Sunday, October 24, 2021

The Uplift Protocol Escape Velocity Issue 9

 

Issue 9: Lines Crossed Within The Void

 

            A line of impressions: Lanis is Murphy’s Ultimate Weakness. I will notify the All-Father of the impressions I got from that mug. I am glad I ate that empath’s brain from the Royal Indexing Pen. Yes, my fellow humans are useful for something. It allows for certain feelings to bleed through.— Renenutet

            I didn’t want to wake up. I know it was real though. Sy’ra took a bit of her cloak and weaved it through my necklace. It holds no overall importance. It's just a piece I bought from the boardwalk before my abduction. She says this will protect my dreams in the future.—Lorain Lanis.

            As chroniclers know: I did get Lorain back. Saved Sy’ra, who at the time kept the corruption from eating away at Lorain’s soul. The All-Father wanted to return a broken shell to Terran Space. History often overlooks the quiet ones. Sy’ra was the quietest of all. Yet in the end, it was the velvet within steel that provided the opening.—Sleeping in Starlight, a memoir of the 23rd century (vol 3)

The Jupiter Rising

Fail Point (In route to Waystation Beta)

April 11th, 2116

 

            Ren finished sending the report. It would bounce off a few redundancies before hitting the outer dark mirror network. To most observers, the message would just beam an update to C.A.P about this latest mission. She leaned back. Placing that mug back into the sink. Touching it caused waves of nausea. Those two saps would be the death of each other. The images burned behind her retinas. She covered her mouth. The bile rose to the back of her throat. The images writhed through her body.  Normally she would bask in the residue. Feeding on people’s raw passions. A gift from the empath she had digested.

            Yet Murphy cherished Lanis.

            Ren dashed to the refresher.

            Jupiter made note of the subject’s responses. Actively scanning the room for any other.

            The ship recorded the metaphysical responses.

            Genuine joy was an anathema to the mummy.

            Jupiter sent the package to Rosetta Stone. ///All systems ready.///

*****

            Mary Herbert-Lanis’ deep blue eyes locked on the message.

It did have a weakness. She hoped Lorain would forgive her. It was a risk they had to take. She pressed the sequence into the holo screen. She leaned back into her chair. The silent hum of Jupiter’s darkroom was a comfort to her. Even Eliza didn’t know what this room was utilized for. The symbology traced and embedded along the walls ensured that even the Amarche wouldn’t know what was within this room. She picked up the mirror. It slid into the palm of her hand. Outlined in copper it glowed faint orange as the Proctor’s face materialized in its surface.

            <<By the Eye of All. Start Phase 3. God go with you First Lancer.>>

            Hearing her Arcane Order Rank brought her thoughts into focus.

            Her daughter would face the crucible.

            She exited the room. The doorway sealing behind her. Fading into the metal.

                Her suit shimmered. Her physical features warped. She rubbed the graying stubble across her face. Masculine. Average. Ren wouldn’t even care. That monster preferred certain kinds of pray. Men were just a snack. C.A.P access rolled across her HUD.

The twin curved Khopeshes of Ta’mathon. Gleaming silver and gold.

Behind them was the blazing blue circle of the Arcane Order.

            //Activate Project Oblivion.//

            Mary walked down the main access chute connecting the Null Chamber to the rest of the ship. Her footfalls were loud. Heavy.

The vibrations triggered the security around the area. Her voice was low. A robust baritone, ”Jupiter. Open the gateway. Drop to normal Space.” Ren wouldn’t be able to see through this camo. It had been specially made to obscure the mummy’s arcane webworks. Mary hugged herself. The number of threads running through Ren terrified her. She had eaten so many. Most Light Sages and their ilk couldn’t be around the Egyptian fiend. The echoes of the tormented howled at every moment.

Endless souls.

Mary stalked the halls of the ship. Motioning to Cooper and the other Bardaxians.

It was time.

*****

            Renenutet shouted up at the bulkheads of the main captain’s deck, “Why have we stopped! Artock could be here!” She knew that was dubious at best but based on her research it wasn’t like Lanis was a tactician of note. The hatch cycled open. Like the iris of a flower and a man in C.A.P gear stepped through. His deep voice rumbled, “It's not Artock. Engine flux. We have our team looking into it now.”

            The ship intoned quietly, <<Main FTL engines offline. Grav Flux detected. Bardaxian ships inbound to assist.>>

            Ren smiled. As genuine as she could make it.

The more souls the merrier.

*****

            Arthon kept the frown from his face. Or rather Nola’s just in time. Small flecks of red flared momentarily within “Lorain’s” eyes before she glanced back down at the coffee mug in her hands. He nudged Eddie, “Let’s go see about those repairs.”

They vacated the area quickly.

The armed C.A.P soldier hit the release key, “Remember, we have spares along Bay 23-8!” Arthon nodded. Taking a moment to meet the other man’s eyes. Those dull brown orbs stared out at him from a nondescript face. Bland in every sense of the word. The muthra attempted to scan the agent with Markav Symbology. The incantation died on his lips.

Eddie wrapped an arm about “Nola’s” shoulders. “Let’s get going.”

//He’s on our side. Higher clearance.//

Arthon blinked. Re-reading the missive. Was Eddie serious?

//Anything pining off your radar Puzzler?//

For once Eddie keyed in the grav lift code without comment.

The silence was all the more surreal when they arrived at the designated bay.

Emry rose. Holding his Shiba Inu friend in his arms.

Stardancer barked, <<Only the void may hold the witch of souls.>>

The Markav clutched his Bardaxian friend tighter. “Her aura makes me ill. Even with the decks separating us. Emry and I will stay here. To finalize the bindings. So she will sleep.”

A team of rottweilers circled. <<We will protect until the trap is sprung.>>

Arthon knelt. Undoing the bindings around his chest. The image of Nora shimmered and collapsed. His uniform ungulated with faint green tracery. Other forms registered on his HUD. Two dozen Muthra saluted. The Puzzler spoke into his INet coms.

<<Strike team ready.>>

*****

Bel ran her left hand against the stone surrounding her. She had a bed. Basic refresher access. Even a simple entertainment module. How civilized of them. Mordred was dormant. She dared not take more time than necessary. His waking mind was still primed. She had no concept of time within this place. While she had never wielded magic, through Mordred she saw the signs.  Binding spells. That would detect any escape attempt. Food phased into existence on the table by the entertainment area. Basic yet filling. The fork and spoon were wooden. Metal would have served as a conduit for someone of Mordred's abilities.

A voice echoed from the stones above her.

“Eat.”

She did so. Noting that the plate and other items like the simple paper cup faded as she consumed what her body needed. They left nothing to chance here. Did they know she hid within her own body? She dared not reconnect to the sword. It was probably under lock and key. Placed with a tracker. If she was the enemy she’d put everything plus the kitchen sink into play.

She walked to the bed and leaned back. Making sure to cross her arms over her chest. Mordred thought it hilarious to wake up this way. As the world withdrew down to a pinprick she could hear Mordred say, “I wonder what my dear captors want today. The show must go on after all!”

*****

            Agent Nines watched as the threads within the stone recorded Bel’s retreat.

            Mordred had no idea she still retained some control over her body. They could use that. It was invaluable data on how the sword had changed Bel and the being known as Mordred. The Agent only had the Arcane Order’s reports to go on. Much of Mordred’s history had been relayed to them through the Lady of Avalon. Nines withdrew from the observation dome.

            The warmth of Sol hit his face.

            He exhaled sharply. The counter sigils burrowing under his skin.

            He sent the all-clear. Conveyed from magic and his signet ring.

            The threads loosened.

            If not relayed correctly the protective magics would tear him apart.

            A few Commons Typherians nodded to him as he walked past.

            With the Light Sages bolstering their human counterparts, they had moved the Bailey to the Hysen Spheres around Sol, not wanting this prison in the heart of the Arcane domain. The last of the hidden laylines. The tall spindly agent strode towards the closest transport hub. Taking a moment to fix his gray one-piece suit. The logo of Starlight Shipping was imprinted on the back of his work uniform. Three silver 5 pointed stars surrounded by a bright yellow circle representing sol.

            His pale blond hair was crew cut short.

Pale green eyes were hidden behind red-rimmed glasses.

He brushed the signet ring with the pad of his thumb.

They would have to house the Mummy. Fire to brimstone. To separate Mordred from Bel. The final enchantments on the sword were being locked away. Renenutet commanded life and death. Within her universe. They needed to extract the souls within her. Funnel them through Mordred’s Blade. Reforging it towards the Weave’s purpose. His fist clenched around the toolkit at his side. One Typherian commented, “Are you alright? Do you need a doctor?” He glanced down. The woman was much shorter. Just over 5 feet tall. He saw the old scars on her wrists.

One of the Unity Bred House castoffs.

He smiled gently, “Forgive me. It’s been a long day. I just need some rest.” He handed her a caff stick. Her eyes lit up. She glanced back up at him. “Take it.” She reached out and took it delicately. It would allow a person to remain awake beyond all endurance for at least 3 days. Most of the rejected House Typherians were still getting used to having autonomy. Nines didn’t allow his anger to manifest. They would cross that bridge eventually. The woman clutched the item to her chest. Her eyes darting periodically to his face. He grinned and boarded the shuttle. Surprised when she joined him. She stammered out, “I need to learn about ships. Can I join your company? I will sign the needed contracts!”

His arcane webbing snapped into place. There were no hidden evils within this woman. A bright silver cord hung over her head. Snaking around her forehead. A golden eagle unfurled its wings. She would bring good fortune to him. He opened his HUD.

Linking to hers.

“What kind of work did you want to train for with Starlight Shipping? We mostly haul cargo…” Her face transformed. Her copper and black eyes widened. Gratitude spilled off her in waves. “I recently got my basics certifications!”

The equivalent of Terran High School education.

He interjected with, “What class of ships?”

All the while his arcane nets shimmered.

Others of the Order joined their threads to his.

Footprints across the vast array of stars.

Earth’s truest weapon against the shroud of Unity.

Not just a people or a place. Or even a Layline.

A vigil connecting them across time and space.

With the Silver Defender at its heart.

*****

            Mary followed Ren. Letting the cloaked Muthra distract the sorceress. Even with her daughter’s face the smile never reached her eyes. The mockery of it made Rosetta Stone ill. Under the guise of her male countenance, she frowned at “Lorain.”

            “Doctor, this is no walk in the park. Let the engineers do their job.” Ren pouted. It unnerved Mary to the point where she had to turn away.

Pretending to update the Jupiter’s com systems. Asking for a direct link to Engineering. Cooper growled low in his throat. His neck scruff raised. He never let Ren touch him. Always finding a way around it. Knowing that she’d try to feed on him. The Bardaxian maneuvered next to Mary. Not realizing even via scent markers that it was her. It was no matter. She allowed the German Shepherd to curl up at her side. It was time for this farce to end. As the doorway slid open, “Lorain” stopped and stared. Her eyes went wide as a metallic golden arrow burrowed into her chest. The Puzzler stood next to a man clothed in ancient red and yellow leathered armor. His iconic red cap at a slant.

            Behind him, Horus and Comet erected an energy barrier around Ren. Mary threw 10 Light Gernades into the gap of the energy shielding before it completely encased the mummy. The smoking result within the barrier slammed against the shields. A haggard worn face appeared.  Leathery brown skin showing gaps within a decimated jawline. Black scrawl in the shape of Egyptian hieroglyphics pulsating with each beat of her desiccated heart.

The words Ren was hurling sealed behind Light Shaman magic and protections.

            Dark magics assaulted the prison. Bright purple cracks ran across the midsection of the forcefield containment. Mary motioned towards the cargo hold. “Time?”

Comet’s green spherical armor expanded, <<T-minus 2 mins until shield containment failure. They have the Void Prison ready for her.>>

Horus poured more energy into the field. His red iris narrowed, bits of his white spherical armor flaking off as the assault continued.

 <<We only have 60 seconds.>>

The Puzzler grunted, “Just peachy.”

The muthra decloaked.

The heavy aura of violence rolling off the corpse within the energy field.

She murmured, her English quite clear, “I was bored of this game. Time to feast.”

As they reached the cargo bay, a solid rock of obsidian greeted them. Golden markings covered every inch of the pitch-black rock.

Renenutet snarled. “You will not contain me.”

The energy shield shattered.

Flicks of sand rolled across the deck.

Robin shouted, “Watch out!”

Dark shapes rained down from the rafters. The remaining shuttles within the docking bay activated shields out of threat response. Jupiter erected a complete containment of that sector. The ship would only have one chance at this. She would not fail.

*****

 Renenutet’s blood boiled. “Baseborn flesh and bone. Die!”

Sand flowed from her as the humans retreated.

She no longer cared for subterfuge. Death’s sweet fragrance pulsed within her bones.

Ancient songs flowed from her lips.

The sand would bury them.

Issue 8: Here

Issue 10: Here

Saturday, October 23, 2021

The Uplift Protocol Escape Velocity Issue 8

 

Issue 8: Cold Stars, Fractured Heart

 

Figures she’d be surrounded by Atlantian Muthra. This universe let them propagate because the Markav were much more clever here. Within my home Universe? They are trapped in stasis. We keep our Planet of War dead. Egypt rules all sectors of Sol alongside Urraden Allies.— Renenutet

            While Arthon doesn’t have as much of a sense of humor he catches on quick. Answering the mummy in ways that will give our universe a chance at repelling her kind. The Urraden have her “King” under their thumb. He thinks it is an equal partnership. Ta’rammon is a fool. J’anu controls everything within that Universe. Including Earth. My mirror shows me the truth.—Nola

            Nola tells me Arthon managed to get more out of Ren than most thought possible. He doesn’t have much of a “funny bone.” But his intelligence gathering? That man? He understands people and motivations. Why do you think he was my 2nd? I was the overall billboard of the team. The one that took the mantle. The spotlight in most cases. But Arthon? He was always the tactical one. Where most had to spell out things for me? He would pick up on things with a word or two.—Sleeping in Starlight, a memoir of the 23rd century (vol 3)

The Dreaming

Inner Radiance

Hiulk’s Mirror

           

It was a palace of flowing water.

Along each of its four spherical towers was a waterfall cascading over the edge.

At the center courtyard was a mirror. Its outer edges were encased in silver bark. Water flowed across the surface. Hiulk tugged of my right earlobe. “What do you see within the depths?” His draconian snout extended. His blue scales shimmering against the water flowing around us. His body elongated. Akin to the Ouroborous. He smiled. His front fangs parted to reveal a mouth filled with stars.

“It is me. Or rather how the Markav saw me within their dreams. So the Ouro reflects it upon the multiverse.”

An image coalesced through the waters.

My heart nearly stopped. I managed to say, “Doc….”

My voice sounded weak even to my ears.

She rubbed her face. Not believing her senses.

She stepped through.

My mind grasped at the place where our Union bond was strongest.

She reached out. Running her palm across my chest. Keeping in time with my frantic heartbeat. Hiulk rumbled, “Ahhh! Shadowed friend of two lines. Amarche and Litari. Interesting. Welcome to the depths!” Ritark rose from Lorain’s hair of all places. I belatedly realized just how short it was. Nearly as short as mine. I cupped her hands and raised them to my lips. Fearing she’d fade into the ether at a moment’s notice. A dark red line ran through one of her wrists. I examined it with my multispectrum sight. It had been broken repeatedly. She swayed and I caught her. Pulling her into a firm embrace. “Easy now. I got you.”

Her reply, “That’s the best thing I’ve heard in days.” Using my left arm I cradled her to my chest. Offering the other to Ritark, “How are you both here?”

He replied, “Sy’ra said she would form the bridge. It is the middle of the day at the Lair of the All-Father. His body fails him. He is dying.”

My mouth hung open. Shock rippled through my body.

Doc murmured, “All-Mother is sleeping with Thoth. The baby will be a physical Avatar for Unity. It’s still trying to find Eden.”

Her green eyes flashed with subdued pain. I crossed my legs and floated a few feet off the ground. Hiulk on my left shoulder. While Ritark curled around my right forearm.

I asked, “Is there a way to prevent Unity from taking the baby’s body?”

Lorain buried her face in my neck. Her tears prickled on my skin.

“It’s already taken up residence.”

Hiulk planted one 3 fingered claw on the top of Lorain’s head.

“Not quite. It has to wait for the moment of birth to be fully seeded. There is still time for a normal soul to reside within that body.”

Lorain shuddered. “Can we stop it? I can feel it lingering every time Urranden forces me to check her womb.”

My arms inadvertently tightened around her. Every inch of me screaming to ride any kind of mirror into whatever hellish realm Tarkanan was floating in. Lorain chucked wetly. The sound was muffled against my shirt. Holding back another sob, “That’s why you couldn’t come with me. They would have torn you apart to find White. They still don’t realize Black is up and about.”

I pressed a tender kiss to the top of her head, “How about letting me help next time?”

Her head moved. A silent nod of acknowledgement.

Ritark added, “The Arcane Council wants to know the linchpin to the Dark Mirror Network. They can’t use their mirrors to full capacity because Unity did steal so many ideas from the Weave.”

I told them what happened. About the mirror I encountered. Hiulk flowed through me. His gaze was drawn towards my chest. “I see. Clever.” One of his claws fell delicately into my palm. “If you don’t mind, have Lorain place that against your heart.”

Doc did so. Watching as the silver material sunk into the meaty part of my breast bone.

Hiulk elaborated, “You will encounter your future selves far more often. The Convergence is approaching. This will allow me to experience what you do. To a certain point.”

He winked, “I will need eyes on the galaxy.”

I asked, “Selves? Just how much of me is running through all this?”

The Titan surprised me. His frank answer was refreshing, “The Ur resides within a temporal web of the Weave’s will. You have been connected to it since your first interaction so long ago on the Moon. This was not chance. It was convergence.”

He poked me in the chest for emphasis, “You reside in the past. The present and the future. That one-armed version is the point of terror for Unity. The silver is the Vigil. The future. While your past threads, that point is far in your future but will ripple to the past of this Universe and beyond.”

Doc cut in sharply, “Is that why her memory is partitioned? Not just because of old Uplift Protocol procedures?” The sapphire dragon nodded. His bearded green whiskers were crinkled. He was delighted that Doc was putting pieces together. His aura was a bright reddish gold against my empathy webs.

“Correct. It is to protect Eliza’s sense of self. Only the Highest and parts of the Weave can operate freely through the flows of time. Others? Even Light Shamans, Weave Speakers, and Sages? Or even those like Nola can only perceive the embers through their mirrors or impressions.”

I blurted out, “Yet Anna had valid fears that colored her early interactions with me. Felt clear enough to me.”

Hiulk rumbled. The sound reverberated through my chest.

“Yes. A warning. With certain kinds of sapients that is the most sure-fire way to get a message across. Of Danger. Possibility. She knew of Renenutet before most others. Had she not been at odds with you? The threat may have gone unnoticed.”

The sky above darkened. Turning purple as twilight descended.

“The dream will fade yet I will take a walk with young master Ritark.” Hiulk pulled the Litari towards the sparkling waterfalls of the northwest corner. “I will give you the beginning primer. It will help you master certain aspects of the Dreaming.” The titan placed a small blue star-shaped crystal within the Litari’s third eye. “Give that to Sy’ra. She will know what to do with it.”

A pleasant mist flooded the courtyard.

All we could see was the smattering of stars.

I pulled Doc towards a sparkling fountain.

As she sat she threw her arms around my neck.

I continued, “Sir Mathias found himself in a perilous dark forest…”

The story flowed from my lips as the sky darkened further. I recalled every bit of it. Not needing the leather-bound book to recall the tale.

Three stars were prominently on display. One was a solid blue. The middle was a stark white. While the final one smoldered with dull red. Nearly bronze in color.

*****

            Thomas watched as his daughter smiled. Her eyes were closed. A bright aura flowed across her body. Whatever was happening within the Deep Veil was healing her soul. The shrouding system still bathed the area in white static. J’ino watched as the final pathways to  Gates of Ta’rakarum concealed themselves.

The Lion gate guardians bowed as they passed. “This we will leave to your husband.”

Thomas glanced up, “By blood and bone.”

            They replied, “By Will and Soul.”

            Together, “The Gates will remain sealed until Convergence.”

            Eliza’s eyes opened. Her parents took each hand and hauled her up.

            The first thing out of her mouth was, “Dad, did you know there were three of me running around? Or would that be four of me? Since current me is me.” 

            Thomas Murphy responded with, “I only knew of two. The one-armed version and your silver counterpart.”

            J’ino cocked her head to the size. The questions burning in her eyes.

            They all turned as three cloaked figures entered the energy field, their dress invoking ancient promise. The tallest of the three threw back his cosmic black hood. Tobin, his features marred with age said, “Now I know how sis felt.” Gwen removed her’s next.  Jace winked at his family, “It's no wonder most things cannot breach time unless it's done by the Almighty itself.”

            Eliza twitched. Her form taking on that familiar Silver armor, “I was wondering when we’d have this conversation.” She said this with such a straight face that Thomas rubbed his chin. J’ino wagged her finger at her much older children.

            “Just get it all out of the way now.”

Eliza grinned as all the Murphy siblings stated, “Mirror mirror on the wall! Who’re the most swiss of them all?”

Gwen exclaimed, “Eliza still is. Sis, I gotta say, you have more willpower than I have. Do you know how many times I just wanted to lay it all out?”

*****

            I embraced my much older siblings. Not caring what time the Weave and the Highest had pulled them from. At this point, it’d take a bloodhound, an Ouija board, and a divine compass to make note of what thread we were following now. At this point in my life, I had resigned myself to the twists of fate. Yes, I was still free to choose but seeing what could result from failure?

Made me all the more determined to help the Highest and the Weave succeed.

The images that Unity foisted onto my mind were relatively fresh.

I turned to my mother, “First. These are the sectors you will need to investigate on the Commons Dyson Spheres. Nyx is still pulling strings…using children to glean information about the Arcane Council….”

My siblings added in a few more pertinent details. Mom cut in sharply, “What do we do once the All-Father launches his fleets towards Earth?”

I replied softly, “Let the White Haze take me.”

My father pinched the bridge of his nose, “There’s more to that isn’t there?”

I replied, “Isn’t there always? Just trust where my rage will go.”

*****

            Ren pretended to sleep.

            The lack of life energy shocked the sorceress to her core.

            The captain’s quarters on this ship were cleaner than she ever thought possible. No physic residue to cling to. Where did Murphy make her nest? Was her Union to Lanis a sham? Something to throw at the House degenerates among the Unity enhanced parties? She had desired a flame. All that was here was a few flickers of embers. Even her trysts had more passion! She threw off the blankets and made her way over to the kitchen. Nearly every cup here was blank! No residue.

            Her eyes narrowed.

            Her mirror had known. Lanis had taken anything of impressionable value.

            She let her tendrils bury deep within the structure of the ship.

            That Markav cook was making some sort of cake. A few Bardaxians patrolled the halls.

            Nola and Jonas “Eddie” Olsten were in the rec area. Their life-force signatures popping up to her senses as normal Muthra. Was the Puzzler a scam as well? Enhanced humans to be sure. Yet a suspicion grew within her mind. She called out, “Jupiter!”

            The monotone reply, <<Yes doctor?>>

            She put on a fake smile, “Take us out to Bardax. I want to follow up on some other projects for the T.A!”

            The faint tremor of the ship indicated it had gone to lightspeed.

            She hummed softly, “I must know.”

            A red mug caught her eye. It had no outer markings but as her finger tips touched the crafted surface a kaleidoscope of impressions washed away all the mummy’s doubts. This was a loved item. She drank in the memories that flowed from it. She turned it over. The small letters burned through her soul.

            “Happy Birthday! Have Mug Will Travel!”

            It was Lanis’ handwriting.

            The floodgates opened.

            Ren dashed to the refresher just in time. The hated red cup clutched to her chest.

*****

            “Nola” glanced up as Jupiter said, <<We are now inbound for Bardax Waystation Beta. Adding simulated Grav Drive Failure in T-minus 12 hrs>>

            Eddie grinned, “Want to place a bet?”

            Nola facepalmed, “Not really.”

            Arthon grimaced. That shriveled bundle of rags would find no true answers.

            Only a new jail cell.

            Eddie said, “I know that look. I want this to go smoothly but…”

            Cooper trotted in, <<Always expect a wrench!>>

   Issue 7: Here

   Issue 9: Here