Risen: Shatterverse

Getting to Relax ... Almost

Thankfully the planning session was fairly brief, my presence only necessary for my passenger to give the team an updated map of the continually expanding Collectorverse. That wasn't to say I was peripheral to the situation, or even unwanted. We already had everything planned out. It was just an update session and a discussion on how to work Ascendency teams into the operation to give them experience in dealing with paranormal phenomena.

Since that discussion was more between Nah'tem, Hannibal, and Naveaia than myself, I requested that I be dismissed. Despite being at the center of the events that had radically changed the composition of our force and its standing against the Collector in the last twenty four to forty eight hours, I was having trouble wrapping my head around the sheer enormity of it all. A little decompression would do my burdened mind a bit of good.

Hannibal must've seen that in my eyes when I asked him because, after a quick look over my face, he nodded.

"Get some rest, Two," he said, stepping close to put a hand on my shoulder. "You may have renewed your essence in VR, but you need some mental rest. Take it easy for a bit. We've got it from here. But not too easy; we still need you."

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir," I said with a quick breath and a smile. "I'll be ready when the call comes."

Hannibal nodded as he gave my shoulder a comradely slap. Then he was giving me the 'get out of here' gesture before turning back to a frowning Naveaia and a smiling Nah'tem.

Sprung free, it didn't take me long to get clear of the admin building and begin wandering the base. And I say wandering because I really didn't have anywhere I wanted to be. I just wanted to let my brain slowly turn over and absorb everything that had happened. Max was awesome at making things happen then just move on with juggernaut efficiency and strength, not questioning what had transpired or why it went down the way it did.

Unfortunately, I'm no juggernaut. I didn't have that perpetual motion engine running hot inside of me like he did. I needed a moment to slow down, and consider things. Especially something as game changing as bringing the Ascendency into the fight on our side in two separate events, the second of which even more Reality shaking than the first.

I mean, could I go back and copy those essences again? Not to mention, how the hell did my passenger reach through my frickin' memory to access my vision? Which, apparently, was no ordinary memory. It was a slice of alternate reality that my vision took and stored in my head. In my fuckin' head! How am I supposed to understand how the hell that was possible??

Silent since being reunited with me and Legion inside my body following my rest in VR, my passenger finally spoke up.

- Perhaps your predecessor had the right way of doing things, - it said, its tone thoughtful.

- How? - I wanted to know. - Just accept and move on? -

- Will knowing how it was possible change how you view the situation? - my passenger countered. - Will it change the situation itself? -

- No, - I reluctantly said.

- That was your predecessor's conclusion as well, no doubt, - the t'sang said. - Do not diminish your role in these events, however. Take strength from the fact you were pivotal in restoring so many trapped essences to a semblance of life. That, in the long view, is what was important here. Not gaining new allies, though you did that. You freed them from Limbo and kept them from being murdered by Garolan's uncontrolled creations. -

It paused slightly.

- You saved them, dead man. You. Saved. Them. -

Again the t'sang paused.