Free Spacer Clans Adventure 3: Naero's Fury by Mason Elliott Page A

forever,” he explained. “It can’t. Nothing does. But there cannot simply be constant change and flux either. There must be periods of relative stability, or nothing can ever be accomplished. That is why the wise strive to achieve and maintain harmony–for the good of all.”
    Naero paused. “I’m considering how strange it is to hear those words, coming from a Chaos Master.”
    “Then you’re still an idiot, Maeris. Just because Chaos Masters accept things as they are and as they will be, it does not mean that they desire each moment to be in a constant state of turmoil and destructive change. That would serve no purpose at all, and is just as unrealistic as wishing and hoping that things would somehow never change, when it is clear that they always have, always do, and always will do so.”
    He grunted in frustration.
    “Do you actually think that we do not think of the future, and just dwell on the present? Even Chaos Masters desire time to pursue matters that they wish to pursue. Like others, they want time to have the ability to learn and enlighten, and comprehend all that they can in the time they have. And to pass that knowledge and wisdom on to others who can not only perceive its value, but actually pursue the furtherance and growth of that body of knowledge into the future. Were just not as vocal or romantic about doing so as the other orders are.”
    “I know you still hope to have a chance to kill me someday,” Naero told him. “I just do n’t understand why you are still committed to helping me.”
    Vane hummed absently, puttering on a datapad. “I know you do n’t, Maeris. Your capacities for reason have always been quite dim and limited. That’s just the way you are. I agree, helping you is indeed a waste of my time, but I must do so in order to honor the concept of fairness that is of such vital importance to the other two orders. It’s an even greater waste of time to argue that point, so there it is. I will do my duty to the letter, and not one jot less or more. And hope has nothing to do with me having to destroy you when the time comes. To me, it is an eventual fact.”
    “ Forgive me if I fully intend to prove you wrong about me, Master Vane.”
    “ Impossible, Maeris. And I have no interest whatsoever in any shade of the waste of time called forgiveness, either. Either you are responsible for something or you are not. And we all must take responsibility for our actions. I don’t blame you for anything, Maeris. Not even Hashiko’s death any longer, or whatever you did to Janosha. It was just a planet, after all. The universe is filled with them. What is past is past, and I’ve gotten over my own stupid personal problems with the entire mess.”
    Vane paused and shook his finger at her. “ Yet you remain a ready and constant threat to all. Eventually, others will realize and accept that fact, as well. And I will be there to end that threat. You said yourself that you would not want to lose yourself and become a wanton thing of mindless destruction. You should take comfort in the fact that I fully intend to be there to stop you, when that need arises. And it will.”
    Naero sighed and looked down.
    How could she argue with all of that?
    She hated it when even Vane started to make sense to her.

 
     
     
     
    8
     
     
    Naero survived three more days of sparring, practice, and instruction with the Three Orders. She continued to make friends among the other adepts. Not everyone cared for her, but that was as it always was.
    The other Chaos adepts finally agreed to play with her, and their first real practice session was pretty fierce.
    It more or less broke down into a free for all. But Gaviok and the contraries were on her side–usually–so that made a big difference. The others could not simply decide to swarm on her with impunity.
    And the new third eye forcebeams that the four of them used evened many scores. The other Chaos adepts struggled to adapt, and began to mutter that