ISSUE 15: A SPLINTER WITHIN

My journey began with the destruction of my world. My people became the Splinter. Which grew into a wildfire. –Avandar

Unkown presence detected within Gemini Networks. Sealing main corridors. All ships vacate Hi’aal Space. Threat Code Omega. This is not a drill. Abandon all Threads. –Emergency Notification

I finally caught up with all these Sleeping volumes. I don’t know if I should drink more or be thankful we prevented a multi galactic apocalypse. My daughter is both the chicken and the egg and even that confuses the hell out of me. Thomas Murphy! You stop laughing. You too Ta’mathon. You had a front-row seat. I’m only catching up now!–J’ino

Avandar has many skills. But the one I appreciated the most? Doc could talk to him about all the things she couldn’t with me. Specifically, all the time travel nonsense. Even now the Curator is motioning for me to add more recordings. It will help future me. OF course, it will! Even White knows more now. They keep telling me I’ll understand towards the end. I recall the Look in Silver Fox’s eyes. A mix of dread and amusement. Time didn’t kill me but all these roadblocks did. Literally.—Sleeping In Starlight, a memoir of the 23rd century

Genesis Prime

Path of Ancients

The Cracking of the World

Avandar aimed. The twin barrels of his weapon coughed horrendously. Another patch of black scrawled speech evaporated. This virus was beyond his understanding. Various com hubs were already dark. The epicenter had occurred in the High Seat of Science. Avandar had been assigned to the processing fields. Great swaths of land enriched with the threads of the Three. Often these “crops” were used as the main element for building weapons, ships, Thread Drives.

This virus was targeting that first. It wasn’t normal space or standard FTL. His people had discovered great buildings drifting between the stars. Curled around knots within the fabric of Thread Space. This black scrawl virus fed on certain energy over others. The military had tried to breach into Rykah after the network collapsed. It had only been a few weeks but the whole sector of that place had become impassable.

It was eating the Thread Gates. Those placed by the Precursors of the Weave’s Light.

A bestial madness.

He vaulted over another wall. Panicked civilians dashed towards emergency shelters.

Avandar spotted the landing spirals. Their massive tan structures held dozens of space-worthy transports. His ship was just a few more feet away. He entered the glowing ring. It transported him directly. His hearts nearly stopped. This was not his ship. His bottom fists hit a silver energy barrier. Just below his feet, he saw his planet shrinking, its surface darkening with that black scrawl of Rykah.

Was he being led to his death? The final gates?

The barrier closed in. His eyes closed.

Warmth infused his body.

He prayed to the Threads of Light.

*****

The Arbiter tugged at the barrier.

Avandar would have a role to play. One beyond the shadowed Ourobouros consuming the Threads around the Path of the Ancients. There would be other places. People to populate areas beyond the ken of the Precursors. The silver flames of the Tower of the Lidless came into view.

Two blue threads shot out.

Anchoring the Arbiter to the proper timestream. The warm winds of Egypt curled around the silver inscribed boots. This would be home for a while longer. The Gemini man’s three eyes opened. He reached out, “I know that symbol.” Arbiter leaned down. Letting Avandar trace the markings on the bronzed mask. It covered the whole face. No words came. His upper arm fell away. His three eyes locked onto the half-finished buildings behind his white garbed savior. They were triangular. Lined up in a pattern he recognized as a warding arrangement or protection.

Avandar asked, “By what do I know you as?”

The smaller being, about 5 feet shorter than his considerable 12, etched a symbol into the sands with the butt of its staff. It was a mix of Weave Speak, the symbols of Creation, and a language he was unfamiliar with.

Slumbering Aspect.

Additional symbols formed around this singular image.

The Arbiter who Walks the Sands of Time.

Avandar pressed his forehead to the sands.

“What do you wish of me?”

The Divine had a mission for him. The Highest went by many faces.

Avandar would honor that bond. No matter where the Path sent him.

*****

I buckled into the lead pilot seat. It was a strange mix but I liked it. The outer clamps closed over my chest.

Avandar saluted with his top arms. His bottom set worked the navigation bars displayed on the HUD. I said, “What do your people call the Arcways?” His light bourbon eyes locked onto me. Doc shouted from the hatchway, “It's ok. That’s within her paygrade.”

I smiled, “I never tell myself anything. So much easier!”

Avandar smiled. “Good advice for now.”

He watched for a few more moments. Studying my face like he had seen an old friend. Trying to find her within my current body. From what Doc could say that Tower had been a trip. I tilted my chin up. Moving left to right, “Find who you need yet?” Avandar made that odd salute. All four arms crossed. I leaned back into the chair. He rumbled, “The Threads of Creation. Thread Space is different from standard FTL.”

The chair molded to my body. Just like the Jupter Rising. I ran a thumb under the armrest. I slowed my breathing. Waiting for the navigation to update. I counted backward from a hundred. It wasn’t from the Jupiter Rising but I knew who made that chair. The Murphy House symbols were stenciled on the inner edge. My family had made this. This ancient yet technologically advanced scout ship. I reached out and put the Whitehawk through its paces. It flowed as well as the Jupiter ever did. It was even faster considering its size.

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I glanced up as Sy’ra entered with more of my family in tow. The boy giggled. She said, “It is as you guess.” Within the Dreaming, she elaborated.

You have it half right.

Your family, your ancestors via your father’s line assisted in the building of this ship. But you did as well. I cannot say more for the Tapestry must remain and you are not yet Reborn.

Her words rang true.

We slipped through the outer layer to Weave Space. The Arcway before us was silent. Avandar motioned towards the outer lip. A ledge open wide enough to land safely. I aimed for it. The outer walls closed in. The faint clicks of the exterior lock let me know we had aligned properly.

Sy’ra stood as well. “You will need us.”

To make contact. I knew myself enough to know I’d want to see my son safe and secure.

So I figured other versions of me would have similar feelings.

Doc shot me a tired smile. Her body was still healing from its trials on Tarkanan.

I didn’t let any emotion color my face or aura but she still knew. Lorain reached out to give me a quick hug. She whispered in my ear, “I’ll never fly without you again. You have my promise on that.”

I knew it was stupid to remain fixated on things I couldn’t change but a part of me couldn’t help myself. I couldn’t undo the damage that Tarkanan had inflicted but I could help heal the effects in other ways. I hauled both duffle bags over my shoulder.

“Just tell me what I can set up!” I plastered an easy-going grin on my features.

Lorain pressed a finger to my lips, “I know that trick and I appreciate it!”

I winked.

*****

Lorain signed back to Avandar, Which category of Arcway is this?

He responded, his fingers moving quickly, Transference but it has a mirror room. There are 4 kinds of Arcways. Travel, Seeing, Divine and Anchor. There is only one Divine. Lidless.

Lorain waited for Eliza to take point.

Seeing her in normal clothing was surreal after so many months away.

Doc cleared her throat to cover up her prolonged stare. Stay on point!

Eliza glanced back and that sweet smile grew wider. Lorain made a shooing motion. “As much as I’d like to admire the view….”

Sy’ra arched an eyebrow. “You must be feeling better! I never got to hear you joke much.”

The Scholar’s ghostly white skin glowed.

Doc took a moment to run a light healing wave over Sy’ra.

The Scholar tilted her head to the side, “Do I meet with your medical approval?” She said this gently. Lorain sent a few more pulses into Sy’ra. “Yes. I just wanted….”

Sy’ra bowed, “I know. Even though I was trapped in that place for many cycles, can I still?”

Lorain replied, “100%.”

Matarn would be overjoyed.

Sy’ra thanked the creator.

The All-Mother hadn’t even considered….

Sy’ra shoved the thought away. She had enough memories to last oblivion. Dwelling on Tarkanan wouldn’t help. Not now.

*****

I made note of Lorain’s reaction. So her weakness was skinny jeans. With loud Hawaiian shirts. Mine had bright blue stars on it and a white flamingo sipping some rum. At least I had made her laugh. Faint yellow lights clicked on as we entered each new area. A voice over the com system said, <>

Very broken English. I said, “Mirror room status?”

<>

Lorain and Avandar imputed a duel code into the main receiving tunnel.

New instructions flashed on the walls around us.

Another round of Egyptian rolled out from above. I couldn’t make heads or tails of it. The syntax was all wrong.

<>

I wrapped my free arm around Doc’s shoulders, “Did you ask it to say that part in English?” She nodded. “We need you and Dexter to hit a few more places to get these other sectors online. You are both excellent at the cleanup!”

I thumped my chest.

“A new meaning to Dirty Jobs! Is your Arcway infested? Living Dead Stone crowding everything? Call the Murphy Twins. ”

I flashed her another grin. One quite earnest. At least this was something I could help with without tripping some Paygrade Walls. A high-pitched trill guided us to the mirror room. Within its depths, I saw another world. Another Earth. Its surface iced over except for a small line around the middle. That was filled with lush green splots. The mirror zoomed in on a Ziggurat of all things. Before an altar 5 men prayed. One looked very similar to Doc. He raised his head, “The Three answers us!”

I spoke into the mirror, “Your son is safe.” Another figure stepped forward. She wasn’t as tall as I was. Maybe 5ft 9. She threw back her hood and stared. Her hair was brown. Same eyes with no black yet I knew. This was his mother. She reached up and rubbed at her face.

The same Typherian black as my own.

They were actively hiding her dual heritage.

Avandar handed the boy to me. J’irax Thomas Lanis.

I repeated the name to his mother. She smiled, “Husband. You did it.” The male Lanis stood. Walked over to his wife. His eyes searched the mirror, “I will take your word for it. Can you see him?”

She nodded. “He is in good health. Are you sure he can't be sent through?”

He replied, “Not yet. The other has yet to awaken properly. We must keep the evil buried at the temple. So the wave can key in on our Earth when the time comes. Convergence.”

I said, “If White isn’t my true Awakening, will I know it when it happens?”

Avandar answered, “That and more. It is foretold. Not in prophesy but in the Will of the Divine.” The mother turned to her husband, relaying the question, I let her. Hoping to get another interpretation. I reached out and touched Sy’ra’s white-robed sleeve.

Other me reacted, “One of the Elder Dreamers! We are blessed by your sight.”

Interesting. I saw the mother reach out and do this with her husband.

His sharp intake of breath let me know he could see whatever we touched.

Doc joined us by grabbing my bicep. She told her mirror self a few choice phrases.

Lorain wasn’t angry. She sounded concerned. Earnest.

He bowed. “Understanding isn’t required. Yet we give thanks to the Highest for the safeguarding of our son. We will prepare our Earth for the shift.”

Shift? A warning glance from Sy’ra said, “Not Now.”

Got it. Pay no attention to the multidimensional mirrors or their various channels.

I took out a small clip. A holo filled with pictures made of J’irax. I pressed it to the mirror’s surface. Mama version reached for it. Cupping her hand against the surface. A small tendril reached out and took it. I watched as it flowed over the wedding ring on my alternate. Then the item was gone. Resting in her cupped hands. She clutched it to her chest.

“Record as much as you can. I know not when he can….”

I finished, “Come home. I promise.”

Husband Lanis noted, “As for your question? The only phrase I am allowed to empart.”

He read it off as if it was relayed from another source.

“Half the soul slumbers. Yet to awaken to the Light. Only through the Cliffs of Forever can one be reforged anew.”

The mirror showed me images. That Earth was under Urraden occupation yet it was not fully under Unity’s sway. I reached out, sensing familiar heartbeats. “Your parents yet live. Here are the coordinates.” They were all clustered near the North Pole region.

Eliza Lanis responded, “Right under our noses. Thank you. What of my Grandparents?”

I replied, “Same spot. I bet that House is much like the one here. They like to gloat.”

She smiled. It wasn’t pleasant. More like a half-starved wolf.

Urraden wouldn't see this coming.

“Husband, I think it's time for a family reunion. We must bring gifts for such an occasion.”

*****

The Arcway receded. Folding in on itself like a flower. Awaiting further instructions from Lorain. If I had to guess. Avandar asked, “If you knew how everything ended would you still walk the Path?”

I replied, “I don’t think I’d want to know that part. This is why my brain is a submarine made of swiss if I had to guess. I suppose the Highest knows all of us pretty well!” The giant man nodded. His beard was perfectly polished.

I shrugged, “I know my curiosity often gets the better of me but I imagine The Weave and our Creator need that as well. To help my later time selves? Or multi-current selves? My brain hurts thinking about it.” To my shock, Avandar responded with, “Indeed. Keep pushing. Even though by Divine will memory is locked away? By asking it helps out those not as well off as Eden.”

The twinkling cosmic fires of space disappeared as we entered a Thread node. This was what happened when Arcways were properly linked. Bright flashes of color whirled around us and then normality returned.

I shouted, “That is a metric ton of Hulls!”

Mary hadn’t been kidding. I counted at least 20,000 or more. With bright blue flashes indicating more arriving at the rally point. I keyed in on a specific set of heartbeats. “Looks like Matarn and Di’axi are in attendance as well.”

This was going to be one heck of a reunion.

The Artock vessels were still mostly intact. Each was towing a Terran ship.

Clever. Now, all we needed was the cipher.

Doc sat down at the weapon console next to me.

“Find the Jupiter. I have to talk to my mother.”

I guided the scout ship towards my 2nd home away from home.

Doc would lead us to that missing link.