I was laying on the ground next to Arrjee when he awoke. It was not easy to hug him while he was in essentially a fetal position, but I did my best.
“Crap. That was real,” said Arrjee quietly. “I see that I still have the skill, but it is called ‘Group Mind’ now, not ‘Hive Mind’. Part of the difference must be the short range; I don’t sense anything from Sun when he is over there. Oh?! Is he, is that sitting?”
I answered, “I think so. Skawa says Sun understands what happened. My guess is he is feeling shame and disappointment in himself for overloading you.”
Arrjee sat up, “Double crap. Big headache; it is like I feel the blood pulsing in my head.”
I tried Heal Other on his forehead, but it didn’t seem to help. The double dose of Bless Blood did though, with Arrjee returning his signature smile. It was probably just the mood boost, but that’s what we need sometimes. We saw Sun watching us with his main face, probably pensive and not knowing what to say. He had dropped the arm which had been covering it.
Ferret was standing by him, also facing us. He had intertwined the fingers of his hands with the hands of Sun remaining on his head. He looked unsure, but was no longer crying. Giving comfort to Sun gave him comfort in return.
Just like me with Arrjee.
Sun tentatively waved at us with his free hand. We waved back, and Arrjee stood. I followed suit. He spoke loudly so they could hear from over three yards away, “I’m okay now. I don’t have experience with the Group Mind skill and got overwhelmed. You did nothing wrong, Sun. It was truly exciting to share that part of our thoughts. I was an ant once, and my species shared a Hive Mind. Now that I know what to expect, It will be okay.”
Arrjee started walking toward them.
Sun exclaimed, “No! Back you stay.”
shame, trepidation
“Arrjee I hurt not. More no.”
vehemence
Arrjee heard it all, then Sun heard and felt Arrjee speak in a sort of accent. With his C Rank and a lifetime with Hive Mind,, he had control and sensed how to use it in a manner more familiar to him..
“I am alright.” || reassurance, friendship, happiness
“Thank you for awakening my skill.” ||comradeship, expectation, thankfulness
“Different two voices flow.”
curiosity, oddness, appreciation
“It I like.” || Your Group Mind is a different flavor. Can I do it too?
“Unfocused group large. “|| When Trichyans talked together, all of us heard everything. It was a messy bath of thought.
“Like sword two speak.” || Now our speech is like directed swords.
I didn’t know what the hell he was saying. “Um, what is happening? I don’t understand.” Ferret nodded his head, acknowledging our shared bafflement. He also removed his hands from Sun’s head, as did Sun. Sun stood erect, so he was not a three-legged table any more, but his knees and feet still faced 120 degrees apart..
Arrjee and Sun both smiled at me, and Arrjee explained. “My Group Mind has a different flavor than Sun’s. In the hive, the range was much greater and we could not talk to everyone at once. It would have been pandemonium. So we focused our thoughts on the ones we wanted to speak with.Other thoughts did creep in; global thoughts. But for the most part we spoke only with those close to us, the ones to whom it mattered. With the narrower range of Group Mind, I think the conversing parties always overlap their thoughts, and it was ordinary for them.”
Sun smiled. “Yes, overlap.” || Yes, our group mind always overlapped.
“Different Arrjee . Focus.” || Arrjee’s method is different, focused.
Ferret broke in, “What is ‘pandelmomium’?”
As the other single-channel speaker, I answered, “‘Pan de mo ni um.’ It is when too many people are doing too many things at once, usually with a lot of noise. Imagine all the ants in a hive trying to communicate at the same time, with no order.”
Slowly he repeated, “Pandemonium.” Then at his normal rate of speech, and puzzled, “Okay. Good word. But Arrjee was ant??”
Arree replied. “Ferret, and Sun too, I am a born awakened. In my previous life I was part of an emerging species of large, intelligent ants. Our height was about up to my knees.” || unusual, huh?
From just Sun’s mind channel, || unusual!
Skawa spoke up within my mind, “Do you wish to remain a ‘single-channel speaker’? With both Jacques and Forrest in here, I may be able to grant you the Group Mind skill. Consider them as the two lobes Trichyans use for their full speech.”
“Interface, Skawa has permission to listen in Geez, there is a lot to unwrap. Two lobes? I knew Jacqes was here in a way, but for him to actively assist with a skill. Wow. How can that be?”
Not physically, dumbass. But you felt him while healing from Sterbian’s scalds. He is there, part of your mind in a way that not even I am.
“Uh, okay. Hi, Jacques?” There was no reply.
He doesn’t talk. Think of him as part of your subconscious. Or you are his conscious mind. Take your pick.
Skawa continued, “Relative viewpoints aside, the fact is you have the capacity of two. While you were speaking with Interface, I verified that they could work together to achieve Group Mind. Do you want it?”
“Is there a downside? I saw how it hit Arrjee, and I don’t have his experience.”
“You would not start out at Rank C. Instead you would grow into it like a young Trichyan child does. The downside would be explaining to Ferret and others why you can have it, and they cannot.”
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“Oh, that might be tough. Can you check with me later today? I would like to think about it for a while.”
“Yes. Not all boons work out well, so it is good to consider this.”
My attention returned to my friends, who had gone silent. They must have realized that something was distracting me. “Sorry everyone. Busy head, here. Both my Interface and Skawa were speaking to me. They gave me something to think about that I would prefer not to discuss right now.”
“Here Skawa?! || Skawaa is here, really?
Skawa we met. In cave. In cold. || We met Skawa in our cold cave. I was very glad he appeared.
Us here Skawa sent. || He sent us here, in a safe, warm place with new friends.
Skawa we thank! || Thank you, Skawa. I perhaps owe you my life.
Ferret added, “Yes, Skawa, thank you very much!”
He replied to all, “You are welcome. The cave was a nice place to visit, but I would not want to live there.” || laughter
The Primitive looked around. “Where’s Skawa? I hear Skawa. Skawa, do you want us to find you? A game?”
“I am hiding, but you will not find me. This place does not know Trichyans and many would fear me if I so appeared. I could look Human, or Covargh, or not show myself at all. As a trickster god, staying hidden fits with what people expect.” || relax, comfort, friends, acceptance
“I get it.” Ferret realized. “Skawa is just Skawa, not Trichyan here. I not say it to no one. God do what god want. If you need to trick me that okay. ”
“I do not see anyone who needs tricking here. Perhaps I will go find someone.” || anticipation
I feel him leave. I might be getting too used to having gods around.
Yes. Their persistent presence is most unusual.
“Skawa is gone. At least he is not in my mind any more, so I am pretty sure he is gone. Is there anything we need to do in the woods before heading to Cottages?”
“Forrest we follow.” || Let’s follow Forrest and hope for wondrous, new lives.
Arrjee added, “Yes, Forrest, it is your turn to lead us home.” || new, excitement, assure
I saw Sun walk over to get his shield and club. It was the oddest thing, at least as odd as them sitting as a three-legged table. He didn’t turn so much as his head and legs rotated. His torso barely changed angle, so his arms barely moved. When he stands at rest, all three sets of knees and feet are rotated at different angles. But when he begins taking his first steps, two of his legs spin 120 degrees so all their knees and feet point in the same direction. Similarly, his three-sided head rotates so the main, two-eyed face looks the direction he walks. I didn’t notice this as he moved away from Arrjee earlier, because too much was going on.
I’m going to have to get used to this. I can’t imagine what their hips are like.
Or his neck. It seems to have a resting position between two of his arms, but it is comfortable rotating 120 degrees so it is centered between another set of two. But it does not appear to rotate completely around, just 120 degrees to the left or right from centered, whatever “left” and “right” are for Trichyans.
“So this is as strange looking to you as me?”
I have seen images, still shots, of many species. Yet watching a Trichyan move is new and wonderful.
He picked up his two items. He did not need to bend very far; his arms are long with the palms of his hands extending to his knees. The two joints (elbows?) per arm must give him tremendous flexibility in battle. Any arm can scratch any of his backs (?) (fronts (?)).
I”m going to have to learn Trichyan terminology for their anatomy. And each one of them has all three sexes.
They “turned around” to face us, and began walking back. “Ready now I.” || I’m ready now to start moving forward to a new life. Scared too.
Arrjee said, “It will take us a little over 10 minutes to get to the road. || easy, relax, you:hope
From there it is 20 more minutes if we run. Will that be okay?” || options, choices, all good
“I run good,” said Ferret. “And Sun faster than me.” Sun shook his head in acknowledgment.
----------------------------------------
Although I wanted to watch Sun and Ferret move through the forest, I couldn’t since they were following me. Neither seemed to have a problem with the uneven ground and various tree branches which could hinder a traveler.
Once we reached the road, I picked up the pace. My running skill was at Rank D now, and I probably had more endurance than anyone else. I didn’t go all out, though. I knew Arrjee’s running was at C, but I did not know about our two new friends. We ran to the bend where the village became visible, I slowed to a walk. It occurred to me that the presence of Ferret and especially Sun would be unexpected and could even lead to issues with various people, such as Sterbian Morse and any cronies.
I could see that the school area now had what looked like fully finished buildings. There are two apartments and a separate building for administration. A basic fence was in place around what will be the entire campus. It seems to be a little over a yard high with vertical wooden posts pounded into the ground every several yards. Two horizontal posts connect between the vertical ones.
“Arrjee,” I asked, “what is our best approach? Should all four of us just walk into town?”
He replied, “I was thinking about that on the way. They have a right to be here, as so decreed by gods.” || caution, peace, success
“But it will be natural for our townsmen to be surprised and maybe worried at their appearance. I think it will help that the Skolturi are already there.” || anticipation, villagers:good
“A whole lot of new things at once might be too much, though.” || them:surprise
“My father is Mayor and is very good with people.” || talented, liked
“What I suggest is that we introduce Sun and Ferret to Guardsman Rallee at the gate.” || family, he:even-tempered, wise
“Then Forrest can remain with Sun and Ferret on the school campus, while I go ahead into the village and let Dad know about our new friends.” || avoid shock, introduction smooth
“They won’t like us,” Ferret said, discouraged.
Sun answered him, “Us some like not.” || It is true; some will not like us.
“Guard chance we give.” || We’ll give the guard a chance; he’s part of Arrjee’s family.
“Mayor chance we give.” || We’ll give the Mayor, Arjee’s father, a chance.
“Village chance we give.” || Let’s trust the village too; it is Arrjee’s big family.
“Friends more we make.” || We’ll make more friends. (I hope.) It will be okay, Ferret.
“Peace Skolturi bring.” || The Skolturi will be there, too. They will ensure peace.
“People Skolturi unite.” || As in old days, the Skolturi will make sure we can live united.
Sun was putting a lot of hope in us, our family connections, and the Skolturi.
Could their absence explain why the bipeds and tripeds never reforged peaceful ties after the plague?
I do not know, but your speculation has merit.
Arrjee took control, “Follow me to the gate. We will introduce you proudly to the guard as our new friends.” || confidence, assurance
He took the lead with a brisk walk. I allowed Sun and Ferret to catch up with me, then we walked side by side. Well, I may have been at Sun’s “side”; we were together and walking the same direction, anyway. As we approached the gate, I could see Uncle Ralf watching us very curiously. He was uncharacteristically wearing light armor today, leathers.
“Sir Rallee,” Arrjee called, “as you can see, I gathered more friends in the forest.”
He replied, “Yes, Young Arrjee, I see. It is a momentous day for Cottages. First two Skolturi Wraiths, and now a Trichyan and an, um, Covargh Emergent Ferretman. Please state your names and your business.”
“He already knows what Ferret is?”
I told you I updated the database. All interfaces have access.
“Evening Sun I. Sir Rallee I greet.” || confident, proud, hope, doubt
“Einvigi school I attend.” || happy, expectation
And responding nervously, “I am Ferret Drewson. Einvigi invited me to her school, too, after Skawa sent us here from our cave. I don’t read. Yet! But Arrjee and everyone said they teach me.”
The guard smiled. “Well, Young Evening Sun and Young Ferret Drewson, you certainly have fine backing. Being friends of Arrjee and Forrest would have been sufficient, but you have the support of two gods as well. You may enter the village of Cottages.”
Arrjee explained that he would go ahead and get the Mayor, while the rest of us waited at the school Uncle Ralf acknowledged the plan, and Arrjee went into the town.
I turned to where the school’s fence had an opening. I don’t know if they will put a gate there or leave it open until the final walls are built. I went onto the school grounds, and my two new friends followed.