge. As long as you understand the coming pain your sisters will feel, I'll leave it at that."

"Sierra..." I couldn't look her in the eyes anymore, too ashamed of the constant and eternal reminder of what we've lost, and all for nothing presently to show for it. Losing my own abilities was one horrible thing, but I truly am responsible for the loss of abilities in my sisters as well, and that is something nobody can change, no matter how much time passes.

"I love you Lumina, as your friend. I'm not trying to get under your skin. I just want you to be aware of the reasons why this is such a complicated moment for all of us. I don't want to see any of you suffer, or any of you be punished by the queen and her scryers."

"What do you want then, Sierra?" Our heads turned, myself included to the source of her dismay, Talor, standing up for me even though we've all been divided on our judgment of the depths. "I get that you want Lumina to be hyper-aware of every detail about us, as she should, but surely you did not invite all of us out here just to make her feel worse. I don't like it any more than you do, but the constant waiting period of this purge already has most of us stressed out."

"Taylor, I would never wish to make anything worse. I am sorry that you and Lumina are becoming anxious by the wait." Sierra then shifted her eyes between the both of us, looking so intensely as though she saw something beautiful. "I just really wanted to talk to all of you, all of you, together. I understand that you're not all unified like you used to be, but all of you are still sisters until the very end, okay?"

"Fine. I'll try a little harder to stay optimistic about this, even if it kills me." Hurma sure didn't sound as relieved as she sounded, and we knew Ashiela and Fionne were of the same mind, but if all of them heard that just now, then they should be okay.

"You sure do have your ways of trying to make everybody feel better."

"It's because I care. I'm also very curious about the specifics of your purge. I want to learn so much from you, like for instance, why you chose this specific individual for a purge, and even why you chose to purge anybody at all."

Leanne nearly jumped up in protest to her leader's request. "Sierra! We can't ask her that! It's forbidden for other aggressor groups to know specific personal details about humans who were purged by other groups." Leanne might have sounded desperate to remind us, but she wasn't wrong. Besides the number one law which was recently broken, the next important rule enforced pertains to this rule, and is the sole reason behind the continued policies which enact the telepathic communication ban. Aggressor groups are not allowed to know which aggressor group is even involved in a purge, with very few exceptions, and not allowed to know the specific human who has been purged, no exceptions.

However, our situation is anything but normal, and I needed simply remind Leanne. "Don't worry about it. Almost every aggressor group knows already that the Cy-Stars are involved in a purge, and I'm sure many possibly know tiny unidentifiable details about Reed already, enough to know he is a guy. As far as you few go, I wouldn't mind talking about Reed. I think it would only make me feel better."

"You see Leanne? We all trust each other. I would never allow for anyone to maliciously use any of that information. We'll act as shields for those who wish to pry, as we already have."

"Already have?" Lulu didn't mean to blurt her reaction, though it was something mysterious to me as well.

"Don't be naive my friends. Ever since you sent that purge out, many aggressor groups have been trying to resort to combining clairvoyance and telepathy, to try and learn more about the specific identity of all of you, including the man you purged. Some have even directly tried to ask us and other aggressor groups to share what we all know, even if insignificant."

"But they can't do that! They're not allowed to!" Fionne's defiant chant was something we all felt, and it was crazy to think this had been happening for so long a time. How many times has Sierra and Blissera had to cover details up to keep ourselves safe a little longer?

Of course, Sierra had an answer for this as well. "Maybe your recent defiance has inspired others to ignore the rules as well. The queen can easily enforce and enact her communication ban in situations like these, except when it happens so often that too many are involved. I mean, her Royal Scryers cannot surely punish the entire military at once. It isn't as easy when something goes as wide spread as this. Luckily however, that situation is calming down as time goes on. I'm sure many have their eye on you though Lumina, using clairvoyance, which to any and all of us is an invisible ability. Just be careful. That's all I can give you in advice or now."

Tabitha turned to Sierra after side-glancing me, speaking aloud to bring her back to the original topic. "Since she's allowing us to hear about her subject, I too would like to know who this Reed person is like. Maybe the answer to that leads into the reason why Lumina acted the way she did."

"I'm standing right here you know."

"So you are... Will you share this with us?"

"I guess... I just can't be sure where to start."

"Oh, I have one place we can start." Sierra thought back, far back to a time so fresh in her memory, yet more confusing now than ever. "I won't ask why, whether I get it or not. I just want to point out how different everything is now, compared to before."

"Before?" I mysterious asked, having no direct link to her memories.

"There was a time when you and your sisters were on this ship, like how we are now, when we first discovered ACS414. Back then, we had yet to learn about the heathen dominance of that world, but it doesn't change how obsessed and certain you were about ensuring none of our influence would ever touch or reach that planet. Yet now, you stand before me today, preaching the opposite, practicing the reversal for what you used to stand for."

Chapter Theme Shift: Night Flight ~ VPG (Wind of Spring)

I remember this clearly too. Even though it wasn't all that long ago, so much had changed after that point, it really felt like a near eternity. "I know..." My breath attributed to the moment was so soft, as I felt the mourn and loss of who I used to be, of how I used to think. Part of me wondered if I was right to have changed how I felt after all this time, and thinking so far back to the moment split my perception between time, to be in two places at once, seeing two versions of myself.

I no longer understand why I opposed our interference in the first place, only that I felt so strongly about it, as did many nearby aggressor groups. We discovered this alien world, and felt that a single purge to a single human would violate our own sanctity within The Unity, and as individuals; that the very idea of interference was morally unjustifiable, being an action which could never be undone. Perhaps it was a fear of an ultimate power being dangled before me, the power to inadvertently and indirectly cause alterations to an entire world or society. Whether the humans would become aware of us or not, doing anything which alters their futures as individuals or as a collective is something we never had the power to invoke before, so we failed to ask those questions before our eyes made the discovery of a candidate. I saw any experimentation on that world as an abomination of aggressive curiosity, headed from the same Royal Scryers who command us.

I remember how hard I fought Sierra on the matter, as the two of us argued over the rights to interfere in the first place. Sierra took the path of involvement merely due to a sense that the no-contact policy would be inevitably removed one day, and it turns out she was right, not that I could have known back then.

However, as time went on, all of us kept our eyes into that world for far too long, succumbing to our thirst for interstellar cultural knowledge, captivated by the unique emotions and life styles of those beautiful aliens, held prisoner by our returning curiosity, our addiction molded through our hearts. We all wanted to learn more; I wanted to know more about the people there. So, when the purge experiment began, with mild dismay, I ignored how much it should have bothered me, falling into the same trap many have before, despite wanting to remain uninvolved through any action my by hand or my psionic vessel.

What I learned beyond my past expectations, was that the depths of any soul, human or Altiri stretch far beyond our understanding, and expand beyond boundaries of our worlds, separate yet shared. In time, I found familiarity within some of the subjects I watched. I managed to match my emotions and energy with theirs, my hunger for connection to their hidden gems growing. There were times even before Reed where I wanted to reach out, to intentional interfere with their lives, so that I may save them from momentary grief and pain, or to help them understand something I knew that they didn't. Little by little, year by year, I've felt this need to become more involved in their lives growing, my desperation to make a worthy difference evolving.

Even now do I lack a full understanding of the reasons I feel this way now, and it was much harder trying to put it into words anybody could understand, and I stood up before everyone to try. "I've come to realize, that our very involvement in their world doesn't actually make things better or worse, collectively speaking. Fate has a funny way of keeping everything so random, that luck can go good or bad no matter the situation or the actions we make from them. Individually however, the same rules do not apply. One person cannot change the world, but one person can affect the life of another specific friend. Nothing is direct about that world. There are times where, people who are suffering immeasurable pain can be helped, and all it takes is for someone, anyone – to get involved in their life, even if the best they do is being there for them."

I took another breath before I continued, sensing everyone watching me with awe, even Junko and Derria, who must not have realized how I saw this world until now. "The humans of the Earth are always hurting, the good and the bad. They often grow because of their adversities, but some of those girls just aren't strong enough to do it all alone, even though some are forced to, when their families are lost or abandon them, when their friends turn out to have only selfish interest. I can't personally explain to you how I'm able to sense what they feel without direct connection; I just do, and it makes me so desperate to reach out and help them any way I can."

"Hold on," Emily interrupted. "Sensing the emotions of others without telepathy isn't possible like that. I mean, you're talking about that rumored power of clairsentience. No Altiri has that ability, and even if they did, it would never be something they could combine with advanced clairvoyance."

"You're half right about that one." Junko didn't like the deviation from where I was going, but she soon enough resolved any bit of skepticism anyone had about my claim. "Lumina doesn't possess clairsentience, but she is insightful about other people's emotions. Her accuracy in doing so without any special links is true as it is unprecedented. Though it is an observation skill few of us have, I have personally confirmed that she is capable of this on a regular, which I think is also the reason she becomes more attached to these subjects than the rest of us have, historically speaking at least."

I didn't object to a single claim she said, as all of this was true. "I don't think you know how it feels, to fully understand what someone is going through while they experience a personalized hell they can't escape from. People there suffer so much, and lately, the theme of their suffering comes from a loneliness more crushing and isolating than anything I've ever felt, even for myself." I began to stutter and slow down, unaware of the mess I was making with tears streaming down my face. In simply speaking the reminder of what I've observed over so much time, this revived the epitome of all sadness I wished to erase.

To my own awe, everyone else became caught up in the same sensation, awestruck and speechless as I broadcast every emotion from my heart through my mind, through all of us, where even Hurma and the others could immerse themselves into this reason. Silent seconds passed before Sierra tried to understand us again. "I can't believe it. I mean, I know exactly what that feels like Lumina. Even so, I never acted on this when I had the chance to. Then again, I don't think I've ever felt as strongly about it as you have... What the hell have you seen through the darkness of humanity?"

More than I wish to share, Sierra, more than I wish to share with anyone. I keep those dark thoughts to myself, shielded even from my sisters to save all grief. The amount of times and different ways I've seen people hurt others, be it from violence led by heathens and evil, or by inescapable circumstances combined with a lack of nurture from those around them, I have seen so much sadness, so much rage, so much insanity... No woman can look upon a world of darkness for so long, and come out with their own sanity fully intact.

What hurt me the most, was watching those in similar or understandable situations like my own. I watched some whose parents were ripped away from them by the mortality of humans and the cruel randomness that dominates the universe. I watched others have their heart and soul crushed by their desire for human connection and understanding, betrayed by the people they trust the most. I try not to focus more on the negative than I do everything else, but when things are going well for someone, there isn't really a need to look at them or interact with them, because, if everything is okay, what action is there to be had? Maybe that mentality itself is a fallacy. It's never changed how much I wished I could help some of those people.

Even within my own sadness, I unleashed all I felt into what words I knew. "I just wish I could help all of them. I want to be there for the people who need our attention, who need our involvement into their lives! Even if all I can do is save and help only one, I'd rather help one person than to turn my back on their world, to leave them alone to their fate. But the queen and her scryers put so many barriers for us to even try, while some of them look at humans like lab rats."

"Lumina..."

"The Unity is more than a thousand collection of clairvoyant eyes Sierra! The Unity has heart for those who open their own... Why can't I be allowed to help Reed who also suffers, who clings to his personality before the influence of others? I just..." Unable to stand any longer, I let myself sink with the weight of my tears, as Sierra tried to comfort me, holding my shoulders with a sincere gaze she's never shown me before. "I just want to help him. I want to be there for him, so that when he falls, I'll be there with him, willing to take him back up. I know enough about Reed in how he thinks. He doesn't show it, but I can feel everything from within, and he's far more sensitive than the average person."

I could hear some of their silent and suppressed thoughts through leaked emotion, that some of Sierra's sisters were still asking themselves if all of this was really true, since it is impossibly rare in anyone's perspective that a single male human can be classified as a non-heathen. They didn't vocalize their thoughts though, as they were instead shocked by the complex symphonies in heart I've cried, including Sierra and Hurma.

Sierra patted my shoulders, and though nobody else seemed to move from where they sat, the sympathy and shame in their faces was more than telling of a previous misunderstanding. "I'm sorry Lumina. I had no idea you felt this way for anyone... But I can understand now why you had to send that purge." Sierra knew by now why this had to happen eventually, that by exposing myself to the immense vulnerabilities within the hearts of others, for each and every pain endured, my own heart cracked little by little, crumbling what was left of my past beliefs, removing all of my learned inhibitions. Indeed, though nobody warned us about the possibility before, there is a price to be paid for clairvoyance alone, when we watch the life of another, allowing their experiences to affect ours.

"Tell me Lumina..." Sierra held her eyes closed, gently leaning her forehead on mine while holding both my hands clasped. "Are you in love with this human? I promise I would never be upset with you if you were."

It took me too long to answer her, for I wanted to be in her embrace for far longer. Still, I had to deliver her honesty as I've come to know it. "I'm not in love with Reed, but I do love Reed, for all that he thinks, for all that he feels, for who he is as a person. My feelings have become mixed up and confused, but I am certain I do care about him, something that has not changed. I have to have faith in this purge, faith in Reed, that he will accept my presence when the time comes."

"... You're right," Sierra agreed. "Some of what you feel is confusing, enough that I don't fully understand how your feelings for Reed and yourself manifest. But I do trust you Lumina. I'm here for you, always... I just wish you could have gotten what you wanted while keeping yourself out of trouble."

I didn't have to speak or open my eyes for us. Sierra kept us locked in this pose for longer, letting the concern show for the first time, concern for me especially. I can feel her large heart too, how desperate she is to help me, to sooth me, until my confirmed happiness puts her to rest again. This is exactly why she and I are amazing friends, the two of us inseparable no matter what happens to us... I don't know what's going to happen from here. I don't know what the future will hold. All I know, is that I wish to be loved, and love in return, trading and amplifying this sacred feeling none can do without. So now, I can feel everything at once.

"Forgive me for what I'm about to say," Leanne started, "but is this still alright, with Reed being a male and all?"

Without letting me go, Sierra educated the poor girl what she had been missing from everything. "There are obviously hidden gems of the world which can be both male or female. This means that not every single male on Earth is a heathen, no matter what the queen and her Royal Scryers think. Though we must still wait in order to be absolutely certain of this, I expect Lumina to present this fact by example. No matter what happens Lumina, I know with all my heart that you are no traitor of The Unity, and you do not deserve any kind of punishment." At last, she let me go for air, with Sierra sitting on her knees while others stood themselves up in deep thought.

"Thanks Sierra. I'm still going mad waiting for the purge though."

"You must be patient Lumina. There isn't a way to know if the purge fails, unfortunately, until it is far too late. However, you still have some time, so please just hang in there, for yourself and for the rest of us."

"I know... I'm trying."

"We don't have to talk about it anymore if it makes you—"

"No!" I denied gripping her left arm. "Please... I want to talk about it more, to tell you everything I know about Reed... It makes me feel better, calmer to talk about him."

"I hadn't realized how much anxiety had been building within you all this time... Very well," Sierra agreed with a faint smile. "Give us a few minutes, and we shall gather to hear more about this. However, once you'd spoken enough, I want you to hear about some of the experiences my sisters have had in their observations... Turns out you were right. You were dead wrong a long time ago, but so was I, and somehow, you discovered a reason worth being involved in ACS414, one more worthy than I ever have."

"I never cared about being right or wrong, as though it were some kind of game."

"See what I mean?" Sierra shrugged, presenting the point of deeper meaning by my own words, to mean that she must not have taken this alien world seriously enough... It turns out they can hurt us after all, unintentionally, by revealing their worst moments, should we care to synchronize our thoughts with theirs...

"Go ahead and clean yourself up a bit. I'll want to hear everything you know, like what Reed has been through and everything."

It was impossible for me to feel much better at such a quick turnaround, so while I couldn't lift a single smile, her words were still strong enough to pacify me. I really was in rougher shape than I imagined before, shaken up by the feelings bubbling up in my heart, learning the hard way just how difficult being alive can be. "There's a lot to tell, but luckily we still have lots of time."