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