A Man Channels

 "So what do we know, Moiraine?", said Siuan, sitting behind her desk.

"Very little, I'm afraid, Mother, beyond what we knew already. I think we have confirmed what we suspected, however - Dagdara has been affected by some external force."

"I do not think that we really doubted that", replied Siuan, "but yes, that is - unfortunately - a fair summary. Was it worth it?"

"I think so, Mother - she will not suffer any long-term harm, and she went into this willingly, and we were..." she hesitated, as if she might accidentally exaggerate their innocence. "Well, we were fairly open about our goals. I will not lose sleep over any of this, if that's what you were worried about?"

"Partly, yes. But I also worry that we have nowhere to go from here - I struggle to see any way that we might learn more. What do the Browns say? Is there anything beyond their initial reports?"

"Not really, Mother." Moiraine gestured to the seat opposite the Amyrlin, as if to request permission to sit, and Siuan nodded. "Yes, of course, please sit, Moiriane. I apologise for the formality, but..."

"I understand, Mother, of course. But for the Browns, there is little beyond their original reports. They discuss - at length! - the meaning of various words in the Histories, but they rarely agree on anything but the most mundane points. They talk of 'lost Powers' but cannot say what they might be. Nothing more than that, I'm afraid, Mother."

"Yes, the talk of 'lost Powers' was particularly interesting for a while, but unless we have something further - anything at all, really - it is hard to make any plans even for further research!

"We are nowhere, Moiraine! The Last Battle approaches, and we are nowhere!" Her Oaths let her speak the words, so they must have been true, or at least true to her.

Moiraine hesitated, trying to find a way to deny the words, but unable to do so as directly as she wanted to. "We have learned a great deal from the new Histories, Mother. New methods of Healing, ..."

Siuan waved a hand, dismissively but somehow politely.

"I agree, Daughter. But all of that will be for naught if we face The Last Battle and lose! We need some radical new discovery, I think. Where is it? What is it?"

Moiraine and Siuan sat silently for a minute and more, each trying to find some answer that would not be depressing, neither one feeling able to make eye contact with the other.

"Mother, what is the Creator's plan for us?" Moiraine broke the silence.

Siuan smiled weakly. "I recall that question from our first lecture here, Moiraine, and I take your point. 'We must accept the Creator's plan, and trust that He will cradle us in His hand for ever, ...'"

Moiraine finished the words, so often repeated in their youth. "'... unless we reject His plan and embrace the Dark One's Doom.'"

"It is hard, Moiraine. You are right, of course, and when we were younger, those words gave us all much comfort. It felt so easy, Moiraine, but now, ... now they seem only to show me how hard it is not to feel despair."

"Do you believe the words, Mother?" Moiraine smiled, not wanting the Amyrlin to think that she was genuinely challenging a belief they both held more strongly than any other.

"You know I do, Daughter. Under the Light, and by my hope of salvation and rebirth, I believe in the Creator's plan for me and for us all, and I trust in it." Even here, in such a formal setting, Siuan could not help but want to return the favour of removing any doubt in her faith.

"Then we both know that we will win, Mother! We must take comfort in that."

"I do, Moiraine. I really do. But the practicalities of my office here mean that I must now do something. I would be more than willing to hear your suggestions?"

"Open up the Histories, Mother. Not just to the other Ajah heads, and not just to all Aes Sedai. Open them up to all!"

Siuan's eyes widened and she breathed deeply, and then settled herself. "Moiraine, you cannot imagine that I have not thought of this a hundred times. But what would we gain? We know what we might lose, but what could we gain?"

"A hundred thousand more pairs of eyes searching for an answer, Mother! Anyone with some spark of inspiration joining in our search!

"And there is more, Mother - we would gain the trust that we have lost. We would be open with all the world."