Chapter 65: Mindful Experiences
"Hey! Alveru! Good to see you again."
"Bless and be blessed, Kena Curtis," answered Alveru Adrevanni formally.
"'Kena?'" Curtis laughed. "Where'd that come from?"
Alveru grinned back. "There is news that Nerevar has returned and is recreating his birth house — House Mora. It is also said that King Dumac has been redeemed and intends to reclaim his House of Vvardenfell."
"Oh, you're bullshitting me!" Curtis exclaimed, shaking his head. "How'd that get started? Who is spreading that story around?"
"Many mouths, many mouths. It started soon after King Stormcloak's coronation. You and Serjo Severus attended many events wearing Trueflame and Hopesfire. Naturally, there will be gossip. We hear he is the dragon-born promised to Morrowind. And from all the Dunmer in Winterhold, they say you are the master of Dwemer secrets, and you speak of the dreams of Clockwork. There is the Steark-Skjold company you run. The Nords tell us the name means 'Strong Shield' — 'Vvardenfell' in Chimer.
"Well, shit. I guess that was a dumb question," Curtis admitted. "The rumor mill is really grinding it out."
He looked past Alveru. "So, you must be Nerro Sandhelas, also of the Adrevanni."
"I am, Kena," said the other, bobbing a bow.
Alveru smiled and patted Nerro's shoulder. "Yes, this is Nerro, my wife's nephew. I was delighted to hear that you've accepted his application."
"Well, he had some pretty impressive ideas. Well conceived and very much in tune with my future projects for Vvardenfell."
A hopeful smile flitted across Nerro's face. "I rejoice to hear this," he said.
"Yeah, well, let's see if you're still going to be happy. You see, there has been an unexpected development since I sent you the acceptance letter. You might still be a candidate for my assistant here in Skyrim, or you may be a better candidate for an exploration project in Morrowind."
Consternation creased Nerro's brow. "An exploration of Morrowind?"
"Let's get some dinner first in the main cafeteria. We'll get into details after we eat," Curtis insisted.
They had dinner, socialized with whoever was in the cafeteria, then returned to Curtis's office.
"Now we can discuss the Morrowind exploration project I mentioned earlier.
"This is a dangerous searching and delving into certain Dwemer ruins to gather information for me. The team leader is a very particular mer. His current team members are young Ashlander exiles, all born on this side of the Velothi. Except for him, none of them have ever been to Morrowind. They are pretty much clueless about what it's like over there, have no experience with Dwemer ruins, and most can't speak their parents' tongues. The average age is 40. So, ignorant kids. What they've got going for them is their fighting experience, ranging from ex-bandits, professional sellswords, and Legion soldiers. All of them were summoned to Winterhold by Lord Revyn.
"If you didn't know, Revyn Sadri has a peculiar talent for prophecy. We've started to call him the 'Sleeping Prophet' because he's never conscious when he gets into these prophetic fits. His assistants write down what he says and invest some serious gold to deliver the messages to the people he named, even sending money to pay travel expenses or debts to get them to come. All of the explorers answered the letters dictated by him."
"Pardon, kena, but what is the accuracy rate of these prophecies?" asked Nerro.
"Damn near one hundred percent, as far as I know."
"And this team leader was also letter-summoned by Serjo Revyn?" asked Nerro.
"Not exactly. As I understand it, the letter went to someone who had to call in a favor. The team leader wasn't someone an ordinary courier service could deliver a letter to, and he wasn't someone to be so easily summoned by someone unknown to him. He had to be asked by someone he owed a favor to."
"What kind of favor?" asked Alveru.
"Dunno. Not important. All that matters is that this guy is willing to work with me for the future of Morrowind."
"Are you considering sending me with them because I have experience with Dwemer ruins and machines? If so, my experience is limited to only the ruins of Nchurdamz and Nchardumz on Azura's Coast and likely insufficient for your purposes. The great ruins like Kagrenac's Library and the other ones held by the Sixth House — if they haven't been destroyed by the Mountain and buried in lava — I know are beyond my meager skills to explore. And as for the machines, kena, that is why I applied to you. I don't know enough yet."
"The team leader has the necessary knowledge. You see, Nerro, what I'm thinking is that the team needs a competent mage. Sure, half of the kids are also spellswords, but without experience with the creatures that roam Morrowind and free-roaming daedra. They'd waste too much power on trivial things and battles they needn't fight."
"Competent guides can be hired," said Nerro.
"Yeah. And that's being arranged with Houses Sadras and Redoran. Nerro, I'm looking for a secondary team leader with technical skills to repair equipment in the field."
"Curtis, I must protest," said Alveru. "You have a habit of speaking in bizarre, confusing terms. But I think you're being too incomprehensible. Nerro has great promise in developing Dwemer technology for our House. I do not like risking him on some vague and dangerous project. Who is this team leader? What is the purpose of this exploration project? Do you require oaths of silence from us before you will give us clear answers?"
"Umm, yeah. Not as much for me — though I've got plenty of hush-hush projects — but for the team leader's sake. A lot of people would like to see him dead."
"Understood," said Nerro. "May I ask, kena, how do I benefit? How will this aid my long-term goals?"
"You'll find out if your goals are achievable. You'll receive the knowledge of ancient Dwemer mastery. I'll tell you this — the team is looking for Kagrenac's records. I'm sending them to look for the notebooks and schematics Kagrenac was supposed to be developing before he chucked it all aside to work on the Numidium when he found the Doom Drum."
"Madness!" exclaimed Alvaru. "Do those—" Nerro interrupted his uncle's outburst.
"Ser, please. I wish to hear more. I appreciate your concern for my welfare, but I must decide this on my own," said Nerro, turning to Alvaru and laying a hand on his arm.
Alvaru drew a deep breath and puffed it out as he reigned in his anxiety. "Then I shall return to town and await the results. Choose carefully, Nerro."
Once Alveru had left, Nerro immediately turned to Curtis and calmly stated, "I swear upon my honor and magic to keep anything I hear confidential. May all my ancestors bear witness to this oath and judge me appropriately."
"Okay. Fine. I'm looking for someone to be second in command to Saint Vivec as he searches for Kagrenac's plans for the original Red Mountain suppression project."
X—X—X—X—X—X—X
He gave Nerro over to Ilya, who would show him the various projects Curtis's students were working on, introduce him to Drilira, and the civil engineering projects around Winterhold she was overseeing. Ilya would also answer most of his questions about Curtis. Nerro was smart enough to know that the Restorations trainee was evaluating his reactions and making reports to Curtis.
He also realized if he did not want to work with the ex-Tribunal god, he could signal this by asking Ilya which of Curtis's student projects she thought would best suit him.
He asked to see Curtis and patiently waited outside Curtis's quarters. On the second day of waiting and watching prescheduled appointments come and go, the secretary said, "You're in luck. This appointment is not here; take it. You have half a candle mark." He bolted in, conscious of the resentful gazes of appointments awaiting their turn.
"Thank you for making time to see me, kena," he said to Curtis.
"You're welcome," Curtis said brusquely. "You taking the Notes Project?"
"Yes, kena. I've talked it over with Alveru — without telling him what I've sworn not to — and he assures me that the family will help. House Telvanni does not shirk our responsibility to acquire knowledge."
"Hah! But first, go see Master Drevis. He's playing Sheogorath's advocate to test and train your mind for the next step. If you pass, I'll see you at Avanchnzel. If not, there are plenty of projects here you can fit into. But I'm confident you'll pass."
"Excuse me, kena, but what is Avanchnzel? And what does my mind have to do with it?"
"A place of knowledge. And knowledge comes at a price we need to make sure you can afford. Good luck. 'Bye."
**Who you gonna install if he passes,** asked Slitter.
"Kadahk, for one. They're both Destruction mages, so Kadahk's skill in using Destruction for constructive purposes should help him like it's helping J'zargo to expand his talent. Also, Kadahk's pretty much mastered all the Dwemer sciences when it comes to geothermal power sourcing.
"The other one's a bit more tricky. I want Jalen. Jalen doesn't technically fit the criteria for inclusion into the Lexicon because he's not a genius in any specific engineering field. However, he is a brilliant MacGyver-type technician with most types of technology. And he's had the most experience with helping me realize my alien tech in this world."
**'A brilliant MacGyver-type?'** Slitter repeated, puzzled. Curtis thought he heard faint clicking, like someone tapping at a keyboard. **Oh. I see. A series of entertainment plays about a clever-crafter able to make weapons out of sweets, sticks, strings, and any assortment of trash at hand. The epitome of the phrase 'Improvise. Adapt. Overcome.' Yes, Jalen is that type of crafter.**
"Yeah, you got it. What makes it tricky is we need his personality, too. Not just his technical knowledge. That means deliberately disabling the user-safety protocol that isolates the donor's personal life from the host. It's like what you and me got, a deliberate state of schizophrenia. The Jalen program doesn't just need to supply technical know-how for the host to use; it also needs to impose the thought processes of improvisation, risk calculation, and whatever unique personality quirks — like an artificial intelligence guidance program. Personal memories and experiences in that."
**Hard,** said Slitter. **Took a hard time to learn boundaries.**
"No shit. But that program's the best we can do until he learns how to develop the connections and processes that work for him. Once he does that, we can give him the implanted codes to terminate the program."
**Jalen's alive. You going to allow them to meet?**
"Eventually. I'm thinking it's better they meet after the program has terminated and Nerro has developed his own style, which I'm sure he will. He won't see himself as just a copy by then."
**A good student can't help but copy a good trainer's fencing pattern,** Slitter said. **A proven combat style worth copying. What works, works. No need to develop a totally unique style unless the world has turned over.**
"Red Mountain wasn't enough of a turnover?"
**Oi.**
Curtis called up Jalen and told him of his plan. Jalen was surprised and not entirely approving of it.
"Wouldn't a few days sleeping with him do?" asked Jalen.
"And how would I explain the Snowmer?"
"A moot point, my lord. We can block out information about the Snowmer during the dream sessions. But not from this form of mind transfer. Not with the parameters you are specifying — which I am highly uncomfortable with, by the way. At least with my crewmates, their personal lives were as open to me as mine was to them. Working and training with the Snowmer are too much a part of my history. Are you very sure about this?"
"Vivec already has a pattern of me. And he's a tough-minded lunatic in his own right, so he can handle it, I think. Nerro needs someone a bit saner. Regarding personal secrets, your focus during the download can act as an honorary fence — drawing a line in the sand. 'Focus on business,' you know, 'not on my personal life.' Like in the dreaming sessions, your mindset influences the direction."
Jalen sighed deeply. "All right. I'll work my schedule over again and get to Avanchnzel. While I'm flattered you think so highly of my skills, I do wish you'd be more mindful of all the tasks you've put on me to complete."
"Sorry. But you're just too good at what you do. You know what they say — 'Need something done? Give it to a busy person.'"
"Perhaps, my lord. But you are also fond of saying, 'Misery loves company.'"
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