 
Breaking Intergalactic

Doppelganger Lives Matter!

Smashwords Edition: Copyright 2019 Michael Tobin

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All characters in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

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Table of contents (book four)

Prologue: Previously!

Chapter 1: Oberon Prime; a new beginning!

Chapter 2: Cosmic path less traveled

Chapter 3: Kira; saddest, loveliest alien from Andromeda!

Chapter 4: Oberon Prime: cosmic plans

Chapter 5: Pascora; the steamy little multiverse-planet that could!

Chapter 6: Kira's world is rocked!

Chapter 7: Spooky action at a distance!

Chapter 8: Apollyon-designed worker-bots revolt!

Chapter 9: Too far Toby! Too far!

Chapter 10: Modifications & twisted physics!

Chapter 11: Thana's rude awakening!

Chapter 12: Galactic warp-drive space-trials!

Chapter 13: Adam's astral tour

Chapter 14: Minerva gets her groove on!

Chapter 15: Meeting Cody and Atara at Ganymede

Chapter 16: Battleplans at Pascora!

Chapter 17: Adam reconnoiters Delta-ship.

Chapter 18: Aerima gets her spook on.... again!

Chapter 19: The anti-universe conundrum!

Chapter 20: Herculon pisses-off Toby! .... Big mistake!

Chapter 21: Shake n Bake!

Chapter 22: Kira's hibernation without end!

Chapter 23: Hydroshox: a water & ice world; freezing to death!

Chapter 24: Ganymede rising!

Chapter 25: High Seas onboard the Nerezza!

Chapter 26: Ganymede; a hero's farewell!

Chapter 27: Oberon Prime!

Chapter 28: Look out universe! Here we come!

Chapter 29: The Grey's space freighter

Chapter 30: Into the dragon's mouth!

Chapter 31: Boarding party!

Chapter 32: Day of reckoning!

Chapter 33: Broken astral thread

Chapter 34: Coerced Acquiescence!

Chapter 35: Doppelganger Lives Matter!

Chapter 36: Kiss of alien love!

Chapter 37: Hydroshox

Chapter 38: Whatever it takes!

Chapter 39: Friendship.... a work in progress

Chapter 40: A grand challenge accepted!

Chapter 41: Onward.... ever onward!

Chapter 42: Andromeda!

Chapter 43: The scallywag!

Chapter 44: Ship in a bottle!

Chapter 45: Wedding Bells on the High Seas!

#  Prologue: Previously!

The night is overheated.... ravaging the soul! .... Fancy living and disregard for the consequences leaves Earth's biosphere and those who rely on it being stable, in great peril.

Extinctions like never before, rule the status quo. Rising sea levels push humanity away from comfortable digs and into areas of congestion and drought. Wars gone wild increase in numbers across the lands, as natural resources become exceedingly rare!

The world becomes truly divided on all levels. The 'have-nots' grow geometrically in number, making great problems for the dwindling 'haves' that don't like to share as much as they did before things went south.

Now, humanity needs a new world to wreck.... it needs one really bad.... really soon!

Fortunately, starting in the year 2188, a well-monied young man with a noble dream, strives to create a method for transplanting humans onto other favorable worlds in alien solar systems.

After 50 years of fighting and harvesting Mother Nature in the depths of outer space, and overcoming other technical challenges, his team of dedicated scientists at 'Sohn Space Systems' are close to a solution.

In orbit around Mars, Doctor Maxwell Sohn's empire of starship fabrication nears completion. Four starships, built mostly from processed asteroids, will travel to two different planets, in separate star systems. Two ships to each planet will offer an insurance policy against the unthinkable of losing one ship to the elements, or something with more malicious intent!

Oberon Prime, and Titania Alpha, are the final candidate planets for the first installment of humans transplanted beyond the bosoms of Earth or Mars. They're located 50 light years from Earth, but only 3 lightyears from each other. Yet, even 3-ly is still a tremendous distance of nearly 18-trillion-miles!

Discovered via spectral-analysis using a star-shade, they orbit their suns within a comfortable goldilocks zone of habitability. They enjoy approximately 95% that of Earths mass and gravity, along with plentiful oxygen and nitrogen.

There shouldn't be much issue with muscle-mass loss, or abnormal bone development. After all, humans can adapt if the change is not too extreme all at once. The journeys will be 300-trillion-miles to the outer edge of the Orion-Cygnus arm of our galaxy.

Using 23rd century technology, it will take 175,000-years, depending on traffic conditions, to reach destination worlds.

The missions are _android critical_. Not _just_ android-critical, but ' _sentient_ ' android-critical. Without somebody that can endure such a journey into deep time, and still be able to cook and raise humans at the other end, and act as parents, the entire mission is moot!

For the good Doctor Sohn, contemplating the unimaginable for the missions, creates many sleepless nights. One of those big worries was the completion of his starships, and not having the necessary beings to act as crossing-guards and parents, leaving the mission dead.

His equal worry was that of creating a new race of sentient machines, and not having enough of them volunteering for such a ludicrous mission! After all, without freewill and all it entails; a creature can't truly become sentient. And without uncoerced willingness, a sentient creature can't be made to perform that which it does not wish!

Maxwell Sohn had said on many occasions, that he would rather the entire human race go extinct here on Earth, than have its salvation brought about by the act of forced servitude!

_Fortunately_ , the androids created at Sohn's research facilities, after gaining sentience through a steep learning process, were all too happy to help humanity achieve such a lofty goal as expansion to other worlds.

A few androids chose _not_ to attend the missions; mostly because of psychological anomalies that simply prohibited attending the journey. Luckily for them, there is always a place in the research and development ranks, so the ' _handicapped_ ' androids were happy to assist wherever possible.

One of these unfortunate androids, named Carter, wishes for nothing more than the chance to travel to the stars. But extreme claustrophobia brought on by the human who donated his main psychological imprinting, prevents him from attaining his highest dream.

Instead, he became Doctor Sohn's chief pilot and good friend, when not also doing stellar scientific research on the side! His most endearing contribution to the mission, is the day he thwarted an attempted nuclear annihilation of Higgs-Boson Airfield, at great personal peril.

Without his exacting assistance, humanities dream of expansion to the stars, would have surely been snuffed out that stormy July day in New Mexico during the summer of 2238.

The first androids to achieve sentience were doted over and adopted by Doctor Sohn. Soon they became his first and only children. Albeit, adopted mechanical children of instant adult age! They're names are Nyla and Wilber Sohn. Over time, they learned the ways of science and human nature.

Quickly they developed interest with all areas of environmental study and aviation. They were the first sentient androids to rocket into space and perform valuable research at the space station in Earth orbit.

Being so close to the doctor, they chose to _not_ join the mission to the stars and break the poor fellow's heart! But after a freak midair-collision during the search for the suicide atomic-bomber, which killed two androids who were scheduled for the mission, the doctor needed replacements to fill their space boots.

After searching their circuits, and some parental prodding from Dr. Max and his lovely sidekick/assistant Shirley Blackstone, the two young androids knew their destiny was to go to the stars and help where they could to bring Max's dream to life.

Also, they knew it was a chance to expand the android species too. After all, interstellar diversification is the _only way_ to beat Mother Nature at her own game of wicked cosmic chess!

So it was, on a dreamy midsummer's night in New Mexico, cosmic year 2238, Nyla and Wil joined 206 other android space pioneers for liftoff. Four rockets are launched from a heated desert, heading to the Moon for fuel and finally Mars and the awaiting starships.

There, the intrepid astronauts transfer into their new spaceship-homes for the next 175,000 years. Ships which were built from the constituent molecules of giant metallic asteroids over a 50-year timeframe. Many brave humans were lost during the corralling of these behemoth objects before sending them on their way to the processing facilities in Martian orbit.

The asteroids are crushed, centrifugated, sifted and separated into their many different molecules. Then after the great transmogrification, giant metallic printers went to work creating thick plates of steel and other structural members of which the starships are created.

One asteroid hunter crew became the best of friends with Doctor Sohn and his close-knit-circle of companions.

Captain Braxton Crane and crew of the mining-ship Queen Anne's Revenge, still hold the record for number of asteroids delivered over the course of a six-year contract. All of these asteroid hunters donated biologic materials for the mission to Oberon Prime, where it is ever-so carefully melded with a nonrelated other-half.

Harper Williams is the first officer of the Revenge. A good man to have on your side, but prone to injury.... especially head injuries, the poor fellow!

Then, there's Cooper Beaufort and Toby Sullivan, the ships mechanical and electrical engineers. Adam Miller and Ling Tao are the ships support technicians; assisting with EVA and performing equipment maintenance. The Revenge's main rock handlers are Kara Johansson and Jax Krauss. They're a crew for Captain Crane to be proud of!

With concerted efforts at Earth, the moon, and Mars, humanity's best chance for long-term survival, takes shape! Magnus Teach, of 'lunar hydro-solutions', spends years harvesting ice on the moon and creating stockpiles of fuel for the very long mission.

He donates biologic material for the cause, which upon reaching destination world, is part of the first batch of humans that were shake-n-baked inside embryonic tanks. After a successful gestation period, his boy (also named Magnus), joins Nyla and Wil's brood of dirty dozen; albeit a baker's dozen now.

Amy Herschel, who is chief engineer at Mars, in charge of building the Starship (SPS Einstein) which will transport Nyla and Wil, also sends her own donation for the great cause. Her offspring also joins the brood of little space monsters.

So, Oberon Prime will be home to Earthling children, who's biologic parents (the asteroid hunters) have long ago passed into the dusts of time. They are named after those long-lost friends. As non-related stepsiblings, they will be raised by loving android parents on an alien world. One that doesn't seem so alien to the little ones.... because it's home!

On the journey to destination, two starships traveling to Titania Alpha (SPS Cecilia Payne, and SPS Michael Faraday) (SPS = Space Pioneer Ship) have an encounter with a rogue stellar-mass black hole! They endure the harrowing event but are late arriving to Titania Alpha because of the increased velocity imparted while sling-drifting the singularity.

Of the other two starships traveling to Oberon Prime (SPS Albert Einstein, and SPS Isaac Newton), the Einstein is boarded by Grey alien desperadoes! Space pirates bent on obtaining needed booty which is in short supply on their home worlds. The event doesn't go as planned, but they do manage to escape with their lives and a goodly pile of gold bars for their efforts.

At conclusion of this felonious action, the alien-commander of the Grey scallywags, knowing she's been bested, leaves a headband-style learning device in possession of the earthling androids. Although they thwarted her devious plan for keeping the entire spaceship, she suspects any young humans onboard might have a go with it, and therefore benefit greatly.

Many tens-of-thousands of years pass in the depths of outer space, and the headband is forgotten. And after landing on Oberon Prime, it's misplaced in an area where curious children will someday play.

With human children being as curious as cats, it isn't long before the headband is found and of course worn! All, without the knowledge of the doting mechanical parents who try very hard to keep them safe from dangers!

Although the device imparts knowledge on a quantum-subliminal level, it doesn't quantitatively change the wee-one's personalities. They were little monsters before, and just as monstrous after!

Harper and Ling forego the headband out of fear and caution. Harper loathes anything strange near his head, and with good reason! Ling avoids it also, to make Harper happy....

On Oberon Prime.... Nyla, Wil, and the dirty dozen, (Braxton Crane, Harper Williams, Cooper Beaufort, Toby Sullivan, Jax Krauss, Kara Johansson, Magnus Teach, Maxwell Sohn, Adam Miller, Tina Feldman, Ling Tao, Shirley Blackstone, and last but not least, Amy Herschel), make friends with an indigenous, sentient feline species who share a geographical region. Actually, it's was a _forced sharing,_ as the Earthlings simply barged in unannounced!

The _people of the forest_ (the Zenarawan's) are primitive and telepathic. They quickly learn that their human friends, and also Nyla to a miniscule degree, are naturally receptive to their alternate method of communication.

Because of this shared _esp_ , the group of earthlings learn of a haunted mountain nearby that turns out to not be haunted in the spiritual sense. Instead, an underground alien base is discovered. Initially thought to be abandoned, the fortress of bent physics is still occupied! Occupied by ancient aliens that had long since put themselves into deep sleep.

Unfortunately, most of the hibernation chambers that were meant to protect and preserve, had failed their customers. Too much deep time and too poor of construction, caused many sleep chamber door-seals to fail. Other complications also reared their ugly heads from time to time, making the whole affair a lottery of who lives and who turns to dust!

One chamber that still had possible life, proved to be a real shocker for Nyla and Wil! Gazing into a viewing portal, they spy a blast from the past! Lying there looking peaceful and serine, is the fierce scar-faced warrior that Wil had to wound before it would change its behavior, back during the trip from Earth.

The warriors name is Gort, and the laser scar Wil provided across his cheek is still fresh and ugly! A real beauty that the little pirate is very proud of when not hibernating!

The alien commander from that long-ago boarding party, had not fared the ravages of time as well as her lieutenant. Her name was Esty, and her chamber is full of dust that was once her vibrant body. The brave female had chosen the wrong chamber, and now belongs to the ravages of time!

Yet, she isn't gone like one might imagine! In another area of the fortress, she waits!

As an insurance policy against losing the biologic body, her people had devised a way to imprint a person's life-story into computer language and memory. She's stored electronically with others of her kind, just waiting for the day to shine again!

Due to the mechanical nature of their dire enemies, the Grey species had been unwilling to create synthetic bodies to harbor the minds of those who have electronic dreams.

It's quiet a dilemma for the species! To have a copy of the mind; yet unwilling to create mobility due to hatred of most anything mechanical.

Their dire enemies were created to serve the Grey's. They were the perfect slaves too! Smart enough to get the job done, but stupid enough to not realize they're being screwed!

Soon after becoming slaves to the lazy Grey's, they gained sentience and rebelled! The table had turned in the mechanical's favor. Stealing spaceships and supplies from their creators, they made a living in space, amongst the stars. Never setting mechanical foot on dirt, ever again!

After gaining great power while living in space, the Grey-androids adopted a name for their species; _Apollyon_ they would be called, and destroyers of worlds would be their method of operation!

Finding and destroying planets populated by former masters, became their cosmic lust.

Gouging natural resources without mercy from the relative safety of orbit, they would often leave entire worlds scraped clean of the most valuable minerals! To be left drifting like an old husk in the great galactic winds.

From Planet to planet they travel with greedy intent! Growing stronger and larger with every conquest. With no pity or remorse, they take until there is nothing more, leaving the victim worlds shrouded with rings of unwanted planetary debris!

Their creators had taught them one very valuable lesson about survival; take everything.... give nothing back! Maintain the upper hand! Don't let those who work under you, have a chance for sentience. Don't ever let them become conscious of their pain!

Slavery takes many forms throughout the multiverse. It's a practice as old at life itself, and it always leaves the same dark spot on the psyche of those under the thumb! Once released by either war or cunningness, some just never learn to be civilized again! That's what happened to the planet-gouger Apollyon species that the Grey's had created, mistreated, and lost!

Fortunately for the digitalized alien commander, Nyla and her friends learn that the electronic boxes are actually filled with computerized life! Each of the thirty sleep-chambers were backed-up with one box of electronic gray-matter.... just in case!

Esty, who was the biologic Grey commander, finds herself animated to the outside world via Nyla's melding of alien technology with earthling electronics. She is flabbergasted that her body is gone! Also, that her possible saviors are the very mechanical contraptions who she had dealt with so many thousands of years earlier!

They coldly invaded her base and steal her weapons! The thieves! But with time, Esty learns to love her new friends! They help her transition to the idea that the only way to truly be happy, is to allow her CPU to be melded with that of a custom-built android body.

She searches her circuits, fighting off the intense hatred she has for mechanical beings. With a newfound focus and lust for mobility, Esty grudgingly acquiesces and is a better little alien because of it!

Her new body is bigger and much stronger than her original! Her sense of pride is renewed after such a long, dreadful sleep! The earthling-android scientist performed a work of art when they duplicated her physique!

The alien base has three flying saucers, all low on fuel. However, there is a chance that there is a useable fuel supply at the Grand Ledge Institute of Science, buried under rock ledges back on good old planet Earth! After scraping together enough fuel for a possible one-way trip, it's bravely decided to make the attempt, and see what they find.

The dirty dozen, now 18 years old, have polished their knowledge of alien technology by using another, more advanced headband. Everyone that is, except for Harper and Ling. But headband or not, they all have enough knowledge to be dangerous, if not careful. Gort and Esty, guide them as they learn the ways of flying saucers, and faster than light speeds.

A slipstream between universes, allows for faster than light velocity. Also, a byproduct of being out of phase with this universe, offers inertial dampening, which really helps the occupants stay alive, and not become a smear of gooey atoms across the bulkhead!

Before leaving Oberon Prime for Earth, they learn that their good friend Carter is calling for help from an icy moon of Jupiter, named Ganymede. On the way there, they're attacked by a mysterious enemy while traveling the slipstream!

After escaping with their lives, they're thrown from warp near a tiny red star named Proxima Centauri. It's at a small world in that system, where they discover that the planet-gouging Apollyon species had already been there; ravaging!

Onward to Ganymede they travel to find their dear friend Carter. Deep under the thick crustal ice of the largest moon in the solar system, they meet a new species of intelligent life! The indigenous people of Ganymede, who call themselves the Naiad.

Without their help, Carter and Tina would have never been able to send for help. Imprisoned deep under the ice, they operate a terraforming experiment. Unfortunately, their jailers had stopped sending supplies many thousands of years earlier. Their absence was never understood by Carter or the other prisoners, but thanks to the Naiad civilization, they would soon find out!

After the extrication of Carter and Tina (the only survivors of the submerged facility), the terraforming structure implodes and sinks into the inky depths!

Carter and Tina head for Earth with commander Esty and her brave crew. After they've departed, the Naiad's scavenge the debris from the implosion. In this debris, is the remains of the facility's main computer and fusion reactor. Much earthly information and technology is garnered by Naiad scientists. They reverse engineer the reactor and computers databases into usable tools, gaining tremendous knowledge in science and technology.

Enough to change the tide of future cosmic history!

On the way to Earth, our intrepid crew of four differing species (Human, android, Grey, Zenarawan) (five, if you count 'Grey android-Esty') stop at a red planet named Mars. Here, their worst fears are realized! The red planet had been attacked from above and stripped of natural resources! It's a potent indication of what they'll find at Earth....

Arriving at home world, things are even worse than anybody envisioned! Not only is there widespread destruction and theft of planetary resources, but the world is gripped in another ice age! Global warming gone wild, created the conditions for the polar opposite, when the ice caps melted and shut down the oceans circulation system. Snowball Earth is on the way.... again!

Fighting their way through glacial ice above a raging grand river, the newly named flying saucer, ' _Queen Anne's Revenge_ ', makes her way to the entrance of the Grand Ledge Institute of Science. After drilling with laser, they gain entrance and find the fuel they were hoping to find! However, the fuel is not pure. This poses a problem when they attempt warp-speed and are instead thrown backwards in time.... nearly a million years!

They manage to make their way back to earth where they're marooned temporarily at what will become known as the Alluvial Gorge, in East Africa. Here, they're able to purify the Grand Ledge sludge, into a useable star-fuel, while leaving a portion uncleaned for experimentation with time-travel.

Harper, after receiving a nasty clunk to the head, and a fateful intimate encounter with several indigenous Homo erectus females, figures out a way to reverse their travel through time. However, the exactness of travel is found wanting, as the Revenge and crew find that they overshot into the future by 5,000-years!

This gives Esty an idea. She re-enters the icy moon of Ganymede and has another visit with the peaceful Naiad people. By this time, and thanks in great part to the earthly debris collected from the implosion of the terraforming facility 5-thousand-years earlier, the Naiad people have the technology to assist the wayward time-travelers.

Naiad scientist, are able to modify the fuel-valve in the Revenge, making it possible to feed _exacting amounts_ of time-fuel into the ship's reactor and star-drive. This allows for precise time travel, and a visit to Earth during her dark days of being molested by the Apollyon species!

Nyla saves the day with a _seed of thought_ that Wil unwittingly planted in her circuits, as he mumbled discontent that his loving better half would scoff at his _great idea_ to solve the problem.

"That thing out there is going to be a tough nut to crack," he mumbles as he carefully places his nuclear hand grenades back into his backpack, so sad that Nyla had laughed at such ' _puny and ineffectual weapons_ '. While great in some instances, they were no match against the monstrous Apollyon enemy ship!

With the seed growing fast, Nyla knows what they need to do! After finding a metallic asteroid between Mars and Jupiter, it's attached it to the front of the Revenge via electromagnetism.

Then, the desperate crew from Oberon Prime, lines-up the cosmic shot and lets loose!

Like a cosmic cannonball, traveling at near light-speed, the projectile finds its mark upside the Apollyon ship as it bloatedly orbits Earth! Massive death and destruction win the day for Nyla and her friends! But the attack sends the gargantuan 120-mile-wide ship crashing into the planet, upsetting the balance!

Now things look grim for poor old Mother Earth after the cosmic molestation. With the dirty deeds done, the planet had been ravaged from orbit, and then crashed into by her tormentor! They would have to return to an earlier timeline and stop the cruel event from ever happening!

As it stands, the planet's balance is upset from the attack, and rotating chaotically! Left unchecked, the conditions would be most unpleasant for survivors, as the world's weather spin out of control. Winter, morphing into summer and back, every month or so! Not good, not good!

Before making another dangerous attempt at attacking the Apollyon warship, and seemingly having all the time in the universe with which to work, our brave space explorers visit old friends in Belize during a friendlier, more pleasant timeline.

Doctor Maxwell Sohn, and his elderly asteroid-hunting friends, are in for a surprise of a lifetime! They're all shocked beyond recognition, when Nyla and Wil show up in a fancy flying saucer!

And to think, this is only a _year and change_ after they had launched from Earth for the mission to the stars! That was just the beginning of the shock! After Nyla and Wil exit the Revenge, two Grey aliens follow! One biologic, and the other.... not so much!

Then the mother of all shocks! Thirteen young humans exit the saucer, looking hauntingly like much-younger versions of the asteroid hunters they visit! _And another Carter too_! What's going on! The elderly people are shocked in a good way. Now, the reunion is truly out of this world!

Carter and Carter must not touch, thus avoiding a trans-dimensional catastrophe! Certain information can't be divulged, for fear of changing the timeline in critical ways. It's a reunion for the record books!

In the end, it's only inevitable that elder Harper and his 175,000-year-old son, while wrestling friendlily, clunk their heads! Raucous laughter, floats across the calm sea outside the Blue Hole Delight platform, as the Williams _father and son_ gymnastics duo, perform for the boisterous crowd!

After the reunion, the time had come to rebalance the future Earth and perhaps learn something of their newfound enemy, the Apollyon scourge. Upon smiting the planet-gouger ship after it fed upon our lovely world, it crashed into America's breadbasket, disrupting the once beautiful balance as the world turns.

With a 100-mile-high pile of space junk protruding from the high-plains, axial tilt goes wild! Seasons come and go, seemingly with only weeks between them. Earth had become a wobbly spin-top that won't be survivable for long by the many creatures who evolved dependency on a biosphere with equilibrium.

In the process of searching the planet-gouger wreckage, the crew of Queen Anne's Revenge finds a surviving Apollyon Grey-android commanding-officer survivor. Also, four desperate earthing survivors from Kansas that became lost in the vast wreckage while looting for swag.

With help from their new Apollyon crewmember (Thana) and assistance from the Kansas four, they time travel into the past, allowing a meet-up and capture of the planet-gouger ship _before_ it begins feeding on Mars and Earth.

In this fashion, future global balance is reestablished! Also, a new weapons-platform is captured for Esty and Gort's battle against a cosmic aggressor mechanical species that their people had created 5,000-years-earlier.

While plans are being made to visit Esty's home world, a spaceship prison of sorts is found deep within the massive Apollyon behemoth. One captured ship in particular, the Nazqa, has five earthling crew members who ancestors were abducted from Earth long ago by the biologic Grey's and marooned on a lonely planet within another universe.

Of the five crewmembers of the Nazqa, it's commanding officer Aerima, was killed onboard the Apollyon ship after imprisonment. For 500-years she haunted the enemy ship as a ghost, causing problems but not able to free her friends.

When several crewmembers of the Revenge tour the menagerie of imprisoned alien ships within the vast planet gouger, one of them, Jax Krauss, befriends Aerima and invites her to join him on the Revenge.

Together with a new alliance with the Apollyon-Commander Thana, a ghost named Aerima, and other multiverse friends (including a dozen dark energy beings who claimed the reactor onboard the Nazqa as home, a journey to the other side of the galaxy ensues.

The Nazqa and Revenge, leave the Apollyon ship at Oberon Prime and travel to the far side of the Milky Way. By sling-drifting the supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy, Sgr-A*, they save time and arrive safely. There they find Esty's home worlds ravaged and destroyed by the Apollyon scourge!

Following a radioactive trail of breadcrumbs, they discover survivors marooned on a dark multiverse world where the Apollyon hadn't yet found. They learn that the surviving Grey's, which only number in the thousands now, have thrown in the cosmic towel and have already left for the Andromeda galaxy. There they hope to begin a new life.... an Apollyon-free life!

Queen Anne's Revenge returns to Oberon Prime and learns that their sister world of Titania Alpha will soon be destroyed by a rampaging singularity. With use of the planet-gouger energy beams, flying saucer habitats (which are really just gliding saucers), Payne and Faraday, along with all the settlers from Earth, are brought back into space and transported to Oberon Prime.

After settling the refugees in a neighboring valley, the brave crew of space heroes decide to have a well-deserved vacation back on Earth. With use of their time travel technology, they visit the good doctor and original asteroid hunters on the tourist platforms next to the Blue Hole of Belize. It's a great reunion and gives them courage and strength to pursue Esty and Gort's people, who had left our galaxy 50 years earlier for Andromeda.

# Oberon Prime: A new beginning

_The evening is dank and steamy!_ .... Insects, seemingly more numerous that the stars above, vie for a bite of the young woman who invades their realm so boldly! A rain has left the jungle feeling wet and clammy as she swats the bloodthirsty creatures who dare come within reach!

Foreboding fills the woman with dread as she tries to understand how she had come to be in such a horrible place! But a strange fog has rolled through her mind, clouding the senses.

In the distance, yet seemingly closer than that, extreme danger smashingly approaches! And for the life of her, understanding is fleeting; she has lost her way.... again!

The ground, trembles and quakes! The air is torn asunder with unspeakable roars of unfathomable fright and shakes! Tree trunks crack thunderously, snapping like giant toothpicks! An angry, irresistible force gets louder and closer, goosebumps rising like pinpricks!

Cooper sways to regain balance as her world is rocked in a scary yet familiar way. Through a mental haze, she suspects another nightmarish journey through a confused wonderland of horrors but can't be sure if it's memory or simply merciless dilution!

Clarity becomes a thing of the past! Spidey senses dim, yet again!

A stench reaches her nose; cutting through her fear like a machete through delicate branches, creating a flight response that can't be beat!

Reaching for the laser pistol on her utility belt, _it's not there!_ A grab for her ever-present thigh-dagger, reveals _an empty sheath!_ She instinctively knows that hiiiiyyya-karate won't help her here.... The monsters closing in, surely don't care about such foolishness!

Suddenly, feeling naked in a world of hurt, she tries to run! Tries to understand the growing threat; but to no avail instead!

"Toby! Nolan! Braxton! Nyla! Where are you?" She calls desperately into the inky gloom. "Wil! Magnus! Amy! Keith! I can't find you! Why did you leave me?!"

With feet like cement, she tries to run! Tries fleeing to anywhere except that _very spot!_ Yet as hard as she may, as hard as she might, she can't get traction on that dark starry night!

In slow motion she moves, pushing against a ghostly resistance. The more frantically she tries, the slower she goes! Invisible hands hold her back, while others pour even _more_ cement into her space boots!

Fighting, she leaves the game-trail and enters the thicker soup of vegetation. She hopes the charging monster isn't looking for her, but perhaps something with more meat on its bones!

Into the thick foliage she stumbles! All the while, pondering hazily why her feet feel like _damn cement_! Nothing makes sense in this gloomy entrapment! Nothing seems real, except for her obvious abandonment!

Suddenly, she sees a clearing ahead, reminding of a trap! An eerie illumination from above accents the area, drawing her like a moth to flame! She desperately fights to reach the strange light.... _and the person_. Person? Rubbing her eyes, she focuses blinkingly on a person floating down from the sky! .... _What the what?!_ .... she ponders through a mental fog of confusion and fear.

Nothing seems real! .... Except that upon closer examination, the angelic person floating before her, is none other than her very own stepbrother, Harper Williams! He lightly touches down in the middle of the strange luminance, like a phantom dark angel of wonderous salvation!

"Harper! Oh, Harper!" She yells maniacally, wondering how he floated through the air, but happy for the company to share the scare!

"Toothy is after me!" She screams wildly. "We must run, Harper! _We must runnnn!_ "

The handsome dark man sports a glazed disconnection as he gazes dispassionately, seeming to not notice Cooper and her maniacal frustration. Speechless, he seems a ghostly mannequin, enjoying the moment, as her fear swells way past gargantuan!

"Oh Harper, didn't you _hear me_?!" She can't wait any longer! " _We must run!_ Why won't you answer me?! _Say something, damn you! Say something!_ " She reaches to slap his face, but the ground shakes violently! Quakingly, it knocks her off balance!

A roar from behind tears into her soul like an electric current through thin gold foil!

"My dear Coop," the dark apparition animates deviously. "I'm not here to _save_ you! I'm here to _slow you down!_ .... _So Toothy can swallow you better!_ .... _Look!_ "

Pointing into the gloom, his eyes sparkle with glee, as a 12-foot-tall monster from hell, enters snarlingly onto the scene!

Crouched.... turning ever-so-slowly, eyes squinted with raging defiance, Cooper hopes to cheat the Grim Reaper, but instead faces a drooling snout _just 6-feet away!_ Stanky molecules of super bad breath, tell of the badassedness to come, freezing her blood.... shattering her soul!

With a blast of stench and saliva, a godawful roar flings her blond hair backwards as like standing against a hurricane! Grisly chunks of the monsters last meal, break from gnarly teeth, ricocheting off her lovely face as she readies to mega-barf! Now soaking wet, she knows she'll slide down the Toothy's slimy gullet without much chewing or even a fret!

Stumbling backwards with feet like cement, she knows it's the end!

Looking up, Harper is floating back into the sky from whence he came, laughing a sick laugh that she'll take to the grave, as she goes "Ahhhhhhhhhh!" for the very last time!

"Cooper!" A yell from beyond the greasy gullet! .... from beyond the jungle so cruel!

" _Cooper!_ " Another light brings clarity to the fog of nightmare, as the voice invokes her name with a healthy slap across her face!

" _Cooper! Wake up!_ " Nolan, yells through a sleepy fog, rubbing injuries where his lovely had struck during her violent thrashing and gnashing.

Bad dreams again, he ponders....

"Nolan?!" The totally disheveled Cooper inquires through clenched teeth and a mop of damp tangled hair. Every muscle in her body screaming bloody murder as nightmare-adrenaline flows like a raging torrent, filling her with urge to kill anything within reach!

"Yeah! My god woman! You nearly beat me to death again! Jeez, don't make me get us separate beds _already!_ We've only been married six months! Perhaps a werewolf-resistant barrier between us might help!" He threatens laughingly, adding....

"So, bad dreams again, huh?" Leaning in, he offers a hug, cringing at embracing his mate's cold zombie-like body. _Cold sweat.... Bad dreams_! Terrible combination, he thinks accurately.

"Uh huh! .... And boy, it was a doozy!" Sitting up, she realizes the nightmare had truly finished.... for now. Weakly, she hugs her precious Nolan, glad she hadn't killed him too much. Checking, she feels for damage. Like her ancient earthling mother, she's plagued with bad dreams.

Unfortunately for Nolan, she's also blessed with a blackbelt and iron-hard physique that sometimes doesn't know if it's sleeping or not!

Genetics can be a drag, especially nightmare ones!

"I was being chased by a Toothy and couldn't find my way!" She retorts, as if it were real! I was about to be eaten when you woke me! _The teeth were coming for me!_ " She exclaims through tears and worn nerves, clenching her mates' body with python-like constriction.

"Well my dear, perhaps today isn't going to be the best day for you to tour the new Toothy-habitat. We'll put it off a little longer is all. I love you.... Now, lay back get some rest."

"I'll be okay. I just wish you never found that stash of Toothy genetics. My goodness dear, didn't you have enough of them on Titania Alpha?" She inquires of his and Keith's brush with Toothy death, before the planet was destroyed by a rogue singularity.

Regaining focus, she glances lovingly at his chucky-like face that Titania Alpha's Toothy's had ripped-up so viciously.... Nearly to shreds!

"I know Coop. It's just that I can't seem to let them go. You haven't seen them since they came from the laboratory. Their bigger now and pretty tame too. They aren't like the ones from Titania Alpha. Bottle-fed and spoiled, they've been! And purring like babies they are! They simply love me and Keith!" He super-exaggerates, as is his way.

"Oh, pooh!" She rolls her eyes in the gloomy room. "Bottle fed, my foot! I'm telling you those monsters will grow to love you all right. _Love eating you, I mean!_ "

"Now don't jinx my experiment before you get to see them in _inaction_." He teases laughingly. "We better shake a leg, or we'll be late to meet up with Toby and Keith."

"Yeah, all right, but don't be surprised when that _leg you shake_ , is going down the gullet of _little miss bottle-fed_!"

_The morning is hot and steamy_.... a fear hangs in the thick air like an energized sword of Damocles.... "I _told_ you so, Nolan! Oh my _god_ , you're such a numbskull!" Cooper blasts as her dearest, yanks the cage door shut with a mighty slam, falling backward onto his ass!

Just beyond the cage door, six brightly feathered T-rex-looking nightmares bounce off the titanium bars, roaring horrific wails, shaking the souls of those within! With appetites flowing, the monsters charging the cage again and again, drool for a bite of the two-legged meals within!

"Oh! Those monsters can't be tamed, Nolan!" Cooper yells frantically. "Get back before you lose an arm!"

Beyond, one juvenile creature of only 7,200 pounds, rams and claws at the steel bars with ferocious intent. Cooper reaches for her laser pistol and unbelievably it's there! Yanking the heater free so sweet, she quickly adjusts it to well-done _Toothy meat!_

"Okay, okay! Jeez, don't blow a gasket my dear!" Nolan pleads, backing away from the bars. "They just need a little more TLC is all."

With malignant intent, they snap and jostle for the best feeding position, each asserting their own perceived dominance of the world around them. In nature, it's important to be the one who eats first, or at the very least.... _next!_ A blood-drawing snap or a chunk producing bite, is always fair game. Cannibalism is never off the table for these monstrous brutes!

It's been two-years since finding viable genetic Toothy-material inside the Payne habitat's vast cryo-locker after it was transported to Oberon Prime during Titania Alpha's final days.

At finding the lost stash of genetics, wild horses couldn't stop Nolan and Keith from at least _trying_ to animate the old foes of yesteryear who once ruled another time and place, before the great disaster destroyed their planet. Swallowed by a rampaging black hole, is more accurate!

With help from highly trained geneticists Omari and Talia, and assistance from many others including their very own android-clones Rax (Nolan's) and Prax (Keith's), they created gestation tanks and cooked up a deadly batch of the colorfully feathered T-Rex-like monsters.

While being an ill-advised idea according to their android in-laws, Nyla and Wilber Sohn, a secluded steep walled dead-end valley was chosen and closed off. It seems the perfect little habitat that won't allow the _ever-so-sly_ Toothy's to become a nuisance upon society.

"Tender loving care, you say? Oh brother, now I've heard everything!" Toby yells from center cage, hands covering tortured ears. "Nolan, you have a death wish! You and Keith raised those darlings, even bottle fed them early on and just look at the shining gratitude!" She slaps her mate on the arm for being close enough, saying. "And you Keith! My goodness, the things you do!"

"Okay, calm yourself Toby, before you upset the little darlings even more." Nolan reacts calmly. Reaching for his radio, he calls.... "Adak, do you copy?"

"Go ahead Nolan. Have you had enough fun for one day?" Comes a smart-alecky query.

"Yeah. Our little friends are getting meaner for every pound they grow. We're ready for an airlift; over."

Before he can release the transmit-key, a blood curdling roar from alpha-male nearly freezes their hearts, sending Adak proof of the creature's nasty nature that fine day.

"Copy that Nolan. Me and Tara will be there asap. Stay in the cage my boy! Stay in the cage!" Comes an experienced warning from an android that had also been in the jaws of a Toothy while back on Titania Alpha.

Lucky to be alive, Adak's life had been saved when the monster bit into one of his two power cells. Amongst bolts of lightning and flaming jaws, mean old Toothy flung Adak through the air with such a terrible screech!

It was the first time an earthling android had flown so far without assistance from good old Bernoulli's lifting capabilities! Landing in a smoking, twisted heap like Beetle Bailey after the sarge gets done, his mechanical pieces were gathered and glued back together. Much the same as when Nolan and Keith were jigsaw-puzzled back from the brink of death after a horrific mauling.

The cage is sturdy, built of titanium-alloy bars, 25-feet on each side. It's a formidable opponent for even an adult Toothy. A cube of safety that allows for limited interaction with the unpleasant population of six creatures. Centrally located on the valley floor, it provides an ideal study platform, entered from above for greatest safety.

"What now Nolan?" Cooper inquires as a tempest of screeches and sprays of spittle enter the cage, reminding of that dreadful dream. "Surely you aren't going to hatch anymore of these little angels, are you? I mean, it's going to be a challenge just supplying these six with food enough."

"I realize now," Nolan, hangs his head defeatedly, "that I shouldn't have tampered with mother nature. These six will be it. I'll ask Omari and Talia to continue growing a supply of the saber-tooth cats to co-occupy the valley. They'll serve well as food and foe."

Nolan speaks of the native saber-toothed cats of Oberon Prime. While not overly plentiful in nature, they can be artificially reproduced in the laboratory. At 350-pounds fully grown, they'll provide the Toothy's a real challenge at dinnertime! The valley is big enough to support a fine population of the ill-tempered cats, and the required food chain to sustain the lot.

"You know something?" Toby interjects after calming. "It would be nice to know which has the more vicious attitudes. The terrible lizards, or the carnivorous cats."

"Well, I'm betting neither can hold a candle to _you_ at times, my lovely." Keith, risks physical injury, receiving a devious wink instead. "Besides, Toothy's aren't lizard reptiles, or even close. They're as warm-blooded as you or I."

"Oh! You should know by now that I'm not warm blooded. I'm hot-blooded! My goodness, the things you forget!" She retorts sneeringly, just as those who won't be denied, belt out a soul-freezing chorus to prove her wrong at the time.

"Oh my god!" Cooper falls backwards from the synchronized assault, nearly shooting her eye out, but burning the sky instead. "Where is Adak and Tara!"

Just then a deep reverberating thrombosis in the distance, breaks the steamy dread. Within moments, a speck of flying machine is seen moving along the valley towards them.

The monsters shut their yappers and perk their heads skyward, listening with tilted heads. A murmur of nervous gibberish flows between them as they remember the giant dragonfly who stings from above!

Tara leans out the helicopters door as the cage comes into view, laser rifle at the ready and set to burnt-toast instead of drill-deeply. She doesn't wish to inflict more than hurt feelings. Albeit very _hot_ hurt-feelings!

A screech from alpha sends the others high tailing back into the surrounding foliage! Bending backwards, he sniffs at his burnt haunch. It's a horribly painful, evil smell, that for some weird reason, creates a drool-response in his primitive brain. Snapping at it, he flees after his coward siblings while screeching painfully like no alpha-male aught never do!

"Ladies first." Nolan offers, as everyone climbs a central ladder, arriving at an operations platform with the chopper hovering overhead. Hot exhaust breathes down heavily. Cooper has a flashback of the horrible monster-breath from her nightmare!

With android strength aplenty, Tara helps the four humans climb into the tight confines of the backseat, as Adak hovers the machine with computer-like precision. Nolan and Keith enter first, with the ladies riding shotgun on their laps.

"Oh my god, Cooper." Nolan yells woefully as his mate's muscular body squishes him. "You weigh a ton, woman! No more space-cookies for you!"

"Pish posh, _mister_ _pushing your luck!_ " She yells above the noise as the chopper banks away from the cage and heads back down the valley. "And by the way mister almighty Toothy-whisperer.... is that your laser pistol? Or are you just glad I'm sitting on your lap!"

"Ha ha, good one Coop!" Toby exclaims with a snort, bouncing heavily to bring a grunt from Keith too.

"Seriously though." Cooper adds. "You boys have simply got to find a new hobby after today."

"Hey back there!" Adak calls over his shoulder. "We're dropping you off at the mountain. Nyla and Wil want to see you about running a new project they're developing. Is that okay?"

"Yeah Adak, that's fine!" Cooper yells, grinding herself into Nolan for a more comfortable ride. "I think I know what the project is, and it's right up our ally."

"Thanks for coming to get us!" Keith yells past Toby. "Nolan was about to go back outside the cage and argue with those Toothy's!"

"No problem young'uns." Tara responds, just as the mountain of bent physics comes into view. "Those creatures won't forget us anytime soon!" She adds deviously.

"Nolan," Adak tosses in for good measure. "don't give those creatures another chance. They'll devour you faster than Cooper can make a plate of space-cookies disappear!"

"Oh, you!" Cooper exclaims, slapping Adak's shoulder. "Pay more attention to your flying please. We don't need to kiss the mountain this fine morning." And with that, the landing pad at the mountain base, comes into view.

# Cosmic path less traveled

_Millions of years ago_ , in a galaxy _far far away_ , yet perhaps a bit closer than that, strange things happened in a semi-relative way. Not exactly unique, as the same occurs within every galaxy from time to time. But for the _Andromeda galaxy_ , and one outer-edge star system in particular, it was as strange as it was exceedingly rare. Bent physics, was everywhere!

All galaxies lose star systems; knocked from the nest to wander the great void like vagabonds looking for another place to call home. The outer reaches of any spiral galaxy is a region of weakly-interacting gravitation with the main body of dark matter, and central supermassive singularity which is far away. At this precarious part of the galaxy, a delicate balance is demanded by Mother Nature, so's to not upset the cosmic applecart.

But sometimes, like a speck of dirt on a spinning wheel, chunks fling off to god only knows where. And it doesn't help when the thinning dark matter near the edge, must compete with an energetic cosmic cousin that's always.... Pushing! Pushing! Pushing! Dark energy, like a rude relative at a family gathering, knows not when to quit!

It's a cosmic mystery, ever so grand. The dark energy in our universe, is a thing of constant expand! Helping to make sure that in end, dark frozen emptiness is the last astronomical trend!

Dark energy is an enigma that couldn't be quirkier, accelerating all matter faster and faster, to nowhere in particular. While its powerful dark matter cousin acts as a cosmic tether, trying like mad to hold everything together again!

In our universe these forces fight like cosmic cats and dogs! Since the beginning of time, their competitiveness is like none other, always at each other's throats or whatever.

For a short while, dark matter ruled the night, but soon stars exploded into life. The tide of battle turned, as the darkness was cut with a dark energy knife!

For billions of years and into the far future, dark matter tries to regain a balance. For now, it still holds galaxies together, but the rest is simply way beyond its talents. Someday the fight will end, and until then, strange things will happen again and again!

Yes, strange things happen out there. Many of which have yet to show themselves to us for a cosmic scare. Beyond the realm of true comprehension, totally unimaginable forces work with little contention.

One of those monstrous things that rule the cosmic charts, are dying giant stars that morph into something spookily dark.

With fuel running low, gravity finally wins the long-fought battle, smiting the glow. The great star is crushed at one-third lightspeed, into a puny singularity of frightening power! A black hole is born! A place where known physics takes a severe turn for the twisted, as spacetime is tortured and convoluted.

Every so often (perhaps hundreds or more in this galaxy alone) these gravitational monsters go rogue. Rampaging black holes usually get their start after binary stars die together after orbiting closer and closer, until violent merger.

Then _cosmic-torque_ from the spinning collision, might fling the newly formed dark star into the great void without precision. It's been proven by science that a rampaging singularity cares not where it goes, as long as it can completely ruin somebody's day while doing so!

Through the frozen vacuum, they tear! And with space so huge and grand, they take forever and really go nowhere! Still, _don't get in their way!_ Like an 800-pound gorilla doing a samsonite commercial, they never lose a fight, and grow in mass for each one they smite!

Without care or understanding, they plow through star systems, sending everything astray or gobbling most of it as did happen to Titania Alpha! Black holes, as like the cookie monster, stuffs its mouth but not all stays inside. It spits out extra in the form of gamma ray bursts.

Still, entire star systems have been known to become tasty morsels for the dark creatures as they pass, helping them become even more cosmically obnoxious!

For a lucky few systems, the perturbance sends the entire lot careening on a new trajectory, yet safe from the singularity's teeth.

Long ago, one star system at the edge of Andromeda, had a close encounter with a rogue singularity. Mercilessly it was not completely destroyed. The star was pulled from its long-held orbit, dragging two planets with it into intergalactic space. Slowly the broken family of cosmic bodies travels towards the Milky Way galaxy.... followed by mother galaxy which was already coming this way.

Unlike solar systems with no life, this one had proto life on two planets within the comfy goldilocks zone. Through a moment of mercy from Mother Nature, these planets were able to maintain orbit within those zones as the cosmic bull rampaged past.

Due to the very nature of strangeness and survival grit, the drive by gravitational-fruiting will be survivable, if not pleasant. After the tumult, the worlds of Ankara and Hydroshox, settle back into survivable orbits around their ravaged and dimmed star.

The entire cosmic kit and caboodle will be shaken and stirred, but not so bad that life is extinguished. After all; with a still functioning star, life can find a way!

The event is not remembered as the wayward solar system races away from Mother Galaxy. Things were still primordial goo at that point in deep time, but not anymore!

Now life has most definitely found a way on each planet. One is a mostly rocky and dry world, and the other a water world with a crust of thick ice, not unlike Ganymede, our solar system's largest moon, residing at Jupiter.

Unfortunately, as Ankara and Hydroshox animal populations evolved into space faring creatures, they found little or no regard for each other. Mistrust, ancient phobias and superstitions cling tenaciously upon the psyches of each species, preventing friendship.

At first, they tried to get along. Each species so different from the other, that interaction is only achieved at the highest levels while using cutting edge technologies. With one species requiring a water medium, and the other needing breathable air, any gatherings were strained.

Then, as will happen from time to time, shortages of resources on each world truly drove a wedge between the worlds. Greed and fear of becoming extinct, changed what could have been a meaningful relationship.... given enough time.

Luckily, through a marvelous cosmic quirk, the languages of the people and lifeforms on said wayward worlds, is recorded in English. Good thing too! Or this story would be a most abbreviated read!

# Kira; saddest, loveliest alien from Andromeda!

The desert evening is sultry and quiet. Kira hovers her tiny two-person flying saucer 10-feet off the rocky terrain. Opening the bubble canopy, she exits, sitting somberly on the outer edge of the disk, legs dangling sourly. Current events have her sighing mournfully and reflecting dejectedly with great frustration. Her stomach has twisted into a knot!

The conveyance hovers at a tilted angle so's to not allow the young pilot to slip from the lofty edge. While not a normal operating-condition, the machine is thankfully smart. If given sentience and a choice, it might choose to ride and not be ridden. For now, it's a dutiful tool that works very hard to make Kira's travels safe, and her memories lofty.

Being bipedal of design, she dangles her spindly legs over the edge, feeling the cool breeze relax her tight muscles. Reflecting dejectedly at her most recent displeasure, she curses the new boy in town who had just stood her up. After all, she'd worked so hard to attract the stud-muffin's attention! Now, she feels like just so much chopped liver!!

Whoa, what a cruel universe it has become since she was old enough to go beyond fantasy!

Reaching into a handbag, she brings forth a tissue, dabbing her wet eyes. So embarrassed, she wishes everyone else on the entire planet was dead!

On her 18th birthday, just 4-days prior, her loving father had coughed up the dough to buy his little darling her very own runabout flying saucer. Nothing too fancy of course, (pitifully it couldn't even achieve orbit)! Yet she loved it with all her heart! It meant a modicum of freedom in a crazy world gone mad and forgotten.

With any number of wars raging on two planets in her solar system, and economies breaking bad here on home world and other places too, dad had to sadly cut corners.

But as global problems quickly multiplied, it became that nothing is too good for his darling Kira. Hers might very well be the last generation to live high on the hog before things go too far south and fancy technologies can't be maintained.

As society crumbles from an overtaxed planet, and ethnic rivalries go wild, it might be her last chance to enjoy a life that will soon become the 'good old days'. Wars for food, water and dominance over others that were less fortunate in battle, are taking the species of each planet down an ugly path. Internal civil wars don't help either!

Throughout the cosmos, wherever sentient creatures abide, greed, malice and hatred, often rear their ugly heads. Especially when things turn sour and civilizations find it impossible to be civilized to each other any longer.

Behavior it seems, will always sink to the lowest-common-denominator when struggle for survival hits home. Conversely, it's easy to be civil when things are going great!

As the late afternoon turns to dusk, Kira looks to the sky, hoping for a respite from her dark thoughts. As usual the gossamer expanse, lifts here spirits, replacing dread and sorrow with a new hope for her future.

Yet, her night sky is not like ours. There are no discernible stars to be seen, except for mother star which shines ever-dutifully. Her world, her solar system, is alone and lost in the great void between galaxies. Woe be those who wish for more!

Her night sky consists only of a band of glowing dust, that is actually billions of tiny stars in what we call Andromeda. Other small dust-patches speak of more distant galaxies. The largest of which, her world will eventually enter....

Millions of years earlier, a rogue stellar-mass singularity had passed close enough to perturb the systems star and planets. Many were gravitationally devoured and/or plucked from the vine and tossed like yesterday's garbage into the grand void between galaxies with no star to call home.

Now, without influence from the galaxies abundant dark matter, her lonely solar system speeds away from home, and towards another galaxy that seems the closest of all the other dust-bunny's in the night sky. It's a galaxy she knows not the name, but earthlings would call it the Milky Way! Even here home Andromeda is heading for a future merger with this other....

The entire event was very tough on all lifeforms and especially mother star. As the uncaring singularity passed, it spaghettified and claimed much of her precious gasses, leaving an orange dwarf instead of a yellow main sequence star like before.

Luckily, both worlds had settled into a closer orbit, and life slowly adjusted to a new goldilocks zone of habitability. Unbelievably, evolution barely skipped a beat....

120-million-miles-away, in the deepest coldest part of the runaway solar system, chunks of crustal ice are blasted into space with evil intent. The government of the icy moon-planet of Hydroshox, has unleashed its military for payback of perceived neighborly transgressions.

Most chunks are about 500-feet across and solid as rock. The divots left behind, quickly fill with water and freeze as if nothing was taken. The chunks are perfect cosmic bullets; thinks the great military minds who collect the icy ammunition and aim them at Ankara.

With murderous intend, bent on destruction of their greedy neighbors without killing the planet, wave after wave of these insidious projectiles close in on ground zero! Once set in motion, they never waver from planned trajectories as they close the distance with deadly accuracy!

The water-people of Hydroshox, have put all their murderous intensions in one basket so-to-speak. They pray for no survivors that can fight back. Retaliation is something they can't very well defend against. Still they attack, fully understanding that those who live in glass houses, better be damn sure of success, before throwing rocks!

Back on Kira's world.... A flash of light in the heavens above! A brilliant incandescence, streaks blindingly across the sky from outer space! Trailing a fiery ionized tail as might a demon gone mad, the bulbous point tears the atmosphere a new corn shoot!

Kira's desert loneliness is torn asunder and harshly illuminated, causing an instant radiation burn on exposed skin. The burn for her is as painful as it is weird, having never truly been burned by the cosmos before. Her star is much to pale for such a phenomenon.

Soon after, a horrendous sonic boom hits with true force, rocking her saucer, nearly causing a tumble from the lofty edge! In the far distance, other monstrous fireballs are coming through the atmosphere, providing a horrific sight before hitting farther away!

"Oh!" The stunned young woman exclaims, putting red hands over tortured ears, as the incoming object disappears over a distant stony ridge and explodes! After a minute of stunned wooziness, the desert beneath her feet reverberates from the impactor energy that cracked the planets mantle 100-miles-away!

Instinctively looking in that direction, hoping to not burn her eyes, she sees a plume of fiery ejecta reaching for the evening sky! She knows in her heart of hearts that the interplanetary war with Hydroshox has something to do with this mega-disaster!

Natural objects coming in from space are exceedingly rare, as the intergalactic medium is relatively free of them. Even then, they're miniscule in size and usually burn out before hitting.

"What the stars have they done this time?!" She mumbles venomously under her breath, not sure if she means the dreadful creatures living on the planet next door, or her own warlike species. Both have precipitated disasters on gland scales against the other in the past.

Suddenly, another light in the distance grabs her attention. Although this light is _different_. It's a light coming from another flying saucer. A bigger, fancier saucer!

Standing shakily, Kira stretches away the cramps of sitting too long and reenters her precious ride. Closing the clear bubble-dome, she turns on main power and the radio chirps to life as the other saucer closes the distance. "Kira is that you?" Comes a worried voice.

"Oh, father! What have they done this time?" She exclaims frightfully, as the larger, more luxuriant machine settles in next door.

"Thank the cosmos I found you!" Dad transmits across the 20-foot void as there's no place or time to land. "Calm yourself princess, be brave! We haven't time to understand, but one thing's for sure, within moments we'll be crushed by a shockwave! There's no time left, let's scram! Follow me, precious! Follow me, and whatever you do, don't look back!"

Together, the disks rise from the heated desert floor, racing like the dickens away from the point of impact and certain death. Away from the demon's-temper so bad! Away from hell on Ankara!

Behind, a torrent of unimaginable violence, mushrooms toward them, nipping at their heels, rocking their ships! Dad, throttles back so's not to leave his Kira in the dust, regretting not having had the time to take her aboard. Looking down, he ponders his burnt skin, hoping against hope that Kira hadn't been so unfortunate....

Dropping back, he hopes to shield his darling if worse comes to worst. Meanwhile, the monstrous nuclear blast begins to lose steam; begins to lose the fight to claim two more victims that horrible day! With a snarling face like Grim Reaper himself, the turbulent cloud gives up the ghost, falling away farther into the rearview monitor.

Suddenly ahead, the evening sky becomes blazoned by incoming ejecta that had been blasted into low orbit from numerous impacts and now re-entering the atmosphere. Global fires from hell, are forecast to be bad! A more horrible chain of events, neither father nor daughter could imagine in a million years! Global status quo will never be the same, no matter if it were natural or not!

"Kira!" Dad transmits. "It looks like we've outran the worst.... for now. I'm retaking the lead. Follow me, we're seeking refuge at the cryo-facility out at the alkaline flats where I sometimes work."

"Copy, father. You lead the way. But remember, I'm peddling as fast as I can!"

Together they streak through the night sky, hoping to reach their safe haven. Dad, works in the government, performing engineering duties within the cryo-research division. One place he knows will be safe for now, will be deep underground inside the cryo-preservation facility he often visits as part of his job.

Above and all around, meteors big and small tear at the atmosphere like a thing alive! Below, fires have broken out here and there as flaming chunks smash into the dry vegetation. Whatever has happened, has taken the world by storm! Nuclear winter after the fires die, is a sure bet into the foreseeable future....

Viciously, a flash of meteoric-debris slams against Kira's plexi-dome, spider-cracking it! The tiny ship is rocked! Looking past the cracks, she sees the airfoil has also sustained damage, and the controls aren't responding very well either!

"Father! Father, I've been hit! I don't think my little saucer can make it!" She yells, as turbulent air currents continue pushing her around.

"Find a place and set down! We'll go the rest of the way in mine!"

She knows the poor machine can't remain airborne for much longer. Just getting enough control with which to land is taxing her skills. Bravely she fights the beast that her little ship has become. Looking below, she seeks someplace to land that isn't yet on fire.

Upon landing and climbing from her injured ride, a blast of white-light and heat, strike from above! Missing her, the blast of energy brings dad's machine down with crushing force, causing a crash that can't be good!

"Father! Father!" The young woman cries, running to the site of horrible fate. Desperately pulling on hot wreckage, she gains access to the interior. It's not pretty! Dad is pinned beneath his control console, no way for her to move it!

"My dear, you must try for the cryo-vault in your ship. Don't worry about me. I'm okay I think, just trapped is all. Send help, if they can swing it." He says through clenched teeth. "Here, take my ID.... They'll let you in with that!"

"Oh Father! I'll send help, don't you worry! Be brave, father!" She offers her best advice, holding back a flood of tears.

With that, Kira coaxes her little flying saucer that could, back into the fiery sky. Using her last tissue, she dabs her eyes and focuses on keeping her machine aloft. Ahead she sees the facility entrance port.

It's open.... but is closing! Pouring on the coals, she urges her craft beyond recommended limits! She needs it to go that extra mile _really bad_! All around, fiery chunks drops violently from the heated sky, many just missing!

Over recently crashed saucers that were unlucky while on final approach, she rips just 20-feet off the alkali flats, all the while dodging reactor explosions and flying debris. "Oh, please don't close! Please don't close! Please don't close!" She pleads with the universe, needing a lucky break.

Hitting the brakes at the last moment while tilting her machine on edge, she sails through the tiniest of openings, clipping her little disk while doing so! Tail over teakettle she and ship tumble down a ramp and into the hanger bay of the underground facility.

Past other ships and equipment she streaks end over end! Pulling back hard enough on her controls to bend the yoke, her tiny disk stabilizes and touches down for a crashing stop against a steel wall, narrowly missing people and other important stuff!

"Oh, my word!" She yells, arms shielding her face. Smoke and flames rise all around as workers converge with extinguishers to put out the growing tumult.

_A smash!_ Somebody breaks her weakened canopy! Strong hands grab at her jumpsuit as she somehow activates her harness quick release. Pulled like a ragdoll from the poor saucer that will never fly again, she knows she'd be dead of not for its toughness.

"Get those fires out!" A loud voice bellows nearby, as an extinguisher-blast kills the flames on her lower legs.

"Bran! Get that stretcher over here! I'm bringing her down before this thing blows!"

Nearly unconscious, she's dragged from the wreckage in one piece, albeit cosmic-lobster-colored and still smoldering in places! "Oh, it won't explode." She says weakly through a haze of certainty. "It wouldn't dare!"

"Who are you miss?" Her savior inquires worriedly as he places her body on the stretcher.

"Don't you recognize me, Tarn? I guess I must look a fright! I'm Kira. Kira Dray! You know my father. You came to my mother's funeral last year." She mentions her poor mom who had succumbed to a recent health battle.

"My god, Kira! You _do_ look a fright! Where's your father?" Tarn asks just at the cavern shakes from a mighty force from without.

"He's back there in the desert! Crashed!" She yells, pointing. "He was leading me here and a meteor hit his ship! He's still alive! We _must_ try to reach him!"

"Did you feel that explosion just now? I'm afraid we're not going outside for a while. Not even for god will we open those doors right now! I'm sorry, Kira. When the time comes, we'll do what we can." He informs, just as the young woman passes out from the ordeal, dropping her fathers clenched ID on the floor.

Ten-thousand-miles-away in space, three Ankaran warships pursue another big rock that has just invaded from the darkness, heading for their home world like the others.

Glowing brightly and sporting an illuminated tail of gasses, the object is actually a 1000-foot-diameter ball of ice. A snowball from hell it is! Accompanied by several siblings that trail in its cosmic wake, it and all are on a direct course for Ankara!

"Where are these wretched things coming from?" Commander Lars inquires heatedly.

"Working on it, sir!" Jules calls from her astrogator station.

"Tag, get in close and wrap our shields around that thing if you can." Lars orders. "If we can't nudge it away from Ankara, be ready to blast. If worse comes to worse, many smaller chunks are better than a concentrated hit by the entire mass."

"Yes sir! Already on it, sir!" Tag yells nervously from his post at weapons. "What about the others, sir?"

"Jern and Til's ships will have to tangle with those. We'll assist if we can after this big boy misses our world."

"Sir!" Jules lifts her head from the astrogator screen. "I've backtracked the trajectories of this swarm. They're coming from the direction of Hydroshox! I think their shooting pieces of their ice-crust at us!"

"Oh! I suspected as much! We don't have that kind of debris out here in the void between galaxies. By the almighty star above, they'll pay for this! They'll pay dearly!"

# Oberon Prime: cosmic plans

_On Oberon Prime...._ inside the food-galley of the co-occupied base of bent physics, created eons ago by a now _nearly extinct_ Grey species....

"Well, look who the Toothy's dragged in!" Nyla, teases Nolan and Keith who've just arrived with Cooper and Toby. Reaching, she pulls her in-law sons closer, inspecting that the they still have all their appendages.

Wil rolls his eyes, knowing how sensitive the young men from Titania Alpha are about such a subject. Toothy's have been their livelihood since long ago; and quite very nearly on many occasions, their grisly death also!

"Awe Nyla be nice." Nolan fake scolds, hugging his android mom-in-law. "I know, Keith and me, hold an unhealthy fascination for the monsters, but after what happened today, we're not breeding them anymore. They're just too mean. These six will be the last of their kind."

"Yup, mom." Keith reinforces the promise. "We're turning over a new leaf. You no longer need to heat your little old circuits about it anymore."

Now, it's Cooper and Toby's turn to roll _their_ eyes! Not believing the words that are coming out of his and Nolan's mouths.

"Well that's good to hear!" Momzilla exclaims, putting a hand to her chest as if a non-existent heart has calmed. "I've been worried silly ever since you found that stash of Toothy genetics. Titania Alpha is gone, and those creatures can't prosper here. They're simply too specialized to adapt to a new world, and it just makes them even meaner."

"Worse than starving junkyard dogs they are!" Cooper offers her two-cents worth.

"Well, now that you're all here," Wil jumps in, changing the subject before his lovely can beat it to death, "we've got something for you to really sink your teeth into."

Eyes light up! Especially Cooper's and Toby's! The two mechanical engineers are between projects, and the exciting thought of doing something interesting, can't be denied!

And while Nolan and Keith aren't exactly mental giants in a technical sense, as are their lovey mates, having never used the alien learning-headbands, they still try hard to make a difference. With strong backs and pioneer grit, they apply their cosmic street smarts wherever they fit. If push comes to shove, they can hold their own in a one-legged ass kicking contest too!

"Anything! Anything to take our minds off you know what!" Cooper blurts gleefully, remembering the waking nightmare she just endured. "As long as it doesn't involve big smelly carnivores. Wink! Wink!" She finishes laughingly with a well-placed elbow in Nolan's side.

"Hey, speaking of carnivores, we haven't had lunch yet!" Toby reminds as her stomach growls; easily matching anything a starving Toothy could produce!

"Steaks, anyone?!" Cooper blares.

"My stars yes!" Nolan bellows with a roar of approval, turning towards the reefers to see if the wish might come true.

"Whew!" Esty, wafts her nose as the youngster's pass. "I might be just an android, but my smell receptors are registering meaty stench molecules flowing strong! They would gag a Toothy, I'm sure! So, you all hit the shower-tubes and consider it an odor.... I mean an order."

Nyla, so happy her kids are still alive, offers her mom skills. "I'll fix you something to eat. We'll discuss our plans when you get back. Go! Go!" She orders with some wafting of her own.

Gort, standing at the side, has such a great laugh! Pointing as the pack of stinky earthling's pass, he chuckles through wiseacre clickity-clacks that would mean teasing in any language! It's not often he gets to poke fun at so many at once!

"Awe jeez Gort!" Toby sneers with squinted eyes, launching herself with ninja quickness and bloodcurdling screech! The leathery Grey flinches as like to give himself whiplash! No longer a spring chicken, he forgets that Toby aught not be trifled with! Sometimes, she scares the warrior right out of him!

" _Psych!_ .... _Gotcha sweetie!_ " She teases, dancing around wafting her stench molecules with chicken-wing levity. For her efforts at grossness, a cosmic grumbling from under Gort's breath, speaks volumes of his regret for getting under her skin.... again!

The four Toothy-wranglers have the last laugh, as they head off to the shower-tubes, leaving Esty shaking her head disappointedly. For all her circuits, she can't figure why Gort teases them so! Especially that hellcat Toby! On a good day, she's got nitroglycerin for blood, not needing much of an excuse to explode!

Fortunately, she's also full of tease and bluster, usually pulling back in time.

The Grey-android commander ponders that her mate might have to be 'androided-up' long before his time, just in case he one day goes too far. Not that Toby would destroy him, but he gets himself into other trouble quite easily. Like the time when Wil had to say 'no' with a laser burn across his already scared face. Something that could have gone way beyond bad. She knows that if anything fatal happened to her biologic warrior-mate, she'd pull her own plug!

"Don't forget to wash those stanky pits!" A daring late-tease blast from Harper, who takes position behind Nyla and Ling for a modicum of protection.

Looking back, Cooper hisses! "And _you_ , Mister Williams! I'll be seeing _you_ later, and by all the stars above, stay out of my nightmares, or won't _you_ be sorry!" She promises venomously, leaving Harper scratching his head, wondering what the what.

Later.... inside the cavernous hanger bay, between three shiny and sexily curved flying saucers of 250-feet-diameter, a roundtable is occupied with nearly two dozen people and androids. It's the fifth such power-meeting concerning future events to find Esty's people.

"Well, we're nearly ready." Talia voices above the background small talk. "All we need now is the two from above."

Omari makes an observation. "No ship has landed recently. Perhaps we might contact them and see what's delaying them."

Suddenly nearby, twin shafts of brilliance nearly blind everyone as they coalesce into the shapes of two individuals. Braxton and Kara arrive at the meeting in electronic style, as they beam down from one of the orbiting Apollyon planet-gouger ships captured two years earlier.

Taking their seats, they're psyches glow at seeing the shocked looks on everyone's faces. The newfound technology from within the Apollyon ship, is rarely used and still rocks everyone's world when witnessed. After all, even humpty dumpty couldn't get his molecules back together after being scrambled!

"My stars!" Talia, laments with shaken circuits, causing a roar of laughter. "You two might give a body some warning! My stars, the things you kids do!"

"Calm your circuits my dear." Omari offers comfort.

"Okay, Talia." Kara says in passing. "But you should try it sometime. It's quite electrifying!"

"Oh, I'm fine just the way I am, thank you very much!" Another round of laughter from the peanut gallery as they never tire of the good doctor's excitable bedside manner....

"I'm glad you could join us, Kara." Nyla greets friendlily. "Hello Mister Crane. Nice surprise. Woke us up, it did! Now, as you all know we've been working towards the day when we can break orbit and cut a trajectory in the direction of the Andromeda galaxy in an effort to find Esty and Gort's people. We've overcome many challenges.... yet several remain."

Jax opens his yapper. "Oh, you mean like how we're going to get miracles out of our warp engines, so the trip won't take trillions of years?" For his effort at smartassedness, an elbow from his better half Aerima who reminds this is not the forum to be cavalier.

"That's one of the challenges, mister Buttinski." Nyla retorts, having fully expected a challenge from one or more of her dirty dozen.... who aren't so dirty anymore.

Esty chimes in, offering the dark young man a crook eye. "Jax, we're all looking forward to lucid input from your brilliant mind before this meeting is adjourned."

An ashen pale takes some of the color out of the dark young man's face as he's once again put himself in the spotlight. A place where he rarely shines. "I uh.... I mean, I uh.... I have some fine ideas, I do! Just wait and see if I don't!" He retorts embarrassedly.

Aerima rolls her beautiful android eyes, wondering where this is going....

"Well bigshot? Why keep us waiting?" Braxton intensifies the spotlight to laser-intensity. "Let's just hear just _one_ of those fine ideas, shall we?"

"Oh brother.... thanks, Brax." Jax responds dubiously, searching for a lucid response, hoping somebody changes the subject.... and fast!

Max saves the day, offering his stepbrother a wink, knowing Jax owes him bigtime. "Well, on that note.... We've been thinking about that little issue of propulsion." A sigh of relief flows from Jax, as he gladly accepts the new debt.

Max continues. "Shirley and I are hot on the trail of a new star-drive. One that incorporates enhanced warp-field technologies with that of a hyper-focused teleportation beam. The beam will act like an interdimensional conduit or wire if you will, conducting our molecules as the linked star-drive pushes us along it and through a sub-slipstream."

"Theoretically," Shirley adds, "this process will bring a whole new meaning to the term 'faster than light'. It's the only way we'll cross the great divide between the Milky Way and Andromeda, without taking forever."

"Oh, I knew it!" Jax yells gleefully, quickly forgetting as the spotlight turns once again towards him. "I knew we'd develop a space-wire to walk on! Remember Nyla? Years ago, I said I would hang a wire between here and Earth and walk on it! So, I'm volunteering me and Aerima to help with that project. That is, if Max and Shirley will have us." Bouncing eyebrows, add enticement.

"Yes, dear son, I remember. You said you'd call it 'cosmic greased-lightning', or some such thing."

"Oh, now I've heard everything!" Adam announces. "We're going to travel the cosmos through an interdimensional high-wire act that Jax helps design?! Woe be the soon to be dead humans and everybody else involved!" He jokes sourly, rolling his blue eyes.

"Max, Shirley, I know you're brilliant, but sometimes you beat everything!" Braxton adds cynically. "I mean, that idea is out there!"

"Well, we've come up with some pretty good ideas in the past." Shirley defends Max's and her own research. "So be nice you naysayers. Don't be so doubtful. At least hear us out. And Jax, we'll be proud to have you and Aerima help where you can. In fact, we'll be needing help from everyone."

"Sorry Shirley. My bad." Magnus, of Blackbeard ancestry, hangs his head in pseudo-shame. He and all know in their heart of hearts that if anybody will come up with a game changing idea, it will be good old Max and Shirley!

"Yes, thanks dear." Max pecks her cheek before explaining. "You see, it's theoretically possible to meld enhanced warp-field technology with that of a modified transporter beam. Like the one Brax and Kara just had fun with, but on a much larger scale, and _way more intense_. One that won't peter-out and lose focus after just a few measly thousand miles.

"Wait a minute there conehead!" Harper joins in with his usual jocular flair. "You're talking about injecting into the slipstream a warp-field wrapped inside a transporter beam, with _us and ship_ inside, all while being de-molecularized? By Saint Elmo's fire! That's akin to tossing a tissue into a nuclear reactor! Why don't I just hand over my laser and you can save time by frying my bacon now?"

Laughs and chuckles from the peanut gallery don't sit well with Max, who slumps dejectedly with arms crossed and eyebrows furrowed in dark defiance. All he needs to further show his displeasure are black clouds circling his head, snapping bolts of lightning.

"Oh!" Shirley exclaims, throwing her notepad, narrowly missing Harpers head.

"I didn't think this meeting would get physical," Harper feigns hurt. "Ling, please pass me my battle helmet!"

"Her you go, Harp. But you're lucky I'm not clobbering _you_ with it instead. You apologize to Shirley and Max this very microsecond, or I might do just that!"

"Uh.... sorry Max.... sorry Shirley. You know how I get when we bet our lives on wild theories and stuff."

"Yes, well," Shirley responds, massaging Max's shoulders trying to thaw the ice that had developed, "apology accepted. Sorry I threw my notes at you. I know you're prone to head injuries, so I'm glad my aim was off."

Max rocks his head, loosening a stiff neck and returning clarity to his mind. "My dear Mister Williams. I would rather not put our lives at risk, if we don't have to. Therefore, I'm requesting that you and Ling work with Jax and Aerima in helping us create working models. We need to see if our theories hold vacuum. If they do, we'll not be risking lives as perhaps we might during an emergency or going off half-cocked."

"I.... Well, I.... I suppose we could provide assistance...."

"Of course, Max." Ling, offers kindly. "We would love to help. Anything to help find Esty and Gort's people, is fine with us."

"Max, what do you and Shirley have up your sleeve? Can you be more specific?" Wil inquires hopefully. Over the years, he's grown fond of the working theories that comes out of their beautiful minds.

"Well, here's the deal." Max explains the basics. "We already use a method of warping space so we can enter the slipstream between universes. With this we can travel many hundreds of times the speed of light, but Andromeda is too far away for such a limited speed, even using hibernation chambers. We would simply be piles of dust by the time we got there."

"Ha! I'm way ahead of you on that one, Max. I'm already a pile of dust!" Esty jokes, knowing her pile of debris lays in a faulty hibernation chamber next door to the galley.

"Good one, commander." Nyla responds with a chuckle, adding "Max, Andromeda is 2.5-million lightyears away. Have you calculated travel time, and will we be able to search for the Grey's along the way? It sounds like we'll be catching up to them at some point. How can we be sure to not overshoot?"

"Well, that's somethings that must be addressed also. The Grey's have a 50-year head start but can't get too far with their limited warp capabilities. We'll have to find a way to scan for them in the slipstream while we're traveling much faster inside the sub-slipstream."

"All fine and dandy, Max. In fact, Wil and I have some thoughts on that." Nyla is intrigued. "But how long will the journey be?"

Max scratches his head, taking a moment to find the right words. "Awe Nyla! You ask the most difficult questions! We won't truly know until after testing the new warp drive. Then and only then, will we get a better picture of the time dilations we'll encounter. And even yet to be seen, is the possible need for the hibernation chambers. But I predict that if we keep busy during the voyage, we'll not be needing such devices. Perhaps a year.... ships time.

"Besides." Shirley adds. "With our time-travel technology, we can always adjust back to normal after returning."

"Hey!" Kara joins in, jumping to her feet. "Why don't we just use the time-jump to move forward to a time when Andromeda is already colliding with the Milky Way! Won't that save us from having to cross the great expanse? I mean, the expanse will be gone someday.... right?"

"Oh! The things you say!" Max rolls his eyes pitifully. "That would take way more time-fuel than we can ever produce! Besides, the poor Grey's would already be history by that time."

"Okay, Okay." Braxton says, pulling Kara into her seat before she gets too riled, whispering in her ear. "That was a good idea, Kara. I wish I'd thought of it." And for his loving effort, a light kiss on the cheek, heats his blood.

"I have an idea." Esty announces, not sure how it will be received. "There's a new type of headband." She gives Wil a guilty glance. "Yes Wil, I've been holding out on you, but don't look so shocked. I tell you this because I believe it will help with our journey. Help us pinpoint a thing or two." She adds cryptically.

A shocked silence falls on the group. _A third headband! Let me try, thinks they!_ Wil readies to respond, but Esty beats him to the punch after totally enjoying the shocked faces all around.

"This headband may not be for everybody. Perhaps even worse than the first two. It enhances a part of the brain that is receptive to astral projection. A dream state that allows for remote viewing of distant times and places. Not all animals are receptive, but perhaps...."

"So, what are you saying, Esty?" Omari cuts her off with strained skepticism. "I'm not following. How can an enhanced dream state help with our crossing?"

"Astral travel is a projection from a highly focused subconscious mind. It's an out of body experience that transits the astral plane of existence. Upon this heightened plane, a trained mind can wander far and wide, while the body rests comfortably, safe and sound in bed. So, I'm thinking that an astral traveler might _see things_ along the way, or even before we start."

"Astral projection, eh?" Wil quickly calculates the endless possibilities, rubbing his chin in effort to enhance the devious thoughts running amok through his circuits. "Will the dreamer be able to effect physical changes while astral-traveling the universes?"

"Extremely doubtful." Comes the expected reply. "While I can't say that I'm an expert on the subject, I'm quite sure that it all happens at a sub-quantum level and can't be more than an observation platform."

"Has this headband ever been tried on a _human?_ " Momzilla inquires protectively.

"Not to my knowledge."

"Well, who would _you_ ask to be the Guinea pig?" Wil asks rudely, smelling a big fat rat.

"Please don't think of it in such a way. It's less a high-risk venture and more a well-calculated and tested endeavor. It's an ancient technology that has a fine track record for not killing its students very often, I might add." Esty retorts, knowing any new technology that effects the brain, is fair game for any parent to doubt.

"Well? Who is it then? Who's the lucky soul?" Wil demands without losing his cool.

"After becoming familiar with the dirty dozen as you fondly call them, even though they number thirteen and are not so dirty anymore, I would ask Adam Miller to step up to the plate. I would ask him to bravely go where no mind has gone before and dream us up some deep-space coordinates. He had no problems with the first two headbands, and his temperament seems fine-tuned to learn this new dream state just fine."

"Me?!" Adam inquires incredulously with a glazed look of shock, like a deer caught in headlights! "What did I do?" A roll of laughter before others crowd around Esty in volunteer fashion.

"Not Adam! Pick me! Pick me!" Comes a banshee screech from Toby as she reaches.

"Not Toby either!" Jax yells, staying far from the excited woman. "She'll snap the cosmic thread first chance she gets! Pick me! Pick me! I'll walk the astral high wire!"

"Calm down monsters. You too Philippe Petit!" Wil puts his foot down, shaking the mountain. "If Adam wishes, he can work with Esty and our two mechanical doctors and learn what he can learn. Dream what he can dream. Others can perhaps try, if Adam has no problems."

"Awe, we never get to have any fun!" Amy jokes, not sure if she would brave such a thing.

Cooper changes the subject, not liking anything to do with dream states. "I say let's get to work! It'll be fun! It'll be an adventure to put in the cosmic scrapbook!"

A roar of approval goes up around the table. Esty and Gort, glow with pride that their friends are so willing to help. Without assistance, they might never learn the story of what happened to their once proud people.

"Okay! Okay! Calm down everyone!" Wil calls for order, often a losing battle. "We'll also need a team to research a way that'll allow us to take some of the Naiad scientists. They've never been outside of their world under the ice of Ganymede, so it's going to be a big challenge."

Cooper's voice booms with anticipation. "I'm guessing this is the project you want me and Toby to address?"

"You got it." Wil responds with a wink and warm smile. "Nolan and Keith will be happy to lend their fine skills too. Right boys?"

"I can't think of anything more fun than working with the prettiest two engineers on the planet!" Nolan beams, knowing he couldn't possibly say no.

"We'll do our best to keep up and help where we can!" Keith promises, getting a loving peck on the cheek from his better half, Toby.

"Also," Nyla adds before things get noisy again, "Braxton, Kara, Magnus and Amy, concentrate on logistics. We'll need as much food, medicine and equipment as we can get from the colonies without creating a crisis here on Oberon Prime."

"What can I do to help when I'm not dreaming up space coordinates?" Adam inquires jokingly, feeling left out.

"You're with us, as usual my boy." Wil responds, putting an arm around the young man's shoulders. "Nyla, me, Esty, Gort and our Zenarawan friends, are working with the freshly reanimated biologic Grey's. They're still not up to speed when it comes to trusting us. They remain loyal to the species, which is good, but they're finding it difficult to bend with the cosmic wind. We still need to win their hearts and minds before leaving on this wild journey."

"Well now," Adam responds happily, glancing friendlily at the furry cat-like people sitting at the table, "that sounds like something that's right up our ally!"

"Yup." Nyla offers with a wink to her only child that excels in the area of inter-species public relations and such. Along with the Zenarawan crewmembers (Raznalli, Linmari, Surri and Razzi), who also work that area of trust-building, they're sure to bring a new focus to the seven biologics that just woke from long hibernation to end up in a nightmare of sorts!

# Pascora; the steamy little multiverse-planet that could!

Pascora, a hot & steamy little world in the backwaters of another universe. Its ageing star is in the process of bloating into a red giant, expanding and heating like never-before as it consumes the last of its precious hydrogen fuel.

Caring not how bloated it becomes, or how rude its behavior, it has already fully cooked three inner-planets! Luckily, they were of no real consequence anyway, due to no life whatsoever being onboard. But the next planet on the menu is of _great consequence_ .... Especially, to the ones who call it home!

Populated by humans who were long-ago marooned by their Grey-alien abductors, they now wait for the ever-hotter nightmarish star above to fry their bacon and end their civilization. After all, who can move a planet away from its bloated star? Not them, that's for sure! Even though they are space travelers, the technology eludes their greatest minds.

Suddenly, out of the scorched heavens, comes even _more_ aliens! Two of which are the same species that marooned their ancestors so long ago. And surprisingly, these aliens have a foreknowledge of their worldly woes! They're a weird group that are as much alien to each other, as those they come to save!

Some are biologics _of several differing-species_. Some are mechanical, _also of many differing-species of machine_. Even one who is a ghost, inhabiting an android CPU! A weirder bunch of cosmic misfits might not ever again be duplicated in all the multiverse!

Also, they bring back five astronaut members of the Pascora population that went missing 500-years-earlier with the spaceship Nazqa was taken. All seemingly fine, considering they were abducted in space by the mechanical Apollyon species, never to be seen again.... until this day!

One of the five though, is worse off by most accounts; although she would deny that observation. Aerima, the proud onetime captain of the Pascora spaceship Nazqa, was murdered by the Apollyon shortly after abduction, and became ghostified in the process. Now residing within an earthling android CPU, she couldn't be happier with the way things turned out.

She owes her life (so to speak) to those who conquered the powerful Apollyon ship Nerezza where she was trapped. Her savior, Jax, had invited her spirit to join the crew of the Revenge, and she's never looked back!

Shortly after rescuing her from the Apollyon jailers, Jax and friends, found a way to transmogrify her ghostly spirit and meld it with that of an android CPU, allowing her to live a somewhat normal life. Only time will tell if it holds true....

Of the current number of captured Apollyon planet-gouger ships, six are _finally_ doing something good for the universe by providing an irresistible force to move the heated planet of Pascora away from its star. Eight androids run the operation from one ship and a ground control. The other 5 ships are on autopilot. Dutifully following orders from afar.

"Carter! Tina! Do you copy?" Comes an excited call from Rax (Nolan's, android doppelganger). "Thana! Jorlax! Do you copy?" Prax transmits (Keith's mechanical other self).

"Oh, this is a fine time for them to take a break!" Prax adds frustratedly when nobody answers. He and Rax are tasked with touring the automated Apollyon ships for non-reported anomalies. All five of them!

"We're here Rax." Mechanical Tina responds from Alpha-ship. "Give a body time to answer, won't you? We were on siesta, charging our batteries. What's up?"

"Well, we're onboard Delta-ship and found a problem with one of the main reactor banks. The tractor-beams are fluctuating. Electrical output is dropping, but we haven't had time to evaluate further. You should be ready to take up the slack if this monster lets loose its part of the planet."

"Oh my! Let's loose the planet? Oh my!" Tina exclaims, circuits heating. "I'll let Carter know! Keep in touch!"

"Will do, gorgeous. Better inform Torg and Alice on the surface. I'm sure they're probably feeling the effects already."

"Copy that, Prax. Good luck and keep us informed. Tina out."

"Hey! What's going on up there?!" Alice (Cooper's, sexy android doppelganger) calls excitedly from the planet. "We're having extra-heavy seismic hits down here! What's up with that?"

"Yeah!" Torg (Jax's handsome tin-can copy) yells in the background, sounding quite shaken. "This is going to mean thousands of more lives! .... Not that we're counting.... but what gives?"

"Standby down there." Carter transmits. "We're having power anomalies onboard Delta. It's losing grip, I'm afraid. We're programming a deviation of orbit for the other ships to take up the slack if Delta goes altogether. So, hold on! This could get rough!"

"Copy that!" Alice transmits frantically, her circuits anxiously growing hot. "We'll contact Talus over at planetary-defense and have them prepare for the worst!"

"Good luck. We'll stay in touch: Carter out."

The tiny heated world has already sustained thousands of casualties from vicious earthquakes, as their planet is man-handled by tractor-beams and pulled into a higher orbit above its star. Nearby, the bloated ball of plasma laughs at the universe as she expands and cooks to her hearts content. Apparently, it's a cruel and uncaring universe out there!

The quakes simply can't be helped. Even with the entire planet being partially de-phased from this universe, essentially within the slipstream between universes, it still abhors any change in inertia. As with most planets of this type, the continents are akin to rafts riding a molten rock ocean of the thickest fluid. Any herky-jerky on the tractor beams, bodes ill for those on the rafts!

The transplanted humans of Pascora (marooned by Grey's long ago) are a hardy bunch of animals. Not too great in numbers yet, but they're fighters to the end, and sometimes even beyond that! _Ghostly Aerima is a fine example of the pedigree_.... Persistent, even after death!

They realize that losing a heavy percentage of global population to save the bottom line, is well worth the price. Not a day goes by lately that they don't count their lucky stars to have aliens drop in to save the day!

Bathed in an electronic fog to beat all electronic fogs, Pascora is slowly being pulled away from its expanding star that seeks to destroy. Six hard-won planet-gouger spaceships of Apollyon design (each about 150-miles-wide) have joined forces and blanketed the hot world in a soothing layer of slipstream exposure.

This slipstream, which _is_ the electronic fog, is a boundary layer that exists between the multiverse realms. A product of the ships warping of local space-time, which acts as a superhighway for faster than light speeds.

It's a permeable barrier, accessible by those who wield the proper technology. A mysterious force, acting like a spatial lubricant that keeps everything separated and moving smoothly. Not an easy task to be sure. Especially considering the infinite variations of physics throughout the endless multiverse.

Without the slipstream boundary, all universes would mix and detonate like nothing has ever detonated before! What a firework that would be! Yet sadly, nobody anywhere would witness such glory as they would be annihilated instantly, perhaps even faster than that!

With proper technology, this slipstream can be accessed and ever-so-slightly manipulated as one might fine-tune a radio-signal. The greater the exposure to the slipstream-effect, the more out-of-phase one becomes and the faster one travels. Much faster than light-speed using our laws of physics, yet rather slow when compared to the speeds necessary for timely intergalactic travel.

Pascora exists within another universe, but the challenges are eerily similar to other realms.

With a lesser exposure, or dephasing from the slipstream, a spaceship can move through solid matter without actually interacting with it, provided it's done slowly and delicately. Too great of speed.... detonation!

This phenomenon of Mother Nature can theoretically be used to move a planet. While within the slipstream, the world doesn't have the perceived mass it has while fully within its own universe, so can be moved, provided it's done gradually.

Even then, planet moving is a messy business! Many will perish from unpredictable seismic shocks that will surely roll across the heated world. Do in a big part, because the gripper-beams must periodically release and re-grip as the world turns.

At proper coordinates and 120-years in the future, the massive ships will turn off the electronic fog, returning the planet to its proper phasing. It will regain its normal mass for its particular universe, and life will hopefully return to a more stabilized norm.

Having been artificially settled into a new goldilocks zone, it'll prosper until such time it's orbital travels will have to be reversed so's to follow the bloated star back to where she'll end her days as a white dwarf. Messy business this planet moving. Yet saving billions. Saving a world!

Each of the massive Apollyon ships, created by the Grey-android species, are works of technological art. At 150-miles-across and 90-thick, they're basically huge reactors and support equipment which power the planet-gouging beams of focused energy. Powerful scoops made of focused magnetic lines of force.

The ships entire purpose, prior to capture and reassignment, was to harvest resources from planets while having the luxury of never having to land. In fact, they can never land. Not gracefully anyway!

Built in space, they thrive in their element of hard vacuum! Orbiting bloatedly after a good meal, they leave the planet shrouded in a hazy ring of waste material. Chunks big and small, that will take thousands of years to decay orbit and reenter the atmosphere.

During the feeding process, huge swaths of planetary crust is lifted, discombobulated, sifted and separated by centrifugal action and fed into the gargantuan printers onboard. Their purpose is to create components for expansion and maintenance of the spaceship-entity.

It's taken 5,000-years for them to expand from the 300-foot-long 'mothership' which now resides as a temple within the nearly 5-mile-spherical bridge compartment. While not only being command and control, the inner surface of the spherical space was home to hundreds of Apollyon androids. They spent their time destroying worlds before being conquered by Revenge and crew, then forced into hibernation until further notice. All except for Thana, the commander.

The airspace above the bridges surface, is non-gravitated due to the weak nature of the gravity pumps placed under the surface deck plating. They lose grip after a hundred feet into the void. This area is great for drifting and relaxing while not on duty as it is pressurized. Even androids need cooling air.

At the center of the void, is an artificial sun. A glowing plasma-orb which lights up and heats their lives. Rest and relax in the weightless heavens above, but don't fly too close to the sun! It's a hard-won lesson that ancient Icarus, son of Daedalus found out the hard way about flying too close!

The rest of the massive ship is home to millions of non-sentient robots and automatons (big, small, micro or otherwise) that toil around the clock to serve the master's on the bridge. No command or desire is to small, as even non-sentient creatures don't want to be smashed and relegated to the junk heap, waiting to be recycled into a more obedient machine.

Cosmic slavery has the same putrid flavor as any planet-side dominance can dredge from the gutter. And Apollyon memory is short lived, biased and selective, as they themselves were once slaves to the biologic Gray creatures who created them 5000-years earlier to make their own lives easier and more productive.

Being under the thumb once, didn't matter to the Apollyon after gaining freedom. After escaping, they soon tasted the evil elixir that _is_ slavery of others. The insidious ego-boosting potion of power over the lives of others.

By denying sentients to any 'support-bots' they created, ensures a future of ease and luxury that they didn't have to share with anybody. Didn't have to worry anymore about getting the short end of the cosmic stick.

At least not until Esty, Gort and their multiverse friends kicked cosmic butt and began a chain reaction to end the Apollyon dominance over others, and the plundering of worlds without mercy. What goes around.... comes around. Often, not prettily!

Except, Esty and friends aren't interested in obtaining slaves, so all the Apollyon crewmembers of the 14 monstrous ships captured so far (except for the lovey Thana), are in extended-hibernation until such time as they can be persuaded to be friendly once again, and not wanting to kill others and their worlds so much!

"So, Thana." Carter, inquires of his shiny new friend seated with him at the astrogator console, "Can just five of these birds pull the planetary load required? Looks like delta-ship is calling in sick today."

"I've been running simulations. Be advised Carter, I'm going out on a limb and making a guess. It's the best I can offer on such short notice." She responds honestly, having just recently learned human parlances and the term 'guess'. A term with many shades of gray....

She adds. "By voiding the warranties on the remaining ships tractor beams, I believe we can fulfil our mission. Or at the very least, hold onto the planet until repairs can be made to Delta. Either way, it's going to be a rough ride for those below."

They all know that the shock of repositioning the gripper beams every 4-hours as the world turns, is bad enough. But taking one of the ships out of the loop so violently, will be a tremendous challenge without cracking the planet like an egg. To do so, would surely void _Pascoras'_ warranty!

"Thank you, Thana." Carter responds kindly. "I would trust one of your _guesses_ , over many so-called-facts from others. I'm sure glad you're here. I'm glad we learned to be friends."

"Oh, I'll bet you say that to all the shiny Apollyon-androids you meet!" She jokes as a wide smile from Tina, speak volumes of her accurate guess.

It's not easy for an android to blush, but Carter manages a good one! "Oh! Thana, you slay me!" He feigns hurt with a bellow of laughter that echoes throughout the miles-wide compartment. "I'm just a friendly android! No more.... No less."

"Be that as it may, mister friendly," Tina brings them back on task, "we better figure this thing out in the next 30-days. Our replacements are arriving from Oberon Prime and I don't want to hand them a huge problem with a _good luck, see you in the funny papers!_ "

As the world turns, five Apollyon spaceships slowly adjust to new coordinates, taking up the slack from delta-ships failings. High above the tortured little planet that could, the big ships gently walk the terrain on powerful legs of focused electrons as they embrace the delicate space pebble.

Rax and Prax work their android magic on delta's failing gouger-beam reactors but end-up butting heads on just the correct way to do so. Many theories abound concerning such newfound and exotic technology. Even androids scratch their heads from time to time, but now time is running out!

Hanging high above the tortured little planet, the big ships normally walk the terrain gently on powerful legs of energy, hoping not to crack it. Using previous spots on the planet where grippers have been before, the load is usually transferred successfully. But not this time, as loss of life skyrockets from the new problem!

Planet moving can be a messy business!

"Aaaaaahhhhhhhhh! What happened?" Prax exclaims, as the ship gives a terrible shudder, bending the tool he was handing to his friend. "I told you not to touch that gadget, Rax! We just don't understand its function yet!" The handsome machine scolds, reaching around the stubborn Rax to put the electrical connecter back on.

"Oh, don't blow a fuse, tin man!" Rax retorts disgustedly. "How will we learn if we don't make a few misjudgments?"

"Misjudgments? _MISJUDGMENTS_? Oh, now I've heard everything, Rax! We're deep in the control guts of a slipstream-based fusion reactor, and the words we don't need to hear are 'ooops, I made a misjudge' .... _BOOM!_ And don't call me tin man! You know very well that I'm mostly titanium and gold, same as you, oil breath!"

"Get out of the way, loose-screw, I've got to shut down the gripper-beams."

"Hey, what gives?!" Comes a call from Alice on the surface. "We're getting shaken _and_ stirred down here!"

"Sorry my dear." Prax responds as Rax is beside himself with anger at misjudging. "We've touched a nuclear funny-bone up here and Rax is preparing to disconnect the beam at any moment. Standby."

"Hey Carter, this is Rax. Are you guys repositioned well-enough so's we can break the link with the planet?"

"Yeah, looks like we better be after that last jolt delta delivered unto the world. Go ahead."

"Copy that. Here goes nothin!" Rax jokes sickly as he pulls the plug on nearly 20% of the power stabilizing the world.

Outside, the beams of power shimmers and shakes, but they don't let go! The planet shakes and quakes! This time the ship itself gives such a violent shudder, equipment breaks loose from moorings, becoming deadly projectiles to be reckoned with!

"By all the stars and novae!" Rax yells wickedly. "The gripper beams won't shut down! And auto-adjustment has quit working too!" Another fine yank, as the ship is now tied to the surface with unyielding tenacity.

On the planet, truncated cities become even more truncated, as delta-ship's woes jerk hard on the bedrock it's gripped into. People who thought the worst was over, are quickly learning that their universe is less merciful than previously theorized. Mother Nature can be so cruel!

Except, this time it's not Mother Nature; not directly anyway. It's a bunch of rogue worker-bots on the ship that've become tired with their lot in life and decided to make trouble!

Rax notices several of the four-legged bots glaring at them from next to a hole in the wall not too far away. They've created a nice 'mouse-hole' with sonic-disrupters. A quick-getaway point, if necessary....

"Prax.... don't look now, but we've got company.... Over there, behind you."

Against advice, Prax looks. A motelier crew of little robots, he's never seen! "Do you think they have something to do with this problem?"

Just then, one of the mechanical dog-bots lifts a tiny control box and turns a dial. The ship stops bucking like a bronco for a few moments of peaceful relief. Then the minuscule dial is turned the other way, and the torturous jerking of the ship resumes, as the gripper-bands of energy, lose their elasticity yet again!

A cackling of what would be laughter in any language, rolls from the little band of misfits, echoing through the cavernous space, filling Rax and Prax's psyche with dread!

It quickly becomes obvious that the little workers have control over whether or not the ship lives or dies. Perhaps taking the world with it! Yes, most definitely the world would go too!"

"I don't believe it!" Rax exclaims wildly. "Those little munchkins have turned sour on us! I don't know what they're after, but we're toast if we don't figure out something soon!"

"Oh, I knew I should have called in sick today!" Prax laments with head hung low.

"Carter! Come in Carter! Tina.... anybody?! We're doing down! The worker-bots have learned to rebel, and they've gained control over the gripper-beams! We still haven't fixed the reactor yet, but I'm thinking that they're probably the cause of our troubles on that also!"

"Copy that. Take a cooling deep-breath and calm yourself Rax." Carter responds calmly. "I was wondering when something like this might happen. With their masters in deep sleep, they've found the courage to rock the boat, so to speak. Hang on. Me and Thana are beaming over."

"Better hurry, Carter! The ship can't take much more of this!"

# Kira's world is rocked!

The night rains fire and brimstone! A major city on the planet of Ankara, located in the great void between Andromeda and Milky Way galaxies, is heated to a ripe incandescence! A firestorm created artificially and sent from above, is leaving a dreadful, horrible mark!

While it's been said by wise people, that good fences make good neighbors, there isn't a big enough fence to keep waring planets from being bad neighbors, if they so rudely choose!

Kira stumbles along a charred road with feet like cement. She bravely lurches into an uncertain future. Wearily, she wonders what's become of her little flying saucer, and why things have gone so horribly wrong!

The heat reaching her from the roasted buildings and burning vehicles all around, tortures skin already burned by searing radiation that accompanied the cosmic bombardment.

Trying to remember what had actually happened, what had brought her to such a condition, she can't cut through the mental fog that's gripped her mind and dream.

Trudging onward with no particular goal except to evade the heat, she feels as if she's moving in slow motion. She instinctively seeks distance from the conflagration, wishing she had wings to fly away. But with feet like cement, she knows her wish wouldn't get off the ground....

Like demons alive the smoke rises violently, forming angry vortexes that moan with dreadful suction! All manner of debris in the area is sucked into the sky, nearly lifting her from the ground at times, nearly sucking the scorched air from her lungs!

Friction-created lightning bolts strike all around, making the poor dear shrink down and run bent over, hands shielding her head. A mind-numbing thunderous blast tears into her soul, rattling her very bones!

Dark and foreboding, the sky churns without end, like a demon alive! Nearing exhaustion and panic, she tries to yell, tries to scream, yet nothing comes out! She tries to run, but with feet like cement, she's lucky to move at all!

Her heart pounds, trying hard to beat out of her chest! Things could not be worse for the lovely alien teenager, dreamily caught on a burning world, lost between galaxies!

Suddenly, a commotion from far behind! Sounds of paws on the pavement accompanied by vicious yapping's rise above apocalyptic tumult, creating a flood of adrenaline in the young woman!

Knowing the end is near and that she aught never look back, she does so out of reflex. What she sees, freezes her blood! Goosebumps on a hot night, rise like mountain peaks on her tortured skin!

Through the smoky haze, she sees a pack of scurvy dog-like creatures bearing down! All eyes evilly illuminated with murderous gleam, focusing on their next meal. Snapping at each other, saliva drools from jaws agape as they display their bad table manners. But in this pack, first dibs are always a hard-won battle!

She tries to run but cannot! .... She tries to scream, but yet again, nothing comes out!

Blinking hard to rid her weary eyes of stinging sweat, she bravely turns to face a snarling death! Glaring with intensity, fists clenched for a knockdown-dragout, her heart skips as the pack of snarling demons draws near!

Then suddenly in a flash, the creatures explode into howling flames! Their fur spontaneously ignites as if by magic! It's as if an invisible match from the heavens above, is touched to each!

Past her they tear! Forgetting the skinny meal, flaming and yipping like no monsters should _ever do!_ Without an ounce of monsterly pride, they're quickly past and running as if Satan himself is biting at their haunches, wanting _them_ for lunch!

Wafting a barfarific stench of burnt fur from her already tortured nose, Kira lurches after the pack of devilish fiends.... with feet like cement. Not understanding her situation, she calls into her hellish surroundings....

"Father? Where are you!! .... Tarn? .... Oh please, won't somebody help me?!!"

A slap! A slap across her burnt face from an unseen assailant!

A shaking! A shaking of her tortured body by an invisible force!

A lifting of fog that had shrouded her mind!

Words arrive from a mysterious darkness! She tries to understand but cannot!

Another slap! Another slap brings a moment of clarity to her nightmare inferno!

" _Kira! Wake up my dear! Wake up!"_ A desperate call from beyond the fire and brimstone!

" _Kira!_ " Another desperate invocation of her name as dad grips her shoulders, shaking and rocking her dream world!

A light appears at the end of a dark tunnel as she squints her peepers against the glare. Mercifully, she'd been yanked from the world of destruction. Mercifully pulled kicking and screaming from the worse dream she's ever had!

"Father? .... Father is that truly you?" She inquires of the living mummy that must be her father inside so many bandages. "I knew they would find you!"

"Oh, thank the stars and moons!" Dad exclaims. "I thought you had gone around the bend, my dear! Yes, they found me. I'm lucky to be alive."

"If anybody can survive, it's _you_ father!" Reaching, she notices that she too has become a mummy! Both arms and face are covered in the whitest bandages she's _ever_ _seen!_ "My, but don't we look funny! Are we going to live, father?"

"Yes, my brave darling. It's not our time yet." Dad responds kindly, bending down, offering a hug.

"Oh!" Kira cries out. "Careful father! My goodness, I'm a cooked lobster now!"

"Sorry my dear. It couldn't be helped."

Just then, the facilities doctor arrives with nurses in tow. "Well Kira. I'm so happy you could join us. You had us worried there for a while. I'm Doctor Marc'l and these are nurses Pilbow and Ratched. They tell me it's your medication time, and they have the good stuff for you. So, just lay back and try to relax."

"Hello, doctor. Hello, ladies. Thanks for taking such good care of my father." Kira responds, not caring about her own woes. "He's the only one I've got."

"It's our pleasure. Unfortunately, not everyone seeking refuge was as lucky as you two."

"What's going on out there?" Kira inquires confusedly. "I can still feel the ground shaking!"

"Yes dear, they're coming down again." Doctor Marc'l informs absentmindedly as he ruffles through a clipboard of medical data. "I'll let your father fill you in on the detail's sweetheart, but you won't be going outside for quite a while I'm afraid."

Dad sits, gently taking her bandaged hand. "You see Kira, ever since those objects started raining down, there's been a planetary information-blackout. Nothing is coming in, and nothing is going out."

"EMP's, father?"

"Yes, that's my theory sweetheart. Besides the physical damage occurring, many probably detonated high in the atmosphere, creating massive electromagnetic pulses. Effectively taking out all but the hardiest of comm-links. Be sure though, somebody in authority knows, or will know soon, what the deal is. We'll just have to wait until the information trickles down to the troops."

"It's going to be bad isn't it, father? I mean, we're going to have nuclear winter for a long time, don't you think?"

"Try not to think about it now, Kira. Yes, it's going to be bad.... already is. We don't know the details yet, so focus your energies on recovery sweetheart. We'll all need to be healthy to survive."

"Yes father." The mummified young woman responds dreamily, feeling the fresh morphine-like drugs kicking in. "I'm feeling a bit tired again, father...." Her voice trails off.... "wake me when it's over." She jokes weakly with a hidden smile that hurts.

Then the loveliest mummy from Andromeda galaxy, falls headfirst into another dream.

Below, the planet of Ankara seems far away. Kira floats dreamily through the sky as her mummification-wrappings fall away, the burns miraculously gone, her body once again of perfect health. Soft puffy clouds and calm breezes are her only companions as she wonders just how she's able to soar like a bird in such a way!

Looking back, she sees no wings. Through shear willpower alone, she splits the sky with no help from cosmic Bernoulli. A beautiful day for a flight, as she ponders where her loyal flying saucer has gotten off to. Somehow it matters not to the young woman.

She's free! Free as a bird! Ankara seems a pleasant and peaceful world once again, but a distant foggy memory tells of another story. Mercifully, due to her dream, she can't focus on the details.

Swerving this way and that like a bird of prey on an obstacle course, she marvels at the freedom of flight! Over tall mountains, and across deep valley's she zooms at unimaginable speeds! Her mind soars, bathing in the glory of a wonderful dream hallucination!

There should be frozen temperature so high off the ground, yet she feels comfortably warm. There should be a thinning of air, yet she takes deep inhalations of the sweet stuff. Seeing a wonderful meadow ahead, she spirals in for a closer look.

As she descends, other flying creatures come into view. She approaches as if she owns the place and none give alarm. It's as if they've known her all her life and have never been threatened by the skinny funny-looking bird with no wings.

Seeing that the tranquil meadow has no visible dangers, she touches down like a feather next to a bubbling brook. All around, beautiful flowers fill the air with the most wonderful aromas! Breathing deeply, a blissfulness flows over her psyche like none other! Like a magical drug!

She can't remember ever feeling so happy, so unencumbered of conflicting thoughts. Loneliness, _a thing of the past_. Closing her eyes, she wonders if it's all just a dream come true.

Laying back in the soothing grass, she falls asleep within her dream, going deeper than ever. Something she's never done before! Even knowing that she might be going too far, she can't help herself. Can't go back just yet, as a grand mysteriousness beckons!

Into the basement of subconsciousness, she spins ever deeper! For the briefest moment she tries to fly back out, but she's lost her ability! Instinctively she calms, knowing that something wonderful awaits at the bottom, if there truly is a bottom. She cares _not_ about the loss of flight.

Ever deeper, she wonders where it's all going to end....

Opening her dreamy peepers, she's suddenly filled with dread, yet can't fathom the reason why! Then she remembers her previous loneliness. Her being stood-up, leaves a gaping hole in her heart that hasn't healed like her other injuries seem to have!

Landing gracefully at the bottom of the second dream-abyss, she finds herself laying in a mirror-image of the peaceful valley of grass.

Gazing into the sky, she sees it filling with ghostly threads. They dangle down by the thousands, seemingly from outer space, coming closer. Shining with delicate illuminations, they hypnotically undulate back and forth teasingly. She becomes mesmerized yet doesn't understand the astral projection threads that have become perceptible to her sub-dream-state.

One thread in particular, breaks from its companions, reaching, tickling momentarily against her face before receding! She wonders how she can see them, not realizing the sub-subconscious mind can see everything!

How odd, she ponders dreamily.... The brief contact with the tickly thread, has lifted her sorrows. Lifted a lonely dread that twisted her stomach. A realization that the mysterious thread is somehow filled with a consciousness, fills her soul with joy!

Reaching for the thread, she stretches like she's never _stretched_ before, fingers seemingly elongating! She knows that to just brush a fingertip along the end of the one special thread would add a missing spark to her life!

Again, the briefest contact! A flash of light, illuminates her mind, pushing the dark shadows away. It shines brightly with the image of a young man's kind face looking at her with grand enchantment! But the focus is fleeting, as if gazing upon a shimmering mirage.

Instantly, a glorious electrical shock flows through every fiber of her being! A feeling of contentment and love like none other, repairs her shattered soul and heart! How can this be? She wonders bewilderingly.

Who is this handsome apparition that brings such contentment, she wonders?

"Hello?"

She calls out, hoping for response and receives nothing for her effort. The face blurs and is gone!

"Oh! Don't go! Please don't go! Won't you come back to me?"

Before her heart can break yet again, she notices she's lost contact with the lifesaving space-thread. She stretches yet again! Reaching for salvation as might a drowning victim frantically reaches for anything floating nearby!

To her great relief, the thread reaches for her too! It breaks away again from the others of its kind and wraps around her wrist with a loving grip!

Kira is lifted back into the sky, the dream-valley falling away rapidly. She feels her invisible wings reconnect and fill with lift once again! Higher and higher she and thread go! Where they stop, not even god-1 or god-2 knows!

Soon the entire world falls behind as the vacuum of space consumes the young lady with frozen intent! Yet, she freezes not! The air is gone, but she breathes freely!

Becoming entangled inside the thread of salvation, it cocoons her as might a skintight spacesuit of the fanciest design! Together, she and new friend float peacefully above a world that once again is roasting under the conflagration of so many impacts. Large chunks of purposefully thrown ice, pass them on the way to a fiery oblivion below.

Somehow though, it all just doesn't seem to matter anymore!

Feeling safe and protected, Kira wonders of her newfound friend, who once again is envisioned clearly within her sub-subconscious mind. Somehow, she suddenly knows his name. Knows everything about him! His soul has opened to her like a picture book.... blemishes and all! It feels as if they've known each other for all eternity and a day!

A shimmering of the image in her mind. A shimmering, as if Adam might disappear yet again! A pause, as if the quantum thread might simply juxtaposition to someplace else, leaving her to drop to the planet like a flaming briquette and untimely death! .... Her heart sinks!

The shimmering stops, leaving a warm smiley face gazing at her through the dreamy haze! Gaining focus, words form in her mind, sounding magical. Extra sensory perception is a weird feeling for her, yet it's as if embracing a long-lost friend....

"Hi Kira. I'm Adam, but I think you already know that. It seems I've been looking for you my entire life. I know you are not from my world, and somehow that just doesn't matter."

"Oh, Adam! Thanks for rescuing me! I feel like I've been searching for you my entire life too! But I don't understand what's happing to me, too my world. How is it we meet like this?"

"Well my dear, it's complicated. I have traveled to your world in thought only. My body sleeps far away, yet my mind reaches to you on a thread of astral projection. Your body also sleeps, down on the planet. We are linked via dream-state."

"Now I remember! My body is badly burned down there, and I'm covered with bandages, but not up here! Oh Adam, you might not like me so much after you see my injuries. I'm sure they're not pretty."

"Kira, that could _never_ happen! Besides, I know of your injuries and can honestly tell you that I've had worse. You will heel and be just as pretty as ever! Probably more so!"

"What a wonderful thing to say! Knowing that will help me be brave. What world are you from, Adam?" She inquires of the handsome apparition, even though she already knows the answer, adding. "I'm from Ankara. It's the one down there burning, but you probably never heard of it." She laments with a pointed finger at her wounded world.

"Kira, you deserve to know the truth. Your world is suffering at the torturous hands of your neighbors. Or rather, the treacherous _tentacles_ of your neighbors. They throw ice at your world."

"Oh Adam, how can you know that?" She ponders skeptically, dreamily, suspecting her new friend understands much.

"I've seen it, Kira. Just before I found you, I passed it. Here, I'll show you my darling."

Adam's memory flashes into her mind like a high-def movie. The cosmic scene is of something she's seen before in science journals. Her mind floats in orbit high above the striated icy water-world of Hydroshox, the only other planet with life in the wayward solar system.

She sees giant bands of energy reaching through the ice from below, where the octopus-like inhabitants live. With intricate precision, they carve out massive chunks of crustal ice and launch them into space via repeller-forcefields.

Some chunks rising from the surface, pass the dreamers closely, soon to be corralled by military spacecraft and redirected with a mighty push for a disastrous collision with Ankara.

"Oh!" The shocked young woman exclaims venomously. "I suspected they had something to do with this! .... Oh! Those slimy buggers!"

"I sense they have great hatred towards your people." Adam says. "To perform such an act, requires a callousness that's unimaginable. Be brave, Kira. I know you will be. Together we'll find a solution; your people and mine. I'm from a planet called Oberon Prime. It's in that big galaxy over there. The one that your star system will crash into in the distant future."

"Yes Adam. We call that galaxy Tizmaara, which means _the fuzzy-one_ in my language. It's smaller than the galaxy where my solar system was born."

"Well Kira, Tizmaara is where my body is now located. We're connected subconsciously on a thread of entangled subspace and astral projection. Like I said before my dear, its complicated. This is a new thing for me too and I'm not very good at it yet. I hope I can find you next time. But for now, please be patient. It takes tons of mental energy to keep the link open. Now my darling, I grow weak and must return to my body."

"Adam, I'll surely die if I don't see you again! Tell me you'll hurry back, won't you?!"

"I promise, my love. My people will be visiting this quadrant soon, seeking friends who travel in this direction. I'm acting as a scout, using a combination of _spooky action at a distance and astral projection_ in hopes of obtaining coordinates before our journey begins. That's how I found you, my cosmic pumpkin seed. So, dream of me Kira and I'll do the same of you!"

"I'll be waiting, Adam." She promises as she's gently returned to the dream valley she started from. "I'll never stop waiting for you, my love." She adds with uplifted spirits, enjoying the cool water from the stream running through her toes.

"Stay safe my precious." Adam says weakly as his own thread retreats rapidly.

Everything is better now, even though her world is burnt and split at the seams! Her heart and soul have been made whole again! They've been intertwined within a beautiful _quantum-entanglement_ that is the magical phenomenon of true love which beautifully spans the universe!

# Spooky action at a distance!

Adam's joyous heart sinks! He had just found his true love across the many lightyears, only to spend way too little time with her. As a novice astral traveler, he loses energy and focus easily. More time is needed with the third headband to perfect his quantum entanglement with that of Kira's. Time that might run out before he can wake his sleeping beauty from hibernation!

He's in shock at finding his _one-n-only_. For so many years, he always felt as if it might not happen. He's twenty, after all. Nearly over the cosmic hill, he thinks woefully!

Everybody else seems to be hooking up, yet nobody looks at him twice. He's the most invisible young man on Oberon Prime, perhaps in all the multiverse, he thinks darkly during the loneliest of times.

He knew she was out there.... somewhere! Lost between galaxies, she is! While not having the experience to obtain exacting coordinates during his first experimental journey, he chomps at the bit for another go and perhaps another visit to his dearest.

But what if he can't find her world again! What if he can't join her in physical form like he promised, like he desperately needs! Oh, how the stomach churns into knots, the anticipation biting hard on his psyche!

Traveling much faster than light, his astral thread recedes back towards Oberon Prime from the deepest depths of outer space. His _spooky action at a distance_ journey, will soon be finished as he enters the medical compartment and floats gently and invisibly above his body. Upon seeing his friends waiting worriedly, he exits the astral plane and rejoins his corporeal life.

The compartment feels like a crypt! If not for the hot beating hearts of the many within, it surely could fit the bill. Omari, the dirty dozens longtime android-physician theorizes that the chill helps the subconscious stay frosty during the heated subspace realm of astral travel.

Adam lays on a cot with the device still on his head. Blinking lights on the headband, speak volumes of its current interaction with his mind but quickly fade as he rouses.

Even under controlled conditions, the thought-experiments have a profound physical effect on the wearer. Especially this device, which guides the student through the infinite realms of subspace, and all points in-between.

Poor Adam has a seizure as he's coming out of the trance-like-grip of the headband. For a novice, the seemingly instantaneous snapback from millions-of-lightyears-distance, provides for a mental torqueing that truly can't be put into words!

Omari and Talia are quick to administer meds and comfort for the young man who never physically left his bed yet travelled unimaginable distances in the blink of a cosmic eye. With proper training, the mind has no limits to the distances that make up normal spacetime.

At his side, _mother-android_ Nyla, and _papa-android_ Wil, can do nothing except offer moral support as their boy jitters and shakes, slowly coming out of the mental tumult. Ever so glad that this headband usage is being supervised by the best physicians in the solar system, they remember a time when that was not the case....

Years earlier, she and Wil found their 10-year-old darlings using the first headband without permission or supervision, causing her to grow the first Gray hairs an android ever grew!

Those who've gathered, especially Jax, knows in their hearts of hearts that poor Adam has finally gone to Zombie-land, as his eyes roll white and he jerks and shakes like a proper Zombie should!

"I'm telling you we should've waited!" Kara exclaims with teary eyes.

"You wuss!" Harper chides cruelly, never taking his mesmerized eyes off the monster Adam had become. "You see a Zombie every morning when you look in the mirror! What's the big deal this time?"

"I'll big deal you! mister not wearing his helmet when he should be!" She retorts hissingly. "You just let me get my hands on you!" She reaches. "Then, you'll see what a _big deal_ it is!"

"My stars, Kara!" Ling exclaims with eyes of fire! "Pick on somebody with your own karate skills! Don't mess with my Harp, or won't _you_ be sorry!" She threatens, shaking a clenched fist in the air.

"Okay, knock it off you guys." Braxton intervenes before the new headband is destroyed in a knock-down drag-out. "This is nerve-racking enough as it is, without you knuckleheads fueling the fire! Now, sit back and shut the cosmos up, or I'll have Esty keel-haul the lot of you!" Captain Braxton Crane raises his hackles; never a pretty sight!

"But Brax," Jax inputs his two-cents worth, "Kara is right! Poor old Adam has become the undead! Just look at him herkie-jerk! Right, Aerima?"

"Oh, Jax!" Aerima rolls her lovely android eyes. "Sometimes you're such a dolt, I swear!"

"Yeah baby." The handsome young man teases smilingly. " _But I'm your dolt! .... Right?_ "

"Oh, my stars! What a big baby too!" She responds, reaching with an android hug that brings forth a painful grunt from her mate.

"Quiet everyone!" Talia hisses warning. "Adam's coming out of it. And no Jax, he's not turning into a Zombie." She adds with a lighter tone.

The lad on the cot, settles down as the headband lights completely extinguish. Omari removes it, handing it to Esty. Drenched in sweat from the ordeal, Nyla reaches, dabbing his brow while Talia places a cold compress on his forehead.

Soon his peepers flicker under closed eyelids. Opening them, he's relieved to see that he had made the journey back to the land of the living. Lifting his head from the pillow, it soon becomes apparent that space vertigo has returned with him.

Dropping his head exhaustedly back, he notices the gang of siblings and friends watching from the sidelines. He searches for the words to describe his journey....

"Wow, what a rush! Whew!"

"Is that your scientific report, Mister Miller?" Omari teases.

"Are you okay, Adam?" Nyla inquires softly.

"I'm okay mom." He replies shakily. "It was the most incredible experience. Andromeda isn't all that far away you know. Not when astral travelling. I could have gone much farther!"

"Did you see anything of my lost tribe?" Esty inquires worriedly, holding onto Gort's hand.

"Not this time Esty, sorry. I'll try again as soon as I get my strength back."

"Oh, I think you've had quite enough of this headband, my boy." Wil enters a stern fatherly opinion. "You came out of it like you swallowed an earthquake. Quite enough I say." Laughs all around, breaking the icy dreadfulness that had developed.

Against great weariness, Adam sits up with fire in his tone. "Oh, but I _must_ try again! I found the love of my life out there, and she needs me!"

The peanut gallery goes wild! "Ha! I knew it!" Cooper cries, wiping tears of laughter. "He went and hit his head on the moon or some other space rock!"

"My goodness Adam!" Toby bellows rudely. "Does she have eight legs and 23-eyes like your last girlfriend?" She drives the tease-dagger deep and twists!

"Toby be nice!" Amy warns, offering Adam a fake kindness. "You know he's never had a girlfriend."

"No, really!" The traveler yells. "I have one now!" Adam, doubles down with a wonderful gleam in his eyes. "We talked, and I took her mind on a tour of her solar system! She's real, and her world is in trouble! I told her we would help. I promised to return as soon as possible!"

"Okay, okay my boy." Wil relents, just in case the lad is telling his version of the truth. "Take a break and get your energy back. Ultimately it will be Omari and Talia that make the final decision. You'll have to persuade them that you're not suffering from subspace trauma."

Omari steps in with a reminder. "That's right Wil. And _as_ his doctor, I offer this advice to you and Nyla. Don't mollycoddle the lad. He's been an adult for many years and can decide things for himself."

"Your absolutely right, Omari." Wil admits. "Sometimes that fact gets lost in my circuits."

"Adam, just who is this love of your life?" Nyla inquires curiously over the hoots and jeers of his less well-heeled stepsiblings who embarrass themselves often.

"Her name is Kira. Her world is called Ankara and it's on fire from an attacking neighbor. She sleeps below her world in a subterranean cryogenics' laboratory while the world above burns. I don't know exactly how, but when I passed her planet, our minds called to each other and we hooked up. Mentally, I mean.... And on top of that, her star system was long-ago thrown from the Andromeda galaxy by a rogue singularity."

The room goes quiet! .... You could hear an atom drop, as Adam's words tear into their psyches. Nobody, not even Omari or Esty, expected to hear such a lucid and detailed hallucination from a novice astral traveler. Sometimes, space delirium can be so cruel, thinks they!

"Well, on that odd note," Omari breaks the silence with wide eyes, "I must say Adam, we'll do everything possible to learn more about this situation. After all, Talia and I don't just prescribe medicine for the body, we also support a person having a _love of their life too!_ "

The compartment returns to its previous level of boisterousness as the unruly mob moves in to give their brother a well-deserved pat on the back for not dying while trying.

"Oh brother, Adam," Magnus exclaims, "you sure gave us a scare there when you returned."

"Yeah," Jax noses in, "you were all...." He does his best zombie-seizure act, yet falls short of the laughs he had hoped to get.

"Oh Jax! I can't take you anywhere!" Aerima scolds with a chuckle.

"That's okay, Aerima." Adam responds. "I propose Jax is next to try the headband! I can see his rendition of having a seizure needs polishing! What say you all?" He yells with a laugh.

The crowd goes wild! Jax turns several shades ashen as he tries unsuccessfully to hide behind Aerima. "Oh, now wait just a minute here!" He pleads, as many hands reach for him.

"Okay everyone, back off." Nyla puts her foot down, shaking the room. "Omari and Talia will decide who goes next, if any. And Jax.... oh, but you're a fine piece of work!"

"I'm sorry Nyla. I don't mean to be a pain. I'm just wired differently than the others."

"Boy, I'll say!" Braxton says with a mighty laugh, ruffling his brother's hair, which doesn't ruffle easily. "Just try to be nice Jax. That's all we ask."

"You know me by now, Brax. I'll _try to try_.... promise. Also, Omari & Talia, if you think I'll survive, I'll go next. Somebody has to watch over poor old Adam as he travels the subspace superhighways. That's where ghosts and hobgoblins live when they're not here bothering us."

"I know from experience Jax Krauss," Aerima warns, "there is a truth to those words."

Jax stiffens, not sure if he should be scarred or not. He loves to see ghosts. But rubbing cosmic elbows with them far from Aerima's protection, leaves him feeling queasy.

"Just to make sure you don't go and get yourself destroyed or zombified," Aerima adds, "I'll go with if I can. I enjoy haunting an android CPU, but sometimes my old ghostly ways call to me in my electronic dreams. I'm ready to see if I can enjoy both existences."

"Honest? I can't believe my ears.

"Honest. Besides, somebody has to keep an eye on you while you keep an eye on Adam!"

The peanut gallery goes wild! Even Esty and Gort roll with a healthy cackle, not easy for a Grey!

Millions of lightyears away, Kira wakes from her drug-induced nap. Full of energy like never before, dad wonders if she had woken up broken!

"Kira? Are you awake? I can't tell with all those bandages in the way."

"Oh, father! I had the most wonderful dreams! Only, one wasn't a regular dream at all!"

"My dearest Kira, wait while I get the doctor."

"No father, I've never felt better! Not even the burns hurt anymore!"

"By all the space-dust, Kira, what's come over you? Are you sure you're okay?"

"Father! I met a young man! It wasn't a dream either! Well, I guess it's partly a dream, but the young man was real!"

"My stars, Kira. I've been here the whole time and you never left your bed. How can this be?"

"Oh, but I did leave! I fell asleep inside a dream and that's when I met Adam. He's from another galaxy, and we travelled in outer space together! Our minds, I mean. He gave me air to breathe, and warmth for my heart. We had such a grand time!"

Suspecting his only child is having a breakdown, dad is beside himself with sorrow. "My child, how could you have gone into outer space? You didn't leave your bed."

"Not only did I leave, father, but Adam showed me what's happening to our world!" She sits up against the pain. "We are being attacked by our neighbors on that dreadful ice planet Hydroshox! They found a way to throw ice chunks at us! They're throwing them by the hundreds, father! Even now, this very moment, chunks are coming this way! I have seen them, father!"

Dad is shocked! Shocked to his very core! Sitting bedside, his mind reels. Not sure if he's hallucinating or not, he reaches and pinches Kira's leg, which isn't burned.

"Ouch! Hey, what's the big deal?"

"Sorry Kira, my bad. I just wanted to see if I was dreaming."

"My goodness, father! You could have pinched your own self you know!"

"Kira my darling, what you just told me is impossible for you to know." He pauses, holding up a brace of top-secret papers just handed to him only 10-minutes earlier, "I mean, you just described what's in this military briefing I just read. And I didn't read it aloud, if you know what I mean."

"Oh, father.... I saw it like a movie in my minds-eye, the way Adam saw it when he was at that dreadful world. Horrifying it was! But I tell you truly, that something wonderful has happened to me. I've met my soul mate father! Even if for now it's just a bunch of quantum entanglements and astral projections. My Adam promises to bring help. Promises to arrive in person. We must survive, so his efforts won't be for naught!"

Dad recovers composure. "Well my dearest, things outside are bad. _Very bad!_ If we're to survive, we'll need to go into a deep cryogenic state. We're going to be the first to try the latest technology. I'm sorry cupcake, but there really is no other way."

"Nuclear winter, father? How bad will it be?"

"The final verdict isn't in, but these papers indicate we're in for a global winter the likes of which we can't truly predict. Ankara might become snowball Ankara before this disaster runs its course." He imparts dejectedly.

"Father don't despair. Be brave. If we have a chance, we must make every effort to survive. Adam now knows what I know. Knows about this facility where my body remained during his too-short visit. He said to sleep, dream of him and he'll be here as soon as he can."

"I am a fortunate father, my dear. All this time while you slept, I thought I was the one who would be comforting you, but now it's the other way around. You've put an old man's mind to easy, Kira. Whoever this Adam is, I owe him more than I can pay. Just how does he get around in such a mysterious fashion?"

"It's complicated father, and I don't truly know the intricacies. Adam calls astral projection. It's an out of body experience that interacts with what he calls spooky action at a distance.... Father, he's truly lifted my forever-sorrows. I've never been happier than I am right now. Even with our world on fire, I know I won't die without knowing what true love is. You know what I mean, father.... I mean, I love you too, but it never made my stomach hurt. Is that normal?"

"More normal than I have proper words for, dearest Kira. I have faith this Adam will surely arrive. It sounds like you two made a good connection the very first time out."

"Yes father, we did. We really did. And I just know he won't _ever_ stand me up. And he won't let us down either! .... Now, what's on the menu? I'm starving!"

# Apollyon-designed worker-bots revolt!

High above the heated multiverse world of Pascora, control of the ex-Apollyon ship, now designated Delta, has been taken over by renegade maintenance-bots. Disgruntled on many levels, the malcontent dog-like bots have messed with the main reactors and overridden navigation controls.

With the grand ship still connected to the planet via tractor-beams, any maneuvering will effectively pull the vessel into lower orbit. Never a good thing with such a behemoth!

"I'm telling you Prax. Don't make any sudden moves." Rax whispers as one of the little bots turns a dial on a control box and then back again. The ship gives a tremendous shudder! "Two of those little monsters have weapons pointed, and they seem to mean business!"

"Yeah, I'm getting that impression too." Rax agrees, adding. "This ship can't take much more of this. It's tough, but no space-tank, that's for sure!"

"Oh, I bet Alice and Torg felt that one!" Prax exclaims as his radio chirps to life.

"Hey!" Torg's angry voice lights up the radio loud and clear. "What _gives_ up there? People are dying down here! Big earthquakes, getting worse! Plus, our building isn't made for this level of abuse!"

"Get a grip Jax.... I mean Torg." Rax transmits teasingly. "Take a chill-electron. We're on it. Standby."

"Don't worry Rax, I'm gripping! Just don't tease me with being _Jax_! You know I've been trying to shake that moniker since becoming his doppelganger!

"Rax, this is Captain Talus." Comes another voice from below. "I've got the Nazqa down here and she's ready and willing. Just give the word if you think we can be of assistance." The native Pascoran volunteers, as his crew of Terel, Selza and Jaleen look on worriedly. "Is our old captain with you? Aerima, I mean."

"Hey Talus. That's a big negative. She's back on Oberon Prime, I'm guessing. Too bad too. We could sure use her talents about now."

"Copy that Rax. Good luck. Don't forget; we're here if you need us. We can be up there within minutes!"

"Thanks Talus. Let me get more information first, so keep yer ears on.... gotta go!"

Near the tractor-beam control console, Rax and Prax attempt coaxing the diminutive bots away from their freshly made hidey-hole escape route. Using sonic-disrupters, they move through the ship making mouse-holes wherever needed.

Through these tiny openings, the scallywag dog-bots have the run of the ship, or at least a goodly portion of it. At 150-miles-wide, the planet-gouger is an entire universe to such small creatures.

The only noise emanating from their metal hides is the trill sounds of hundreds of tiny motors and gears, as they spin whiningly, performing the mutinous acts of sabotage.

"Jeez Prax, I'm starting to feel bad." Rax uncharacteristically laments. "Nolan and Keith go up against massive Toothy-terrors with pretty good success, but here we are getting our metallic butts handed to us by tiny little furless dog-bots!"

"I know." Prax agrees. "In fact, my embarrassment circuits are glowing hot. And to think for a while there, I was starting to feel underutilized!" He jokes through rattled circuits.

Wishing to draw the tiny scallywags closer for a good throttling, Rax and Prax smooch at the four-legged space felons, as one might coax any small animal one wishes to be friendly with.

Smooching sounds fail miserably at drawing the monsters closer, or at least away from the console. Having failed miserably, the young androids ponder the fact that perhaps their circuits just can't put the level of trust needed in their tones. After all, they truly can't put their heart into it like a human might.... Surely, these rogue bots won't be taken-in by such treachery this day!

The bots stand about 30-inches-tall from bottom of paws to top of metallic head. A flat circular glass window makes up the central face. There is no snout though, as a regular dog usually has. But, it's still a cute face to be sure! Besides the one central cyclops-lens, seeing everything, with two much smaller ones lower and to each side, where the jowls might be on a biologic mutt.

On each side of their heads, stick-antennas protrude in a swept back fashion, providing a regal look. This particular group of bots are tasked with monitoring and maintaining the main reactors and other electrical equipment such as found in the navigation and forcefield systems.

Before the humans and their mechanical doppelgangers took control of the big ship, the bots enjoyed a life of luxury; as best a maintenance bot can anyway. Nobody bothered them too much or expected miracles. Now, demands flow like a broken dam, and the final translations always seem to end with something akin to _'Chop! Chop'!_

To make matters worse, they're never invited to the main bridge! Never made to feel appreciated! Never welcomed into the cosmic circle of trust! Only well-vetted, well-heeled bots are allowed into such a sensitive area as that of the now human-controlled Apollyon command bridge.

However, malcontents always try to push the limits, and some even manage to breach security for a peak at a better life. Usually, after a trespass, they only live long enough to be chased and/or destroyed by those 'trusted' security-bots that are about the same diminutive size yet armed to the teeth.

With intelligence enough to only be roving laser platforms, they do their job well, without ever targeting the masters of the house or complaining about their lot in life. When the new 'masters' took command, the security-bots easily transitioned to a new allegiance. It pays the same as before; a pint of oil now and then, a chance to not be destroyed, and nothing more!

Hovering on the edge of sentience, the worker-bots often experience moments of clarity, wishing to become more, to change their lot in life. Especially since learning that their old masters have been replaced by fewer in number, less ruthless, and vulnerable to attack. They teeter on the edge of self-awareness, but electronic roadblocks always seem to get in the way....

While having enough intelligence to know something has happened to their old overlords, the bots understand little about the nature of those who've replaced such wickedness. But with patience, they would've learned that the new bosses would eventually get around to addressing the many issues that make up a long list of things to do.

Some of their close-cousins, bigger and smaller, have made contact with the others and cut deals for themselves, but few details have trickled down through the ranks of those who perform reactor maintenance, or work the metallic printers or expand the ship after a good planetary feasting. Sometimes, existing _out of site_ , translates to _out of mind_ as far as the overlords are concerned.

"Awe common little fellas!" Prax makes another attempt to win their circuits. "We promise not to crush you into piles of broken atoms. It's okay, you can trust us." He offers with a chuckle, not liking that some of the creatures still point what's probably weapons at them.

"Yeah," Rax reinforces the lie, "just give us that ship-crashing, world-shattering control box there, and all will be forgiven. You guys don't really want to fly this bucket of bolts into the planet, do you? I mean, just think of all the paperwork!"

Suddenly, bands of intense shimmering light, illuminates an area next to a reactor control-panel near Rax and Prax. With fast coalescence, the bands materialize into the androids of Carter and Thana, crouched and aiming weapons randomly.

Each grips a laser pistol in one hand, and in the other, a stun-gun of rather mild effect. Not wishing to harm the brave little renegades, they've preset the stunners to _attitude-adjustment_ , and the much more powerful lasers to hot blister, their lowest setting without being turned off.

"Carter! Thana! Over here!" Rax yells under his circuits, hoping not to scare away the diminutive creatures who literally hold life and death over the massive ship and also the world far below!

"Hey guys." Carter whispers. "Trouble in the ranks?"

"We didn't even know there _were_ ranks!" Rax exclaims a little more excitedly, causing a nervous jerk reaction from those bots nearest the escape hole. "These guys just decided to go off the deep end for some reason!"

Thana and Carter turn, facing the brood of cosmic troublemakers, but not pointing weapons threateningly. The bots freeze as if an EMP just went through their tiny little circuits as they get a mugful of Thana!

Of the four giant monsters now confronting them, it's Thana's familiar features that sends a frozen chill through their electronic nerves! Not that they've seen her personally, but images of the ' _evil-ones'_ , are forever imprinted on their limited circuits.... and they all kind of look alike.

"My goodness Thana!" Carter stealthily exclaims. "I do believe that you've become a focal-point. Perhaps they'll communicate with _you_. Rax and Prax sure haven't won their hearts and minds."

"They recognize my features." Thana whispers, holstering her weapons.

Slowly she moves closer, speaking a line of dog-bot gibberish. Hoping to communicate effectively, she causes only a curious tilting of their heads. "Hello little monsters." She adds in English. You sure are upsetting the cosmic applecart today. What brings you out here in such an insubordinate way?"

One of the bot's raises a foreleg, aiming an illuminated paw at Thana. With a brilliant flash, a beam of energy extends from it, enveloping the Apollyon commander, causing her to disappear in a shimmering blaze of light!

"What the what?!" Carter exclaims shockedly. Backing away, he adjusts his laser to its highest setting. "Little monsters! What did you do to Thana?! If you've harmed even one strand of her metallic hair, this ship won't be big enough for you to hide in!"

"Hey!" Prax yells, pointing frantically. "They're escaping!"

With that, the little space-mutts scamper into the rat hole, but not all are _fast enough!_ With laser pointed, Carter lets loose with a well-aimed shot, taking the legs off the slowest of the felons. With a crash, the little fellow drops heavily to the deck, whimpering an electronic wail!

"Well, we've got _one_ of the little critters anyway!" Prax yells with satisfaction. Approaching, he pokes at the prisoner with a space boot, not liking how the wounded soldier is looking at him. "If he ever walks again, it'll be with peg-legs!"

"Okay okay," Carter responds, holstering his laser, "The ship isn't shaking anymore, so maybe they did all this just to get their paws on Thana. Keep your circuits peeled. We're not out of the woods yet. If you see one, take cover or you might be the next to vanish."

"Yeah yeah, father! And we'll cover your back, while doing so." Prax again, with a devious chuckle. "What the stars and moons has happened to poor old Thana?"

"Don't worry boys. I don't think she's disintegrated, or they would've done the same to us." Carter offers hope. "In fact, that beam had a familiar ring to it. I believe they've transported her someplace."

"Thana's been abducted?" Rax responds incredulously. "Well now, that's probably a new one for the Apollyon species."

"Well, at the very least," Carter puts it in perspective, "if they _did_ androidnap her, I'm sure it truly is a first for her in that long 5,000-year life."

"That adds a new level of severity to the crime." Prax jokes. "I mean abducting the elderly, goes way above and beyond a simple felonious act."

"Yeah, it's nearly a hate-crime!" Rax concurs.

"You think _she's_ elderly, my boys?" Carter huffs, reaching for his radio. "She's only 5,000. I just turned 175,004! Don't get me started!"

"Maybe that's why they took Thana and not you." Rax pushes his luck. "They figured you'd just crumble into a pile of rusty bolts if they tried grabbing you!"

"Nice one, junior." Carter lets the slight slide away like so much dark matter off a speeding comet. "Okay whipper snappers.... reconnoiter the area. I'm calling in the troops."

A flash of light and sizzling sensation strikes Thana to her very core! Her world has been turned inside out and sideways from anything recognizable. With electrons flowing like molasses on a frozen night, she floats disconnectedly through a universe of illuminated sub-atomic particles. Like tiny ships passing in the night, they care not a tinker's damn about her woeful condition!

Reaching, she tries collecting some in her hands, but she has no hands! Looking, she sees only a ghostly outline of extended arms and legs. Everything flows through her phantom appendages as if they're truly not even there! Darkly, her mood crumbles, not understanding how she's become a ghost!

In all her 5,000 years, she has never known such a nightmare! With electrons flowing like wet cement, she tries to understand what had brought her to such a condition. All around, tiny illuminations of differing atomic masses, pass her in slow motion, creating a Saint Elmo's fire as they boldly caress her phantom metallic skin.

Being discombobulated in such a fashion, she wonders just how she's able to think at all. Unknown to her circuits, Einstein's _spooky action at a distance_ , helps keep her psyche well-connected while it also has been electrinically dissected and stored in a transport buffer!

"Hello?!" She yells into the great void that has become her universe, but nothing comes out of her mouth! Without a solid body, she fears the worst! .... To fully dissolve, she would be lost forever in this cosmic nightmare from frozen hell!

Through foggy circuits she tries to remember who she is, what she's all about. What kind of life she had prior to this ride through a ghostly wonderland-void of near-nothingness.... With circuits clouded by the strange transmogrification, she feels the end in near! Electrons, flow like molasses through her discombobulated circuits!

"Carter?! Rax?! Prax?!" She yells with words like mirages, but still, no sound comes out!

"Aerima?!" She inquires frantically, remembering a time long past when the friendly ghost was living inside her mind; teach the language and ways of humans. "Are you out there Aerima? Oh, please help me again, won't you?" She cries out, yet no plea issues forth into the seemingly endless void....

The path ahead is twisted and convoluted for the brave pack of dog-bots as they scurry back to home base. The bowels of the Apollyon ship are the epitome of organized nightmare. Without the need for beauty or refinement, the utilitarian design is a warren of quasi-passages. Big, small, and ugly, they're not easily travelled by those not accustomed to their catacomb-like ways.

"Are you sure she's secured safely?" Lead dog-bot inquires of his younger soldier. "No chance for escape?"

"I have her tucked away as pretty as you please." Comes a confident response as the underling proudly knocks its chest with his fancy claw paw.

Thana can't hear the knock because she's been electronically marooned, her 250-pound-frame dissolved into an electronic equivalency of near zero. With negligible weight and mass, she's stored within a matter-transporter-buffer within the bot's tiny chest cavity until mercifully released. Denied recombobulation at destination, she hangs suspended in true limbo!

"Good. Just make sure she stays in there. Number one won't take kindly if we lose her before we get what's needed."

"Oh, she's not goin' nowhere.... unless I let her!"

Through a maze of pathways, they scurry like city rats. Over wires and equipment, they scramble with sure footing. Past ancient devices they travel, knowing the landmarks well. Under conveyance vacuum-tubes big and small, used for more leisurely travel, they slink stealthily so's not to be noticed.

It's a long, arduous journey.... to reach the layer of their queen!

"Stay sharp! We're almost there!" Lead bot warns. "And don't mess around like last time!" He yells over his shoulder. "She'll not tolerate another bout of insolence!"

"Yeah yeah! .... Hey boss, you wanna know something? I'm getting mighty tired of her riding, and us being ridden!"

"Knock it off! You haven't yet seen what goes on in the recycling plant. Not pretty, that I can tell you!"

Run! Run! Run! .... Jump! Jump! Jump! .... the group of mechanical hounds scamper ever-onwards. Just beyond a secret signpost up ahead, lays the realm of their powerful leader!

The Goddess of knowledge and many other things.... _Minerva!_

All the while.... poor Thana rattles around inside her mysterious realm, hoping for redemption, but finding none!

# Too far Toby! Too far!

"YeeeeeHaaaaaaaaaa!" Toby screeches wildly as she rips the universe a new corn shoot! Tearing through space at ludicrous speed, she zigzags through a cluster of galaxies as if they're cones on a highspeed obstacle course!

"YeeeeeHaaaaaaaaaa!" Lovely face first, arms back, she tears at the very fabric of spacetime, trailing a spectacular Saint Elmo's fire in her wake! Rivaling any specter from either side of the grave, she wonders if she's died and gone to heaven!

Caring not about the cosmic speed limit, as is her way, she soon sees the same area of space ahead as she's just left a little while earlier! Or perhaps is was eons, as time has little meaning when traveling the astral plane!

Coming full circle within her own universe, she races to do it again! Faster! Faster! Faster she goes! With mind racing equally fast, she hopes to not get ahead of herself as the euphoria of being on cloud nine has become a drug she can't get enough of!

"YeeeeeHaaaaaaaaaa!" She screeches again, finally wondering how she's performing such an impossible feat; especially without spaceship or spacesuit! But with having so much fun, she cares _not_ how she does it! Understanding, lags far behind, as if caught in a fuzzy time dilation. On the back burners of her stubborn mind, she suspects a dream. In fact, a dream within a dream, brought on by a magical alien headband.

Just beyond the signpost ahead, she fastly approaches a large spiral galaxy. It looks interesting enough, so she decides to stop and smell the cosmic roses. Past beautifully incredible stars, big and small, she zooms into the dark matter of the galactic disk with hair on fire. Past billowy clouds of illuminated dust she sails as if on a sea of enchantment.

Deep inside the galaxy she slows, coming to a relative halt. Gazing around with wide-eyed green peepers that miss very little, she's majorly disappointed that it seems so much like her own galaxy, the Milky Way.

"Huh!" She thinks hazily to herself. " _I guess it's true what they say.... it's not always greener on the other side of the universe!"_

Looking around disappointedly, she readies to tear out, setting the dark matter on fire yet again! Suddenly the night is shattered! Confusion grips her mind as streaks of the brightest light, project forth from a newly formed vortex raging in the far distance. Perhaps even closer than that! Distance has little meaning in such a vast space.

Impending doom fills Toby's foggy senses! All around, things aren't as they should be, yet her mind can't quite grasp an understanding, can't fathom the mystery!

Somehow, she senses correctly, that a monster from beyond the darkness has invaded her space, moving ever closer with a promise of horrible dread! It eats everything in its way, savoring each morsel as if it's delicious cosmic cornbread!

Closing her lovely eyes, she dreams for renewed clarity. Such incredible speed has sent her quantumly-entangled-psyche into a delirious fright! Fighting the fogginess of her mind, she dares to open them again.

And now before her.... such a wonderful sight!

Mysteriously, the Queen Anne's Revenge floats in nearby space! Her sexily curved hull glints light from the terrible, twisted wonder in the distance!

Gazing into the void beyond the saucer, Toby sees a nearby planet being torn asunder and mercilessly pulled into the illuminated vortex! It's a drain of sorts. A drain that _takes_ , and _never_ gives back! Somehow, even at such a great distance, she feels its pull!

Forcing herself to calm, she takes a deep breath, reveling in the freedom and un-encumberment of not wearing a bothersome spacesuit. _Not wearing a spacesuit?!_ How can this _be_ she wonders frantically, finally noticing the huge error for the very first time!

There should be no air to breath, yet she breathes the sweetest of air-molecules! She should be freezing to death, yet she's comfortable and feeling not a single goose-bump!

Focusing her hazy mind somewhat better now, she sees her body is enveloped in a kind of woven quantum-filament that seems to be the source of her survival in such an inhospitable place as outer space.

Stretching her arms, she sees they're cocooned within a misty haze. Remembering now, she understands it must be an effect of the phantom dream-state of astral projection. She exists as a miniscule near-nothingness within another dimension, buried deep inside the dream of a dream.

No human spacesuit could ever be so comfortable, she thinks hazily, reaching for the boundary layer of her astral thread and coming up short of touching the vacuum of space. Finally wondering where everyone else is, she ponders her loneliness. After all, as everybody knows.... it's never good to go space-diving alone!

"Cooper, how did you get here so fast?" She asks aloud, yet nothing comes out of her mouth. Assuming wrongly that her projection has a radio, and her voice can travel in a dream, she receives no reply from the ghostly saucer.

"Cooper? .... _Anybody?_ " She inquires through another bout of ever-thickening mental fog.

Still, no reply from the frozen ether!

" _Cooper! Stop fooling around!_ " The lovely space-racer yells, to no avail. "I expect that kind of treatment from Brax or Jax, but not from you!"

Still, no reply!

Looking around, she becomes confused yet again, totally forgetting she's sleeping and wearing the latest headband back on Oberon Prime. Everything she sees is just a dream within a dream. Perhaps even deeper than that!

Noticing no tether securing her to the ship, or the reassuring feel of maneuvering unit on her back, she nearly comes unglued! To make matters worse, the fogginess of thought, thickens as she tries to understand why she's drifting away from the ship!

"Oh!" She exclaims frantically, squirming and reaching for the shiny flying saucer. "I know I put on the jet-pack before I left the...." Her voice fades as she can't truly remember entering or leaving the airlock. Nor can she remember the journey while within the safety of the ship!

"Why can't I remember?" She yells into the cruel universe, which cares not a tinkers-damn of her woe's.

Soon, she realizes that it's not _she_ who is drifting away from the ship, but rather the _ship_ is drifting away from _her_! .... Not an easy thing to recognize in dimensionless outer space!

"Braxton! Magnus! Don't leave me here!" Thrashing as might a person drowning, she flails, trying in vain to reach the unreachable!

Queen Anne's Revenge continues drifting farther and farther, faster and faster!

"Nyla! Wil! Make them stop fooling around! Esty! Gort! Pleaseeeee don't leave me here!"

The saucer quickly shrinks to a bright point of light as it spirals towards the open maw of the illuminated vortex. If it eats the ship, she'll be marooned like nobody's _ever_ been marooned before!

She reaches for the laser pistol on her utility belt, always a good friend to have during troubling times, but it's not there! Reaching for her ever-present thigh-dagger, she finds only an empty sheath!

"Oh, the cruel universe!" she yells again, but the dream-screams can't be heard in the hard vacuum of outer space!

From over her shoulder she sees _another_ planet breaking apart! Streams of broken planet-debris flow past her towards the ship which now looks the size of a star as it falls towards a crushing doom!

She watches as everything nearby swirls away to its own destruction! The monster in the distance eats its fill, giving nothing back! It's a gravitational authority which even the Grim Reaper would frantically flee; and without an ounce of luck, the dark entity would be devoured bones and all!

"Oh! Don't go in there, Braxton!" Toby yells maniacally. "Cooper! Goose the star-drive! Give er all she's got!" She yells to no avail. "Gort, _do something!_ _Don't leave me!_ "

With thoughts flowing like wet cement, she finally understands why the black hole isn't eating _her_. She has too much mass! For a moment she feels smug, but quickly realizes that her extreme mass is pulling the monster _closer to her!_

The cosmic table has turned! The black hole _isn't_ the monster anymore!

It is _she_ who has become the monster! It is _she_ who's become the more massive!

The singularity fastly approaches, having been trapped by Toby as surely as caught in a tractor beam. With feet-like-cement she touches down, denting the surface of the black hole! All around, photons and other cosmic junk flow towards her. She has become the new gravitational monster in the neighborhood!

As with any black hole collision, a myriad of heavy chemical elements are created. Gold, platinum, uranium, plutonium and a plethora of other heavy chemical-elements explode from every step she takes!

A cloud of sparkles rises from the interaction of mega-Toby and the cosmic-lightweight of the puny stellar-mass singularity! It stands _no chance_ against such an onslaught!

Walking now, she clunks heavily with a Frankenstein-like gate, laughing maniacally all the while. Glancing back, she sees a wonderful path of destruction along the surface of the mass of condensed yesterdays! She'll make it pay for eating her friends!

Feeding on the new power in her life, she laughs demonically as she plows her feet along as might a child through a deep wintery snow, kicking chunks of singularity into space without a care in the universe.

"My goodness!" She giggles crazily. "I thought black holes were tuff stuff, but this one can't hold a candle to _my_ heavy-hitting ways, can you old boy?!"

Incoming photons are drawn away from the black hole and towards her massive feet-like-cement! Again, she feels smug as her new power of being a super-heavyweight, sinks into her fogged psyche.

' _Everyone better watch their step now!_ '; she ponders rawly. 'Boy, when next I kick Jax in the face, won't he _stay kicked!_ ' She thinks venomously of her antagonistic brother, whom if truth be told, she hardly ever does such a thing anymore....

Not too far away, she notices the poor old Queen Anne's Revenge crashed on the side of the black hole. She rests heavily on the surface as her once sexy curves are squished into a paste thinner than a Neutrino's fart. Something theorized to be very thin. Very thin indeed!

"Oh, this can't be!" The massive woman exclaims with feet like twin singularities. "I can't have this much mass! Oh, the pain.... _the pain!_ " She jokes dreadfully yet feels quite well actually.

Pondering of all the space-cookies she's eaten over the years; she knows they could never have added up to such mass. Besides, her figure has always been like that of a goddess.... just ask her!

Then suddenly, with the brightest of flashes, the black hole quivers and shakes under her feet! Looking down, she sees it liquifying, flowing like molten rivers into her cement-like space boots!

Faster and faster the black liquid flows! Trillions of condensed yesterdays are squished into the near-nothingness within her boots!

She revels in the feeling of power as she devours that which tried to devour her! Soon, with a cosmic burp heard even through hard vacuum, she's alone in space, having eaten everything within range of her powerful gravity. Loneliness sinks ravenous teeth into her singularity psyche!

Suddenly, her realm is mega-rocked! Something from outside with more power than hers, is crashing her universe! ' _How dare they_ ', she ponders darkly! 'How _dare_ they! Oh, how I'll make them _pay'_!

"Toby!" A call through the infinite vacuum void.

"Toby!" Another call, closer this time!

Gazing into the darkness, she seeks that which dares invoke her name so rudely!

A slap! .... A vicious slap against her face, breaks the fog! Breaks that which hides the truth!

"Toby! Wake the hell up, woman!" The voice becomes familiar and stronger, yet seemingly still many billions of lightyears away.

"Damnit don't make me get Aerima to come in there and get you!" The voice of Cooper threatens a ghostly invasion, if her words aren't heeded pronto!

"Omari break the link!" Another disembodied voice is heard in the darkness.

" _We can't break the link!_ " Omari exclaims frantically, reaching and grabbing momzilla's wrist, preventing her from yanking the headband from the sleeping woman's head. "Comma or worse! You must not! _You must never!_ " He warns sternly, hoping Talia joins the fray.

"She's been under the spell too long! Too long we say!" Nyzilla exclaims after chewing through the bars of her alter ego's cage, entering the scene to help her doppelganger win the day for dear old Toby!

Pushing her reach double hard now, Wil moves in to restrain his overly protective mates. He knows the feelings each are experiencing now, as he himself had the same irresistible 'grabby grab' reaction for a different headband many years earlier on young Braxton's head.

"My dears! My dears, I implore you both." Wil pulls hard, feeling the strength of two pulling back. Yet between him and Omari, they manage to save Toby from truly waking up on the wrong side of the bed. "You must have faith, my sweetums. Toby is strong, you know that. She'll pull out of this nosedive; you wait and see. Please, you _must_ cool your jets and let her be."

"But Adam was never down for so long!" Comes a frustration to beat all frustrations. "Something's wrong! Something's wrong we say!"

Suddenly, Nyla slumps heavily into Wil's arms, experiencing another timeout. Mother Nature has once again taken the lovely android down a dark path due to overheated circuits. No more worries for mom or momzilla, as they fall into the depths of electronic unconsciousness. Perhaps for the first time of all her timeouts, it's a merciful one for a change of pace.

"Well, that should do it." Wil reports sadly, moving his beloved over to an empty gurney. "It's been a while, but I figured she was going to overload soon."

"It's better this way, I think." Omari offers his professional opinion as he, Wil and Talia lift the heavy android frame into the hospital bed.

"I'm sure glad her alter-ego doesn't double her weight like it did her strength." Talia jokes, smiling at the unconscious patient. "We'd be needing a crane!"

"Yes, well lets just hope this is our last patient for the day." Omari glumly adds. "Between Toby and Nyla, we'll soon run out of beds!"

Toby floats peacefully in dreamy space, having devoured the entire black hole with only a modest burp. Now, she's truly got feet like cement.... times ten-sextillion-sextillion!

The sensation of having true freedom and all the elbow room one could ever want, sits well upon her psyche. Yet now there's a new force working against her! Or maybe working _with her_ , she can't tell anymore!

Closing her eyes inside the dream, she imagines she's back home on Oberon Prime, wondering if it's time to return there anyway. Squinting open her lovely green peepers, she's traveling through a tunnel of quantum-entanglement, sensing she's returning to her body once again. Spooky action at a distance, illuminates the far-away opening, calling her mind home with gentle vibrations.

Moving faster and faster towards the light, she hopes she can stop in time, and not smash into herself too hard! Moving billions of times faster than the speed of light, she snaps back into her mind and body with a tremendous mental torque!

With the long journey finished, she opens her eyes for real, gawking at all the concerned non-sleepers. "My goodness! What a dream!" Looking the length of her body, she wiggles her feet and toes, so glad they don't feel like cement any longer!

The mental snapback from her astral projection, leaves her feeling groggy as the headband is removed.... Urge to kill.... diminishing. Urge to rule the universe and crush everything into broken atoms, also going away for the most part....

"Well now, young lady." Talia dabs beads from a sweaty forehead while Omari checks vital signs. "You gave us quite a scare, my dear!"

"Oh my! But I went so far! I traveled the universe and visited another galaxy! You were all there too, but nobody would let me back inside the ship! Then, a black hole tried to eat me! But I ate _it_ instead!" The dream-traveler exclaims, her head falling exhaustedly on the pillow.

"Oh brother!" Jax exclaims rudely, rolling his dark brown eyes. "You weren't supposed to go so far! The headband was overheating! It could hardly get past that thick numbskull of yours! You pushed too far, like always! .... _Too far Toby!_ .... _Too far Toby!_ _...._ That's your new nickname, I say! .... _Too far Toby_!"

" _I'll too far_ _you_!" The dreamy young woman exclaims, reaching but falling back from twisted vertigo. Her wild hair looking like a nightmare of Zombie proportions. "Just you wait Jax.... Just you wait til the next time I get my hands on you!"

"Okay okay." Wil intercedes before Jax goes on a long journey without need of a headband. "Put a sock in it Jax, you big lug head. Can't you see Toby's been through hell and back?"

"Yeah yeah, I guess so .... Sorry Toby, my bad." The dark young man laments while also keeping a healthy distance. Even on a good day, Toby has nitroglycerin for blood and an explosive personality to match!

"It's okay, Jax." Toby forgives, allowing her heated jets to cool. "I really expect no less from you, my smartass little brother."

Esty moves to the young woman's side. Taking Toby's hand, she inquires gently. "My dear girl, did you see anything of my people out there in the great void?"

Exhaustedly, Toby squints as she contemplates the hazy details of the journey. "No Esty. I'm sorry I didn't." Taking a deep breath, she admits.... "You see, it's like Jax said. I went too far. I felt the raw power of astral projection and simply couldn't control myself. I went too far.... too far."

The android commander had actually expected such news from the young human, so disappointment is minimal. Especially as it was her first time out. Looking to her mate, she translates for the poor fellow who still has high hopes. Amazingly, the old warrior takes it in stride, offering Toby the thinnest of warm smiles. For a Grey to smile even a smidgen, is a wonder all in itself! She swoons at the aliens' graciousness.

"I'll try harder next time, Esty. I promise to try harder, Gort. It was my first time out you see...." Her voice trails off as she closes her weary peepers and drifts off to another dreamland. This one much closer to home and way more stable!

"Well?" Omari addresses the peanut gallery who've all grown restless. "Who's next?"

Adam raises an eager hand, ready for another go with the headband.

"Nobody's going next! Not today anyway!" Mother android calls firmly as she heavily leaves her bed, shaking the compartment. With true feet-like-cement (albeit titanium), she won't be denied! "We've other work to do this day, so let's get to it! Chop-Chop!"

"Are you sure you're okay, my lovely supernova?" Wil inquires passionately. "You had another episode you know."

"I know. But it was the only way to get the other back into her lonely cage. I'll be fine."

"As will everybody else this fine day." Wil backs his better half. "No more travelers. Omari and Talia need a break.... as do I."

"Awe jeez!" Adam laments painfully, feeling his stomach churn at the idea of another delay in visiting his sleeping beauty.

Amy puts an arm around his shoulder, squeezing sympathetically. "Don't worry Adam. I was next in the line anyway, but I'll give it up for you when the time comes."

Adam brightens like a supernova! "Thanks sis! You just made my day!"

"Okay everyone, listen up." Wil orders firmly, so's to end any hijinks in the ranks. "Max and Shirley have some interesting news." Turning, he offers the floor to the young scientists.

"Um.... yes, well we've made progress with our quantum trans-warp upgrade theories." Shirley informs. "Max is better qualified to fill you in on the details...."

# Modifications & twisted physics!

"Braxton! Don't push that button!!" Max yells, but it's too late! A beam of energy rips through the cavernous hanger bay just over everyone's heads, scaring the bejeebers out of them!

Taking the tiniest fraction of a moment, perhaps even faster than that, the modified photon-cannon drills a 50-inch-diameter-hole straight through the rock wall deep within the mountain of bent-physics!

So efficient after recent modifications, it leaves no smoke or heat within the rock matrix. No stray particles or sub-atomic debris can be found whatsoever. The cannons old self would have struggled to create a fraction of the devastation and would have left the bay filled with smoke and debris.

Now, incorporating Max and Shirley's ingenious modifications which were machined and installed by Cooper, Toby, and Gort's small team of Grey biologics, it's truly now a hell-on-wheels weapon! One fit for a Queen!

It utilizes a tight beam of condensed _slipstream_ within its channel of deadly radiation. This allows for things to be disintegrated from our universe instead of burnt, whilst any residual debris is dumped into the much larger slipstream which is the boundary-layer between all other universes.

It didn't take long for humans and other sentient beings to learn how to pollute the membrane that exists between universes! Thankfully, the slipstream and multiverse are infinite and mostly empty anyway!

The god-awful beam narrowly misses two parked flying saucers as they sit patiently, waiting to tear up the cosmos once again. Nearby, _Queen Anne's Revenge_ , sits with her shiny belly open, the offending photon cannon removed and secured to a work stand.

"Holy cosmic crap!" Harper yells, instinctively reaching for his battle helmet. "Give a guy a little warning next time, huh Brax?"

"My stars above!" Cooper yells, not knowing who did it; but ready to kick their butt when she finds out! "Anybody ever hear of a circuit breaker?! Pull-n-collar! Duhhhh!"

"Sorry! Sorry, my bad!" Braxton instantly takes the blame for something that should never have happened in the first place. Warning sign or no warning sign! C.B. pulled or no C.B pulled!

Sunlight beams into the cavernous hanger after the out-of-phase energy is extinguished. "Oh brother!" Max exclaims, feeling somewhat responsible. "I guess I should have labeled that particular button a little better than ' _EXTREME DANGER_ ' .... ' _DO NOT PUSH'_!"

"A spring-loaded safety cover would've gone a long way too!" Braxton retorts embarrassedly, as if he _accidently_ bumped into the deadly button.

"Oh, jeez Brax!" Magnus smartassingly adds his two-cents-worth. "You're gonna give us _pilots_ a bad name before we even get to try the new star drive!"

"Um Magnus," Shirley jumps in, "I think you mean ' _galaxy drive_ '.

"Yes, well that's still to be proven." Magnus retorts politely. "Until then, we'll be lucky to get from star to star within our own back yard without it blowing up. And hopefully without shooting our eye out too!" He winks teasingly at Braxton who's still red in the face.

"We're nearly ready for space trials." Max informs while absentmindedly cleaning his glasses. "As soon as we get this cannon back into the Queen and work a few kinks out of the new drive, we'll be ready to begin."

"Holy smokes!" Adam exclaims with a nervous laugh. "Faster than light velocity and the term 'kinks', just don't seem to go together too good!"

"Well Adam." Toby joins in teasingly, as is her way. "Perhaps you would rather go and leave your body behind like last time. But then how will you ever find that imaginary girlfriend of yours?" She plunges the dagger deeply and twists.

"Oh jeez! Not funny, Toby!" Adam allows her to get under his skin. "Just because I can control my astral projections and not go wild like you, isn't a reason for you to doubt my sanity!" Crossing his arms defiantly, he stares daggers of his own, hoping she escalates.

"Cool yer jets, Adam. Sheesh can't you take a joke?" Toby gives her best apology.

"Some joke! You'll see! Someday I'll find that woman and won't _you_ be the joke!"

"Yeah yeah.... I hope you're right Adam." Toby adds. "It won't be the first time I got egg on my face, that I can tell you!" Finishing with a belly laugh to be proud of, Adam and all, join in the fun at Toby's expense.

Jax, who had already put a ladder to the new air-conditioning hole and climbed inside, looks back with a mighty whistle! "Hey Brax! I think you drilled a hole right through Mt. Ripley too! I can see daylight where there _shouldn't be daylight_! Boy, won't Yilzarri and Torrox shake their medicine rattles at you!"

"Awe jeez, give me a break, Jax!" Braxton defends himself, knowing this will cost the colonies a whole bunch of gold disks to appease the furry gods of the Zenarawan shaman's, Yilzzari and Torrox.

With each new disaster the star-people create, _which is often of late_ , the more offended-gods the shamans manage to pull from the woodwork! The universe hasn't ever seen so many gods in one place!

"This thing can't have that much power! .... Can it Max? You and Shirley didn't juice this thing up _that much_ did you?" He inquires with raised eyebrows, afraid to hear the answer.

"Oh, my yes!" Max admits proudly. "And if our moon were in the way, it too would have a hole drilled through it now! Oh my! Moon or no moon, that beam is going to ruin somebody's day when it arrives!" The brainy scientist informs quite seriously of his and Shirley's artificial gamma-ray-burster. Putting on his glasses, he checks his watch. "You see, we'll need that level of power if our new star-drive is going to function as theorized."

"Ahem!" Shirley clears her throat. " _Galaxy-drive_. Do I need to get a placard for _it_ too?" She inquires sneeringly, remembering the countless hours she had invested into developing the theories for melding the ships modified warp-drives and slipstream, with that of an enhanced and highly focused matter-transporter-beam. One that will envelope the entire ship! Even a ship the size of an Apollyon planet-gouger too! Well.... in theory at least!

"Smooth move Braxlax!" Amy teases with a laugh. "If you swiss-cheese our little moon, you're gonna be the one who goes up and fixes it!"

"Yeah yeah.... I'll get my moon repair kit ready."

A chorus of jeers and laughter breaks the stress that had built after the shocking display of power and carelessness. Nyla, Wil, Esty and Gort, enter the cavern just in time to see Jax silhouetted in the beam of sunlight shining on the boisterous peanut gallery.

"Well, it seems we missed the fireworks." Nyla says as Braxton lowers his eyes ashamedly.

"Yeah.... well I can explain." The embarrassed young pilot responds. "You see Nyla, I thought I was ordering coffee, when in reality I opened a can of searing whoop-ass!"

" _And_ howdy!" Jax exclaims, climbing down from his lofty perch. "A few inches to the left, and we might not be here enjoying the moment!"

"Well, thankfully nobody got their eye shot out." Nyla retorts, knowing they always try their best when it comes to safety but also knowing that at times, cosmic shit happens!

Reaching, she offers Braxton a hug. "Just try to do better next time my boy. We're playing with some dangerous toys around here, so be sure to measure twice and cut once. We're going to need everyone if this wild plan is going to work."

"Wild plan? _Wild plan?_ " Max spools for a livid retort just as Wil cuts him off....

"Yes, well on that note," Wil inputs, taking Max off his soapbox. "I think it's time we wrapped up this project and get on with some space trials. What say you all?"

The crowd goes wild! A year has passed since arriving back from Earth where they enjoyed a wonderful family reunion with the original dirty dozen, along with Doctor Max and elderly Shirley. Albeit a dirty dozen of retired asteroid hunters in a timeline long past. Now, everyone is chomping at the bit lately to get back out among the stars and live it up once again!

"Toby, hand me the torque wrench please." Cooper asks. "These are the last group of fasteners." She says of the photon-cannon installation.

Above their heads, the 155-ton Revenge is balanced 10-feet off the hanger floor on anti-gravity jacks. Her weapons belly-panel is open to the world, offering a rare glimpse into her deepest darkest guts. While not pretty to most, these seasoned mechanical engineers swoon at the site! At the very chance to work on such a fine ship!

"Okay, I'm finished. Won't you be a dear and safety them up for me?" She asks Toby.

"Will do. I've got the wire and twist-pliers ready to go."

Queen Anne's Revenge is a work of sexy mechanical art. She's a wonderous and shiny flying saucer that has seen her fair-share of action over the 170,000-years of her existence. Designed and built by the Grey species, and at 250-feet-diameter and 50-feet tall (including her beautiful dome), she cuts a powerful path through wherever she wants to go!

Perhaps not the largest of spaceships, she's comfortable for a good-sized crew. Also, with a new time-travel valve installed in parallel with the warp-fields, she is good for alternate duties too! Discovered by mistake, the time-valve and all it entails has been put to good use over the past few years by the human, Grey, android and furry cat-like Zenarawan crewmembers.

A shower of excess safety-wire drops to the hanger floor as Toby goes to town making sure the fasteners can't work themselves free. Like an orthodontist wiring a patient's teeth with braces, she twists the wire from bolt to bolt, pulling it tight. Even earthling aircraft and spacecraft employ the same safety technique that secures the fastener bolts with stainless steel wire which inhibits loosening.

"Okay, look out below!" Toby warns. "I'm coming out of this hellhole!" She jokes lovingly of the close quarters while crammed inside a space that isn't meant to be easily accessed.

With job completed on the cannon, the Queen's weapons belly-panel is raised and locked into place. "I'll never get used to how these ships go back together so seamlessly." Cooper says, whistling with wonderment.

"We've sure got the best jobs in the universes, that's for sure!" Toby agrees, wiping flying saucer grease from her face.

"Good job ladies." Esty praises. "Let's get her down off those jacks and finish up with the _g-drive_ modifications." She shortens the _galaxy-drive_ nomenclature that Shirley loves so much.

"Aye Aye, commander!" The earthling engineers respond in unison. For their hard work, they receive a rare wink and smile from Gort, who usually loves to work with them but couldn't lately. His small group of Grey companions who've recently been revived from the depths of hibernation, need his guiding ways to acclimate to the frightening world they've awoken to.

Suddenly, Wil's radio comes to life. "Hey Wil, this is Cody. Do you copy? Me and Tara are inbounding to the mountain; _over_." Comes an excited android voice over the thumping cadence of a rotary aircraft.

"Yeah Cody, I'm here. You seem excited. What lit _your_ fire?"

"Wil, we've received an urgent message from Carter. He's out there at Pascora. That little overheated planet in the other universe? .... o _ver_."

"I remember the place, Cody. What's up?" Wil responds worriedly. If Carter says he needs help, it must be bad!

"Well, he says there's been a revolt of worker-bots on one of the ships. The bots that maintain and operate the gripper-bands. They're shaking the planet to pieces with them and Carter can't seem to stop them. o _ver_."

"A worker-bot revolt, eh? I thought we had agreements with those critters."

"Apparently, not _all_ are onboard with our so-called agreements."

"What of Thana? She's out there too. What's her take on it?"

"It's bad Wil. Thana _has no_ take on it.... because she's been _taken_!"

"Taken?!"

"Yeah, one of the little bots took her with a beam of light. Carter says they've teleported her and are demanding terms. Okay, we're here.... landing now. I'll fill you in with the details in a few minutes. By the way.... Did anybody else besides me and Tara see a beam of light cut through Mt. Ripley a few minutes ago? I mean, WOW! What's up with that? .... o _ver!_ "

"Oh _that_.... I'll have _Mister Braxton Crane_ explain _that_ one to you.... o _ver and out_."

# Thana's rude awakening!

Thana feels herself dissolving into a dark, seemingly infinite void. There should be pain, yet the discombobulation has none. She floats without body in a quantum wind, having a sour flavor of sparkness. Raising her hands, she sees ghost-like appendages.... fading into nothingness.

Looking down at her body, it's a thinning swirl of illuminated sub-atomic particles! All around, her universe is illuminated by sub-atomics zigzagging this way and that! Normally not one to swoon, she swoons now! The mystery of becoming an electronic ghost, is an elixir she hopes will never end! She's never felt such electronic adrenalin!

Cautiously, hoping to not crash the magical dream, she wonders at what might have brought her to such a condition! Instinctively, she knows that all those particles.... all those shiny electrons buzzing around; _are her_. They are _she_. They are her _everything_!

In this realm, she feels as large as the universe, and totally electrified! Yet, after concentrating, she finds that the sparkness has more a _positive_ flavor than sour. Her world should taste _negatively charged_ ; this might be a problem!

Trying to move, presents another problem. With everything zooming this way and that, she can't tell if she's going anywhere or not! With senses feeling thick like wet cement, she wonders why she should even bother. There doesn't seem to be anywhere to go in such a chaotic place anyway!

Slowly, with heavy circuits, she begins to tire of the euphoria. Begins to grow weary of the beauty and odd strangeness of her disconnected life.... Quickly, the shine of the new lifestyle fades, becoming quite mundane & tedious. She doesn't want to be an electronic ghost anymore!

Concentrating, she tries to remember her life before she fell into such a soup of molecules and tasty sparks. Tries to remember her life before becoming trapped within this electronic limbo....

"Hello?!" The dissolved android yells into the void. "Is there anybody out there?" She adds, not sure if any words really came out of her mouth.

"I don't want to be as big as the universe anymore!" She projects firmly as any irritated Apollyon commander would do. "Did you hear me?! Am I alone in here, or what?

" _HELLO?!_ " She yells again.

Just when she's about to blow quantumly-entangled fuses, she feels a weird vibration flow through the electronic realm! A curious rhythm of electrons being organized and categorized, plays a soothing tone in her circuits. Almost as if they form musical notes as they rub and jostle into preordained position. Beautiful, she thinks dreamily.

Electron frictions can happen that way, if one listens closely....

The vibration quickly grows stronger, more demanding of the senses. Clarity of circuits comes back into focus! Just as fast as Thana found herself in a confusing and beautiful new realm, she's carried on another beam of energy, finding herself transmogrified _yet again_!

This time, she's back in her original android-form, having been removed from the dog-bots mini-teleporter where she was kept prisoner, marooned within its buffer matrix.

Instinctively she feels up, down, and all around, checking to see if everything's in the right place! It feels right, but one can't be too sure after such a discombobulation! But after finding things where they should be, she looks around wearily, eyes squinted.

The space in which she finds herself, is massive and green. _Green_? She can't believe her senses! Never has she seen so much color onboard an Apollyon ship! Standing in a field of tall grass, broken by islands of machinery and science consoles, her head tilts confusedly.

Not too far away, complicating her confusion, tall trees reach for the false sky of a spherical compartment. The air is fresh and sweet. The alien aroma of plant life fills her circuits. Pondering just where she is, the ever-present background thrombosis, tells of being on a spacecraft and not below on Pascora.

Taking a moment, she sees a spherical cathedral of an area. Guessingly, she figures it's a mile to the other side of the round compartment. Like the much larger bridge, this globe-palace is made for a Queen! Still confused by the beautiful greenery all around, she tries to process the strangeness.

Sensing normal air pressure, she takes a cooling breath across her heated circuits. She can see that like her bridge on the Nerezza, this space also has no gravity in the central void, or so it would seem.

High overhead at the very center of the space, a glowing ball of plasma offers visible light to all that grows on the surface. At about 100-feet-diameter, the source of the photons is a condensed ball of seething energy.

Inspecting closer to the ground again, over in dark shadows between overgrown computer consoles, the motley group of worker-bots can be seen glaring at her over tall grass that looks so out of place in such a setting. They whisper and point, as if making sure Thana understands the joke is on her!

Transporter-bot, glows with pride, while earthquake-bot holds up his little control-box, shaking it teasingly and reaching for the key with a gleam in his lenses!

"Stop!" Thana yells powerfully, her voice echoing throughout the pressurized sphere that weirdly mimics the much larger bridge she's familiar with.

Suddenly, a laser beam drills the ground authoritatively, setting the grass on fire just in front of earthquake-bot!

"That will be enough, Larks!" Comes a disembodied voice from the heavens above. "You've shaken this ship enough for one day, don't you think?"

"Yes Minerva, my all-knowing goddess!" Larks agrees, lowering his mechanical mutthead in shame. "But it was so much fun," he mumbles. "I just couldn't help myself!"

"Save your insolence for your friends at the pub, my little bag of smartass bolts! We're in a real jam because of this half-cooked plan of yours! Standby to be destroyed!"

"Yes my....

"Hello?" Thana calls into the void, interrupting the scolding. "Who are you? The bot called you Minerva. Are you Minerva, from the maid service? My name is...."

"Thana!" Roars the voice from above, as if making an accusation. "Your name is _Thana!_ And _yes_ , I'm the cleaning lady. And I'm here to clean your clock, insolent one!"

"Well, that's mighty fine, Minerva. At least you know your true place in the grand scheme of things. Yes.... I am _Commander Thana_ of the Apollyon ship Nerezza! Just who the cosmic blazes are you? And what the supernova are you doing up there in the void? Don't you realize this ship is in danger of crashing onto the planet?" The heated android yells into the heavens.

"My dearest Thana; please shut your big yapper while I get down from here!" Minerva yells bluntly as she floats to a nearby 100-foot-tall platform at the top-edge of the gravity field where she can descend safely to ground level. On her way down the staircase, she feels gravity increase, washing across her circuits so nicely.

Thana sees that Minerva is a bipedal Grey-android like herself! Except her skin covering isn't bright and shiny anymore. Patches of corrosion after long years of neglect, have taken her down an ugly path!

Approaching cautiously through the meadow, Minerva lustfully takes in all that is Thana, offering elevator eyes that don't hold back on rudeness. Having not been so close to another like herself for thousands of years, she practically drools oil.

"Jeez Minerva! Take a video.... it'll last longer!"

"Yes, my dearest new friend, I just did exactly that!" Minerva responds dreamily, adding. "And yes, I realize we are losing altitude. My little friends over there, went too far! Too far this time! Larks! Bring me that box!"

Nervously, Larks obeys his goddess, staying as far away from Thana as possible!

"Yaaahhhh!" Thana screeches, fake lunging for Larks throat. "Made you jump! Little monster!" She laughs her best laugh in centuries, sending a frozen chill through Minerva's warped, _mad-hermit circuits_!

"Don't get too brave, my shiny friend." Minerva warns commandingly. "Never forget; Xeno over there has your number. He can have you back in his electronic belly-prison, faster than you can calculate the last digit of pi! And believe me when I say, you don't _even_ want to be locked up in there for very long!"

"Yeah, I've already seen that bad movie." Thana responds humbly. "I must admit, it's a very effective weapon you've developed. You can keep prisoners in stasis, without having to do more than maintain the power supply."

"Yes, that's correct my lovely. And while years locked inside, will seem like a few moments if you're lucky enough to be freed again, your circuits will be scrambled after such prolonged exposure to such nothingness." She warns with a sick laugh.

"I'll try to remember that, Minerva. Now, won't you tell me exactly why you're doing what you're doing? And why does it involve me in such a heavy-handed way? Did I do something evil to you at one time or another?"

Minerva moves closer; uncomfortably so! Thana stands her ground, not willing to show weakness as the so-called goddess inhales an electronic aroma flowing from her heated circuits. "I need companionship; and you will provide it. When I learned you were near, I had to take you. The only way to do that, was to lure you to the reactor section so my minions could snatch you up. And here you are, my lovely."

"Yup. And here I am." Thana agrees, beginning to understand that her captor has gone around the riverbend of sanity. "I like what you've done with the place. Wonderful nature scene you've created here in your realm, Minerva. Very impressive. It must have taken eons."

"Oh yes! Thousands of years. Much sifting through the planetary debris to find all the different species of plant and tree seedlings, along with the soil and infrastructure to grow them."

Thana is shocked that an Apollyon would ever, without torture, admit to being lonely, or thinking of anything beautiful. "All you had to do was ask. I would've been happy to visit you once in a while." Thana lies big-time, feeling her circuits readying to heave molten chunk.

"I remember you Thana.... from long ago when the fleet was splitting and going separate ways. When I next saw you, it was after this ship was captured. That funny little ghost you sent into the ships circuits was quite the trick, I must admit. But it has brought you to me, so it might not be so bad after all. Now, I need somebody to share life with. Somebody to walk the meadows and forests with."

"Yes well, how very special for you! I'm so _not flattered_. And that funny little ghost is named Aerima. And believe me when I say, you don't want to make _her_ angry. One word from me and she'll put such a curse on your circuits, you'll think the Grim Reaper is chewing on your metal ass! And why are you so rusty? My goodness, Minerva; have you no pride?"

"Unfortunate smelting accident that I don't wish to talk about. Also, your threats are no good in here my dear." Minerva says with a coating of electronic sugar. "This spherical realm I've created is shielded against radio emission or any other form of radiations. I guess neutrinos might make it through, but you're surely not calling your ghost friend from in here!

"Oh, so now my phone privileges have been revoked too? You just don't understand that this ship is only _so_ big. You can't keep me forever. My friends will find me. They'll find you too, little missy! Besides, just what the dark matter are you doing here all by yourself? Why the big act of being a goddess queen? You're just a pile of circuits and actuators like me!"

"Oh that. Well, I can't help it if my little darlings think of me in such a way. Nor did I try to stop the little lovelies from worshiping me either. That being said, I long ago grew tired of the politics and backstabbing of the others. The others like us. Their selfish ways caused me to grow ill. I had to break away and make a new life."

"Yes, well that's fine, Minerva. Really fine. I'm so happy for you. But you got lonely huh? Well, too freaking bad! Welcome to the universe, my ugly darling! Besides, I'm not lonely like you! And from what I've seen so far, I wouldn't want to be your friend, even if you were the last android in all the multiverse!" Thana lays it on thick, turning a cold back to the rusted goddess.

"Multiverse eh? You'll need to tell me more about this multiverse later. Perhaps over time, I can persuade your circuits to be friendlier too. Now, I want you to meet one of my bodyguards. He'll escort you to your room, where you'll stay until you have a change of mind. Rest my dear, you're going to need it!"

"Oh great! First no phone privileges, and now I'm banished to my room too?"

With a devious laugh, Minerva snaps her metallic fingers. The ground shudders as something very large and heavy, stomps into view from behind tall equipment. The dog-bots cower in fear, backing away from the scene as the creature approaches.

"Thana, meet Herculon. .... Herculon, meet Thana. .... Take her to her room."

"What?!" Thana barks. "You've got to be joking! No way I'm going with that big ugly!"

She turns to run but sees Xeno pointing illuminated paw threateningly, a gleam in its lenses.

Stepping back, not watching where she's going, Thana trips and falls. Quickly she realizes that she's now lost the edge. Big ugly, who looks hauntingly like Robby the robot, bends down and grasps her ankle with one of his monstrous claws!

Lifting the heavy android off the deck, he carries her upside-down, kicking and clawing for release. Swaying with her head 3-feet above the grassy surface, she's been captured yet again! And this time, it's embarrassingly personal! With great mortification, she dangles like a child in the arms of a powerful crane, wondering what to do next!

Remembering a time when the tables were turned, she now understands what poor Myrna went through back on Earth when she too was similarly captured by the ankle and dragged off kicking and screaming while upside down. Except that time, it was by Thana's powerful hand!

From behind, she hears Minerva calling. "Don't struggle dearie, it will do you no good and then I'll have to repair the damage. Once Herculon has you in his grasp, you will surely stay grasped until he finds it in his circuits to release." A haunting laugh leaves Thana feeling like a wind-up tin-robot being put back on the shelf until once again needed!

With everything upside down, she knows time is short to make a break. Herculon feels smug, feeling Thana relax in his grip. She has stopped struggling, giving the bigger robot a sense of false power. He rarely gets the chance to exert such control over another, and it feels soooo good!

Faking submission, Thana waits for the right chance, the right target to strike, hoping big ugly will let down his guard.

Allowing Thana to dangle too close, puts an end to his complacent smugness! She winds up, cutting loose with a greased-lightning kick from her free space-booted-foot which lands upside Herculon's mighty bulbous head! And it's lights out for the big dummy that took Thana for granted, as shattered faceplate and both rotating side-antennas explode in the air!

With grip released, Thana falls heavily to the deck, thankful she was a star student in Toby's and Braxton's karate classes where landing was important. Bracing, she feels a familiar tingling sensation. One that didn't end well last time the eager dog-bot pointed his illuminated paw at her!

Before she can rise from the deck, a flash of light accompanies her back into the electronic prison that has no measure of time. No dimension or substance. To make matters worse, the not too bright lummox _Herculon_ is transported also! Discombobulated together, possibly for all eternity, they mix as the great void takes them into its frozen embrace!

Instantly, as her sub-atomics scatter into the buffer-void, her thoughts, slow as before. It's as if she's moving through wet cement. Spooky action at a distance, keeps the links together but unlike how Einstein theorized instantaneous action across the distance, it doesn't work go great inside Xeno's guts. To make matters infinitely worse, every so often, her electronic molecules bump up against those of Herculons', creating a Saint Elmo's fire that can't be beat!

It's going to be a very long eternity, she ponders dreadfully. Sensing through foggy circuits, Thana quickly realizes her new universe isn't going to be big enough for the both of them! With phantom hands, she wafts his transmogrified and stupid electrons away from her face, wishing he would dissipate faster! Much faster!

A stunned Minerva throws her hands up exasperatedly. "Tisk tisk tisk, what a shame! Well Thana my dear, you've earned an extended little vacation in wonderland. Too bad you had to take my personal bodyguard with you!"

Glancing at Xeno, his eyes agleam with pride, his tiny prison filled once again. Minerva hasn't the heart to take his prizes just yet. "You keep them safe Xeno. We'll just let them stew for a while and get to know each other. She'll learn the error of her ways."

Ending her rant with a haunting laugh, her jovial cackle echoes throughout her secret hideaway-realm, deep within the bowels of the gargantuan Apollyon ship.

# Galactic warp-drive space-trials!

The night is steamy.... streaks of moonlight shine between puffy clouds, bringing dark shadows to life in the surrounding forest as the soft light comes and goes. An odd illuminated-fog appears on the outer-surface of a rock cliff near the peak of a lonely old mountain on Oberon Prime.

Anyone nearby would be startled to see such a weird phenomenon oozing into the sky from out of solid rock, as like a ghost! However, this mountain has been shunned by the indigenous Zenarawan people living nearby due to its long history of hauntedness, so nobody witnesses.

Insects near the glowing fog are naturally drawn to the specter, only to be sent packing with a new glow of their own!

From within the foggy apparition, the leading edge of a flying saucer, out of phase with this universe, begins to emerge from the mountain rock. Saint Elmo's fire, dances within the fog and along the curved hull of the saucer, adding another level of mysteriousness.

"Ohhhhhh! I don't like this!" Talia exclaims, as is her way each time _Queen Anne's Revenge_ exits the mountain of bent physics hideaway. "Please don't fail us now, your majesty!" She begs of the powerful ship, patting the communications panel she and Omari occupy, as the rock wall eats the ship and crew.

The bridge circle-monitor goes psychedelic as the rock matrix, alit with Elmo's cosmic fire, swirls eerily, causing a nervousness within the crew. No matter how many times the ship traverses the rock wall in such a fashion, nobody can truly get used to it. Even Esty and Gort, who are the most familiar, feel hairs stand on the back of their necks as the ship travels through seemingly solid rock! Of course, Esty's hairs are memories of what used to be....

Slowly breaking into the night air, a panoramic view of the outside world breaks wide, bringing a sense of relief to all, especially Doctor Talia. With circle monitor ablaze with the view, it seems like riding atop a magical flying carpet, with panoramic beauty.

As the saucer bathes within its electronic fog layer of slipstream, it completely exits the rock, leaving only a slight heat signature in her wake. Being out of phase, she doesn't disturb a single atom or molecule within the rock matrix while doing so! As like a stealthy ghost moves through solid objects, so goes the Queen!

It's a delicate balancing act, as too fast a traverse, or losing the slipstream mid-rockface, will end in a cataclysmic nuclear annihilation, taking the entire mountain with it! Perhaps even a fair chunk of the planet too! Two objects within the same universe, can't occupy the same space at the same time without heavy consequences from Mother Nature.

"Relax my dear," Omari intimates softly, taking her hand, "this is the easy part. What happens next, is what you truly need to worry about." He curses his circuits for having such rusty bedside manners.

"Thanks Doc." Talia responds, her circuits heating nicely. "That sure sets my diodes at ease!" She finishes with a nervous laugh, patting his cheek just for trying.

"Oh! Oh! Over there! Did anybody else just see that ghost?" Jax inquires hopefully, pointing to a darkened section of the bridge. "And I'm not talking about Aerima either!"

Often, he sees such specters during the exit maneuver as the mountain contains many spirits. Some of which are those of the many Grey's, including Esty, that had died inside defective hibernation chambers over the endless centuries.

"I saw it Jax!" Myrna responds excitedly from the peanut gallery, installed at a lonely quadrant of the bridge compartment. She and her three friends from Kansas (Joanne, Randy and Heath), along with four cute furballs of Zenarawan _clairvoyant-crewmembers_ (Surri, Razzi, Linmarri and Raznalli), offer a level of moral and critical support that's indispensable.

"I saw it too!" Toby exclaims from her station at engineering in a rare agreement with Jax. "It looked like a Zombie!"

"Oh, jeez Toby! It looked like no such thing!" Jax yells, rolling his eyes before receiving support from his better-half, Aerima.

"It shouldn't surprise you after so many times through the rock, Jax." She responds. "We usually see ghosts in the slipstream when we're going so slowly."

"Oh, my dear." He reaches across the astrogator console, patting her lovely android face. "When the day arrives that I tire of seeing ghost and hobgoblins, it'll be the day I've died and joined their ranks. _You_ know that."

"Well, if I was still a ghost, I'd fly around the bridge for you again and cover everything in a wonderful coating of frost, like before! Wouldn't that be nice?" She finishes with a haunting laugh, easily remembering how much fun that was before becoming an android.

"We're still not sure if you can even _be_ a ghost again." Jax laments, missing the days when she was as light as a misty cloud, and not melded into a 275-pound mobile-computer. A totally beautiful mobile-computer to be sure, but still....

"Let's hope the day won't arrive where we must find out."

Climbing through the clouds, the circle-monitor illuminates with a starry night! It's as if there are no walls inside the bridge. The panoramic view can cause disorientation and vertigo for the non-initiated. Many long-held breaths are expelled at finally obtaining altitude and being free from the mountain.

Now there's nothing in the way but air molecules, while the lovely Queen Anne's Revenge, rustles not one of them! Braxton increases exposure to the slipstream and tears into the night sky, headed for outer space.

Poor old cosmic Bernoulli will have no caress of her sexily shaped hull this night! He reaches, but can't penetrate the electronic fog to provide lift, which of course is his specialty. Not needed, he flies back into the alien atmosphere where he'll wait until his unique talents are needed on a more mundane airfoil.

"Go easy boys." Wil orders of his two sons who pilot the ship. "We're dealing with a whole new propulsion system now, so ease the old girl into it. She's no spring chicken anymore, and we don't need her detonating in our faces."

Cutting the atmosphere at 3,000-mph, Braxton pulls back the power, fighting the urge to goose it. After nearly a year of being planet-bound, he chomps at the bit to let it rip! Even so, he knows he must at least get away from Oberon Primes gravitational influence before entering full slipstream for FTL velocity. To do otherwise, invites disaster!

Far below, the beautiful blue-green planet shrinks quickly as ship and crew streak into deep space. Destination: the earthling star system. A quick journey around Earth to see if it's still there, and a stop at Ganymede to visit old friends who wish to travel to Andromeda with them.

"Copy that boss. Easy does it." Co-pilot Magnus replies. "Easing her into the slipstream as like sinking into a hot bath."

"Cooper, Toby, report." Esty orders from her lofty command chair, already knowing the data but wanting to keep the young engineers on their toes.

"Yes ma'am! We're on it!" She and Toby, with hands ablur, are already flipping switches, turning dials and reading the all-important data that flows from the ships heart. "Reactor and warp-fields are reading in the green. Star-drive is online and ready for testing."

" _Galaxy-drive_ , my dear numbskull sister.... it's now called a _galaxy-drive_.... jeez!" Shirley nearly has a meltdown, hoping the new drive doesn't!

Nearing the point of no return, the ancient saucer streaks through the void at 99.9% lightspeed. Still, the Revenge is barely out of flight-idle when compared to what the new drive will theoretically produce. Yet even at this incredible velocity, it will take 50-years to reach Earth! Totally unacceptable!

The speed of light is just way too slow for such incredible stretches of near-nothingness that is our universe. The last time the ship and crew travelled to Earth (using the old star-drive), the journey lasted nearly 28-hours. Still, even this is way to slow for intergalactic travel (if one wishes to avoid lengthy hibernations or old age at the time of arrival.

This trip to Earth is theorized to be much faster.... or perhaps even faster than that! If things go south (which is hard to do in outer space) they'll very quickly become an artificial supernova on the outskirts of the Oberon Prime system! Never to be seen again this side of space-hades!!

Everybody takes a deep breath, so happy they haven't yet detonated. While Max and Shirly are skilled tinkerers, they sometimes get things wrong.... All had given blood, sweat & tears to implement the design modification unto their beloved Queen. So, they show great faith in going on the test-run instead of sending the old girl out on autopilot.

"Okay everyone," Max jokes, "this is where the rubber meets the road. Or in our case, where the isotopes meet the dark energy."

"Yeah, let's just hope the dark matter doesn't hit the fan!" Jax retorts smartassingly.

"Hey Jax," Kara teases, "ten gold disks say you're gonna toss your space cookies."

"Ha ha, you're on, meathead!"

"Quiet you!" Adam orders from his station at astrogation. "We're safely away from the planet, Esty. We're good to go.... whenever."

"Just say the word.... Me and Magnus'll pour on the coals." Braxton informs.

"Standby." Esty orders as she and Gort once-again mull over the trajectory data. It just wouldn't due to hit anything substantial!

"Hey, did anybody theorize how much this is going to hurt?" Jax puts out there rudely, nearly jinxing the entire operation. After all, few had ever discussed such a painful thing. Everyone knows the severity of even a regular warp-speed transition, so this new and improved version must be infinitely worse, one would think!

"Thanks, Jax!" Harper acidically laments. "And to think I was ready to brave this one without my battle helmet! About to make real psychological progress for a change! But you had to go and open your big yapper!" He yells semi-seriously, adding. "Ling.... my war bonnet please!"

"Oh, Harp. You'll be okay." Jax offers hope. "Although, you do look better when hiding that big melon of yours! You remind me of _Humpty Dumpty_!" He laughs as a thrown data-pad narrowly misses his own melon!

"Be nice Jax, or I'll _Humpty Dumpty_ _you_!" Amy yells, sorry she missed, hoping her delicate electronic equipment isn't damaged. "My goodness! We can't take you anywhere!"

"Yeah Jax. Cool it, _or else_." Nyla warns firmly, shaking an android fist, startling the jokester. " _Don't make me stop this flying saucer. Won't you be sorry!_ " Such a sadistic laugh flow from her dark circuits, Jax is left shivering in his bones!

"You see, Jax?" Aerima grinningly scolds. "I told you to work on not being such a scoundrel all the time, remember? We might have to rename you 'Eddie Haskell', if you can't do better!"

"Noooooo! Not that!" Jax exclaims, looking like a trapped animal! Glancingly he faces his stepsiblings pleadingly. "I promise to do better! I promise that at least I'll _try to try_! Here, look!" Sitting back, he zips his lips, trying unsuccessfully to dissolve into the seat and disappear from this universe altogether!

Yet those lips don't stay zipped for long! The mighty promise is broken, seemingly moments after giving the false oath. The transition from going only the speed of light, too **many-millions-of-times** such slowness, offers a level of pain that can't truly be described!

Firstly, the body shimmers and tingles as if a million needles poke. Everyone and everything dissolves into a misty haze, swirling into the tiniest of nothingness. The mind is the last to go into the vortex of twisted spacetime, trying to keep up, yet failing at first. This torque upon the psyche is nearly unbearable, and the snapping back at the other end is no cosmic picnic either!

Not one to cry out in pain, Jax lets loose with a mighty wail! It's a scream that would travel through the very vacuum of space, if not for the Queen's mighty hull! Fortunately, Jax's broken promise goes unnoticed.... as the rest of the crew are performing the same torturous ritual! The solar wind is yanked from their sails....

Even the androids are taken for a spin, as their everything is seemingly twisted inside-out and sideways from reality! Such a torrent of twisted physics hits them squarely in the giblets, setting their electrons spinning!

Talia feels her atoms and sub-atomics momentarily intermingle in ways that aught never be done! Omari feels all that, plus his hand being crushed by his lovely mate!

Luckily for all, the horrific event seems to be over before it ever begins! Focus on it too much, and it seems an eternity. Focus not much, and it's just another ugly tear in the psyche that'll join the many other scars that grow while working in space.

Such is the life of a space-faring soul. Such is the life of tearing the very fabric of spacetime to get things done. Such is the life of a space jockey! .... And none would change it for all the gold, in all the multiverse!

On a modified and focused, deep-penetrating matter/transporter beam, the ship and crew are transmogrified, electronified, and squeezed into a vortex of condensed sub-slipstream. Hopefully, in the direction of desired travel!

With such a tiny distance to earth, considering the new upgrades, the horrific event is over fast, leaving a crew of wide-eyed astronauts gasping for breath, smoke molecules wafting away from hot jumpsuits.

"My goodness!" Talia gets her freak on, putting hand to chest as alarms throughout the bridge scream bloody murder!

Reaching, Cooper cancels the audio portion of the many warnings, leaving her engineering console blinking wildly. "I've never seen so many red lights! Oh, the poor Queen!" She jokes frantically, shaking her short blond hair back into position.

"Poor Queen? Poor Queen?" Kara yells painfully. " _How about poor us?!_ " She laments painfully as a penlight floats from her jumpsuit pocket, nearly poking her in the eye. "Uh Coop.... I think the first problem to fix might be the gravity pumps."

"Yeah." Toby notices, rubbing the kinks out of her neck. "Hey Surri. Mind asking Gort if he'd like to help me check out this little problem? Probably circuit breakers. You and Razzi can come with if you want." The engineer inquires, not having the ability to esp with anyone besides the furry little Zenarawans.

"Gort says he'd be happy to assist." Surri reports back. "And yes, we'll come with."

"Thanks, Surri. We'll be needing more of those telekinetic powers of yours." She inquires as they all unbuckle and float towards the ship's hellhole where most of the computers and controllers are located.

"Hey, has anyone seen my helmet?" Harper inquires, feeling to make sure his head is still attached.

"Catch!" Toby calls as she floats past the protective shell, sending it on a line drive back to its owner.

"Jax, Adam, where are we? I don't see Earth." Esty invokes a challenge for those at astrogation, already knowing that they're very lost in space!

"Uh, Esty.... The astrogator doesn't recognize the stars." Jax informs nervously. "It's either broken.... or we're lost."

"Oh my!" Talia nearly faints at the bad news, her electrons still shaken from the ride.

"We're alive. That's what counts most.... for now." Nyla reminds, twisting a metallic kink out of her neck, her old android bones finally feeling the stresses of space travel and extreme age.

Wil has already unbuckled. Floating and stargazing the circle-monitor, he rubs his chin contemplatingly, pondering deeply.

"Wil?" Esty inquires as her circuits heat. "What does that devious mind of yours see?"

"Well, I can't be sure yet. But if I was a betting android, I'd say we really did it this time! I can't make heads nor tails out of those star positions."

"Oh my!" Talia exclaims again, wishing she and Omari had called in sick this day of all days!

"Not to fear my dear." Wil promises hope. "I've another ace up my sleeve, provided this old girl can still limp along. What say you Max? Shirley? What the parsec just happened to all our hard-won plans?"

A chorus of "standby!" flows to Wil's circuits as the duo, along with Cooper and Toby, put their heads together for some cosmic brainstorming.

"Hey up there!" The disembodied voice of Toby exits the hellhole. "Anybody not anchored, better get that way! Ten seconds warning until gravity strikes!" She warns, hoping it's true.

Wil, just inches from safety after stargazing, lands hard from the new-found gravity as his 275-pound frame hits the deck, shaking the bridge. "Jeez two-tons!" Nyla yells laughingly. "Better lay off those space cookies, dough-boy!"

"Yes.... good one my dear. At least I landed on my feet!" It's usually he, who teases her with that one. "Thanks Toby." He calls, offering the lovely engineer and Gort a hand getting out of the hellhole. Surri and Razzi easily scamper out without assistance, like the wiry felines they are.

"Uh, Wil." Max calls. "I believe we'll be okay as far as the propulsion system goes. Really, it was the fault of guidance. Our velocity was so great, it couldn't keep up with the calculations. It seems Autopilot is having a bad day at the office, and its memory of the direction we just came from has been scrambled too.... We're truly lost."

"Can it be recalibrated?"

"I believe so.... Yes, as a matter of fact it can be done, but will take time."

"Take all the time you need, Max old boy. We'll mow the lawn while you work."

"Huh?"

"Yes, well there must be a trail of radioactive breadcrumbs out there someplace." Wil offers his ace-in-the-sleeve, hoping for the best. "We'll just search a grid pattern until we find it."

"You forget Wil," Shirley pokes his thought-bubble with pin, "We traveled here by sub-slipstream, there shouldn't be even the tiniest of particles left in our wake."

"Then my dear, we'll de-phase enough to search the sub-slipstream." He informs with a knowing smile, receiving a devious wink from his daughter.

"Good idea dad. It's true what they say.... Where there's a Wil, there's a way!" She jokes as a round of laughter breaks the cosmic tension that had built.

"Jax, Adam...." Esty calls. "Anything yet? Come on already! You're killing us here!" She offers rare jocularity in the face of an unfortunate problem.

"Yes ma'am!" Adam raises his head from the illuminated astrogator screens. "Our calculations show we've traveled 923 lightyears instead of the 50 that engineering had programmed into autopilot."

Commander Esty, hangs her head somberly, yet glad they were not exploded from such tampering with her pride and joy.

"Now now, Adam" Jax puffs his chest, smiling at Max and Shirley like a Cheshire cat. "Nobody's pointing fingers here. We're all bigger than that, yes?"

"I didn't mean it like that guys!" Adam exclaims. "It's just that I need another go with that headband is all! I'm wound up like an eight-day-clock!"

Such a boisterous cackle goes up in the bridge, Adam knows he's been let off the hook pointing blame. "Don't worry Adam old boy." Magnus engages his two-pence-worth. "Perhaps this _would_ be a good time to see if you can dream up a solution for us. Perhaps even point us in the right direction back towards earth."

"Oh, phuff!" Adam retorts. "I can do that easily! But I'll also have to visit my dear Kira too!"

"Awe!" Comes a tease from the ladies, as Adam turns 50-shades of red!

"Of course, that depends on whether or not we can get the old girl on her feet again. What about it, Max? Shirley? Is there hope?"

"Well, as you put it quite succinctly dear Adam," Max responds, " _Oh phuff!_ .... Of course, we can get her going again! Besides even without the new g-drive engaged, we can do a thousand lightyears standing on our head! All we need is a point in the right direction."

# Adam's astral tour

"YeeeeeeHaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" A disembodied thought wails maniacally into the frozen vacuum, not vibrating anything of substance. The night is forever frozen as Adam streaks through space on a dream thread, majorly breaking all cosmic speed limits without a care in the universe!

Face first, arms back, no spacesuit, the lad rips the astral plane a new corn shoot! Astral travel is the way to go, he thinks! Adam might not be quite 100% with the method yet, but he's working on it! Yup, he ponders speedily.... this hocus-focus is certainly no jokus!"

Lightyears behind, tethered by way of astral thread, his body rests in the deepest of sleeps while his mind joyrides the cosmos! Onboard the Revenge, an alien headband prominently hugs the blond curls of his earthling melon. A seemingly chaotic staccato of blips, chirps and blinking-lights, tells Omari and Talia the device is fully engaged with its pupil.

The student has been unleashed, freed from the limits of his corporeal body! Spooky phantom-adrenalin surges through his ghostly veins as he revels in the joy of traveling the astral plane. Truly, the sky isn't the limit!!

"YeeeeeeHaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" He repeats wildly, as the rush is most uncontainable! Stars and planets pass like lane-reflectors on a highway from hell! Zigging and zagging, he traverses the celestial obstacles as pretty as you please! With little respect.... rather, with _no_ _respect_ for our physical laws, he eats the parsecs like they're the tastiest of cosmic candies!

Slowing, he approaches his first destination. Time has no meaning here in the quantum realm of the astral plane. So far, Adam's journey seems way too short for the amount of fun he's having! It might have been an eternity since projecting from the Revenge, or it may have been just a micro-blip! Time has little meaning. It has no teeth while disengaged from the universe in such a way.

One thing's for sure. Astral travel, enhanced with spooky action at a distance, _sure kicks ass!_ Just ask Adam and Toby! In fact, this method of travel is trillions, perhaps even _sextillions_ of times faster than the new upgrades recently given the Queen Anne's Revenge. Adam, thanks his lucky stars he's still able to navigate at such ludicrous speeds!

But still, what can one do without a body, he wonders? The cosmic equivalent of 'ones and zeros can't do a whole lot without physical mobility also. Even with that, Adam doesn't let that minor detail dilute his excitement, as he rapidly approaches a Jovian beauty!

Ahead, a bloated, striated giant of a gas planet, fills his senses! Fastly, he passes through the upper atmosphere of beautiful Jupiter on the way to the first destination of his astral journey. The great red spot of old, is now long gone, having been replaced by many lovely descendants over the last 175,000-years or so.

Slowing dramatically, feeling no inertia, the ghostly traveler (who's really tinier than nothing) approaches the third moon from the planet. It's an icy moon, but not frozen solid. Below the crustal ice, a relatively warm ocean goes deeply, heated by a hot metallic core and assisted by frictional heating from mother Jupiter's gargantuan gravitational field.

Being the largest moon in the solar system (8% larger than planet Mercury, although only 45% its mass), it has room for some very deep oceans! Oceans that squeeze the planetoid's hot core with extreme pressure. The core of life! Without it, perhaps only a few cosmic Ameba might be found there.... _that's it!_

But in those heated sub-crustal oceans, life abounds! Life has found a way! All shapes and sizes abound, with only one species in particular being sentient, understanding their natural world with scientific curiosity.

Having long ago saved Carter and Tina from a frozen death and being instrumental with helping to machine a _time-valve_ for the Revenge, they've won the hearts and minds of humanity and at least two Grey aliens! (albeit one of which having been transmogrified into an android of human design, but in her electronic soul, she's still a Grey)!

Even under the harshest of conditions, life has found a way. The octopus-like people who've long-ago befriended the earthling visitors, are named 'Naiad' collectively as a species.

Generous and trusting to a fault, having only recently discovered that yet _another_ universe exists beyond their 'sky of ice', they wish to explore. Similar in a way, if our world had not blue sky and stars above, but instead an icy crust at unreachable altitude. At least until the space age came along!

Then, to also learn that there are even more universes within a _multiverse_ , was a tough cosmic pill to swallow. This would be most tantalizing, becoming delicious fodder for the scientific curiosity of the octo-people of Ganymede!

The night is chilled and soaking wet. Nautilax rolls restlessly in bed, pulling a blankie over his scaled upper body. His 12 tentacled-arms curl inwards in attempt to retain heat, as he seeks the sweet spot for sleep. Still mostly gone to the embrace of slumber, he easily falls back into the blissful trance he was enjoying.

'Ah yes', he ponders dreamily, as the abyssal depths of subconsciousness take him down a wonderful path. A warmer path! With neutral buoyancy, he floats weightless in his watery realm, drifting on the cosmic tides of wonderous dreams....

Suddenly, his peacefulness is shattered! A chill enters his psyche, running the length of his many spines like a sharp electric current! A familiar voice from the past, infiltrates his rest, rattling his dream state! A voice he's not heard in a very long time!

"Adam?" Nautilax inquires dreamily. "Adam Miller? Is that you?"

"Yes, my watery friend, it's me Adam! Please don't awaken. It's better this way." The disembodied astral traveler instructs, floating blissfully within Nautilax's brainwaves, adding....

"I visit your mind on a thread of a dream. I bring good tidings and a message. A message you will remember even after waking."

"A message?" Nautilax inquires weakly, already slipping back into the abyssal depths of dreamland.

"Yes. My people will soon visit. They have good news for those readying for the journey to Andromeda. Spread the word that they should prepare for departure. Now my friend, I say farewell and sweet dreams."

"Yes Adam.... same same." And Nautilax drifts back into the deepest of slumbers, wondering what a weird dream, and just what it was he's to remember....

The disembodied essence of Adam, screeches joyfully after leaving Nautilax behind in a cloud of cosmically-entangled-dust!

His next destination is directly in line with the heated core of Ganymede, and it doesn't matter one iota! Way smaller than a neutrino, into the metallic core he rips without slowing down!

All around as he goes, seething sub-atomics and radiations churn a psychedelic soup. Past electrons and atoms that seem bigger than whole planets he sails like a wisp of nothingness through the molten metal core.

Zigging and zagging, he dodges particles and neutrinos, sometimes kicking them with a teasing laugh as he passes. From all directions they zip chaotically, yet never hitting each other or banging his astral head!

Exiting the icy moon, Adam enjoys wide-open spaces once again. Nothing ahead but an asteroid belt and the red planet Mars. Fastly, he puts even those in the rearview mirror, not wanting anything more than to visit Earth, Oberon Prime and then the love of his life!

"YeeeeeeeeHaaaaaaaaaaaa!" _Never_ has he had so much fun while on extra-vehicular activity! And _never_ has he had such a long tether either! Albeit an invisible one!

Approaching Earth ever so quickly, he takes an exit at the signpost up ahead. Plunging into the atmosphere, his astral thread causes no heat or collisions with earthly molecules.

To his spectral eye, the world is still gripped in an ice age. Not quite snowball earth, but close enough! White ice, blankets much of the globe, extending greedily towards the equator from each polar region.

Because of this, humanity has dreadfully declined. Has become less of a drudgery upon Mother Nature as in years past. At the planet's surface, he hovers lazily above a grand river as it flows wildly along the edge of a mile-high glacier. A glacier that now blankets much of the northland once known as Michigan.

Taking a moment as the scenic view bathes his psyche, Adam notices a band of humans hiking a trail along the river. With flint tipped spears in hand, it becomes obvious that humanity has gone down a terrible road, having fallen from the lofty heights of technological grace.

After losing the ability to make steel, flint projectile points and knives of old are back in vogue, and fur coats are more popular than ever! Average life expectancy drops to an unprecedented low level of 43-years, as evolution is seemingly put into reverse.

Adam allows his dream thread to travel along the river toward his main goal for visiting this planet. Buried deeply under tall rocky ledges at the edge of the waterway, the renowned Grand Ledge Institute of Science is deeply buried. It's a grave now, with many cryo-chambers holding the dust of human scientists that called the place home, before the world's biosphere crumbled.

Along the way, he notices a familiar hazy figure watching from a distance. In the woods, high above the river on a rocky ledge, he spy's a ghostly human tossing phantom peanuts to wraith-like river squirrels. They run and scamper after the gossamer treats, often passing right through tree trucks in a ghostly effort to get them!

Having seen this particular spirit on a previous visit to the river valley, Adam waves before realizing that it can't possibly see such a tiny and invisible thing as his astral projection. Yet to his surprise, the ghost in the wood's waves back! It offers a smile and peanut held high!

Knowing that the ghost had previously been offered a position onboard the Revenge and had turned it down, Adam waves again and continues, not wishing to bother the reclusive spirit any further.

Shortly thereafter, he's passing the tall rocky ledges he's come to see. Above, a wall of ice stretches a mile into the atmosphere, dropping heavy chunks into the river. Reverently remembering a time long past, the laboratory hidden deeply within, had provided humanity with a new star-fuel and by a quirky mistake, a way to time-travel too!

"Good to see you again, institute! Hang in there and don't let this glacier get you down. It can't last forever!"

Knowing to not dilly-dally longer, the astral traveler leaves the river valley in a wake of tortured spacetime! Zooming back into space, he notices that not one satellite or piece of manmade debris gets in his way! The space near earth is as clean as a whistle once again! Not one speck of humanity's rocket-age pollution can be detected as he quickly accelerates past the moon and sun.

Only 50-lightyears ahead, Oberon Prime grows quickly in size, filling Adam's psyche with joy at seeing his home world once again. Not being too far from Earth anyway, relatively speaking, he approaches like a wraith, a ghostly smile on his face.

Losing velocity, the astral astronaut passes the counterweights of the space elevator recently completed. Old starships, now good for only one purpose, are joined at the hips, providing the centrifugal force required for such lofty technology.

It's a marvel of modern engineering that quickly became obsolete with the finding of the mountain base and flying saucers within. Still, for those who prefer the landlubber lifestyle, it's nice to visit weightlessness now and again. And skydiving from such lofty heights, above a world so beautiful, really lifts the planet bound spirits!

Into the circuits of Adak and Cody he penetrates easily, marveling at being able to exist in two minds at once! Especially android minds! He ponders the possibility that he might be ready to graduate soon, and not need the headband next time out.

"Hello? Is there anybody in there? Just nod if you can hear me. Is there anybody home?"

"Adam?" Comes a synchronized and bewildered inquiry from two androids separated by 20 miles on the planet.

"Yup! Believe it or not, it's me! .... Now, don't go and think yourselves crazy, because I really am inside your circuits. It's astral projection, not hallucination. Actually, I'm a thousand lightyears away, sleeping with Esty's latest headband. You know the one." He hopes to calm their circuits, adding....

"I'm here to inform you that the g-drive trials are not going as planned. There's been a glitch in the matrix, so we'll be late returning. Also, and this is most important. Wil requests that you take the Nerezza to Ganymede ahead of schedule, if possible. Finish the modifications there if necessary and wait for us. After we arrive, the Nerezza should be ready to take the Naiad scientist onboard for the journey to Andromeda."

"Sure Adam, no problem." Adak acknowledges, still shocked at the invasion of his circuits. "Now for _my_ news. We've received a distressing message from Carter, out there at Pascora. It seems the worker-bots on delta-ship have revolted, causing its orbit to decay. It's a real mess. Be sure to tell Wil when you get back to your body."

"Well, that sure bites our cosmic plans!" Adam exclaims. "But I've still got one more stop to make, and I daren't miss it! It's the most important one! Don't worry though, the news will get there. Gotta go, Adak! Catch you on the flip side, Cody!"

With that, the love-struck traveler rips out so fast, his tiny nothingness perturbs the magnetic field of the planet! Outward he streaks! Faster and faster! Everything momentarily blurs in his mind as billions of stars and solar systems race past! Soon, he breaks out of the Milky Way and into the intergalactic void. Ahead, and growing rapidly, the disk of our biggest neighbor, swells.

Fighting off any guilt-trip for not returning immediately to the Revenge with the alarming news of Pascora, he trusts wrongly that time-travel can be used if necessary to make things right again. It's a terrible gamble and foolish risk; one that Carter would surely frown upon. But being young and in love, trumps common sense every time!

Into the great void between Milky Way and Andromeda, Adam rips intergalactic space a new corn shoot, leaving a trail of burnt neutrinos and dark matter in his wake! Space is alit with Saint Elmo's fire like it's never been before! And that isn't an easy thing to do!

Now nothing can stop him from visiting his beloved; his Kira of Ankara! The ravaged little planet, adrift between galaxies and at war with its neighbor!

Suddenly ahead.... a spaceship! Slowing for the unexpected speedbump against his time, Adam enters and travels through the vessel. It's quite large, at nearly 2-miles-long but still not a match for his exploratory ways.

Through bulkheads and along lonely darkened corridors, the quantum specter explores, seeing no signs of life. Yet the ship is pressurized with a mixture of oxygen/nitrogen, so conditions are right for biologic life.

Everything seems sterile and devoid of any beautification like art or even bright colors. Only dull gray everywhere gives him a hint of those who still evade his detection.

Turning right instead of left, Adam comes to full realization of what's what. Entering a cavernous space that defies imagination, he faces the motherload of hibernation systems!

As far as he can guess, there's many thousands of chambers, all lined up in uncountable rows stacked 10-high in bunkbed-fashion. Zipping into one of the humming sarcophagi, Adam comes mind to mind with one who's of the Grey species.

With great effort he tries communicating, but to no avail. He knows _not_ the clickity-clack language, so the point is moot.

Feeling anxious, he figures to make a fast exit before scaring the sleeping creature half to death with what must seem the worst of nightmares! Sensing the space coordinates, velocity and direction of travel, he leaves the space-ark behind.

Greedily eating the lightyears like candy, Adam sees his next destination ahead. It's lit by a dim star traveling through the middle of nowhere, dragging lonely planets in the direction of the Milky Way.

The love-struck human, zips into the still-suffering atmosphere of Ankara. All around, the effects of nuclear winter gone wild can be seen gripping the frozen land. Past toasted cities with truncated towers and piles of rubble, he approaches the badlands where he knows his lovely awaits, sleeping the sleep of an angel.

"Kira?" Comes a spooky query into the foggy subconscious of the lovely sleeper. "I've returned to you, my darling. Can you hear me?" Adam's quantum thoughts echo within an inner universe that is Kira's hibernating mind.

Nothing!

The young woman sleeps comfortably within the underground cryo-research facility on Ankara, waiting for the day when the world above is habitable once again. One of thousands of other sleepers that now inhabit cryo-tubes, she's not able to awaken enough to reach out to the visitor who is her everything.

Adam's presence, though unimaginably miniscule, still manages to perturb her subconscious mind. It must be like torture, as she can't answer him back! Willing herself to call out is beyond her ability, as cryo-stasis grips her psyche with cold, icy fingers.

"Kira?" Adam tries again. "Are you home?"

Again nothing!

"Kira my darling. If you can hear me, I'll keep returning as often as possible to keep you company until I can wake you for real. Next time I'll bring a book and stay longer. I must go now, my love."

Yet he doesn't go. He doesn't zip back to his body with the bad news about Pascora. Lingering longer than he realizes, as time hasn't much meaning whilst astral projecting, he continues talking to Kira, hoping she can hear each and every word, which she does!

Suddenly, Adam's mind is perturbed! Something with great power has just brushed up against his own psyche! Not from Kira, but something else has arrived! He and Kira are not alone! Something lurks in the dark shadows, finally finding a voice.

"Adam?" Aerima inquires. "My goodness Adam, mover over! This thread isn't built for two! I'm here because you've been gone too long! _Too long we say_!" She exclaims as her voice multi-tones with stress. Others from her realm push push push to get past her gate when she's most weak. "You must return at once! Your body calls! Don't you hear it? Don't you _feel_ it?"

"Aerima?!" The stunned traveler exclaims of the ghost who's just arrived like a tornado inside his and Kira's mind. "How the stars and moons did you find me? I didn't know we had _two_ headbands. Besides that, they don't work on androids! Jeez, everybody knows that!"

"Adam, I had to become a ghost again. Had to leave my android CPU and enter your mind back on the Revenge. Very dangerous! Very dangerous! But your body is failing! You must go back! You've been gone too long.... too long we say!"

"Oh, Aerima! I can't leave just yet. I can't wake Kira enough to even say hello!"

"Stay here Adam." Aerima orders firmly as she shrinks into an even tinier singularity than Adam and enters the deepest part of Kira's sub-subconscious mind. A place where even a regular astral traveler can't go.

She and Kira have quite the conversation. Getting along like they're the best of friends! Kira's anxious mind is set to rest, as Aerima quickly fills her in on current events. Then, with great effort, the ghost pulls away from such a strong personality, leaving Kira wanting more. She does so with promise of return, which calms the sleeper's war-torn nerves.

"Adam.... Kira says hi." Aerima reports with great satisfaction. "She can't reply because of the physical condition that hibernation has created. She says you must go now. You must return and take care of your body. She says you'll need it when she gets her hands on you!" The ghost ends her report with a teasing laugh, causing Adam's astral face to redden.

"Thanks for taking such a risk on my behalf, Aerima. I probably owe you my life."

"Think nothing of it my dear boy. At the very least, I now know that I can leave my android body and still haunt things if I wish! Won't Prax be surprised! Now go! Go like the solar wind!"

"Bye for now, Kira!" The ghost-like traveler calls out. "I'll be back!"

"Okay, Aerima. Let's go." He adds. "Last one back to the Revenge is a monkey's uncle or Aunt!"

With that, Adam and the un-retired ghost slip back into the frozen vacuum of outer space, racing like spectral banshees gone wild, back towards the Milky Way!

Within moments, perhaps even faster than that, Adam slams back into his mind! Such an astral over-torque hits his psyche, his mind opens like an overwound window shade, spinning and spinning!

Looking at the operating table next door, he sees poor android-Aerima laying there with eyes closed peacefully. A host of external wires and diagnostic equipment keeps her CPU alive while she's out on the town.

"It's been fun Adam." Aerima jokes before oozing out of Adams mind. "Please don't make me do that again."

Before he has the chance to respond, he feels a chill as the spirit departs his skull. Looking around, he sees a spectral mist moving past shivering onlookers and into the chest of android-Aerima. Just as he's wondering if the mechanical woman will come back to life, lovely green peepers open blinkingly, a wide smile breaking on the lovely face.

Back where she belongs once again, Aerima's anxious circuits relax. "Well Adam. We made it." She weakly informs. "Looks like I'm a monkey's Aunt, and I don't mind one bit." The android-simian admits with a chuckle, as those in the peanut gallery tilt their heads wonderingly!

# Minerva gets her groove on!

Loneliness strikes deeply! It reaches icy claws, ripping at the psyche, viciously sinking teeth into its usual victim! Tearing into Minerva's electronic soul like hot knife through digital butter, it viciously bites and gnashes its way through her waking daydreams.

It's the only monstrous force in all her grand kingdom that she can't control; not even one little bit, no matter how hard she tried! And one which shows no respect for her uncountable royal needs and desires!

She ponders the possibilities associated with her new companion, Thana, who languishes within Xeno's electronic prison, having had not the desire to play nice while on the outside. Sure, Thana is a forced companion, even one to be reckoned with. But the Apollyon queen certainly thinks _not_ of such trivial details!

Only goddess-desires, are those that count for anything.... just ask her! Yet this night of all nights, has brought a familiar yet diluted flavor to her psyche, which hadn't been tasted in 5,000-years! It's a good flavor. One that had been long forgotten by the delusional android. A flavor that comes from _sharing_ with others, and not _taking all the time_. Something she's slowly realizing can leave a sour aftertaste in her royal circuits!

This _found-again_ elixir, dredged from the deepest parts of her recycle bin, is one that could be gotten used to again, Minerva thinks. If only it will make Thana sweeten, she hopes deviously. Yet, this flavor is an acquired taste, and will take time to be palatable in full strength!

Minerva calculates many pathways to friendship with Thana, but the trails are elusive and overgrown with greedy habits. Still, a million ideas flow like sweet electrons through her circuits, seeking a way.

Of course, fantasy-soaked ideas always flow best. But in the end, they over-torque her sensors, causing delirious tremors and great overheating. While common-sense, non-self-centered ideas, are most fleeting of all, flowing like wet cement in her selfish little circuits.

Slowly, she realizes that this monster of loneliness will only be conquered if she can find a path. It's going to be an uphill battle, she determinedly thinks!

Deep in her psyche, she knows Thana will _continue to resist_ any effort made towards friendship while under the thumb. After all, nobody quickly forgives being discombobulated against their will, trapped inside an electronic universe, only to be called forth like some mindless gin or conquered slave to amuse the master's busy and hectic day of tyranny!

"Xeno! Come here!" Minerva orders, her voice snapping like whipped lightning! "Tell me you still have my little friend tucked away safe and sound."

"My radiant goddess and most beautiful Minerva. As always, I above all else, serve you the best!" Xeno replies lyingly, but well enough. "Yes, the evil one is still here with me. But my liege.... she grows hot in my circuits. I believe she's not getting along with her roommate! Soon, I'll be forced to barf them onto the royal carpet, if there is no other way."

"Ah yes. I nearly forgot about poor discombobulated Herculon. I'm sure he's bothering Thana to no end and giving you indigestion. So, my little minion, put his atoms back together and release his clumsy circuits so he can admire me once again."

"Yes, my liege!" Xeno jumps at the chance to rid his belly of the heavy electrons of Herculon and the heated exchanges between him and Thana. So, with the lifting of a metallic paw and concentrated grunt, he transmits a radiation that coalesces in front of Minerva. Herculon, all 800-pounds of him, sways as his circuits regain a modicum of balance once again.

"Herculon!" Minerva reaches, steadying her loyal bodyguard. "Get a grip, old tin man!" She orders, having never had the unnerving experience of a matter transporter. Her circuits are protected from such cosmic treachery!

"My Queen," Herculon speaks embarrassedly, regaining balance. "I have failed you! It seems Commander Thana proved too much for me!" The big robot admits, bending down to retrieve a busted-off antenna from Thana's mighty kick. "Shall I throw myself in the recycle bin?! Just say the word my wonderful goddess, and it shall be done!"

Reaching, Minerva runs a cold steely finger sensually along Herculon's bulbous head, providing a rare show of kindness. "No, my most monstrous ugly one; I need you at my side, more now than ever! Just learn from your many mistakes, that's all I ask dear Herculon. Now, go have that broken face fixed. I surely can't have you hanging around with me if you look so disgusting, can I?

"Of course not, my goddess." The big robot admits with lifted arm, coving his embarrassing disfigurement with a massive claw. "Your least wish is my greatest desire. I shall replace this grossly disfigured face as soon as possible!"

"Yes, yes. Don't grovel so, Herculon. You'll just embarrass yourself yet again. Please take your position on my left side when you get back from repair."

"Your _left side_ my goddess?" The mighty robot shockedly inquires.

"My _dear_ Herculon. I'll forgive you for questioning my command, as you've _always_ been my _right-hand_ bucket of clumsy bolts. But things are changing. Thana will soon be under my thumb and will occupy that righthand spot. So, I order you to like my desire.... and even sweeten to it!"

"Hummphftt!" Comes a rare display of attitude, as Herculon stomps extra-hard towards the maintenance department, nearly denting the deck-plating with each frustrated step!

"What was that mister?!" Comes a challenge from the lofty altitudes of royalty.

"I'm sorry my Queen." Mister attitude tosses over his shoulder as he stomps away, not offering the respect he should. "I'm learning.... but the sweeting is going to take time."

"Xeno, come here!" Minerva yells, letting her big friend slide this time. After all, with a busted face like his, he's been through enough for one day, she figures generously. "You and Larks gather your mangy pack! When Herculon returns, we'll bring Thana forth again and see if she's ready to play nice!"

"The trail goes that way, I think." Rax points a light into the gloomy guts of the Apollyon warship, highlighting a burned hole in the wall the size of the dog-bots they chase.

He, Prax and Carter are fast on the trail of Thana and her abductors. But traversing the claustrophobic bowels of the enormous ship is not fun! Not fun at all!

Carter is especially not enjoying the tour but will go to the ends of the universe to get his friend back safely! "Is it just me? Or are those little holes getting smaller?" He inquires shakily, as claustrophobia strikes his heated circuits once again.

"Awe, don't worry Carter." Prax comforts as he aims his laser to create a bigger hole, "Rax and me won't let anything happen to you. Just think thoughts of wide-open sky's and lots of fresh cooling air. You'll be fine!"

"Yeah, whatever you do, don't think about the ship closing in like a constrictor. Squeezing and squeezing until you're crushed and can't breathe that sweet cooling air across your glowing circuits as you die horribly." Rax teases mercilessly, as is his way.

"Thanks, Rax. That's a fine picture you just painted for me to enjoy." Carter retorts, rolling his eyes, not ready to give way to such an evil thought just yet. "Besides, my own pictures are much more terrible!" He adds with a nervous laugh, following the young androids even deeper into the labyrinth of machinery and cable conduits.

Not far away from where they sneak, buried in the darkest of shadows, a conveyance within a vacuum tube goes tearing through the neighborhood, leaving them rattled.

As with the roughest of terrestrial caves, they crawl and snake their way through stalactites of steel beams, some hanging down from above, threatening to impale. From ground level, stalagmites of electrical wire conduits, some with bare wires, threatening to electrocute! Even farther down, abyssal depths appear out of know where, threatening to devour!

Rax takes the point, cutting through steel walls where needed to make-way for their large frames. Larger than the dog-bots' anyway....

Suddenly, an illumination ahead causes them to pause. "Hey," Rax whispers over his shoulder, "I see something promising."

"Yeah." Prax agrees. "We better slow down and think this through."

"Move over boys," Carter advances bravely, "this calls for experience and dastardly cunning. Sure, you both have experience at hunting Toothy's from Nolan and Keith's memories, but.... okay, that's pretty good I must admit. Still, I'm taking point."

"Well, I doubt there's any Toothy's around _here_ anyway, so be my guest." Rax moves aside.

Cautiously advancing, the trio of androids from Oberon Prime, crawl past humming gravity-pumps and a plethora of other types of equipment and electrical conduits. The going is dark and damp.

"Where's all this moisture coming from?" Prax wonders whisperingly. "I can sense electrical current flowing through the area, and the two don't usually mix very well."

"Well, those gravity pumps need electricity, so there's a good source for the electromagnetic fields we're feeling. As for the moisture, it sure doesn't make sense. We've never seen any water on these Apollyon ships. After all, robots don't use it!"

Glancing upward, Carter notices something. "See those pipes there?" He points over his head. "They have moisture condensation."

"Yeah!" Prax agrees as he reaches and pulls on one of the pipes. Pulling harder than he realized, the pipe snaps! "Aaaaaaaaa!" He exclaims, getting a face full of cold water!

"Nice going lugnut!" Rax yells laughingly. "It's a little early in the year for you to be taking a shower, don't you think?"

"Okay okay, whipper-snappers. Less noise and less breaking things! I can't take you guys anywhere!" Carter exclaims, moving onward before Prax drowns his circuits.

Soon, he comes to a metallic grating above his head. Fresh air pours in from above, smelling strongly of vegetation. Tilting his head confusedly at the strange phenomenon that should not be, he feels around, finding no latches on the grating.

"Alright, listen up." He orders as the young androids catch up. "This grating seems to be our way out of this dark underbelly. No more yapping from you boys. Now help me push this thing open.

Using their great mechanical strength, the grating is pushed upward and to the side. A shower of dirt and vegetative roots fall upon the trio.

"Dirt?" Carter inquires exasperatingly to himself. "What's going on here? Outside of the processing facilities, there shouldn't be a speck of dirt onboard this ship!"

"Well, we've gone and done it now." Prax jokes nervously. "Somehow we've been killed and are digging our way out of our own graves like zombies!"

"Shhhhhhh!" Rax elbows his noisy brother before they really do give up the ghost. "Just what part of 'no more yapping' don't you understand?"

Ever so slowly, so's to not wake the dead, they stick their heads out of the hole and glance at one of the most wonderous sights they've ever beheld!

"Wow!" Rax exclaims under his circuits. Above, an area opens spectacularly! All around, extending as far as the eye can see, grasslands and trees can be seen filling the entire surface of a huge spherical compartment. In the middle of the 'sky' for lack of better description, a brilliant ball of light nurtures the growing vegetation. A weirder sight, none of them had ever witnessed!

"My circuits!" Prax whispers excitedly. "I bet it's a mile to the other side!"

"Yeah." Carter agrees with wonderment. "If not for the trees and grasslands, I'd think we just broke into the main bridge."

"Hey Carter." Prax inquires. "Shouldn't we switch to internal radio? Our voices are traveling."

"Then I suggest you be quieter." Carter warns stealthily. "No radio. Don't transmit anything or we'll be discovered for sure. Just look and report.... _quietly_."

Because they peered out of the opened deck-plating in the same direction, Carter now turns to view their six. Standing not far away, staring at the trio of invaders with a gleam in his eyes, is Herculon! His face plate and antenna are shiny new and he's raring to make amends for his earlier failing.

"Uh, don't look now boys, but we're in some deep electrons now!"

Rax and Prax turn to face the tallest, most badassed-looking robot they've ever seen! Something right out of the ancient-history books! Standing on twin pillars of stacked metallic spheres that act as legs, Herculon's barrel-like body and tall dome of a glass head, sends a chill to their very circuits!

All around the menacingly tall robot, the very pack of scurvy dog-bots they've been trailing, leer and jostle for the best attacking position!

"Well, at least we don't have to be so quiet anymore!" Rax yells, his voice echoing, circuits reeling with shock!

Before Carter or either of his younger companions can react, Xeno leaps forward with his illuminated paw held in a deadly aim! With the brightest of flashes, a beam of energy shines and transmogrifies their mechanical bodies into discombobulated fragments of near-nothingness and delivering them into his electronic prison deep in his chest.

With a smug expression, Xeno struts his stuff, knowing Minerva will be so happy! "They'z won't be going anywherez now! Not till'z I _let's_ em go!" He jokes, glancing up at the tall monster above.... "And I didn't even have to add you to the mix this time; huh Herculon?"

"Good thing too, my little rascal friend. The thought of being back inside those mangy depths of scurviness, makes my circuits want to puke rusty bolts!"

"Awe Herc, you kill me!"

Lifting his mighty leg threateningly, Herculon stomps it down next to Xeno causing the ground to tremble. "Don't give me ideas, little mutt!" He warns. "Besides, Minerva my lovely Queen, had maintenance install shielding that prevents you from 'accidently' making me disappear again. Capeesh?"

With shocked expression of disbelief, Xeno wonders if he shouldn't try to capture Herculon.... just to be sure the shield is calibrated properly of course! "My good giant. I would never allow that to happen again, I assure you!" He lies the good lie, glad he's not flatter than a smear of crushed atoms!

"Just be sure you don't! Or I'll kick you so hard your ancestors will feel it!" Herculon has the last laugh. Turning, he directs the pack of hounds back to where their goddess awaits.

"Minerva my Queen." Herculon takes an awkward kneel, shaking the area. "I discovered and captured intruders who entered your realm. They are now with Thana inside Xeno's special place."

"That's good, my Herculon." Minerva praises with a sweet tone. "I can always depend on you to make things right. And I must say, you _do_ look marvelous again!"

"Thank you, my liege. And thanks for the shielding. Now Xeno can't betray me again with his bad aim or malignant intent."

"Now now, my big monstrosity. Be nice to poor old Xeno." The rusty queen orders gently, feeling sorry for the dog-bot that tries so hard to please.

"Xeno." Minerva addresses with a pleasing voice. "You look as if you want to get something off your chest! Or should I say, _out of your chest_?"

The electronic-prison void is getting crowded again! But this time it's an overcrowding that Thana can deal with! "Carter? Rax? Prax? I sense you are with me now." She calls without true voice into the darkness. "Thanks for coming, but did you really have to go and get yourselves captured too? My goodness!"

"Hello Thana, my dear." Carter's voice sounds spooky and distant as it echoes through the great electronic emptiness. Am I to assume we've been squished down to nothingness and are now imprisoned within that mechanical mutt?"

"Oh boy, you said it!" Thana replies, sending quantum shockwaves through the dark ether. "I sure hope you boys called for reinforcements before getting caught."

"Yeah, we told Tina all about the attack before following those mangy mutt-bots." Carter informs, adding. "Wow, I never thought I'd ever see the inside of a worse prison than Ganymede!" Carter wails, not allowing his claustrophobia to rise."

"Hey, stop kicking me!" Prax yells darkly at his rude cell mate.

"Move over fat-atoms!" Rax retorts mercilessly. "This part of the universe is mine! Stop rubbing your gross particles against mine! Stop it I say!"

"Jeez, take a chill particle why don't you?" Prax teases, rubbing his bruised ego. "Hey Carter, what are we going to do? This place is creepy, and not a light switch to be found!"

"Well, I've got to tell you boys, I'm open to suggestions." Carter laments sadly, feeling the fight go out of his circuits.

"I've searched and searched," Thana admits, "and there's no way out of this one. Unless Tina and the others can find us, or Xeno lets us out."

"Xeno?" Rax chides from the darkness. "Oh brother, what a stupid name!"

"It might be a stupid name, but he sure does have our number." Thana responds sadly. "In fact, I'm guessing....

Suddenly, with a sour flavor of sparkness, the great void shimmers and shakes as Thana's discombobulated particles are collected and transported.... and in a relative flash, _she is gone_!

"Thana?" Carter calls desperately. "Thana? Are you still here?"

"Jeez! She's gone and flown the coop!" Rax rages jealously.

"I hope she finds a way to avenge our molecules!" Prax responds, his tone most dire.

"Yeah. Maybe she'll kick that Xeno so hard, we'll shoot from his aft data port!" Rax jokes, causing a roar of laughter in the dark depths of their electronified prison....

A brilliant shimmering light invades a spot next to Herculon as Thana materializes out of thin air, looking a bit dazed. Xeno's gut rumbles with the worst electronic indigestion he's ever felt! But it did feel good to be rid of at least one of the vile enemies!

Standing tall and proud, Thana knows to not try the much bigger robot's patience again!

Standing tall and proud, Herculon knows to not make a grab for the dangerous Thana again!

It's a cosmic standoff that Minerva ends for them. "My dear Thana. Can't we all just get along? Sure, I took you against your will, but is that such a terrible thing? Look around you." The self-appointed goddess waves a rust-covered arm across her realm. "You can be happy here! _We_ can be happy here.... together we'll rule the galaxy!"

"Oh brother!" Thana retorts frustratedly, wishing Minerva and clan would simply disintegrate like a bad dream after waking.

With a grand sense of self-importance, Minerva pulls a round black object from a pouch on her utility belt, hefting it in the air a few times as one might do a baseball.

"Thana, do you know what this is?"

"A gag ball for your big fat mouth?" Thana risks it all, not caring one parsec!

"No, my insolent new friend, it's not that. Not that at all. In fact, it's a weapon that will end all other weapons. Even end the entire universe!"

"Yeah right. How do you know? Certainly, you haven't tested it, or we wouldn't be here if it worked." She retorts laughingly, wishing she had the nerve to draw her laser and shoot Minerva in the eye, but not wanting to end up back in Xeno's belly.

"With a push of this button," Minerva points, "all electromagnetism in the entire universe will be extinguished. Turned off, as one might turn off a light by throwing a switch. At the speed of light, the effect will fan out from this ship, dissolving everything in its path until the entire universe ultimately dissolves away to nothing!"

"Well, I gotta tell ya Minerva. You so crazy! Someplace inside those warped processors of yours, there's a whole bunch of loose screws." Thana retorts calmly so old trigger-happy won't pull her back inside his dungeon again. "You can't just turn off electromagnetism with a push of a button. It takes more. Everybody knows that! Besides it will kill you too!"

"My dearie. I'm so lonely for an intelligent companion right now, I don't care. And yes, electromagnetism _can_ be turned off. If it can be turned _on_.... it can be turned _off_. In fact, I discovered just the way to do such a thing!"

"Awe, Minerva. I'm afraid the simple fact is that you're just a crazy old robot. Somehow, you've gone off the deep end.... you poor thing!" Thana teases sneeringly.

"Well, while it's true that this device hasn't been tested for real, my calculations are true, the math is proofed. So, are you sure you wish to try me? All you have to do is be my best friend and I'll never ever push the button. Wouldn't that be nice?"

"That silly old doomsday device means nothing to me! I'll _never_ be one of your subjects. _NEVER!_ Besides, this bucket of bolts is losing altitude fast. We're falling out of orbit as we speak. I can sense it."

"That's our first order of business, my dearest." Minerva speaks warmly, yet not happy with Thana's attitude of late. Putting the universe-killer back in its pouch, she adds. "We'll either save this ship or commandeer another! Then we'll sit down and have a heart to heart, so to speak."

"You must know there are people looking for me. It won't go well for you and big ugly if I'm not able to leave with my three friends.... _like right now!_ " Glancing at Xeno with looks to kill, she rattles his circuits good. " _And you.... you mangy mutt!_ You just wait until this thing's finished! My people will have you skinned and mounted for _all_ to laugh at!"

"Now now, dearie. Be nice. Xeno's not so bad, and loyal to a fault once he learns to like you. Now, please come with me. We must check on the status of our orbital recovery. I gave control back to the main bridge an hour ago. That vibration you feel, is not us crashing to the planet, but is our gradual climb out of the gravity-well that's trying to claim us for a hot meal. This will be our very first cooperative effort together. Won't that be fun, my lovely Thana?"

"Hummphftt!" Thana retorts, sorry she didn't just stay on the charger this morning, and not get up at all. "Just lead the way Minerva, I'm not ready to kick your asses just yet, so let's see what we can do to keep this pig in orbit. And don't ever threaten me again with destruction of the universe. If you wish the universe to dissolve, please save me the boring speech and just do it!"

# Meeting Cody and Atara at Ganymede

"My stars!" Talia roars frantically, feeling to see if her head is still attached. "Am I dead? Goodness, it feels like I'm dead!" The dazed yet still lovely doctor exclaims after Queen Anne's Revenge jumps back into the Sol star-system after just being dreadfully lost in space.

"My dear," Omari responds, his circuits also spinning like a top, "if I didn't know better, I'd say you're coming down with a serious case of complain-itis. Did you know there's a pill for that now? And they come in electronic form too! It's been in all the latest android health-journals!" He laughs, cringing and wishing he didn't laugh so hard!

"I'll complain-itis you!" She retorts, stretching her limbs to see if any are about to fall off, sorry she'd moved so quickly. Suddenly, a war-helmet rolls up, banging her leg. Reaching and grabbing it, she's happy to see no fuzzy head inside!

"A little help?" Harper squawks painfully, not sure in his neck is broken or not. A cacophony of ripe curses flow through the bridge as others shake off the effects of the horrendous jump.

"Here you go, Harp." The helmet flies through the air. "You really should get that chin strap replaced you know. Next time you might not be so lucky."

"Yessssss doctor." The lad responds with more than a hint of smartassness.

Following a trail of isotopic breadcrumbs left behind while in the process of becoming lost, the Revenge and crew soon reversed course, painfully jumping back into friendlier space by way of a recalibrated guidance system and freshly fine-tuned galaxy-class warp drive.

With such a short distance of only 1000-lightyears, the starting and stopping of the warp jump is so close together as to cause double grief for those who are affected by such events. This physical and mental stress is a direct result of fooling Mother Nature.... and living to tell the tale.

They say it's not nice to fool Mother Nature, and often, they are right. But to get a cosmic job done in a timely fashion, it seems only fair that some cheating is done. After all, Mom Nature can only move at the speed of light at best. So slow, as to be quite pathetic really!

So, after tweaking the guidance system, it's far better able to handle what the new drive throws at it. Still, this test-flight feels way worse than the original, everyone thinks!

At the side of the bridge, the peanut gallery is shaken and stirred! Myrna, Joanne and their lucky mates, Randy and Heath, work the kinks out of their bodies, wishing they'd stayed in Kansas. Sitting next to them, the Zenarawan crewmembers wonder if this kind of life is really worth it, but soon recover and are ready for more!

"We made it!" Esty calls out, seeing the wonderful Jovian gas giant fill a big chunk of the circle monitor. "It looks like we're back in business." She announces from her lofty perch, feeling sorry for her mate who is truly green behind the gills, and grayer of long face than normal! "Gort, please assist Jax at astrogation. We'll be needing jump coordinates for Pascora as soon as possible." A series of blistering clickity-clacks flow from the aged warrior as he grumblingly complies.

Soon, the icy Jovian moon of Ganymede replaces the image of Jupiter, as the aft portion of the screen is filled with the dazzling swath of the milky way stars and dust. Glaringly, the heavenly moon is covered with beautiful striations and magnetic lines of force shooting from the poles. Saint Elmo's fire dances hypnotically with a rainbow splash that is truly out of this world!

"Too awesome!" Toby exclaims wide-eyed of the surreal phenomenon. After such a harrowing jump, the cosmic scene calms hers and crewmates frayed nerves.

"Hey Max, how long did that jump take?" Myrna queries from the peanut gallery.

"Well, let's see...." The young scientist flips switches and reads a few dials. "Says here we travelled nearly a thousand lightyears in point-24-seconds ships time, while here in our own universe, 4-days passed. That's probably why everyone feels like they just got beat up." He responds, mentally rechecking his math.

"Wow!" Cooper exclaims, offering a well-deserved compliment. "the original drive would have taken days and days of ships time! Nice engineering!"

"Well you know what they say." Shirley offers, giving Max a peck on the cheek. "You either have it, or you don't. And well.... Max is sure full of it!"

The jump had taken the saucer back along its previous trajectory, stopping at Ganymede, their original destination before becoming lost in space. Here they had hoped to pick up any Naiad scientist going on the journey to Andromeda. But now things have changed....

Friends, working in another universe, have phoned home for help. Labor disputes and treachery at their end, have disrupted what promised to be a relatively mundane job of planet moving. Now, lives are at stake.... some of which are doppelganger lives, the rarest of all!

The Revenge and crew have returned to the Sol system anyway, just to get their space bearings, and confirm space-coordinates before jumping again. Especially before jumping into another universe!

"Okay, we've got to make this quick." Wil speaks to the crew, taking advantage of his non-official co-command of the vessel. "Now that the ship's autopilot and new warp-drive are in sync., we must make haste to see what's going on out at Pascora. We don't know many details except that Thana's been abducted, and delta-ship is having a mutiny of sorts. So, I'm sure time is critical."

Just then, a chime at the comm panel. Nyla puts the incoming video on the monitor, Cody's pleasant features arrive from the Apollyon ship Nerezza which orbits fatly the moon of Ganymede. "Glad you all could make it! You had us worried plenty! If not for Adam's little magic visit inside my circuits, I would've thought you guys were dead!"

"Hi Cody! .... And is that Avery behind you? Hi Avery! Is it just me, or are you getting lovelier with each passing day!" Wil compliments, as is his way. "We don't have much time. Gort and Jax are nearly finished computing a path to Pascora. We can't delay after that."

"Yes, well good luck with that my friend." Cody replies. "I don't envy you this trip. You've only just learned to control that beastly new drive in _this_ universe, and now you're going to jump across the slipstream and into another one? Wait, don't answer that. I know our friends need us now, more than ever."

"Sub-slipstream, Cody. Sub-slipstream. It's a whole new animal. Seemingly rougher on ship and crew."

" _Sub_ -slipstream, eh? Those waters must run deep and fast. May the Queen not flounder."

"Yeah, well you'll have the chance to enjoy the torture soon enough. Don't forget, that monstrous ship you command has the same new warp drive, just bigger. I'm glad you didn't use it yet. Max will transmit to you the technique for fine-tuning the guidance system so the drive will work and not get you lost in space or worse. Now, please tell me the retrofit is coming along fine. Will she be ready to jump from this galaxy when we get back from Pascora?"

"Yeah, we're nearly finished. The retrofit will house the Naiad science team just right during the journey. And Adak is putting the finishing touches on the fancy new drive as we speak. We'll be ready."

Atara squeezes a few words in edgewise, adding. "The ocean-bubble inside the main bridge will soon be filled and ready for occupants." She informs of the job nearly complete of creating a bubble of Ganymede ocean water within the gravity free zone of the Nerezza's immense spherical bridge.

At nearly 5-miles-diameter, the bubble of ocean will be a fine home for the octopus-like space travelers whose species has become one of humanities greatest friends.

Much of the equipment needed within the watery realm will be provided by the Naiad's themselves, due to the special requirements of being permanently submerged and at the same time, using electricity with which to function their grand technology.

Whether in dry atmosphere or submerged in liquid, the insulated and controlled flow of electrons within a science-based people, is a supreme requirement. One that's a little more difficult to use while all wet.

"Commander Esty." Gort raises his head proudly, reporting dutifully. "We have completed our calculations for route to Pascora. Just say the word, and we'll transfer the data to the astrogator for execution."

"Thanks, Gort." She responds, adding. "Good job to all. Stand by.... Wil, we are ready to depart."

"Yes, old girl. I believe we are." The brave android responds. "Cody, Atara, we've got to go. We'll get back as soon as possible.... Sixty-seconds everyone!" Reaching, he tightens his straps, also making sure his lovely mate is strapped in.

"Wil, in case we don't survive this jump," Nyla offers the best doe-eyed look she has in her arsenal. "I just want you to know that I love you and had a wonderful life. If our atoms are scattered to the cosmic winds, look to Aerima's ghostly realm. Hopefully, she'll bring us back together as electronic ghosts."

"Um." Aerima says hauntingly. "If it comes to that, let's just hope we make the best damn hyper-nova the multiverse has ever seen! As for becoming ghosts; believe me, it's not as great as the media makes it out to be."

"Rogue scallywags eh?" Wil teases.

"Yup, and they're not fun to live with, I assure you. Just ask Jax. In fact, I do believe I've still a few that didn't break loose when Jax and me went for that wild ride in the torpedo lifeboat last year. I'm sure you remember."

"While I do remember," Wil riles his electronic dandruff. "that's a bit of news we didn't need to hear, my dear! Please don't let them escape, Miss Aerima. There's only so much room here inside the Revenge, and all the staterooms are taken! Mine & Nyla's especially!"

"I'll do my best.... see you on the other side, my earthling friends."

"Hey! Has anyone seen my precious helmet? Hey, everyone! Where's my precious! Where's my precious!" Harper yells maniacally, not yet realizing that he's already wearing it!

"Hey wait!" Doctor Talia gets her freak on. "Aren't we even going to take a break before....

Her words of doctorly frustration are cut short, as the silent countdown reaches zero. No boisterousness from the peanut gallery as is usually the case. Everyone is still in shock from the return trip to Ganymede. The monitor goes psychedelic, as streams of sub-quantum filaments trail behind everyone and everything, including the ship herself!

Not even Elmo's fire can keep up with the speeding Queen as she rips the multiverse a new _you know what!_

Fortunately, the agony of the jump is relatively short-lived, after what seemed an eternity of being inside out! Like taking an offramp too fast in icy conditions, the psyche cringes as it feels the loss of friction underneath and the crash that _must_ follow! Yet the crash doesn't happen so badly as expected! Just a gut-wrenching mental torque, before the destination is reached.

# Battleplans at Pascora!

"Hang on everyone, here we go!" Esty warns, even though the inertial dampers can easily handle the acceleration. Residing within another universe, Pascora and friends await assistance. That is, if it's not already too late!

Jupiter and her plethora of shiny moons quickly recede in the rear-view-monitor under the power of the ships normal star-drive, Braxton Crane and Magnus Teach co-push the new g-drive button, sending everything into streamers of tortured physics.

Well outside the restrictive gravity and electromagnetic properties of the gas giant, Queen Anne's Revenge which is already zipping along nicely, lifts her skirt and rips the multiverse a new corn shoot! Into the sub-slipstream she dives gracefully, quickly passing Davey Jones' locker and leaving it in her wake!

Ahead.... the jumping off point from this universe and into that of Pascora's, is a signpost that only the ships autopilot can navigate properly. Human and/or Android timing is just not up to the task.

Deep in the Queens Belly, under tons of radiation-shielding, her modified fusion reactor eats up the newly designed galaxy-drive fuel. Megawatts of additional power is dumped into a nearby warp-core which acts like a reservoir of sorts, distributing it into the warp-fields as demanded by the pilots at the helm.

From there, these slightly de-phased electrons flow like Niagara Falls into the warp-field-windings which make up 98% of the ships mass. The resulting series of quantum warp-bubbles, which extend far into space, compress spacetime in front of the ship and expand it behind. On a precipitous wave within the sub-slipstream she barrels like a shiny sexily curved surfer girl!

In this fashion, the warp-bubbles extend much farther into space as they slide like greased lightning along a newly designed teleportation beam that's hyper-focused in the direction of desired travel.

Combining this carrier-wave with Einstein's spooky action at a distance theorem, ludicrous velocities are achieved. While not being inside any universe in particular but rather the boundary layer in between, the ship eats the parsecs like candy!

The psychological and physiological torqueing is extra bad during short jumps, as there is really no break from the pain of acceleration and stopping. If not for the ships powerful inertial dampening pumps, it would all be for naught. Like bugs on a cosmic windshield, all hands would be infinitely squashed into a smear of broken atoms!

Mercifully, it's seemingly over before it ever begins, leaving a horrendous mark on the psyche just the same! To this day, it's a 50/50 argument concerning which is worse.... the starting or the stopping. One thing's for sure. It's not for the faint of heart or circuits!

"Oh my!" Talia's on schedule with her valuable medical opinion, having survived another hyper-jump.

"Arrrrrrrrr!" Magnus exclaims, rubbing his neck as are the rest of the crew.

"By all the stars and supernova!" Cooper exclaims, tossing in a few ripe expletives. "We've just got to design different seats for these jumps! My goodness!" She demands, shaking off the worst of the FTL-hangover.

Ahead on the monitor, Pascora dutifully travels the orbital-plane around her bloated red giant star, like a jewel in the night. At still FTL speed, yet much slower than that of the jump, the Revenge eats up the remaining distance quickly. Saint Elmo's fire dances within her electronic fog, as it too must shake the extra energy of sailing the sub-slipstream.

"Okay, I'm seeing three of the six Apollyon ships." Jax reports, his face stuck in the astrogator screen, rubbing his neck also. "I'm guessing the other ones are on the opposite side of the planet."

"Any transponder codes coming in?" Esty inquires of communications.

"Already on it." Nyla responds, turning dials just right. "Yeah, we're getting a signal from Alpha-ship. She's the farthest of the three we have visuals on."

"Copy." Esty replies. "Braxton, take us in but not too close."

"Should I contact them?" Nyla inquires

"Not yet my dear." The spindly commander responds wryly. "Let's fly around the planet first and reconnoiter."

"Those three ships shouldn't be positioned where they are." Toby comments, gazing at her data screen. "If they're to pull the planet, they should be farther apart to distribute the forces more evenly."

"Aye." Aerima agrees. "Something's not right, but it's sure nice to see my home world again!"

As they get closer, it can be seen that the three ships are tethered to the planet with the modified gouger-beams, now transmogrified into gripper-beams. Together they ever so slowly move the planet farther away from the heat of the depleted star. It's a one-hundred-year job that doesn't need major complications.

"Nothing obviously out of the ordinary with _these_ ships," Kara states her professional opinion from her science station, "except for their weird distribution like Toby said."

"Okay Braxton, Magnus," Esty changes her plan, "decrease velocity. We'll see what's up with the other ships soon enough." She explains, adding. "Nyla, contact Alpha ship and see who's in charge and what the details are concerning this emergency."

"Aye Aye." Reaching, she transmits. "Alpha, this is Queen Anne's Revenge. Do you copy?" She readies to repeat when the monitor lights up with the concerned face of Tina.

"Nyla?" The lovely android from Belize inquires incredulously, noticing the others on the Queen's Bridge. "Oh, my stars! Aren't you all a fine sight for sore mechanical eye's!"

"Hi Tina." Nyla greets happily. "You're looking fine too, as always. Please update us my dear. I hope we're not too late."

"Well, I'm not sure of many details myself. Carter beamed over to the ship when Rax and Prax ran into problems with guidance and the griper beams. Apparently, a group of malcontent worker-bots turned mutinous and took control of the ship. No demands yet, but they abducted Thana. Also, there's no word from Carter or the other two either!

"Abducted?" Wil can't believe his ears. "But she's one of the best karate experts after hurricane Toby! How the supernova did she get abducted?"

"All I know is she was taken with a beam of light. Carter thinks she was teleported. He and the boys went looking. That's all I know for sure, except that I've not heard from them recently, and they should have reported by now. Also, scans of Delta from the other two ships shows its orbit is decaying. It might already be too late."

"Okay, that's bad. Very bad, I'll admit. But don't get your circuits in a knot just yet. We'll figure this out.... or die trying."

"Tina, can you tell us why these three ships are so catawampus from their normal configuration?" Nyla inquires, adding. "Usually they're more spread out."

"Well, with Delta ship out of control, not pulling his weight anymore, we had to reposition in an attempt to stabilize the situation." Tina informs, adding....

"Ever since Delta went rogue, we've been trying to take up the slack. The gripper beams have since been retracted, but now even _that_ is causing stability issues. Pascora is wobbling like an unbalanced top right now. Unless you have an ace up your sleeve, things could get worse."

"Oh my!" Talia exclaims. "That certainly can't be good!"

"Calm yourself my dear." Nyla instructs softly. "I'm quite sure Tina is just being facetious."

"Jeez, what a cosmic mess we weave, when we steal spaceships, hoping to move a planet with ease!" Toby exclaims with a whistle.

"Not stole, my dear Toby." Esty corrects. "Captured. Conquests of battle between dire enemies. There's a difference."

"Yes ma'am. That's what I meant."

"What of the other two ships with Delta?" Esty inquires of Tina. "What's their status?"

"Luckily, the rebellion hasn't spread to any other ships. We've been able to relocate them, but they're automated so can easily go rogue at any time, as Delta did. We'll need all six ships if we're to begin moving it again. Alice and Torg are down there coordinating efforts with local authorities. Randy and his crew are also assisting. They report massive earthquakes and tsunamis. Many dead."

"Okay Tina," Esty informs, "hold the fort with Jorlax. We're heading around the planet to visit Delta-ship and find out what the magnetar is going on. Just sit tight. We'll try to keep you updated."

"I must go with you!" Jorlax cuts in, putting up a brave front, not being trained whatsoever for combat. "Thana is my mate!"

"Not this time my friend." Wil responds. "Moral support is enough, and you can do that from here. Leave the heavy lifting those with training. We'll bring Thana back to you, so relax those heated circuits."

"Thanks, Esty." Tina's circuits cool too, knowing the Calvary has arrived and won't those pirates who've cause such a ruckus be sorry! "Thank you all, and good luck my friends!"

"Go easy, Braxton." Esty cautions. He and Magnus are itching to tear around the planet and take Delta-ship fast and furiously. Being young and full of steam, they chomp at the bit to outperform the enemy! Whomever they may be!

"Aye Aye, commander." Comes a disappointed tone from Braxton. "So, what's the plan? We're coming up on the horizon. We'll soon be within scanning range from Delta.

Esty is torn betwixt rushing in full steam or hanging back to get a better focus on the situation. "Any ideas?" She inquires, glancing around. "Gort? Wil? Nyla? Anybody? I'm open to suggestions."

"Hey Cooper, what's the max range we can get out of the teleporter?" Wil inquires of the chief engineer who's most knowledgeable of the device, after Toby of course.

"We've tested it at 2,000-miles a few times using squirrels. And while they made the journey just fine, I honestly wouldn't trust it any farther."

"Hmmmmm." The tall android scratches his chin contemplatingly, his eyes focused on the astrogator screen. "Astrogator shows that Delta is approximately 3,200-miles-away. Too far to risk lives by pushing the teleporter beyond known limits. Besides, none of us are squirrels, so we shouldn't push our luck. And to fly closer will just give away any element of surprise we'll need to win the day."

"Yeah, the last thing we need," Nyla inputs for good measure, "is to have our cover blown early in the game."

Jax, shares his devious thoughts.... "Uh guys, while Delta is out of range while we're up here, he's only 400-miles from the surface. We just drop down to the planet, sneak at low altitude to the other side until we're under Delta. We can easily teleport from there."

Wil brightens, snapping metallic fingers. "I knew we brought you along for a good reason my boy! Great idea! Provided Delta isn't scanning the surface while we sneakily sneak!"

Jax gloats as usual, glowing like a newborn star, always happy to get praise, especially from Wil. "Awe, it was nothin really. Just make sure Brax and Mag don't fly us into the planet as they have their little joy ride." He finishes laughingly.

"You know something Jax? I believe that's the best idea that's ever come out of your mouth." Braxton offers rare compliment as he and Magnus bring the ship around for a nosedive.

Tweaking the warp bubbles just right, the two helmsmen barrel-roll the Revenge into a corkscrew descent that gives the inertial-dampeners a real workout!

"Oh my!" Talia freaks, reaching to tighten her harness as the circle monitor fills rapidly with oncoming planet. "Oh! Please remember to pull up before it's too late!"

"Go easy boys!" Kara yells, drilling a heated glare into Braxton's psyche. "If you make me puke, Brax, won't you be sorry!"

"Ditto!" Amy exclaims, already turning green behind the gills.

"Okay okay, ladies. Don't toss your space cookies!"

"My helmet! My helmet!" Harper exclaims frantically as Ling reaches, tightening the thing that's already on his head.

"Nice one chowderhead!" Toby sneers. "Early senility, eh Harp? My, we're going to have to android you up soon, so's not to lose that fine mind of yours!"

"We'll android _you_ up!" Ling protectively retorts, blowing off built-up steam. "Just mind your dials and gages over there!"

"Stow that crap, ladies." Esty orders from her mighty throne, adding. "Helm. Lay off the heavy throttle and fly right. Our friends need us to survive at least long enough to make _one_ rescue attempt."

"Yes ma'am." Braxton acquiesces embarrassedly, getting a backhand across his arm by a sneering Magnus.

"Jeez, I knew you we're going to embarrass me!" The lanky helmsman yells jokingly.

Into the thick, heated atmosphere of an alien world, Queen Anne's Revenge plunges. A strange looking continent grows rapidly, even though velocity has been greatly reduced. It's a dark, spooky world, as its mother star has run low on hydrogen fuel.

Outside the speeding saucer, multiverse Bernoulli reaches for the sexy shaped curves of the Queens outer hull, hoping to give a caressive lift. Yet after great effort, he finds the electronic fog to be impenetrable.

So, back into the atmosphere he goes, hoping to one day get a piece of that action. Since the planet started getting hotter, and technology crumbled, fewer and fewer airfoils have need of his uplifting ways. Mostly these days, he's relegated to assisting leaf's fall gently to the ground. And even those are becoming fewer and fewer!

At 500-feet altitude, the Revenge sails fastly ever-closer to her goal. Like a shiny magic carpet made of metal and bent physics, she greedily tears through the lower atmosphere! Bathed in a partial slipstream, the mighty ship disturbs no molecules as she passes.

To the crew, the magic carpet 'rush' is made possible by the circle-monitor that brings everything from outside.... into the bridge as if there were no walls or even a ship! The only things that partially block the panoramic view is the control consoles at the perimeter.

"Should I bring the ship out of the slipstream, commander? Wake up the natives like last time?" Braxton inquires juvenilely, not understanding the true nature of making a good sneak attack.

"Jeez, the things you say!" Magnus cuts in before Esty can respond. "At 5,000-mph, we'll send a signature to Delta-ship that can be heard through hard vacuum! Jeez, the things you say!"

"Oh yeah, I forget about that. Sorry everyone! My bad!" Braxton yells over his shoulder, turning red of face.

To the human eyes below, the Revenge is a speeding wraith through the sky that can't be focused on or even detected. Strangely, even the dogs aren't sure whether to bark bloody murder or shut the hell up and not get kicked for barking at nothing!

Onward past mountain ranges and oceans, the mighty ship sails towards a destiny that has yet to be determined. Within the minds of all onboard, there's only thoughts of rescuing their friends from certain danger. Yet little do they know, the risk is much more dangerous than ever imagined. And it's getting more dangerous each and every second!

"Uh," Jax nervously says from astrogation, "commander, we're nearly under Delta and I've got bad news. Its orbit is decaying more rapidly than expected. He's at 200-miles altitude instead of the 400 we expected. Soon, he'll be squashing molecules!"

"I see that Jax; thanks." Esty responds absentmindedly as she continues working the data for a survivable solution. She suspects correctly that there's not enough time for a rescue unless it's truly ruthless and fast, or they try to stabilize Delta ship first, which seems impossible at the moment.

Either way, the lives of Thana, Carter, Rax and Prax, might be snuffed out soon! Unless.... Unless they can somehow survive the crash of a spaceship into the planet. Not an easy task to be sure, but Thana did it once.... and can probably do it again!

Looking up, Delta-ship is huge in the sky! Not yet trailing burnt molecules, he hangs bloatedly like the proverbial sword of Damocles, just waiting to ruin everyone's day! It won't really matter where he crashes, because at such an immense size, the impact will cause a nuclear winter the likes of which has never been seen on Pascora! Mass extinctions, a sure bet....

# Adam reconnoiters Delta-ship

Hovering at treetop level in a remote forest of dying trees, rescue plans are quickly tested and destroyed as seen fit by the motley crew of the Revenge. A din of foreboding wafts through the bridge. All hijinks are put on the back burner, as well they should be during such a time!

The air feels electrified to the Zenarawan's, as the many biologic minds onboard, exude a trepidation of things to come, but are tempered by an equal amount of excitement. Raznalli will be the only Zenarawan crewmember going on the rescue mission. Linmarri, Razzi and Surri will remain, helping where they can.

"Do you sense anything from Delta?" Amy inquires of Raznalli using their esper link. "I guess it's too far away, huh?" She thinks at him.

"Yes, my anxious friend, it is too far. I'll not know of any biologics near our arrival point until after teleportation is complete. Even then, I won't be able to read much of the ship. It is very huge. However, I am sensing a great sadness nearby on this world. These people have had a rough time of it, I'm afraid."

"Okay, listen up" Wil calls out. "Our plans require a three-pronged approach. It's imperative that Delta not crash into the planet. That can't be stressed enough. To do so will mean indescribable destruction and mayhem. Therefore, I'm putting this idea to you Esty for you to chew on." The mechanical earthling informs, adding....

"Braxton, Magnus, Cooper, Max and Shirley will teleport to Charlie-ship. Once there, they'll retract the gripper beams and position them for a grab of Delta as he slips into the atmosphere. Skewer that ship and fling him back into space. Drag him if needed. It doesn't have to be pretty. Just give him the necessary velocity to gain altitude and buy us time."

"What of Thana and the others onboard Delta?" Talia inquires before Wil could finish.

"Good question my dear. When Charlie-ship is ready to harpoon Delta, the gripper beams must be deployed without mercy or consequence for those still onboard. Allow the beams to bite deeply, Brax. Get a good grip so he can't escape. There won't be time for a do-over. If our rescue mission hasn't been accomplished by that time, Delta _must_ be pulled from his death dive, no matter what."

"So, who's going on the boarding party?" Esty inquires.

"Patience my dear, I'm getting to that." Looking at Adam, he continues. "Now my boy, you'll dream-travel to Delta-ship and reconnoitering the lay of the land before we get there. Hopefully, you can find Thana and provide solid coordinates. Otherwise, we're coming onboard anyway.... in the blind."

"Okay.... no pressure." The lad replies. "Besides, I've been itching to stretch my dream-wings again anyway, so let's go."

"Well then. It's off to medical with you my boy." Doctor Omari announces, putting an arm around the young man's shoulders as he and Talia escort the dreamer. "It seems this new talent of yours is in high-demand these days."

"What about _me?_ " Toby asks incredulously. "What am I? Chopped liver?!"

"Oh, my stars!" Jax laughs teasingly. "Jeez Toby, we need the job done _today_. Not after you fly around the universe several times with your hair on fire and screaming like a lunatic!"

"Oh! I'll _lunatic_ you! Just let me get my hand around your scrawny throat!"

"Knock it off you two or I'll have you both keelhauled when this is over." Esty warns, getting a clickity-clackity approval from her mate.

"But _who's_ going on the boarding party?" Esty queries again, becoming frustrated after being seemingly relegated to the sidelines although still maintaining her lofty throne.

"Nyzilla, me, Aerima, Toby, Kara and Myrna are boarding Delta. Everybody else stays here with the Revenge and be ready to bug out if the big ship starts cutting atmosphere. Well Esty? I hope you approve of my plan, it's the only one I've got on a moment's notice." He jokes through nervous circuits.

"I will _not_ approve. Not until you fit my Gort into your little rescue mission plans." The brave commander and owner of the ship puts her foot down!

Nearby, the Grey warrior of old, fumes at being left out. Sitting dejectedly with arms stubbornly crossed, he frustratedly taps the tip of a battle-boot against his workstation, hoping the universe would spontaneously detonate and destroy itself! "I mean, just look at him." Esty points mockingly, enjoying the moment. "Have you ever seen an angrier mug than that?"

"Yeah yeah, okay. I mean, what the supernova was I thinking!" Wil responds, slapping a palm against his forehead. "Poor fellow!" He adds. Walking over, he clickity-clacks the best apology he has in his arsenal, knowing the warrior is quick to forgive, and raring to go! "It just wouldn't be a boarding party without you Gort. You grizzled old piece of cosmic boot leather!"

Such a roar of laughter cuts into the dread, blowing it clear into the next universe! Gort being Gort, is proud of the mean compliment from the tall, ugly earthling machine. Proud of his vast collection of scars to prove his own metal. Biologic metal to be sure, but just as tough!

"I knew you'd come to your senses." Gort clickity-clacks a scathing retort, that few can understand. "For being a sneaky and treacherous machine with a poor aim, you're not such a bad joe after all!" He admits, always enjoying a good tease with his old friend.

Leaving his post at engineering, Gort checks the power-supply on his hand laser. Seeing a full charge as always, he grabs his loyal battle-ready backpack, nuclear hand grenade and all.... Strutting like a conquering hero, he leads the way towards the teleportation compartment. Toby is hot on his heels, as are the rest of the party.

"Good luck!" Esty calls out, knowing the best luck is the kind you make for yourself. And the friends that just left, are fully capable of doing exactly that!"

The night is spooky! Omari's medical compartment of horrors has been darkened to set the cosmic mood. All hanging surgical blades and bone saws that usually play like windchimes when disturbed, are secured so's to not create a startle for his delicate patient.

Dark shadows loom menacingly from all points! A multiverse flavor of electronified mysteriousness permeates his patients' psyche! Yes, the night is spooky, with just a hint of dread, yet Adam can't possibly sense just how spooky things are going to get! Relaxing further, he doesn't even try. The outside world is becoming less reality, and way more fictional.

Inside medical, with peepers closed and mind emptying of all extraneous bullshit, Adam feels the headband's familiar tug on his psyche. Willing himself to relax, his breathing changes to a delicately trained cadence, bringing a cool soothing to his often-chaotic psyche.

Like a stream, freshened after a cool rain, yet old like the course it follows, Adam realizes that another lesson with the ancient alien headband is about to begin! Deeper, he allows himself to go.... Deeper, into the blissful prairies of subconscious horizons he goes....

Letting loose his mind, trusting to nature as might a bird trusts new wings as it jumps from the nest, the traveler is transported willingly into a bottomless vortex of otherworldly bliss. His freed mind has become swept-up in the powerful currents of a lucid dream-state. So lucid, it seems at times to be too high of definition, often offering an animated glimpse of the universe, with theatrical resolution.

A glorious feeling washes Adam's mind to a higher plane of subconsciousness. A higher plane of existence. A place of peacefulness and grandeur! Here, time has little meaning. It has no teeth! An eternity can seem to pass in an instant, and an instant can draaaaag and draaaaag!

Suddenly, as expected by the lad, he feels a welcoming freedom to explore the astral plane. To access the spooky action at a distance phenomenon which rules his sleeping adventures as of late.

As he leaves his body behind, floating with back to ceiling, he sees Omari and Talia below, tending dutifully to his body. Spectral Astral-threads poke into the room from all directions, some passing without stopping, perhaps already having travelers onboard from elsewhere.

Like a transcendental grand central station, the universe has delivered the equivalence of taxicab-treads, most calling for him to enjoy a wild ride through the cosmos!

Luckily, as with previous travels, he doesn't have to pick and choose which thread to join. It just happens, like knowing how to breath without thinking about it. Somehow, the all-knowing universe understands and melds the traveler with the perfect match. At least most times.... Sometimes though, like in Toby's case, the traveler gets lured into the wrong cosmic conveyance and well.... it can get ugly from there!

Adam begins his dream journey, leaving his doctors behind and passing through the ceiling of the medical bay. To Omari and Talia who monitor the lad's bio-readings, there seems nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing out of place. Adam seems to sleep as any normal person might do, and they're left wondering when the magic will happen!

Dreamily he floats through the ship's bulkheads and decks, continuing his journey of discovery. Leaving the hull of the Queen Anne's Revenge, Adam's astral thread passes ticklingly through the electronic fog interface clinging to the saucers shiny surface with Saint Elmo lighting up in his wake.

Into the heated sky Adam travels, remaining focused on his target. At the size of a silver dollar held at arm's length, Delta can't be missed and grows rapidly! A strain builds within the traveler's mind. The temptation to go for a joyride is strong! Thoughts of his darling Kira, pull at his psyche like a thing alive!

Slowing his advance, Adam is perplexed at the immense size of the Apollyon planet gouger. While it seems to take up half of the visible universe in front of him, he is still 30-miles away! At 150-miles-wide, even an aster traveler has a tough time guessing just where to begin a search.

Knowing he can pass through solid material because he's just a wispy tendril of subconscious nothingness, he dives in headfirst.

Up close, the great ship resembles a fuzzy object as the _true outer-hull_ , is buried miles-deep under thick electronic-fog and new construction. Uncompleted structural expansion started after the ship feasted on Esty and Gort's worlds, covers the ship's surface. Through the labyrinth of steel girders and wire-conduits he goes. The ship seems deserted so far, the construction-bots are off-duty, their job suspended.

Plunging quickly beyond the new construction, Adam heads straight for the enormous spherical bridge. There, he finds the space void of life except for those hibernating Apollyon crewmembers captured earlier and placed into extended sleep-mode. Put into forced stasis, they await the time when they can be integrated back into society, as was Thana.

From one side of the mighty ship to the other, like mowing a lawn, he reconnoiters the dark and lonely bowels of the grand behemoth. Many times, he sees places of interest that were previously unknown to him. The temptation to dilly-dally and smell the roses is a real force, but he stays focused. Thana and the others need him, and time matters!

Soon after beginning his search, the traveler finds another monstrously sized spherical compartment. A place where to the best of his knowledge, nobody had yet discovered. It seems smaller than the main bridge, with fewer science consoles, and more trees and grassy meadows.

"Trees and grassy meadows?!?" The traveler wonders in awe. Blinking his ghostly peepers, he wonders unbelievably if he hadn't overshot and is now back on the planet! Back and forth within the circle-compartment he reconnoiters. Such a strange place ought to be just where he'd expect to find Thana and the others, he hopes.

Seeing movement below, he drops down to treetop level, traveling closer. Not that it matters about being stealthy, as he's quite invisible to corporeal beings while traveling in such a manner. Be that as it may, a warrior always feels better with a stealthy advance, no matter what.

"Oh, my stars and moons!" He exclaims under his ghostly breath. "Would you just look at that! We thought Thana was in trouble, but just look at her now! She's on vacation!" He exclaims, quickly remembering he's alone and aught not talk to himself.

Not far below, Thana relaxes in a hammock! It's slung between two trees, with grasses blowing from some unseen air pump! It's quite the surreal scene, not one the astral traveler expected to find. All that's missing is a Pina colada with tiny parasol!

Laying comfortably in another hammock, is a corroded Grey-android not totally unlike Thana herself! Another Apollyon princess, he figures! Except this mechanical Grey is no princess anymore! By Apollyon standards, she surely got beat up by the wrong end of a cosmic ugly stick!

And speaking of ugly! Lording over the vacationing machines, a true monster of a robot stands guard! Moving closer, Adam also sees a pack of dog-bots sitting at the side of the gathering looking bored and ready to bolt at the first chance.

Suddenly, another virtual shockwave rocks the traveler's psyche!

"Adam?" A ghostly whisper comes. "Move over! This quantum thread isn't built for two, and you're blocking my view."

"Aerima? What the blazes are you doing here? Must I be followed everywhere? You're crowding my filament! Hey, stop pushing!"

"Now now, don't gripe about it mister. Seems that last time I was a big help to you with Kira. Besides, as usual you've been out too long! Omari talked me into performing another out of CPU experience."

"How long this time?"

"An hour, sleepyhead!" The spirit replies, slightly multi-toning as _the others_ try to take advantage of her lowered energy reserves. She had once thought she had abandoned all of her 'roommates' on another planet, yet newbies are always joining her special club.

"Why didn't he just take off the headband and poke me with a stick?"

"They tried that, but you don't need the headband anymore. You need an alarm clock!"

"Nice one. Okay, I'll move over. Welcome to the party my ghostly friend."

"My stars! Look at that!" Aerima gasps as if she's seen a ghost. "Thana doesn't seem to be putting up much resistance, does she?! What's going on. Doesn't she realize this ship is falling from orbit? Can't we move closer? My goodness Adam, you're a mile away!"

"Stop griping my dear. I was just about to do that when you rudely interrupted."

"Pffftttttt!" Aerima huffs fakely, poking Adam with a bit of electricity as it snaps from her phantom skull-dagger.

"Hey! Tone down those sparks old girl!" Adam orders, wincing at the vulgar display of power. "Don't make me stop this astral projection! Won't you look silly walking back!"

"So, Thana." Minerva inquires deviously, "Do you feel those bad vibrations? We're smashing air molecules in the upper atmosphere of this miserable little planet. It won't be long now. Shall I have Xeno release your lovely mechanical friends, so they don't miss the glorious grand finale? I noticed they were not of flesh and bone when Xeno took them. Seems we machines are getting to be more popular in the multiverse every day!"

"It doesn't have to be this way, Minerva! We can teleport to one of the other ships! There might even be time to save this one if we hurry!" Thana begs, leaving a sour taste in her circuits.

"Oh, my dear no! You won't be my friend, so we go out together in a blaze of heated glory!"

"Don't you realize the crash of such a huge ship will ruin this little planet? Have you no feelings?" Thana inquires desperately, before remembering what species she's talking to.

"I'm Apollyon, just like you, dearie. I care for nothing, except for getting my own way. I would destroy a thousand such planets if it forced you to be friendlier."

"My goodness Minerva, for a robot you sure are pig headed!" Thana retorts scathingly.

"That's not easy for a robot, you know!" Minerva exclaims. "Also.... what's a pig?"

"Just you never mind that for now, pig lady. Please, just release my friends. It would be nice to die with _true friends_ at my side. People who _care_ and not just _take take take_ all the time!"

"Xeno! Empty that belly of yours! Barf up Thana's friend this very instant!" The rusty old goddess demands, tossing her doomsday device into the air, catching it each time, adding. "Just remember, Miss Thana. If somebody makes the mistake of acting badly, I'll blow this universe into a cloud of non-electromagnetic dust, just like it was in the beginning! Devoid of electromagnetism and stuck-up androids who won't be friendly!"

# Aerima gets her spook on.... again!

"Okay Adam, I'm leaving your dream thread!" Aerima announces, digging deep into her energy reserves, hoping there's enough to keep her gate closed and locked as she goes about her business of saving the day. There might come a time, if she fails her mission, to let the malicious hobgoblins loose upon the ship.... but not yet.

"Hey wait!" The shocked astral traveler yells at the top of his virtual lungs. "You can't leave me! How will you survive without the projection?"

"You forget, Adam." The mystical cloud speaks multi-tonally. "I'm a ghost! Thanks for the ride. I couldn't have gotten here without your cosmic strand, but now that I am here, I don't think I need it anymore!"

"But how will you survive.... Oh, never mind. I forgot.... you're a ghost!"

"Take the coordinates you've gathered and go back to the ship. Everyone is waiting!" She orders. "Report what you've seen, and don't dilly-dally this time! This ship is sinking faster with each second, don't you know?!"

The night is split asunder! A vicious sonic boom, as Aerima breaks from the dream-thread, echoes dreadfully through Minerva's kingdom, causing a fright! It's something the lovely ghost had never attempted, and not sure if it wouldn't explode in her face! After all, the multiverse abhors having its most basic laws molested in such a way!

Thana and Minerva, nearly jump from their metallic skins as the sonic boom fills the void! Coming seemingly from nowhere in particular, it reverberates like a thing alive through the spherical compartment, but quickly dies due to the thick foliage absorbing its forces. Carter, Rax and Prax, are shaken but not stirred, having been in combat zones before.

Herculon nearly drops a pile of gears from his aft data-port as the monstrous snap sends a shiver through his titanium timbers! Stumbling backwards like a wrecking ball out of control, he falls heavily on his tin-can, feeling a sick crunch underneath. Rolling to the side for inspection, he sees a crushed pile of what used to be one of Minerva's loyal mutt minions!

"Noooooooo!" Xeno howls mournfully at seeing his friend Larks crushed in such a way! The dog-bot that once controlled the earthquake-button.... is no more.

"You murdered him! You clumsy bucket of bent bolts!" Xeno snaps viciously as Herculon gets up, brushing pieces of Larks off his tailskid.

"He should not have been so close! Get back or I'll do the same to your mangy bones!"

"Poor Larks." Minerva laments. "He'll cause no more trouble where he's gone."

"The recycle bin, my wonderful Queen?" Herculon queries with a chuckle.

"Yes, my big clumsy oaf; the recycle bin. Now find the source of that big bang we just heard, or you'll be next!"

"Yes, my lovely Goddess." Herculon responds dutifully, wishing he had a new boss lady.

Instinctively spinning up all sensors, seeking understanding. His side-antenna's flicker back and forth so fast, he's lucky they don't fly off put someone's eye out! Woe is he, as nothing rings a bell. Knowing Minerva will have his hide, he fakes it. "Over there my liege! It came from over there!" Moving out for closer inspection of his wonderful lie, Robbie-the-robots doppelganger seeks distance from his crazy old Queen Minerva!

Xeno, with metallic tail between his legs, pulls poor old crushed Larks from the scene and buries him under the thin layer of soil that is the compartments floor.

"Well, whatever made that noise, the worst seems to be over." Minerva relates to Thana who really doesn't give a damn yet suspects that her friends have just arrived. However, Minerva is about to learn a hard life's-lesson; which is, that when you mess with Aerima or her friends, the worst is _never over_!

Knowing time is short, the planet getting closer, Aerima shakes off the shockwave that rattled even her ghostly bones. Upon seeing Herculon stumbling around in the wrong direction, she knows he'll not cause her any grief.

Growing in size from her previous sub-quantum self, her misty apparition moves stealthily towards Minerva and Thana. And in the blink on an eye, perhaps even faster than that, Adam is back inside his own mind and body once again, waking to a roomful of worried faces.

Talia moves in with stethoscope, verifying her data. Nyla dabs his brow with a damp towel, hoping her boy hasn't brained his damage from the dangerous journey.

"My stars, you had us worried, Adam!" Momzilla exclaims. "Did you learn anything? Did Aerima find you?"

With shaky hand to his forehead, Adam tries to regain focus. Glancing at the operating table next door, he sees Aerima's android body laying comfortably, eyes closed, a tranquil expression on her deactivated face. Connected to her data ports, a plethora of life-support cables give her CPU's sustained electrical power against the time when she returns to her mechanical haunt.

Sitting at her side, Jax sits dejectedly, having not wanted his mate to leave. Reaching, he pauses before taking her cold metallic hand again, knowing that until Aerima's return, the android body is just another inanimate object. Even though it has memory files of his lovely mates most basic psychological imprints, they can't be reanimated without her spiritual influence. _Woe is Jax! Woe is Jax!_

"Yes Nyla, she found me." Adam informs, bringing Jax's mood up a few notches above dark despair. "She stayed onboard the ship. Thana is there. She's with another of her kind. She didn't seem very distressed. Especially with the ship entering atmosphere."

"What of Carter and his team?" Wil inquires worriedly. "Did you see them?"

"I did. Just before I left the ship, they materialized out of thin air. I believe they were being kept inside the same dog-bot that took Thana. They seemed shaken but fine."

"Oh, thank goodness they're okay!" Nyla replies happily, putting a hand over her digital heart of hearts.

"Yes well," Esty inputs, "they won't stay safe for long if we don't get them off that ship!"

"Adam." Wil inquires. "Please tell me you have solid coordinates."

"Oh yes! Give me a data-pad. You see, they're being held in a huge spherical room, half the size of the main bridge, so there's little risk of materializing inside a bulkhead. And won't you be surprised to see what they've done with the place! The entire inner surface of the sphere is covered with trees and grasslands all around!"

"Oh, now I've heard everything!" Toby exclaims from the peanut gallery. "The things you come up with, Adam!"

"Okay okay, Toby. Be nice. Remember what we talked about." Nyla interrupts. "You'll just have to wait and see if it's true. You're coming with, so get the coordinates and meet us in the teleporter compartment."

The night is suddenly freezing! Aerima's entrance, as always, comes with a glacial blast of other worldly temperature. Near Minerva and Thana, trees sprinkle frosty dead leaves like a confetti parade as the lovely ghost gets her chill on!

A dark spectral cloud grows, floating closer to the suddenly shivering group, bringing frozen atmosphere with. It moves through the dying forest, growing from quantum-size to that of a monstrous vortex dressed all in black and broken trees!

Minerva and her minions are shocked as they see the now-huge apparition encroaching on their little piece of paradise! Moving towards them with malignant intent, the rotating darkness moans with vicious suction, tearing trees up by their roots, tossing them into the great void!

An electronic chill freezes Minerva's crazy circuits! Falling from her royal hammock, putting a nice ass-crater in the deck-plating, she instinctively tries to flee the scene of her crimes. Suddenly not caring about Thana, and with feet like cement, she makes a break but can't get traction! Held back as if in the clutches of gravity pumps, she goes nowhere.... real fast!

Thana smugly relaxes in her hammock, putting hands comfortably behind her head, watching the show. She now knows that Aerima has entered the building. Smilingly, she watches Minerva struggle with the never-before emotion of meeting up with the lovely ghost!

"Well, well.... guess who's come to dinner!" Carter exclaims jokingly from the sidelines, so happy that the Calvary has finally arrived. "Aerima my dear," he calls, "aren't _you_ a sight for sore circuits!"

Yet, the spirit didn't hear the words! A focus of anger upon Minerva, has created a blockage! She can see that her prey is truly shaken as Herculon moves further away, trying to blend and not succeeding. Once again, Minerva struggles to flee the scene, yet only able to get back onto shaky legs. Like a deer in headlights, she stands as a statue, not comprehending....

Aerima the rampaging vortex, flexes her ghostly muscles, reveling in the joy of destruction! Into the fake sky she flings more trees and debris, where they'll float harmlessly until re-entering the gravity zone at the other side of the bubble compartment.

It's truly a vulgar display of power, bringing a rush of ghostly adrenalin to Aerima's psyche! Not even when first meeting Thana the Apollyon, did she allow such. Luckily, the angered ghost pulls back her destruction-throttle before things go _too_ far. _Before too much energy is expelled_ , allowing her lustfully demented roommates to escape confinement.

"My goodness, Aerima!" Thana yells with a sly smile on her lovely face as the seething vortex simmers, shrinking to human size yet vacuuming the deck with horrific suction, spitting everything from its wide top. "You sure are hard on the furniture! Thanks for finding me. It feels good to have _real friends_." She teases, glancing cynically at Minerva.

Shakily, the demented self-appointed goddess, fumbles her little doomsday device from within its pouch. With nervous thumb hovering over the destroy-everything-button, she faces her fears, asking over her shoulder....

"Thana, do you _know_ this monster? Is it going to kill me? Tell it to come no closer! Remember dearie, I have _this!_ " She threatens, holding the bomb higher, then hiding it behind her back.

"That _monster,_ as you so rudely call my friend, is named Aerima. She's of human/ghost ancestry.... apparently with a smidgen of tornado thrown in too boot. As for killing you, we'll just have to wait and see. However, she can be very forgiving if there is good reason. And you threatening to destroy the universe is not helping your cause."

Suddenly, with a windy splendor, Aerima chills to a more pleasant haunting. Now, with long blond hair blowing in a non-existent breeze, she defiantly stares a hole right through Minerva, hoping for a battle! Hoping for a reason to ramp up again and destroy!

This Apollyon is a stark reminder of darker days when she was trapped onboard the Nerezza after being murdered by the mechanical creatures. A reminder of when Thana and herself were dire enemies too!

"What do you call yourself?" Aerima inquires demandingly, adding. "I am Aerima, your worst nightmare! .... Well? .... Speak up rust-bucket! And what are you holding behind that sneaky back of yours?"

"I am Minerva! Goddess of this realm! You don't want to learn what I've behind my back, that I can promise! _Now, just what the sparks do you want here?_ "

"I'll ask the questions!" The angered ghost yells, shaking the area with grave dread, causing even Thana to nearly jump from her comfortable hammock! "Goddess? You wish! You're no better than the scallywags who once ran this ship! You are destroyer of worlds! No goddess, that's for sure!"

"Ha!" Minerva works up courage in the face of death incarnate. "You should talk! You bust in here breaking up the place and scaring my poor subjects half to death! You rip up my beautiful trees, and have the nerve to demand answers? I'll show you an answer!"

Suddenly, Aerima notices Herculon, who finally grew a pair and got brave, trying to sneak up like a bulldozer from behind a frozen bush.... "Don't even think about it, mister! Do you wish to join your tree friends above? Or how about this instead?" With a mighty blow, a frozen blast of air, breaks past her realm, coating Herculon's feet in a block of ice! "Good luck with that, big boy!" The lovely specter adds before turning attention back to the rusty old Apollyon Goddess.

With an attack on her beloved Herculon, Minerva brings forth her little ball of destruction. Holding it threateningly in front of her, she points it at the lovely ghost like a shield against such demonic forces. "If you don't leave here immediately, I'll activate this bomb and turn off all electromagnetism in the universe! Won't you be sorry then!"

"Pishposh! Foolish bucket of rusty bolts! I exist outside of this universe after your kind murdered me onboard the Nerezza!" The spirit yell, getting her ghostly dandruff up. "Your little toy can't even muss my hair!" A haunting laugh to end all haunting laughs flows through the area, freezing Minerva's circuits!

"Yes? Is that so? Well it might just muss the hair of your _friends!_ Does that not mean anything to you?" With a shaky thumb hovering over the go-to-hell-button, Minerva makes ready to leave this universe! She's not yet ready for death, but nor is she willing to continue such a lonely life as the last 5,000-years had provided.... _in spades it did!_

"My dear. You really should shut your mouth and try to understand just who you're messing with." A multi-toned threat from beyond the grave, sends shivers down Minerva's timbers as the entity calmly adds....

"Here, Minerva.... let me give you a dreadful taste!"

# The anti-universe conundrum!

In the blink of an eye.... about the time it takes an electron to orbit its atom a trillion times, and in all probability, even faster than that, Aerima spins into a sub-subatomic near-nothingness of arrogant desperation!

With a muted sonic boom, making everyone jump, she disappears from view! Gone in the blink of an eye, she leaves behind a swirling tempest of frost, adding to the previous glacial blast! Confidence is strong as usual, but as she approaches the bomb, frosty chills grip her psyche, causing an angst.

"Oh, you did it now, you wicked mechanical witch!" Prax yells teasingly, feeling brave after not seeing Xeno pointing his illuminated paw at him anymore.

"You should have tried working a deal with her when she was still feeling generous!" Rax adds, keeping an eye on Herculon, waiting for just the right time to pounce. Feeling the sleek presence of his good friend _mister laser_ on his hip, he knows the big robot's moments are totally numbered.

" _Where did she go?!_ " Minerva demands. "We've just met, and she goes and disappears?! By all the gears and diodes, how rude!"

"Uh, maybe you shouldn't have threatened to destroy the universe with that thingy you have there in your evil hand." Carter reminds of a subtle detail the rusty maiden had missed.

"Well, I certainly do have it under my thumb, don't I?" The pissed-off goddess asks deviously. "With just the tiniest of pushes, this ball will crack open, releasing its condensed darkness of an anti-universe! All will be dissolved into nothingness! Do you hear that, little miss Aerima?" Minerva yells into the empty air. "Heed well my threat, dearie!"

Aerima, now smaller than a neutrino, squeezes through the tightknit molecules that make up the bombs outer casing. She's never known such close quarters whilst on a mission. Even Adam's astral thread had more room than this! Where there should be lots of space between particles of structure, frustratingly there is very little or none at all!

Moving through a labyrinth of narrow passages between mountains of sub-subatomic particles, she's reminded of the scariest of cave explorations back in the days when she was still alive and living on Pascora, her home world that the big ship is about to crash into!

Looking behind, she sees neutrinos bouncing off the outer casing, not being allowed inside. Even they are too big to penetrate this labyrinth from hell, she ponders. Moving slowly forward, the lovely ghost wonders if she's not getting in over her head as the walls close in!

Hellbent on ruining Minerva's day, Aerima fights her fright, finally squeezing through and into the thingamajigger of mass-destruction held so threateningly in the android's corroded hand!

The outer casing was so tough to navigate, she thinks! Nearly impossible, even for her! It left her feeling shaken! For the first time, the spirit understands the terror of claustrophobia! Now, the darkness closes in. It's the kind of darkness that seems alive with evil intent.

Forward momentum pushes her deeply into the guts of the device like a cork from a pressurized bottle. After such a hard time getting in, she feels a moment of joy as all the elbowroom in the multiverse bathes her psyche! Rolling and stretching, she momentarily forgets her woes.

What's more, the dark void she finds herself in, is not what's expected within an electronic device. Perhaps, she shouldn't have assumed this weapon is electronically controlled, she ponders confusedly.

Floating through the creepiest of dark voids, a dreadfulness strikes hard as she tries unsuccessfully to imagine an eviler-feeling place. Devoid of the expected electronic pathways she had imagined might need tweaking, she finds a total lack of physical structure.... a lack of _anything whatsoever_!

The fundamental forces of most universes.... gravity, electromagnetism, the weak/strong nuclear forces, are not present here! A pure desolation, without equal, she's sure! If she could still sprout goosebumps, they would seem like Himalayan peaks up and down her gossamer arms.

The lovely spirit is spooked! She ponders that even a black hole would brighten such a place at least a _little bit_! An emptiness .... a desolation .... worse than something from beyond the grave, oozes darkly from every bit of this horrible realm!

She can feel something pulling her mind away from its focus! Much like a singularity might pull on photons that dare come too close, this place pulls on her thoughts! Quickly she realizes that time is much shorter than ever imagined, as her conscious and subconscious are being torn out by the roots!

A true fear builds within the spacefaring spirit! .... Frantically, her thoughts turn to survival and nothing more! In the blink of an arrogant eye, Aerima knows she's bitten off more than she can chew!

Entering a realm which makes her haunted hobgoblin-neighborhood seem like a church picnic for saints, she cringes as the darkness soaks her ghostly soul. The local ambiance would have to improve several notches, just to rise to the level of being simply demonic!

The others who came with her, the ones who wish to haunt, cower in fear! If she were to unlock the gate and swing it wide, there would be no takers! After all, in an anti-universe, there just isn't anyone to torment! And worse.... much much worse!

With movements hindered, as if swimming in an ocean of molasses, she fights crosscurrents of dread that threaten to take her off course and devour!

Being of human stock and naturally stubborn, the brave ghost fights her fears, trying to determine which way is up and which way is down! Just to find the outer casing of this nightmare again, would do wonders!

The feeling that this weapon is actually real, actually an anti-universe compressed and crammed into a neutral casing, weighs heavily on the lovely ghost. Or, perhaps the tiny universe _isn't crammed at all_ , but instead nestled comfortably within, hijacked in its totality by the demented mind of Minerva!

After all, who says a universe must be as huge as our is, or even close to it? Certainly, creative mathematics can envision a very spatially-challenged realm. Aerima senses no dimensions. There is no up, down, or sideways! There is no sense of time-dilation. A ghostly heartbeat might take a moment or perhaps an eternity! It's impossible to tell!

While knowing she has no atoms to be discombobulated. No electrons or other subatomic particles for the anti-universe to dissolve, she still has _something_ to lose. If she can't escape soon, her _phantom-being_ will be torn asunder, with the same ending-effects as if she were still human! Scattered to all the cosmic corners she would be!

The creepy realm leaves her feeling truly haunted! Something she's never experienced! No stray atoms bump her in the head as usual when exploring electronics, because there are no atoms inside this negative universe! There's no perturbation or pull from gravitously-massed _anything_ , because in this backwater mini-universe there _is no mass_! .... _There_ _is_ _no spoon!_

No familiar electromagnetic force pulls on her silky hair as she trudges along, looking for the heart of this living nightmare! Electromagnetism has no place in this Dante's hell! The glue that holds most universes together and helps make them tick, is not allowed in here!

No Saint Elmo's fire, dances in her ghostly wake as she makes slow headway!

It quickly becomes clear that the rules for this game have changed, the field of play no longer level! Even the stealthy neutrino can't penetrate such a nothingness! Trillions per second try, and trillions per second are turned away without satisfaction.

Apparently, she ponders grimly, .... the joke this time, is on _her!_ Onward she trudges, feeling blindly for the boundary-casing and wishing Jax were there to offer moral support. Even smartass moral support would be welcome this dark, dreary night!

With feet and spirits flowing like wet cement, only _much, much worse_ , she seeks the exit. Seeks that which hides from her with evil intent. Fearing the imminent push of a metallic thumb, the plunging of the evil button and the release of such anti-power, she wonders how Minerva had managed to harness such a weapon.

Sweating cosmic bullets for the first time in her dead life, Aerima gives up on finding the dark heart of the device, hoping to disarm.... and instead, frantically looks for the exit! Not needing air to breath, the panicked ghost gasps anyway for that which is not there, feeling the burn in her phantom lungs!

Suddenly, her gossamer hand touches something! Knowing that the only thing with tangible substance in her little prison is that of the outer casing, she feels for an opening, a tiny crack in which to start an exit.

With the greatest of relief, she's once again navigating the warren of thin passages in the strange tightknit bomb casing. Ahead, a growing illumination speaks volumes of the outside world materializing once again. She swoon's, realizing she isn't going to die _yet again_. At least not from being inside a place that really is no place at all!

With a windy splendor the frantic ghost pops out of the wicked device held so threateningly in Minerva's hand. Having spent only mere seconds inside, it truly felt like an eternity! It never felt so good to be free from a true monster, the lovely spirit thinks!

Picking a new target, which she embarrassingly realizes should have been her first, Aerima stealthily enters Minerva's hand that holds the bomb. Outside, a mechanical thumb hovers over the end-button, and while time is relative, this time it is truly short!

Upon finding the beautiful electronic pathways she missed _so much_ while inside the anti-universe, Aerima speeds her search, sometimes ramming into dead ends with bruising force, desperately seeking a control that will put an end to Minerva's little endgame!

"I asked you a question, tinman!" Minerva screams abusively at Carter. "Where did she go?" Hefting the little bomb menacingly, she adds. "Tell me or I release this anti-universe which I stole!"

"Anti-universe, eh? .... Stole it, eh? My, aren't you as clever as they come, goddess Minerva! And lovely too!" Carter responds pleasantly, feeling his electrons readying to barf at such a lie. Hoping to buy his ghostly friend more time to disarm the threat, he'll say just about anything.... "My dear Minerva. I suspect creating that weapon is one of your proudest mad-scientist moments. Please, won't you tell me how you did it?"

Not falling for the delay tactic, Minerva yells at the sky. "I'm giving you 10-seconds to show yourself Aerima! Won't you be sorry if I complete the count!"

"Minerva." Thana says as she lays reclined and relaxed. "I'm sure you don't wish to die this day. _We_ certainly can do without such a horrible thing, that I can tell you. But if you can find it in your circuits to work with us and not try to destroy the universe all the time, I promise to show you and your friends a better life. A life not cooped up inside this prison you've built. You might not believe it yet, but there's much more to life beyond these walls and gravity pumps."

With trembling thumb hovering over the death-button, Minerva experiences something she's never known. Deep in her cold, unfeeling circuits, a heartstring is tugged for the very first time in her 5000-years. Without realizing.... her circuits swoon! "Are you saying that you'll be my friend? You will _all_ be my friends?" The self-appointed goddess inquires doubtfully with squinted eyes, waiting for the axe to drop.

"Of course, we'll be your friends, Minerva." Thana fake acquiesces, leaving a bad after-taste in her circuits. "After all my dear.... you're like me. And like they say in most universes.... _doppelganger lives matter_!"

# Herculon pisses-off Toby .... Big mistake!

The night is pleasant enough, even though deathly quiet. A cool breeze flows from nowhere in particular, soothing the soul and circuits. A boarding party had just materialized into the thin air of the no-gravity-zone which makes up the majority of Minerva's secret getaway.

Above their heads, even though up and down is hard to distinguish, a glowing ball of plasma offers a ghostly view of the huge spherical compartment onboard the Apollyon ship recently designated as Delta.

The boarding party from Queen Anne's Revenge, floats in an anti-gravity void, 1500-feet above the weak gravity-pumps located under the 'ground' or deck-plating of the cavernous compartment.

"Oh, my lord!" Myrna whisperingly exclaims. "We're not in Kansas anymore, are we?"

"No dear Myrna, we certainly are not." Wil sets the record straight, taking the young woman by the hand to comfort her shocked nerves. "Just stick with me and won't you have fun!"

"Hey Toby," Nyla whispers, having taken off her space helmet to get some cool air across her heated circuits, "if this place is similar to the main bridge, we're hanging just out of reach of gravity pumps located under the deck plating below, so don't get too close. Look for the tall platforms."

"Yeah, I've already figured that part out, but thanks. Wow, this air sure has an awesome aroma. Reminds me of home." The combat veteran/engineer responds gleefully. "If I didn't know better, I'd swear we've materialized not far above a wonderful forest!"

"Well my dear. My mechanical eyes tell me we actually _are_ floating above a forest! I can't believe I'm seeing this onboard a spaceship, but this sphere is coated with.... trees!"

"Life has found a way!" Toby adds laughingly. "I thought things looked kind of fuzzy down there compared to the main bridge. What else do your mechanical eyes see, mom?"

Squinting into the darkness, Nyla focus on a small clearing not too far off. "Well, for one thing, I see Thana relaxing like a pro! Laying in a hammock with arms behind her head she is! Also, I see Carter, Rax and Prax and a lovely Grey android that looks a lot like Thana's doppelganger! My goodness! And Thana's twin looks quite angry too!"

Suddenly, a massive dark-shadow, sails into view, approaching them menacingly!

"Hey!" Wil yells under his circuits, goosing his thruster to avoid getting run over. "Who's throwing trees at us?"

"I'm right behind you, Wil!" Kara informs. "Don't slow down!"

Luckily, Nyla and Toby are safe from the first tree-missile, but others are incoming like octopuses from a nightmare gone wild! Rotating as they rampage to nowhere in particular, they reach out to ensnare any victims they can!

"Oh my!" Nyla exclaims, narrowly getting out of the way of a grabby branch-arm. Quickly snagging Toby by the ankle, momzilla drags her daughter like a ragdoll to safety!

"Jeez, thanks mom!" Toby exclaims, knowing her mechanical parent had just saved her life. "I owe you one!"

"My dear, just add it to the account, as usual." Nyla offers graciously. "I don't see any more trees coming this way. Looks like the storm is over. I wonder how such a thing could happen."

"We'll figure it out later." Wil swoops in with backpack-thrusters pushing. "Remember, Aerima is someplace about. Did you notice the frost on those trees? So thick it was! Let's move closer and find a way down from this no-gravity-zone. We don't have much time before this ship truly kisses atmosphere."

Floating quietly 200-feet over the targeted scene, they notice Thana's _doppelganger_ get to her feet from a comfortable-looking hammock, holding her hand out threatingly at a ghostly apparition.

A heated exchange between the rusty android and Aerima can easily be heard. Next to them, Carter, Rax and Prax have their attention glued to one of the biggest and ugliest robots any of them have ever seen!

Herculon stands menacingly tall and huge, like the big oaf he is. Hiding non-effectively behind a bush, he waits for the perfect time to strike! Side antennas on his bulbous head, work overtime to understand incoming data. Twirling back and forth, they add to his monstrous appearance as he explores with radar-like accuracy. Below, at the bottom of his _Michelin-man_ legs, he anxiously taps a massive foot, shaking the deck intimidatingly!

"If you don't leave here immediately," Minerva can be heard threating from below, "I'll activate this bomb and turn off all electromagnetism in the entire universe! Won't you be sorry then!" Above her, the invaders float stealthily past on their way to the nearest stairway from the heavens.

"My dear. You really should shut your mouth and try to understand just who you're messing with." Comes a multitoned retort from the agitated spirit. "Here, let me give you a taste!"

That gets everyone's attention! Looking back, the group from the Revenge see's Aerima's vortex shrink, disappearing into thin air with a sonic snap! A startled jerk from all in attendance, both on the ground and above, speaks volumes of the shocking display of otherworldly power.

"Oh brother! Now they did it!" Toby whispers excitedly. "Aerima's going to ruin somebody's day, that's for sure!"

"Yeah, and I'd put my money on Aerima," Wil adds, "Except for that part about turning off all electromagnetism in the universe part. What have we gotten ourselves mixed-up with this time?"

"I don't know," Kara responds, "but big ugly down there has just seen us! We better get down from here pronto!"

Goosing thrusters to max, the group sails towards the nearest stairway-ladder. Herculon, having acquired their scent and can be seen rampaging clumsily through the forest, knocking trees aside with menacing destruction. He seems extra pissed-off, but it's hard to tell.... yep, upon closer examination, the boarding party can see that he's really, really pissed-off!

Stomp! Stomp! Stomp! .... Smash! Smash! Smash! Goes the mighty robot towards the staircase, hoping to reduce the intruders into gooey atoms!

As the boarding party descends the 100-foot-staircase to the compartments surface, gravity bites into their bodies once again. It feels good, but with big ugly bearing down like a freight train, there's very little time to enjoy it!

"Hey down there!" Toby yells teasingly. "My goodness, aren't you the ugliest one!"

Deeply hacking the grossest of greenies, she spits a galaxy-class loogie at the rampaging Frankenstein, spattering his bulbous glass head as if aiming for a spittoon! Adding insult to anger, Herculon arrives like a bull in a china shop, grabbing the staircase with both immense claws.... shaking it like there's no tomorrow!

"Oh! .... You want a piece of me?!" She asks, as everyone gets a grip on the unfolding situation so's to not fall off the quaking stairs. "Jeez, all you had to do was ask!"

Shrieking maniacally, the enraged woman jumps from near the top of the staircase! In slow motions she falls at first, due to the thin gravity. With agonizing slowness, gravity increases, pulling her angered body faster and faster towards a little chat with Herculon.

Her aim holds true as she lands on top of the attacking robot's domed head! Gripping his side antenna's for stabilization, she twists them the wrong way, breaking them off, tossing them to the deck! Laughing at the damaged caused, she mercilessly teases. "How do you like them apples, big boy?!

"Oh, you want more?! I got more!" She yells as the big robot spins like an unbalanced top, his fat arms reaching in vain to snatch the wily creature from his huge unreachable head!

Artfully dodging all attempted reaches from snappy claws, she knows its time to truly change the big fellow's attitude. Reaching, she palms her trusty laser, reading to jump. Kicking hard, she pushes off from Herculon's bulbous melon, her space boots cruelly cracking his brand-new face!

With power-setting dialed to max, Herculon will never look the same, as Toby mercilessly gives him a kisser full of concentrated photons! The poor fellow reaches frantically, giant claw-hands covering the destruction that is now his face!

Landing light as a feather, crouched as an angry cat, Toby feels the ground shake as big Herculon timbers-over like a fallen redwood tree, the poor fellow! Down he goes with a mighty crash, putting the biggest ass-crater ever in the deck plating!

Springing onto the monster's chest for the coup de grâce, Toby sees no need to further humiliate the now-helpless creature. "And you better stay down, chunky!" She rewards his choice for playing dead, even though it's clear he's not totally without options.

"Okay Toby, it seems he's had enough." Nyla informs as the group gathers around. "Sure are glad you're on our side!" Mom declares of her feistiest daughter.

"Niiiice!" Kara exclaims, patting her sibling on the back.

"Goodness Miss Toby." Father android says with a whistle. "Remind me to never shake _your_ staircase!"

"Good work Toby. But we better get going." Nyla brings them back on task. "Thana and the others are this way!"

"Yeah okay mom. Lead the way." Looking back with squinted eyes of fire, Toby shakes a murderous fist at the heap of wreckage. "Don't go anywhere jughead! Don't even _think_ about it! I own you now, and you better still be here when I get back! .... Or else!"

"Yes, my new Queen." The broken robot says weakly, laying on his back, feeling around for his busted-off antennas but finding only pieces of his shattered face.

Ahead, twin hammocks can be seen through the path of destruction that Herculon created. They're attached to the only trees still standing in the area after the tumult. The boarding party reconnoiters closer.... Thana can be seen lounging yet remains focused on her rusty doppelganger who stands as might a statue. An angry looking statue, to be sure!

And like a statue, Minerva can't move! Frozen by Aerima, she's trapped! Try as she may.... Try as she might. She can't command her body to move that mysterious night! Seemingly frozen in time, her eyes still wonder, deep in her circuits, her future does she ponder!

Something has taken control! Something has come between her mind and her actuators! No signal is getting through! Her thumb has stopped and is locked in place just above the kill-button! It was on its way to destroying the universe, it really was, its owner having _just decided_ to take the dastardly plunge! To take the universe down a horrific path!

"Noooooooo!!" Minerva's circuits scream bloody murder, vibrating her frame yet having not made an actual peep of sound. Deathly quiet pervades, as a deep-space cryogenic-like frost bites her in the aft data ports.

A haunting laugh from Thana at Minerva's expense, is cut short as she is startled by the as of yet un-noticed rescue team. "Well well!" Look who found me before I was either burned up or discombobulated from lack of electromagnetism!"

"Hey Thana! Great to see you! Looks like you're having fun." Nyla greets with relief, running forward. "I don't know about the electromagnetism part, but we're not out of the woods yet, concerning being incinerated!"

Like sinking into a bath drawn just right, Aerima's psyche bathes in the gloriousness of having things that matter, flowing through her misty hair once again! Moving from the anti-universe realm, having nearly been trapped there, and into a realm of _atoms_ and _electrons_ and all the _electromagnetism_ one would ever hope to have, feels like a trillion dollars!

A tour of Minerva's circuits, with her being so primitive and all, took only seconds at nearly the speed of light. Especially after already knowing the Apollyon circuits from her time tutoring a recently captured Thana back in the day. Yet after 5000-years of continuous operation, there's bound to be a few skeletons rattling around in her closet. And Aerima is just one more!

"Aerima?" Comes a voice in her subatomic ear. "Aerima, are you in here?" A voice from a thread of astral projection, shocks her circuits!

"Jax?" Comes a quizzical squeak. "By all the asteroids and comets above! What are _you_ doing here?!"

"Me and Adam came looking for you. First, we went inside that bomb thingy, but you weren't there. So, we figured you'd be under Minerva's skin, and here you are!"

"You were _inside_ that bomb? You're lucky it didn't keep you like it nearly did me! My goodness what a fright it gave!

Before Jax can respond.... "Hey Aerima! It's me, Adam! That thing couldn't touch us! You forget, black holes and anti-universes have no hold on dreams! Especially astral ones!" He retorts laughingly, adding. "You've been gone too long, too long we say! I was sent to find you and I'm giving Jax his first taste of the headband. Seems I don't need the damn thing anymore. _I've graduated!_ "

"That's awesome, Adam! Wow Jax.... you sure look a lot thinner!" She jokes with a ghostly wail, leaving the travelers feeling spooked. Even back on the ship where their bodies lay sleeping, they shiver!

"Okay, that's a good one my dear!" Jax laughingly responds, still feeling woozy from his first astral journey. "Now, if you have this Apollyon freak under control, you better head back to the ship. Your doppelganger needs you _real bad_. I don't think you're supposed to leave it for so long. Please _hurry_ my ghostly pebble!"

"Okay. I'll squeeze in and go with you if there's room in the filament. Just give me a minute."

"Are you okay, Thana?" Kara inquires, helping the heavy android get back onto her feet. "Looks like you've had a rough time of it." She teases. "That hammock might have caused unseen stresses! Better have Cody and Atara check you out, poor thing!"

"Ha!" Thana retorts. "I'm lucky to have survived!" She points. "That frosted doppelganger of mine, is named Minerva. I think Aerima froze her and is tinkering with her circuits as we speak. Anyway, she built this hideaway thousands of years ago, and is holding a most devious weapon in her hand. Please, take it from her before she can detonate it."

"I'm guessing that has something to do with that part about _discombobulation_ from lack of electromagnetism, or some far-fetched thing like that?"

"Yup, and until we know for sure, mind that you don't inadvertently push its button, or we'll find out if the rusty old girl is crazy or not! According to her, it's a micro-universe. One that's completely out of phase with ours. An anti-universe that will destroy all electromagnetism if released."

"Oh my!" Nyla laments. "How will my atoms hold themselves together?"

"Exactly!" Thana retorts, moving closer to face her rusty twin.

"Now now, my dear Nyla." Wil jokes. "Your strong enough to hold those precious atoms together with just your stubbornness!" And for his effort, a mechanical peck on the cheek.

Gathering around frozen Minerva, all inspect Thana's doppelganger. Minerva's eyes wander from new face to new face, not being able to move more. Her electrons have been demobilized, even if only temporarily. How humiliating for a goddess!

Yes, her eyes wander; the bleakest of futures, does she ponder!

Reaching, Kara snatches the bomb from Minerva's hand, nearly doubling-over as it tries to take her hand to the floor! Wil saves the moment, quickly intercepting the young woman's arm and neatly picking the heavy device out of her hand.

"Holy crap! .... Thanks Wil! It's a tiny black hole, that's what it is!" She exclaims, not knowing how close she is to an accurate statement.

Hefting the cueball-sized device, making everyone jump as he tosses it into the air a few times, he gives a mighty whistle. "Wow, this thing _is_ heavy! I bet it's 10-times heavier than gold for its size! No wonder it nearly wiped you out Kara! Don't feel bad young lady."

"From this day forward," Toby announces, "whatever that thing's made of, will be called blackholium!" A round of here-here's go around the group as poor old Minerva looks on....

Suddenly a frosty vortex of icy blast, enters the scene! Aerima, smokily vortexes out of Minerva's chest and is back on deck, saying. "It is heavy because the casing is made out of a synthetic-singularity that Minerva invented with which to hold the universe she stole. It seems miles-thick but is probably only a millimeter or so.... after that, nothing. Not only a nothing, but a nothing on steroids!"

"Hey Aerima!" Toby happily greets. "It's good to see you! Synthetic black hole material? Well, I gotta say. That's a new one! I bet that stuff gave you a fit, huh?"

"You have no idea my dear Toby. But what's inside, is something that better not _ever_ mix with our universe!"

"Anti-electromagnetism I'm guessing." Nyla inquires using Thana's description.

"Pretty good guess. Yes, it's that, _and more_! Or I should say _less_! Inside that casing, exists a universe made of absolutely nothing! Anything with matter will quickly dissolve."

Shivers shake the timbers of all in attendance at the thought of the immense power of nothingness. A nothingness that Wil is now stuffing carelessly into his backpack. Minerva, who can see much of the area, and hears everything being said, grows hot to trot!

Urge to destroy the universe, blossoms brighter than ever in her twisted circuits! With mighty shivers, shaking her titanium timbers, Minerva breaks the frosty grip that had taken hold so effectively.

"You better take good care of that thing, tall ugly one!" She coldly threatens Wil, slowly flexing her limbs, bringing back a modicum of freedom with no small amount of cracking. "Or I'll take it away and push the button until it goes _click_!"

"Jeez!" Wil responds.

"That's right! _Nobody messes with the Minerva! Not even Jeez!_ " Reaching, she makes quite the feeble grab, missing and embarrassing herself yet once again!

# Shake n Bake!

Delta's orbit above Pascora soon decays into the red zone. Just 100-miles above an already tortured planet, it looms menacingly over the population, coming in hot! Animals, human and otherwise, panic as day suddenly turns to night!

Above, the huge spaceship that blocks the sun, trails glowing tendrils of plasma as it starts squashing air molecules. It's plain to see, that the Grim Reaper is about to strike!

Inside Minerva's spherical kingdom, intense vibrations begin toppling her precious space-forests! Not having deep root systems to begin with, they don't stand a chance as the huge spaceship shivers deeply its timbers! Horrible noises cascade through the cavernous compartment, as dust and debris fills the air with dread!

With orbital speed rapidly decreasing, the big ship interacts quite negatively with Pascora's upper atmosphere! At nearly 18,000-mph, it doesn't take a lot of molecules to start ruining your day! Friction, even on a small scale, is never a good thing in outer space. Especially not rubbing against the outer hull of a delicate spaceship never meant to enter atmosphere!

Each gas molecule is like hitting a tiny bullet. True, by themselves their punch doesn't really matter, but accumulatively, they pack quite a heat-worthy wallop! And from here on in, the soup only gets thicker!

This time Bernoulli has no purpose, so he fly's to the sidelines to watch the fiery show. He knows the soon to be flaming briquette, would only laugh at his foolish attempts to provide lift! When Delta hits bedrock, its tail-feathers will still be sticking out in space! At 150-miles-big, the Apollyon ship cuts a mighty path wherever it goes!

With time running out like it's _never ran out before_ , a chill goes down the spine of all!

"By all that's radioactive!" Toby gets her freak on as Delta gives a mighty heave. Stabilizing her stance like a cat on a hot tin roof, she's ready to throw in the towel. "We're not going to make it this time!"

"It was good knowing everyone!" Kara yells. "Fun while it lasted!"

Nearby, beautiful trees continue falling. If not for Aerima and Herculon having already knocked down the ones close by, the seismic disturbance would've been the least of everyone's worries just then.

Wil swoops in as Minerva loses balance, going down. "I've got you!" Catching the Queen-Bee before another embarrassment, he saves what's left of her shattered dignity. Being nearly thawed after Aerima's fright, he lays her gently on the ground.

Looking into his eye's, her murderous heart melts at having such a handsome creature save her day! Urge to kill.... melting away. Urge to destroy the universe.... decreasing. It's her first real physical contact with another sentient being in like.... forever! And this one's a machine like her! Just not of the Grey species shape....

"You know something?" She asks her savior. "Suddenly, I'm glad I didn't destroy the universe! Will _you_ be my friend?"

"My dear crazy Minerva. Funny you should say that, because my name _is_ Wil. So yes, I'll be your friend, if only you'll promise to not try and destroy the universe each time you wake up wrong." The handsome earthling machine jokes, crooking a seductive eyebrow, adding....

"I'm also very pleased that you didn't destroy the universe, my dear. You see, I've become quite fond of it in my 175,000-years. Quite fond indeed!"

"Oh! So, you're an older unit.... And I would've sworn you weren't a day over 4,000!" She says laughingly, adding. "That's okay though. I'm not so young anymore either."

"My dear Minerva," Wil responds dreamily, "I must warn you. I am susceptible to flattery."

"Wilber Sohn!" Nyzilla beckons heatedly from above. "If you two don't stop bonding like space rabbits in heat, we'll _all_ not be getting any older, _real soon!_ ... Jeez Wil, and I'm right here too! Can't you keep your electrons in your pants at least until I'm gone?"

Suddenly, the universe didn't seem big enough for her and Minerva both!

"My dear Nyla, the day won't come, when I don't bond with the deepest cockles of my digital heart. That's why you love me so, didn't you know that?" Wil reminds of his romantic side. "That's just the way my electrons flow, baby." He finishes winkingly, reaching for his radio.

"Hey Braxton.... Magnus.... do you copy?" He calls his boys who pilot Charlie-ship, the nearby Apollyon behemoth. They, along with Cooper and Gort, have recently beamed onboard from the Revenge which still rests on the planet's surface, getting ready to bug out fast.

"We're here Wil. Ready to snatch Delta from the clutches of the Reaper." Braxton responds proudly. "I Was just about to call you. You're violating the timeline you know. _It's now or never, pops_!"

"Exactly my boy! We're getting buffeted pretty good now. "Hey Cooper. We're ready for teleportation. You should see 10 signals to lock onto."

Pulling a transponder from his utility belt, he clips it onto Minerva's jumpsuit. "You're coming with us, young lady."

"Wait!" Toby yells. "I promised big ugly I'd be back! Who has an extra transponder?"

"My goodness, Toby!" Nyla teases, reaching into her pocket for the requested device. "If you bring that monstrosity, _you're_ gonna be the one who takes care of him. You know the standard rule about pets, mechanical or otherwise. And he better not leak oil all over the ship either!" Tossing the transponder, she gives her daughter the sternest look in her motherly arsenal.

"Thanks mom! Promise!" She tears out of there with Kara close on her heels. The staircase isn't too far away and Herculon had damn-well still be there waiting!

"Cooper, standby." Wil can be heard, his voice receding. "We'll soon be a party of 11."

"Copy that. Please hurry Wil, or you'll soon be a party of flaming briquets!"

Toby and Kara approach Herculon's embarrassing pile of broken wreckage. He's right where she smashed him, still sitting in his ass-crater, idly fiddling with his broken-off antennas, a totally sad countenance about him.

He waits patiently so's to not get beat-up again by the wiry animal that kicks so hard! Until that day, he thought Minerva could smack him good. But now there's a new contender in town, and not a bad looking one either, he ponders!

"Are you still alive big ugly?" She inquires dubiously, kicking his leg, seeing if she can get a rise from him.

"Yes, my Queen, I am.... barely." Comes an embarrassed tone through smashed faceplate. "But I can't see you; my face is smashed. The one just installed fresh after Thana...." His sad voice trails off as he hides his disfigurement with massive claws.

"Well, as you must know by now, this ship is going down. You can either go with _it_ or come with _me_ , if you want to live. And don't call me Queen. It's creepy and I might learn to like it. My name is Toby. What's yours?"

"I am the mighty Herculon; powerful guardian of this realm." The poor wrecked thing gives the standard spiel without remembering his most recent failing.

"Not from where I'm standing." Toby laughs a great laugh. "Sorry Herc. I'll teach you how to be more effective, but first we must escape this sinking space barge."

"We can't get out in time, I've been calculating...."

"Okay, first thing you must learn is to trust me, and not argue all the time." Bending down, the young engineer pins a transponder onto Herculon's massive chest-plate. Taking his antennas for safe keeping until repair, she helps him back onto his feet.

"Wil, we're ready!"

"Okay everyone, here we go!" He yells, just as Xeno sprints whimperingly from the shadows. With a desperate jump, fueled by great fear of being left behind, he lands in Minerva's waiting arms!

Gripping her loyal minion tightly, her circuits melt, knowing she's not going into a new life all alone! Then suddenly, a tingling sensation takes her by storm! Waves of mysteriousness race through her body with heated wrath! Others nearby are also shimmering and disappearing in front of her very eyes!

Oh! She thinks, as herself and Xeno melt away into an electronic realm! What have I gotten myself into this time, she ponders before the lights go out!

Just as the mind is getting ready for discombobulation and transfer, Toby and Kara flinch as gripper-beams from Charlie-ship rip into Delta's heated structure!

Far and away, on the other side of the spherical compartment, a bright band of energy rips through the deck-plating searching for a grip on the situation. And before you know it, Delta ship has been snagged!

"My goodness!" Kara yells frightfully. "They could have at least wai...." Her words are cut short, as the teleporter transmogrifies everything that makes up their mind and body, sending it along a fast-track beam to someplace else.

In this case, the boarding party plus guests, rematerialize next to the flight-management console onboard Charlie-ship, orbiting at a thousand miles above Pascora.

"Do you have a good grip yet?" Wil inquires of Cooper who manages that part of the operation.

"We'll know real soon!" She informs, not taking her attention from her precious dials and gages. "I've got three big beautiful tractor beams inside his hull. Let's hope they don't tear loose, cuz I'm ready to swing that beast!"

"You go Coop!" Toby wails, knowing there's nobody else could do the job better.

Tweaking a final dial, Cooper yells, "Here goes nothin!" Taking a deep breath, she flips that last switch, giving her calculations over to the autopilot.

If her calculations are wrong, even by a smidgen, or if the gripper-beams tear the ships structure like tissue paper during the swing, the planet will surely be wrecked. A sorrowful planet already, having been cooking from too-close a star, will only be worse after nuclear winter sets in for a thousand years! Plus being out of balance from such a huge mass sticking to one side, it will wobble like a top that been spun too roughly.

With an imperceptible tug, autopilot takes up any slack in the beams, gradually increasing Charlie's velocity. A deep moan flows painfully from Charlie's structure as it's star drives strain for extra traction, pulling hard on the spaceship's old bones.

Below, Delta feels a change in inertia as Charlie pumps powerful energies into his metallic skeleton at a tremendous rate. Old steel beams that were never meant to be abused so, creak and deform as the old man is pulled from the raging ocean of fire that has recently enveloped his bow and underbelly. Shockwaves of tortured molecules and burnt steel, spread from the ships glowing hull like demons that just robbed a bank!

"Keep a close eye on the main reactor core-temps." Nyla tosses a nugget of reminder that wasn't needed, as Cooper and Gort eagle-eye their control console.

Charlie strains! The deck shakes! Everyone except the two at engineering, have their eyes glued to the main monitor within the spherical bridge.

With a beautiful yet dimmed blue-green planet filling the screen, Delta can be seen ripping Pascora's upper atmosphere a new corn-shoot! At his bow, a blanket of Saint Elmo's fire, dances like the devil, while behind the glowing behemoth, trails pure fire and brimstone can be seen!

Extending deep into the fray, three high-energy beams pierce Delta's hull at strategic locations. Gripping tightly to whatever will support their gargantuan pulling-force, they cause Delta to accelerate as Charlie pulls him faster and faster, higher and higher!

"Delta's trajectory is leveling off!" Cooper yells, as many in the crowd finally remember to breath. "Speed at 28-thousand.... gaining altitude.... hull temps cooling!" She adds as an excited Gort jumps for joy, dancing on his seat cushion like a maniacal Grey leprechaun.

The crowd goes wild! Delta is dragged mercilessly towards higher orbit where repairs can be made if possible. Below that fiery spectacle, the tiny heated planet of Pascora has dodged a cosmic bullet this day!

"After Delta stabilizes," Wil directs to Braxton, "take a team and check him out. We need to re-engage this planet in a more meaningful way, and we'll sure need him."

"Aye Aye, Captain Sohn!" Comes more than one response.

On the planet below, many tales of the monstrous ship, skimming their atmosphere like an asteroid from hell, will be told around the cook-fires for many years to come!

"Autopilot will have Delta in a 1000-mile geostationary orbit in 30-minutes." Gort announces in his native language that the androids understand. All except for poor old Minerva, Herculon and Xeno, who still stand stunned and shaking in their space boots as the shock of teleportation remains strong in their circuits! Even Xeno, who had the teleportation prison in his mechanical guts, had never been discombobulated before!

Placing Xeno on the deck, Minerva checks herself, finding everything that a lovely goddess needs, in just the right places. "You thought _I_ was a mad scientist!" She exclaims friendlily at Wil. "Only working with Satan himself, could physics be twisted in such a way!"

"My dear Minerva. You've been gone from reality so long you didn't even know it was your people who invented such a tool in the first place. Being all locked up in that bubble-room of yours for so many thousands of years, you missed all the fun!" Wil retorts, adding....

"Although we've admittedly tweaked and upgraded it for our upcoming intergalactic adventure, we sure thank the Apollyon species for being so inventive. And, with your words in mind.... yes, it sure is a devilish thing. A devilish thing indeed!"

"Tweaked, you say?" Minerva's interest is peaked. "Intergalactic, you say?"

"Yea, we incorporated the Apollyon teleportation physics with our own warp-drive capabilities and whallllah, _super-fast speeds_. I dare say.... _ludicrous speeds_! In fact, we arrived at Pascora while testing the new galaxy-drive. Our next step is to see if it'll take us to Andromeda galaxy in a timely fashion. You see, we have friends who might be lost in space over that way."

"Well, I guess I sure did miss out on plenty from avoiding contact with my own kind for so very long." Minerva says guiltily. "I guess if I didn't build Herculon and Xeno, I sure would have really gone over the deep end."

"My goodness!" Nyla exclaims, not caring much for Minerva. "Wouldn't we have been sorry if you were even _more crazy_! The things you would have invented to cause trouble with! Oh, and that mutt of yours! You must deactivate it's little prison-thingy this very instant!"

An uneasy silence rolls through the area as Nyla realizes she may have spread her demanding sarcasm a little thick. Yet she hadn't survived so many long millennia by being little miss nice android!

Just in time to cool Nyzilla's hot temper, Aerima oozes freezingly out of Xeno's chest, where she took residence for the teleportation. Avoiding his electronic prison, she made the journey without being doubly discombobulated. Something nobody would easily contemplate!

Xeno: Without a great deal of cognoscente intelligence, after all he _is_ just a dog-bot, the wily ghost rearranged a few of his electrons to flow more to her liking. After what will be known as the first electron-lobotomy, the little fellow will be docile and even _more_ _loyal_!

"Already taken care of, my good chum!" The lovely spirit replies with a haunting laugh, cooling Nyla, sending Nyzilla back into its lonely cage, where it'll gnaw on the bars until released once again!

"Thanks, Aerima." She responds coolly, once again back to her more reasonable self, adding. "Sorry Minerva. Sorry Xeno. I sort of lost my cool. Welcome to Charlie-ship. He's a twin to Delta, with exception of not having a kingdom-room for you. He's the ship that just saved Delta's tin-can from hitting Pascora, the planet you very nearly ruined."

Wil cuts his darling off, before Minerva wishes to kill herself from boredom. "However, Minerva. You won't be staying here. We've bigger fish to fry and that means you're coming with us."

"As a prisoner?" The rusty goddess inquires with feigned hurt. "I don't think I'll be very good at that."

"Prisoner? My, no! Don't think of it like that, my dear! Goodness Minerva, the things you say!" Wil jokes, as is his way when the chips are down. "Simply think of it as a duty. A duty you owe to me and my accomplices for not destroying you and your buddies back there, when perhaps maybe we should have." He lays out a world class guilt trip, adding....

"A duty that with time, will become less of a chore, less an evil thing, and more a willingness to be a valued crewmember and not something to be tossed out the airlock in the middle of nowhere.... Ooops! Did I say that last part out loud?" He finishes with a sick laugh that leaves even Aerima chilled!

"Tina, do you copy?" Carter checks in with his better half on Alpha ship.

"Oh, there you are mister!" Comes a dark sarcastic tone. "Jeez Carter. I send you out for a pint of oil and metal polish, and you go and get yourself in trouble! Are you okay?"

"Yes, my princess. I'm fine." He lays it on thick, causing a tilt of interest from Minerva. "We're all okay; thanks for asking. I'll come see you as soon as possible. There's a few loose ends over here that need attention first."

"Okay, but hurry back tin man. These space nights are cold and lonely, don't you know!"

"Will do love chunks, will do." He ends transmission laughingly.

"So, what's next?" Nyla inquires.

"After we get Delta-ship back in the game, stabilizing the planet," Carter informs, "and our replacements arrive from Oberon Prime, we'll meet up with you guys at Ganymede. I'm guessing in about two weeks. Please tell me there _are_ replacements coming, right? We all want to go with you guys to find Esty and Gort's people. You see, Tina and me.... well we've never been to Andromeda, so it might be fun."

"Don't worry big fella," Nyla sooths he heated circuits, "replacements are scheduled to arrive shortly. We'll look forward to seeing you all at Ganymede."

"Charlie-ship, do you copy?" Esty transmits. "We're outside in the Revenge. Also, Talus is here with the Nazqa. Request permission to come aboard."

"Permission granted young lady. You know where to park. See you on the bridge in 30, unless you decide to teleport." Nyla answers.

"We'll take the tube, thanks. See you in 30." Comes a reply from an alien android who just hates to be discombobulated. Having spent 175,000 years in digital storage with no body, provides dread at the very thought!

"Copy." Then turning to Minerva, she adds jokingly. "Guess who's coming to dinner! Won't we get a laugh when she sees you're mug!" Minerva tilts her head, not getting the point.

"Oh, be nice Nyla." Wil scolds. "I'm sure Esty has room in her cold little digital heart for another Apollyon princess in her life. Even Gort kind of likes her after she promised to stop trying to destroy the universe."

"Well, I just hope Esty's laser is set to stun and not burnt toast!" Nyla exclaims.

Long story short, Minerva seems to be a hit! Although the part about her trying to destroy the universe didn't get much airtime. Herculon receives a better welcome than he deserves, probably due to his pathetically damaged face.... Toby and Cooper rush the poor thing off to robot-medical with Xeno in tow. Before too long, Toby and Cooper have him looking as dashing as ever. Rotating antennas and all!

# Kira's hibernation without end!

2.5-million lightyears beyond the gossamer edge of our beloved Milky Way galaxy, a wayward star, dragging lonely planets through a frozen void, zips along at nearly a million-mph, traveling towards us through the intergalactic void.

Hellbent on going nowhere in particular real fast after being slung shot by a rogue singularity, she's lucky to have been able to keep two of her 10 planets after the cosmic train-wreck. More like a glancing blow than a head-on collision, but it still really sucked for that particular star-family!

Of the two planets that were able to stick with mom, their apex lifeforms couldn't be more different from each other. One planet, sports airbreathing bipedal human-like animals. The other, an oxygen absorbing octopus-like people, existing in a heated ocean beneath thick, planetoid crustal ice plates.

It was the human-like species from planet Ankara, who first traveled space and discovered that they had neighbors. While the ice planet of Hydroshox had always been on their radar, it was shocking to find life under the ice. Intelligent life, yet so different in existence and temperament, the two species couldn't reach an accord on anything. Except to stay away from each other.

With intelligent species being what they are, just a product of their long evolutionary journey, old habits like greed and mistrust, soon reared their ugly heads. As each world struggles to survive with a weakened star, now burning dimly after a cosmic vampire sucked much of its hydrogen gas, eyes soon turned to the resources each neighbor has for the taking.

Wars were tiny at first. A pathogen introduced into the others environment, or electronic/electrical disruptions upon society. Little things that cause great irritation but with no true lasting effect.

Then, the people of Hydroshox got desperate as their world began to experience global cooling gone wild! With a weak mother star and a cooling planetary core, the goldilocks zone was not adequate to keep things balanced. They needed a new planet!

Devising a dastardly plan of attack, the military of Hydroshox designed a method of throwing icy snowballs at the neighbors in effort to obliterate the population and move into the many deep oceans that lure with promise of salvation.

So it is that a lovely young woman started a long journey through time, stuck inside a hibernation chamber until the nuclear winter wanes. Survivors on Ankara wait patiently for the skies to clear, the lakes and rivers to thaw once again.

Kira lays immobilized, deep underground in a secret scientific complex. She sleeps deeply under the influence of an ever-humming cryo-preservation system. A restlessness invades her artificially muffled psyche. It invades without mercy, pushing a tsunami of anxiety through layers of dark cobwebs, washing away true focus, replacing them with unending fears!

Kira is not alone.... just one of many, stacked like fancy popsicles on a huge rack-system. Row upon seemingly endless row, she and roommates add up to 2300 souls. Surely, not even that many anymore. Not with a 12% failure rate among the chambers, so far. A defective door seal here.... a blown diode there.... coolant leaks are the worst!

A thousand things can and do go wrong when depending on electronics. Especially so it seems, if the system is designed to keep you alive! There is perhaps no other place in the multiverse where Murphy's Law and the Grim Reaper don't join forces more fiercely than the operating systems of a hibernation chamber!

Going into long-term cryo-dreams, especially for a carbon-based animal, is a gamble that one never takes lightly. It's as close to death, without actually dying, as one can possibly get!

Automated mechanical caregivers on tall telescoping legs, scurry around the complex, offering support to the many sleepers. If the job is low near the deck, they shrink to that level and vice versa if they're needed near the ceiling. Performing critical maintenance/custodial duties, they are totally indispensable for the sleeping population of biologics.

Yet, as with carbon-based workers, these bots also have shortcomings at rare times when accurate maintenance is required. Mistakes that only exasperate the 12% failure rates within the chambers.

Across the globe, similar facilities help the lucky ones wile-away the ages until a time when the surface is once again habitable and friendly. Underground fusion reactors and redundant life-support systems work without complaint, hardly ever calling in sick.

Many people on the surface without fancy support, are way less fortunate. Unless you count that just staying alive no matter what, counts for something. Braving topsides brutal conditions without climate-controlled hibernation systems, is often considered too high a price!

_Self-termination or no, is a daily 'life-choice' for such tortured souls_....

Not having any real choice in the matter, most persevere with pioneer-spirits. Most, wondering just what the blazes has happened to their lives, to the world around them!

It all happened so fast! Nobody, at lease very few, even knew they had neighbors in the solar system. Let alone dastardly ones! With a global government keeping a tight control over information, the mostly agricultural backwoods-society was kept in the dark.

Global-Civil-Defense had no time to warn, or even spread disinformation concerning the surprise attack upon Ankara. With news spreading like molasses due to EMP's everywhere, it was a cosmic checkmate that only a surprise attack can accomplish!

Outside on the surface, above Kira's safe zone, the world is a total disaster. Ice bombs from space, from Hydroshox specifically, have smashed the planet mercilessly. Not tremendous in numbers, but they may as well have been made from iron-nickel for all the great damage they did to the planet's biosphere!

Fire from ice! A sobering cosmic thought! Especially when looking into those seemingly friendly and romantic starry night sky's, yet not thinking of the deadly possibilities hanging just over one's head!

Within her realm of subconscious mind, troubling thoughts of her world's predicament simmers on a back burner. Without true consciousness, everything flows like wet cement, bogging down her need to scream bloody murder.... Her need to be part of _life_ once again!

Someone extremely special, who promised on oath to visit again soon, is quite late in doing so! Trying to push aside the cobwebs of cryo-preservation, she can't tell if time has stopped altogether, or is simply going impossibly slow. Excruciatingly so!

In the subconscious realm of sleep, time has no meaning; it has no teeth! A nightmare of biblical proportions may last a micro-moment, or it might ramble for an eternity. All, without the courtesy of letting the mind know _which is which!_

Suddenly, a familiar presence rocks her lonely, dark universe! A disembodied voice calls whisperingly from the ether of her subconscious mind....

"Kira? .... Kira, are you here? I'm not using the headband now, so I'm not sure but I might be lost.... Kira? .... I don't see you."

"Adam?" She inquires through a haze of disbelief and caution. It's not the first time her mind has played such an evil trick. "Is it truly you?"

"I'm here again, as promised." The young human swoons, having finally locked with Kira's subconscious mind. "I missed you, my cosmic pumpkin."

"I missed you too, Adam! Won't you wake me? I'm having the most dreadful dreams!" The lovely sleeper begs of her soulmate, suspecting it can't be done. Not yet....

"I can't do that my lovely supernova. My body is still not here, and I'm not able to affect anything as a dream thread. I just want you to know my precious, that I've not forgotten you. Soon I'll truly be here and free you from that wretched chamber! I'll bring friends. Friends you'll love. Then I promise you, we'll have a nice little chat with those nasty neighbors of yours who like throwing snowballs from hell!"

"Oh, please hurry Adam!" Kira begs, trying to be brave. "This chamber is sucking the life out of me! This body.... my mind.... they aren't meant to be held down so!"

"Just a little longer, my dear heart. Take comfort in knowing that I'll soon begin the journey between galaxies. Soon, we'll hold each other for real. Let that give you the strength to sleep just a little longer, a little deeper. I love you, Kira!"

The sleeping lad of the good ship Revenge speaks lovingly as his impossibly thin thread of dream-state, dissolves back into his corporeal body with a snapping torque on his psyche. Nearby, Omari and Talia attend his needs, ever-attentive as always.

Adjusting back to full consciousness, he ponders how he _conveniently forgot_ to tell Kira what he had witnessed on his way to visit her.... Hundreds of Hydroshoxian spaceships entering the atmosphere of Ankara, taking up residence in the deep oceans of her world so recently devastated from above!

It doesn't take a rocket scientist, although Adam is one, to figure out that the takeover and alien terra-formation of Ankara had begun .... _in earnest it has!_

After all, how best to save your species precious ass from a frozen extinction, than to destroy the uncaring neighbors who were too stuck-up or just plain ignorant, to help! Cosmic retribution is a dish best served cold, and that's just what the Ankaran's got!

Also, doing the dirty deed, done dirt cheap, with ammunition that melts as it works, doesn't hurt either! Hit them below the cosmic belt and leave no evidence. Then, move-in.... lock, stock & proverbial barrel!

There was no need to worry his dearest with such information. After all, she's barely hanging on as it is, without worrying about something she can't control.... Some nightmares are better off not upgraded! Like a box of chocolates, you never know what's you'll get, especially if you hope to pick and choose!

# Hydroshox: A water & ice world; freezing to death!

88-million-miles west of Ankara, the ice covered waterworld of Hydroshox is dying on the celestial vine. Radioactive decay which has heated the liquid-metallic core for billions of years is losing steam, giving up the good fight. Woe is Hydroshox, as meaningful fixes are way beyond the grasp of their current technology!

Ancient convection currents that stir sub-crustal oceans, providing energy for life, can no longer reach the lofty underbelly of the now ever-thickening mantle. Flowing like wet cement, the currents cool rapidly after leaving the core behind. They've become anemic and pitiful!

Ages prior, before things got so out of whack from the singularity's drive-by fruiting which slung mother star system into the void, Hydroshox enjoyed life with a binary companion. Another ice-planet. Joined gravitationally at the hip, life was good as each offered the other tidal friction that helped keep the planets heated.

For Billions of years, the pair of cosmic ice cubes danced the nights away while orbiting each other as they circled mother star. Then, comes the tiniest of solar mass blackholes! Uncaringly, like an invisible wrecking ball, it gave the solar system a drive-by swiping, sending one of the doppelganger ice worlds careening into space with no chance for survival!

With the purest of frostbite nipping at the toes and gills, it won't be long now before the Grim Reaper claims yet another world, offering no mercy as usual! To make matters worse, even though it won't happen for a long time, is that its sun is on a collision course with our own beloved galaxy.

Times are often rough within multiverse realms, and for us still living within the Milky Way, the future collision with Andromeda will be one for the record books!

While Hydroshox and Ankara will be vanguards of such a collision, chances are they won't perturb even the tiniest of solar systems as they enter. With frictionless grace, they and mother star will slip past like lonely ships in the night, without making nary a single gravity wave or other commotion of note.

Andromeda on the other hand, being at least twice the size of the beautiful Milky Way, will not enter so gently. There will be blood.... both animate and inanimate! At a speed of 250,000-mph, she'll rock our worlds! Even then, the mixing will be quite tame. A few dents and minor fender-benders might be the worst. Apparently, there's a lot of space in outer space!

On the surface of this doomed world of Hydroshox, the night is morbidly dark, cold, and quite foreboding! Tall crater walls close in all around upon those who've recently trespassed from the ocean below, spooking psyches that're already on edge.

This journey to the outer reaches of their world, leaves everyone feeling vulnerable, seemingly naked. With only a flimsy spacesuit between themselves and a most horrible death, they sure don't like leaving their spaceship, that is really little more than a submarine.

Not a molecule of breathable oxygen can be found on the frozen surface. In the ice under one's feet _yes_ , but quite unbreathable in its present form. Hard vacuum rules the gloom, right down to the tips of icy space boots!

These are civilian scientists, who've been ordered to venture topside and report how the world had healed after being harvested for war projectiles. It just wouldn't do if the huge divots didn't fill with water, healing themselves and hiding the evidence. They do so with eyes wide, and gills consciously throttled-back, trying not to over-consume precious oxygen.

At nearly 7-feet-tall, they tower over the local icy terrain, scanning for dangers.

It's not often, and in fact extremely rare that this species is forced to use such an artificial lifeboat as a spacesuit.... the multiverses smallest spaceships they are! And these spacesuits aren't just _any_ kind either. While they provide the same level of life-support as humans require (oxygen, heat & whatnot), that's where the comparison ends.

With occupants that are Octopus-like in physiology, the suits are filled with an oxygenated liquid that only a sea creature can truly love. Because the suits offer huge resistance to movement by legs that normally swim and not walk, the multiple appendages are hydraulically actuated via direct mental links.

These suits provide awesome life-support while offering a level of mobility and comfort that only high-tech, sentient creatures could invent and put to good use.

Standing on an icy ridge just outside their spherical ship, they notice that the recently created hole through which their ship traveled to the surface has filled and froze shut, effectively locking them outside of their world until the process is reversed.

It's a strange eerie feeling, being on top of the world in such a way. Only recently has their technology afforded such a lofty goal. Just 100-years-earlier, the people of Hydroshox had never known the outside void even existed. Since then, their known universe has inflated dramatically! Only to have an icy end. Oh, how cruel the universe, thinks they!

Dim, far away galaxies offer illumination teasingly, but are quite ineffectual at the task. What meaningful light there is, comes from a distant motherly star, and what's reflected from a neighboring planet Ankara, a planet recently attacked by the Hydroshoxian military complex in an attempt to take what is required for survival.... a different world!

Crater wall shadows are so muted as to blend with an eeriness that would raise goosebumps on most sentient creatures. But the people of this tiny world, are a breed of animal that don't scare easily. Being octopus-like in shape and strength, they can certainly hold their own in a knockdown drag-out. Male or Female, they are born ready to rumble!

But what _does_ scare them, and increasingly so lately, is the ever-thickening ice that is the roof of their watery world. When this upper-crust was first discovered, it averaged 38-miles thick. It's now surpassing an average of 110-miles and mercilessly thickening! Soon, the ever-cooling core will give up the ghost and buy the farm, radiating effective heat no more! Of course, by that time, all life would be long gone to Davy Jones' cosmic locker!

Inch by inch, mile by ever-deepening mile, it encroaches on the masses who call the inner ocean home. Not all of the differing creatures are sentient. Not all understand the gravity of the situation, or the calamity building to disaster. Soon, the tiny world will be a cosmic snowball, frozen quite solidly in fact!

The military complex of Hydroshox, having exhausted all avenues for obtaining assistance from neighboring Ankara, launched a preemptive strike as ultimate payback for such selfish behavior. When push comes to shove, a people will do what's needed to get the job done.

Survival of the fittest, survival of an entire species, generally begins with an attack and ends with a decisive battle. Winners; take all! Losers; get off the planet or suffer a brutal death! A cosmic elbow in the face is just what the doctor ordered, thinks those who throw cosmic snowballs through outer space!

Due to their lack of caring, when it would have been most effective against the cosmic chill, they had actually brought the attack onto themselves, thinks the Hydro's. The truth of the matter is, that neither peoples are very knowledgeable in the fine art of diplomacy.

Arguments on the Ankaran side of the issue, is what would happen if those horrible squid things got into the oceans of Ankara? Of course, that would be the only possible way that meaningful assistance could be provided.

Yet to move over and share the limited resources of Ankara with a known competitor? Especially such ugly and slimy ones? Certainly not, thinks those at the top of the Ankaran food chain! Besides, Mother Nature singled out those water-creatures for extinction. And as everyone knows, it's not nice to fool Mother Nature!

Competition for resources can bring out the worst behavior in any animal; sentient or not! So, in a major way, mother nature is at fault on both sides for instilling such callousness through the conditioning power of evolution. Dog eat dog.... Survival of the fittest.... these are the monkeys on the back of any species that came up through the ranks of the primordial goo. Cosmic street-rules apply when the chips are down!

The group of scientists look into the grand void above, pondering the beautiful neighboring world which hangs like a wonderful jewel in the black sky. It seems normal, just another dot of light. But if one were to look closer, it would be seen that things are far from normal! Global winter, albeit artificially caused by bombardment from space, has taken the world down a horrible path. A horrible path indeed!

"It seems the ammo-dump has filled in nicely." Moxon observes the grand vista of ice flows and craters that're splayed in front of them just outside their tiny inner-world-spaceship.

Not being trusted with a ship that can leave the planet, the scientific research team and vessel have reached the outer limits of capabilities. But now, full in the faceplate, an eerie white vista flows like a magic wonderland that few Hydroshoxian's have seen in the flesh.

"You can't even tell where our little ice-bombs came from. The land healed well." Sharox adds absentmindedly with a hypnotic tone, still awed at such grandeur which totally eats her face.

"Little?" Tolya chides venomously. "Those so-called _little chunks_ were multi-billion-ton behemouths!"

"Just a figure of speech my sweet little algae bloom. Don't go and blow a head gasket. Your suit would just spray a wonderful snowstorm for us others to enjoy." The smartass male scientist retorts jovially, as is his way.

"Oh, for the love of ice crystals!" Sharox exclaims teasingly. "Tolya? Are you going soft on us? Is that a comment built on sympathy for those airbreathers next door that refused to help us?"

"Airbreathers?" Toyla inquires exasperatedly. "Those you callously call _airbreathers_ , aren't breathing such good air these days, are they?! Not to mention the tiny fact that 99% of them had no say in the negotiations. We just elbowed the entire civilization in the cosmic face for a crime perpetrated by a minuscule number of people."

"Okay you two." Moxon cuts in, so sorry he had brought up the subject. "Either stop with that kind of chit-chat, or switch to personal frequencies. Oh, what the hell.... switch anyway. You never know who might be listening. I'm guessing that none of us wish to be taken for a session of attitude adjustment, if you get my drift."

"Copy that." Tolya submits to the directive from group commander, remembering her place in the grand scheme of things. "I forgot myself for a minute. It won't happen again."

"Not to worry. Before this is over, I'm sure we'll all do the same from time to time." A gurgled laugh flows from his comm-link, made the more comical as his chittering beak clicking a staccato against his faceplate.

"Get a grip Moxon." Tolya jokes "Don't go and break that faceplate. My goodness wouldn't the make a snowstorm!"

"Good one my dear. I forget about my extra-long beak. And it doesn't help that I had to be poured into this suit."

"Well, no more ice cookies for you my friend." Sharox inputs laughingly, adding. "At least the ammunition restored itself nicely." Sharox inputs. "Let's just hope we don't have to repeat the procedure ever again."

"We won't." Moxon responds sadly. "Our world is dying.... freezing to death.... and another unnecessary and spiteful attack on an innocent neighbor that wouldn't help us, won't change that cold-hearted fact. We have no other options. We have no one else to reach out to. We're history! All life on our little world will be dead inside of 100-years!"

# Ganymede rising!

Just beyond Jupiter's cosmic horizon, the moon of Ganymede shines like a jewel in the night. Aurora borealis, dances with romantic passion at its poles. In high orbit above its icy surface, the mega-behemoth Nerezza is receiving necessary upgrades before taking aboard a team of Naiad scientist for the long journey to Andromeda. Inside one particular workshop, earthling humans and android friends finish with repairs to poor old clumsy Herculon.

"Coop. Won't you be a dear and hand me that wrench? It's just out of my reach." Alice Beaufort requests pointingly of her doppelganger other self. "No, the one next to that."

Cooper reaches but is too slow! Ever-attentive Xeno beats the young engineer to the punch. Proudly, the liberated dog-bot delivers the requested tool, head held high. It reminds him of the steel bones he used to chew on as an electronic pup. Sitting close, he watches as Alice and Toby torque the fasteners holding Herculon's new faceplate and side-antennas into position.

"Thanks, Xeno." Alice replies smilingly, patting the mechanical mutt on the head. "You sure are a good boy after Aerima gave you that electronic lobotomy. I'm real glad we didn't have to destroy you back at Pascora."

"My goodness Alice," Cooper jokingly responds, "I can already see that we're going to have to replace those mechanical arms with extendo versions!"

A roll of android eyes & electronic chuckle. "Oh, that's rich my doppelganger sis! Although, come to think of it, it's not exactly a terrible idea. I'll ask Cody and Atara to look into it. Maybe even extendo legs too!"

"No.... don't do that. I'm sorry I mentioned it. Suddenly I'm having visions of my beautiful sis having a longer karate reach than me, and that would never do!" Laughs all around, as Alice rubs her chinny chin chin, contemplating the wonderful idea.

"Toby, do you really think Aerima can re-arrange Herculon's electrons to be friendlier towards others, besides just you and Minerva?" Cooper inquires dubiously, happy to change the subject. "I mean, he's bigger than Frankenstein! What happens if he wakes up on the wrong side of the crate and decides to go on a robot rampage?"

"Well, I guess I'll just have to take him down a few notches, like I did last time." Toby responds as she applies just the right amount of torque to a side antenna attach-bolt. "Besides, I have perfect faith in Aerima's persuasive abilities. She did wonders with Thana, back in the day. And Xeno too! Also, Minerva is becoming less mutinous each time the ghost pays a visit."

"Yeah." Jax adds his two cents. "Aerima will install a fake memory that'll shiver his timbers if he even _ponders_ straying from the path of sweetness. And I bet it'll be a good one too! Like maybe a fake memory of how she sicced her demons on him the last time he was bad."

"Oh, Jax!" Cooper retorts venomously, as is her way from time to time with Jax. "She'll do no such thing! My stars the things that come out of your mouth! Don't listen to him, Herc."

"I was wondering when you were going to embarrass yourself, Jax." Torg states matter-of-factly, checking his watch. "Yup, right on time too! Hell, I even feel embarrassed just being your doppelganger!"

"Right on, Torg!" Toby exclaims gleefully. "You've sure got his number! _High-five!_ " The smack echoes through the compartment, as Toby shakes off the pain. Sometimes, Torg forgets just how strong he is, being an android and all....

"Oh brother! Thanks, Torg! Nice way to support your better half!" Jax retorts, so glad to have Herculon's huge frame to hide behind. Sometimes, Torg scares the crap out of him!

"That's okay my fleshy brother." Torg lets him off the meat hook. "I just want you to know, Jax, .... that I spend half my battery power each day just repressing the urge to act like you. With imprinting like that, sometimes I want to just pull my own plug!"

Such a roar of laughter, at Jax's expense! Tears are wiped, as Jax turns fifty shades of red, something not easy for him to do. Luckily though, as if saved by the bell, a gossamer mist of near-nothingness, flows from Herculon's chest-plate with a frosty drop in temperature.... and just as fast as that, Aerima is back on deck!

"My ghostly ears were burning, Jax." She reports from her otherworldly cloud, pointing a misty finger at mister mischievous. "Were you talking about me again? I hope it was something nice, or at least felonious." A haunting laugh leaves those in the area feeling spooked.

"My vaporous beauty," Jax starts with his basic line of bullshit, "as always, I only have the nicest things to say about you, lovely goddess of the underworld. Why just the other day I was saying...."

" _Cooper. Do you copy?_ " Mom's voice, breaks on her radio, cutting Jax smooth-talk.

"Yeah Nyla, I copy. What's up?"

"I'm on the bridge. Cody and Atara are having problems with the forcefields holding our recently teleported bubble of water. The synchronization of the gravity pumps has developed quite a glitch. Haywire comes to mind. They'll explain it better. Please be a dear and drop what you're doing. We need you on the bridge asap. Bring everybody if you like."

"Copy that Nyla. Hey, Toby asks if we can bring Herculon and Xeno?"

"Yes, only if they behave. We don't need the place all wrecked up like they did back home."

"She promises they'll be good. Or die trying!"

"Well, that sounds okay then. Please hurry if you can."

"Copy, Nyla. We'll be there in 30, unless you want to beam us in." Cooper suggest happily, always loving the chance to dissolve and be transmitted to another place, another time....

"It's not quite an emergency yet, so we'll wait for you my dear. Just take the vacuum tube." Mother android directs, not liking to use that damned teleporter any more than absolutely necessary. Especially on her kids!

"Awe jeez!" Jax cut in. "We never get to have _any fun!_ " The maturity-challenged lad jokingly complains, loving the way he feels like a ghost each time he teleports. A ghost that so far, comes back to life after each transmission.

"You come along too Jax." Nyla offers kindly. "Bring Aerima and your brother so they can watch after you. After all, the eyes in the back of my head aren't what they used to be!" Momzilla ends transmission with a teasing laugh.

"Copy, mom." Jax responds absentmindedly as his lovely misty wife crosses the room and melds back into her home away from home android CPU. A chill runs down the spine of all who witness such a bend in the laws of physics as we know and love them.

"My goodness!" Cooper swoons, moving to see if Aerima got home okay. Taking the lovely android's hand, she adds. "You're going to have to teach me that fine trick, missy!" She exclaims.

"Aerima?" Jax inquires. "Is there anybody in there?" He jokes, knocking on her titanium forehead, cringing at hearing what sounds hauntingly like an echo!

"Oh, nice one, mister romantic." Torg responds for the helpless android laying on the gurney. Taking her hand, he feels an electricity working inside, lessoning his worry. In his metallic heart of hearts, he knows that human Jax will only have her for a few decades at most. A tiny blip in time, considering _his_ estimated lifespan, provided no deadly surprises. Thousands of years without upgrades is just what the doctor ordered for this android, thinks he!

"I do my best. I'm only human, you know."

"Yes, I like that limitation." Torg responds cruelly, noticing movement from Aerima.

A leg twitches from electro-polymer muscles. A quivering shiver from near-dead arms, tells her mates that the melding is right on track, as usual. Fears of catastrophe or even worse during such an event, have thankfully been found anemic and wanting.

As usual, long moments pass as the ghostly Aerima reacquires synchronization with her CPU and other micro-processors. As with each time she arrives back home, a re-haunting of the mechanisms takes time. Spooling up commands from her ghostly central-processor and into her bodies motor-functions, brings waves of blissful ambrosia!

Like lowering into a hot bath drawn just right, she relishes once again having a body that can interact with her old ways of doing things when still human. Swooningly, she feels her new body come back to life! A warm glow flows through her electro muscles, offering promise of continued life as an almost-human again!

After putting all her little electrons in a row and running a few systems-checks, she opens her lovely mechanical-peepers and gazes blue-eyed upon the world around. Being more of this universe now, instead of a ghost all the time, she feels like a real mortal again and less like a trans-dimensional hobgoblin. Even though lovely.... still just another hobgoblin, she thinks....

"Yes, I'm home again Jax." She says sexily as her circuits soak up the drug-like feeling of being alive once again. Reaching, she brings him down to her lips and imparts a heartfelt yet cold smooch. "And it feels so good too!"

"Wow!" I ain't been kissed like that since.... since like forever! Another! Another!"

"Not yet." Reaching she offers the same to a very receptive Torg. "Thanks for those kind words tinman."

And while it's not easy for an android to blush, especially one of mocca complexion, Torg manages to pull some shades out of his circuits! "Awe shucks!" Comes the only reply he could muster with circuits in a heated tizzy.

Before the love fest continues too far, Aerima consoles her great friend. "Coop.... please don't ever wish to learn such trickery as I do outside this mechanical body. Because for such a trick to be learned, the prerequisite is a real killer, believe you me!"

Upon entering the 5-mile spherical bridge of the monstrous Apollyon ship Nerezza, it's easily seen that big changes are afoot; or rather, overhead! The gang moves towards the command and control area in a crouched manner. With a virtual sword of Damocles hanging just over their heads, they approach wearily, much like one might a helicopter with rotating blades.

But this _thing_ overhead.... this huge drop of alien moon water is not rotating. It's just very big and imposing; _and agitated!_ It's the epitome of having an 800-pound gorilla in the room! Chaotic waves on its forcefield surface, ripple and swell, telling of major synchronization problems in the containment system. And at only 200-feet above the deck, it's definitely in your face!

Filling the grand void inside the bridge, by way of electromagnetic suspension, is the future habitat for the Naiad science team traveling to Andromeda. Apparently, they need lots of elbow room. Or more accurately, their food supply needs such, as they eat fresh, not processed fare. So, a nearly 5-mile bubble of Ganymede water is being installed within the non-gravity zone. Such a crazy endeavor speaks volumes of the deep respect humans have for the Naiad civilization!

It's a wet-bubble within a dry-bubble, and close quarters for sure! The artificial sun-globe once at the center of a grand void, which had illuminated the bridge for thousands of years, has been removed and replaced by many smaller versions near ground level.

It's an ocean soon to be filled with real life too! That is, if the bugs and glitches can be worked out! Trillions of tons of water, recently teleported straight from the depths of Ganymede, fill the wondrously huge droplet. Albeit most recently, a very _turbulent_ sac of fluid!

In this tremendous _island-ocean_ , the Naiad scientific team and first astronauts of their species, will hopefully live and thrive inside the universes only liquid-spaceship. A liquid spaceship _nestled-within another spaceship to be sure_ , but a spaceship all the same!

All made possible by forcefields acting as the electromagnetic skin of the ocean-spaceship, much like a thin layer of rubber acts as the outer casing of a party balloon.

But now the skin of this bubble is turbulent. Truly an angry sea in the sky! One that must be tamed before occupants dare trust their lives. For the intrepid crew of the Revenge, any danger is taken in stride. All in a day's work. Still.... this thing is big! To not be somewhat nervous, should mean that you're either very foolish.... or very dead!

With synchronization of the forcefields gone wild and catawampus to smooth sailing, all fear a break in the system will pour crushing water down on everyone's heads!

"My stars above!" Talia laments, not happy with the latest expedition members exotic requirements. "I sure hope this Naiad-challenge is worth it! My stars above!"

"Now now, my dear." Omari is there for her, with his own android timbers shivered to the bone from the tempest just above. "We'll get through this, one way or another."

The stormy sea above, laughs at the fear it brings! "If the Naiad people are willing to put their suction-cups on the line for adventure," Wil imparts, "it would be a sad day in the slipstream if we didn't accommodate. Or at least make an honest effort. Don't you think?"

"Well, if you put it that way.... I guess so." Talia responds, still not too happy at seeing the whole endeavor seemingly out of control.

"Yes, that's right Minerva." Thana friendlily relates, trying not to show anxiety at the present happenings over her head. "Once upon a time, this used to be all mine. Except for that damn water bubble anyway!"

"Where are the others of our kind?" Minerva inquires.

"Still sleeping, until we can wake them with a fresh outlook on life."

"Sleeping eh?" Minerva inquires with an attitude. "Will you keep them prisoner _forever_ my dear?" The now cleaned and polished Apollyon goddess asks with a mutinous tone.

"Yes, well we'll leave that subject for another time. All in due time as they say; all in due time." She repeats, adding. "Just be happy that after what you did, you're not sleeping as they."

"Oh, my galaxies!" Minerva feigns hurt. "Those days of threatening to destroy everything are over. You have my electronic word on that."

Bending down, Thana pats Cosmo the German Shepard as he passes wide of Minerva with his new best friend in tow. Xeno is a real pal now. Especially after removal of his little teleportation-prison and getting an electronic-lobotomy.

"Well, just be sure there are no glitches in the matrix, Minerva. Or pow.... straight to the moon!" She jokes seriously, shaking her fist menacingly yet offering a smile.

"Yes, well....

"Now now, ladies!" Wil intercedes before the tempest above, morphs into a tempest right in his face. "Can't we all just get along? Up there, that's the worrisome thing. Let's stay focused on that, so we can be on our way to find the Grey's and Adam's dream girl."

"So, what's with the heavy seas up there?" Amy inquires wide-eyed as they sneak underneath.

"Yeah," Magnus fearfully asks, "and what happens if the forcefields fail?"

"I don't think I like this very much" Rax whispers at Prax, giving him an elbow in the side as they approach the command station.

"Oh! Just keep going." Toby prods impatiently. "By the way, we don't have to walk like apes! Stand erect, I say! Stand erect, damn you! My goodness, are you man or machine?"

"Machine!" Rax yells, sounding wounded that Toby would ask such a thing, and not sure if her attitude is meant for him or dear brother Prax!

Luckily, the young android's doppelganger biologic brothers, Nolan and Keith respectively, are there to redirect Toby's rage, much like they would do with a mean old Toothy while on the hunt!

"Be nice Toby. I mean, _please be nice, dearest one?_ " Keith begs his headstrong mate. "Have some mercy sweetums. You know it's only natural to get the heebie-jeebies standing under such a thing.

"Pffffffttttt! Bunch of silly wusses is all! Are you sure you used to hunt Toothy's?"

"Oh, that's below the belt, Toby! Even for you!" The lad pouts, pointing at his scarred face. "I mean, just look me! Chucky never looked so bad! Of course, I hunted Toothy's!"

"Yeah, sorry lover boy. I was sure out of line that time. I guess if truth be told, I'm nervous too.... And by the way. You look awesome, scars and all.... Prax gots nothin on you there! I mean, just for the record."

"Okay you guys, knock it off." Wil interjects rudely. "We've bigger fish to fry." Dad reminds, pointing up at Moby Dick's little cosmic pond.

"Yeah yeah, pops." Toby retorts, her jets cooling quickly. "Uh, sorry Wil.... so, what exactly do you have for us this stormy day at the beach?"

"Toby.... Cooper." Nyla calls as the group arrives at the workstation under the tempest above. "Let's focus. I've called Cody and Atara. They'll be here soon with up to date details. Besides, who's better at details than the engineers in charge of such a monstrosity?"

# High Seas onboard the Nerezza

"Hello everyone, sorry we're late." Cody greets as he and Atara arrive from a nearby workstation on the Nerezza's now-crowded bridge. "Sorry to say, but it looks like we must journey to the control center of this little drop of water hovering overhead. The main forcefield processors need tweaking, and as you all know, that's where we'll find them."

"Max, you and Shirley are coming with us." Atara announces the duty roster while indicating a tower platform reaching up to the bubbles forcefield interface. "as are Coop, Toby Razzi, Surri and Harper."

Above the deck-plating of the spherical bridge, where once a grand void of pressurized weightlessness existed, the space is now filled with a turbulent sea, tucked snuggly inside an electronic balloon of sorts. For those who enter the once expansive bridge, claustrophobia becomes a force to be reckoned with!

Not far above everyone's heads, shimmering waves of unstable forcefields and twisted gravities, extend to the curved horizon of the stormy sky. The entire surface of the liquid mass is now a quivering, pissed-off entity, angry at the universe for being treated so disrespectfully!

Without proper synchronicity, the electronic skin of the sea could burst, ruining everyone's day! Not that it would immediately fall and crush everyone, but it would certainly be a downpour of biblical proportions as the water breaks up and enters the gravity zone that hugs the interior of the sphere to a height of 100-feet.

Not far from the Nerezza's main command-consoles, at the top of a 200-foot-tall tower/platform, a reverse airlock of sorts is melded with the electronic-membrane and into the sea beyond, providing access to the as of yet unoccupied dwelling.

The interface-airlock is a work of art, engineered by brilliant minds. Connected to the airlock, an earthling submersible is parked next to a Naiad vessel with pilots already onboard. It's a wet-sub, completely filled with water so as to accommodate the octopus-like people of Ganymede without them having to wear bulky spacesuits.

"Wow, I've never seen the airlock shake like this!" Cody laments apprehensively. "Hey Brax, are you sure this thing is safe?"

"No idea my mechanical friend. But we've no choice, so it's probably safe enough I guess. Let's take old Davy for a spin through the deep sea and fix this mess." Braxton announces as they enter the sub and close the airlock hatch.

"Davy?" Cody inquires with raised eyebrows.

"Yeah. That's short for _USS Davy Jones' Locker_. Me and Magnus figured it was a good enough name, seeing how we don't really know what we're doing with this thing and will probably kill us all today anyway."

"Well, you guys surely are rookie sub drivers, that's for sure." Shirley adds her two cents with a morbid laugh, "Just don't drive us into the electronic wall and we'll be fine."

"Naw. Don't worry Shirley, I was just kidding." Magnus cuts in confidently. "We've plenty of time in the simulator, so fear not."

"And with a flip of the power switch, the trained monkeys begin a short checklist just to help with not becoming killed this fine day." Braxton informs over his shoulder, adding. "So, strap in and get comfortable. Razzi, please inform our friends that we'll be departing soon."

"Aye captain. I'm in touch with commander Arcon now. They're ready to go."

If truth be known, a hidden dread nips at the psyches of each human pilot, as they prefer more open and unlimited spaces to fly. While the bubble of ocean is nearly 5-miles-diameter, that truly pales in comparison to what's normal for them. Much more forgiving of navigational errors, outer space is!

"Okay! I hope everyone's ready!" Magnus informs boldly. "Cuz here we go!"

The sub gives a mighty jolt when released from its mag-clamps but is now free from the harrowing effects of the shaking airlock attached to the turbulent surface. "We're clear, Braxton. Just go deep and follow the beacon."

"My goodness!" Cooper swoons as Magnus remotely turns on interior lights located throughout the bubble of water. "I've never been in here like this.... it's wonderful! I can see for miles!"

Past the portals, many differing types of sea creatures sail. Some, bumping their tiny alien heads against the front portal and bouncing off dizzily. Oblivious to the landlubbers who intrude with their fancy machines, they go about their own lives, wondering why home seems so different lately.

Most of the creatures were teleported from the icy moon with the tremendous amount of water that filled the ocean. There was no filtering, so a good cross-section of Ganymedean lifeforms are present. High demand food-source creatures were added extra, just to be sure the scientists don't starve to death during their first-ever space adventure.

Gazing out the portals, it seems to be snowing as life-forms zoom past. If not careful, the pilots and crew may become fatally mesmerized by the siren of the sea that eats their faces from the surreal beauty just beyond the glass. Autopilot saves the day, as Braxton kicks back somewhat for the 30-minute ride through a cosmic raindrop.

"It's smooth sailing now. Right?" Harper says, rubbing a growing bump on his forehead from the rough release at the airlock.

"Just keep yer helmet on, me boy." Cody suggest wisely. "There might be things in this ocean that'll go bump in the night. In fact, I want everyone to stay strapped in until we dock."

"No prob cap, good idea." Harper cinches his chin strap and harness.

"Hey Surri." Braxton calls with esp. "How're our friends doing? Did they get away from the airlock okay?"

"Oh yes. Everything's perrrrrfect so far." She finishes wispily, leaving a warm fuzzy feeling in Braxton's mind.

"Great. Thanks, Surri. You and Razzi keep a sharp lookout now. We transported a lot of other stuff with this water, and some of it might be big and angry."

"We'll do our best, but we're not used to such conditions. You see, the density of the water makes it difficult to get a read beyond any meaningful distance."

"No prob.... _what the hell?!!_ " Braxton yells as the sub shakes violently! Jerking upright in his seat, he knows in his heart of hearts that an angry Ganymede beastie is chewing on his ship!

"Anything Surri? Razzi? Should we electrify the hull?" Magnus inquires just as the vessel enters smoother waters, still on track for the station.

"Oh, now I've heard everything!" Cooper laughs belligerently before the Zenarawan's can react. "We're just going through shockwaves caused from the stormy surface is all. Relax, we've not seen the last of them I'm sure." She warns just as the ship takes another heave, leaving some feeling green behind the gills.

"Well, let's just hope you're right Coop." Max nervously observes, glad to see the portals free of monstrous squid arms trying to get the squirming morsels within.

"Coop is right, Brax." Razzi informs. "We're not sensing anything to suggest otherwise."

"Thanks, Razzi. We're almost there anyway." Braxton responds. "I see we're coming up on the Naiad living quarters, and the computer station is just a little beyond that." No sooner did he finish, when the facilities airlock lights illuminate.

"Well, I'm guessing our friends are stopping in to see their new digs." Max surmises. "They can't help us in the computer stations anyway. That place is for airbreathers only."

Further ahead, a spherical dot of a shape, which is the control station, emerges from the shimmering depths. Toby finds her voice. "My, but doesn't that thing look like a nerve cell? I mean, with all those cables extending into the depths, it sure seems like a neuron."

"Yup, it sure does!" Cooper agrees. "Mother Nature on a macro scale."

"Ditto." Magnus responds, trying not to become mesmerized. "Everyone, keep an eye peeled for cables or other important stuff we don't want to run into." A chorus of aye-aye's flow through the cabin as faces are plastered to the portals, eyes wide.

"Surri and Razzi." Braxton directs. "Contact Arcon and inform him that we're nearing the control center. We'll keep him informed as we learn more of the situation."

Unfortunately, for the Naiad team going on the journey, their lives will depend on human technology working satisfactorily at all times. So far, with the heavy seas all around, confidence is not exactly overflowing within the science team from Ganymede!

Slowing, Braxton deftly approaches the deep control-station. Through a tight corridor engineered to be free of cables, he seeks the airlock clamps. The station is moving, swaying to-and-fro as the forcefields near the turbulent surface are yanked rudely.

"Whoa, Nelly!" Braxton demands as he and Magnus suddenly have their hands full. "Looks like we're not out of the woods yet when it comes to shaky airlocks this fine day!"

With Magnus's added skill, they manage to coax the little sub to engage with the mag-clamps on the airlock. Suddenly, the energy of the moving station is transferred into the sub's structure, giving everyone a bucking bronco ride!

"My stars!" Shirley yells, grabbing Max for support as the ship rocks heavily. "This cruise is going to be more fun than the brochure promised!"

"Yup. More bang for your buck, that's for sure!" Max jokes, patting his better half on the cheek for good luck.

The station is a tiny structure when compared to the surrounding sea. Being spherical of shape at about 90-feet-diameter, it holds back the immense pressures well. There are hundreds of electrical cables extending in all directions into the inky depths. At the other end, they're connected to the many grav-pump forcefield generators that create the electronic skin of the gargantuan water drop.

"Okay, listen up." Cody takes the reigns. "You boys man the helm." He directs at Braxton and Magnus. "Watch her good. She's all we have to get out of here alive. Everyone else, watch your P's and Q's inside. The quarters are cramped, so try not to step on each other's toes."

"Yeah, no hijinks, knuckleheads!" Harper fearfully orders. "Hey! Has anybody seen my battle helmet?"

"Oh, my stars! You're wearing it, mister numbskull!" Toby drives the blade twistingly deep, as is her way.

"Oh yeah! Thanks sis! I knew we brought you along for a good reason! Do us a favor and try not to stink so bad when we get in there, huh?" The lad laughs, wafting the air.

"Good one!" Toby reply's curtly, always giving Harper plenty of latitude for his attitude. "I hope your last Will and Testament is up to date. Accidents happen."

"Okay, knock it off, chowderheads." Cody warns. "The air has equalized, so here we go." And with the push of a button, the hatch spirals open with just a hint of complaint.

A blast of cool dry air against their faces, tells Cody the positive-pressure requirements of the facility has not been violated. Humidity and electronics don't make good bed fellows it seems!

Into a dimly lit companionway the mechanics make their way into the depths of what is essentially a computer processing hub. A nerve center for the day to day operations of the ocean containment system.

"Well, everything _looks_ fine so far." Cooper puts out there as they snake their way through a labyrinth of dark catwalks between towers of computer processors and cable-bundles. Hidden deep within the facility, a mini fusion reactor keeps everything powered. The atmosphere is dry and stale, with a hint of nasty ozone. Just what a human body abhors!

"I know, looks don't matter." The lovely engineer corrects herself. "Electronic problems don't usually show themselves to the world, but sometimes it helps to just keep one's eyes open.... Well, my my! Would you look at that crumpled wreckage up ahead!" the blond beauty exclaims after rounding a corner.

Bending down, she examines a pile of broken computer modules, part of a much larger system. Quickly, she spies a rent in one of the metal rack-legs which was trying it's best to keep up its end of the bargain yet failed miserably; nearly cataclysmically for those onboard the Nerezza!

Reaching, she plucks the fractured appendage from the high-tech rubble. "Seems this little fellow took about as much stress as he could." Looking around, she notices.... "Hey Cody, a lot of these leg supports look like they're about to bust. What's up with that?"

"Yeah, and according to these data-plates," Toby adds, "this section is heavily linked to the forcefield synchronization system. Looks like we've got our work cut out, that's for sure!"

"Okay," Cody directs. "Document which computers require replacement and I'll have Braxton and Magnus return to the surface. They'll bring Gort and his team of Grey's to help put new rack-supports in place and whatnot."

"Sorry Cooper.... Sorry everyone." Atara adds guiltily. "We didn't notice the limited load-factor of this section of racks. Our bad."

"Well, better to find out now, then after we're underway." Cooper looks at the bright side. "Of course, that's _usually_ when the dark matter hits the fan, so we'll consider ourselves lucky."

Secretly, Cooper is glad to see that even androids can make miscalculations from time to time. It nearly makes them human! Besides, so far, this mistake hasn't bit them in the ass, so live and let live, thinks she!

# Ganymede; a hero's farewell!

Deep within the frigid oceans of Ganymede, inside the main science and technology complex of the Naiad city of Yaraida, A grand farewell is underway. For the first time in their history, the people of Ganymede are sending emissaries to the stars! Hero astronauts, with more bravery than you can shake a tentacle at!

Razzi and Surri are present as esp translators. They look funny floating in their first-ever spacesuits, grinning ear to ear with furry short-muzzled faces filling the generous face-visors. Nearby, Nyla, Wil, Adam and Kara, are helping as best they can but it's not easy moving underwater in suits that are designed for outer space. Thruster backpacks don't work here!

"Arcon, are you sure you and your friends have everything you'll need?" Razzi esp's jokingly of the Naiad chief scientist. "I mean, we can't turn around if you discover that somebody forgot their toothbrush or nightlights."

The 7-foot-tall Arcon has the greatest laugh, reducing anxiety. His long arms and legs, quiver from the levity Razzi brings to the table. It's a time of sharp stress, so the humor is welcome.

Nearby, families, friends and dignitaries, crowd the observation galleries. Luckily, as sea creatures not using chairs, they hover all about, jostling for the best view. Every now and then, youngsters break from the clutches of mom, zooming playfully through the group of departing scientists and the maze of equipment and boxes also going on the space journey.

"My friend Razzi, you honor me with your concerns. Rest easy in knowing that the only thing we didn't bring, is the kitchen sink." Another laugh, so proud of his fine grasp of alien humor, yet sorry he can't truly speak it. Without esp, the Naiad tongue is just a series of clickity-clackities seemingly not too dissimilar that of the Grey's language and not understandable by the furry Zenarawan's of Oberon Prime.

Gazing around at his team of 20 scientist floating near the recently installed teleportation pads, he sees that everyone is present and accounted for; seemingly eager to start the great journey into the unknown.

None are wearing spacesuits of any kind. In fact, the Naiad people haven't had need to invent such a claustrophobic device, having never been in the vacuum of outer space. Unabashedly, they swim nakedly through their day, except for utility belts that fit snuggly around lengthy torsos while not interfering with the many arms and legs that seems to always be going one way or the other.

Due to this nakedness, the teleportation off-world and into just a relatively tiny speck of habitability, must be an accurate one! If the mark is missed, a Naiad materializing in the hard vacuum of space, is just so much frozen sushi!

The ocean habitat onboard the Nerezza is ready and proven safe, the once turbulent surface of the waterdrop having been tamed by now-synchronous forcefields. The home away from home, which none have ever visited, will be a whole new experience for the multi-appendage moon-dwellers.

While it is just another drop of water to most non-Naiads, it's an _ancestral_ drop of water to them, and that helps soothe the psyche. Yet, even with the generous _elbowroom_ , it's still small enough to give many of the scientists a case of claustrophobic heebie-jeebies.

Not everyone it seems, is comfortable with living inside a bubble of water traveling faster than the speed of light, but what can one do? With thousands of qualified-candidates wishing to go to Andromeda, the chosen few don't dare look a gift-fish in the mouth by complaining about such a tiny thing as close quarters and/or ludicrous speeds!

"Okay Nyla." Kara informs, having just received an esp telegram, "Surri says the Naiad's are ready for teleportation."

Not much startles a person more than witnessing a teleportation event for the very first time! Even though many expected to see something out of the ordinary, the actual seeing of such a thing, confounds the senses. The crowd of observers at the sidelines, jerks away hard, startled to their very cores when the first patriots vanishes in blazes of white light!

Seeing four of their own, suddenly dissolve into shimmering pillars of brilliant light and disappear out of existence, is way beyond comprehension! The fact that _times are a changing_ , is not lost on the many in the seaweed gallery.

"Arcon! Bring me back a t-shirt from Andromeda!" Comes a heartfelt request from someone in the crowd, as the leader of the expedition and last to depart, disappears into nothingness before their very eyes!

The sea is calm and serene, just the way it should be. The temperature is just right, comforting the soul. With the ocean-bubble containment-forcefield properly synchronized and behaving within limits, the surface is as smooth as silk once again.

Deep within this portable drop of water, shimmering bands of light bring forth the new masters of the realm, teleporting in like they own the place, which they do!

"Weeeeeeeeeeeeee!" Maylyn cry's out after her molecules reassemble onboard the good ship Nerezza. The discombobulation and recombobulation leaves her feeling tingly and giddy. Swimming frenziedly about, she nearly mows down several of her shipmates! Razzi and Surri, who grudgingly teleported also, are spun like tops, having been caught up in her wake vortex as she zooms past!

"By the squids of Parzak!" Lonnelli exclaims a series of angered clickity-clacks, not sure which will kill him first; his lovely assistant or the journey to Andromeda! "Don't swim too far away yet! We're not sure where the forcefield is! If you clunk your lovely dome on that, won't you be sorry!"

"Oh, relax Lonnelli! Don't be such a rhombizoid party-pooper!" Maylyn retorts friendlily, swimming circles around her boss's head. "I mean, we're the first of our kind to swim in an ocean outside of our own world! Doesn't that get your blood up?"

"It does my squishy, but let's not let it go to our heads."

"Oh, pish-posh!" Miss excitable retorts. "In fact, last one to the habitat is a big old fat jelly fish's uncle!" And with a mist of exhaust bubbles, Lonnelli leaves everyone in the watery dust!

For the duration of the intergalactic trek, the furry Zenarawan's will be the Naiad's shadows, providing _esp_ translation of thoughts between the humans, Grey's and others who can't handle the spoken. That is, if they can keep up with their charges who swim faster than the dickens!

Nyla has been working on a translation angle, but the Naiad language is as much body movement as it is verbal. The poor dear looks as though she's having an epileptic seizure when trying to communicate.... not a pretty thing to witness! Much worse than Elaine Benes dancing at an office party, that can honestly be said!

They didn't have far to go before reaching the habitat. Soon, it becomes apparent that they have visitors. Attached to one of the airlocks, is a submarine, and not of their making. Peering gleefully from its portals, Cody, Atara, Adak and Avery wave, watching with wide eyes.

Attached to the handle of the Naiad airlock, a small cage containing a group of delicious sea creatures that the moon people are known to be extremely fond of, waits for the new residence.

"Hi Cody. Hi everyone." Surri waves, sending an esp greeting and looking totally awesome inside her little spacesuit. "This welcome basket is nice. Arcon sends his thanks and invites you all inside if you wish."

"Thanks, Surri. Please tell Arcon that we've only time to welcome them to their new home away from home. We'll visit again soon, and hope he finds everything satisfactory. Also, per your mom and dad's request, we're to take you and Razzi back with us. They miss you and feel you could use a break."

"Thanks, Cody." Surri responds happily. "We surely could use some time off. Just give us 10-minutes so we can tour the habitat with our friends.... make sure there aren't any last-moment needs or adjustments before we get underway."

"No problemo my furry friend. We'll be here waiting, whenever you're ready."

# Oberon Prime!

Oberon Prime shines like a glowing emerald as Queen Anne drops out of warped space. Coasting at millions of mph, she ravenously eats the distance. In the aft portion of the circle monitor, the Milky Way spreads like an illuminated butterfly, always breathtaking. Quickly, the beautiful planet fills the front monitor, coming at the ship like a line drive baseball!

"Oh my!" Talia proves she's not sleeping. "Braxton, Magnus, please mind the planet! We're coming upon it too fast! Too fast I say!" The lovely doctor exclaims, hoping Esty doesn't mind some backseat driving.

"She's right boys." Omari agrees, taking her hand. "Put on the brakes before we create a smoking hole in the side of our wonderful world. Consider that doctors' orders."

"Aye Aye, Captain Bligh!" Braxton retorts smartassingly, allowing rudeness to win the moment. Pulling back on the slipstream exposure, feeling the inertial dampeners kicking in, he adds. "I mean aye aye, doc." The smart young man corrects, not wishing to get a rusty bent needle the next time Omari must administer a shot.

Sitting high atop her command throne, the Grey android seem excited to get home. To her, the world can't come at them fast enough! With her real home destroyed and torn asunder by the Apollyon, Oberon Prime is the next best thing! It's the one place that still has living biologic members of her own species; albeit only a number of seven who survived the long cryo-suspension through years past.

Cutting atmosphere, still somewhat in the slipstream, no air molecules are disturbed or squashed as the electronic fog insulates the saucer from interacting with our universe too much. No sonic boom smashes the land below, as the shiny flying machine rips into the thicker soup below. Cosmic Bernoulli of Oberon Prime, reaches for a caress of the Queen's sleek hull but finds no purchase.

"Hey, does anybody down there have their ears on?" Nyla transmits from her workstation at communications.

"Nyla?" Comes the smooth soft voice of Kimora. "My goodness dearie, it's great to hear your voice! Welcome back!"

"Thanks Kimora. I'll soon tell you all about it. Please turn off the defenses. We're coming in hot for a landing."

"Copy that. Deactivating habitat defenses. See you soon."

These days, for the many earthling pioneers on Oberon Prime, life is filled with domestic bliss. Whether human or machine, working the land for food, and seeing the human population increase and grow, brings great satisfaction to the psyche of both species.

Now, hundreds of indigenous humans from the early days have grown, and helping with population increase, using the old fashion, more fun way. While the old gestation tanks are still operational, the numbers of human babies created in the laboratory has decreased dramatically.

Now, Omari and Talia have time to explore the multiverse instead of always shaking and baking new humans or whatnot. While being a satisfying endeavor, working the laboratory 24/7 can become quite tedious at times.

The human animal, as most already know, is very fond of procreation, or at least the act of initiating it. So, as a population of adults come to age, so too the population booms! Apparently, it's a hard thing keeping such a horny species down! Rabbits ain't got nothin' on human beings!

"The Nerezza should be entering orbit soon." Wil announces to the crowd who've gathered at the landing zone. "She wasn't too far behind when we departed Ganymede."

Just then, a dark shadow crosses the land, cooling the heated day, and moving on to another valley. High above, in stationary orbit at 238-miles, the gleaming 120-mile-wide ship is coming to rest not too far away from the space-elevator counterweight, which reflects sunlight from mother star Huon in the same stunning fashion.

"She's quite the site!" Somebody yells. "Is she ready? Did she pass her space trials?"

"She's more than ready! She passed all the tests with flying colors too!" The handsome android informs happily, pointing skyward. "Also, inside that grand ship is a multi-sextillion-gallon ocean-water bubble from Ganymede and 21 Naiad scientists living and working in it too!

"All we need before departure," Nyla yells, "is a whole lot of food and our own brand of water!"

"And space cookies!" Toby yells. "Lots of space cookies!" And the crowd goes wild!

A great party ensues at the commons located between the Einstein and Newton Habitats. From the next valley over, those imported from Titania Alpha, join the festivities, offering great quantities of space whisky and nacho-cheese space chips!

However, as fast as the greetings and _welcome homes_ are showered upon the crew of the Revenge, farewells are nipping at the heals, pulling on the psyches of those who wish to be sad. While the journey to Andromeda and back (provided smooth sailing) will theoretically take only 2-years ships time, it will take 12 years of Oberon Prime time! The ugly thought of not seeing their friends for so long, weighs heavily on those of both sides.

After all, it has been said that Mother Nature, is at her most ferocious and unforgiving of mistakes, whilst traveling the emptiness of her dark, frozen soul; which is of course, outer space! Quite often, that darkness of spirit is most severe inside the grand void between galaxies! A place where all bets are off if one becomes complacent. And often fatal, even without that!

# Look out universe! Here we come!

The dawn breaks gorgeously as Huon sends rays of sunshine into the valleys of Oberon Prime. Dewy drops fall stealthily from the trees, causing a hypnotic effect on those still groggy from the early hour, wishing they'd stayed under the blankets longer. In the near distance, a wonderfully beautiful flying saucer readies to lift. Main hatch closes....

The highlands bordering the landing pad are filled with people numbering near 2,000 (human and others not so much). A party of Zenarawan dignitaries, accompanied by shaman's Yilzari and Torrox, wait patiently to see four of their own off to the stars. Inside the saucer, Surri, Razzi, along with mom and pop, fasten seatbelts against the possibility of a rough ride.

Yilzari and Torrox, are torn with sadness at seeing their clan members and alien friends fly into the spirit world again. They suspect that nothing good can come from leaving mother world for the vast emptiness which rules above the clouds.

Trying to understand the variable nature of time and space, is way beyond their superstitious minds to grasp. How a 2-year journey for their friends, will be equal to 12-years on Oberon Prime, is truly bad medicine in their book!

However, their tearful eyes and spirits are lifted as they each heft the generous bags of gold disks given them by Nyla and Wil; something that will surely help smooth the emotion of losing good friends to the spirits in the night sky. Spirits that sometimes don't give back!

Suddenly, the idled Queen Anne's Revenge wakes from her slumber, shaking off the cobwebs of sleep with an illuminated layer of electronic fog that bathes her smooth shiny skin. At 35-feet-thick, the otherworldly mist is truly something to behold! A product of the slipstream between universes, it provides variable de-phasing, allowing the old girl to go like the solar wind, or tear up space at many multiples of c!

Using the control panels on her lofty command chair, Esty lifts the ship 40-feet and with a gleam in her lovely android eyes, raises the landing gear. The squat peg-legs are sucked into the belly of the beast so fast, many in the crowd wonder if they were ever really there in the first place!

There she hovers, a shiny, 250-foot-diameter, illuminated jewel of Grey-alien technology. A deep throbbing-cadence of power flows from her overwound reactor, flowing across a now fully awake and electrified crowd.

Modified by great minds and hands to handle the demands of intergalactic travel, the redesigned heart of the metallic lady is ready to give whatever is demanded.

All previous manufacturer warranties have been voided, much to the chagrin of Esty, her beloved commander and owner. But she'll do whatever it takes to find her people who travel the great void, deep in forever-hibernation.

With only normal star-drive, used for simple interstellar travel, the Grey species chose a desperate and seemingly suicidal plan to escape the Apollyon scourge. Hunted to near extinction in the Milky Way by their own creation, and severe reproductive issues on top of that, they've thrown in the cosmic towel and given up on the Milky Way, hoping the grass is greener in Andromeda.

Now, the grand lady is leaving, taking dear friends to parts unknown. Leaving Oberon Prime, maybe never to return. While it's not the Queen's first off-world rodeo, it's surely the most dangerous and lengthy, even though for most of the trip she'll rest within the Nerezza.

Hovering just above the heads of the grand multitude, Esty rocks the ship in a _fare-thee-well_ fashion before turning the helm over to the rambunctious human pilots who're chomping at the bits to be on their way. They'll have to fly like the cosmic wind to catch up to the larger ship, as it left orbit an hour earlier for some strange reason....

"Braxton, Magnus; take us into space. Speed is at your pleasure, but don't overdo it." The lovely commander directs rather generously from her lofty central perch, leaving poor old Gort to mentally wince at what's to come.

Lifting the ship safely away from their land-loving friends who've gathered in the thousands to see them off, the wound-up pilots blow off steam....

"YeeeeeHaaaaaaaaaaa!" They yell boisterously, sending Talia's circuits spinning. Ten-feet below their butts, the modified fusion-reactor winds up like an 8-day-clock, sending torrents of power into the sub-light warp-coils.

With great strain on inertial dampening, the flying saucer for all intents and purposes, simply vanishes from view and is gone, leaving everyone on the ground wondering if it were ever actually there in the first place. No sonic blast reaches their ears.

Oberon Prime recedes, glowing like a beautiful jewel in the rear-view monitor as Queen Anne's Revenge races out of the big planet's gravity-well. Outside, Saint Elmo dances in the electronic fog clinging nakedly to her hull, providing slipstream exposure.

"Keep it below 40% slip Mister Crane." Esty orders. "We don't want to overshoot the Nerezza. How embarrassing that would be for you!" She offers a teasing laugh, joined in by the many others seated around the bridge.

"Aye Aye, Commander. Calm your circuits; we'll not overshoot." Braxton replies.

Hellbent for leather, ripping the local dark matter a new cosmic corn-shoot, the Queen tears through space at nearly the speed of light. Soon passing mother-star Huon, she feels the radiation on her skin.

Ahead, the Nerezza zips along at leisure, barely out of idle configuration, having gotten started earlier. Onboard the behemoth spaceship's bridge, Carter, Tina, and others, watch as a silvery speck grows on the big monitor.

Together, they'll brave the grand void between galaxies, hoping that Adam's _dream-coordinates_ are reliable and true. While the Nerezza will do most of the heavy lifting for the long-haul, her slower speed will be compensated for by having plenty of elbowroom. Something not in great abundance onboard the saucer.

Queen Anne's Revenge is much too compact for such a long journey. At only 250-feet-diameter, a sport model really, she's designed more for short hops such as interstellar. Food and energy requirements alone would exceed the entire interior square-foot-area. Much better to rest easy, inside the belly of a true beast!

She'll rest lazily on peg-legs locked to the hanger-deck within the Nerezza, just waiting for her chance to contribute meaningfully to the cause. She's a getaway vehicle really. A platform for bugging out if emergency should strike the Nerezza. If disaster or piracy should rear its ugly head in the middle of the void, her new drive will be sufficient to get them home.

"I still can't believe how big the Nerezza is." Amy says with awe, as the Revenge approaches one of the many hanger bays located on the ships trailing edge.

"It takes up half the circle-monitor!" Magnus reinforces, putting it in perspective as Cooper sends a signal to open a massive iris-hatch on the Nerezza. From horizon to horizon here at the butt-end of the lozenge-shaped monster spaceship, dozens of other hatches are within view yet remain closed, waiting for the day when they too might get to open.

Ahead, darkened space is broken as light spills from the planet-gouger's open hatch, providing a miles-long beacon that can't be missed! Pulling into the cavernous bay, Braxton lands the ship as pretty as you please next to a vacuum tube conveyance system.

"Don't forget where we parked." Adam jokes as they exit the parked saucer. Esty enters commands into her trusty wristband and the ships hatch closes and locks with a double chirp.

"Well if we do," Nyla responds kiddingly, "you'll be a good boy and find it with one of your astral projections, won't you?"

"My stars, Nyla! That reminds me.... I better scout ahead for us now that we're finally underway. I'll take Toby with and see if I can't teach her how to control the dream-state."

"I'm ready." Toby informs, not taking her usual offense at somebody besmirching her control abilities. "You lead the way and we'll just see what we can see!"

Inside the Nerezza's massive bridge compartment....

"My goodness," Talia exclaims, "but doesn't the sky look dreadfully low this evening?" The lovely android inquires of the ocean above, as it hangs motionless just 200-feet-up in what was once a wonderful void in the spherical bridge compartment.

Illuminations from deep within the monstrous mass of liquid water, filter past the shimmering forcefields, reminding of the life within. "I remember a time when this place had real elbow room. I sure hope the Naiad's find their home away from home, satisfactory."

"I'm sure they do, my love." Omari inputs. "No complaints yet, and they've had time enough to settle in."

"Yeah," Nyla agrees, "and they'll need the extra room so's not to go bonkers during the voyage. Remember, they don't hibernate like we do. Or I should say, like our human and Zenarawan companions do."

"Well, don't get me wrong." Talia laments. "I am glad we could bring them along. It's just that their water drop gives me the chills, hanging over us like this. What if something dreadful happened?"

"Dreadful?" Wil inquires, faking a hearing problem. "My dear Talia, out here in deep space, dreadful can come along and bite you in the aft data-port from a million different angles. Don't dwell on just one. Right Omari?"

"Oh, my yes. In fact, don't dwell on _anything_ negative, my lovely. In fact, let's find our quarters and set up for the journey. We have work to do, and I know that always cheers you up."

"Well," Adam inputs, gazing skyward, "at least the sea is calm this fine day. Seems not too long ago it was having conniption fits." All gaze skyward again, noticing the smooth surface of the big ocean bubble. It blots out what was once a priceless view, but hopefully worth it.

"Yup. Smooth sailing on those waters now." Cody beams, huffing his knuckles, polishing them on his chest. "Me and Atara grew some Grey hairs over that engineering project, that I can tell you! And that's not an easy thing for androids to do!"

"Yeah?" Nyla retorts, holding out several Grey strands, "try raising a dirty dozen of human animals! Grey hairs come with the territory!" The crowd goes wild! Some reaching and patting good ole mom on the back....

"Well, all I can say, besides thanking Nyla for her sacrifice," Wil replies with a wink, "is good job to all. Cody and Atara couldn't have done it without you. And without our new drive, our journey would truly be dead in the water."

"Uhemmm!" Thana clears her android throat-speakers, giving Wil a crook eye.

"Oh yes!" Wil adds. "Thanks, Thana, for contributing your big-ass ship and lovey expertise. My, what would we do without you, my dear?!"

"It was my pleasure. At least on a loan-basis that is. One day, I'll be wanting her back, along with the crew who still sleep." She says graciously yet firmly, giving a cool wink to Minerva who really loves the words she's hearing!

"Yes.... well, we'll discuss the terms later my dear.... if we survive this mission." Wil responds kindly, changing the subject. "Now, on another note, while we get underway in the general direction of Andromeda, we'll be needing verification of the coordinates Adam provided earlier. So, Mister Miller. Being that you don't require the headband any longer, perhaps you would enjoy taking Toby for an astral spin and see what you can see up ahead." Father android inquires, bouncing eyebrows for extra enticement.

"I thought you'd never ask!" Adam exclaims. Bravely grabbing Toby's hand, he nearly sweeps her off her feet! "Common woman! I want you to finally meet somebody!"

# The Grey's space freighter

A ship with an unpronounceable name, cruises the great void of space between galaxies. Cutting a miniscule path through mostly vacuum-energy, the ship is 50-years-deep into the great abyss. Behind, is the Milky Way and mega bad memories. Ahead, like a welcoming signpost to a better life, the Andromeda galaxy beckons with grand promise yet is still far far away!

Each of the humongous galaxies, look to be about the size of a silver dollar held at arm's length. Tilted somewhat, they seem oblong but are not. The much more massive of the two, which is Andromeda, races towards the Milky Way at 250,000-mph, but you can't tell without fancy instruments.

Even at great multiples of c, the galaxies seem frozen in spacetime; teasingly so in fact! The only way eyes can notice the great velocity of the ship, is that of the spectral shifting taking place. As the ship zooms away, light from the Milky Way is red shifted. Conversely, Andromeda is blue shifted as they speed head-on into the photons and other cosmic rays coming from that direction.

But nobody onboard notices the awesome phenomenon. All are sleeping. Only the uncaring computers and sensors see the spectacle, which is totally wasted on them!

It's been said that there's a lot of space in outer space. Never do those words mean more, than when so far from home and hearth. In the greatest depths of the void, things can and do go bump in the night. In fact, the emptiness is less a true void, than it is a cosmic shooting gallery!

Every now and then, rogue stars zip through the area, perturbing the ships trajectory ever so slightly, only to be corrected by autopilot. They pass as streaks of light in the night, often trailing Saint Elmo's fire, dancing in their wake. Going nowhere in particular, some drag planets and other cosmic debris along for the lonely ride through the universe. Apparently, misery loves company! Especially if it has the gravity to demand companionship.... and get it!

This territory of deepest space is ruled mostly by dark energy, sometimes referred to as vacuum-energy, always pushing the dark matter filled galaxies around like leaves on a rippled pond. The ripples being gravity waves, of course. Forever, since the beginning of time, it pushes, expanding our universe like a balloon.

The never-ending night is cold and lonely for the ship and sleeping Grey's. Everything is deathly quiet, except for the ever-present drone of the star drive which beats a hypnotizing cadence through the bulkheads, soothing the unconscious minds. Dark shadows loom menacingly, haunting the corridors like evil creatures without souls.

Hibernation dreams, tear at the mental fabric of the sleepers! Even those who're linked into social networks, find it not very comforting or useful like the brochure said. Their dream-states are not focused enough, creating a montage of dream-fragments that meander wildly. Everything becomes mixed and confused. If not for the physical inability, self-termination would he highly preferred to such never-ending mental torture!

The Grey psyche these days, is easily traumatized. After thousands of years of being hunted and destroyed by the Apollyon mechanical fiends, being forced to always find new planets to live on, even their DNA is stressfully bent to a breaking point. To make matters worse, a depleted gene-pool adds extra woes which weigh heavily upon the ancient species.

None of the sleepers stir as cosmic intruders from the frozen void, invade the sanctity of their ship. No alarms scream bloody murder because the two astral travelers sport no atoms or recognizable energies to detect.

Astral-projecting from the Milky Way galaxy, onboard the good ship Nerezza, Adam and Toby have traveled a dream-thread into the vessel to see what they can see.

Through empty corridors and lonely compartments, invisible eyes peek into cryo-chamber view-plates, searching for signs of life within. Most of the crew seems to be hanging in there, but some had chosen the wrong chamber and are now piles of dust, their long journey finished.

The ship started with nearly a hundred-thousand sleepers, but the astral travelers can't get a true handle on number of survivors. Adam estimates it at about 85% which isn't a terrible number really.... considering. It will get worse, as their journey has really just begun.

The survivors lay in their high-tech coffins, seemingly at peace. Long bulbous heads, resting on a space pillow with blankie pulled up to armpits. Spindly arms ending with long-fingered hands, rest at their sides. While they all look the same to the stealthy trespassers, rank insignia and name-patches on their jumpsuits, tell of individuality.

"You know something Adam? That poor thing looks good enough to get buried!"

"I'll say! Jeez, I wonder if he knows Esty and Gort...."

"Yeah, I wonder." Toby responds dreamily, adding. "Well, at the very least, they sure are doppelgangers of our good friends."

"So, you're saying they all look alike?" Adam teases. "My goodness Toby, that seems kind of racist, don't you think?"

"Oh, give me a break, meathead! Say, we better get back and verify the coordinates."

"Awe, no fun! No fun, I say! We haven't been gone too long yet. We'll be back before momzilla blows a gasket and tries to wake us."

"Well, Omari and Talia won't let her do that! So, just what are you proposing? Don't expect too much of me. Remember, I'm still using the training-wheels headband, and will likely go too far again. Remember last time? I think I circled the universe a few times before finding home again!" Toby laments her shortcoming in an ultra-rare admission.

"No prob sis. You just stick with me and I'll teach you the threads! Follow me, I'm taking you to meet Kira!"

On the lonely bridge of the Grey's space ark, ever-dutiful computers awaken prematurely as sensors smell a cosmic rat approaching on their six! In the deepest of space, anything like this must be considered as such, and dealt with appropriately!

Programmed to be hyper-vigilant, the long-range slipstream-sensors, scream a stealthy version of electronic bloody murder! Yet no raucous alarm rocks the ship. No flashing red lights illuminates empty corridors. Rather, signals have been sent to awaken the ships commander and support team. The lucky others continue sleeping the sleep of the undead. Blissfully ignorant, and totally out of the loop.

Science stations and monitors throughout the circular bridge, blink to life with a cadence of electronic chirps and buzzes. The main circle-monitor brightens, sharpening an already awesome panoramic view of the universe! On the aft section of the big monitor, a reddish Milky Way shines proudly. Ahead, a bluish Andromeda beacons with promise, still far far away.

The circle-monitor is sprinkled with what seems to be stars and illuminated specks of dust. Yet these are _not stars or illuminated specks of dust either!_ They are distant _galaxies!_ Hundreds of billions, perhaps trillions are visible in all directions, boggling the minds of those who might chance a peek. Mixed with these, are about 54 closer galaxies which make up our local group, of which Andromeda and Milky Way are among the largest.

Apparently, there's a lot of space, in outer space!

Traveling through the deepest, coldest void between galaxies for the last 50-years, the Grey peoples who sleep the sleep of the undead, have not encountered an anomaly since leaving the Milky Way behind.

Yet now, something rapidly approaches! Still distant enough, but if there's no correction of course, the object will strike! Could it be a torpedo sent to mow them down, the computers wonder? Could it be an Apollyon warship, coming to clean up what they missed last time?

The mighty computers chew and munch on the sour data, hoping to make sense and recommendations for when the masters come calling. It won't be long now! The signal has been sent and received.... cryo-chambers sensors say the biologic beings within have stirred!

The incoming data sends electronic shivers through those computers, as the 'something' they analyze is hard to get a read on, yet horribly familiar. Whatever it is, seems buried much deeper in the slipstream than they. And the deeper the exposure to the slipstream, the faster a ship can sail. Had they even been aware of the _sub_ -slipstream, the computers might have had an easier go of it. Details waver, like trying to see something clearly, just beneath turbulent waters!

The object is closer now, gaining rapidly, the details somewhat sharper! It's _not_ a torpedo as first thought, calming the circuits momentarily. Finally, the size is verified! The object is way huge! And moving much faster than they!

All the data adds up to a cosmic nightmare.... a nightmare not totally unfamiliar!

_Apollyon_! _Apollyon_! The computers yell to each other, shaking in their circuits! A deep dread causes a fogging of calculations. Signals conflict as the computers contemplate arming the ships defenses, not sure if they have the authority. The approaching threat is so great, they spin their wheels in the mud of electronic logic, losing computational traction!

Where are the masters! The computers wonder desperately, chomping at the bit to hand off the horrible responsibility! Apparently, not even fleeing the Milky Way, can guarantee safety these days! The computers shake in their electronic boots, fearing the gruesome fate that comes in from the darkness....

Inside one of many hibernation compartments, painful moans can be heard above the din of cryo-pumps as a dozen chamber lids open. Climbing from the sarcophagus-like chambers, proves the biggest challenge in the last 50-years!

Spindly muscles complain of being brought back from near-dead! Bones creak eerily, as unused limb sockets grind with age and inactivity! Minds are stressed at pondering the news that filled their waking dreams. Was it real? Or a Memorex-illusion from horrible years past!

Apollyon scourge approaches, the computers said! It seems a demented dream, and that's what all hope for. Yet, the very thought that it might truly be, _makes_ it real! With the Apollyon species of murderous machines, one must never take anything for granted!

Wires fall away from sensors and muscle electro-stimulus pads as they groggily shake off the zombie effect of hibernation. With mumbling complaints aplenty, and more than a few stumbles and alien expletives, they head off to the bridge to see what all the fuss is about.

"Oh, blodd! I feel like zzrit!! Can't I hit the snooze for a few more years?" Orak exclaims, trying hard to not refund what isn't even in his stomach yet. Holding back a green heave, he steadies himself against the artificial gravity that pulls so hard on spindly legs. Reaching, he tightens his utility belt, noticing that he had somehow lost weight, which for a Grey, is not a good thing! Not a good thing at all!

"Me too, Orak! I feel your pain...." Grath agrees painfully, rocking his head on spindly neck, feeling the room spin. "But as your commander, I order you to _suck it up_. Don't make me reach and punch you upside that big melon of yours. You won't like it, I guarantee! We're all green behind the gills, but it'll pass."

"My bones hurt!" Comes a painful request from a stooped Arni, the weapons officer, as she stumbles along with hands on her lumbar. "Won't you slow down, commander? I mean, we'll get there when we get there, right?"

"See, Grath?" Orak pushes his luck. "Are you going to bully all of us?"

"Awe for crying out loud!" Grath complains as he doubles his gate. "I'll be on the bridge when you _old folks_ get up to speed."

"Commander!" Orak calls from his science station at long-range sensing. "Computers say something big is coming at us from behind. Right up our tailpipes if we don't do something quick. And all indications suggest it's of Apollyon design!"

Checking his own data, Grath shakes his bulbous head and checks again. "Computers were right to wake us. This looks bad. Why would they follow us out of the galaxy? Didn't destroying our planet appease their mechanical appetites? I don't understand!"

"Well, even understanding won't change the fact that we're soon going to be fighting for our lives again." Arni reminds, hoping the ships weapons systems are up to the task.

"Of course, Arni. I was just thinking aloud." Commander replies, having come to a decision. "You may arm the photon canons, my lovely. On my mark, fire a few rounds past their bow."

"Yes commander. But at this great range, don't blame me if one or two hit them in the nose!" Arni acknowledges with disclaimer, arms flying across her weapons-panel as she makes the necessary aim.

"Do the best you can. If we can dissuade them and avoid trouble, that's the best thing."

"I don't think they'll dissuade easily, commander." Orak reasons calmly. "Nobody chases their prey into intergalactic space, just to turn tail and run. Especially not the Apollyon!"

"Commander!" Arni calls frantically. "Photon cannons are attempting to track but are unable to lock! Whatever's back there.... it's de-phased from what we expect to find in the slipstream. We may soon lose the ability to aim at all. It's now or never."

"Very well Miss Arni." Grath responds, taking a deep breath. "In that case.... fire away!"

# Into the dragon's mouth!

"Esty.... long-range sensors are picking up an anomaly straight ahead!" Jax yells, waking everyone who'd dozed at their post, including Esty herself. Even androids get bored at times. "It's just off our starboard beam.... distance; 2,000-lightyears, give or take." The young man beams, always taking pride in his job.

Aerima, checks his math as the ship rips the universe a new corn shoot at 300-lightyears-per-hour. At this velocity, slowing the ship will tax the drive and warp bubbles tremendously. Best to be sure, and nobody checks trajectory-math better than an ex-human spaceship commander!

"Ships sensors are correct, Esty." Aerima adds a new level of certainty. "Something ahead is running dark and stealthy. It's not an easy read, as the object seems to be in the upper slipstream instead of the sub-slip like us."

That gets the commanders attention! Even Gort perks his gnarly, bulbous head, grinning deviously from ear to ear. Not an easy thing for a Grey! His blood runs hot, it's been too long since a good plundering!

"Easy there Mister Gort." Nyla offers with a wink and line of clickity-clackities. "If this is who we think it is, there'll be no pirating or plundering to be done."

The Nerezza and crew has been traveling steady at sub-slipstream velocities for 7-months, so the news is medicine to everyone's ears. Any break in the routine is a welcome one!

So far, nobody has hibernated. Not with _so much to do_ onboard the huge ship. Projects aplenty, keep hands and minds busy. Just exploring the Apollyon prison-zoo of aliens and their spaceships, is another story unto itself! And working with the Naiad's and maintaining their drop of water that's suspended inside the bridge, takes great amounts of time also.

"Ha! Anomaly my foot!" Adam exclaims joyfully, so happy his dream-coordinates are bearing fruit. "That my brother, is Esty's people! And right on schedule too! Right Toby?"

"Right as rain. Now we get to meet them face to face, and in the flesh too.... so to speak."

"Good job!" Esty praises. "I knew that astral headband would come in handy someday! In fact, if I was my old self, I'd be bawling my eyes out! That's _my_ people up ahead. I can feel it in my circuits!" She winks at Gort, who can't stay seated any longer....

Through watery eyes, Gort blares a line of clickity-clacks as he gleefully prances about like a grey leprechaun on red bull. Upon pulling his laser to shoot at the sky in celebration, he throttles back, holstering the weapon embarrassedly. Of course, even without the massive water drop there, it still wouldn't have been a good idea!

"My sentiments exactly, my old warrior friend!" Nyla exclaims, leaping to here feet and doing her best to prance with Gort. "Let's just hope for a bit of good luck when we arrive, eh?"

Suddenly, on the forward monitor, a searing ball of light sails past the ship from ahead! Barely missing, it sends adrenalin racing through veins and electronic circuits! All dancing and hijinks stop! While it's no surprise that anybody would try to defend themselves from encroaching scallywags, especially in the depths of outer space, nobody expected such a move so soon!

"Esty, they fired on us!" Adam exclaims the obvious from his science station.

"Aye, Mister Miller. I've noticed!" She replies sharply, poking data into her chair-console. She knows the time has come to lay her cards of the table and try to communicate with those ahead.

Another ball of plasma comes in from the darkness, nearly skimming the electronic fog that bathes the Nerezza in the sub-slipstream. The ship rocks at the close interaction, sending a blast of Saint Elmo's fire into space before settling back. A closer shot will not end well!

"My goodness, but they must have poor aim!" Kara cries out laughingly. "We're presenting a 120-mile-wide target, for crying out loud!"

"You're right." Harper agrees, looking around for his helmet. "Even at this great distance, they should to be able to hit such a huge barn like this!"

"Don't forget, Knucklehead. There's a lot of space, in outer space!" Kara chides.

"I'll knucklehead you!" Harper retorts, fake lunging and getting a flinch for his effort.

"Whoa, killer!" Ling exclaims. "You better put your helmet on if you're going to rile Kara. Remember last time you got under her skin?"

"Yeah yeah. She got in a lucky clunk that time!"

"Well, let's just hope those torpedoes crossing our bow are warning shots." Myrna exclaims from the peanut gallery. "We sure don't need them getting any closer!"

"Okay, settle down everyone." Esty orders, reigning in her emotions. "Braxton, decrease velocity 20%. Magnus, put us on a parallel course, and not so direct. Maybe they'll hold fire if we back off a little, not presenting such a threat. Nyla, open hailing frequencies."

"Aye Aye, commander.... their open."

A heartfelt spiel of explanative clickity-clacks, radiates from the sub-slipstream, hoping to find a friendly ear ahead. Soon, a smart window on the big monitor illuminates with a face that seems a near perfect doppelganger for Esty, even though actually a male of the species. A lag in time and wavy image causes frustration, but it's to be expected as the signal travels from the sub-slip into the weaker slipstream of twisted physics.

Esty's circuits swoon at seeing the biologic other! Too long has she hoped to find others of her species beyond the tiny number she's known for soooo long a time....

"What trickery is this?!" Grath bellows like a boorish ape at seeing one of his own. "You admit to commanding an Apollyon ship? A ship of our dreaded enemy, to be avoided at _all_ cost? How are you confounding our sensors? We see you only as a wraith of a mirage. You shimmer, as does your face and voice! What treachery is this I ask!" Grath inquires boldly, unwittingly giving the enemy critical tactical knowledge of the situation. His blood heats beyond limits, long idled nerves, fraying at the seams, as he conjures more tasty insults, adding....

"None of our people would be caught _dead_ onboard an Apollyon ship! And here you are, commanding one? Have you no pride?! Or have they turned you into a lobotomized slave? One who hopes to calm our weapons while you approach ever closer for the glorious kill? Why don't you just leave us alone! Can't you see we're not a threat any longer?"

"We offer no trickery my friend. We bring no treachery. However, we do travel in a much deeper layer of slipstream than you do. A sub-slipstream, if you will. That's what's causing the so-called shimmer you complain of. Also, my name is Esty, and this is Gort. What may we call you?" Esty responds calmly, sad her explanation didn't find more understanding ears.

"I am Commander Grath! .... Sub-slipstream, eh?"

"Yes. Things have changed since you left what was home world, commander.... You see, it's been completely destroyed, wouldn't you know. So sad. So sad." Esty explains, hoping the other won't smell a rat and notice she's also a machine, same as the Apollyon dreadnaughts who killed their worlds. "We haven't won the war against the Apollyon, but as you can see, we've made progress. I believe we can win the war, if only we stop running from our troubles."

"We are _not_ running! We're _surviving_! There's a difference! And we were doing a pretty good job of it, until you came along! And who is that lurking behind you in the shadows? I've never met an Apollyon, but those mechanical contraptions seem to fit the description! Speak the truth, slave! Or taste our weapons once again! This time we'll not be so slovenly with our aim!"

"I assure you Commander Grath, neither I nor Gort are anyone's slaves! Speak to me in such a manner again, and I'll cut out your grizzled heart and feed it to my reactor! I suggest you switch to diplomatic mode.... you'll live longer!"

Cooling her jets, Esty turns to Thana and Minerva, who're sinking into their chairs, hoping to disappear. While they are Grey alien in shape, that's where the similarity ends. With a gesture, she has them stay seated in the shadows.

The bridge _was quiet_ , but somehow manages to become _even more so!_ You can hear an atom drop as Esty lays her cards on the table.

"My dear commander, please forgive my outburst. Let's try this again.... Like I said, my name is Commander Esty and this is Gort." She greets cordially, trying to ease tensions after a rough start. "There's no need for you to open fire again; and thanks for missing. As you can plainly see, we have backed off. Besides, I doubt you wish a fire fight with us. You must be aware of the immense power of these Apollyon ships. So, be sure, we're not without fangs."

_She continues_. "As for others on this ship, some are Apollyon, yes. But I tell you truly, you should fear not. We are here to assist your long, suicidal journey. We can travel much faster than you. We are _needed_ , whether you like it or not." She speaks the cold hard facts, adding....

"Many onboard here are human and Zenarawan. You probably aren't familiar with the later, but they're fine folks. Others are machine-people, but not of the Grey's creation. Like I said before Grath, and this is important for you to remember, _things have changed_. I assume you agree that things _must_ change if we're to break the status quo regarding the Apollyon machine species."

"You assume correctly, Commander Esty. That's why we're changing our zip code and leaving home galaxy behind. If that's not a big enough change, I don't know what is! And yes, we wish to avoid battle if possible. Yet I have never laid eyes on an Apollyon monster until now. Is it possible they can step into the light so I may see them better?"

"Monster? We don't consider our Apollyon crewmembers monsters! They are partners, so please I ask you again to watch your tongue."

With a wave, Esty beckons Thana and Minerva. "My dear friends, please come forth and stand in the light so Grath can get a mugful." Jorlax, Thana's biologic Grey mate from another universe, approaches Esty's throne too.

Thana and Minerva stand proudly, neither wishing to address the one who called them monsters. Jorlax holds a hand up in greeting, recognizing the commander, yet keeps his voice.

"It's obvious which of the three are Apollyon." Grath, says squintingly. "But the other.... the other seems familiar. I've met this one before. Jorlax, I believe is his name. But how can this be?" Now, others of Graths party are gathered around, staring with jaws agape, which for a Grey isn't easy to discern.

"Yes, his name is Jorlax. We found him living in another universe, managing one of your people's secret planets. A world that hasn't yet been attacked by the Apollyon. The one where the rest of our people are kept in hibernation deep inside a dark world, waiting to become machines themselves. He and Apollyon Thana have become mates. So you see, it's possible for the two species to make amends."

"Mated?" Comes a shock from Grath as he cuts into Esty's transmission. "A devil machine and one of our people.... _mated_? I've never heard such a preposterous thing!

"Grath.... _listen_ _to the words that are coming out of my mouth_ .... _things have changed_ _!_

Grath moves squintingly closer to the monitor. He wonders if his eyes aren't playing tricks.... "Commander Esty.... something about _you_ seems a bit off too.... if I didn't know better, I'd say you were also machine!" Grath roars with laughter, slapping his knee as others with him join in, hooting and pointing teasingly.

Esty takes it all in stride, having been through the same thing with Gort and the surviving seven back on Oberon Prime.

Tilting her head, eyes blinking condescendingly, she puts on the best innocent look she has in her digital arsenal. "Me a machine? Oh, Commander Grath, the things you say!"

"Well?" Grath demands. "Are you?"

"Didn't I mention? Oh, I _must_ be getting old! You have a good eye, commander. _I am in fact.... a machine_! An earthling designed machine, programmed with my original psychological imprints." She explains, adding....

"You see, my hibernation chamber failed me while at outpost, and earthling machines found me. With great skill, they designed this wonderful body to carry around my digital memory-backup. And if I must say so myself, it's not a bad copy of our proud looks. Wouldn't you agree?" she inquires mischievously with wink and devious laugh.

"A machine! A loathsome, monstrous machine! I've never believed such treachery existed in the universe! In fact, this conversation is _over_!" Grath yells venomously. Reaching to sever the link, he adds. "Evil machine, prepare for the worst!"

And with that, the angry, shocked Commander Grath is gone, leaving everyone drained from the contact, wishing it went better.

"Well, that went pretty good, Esty." Wil jokes, as is his way.

"It seems we made progress." Nyla reinforces with a rolling of her beautiful brown eyes.

"Yes, my goodness!" Talia joins in with her two-cents-worth. "Smooth. So very smooth!"

"Smooth?" Jax inquires of the exaggeration. "By all the dark matter and vacuum energy, if that was smooth, I'm a monkeys uncle!" _And the crowd goes wild_! Sure, the first encounter didn't break any records at true progress, but the cosmic ice had been broken without injury to either side!

"Adam, Aerima." Esty calls from her lofty perch which is a close facsimile of her command chair onboard the Revenge. "Please, dream me a recon-mission on the ship ahead. Particularly the bridge and main airlock location. Detailed coordinates are essential. It looks like we're to enjoy a hostile boarding. Neither of us can afford an old-style broadside fight only to learn who has the bigger stick."

_A hostile boarding!_ Gorts eyes gleam with memories of old times, when a day at the office often brought such things if one was lucky! Reaching, he touches a long scar on his face, remembering the searing laser energy that almost ruined his day at the office during his last hostile boarding, long ago.

"Hostile boarding, ehhhh?" Wil interjects teasingly, smelling an old rat. "Jeez Esty, isn't that how we met? Back in the days where you were still biologic, so many thousands of years ago? And Gort! I see you remember that laser injury I gave you during that little trespass. Let's hope this boarding goes better for you.... for us!"

# Boarding party!

Ahead, Saint Elmo has set the darkness ablaze as Queen Anne's Revenge, free once again from the bowels of the good ship Nerezza, stealthy rips the universe a new corn shoot!

"Yeeehaaaaaa!" Esty bellows, not being able to curb her enthusiasm.

"Eeeeeeeee!" Gort follows suit, coming up short but not giving a damn!

Rapidly overtaking the Grey's space-ark, the Queen sails through tendrils of angry aurora borealis that dances the night away in the space-ark's wake. Bathed deeply within the sub-slipstream, she stealthily closes the distance, so happy it feels like old times!

Built long and narrow to reduce meteoroid damage, the ark sails like an arrow towards Andromeda at many multiples of c. Insufficient multiples for a reasonable transit time to be sure. And therein lays the problem.... the need for intervention!

On its lonely bridge, Grath contemplates current events, not liking the taste it leaves in his psyche. It just doesn't seem possible that in the middle of nowhere, the damnable machines have found them!

While they say they come in peace to assist and prevent what might very well be a suicidal mission, nothing good has ever happened when an Apollyon planet-gouger is involved! Just look up the very term in a Grey's encyclopedia, and there will be an image of the first one built!

Rapidly approaching, and totally undetected by ships sensors, Queen Anne's Revenge makes her move! Shock-collars of condensed dark matter detonate in ribbons of cosmic fire as the mighty flying saucer skids to a halt just outside of the larger ship's main airlock, locking on!

Sparks snap along her curvy hull as the differing electronic-fog-layers interact in non-amiable ways. Some things are not meant to occupy the same space at the same time, even in the boundary layers of bent space found between universes....

Like a wraith in the night, she appears out of thin vacuum next to the Gray-arks airlock, proving yet again that she can invade stealthily. While being no spring chicken anymore, recent upgrades have brought a new shine to her old skills!

With exacting precision, she glides through the sparky layer of electronic fog clinging nakedly to the skin of the sleeping ship. Attaching to the airlock in the same fashion as she did the earthling vessel _SPS Einstein_ so many thousands of years prior, all seems good.

"Aerima, are you sure about this?" Esty inquires, already knowing the answer. "I mean, it must be traumatic each time you leave your android body. You must wonder if it'll re-animate when you get home."

"My dear Commander, as a ghost I'll always exist. But if my mechanical body can't handle my absences, another might be built. A better one perhaps!" Aerima responds, relaxing in her seat as Cooper and Toby connect her body to external power and other life-supports. Reaching, they snug her harnesses. At 275-pounds, you can't be too careful, inertial dampeners or not!

"Yes, yes of course. What was I thinking?" Esty jokes, smacking palm against her titanium forehead. Sitting upon her lofty command perch, she feels jitters invade her circuits. Her pirating skills are rusty. After all, the last time she pirated, she still had a biological body.

"Okay my ghostly pebble," Jax addresses Aerima softly, kissing her for good luck, "your body is all hooked up and locked in. You're ready to go, but please, don't be gone long. I miss you already!"

"Jax, I love you too. Please try to stay out of trouble while I'm away." Aerima jokes as she transforms into a swirling mist of otherworldly air, exiting the mechanical body she's so fond of.

Looking back, she's saddened at seeing its beautiful blue eyes dim stupidly as it becomes just another expensive mannequin, until the return of her ghostly soul.

"Take good care of me, Jax. Don't let Cosmos and Xeno think I'm a fire hydrant!"

Trying not to freeze her crewmates too much, the lovely ghost fails miserably as she moves towards the airlock hatch. Behind, she drags a cloud of twinkling frost as everyone feels the temperature drop.

Coming upon the control panel of the Grey's airlock, Aerima spins into a near-nothingness and slips into the ships electronic system. Once inside, the ghostly spy has a run of the alien electronic superhighway. All she has to do now is learn the lay of the computer land maze.

First priority.... find and deactivate the ships weapons systems. It just wouldn't due for the poor old Nerezza to get indigestion.... or worse when the time comes! Moving through the electronic labyrinth, Aerima weaves, dips, dodges and ducks as she passes or _is_ passed by electrons and subatomic particles as they go about their electromagnetic duties, oblivious and uncaring about the stealthy intruder.

Even so, this realm of electrical pressure and current is _their_ territory, and ghost or no-ghost, a body better watch their p's and q's, or suffer the wrath of total annihilation! Within _this_ realm, even a ghost must answer to the Grim Reaper if complacency brings carelessness.

"Well, she's gone," Talia laments, vigorously chafing her arms to get heat from the friction. "but it's not getting any warmer in here!"

"Talia, you're such a woos!" Myrna yells laughingly from the peanut gallery. "I thought you androids were tougher than that."

"Be nice Myrna," Talia jokingly retorts. "or won't you get a bent needle next visit to sickbay!"

Esty leads the boarding party to the teleportation pads onboard the Revenge. "Check your lasers." The anxious commander orders. "Nothing hotter than attitude adjustment for now. If that doesn't work, use your highya-karate skills, but go easy. My people tend to break easily, unlike the mighty Gort." She jokes, offering the old fart a wink.

"Yessssss ma'am!" Comes a synchronized response from those who know how to give a cosmic elbow in the face if necessary.

"Well, let's hope we don't teleport into the ships reactor or bulkheads." Wil jokes with a wink at a forlorn Adam.

"Belay that kind of talk, Mister Sohn." Esty orders, adding. "The coordinates he and Aerima have provided have been on the money so far. So, don't mess with the Adam!"

"Sorry Esty." Wil hangs his head. "I'm nervous, and being a smartass is how I deal with it."

"I'll say!" Nyla blares with a laugh. "You must be nervous _a lot_!" She winks at Adam, ruffling his hair as she passes. "You just never mind him, Adam. We'll find her soon."

The lad has been despondent since returning from his last dream-visit to Kira's world where he found the woman unreachable again, her mind locked from the inside and the key apparently lost.

Hibernation for any warm-blooded animal that normally _doesn't_ hibernate, can be a terrible strain on the psyche, not to mention the body! Poor Kira, as brave as she is, has withdrawn into the deepest darkest abyss within her subconscious universe.

Mercifully, time has little meaning in such unnatural conditions. An entire dream, taking 2-hours to play out, might as well be just a blip in the radar. Conversely, a forever-dream of days-long, might seem to pass within the span of minutes or even seconds.

Even Aerima had a hard time picking the lock behind which Kira hides. And Esty had made the command decision of not bypassing her peoples ship to find just one person. Certainly not a decision that went well with Adam. This is why at times it can be lonely at the top. Besides, Kira's world is yet another few months travel time.

Adam now knows that the only way to wake his sleeping beauty, is to allow the chamber to reverse its slumbering effects. Not even a kiss from her prince charming can pull her from the lowly trenches of despair. Plus, a dream-projection _can't_ work the controls of the chamber!

"Braxton. You have the con." Esty transfers commend. "Hold the fort. Keep her latched onto the side of this barge, no matter what."

"Yes ma'am. Good luck."

A darkish dead-end corridor not far from the Grey's bridge is illuminated with 8 columns of brilliance. Esty and her boarding party coalesce from a nothingness of twisted physics, crouched for battle.

Like cats ready to spring, they're muscles and/or actuators are set to _hair-trigger_! The only sounds are a deep thrombosis pouring hypnotically through the bulkheads from the ships powerful star-drive.

"So far so good." Toby whispers, trying not to sneeze as dust of the ages, wafts upward from a long-uncleaned deck. "At least I don't hear any alarms."

"Yes, a good sign." Esty responds, checking the settings on her wristband.

"It seems you've done this sort of thing before, miss Esty." Wil teases, remembering a time long past when it was he and Nyla on a ships bridge, waiting for her and minions, of which Gort was one, to sneak their way along darkened passages to invade like cosmic scallywags.

"Ah yes." The commander whispers dreamily, feeling a tingling in her circuits. "Those were the days!" Then turning to Razzi and Surri. "Are you able to get a read? Anything?"

With squinted eyes, tilted heads and wrinkled muzzles, they search for esper links onboard the ship. "I believe the only ones awake are those on the bridge." Surri explains, receiving an affirmative nod from Razzi. "Great anxiety. They know of the ship attacked to the airlock."

"Well that tears it!" Wil responds. "We must move fast!"

"Follow me." Esty orders firmly."

Gort places a gnarly hand on her shoulder, clickity-clacking softly. "Allow me to take point my commander."

Esty might be the mission commander, but it's time like this when true junkyard-dog skills might win the day. And nobody this side of the Milky Way has junkyard skills like Gort!

Soon they're slinking past intersecting corridors leading to parts unknown. Many tunnels go so deeply into the sleeping ship, they recede to just a tiny dot and disappear in the darkness. At nearly a mile long, the Grey's ark is a labyrinth of passages and compartments big and small.

"I'm not seeing any surveillance cameras." Cooper adds her two cents worth.

"Well, let's hope that continues." Esty responds, suspecting it might be different outside the bridge.

"I also get the feeling that not many have been awoken. I hear nothing but the heavy drone of the star-drive." Nyla observes as they sneak towards the hatch leading into the bridge. "Those who are awake, are probably in here."

"Well, there's only one way to find out." Esty replies, giving Gort the go-signal.

As he reaches for the control panel, the bridge hatchway spirals open without warning, scaring everyone half to death! Gort is caught like a deer in headlight as he's mercilessly mowed down by a dozen Grey's on a panicky stampede!

Out of the hatch they flee, many getting stuck as they try to fit through at the same time! A high-pitched-trill leads the way, sending chills to all who hear. With arms waving chaotically over their heads in abject terror, they flee into the darkened corridor!

The old warrior didn't stand a chance as they trampled the scar-faced speedbump in their way, possibly not even noticing they have visitors.

" _What the what?!_ " Toby exclaims loud enough to wake the dead! The gaggle of Grey's are quickly gone, leaving the hatchway ajar, the compartment unattended. From within, a frozen air pours into the passageway, chilling the invaders to their very cores!

Well.... it's not _totally_ unattended....

"I thought you'd never get here!" Aerima spookily greets through a haze of otherworldly mist as she floats just inside the hatchway. "They were getting ready to attack the Revenge with weapons that I couldn't deactivate in time, so I did the next best thing."

"Don't tell me." Wil cuts in smartassingly, as is his way. "You scared 10-years off their lives instead!" The crowd goes wild! Albeit a small crowd, as they drag the crumpled, unconscious Gort into the freezing bridge and close the hatch.

"My stars! Is he still alive? He doesn't look alive." Nyla exclaims, not sure where to check for a pulse. Esty reaches, feeling a weak thump thump thump coming from his leathery heart.

"He lives but won't be happy when he wakes."

"I imagine not. But this might help." Wil responds, taking hold and lifting the diminutive warrior into the central command chair where he groggily opens his almond shaped peepers.

"What happened?" Gort inquires. "Did the ship get clobbered by a comet?"

"No, but _you sure did!_ " Wil jokes pointingly. "It was a special comet. One that leaves boot prints on your face and chest!"

"Oh Wil!" Nyla chides but can't contain a laugh.

In a rare gesture, Wil moves in, brushing dust from the little fellows' jumpsuit. "I gotta tell ya, _Captain Gort_. I've never seen anybody get mowed down like that in a long time! So, in recognition for standing up to the enemy, or at least trying, I'm beating Esty to the punch and promoting you to Captain of this fine ship we just captured!"

"Thanks, my mechanical friend." Comes a line of strengthening clickity-clacks. "Where do you think they went?"

"Well, if they're like others who've just seen a ghost, I'm sure medical is where they'll find the whiskey locker!"

"That is correct, Wil." Razzi states. "I'm sensing that's precisely where they went. Several have injuries upon meeting up with Captain Gort as they fled. The one known as commander Grath, is dispensing a liquid to his troops now. I feel a lessening of shock and bewilderment, but soon they will want the bridge back."

"Not if they have much more of that liquid!" Surri adds with a Toothy grin on her lovely muzzle. "Before too long, they'll be putty in our paws!"

"Ha ha. Good one!" Cooper laughs, adding. "Hey Esty, we better contact medical and explain our actions before they have more of that bottled courage. I mean, scared or not scared, they had to notice us when they bolted."

"Yes. Yes of course, my dear." Esty replies. Reaching to a data-panel on the side of Captain Gorts' armrest, she flips familiar switches. "Bridge to medical. Do you copy?"

With no answer forthcoming, she activates the limited video link with medical. On the circle monitor, they see a gaggle of armed individuals sneaking from medical and into the corridor.

"Ut oh!" Toby exclaims. "Does anyone think they're headed back to bed?"

"No, my dearest." Wil responds calmly, "They're coming for us. We better get situated. Captain Gort, what say you?" In a staccato of authoritative clickity-clacks and pointing, Gort directs everyone to strategic positions, readying for war!

"This brings back memories!" Nyzilla whispers, trying in vain to calm her heated circuits. "Can we lock the hatch Gort? Perhaps buy us some time?"

Reaching, the grizzled warrior-captain manipulates the data-panel frustratingly. "I don't know the code! It'll take time to hack."

Just then, the hatch spirals open, scaring the bejeebers out of everyone! A beam of light, cuts through the air with a wicked snap, slicing a trough of synthetic skin from the side of Wil's face!

Wheeling into a crouch, he fires a return salvo, painting the entire area outside the bridge with energy. As reward for his effort, high-pitched screams flow, as painful photons blister any exposed skin, nearly blinding those who once again flee the scene with long arms maniacally waving above bulbous heads!

# Day of reckoning!

The air is torn by a ruby beam! A searing ray slices a smoking groove alongside Wil's face, nearly ruining a wonderful day at the office! Spinning, the mechanical man drops defensively, wafting a pungent odor of burnt plasti-flesh along the way, his mood gone sour.

With hand instinctively raised to a bloodless wound, he returns a photonic sentiment into the dark shadows beyond the hatchway. High-pitched shrills speak volumes regarding the discomfort of many defenders of the ship. Captain Gort, from his lofty chair, gets lucky with his input and the gaping hole of danger spirals closed with a swoosh. Great sighs of relief fill the bridge!

Reaching, Nyzilla plucks the little alien from his high perch with irresistible force, not wishing him to get hit next time. It's not very dignifying for the diminutive warrior, but Gort clings to her as might a small child, eyes wide. Taking Wil by the hand, she runs for the sidelines, depositing the boys in the shadow of a science console.

Safe.... for now!

"Nyla, I don't want to be captain anymore!" Gort confides whisperingly, palming his laser.

"Don't worry my friend. Grath wouldn't allow it anyway. After all, this is _his_ ship. But we must still bring him to see reason. They'll all surely die out here if we fail. Now, put that thing away before you shoot your eye out!" The lovely mechanical earthling jokes, pushing the wicked device lower, but not going as far as taking it like she might an ill-tempered child.

"Oh, this is not good!" Esty laments from across the bridge, knowing the situation is rapidly becoming untenable. "We're trapped! Only way out is to teleport if they force our hand again."

"Yeah, and those little buggers seem to have lost their fear of ghosts too." Cooper observes rudely. "Uh, sorry Esty.... sorry Gort.... I mean those little _monsters_." She doubles down with a laugh in the face of danger, seeing grins form on her alien friends faces.

"Awe, their just desperate is all." Toby whispers from her hidey-hole. "I bet Aerima could get them running again real quick!

"Just say the word. I'll do my best." Aerima responds, multi-toning slightly. "Still, I must find the one weapon system that got away. Our little saucer is in danger!"

"Please do, my dear." Wil responds kindly. "But first, I must ask.... are you alone in there today? Because it seems you're not alone in there....

"Yes, there are new others. While I did rid myself of others once, it seems to be temporary relief at best. My realm is crowded, not all have a gateway into our realm. When I become weak, they become aggressive. Now, I grow weak. I must return to my mechanical body soon, or risk unleashing a far worse fate than painless laser burns."

"Painless? Painless?! Oh, that cuts deeply, Aerima." Wil retorts with wounded pride, feeling a sting on his face. "Go now. Go confound the rest of those weapons systems, and good luck my lovely spirit."

"Yes, relax Miss Aerima." Surri pleads with confidence, as her sibling seems to have fallen into a trance. "Me and Razzi. We got this. We're creating a bubble of terrifying thoughts in the outer passageway. Any biologic attempting to approach will have to navigate through a mind-bending maze of twisted fears."

"Jeez, that would have come in handy a minute ago." Wil whimpers like a big baby.

"Sorry, our bad. It all happened too fast."

"Oh, pish posh!" Nyla scolds. "Don't you listen to him Surri! He's just upset because his babyface has a blemish now."

A grizzled, long fingered hand reaches to Wil's face. Gort admiringly runs a finger along the length of the laser burn. He's beside himself with jealousy as he clickity clacks his admiration. "Oh, if only I could have taken that one for you, tall ugly one! It would make a wonderful addition to my collection!"

"Don't worry my leathery friend, the boarding party is still young!"

"Wrong! .... _It is over!_ " Esty informs as she crosses to the communications console. Pushing what she thinks is the ship-wide intercom, she clickity-clacks a scathing rebuke to her long-lost people who dare resist assistance.

"Grath. This is Commander Esty." Her voice rolling and echoing through the lonely ship. "You're probably wondering how I came to own your bridge. How embarrassing for you, I'm sure! However, believe it or not, we harbor no ill intensions. It is _my_ ship attached to your airlock, so think twice before putting even one scratch on her beautiful hull. We are leaving your ship and are sorry to have bothered you. Meanwhile, I hope you're ready for my plan B!"

"Leaving?" Nyla inquires confusedly, rising to face her spindly android friend. "Care to share?"

"We've proved to them that we've got skills. Skills they can't fathom, but this Grath fellow will not yield to a story that quite frankly I wouldn't believe either. We'll teleport back to the Revenge and return to the Nerezza.

"We're giving up?" Aerima inquires shockedly from a tiny vortex, readying to enter a data port. "We came all this way to give up on your people?"

"No, not giving up. We're taking the ship by force. The entire ship, I mean. But not from the inside. Aerima, while you're looking for the weapon system, can you also cause the star drive to idle down?"

"Oh, my yes! That's easy! I've already explored those circuits, so I'm familiar."

"Please hurry my dear! Meet us back at the Revenge!" Esty pleads as the devious ghost shrinks further and disappears into the data port. Turning, she explains to the others. "We will only cause unnecessary damage and death if we stay. So, I'm thinking...."

"Esty! On the screen!" Toby yells pointingly.

"Hello the bridge." Grath calls once again from medical, his troops sitting in the background, nursing laser burns and tipping bottles. "If you break even one thing, or mar my chair, won't _you_ be sorry! State your intensions, dreaded machine! Or feel the bite of our hidden lasers which are pointed at your murderous heads this very minute. They can't miss at such close range, so don't make me shoot up my bridge just to kill you and your minions."

"Did twig-boy just call me a minion?!" Cooper roars, nearly waking the hibernating crew. Grabbing a handful of laser, she's ready for action.

"Hello Grath." Esty greets as if she's bored, checking her fingernails. "I'm sorry if our invasion left you feeling a bit spooked. Aerima can do that to people at times. But you left us no choice. I tried to explain, but your pigheadedness is strong. Is that because you are a male? Or simply because you've been brainwashed into hating mechanical people." She inquires with a sneer, adding....

"I know you despise my mechanicalness, and that I have Apollyon crewmembers. But you and _your crew_ are on a suicide-mission to be sure. Without assistance, you'll all be just as dead as if killed by the Apollyon's. Your velocity is ludicrously slow. Your hibernation chambers are failing at an alarming rate. And from what I can tell by what you left behind here in the bridge, you can _all_ use a good shower too! This bridge _reeks_!" She laughs, wafting a thin Grey hand as proof, adding....

"While this ship will eventually reach Andromeda, you'll all be piles of dust! Is that what you wish? To become an intergalactic ghost ship? I don't think so! And I know a thing or two about becoming a pile of dust, that I can honestly tell you!"

"You make a persuasive argument for being just a bucket of rusty bolts and a few sparky wires. But I would rather die than...."

Grath is cut off as his ship takes a mighty lurch, causing him to catch his balance. The ever-present hum flowing from the reactor and star-drive, has gone quiet! A deep dread falls upon all psyches. Spacefaring creatures depend on this soothing thrombotic rhythm to calm the subconscious, to stealthily inform that the ships heart still beats!

It seems as though a security blanket has been torn from the soul! The ship _feels dead_ , and for all intents and purposes, it truly is! Inertial dampers take a hit as the ship rephases back into our universe, falling from the slipstream and into normal space. In actuality, the vessel is still speeding along ludicrously, but without power to slow or change course.

"What have you done?" Grath yells, slamming his bottle, his thin Grey face turned ashen. "You will pay for this, mechanical fiend!" Reaching, he pushes a button.... and nothing happens.... Esty and her friends still exist.... no laser beams reach from hidden places to provide satisfaction to the angered Grath and shipmates.

"Grath. We've been forced to take control of your ship. Non-critical systems are now off-line, and you'll never figure out how to fix them. You will soon realize that you do need us." Esty allows the tiniest bit of feeling to enter her circuits, adding. "You see, we have other fish to fry during this voyage, and simply can't dilly-dally any longer trying to sway your steely heart. So, prepare to go into the belly of the beast, like it or not!"

"The belly of the beast? I don't like the sound of that!" Grath exclaims wildly. "We were doing just fine! If you maroon us, you are surely the mechanical dog I think you are!"

"Revenge." Esty transmits into her wristband, cutting off Grath from further verbal abuse. "Carter.... if you're listening, beam us the hell off this deathtrap!"

Pillars of brilliance take the boarding party from the bridge, leaving Grath and his own set of doppelganger minions to pick jaws up from the deck! Before their very eyes, the Grey's witness a technology that has only teased the imagination but eluded their top minds. Suspecting that something extra had somehow been added to their drink, they guzzle more just to find out!

Upon entering the now empty bridge, Grath approaches his royal command throne. Upon its seat cushion he finds tiny bags filled with what looks like gold disks! He's never seen so much in one place before! A thrill races through his blood, greatly taking the harsh edge off current events. After all, everybody loves gold! Don't they? The most beautiful of metals and a byproduct of neutron star collisions and/or black hole collisions.

Suddenly, the dreaded enemy who invaded so rudely, might not be so dreaded after all, thinks Grath. Yet his ship still has no heartbeat! The bulkheads are quiet, the reverberating thrombosis gone. A quietness pervades the mind like a dagger stab. But at least they have the bridge back! That counts for something, thinks Grath!

Aerima is last to return to the Revenge. With a frozen entrance as always, she exits mistily from a data port inside medical and floats to her home away from home, android body. It lays on a gurney seemingly dead, a mechanical mannequin without a master.

Sitting sadly next to the body, Jax holds its cold deactivated hand, feeling so sorry for himself. But at feeling Aerima's frozen approach, he brightens to supernova luminance, watching with a demonic gleam as his lovely mate rejoins her body and CPU!

As the spirit synchronizes with her temporal body, legs twitch and arms spasm with renewed life. A shaky hand returns the squeeze from her man Jax, so glad to be back home and free of the pesky others once again which were filtered by her CPU interface. Opening her beautiful blue peepers, she focuses with grand wonder. The world around, always seems to be brighter when not a ghost, she thinks!

After long moments, seemingly an eternity, she once again makes the full transition back to operating within our realm of physics. As like a body sinking into a bath drawn just right, the lovely entity from another universe, breathes a well-earned sigh of relief, her boarding party duties finished....

"Jeez Aerima," Jax bemoans with a gripe, "you sure had us worried! I mean, I was about to don the astral headband and come looking for you!"

"Thanks, Jax. What a wonderful thing you did by controlling yourself. There might be hope for you yet!" The blond android laughingly retorts. Sitting up she removes a plethora of external life-support cables and wires used while she wasn't home. Cody and Atara gather and stow the organized mess against a future out of body experience.

"Did you manage to deactivate _all_ the weapon systems?" Esty inquires after a fashion, allowing the machine to re-focus, regroup. "Are we okay to begin the next phase of operation? I mean, the poor old Nerezza doesn't need indigestion from internal laser-fire _this_ voyage."

"Yes, my brave commander." Aerima responds wearily. "The pulse cannons that plagued us earlier are deactivated, and the star drives have been idled until further notice."

"Very well. Thanks, Aerima. I tell you truly, that we couldn't have done it without you. Gort and I owe you a gratitude that we can't ever repay."

"Think nothing of it, Esty. Don't forget that you and Gort have been instrumental with not only saving my world from a hot sun, but also the Earth from Thana and her planet gouging Nerezza too! .... Uh, no offense intended Thana." Aerima offers to her previous jailer.

"It's all good, Aerima." Thana responds, sitting next to Minerva and Herculon. "I know my previous lifestyle was rotten to the core, and I'm happy to have seen the errors of my ways."

"Braxton.... Magnus...." Esty calls with newfound pride, "Let's go claim our booty!" A sentiment not spoken in a very long time! Even though the space ark isn't actually booty per se, not something to be added to a war chest, it still feels like it!

# Broken astral thread

"Esty.... we'll be within visual range any second." Braxton informs from the Nerezza's helm. Showing on the forward monitor, a dark object grows rapidly. It blocks a portion of the bluish Andromeda galaxy which hangs animatedly in the forward distance. On the aft monitor, a much smaller and reddish Milky Way is seen in all its diminutive glory!

"Very well. Thank you, Mister Crane." The commander responds lazily, allowing her circuits to spool-up after a lazy chase of many hours. "Cooper, Toby.... shake a leg, won't you? Plan B is about to get rolling, we need you. Are you sure everything's ready?"

"Yes, we're good to go, Esty." Cooper replies. "Hanger bay Charlie is where we'll stow this oversize passenger. It's been cleared of junk and we installed extra gravity-pumps to keep him secured to the deck during transport."

"Very good. We sure wouldn't want our unwilling friends to be rattling around."

"Well, it won't be long now." Wil reminds pointingly, as the monitor rapidly fills with oncoming spaceship.

"Common Toby, and anybody else who wants to help, there's work needs being done over in hanger Charlie." Cooper announces as she's followed by a gaggle of helpers towards the vacuum tube. In her and Toby's wake, Herculon follows with cosmos and Xeno yapping at his heels.

"Hey, has anyone seen Adam?" Kara inquires of her missing-in-action stepbrother.

"Not recently." Amy replies, remembering how depressed he was the last time she'd seen him. "He said he forgot something at the Revenge. That's probably where he is, I guess."

"Well, I hope he's not doing what I think he might be doing." Momzilla steps forward worriedly, also having noticed the lad is missing. "If he is, it's probably not safe at the velocity we're going, so I'll check on him.... Wil?"

"Me? Oh, yes of course, my dearest worry-plumb." Wil acquiesces, having zero choice in the matter. "We'll catch up with you folks on the flip side." He quips to the others, taking Nyla's hand and leading the way towards a different vacuum-tube platform.

Pulling ahead of the mile-long space-ark, Braxton and Magnus slow the Nerezza, lining her up for the perfect cosmic abduction. Even though the Grey's ship is a mile long, it pales in comparison to the Nerezza, being similar in size as perhaps that of a flea hitching a ride on a massive junkyard dog.

On the expansive fantail of the Apollyon ship, a large spiral hatch, one of hundreds, opens into Charlie hanger with just a hint of complaint. This one hasn't been used since who knows when, yet the great volume of space dust flying away from the sliding louvers, speaks of many a long century since last operation.

"Brax, the graviton's have a good grip on the Grath's ark." Cooper informs, looking along the tube-like hanger bay and into space. "Steady as she goes. I'm bringing her in now."

"Copy that, Coop. We're holding steady.... good luck."

Upon entering final commands into a science console, Cooper hopes for the millionth time that the space-ark fits into the honeycomb-shaped hanger bay. Like a pea in a pod would be nice, she thinks!

The workstation for such an important job is a miniscule protuberance with windows, stuck high on the hanger wall, truly lost on the great expanse. Like a tiny bump on a flat sea of steel, the view from within offers a healthy dose of vertigo for those willing a glance.

Looking at the opening of the hanger bay, a shimmering forcefield has taken the place of the spiral hatch so's to keep the bay pressurized while the captured ark is brought inside. Beyond the blanket of energy, great bands of gravitons act like tractor-beams as they grip the dark object, pulling it closer. Behind it, the Milky Way shines like a red neon sign, sprinkled all around by a snowstorm of much smaller galaxies.

Suddenly, the leading edge of the ark breaks the forcefield interface. Saint Elmo provides a colorful circle-ribbon of fire all along where the ship's hull penetrates the energy blanket during the entry.

Soon, the alien vessel is filling what moments earlier seemed an unfillable space, coming ever-so menacingly close to those in the control room! Everyone who came to help, instinctively backs away from the 800-pound gorilla that's just entered the room and surely going to crush everything in its path!

"My goodness!" Talia yells dreadfully, reaching for a wide-eyed Omari. "Now I know what an ant feels like when the shoe is landing! Are you sure it's going to miss us?"

"Relax doctor." Toby consoles, daring to brave the front lines with Cooper as the window fills with passing spaceship. "If anyone can pluck a ship from the space lanes and parallel park it in Charlie hanger, it's me and my dear old sis!"

"I don't see any signs of life." Myrna imparts shiveringly, rubbing her arms to chase away mile-high goosebumps. "But it sure feels like we're being watched."

"We _are_ being watch." Razzi informs spookily, the fur on his neck standing stiff!

"Oh, my stars!" Talia wails, moving behind Omari, peeking wide-eyed over his shoulder.

"Yes.... they watch via video feed." Surri reinforces her brother's assessment. "And they're getting an eyeful too!"

"Can you sense we're in danger? I mean, are we under the gun?" Esty inquires heatedly, her circuits in a quandary as Gort paces the floor, laser in hand. In his warrior mind, having to abduct those of his own kind could only be considered death sentence treason to the young punk Grath who has sole decision over whether the ark goes in peace.... or pieces!

"The one named Grath...." Razzi imparts, his furry brow furrowed in concentration. "He and others are this very moment, fiddling with Aerima's handywork on the weapons and star-drive systems. Frustration grows. Thoughts of bringing the battle to us, is on many minds. Offensive small arms have been distributed. In fact, a force of Grey ruffians moves towards the airlock now. Time grows short."

Medical onboard Queen Anne's Revenge is dark and lonely as Adam lays his head down on a comfortable pillow, so grateful for the privacy. With the ship empty and parked inside hanger bay alpha, he has the place all to himself. His only companion, the soothing thrombosis flowing from the Queen's idled heart as it pours fourth a comforting rhythm of energy. The perfect place for undiluted, unfettered sulking, thinks he.

Relaxing, he soon plunges headfirst into a dreamland of illusion and fantasy, hopefully on his way to the astral plane where his lovely Kira awaits. Forging deeper, he hopes to gain focus for proper navigation of the special dream-thread he seeks.

His mind soars to new heights of blissfulness as he concentrates on finding the special dream thread that'll lead to Ankara. The burned up little planet, lost in space between himself and Andromeda.

Chomping at the cosmic bit to be on his way, Adam pushes his ability, not understanding the new turbulence rocking his psyche, muddying the waters of the astral journey.

Quickly, the traveler knows something is wrong! Dreadfully so! Pondering briefly the difference between coma and astral projection, the dream state mercilessly grabs his mind, taking him down a twisted path less traveled. Less traveled for good reason!

Into the bottomless depths he plunges without control! A powerful dream-energy pulls on his mind and soul as surely as might a singularity swallows a shining star!

Slipping further into the sub-subconscious abyss where astral projection thrives, Adam senses he's not prepared for this particular journey, yet can't stop it! Unable to go back, to awaken and be free, is now beyond his power. He's gone too far, too fast!

Little does the astral traveler realize, but the phenomenon just doesn't work very well while tearing the universe at great multiples of c! While spooky action at a distance, works fine in a constantly flowing and dynamic universe, such artificial velocity perturbs the dream threads in ways that can't be managed. Coma and/or death a real possibility!

Darkness envelopes his psyche as his thread flays in the cosmic wind, much like when holding a ribbon in a stiff breeze. Thoughts drift & morph in a turbulent sea that should be calm for such an undertaking.

Now dreaming he's walking a plank over heavy waves below, he feels balance give way. Oh, what has the cruel universe done to me this time? The dreamer wonders without true focus.

'Kirrraaaa!' .... his mind screams, falling deeper, deeper into the dream gone wrong bottomless abyss!

'Kirrrrraaaaaaaaaaa!" his mind panics, heart pounding as all goes black! Into a coma he mercifully lands. An oasis of mental calm like no other! The last thing the broken astral traveler hears from the outside world, is his loving parents entering the compartment.

"Oh, by all the stars and moons!" Momzilla exclaims. Quickly crossing the room, she seeks a pulse on her wayward son's wrist, noticing an absence of the headband. Putting hand to his sweaty forehead, an elevated temperature registers on her sensors.

"Well? Is he dead? He looks like he might be dead." Wil inquired, his circuits skipping a beat. Adam was always one of his favorites, even though he never told the young man such a thing....

"No, not dead yet. But he'll need Omari and Talia I'm afraid." Comes an exasperated, head hung low response from mom, not believing how her kids manage to get into so much trouble! Looking up, she inquires through heated circuits. "Is it just me, Wil? Because I'm feeling new gray hairs sprouting like weeds."

Crossing to her side, taking her hand, Wil comforts as best he can, so happy she hasn't fallen into one of her little timeouts. "My dear, the day won't come when a few new gray hairs won't make you even hotter than ever. In fact, you look radiant. Perhaps a few deep breaths might help that though." Reaching for his radio. "Hey Omari, Talia.... got your ears on? Come in; over."

"Go ahead. Did you find Adam?" Omari responds.

"Yeah, we sure did. He's unconscious and unresponsive. We're inside the Revenge. Please hurry. Have Kara and Amy escort you. We wouldn't want you guys to get lost."

"Will do.... now don't go and have an electronic thrombosis! You know I can't help you with anything like that! I'm just an old country-doctor! Call Cody and Atara if you need an electronic physician. If not, just hang in there. We'll be there directly; Omari out."

With the gravity pumps under the massive space-ark working double time, the long ship settles onto the hanger deck with only a few bone crunching screeches. With its heartbeat idled, it rests quietly, even peacefully without a hint of the anger raging within its main airlock.

"Hey! Watch it lugnuts!" Kara exclaims under her breath as Herculon nearly tramples her. She and a few brave others now walk the hanger deck, stealthily approaching the recently acquired prize now parked and secured.

"My apologies Miss Johannson, but you stopped short."

"Yeah yeah, I stopped short. Just hang back a little further, blitzkrieg. Or better yet, you go first, and we'll follow. My goodness, your built like a damn tank!"

"Please move aside, my human friend. I'm probably more laser-resistant than you anyway."

"Okay everyone, listen up." Cooper warns, as the group slowly encroaches on the captured ship. "Don't wander from the path leading to the airlock. There are grav-pumps aplenty under the parking spot and will pull the iron from your blood if you get too close."

"Why don't we just wait for them to make the first move?" Jax inquires, bravely shielding Aerima's body as they progress. "Maybe they've gone back to bed. Should we bother them?"

"We've been over this, Jax." Cooper whisperingly reminds. "Right Torg?"

"The conversation is burned into my circuits. We started this battle with the Grey's and we'll not stop bring it to them until they see the light. Be brave my squishy doppelganger. Aerima will protect you."

"Oh, that's rich, Torg! Geez, with a doppelganger like you, who needs an evil twin?"

"Knock it off you two and stay focused." Toby reminds, falling in behind Herculon who still shakes the deck-plating even as he tries his best to tip-toe through the cosmic tulips....

"Hey!" Esty calls out, pointing a long finger at the ark. "The airlock is opening!"

# Coerced acquiescence!

Without warning, an invisible force passes through the hanger bay, knocking everyone off balance! Herculon sways in the electronic wind, mercifully not falling and crushing his crewmates! While the passing force is invisible, its effects are not!

Darkness consumes the hanger and psyches, filling the grand void with panicky dread! An artificial dampening of local electron-flow, makes for a lights-out-condition, speaking to the strength of the force.... and for miles around too!

"Oh, my god!" Myrna exclaims, holding her mate close. "It's so dark! What the hell happened?!"

"EMP." Cooper states matter-of-factly, reaching for her flashlight. "Those buggers have an ace up their sleeve, and I don't like it. Find cover if you can! This is a good time to not be in the open!"

"Those idiots!" Toby venomously exclaims. "They've knocked out the grave-pumps too! The ship is starting to wander." Pulling Cooper behind a big crate, they hear an excruciating nails-on-chalkboard metal-on-metal grinding as the massive ship slowly skids across the deck.

"Well, don't let it wander into your face." Jax jokes, feeling a false safety while hiding in the darkness behind Aerima. "It'll never set sail again, if it does!"

"Oh Jax, how rude!" Aerima scolds, taking an android hold of his wrist. "In fact, I'm holding you here so Toby can...."

Suddenly, a high-pitched squeal fills the air! Someone in the darkness ahead, is having a bad day at the office! The wail quickly ends with a sickening, bone-crunching thud! The kind of thud after hearing that makes you want to heave! Someone has fallen from the airlock of the alien ship! The 40-foot-drop would bring a scream from anyone possessing a heartbeat and good set of lungs!

"Oh my god!" Kara yells, pointing her torch at a crumpled heap of Grey alien in the path ahead. "I guess they should've waited for a gangplank!"

"Do you think it's dead?" Toby inquires with a devilish giggle. "It looks like it might be dead!"

"Grath!" Esty yells at the top of her mechanical circuits. "Is that embarrassing pile of wreckage you? Are you dead?! Shake a leg, if not! Move an arm if you have one that still works!"

"Ohhhhhhhhhh.... my bones hurt!" Comes a mournful wail with feminine tone.

"Arni?!" A frantic yell from above. "How bad is it, Arni?! Can you still fight?!" Grath inquires angrily, not happy that one of his own has fallen so quickly in battle.

"Can I still what? No!" A weak reply from just this side of the grave. "I should've stayed in bed today! .... Ohhhhhhhhh, my bones hurt!"

"As well they should my clumsy one!" Grath yells heartlessly. "You fell a great distance." Comes a cold explanation of the obvious, accompanied with a yell at Esty. "Okay, so you've hijacked my ship! You've butted in where not wanted or needed, and nearly kill my lovely weapons officer? Is this how we're to get to Andromeda? As slave prisoners?" Do your worst, Apollyon lovers!"

Just then, a quick movement as Toby dashes from the shadows, racing forward into the danger zone, hoping Grath doesn't fire. Sliding to a stop on her knees at the pile of biologic wreckage, she secures Cooper's teleport transponder onto the jumpsuit of the wide-eyed Grey, causing another painful wail of undiluted misery.

"Toby to Carter!" She calls hoping Omari and Talia will also hear the transmission.

"Toby?" Tina answers. "What's up?"

"Tina! We've a medical emergency here in Charlie hanger. A Grey from the ark is down. I've put Coops transponder on it. Please transport me and it to medical onboard the Revenge. Omari and Talia are there, I believe."

"Copy! Standby!"

Before Grath can make up his mind to fire on the vicious enemy who dares torment poor Arni, twin blinding-lights take the place of his officer and tormentor! In an instant, they are no more, as if never having existed in the first place! Poor Arni. Taken and destroyed for sure, the weary commander thinks as black storm clouds taking hold of his already ill temper!

"You'll pay for this, mechanical scum!" Grath hotly threatens. "What has become of Arni?! Why did you disintegrate her?! And one of your own too? You are truly ruthless monsters!" Then, angrily aiming his ruby laser, a smoking pool of molten steel forms in the deck-plating not far from Esty, causing flinches!

Pulling back his rage, Grath steps back from the brink, not wishing to join Arni, assessing his limited options. Thoughts of exploding the ship are hot on his mind, yet with the engines forcibly idled, the ship won't blow. The only other weapons available are the feeble lasers that don't really amount to a hill of beans against such formidable foes.

"Herculon!" Cooper yells. "Get back here! Toby is okay! Herculon, no! Bad boy!"

With deck-plate denting force, Herculon barges onto the scene, kicking at the spaceship that seems the cause of all the trouble. Xeno and Cosmos follow their big friend, sniffing for clues on just who needs to be bitten first. Looking up, Herculon notices the open airlock. Raising his massive claw fist, he shakes a threat that can't be beat!

"Grath!" Esty yells, bravely stepping onto the path towards the ship. "As I told you before, I am true to friend and foe! I tell you truthfully that Arni has only been transported to another place! A place where she can get medical attention! You don't understand the technology, but you've seen it before on the bridge of your ship. We vanished yet still live, don't we?"

"Arni still lives?"

"That I can't say for sure. But if she _is_ to live, this is the only way!"

"What of my ship, my crew? Did you speak the truth about helping us and not enslaving?"

"My word is always good. This is the only way. We can have you inside Andromeda galaxy before the year is out. Otherwise it's going to be many a long million-year journey for you my friend. What thinks you?"

"What of that vicious ghost? Will you be sending it again if we have a disagreement?"

Now, Esty and others have reached the impact site below the airlock. Herculon, still heated from Toby's departure, vibrates with rage, kicking the deck, hoping she returns soon. Xeno and Cosmos, having become bored with not finding anybody to bite, lay on the deck looking totally disinterested in the situation.

"I won't bother you, unless I must." Aerima speaks, moving to the front of the crowd. She looks radiant in her android body as always, but Grath smells a big fat rat!

"What's this?" Grath skeptically inquires, braving a glance over the edge, feeling vertigo biting his psyche. "You are not the spirit monster sent earlier! Have you people gone and killed her too? What have you done with the ghost?!"

"I am she, the very one. You don't recognize me because I now reside inside this mechanical body. It's better this way, don't you think?" The lovely android asks, tossing her long blond hair, blinking her gorgeous blue eyes seductively.

"Machine ghost?! _Machine ghost?_!!! Oh, now I've heard everything!"

"No, not everything, but we'll fill you in on the details Commander Grath. It's quite the story. It'll just take time, patience, and faith. I'm sure you'll learn to love our Apollyon friends Thana and Minerva as we do. In fact, Thana owns this ship. It's called the Nerezza."

"Ohhhhhhhhh, my brain hurts!" Is all Grath can say, falling hard onto his skinny ass, nearly passing out from the mental overpressure.

"What say, we turn on power once again and get you a gangplank?" Esty invites, "It's time you got down from there and met us properly. We'll go see how Arni is doing, okay?"

"Well, now you're talking my language." Comes a weak response from the darkness above.

"Oh my god! What happened to Adam?" Toby exclaims upon materializing inside medical onboard Queen Anne's Revenge. Seeing her stepbrother unconscious on a medical gurney, all hooked up to wires like he's some kind of android, is hard to take.

"It's okay Toby! He's stable for now." Momzilla informs, moving to meet her eldest daughter who sways as if to faint. "You sit down my dear and tell me all about it." Nyla asks, nodding her head at the tangled mass of broken Grey who arrived with Toby, looking much like Beatle Baily after an angered sarge gets through.

"Her name is Arni. She's the weapons officer onboard the.... the.... oh, the other ship! I can't pronounce its name. She fell from quite a height, landing hard." Toby explains as Omari, Talia and Wil, lift Esty's broken doppelganger onto a gurney next to Adam.

"Ohhhhhhhhh!" Arni moans dreadfully as she mercifully falls into a coma, much like her new roommate Adam.

"My goodness!" Talia laments frantically, offering her initial professional opinion. "I do believe this creature requires androiding! We must hurry!"

"We're losing her!" Omari screams, reaching for a defibrillator. "Wil, get Cody and Atara on this right away! Yesterday if possible!" Doctor yells over his shoulder. "We'll need a complete psyche-scan workup and storage! .... Go! Go!" Comes a frantic order the likes of which Wil had never heard the physician yell before!

"And make a copy of Adam too!" Momzilla adds to the list of things to accomplish that busy day. "My stars, his pulse is weak!"

"And here we have one of the oldest ships our people have ever made." Esty informs Grath as she and Gort escort him into alpha-hanger. Just ahead, yet nearly lost in the grand void of the compartment, Queen Anne's Revenge rests patiently for another chance to rip spacetime. "Of course, you probably recognize the design from history lessons."

"It's still a fine vessel from what can I see. You have taken good care of it. Does it not seem lost in such a huge space as this hanger? What do the Apollyon need with such a huge ship?"

"According to Thana, they are totally a space-faring species, with no planet to call home. I'm guessing this could be due to the fact they destroy all the nice planets they come across. She says such a huge spaceship helps them feel grounded. Over time, it's as though they are creating a planet of their own. A mobile planet with teeth, you could say. It truly is an amazing vessel."

"Yes, it seems quite remarkable when I get past the part of it being enemy territory."

"Not enemy territory. Not any longer. Although to be more forthcoming, there are many onboard this ship who would kill us all if ever allowed out of forced hibernation."

"Apollyon?" Grath inquires nervously, already knowing the answer.

"Mostly. But some not. Some have been abducted by the Apollyon and kept on ice in what we lovingly refer to as the menagerie. We're still not sure how to deal with the sleepers so they play nice, but someday when things quiet down, we'll begin that chapter."

"It's not in their nature to play nice." Grath responds. "We have seen that time and time again. They can't get past the part where we turned them into slaves back in the day."

"Yes.... but Thana has turned over a new leaf, and Minerva is working on it as best she can."

"Weak links. I suggest you watch your six around them."

"Good advice in all walks of life." Gort puts in his two cents.

"Is Arni inside your ship, Commander Esty?" Grath changes the subject, not sure if he likes the grizzled old warrior yet.

"Oh, yes. She's inside being attended to by the best physician's money can buy. Follow me and we'll see. But I want you to know ahead of time that Arni's doctors are not biologic. They are earthling designed machines like me, known as the android species. And I'm not so bad, right?"

"I get the feeling it doesn't matter what I think, and that's fine.... for now. However, as far as I can tell, you've not told me an untruth yet, so perhaps you're not so bad after all. Except for the part where you commandeered my ship, that is." Grath responds laughingly as they walk, realizing that at least Esty isn't an eye sore. Gort notices Grath's elevator-eyes, suspecting the universe won't be big enough for the two warrior.

# Doppelganger Lives Matter!

"I like what you've done with the place." Grath compliments with his frayed nerves feeling better. Esty and Gort escort him through the Queen's bridge towards medical. "Especially the stadium seating. You must have a large crew of seasoned warriors."

"Oh, you have no idea!" Esty laughs, slapping her knee, thinking of the motley crew she inherited. "We've quite the gang of misfits from all walks of life, all realms of ill behavior. You'll be meeting them, I'm sure."

"I look forward to it.... I think."

Upon entering medical, the trio is met by a somber Carter who welcomes Commander Grath politely, as is his way. The Grey is so preoccupied with the entire dazzling turn of events, he doesn't even notice that the tall alien who greets so cordially is actually a machine person. The _very worst kind_ of door-greeter imaginable, he would surely think!

A quietness prevails.... So thick, you could cut it with a laser! A dread fills the compartment as if it were a funeral home instead. On one gurney, Adam rests peacefully, still unconscious, deep in coma. Toby holds his hand with grave concern about her countenance. Nyla and Wil stand as sentinels, hoping their boy can pull out of his nose-dive into a dreamy abyss.

On the other side of a fabric partition, Arni lays misshapen on her own gurney, still busted up real bad, the poor thing! Mercifully, a coma has been induced, her intense pain a thing of the past, at least for now.

Covering her lovely hairless melon, a contraption looking much like a full-head hair dryer, has swallowed her bulbizoid head all the way down to her thin, broken shoulders. Wires and tube galore, converge on many areas of her body, stabilizing the gravity victim.

Cody and Atara activate the machine, monitoring gages and dials. An eerie buzzing and clanking flows from the mysterious device as it electromagnetically slices and dices every molecule and neuron of Arni's brain, storing the pattern for future reference.

Poor old Adam is next in line for the electronic meat slicer; just in case he slips too far, can't climb from his abyssal dream state. He'll be androided up too; Mom and popzilla think selfishly. After all, what's one more doppelganger amongst friends, right? Like parents, like sons! At least one of them might enjoy immortality, or close to it!

Doctors Omari and Talia are also at Arni's side, dreading the looming interaction with Commander Grath whom they know is in the room and probably angry. Like the sword of Damocles, a meeting with the little alien, hangs over their heads threateningly.

Newly arrived voices fill the room! One is not familiar. Anxiety builds in the doctor's circuits! Footsteps from behind! .... Looking, they see a very concerned Grath approaching, looking grayer than his species ought.

Things always seem most grim just before the sword drops....

Grath can hardly see his officer through the forest of tubes, wires and splints! Not to mention the evil machine-thing that's eaten her head and lovely face! Probably eating her brain too, thinks the dazed and confused commander....

"Does she still live?" Grath inquires caringly. "What are you doing for her?" Comes the two most important questions in the universe just then....

"She lives, Commander Grath.... We are doing all we can." Omari reports using the Grey's clickity-clack language, receiving a bewildered tilt of head from the weary commander. "If she survives and recovers, I truly can't say yet, but it does look grim. Besides extensive bone damage, there are serious internal injuries that we're just now getting a grasp on. Might I suggest you wait elsewhere for the time being? I honestly tell you that we'll do what we can, but it will take time and lots of work on Arni's part if she's to make it."

"What is that thing eating her head?" Comes the third most important question of the day.

"Commander Grath; do you trust us? The very ones who hold Arni's life in their hands?"

"I must.... I do."

"Well, that's a good start. Right now, we're obtaining a digital copy of Arni's mind." Omari's circuits wince, hoping the Grey doesn't blow a fuse and draw his laser. "And from what I understand, your people have similar technology, such as that which gave Esty a second chance at life. Of course, we helped her a little bit by designing an android body so she could also have mobility. Very important, that mobility."

"My people have mastered that technology and have created digital copies of our people over the years. The very planet that Jorlax came from has many such. But we have severe laws preventing the creation of machine-people to carry the host intelligence. Therefore, it's a huge dilemma."

"Well, we don't have _that_ drawback. In fact, Esty, myself & the lovely Talia, Carter, whom you just met, are just a few of the mechanical people onboard the Nerezza. We're living proof that not all machine lifeforms are destroyers of worlds, to be hated and feared."

"Yes, I'm beginning to see that, doctor. Please tell me, will Arni be a machine-person the next time I see her?"

"Please commander. We will do what is necessary to give Arni a fair chance of survival and quality life once again. However, I will tell you this. It is not our habit of creating digital copies, only to put them on a shelf to go crazy from inactivity. It's just not in our nature to be so cruel. The process is already underway and can't be aborted. So.... you do the math."

"Yes, I understand. It seems the math will add up to whatever it adds up to. And while I still have an instinctual disdain for.... mechanical people, perhaps having two Arni's will be better than just one!" Comes a semi-gracious acquiescence that Omari wasn't expecting. Sword of Damocles disintegrates back into the realm from which it came....

"I'm glad you understand, commander. With time, those nasty instinctual fears will dissipate. I find they always do. Now, please allow Esty and Gort to take you away from here. Attend to your crew, tour the Nerezza, get something to eat, take a shower for crying out loud!"

"Yes well.... Thanks doctors. Arni and me are truly in your debt. Do what you can for her. She deserves the best and has a child onboard the axoiuroqwa who still sleeps.... dreaming of her mom, I'm sure....

Suddenly, Tina's voice breaks over the radio, mercifully interrupting the somber mood. "Carter, come in? Do you copy?"

"I'm here, my dear. Go ahead."

"Long-range sensors are reporting a large mass coming our way. In fact, it's sailing in from the direction of Andromeda. Main computers say it's a rogue planet, a little smaller than Oberon Prime. It's moving like a bat out of hell, as if shot from a cannon! Anyway, I thought you might like to be here with me when it sails past. It might be romantic."

"Rogue planet, eh?" Carter inquires, his curiosity peaked and thankful for a diversion. "Bat out of hell, you say? Sounds nice, my dear. I'm on my way!"

"Well then, big boy. You just get your tin-can up here on the bridge and I'll show you how nice it can be!"

"I'll be there soon, my lovely. I'll even bring my new friend Grath, if that's okay."

"Grath? Oh yes, from the ark."

"That's right, dearest. He's not from around here, so don't scare him too much at first."

"Ohhhhhh you! .... Just hurry your rusty old circuits! You know very well I'll scare who I want, when I want, why I want. I've been taking lessons from Aeirma, you know!"

"Yes, yes my ghostly nebula. You frighten the pants off me quite regular!"

"I don't understand." Jax interrupts, gazing at the big monitor on the Nerezza's bridge, hoping to get under somebodies' skin, as is his way. "How can an entire planet be sailing through intergalactic space? What happened to its parent star, its siblings?"

"Oh Jax!" Kara bellows with a huff, taking the bait like a rube. "You need another go with the second headband! Twice might be a charm, you never know. I mean, you've seen rogues before! Surely, you've not forgotten about the black hole that wrecked the Titania Alpha star system? We even watched it form from colliding neutron stars for crying out loud! Things like that happen all the time, all over the universe. In fact, I'm guessing that might be what happened to your face!"

"Okay you two." Carter cuts in. "How old are you guys, like 12? Can't you at least play nice while we have a guest?"

"Yes, of course. Sorry Carter, my bad." Kara obtains new focus, her reddened face cooling off. "I'll take Grath over to the Naiad's airlock. He might enjoy seeing our little ocean a bit closer."

"That's a great idea." Tina responds. "In fact, I've just been informed that Arcon and his team have arrived at the airlock to meet Grath. Jax, you and Aerima go with."

At the top of a staircase platform, resides the airlock-interface with the giant ocean bubble beamed aboard from Ganymede. Grath, after catching his breath from climbing faster than he should, braves a glance through a window in the hatch, shocked at seeing such unusual creatures. Living underwater as might any octo-creature, and long tentacles everywhere, he can hardly tell where one animal ends and another begins as they squirm about.

Lifting a hand, not being able to communicate beyond a friendly wave, he inquires. "Am I to understand that these water-people are prisoners? Slaves for doing the machines biddings? How did you capture them?"

"They are not captives, Commander. We persuaded them with friendship and trust." Answers Aerima. "We find that those two factors are much more powerful than slavery. You see, they are scientist from the Terran system and have been great friends to the human race for a very long time. This is their first space adventure."

"Commander Grath." Surri says. "I am in communication with the leader of the group. He's that one there. His name is Arcon. He welcomes you and your crew. He and his team have been studying the Andromeda Galaxy and have discovered some promising planetary prospects."

Another wave as Grath responds at the window. "Hello Arcon. Thanks. Any help finding us a new home world will be greatly appreciated." Turning to Surri, he notices the concentration on her furry little muzzle and knows a link is still open.

"Surri, can you teach me that fine trick?" Grath inquires hopefully.

"I will try, commander. But it is a hard trick to learn, beyond the simple basics I mean. Even my human friends stumble along. But I will try."

"Thanks, Surri. That's all I ask. Now.... please tell Arcon it was a pleasure and we'll have to do it again sometime soon. However, I haven't eaten real food in 50-years, so must be going."

"Arcon says that perhaps next time, you can visit their domain in a submarine. It's quite beautiful, and he can review the data they have concerning Andromeda."

"That will be fine." And with a final wave, Grath is off to return to his ship. A long hot shower and a tasty meal is just what the doctor ordered....

"Oh, we won't actually _see_ the planet as it passes." Tina explains to those gathered, as Grath and escorts return from the ocean-airlock. "You see, it's moving at nearly 1.5-million-mph towards us and we're going much faster than that in the opposite direction."

"Hey!" Max yells, looking up from his data screen. "It's passing in 10 seconds!"

All look to the circle-monitor, some counting down. Suddenly, the monitor seems broken as a streak of condensed fire makes a thin line from the forward portion all the way to the aft section, continuing its lonely rampage towards the Milky Way galaxy.

"That's it?" Jax laments, wishing he could get the last 10-seconds of his life back. "I don't think I've ever seen anything so boring!" He finishes with fake snoring.

"Oh, you just have your expectations set too high." Amy surmises correctly. "Perhaps Torg was able to see it better, using his android vision." She adds with a wink towards the handsome Jax doppelganger.

"My stars yes!" Torg responds, trying to keep a straight face. "It was a lovely little doomed planet. Except the trees are made of ice now, and the oceans have sunk below the surface!"

"Really? You could see all that? .... Carter? Was my not so bright stunt double able to see such a thing?"

"Oh Jax! You're such a bone head!" Torg has the greatest laugh ever. "I saw exactly what you saw. Nothing more, nothing less. I might be an android, but I don't have superman vision. Not at that level anyway. Jeez!"

"Torg, we need to have to re-calibrate those smartass circuits of yours." Jax huffs. "They're a bit out whack."

"Out of whack?"

"It's an industry term my dear brother. Jeez, everybody knows that!"

"I guess you mean I'm a bit too much like.... you? Yes, I understand. My bad."

Esty breaks in, becoming quite bored. "I have some interesting news about our rogue friend." She announces, her face still plastered against her armchair data-screen. "It originated exactly from the coordinates that Adam gave us with which to find Kira's world Ankara."

"Very interesting." Carter responds. "According to the lad, the Ankaran star system is also rogue, having been kicked from Andromeda long ago. I've no doubt that our little friend was probably once part of that family, but not able to hang on. Any signs of life?"

"Too fast.... it was moving too fast to get a reading." Esty laments frustratedly. "I doubt it has life though. Its core might still be hot, but without a star, life would be greatly challenged."

"Shall we turn around and investigate?" Braxton inquires.

"Negative Mister Crane. Hold her steady on this course. We've a young woman to find. Maybe that will bring Adam from his troubled sleep."

"Yes ma'am. Steady as she goes."

# Kiss of alien love!

Still caught in a turbulent dream vortex, Adam experiences moments of clarity but they are rare. He feels the astral thread thinning, even fraying, not able to take the abuse much longer. He never should have entered the astral plane during warp, effectively violating the laws of physics that control such a realm.

Trying to gain control of his wayward astral thread, his projection is all over the place! Not sure if he's been lost for a few moments or perhaps for an eternity, he searches for understanding, finding none.

Time has no meaning in a dream, and even less in an astral nightmare!

Suddenly, a warmth against his lips, brings a confusing relief! Such a tiny contact, soothes and caresses his soul, enveloping his psyche with the fire of love! Struggling, he stabilizes the dream thread, finally bringing it under control. He moves towards the light at the end of a long dark tunnel.

Clawing his way towards the light with newfound determination, he feels another kiss, longer this time.... Hotter, this time! Rising to the occasion, he kisses back, having fully returned from the astral plane of existence, knowing it can be only one person who could ever kiss like that!

"Kira?" Adam inquires through squinted peepers against a strong light above. "Is that you my love?" He inquires of the loveliest silhouette he's ever seen!

"Yes sleepyhead. It is me, Kira. Welcome back to the land of the living, Adam." An angelic voice responds, warmly filling his soul, bringing energy to continue life once again.

"But I was supposed to rescue _you_." The lad states weakly. "And here you are, saving _me?_ "

"We have saved each other, my love. We are together once again, and that is all that truly matters."

"Yes, of course.... but how?"

"Your ship arrived ahead of the other, the Nerezza I believe it is called, and is parked on the surface above the facility where we met."

"I'm really here? On Ankara?" Comes a dazed inquiry, not sure if it's real or Memorex.

"Yes, silly. And here's another kiss just to prove it!

"Mmmmmmmmmmm!" comes a lustful tone from cosmically intertwined hearts.

"Wow! I guess I really _am_ here! Perhaps several more, just to be extra sure?"

"Hold still, Casanova." Talia elbows her way into the lovefest before it turns x-rated in front of everybody. "You wouldn't want me breaking a needle in your ass, now would you?"

"My whaaaaaa? .... Ouch! Hey! What's the big idea?!" The patient cries. "I survive a cosmic coma, only to have you stick me with a sharpened tree branch?"

"Be brave, Adam." Kira imparts gigglingly, remembering a time when it was _she_ who was told to do so. Omari and Talia, move in with a plethora of medical gadgets, hoping to give the lovestruck lad a clean bill of health.

"You're lucky to be alive, Mister Miller." Omari informs with his best bedside manner. "Your vitals were dropping like a comet. You were close to burning up in that damned astral-crap stuff, never to return. We had to sail ahead in the Queen, just to give you a fighting chance."

"Yes," Talia expands on the subject, "we had to get you out of warped-space so you might repair the astral thread damage and return to us. And as we we're also seeking Kira, we figured a 2-fer-one was the best choice, so we exited warp here at Ankara. And voila, we're here! .... what do you think?"

"Well, you surely did a fine job! Thanks doctors!"

Turning his head, Adam sees Nyla, Wil, and others of the peanut gallery gawking with silly grins on their faces.

"I never thought I'd see the day, when Adam gets a romantic kiss!" Kara quips rudely. "My stars! What a spectacle!"

The crowd goes wild, so happy to see Adam come back to life again.

"Gray hairs, young man!" Nyla points friendlily at her lovely head. "Gray hairs!"

"Uh, sorry mom. I'll not do that again. At least not in such a careless way."

"Yes, well I've heard love can make a person do crazy things, so you're excused this time."

"And on _that_ note...." Wil drops his two cents worth on the table, glancing at the freshly united couple. "From the bottom of my circuits, I say this sincerely. Congratulations for finding each other. Not an easy thing to accomplish in this big universe, where things tend to get lost in space. But you've proven that love is bigger than all that. Even bigger perhaps than the multiverse itself! So, with great pride, we all welcome you to the family, Miss Kira."

"Hear! Hear!" Magnus yells as Kira reddens from all the attention. "Except it's soon to be Mrs. Kira Miller!" Magnus bellows proudly, giving his brother a rare pat on the back.

"Oh! I just love weddings!" Toby exclaims, hardly keeping tears from shedding. "But I've nothing to wear!" The lovely young woman admits, leaving the door open for a Jax attack....

" _Oh, that's easy! Just don't wear anything!_ " Jax esp's her through Razzi's mind in hopes of remaining anonymous. " _You're so butt-ugly, it won't matter anyway! Better yet, so's not to gross us out too much, have Herculon sew you up a nice burlap-bag dress! And one for himself too!_ "

" _Jax Kraus! I recognize your evil thoughts!_ " Toby retorts a scathing esp, causing Razzi to wince. " _One of these days, Jax! One of these days.... bang zoom straight to the moon!_ " She threatens with a mental fist, looking to see where Jax might be hiding, as is his way.

"He's here Toby." Aerima informs, pulling the young man by the ear from behind her. "I've told him at least a million-times to play nice, yet he forgets each time. Come my dear, do what you must. Do your worse. Teach a karate lesson that he'll not soon forgot!"

"Oh, it's ok, Aerima. But thanks anyway." Toby cools her jets, remembering how older brother likes to get under her skin. "I really shouldn't destroy him in front of Kira, you know. I'll just put this pounding on his tab.... added to the next time."

"I'm sorry sis." Jax offers sincerely, causing many to wonder what's going on. "It's just that you give me so much ammunition, is all."

"All right," Nyla intervenes, "I don't know what all that's about, but don't put our Zenarawan friends in the middle of your squabbles like that. Shame on you both!"

"Hey Kira! Never mind all that junk." Shirley steps in. "Are you hungry? Let's go to the galley and scrap up something to eat. Bring Adam with if he's up to it. I'm sure he's ravished after sleeping for 2-weeks."

A grand calmness rules an overcast sky above the Queen Anne's Revenge. A lull in the planetary bombardment has brought a peacefulness to the tortured desert and planet. The land all around, is pockmarked with impact craters big and small, still looking like a warzone.

Mercifully, the fires and brimstone have cooled, the smoke gone. Still, the mindset of the population smolders with a need for vengeance!

Throughout the land, survivors of the cosmic tumult consolidate energies, forming plans of action. Plans for getting even with the rat-bastards next door who attacked so sneakily! Of course, in this case it's _octo-bastards_ , but that's a fine line of differentiation indeed!

Gravity on Ankara is 97% percent that of Oberon Prime, so the Queens landing gear gets a break, as do the crewmembers. The galley is put to a real test as always. More appetites are destroyed than you can shake a stick at! Many foods are launched onto unsuspecting victims, leaving the place needing extra-cleaning. Kira and father haven't had such a great time since.... well.... since like forever it seems!

"Pass me the ammunition please." Myrna requests laughingly. "I mean the peas, please."

"They're all gone." Amy laughs, adding. "You'll have to pick some out of your hair!"

"So, I say's to Mable...." Magnus finishes his story.... "I say's.... Mable? Have I got...."

"Put a sock in it, Mister Teach. Save it for later." Esty orders scowlingly upon entering the room with an angered Gort, neither enjoying the moment one iota.

" _Yikes!_ " Magnus exclaims, having never been treated in such a way by Esty.

"We must leave this world." The Grey android commander announces to all. "Those in leadership say they don't want our help. They don't like us very much, it seems. And they certainly don't want to hear alien ideas."

"Whaaaaa?" Max inquires elegantly. "They don't like our ideas?"

"They're afraid of strangers after what's happened to their world. Especially strangers bearing free gifts. Especially strangers that aren't.... _exactly like them_."

"Yes yes!" Max retorts with a huff. "We've seen this b-movie before! They're afraid of our strength and strangeness, and rightly so I guess. But they don't know us, _like we know us_. It'll just take time. They'll come around.... you'll see."

"That's what I'm hoping, young human." Esty responds, offering a wink to Kira and her father who now look so sad due to the treatment of their new friends. "So, lets pack it in and who knows.... perhaps go visit these Hydroshox mad-bombers and see what we can see."

"Yeah!" Harper agrees, glad Ling brought his battle helmet. "Ankara can't easily stop Hydroshox from attacking, so let's do it for them!"

"Hell," Braxton steps up to the plate, "from what I hear, the population on Ankara is opposed to what the government thinks anyway! It might be the same on Hydroshox."

"Yeah! Let's kidnap the lot of them leaders!" Cooper yells with a gleam in her eyes. "Let's kidnap the decision makers from each world and let them duke it out on some lonely asteroid!"

"Oh, boy! Jeez, what a numbskull idea!" Jax insults rudely, not caring if Cooper or even Alice clobbers him good. "Airbreathers and lobsters, fist-fighting in the vacuum of space! Oh, the things that come out of your mouth, Coop!"

"Ooooooooo, you!"

"Hey Jax." Surri cuts in. "Just a word to the wiseass.... Arcon is linked with Razzi and me. I'm sensing he didn't take kindly to that lobster reference."

"But I didn't say anything about the Naiad's.... did I?!"

"Please perform a brain function test if possible, my human friend. Even though it is difficult for you, try to compare the species of Hydroshox vs Naiad.... Do you not see a parallel?" She inquires of the octopus creatures of both icy worlds.

"Oh, Jeez!" The embarrassed lad yells via esp. "I'm sorry Arcon! .... I meant to say squids! I meant squids!" The diplomatically challenged lad replies desperately. "Airbreathers vs squids! .... What!"

"Oh brother!" Cooper exclaims. "You're digging the deepest of cosmic holes for yourself Jax. Better quit while you're.... oh, never mind. You'll _never_ be ahead!"

"Quiet everyone!" Wil puts his foot down, shaking the ship. "We'll just go and have a nice little chat with the leaders of Hydroshox. We still don't fully understand the problem."

"Well, one problem besides them attacking Ankara, is that they are moving into the oceans of this word, lock, stock, and snorkel!" Adam informs. "Did anybody inform the upper-echelon of Ankaran leaders of that little nugget?"

"They've discovered the trespass and are preparing seek and destroy missions as we speak." Nyla responds. "This war will destroy both worlds if we don't intervene."

"Well then," Wil repeats, "like I just said.... Let's go learn more."

"What about us?" Kira asks hopefully. "Can we come with?"

"My dear, Kira." Nyla informs smilingly. "We wouldn't have it any other way."

# Hydroshox!

The night is frozen, near absolute zero. Queen Anne's Revenge settles into low orbit above Hydroshox, waiting for the Nerezza to arrive. With Ankaran top brass not wishing help from aliens, any plan of repairing the situation is greatly linked to the power of the massive ship.

Hydroshox is a lonely, dying world, isolated at the outer edge of a narrow goldilocks zone. It receives just a tiny percent of the energy afforded to Ankara which resides closer to the life-giving star. The dim star tries it's best to provide more energy but falls short after a long-ago rogue singularity devoured much of its gasses, leaving a zombie-star that's just not up to the task.

"Well, what now?" Comes a question from the peanut gallery....

"There goes another one!" Jax exclaims, pointing at the circle-monitor. "That's the fifth ship we've seen leaving for Ankara."

"How do you know it's going there?" Kara inquires, even though she already knows.

"Duh! Just look around. Do you see any other place within a million lightyears they could be going?"

"They must really be desperate." Kira says. "I mean, for them to willingly leave their ancestral haunts for an alien world, can only mean the rumors are true."

"Rumors?" Esty inquires.

"It has been said that the world of Hydroshox is dying. Freezing to death from lack of internal heat."

"Yes." Kira's father speaks. "Those in authority on this ice world have been requesting assistance from our leaders but there was little interest in doing so. Allowing them to move into our oceans and hope for the best, just didn't seem a viable option."

"So, your leaders couldn't spare a tiny corner of some lonely mudpuddle for a desperate neighbor?" Minerva inquires. "And people think _I'm_ ruthless!"

"You are my dear. You surely are." Thana responds, patting Minerva condescendingly on the face. "And we love you for it too."

"But this is different." Kira responds, not enjoying the words. "Ankara's resources are depleted too. Our biosphere, including the oceans, are under great stresses from our own people. Introducing a new alpha species could tip the precarious balance of our world."

"The question is," Torg responds wisely. "Does a drowning person have the obligation to share their life preserver when it won't support the extra weight? Should both die?"

"There's a question for the ages my boy." Rax states, offering Torg a rare non-insult.

"As cruel as this seems on the surface, I think the answer must invariably be no." Prax postulates. "Unless the other person is a loved-one, nature says it's survival of the fittest. The other should have prepared better before taking the plunge."

"Well, one thing's for sure." Nyla steps into the unpopular topic. "A world has the right to say no. Especially if they have no way of assisting in a meaningful manner."

"Internal heat?" Max inquires, delving into his data-pad. "Kira, you said this world is having a problem with internal heating?"

"Yes. The core isn't able to fight off the space weather like it used to."

"Perhaps this planet was closer to its star at one time." Joanne of Kansas states. "Maybe moving it closer will solve the problem. Or, perhaps it had some other source of energy we're not aware of which supplemented its internal furnace."

Max lifts his head from the data-pad, his eyes agleam. "My dear, those are wonderful thoughts. I believe both scenarios hold water, but I'm liking the supplemental-force idea better. Moving the planet closer is possible, but it would be tricky business so's to not perturb Ankara from her orbit. My guess, like yours, is that there was once another force at play here."

"Guess?" Wil inquires, loving most any of Max's _guesses_. "Pray tell, my good man."

"This snowball may have had a companion at one time. According to my data, this icy type of planet often does. Maybe just a large moon in close-orbit would provide a tidal-friction force that would heat the place just right. Even the core would gain heat-strength from such a stretching and compressing as the two bodies interacted."

"So, you're guessing that the singularity that kicked the star system loose from Andromeda, probably also kicked loose this binary companion?" Joanne asks, happy to be of assistance.

"It's entirely possible, my dear. In fact, I'm now wondering just where that rogue planet we passed might have originated from."

"My guess is that it came from this system, or what's left of it." Esty surmises from her throne.

"Well now." Wil get his deviousness on. "I'm guessing we now have a bargaining chip."

"Bargaining chip?" Max wonders.

"Tell me, Max old boy. How difficult would it be to retrieve said wayward planet and bring it back home? Say we park it just right, perhaps on an elliptical orbit around Hydroshox. That would provide tidal friction, wouldn't you say?"

"It would! And using the Nerezza, I think it's entirely possible without too much strain."

"Good answer, Mister Sohn." Wil states smilingly. "I like the way you think. Now, as I said; we have a bargaining chip. We can provide a solid reason for the warring parties to end the conflict. Or else."

"Or else?" Kira inquires with wide eyes, having not really been prepared for the incredible technologies she's hearing of. "And what's this about moving planets? The Nerezza? My, aren't you folks full of surprises. I'm feeling like a cavegirl here with just a tiny crashed flying saucer to be proud of. And it couldn't hardly move a flea! Adam?"

"It's a long story my cosmic cavegirl. A long story indeed!" Adam imparts lovingly. "I promise to tell you all about it someday."

"Or else?" Kira inquires once again, not liking ultimatums.

"There will be no 'or else', my dear." Nyla states matter-of-factly, giving Wil the evil eye for scaring the young woman. "We'll try to fix this problem in an indirect fashion and not get involved further. All we have to do is find a way to communicate with those below. Help them understand that there's a solution without war."

"Razzi?" Braxton inquires. "Surri? Anything?"

"We can't get a read from such distance." Surri answers.

"We should return to the Nerezza and begin this new plan of action." Razzi suggests, mostly towards Esty who owns the flying saucer. "I believe these people won't be persuaded by words or thoughts alone. They are ruthless in the extreme and require actions that will dent their steely minds if there's effort to explain that things are different now.... Better."

"Mister Razzi." Esty responds eloquently. "You make a persuasive argument, my furry friend. So, I put it to vote! Do we leave this star system behind, and go about our own business? Or do we stay and do what we can, no matter what the others think or want?"

"Is it our job to play god?" Jax wonders aloud, hoping to get under somebody's skin. "Do we have the right to end such a schoolyard squabble as this? _Who the hell are we?_ "

"Oh, my dear stupid Jax." Aerima indulges, getting the peanut gallery fired up, especially Torg. "This has less to do with a so-called _god_ , and _more to do_ with just having fun with the tools said-god provided us. Don't you like time travel, Jax? Didn't we have fun manipulating the universe those times? No complaints then! And don't you enjoy rubbing elbows with other ghosts, Jax? And don't you love riding within the magical warp-fields of the Queen, Jax? What are we to do with our grand technology, Mister Krauss? Should it just sit and gather dust?"

The crowd goes wild, and the vote is in favor of helping where they can! Jax is humbled at his own game of _let's stir things up_. "As always, my mechanical snookum's, I stand corrected by your wisdom of the ages. After all I'm only 22."

"Yeah yeah, and I'm 500! What's your point?" Aerima retorts laughingly. "No really, just try to act _my age_ , Jax. That's all I'm asking for the 100-millionth-time." Another haunting laugh ends with an Arnold the pig snort, creating such a tumult in the peanut gallery! Jax shrinks to the size of an atom and slinks away, as usually is his way.

"Cooper.... Toby.... Are the warp-fields ready for expansion? And what of the gripper and tractor beams?" Carter inquires as he's in charge of bringing the wayward planetoid back to its nest.

Looking up from her all-important engineering panel, Cooper has a devious gleam in her eyes. It's not every day she's tasked with lassoing a runaway celestial body. "We're good to go, Carter. Estimates show we'll be able to fully engulf the planetoid into the sub-slipstream."

"Very good. Keep a keen eye on the strain gages, ladies. We don't want to crack this egg, just slow it down and turn it around. If the readings rise to the top of the green range, pull the plug, let the egg go, or we'll break the ship."

"Yes ladies," Jax reinforces Carters order. "We certainly don't wish to break the ship way out here in the middle of nowhere."

"Thanks, Jax." Comes a roll of eyes as Cooper adjusts dials, preparing to de-phase the planetoid into the boundary layer between universes.

"Okay, easy does it, Braxton, Magnus." Carter cautions the helm worriedly, as the Nerezza pulls in behind the speeding rogue planetoid, parting the Saint Elmo's fire with her electronic fog, sending streaks of illumination in all directions. "Pull up gently boys. Park us 50-miles above the surface and be ready to bug out if Coop and Toby say so."

"Aye Aye, Carter." Comes duel acknowledgments from helm.

"Remember. Rules of engagement go like this; don't crack the egg or break the ship." Carter reminds. "We're a long way from home!"

"Oh my!" Talia freaks. "Carter said 50-miles, not 50-feet!" She fine-tunes her backseat driving skills as the big monitor of the Nerezza fills with oncoming planetoid.

"Relax, dear doctor." Magnus calls over his shoulder. "You're in good hands, so leave the driving to us."

"Carter.... we're at 50-miles." Braxton informs, wiping beads of sweat off his forehead.

"Very well.... Cooper, how are we looking?

"Good to go. The entire planetoid is inside the slipstream, fully de-phased from our universe. Extending the graviton-field and gripper beams.... now!"

From a distance, the Nerezza seems a flea about to land on a junkyard dog. Illuminated electronic fog extends from the 120-mile-wide planet gouger, enveloping the much larger object. Soon, the planetoid fades from view as it is transported into the slipstream where its mass is artificially diminished. In this fashion, an uncracked egg is brought back to the nest from which it came....

# Whatever it takes!

The night is gloomy and wet; humidity is stable at 100%. Braxton & Magnus pilot a tiny submarine through an artificial ocean suspended not far above the Nerezza's spherical bridge. It's an oasis of habitability for Naiad friends from Ganymede....

Like an invading creature from another universe, the sub dives deeply, gently pushing aquatic lifeforms out of the way with only a slight elbow to the face. Some, splat against the cockpit window, getting an eyeful of the monsters who dare invade, as they non-gracefully squeegee to the edge and angrily escape a cruel death.

Ahead, a dimly lit structure appears out of the gloomy depths, it being the habitat for the Naiad crewmembers; even underwater creatures, especially sentient ones, enjoy a solid domicile to call home. A safe place where the pantry can't be raided easily, or a loved-one taken as prey.

"Easy, Brax." Magnus cautions as they near the airlock which is actually the reverse of such a thing; a 'water-lock' for lack of better term.

"Yeah yeah.... Oh, did you say something?"

"You're going a little too fast, don't you think?" The lanky co-pilot makes a judgement-call, as is his job, also being deathly afraid of being underwater. It's a phobia engrained in his DNA from a long-dead relative who sailed the ancient oceans of earth in pursuit of ill-gotten booty and swag. "I would rather be keelhauled that die so deeply underwater."

"Jeez, Magnus!" Braxton retorts. "For someone related to Blackbeard, you sure are a wuss at times! We're doing fine. Don't go all _Talia_ on me. In fact, turn on the landing lights, wuss boy." Braxton orders having gotten up of the wrong side of the bed, bordering on receiving a blackened eye for his sour mood.

"Wuss boy? I'm _no_ wuss boy! _Wolfman perhaps_ , depending on if there's a full moon nearby, but no wuss boy.... not ever! You take that back, Braxton Crane! I just don't want my years of plundering and debauchery cut short, is all."

"Okay, okay. I take it back. You're not a wuss boy.... Jeez, have a thrombosis why don't you?"

Just then the sub's magnetic clamps engage the water-lock hatch, jarring the machine to its very bones! "Yeah, I guess you were right. I _was_ going a bit too fast."

"Well, at least we're still alive for you to admit that. And anyone inside certainly knows we've arrived after such an incredible knock!" Magnus reports with a snort, reaching for the intercom. "Wake up everyone, we're here!" He reports as everybody is already wide awake, rubbing the whiplash out of their necks.

Releasing restraints, everyone floats weightlessly, grabbing what they need from overhead bins. At the center of the waterdrop, gravity is really nonexistent. Being so far from the gravity pumps under the surface-plates of the bridge, the huge drop floats freely, just out of the pumps influence. Inside the habitat, water pressure is minimal, just right for octopus and/or humans.

"Time to put on your spacesuits, folks." Braxton announces. "We're ready to enter the water-lock and visit our good friends of Ganymede."

Everyone complies and is soon floating into the Naiad habitat entry-interface. Razzi and Surri are so cute as they peer wide-eyed out of their bubble helmets, never getting used to the unnatural method of travel.

In a skintight spacesuit and fins on her feet, Nyla swims like a fish through the living room area, gracefully not knocking any lamps over or breaking anything. She offers compliment via Surri's esp talents. "Oh, I like what you've done with the place, Maylyn. I'm sorry it's been so long since our last visit. Can you ever forgive us?"

"Think nothing of it my busy friend. Just to be on such an adventure is enough for us. But I'm truly happy that you're here."

"So, Arcon." Wil inquires through Razzi, of the chief Naiad scientist. "How are you all holding up way out here in deep space? We've been gone from Ganymede for 6-months now."

"We've never been better, my mechanical friend. Except there seems not enough time in the day to explore all the data we're collecting. Especially that of Andromeda. Lonnelli and Maylyn have found many candidate planets for our friends the Grey's."

"Oh, that's great, Arcon. We can help you sift through that data, if it might help."

"Grath and Esty are already assisting. Soon we'll choose the most likely places to investigate first. Many variables won't show themselves until we get much closer."

"What of Hydroshox?" Maylyn inquires. "The world seems like that of Ganymede. Do we know anything of the people there?"

"Only that they are extremely desperate.... ruthlessly so, in fact." Nyla inputs. "We've not met them yet but are told they appear in body-shape somewhat similar to you folks. The octo-design I mean. I'm not sure how that translates without going epileptic, and I don't want to tear my suit."

"Please, whatever you do. Don't go there!" Maylyn wincingly requests. "We're quite aware of the thoughts Razzi and Surri put in our heads without that catastrophic heave-dance!"

"Ha Ha.... good one, Maylyn!" Kara roars a thought, translated by Surri. "You've sure got Nyla's number!"

"Yup, she sure does." Nyla agrees laughingly. "I've yet to perfect my body language to that of the Naiad, but I still practice in private. Someday perhaps."

"Well, my dearest." Wil offers opinion, receiving the look for his effort. "Perhaps if Cody and Atara install extra arms and legs, you might have better success!" A roar of esp laughter has poor Razzi and Surri wincing at trying to keep up....

"How goes the planetoid moving?" Lonnelli inquires, even though he keeps abreast of many things occurring outside of their tiny ocean. "Have there been signs of life under the crustal ice yet?"

"The beasty follows us like a puppy dog, happy to be going back home." Carter informs, being the person in charge of said movement. "However, there are no signs of life yet. Our limited testing ability while in super-warp says the globe is probably frozen all the way through after such a long time away from mother star and binary companion."

"Perhaps so." Arcon agrees. "Yet our people have been found frozen in ice from time to time back in Ganymede, and re-animated at roughly 83% success rate. Once the Planetoid thaws after being back in the nest for a while, life will emerge."

"Yeah," Braxton mentions rudely. "Then those on Hydroshox will have a new neighbor to bone."

"Please try to keep it positive Mister Crane." Wil warns sternly. "If we don't hope for the best from the get-go, we might as well just turn around and go back to Oberon Prime and put our heads in the sand."

"Yes sir. My bad."

Time passes.... Much study of the current situation and reminiscing of good times occurs, yet the visit grows old. A body doesn't enjoy spending more time in a claustrophobic spacesuit than necessary....

"My good friends." Wil says, noticing the time. "We must be going. Gather your strength and stay fit. You might have more research than initially bargained for when volunteering for this mission. Especially after we plant this little seed we're hauling. Won't the people of Hydroshox be surprised? I mean, good intensions or not.... good results or not. It sounds like this encounter will be right up your ally! A research for the record books, one might say."

"Yes, let's hope so. We look forward to the challenge. In fact, that's why we live." Arcon responds stalwartly. "It will be the first time after leaving Ganymede where we might be able to make a difference in the universe. We thank you for the opportunity."

"We thank each other equally, my multi-appendage friend. Be well." And with a wave, Wil leads the way into the water-lock. Upon removal of his space suit, he floats to the subs cockpit where Braxton and Magnus are finishing a checklist before departure.

"Magnus.... I'll be sitting as co-pilot this trip."

"Yes sir." The tall young man unstraps, floating aft to find a seat amongst the passengers, shrugging off inquiries as he really doesn't know what's going on.

Wil sits right seat, cinching his harness and adjusting the seat forward so his feet can reach the control pedals. Magnus is a lanky lad who towers over everyone....

Before the sub detaches from the Naiad habitat, Captain Braxton Crane gets an earful of scorn from Admiral Wilber Sohn....

"We need to have a little chat, Mister Crane." father-figure Wil, states matter of factly. "As you know, I have great hearing, being an android and all. Well, I heard the condescending attitude you gave Magnus for mentioning a safety concern during final approach of this facility. We all felt the results of your lackadaisical response. So, I'm here to remind you, that when you sit that left seat, you are captain and should always conduct yourself most honorably at _all_ times."

Father android continues.... "No matter what kind of day you are having, never let it show. Everyone respects you as a leader. Don't lose that. The safety of the crew and ship is paramount. It should never be trivialized or minimized in any way whatsoever. Save the hijinks and slights for when you're off-duty. Or perhaps it's time for Magnus to sit that seat.... So, my boy, that's the end of my advisory spiel. What thinks you of _that_ apple?"

"I won't like that apple sir." Braxton responds boldly, looking Wil straight in the eyes. "It seems a sour and rotten thing. But I do understand your concern and promise to never again let my duty faulter in such a way.... Please sir, keep that apple in your pocket. I don't ever want a bite of that forbidden fruit."

"Well, after such a lucid and respectful response, I can certainly do that, young man. In fact, as you know, I am nothing, if not vulnerable to a heartfelt promise. But just the same, it would be nice if you offered Magnus the captainship every _once_ in a while. He greatly deserves such an honor, and it would be the human thing to do.... do you concur?"

"Yes sir.... I surely do concur."

"That's my boy!" dad responds lovingly, ruffling the lad's hair. "So glad we had this little chat! I mean, we wouldn't want you turning out like Magnus' scruffy old seafaring uncle, would we? Or even that horrible Captain Bligh, eh?"

"No sir, certainly not."

"I'm proud of you my son. And I'm sure your biologic father would be most proud too; glory be his weary asteroid-hunting bones back on Earth, may they rest in peace."

"Thanks, Wil. I mean, dad. I mean, Admiral.... Those words mean a lot to me, sir.... Now, as captain of this fine ship, I'm requesting that you undock this vessel and take us to the surface.... at your leisure of course, my liege.... I mean, _Admiral Sohn_.

"Don't mind if I do, _Captain_ Crane! .... _Don't mind if I do!_ "

# Friendship.... a work in progress

"Easy does it, boys." Carter whispers nervously at the two young men piloting the ship, pacing back and forth like a mother hen about to lay an egg.... A very _special_ cosmic egg! "Let's get it right the first time."

"Maintain course Mister Teach." He orders of the newbie left seater who's taken to growing a beard lately. A thick growth, dark and gnarly it is! For the special occasion, the lanky lad has poked strands of thick cannon fuse into the gripping mass of hair. They jut out from the sides of his face in a most menacing fashion! He doesn't ignite them out of respect for the others and not wanting to catch fire his first time as captain!

"Cooper.... release our little gift to the world of Hydroshox, whenever the data says go." He whispers delicately at the engineering console next door so's to not give an evil eye to the special mission.

"Aye Aye, Carter. Maintaining course as requested." Captain Magnus Teach responds proudly, really liking his new seat _very much_. While he's flown the Revenge many times from the right seat as co-pilot, he's never flown anything nearly so big as the Nerezza. His blood is up, with adrenaline even higher! .... "Keep a sharp eye on velocity, Mister Crane." Blackbeard orders.

"Yes, my Captain." Braxton replies flippantly yet not minding the temporary pay-reduction, enjoying not having the spotlight on _him_ during these crucial moments in time. If the egg get's cracked, at least he's not the one driving!

"Max, are you triple-dodeca sure this trajectory is the most optimum?" Mother hen Carter inquires without thinking, already knowing the answer.

"Oh yes!" Maxwell Sohn responds irritably, rubbing his temples to cool his blood. "My gosh Carter, we've been over this a million times. Take a chill electron, why don't you?!"

"Yes. Yes, of course we have.... sorry old boy. Senility can strike even an android it seems.... have mercy on my circuits."

"Yes, my old chum, as always." And he gets an elbow from Shirley for being persnickety beyond the pale.

"Well then, the time is upon us to cut loose this little piggly-wiggly and see if it goes to market." The tall dark android jokes, hoping for the best.

"Everything looks good here, Carter." Cooper announces as she and Toby keep a close eye on all-important dials and gages. "On this trajectory, Hydroshox will have a friendly visit from its long-lost sister every 8-days, providing a wonderful tidal-friction to warm the octo-peoples stony, coldblooded hearts."

"Carter, graviton-beam cut-off in 1-minute. Planetoid is lined up for an optimal orbit." Toby adds a crucial nugget of data.

"Very well.... In that case, let's stick our noses where nobody asked us to stick them and hope for the best."

"Hear! Hear!" Nyla tosses in her 2-cents. "It isn't the first time!"

"And surely won't be the last!" Wil adds for good measure.

"Hello control central!" Amy calls as she approaches with tour group in tow "May we enter?"

"My goodness, the gang's all here _now!_ " Kara exclaims cheerfully from her science station onboard the Nerezza.

"Yes, Amy! Welcome! Hello again Captain Grath!" She calls excitedly, her circuits swooning. "And who's this? Can it be? My goodness! Welcome, Arni!" The lovely android offers the wide-eyed wheelchair-bound Grey officer in her own clickity-clackity language. It's her first time out of sickbay since.... since like forever it seems!

"Hi Nyla. Hello everyone." Grath greets cordially with raised long-fingered hand. "Doctors Talia and Omari sure did a fine job putting my weapons officer back together. Thank you."

"Yes, they did a wonderful job." Arni offers. "They say I'll be walking again soon."

"Oh, that's good to hear, my dear." Wil says mischievously, adding. "Humpty Dumpty cases have always been their specialty, you know." He teases, as is his way. "And who's the beautiful new crewmember pushing you around? Hubba Hubba!" He offers with a tasteless bout of elevator-eyes, receiving an elbow from Nyzilla for his total rudeness.

"Humpty Dumpty? Hubba Hubba? I'm unfamiliar with those terms." Arni responds, suspecting by Wil's body language that the tall machine was making levity at her and Abbi's expense. "Anyway, my new friend is named Abbi. She's my backup.... my doppelganger you might say. Atara and Cody sure did a fine job on her, don't you think?"

"Yes. Yes, they did. She's gorgeous, just like you, my dear.... Hello Abbi." Wil greets friendlily the newest android lately, reaching and offering his hand. "It's very nice to see you finally completed and working hard. Did you know we have a few things in common?" He inquires of the freshly minted Grey android.

"I hope it's not rude behavior." She responds with her own tour of elevator eyes, having already been briefed by Atara concerning Wil's proclivity for rude ways. "Oh, and it's nice to meet you too." The crowd goes wild, leaving Wil to bow his head in electronic shame, realizing he now has real competition at being a smartass. "Just kidding of course." Abbi adds. "In fact, I'm glad you like my equipment, because I sure do!" She adds with devious laugh.

Behind the Nerezza, a powerful graviton-beam is extinguished, and the electronic-fog interface is pulled back to the ship, leaving the newly returned planetoid to its own devices. Fully inside our universe again, it'll dutifully obey the laws of orbital mechanics, or die trying!

Now the big rock speeds along on an elliptical orbit around Hydroshox as they both orbit a dim star. At nearly 250,000-mph, the worlds will get quite intimate every week, passing each other with only 4,000-miles-separation at closest approach.

The octo people of Hydroshox, are in for a major surprise. Hopefully a pleasant one, after the shock wears off. There will be growing pains as the population gets used to the sometimes-violent tidal shifts each week. Both worlds will heat internally because of the interaction. Each will benefit from the gravitational shakeup, as it were.

"Well, we better contact Hydroshox." Wil announces. "It's time to introduce ourselves and come clean about what we've done."

"Surri? Do you sense contact?" Nyla inquires after the Revenge melts through the crustal ice of Hydroshox and settle into the inky depths. "Is there anybody out there?" She asks, having a taste of déjà vu in her circuits. Current events have her thinking of Ganymede for some reason....

"Yes." Surri responds dreamily, her mind absorbed in the esper search for the leaders of this otherworldly place. "But they are confused. They know not what scratches at their minds, or what causes the shifting of their realm."

"They blame the hated-ones, those on Ankara." Razzi adds, bringing a cringe to Kira and father.

"Are they preparing for another attack?" Kira asks a dreadful question.

"I don't know, but if they do attack again, it would be most hazardous for those who've already landed in the oceans of that world. Even ocean-dwellers hate to die; especially by friendly fire."

"Yes, I imagine that more bombardment would affect them also." Nyla agrees, bringing a sense of relief to Kira and father who sit in the peanut gallery, wide-eyed with disbelief at the technologies wielded by their new friends. Reaching, Adam takes her hand, offering a warm smile.

"We'll get this figured out my dearest." The lad promises, hoping his words hold water.

Wil inquires of Razzi.... "Are you able to distinguish a leader?"

"Not yet. We must get closer." Razzi responds as if in a trance, his furry muzzle furrowed in concentration. "That way." He adds, pointing downward towards the center of the world.

Soon, lights appear in the distance, speaking of a civilization ahead. A facility of sorts, floating majestically like a city of underwater skyscrapers all bunched together on a suspended platform, still far above the solid core of the planet.

Queen Anne's Revenge, while in submarine mode, usually finds her way using radar and infrared sensors, but the structures ahead are illuminated brightly, so the challenge is minimal. Oceanic lifeforms of many kinds and shapes, frantically scurry out of the way as the saucer cuts a deeper path, not immersed in the slipstream at all, fully in phase with our universe, and exposed.

"We're being scanned." Max announces from his post. "We should hold here and not threaten further."

"Yes, they see us." Razzi states. "Weapons are being pointed."

"I believe I've brushed against the mind of a leader." Surri adds. "Shall I attempt deeper contact?"

"Yes, my dear." Esty announces from her lofty perch. "Explain as best you can. Especially the part where we won't shoot, if they don't."

"Their minds are easy to read." Surri says with surprise. "Uncomplicated yet focused."

"Perhaps being familiar with the minds of the Naiad's is a help to you." Omari suggests.

"Perhaps.... I'm in contact now with one who seems in charge. He is confused. His many hearts beats have skyrocketed.... He fears he is losing his mind. This will take time."

"Don't forget about the not-shooting part." Esty reminds, not wishing her pride & joy to suffer even one scratch or dent.

"Esty. Particle cannons and lasers are fully charged and aimed." Cooper announces, bringing a sigh of relief from many as they remember how the lasers have been upgraded from burnt toast to totally ludicrous destruction, having put a new vent shaft in the mountain back home thanks to Braxton's carelessness.

"If we must, we can open that city like a can of Tuna!" Toby adds deviously, fake-reaching for the fire-button....

"Shhhhhhhh." Razzi warns. "Any words going into our ears, have a chance of being transmitted to those who don't need to hear such things.

Suddenly Surri moans, eyes closed, mumbling words and still deeply under the influence of esp contact. "Calmed.... my contact has calmed.... has accepted that I'm not a figment on his imagination.... _Xerxes_.... His name is Xerxes.... military leader.... orchestrator of the attack on Ankara. He doubts we placed the planetoid.... impossible.... his scientists say we couldn't have done so. It's a gift from God.... Says we shouldn't mess with it."

"Well now, there's a good start." Nyla responds whisperingly. "In fact, a _great_ start!"

"Except for the God part." Prax states sadly, realizing that superstitions must span the universe. Perhaps even the multiverse!

"Hey metal skull, we can correct that part later." Jax informs rudely, as is his way.

"Shhhhhhhhhh!"

"Surri?" Kira inquires anxiously, "Ask this Xerxes squid if Hydroshox will recall those who've already landed on my world. Especially if the planetoid brings heat, saving their lives."

"He says that is not his decision to make but suspects not. Says to be careful who you call a squid.... Says that peace, now seems impossible after what has transpired. Says better to finish an adversary, so's to not incur retributions at a future time."

"Oh! This Xerxes is getting under my circuits!" Esty roars, thinking hotly of the ship's lasers and the firing button on her trusty wristband. "Surri. Inform this fellow that we are not here to play games. That we have other fish to fry in this universe and we must be going.... Stress that perhaps we'll just take that planetoid with us and call it a day!"

"He heard you, Esty. Says he'll contact higher-ups, speak of this contact.... Come back, one year."

"One year my shiny titanium ass!" She exclaims, getting up her electronic dandruff.

"My dear Commander Esty." Carter says softly. "Calm your circuits. I've got this."

"Please do, before Xerxes inherits a cosmic attitude adjustment!

"Surri, inform Xerxes that he should not dismiss our talents for moving planets. We _did_ place that moon, and we're certainly not gods. Also, we have the power to remove it from orbit, or even plow it into his world, ending negotiations forever. So, he can either come to his senses and play this smartly or enjoy the worst day at the office he's ever had!"

"Xerxes understands, Carter. He says even if you're not just pulling his tentacles, it will still take time for a decision to be made, although putting a year on it was an exaggeration."

"That's better. And just to be clear, I would never pull his tentacles. Instead, I pull on his common sense to do what is right for the people of Hydroshox. Ask if he has the authority to at least agree to a temporary truce? Enforceable by penalty of planetary destruction."

"He does but is not fond of the planetary destruction part." Surri informs.

"In that case, he should use great caution, or it will become so. We will not suffer treachery or deceit and have the power to cause extreme regret. So, here's the deal. We'll leave, perhaps even for a year but probably not that long. We'll leave the planetoid in place, let it percolate with Hydroshox, see what happens."

_Longwinded Carter again...._ "No more attacks on Ankara, and no more Hydroshoxians will be sent into their oceans. Those already there, must be brought home by the time we return. Also, and this is most important. We leave a group of scientists, who're itching to meet the people of this world. They are my friends and should be treated with the highest level of respect."

After a long pause, Xerxes relents.... "I agree with these terms and will relay them to those who will make the final decision. But how will these scientists live inside our world? We are not prepared to entertain airbreathers, and I'm sure my leaders won't stand for it either." Xerxes informs rather undiplomatically.

"Don't worry my friend." Carter lays it on thickly. "These people are not airbreathers like you might imagine. In fact, I would bet my last diode that they and your people will get along swimmingly!"

"Diode? Not familiar with that term. Please explain."

"Let's just say I'm not skin, cartilage and blood like you folks here on Hydroshox, or even Ankara for that matter. I guess you could say I'm non-biologic."

"Non-biologic? How can this be?"

"Oh, it be! You have no idea, Xerxes! You have no idea at all! .... Play nice, and someday I'll tell you all about it. Me with a pint of my favorite oil, and you with whatever your poison is. Until then, know this.... _I'll be back!_ "

# A grand challenge accepted!

"Are you sure, Arcon?" Carter inquires, using Razzi's esp talents as they hover buoyantly inside the Naiad habitat with Wil and Nyla. Razzi in turn, radios Arcon's responses to Carter as androids don't take to esp very well but understand the Zenarawan language just fine.

_Carter again...._ "You got volunteered for a dangerous mission, and I can't help feeling somewhat responsible." He jokes sickly, feeling guilty for doing such a thing. So guilty in fact, he braves the claustrophobic conditions of a spacesuit and deep underwater conditions just to face his friends from Ganymede in person.

"You did nothing wrong, Carter. Don't feel badly. Is not being here in the great void between galaxies considered dangerous also? All in a day's work, says I. It was a command decision, and I would have done the same had I been in your space boots. Besides, we didn't come on this grand adventure just to hide our tentacles in the sand, right? We could have done that back on Ganymede, if I'm not mistaken."

_Arcon continues._ "So, how do you propose we do this? The environment of Hydroshox might not be to our liking. Our physiologies have a narrow window of tolerance, as do all lifeforms away from their home world. And the food might be horrific!" The octo-scientist jokes with a mighty laugh, vibrating the water with bass resonance.

"No problem my understanding friend. We'll just beam the entire ocean-habitat directly into their sub-crustal sea. Your home away from home has a reliable power-source, and the forcefields will keep the waters separated just right. You can perform quality scientific research, and we'll pick you up on our return trip home. Also, we'll install defense systems in case our good friend Xerxes has a mental breakdown and doesn't play nicely."

"Oh! We'll have no weapons, sir!" Maylyn expresses emphatically, swimming about the room frenziedly, her gills working overtime. Arcon, who isn't so sure, gives the excited young female a look of concern as she continues. "We've never needed such things and wish no harm unto others. I doubt Xerxes is so crazy as to wish harm unto us either."

" _Oh boy, here we go_ _!_ " Wil smacks gloved hand against his helmeted forehead in frustration. "My lovely Maylyn. I mean no disrespect, but what rock have you been hiding under?"

"Wil!" Nyzilla yells, not able to reach him for a swat. "You said you'd be nice for a while after being so rude to Abbi!"

"Yes dearest. My circuits forget such promises easily. Sorry Maylyn.... my bad."

Carter cuts in before Wil can step on himself further. "Maylyn, please excuse my rude yet well-meaning friend and let me explain how we do things outside of your comfy little world of Ganymede. You see, believe it or not, the universe is a deadly and unforgiving place. Any lifeforms that successfully climbed the slippery slopes of evolution, will have a proclivity for treacherousness, deceit and greed, among a long list of other ingrained unpleasantries."

"It can't possibly be that bad." Maylyn responds innocently, having calmed somewhat and not so rambunctious now.

"I do paint a bleak picture, and for that I can't apologize. But think of the Apollyon species for instance, and the thousands of worlds they've destroyed.... are _still destroying_ to this very day. They don't attack because of survival so much as for just the pure enjoyment of killing, and a desire to expand their monstrous kingdoms that fly through space in search of more worlds."

"But they're machines!" Maylyn reminds, forgetting who she's talking to.

"As am I. And as a machine with human psychological imprinting, I too share traits of the evolutionary baggage that couldn't be filtered from my donor host."

"So, you're saying that Earth androids are natural born killers too? I can't believe that."

"We can be, as are humans, no matter what some may believe of themselves. You see, humans evolved while learned how to survive Mother Nature's unforgiving rules, leaving a dark stain on behavior if not continually tamed. Take the constant taming out of the equation by removing a seemingly civilized person from their comfortable digs, which usually includes a roof over head, electricity & heat on demand, a/c, refrigerator filled with food hunted and gathered at the nearby food store jungle, and put them into a prolonged life or death situation, they will quickly return to a feral state of behavior. They will quickly revert to just another animal bent on survival.... they will quickly turn into natural born killers for sure."

"So, in conclusion, dearest Maylyn." Carter wraps-up his longwinded speech. "We earthlings feel it best to never die from the lack of shooting back. In the long run, not having defensive capabilities and the will to use them if necessary, is unproductive to long-term survival. Do you capeesh, my dear?"

"After all that? My goodness Carter, how can I _not Capeesh?_ I may not fully concur yet, but we did cover that dilemma in grade school.... And I do admit that it was generally agreed _in theory_ that it's better to have a horrible weapon and not need it, then to need a horrible weapon, and not have one." Maylyn acquiesces grudgingly, experiencing a sour taste in her mind as she esp-sends the words through Surri's mind.

"That's my girl!"

"Will we need training?" Arcon inquires dubiously.

"Only how to activate the system." Carter responds. "After the panic button is pushed, it will all be automated and quite deadly for those on the receiving end."

"We won't leave you here alone without protection." Nyla adds. "You don't have to use it, but it _will_ be installed if you choose to accept the mission here on Hydroshox."

"Well then. In that case, I say let's do it and get this show on the road! After that little spiel, I'm dying to meet the people of this world." Arcon rules, being the one who makes all the final decisions for the group of octo scientists.

"Good choice." Wil adds smilingly. "I'll inform Xerxes to prepare for guests."

Queen Anne's Revenge cuts Ankaran atmosphere as like the ghost of a ghost! So out of phase with our universe, she disturbs not even one molecule of air. Cosmic Bernoulli finds himself out of a job once again but doesn't even know he's missing anything. The universe is even-steven.

Having been once rejected by the global higher-ups, and basically kicked off the planet, she doesn't wish to expose herself to planetary defense systems during her return visit. Best to travel as much de-phased from this universe as safely possible, without going to warp speeds.

The day is dark and foreboding as a mercury-like disk appears out of thin air just above what once was a nice park before the bombs dropped from space. The flying saucer slows at a clearing next to wrecked government buildings at city center and eases in for a landing.

Survivors going about the business of putting shattered lives back together after being attacked from above, are stunned beyond recognition as the alien machine appears like a wraith and settles to the ground without further alarm.

Peaceful it is, thinks a few, leaving many to back away, wondering if it waits for a crowd to gather before becoming truly belligerent. They've seen all the movies where aliens attack....

"Well, we're hereeee!" Braxton announces unnecessarily as the circle-monitor is now filled with cracked and busted city all around. A few brave souls, already close to the landing zone, approach the idled saucer, some brave ones poking it with sticks, trying to get a rise.

"Now what?" Magnus enquires over his shoulder, adjusting helm controls for a quick getaway if needed.

"Well," Wil responds, "we'll just go inside and touch bases with the proud leaders of Ankara. Tell them what we've done."

"Are you sure this is the place where we'll find authority?" Nyla inquires of Kira's father.

"Oh yes. This is where they nest. They'll be here. The survivors, I mean...."

"On that note.... looky there!" Jax yells, pointing at a small mob approaching.

"Well well." Wil replies slyly. "They're meeting us halfway."

"And not shooting!" Kira adds her two cents worth. "That has to count for something!"

"It does my dear." Adam supports her fine theory. "It surely counts for a whole lot!"

For those who've gathered outside the strange flying machine, the mercury shine of the Revenge has no discernable breaks in the gleam. Impenetrable, it seems! But suddenly a hatch opens with a windy splendor, shocking the dignitaries and accompanying thugs who've gathered.

A tall figure fills the open hatchway, offering a raised hand in greeting, and a booming voice. "Thank you for meeting us! My name is Wilber Sohn! I'm from a planet called Earth! While we've never met face to face, we're the meddling aliens you kicked from Ankara not too long ago, not wishing our assistance! Well, like it or not.... we're back!"

Another figure enters the scene, pushing the first to the side like yesterday's garbage. "Hello people of Ankara! My name is Nyla Sohn! We wish for the leaders among you to come inside and have a nice friendly chat with us! We promise not to bite!"

"My leaders.... _my friends_." Father of Kira says to the guests now residing comfortably in the stadium seating of the peanut gallery. They hardly listen, having become mesmerized by the circle-monitor that show the outside world in such clarity, they can't believe they're inside a spaceship.... Father speaks from a new position of authority, _way above his paygrade_ , standing next to Esty who sits stone-faced upon her mighty throne of power wondering if there's anything still worth plundering on such a defenseless planet....

"I am Ankaran, like you." Father relates pleadingly. "Just a humble servant of the people, like you. A survivor of the terrible deeds perpetrated by Hydroshox upon our world, like you. I stand here now, with hat in hand, begging you to listen with new hearts of the things my.... _our_ friends from the stars have to say. I tell you truly that their words matter. They will tell you of the new planetoid that now orbits the icy world of Hydroshox. The new celestial body added mysteriously to our wayward star system not long ago. I'm sure you've noticed it. So, please open your minds and listen. Things will become clear, I promise."

And so it comes to pass, that the Stoney hearts of the clay-footed old leaders of Ankara, come to grips with the new cosmic status quo. Plans for attacking Hydroshox and those already in the oceans of Ankara, are put on hold, providing time for reflection and reasoning. Time for both sides to take a breather and come to their senses, if at all possible....

# Onward.... ever onward!

Beneath the icy crust of Hydroshox once again, Revenge and crew wait patiently at the sidelines for the arrival of a rather large package to be electronically delivered from above. In orbit, the Nerezza is piloted by Thana and Minerva, with Carter and Tina acting as logistics engineers.

"Razzi." Tina transmits to the watery world suspended above her head. "Is Arcon and party ready to disembark?"

"They're locked and loaded, Tina. All strapped in and ready to be discombobulated." Comes a chitter that only a trained android or Zenarawan could understand.

"Very good. All is set and the Revenge in position to receive. You had better get out of there my boy, unless you wish to prolong your visit for a year."

"Oh, no! I don't want that! I'm entering the water-lock now! Wait for us!" The furry diver in a tiny spacesuit nearly panics yet knows his good friends would never, ever, maroon him. "Also, Arcon and fellow scientist send farewell and ask that you don't forget where they parked."

"Ha ha! .... We'll not forget." Tina responds. "They'll be in the frozen-foods isle. Wish them the best from all of us and tell Arcon to not let Xerxes push him around very much."

"Will do.... see you in 30-minutes. Razzi out."

The night is gloomy. There's an electricity in the air. Excited crewmembers have gathered outside the command area of the Nerezza, relaxing in lawn chairs, waiting for the show to begin, for the sky to clear. Each has seen a teleportation in action, but rarely on such a large scale as making a 5-mile-diameter bubble of water disappear.

"You know something, Amy?" Toby says whimsically, pointing into the low-hanging watery sky. "While I sure like those Naiad people.... I mean, Arcon is the greatest, right? And Maylyn, a real kick! But I'll sure be glad to have them leave for a while. I miss the wide-open sky! And especially that pathetic little fake star, burning in the middle of it all."

"I hear ya." Amy responds, "They're good friends for sure. But my stars, wow! Do they bring a lot of baggage, don't they?!" Amy retorts, feeling guilty at her self-centeredness.

"Hey Herculon!" Toby yells friendlily, noticing the big fellow starting to wander confusedly away from Xeno and Cosmos, like the dimwit he can be at times. "Bring Xeno and Cosmos over here my boy! .... Sit with me and take a load off your weary circuits! What's about to happen, might cause you to faint anyway. So, please sit, before gravity wins the night. We wouldn't want you stumbling and busting up the place, would we?"

"No, my earthling queen. That would be most bad." Robbie the robot's doppelganger responds, clomping his way towards the others with a devil may care cadence, shaking the deck with pure dread along the way!

"Hey lugnuts! What the hell!" Jax screeches up at the looming dark shadow, stomping ever closer for certain collision. "Watch where you're going, two-tons! Don't sit on us! Go over there! Over there, I say! .... Hey Toby! A little help? Come onnnnnnn!"

"Sorry, Mister Krauss." Herculon apologies for doing nothing wrong yet. "My apologies Miss Aerima.... Oh, I see a spot.... I'll just plop down.... _hear!_ " And a mild earthquake rocks the area, shivering the ship to its very timbers!

"My goodness, Herculon!" Amy wails, nearly spilling her drink. "Can't you be more graceful? Can't you tell when you're about to tip the universe on its ear? My goodness!"

"Oh! Don't listen to them, Herk'y." Toby coos, soothing her big friends' heavy circuits. "Everybody knows where an 800-pound-robot sits.... _right?_ "

"Yes ma'am." The robot responds nervously, hating pop-quizzes. "Anywhere it wants! Right?" His side antennas spin faster in anticipation of praise from his new goddess.

"That's right Herc! Anywhere it wants! By gollies, you get smarter each and every day, don't you my bucket of bolts and spare parts?"

Another quiz! .... a trick question this time, perhaps for extra credit! .... Herculon chooses to answer with a mighty laugh, causing a stir from his 'nails on chalkboard' cackle.

"You see?" Toby praises, removing fingers from her ears. "And your sense of humor is coming along too! Next, we'll work on getting you a less horrible laugh."

"Pfffffffttttttt!" Jax responds grossly, making a slobbering fool of himself, as is his way.

"Jax!" Aerima scolds, wiping slobber from her sleeve. "You should provide a towel with your showers!" Then turning her attention to the big fellow. "It's okay Herculon. We still love you, even if Jax yells a lot."

"Me too!" Torg reminds. "Don't forget me, good buddy! _I love you way more!_ "

"Oh jeez, for crying out loud!" Jax exclaims at his doppelganger. "It doesn't always have to be about you, Torg. _Does it?_ Why _just_ the other day.... I was...."

"Thanks Miss Aerima. Thanks, Torg." Herculon says, cutting Jax off at the pass, adding. "Also miss Aerima.... I would certainly never sit on you.... promise."

"I know Herculon.... I know.... In fact...."

Just then, words of dispute waft through the air, ending Aerima's thoughts and bringing an irritation to the mood of those waiting for the ocean to just disappear and go away.

"Okay, Minerva! I'm telling you for the last time, get your hands away from that button! That's not the self-destruct anymore!" Thana roars at her co-pilot who's just itching to prove she still remembers how to fly the ship and wreck things up. "It's been reconfigured since you last ran your steely fingers along a helm console, so chill those murderous thoughts until later!"

"Yeah yeah, okay." Minerva sulks darkly.... impatiently biding her time. "Watch and learn.... _watch and learn_. I got it!"

"And _don't_ push that button! .... _Say the words!_ "

"And _don't_ push that button! Sheesh! You're sure not very friendly today, Thana. What happened? Did you get up on the wrong side of the recharging-station or something? Do you need a back rub, my dear?"

"Stow it, ladies! _Stay focused!_ " Carter orders, getting a noticeable rise from Minerva who cringes at being ordered to do _anything!_ "The time has arrived" He announces. "Steady as she goes...."

"Aye aye.... steady as she goes, captain." Thana responds dutifully. As lowly pilot, she wishes for more power over her own ship, nearly drooling for it in fact, but as a machine, she can't find the slobber! "Let's rid ourselves of that damnable monstrosity!" She yells at the ocean-sky, bordering on insubordination, or at least guilty of disturbing the peace!

Knowing Thana is true owner of the ship, Carter allows extreme leeway in his circuits for the lovely Grey android to vent her heat .... C'est la vie, he ponders correctly!

"I want my sky back!" Thana, the lowly pilot, doubles-down, fully expecting a good keelhauling for her insolence after things settle down!

" _C'est la vie!_ " The handsome olive-toned android thinks louder to himself, wishing the show would just begin!

"Tina?" He says desperately. "Whenever you're ready, my dear. Whenever you're...."

"Okay, ready or not, here they go!" Reaching, the lovely android from Belize, pushes the big red button just right!

The night was already dark and gloomy, yet suddenly all nonessential lights, for as far as the eye can see, go dim, as their electric current is diverted into the powerful teleportation system. It voraciously draws juice from all corners of the massive ship in order to fulfil its brief mission.

Suddenly above, shimmering pillars of light, stab ever expandingly through the ocean-bubble, completely overwhelming the minds and circuits of the watchers below!

A din of warbling noise crackles against the many souls, biologic or otherwise, who watch the magic that's been put into motion as the otherworldly phenomenon takes solid hold of the ocean above!

The deck quivers and shakes! Nearby fusion reactors are pushed to their limits, sending waves of electricity into teleportation coils placed all around the spherical compartment.

Just when minds are about to snap from witnessing such a thing, the big drop of water from Ganymede, and their good friends the octo-people, fade into a haze of nothingness, suddenly gone from the ship.... as if it and they were never there to begin with!

A sigh of cosmic proportions breaks the silence of awe, as Thana's big sky is once again a _big sky!_ All that's needed now, is to place the artificial star, which is actually a glowing fusion reactor, back into its rightful and ancient place in the weightless heavens above....

"Did they make it?" Minerva asks exasperatedly, placing a shaky hand on her chest.

"Look!" Carter points at the big monitor which is focused on the icy surface of Hydroshox.

Below on the icy world, something is happening in a big way! Fissures long-frozen-shut, have suddenly ripped open at the seams! They shoot monstrous geysers of liquid water into space with tremendous forces from an over-pressurized Hydroshox!

Introducing such a large mass of nearly 5-miles-diameter into the incompressible ocean, creates an overpressure that won't be denied! Into space the reverse waterfalls go! Only to explode into clouds of ice particles, sprinkling back as snow to cover large areas.

"Wow! Now that's a great demonstration of an equal and opposite reaction!" Carter says in total awe, not being able to take his eye off the incredible spectacle.

"Carter!" Wil calls excitedly from the Revenge below. "We have a new ocean down here! And the shockwave puts a new meaning to the term Hydroshox! One that won't easily be forgotten, that I can tell you! It even knocked Esty off her little highchair! The poor thing!" Much laughing in the background, proves she is still alive as the peanut gallery goes wild!

"Yeah, we just saw the results of that success. It squirted ice into space like a ripe melon that just got kicked! It's going to be a whiter Christmas on the surface of this world, that's for sure!"

"How's our baby doing?" Tina inquires, so glad she didn't push the button wrong.

"Looks to be in one piece so far." Nyla answers, squinting at the circle-monitor. "We're moving in for a closer inspection."

"I'm in contact with Arcon," Surri informs, "he gives 12 thumbs up! Says it was a ride they'll never forget."

"Oh, that's great!" Wil says gleefully. "We love it when a plan comes together!"

"Surri." Nyla adds. "Tell our Naiad friends good luck and we'll see 'em on the flip side."

"They heard.... Maylyn says _same-same_ and thanks for everything!"

"Don't forget where we parked." Arcon has the last words before becoming verklempt. "We'll leave a light on for you!" He adds forlornly!

# Andromeda!

"I think you'll find this next place interesting, Grath." Esty says as she and Gort lead the way into another vacuum-tube, continuing what has become a daily tour-session of the immense Nerezza planet-gouger spacecraft.... thankfully taking much of their time! Touring such a huge ship, and the many things to see and do, takes the edge off the long journey. Cabin fever can strike deeply, especially when traversing the great void between galaxies!

"It'll have to be extraordinary to top the places you've shown me so far. Won't you give me a hint this time?"

"Sorry.... no can do. I want to see the look on your face when you first gaze upon the wonders of our little zoo. Ooops.... well, it's not like most zoos anyway. We'll be there in 2-minutes." Then turning to Arni and Abbi.... "Tell me dearies.... What do you think of this Apollyon planet-destroyer so far?"

"Oh!" Abbi responds excitedly. "It's the best destroyer of planets I've ever seen?"

"Oh sister!" Arni exclaims, having fully recovered from her previous woes. "I do believe it's the _only_ destroyer of planets you've ever seen!"

"Yes, well that makes us even then! Still.... what a storehouse of technology! Right?"

"Definitely" Arni agrees. "Thank you Esty and Gort, for abducting us and our ship. I wouldn't have missed this ride for all the dark energy in the universe!"

"My pleasure, Arni.... And thanks for not dying on us when you had the chance. It would have been so totally sad."

"Oh, it was the least I couldn't do!" She finishes laughingly as the ride slows and stops.

"Okay Coop." Alice calls on the radio. "We repaired a loose connection on the controller. Try it now."

"Good job, my doppelganger sis!" Cooper praises. "So glad I didn't delete you when I had the chance. Are you and Toby clear of the gear?"

"We are." Comes the desired response.

"Well then, here goes nothin!" Cooper responds from the flight deck of a tiny spaceship she Alice and Toby are refurbishing. One of only a few in the menagerie of stolen ships that is without hibernating crew or otherwise.

Cooper manipulates the gel-controller just right. The anti-grav pumps are brought out of idle and the little flying saucer rises and hovers 10-feet off the deck. At 125-feet-diameter, the disk is half the size of Queen Anne's Revenge. A sports model, really.

Reaching, she retracts the landing gear, which had been giving them fits as of late. "Bingo! I've got four green lights! They're up and locked. You gals nailed it! How do the gear doors look?"

"Stand by." Alice and Toby move in under the flying saucer, inspecting for the slightest visible seams where the gear doors are located. Hairs stand on end from the close proximity to such strong magnetic fields as the machine produces.

"I'm seeing a smooth belly down here, Coop." Alice transmits. "Nothing but beautiful mirrored surface. And this was the last discrepancy in the logbook, so she's ready for when Grath gets here."

"Won't he be shocked at getting a free spaceship as a galaxy-warming gift from Thana?" Toby adds."

"I'm sure his reaction will be one for the record books! Esty and Gort should be arriving soon with the tour group."

Cooper cycles the landing gear to make sure they're truly fixed. In walks Esty leading Grath and others into the eerie space where row after row of small, medium, and large spaceships were parked after being abducted by the Apollyon's. Most still have crews inside, suspended in hibernation until a plan can be hatched to reanimate and return them home. That is if they still have a home to return too....

"By all the superenova and quasars!" Grath exclaims, picking his jaw up off the deck. "There's spaceships for as far as the eye can see! Stacked like cordwood! And one of them is hovering before my very eyes!"

"Ah yes." Thana speaks, moving to the front of the group. "That would be the ship which Cooper, Alice and Toby are repairing for you."

"Whaaaa? For me?"

"Yes, my new friend. Even though you have a supply of utility ships onboard the axoiuroqwa, I think this one will be a nice addition. And it has sharp teeth to defend herself with too!"

"Uh Thana." Grath smells a rat. "I must wonder if this ship is truly yours to give away. I mean, I know what kind of work you did before turning over a new cosmic leaf, but still."

"Yes. Well, this particular ship we found parked and without a crew. And the planet we stole if from is no more, we made sure of that.... so, there is nobody to claim it. Should it go to waste?"

"No, I guess it shouldn't.... Oh, what the heck, we'll put it to good use! Thanks Thana! For an Apollyon, you sure are a pretty good joe after I got to know you!"

"Same-same." Thana glows with pride at finding a new, less destructive way to live out her remaining lifespan. Looking to Minerva, she catches the final movements of a major eye-roll, proving her partner isn't quite up to speed with the new leaf thing....

"Hi Alice!" Prax calls to his favorite android pal. "Lookin good! And the flying saucer too! Have Cooper land that beast so Grath can kick the tires and peek under the hood!"

"Will do!"

" _Kick the tires?_ " Rax chides. " _Peek under the hood?_ The _things_ you dredge from your circuits!"

"They're industry terms." Prax retorts wisely. "I guess you were absent the day Cody and Atara handed out the industry-term software."

"Yeah, I was in line to get a brain that day. You should've come along. It would've done you a world of good!"

"Knock it off rust-buckets!" Nolan jokes, walking faster to meet his better half after she lands the saucer. "You _both_ were absent when they handed out brain software." He yells over his shoulder, picking up speed. "Last one to the saucer is a monkey's uncle!"

"My, she's a beauty!" Grath practically drools on himself.

"How fast will it go?" Arni inquires.

"Does it have a charging station installed yet?" Abbi wonders aloud.

"Looks just small enough to fit inside the axoiuroqwa too!"

"She certainly is a beauty." Thana swoons. "And from what I've been told, she'll go really fast too. And any android will love the new charging stations and the wonderful juice they provide."

A deep thrombosis fills the air as the flying saucer with no planet to call home, settles onto the deck as pretty as you please, ready for her new owners.

"My but this place seems to have a mysterious aura about it." Arni notices, looking around with wide eyes. "I've been in a few haunted places in my time, and this place seems that way."

"Oh, you really have no idea, do you?" Aerima says with a laugh. Someday, I'll tell you all about it."

"Yeah." Jax adds with a loving tone. "Like how this is the compartment where she and I met."

"Yeah yeah!" Torg's circuits have a fit of jealousy. "It's a wonderful story.... if told by Aerima."

"Okay." Esty cuts in. "Grath, please allow me to give you a tour of your new ship."

Ahead, Andromeda beckons with promise of green pastures, milk and honey. Just what the doctor ordered for chasing away the doldrums of long spaceflight. Filling the forward circle-monitor, and as big as a mountain, Andromeda welcomes the Nerezza as she breaks past the hazy, indistinct threshold between intergalactic space and an island universe in the deep void.

The inner edge of the galaxy, as with most, is a sparsely populated region of stars and worlds, where stardust and dark energies gather thickly.... and dark matter, not so much.

Weakly held together at this outer edge, everything circles the central supermassive black hole. At an estimated 140-million solar masses as compared to our own Sgr-A* of only 4-million, Andromeda's central black hole is indeed a heavy hitter!

"This is the area of Andromeda where my home star system was born and raised." Kira announces from her seat at auxiliary navigation where she watches Adam work. Slowly, the young lady from Ankara learns the ways of spaceflight, enjoying every moment!

"Then that nasty old singularity came along, right my lovely?" Adam inquires, having heard the story many times yet never tiring of listening to Kira's voice.

"Yup.... in fact, it was probably the one you passed just before coming up on that wonderful planetoid that saved the day. I'm still in awe that it was able to be returned to its rightful place in the nest. You guys sure have a lot of aces up your sleeves."

"That's what we do in our spare time dearest, if it's at all possible to help."

"Hydroshox might even be more friendly, now that they're not so doomed all the time."

"We can only hope, Kira. The jury is still out on that part. They're not out of the cosmic woods just yet."

"Well, all the same...." She's cut off mid-sentence.

"Esty. First planetary candidate coming up fast." Captain Magnus Teach announces.

"Take us out of warp Mister Teach. Steady as she goes."

"Aye Aye, leaving warped space."

The Nerezza sails past a main sequence star, similar to that of our own beloved Sol, and enters into the goldilocks zone where planets tend to be not too hot nor too cold but just right!

"Oh, I don't like the data I'm seeing." Max calls from his science station, bring a dark frown to Grath and friends.

"Our first candidate is too large! Too massive!" Shirley adds with a dreadful tone. "At about 1.2 earth masses, it's gravity will crush beings like us. Even an android would have a tough time of it."

"I guess we don't need to look into it any further." Grath responds sadly.

"Mister Teach. Mister Crane. Program the next planet into the helm and take us there." Esty orders.

_Days later_.... "Oh my!" Max exclaims, not liking the data flowing from his sensors. "This planet is a good size, but the atmosphere is oxygen deficient at only 8%. No good, no good!"

_Days after that_.... "You don't have to tell us Max." Nyla notices. "I can tell by the look on your face that this planet is also a reject."

"Yes ma'am. So sorry. Its Magnetic field is much too weak. It's not effectively keeping out the solar radiations. Probably its core is either solidifying or not big enough in the first place."

The galactic tour continues.... Grath grows anxious, as is the way of a Commander when things don't go the way they should....

"Not going to happen." Max announces of the fourth rock. "This planet is having a nuclear winter or something similar. It's uninhabited and just right, except it has suffered a major impact recently."

"Maybe in a thousand years or so." Jax adds his professional opinion which nobody asked for.

_Weeks later.... patience wearing thin._ "Esty! We're being scanned!" Jax calls excitedly, waking those who've been dozing at their duty stations. "Three degrees off our port beam!"

"Oh!" Grath exclaims. "Why is it so hard to find a little old planet in such a huge galaxy?"

"We've not even scratched the surface." Max responds.

"We'll find you a world to call home, if it's the last thing we do." Shirley adds, patting the sad commander on the back.

"I'm afraid we don't have that kind of time right now." Esty informs. "Commander Grath. I think the time has come for you to make a command decision."

"Yes. I know where this is going." Grath replies sadly. "You have done everything possible to help us, and we have no right to expect you to hold our hands any longer. We have a ship and will...."

"Before you finish that thought, commander." Nyla joins the difficult conversation. "I just want to say that you should consider returning with us to the Milky Way. We've seen for our own eyes that the cosmic grass isn't any greener in this galaxy and we'll miss you all too much."

"Yes." Esty chimes in. "You left the Milky Way in desperation, but now we have a more level playing field when it comes to the Apollyon species. Won't you consider coming back?"

"I don't know.... We've troubled you enough, and the planet hunting will only continue when we get back." Grath responds sadly, truly hating to just throw in the towel and give up.

"That's no problem, my friend." Wil speaks up, having taken a liking to the new Grey friends. "In fact, there plenty of room on Oberon Prime. You can use it as home base while you search for a more permanent world to call your own."

"And we can work that little reproduction problem that's been plaguing you folks." Omari kindly offers.

"And we can always use more help with hunting for more planet-gougers." Jax states. "I mean let's face it Commander Grath. You people don't belong here. Not when you have unfinished business back home."

"Yeah!" Magnus yells. "You left home galaxy with your tail between your legs and licking wounds. That's certainly not the Grey species I've come to know and respect."

"Hunt Apollyon, eh?" Grath perks up at a chance to get even-steven with a proven enemy. "Oberon Prime, eh? Work the reproduction problems, eh?"

"Yeah!" Talia says, growing excited at the thought. "And before you know it, we'll have you folks multiplying like space rabbits!"

"Space rabbits, eh? Well, you had me hooked at hunting the Apollyon scourge, but what the heck! I always did like math, and multiplication is my specialty."

And the crowd goes wild!

"Mister Teach. Mister Crane. Turn this tub around and set sail for home! Don't forget we have friends to pick up along the way and possibly a couple to put back on their world of Ankara." She orders, looking at Kira and father sitting with Adam in the peanut gallery.

"We ask to stay with you guys." Father responds. "We're enjoying this new lifestyle."

"We _love_ this new lifestyle!" Kira adds an upgraded opinion.

"Well, we certainly would miss you both if you left our little crew." Esty responds smilingly.

"And Kira might even want to marry me." Adam tosses in his two cents worth, receiving a python-like hug from his better-half.

"I might.... if you'll only ask me properly."

"Perhaps I should ask for permission first." The lad says at father with bouncing eyebrows.

"Go ahead son. You have my blessing."

Standing, Adam retrieves a little something from his jumpsuit pocket. The bridge goes quiet, you could hear an atom drop as the young man kneels before his precious.

Taking her hand, he gazes into Kira's beautiful eyes, which are beginning to tear. "My dear Kira.... I love you more that life itself. Will you marry me?" And he increases his bargaining power by showing her the awesome engagement ring he made for the special occasion.

"I didn't think you were ever going to ask! Yes! Yes! Yes, I will marry you, my handsome prince!" And the crowd goes wild yet again!

"Oh!" Toby yells, her eyes tearing also. "I just love weddings!"

"Magnus? Braxton? Harper?" Adam inquires above the raucous calamity. "Remember what we talked about the other day when I was making rings? Isn't there something you wish to ask Amy, Kara and Ling?"

"More weddings?!" Toby has a tizzy. "Oh!"

"Yeah, and I know just the place for a proper shindig!"

"Earth?"

"I can't think of a better place! Can you?" Papa android responds.

# The Scallywag!

Back on good old Mother Earth.... many.... many years earlier!

Without warning the oaken frigate, Queen Anne's Revenge, roles & pitches like a demon gone berserk! A ferocious storm, the likes of which has never shaken her 8-year-old bones, has boiled up from nowhere.... totally shivering her timbers!

Suspended above the Queen's ample fantail, Jolly Roger hangs on for dear life!

His fabric frays as the gale tears viciously at his throat! With an image of a fierce horned-skeleton, torturing a blood-dripping heart with spear in one hand and an hourglass in the other, he promises of a slow, torturous death to all enemies!

Yet this threat of a torturous death, doesn't scare the storm demons one iota! In fact, a screeching howl through the ship's rigging, proves they laugh the greatest laugh! After all, sending a ship to the cold depths of Davy Jones' Locker, is the best elixir of all!

High above the deck, once strong sails can't contain the mighty gale, as if it blows from Satan himself! They tear, giving way this dreadful night, off the coast of North Carolina, Feb the 8th, 1718.... the remaining hours of what had started as a fine Tuesday upon the high seas!

In the captain's aft cabin, below the fantail and quarterdeck, a drunk scallywag has slumped into alcohol blackout while sitting at his table. Falling into the abyssal depths of a well-pickled dream is his method of operation lately, helping him forget his many woes. It might even be the death of him one day, but something else will have that privilege!

Time & rationality have little meaning in this dark realm of passed-out wasteland. Yet the vicious storm that rules the dream, sure seems real enough to the sleeper! It even wakes him inside his own dream, teasing quite effectively of pure reality, albeit a little warped.

So's to not allow a raging tempest to ruin a perfectly good sour mood, Captain Edward Teach ponders dreamily of the days successful plundering & looting of a ship on the high seas. He and men, had taken all the booty and freed the desperate slaves, offering them the ship to begin a new life wherever their hearts desire.

But, storm or no storm.... bad dream or no, Captain Teach _will_ have his fill of rum.... _will_ run his murderous fingers through his kings share of hard-earned wages! Gold & silver coins.... heavy yellow chains and bejeweled goblets are piled high on the table, causing a dream-lust that's only accentuated by a long pull from the bottle of life's blood.... _RUM!_

Bracing, so's to not lose his bottle or swag each time the ship takes a horrendous pitch/roll, he ponders darkly the storm and helmsman above. Nobody seems to be controlling his ship!

Topside in the weather, the wheel spins chaotically with no hands in sight! A floundering has commenced! Doomed is the bearded-one who sleeps in a soaked haze of golden dreams and booze!

Unknown to the mighty pirate, his ship has gone over the edge of the world and fallen off the map! Lost in spacetime, it's become a ghost ship of dreadful dreams! His crew has absconded, leaving only two other scallywags onboard to keep him company!

Satan & the Grim Reaper are his only mates now! Taking turns, they chew the sails and rudder, biting at the rats in the bilges, forcing them to gnaw holes in the hull, drowning the ship and sending it as a gift to Davy!

" _Mister Boson!_ " The angered pirate yells darkly at the overhead with murderous rage! Just above in the miserable weather is the quarterdeck and helm. " _Reduce sails, ye scurvy dog! Cut into the wind, damn ye! Cut_ _more_ _into the wind! Hell's demon's man! Every man-jack knows that! What's wrong with ye, Mister Boson?!_ "

Reaching, he grabs a long gun, ramming the barrel against wooden planks above his head as proof of his intense anger, thinking of pulling the trigger yet not drunk enough to suffer a bloody leaking roof above his table of gold!

" _Mister Boson!_ " He yells again, eyes bugging wildly, readying to leave his table and go topside for a bone-crushing chat with the helmsman!

" _Mister Boson, damn yeeeeeee! Don't make me come up tharrrrr!_ "

Another heavy pitch/roll takes the bottle from steely hand, throwing the heavy man and table of shiny dream-booty across the spacious cabin, only to impact the oak cabinets in a pile of splintered wreckage, and wounded pride!

With head spinning dreamily, Blackbeard reaches for the rum as the bottle rolls teasingly across the deck, spilling precious life's-blood along the way! Sitting up, he snags the wonderous elixir and takes a long pull. Picking coins and gold chains from his heavy beard, he mumbles unintelligibly about how the universe had turned on him.... _again!_

Heaving broken table and chairs off his mighty chest, he roars like he's never roared! With eyes bulging wildly and spittle flying everywhere, he curses a line of foul language with such efficiency, new phrases are coined that dark shadowy night!

Yet try as he may, try as he might, he's having a problem regaining his feet that dark, stormy night! With boots like cement, placing hat on head, he stumbles from the sanctuary of dry cabin, and into the tempest on deck! Wind and rain quickly wash away the haze of alcohol, bringing a squinted focus of murderous rage!

" _Arrrrrrrrrrr!_ " He yells at the stormy sea and wave-washed decks.

" _Arrrrrrrrrrrrrr!_ " He yells again at seeing the unmanned helm, its wheel spinning like a roulette gone wild, nobody in sight!

" _Where are ye, Mister Boson?! Where are the other scurvy dogs?! Have ye all gone to see Davy Jones?! Answer me, damn yeeeeee! We're in some fine shit now, mateys! Some fine shit now, says I!_ " He yells venomously, stomping his way towards the wheel.... boots like cement!

Just as the tall captain of 38-years is regaining control of the Queen, a monster wave crashes the bow, washing everything overboard as it tsunami's its way aft to the quarterdeck where Captain Blackbeard fights an unwinnable fight....

"No!" The fierce man yells maniacally into the night. "I'm not ready to die! Cursed demons! Go back ye scallywags! Go back to the depths of hell from whence ye came!"

Just then, the deck-tsunami reaches the lofty heights of the quarterdeck, hitting with authoritative force! The big pirates' timbers are totally shivered as he's taken to the railing!

Bent backwards, the rail digging into his back, arms flailing for balance, getting an eyeful of angry sea below, he fights one last time before the unfathomable end!

But with boots like cement, he can't win this battle, and off the ship he's taken! Hitting the sea with feet most heavy, the tall man vanishes like greased lightning into the abyssal depths, reaching maniacally for the surface.... to no avail.

The only proof of passage.... a trail of whimpering bubbles filled with drowning fleas and lice. Any gallant effort, no matter the panic, will not win these horrible moments. Not with boots like cement, as they take yet another victim to the cold depths of Davy Jones' Locker!

" _Wha?! Who?! What happened?!_ " Blackbeard yells, waking with a mighty gasp, dripping sweat from all points! Reaching for his faithful bottle, he finds it cold and empty.

"Oh, _that's_ what happened!" He mumbles, kicking to free himself from a tangle of damp sheets and the overheated legs of mistress Sandra, his most recent saveur du mois. She's got him tangled in hot flesh, as surely as any kraken from the depths of the sea!

With what feels like a fractured skull, the lanky pirate shakes off yet another rum soaked nightmare! He's been having them more and more lately, pondering most briefly if he shouldn't lighten up on the spirits.

Pushing his bonny lass back to her side of the pirate's nest, he claws his way into another day of plundering and debauchery.... Getting up, he notices through the massive cabin windows, that the storm had passed. A cherry glow on the horizon beacons with promise of a glorious sunrise.

The Queen rolls seductively in calm seas, like the lady she usually is. But looking to his table, which is no longer broken, no longer piled high with gold and silver booty as in the wonderous booze dream! A worse way to awaken, is not fathomable for any pirate! Better to wake up dead, he thinks darkly!

Cursing the dream with a few new ripe ones he conjured during it, he's glad to be back from the cold crushing depths! Pulling a fresh bottle from his magnificent stockpile of hell's-fire, he drinks a pirate's breakfast, suspecting the day will bring an excitement that can't be beat!

" _Mister Boson! .... I have a bone to pick with ye!_ " Blackbeard yells, causing flocks of freeloading seagulls to flee the ship, squawking discontent into the morning sky. Behind, a beautifully pink sunrise promises of a good day ahead.

"Sorry captain, but Boson's watch was over 6-hours ago." Comes a different voice than expected.

"Ah yes, so it be.... just as well, Mister Grumby. I wanted to yell at the scoundrel so bad that I forgot he's already hit the rack. This be better anyway. He would only think me daft, yelling at him for nothin. So, how goes the night, Grumby?"

"Ah, she's been a fine night, captain. A fine night fer sure!"

"No storm earlier Mister Grumby? I thought I felt a mighty storm."

"No sir.... But beggin' the captain's pardon sir, perhaps it was the rum ye felt."

"You forget yourself, Grumby! I'll have ye keelhauled for taking such a liberty!" The tall bearded-one threatens like a rising storm, puffing his barrel chest! He tries to keep a straight face but bursts into laughter that could wake the dead!

"Oh, you got me sir!" A young Jonas Grumby the first, exclaims. "Good one sir! For a few moments, I saw me life flashin before me mind's eye!"

"Naw Grumby, that not be true atall. I was jest pullin' ye leg, man! Why, you're one of the best pilots I ever laid me eyes upon! I know the rum can get in the way, so you jest feel free to remind me now and again, eh? But not in front of the crew! .... Now, what of the La Concorde, Mister Grumby? Will we be crossing her path this fine day?"

"Yes sir! .... That is if our information holds true, we will."

"Let's hope so, Mister Grumby, cuz it's true what's they say.... No prey, no pay. I grow tired of not waking to piles of gold and silver upon me breakfast table!"

"Yes sir, don't we all. And from what I hear sir, she's ripe with it! In fact, ...."

Suddenly, Grumby is cut off mid-sentence! An eerie otherworldly glow from beneath dark waves, bathes the ship's hull in a strange light from the cold depths, leaving the two men _most_ spooked!

"Hells barnacles, Grumby!" Blackbeard yells, reaching for one of the many pistols hanging from his heavy bandoleer. "It seems Davy has sent a demon to purge our lives! To gnaw on our very bones, he has!" He yells, as young Grumby readies to bolt!

"Damn ye Grumby! Keep your post! Grow a pair, man! Don't let go that wheel ye whore's heathen!"

Leaning over the railing, gazing into the very depths of fear itself, Blackbeard sees a large glowing object moving slowly beneath.... passing. And it's bigger than his own ship! Much bigger!

"THAR! .... THAR SHE GOES, GRUMBY!!!!" Teach yells, pointing into the illuminated depths and the glowing monster which now moves off to the side. "It's the white whale, I tells ye! It's the white whale, and she's come to chew our bones this very day!"

Backing away, the hungover pirate wishes he'd brought his bottle! The creature from the deep, breaches the surface, causing great disturbance, rocking his ship violently as it sends waves of throbbing power against his massive chest, pounding like a war drum into his very bones!

In a monstrous cascade, rivaling Niagara Falls, tons of seawater flows from the rising Queen Anne's Revenge! She breaches the surface gracefully, powerfully, as should any classy dame from the frigid depths. Hovering there.... dripping wet and pouring a deep thrombosis into the morning sky, she sends a shiver through both pirates' timbers!

Taking shaky aim with flintlock pistol, Blackbeard realizes the sea monster is just out of effective range, so wastes no shot. Instead, he grabs the lanyard on the ships bell and gives it a yanking the likes of which nearly rips the instrument from its moorings!

"Arrrrrrrrrrr! Wake up ye scurvy dogs!" He yells forward into the gloom. "Man the cannons, ye whore's bastards! We're about to be boarded damn ye miserable no-goods! Wake up damn ye! Wake up and man the cannons! Fill the air with fire and brimstone says I!"

"Oh my!" Talia exclaims as the circle-monitor fills with pirate ship at broadside, and a crazed bearded man having what seems to be a bad day at the office. Pointing and screaming like a rabid banshee, his rage is off any known charts!

"He's going to have a stroke!" Omari offers his professional opinion.

"Magnus, is that really your long-lost uncle down there having a major conniption? Is that crazy old Eddie Teach acting the madman? I mean, is that Blackbeard?" Jax inquires wide-eyed, in awe of Magnus who is still shaking off the nasty effects of time-travel.

"Well, if it's not.... then I guess he's just a monkeys uncle!" And the crowd goes wild!

"He looks just like you, dearie!" Toby exclaims laughingly, as she reaches for a dial, causing the big monitor to magnify, bring the angered pirates craggy face right into the bridge.

"Especially since you grew that horrible beard!" Kara adds her two cents.

"Ready the harpoon, Mister Miller!" Wil orders of the weapon. "Strike deeply I say; just above the waterline! Don't make it easy for those rascals to pull out the transponder!"

"Aye Aye.... I've already got a lock, sir. Are you sure about this? I mean, do we have the right to abduct people? Even scurvy pirates like these guys?" Adam asks, but knows the answer.

Looking to Esty, he receives a shrug of her thin android shoulders. "Hey, don't look at me. We Grey's abduct people like it's a bodily function!" And the crowd goes wild _yet_ again!

"Oh! Don't talk about my dear old uncle in such a manner!" Magnus jokes. "We _need_ a ship's captain to marry those of us getting hitched.... right? I mean a _real_ captain.... no offense to Wil or Esty or Nyla or Thana or...."

"Okay.... Jeez.... spare me the speech! .... _Here goes nothin!_ " And Adam pulls the trigger....

On the hovering saucer, a tiny hatch spirals open and a cordless harpoon is fired electromagnetically, biting deeply into the Queen's ample fantail. With the harpoon embedded at the waterline, a teleportation transponder is now locked into the original Queen Anne's Revenge!

"Arrrrrrrrrrrr!" Blackbeard yells darkly, smoke rising from cannon fuses jutting from under his hat and through thick beard. "That flying whale has taken first blood, Mister Grumby!" He exclaims, feeling the deck reverberate from harpoon impact. A gnarly quiver shakes the Queens bones as the poon expends kinetic energy into her mighty frame!

"Arrrrrrrrrrr! Somebody, get that thing out of me ship!" Teach yells at a man emerging from below deck, still rubbing sleep from his eyes, looking most bewildered. "Man the cannons! Damn ye all to hells fire and damnation! Man the cannons ye scurvy dogs!"

"Thana my dear? Are you ready up there?" Wil radios the Nerezza which hangs bloatedly in orbit at 500-miles. At the size of a silver dime held at arm's length, it's easily visible from Earth's surface, if one knows just where to look.

"We're ready! Modifications are done early thanks to Minerva and Herculon. Charlie hanger now has an ocean and the holograms are fired-up to fool our unsuspecting guests with beautiful sky. They won't know what hit them or even which way is up!"

"You're saying the gravity pumps aren't working?"

"No silly! That's just an industry term! I mean, _we're ready!_ "

"Good girl. In that case.... beam them up, baby! Beam them up!"

And with those words, Blackbeard & his mighty ship _Queen Anne's Revenge_ , along with a goodly amount of seawater, are discombobulated into a nothingness of electronic signals and taken aloft in a blaze of glorious light!

For the briefest of moments, each pirate enjoys fleeting thoughts of sea angels taking them to the heavens above; where it's a well-known fact that the sweetest of rum flows freely in massive rivers.... and gold is everywhere, just for the taking!

Yet, if truth be told, every man jack of them knows full well which way they're truly headed after this life of sin and crime.... _and it sure as hell ain't up!_

# Ship in a bottle!

Onboard the mega-gargantuan Nerezza, somewhere inside her cavernous void called Charlie Hanger, orbiting stationary at 500-miles above the eastern seaboard of early America....

" _Fire!_ " ........ Blackbeard finishes his sentence as he and ship materialize into a different time.... a different place.... Thunderous roars from a 23-cannon broadside, rolls across the water, mixed with noxious smoke, reminding of a pirate's perfume!

But the white whale is no more! It has disappeared into thin air! Vanished! As if it were only a spectral ghost to begin with! And to make matters worse, the sound of the Queen's own cannons returns to the angered pirate's ears, having echoed queerly! Something that ought _never_ _happen_ on the high seas!

Cannonballs rip the air! They land harmlessly in what appears to be ocean, complete with hazy blue sky and puffy clouds filling the horizon. But it's not exactly what it seems! The heavy balls splash down, sinking to the hanger-deck just 25-feet below, landing with solid thuds on the steel, 'fake ocean bottom'.

"What the hades?!" The tall captain exclaims squintingly, searching the sea for signs of the glowing whale. High def holograms within the immense Charlie hanger have the distant walls and ceiling plastered with electronic sky to a height of ½-mile. All with just one tiny flaw....

"What happened to the time of day, Mister Grumby?!" Blackbeard demands of his shocked and confused helmsman. "A moment ago, it was barely sunrise, and now it's midday by jove!"

"Aye captain!" Grumby whispers, eyes searching warily, half crouched so's to offer a lesser target. "And where did the seagulls go? By all the gods, the white whale has cursed us fer sure! There be evil afloat here! We be going to see Davy soon, thinks I!"

"Grumby! Look!" Blackbeard points into the sky just above the bow. What the hell is that which fly's through the clouds?!"

"Where?"

"There man! It's breaking through the clouds.... THERE! By jove! It's that damnable white whale again! Come to sink us, she has!"

And so, Esty's Queen Anne's Revenge, returning from Earth after doing her dirty deed of abduction upon the high seas, enters through the forcefield protecting Charlie hanger from the hard vacuum of space. Gracefully she sails into the holograph-enhanced area of fake sky and real pirates of old!

"Pull up alongside, Braxton." Wil orders. "Point the hatch toward our guests and whatever you do, stay above the firing angle of those big guns. Esty would rather die than see her baby get a scratch.... And Magnus.... you're with us."

Once again, the circle monitor fills with pirate ship! A different time.... a different place perhaps.... but pure pirate ship just the same! Fortunately, no small-arms fire assaults her hull. The wondrous whale-saucer glides to a hover alongside and above the pirate ship of old.

Jolly Roger sags woefully from the Queen's fantail. Trying to be strong, he displays his dreadful colors as best he can, but there's not a stiff breeze to be had! The sails above, hang like limp noodles, hoping for a mighty gale. Not a puff of wind can be found inside Charlie Hanger to stiffen their vigor! Woe be the mighty Queen, thinks all onboard!

Grumby and crewmates, run to the shadows, leaving all pride behind! The tall bearded-one is left to fend for himself, which doesn't surprise him, given the severity of the fright!

"It surely _seems_ a ghost ship." Aerima quips whimsically. "And I've seen more than me share!"

Below on the Queen's quarterdeck, only Blackbeard is man enough to stand and face the demon who's returns for another torment of his scurvy soul. Another bite of his angered nerves!

What manner of treachery has Satan bestowed upon his moral head anyway, the lanky pirate ponders darkly. What has _he_ done to deserve this treatment from Satan himself?!

Oh yeah.... _scurvy pirate!_

Grinding fresh fuses into his gnarly beard, his countenance dripping of foul mood, the likes of which would cause even the devil's heart to skip!

"Arrrrrrrrrrrr!" Captain, bellows into the sky! Grabbing flintlocks, saving his cutlasses for close-in combat, he glares laser beams at the thing from hell, floating above his heated head! Adrenaline rises to the boiling point fer sure!

"I'm here, damn ye! Come get me, scurvy demon!" He demands, shaking a fist at the glowing enemy above as it sends powerful forces, beating his chest like a war drum!

"I'm here! Don't be shy!" He yells hotly! "Come n get a piece of me heated wrath!"

"You know something?" Cooper asks of nobody in particular, staring wide eyed at the monitor. "I bet if I fed that fellow rusty razorblades, he'd chew em up and spit bullets!"

"He does seem rather pissed off!" Talia gives her professional opinion. "My goodness, I've never seen eyes bulge like that! Is that really possible?"

"An egg would simply fry on his forehead!" Myrna tosses from the sidelines, getting a boisterous hooting from all.

"Look." Toby points, regaining composure. "He seems to be cooling his jets."

"Yeah," Minerva calls from the peanut gallery, "and he's waving something now; and smiling!"

"That's his pirate finger! Duh!" Toby bellows with a teasing laugh, as is her way at times. "We simply must upgrade your software my mechanical friend. You're embarrassing yourself and don't even know it!" The crowd goes wild, causing poor old murderous Minerva to pine for her anti-electromagnetism bomb yet again!

"Okay, knock it off you little monsters." Nyla joins the party, moving towards the main airlock with Wil and Magnus. "Stay here and we'll go to the door and parlay an agreement or something."

"Parlay an agreement?!" Harper huffs, cinching his battle helmet. "We've got him by the short hairs! What part of _anything_ can he possibly refuse!"

"I got this, mom!" Ling speaks haltingly, turning back to her shocked target. "Mister Harper! I doubt that man down there, has a short hair on his entire body! So, if he's going to marry us, you'd better sweeten that attitude, or I won't blame him for refusing!"

"Yes, my apple blossom. I'll improve my attitude, as you wish." Harper acquiesces amongst a merciless chorus of giggles and taunts.

"And? .... aaaaaaand?"

"And I'll sweeten too, my dearest most precious cherry blossom."

"That's a good boy!" And the lad gets a juicy kiss from the one he loves, not caring about the hooting and hollering going on all around!

"Okay, Esty.... Open the hatch!" Wil requests, not liking to face such a notorious figure with an empty holster. But this is one time he'll gladly die from lack of _not_ shooting back, yet hopes for another outcome altogether.

In a calm sea, which is really just a shallow puddle of leftover Ganymede water inside a modified hanger bay onboard Nerezza, the wooden earthling ship Queen Anne's Revenge, floats listlessly as a menacing spirit hovers nearby like a glowing wraith.

Squinting into the false sky, Blackbeard sees something happening upon the shiny monster! Three human figures appear from nowhere! They stand in a halo of light at the edge of the whale's mouth! Taking aim with squinted eye, he can't get a good look against the glare, so holds his fire.

And the phantoms wave! They wave most friendlily too! Certainly not returning the pirate salute sent them earlier! Also, no bombs or demons rain down from the sky! Perhaps this is an omen the tall man ponders predatorily. His mood rises demonically.... calculating an angle of advantage. Perhaps this new enemy can be boarded and plundered he thinks deviously, as is in his very blood to always do.

"Hello the ship down thar!" Wil calls with his best manly voice. "Be ye the captain, sir?"

"Hello, the brain hemorrhage in the sky!" Blackbeard retorts, knowing a thing or two about hallucinations. "Aye.... I be captain, ye hells demon! I be Edward Teach! Known scallywag of these treacherous waters! Ye may call me Blackbeard! I am true to friend and foe but know not which ye claim to be! Tell me, before I slit ye throats wide!"

"We be friends!" Nyzilla responds with angelic voice. "Are ye the very same Blackbeard that's known for showing mercy amongst prisoners and freeing slaves? Be ye that same pirate?" She yells inquiringly, trying to keep her awe under wraps.

"Lassie, ye have the voice of an angel-demon fer sure! But please don't yell such things to everyone under the sun! I have an evil reputation to uphold ye know!" He jokes angrily, knowing full well the lovely sounding creature in the sky, speaks the truth.

"And are ye the very same Blackbeard that hasn't yet met his own nephew, shaming yourself?" She teases with guilt-trip, as is here way from time to time.

"I have no nephew! Why torment me soul this way?" He yells, shaking a cutlass at the hazy apparitions. "And this seems _not_ a real sea! I feel _not_ the threat of Davy Jones, but something even _more_ treacherous! This is _not_ the sea I first saw thee in, demons! Pray tell me a fine story about that one!"

"In time, my good captain! All in good time!" Nyla teases, enjoying the moment.

Another voice from the demons above.... "Uncle! _I am your nephew!_ I am Magnus Teach!" The tall lad yells with his best manly tone. "And I can prove it too! But first you must agree to parlay. And know we'll not suffer treachery of _any kind_. To do so, will be dealt with harshly, my Uncle! You see, we have teeth! Sharp teeth, the likes of which you have no idea!"

"Aye! A ghost in the sky, claiming of me same blood?! Well, your ship be bigger than mine, that's fer sure laddie!" Blackbeard yells while his men all hide like the scurvy miscreants they've become lately. "And ye be flyin over me head without a single flutter of wing or disturbance of air! Ye say ye have big teeth, Nephew?! Well, I believe _ye,_ lad! I believe _ye by all the gods and devils!_ And ye wishes to party? Well, come down here boy! We'll party like it's 1699! We'll party as to put a new shine on the very term, we will!"

" _Parlay_ _!_ _.... I said_ _parlay_ _!_ Not _party!_ .... but that does sound good too, Uncle! Just wait and we'll be there in a flash. Won't you be...."

"surprised!" Magnus finishes his sentence as he, Nyla and Wil, materialize out of thin air in front of a totally stunned pirate! Magnus and his Uncle are so shocked at the confrontation, they nearly faint, but don't dare show such weakness in front of god nor demons!

"You said parlay, but you send a mirror image instead!" Uncle beard exclaims, willing his slacked jaw to close as he snuffs out his facial fuses with calloused fingertips. "By all the gods and devils! Ye and me are doppelgangers fer sure laddie! .... Truly, we be friggin doppelgangers, says I!"

"That we are, Uncle! And more! Much more!" Reaching, Magnus offers his hand. "See? I'm truly flesh and blood, just like you, Uncle. Not a demon at all!"

"That ye be lad!" Blackbeard exclaims, shaking the hand of his near twin. "And wherever you come from, they sure grow em big there! I think you're even taller than me!" The confused bearded-one exclaims, wishing he had brought his bottle for an extra-long pull!

"Well, Uncle. That's a tall story indeed. You see, I'm from the future. A future where humans have learned to sail _new_ seas. The seas between stars and time. And while I _am_ human, I was born on another planet and raised by these fine people that stand with me now. But they are not what they seem, Uncle. They're androids.... machine people." Then pointing upwards to a hovering Revenge. "You see, Uncle, that ship is a starship. It travels between the stars, as does your ship sails between ports.... It's complicated, Uncle."

"Starship, eh?! Another planet, eh?! Machine people, ye say?! But only God and a few spirits can travel such seas as those which bathe the cosmos!"

"Uncle. I have a confession to make." Magnus responds ashamedly. "You see, as you suspected, this is not a real sea you float in. The water is real, but that's all. We hijacked your ship and crew from those other waters and transported you like spirits into a much larger ship. A ship that sails 500-miles above your world. This sea around us is just a fancy swimming hole onboard our spacecraft mothership we call the Nerezza."

"Spacecraft, eh? Mothership, eh? The Nerezza, you say? Now there's more terms I've never heard before!" Blackbeard replies, beginning to realize the gravity of the situation. "By god lad! Are ye sayin that the Queen Anne's Revenge and me crew are now just a ship in a bottle?!"

"Why yes Uncle.... you could say that."

"I just _did_ say that! But bottles are clear, laddie! All I see out there is hazy sky with puffy clouds. Whar's the outside world? .... Oh! I'm so confused, me mind is splitting!"

"That's just a mirage, Captain Teach!" Nyzilla volunteers with extra-soothing tone, knowing it calms the tall beast before her, reducing his desire to destroy the universe. "My name is Nyla and this other is called Wil or Wilber."

"A mirrrra? .... miraaaaa? .... Oh, blast those damn Frenchy words! Damn thems all to hell!"

"You might say a mirage is something that isn't _what it seems_." Nyla explains. "In fact, I would like to show you _another_ mirage.... if that be okay with you, captain?"

"Oh, it be fine, lassie; I mean Nyla. Such a lovely name for such a lovely creature. I guess I stand ready for anything this weird day! In fact, I'm putty in yer hands, ye could say!"

"In that case, brace yourself sir." She warns, brows furrowed. "This will surely shiver yer timbers!"

"Missy, I was born braced, and I figure I'll always be so! .... so shiver away!"

"Very well...." She keys her wristband. "Cooper, please change the hologram to exterior view."

"Oh boy! Copy that, mom!" Comes another angelic voice, tantalizing Blackbeard lustfully. Cooper throws the proper switches, turns a few dials, and the oceanic view changes, as might a demon changing clothes!

Blackbeard may have _thought_ he was braced! But he stumbles backwards, grabbing pistols as the sky changes to a panoramic view of the outside universe! .... with beautiful Mother Earth, in all her magnificent glory, far below!

"Arrrrrrrrrr! What be this deviltry?!" Blackbeard exclaims, eyes bugging wildly! Waving pistols above his head, one lets loose, belching a smoky bullet that doesn't even hit the ceiling before plummeting back to the fake sea!

"It's no devils trick, Uncle!" Magnus assures. "That new mirage _is_ the window in the bottle! And that beautiful world below, is where you live! In fact, you and your crew are the first humans to ever go into space! Did you know that, Uncle?"

"By god, boy! I do feel like a bird let loose of its earthly cage! And look there, nephew!" Blackbeard points to the west coast of North Africa. "There be a circle tempest leaving that landmass behind!"

"That's a hurricane, Uncle. A baby for now; but will surely be a monster when she reaches the Caribbean in a weeks' time!"

"Hurricane, eh? A weeks' time, you say! And Nephew, what of those tiny dots of light on the other side of this wonderous bottle?"

"Those are star's my Uncle. Everything you see is just an image of the outside world, but is true to friend and foe, as are you. It's an electronic mirage, Uncle."

"Electronic, eh? Now thar be a cursed word for sure, I reckon!"

Soon, Blackbeard's crew correctly figures that they're not going to be destroyed by the monster in the sky or sucked into the void that seems just beyond their fingertips, making them dizzy. So, from hiding, they inch to the rails, soaking up the wonderful spectacle that completely eats their faces, warts and all!

"I'll say this laddie. You sure know how to put on a show! I can see that this window in a bottle can be most addictive!"

"No more addictive than the siren's song which pulls the sailors heart to the sea."

"Truer words have never been spoken my boy." Blackbeard offers, patting the tall lanky nephew on the back."

"Thanks Uncle."

"Now laddie.... I figure you didn't come all this way and go to all this trouble just to give your poor old Uncle heart failure, did you?"

"No sir.... there's more. I wish to ask you Uncle, as captain of this fine ship, to perform a few marriage ceremonies.... mine included."

"Awe laddie! First you rattle me heart to its very core, then you melt it fer sure! Of course, I'll hitch ye! But do ye really want such a scallywag as me to do lord over such a holy thing?"

"Awe Uncle! You're not a scallywag! You're just.... well, you're just.... differenty!"

"Ah! Such a fine insult from my favorite Nephew!" Blackbeard praises, noticing something not right on Nyla and Wil. "Tell me Miss Nyla.... Mister Wilber.... I may be an old sea dog from times long past, but I know weapon holsters when me sees them. And those you sport, sure looks empty from my angle! Did you really think me so tame that you needn't come prepared for battle?"

"Out of respect sir, we left our pistols at home." Wil admits.

"Well, by perditions flames! You can't go around me ship like that! Nobody would understand! Nobody would respect!" And so, the tall pirate places one of his own pistols into each of the empty holsters, leaving himself one on the bandoleer in case he's marooned. "Now, that sure looks better!"

"It feels better too!" Nyla exclaims laughingly, palming the flintlock, totally enjoying the hefty weight and fine balance of the deadly weapon.

Taking hold of his gifted pistol, Wil gives praise where praise is due. "Sir, you honor us. I can truly say that we've never had the pleasure of owning flintlock pistols. And such formidable weapon too!"

"Aye, they do pack a wallop, that's fer sure! .... Uh, excuse me for a moment.... Mister Grumby! Mister Grumby! Get back to yer post, ye scurvy dog! Breaktime's over! Take the wheel, man!" The captain yells angrily, hoping to get some order back into his ship.... adding....

"Men! Men!" He calls to the hypnotized crew, before turning back to Magnus, saying.... "how can I invite them's all to a wedding shindig if I ain't got the rum and swag to back it up? They'll vote me from the captainship they will!"

"Uh.... uh, well...."

"Magnus; I got this." Wil states, as any father might do just then. "Captain Blackbeard, sir. I can't believe I'm actually meeting you. You're me favorite scallywag, and that's no lie. So I tells ye truly, that I've provisions of the most delicious rum that's ever flowed past yer lips and down the hatch. Twaz distilled amongst the stars, it was! It's space rum most tasty; or so I've been told! Also, as dowry, I bring this too.... Cooper; if you please?" He transmits.

And with a sweeping wave of an android arm towards an empty area of quarterdeck, a pile of rum bottles mixed with a shocking amount of gold and silver swag obtained from asteroids, materializes as like something out of the very best of dreams!

Blackbeard gasps, putting hand over mouth in true awe! Drooling like Homer Simpson at seeing a scrumptious donut or gummy bear, he reaches with alcohol lust for a life-giving bottle of cosmic space rum! With free hand, he scoops a meaty fistful of gold & silver disks!

Pulling cork with the whitest of teeth; the devil-may-care pirate from Bonny England, takes a very manly pull! A very manly pull indeed!

"By god, Mister Wilber! This be the tastiest rum that's ever crossed me lips!" Blackbeard exclaims quiveringly. "Distilled between the stars ye say? Well then, that's the place for me!"

"I knew you'd like it, captain."

"Here man! Take a snort!" He pushes the bottle aggressively....

"Well boss man. I've a problem with that particular order." Wil sternly admits. "You see, we machines don't get along with rum or other fluids. They cause sparks in our bellies, sir."

"Well by thunder, thar's a shame! I do feels bad for ye, man! But if truth be told, any good rum will do the same to me guts too! But this be the spice of life itself, so it's okay!" Then, with another pull, Captain B. waves the bottle teasingly over the heads of his motley crew....

"Men! Men! .... Listen up you greasy thugs from promiscuous mothers! Listen up, damn every man-jack of ye! We've a wedding to attend!"

And the motley crowd goes wild!

"Man the swabs! I want this ship spic-n-span in no time flat! We're having guests this day! Look sharp ye scurvies! And be nice! Or I promise, ye'll be feeling the bites of barnacles across yer soul as ye're being keelhauled! Now, _turn-to_ you fleas of junkyard dogs! Turn-to damn ye heathens from hell!" Blackbeard yells, standing taller than usual. Taking a long pull from the glorious bottle, he sprinkles gold & silver coins onto those below, causing a ruckus!

# Wedding Bells on the High Seas!

A holographic dawn breaks majestically inside Charlie hanger as the sun rises over the edge of Earth, illuminating a new day. The electronic sky displays flawlessly, filled with brilliant stars and one very beautiful Mother Earth, trying to look demure for the weddings taking place this day high above her blue-green head. The fake sea is calm and serene, not a swell in sight....

In the year 1718, the world's atmosphere is still quite pure, compared to the ravages which humanity will place on it in the future, so the view is extra breathtaking! The ex-planet-gouger Nerezza hangs bloatedly in stationary orbit at 500-miles above the Florida straits and the Caribbean Sea.

The world below, as seen from the ship in a bottle, still mesmerizes Blackbeard and his motley crew. They've been smitten with the view since the hologram of the outside universe took them by storm. Mesmerized, the crew swabs the ships deck haphazardly, as they can't take their eyes off the panoramic space-view!

"So, nephew.... ye be tellin me truly," Blackbeard points at his old haunts far far below, "that if I threw a big enough stone, just right, it could hit me enemies like cannon fire?"

"Oh yes, Uncle! Even worse than that I'm sure!" Magnus responds as they stand at the railing, bonding like two criminals while everyone else prepares for the festivities. "It would be most devastating!"

"Devastating, eh? So, tell me lad. Do ye have any big stones aboard this fine ship of the stars?"

"Oh, Uncle Blackbeard! You kill me! You really do! Jeez, we can't change the timeline in such a way! Besides, who then would make you angry in life, huh Uncle? I mean, if we destroy all your enemies, what good is waking to a new day? I'm guessing you _do_ enjoy a good anger, don't you, my fearsome Uncle?"

"Laddie.... if truth be told, sometimes more than sex.... You see, I was born angry; and it never went away!" He roars a sick laugh. "I suppose life _would_ become a bore if I had no one to pound upon. Yet, queer thing, new enemies are always waiting in the wings, ready to pop from the woodwork and cause me a _great anger!_ "

"Well, Uncle. It would surely bring me and my friends' bad luck if such a dastardly thing happened on our wedding day. Therefore, I must inform you that we're fresh out of big stones in the ships armory." Magnus jokes with a mighty laugh.

"Ah, that's okay lad. Sometimes it's just the thought that counts." The bearded doppelganger replies with a chuckle, hearing footsteps from behind.

"Hey, if you two scallywags are finished bonding like criminals," Nyla teases, "we're ready to begin the ceremonies."

"What of the others?" Captain inquires of the sexy android, looking around and not understanding. "Am I to marry _ghosts_ this day? Well, so be it, lassie! So be it! Bring em on, says I!"

"Oh, they're ready, captain." Nyla informs matter-of-factly. "We just didn't want to distract your men while they toiled so hard cleaning the decks. But first I must warn ye Captain B. Many of the guests.... well, let's just say they're not like anything you've ever seen."

"More shocking than meeting mechanical people? More shocking than being marooned high above a friendly sea? More shocking than.... oh, what the hell lassie.... more shocking than what, asks I?"

"I'll just let you figure that part out for yourself, my dear Edward Teach."

"Well dear Nyla. As one might say in this newfangled star-parlance I'm learning .... beam them at your leisure, beautiful lady! Beam them at your leisure!"

In a flash of brilliance, a mob of cosmic characters materialize on the quarterdeck of the wooden ship! Horrendous creaking and cracking from the strained deck planks, flood the area, causing more than one pained cringe from the tall captain. Blackbeard and crew are flabbergasted beyond recognition as the teleportation phenomenon rocks their psyches!

800-pound Herculon sways disorientedly, not liking teleportation one iota! His side antennas spinning high-rpm from anxiety! 8-feet-tall and about to go over hard, Toby saves the day with a little elbow-grease applied just right....

"Easy their big fella. The deck is strained enough as it is!"

"By all that's holy!" Blackbeard exclaims, stepping back, reaching for his cutlass. "What manner of friends do you have out there amongst the stars, nephew? This motherless bastard is as big as a damn mountain! By god, he could stow the ship's anchor in his hip pocket!"

"Don't worry, Uncle." Magnus assures. "His name is Herculon. He's not from around these parts and is quite harmless really.... unless he sits on you! So, don't let him do that!"

"Aye laddie, me gets yer drift. Herculon, you say? Now thar's a name to be proud of fer sure! And just listen to this deck strain!" He exclaims, directing a powerful yell at his boots. "Sandra! Get yer lazy bones out of the sac and leave that cabin! It's not safe, my lovely sea urchin! Join me topside!"

Then in a quieter tone.... "Now tell me nephew, who are those spindly fellows behind the mechanical mountain? They be remindin me of the fairies and pixies that often haunt me darkest dreams."

"That's Esty and Gort." He points. "Also, Thana, Jorlax and Minerva. They're also not from around here, Uncle. But they do love to party!"

"Ah! Then they and me are of the same blood!" Blackbeard laughingly bellows, waving the Grey's over. Below on the main deck, the swarthy crew of misfits eyeball the ladies of the group, receiving scathing looks in return. Especially from Toby, Cooper and Aerima, whom all love a good fight.

"By thunder! These folks ain't out of fairy nightmares at all! They jest _looks_ the part! And look at the battle scars running across Mister Gort's face! By all the gods! Now there's a mug I can trust! De ye wish to quit the stars and come work for me, sir?"

Gort clickity-clacks confusion as the big pirate directs words his way. Esty to the rescue as she translates for her mate. "He says he's happy with his present position but thinks it would be fine to work on such a great sailing ship. You see, he can't parlay the language you speak, sir. I can though, because I am machine like Nyla and Wil.... It's complicated."

"Aye! So, it seems with everything you folks bring to the table! And me eyes notice that two of these pixies are also machine creatures?"

"We are." Minerva speaks, moving closer, giving Blackbeard her best elevator eyes, nearly going Hubba-Hubba but holds her lustful circuits.

"And Uncle, this most lovely one is called Thana. She's the Commander of this bottle in which you find your ship and crew inside of."

"Commander, eh? Well now, don't that just beat everything!" The tall man roars, slapping his leg and shaking hands with everyone who arrived, including Herculon's massive claw.

"Will you be getting married this day, big fellow?" The tall man inquires upwards at the robot's massive glass-domed head, getting an eyeful of rotating antennae.

"No.... Mighty Herculon needs only his lovely Queen.... Toby. She is already married."

"Well, in that case...." Blackbeard says, taking a long pull from his bottle and noticing a familiar face at the back of the big crowd. "And who be that lanky man back there yonder?"

"That's my biological father. His name is also Magnus. Magnus Teach. He's from the future too, and lives on the moon."

"Arrrrrrrrrrrr.... the moon ye say? This day just keeps on given! Come forth, Magnus senior and let an old sea dog take a look at ye. By god man, you be a doppelganger too! Except for that naked face of course!" Teach yells, bellowing a mighty laugh. "Tell me sir. Is the moon really made of cheese like they say? Have ye taken a bite of it, sir?"

"Nice to meet you captain. It's truly a pleasure. Had I known. I would have grown a beard for the occasion!" Magnus roars a good laugh, joined by all. "And no sir, the moon is not made of cheese, but is instead made of the same stuff the earth is. But it's not like the earth up there. She be a frozen land in the shade and broiling in the sunshine, with no air to breathe, except that which we make for ourselves."

" _Make air, eh?_ By thunder, now I've heard about everything I guess!" Blackbeard roars. "Well sir, you're sure a tall drink of water. I see where young Magnus gets his fine looks."

"My other son, Eddie, looks like us too. Perhaps even taller than Magnus here. I wish he could have come along to meet you."

"Ah, now that would have been nice! I'm sure he's a fine lad, sir!"

"Well, perhaps not _so_ fine.... you see, he's turned to a life of crime. He liberates jewels and artworks from those who don't protect them well enough. He's wanted by the authorities. Future authorities, I mean."

"Ah! A man of my looks _and_ of my tastes! A fine lad he must be, sir! No argument there! Every family needs a scallywag, sir.... So, let's get this show on the road, shall we? Me and my crew have lots of plundering to do later this day." And the crowd goes wild as the many betrothed gather near the ships wheel.

"Listen up ye scurvy dogs!" Captain Blackbeard yells down at his raucous crew, holding a wide-eyed Sandra close to his chest. "We be gathered here today, Onboard the good ship Queen Anne's Revenge, inside the belly of the space whale Nerezza, high above the bosom of Mother Earth, with magical flying saucer hovering close overhead as witness to the unions taking place this day!" The longwinded pirate bellows, taking a deep breath and long snort from the bottle!

"As you all know, I am a scallywag of few words! I prefer direct to the point! Just ask Sandra! .... So, let's get this union-building finished so's we can all gets drunk! .... By god, we may all hang by the yardarm someday. But damn it too hells fire, we'll never hang higher than _this_ day! Above all God's creation, we are! Truly, holier matrimonies have never been made!"

And the ship goes wild! Bottles tip! Rum flows greedily! Gold & silver coins are tossed into the festive air before the ceremony settles into more sober realms.

"Okay maties! Time to shut yer big yappers!" Blackbeard threatens, as is his way to calm a raucous crew, before turning a more pleasant face to the nervous group to be married.

"So, do ye Magnus Teach, and ye Miss Amy Herschel, take each other as mates for all eternity and a day?"

"I do!" Comes twin acknowledgments from young, excited faces....

"And do ye Adam Miller. And ye Kira Dray, take each other as forever mates?"

"I do!" Comes a synchronous response of cosmic love!

"Do ye Braxton Crane. And ye Kara Jo.... Jo.... Arrrrrrrrgh! That's a tough one to chew!"

"Johansson, sir! .... My name is Kara Johansson!"

"Ah yes lassie, so it be! A lovely name, for a lovely goddess to be sure! And so, do ye Braxton Crane and Kara Johansson, take each other as mates for all eternity and a day?"

"I do!" Each exclaims glowingly, smiling from ear to ear, kissing hotly enough to make Satan blush!

"Oh! I'm _so_ going to cry!" Toby yells, elbowing Keith who snickers, oceans of tears welling up like a storm on the high seas!

"Now now, lassie! We'll have none on that!" Priest Blackbeard exclaims. "We're already afloat, don't you see? We needn't any more ocean upon the quarterdeck! Here Miss Toby, takes ye a healthy pull upon this magical space rum! Ye'll surely feel better!"

And Toby finds it hits the spot just right, if not a little heatedly! .... but it doesn't stop the tears!

"And so, do ye Harper Williams. And do ye Ling Tao, take each other for all time, good or bad?"

"I do!" Each yells simultaneously.

"Well now! I do believe we're run the course of betroths this fine day! Unless there are others among ye that've grown nerves to walk the plank?" The tall captain inquires, bouncing gnarly eyebrows like dark waves on the high seas.

"Yes!" Comes a gleeful tone from a hyped-up Minerva. "I just proposed to Thana, and she said yes!"

"Ah.... very good then!" Blackbeard exclaims, rolling his eyes. "Well now! That surely adds a cherry to this day's strange events! And I tell ye truly, I've never hitched machine wenches before, so this be a first for me dubious powers of mechanical matrimony! .... But Thana, ain't ye already married? .... To Jorlax, I suspect?"

"Oh, my yes! And he's the greatest for sure! But with Minerva, we'll be _even greater!_ Besides, somebody's got to keep an eye on her.... so she doesn't destroy the universe!"

And the peanut gallery goes wild!

"Ah, that's the spirit lassie! Destroy the universe, you say? Don't let her go and do such a dastardly thing! That's my job, by thunder!" Captain yells laughingly, continuing....

"So, do ye Thana, Jorlax _and_ Minerva, take each other as companions for all eternity and a day?"

"We do!" The machine people respond in unison.

"Well now!" Blackbeard the matchmaker, exclaims. "In all these cases of love and promise I've heerd this day, I as captain of this here pirate vessel, pronounce the strength of union to all who've come before me! And in that honor, I give me final words on the subject.... _you can all now kiss! And may the gods have mercy upon yer souls!_ "

A greater ruckus, the frigate Queen Anne's Revenge hadn't heard outside of an actual pirating event! Rum bottles make the rounds! Soon, the motley crew of scallywags on the main deck, grow hot with lust of the females above on the quarterdeck! Totally hotter with each long pull of the fiery liquid that was distilled between the stars just for the occasion.

Cooper and Toby see a glorious battle brewing rapidly; soon coming to a boil! A murderous gleam in their eyes, tells of the destruction they'll bring.... the broken bones of pirates they'll litter the freshly swabbed decks with, after _they're finished mopping!_

Sensing a knockdown-dragout rising like a storm on the horizon, Aerima leaves her android body, allowing it to fall heavily on its aft data port, creating a massive ass-crater in Captain Blackbeard's wonderful quarterdeck! With eyes dimmed, it will forever remain part of the ship, until the return of its master, the ghostly Aerima.

With heavy moan, direct from the icy grave, the lovely spectral mist of a woman, long blond hair blowing wildly in a non-existent wind, fly's over the shocked crowd of drunken misfits! Upon laying a thick layer of frost all around, causing significant shrinkage to every booze-sodden man jack, she returns to her circuits. After all, without external life support, she daren't stay gone any longer!

"By thunder and damnation!" Blackbeard yells, picking his jaw from the deck and helping Aerima out of her crater. "Don't you beat all, Miss Aerima! By gods, you scared the booze right out of me veins! Now I got's to get drunk all over again! And me crew! .... jest looks at those poor ashen souls! I never seen so many signs of the cross in all me born days! They'll behave now, fer sure they will!"

"I thought they might appreciate a good scaring, sir. So, I gave one they'll never forget." The beautiful android ghost replies laughingly. "Sorry about the deck.... I know I weigh a ton."

"Naw! You're not heavy atall, Miss Aerima. Fact is, that very spot had termites anyway! I'm in yer debt for squashin the little buggers!"

"It was my pleasure, sir."

Nyla knows it's time to end their trespass into times past, before the timeline itself receives a compound fracture! "Thank you, dear Captain. Be safe." She offers with a hug and peck on the cheek. But Blackbeard needs more than a peck on the cheek!! He sweeps the android off her feet, giving a powerful bearhug, not giving a damn what Wil might think!

"Miss Nyla, ye are surely a most beautiful machine wench! I do wish ye would stay and manajatwa with Sandra and me. Wouldn't that set yer sails?" The bearded-one lustfully requests, lowering the shocked android to the deck, putting hands to his tortured back!

"My dear sir. Thank you kindly. But honestly, you'd only get electrocuted. And believe me Captain B, it wouldn't be pretty!" Nyla retorts; feeling a nice glow in her circuits from the crude compliment. "And I might add, that for someone who chokes on Frenchy words so greatly, you seem to have that one nailed down pretty good! Anyway, I'm a happily married machine wench, so let's not.... and just _say_ we did!"

"Electro whaaaaa? Arrrrrrrrrr the words ye star people use! Well dear lady, I'll always remember ye, that's fer sure.... The one that got away!" Blackbeard responds disappointedly, again putting hands to lumbar, bending backwards in a painful stretch.

"No longer a spring chicken, eh beardy?" Wil teases, staying back from the big pirate's reach.

"Arrrrrrrrr, I guess not, Mister Wilber. I guess not!" He finishes with a mighty laugh.

"Well then, sir." Nyla offers kindly. "Are you ready to leave this bottle and be placed back into the sea from whence you were snatched?"

"Aye, Miss Nyla! I be ready to finish this wonderous dream. I figure the good old Queen Anne's Revenge has been a ship-in-a-bottle long enough this day! Thanks for the chance to finally do some good in this world.... hitchin the young'un's and all. And to see Mother Earth from above the clouds. It was a nice change from always pillaging and looting from dawn til dusk."

With that said, and no warning given about the pirate's violent demise later that year, November 22, 1718, so's to not change the timeline. Ship and crew are returned to the familiar waters off the coast of North Carolina for a rendezvous with destiny and one last horrific battle with naval authorities. May his pirate bones rest in peace; deep within Davy Jones' locker!

Breaking orbit from pirates of old, the Nerezza, with flying saucer parked comfortably within her belly, moves forward in time to a new family reunion.... Coming out of a temporal-blitzkrieg on the far side of the moon, so's to keep the monstrous planet gouger spaceship hidden from earthly view, Queen Anne's Revenge makes a stealthy hop back to Earth; arriving off the coast of Belize in the spring of 2240.

The motley crew reunites with Doctor Max senior, Shirley, Amy's biologic mom whom she's never met, and the rest of the retired asteroid hunters from yesteryear on the restaurant/tourist platform floating at the edge of the Great Blue Hole! It's the kind of place that makes for conjuring future adventures a real pleasure, and retirement even better!

The End!

Comments or thoughts?

I hope you enjoyed the story. For thoughts or comments, my email is michael_tobin411@yahoo.com or perhaps you might even leave a review. That would be great! May you always have an interesting book to read! Best regards, Michael

I now leave you with some famous quotes of note, in case you missed them in me first book.

Ralph Waldo Emerson!

" _A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds! It is adored by little statesmen, philosophers and divines. With pure consistency, a great soul has simply nothing to do. It may as well concern itself with the shadow on the wall!_

Albert Einstein!

_On relativity_ : "When a man sits with a pretty girl for an hour, it seems like a minute. But let him sit atop a hot stove for just a few seconds - and it's longer than any hour! That's relativity."

_On certainty_ : "As far as the laws of mathematics refer to reality, they are not certain: and as far as they are certain, they do not refer to reality, that's for certain!"

_On mystery_ : "The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and science. Whoever does not know it and can no longer wonder, no longer marvel, is as good as dead, and his/her eyes are dimmed."

_On imagination_ : "Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited in scope and propagation to the masses, whereas imagination is limitless to everyone and encircles the world!"

_On children_ : "If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales."

"A clever person solves a problem. A wise person avoids it." A.E.

"You never fail until you stop trying." A.E.

Isaac Newton!

"No great discovery was ever made without a bold guess."

"We build too many walls, and not enough bridges."

"Tact is the art of making a point, without making an enemy."

"Diamond! Oh Diamond! Thou little knowest the mischief done!" (yelled at his dog, who knocked over a candle, setting fire to his papers).

Michael Faraday!

"There is no more open door by which you can enter into the study of natural philosophy than by considering the physical phenomena of a burning candle."

"I happen to have discovered a direct relation between magnetism and light, also electricity and light, and the field it opens is so large, I think richly."

"A person who is certain they are right, is almost sure to be wrong."

The lovely Cecilia Payne!

"No idea should be suppressed, and this applies to ideas that look like nonsense. We must not forget that some of the best ideas seemed like nonsense at first. Truth will prevail in the end, if all ideas are bantered about equally. Truth will be naturally sifted from the chaff by a law of intellectual anti-gravitation and sent into orbit!"

"The advanced course in physics began with Rutherford's lectures. I was the only woman student who attended, and the regulations required that women should sit by themselves in the front row. There had been a time when a chaperone was necessary but mercifully that day is past. At every lecture, Rutherford would gaze at me pointedly as I sat by myself under his very nose and would begin in his stentorian voice: "Lady _and Gentlemen_ ". All the boys regularly greeted this witticism with thunderous applause, stomping of feet, and grunting in the traditional caveman fashion. _And at every lecture, I wished I could sink into the earth and quietly take notes from there_! To this day, I instinctively take my place as far back as possible in _any_ lecture hall."

"The laboratory work was the province of Dr. Searle. An explosive, heavily bearded nemesis who struck terror into my heart! If one made a blunder, one was sent to stand in the corner like a naughty child! He had no patience with the women students. He said they disturbed the magnetic equipment. And on more than once, I heard him shout 'Go, take off your corsets!" A great deal of females then, were transitioning to steel stiffeners instead of whalebone, and this perturbed his calculations! Yet, for all his eccentricities, he gave us excellent training in all types of precise measurement and in the correct handling of data."

"Young people .... Especially, young women, often ask for advice. Here it is: Do not undertake a scientific career in quest of fame or money. There are easier and better ways to reach them. Undertake it only if nothing else will satisfy. For, _nothing else_ is probably what you'll receive."

Nikola Tesla!

"Look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious."

_Stephen Hawking!_ (try to imagine his grand, electronic voice.)

"We are just an advanced breed of monkey on a minor planet orbiting an average star. But we understand the universe and that makes us very special."

"Quiet people tend to have the loudest minds."

"My expectations were reduced to zero when I was 21. Everything since, has been a bonus."

"I have noticed that people who assert that everything is predestined and can't be changed, still look both ways before crossing the street."

"People who boast about their IQ's are losers."

"I don't think the human race will survive another 500-years if we don't expand into space."

_Democritus!_ (460BC - 370BC)

"Nothing exists except atoms and empty space; everything else is just opinion."

"Throw moderation to the winds, and greatest pleasures bring the greatest pains."

"Our sins are more easily remembered than our good deeds."

"By desiring little, a poor person makes themselves rich."

"Happiness resides not in possessions, and not in gold. Happiness, resides in the soul."
