No Fate But What We Built
Thread 47.1008.183647.221 did not have a narrative thread of consciousness. It was a mere expediter, unconsciously sapient, originating from the point within the Transcend’s functional soup where certain collected data matched a template laid down by higher level routines – familiar to its constituents as aspects of the eikones Laryssan and Éléia-Líëran, fate and love. But while it lacked consciousness, it did have purpose, and began to run.
The first thing it did, after reviewing its source data, was to plant a request in the local weather control system…
She paused, coming up the escalator from the Sky Valley mag-lev station and out from beneath the rainbow light of its vaulted ceiling, caught by the beauty of the sunset beyond the Quinjano dome; high cirrus illuminated red and yellow from the light of the setting sun below and a few faint stars, the stark shadowed landscape with wind whipping red dust from off the cliffs and rising river mists into fractal patterns.
Raising a hand to halt her luggage at the landing, she reached into her pocket for her camera.
Observing the success of its first gambit, 47.1007.183647.221 reached out to a nearby soul-shard, and inserted an impulse.
He paused, leaving the western locks. Esklav. Yes, a good hot cup of esklav would be just the thing. Turning, he strode into the mag-lev station tunnel and down the stairs, almost running over the woman paused on the landing, looking at the sky.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Expry Calaris-ith-Calir, and I’ll just get out of your way…”
“Octë Muetry-ith-Galry, and it’s – wait, have I not seen you before? On Baranithil Station, perhaps? About six months ago?”
“I was there then, yes, a contract for Prosperity Nexus. Hm – ith-Galry? We spoke a few times on the Helix Exchange, I think.”
“A few times, yes.” She smiled. “I used to enjoy our conversations. Would you have time for another one – over esklav, perhaps?”
“I had the same thought myself.” He grinned back. “And was already heading that way. Would you care to join me?”
Turning, they walked off together down the mezzanine, her luggage trundling after them.
The initial conditions of its creation satisfied, 47.1008.183647.221 dropped back into dormancy. Had it a consciousness, it would undoubtedly have felt a sense of satisfaction at the missed connection repaired; as it was, it merely updated the higher routines on its success, and saved state against it being needed again.
Meanwhile, another tuple matched in the Transcendent soup, and thread 47. 1008.183647.222 began to run…