The Stellae Creaturix’s billions of stars filled the long row of ten-meter-high view panes behind the Sol Throne. Truly a living tapestry of sparkling brilliance that included Blue-white dwarfs, warm golden-yellow middle-aged suns, and ancient red giants that neared their climatic supernovae. Each and everyone was resplendent and demanded individual attention. Together they formed a backdrop of uncountable twinkling points in a never ending solar struggle for visual dominance as each star passed through the various stages of its raging lifecycle. A spectacle that enticed lingering stares from those fortunate enough to see. None who were so fortunate ever argued that the countless shades of the Creaturix’s infinite kaleidoscope did anything but put all terrestrial treasures in the known universe to shame.
But much more than the Creaturix’s grand scale and unique beauty, the the massive galaxy-wide swath of stars was the origin genesis loci and eternal base of power for the Star Children, the multiverse’s only quasi-transcendent race. As such, it was absolutely proper for the ruling Matron of the Star Children to conduct all royal audiences at the Sol Throne, bathed in the Creaturix’s unique, life-giving radiance–
But right now, that Matron was running late!
Gaia and her entourage translocated with a pop into the silence of the Sol Throne’s receiving chamber. Her long ceremonial robes hid her heeled shoes as they clacked hurriedly over the polished floor. Behind schedule, the Mother of All ran to the Sol Throne and plopped down with a frump and then self-corrected her naturally slumped posture. If Riah, her older sister and mentor had told her once, she had said so ad infinitum, ‘Appearances are important. Get it right girl’ Gaia couldn’t help but smile as she heard the ingrained voice of her sister…But four days ago everything had changed making everything impossibly harder… and since then, if anything, the pressure Gaia felt had only increased…
But, the Mother of the Star Children 'Can and will get used to anything!’ She heard Riah’s voice again echoed in her head. And I’ll get used to sitting in this chair . . . Eventually . . .
Now, sitting attentively, Gaia took a deep breath and prepared for the coming meeting. She raised a hand to make sure her diadem was straight before the representatives arrived—But her hand passed through empty space above her head. Unfruitfully, she patted her head and thrashed around in the throne to find where she had left her the Sun Fire Diadem. After a moment of no success her mind entered panic mode, It’s not here!
Machitis, Gaia’s Shield and Enforcer, at her side every micro of the last four standard rotations since Riah’s fall, reached up to the rear of the throne with his black, ethereal arm. Coolly, he grabbed the thin circle of the Star Children’s Matron, still perched where Gaia had left it and gently placed it on her head.
Glowing red eye-swirls were the only facial features Machitis had on the never ceasing whirls of black smoke under his dark helm. He inclined them toward Gaia and spoke in his usual deep but kindly guiding tone.
“Mother. Only by keeping our heads can we save the heads of our people.” He placed a gentle hand to rest reassuring on her shoulder. “...Time is precious. Are you prepared for your audience with the cultivators?”
Stolen novel; please report.
Gaia’s eyes cut sharply as thoughts sped through her mind. How can I be!? This isn’t my place! I’m the second sister, the spare in case of catastrophe. I’m not supposed to have to do any of this!! All this formality was Riah’s thing! I can't even find the Diadem without a someone minding me. . .
Then, as they constantly had since Riah had been lost, her thoughts grew darker…How can Riah be gone? What could have possibly made her choose the path that took her from us? To leave her children all alone?
As if reading Gaia’s thoughts, Machitis’ ember stare grew more intense and he nodded to her in sympathy as he clasped his hands behind his back. “Take the time you need now Mother. No sense in fumbling for thoughts when the representatives are before you.”
Gaia caught her breath and focused her thoughts. A few micros passed and her thoughts fell in line. He is right. It doesn’t matter how or why Riah is gone . . . Just that she is. It now falls to me to stand where she did. To protect us all as she did. . .
In less then ten micros she was once again able to once more function in the present as she reflexively settled down to perform her duties as Mother.
She raised her chin and stared straight ahead as she had trained her. “I am ready to meet them” Gaia announced to the air before her. Still, she couldn’t keep a stray doubt from worming its way through to the surface of her thoughts. I’m just not sure I know how to or what to say… She shook her head minutely to clear the uncertainty. The Mother of the Star Children has no room for such weakness in her thoughts. Surely Riah never did… At least she never let the smallest sign of it show if she did…
Gaia narrowed her eyes and focused on the here and now. The task that was right in front of her. The first step in… not replacing her sister… But taking care of what her sister had loved. And, as had happened often over the last four days, the words of Riah’s lessons, insistently drilled into Gaia’s young mind sprang de novo into her awareness as if her sister was standing next to her. ‘Every journey of a thousand li starts with the first step. Take that step now Gaia—’
The cultivators are here. Machitis’ basso voice spoke mentally into Gaia’s consciousness and she quickly shifted her gaze minutely to indicate she had hear him. Dealing with the Cultivators was the first step of Gaia’s one thousand li.
It was no secret how Riah would have dealt with them. Again Gaia heard her lost sister’s voice speak to her. ‘Blah! Cultivators are always more trouble than they are worth. A swarming mass of jumped-up, self-important transients.’
And that was accurate as far as Gaia could tell. Star Children started their existence at the level of quasi-transcendence. At their inception, pre-existing links to Karma permanently bound them firmly to the mortal realms. They could not Transcend. Nor had any every wanted to in the histories. Why? There is plenty in the mortal realms to keep us busy and happy for all eternity. There is no need to chase the ever-elusive ‘Next Higher Heaven, or the unattainable end of power.
Because of this permanence in the mortal realms, Star Children had a vested interest in fostering and sustaining the mortal races and all of living existence. After all, the Star Children had created most of the mortal races from the ashes of the ever present inorganic matrix with the bounty of force from the ever renewing Stellae Creaturix. Almost all mortal life is our creation. They are our children.
Cultivators, on the other hand, while absolutely mortal, only wanted to use whatever of the mortal realm’s resources they could get their grubby fingers, claws, tentacles or motive forces on to achieve their transcendence. All they wanted to do was to outgrow and shed the skin mortality so treasured by the Star Children. Then the cultivators would leave this realm and its occupants behind as fast as possible. Their minds and spirits were dominated by cold calculation and predatory detachment from the other races of spirit beings.
Still, despite the fact that Cultivators and Star Children had very divergent eternal perspectives. On opposing sides for most long-term plans involving life in the mortal iteration . . . Right now, we have no way ahead without them. Not while the scourge that calls itself Sky Commandant Zelviz is running amok at any rate!
Seething inside but well-trained by Riah, her predecessor, Gaia stilled herself yet again with another calming breath. One micro later, she nodded once to Machitis and signaled herself ready. Her Enforcer spun and caught the eyes of the door guards, “We are ready to receive. Open the chamber.”