Post by Lilith Piacevole on Oct 14, 2010 17:20:14 GMT 1
Darkness had long settled over Wallach IX, the secretive Bene Gesserit Chapterhouse planet, heavy clouds blotting out stars and moon alike. It was a stormy, mid-winter night, frozen winds howling high and low, scattering snow, crushing the skeletal remains of barren trees, rapping furiously against the plaz windows, clearing everything in their path. Gone were the brief hours of sunlight the planet enjoyed at that time of the year, though even that sunlight was devoid of warmth or cheer: it was cold light, dead light…the shine of Wallach’s dwarf sun. The fourty stories Chapterhouse building and its neighbouring compounds rose out of the pristine white landscape like starch, ashen pinnacles of black-grey stone, towering above it ominously, unmoving in the face of the planet’s raging storms. No light could be discerned in the darkness, giving the impression that the awesome building slept peacefully…yet it was simply that…an impression.
Flanked by two stony-faced Acolytes, Lilith Piacevole crossed one silent corridor after another, climbing and descending long staircases, their hurried steps echoing in the silence. For an hour they had been transversing the vast distances that separated the various wings of the Motherschool, distances normally crossed swiftly with the help of lift tubes and shortcuts, which allowed Sisters to move across the compound efficiently. But not then; after having been roused from her bed in the dead of the night, Lilith met the blank stare of two Acolytes who informed her she needed to come with them, no reasons given, no clue as to what awaited her. She knew better than to question that; she knew also that this lengthy, exhausting walk was purposeful, meant to prepare her mind for what lay ahead, whatever that was. “It’s a test. It has to be.” she thought, unable to banish fear from her soul.
Chilled to the bone and frightened, she was taken deeper and deeper into the core of the building, far from the window-lined corridors, shrouded in pitch darkness. Lilith recognized it then. It lead to Miral Alechem’s office. She knew it well, for she had been brought there many a time before, but never like that, in the middle of the night, without an explanation. It felt as if an icy finger moved up and down her spine; the situation did not bode well.
Then, while being instructed to enter the Reverend Mother’s office, the realization settled in: she knew! Lilith’s pulse raced wildly even as she hesitantly crossed the threshold; her secret escapade must have been discovered! But no, no, that was impossible! She had taken such great care…! Alechem’s office was a prime example of Bene Gesserit intimidation techniques when it came to architecture and decoration, but with the Reverend Mother’s added personal touches. Its ceiling descended subtly starting with the entrance and ending to the far side where the desk was situated, giving the impression that the occupant was taller and more imposing than they actually were. Likewise, when wished, a single glowlglobe set on maximum brightness shone its blinding light from a source just behind Miral Alechem’s head, outlining her frame in a shimmering white glyph, contrasting with the darkness of her garments and hair and hindering visitors’ view. Lilith, an Acolyte for less than six months, still recoiled from the ominous message that image sent. It was so that Miral Alechem received her that night; standing with her back towards her, still as a statue, the wind from the cracked window flaring her robes and hair wildly, sending a freezing draft across the room.
“You wished to see me, Reverend Mother?” the girl dared, determined to hold on to her dwindling composure. She couldn’t allow her voice to betray her inner feelings.
“Tell me…what was our agreement? What did you swear when I took you as an Acolyte?”
Lilith’s lips moved wordlessly; despite the chilling cold, a wave of heat burst inside of her.
“That I would give it my full attention and dedication, Reverend Mother.” she recited, dreading what would come next. Miral Alechem began to turn around –slowly, without haste-, a robed alabaster statue with unfathomable indigo blue eyes and mercilessly pursed lips, staring the younger woman down.
“And I warned you if that did not happen, you would be on the next heighliner off this planet, correct?”
“Y-yes. Yes, Reverend Mother.”
“Make arrangements then. Gather all your possessions and wait in the Entrance Hall. You’ll be taken to the spaceport first thing in the morning. Consider our agreement ended here.”
Lilith felt her jaw drop; her heart beat itself wildly against her ribcage and a half swoon clouded her mind momentarily; she had been entirely unprepared for this! A lecture, a harsh punishment, she could have withstood calmly but banishment! Banishment, after nearly six months of continued effort, six months of painful, exhausting training and bewildering testing, sleep deprivation and endurance. And her only crime was that she had taken refuge in alcohol one night, alone and cold on the floor of her room, torn by memories of happier days when Elisha and Cassandra had been her friends. The bottles had been destroyed; she had made sure of that. There was no possible way Alechem could have found out.
“You can’t do this!” she gasped, the words leaving her lips before she could stop them. Anger replaced her fear, hatred poisoned the respect she had for Alechem; pure, hot hatred. “I have never failed you, never! This isn’t fair! I have always given my duties my full attention! I didn’t do anything wrong!”
“Don't tell me what I can and can't do, girl! Instead, tell me why you think I summoned you here.”
“I couldn’t imagine, Reverend Mother.” Lilith intoned blankly. Like a loosened arrow, Miral’s arm darted through the air, pointing out a crate seated on the floor at their right. Lilith choked; the bottles of Kaitain Red, the bottles she had seen fall down the chute into the Incinerator, were there, untouched, painfully real. Wishing that the very ground would open up and swallow her whole, the girl bowed her head, defeated. It was too late; she knew then Alechem would banish her.
“You disappoint me.” the Reverend Mother chided, and indeed Lilith could feel the bleak resentment in her voice. Anger would have been far more bearable. “I expected you would try at least once to relive your old habits, your very nature makes it so very tempting. That, can be remediated. I did not however expect you to show such blatant stupidity, or such arrogance! That night when you snuck down to the Incinerator to dispose of the bottles, even a mere Profictus would have gotten suspicious! And again, right now, you fail to see the lesson in all of this. I feel more inclined than ever to banish you.”
Flanked by two stony-faced Acolytes, Lilith Piacevole crossed one silent corridor after another, climbing and descending long staircases, their hurried steps echoing in the silence. For an hour they had been transversing the vast distances that separated the various wings of the Motherschool, distances normally crossed swiftly with the help of lift tubes and shortcuts, which allowed Sisters to move across the compound efficiently. But not then; after having been roused from her bed in the dead of the night, Lilith met the blank stare of two Acolytes who informed her she needed to come with them, no reasons given, no clue as to what awaited her. She knew better than to question that; she knew also that this lengthy, exhausting walk was purposeful, meant to prepare her mind for what lay ahead, whatever that was. “It’s a test. It has to be.” she thought, unable to banish fear from her soul.
Chilled to the bone and frightened, she was taken deeper and deeper into the core of the building, far from the window-lined corridors, shrouded in pitch darkness. Lilith recognized it then. It lead to Miral Alechem’s office. She knew it well, for she had been brought there many a time before, but never like that, in the middle of the night, without an explanation. It felt as if an icy finger moved up and down her spine; the situation did not bode well.
Then, while being instructed to enter the Reverend Mother’s office, the realization settled in: she knew! Lilith’s pulse raced wildly even as she hesitantly crossed the threshold; her secret escapade must have been discovered! But no, no, that was impossible! She had taken such great care…! Alechem’s office was a prime example of Bene Gesserit intimidation techniques when it came to architecture and decoration, but with the Reverend Mother’s added personal touches. Its ceiling descended subtly starting with the entrance and ending to the far side where the desk was situated, giving the impression that the occupant was taller and more imposing than they actually were. Likewise, when wished, a single glowlglobe set on maximum brightness shone its blinding light from a source just behind Miral Alechem’s head, outlining her frame in a shimmering white glyph, contrasting with the darkness of her garments and hair and hindering visitors’ view. Lilith, an Acolyte for less than six months, still recoiled from the ominous message that image sent. It was so that Miral Alechem received her that night; standing with her back towards her, still as a statue, the wind from the cracked window flaring her robes and hair wildly, sending a freezing draft across the room.
“You wished to see me, Reverend Mother?” the girl dared, determined to hold on to her dwindling composure. She couldn’t allow her voice to betray her inner feelings.
“Tell me…what was our agreement? What did you swear when I took you as an Acolyte?”
Lilith’s lips moved wordlessly; despite the chilling cold, a wave of heat burst inside of her.
“That I would give it my full attention and dedication, Reverend Mother.” she recited, dreading what would come next. Miral Alechem began to turn around –slowly, without haste-, a robed alabaster statue with unfathomable indigo blue eyes and mercilessly pursed lips, staring the younger woman down.
“And I warned you if that did not happen, you would be on the next heighliner off this planet, correct?”
“Y-yes. Yes, Reverend Mother.”
“Make arrangements then. Gather all your possessions and wait in the Entrance Hall. You’ll be taken to the spaceport first thing in the morning. Consider our agreement ended here.”
Lilith felt her jaw drop; her heart beat itself wildly against her ribcage and a half swoon clouded her mind momentarily; she had been entirely unprepared for this! A lecture, a harsh punishment, she could have withstood calmly but banishment! Banishment, after nearly six months of continued effort, six months of painful, exhausting training and bewildering testing, sleep deprivation and endurance. And her only crime was that she had taken refuge in alcohol one night, alone and cold on the floor of her room, torn by memories of happier days when Elisha and Cassandra had been her friends. The bottles had been destroyed; she had made sure of that. There was no possible way Alechem could have found out.
“You can’t do this!” she gasped, the words leaving her lips before she could stop them. Anger replaced her fear, hatred poisoned the respect she had for Alechem; pure, hot hatred. “I have never failed you, never! This isn’t fair! I have always given my duties my full attention! I didn’t do anything wrong!”
“Don't tell me what I can and can't do, girl! Instead, tell me why you think I summoned you here.”
“I couldn’t imagine, Reverend Mother.” Lilith intoned blankly. Like a loosened arrow, Miral’s arm darted through the air, pointing out a crate seated on the floor at their right. Lilith choked; the bottles of Kaitain Red, the bottles she had seen fall down the chute into the Incinerator, were there, untouched, painfully real. Wishing that the very ground would open up and swallow her whole, the girl bowed her head, defeated. It was too late; she knew then Alechem would banish her.
“You disappoint me.” the Reverend Mother chided, and indeed Lilith could feel the bleak resentment in her voice. Anger would have been far more bearable. “I expected you would try at least once to relive your old habits, your very nature makes it so very tempting. That, can be remediated. I did not however expect you to show such blatant stupidity, or such arrogance! That night when you snuck down to the Incinerator to dispose of the bottles, even a mere Profictus would have gotten suspicious! And again, right now, you fail to see the lesson in all of this. I feel more inclined than ever to banish you.”
