Korsha winced as the terrestrial vehicle bounced up and down, the grinding turn of its wheels kicking up flecks of dirt. Next to her sat her master. If the transport bothered him, he didn't let it show. She mimicked his straight backed posture, hands in her lap as she tried to ignore the cramping sensation in her lower back. Why anyone would ever ride in one of these ground bound contraptions she would never know.

In truth, she knew she was still ridding herself of the nervous energy that she had built up in anticipation of her master's arrival. Her meeting with the hunt master hadn't gone as she had anticipated. The etchitari has been tall and lanky, unlike what she had expected out of someone in his position. After speaking to him for several minutes he abruptly got up and left. She ran over the conversation several times in her head as she tried to figure out if she'd said something to offend him. Then he returned with three other etchitari. From their wizened appearance in the robes she suspected that they were elders.

"I am elder Aurauran. You are a spirit talker."

Korsha's eyes widened, taken aback by the elder's forwardness. The elder who had addressed her was thick and nearly a head taller than her two counterparts. Yet beneath her bulky musculature there was a softness that gave off a motherly air to her. Korsha noted that her robes had far more constellations on them than any of the other etchitari she'd seen, including the elders to either side of her.

Rising to her feet, Korsha nodded. This wasn't uncommon as many cultures had members who were able to commune with the other side, yet what bothered her was that she didn't know if this was the kind of culture that burned such people. This wouldn't be the first time that she had been attacked because she was a binder. People often saw those that talked to the unseen as either mad or dangerous. Given her imperial status, surely they wouldn't lay a hand upon her. The retribution and fury of the Imperial Goddess's servants would be far too much.

She took on an imperious air, or at least what she hoped was one. Inside her guts turned as she tried to consider whether the four people before her were superstitious or not. Tension filled her body and she prepared her magic. She could use their momentum to retreat to safety. Then she could use one of her seeker to find the best way out of her.

"Forgive us, we must ask you for a favor."

Korsha's brow furrowed. A favor?

"Do you know of hyperspace madness?"

She blinked. Hyperspace madness wasn't something that happened. She closed her eyes as she realized that was a translation problem. Her omnivice had taken the words and translated them into an approximate, something she could understand. It was an insanely helpful feature when having to deal with ancient civilizations whose language weren't the Imperial basic or the coalitions unity tongue. Yet sometimes, like these, it didn't translate the words correctly. It was probably something in her translators programming that was glitching. It should have just let the word stay the same. That was something she'd have to have the techs look at later.

"I don't understand. My people do not suffer from such illnesses."

"It's because your people swim among the stars but do not understand them. Your kind have deafened themselves to their wisdom." The elder to Aurauran's left said.

The head elder turned her head to her compatriot and growled. His chest rumbled but he backed down.

"When the stars ascend and begin their reconfiguration those of us who do not shield our eyes to their glory are driven mad."

Korsha nodded processing the information. So when Hyperion III went into hyperspace the etchitari couldn't look up into the sky. That was a curious thing. Never before had she heard of a species being afflicted like that.

"The spirit fill their minds with visions until they can no longer recognize the world." The elder to the right said.

"What do you want me to do?" Korsha asked, that she had a good idea what they were going to ask.

"We wish for you to remove the spirits and restore our lost kin."

Korsha was quiet. She chewed the inside of her lip. This wasn't something that she could necessarily do it was a mental illness and had nothing to do with the spirit. On the other hand, if it was possession she'd have no issue. Although, if I drop down to the underworld I might be able to go into their soul and see what's happened to them. But then I'd have to deal with Enaru. Ah krik, I forgot about him. I'll have to figure that out soon enough.

"What if I am unable to... heal them?"

"Then we request that you put them out of their misery."

"Consider this to be your hunt." The hunt master said to Korsha's horror. He seemed to understand as he continued, "If you are unable to restore them than they have been taken by the spirits and are no better than an enraged animal."

Korsha hesitated to make the agreement and had tried to contact her master for guidance. Ultimately, she'd taken the risk and agreed. She waited anxiously for nearly six hours before her master arrived. When he did she explained what it happened and to her surprise he was delighted.

"I look forward to seeing your skills in action.”

Those words now swirled within her head. It was like she was back at the academy with an exam looming over her. She winced at another bump that sent an angry spasm into her lower back. She'd have to stretch long and hard once they got out. Worst case I'll just have to rely upon Aunaku again. Though this time I won't be distracted and leave him unattended.

She gazed up into the moonroof above and wondered how anyone kept track of time here. It was an endless night, heavy with shadows that were only held back by the patches of luminescent flowers. It was as if Hyperion III were trying to mimic the stars above. I wonder if there are any etchitari poets who've already thought of that? Korsha concealed a grin as her mind raced to match words that rhymed together as she struggled to make a poem that might be passed off as something signifying poetry.

An hour later they exited the vehicle. The doors opened and Korsha followed her master outside. Exiting, she made her way to the front of the vehicle and then stopped short. She gasped in the cool night air. Before them was a gaping chasm.

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"This is the place where the mad are drawn to." The hunt master told then, as he leaned forward on a stick and pointed into the dark maw before them.

Korsha came to the edge of the abyss and gazed down into the darkness. The chasm could've swallowed her entire ship. She licked her lips as she kicked a rock over the edge and watched it tumble into the darkness. Seconds ticked by as she waited for a response. Then, at the edge of her hearing, she heard a faint plop. She watched as the several etchitari efficiently unloaded the climbing equipment.

"Master, are you sure you want to do this? I could go alone."

"And miss seeing you in action? Not a chance."

Korsha took a deep breath trying to unravel the knot in her stomach. She turned away and busied herself with helping the etchitari set up the equipment. She checked the equipment designated for her master three times before she handed it over to him. Soon they were scaling the rock face and descending into the darkness below. The shadows were darker than anything she had thought possible. She had seen living shadows before, fueled by the power of a vengeful spirit but no ordinary shadow had ever been this dark. Even the beam of their lights felt as though they were constricted by the darkness.

Korsha paused for a moment, allowing her master to catch up with her. While she waited she noted that the walls had a sort of texture to them. It wasn’t rocky like she’d initially thought but instead it was soft, sponge. It absorbed some of the weight that was causing her ankles to burn. A second later the old hunt master’s heavy body smacked into the wall next to her with a dull thud. His heavy panted breaths shimmering in the air before him.

"What is this?" Korsha asked as she pointed to the wall.

"Spiderweb mushrooms. They respond to heat." The hunt master responded, took a deep breath and then blew on the rock before him. The veiny mushrooms glowed as if they were being burned. "It'll get brighter the deeper we go, as our bodies become hotter.”

They continued down for some time. Korsha took her time ensuring that each foothold was secure before putting her weight on it. In truth she could have jumped off the edge at the top and been fine. All she'd have to do is throw something up to negate her momentum. It was a trick she had practiced many times. One that cost her several broken bones and a concussion. It had also taken a lot of time to figure out the right kind of momentum. The first time she’d panicked and flung a rock away from her. The sudden change in momentum had caused her to rocket off and smash her side against a nearby wall. Her magic was all about control and subtlety. It was a delicate balancing, a formula she always had to be sure to rectify.

"Why didn't we just get a hover vehicle to drop us off?"

Anadrov looked at her. His forehead glistened with sweat as he lowered himself down so that he was eye level with her.

"Sometimes the easy way isn't the best way."

"What if someone is seriously injured? It's gonna take forever to haul someone out here."

"Don't worry. I took precautions. There is a medical transport waiting up top for us. It arrived just a moment ago. Should something happen it can be down here within three minutes."

A wave of relief washed over her, mingling with her awe and admiration for her master’s ability to anticipate the future. The man was a planner. Able to execute complex strategies to get what he wanted. It was his strongest quality. The one that had seen him grasp victory from the hands of defeat far more times than anyone else she'd ever known. His ability to plan was rivaled only by the First General, the greatest Dominion strategist of all time. Perhaps the old general will have to retire. Korsha thought with a smirk as she pushed off the rock face once more.

The trek down to the bottom, though it seemed like it taken hours, had only taken thirty minutes. The hunt master informed them that they would be setting up camp and that the hunt would begin tomorrow. The etchitari worked with a diligent, and somewhat frenzied, work ethic as they erected tents. The cave was filled with their grunts and growls that were punctuated by metallic clicks and clangs. Soon enough Korsha was kneeling before fire with outstretched hands. The sensation brought a question to her mind. How did Hyperion III keep itself from freezing? The answer was probably ancient tech. At least that's what would've been in the holo dramas. Her consideration of such things was interrupted as her master came and sat down next to her. He took a chunk of something, stabbed it onto a stick before lifting it out over the fire.

For a long moment they sat there allowing the silence to speak for them. Korsha watched the dancing flames for a long moment, allowing herself to be enchanted by their graceful beautiful dance. Old feelings welled up in her, feelings she’d had a hard time pushing back down in the quieter moments of their journey. It was as though Tal had created a hole within her allowing them to pour out.

"What's bothering you, my child?"

Korsha let out a sigh. He always knew how to read her. She put her elbows on her knees as she held her face in her hands.

"I saw Tal earlier today."

Her master solitary eyebrow rose.

"He hates me for what I did." Her eyes flickered over to her masters and she quickly corrected herself, "what I failed to do."

"You didn't have a choice. He doesn’t understand. How could he? He is an outsider whose only advantage was looking in on the situation. A situation he had no understanding of."

"I know, master. It's just…"

The heavy emotions were back and she struggled to push them back into the pit of her stomach. Her master's hand reached around and clasped her shoulder. He pulled her close, as a father would a daughter.

"Korsha, you are my most prized asset. Your value to me is immeasurable. Do not concern yourself with these burdens. The past will only weigh you down. I know that you are destined for great things."

Korsha gazed up at him. She watched the firelight dance across his chiseled jaw and sharp outline. She could see the dividing line between his synthetic face and the one granted to him by the goddess.

"You really mean that?"

He patted her shoulder, "I do."

Korsha closed her eyes and just sat there in the moment. The rush of satisfaction that filled her spread out through her body like warm honey. She lingered there feeling the weariness of the day drift away as she was filled with the satisfied tiredness that came from a job well done. She hovered there in the blackness examining the feeling, trying to capture it so that she could relive it over and over and over again. She never wanted this moment to end.

“Besides. What happened to Deidra was unfortunate but you did your best."

Everything came crashing down. Korsha blinked but this time she couldn't suppress the tears that stung the edges of her eyes. The image of Deidra’s face haunted her. Though she seldom dreamed, it was the face she often saw in her nightmares. The last time she’d seen her sister, she’d worn a look of wide eyed horror as she’d stared at Korsha. Korsha knew her sister had wanted to look away but couldn't. Frozen in place by revulsion and disgust. Those eyes, once filled with passion and over exuberance for life, now fixed Korsha with a cold intensity that Korsha had never seen since. She'd faced murderous spirits with less hatred.

What came next was always the fury. The flames rushing at her, the heat wrapping around her, cutting her off from any escape. It made what came next inevitable.

"My best wasn't enough. Master, I failed you. I failed her. How can you be so forgiving of such a grievous error?"

"My dear child. You did fail," he paused and Korsha let the words soak in. A just punishment for her inadequacies, "but I believe you won't fail me again."

Korsha straightened and grasped hold of the lifeline he’d just offered her. She enthusiastically nodded. She wouldn’t fail him. She would be the tip of his blade. Sharp. Penetrating. Ever ready and willing to be used until she was broken. It was the least she could do for him after everything he’d done for her.

Shifting on her seat, she gazed into the fire before them. The flames writhed and snapped at the air. This time she leaned forward embracing their heat. She wouldn't fail her master again.