Underrealm

Soltana

She dreamed.

She felt disconnected from herself, floating in a strange atmosphere of lights and swirling colors. There she could see strange transparent blueprints. One was of a hand, with its parts all disassembled, floating in place. There she could see the intricacies of the joints, alloy, and fiber. She saw blueprints of simpler devices, one was a four-legged crawler, it looked perfect for transporting her head. She studied it fully, her mind expanded and understood what it was she was seeing.

She looked back to when she was imprisoned, which felt like lifetimes ago. It had been only a few days. She had gained her name, gained her nacelle power back, and now gained another boon.

Knowledge.

It wasn’t as much a vision as it was her memory; or a mix of both. She was being given ideas on her own repair. Having her head transplanted to a crawler would do wonders. She felt the words forming, explaining what that meant.

Chassissing.

“Chassissing is important for immediate critical repairs. They will merge with the new transplanted part, becoming part of their being. This will further unlock more of their knowledge helix, allowing for more complex crafting.” The man spoke.

The voice felt familiar, yet she had no way of placing the disembodied voice. Much of what the man said was confusing.

Soltana witnessed the flashing of images. Different beings that looked just like her, fitted to unlike parts. She witnessed down to the barest molecules, linking together. The, unlike part, began to move as one of her own kind began to manipulate the new part.

She saw an example of her head trundling along a framed that propelled itself with treads, conquering every terrain type. Except for stairs. Balance would also be an issue.

She saw herself walking with bipedal legs on a complex frame, that sprinted with ease. It walked and moved with agility but it was fragile and complicated. There were many points of failure.

She saw herself floating along, her head was connected to several antigrav thrusters, free to go anywhere. It seemed impractical, expensive, and probably nonexistent where she was.

She saw herself trundling along crab legs, moving slowly but surely. It was steady and balanced. However, it was slower than most of the others. It did feel right for the terrain.

She understood what it meant and what she needed to do. However, she still had questions.

“Knowledge helix? Is that why I am starting to remember?” Soltana asked, her voice strobing away into the light show.

“Yes, that is what set you apart from Anforms, that your memory is intertwined with your very being. The more complete you are, the more you remember, and vice versa. You never truly forget. Isn’t that wonderful?”

“I suppose. I am not an Anform?” Soltana asked the voice, confused by the revelation.

“You will discover in due time. But now my dear, you know your next step.” The voice began.

“How?”

“How? You’re a clever girl, you’ll find a way! I know you can, Soltana!”

“But I can’t move.”

“But you have one who does.”

“L’yophin?”

“Exactly. See? Clever!”

“You have the blueprint and the way to project it!”

“My eyes,” Soltana responded immediately.

“As before, when he nestled me next to a nacelle.”

“And now, you know what to do.”

“Now get up and walk!” It commanded.

Soltana knew what she had to do.

Thus began her journey.

She thought about her identity. What made her Soltana? Was it the memory she had, the memory she was gaining, or who she was naturally? Which was the real Soltana? Was there a fake Soltana?

“No. I am Soltana. That is who I am. What I am will be an adventure.”

“I wouldn’t think too hard on the abstract of identity. It’s going to be revealed soon enough. You’ll see soon, my love. My creation.”

The dream vision ended.