Part 729: Unjustly Imprisoned
Reldis-02. South-side Prison, Maximum Security Wing. Stardate 207.715 of the Ancient Volgrim Empire.
Unarin and Vedric sat across from one another, the Changeling on the floor, and the withered Technopath on the lower bunkbed. Vedric shook his head in resignation.
"It’s such a shame the prison wardens want you dead. That’s why they put you down here. They know you won’t last long. For some reason, they probably expected me to be the one to kill you. Just goes to show how little attention they pay toward the maximum security wing. They don’t even remember who I am anymore."
"You were the former Vizier of Father Zaeed’s Temple." Unarin said, repeating what Vedric had told him not too long before. "How could anyone forget your identity?"
"I have been in this prison for… perhaps thirty orbits." Vedric said, his eyes wistful. "Most of the guards here now are young replacements for the ones who originally were a part of this prison when I entered. They just see me as the same criminal filth as all the others down here. It is to be expected. My glory days are long past."
"Father Zaeed was the First Volgrim." Unarin said, touching its chin thoughtfully. "The first Dolgrimite to crawl out of the primordial muck and establish the Vol-Laws that would define our people for generations to come. How could someone like you, one of his most loyal adherents, have been cast down from such a high position?"
Vedric chuckled. "Remember what I told you, Unarin? I wanted to change things. This Empire is rotten. It has fallen far from the glory days of our ancestors. The four species are constantly at war. Even if the Dolgrimites keep to themselves now, they would gladly rip apart their brothers and sisters among the Psions, the Technopaths, and the Changelings if we were to step foot on their world. And now? The Technopaths trod upon the Changelings as if you were garbage that had little to offer in value. This, in spite of your great, great additions to the scientific annals."
The old Technopath cleared his throat, which also forced out a wheezy, rasping cough. "Haaah, kuh-kuh. When I was in the temple, I chanced upon a discovery that shook my beliefs to their core. It was a heretical discovery I should have cast aside, but the realization was too shocking for me to ignore. Once I had seen the light, I had to investigate further. That investigation brought me into conflict with the Patriarchs and Matriarchs. They sentenced me to die of old age, imprisoned here for the rest of my life."
"What discovery was it?" Unarin asked, more curious than he had been about anything else in recent cycles. "What could you have uncovered that would make it worth throwing your life away?"
Vedric gave the young Changeling a long, hard look.
"There comes a time in many Volgrim’s lives when they uncover a Truth so shocking that it threatens to upend their entire worldview. It was brought to my attention that the biology of the four species was… flawed. And not just a little flawed. Flawed in a way that seemed almost… deliberate."
Unarin was surprised. Had he not just been talking about something similar only the rotation before?
"You are referring to the way each species is missing ‘something’?" Unarin asked. "Something that the other species possess?"
Vedric’s eyes widened. He looked at Unarin in astonishment. "Well- well yes! Exactly! How did you guess? I’ve mentioned it to many cell-mates in the past, but few of them understood even when I explained it, and certainly none beat me to the punch like you just did!"
"Mmm. I have had my own doubts." Unarin said, shaking its head quietly.
"I see." Vedric replied, sobering up his expression. "Yes. Each of the four species is missing a component of themselves. The Dolgrimites are feral and savage, lacking in intelligence and curiosity. The Psions are powerful and mighty, but lacking in compassion and empathy. The Technopaths are wise and technologically advanced, but lacking in breadth and love for their own bodies. The Changelings are intelligent and thoughtful, but lacking in individuality and bodily strength."
He continued. "Each of the four species suffers from terrible flaws that hold them back. But what my source informed me of was the possibility that these flaws… might be intentional."
"Intentional?" Unarin repeated. "In what way? Are you implying the species have been tampered with? Who would even have the capability?"
"I do not know." Vedric said quietly. "Someone with great power and influence. Someone ancient, perhaps even ageless. Maybe they died long ago, or maybe they still live to this day. Whoever they are, the evidence I found was compelling. It seemed that our very DNA was altered at some point in our evolutionary past. The Psions, Technopaths, and Changelings did not naturally evolve from the Dolgrimites. We were forcibly split from them!"
This elicited a gasp of shock from Unarin. The Changeling could not believe its ears. "Are you saying three of the sub-species are artificially made?"
"No." Vedric said. "I’m telling you all of them are. It is quite likely the Dolgrimites themselves did not arise via natural evolutionary means. Someone made them. For what purpose? I do not know. Perhaps some ancient god. Perhaps an alien species residing elsewhere within our galaxy we have not yet met. Or… perhaps we have. The thought frightens me. It is entirely possible the Ruling Council of Volgrim might already be under this potential adversary’s grip…"
Unarin nodded. The revelations were startling, yet for some reason, they weren’t entirely surprising. Unarin felt as if it had already known some, or perhaps many of these things for a long time.
"Who was your source?" Unarin eventually asked.
Vedric hesitated. But then, remembering that Unarin was probably going to die soon, he sighed and shook his head. "It doesn’t matter if I tell you or not. The person who informed me of this Truth was actually a Changeling. It came to my temple filled with doubts regarding a discovery it had made while studying the genetic sequences of all four species. Together, we investigated the missing links, and later, I lost touch with it. I have always wondered why…"
"Hmm. Come to think of it…" Vedric said, looking at Unarin a little more closely. "That Changeling looked a bit like you. It also had bright red skin. But ah, I am getting ahead of myself. What was its name again…? Hmm… perhaps…"
A few moments passed. The spark of memory entered old Vedric’s eyes.
"Nurima! Yes, that was the Changeling’s name."
A silence fell over the cell. Unarin looked at Vedric with disbelief in its eyes.
"Nurima? You said its name was Nurima? But… that was the name of my Progenitor!"
"What?!" Vedric exclaimed, even more shocked than Unarin was. "You… you are the progeny of Nurima?! How is such a coincidence possible? Why did you not recognize me immediately if that were the case?"
Unarin lowered its eyes bitterly. "I am sorry to inform you of this, Vedric. My Progenitor was attacked some twenty-eight orbits ago. It was on the verge of death and had to force a premature Osmosis to form me. It perished from its injuries not three rotations later. I was unable to complete the Genetic Transference. As a result, I have lived as a Featureless One my entire life, lacking all of my Progenitor’s memories."
"So that’s it… that is why." Vedric said, as he reached out a withered arm, his tendrils gently touching Unarin’s shoulder. "I am so sorry, child. Your Progenitor was a genius. Now that I look at you, I see Nurima’s shadow in you. You have the same doubts as they once did. You even speak in the same way they did. But alas… you have ended up here, trapped with me. It seems in the end, I will die along with my friend… and their memories."
Unarin scowled angrily. "To think this is why I have lived my life so aimlessly. My Progenitor was murdered because it knew information that threatened the Order! They must have left me alone because I was a Featureless One and could not pass on my knowledge. But now that they have a chance, they’re going to eliminate me!"
"That is likely the truth." Vedric replied, pulling his arm away from Unarin’s shoulder. "But… you know, I am not ignorant in the ways of Genetic Transference. Before you die, it might be possible to let you regain those memories you lost."
"What is the point now?" Unarin asked, a mixture of bitterness and helplessness in the Changeling’s voice. "I am going to die. Even with the memories, what can I accomplish?"
Vedric’s expression hardened. "Speak NOT such words! Haaaah! Kuh-kuh! As long as you are alive, there is still hope. There is always hope! Why do you think the Order wants you gone? If news of this got out, it could destabilize their regime! There is nothing they fear more than being pulled from their towers and cast out onto the streets. Besides, the maximum security wing was not designed for Changelings. Look at how wide the bars are! Perhaps you might be able to slip out…"
Unarin looked at the prison cell. Truly, they did seem just barely wide enough that if the Changeling were to shift its body composition…
"You see?!" Vedric exclaimed. "Don’t give up hope, child. Never give up. Why do you think I am still alive? I held on because I believed I might be the last person possessing the knowledge I do now. If I remained alive, a day might come where I could escape and spread this information around. Then my life would not be in vain!"
Unarin lowered its head. "I apologize, Vedric. I was not thinking clearly. You are right. Where there is life, there is hope. Please. If you have a way to help me regain my lost memories, I would much appreciate the help."
Vedric smiled. "This old Volgrim was once head of a church that saw millions of adherents from all the species pass through its doors to pay their respects to Father Zaeed. Naturally, I made friends with many Changelings and learned of many secrets. The process of Memory Transference without a Progenitor present is quite ordinary, as the memories are already within you! Come, sit beside me."
Unarin nodded. The Changeling got up, took a few steps forward, and sat beside Vedric. The old Technopath carefully placed two tendrils on the sides of Unarin’s head, and two more on the Changeling’s forehead and the back of its head.
"Now, listen carefully, child. Close your eyes. Focus your mind. Within you, there is an abyss. That abyss is an illusion. Within the illusion- HMM?!"
Vedric jumped slightly. His eyes widened in shock, which in turn startled Unarin.
"What? What is the matter?" Unarin asked, slightly nervous. "Is something wrong?"
"Wrong? Wrong?! By no means! Incredible! I cannot believe it! This explains so much! Now I understand why Nurima was so far above its peers! It seems your Progenitor unlocked its Mind Realm, and before passing away, it passed that Mind Realm on to you! This- I have not seem something like this before. Just how advanced was Nurima’s knowledge of Volgrim biology?"
"What is a Mind Realm?" Unarin asked.
"Hehe, child, you are going to be pleasantly surprised. Mind Realms are extremely rare metaphysical abilities that few Volgrim can obtain. Psions possess the majority of them, and even among High Psions they are quite rare! They allow you to build a miniaturized world within your mind, one in which you have full control over the rules. Most amazingly, yours is fully developed! All of your Progenitor’s knowledge is still in there!!"
Vedric was growing visibly more excited. His eyes turned feral, and a hateful gleam entered his eyes.
"Die? No, I will not let Nurima’s progeny die here. I’ll do anything it takes to get you out, even if I have to futilely fight my way out of this cell protecting you, hahaha! Now, now, let’s calm down. This Mind Realm won’t matter if I don’t unlock the Ancestral Memories for you. Remember, child, these are not just Nurima’s memories, but the memories of its predecessors as well. Passed down, one generation after another, these memories are what grant the Changelings their unique biological advantage. Without them, you have been living among the others of your kind as a crippled Volgrim; one missing half its limbs. These memories are sure to make you much more fearsome than you can imagine!"
And so, the two Volgrim began to focus. Vedric carefully guided Unarin through its doubts, and time began to pass.
One time unit became two, and two became fifteen, then thirty…
Eventually, an entire five standard time-units had passed. Vedric was starting to sweat, because while it was somewhat early in the morning, it would be Free Roam time soon. That was when Unarin would be forced out into the open area along with all the battle hardened Psion murderers and criminals. They would surely rip the Changeling apart the moment they laid eyes on him!
Unarin’s eyes became glazed. Before long, the Changeling began to drift off.
The world disappeared around Unarin. A new one appeared.
Unarin opened its eyes. Before it, there was now a tall, glittering city, a city made of buildings so large they scraped the stratosphere. The Changeling had never seen a land as advanced as this. Each building was ugly, but utilitarian. The towers rose so high that Unarin could not even come close to seeing their heights from the ground level.
Strange flying vehicles, more advanced than any which currently existed among the Volgrim, buzzed through the air by the hundreds of thousands. The sky itself seemed to be moving, like a swarm of bugs, as endless as an ocean.
A moment later, the city disappeared. Unarin found itself now in a realm of darkness, one where horrifying shadow-monsters slowly walked toward the Changeling. Their eyes were filled with naked hunger. They greedily looked upon the Changeling as a morsel they wished to devour.
"Consume." A ominous, evil voice boomed from the distance. Unarin’s eyes went wide with fear as the barely visible monsters leaped at the Changeling.
Before they could make contact, they disappeared as well.
Following this, Unarin found itself inside a realm of white light. All around the Changeling, there were bipedal winged beings bowing toward a being hovering high in the sky. That being was shrouded by a brilliant light which made it impossible for Unarin to perceive. All Unarin could make out were the backsides of these white-feathered, flying beings.
"Hail the Ruler! Hail the god of the Milky Way!" The army of light bellowed!
That vision vanished. In its place, a single figure appeared. It was a Changeling, red in color, laying on a bed inside a hospital room. The Changeling looked similar to Unarin… but much older.
"Progenitor… Nurima…" Unarin whispered, taking a step toward the figure it recognized immediately.
Unarin fought back tears. Never did the Changeling expect it would see its Progenitor again in this life. And yet, the sight was so tragic, so sad, seeing it weak and defenseless like this…
"Progeny…" Nurima said, its voice weak. "You have… finally… unlocked your memories. Long have I awaited your arrival. What you see now is only a sliver of my remaining existence."
Nurima shuddered. Its body grew slightly more hazy.
"I have… held on… for many orbits. But I was near death when I passed my Mind Realm on to you. Listen well… we do not have much time left together."
Unarin walked to the side of the bed. It knelt beside its Progenitor and gently clasped their palms together.
"Speak, Progenitor. I will listen." Unarin vowed.
Nurima coughed. "Good… cough! I… was… part of a long lineage of Changelings. I… was part of a secret Order. The others are all dead. We were… wiped out… by the ruling Volgrim. They did not know of my Mind Realm. If they had, you would have been exterminated too. We learned the Truth… the Truth, Unarin. Our four species are all artificial."
"I know, Progenitor." Unarin said. "I have spoken to Vedric. He has told me everything he knew."
"Vedric…?" Nurima asked, a rare smile playing upon its face. "Oh… Vedric… he still lives. Good. That is good. Vedric was one of the few who would listen. He is an ally you can trust. If he has helped you, then I am truly gladdened. Listen, Unarin… there is something that not even Vedric knows."
Nurima gritted their teeth. The Changeling leaned toward Unarin.
"I solved it. The secret of our failed biology. Haha… I planned… to use this knowledge… but I was too old. My body was too weak. And then the assassination attempt. I had no choice. I passed my Truth onto you. Now, you have the knowledge. You can solve the paradox of our people. Unarin, you are the last member of the Order of Ascension. Only you can do what we could not. I know my request is selfish… but so long as you succeed, you can undermine the evil one who has secretly played our people for fools! Only you possess the power…"
Nurima’s body faded a little more. Without hesitation, it lifted its hand, then reached up and pointed at the center of Unarin’s forehead.
"Go, child. Take this knowledge. With your strong, youthful body… ascend. You will be the First. You will solve the problems that plagued our people. You will gain the power to fight back against that evil one… because if you fail, I fear that our people will not have much longer left to live."
Nurima’s finger began to glow with light. When it touched Unarin’s brow, the younger Changeling shuddered.
The Mind Realm began to change, shift and distort.
Nurima smiled… one last time.
"You bear… all our hopes and dreams… child. Become the Volgrim I never could… farewell…"
Unarin’s mouth opened, and a beam of light shot out.
All at once, every part of the Mind Realm turned a brilliant white.
Unarin could see everything.
The genetic sequences of millions, even billions of Volgrim, from all four subspecies.
The missing links. The gaps. The suspicious points of failure that could not have occurred naturally.
No, they weren’t just suspicious. They were malicious!
Someone had placed them there. Someone with evil intentions. Someone who had made the Volgrim to be a living, biological weapon.
This revelation enraged Unarin. The Changeling became so incensed that its anger threatened to explode and consume its own body in hatred.
"WHO…" Unarin roared in his mind. "DARES?!"
Unarin reached out. Its hands began to move like lightning as it rapidly grabbed hold of the genetic sequences and began rearranging them at a speed beyond what any mortal could accomplish.
Unarin ripped apart chunks from one strand of DNA, then shoved them into another. The young Changeling’s mind moved with a speed and ferocity fueled by righteous rage.
The Truth was here. Anyone with a brain could see it… but the Truth had been suppressed. Unarin’s Progenitor had even been killed to hide the evidence!
Eventually, Unarin finished re-sequencing the entire genetic sequence.
He became Enlightened.
At that moment, He Ascended.