Chapter Seven - Crime and Punishment

Chapter Seven
Crime and Punishment

350 Cycles P.E.

         The Supreme High One was beginning to get bored with the daily routine of hearing complaints from the Elders and deciding what to do about their issues. Most often all they wanted was to hear they were right and whomever they had issues with was wrong. More than likely, it was the other way around. They were getting careless.

         On this particular day, an Elder named Gnit had an issue regarding a Young One who had been causing trouble. Her name was Eternity. She was barely formed and still being tutored by an Old One. It had been reported that the Old One was not providing the discipline, or education, required to keep his pupil in order. The Elder stated, that he did not want to interfere without the other Elders' consent. It also has been reported student has probed minds, broken barriers, and read inner thoughts. The Elder, of course, did not allow her the opportunity to his mind.

         Oh? How did you accomplish this feat? Asked the Supreme High One.

         Well, I, uh, never actually engaged her and stayed away. Which I thought was best. For her sake, replied Elder Gnit.

         Before his next question to Elder Gnit, the Supreme High One felt a very faint touch on his mind. It was someone trying to gain access to his inner thoughts. He saw her inner thoughts and found out it was Eternity, and what she was planning. He knew she couldn't succeed. Out of consideration for her future, he sent her a message for her to go back to her Old One or find another tutor and complete her training.

         After sending the message to Eternity, he automatically reinforced his barriers and then forgot about her. The Supreme High One felt revenge and hatred within her response not only toward him but all Hydranousians. It wasn't more than five esuoms before he received a telepathic attack from Eternity. In response, the Supreme High One sent a small response. It was so small, that it wouldn't take any reserve power to send.

         He was monitoring Eternity's thoughts before sending the response. When she received it, he could tell how much damage occurred. She could neither send nor receive any telepathic communication. As he learned, he could read her thoughts, but she could neither read nor receive thoughts from anyone else besides him.

         He felt her anguish and pain. He knew her punishment was just but felt she needed some type of compassion. He opened up a small two-way telepathic communication link between her and himself so he could talk with her.

         Eternity, this is the Supreme High One. Can you hear me?
         Am I hearing things? Am I becoming an Afflicted One? All because of the Supreme High One? Eternity lamented.

         No, Eternity. This is the Supreme High One. I have opened a special link just between you and me. I have an offer for you, began the Supreme High One, I would like to invite you to live at the palace with me. Hear me out. Everything you need will be provided for you. All I ask of you is that you respect the others there and do no harm. Do you accept?

         Are you mocking me? She retorted. You want to keep me there as an item to show to your precious Elders as one of your defeated foes. Oh, I see now! You feel bad for what you did to me! You want to feel better about yourself. Well, I am not going to give you the satisfaction. I will stay here, But I will make it a living torment for you.

         And she did. Eternity was there for two cycles. All the while causing terror and mischief of one kind or another. The final deed was when the Supreme High One probed her mind and discovered she had been sending written documents regarding false accusations of an elder uprising against the Supreme High One. When confronted, Eternity didn't deny anything.

         Yes, I sent them out. The Elders aren't going to announce their rebellion against you. There are several who hate you about as much as I do, if not a little more. Go ahead and probe my mind, if you haven't already. You will find exactly what I told you.

         The Supreme High One was probing her mind before when her mind was blocked off from receiving telepathic communication. Despite all of the chatter he found, he did not see anything about an elder rebellion. She purposely misled him.

         I did not find any past or present information to support your claims. I believe you misled me.

         No, I lied to you. You are too trusting for your own good.
         The Supreme High One decided at that moment. He had been thinking about it for some time but felt it was too drastic.

         Eternity, because you will not change in your deceitful ways, it has been decided you will be banished to the North Quadrant without returning. This will be carried out as soon as the Elders can convene at the palace.

         After waiting for one-third of a cycle for all Elders to have made their way to the palace, the Supreme High One called the meeting to order.

         My esteemed Elders, I have called this meeting today because I require your assistance. We have a traitor not only to the office of the Supreme High One but to the Elders as well. If she would have had her will, we would have been eliminated and she would have assumed full power of all our offices. Her name is Eternity, and she stands before you guilty as charged.

         How could you allow such a dangerous creature here, stated Igneous?

         Remove that traitor immediately, called Siirois.

         What would you have us do, Supreme High One, asked Tem?

         I hear all of your cries for justice and concern. The guilty have been silenced of all her powers, she can neither send nor receive. She is cut off completely from her telepathy and telekinesis abilities.

         The sentence for her crimes is banishment to the Northern Quadrant for life.

         There was silence.

         We will begin the teleportation process immediately. I will be the conduit, focus all your energy on me. I will know who is not putting forth effort and will call them out after. Yow will not like the consequences.

         Follow my mental commands and images. This may seem like a complicated task, but it is quite simple. Keep your mind on Eternity. Focus on her. Focus harder. There. Now, open your minds to the image I am giving you. It is no trick, it's just an image. I can see who is resisting and why. If this fails because of you two, I will search your deepest secrets to see what you were hiding. Good for the rest of you. Now here it goes.

         For a tense thirty esuoms, it seemed there was no noise of any kind. At last, Eternity began to start to fade slowly away. It took another twenty esuoms for the entire process to occur.

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