TTO Episode 8.1

Episode 8

The Book of Daniel

8.1         

I saw Kuzuka and the other lowered their rifles. They lined up after the troopers to leave. I wanted to fight on but the look on Edo told me to follow. I did and rushed to meet Kuzuka.

“Kuzuka-san, why are we leaving?” I asked the other but he did not reply. The troopers filed into the tunnel opposite of the cavern while we took another tunnel. We did not actually step in but stood at the entrance. The troopers have filed inside for their numbers were more. I asked Kuzuka once more but he ignored me. The darned bastard was looking at Edo in the centre of the cavern.

I turned towards the interior of the tunnel. It was not the same one I took with Greco. The place was dark with the torches a distance apart. That was the time I examined the tunnel on its wall and flooring. The wall was carved out of the stone there in an uneven surface, while the flooring was the same. It was uneven on the steps and without the lighting many would had stumbled in their walks. I could sense the air in there; it was dry but cold. There were nothing on the surfaces and that made me think.

Then I felt the vibrations. It was on the top side of the wall. I placed my hands towards it but could not reach the height. I trailed it into the tunnel and then it stopped. The vibrations have faded there. I felt the wall and it was like the one which I punched in. I moved my hand over the surface looking for any levers or switches. There was none. I then do what I preferred in my own way. I punched the wall with my fists and created a crack. Three more had punches and I was through. I felt the environment there was different. There were the vibrations and then the warm environment. I made a gap enough for me to crawl through.

It was another tunnel; a narrowed one.

I made my way into the second tunnel. The walk was short and then I came into a small cavern which was dimly lighted. In that cavern was a statue before a steel bar holding cubicle. In the cubicle was five old men seated on the flooring. One of the old men called out.

“Who’s there?” I moved towards the steel bars. The old men were all dressed in tatters of their gowns and looked underfed. I did a scan with my sensors on them and noticed one other deformity on them.

“We are sightless but our senses reveal your presence. You are not organic and a construct.” The one who spoke continued on. “Assist us, construct. We are imprisoned here by the Dark Orders. We are the Council of the Master here in the Grecian System.”

I gripped the steel bars and bend them to create an opening. I soon led the five old men out. They stood there in their weakened state. The one who spoke then spoke.

“We are in the Inner Chamber of Aetres. Before us should be the figure that was made in his image.” The old man spoke out. “You are a construct and yet I sensed you are more than the others. Speak your creator, construct.”

“Doctor Shiong. Doctor Narnian Shiong….” I found myself uttering Father’s name.

“You were created in the image of his beloved son who died at a younger age.” The old man lowered his head. “Doctor Shiong….your father was our friend once before. He discussed with us on the Grand Master Seldon’ works. He was an intelligent man.”

I did not recall anything in my memory of a lost son that was Father’s. I only knew that I had attended to both Father and Mother since I was activated.

“Father hid that information from you. He told us that the loss of their child was not well received by her and hence he made you their’ but without the sad knowledge inside you.” The old man then sighed. “It’s dad that he is dead while we were withdrawn to this imprisonment.”

“Who imprisoned you?”

“The Grand Order Illium had us removed and replaced with the others. He thinks that he could stop the works of the Grand Master Seldon but he was wrong there. The machination of the works cannot be reversed once it’s put into motion. The thousand years of peace was followed by the hundred years of control, will soon be replaced by the last ten years of change.”

“The last ten years are upon us now. What will be the change have yet to be determined?” The old man relate on. “Would the balance prevail in all fairness or is the balance must be biased towards one to balance the other side? We who are sightless cannot be the judge to it.”

I looked to the five old men. They looked like Grecian but their tale was confusing to me.

“The five of us thank you, construct for saving us. We are now freed of imprisonment and will seek to reclaim our positions among the people.” The old man spoke on. He then stepped forth for the others to line up behind him. He held out his hands to me. I took hold of the hands and then the old man spoke again.

“You have seen the notes left by Grand Master Seldon. You have not opened the last notes on the next ten years. It was your decision and that is an accomplishment for a construct. It would be a logical path for you to continue on when you had seen the previous but you are not of any construct. You are Doctor Shiong creation of his mind, and his mind rules in your system. I have spoken one too many and will leave it to you to discover more.” The old man told me. “Beware constructs, the last few passages of Grand Master Seldon’ notes may not be of use to you if it was not meant for you. The last one may be you or any other who may be the last one.”

Immediately, the name of Edo Harashi appeared before me in my mind.

“No one is assured of it unless they are the one.” I heard the old man and then asked him on how I was to find out.

“The mind of Doctor Shiong will guide you.” The old man replied. “And you to understand. Now we must leave. The troopers are here.”