“In the past, we believed our ancestors remained nearby to watch over us,” Khoth said after dragging his gaze away. “So long as we revered them, went to their graves, and made offerings that they would remain with us. If they were forgotten then they would move on and leave to join the Great Consciousness.”
His HUD showed them that they were nearing the core. The duct was starting to narrow, or at least it seemed so to Khoth’s aching back. He’d noticed that the floor now was more stable, but also dust or bits of a powdery substance rose up with every movement of his boots. And there were also times when he encountered a sticky substance that caught the sole of his foot and forced him to pull at his boot.
Perhaps whatever kept the rest of the ducts clean does not reach this far, Khoth thought.
But another part of his brain thought he was seeing patterns in the sticky stuff. Like trails. Like something slithering along and leaving that gluey residue that when it dried became the powdery dust.
“What do you believe?” Jace asked.
“What do I–ah, you mean do I believe in an afterlife?” Khoth confirmed.
“Yeah,” Jace said.
“I believe when our bodies die that our consciousnesses cease to exist,” Khoth answered.
Jace was quiet for far too long for his liking after his answer. Finally, the young man said, “You’re probably right. But I want to believe there is something more. There has to be. All the people who’ve died for no good reason before they could fully experience life or make a difference…” Jace stopped and Khoth could tell from the emotion in his voice that this was difficult for him to say. “I want to believe.”
“I do not think there is any harm in such a desire so long as it does not cause you to ignore this life,” Khoth answered. “Some would say that there is no proof either way so either of us could be right or wrong. Others say that we have no proof of anything beyond us–no scientific proof–therefore, the nays would have it. But again–”
“Until this morning, I thought that aliens weren’t real either,” Jace interrupted him with what sounded like laughter.
“But that is not logical considering the size of the universe and–”
“It was because I hadn’t seen or heard of you. Most people would be able to say of aliens what you’re saying about the existence of an afterlife,” Jace pointed out. “Simply because one hasn’t seen evidence doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.”
Khoth frowned. His brow furrowed. Jace might have a point there.
“Whoa… what is that? Gehenna? What am I seeing here?” Jace asked the AI.
Jace had paused by three slits. Much brighter amber light–almost a golden light now–was painted over the front of his helmet. Khoth was perplexed as he stared at what appeared to be a reflection of something moving.
You’re in the core chamber!!!!!!! Gehenna’s excitement came out in her exclamation point use. There should be a central pillar where the Hive gets its energy and–
“Gehenna,” Jace’s voice was so strange.
Oh… oh, my, that’s not… uhm, that’s not what I was expecting! Gehenna cried.
Khoth came up to Jace and looked out the slits himself. The duct they were in was one of many that, like the spokes of a wheel, were all leading to a center of this large round room. The duct was no longer hidden beneath the floor or sandwiched between rooms, but instead was suspended in the air. Khoth saw that this room took up the entire height of the Hive. Hundreds of ducts were above them and below them. They all lead to a central pillar of sorts.
Khoth wasn’t sure what he had expected. After everything they’d seen of the Khul technology, which was organic, why had he thought that their main processor for the Hive would be something else?
It pulsed and fluttered as electrical surges ran through it. It was membranous, perhaps hollow inside, and golden light surged and passed all along its length then spread into the walls of the chamber. Cetixes were everywhere. They crawled on every duct, using them as bridges to this pillar.
“Gehenna!” Jace’s voice was a rough whisper. “How the Hell is this going to work? That’s a–a–I don’t know what that is! But this chip can’t insert into it!”
No, no! It can! It will! What you’re seeing is just an outer shell that will dissolve once you place it against the pillar, she stated. It’ll insert itself!
“Once we… I can’t believe we have to touch that thing,” Jace muttered. “Well, at least the duct goes all the way up to it–”
“Gehenna, what is this… this duct used for?” Khoth asked.
He had moved his foot and what had come up was some kind of slime. It wasn’t a gloopy mass of the sticky, gluey material that he’d encountered in far lesser quantities farther back in the duct.
Uhm, I’m not sure–
“Air? Circulation of air? Or some kind of fluid, perhaps?” Khoth asked. “Or could it be a passageway for–”
I don’t really–
