DEXTER CHRONICLES: BLACK’S TRIALS
In the beginning, there was the Void. Yet it was not empty. There dwelled the Titans. Mighty beings that birthed the first planets. Makers, dreamers, a force for that which Dwelled on High. Every Markav within the Collective knows this. They are primordial. Not to be trifled with. Yet Set went about poking one.—From the Annals of Creation
White and Black were gods. But they weren’t the first. Even beyond the Void Man and Silver Lady, there rests a force above the Weave. Above the Titans. It made us. All of us. With the promise to choose. –Dexter Murphy
In my twilight years, I find many threads that harken back to those carefree days. With a purpose. Had it all been revealed all at once, it would have broken me. For mortals, even one’s such as myself were never meant to directly touch the face of Creation.—Sleeping in Starlight, a memoir of the 23rd century (Vol 2)
The Inbetween
Black’s Domain
January 2nd, 2101
Dexter examined his sister’s shrouded memories. Aether often asked her various questions. Then like always: Denied her the remote sensation of recollection. Soon she would return to the fold of Area 51. NASA had high hopes for her flying ability. Even if her math wasn’t up to par. That could be compensated with her ship. The Jupiter Rising was so much more than she appeared. Like many around his sister. He posed a question to Black, “Why is it I am allowed to remember all this?”
Black replied, “When the time comes, you will have to lay the foundation within other universes. Of the two, I was always within the bedrock. While my sister grew with the sun. Such is the way of things.”
Not that Eliza was a glory hound. Yet societies found her smile inviting. There was a genuine warmth there. People craved it even if they didn’t understand why. Her role was not only to uphold American charms and values but to present humanity at its best. Curious, adventurous, willing to lend a helping hand. The cracks within Uplift Protocol were already unraveling. His mother’s frustration is a key component. She had the influence and used it to galvanize those who saw through artificial constraints.
It wasn’t the tech. It was the people that mattered most.
Humanity was at the cusp.
Void pointed. His midnight robes curling about his massive frame. A jutting sphere of rock formed. Through the center was a crackle of energy. Images coalesced. Aether was standing next to Chronos. Before the latter’s trip beyond the Ouro. To the edge of the Path of the Ancients. Before the Madness and Unity claimed the younger J’kua. They were standing at the edge of a spaceport. Triangle-shaped vessels darting in to deposit supplies. An industrial hub of silver flame.
Ulmata Prime
J’kua Colony World
Cycle of Expansion
Aether squinted. Shielding his eyes from the binary glow of the suns.
Chronos shook his head at his mentor, “Keep doing that and you will lose those orbs of yours!” The one who would be the Director was one foot taller. An unusual height for his species. The mass of people flowed past. Aether walked down the ramp. Motioning for Chronos to follow. As they entered the main bay repository a new prototype vessel glimmered in the artificial light. Chronos stared.
Chronos nodded approvingly.
“Based on the design, this came from the recent Progenitor cache?”
Aether pressed his palms together. Delight evident. “Indeed! We are so close! Not only have we found these data arrays within the Weave space, but there is also more beyond the mighty Ouro! A land of learning and opportunity! Perhaps even the lesions of the first ones themselves!”
Most J’kua were content to monitor developing species.
A hungry glint entered Chronos’ gaze. He would go beyond mere reality.
He knew it. Even if Aether did not. All his mentor wanted was more knowledge. Not to experiment. His people had a Codex of Ethics that they dared not breach. Chronos buried his desires. Showing just enough interest. Staying just within the lines. There was more beyond the Ouro and he would seize it.
*****
Dexter crossed his arms, “Yet his fellow J’kua didn’t see the hunger? That avarice?”
Black formed around Murphy. His feline face inches from Dexter’s.
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“They couldn’t see it. I wasn’t able to see it until too late. That era was an age of supreme innocence. You must remember. This was before Unity. Before the Sundering. We had no reason to fear. Many just wanted to gain information to help others.”
Dexter tasted the truth of Black’s words.
Hidan’s faction had been innocent as well. “Why call our Universe Eden then?”
Black’s voice softened, “After the Sundering, it is where most of the purest souls were transferred to. It is reflected on Earth and within your sister. The prevalence of the Bardaxian species within that particular universe is the surest sign.”
“Does Bardax not exist in other places?”
Black growled, “Barely.”
The Silver Lady murmured, “The Highest decided where the new Eden would form. One that would be aware of Unity from the start. It is reflected in your religious texts. No matter the empire or people.”
Pain shot up Dexter’s right arm.
He gripped his trident. It sparked with an inner radiance.
From everywhere a chime of voices: Ouro Eden Breached.
Dexter found himself before a giant obsidian doorway. Mirrors outlined around it. They all pulled at him. As he passed through the nearest reflective surface a sea 0f stars expanded outward. Beyond that? Aether’s ship. Within was Chronos. It was too early. He must not discover that this place was Eden Universe. He threw his trident. It formed 3 balls of cosmic fire. Burrowing through the metal. A Titan-level attack. Dexter didn’t want to imply a Titan lived beyond this sector of the Eden Ouro but he had no other choice. Chronos must not know that Black walked the realm once more. Not without White to back him up.
It returned to his hand and he let loose another volley. Praying that the one that slumbered within Saturn would excuse his actions this day.
*****
Chronos yanked the controls back. Shifting the ship along with the outer range of this place’s Ouro. A Titan! How unexpected. It might be worth investigating later. He didn’t want to waste his lifeline to J’kua tech, however. He made note of the frequency of this particular Ouroborous Chain. He would return to examine this place. He would house this vessel within a Null ship next time.
This Titan didn’t tolerate J’kua tech. A particular oddity that interested him.
The silver scales of the Ouro contracted. Its cosmic defenses lighting up the area to join the Titan in its offensive. Yes, next time he would return prepared. Variables were always welcome. More data to offer to Unity. He jumped to conventional FTL. Not trusting the expanded space around this area. It reeked of Weave influence.
He still had agents within the boundaries of the Earth housed within this Universe.
If he could deliver a Titan to Unity? That would be the ultimate prize.
As he passed through those ancient crosswalks he entered his hibernation chamber. Human skin flowed over him as he donned his Micheal Brookes suit. Now to find the proper human woman to proceed with the experiment. One had to keep growing agents. An unholy light burned within the depths of his soul. Such as it was. Even he craved the touch of renewal.
*****
“Have we always had a Titan living in our solar system?”
Dexter said, “Always. It is the one who caused quite a bit of trouble for Set.”
I sat back with a thump. The chair taking my weight easily.
I raised my hand, “Anyone else wondering if Chronos meant Hilary or Father Brookes?”
Dexter swiveled to face me, “Its Hilary. The Father hasn’t mentioned how he came into the world but I can guess. Unfortunately. I know what Keeper breeding facilities look like.”
We dived back into his memories.
There were no words to cover the horror.
*****
Dexter lashed out. The cold fire bursting from his hands scorching the metal of the facility. The Void Walkers had taken quite a few beings to run tests on. The various Brood classes were a disturbing indicator of how successful those wizened grey beings had been. Istar was a genius-level terror at creation. Yet Nyx always managed to make more disturbing foes. Where Ishtar created things purely for function, Nyx had the twisted mind of a Mother Goose. Always imbuing her cannon fodder with extra features to touch the mind.
He aimed a kick. A wet slopping sound met his ears. The soft crunch of cartilage as the fleshy mass fell away. Its many limbs were twisted by the additional flames Dexter fired from his hands. He wore a simple black and gray suit. No identifying markers.
He went about his work. A grim expression plastered behind his helmet.
Glad that his sister didn’t have to face this madness just yet.
One of the drones rounded the corner. He picked it up by its shriveled ghostly gray neck. Hurling it into the reactor behind him. Then he aimed. The facility disappeared in a caustic explosion moments later. Dexter stood upon the blighted land. Thankful this had just been an asteroid. Smaller chunks of rock hit his chest. Nothing with a soul had remained here. The women and other beings had long expired. He gritted his teeth. How many more souls would be lost before the end?
Distant calls rang hollow upon his senses.
Nullships were picking off distant Litari colonies. A chilled hand stopped him.
The Void’s gaze resolutely pinning him in place.
“If you go too far beyond the boundaries of the Ouro and Black’s domain, they will discover you and all will be lost. It will find Eden.”
Yet there was a way he could help!
Through Eliza.
He pulled her into a light sleep to talk, “I need you to go to this sector when you wake…”
*****
It all clicked into place. “No wonder I went beyond the Uplift Boundry so much. It wasn’t just physical distress calls I was responding to!”
My parents were seated beside me. Dad’s face was worn but proud. “I always wondered how you could pick up on things that should have been clouded. Besides that hideous inoculation by Nyx.”
Mom pulled Dexter and me into a fierce hug.
“My kids were on the ball even before the rest of us.”
Lorain said, “To be frank, that’s why I sleep better at night.”
Eddie and Nora rose to gather more refreshments. Nora added, “Oh? And not because she looks dashing in all that red, white and blue?”
I smiled. There was no real venom from Nora’s observation. Just gentle ribbing.
The tale wasn’t quite done.
*****
Dexter ran a hand down his face. His lone vigil would be ending. Doc’s healing on Eliza’s spine was approaching the final stages. His part in this play would enter center stage. He prayed that his parents would understand. For all to live, they would have to die, enter the Path of the Ancients, to return renewed. Eliza would take the High Reaches. Climbing from the Abyss. He would open the doorway at the bedrock. Along with Black. To correct the oversight and mistakes thrust upon Creation.
Many demis claimed the title of Death. Yet he knew it as most others did not.
That would be the other side of the crown they would bear.
There was no other way