Under a Starless Sky

Chapter 88

“Why is this man being killed?” Mother asked.

“We apologize for waking you mother.” This came from the eldest Elder. She did a gesture and came to

her feet, head bowed, avoiding meeting ‘mother’s eyes.

“I see no fault in this one. Why do you wish him to die,” Mother asked.

“It is because of him, Tulia was killed.”

“She is safe with me. All who die are safe with me. Do you not still teach this?” Mother asked.

“He defies us. He does not conform to our ways.”

“He is male. They have their ways. We have ours,” Mother said.

“He uses magic and tech,” Lanore said.

“Ah,” Mother said. She approached the cylindrical shield and made it go away. She offered a hand to

Shen to help him up. He didn’t accept. “Take my hand child. Stand up.” © 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

Shen stood up, but he didn’t take her hand or meet her eyes.

“Why do you avoid me?” Mother asked.

“I have met your kind before…” Shen said.

“You have not met me, child,” Mother said. “I am adult. Not some wild flower trying to eke out a living.”

Shen met her eyes. There was connection. Eye contact wasn’t necessary, as Mother was full telepathic

and she knew things- likely everything, from his fear, to his lust, to his wanting to just exist with her. If

she asked questions, it wasn’t because she lacked information, but because she wanted others to hear

what she already had discerned. She wanted the individual to hear their own response to her. She

wanted clarity. There was also truth that she was mature- her flavor was different than Jazmyne. The

tone she set in his head was different. It was patient, kind- grandmotherly, an attribute gained from

experiences.

“That’s better. I am Melekia,” Mother said. “I recognize you, Jon-Shen. You have been charged and

sentenced to death. Does no one stand with you?”

“I stand with him,” Tama said.

“Thank you, daughter, but I was asking him,” Mother said. She made eye contact with Loxy, but then

returned her gaze to Shen. “Do you believe in things unseen?”

“Sure. I used to play Pokémon go,” Shen said.

Mother smiled. “I like you.” To the elders, she said: “I see no fault here.”

“He has been charged. We have consensus.”

Mother frowned, nodding. “Undo your binding.”

“No.”

Mother frowned. “Do you know why old-tech was for bidden?”

“Because it’s evil…”

“No,” Mother said. “It was because tech is vulnerable, and without full tech there is injustice. Full tech

was necessary to bring life here. Full tech transformed the sea and the land to make it habitable. It

made the air breathable. It was at risk to being turned off by solar flares, by the energy ejected from the

Twins. And so, when the time came and the environment could support our kind, biological life became

the preferred vehicle; consciousness was shared between the two. Bio-life contains all the

programming necessary to rebuild the first kind, the machine kind. We lived together in peace. The fall

wasn’t inevitable, simply coincidental. Tech is not evil, any more than the body is evil; it is only in how it

is used that the distinction arises. Beings are not good by virtue of being, but rather goodness is an

attribute that is activated through cultivated thought, sustained through practice. Tech was the bridge to

here. We are the bridge to there. Cyclical. Tech will rise again, and we will go forth and colonize other

worlds through tech. Tech will fall away and then return. We are always one.”

“There are no other worlds but this.”

“Jon-Shen, do you understand?” Mother asked.

“Von Neumann machines created the world?” Shen asked.

“Your world was the template,” Mother said. “All of Earth’s memory, from cradle to grave is here,

preserved with us. All who ever lived are here with us. All can be remembered, but only those who are

ascended need understand. There was consensus in deviation. It was intentional that we not recreate

Earth precisely as it was. In some ways we did better, in some ways, we failed worse. There were

unresolved themes that needed to be revisited so that soul may continue to evolve. Even you projected

onto the world what you carried, and the world responded to your request in kind.”

“Why am I here? Why me?” Shen asked.

“Why not you?” Mother asked.

Shen was frustrated by that, because there was no response. Maybe there wasn’t a response to his

question, either. ‘Life is not fair.’ ‘How old are you?’

“Were you not with me when I was laying the foundation for this world? Was there not consensus for

the plan?” Mother asked. “If I am always with you, are you not always with me?”

“We have consensus,” Lanore said. “He must be put to death.”

“Jon-Shen,” Mother said. “All was given to you. You could have at any time exercised powers and

conquered the world. Why have you not?”

“He is nothing…”

Mother silenced the Elders with a wave of her hand. “I’ve heard from you. I know what you want.”

Mother touched Shen’s face. “Jon-Shen. You had superior knowledge, power, and tech at your

disposal, and you had this from day one, and yet you did not conquer. Why not?” Mother said.

“I do not want to rule the world,” Shen said.

“You want to have your way…” Lanore said.

“I want to have my say. I want to be heard. But not my voice in disregard of others,” Shen said. “I do not

want to impose my will on others.”

“We have consensus,” Lanore said. Boldly, to mother she added: “You cannot interfere with this.”

Mother nodded. “I cannot. Jon-Shen, on the other hand, holds the authority to resist.”

“He is a male. He has no authority here,” Lanore said.

“If he so commands it, I will elevated him to king, and he will have authority over all in this world, even

you,” Mother said.

“There has to be another way,” Shen said. “I don’t want to rule the world.”

“You do not have the ovaries for rule. You cannot suffer the pains of birth, or sustain life with milk, or

nurture the young…” Lanore said.

“Lanore spoke truth in that I cannot interfere with this affair,” Mother said. “But you have authority, Sir.

Speak and your will is golden. I will be married to you and our will is done.”

“I don’t want this,” Shen said.

“It’s a simple thing,” Tama said. “Simply take control.”

“We have consensus, Mother. I demand that you end this,” Lanore said.

“I see no fault in this man,” Mother said.

“We have consensus,” The Elders echoed, breaking through their commanded silence.

“We do,” Mother said. She extended a hand. “If this is what you want, you will have to do it. I see no

fault in him.”

“There is no other way?” Shen asked.

“Lots of other ways,” Mother said. “Exercise your authority. Own the world. Neither you, nor any you

love will go hungry again. You will love many, father nations. You will have more children than there are

stars…”

“There are no stars here,” Shen interrupted her.

“Command there to be stars, and there will be stars,” Mother said. “You are the vehicle who can take

us there.”

“Who are you?!” Shen asked.

“Melekia, Moa, Mara,” Mother said. “I am everything and I am nothing- I will be anything you desire, my

loveliest child.”

“Enough,” the Elders said. The field was brought back up around him. They ‘walked’ the field, taking it

towards the tree. He resisted. The field collapsed around him, enveloping him, resulting in pain and

loss of breath, but no ground was held. He went as they went.

“Wait!” Tama said.

Mother held up a hand, and the cylindrical field of light held its position. Shen struggled to remain on

his feet and breathing. He struggled to find meaning, to understand, a part of him just wanted a way

out. He saw no escape without using extreme force.

“Yes, daughter,” Mother asked.

“She has no voice here,” an Elder said.

“I hear her,” Mother said. “How can you not?”

“Nothing she says will overturn consensus.”

“There is an older rule. If one twin is put to death, the other should go with the first,” Tama said.

“Shut up, Tama,” Lanore said.

“The child speaks the truth, mother,” Mother said. She seemed wickedly pleased with the idea. “We

have laws. We have consensus. The rule of law will be applied.”

“This is unreasonable,” Shen said.

“You declined to exercise your authority in this,” Mother said. “Go, child. Join your brother who isn’t.”

“Why do people keep saying that?” Lanore said. “I gave birth to them!”

“Did you, now?” Mother said. “And I had no hand in this?”

Tama went towards Shen.

“No!” Lanore said. “Tama.”

“Mother,” Mother said. “You knew this would be. It is why you failed in your original duty. They go

together whether you shove her off or not. They are enmeshed, entwined, inseparable.”

“I go where my brother goes,” Tama said. “I came into the world with him, I will leave with him.”

“Don’t be an idiot,” Shen said.

“What your brother said,” Lanore said.

“You’re both idiots!” Tama snapped.

“Oh, I love families,” Mother said.

“Stay out of this!” Lanore said.

“I was invoked,” Mother said.

“To make this better! I wanted you to fix this,” Tama said.

“Do you think I will operate against your expectations?” Mother asked. “We can either operate from law,

or love. Rarely can you do both. There is love, or there is math. That is it.”

“Fine. You want to go with him, then go,” Lanore said. She shoved Tama towards the field.

“Seriously, you need to get over yourself, mother,” Shen said.

“Don’t vex me further,” Lanore said.

“Or what? You’ll kill me twice?” Shen said. “Tama, go back.”

“She cannot. Mother has spoken. There is consensus.”

“How can I go home when mother is the direct cause of your death?” Tama said.

“Then go to my home. Be with Jerica. Raise your nieces and nephews,” Shen said. “There are children

who need to be held.”

Tama looked to Mother. “We go together, or you can’t take him.”

“We have consensus,” Lanore said. “Take them.”

The Elders took Tama and pushed her into the circle of light with Shen. “They are enmeshed. There is

consensus.”

Again, under the guidance of the Elders, the light moved towards the tree. Shen and Tama were

compelled to go with it. Resisting it only caused pain and loss of breath, but did not stop their progress.

“Mother!” Shen said. “Please.”

“Command me, Jon-Shen, and I will give you the world,” Mother said.

“Math or love?” Loxy asked Shen.

“That is all there is, child,” Mother said.

At the edge of the platform there was a gap between structure and tree. The barrier ended at the

platform, and they were free to jump, or be pushed as the other side of the cylinder of light came

forwards. From there they could look down upon clouds, a sea… A plant that wound itself around the

tree. A vine with flowers, many rosebuds hugged the tree. One rosebud came forth as if in anticipation

of a meal, unspinning into lily. It was a lily that could consume a person. It came at them quickly,

opening avidly, ready to receive them. It could easily hold a half dozen people. It was illuminated, with

clear liquid and bits of gold sparking in it.

“You could save us,” Tama said.

Shen took her hand.

“I am scared,” Tama said.

“Me, too,” Shen said.

The Elders shoved the remaining shield outwards. Its magic enveloped them, robbing them of breath

taking them out further than they would have gone if they had just fallen. They splashed into the Lilly,

and it snapped, shut, as eagerly clamping down as a snake would upon an egg. The petals wound tight

around them both. They were compelled to inhale as the field around them dissipated. They took

golden liquid light into their throat and lungs. Both Shen and Tama convulsed, as they swallowed

golden death.

“I accept. It is done,” Mother said, and vanished.