Tempest of Emotion

by Allegra B

Two Psy, both devastatingly powerful, both courted by madness in their own unique ways – and both bound by different kinds of loyalty to their race. Yet fate throws them into a tempest of emotion that might not only destroy them both but take the whole world down with them. Alternative story for Kaleb (x OC). Set after the events of "Tangle of Need".

50. Chapter 50

Chapter 50

The NetMind was restless. Within all the vastness of knowledge it consisted of, there was this one fact that grew ever more prominent: It was dying. The Net, every mind in it and with that the NetMind itself would die.

Within its vast presence every fact every piece of data was linked in a pattern that was as clear as it was beautiful. The NetMind had tried to show that pattern to the minds, make them see they were killing themselves. But the minds couldn't understand, they were too separated, too limited. There were a few who understood bits and pieces, but the NetMind always had to cut out most of the connections in the pattern to make them see a simple fact. It had talked for so long to some of the strongest minds within: the mind of life, the mind of change and the mind of time. But they did not connect, too separate from each other. And then the mind of time had left. So it couldn't even warn the others where they were heading.

The NetMind shifted part of its consciousness to the mind of life again, brushed her with its gentle touch as she was used too. ? ? ?

She answered at once, her pictures unconnected as so often. Why did you not tell me he was the Ghost?

? ? ?

Kaleb is the Ghost. You did not tell me. Why?

There it was: simple connections. Answering as simple would require removing a lot of links. It would be easier, if the NetMind could just look inside the mind to see her patterns. Then it would know what answers she could understand. But that would hurt her. The minds had chosen to separate and the NetMind would never violate a minds free choice. These shields. A picture of the swirling darkness that represented the Ghosts shields the mind of change. Ghost don't want to be seen.

You didn't tell me because he didn't want to be seen?

Don't tell minds about mind's secrets.

I see that now.

But I tell you … It tried a new set of images of opening up, connecting, being together. The mind understood trust him! But the concept still didn't fit.

I do trust him.

Heal Net. It sent the same picture it had given her so many times before: empathic energy, pure emotion flowing through strong veins that lined the whole Net.

For Alja it was the symbol of her continued failure. I'll do everything I can. I swear I will.

Her frustration and desperation seeped out unseen by others. But the NetMind felt them. However it couldn't hold them or change them. They trickled through its existence somewhere to that lost part, the part that wasn't connected any more. The NetMind didn't feel the pain of that fatal injury; it only knew the other part felt it.