Soul quotient: 1/1
Mn smiled at the woman behind the glass window, “I’m here for the transit pass.”
“Just a moment,” the woman smiled, as her gaze fluctuated between Mn and her holographic screen. “First timer, huh? Why do you possess so many weapons?”
Mn hesitated. He’d forgotten about his collection. Were these people capable of seeing into even his most hidden spaces? They might not give him a transit pass if they thought he was a dangerous warrior. Should he lie? Say he was a gardener and that they were tools of his trade? Would their technology be capable of detecting untruths? Probably.
“I enjoy collecting them,” he chose the more honest path. “I’m weird that way. There’s something about a finely crafted implement of war that sings to my soul. Plus, they come in handy if you’re ever attacked. I don’t intend to harm anyone, unless I’m under mortal threat.” Had he messed that up? Would he not be allowed to travel through this dimension in search of his brother? Damn it all.
The woman nodded, her smile waning a little as her screen flickered. “Go on to the next room. You are expected.”
A group of people, including the driver, escorted him to the next room, which was dominated by an enormous holographic model of a gigantic turtle. A group of people, dressed in white long coats, stood within the room, studying the holographic model intently.
“Hello, hello,” a distinguished looking woman said. “We were expecting you here much earlier.”
“A cosmic cycle earlier actually,” the man near her added.
“Well,” the woman patted the man on his hand, “he’s here now, so stop fretting.” She grabbed Mn by the hand and pulled him to the front of the holographic model, “As you can see, the disease is spreading. Tell us how we can cure it.”
“Cure the turtle?” Mn mumbled.
He’d never been interested in reptiles, and knew next to nothing about medicine. The closest to administering medicine he’d come to was in distributing mead to his men, but he didn’t want to lost this chance to find and rescue his brother. He’d have to make something up.
“Hmm,” he stroked his chin, “I suppose we could operate, and remove the infected area. It looks like it’s almost completely consumed by the disease anyway. Make an incision on that spot between the gaps on the shell,” he pointed at the model, “send a crew of a few healers through it, cure what can be cured, remove and destroy the parts that are too far gone, suture it up and then pump the entire system with nutrients and substances to stave off further infection and promote regrowth.”
The entire room burst into applause. The man who had been rude earlier about Mn’s late arrival was now beaming in a smile and giving everyone cake.
“That will do it,” he laughed. “We’d never have been able to come up with such a plan of action. You were worth the wait.”
“Did I pass?” Mn asked, not sure what was happening. “Will I get the inter-dimensional transit pass?”
“Oh, that and more,” the man answered in glee.
Mn decided to exit the room before they changed their minds. The driver accompanied him. “I don’t get it,” Mn mumbled to the driver. “What I said was just common sense. I have no knowledge of medicine. Why are they so happy?”
“Common to you,” the driver laughed, “but not to them. What you did was a very rare thing.”
“But the turtle… Anyone could see that…”
The driver hushed him with a gesture, “You saw a turtle, but those people saw stars and atoms and comets, metals and gas, electromagnetic waves. Your words today will result in the destruction of twenty stars systems, and perhaps also in the salvation of the universe. What was common sense to your perception, was exceptionally rare in theirs.”
“So, that’s the price of a transit pass these days?”
“Transit pass?” the driver laughed. “You gained much more than that. You are now qualified to partake in the test of discipleship to the celestial sages. There will be twelve contestants, out of which seven are chosen. If you want to rescue your brother, becoming a celestial sage might be the only way.”
“Five losers eh?” Mn grunted. “Knowing my luck, I’ll probably end up being one of them. I have little knowledge of the universe, apart from how to make war.”
“You can cheat,” the driver whispered in his ear. “There’s a being living at the edge of this dimension who can split your soul. Since you’re one of the first to qualify, if you split your soul the other parts of you will automatically get qualified for the test. Split your soul into three, and you’ll be taking the test as three different people, tripling your chance of success. I can’t drive you to him myself, but I can lend you my car.”
“Alright,” Mn said, “I’ll do it. I’ll split my soul.”
© whenmarsmetsaturn.wordpress.com (2018)
Whispers of the Universe 