by The Luminary
80613.16
Immediately following Undertow
-=Location: The other side of the Dimensional Corridor=-
80613.16
Immediately following Undertow
-=Location: The other side of the Dimensional Corridor=-
The sleek, oblong ship made its way gracefully back through the Corridor, returning to its dimension of origin.
All early data reported that their reconnaissance mission had been a stunning success.
The drain they had executed upon the target ship Serendipity's sensor system had yielded excellent information, and allowed the ability to screen the crew complement. To determine if this was the opportunity they had been seeking for so long.
Dropping what could only be described as its cloaking device, the ship luminesced back into sight among a gathering of others of its kind, and the team aboard began telepathically transmitting their findings back to their cherished leader.
That leader dwelled aboard a much larger mother ship which currently hovered still in space in the center of all of the others.
*Results.* The slight, ethereal being turned her attention fully toward her subordinate as the data transfer began.
The subordinate followed proper protocol and did not respond directly unless asked a specific question, and the one called Luminary by all who followed her, took it all in with great interest.
*It seems initial clinical studies indicate that there is sufficient evidence to conduct an intensive, controlled-contact intervention. Excellent,* thought Luminary.
The younger, very eager-to-please entity entrusted with relaying the information to their leader knew this bulletin would please her.
As soon as the Luminary read this internal sense of self satisfaction, she chastened the youth.
*Beware pride in your accomplishments, young one. Remember, we are all servants. We are healers. There is no room in our consciousness for arrogance or self-congratulation if we are to be successful in continuing our work effectively.*
*Apologies, Luminary.*
The Luminary allowed the young one to suffer the pain of her displeasure a moment longer, before she consciously changed her emotional response to one of benevolence. *Your humility is sincere. You are forgiven.*
The younger being felt a rush of joy and relief wash over her as she received, telepathically and instantly, a feeling of warmth and acceptance from her trusted deity.
*How complicated an intervention are you predicting?* The Luminary inquired.
*Our preliminary information suggests this vessel is populated by a simple, bipedal assortment of humanoid species domestic to this spacial grid. Very primitive. Most have little or no control over their emotional energies, and are suffering so much.* She paused as she fought to maintain her composure. She worried that the next bit of news was going to be unwelcome. *There are exceptions, however. There are a few aboard the vessel who are of telepathic or empathic species. Though primitive as their non-telepathic counterparts, they still pose a degree of risk.*
*We must use caution in order to escape detection. Be certain that the healers provide a sufficient level of artificial stimulation to the telepaths to pacify them.*
This practice of creating so much 'white noise' in the background whenever they conducted their interventions had served them well in the past, allowing them to stealthily achieve their objectives while avoiding detection by races far more advanced than any this dimension had to offer as a potential threat.
Luminary continued. *We must select the subjects for intervention most carefully. Are conditions favorable for any additional, low-level observation and experimentation as well, healer?*
*Highly favorable.* The younger being replied. She was very excited about this, as she had never yet been party to such experiments before.
Barely more than a child in the span of her years as her species measured age and wisdom, she had given up her inherited name and any kind of life of her own choosing when she had been granted the role of a healer.
All healers did this.It was the means by which to remind them that there were no individuals here, all were part of the healing power of the combined team. Alone, they could do little. Together, if they were willing to set aside their own ambitions and desires, they could accomplish miracles in the service of other species.
The healer conveyed further results to her Luminary instantly through their intricate mental link.
*Be at peace, healer. You did well to select this particular ship and crew. With so many of the animals in a location which can be so easily manipulated, we should be able to learn a great deal about a varied cross-section of the species that inhabit this dimension of space.*
For an instant the healer felt pride building again, this was the most glowing praise she had ever received from her beloved Luminary. There were only three classes among the Sylph; the workers, the healers, and the Luminaries.
Regarded by all Sylph as nothing less than a divine creature, the Luminary, often referred to by the loyal as "Brilliance", were to be worshipped, adored, and most of all, obeyed without question.
*Are we ready to secure their ship within the prism?*
*Preparations are nearly complete, Brilliance.*
*And their sensors will be unable to detect us as we travel through the Corridor? And back and forth aboard ship once they are secured within the prism?*
*If all is well, Brilliance. They will believe they are still on their set course, which is designed to take them to the planet called...Vul-can. They will not know that they are being manipulated and are, in fact, no longer moving.*
The healer elaborated. *Their sensors are merely mechanical, with no biological components. Through simple sabotage, we will keep those who are not our test subjects so busy trying to keep the ship together that they will have little time to think about anything else.*
*And the subjects themselves? Have you laid out a detailed course of therapeutic treatment?*
*The healers have convened, yes.* A wave of sadness rushed over the healer, and the Luminary felt this as a chill through her. She felt incredible sadness, and the sensation was physically painful.
*Mind your thoughts, healer. We must fight the darkness with light. We must not become personally involved in the process of healing their pain, otherwise we will lose our own inner harmony. If we lose our inner harmony, all else is lost along with it.*
*I understand, Luminary. Thank you for your wise counsel.*
*Do you have a comprehensive list of the names of your primary subjects?*
*There are so many aboard who need our help, Brilliance. . .* she dared to hedge a request bordering on heresy. *Can we not just treat the entire crew?*
*And risk being exposed? No. We are not only here to help, we are here to learn, in secret, so that we can help on a greater scale at a later time. Then we will have a chance to perform a greater healing. To make our presence known and respected here, in this dimension, and will be welcomed with gratitude. Once these simple creatures realize what we have the power to do for them, all Sylph will be as gods to them.* The Luminary paused, and focused her thoughts to distract the youth from the fact that she, herself, felt a rush of power at that prospect.
*Go now, finish your plan. I will be listening, so do not allow yourself to become distracted. We have much to do, and a finite amount of time in which to accomplish it without detection.*
The healer bowed before her leader. *Peace and light, Brilliance,*
"Peace and light, young healer."
The Luminary focused her thoughts even more carefully now, closing off her mind from all those surrounding her as she opened a communications link and sent the message home. . .
Intervention underway.
Assessment of bipedal humanoids: commencing.
The eldest surviving beings of her species had a saying; one that had lasted millennia and encouraged the people on through interventions with many species.
The Luminary repeated that saying to herself as she considered the huge step that her people were about to take, into this untamed, teeming wilderness.
"Conquer with kindness," she intoned softly. That was precisely what she intended to do.
The inhabitants of this galaxy, nor the healers themselves, had any idea that this first intervention, if successful, was merely the beginning.
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Luminary
Divine Healer of the Sylph
Good Samaritan (?) from another dimension
Luminary
Divine Healer of the Sylph
Good Samaritan (?) from another dimension