[Oded's Place: Habitat D1234]
Been a while…
Oded's thoughts are jumbled that early in the morning.
As he opens his eyes, stretches under the blanket, he freezes.
Been a While. The thought reapetes, this time clear as crystal. With all the implications.
He untengles himself from his bed. Which takes an embarrassing while. After which he runs to the shower.
As he runs back to the bedroom after the shower, he begins shouting to his butler A.I.
"Are there *any* entanglements about the surprise?"
"No. Your mother's birthday surprise remains in effect. Mom-Significant-Sean maintained parameters at Arena Habitat side."
He stands, now dressed. He doesn't ask it, *again* he doesn't ask if the butler's jealous.
Too many implications.
But Oded really wants to ask just that.
Instead he takes a breath, holds it, releases, and asks the other bit.
"Has there been news from Benny?"
"Yes, Husband Benny is going to be mildly late due to Cordial Revi needed to clone a body to leave her simulated retirement World."
He closes his eyes for a moment. He should be surprised but… she really loves those crucible habitats. She had her son growing up in one,after all…
Though he thought she just went for the Real life ones, who knew.
He claps once, smiles a rather nervous smile.
"Big Day."
And goes out the door. By the time he'll get to his mom's space car, it will be loaded with the cake and the rest.
…
[USA Coms Cycler: Buss Officer- Igor Karington- private quarters]
Natty, and Igor are sitting in Igor's dinky little Cycler.
"OK, try this, it should help to key to her."
Igor said after cajoling his system.
Natty nods. They're trying to reach Lily. Again.
"Ok, ok, There's no connec-ction."
He hiccups.
A few months earlier, quantum bonds communication protocols became standard in all of the Solar system. As this was a software patch, it should have reached her.
He refuses to consider the implications of that. It's the temporal diferencial. It too great for a proper interface.
He calls his friend in the crucible left to die.
Janet answers she sounds barely understandable due to the time diferencial.
"Heeeey… Naaaat-"
He hangs up.
For her it was barely any time…
For him it was almost five years.
Natty just wanna talk to his sister.
"Don't worry, buddy, we'll find her."
Igor tells his best friend. His pulm almost crushes Natty's shoulder. Natty nods a bit, almost absently. Neither mentions that the USA A.I. has long sounded the alarm.
They never heard it anyway.
…
[D1230- Benny's place]
Benny is in his kitchen with two mildly old work friends. They've been invited to his mother inlaw's birthday party. He sighs and looks away from them, they just declined.
"So, Benny, do you really think that?-"
Benny turns to Ron and Rosalie, to answer Ron's question he didn't actually even finish.
Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
His polite smile fades a bit. He assumes this isn't about the birthday party invites they've just declined.
"Yeah. In two hours the gamma surge will reach the Solar system. The larger/critical crafts would be unaffected."
The two share a look. Rosalie tries for a wane smile. Benny assumes, as it looks more like a grimace. He doesn't stop though. They asked.
"And most of the smaller ones have been adapted. About six months at the latest after that, we will have an invasion fleet on our hands."
Rosalie nods.
"So, we are going to do some massive training, huh."
Benny sucks on his lip. There really is not much to say.
…
[Oded's Place: Habitat D1234]
Oded does the last checks, it's at standard, but it looks like mom did not update the hull yet. He *should* cancel the drive.
He takes a step back and runs his hands in his hair.
If he's fast enough, he'll be able to get there in time…
So it's decided.
"Hey, please complete a neural mapping for me."
He has less than two hours before the Invasion gamma surge gets to him.
After a moment of *mind echo,* for lack of a better term, he gets in the craft, and begins to climb to the driver seat. And it already disengages.
However, his cyber twin, the one being born in the system… Has had some *noise* as he was being compiled. So will only be active and *real* in several days after a long cross checking with Oded's known history.
To deduce the missing, corrupted, bits.
Oded did not check, though.
…
[Void Wars Mobile Arena: Public Area]
Odelia and Sean are in a restaurant.
Currently they are only drinking a glass of wine each. Her parents need to get here first.
"So Hun, how's your 'time off' treating you?"
She smirks at his question.
"Pretty good. As you well know." She gives him a look over her glass of wine.
He blushes a bit. "Yeah, I imagine, but I mean when I don't distract you with my charm and oratory skills."
She smiles and lowers her glass to the table.
"Like I have an itch."
He smiles at her, a hand reaching for her hand that's holding the glass.
"While for the last few years I make sure to take those breaks fairly regularly,-"
His smile sparkles, it helps her breath a bit easier.
"-it is always because I am reaching a point of forgetting *to* take that break."
Her palm lets go of the glass completely, grabs the hand he already gave her. Her eyes going over his face.
"And while the last time has ended fairly well. It even led to meeting you."
She looks down, a blush rising that has little to do with love as with embarrassment.
"But I was in bed for days because of a cold that normally would not even bother a *physiological* elderly."
He bites his upper lip in mild mirth, she assumes he remembers her telling him of it, she always made sure to make it look funny.
He leans in, he's about to kiss her when her parents come in.
"Hey dear." Her mom calls as her man closes the distance and kisses her.
As he pulls back and properly sits again, her parents take their own seats.
She smiles at them, and leans in to hug them.
"Hey, mom, dad."
"So, Odelia, are you resting properly?"
Her father asks after the hugs ended. Her mother nods along, as her hand is reaching for her forearm.
She shares a look and a blushing shade with Sean for a bit.
"Yeah dad, I'm feeling pretty good."
…
[USA Coms Cycler: Buss Officer- Igor Karington- private quarters]
Natty is looking at the screen. It is the confirmation. Neither ship's communication marker is active. And they did catch the last transmission.
They sent a warning. His little sister tried in vain to give her friend a chance to escape.
He leans back. And looks at Igor.
"I am resigning." Igor nods. Beyond that doesn't say anything.
Natty continues.
"I am going to enlist in the army."
Igor nods again.
"We both will."
Natty huds him. And begin to cry.
The space outside their craft begins to boil with Gamma rays.
…
[Helix Class Micro-Traveler: Odelia's Space Car]
Oded is getting close. All the little gifts, the cake. All is properly refrigerated.
In five minutes, he will dock and the surprise for his mom will begin.
He activates the com.
"hey this is, *me,* Is mom there?"
"Hey Mr. Gittin. Your mom is currently at dinner. Word was just sent. She should meet you when you get here."
That voice sounds happy. Which make Oded happy. His mom is loved. What more could he ask for here?
…
[First Fleet Of The Empress: Flag Craft 'Auroras Blade']
The Core Stander is on edge, it makes the crew nervous.
None speaks.
And the timer makes bells ring all over the craft. The Target is getting the Empires invitation to join as they sit. A shower of her graces holy power.
And everybody begins to cheer. Bottles of drink are opened. The songs of glory and 'her beauty' will go on for several days.
…
[Void Wars Mobile Arena: Public Area]
Odelia, Sean and her parent are having a great meal. Shepherd's Pie with extra tomato sauce.
"Oh, Dear, tell us again about your last game."
Her mom's eyes sparkle. It makes her feel like a child, telling her mom and dad about finger painting in kindergarten. She's warm, safe, and loved. She could might as well be a child in kindergarten.
Sean coughs.
She looks at him.
He blushes, smiling.
"You might have forgot, this is your birthday, by *your* personal timeline, anyway. Which is really the one that matters."
He coughs again, and her mom waves her hand for him to continue. So whatever, her mom and dad are in on it.
"So, Oded made sure to bring in your car today. With cake and everything, and I just got word he's about to get here."
Her world is perfect, she tears up a bit. Yes, she met him a few days ago. But she would always be happy to have him with her. She's his mom. She doesn't have to excuse herself. To herself included.
"Let's go, this is great. Thank you guys. I am so happy, thank you."
And they get up. After they leave the establishment, they get on a transport. They get out of it a few doors from the hangers level.
She doesn't speak, she walks, but almost runs.
She has already asked, so knows where to stop and wait.
Her boy will be only another minute, maybe and a half at the most.
"Contact him please."
A screen over that door now shows his face.
"Hey mom." He's smiling, as happy as she.
"Hey, sweaty, you gave me a great surprise."
He frowns."
"Hey, mom, have you updated your hase shield to the new standard yet?"
She frowns. update?
Not yet sweetie. I don't thi-"
She chokes as the contact is cut.
The window the screen is on shows a nearby explosion.
…
[Pan Solar News Network transmission]
On the screen, a woman of approximately 40 years, the anchor, is looking at the viewer. An effective anacronization of late 20th century news.
"Today, at Earth standard 12:00 AM. Came the final proof of the current communication protocols."
Her face goes from neutral, to visible stress.
"The expected Gamma Flare, has caused an approximate number of around 15'000 craft explosions, destroyed 20 Reality Installations, and the auxiliary Mars Field Generator…
She visibly centers herself, and actively returns her tone and expression to neutral professionalism.
"Also, an approximate Metric Ton of at rest mass of relative super-luminal neutrons."
Her tone and face shift again, this time to a combination of numb shock and confusion.
She turns to the side.
"With us, is Dr. Eliot Harold. Tell us sir- Dr. Is the Mechanism that produced these super-Luminal Neutrons understood?"
Then, the camera switches to the expert. Who answers.
"Yes. You will note the phrasing was 'relative'. Meaning we were moving toward their source."
The Anchor, now mildly chagined, asks another question.
"While Neutrons are electrically neutral, these are at a resting mass of a ton, they have reached us at super luminal speed. Are there any further consequences to be expected?"
The Dr. Frowns.
"We are not sure. On their own, no. But it appears they were modulated in some form. Some statistical deviations in measurement have been recorded. Beyond that. It is too early to say."
She nods and turn to the camera.
"Well, to the people at home, let us hope this coming war will *only be that.*"
A close up to her face as she switches to exaggerated happiness.
"And now, to our next segment, how Communication cyclers managers adapt to the new reality of FTL communication. The answer, is happily."
…