Sisterhood

Jarael ended up cooking breakfast. Neko and Jarael helped me eat. My focus kept drifting away and their gentle reminders allowed me to finish. I didn't miss the concerned looks that passed between them. They asked me what was wrong, and I told them nothing, only the insistent imagery of form, function, and a healthy sprinkling of math and magic. Jarael knew of a solution and with Neko's help was able to find the perfect place for me to find the outlet I needed. The log books, located near the library, cataloged the world as Earth 313. The culture was a perfect blend of science and sorcery. We dressed for the harsh winter we expected and went down to the front door. I grabbed the knob and announced in a steady clear voice.

"Earth 313 here we come."

I opened the door but instead of a world wrapped in ice and snow a verdant cloud jungle wrapped in eerie mist and filled with the sound of insects, bird calls, and the rumble of foul weather. We cast aside our coats and long shirts and entered the world my subconscious mind had selected. It felt familiar and yet I had never set foot here.

"Where are we?" Jarael asked.

"Earth 24,206 according to my smart ring." Neko declared. "Home to very smart slugs."

"You mean symbiotes." I corrected her. "Some part of me must have known they could help."

"Let us be cautious but civil." Jarael suggested.

"I agree." I said and led the way. "There is a large settlement this way."

They remained silent but vigilant. I picked a path through the dense plant life and pointed out plants that were lethal brushing up against others that held great therapeutic properties. A host of impossible facts tumbled from my lips as we followed the steady decline that ended near a forded river. The thing that guarded the bridge was both familiar and still terrifying to look at. The six-legged sentry was an amalgam of plant, fungus, and animal life. The hexaped was a queer animal that was the host to both the vine-like plant as well as the freakishly large growth of mushroom on its shoulders. The thorny protrusions of the vines anchored it into the flesh of its host while the colony of mushrooms appeared to erupt from underneath the animal's skin.

"Keeper! Welcome to Basai, the City of Three Rivers. Shall I announce your arrival?" The guard said in what sounded like perfect English.

"What is customary?" I asked too weirded out by its appearance to say anything else.

"I should ring the bell of greeting. The elders of the guild will assemble, and you can greet them properly."

"Ring away." I said and looked at a puzzled Jarael and Neko. "We are going to meet the elders."

The sentry stood on a dark stone and pushed down. A bell sounded in the distance announcing our arrival. I just hoped they didn't come charging with weapons. The greeting from the citizens of the city was more festive than fearful. They seemed to know I was the Keeper on sight and no introductions were required. The elders took no notice of Neko or Jarael, it was as if they were insignificant and that stuck with me for the length of my stay.

"Welcome Keeper!" The Eldest of the Guild greeted me. "I am Eldest, I was once Belsarius of Blue Grove. I greet you on behalf of the entire city and the Guild of course."

"Of course." I replied noting his cloudy eyes and his lack of visual clues to my location. "Thank you for your warm reception."

"Does something bring you to our humble city or are you just wandering?" He continued.

"A matter of personal importance has brought me here." I explained. "I was foolish and asked the Great Library for its knowledge on Technomancy. It was given to my mind directly. I cannot control my urge to tinker and build. I feel my symbiote wishes me to be here for treatment."

"We will provide. The Binary Sisterhood will attend your health. If it pleases you perhaps afterwards you will grace the Elders with your presence?"

"I will endeavor to meet after as the sisters allow." I said trying not to commit or insult them since this was their world after all. "Lead the way."

A runner was sent to fetch one of the sisters. I took note of that little detail as well. None of the elders were female. By the time the sister arrived the street was clear of people. She didn't seem surprised or upset. I marveled at the strange yet elegant engineering that went into the local structures. It was the building materials that surprised me most. I couldn't place any of the woods, metals, or even the glass had strange qualities to it. Perhaps part of the construction process used magic. It was as logical an answer as anything right now.

"I take it women aren't well received here?" I asked but the sister ignored my question. "My apologies if I talked out of turn. I am sorry."

The look she gave me was one of utter shock. I looked over at Jarael and Neko and they were equally baffled. The Temple of the Binary appeared to be a single block of polished white stone. Its intricate surface had hundreds of places where seams or joints should be visible but lacked them completely. It was as if a single multi-ton stone was quarried, somehow moved to this spot, and carved to this amazing detail. Once the doors of the temple closed the sister let out a string of vitriolic curses that left me laughing and amazed. She never once repeated a curse word in her entire litany.

"I just needed to get that out of my system." She said and smiled. "Keeper. Ladies. Welcome to the Temple of the Binary. How may we be of service?"

I launched into what had happened with help from both Neko and Jarael. The woman, Yama Tsun by name, listened intently and when we were furnished led us to a place where we could sit, rest, and await the Sisterhood's reply. After a short while I became impatient and began pacing. I walked around the large chamber and found things that didn't seem to belong. What I mean is that there was a metal component just sitting next to a potted plant. Another item was on a bookshelf, yet another was on a window sill. I began collecting the items and placing them on the table near the couch. In all I found twenty pieces of a puzzle. The pieces were multifunctional and designed to fit in a myriad of configurations. I spent my time assembling and then breaking them down to find more and more efficient ways of assembling them. After two hours of this I found what I believed to be the optimal design. All it required was a power source.

"Here." Jarael offered a small power cell from her pocket.

"You always walking around with a power cell in your purse?" I kidded her, and she smiled.

"No. I swiped it off the lamp as we came in. I waited until you had finished to give it to you. What does it do?"

"Beats the hell out of me. I was just trying to puzzle out the parts and see what the best way was they fit together." I said and turned on the power and watched the device flicker, hum, and then let out a soft purr as it idled there. "Nothing. It does nothing."

"Not true," a sister in navy blue replied as she entered. "It shows us you have a very logical yet intuitive mind. You weren't happy until you found your truth. It is wrong of course but all truths have one keen fallacy, objective observation." She said as she came over and sat down next to me. "The perfect configuration is this." She said as she switched off the device, took it apart and only used eleven of the twenty-one available pieces. "There."

"Of course!" I exclaimed seeing that simplicity and perfection often go hand in hand. "I did my best with all of the pieces, but I do agree this pattern is best."

"What does it do Neow?" Neko asked.

"It is a multipurpose tool. It runs the gambit from the simple to the profound. On the low end of the spectrum it can reconstitute broken objects if all the pieces are available. It can also reorder matter to whatever the user requires."

"So, you could take basic carbon and reform it into glass that is as hard as a diamond." I offered.

"Yes. Or you could join materials together without leaving a seam or weakness in it." She added. "Your workshop is being constructed as we speak. All the tools and educational materials you require will be provided to you. Your treatment for your mind is work. You will work, craft, and tinker until you can no longer come up with a new idea or concept."

"That could take months!" Jarael said shocked by the thoughts of being here so long.

"Years." I mumbled. "But I can get us home on the day we left so don't fret." I paused seeing her distress. "You could leave Neko and I here if you want. I will return when I'm ready."

"NO! Damn it Jerry! Keeper. I won't abandon you. I just will need something to keep me busy as well."

"So fierce," I said softly. "I'll teach you. Find something you want to learn, and I'll try and help you improve upon it somehow." I turned to the priestess and asked her about the symbiotes. "I understood that there is an advanced symbiote culture here. If it were possible, I'd like to meet and talk to one or more of the joined."

"What would you ask us?" The woman asked with a sly grin. "You share your life with a blank, but you want to understand what that means, yes?"

"Yes." I said. "There are times when I know things instinctively or urges to act occasionally. What is it like for you?"

"We are the Sisterhood of the Binary." She said, and I felt stupid at the obviousness. "The host and symbiote blend completely. For us there is no difference between the right and left side of your brain's hemispheres. The symbiotes provide a vast collective knowledge that spans thousands of years. The host provides the raw processing power and an outlet for that knowledge. Both gain from the blending."

"Are all of the sisters joined?" I asked, and she laughed.

"No. There are compatibility issues with any relationship. Those who are too strong willed are ill suited for blending as are those who are emotionally weak. One would overwhelm their partner and the other would be completely blotted out. We seek those who are average, and they provide the best hosts. We will teach you how to meditate properly so that you might touch your blank and improve your life thereby."

"Thank you."

It was settled. After a brief tour of the temple I was shown to my workshop. It would act as a workshop, living space, and storage shed. I wanted to start right away and wondered what form my teaching would take. I wasn't prepared for the shape it took. The woman staggered in and collapsed in my arms. She was cold to the touch and dripping wet. I called out to Jarael for towels, but the woman shook her head and pointed to an open doorway. I picked her up and carried her into the small room. The ceiling illuminated upon our entrance and she gestured towards an intricate circular design on the floor. I stepped into the circle and a couple of things happened. First, my clothing disappeared and reappeared on wooden hooks along the room's walls. Next, it began to rain inside the confines of the circle. Instead of plumbing carrying water to create a shower a small storm cloud formed above our heads and warm rain fell washing away the strong chemical smell wafting off her.

"Bet... better..." She mumbled. "Down. Please."

I set her down and she still clung to me for balance, but her strength returned. She lifted her head and let the rain hit her face and hair. Her skin had a distinct colorless quality to it that reminded me of Jarael's own albino-like beauty. As her strength returned so did her coloring.

"Now you know." Jarael said from the open doorway.

"I don't know shit." I said as the woman stood up on her own power.

"She was 'born' here." The woman said. "Welcome home Jarael."

"Somebody explain what is going on please." I asked, and the nameless woman staggered off in search of clothing. "I like the rain shower."

"It is the tip of the iceburg." Jarael said smiling. "Are you online Mother?"

"I am indeed. How can I be of assistance Jarael?" A directionless feminine voice asked.

"Scan the Keeper and provide clothing." Jarael directed. "Stand still Jerry this might tingle a bit."

The cloud began to glow, and lightning bolts flickered to life and then a steady stream of lightning caressed my body and traced every inch of my anatomy. While it tingled it didn't hurt despite the fact, I was soaking wet. The clothing appeared on the far side of the room. The cloud disappeared, and a steady blast of warm air hit me from above and below drying me quickly and effectively. I tried on the clothes provided by Mother and they fit perfectly. The pants were loose and comfortable and stayed on despite it not having a belt. The waistline seemed to remain just tight enough to keep from falling. The slippers or shoes were the best. They fit perfectly unlike the store-bought tennis shoes I had arrived in.

"Nice. Soft. Silky. Perfect for the weather. Thank you, Mother."

"An honor to serve Keeper." Mother replied in her odd ever-present voice. "A meal is being prepared. How can I be of service?"

"I have a wealth of Technomancy information in my head. It requires an outlet." I said.

"Follow the sprite. It will lead you to the forge." Mother said as a will o wisp sprang into existence before me.

"Follow me!" The sprite said in a cheery child-like voice.

The workshop was cunningly larger on the inside than it appeared on the outside. I passed through what seemed to be storage spaces. The sprite explained that certain materials could react violently if stored together. It was important to be orderly and thoughtful when storing work materials. At the center of the workshop was the forge. The room was dimly lit, and the only radiance came from the anvil. A pale sapphire light spilled from the base giving the metal a translucent quality. My presence seemed to awaken something in the forge. The sapphire light plumed upwards causing the entire forge to be cast in a bright blue-white light.

"Keeper." A deep booming male voice greeted me. "I am your forge. Mother has explained to me what is required from me. If you ever have any questions just ask."

"Do you mind music while we work together." I asked and the forge didn't mind at all. "Pity, I wish I had brought some."

"Jerry." Jarael whispered and held up a memory stick. "Your entire music collection. I copied it in case you ever sent me away. It would provide me a measure of comfort... what?"

I snatched the ghost elf by her hair, pulled her close, and kissed her fiercely. Her body molded to mine and I could hear her heart pounding in her chest. I broke the kiss, brushed an errant hair from her face, and looked into her eyes. The fear of abandonment was gone, and she began to explain the origin of that fear.

"I was born here. I say born but that isn't exactly true." Jarael said her voice soft and unsure. "When you called me a ghost elf I almost cried. While you spoke it as a term of endearment but here it is a classification. Elf means Engineered Life Form, a second-class citizen that are often body slaves until our owners get tired of us. In my case however I was specifically designed to be pleasing to you. I was constructed around all of the things you find attractive."

"How could they know... oh... the manuscript. The house allows for travel to alternate time lines. They used that to create you. So, what happened?"

"I was released early and so they dumped me on a barren dimension and prepared a second copy to be released when you visited this world. What they didn't realize was my tenacity to find you, be with you. It is engrained into my very being. I taught myself survival, combat skills, or anything else I thought would be useful. I'm not proud of what I've done to exist, but the House brought me to you when my hope had expired. When I was plucked away, I nearly died inside. I had held you, felt you, and made love to you. I will do anything for you."

"You want me to be happy?" I asked, and she nodded vigorously. "Good. I want you to explore the things that you like. I want you to be happy. If helping me learn these skills makes you happy then dive right in. If something else will give you joy, I will do all in my power to make it happen."

"I... am overwhelmed by your generosity. I haven't really thought about it, but I will." She promised.

"Neko?" I said and the cat girl perked up. "What do you want?"

"Neow? Me Master... I am happy being with you again. I will watch. I will explore. I will be happy. Neko needs very little. Thank you Master."

"Let's get the ball rolling." I said, and the nameless woman approached.

"I will be your teacher and mentor. It is my function to bring out the knowledge imprinted upon you by the Great Library. Let us begin." She intoned without a single hint of emotion.

The first week went by so swiftly I barely registered it. I worked until I was either too tired or hungry to continue. The forge and the woman my constant companions. I learned swiftly and progressed at what the forged described as a blistering pace. In the time alone with the forge and using the meditation techniques I grew aware of the symbiote and its subtle influences. It was true that it was a blank and had no personality or emotion it did have a profound amount of memory and experience locked away within it. As the months blended, I learned that the symbiote wasn't passive. It continuously streamlined my physiology just as I had attacked the puzzle in the temple of the Binary. I was evolving physically as well as mentally and emotionally.

The gift of clarity that Lilith had given me was the keystone of my extreme learning curve. The old me would have struggled at some of the alien concepts that defied the things I knew of the physical sciences. I dove headlong into a world hidden from most people and gave my desire to design and build an entirely new direction. When I was a kid, I loved playing with Legos. I knew back then that I wanted to create but instead of pencil or ink I would use steel and concrete. I saw myself as an artist. The forge gave birth to my artistic side and allowed me to shape and craft things of beauty as well as functionality. Unlike a traditional anvil this forged used my mind as the hammer and the striking surface. I tapped into the raw power boiling beneath the forge. I took the materials stored in the various alcoves and learned what I could and couldn't do with them. Some metals were traditionally hot forged while others required subfreezing temperatures to soften them, so they could be shaped.

The most difficult part was learning how to blend technology and magic into one unifying force. Devices that would normally need batteries or a power source the magic provided without the necessity of external sources. I learned how to weave mystical circuit boards inside my creations giving them a measure of pseudo life. I had a great model for those devices in my memories of Serenity. I finished one day, and my head was clear. I didn't feel empty but the ideas that once bombarded me ceaselessly now existed in the physical universe. The Binary Sisterhood stored everything I had fashioned as if it were a sacred relic. Perhaps to them it was. I staggered outside, and my feet impacted the muddy path to the temple. I squinted up at the pale sun hidden behind the perpetual clouds and felt tears form and stream down my face.

"How long?" I asked and Neko bounded up and listed it off down to the hour.

"Four hundred days and fifteen hours... Master. What Neow?"

"Where is Jarael?" I asked, and the ghost elf stepped out of the shadows and fog.

"Here Jerry. How is my Keeper?" She asked smiling. "You look at peace."

"I am. My head is finally clear." I said. "Not empty exactly but satisfied."

I showered, put on clean clothing, and requested time with the Sisterhood. I had taken so much surely, they needed something from me. The same woman that had led us to the temple over a year ago met us and quite formally showed us into the presence of the High Priestess of the Binary. My first impression was how similar she looked to the girl that had just left. Were they mother and daughter? If that were true, then she must have had her when she was young.