Aberrant: Nova Reality - An open course in Teras

[kestrel404]

The last of the finishing touches have been completed, and all that is left is the waiting. Alchemist has been looking forward to this - both what it represents and the actual event. While he has heard a great deal about what Teras could do, and even some sparse basics about how it is practiced, he has never been given a complete enough understanding of the philosophy and the process to make it work for him.

Hopefully Procyon would be able to change that.

The room was darkened and set up in theater style. While not entirely necessary, Alchemist thought that calling to mind a lecture hall atmosphere would help the other novas focus better on Procyon.

He'd extended the invitation to all of the Knights - even those currently practicing Teras - as well as many of their allies and some others in the city. While not a fully open meeting - he couldn't have just anyone walking in off the street to attend or disrupt the event - it was far more open than any explanation of Teras to date.

Sitting in the first row, Alchemist pondered who else would show up, and sat waiting for Procyon's appearance.

[Cosmic Comet]

As Alchemist looks around the darkened room he notices a swirling shape of colors, yellows, reds, and blues move thru the darkness. It approaches towards the front row as if headed directly to him.

Cosmic looks towards the only other person in the room and introduces himself. "Hey there, name Cosmic Comet. I heard that some Nova named Alchemist set this up. Are you him perhaps?"

[Sandcaster]

Sandcaster slipped into the room and, without a word, took a seat in the back row. The grim set of her face told volumes about what she thought of the subject of this little seminar; still, with it being an open session, she really needed to be here, if only to keep an eye on both the presenter and the audience... and the back row was an excellent location for both.

[Jager]

Jager stepped into the room, his usual paranoid, quiet self. He scanned the room and found a seat close to a side exit and then lounged in it casualy. Looking over at Cosmic Comet, Jager spoke up.

"Thanks for the assitance at Procyon's, Comet. A little solidarity during times like these is appreciated. Still, you might want to check with the office about becoming an auxilary before you go popping in somewhere."

[Stormwarden]

Rhayne entered the room soon afterwards and swept her head around looking for Anne. Finding her, Stormwarden sat down next to Sandcaster and tentatively reached out for her hand. Rhayne knew she had been pre-programmed to hate the very idea of Teras and Terats, but was willing to give Alchemist's suggestion a chance. Anne could sense her nervousness and apprehension, though. Though she had been exposed to descent Terats like Sean and Samhra, her attitudes and fears were more in line with Anne's. Stormwarden still felt that the underlying message of Divis Mal and his ilk was of divisiveness, hate, and murder.

Rhayne gave Sandcaster's hand another, frightened squeeze.

[Cade]

Cade quietly makes his way into the room and takes a seat seemimgly away from anyone else. The young nova had alot on his mind. What would occur here today would be groundbreaking, but also potentially the most dangerous thing he/d done. A truth he had guarded closely stood to be revealed today.

He closed his eyes as he fired off a final message. Maria, know that regardless of what has been said, my thoughts are with you. Whatever comes, I will protect you first.

He opens his eyes and looks around the room at each of the gathered novas. "I trust each of you are well?" His eyes shift over to The nova called Cosmic Comet. "I didn't get the chance to thank you the othernight. Thanks for being there. Things could have gone much worse."

His eyes find Jagers, and Cade nods. "The rest of the city was unusually quiet, It's almost like the people knew something bigger was coming."

[Cosmic Comet]

To Cade and Jager, CC nods an answers both with a heartfelt "Your Welcome, though you guys had things pretty much wrapped up when I showed up."

To Jager CC also adds, "Thanks for the offer of becoming an auxilary member, I'll keep that in mind."

[kestrel404]

Alchemist nods at Comet, though he seems distracted at the moment. "Yes, I'm Alchemist. Pleased to meet you."

He takes in all the others as they arrive with a bit of relief. The turnout was as good as could be expected thus far.

[Access]

Access remotely turns on the viewscreen in the 'lecture hall'

"Unfortunately I will not be able to make it in person to this event, but I will be listening in and contributing anything that comes to mind."

[Good Alice]

((OOC: could a mod please romove this..My bad))

[GDP_ST]

Procyon stepped into the room, the nebulous solar storm of his aura throwing golden-tinged shadows across the walls and ceiling. Wearing his habitual white trousers and open white shirt, the Terat smiled faintly as his shimmering blue eyes met the gaze of each and every nova in attendance, nodding in respect and recognition.

He moved gracefully over to the front of the room, his inhumanly perfect features composed, despite the eagerness and trepidation apparent in his body language. He approached Alchemist first, extending a hand and speaking softly.

"Thank you for the invitation. I hope that today provides the answers you're seeking, or at least better questions." This last was delivered with a wry smile that communicated the glowing nova's nervousness more than any other cue. Though the recent attacks, verbal and physical, had not been terribly threatening to him, Procyon was quite clearly feeling the isolation his announcement had engendered.

[kestrel404]

At the appearance of the glowing nova, Alchemist's face goes from anxious to relieved. At the man's greeting, he smiles warmly.

Giving the offered hand a firm shake, Alchemist replies. "No, thank you for coming. It is an honor to have you here, and I believe that everyone in this room supports you in what you're doing. I myself have been seeking a midway point between the dogma of the Teragen and the rhetoric of Utopia since before my erruption. Now, I think everyone who is likely to show up to this event is here already."

Showing Procyon to the front of the room, and projecting both confidence and support to the ostracised Terat, Alchemist returns to his seat and awaits Procyon's lecture.

[Dorothy Roberts]

Scrambling through the door and into one of the seats in the middle of the room, Dorothy arrives completely out of breath and just a bit late.

Grinning impishly at all the novas that turn to look at her, she gives her father a defiant look when he frowns at her sudden appearance.

[Stormwarden]

Stormwarden tries to get Dorothy's attention with hand gestures inviting her to join the other two female novas in the back.

[Dorothy Roberts]

Careful not to make any more disturbance, Dorothy sneaks back through the darkened lecture hall to the back row, and sits next to Stormwarden, grinning.

In a whispered voice, she says, "We can talk after Procyon's done. I wanna hear what he's saying."

[GDP_ST]

He smiled softly to the assemblage as he stood at the front of the room, trying to ignore the swirl of emotions that his appearance and the situation inspired in his audience.

"Hello to all of you, and thank you for attending this impromptu discussion on the nature of Teras. Note, please, that I call this a discussion rather than a lecture. Feel free to chime in at any time, to ask questions or debate a point should you feel the need. For me, and those like me, Teras is not about dogma or subservient acceptance of all you are told. Teras is a philosophy of the individual. The only common belief shared by all Terats is simply this: We are not human, and should not evaluate ourselves as though we are."

He spoke softly, though his voice thrummed and reverberated around the listeners, the inhuman timbre clearly carrying with no need for amplification. No quantum infused his words or demeanour, no tricks were played on his listeners. He spoke simply, without grandeur or posturing.

"Many people find that simple statement to be the most troublesome aspect of the philosophy. Some of you may hold other opinions, but I am not here to argue with them. I do not consider myself human anymore. I once was, but I am no more human now than a butterfly is a caterpillar." His eyes met those of each watcher, simple conviction evident in his tone.

"In my opinion, novas surpass humans. I use the word surpass in it's literal form: 'to transcend the reach, capacity, or powers of'. We do; that is a simple enough statement to make. The truth of it is evident." He shrugged slightly. "That is not to say I dismiss humans as irrelevant, or hold the belief that they are here to serve my wishes. Each and every human being has as much right to exist as a nova in my personal philosophy."

"But being a nova carries attendant problems. We were once human, we live in a world created by and for humans. It is not easy to transcend these things. So Teras was created, to help free novas of the limitations of human thought and behaviour: limitations that hinder our development and are in fact dangerous to our very existence." He glances at all of the novas present, young and old, seasoned and naive, he gauging their reactions to his words as he speaks.

[Sandcaster]

I'm going to say something. I'm going to hate myself for opening my mouth and stepping into this madness, but damn it, I'm going to say something.

Sandcaster rose from her seat at the back of the room, and cleared her voice. In what had over the years become an almost habitual act, a trickle of quantum went into that simple noise - and the result was that every eye in the room was suddenly on her. Once there, however, she was willing to meet Procyon on even ground; no further quantum tricks would be forthcoming.

"Now there's the problem in a nutshell, Procyon. On the one hand, you have the fact that this is very much a world for baselines. The social and economic models, the infrastructure, the legal systems, the methods and actualities of government... all of this is geared to a baseline human. You have said as much.

"At the same time, you are an adherent to a philosophy that serves, in your words, 'to help free novas of the limitations of human thought and behavior.'

"The problem here is that the philosophy of Teras as described by you runs smack into the wall of a baseline world. If we set aside the limitations that baseline civilization imposes upon behavior, we become a threat to said civilization: both in a direct fashion, as many of your fellow Terats have demonstrated, and indirectly because of the unfortunate fact that we have become role-models to many baselines. The man on the street watches us flout the law and says, 'If they can do whatever they want, why can't I?'"

[GDP_ST]

"So the most advanced student in the class is held down, their wings clipped and their potential stunted, because those less capable than they are will be jealous? A strange attitude for an educator." Procyon smiled at the Knight's leader, his tone and expression lightening the sting of his words. "The simple fact is that human laws are meant to benefit and protect humans, not novas. We can try to abide by them, but in so doing we are stuck at a mere fraction of our potential. And humanity will still be jealous of us regardless."

"And there is the greater danger yet. As long as we try to be 'humans with extras', whilst we persist in turning away from our otherness, it can sneak up on us whilst we are unprepared." Procyon's gaze never wavered from Sandcaster's. "Taint is a problem all novas have to deal with, sooner or later. We try to hide it, or turn away from it. It terrifies those of us who see it in others and those of us who possess it alike. We see a taint-ridden nova and think 'That could be me someday'. And yet, for all the resources Utopia and others devote to the study of Taint, in my experience only the ways of Teras truly address the issue of 'quantum pollution' and recognise it for what it truly is."

[Jager]

From his sitting position, Jager clears his throat.

"Does this addressing the issue have its own side effects? In my experience, novas well on their way down the path of teras are more aberrated and less capable of dealing the rest of humanity. If that is the case, you have developed the self-full filling prophecy. Terats can't deal with humanity because that is the sacrifice they chose to make; not one evolution forces upon a nova."

"My problem with Teras and the Teragen is that after Fong's ground-breaking work, they stopped trying to find other alternatives. The Teragen decided that the alienation of mankind was an acceptable price for dealing with taint and gaining power. Will your third way be also satisfied with this alternative, or will it devote resources to continue looking for a way that addresses taint and yet allows us to deal with humanity as something besides indecipherable aliens?"

[Sandcaster]

"And as for the matter of taint 'sneaking up on us'," Sandcaster interjected, "it is far from a forgone conclusion that it will increase with time. I know very well what taint can do. It stares me in the face every time I look in the mirror, and is felt by anyone who touches me." She gave a half-apologetic glance to Stormwarden, then turned back to Procyon.

"But what taint I have is what I gained during my eruption. It's been fourteen years now, and I haven't acquired any more. Why? Because I'm careful. Because I take responsibility for my actions. Because I realize that I have a certain safety tolerance, and I exercise the discipline necessary to keep from exceeding that safety tolerance. It's no different than a baseline keeping food intake down to keep from becoming overweight; it's a matter of taking proper care of yourself, and if you fail to do so - if you indulge your whims without regard for your own well-being - then it's your own fault if taint 'sneaks up on you'."

[GDP_ST]

"The Terats you speak of that can't deal with humanity are no better than those humans who cannot deal with us. There are numerous Terats that have no problem moving amongst humans and coexisting with them. The 'third way' you speak of is an attempt to bridge the gap, Jager. It is possible to be other than human, yet still coexist. You're right though: after Fong's work, Terats stopped looking for further truth." Procyon nodded to the blond Knight. "I intend to keep trying to find a way in which we can reach our utmost potential without losing touch with those not like ourselves. There is no such thing as a process so perfect that it cannot be improved."

The glowing Terat shifted his gaze to Sandcaster.

"Taint is not the fearsome energy you seem to think it is. It's true that when we push ourselves we accumulate Taint, but that taint can be directed and harnessed into further understanding of our quantum expression. By limiting yourself, yes you keep yourself safe from taint, but you also cut yourself off from growing further as a nova." Procyon gazed solemnly at Sandcaster. "It is similar to stating that you may be run down in the street when you leave the house, so best to stay inside rather than learn how to be safe. Wouldn't it be better for everyone to learn how to exert their abilities safely, to control the direction their continued evolution takes, rather than cowering from it?"

[Sandcaster]

Sandcaster did not falter under Procyon's gaze; she returned it with every bit as much intensity. "I think that we are awash in a sea of competing metaphors," she said dryly. "You compare wariness of taint to fear of risk; I compare it to healthy self-control. The truth is a matter of debate that started nearly two decades ago and has shown no sign of moving toward anything resembling a resolution in the time since. Suffice to say that it is a point on which you and I disagree."

[Cade]

Cade listens to Procyon, Sandcaster and Jager, and with the finality one would expect, comes to his decision.

"Taint, as you call it can be controlled, even the manifestations of it too can also be controlled. Through Teras one can learn how to control it and shape it as they wish."

The words come outwith perfect pitch and volume, to just where everyone in the room can hear them. Once they were said he looks around the room and nods. His eyes turn to Procyon as he speaks to him.

"Many are not happy with you Procyon. They say what you propose is impossible, that to offer the Way freely is wrong. They say only those who prove worthy should be allowed to know the truths of Teras. They fail to remember that To truly use what Teras teaches, they must truly believe it."

He pauses a moment and presses on. "All of that said there are those in the Movement who see the benefits and truth in what you say. They however are mostly those who will not say as much openly for fear of reprisals. It is my belief that Novas and humans can and should coexist peacefully. That's what I've worked towards since my erruption, it's what I will work for until I die.

[Sandcaster]

Had her head been mounted on a servo-operated swivel, Sandcaster could not have turned any faster to face Cade. An entirely uncharacteristic look of sheer astonishment - complete with slack jaw and a pair of eyebrows that threatened to crawl off the top of her forehead and take flight into the wild unknown of the spot-lighting and catwalks far above the auditorium.

Her mouth closed with an audible click, then began working. Words formed and failed, over and over, as four dreadfully obvious ones ran like chaselights through her mind: Cade is a Terat?!? Nothing in his files had even remotely hinted at the fact; background checks that would have shamed the NSA had utterly failed to mention that one of the most powerful of the Knights was, like Sean, a member of the Teragen. What else was going to turn up in this madhouse; a Michaelite?

A small collection of neurons that were not reeling in shock made a mental note to begin purchasing Alka-Seltzer in bulk.

[Stormwarden]

Stormwarden can feel the shock wripple through her mate as well as her own anger rising. Impulsively Stormwarden stands up, ready to say something; to denounce Cade for his lie ... then it hits her. She is no longer a Windy City Knight. Cade's betrayal of trust is out of her hands to deal with. She feels Sandcaster's pain as a palpable pain within her. Rhyane's eyes water and she wills herself to sit back down. She looks into Anne's eyes and wants to cry. Rhayne can't embarrass Anne this way, so Rhayne swallows her anger and sadness for her Love's sake.

Another person I can't go back to, Stormwarden thinks, looking at Cade on last time.

"I will be by your side for as long as you will have me," she whispers to Sandcaster. "I am here for you."

Tears well up in Stormwarden's eyes, but she stifles her sorrow.

[kestrel404]

Alchemist, sitting at the front of the room and not bothering to turn at the various comments made, rolls his eyes. Not that many people would be able to tell, with the gold foil that covered them, but it made him feel better.

This was turning out about as well as could be expected - fill a room with novas and start talking about teras, and you'd get twice as many opinions as there were people in the room. Still, he'd rather get on with this instead of turning it into a debate about the purpose of life.

"All startling revelations aside, Procyon, I think that just about everyone here has a good idea of the basis of Teras. We are not human, we are evolving, and nothing we can do will stop that evolution, Sandcaster. Or are you going to tell me that the safety of the ones you love, or even your duty to the knights, is less important to you than your health? Oh, Dorothy, be a dear and get Anne some alca-seltzer from the vending machine in the lobby?"

Alchemist shakes his head and sighs. "The only long term solution to our species survival is to learn some control over the quantum effect we call taint. Thus far, the only group to show any ability to do that are the Terats. Further research is of course an excellent idea, whether it is done by Procyon, his group, one of us, what have you. It hardly matters. What is important is that right now we're here to learn how the Terats have been doing so well in controlling their evolution."

"Some of you might not know this, so I will state it plainly. The ability to control taint comes from a process called Chrysalis. In order to perform Chrysalis, or perhaps in order to harness it, I've never gotten a clear answer, you need to follow a path and a philosophy. By following this philosophy and pouring your heart into it, you are effectively marching away from your humanity, and into the unknown. That is my best understanding of Teras, and hopefully, Procyon here can explain the rest."

Having done his best to get the Alchemist sits back in his seat and carefully regards Procyon. Dorothy, mostly unnoticed, slips back into the room and hands a still-fizzing cup to Sandcaster.

[Ghostwriter]

Samhra emerges from the shadows of a far corner, a soft sussuration of paper from a discarded booklet on something or rather the only sign of her coming until the glow appears.

"My apologies for being late. Life's been interesting lately."

She makes her way to a spare seat just as Alchemist finishes talking.

"The Terats in the Knights tend to be Marvels - living embodiments of divinity, more or less - or Portents - living embodiments of potential and pushing the envelope. There are those outside called Monsters - living embodiments of redefining morality, and rejecting human ethics."

Her voice is clear and precise despite the almost cat-like purring undertone. Of all the novas here, barring Procyon (and perhaps even him), she is the most alien.

"I have endured the extreme backlashes of uncontrolled Taint. I am following Teras because I couldn't see any other option. If someone else finds another way, I will defend their right to follow their path in peace."

[GDP_ST]

Procyon smiles radiantly at the new arrival. "Good to see you again, Samhra."

Turning to face the room in general, he nodded to Cade and Alchemist, then studied the other faces present, gauging their mood.

"As Samhra said, there are three archetypes. By channelling ourselves into these archetypes, by exploring what it means to be a Marvel, Monster or Portent, we come to understand more of our inner nature and our nova self." He gestures to himself. "Other than my glow, which I erupted with, every single evolutionary marking you see here is a result of deliberate and conscious choice."

"By pushing my abilities in certain ways, ways commensurate with the path I choose for myself, I can channel any resulting taint into positive effects. You see, Terats believe that Taint is simply unharnessed evolutionary force, and through Teras, we channel that force to mold ourselves, to become more truly that which we are." Procyon's swirling solar aura flickers as it wreaths about his perfect form. "Our journey starts with eruption, but through harnessing Taint into the energy we call Chrysalis, we are able to experience subsequent slower and more controlled eruptions."

[Sandcaster]

Sandcaster nearly gagged on her fizzing seltzer concoction as the bronzed marvel spoke to the room. Channelling into archetypes? Harnessing Taint? Evolutionary change? She listened to Procyon's explanation... and shook her head in disgust. What a crock. It's a fantasy - a carefully crafted pseudo-science that they've built for themselves to support their belief that they are not human.

She looked around at the faces of her fellow Knights - of those who were not already declared to this faerie tale path, at any rate - and saw looks of consideration, of agreement... of hope. And so, the Windy City Knights finally descend into lunacy, she thought to herself ruefully, and there's not a damned thing I can do to stop them.

With sad resignation, Sandcaster set down the emptied cup and quietly left her seat, the auditorium, and the company of madmen.

[Cosmic Comet]

Comet after listening to what the other Nova's have said finally breaks his silence.

"I know that some of you don't know me, but at this moment it doesn't matter. From what I've been listening to it all makes sense to me" his words full of excitement.

"I don't believe in holding myself back as well, if I did then I wouldn't be true to myself. So if you say there is a way that I can better myself and control my Taint then I'll be one of the first to join you" he states bluntly.

[Jager]

Jager shrugs and gets up to follow Sandcaster out. He hesitates at the doors, pops through and gives Sandcaster a parting wave and then walks back into the rooom. Jager remains in the back, keeping an eye on Procyon, and fullfilling the task of watching over the dangerous terat for the meetings duration.

[Stormwarden]

Stormwarden gives Dorothy Roberts an apologetic look, but it is clear from her face that she remains fiercely devoted to Sandcaster and unwilling to hear anything else. Rhayne takes the door with strong, prideful strides, and moves to catch up with Anne. As she moves up beside Sandcaster, Rhayne says,

"Well, that was about as graceful as a plane falling onto a train wreck. I apologize for not being able to stand anymore of that."

Stormwarden walks purposely beside her mate, in lock step and full of purpose.

[GDP_ST]

Procyon watches expressionlessly as the two novas get up and walk out. When they are gone, he turns his azure gaze back to the audience.

"My apologies if I have caused offence to any others here. What I am telling you is true, but that does not necessarily make it right for you personally. Ultimately, that is for you all to decide for yourselves, as Sandcaster and Stormwarden have evidently done." He sighs slightly, then lets his lips curve in a faint smile. "Some novas don't want to be other than human. That is their choice, and their right to choose. Other novas want nothing but to be different from humanity, and race frantically to seperate themselves from humankind. Again, that is their choice. To be a truly balanced Terat, in my opinion, is to acknowledge that you are not human, dispassionately, then to explore exactly what that means."

He glances around at those watching him, one eyebrow raised. "If you wish me to stop now, I can and will. I have no wish to alienate and offend those present." His perfect lips quirk in an impish smile. "That would be poor behaviour for a guest."