Approaching Sky … what could the administrator of the neighbouring local group want from me? Given his, dare I think, questionable reputation among my peers I don’t think he wants to talk about Looks to the Moon or anything else I caused. Not that he would know that I am the reason for that catastrophe … Focus, Suns! What could he want? Do I want to know? … Spearmaster is waiting for me, we were supposed to have a nice day in my city.

…

Fine. I will listen to whatever he has to say and then return to my friend.

Seven Red Suns looked back at the screen, which was showing them their friend’s vitals as well as the newly installed collar camera. They were currently in the process of climbing the endless stairs to the basilica gardens, the first station of the pilgrimage towards the basilica, a spot of green amidst the city to experience serenity. Now it was a forest that long ago lost its status as peaceful and spiritual ground. As the wild animals reclaimed the green and established a quite potent ecosystem amidst the holy place.

Suns pinged the receiver in Spearmaster’s cranium and requested a thoughts exchange. They were very pleased with the possibilities that new technology would allow them to grow even closer together as a team going through bad and worse.

‘Ping intensity is good. Feels like a fresh idea in my head. But it is you, Suns. No difference. What is?’

‘Afraid I have to interrupt our little journey for a bit. Shouldn’t take long, however, given the person we are thinking about. Can you give me … let’s say an eight of a cycle?’

‘Thought you said that you won’t answer any calls? What made you change your mind?’

‘Hm …’ Suns tapped their chin, a good question. ‘Curiosity, my dear Spearmaster. I never talked to Approaching Sky before. He has no business with me, and I don’t think he wants to talk about what happened due to our doing. Not many outside Sig’s group know of my involvement.’

‘Sounds interesting. Will go hunting instead. Ping me when you are ready to continue. Good luck.’

‘Good luck to you, Spearmaster. I will think to you later again.’

Spearmaster would be occupied for a bit. Suns would be as well, they noticed in dismay. Hopefully, Sky would only want something trivial from them, so that they could resume spending time with their brave hero. Suns sighed on the inside and moved the Spearmaster screen to the edge of his field of view, summoning the buzzing green-red screen to the front instead. Suns took a deep imaginary breath and accepted the call, bracing themselves for the presence of Approaching Sky.

“Apologies for the intrusion, Seven Red Suns, but I require your aid in a peculiar issue of mine. Given the fact that you already solved the query on my mind, allow me to keep the attention time needed for my problem at a minimum. I am at my wit’s end, as much as it pains me to acknowledge that. It is regarding that vermin in my chamber that I try to turn into a messenger.
I was told that you successfully purposed a loyal messenger and got recommended to you for assistance. How?”

If Suns would have eyebrows, they would have risen by now to the top of their forehead. First of all, what a wonderful way to start a conversation. No greetings and straight to the point of his query. It at least helped Suns to rule out any unpleasantries regarding the topic that clouded their thoughts. Approaching Sky was safe from a sudden disconnect of their side.

Now … who told him that they finally succeeded in their efforts to adapt No Significant Harassment’s core data regarding purposing a messenger?

Suns thought back to the other six messengers prior, which fell prey to their attempts to create a purposed akin to the teachings of karmic abolishment. None survived in Suns’ experiments to create a being that could exist independent from the five karmic sins: War, Lust, Company, Gluttony and Survival. Suns realized eventually, thanks to the dissertations of an Iterator named Shifting Gales, that this project proved to be too inhumane for any living being. Subject 7, who Suns later named Spearmaster, was the successful adaption of Gales’ discoveries.

The needles Spearmaster used to fight and eat encapsulated the genius of karmic science. The aggressive way of survival rendered the sin of war a necessity, the sin of gluttony was eliminated by rendering the needles the only way of consumption and the sin of survival was inevitably tied to the other sins. Abolishing one meant abolishing all. The sin of lust was trivial to circumvent. The sin of company was addressed by denying the messenger the ability to converse with others of their kin, a pleasant consequence of the feeding mechanism, which rendered a maw irrelevant.

In the end, even a success was a failure. I can’t forgive myself for the torment I subjected my dear friend to. Especially as I allowed them to embrace the sin of company, teaching my friend how to talk with their hands. And now I am the reason why they indulged in that sin … at least I could undo that mistake. To be a friend to Spear.

“…Is the connection stable? Did you freeze, Suns? … Lives, you should check your connections-“

“Apologies! I was lost in thoughts. No communication error!” Suns sighed mentally, who was now the odd one out in this dialogue? “Yes, your sources are correct … didn’t know that words of them would travel that far, however, curious. I assume that this is an urgent project of yours? Or do you always skip the introduction part?”

Suns could see the impatience in Approaching Sky’s retinas. He appeared tired and annoyed. Looking closer at the screen, they were also able to spot something else floating around in the weightlessness of the administrator’s room, chomping on one of the Iterator’s cables. Suns couldn’t help themselves but chuckle lowly, attempting to conceal their amusement.

Sky professionally looked past the nagging comment, or he simply didn’t realize it. Which made Suns wonder just how much of the stories about him were based on true facts.

“Affirmative. Couldn’t be more urgent than that. We are on the clock. In less than 1.500 cycles this rebellious … Slugcat … must be able to carry a crucial message to one of my peers. Time is of the essence.”

“Hold on a minute, Approaching Sky. … My senior wasn’t kidding about you. Let me roll this dialogue back to the beginning. I have some simple questions you should address before I can help you with anything. Or why I should assist in the first place given this is the first time talking with you. Alright.” Suns rubbed their forehead, feeling the punched-in circles of the red suns, tracing them to centre themselves. “What is the issue and why does it include me? Why do you want to create a messenger and how far are you in that project already? … I can answer that question myself, seeing the Slugcat in the background. And most importantly! Who told you of my project?”

“One of my peers is facing the consequences of the sloppiness of the Ancients. My local group and I are currently working on a solution to help them. I would have preferred to not include you, but the sudden urgency of the issue forced me to purpose a messenger with my available genetic grid, which does not include her loyalty I am afraid. I began working on the project nearly ninety-eight cycles ago once it became clear that the issue was only getting worse from that point on.

As for the question of who told me of your project, you told them about that. Afraid I can’t say more to maintain my peer’s privacy. We don’t want the situation to leak out to the other groups. Can you assure me to keep this conversation confidential?”

I … told them? Wait … who have I told about my Messenger project? No Significant Harassment, of course, I have the original plans from him. Five Pebbles as well, I purposed Spearmaster to send him that regretful pearl … who else? Looks to the Moon was not aware of our doing … Moon … I also kept Grey Wind out of the loop.

…

The only other one I informed about that … could it be?

Suns peered over to the pile of discarded equipment in the far corner of their room. That ping from the last cycle … and Sky contacting them. Peculiar.

“I will keep this conversation confidential, of course.” Not that I chat much with anyone nowadays. “So to get the other parts straight. You purposed a messenger without preparation, hence her not obeying you. And you need my assistance to change that? What did you try already?”

“Appreciated. Yes, I used my intelligence grid for the Slugcat. She has more than enough respectless energy in her tiny body to understand my advancements but doesn’t respect me. The cycles since I let her into my chamber were an unsanitary hellscape, I will spare you the details.”

“How much did you pay attention to her?”

“…Despite my first attempts to establish a connection … And a repeat of that attempt every quarter cycle. Not much beyond that. She ignores my advances and trashes my place. … I already regret having granted her corrosive saliva.”

“As I thought. Well, the issue is way more rooted in the base relationship between you and your messenger. I can only recommend seeking out the publications of an Iterator who researched the in-between relationships. Especially useful when trying to raise a messenger. She was part of your local group last time I checked. You should contact her instead.”

“… About that …”

A creeping suspicion crawled down Suns’ spine, and they looked back to the pile in the corner. Abandoning their position in front of the Screen, Sky would only be able to see the tiled wall behind where Suns was located a moment ago.

Suns soon found what they were looking for, the source of the ping from a cycle ago. It was not necessary to boot the chat device up, after all, Suns only used it to chat with one person on the globe, and in their nervousness hoping that she would never read it and respond.

But she did!

Hmm, the message, however, sounds not urgent, but it was sent out only four cycles ago. Coincidence? … I am afraid that is the case. There are not many reasons for an Iterator to even look at one of these old devices anymore given we now have far superior chat possibilities.

Direct Message – Chat System 1.0 – 1694.521

Seven Red Suns, Shifting Gales

SRS: The mission went … poorly I am afraid. Spearmaster is however now back safe and sound, living with me.

SRS: Question … I am currently talking to your senior, Approaching Sky. He mentioned a situation of urgency. What’s that about?

SG: Poor messenger. And glad to hear! What a lovely name for a brave messenger.

SG: … Answer. … You are talking with the situation. Please, help us, help me.

SG: Show Sky the chat. He will fill you in, I trust you with it.

Suns felt the urge to swallow, even without being in possession of a throat or anything similar to transverse fluids from point A to B. They quickly reconsidered that assessment, feeling an odd feeling in their extended body, as their superstructure briefly had issues keeping the water flow pumping.

Gales was the reason why Spearmaster turned out to be a successful experiment. And now the Iterator who allowed Suns to have such a good friend was in some kind of danger!? … They had the chance to mend and not destroy? Was that a chance to repent, in whatever little way available?

Suns hasted back to the screen, as quickly as the suspension arm allowed them to change locations. They looked with wild eyes at Approaching Sky, showing the small holo-screen of the device to the green Iterator.

“No matter what might be the issue that torments Shifting Gales, I am in! I owe the existence of my best friend to her. Void hear my cry! I don’t want to let anything else happen to anybody if I could be around to prevent it!”

“…Alright? … Well, allow me to start at the beginning then. …”

Gales' current objectives were rather simple. Estimate the corrosive situation and plan accordingly. Change the filters every cycle. And most importantly: Keep the assemblies running to the bitter end. She was aware that all the efforts of her friends would have been for naught if she hadn’t been able to realize the blueprints the Slugcat would provide her with. That was if they managed to find a solution in the first – no, bad Gales!

Once again, she lounged in her city and kept her eyes to the east, looking at Approaching Sky’s superstructure in the far distance. She wondered what he was currently up to. Had he taken her advice? How was the small Slugcat doing? She hoped he would treat her correctly and with love.

Pff … I wish.  I know my dear senior already for far too long. He changes his antics way too slowly for that. But maybe my urgent situation sprouted some acceleration in his analytical view of everything. Maybe he already contacted Seven Red Suns? If I were him, I would do that. I as him would need help to raise the baby.

Gales let her eyes wander inwards and checked in on her few remaining Overseers. She had only nine left and required four of them to keep the automatic filter production in check. One she kept around her puppet body to keep tabs on her own safety and the remaining four patrolled on the legs.

A part of her hoped that the scavenger would return to keep her company. Or at least to finally allow her to study these fascinating beings. The Ancients told her many times that these lower beings were not worth her time and would only sabotage any work she would do for them. Gales obviously listened to them and continued to ignore these nuisances for as long as possible. But that one Scavenger piqued her interest. He was definitely smart enough to assist her … even if she would have to pay him in further pearls.

Maybe I could even study their language and create a way for me to talk to them. That would be useful, especially when a different Scavenger tries their luck up here.

No Overseer reported any movement in the legs, however. Gales was disappointed at the results and sighed, returning her gaze to the sea. The mocking ocean of clean water she was unable to access. She felt an odd feeling bellowing up deep in her guts … was that … hate?

Gales took the following short eternity to explore said feeling and tracked it back as far as she was able to. Oddly enough did that emotion feel … unfinished. Every time she was able to recall a memory from the far past, when the Ancients were still around and visited the Monastery, the memory tended to cut off once it advanced into an unpleasant situation. She scratched her head, alienated by the odd coincidence. She couldn't feel that emotion, it wasn’t based on anything in her memory.

Was that the reason for me having to undergo maintenance that often? … Have my guests lobotomized my memories to exclude bad ones? … I never noticed before. But I also never felt the need to explore myself regarding … hate. How odd.

The sudden double ping of her chat device brought her back to reality. Gales took it out and noticed with delight that Suns decided to answer. But that happiness quickly faded when she read that the second mission went poorly. And got replaced by curiosity when they went on to mention that Sky contacted them, at last.

Suns wants to know about the situation. Sky, could you take that over for me? Writing long messages is a drag with this subpar interface. I really should pick up Lives' suggestion. There has to be a better way of autonomous communication.

Gales replied with a few lines, hoping Sky wouldn’t mess up what would follow. Suns would be a capable ally. Gales used the remaining cycle to brainstorm about the communication device, a topic she could follow many times in the following lonely cycles.