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==Audio Transcript== | ==Audio Transcript== | ||
Rebirth. By Erik Bear | Rebirth. By Erik Bear{{Ref/Note|The book transcript and audio recording was done prior to Chloe Bear changing her name.}} and Greg Bear. | ||
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The chamber reminded him of the ghost gallery on [[Installation 07|the Halo]]. Too cold, too clean, no smell. The Forerunner's arms bristled and he backed away from the tall female until his feet came to the edge of the platform. The Forerunner drew in closer. From what little he understood of Forerunner expressions, she appeared concerned. Perhaps she meant to be kind. He did not trust any of that, not yet. He knew all too well what Forerunners were capable of. They had once reduced humans to near-extinction. What cruel fate might they bring this time? "You are Riser," she said. The radiance flowed up and around him. His body was soothed, but his mind recoiled. This was the name his friends used, but he had not given her permission. "I have sad news, Riser. We have saved only a few of your kind, cha''manush''." | The chamber reminded him of the ghost gallery on [[Installation 07|the Halo]]. Too cold, too clean, no smell. The Forerunner's arms bristled and he backed away from the tall female until his feet came to the edge of the platform. The Forerunner drew in closer. From what little he understood of Forerunner expressions, she appeared concerned. Perhaps she meant to be kind. He did not trust any of that, not yet. He knew all too well what Forerunners were capable of. They had once reduced humans to near-extinction. What cruel fate might they bring this time? "You are Riser," she said. The radiance flowed up and around him. His body was soothed, but his mind recoiled. This was the name his friends used, but he had not given her permission. "I have sad news, Riser. We have saved only a few of your kind, cha''manush''." | ||
She did not use that word properly. If most of his kind were now dead, or lost, or away from any spiritual center. Names had to change to reflect such loss. If so many of his people were dead, their name would now be k<nowiki>'</nowiki>cha''manush''. | She did not use that word properly. If most of his kind were now dead, or lost, or away from any spiritual center. Names had to change to reflect such loss. If so many of his people were dead, their name would now be k<nowiki>'</nowiki>cha''manush''.{{Ref/Note|The "k'" prefix signifies a click sound. This spelling is conjectural, although derived from the canonical spelling of [[k'tamanush|k'ta''manush'']].}} So the female Forerunner did not know everything. Chakas would have understood. [[Erde-Tyrene civilization|Any human]] on [[Earth|Erde-Tyrene]] would have known how to voice respect for those now gone. But how far away gone? Too far to reach? If he died on this sky-boat would he ever find the dead again? He shrugged out his arms. | ||
"We were never many," he said looking around with a squint, "How many now?" At the female's direction the chamber's lights glowed brighter. He saw that other Forerunners were examining the sleepers, mostly bigger humans. He tried to count, but they, too, were not many. And these Forerunners were all [[Lifeworker]]s, there were no [[Warrior-Servant|fighters]], none like [[Ur-Didact|the Didact]]. So few of anybody. | "We were never many," he said looking around with a squint, "How many now?" At the female's direction the chamber's lights glowed brighter. He saw that other Forerunners were examining the sleepers, mostly bigger humans. He tried to count, but they, too, were not many. And these Forerunners were all [[Lifeworker]]s, there were no [[Warrior-Servant|fighters]], none like [[Ur-Didact|the Didact]]. So few of anybody. | ||
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The mood was strange. So much had been lost, and the pent-up emotions quickly gushed to the surface as wild dance and howling songs filled with pain. The k<nowiki>'</nowiki>cha''manush'' sung a great epic of a warrior who many times tries to retrieve his love from the underworld, but never succeeds. Though the other k<nowiki>'</nowiki>ha''manush'' could not understand all the words, the message was plain: Life is passing, and death is eternal. Remember the past, but honor it in the present. Eulogies and dirty jokes crowded against each other. There was crying and laughing, and sometimes both at once. | The mood was strange. So much had been lost, and the pent-up emotions quickly gushed to the surface as wild dance and howling songs filled with pain. The k<nowiki>'</nowiki>cha''manush'' sung a great epic of a warrior who many times tries to retrieve his love from the underworld, but never succeeds. Though the other k<nowiki>'</nowiki>ha''manush'' could not understand all the words, the message was plain: Life is passing, and death is eternal. Remember the past, but honor it in the present. Eulogies and dirty jokes crowded against each other. There was crying and laughing, and sometimes both at once. | ||
Vinnevra met Riser again. They shared memories of [[Halo: Primordium|their time on the Halo]]. Riser listened aghast, enthralled at what had happened to Chakas and Vinnevra, and [[Gamelpar|her father]] | Vinnevra met Riser again. They shared memories of [[Halo: Primordium|their time on the Halo]]. Riser listened aghast, enthralled at what had happened to Chakas and Vinnevra, and [[Gamelpar|her father]]{{Ref/Note|Although referenced here as Vinnevra's father, Gamelpar is established in ''[[Halo: Primordium]]'' as being her grandfather.}} before he had rejoined them. As well, he told her his experiences. Others listened and spread word. Before the assembled crowd with much encouragement, after Vinnevra was thrice rebuffed when she tried to escape, they ascended a scaffold and told their tale anew as a great adventure. | ||
Half drunk with the fermented juice, Vinnevra quickly caught up with Riser as he sang and whistled and chanted. Pushing back for a moment the horrors they experienced, they piled wild tale on wild tale, all of it true, if embellished in the moment. "We faced ten thousand twisted monsters!" Vinnevra cried, "An army of diseased flesh! And leading them, [[Primordial|a god-beast three hundred hands tall]], all part of the schemes of the [[Faber|Master Builder]]! May he be forever eaten by flies!" She spat on the dirt, and ground it under her foot. The audience roared. | Half drunk with the fermented juice, Vinnevra quickly caught up with Riser as he sang and whistled and chanted. Pushing back for a moment the horrors they experienced, they piled wild tale on wild tale, all of it true, if embellished in the moment. "We faced ten thousand twisted monsters!" Vinnevra cried, "An army of diseased flesh! And leading them, [[Primordial|a god-beast three hundred hands tall]], all part of the schemes of the [[Faber|Master Builder]]! May he be forever eaten by flies!" She spat on the dirt, and ground it under her foot. The audience roared. | ||