THE SLIDE Part 3
Chapter 39: Earth in Chaos
Fantasy | Earth in Jeopardy
Recap / Summation
Farha was last seen as a physical representation of herself when she, Herz, Tasha, Princess, and Ted observed the 20th-century college student, Tim, attempt suicide. Later, she spoke with Hanna and was inadvertently pulled into what Hanna had warned her not to do. Farha was taken into a beam of light to become an Egyptian Queen with Ra as her husband/Pharaoh.
Tem was pulled through a vortex over Fort Normandy by Kuzma to observe the Queen and her Pharaoh. Tem saw his own corpse, guided by Ivanovich within the Slide in the past, and nearly loses his sanity. He meets Mustafah, the storyteller, in the land of light fountains, and recognizes the Queen’s twin sons (Farha’s twin sons) as himself and his twin brother François.
Zed was saved from drowning by Ombolo, a 60-foot nervous with 9 tentacles like the octopus with 8 tentacles, as a small child, co-opted by Suni, a representative of the SS. Later, Suni and Marie Bissett, as a 13-year-old (of age) meet and discover a profound bond of love.
Marie Remembers at Thirteen
“I thought machines that flew up high had been banned in ancient history,” Marie wondered aloud.
“True.” Papa Jean Bissett let a thin smile appear on his face. His eyes flicked down onto paperwork amid papers scattered across his desk. “What’s this?”
Marie looked down.
“Is this what I think it is?” Marie asked. Jean nodded vigorously in the affirmative.
They were drawings and schematics for a low-flying aircraft. And as her father explained, it was designed not to explode as all other craft once had at or above 700 feet. The key was not using power at or above 700 feet. In short, an intermittent glider.
The Recordist and X
When Marie and Zed “returned” from their communing session with X, the Recordist was unconscious. When they examined him, a substantial amount of blood had been discharged from the boy’s nose. Marie used the power of the office to assemble an emergency medical team to work on saving the boy’s life and their only link to the combination of the communication of secrets from X.
Tem Returns
Tem slept for three days in the cottage outside Fort Normandy, surrounded by gardens where Farha had once stayed and had liaisons with Alexis.
Kuzma, Hrez, and Sophia had carried him through a portal of interdimensional space into the bedroom of the cottage.
“There are many elves, fairies and devas here,” Sophia was giddy with delight.
“This place evokes memories,” Kuzma was steeped in sentimentality.
“Let us stay in the present, focused on our task,” Hrez reminded and added, “there is not much time.”
They set-up a rotating watch in a membrane between dimensions.
New Data
“I wish Tem were here,” the Magistrate bemoaned, leaning back in his swivel chair too far and awkwardly righting himself.
“There is a rumor he’s in the area,” Petra said. Petra had become chief engineer since the death of his boss when parts of the castle were destroyed during the vortex attack disaster. “But I came to talk to you about the new data, and we need aggressive computing to complete the analysis of the planetary vortexes. I will have three scenarios ready for you by the end of the week that is close to accurate.”
“The new supercomputer will arrive any day now,” the Magistrate said. “I miss Tem too, but rumors won’t bring him back. We have to accept that he’s passed on.”
A day later, the new supercomputer arrived amidst scientists and technicians running through the hallways. Petra was beside himself. Although they were excited about the new machine, their enthusiasm exceeded computer excitement one-hundred-fold.
Contact had been made with an observatory with high orbit satellite feeds in a mountain range on the unknown southern American continent. Even the Magistrate came down from his office perch to the main floor to observe the hubbub.
“I see you’re still wasting time,” Tem stepped aside the Magistrate.
“Oh, my Spirits! Is that really you?” He poked Tem in the arm.
“In the flesh.”
“How is it that you’re still alive?”
“That is a very long story. I’m here to help, if I may, after the vetting and interrogations, I assume.”
A few hours later, Tem was flanked by two-armed SS agents as he examined the feeds and photo renderings of Earth from space delivered by the observation post thousands of miles away. The Magistrate had rightly assumed that examining the new data was more important than the vetting, as long as Tem was under guard.
Analysis Confirms
Tem sat with a few of the scientists and technicians. The rest of the team was assembling and testing the new computer mainframe.
Petra displayed a composite photograph from high and medium orbiting satellites. Tem had arranged the 3D imaging system to add depth, contrast, and definition to an object that was visible. As Petra tuned the imager, it came into sharper focus.
The small group uttered surprise and shock at the images.
Petra invited Tem to speak.
The guards flanked him on the way to the podium.
“This looks to be a vortex similar to a phenomenon my team encountered in the Slide, known as the Churn. It is only a fraction of the size it will become, is my educated guess. We will need the new computer to determine if this guess holds. As you can see, in the lower part of this photograph, light is being bent and pulled towards the phenomenon which could indicate a change in gravity on the surface of the planet nearest this developing vortex. This may be a wormhole to another universe and it may be capable of destroying our planet,” Tem concluded.
“Oh, if this is confirmed, then we will need to travel to the eye of the vortex on the ground while designing a plug or something, else-wise it may destroy everything.”
The room was in an uproar. The guards hauled Tem out of the room towards the SS wing of the castle.
Chapter 38, the previous chapter:
Chapter 40 — the start of Part 4 — the next chapter:
I appreciate your continuing readership and applaud you that you take the time to read this longer work in an era of shorter stories. Bravo!
Contents — Index:
Contents Parts 3 & 4
Contents Parts 1 & 2:
Rebecca Romanelli | Blaine Coleman | Spyder | DL Nemeril | May More | David Price | Dr Mehmet Yildiz | Melanie J. | Joseph Lieungh | Camille Grady | madmess’s thoughts | Orla K. | Ravyne Hawke | Winston | Margie Willis | Noorain Ali | Lee David Tyrrell | Libby Shively McAvoy | Lady Dr. Gabriella Korosi | Ilis Trudie Palmer | Diana C.