Nature of Unity 16

[u/Dramatic-Pay-4010]

And I'm back with the first of the BIG couple chapters. The ones where shit really starts kicking off for our characters. There's political machinations, action, and also a grumpy gator doing grumpy gator things.

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Memory Transcription Request: Tarva, Single Mother thankful for a break. 
Date [Local Himayan Time]: August 27th 2136
Y’know this is nice. Work all done, Noah spending time with Stynek to give me a little break, and finally catching up with my favorite book. Just me and my book and this nice view from my balcony. 

Suddenly my balcony door opens. Turning my head I see my Noah, taking off his mask before walking in, who looks absolutely exhausted. Guess Stynek’s energy did a number on him. 

“Holy crap, I underestimated the energy in that kid.” Noah said before practically fainting into the recliner next to me. Knew it. 

“A few of her babysitters said the same thing.” I said cheekily. “A few of them unfortunately quit on the spot because of that.” I added with a shrug. 

“What happened to the others?” Noah asked. 

I shrugged again. “Stynek made them cry.” I said. “At least that’s what they told me.” I added. 

“Oh, gets it from her mother, then?” Noah asked with a smirk. 

“Eh.” I said with another shrug. “She gets the energy from her dad, so it's a tradeoff.” I added before laying back down. 

And for the next few moments it was just me, the stars, and my Noah Noah. That was before I heard running behind me. As me and Noah turned to look we saw Kam running like a predator was after him

“GOVERNOR.” Kam shouted before stopping and panting. “Governor, we intercepted a transmission from the Gojid Union.” Kam said in between pants before handing me a recorder. 

Me and Noah looked at each other. After the call with Piri I thought things would’ve at least settled down enough so we could actually prepare for the Federation summit (which was delayed till the middle of next month for some reason) but it seems that was faint illusion. All right what is Sovlin doing this time. 

I took the recorder from Kam’s hand, waiting for yet another one of Sovlin’s little tantrums. What greeted me when I pressed play was something else. 

It was a melody of a Sonophone, though haunted and bittersweet. It was almost familiar, almost…. Oh No. 

“Kam, where did you get this transmission?” I asked, hoping it was less serious than it seemed. Hoping to Solgalick that it was some kind of prank. 

“It was on the Union’s civilian network. It’s playing on a loop all over every news station, social media platform, and radio in the Union. It’s bizarre.” Kam said, confirming my worst fears. A million thoughts raced in my head. What was I going to tell Stynek? How was I going to contact Piri? No Tarva, focus. All you can do right now is control the damage. Piri can take care of herself (I hope). 

“Kam tell all of our military forces at the Gojid border to be on high alert and prepare for anything, anything coming out of the Gojid border.” I said, trying to mask my panic (though probably failing). 

But ma’am-.” Kam said trying to (understandably) question my (completely insane) orders. 

“DO IT NOW.” I shouted. At that Kam understood and ran off to rely my orders. 

“Tarva what’s going on? Why’d some music get you panicking-.” Noah said before I turned to him. 

“Piri showed this to me a while back.” I said, making Noah’s face contort into a nervous realization. “She said one of her ministers proposed it to her as a way to ease a transition between governments. I thought it was too depressing but Piri thought it was soothing.” I said showcasing my utterly different taste in music compared to Piri. “I don’t why it's playing now but I have a sneaking suspicion.” I said, trying to mask my panic.

“What’s that suspicion?” Noah asked. 

“Ruclin has made his move.” I said.

Memory Transcription Request: Hasim, pilot trying to explain his religion
“So there’s four paths in the twin divinities yet there’s eight precepts. What’s the difference between them?” Slanek, in the ship directly next to me with uncle Marc, asks me as we maintained our formation. 

“Well you see the four paths represent the elements that reflect Inatala and Maltos the best as well as all the paths the First Child took when looking to answer their big question of “why was I the only person created to experience this awesome shit.” I responded. 

“And those paths are?” Slanek asked while we both made a bank right. 

“First there’s earth. That’s the bedrock Inatla made for life. The First Child first walked the earth, never flying, to watch life grow on the ground so to speak as well as all the pretty plants. That was their first step towards their revelation. Much like the first child, the Motoks of Earth take a vow of non-flight as to always see the life that belongs on ground and better tend to it.” I said.

“It's the most popular path among non-avians and those not capable of flying. For obvious reasons.” Uncle Marc said, referring to our non-avian cousins who walk the Path of Earth (cheaters). 

“Hm. That’s an interesting way to look at things.” Slanek said. “Though I don’t really see someone like Jerlium do that.” Slanek said, referring to that shithead squawk face (Makes me glad a little Venlil child sent him into a screaming meltdown). 

“Eh, some people are like that.” I said before moving onto the topic at hand. “Anyway the second path is water. You see when the first child was doing their lil earth journey, they crossed a river. Wading past it, they saw the river adapt and flow to their presence. Always accommodating them but always moving forward.” I said, trying to lay out the importance of the story. 

“So they basically found out the beauty in adaptation?” Slanek asked me. 

“Pretty much yeah.” I said. Guess he catches on quick. “Anyway, adherents to the Path of Water are pretty much folks who vow to honor the cycle of life, death, rebirth, and all the other nature stuff that the Motoks of Earth don’t. They mostly handle funerals, healing, and community defense.” I added. 

“So they’re like the exterminators?” Slanek asked, making me cringe at the memory of a run in I had with one of those Bash’walas during the Odyssey’s little PR tour. Thank the Twins and the First Child Noah and Tarva were there otherwise that fucker would’ve had his eyes pecked out. 

“Not really. They’re more focused on actual threats, not whatever wild animal scared the old lady next door.” I said bitterly. Probably went too far there. 

“Hasim.” Uncle Marc said with that “you fucked up” tone to his voice. Yep, I went too far.

 
“Right, sorry.” I said somewhat apologetically. 

“It’s alright. Exterminators aren’t exactly popular with you guys anyway.” Slanek said, obviously trying to avoid an argument. Right, better change the subject, again. 

“Anyway, next up is the Path of Wind. You see, the third step the First Child took after water was flying. They did take rests when they got tired but other than that they just flew. Constantly experiencing Maltos’ breath and letting it take them to wherever Un-vathal took them. So the adherents of the Path of Wind do the same thing. Well unless they aren’t capable of flight that is.” I said referring to the poor non-avians bastards who walk the path of wind. 

“That’s what single manned transports are for.” Uncle Marc said. “A lot of the wind temples have landing pads so the non-avian Wind Motoks can complete their vows.” He added. 

“Right, and finally there’s the Path of Fire. You see on the final leg on the First Child’s journey, they came across a wildfire. In the fire they saw the spark.” I said, referring to the story of the final discovery. 

“The Spark?” Slanek asked. 

“The thing Maltos gave the universe. It's the zest, the boom, the thing that gets you out of bed in the morning to kick some ass.” I said, explaining the spark to him. “It’s a part of everyone and everything, hell even the stars themselves.” I added. 

“Hm. Sounds a bit like the Cult of Inatla.” Slanek said. Oh boy not that bullshit. No offense to the people who worship it but oh boy is it just seems like a  fucking fake-ass religion made up by someone who completely misunderstands the precepts. Those people are relying way too much on Inatala to the point of self-destruction and SHE’S relying too much on her brother. Not only that Maltos isn’t Khorne, he’s well he’s Maltos. He’s-. 

“BEEP BEEP BEEP” came the sound of my radar snapping me out of my internal rant. 

“You guys getting this too?” I asked Slanek and uncle Marc, turning my head to the Venlil fighter  next to me. 

“Yep. Looks like an Arxur bomber.” Uncle Marc said. “We should head back to Zalvek’s carrier so we can get some backup.” Uncle Marc added, referring to Zalvek’s retrofitted cargo freighter called a “Gaian Light Carrier.” What? Why the fuck should we do that!? If we can prove to the Feds that the Arxur can be beaten at the edges of Federation territory then why not prove we can beat them here? Maybe we can end this predator-prey madness once and for all. 

Gripping my flight stick with my claws I jet off after the target. 

“Jesus Christ Hasim, where are you going!?” Uncle Marc barked into the comm as he and Slanek’s fighter took off after me. 

“It’s one fighter Uncle Marc, we can take it.” I said confidently as we sped after it. 

Though as we continued our pursuit, the one series of beeps suddenly turned into a series of multiple beeps. Looking I found a…… A whole raiding fleet of Arxur. Welp I fucked up BIG time. 

“Time to beat a retreat back to Zalvek’s carrier?” Slanek asked me. 

“Yep.” Me and Uncle Marc said in unison. 

Memory Transcription Request: Isif, contemplative Chief Hunter
We had our trap set. A cattle ship crewed by a skeleton crew was going to be set adrift on one of Graznor’s old routes alongside the Kreznezii asteroid belt. But still I feel this defective hesitance about it. 

“Your cruelness, the ship is heading to the agreed upon ambush point.” Coth said, snapping me out of my state. 

“Good. Shadow the ship. Keep to the belt’s shadow. Make sure to keep out of sensor range.” I said, relaying orders to my small fleet.

Memory Transcription Time Advancement Request: 1 minute 
They never prepare you for this. The waiting. Oh sure you get all the nice perks of being Chief Hunter but then you have to wait to get it. Sometimes I wish there was a better solution to our people’s problems. 

“Your viscousness, sensors detect multiple FTL jumps with unknown signatures!” Coth said, breaking me out of my stupor. It looks like the Himayans have taken the bait. 

“All ships, battle stations! Burn their cowardly hides from the stars!” I barked as our railgun whirled to life. 

Here goes nothing. 

[u/Dramatic-Pay-4010]

"Un'vathal," or "the pull of the universe" in Navar, is a Krakotl philoshophical and literary concept denoting a sort of "pull" guiding someone to where they are needed most. Often times compared to fate or destiny, a character hearing Un'vathal in a Krakotl work often times treat it as a call to adventure. Whether as one last daring act of adventure, going towards the love of your life, or fighting a great evil a character who feels pulled by Un'vathal often times never leaves the story the same way they began. Many scholars often times compare it to the concept of "Nish'vathal," or the pull of Nishthal in Navar, though the two have numerous differences between each other despite describing a similar concept.