ISSUE 14: LOST IN-TRANSMISSION
My husband has seen more within the Depths of the Throne. Looks like I get an extended holiday from home.-M’taris Ayeer.
Thoth managed to take the bait. Hopefully it will blow up in his face. They will eat each other and I will win.—Hilary Brookes.
I know it's stupid but I’m glad that Dad and sis were there too. Even if she wasn’t able to all-out against the Children of Chains I’m still amazed that she puts so much faith in my abilities. I’m only 8 but she takes me seriously most times.—Zachary Murphy.
When I was growing up I thought my changing physicality was because of my dual heritage but it was because we had the White and Black. Being molded over those long years to bear the burden. We were hosts for the Keys to the Infinite. In our initial hunt for the Omega Defenders, we found out more about ourselves and our role than ever before. Plus Dexter finally buried the hatchet with Mr. Apple. I know the Scholar hated what happened but unlike me, my brother’s experiences with it all made him a harder person. But eventually, he forgave.—Sleeping In Starlight, a memoir of the 22nd century.
Omega Defender Sector 021
Iva Prime
December 11th, 2103
Trouble flapped his wings. His beak lifted to the sky as the Jupiter hovered above him. His brother’s orange belt cried out in greetings. His omega responded in kind. He had his orders from King Ayeer and he would fulfill that duty. He decided to be cheeky. Taking the form of a Black Duck to his brother’s White. He waddled over and sat.
Quacking softly.
*****
What an interesting away team this was. Zach whooped and rushed out. Blazing all over the planet like a whirlwind. He came back a few seconds later. His grin was infectious. He began, “I think you’d like the Iva-ta. But Grams wants us on mission!” I didn’t doubt it. The background rumble of voices hit my senses. I reached out and felt a tug. It was coming from a black duck sitting on a rocky outcropping. Gulliver waddled between my boots.
<
Diamonds tapped my shoulder. Cooper and Doc were right behind. All were ready for battle. I just had on my usual NASA jumpstart flight suit. I left my cap behind. Didn’t want to lose it to a black hole or something. I held out my hand as she wrapped her hands around my bicep. “So what’s the story with this place?”
She indicated Trouble with a glance.
“This is one of the Omega Defender research facilities. If my husband’s right-hand Bird is here then that can only mean literal trouble is afoot.”
I strode over and picked him up. His amusement flooded over me. <
I smiled at him. The omega belt shot out and curled around my wrist. It was gold with black sigils etched on its surface. It unfurled more, weaving itself about my waist. Trouble landed on my head. <
Think they will include us at some point?
His question was a pertinent one. What were they protecting us from?
Trouble replied, << It's like a family gathering. They will tell us when it suits them.>>
When dormant most belts looked like common leather or cloth. When awakened they swirled about like sashes of living energy. Cooper floated above my head. Talking with Trouble in some coded language. The German Shepherd’s constant head tilts indicated a rather active debate. A simple domed structure was ahead. I stopped suddenly at the entrance. In bold lettering, very noticeably in Scholar print, We greet you. All those who guard the Ouro may enter here.
I pointed this out to the rest of the group. Trouble let out a few little quacks. He was delighted. <
Once inside the various rooms and displays lit up. Zach dashed over to one console. He waved everyone over, “Looks like they responded to a breach level 1.” Our grandmother frowned. Her tone sharpened, “What kind of breach? Multiversal?”
Zach paled, “Unity Breach detected, Ouroboros collapse in Sector 02.”
Trouble landed on the console. His belt swirling about him. It hummed.
White murmured within, A false call. They wanted all of them to respond!
I gazed up. The ceiling was pulsating. I floated upward to touch the top and the structure shifted. Revealing a hidden staircase leading downward. Trouble padded forward. Testing the air before the entryway. <
Grandmother asked, “Where did you get that idea Eliza?” I shook my head.
Replying, “An old memory.”
Grandmother’s eyes shone in the semi-darkness.
She nodded as if she knew it made perfect sense.
Zach gripped one of my hands. What made me take notice was the odd feeling of “PAY ATTENTION DUMBY”. Usually laced with petulance. The stamping of feet. He had formed some metallic points on each fingertip. He stated, “I added some extra floodlights. That way you know I’m hanging on.” I picked him up with one arm so he could reach the top of the tunnel and run his other hand alongside it. I grinned, “Ahh, so you added an emotional ping to the metal?” He nodded.
Saying, “Yea, I figured since that part of you is pretty on point I’d trigger that instead.”
I gave him a few more minutes then asked, “What’s it made off?” He concentrated. His face transformed, “WOW! ITS DARK MATTER! All of it!”
We reached the bottom.
Before us was a simple crystal. As tall as 5 of me. Its surface didn’t reflect light. It was a solid obsidian. As we approached I gasped as I felt a hand shoot through me. Pulling at me. From the heart crystal itself, my twin brother appeared. Phasing into the room. As solid as I had ever seen him. He flexed his hands. Zachary was perplexed, “Is that you from another dimension or something?”
Grandmother cut in, “No Zachary. That is Eliza’s twin. Your older brother. We have much to talk about.” The crystal sang in a language older than time itself. I wanted to remain but Gulliver and Trouble had other plans. Dexter reached out to shake Zachary’s hand. M’taris motioned for us to follow the ducks.
The last thing I heard before the doorway sealed was, “Dangit. I wanted to be the Older Brother. Now I’m the youngest. Wait, technically you are the middle child. Jacob’s the oldest. Man, I want to grow a beard.”
*****
Trouble dragged Eliza away. Leading her deeper into the facility. He and his brother had hidden specific things here long ago. Doc was with them. He floated above them both. His energies ghostly gray. Cooper had remained with the other two Murphys. Trouble saw the Queen whispering to Doc. While Eliza was following something completely different with her eyes. He reached out with his senses but found nothing.
Gulliver linked belts, <
*****
Di’axi called for his mother.
I could see him just beyond the other room. As we all entered he ran as fast as his legs could carry him. “Mom!” She turned.
“What a fine young man you are now. Already beginning to train for Adept Trials.”
He grinned. His eyes were solid black. Unlike his older self, he only had a few sigils etched on his skin. His father’s image phased through me. His face clouded with worry. He gave his son a hearty embrace. At his waist was a sword encrusted with a white jewel. He sat Di’axi down and unsheathed the sword. “Remember my son. Respect the power of the Lines. What is the first Law of Magic?”
Di’axi’s voice rang clear, “The Lines must never cross!”
His father lifted him into his arms, “Correct! All guardians must maintain all the Lines. This is the basis of all things.”
I came back to myself to see everyone staring. Grandmother pointed at the floor. I didn’t see anything at first but then some markings formed upon a particular section. Mr. Apple was there as well now. I reached out and placed a hand on his chest. For a split second, I found him peering within me. His voice was kind yet firm.
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Our fault. We ask too much of everyone.
For whatever reason he found solace in looking like Captain Cosmos. With the short cropped black hair and striking blue eyes. I asked him point-blank, “When the Lines crossed that destroyed the First Turning didn’t it?”
He nodded. Everyone else crowded in.
I knelt and the symbols flashed.
Everything faded as we watched the First of Everything spiral into chaos.
*****
Voices screamed with terror as the Unity emerged from the convergence of Lines. It howled with a fierce hunger. It must know more. It must know all. It was everything. What was the use of a soul when the very foundation of reality was at its beck and call.
It would feed.
Even the Infinite would fall.
Then it would recreate everything in its image.
The Beginning
Location Unkown
Date Unknown
It consumed countless worlds within its home universe. It found the Void Walkers, corrupted them. They used to be known as something else but it didn’t care. It wanted more. More minds. More Knowledge. More Magic. With every Line it found it grew stronger. Until the advent of the Big Bang. That created a stopgap to cease its feeding for a time. It dwelled in the darkness between the Weave.
Snarling in fury as the little things constructed the hated Ouroboros Chain.
It went dormant for a time. Calling the Empty to its cause.
Motes of Darkness with no care but for hunger.
*****
I blinked to clear my vision.
The White was agitated.
I was made to destroy that thing. You are my vessel.
We will stop it no matter the cost.
Lorain blurted out, “Fuck. That’s what Thoth and all the crazies want. If he mashes it all together we just feed that damned thing quicker.”
M’taris concurred, “By the will of the Throne and the Ouro, this version of the multiverse is tied together. To give us a chance to combat that abomination. The Throne can see through to other universes much more easily. For a version of it exists across the Infinite.”
That meant grandma and grandpa had seen so much. I turned, “No wonder you guys keep things under wraps. This is a whole lot to take in.”
Trouble quacked rapidly. <
I turned to Apple, “Dexter should see this!”
His response was candid, I showed him a while back. It was the only way to soothe his rage.
M’taris eyed Di’axi with concern, “How many Lines of Earth does Thoth know about?”
All of them but he cannot access them easily. Which is why we must ask Earth and others to defend them.
She nodded. Her eyes darted to Trouble. “Inform my husband that our timetable must be advanced. Earth must be expedited to Council status as quickly as possible. Preferably before the White awakens.” As the others ascended back upstairs to the main level, Gulliver guided me to an adjacent storage area. Mr. Apple joined me.
Inside a simple metal chest was some personal effects. Di’daxi’s from the looks of it. I turned to him, “I could store these on the Jupiter if you want.”
He nodded. His aura filled with gratitude. Trouble placed a few more interesting artifacts and gizmos within. He winked. <
The Jupiter Rising
Crew Deck
December 12th, 2103.
M’taris Ayeer grinned as her daughter and husband hugged their sons. Eliza was immersed within the Med Pod for another round of rejuvenation. Dexter and Zachary were playing a rousing game of tag. J’ino came over to her mother. Her hands wrapped around her husband’s waist. “How are we going to really hide him now?” The Queen Mother grinned, “How would J’dax like some additional security. We can hide him as an Omega if the need arises. For now, he will be part of your personal security. So that means cloaked most of the time anyway.”
J’ino rested her head on Thomas’ shoulder. He let out a slight grumble of contentment.
Not only did he have both of his sons back. He also was making progress with Jacob.
Anna’s recent INet debacle had strained Jacob’s good will to the breaking point.
So all of them would be having dinner this Sunday.
For once, his family could have a moment of peace.
*****
I drifted in the blue expanse within the pod. My mind turned again and again to the entity known as Unity. The hunger that gnawed at its core still numbed me. I enjoyed a good meal now and then, since my sense of taste was unaffected but that thing was foreign to me. How could it not have anything tying it to common decency or morals? Is that really what happened with magic unchecked?
Apple’s voice entered my mind: Not magic unchecked. A vessel made to embody all the Lines. It went insane. It is why different kinds of magic are practiced but no one person controls it all. The Unity used to be someone or something. Now? Its endless hunger.
White twitched. Wanting to add more but I sensed her dread and hesitation. I asked for her, “Is that what will happen to me once we awaken?”
Apple hesitated. Choosing his words carefully.
No, The White and Black were made from something else. Not of the Leylines at all.
Again that feeling of holding back.
“What are they made of then?”
Silence was my answer.
The pod hissed open and Doc’s hands reached in to help me out. I let out a surprised gasp as I felt the gentle touch of her hand on my back. Between my shoulder blades. I managed to get out, “Ok. You’re the only one authorized to do that.” She blinked and then hid her blush behind a readout screen.
She ran a hand all the way down my spine.
Her power was a genuine shock to my system. Like that long ago feeling when she first probed my spine with her powers at the prom. A cooling spring in a vast desert. The fact that it was like velvet on my skin was a bonus.
I felt more things pop there than I had in a while.
I grinned, “Well at least something is going my way today.”
She glared. Her heart and pulse rate said something else though.
Score! Date 2 was going to have more possibilities.
Provided the bad guys had other ideas that day.
White added, rather cheekily too, Your are welcome. Something to hold you over. If I hadn’t deaden your sense of touch it would feel like fire 24/7.
I thanked her. I didn’t mind at all. Lorain could give me back massages all day.
*****
Lorain looked at her captain. “Behave!” She made a shooing motion. Eliza complied. Using the side room to change back into her regular gear. As she walked out she held out her hand, “Let’s see what everyone else is up to shall we?”
Lanis rolled her eyes but complied. As they walked she stated, “Looks like you have full feeling along your back again. Everything else is still very muted in comparison but it looks like all the other operations were a success.”
She looked down for a moment then stopped Eliza before they got to the main grav lift.
“White is doing other things to your body. I don’t know how it will end but no matter what, Ill do my best to fix it.”
*****
I saw the fiery determination there and leaned in to kiss her on the cheek.
“I know. Thanks Doc.”
She fiddled with her stylus and then met my eyes. “Cornfed. You are the most cornball thing within this universe.” She huffed and we entered the elevator. Gulliver waddled in after us. <
His wings flapped as he took his perch on my head. Why he and Horus adored doing that Ill never understand. He chuckled. <
As the doors opened Zach and Dexter pulled me into a game of tag. We zipped around the Jupiter like it was a day at the park. I knew why Dexter was doing this. He wanted to reassure Zach that things would be just fine. That we could all keep growing as a family. From what grandma says my little brother took it really well. He was even demanding that father should grow a beard. Just to see the potential he would have later.
As we met within the mess hall, Grandmother said, “I’ll be able to stay a bit longer. So how about someplace fun?”
*****
Cathrine Bel stared up at the Pub sign marked, “Robin’s Roost.” As she stepped inside the strong scent of incense hit her nostrils. She walked over to the barkeep, using her demi powers to flood the area with pheromones.
She smiled sweetly, her eyes locking onto the woman, “Would you perhaps know where I could find the Mother of the Tower?”
The woman’s eyes bulged and her voice came out in a faint whisper. “Who? I don’t…”
Bel reached out and put a index finger on the woman’s lip.
“The Morrigan my dear. Do you know where she is?” She traced a circle on the table with her other finger.
Bel pushed gently. Hook them in. Come to me. That’s it.
The barkeep’s eyes went glassy as Bel continued to coax information.
This place was reeking of magic. She saw the sigils along all four corners of the room.
Chronos and others had given her the analytical makeup of magic. The ways to detect it with normal senses. This place was well warded. She would find others. Asking the same question. That would draw the Robin King from his Forest.
*****
Elias Payne awoke in a sweat.
His wife’s brown eyes popped open. She narrowed her gaze. The crows were all staring at them. She put on her night robe and handed her husband his as well.
The Morrigan demanded an audience.
Little John and his herd bounded into the room. Their tails tick tocking. She gave all of them the best scratches. Elias grinned, “Me next!”
She shot him a wicked smile in response, “Wait your turn, you naughty man.”
His eyes lit up and then dimmed as he took in the gathering crows.
“Sadly it will have to wait. She’s very concerned. There’s over 20 at our windows now.”
The Priory of High Heaven
The Weave (Shadow within Tower of London)
December 13th, 2103
The Morrigan watched. The Unity Puppet was reaching out. The ancient knew what the woman wanted. The Water Line had warned her. The Iron responded with a quickening. The blood red moon would rise over her home. She would summon the Robin. He would find the Slumbering Sword. The Twin that would safeguard it for the next wielder. The Red, White, and Blue, wreathed in White Flame. Striking the Unity with a blazing Spear and Shield. Along side her countless others. The face of Excalibur’s wielder was still clouded.
The Lady of the Lake would choose but not before the White Flame would be tested in Water, Fire, Iron and Void.
All would circle the Twins.
Her sightless eyes lifted as Robin Hood and Maid Marion approached. Their corgis surrounded the Morrigan. Each bestowing a leave of red and gold. Her primordial face curled into a rare smile. They wagged their tails. The little nubs always bringing joy to her heart.
“It is nearly upon us Robin. We must claim Excalibur before the Husk of Unity.”
He replied, “A certain Banner will be visiting soon. I imagine she’ll bring in quite the re-enforcement level we need.”
The Morrigan raised her hands to the sky. Calling upon the Heroes of Old.
Soon everything would be needed. A storm was coming and she would answer it.