Gales was in the process of opening the enormous karma gate leading to the city on top of her Superstructure as she laid out the conditions for success. Sky’s lack of an immediate retort told her everything she needed to know. He was not happy with the prospect of housing his future messenger inside his very heart.
But given the fact he wasn’t able to purpose her to be obedient, he would have to comply no matter the upset gaze he provided her with through the shimmering screen.
 
It is not as if I freely chose my situation as well. We are stuck in our respective predicaments, Sky. I have to deal with the upsetting feeling of what would be comparable to severe heartburn. What did the Ancients take when they had it? Chewed dry Bubblefruits was it, right? Such a simple solution.
My solution will not be as trivial, far from it. But yours, Sky, might be even pleasant.
 
„Come on, Sky. Don’t give me that body language. View it like that instead. You get to experience a new outlook on your craft. Maybe even find some inspiration to lessen your trauma cases. Cheer up.“
„ … Fine. It is your department after all. I don’t see any reason not to trust your reasoning in cases of Empathy research. I will let her meet me as soon as I prepare my room to deal with the inevitable.“
„Which would be?“
„The introduction of biological waste into my pristine environment. And no, I am not talking about subject 001, but anything she will leave behind.“
„Fair reasoning. It would be best to set up a place for her inside your place. You know, antigravity and purposed lifeforms don’t match very well.“
„I guess …“ Sky looked not that happy with having to redecorate his puppet’s room. „I will make you responsible for any damage 001 will cause.“
 
Gales couldn’t help herself and chuckled soundly at that. She grinned with her eyes at Sky and patted the Overseer to solidify her case. The gate to the city was now open and the duo travelled outside, entering the city above the acid clouds, the Silent Monastery.
 
„I am quite alright with taking responsibility for her actions. After all am I the rooting cause of her existence. … And you quite literally feed her with a weak version of my unfiltered blood. If you allow me that comparison. I am her parent as much as you are, Sky.“

The Iterator hovered outside, the mobile antigravity generator in the root of her umbilical humming up, stabilising her floating sensation in the expanded space of open air. Following the rail to her favourite spot in the abandoned city, she noticed in growing amusement how her senior took longer and longer to come up with a compelling retort. The teasing nature of her words was way more challenging to him than any issue the Great Problem threw his way.
 
„I … don’t consider myself 001’s parent, Gales. I am her creator. She exists because I purposed her. I have no personal attachments to her or anyone of my other creations.“
„Looking at it from a biological point of view, however-“
„FINE! Why do you have to always look at things in such a non-professional fashion?“
„Because I care deeply about any of the sweethearts you sent my way. And it pains me to know that my acid rain issues flipsided their lives. Take a look, Sky. Try to look at my island through my perspective.“
 
Gales came to a halt on her rail system at the corner of a building, set on an elevated platform near the western end of the city. The area she was currently floating on was once a beloved spot for visitors of the Monastery to get a good view over the island.
The view was impeccable, with a good look at Gales‘ Animal Preservatory project as well as her external laboratories. A lush forest in the distance, housing her docile experiments, living in a perfectly balanced ecosystem. The sky was so clear that even the coast to the mainland was visible in the distance, granting a perfect view of her direct neighbour Approaching Sky.
 
Well, that was still the case 400 cycles ago. But now … the acid rain took so much. My forest? Partially mutated, partially dissolved. My laboratory array? Out of reach. The broken short-range communication system doesn’t allow me to control it. And the panorama? Green, slightly foggy even. That view was legendary, and now it is as depressing as it could get. My island is dying because of me.
…
My entire work. Gone! And I was THAT close to graspable results …

 
„I can see … the results of a chemical apocalypse. I can see … through your eyes … guilt? I know what it once looked like. The landscape is warped, the forest you were so proud of is now an inhabitable area from what I can see from our position. The green of the trees now shifted to a sickish tint.“ He scratched his metallic chin and leaned closer to the screen on his side. „Given our topic … the fact that the Preservatory is no more … you feel that you failed your duties as their goddess, their parent.“
„You don’t have to be that direct, Sky. Ouch. But … the observation is true. My body … I failed. Their suffering is my cross to bear. I need to get this under control so that they can return to a normal life, striving towards ascension. … Scavengers now included.“
„I think I understand now.“ Sky faced her again, maintaining eye contact. „Compassion. They are my experiments, subject 001 as well as all the other hyperintelligent critters. However, my lack of deeper understanding prevents me from providing them with what their advanced minds need.
001 does need more to prosper, she requires my active attention to grow into the role I purposed her for. Fine, I will let her, our … ‚child‘ … what an irritating thought … into my chamber. Are you happy now?“
„Quite!“
 
Gales took a few more moments to enjoy the pessimistic yet peaceful view. That far away from the terror of an acid downpour the greenish glow of the sky was oddly mesmerizing. But that brief idyll didn’t last long. A warning message popped up in her inner eye, followed by more and more until her entire screen face turned red. Gales writhed in pain and her antigravity generator gave in. The red warning lights at each corner of the city told a clear message. Her core workings briefly got disabled to focus all available energy of her Superstructure to deal with the newest breach. The acid ate into her Memory Array!
She punched the floor in sheer frustration, leaving behind a deep dent. Her expression wild, eyes flashing blue and red she groaned in pain, looking up from the ground to the Overseer. A few more moments passed and she eventually sighed in relief when the emergency protocol sealed down the breach.
 
„E-estimated damage. 0.003% of my Neuron Flies got dissolved through the breach. M-missing no relevant data. Sky, this is too frustrating! And it will only get worse from now on …“
„Oh no …“Approaching Sky’s body language shifted, concern washing over his puppet. „The question of if you are alright is currently nonsensical … I would try to help you up, but my Overseer is ill-equipped, unable to interact with you.“
 
Gales chuckled through the pain, amused by her senior’s reaction. She took a few seconds to hear inwards, to check on her Overseers and sighed in relief as the gravity generators booted back up, lightening the weight of the world on her puppet. She floated back up and smiled reassuringly at her friend. Her screen face showed a few fresh pixel errors from the sudden fall, but other than that she felt not overly hurt … besides the obvious of course.
 
„Gravity generators back online. The emergency case passed. Ok, I am back. … I better get used to that.“ She was floating now far closer to the surface, fearing another collapse at any time. „A-anyway. There was something else I wanted to inform you about.“
„Concerning … oh Gales. I wish … no, it happened. No changing the past … as much as I want to punch your architect into their masked face.“ He tilted his head, crooked antennas vibrating curiously. „Something else?“
„Not just you, Sky … not just you. Huh, curious. I don’t even have a name in my memories. The head architect redacted themselves out of my records. I started to realize why they did that. Anyway.-“
 
She pulled out the broadcast orb, activating it. The humming blue shine tinted her face as she opened the chat message from Seven Red Suns, showing their initials to the screen of Approaching Sky.
 
„In the not-that-distant past, I received a message from Seven Red Suns. They successfully used and applied my knowledge to raise a messenger. I know that our communication is timed, so … if you have dire questions about how to apply my dissertation, contact Suns. Mention me. I am sure they would be ok with giving a few tips at least.“
„Seven Red Suns … Oh, them! I am in irregular contact with their senior. Heard good things regarding them. I will consider it, Shifting Gales.“ He stopped and ogled the device. „Is that a chat 1.0 orb? Do they still work, even in your situation? Resilient antiquities.“
„Surprisingly … yes. Only the active broadcast signal from Lives and my personal broadcast antenna are required for it. A shame nobody uses them anymore. My contact list is deserted and I am the only one online on the entire globe.“
„Hmm … maybe Five Lives Unbound could establish that way of contact with you? But I would be surprised if she still has a compatible device … then again, not really. She loves her prehistoric stuff.“
 
Sky held in and opened another screen on his end of the chat, glancing at the request sent to him. He nodded and typed an answer before looking back at Gales, an amused gesture underlining his headtilt.
 
„Speaking of our Coordinator. Lives messaged me. Requesting a group call at dusk. My Overseer should be able to stay till early afternoon that cycle before I have to call it back to my Can.“
„About what?“
„Quite obvious. Whisper is not with us. Lives is her senior. She probably got concerned about the damage Far Whisper received. I can assume that our friend filled her in. No point in keeping her any further out of your situation. We need every help we can get.“
„I … guess. I will be there.“
 
A video chat with Lives!? Does she know about me? Void, how am I supposed to say anything? I struggle to even type with her. Calm down, Gales. You got that! It is only Lives … heh. Ancients, I am so screwed!
 

Forcing herself to relax, to reboot and let the Strata do its work in repairing her body was a challenge for the quirky Iterator. Whisper sighed in defeat as she finally let the algorithms wash over her consciousness and sort out the emotional turmoil of the past cycles. She felt a pleasant tingle growing in her speaker as the biomechanical nature of her puppet began to repair her strained microphone cords.
 
Lives‘ orders. It does feel good, but at the same time, it feels awful. I am not the one needing repair, Gales is. Poor girl … It should have been me, she doesn’t deserve any of that. Why is this all so frustrating and unbearable?!
 
Whisper lowered her puppet to the floor of her chamber, sitting down cross-legged, and disabled her optics. She felt the damage she caused on herself and noticed the itching sensation of the healing process of her living metal walls. Metal panels slowly grew back together and busted wiring got reattached bit by bit. In a few cycles, all that would remain would be brighter spots in the walls, fresh metallic flesh, still tender yet hard. Scars of her volatile temper. … A temper that would have caused her friend to die for real if not for Sky’s intervention.
 
Why … why do you have to dabble with Scavengers of all, Gales? I … know, you didn’t choose your saviour. I let my hatred for them guide my actions. I said things … many awful things that went against every karmic purity. Why do I feel regret? Why do I want to apologize?
…
It is still part of the same species that has tormented Lives for countless cycles already. It doesn’t deserve humility. But it did save the life of Gales, who I hold dear the most. … Maybe I will be lucky and not have to encounter that specific individual again. Because Gales would want me to apologize … I know her.
…
Alright … empty your thoughts Whisper. Accept the reboot. You have to be functional at dusk. Gales will need you at your peak!
 

Five Lives Unbound was speechless. She had opened countless white-glowing screens in front of her yellow optics, each containing observations from her peers about Shifting Gales, reaching as far back as the last time she interacted with the group. She had already read every report in a fraction of a second and went now one by one over every section to consciously realize just how dire the situation got over time.
She crossed her arms and sighed, an electric interference breaking the silence in her room. She had crossed out all other ongoing broadcasts before focusing on Gales' situation, informing the other four local groups as well as all forums she moderated of her absence. The lively walls were dead and dark. But her panic grew bright as she arrived at the most recent reports.
Hands wandered up to her forehead, cupping her antennas as she slumped over. If she would have had hair, she would probably be bald by now.
 
„What in the Void’s name happened to you, Shifting Gales? Why were the Ancients that cruel to you? Fed with acids … a timer to limit your functionality … why? You are built on an island for crying out loud. Water everywhere! But no access to it.“
 
Lives summoned the screens containing the final breach. The Overseer logs from Approaching Sky, everything. She groaned audibly as she noticed a peculiar detail in the report, followed by an amused snort.
 
„One of these nuisances, which are sabotaging my archaeological efforts, saved you? Now that is a surprise. Glad to see that some of them are capable of doing good as well for a change. But still … poor Gales.
…
So much needless suffering. Even a full-on shutdown of you … curious development, however. You work so … different from me. A modular umbilical arm? Able to detach and reattach? … Hmm … That does open possibilities. An unusual situation calls for outlandish solutions to exploit. I will have to discuss that when we will meet, Gales.
…
Still, you don’t deserve any of that. Similar to the reason dear Looks to the Moon collapsed was your situation caused by accidental or intentional oversights from our creators. Strange decisions lead to atrocious consequences. Just what were you thinking, Ancients?“
 
Lives looked at the empty screens and sighed. She knew from Whisper quite a bit about Shifting Gales, even if they never interacted on a personal level. The odd Iterator would appreciate it if she would keep as many as possible out of the loop. But depending on where the group call tomorrow will lead to, she will be forced to at least indirectly gather some assistance from various specialists in their respective fields. 
 
Whisper won’t ever forgive me if I don’t use everything at my disposal. We will fix you, Gales. ... I don’t know how, but I won’t let you drown in acid. … One regular drowning case in the past major cycles is more than enough. … Zero would be a dream, but I am no miracle worker. ...