The Astralaceaes

Chapter 34: Mek-Teks Breakthrough

The world was a blur to Haledon.

Around him, he heard the chirpings of conversation between Spark and Witch-Hazel as they chatted with the Sequoia Druids that escorted them back to the Astralaceaes. The stream of words was barely comprehensible to Haledon as he groggily rolled his head between his two friends, wanting to take part but not having the energy. And all the while, the haunting moans of the Megacolides still sang in the back of his mind.

Before long, they stepped through the threshold back to the earthen floor of the Astralaceaes, and Haledon's clouded thoughts began to clear. While still nauseated and less than surefooted, his dizziness and the whale's droning song disappeared.

"Uhg—" Haledon groaned as Witch-Hazel scooped a limb under his shoulder, hoisting him up.

"Ah, much better." Spark exhaled as she stepped away from Haledon and stretched her arm. "You're a lot denser than you look, Haledon."

"I'm sorry," He said groggily as a sudden wave of exhaustion hit him. "I—I'll try and—"

Haledon felt his knees begin to buckle as darkness blanketed his eyes. In an instant, his exhausted body went limp, and at that moment, he was falling. It was as though he was in his dreams, and the icy crevasse and nutrient lines, all at once. And as he fell, he felt nothing—he felt beyond nothing. He felt a void in his senses—an absence of existence in the dark.

Haledon awoke with a gasp, pushing himself up from the bramble wall he had been resting against. As he began to observe his surroundings, his once-fogged mind felt clear. He quickly recalled the day, his experiences, and his steps leading up to the blackout.

"Ah, he's awake." A familiar voice called out as the small, furry figure of Mek-Tek approached. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," Haledon replied and felt at his head. "Less confusion."

"Yeah, Astra Druids appears to be missing a few roots that allow seamless integration. Your brain couldn't correctly process the Megacolides and needed to revegetate."

"Revegetate? How long was I out for?"

"Not long, about as long as it took Witch-Hazel to carry you the few pods here."

Haledon looked around the Hypogeal Nexus, not seeing anyone else.

"Where is everyone?" Haledon asked.

"Literally, just left," Mek-Tek replied as he turned and scurried back to one of the hastily grown alcoves. "I'm making progress on this Mechanite. If you're up to it, I could use some help."

"Yeah, sure," Haledon grunted as he pushed himself up. But his weak body quickly fell back to the floor. "Vastum. I'll—I'll be right there."

Mek-Tek looked back to Haledon and nodded toward him. "You rest." He said before reaching down and pulling the small orb from his backpack.

"Mek-Tek, I've meant to ask before...what is that?" Haledon asked as Mek-Tek inhaled.

"This?" He asked, looking at the orb as the cloud of white erupted from his mouth and nose with each word. "This is my medicine to maintain my level of sapience."

"Your sapience? I thought being uplifted was—"

"Permanent? No, well—it can be." Mek-Tek explained as his hands worked away, hidden by the walls of the alcove. "Each species has its own genetic rules to sentience and eventual sapience, and they're not always the easiest to maintain. Dolphins, sure, just a dose of modified blowfish toxin mixed with a few psychedelics and binding agents, and you have an uplifted mammal. But, take cats. Druids tried—for centuries—to uplift them. But in the end, nothing—not even a glimmer of sapience. Just...cats."