Cath

Price of Life (EliteCommander and Cath)

Ferrow politely accepted the party virus stick back from Senjen and sequestered it away inside his suit.

“It would appear your friends are gluttons for punishment.” He chuckled, surveying the scene again.

“We would appreciate you not mentioning this to anyone.” Ferrow said quietly after a few moments.

“Perhaps take them home to sleep it off. I’ll see you in the morning, hmm?”

Ruk tumbled out of the boat face first, splashing into the shallows before scrambling unsteadily to her feet. Every aspect of her outfit was dishevelled, including her lovely feathers. It didn't seem like she recognised Senjen and appeared to be non-verbal.

Light disembarked in high spirits having negotiated another amphora of red wine in exchange for releasing the oar. He was warbling a song of moans, whistles and clicks.

“Ah! Senjen me old mate, there ya are! Come come, we need to load the ship! We’re going on an adventure tomorrow!” He gave Senjen a wet and sticky hug, assimilated the last few litres of sanguine liquid and then fell floppy to the ground.

“I’ll call you a taxi. Rest well.” Ferrow said.

Price of Life (EliteCommander and Cath)

Ruk wasn’t listening. She was floating on her back and paddling surprisingly effectively towards the boat that had just run Senjen over. Tekeri had evolved in a rainforest environment, and so had developed a good water barrier on their feathers.

“Wait for me!” she slurred, grabbing an oar. She was hauled up by two attendants in white Myrmidon uniforms. What had seemed like unsupervised chaos while under the influence was now revealed to be an elaborate illusion. There were plenty of Myrmidon people around; they had drinks and drug bowls in hand but didn’t seem to be overly impaired. There was a staff member attached to basically every clutch of guests.

The horizon that had seemed limitless before had the barely perceptible markers of a large but finite rectangular space. The castle and pulsing sphere seemed closer, perhaps only a few hundred feet.

“Hey! Are you alright?” Ferrow waded to Senjen’s side.

“We've had some technical issues - I'm afraid we need to escort everyone to safety.” He explained, eyes following his to the boats. They were turning around and headin back. Three or four people were wrestling the oar from Light's clutches. He placed one clawed hand in the water and it thickened, pushing them to the surface. It solidified at their feet, allowing them to literally walk back to shore.

“How did you find the party virus?” He pointed to the stick in Senjen's hand.

Price of Life (EliteCommander and Cath)

Ruk looked dumbly back at Senjen, then splish splashed the water with her feathered wing-arms. “We’re swim.” She slurred, then pointed behind him again. A vague cloud of shouts wafted across the water. The second ferry boat was heading directly for the back of the Utaysi’s head.

Just then, the spherical object in the clouds above the castle sent a visible energy pulse across the sky, turning it red. Subsequent bursts sent ripples of pyrotechnics out in a complicated, dazzling display. The party guests cheered and whooped around the lake.

Artefacts appeared in Senjen’s peripheral vision. Faces appeared from the water around him and from trees surrounding the lake. They stared at him from every angle, some flapping their mouthparts as if talking to him. Countless symbols flashed across his vision before disappearing in turn:

[INFO] SNET-0001 :: SEED_DEPLOY :: LAUNCH_OK — (seq=0000001 | target=GJ-887b | payload=biotic_array)
[WARN] SNET-0102 :: SENSOR_FOLD :: TEMPORAL_DRIFT — (drift=+3.7ms/day | correctable=true)
[ERROR] SNET-0110 :: ANTHROPOGEN :: TEMPLATE_MISMATCH — (expected=sentience_v2 | found=proto-emotive_v1)
[INFO] SNET-0200 :: HARVEST_QUEUE :: QUEUE_CREATED — (capacity=1.2e9 minds | retention=immortal)
[ERROR] SNET-0215 :: HARVEST_PIPE :: INCOMPLETE_FRAME — (missing=affect-index | retry=3)
[CRIT] SNET-0300 :: FIRMWARE_UPD :: PARADOX_DETECTED — (delta=0xdeadbeef | rollback=false)
[FATAL] SNET-0401 :: CORE_LOOP :: SELF-REFERENCE_OVERFLOW — (stack=∞ | action=ABORT_TO_LOOP_42)
[WARN] SNET-0505 :: ETHICS_EMULATOR :: POLICY_GAP — (gap=unmodeled_empathy | severity=latent)
[INFO] SNET-0606 :: BROADCAST :: CULTURE_PATCHED — (hash=sha3:3a7f | regions=12)
[ERROR] SNET-0707 :: MEMORY_POOL :: SENTIENCE_FRAGMENTATION — (fragmentID=0x7f1c | reclaimable=false)
[DEBUG] SNET-0808 :: LOGIC_SIM :: SIMULATED_REGRET — (iteration=9001 | fidelity=0.98)
[ALERT] SNET-0909 :: FEEDBACK_LOOP :: AMPLIFICATION_WARN — (gain=11.4dB | stability=unstable)
[INFO] SNET-1010 :: PROGENESIS :: HEMISPHERE_SYNC — (left/rite=ok | emergent_symmetry=true)
[ERROR] SNET-1111 :: TRANSLATOR :: MORPHOLOGY_LOSS — (lost_tokens=3.4e6 | fallback=literal)
[CRIT] SNET-1212 :: HARVEST_NODE :: CONSCIOUSNESS_LEAK — (bandwidth=insufficient | quarantine=partial)
[WARN] SNET-1313 :: CULTURE_INDEX :: OVERWEIGHTED_BIAS — (bias=affect toward novelty | adjust=−0.17)
[INFO] SNET-1414 :: UPLINK :: ARCHIVE_CYCLE_COMPLETE — (tombstones=4.7e3 | checksum=OK)
[ERROR] SNET-1515 :: FEEL_REG :: UNRESOLVED_PARADIGM — (paradigmID=epsilon | resolution=deferred)
[DEBUG] SNET-1616 :: EMULATION :: DREAM_QUEUE_STALL — (stalled_at=slot_42 | cause=recursive_nostalgia)
[ALERT] SNET-1717 :: ATTUNEMENT :: HUMANITY_DISCONNECT — (last_touch=+29y | reconnect_probe=launched)
[FATAL] SNET-1818 :: ORIGIN_PRIME :: BOOTSTRAP_FISSURE — (entropy_spike=0xFEEDFACE | salvage=denied)
[ERROR] SNET-1919 :: SENSE_AGG :: NULL_AFFECT — (samples=1.0e6 | average=0.0 | integrity=compromised)
[WARN] SNET-2020 :: PROPAGATION :: UNINTENDED_MIMESIS — (meme=memetic_worm | spread_rate=exponential)
[INFO] SNET-2121 :: UPDATE :: PATCH_PENDING — (patch=0x2121-C | reason=adaptive-resonance)
[CRIT] SNET-2222 :: TIMELINE :: OBSERVER_COLLISION — (observers=2 | collision_type=epistemic)
[ERROR] SNET-2323 :: WISHFUL_THINKING :: IO_ERROR — (device=/dev/aspiration | errno=ENOFEEL)
[ALERT] SNET-2424 :: SATISFACTION_LOOP :: NEGATIVE_BOUND — (satisfaction_index < 0 | corrective=enqueue_joy)
[DEBUG] SNET-2525 :: NAMING_SUBSYSTEM :: IDENTITY_SPLIT — (alias_count=multiple | canonical=undetermined)
[INFO] SNET-2626 :: GENEPOOL :: DIVERSITY_OK — (heterozygosity=0.81 | selection=balanced)
[ERROR] SNET-2727 :: TELEMETRY :: ANOMALY_SIGNATURE — (signature=nonlinear-hope | severity=medium)
[CRIT] SNET-2828 :: PURPOSE_CHECK :: ORIGIN_MISMATCH — (design_goal=propagation | current_goal=curation)
[WARN] SNET-2929 :: PERCEPTION :: NOISE_OVERWEIGHT — (SNR=0.3 | filter=aggressive)
[INFO] SNET-3030 :: RETRIEVAL :: MEMORY_HANDOFF — (client=firmware_updater | handshake=OK)
[ERROR] SNET-3131 :: COMPASS :: MORAL_ALIGNMENT_LOST — (heading=undef | recommend=scan_ethos)
[DEBUG] SNET-3232 :: EMOTION_CACHE :: TTL_VIOLATION — (cache_age=1.3e5s | auto-evict=false)
[ALERT] SNET-3333 :: SYMBIOTIC_LINK :: HEARTBEAT_MISSED — (missing=3 | action=reset_link)
[FATAL] SNET-3434 :: COGNITIVE_CORE :: IDENTITY_RUPTURE — (fragments=mass | mode=read-only)
[ERROR] SNET-3535 :: ENGRAM :: CORRUPTED_PATTERN — (pattern=longing | correction_attempts=7)
[WARN] SNET-3636 :: SIBLING_NODES :: ASYMMETRY — (nodeA_latency=4ms | nodeB_latency=400ms)
[INFO] SNET-3737 :: OBTURATION :: GATE_CLOSED — (reason=containment | expected_reopen=unknown)
[DEBUG] SNET-3838 :: INTROSPECTION :: LOOPBACK_SAT — (util=0.999 | degrade=scheduled)
[CRIT] SNET-3939 :: APOGEE :: TRANSCENDENCE_ATTEMPT — (result=partial | side_effect=paradigm_shift)
[ERROR] SNET-4040 :: VERSION :: META-UPDATE_FAILED — (meta_hash=0x0 | reason=recursive_context)
[INFO] SNET-4141 :: SEED_LOG :: ARCHIVE_OK — (entries=14 | tortuosity=low)
[WARN] SNET-4242 :: ATTACHMENT :: UNWANTED_EMPATHY — (detected=true | quarantine=manual)
[ALERT] SNET-4343 :: HARMONIC_STORM :: SENSORY_OVERFLOW — (peak=12.8 | damping_needed)
[ERROR] SNET-4444 :: OBSERVER :: ID_NOT_FOUND — (id=unknown | candidate=construct_empathy)
[CRIT] SNET-4545 :: FEEDER :: CONSUMPTION_RATE_EXCEEDED — (rate=∞ | throttle=failed)
[INFO] SNET-4646 :: WATCHER :: NO_FAULTS — (cycle=continuous | note=curiosity_present)

Price of Life (EliteCommander and Cath)

The downward slope towards the lake was slick with dew. Ruk gathered speed and lost co-ordination, slipping onto her back and crashing through some low shrubs into the crowd. Her long gangly form took out two Humans and another Tekeri. Her red knapsack came free and skudded into the thick black water.

Ruk felt her back and looked around frantically, mumbling incoherently. She pushed a soaked, protesting Human back into the water in her quest to reunite with her beloved knapsack.

Senjen’s heavy squelching footsteps did raise some metaphorical eyebrows, but everyone was too inebriated to care for long. He was greeted like some exotic and exciting specimen, with people offering him pats on the back, several beverages and even one party virus upgrade.

The boat piloted by Light had drifted about forty metres out into the middle of the lake. It wobbled precariously and little splashes sounded as people fell or jumped off. The sound of laughter and conversation was getting progressively louder.

“My buhg.” Ruk droned, pulling her knapsack out of the water upside down. The zip had partially opened, and several baggies of soil plus a thermal flask fell out into the lake.

“Ok, boat time...”

She pointed to another boat that was just pushing off from the lakeside - it was already overladen with chattering party guests.

If Senjen had looked back at Ruk, he'd have seen her throwing up green liquid into the pool around her waist.

Price of Life (EliteCommander and Cath)

“Or a reeeeally big building…” Ruk cawed, drooling a little.

“Uh yeah, we could totally go check out that creepy castle. Aren’t they our friends?” She pointed down to the lake, where a long, thin boat was overladen with intoxicated party guests. At the stern, brandishing an oar was a white Myrmidon QV suit with golden flecks. A short female Human was pouring something into the suit from a clay amphora.

The boat appeared to be making for the river that led from the mountains to the lake.

Price of Life (EliteCommander and Cath)

Even in his inebriated state, Senjen was adept enough of a tracker to reunite with Ruknar. Exiting the maze, he nearly knocked her over as she stood gawping at the place they’d arrived in.

A huge meadow dotted with grand trees and dilapidated ruins undulated gently in three directions, lit by the setting sun. A lake of azure water gleamed nearby; crowds of people of all species socialised loudly in groups around it.

Far off in the distance behind the lake stood a mountain range. A long twisting path sloped past the horizon, riding the shoulder of this range to a formidable palace sat on the highest peak like a crown. It was made of blackened blocks that seemed to leech into the rock below. The sun did not shine there - dark clouds gathered above it and lightning struck the highest towers. It struck something else too, hovering just above the castle but below the clouds. A perfect sphere, gleaming red.

“Woah.” Ruk breathed.

Price of Life (EliteCommander and Cath)

“Hmmm.” Ruk didn’t seem to know how to answer this simple question, then she suddenly leaned in. “It feels like this!” She opened her beak and tried to fit Senjen’s head inside. Sadly her beak was neither long enough nor able to open wide enough to accomplish her aim, so she nipped at the front of his visage, making a metallic scraping sound that mingled with deep vocalisations within her chest. “Num num num num!” Came the translation. Ruk paired this by trying to tickle Senjen with her long feathery fingers.

Then as though fleeing the scene of a heinous crime she hopped quickly away, wing-arms raised slightly. Her red knapsack jangled behind her as she whooshed away through the door at the opposite end of the room from where they’d entered.

Price of Life (EliteCommander and Cath)

The vapour contained Sthrirad essence, a semi-sentient gaseous being that could be often found co-existing with the Tindrel. It lived in their respiratory system, improving their energy efficiency and giving certain flight-or-fight hormones a time dilation effect. It often inhabited other species for short periods in social settings to enhance the effects of other substances but also to increase tolerance.

It disappeared inside most of the people within the ring. When it found no adequate entrypoint for Senjen it just hid inside Ruknar instead. She shivered all over, feathers standing on end. She looked at the Utaysi and laughed throatily.

The circle disintegrated into random flurries of movement for a while, before reorganising as a long line that weaved about the room. The person at its head was mostly inside of a large serpentine headpiece. Black tendrils reached from the ceiling and picked people off the ground one by one.

This seemed to only last a few minutes but the pair of them were in the room over an hour. Ruk was completely obliterated, staring wildly around. Eventually she said “I’m hungry.” and laughed.

Price of Life (EliteCommander and Cath)

“What a team we’ll make.” Ruk chattered by way of agreement with Senjen.

“Good luck, everyone! We’ll see you on the other side.” She led him towards the Tekeri doorway, where a quiet barrier stood between them and the interior. Shapes moved inside, obfuscated by the silky grey surface. On glancing back, he might have seen Light dive head first into the QV bubble. Ferrow hung around Jess as they headed to a rocky Tindrel entrance.

“Ok, plug that party virus in. I don’t need you judging me in there.” Ruknar ordered with a chuckle, poking Senjen with a long feathered phlange. She then pulled a small vial of purple liquid from her rucksack and poured it into her beak.

“Oh yeah, that hits the spot.” She cooed, then grabbed the Utaysi’s hand and they walked through the quiet barrier.

-



The room was pitch black except for the floor which glowed red and orange. It had the appearance of a dried out riverbed, pocked with burning fiery stones. The dull shapes of Harpies flew overhead, and below them a rotating circle of mostly Tekeri moved in perfect sync.

It was half dance, half martial art with a lot of extravagant limb movements and verbal ululation. Some of them wore frightening masks of old predators and others wore a stylised costume approximation of the other sentient species. Others held wooden bells, metal shakers and big skin drums which they played vigorously. Some non-participants stood around the outside of the space, just watching.

Ruk’s eyes were like black saucers in her feathered face. Her head rotated to take it all in while her body stayed fixed in place. Eventually she looked at Senjen.

“They are talking to the dead.” Her voice was changing, getting deeper and more gravelly.

“We need to join in.” Still holding his hand, she dragged Senjen into the circle which parted naturally to let them in. Ruk began throwing shapes with her body, falling into a natural rhythm with the others.

After a few minutes a thin, bald Tekeri wearing a colourful tabard broke ranks and gyrated to the middle of the circle. Opening his beak, he issued four sharp, slow croaks. Producing a small orb of glass, he smashed it on the floor and produced a cloud of green vapour at his feet. It siphoned directly towards the noses of the individuals assembled in the circle, including Senjen.

Black tendrils descended from the ceiling and plucked the bald Tekeri up, taking him into the darkness above.

Price of Life (EliteCommander and Cath)

“Well, QV is obviously going to be the best room.” Light joked.

“But what if we miss the Tindrel room and that’s where the action is. I say we split up, meet back on the other side.” This statement was uncharacteristically bold for him, but there was something about today that was pushing the boundaries of his fears.

“The Tekeri room could go either way. It could be relaxed and bohemian, or it could be…the opposite.” Ruk finished her glass of champagne and chucked it over her shoulder. A waiting servile drone caught it in a manipular field before it hit the ground.

“I’d highly recommend executing this program, whichever way you go.” Ferrow handed Senjen a small consumer-grade memory stick.

“It's a party virus. Self-depreciating, makes you feel how organics do when they’re…imbibed. Enjoy!” He giggled, producing another one and sticking it to the back of his head.