Short Story Saturday: The Rise of Mnemosyne Part-3

Posted on by Teagan Riordain Geneviene

Saturday, November 22, 2025

The video above is Joni Mitchell performing “Black Crow” in 1998.

Hello, everyone.  For those who were paying close attention, you’re right — this isn’t the third episode… but it actually is the third.   After I published the Rise of Mnemosyne short story last week, I came across this vignette that I wrote in February but never published.  Whatever else might take place betwixt and between, the following would happen before last weekend’s story.

Enough blah-de-blah.  I should be working on my novel in progress… I’m the queen of procrastination with that story.  So hit the mental rewind button and take yourself to a point before we met Tinsley Bard.

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The Rise of Mnemosyne 3

Crowlings

Vapors rising from abyss full moon by Teagan via Night Cafe

With a smile, the collected bits of memory that attained consciousness and named itself Mnemosyne, realized that if she opened her mind, she could sense where to look for various types of memory.

“There was surely a cataclysm.  What caused it?  Did Mother Nature have a fit?  Or was it humankind?” she pondered as she wandered deeper into the abyss.  “Ah!  Massive intentional destruction.  Military,” she decided as she received a report from one of the first crowlings.

Memory that she skimmed led her from the abyss to passages that were naturally formed, and then to deep caverns that had been altered by humans.  They had transformed the caves into an information storage facility thousands of feet underground.  Passages were wide and tall enough to easily accommodate the large motor vehicles that were used to transport freight.

Truck Iron Mountain Data Storage inside 2018 Getty

Iron Mountain underground data storage facility, Getty Images

Making her way across rubble, Mnemosyne eventually came to a vertical crack in the rock wall.  It was barely wide enough for her to enter.  On the other side was a large room filled with technology.  One wall had been painted with a large official seal, encircled by the words United Holdings of Vesputius. the room had once been reserved for the most private of data.

“Secrets…” the word stretched as it left her lips.  “Yet the restrictions to access were stripped from the more recent parts not long before the catastrophe.  Ah… It seems that their government was being dismantled from within.  It happened quickly too.  And state-controlled media?  That won’t be a reliable source, but with the other broken pieces of memory I will glean what I can,” she added, tsk-tsking to herself as she examined a film.

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Newly created Crowlings take flight from the Baja Abyss after the ruin of Calida, by Teagan via Night
Newly created Crowlings take flight from the Baja Abyss after the ruin of Calida, by Teagan via Night

The two crowlings, Arc and Zyme circled high above the Baja Abyss.  The shadowy forms exuded by the nanites that composed their beings gradually became solid.  Because the thought of crows had so amused Mnemosyne that she named their newborn species crowlings, the two creatures had nudged their morphing shapes to settle on that of the black birds.  They were gratified by the notion of pleasing her.

They cast their tracking senses in an ever-widening circle across the three states of Calida.  As far as the northern borders of Shasta they detected nothing of the human for which they hunted.  Though the middle state, Frisco, had a larger human population, no trace was there.  Nor was there any sign all the way to the southern border that divided Baja from the ancient nation of Azteca.

The crowlings conferred briefly.  Their mistress asked that one of them find and learn about the human, Tinsley Bard.  While the other, was to learn all about the woman’s home and the world around it.

Could they be thwarted so soon?  Zyme was better attuned to the understanding of widespread information.  Zyme analyzed and summarized.  While Arc was better suited to deeper but more narrow investigation.

Zyme started to hum, pushing the reach of his tracking farther afield.  A high, clear chime came from his beak.  Something relevant was discovered.  He turned to Arc and chimed again upon getting confirmation.  He found a location where Tinsley Bard had been.

Arc noted that the data Zyme scanned was partially corrupted.  However, it was a place to start.  The two crowlings headed east, along the crack in the world that was caused by the cataclysm of the previous age.  They followed it into the United Holdings of Vesputius, through its state of Arizuma and into neighboring New Azteca.  There, they paused in Paak’u, the largest human city of that state.

A convoy of military vehicles came into view.  Arc analyzed the signals that came from them and concluded that it transported humans, but not the human they sought.

“I have a ping,” Zyme abruptly remarked and flapped his wings.  “The name is on a government list.”

“Does the human know?” Arc wanted to know.

“No, though if she has sense, she will expect to be.  The crisis is not greatly imminent.  We at least have time to get there,” Zyme replied, though his feathers ruffled.

Cawing defiance, the crowlings took flight, traveling far into New Azteca.

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Thanks for reading.  Friendly comments are welcome.   Hugs!

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Of course, here’s the obligatory shameless self-promotion.

The Delta Pearl

The duology includes The Delta Pearl: A Steampunk Riverboat, and the conclusion of the story, The Geostrophic Pearl: The Delta Pearl Book 2.

Universal Purchase Links

Series Link:  Kindle and Paperback:  relinks.me/B0D34H5BYT

The Delta Pearl: A Steampunk Riverboat, Book 1

Kindle:  relinks.me/B0D4NPS5LP

Paperback:  relinks.me/B0D4Q1J94Q

The Geostrophic Pearl:  The Delta Pearl Book 2

Kindle:  relinks.me/B0D4R6MB1Y

Paperback:  relinks.me/B0D4TR686Q

 

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Copyright © 2025 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

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27 thoughts on “Short Story Saturday: The Rise of Mnemosyne Part-3”

  2. Well, somehow I missed this last Saturday. I think that’s because I was over on Art Gowns, which is attached to a different mail, and all the intense goings on over here.

    Teagan, great piece of writing. I love these 2 birds – Zyme and Arc. I just know they will figure/find something more.

    I look forward to more of the tale of Mnemosyne! Thank you!

    Hugs, and some bug higs!

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  4. I love this concept of self-aware memory taking and giving form. I’m tempted to stop reading these snippets and wait for the whole thing so I can just dive into it and swim around. But I doubt I can have the self-restraint to stop nibbling!

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    1. LOL, somehow the thought of “nibbling” at a story made me chuckle. Unfortunately, this story can only come in dribs and drabs. It’s rooted in a very negative experience with a friend, so now and then it has to burst out. If it didn’t feel so likely to happen, it would be easier to write. In other words, it doesn’t take me to my happy place. 🙂 Many thanks for reading. Hugs.

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  5. Teagan.. your world(s), characters’ and places’ names and your images are all incredible, so imaginative, it is fascinating! 😮 I can’t wait to clear out my schedule in December and go on reading The Delta Pearl, I have had to put a few things on hold lately, I so wish for more spare time, or better organizational skills, I probably ought to 😀 By the way, I followed you on NightCafe, I am Sunny Skies there 😊

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    1. Thanks very much, Jennie. Since it’s a parallel world story, my inner research geek had huge fun. For the world building, I researched old, old names for all the locations I mentioned. Admittedly a couple of them were rather obscure even within that context, but they were all used at some time, to some degree. Even the United Holdings of *Vesputius* — I used a naming mistake — from Waldseemüller’s 1507 map was the first to use the name “America” and it accompanied a text that explained the new lands were discovered by “Americus Vesputius”.
      Anyhow, I’m happy you liked it. Hugs.

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  11. This is quite the interesting world and scenario you’re building, Teagan. Of course I love the crowlings, but the story line is intriguing. I’m with Olga, I’d like to read more, but I know what you’re putting off in the process. Good luck to you whichever way you choose to proceed.

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  12. The puzzle is coming together. Now we know the process to get to Tinsley Bard. I hope the story will carry on at some point, Teagan, but I know you are working on many things. Thanks for sharing it and for the beautiful images. Have a lovely weekend. Big hugs, my friend, and love to the Scoobies. ♥

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