Outcasts of Gideon

Ohitaui

Houith encountered many civilizations in her travels. Some of these advanced further than others. Despite this, they'd all succumbed, leaving but a chapter of utaime. Often this was a result of their own misguided activities. For others, it was due to a lack of action.

Houith identified consistent themes from these. Among the misguided was an almost universal obsession with time. With this invariably came the desire to control, to transcend, and even to negate it.

As a representative of her people, Houith could not countenance such behavior. That the Atua possessed certain abilities was never in question. Among these was transcendence of time. To her people, the exercise of these powers was as unthinkable as was terminating life.

Then came the voice.

Now she found herself enveloped in that very thought. Not just transcending time, but even potentially terminating life. She had to consider ways to remove the threat.

In this contemplation she was not alone. K'rthan and Oonth remained at her side. They refocused their convergence on the task. They would address the issue of making utaime inviolate. They would deliver certainty to their people. To this they set their combined efforts.

"How might we silence the voice?" asked Houith. "Ohitaui demands that we act."

These are dark thoughts, dearest Houith, thought K'rthan.

"We have few options."

This I fear.

"And I have resolved to follow a path, to protect utaime, to protect the Atua."

We may have few options, but none include you walking alone into darkness. We must also maintain perspective. In all that we know of utaime, there is but one interruption, one corruption.

"Had the violation occurred here and now, restraint may well be wisest. However, it appeared in our past – in my past. This corruption, while appearing benign, tears at the fabric of certainty. Where one corruption can exist, certainty cannot."

Utaime cannot be utaime.

"The source of the corruption must then be our focus. We cannot simply identify the source, we must also neutralize it. We must prepare for the violation to occur again. Through that, we can identify the source." Houith fell into despair. These thoughts brought clarity. They also reviled her. To contemplate violence – even where deemed necessary – was a violation in itself. The thought drew her to flee, to leave their efforts behind, to diminish into the void. She suppressed the urge. Her people needed her.

Oonth had remained silent. It was her way. Yet questions remained. "When our interloper returns, how shall we learn about them? How will we identify their origin? What will be our course should they not return?"

Sister, should our tresspasser never return, utaime will again be inviolate. We will be saved from further action.

Houith rose up and spread herself thin across the void. "How will we identify them, learn about them? I have thought on this. As we three know each other, so shall I know the uninvited. Through this bridge I will travel, crossing to their time, reaching their place. I must do this by first transcending time."

They knew it was necessary. Still, hearing the words brought dread. They were left to embark on their own violation of utaime, a transcendence of time. This was their only path forward.

Does this joining not present a danger to you, dear Houith?

"In my travels, I had occasion to join with other beings."

This being is narrow. Will such a joining be possible with one so encumbered?

"Consciousness forms the bridge. It defines perception and reality. This is true regardless of the dimensions."

"Could this being have resulted from your wandering?" asked Oonth.

Houith coalesced before them. "Dearest Oonth, In my time of exploration, I did attempt to sow the seeds of life. There is no reason to expect this effort to have resulted in narrow beings. However, I cannot rule out the potential."

It is in this that we have some promise. Life that resulted might be removed before it takes root.

"Do we choose to erase the promise of life?" asked Houith, her natua a dark stone swollen with guilt and fear.

If we hope to protect utaime, we do.

On this they rested. Their convergence settled again into a soft hum of contemplation. They would remain this way, awaiting the next violation. Houith prepared herself to revisit her own past, to receive the interloper.