ARC OF THE IMMORTALS/ Book 1 — Part 2

Pursuit: 40/ Stopover

Recap: Jac puts the new FSD (Fold Space Drive) into action when he feels Touzdae’s presence on board. She is furious with him for initiating a dangerous action and…

Recap continued: storms away. She sequesters herself in the private room. Jac slips her a note and thinks/talks to himself. He goes out to test the Needlecraft.

Touzdae picks up an e-pad left for her by Jac. She laughs and cries at the obtuse, complex, and heartfelt writing. She thinks the plan to get the Fish back is sound but doesn’t like her part in it. When Jac returns they sleep. in the morning she tells about her adventures and her culpability in killing her mafa.

Jac offers an alternative explanation.

Geordae gave them a generous cache of dried food stuffs. Stowed in the rear hold, easily transported to to the transdimensional cabin. He showed Touzdae a wide slim hold underneath the transdimensional cabin where she could hide herself. Between each of the compressed emergency food and water-packs were hiding spaces. “If you need it. Jac doesn’t know about these. But the cryo-med tubes slash escape pods are safer from an intruder’s detection given — well you know.”

“The intense electrical discharge, right,” Touzdae snarled to herself.

And as Phorae shuffled away he let loose, “The Bendel, he’s a crafty, nasty, one…”

“See this?” Jac moved his wrist towards Touzdae.

“Yah, it’s a wrist chronometer,” more snark in her reply.

“It looks like one, that’s right. But press this button and…” Jac flipped the lights off in the chamber below the control room. He pressed the dim-lit button.

A holographic time-space map displayed of plan A and push a second button and plan B appeared. And two escape plans.

“Very clever Jac.”

Touzdae was at the helm. Jac seemed wistful to me before everything else, I thought. But I loved folding space and making a smooth transition in space and time where I wanted to go.

The Needlecraft popped out of space folding, cloaked. It was 100 miles from the sacred Emmons moon of Entu. Jac joined her in the co-pilot’s spot. She set the coordinates. Turned on two of the ion thrusters and released the controls to auto-pilot.

“Do you have a plan?”

“Nope.”

“Are you going to walk right in and ask to see your mafa?”

“Maybe.”

“So you don’t need me?”

“I want you to keep a molecular transport lock on me and my body in case I need you to pull me out of there in a hurry.” She looked at Jac. It was his face. “What?”

“Geordae gave us a transdimensional/interdimensional bridge. It’s a way to connect our transdimensional cabin through interdimensional space. How the other half of me got onto the Fish, only this one has a longer reach and is more precise. A mechanical alchemical way to bilocate. Up to 9 light-years of our position. ”

“Hannah was teaching me, showing me bilocation,” Touzdae said immersed in dream-thinking.

“Hannah, hmm…” Jack whispered. “Do you want to use it?”

“As a backup sure. But only on my signal. Got it?”

“Got it. What’s the signal?”

“The usual. Like the ones you use.”

Jac laughed. “Got it.”

Jac rolled out the bridge and Touzdae, in an exo-suit with O-2, stepped onto the bridge.

She popped out onto the walkway to the enclave. Once inside the pocket of atmosphere, the suit automatically collapsed into the appearance of clothing.

She hung her cloak. A neophyte escorted her inside. She knelt and on her knees. She put forth her question.

“We cannot confirm nor deny that she is here,” the eldest said. “I am available for counsel, young one.”

Touzdae prostrated herself. She plucked one small white feather from the sand and sat up on her ankles.

After some minimal ceremony, the elder retreated to a side room. A neophyte escorted Touzdae to the side room. It was a bare room with wooden chairs and a small wooden table between the chairs. The elder appeared to be in prayer or meditation.

Touzdae sat as directed and the neophyte left the room. The elder raised her head.

They stared deeply at one another.

“Do you not recognize me?” the elder asked.

“Your voice sounds like someone I know, but your face — not at all.”

“Damned genetic masks,” the elder said as she deflated the mask and pulled it off.

“Hannah!” Touzdae nearly shouted.

“Yes, your mafa is here. I’m surprised that you did not consciousness transfer into the chamber she is in.”

“I’m confused. How could she have been in Von Deign’s ship encased in purple salt and be here?”

“Only your mafa can answer that question,” Hannah was blunt.

“I’ll go there now. I’ll consciousness transfer.”

“They know, we put up extra protection around her and the others to prevent that. To know she’s there you need only include her in your heart.” Touzdae did that. Hannah was right. Touzdae felt contact with her mafa by way of her heart.

“What troubles me is your use of an alchemical-mechanical device instead of direct contact.”

“That was Jac’s idea.”

“Jac,” Hannah repeated. She came back to herself. “Touzdae.”

“Yes?”

“You need to leave now. Leave the way you came.” Touzdae froze.

“Now,” Hannah commanded.

Touzdae went to the door and retraced her steps. Hannah watched her remotely. When she was back on board the Needlecraft, Hannah bilocated there.

She materialized in front of Jac.

“Oh my Spirits, it’s you!” Jac said shocked and surprised.

The previous chapter:

If you want to catch-up on any chapters you missed in part 2 [Part 2 contains link for contents of part 1]:

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

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