Aliases are alternative forms of a reference. They can include actual aliases for characters, nicknames, plural variations, gendered versions of some [Classes], and even typos.
Geneva Scala began to stir. Her eyes opened, and her breathing caught. She tried to move her legs and couldn’t, but Idis bridged the gap in her nervous system. She felt Geneva’s slow, almost sleep-like rhythm change as her body ‘woke up’. The Third Mind released her, and Geneva sat up, with Idis simply playing helper.
Up they went. Geneva was surprised. The Second Mind? She had met them all, briefly, but never spoken to one besides the Mind, the one she had associated with this all. The Third Mind.
“You have been a prisoner/‘guest’/in the custody of the Minds for nearly a month now. Your focus has been with the Third Mind, who seeks to cure the Wasting of Selphids. It has led the initiative. This Mind, I, attempted to communicate with you. I was denied, due to conflicting interests. The Third Mind’s failure today presented a breaching point in the discussion.”
“Yes. Very dangerous. You could have lost something. Or gained something. The Third Mind pushes too hard, too fast. Now, the other Minds sense it. A consensus was reached. 4-2; an upset after a deadlock of 3-3. You understand, we sometimes think together. But given personalities, we argue. We vote. Hence your presence here.”
“The Third Mind communicates its findings. Another world. Implications of worlds, plural. How were you transported? The First Mind is investigating a gateway. The anomalous events of the Summer Solstice. Wistram. It is all concerning, but I am concerned with you, Geneva Scala. This is wrong. The Sixth Mind understands. Selphids are hated because we are the ‘bodysnatchers of Baleros’. Because we made empire and slaves of people in ways even Roshal could not. Now, look what happens. A full circle.”
“We are not leaders of the Selphids. To clarify: this Gathering Citadel is one of the ruling bodies. The Minds certainly occupy a leadership role. But we have not been stewards of Selphids in every era. Or even universally today. Selphids, individuals, have historically commanded us and we act as advisors/guides/aides. I consider that possibly superior to this. The Third Mind believes Minds are superior to ordinary Selphids. Revealing.”
“The Third Mind does need your cooperation. It will try to be kind. It will try to persuade you, because if you resist, it will become more difficult. But once it is over? I believe we will vote.”
Geneva Scala was beginning to float upwards. The Third Mind waited for her. A day had passed since their meeting with the Second Mind. A lot could happen.
The Third Mind wasn’t sure. And Geneva heard the many opinions within it, from separate Selphids. Yet as the Second Mind had told her—the Mind ruled by majority.
The Third Mind paused for less than a fraction of a heartbeat in real-time. But Geneva sensed many, many individual voices…minds…doing something that was like a vote. Only, with all their perspectives and feelings in play.
The Third Mind could produce waves far stronger, and it was made up of thousands of minds, all with wills arguably as strong as any Human’s. Some stronger, some weaker.
Geneva Scala stood in the center of the Mind. ‘Geneva’. Her eyes were blank. The Third Mind was everything, and she was…walking. Forwards, in the void of her own mind, to something.
