The Legacy of Lusiyelzuno Lathena-Alathemanay

Let me tell you this: some of the largest movements ever made were begun by those who, at first glance, may have seemed insignificant. Such as it was for the Merchant Engineer.

In another age, perhaps he would've gone unnoticed: a cog in the machine he helped maintain. And yet at that time, there was great opportunity. His duties brought the Merchant Engineer towards whispers. Echoes of the past. Voices with songs unheard. Yet they were scattered, lost in the winds across the land.

Yet the Merchant Engineer was entranced by the voices, and sought to find more. He travelled far and wide, gathering notes, listening to the split sentences and attempting to copy them. He found others across the land who had heard the whispers too, and told them of what he had learned.

While the songs were recorded and documented, his contribution faded into obscurity. The symphony of assembled voices was beauty, a tale told through time and across space. Yet while the lyricists, composers, and musical theorists made their publications, The Merchant Engineer did not, occupied again with his mundane responsibilities for his merchant company. But without him, such a work would never have been reconstructed.

Life continues at Osmos. And soon, set to continue without him. He hasn't announced it yet, but already murmurs and rumours have started to spread. There have been many changes recently – the loss of Soliana, the collapse of the P.I.A., an increase in charitable ventures with the S.E.A., but the company seems to be settling into a stable state.

But Lusiyelzuno is not at his office on Kore-83, instead locked into a match of Astaris with Korax on the Reckoners' Station. The game has gone on long, but still has plenty of time before the end-game crisis arrives.

“Your fleet composition needs upgrading. If we are to win this war, we require far more artillery ships than we have.”

Korax's instruction is brief, but pertinent. The two empires under their control have been engaged in near-total war against their neighbours for hundreds of in-game megaseconds, yet the tide is starting to turn. A number of decisive battles, Korax's squadrons taking point while Lusi focuses on scaling economic production. The two locked in a defensive pact against the hostile forces on all sides, coexistence in the face of all adversity.

Lusi looks at one of his new colonies, the factories already under construction. Happiness and stability are starting to dwindle, but still at manageable levels. It'll work for alloy production for the time being, but will remain a problem that, if not resolved, will boil over into something much worse. He allocates some resources to amenity production there, just to make sure that there's a plan in place for when this skirmish inevitably ends.

The last relic of Prismari influence is stripped from Kore-83. A propaganda poster of Onyx on one of the corridors. A time of unreasonable shifts and worker exploitation. No longer company policy. In its place, a reminder poster instructing proper technique for lifting of heavy objects.

Although no sound is heard through the vacuum of space, an observer in the facility looking through a window would see the ships starting to arrive. Shareholders and associates with Osmos from across the known galaxy. Representatives from sister companies formerly under the Prismari banner, surviving board members from the terrorist attack a year ago, all mixed in with new collaborators in the form of S.E.A. charity workers.

They filter into a meeting room. A diverse range of backgrounds, of experience, of desires. Conversation starts to break out between them. Sailors who have never had the chance to meet another sapient species in person before.

And finally, the last one enters the room. The CEO, Lusiyelzuno. At the assembled people he looks around, beak curling in a slight smile. For the future of Osmos. A better galaxy. After all, there's a lot of work still left to do, and he can't return back to research yet. He closes the door after himself. Their meeting is now in session.

I.

Onboard the Guild station, the Cartographers' bulletin is teeming with posters and notices. That by itself is no surprise, of course. But for those who have wandered by recently, there is one notice that catches the attention of most.

Osmos Industries Introduces Prof. Half Leaf as New Research Lead! ‘I’m very excited to be working with Half Leaf,’ relays Lusiyelzuno Lathena-Alathemanay, newly-appointed CEO of Osmos Industries. ‘It’s very ambitious stuff. I’m still a scientist at heart, which is why I think it’s important to invest in our R&D.’ When asked why Half Leaf, he explained: ‘their work struck a chord in me. And I think it’s important stuff that could really make the world a better place.’

II.

When Lusi thinks back to his first discovery of the monolith, he can’t help but laugh. How long has it been? Back before Onyx Guise, back before the war, before the Weapon and SNTNL, and even the Selethyan – it feels like he’s lived a thousand lives since then.

He thinks about those first moments on MONOR-C-14 III – when it was just him with the knowledge of these monoliths. Well, there were Detective Garibaldi and Fern, but he didn’t know them yet; at that moment, it was just him, Lusiyelzuno, face-to-face with answers and questions that only he knew of.

Can knowledge be a curse? He wonders, staring at the round clock on his walls. Its hands tick; rings and glyphs flash across Lusi’s mind. He thinks he knows the answer.

III.

‘Call me a coward,’ Lusi’s weak voice rings in the private deliberation room, ‘but nobody should hold that much power.’
He can feel Do-Loris’ judgment. He avoids her stare pointedly, electing to lock his gaze only at the Colonel and the Priest. The Weapon, Lusi thinks to himself, who has destroyed before, and is willing to destroy again.

Are we doomed to repeat the same cycle, over and over and over?

‘I would rather keep my loved ones safe.’ Sweeping Tides interjects. Shesha nods, and Lusi begins to doubt. He leaves that meeting confused, troubled, and uncertain.

Deep inside him, he knows he’d agree with Sweep. And yet…

IV.

Lusi had to rush out of the meeting hall, his chest weighed down by an inexplicable pang of guilt. He hadn’t stopped moving until he found himself staring at the infinite expanse of the universe through the station’s glass windows.
He’s not sure how long he stands there, utterly still and silent. Eventually, however, he hears Korax’s footsteps.

‘Lusi,’ the Android greets. ‘Are you alright?’

Lusi could always just say yes. Wave the concern away, as he often does.

‘No,’ he finally whispers, voice breaking.

There’s a beat of silence. Lusi thinks for a moment that Korax must’ve left him to wallow in his own misery – but then he feels a cold gush of air beside him, and the whirrings of Korax’s machinery come into much sharper focus.

They stand there in silence, staring back at the universe, not even touching.

Lusi eventually feels Korax’s gloved hands reach out for his, and he finally smiles.

V.

Lusi visits the Thousand Colours Moon for the first time when Saul-Tii shows him around. It makes him feel whole again; this process of discovery. Until recently, he had never really spent time with anyone other than fellow Rissi; never really had the chance to interact with anyone else. But through Saul-Tii and the S.E.A., Lusi learns more about the Sailors; their culture, hopes, and histories.

It gives him comfort, knowing that someone somewhere can live one more day because of him. Perhaps one day it will be enough.

VI.

The Cartographers' Guild station is bustling as proposed treaties are being discussed. After far too many deaths and far too few decisions, Lusi can’t help but thank the stars. But with all this talk of politics, he can’t help but feel a little bit out of his depth.

As Lusi walks around the meeting hall, he spots a familiar bright yellow pressure suit. ‘Professor Half Leaf,’ Lusi greets as he approaches. ‘It’s been a while since we’ve last talked. How has your work progressed?’
The Sailor rattles on about their latest paper, how they’re being shut down despite their 'brilliant' findings. Before Lusi is able to get in a word edgewise, Half Leaf offers out a strange little object. He recognizes it as a three-dimensional model of the ‘Optimal Shape’ Half Leaf had shown him before.

Half Leaf is holding out the Shape expectantly, and Lusi is hesitant, a feeling in him that the Shape is… sacred somehow. But after a beat, Lusi slowly brings up his talon and pokes the Shape at its side, half-expecting something to blow up.

The Shape moves in Half Leaf’s grip before it settles.

‘Nothing happened,’ Lusi breathes, bewildered.

Half Leaf’s eyes sparkle. ‘Exactly.’

Written by Ewemiz I.