Katabasis

[ysonesse]

Real World: Aeithera

"Kata...what?"

Nalieza and Meaithe were sitting on a permacrete bench outside the Municipal Library. They were waiting for Josym and Civriel to come from their risnet practice so the group could go inside and have a study session.

Meaithe took a long drag from the cret in her right hand and blew a trail of smoke up into the air. "As I said, katabasis."

"Okay, however it's pronounced. But it's a journey to the underworld, basically."

"In many ways, yes. You have to cross a body of water in order to travel through his unconscious. It's a journey you make at night, which is the traditional time for making any trip to the underworld. Plus, he is in a state that is something like death."

"So, that's it? Katabasis is just running around in the afterlife?"

"Hardly. If that's all it was about, then there's no reason to have some form of a katabasis story in almost every culture in the galaxy."

"What else is katabasis about?"

"Ultimately, it's about one thing. Something more important than life, death, or the journey in between." After sending one last puff of smoke into the air, Meaithe tapped the cretbutt into the bench, and then threw it in the waste bin next to her. "Transformation. That is more important than life or death, and certainly matters far more than the little sojourn in between the beginning and the end."

"What do you mean?"

"Transformation is the one truth that stands above all other factors in the evolution of a conscious being. Knowing oneself, that's half the purpose of being a conscious soul. The other half is using that knowledge to make yourself someone better."

"You aren't trying to say that what Han's going through is something that he needs in order to become a better person? Because if you're trying to say that..." Nalieza shook her head.

"You aren't getting my point. A path is discovered and traveled when the person finds the gate and opens it. Of their own will. That doesn't mean he had to go through any of this. He opened the gate to his path long before he was frozen."

"He didn't mean for that to happen," Nalieza said in a small voice.

"Of course not. We never have complete control over their lives. Other things have influence."

"Is that why you're suddenly filling my head with this stuff?"

"Well, you need to know as much as possible. You're doing what I've done with the souls of dead beings for most of my life. On a different level, but it's still guidework."

Nalieza was about to respond, but the sound of a clearing throat followed by a light "Ahem" interrupted that intention.

The two young women looked up and saw Josym standing there, with Civriel just off to the right. Both had the similar look of a recent and hurried cleanup, followed by a quick jumble of an outfit change.

"It must be an interesting discussion. Considering the two of us could hear you halfway down the steps," Josym said. There was one empty space by Nalieza, so he sat down next to her. Civriel took the other place by Meaithe.

"What's going on this time?" Josym asked.

"I'm being preached to," Nalieza said.

"I'm just trying to tell you what needs to be known."

"I don't think metaphysical mechanics are going to help him very much."

"Neither is refusing to accept the role that's been presented to you. He has no one else in this world who can cross the borders between both worlds and keep him going. You have no idea how unusual it is for him to have this chance. Beings in coma states never get the opportunity to experience a life review."

"But he's in suspended animation, not a coma," Josym said.

"The specifics don't really matter. Both situations involve brain states of lowered activity. Coma patients never get a chance to deeply examine their lives until the time of reckoning." Meaithe took a gold and red foil packet out of her satchel. She flipped one side up, then pulled out another cret from the shallow pouch. "As for those in carbonite, very few ever survived the freezing process. Even less were sane enough to withstand the onslaught of memories they were forced to experience in that state."

Nalieza frowned. "So basically you're trying to say that he's...lucky?"

Meaithe shrugged. "That's not how I would put it. But he is the only being ever put in carbonite to not only retain his sanity, but full awareness as well." She took an igniter from her satchel, then touched it briefly to the end of the unlit cret. There was a small puff of smoke, then an orange-gold glow. "You could say that the Force was sending you to him in the time of his greatest need. Because odd as it may sound, this is his opportunity to finally figure out what's most important to him. If he doesn't get his priorities straight now..." a quick drag from the cret, then a deep breath out... "well, there won't be another chance like this until after he dies."

Civriel moved over to sit on the right side of Meaithe, having to duck down to avoid another quick stream of smoke coming from her. "I suppose you were talking to your guide again, and that's how you got the information," he said.

She nodded. "Of course."

Nalieza rolled her eyes. "Usually, I do believe that you can see dead people and talk to them. But maybe you might be wrong this time."

"I assure that what has been said by me today is true. All of it."

Josym placed his bag on the ground, then stepped over it and took the last empty place on the bench by Nalieza. "Did your guide happen to inform you why she's the one who has to do this? I would've thought that Skywalker would be the obvious choice."

"I don't know the exact reason. But if you remember some of the rumors popping up around campus, then that might answer your question."

Nalieza bowed her head. Those rumors...the first one had started buzzing about two weeks ago. Like most rumors, it was vague, and didn't sound plausible. Something about Skywalker facing off against the so-called Darth Vader. A figure of legend who, like Han, many had claimed to see, and a few had even sworn to have encountered. But nothing of any substance could ever be known for certain about them. It was only little things that anyone could say for sure. And in the case of Vader, no one she had talked to could even say they knew one true thing about him.

But the first rumor was rapidly followed by a second one. Then the others flew around like mishi bats. On a university planet where there was an active underground student resistance movement, any kind of rumor about the most prominent members of the Rebellion was bound to spread fast.

What all of the rumors had amounted to was some kind of confrontation between the mysterious Dark Lord and the young Jedi. He had gone to the planet of Bespin to rescue Han and the princess...but instead found himself in a situation that almost destroyed him. But he had gotten away somehow...the last rumor had him being picked up by the Millennium Falcon off a weather vane.

She honestly didn't believe any of those stories. The only thing she knew to be real at that moment was the predicament Han was caught up in. Even though it was still hard to believe...but she was accepting its truth. And she also accepted her place in it now. Not only because the dreams weren't likely to end anytime soon, but also because she actually liked him. The notorious smuggler and space pirate was really a decent guy at heart.

She sighed. And I'm calling him by his first name, too. That definitely means something.

"Okay," she said, turning towards Meaithe. "Did your guide say anything else that might help me do this?

Meaithe placed the remainder of the second cret on the ground, and crushed it with her foot. "Loads more. Let me back up and start at the beginning..."