01
Only a half-inch transparent kinetic shield separated Dr. Albert Snowden from the crushing depths of the alien ocean. From what he understood, the more pressure exerted on the shield, the stronger it became. At the surface, he could walk through it, but several miles underwater, it was a steel wall. The shield possessed a slight reflective quality, which allowed him to see his brown twill pants, bow tie, jacket, and cotton vest that offset his white shirt and fair skin in the reflection.
He raised his eyebrows at the two four-hundred-ton gerus swimming outside the shield. At least they had each other. He thought about how close he had come to being with someone compatible a few months ago. It was clear that having any relationship would be difficult, if not impossible while traveling with Evaran, a powerful being who had rescued him and his niece, Emily, from an alien abduction a while back. After spending the last two months visiting several worlds and exploring various levels of technology, he enjoyed the nice change of pace from the hectic nature of some adventures.
Emily, V, and Evaran were his constant companions. V was Evaran’s trusty mobile artificial intelligence that often took the form of an orb but could also fly into the chest of a humanoid robotic shell and operate in that mode.
Dr. Snowden recalled that during the abduction, V had been referred to as male sometimes, and other times gender neutral. V’s male persona was cemented in Dr. Snowden’s mind after V changed his voice due to his interaction with Jay Beerman, one of the other humans who was abducted alongside him and Emily. Even with V becoming one of Dr. Snowden’s closest friends, it had been a challenge adjusting to traveling to any point in space or time, and even beyond the universe. With a sigh, he ran a hand through one of the gray tufts of hair that sat on the sides of his balding head while taking in the salty scent that seemed to permeate the area. He adjusted his glasses as he leaned back into the bench.
The underwater city around him was not quite as bustling as he had imagined it would be, and despite the shield humming, the silence invited a nap. As his eyes began to close, footsteps echoed out from behind him. His nanobots started to tingle. They had been injected against his will by the aliens who had abducted him long ago, but he had come to rely on them now. Their enhancement of his senses told him that the footsteps belonged to Emily.
“Uncle Albert?”
Dr. Snowden turned his head and watched as she sat next to him. In her early twenties, she stood out among the city’s denizens with her muscular build, fair skin, and dirty-blond hair. He raised an eyebrow at her. “Yes …”
“You were about to take a nap, weren’t cha?”
He snorted. “I thought about it. It’s actually quite peaceful out here.”
Emily shook her head with a small grin. “You could nap through a hurricane.”
He studied her advanced, lightly armored power suit. She did not go anywhere without it. Compared to her, he looked like a tourist. She had been through some rough times since they had asked to travel with Evaran, and even though it was now in the past, the aftereffects were still visible in her. Still, seeing her crack a grin or a half smile here or there gave him hope. “Glad to see you’re in a good mood. Where’s Evaran?”
She pointed back the way she had come. “Him and V are at a plaza overlooking the city. The view is breathtaking.”
“That doesn’t surprise me. Maybe I should’ve stayed with the tour, but I wanted to be by myself for a bit.”
“I can leave if you want to be alone,” said Emily, lowering her head.
Dr. Snowden shook his head. “I might nap and you all could take off without me.”
She swatted his arm. “Now you’re being silly. Evaran said he would be there for a while. I was just making sure you were okay.”
He knew she could have used her personal support device to contact him. The pen-shaped PSDs that Evaran had given them were like smartphones on steroids. They could extend morphable matter and shoot stun and repulsion beams, and they had dimensional mechanics and provided an augmented reality view that was useful when doing analysis. He figured she wanted to get away from the tour too. “Well, since you’re here, you can enjoy watching these gerus with me.”
She observed the gerus swimming outside the city shields. “Amazing they grow so big.”
“Yeah … from what I read on them, they have a large, flexible backbone, with a strong skeletal structure. Two hearts, multiple organs … pretty advanced.”
“You think they were created?” she asked.
“I didn’t read that, but I’m thinking there was some genetic manipulation. Blue whales are half this size.”
“Huh,” she said, looking around. “Wow, it is quiet over here.”
“It’s why I like it,” he said.
A whooshing sound emanated from a tube nearby. Inside it was a Dukashzeer, the natives of the city.
He initially thought she might have been repulsed by the bug-like nature of the Dukashzeer, but instead it had been he. Although he appreciated their city and technology, their appearance made his skin crawl. They stood about eight feet tall, with a segmented body and a pair of legs on each segment, except the last one, which was more of a tail. Their antennae and multiple-eyed faces were not something he would ever want to meet in the dark. They also had a strong smell that almost made him gag the first time he smelled it. He bobbed his head. “There were some Dukashzeer that slithered by earlier, but other than that, just me and the gerus.”
She chuckled. “The Dukashzeer make you uncomfortable, don’t they?”
“Well … I mean … I know they shouldn’t … but they remind me of what a centipede would look like if it lived in water.”
“I’m with you there. Come to think of it, we’re probably the first humanoids they’ve ever seen. It seems all the other aliens here are insect-like.”
Dr. Snowden drew his lips to the right. “And crab- and lobster-like. Evaran did say that the humanoid form was not quite as common outside of our galactic cluster.”
The fact that they were in a galaxy on the edge of the Laniakea supercluster and that the date was September 9, 2012, relative to Earth, did not escape him. Of the one hundred thousand galaxies inside it, including the Milky Way, Evaran took them to a remote one and to the planet they were on: Bluizra. It was not a true water world, in that it had small islands with volcanic vents. The Dukashzeer had evolved around them and into quite a technological society both on the islands and in the water.
Emily eyed him. “You’re thinking again.”
He chuckled. “Yeah … guess I am.” He cast a sidelong glance at her. “I thought you wanted to go on the tour.”
“I did,” she said. “However, it’s moved on. Evaran and V stayed behind at the plaza, just like you stayed behind here.”
“So they stayed back … and you came to check on me.”
“Well … I get the feeling Evaran wants to talk to us. Given that you wanted to be alone, I think he wanted to give you some space. It’s been two hours, so …”
“It’s only a little past eleven, not even lunch time yet. And who does a tour at nine a.m. Bah,” said Dr. Snowden, tossing his hand out. “Evaran must have sent you.” He sighed. “All right. I think I’ve had enough of making eye contact with this geru.”
Emily looked at the geru.
It paused as it stared back.
“Yeah … let’s head back,” she said.
Dr. Snowden chuckled as he stood and gestured out. “After you.”
She nodded and took off down the metal walkway.
He surveyed the city architecture as he walked. The Dukashzeer zipped around in large tubes filled with ocean water. Although there were walkways like the one he was on, he got the feeling it was meant more for visitors in general. Their buildings reminded him of large upright pills with a pyramid-shaped base. Everything looked rounded to him.
The city was a patchwork of buildings, and the walkways linked everything together. Because the city itself was encased in a bubble shield, it seemed like every available space had a purpose.
After twenty minutes of walking, they reached the plaza that overlooked a large portion of the city. Evaran sat at a table out in the open area, with V in humanoid robot form next to him.
Dr. Snowden knew V wanted to be in flying orb mode, but the Dukashzeer were strict about flying machines, especially ones they did not build. Evaran, in his light-gray suit, with pads all over and segmenting, multicolored lines, stood out next to the tables filled with insectoid aliens. His dirty-blond hair with a wave out front never moved, even with the slight breeze that Dr. Snowden could feel brushing over him.
He squinted at the shimmering of Evaran’s boots, utility belt, neck guard, and forearm guards. They always seemed to be squeaky clean. Hanging off his belt was a utility handle, which Dr. Snowden had learned could be extended and shaped as needed as well as shoot a variety of beams. Evaran’s fair skin stood out compared to the darker hues on the surrounding aliens.
Evaran waved them over after spotting them. In a moment, they joined Evaran and V at their table.
“Is everything okay?” asked Evaran.
Dr. Snowden nodded. “I was just enjoying a bench and the view out into the ocean.”
“Understandable. Are you hungry?”
Dr. Snowden observed the aliens around him. Although he was not trying to stare at them, the various thoraxes, legs, and antennae turned his stomach. “I … think I’m okay.”
“Very well,” said Evaran. He half smiled at Emily. “Was he napping?”
Dr. Snowden harrumphed.
“I caught him right before he was about to,” said Emily.
Dr. Snowden shook his head.
“Emily said you would be, and V gave it a ninety-six-percent probability,” said Evaran.
Dr. Snowden raised an eyebrow at V.
“I apologize. I calculated that the serene environment you were in would lead you to nap.”
“It’s okay.”
Evaran cleared his throat. “Well, now that you are here, I wanted to discuss our next journey.”
Emily scooted to the edge of her chair.
Evaran wagged a finger at Dr. Snowden. “You were curious about my origin. I think we can explore that. However, there is a risk. We would move out of this timeline, out of this universe, and out of this plane. I am unsure how your form will react, given that your three-Ls are tied to this universe. Maybe I can record my trip and you can view it later,” said Evaran.
Dr. Snowden recalled that a three-L was a life link layer that sentient beings possessed, a link to a life layer that resided outside the universe. The concept that a universe was filled with nonintersecting timelines fascinated him. Their universe was one of many in a plane, which itself was part of a larger system. It boggled his mind how many layers of reality there were. “I think it’s worth the risk.” He glanced at Emily.
She nodded.
“Besides, I’m looking forward to seeing what’s out there, and maybe even learning more about the Torvatta. After six months of traveling with you, we’re ready,” said Dr. Snowden. He extended a hand out. “Nothing against this lovely place, but I think I’ve seen enough of it.”
“I figured as much. One thing to note. Although we are going to investigate where I came from, I also want to see if we can find out more about this female version of myself.”
“Do you have any more information on her?”
Evaran shook his head. “I do not. However, there are some possibilities I have considered that would require extenuating circumstances. We shall find out.”
Dr. Snowden nodded. He remembered fighting the timeline invader known as the overlord, who had tortured and killed a female Evaran in a pocket universe and then stuffed her life energy into a large rift stone. The look on Evaran’s face when he realized that the rift stone had her energy was ingrained in Dr. Snowden’s mind. “Another mystery we’ll figure out.”
Evaran eyed Dr. Snowden. “Your curiosity is refreshing. I too look forward to seeing what has changed since I arrived in this plane. We will check in with my main form.”
“I thought that you came in to the plane and took on a form?” asked Emily.
“I did, but only a portion of me. The rest of me is still out there. I believe I have found the beginnings of what I was looking for in this plane, so I should probably update my main form.”
Dr. Snowden shook his head. “I get the feeling this is going to be confusing.”
“Keep an open mind, as I know you both will do. Whatever happens, know that I have been honored to have you travel with me.”
Dr. Snowden gulped. “You make it sound so … final.”
“I did not mean to alarm you. However, I cannot predict what will happen once we leave this universe,” said Evaran.
“Gotcha.”
“Now, are you ready to expand your mind?”
“Let us do this,” said V.
Emily chuckled.
“I think V speaks for all of us,” said Dr. Snowden.
“Very well,” said Evaran as he stood. “To the Torvatta.”
Emily surveyed the command area of the Torvatta. With comfortable living quarters, matter replicators, and a holo room to train in, the Torvatta had become her home. It had dimensional doorways, six in all, that led to areas that did not take up any area in normal space. The back third of the ship contained the doorways along with the entrance and an elevator to the roof. She was in the front third of the ship, referred to as the command area.
The outside of the Torvatta reminded her of a hockey puck sitting on a wide-angled cone. She never considered it a large ship, as it sat approximately thirty feet wide by fifteen feet tall. The black mesh panels on the outside always seemed to shimmer a bit. She appreciated the shielding that resided about ten feet out, except on the roof. From her understanding of it, regular matter could not penetrate the shields, unless they were weakened for things like thrust.
To her right was Evaran in his large command chair, and even farther away was Dr. Snowden, sitting in a U-shaped seating area similar to where she sat. Between the front and back of the ship was a walkway that had a guardrail on the command center side and side ramps leading to the back.
Her attention focused on V, in orb mode, as he hovered front and center in the command area, with a console that sat on two legs. His four extended segmented arms flew around the three-layered slanted holographic displays. V was her best friend, and even though he was still a young AI, she felt she could tell him anything.
“Analysis. We are within sufficient distance of Bluizra to travel,” said V.
Emily knew that the Torvatta could only travel through space via a portal in outer space. This rule seemed to also apply to traveling through time without the portal.
Dr. Snowden gestured up. “Can we go to the roof for this?”
“Not this time. I do not know what might happen with your form,” said Evaran.
Dr. Snowden sighed. “I wish we could see more than just the big screen in front of us.”
“Perhaps … ,” said Evaran, rubbing his chin, “a portion of the top and the sides could be merged into the front, making it all one screen. Then we could see out through the front and top and to the sides.”
“Like a convertible,” said Emily.
Evaran nodded.
“That works for me,” said Dr. Snowden, “but I’m guessing that’s something that’ll take some time to do.”
“I will add it to my list of Torvatta upgrades,” said Evaran. He motioned at V. “Take us out of the timeline.”
“Acknowledged.”
Dr. Snowden gripped his chair arms.
A small grin crept onto Emily’s face. This trip was just the change in scenery to get Dr. Snowden’s mind off of Jane Trellis, the time refugee who almost ended up traveling with them but instead ended up living in a new timeline. Although he would rationalize it, she knew he was hurting still. She could see it in what he ate, his listless shuffle in the mornings, and the long nights alone on the roof. A warm feeling spread out from her heart at seeing him excited about his true love, science, even if what she saw was beyond the science either he or she knew about.
She watched as the front screen showed everything outside fading away until there was nothing to see. From a previous adventure, she learned that this meant they were outside the timeline, but still in the same universe.
“Analysis. We are now in the timeline void.”
Dr. Snowden raised his hand. “Is there any way to see the other timelines, or do they even have a structure?”
“They do, but it is more of a flow. V, highlight them,” said Evaran.
“Acknowledged,” said V as his claws flew around the front console.
Emily’s eyes widened as the screen showed the outlines of cylindrical flows. It reminded her of wispy smoke on a dark night. Timelines did not intersect, but used the same space, from what she understood. Although one could be updated, they did not affect the others. Evaran had called it localization. She wrinkled her eyebrows. “There’s so many … I can’t even see how far a single one goes up or down.”
Evaran raised a finger. “Remember, this is just a visualization by the Torvatta. To actually go to any other timeline, we would need a portal to it.”
“Huh,” she said. “So if we traveled in a straight line toward one, what would happen?”
“It would appear that we were moving for a bit, but once outside the small space around a timeline, there would be no movement. Space has a different meaning out here.”
She shook her head. “Okay …”
“We are currently in the small space around the timeline, so we can form a portal here. However, outside of that, there is nothing to travel in.”
Dr. Snowden snorted. “That just sounds crazy. Different physics, I’m guessing.”
“Very different,” said Evaran. “Now, are you ready to exit this universe?”
Dr. Snowden ran a hand down his pant leg. “Umm … sure.” He glanced at Emily. “You ready for all of this?”
She met Dr. Snowden’s concerned look. “Always.”
“V, take us outside this universe,” said Evaran.
“Acknowledged.”
The Torvatta shot out a white beam that began to form a blue-bordered portal with a rippling dark-gray surface.
Emily remembered that the portal and the beam had colors to represent the different types of destinations. A gold beam with a silver-bordered portal and light-blue rippling surface was used inside the timeline. It was the one she was most familiar with. She had seen the colors change for going to a pocket universe.
“New colors,” said Dr. Snowden. “I’m not too surprised about that. This portal seems to be taking a bit to form.”
Evaran nodded. “It requires more energy. As powerful as the Torvatta is, and how quickly it can form a portal inside a timeline, this should give you an idea of how much is needed.”
“Yeah, it does,” said Dr. Snowden.
Emily could almost see the gears winding around in Dr. Snowden’s head. This was definitely something he would be interested in. As of late, due to her physical and mental training, it was something that interested her now too. She understood why he liked science as much as he did. While she had been a history major in her sophomore year of college, she had never given much thought about studying the harder sciences. Traveling with Evaran and being stranded on a prison planet for nine months alone changed that.
The Torvatta flew through the portal once it was fully formed after a minute.
She gasped at the milky-white environment that the Torvatta emerged into. Her eyes were drawn to the semitransparent walls that boxed in not only the Torvatta, but also what appeared to be a soap bubble. Changes in the striations of the environment made her think they were moving.
Evaran studied Dr. Snowden and Emily for a moment. “Interesting. Your three-Ls are not degrading.”
“So if they were degrading, what would happen physically?” asked Dr. Snowden.
“Your subconsciousness would take over as your higher-level consciousness would fade away. However, it would take some time, more than enough to head back to our universe.”
“That doesn’t sound good,” said Emily.
“It is not.”
Dr. Snowden harrumphed. “Well, at least there’s that then.” He pointed to the screen. “What exactly … are we seeing?”
Evaran placed his hands together with the tips of his fingers on his lips. After a moment, he asked, “Are you familiar with the concept of cell walls?”
Dr. Snowden furrowed his eyebrows. “I’ve read about them.”
“The semitransparent walls you are seeing are similar in concept.”
“And that bubble thing … is that our universe?” asked Dr. Snowden.
“You are correct. It is one of many in the plane. We are in what is known as a universal cell.”
Dr. Snowden licked his lips. “How … how many universal cells are there in this plane?”
“I do not know,” said Evaran. He tilted his head. “I stopped counting after a hundred, but I suspect the true number is beyond comprehension.”
Dr. Snowden gulped.
Emily narrowed her eyes. “What are we floating in? I feel like we’re moving.”
“That is pure universal energy. It behaves much like a liquid in some regards,” said Evaran.
Dr. Snowden pointed to multicolored strands that connected the outer walls to the universe bubble. “And those are …”
“Energy strands.”
“Like … Daedrould?”
Evaran nodded. “They appear in our universe as exotic energy and are responsible for the unusual characteristics you would associate with exotic energy. I am still unclear as to why your planet has such an abundance of its manifestation. The parallel timelines I have seen have it as well, but none as powerful as the one you are from. The distribution of these exotic energies is an unknown process to me.”
Dr. Snowden’s eyes traced the energy strands for a moment. “There’s so many of them.”
“I am still studying the various effects of each strand and its representation in the universe.”
“So Earth could actually have more types of nonhumans then, outside of Daedrould, Wildborn, and Outsiders,” said Dr. Snowden.
Evaran nodded.
Dr. Snowden gulped. “Absolutely fascinating. I’m guessing that the strand that is touching the Torvatta is from the life link layer.”
“I believe so. Even through the Torvatta’s shielding, it should be able to reach you.”
“Have you been out here often?” asked Emily.
“I have, actually,” said Evaran. “Seeing the strands gives me a good idea of what type of universe I will be entering. One of the reasons I chose this universe in particular is due to the amount and variety of strands. It gives the universe a signature, one that I was looking for. Once inside the universe, I searched for a timeline and planet where these energies would manifest in the population. The other requirements were that the denizens were of humanoid form and the dimensional walls were weakened.”
Emily licked her lips as she pondered Evaran’s words. After a moment, she faced him. “Why was that important to you?”
Evaran placed his hands in front of him, touching at the fingertips. “I was looking for the ancestral birthplace of some cosmic entities. The goal was to stabilize the timeline so that the event that allows them to escape the universe, and then the plane, occurs. It has taken me a while to find it, but I believe I have.”
Emily raised her eyebrows.
Dr. Snowden cleared his throat. “So humans exist outside our universe?”
“If humans are what I think they are, they do, but they call themselves the Hoxscarus. They exist outside the plane. Obviously, I would like to verify that Earth is where their ancestral form started, and that is one of my goals,” said Evaran.
Dr. Snowden’s eyes searched the ground for a moment before looking at Evaran. “If we are the Hoxscarus’ ancestral form … you really are going out of your way to help them.”
“It is what I do.”
“Well, will we get to meet these cosmic entities?” asked Emily.
Evaran nodded. “Our next step is to leave the plane. I will monitor your three-Ls, and you will hopefully have a chance to meet at least one of them and possibly one of my cosmic friends.”
“Let’s do it,” she said.
“Very well,” said Evaran. “V, take us outside the plane.”
“Acknowledged.”
Emily stared at the screen as a blue beam shot out, forming a black-bordered portal with a rippling white surface. She flexed her right hand several times while sneaking occasional looks at Dr. Snowden.
The portal took longer to form this time. Once the portal was formed, the Torvatta flew through it.
After examining the screen, she was not sure what she was seeing. Morphing shapes floated in pitch-black space and were connected by long rods. It was the absence of any starlike points that caught her attention.
“What is all this?” asked Dr. Snowden.
“The large shapes are the planes,” said Evaran, observing them both. “The connecting rods, as the Torvatta is visualizing it, are direct connections between the planes. They are the scaffolding, if you will, of the plane system, which I call Synesia.” He perused his augmented reality interface.
Emily wished she had an ARI she could access without having to use her PSD. Evaran’s was natural, and he used it a lot. Maybe that was an eye enhancement she could ask about someday. “So we’re in the plane system, I mean, Synesia, now, right?”
“Yes. It is one of many, but this one is the Core plane system that all others spawned from. It has many planes in it.”
“Synesia is a cool name,” said Emily, glancing at Dr. Snowden.
“Your three-Ls are still not degrading. Very interesting,” said Evaran.
“That sounds good,” said Emily.
“It is, although I am not sure I understand how that is possible. We are outside your universal cell, which is where your three-Ls are tied.”
She found it refreshing at times to know that Evaran did not know everything.
“One worry down,” said Dr. Snowden. “Going back to the planes … is each one similar to ours?”
Evaran shook his head. “Each has a different structure and set of rules. Some are sentient, others are not.”
“Huh. So … the space,” said Dr. Snowden, making air quotes, “is some type of void, I’m guessing, where you’re from.”
“It is the Cosmic Medium and, yes, where I am from. Everything in existence is formed from it, from living beings to dimensions,” said Evaran. He rubbed his chin. “I see a problem.”
Emily wrinkled her eyebrows. “And that is …”
“I am not here,” said Evaran, rubbing his chin. “I will need to go find myself.”
Emily and Dr. Snowden laughed.
Evaran tilted his head at them.
“We’re not laughing at you. That just … sounds funny,” said Emily, catching her breath.
Dr. Snowden exhaled. “Given all we’ve seen, though, I’m not too surprised. So what do we do then?”
Evaran paused for a moment. “I will need to leave the Torvatta and find out what is going on. You will be safe onboard while I do this.”
A muted thumping bell sound echoed out.
“Analysis. A set of coordinates has been entered into the Torvatta. Activation is in thirty hours,” said V.
“Where does it go?” asked Evaran.
“Unknown.”
“Can you override it?”
“It is locked.”
Evaran narrowed his eyes. “I see. The Torvatta wishes for us to go somewhere. I am guessing it was triggered upon exit from the plane. In that case, I will need to be back here before it activates.”
Dr. Snowden snorted. “That spices things up a bit.”
Emily bobbed her head. “If there is anything you need us to do, let us know. I’m gonna head to the roof and get a better view, assuming the roof is safe.”
“It will be,” said Evaran. “I will not be gone for long.”
“I would like to join you on the roof,” said V, looking at Emily.
“Me too,” said Dr. Snowden.
Evaran chuckled. “I will exit from the roof then. Shall we go?”
Everyone nodded.