ARC OF THE IMMORTALS/ Book 1 — Part 2

Pursuit: 27 / In the Interim

Recap: The pursuit vessels snare a tighter noose around the Mu, getting closer after each of the Mu’s jumps. Jac and Touzdae set the Artificial Quantum Singularity (AQS) engine loose. It builds and they jump.

Recap — continued: Bendel’s minions board the Mu and investigate but are uncertain of the Needlecraft’s jump. Bendel looks at the scans and orders tracking devices activated. The Needlecraft makes a successful jump backward through spacetime. And journeys towards Phorae’s shipyard.

A sleek cruiser — a frigate slipped beside the Fish. Bendel nodded in the direction of Harry to an unknown source.

“The transition unit is here.” Bendel was gleeful.

“What?” Harry jumped.

“My people are bringing the TRX-2200. It’s the transition machine for Luna’s half-life chamber,” Bendel was hopeful.

“Ah, right…” Harry was lost in a vague cloud.

“While the tech sets up the machine we’ll work on my project. It’s a coupling link.”

“Won’t that wake up the Fish?” Harry said bloated with anxious nerves.

“I’ll need your help to prevent that. And get into its unconscious realm or whatever it’s called,” Bendel was caviler and boastful.

The Needlecraft put into a high orbit. The ride was bumpy. It was a moon fragment of the uninhabited fifth planet in the Antares Beta system.

“So much turbulence,” Touzdae commented.

“Forgetting the history of this system, I see.” Jac.

“No, no I’m not. Well, some. I remember this when the gravity stabilizers were in place. That was when the infrastructure of the moon was being rebuilt,” Touzdae said.

“Right, look there, your lower starboard screen.”

Touzdae looked at the screen: it was fuzzy reflection all around the center point.

“It’s a cloak, but not a very good one,” Touzdae observed.

“Phorae’s shipyard is there.”

Jac maneuvered the ship within a hundred fifty feet. He watched the sensors and slipped between the pulse gap in the generators. But it shorted out the Ion drive and they drifted forward on attitudinal jets. Two steerage bots appeared and recognized the Needlecraft’s signature. They latched on and guided the ship into an internal docking port.

“I don’t think we should wait any longer. It’s been almost 30 days and he’s not here.” Harry said lowering the command chair from the bubble position to the deck.

“You might be right. But we do have the technological means now to separate this beast from the machinery, and I have a new plan. But we need to come back here to destroy Jac. One way or the other we will crush him to death.”

The technician in charge of assembling the many pieces of TRX-2200 was on the line from the salon below:

“Bendel, sir, it’s me, Elmiss,” the tech said.

Bendel sighed with heavy frustration and pressed the com button, “Yes, what is it?” Sarcasm and frustration permeated his tone and demeanor.

“The machine is assembled, in standby mode, and ready for testing.”

“At last,” Bendel gritted his teeth. He changed his stance and said, “Take a break, I’ll meet you in the galley for a drink in three hours. Bendel out.”

Bendel turned to Harry and asked, “Where were we?”

“You have a new plan to destroy Jack either here or there. What makes you so sure? How can you know that?” Harry was as petulant as a child.

“I have foreseen it. But something will happen in the next three days or so. So, we will wait some more. Besides, there is a lot of testing to do.”

The dock of the Needlecraft was flawless.

“It will be good to get out, and stretch our legs,” Touzdae remarked.

“I’m searching the esoteric future history records for the visitor that came from the future,” Jac reported

“I didn’t know there was such a thing,” Touzdae wondered.

A few moments passed.

“It’s a family-based record,” Jac said. “Found it.”

“What? What?”

“He would have arrived three minutes ago. I’m scanning the area for someone in the family, or someone with an RNA time displacement signature, or both.”

A minute passed. “Neither, are here, but there is something,” Jac said.

“You want me to stay here,” Touzdae said crestfallen and irritated.

“You read me. And you do it so well.”

“Not exactly, you’re so transparent,” she paused for dramatic effect, “to me.”

“I’m hoping it won’t be for long,” Jac said.

“Hmm. I agree, but under protest,” Touzdae smoldered.

Bendel and Elmiss had a toast. Bendel asked, “So, how long for the testing?”

“A week to ten days.”

“I know you’re tired,” Bendel began. Elmiss turned away and rolled his eyes. “I know you’re exhausted, but the sooner you finish, the sooner you can bask in a paid vacation on me. — Say one month?”

“Good to see you, Kid,” Geordae Phorae said with his back turned. “I had your Needlecraft scanned when you docked. Touzdae on board?”

“That’s right.”

“Call her and let her out, okay? I want to hear all about your adventures in time travel. And where the Fish is…, you know?”

“Oh my Spirits, you weren’t expecting Touzdae, were you?”

“Ah, timelines,” Geordae shrugged and smiled sheepishly.

Jac couldn’t help but see his transparent thinking laid out like cards face-up on a table. It was overwhelming. Touzdae had died?

“Focus, kid. Be grateful for this present. Where’s your heart, your compassion for her? Call Touzdae. Get her out of that cramped space. We gots work to do.”

the previous chapter:

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Barbara Murray | K. Pearson Bradley | Dougfrombk| David Perlmutter| Rebecca Romanelli | Joseph Lieungh | Dr. Preeti Singh | Pene Hodge | Ravyne Hawke | Dr Mehmet Yildiz | Kris Bedenian | Alberto García 🚀🚀🚀 | Blaine Coleman | Lee David Tyrrell | DL Nemeril | David Price | Rip Parker | Annelise Lords | Libby Shively McAvoy |