What does God need with a starship?
In Gaian’s secret grove three sirens, twenty halflings, Sledge, and the group are in silent awe from the fiery creation of the sun seed. Sledge breaks the silence, “I guess it’s over, so if you want to talk with the caretaker, you just need to go touch the tree.”
Fey touches the tree first. Noun examines the roots that reach out to places not of Earth in ways similar to how his arch did. Laiden watches everyone else touch the heart tree falling into some trance state. Twenty seconds later, Serra tells Laiden that a very loud voice (caretaker) is asking for classified information and wonders whether she should share it. Laiden leaves that decision up to Serrra, but warns her that the caretaker is not to be fully trusted. Laiden decides to touch the tree as well.
What is learned from the caretaker
There is a profound sense of vast hugeness beyond comprehend. Thoughts, concerns, and questions all rise up in the minds of those in the caretaker’s presence. Nearly simultaneously each person’s mind is flooded with answers in series of complex thoughts, images, and deeper understanding to what they want to know.
The caretaker’s powerful comforting presence convinces all that it is not insane. It protects all life including machines on Earth, the moon, and all colonies. It has a strict code to not interfere except in times of great crisis, allowing those under its protection to choose their own way. The void that annihilated Percepi is a great crisis, thus his involvement at this time.
Using the Miller algorithm it foresees and predicts major events, but this void eluded that. Afterwards, the caretaker researched and determined that this void will consume all the colonies, the moon, and Earth. Only the caretaker along with Luna infused with the essence of Cain can stop it.
Cain was the first man to be touched by Emanuel, but became corrupted - his presence creates evil undead. Long ago, he was defeated. His indestructible body and hand were separated and kept safely apart for millenniums. The caretaker plans to find him and make him combatable to merge with Luna by cleansing him with William Moss’ newly developed immortality machine. Luna is crying out in pain since she cannot grasp these concepts. It will be years before Luna is mature enough to understand.
The rogue planet which travels faster than light speed was not responsible for the void, although it plays an important thread in the course of the events to unfold. As a foe to the void, it has the potential of being an ally.
The caretaker learns of the Miller 2 algorithm. It was unaware of its existence, but is not surprised and then learns all it can about it. It then contacts Serra to see if it can gain access.
The souls on the sun can be retrieved in a matter of minutes once tree is established. These souls will not significantly enhance the caretaker’s power, but for short time, it would be able to stretch its influence to wherever sunlight carries. That influence weakens with distance, effectively to Jupiter or Saturn. This tree would not last long, since watering it once a week is impractical.
It does not feel anger towards the Order of Luna, rather it feels disappointed that they have forgotten their roots. The Order has made up their mind and are not likely to be persuaded to alter their views. The future is like looking at shadows cast - flickering and distorting vision. There is disagreement about it and a margin for error.
The greatest weakness in the caretaker’s plan is the potential of Cain’s merging with Luna resulting in something sinister. It is powerful enough to defeat this new force, but that wouldn’t matter as the void would destroy everything if this happened.
The Royals were created by the caretaker in its image.
The caretaker tells of another ship that can move at speeds faster than light that could track and reach the rogue planet. The only lead to find this ship is through William Moss who has gone into hiding.
Trenton, Malcolm, and Noun have personal issues they discuss with the caretaker which are not in these notes.
Worst quote of the session
“All babies should have a 6 foot penis” in reference to binding Luna with Cain.
On with the story
Laiden goes off on his own as the rest meet with Everlily Nix. Fey explains the seed’s needs to be planted on the sun to free the souls and that the caretaker’s determined plans with the Luna are not insane. Nix wants to express some other ideas of hers, but the divination shield on the group prevents her from doing so. It is suggested that Nix board Perseverance to tell us her thoughts. Nix determines she can handle everyone in a fight, thus agrees to come. In space, far from Earth, (Nix is excited about being in space), says it might be possible to make a tree to connect back to Luna instead of the Caretaker.
A short discussion on the void and its dangers is followed by banter on whether sending the souls to Luna will start a war? Nix points out that the Caretaker wasn’t specific about how the souls were going to be used. She just knows he’s going to do something unnatural. The war has already started and she says to come back to talk with her when they feel differently. Nix disappears.
Trenton believes that Nix holds resentment over the merging of Gaia and Emanuel. Her dedication to the nature aspect makes her fundamentally opposed to altering Luna.
Malcolm, Fey, and Eli go to meet with Luna are confronted by younger pixies. Fey explains they wish to speak with Luna with Nix’s blessings. The pixies escort them to the moon’s heart tree.
Surrounded in a torrent of raw wilderness, a primal jungle, Luna gives a tenuous reception. Fey explains she is caught in a struggle between what various factions of people think are best for her (Luna).
Luna understands that the caretaker’s plan for her. She conveys “not the bad man, not the bad man, I want to stay me, the bad man can not be made good”. With waves of fear and hate she shows undead and Cain recently on moon and then she picks him up and throws him far away. Nix has told her that the caretaker is trying to hurt her.
Fey explains a force worse than Cain, the void. Luna goes in a “fetal position and cries”, mumbling over and over again, “make the bad things go away”. Fey shares happy emotions and beautiful natural images, but is pulled away by the pixies. The weather on the moon has turned dark and stormy. The pixies angrily say to get out and not to ever come back. Fey apologizes saying she didn’t know Luna didn’t know about the disappearance of the planets.
Serra researches moving at speeds faster than light using data the caretaker sent. Malcolm runs more training exercises. Laiden and Malcolm fence.
A day later, early Thursday June 22, Serra engages the now perfected phasing technology to reaching the sun’s “ground”. Serra has anomalous readings while the crew feels a connection to something enormous, not the Sun. A voice groans to our souls, “WHY ARE YOU HERE?”
Ridge responds back, “Why are you here?”
Fey, “Who are you”?
The voices, “I am me, I am us. Get an immense sense of a million creatures all one.”
Fey says they have come to save the souls. The voices understand that to mean them and they are happy. It is determined that the majority of them are (80%) those from Mercury. The oldest have been there as long as they can remember. They were all thrown here over time and have no name, just the many who are one. Malcolm detects a complete void of evil.
The sun planting goes as planned. A tree sprouts wreathed in flames made of unusually dark wood. The voices aid in the growth process to a point where a full grow tree would be there within minutes (rather than taking the normal year). Malcolm tells the voices to stop the growth as it isn’t necessary. They stop and those souls leak away, until the voices are all gone.
On the way back, Ridge gets the 411 on Serra (as much that is not classified). Of interest she learns there were three prototypes prior to her that were dismantled. Perhaps another was built, since she was scheduled to be dismantled.
Friday June 23, Perseverance reaches Earth net. Everyone gets a priority one message from an hour and twenty minutes ago, “The rogue planet has returned in Wolf 359. Perseverance’s services are needed immediately. Proceed to Luna space port for transport.”