Memory Theft.
or, How many lives does it take to turn a Brunnen-G psychotic?
Windlily:
Absorbed memories.... I love this idea. Though, just how much 'free' thought do they have? Seems like some, since His Shadow's memory/awareness interacted with Zev. And Kai's rant at the end of IWHS seems a bit perplexing: he regained his memory from the DP who'd killed him, but did he discover what he'd done (you know - "I have killed every personality type under all the 20,000 suns....") from the DP, or was it that Kai's own memory (or essence, perhaps,) was aware of what was going on in the DP's brain?Flare:
Perhaps getting his old memories back shocked that part of him that had been under HS control back into consciousness - and he simply remembered what he had been doing these last 2,000 years.Windlily:
How many absorbed memories would you say Kai got from the two Divine Predecessors he absorbed? I wouldn't think thousands, or even hundreds, considering that's why HDS had assassins, to take care of his 'problems'. So, would you say that the folk HDS killed personally would be 'special' in some way? Some one worthy of having their memories taken? huuum... I figure maybe 50 (and I think that is high, but that DP seemed a bit more adventurous than the others...) for DP 14 and none for the current host. I don't think that one had time to kill anybody. Though 50 extra lifetimes wandering around in anybody's head would be a tad bit...um...difficult to deal with. [giggle]...wonder if Kai is going to develop a multiple-personality disorder...Flare:
It's an interesting question. My initial thoughts: I think Kai must have remembered his actions somewhere in his consciousness - there must have been more than one DS in the 2,000 years he's been an assassin, and the DS who killed him wouldn't know everything he'd done in that time. Or would he? How intimate is the connection between the Divine Predecessors? [see Divine Predecessors for more thoughts.....] With DP 14 it's difficult to decide. He really was one mean bastard!Windlily:
Tell me about it! I've been crawling about in his head for a bit...[ick, ick! See Windlily flick smouldering nasty bits of Shadow gunk off the tips of her fingers.....]Flare:
And after all, if you can live for centuries (I think we've more or less established that Divine Shadows must be fairly long-lived? It seems a reasonable assumption given how few DPs there actually are in the Hall of DP's!)........Windlily:
Yup, though I think we can make a reasonable guess at about a 500 yr. life span for a host if only 4 have come along since 14 totalled the Brunnen-G, right?Flare:
........you'd get pretty bored with your own memories after a while: a nice fresh set would be highly appealing and refresh the most jaded palate! 50 sounds reasonable: personally I don't think that's too high, but I also think it's another "wait and see" query (yeah, I know - I hate 'em too!). Regarding the last HS - no, he'd had no time to personally kill anyone between becoming HS and dying - but his host was "a particularly vicious human" who was to make a fine HS, so I think we'd be safe assuming he'd been responsible for at least a few deaths...... I think they'd count, don't you? And he wasn't completely brain-scrubbed - I assume they'd still be accessible.....Windlily:
Well, not if Kai didn't absorb them.... And would a creature so prone to order really need such entertainment? Though that is an interesting thought. huum...I don't know...glad to hear that you agree with my estimate, though......Flare:
But is he? We know the Divine Order is (prone to order, that is) but would HS actually be? I know he keeps order, but that's different to actually desiring or needing an orderly existence...... But then again, if the DO is a relic of the Insect Civilisation, and insects live a very orderly existence, I suppose he would.... I don't know - it just feels wrong, somehow. If he was completely cold and emotionless, I'd agree - but the brains seem very human, somehow, and DP 14's nasty enough to want to take revenge on "this last specimen of a now-extinct race of romantic dreamers" for the actions of the entire Brunnen-G..... (But then again, having the last of the Brunnen-G as your personal slave is a VERY strong statement to everyone who might consider stepping out of line......) Shee, I don't know! [I suppose I'll have to try and sort that one out, somehow........ I'll get back to you!!]Windlily:
Okay. I'll wait for further thoughts...and I need to think on it some myself... But don't you think that 50 extra lifetimes wandering around in anybody's head would be a tad bit...um...difficult......Flare:
Now there I have to disagree! But only because the Haadri Cycle has a cast of thousands, and a detailed cast of around 60, all of whose lives, biographies, histories, motivations and characters I know in full detail (Ken has been known to complain he shares me with a galaxy-full of other beings........). I imagine it would be something like that - except, of course, all Kai's memories would be human and he had no choice about receiving them.Windlily [chuckling]:
Yep, Tim's expressed similar thoughts from time to time - I think it's a writer's curse - or blessing........ Anyway, re: Kai's memories - true....... Though I can't help but wonder again just how 'sentient' those memories actually are! So you think the memories are just there waiting to be accessed, like we, as writers, can pull up a character?Flare:
Oh, I do hope so! I really hope they don't just surface unannounced and unwanted.... [Flare has visions of a tender moment between Kai and Zev wrecked by the resurgence of some lecherous - or murderous - old sot ..... ] But I won't be at all surprised if that's how the Beans play it.... And as for the multiple-personality disorder... Hmm...... schizoid Kai - not a happy thought!Windlily [giggling]:
Though it could be a lot of fun! And he did seem to be having some trouble with them in the memory screen scene in GS. I would imagine it would take a lot of concentration on his part to keep them under control and quiet. Though maybe not......
End of Part One.....?
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