ARC OF THE IMMORTALS Book 2
Time Rifts: 4/ Jac Goes Off Book — Touzdae Confronts
Recap: Touzdae and Jac talk about the monk’s visit. They experience what the other saw and offer feedback. Touzdae explains the warning. Jac vows to study all the manuals before going on a Hopper journey.
And now the current episode…
Jac was with his two hoppers out in the stream. He thought of his Hoppers in the bay. In an instant, they began their return. The smaller Hopper sailed back toward the bay. His hopper followed, with a loose attachment of the tether.
Each “Time Hopper” was shaped like a squat egg lying on its side. Each had a large maneuverable hoop. Tiny grooves embedded on the inside of each hoop gathered time streams. Enormous amounts of time streams gathered by each hoop and parsed for spacetime coordinates by the operator. The second smaller hopper, big enough for one occupant, though rarely used. It held the parsed streams to form a pocket for observation without upsetting the stream. All hoops were bigger than their hoppers. The hoops doubled as a stabilizer for landing. It was akin to a large foot for landing the hopper on a flat surface.
Jac thought he was in a dream while in observation mode. When he returned to the Hopper he realized that the trip to the Fish was no dream.
As the chamber re-pressurized, the outer hatch of the hopper popped open. Jac’s body thought standing up and he was standing up; no movement of standing up in between sitting and standing. The inner and outer hatches opened. He went out.
Touzdae smiled several times as she slipped inside Jac’s field. After a time she finished.
Jac: I was tempted to look at you looking at me but I decided not to.
Jac (continued): What did you see?
Touzdae: No content, remember. You stayed well inside the observation mode.
Jac (impulsive): Would knowing where and when — help you to see better?
Touzdae waved her hands — and shook her head “No”.
Touzdae: Jac, let’s not break our agreement.
Jac: You’re right. We’ll have plenty of time once we leave here to talk about it all.
She put her arms around him and kissed the nape of his neck. After a moment she moved back into analytical mode.
Touzdae: I picked up an impression that the trip to the past seemed dream-like. And there may have been some events out of sequence. If so, I’d like to have your permission to check the protocols on both your Hoppers…”
Jac (pensive): Hmm. (cheerful, upbeat) okay.
Jac: I’ll keep a holo-monitor on so I can see what you’re doing. Okay?
Touzdae nodded in agreement.
“Stop there,” Jac said looking at the holo-monitor. “Go back… There, do you feel that?”
She paused and closed her eyes.
In a moment she opened them and looked at the control panels, as reflected on the holo-monitor.
“It’s there, but… there’s nothing to adjust…” But in deference to Jac, she waited, senses open.
The past scene phased in a small way.
Touzdae adjusted two of the discriminators and the time phase corrected. Jac exhaled. After twenty hours and nine adjustments across a variety of controls Jac carried Touzdae drenched in sweat back to their quarters where they slept.
Jac dreamt of the healing disk chamber aboard the Fish completely intact. Except there was no control booth, no catwalks, no chair that lowered at the center of the room. The alabaster laced with strands of gold and turquoise seemed more beautiful and alive than in his memory.
In the next daylight cycle, before Touzdae was awake Jac ran down to the Hopper Bay and climbed in. He hesitated and climbed out. Sitting, he put his head in his hands.
Touzdae activated the Hopper Bay Monitors and spoke:
“Sneaking out before I had a chance to say no?” Touzdae laughed.
Jac looked-up.
“We need to do the same for your Hoppers, in case,” Jac said.
After nine hours Jac and Touzdae finished re-calibrating her Hoppers. “It wasn’t as noticeable because you were observing possible future events. Am I right?” Jac asked.
Touzdae: Yes, but I thought we agreed not to talk about the content of our trips. Yes?
Jac: I haven’t asked you any content questions, just that you observed possible future events.”
Touzdae: I am tired, but yes…
As agreed Jac left for his second thirty-minute trip the following night/day cycle. Touzdae monitored him from the observation deck with full line-of-sight and instrumentation.
His presence surrounded the large bulbous “lifeboat” EVA ship from Fish’s Cargo hold. He calmed himself with the 27th breath exercise and witnessed half-Jac of peace.
I trust you feel that — Jac thought, as he released light and love.
His presence encircled Touzdae, himself, Uncle Harry, and Bendel as they docked.
Good, you’re getting it, observer Jac thought. Jac felt a wave of bliss for his past self’s recognition of energy sent. He dashed off to the bridge of the Fish and took a quick tour.
Past-Jac collapsed to the floor. Future Jac covered his past self with the Golden Light of Unconditional Love. For Love and Protection, Jac thought as he released the light.
Jac returned his Hopper to the launch bay. The second hopper in the lead.
He spoke with confidence as he strode into the control room:
“Nothing out of sequence. It all went very well,” he said and looked at Touzdae.
They looked into each other’s eyes for eternity. Many moments passed. He walked down the steps into what they had called the planning room and then aft to the library. He studied the Obz books using a translator he found. It had the signature of a Geordae Phorae device.
She ate alone and fell asleep in their bed.
When he returned he watched her sleep for a time. Half-clothed he climbed into the bed next to her. Instinctively she draped her arm over his shoulder. He kissed her hand. She awoke and nuzzled his chest for a few seconds and fell to sleep.
On the morning of the next cycle, she awoke alone and wondered if it was a dream. She snatched the handwritten note from the side table:
I watched you sleep some last night before I climbed in next to you. Am getting an early start for an extended trip of an hour. I need some space. I love you, Jac
She sighed, dropped the note, and ran up to the control room.
The Hoppers were approximately 300 feet into the rifts. She was relieved thinking they may have been further out. She searched for his flight plan: no registration, nothing. She checked the logs.
A visual popped up on an overhead screen: Seventy-Two (72) hours variable.
“Oh Jac, what is that supposed to mean?” She began searching — using the antiquated computer systems for a key or a legend.
“You broke protocol, Jac. You promised you wouldn’t do this! Ohhh!” She was furious. I’m concerned for your safety, poor judgment, absent-mindedness… she thought.
“I don’t want to be your mafa* or your fama*. You are a child!”
the previous chapter:
*Background World-Building and key to the meaning of mafa & fama:
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 |
