Planet B-17: The Beginnings

Chapter 21 - The Crater: Part 12

Nine men and women in the dark seek out to know what song they play and not by chance – perhaps by Grace – yet most importantly, by will, for will's a frequency itself; nine wills amassed may form a song, a song that's true, uttered as whole, a song that grows at the same pace of the lines of song of their producers. Nine lines of song and one vibration that unlocks the dimension-door into their new adventure: a humanoid way-maker, an intuitive Gre, three in the reasoning board, the observer, Arít, and Uiio, learning to fulfil her role as communicator between the seen and the unseen; and then the mysteries: what lines of song do they play? One is more silent than the other, but will opaqueness now give way?

Arít was observing Umbe and Maýla-i and then looked at the reasoning board – Sla, Sakna-Sa and Menior.

Meknáni, though, had the first suggestion. "I'll let them take initiative this time. More active engagement."

Both Boors were startled and appeared uneasy.

"Shouldn't the leaders lead the way?" Maýla-i cowered.

"So far," said Sakna-Sa, "we have been able to establish that frequency unlocks the portal into a new dimension, and we were told by M'alala that the key lies in unity, not in separation; Meknáni then pointed that the best indicators of one's line of song are found in their actions. That's why he's now suggesting that you take initiative and, in doing so, reveal your music, as it were."

"Poetical," huffed Umbe.

"What do you suggest we do, Umbe?" asked Sakna-Sa.

"I say we discuss to M'alala again"–he gazed at Uiio–"and explain that since we were unaware of the perils of this place, we ought to be allowed passage back to Umbar."

After considering in silence for a few moments, Arít asked, "Why do you resist? What do you have to hide?"

Wide-eyed, Umbe replied, "I have something to hide? This whole place's a shrouded mystery. This"–gazing sideways into the unfathomable Íma–"fluid physicality with its frequency keys and its riddles and we're running – we're chasing illusions–"

Meknáni grunted. Menior drew closer.

"Is it so that so far we have been unharmed?" the latter asked.

Umbe glanced at Menior, one arm up, and replied, "Yes, it is so, but it doesn't change the fact that we're trapped here, does it?"

Inclining his head, Menior answered, "Didn't you hear M'alala say that we're the ones keeping ourselves trapped?"

"It's unfair!" pressed Umbe. "Now we have to change everything – change our group structure, change our thinking, invent some song that we can't even hear–"

"That's your suggestion, then?" Meknáni leaned closer. "Confront M'alala? With what argument?"

"That we didn't know about this process of learning and, if given the chance, we wouldn't have started it," Umbe complained.

Glances all around.

"As an Umbarian," Arít began, but stopped mid-sentence: Umbe had turned on his heel, dismissing the Savier's words.

Silence. Then Sakna-Sa said, "Perhaps a few minutes to regroup are required. The strain has been great on us all."

Assenting nods. Glances shot at Umbe. Maýla-i was standing by Umbe's side, but looking at the team.

"This place feels deeper," whispered Uiio, some team members away.

"Fear," Gre whispered back, pointing with his eyes Umbe's way. "An irrational response."