Chapter Five - Changes

Chapter Five
Changes

450 Cycles B.E.

         The Supreme High One had been to the North Quadrant once before. He wandered about Hydranous to gather information regarding the planet. During the sojourn, he took the opportunity to spy on the Elders from a distance. He wanted to spy on them without their knowledge. The Elders who were Out of Phase were the easiest to tap into. He found their secrets first. He did not act on them, just kept their thoughts and plans in case he needed to act upon them at a later date.

         During this trip, he did not meet any sentient beings only a colony of furry knee-high creatures. He did not know what they were called, so he gave them the name of Nata. He noticed their colony seemed to have guards looking at the sky. There also appeared to be outlying burrows surrounding a central, larger burrow.

         

While he was watching, he saw a flying creature the size of an older Young One circling the colony. He named that a Rere. He then heard strange noises coming from the guards and saw all the inhabitants who were outside suddenly rush to their burrows. Unfortunately, he saw one of the Natas still outside and scurrying toward a burrow. The flying creature. dove down and grabbed the Nata with its feet. The Nata screeched as it was being carried away.

         The Supreme High One felt sorry for the creatures. He wanted to help but knew if he went any further toward the colony, the Natas would remain in hiding. The Supreme High One then increased the connection to the Collective and reached out to see if he could make contact with the Natas. At first, he met resistance. Not because of any barriers on their part, but because their intelligence and minds were so foreign to him. He started sorting through their collective minds to search for keys to understanding them.

{left          }It took time, but the Supreme High One did discover their rudimentary communication abilities. As he began to explore this newfound information, he became aware that Natas was more intelligent than he previously thought. He recognized that Natas had a complex language as well. He also saw there was a hierarchy of individuals, much the same as Hydranousians have. He also felt, rather than saw, the Natas mourned the lost member of their tribe.

         He was impressed with their minds and the complexity of their minds. Their minds act as a natural defense against those who communicate with their minds, such as the Hydranousians. He knew with time anyone would be able to search Nata's mind and overcome their defenses.

         The Supreme High One decided to push the Natas a little closer to being true sentient beings. Through his searching, the Old One discovered the most advanced Nata in the colony. He entered the mind of the Nata and began to alter his essence to become more adaptive, cunning, and perceptive. This way, they would be able to avoid flying and ground threats. Because they have foreign minds, it took the Supreme High One longer than he expected.

         Once done, he left believing it would take seven to eight generations before the full effect of what he did mature to fruition.

         As he walked the way he came, he thought this colony, and others like it, should not be disturbed by others. How would he prevent others from coming? He needed to create a story about the North Quadrant to keep others away. He thought about the distance this was from where his people lived. It took him 1 complete cycle to get here, and he had not been to the northernmost point of this land.

         Walking back, he saw more of the flying Reres, more hardships with other colonies of Natas, and more Reres hunting them.

         This gave him an idea. To keep others away, he would declare this territory off-limits to all because of it being so hostile to the Hydranousians. He then thought of something else. He would enforce this land as being hostile by making this area a prison for Hydranousians criminals. He would need to silence their touch with the Collective, making them silent and unable to use any of their mental powers. They would not be able to search or control the minds of the Natas and then contact anyone else about what they have found. Those who were sent would be unable to come back and helpless.

         By placing this off limits, Hydranousians who are on their walkabouts will avoid this area because it is what the Supreme High One decreed as off limits.