Year Five- Chapter 38- The Setta'la Scripts
Everything is based upon energy. It is neither created nor destroyed, and this is the fundamental law of the universe. There is no machine, nor man, that can force anything into existence. Energy in all of its forms never dissipates. Energy itself can, not only refer to movement, but also emotions, for emotions are an output of work- work being defined as energy being exerted. Therefore, emotions and acts thereof are input into the universe as something that cannot be ignored, created, nor destroyed.
This is the basic definition of Setta'la. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction elsewhere, but if good emotions are acted upon and good acts output, then good emotions and acts will be returned. However, the opposite is true; if one releases only negativity into the world, then the same shall be returned to them. Everything is based on energy that can neither be created nor destroyed.
Similarly, though, it must be recognised that there is no truly altruistic act. If a mother saves her child from a disaster and sacrifices her own life in the process, she is continuing her genetic line, an act of long-term self-preservation. If one treats a stranger with kindness, one feels a small rush of dopamine into the brain. If a man saves a young woman he has never met before from jumping from a building and killing herself, he gets renown for said action. Therefore, there is no act that one can commit that has no benefit to oneself.
If the rules of Setta'la are followed, no woman or man or child will ever be able to claim that their behaviour is for an altruistic outcome, because the whole of Setta'la is based on output equalling input. Kindness begetting kindness, and hatred begetting hatred. Rather, the rules are followed to encourage a more positive world. With the constant belief in Newton's third law of physics (or for those not retaining a basic knowledge of the Earth's history, the early teachings of Yehhal, of Tor) and that of the lack of creation/ decimation of energy, the most basic expectations of the rules of Setta'la can be maintained.
In the beginning of Gallifrey's sordid existence, there were only one peoples, those based in war and violence. Rape, murder, and thievery were the most basic ways to survive, but out of those horrors there rose the few that envisioned a better world. They saw that murder only encouraged revenge, but kindness? Though it often was seen as a weakness, others wished to act kind in return. These early Gallifreyans compiled a manuscript of their beliefs in the return of emotion and outputs.
These early scripts were titled, "The Setta'lan Conglomeration on the Expectations of Output" (but this name was eventually bastardized to "The Setta'la Scripts"). As Gallifrey grew in its knowledge, size, and exploration of concepts, the war-torn, primal citizens began to adopt the belief system, if only for self-preservation. And under the guidance of an almost entirely peaceful civilization, brilliance flourished and ideas were more easily shared as those with an abundance of supplies dared trade amongst villages.
Over a millennia, the Gallifreyans became an organised but giant, intertwined series of civilisations. Within this time, progress flourished, and discoveries and new developments were produced at 76.322% the speed of those seen on Earth through its period of major technological development. Slowly, the North and South split into two different factions, but it was a peaceful and uneventful schism. The South was arid and an inhospitable environment for the now almost fully developed species. Young, brilliant scientists and inventors moved to the North where the land was more hospitable to experiments and living in general. Those that lived in the South, and remained there, were stark traditionalists, but they were proud to see their youth move onto what was considered a very remarkable pursuit.
The South remained tied to the rules of the Setta'la scripts created by their ancestors, as the actions and beliefs had permeated their very way of living. Those that moved North, though, found science to be a better guide than an expectation that relied on other people's behaviour. In science, one could control the things around them with a terrifying precision. And with science came direct law, which was never put in place in the South because it was never needed. And with direct law came the creation of a military and police force to defend the planet.
As the North, through Time-Lord Omega, created the first machines to travel through time and space, the South had perfected the art of extreme control. There were those who could meditate for days and go without eating for longer than the North had declared possible. While there was a constant push in the North to learn everything that could be learned about the sciences, the Southerners were content to learn everything that could be learned about their bodies, their minds, and their surroundings. And though those from the South were concerned about how well they could exercise control, it was never applied to inhibiting emotions.
While science and knowledge became the key to North, peace and personal success were those of the South. And the differences between the two, as Gallifrey became more and more advanced, were pronounced and, eventually, concerning,
Historians and several politicians knew this history well. Every child was taught it in the academies across the North, but they were told that their way of life was far better than the "complacency" seen in the South. By being in tune with nature and their bodies, the Southerners were easily seen as lazy or incompetent. The Northerners had diverged so far from their roots in the South that they forgot about the Setta'la Scripts, about the inner peace that their people once had, and about the world around them. And as this information was repressed through the degradation of the impression of the Southerners, the ignorant young Northerners became bigoted adults and rulers.
Thus came the Civil War and its roots.
The South had been so disconnected from Northern society that it had not seen the signs of the impending war, and the North was so involved in its own affairs that it could not understand the ways of those they shared roots with; they forgot the emotional guide that brought them out of a war-based society of waste and death.
Ushas had learned all of this from Koschei who had learned all of it from his parents at a young age. With this knowledge fully comprehended and studied internally, and perhaps not even consciously, reading the Setta'la Scripts was fascinating. They contained an ancient and peaceful way to exist that, as reading, she found to be fascinating. With Ghost beside her, she read through the ancient Gallifreyan slowly, for she had not had a need to read such runes for so long. Ghost smiled brightly as she saw each gear in Ushas' scientific brain turning to understand what she was reading. Ushas was not insulting or disdainful about anything that Ghost believed. Instead, she was absent-mindedly admiring it.
Occasionally, Ushas would mutter something like, "Why didn't they teach this at the Academy?" or, "Shit! How do you even manage this?" And Ghost would lie back against her rough medical cot and smile fondly. Her protector, her friend, was interested in her beliefs, fascinated even.
Eventually, Ushas finished. She shook her head slowly, but not in disgust or even confusion, simply in disbelief.
-Did...- Ghost stopped her signing and took a moment to figure out what she wanted to ask. –Do you understand?-
"Yeah, I guess. But what I'm a little confused by is how the hell you actually can do all this. I mean, you've really been by the book all last year. You never intentionally hurt someone- or unintentionally I think. You helped everyone who came to you, those being Koschei and Theta. You accepted help. You really only spread your positive emotions. I can't do that! Koschei couldn't do that!" In Ushas' voice there was reverence, something that made Ghost feel unbridled joy and grinned brightly. "Now granted, you couldn't raise your voice, so you're safe on that front of the rules."
-They're not rules; they're guidelines to help you become at peace.-
There was a pause as Ushas looked at the scroll and then her friend. Ushas wrapped the manuscript back up into its normal, cylindrical shape and set it on Ghost's lap. "So you won't fight back then? You can't, right? You'll just keep letting the North kill and invade? Surely that's not right…"
The small girl turned her head to the side slightly. She herself had wondered that question a thousand times over. If their peace and ability to remain true to the Scripts was attacked, surely something could be done. Surely there could be, if not retaliation, protection of some sort. Defence was surely allowed.
-I don't know,- she admitted. –My father said that he did not know either. My mother has studied the Scripts since her youth, and she says that the scripts do not allow nor forbay it, but she does not contest that it can be used sometimes.-
"Then you should set a precedent." And in her childish naivety, Ushas added, "I'll help. I'm not bound to any 'guidelines.' I can help you!" Ushas' gaze was intense as she promised something she did not totally understand. Beside her, Ghost sighed heavily and looked away from her friend.
-You haven't slept in two days.-
"Well. Neither have you. So we're even."
-You can go home.-
"Do you not want me here?" At that, Ghost shook her head rapidly, turning to look back at the young, strong-headed scientist beside her. There was a flicker of fear behind her eyes as she reached for Ushas' hand. She did not need to speak because her meaning came across loud and clear, though silent and subtle. She felt safe with Ushas around. Seeing the horror in her friend's eyes, Ushas hurriedly said, "It's okay. I got it." She paused. "I don't really have anything to go home to besides screaming small children. You might as well be my home right now."
For the rest of the night-or perhaps it was day, but the girls could not tell since no natural light made its way into the room- they shared small smiles and talked about things other than the violence above them. Neither wanted to confront the horror that meant they were supposed to hate each other.
Ghost fell asleep first. She had rested her head against her pillow as Ushas told stories of Koschei when he was little, laughing the whole time. As the stories grew into tales and the tales grew into the sagas of the small children, Ghost felt her eyelids droop slowly. It did not take her long to simply let sleep take her. After Ushas noticed this, she gave a small, fond smile, and curled her legs underneath her, but rested her head on the padded side of the medical cot.
"Ushas Imassa?"
Ushas startled awake at the sound of another person inside what felt like their personal sanctuary. She was instantly on the defensive, squaring her shoulders and moving to block Ghost from the person's sight. She relaxed, though, when she recognised the man. He was the one who had replaced the machine that was broken when Ushas had first arrived. He was carrying a small bag with him, and he held it out for her. "Lady Protector asked me to give this to you."
Ushas walked over to him and looked inside the bag. It was, as she expected, bigger on the inside, and contained what looked to be fresh laundry, an instant-cleaning kit, a pillow, some blankets, and some food. She hadn't even noticed that she was hungry. Or that her curly hair was tangled and mussed. Or even that the entirety of her skin seemed to be sticky.
"Thanks," she said, retreating back to her seat with her supplies.
"How is Ennaila Luacia?" he asked as he moved to the machine that beeped too often and too loudly. Readings scrolled across the screen on the back, playing back what Ghost's vitals had been throughout the time he had been gone.
"She's fine. She said that she felt nauseous earlier…"
"That's just the medication, but we can decrease her pain-killers now, and that should help." Ushas bristled when he used 'we' to describe what really was just him. He implied that he and Ghost were both in an understanding, which did not sit well with Ushas, but she tried to stifle the feeling.
"Okay."
Ghost stirred slightly and opened her eyes slowly. She panicked for a moment upon seeing the medic in the room, remembering only that he was a Northerner, but Ushas saw this and patted her arm.
The medic gave her a reassuring smile, but when he looked down at her arm, the smile faltered.
"Your IV is loose," he noted, bending down to examine it.
"Well, she's been signing to communicate. She can't really help that," Ushas countered quickly. The medic gave no response, but simply produced a roll of a silk-like fabric from one of his pockets. He tore off a piece and put it over the entrance to Ghost's vein.
"Be careful of it, alright?" he asked the Southerner, who nodded dutifully, if not tiredly, back.
He gave some more warnings to Ghost, but Ushas had stopped paying attention. She was thinking very deeply about something. It was not until he left the room that Ghost noticed her friend's distraction.
Ghost lifted her hands to sign, but Ushas gently grabbed her wrists.
"Look… I may not like it all that much, but…. for your sake… just think to me, okay?"
Next Chapter: Family
AN: So I'm rebooting this fic a bit! If you want to read an edited and slightly rewritten version of the first few chapters (and eventually all of WWWY), go to AO3 and look for the same author. (And also I'm changing them here, too, as I go.) Side note, I really enjoyed writing the theology in this chapter. It's a pity I can't fit a comparative religions class into my schedule next year... Thanks for reading!
~Shara