“Tarantin system outer boundary, High Priestess.” Charli reported.
“Deep Space Camo and go to full-.”
I never even got to finish my sentence before we went transdimensional!
“You in a hurry to get home, mom?” I asked my impatient pilot.
“Deep Space… Deep… Space… Camo… enabled… High Priestess.” Christina acknowledged. Her voice sounded sad and weak.
“X-O, you have the bridge. Lt. Everhardt. Please follow me?” I ordered.
 
 

 
 
Surprisingly, Christina did just that- ‘followed’ me – physically, as in walked with me- to the lounge.
“Now what’s wrong, Christina?” I inquired in annoyance as we stepped off the elevator. Aunt Cora immediately put down the book she was reading and stood- her face showing deep concern.
“It’s nothing, Chance… really…”
“What is the issue this time, Sugar Plum?” Aunt Cora asked cautiously.
“It’s never ‘nothing’, sweetie.” I stated softly.
Especially when Christina was involved, I thought to myself.
“Home.” She mumbled just above a whisper.
“You want us to change course and head for Antarra instead?” I asked, knowing that wasn’t what she meant.
Christina silently, slowly shook her head in the negative as a tear dribbled down her left cheek.
Aunt Cora and I exchanged knowing winces.
I concentrated on waking Nike within me. Once I felt her attention focus, we had ourselves a short, private, debate.
When I again set my attention back to my surroundings, my two Antarran sisters were staring at me.
“Well?” Aunt Cora prompted. “Is she going to help or should Christina try what we both assume she’s planning, solo?”
“Chance, Bridge. All stop. Secure all stations. Coven meeting immediately in the Lounge.” I ordered.
“Shit! I was afraid of this.” Aunt Cora cursed as she looked to the side.
Christina looked at me in worry.
“Are you sure, Chance? What if I…something goes terribly wrong?”
“Then we live with the result, Sweetie.” I replied calmly.
“What if that isn’t the ‘result’?” She proposed.
“We deal, Christina.” I smiled confidently.
Aunt Cora appraised me curiously.
Yeah, I didn’t believe me either.
“Don’t tell me we’re going to try it, Chance?” Lokust questioned as she, mom, and Charli exited the lift.
“Try…what?” Sinae asked as she and Tau popped in next to me. She quickly put together the puzzle. “No, seriously?”
Link and Simone popped in next. Link was super excited!
“See, sis? That’s how it’s done. You just need to be uber-focused and very specific as to the destination.” She instructed.
Simone looked like she was going to lose the contents of her stomach.
Lyra, Greer, and Aquia surprisingly, were the last to arrive.
“So… is this going to be a doomsday party or are we just going to puke ourselves silly?” Lyra deadpanned.
“What are you going on about, Lyra?” Aquia questioned obliviously.
Lyra nodded to Christina in answer.
“I think we’re about to visit ancient Terra. Am I in the same quadrant, High Priestess?” She grimaced.
“I can’t guarantee anything. Whoever feels this isn’t going to work is hereby authorized to head to their Brooms. We’ll see you when we get back. Safe trip back to Mare.” I said as I looked around to my sisters and Tau.
“This is strictly a voluntary mission.” I added with a nervous smile that, hopefully, Christina didn’t see.
“I’d love to see my sister’s home planet, Chance!” Link bubbled excitedly.
“I’m not gonna lie, Chance. I’d like to visit the old stomping grounds once more.” Mom said softly.
“Will I still be able to fly Surf’s Up?” Aquia wondered to herself. She shook her head to clear that greedy thought. “Um… Mom would be very interested in going back if just for the historical information she’d obtain. But since she’s not here… Sure, I’m in!”
“I could use some ‘new’ parts for that old heap I’m tryin’ to restore out behind the hangar, boss.” Kate logically justified her decision.
“I assume this is before first contact, Chance? The four of us are gonna need really good disguises.” Sinae theorized as Lyra, Greer, and Tau remained silent and motionless.
“Almost seven Terran years before first contact in fact, Kitty.” Charli confirmed. “I’m thinking that one Halloween spell you concocted right after returning from our second visit to FeLane, Hope?”
“It worked for Libra, so I don’t see why not, dear.” Mom answered, an evil smile flashed onto her face.
“So how are we going to do this?” Aunt Cora asked.
“Well it isn’t going to be one of those ‘click your heels together three times’ kind of things; I can tell you that!” I vamped nervously. Christina’s eyes grew bigger.
“Nike seems to think there will be pain involved.” I cautioned.
“Sure. And why not?” Kate griped. “It makes perfect sense in this crazy, mixed-up Corps!”
Concentrating, I handed control of my body to Nike. A blue light engulfed me and I noticed everyone’s eyes lock directly on me.
“Scion, if you would take my hand.” My voice offered and I felt my right hand extend.
“Scion?” Aunt Cora gasped!
“Why did you call me that?” A stunned Christina asked in terror- her eyes staring in awe of me, rather, Nike.
“It is unimportant at this time. Please, take my hand, Lady Christina. In order to call upon the powers of the Titans, we must join forces in order for control.”
“Now that doesn’t sound very ominous, does it?” Mom proclaimed nervously.
“Lady Nike? Shouldn’t we all join hands…?” Sinae started before my voice instantly interrupted.
“Under no circumstances shall any of you touch me or the Scion during this delicate insertion! To do so would cease your existence!” My voice commanded angrily.
My left hand quickly came up and rubbed the bridge of my nose.
“Forgive me, sisters. This is a very dangerous and extremely sensitive procedure. One I have only attempted once and with only a quark of success. I wish not to revisit the realm of shadow ever again.” Nike revealed with a shiver. “If you are ready, Scion?”
Christina slowly and nervously nodded once as she took my offered hand.
“To begin, you need to picture the exact time and location you wish to visit. Next, you will need to apply complete concentration to that detailed image. Next-.”
Suddenly, all around me, everything changed color! People, objects, even the ship herself changed! Overhead, a rainbow of colors streamed past at ultra high speed, making it almost impossible to delineate the individual colors or their borders.
The ‘linear’ streaming of colors began to waver and then spin as pain erupted in my head and traveled down to my abdomen. As unbearable as that was, the kaleidoscope of vibrant tints began to spiral uncontrollably until I was forced to close my eyes. Everything then went black!
 
 

 
 
“Nike! Nike, wake up!” A voice called to me. Lokust’s voice.
“Golly!” I groaned. Every nerve ending in me felt like it was still on fire!
“Nike? You alright?”
“I’m fine dea-.” I instantly felt the urge to vomit and found myself faced over a toilet bowl.
“Okay, maybe not so okay.” I moaned after regurgitating uncontrollably for a few minutes.
“That you, Chance?” Lokust asked from behind me.
“Either that or Mt Vesuvius, dear!” I snarked before dry heaving a few more times for good measure.
“So…why weren’t we affected like you? You seemed hit the worst. Christina didn’t even blink or flinch, or…anything.”
“Christina isn’t your normal, everyday Antarran, either.” I argued.
“Really, Chance? How do you define normal- especially around here?” She countered.
“She going to be okay, honey?” Mom’s voice asked in a very worried tone.
“She’s back to making jokes so I think she’ll live, mom.” Lokust answered.
“Need I say that Christina is beside herself with guilt?” Mom continued.
“Just as long as she isn’t going through this.” I said as my stomach took another tumble. At least I was able to quell it this time.
Cautiously, I took my time trying to stand and finally succeeded.
“God! You look like shit, Chance!”
“Thanks, mom; love you too!” I groaned as I turned and used the doorframe as a brace.
 
 

 
 
“Where and when are we?” I asked as we rejoined the rest of the Coven up in the lounge.
“Looks like Earth, Chance. When? I’m still comparing star charts to galactic drift.” Dad…Charli answered.
“North America looks to be in the right place anyway.” Mom glibbed nervously.
“We need to know when we are, ladies. Let’s get back to our stations.” I requested, still feeling not quite right physically.
Within a minute only Christina and I were left in the lounge.
“Chance… I’m very…very sorry! I didn’t know how or what would happen! I didn’t mean to hurt yo-.”
“Nike hinted that it would hurt, sweetie. I think you jumped the gun and truncated her procedure list. You caught us both by surprise.” I said as I absently rubbed my belly. “I didn’t have that much to eat at lunch anyway. The pretty colors were all very fascinating by the way.”
Christina looked confused. “What pretty colors, Chance?”
“Didn’t you see the wacked-out rainbow of colors overhead when you pulled the trigger?” I asked curiously.
“Um…no? We were there and then we were here, High Priestess. It seemed instantaneous to me.” She answered. “Are you sure I didn’t fry something in there?” She asked, motioning to my head, frightened.
“I just got really disoriented and blacked out, sweetie. Let’s… walk back to the bridge and see what our sisters found out?” I suggested.
 
 

 
 
“What’s the verdict?” I asked as we entered the bridge.
An athletic man of possibly six feet; black, bowl-cut, straight hair; pale green complexion; slightly pointed ears, and dark, upward turned eyebrows, turned around in the pilot’s chair. He was wearing black, wide-bottomed slacks with matching boots and a tight, medium blue, long-sleeved pullover shirt with gold trim around the neck and cuffs.
“It appears we have arrived near the end of the later, mid-digital era, Captain. Sensors indicate the atmospheric composition conforms to known contaminate levels synonymous with the late twenty-first century.”
He started laughing.
“I always wanted to do that!” He said raising just one eyebrow comically.
“Well done, Spock. But…Can I…have…my mother back… …now?” I said dramatically, even remembering to use the hand gestures.
Christina collapsed to the deck, she was laughing so hard!
“I take it that means something, boss?” Kate asked looking very bemused.
“TNG or TOS, Chance?” Sinae asked casually.
“The original series fourth movie.” I answered.
She nodded. “Ah…the classics.”
Mom was back to her real form and snorting in laughter! Christina was pounding the deck while laughing hysterically.
After several minutes mom and Christina settled down.
So…we’re in the right time?” I questioned. “Tell me we remained in Deep Space Camo when we jumped.”
“The only thing that seemed adversely affected by the jump was you, Chance. Our Camo field never glitched.” Simone reported.
I allowed myself to relax a little as I looked over to Christina.
“Any idea where Pegasus can land and not draw attention, sweetie? We’re in your neck of the woods now.”
“On the slim chance that her Camo field becomes compromised?” I added to quantify.
“There’s a small meadow just east of our house that would be perfect for her, Chance.” Christina said after thinking a bit.
“Would it be someplace that the search parties avoided when searching for your sister?” Charli asked.
“But that happened years ago, Charli.” She argued before pausing. “Didn’t it?” Christina seemed to suspect Dad was alluding to something she just found out.
“I’m just asking a question, Christina. You see… your parents’ case was never officially closed. Can you recall seeing anyone or anything strange in the days before or after their accident? Were there ever any um, conspiracy theorists, nosing around trying to prove that your sister might have been held captive by you or your parents… by ‘aliens’?”
“What are you implying, Charli?” Christina became angry and I noticed her voice had a slight echo.
“I’m just trying to cover all the bases, sweetie! I’m not throwing accusations out for the fun of it. I’m just trying to establish a relatively safe hiding spot for Pegasus. Please…think back to if you saw anything or anyone strange hanging around the property in that eight year span.”
Christina began to think about the question.
“I always liked going out to that meadow, Charli. There was just something…I don’t know, safe about the location? Maybe I knew then that it would be safe for us now? I don’t know.” Christina finally answered.
“Charli? Plot us a nice easy reentry course that will bring us in over the Everhardt Farm. Christina will point out her secure meadow when we get closer.” I ordered. Her observation was good enough for me.
“I’m on it, Chance.” Charli acknowledged as she entered our Nav Tube.
“Sending course to helm.” She said in the matter of a minute.
“Mom? Think you can bring us in and land without breaking any windows?” I giggled.
“Go stick it, High Priestess!”
I smiled as our orbit began to shift then decay.
 
 

 
 
“Major? We have two commercial aircraft on course to fly by at about four miles out on both our port and starboard.” Charli reported.
“Altitude?” Mom asked calmly.
“Thirty-two and thirty-four thousand.”
“We’ll be fine.”
“Well then you might want to pay closer attention to the corporate jet directly below us at fourteen thousand. Our Emitter wash might make their cockpit stink a little.”
“Who’s driving, Charli?” Mom demanded in annoyance.
“That’s why I’m calling the obstacles.” Charli’s voice laughed.
 
 
******
 
 
“There it is!” Christina shouted excitedly as she pointed to our large forward display.
“I’m picking up several moderate heat signatures in the immediate area- clustered seventy-point-six meters to the north, Chance.” Charli advised.
“It must be that herd of Whitetail dad was always talking about. Please don’t hurt them, Major?” Christina begged.
Mom turned around partially, looking very insulted, and glared at the tall Antarran for a second then turned back to her console.
“Gear extended. How’s the LZ now, Charli?” Mom asked. We were only about a hundred meters off the ground.
“Immediate LZ is clear, Major; your call, Chance.”
“Take us down, Mom.” I ordered. “Remember, the ground might be a little soft.”
“Noted. Deploying our sand shoes… Soft terrain modification deployed and locked.” Mom announced.
Seconds later Mom began her post-flight checklist.
“I want complete sensor scans of the area to make sure we weren’t spotted somehow.” I ordered as I completed my own checklist.
Christina looked like she was going to bounce off the walls, but we needed the results of our sensor scans before we could have a look around.
“Ambient external temperature: 1 degree ‘Cee’. Humidity: 95 percent. Ground Temperature: Zero ‘Cee’. As you can see, there has recently been a small precipitation event. Sensors show one Terran in a structure five hundred meters to our planetary west, Chance.”
“That’s mom!” Christina exclaimed, about to burst!
“And just how is she going to recognize you, sweetie?” I asked to calm her down. “You don’t exactly look like yourself.”
“The hair can be overlooked as a fad, but them boobs might ‘present’ a problem, kiddo.” Kate pointed out.
“Do we know the local time and date yet?” I asked.
“1534EST, January 10th, 2101.”
Christina quieted with a very serious expression as she thought on the date and time for a moment.
“Why is mom still home? She usually works til 5PM. I hope she’s not sick or anything!” She worried.
“Maybe she’s expecting us?” Kate joked.
“We shouldn’t rule anything out, ladies.” I said in all seriousness. “I’m sure Christina and I aren’t the only ones capable of jumping through time.”
“Savanna must do it too, Chance…since she went from eight to nineteen in a few days.” Lokust reminded, to Christina’s amazement.
“She never told me that!”
“Oracle don’t say a lot of things we think she should, Kiddo.” Kate snorted.
“So what are the fashions for this time of year on Planet Earth, mom?” I asked.
“You want the trending fashions or the practical fashion, honey?” She asked with a playful wink.
“I’ll just adapt what she’s wearing.” I glowered. Christina had already conjured her clothing into appropriate winter attire.
“Can I come too?” Link asked excitedly. “I’ve never seen this type of precipitation before. What’s it called?”
“You’ve never seen snow before, sis?” Christina was stunned.
“I was born on Eden 3.” Link explained.
At Christina’s apparent lack of comprehension, Charli provided the missing information.
“On Eden 3 the ambient temperature rarely varies more than ten degrees from thirty-two ‘Cee’, sweetie. They only know one type of precip- tropical rain showers.”
“Oh? Here, we’ve been known to receive over a meter of snow in one event during winter.” Christina said.
“How much snow is on the ground, Charli?” I asked in concern.
“Sensors read two-point-six centimeters.”
“Damn, we’re going to leave footprints!” Mom stated bluntly.
“High Priestess! We have movement. Mrs. Everhardt has left the dwelling and is slowly walking to the east in our direction!” Charli alerted.
“External: close range.” I ordered and we watched a woman clad in an old, washed-out blue woolen coat, blue knit cap and scarf, and tan work boots slowly, carefully, making her way through the barren deciduous trees that surrounded this meadow. She seemed to be carrying something loosely in her left hand.
“Why is she carrying that old broom?” Christina mumbled in confusion.
Sure enough, Mrs. Everhardt had a straw broom in her possession and once she exited the tree line dropped the bristled end to the snow covered ground and began to use it to create a snow-free line completely around the meadow!
“How does she even know we’re here?” Christina was stumped and completely baffled by her mother’s strange behavior and action. It took the woman almost twenty minutes to finish.
Once completed, we watched as Colleen Everhardt knelt down in the freezing precipitation and began motioning to the roughly drawn circle while saying something we couldn’t hear without the external audio being enabled.
“She’s chanting an incantation?” Charli and Mom said at the same time.
“My mother?” Christina gasped in disbelief. “Is a witch?”
“If I’m reading her lips right, she’s casting a concealment and protection spell, Christina. Of course, my Latin is a bit rusty, so she may just be ordering Neapolitan pizza instead.” Mom grinned.
I blinked on my Current sight just in time to see a familiar hemispherical shield go up around us.
“I’ll be frelled! She’s a witch!” Christina gasped as she apparently had her Current sight enabled also.
Christina was suddenly outside standing before her mother!
 
 

 
 
“Mom? How did you know we were here?” I asked. I was standing, bewildered, in front of her, suddenly.
And, it suddenly hit me that this might not have been the smartest thing to do, especially if mom was an experienced witch. I made a mental note to apologize to Chance for going against protocol and deserting my post and sisters.
“A mother can always feel her children, Christina. Wait…we?”
“But…the protective shield…?” I asked, still in shock motioning back to the invisible hemisphere now protecting Pegasus from curious parties and spy satellites.
“I never told you because I didn’t want to overly complicate your young life, pumpkin. Except for your fourteenth birthday, you hadn’t shown any talent, so I kept my secret from you.” She looked up and smiled for a second then her eyes quickly returned to the snow covered ground.
“I see that my genetics have asserted themselves with vengeance. It will be very hard to keep your father on topic when he returns home from work.”
I felt myself blush.
“Wow! It really is cold out here, sis!” Link’s voice startled me as she appeared behind me.
“Caroline! Christina, you found a way to return your sister! When did you develop into such a powerful mage? I sensed only your sister’s talent within you just three weeks ago. Now I have both of my talented girls back!” Mom burst into a bright smile.
“Mom? This is my Coven sister, Link Anderson. I know she looks exactly like Aunt Co…Queen Norge, but she only shares her genes. Link is only fifteen standard years of age.” I explained.
“Don’t worry, pumpkin,” Mom smiled up to Link, “I was an early bloomer too. Don’t feel embarrassed; be proud of our heritage.” Mom said as she continued to smile brightly while she appraised Link. “I like what you two have done with your hair- very chic.”
“Mrs. Everhardt.” Aunt Cora greeted as she and Simone suddenly appeared beside Link. “Caroline Norge, Queen of the Antarran Trade Federation. I congratulate you on your very skilled and morally balanced daughter, my lady. This is my niece, Simone Gutteson-Redman.”
Both Simone and Aunt Cora bowed politely.
“Antarran?” Mom asked suspiciously. “What part of the world would that be in, ma’am?”
“Antarra is on the opposite side of the Milky Way from here, Mrs. Everhardt.” Simone answered.
Although I could barely see it from this angle, mom’s mouth dropped open then closed quickly as she began to laugh.
I didn’t get it.
“I don’t get it, mom. Simone just told you Antarra is like five gazillion light years from here and you start laughing? Why?” I asked, stunned.
“I never thought I’d hear anyone speak the name of my home planet, let alone my own daughter, Christina! I am either hallucinating, or my magic has finally fully corrupted my mind.”
“Stand up, mom.” I requested, wanting to scan her for possible taint.
“I cannot.” Mom shook her head slowly a few times and without looking up. “Not in the presence of a reigning queen without her permission, pumpkin. It would be treasonous.”
“My lady, you above all the citizenry of Antarra deserve the right to stand before me as my equal since I have previously decried Lady Christina, one of my Ladies-in-Wait.”
Mom gasped. “My daughter? A princess of the realm? How can that be?”
“Um… Aunt Cora said so?” I answered, unable to come up with anything grander.
“Aunt… Cora?”
“Will you stand up already, Sugar Pie? It’s getting cold out here.” Aunt Cora commanded- annoyance tinging her voice. “Can we take this ‘meet and greet’ into your home or should we go back aboard Pegasus?”
“Is that what you call your inter-world portal? Strange.” Mom seemed confused.
“Pegasus is closer.” I said before we were just…there. We were now in the Observation lounge.
“Just once, Christina, could you please stop breaking protocol and use the door?” Chance requested as she appeared next to me scowling. Her face immediately brightened.
“Colleen Everhardt. Chance Summers, Captain of EFMC’s Pegasus. You have an amazing daughter.” Chance greeted and offered mom her hand.
After shaking her offered hand, mom began looking around. Her eyes locked on the rear of the lounge- above the transparent ceiling.
“What in the name of all is that?” She choked, pointing to the bow of one of our Brooms.
“That would be Hope and a Pair- my Broom, Mrs. Everhardt.” Chance answered.
“Your… Broom?” Mom looked at Chance curiously. “It looks like a very advanced fighter jet.”
“It is actually one of our specially designed Starfighters, but we like to call them our Brooms, ma’am.” Chance explained.
“Starfighter?” Mom gasped again, this time even louder. “Sooooo you-you didn’t open an inter-world portal between this world and home?” She asked in shock. “If that’s the case, then how long did it take you to get here from Antarra?”
“Actually, we’re not entirely sure how we got here, Mrs. Everhardt. Christina did most of the driving.” Hope Summers answered as she and Charli walked over to us from the elevator.
“You’re becoming an Astronaut instead of an Astrophysicist? I didn’t know CMU had that type of program. That’s wonderful, pumpkin!” Mom praised enthusiastically.
“It isn’t what you think, mom.” I began to explain, worried how she might take what I was going to say next. “I’m not an Astronaut…but I’m definitely a Current Mage, and… but… I’m- I’m something more than that… too.” I felt myself blushing profusely. “Something much…much more.”
“Current? Is that the new slang term for ‘essence’?” She asked.
“Got it in one, sister!” Hope pointed her finger like a pistol, and smiled.
“And you would be?” Mom asked as her eyes quickly narrowed.
“Major Hope Summers, ma’am. U.S. Marine Corps. Christina decided to join our ROTC chapter at school. As her superior, it is an honor to meet the mother of one of our finest, ma’am.”
“That’s complete horseshit, ‘Major Summers’!” Mom challenged. She instantly took a step away from me and turned to face Hope.
Both women were instantly pointing their wands toward each other.
From my viewpoint Hope was a bit faster.
“I thought as much! Shed your disguising vale, Morgana! I want to look into your real face before we tussle!”
That turned out to be the wrong move on my mother’s part as everyone in the lounge took up defensive posture! Everyone was also now in uniform. Me included.
“What absurdity is this? Why such comical and whore-ish costumes?” Mom demanded as her eyes quickly scanned the room.
This was going to spiral out of control quickly, I thought, as I instantly found myself sideways between Hope and my mother- a wand poking into each of my shoulders! There was also a white-ish glow from somewhere close by as both mom and Hope were illuminated by it.
Ah frack! It was me.
This wasn’t going to be easy to explain- though I had already mentioned that I was different now.
Mom suddenly looked horrified and her wand vanished. Hope though, didn’t stand down.
“How?” Mom choked, inhaling in surprise.
“I told you I’m something more than just a mage now, mom, and I’d refrain from threatening my Coven sisters, too. We’ve all had way more experience protecting ourselves than you could possibly imagine. As further warning, definitely don’t challenge the Lynxins, mother. You’ll never know what hit you!” I warned, hearing my voice echo throughout the large lounge.
Mom craned her neck and stared at me in something between terror and curiosity.
“What in Hades is a Lynxin?” She whispered.
“That would be us, Mrs. Everhardt.” Kitty answered as she, Tau, Greer, and Lyra exited the elevator with Katelyn and Aquia bringing up the rear.
There was a huge gasp for air from mom before she folded to the deck, unconscious!
 
 

 
 
“Was it something I said?” Kitty asked as she came over and knelt down to help.
“It must be your effervescent character and noble, outgoing personality, Queen Kitty.” Aunt Cora embellished rather thickly.
“Yeah, you can kiss my ass too, Cora!” Kitty responded unperturbedly.
“She’ll be okay, Christina; just fainted.” Hope comforted as she finished scanning mom.
“Who-who are you people?” Mom mumbled as she started to come around.
“We are a Spec-Ops unit that won’t be created for another twelve years, Mrs. Everhardt.” Hope answered honestly. “We are Witch Corps.”
“Huh? Won’t be created… What?”
“Well, mom…” I began to explain, “I kind of have this talent for time travel? I’m just learning about how to use it and well… Well, we just finished up a mission that reminded me of home. Chance said it would be okay for us to come back here…”
“Witch Corps? Special Ops? Come back here? Time travel? Pumpkin, what the hell are you on about?” Mom rapid-fired her questions.
“We were in the thirty-third century, mom.” I dropped the bombshell fast and hard. “Now we’re here in the twenty –second.”
“Thirty-third… What? How?”
“That’s not important right now, Mrs. Everhardt. What is important is that you understand that we are not here to hurt you or Mr. Everhardt. Christina just got a little homesick and I thought it would be a good teaching exercise.” Chance explained.
“But you don’t look a day over twenty.”
I felt myself blush.
“I’m actually one thousand, four hundred, aaaaaaand fifty-two, mom.” I said, cringing. This was the first time I’d actually admitted my real age out loud. It suddenly struck me that I was something different than I had been. Was I even still this woman’s daughter?
Mom’s body suddenly rippled and she instantly looked younger.
“Mom?” I gasped.
“You have no idea how good it feels to release that enchantment!” she smiled as she motioned for me to help her up. She curiously looked at Kitty as she stood up with us.
“So you are one of these so-called ‘Lynxins’?” She asked as Kitty towered above her 159cm frame.
“I am, ma’am. Kitty Sinae of FeLane.” Kitty answered with her trademark toothy grin.
“Madam Everhardt, may I formally introduce Her Royal Highness Queen Kitty Sinae of the FeLane Consortium.” Tau interrupted regally. “I am her highness’ Prime Minister, Wa’tua Su, but ‘Tau’ will do. To my immediate right, Princess Lyra Sarengetti and Princess Greer Niger.”
“Nice to meet you all, but please don’t eat me! I’ll behave, your highness. Promise!” Mom pleaded.
“How come you get more respect than I do, Kitty?” Aunt Cora quipped.
“Maybe it has something to do with her bigger teeth, Auntie?” I giggled.
“That is definitely the one item most noted, my queen.” Mom agreed.
Aunt Cora nodded once then raised an eyebrow.
“So how is it you are so far from home, Colleen Everhardt? If my history lessons serve me correctly, Norge has yet to explore outside Antarra’s system boundaries.”
“My family and I were on a holiday retreat on the southern edge of the western continent- Portlandia- when a dimensional gateway suddenly appeared. I was but six at the time and closest to the rupture. My parents attempted to pull me away from the rift. I remember the rushing wind and the howling in my ears as the swirling void drew me and my parents in. In total five of our family group got pulled through on that pleasant, but strange afternoon. We ended up here…well… not far from here on a similar looking day except everything looked so foreign- so strange! It took almost a whole cycle to establish ourselves, and it took your grandfather even longer to find sustainable income. And without Uncle Cyril’s knowledge and quick grasp of Earth’s Communications protocols, I may have never finished my education. He was able to add our names to the national database without alerting the Feds. Early twenty-first century America wasn’t the most tolerant of illegal aliens- or ‘real’ aliens- especially when we first arrived in 2019!”
“You’re eighty-nine?” I gasped in shock.
“Antarrans live a lot longer than Terrans, Sugar Plum.” Aunt Cora reminded.
“Only about sixty years longer, majesty, but since I developed my talents, I seem to have stopped aging at around twenty. I was told it was my magic that is responsible.”
“You mentioned Morgana?” Hope baited.
“We met shortly after my thirteenth birthday and she offered to teach me to use my developing talents. Morgana inexplicably disappeared after I met Louis. I’ve never seen her since. Forgive me for my earlier assumption, Major Summers.”
“No probs, sister.” Hope smiled pleasantly.
Mom suddenly looked to the sky through the lounge’s transparent ceiling. “I have to get back and get dinner started. Louis will be home in about an hour. We should all go back to the house. You all are invited to stay if you like.”
That was more like my mom; ever the inviting hostess.
 
 

 
 
I couldn’t remember the house seeming so small, though there were fourteen of us here at the moment. Soon to be fifteen as Daddy would be arriving within the half hour.
“Do you need any help, Mrs. Everhardt?” Aquia asked as she eased into the kitchen and stopped behind the breakfast table.
“Would you be a dear and set out the formal dishes? They’re in the china closet on the right in the dining room, pumpkin.”
“Okay. Done. Anything else?” Aquia asked without moving an inch.
Mom turned around in curiosity, looked into the adjoining dining room, and shrugged.
“I keep forgetting you all are witches; thanks, pumpkin.” She admitted.
“Mrs. Everhardt? We prefer Current Mages or just Mages if you please. We had an educational segment on ancient Terran history. According to what has been restored, Terrans were… are very intolerant of ‘witches’.” Aquia confessed.
“We’ve become slightly more tolerant in the five hundred years since the Salem witch trials, Aquia. These days ‘Wiccan’ is just another religion.” Mom explained with a smile.
“Yeah, if people would just remember that eight years from now.” Hope muttered from over beside the refrigerator.
“So, pumpkin, if you wanted to cook tonight, don’t you think you should start?” Mom urged, seemingly nervous that dinner wouldn’t be ready for Daddy.
“Don’t worry, mom. Everything will come together when Daddy gets here.” I smiled.
We talked some more until my curiosity peaked on one particular topic.
“Mom?” I asked and paused a second. “Can you see auras?”
“Auras, pumpkin? What kind of auras?”
“Orange hues surrounding people, animals… all sorts of things.” I answered.
Mom blinked as she looked to Chance across from her.
She quickly covered her eyes and turned away.
That answered that question!
“What the hell are you, lady?” She cursed. I saw her blink again and turn back to Chance awaiting her answer.
“Chance is our High Priestess, mom. She is the most powerful of everyone in the Coven.” I answered.
“I don’t think that for a moment, pumpkin.” Mom smiled.
“And I agree with you, Mrs. Everhardt. Christina is by far the most powerful of us all- even my daughter, Savanna.” Chance replied.
Mom was quiet for a moment.
“So what is it with the hair?” Mom asked curiously. “Is it some fashion fad in the thirty-third?”
“It is one of two true indicators of Antarran royalty, Colleen. You should already know that. Every female born of the Norge Clan, upon puberty, experience a hair color change- usually from some shade of brown or black to royal blue. We also develop.” Aunt Cora explained as she hefted her Ladies in Waiting to illustrate the meaning of ‘develop’. “One would say our lineage is most evident.”
“So…somehow my daughter carries the genes of the house Norge? How can that be possible? I have no connection to your family, majesty. Louis was borne here and his family has owned this land for almost three centuries.”
“Before I met Chance and Aunt Cora and the rest of Witch Corps, I went-.”
“Christina suffered a ‘twist of fate’ let’s say and leave it at that, Mrs. Everhardt.” Chance interrupted. “Us being from the future we could slip and reveal something that would change our lives.”
“I think I understand” Mom winced. “Your present is my future and if I learned certain details that might change how things play out.”
“Honey? Did those nosey reporters come back? There’s an awful lot of footprints coming to the… front… door? Who are you people?” Daddy’s voice called out from the front of the house. I was instantly in front of him and hugging him frantically!
“Christina? I didn’t know you were planning on coming home this soon after the holiday break? What happened? You didn’t get kicked out of school did you?” Daddy gasped out in a hoarse, oxygen-deprived wheeze.
“I’m fine, Daddy. I brought some friends home with me.” I said as I took the time to introduce everyone I could see.
 
 

 
 
“Christina? I hope you know that dinner is going to be very late since you decided to procrastinate so long.” Mom declared as she came into the main hallway.
“Caroline?” Daddy gasped as he stared at mom in shock.
“What do you mean, ‘Caroline’? Have you finally gone blind you old coot?” Mom demanded angrily. She quickly looked to the side as she thought of something. “Damn, I knew I forgot something.”
“Colleen? Why do you look so young?”
“Well. Because I dropped my age spell when Christina and her friends got here, Louis.” Mom answered honestly. “And I just forgot to recast it.”
“You know that Halloween was three months ago right, honey?” He chuckled humorously.
Mom whispered some almost inaudible words and the middle-aged woman I was used to seeing was back.
“What the…?” Daddy gasped in disbelief. “How’d you do that, Colleen?”
“More importantly,” Kitty appeared from behind the kitchen doorframe. “Why wouldn’t you believe your spouse, Louis Everhardt?”
Daddy stopped and froze as Kitty, Tau, Lyra, and Greer filed out from the kitchen.
“Kind sir, I wish to convey my queen’s gratitude for inviting us into your charming little home.” Tau addressed Daddy regally.
“They’re Lynxin, Louis, now push your jaw shut and say hello to our guests. They won’t bite unless you do.” Mom giggled and actually winked at Daddy.
“Ummmmm…. Hi. I um… take it you’re new in town?” He responded carefully.
“And everyone thought I came up with some lame lines.” Hope groaned as she shook her head a few times.
“Even I thought that response was ultra-lame, and I’m usually just as guilty.” Lokust rolled her eyes.
Kitty offered her hand and Daddy cautiously shook it, marveling at her furry hand as he did.
“Welcome to our home. I hope you haven’t traveled too far.” Daddy greeted with a tense smile.
“They arrived with Christina about an hour and a half ago, Louis.” Mom said with an evil smirk. “In a big, beautiful, spaceship.”
“Horseshit! This is some kind of joke. I mean, I can relate the catgirls and cat guy to a ComiCon up in Erie, but the blue-haired, busty girls are just too Japanimation for even that, Colleen. You included, Christina! What did I do to deserve this… this hazing?”
We were all back on Pegasus- in the Observation Lounge.
Again Daddy’s mouth dropped open as he looked around the softly lighted room. The days were shorter at this time of year and sunset had happened about twenty minutes ago.
Chance let out a very loud sigh.
“Since we’re here,” Chance glared at me then smiled to my parents, “welcome to our ship- EFMC Pegasus. This is our Observation Lounge. Please make yourselves at home.”
I thought you were going to make dinner, Christina?” Mom prodded.
“WAIT!” Katelyn shouted before I had any chance to think about going back to the house. “I’ll go back to the house the old fashioned way, thank you very much! I can only take so much ‘travellin’ by flue powder’, Christina!”
Katelyn turned, stalked over to, and called the elevator then stood and waited a moment for it to arrive.
“Wait for me, kiddo!” Daddy said loudly and hurried over just as the elevator door was closing.
Chance waited a moment as she passively looked at me.
“Look! I understand that you’ve missed your parents, Christina! I know exactly how you feel cause I’ve been there!” She looked at Hope and Charli quickly before looking back to me. “Might I remind you that Pegasus is being very patient with you right now. She is obviously holding back on her security protocols by not taking action against your parents or our sudden appearances.” Chance seemed to have a thought and sighed again. “And please don’t tell me that you told her who and what was going to happen, Christina. I’ve had my fill with Savanna the last eight years.”
“I’m sorry.” I sniffed then wiped my eyes dry.
I was in our home’s dining room; the table had the place settings but nothing in the way of food had been added.
“You shouldn’t have waited so long. Now what are we going to do to feed our guests, pumpkin?” Mom asked using her ‘I told you so’ voice.
“What were you thinking of having, mom?” I asked calmly.
“Well, I had thought about a nice beef roast with roasted carrots, garlic mashed potatoes, homemade gravy and fresh buttermilk biscuits. I have an unopened bottle of wine in the fridge for us adults and fresh grape juice for Link and probably Aquia if my eyesight still serves me properly.”
I began to laugh as I looked over mom’s head and watched each item she called out appear at the center of the table. An ice bucket appeared with two bottles askew and chilling.
“What is so funny, pumpk-?” Mom asked as she turned to follow my gaze. The magnificent aromas hit our noses at about the same time.
“But how?” She muttered while attempting to fill her lungs.
“I told you I’m different now, mom.”
“Is it all real, Christina? Really real?” She motioned to the table full of enticing entrees.
“Smells like it.” I said as I stepped over to the table, lifted the lid on the potatoes, and took a finger sample.
“Tastes just like I remember, mom.”
She cautiously repeated my action of taking a taste and looked to me in curiosity- well, maybe a little fear too.
“On my best days I can’t do half of what I’ve seen you do in the few hours you’ve been here, Christina.” She told me though the fear in her eyes concerned me.
“Mom? I’m still me.” I said to comfort her. Maybe I was also trying to convince myself a little bit too? “I could try to explain, but it most likely would change the future.” I paused to wipe my eyes.
Why did it have to hurt so much? Why couldn’t I just tell her that she and Daddy would die in a mysterious car crash that investigators would never close? Would I have to stand by and watch it happen? Would I have to stay to the shadows and watch while my previous self mourned and berated herself for not being with them to share their fate?
“God, I wish I could change the future!” I cried.
Did it echo through the house?
It was mom’s turn to look at me in concern.
“I see.” Was all she said before we heard the kitchen door open and Daddy’s voice remind everyone to wipe their feet.
 
 

 
 
“Nice spread. I’m not even going to ask how you did all this so fast.” Daddy commented as his eyes beheld the full table.
“Christina has become a fabulous chef, Louis. I’d even say she’s pure magic in the kitchen.” Mom beamed.
“Well, whatever. Just the smell is making me hungry. Let’s not waste time. Everyone grab a plate.” Daddy smiled as he picked up a plate and began loading it.
 
 

 
 
“So. Kitty. Where did you say you and your entourage hail from?” Daddy asked after we had all filled our plates and found seats.
“FeLane. We’re the next solar system over.” She answered.
“So did we find you or you find us?” He continued.
“Actually, Charli and I find them… in about seven years, Mr. Everhardt.” Hope revealed.
Daddy’s fork dropped to his plate.
“Come again, Major Summers?” He asked, his eyes narrowed.
“Actually, 2115. But according to the Terran-FeLane Peace Accords, Earth and FeLane have been officially allied since 2109, Louis. The Accord was ratified the following year, 2116, by all sitting Terran government leaders and Queen Libra Sinae of the FeLane Confederation.” Tau informed us.
“Yeah… I thought it was something like that.” Daddy deadpanned before looking directly at me.
“Ya know… we paid for modest implants for our girl, not the expandable models.”
“LOUIS!” Mom shouted out as she stood and glared down at him.
She was pissed!
“It’s okay, mom. I get what he meant.” I said as I too stood and looked down at my disbelieving father.
I conjured what looked like night vision goggles.
“Have a look for yourself, Daddy.” I hissed. “I’m complete in every way a woman can be. Look through these goggles and then you can apologize to all of us.”
“What are these things; VR goggles?”
“Just put them on and look at your right hand, dad.” I urged.
It took a moment, but Daddy carefully put them on and gasped when he looked down at his hand.
“Color X-ray goggles? Seriously?” He questioned then turned to look at mom, Chance, and Hope.
“Alright, I get it. Can we get back to eating dinner?”
“Now look at me, father.” I ordered, my voice echoed coldly through the room.
He nervously complied and gasped. He automatically pointed to my groin.
“Is that what I think it is? Is that real too?”
“I’ve been told it functions well above specifications, father.” I answered evenly.
Daddy swallowed hard, took off the goggles, and handed them back to me. Once in my hand they disappeared- much to his amazement!
“Any other statements that may have you inserting your other shoe into your mouth, father?” I dared in a very unhappy voice.
“So are all you gals witches then?” Daddy quickly changed the subject.
We are, but we prefer ‘Current Mages’ in the thirty-third century, Louis Everhardt.” Aunt Cora answered.
“What’s Current?”
“Current is the energy that surrounds everything. Some refer to it as ‘lifeforce’ or essence, others just ‘energy’. No matter the term, Current exists in everything and is sentient.” Auntie continued.
“So could I learn to use this ‘Current’?” He asked.
I immediately held out my hand and blinked on my Current sight.
Daddy became quiet and stared at me for the minute it took me to scan him.
“No. Though you have the spark, there is no cooperation- no commitment.” I said as I noticed Chance also scanning him.
“I concur, sister, though there is a way he can learn to use his Current.”
“That is a choice he and my mother must discuss and agree to, High Priestess.” I said serenely.
“Agreed, sister. Such a decision should be made with all affected parties attending the debate and understanding the parameters.” Chance nodded and smiled.
“Ummm… How did you both do that? Make your voices echo like that? I haven’t heard a voice echo in this room since we installed the area rug on the floor.” Daddy questioned.
“Oh, that’s just their ‘avatars’ conversing.” Link answered casually. “You should hear the thunder and rumbling when they argue.”
“Avatars?”
“Yeah. Nike, Goddess of Victory is Chance’s and… well…we’re not quite sure who Christina’s is… yet…” Link continued then finally noticed everybody was staring at her- our Coven sisters with contempt and mom and dad in disbelief. Tau was massaging his forehead nervously.
“Pure genius, sis.” I deadpanned. “You gonna tell them about how I almost got killed in that thruster demonstration next year too?”
Damn!
“Christina?” Mom looked horrified as she grasped my wrist and pulled me from the table. We found ourselves out in the equipment barn.
“Okay, now I didn’t do that.” I decried.
“No. You didn’t. I did, but with your help, Christina.” Mom told me in a very serious tone. “It took me a moment, but I think I have it figured out. Now…shall we start? I don’t think you should leave anything out for my benefit either.”
I told her about my misadventure next year at school through to how Chance and my sisters found me in the asteroid fourteen hundred years from no- er, next year.
What I didn’t tell her hurt me more than either mom or Daddy could know. I didn’t mention anything about what was to happen in two weeks. Instead, I poured all my emotions into my misadventure and after several minutes we both wiped our eyes and cheeks dry. Mom again grasped my wrist.
“I know there is more that you aren’t telling me, young lady, but this little talk will suffice for now. So let’s get back to help with the dishes, because our dinner is stone-cold by now.”
We reappeared at our starting location in the dining room, but everyone was still eating. In fact, by the amount of food left on everyone’s plate, I’d say we were only gone for a minute or two.
“I thought you two were going to have a long chat, Colleen.” Daddy looked at us, confused.
“Christina and I did have a long chat- about an hour and a half of her explaining her little mishap next year.”
“Honey, you two just popped out a minute ago. Now, unless Christina can actually jump back and forth in time, why don’t you two sit back down and enjoy this wonderful meal?”
Mom stared at me- intensely! I could almost hear her unspoken question.
I smiled shyly and nodded ever so slightly.
Mom tried to gasp quietly, but my Coven sisters heard and smiled to one another.
“Yeah, she did that to us too; on our last mission. Scared the crap outta us.” Katelyn Yates acknowledged.
“What’d Christina do now?” Daddy asked, clueless as ever.
“Jumped us back in time by five hours. Yer girl got some serious talent, Lou.” Katelyn answered brightly.
“That’s a little off the wall isn’t it, Katie?” Daddy argued. I can accept that she teleports, but jumping across time is a little much.
“What didn’t you understand about us being from the thirty-third century? Fourteen hundred years in the future?” Hope countered.
“See? That’s how I know this is all some strange hazing. If you gals is from fourteen hundred years in the future then you’d be in the thirty-sixth century not the thirty-third. Gotcha.” Daddy said as he pointed his finger at Hope like a pistol and dropped his thumb like the imaginary weapon’s hammer.
“My good fellow,” Tau spoke, “the measurement of a standard century is based on the average value of all individual sub-species planetary years or four hundred and fourteen days. I agree wholeheartedly that indeed, Terra would be into its thirty-sixth century if everything were based on Terra’s orbit. But it’s not. Contrary to ancient Terran beliefs, Terra is not the center of the universe.”
I laughed despite myself. Daddy was being educated by a Lynxin- an allied subspecies present day Earth knew absolutely nothing about yet!
“Don’t be rude, pumpkin.” Mom advised. “Just because your father is acting all Neanderthal, he did have his math right. And I have to admit… it was difficult to realign myself to three hundred and sixty-four and a quarter days when I was used to three hundred and twenty-six and an eighth.”
“HUH?” Daddy almost choked on his wine.
“Remember when you declared me ‘out of this world’ when we were dating, Louis? Did I ever once disagree with you?” Mom giggled. “I was born on Antarra in their twenty-third century. And I was six when my family became trapped in the dimensional tear that brought us here.”
“Hey, you want to pass me that plate of roast beef? I’d like a little more, please.” Kitty vamped as we hurried to pick Daddy off the floor. “How ‘bout you Lyra? You want some more, cuz?”
“Tread lightly, cuz. Even though not at our skill level, Colleen is still a viable and potential threat and I for one do not want Christina facing off against us in her support.” Lyra warned. “Therefore… yes I’ll have just a small piece, if it’s not too much trouble.”

 
 
“So… you two aren’t related but look identical?” Daddy asked Link and Aunt Cora. We had moved him into his comfy chair in the living room so he could recover while I helped mom clear the dining room table.
Finished with the after dinner chores we also found seats.
“Mr. Everhardt, I have every intention of adopting Coraline as soon as we reenter our indigenous time period.” Aunt Cora told him while ignoring Link’s glaring and fidgeting in protest.
“Just an observation, but from the looks of it, I’d say you might have some opposition. Have you tried talking with her about your intentions before you actually make them public?”
“Mr. Everhardt, do you understand the role a queen plays in her society? Certain responsibilities must be observed and favorable succession must be maintained. I won’t be the queen forever you know.” Aunt Cora tried to explain.
“Yes, I understand that the Norge Dynasty must continue. All I’m asking is if you have discussed the particulars with Link? Far from my getting completely involved with your royal affairs, I think she needs to know everything: you’re intents, the perks, pitfalls, responsibilities, and any possible timeline to your retirement or abdication or whatever.” Daddy went on to explain his thinking. “In the end, if forced onto the throne, Link may not carry on the ideals, programs, and dealings you and your ancestors set forth, Caroline. She needs to see the whole picture- not just a small, torn corner.”
Aunt Cora nodded as she listened then her mouth suddenly dropped open.
“Caroline? Did I say something insult…?”
“Say that again!” Aunt Cora barked her request.
“You want me to go through that whole speech again?” Daddy seemed confused.
“No. Just the last sentence… please?” Aunt Cora seemed to compose herself to at least sound courteous.
“Um… I think I said that Link needs to see the whole picture and not just the small, torn, corner?”
The smile that came to Auntie’s face threatened to obscure the rest of her facial features…
Except the tears that were rolling down both cheeks!
“I’m- I’m sorry for saying something that brought back such confusing memories, Queen Norge. Please forgive me for whatever caused this reaction.” Daddy apologized, not knowing exactly what he had triggered.
“Aunt Cora?” Simone, who was sitting closest, placed a hand on her shoulder. “What caused this? He didn’t say anything that struck me as inappropriate or humorously off-color.”
Without another word, Auntie called her DataTab and tapped and swiped a few times before showing Simone something on its display. Simone’s reaction mirrored Aunt Cora’s.
Hope, Chance and Charli stood and leaned in to see what she had brought up. All three just nodded.
I couldn’t help it! I found myself beside Auntie and viewing two pictures; one she had claimed was my mother’s portrait and the other was a magnified picture of the reverse of maybe the same portrait? The close-up showed that a small portion of the portrait’s media material had been torn away on one corner.
I willed myself back to my previous location on the living room floor.
Aunt Cora quickly dismissed her DataTab before mom or Daddy could see it.
“What was that all about? Or are you girls going to be all ‘mysterious’ again?” Daddy pried.
“We’ll opt for the ‘all mysterious’ option, Louis. And you just reminded Cora of something she’d forgotten to do before we left our time.” Hope answered first.
“What, you forget to feed Rodyard again, Cora? You know you have ‘people’ for that, right?” Kaitlyn improvised to cover. She looked at mom and Daddy and rolled her eyes. “Her ‘Dropkickapoo’. Nasty little bitch with wicked big teeth and an even nastier disposition.” She explained further, but looked at Kitty as she said it.
I giggled.
Daddy nodded, accepting the explanation. Mom though…she narrowed her eyes at Kaitlyn.
I don’t think she bought it. No way she could’ve seen the display though as she was sitting on the floor next to me.
Link leaned over to me and spoke quietly in my ear.
“Let me guess… it has something to do with your mom being the first Queen Norge?”
I didn’t answer but gave her a sideways glance instead.
“I think Coraline is starting to fade. Might I suggest we retire to Pegasus for the night, ladies?” Aunt Cora suggested as she brought her hand to her mouth to feign a yawn.
Link growled quietly and disappeared from beside me.
“Christina? Didn’t you promise me a tour of Pegasus earlier?” Mom asked out of the blue. I hadn’t mentioned anything about a tour. In fact I expected Chance to really rip into me for all my ‘popping’ in and out today!
“I did hear you say that, Christina. Just a quick little tour and you should call it a night also.” Chance confirmed to my surprise.
“WAIT! I’ll take the long way!” Kaitlyn shouted as she stood.
Everyone laughed as she walked out of the room and conjured her warm coat, boots, and scarf.
 
 

 
 
Mom and I appeared in my quarters.
“Care to tell me what happened back there, pumpkin?” Mom requested.
“Yes, Christina. Care to tell her what we saw on Aunt Cora’s DataTab?” Chance agreed, as she appeared just this side of my door.
Mom started looking between us waiting for someone to answer. I sighed.
“You, mom. It was a portrait of you… only with blue hair.”
“HA!” She snorted! “Why… the day I turn into an Antarran blue-hair is the day I find out faster-than-light travel is a reality!”
“Pegasus? Could you please state your top velocity for Colleen Everhardt. I’ll vouch for her clearance level.
“Pegasus has benchmarked a velocity of 45.57 LY/second during normal flight mode and 75.338 LY/second with afterboost enabled, Chance.”
“Thanks, Pegasus.” Chance smiled to mom.
“Now…you were saying?”
“I don’t believe it!” mom declared adamantly. “Show me this ‘portrait’.”
Aunt Cora was suddenly standing right beside me ready to drink something out of a container.
“Auntie? Could you show mom what you showed Simone earlier?” I asked.
Aunt Cora choked on her drink and glared at me.
“That was very rude, Sugar Plum. What now?”
“Chance suggested I tell mom what we looked at on your DataTab…mom’s portrait?”
Auntie conjured her device and after a few taps and swipes handed it to my mom.
She gasped!
“I believe you now, but I don’t get why you acted the way you did, majesty.”
“Scroll down to the description, Sugar Pie.” Auntie told her before turning and going into the bathroom.
Mom read for a moment then looked at us in absolute horror.
“This is…this is ridiculous! I am so out of here!” Mom shouted. She closed her eyes tightly and her face turned red but nothing else happened.
She opened them and began to cry.
“Why won’t it work? All I wanted was for this nightmare to end! Why won’t it end?” She repeated several times as I swept her into my arms and held her tight.
“Welcome to the club, mom. I ask myself those questions almost every night.” I whispered quietly.
Chance silently worked her way to where I could see her and nodded once.
“What…what did you just do to me, Christina?!” Mom demanded as she angrily pushed away from me.
“Christina?” Chance asked angrily with a quick wink. “What did you just do? I felt a disturbance in the force.”
“I just gave mom some of my Current so she can do some of the stuff I do, High Priestess. Her latent Current seemed unusually low tonight.” I answered.
Mom grabbed at her hair and began to examine it for any change. She breathed a sigh of relief when satisfied I hadn’t changed her hair color.
“Try to teleport now, mom.” I smiled encouragement.
She quickly closed her eyes and disappeared.
“Do you really think I should have done that, Chance?” I asked, uncertain it was the proper thing to do.
“History doesn’t lie, Sweetie. What exactly did you do to dear ol’ mom just now?” Aunt Cora asked as she appeared from our bathroom.
“I just shared portions of my code array with her.”
“So her hair will start changing in…how long?” Chance smiled evilly.
“In about a week?” I shrugged in uncertainty.
“And your father? What modifications does he need?” She asked.
“I really don’t know. Auntie? Do the Antarran Historians have anything to say?”
“Just that Prince Louis loved his queen very much and that they had several progeny. I guess you better share your code with him too, Sugar Plum! He’s going to need his strength to keep up with his queen.” Aunt Cora laughed uncontrollably for some time.
 
 

 
 
We hadn’t seen too much of Christina’s parents yesterday or even this morning, as we had been busy teaching our Lynxins and Antarrans mom’s spell of concealment. The last thing I wanted to do was have Kitty, Lyra, Greer, and Tau outed as ‘dangerous aliens’. And where one or two blue haired, busty women might be overlooked (yeah, right), four would be questioned and possibly draw much too much attention.
“Chance? How about this combination?” Link asked from behind me.
A lovely young woman with an ample bust and long, wavy brown hair smiled as she posed with a hand on her hip.
“You look fantastic, sweetie!” I praised.
“Shrubbery match the trees, Kiddo?” Kate asked in a slightly vulgar tone.
“Yes, Lady Kaitlyn, I made sure of that this time.” Link answered in a childish, annoyed tone while rolling her eyes.
The bridge door opened and an identical young woman entered.
“Hey girls, how does this look… oh… Just noggin great! How do we keep doing this, Sugar Plum?” Aunt Cora swore as she stepped over to appraise her twin. “We do look pretty good though, don’t we?”
“I can live with being twins, Aunt Cora.” Link smiled as she appraised her identical sister.
“Sweetie?” I asked to get their attention. “I think ‘Link’ might not be a good fit for a female Terran’s name. Maybe Cora and Cara?” I said pointing to Aunt Cora first then Link.
“I like both those names.” Aunt Cora smiled brightly.
“Yeah, you would.” Link groaned. “I guess I can live with that for a few weeks.”
The newly renamed Norge twins turned and exited my bridge, starting a conversation once out in the passageway.
Simone eyed up her coven sisters as she waited for them to clear the doorway.
“So, how do I look Chance?” She asked as she stopped and turned around for me.
“That rack is still going to attract a lot of attention Simone.” Kate commented before I could get a word out.
“I’ve kinda grown attached to them, Kaitlyn. I feel weird otherwise.”
“I like the black hair, Simone. You look very nice.”
“Thanks, Chance. Hey, if its okay with you, I’d like to go out and get some fresh air.”
“You might want to ask the ‘twins’ if they want to go too.” I suggested.
“Copy that, Chance.” Simone acknowledged and re-triggered the bridge door. She sidestepped a tall, athletic girl with close-cropped, light brown hair and a modest chest. I could see no sign of her precocious, semi-sentient tail.
“Well?” She challenged.
“Looks good to me, Sinae. What do you think though?” I countered, noticing that her face looked similar but without her slight muzzle, long Feline whiskers, and high mounted, tasseled ears.
“I just have a slight problem keeping balanced without my tail.”
“It’s still there, Sinae,” I reminded, “It’s only a concealment spell so try not to swat anyone with it.” I giggled.
A very handsome blonde-haired man of about 190cm came in. Against my better judgment, my interest peaked. Tau looked really good as a Terran!”
Two tall women entered next and stepped before me for inspection. Both had wavy light brown hair: one reaching to her shoulders and the other reaching to mid-back. Both looked very enchanting.
I complimented Tau, Greer, and Lyra on their disguises.
“I guess we should all go over to the house and see what Christina, Colleen, and Louis think about our disguises.” I said as I took Grunfuller’s hand in mine and motioned for everyone to leave.
 
 

 
 
“Hey, guys… WOW! You guys look fantastic!” Christina bubbled as we entered and gathered in the kitchen. “Mom and Daddy will be down in a little while. I left them sleep in since neither works on the weekend. I conjured some eggs, bacon, and home fries; there’s also orange juice in the fridge if anyone wants it. You already know how to conjure your own coffee and tea.”
A floorboard squeaking over our heads indicated that somebody was awake upstairs.
For whatever reason we all fell silent and motionless.
“I’ll be down in a minute, honey. I just need to take some aspirin; you really wore me out last night.” Christina’s dad could be heard from the second floor hallway.
“I’ll just put some coffee on before I start breakfast, Louis.” Colleen’s happy voice said as she appeared at the bottom of the stairs. She looked like she hadn’t gotten much sleep, but her smile was bright and satisfied.
Her smile evaporated as soon as she noticed us- replaced by a very deep blush!
“Looks like somebody got lucky last night.” Aquia- of all people- deadpanned.
I was going to have to have a long talk with Kaitlyn Yates!
“So…you ‘cooked’ again, pumpkin?” Colleen Everhardt asked as she rolled her eyes at her daughter.
“It’s the least I could do after all you’ve done for me, mom.” She replied. “Table’s set, so take a seat and dig in.”
“Peaches, you were great last… night…” Louis said as he turned the corner of the stairs and looked back into the kitchen. He smiled nervously. “Well…this is awkward. Good morning everybody. Do I detect the delicious smell of bacon, eggs, and hash browns?”
Without hesitation he went directly into the dining room and grabbed a plate.
“Take a plate, Louis, and help yourself. Christina ‘cooked’ again this morning.” Colleen Everhardt suggested after the fact in a sarcastically, unenthusiastic tone.
 
 

 
 
“So what’s on the agenda for today, ladies?” Louis asked as he munched away on a few strips of bacon.
“Well, since our concealment spells seem to be working, we were thinking about doing some sight-seeing. Maybe get video and still photographs of this time period.” I answered.
“Why? Aren’t we already in your history books, Chance?” Louis asked in confusion.
“Records of this time period are sketchy at best, Louis.” Charli answered. “Apparently the ‘cloud’ that everything is backing information to isn’t as secure as touted. I could show you exactly what I mean if you’d like, but right now we were thinking about asking for a ride to the nearest town to look around after we help with the morning chores.”
“Chores are already done, ladies.” Christina smiled.
“So I’m guessing that none of you has a drivers license?” Louis Everhardt grinned.
“Actually, Hope and I still have ours, Louis. I used to drive a ’93 eMustang Fastback. That’s a 2093 eMustang. I would’ve killed for a 1993 Mustang if they weren’t so hard to find nowadays.” Charli smiled brightly.
“How did you ever find a Mustang in the thirty-third century?” Louis gasped incredulously.
“You misunderstand. I have it with me right now in Houston, Louis. Hope and I are training at this very minute for our mission to the Kuiper Belt set for 2107.”
Louis went to say something, but mom cut him off.
“Try not to think too hard on it, Louis. We witches live for an awfully long time.” Mom said with a devious grin.
“So you two are actually about ten years older than Christina?” Louis exclaimed as Colleen almost choked on her eggs.
I happened to take notice of a few strands of blue hair at her crown just to the left of her part. She glanced at me for the briefest of seconds then continued eating.
Yeah, she noticed.
“Funny. I seem to remember a news conference a few months ago where NASA was introducing their chosen Crew for the first manned mission to the solar boundary. As I recall, there was a Russian guy, a Chinese Chick, a young Navy Lt. Commander from Detroit, an Army Lieutenant, and an Air Force Colonel. The mission is to be commanded by Marine Major Hopewell Summers.” Colleen recalled with chilling detail. She eyed mom carefully a moment.
“Another concealment spell, Major?” She asked with a quirky smile.
Charli stood and Charles was suddenly there in her place.
“No, Colleen. That was no spell. Something happens on our mission… something wonderful… and something Christina has direct influence on, I might add.”
“Christina? Care to add to the conversation, young lady?” Louis stopped eating and looked intently to his daughter.
“Next year I get hired by one of the professors at school. We develop a new propulsion system- one more powerful and efficient than anything NASA has now.” Christina blushed profusely- her eyes locked on her lap. “Hope, Charli, and another sister, Chantell, make first contact with FeLane.”
“And you have a hand in that?” Colleen stood and walked behind Christina. She wrapped her arms around her daughter. “I’m so, so proud of you, pumpkin.”
Christina burst into tears, and disappeared!
“Chance?” Louis asked as he looked to me. “What exactly happens next year? What happens to our daughter?”
“There’s a mishap, Mr. Everhardt.” Mom told our host.
“Now, I know it was worse than just a ‘mishap’. Colleen told me about her ‘mishap’, now what really happens to Christina?” He requested calmly.
“A Pentagon Asshat decided he knew better than the system’s designers- Christina being one of them.” Mom began as her eyes took on a slight orange-ish glow. “I won’t go into the specifics, but because of him Christina was thrown into a fully functional, demonstration lifepod that they had also developed. It… it activated and shot into space.”
Colleen and Louis turned white!
“My God!” Louis gasped.
“The lifepod was designed to keep the occupant in stasis until the pod could be retrieved.” Mom continued.
“And?”
“And we find and revive her fourteen hundred and thirty-three standard years from now.” Mom finished as she wiped her eyes. Had we the resources we have at our disposal here and now…”
“But there is even more that you are not telling us, Major Summers?”
“We aren’t at liberty to reveal anything further, I’m sorry.” Mom said as she took on a cold, hard demeanor.
“Ah. The ‘I can’t tell you because it would change the future’ plot line. We best just leave it alone, Colleen.” Louis nodded.
“I’m not going to just ‘leave it alone’, Louis! I’ll be back shortly!” Colleen said just before she vanished.
“Say… you think you girls can teach me that little trick? It would save me a ton on fuel each year.” Louis joked.
 
 

 
 
“Christina?” I heard mom shout from out in the passageway. “We need to talk, Christina.”
Mom was suddenly in my room and staring at me as I sat up on my bed and tried to dry my eyes.
“Daddy and I just learned more about your ‘mishap’, Pumpkin. How could you have stayed sane that long? I want the name of that Pentagon buffoon so I can get him removed from his position before he causes your heinous incident.” Mom said in a calm even voice that I knew meant she was going to break out Daddy’s rail gun and travel to Pentagon City.
“You can’t, mom. I wouldn’t be who I am now…I mean will become…in the future.” I pleaded. “I had no idea how long I had been in stasis until Chance told me, mom. I was asleep the whole time. I don’t even remember blasting off.”
I winced as a mild cramp hit.
“Could you excuse me for a minute, mom? I think I might be starting.” I begged off, hurrying into my bathroom.
 
 

 
 
“So Chance was able to help you complete yourself? I would imagine that operation is child’s play in the future.” Mom asked as she motioned to my belly.
“What?” I asked in confusion.
“You’re SRS, pumpkin.” She clarified.
“I was like this when I woke up, mom. I can’t expla…”
Not true! I thought to myself and felt myself blush.
“I sign up for an experimental medical study next year. I was told it was to study the effects of a new type of gene replacement therapy. In my case they said they would swap out my ‘Y’ chromosome for ‘X’.
“Next year? I didn’t know that was even possible yet?” Mom again gasped.
“It turned out it was a psychological study that employed a placebo and a lot of wanton desperation.” I growled. Mom quickly pulled back with a look of fear.
“Sorry. Since I woke up, every time I get pissed, my eyes glow orange.” I apologized.
“I noticed Hope do that just a few minutes ago. That isn’t natural…is it?”
“For Current Mages it seems to be, mom.” I shied away my eyes to the floor.
 
 
“I noticed, Christina.” Mom said out of the blue. It wasn’t accusatory or spiteful, but a friendly admission.
“Noticed?” I asked.
“The blue hairs on the top of my head, pumpkin. You did more than give me some of your essence, didn’t you?”
“How could you have noticed a few stray blue hairs, mom?” I asked in wonder.
Mom’s middle-aged image shimmered and a young woman with half a head of blue hair was standing before me!
“I also know a concealment spell or two, pumpkin, remember?” She smiled. “May I also remind you that I am not and never was anywhere close to Antarran royalty?”
“You are now.” I whispered.
“What was that, Christina?” Mom shot back.
“I said, ‘you are now’, mom.”
She looked stunned for several moments.
“Well, that at least explains last night with your father.”
“Really, mom? WTMI!” I groaned.
“Pumpkin, I knew what the blue hair and overdeveloped breasts signify. I may have been six when we arrived here, but mom tried to keep me educated about our Homeworld on the off chance we could go back. I take it that is the coven’s ultimate goal?”
“Partially.” I mumbled.
“Partially? Explain.” She tilted her head while narrowing her eyes.
“I can’t tell you, mom.”
“Of course you can, Christina. We’ve always been open and receptive in this family, this is no different.”
“Yeah, it is, mom. This is way different.”
“Then explain how different, pumpkin. Do we die here or something? Did you just come back here to say your goodbyes?”
I instantly fell to pieces!
I sensed mom take me in her arms.
“What did you do to Christina?” Link’s voice demanded venomously.
I looked up to see Link’s eyes shining brilliant orange and her wand drawn!
“Better talk fast, Mrs. Everhardt!” She warned. “Nobody is going to hurt Christina if I have something to say about it!
“It…its okay, sis. She guessed the reason for my visit.” I told her hoping to calm her temper.
“She did what?” Link asked in confusion then she frowned. “How?”
“Moms know, Link. I guess we’ll find out for ourselves one day.” I surmised.
“But you told me you were homesick and that you wanted to see your parents again…I thought to warn them?” Link stated in confusion. “Maybe they really don’t die in that fiery vehicle accident two weeks from now?”
I was livid!
Mom and Link both took several steps back from me as I noticed them and the wall behind them take on an orange hue.
“I thought you said she figured it out, sis?” Link held up her hands, palms facing me in defense. “Why get so mad?”
“I didn’t tell her when, Link! Thanks for that!”
“Stop this! Both of you! God, you really do act like siblings!” Mom exclaimed as she stepped between Link and I. “You and Coraline knock it off before you both do something you’ll regret later.”
“My! Name! Is. Link!” Link hissed in angry protest.
“You remind me of her twin sister, young lady, and I will not have you two begin feuding because of something that may or may not happen in my near future.” Mom declared heatedly.
“Oh, I’m pretty sure it’s going to happen, mom! You see… I had to identify your bodies, arrange a double funeral, contact all the people and places that needed contacting… oh… and I had to sell the farm for back taxes! Thanks for telling me you guys are in debt up to your eyeballs by the way! I spent so much time grieving and arranging things, I even let my scholarship lapse because I forgot to renew it for next semester, mom. That’s the reason I joined that gene research study… I needed the money!” I seethed in anger. “So yes! Yes! I am going to try and change your fate if I can!”
“I also need to do it because of this, mom!” I added as I angrily held out my hand and conjured the DataTab Chance had given me. “Here! What do you make of this, Colleen Christina ‘Norge’?”
I ordered the device to show me the portrait then held it out for her to see.
Mom was speechless for several minutes as she looked at the image then read the description again. “I’ve already seen this, pumpkin.”
I dismissed the device. “And?”
“The farm and all our finances are in the green, Christina. Who told you otherwise?” Mom demanded calmly, clearly changing the subject.
“Mr. Darby confronted me at the funeral home and told me that to clear your outstanding debts, I had to sell the farm. He had the papers with him and I signed it over on the spot just to have it done with.”
“You what?” Mom’s eyes went wide! “Why would you sign over your sizable inheritance to that shyster, Christina? He’s been trying to acquire our place for years.”
“And just how would I know that? You and Daddy were dead, mom! Everything I knew and loved- gone! You both were gone, mother! You think I was actually thinking straight during that traumatic time in my life?” I shouted in frustration.
Mom wrapped her arms around me and squeezed tight.
“But because of you and your coven sisters, we can make things right, pumpkin.” She whispered in my ear.
“Mom’s right, sis. You and Chance gave us the opportunity to remedy this.” Link agreed.
“But if we make things right, I may not get the gene therapy, or get hired on by Dr. Smithe. That will null everything out and we’d never meet in your century, Link. You might not even exist if I don’t help create that prototype ion propulsion emitter. Fixing things here may destroy the future as you know it. Hell, us just being here has probably frelled our future to hell and back!” I reasoned while trying to keep my anxiety of losing my new sisters to save my parents contained.
“If that were to happen, I would think the Olympians would try and stop us, sis.” Link pointed out. “So far the only things we’ve heard out of Olympus were Artemis and Zeus warning Chance and Hope to not piss you off, but treat you like any other member of Witch Corps.” Link paused as she thought about whether she was supposed to keep that little gem quiet.
“That and you telling Zeus to kiss your ass.” She added.
“Zeus? And…and Artemis? You talked…you met them? The Greek Gods really exist?” Mom gasped in shock.
I nodded a few times.
“And you told him to kiss your ass, pumpkin?” She gasped again then began laughing and shaking her head. “You certainly are Antarran royalty, Christina Everhardt. No doubt about that now.”
“Yeah? Well who else has blue hair in this room, mother?” I sniped.
“Hey! I resemble that too, Christina!” Link cried, feeling left out.
“Sorry, sis.” I apologized. “I was just trying to make a point.”
“I know that, but I was also trying to change the mood in the room. You see… I came here before I had a chance to grab breakfast. Can we go back to the house now? Before my stomach growls any louder?”
Mom started laughing again. “I’ll say it again. You sound so much like her twin sister, Caroline, Coraline.”
Link audibly growled and instantly disappeared.
 
 

 
 
“High Priestess? What are the rules or bylaws regarding address of the Coven by the mother of one of your members?” Mom said officially just after I popped us back over to the house.
“The only rule regarding address of the coven, Colleen Christina Everhardt, is that you should speak your mind and dispense with the formalities.” Chance smiled devilishly.
“Not very ‘Military’, Chance.” Daddy laughed.
“I’ll have you know we are very, very, veeeeeery Special Ops, Louis! The blackest!” Hope hissed. “That alone enables us to do things as we see fit. Capisce?”
“According to the U.S. Marine Corps Articles of Conduct,” Daddy started to say as he was suddenly holding a small, pocket paperback. “Section… wait… which one of you did this?” He closed and shook the small book at us.
“When did you do it, pumpkin?” Mom demanded as she turned to me.
“Do what?” I pleaded innocence.
“Oh, spare me, Christina. You did it to me, so why not do it to your father?” She said as her concealment spell dissipated.
“Damn, you got pretty aggressive genetics there, kiddo!” Kaitlyn announced.
“Yes… doesn’t she.” Mom deadpanned. “How long until your father is not your father any longer?”
I was floored by that accusation!
“I- I… I didn’t… wouldn’t… do that to him, Mother!”
To say I was pissed… “How dare you even-!”
Everyone accept Chance stepped back from me in fear.
“You will restrain yourself, Lt. Christina Everhardt!” Chance growled as she suddenly held a large, ornamental staff with a large, brightly glowing, blue jewel in its headpiece. She also had a white aura around her and her voice echoed throughout the whole house.
I gulped fearing I had gone too far with my temper this time. I feared Nike wasn’t as forgiving as Chance.
“Forgive me, Nike. I allowed my anger to get the better of me and will try harder to contain my negative emotions.” I pleaded with bowed head.
“You would do well to reroute those negative emotions, Scion. The fates could not guarantee the universes should you relent to such dark passions. Heed my words and respect your birth mother as an honorable sentient should. You would not fare well should we cross swords, Christina Everhardt, Scion of the Universes!”
The staff immediately disappeared and Chance began to blink her eyes as if waking from slumber.
“Chance?” I asked for confirmation.
She looked at me in confusion then quickly recovered.
“What did she do now?” Chance asked as she looked around.
“Nike just set this one’s ass straight, Chance.” Kaitlyn answered as she pointed to me.
“Nike?” Mom gasped.
“You mean THE Nike?” Daddy gasped.
“As I said on our arrival, I am only her avatar, but yes, she is the Nike.” Chance answered politely.
“And your ‘avatar’ called my daughter ‘Scion’… why?” Daddy asked.
“Scion is a designation used in this case to describe the savior of the Universes.” Savanna said as she was suddenly standing next to Chance.
“Or destroyer.” She added after hesitating.
“About time you showed up, Oracle.” Kaitlyn said sarcastically.
“Time is a very big construct, Lady Kaitlyn. Following the traces left by someone travelling through it can sometimes be tedious. Christina’s talent leaves hardly, if any, trace.” Savanna reasoned.
“Why would I leave little or no trace?” I asked- my curiosity peaked.
“Obviously you’re special, kiddo. No need to really get technical, is there?” Kaitlyn chimed in again.
“Would anybody care to introduce this young woman? I’m thinking- by the black hair, tall stature, and attitude- she’s a Summers?”
“My daughter, Savanna,” Chance answered and introduced her to Mom and Daddy.
“Your majesties.” Savanna bowed courteously.
“I hope that is just another Witch Corps idiom, Ladies.” Daddy warned. “Anyway… so this is how you really look these days, Colleen? Have you been holding back all these years?”
“My people age at a far different rate than your people, Louis. My intent has always been to remain off the radar. I have the feeling that now that Christina and her sisters have arrived, that radar is lighting up like a Christmas tree!”
“Chance, Pegasus. “Set perimeter sensors to one thousand meters and alert if any higher subspecies are detected. Full defensive stun protocols apply if the protective shield is threatened.” Chance ordered.
“Sensor range has been extended and is currently detecting the arrival of four Terrans in a ground vehicle now stationary on the bituminous access way three hundred and four meters to the northeast.” Pegasus replied immediately.
“Display holographic tactical, IR, and stream media to my DataTab.” Chance ordered.
She produced her tablet, touched the screen a few times and placed it on the kitchen table. Three different views of the same area appeared, stacked at eye level.
I felt a field appear around the house and looked to Chance for explanation.
“A ‘decoy’ spell to keep our activities from prying eyes and ears. As far as they know we’re just having a conversation that I stitched together from those we had the last several nights.” She proudly explained.
“How can your equipment do this?” Daddy goggled as he examined and innocently played with the three holographic displays.
“Thirty-third century?” Kaitlyn deadpanned, rolling her eyes.
“Forgive my barbaric ruminations, oh wise and all-knowing Wrench!” Daddy smarmed.
“About time someone around here showed me the proper respect!” Kaitlyn laughed. “Yer okay, Lou.”
As I watched the three-paneled display, I noticed something odd.
“What is that guy holding?” I asked as I pointed to the IR panel.
“I’ll zoom in.” Chance said as the infrared ‘Terran’ image became larger.
“Why are they holding night goggles?” Daddy questioned. “It’s the middle of the day…cloudy as usual, but midday nonetheless.
Mom was suddenly nowhere to be seen.
“Afternoon, boys! Whatcha doin’? Broke down, eh? I got my cell if you’d like to use it to call Chester over in Cochranton?” Mom’s voice said from the surveillance audio stream- her winter-coated image now on all three screens.
The noise in the background sounded like one or all four soiled themselves.
“Colleen? What’re you doing out here?” A man’s voice demanded in a startled vibrato.
“What, I’m not allowed to walk my own property, Glenn? So what’s so intriguing about my house that you four felt you needed to stake it out?” Mom attacked. “After what happened, I’m well versed in the ‘Stalker Laws’ you know.”
“We’re not staking out your place, Colleen. We ah…um…we heard that some reporters were trying to stir things up again. Thought we’d hang out and deter em.”
“That’s awfully thoughtful Bob, but Louis and I can handle the reporters’ just fine. It’s been almost six years and we’re all mourned out. How about you boys just go home and spend the rest of Saturday watching basketball or hockey like Louis is doing right now… hmmm… or is he powering up that old rail gun of his? Oh well. It could be both since I’ve been out walking awhile on this beautiful, winter day. Bye, boys.”
On our displays, the car did a slow five-point turn then hurried off back toward Rte 322 as mom waved goodbye to our unwanted visitors.
 
Mom was back with us.
 
“Glenn Darby, Bob Garfield, Frank Welch, and Sol Strankovic. They won’t be bothering us for a while; I threw a ‘wammy’ into Glenn’s Fuel Monitor System just in case. They’ll get mostly to town and have to walk the last five miles.” She reported with an evil grin as she hung up her coat.
“Now. Let’s explain some things, pumpkin.” Mom set her eyes on me with an intensity I had never seen before.
“First. Louis and I are free and clear of any mortgage, liens, tariffs, or penalties with regards to this farm. This is your inheritance like it was Louis’ and his father’s and his Grandfathers’ before him.”
“Secondly. I know exactly what happened the day of your fourteenth birthday, Christina. I can’t understand it, but I believe it had something to do with your being here now. Twins didn’t run on either side of our family, so you can understand my surprise when the doctor announced one more after you made your debut. Caroline wasn’t in a hurry to arrive either. Thirty minutes is a long time to lay there with your legs splay open while your first born is crying for his mom.”
I cringed at her frankness, but began wondering what it would be like…
“Third. Given the recent information I’ve received, it’s obvious Louis and I will be moving, so we need some way to preserve the Everhardt traditions and holdings here. Any ideas, ladies?”
“We’re moving? To where, Colleen?” Daddy asked in surprise.
“Antarra.” Mom answered bluntly.
“And just how are we getting there? And where is ‘Antarra’ anyway?”
“About fifty-two hours from here in Pegasus, and about a thousand years ago by Christina and Chance.”
“Sorry? Say that again? Did I hear you say fifty-two hours via your ship? And a thou-thousand years ago?” Daddy gasped in disbelief.
“Antarra’s on the other side of our galaxy, Daddy.” I told him. “It’s not like it’s as close as FeLane- which takes about ten minutes at transdimensional.
“Yeaaaaaah… Saw that one coming for kilometers. I’ll help him back into his chair. You girls go on and discuss the particulars.” Kaitlyn moaned as she transformed back to Keaton Yates. “Hey Lou! Wake up, yer makin’ us men look weak, mate.”
Charli had also transformed back to her male identity to help. “Dude! You’re giving us guys a bad rep here.” He said as he gently smacked Daddy’s face until he started to come around.
“I’ve-I’ve seen you before!” Daddy blurted out just after opening his eyes to Charles Armstrong.
“Yeah, you saw me a few nights ago, Lou.” Charles chuckled.
“You’re that Astronaut! Um…Charlie Armstrong!”
“That would be me, Lou, but I’m more comfortable like this.” Charli giggled as she was back.
“Where’s Maulder and Scully when you need them?” Daddy wisecracked.
“Relegated to re-re-re-reruns, Lou. You gonna be okay?” Charli asked to make sure.
“It’s like I’m stuck in some weird, demented Halloween special.” Daddy exclaimed.
“Yeah, Lou, we get that a lot.” Keats deadpanned again. “Just watch for the flyin’ monkeys.”
Daddy’s mouth dropped open.
“Hey, I ain’t kiddin’ about them, Lou! Tajalia 3 has ‘em. Nasty little thieves dive in from outta the sun. Never see ‘em until they have your sandwich in their hands!” Keats sounded serious.
“Oh, hey. While I got ya here, where’s a good place to get parts for a 2098 Charger? I’m restoring one back home and I could use a few body panels and some odds and ends.” Keats added as an afterthought.
“The recycle yard up in Conneaut Lake would probably have the panels cut off in a day or two. New, the dealer might be able to get them in a few days.” Daddy answered instantly.
That was my dad- always quick to become the gearhead.
“Wait… couldn’t you just conjure the parts or that kind of thing?” Daddy added.
“Of course, but what fun would that be? Hobbies are supposed to be distractions from work. Aren’t they?” Keats reasoned, chuckling.
“You know…” Daddy’s expression went serious as he thought of something. “You guys could take a side trip back a few years and buy a new one.”
“Keaton Yates! Don’t even consider that as a viable option!” Chance ordered with a growl. “I refuse to crowd our storage hold with ancient toys! I allow you the option then mom and Charli will each want one!”
“And yet we all know the cargo hold will be filled to capacity by the time we leave here in eighteen days.” Savanna giggled evilly.
“Hey. There ya have it. Oracle has spoken.” Keats sounded overjoyed as Hope and Charli looked to each other, their eyes twinkling in mischief.
“Thanks soooo much, Munchkin!” Chance groaned as she glared at her daughter. “You just had to encourage them!”
“Oh, mother! It doesn’t matter either way. You had to have seen that?” Savanna teased evilly.
“There is a difference between what I hoped to take home and our actual cargo consist, young lady- still, it is not your place to force the results.” Chance warned.
“Okay, ladies. So we’re going to be moving. Shouldn’t we set to planning that in relation to what we know must happen?” Mom stepped in to redirect the possible squabble.
“First…what do we do with the guy four hundred and sixty meters up the hill? The guy with the telephoto lens and the parabolic mic?” Savanna revealed as she panned and zoomed in on the prone figure with Chance’s DataTab.
That stopped all conversation instantly!

 
 
How could this guy stay stationary for such a long time? I had been watching him for about ten minutes now and I was starting to shiver!
Unless he wore some sort of powered, heated underwear, there was no way he could be alive.
But, the thin, barely visible white steam exiting his face through the heavy knit, full-face mask proved otherwise.
Unfortunately.
No wonder Pegasus’ sensors had a hard time picking him up!
I tossed around the idea of how the telephoto lens might freeze over given a little more moisture in the air; an annoyed groan escaped the prone figure.
The figure slowly rolled onto his back into the barren corn furrow he was using to conceal himself from the view of the house and turned the camera with its huge lens assembly around on his chest to examine it.
“Why now of all times? I was getting some very interesting stuff. With this I could finally blow the lid off this old case.” He declared, pondering what to do to clear the large lens of the ice that had suddenly formed.
He hadn’t noticed me yet.
“You look cold. Exactly how long have you been out here taking pictures of my house?” I asked bluntly.
The unknown stalker groaned and began to sit up in defeat.
“Detective Carson Simms, Pennsylvania State Poli...”
“Cut the bullshit. I know just about everyone at the local barracks, pal. Care to try again?” I cut him off.
“Christina?” Mom’s voice echoed through the spent field from a short distance away.
“Over here, mom.” I responded while keeping my eyes on our ‘visitor’.
“You’re their so…daughter. Christina, I presume?”
“Who’s asking?” I demanded as I fought the urge to call my wand.
“You? Again?” Mom sounded exasperated as she finally found and stopped by me. “Will you never give up, Mr. Pollock?”
“Not while there’s an untold story here, Colleen.” He answered as if both knew each other for some time.
“Oh, for God’s sake, Steven! How many times do I have to tell you there was nothing ‘paranormal’ that happened that day?” Mom groaned. “My daughter just vanished. We’ve never found her! And I don’t think aliens or demons were involved!”
“And as I’ve told you at each of our meetings, my instruments told me otherwise.
“Mom, if you want him off the property…” I offered.
“No, Christina. Steven was about to leave, weren’t you, Steven?”
“Of course, but you know I’ll never give up- not until I find it.”
“Mom, say the word and this guy will never bother you ag…”
“I said no, Christina!” Mom urged as she quickly jumped in front of me.
“Now you’ve piqued my interest. Theoretically, Christina, how would you accomplish the threat you’ve just made?”
“Steven, I think it’s time you went home for the day. Christina is still tired from her trip up from Pittsburgh. She gets very irritable when she’s tired.”
“So how are your studies at CMU going, Christina?” This ‘Steven’ guy asked.
“You tell me. You seem to know everything about me already.” I grumbled as I forced back my anger. It was extremely hard keeping my eyes from blazing orange!
He gave a light chuckle.
“A three point nine- nine is very commendable. Keep up the good work, young lady.” He nodded to me then looked back to mom.
“Until you catch me again, Colleen.” ‘Steven’ said wryly as he stood and walked away. He gave us a playful wave over his head as he walked over the barren furrows and disappeared into the tree line.
Mom motioned that we should walk back to the house.
“Who was that guy, mom?”
“He calls himself a ‘Paranormal Investigator’, pumpkin- claims his ‘instruments’ went haywire on your fourteenth birthday.” Mom answered.
“What kind of instruments?” I asked as my eyes narrowed.
“PK and EMI meters, I’m guessing. He suddenly showed up about two days after you and your sister’s merger and started asking some very strange and specific questions. It’s like it’s a game to him. That guy,” Mom motioned back to the field, “could be very dangerous.”
“I didn’t think what happened released that much energy. Well, anyway, he’ll find today was a total loss.” I giggled.
“That might not have been the best move, pumpkin. That’s just what he’s looking for.”
“Hey, the cold weather has a way of doing some very strange things to electronic equipment.” I giggled.
“Of course you would know that, wouldn’t you, pumpkin?” Mom smiled up at me.
“Think he’s open to witchcraft, mom?”
“I’m thinking he investigates anything beyond the norm, Christina.”
“He could be useful you know. We might be able to use him to corroborate you’re upcoming ‘accident’ if we set things up properly. Still…” I suggested, but I had a feeling there was something more about this guy.
“Still?” Mom echoed back in curiosity.
“Still… I get a weird vibe from him, mom. He’s something more than just some paranormal investigator.”
“Aren’t we all? Something more than we appear, I mean?” Mom giggled.
 
 

 
 
“Tell me you got the upload from that guy’s memory cards before I nixed them.” I said to Charli as Mom and I came in the kitchen door. It had started snowing lightly outside as we crossed the road from the field.
She gave me a ‘thumbs up’; eyes still closed.
“Processing as we speak, Christina. Hmmmmm. Interesting.”
“Yeah?” I asked, my interest piqued.
“Chance’s decoy field is very effective, though your mother’s protective spell seems to have one minor flaw.”
“What ‘flaw’?” Mom demanded, sounding insulted.
“Your spell seems to have a resistance toward snow.” Charli answered as she used her right thumb and index finger to virtually grasp and ‘fling’ a picture over to Chance’s DataTab. The image of a light coating of snow highlighting mom’s transparent, protective hemisphere was quiet evident. “He also captured your confrontation with those four men earlier.”
A media file played for us.
“So that’s what it looks like to the camera; interesting.” Mom commented.
“Too bad he doesn’t have any proof to back up what he’s seen.” I smiled in satisfaction.
“Just witnessing what happened is enough to make him redouble his efforts to find something out.” Mom warned.
“I take it you did a dozen wipes on the flash memories like I suggested, Christina?” Charli confirmed.
“That and I severed the comm. lines to each chip internally. So… if he wants and can do nano-surgery to the silicon wafer… he still won’t get anything.” I giggled.
Charli nodded to me with a smile.
“That’s putting that high tech education to work, sister!” She praised.
“He is more than he seems, sisters. Steven Pollock is a resource and not a liability.” Savanna informed from out of the blue.
“That’s wonderful, pumpkin, but can we get back to planning our Earthly demise?” Mom boldly changed the subject as she glared at Savanna.
“Wow, that wasn’t direct.” Keats chuckled.
“Can’t tell at all she’s Antarran.” He added sarcastically.
“So what vehicle they find us in, sweetie.” Daddy asked seriously.
“The Audi.” I answered as my heart dropped at the thought.
“WHAT? My Audi?!”
“I’ll never forget that… that… smell.” I added as I wiped tears from my cheeks.
“Easy, pumpkin. You now know we won’t be in there…” Mom said placing her hand on my shoulder.
“That doesn’t make it any better, mom! Just the remembrance of having to go into town and identify…” I said but couldn’t finish. I broke down into sobs.
“So who are they?” Daddy asked as I continued to cry.
“According to the records I’ve been able to find, all dental records and DNA testing prove the corpses to be Louis and Colleen Everhardt.” Charli answered.
“But…but that’s impossible!” I choked out.
“With what I saw you do back in Webb City, sis, your statement has no basis.” Link argued.
“Why, what did she do at this Webb City place?” Daddy inquired cautiously.
“She reconstituted a local woman from the slightest trace of her code array- most recent memories and all.” Link gushed proudly.
“She what now?” Daddy goggled- his eyes going wide and mouth falling open.
“Near as we can tell, Christina somehow located a fallen hair follicle or stray hair from the woman she had just melted with her vaccine and reconstructed her from that slight sample of DNA, Louis. That’s something I’ve only ever seen the Olympians do.” Hope answered.
“Geez! I’m in one of those psychological horror flicks, aren’t I? I mean… Witches, I can handle, but bringing somebody back from the dead… more or less…”
“I don’t know how I can do all this stuff, Daddy. It just seems to come to me when I need it.” I explained- pleaded.
“Honey, don’t get me wrong. I think that you’re absolutely amazing, but with everything that’s happened these last few days…”
“It feels like you fell down the rabbit hole?”
Daddy’s worried expression changed to one of surprise.
“Yeah! Exactly, honey!”
“Welcome to my world, Daddy.” I said as I rolled my eyes knowingly.
“So, you’re able to make a doppelganger of us both. I take it driving the car remotely isn’t out of the question either?” Mom pushed to get back on topic.
“The car can and would drive itself if I didn’t like to drive it manually. But the A6, dear? Why does it have to be the A6?” Daddy groaned. “I like that car.”
“It’s just a car, Louis. We can get another when we get to Antarra; right Cora?” Mom asked.
“The Antarra we’ll be travelling to will be somewhat barbaric, I’m afraid. It is written that the Matriarch subdued, disarmed, and realigned control of settlements and hamlets scattered across Antarra into what we all know as the Norge Dynasty. Colleen Norge basically unified the planet and ultimately the whole of the Antarran System.” Aunt Cora answered.
“Yeah, no pressure there.” Keats teased.
“Obviously, I’m very successful, Keaton Yates! Even I know of the Norge hierarchy and its history. Mother was very insistent that I learn about my Homeworld; even though we were stuck here.”
“Hey! What’s wrong with ‘here’?” Daddy defended.
Mom walked over to Daddy and wrapped her arms around his waist.
“Nothing is ‘wrong’ with here, Louis! As long as we’re together, nothing will ever be ‘wrong’- no matter where ‘here’ is.”
I felt my heart swell with love and caught myself ‘ahhh-ing’.
“Christina? When was the last time you visited your shrink?” Charli asked thereby breaking the romantic rapport between Mom and Daddy.
“Thank you.” Keats groaned in relief.
“You should knock it off for a while, Wrench!” Hope glared at him. “I remember many times when you almost orgasmed while working on our brooms’ main emitters and flight systems. Give the snide comments a rest.”
“Why do you want to know about my last visit to my therapist, Charli?” I asked trying to ignore Keats and Hope’s little tiff.
“Apparently, Pollock is also investigating the Clinic you go to. I’ve found both images and surveillance footage files.”
“Christina’s last appointment was about four weeks ago. She was home on winter break.” Mom answered on my behalf realizing it was fresher in her mind than mine.
“Hmmm. Maybe it’s time to pay the ‘Diana Prince Physical and Psychological Wellness Group’ a visit?” Charli proposed.
 
 

 
 
From the outside the four-story building looked very unassuming. Tan brick walls with white painted wood door and window trim. It looked right at home with the other, older buildings in the business district located along Route 322 between Meadville and Conneaut Lake.
“There’s a protective ward around the whole building.” Chance said.
I had observed it as well as we neared and pulled into the parking lot.
“Looks passive enough, but I think our masking spells will null as soon as we enter the building.”
“We can pretty much count on that, Chance.” I confirmed as I stared deeply into the protective ward. “Still, traffic is pretty heavy out on the road so we might as well keep our spells up until we get inside and they null out.”
“Good assessment, Christina. You’re getting better at deciphering other peoples’ incantations.”
I smiled.
“You girls mind if I stay out here?” Daddy asked as Chance, Link, Aunt Cora, Mom, and I got out of the old Suburban.
“We might be a while. Won’t you get cold, Louis?” Mom asked in concern.
“I’ll start it back up if I get cold, honey. Go ask lots of questions.” Daddy smiled.
The building, front doors, and even the foyer looked exactly as I remembered them. But as I reached for and began opening the inner foyer door, I felt a tingle flow over my body.
Turning to Chance, “My cloaking spell is dispersing.” I advised, but continued through the door into the reception area noticing that my Antarran features had reverted to their real proportions.
A reception desk was straight ahead of us. The name: ‘Diana Prince Physical and Psychological Wellness Group’ was proudly displayed in large white, three-dimensional letters on the wall behind it.
Several steps closed the gap and I stood before the twenty-something brunette receptionist.
“Hi! Welcome to the Prince Medical Pavilion, how can I direct yo-?” The receptionist greeted before looking up. When she did, she gasped as her eyes opened wide.
Several other staff members walking from one place or another around me also stopped and gasped in surprise. My extra sensitive hearing began to pick up mutterings of ‘Oh God, she’s here!’ ‘The Boss is here!’ ‘What’s she doing here?’ ‘Ms. Prince is here!’
It didn’t take a second before the receptionist composed herself.
“I’m so sorry, Ms. Prince. We weren’t expecting you today. I’ll show you to your office, ma’am. Please follow me.”
Her nameplate said ‘Constance’.
“First, allow me to introduce my constituents, Connie. Chance and Hope Summers, Colleen Everhardt, Caroline and Coraline Norge.”
“Welcome to the Medical Pavilion, ladies. This way, please.” Constance greeted with a pleasant smile and motioned for us to follow.
 
 

 
 
“I’ll let Dr. Bloise know you’re here, Ms. Prince. Can I get you ladies anything before I go back downstairs?”
“I think we’re all good, Constance, thank you.”
The receptionist nodded silently and saw herself out, closing the office door behind her.
“Nice digs, pumpkin! I hope this little enterprise of yours doesn’t interfere with your grades.” Mom smiled teasingly as she looked around the spacious office.
I glared at her.
“So…Wonder Woman? How’s it feel to have all this and not even know it?” Aunt Cora giggled.
“Apparently I make several trips back here in the previous years.” I groaned.
 
 

 
 
After about ten minutes there came a very slight, almost imperceptible, knock at the office door. I sat down behind the desk- my desk- and pointed at the door.
It unlocked and opened on its own.
“Ms. Prince? Sorry to leave you waiting for so long, but I was with a patient. Forgive my tardiness.” An auburn-haired woman I recognized as ‘Dr. Marla Bloise’ apologized as she entered. She quickly assessed my coven sisters and me.
“Not a problem. The patients better deserve your time. Do you have a few minutes, Marla?” I said with a smile. She actually seemed to be cautiously frightened by us.
“I have about thirty minutes until I prepare to see my next patient, ma’am.”
I motioned for her to have a seat. She chose the couch directly opposite of where Chance, Hope, Link, and Aunt Cora sat on a matching couch, and mom next to them on an overstuffed chair.
“First off, Chance and Hope Summers, Coraline and Caroline Norge, and Colleen Everhardt.” I introduced.
Dr. Bloise’s mouth dropped open when I said mom’s last name.
A bead of sweat appeared on her forehead and she seemed unsure what to do or how to respond.
“Is something wrong, Marla?” I asked with my right eyebrow raised.
“I thought you all were sisters…” Dr. Bloise replied cautiously.
“In a way we are sisters, Marla.” I narrowed my eyes to gauge her next reaction. “Coven sisters. We’re here to have some questions answered. Could you possibly help us by answering them, Dr. Marla Bloise?”
Dr. Bloise twitched.
Instantly, all five of us were uniformed and pointing our wands at the doctor- who, suddenly standing- was defending with a wand of her own.
“Mom? You have a Corps uniform? Since when?” I asked without taking my eyes off our startled opponent.
“I just figured I’d blend in, pumpkin.” She replied in a mirth-filled tone.
“Who are you people?” Marla Bloise demanded cautiously.
“We’re part of a ‘Black Ops’ unit that won’t be formed for another ten years, ‘Marla’. Or should we call you by your real name, Morgana?” Chance answered.
“Travelers? Why come here…to this time?” Morgana asked as she dispelled her wand and sat back down.
“And why are you here, Mrs. Everhardt?” She added curiously.
She obviously hadn’t heard me ask mom about her uniform.
“Because I asked mom to come with me today, Dr. Bloise.” I said as I stepped in front of her. “I’m Christina…Christina Everhardt.”
That’s impossible! Even for our kind! I just saw you four weeks ago and you looked nothing like you do now!” Dr. Blois… Morgana declared.
“I’m quite a bit older than the last time you saw me. Trust me…quite a bit older.” I told her with a slightly devilish smile.
“Are you Amazon?” Morgana asked us, as a group, in confusion. She was staring at our blue hair.
“We’re Antarran, Plum Pie.” Aunt Cora answered with a devious smile of her own.
“Except our High Priestess and her mother there.” She nodded to Chance and Hope.
“Antarran? I’ve never heard of that race. Where are you from?”
“Well, ‘Plum Pie’, we’re from a very long way away; the opposite side of the Milky Way to be more specific.” Link answered before Aunt Cora could.
Morgana’s mouth dropped open and she paled noticeably.
“Problem, Morgana?” Chance questioned.
Morgana looked to Mom.
“I remember you told me you were from Antarra, Colleen. But that was decades ago. And I don’t think I ever asked where Antarra was…I just assumed it was someplace in Europe.”
“And I remember you having blazing red hair back then, too.” Mom countered with a discriminating stare.
“I change my looks from time to time as you may well do the same?” Morgana answered as she gestured to mom’s new blue hair. “The mortals are more accepting of me as a completely different looking person. Though they can be very oblivious to the common characteristics between our alternate, older, and younger personas as you’ve no doubt experienced.”
“You’ve obviously had more experience than me, Sensei. I didn’t even make the connection until our High Priestess mentioned your real name. How can you keep your disguise in place while our concealment spells dissipated at the door?” Mom replied.
“Hair dye and actual cosmetics, Colleen. With the wards on this place, you have to go old school.” Morgana explained as she nodded to me. “Good job on the warding by the way, Christina ‘Diana Prince’ Everhardt. I haven’t been able to see a seam, tear, hole, or flaw to exploit in the twenty-two years I’ve worked here. Thank you by the way. I was beginning to wonder how I would support myself for my next life when you offered me this position.”
“And I thank you for treating my ailment and starting me on my new life path, sister.” I smiled and bowed slightly to her.
She bowed back courteously.
“So how do you all know me? I can honestly say we’ve never met in the past.” Morgana asked curiously.
“We meet and work together many times in your future. Obviously you’ve met Christin…Diana here, in the past.” Chance answered.
Morgana nodded.
“So why Christina? Why watch and even interact with her since she turned fourteen?” Chance continued.
“Because I asked her to observe and guide her as she progressed toward her destiny, High Priestess.” A familiar voice answered from over by the office door.
“Hey, Demi. Imagine meeting you here…and in this day and age.” Chance greeted sarcastically. “And looking all serious, too!”
“Chance Summers. Just as irreverent as the Oracles’ prophesized.”
“I take it this is the first time we’ve met, Lady Demeter? Not a temporal traveler, huh?”
“Hardly, Lady Nike. We, in fact, have met many times in this planet and other systems’ past. Though only you and the Scion travel both directions without obstruction.”
“So I make more ventures into the past… Good thing to know.” Chance continued her sarcasm.
“All in support of the Scion, my dear niece.” Demeter said cryptically.
“Support will always be available and freely given to all sisters- Olympian, Merlinian, or otherwise, Lady Demeter.” Chance said as she looked to each of us.
“Well, at this meeting, the future Scion needs support from the only members of the subspecies capable.” Demi said, continuing in her strange serious character. “Every effort must be made to assure her present circumstance.”
“So that is your mysterious way of hinting that Chance and I should be on our way?” I asked to clear up her very uncharacteristic statement.
“Needs work, and is totally out of character for you, dear lady ‘D’.” I teasingly added.
“Out of character or not, I’m afraid ‘Christina Everhardt’ must endure the trials and suffering of the upcoming months in order to fulfill your present level of enlightenment.” Demeter admitted. “As much as I wish that would not be the case, the universes are cruel and barbaric, sisters.”
I looked toward Morgana.
“Since Hope and Charli have already identified you as Anna McCorkle, we already know your choice, but the option is still yours, Lady Morgana. We all know at least one concealment spell.”
“What would be my role, Lady Chance?” Morgana inquired.
“I believe Anna McCorkle was the new lead project engineer on the Orion launch system for our mission in early 2107.” Hope answered instead.
“And Marta Green was our lead propulsion systems engineer. Because of the budget cuts enabled…” Hope thought a moment as she continued, “last year in May, the higher echelon of design staff changed. Both women arrived in mid-May, and on the same day- the 14th. At least, that’s the way I remember it.”
“So it seems you have your destination, complete with date and location. As you can assume, I and my brothers and sisters were watching. Good luck and safe travels, my sisters.”
Demi vanished.
“We both going to drive or do you want me to try solo?” I asked Chance. “I don’t want to cause you any further injury, High Priestess.”
“Who’s going to be ‘Marta’?” Chance asked.
“Sisters? May I accompany you to the near future and portray the character of Marta Green? I have her parameters and speech patterns in memory from your share of several weeks ago.” Link volunteered.
“Plus, I have studied the ancient propulsion systems of this time period. Pegasus’ library is very well versed on the subject.”
That statement proved beyond a shadow of a doubt this was Link asking because I had never heard Aunt Cora use the term ‘library’ in a serious sentence since meeting her.
“This mission will take over nine Terran years to complete, sis. You sure you still want to do this?” I reminded.
Link walked over and took my hand in answer.
“Whenever you’re ready, sis.”
 
 

 
 
“Next stop, JPL- Houston, Texas; May 14th, 2100.” I announced after I kissed mom, Hope, and Aunt Cora, and offered Chance my hand.
She looked to our hands then to me and silently repeated the actions a few times.
“Look, I know this may not be necessary, but I’d like us all to end up in the same place in case it doesn’t, okay?”
Morgana seemed unsure of her participation and cautiously took Chance’s other hand just before I began concentrating on our new destination.
 
 

 
 
“Dr. Green? I have those component drawings you asked for. What is it you think is wrong with the LOX turbine pump design again?” Clyde Reddick- one of ‘my’ design team engineers- informed me as I exited my office.
“I’m still concerned that that model pump won’t survive the service life we intend for the Kuiper mission, Clyde.”
“Oh? But we’ve used that model on previous flights with no malfunctions, ma’am. What still has you concerned?”
“The longevity of the mission and possible extension of it if things veer off plan, Clyde. Worst case scenarios, remember? Also, there is the other concern of a zero ‘K’ condition in the storage tanks that far out from any usable solar radiation.”
“But previous probes out that far haven’t had any problems…”
“Would you be willing to test that assumption with six of our finest and bravest, Clyde? I’d rather lean solidly on the side of caution and good engineering. That’s what we’re being paid for, by the way.” I argued back somewhat heatedly as I went back into my office and began reviewing the pages of drawings and specifications for the turbine pump in question.
“No, ma’am, of course you’re right. What was I thinking?” He replied, backing down at my logic.
“Hey, Marta? You got a minute?” Dr. Anna McCorkle asked from my doorway. “I might’ve found an answer to your turbine pump dilemma.”
“I’m all ears since we,” I motioned to Clyde and I, “haven’t been able to completely satisfy my concerns for the possible zero Kelvin effect the last two probes have indicated they might experience out there.”
Anna smiled.
“I’ve heard that the DOD has granted some professor back east in Pittsburgh- CMU- a grant to develop a new, but highly theoretical, propulsion system.”
“And we’ve heard that one how many times in the last few decades?” I asked skeptically.
“I asked for an advanced copy of the prelims. See for yourself.” She said as she handed me a memory stick.
Plugging it into the 110in wall display, I located and brought up the new proposed design drawings and in a separate window the proposal document.
“So where are the fuel reservoirs and the feed pumps?” I asked as I looked over the design.
“There are none, Marta. That’s what is so intriguing. It’s all electronic; no moving parts except for the nozzle and its accompanying steering servo mechanisms. No pumps to freeze or self-destruct.”
“Really?” Clyde and I looked skeptically at our boss.
“Really, really. Interested?” Anna smiled excitedly, and I completely forgot about my subordinate being in the office.
“Did I overhear something about a new high-octane thruster design for our Pegasus, doctors?”
“I just received this tantalizing project proposal from the DOD, Col. Armstrong. In theory it seems promising.” Anna informed Col. Charles Armstrong, the Kuiper Mission Science Specialist.
“How far along?” He asked.
“From what I’ve been told, Dr. …,” Anna quickly scanned her folder of hard copy for the name, “um… Dr. Phynnias Smithe hasn’t reached his goal of continuous operation in a vacuum. So far he’s smoked one and unintentionally launched two others. His latest report to the DOD claims he and a new assistant have ‘ironed out’ the ‘bugs’ and are just preparing to test the newest version.”
“Oh one and two, eh? Doesn’t sound like good odds to me, Doc.”
“His theory is sound, Colonel, being based off the old Deep Space 1 and Dawn probes’ Ion Drive which used xenon ions accelerated by an electrified grid system to produce thrust. It was a ground-breaking development for the time.” Clyde donated to reassure him as he continued browsing the newly obtained design files.
“It’s worth a look.” I nodded as I looked around the room for opinions.
“I agree, Marta. I’ll see if the head office can get us invited to the fireworks.” Anna giggled as she turned and left my office. Col. Armstrong approached the wall display and carefully looked over the theoretical design and read the proposal.
“It seems plausible given the use of such exotic materials. I wonder if Anna could work me and the major into the festivities.” He said as he hurriedly, but politely excused himself and exited my office to catch up with Anna.
“Dr. Green? From what I’ve studied about that particular engine, it wasn’t very powerful and the mission made use of several ‘sling-shots’ around the planets to gain enough velocity. I’d be afraid of lengthening this mission because of its impotency.”
“Noted. I’ve read the same papers on that system, Clyde, but it couldn’t hurt to see what they came up with. CMU has been out-thinking and surprising us for years in regards to space-related equipment- besides, aren’t we employing several gravity assists ourselves?”
 
 

 
 
“Hey, Anna. What brings you here tonight?” I asked as my undercover sister appeared and approached my location at the counter of our local food and beverage distribution center… the local bar.
Even after eighteen months, I still slipped back into my real character from time to time, but at least I finally got away from calling Anna: ‘Morgana’.
“Your ‘guys’ said you and ol’ Clyde had another disagreement. I figured you would end up here at some point tonight.
“Yeah, right after you and Col. Armstrong left! He keeps hitting on me despite me having told him ‘No’ multiple times and on many different occasions. I’m really trying to resist the urge, sister.”
“He’s a very intelligent guy, Marta. You would think he would ‘get it’.”
“Yeah! You would think.” I rubbed my nose in frustration. “I mean I’m six… thirty-six for crying out loud!”
Our bartender had been looking right at us as I started to slip up.
“Hey! Changing the subject! I got approval for the four of us to go on a ‘road trip’!” Anna said excitedly.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. We leave for Pittsburgh in five days. Smithe and his people apparently just succeeded in a continuous, thrust-producing test of their new ‘IPD’ system. As we speak they are making some small design changes and have scheduled another test for 10AM, April 27th, 2102. The DOD, NSA, some Pentagon guy, and us- NASA- are invited.”
I gulped. Loudly.
“Yeah, I feel the same way, kid.” Anna admitted solemnly. “But we have to follow through. Our futures depend on it. Christina is counting on us!”
“Where is she these days? I haven’t seen her around for a few weeks; Chance, way longer than that.” I asked out of curiosity.
“Well, I know Christina went back a few…um East… to establish her clinic. I imagine she’ll be there until I’m… Dr. Bloise is hired and knows enough to run the place. That took about six months.”
“And Chance? Where’s she been? I’ve seen next to nothing of her since we got here.”
“CMU.” Anna smiled.
“Huh?”
“The illustrious Dr. Phynnias Smithe.” Anna giggled.
“I didn’t know she could transform back into a guy! When did she find that out?” I asked, completely flabbergasted.
Anna just shrugged. “All I know is that she popped into my office a few months ago and said she couldn’t hold the form for more than eight hours.”
“Glenn? Chardonnay if you please.” She asked of the bartender to get his attention.
He nodded. “Comin’ right up, Doc!”
We waited for her drink to arrive then continued our conversation.
“So, you find a ‘Mr. Green’ to help scratch that itch of yours yet, Marta?” Anna grinned evilly.
“Yeah, I have a few ‘Mr. Greens’. In varying sizes, shapes, colors, and functionality, wise-ass!” I giggled.
“Oh, that ‘hot’ Antarran blood!” Anna saw my giggle and raised a laugh.
I noticed ‘Glenn’ shake his head with his eyes closed and a slight smile several feet down the bar.
“So what time’s our flight?” I asked after composing myself.
“9AM from Bush Intercontinental on the 26th. I booked us into a king-size hotel room in a place called ‘The Waterfront’ in Homestead, Pennsylvania.” Anna detailed. “Supposedly its not too far away from the Uni.”
“What about Charles and the Major?”
“Same place. We’ll be ride-sharing. The director would only spring for one vehicle.”
“Cheapskate!” I growled.
“Lean times, Dr. Green! Lean times.” Anna laughed.
“Yeah! Right!” I replied sarcastically.
We were silent after that until I finished my drink.
“Well. I better be getting home. I’ve got a diagnostic design meeting at 7AM. I need some sleep in order to cope or the department may get a little more diverse- subspecies-wise. Good night, Anna.”
“Night, Marta. Sleep well and do resist the temptation, Sweetie.”
“No guarantees.” I laughed as I walked away.
 
 

 
 
“Nice place.” Col Armstrong commented as we pulled into the hotel whose back faced the local river- the Monongahela.
“Not bad.” Major Summers admitted after apparently eating a whole lemon.
“Can we help you two with your bags, ladies?” Charles asked as Major Summers nodded and automatically grabbed our luggage from the hatch of our rented SUV.
Somehow, we (Maj. Summers) had ended up with a black, full-sized SUV instead of a small, compact crossover.
“So Oakland is just ten minutes from here?” Anna asked for confirmation.
“Just on the other side of the 376, Doc.” Charles acknowledged as we entered the lobby.
“So what can we expect to see tomorrow morning, Doc?” Maj. Hopewell Summers asked. Despite his rough and ‘no nonsense’ exterior, there was a boyish excitement bubbling away inside.
“I’m assured that the demonstration will be simply breath-taking, Major. The results Dr. Smithe and his associates have reported seem beyond our expectations.” Anna smiled excitedly.
“And if what I learned from their design files is actual truth, it will solve all my team’s problems concerning the Zero Kelvin phenomenon.” I added enthusiastically.
“That’s great, doc. Just as long as it gets our butts back home, I’m all for it.” Maj. Summers replied.
 
 

 
 
“Pretty nice room, though the water looks kind of muddy.” I observed out our room’s window as I began emptying my luggage into the supplied chest of drawers.
“Reminds me of the Thames, only narrower. I remember when it used to flood every spring and clear out all the beached sceptic material the crowded population and the back tides often left behind.”
“Wonderful picture you just drew for me, sister. Might you have any ‘fond’ memories?” I asked sarcastically.
“Not since the Saxons decided to invade.” Anna shook her head in sorrow. “I mean…even the bloody Romans weren’t that big of a pain in the arse!”
I wondered how long ago her statement referenced for a few minutes as I finished unpacking.
“Drink?” I asked Anna as I conjured a chilled bottle of white wine and two glasses.
Anna looked over at the small table near our room’s window and shook her head.
“Christina taught me this trick while on our mission to Tarantis.” I told her as I poured myself a glass and sat down.
My cell rang.
“Green.” I answered.
“Marta. Charles Armstrong. Hopewell and I were wondering if you two felt up for dinner. We noticed a few places within walking distance and thought you ladies would like to join us?”
“Anna? The boys want to know if we’d like to join them for dinner.” I asked my roommate.
“Give me about an hour. I’d like to try out the facilities.”
That was a good idea.
“Sure, but could you guys give us a few hours to freshen up? Anna just claimed first dibs on the shower.”
Charles chuckled. “Yeah, that works. Meet you in the lobby at 1600hrs… um, four o’clock. Okay?”
“Roger that, Colonel. Until then.” I giggled then cancelled the call.
“Dinner with the guys at four, Anna.” I informed my ‘roomie’ after lightly knocking on the bathroom door.
 
 

 
 
“Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Carnegie Mellon University. I’m Dr. Phynnias Smithe, Professor of Advanced Aerospace Engineering…” Dr. Smithe began his introduction. We had all met and were now seated in one of the smaller theater-style classrooms.
“We all met just before you got here, Smithe. Skip the pleasantries and get to the meat and potatoes!” Army General Phillip W. Mann interrupted rudely.
I despised this man immediately!
Smithe glared at the General for a second before calmly continuing.
“Today we have prepared a secondary demonstration for you.” He paused and took a clandestine glance toward the General. “Having solved the problematic operation of the previous version of the IPD- our exo-atmospheric propulsion system, my team suggested and I approved development of an emergency egress system we propose might be included for use on the next Orion-based mission…”
“Do get on with it, Smithe! I am not accustomed to wasting my time on useless blather!”
Smithe’s eyes glowed orange for the briefest of seconds!
“I assure you, General Mann, that we are not wasting your valuable tax-payer supplied dollars! This Emergency Egress System could be detrimental to the safe recovery of any astronauts from this date on! Please, hear me out!”
I have no idea how Chance was holding her temper in check with this guy!
“Fine, but make it quick, Smithe!”
Dr. Smithe nodded and a tall, lithe young woman with substantial streaks of the most beautiful blue hair, enabled a display to the doctor’s left. It showed a capsule-like apparatus with the title ‘Lifeboat’ as the header.
“What my assistant’s have lovingly titled the ‘Lifeboat’ is an Emergency Egress System that utilizes our new IPD propulsion system to quickly and effectively evacuate a crew member from a distressed space vehicle and expedite them away to the nearest station or settlement and safety. This system utilizes an automated cryogenic stasis system developed and approved by our nuclear medicine partnership with UPMC/AHN at the University of Pittsburgh across town. It also incorporates an advanced Astral-navigation computer designed and developed here at CMU. At this time I would ask you all to follow me down into our garage and out to our test facility.”
 
 

 
 
“You certainly didn’t spare much change to build this place, Smithe!” The General complained.
“Unfortunately, the DOD only provided enough funding to allow us design and fabrication of our prototypes, General. I’m sure, after this morning’s demonstration, you and the DOD will see fit to release more of that guaranteed funding?”
“Prove to me that you and your people,” Mann looked over to the young woman- Christina Everhardt- and scoffed, “actually have something viable and maybe I’ll sign the release, Smithe!”
“Initialize propulsion and attitude emitters.” Smithe ordered.
“Propulsion and attitude ‘emitters’?” Anna questioned.
“Our new designs utilize a completely new propulsion system that consists of several small exotic material ion generators, or what we call Ion Propulsion Drives. We’ve eliminated the cumbersome bell nozzles and control servomechanisms to make the system lighter, more compact, and more reliable. Everhardt here came up with the idea and I urged her to refine it. Although, the emitters used on our lifeboat are actually the spares from our previous IPDs4 prototype that we have already tested for proof of concept. You’ll see Everhardt’s real genius incorporated into the IPDs5 prototype in the test chamber tomorrow, ma’am.”
“Lifeboat external power enabled.” Christina Everhardt announced with a noticeable blush. “Power bus stable at 1% load.”
“Flight and Cryo control system booting, Dr. Smithe.” Chen Ito, the other member of Smithe’s team, reported. “Flight and cryo computer online.” He added two seconds later.
“Emitter startup successful. Receiving 35% usable positive feedback. Switching to main battery power bus. Modulating positive feedback into battery charging circuit.” Christina reported with a smile. “Charging system is online and requesting only a 0.3% charge level from external power buss. Battery bus load holding at 5%”
“What’s this ‘positive feedback thing I keep hearing?’ Charles asked. I noticed him staring at Christina’s hair until she noticed. He quickly looked back toward Smithe.
“Our initial tests of the IPDs4 indicated that the unit actually fed back a noticeable potential into the main supply. We decided to use the power and not waste it. Our power conversion efficiency jumped to over eighty percent.
“Astounding. Continue.” Charles Armstrong requested sounding very pleased.
Smithe nodded to Chen Ito.
“Enabling Cryo system start.” He announced.
“MPB load jumped to 10%. BCS requesting 5% charge level.” Christina announced with a smile.
“Start the Cryo stasis sequence. This is the critical point in our test, ladies and gentlemen. The Cryo stasis procedure requires the heaviest power demand from the onboard supply. The higher the load we see, the shorter the occupant will stay in Cryo-sleep.
“MPB up to 25%; BCS requesting 25% charging level. Positive feedback holding at…” Christina announced as she rechecked her reading to be certain. “Holding at 35%!”
“What?” Chen looked over at Christina’s display screen and his mouth dropped open slightly. “Damn.”
“Is something wrong, Doctor? Was the feedback not supposed to hold steady?” I questioned worriedly.
“No. The data is even better than we presumed.” Smithe answered with a bright, enthusiastic smile.
I gently touched Christina’s shoulder as I leaned down to look over her shoulder. I found it extremely frustrating that I had to withhold my pride in my forthcoming sister.
“Cryo-stasis sequence at 50%.” Chen alerted.
“MPB and BCS loads are still holding.” Christina said gleefully.
“Better than expected, I take it, Christina?” I whispered.
She nodded and kept her eyes on her display.
“Love the blue hair by the way. Very daring and exotic.” I added in a whisper, hoping I didn’t sound overly creepy.
“Thank you, ma’am.” She answered shyly.
“Cryo stasis achieved. 100%. Cryo system switching to maintenance mode.”
“MPB and BCS loads dropping back to 12% and 10% respectively.” Christina reported.
“Okay, Everhardt. Give it 1% control signal on the positive attitude emitters. Station-keeping mode.” Smithe requested as his face went serious.
She made the adjustment to the slide control and clicked ‘Set’.
“Test cradle load cells are indicating one thousand pounds of thrust, Doctor.” Chen said with a very big smile.
“Positive feedback jumped to 40%; MPB up to 12.6%; BCS to 10.1%” Christina announced in disbelief.
“Is that even possible? Basically pulling power out of the vacuum of space, I mean?” I gasped. “and at only one percent?”
To have seen it through her eyes was one thing, but to actually be witnessing it…! I truly was impressed!
“Everhardt. Open the external power bus breaker to remove it from the lifeboat power buss.” Smithe ordered.
Christina tripped the power breaker and I watched monitor 4 over her shoulder to see it rack out.
“External power is disconnected, doctor. The lifeboat is sustaining itself.”
“Any change to the loads?”
“MPB and BCS loads are holding steady.” She reported.
“Bravo, Christina. Bravo.” I congratulated and patted her shoulder softly several times as my pride in my sister overflowed.
 
 

 
 
“So? What do you think, Maj. Summers?” Anna asked as we arrived back at the hotel.
“Girl’s got some balls to be able to rock that blue hair!” He answered.
“The demonstration, Hopewell! The Demo.” Charles Armstrong chuckled as he focused his mission commander and friend. Anna and I had watched their friendship develop over the past several months and knew- better than even they did- that it would last.
“I think it would be the best thing since the Internet. Up, until this point, there has never been a way off or away from a failing or disabled spacecraft in the depths of space. All previous escape systems were only viable in atmosphere or near-Earth orbit- discounting Apollo13, of course. Now those guys had the balls! We’ll need six. Is that possible, Doc?” Maj. Summers professed.
“If what I saw in their ‘garage’ is real, we’d have room for more supplies. That new IPD of theirs supposedly weighs in at only eighty-five pounds.” I told them. “That young lady, Christina Everhardt? She’s got a head on her shoulders. I can see her going far, and I’d like first dibs!”
“I didn’t get the chance to look around. What are you talking about, Doc?” Charles asked.
“She designed their new IPD to use a ‘phased’ ‘Emitter’. Similar to the tried and true phased RADAR system we’ve been using for decades. It has no moving parts to freeze up or fail! No vectoring servos or associated hardware. No weighty nozzle, Colonel.”
Col. Armstrong’s eyes got very big!
“I want one! I don’t care if it needs a good solar wind to get us out there, I want one!” He announced.
 
 

 
 
“Christina here yet?” I asked as I saw her associate, Chen Ito walk into what they affectionately called the garage. I had seen immediately why Christina fell for him!
“No ma’am, not yet. She should be here in a minute or two though.”
“When you see her, please inform her that Dr. McCorkle and I would like to speak with her before today’s demonstration begins.”
“I’ll do that, ma’am. Um…ma’am? Are you going to take Christina away from me…I-I-I mean us?”
I smiled. He really did love her.
“Hopefully after she graduates, why, Mr. Ito?” Anna smiled devilishly.
“OH. Um…no reason. Hey, Christina and I put the Lifeboat prototype outside by the Control Building. Smithe suggested we set it up vertical and leave it open so you guys can really have a look inside and out. Think we may have a chance to see it on the next Orion?”
“I’ve received favorable comments, and think it a necessity if we intend on expanding our missions past Sol’s system boundary, Mr. Chen.”
The young man’s smile out grew his face and I expected him to fist pump into the air in victory!
“Please let Christina know Dr. McCorkle and I will be waiting out by the Control Building to talk to her.” I reminded with a pleasant smile.
“Will do, ma’am. Hope you and the others like our demo today.” Chen said as he gave a little nod to Anna and I.
“He’s really fallen for her, hasn’t he?” Anna giggled once we were outside, standing by the ‘Lifeboat’.
“Gods, I really hate what we have to do now.” I sighed. “Just when it seems like she has everything starting to go her way…”
“We have to shit on her parade!” Anna finished my statement. “I know, but knowing how she turns out, I think, makes it not as diabolical…”
“And us seem less sadistic?” I added.
Anna nodded and sighed loudly in answer.
“You best append the Navigational Computer’s star map file, Marta.”
I again sighed deeply as I touched the screen of my ‘slightly’ modified cell phone. “Gotcha. It’ll only take a moment to reload the file into the memory.”
“Christina’s coming!” Anna hissed quietly.
“Done.” I announced, as I appeared to disconnect from a call.
“Ah, Miss Everhardt. Thank you for seeing us. Marta and I would like to ask you a few questions. First, How do you do that? Your hair, I mean. Do you add some every night?” Anna greeted with a wide, warm smile.
“Actually, I’m participating in a gene therapy study over at Pitt. This,” She said grabbing a handful to illustrate, “seems to be an unseen side effect.”
“Well don’t change it! Marta and I both agree it sets you apart.”
“Like nobility.” I added quickly. I couldn’t resist!
She suddenly froze and looked stunned!
“Miss Everhardt?” Anna probed to get her attention.
“Yeah, sorry. I sometimes get flashes of ideas at the oddest times. You were saying?” She apologized.
“I hadn’t said anything else. You just froze when Marta added her two-cents. Anyway, we’d like to talk to you about your radical new propulsion system. What made you decide to use a phased ion ‘emitter’ and forego the thrust bell?” Anna assured her and continued.
“Dr. Smithe’s prototype already utilized the ion generator before I joined the project. After I found a tiny math mistake, we retested his version of the IPD. All three of us were stunned by the output of that thing.” She answered with a smile.
“How much output are we talking, Miss Everhardt?” I asked.
“Twenty-four thousand pounds at only five percent control signal.”
Again, hearing it from Christina’s mouth in real time made it so much more unbelievable!
“You did say twenty-four ‘K’ at only five percent, right?” Anna asked to make sure we had heard right.
She nodded.
“Mother of God! How can that even be possible, Christina? I can call you Christina, right?” Anna balked.
She nodded.
“Will it work in an atmosphere?” I questioned.
“Maybe? Dr. Smithe didn’t discuss any tests within normal atmospheric conditions.” She answered.
“I’ll go talk to him, Marta. Be right back.” Anna said as she turned and headed to Smithe’s office.
I smiled as we waited. “Have you started to think about your post grad career, Christina?” I’m certain there’s a place for you at NASA. With what I’ve seen so far, I’d gladly recommend you. You could be our ‘princess in the rough’ at JPL.” I chirped excitedly as I playfully motioned to her hair.
She narrowed her eyes at me. Had I gone a little too far with that statement?
“Look, just think about our offer, but please remember this phrase that I use as a mantra to null the day to day stress.” I said to distract her away from my apparent minor slip up.
“Deorum protegas me, et custodiet me donec inventa est.” I continued without pause.
“What’s it mean?”
“Just a little prayer for protection, calm, and luck. Commit it to memory, Christina. It might come in handy one day.”
“Um…okay.” She acknowledged, unsure, but seeming to commit it to memory.
Dr. Smithe and the rest of our group appeared in the doorway with Ito Chen leading the way and we followed them into the small control building.
 
 

 
 
“Ladies and Gentlemen. Today’s test firing of our latest version of our Ion Propulsion Drive System or IPDs5 as we call it has been modified somewhat. I have been asked… challenged, actually… by Dr. Anna McCorkle to conduct the IPDs5 tests in Earth normal atmosphere.” Smithe paused to address any blatant negative statements.
“So… Everhardt? Start re-pressurizing the test chamber.”
“Certainly, Doctor,” She answered and enabled the sequence that would gradually let air back into the chamber.
“Re-pressurization in ten minutes.” She announced.

 
 
“Test chamber is fully pressurized, Doctor.” Christina reported.
We had been patiently waiting for the ten minutes to elapse to initiate the IPDs5 demo. While we had waited, I had silently conjured and concealed a concentrated mass of Current in the displayed Lifeboat outside. I had asked that it provide ‘reserve power’ to the pod as the ancient battery failed.
“Everhardt. Bring the MPB online.” Smithe ordered and she quickly and efficiently carried out the request.
“IPDs5 control system coming online, Doctor.” Chen reported; his eyes never budged from the display screen. “Controller online.” He added.
“As we did before, Everhardt. Initialize IPDs5 Emitter.”
Christina clicked her mouse a couple times and we heard a slightly louder whistling noise than yesterday’s demo through the plywood walls. It reminded me of reaching my threshold above Taos.
“IPDs5 Emitter initialized and online, Doctor.” She confirmed.
“1% control signal, Everhardt.”
Again Christina made the necessary adjustments and the display marked ‘Monitor 1’ showed the new emitter start to glow a dull red.
“Load cells are reading four thousand pounds of thrust, Doctor.” Chen announced.
I, as well as Anna, gasped in awe of the sheer power this thing was producing! I mean… to see the dawn of a new age in space travel… in person!
Chen seemed awestruck as well.
“Chen? Run the joystick around the outer extents to test the array response.”
As he had done during yesterday’s test of the lifeboat, Chen slowly moved the joystick on his console around in a circle and closely monitored the test chamber load cells.
“Tracking accuracy within 1% with only a four nanosecond response delay. WOW!” He reported, finally succumbing to his building excitement.
In my peripheral, Anna leaned down to Christina.
“So. When can you start? This thing is completely off the charts, honey.”
“IPDs5 Internal Convertor is receiving all of its power from the IPD positive feedback circuit. External MPB load is 0%.” She announced.
“Open External MPB. Let’s see how this responds on internal only.” Dr. Smithe requested.
“External power bus is now disconnected from IPDs5 test unit, Doctor.” Christina announced.
Chen quickly looked out to the prototype lifeboat on display just outside the Control room.
“So how much can your test stand withstand, Dr. Smithe?” Maj. Summers inquired. “I mean if this system is this efficient, shouldn’t we consider putting it in our next generation fighters and transports?”
“Our test chamber is certified to one million pounds of force. Each load cell is rated at over two million, Major Summers.”
“Can we take it up to… say five hundred thousand pounds, Doc?” Maj. Summers requested.
“Have the ‘Deadman’ cables been attached and tested, Chen?” Smithe asked.
“Everhardt and I double checked them before we started depressurization last evening, doctor.”
Smithe nodded happily.
“Everhardt? Start ramping up the control signal until the load cells indicate five hundred thousand pounds of thrust. Coordinate with her, Chen.” Smithe requested.
Christina turned and looked into Chen’s eyes. She didn’t seem too enthusiastic about complying with his request, but Chen smiled and winked at her in support.
“2% Control signal.”
“Eight thousand pounds.” Chen announced.
“3% Control signal.” Christine said.
“Sixteen thousand pounds.”
We gasped.
“BPS has stabilized and charging system is tending. IPDs5 Emitters are now self-sustaining. 4%.”
“Thirty-eight thousand.”
Christina’s mouth dropped open and her eyes looked ready to drop out of their sockets, but she made another adjustment with her mouse.
“5%.” She announced nervously.
“Eighty thousand!” Chen announced excitedly.
“6%.”
“My God! Two hundred thousand!” Chen declared.
Christina began biting or maybe chewing on her lower lip nervously.
“7%.”
“Five hundred thousand-eight hundred! Hooooly shit, Christina!”
“Bravo, Miss Everhardt! Dr. Smithe, you have one helluva team here! Dr. Green and I can hardly believe what we’re seeing here! Astounding!” Anna beamed with pride at the accomplishment.
“Take it up another percentage!” General Mann demanded. “You engineering types always underrate things.”
“Gen. Mann, I would strongly advise against any further control increase. If my observations are correct, the next percent advancement will more than double the thrust the IPDs5 is producing. Please reconsider your request?” Dr. Smithe insisted.
Doc? The foundation cells are already reporting excessive strain. The whole test chamber might launch if we give it any more.” Chen advised.
“Just take the damn thing up another percent, Smithe!” The DOD isn’t paying your project to cut and run!”
“General?” Maj. Summers called for the man’s attention. “I’m with Smithe on this one, sir. They’ve already established what would seem to be a new benchmark in interstellar propulsion systems. If this IPD produces five hundred thousand at just seven percent, I’m sure even you can figure out the math on what it can really do! Let’s not push our luck.”
“Summers? It’s your butt that this thing is going to be hurtling through the solar system! I’d think you in particular would be curious about its max output!” Gen. Mann argued.
“General, I have complete confidence in this team’s abilities! I’m satisfied this propulsion system is our ticket to exploring our solar system in a relatively short time.”
Charles was busy tapping away on his tablet.
“General? By my calculations sir, this IPD system will produce in excess of four trillion pounds of viable thrust! Hell! That’s enough force to change the orbit of Earth by…” He tapped something else into his tablet. He gulped loudly.
“Point thirty-eight degrees!”
“Noted, Colonel, now take it up another percent, Everhardt!” Mann demanded.
Everyone seemed to look to Dr. Smithe for his decision. With a much-wrinkled brow, he gave a very slow and slight nod.
Gods, this had to be hard on Chance! I wondered how she was able to concentrate on holding her disguise!
Christina’s hand was shaking violently as she reached for and moved her mouse to apply the requested change.
Unfortunately, Anna, Chance, and I knew what was coming next. It took everything I had not to call my wand and throw a protective shield up around my sister!
“Shut it down!” Chen screamed as he punched the emergency shutdown mushroom on his console.
Since the IPDs5 was self-sustaining that made no difference.
I noticed the test chamber- as a whole- lurch forward a few inches.
“Shit! She’s breaking loose! Everyone evacuate the Control room!” Chen shouted at the top of his lungs.
“You Fucking Asshole!” Maj. Summers shouted, grabbing his superior and thrusting him through the thin, plywood door. “You are fucking dead meat, Mann!”
The two men crashed out through the flimsy control room door and the rest of us hurried out also.
A loud ‘thud’ and the sound of heavy metal groaning told me that the IPD was probably free of its mountings and pushing against the test chamber walls!
The disheartening groaning and moaning coming from behind the thick test chamber walls was deafening!
Anna, I, and the others had made it back to the Garage entrance doors when all hell broke loose! The ear-splitting squeal of metal finally reaching its failure point caused us to turn around.
To my horror, Christina flew from the exploding Control Room and straight into that dreaded Lifeboat! Whether Anna or Chance helped her hit her target, I really didn’t want to know! The force of her hitting back first knocked the prototype from its display stand causing it to land flat on the concrete. The lifeboat’s hatch slammed closed and its emitters initialized immediately!
“Oh God!” I screamed in genuine horror!
“What’s happening, Ichi?” Smithe demanded.
“Christina’s in there. She was thrown in by whatever blew the Control building to shreds!” He rushed his explanation, but I didn’t hear the screaming and pounding coming from the lifeboat as Christina’s remembrance had indicated.
“Oh, God, no!” Smithe shouted in terror.
“Where’s Christina?” Anna asked urgently while rubbing her ears to clear them.
“In there!” I pointed to the lifeboat as it slowly rose off the ground and hovered about two feet off the concrete driveway.
“What on Earth?” Anna gasped.
“I finished the emergency escape programming and loaded it in last night so we could test it tomorrow.” Chen explained; whether to us or to Dr. Smithe, I wasn’t sure.
I noticed the small observation window on the module fog- just as we had found it back at base!
Had we really condemned this promising, young woman to fourteen hundred years in deep space? I instantly felt dirty and ashamed.
Unbelievably, the lifeboat changed orientation- nose to the heavens- toward space- then, with several crisp sonic booms and several emitter-driven tornados, disappeared from view. Charli had been right about the event, it truly was spectacular!
In a very morbid way.
Maj. Summers, heatedly rearranging Gen. Mann’s face, stopped and turned.
“What the hell was that?” He demanded.
“Apparently their lifeboat works perfectly.” I deadpanned frigidly. It was the only way I could think of to keep my eyes from blazing bright orange!
“Christina!” Smithe…or was it actually Chance, agonizingly screamed to the sky!
From my standpoint it was Chance and not the character of ‘Phynnias Smithe’ lamenting what she had done.
“Can one of you contact the authorities? I want this nerf-herder arrested and placed in irons!” Anna shouted to any of us that would listen.
I wondered how she resisted calling her wand!
“I want him charged with premeditated murder!” She demanded.
‘…Before I turn this ass into a slug!’ I imagined her continuing, but I instead nodded my head and agreed with her verbal proclamation!
 
 

 
 
“That had to be the most despicable thing I think I’ve ever had to do.” I was still admonishing myself as Anna and I were shown a booth at a local bar in the bustling urban center called ‘Oakland’ several days later.
We had basically been sequestered in Pittsburgh while an investigation was being conducted.
“Remember that it wasn’t our fault, ladies. The blame rests solely on Gen. Mann! He thought he knew better than everyone else!” Charles Armstrong tried to comfort, as he and Maj. Summers appeared then politely asked if we wanted company.
Anna and I slid further into the booth’s benches.
“That doesn’t make it any better, Colonel! We just stood there and watched as…” I growled before he cut me off.
“Did you realize that NSA guys always carried handcuffs, Hopewell?” Charles asked in an upbeat tone as he tried to change the mood and subject.
“A better question would be why they didn’t pull their holdouts!” Maj. Summers growled angrily.
‘Hope really never changed’, I thought to myself as I began to look at the single page menu.
“Maybe they couldn’t get a good resolution because some crazy leatherneck was busy beatin’ the shit out of him, Hopewell! Pardon my French, ladies.” Charles answered sarcastically, but apologized for his language. Little did he know that we had heard much worse!
“And in reply to your statement, there was nothing we could’ve done given the superb programming their ‘lifeboat’ was given.”
Someone seated at the bar caught my attention.
“Hey! Isn’t that Christina’s boyfriend over there?” I asked and tried not to point or be obvious or anything to the guy obviously nursing his drink.
“Poor kid must be shattered to pieces!” Anna sighed.
Before we could say anything else a young man seated on the stool next to Chen poked him in the arm.
“Hey! Ain’t you that guy I seen with that tall, manly dike? Ain’t seen it around fer a few days. And what’s up with its blue hair, man? Freaky!” We heard the guy say rudely.
“Leave it go, Sanders,” Chen- obviously knowing the guy- warned, but continued. “I’m Asian so therefore I know several types of martial arts. You wouldn’t last one round.”
“And she’s not a ‘dike’ either.” He added protectively, though sadly.
“Pretty ugly fuckin’ chick if you ask me.” ‘Sanders’ pushed. “Would be surprised if she didn’t have a Johnson.”
“Can you believe that asshole?” Charles commented as we could all hear the conversation from our booth.
“I’d like to show him who the ‘freaky’ one is…”
“Leave it go, Hopewell! You’re already in enough shit with the brass and we’ll be lucky if you don’t get dismissed from the mission. So, just leave it go, buddy.”
Despite my promise to Chance not to use my wand, I called it after moving my hand under the table to ‘fix’ my pant leg.
“Hey! Lucky! I know this kid and he’s damn good. I think you should leave while you can.” The bartender advised having taken notice of us- Major Summers- and come to Chen’s rescue.
“Who you callin’ ‘Lucky’?” ‘Sanders attacked.
I flicked my wand then smiled wickedly as I dismissed it.
“You, cause if Chen don’t wipe the floor with yer dumb ass then the Major over there’s gonna give you a quick education in manners. Ain’t that right, Major? Semper Fi, brother!”
Maj. Summers gave a predatory grin to ‘Sanders’ and nodded appreciatively to the barkeep- apparently a fellow Marine.
This Sanders guy thought about his situation- at least I hoped that’s what he was pondering. He apparently reached a conclusion and quickly stood from his stool…
…and promptly stumbled as we heard several ‘clicks’ and ‘clacks’ as he awkwardly tried to recover his balance.
Anna glared across the table at me and I just winked and turned to watch the strange event unfold as laughter erupted from the bar’s surprisingly observant patronage and staff!
“Those pumps definitely don’t go with yer outfit, sugar.” Our waitress- the bar’s only waitress- smirked as she nonchalantly walked past into the kitchen to pick up her next order.
I was surprised ‘Sanders’ didn’t break his neck running out of the place! He could’ve just taken the three-inch heels off and walked out in his ‘suntan’ stocking feet.
“Now there’s somethin’ ya don’t see every day, Chancy.” Charles said in a slow, tired, deliberate voice, miraculously keeping a straight face.
Maj. Summers followed script.
“What’s that, Abner?”
“A guy wearing fusia heels with blue jeans.” Charles continued in the same voice.
“Shame. It’s past Easter, too.” Maj. Summers deadpanned.
Anna and I burst out laughing and took several minutes to regain our composure.
“I don’t get it.” Anna continued to giggle. “Why would he accuse Christina of being the freak when he himself was rather um…similar?”
“The guy was probably cursed. Must have pissed off a witch somewhere close by.” Charles answered without a thought.
Anna’s mouth dropped open and I had the same thoughts of being caught running through my head also.
“I had a great uncle that always said that when something… off-handed… strange occurred. He’d always follow that up with the same old story of how his wife was a practicing Wiccan and had cursed him with fifty years of wedded bliss.” Charles explained with a noticeable smile to ease our shock.
 
 

 
 
“Whatever happened to: ‘I promise, Chance. I won’t use my magic no matter how bad these people piss me off’?” Anna attacked at normal volume as soon as she locked our hotel room door.
“I just couldn’t stand seeing him bully Chen like that, Anna! He’s been through enough! Besides, I only put the ass into three-inch heels and a matching, semi-transparent lace thong. It wasn’t like I transformed his man-bits!”
Anna’s face instantly turned bright red!
“You didn’t?!” I accused.
She nodded slowly.
“Complete with a heavy-duty tampon which should be ready to be changed if he hasn’t done it already.” She added quietly.
After both of us settled down, I looked to my roomie.
“Hey, kettle, what time is our deposition scheduled for tomorrow?” I asked.
“Why… 10:30AM down at their Federal Building, Pot.”
It took a while to stop laughing then even longer to get to sleep.
 
 

 
 
“Oh… hey… At least one of us got some sleep.” Anna greeted as she came out of the bathroom towel-drying her hair. “So how many times did you relive Christina’s gut-wrenching departure last night?”
“Way more than I care to think about! I just tried telling myself we have her back- safe and sound.” I replied as I rubbed the sand from my tired eyes then conjured a mirror. “It didn’t work so well.”
Both of us were going to need a lot of magic to cover these bags!
 
 

 
 
“I’m surprised. You two look surprisingly well-rested given the shit-storm we’ve went through already and are about to face again today.” Maj. Summers greeted as only he could when we arrived in the hotel lobby.
“We are both well versed in battlefield camouflage, and have claimed victory in many difficult campaigns, Major.” I announced proudly.
Little did these boys know!
Anna coughed and almost gagged!
Charles and Maj. Summers stared at her in concern.
“You alright, Corkie?” Summers asked.
Anna nodded as she cleared her throat a few times.
“Saliva went down the wrong hole.” She croaked while waving him off.
 
 

 
 
“And can you reiterate the precise sequence of events in proper order for us, Dr. McCorkle?” The Army Lawyer requested for a third time this morning.
Anna sighed heavily and rolled her eyes. I could tell she was getting fed up with this jackass’s badgering.
“Mr. Katsin. I thought this was to be just a deposition and not an actual inquisition? Have you some intermittent form of hearing loss that the military review board should be told about?” Anna asked, keeping her cool- though she blatantly refused to pronounce his rank of ‘Captain’.
“Please give the requested information, Ms. McCorkle.”
“That’s ‘Doctor’ McCorkle, little Jimmy Katsin. And I see no reason to continue badgering me for a complete and detailed sequence of events when I’ve already stated these facts twice this morning. Agent Quay, could you have both my previous answers read back so that Little Jimmy here can comprehend? He seems to lack the cohesion to subject matter required for his specific line of employment.”
NSA Special Agent Quay sighed loudly and focused all his attention on the repetitive attorney.
“Dr. McCorkle is quite correct in her observations, Mr. Katsin. Shall we get back to this ‘deposition’?
“Special Agent, my client has the right to a fair and unbiased trial and to do that we need to make sure the facts are as specific and truthful as possible.” The ass…attorney lectured.
“Then perhaps surveillance footage of the events and subsequent actions will provide the exacting detail you require, Mr. Katsin.” Phynnias Smithe suggested as he was admitted into the conference room we were seated in.
“I saw no surveillance equipment in that makeshift shack you people called a control room!” Gen. Mann declared angrily. “This has got to be a manufactured hoax! They’re trying to set me up for their failure!”
“I assure you, General, the surveillance was there. I record all tests and demonstrations in the event that something unseen happens. Review of that footage helps our research progress.
Smithe handed over the memory stick to the agents and we watched in absolute disgust as the events of that dreadful morning last week passed before our eyes once more.
 
 

 
 
Slightly over a month later we were again in Pittsburgh and were ushered into a moderate-sized conference room on the CMU Campus. A distinguished older woman exhibiting a very closely guarded expression greeted us with a slight, silent nod. According to our invitation she was none other than the sitting president of Carnegie Mellon University, Dr. Alexandra Francis Covington, PHD.
We quickly took seats and waited patiently for her to start our meeting.
After about ten standard minutes, I was thinking the meeting would be conducted telepathically because not one word had been uttered by anyone in this room. I began to wonder how much longer Maj. Summers or Col. Armstrong would allow this status quo to continue.
“I still can’t believe she’s gone.” Ichi Chen moaned quietly, leaning back in his chair placing his hands to his face then rubbing his eyes dry- effectively breaking the awkward stalemate.
“She had such a brilliant career ahead of her.” He lamented as Agent Quay also closed his eyes tightly looking across the table to him with a sad expression.
We all knew how much this young man cared for Christina. To not, you had to have been blind and in cryogenic stasis on the surface of Asteroid Theta Ten in the barren Medula system!
A middle-aged- for this era- woman, tastefully dressed in fashionable business attire, gracefully entered the President’s conference room and gently closed the left double door behind her.
The university president remained silent and acknowledged her arrival with just another nod.
“I’m sorry to be tardy, but Prof. Samuels, our robotics department head, simply wouldn’t take no for an answer. Phynnias?” She apologized but seemed surprised Dr. Smithe was in attendance. She seemed to completely ignore her superior.
“I’ve reviewed your proposal and the affidavits of all of you in attendance and have some questions. First off, you stated, and our enrollment records clearly show, Miss Everhardt was single with no living parents or next of kin, correct?”
“That is correct, Dean Sangiere. Everhardt’s parents died last year in an automotive accident near their home in Venango County. I don’t know the exact details though.” Smithe answered as he faced the newest arrival to the room.
She nodded in acceptance.
“And Dr. McCorkle. You and Dr. Green claim the apparatus developed by Miss Everhardt has the potential to revolutionize space travel by providing superior thrust, reliability, and economy? Please explain.” She asked nodding to the still silent university president.
“Dean Sangiere, the device we witnessed in operation on the day of the incident completely rewrites the science of atmospheric and extra-planetary propulsion. At only eighty-five pounds in weight, it is capable of producing roughly the same thrust as one thousand and fifty Saturn V first-stage boosters! And, is completely self-sustaining once enabled.”
President Covington blinked, but said nothing.
Dean Sangiere’s mouth dropped wide open and she began to pale.
“My word! I…” She gasped and her voice trailed off.
“She was amazing, Dean Sangiere. I’d never met anyone like her.” Ichi Chen interrupted. He looked on the brink of losing all composure.
Even knowing Christina’s brilliant future, I found myself blotting tears from my eyes with a convenient tissue.
“Dean Sangiere. I have completed and await the university’s permission to file the necessary paperwork for an International Patent through the IPT for the new IPD Ion Propulsion Drive System and for Miss Everhardt’s new ‘Phased Emitter Array’, in her name. Mr. Chen and I thought it only fitting that she get the credit due her for her outstanding ingenuity.”
“Why Phynnias. I’m very surprised at you. I didn’t know you to be so magnanimous. If not to you where might the proceeds from such patents go since Miss Everhardt is…” Dean Sangiere seemed genuinely impressed, but stopped instantly as she looked around the room to all the sad faces.
“Ma’am… I have recently learned that Miss Everhardt was transgendered, so I suggest any patent royalties be deposited into a world-wide scholarship fund managed by this institution to benefit those of the Alternative community whom wish to better their understanding of the cosmos.”
“Madam President?” NSA Special Agent Quay interrupted and our attentions turned to the senior NSA Agent in attendance that fateful day.
“I strongly request a delay in filing those international patents, ma’am. Since the design and development was funded in part by the NSA, we recommend filing U.S. patents at this time only. I agree that Miss Everhardt’s name be applied as principle, but interest has been shown in utilizing the CMU team’s developments for national security. I’m quite sure our NASA contingent has recognized the same applications since word is they intend on utilizing the IPD system in their next Orion mission- a noble and dignified gesture to the late Christina Everhardt’s short but illustrious legacy.”
That was all Ichi Chen could take as he erupted from his seat and silently excused himself with just choking sobs and sniffling.
“Special Agent Quay?” The still silent university president finally spoke. “The discoveries and developments undertaken by this university have always been considered ‘international’, but I can understand your concerns. Dr. Smithe’s team’s breakthrough and subsequent bittersweet success could be corrupted if received into the hands of those harboring malevolent intentions. Therefore, I concur and recommend only a ‘classified’ U.S. Patent be filed for both the Ion Propulsion Drive and the Everhardt Phased Array Propulsion Emitter and that any International Patent applications be delayed for one decade. Would that be acceptable to all in this room?”
We all nodded.
“Furthermore,” President Covington added, “the Ion Drive’s patent- both national and international-must include the names: Dr. Phynnias Smithe and Dr. Sunichi Chen Jr. as well as Dr. Christina Everhardt.”
“Madam President?” Dean Sangiere gasped in surprise at the decree.
“Could someone please ask Mr. Chen to come back in if he is able?” Covington requested as she pressed a finger to her left ear.
Five standard minutes passed before one of the conference room’s doors slowly opened and Ichi Chen silently, shyly made his way back to his seat.
“Mr. Chen?” President Covington broke the awkward silence present before his re-arrival. “In the most unbiased introspective possible could you describe Miss Everhardt’s bearing and propriety during your short interaction? In short, could you describe her character, focus, and her professionalism?”
“Excellent, m-ma’am. Christina’s pro-professionalism in m-my view was extraordinary. Though c-completely focused on her work, she…she was still approachable and presented a-an aire of understanding and compassion most…most geniuses of her c-caliber lack.”
“Thank you, Mr. Chen. Reading her transcripts, I tend to agree with that concise, heartfelt summation. Therefore,” the university president leaned over to her right and retrieved a folder from her unseen satchel.
“Last evening, in the joint presence of the Senior Administration, Provost, and Board of Trustees, and given Christina Everhardt’s stellar academic record, I proposed a rarely considered, rarely conveyed honorarium. In fact, the particulars spoke for themselves and given the added written testimonies of both national agencies, private entities, and University Faculty, a unanimous decision was agreed upon.”
Standing up, President Covington, carefully placed the relatively thin manila folder on the table and opened it in front of Ichi Chen and Dr. Smithe.
“By decry of the Carnegie Mellon University Administration, Christina Everhardt- as of 2306hrs, 25 May, 2102- has hereby been declared a doctor in the specialized subject and theory of Astrophysical Science with all the benefits and responsibilities due the achievement.”
Ichi Chen slowly, solemnly reached toward the official document with severely trembling hands- a diploma- a gold embossed label declaring ‘Magna Cum Laude’ after Christina’s name.
He gently touched it and tears again began gently rolling down both cheeks.
“Madam President? I humbly request a copy of this prestigious document of achievement to be displayed proudly in Scaife Hall as a tribute to the woman’s ingenuity and sacrifice.” Dr. Smithe requested.
She nodded.
“Madam President?” Anna spoke up. “I too request a copy to display in our gallery back at JPL in Houston. If Marta and I are correct, Miss Everhardt’s accomplishments… the CMU team’s contributions in total- have just started and we agree her legacy will spread afar into the far, far future. Having spent only a fraction of time in her presence, we representing the Kuiper Belt Mission Project have been taken by her drive, intelligence, and personable, warm character. She is the epitome of what we at NASA all strive for in our missions and projects.”
“Damn, Corkie! I couldn’t have said it better!” Maj. Summers chuckled.
“No, I believe you couldn’t have, Hopewell.” Anna giggled.
“Maj. Summers. Congratulation on your reinstatement as mission commander of the Kuiper Belt Mission, by the way.” The university president congratulated with a stiff smile. “I have a feeling your upcoming mission will prove very educational and possibly even more. Good day, ladies and gentlemen.”
President Covington gracefully nodded to us, stood, and exited the conference room leaving the folder of several duplicates of Christina’s diploma.
How did she know?
I began to wonder if… Alas, it was too late for me to scan for either the presence of a fellow sister or an Olympian.
Did it really matter though?
“Feel like pizza at that joint over on Negley, ladies?” Hopewell suggested as we began to stand and prepared to leave this meeting. Charles Armstrong nodded gleefully with a smile.
“Only if Ichi, Phynnias, Quay and Dean Sangiere can join us, guys.” Anna bargained.
Each nodded their approval.
“Done!” He declared.
“You’re still going to buy though, right, Major?” I asked coyly as I batted my eyelashes seductively.
Summers stopped abruptly for just a moment.
“Sure! Why the hell not! Of course I’m buyin’!”
 
 

 
 
“Welcome back, Ladies.” Mrs. Everhardt exclaimed excitedly as we all released hands and looked around Christina’s business office.
Ever since Christina re-appeared to transport us back to this office, she had been uncharacteristically quiet. Chance suggested we leave her to whatever it was she had to work through- that she would open up when she decided it appropriate.
“So how long were we gone, Mrs. Everhardt?” I asked when nothing looked different from what I remembered. It had been nine years and twelve days, by our perspective, since Chance, Morgana, Christina and I had left this very room.
I was also very glad to look like myself once again.
“About twenty-five standard minutes, Sugar Plum. Colleen, Hope, and I were comparing notes.” Aunt Cora answered instead.
Both Christina’s eyes and mine shot to our aunt in worry!
“Oh, give it a rest, girls!” Mrs. Everhardt giggled out.
“We were comparing notes on my upcoming reign of terror over the Antarran countryside.” Mrs. Everhardt joked tensely.
Christina nodded solemnly, turned, and opened the office door to silently exit.
“What’s up with her, Link?” Mrs. Everhardt asked me quietly. It took a few seconds to realize she was talking to me since I hadn’t used my real name in years.
I shrugged my shoulders in response and headed for the door in silence too.
 
 

 
 
“Everything go as planned, girls?” Mr. Everhardt asked as we climbed into his vehicle.
“Although they have been closed-mouthed since returning, and therefore haven’t revealed a thing, I think both missions were completed, Louis. I suggest we just go home and allow our guests to decompress.” Mrs. Everhardt told her husband from the front, passenger seat.
“Got it. Fouled-Up, But As Required.” He said with a nod before starting the ancient combustion engine and placing the vehicle into reverse.
 
 

 
 
“So what will Morgana do now, Chance?” I asked to break the stifling atmosphere in the SUV as we headed back to the Everhardt farm.
“She’s still working. Remember? For the next eight years?”
“Sorry, forgot about that aspect of time travel.” I apologized as I considered Morgana resuming her disguise as Dr. Bloise now that we were back in this time period. My mind though stubbornly wondered forward through time again and initiated yet another remembrance of Christina’s terrible incident.
Confusingly, my stint at NASA seemed in the past now- me having lived as Marta Green for nine Terran years. That terrible day now not so pronounced as it once had been. I was callus to my life there because I now had a very comprehensive understanding of late 21st and early 22nd century American society. In particular, the darker side of the society that Hope, Chantell, and Charles returned to after the completion of their ground-breaking Kuiper Belt mission. Experience gained when Anna and I had been asked- and therefore our contracts extended- to analyze and reverse engineer the Lynxin modifications done to Pegasus and… and to Hope- the later sitting next to me and staying unusually quiet. Did she feel embarassed that I now had a better understanding of her past life? Or was it the awkwardness of her knowing I was Dr. Green?
Unfortunately, I now had a completely new and full understanding of the terms ‘prejudice’ and ‘discrimination’. I also learned many new slurs and slanderous terms, which I choose to delete from my personal dictionary!
My respect for my transformed Coven sister soared to new heights, witnessing her resolve in the days after Pegasus’ return to Earth!
How could people be that hateful and derogatory to someone so courageous as to venture outside their planetary system for the very first time?
And to claim first contact and establish peaceful relations with the inhabitants of a neighboring star system!
Hope, though at times ready to ‘throw in the towel’, honored her military upbringing and training, and pushed her new life forward…
Despite all the self-proclaimed demon-slayers, ‘Bible-thumpers’, and self-righteous ignorants!
I had helped her… them cope where I could, though it was hard to keep my magical nature hidden from both her, Chantell, and Charles.
“Link, honey? You going to get out of the truck sometime today?” Mr. Everhardt asked gently, thereby returning my attention to this reality.
“We’re here already?” I asked as I looked around and saw the inside of the Everhardts’ equipment barn surrounding us.
“Been back home for an hour now. I decided I could do some maintenance I’ve been putting off on the old McCormick over there just so you wouldn’t be alone when you finally decided to return to us, honey. Your mission gave you plenty to think about, I take it?” He asked.
“I have nine years of living in this era to think about, sir- nine years of heartache, pain, and disappointment, but also an equal amount of excitement, relationships, good times, and wondrous innovations. I’m still having trouble wrapping my head around all I’ve witnessed and done… All the achievements I’ve been a participant to.”
“I’d imagine it very overwhelming- on par with your arrival and what I’m about to experience in the coming weeks? Imagine! I’m going to another world!” He swooned.
“I can imagine that very well, Mr. Everhardt. Remember, I’m from one of those ‘other worlds’ and have visited many others.”
Mr. Everhardt chuckled and shook his head.
“Looking at you girls, I find that so hard to believe… you’re all so ‘normal’…” He said before pausing a few seconds.
“Then one of you does something completely off the wall… completely out of the realm of possibility and I’m forced to reconsider my actual reality.”
“It was a similar experience for me, sir. Although I heard Christina talk about this era, I wasn’t expecting the raw truth actually being there so blatantly. I think it forced me to mature faster than I expected.”
“So you’re what, twenty-four now, honey?” He asked gently.
I nodded.
Mr. Everhardt silently turned, walked over to his workbench, opened a cabinet door, and removed a glass bottle and two paper cups.
I’ve had this in here for Christina’s twenty-first.” He said as he poured some in both cups and handed one to me.
“Here’s to maturity and the innocence we lost and will never get back because of it.” He said raising his cup to me.
“And to the lessons we’ve learned along the way.” I added, raising my paper cup.
We bumped our paper cups together and drank our toasts.
“Not bad stuff, Mr. Everhardt. Thanks.”
“Anytime, honey.” He replied happily.
“So let’s get back to the house. I’m sure your sisters are worried about you.”
We were instantly in the living room.
“See? That’s what I meant! You girls can be really unbelievable.” He chuckled.
“Little sister! Are you feeling better?” Simone questioned happily as she walked over and embraced me.
She paused after a few seconds and eased me back to look into my eyes.
“Sister? You’ve changed.” She declared subtly.
“Nine years and twelve days.” I replied neutrally.
She pulled me back tighter than before.
“I’m so sorry, Link! I wish I had been there with you.”
“But that wasn’t part of the mission parameters, sister.” I reminded.
Simone squeezed harder.
“Shut it, you silly royal!” Simone sniffled. “I’m glad you’re back safe.”
My sister cried lightly for several minutes while still squeezing tightly.
“Where’s Christina?” I asked after Simone decided to release me.
“I think she ran to her room, but she could’ve ported anywhere after I lost sight of her.” Mrs. Everhardt answered.
“Link, Pegasus. I’ll be porting aboard. Thought I’d give you a heads-up.”
“That is much appreciated, Lady Link.”
Pegasus’ main passageway appeared and I immediately made my way aft to Christina’s quarters.

“I’m coming in anyway, Christina!” I declared before I ported in.
There was a creepy, choking wrongness to the air in here! Christina must really be conflicted. Looking around her quarters I saw no sign of her. Maybe she was in the bathroom?
A sudden chill ran up and down my spine!

“Tough shit! I came in any way to help you through whatever it is you’re dealing with, sis! Just try to throw me out!” I fought back.
I found myself back in the Everhardts’ living room.
I was furious!
“Care to try that again, big sister? I’ll just keep coming back until I wear you down. I know how to be a gnat or mosquito, Christina!” I challenged once back in her quarters as I conjured and buffered my defenses.
Christina materialized on her bed folded in a fetal position.
“Why can’t you people take ‘NO’ for an answer?” She moaned quietly.
“Because you’re people too, sis. You’re family… as much Antarran as Cora, Simone or me!” I responded crossly.
“I’m not! I’m a !”
“Yeah… I believe that for a whole second! What happened on your mission that has you so distraught, sis?” I argued.
Christina was silent for several minutes. My guess is she was trying to outwait me. Trouble with that is I had refined my patience over the last nine years dealing with the attitudes and egos of the ‘rocket scientists’ I’d worked with.
Some of them had been real horses’ asses!
Nine years ago I wouldn’t have known what that phrase even meant!
“Ya know? You geniuses are all alike. Brooding and getting all ‘Whoa is me, I’m so underutilized; no one pays any attention to me; nothing I do goes right; boo-hoo, boo-hoo’, when things don’t go exactly your way…”
Christina began to laugh very, very quietly.
That was, at least, a start.
“Come on, sis, spill it. What’s got ya so down in the trenches?” I coaxed.
Christina quieted and remained silent for a few more minutes.
“My missions completed satisfactorily… one would even say, ‘surprisingly well’.”
“What happened then, sis?” I asked, a little alarmed by her admission.
“I might’ve pissed off Zeus’ Fates…”
“Huh?”
I was stunned, but only somewhat surprised.
“How?” I asked.
“Apparently, it was the first time we had met, but I didn’t realize it and so, treated him like I do in our present…you know, in the future from now…anyway, Zeus showed up as I finished signing incorporation papers for the Clinic at the courthouse. Alongside ol’ Zeus were these three, very strung-out looking Emo/Goth chicks. You know the type… scraggly, unwashed hair, sizable, very dark bags under their eyes- like raccoons that had an awfully long and bad day stuck in the back of a garbage truck? Mom would’ve immediately declared them ‘cheap whores’. In jest- and still not realizing it was our first meeting; what with the time travel and all- I offered his three, ‘addicted’ companions an introductory drug rehabilitation regime- a five-week cleansing program for each. And, I jokingly offered another complimentary psychological ‘detox’ suite for their pimp.”
Christina paused.
“Well, he took a real offense to the offered free treatments and blew his stack!”
She paused again as she unfolded and sat up. There was the slightest hint of an impish smile on her lips.
“It was the worst run of electrical storms the Eastern United States had seen in almost two hundred years!”
I found myself on the verge of laughter, knowing her defiance of Zeus in this era and in our future.
“So, why so dark of a mood? You’ve shit in Zeus’ ‘Wheaties’ before.” I begged her to answer.
Gods! Had I really picked up that many Terran colloquialisms?
She quieted, her expression again growing sad, and began shaking her head side to side slowly.
“After five days of the most recorded, most destructive lightning strikes in history, I decided enough was enough…”
She paused again and looked down to the bed she was still sitting on.
“I just thought… I mean I just thought about dispelling the storm… I wanted Zeus to stop terrorizing the people of Earth for my ‘apparent’ insult… then I heard this horrible ‘crash’ from somewhere out there”, Christina motioned to the ceiling and possibly beyond with her right hand, “and everything stopped! The thunder clouds just instantly dispersed and I felt this emptiness…”
I remained quiet and waited for her to continue.
“It felt like I was the only person in the whole universe!”
I unconsciously gasped.
“It took me a few hours to figure out what I had done and I feverishly concentrated on putting things back the way it had been. I was terrified I had erased all of you!”
Christina broke down into choking sobs.
I was instantly at her side with my arms wrapped around my distressed sister.
“I’m such an idiot!” She choked in between sobs or sniffles. “I could screw-up a one car funeral!”
“Not true, sis!” I said knowing that old adage too! “Like any of us you just need to get a handle on your talents! We’ve all made ‘oops’s’.”
“Deleting the population of a whole universe isn’t what I would classify as an ‘oops’, sis! That’s a major frell-up!” Christina lamented.
“I don’t see or even notice anything out of kilter, sis, therefore, you must have done good. Have you talked to Zeus since? Maybe apologized?” I asked.
“It was too embarrassing.” She shied away.
“Pegasus? Prepare yourself for an Olympian.” I warned our A.I.
“Lord Zeus? A moment of your time if you could?” I called to the heavens.
There was no physical or audible reply.
“Lord Zeus! I, your granddaughter, wish to converse with you!” I shouted out.
“Of course.” I said after waiting several more minutes. “Behaving like a true God of Myth and Legend!”
Folding my arms under my sizable endowments, I declared, “Well, if Zeus won’t come off the mountain, the mountains will land on Zeus!”
Christina looked down at me in surprise as we found ourselves standing on the very familiar, grassy plain of Olympus.
“Holy shit! It’s my lucky day!” a man exclaimed from off to our right.
I immediately called a sizable force shield around Christina and me.
“Oh! For the Gods sake! Give it a rest, Eros!” I growled. “We’re here to speak with Grandfather.”
The lust God slid to a halt just outside the limit of my shielding with a look of concern.
“I’m afraid you both have a problem then. Grandfather Zeus may be inclined to speak with you, Valkyrie, but he openly refuses any interaction with the Scion.” Eros said as he looked to Christina with a very worried expression. “The two of you, together will not be granted an audience, I’ve been instructed.
That really pissed me off!
“Sorry, Eros, but that is unacceptable! I’m afraid I’ll have to disregard Grandfather’s wishes and go over his head! Scion obviously overrides Allfather!” I announced angrily as I took Christina’s hand tightly and began concentrating on my ‘Olympic Grandfather’.
“How dare you ignore a polite request from one of your offspring, Lord Zeus!” I hissed to the man’s back as we appeared behind him.
Zeus jumped several centimeters and spun around. Raw fury blazed from him and I noticed Christina shying away- her shoulders were hunched and she appeared to be ready to run away.
“No!” I commanded her as I tightened my grip of her hand. “You are here to apologize and that is exactly what is going to happen!” I declared.
I swear Zeus’ face went from pissed to shocked in zero-point-nothing seconds!
“Now… are both sides willing to listen and stop trying to banish each other to the Forbidden Zone?” I challenged, still glaring at him.
Yes, I could feel him trying- and failing- to deport us from Olympus. I figured as long as I held Christina’s hand, I could tap her power- like her mother had on the day of our arrival at the farm- to veto Zeus’ efforts.
Finally, Grandfather Zeus sighed heavily and his face neutralized.
“I knew you Antarrans would someday try to challenge me for control.”
“I don’t want to control or even take over anything, sir. I just wanted to apologize for screwing-up a few years back.” Christina explained at just above a whisper.
Zeus stood there with his mouth open for several minutes!
“There! Now don’t you feel like an asshole?!” I accused haughtily.
Zeus approached cautiously and silently.
“Would you mind repeating that for this old man?”
“She said she just wanted the opportunity to apologize for blinking the population of this universe into nothingness back in 2079: Terra time, Grandfather!” I answered instead.
“How could you do that? It was immature and immoral…” He began but Christina cut him off.
“And it was preceded by a very immature response to a misunderstanding. I assumed you knew who I was and decided to mess with me for getting on your shit about leaving me alone to make up my own mind.”
They both looked at each other for a moment.
“I was the one that screwed-up when I assumed we had already met, sir. When you appeared with those three, strung-out hags, I thought I was getting pranked. No woman should let herself go like that…let alone three! Then you proceeded to unleash your temper on the people of Earth! After five days of that, I’d had enough and felt that the innocents’ didn’t deserve your wrath. I alone was responsible. I decided to put an end to it and I screwed-up!”
“That doesn’t excuse wiping out all of…”
“You’ve never made a goddamned mistake, Grandfather?” I shouted in rage!
He seemed taken aback by my savage outburst.
“Not like that, my dear Valkyrie. I…”
“Yes, we know! You had Chronos and the other Titans to tutor you, Poseidon, and Hades! That turned out well!” I countered heatedly.
“Girls? Please go easy on father. His youth is but a faint candle flicker in his mind and that grows fainter each and every day.” A familiar voice giggled from behind us. Artemis and Demeter passed to either side of Christina and I then stopped and took positions standing on either side of Grandfather Zeus.
“My ladies, please forgive my temper, but know that I felt Christina has been treated unfairly and has only felt repentant for her mistake. Had she had at least some knowledge as to her vast power, things would have been different.” I begged forgiveness for my anger and foul temperament.
“Please forgive father, Scion. Your whole immergence and development could have been handled much better. Know that you were a complete surprise to all of Olympus and found us ill prepared for your arrival. The fates, as wise as they are, had been working overtime on divining what the universes had in store for you. In fact, they still have absolutely no clue as to what you represent or how you came to be. The only thing we know for sure is that you are the ‘Scion’, Christina of Louis and Colleen.” Demeter informed us.
“But why the temper tantrum? Why make the people of Earth pay for my rude assumption?” Christina choked back her tears.
Artemis and Demeter glared toward their father wanting to know the answer as well.
“Well…um… I… You see…” Zeus tried to explain himself, but failed dramatically.
“I didn’t want to hurt anybody. I just wanted the destruction to stop. It was hurting the planet and everything living on it!” Christina cried.
“I told you, father!” Artemis gloated.
“I also advised against your plan of non-typical interference, father. Christina’s character is strong and unbreakable! Her sense of morality is well above reproach- despite your paranoid beliefs. Apologize to her and let’s get back to your regularly scheduled tests and challenges.” Demeter also reminded her father.
“I…? Apologize to…?” Zeus gasped, open-mouthed.
“Of course! If you hadn’t taken the Fates on a spur-of-the-moment fieldtrip, they would have had time to shower and cover their battlescars…”
“Yes, father. You haven’t given them a moments rest in over fourteen hundred Terran years! They were beginning to look a little ‘long in the tooth’.” Artemis continued Demeter’s reply.
Zeus growled and thunder echoed quietly around us.
“Oh, that was real mature, father!” Demeter chided.
I figured two could play that game and a second clap of thunder- this one much louder- echoed overhead.
Demeter and Artemis slowly turned their faces to Christina and I. They took their time regarding us with concerned expressions.
I looked down to notice Christina was actively pointing to me with her free hand.
Did she just throw me under the proverbial bus?
I punctuated their gaze with a staunch nod.
Both Goddess’ placed a hand behind Zeus’ back and launched him forward!
Glaring back at his daughters in anger he turned back to us, his face softened.
“I guess I was wrong too, my ladies. Please forgive me for my undeserved treatment of the Terrans. Also, please accept my apology for my rude treatment of you as well, Christina Everhardt. I hazard to say that you still frighten me.”
I heard Demeter and Artemis gasp quietly behind him.
“Why would you, of all people, be frightened of me?” Christina goggled.
“Because, young lady, it takes at least two very powerful Olympians to completely destroy a single galaxy.” Zeus told us as Artemis and Demeter smiled smugly. “But you, Scion, you erased all life from the whole of the universe without breaking the proverbial sweat.”
Christina seemed stunned for a moment then suddenly fell to her knees and began bawling into her upheld hands.
“I…I-I don’t know…I-I-I don’t mean to…”
“You’re still learning, sis.” I comforted as I looked to Zeus intensely.
“The good thing is you were able to bring it all back!” I told her to shine a light on her accomplishment.
“The bad news out of her doing so is Demi and I have to revisit the Crab Galaxy and repeat what had to be done there.” Artemis revealed.
“Why? What happened there?” Christina asked as she stopped crying and looked up in confusion.
“That’s the galaxy where the ‘Borg’ lived, sis. Demi and Artie turned it into a nebula to protect the rest of us.” I told her calmly. I guess she must have missed that news snippet.
“OH, hell no! Not in this universe!” Christina hissed and a ‘crack’ echoed overhead.
All three gods gulped loudly.
“Did I mention that I hated those creepy Star Trek characters? They will never, ever, exist in any reality if I can help it.” She explained.
“So they shant.” Demeter proclaimed with a quirky smile as Artemis exhaled loudly.
“Um. What did I just do?” Christina’s face paled.
“I think you just saved them the trouble, sis… I could be wrong about that though… not to worry though. Ladies and Grandfather, we bid you so long.” I said as we found ourselves back on Pegasus.
“Welcome home ladies. Lady Colleen wishes me to alert you that dinner is ready over at the house.” Pegasus welcomed.
“Thank you, Pegasus, we’re heading right over now.” I replied.
“Nice of you to join us, girls.” Mrs. Everhardt welcomed as we appeared in the kitchen and walked into the dining room.
You get things worked out, pumpkin?” She added.
“Christina just had a slight ‘glitch’ on one part of her mission.” I answered quickly.
“Oh? How slight, pumpkin?” Mrs. Everhardt pushed with narrowed eyes.
“Come on, Colleen! It wasn’t as though she erased us from existence or anything critical like that! Leave the girl alone. Get something to eat, Christi… Christina? Where’d she get to now?” Mr Everhardt asked as he looked up then around the room.
“I swear, Louis! If there was ever a time not to joke about things…” Mrs. Everhardt complained.
“I’ll handle this. Girls would you be so kind as to clean up for me?”
We all nodded.

 
 
“I’m coming in and I don’t want to hear that obnoxious answering system, Christina!” I shouted after alerting and porting over to the Pegasus.
Instead, the door ‘creaked’ open and I walked in while rolling my eyes in annoyance. My daughter had certainly found some attitude!
“So you really did delete us all from existence?” I asked gently. “I’m sure that was a mistake, right?”
“I didn’t mean to! I just wanted Zeus to stop punishing the people of Earth because of me being rude, mom.” She answered while wiping her tears.
“Let me guess- the run of nasty weather back in ’79?” I asked, but didn’t wait. “And did you apologize to him for doing that? I’d imagine he wasn’t too thrilled with what you did.”
“Yeah. Link, Artemis, and Demeter made us apologize to each other, mom.”
“Then everything is good, right?” I concluded.
“I guess so.”
“Good. So we can go back to the house and you can have some dinner before the girls put everything away.” I said as I went to turn.
“Mom?”
“What is it, pumpkin?”
“I’m frightened… terrified actually! I’m becoming this…this thing… this monster! It seems…I think I’m more powerful than even Zeus and I’m terrified I’ll do something wrong or lose my temper, or…”
“Tell me this, pumpkin.” I turned back to her and gently placed my hand to her shoulder. “Have you done anything like that since gaining these powers?”
“No? Not that I know. Why?”
“Have you lost your temper since you gained your powers?”
“A few times? Why?”
“You’re a smart girl, Christina. You figure it out. I’m glad I raised you right. Now, let’s get something in your stomach. Maybe then it’ll stop making all that noise.”
 
 

 
 
“Everything okay, girls?” Louis inquired once he noticed we were back.
Christina lunged for him. I thought she was going to squeeze the life out of him and leave me a widow!
“Daddy, I’m afraid! I don’t wanna be a monster! I don’t wanna hurt anybody!” She cried on his shoulder.
Well, so much for our talk.
“Then don’t, sweetheart. You don’t have to be whatever monster you think you are. Just be you.”
Gee, now why didn’t I think of that?
I turned and went out to the kitchen to fix my pumpkin a plate and reheat it.
“Don’t look so sullen, Colleen. Every girl needs her daddy at one time or another. I’m sure you know that firsthand; just like the rest of us.” Hope smiled as she walked in and began putting the things I’d removed from the fridge back into it as I finished with them.
“I suppose so. I always thought my father was the submissive one though. Mother was usually the driving force in the family- especially after we arrived here.” I replied.
“Unfortunately, my pa wanted nothin’ to do with his new daughter on our return from FeLane. Both my parents treated me like a failure- like somehow making first contact with a new civilization didn’t amount to as much for Hope as it would’ve for Hopewell.” Hope revealed.
“That’s terrible! Man or woman, they should have supported you and been proud of your accomplishments!” I replied with a gasp.
“Well, as we stand here, it hasn’t happened yet, but I’m glad you think so, Colleen. I could’ve used more support from people like you… in about eight years.”
“Hope? If it could be called a valid guarantee, Louis and I will always be there…um… in one form or another… to support you! And… somehow… I think Christina will also be there to lend support… after she gets a handle on her powers, if she hasn’t already, that is.” I told her then thought I should modify that.
“In one form or another, that is.”
Hope began to giggle.
“So you’ve seen it too? That Christina doesn’t look like Christina every-so-often- and for only brief instances?”
I nodded.
“Well, the Olympians have said that Christina is still developing, and that she is still in a state of flux. Hell, nobody knows what the Olympians really look like… if they have a base ‘form’ at all!”
“Well, I guess we’ll find out in the coming weeks. Somehow, I have this gut feeling we’ll be parting ways with my little pumpkin once Louis and I get established on Antarra.”
“That’s a valid prediction, your majesty.” Savanna agreed quietly as she ‘popped’ in beside me.
“And just where have you been all day, munchkin?” Hope smiled deviously, like she already knew.
“I’ve spent a lot of time consoling three women rudely insulted by Scion. Apparently, Grandfather Zeus popped in on Christina… sorry, ‘Diana Prince’, just after she exited the courthouse where she established the corporation launching the Clinic.” Savanna answered.
“My Christina? She blatantly insulted three women? I find that very hard to believe! Louis and I didn’t bring her up that way!” I protested.
“Apparently, Grandfather Zeus sprung a surprise fieldtrip on the Fates and left no time for the three of them to ‘freshen up’. They had been working to ascertain Christina’s existence and purpose for about fourteen or so centuries.”
“Let me guess,” I grinned impishly, “she thought they were strung out, back street hookers and offered therapy?”
Savanna nodded.
“Plus, thinking Great-grandfather was spoofing her, she offered him psychological help for his ‘pimping’.”
Laughter exploded from my mouth as I couldn’t hold it any longer! Hope fought to contain her laughter but ultimately lost it a minute later.
“Well I don’t think it was humorous! Those three drive themselves well past the brink of exhaustion to provide Great-grandfather with the information he needs to keep everything running smoothly!” Savanna protested vehemently.
“Oh! Oh! So he is their pimp after all!” Hope managed as she convulsed in laughter.
“Grandmother Hope! That is not… what… it is…at…” Savanna countered, but she suddenly began to rethink things.
She started to howl in laughter!
“I… I guess he is at that…oh, by the Gods! That is hilarious!”
“Fruvolity? In the Everhardt kitchen? Unheard of!” Louis appeared with a smirk on his face. “What’s up, kiddo?” He nodded to Savanna and outstretched his arms in greeting.
“Not much, your majesty.” Savanna greeted as she seemed to relish the hug. “I just arrived so that I can lend my foresight to the planning of your faux demise.”
“You know?” Louis smiled, stepped back, and pointed between Hope and Savanna. “It’s easy to see that you two are related.”
My husband bowed ever-so-slightly then came over to the counter and poured himself another cup of coffee.
“Par-doan my interruption, my ladies.” He said before turning and walking back into the living room.
“His code array is fully Antarran now, majesty.” Savanna said, looking into my eyes. “The Scion’s finest work.”
“And I suppose he’s also a Mage now?” I asked sarcastically.
“A somewhat limited one, yes, your majesty.”
The smile on this one’s face left no doubt she was a member of the Summers clan!
 
 

 
 
A blue, 2098, Audi A6 traveling at the marked speed limit wound its way down the two-lane country road taking the turns gracefully and precisely. The dark windows only allowed the silhouettes of two people, the driver and a passenger, to be seen. As to their identities, the dark tint prohibited that entirely.
“’T’-minus two minutes to estimated event, High Priestess.” Charli announced from her station.
“Why’d it have to be my A6?” Louis Everhardt moaned inconsolably.
We were camouflaged high above the tentative accident scene in Pegasus. Several members of our Coven lay hidden on the ground near the terminal location.
“Any sign of the Paranormalist, Kitty?” I asked.
“He’s been spotted about five clicks to our south- heavily armed with photographic and video equipment, Chance. Kitten and Alley Cat are keeping a close eye on him.”
“And ‘Chairman’ Tua?” I smiled as I thought about the handle Colleen Everhardt had given the ‘too proper’ Lynxin Prime Minister.
“Complaining about the cold, of course. He’s good though.”
“Acknowledged. Keep me appraised, Chance out.”
“Chance? I’m picking up chatter on a very low RF frequency- 27.115MHz.” Link reported.
Louis Everhardt began to chuckle.
“Something about that strike you as funny, dear?” Colleen questioned.
“Grandpa used to refer to that as the ‘Kindergarten channel’. He said it was the ‘Citizen’s Band’ channel that all the children used… way before texting or the internet. It was the social media of its day…the 1970’s and early 80’s. Those radios haven’t been used since, I think, early last century.”
“Well, let’s see what ‘children’ are playing on the radio today, shall we?” I giggled as I nodded to Link. “On the overhead, Double-Take.”
 
 

 
 
“Geez! How old are these guys?” Louis Eaverhardt laughed. “I didn’t even know that!”
 
 

 
 
“He’s finally gone off the deep end, hasn’t he?” Louis commented as he stared up to the speakers. “What’s so damned important about our farm, anyway?”
 
 

 
 
“Like hell she will!” Colleen declared heatedly as she instantly stood from her observation seat.
“You will sit down and restrain yourself, Colleen Everhardt! This is my ship and my operation!” I commanded angrily as I pointed back at her empty seat.
Colleen glared at me, but reseated herself begrudgingly.
“Let the girls work, Peaches. This is their operation. We don’t need you popping in and scaring the manure out of those imbeciles. They might not go through with it and everything from here on out might change for the worst.” Louis advised, trying to calm his wife.
 
 

 
 
“They used an IED?” Louis choked as we watched the back end of his prized sedan jump a dozen or so feet into the air and summersault back to front several dozen times then land on its roof across both lanes and burst into an intense fireball.
 
 

 
 
“My, God! That was a spectacular explosion!” Louis exclaimed excitedly.
“Wait! That was my Audi!” He moaned in defeat a second later.
“We have a visual on our saboteurs, Chance. Not going to lie to ya, that was one awesome crash!” Kitty reported.
“Alley Cat and I have visual on the other two, Chance.” Lyra reported a few seconds later.
“Alley Cat, Chance. Are we sure the safeties are to remain engaged?”
“Affirmative; observe, track, and report only, Alley Cat.” I said with a knowing grin. I could almost hear the disappointment in her voice.
“I hope they don’t follow too close, High Priestess. God forbid those morons have more explosives.” Colleen worried.
“Mrs. Everhardt, you’ve got four of the best trackers on Planet Earth hunting those yahoos! If you don’t believe me, have you ever watched a pack of lions on National Geographic?” Link smiled evilly.
Both Everhardts gulped loudly and became very, very quiet!
“I’m receiving a 911 text from a burner phone alerting the State Police of the accident, Chance.”
Location in relation to our agents?” I requested.
“‘Paranormal Steve’, but he’s moving away now; the phone just shut off.”
I nodded. At least someone alerted the authorities. “The bad guys?”
“Kitten is within forty meters, Chance.” Charli reported. “Alley Cat has closed to forty meters of her prey also, High Priestess.”
“How did she get there so fas…never mind?” Louis Everhardt began to ask then obviously answered his own question.
“Chance, Perfessor. Everything look like the accident photos you were shown at the Barracks tomorrow?” I asked; basically to make sure she was still with us.
“Perfessor? You copy?” I tried again a few seconds later.
“Perfessor, do you copy?” I tried again.
“Want me to swing back and check on her, Chance?” Kitty asked in support.
“I’m…I’m fine, Chance… Prefessor is fine. It’s just that… I’m fine. Everything looks pretty much like I remember, Chance. I’m making a few last minute… some minor changes then I’ll be up.” Christina finally responded.
“Your kid’s a real trooper, guys!” Kate praised Louis and Colleen from her station. “Takes guts I wouldn’t have to actually see the incident that supposedly killed my folks. Real balls, that one!”
“My compliments, Colleen. Christina certainly embodies the heart, stamina, and fortitude of the Antarran people and does Clan Norge proud!” Aunt Cora smiled and bowed from the weapons console to the Everhardts.
 
 

 
 
“We have several News Service drones coming in from the North at two thousand feet.” Charli advised about ten minutes later. They seamlessly joined the single police drone circling the accident scene that had arrived within five minutes of the crash being reported.
“Historic to live media correlation: 100%.” She added a moment later.
“Major. Take us into parking orbit but mind the spy satellites and other accumulated space junk.”
“Aye, up yers too, High Priestess!” Mom answered.
As I knew she would.
 
 

 
 
“Pegasus3, vector has been sent, call the ball.” Kate announced happily as Kitty and Tua in Re-Tailed, were given permission to dock.
“I am so calling it, Wrench!” Kitty responded.
“Docking clamps and umbilicals engaged, Pegasus” She responded a minute later.
“Copy. Welcome home, Kitty.” Kate acknowledged brightly.
“Great to be back, Pegasus! Can’t wait to hit the hot shower!” Kitty replied sounding relieved.
“Pegasus Control, Pegasus13. I have you on my display and request approach vector.” Lyra’s voice sounded from our speakers.
“Copy Pegasus13. Sending vector now and welcome back.” Kate smiled.
“I should arrive tomorrow at around noon, Chance. I remember fighting all sorts of traffic and PaDOT road construction crews all the way up I-79.”
“Acknowledged.” I nodded my understanding.
“Pegasus is to remain in orbit unless she’s needed planet-side. In the meantime, Christina, Savanna, and I will transport our lucky participants to and from the various ground locations.” I ordered.
“Locust, you have the bridge. Louis? Colleen? Care to join me up in the lounge?” I added as I stood from my command console.
 
 

 
 
Louis’ mouth dropped open as we exited the elevator.
Actually, both Everhardts’ mouths’ dropped open as we exited the elevator.
“I take it this is the first time you’ve been in orbit?” I asked, knowing the answer simply by observing their expressions.
“The pictures of the big, blue marble don’t do it justice, ma’am.” Louis answered in astonishment.
“Never in a million years did I ever think I’d witness this!” Colleen gasped- completely enraptured first by our unobstructed view of Terra then by the view of Hello Kitty approaching and docking at her designated docking pylon.
Christina silently popped in while her parents were preoccupied; she quietly sat down on one of the comfortable couches after dispelling her winter camo gear. She sighed heavily in relief.
“Baby!” Colleen cried as she noticed her daughter and frantically ran over, pulled her back to her feet, and wrapped her arms around her.
“Baby, I’m so sorry you had to see that again! Can you ever forgive us?” She cried into Christina’s breasts.
“It… it had to be done, mom.” Christina comforted her mother quietly as she gently rubbed her back.
“Sweetie, that took mega-guts! I’m very proud of my little girl!” Louis praised as he walked over to the two women.
“But your car, Daddy!” Christina moaned.
“Where we’re going they don’t have any roads, Christina.” Louis exclaimed in a silly, imitated voice.
“Cute one, Daddy.” Christina almost grinned.
“Hey, don’t mind us kids, mom and dad are just going to get warmed up!” Kitty exclaimed as she and Tua rushed through the lounge and quickly disappeared into the VIP suite.
“Wow. They always like that?” Louis chuckled, not taking his eyes off the suite’s door.
Colleen elbowed her husband.
“Knock it off, wise guy!”
“Pegasus, please enable noise cancellation around the VIP suite.” I requested with a Cheshire grin.
When the Everhardts looked at me in confusion, I made a disapproving face and scrunched my nose saying, “Cats in heat.” And shook my head in the negative several times mouthing ‘no’ with each swing.
Christina broke out in hysterical laughter, as did her father.
“God, I love you all!” She gasped out while trying to catch her breath.
 
 

 
 
“Status?” I asked as I entered the Bridge.
“Simone reported in about ten minutes ago. ‘Past Christina’ had just left autopsy. She’s requesting immediate extraction, Chance.” Locust reported, but added, “I think the smell is getting to her. She complained it was worse than a storage closet stuffed full of slobbering Hoblins.”
I laughed despite trying not to. Unfortunately, I could imagine exactly that smell, myself.
“Chance, Laidy-In-Wait. Do you have clearance for extraction?”
It took a moment for Simone to answer.
“Unfortunately not, Chance, the coroner just came back in saying we have three more bodies to autopsy- a bad, possible DUI accident out on the highway. He asked me to stay and assist. I have to go. I’ll contact you as soon as I’m clear. Laidy-In-Wait, out.”
“Chance, Water Lily. You have anything?” I asked. She was in position to observe our three homicide suspects.
“Mastermind and Snidely are still hiding in place and drinking heavily. Last I checked on Cronk, he was pacing back and forth in his mobile home. Hey, why they call it a mobile home when it sits on blocks and obviously isn’t very mobile?” Aquia asked as she reported.
“The jury is still out on that question, Water Lily. I’ll beam down with your relief in one standard hour.”
“Copy. Water Lily, out.”
“Chance, Alley Cat. You okay down there? Anything to report?” I asked Greer.
“I still have eyes on ‘Paranoid Steve’. He hasn’t moved from in front of his display in hours and is watching some kind of animated adventure that keeps repeating itself at roughly the same place in the stream. Some place that displays: ‘You died’.”
“He’s playing a video game? I thought he would be devouring that juicy tidbit about the Everhardt assassination plot.” Colleen groaned.
“Priorities, Peaches. Priorities.” Louis laughed and shook his head while rolling his eyes.
“Savanna should be arriving any minute to relieve you, sister. Sorry I gave you the ‘slug’.” I advised.
“Copy, Chance, it’s all part of the job, Alley Cat out.” Greer replied sounding disappointed.
“Greer really is chomping at the bit, Chance.” Lyra commented. “She’ll probably hit the exercise equipment pretty hard tonight!”
“Just as long as you two don’t injure each other too badly, sweetie.” Mom teased.
“And I thought the guys at the plant were bad!” Louis commented to himself as he shook his head side to side.
 
 

 
 
“Water Lily, Chance. Snidely seems to be making a call on his personal communication device.” Aquia alerted.
“Alley Cat, Chance. Cronk just got a call.”
“Chance, Water Lily and Alley Cat. Copy, Alley Cat. Water Lily just reported Snidely initiated it. Coordinate with her. I’m willing to bet those two are planning a meet.” I told both twenty minutes later. Greer had asked to shadow ‘Cronk’ instead of ‘Paranoid Steve’. “Keep me informed, Chance, out. Chance, Princess. Hold off on Alley Cat’s change out. She and Water Lily are in motion.”
“Copy, Chance. I found something interesting at Mastermind’s base. We now know who holds Mastermind’s purse strings. Princess, out.”
“Just so you know Princess’ comm was seriously phase shifted, High Priestess.” Charli advised. “I wondered when she would finally figure out our Camo shift method.”
“She’s utilizing Pegasus’ camouflage process to make herself invisible and immune to detection.” Lokust explained to Louis and Colleen. “Something I dreamed up while attending the Science Ministry with Chance, folks.”
“So you could check out the guys in the locker room, eh?” Louis winked.
“Actually it was the girls’ showers that I intended to infiltrate, sir. I hadn’t been activated yet, so I was a guy at the time. As was Chance.”
“Lou? You and Colleen don’t need to worry one bit about what our Ex-O just insinuated. It’s too long and twisted a story!” Kate advised.
“To translate. Don’t ask.” I rolled my eyes.
“Curiouser and curiouser.” Louis chuckled quietly to himself.
 
 

 
 
“Target has engaged Past Christina and is directing her to the Funeral Director’s office, Chance.” Aquia reported.
“Acknowledged, Water Lily. Alley Cat? Kitten? Kitty? Chairman Tau? You all copy?” I asked for confirmation.
“Indeed we do, Chance. Kitty would also ask for clearance to engage post haste, my lady.” Tau confirmed; he sounded very concerned.
“Safeties are still engaged, team. Use as little current for the substitution as possible. We don’t want to give ‘Paranoid Steve’ too much evidence.”
“You mean more than we’ve already given him, Chance?” Kitten giggled over Comms. “This guy defines the word ‘oblivious’.”
I shook my head several times.
“As far as Perfessor remembers it took about fifteen minutes for her to sign all the transfer papers, so you guys ‘mingle’ as best you can, but mind your tails ladies.” I recommended, casually dismissing Lyra’s comment. “Chance, out.”
“Dear? I’m going back to Christina’s room to see how she’s doing. You have the bridge.”
“Got it, Chance.” Lokust acknowledged with a nod.
 
 

 
 
“Knock, knock.” I said from the passageway side of Christina’s door.
I found myself in the room with my staff in hand and powered up! I internally told my alter ego it was not a challenge or attack, but an invitation.
“When are you going to learn, sweetie?” I asked as I casually dismissed Nike’s Staff of Victory. “You know Nike is still sensitive about this sort of thi…”
Christina was watching a large, full color, floating, holographic display of what appeared to be the Funeral Home- particularly the small office where Glenn Darby and a distraught, ‘Pre-Antarran’ Christina were talking.
 
 

 
 
Christina sniffed right along with her previous self on the display.
Though she was apparently crying; her eyes were also beaming a somewhat bright orange.
 
 
“Oh, I’m afraid that point has well passed, my
dear! The last ten loans have fallen past due by
several years. The bank is just days from seizing
your family property, throwing your belongings to
the street, and auctioning everything off. This may
be your only option, Christina, I’m sorry.”
 
 
“Can you believe how gullible I was, Chance?” Her voice echoed throughout the room.
That worried me.
“Not gullible, but certainly not in your right mind, sweetie. He had you at a very big disadvantage…one that he himself designed! Just remember that, Christina Everhardt.” I answered as I placed a hand to her shoulder.
“Sweetie, I know that look and I recommend you don’t do it. I kinda like my life and family and all my friends the way we are now.” I said. I tightened my grip on her shoulder as I said ‘family’.
The blazing orange beaming from her eyes subsided, but a dull orange glow still persisted. Glenn Darby’s voice on this stream- I had no idea how she was doing it- regained our attention.

 
 
“Kitten, Chance. Hey, tell Perfessor to ease up on that weather thing she does! The clouds have started to roll in pretty fast down here.” Lyra suggested over our comm.
“Sweetie? Please back off the ‘Armageddon-style’ fire and brimstone thing? I’m sensing Nike is also getting very upset by the conversation we’re watching. Hell, I’m beginning to think of him as a level four Hoblin that needs cleansing!” I asked calmly though I noticed a slight anger tingeing my voice.
We sat, for several tense minutes as we continued watching the past version of Christina dutifully sign her inheritance away for nothing.

The past version of our sister cried to the heavens after Darby had the nerve to gently grasp her shoulder in consolation then quietly leave her alone in the small office.
“The bastard looked so smug as he got up to leave! Had I seen that, I’d have decked him and taken those papers and ripped them to shreds, Chance!”
“Ask and you shall receive, sister!” I said with a smile.
“Chance, Kitty. You are ‘Go’ for substitution! Repeat. ‘Go’ for substitution.” I alerted over the Comm.
Impossibly, Christina’s display switched to a different location and we watched intently as Kitty, in her Terran disguise, slowly walked past a stone-faced, Glenn Darby. Because we’d switched to our Current sight, both of us noticed Kitty use the slightest bit of Current to swap out the legally binding, signed, Property Transfer papers for…ones a bit less ‘legal’.
 
 

 
 
Kitty glared indignantly at ‘Paranoid Steve’.
 
 

 
 
Kitty didn’t bite. She just glared at the slightly overweight man still waiting for her name.
Of course, he capitulated first.
 
 

 
 
Kitty groused in annoyance.
 
 

 
 
Pollock silently moved closer to the vestibule doors, completely neglecting to follow through with whatever he had asked Kitty to repeat. As he did, Glenn Darby exited the Funeral Home.
“We have him, Kitty. Alley Cat and I will tail him to wherever he’s headed and report back.” Lyra reported over our Comms.
“He’s probably on his way to the bank to file the damn papers.” Christina’s eyes seemed to surge brighter.
“Yes, and won’t he be surprised when you confront him after he finds out we liberated some kindergartner’s drawings for him to show his banker friend.” Chance smiled deviously.
 
 

 
 
Glenn Darby spoke with a moderate amount of excitement in his voice.

 
 
The Bank officer opened the interoffice mail folder handed him and glared at the other man.

“That’s our cue, Christina.” I said and found both of us looking at the inner vestibule doors to the bank.
“I hope you looked around before you transported, sweetie.”
“It just happens to be Sunday, Chance. No public business should be conducted today.” Christina informed me with an evil smile. “No ‘legal’ public business, anyway.”
Glenn Darby was just entering the main teller’s lobby through a door at the rear of the larger room. He appeared very angry and didn’t seem to be looking where he was going. He stopped dead in his tracks as soon as he cleared the inner vestibule doors.
“Who are you two?” He demanded.
“Apparently your worst nightmare, Glenn Darby.” Christina sneered and I found us back in Pegasus’ Observation Lounge.
“What is going on? I demand to know what and who you people are!”
“Oh, so now I’m ‘people’? Up until five minutes ago I was an ‘it’ or ‘thing’. Make up your mind on your choice of my pronouns, Mr. Darby.”
The man’s eyes seemed to widen in recognition.
“Everhardt? What did you do with your hair? And…and where’d those come from?” He stuttered and rudely pointed to her boobs.
“Oh these?” She motioned to her chest. “They developed over the last fourteen hundred years, Mr. Darby.” She admitted with a predatory grin. “You like them? Pretty sexy for a ‘thing’, right?”
“And who are you?” Darby- I’m not quite sure how he was holding it together- questioned my identity. I was sure he hadn’t looked around yet.
“I’m your very close ‘second worst’, nightmare, Glenn Darby.”
As I said it, my staff appeared in my out-stretched hand- its gem was shining very brightly!
“High Priestess? Please, I’d like to handle this issue. If there should be a problem, I think Mother and Father should be present.
Louis and Colleen Everhardt exited the elevator onto the Observation Lounge as if choreographed.
“That is certainly true, Christina.” Colleen agreed with a nod of her head. Louis just smiled devilishly.
“No! You can’t be alive! I watched your car burn! You can’t be here!” He screamed in terror!
“Do you even know where ‘here’ is, ‘old friend’?” Louis asked sarcastically- his evil smile broadened while pointing up to the ceiling.
Darby was instantly on his knees, staring, unblinkingly at Terra… I mean Earth! I expected him to pass out any second now.
“What did you put in my drink at the Funeral Home?!” He stood and turned to Christina demanding an answer.
My sister’s ‘aura’ flared!
“You are in no position to demand anything, you insignificant-!” Christina’s voice echoed loudly throughout the lounge.
“Sister? Patience, please. He needs to exist for a couple more minutes.” I told her calmly.
Her eyes softened to a dull orange glow.
“As a heads up; I wouldn’t piss her off too much, Glenn. Christina isn’t the same wonderful, shy, young woman she once was. As you can see, she’s come into her own.” Louis suggested in warning.
“What is ‘it’?”
“It?” I questioned in anger. “We’re back to that again, Mr. Darby?”
Regarding him a moment, I answered his rude, vulgar question.
“Fine! Lt. Christina Everhardt is a beloved member of the Everhardt family and a beloved, esteemed member of EFMC’s Witch Corps, Mr. Darby. Incorporated locally 31 May, 2117 at U.N. Headquarters, New York, NY.”
Colleen, Christina, and I were instantly uniformed- our wands pointing at Darby’s head!
“Dude. Whatever you do, don’t dis’ their uniforms! They are very protective of their uniforms!” Louis chuckled as his clothing changed. He now wore what looked like a magician’s Tux and Tails complete with a Tophat.
“Hey! Now these threads are comfortable, High Priestess! Thanks.” He added, nodding to me.
Christina and I looked to each other and shook our heads. We hadn’t done it. Both of us looked to Colleen.
She was looking at us in confusion.
Quickly, all three of us shook our heads to dismiss the notion that Louis did it himself and re-centered our attention to our ‘guest’.
“Halloween was several months ago.” Darby began to gloat and laugh- thinking he had everything figured out. “Such a vivid ruse won’t keep me from that property! Property I now own fair and square!”
“You mean our property, Glenn!” Louis chuckled as he held out his right hand. A manila, interoffice folder possibly containing several sheets of paper appeared in it. Louis opened the folder and, piece-by-piece, he showed our guest.
“I must say, Christina, your handwriting has greatly improved over the years.” He praised his daughter.
“Well, I don’t have the sudden death of my parents stressing me out now, do I?” She answered.
“I’m so glad our doppelgangers fooled the authorities, Pumpkin. I had no idea you could create life or such a close approximation.” Colleen praised.
“But I still lost my A6, ladies! Let’s not forget that! I loved that car!” Louis said as he turned his glare to his ‘old friend’. “You wouldn’t happen to know where I could pick up another one would you, Glenn?”
For everything that he was experiencing, Darby just shook his head and looked completely stunned and dumbfounded.
“Kitty, Chance. We have eyes on Mastermind’s henchmen. Please advise or I’ll assume the safeties are off.” Kitty reported over our comm.
“Location, Kitty?” I asked in curiosity.
“Snidely and ‘grape-ape’ just showed to pay their respects.” She answered.
“How very decent of them.” Christina deadpanned. Still, her voice echoed malevolently in the lounge.
“Now, pumpkin! Not everyone is as cold as Glenn, here.” Colleen suggested hoping to calm her daughter down.
“Is the location secure, Kitty?” I asked.
“A holy man just arrived and has called for everyone to join together. All attention is toward the viewing room. I have no confirmed lock on Cronk, though. Repeat no satisfactory resolution on Cronk.” Kitty informed me.
“Alley Cat, Chance. Kitten and I have eyes on Cronk and we are green. Cronk is green.” Greer alerted.
I nodded to Christina who smiled evilly and nodded back.
Glenn Darby, Bob Garfield, Frank Welch, and Sol Strankovic were now all in Pegasus’ Observation Lounge.
“Welcome to Pegasus, gentlemen. Unfortunately, I use that term too loosely.” Louis Everhardt greeted.
Robert Garfield expressed his surprise, “Fuuuuuu”, before he passed out.
Frank Welch looked up to our ceiling and dropped silently to the floor!
Solomon Strankovic seemed completely unaffected by his new situation and location! “Cool!”
“I take it you’ve been out here before, Sol?” Louis asked while shaking his head and stifling his laughter.
“Alien abduction when I was fifteen.” He answered nonchalantly.
Colleen looked to me. “High Priestess?” She giggled.
“Naw. We only seek out ‘intelligent life’ or we risk breaking our prime directive.” I laughed.
“Soooo we just broke your ‘Prime Directive’ by transporting these four here?” Louis couldn’t contain himself anymore and began laughing gregariously! “Busted!”
“Daddy!” Christina giggled.
“Wow! What a rack!” Solomon gasped, as he must have just noticed Christina.
“Would you like one of your own, Solomon Strankovic?” Christina asked calmly as she took aim with her wand.
I had no doubt she would do it too!
“It would be a waste, pumpkin. Save your talent for a more worthwhile opportunity.” Colleen suggested.
“Sisters and brother Everhardt? What would you like to happen with these murderous criminals?” I asked as Garfield and Welch started to recover.
“I wish to see them face the law for the charges as they should, High Priestess. As we are currently in the past, our jurisdiction has yet to institute. It is only right that they face the current laws and court system for this planet.” Christina spoke as representative of her family.
“Truly well spoken, sister!” I praised and bowed slightly.
“Your majesties? Do you concur with your daughter’s logical, heartfelt, and charitable assessment?”
“We do, High Priestess.” Colleen answered as all four men’s heads instantly turned toward her and Louis.
“M-m-mmmajesties?” Glenn Darby stuttered in disbelief.
“Majesties, Glenn Darby. On my world, blue hair and a very large ‘rack’- as you barbaric, heathenistic animals call it- are the premiere attributes of planetary royalty. Wouldn’t you agree my noble family?” Colleen exclaimed loudly and Cora, Link, and Simone suddenly appeared.
“For over two-thousand years now, greatest-grandmother Colleen.” Aunt Cora replied.
“Please tell me that we are not transporting these”, Link made a sour face as she looked down to the four men’s groins, “these… underdeveloped… uncivilized… things back to Antarra, greatest-grandmother Colleen? We have far too many infantile penises to humor as it is.”
I fought very hard not to burst out in laughter!
Simone moved closer and rudely reached down and squeezed Garfield’s genitals through his pants.
“This one is the biggest of the lot and still nowhere near our minimal acceptable size! Throw it back… throw them all back, Christina! Lest we be accused of poaching the nursery spawn!”
“I think we’re being insulted, boss.” Strankovic suggested quietly.
“Shut up, Sol!” Darby hissed.
“We can’t just return them to their natural environment, High Priestess! Our existence must never be revealed to a pre-contact civilization.” Link remarked.
“So what shall we do?” I tried hard to sound serious and noble.
“Let’s give them each a prehensile tail.” Colleen suggested with unbridled glee.
“No can do, greatest-grandma. The Lynxin are our allies and we surely don’t want to insult them! They are proud, accomplished hunters and lethal assassins.” Aunt Cora reminded.
I couldn’t resist!
“Let’s make them part of the tour!” I shouted excitedly, gesturing to the ceiling with my right index finger to emphasize my brilliant idea.
Christina, Louis and Colleen, as well as I, burst out laughing!
“If you freaks are done mocking and insulting us, return us to Earth right now!” Glenn Darby demanded in extreme anger.
Where was he finding all that courage?
Mom and Charli exited the elevator.
“High Priestess?” Mom asked looking very serious and demonic. “Did I hear someone call for an ‘Anal Probing’?”
She instantly conjured what looked like a very lifelike 36cm dildo and held it high over her head waving the semi-rigid device excitedly.
Solomon Strankovic dropped to the floor and assumed a fetal position while sobbing hysterically!
The guy definitely had issues.
“They’re fucking with us, you idiots! This is all some sophomoric prank to get me to release their property! Well…it ain’t gonna work!” Glenn Darby growled angrily and made a move to snatch the interoffice folder from Louis’ grasp.
“I’ll take those!” He commanded.
The folder vanished.
“Wha?”
“Looking for these, Glenn Darby?” Christina cackled as she shook the folder at him.
“Gimme that you unholy abomination!” He demanded.
That… was the wrong thing to say!
Darby suddenly shrieked out in extreme pain and Christina was ablaze in her pure white aura!
I think we all took an involuntary step back!
I know that Nike was certainly on the defensive, as I had to fight to keep her from taking over!
Meanwhile, the folder floated right up in front of his twisting and pain-filled face. It began to turn brown at one edge and transitioned to black as the whole paper folder and its contents became consumed by an invisible fire. It fell to ashes in the matter of several seconds and the debris floated down to the deck.
“You call ME an unholy abomination?” Christina’s malevolent voice reverberated loudly throughout our Observation Lounge! “How can you qualify that declaration when, just five days ago, you and your accomplices MURDERED MY PARENTS?! Who is the bigger monster?!”
Christina’s aura pulsed. “Ah! Maybe you need shown what a true monster is?”
Darby’s body began to hover then distort, twist and change proportions. His shrieks of pain began to sound familiar!
Very familiar!
Colleen and Louis both gasped in horror!
Still, everyone except Christina had their wands pointed at the writhing, screaming, howling Hobgoblin.
Christina conjured a full-length floor mirror so the hideous thing could see itself.
“How does it feel to be one of the real monsters, Glenn Darby?” Christina demanded.
Nike demanded I release her to this world! It was increasingly more difficult to hold her back. The only thing in my favor was I knew something like this would happen and had prepared.
Glenn Darby was suddenly Terran again, but still hovered several dozen centimeters above the deck. The mirror vanished.
That is just one of the true monsters this galaxy contains, gentlemen. I can demonstrate several more examples on ol’ Glenn if you’d like?”
“I believe you made your point, Christina.” I said as I continued to hold Nike from taking my body over. “Nike grows extremely restless, sister. Time we should end their part in all this.”
That got the four men’s attention!
“May I suggest a guise that will make them unable to lie?” I offered after I let the four men’s minds race a while.
“To keep this time sequence on track, the crime can never be solved, High Priestess. We all know this as fact. I agree with a guise, but suggest something more…subtle. Something… more personal.”
“Continue, Lady Christina.” I motioned her to elaborate.
“First: a guise to secure our anonymity. Next, a compulsion that will have them rethinking their digressions and evil deeds- and not just against us Everhardts! A wise man once said: ‘the best retribution is not revenge, but retrospect and remorse.”
“Oh! I’ve heard that one before. It does seem appropriate. Who said that again?” Aunt Cora asked Christina curiously.
“An Antarran Prince- Lord Louis Everhardt Norge, Lady Cora; about nineteen-hundred-and-fifty-five years ago. Relative to Christina’s childhood home.” Savanna said just after she popped in beside me.
Our four ‘guests’ jumped with a start- even Solomon Strankovic.
“Including self-cleaning decks to Pegasus’ design has proved useful over the years, High Priestess. Do get up and act like a normal-spined- Terran male, Solomon Strankovic. We are not ‘that’ subspecies!” Savanna giggled while evilly regarding the still sobbing man.
“Are you sucking your thumb, dear man?” She added in shock as she took a few steps around him in curiosity.
“Apparently, he has…issues, Lady Savanna.” I giggled.
“But incontinence is so easy to alleviate in this ‘modern’ age, High Priestess! I shall remedy this small problem forthwith.”
Strankovic’s soiled trousers were instantly replaced with an adult-sized diaper.
“There! See, my sisters? All better.” Savanna said with an evil smile just before she popped out again.
Christina began laughing hysterically again as she pointed to the cowering man.
“She-ssssshe even gave-gave him… a binky!” She forced in between labored breaths!
“Lady Savanna? The fun has concluded. We need to finalize this intervention. Please remove your spell so we can apply our agreed upon guise and compulsion.” I called to the ceiling.
Savanna’s voice giggled around the lounge. “As you require, High Priestess. He-he-he.”
Strankovic was suddenly dressed in his normal clothes with not a mark or stain in sight.
He was also standing upright and gazing around in terror.
“You shall not remember this visit, gentlemen, but you will remember what you’ve all done.” I said as I nodded to Christina.
“High Priestess. I think it appropriate that those damaged the worst by these men’s nefarious actions be given warrant to continue?” She nodded to Colleen.
“Thank you, pumpkin.” Colleen nodded as she again pulled her wand and took aim.
Those of us standing behind our guests and likewise in the line of fire or ‘splash’ quickly cleared the area.
“Now that makes me feel confident.” Colleen groaned. She thought a moment and gently flicked her wand.
“Done, High Priestess.” She bowed courteously.
“Lady Christina? Care to do the honors and relocate our guests to their previous locations?” I prompted.
With a nod from our sister, all four cowering, sniveling men disappeared.
“Kitty, Chance. Both players are back in place.”
“Kitten, Chance. Cronk is back in place.”
“Water Lily, Chance! Mastermind re-appeared out in the middle of the street! He seems extremely disoriented. Should I assist?”
Both Charli and Christina sadly shook their heads.
“Negative, Water Lily. Mastermind is on his own from this point. Prepare for recall.” I said nodding to Christina.
“Copy. Water Lily is clear for-”
“-transport, Chance. Geez! Is somebody in a hurry here?” Aquia complained as she glared at Christina.
“Kitty, Chance. Chairman Tau and I are outside the location and clear for-”
“Yeah, thought that might happen!” Kitty deadpanned as she nodded to Christina. “Thanks.”
Tau hurried from the lounge into their suite without saying a word!
“He’s still not used to that, Sinae?” I questioned with a lopsided grin.
She shrugged her shoulders with an impish grin then sauntered back to the suite herself.
“Chance, Alley Cat and Kitten. Status for recall transport?” I asked. Lyra and Greer were our last landing party to be recalled.
“Standby, Chance. We have a possible situation.” Greer reported.
“Christina? Can you call your Holodisplay, please?” I asked.
Mainly to see if she could repeat the talent.
The full color display popped into existence and we watched Greer’s perspective.
Lyra could be seen engaged in conversation with ‘Paranormal Steve’.
“Say the word, High Priestess.” Christina hinted.
I nodded.
“I must disagree with you, miss, according to my instruments you…are…definitely…” Steven Pollock argued before he apparently finally realized something wasn’t right.
“I knew it! Where am I?” He asked after a few terrified seconds. He looked to the ceiling.
“Oh SHIT!” He exclaimed then gasped for air.
“Welcome aboard EFMC Pegasus, Steven.” Colleen greeted.
“Thank you for the swift transport, Lady Christina.” Lyra acknowledged. She and Greer bowed slightly.
“Steven? May I introduce you to our High Priestess, Chance Summers and the other esteemed members of the Earth Force Marine Corps’s Witch Corps Unit…?” Colleen welcomed and proceeded to introduce everyone present in the lounge.
“Of course you’ve already met my husband, Louis, and our daughter, Christina.”
Sinae- in her normal form- exited her suite.
“So, Tau will be okay in a few; what’d I mis-?” She asked, noticed Steven Pollock, and immediately snapped to full alert in her uniform, wand, and claws!
“I hope there is a reasonable explanation for him being here, High Priestess!”
Pollock turned white instantly- in fact; I think he paled faster than Sinae could fully manifest her uniform!
“Steven Pollock? Her Royal Highness, Kitty Sinae of the FeLane Confederation. She is a Lynxin.” I announced.
Pollock just stood there, not moving a muscle.
“This is where you say something respectful, like: ‘Your Majesty’ and bow courteously.” I prompted in a stage whisper.
Pollock gulped and bowed. “Your m-mmajesty?”
His eyes never moved from Sinae’s razor-sharp, fully extended claws on her left hand!
Aunt Cora cleared her throat.
“Also Queen Caroline Norge of the Norge Trade Federation… No, I didn’t forget, Aunt Cora.” I rolled my eyes, annoyed.
“I’ve heard a lot about you, Mr. Pollock. Please tell me you haven’t been intensively investigating our Matriarch over the last several years?” Aunt Cora requested.
“M-Matriarch? I’m a paranormal investigator, Majesties. It is my job to investigate the strange and unknown.” He bowed to Sinae and Aunt Cora separately.
“So, do you see anything here out of the ordinary, Mr. Pollock?” Aunt Cora smiled. “Or are you referencing Colleen Everhardt Norge as strange or an unknown entity?”
Again, Steven Pollock swallowed loudly and almost choked this time.
“Neither, your highness. I’ve just been investigating the strange occurrences around the disappearance of Christina’s twin sister several years ago. I noted several distinctive energy readings that registered substantially higher than normal during the incident- a reading that- normally background noise- flew off the scale for the briefest of seconds.” He explained without pause or fear.
“Here, put these on, Mr. Pollock.” I offered as I conjured a pair of Current sensitive spectacles.
“What you recorded is called ‘Current’, Energy, Lifeblood, or even ‘Essence’ and is present in all living things, Mr. Pollock. These glasses will allow you to view its presence.”
Placing them, Pollock began to look toward the front of our lounge then turned and quickly shaded his bespectacled eyes.
“It’s beautiful! But why are you and Christina so much brighter than the others, High Priestess?”
“Intelligent sort isn’t he?” Simone commented.
“What you see is the concentration of Current each one of us is currently holding. Chance and Christina are the most powerful of us. None of us though should be trifled with, Mr. Pollock.”
“Speaking of ‘trifled with’; cut the bullshit, Steven! Who are you really?” Colleen attacked.
“Ah. You’ve caught me, and seeing as you all have me at a disadvantage, Colleen, my real name is…” He paused with a huge smile. “Dr. Steven Samuel Pollock. I am a Paranormal Research Scientist investigating the ‘phantom energy spike’ I recorded 11:53AM, Feburary 20th, 2095. I have continued that investigation on the premise of where one spike hit, chances are more will follow. Satisfied, Mrs. Colleen Everhardt…Norge?”
“I like him, Chance! He’s a real smartass!” Sinae laughed. Her clothing changed back to what she had been wearing, dismissed her wand and retracted her claws.
“So you are a Lynxin? I don’t mean to be rude, I was just seeking clarification.” Pollock asked, looking completely infatuated.
“Yes. Our peoples meet several years from now, Mr Pollock. From there we become allies for the foreseeable future.” Sinae replied with a smile.
“I have soooo many questions.” Pollock said ecstatically to himself, but his exuberance turned to sadness.
“Too bad I’m not going to remember any of this.” He continued in defeat.
“Why would you say that, Mr. Pollock?” I asked in curiosity while cocking my head to the side.
“Really? Come on; I’m an unknown variable- an outsider, and a liability, High Priestess. I can’t be trusted with such secrets as Time-travelers or Magical Girl Marine Units! By my reckoning, your unit would be considered ‘blacker-than-black’ and way higher than ‘top secret’. Am I missing the mark here, ladies and gentleman?”
He nervously waited for any objections.
“Oh…I get it now.” His face saddened even deeper. “I’m not going to be released, am I?” He shook his head in despair. “I’m written off as just another missing person in your future, aren’t I?”
Receiving no rebuttal, Pollock nodded sadly, closed his eyes, and seemed to make his peace.
Did he really think we were going to silence him forever? Kill him? Really?
“Assets are rarely discarded, Steven.” I said as I approached and placed a kiss on his sweat-laden forehead.
“Keep the glasses, Mr. Pollock. My only request is that you memorize Lady Hope’s face,” I pointed to mom, “and when next you see her you make every attempt to give her your full support.” I said just before I nodded to Christina.
Steven Pollock vanished from our lounge.

 
 
“So, you two have anything you need to pack before we leave orbit, Mr. and Mrs. Everhardt?” I asked after watching Earth from our orbit a few minutes.
“Not really. Morgana agreed to watch the farm. She already knows when Christina will be finished with classes for the summer and when she starts the next semester, not that she’ll be on Earth by then.” Colleen answered grimly. “Sorry, that sounded so horrible. I have our monthly bills set for automatic payout- So as long as Morgana maintains our existing produce sales. She guaranteed that in return for our kind offer of free housing, she’ll keep up on the school, local, and county property taxes when they come due and keep the crops and livestock tended. To our neighbors, the farm has been sold and is being well managed. I also topped off Christina’s spending account at school. It should last for the duration Charli specified, so we’re good, High Priestess.”
I nodded.
“Chance, Lokust. Status?” I called over the comm.
“Pegasus is ready for departure at your discretion, High Priestess.” She reported eagerly.
“Navigation: Chart us a course to Antarra. Helm: Prepare to break orbit. Engineering: I want Transdimensional and Deep Space Camo as soon as we clear the debris field. Weapons: You know the routine for approaching the Antarran System’s defensive border.”
“AYE!” Everyone shouted enthusiastically and either disappeared or preceded to the elevator.
“High Priestess? Will I succeed at being ruler of a whole world?” Colleen asked, showing little confidence.
“Honestly? I really don’t know, Colleen. I’m not really the expert on Antarran history, but I do know several Coven sisters that are quite well versed?” I smiled.
All of which had disappeared and I assumed now at their stations preparing Pegasus for departure.
Savanna appeared and stood in silence as she nervously regarded the Everhardt's and me.
“A partial credit for your thoughts, munchkin?” I asked as she lowered her eyes and stared to the deck sadly.
“There was a deviation in the time sequence, mom.” She admitted quietly. “And I’m responsible for it.”
My daughter wiped her eyes of tears.
“Is it that bad, pumpkin?” Colleen Everhardt inquired cautiously.
“The man named ‘Solomon’… he now commits suicide instead of being admitted to a mental realignment facility for ten years. It’s all my fault, mom! If I hadn’t decided to show-off, I’d-”
“Stop right now, sweetie! We all let ourselves get a little out of control today.” I told her as I noticed Christina drop her head.
“So what happened to Glenn, pumpkin?’ Colleen asked of her daughter.
“As far as I know, he moved away just after my birthday, mom. I have no idea what happened to him after my… um…original departure from Earth.” Christina gulped.
“Glenn Darby considered turning himself into the authorities several different times but ultimately withdrew from society, failing to pay his debts and evacuated his home never to be seen alive again. Twelve years later, 2113, a partially decomposed corpse was found in Crawford County, near Linesville, Pennsylvania. Being badly beaten and horribly mutilated, a proper identification could not be established until DNA results confirmed his identity.” Savanna related somberly with her eyes closed. It sounded like she was reading a news stream.
“How about Garfield and Welch while you’re on a roll, Munchkin.” I asked.
“Robert Garfield tried several times to tell his wife, but the couple ultimately divorced in 2104. After the breakup, Robert went on to commit several convenience store robberies and served ten years on robbery and grand theft- auto.” She related- eyes still closed.
“Just ten for grand theft and robbery? Seems light.” Colleen posited.
“After ten years in prison, Robert Garfield was found naked and strangled to death in his cell. Several different samples of male semen were discovered during autopsy. As for Frank Welch? He was the only participant to turn himself in- and received life, but for a completely different homicide which he committed in 2109. He apparently never admitted to being part of the Everhardt conspiracy.”
“Is that what they called it, pumpkin? A conspiracy?” Colleen looked stunned.
“We are the only people in the entire galaxy that know the truth, Majesty.” Savanna revealed sadly, opening her eyes and wiping her tears.
“Chance. State police incident reports have been redacted as per your orders. Historical correlation to known archives is now 100%. I have also gained access to Pollock’s system and noticed that Steven has purged his case files relating to Christian and Caroline Everhardt, and the accident- both data and media. Course has been calculated and sent to the Helm.” Charli reported. “He really didn’t need to do all that, Honey. It might have been something the ‘Cloud’ dropped anyway-.”
“Helm has received the course, Chance. What are we waiting for?” Mom interrupted- the usual edge to her voice.
“Engineering is ready, Chance.” Simone acknowledged.
“Targets! Gimme some targets! I want some targets, dammit!” Sinae demanded from Weapons.
“Cousin is getting very impatient the older she gets, Chance. I’ll keep the safeties engaged for as long as I can.” Lyra giggled.
“The First Officer is going to file a hostile workplace environment grievance if you don’t appease our resident divas, dear!” Lokust complained.
“Fine! Make it so, number one.” I ordered in annoyance.
Terra began to grow smaller above us as Pegasus began to break orbit. The moon began to grow larger off to the lower right of the Lounge ceiling, but quickly disappeared to be replaced by blue streaks that filled the transparent ceiling.
“Now that is beyond words!” Louis Everhardt exclaimed quietly, mostly to himself as he first took Colleen’s hand then pulled her close to wrap his arm around her waist. Both stared in complete amazement as the stars streaked by.
“Antarra in forty-eight-point-four standard hours, Chance.” Charli informed us. “Current velocity is forty-eight-point- seven-six LY’s per second.”
Both Everhardts’ mouths dropped open!
 
 

 
 
“So.” Louis started to say as he returned to watch the stars streak overhead. He had escorted Colleen down to Christina’s quarters to get some rest while Christina was on duty at the Engineering Console. “You ever get tired of it?”
“Of the view, hunting the bad guys, or life in general?” I asked with a comforting smile.
“Well, that first one, but do you ever grow weary of that sensation… that feeling deep inside you?” He clarified.
“The feeling? Oh, you’re latent Current?” I asked, hoping that was what he was referring to.
“Is that what you call it- ‘Current’? I guess you get callus after awhile, huh?”
“Never disregard it. Never ignore it. I’d learn to listen to your Current, Louis. Doing that has been very beneficial for me.” I recommended. “So how long have you been able to sense your Current?”
“I’ve always had that… um… feeling… of … of ‘something’? It became more apparent just after you brought Christina back to us. Thank you, by the way. It’s nice to be a family again. And even more satisfying to see her finally happy with herself, Chance.”
“Glad we could help, Louis. We only wanted Christina to be happy. She’s been through hell- as you can imagine.” I said.
“Actually, I can’t imagine what that girl went through! Fourteen hundred years! How is she still our little girl…or sane? There were so many variables at play for her to even be found by you, Chance; then even more for her to survive in deep space that long. You say she was in something called ‘Cryo-Sleep’?
“She claimed she doesn’t remember anything until we revived her back at our base.”
“Thank God for that then.”
“They have been looking out for her for quite some time, Louis.” I hinted.
Louis Everhardt tilted his head and looked at me quizzically.
I smiled and nodded my head a few times.
“Although the God may or may not have been watching, the Gods and Goddess’ of Terran Myth were certainly watching and actively supervising… as well as Christina herself.”
“Huh?”
“Oh, like you haven’t noticed how her talents outshine the rest of our Coven by lightyears? Christina is capable of a great many things, including temporal travel- and that on a whim, Louis! Zeus, himself, has stated that Christina is far more powerf…talented than even him.”
“The Zeus? The lightning and thunder Zeus?” Louis goggled.
“Why does that surprise you so much?” I asked as I saw the tall Greek god appear behind him.
“That is the question I’d like him to answer, High Priestess.” Zeus chuckled.
‘Clean-up in the Observation Lounge’ crossed my mind!
Louis gulped as he slowly turned toward the male voice. As he turned around I noticed a very 33rd century plasma pistol appear in his left hand. He kept it behind him, out of sight.
Curious.
Zeus wasted no time and grasped Everhardt’s right arm in friendship.
“It is an honor to meet you, Louis Everhardt, paternal inspiration to our Scion, Christina Everhardt.” The big guy congratulated happily.
“So? What’s the occasion, sir?” I asked, eyeing the Greek God cautiously.
“Relax, High Priestess. I have not come to challenge or even task, quest, or test this Antarran. I am here for us to become acquainted, and to answer questions that may help in understanding his daughter’s significance to the universe.” Zeus explained as he motioned for me to calm myself.
His eyes momentarily glanced to Louis. Of course he knew of the weapon.
As if sensing the Greek god’s notice, Louis’s pistol disappeared.
“I didn’t know my daughter meant so much to the gods of old, sir.” He stated courageously.
“You have a good and logical head on your shoulders, Louis Everhardt. I see the Antarrans are in very capable hands now. To answer your question, Christina is the Scion of the Universe, sir. She and she alone carries all our fates on her accomplished shoulders. To that end, her education and moral beliefs are of utmost importance. Hence, I have tasked my Valkyrie with that most sensitive and required development.”
“Valkyrie?” Louis repeated as he turned back toward me. He shook his head while holding his nose in thought.
“Ya know? Of course… why didn’t I see it in the first place- after all, it only makes sense!” He groaned in resignation then turned back to Zeus.
“So what can Christina do? Destroy the whole universe if she wanted? Reverse the ‘Big Bang’? Make it so nothing exists- anywhere?” Louis continued.
“And I’d imagine more, Louis Everhardt!” Zeus shuddered. “Christina is someone or something that I, in my vast and extended existence only imagined could exist. She is closer to the God than any of my forbearers even realized. How or why Christina chose this universe to manifest in, even the Oracles cannot divine. She is the ultimate anomaly and exception. Some would even title her the Alpha and the Omega.”
“It sounds as if you’re terrified of my daughter, sir. Christina wouldn’t hurt a fly!”
“But I am, Louis Everhardt! And, it is not the flies I am worried she might extract her wrath on.”
“So you fear what she might do? Why? What have you and the other Gods done to deserve such punishment?”
“Punishments aren’t only dispensed to criminals and naughty children, Louis Everhardt. Punishments have also been given for the amusement of the giver.”
“Are you saying that Christina is malevolent?” Louis jumped to that conclusion instantly.
“The probability and option is always present.” Zeus answered sadly.
“She would never do that! Not our Christina! No! Not possible, sir!” Louis objected vehemently!
“Wasn’t it once said in a ‘Blockbuster’ Terran movie, that ‘With ultimate power comes ultimate responsibility’?” Zeus posed in response.
“Colleen and I brought our daughter up to be unbiased, just, and moral, sir! I have never known her to be violent or immoral!”
“And for that fact we Olympians have restrained ourselves from taking any actions… ineffective as they would be…”
 
 

 
 
“One standard hour until the Antarran defensive border, Chance.” Link announced from Navigation.
“Can Lyra take the safeties off now, Chance? Pleeeease?” Sinae begged pathetically.
“Withdrawals?” Mom said as she turned to me, but looked sideways at Sinae.
“Effin’ ‘A’ right! My finger’s been itchy since we left Terra!” Sinae bitched. I hadn’t seen her like this in several years.
“My Queen! Such vulgarity!” Tau scolded.
“Oh, up your’s, Tau! I wanna KILL somethin’!” Kitty Sinae snarled!
“As you wish, my queen.” Tau backed down and became very quiet at the back of the bridge.
“Hey. You okay, Sinae?” I asked gently- standing and walking over to her.
“Just feeling a little irritable today, Chance. I’m sorry, Tau. Sorry, everybody. I’m not feeling myself today.” She apologized, first to Tua then to everyone on the bridge.
“Why don’t you go below and take out some of that ‘irritability’? I wasn’t planning on announcing our arrival this time. Remember, we need to be two thousand years earlier in Antarra’s history. So sorry, we’re not going to blow up anything until possibly after we get back to our own time, Sinae.” I explained.
“A prudent decision considering Antarra was not allied with Terra or FeLane at this time in our history.” Aunt Cora agreed from her jump seat at the rear of the bridge.
“When we get there, put us into a geo-sync-plus-four thousand meters orbit above Norge, but remain cloaked.” I ordered.
“Aye, Chance.” Mom acknowledged crisply.
“Christina? I need you, Louis, and Colleen on the bridge in one standard hour.”
“Copy, Chance. We’ll be there.”
 
 

 
 
“It hasn’t changed much since the last time I saw it.” Colleen admitted in awe and relief of being ‘home’ again. “Granted I’d never been in orbit above Antarra, but I can remember seeing images from our orbital stations.”
“Several of the Governmental Buildings are missing by my reckoning, Peach Pie.” Aunt Cora said and began pointing out where the diplomatic wing of her royal mansion and the spaceport had yet to be built.
“Oh. My. God! Is this it? Is this Antarra, Aunt Cora? It’s beautiful!” Christina screeched as she- being the last to arrive- stopped and asked- dumbfounded.
“It is the Antarra of today; roughly the same one I left sixty-three years ago, pumpkin.” Colleen answered proudly and still a bit excited.
“But we’ll need to see the Antarra of two thousand-forty-six years ago, Scion, so if ready I will proceed?” I heard Nike reply.
She hadn’t asked this time to assume control and I let her know in no uncertain terms.
‘I think Christina should do it by herself this time, Lady Nike.’ I thought to her.
‘Of course, High Priestess. It escaped me how adversely affected we were last time.’
I felt Nike retreat.
“Sorry about that. Nike just got excited. She suggests you try this jump on your own, Christina.” I deferred, my hand motioning to her.
Christina Everhardt immediately started to go pale!
“I’m… I’m not sure I can do this, High Priestess.” She choked out.
“Nike says she has the utmost confidence in you, Lady Christina.”
‘I most certainly did not, High Priestess! Those are your words and not mine!’ Nike argued angrily in my mind.
“She urges you to try.” I added as I suddenly got a migraine.
Christina looked a little suspicious.
“Okay. Supposing I do this? What year am I shooting for?” She asked cautiously.
“It is written that Colleen and Louis Norge suddenly appeared right before an overpowering force of Heathens tried to lay siege on the Province heart of Norge’s Heath. So,” Aunt Cora stopped to do the math.
“Two thousand- forty-six years. The sixth segment; eighth day.” Aunt Cora paused again. “An hour before mid-day.”
“How about in Terran, Aunt Cora? I’m still not good with Antarran yearly cycles.” Christina asked.
“Two thousand and one years; May fifth; 1030hrs.” Charli translated from Navigation.
“Oh, okay then. Here we go.” Christina said in slight annoyance as the huge city on our main display vanished and was replaced by forests for as far as our display’s resolution could render.
“Wow! What a difference a few thou can make!” Kate exclaimed after she whistled in appreciation.
“Charli? Could you zoom on the Keep, please?” Aunt Cora requested.
Caroline Norge seemed awestruck for a moment!
“I thought it would be bigger.” She said just above a whisper.
On the display, a smoky haze seemed to be hovering over a section of forest about five kilometers to the north.
“The opposing forces, Charli?” I asked.
“It appears so, Chance. Sensors indicate about four thousand troops.”
“The Royal Archives claimed the number at two thousand and ten. Chance! What changed?”
“Witch Corps hasn’t arrived on scene yet, Aunt Cora.” Savanna answered as she was suddenly standing next to Christina.
“Hey, Sinae? You still feel like killing something?” I asked over the comm.
“Thought you’d never ask!” She growled, having suddenly appeared behind Lyra’s Weapons Lockout console.
“My Lynxin sisters, you are ‘GO’ for an away mission. Whittle the opposing forces down to the required two thousand and ten, but remain unseen. It must look like an indigenous predator attack, if observed at all.”
Savanna looked to me and nodded.
“Tau. You have my bridge. Aquia? Mount up. I think we need to create some thunder in the sky- in the form of sonic booms to show the ‘Gods’’ displeasure. Kate? Since you’re the Coven pacifist, you’re at the helm. Charli, you’ll stay in Navigation and relay troop movements and other important intel…”
“Hey, now! Whoa there, Chance!” Kate interrupted. I may be a pacifist, but I like to have fun just like the next girl! Put me in, Coach!”
I noticed the bridge door had almost re-closed and Aquia was nowhere to be seen.
“High Priestess? It would be an honor to command your fine vessel and need I remind you that my AstroPiloting Certification is still valid and active.”
“Fine. Pegasus? Help our Prime Minister out if he starts getting sloppy. Dad? You too.”
“Got it, Sweetie! You girls go have some fun. Tau and I can handle things up here. Wow! That girl gets faster every time she’s asked to fly! Chance, Pegasus15 is ready for departure already.”
“Permission granted. Everyone stay on comm.”
“Copy, P.C.; Pegasus15, Surf’s Up, ready for departure. See you in the skies above, ladies!” Aquia reported. She sounded extremely happy to be on a sortie again.
“Stay in Dynamic Camo, Water Lily.” I said with a wide smile.
“Copy, Chance.”
“Witch Corps! To uniforms.” I ordered.
“Everyone on the bridge popped into uniform, including Tau and Louis.
“Um… somehow I don’t think we’re very ‘stealthy’ in these uniforms, Chance.” Louis commented after clearing his throat.
“We’re wasting time, Chance!” Sinae growled as her uniform became a pastel green type camo pattern complete with a camo ‘Boonie hat’ that allowed her ears to poke through.
“Better, Louis?” She smiled, her canines very evident.
What was up with her?
Following her lead, we all changed from our normal uniforms into our ‘Forest Camo’.
“Ready for transport, Perfessor.” I winked to Christina.
We were suddenly standing in a dense conifer forest.
“Kitty, Kitten, Alley Cat. You guys fan out and start thinning their flanks. Porno, Laidy-in-Wait, Peaches, Duke, and Double-Take, you guys swing around to their frontline and keep their attention. Just pretend to be a ‘scouting’ party. Please. Stay out of arrow range?” I urged.
What about us, Chance?” Kate asked.
“We’ll go in from the back. First, let’s see what we look like with blue hair.” I told my squad.
“Ewwww! I prefer my real hair, Chance!” Mom growled.
“Fine!” I capitulated and removed our hair incantation. “Alert me when you all get into position.”
Kitty, Kitten, and Alley Cat were suddenly nowhere to be seen.
“Christina? Think you can play your ‘head games’ with these guys? Maybe pop straight into the center of their encampment and stir things up with the support staffers?”
“Aye, Chance.” She saluted and vanished.
“Savanna? Could you go to the Keep and alert the current Regent that help is being supplied by Clan Norge?” I asked into the partly clouded sky. “Give him a vague description of ruthless female warriors with blue hair, but say nothing of ‘Witch Corps’.”
I heard several female screams from far ahead of us. Christina had already started to have fun.
“Alright, ladies! Disable, disarm, and immobilize. Kill only as necessary. Move out!” I ordered.
 
 

 
 
“So. Tell me again how this is going to distract anyone?” Coraline asked sarcastically as we appeared on a slight ridge that I hoped obscured the five of us from the invaders lookouts’.
“We need the lookouts of the Keep to see us, Sugar Plum. This way they know that we are on their side.”
No sooner after I had said that, I heard the thunder of horse hooves approaching from behind us.
“Those idiots! They’ll get us all killed!” I said as I slowly backed down from the ridge and hurried down the four-meter natural embankment to head the horsemen off before we were all detected.
 
 
“Whoa!” The lead rider commanded as I courageously waved my hands to stop them.
“You idiots!” I hissed, “You want to get us all killed!”
“It is you that shall be dispatched if you do not surrender, bosomy whore! Fetch your handler for I want an explanation!”
“Get off the damn horse and fetch him yourself, asshole!” I commanded and produced my wand.
With just a flick he and his five comrades were standing beside their mounts, completely flabbergasted!
“A witch? What meddlesome chaos do you wish to conjure! We have enough of that with yonder invaders!”
“We’re here to help protect the Keep, now back those grass burners off so we don’t alert ‘yonder’ horde!” I continued angrily as I pointed back toward the Keep.
He seemed stymied a moment.
“Such strange use of language! Never the less, even though a witch, you will not give orders to the king’s advanced guard!” He pushed.
Christina was suddenly at my side glaring at the soon to be dead soldier. Six loud gasps risked alerting the opposition as to our whereabouts.
“Lady Caroline? I thought I advised to remain unseen by the invaders of my favored peoples. Lady Colleen Norge, when I assigned this challenge to you and your Valkyrie, I expected more finesse and definitely more competence!
“Goddess Christina, these men rode out from the Keep! I have yet to determine why they would do so when your commands were very specific. I had to thwart their advance as they almost violated our optimum observational location. But, as we speak, my other two squads are positioning themselves to reduce the enemy’s number.” Colleen explained- per our planning session earlier in the flight- as she reached the bottom of the hill.
“So the Assassins? They accepted your invitation as I prophesized?” Christina challenged.
“Exactly as you foretold, Goddess Christina.” Colleen smiled and bowed courteously. “With your blessing we might just win the day for Norge’s Heath!”
“Then you have my blessing, Colleen Norge, leader of the legendary Norge Clan and rightful heir to Norge’s Heath!” Christina smiled brightly, winked, and began to emit a moderate intensity, pure white light before she disappeared.
Again I heard the gasps of the soldiers.
Out of all of us, she seemed to be having the most fun.
“Will you six shut the hell up?! I will kill you all myself if the horde doesn’t find us first!” Simone growled viciously as she pointed to our new- noisy- arrivals with an extremely sharp looking curved sword she produced from behind her back. It was almost as long as she was tall.
I wondered how she could make use of such an immense weapon. Yet she wielded it with noble grace and great skill.
“Goddess forgive me, but if these simpletons create anymore noise or distraction, end them, Lady Simone!” Colleen commanded.
“Are you sure she should do that, my mate? They are the very citizens we are here to defend.” Louis countered quietly.
“The order still stands, Lady Simone!” Colleen growled.
“Still wondering who is in charge around here, Magistrate?” I questioned, finally remembering the ancient military and civilian ranks.
“That was the one true Goddess? Goddess Christina, Earth Mother of Antarra?” The conscripted civilian soldier whispered loudly.
It seemed he was still a few paragraphs short of keeping up.
Simone quickly and sinuously dropped into her ‘attack’ pose and snarled menacingly. Apparently, Kitty was more influential than I thought.
Good!
“I would never chance worship of any false Goddess, Magistrate. My sisters, my husband, and I all took oath to only worship the true Goddess of Antarra. To consider doing otherwise would result in fates much worse than death!” I answered reverently.
“Guards of the Regency! Return to the Keep to send word of our arrival at the battlefront. Clan Norge’s Valkyrie are here to protect what is rightfully Lady Colleen’s throne. Convey to the Regent that after reconnoitering the horde, representatives of Clan Norge shall arrive to discuss defensive tactics. Go now and prepare!” Colleen declared, thus guaranteeing what was written in Antarra’s history books was validated.
“It shall be done, majesty!” The Magistrate bowed with his fist to his chest then motioned his comrades back to the Keep.
We waited silently for the men to walk their horses away from our position.
 
 
“Damn girl! Fine job of sticking it to them!” I praised Colleen.
“Even I know that those morons would have called at least several dozen of the enemy down on us, Cora. It really doesn’t take a military expert to see that.”
“Understood, but you handled the situation just as I would, Majesty!” I explained as I bowed to her.
“Knock it off, Cora! I’m not the queen of anything yet. Should we continue our surveillance, or should we retreat to the Keep?” She warned.
“Our job is to create a distraction for our sisters to dwindle the enemy, Majesty.” Coraline reminded.
“Link is absolutely correct, Cora. We should disperse and begin our diversions. “Peaches, Witch Corps. The royals are in the house.” Colleen reported as she activated her Comm pendant.
“Copy, Peaches. Let the festivities begin.” Chance answered.
Simone headed away to our right. Coraline to our left while I motioned for Colleen and Louis to move a few meters back in the direction of the Keep.
“Not a chance in hell, Cora!” Colleen hissed. This horde is my responsibility to vanquish. Now let’s do this!”
My sister conjured a very ornate longbow, set a very deadly looking arrow to it, pulled back, and aimed. Taking a deep breath, she centered herself, smiled, mumbled at few words, and let fly the archaic projectile.
“THIS IS MY LAND AND YOU SHALL NOT HAVE IT!” She shouted at the top of her lungs!
We heard several screams of agony from about three hundred meters in front of us.
“Remind me to thank Kate for her incantation. The magical guidance system she told me about works amazingly well on these primitive weapons. Also… Louis? Thank you for teaching me archery, dear.”
“It was my pleasure, my warrior queen.” He replied with a bow and a satisfied smile.
“Real subtle, sister. That definitely got their attention.” Simone said over Comm.
“It’s dismemberment time!” Kitty exclaimed, though a little too enthusiastically I thought.
 
 
Kitty Sinae:
 
Had I just proclaimed that? What had taken root in me to facilitate such aggression? I had only experienced this much animosity after Chance and Lokust had freed Dell, Simone, and I from conscription almost nine years ago aboard the Mare!
I stopped to think about that and noticed the carnage I had unconsciously brought around me.
Several fast-approaching armed warriors quickly reminded me of a soldier’s first rule: remain attentive; your life depends on it!
“Kitten, Kitty. Cuz? Is there some unknown strain or tension in your life that we had not known about? It seemed like you were indulging a little too deeply in this endeavor. Remember that the comms are open, so we heard everything, my queen.”
“Something about these Antarrans just irritates me to no end, cousin! The aggression stays paramount. I cannot define a cause for it. Ah! I’ve got the drop on a dozen more!” I said as I again went into action.
Once again I collected myself and was astonished by what I saw around me!
“I did all that? I don’t remember any of this! ARRRRRRHHHWWWWggg! What good is inflicting destruction if I don’t remember doing it?!”
“Did I just say that?”
“You did, my queen. Whatever the cause, Kitten and I offer our support.” Greer’s voice tried to comfort.
Her voice sounding so much like mine though, I thought it my conscious.
“Assume it some ‘temporal’ bloodlust for now and continue our mission, sister. I beg you.”
 
 
“Kitty! Swing around to your left for one hundred-twenty meters and re-engage. Sensors indicate a bulge in that flank. Kitten? Start sliding to your three and meet Alley Cat somewhere in the middle. Chance, you are approaching the encampment. Please be careful, sweetie.” Charli advised. She sounded very concerned when calling my name.
“Kitty copies.” I said as I stealthily hurried off.
So far all those that saw me would never again speak about what dispatched them.
“Alley Cat copies.”
“Kitten, copies.”
“Got it Seeker.”
“Chance?” Hope called over comms. “I’m coming up on Kitty’s initial engagement point. By the Goddess! The carnage! To say the land runs red with blood is a vast understatement!”
More savages were arriving…
 
 

 
 
“Cousin? I fear your involvement is becoming too intimate. Please retreat to regroup to enable some modicum of recovery.” Lyra urged.
“I concur with Kitten, my lady.” Christina whispered from behind me. “It seems your passion for combat has aggressively presented itself. Continuing such behavior would not maintain your healt-.
The claws of my right hand were embedded in her left arm just below the shoulder and my eyes bulged as I noticed her bleeding out from the five deep wounds!
What had I just done!
As I fell to my knees, I realized I was back on Pegasus. Christina held me tightly in her arms as I began to cry heavily.
I hadn’t meant to attack my sister, why had I done that? Even now I could feel the urge to protect- to attack- to dispatch anything or one that came near me.
“Lady Kitty, you are not yourself today. Though, you have completed your assigned task. The northeastern flank has been reduced as expected.” Christina comforted as she looked up and behind me with sad eyes. “It is now time for you to seek peace and rest, my courageous sister-in-arms.”
Somehow that statement sent shivers through me and I began to retaliate then felt a relaxing fog come to me.
“No! please don’t…”
 
 

 
 
“Christina?” Lokust asked as I carefully picked our sister off the deck. “What did she mean ‘please don’t put me down’?”
I gulped loudly.
“In my time, you ‘put down’ a sick animal- sometimes a sickly beloved pet- to put them out of their misery. Some referred to it as ‘putting them to sleep’. It is considered a more humane way of saying ‘euthanized’.” I explained as tears ran down my face and plunged to the floor from my chin.
“No! You didn’t jus-?” She exclaimed in horror!
“No! I just sedated her so she can rest, and also so we can determine what is going on.” I told her calmly.
“I think I’ve seen these exact symptoms in the past, Christina. Many times in fact.” Charli said as she appeared in my open doorway.
“I too have seen or heard tell of such behavior.” Tau added as he followed Charli into my room, though he had a quirky grin hiding just below his concerned expression.
“Okay?” I prompted to either one of them.
I’ve only noticed it in Lynxin females, Christina. Let me scan her to verify my theory.” Charli said as she conjured her DataTab and began scanning it over Kitty’s slumbering body.
Charli sighed, rubbed her nose in frustration, looked to Tau, and gave a slight nod.
Tau’s well-disguised grin emerged.
“About one standard month.” Charli reported.
I gasped, having done my own impromptu scan. “She’s gonna be so pissed!” I exclaimed.
“Major, Seeker. We have a sit-rep on Kitty yet? Is it what we both think? Yes or no?”
“Yes, but Christina gave her a sedative. She’s getting some much needed rest at the moment.”
“Oh! She’s gonna be soooo pissed!” Hope sounded like she was laughing.
 
 
Lyra:
 
“Major, Seeker. We have a sit-rep on Kitty yet? Is it what we both think? Yes or no?”
“Yes, but Christina gave her a sedative. She’s getting some much needed rest at the moment.”
“Oh! She’s gonna be soooo pissed!”
Lady Hope sounded like she was laughing? It suddenly dawned on me why she was doing that.
Just as I smiled at the realization, I spotted Greer heading in my direction.
“I think we’re done here, Kitten” She said quietly. “Most of the enemy soldiers have retreated into a dense central group nearer their encampment. Our guerilla tactics are no longer useful.” She advised as we met, hugged, and dropped low for cover.
“Why was Major laughing at our queen’s overly aggressive behavior?” She asked quietly in confusion.
“I have heard tell of this condition, Alley Cat. It is not life threatening…well, only if it manifests on the battlefield- as we have seen- of course.”
“She’ll be okay though, right?” She asked innocently as we silently made our way to rendezvous with Chance.
“Our Queen will be fine, Greer. It’s PM Tau I am worried for.” I giggled quietly.
A hand on my shoulder stopped my progress.
“You mean she’s…?”
“Looks like you’re going to be an Aunt, Alley Cat.” I smiled brightly.
Greer gasped! “She’s gonna be so, so pissed!”
 
 
Caroline Norge:
 
“Major, Seeker. We have a sit-rep on Kitty yet? Is it what we both think? Yes or no?”
“Yes, but Christina gave her a sedative. She’s getting some much needed rest at the moment.”
“Oh! She’s gonna be soooo pissed!”
“Oh, you gotta be shittin’ me!” I exclaimed as I heard the conversation over our comms.
“What’s up, Cora?” Louis asked as he came up to where I was on point.
“The damn Lynxin is going to have a kit or kitten in eight standard months!”
“What?” Louis choked.
“She’s just like her great-grandma! She couldn’t keep her legs together either!” I spat.
“Jealous much, Aunt Cora?” Simone giggled.
I stopped walking and turned back to my squad.
“Hardly!” I hrumphed before turning and resuming our trek to the Keep at Norge’s Heath. “I prefer to adopt my heirs. Less painful. Easier on the royal figure.”
“I wouldn’t be against it, Aunt Cora.” Coraline admitted. The look on her face as I looked back only strengthened her statement.
“Which? Your adoption or your desire of birthing offspring?” I asked with a wry grin. “Cause, in order to do that second thing, you definitely need to be more than ‘against’ ‘it’, Sugar Plum!”
Coraline rolled her eyes at me, but a slight grin formed on her lips.
“Oh, you are the naughty Norge, Coraline!” I laughed as she instantly blushed and dropped back.
“You know…Momma always told stories about you royals.” Colleen laughed. “I can honestly say she was only half right!”
We had arrived at the first of many villages that surrounded the Keep. The tiny, very poor, settlement of maybe eight ramshackle structures was completely deserted except for the occasional stray livestock wondering here and there. We continued to walk through the village toward the next closer village being ever mindful of our surroundings.
 
 
“Strange that everyone appears to have evacuated to the Keep, isn’t it?” Louis observed. “I mean… there are always some pig-headed individuals that think they can outlast the coming storm.”
“Of course we’re being watched, Louis.” Simone confided, unbothered. “Six to our ten; three on our five; one whelp following at several dozen meters just seven on our six, and that guy up in the rafters high up on our two.” Simone listed- pointing in each specified position then finally pointing to the person on a thatched roof livestock building off to our slight right that quickly ducked back out of view.
“Porno, Chance. We have stockers. Might need Kitten and Alley Cat as back up.”
“Copy, Porno. Kitten and Alley Cat copy?”
“On our way, Porno. Kitten, out.”
I nodded to Simone. “Fetch the Whelp, sister?”
“I’ll be right back,” She said as she disappeared and quickly returned holding a mid-teens boy tightly by his ragged collar.
“Why are you following us?” She demanded.
“You’re a witch? What do you want here…with us?” He dared, though I could tell he was about to soil himself.
“We’re all witches, Sugarpie.” I smiled. “Now please answer my sister’s question.”
“You were watching the invaders. I was curious; why would you all do that?” He answered honestly. “You even loosed an arrow into their number. I have never witnessed a single arrow dispatch three armored men before.
“Why do you think we would be doing that, Sugarpie?” I proposed.
“I was hoping that maybe, just maybe, you might be here to help us repel Lord Christoff’s army.” He shrugged his shoulders.
“Smart lad.” Louis praised placing a hand in his shoulder. “And how did you arrive at such an interpretation, son?”
“My lord,” The boy bowed, “the witches… they all have ‘Sky hair’. Most of us have hair of Earth or Fire or Coal or wheat. I’ve only seen a ‘Sky hair’ once, and not an hour prior.”
“And who was this ‘Sky-hair’ you observed previous to us?” Simone asked with narrowed eyes.
“I know not her name, but she appeared as you did to me but surrounded in pure white light, my lady.” He replied.
“The Goddess Christina!”
As we had discussed earlier, I gasped and looked to my group dramatically and proclaimed, “The boy has seen our Goddess! The Goddess Christina is watching and protecting us! With her favor we will win this day, sisters and brother!”
“That was the Goddess Christina? She was beautiful and very kind to me, and she even gave me food and drink! She suggested I follow and supplement the next ‘Sky-hairs’ I see. That’s you, right?” He asked, completely enamored by meeting an actual Goddess.
“Majesty? What are we to do with the child since the Goddess has smiled upon him?” Coraline asked Colleen while bowing to her.
“Wait! You’re royalty?” The boy asked stupidly.
He was suddenly on his knees, head bowed to the dirt of the trodden path.
“Forgive me, majesty! I had no thought as to who you were.” He pleaded.
“Son? Please stand.” Louis sighed as he walked over and reached to help the respectful youth up. “You are more than welcome in the company of Lady Colleen and her Valkyrie- all being of Clan Norge. We require no prostration, but we would simply ask your friendship and possibly your loyalty… after we earn it, that is.”
The youngster gave us all a very strange look and remained quiet for a few minutes as he apparently tried to figure us out.
“Clan Norge you say? I’ve heard of you. According to the Goddess you are the fiercest fighters in all the lands- and the most honorable. She told me that your Clan once ruled over Norge’s Hea…”
The proverbial light came on over his head.
“You are here to liberate us and reclaim what is rightfully yours? The Goddess is truly wise and all-seeing!” He gushed excitedly.
Colleen turned, set an arrow, and let it fly so fast that I had almost no time to jerk out of the way.
A man in heavy metal armor on horseback rode into view behind us from the distant enemy line. He fell, lifeless, just before we moved out of the galloping steed’s way. A large hole- but no arrow- in his chest indicated the probable cause of his demise.
Simone walked over and rolled the corpse over.
“It was a through-and-through, majesty. Nice shot!” She reported.
“How was the arrow not stopped by his battle armor, majesty?” The boy asked, baffled by such a feat.
Simone quietly held her hand out and conjured the blood stained projectile in her upturned palm.
“Enchanted arrows.” She grinned.
“Have you a name, Sweetiepie?” I asked placing a hand on his shoulder as Simone handed the retrieved arrow back to Colleen.
“Thomas, my ladies. Thomas of Norge’s Mill. My village is several stones’ throw away in that direction.” He answered and pointed over to our left, into a lush, forested valley.
“So what brings you into such close proximity of the invading forces, Thomas?” I asked.
“The Regent; he called for young agile men to go forth and gather important information of the enemy’s whereabouts.” Thomas answered.
“So you’re a spy for the Regent. Doesn’t he already employ scouts, pumpkin- experienced scouts that better know the trade?” Colleen responded.
“Those skilled men he retains around the Keep to maintain security and morale, majesty. I am honored to be called into the Regent’s service.”
You’re expendable!” Colleen accused angrily then looked to me. “Why sentence a kid to certain death and define it as an ‘honorable service to this Regent? He sounds like a coward to me!”
“You call the Regent a coward, majesty?’ Thomas asked, confused.
“I do indeed! Why would any competent ruler hold his experienced scouts- the men best equipped to carry out the needed reconnaissance- within the Keep just for ‘security’ and ‘morale’? I would think the Keep’s Guards better suited to those issues, while the army and scouts do their designed tasks.” Colleen continued, anger still tingeing her voice.
“It is most strange now that you mention it. Now I feel conflicted by the Regent’s decries, majesty.” Thomas answered with finger and thumb holding his chin.
“Are we still being watched, Simone?” Colleen asked quietly.
“Yep.”
“You speak of the men to either side lying in ambush? I have seen only two of them on my few visits to the Keep.”
“Let’s meet them, shall we?” Colleen grinned evilly. Coraline, Simone, and I returned her grin and I concentrated on where I wanted to transport to.
“Hey, boys! I don’t suppose you’d want to come with me quietly, would you?” I said in a cheerful voice as I appeared behind three men- each hidden behind individual trees.
“You! How?”
I called my standard uniform.
“Um, witch?” I continued to smile as I pointed to my pointy hat.
“Hah! With clothing like that, outlandish whore?”
“That was the wrong thing to say!” I warned as I conjured my wand and took quick aim.
The ground and pain came quickly as I found myself face down in the dirt. As I wrestled with my unknown assailant, I wondered why my early warning system hadn’t alerted me to a fourth member of this group.
Our continued struggle saw me ultimately pinning my attacker, back to the ground, and him smiling broadly and hungrily.
“So! You like it rough?” I declared as I easily held him on his back, my legs splayed just below his hips thereby pinning his legs.
He began to laugh haughtily.
A whoosh of air past me and the sound of three men getting their bells rung caught my attention. I noticed Lyra had arrived and quickly subdued the other members of the group.
Although this was a very interesting exchange- one that promised some excitement on any other day- one punch and my attacker joined his cohorts in brutally instilled unconsciousness.
“Now is not the time to indulge, Aunt Cora!” Lyra giggled playfully.
“This one- depending on which side his loyalties fall- has possibilities, sister,” I said as I picked up my hat, dusted it off, and placed it back on my head. “but only after the day is won.” I decried royally. “Shall we deliver these heathens to her majesty Lady Colleen?” I suggested.
Lyra, in her Terran disguise, nodded and picked up two men on her shoulders and I in turn took the other two on mine.
Thomas’ mouth dropped open as Lyra and I arrived back to my group with our unconscious prisoners.
“I’d like a word with Lady Simone. Is she returned?” I asked as I walked past the balking young man. “She needs to learn to count better.”
“Lady Lyra. Thank you for the assist, my lady.” Colleen said in gratitude.
“I was in the neighborhood, Lady Colleen.” Lyra grinned deviously with a shrug of her shoulders.
“Majesty! I recognize these two!” Thomas exclaimed pointing to the two that Lyra had tossed to the ground. “They are two of the Regents men.”
 
 

 
 
“Wake them.” Colleen ordered.
One of us, but not me, manifested two wooden buckets filled with water- each bucket hovering just above their victim. They dumped their contents simultaneously and both men startled awake.
“Why were you watching us?!” Colleen attacked with her wand pointed menacingly at them.
“We weren’t watching you!” One man declared. “Why would we spy on a wandering troop of insignificant whores?”
A blue bolt of Current shot from Colleen’s wand and struck the ground between his out-splayed legs.
I noticed Thomas gasp at her aggressive action.
“Who is insignificant here, you insolent worm?” Colleen demanded as she adjusted her aim slightly closer to his body. “Answer my question!”
“I shall not.”
“Have it your way.”
Another Current bolt came even closer to the insolent one’s crotch.
“Majesty? Why do you toy with this one when I know you much more capable than this?” Coraline seemed confused. “These men obviously hold no regard for the Goddess or her loyal followers.”
“Then maybe we instill in them the requisite reverence?” Colleen suggested as she conjured a bluish-hued hemispherical force field over the two men.
“The shield surrounding you is quite unbreakable. Each refusal to answer my questions will result in the shield collapsing a little bit more.”
The more boisterous of the two tested Colleen’s shield and jerked back as he received a moderate shock from it.
“Majesty?” Thomas called. “They have sworn allegiance to the Regent. They do his bidding exclusively.” He explained.
“The ‘Regent’ is but a placeholder- an interim representation of the Norge throne until the true heir has appeared and been elevated to her righteous position due her birthright, young Thomas!”
“You wish to depose the Regent?” The insolent prisoner questioned while his partner continued to remain quiet.
“And what business is it of yours if I do?” Colleen snarled.
“He will see you dead!” He shouted with hatred. “The Regent will not be removed from his rightful throne!”
“HIS rightful throne?” Colleen cackled as her face took on a predatory grin.
“That is such a shame. Had you just answered my initial question instead of giving me more reason to dispatch you, you and your fellow would have been safely escorted to the border of this realm, however-.”
The shield’s diameter began to decrease.
“Lady Colleen? Should you not hear their case?” Lyra suggested. “I, for one, am quite interested in the foolish reasoning conveyed them disguised as orders.”
Colleen sighed.
“Goddess! I hate it when you’re right, Lady Lyra!” Colleen groaned as she dispatched her wand and the force shield, but glared at our prisoners. “Let’s hear your defense then.”
“If I may suggest a compulsion, Lady Colleen?” I offered, remembering it had worked on Eden 3 way back when.
Colleen nodded and I concentrated and gracefully ‘flicked’ my wand.
I nodded back.
“What did you just do, foul witch!?” Our boisterous prisoner demanded.
“Were you sent to kill us or at least dissuade us from arriving at the Keep?” Simone asked the first question. “Why?”
There was a brief look of extreme defiance on his face before he forcefully expelled an answer.
“To kill you all! The Regent doesn’t recognize your claim to his throne.” He spit out then looked appalled that he’d actually answered. His partner looked stunned by the admission.
“Cassius! You did not relate that part of the Regent’s orders! Why dispatch these women? Why not merely force their withdrawal?” His partner questioned.
“They are Clan Norge! It was prophesized the realm would again be ruled by that ruthless Clan when the ‘Blue-hairs’ re-appeared. The Regent demands it not happen! The prophecy said nothing about witches!” Cassius spat.
“Did you personally read that prophecy, pumpkin?” Colleen asked with a sly smirk.
Again he fought the compulsion.
“No, I have not the education to read.” He answered in severe distress.
“You can’t read, Cassius? Why, I never thought-.” His partner gasped.
“You oaf! How are you one to judge! You have not the education to read or write!”
“That is where you are wrong, my friend. I read and write quite well- in fact, I was hoping to join the Regent’s notary staff before his decree to disband the art form from the realm ten cycles ago.”
“He outlawed reading and writing?” Louis choked in disbelief.
“Is it not that way throughout the lands, my lord?”
“Hardly!” Louis hrummffed. “We embrace the written language where we’re from! Ignorance only leads to abuse of control and power, whereas literacy promotes education and in turn reasoning and morality. We are not sheep to be left ignorant and led around oblivious!”
“Here, here, Lord Louis!” Coraline, Simone, Lyra, and I cheered.
“My husband speaks the truth and without a compulsion to do so. You should take his example, Cassius.” Colleen recommended.
“You will not make it to the Keep! There are others if we do not succeed!” Cassius shouted angrily.
“There are no ‘others’.” Greer announced as she emerged from behind a large tree. She was also in her Terran disguise. “Lady Colleen, all stocking assassins from my sector have been… neutralized.”
“Very well, Lady Greer, thank you.” Colleen responded with a slight bow.
“It is an honor, my lady.” Greer returned the bow.
“Ladies Greer and Lyra, I think it prudent you two guard our rear flanks to make sure Lord Christoff’s spies don’t get any ideas.” Colleen ordered. “As for you two,” she paused to consider appropriate action, “you will be placed where you shall not cause any unnecessary diversions.”
Both men dropped into unconsciousness then promptly disappeared, as did the two other unconscious men.
“I transported them to that turret in the wall of the keep we can see through the trees.” She told us calmly as she motioned in the direction. “They’ll wake up tomorrow not remembering our encounter.
“That turret, majesty?” Thomas pointed to the Keep.
“That very one, pumpkin, why?” Colleen smiled.
“Rumors have it the Regent holds his personal concubines there, majesty.”
“Lucky bastards!” Louis grinned.
Colleen glared at Louis.
“Let’s get to the Keep before any other misguided ‘loyalists’ decide to interfere.” She recommended. “We have yet to find the Keep’s main defensive force.”
 
 
Pegasus’ VIP suite:
 
“Christina? I think she’s starting to come around. I’m not looking forward to this part.” Lokust worried.
“She won’t do anything too destructive.” I comforted before looking to Prime Minister Tau.
“You might want to be on high alert though, sir.” I added.
Kitty’s right fist shot into the air and Lokust barely had time to move her face out of range!
“Nice try, Sinae! I’m onto that one.” Lokust laughed as she barely avoided Kitty’s left roundhouse also.
“Where am I? What happened? Last thing I remember… Christina said she was putting… me…,” She gasped loudly, “to sleep!”
“I assure you that you are still with us and are safely aboard Pegasus, my queen.” Tau comforted, his hand moved gently to Kitty’s arm.
Kitty looked to me in fear.
“Why?” She asked- her face filled with confusion.
“You were going full-on berserker down there, Lady Kitty. The bloodlust appeared to be growing worse and, had I let things continue, the culled ranks of the opposing force would have dropped below that recorded in history. Not only that, but I was worried you might have some strange temporal illness.”
“I’m fine. Beam me back down, Christina.” She replied calmly.
“You aren’t ‘fine’, Lady Kitty; you’re pregnant.” I revealed.
“I’m…WHAT?!!!!!!!” She shouted then instantly sent ‘death rays’ toward Tau. Figuratively, thank God!
“About a standard month, Kitty.” Charli added.
Kitty began to cry.
“My queen? Kitty? I’m so, so sorry.” Tau looked defeated.
“No you aren’t, Tau. Neither of us is sorry. I just wasn’t expecting this to happen so soon.” Kitty said as she looked back at him with tear-filled eyes. “And I am the one that is sorry, my love.”
“I thought you told us a long time ago that being a Current Mage makes it tougher to get pregnant, Dad.” Lokust asked Charli.
“In Terrans, yes. Lynxins seem unaffected.” She answered. “Sometimes they seem worse than rabbits.”
I had to laugh at that, but Lokust obviously had no clue about the old axiom.
“Well? Now that you know, you have a choice, Kitty.” Charli proposed. “You can stay aboard Pegasus or Christina might find it in her heart and your wellbeing to transport you back to the surface.”
“I wish to complete the mission as planned, Charli” Kitty stood then looked to Lokust.
“Ex-O, I wish to complete the mission. I want to re-engage!”
“Only if you are chaperoned, Sinae. Tau? Would you agree to accompany Lady Kitty back to the surface?”
“I would, Lady Lokust, if Lady Christina is of like mind?” Tau answered.
“I am, Prime Minister. Would you like me to activate your disguise here or on the surface?” I asked in answer.
He nodded.
“Cora’s group is closing on the Keep’s main forces, Christina. I’m going to alert Chance so her group can rendezvous.” Charli reported calmly.
I nodded and Kitty, Tau, and I were standing slightly ahead of Aunt Cora and Mom. Simone instantly pulled her wand but lowered it after determining who we were. She hurried over to Kitty- who was now in disguise- and embraced her.
“Congratulations, sister and welcome back!” She greeted happily. Simone then offered her hand to Tau. “And congratulations to you also!” She added as they shook hands.
“Lady Charli reported that the Keep’s forces are just ahead.” I reported.
“One hundred meters.” Simone answered with a confirming nod. “Should we stand our ground?”
A sudden feeling come over me, and Simone began to look around as if searching for me.
Was I invisible?
“Christiiiiinaaa! Where did you go?” Simone hissed in annoyance, but turned around quickly.
“Halt! Identify yourselves!” A deep penatrating voice echoed from the forest.
At least two-dozen horsemen appeared ahead of us out of the trees.
“My Ladies. Hold.” Mom requested calmly as she held her fist skyward.
“Commander! Blue-hairs! Four of them!” The rider to the left of the lead horseman whispered loudly.
Counting me there should have been five ‘blue-hairs’. I must be invisible!
Their leader simply and silently held up his gauntleted right hand to silence the murmurs that erupted following that voiced observation.
“Introducing Lady Colleen Norge of Clan Norge and her Valkyrie, sir knight.” Daddy announced with a bow toward the horsemen.
“Ah, so you are them that have been prophesized to regain this realm’s throne. The Regent warned us of you ‘blue-hairs’.”
“So we have heard, sir knight. We have recently engaged two of the Regent’s… men.” Mom responded calmly.
“Then you know the Regent has ordered your heads.” He said nodding sadly.
“Aye, and you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that will not come to pass.” Mom smiled wickedly.
“I have read the prophecy, yes, but I cannot disobey my standing orders, my ladies.”
“Strange. The two gentlemen we recently spoke with revealed the dissolve of all reading and writing here. How should you know of the full details of the prophecy, sir knight?” Daddy asked in curiosity.
“To not be literate would be a disastrous miscarriage of humanity, sir! To remain ignorant only breeds more ignorance.”
“Then… from one learned man to another, I welcome you, sir knight.” Daddy greeted with a slight bow.
“Alas, after such welcome and true beauty here, we must now dispatch our orders.” The knight sadly bowed his head as he reached for his sword.
My sisters were suddenly aiming their wands at the imposing cavalry.
Even Daddy held a wand?
“Ah, so that is what was prophesized as ‘Valkyrie’. I see.” The knight sighed as his head slouched forward. “We stand little or no chance of victory here today. Still, my orders are clear…”
I had to stop this and I began to concentrate on something spectacular.

 
 
I prepared myself for the charge. These brave warriors- men of unquestionable moral- would carry out their orders to the fullest and die knowing they had done their duty. Their honor would remain pure even in death.
The cavalry’s front line suddenly became awash with bright white light and their leader looked past me in surprise and terror! That look was accompanied by murmurs and gasps from his men as each tried valiantly to steady their mounts.
I too had an inkling of what just happened.
In fact, I knew exactly what was happening!
My marvelous daughter had just made her grand entrance.
“Goddess Christina!” I gasped in amazement as I turned. Christina was still glowing brightly- the little show-off! I quickly fell to my knees. “Welcome, my Goddess Christina.”
“Lady Colleen. I offer my assistance if required.” Her announced offer hauntingly echoed throughout the nearer forest.
Behind me there was the deafening clatter of metal armor instantly in motion!
“What well trained and reverent soldiers you have, Lady Colleen! They will do well in the forthcoming siege to protect your realm from the invading faction.” She smiled directly to me.
“Goddess Christina, these are not my, but the Regent’s knights. We still are, but two squads.” I admitted.
“Two… squads?” I heard the lead knight gasp. How had he not suspected there were more of us?
“So you have not gained their allegiance at this point, Colleen?” Christina smiled deviously with a quick wink.
“No, Christina, I haven’t got that far. Though timely, your arrival is still a bit premature.”
“You do realize that time is fluid for my kind?” She giggled.
“You’ve reminded me many, many times, Christina, but I still don’t understand most of the concept.” I replied dourly knowing it was true, and that I still couldn’t believe I was some two thousand years back in Antarra’s history. One thing was definitely obvious though.
She was having way too much fun with this.
“The Goddess Christina and the Lady Colleen speak as if related, Commander!” One of the men gasped behind me.
“Are you not all ‘related’ to me?” Christina asked the men with a giggle that echoed and reverberated off the trees. “You all knew to dismount and kneel before me, correct? So you must all know of me. That makes us related, sir knights.”
“Don’t get too crazy, pumpkin!” I whispered to her.
Christina smiled amusedly.
“Lady Colleen and her husband, Lord Louis are the rightful rulers of this realm as per my decree of forty years prior, my reverent followers. The days of the Regent and his tyrannical rule are at an end. If Norge’s Heath is to survive and prosper into the future as I have foreseen, your defensive forces must be united against Lord Christoff’s oncoming invasion.” Christina decreed.
“Commander, I give you new orders,” She smiled spryly, “and ‘Goddess’ outranks ‘Regent’, right?” Christina giggled as she approached then walked past me to the knights and out of my view. I remained still and silent.
“Courageous and noble knights of Norge’s Heath, protect the realm from Christoff’s forces and heed Lady Colleen’s strategies for she and her Valkyrie have only known victory. Colleen?”
Christina was now in front of me and offered her hand. I took it with a broad smile, which the horsemen couldn’t see, and stood.
“My blessing upon you all, sisters and brothers, for today herolds the return of the unbiased and honorably ruling Norge Clan! Norge’s Heath shall survive the day and the millenniums.” Christina announced loudly to the crowd. Again, her words resonated through the forest.
She bent down and kissed my forehead.
“I hope that wasn’t too over the top, mom.” She whispered with a giggle, stood, took a few steps back, and disappeared into a brilliant white aura.
‘No… not over the top at all, pumpkin!’ I thought with a smirk.
Turning toward our cavalry guests, I was about to ask the one question that would make or break this mission. To my surprise, every one of them was still on one knee with heads bowed and swords before them- points down reverently!
Not too much pressure there!
“I ask which orders you now choose to carry out, sir knight.”
“My lady… is it not obvious? A task given by the Goddess Christina must be honored first and foremost- and by her grace we are yours to command, majesty.”
“Majesty?” Chance called as she, Hope, and Kate emerged from the trees on our right.
“The enemy encampment has been reduced in number as ordered. Where’d you pick up the strays?” She asked while nodding to the cavalry.
“They found us, sister… and have volunteered to follow us into battle against Christoff. The Goddess Christina has also given her blessing.”
“ALRIGHT!” Chance shouted, gleefully fist pumping her right arm in excitement. “Now we can kick some serious ass! Thanks be to the Goddess, majesty.”
Two sonic booms overhead signaled the games were about to commence.
Our troops startled and gasped at the cloudless thunder in terror.
I smiled to their leader.
“Time to mount up! Commander…?” I prompted.
“Commander Christian Norwood, majesty. Captain of the Norge’s Heath Defensive Forces.”
Damn! Was he one of my ancestors? I tried to remain composed.
“I’d like you to split your cavalry in half and come in on the enemy’s flanks after they begin to move toward the keep. They’re archers will be concentrated just behind the front lines and intent on decreasing our main frontal force. Have your archers’ only advance to the next hamlet and await us as snipers.”
Aye, my lady. And what of our defensive advance?” The tall soldier asked looking down to me in concern.
“My Valkyrie will hold the advance while you rout their flanks and support staff.” I answered calmly.
“Majesty? Is it wise to put yourself in the midst of such carnage?” He asked.
Movement from my extreme left caught my acute- and recently upgraded- Antarran attention and I instantly reached out and snagged the arrow from its flight. I was instantly on the small group of enemy snipers and ended them with my cutlass before even a gasp could escape them!
 
 
“Well, that was certainly fun.” I smiled and rubbed my blade clean as I walked back to our group. “Now… what were you asking me, commander?”
“I trust you took out all eight, Lady Colleen?” Simone inquired as if nothing outlandish had happened.
“Ten, but who’s counting, sister?” I smiled wickedly. “You were about to reply, commander?”
“You have proven your skill, majesty. Forgive me.” He bowed, mounted his ride, and motioned for his men to split and move out.
“How did you move so fast, majesty?” Thomas’ eyes were wide. “I saw you grasp the arrow- impossible as that was, but after that all I felt was a breeze until you walked back to us.”
“I’ve studied with the masters in several different disciplines of the martial arts, pumpkin. I have high ratings in all of them.” I smiled.
“Now, at this time I order you back to our soldier’s encampment and await our return. This shouldn’t take but a few hours.”
“But there had to be four or five thousand of the enemy, majesty!” The young man exclaimed.
“'Had' being the operative term, kiddo.” Kate giggled with a predatory smile.
Thomas’ mouth dropped open with a gasp.
“Be on your way, pumpkin.” I pointed in the general direction of the cavalry’s camp. “Don’t dawdle.”
“Ready to kick some arrogant Antarran male ass, girls?” I asked with, what I thought, was a very predatory smile.
We began walking back the way we’d come in a single front line with weapons drawn.
“Cue the ‘kick-ass’ female fight scene music.” My dear, sweet, Louis announced eagerly.
 
 

 
 
“Why did I even advance with you guys?” I asked as I watched our Lynxins rout the advancing forces of this yet unseen ‘Lord Christoff’.
The field of battle was maybe four acres square mostly surrounded by tall pines and various deciduous trees. Just the first and secondary lines had shown themselves- the first line dropping to our swords relatively fast. Cmdr. Norwood’s cavalry proved to be very competent at what they did and remained out of sight from the main confrontation.
Feeling that we had flankers coming in from our right I spun, pulled my bow, notched an arrow, and released in one smooth and graceful motion.
The damage was swift and several more combatants were out of the siege.
“Nice shootin’, Tex!” Katelyn nodded as she slashed at a few more insurgents.
I had long since lost count of the bodies that had fallen to just my cutlass.
Many more had tasted the points of my arrows.
I had to admit that the amount and severity of the carnage was starting to take a toll on my stomach and I began developing- against my attempts to ignore it- a conscience.
Not the best thing to have when you are trying to uphold your ruthless reputation!
A horn sounded out in the distance from well behind our enemy’s line.
A signal to regroup or retreat, maybe?
I immediately notched three arrows to my bow, whispered Kate’s guidance spell to seek out the horn’s owner and any protection nearby upon them, and let them fly.
After a few seconds the horn stopped sounding and our retreating attackers seemed confused.
There was a noticeable pause in their retreat and we used that to our full advantage.
Of course, our Lynxins led the way and left very little for the rest of us to do save guard our flanks and rear.
“Looks like the opposition is destablizing, ladies. I’m seeing your cavalry making significant headway on their flanks and the remaining forces seem disordered.” Charli reported over our comms.
“So are we going to drive the death spike or show lenience, majesty?” Chance asked as Caroline and Coraline turned back to me after they had dispatched their own adversaries.
“As I recall, Christoff was captured then died in Norge’s Heath prison twenty years from now, ladies.”
“Do we have a portrait or drawing of him in the database, Cora?” Simone questioned as she wiped off her blade and checked it’s edge.
“There was one portrait of him that I know of. Let me see…” Caroline manifested her DataTab and swiped at it a moment. “Here… here is the only image that survived these turbulent times.”
Caroline passed the device around.
“Aunt Cora? This looks digitally enhanced to appear like a painting.” Link observed.
“Apparently, we had something to do with it- to remind us Christoff needs to survive this siege.”
“So where is the little dweeb?” I posited.
“Colleen? Maybe you can ask one of your arrows to find him and wound him in say… the leg?” Kate proposed.
Quickly doing just that I smiled, notched, incanted, and released.
The arrow veered off sharply to the left almost immediately.
A man screamed shrilly not far from our position and we heard several branches breaking followed by a loud ‘thump’- as if something or someone falling out of a tree hit the ground hard.
Link and Simone went to investigate.
They returned after several minutes- Link carrying a small redheaded, bearded man across her shoulders like a game deer. He was dressed in tanned leather instead of battle armor.
He also had an arrow through his right calf.
It looked extremely painful.
“He matches the image… now.” Simone stated calmly.
“Is he unconscious from the wound or the fall?” I asked in curiosity.
“Oh, no, the arrogant little shit was fully awake til he reached out to grab Coraline’s left ‘lady-in-wait’. He’ll probably need his jaw wired shut.” Simone answered. “Oh… and a very good oral surgeon. I managed to stop her before she could rip all his digits off- though he may never write with that hand ever again.”
Now that she mentioned it, Christoff’s right hand did seem somewhat misshapen and hung somewhat differently than his left.
I think it was the fact that three of his fingers and his thumb were at odd angles.
“I left it so he could still stick his index finger up his ass!” Link growled heatedly at the unconscious man she was holding.
I thought Hope and Kate would pass out from laughing so hard!
A change of panties was definitely in order for them both!
“I’m showing the enemy forces are withdrawing and dispersing quickly, ladies. Some of your cavalry is heading back in your direction.” Charli reported.
“Awwww man! Is it over so soon?” Kitty complained as she and her fellow Lynxins appeared just ahead of us. While we had stopped, our sisters had forged ahead in pursuit of the retreating forces.
“So soon?” Hope goggled in amazement at our sister. “We’ve been going medieval on these losers for three straight hours! Not that you guys left us that much.”
“Has it actually been that long?” Kitty cocked her head to the side as she looked up in thought for a moment.
“It was and you still concern me with that ‘blood thirsty behavior of yours, cousin.” Lyra nodded.
A rider came into view and slowed before us. It was Commander Norwood’s second in command.
“Majesty, your insightful tactics have succeeded! The enemy is in complete disarray and dispersing into the countryside. Sadly we were unable to locate Lord Christoff himself. We fear he may have escaped to re-plan and reform his offensive.”
“This the perp in question, sir knight?” Kate giggled as she unceremoniously lifted the unconscious man’s head by his scraggily unkempt hair. He was still on Link’s shoulders.
The horseman’s mouth fell open as Kate released the head and dramatically tried to wipe her fingers and hand of the dirt, grime, and sweat residue.
“It is, my lady… but how…?”
“He was hiding up in a copse of trees off to our left.” Chance answered.
“Hiding in a tree? Lord Christoff? Hiding. In. A. Tree?” The soldier repeated slowly in complete disbelief. “Why… the cowardice! He dares call himself a noble?”
“Apparently, he has a different definition of the word, sir knight.” Caroline said as she shook her head.
What happened to his hand and face, majesty?” The horseman asked curiously.
“He… demanded… and took… favors from me that were not offered, sir.” Link growled in answer and looked like she was ready to break our prisoner in half.
“I think the prisoner will be better off on the ground, don’t you, Coraline?” I hinted for her to put him down.
“Of course, majesty.” She glared at me.
Link unceremoniously dropped her offending payload and walked away without another word or glance backward.
Hitting the ground again caused our prisoner to begin to groan, wheeze, and cough in agony. Tears formed in his eyes and a pain-laced shriek exited his mouth as he unconsciously reached for his jaw with his mangled right hand.
“Coraline doesn’t like you!” Simone informed him as she looked down at him in disgust. “I don’t like you either!”
“You dare call yourself a noble!” Caroline decried haughtily. “You have revealed yourself to be anything but!”
“Sister? I’m sure he has good reason to conceal himself.” I reasoned.
“Ahh wool nah anther yu whorthzzz.” He slurred painfully in defiance- bloody spittle flew from his mouth.
“And I could not care less, Christoff! I will let the common courts decide your fate.”
His laugh came out more like several hisses instead of real laughs. He also spit out a tooth or two.
“Laugh now, Christoff.” I said confidently. “I promise- as leader of Clan Norge- that the law will have the final say in your future.
“Nordjuh? Theywll all deahd.” He slurred as more bloodied drool dripped from his mouth.
“Not all of us.” Simone grinned and looked around to each of us ‘royal blue-hairs’. “We’re still alive and kickin’!”
“Sir Knight! I want this man in irons and taken to the Keep to await his trial!” I declared. “He is to be shackled in the stocks on the Commons for all to see.”
“I have no means of detainment, majesty.”
“I just happen to have a pair of cuffs on me, majesty,” Chance chirped as she conjured a set of chrome manacles and dangled them for everyone to see, “If you don’t mind the pink felt linings?”
I rolled my eyes. It was my observation that the ladies of this Coven were only playing. They seemed to take nothing that happened here- dangerous as it was- serious…
Some of them were probably even a might kinky?
Thinking a little longer on that, I realized that each one of us could and likely wouldn’t hesitate to wipe out everything with just a ‘flick’ of our wand.
A blood-curdling scream threatened to pierce our ears as Chance cuffed our prisoner’s wrists behind his back.
More of our cavalry appeared and slowly approached.
“Majesty, I see you have found our quarry. Congratulations to you and your Valkyrie. Now…” Cmdr. Norwood dismounted his horse after surveying the devastation we had wrought on our attackers. “If you would do us the honor, majesty? The true monarch of Norge’s Heath and her heroines should ride triumphantly back to her people from her victorious campaign.”
Several of Norwood’s fellow knights also dismounted their steeds and waited patiently for each of us and helped us into the recently relinquished saddles.
“Captain, Gretchen has commandeered an abandoned enemy cart. Should we load the prisoner to it with the wounded?”
“Lash him to the back where he can walk in shame. If he cries out, muffle him with a piece of his own clothing.” Norwood ordered.
“Captain? The Keep is a league away and he appears too fragile to be marched that distance.”
“A true noble would not complain and would sacrifice his very existence with courage and honor, sergeant. Let this be a redeeming test of his true nobility.”
“Aye, sir. As you say.”
Norwood nodded.
“Now, let’s be on our way with these brave, beautiful, fearless warriors and our rightful queen.” He ordered and motioned our troop forward toward Norge’s Heath.
 
 

 
 
As we neared the Heath, shouts echoed out from atop the battlements announcing the knights’ return.
On crossing the heavy wooden drawbridge, the Heath’s huge wooden doors groaned in protest of having been quickly flung wide open.
Cheers met our ears as Cmdr. Norwood led his horse- with me in the saddle- through the thick walls of the city gate. Hundreds of people cheered, clapped, and pointed to us with gleeful smiles, though they politely parted and gave way as we rode farther in.
As we proceeded through the crowd clogged Main Street, I overheard more than a few of the onlookers asking about our identities and especially our hair color as we continued on.
Cmdr. Norwood was only too happy to answer any and all inquiries.
“They call themselves ‘Valkyrie’ and claim membership in Clan Norge.” He told them all proudly.
Though, not all were celebrating. From atop his mount I observed several ‘sour’ faces moving in and amongst the crowds to either side.
Obviously loyalists or spies of the Regent, I thought.
Several older women and some older couples along our trek to the Keep seemed especially overjoyed that we had arrived- a smug confidence that we were here to change things… hopefully for the better.
At least their smiles and nods of acceptance seemed to indicate that approval.
We stopped in what I assumed was the Heath’s ‘Common’. The large, well-kept, level green fronted a large, heavily fortified building with hundreds of thin vertical archer slits along the walls that I could see. Nearer the building, just at the end of the well-kept lawn, was a pair of old-fashioned wooden stocks; they stood just off a barren, frequently used, dirt cart path that circled the Common’s perimeter.
Gretchen, a proud young noblewoman, Knight, and proficient fighter who just happened to have several thin blue streaks running through her long, braided hair, wasted no time stopping the wagon by the ancient punishment devices, untying our prisoner from the open tailgate, and roughly threw him into a stock, securing it with an ancient- by my perspective- keyed padlock once Chance de-materialized her rather risqué handcuffs.
“Here be the beaten and humbled architect of the assault against our home- Christoff of Mountsmouth!” She shouted- arms raised high in triumph.
The cheers were deafening!
I liked her!
“The Lady Colleen of Clan Norge and her courageous Valkyrie be hailed for our victory!” She again shouted.
Again the crowds cheered loudly!
“Silence!” A tenor male voice echoed from everywhere around us!
“Why has this nobleman been put to the stock before I have heard or passed any judgement?” The yet-to-be-seen man demanded.
“Cause I asked her to, pumpkin!” I shouted at an equal volume.
“And who are you to make any demands of my knights, you assuming woman?!” He dared.
“Lady Colleen of Clan Norge: the rightful heir to Norge’s Heath, pumpkin.” I answered calmly.
The crowd gasped loudly as one hearing my reply.
“Be warned I am not some gourd, impudent wench! Pay the proper respect to the throne or suffer my wrath!”
“High Priestess, I’d like to meet this…this unrevealed blowhard?” I requested as I glanced back to Chance. Cmdr. Norwood looked up to me in puzzlement.
“As you wish, majesty.” Chance smiled deviously.
The reigning Regent of Norge’s Heath- all five and a half feet by three feet of him- was instantly standing fifteen feet in front of my horse. He was quite befuddled, and rotund, to say the least. My horse was minimally startled and gave a snort.
Norwood gasped and swallowed hard looking over to Chance.
“Thank you, High Priestess.” I nodded to her with a wicked smile.
“Don’t mention it, majesty.”
“What manner of illusion is this?” The blowhard bellowed then glared angrily at my escort.
“Norwood! I demand you arrest these miscreant whores and throw them in the deepest, darkest pit of the Keep!”
“Pardon, but why would I do that to the courageous warriors that saved all of Norge’s Heath from Lord Christoff’s forces, Regent Gerefont? And I must confess, the Lady Colleen of Clan Norge’s battle strategies far bested the campaign designed and decried by you, sire.” Norwood answered cautiously, but truthfully.
“They are merely skillful manipulators playing mind tricks, you fool! Arrest them! Arrest them all!” He spit angrily.
“Pardon again, Sire? If you had seen these fearless, battle-hardened women in action, you would not demand anything from them, for they are vastly more than they appear!” Norwood warned nervously.
“If you do not move against these deceiving whores then I shall do it myself!”
Gerefont began an angry advance toward us, but before he took two steps the ground around him erupted loudly with violent, blue–streaked explosions!
Norwood and I both tried to calm his panicking horse.
Apparently, Aquia was holding position somewhere above us in her Broom.
“Personally, I wouldn’t move a muscle, pumpkin. We’ve got friends in high places… very high places.” I giggled my warning as the horses and gathered crowd settled.
My recommendation only aided in overriding his shock and made him angrier. He dared take another step.
Nine very pissed-off looking women instantly surrounded him in a circle and limited any further approach!
My sisters were all in their uniforms and had their wands aimed at the overconfident Regent!
Cmdr. Norwood and his knights oscillated their stares between their now empty saddles, my sisters, and me.
Of course, the gathered crowds gasped and murmurings of ‘witches’ took to the faint breeze around us.
“Go ahead, punk! Make my day!” Hope hissed through tightly clinched teeth in a gritty, deep voice. With a slight flourish of her wand just to his right, a bright blue bolt of Current struck the ground and exploded loudly.
I fought very hard to contain myself!
And to keep my horse calm.
“My good man,” Tau dared as he dismounted and stepped forward to address the stymied Regent. “I do believe these noble ladies wish you to… um…the phrase… what is that phrase… oh! These noble ladies wish nothing more than for you to ‘push your luck’! Though it is still your option, I strongly advise against that seeing as they have you outnumbered ten to one.”
And any one of us could ‘end’ you with a thought, Jackass! I mused.
Tau walked, unimpeded, through our sisters’ defensive circle- between Kitty and Greer- and placed his hand on the Regent’s shoulder.
Pretty ballsy if you ask me, seeing as the Regent carried a dagger on each hip.
Except…the Regent seemed to wince in pain as Tua gripped his shoulder. Was Tua digging his unseen, retractable claws into him?
“You see, my good fellow… Lady Colleen and her Valkyrie have been blessed by the Goddess Christina- who…” The portly Regent winced even more as Tau seemed to squeeze a little harder. “Has reassured her that she is the rightful heir to this realm. Step down peacefully as you promised to do all those years ago, and officially recognize her birthright of Norge’s Heath, sir, because she and her ladies can be ruthless and frighteningly cutthroat should the need arise. In case you have yet to hear, they made the field of battle run red earlier today with the blood of their adversaries.” He advised.
“I shall not! Never!” Gerefont spit at Tau in defiance.
“Then I am afraid it will be your departure ceremony, sir. Majesty?” He turned and looked to me, “I’m afraid ‘civil’ diplomacy is not on the menu today. May I suggest something…equally convincing?” Tua said as he walked back through our circle wiping his face dry.
“Put me in coach!” Kitty turned back to me and hissed angrily, but quietly. Her urgency was palpable.
Yeah, the dumbass was going to pay dearly for spitting in her boyfriend’s face if I didn’t stop her!
“Hold, Lady Kitty.” I ordered as I dismounted and confidently walked through my sisters’ security perimeter.
“Hi, I’m Colleen Norge. What’s your name, pumpkin?” I smiled pleasantly while offering my hand.
Gerefont prepared another spittle projectile to launch my way, but began gagging instead.
His eyes crossed in confusion as he quickly brought his hands to his mouth and seemed to gag before expelling something big from it.
In his hand was a moderate sized brown field mouse. He cautiously held the spit-soaked thing by its tail then coldly dropped it to the ground where it scurried away at Mach speed.
“I believe he has an advanced case of rodent tongue, ladies.” I giggled then turned to Hope and Chance to roll my eyes at them. “Good thing it isn’t ‘slug flu’. I hate slugs.”
Chance winked and smiled. Hope looked annoyed and rolled her eyes at her daughter.
That seemed to be some recurring theme between them.
In all, Gerefont expelled six field mice from his mouth before it seemed to stop.
“Rodent tongue is such a pesky affliction, pumpkin.” I grinned. “Let us hope it doesn’t get worse and become rat syndrome? Or ‘frog-in-your-throat’?”
I paused a moment to observe him and wait for further retaliation. When none came, I smiled.
“So, as a seasoned politician, you should understand the premise of putting on a good public front? Now can we do that here or should I allow my Valkyrie to indulge?” I said as I offered my hand again. “The exhilaration and bloodlust of our latest confrontation is still running high? Shall we try this again?”
I nodded to my ‘Valkyrie’.
My sisters were instantly sitting atop their horses. Our knights were again dumbfounded.
“I refuse!” He spat ferociously!
“Lady Lyra? He is all yours, but we still need him alive.”
I heard Kitty snarl as, in the blink of an eye, the Regent’s splendid clothing fell from his body in pieces each no bigger than an inch square; yet there was not a scratch or cut visible on his body!
My Lynxin sisters…and probably even Tau, were simply amazing!
“Nicely done, my lady.” I praised. Lyra was again on her horse and I noticed her nonchalantly flipping the Regent’s twin daggers in her hand.
Gerefont stood, completely unaware he had been stripped and disarmed, until the gathered crowds started pointing and laughing.
Even our knights seemed amused.
“Finding it a bit drafty this afternoon, pumpkin?” I giggled.
“I will not relent. I refuse to recognize you as anything but filthy peasants!”
“Quite frankly, pumpkin, I don’t care one iota if you do or not, and come hell or high water, I intend on taking what is rightfully mine… what my grandparents confidently put you in charge of until I came of age.”
Several dust devils suddenly whipped up between Gerefont and the Keep. Thirty feet directly above the twisting, dust-laden winds my daughter appeared out of thin air- her bright white aura outlining her in beautiful, otherworldly splendor!
“Lady Colleen? Is there a problem here?” She asked in a loud, unstrained voice that echoed ominously throughout the immediate area.
As expected, ‘Regent’ Gerefont lost all continence after turning around.
And not just figuratively either!
Christina then decided to really show off by gracefully floating out of what I assumed to be Surf’s-Up’s second seat, down to the ground. She dispelled her brilliant aura as soon as her silk-slippered feet touched the naked soil of the wide, dirt street that ran in front of the keep. The ground, upon which she walked, magically dried, smoothed, flattened, and leveled as she strode across it.
“Greetings and salutations, Goddess!” I greeted as I knelt before my approaching daughter.
Again, the clanking of metal armor in quick motion could be heard around us as the knights fell to one knee with swords reverently drawn and downturned before them.
“Lady Colleen? What is the hold-up? You were to make introduction to the temporary representative of your throne and arrange with him your coronation. Why has that not already happened?” Christina demanded as she motioned me to stand while still walking toward me.
She did a double-take of Gerefont as she walked past him. And a devious smile crossed her face.
“And why is this ‘mortal’ standing before you and my people without clothing? Is he the court’s jester?” She momentarily glanced back at him. “Is he mentally delusional… or just that irreverent? And just what is that foul stench?”
Christina snapped her fingers and a colorful, fully blooming, flowerbed popped into existence around the stunned man.
“Better. At least the excrement should furnish nutrients.” She nodded once and pulled me into a tight embrace as she got to me.
“Have I once again arrived earlier than needed, Colleen?” She asked, her face beaming a coy smile.
She leaned to my ear.
“I couldn’t let you have all the fun, mom. Besides, Kitty was just about to break your ranks and his neck.” She whispered before leaning back.
“I believe your timing perfect, Goddess Christina.” I said, bowing my head as she pulled away from me and looked to Kitty.
“And Lady Kitty, I must congratulate you on your amazing fortitude in resisting your urge to violently dispatch this sad excuse for a human after his blatant disrespect of your mate.”
Christina regarded the Regent once more then looked to me in confusion. “Are you certain this…” she paused to reappraise the naked, middle-aged man before us, “That this is the Regent? I should think he would have more respect for his- be it temporary- noble status and office.”
“You are not a Goddess, but a hoax!” Gerefont proclaimed arrogantly.
“You are quite correct!” She agreed as she gave him a very malevolent glare. “I am the Goddess! And now you will kneel before me and plead forgiveness for your arrogant, frivolous, misuse of authority! Or… would you like to try me further?” Christina turned toward him and her brilliant aura flared. Her angry voice reflected menacingly off the local buildings so loudly that some masonry crumbled from the keep’s wall and fell to the ground!
“I think you more fake than Goddess, whore. Sleight of hand and misdirection can only hide so much.” He declared overconfidently.
Yeah, that was a very bad choice.
“Oh?” She smiled with the same, if not more malevolence. “Who is the fake, Walter Gerefont? Let us see…”
Overhead, clouds began to form and partially blocked the sun. Before us all, in bright, high definition, an image popped into existence. It was a huge, thirty by forty-five foot projection of an overly adorned throne room. Opulent was too humble a word for the place we observed. In the throne ‘hall’ sat Gerefont amongst all his ‘royal’ trappings.
 
 

 
One of the four men we had apprehended just this morning left the mega-opulent hall and hence the projection. The Regent remained seated and began talking to himself.
 

 
A small redheaded man asked as he entered. It was hard to tell from his back, but the guy looked an awful lot like Christoff!

 
As the man turned to face us during his egress, the mystery was solved. It was definitely Christoff.
Given this new information, all eyes began looking between Gerefont and the man fighting diligently to free himself from the stock.
Sucks to be them, I thought.

 
 
Christoff had suddenly stopped fighting his bondage and struggled to crane his neck to observe the replay.
“I think it very enlightening, don’t you, ‘Walter’? And, apparently your accomplice failed to receive the whole plan?” Christina goaded with an evil grin.
“Hmm, I wonder if you know what a ‘whore’s’ true purpose is at all?” Christina posed. “Hmmmm. Yes… that should do.”
A collective gasp sounded from all around us.
Before me stood a young, healthy-figured woman dressed in a scarlet red barmaid’s outfit. The simple, tightly-woven fabric skirt of the outfit hung just above her ankles and she wore nothing but a waist cincher on top- her modest endowments fully on display for all to see around the thin straps of her mostly nonexistent blouse. Oh… she wore a red ribbon choker around her neck. Her long, dull brown hair hung loosely in a messy braid to the middle of her back.
“Now you shall know what a true ‘whore’ is, and does. Do you wish this to go further… pumpkin?” Christina laughed.
“That you could… what happened to my voice?!”
“Do not speak unless spoken to, unrepentant whore!” Christina threatened as her aura flared blindingly. “My tolerance has reached limit! Now you shall remain in this form until you pass on… providing service, though differently than you had previously been tasked to perform.”
“I am the Regent! You shall remove your curse!”
“Yeah, I don’t think so... Pumpkin.” Christina giggled as she gave the young woman’s left breast a playful squeeze.
Gasping in her higher octave with disbelieving, bulging eyes, her mouth forming a surprised ‘O’, and, blushing profusely, the former Regent vanished!
“Know that I have not harmed her. I have only relocated her to a chamber in the Keep more suited to her new station.” Christina confided as she turned and addressed our gathering.
“Goddess Christina? What location might that be?” Norwood inquired cautiously with his head canted slightly to his left comically.
“I have recently learned of a tower in yonder Keep, in which is kept by the Regent a prostitution pool for the paying gentry?” Christina smiled wickedly in answer. “Would you like to go check on her well-being, my inquisitive knight?”
“Pardon my forwardness, Goddess Christina. That will not be necessary.”
Christina nodded her approval; turned to face the gathered crowds again then raised her arms to the sky. She also hovered about eight feet off the ground!
Louis and I never taught her to show off like this!
“My dear people. Though currently ‘nursing’ her womb, the Regent of Norge’s Heath has asked me to officially recognize Lady Colleen Norge as rightful sovereign to this realm and ‘graciously’ stepped down as interim administrator for this fair Province. Therefore, by my decree, Lady Colleen Norge and her mate, Lord Louis will officially be elevated to ‘Queen’ and ‘Prince’ of Norge’s Heath and within a seasonal cycle, all of my beloved planet. Messengers are to be dispatched to the distant realms three days hence to spread word of her coronation: to take place here in five weeks. In preparation, an honored guest invitation list shall be compiled and checked for relevancy in the two days prior the messengers’ departure.”
“To all those still unconvinced, believe me when I say I have followed this woman’s social development since her birth and believe her fair and unbiased in the laws of this world. Treat her with the same reverence you would me- your Goddess.”
Christina lowered her arms and herself to the ground, approached me, placed a chaste kiss to my forehead, took the few steps to the commader of ‘my’ knights, and whispered something in his ear.
Stepping back with a bright, shit-eating grin, she vanished.
Norwood was blushing profusely.
“My captain? What parting words did the Goddess bestow you?” Gretchen inquired curiously as she hurried over to him.
“She said I was ‘cute’ and that I should find myself a mate before she claims me as her own.” He blushed even more.
“I claimed him first, Goddess Christina!” Gretchen shouted angrily and pointed accusingly toward the heavens. She blushed almost as deeply as Norwood.
A parchment note instantly materialized, impaled on her skyward pointed index finger.
She first stared at it curiously then removed and read it before laughing hysterically- carefully folding it and placing it behind her custom sculpted, metal breastplate.
“I will and thanks be to you, my Goddess!” She acknowledged to the sky while wiping some tears that had appeared.
“The note?” Norwood nodded questioningly to his sister in arms.
“Goddess Christina gives her blessing and promises to attend our official joining ceremony.”
“She already knew of our exchange of verbal intentions.” Gretchen added, but seemed flabbergasted as she looked back at me.
“And what did you expect from our Goddess?” I giggled and offered my hand in congratulations. “You kids look good together and I hope I’m also invited to your very special event.”
“We’d be honored, majesty.” Gretchen replied before embracing me tightly and happily crying into my shoulder.
“I’m honored as well, Lady Gretchen of Norge’s Heath: seventh in the line of noble succession.” I winked with a broad smile.
“You knew? But I have not seen you before… nor you’re Valkyrie! How can that be, majesty?”
“You’ll have to ask the Goddess Christina about that because I still don’t believe parts of where I’ve been, dear girl! Being home though,” I took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly, “this seems like the dream! Oh, how I have missed Antarra!”
“Christina has asked Aquia to do another supersonic fly-by, so be prepared for a low-level shock wave, ladies.” Charli announced over our comms.
“Majesty? A disembodied voice? Do the spirits also speak to you?” Gretchen asked, stunned as she obviously heard Charli’s communication.
“I’m not that well connected, pumpkin. I’m sure you’ll meet the other members of my Valkyrie in the coming days. Now though, I’d plug my ears.” I said as I demonstrated by plugging mine. She quickly followed my lead as did the other knights and my sisters.
The sonic boom and its concussive blast hit simultaneously and… if I had to guess… at about a hundred feet over our heads!
Mayhem ensued all around us on the ground as every horse, goat, sheep, cow, chicken, and person panicked in some way, shape, or form!
“Why is the Goddess mad at us, majesty?” Gretchen asked the question first.
“She claims she wanted to start my rule off with a big bang, pumpkin.” I adlibbed. “No, seriously; she wants me to get inside and start putting things back to normal. Starting with returning the Regent’s throne room back into the royal dining hall. Cmdr. Norwood, if you and your knights will escort us inside? We have work to do. Long overdue changes to make!”
 
 

 
 
“Are you sure this is the way it was done, Caroline?” I asked as I fought diligently to remain still while the slowest painter I’d ever seen took his time to- as he claimed- get the portrait ‘just right’.
My far distant successor snorted in laughter. I turned my head to glare at her.
“Majesty,” The guy said as he carefully put his brush down on his pallet, “Perfection such as yours takes an extreme amount of time and skill. Plus, if your majesty does not feel I have done your royal beauty justice, I may be punished. I wish not to spend my remaining years behind bars.”
“You think so little of me?” I asked in shock.
“I have experienced it firsthand with the Regent, majesty.” He informed me to my surprise.
“Well that will not happen again, Picasso! From now on art- in any form- will always be welcomed… as well as science and literature.” I assured with a smile.
Caroline nodded approvingly to my decree.
“Thank you, majesty, but please return to your selected pose so I may finish.”
“I can spare only enough time for you to get my nose right, Picasso. I have an important function to attend in just under four hours and I need to prepare.”
“A moment, majesty… … … there! Finished for now, majesty. Would the function be the Lady Gretchen’s nuptials to Lord Norwood?” He smiled.
“It is. Coming?” I asked, relieved I could again move.
“Wouldn’t miss it! Lady Gretchen is almost as much a work of art as you, majesty.”
“You’re too kind, Picasso.”
“Majesty? Why do you keep calling me ‘Picasso’? My given name is Gordon- Gordon Renoir.”
“Well, it was either that or ‘Pumpkin’.” I said, but added, “I like to keep things simple.”
Caroline Norge burst into hysterical laughter!
 
 

 
 
“Will you please relax, Christian Norwood?! You’ll make the family name questionable for the next two thousand years if you don’t settle!” I advised in a hissed whisper while we waited for the bridesmaids’ arrival.
“I’m frightened, majesty.” He admitted.
“Hang on? You, the guy who killed his fair share of adversaries in defense of this realm…are afraid to declare your love, in this temple, for the woman that took your heart? Really?” I began to giggle.
“This is the hardest thing I have ever done, majesty. What if Gretchen changes her mind and…”
“She won’t change her mind, pumpkin. She’d rather die than lose you. Remember, she challenged our Goddess Christina for you in the Commons that day.” I shook my head in amazement until I noticed a familiar figure in the very last row of seats- and on the bride’s side to boot.
“Last pew on our right side, pumpkin.” I said with a motioning nod.
“It cannot be!” Norwood gasped in complete befuddlement. “The Goddess Christina? Here?”
“She said she would be here, pumpkin. I’ve never known the Goddess to go back on her word. Ever.”
“Does Gretchen know she is here?”
“We’ll find out in a few minutes.” I said as the lute, strings, fife, and drum ensemble began to play this era’s entrance processional march.
Seven bridesmaid attendants and their groomsmen escorts slowly and gracefully made their way down the middle isle of the Goddess’ Temple couple by couple. They and their escorts parted as they reached the steps to the alter, and lined up on the first step: Groomsmen next to Christian and Bridesmaids in a line on the Bride’s side.
As the seventh attendant stopped and turned around to look out onto the gathered guests, the local music stopped and the Temple was suddenly awash and resonating with Earth’s version of the Bride’s processional march from what I recognized as a huge cathedral pipe organ, though I knew there was nothing that technologically advanced in existence here!
“Christiiiiinnnna!” I hissed under my breath!
The entire gathering began looking around the Temple- first in fear then in wonder.
Though visibly stunned, a middle-aged man with red and gray streaked hair, dressed proudly in bright, highly polished, gleaming, dress armor appeared at the back of the Temple escorting our young bride. Gretchen was beautifully garbed in the finest silken cloth this planet could offer. The pure white, full length wedding gown had delicate lace along the modest ‘V’ of its slightly plunging neckline and waves of the same delicate lace draping gracefully from her arms, shoulders, and waist. The same lace also made up her incredibly long train and her veil. She held a bouquet of the freshest and most colorful blooms in the realm…
…And she stopped abruptly as she undoubtedly saw Christina respectfully standing in the last pew!
“Well, there’s our answer, pumpkin.” I giggled quietly to her groom.
Gretchen instantly broke escort by her father and reached into the crowded row gently pulling my daughter to her. She proceeded to embrace her tightly and seemed to make introduction to her shocked father then had another short conversation. Christina shook her head in the negative then said something back. Gretchen nodded enthusiastically and my daughter moved behind the couple and picked up the trailing edge of the brides long, delicate, but ornate train. Gretchen and her father again began moving- in step with the ethereal music to the front of the Temple.
All along, the huge, proud, dynamic sound of the march continued.
Once at the alter, I nudged Christian to step down and greet his bride and her father. Christina stepped to the side after spreading the dress’s voluminous train in a half circle behind her.
As per our practice last evening, Gretchen’s father raised her veil, kissed her, and gave her hand to a very nervous Christian Norwood. Bride and Groom turned around and stepped up onto the first landing where they again turned to face each other- both smiling happily.
The grand organ music reached its dramatic finale then faded on the final, held note and the Temple became quiet.
Christina knelt down to again arrange Gretchen’s train behind her and placed some of it over the next step down from where she stood.
The guests ‘ohhh’d’ and ‘ahhh’d’ happily at the bride’s beautiful pose.
A murmur also began to spread around the Temple as guests began to put two and two together and arrived at ‘the Goddess Christina’ herself being in attendance.
“Honored guests,” I began officially to start off the main ceremony. “It is my greatest honor to welcome you all to the joining ceremony of Christian Norwood to Gretchen Ramaine this fine day.”
I waited for the applause to die down.
“As you can see, Gretchen has honored our Goddess Christina by asking her to attend her and that amazing, stunning dress!” I smiled to the bride and winked.
“Of course, that only serves to make her groom even more nervous.” I giggled.
The audience laughed politely.
I looked to my daughter, Goddess Christina, for permission to formally start the ceremony. She nodded back with a full smile.
“Let’s begin. Knight of the Realm: Gretchen Ramaine? Did you declare verbally, your heart and unwavering love of this man? To stand by and protect him should the need arise? To calmly discuss any and all decisions or options to a mutual agreement? To let Christian know when he is behaving badly or not using his Goddess-given wisdom and logic?”
“I have so declared and promised, Majesty.” She answered proudly and without pause.
And do you, Captain Knight of the Realm: Christian Norwood, hereby honor Gretchen as your lifelong partner? To dutifully honor and provide for her? To calmly discuss any and all decisions or options to a mutual agreement? To calmly hear Gretchen out when you think you are right instead of jumping headlong into something you might be ill equipped to handle on your own?”
“What?” Norwood looked to me in confusion.
“Just answer the question, pumpkin.” I giggled.
“I-I-I do so declare and promise, majesty!”
“Smart boy. You got yourself a keeper here, cousin.” I grinned to Gretchen.
The audience laughed again. Some women cheered quietly: Simone, Link, and Caroline, probably.
I paused as I glanced over to my daughter. She was dutifully holding Gretchen’s flower bouquet two steps away in the maid-of-honor position. Or was that the ‘Goddess-of-honor’ position?
“Goddess Christina? Would you care to help complete this ceremony with me?” I asked reverently.
“I… I couldn’t.” Christina blushed and physically waved my offer off.
“Oh, Goddess Christina, could you? I would forever be honored as would Christian… wouldn’t you, my dearest?”
The gathering again laughed as Gretchen glared at her groom.
“Please, Goddess Christina? It would mean the world to my Gretchen?” He pleaded.
“Told you he was a smart boy, pumpkin!” I said to our bride with a wink.
Christina turned to the official maid of honor- whose pallor was just now returning- and handed the official maid-of-honor the bouquet then turned back and joined me at the top of the Dias.
“Honored guests!” I said holding my hands out to the gathering in invitation. “Is there anyone here who disagrees with this joining and would like to file grievances? If there is, announce them now or forever remain civil and accommodating.”
When no one spoke out, I motioned for the bride and groom to join hands with Christina and I to form a circle.
Our ‘Goddess’ took over.
“Gretchen and Christian. By forming this circle and declaring your love for each other you have indicated to this gathering… this world… that you are now one in spirit; one with each other and one with your Goddess. The circle, as you know, represents the cycle of all things- everyone and everything around us! It represents the quintessential knowledge that we are all related to each other and thus each one of us affects everyone… everything else. It is a circle of life. A circle of hope and expectations for our shared future- to make it brighter and fulfilling! A circle of… unquestionable love.”
A slight tingle coursed through me and I think the newlyweds felt it too!
“My congratulations and blessing be upon you, Gretchen… you, Christian. Be joined now and enjoy each other in joy and happiness. In love!” Christina concluded. She released our hands and manifested a white, silken ribbon. Placing the couple’s hands together, she loosely wrapped a few turns around them and gently tied the ends in a bow. “The love and intent you both have declared for each other I now bind forever.”
“My people! Welcome our newly joined couple, Lady Gretchen and Lord Christian Ramaine- Norwood!” My daughter announced proudly- her voice echoing majestically throughout the Temple.
I gently untied the ribbon, rolled it up and handed the keepsake to Gretchen with an excited smile.
“This is the part where you two kiss and make it official, kids.” I prompted with a teasing laugh after wiping my eyes dry.
Applause filled the Temple as the two lip-locked for almost a full minute! They seemed totally oblivious to all around them and I began to wonder when they would come up for air!
 
“Honored guests! If everyone would promenade over to the Keep, I’ve arranged a celebratory feast be prepared for our bride and her groom. Come! Enjoy food and music and dance!” I announced to all attending.
That seemed to break the lovers’ heated, oral campaign! Still, I waited for them to look back to me.
When they finally did, I continued.
“Feel free to continue to partake of your mate’s lips. Enjoy this celebration and this day, cousins. As my gift, I’ve requested one of our guest rooms prepared for you for after the celebration. Enjoy the evening, you two.”
“Goddess Christina! Majesty! Will you both be attending the celebration also?” Gretchen asked. Her eyes big and hopeful.
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world, pumpkin!” I giggled.
“Goddess Christina?”
“I’ll be there with bells on, my lord and lady.” Christina giggled and disappeared.
God, I hope she’s not serious about the bells! I thought to myself.

 
 
“Are you sure the Coven cannot stay another week, High Priestess?” Colleen Everhardt-Norge pleaded.
“Oh, come on, Colleen. It’s been three months.” I moaned in response.
“I know, but…”
“But it’s time we returned home.” I interrupted placing my hand on her shoulder. “We have a whole galaxy to protect, don’t forget.”
“I understand that, but I was hoping to see where my Christina works, plays, and calls home these days, Chance.”
“Christina will have to transport you back here if you come along.” I reminded.
“So noted, High Priestess.”
“So noted?” I narrowed my eyes. “Look, ‘Majesty’! You knew this day would be coming and I thought you had accepted it? Don’t tell me you and Louis are having second or third thoughts. We all know that Antarra’s history depends on ‘Queen Colleen Norge’- her leadership; her policies; her long-term goals of uniting this planet…”
“Look, Chance, we know and both accept our new career path! We just ask for the opportunity to look into the far future…”
“We leave for Pegasus tomorrow morning at nine, Colleen. Don’t make me come looking for you.” I said as I turned to leave the newly refinished throne room.
Gretchen Norwood opened the door ahead of me and entered.
After greeting her, I paused and turned back to the new queen of Norge’s Heath.
“Greetings, majesty!” Gretchen said brightly.
“Hey, cuz. How’s married life?” Colleen returned.
Gretchen stopped and looked to Colleen in confusion.
“Majesty? Married life?”
“That’s what we called it back home, cousin. When two people who love each other join together? When they bond?” Colleen seemed to be lost for a better description.
“You and Christian tying the knot, sweetie.” I said as I mimed wrapping a ribbon around my wrist to her.
“Oh…”
“So, what can I do for you, cuz?” Colleen asked.
“I was told you wanted to see me, majesty. I came as soon as I finished my morning rituals.”
“High Priestess? Did you send for Gretchen in my stead?” Colleen asked in suspicion.
“I didn’t, majesty.”
“I did, majesty.” Christina’s voice answered, as she was suddenly standing next to me.
“You thrive on scaring the piss outta people, don’t you?” I accused just above a whisper.
Christina only glanced at me with a devious grin as she advanced to where Colleen still stood after greeting Gretchen Norwood.
“Mother? We need to go with Chance and the Coven back to Antarra. There will be an attempt at the monarchy.”
“Mother?” Gretchen whispered to herself in bewilderment without looking back.
“You heard correctly, Gretchen Norwood. Colleen Everhardt- Norge is my birthmother.”
Gretchen chanced to turn toward Christina’s voice.
“Goddess Christina!”
Gretchen Norwood fell to her knees instantly upon seeing her.
“Oh, get up you silly girl!” Christina hissed in annoyance as she took the young woman’s arm and gently pulled her to standing.
“Goddess Christina?”
“How can I claim to be this woman’s daughter?” Christina stated the unasked question.
“Well, about two thousand years from now… on a planet far, far, away… two people that truly love one another decide to get it on and make a baby…”
“Christina! That level of sarcasm is not called for! Gretchen is my cousin by both marriage and blood, and is frightened out of her wits with your simple admission of being my daughter. Don’t be such a smart-ass, pumpkin!” Colleen growled in anger.
This was going to be good! I decided to stay a few minutes, conjuring a comfy chair and sat down.
“Sorry, Mom. Sometimes it’s just so easy, you know?”
“I know, pumpkin. You get that from your father.”
Gretchen remained silent as mother and daughter talked.
“That’s funny! Daddy says the same thing about your side.” Christina giggled.
“So… why must we join Witch Corps in Antarra’s future, pumpkin? And what’s with this attempt at Cora’s throne?”
“I cannot go into specifics, Mom, but it is imperative the Matriarch Queen join the High Priestess in Norge of the thirty-third standard century!” Christina replied looking very serious. “You just got done saying you wanted to see where I worked, played, and called home, didn’t you?”
“Thirty-third standard century.” Gretchen whispered in disbelief.
“Yes, Gretchen Norwood! Thirty-third standard century! Now, are you going to become a willing participant in this conversation or are you just going to imitate a statue and stare in terror?” Christina challenged. “Some ‘knight’ sworn to her majesty and her Goddess. Hrmmmpfff!”
“Christina! That was uncalled for! Now apologize to your cou…!”
“Chance, Coven. Coven meeting in the throne room, ASAP. Out.” I said activating my comm, stood and dismissed my chair.
Colleen stopped abruptly and stared at me.
“High Priestess?”
“You felt it too, Chance?” Christina asked as she observed me.
I nodded as I called my uniform and wand.
I noticed Colleen’s eyes snap to her right and followed her stare. Gretchen was holding a wand in her right hand and staring at it in horror! She looked on the verge of unconsciousness!
“Let me guess… at their wedding, pumpkin?” Colleen rolled her eyes and sighed loudly.
Christina waggled her eyebrows a few times with a mischievous grin.
Aunt Cora, Simone, Kate, Aquia, and Link appeared to my left followed by Mom, Charli, Lokust, and Louis next on Colleen’s right. Kitty, Lyra, Greer, and Tau were last to appear to Gretchen’s right.
“What’s up?” Kitty asked as she gently rubbed her unseen, growing belly.
“The Goddess has outed us, ladies and gents. I’ll let her give the briefing.” I snarked.
“Once everyone is here, I’ll reveal what I know. Christian? I need you here in the throne room, dear boy.” Christina called out.
A man dressed in simple linens appeared to the left of Colleen’s throne. He appeared to have just pulled his crudely sewn pants up and was tying the simple rawhide belt-like lace at his waist.
It took a minute for him to realize his change of location. After which he sheepishly began to look around in complete dissociation.
“Christian? If you could turn around and join the meeting, sir knight?” Christina giggled.
“Goddess Christina!” Norwood was on his knees, head bowed to the floor!
“Really?” Christina rolled her eyes to the heavens and, taking a few steps, urged him to stand and walked him over to his mate.
“Now can you tell us what is going to happen in the future, pumpkin?” Colleen asked impatiently.
“Aunt Cora’s throne is under attack. By who I cannot ascertain.”
“Say what now?” Aunt Cora and Link balked as they both suddenly stared at the ‘Goddess’. Simone glared at Christina as if she had committed high treason.
“Tell me you’re just pulling my leg, Sugar Plum?”
“Honest, Aunt Cora, I would do nothing of the kind with such a serious topic.” Christina assured.
“What the Hel’s going on?!” Christian finally shouted in uncomprehending rage.
Gretchen took her mate’s hand- wand still held, but forgotten in her right hand- and tried to comfort him.
“My love… I am as befuddled as you. Let us hear them out as I’m certain we are to be a part of this… by invitation of Goddess Christina, herself.”
“Chance, Pegasus. We’re going to need another queen-sized stateroom and a single, please.” I said on comm.
"Requested modification will complete in three hours, High Priestess.” Pegasus confirmed.
“A single?” Simone repeated then her eyes narrowed and she looked back to her left.
“Get your ass out here now, Thomas!” She hissed, angry that I knew before she sensed the youngster hiding behind the partially opened side door.
“How long?” Simone demanded of him as he slowly made his way closer.
“Are you really the queen’s daughter, Goddess Christina?”
Our group performed a perfectly choreographed face-palm at his question.
“Chance, Pegasus. We’ll all be ‘beaming up’ ‘Christina-style’ tomorrow at oh-nine-hundred.” I alerted our ship.
“I will be awaiting your… very unorthodox, but strangely normal, arrival, High Priestess.”
I rolled my eyes. Even my ship was getting an attitude!
“So what can you tell us, Christina?” I asked.
“Well… When I went forward to make sure we hadn’t changed the timeline, I sensed a ship just approaching the defensive boundary- about two light years out- just before I came back here. Somehow it… it didn’t ‘feel’ right. I felt really creeped out by it… like on Terr’lai.”
“I concur, mother. My sources also predict hostile intentions toward the Norge Dynasty.” Savanna confirmed as she appeared just ahead of me.
“Welcome, Oracle!” Mom greeted. “About time you got yer ass here, munchkin!”
“My Love? I think we have stumbled into something vastly larger than Norge’s Heath and suggest we cast aside our disbelief for the foreseeable future.” Gretchen recommended. She didn’t seem to believe her own words though…
Yet she still held her wand in her right hand.
“I must agree with you, my love. Especially since you have one of those in your dominant hand.” Christian Norwood motioned to her right hand with his eyes.
“High Priestess?” Gretchen asked with terrified, pleading eyes.
“You seem to be a natural ‘essence user’, sweetie.” I answered.
“A witch? My betrothed is a witch?” Christian Norwood gasped. “Why did you not tell me, Gretchen?”
“It-it just appeared when the High Priestess changed into her battlegear, my love! Her wand appeared, and… and I just… I-I-I I don’t understand.”
Gretchen Norwood began to cry in fear as she turned and sunk her head into her mate’s shoulder.
“You must think me a monster, Christian!” She cried.
“I think you miraculous, my love! If you can do half of what the Valkyrie do, it will be an honor.” He comforted.
“You are not appalled, my love?”
“Why should I be? Those gathered here are the ones that helped defend against Christoff and exposed our corrupt Regent and his diabolical plan to seize absolute power and wealth, remember?”
“How can I not? Because of their emergence, we are here, together as one.”
“Can we get this Coven meeting back on the rails before these two need a room, people?” I asked to get back on subject.
“Please.” Christian acknowledged with a nod as he urged his spouse to turn around.
She quickly wiped her tears away. “Forgive my weakness, Goddess Christina.”
“Fffffffffft, we all have some weakness, sister. Let’s pay attention to our High Priestess though.” Christina smiled as she pointed to me.
 
 

 
 
“Thank you all for arriving on time.” I greeted as Gretchen, Christian, and Thomas joined us in the royal dining hall. “Now, I must ask you three to control your fear and anxiety. From here on out it only gets stranger and way more fantastic for you.”
I reached up and touched my locket while conjuring a series of three synthesized ‘cricket clicks’ as I did.
“Lt. Everhardt. Nineteen to ‘beam up’.” I ordered to our resident ‘Goddess’ in a commanding voice.
“Aye, Captain.” She acknowledged in a Scottish brogue, as I knew she would.
Another, slower, series of ‘long chirps’ and a strange, wavering tone that increased in frequency began to sound around the room.
“Oh, for the Gods sakes! Will you just do this already, Chris-” Kate began to complain?
We were in Pegasus’ Observation Lounge.
“-tina? Why must everything be so damn ‘theatrical’?!” Kate groused. Noting our location and looking thoroughly annoyed, she huffed then turned and headed for the elevator.
“I’ll be on the bridge!” She huffed. “After my queasy stomach decides not to empty my breakfast!”
As expected, our three ‘ancients’ stared- opened mouthed- at what met them.
“What is this place?” Thomas asked- the first of the three to dare to do so.
“Welcome aboard Pegasus, brothers and sister. Pegasus? Status?”
“We are currently in geosynchronous orbit four hundred and eighty-six kilometers above Antarra’s equatorial base altitude. As of this inquiry, we are the only interstellar craft in orbit around this or any other planetary body in this sector, High Priestess.”
“Thank you, Pegasus.” I smiled.
“Where is the voice coming from?” Thomas looked around the lounge.
“Where is the light coming from?” Christian wondered aloud at the same time.
“What is ‘kilometers’, High Priestess?” Gretchen dared ask.
“A meter is approximately three of your feet or I believe you call it a ‘long-stride’. Kilo means one thousand. So if you do the math, we’re approximately one hundred and sixty-two leagues above your planet- above Antarra. The voice is Pegasus- our spacecraft. The light is artificial and gives off next to no heat whatsoever, making it much safer than either candle or torch. Pegasus, could you translate us so we can see the planet from the observation lounge, please?”
“Acknowledged.”
Antarra smoothly, slowly came into view on our port side as Pegasus performed a gentle one-eighty roll.
“This is what your world looks like from the heavens.” I announced.
That wasn’t the smartest thing to tell our guests.
Our three medieval guests hit the deck crying in prayer to Christina as they took several quick glances through the lounge’s transparent ceiling at their large, bright, colorful home world!
“Stop that this instant, you three! Geez! You’d think I was some deity or something!” Christina groused as she hurriedly pulled each of them to standing.
Colleen cleared her throat.
“We’re on Pegasus, mother! Give it a rest already!” Christina hissed as her aura appeared and pulsed a few times.
“Um… Are we going to get on with this mission, sweetie?” I asked with a devious smile to keep things peacefully on track.
I also reassured Nike that things like this happen from time to time since I could feel her getting restless.
Christina actually growled and her aura pulsed once more before it vanished!
“By your command, High Priestess.” She responded through clinched teeth.
With her eyes still locked on Colleen, the planet above us changed cloud formations, color, and brightness. A different continent was in view.
Nearing the planet’s terminator we could see the lights of the major cities starting to appear.
“What is going on down there? Why all the fires… and to see them from so high up…” Christian wondered out loud.
Those are lights, not fires, from the major Antarran cities you see, Sugar Plum.”
“Welcome to the thirty-third standard century, everyone.” Christina announced in greeting.
“Um… excuse me! I have to pee!” Kitty suddenly pleaded as she took off for her suite at the rear of the lounge.
“Her child must be fussing.” Gretchen said introspectively.
“Knowing Kitty, I’d say downright protesting.” I laughed.
“So… is-is t-this truly what our home looks like in the future.” Gretchen stuttered uncertainly as she went back to stare out at Antarra; she began trembling again.
“I think it’s beautiful, mom, Aunt Cora, Link, Simone!” Christina wrapped her arms around each, in order.
“Trust me when I say that things have changed quite a bit.” I said as I appraised their individual levels of understanding. “Now, we should get you three into some ‘modern’ clothes. We don’t use metal breastplates or swords anymore.”
I continued to regard our guests trying to determine what would look good on them- fashion-wise.
“I’m going to use some magic to change your clothing. Gretchen, I’d like you to stand on your tiptoes, please. On three. One, two…”
Gretchen was now wearing a comfortable, pastel blue, cotton blouse, dark blue-jeans, and three-inch heeled, brown ankle boots.
When I was finished, both Thomas and Christian looked very handsome and very comfortable in dress shirts, well-tailored pants, and dress boots.
Kitty exited her suite and our three guests stopped and gasped in fear!
“Now what did I do?” She asked heatedly while absentmindedly rubbing her visibly swollen belly.
“You dropped your disguise, Sinae.” I giggled.
“Aw shit!” She exclaimed as she observed her fingers and extended her claws once or twice as an exercise.
“What are you? You are definitely not Antarran.” Christian demanded as he took a defensive position between Gretchen and Sinae. Pulling his dagger, it sparked and burst into life as a full-size sword of light!
“Obi-wan… or Luke?” Hope looked to Christina curiously with a raised brow. “Seriously?”
He immediately dropped the ‘light saber’ in horror, it hitting the deck as just the simple dagger it was originally.
Sinae stared at the curious, now benign dagger for a moment. She smirked enough to show her canines. Picking up the weapon, she nonchalantly flipped it and handed it back- hilt first- to Norwood.
“Relax, Cap, I’m still the same Kitty you drank with at your bachelor party. Actually, I’m still the same person that drank your ass under the table at your bachelor party!” Kitty smiled as she took a few steps back. “This is how I really look, so relax. I won’t eat you. Neither will Lyra, Greer, or Tau.”
“Why would they try to eat us…?” Gretchen asked, but suddenly stopped as our other three Lynxins dropped their ruse.
It took several minutes to bring our three guests back to consciousness.
 
 
“You are not of our world?” Thomas asked the group as Aquia silently helped him into one of the comfortable lounge chairs. If I were willing to bet, she had taken a liking to him over the last three months we’d spent in ‘Renaissance’ Antarra.
“Only Colleen and I are originally from Antarra, Sugar Plum. My niece, Simone, and Kate are from the planet Kane, Coraline-excuse me- Link is from Eden Three as is Aquia; and Christina is Colleen and Louis’s daughter but born on Louis’ home planet of Earth- or Terra as we call it today. Terra is on the absolute opposite side of this huge galaxy from Antarra.” Aunt Cora tried to explain.
“Hope and Charli are also originally from Terra, but moved to Gaia Four. That’s where Chance was borne. Kitty, Tua, Lyra, and Greer are from the planet FeLane. They are ‘Lynxin’, and we are all very much friends and allies.” She continued.
“Then it is all a lie?” Christian assumed incorrectly. “Goddess Christina not being a real goddess, and you are not our queen?”
“Not a lie at all, Cmdr. Norwood. According to Antarra’s recorded history, Colleen Everhardt- Norge is your true and rightful queen and primary matriarch of the Norge dynasty- my great-great-great-great-great grandmother, and all because Christina can transport us through time.” Aunt Cora continued. “Here in the thirty-third standard century though, I am queen of all Antarra and forty-three other planetary systems. I am the reigning Queen Norge here.”
“And, as humble as she is, Cora never lets us forget it either!” Kitty rolled her eyes.
“They do deserve to know the truth, Kitty.” Lokust said. “If not finding out now, they’d surely know once we landed in Norge.”
“Norge?” Gretchen looked to Aunt Cora in confusion.
“The city and vicinity have expanded outward over the centuries, Sugar Plum. Norge’s Heath and Norge’s Mill are now small parts, or neighborhoods, of the city of Norge- a city of forty-two million people at the last census.”
Our guests’ mouths dropped open!
“I wasn’t lying when I said that Antarra would prosper into the future.” Christina reminded.
“How can we be here though?” Thomas asked as he looked past Aquia- still doting on him.
“Christina isn’t like the rest of us, I’m afraid. She is several evolutionary steps higher than we are- as we are from the simpler primates that inhabit the tropical jungles around Antarra’s equator.” I tried to answer so he would understand. “Her abilities are highly advanced and even to us, seem almost impossible.”
I noticed Christina’s eyes pleading for me to stop.
“But that is a story Christina herself should tell if she feels a need. Please remember that we are all very accomplished witches, and have pledged to protect our galaxy and possibly beyond. Anywhere the Species is victimized… are mistreated, we’ll be there to right the wrongs… see justice done.” I monologed.
“What is ‘the species’, High Priestess?” Thomas asked. He seemed to be the more inquisitive of our three guests.
“That is what we call the unified sentients of our galaxy. Antarrans are a sub-species of the Species; as are Terrans and Lynxins.” Lokust explained.
“Witch Corps! We’re on!” Kate alerted.
Gretchen, Christian, and Thomas jumped a few inches as we were all suddenly in uniform!
Lokust, Simone, Link, and Aunt Cora disappeared instantly. They were closely followed by Mom, Charli, and Aquia.
I noticed Gretchen was looking down at herself in extreme confusion. She was also in one of our uniforms!
Another four o’clock, I noted.
I also noted I’d have to have another talk with Lt. Everhardt!
I was about to suggest our Lynxins stay put, but they vanished a fraction of a second before my mouth began to form the first word!
My bridge was getting very full!
“You three follow me.” I sighed as I motioned us to the elevator.
 
 

 
 
“Sit-rep, Number One!” I demanded as I guided our guests onto Pegasus’ bridge and motioned for them to find a seat.
“The Antarran Defense Command is demanding to know how we ‘slipped’ through their sensing net, High Priestess. Took them long enough!” Lokust reported. “Pegasus is also tracking a single spacecraft about to enter the Antarran defensive boundary. Chance? It’s reading full of tainted Current!”
“Navigation. I want course and intercept time to that craft. Engineering, dynamic camo.” I ordered.
“Dynamic Camo, High Priestess.” Kate confirmed.
“Course sent to helm. Four seconds to intercept at full trans-dimensional, High Priestess.” Link responded.
“Got it, Chance.” Mom acknowledged from her pilot’s chair.
“Punch it, mom! Full Afterboost.” I ordered.
“Now we’re talkin’!” Mom complied and Pegasus shuddered for a second.
“Enemy spacecraft one-million-fifty-thousand meters and holding, High Priestess.” Mom turned with a smile.
“Nice! Let’s see what we’re up against.” I said while smiling brightly to my mom and the rest of my efficient crew.
Our forward display changed views and focused; I recognized the craft immediately.
So did most of my crew!
The Vita Mirlini.
“Hail Morgana and tell her to knock it off, Lyra.”
“Aye, High Priestess. I thought I recognized that old heap from the Elcano simulation.” Lyra confirmed. “Morgana, this is Pegasus. Enough is enough. Stand down on your illusion.”
“That old crate really exists?” Aquia gasped in disbelief. “I thought that was the comic relief to decompress at the end of that simulation!”
“High Priestess? I’m not receiving any acknowledgement.” Lyra reported.
“What did you get yourself into, Morgana?” I asked myself.
Lyra tried three more times without a response.
“High Priestess! I sense no living sentient aboard that ship.” Christina reported regretfully.
“Lt. Everhardt, you’re with me.” I said as I concentrated on porting us to the Vita Mirlini.
 
 
“What happened here?” Christina asked as we got our first look at the craft’s cramped interior. “And what died in here?”
Terror assaulted my psyche as I immediately thought the worst.
“We need to get to her bridge.” I urged.
The door wouldn’t open- as if it was locked.
This wasn’t good, I thought as I banged on the door and called out to Morgana several times.
“You don’t think…?”
“No, and you shouldn’t either!” I snapped.
“She was pretty old way back in 2101, Chance.”
“So help me, Christina! She can’t be gone! I won’t accept that!” I snapped again.
“Vita Mirlini? Could you please open the cockpit’s door?” Christina tried her approach.
When that didn’t work I kicked on my Current sense.
The ship blinded me with the intensity of taint flowing around us!
“It’s a wonder this thing hasn’t gone ‘poof’, Chance.”
“I’ll see if the Current can shed any light on what happened.” I said as I walked over to a Current conduit and ‘asked’.
 
  
“Chance! Chance wake up! Chance?” Christina sounded hysterical.
“I’m okay. How long?” I asked. I noticed tears rolling down my cheeks.
“Were you in the Current? About ten minutes, Chance. What’s going on?”
“I want that door open now!” I demanded as I glared at the interior of Morgana’s ship- specifically the cockpit door.
The heavy metal door silently melted into nothingness!
“Wow! Remind me never to piss you off, High Priestess.”
“Way too late, Christina. Just so you know, Nike is awake and very much part of me right now.” I warned.
“Aye, ma’am.”
Someone was seated at the controls as indicated by the head of black hair just visible over the top of the seat’s headrest.
Morgana?
I carefully made my way between the command chair and the starboard-side control panel. Christina came up on the other side.
“NO!”
“Chance? I recommend not touching her. I’m seeing an IED implanted in the corpse.”
Clicking on my Current sight again I failed to see what she saw.
“I don’t see it.” I sighed in resignation that a fellow Witch had met her end in the vast loneliness of space. “By the way, sweetie, sorry for snapping like that. I knew her for a couple of decades when we went back to Terra’s late twenty-first century.”
“I understand, Chance. I’ve been there.”
“I know.” I nodded sadly. “I couldn’t get back to Gaia Four to even recover my parents. The damn Bio-Desolve warhead erased any and all biological material on the planet. Not even a blade of grass survived.”
“I’m sorry, Chance.”
“Can we remove the IED without a big boom, sister?” I asked.
“I already tried to snap it out of existence, Chance. No go.”
“Is that what killed her, I wonder?” Christina added.
“From what I sensed from the ship’s Current, she was surprised by the sudden appearance of something or someone.” I revealed. “Vita Mirlini had no information on ‘whatever’.”
“Maybe her log entries?” She proposed.
“Hmmm,” I said as I attempted to access her flight log. “Her course was set for Antarra.”
I searched a little deeper.
“Her last start point was Magellan?” I gasped.
“Chance?”
“She laid in a course for Antarra from Magellan! That was almost nine years ago, Christina! I knew I should’ve upgraded her propulsion when I had the chance!”
“You didn’t know, Chance.”
“She was one of us, Christina. She was part of the Corps and I didn’t do all I could for her.”
“Any ideas on the IED? I can’t seem to dispose of it, Chance.”
A wild idea struck me.
‘Nike? We need you, sister. I have an idea how we can save our sister, but it will require joint participation.’ I thought to my expectant sister.
My staff appearing indicated my internal sister was eager and ready.
Christina instantly gulped and swallowed loudly. She looked extremely nervous. “Lady Nike.”
“Hello again, Scion. Chance has asked me to assist in what she would call a very ‘hairbrained’ plan. After careful consideration, I have to agree it might stand a chance, though.”
“Care to share, Lady Nike?”
“Nike will suffice, Christina. Chance will now relate her plan.”
I cleared my throat.
“What I propose to do is carefully roll back the years until our infiltrator shows. We may have a chance of correcting Morgana’s dismal future if we can defeat… whatever.” I proposed.
“That is a lot of time to slowly roll back, Chance. Did Vita Mirlini give any indication of her time of passing?”
“Five years ago. Five years ago, Vita Mirlini’s AI started to grow angry that it was alone. The simple AI had no access to the Comm system to send out an SOS. We start there and work our way back.”
“Agreed. I’ve taken us back almost five years, ladies.” Christina confirmed.
“Now it is my turn to slowly turn back the days.” I heard Nike say with my voice.
“And I will be on the watch for anything to appear.” I added feeling a smile come to my lips.
Out the windscreen, we watched as the stars moved from back to front as I felt Nike manipulate time. It was a very strange feeling.
“Good. I feel you are taking notes, sister.” I heard Nike say; I could feel her smile.
“One month.” Nike announced then quickly, “Two months.”
“Three months.”
“Nike, wait. I see movement, from Lady Morgana.” Christina interrupted.
“We must continue, though I agree at a slower rate now that she again shows signs of life.
Again the stars moved back to forward in the windscreen.
“One week…two weeks… three…”
“God! How long did this poor girl suffer?” Christina gasped.
“Four weeks…”
“Halt!” I shouted as I felt someone materialize just behind Morgana’s chair.
Christina and I both had our wands at the ready. Morgana jumped from her seat and also flourished her wand into existence.
A well-built Terran male of maybe forty years of age, six feet even, stood stationary. He immediately reminded me of Zeus, but even Zeus wouldn’t let his hair begin to turn gray and hardly remain clean-shaven!
“State your business aboard the Vita Mirlini, sir!” I threatened.
“Chance? Christina? What in Merlin’s name?” Morgana demanded.
“Timey-whimey stuff, sister.” Christina responded.
“I hated that show! Not realistic at all!” Morgana cursed.
“Not the time, Mixie! We’ve got company.” I said without taking my eyes off our intruder. “What do you want with our sister?”
The stranger stayed silent and unmoving.
“What do you want with Morgana, asshole?!” Christina asked in her own, unique way.
“To get your attention, Scion.” He finally answered.
“Mine? Why, what’d I do to you? I’ve never seen you before.”
“Time to come home, Scion. I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”
“Funny. You don’t look like Louis Everhardt or Zeus, so kiss my ass ya damn stalker!”
The stranger began to laugh heartily.
‘Chance, this… person… is not what he appears. I cannot determine what it is, but I have a bad feeling.’ Nike warned in my mind.
“Of course you are right, Nike. I’m not from around here. I am here to take Scion back home. Now be gone, sub-entities.”
I felt something ‘blink’ inside of me.
“You will not erase my sisters, ass-wipe!” Christina hissed in anger.
“So, you have learned much. That should not be a problem though.”
Again I felt myself ‘flicker’.
“Nice try, dickhead! Just lay off the theatrics and state the real reason you are here.”
“Very well. You are mine, Scion- mine to do with as I please!” He laughed.
“Holy Christ, not another one?!” Christina swore with a snort of disbelief. “Will you ass-holes ever get the message that I serve no one! Be gone and go stalk some other ‘lesser being’.” Christina said and with a simple wave of her hand the stranger was gone.
“Nice. Now, why are you two here? How did you even get on my ship?” Morgana demanded.
“We ported aboard as Vita Mirlini entered the Antarran Defensive Boundary.” I answered.
“The Antarran…” Morgana began but reached around me and typed something into her navigation panel.
“We’re nowhere near Antarra, Chance. Care to try again?”
“Look sister! We ported aboard where Chance said and found your corpse and Vita Mirlini ready to pop his Current cork! We slowly rolled back the years in order to find who planted an explosive in yer gut and left you to die! Enough information, or do you want everything?” Christina bluntly informed her.
Morgana’s mouth dropped open and I thought she was going to hurl.
“Nice try, Scion, now, can we get back to me taking you back?”
The stranger was back and smiling confidently.
Christina smiled brightly and took a side-step toward him.
I noticed the slightest flinch from him as she did so.
‘He is not as powerful as he lets on, Christina.’ Nike thought to me- and her too, as I noticed Christina turn slightly and give us a wink.
Bold as brass, Christina confronted this stranger by first placing her hand on his shoulder then looking at him from head to toes.
“No.” She finally said.
“You will come with me! Now! Young Scion!” He hissed in anger.
“What syllable of ‘No’ didn’t you understand?” She replied calmly.
“You are mine!” He shouted angrily- spittle flying out of his mouth.
“I. Am. Mine! I. Belong. To. Nobody!” Christina told him succinctly, emphasizing each and every word specifically. Her hand never released his shoulder.
“You know?” She went on and I noticed the stranger wince in pain. “In my short time alive in this universe, I’ve run into your kind many, many times. People that think they have the worlds by the balls. People that think the worlds owe them everything. I’ve found that’s complete and utter bullshit! If you want to force your universe to your will, you can do it yourself, pal. I’ll have none of it.”
The stranger’s shoulder began to show red staining and he seemed to wince harder.
“I have a better idea.” Christina’s smile broadened. “You will dismiss your idea and plans to take over your universe or I will be forced to take matters into my own hands. I must advise you that Chance and her Witch Corps- of which I am a member- have taught me many different ways of ‘forcibly’ ‘deterring’ you or anyone like you. I give you ten of this universe’s seconds to make up your mind. What will it be, ‘old friend’?”
Christina giggled.
“Yes, I know who you were. Surprised?” she paused a moment. “You shouldn’t be. I’ve known what you were planning from the very first time I toggled universes, Uri.”
I gasped! I thought we had successfully defeated him!
‘In this realm, yes, High Priestess.’ Nike thought to me.
“Granted it was simply a mistake made by a complete novice, but I learned a lot about the multiverses in that short visit.”
“You called me ‘young Scion’. It is you that are the novice, pumpkin! Had you more experience, you would know that every universe treats the passage of time differently. So, you may have known what time means here, but when you transited universes, you failed… failed to understand the differences… the nuances.”
I heard bone begin to break as Christina’s grip increased on his shoulder.
“So, I ask again, Uri Bovidivich ‘not of this universe’, what is your decision? Your time has just about run out.”
“You cannot rid the universes of me! You don’t have the power!”
Christina looked thoughtfully to the compartment’s low ceiling for a moment.
“Yeaaah, keep telling yourself that, dude. Yes, I actually do. Your decision? Chop-chop.”
“I will never-”
“May the very first maker show mercy for you, ‘old friend’.” Christina shook her head sadly.
The stranger identified as Uri Bovidivich- mom and dad’s deranged crewmember- began to disintegrate with a look of explicit terror in his eyes. Within a few seconds nothing remained.
Christina began to cry, came around Morgana’s pilot chair and sought out my shoulder. She promptly broke down into loud deep sobs.
“He-he-h-h-h-he left me no alternative, Chance. I-I-I-I’m s-s-s-s-so s-s-s-ssssorry.”
“Gods, you are a piece of work, Christina Everhardt!” I giggled as I rubbed the back of her head to calm her. “We do what we must, and I think you gave him more than enough chances. He chose… poorly.”
Christina began laughing and snorting into my shoulder.
“That was the perfect image, sister.”
“I thought it appropriate.” I smiled as I continued to hold her firmly.
“Okay… so the big bad guy has been dealt with. Now can you two tell me what the hell is going on and how you really got on my ship?!” Morgana demanded while laughing.
I felt Christina do something. Nike confirmed she had returned us to where we where originally.
“Pegasus, Chance and Perfessor. How’s things going over there? Is Morgana okay?” Lokust inquired over our comms.
“Everything is right with the universe again, Pegasus. Mixie is alive and just as perky as we left her.”
“Perky? Really, Chance?” Morgana groaned.
“Contact Antarra Defense. Report that we have taken care of their unknown spacecraft. Chance out.”
“Copy that, Chance. Glad to hear it. Pegasus out.”
“Chance? We aren’t anywhere near Antarr…a…” Morgana began to complain, but stuttered to a stop as she turned around and looked at her Navigational Panel. Antarra could just be seen as a small speck with title leaders indicating the planet’s name along with seven other planets in Antarra’s system.
“Errrrrgh!” She growled before reseating herself.
“Antarra Defense, Vita Mirlini requesting permission to enter your defensive boundary. Destination, Norge, Antarra.” She announced.
“Slow to stop and prepare to be boarded, unknown spacecraft!”
I gave Morgana a set of coordinates. I also worked a small bit of magic.
“Fire your starboard cannon, and trust me, Mixie. Whenever you’re ready.” I giggled.
A very familiar ‘thwump’ sounded out from just below the cockpit after she entered the numbers.
To say Morgana was completely surprised was an understatement!
“Vita Mirlini,” the male voice said but was almost unintelligible over the warning sirens, klaxons, and bells. “You are cleared to Norge, Antarra. Sending coordinates to Royal Mansion Pad 2. Welcome to Antarra, Vita Mirlini.”
Morgana glared at me as if I helped her just commit the equivalent of mass murder.
“Foreplay.” I giggled.
Her mouth dropped open.
“If you’ll excuse us, we have our own craft to land. See you on the ground, Lady Morgana.” I said then gave a nod to Christina.
“Welcome back. I know more happened than you’ll ever relate to us, Chance. Welcome back, lieutenant.” Lokust deadpanned as she wrapped her arms around me.
“Bovidivich wanted Christina.” I said flatly.
“WHAT?!!!!!!!” Mom shouted in a much higher octave! She quickly turned around in her seat- eyes bulging.
“Yeah, I thought the same thing. Apparently, he wanted to take over the next universe over- make it his universe or something- and needed our Scion to accomplish it. Christina said ‘no’. It wasn’t very pretty… unless you get off on a body slowly, painfully disintegrating to nothingness.” I reported.
“When we first got over there, Morgana had been dead for about five and a half years. Vita Mirlini was so distraught it was ready to commit suicide- hence the taint.”
“But Mixie’s okay now, right, Chance?” Aunt Cora asked.
“She took aim directly on Defense Headquarters. I supplied the coordinates.” I smiled deviously. “She got immediate permission to proceed to Norge and to land at Pad 2.”
“Kitty? As we discussed while our High Priestess was tending to business?” Aunt Cora said with a mischievous grin.
“Oops.” Sinae giggled as we heard two ‘thwumps’ from both forward cannons.
Hundreds- thousands of small flashes filled our viewscreens.
“Pegasus, Antarran Defense Command.” Aunt Cora continued to grin. “Prepare to be boarded and severely punished!”
“My queen? But…”
“Major General! I expect to see a comprehensive report on my desk by tomorrow noon. In it I want to see detailed analysis of both your major defeats today and how a seemingly unarmed vessel registered as Vita Mirlini can successfully disable Headquarters’ defensive amenities and how two cannon shots can completely eradicate every defensive practice array in our defensive boundary.”
“But…”
“No ‘buts’, Major General! Yours is on the line at the moment and I’m not in any mood for foreplay!
“Yes, my queen! The report, it shall arrive early, I guarantee!”
“Good! I also want to see a broom in your hands as you assist to clean up that mess you call a command center! Until tomorrow noon!”
Aunt Cora signaled the end of her communication and began laughing hysterically!
“Now that was fun!” She exclaimed.
“Navigation, plot us a course for Norge. The Royal Mansion: Pad 1.” I ordered.
“Course plotted and sent to Helm.” Charli acknowledged.
“Got it, Chance.” Mom confirmed.
“Engage, but remember, Vita Mirlini has Pad 2. You choose our velocity.”
“Aye, High Priestess!”
Pegasus shuddered.
“We’re here, High Priestess.” Mom grinned.
“Yeah. Somehow I expected that out of you, ma! Lyra, alert Norge tower that we’re on a Norge Priority ‘Q-One’ approach and require Mansion Pad 1. We know the way.”
“Aye, High Priestess.”
“Slow as she goes, Helm. We’ve already bought enough windows in the last eight and a half years.”
Mom groaned her disapproval.
“Groan all you want, mom, I’d like our guests to get a good look at what Antarra has become- what she will become in their future. Incentive if you will.” I explained.
“Aye… entering orbit. Ready for slow descent, High Priestess.” Mom acknowledged.
“You three want to follow me to the lounge for a better look?” I asked then thought of something else. “Default Camo number three. The one with the Royal Norge Crest prominent, if you please, Lt. Cmdr. Yates?”
“You got it, Boss.”
 
 
“This is absolutely impossible, High Priestess! The buildings… I cannot fathom the complexity and the displayed beauty!” Christian Norwood swooned as he pressed his nose against the transparent wall of the lounge.
“High Priestess? What is that large spear-point thing above the back of this room?” Thomas pointed to Hope and a Pair.
“That is what we call a ‘Broom’, sweetie. They are our personal spacecraft.”
“Oh. You mean like the craft Aquia has been telling me about?”
“Exactly. Only each of them has a unique name that their pilot bestows to them. My Broom is named ‘Hope and a Pair’.” I pointed up to the Broom he noticed. “Aquia’s is ‘Surf’s Up’.”
“Ah. Thank you. Um… would it be possible to ask for a ride in one, High Priestess?”
“Have you asked Aquia, sweetie. I’m sure she’d be overjoyed to take you up if you asked her.”
Thomas’ eyes brightened right up and he hurried to the elevator.
“He seems to have found his soulmate, High Priestess.” Gretchen said as she smiled toward the closing elevator door. “I saw the shared looks and most of the cues Christian and I shared not too long ago.”
“Chance? Just letting you know we’re on final.” Mom alerted.
“Ah. There it is.” I said as I pointed out the Royal Mansion as we slowly moved closer.
My two remaining guests were lost for words.
 
 

 
 
“I’d like Link to precede me, High Priestess.” Aunt Cora specified as we prepared our procession from the ship.
“With her majesty’s permission, I’d like to escort her.” Christian requested.
“I think that very noble of you, highness.” I grinned. “Christina, I’d like you to escort Gretchen, please. Link, let Christian escort you.”
“Aye, ma’am.”
“Open the hatch, Ex-O.” I nodded to Lokust.
Our procession began as Kate and Aquia exited Pegasus followed by Hope and Charli then Lyra and Greer.
Applause filled the air!
Louis and Thomas left the confines of Pegasus next and were closely followed by Kitty and Tau.
Whistles and whoops now overrode the applause toward the visiting monarch and Prime minister from FeLane!
“Our turn, honey.” I said to Grunfuller as I took his arm and we stepped off.
Again the applause roared to life!
Reaching the deck, we split and moved to our places. Link, escorted by Christian, emerged and began down our ramp.
People cheered and shrieked uncontrollably for their presumed Queen! Quickly the crowd silenced in confusion when Link took her spot in our parade line and Christian moved to his.
The crowd silenced so that one could hear a pin drop as Christina and Gretchen emerged from Pegasus! Not a word was murmured until both women split and moved into line.
Now every onlooker seemed perplexed. Aunt Cora and Colleen exited the ship to absolute silence! They stopped at the top of the ramp.
“Witch Corps! Honors!” I shouted.
Our parade line went immediately to attention and drew wands to the sky after turning toward our ramp.
“Pre-sen-tinggggg, her Royal Highness, Reigning Queen Caroline Norge!” I shouted proudly, but continued. “Pre-sen-tinggggg, her Royal Highness Queen Matriarch Colleen Norwood-Everhardt-Norge!”
The cheers, whistling, shrieks, hoots and hollers, and, unbelievably fireworks, deafened us for almost ten full minutes!
As things finally died down, I noticed Gretchen, Christian, and Thomas staring unblinkingly back at Pegasus. All three were barely breathing and shaking or shuddering noticeably.
“I-i-i-it is so big!” Thomas – again the first to speak- stated.
“She gets us where we’re going.” I said offhandedly.
“High Priestess?”
“Yes, Lady Gretchen?” I answered. They had been briefed on Witch Corps protocol when in public.
“Our queen… Queen Colleen? You introduced her as…as Queen Colleen Norwood-Everhardt-Norge. Why Norwood?”
That was her maiden name before she took Everhardt from Lord Louis.” I answered.
“Then how is she a Norge?”
“We did a simple genetic code comparison and she carries the Royal code of the Norge Clan. Queen Caroline adopted her, as is her right. So Colleen is of the Royal bloodline as are you, Lady Gretchen.”
“But I am not of the Norge Bloodline, High Priestess!”
“Have you looked at your hair recently, my lady?” I asked as I conjured a hand mirror and handed it to her.
“When…” she gasped as she teased handfuls of blue hair into the mirror’s view.
“I noticed the progression the last month, my love. Lady Chance advised against bringing it to your attention- that you should notice it on your own.
“We figure you’re about seventh in line for the throne, my lady.” I smiled.
Gretchen paled as she just stared at me.
She finally recovered enough to ask, “And what we see around us this day all started from Queen Colleen’s rise to Norge’s Heath’s throne?”
“Got it in one, Lady Gretchen.” I smiled brightly.
“High Priestess? Is it crucial that I return to Norge’s Heath?” Thomas asked out of the blue.
“I believe Queen Caroline has her researchers scouring the archives for that information, Lord Thomas. Don’t worry, I’ve seen how you and Lady Aquia get along.”
“You have?”
“It’s kind of obvious, my young lord.” I giggled, despite trying to remain serious and noble.
“Excuse me, High Priestess, but Antarran Border Defense Headquarters has actually requested Witch Corps’ help.” Pegasus alerted.
“Acknowledged. Aquia, Chance. I have an assignment for you.”
Aquia arrived from the far edge of our eased parade line at a quick pace.
“High Priestess?”
“Antarran Defense has requested assistance in maintaining security at the boundary.” I told her.
“Permission to take Surf’s Up out on patrol?” She asked, standing at attention.
“Permission granted,” I told her, “On one condition though.”
“High Priestess?” Aquia cocked her head to the side slightly.
“The Boundary is vast and the sortie may become… tedious. I require you to fill your second chair.”
“If for nothing more than company and conversation.” I added.
“Of course, My Lad…”
“Our young Lord Thomas has just inquired about a possible ride in one of our Brooms…”
“As you wish, High Priestess.” Aquia tried desperately to hide her enthusiasm.
“Surf’s Up? We need to hit the ink and cruise the Antarran ‘PCH’.” Aquia called to her Broom.
“Cool! I’m flippin’ the toggles and applyin’ the wax, Water Lily! You bringin’ yer hunk studly?”
Aquia blushed profusely!
“Totes!” She almost shouted.
“Welcome aboard, little bro!” Surf’s Up flashed her navigation lights a few times in excitement.
“Follow me, Lord Thomas.” Aquia said as she took his hand and gently pulled him back up the ramp into Pegasus.
“My Lords and Ladies, I believe it necessary to put some distance between us and Lady Aquia’s Broom.” I recommended. I motioned them to the edge of the pad’s deck as Pegasus retracted her boarding ramp.
I turned us around to watch .
“Water Lily, Pegasus Launch Control: Chance. Requesting launch permission and departure vector.” Aquia said over our comm.
“Permission is given, Water Lily. Lady Chance: Pegasus, Norge Tower. I have a flight, designated: Witch Corps Flight One requesting Priority One departure vector from ‘Mansion 1’.” I said into my comm.
“Pegasus: Lady Chance, we have been advised and have established a Priority One Corridor from Norge. Please try not to break any windows? We just finished replacing the ones our queen shattered on her last departure.”
“Copy, Norge Tower. Chance, Water Lily. You are cleared for the transmitted Priority One Corridor. Keep it residential until orbit.”
“Copy Chance. Departure vector received. Launch commencing.”
Gretchen and Christian’s eyes widened considerably as Surf’s Up gracefully detached from the side of Pegasus, righted and paused in hover.
Two hands waved to us from her cockpit before Aquia’s Broom began moving forward and gained altitude.
“Unbelieveable! Such magic!”
“It isn’t magic, but science, my lord. Science that Lady Christina herself pioneered back on twenty-second century Terra. If not for her, none of this would be possible. And please don’t tell her I said that. She is very sensitive about that time in her life.” I said as a faint sonic boom reached our ears.
“I knew she couldn’t resist.” I giggled as I looked toward that section of sky.
“So what now, Lady Chance?” Gretchen looked to me curiously.
“Now?” I smiled. “Now, we go inside and take the tour I know Aunt Cora is just dying to give you. Be prepared to meet a whole hoard of people that you have no chance of remembering. Also prepare to meet many different sub-species as the Royal Mansion also doubles as the Galactic Alliance embassies here on Antarra.”
 
 

 
 
“Ahhh! I was just about to send for you.” Aunt Cora greeted as we found her in the main foyer of the mansion. “For our late arrivals, I was just showing and giving a little history lesson on this small portrait behind me.”
She stepped out of the way.
Gretchen and Christian’s jaws dropped!
“That’s us…”
“Yes it is, Sugar Plums. This family portrait leaves no doubt that you two were meant to return to Norge’s Heath. According to the historic details, this was commissioned four years after Colleen’s coronation.”
“But there are three small children in that painting!” Christian exclaimed.
“Apparently you two work fast.” Aunt Cora grinned mischievously.
“Annnnnd love each other veeeery much.” She quickly added as an afterthought with a blush.
“Thomas was just asking about his role in all this, Aunt Cora.” I related to avoid the awkward stares from the newlywed Norwoods.
“I did some preliminary searching for him in the public archives, Chance. I got no hits on his name or facial recognition from any art. I think Aquia is free and clear to navigate.” Simone reported with a smirk.
“Now, if everyone will follow me, please?” Aunt Cora quickly changed course.
We all followed- silently- through a set of secured doors, down three flights of steps, through another set of secured doors, down a short corridor, and through some very old looking wooden doors into a small ‘warehouse’ of a room that looked eerily familiar.
“Now here are the really rare and beyond priceless things. Things that you’ll never see on any inventory list or touring museum collection.”
“Oh! My! God!” Christina gasped as she stopped dead and fixed her gaze to a portrait on the far wall.
The painting had to be seven meters wide by five meters tall and faithfully represented eight people in vivid colors and exquisite detail!
Colleen and Louis were seated front and center- Christina standing behind her mom and dad looking Goddess-like with a slight white aura encircling her- her arms raised out from her sides invitingly in welcome. Lined up behind the ‘Royal Family’- left to right were: Aunt Cora, Link, Simone, Kate; Kitty, Tua, Lyra, and Greer in their disguises; Christina was between Tua and Lyra; Dad, Mom, Grunfuller, and me! We were all depicted in our royal medieval/renaissance finery.
“You know? I never connected this portrait until I met you, Christina. And, I’ve always wondered why two people that looked exactly like me were never recorded in the ancient archives.” Aunt Cora reverently approached the huge painting and gently detached the information card from below it.
“Hmm. Says here it was commissioned five months after your coronation, Colleen; so I guess we all go back and hang with you a little bit longer.” Aunt Cora summarized.
Kate whistled. “Hey! Royals! Over here!”
She had lifted the edge of a linen covered painting measuring a meter by a meter and a half. It was sitting all alone on its own easel.
“Yet another question/mystery revealed. What’s next? Aliens really do exist?” She joked as she carefully lifted the fabric to reveal another portrait- only this one wasn’t any standard painting, but a photographic print of a young couple that looked very much in love in front of a grand, very modern-looking Norge cityscape backdrop.
Taking a step forward, I conjured my wand and called upon it for extra light.
“It says here that this very detailed ‘painting’ was found in a little-used, forgotten storeroom right after breaking ground for a minor addition to the Keep at Norge’s Heath. The ‘artist’ and ‘subjects’ are unknown, but that it was discovered one hundred and fifty years after the coronation of Queen Colleen Norge.
“Though pure speculation, it is thought that the ‘artist’ painstakingly reproduced a ‘vision’ inspired by, or given to him by the Goddess Christina.” I read the very old velum document. It was signed and dated but I could only clearly make out the year: 1735.
“Freakin’ ‘A’ crazy!” Christina muttered as we all continued to gaze at the picture of Aquia and Thomas with Norge’s financial district in the background. They were probably standing near the edge of the Mansion’s landing deck.
“I’m hungry. Is anyone else here hungry?” Aunt Cora declared suddenly as she turned quickly and headed for the doors. I’d never seen her so flustered.
“What’s with Aunt Cora?’ I asked Simone as we hurried to follow our aunt.
“You didn’t see it, Chance?” She asked in surprise.
“See what?”
“The reflection in the large window off to their left?”
I shook my head. “No, what was in the reflection?”
“The Financial Reserve next to the mansion- its informational display; the date was reflected off the window.”
“Okaaaay?”
“It’s next Midweek’s date, Chance.”
“Ooooohshit!” I balked.