ARC OF THE IMMORTALS/ Book 1 — Part 2

Pursuit: 33 / Separate Journeys

Recap: Touzdae returns to Phorae’s Space Station 2 days later and is met by Jac. They share love. Jac praises Touzdae’s powerful presence. He asks her about sharing the birth of a child after they reunite with Nez Fish. Touzdae realizes she needs to journey again.

Recap continued. Touzdae approves all the changes to the Needlecraft over breakfast with Geordae Phorae and Jac.

In the afternoon she sequestered herself. She began the process of consciousness transfer in observer mode.

Here again!? Touzdae was hovering along the ceiling of Goto-ak’s shop. Derez covered the lower part of the shop. De-resonant electromagnetic interference or derez — a barrier to allude facial recognition or any recognition of any kind. She heard Goto-ak’s voice through the barrier but was unable to make out any words. The sound was not a voice. Instead aberrant sharp, metallic sounds — jarring.

She translated her consciousness below the field. Goto-ak was visible, but his customer was in a Derez Scramble Suit (DSS).

“We’re almost ready to begin,” Goto-ak stated and listened to the customer’s voice on a headset. Touzdae relocated within the DSS and was immediately repelled. Her consciousness-spirit popped out of that reality.

“I see you’re using a repeller,” he commented.

“Is it safe for me to drop the derez?” the customer asked in his ear.

“Wait until we get into the chamber, then yes, drop it.”

“Okay,” young Touzdae said.

The light from the distant suns shone down through the purple sky. The light bathed the group of students on the yellow grasses of the meadow. Touzdae watched from her observer consciousness.

“What’s your name?” the woman with the long red hair asked.

“Touzdae. Are you a teacher here?”

“No. Are we, not all students and teachers?”

“What is your name?” young Touzdae asked.

“Hannah,” the woman’s mouth slid into a slight-lipped smile held for a second.

“That is an odd name — are you of the Ennis?”

“No, I am a traveler from a distant world.”

“Did you travel here by spaceship?”

“No.”

“How then?”

“You are a curious child. If I give you the answer to your question you must promise not to ask for a further explanation. Do you agree?”

“Yes, I agree,” Touzdae looked into Hannah’s eyes.

“I traveled here in an arched light beam.”

She continued to gaze into Hannah’s eyes, her heart filling with the joy of being and knowing.

The child leapt into the air and spun end over end hands to feet in a cartwheel, laughing.

Hannah stood with both hands on her hips.

“You are a curious child,” and she smiled acknowledging the infectious joy. “You remind me of a time when Gaia was a joyous adventure and death was a myth.”

Jac’s deposited his consciousness in the paradox area of The Well of Souls. From there he created two relay selves and sent one above the well.

From there he saw Nez Fish and Bendel’s frigate — the Deign. He popped the second relay self onto the bridge of the Fish, listening only.

“Since he’s traveling through time he could be out there even as I speak,” Bendel said.

“How can we defend against that?” Harry asked.

“I’ll be able to feel…”

“What?” Harry demanded with impatient petulance.

“Shh…” Bendel was listening.

Relay Jac two faded out.

“I thought I felt him here on the bridge.”

“Should we do a sweep?” Harry wondered.

“Yes. Now.”

Hannah awoke in a darkened space. She opened her mouth and let light out to illuminate the space. Her hands and feet were clumsily bound. She broke through them with ease and emerged from the bin onto the deck plating.

“It’s a ship,” Hannah’s thought became whispered words. She moved forward toward the two-seater cockpit.

She saw the girl, Touzdae.

The ship was entering a jump tube. Hannah threw herself into the copilot chair and braced for recoil. Curved space bent around them as the ship entered the tube. It was a huge recoil.

“Where are we headed?”

“To find my MaFa. I’m sorry I tricked you, but I need your help. You said you had navigated through dark matter spaces. Will you help me?”

Hannah regarded her.

“Tell me more about this mission of yours.”

“Everyone says my MaFa is dead, but I know that’s not true.”

“So, you think I can help you around or through the dark matter to locate your MaFa? Do you even know where she is?”

“She is being held against her will somewhere. I see it over and over in my head. I started to put the pieces together and I’ve seen more and more of this place, the planet, and the system it’s in.

“You will help me, won’t you, Hannah?”

“You have violated me. You have brought me here against my will, and I’d like you to take me back.”

Touzdae made a face and erected a force field around herself.

“You eavesdropped on my conscious awake dreams. Made assumptions about my travels.”

“What?” Touzdae was impatient as she dropped the audio scramble in the field.

“You made the assumption that I navigated through dark matter using a ship. I did not. I used my consciousness.”

“Oh — I did not realize. But you understand the navigation in principle, yes?”

“Yes, but the physics of consciousness and space crafts are vastly different.”

“I’m confident that we’ll figure it out. I must bring back my MaFa.”

Hannah railed at the force field and was repelled.

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∞ for more on Antarian civilization:

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Thank you for joining me in the adventures that span lifetimes and worlds. (If you do NOT wish to be tagged, let me know, and I’ll tag you not):

Barbara Murray | K. Pearson Bradley | René Beauchemin | Dougfrombk | 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 |