Rian

Part 33

The picture still present and gleaming in the darkness turned the air. Immediately at the mention of the two names; Menodora and Caesarion the others frowned, avoided their eyes, or in Epaphars case wiped away tears. Agnes took another moment, steeping herself into memory, using it like air to get through the rest of the story. Menodora with ebony locks touching her back and eyes still as night and riveting when shinned against text or when speaking of Rian never wanted anything else than to serve her people. Caesarion, an XLIV Cirius model android, lithe with soft eyes and a kind face made more human by the dirty blond hair he kept shoulder length purposefully, as well had a fondness for Rian.

Before the destruction of Rian was known; there were many sentient androids who chose to live on Rian and within other systems where they were viewed with the same rights as natural-born people. While the XLIV Cirius model was discontinued its original purpose was to provide safer working conditions by use in radiation fields. In places of the universe where vital research could take place, but didn't due to the radiation made the XLIV Cirius model a necessity. Capable of withstanding radiation that would otherwise kill another organism the Cirius model can both handle and recycle its own exposure to radiation making later interaction with the android safe for natural born peoples. While this was all good and well for Caesarion, he, over time had bigger dreams. Hearing of The Book with Two Titles Caesarion quit his job with Symfono and traveled clear across the galaxy.

Agnes shook her finger to the stairs leading to where she stood now and then bit her lip. "I met Caesarion when he appeared in the Allegory Room. I guess he'd been camping outside the Inter-Global Synergy Wing for a couple of hours and seeing no one enter or exit he just walked in and found me." Agnes smiled at the memory. "It's been raining all day when he traveled here. He was soaking wet." Ptolemy spoke through a covered mouth. "We were in the middle of a meeting and when we all turned to him Caesarion rolled his hand and told us not to stop on account of him." At Chloe's reminder the others laughed."I wanted Caesarion on my team because he had the gall of a giant with the attitude of a hero. Always kind, but never far from mischief and absolute mayhem." Agnes pulled the image off the projector and replaced it with one of the team.

Caesarion was in the back row with Cassia and Drakon, not as tall as them, but peeking over the others just the same. "Menodora herself had just returned from work outside of Rian. Assigned to a task that took her to Kalon for a couple of years she'd returned months before Caesarion joined. Those two mixed like moons and stars, complementing each other from here to the end of the universe. They weren't together for long when The Titanomachy was formed and like the rest of the team Menodora and Caesarion took up a questioning relationship with The Titanomachy." Agnes replaced the image, this one of a large, open room with balcony after balcony of diplomats, scholars, scientists, and citizens.

Standing on a platform in the center was Menodora, her eyes on fire and voice almost loud enough to be heard even through the picture. "Drakon, Menodora, Caesarion, and Chloe were the ones most responsible for continuing an open dialogue with The Titanomachy as every time I took to speaking to them it turned into a filibuster, which is why what happened between The Titanomachy, Menodora, Caesarion is so...well we never saw it coming."

"We did what we could to be open with The Titanomachy. It was by galactic order we allow them to handle The Book with Two Titles, so understanding was of utmost importance. The night The Book disappeared Agnes was the only one present in the Inter-Global Synergy Wing and while at first it was accepted The Book had disappeared of its own will, some believed Agnes stole the book and hid it away." Chloe spoke from the back of the room with Will and Satomi watching her.

"When The Book disappears, there's a protocol that goes into action. At least two people remain on site, roving through the tracking system designed to screen false cassiums in hopes of finding where The Book will end up. A study put together by my predecessor found that of the fifteen hundred and forty times The Book disappeared between when the study began and when it ended there were only two cases of The Book coming directly back to Rian. It was by happenstance Menodora walked by the Inner Scribo where The Book is housed only to find the spot that was once empty became filled." Agnes stood back up, again taking on the burden of such a story. "It exceedingly rare to have The Book return to the exact spot where it left and this fact mixed with the rumor I'd been the one to take The Book didn't go over well later."

"What happened when The Book returned? What's the protocol?" Satomi asked. "The Book is read immediately upon its arrival in the event there's a change. In this case, there was." Agnes removed the image of the smiling team and replaced it with an image of a photocopy of translated text. As Agnes told Will and Satomi when they arrived it had become easier to understand the written language most commonly used on Rian, but nonetheless Agnes read aloud.

"From far, from darkness, a giant rears its grey rock and points its hidden knife at the layer of land over purple waters. To exact, to claim, to begin what must happen, and so it will." Agnes took her seat.

"This translation is what we call a basic translation. It's meant to give the most information, but keep in mind Sanskrit is a complex language and there are many translations of this text. Menodora and Caesarion ran through the translation a hundred times and each time the words and their multiple translations indicated that an asteroid would hit Loor and very soon." It made sense why Agnes needed a happy memory to precede the story she was currently speaking of; the room was lost and silent, wholly swollen with despair. "For reasons that remain..." Agnes stopped and looked to her team, hoping there was a single word capable of wrapping up the pain and sending it to a place far from here; there were none. "Misunderstood, Menodora and Caesarion did not alert anyone to this development."

"Why not?" Will almost came to his feet. He remembered when Agnes his teacher spoke to the class about hero and villains, about those who act and those who do nothing.

"They just let people die?" Satomi glanced to Will and seeing the anger rising in his eyes she placed her hand on his. Be mindful of where we sit and who listens. Satomi's eyes said.

"They made a decision and knowing them and what came after, that decision was one neither of them expected. Menodora and Caesarion are vicars of life and compassion, understanding and forgiveness. To say they allowed all this death upon Loor for only reasons of revenge would be like saying Rian only exists to be destroyed. The beginning and end are culminations, not the entire story."

"Then why?" Will asked quietly.

"Because it was fate, because for what needed to happen next the destruction of Loor needed to happen first."