The Uplift Protocol: Hidden Legacies Interlude

 

Interlude: The Passage of Years

 

            It has been 10 cycles since our database was taken! Yet my Arbiters have found nothing?! Madness! –E’ratha

            Bardax and the Markav Expansion have aligned with Earth today: Ratifying a new collective that will concentrate on stabilizing the galaxy and the universe beyond their borders. The Terran Alliance has dubbed this The Union. Some House officials welcome this change, mainly Ayeer, Odessen, and M’tah. The Commons ratified their trade and military outreach with Earth’s Union forces as well. –The Universal News Today, Bryce Mitchell reporting

            The Cult of C’alain, as it was known in House circles was Typha’s answer to Set’s influences. Unlike other movements which still had light shamans and speakers to help, Typha had no such defense. That would change through the Triplets but mom was on guard. I had years to give fresh insight. And unlike Gwen, didn’t have to worry about Weave Sight. Anna left Earth and her son behind with Teddy. She knew the pitfalls. Gwen wouldn’t be alone.—Sleeping in Starlight, a memoir of the 22^nd century

House Ayeer

Typha (Private Landing Pad)

July 17^th, 2114

 

            Everyone knew now. So I had on my Jupiter Rising gear. Kept the Union circlet on. Just like Doc had her Union Bracelet. We always wore them. In or out of demi uniform. It had been a shock to many. High School friends on the coms for weeks. Mostly with the same phrase over and over, “It makes more sense now Murph! What the hell! So what’s flying like?!” The main Golden Redeemers: Myself, Doc, Eddie, Arthon were open to the public now. Cooper wanted to maintain his hidden Bardaxian charm. I got it. Dogs were key on Earth. Everywhere and noticed. Hiding in the open.

            Doc would often get the line, “So what’s the Banner like in private?” Oh and boy. It still set her off sometimes but nowadays? She grinned and replied like a champion, “As sweet as apple pie.” Most got the hint. My father and grandfather’s demi IDs were hidden. America was especially proud that I was indeed American. They liked to say I was half American Apple Pie, Half Commons Deep Dish. The years hadn’t been kind to the insular Houses. It was time for my brother Zach, along with the Triplets to come back.

            To help me reclaim what was lost.

            The Union vessel descended. Shaped like a C with various Bardaxian, Litari, Markav, and Human tech lining its hull. This was a distraction. The Javelin’s overall origin was still hidden. Good. Within the depths of my mind, I could sense the ticking of the clock. Each motion carrying us closer to open war.  Lorain gripped my forearm. Her eyes glued to the ship as the circle hatch opened. Revealing my brother in a pair of jeans. Flipflops and “Suns Out Guns Out” red white and blue t-shirt. Gwen, Tobin, and Jace behind him. The boys all waved. Gwen waited until Anna appeared.

            Trouble and Gulliver. In their Royal Ummatosh Bird shape, stood guard. Trouble’s black body a stark contrast to Gulliver’s white feathers. Bright bluebills on both. Zach peered up at them and me, “7 feet tall huh?” He was 6ft 5 inches now. He flexed, “Think all the pretty ladies will like my guns?” Lorain smiled, “The Commons? For sure. The Houses? Let’s just say Cornfed has torpedoed House Ayeer’s chances on that.”

            Zach replied, “Thank god.”

            Tobin asked, “They still step all over House guys? I'll step back! Texas doesn’t stand for that sorta mess!”

*****

            Gwen shivered.

Leaning into Anna, “The Dragons snap at the edges. The Sphere will encircle Sol!”

            Anna replied, “Remember the Weave writing system I showed you? Record everything to that. “ Gwen clutched the Light Shaman necklace. Made to look like a normal pendant with the picture of herself and her brothers at its center. Gwen Murphy did not feel safe here. As she approached her older sister that feeling grew within her. She ran. Clinging to Eliza. Her mind voice tight, >>The Father will break upon the shore. Bones brittle. You must not….<<

            Eliza picked Gwen up. Rocking her. “Easy now. Breath in. Exhale.”

            It would have to happen. Eliza couldn’t reveal her true powers. Images of broken clocks flooded Gwen’s mind. She huddled within herself. Cutting off the visions as Anna taught her. Eliza commanded, “Follow me.”

C’alian’s Wall

The Room of Requilary

           

Gwen slept.

Her pulse slow and steady.  The ancestorial spirits building a barrier around her mind to protect her from the influx from the Unity Dragons within the  Weave. We had to do the same for Anna after she touched down here for the first time. Tobin and Jace had a hint of Weave Speaker but they were primarily Light Shaman. With some demi powers of course. Zachary paced throughout the room. Running his hands over everything. “Amazin!” His heavy Texan drawl was more pronounced. I knew he did it on purpose. Another thorn to House Purists. Reminding them that Mom married a human.

We had all been in front of Anna’s holocam over the years. She was now trending in the top 10 across Union Space. I carried Gwen back to the surface as the ghostly images of C’alain and everyone else from that long line of Ayeers added to the mental barriers around my sister's mindscape. She sighed and her face relaxed further.

When we emerged there was Mom, Dad, and Dexter. Dad opened with, “They are scrambling to interview everyone who knew Lorain in college now.” His tone was serious. I knew he hated the Typherian House Gossip network digging into past events but Humanity was having a field day with it. Most of our old social networks were ribbing on Typha’s overt concern about me being half-human. Earth and the Commons saw it as a feature. Mom poked dad in the ribs. He grumbled, “It's not that I am embarrassed.” She understood, his demi ID and my grandparents were unknown. He didn’t want the enemies in the grass to know. So that’s why Zach would have to be lowkey. The Triplets? They came out of the gate not having a demi setup.

That vid of Gwen’s energy powers wrapping around the Living Stone that had possed the Statue of Liberty still got replayed. While the Mavericks piled onto it. Being metallic, Blue Blaze and my grandfather situated themselves to paralyze its movements. While Gwen and White Lily had demolished the outer living stone casing. Tobin’s flashes of daring with his ice powers already peaking the HeroNet databases. Jace preferred to be discreet. Of the two brothers, he was more camera shy.

Cooper barked and danced as the Mighty Mallet passed by the security checkpoints. He was one of the Advisors to the Bardaxian embassy on Earth. Seeing how Glaive trotted stoically beside him meant they took Mallet’s security seriously.

Might Mallet raised his signature 2-handed hammer high above his head, “So where’s the party? Do they seriously ignore guys here? I am here to share the mysteries of Pizza and Blue Sauser hot sauce!”

Doc replied, “Only the peanut gallery does. It's very cracked!”

Gwen yawned, “We aren’t going to follow House traditions are we?”

I grinned, “Nope. I created a social wasteland already.”

Mom chuckled, “Keep on going!” Dad re-checked his firearms. He was decked out in the premiere C.A.P battlesuit. Its white carapace decked out with the Union Symbol on the left shoulder pauldron. It had the standard skill set but that suit also keyed into Ta’mathon’s bracers as well.

*****

Gulliver pecked my head playfully, “Typha is now demi-proof!” HeroNet came online with an excited, <<Greetings from Planet Earth, please be advised! Earth’s demis come in peace.>>

The last part was cranked up with the Captain Cosmos tagline. I imagined E’ratha was having a conniption in her waterless refresher. The Rotunda meeting blared across my retina.

E’ratha’s pleasant face screwed up in a delightful frown!

A male voice translated for her. “All Scions to Gather at the Rotunda. Who gave the Humans the go-ahead to invade our planet with their helpful powers?”

I made sure my coms were open for all to hear, “America and by proxy, a majority of the Terran Alliance, signed a mutual defense pact with the Commons. Welcome to the modern age of Charity!”

The Rotunda

Hall of Echoes

 

                Eddie propped his feet up on the banister. Ta’len following suit. How the times had changed. The Commons held a majority now. With Ayeer, M’tah, and Odessen often throwing their weight in as well. It was why Typha had human foot traffic within Argax City. Star strode inside. The doors whooshing open. In her old demi uniform! That was a treat. While J’ino occupied the Ayeer seat, Eliza greeted the American contingent.  President Marshall saluted. Star reciprocated while her sister, Samantha hugged the larger demi with exuberance. Samantha Typherian husband,  known as T’alis, held his right fist over his heart. He had made it a point to take Sam’s surname. Since most of his caste saw that as a House particular trait, he wore the Murphy badge with pride.

            Eliza had pulled him from Draken’s slave ship. Since the coward used them as a distraction to flee. The pirate king hadn’t been seen in years. It worried the Puzzler. Elias Payne joined the two men as the final diplomats entered the Rotunda. Let the fireworks begin.

*****

            E’ratha snarled, “Again you insult the better part of your heritage!” I still had on my House sash. White was sorely tempted to reply. But had to remain incognito. Didn’t mean I didn’t get to bear the brunt of a whole tirade. X’mil’s banishment was widely known now. I didn’t rise to the bait. Instead, I rose to greet Sul’sandra as she reached out. Her military uniform and honorifics on full display. “From home, we send you astride a sea of stars!” I clasped her forearm. That had reminded some malcontents that the Markav had adopted me as well.  I knew this would make reconciliation harder with Houses already at the tipping point but I was under orders from V’alkor. Drive the wedge deeper. Lorain’s voice hit my ears.

            Pitched on a frequency only I could hear. Relayed through our Union jewelry pieces.

            <<It’s given me the time I’ve needed on the project.>>

            Another aspect I had been left out of. Whatever Gulliver and Trouble had done all those years ago still left a mark on E’ratha. I was on edge. Expecting the signs and portents to come crashing down on my head but they had yet to arrive. Two crimson orbs burrowing into my flesh. The bones warping under their weight. Sul’s green-within-green eyes narrowed. She reached up to touch my forehead. She inhaled sharply.

            The message hit my private link, ///Swing from the sands. Freshwater tumbles from a turbulent rain. We shall pave the way for the Path of Golden Tears.///

            An Encryption.

            I nodded, replying to our audience, “I accept the boon of home and hearth.”

            The mid-point along my back itched. Hidden Knives and eyes. Waking, yet to be born.

*****

            The All-Father watched from the Commons Bench. Using his most basic shell to observe this Scion of House Ayeer. The Human blood within her gave her some interesting abilities but the damage done to her Typherian side would make her a soft target for him. House Ayeer had many diligent Matter Manipulators. V’alkor was especially potent. This young thing? This American? Barely able to mind link with her immediate family! He dared not reach out among this crowd even with this simple shell. It would dissipate into basic components later. To all eyes, if they would look upon it, a simple mute.

            The perfect way to hide amount the masses in this newly emergent Typherian zeitgeist.

            He would break her. House Urraden’s specialty was matter manipulation and these fools had no idea of its true power. The wild man of Earth would prove to be a neat distraction. The All-Father wanted to view C’alain’s Wall. The real prize was beyond it. Based on what his family journals mentioned. He would carry Typha to a new golden age. Away from Set’s machinations. They would come to blows eventually and he would be ready.

*****

            My twinge of unease grew.

            I had been training with Dexter daily. Since Gwen was so insistent. Doc objected to the rough nature of the bouts. Often dismayed at the various bruises on my body but our enemies wouldn’t hold back and I knew Dexter was stronger than me. With control over matter manipulation beyond most House Typherians.  He could feel it too. A growing thunderclap rolling over the plains. As we had been active, I suspected the same of our adversaries, which is why it was disconcerting to have no sign of the usual suspects. I leaned against the mighty pillar separating the Ayeer section from the American section. The temporary warmth of the stone driving away darker thoughts.

*****

            A  white palm-sized crystal pulsed in Lorain Lanis’ hands.

            Nola’s people, the Tarvelians, had been working around the clock to get up to Human speed in the tech department. Adding their specialties to ship warfare and combat. The demi healer had nearly cracked the overall genetic code of Set’s enslavement. It would take more examination before they could undo the damage. So they had been quietly transferring who they could to the Hysen Spheres around the twin binary suns, A'rgax and H'yola. While leaving the infected sleepers behind on the planet.

            Aether had said when the time came, they would be able to preserve people. Lorain hadn’t asked for more details. Daily missives from Avalon only made Lorain more agitated. So she enacted a daily regimen outside of Eliza’s training with Dexter. Using her healing capabilities to alter Eliza’s biosignature. Her regeneration factor. While Lanis couldn’t change fundamental factors, not without other materials like cloning Dexter’s nodes to heal Eliza’s, she ramped up what natural abilities her captain had.

            While the twins shared many power skillsets, Eliza had a higher regenerative factor, faster hand/eye coordination, along the Amarche angle. But that wouldn’t be wise to use against a master matter agent. Dexter had turned the dark matter beams back on Eliza, spearing her to the wall with it. Even digging it into her shoulder hard enough to dislocate. They had to be ready in case higher-end masters in hostile houses besides Urraden decided to take matters into their own hands.

            J’ino’s mind echoed through the ivory ring, >>I know. It’s a cluster. Why my father wants it this way? He doesn’t reveal it all in one go. If I had to guess? He wants the enemy to tip their hand prematurely.<<

            Lorain placed the crystal within her green utility belt and joined Eliza by the pillar. Enjoying the feel of her Captain’s calm heartbeat as she let the rest of the world fade for a few moments.

*****

            Elias Payne dropped into the Dreaming. The Morrigan’s old king facing him there.

            “The Dragons will attempt to devour this place. We will help the J’kua correct the matter. Be on your guard in the Garden of Serpents.”

            Elias pulled at his reddish-gold beard. “As always. Might take a few prized jewels though!” There were things on this planet that Set shouldn’t be able to access but the demi wanted to make sure the battlefield would turn on a dime towards their merry band. This was only the beginning. Marion nudged him. Drawing him out gently from the Weave plane. He could only barely touch it here. Due to the interference but it was enough. He grinned roguishly at E’ratha, shouting, “Penny for your thoughts!?” Her answering snarl was a glorious thing indeed. One must keep up appearances.

*****

            Gwen Murphy dreamed. The White and Black Tree.

            She knew it to be her brother and sister.

            Their strong limbs encircling Typha. Not the planet but the people.

            The Throne was already theirs. They only had to take up the beating drums.

            A golden sea rose. Its waves crashing upon the planet.

            War was coming.

Issue 4: Here

Issue 5: Here