JULIEN
II
Chapter 66
The Crawling Chaos
They were not alone, and the beings that they could sense around them were definitely not friendly. Of course Ambar had never heard of HP Lovecraft, which was probably just as well, because if he had he might have recognised some frightening similarities between some of the creatures described by the tormented novelist from New England and the disturbing entities that they could sense all around them now.
During his brief visits to the Outside Yülien had learned about the terrors which could arise and take concrete form if one's mental control wasn't strong enough, and the panic that could ensue if control wasn't regained quickly. That control was one of the hardest things for a Guide to learn, and it was the reason why so few of them qualified to make journeys outside the controlled network of the klirks. So, despite the ordeal of the past few hours, he still reacted automatically and followed the teaching of his masters to attain once again the near-absolute calm which is the fundamental state necessary to enable clear thinking.
However, the horrible things prowling around didn't vanish as they should have done. And if they didn't vanish it had to be because they had another source, and it could only be his companion.
Calm down, Ambar, he said.
I am calm. I'm not a Guide, but I know what happens in the Outside. Julien told me, and so did Wenn Hyaï and all the other Guides I have met. Whatever those things are, I'm not making them.
The implications of that were distinctly scary.
You mean, you think they really exist?
I don't know.
In fact Ambar was as sure as he could be that they were in the presence of entities every bit as real as they were themselves. And although in his own field he was a genius capable of outstripping many of his seniors, at the same time he was still just a young boy, loyal and unusually courageous but still susceptible to fear. And if there was a time to be afraid, this was clearly it. He would have given anything for Julien, Niil or any adult to have been there to take charge of the situation, but they were on their own, and he knew it was essential that Yülien didn't realise quite how scared he was.
It's coming! said Yülien.
It was true: something was now vaguely 'visible'. They began to see images in their mind: swarming things, crawling things, alive and pulsing unpleasantly. Things that were bigger than they were and gave off a stale odour of rotten food, mingled with occasional whiffs of something sharp and bitter as bile. Things moving towards them with vaguely obscene appendages... things obvious hostile and dangerous:
“Ambar!”
This time Yülien had yelped aloud in terror: one of the Things had TOUCHED him!
Touched... and that touch against his flank filled him with absolute disgust and total despair, because it wasn't like being touched by some disgusting and probably poisonous slime: no, here the touch was also inside his head, filling it with a vile torrent of filth, a revolting mixture of images and emotions – and the very fact that he was capable of actually being able to perceive the foul flood somehow made him feel that everything that was good and lovable about him was being swept away, leaving him as no more than a husk of a Yülien, unworthy of life, an offence to the world in which he lived and, above all, unworthy of being close to someone like Ambar.
Ambar acted instinctively. Spurred on by the terror which was starting to contaminate him, and perhaps even empowered by it, he visualised the box in which they had already taken refuge once. Yülien's Gift, or whatever else had worked the first time, did the rest.
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Ambar! It touched me! It touched me!!
Yülien was crying and close to hysteria, so Ambar held him as tightly as he could and tried to calm him down and comfort him.
I know, he said.
I'm ashamed!
You shouldn't be. You're the same as you've always been.
No, I'm... I'm disgusting! Leave me alone!
Yülien struggled, trying to escape his friend's embrace.
You're not disgusting – and even if you were I wouldn't care. You're my Chenn-da.
Noooo!!!
Yes! And you can't do anything to change that.
But you didn't see...
Yes, I did. I saw it and I felt it. It was just trying to hurt you, that's all.
But...
“Yülien,” said Ambar aloud, “we're going to get out of here. But I can't do it on my own. You're not going to abandon me, are you?”
Just being able to exchange a few words with the one person he was sure would never reject him had been enough to calm the young Guide down a little and dissipate some of the tension which had threatened to overwhelm him.
What are we going to do? he asked. They'll be looking out for us now! We're going to be stuck in this box for ever!
Calm down. I won't let anything hurt you.
I'm scared!
Of course you're scared – it's perfectly natural.
I don't want to go back there!
Well, we can try to go somewhere different, but I can't promise anything.
I'd rather die than go back there!
That's what is certainly going to happen if we stay here. But if you're sure, then all right – at least we can die together.
I don't want to die.
And I can't get us out of here on my own. I'm not a Guide.
oo0oo
It took them about an hour to regain the level of calm and courage necessary to make another attempt to leave the box, although in view of the circumstances that was actually quite quick. It helped that they were now starting to get quite hungry, and that they were plagued with thirst, and they were also feeling exhausted: they felt that they had to try soon or it would be too late.
Ambar used everything he knew to prepare a second jump for them; one that would keep their stay in the dreadful environment they had found themselves in previously to an absolute minimum. He had an instinctive understanding that if they could still save themselves it would mean going further than they had already gone, and consequently he was getting himself ready for some more exploring.
Once again the box that had protected them was replaced by a hostile universe, and this time as soon as their position had stabilised the menacing presences rushed towards them. But this time Ambar was ready: it only took a moment to establish his second configuration in his mind and to order Yülien to jump.
Nothing happened.
Ambar tried desperately to overcome his shock and visualise the box once more, but darkness overwhelmed them before he could even envisage something as simple as a cube.
oo0oo
Chapter 67
Contact
> Communication test.
> Conscious entity of nature not yet determined 1:
Protocol [preparation first contact]:
> Determination language centres
Positive detection
> Determination fundamental intelligence
High, to be re-evaluated
> Determination logical aptitudes
Very high, to be re-evaluated
> Determination other aptitudes
Non-effective dispositions for direct empathy
Partially effective dispositions for topological modelling
> Determination emotional schemes
Complex
Psychic><physical link: strong interaction
Protocol:
> Activation/stimulation central nervous system
Activation/stimulation positive
> Activation/stimulation proprioceptive functions
Activation/stimulation positive
> Neutralisation inhibitors consciousness/awareness
Neutralisation effective
Protocol:
> Generation/implantation universal basis
Implantation correct
> Progressive stimulation auditive centre
Stimulation positive
> Pseudo-conversational simulation
Simulation operational
End protocol [preparation first contact]
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Communication test.
> Conscious entity of nature not yet determined 2:
Protocol [preparation first contact]:
> Determination language centres
Positive detection
> Determination fundamental intelligence
High, to be re-evaluated
> Determination logical aptitudes
High, to be re-evaluated
> Determination other aptitudes
Effective dispositions for direct empathy
Effective dispositions for trans-spatial topological modelling
> Determination emotional schemes
Complex
Psychic><physical link: strong interaction
Protocol:
> Activation/stimulation central nervous system
Activation/stimulation positive
> Activation/stimulation proprioceptive functions
Activation/stimulation positive
> Neutralisation inhibitors consciousness/awareness
Neutralisation effective
Protocol:
> Generation/implantation universal basis
Implantation correct
> Progressive stimulation auditive centre
Stimulation positive
> Pseudo-conversational simulation
Simulation operational
End protocol [preparation first contact]
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Ambar emerged from the void with the unpleasant impression that someone had dismantled his brain and put it back together in a rather unsatisfactory way. Furthermore, it was pitch black, although he was aware that at least it was not the same terrible darkness which had previously engulfed...Yülien! Where was Yülien?!
> Yülien. Quadruped conscious entity?
“Yes! Who are you? Where am I?”
> I/me communication interface. Localization biped conscious entity: transit entities isolation/checking/evaluation unit.
“Where is my friend? Why am I in the dark?”
> If 'friend' quadruped conscious entity Yülien, then companion localized isolation/checking/evaluation unit next to present unit. If light desired, answer affirmative.
“Yes! Affirmative! Thank you.”
Gradually the darkness was replaced by a diffused light which revealed a completely spherical chamber with featureless matt white walls. Ambar realised that the firm but soft surface on which he seemed to be lying didn't really exist, even though he could clearly feel it against his back. The light continued to increase until it was positively blinding.
“Stop!” he protested. “That's far too bright!”
At once the light started to dim again.
“That's it,” he said. “That's perfect. Thank you.”
> Explain vocable 'thank you'.
Ambar began to think that he was going to have to spend the next eon or two educating a mentally retarded alien.
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In fact the alien, far from being 'mentally retarded', was learning at a phenomenal speed, and Ambar found himself thinking that it was actually drawing the answers it needed directly from his brain, rather than relying on his verbal replies. Its understanding of syntax and vocabulary evolved so fast that they were soon able to hold a fairly normal conversation, which was considerable progress. But Ambar found talking a thirsty business.
“Excuse me,” he said, “but may I have some water? I'm very thirsty.”
> Your central nervous system needs glucose. Should I incorporate some in your water?
“Sorry?”
> Do you want sugared water?
“Yes, thank you very much.”
A few moments previously Ambar had sat up cross-legged, and now a transparent cylinder of about half a litre appeared beside his right knee. It wasn't iced raal, but at that moment it tasted like the ambrosia of the gods.
When he had quenched his thirst he decided to reopen their interrupted dialogue. He felt that as he had so far answered every question that had been put to him it was only fair that he should be able to ask some questions of his own.
“You didn't really tell me who you are,” he said.
> I am a communication interface.
“Yes, you told me that. Could you elaborate a little, please?”
> I am an autonomous conscious entity functioning at the present time in exploratory mode in order to determine the most efficient processes to establish an exchange of subjective data between yourself and the entity to whom I am reporting.
Ambar took a few seconds to try to digest this information. Although he had a firm understanding of logic he didn't feel that he had enough information to use it properly yet, and so he decided to look on the being he was speaking to simply as 'somebody' until he had more to go on.
“So who's the entity you report to?” he asked.
> I am a singular extension of the non-dual auto-conscious being.
“Er... right.... Thank you. That explains everything.”
> I perceive in you some perplexity, as well as... irony I think. If you so desire I can develop my explanation.
“No, I think that will do nicely for the time being. But do you think you could tell me where we are? Are we on a proper world somewhere?”
> You are in a material space organized to maintain your functions at their optimum capacity. But to answer the question you are really asking, you are somehow inside my entity. My entity participates of a totality that you could consider as my body.
“You mean that you are a... a whole UNIVERSE?!!!”
> It is the only way for you to grasp my reality. The contact/communication unity to which you are talking is but an autonomous extension whose auto-conscious being is not different from my entity.
“And what about what's outside... I mean, outside this room. What is there? Suns, worlds, galaxies?”
> According to your way of grasping reality, yes.
“And all that is you?”
> You can perceive it like that.
“So does that make you... a god? Like what the religious people call the Powers?”
> I am sometimes considered as a god. But that does not correspond to reality. I am not almighty, which seems to be the main characteristic of the gods. According to my experience, there is no such thing. But my experience is perhaps incomplete.
“Could you please put me and Yülien together again?”
Yülien immediately appeared beside him.
Ambar! he said. What's going on? Do you have any idea?
I understand that we're more or less safe, at any rate. Are you all right?
I'm fine. He gave me something to drink. But I'm still hungry.
Can you hold on a little longer?
I suppose so.
“Can you send us back home?” Ambar asked the entity.
> No, but I can show you what to do.
“We're not going to run into those...well, I don't know what they were, but they almost ate us.”
> They are what you could call guardians. They prevent non-determined/hostile/uncontrolled alien entities from intruding. It is somehow similar to the function which enables your organism to defend itself from other entities liable to impair its optimum functioning. You are now recognized as non-hostile and the 'guardians' will not come near you. Now, would you like me to show you how to go back to your original world?”
“Please may I ask some questions first?”
> The desire to know seems to be characteristic of your species. Ask as much as you like, but my answers will of course be limited by your aptitude to understand.
“That's true. Still... are there others like you?”
> Yes. But we are but a tiny minority among the multitude of manifested 'universes'.
“Then we were lucky to come across you.”
> What you call ''luck'' does not exist. The very nature of your consciousness/mind/intellect is such that the probabilities were extremely high for your speculations to lead you to generate the coordinates corresponding to the manifestation of my non-dual auto-conscious being.
“Really? Well, if it was so obvious, how come nobody did it before I did?”
> Because you are probably the accomplishment of an evolutionary stage of your species.
“But I could never have done it without Yülien.”
> True, your two species have entered a symbiotic stage. It is a rather common phenomenon.
“Once we get back home, will we be able to come back to visit you again?”
> If you cannot I will not be the cause.
“Does it mean that it depends on us?”
> Yes.
“All right. Can you show us how to go back now”
oo0oo
> End communication.
> Conscious entity of organic nature [Guide/Human]:
Protocol [watch after first contact]:
> Symbiotic species
> Determination intelligence
Superior
> Determination logical aptitudes
Superior
> Determination other aptitudes
Effective dispositions for direct empathy
Superior dispositions for trans-spatial topological modelling
> Determination emotional schemes
Complex
Psychic><physical link: strong interaction
Protocol:
> Activation of permanent benevolent watch
Activation positive
> Neutralisation intrusion-suppressor agents
Neutralisation effective
End protocol [watch after first contact]
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