Issue 19: Unlikely Duo
I knew she could take the form of a child. Because of what my Nephilim sight could see but if Anna and J’ino hadn’t been taken, we wouldn’t have the tech needed to free Sleepers across all strata. Including Typherian. TO save the lives of untold trillions, into the Lion’s den. But I know why beyond that simple scale. Eliza’s climb from death would be brutal. Her current self had to remain oblivious. Even though she is a beacon of Hope, having more troubles on her mind besides the obvious would have been too much for anyone to bear. For her ignorance was bliss. To soothe the soul.—Argus Paxton, The Dreaming Chronicles
I know the after-effects now. It's why I didn’t tell J’ino where we were. It would have caused her to go into premature labor. My Weave intuition told me that. Then they would have lost all hope to recover the hidden Typherian Weave Speakers and Light Shamans. I still call Eliza a brick but nowadays I mean it with genuine affection. She really is that enduring smile within the darkness. Even under duress as her final self. That hunted look remained with me. Yet J’ino didn’t notice. All she saw was her child protecting us from the trap. Along with that other soul, Mary.—Anna McQuire, Into the Light: A reflection on the 22nd-century special.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.—Sleeping in Starlight, a memoir of the 22nd century
The Maze
Middle Tier
Time Unknown
J’ino hugged herself. Staying in lockstep with Anna. Her mind was still foggy.
Where had they been? What this a Weave dream?
Anna turned and grabbed Murphy’s left hand. “Come on.”
The Weave Speaker didn’t want them separated for any reason.
She knew the Keeper was watching. The Weave showed her via two giant black eyes peering down at them from the face of the “moon” above. Anna continued to pretend to be drugged. She was slowly siphoning it from J’ino from their linked hands. With each step, she hoped to clear her mind enough. Help was coming. That was promised. Seen with a knife’s edge clarity. Teddy would be none too pleased either. Eliza would bring him as well. Poppi never lied.
Anna knew that now. Her grandfather’s ghostly image nodded. His face was resolute.
The dawn would come.
*****
I raced through Jupiter. Teddy and Doc on my heels. The sound was getting louder. Something wet trickled from my right ear. Lorain pressed her hands to my head as I entered the gymnasium. They had been getting ready to change. They had on different clothing. My mother’s Typherian House outfit laid out neatly by the poolside. Jupiter’s voice came over the relays within the room, “Captain! Ur-Stone energies syncing.” Lorain’s power flowed through me. The buzzing in my head receded.
White called out to her brother. <<We will open the door! Bring Typherian gear.>>
I saw it then. On the floor. The Flowers. The sound was coming from that. Blood tricked and hit the white petals. Turning them black. My Defender suit curled around me. White formed a bubble around Lorain and Teddy. We winked out of existence.
Jupiter added, “Noting the time of Travel. May the Three protect you, Eliza Murphy.”
The ship contained the flowers. Adding them to the biohazard containment section.
Leave no stone unturned as they say.
*****
The space around us was vast. The most distant stars reflecting pale light.
Facing us was a doorway etched into the metal.
Three golden circles. Ruined by claw marks.
An old building. Floating on a piece of old rock.
My voice grew muddled, “Hey batter! What’s your play.”
I pulled my arm back. Muscles coiled beyond anything I had ever experienced.
I slammed my fist into the material as hard as I could. White curled around Teddy and Doc. Forming a shield around them. Pulling them behind me as my fist plowed through the symbology.
*****
Teddy turned to Doc, <<Survival at 56% now!>>
Lorain didn’t want to know what it had been previously.
She blinked as they ended up in an endless corridor.
The markings on the walls had Keeper calligraphy.
She reeled back with surprise as a one-armed Eliza rose shakily to her feet.
Just like that time at Project Freefall.
Wearing a simple white long-sleeved shirt and black dress pants. No shoes though. She didn’t have time to ponder more on the situation. Her captain’s eyes were sharp. Knowing and frayed all at once.
“Let’s go.” A pointed command.
They hurried along the endless corridors.
*****
Dexter pulled his father along in the wake left by Eliza and White. They found themselves within the defense hub of the Null ship. White’s faint command hitting him, <<Distract her!>>
Thomas hurled spears of light against the gunnery positions.
Ta’mathon’s power flowing through him. The others of the Golden City joined him.
Anubis, Ra, Isis.
Magic swirled and rushed against the hull of the enemy vessel.
Thomas called out, hoping to confuse Nyx with Typherian protocol coms, <<Void Walker engaged! Call in the Border Fleet.>>His son caught on and added various signals. Throwing what remaining House Hudo infiltration nanites he had left into the defense systems. Black concealed them. Showing only common Typherian tech to the enemy. He wanted Nyx demoralized instead. Let her believe that their sleepers didn’t know everything.
He rose from Dexter. Taking on his war form. Tearing into the metals with his claws. Each leaving behind scorch marks instead. Let her think a whole army came for J’ino.
*****
Nyx scrambled to the central control hub of her Null ship. How had the Typherians found her so quickly? Did they develop something beyond what sleepers reported?! Her voice cracked, “Activate all defenses!”
The ship obeyed.
<<Sister Nyx, one other Keeper presence detected. Callsign Dominion. Formerly Hilary Brookes. Access overridden.>>
Chronos’ spawn had locked her out. BETRAYAL!
*****
The vines receded. The power flickered out. Emergency lights as sickly as their owner winked into existence. At the center of the former maze was a woman strapped to an operating table. Amber encased her. The drugs were finally clearing from J’ino’s system. Anna pulled her towards the trapped woman. Hissing, “Hide!”
They ducked behind the towering specimen cylinders.
Three sets of footsteps pattered across.
“Doc, grab that soft ball-shaped thing there. It will release the amber from that woman.”
Anna gripped J’ino’s hand. Her eyes were hard.
Wait!
She had no idea if this was a trick.
*****
I didn’t have my usual powers for the moment but I knew where mother and Anna were. The Light Shaman aura from my baby brother a beacon. The other two would be Speakers. Not as strong as Anna but it would help us find the lost colonies of Typha. The fact that they would have demi powers would be a bonus. They would need more convincing. I was thankful Anna was suspicious. Good survival trait. The enemy could have mimicked us. Mary sputtered as the amber faded. Doc’s power flowed and the woman sprang up as if she had been shot full of adrenaline. Her eyes darted to me, “What’s a Typherian doing here?” Doc was pouring some emotional blockers into her.
That would make things easier.
Mary, the nurse whose identity the sister had used.
Her face was tan. Wide brown eyes. Blonde hair.
Colonial from the looks of her uniform.
I spoke loudly, “Joint Terran Typherian operation. We need to extract some tech from this place. Survivors are our priority though.”
Anna threw her shoe at my head. I caught it with my right hand.
“I know you think me a Brick but that’s just added fuel to your Host Fire right?”
Mom didn’t pop out until I said, “Diamonds did say to hit hard. That door keeled over!”
Anna practically dived into Teddy’s arms. I walked over mom’s hiding place. She had a shard of metal in her hands. Ready to stab. I reached out with my right hand. Her face crumbled. With one very happy mom in tow, we dashed from the operating room.
*****
Black growled, << The other side! Draw the defenses away from the ship!>>
Dexter could hear his mother’s heartbeat. It was fast but not panicked like before.
Sis had found them. He motioned to his father, <<Let’s open this fucking turkey and place some dynamite inside!>> Thomas’ brown eyes blazed like copper fire.
<<Permission granted!>>
Both men dodged more projectiles as they continued their assault.
*****
Mom hugged me harder as the ship vibrated. I had to use my free hand to access the crimson holo console before me. “It will be alright.”
I spoke Void Walker.
We had to grab her lab data nodes before we left. It would have the schematics we would need for Fletcher to reverse engineer the Keeper’s madness.
Everyone twitched at that.
I added, “Let’s just say Nyx will believe herself betrayed.”
I pressed my finger to my lips when Anna and the rest wanted to ask questions. I pointed at the corners. Making eye symbols. Teddy nodded. Signing to Anna. This area had passive recording. My nose bled a bit more but I kept up the mirage. The devices here would see and hear only Hilary. Or rather her deformed Keeper Hybrid shape. The Ur-Stone gleamed within my mind. Adding to my temporary reserves.
It too wanted justice for its people.
These files would free them as well.
Lorain updated everyone, <<Follow her. Explanations can come later.>>
I smiled gratefully. She was in full combat medic mode.
*****
Nyx bellowed, “Misbegotten maggot of flesh and bone!”
She saw that thing accessing her hard work. Taking all the data. What? Just so daddy would love her? THEY DID NOT LOVE. Keepers saw the desires of simple creatures as nuisances at best. She hurried to her backup station. It wasn’t like this was her only hideout. They would regret this. The Humans. The Typherians but especially that false idol called Dominion. She corrupted the Unity’s work.
For that, she would pay.
*****
With Teddy and Lorain’s help, I loaded the escape craft with what we would need.
I just hoped Jupiter would understand. As we exited the imploding Null ship I could see my father and Dexter adding extra ordinance as a parting gift. Nyx had gotten away but finding mother, Mary, Anna, and the notes had been paramount. She would meet her fate soon enough. Like all of them.
Like me.
My left arm burned. I could see a faint outline of the old black dragon tattoo.
Unity was eating it. Taking in the pill that would destroy it forever.
From my point of view, the killing blow had just been struck. But the Ur-Stone said that was not the end. Unbound by time. I walked the Path of the Ancients. Weaving the threads needed so the rest would live. I had begged Grandpa V’alkor to keep this from my younger self. I was the one that ordered the pact. To keep me ignorant.
So I could enjoy the little things in life before the Cliff.
Matarn was wiser than most. I would need everything within my mental and spiritual fortitude to climb towards the light once more. Leaving the dead husk of Unity behind. Taking the corruption the Sister had fed into me via the Angelic embryo. That was why I was perfect for introducing the final element to erase Unity. It was always me.
In every life. Across every universe imaginable.
Always me.
But it would free all others from all chains.
No more horrors.
Just freedom.
*****
Lorain peered deep into Eliza’s eyes. Knowing that something was very wrong. It was like she was seeing everyone for the last time. Memorizing every movement. Each word or gesture. A lump formed in the doctor’s throat.
Tears came unbidden.
J’ino noticed this.
Bringing Lorain into a three-way embrace with Eliza.
Teddy rocked Anna in his arms. Not liking the odds. A big giant 18% was over Eliza’s head. Holding steady but that gave him no comfort. What had this one-armed version seen? What price would she pay?
The Jupiter Rising
Docking Bay
Jupiter shut down everything. Locking this part of the bay off from every system.
As the liquid iris opened, Eliza waved, her right arm held high. “I greet the halls of my forefathers. Knowing that the Highest will enshrine all. “
If the VI could legitimately hug someone she would have done so now. More and more the various pieces were falling into place. Yet this Eliza’s command overrode everything.
Do not tell me.
Now Jupiter knew the true depths of V’alkor’s stoicism.
He was bearing the burden of knowledge.
Knowing his granddaughter’s final wish.
*****
It wasn’t over yet. I had to lead Jupiter to Goldenlight. Comet floated above Anna’s head. His yellow iris expanding. His green spherical armor was freshly polished. Jupiter’s voice came in, <<Enemy vessels detected. Please take evasive action!>>
The captain’s chair receded into the floor. A simple flight stick rose to take its place.
My grandfather had planned well.
Dexter and my father took their places at the weapons stations.
Doc went to the sensor array. Everyone else buckled in.
A gel chair molded around me. Hooking my systems into Jupiter.
I gave her access to the temporal bridge between myself and the Ur.
“These things won’t know what hit them.”
I would lead the Void Walkers right into Goldenlight and the karmic payback they deserved. This fleet loss would disrupt Chronos. Not in terms of military might but in intelligence. Recon.
No more test subjects for you Sister.
Issue 18: Here
Issue 20: Here
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