Thyllia was stressed.
Her first year at University wasn’t going at all the way she’d expected it to. Thyllia had known that her first few months away at school were going to be a huge adjustment for her, but she hadn’t expected to feel quite as overwhelmed as she now was.
Thyllia was sinking, and fast.
The young woman was in her dorm room, seated on her bed with a pillow held to her chest. She was feeling mopey and was in need of comfort, but alas she was all alone.
She stared at the open textbook in front of her, the words blurring on the page as she tried to finish reading the original charter that heralded the formation of the Archavian Dominion. In the original Old Aementi which was far enough away from modern Archavian as to be almost an entirely different language.
Eventually, the words became difficult to read because her vision was being blurred by tears. With a groan she threw the book aside and curled up on her bed.
She missed Avalon. She missed the people and her family. She missed Rainbow and hoped Alex was taking good care of her like he’d promised Thyllia he would. As much as Thyllia knew that completing her education was important, she missed home.
Drying her eyes, she sat up in her bed. Thyllia knew she couldn’t quit school, but that didn’t mean she had to sit there feeling homesick.
Thyllia reached over to her bedside table and pulled the shelf attached to a swivel arm that held her computer closer to her. Not for the first time, Thyllia thanked her lucky stars that she was no longer living with Syon Fand. She was immensely grateful for her ability to call on Pryvani during times like this.
She opened her data pad and launched the communication relays. As the signal bounced from star to star, she mentally calculated the current time on Avalon, and felt relieved when she realized it wasn’t obnoxiously late there. Next time she would have to remember to check that before she opened the transmission.
After a few minutes of waiting, the signal clicked on as someone answered her call.
But it wasn’t Pryvani.
“Hi Thyllia!” A young male voice greeted excitedly, rising up into an adolescent squeak that the owner of said voice tried to cover by clearing his throat.
“Ryan?” Thyllia felt her face break out into a smile for the first time in hours. “What are you doing answering my sister’s calls?”
“Oh well…” Ryan’s voice was now quite a bit deeper than when he first answered. “I was manning the communication board here in Atlantis and happened to notice the origin of your signal… I um, figured I’d say hi before passing it on to your sister. Hope you don’t mind?”
“Of course I don’t mind!” Thyllia laughed. “I’m always happy to see you, don’t be silly.”
Ryan smiled shyly and blushed at the attention.
“So how have you been?” Thyllia took a moment to study the image of the young man on the screen. It had been several Archavian months since she’d last seen him, and she was surprised to see how much he’d changed in that time. Of course, she was aware that as a human, even one who’d had his aging altered by Titan genetics, he aged at a faster rate than she did. Even taking that into account the change was startling.
He was still every bit the awkward adolescent she’d last seen him as, but even under all the gawkiness she could see the seed of the handsome face he’d have as an adult.
“Oh… not too bad…” Ryan muttered in answer to her question. “Been pulling a couple shifts for the communications relay… which is obvious, I guess, since I’m here…”
“Still planning on going into the Guard then?” Thyllia asked with a smile, graciously choosing to ignore Ryan’s awkward rambling… as adorable as it was.
Ryan’s eyes lit up. “Yeah. Mom thinks it’s a good idea, no surprise there. Dad’s been dramatically lamenting that I’m not choosing to follow in his footsteps and ‘sling suds’ as he puts it. I’m pretty sure he’s kidding though.”
“No doubt.” Thyllia giggled. “I can’t imagine your dad not being proud of you, whatever you choose to do.”
“Yeah.” Ryan grinned. “So how’s life in the big city?”
Thyllia bit her lip. She knew it was just a casual small-talk question, and that Ryan likely asked it just to be polite… but the opening was there and she just couldn’t resist.
“Well…”
“Thyllia?” Ryan’s brow creased with concern. “Are you okay?”
“Oh… I don’t know… it’s nothing really, just silly things.” Thyllia sighed.
Ryan sat up and leaned forward, folding his hands on the desk in front of him. His dark eyes were focused and his mouth pressed into a concerned line. “Do you want to talk about it?”
Thyllia felt her throat close a little and she smiled… She knew he was being completely genuine with her, and she was deeply touched by his concern for her. It was nice to know that Ryan was still that sweet little kid she had adored.
“It’s nothing, just a little stressed. College is a lot harder than I was expecting, and I wasn’t expecting it to be easy.” Thyllia let out a little self-deprecating laugh. “Poor spoiled little rich girl, right?”
“Hey…” Ryan shook his head. “If there’s one thing you’re not, it’s spoiled. Thyllia you’re one of the nicest people I’ve ever met, and frankly considering the way your mother treated you, that alone is a miracle.”
Thyllia was shocked at the complete sincerity of his words, and they left her with a pleasant warm feeling in her chest. She smiled and blinked back the tears of gratitude she felt welling up in her eyes, and hoped he wouldn’t see her crying.
“And I’m positive you can handle anything that school will throw at you.” He continued. “Don’t sell yourself short.”
Thyllia couldn’t help it, she snorted in laughter.
Ryan’s brows knitted in confusion until he realized what he’d said, at which point he chuckled and shook his head.
“Well, so to speak, anyway.”
Thyllia giggled, covering her mouth with her hand and her eyes crinkling in mirth. “I’m sorry Ryan. Bit of an odd choice of words.” After a moment she sobered and smiled at him, just a bit. “But… I get what you’re saying and, well, thanks… It’s nice to hear you say that.” she whispered softly.
“Any time.” Ryan smiled, thinking that the sound of her laughter was worth any price.
The two of them stared at each other in silence, across the gulf of space, but Ryan shook himself and the momentary trance was broken.
“So, uh, anyway… I guess I better let your sister know you called huh?”
“Oh…” Thyllia smiled, and clutched her pillow tighter to her chest. “Y’know on second thought… I don’t want to bother her. I’ll just call her later.”
Ryan’s eyebrow arched. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah.” Thyllia grinned. “It’s really not that important anyway. But, um… it was nice talking to you, Ryan.”
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sketch, you do have a point. Im not that well versed in TES lore.
I imagine getting Ryan did more to better Thyllia’s mood than if she had gotten ahold of her sister. As for the routing through Atlantis, I imagine, like others have speculated, that Pryvanni gave the world to the Avalonians. She’s just their large neighbor. Though, depending on laws they may have made at some point, she might be an official citizen through her marriage to Zhan.
For some reason this and the TCA chapter didn’t email me a notification. I mean I check the site every few hours anyways, but I thought I’d bring that up.
Glad that wasn’t just me. Seems only Contact is sending me alerts now.
i’ll look into it and see if we can find the issue
I logged in, went to the dashboard, went to my subscriptions. It seems the “Subscribe All” stopped working. Activated it again. We’ll see if it starts working with the next few posts.
Looks like someone has a big crush on somebody *nyuck nyuck* nice little (erp! there I go again) vignette. Thyllia going through just your basic separation anxiety, away at college for the first time and all..
Interesting this ‘open door’ policy Pryvani has regarding communication. I would think any personal (family) transmission would go direct to her, her own comm server on her mountain..
I’ve been wondering about life extension. Do all humans on Avalon or at least on Atlantis get it? Or did Pryvani create a long-lived elite to rule the city? I can’t imagine humans liking having a ruling class that live for 300 years while the rest expire at 80.
The LE retrovirus itself to patch the DNA is probably as easy to get as catching the flu, indeed that might be how its designed to be propagated. Of course its inheritable too so eventually it will spread naturally through any population. The sorts of treatments that Izzy is getting like organ replacement is probably impractical to do for everyone on Avalon.
So are they all getting the retrovirus or is it just Darren,, Lysis and some others.
Getting the retrovirus is likely no more complicated than getting a flu vaccination so expect everyone to get it. As to how well it works to extend life would depend on age and condition and how much wear and tear has to be reversed. One other thing to keep in mind is that in Physics the initial estimate was that the effect would extend life to about 50-60 Archavian years but that within 40 years from the first retrovirus improved versions might push expectancy close to the titan average of 95 years. Even if Izzy does get the treatment around the time of Contact the benefits she gets with it will be limited because with more conventional treatments she’s already the equivalent of 120 earth years even with cryostasis. Darren and Lysis and the other treated as young adults will probably see 60T+, Ryan who got the treatment early in life and Lessy who was born already treated will likely expect to have lifespans comparable to Sorcha’s maybe 85T+ and not much less than full blooded titans.
I’m actually wondering, how much variable could be LE effect. Given that usually people can react diffrent on treatment, there could exist a group of humans, which would be aging almost as slow as titans (propably hybrid-like, rather then usual twice faster when comparing to full-blooded titans) or even at same rate, and a group with the opposite effect (a bit faster than LE’d humans showed so far).
Besides, we know that not everyone on Avalon gets LE, at least it seems they don’t get it until certain age, or its administred to humans which will be interacting with titans, if not to all.
That’s not how retroviral treatments work, unless specifically designed to do so. Which no scientist would ever do because of the dangers of mutation (which retroviruses do more quickly that regular viruses) when passed from one carrier to the next. At some point it may no longer do what you designed it to do, and at that point it would be too late to undo the damage.
life extension is available to everybody on Avalon. Though some may choose not to take it
cute vginette! but like faeriehunter, i wonder why Comms are routed to Atlantis rather going directly to Pryvani’s home
Really sweet, but man that age gap has got to be weird. Ryan might be physically more mature than Thyllia by the time Contact roles around. As for Romance, I can definitely see it from Ryan’s point of view but from Thyllia’s… can you really form feelings for someone you knew when they were a toddler? We’ll see I guess.
Archavian Dominion? So Titans are the sci-fi equivalent of the Altmer? Makes sense after hundreds of hours of Skyrim.
Lyroo must be like Lady Elenwen.
Still waiting for a human named Talos.
I know OHH’s a big Elder Scrolls Fan but anyone else?
Huge TES fan. Been playing since Arena, currently playing ESO since early beta. I had the same mental jump to Aldmeri reading that line.
I only got on during Skyrim but the detail in TES is amazing.
Not to mention the Titan series uses a unit to measure the heights of the races here. Same as TES.
So…..
LER = Argonian
Avartle = Khajiit/Riekling?
Jotun = Nords/Forsworn?
Emperor and family= Imperials/Redguard?
That black chick who is Eyrn’s roomie is Redguard/ Imperial?
Insectoids = Falmer?
TETH = Stormcloaks?
Fight for human equality = Fight for Talos worshipping?
Dunnermac = Dunmer?
Does this make the series TES in space but with less fighting and magic?
It dosen’t work too much. I think you’re getting too caught up on design and name. For instance, as a semi aquadic formerly oppressed race, Argonians are closer to Dunnermacs. The Ler would be closer to Redguards if we’re linking them by their sense of honor. The Jotun could be Nords, while the rest of the Titan empire might be more like the Dunmer.
i’ve never played so any similarities are entire unintentional
Wait, communications to the Tarsuss Compound are routed through Atlantis now? Why is that? Are the Atlantians acting as secretary?
Anyway, another nice little vignette. I can’t be sure, but I get the impression that Thyllia and Ryan are in the process of developing romantic feelings for each other.
If that does happen, I’ll enjoy reading every moment of it.
Routing comm through an Atlantis relay is probably a symbolic “good neighbor” policy by Pryvani. Of course the signal is bouncing all around the galaxy anyway and its certain the channel is as secure as money can buy. Thallia would be about 18T (2116) which would make Ryan about 16-17 w/LE.
They do seem to have developed a special relationship by this point. Ryan would have been 12 by the time Thallia was 18. Add in several months where she left to attend university, he’s maybe around 14 now, hence the squeak in his voice.
As for the communications, yeah it does sound like a way to give humans ownership of their world. A way to say, “I live on Avalon, call the planet to reach me like anywhere else,” instead of “These are my humans, contact me if you want to reach anyone in the city.”
I am really liking the benefit this series has with being able to post smaller, disconnected stories somewhere in between the main series. The advantage of writing a world instead of writing a singular plot, you can make an endless amount of stories within a world.