Uncontrolled and varied.. Specter One had an ‘innate’ gift in that sense, she had remained in his neural implant long enough for him to grow accustomed to her. That alone allowed him to sense her surface level thoughts, moods, emotions, and.. even inklings of what he now knows as her ‘fears’.

And all he could sense from her ‘Echo’ was suspicion, hesitation, and caution.

“Duplicate..”

Specter One coldly acknowledged, forcing her to reflect on his ‘word’ as he continued forward. With their hands still on his shoulder and their weapons drawn but still very much cloaked. Calisto’s ‘Echo’ felt mixed feelings for his indifference and ultimately his disregard for her.

From her point of view, Ernest had given her to Specter as a companion, a ‘watcher’. Shadow Enforcer’s had ‘watchers’ but not for what one would suspect, the role itself is enough to kill ‘humans’ within months without outside ‘intervention’.

‘Watchers’ were a solution disguised as a ‘shackle’ that served as an ‘aid’, companion, and confidant for ‘Human’ Shadow Enforcers. Even if there weren’t ‘many’ of them, The Curators were still extremely thorough.

This of course would allow those ‘specific’ Shadow Enforcers an additional year if not three before reverting their roles or allowing them to continue. Ernest knew more about The Curators than he let on, more so than ‘anyone’ had ever previously thought.

And at some capacity, Specter One ‘was’ Ernest’s Shadow Enforcer, so perhaps he merely allowed it to happen and Calisto to become ‘his’ Watcher. Calisto’s Echo could gather that much, despite her mixed feelings on the matter.

Three years ago he was at the very least tolerant of her and willing to abide by her dry humor. The same can’t be said for now? She of course understood his dilemma, ‘his’ Calisto was severely damaged, and it was the result of Project Chrono only for ‘her’ to appear.

However.. she sensed he was subtly poking ‘back’ at her using similarly dry humor, and to her progress was progress! The likely outcome was her being reabsorbed, erased, or repurposed anyhow, so she couldn’t hope for much else.

While for all intents and purposes, Specter One was not in fact a Shadow Enforcer, his knowledge on the matter was limited but ultimately thorough enough to allow him to avoid unnecessary interlopers.

…

Soon however, it was revealed the next fissure was located a mere ten steps away, prompting Specter One & Mercer to unceremoniously seat themselves on the comfortable old oak couch as Alpha speculated this fissure in particular was an anomaly.

As a result they were required to spend an additional ten minutes until it expired. And as if on cue a Security Officer had seemingly.. fallen from the ceiling having presumably ran into the very same fissure?

And far earlier by The Echo’s estimations, as his suit was not only unmarked but had ultimately identified him as a medic attached to New Harvest’s Fleet.

While evidently, it was clear he had taken a beating and a great deal of lacerations as he crawled to the wall and sat with his back to it before finally observing his surroundings.

“That would be Combat Medic, Specialist Carter Jacobs, New Harvest Security. Currently Stationed on The N.H.S. Prim & Proper, a Heavy Dreadnought-”

Alpha’s Echo dryly revealed, as for the matter pertaining to Carter, The N.H.S. Prim & Proper despite being considered a Heavy Dreadnought could be considered a mobile defense station.

Its main guns consisted of ‘two’ planetary canons complimented by pulse lasers and its more heavy equivalents which in itself was only complimented further with quite a few hangers filled with several dozen interceptors.

Its shielding was a miniature planetary shield and it was capable of cloaking..

When considering the safety of New Harvest, no credit was spared, that philosophy was naturally shared by the fleet in its entirety. The cost was undoubtedly astronomical considering the overabundance of cloaking technology?

It also didn’t help matters that the only other overabundant technologies were Slipspace Inhibitors personal shielding, and Planetary Cannons. Carter’s team wasn’t likely to be the only one sent considering many of whom were unrecorded.

And after he had finally stabilized, Alpha’s Echo took the liberty of explaining their and most importantly ‘his’ predicament as it was evident he’d be forced to remain considering the temporal radiation had been all but dissipated.

However, she refrained from informing him of that particular fact, as a result it took him several moments to collect his breath.

“There’s nothing left of my squad, we were only told a research station had gone dark. We were instructed to provide relief, not to fight those.. things. Before we knew it we lost contact with Beta, and the facility went into lockdown. I deal in emergency triage and the occasional scuffle, and if given a proper triage center even surgery, but this?”

Carter’s words were especially numbing, it was already evident his team was a part of the first unrecorded waves before Beta had gone offline only for them to then have the unfortunate honor of experiencing the full brunt of the temporal fissures and whatever else was released when the lockdown went into effect.

“There was no code black when we arrived, and we were initially welcomed by Security and several members of this facility’s staff. All of whom were nowhere to be seen during The Lockdown.. it was as if they disappeared or were never there to begin with-who-I’m going for a walk”

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Naturally, both Specters One and Three were now concerned by his sudden need to wander around.

“Carter, I wouldn’t suggest that-”

Alpha’s words did little to stop his advance as he waved her off.

“Hush, if we’re thirty years in the past then perhaps I’ll finally have a chance..”

Carter quietly dismissed as he cleaned himself up and removed his helmet revealing that of a young man in his early twenties with a clean buzzcut, semi pale white skin, and somewhat handsome features.

As to what he meant.. evidently it would seem he had seen a ‘lovely’ young lady who appeared to be slightly older than himself.

Only neither of the three had noticed what he ‘may’ have seen? And when considering the only other population consisted of Curators, something Carter himself wasn’t in fact made aware of, then one could at the very least assume he was planning on flirting with a Curator..

Unfortunately, there was little anyone present could do to stop him, considering he was more specifically stuck in the past, and following him would only prove equally distatous.

Leaving Specter One to unceremoniously pocket a curator tablet left in between the couch cushions to Mercer’s dismay. In that regard, The Curator was, to put it simply, moderately attractive, considering Carter’s considerable reaction.

She wore a lovely honey-golden sundress cinched at the waist with a braided belt, in addition to that of a matching headband, golden beaded necklace, knee-high sandals, and oval glasses.

Giving her an Old Earth hipster look that perfectly complemented her short crown-braided brown hair, pale tan complexion, and fiery golden eyes..

Currently, she was gracefully leaning against a wall with her legs crossed and subtly smiling at her data pad. Unfortunately, it was cut short as the fissure had soon dissipated, with Carter nowhere in sight.

…

Soon enough however, after Alpha wrote him off as killed in action, it would appear the next fissure was unceremoniously located at a security terminal.

Thankfully that particular one could be avoided, unfortunately however, The Echo’s Holographic Sphere’s range was.. not something either had accounted for as they would soon appear within a much younger setting with a confused security team arguing with the installation’s security.

“Not only has this facility been silent for weeks, but we weren’t the first team sent here. You all better have a good explanation why the other teams aren’t reporting in and why your ‘higher’ ups have been refusing the calls from The Board”

Ark Two interrogated, their weapons raised after seemingly disabling the terminal’s defenses.

Naturally, as she was the one who ‘extended’ her holographic trail that led them to being sucked in, Alpha’s Echo unceremoniously updated their orders informing them this installation was deemed lost and to evacuate.

The security assets had soon taken notice of that little fact and joined the Ark Team. Thankfully however, she had ‘informed’ them how to ‘evacuate’, with luck they’d be able to return and be greeted by the rest of Specter Team rather than The Stewards.

…

Sometime in The Past…

Unfortunately it would seem they would encounter The Stewards, as Specter Team had..

Evidently, the previous Curator Enforcer had attempted to make her way to get fresh air before suddenly being delayed by the appearance of Ark Team & The Security Personnel who tagged along with them, awkwardly blocking her way.

Only to then frown after finally taking notice of the shared markers as her and the group awkwardly stared at one another.

“How long will this take?”

Her words expressed her sudden and complete exhaustion, leaving the group who were warned prior by Alpha’s Echo to silently look at one another.

“Ten minutes..”

…

Meanwhile in the present…

As they waited for the fissure to dissipate, a holographic projection appeared, that being Calisto.. Delta perhaps?

“Proceed. Unknown Calisto Variant, Identify”

His words were cold and precise, leaving her little choice.

“Specter One? I am.. Calisto ‘Delta’. I regret to inform you that an unknown assailant has cut off my access to The Installation and my Evacuation Order has gone ignored. She has successfully taken control of this installation, and my erasure is nearly complete. I.. only wish I could have done more. Specter-”

Delta regretfully reported, while her dry humor remained if not a little dampened by her imminent death.

However, before that became the case, Alpha’s Echo transferred herself to be reabsorbed in the hope of speeding up Calisto Alpha’s recovery, sacrificing herself and only ever leaving memory fragments of who she became for ‘his’ Alpha to make use of before the end.

As a result, she chose to replace herself with Delta, as she had likely viewed ‘her’ as more useful given the situation. And while unlike herself who was merely an ‘Echo’ she believed ‘Delta’ had a priority, even if she herself didn’t know it.

If anything, she was offended at the thought that no one told her there were three of them now? However, she’ll leave her resentment for Specter’s Calisto to sort out.

With that said, he believed she was likely going to do exactly this eventually. Only with much less nobility, while Calisto Delta was essentially left out of the loop as Specter One uploaded her to a A.I chip and placed it into his implant while allowing her continued connection to the hologram body.

Calisto Delta was the lesser equivalent of Calisto Beta, which while not as impressive as Alpha was still useful. While in actuality he had little choice in the matter.

If not for her still being ‘a’ Calisto, who clearly remembered him to some degree so that was enough for him, while Delta acclimatized and was briefly updated from his memories and where Alpha left off.

“Alpha is still alive? I was never told what happened to her.. and poor Beta. I hate to meet either in these circumstances. I only hope I can make up for the difference-I apologize. The unknown assailant is Ascendant in nature, my attempts to contact Beta were in vain and had the unintentional effect of making her its next target. I doubt even the safeguards I had proposed earlier would have sufficed..”

Delta sadly reported, her words revealed far more than initially known. The fact alone she had pointed to The Assailant being an Ascendant A.I and her initial fears being ignored despite the origin of this installation left only complacency and budget cuts.

After all, this Installation was by no means ‘official’ and hadn’t in fact received the same budget, if any at all. It was likely the select few members of The Board in question couldn’t fund it completely without a paper trail.

Manpower, equipment, old but still very advanced lab equipment, and many other necessities weren’t really a problem, the rarer the materials, and the unconventional specimens on the other hand ‘were’.

Perhaps they could deal with The Stewards head on, but as soon as a Curator or any Ascendant A.I makes an appearance, it would be especially difficult to stop them.

The fact alone that Delta lasted as long as she did only meant she was never the priority as she was already locked out.

Killing her on the other hand would be ‘odd’ for a Curator but not enough ‘not’ to suspect them, and to match this thought process Delta had more to share as they returned to the especially dimmed and bloodied security terminal.