Night Skies Hotel XIII: Humanity's Birthright III: Twilight's Sword free porn video

Synopsis of the Night Skies Hotel Universe: Centuries ago, two world- spanning civilizations made first contact via technology that enabled access to multiple realities. Each civilization was unique in the sense that a single sex dominated it - Terra's Patriarchy by males, and Gaia's Sisterhood by females. Gaia was the more artistic of the two, had closer links to nature and was more advanced than Terra in some of the sciences, such as biology and physics. Terra, on the other hand, had a cultural drive to explore and dominate other timelines, and excelled in a number of scientific fields, including spaceflight and computers. For a time, scientific and cultural exchanges were profitable for both sides, until a Gaian pathogen was inadvertently introduced into Terra's population and began turning males and females alike into females of Gaia's Sisterhood. The final straw came when the son of a powerful politician was infected. The Patriarchy conquered Gaia, but a remnant of the Sisterhood managed to escape the onslaught. The war has raged for centuries, with the Sisterhood's victories few and far between as the Patriarchy advances through the known timelines, drawing ever closer to Earth and its billions of unsuspecting inhabitants. But the Sisterhood doesn't give up easily and, using the pathogen to swell its ranks and its dimensional transport technology to remain hidden from its nemesis, devises plans to one day retake Gaia and stop the Patriarchy once and for all. *** Historian's note: This story primarily takes place during the "prehistoric" era of the Night Skies Hotel Universe; specifically, in 12,300 BCE. The song "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" belongs to Starship. *** "Knowledge is power." - Sir Francis Bacon (1561 CE-1626 CE, Timeline 0600), from Religious Meditations, of Heresies. *** Night Skies Hotel XIII: Humanity's Birthright III: Twilight's Sword By Solari INTERLUDE: DRAGON SLAYERS "Defense sphere breach! Defense sphere breach!" Fern's voice was taut. "Two bogies are targeting the command Chimera. Close-in units respond to the following coordinates -" Before the Guardian could finish, a Phoenix hurtled past the ship carrying Military Guild Mistress Basima and her staffers, its weapons ports alight. A series of staccato booms ripped through the air as molten globs of golden energy hammered a black-and-crimson Patriarchal Dragonfly, disintegrating the enemy fighter into a cloud of debris. "One down, one to go!" Matriarch Sonora transmitted from the Phoenix's cockpit. Fixing the remaining marauder with an icy stare, Artemis' childhood friend marked it for death: "You're mine, too." Abruptly flipping her fighter around, Sonora once again unleashed a stream of lethal fire - this time, however, her Patriarchal counterpart was ready. The matriarch frowned and refocused herself as his Dragonfly evaded not only her first burst, but the second one as well. Sonora's heart leapt into her throat as a missile streaked away from the Dragonfly toward the Chimera - only to explode with a powerful, shockwave-inducing WHUMP not more than a mile or so off the starboard side of Basima's command ship, its defense systems acquiring a lock on the incoming warhead at the last possible moment and unleashing a firestorm of energy. "You won't get a second shot, you bastard!" Sonora snarled, her eyes riveted on the Dragonfly's fuselage. In the next instant, the Phoenix's weapons, slaved to her mind, lit up. Lethal spheres of golden energy unerringly zeroed in on the zigzagging fighter, slamming into the doomed craft with such ferocity that half of it blew apart while the remainder plunged, spinning crazily, toward the battle-scarred ground far below, a brief fireball marking its impact not long afterward. Sonora craned her neck, eagerly seeking an escape capsule to blast, but there was none. "Third time's the charm," she crowed triumphantly, savage glee burning in her emerald-green eyes. The glint of another, far-off fireball caught her attention. Safe for a fleeting moment, Sonora's gaze took in the battle raging around her in Enlil's skies and on the miles-distant surface. The Sisterhood's vaunted Firebird Flock - accompanied by three talons of troops - had jumped into Timeline 0579, also known as Enlil, not more than 20 minutes ago. The 120 Phoenix fighters and their pilots, along with the 3,000 troops, had caught the Patriarchy's occupation forces mostly unaware, and it showed in the unfolding devastation. The matriarch's comsig came to life. "We've achieved local air superiority." It was Basima. "Matriarch Tera reports that General Gil Cel and other elements of the Enlil resistance have joined the fight on the ground, now that our claws are drawing most of Occupation Lord Kian Saber's attention." "Good. The sooner the data is obtained, the -" a dragon-shaped icon on Sonora's holographic HUD chirped and wiggled. "Vanguards are moving in," she alerted Basima, watching the icon open up to reveal realtime data on the Patriarchy's largest and most powerful warships. "How many? Estimated time of arrival?" "Two. They'll be in range shortly." "You know what to do." Sonora smiled grimly. "This whole thing is cutting it close, mistress. If those monsters get off their full complements of constellations before ..." "Then we won't have to worry about returning to Meridia, will we?" Basima's voice was tart. "Now, it's time to really kick the Champions where it hurts - initiate phase two of Operation Nutcracker." "Acknowledged." Sonora trilled into her comsig, setting off an immediate reaction among the surviving Phoenixes of the Sisterhood's Firebird Flock. A shadow fell across Sonora's fighter as another Phoenix loomed, taking up a position not more than a few feet behind the matriarch's bird. "And so it begins," she murmured, keeping an eagle eye on the seemingly innocuous blips inching across her three-dimensional HUD, each representing a death-dealing, city-sized Vanguard orbiting Enlil. Sonora's collection of fighters grew as a third, fourth, fifth and sixth Phoenix joined, forming a line of fighters with hers in the lead. Other, similar Spearpoints took shape and, just as the Vanguards entered optimal range, eight such formations were clustered, their vulnerable unions protected by the remaining fighters of the Firebird Flock. It wasn't a second too soon as the Vanguards began disgorging clouds of reinforcements and dropping hellfire on the Sisterhood's ground positions. "Spearpoint assembly completed," Sonora reported, seeing green, lightning bolt-shaped icons pop up on the HUD, each representing a group. "Commencing firing sequences now." Her Spearpoint's six Phoenixes opened up their Infinity crystals to the dark energy permeating all of existence. Attracted to the crystals, it poured in with tsunami-like force, pushing them to the very edge of their maximum processing capacity. In a matter of seconds, the five birds linked to Sonora briefly lit up one after another like Christmas trees as their crystals refined the dark energy into a usable form and poured the super-charged elixir into her fighter's Infinity crystal, giving the craft a decidedly unearthly glow. Nearby, a furball erupted as two defending Phoenixes chewed up a pair of Dragonflies, only to be shot down themselves by, literally, lightning out of the blue. The matriarch tensed as more fire erupted around her. "Power levels nominal," she noted, observing the process through her link to the Phoenix's DNA-based computer. "Acquiring targeting data now." Sonora gave her full attention to the coordinates streaming across the holographic HUD - data that was identical to what the other seven Spearpoint leaders were seeing on their HUDs. Closing her eyes and pursing her lips, she focused her mind and initiated a telepathic link with the other leaders, communing with them as the eight Spearpoints manuevered into position. Bolts of man-made lightning crackled through the sky around them, detonating another six defending Phoenixes. Not yet ... not yet ... not yet ... Something clicked in their groupmind. Their eyes snapped open. FIRE! Eight dense beams of crackling light lanced out from the Spearpoints, a sky-tearing volley quickly followed by a second and third salvo. The unsuspecting Vanguard far overhead never stood a chance; it quaked and rocked as two dozen coruscating lines of energy slammed into its armored underside - WHUMP! WHUMP!! WHUMP!!! WHUMP!!!! - and burrowed straight through, blasting out through the massive ship's upper surface. The Vanguard settled down, seemingly unaffected by the devastating attack. But it was nothing more than a mirage; aboard, secondary explosions were ripping through the interior of the huge, black triangular-shaped ship, growing stronger and more numerous as the seconds ticked by. On its upper surface, mile-high towers toppled and domes imploded, debris raining down into the fire-blackened interior, adding to the hellish destruction there. A slight list developed. The Vanguard's fusion-powered engines were failing. A mighty blast ripped through the bridge dome, opening it to the vaccuum of space. Men were hurled kicking and screaming into the void, struggling to breathe in the sudden nothingness - and failing. Their brief flailings abruptly ended as they flash-froze or their lungs ruptured from the sudden decompression. Engines went dark one after another, like falling dominos. The list worsened ... then turned into a freefall as the last engine winked out, sending the dying Vanguard into a one-way plunge toward Enlil's version of the Atlantic Ocean just off the east coast of what had once been the AmerBloc. It never made it. "VICTORY IS OURS!" Basima roared in triumph aboard her command Chimera as the Vanguard exploded hundreds of miles overhead, its star-like appearance brightening for a moment before being snuffed out entirely. The mistress whirled on Fern. "What's the status of the second Vanguard?" "Minor damage incurred by the shockwave from the destruction of the first Vanguard," the Guardian reported, intently eyeing the holographic status board in front of her. "And ... uh -" the holo updated itself with new information "- wait, make that catastrophic damage. It just took a pounding from the Spearpoints." Fern looked up at Basima, her face worried. "It's a goner, mistress, but ..." "But what, Guardian?" Basima interrupted. "This is a great day for the Sisterhood! At long last we've drawn real blood, something we haven't been able to do very often since the Second Campaign!" Fern sighed. "We've lost contact with the Night Skies Hotel." Basima blinked. "They failed to check in at the regular interval just now. I tried to establish a link, but failed. They're not responding." Basima's face darkened. "Try again. The goddess-forsaken pig Kian Saber has been trying to jam us ever since we arrived. Maybe he just got lucky." Fern dutifully tried again - and failed again. "Mistress, there's no jamming." "Damnit!" Basima fumed. "I bet something's gone wrong with the experiment involving those damnable artifacts!" She paced back and forth. "We've no choice but to head back," the mistress growled, feeling a sudden leaden weight in her stomach, "and hope that's all it is: an experiment gone awry, cutting communications. Goddesses forbid the Patriarchy pulled off ..." she shook her head, unwilling to finish the sentence. "Let's roll!" In her Phoenix, now safely disengaged from its Spearpoint formation, Sonora listened in disbelief as Basima's voice came over the comsig. "Matriarch Sonora, I'm leaving you and Matriarch Tera responsible for the remainder of Operation Nutcracker." "Understood ... but, why?" "It's the Night Skies Hotel. Something odd is going on. They're not responding to or sending hails." "May the goddesses be with you, mistress." "You, too, Sonora. You, too." A gateway opened up, and Basima's command Chimera disappeared into it. Sonora shook her head as the gateway snapped shut behind the Chimera. "We've still got work to do, Tera," the matriarch signaled her counterpart on the ground, firing on a nearby Dragonfly and shielding her eyes as a thunderous explosion tore it apart. "The Patriarchy might have lost two Vanguards, but the bastards haven't thrown in the towel just yet." The whine of weapons fire crackled over the comsig. "Tell me about it!" Tera snapped. "We're down to two-thirds strength, and they're still throwing Ghulams at us like there's no tomorrow!" "Slave soldiers are a dime a dozen," Sonora commented, firing on the Dragonfly's escape capsule. "But their pilots aren't as easily replaced." *** CHAPTER VII: SHADES OF GRAY *** "Have you sensed anything yet?" Tomos' voice betrayed his anxiety. Neera, her eyes seemingly glued shut, sighed and shook her head. "We can't deceive the Nephilim much longer. They're going to wise up to the fact that all we're doing is playing for time." "I know that!" Neera hissed. "I'm focusing as best I can, but Galen isn't leaving any impressions in the Oversoul." She rubbed her forehead. "I hope he understood the message I was trying to convey." The apexes had arrived at the MedCore Hub in Triton in a clan-supplied and piloted Airsprite - Galen having absconded with theirs - only to find a trio of strapping, expressionless Nephilim already waiting for them. Escorted to their living quarters in the complex - proximity to the hub's labs being a requirement of Project Transcendence - the Nephilim had given the apexes an hour's time to prepare themselves for an assignment which remained cloaked in mystery. The trip preparations hadn't taken long at all, but it was a completely different story when it came to trying to contact Galen. "It's too bad telepathy doesn't work over long distances. It's efficient, and there's no risk of detection from using -" Tomos jerked at a whirring sound coming from outside the bedroom. "What was that?!" Rushing out, he saw the apartment's entry opening, revealing a Nephilim with hooded eyes. "We're just about ready!" the apex harrumphed, seeing the man's raised eyebrow. "You have 15 minutes," the man rumbled, "before we leave for the Tether port." "Yes, yes, I know. As I said, we're just about ready!" "See to it that you are," the Nephilim advised, stepping into the apartment and effortlessly picking up four, bulging travel bags - two for Neera and two for Tomos. "We're on a tight schedule." Without any further comment, he spun on his heel and disappeared back into the corridor. Gulping, Tomos sped back into the bedroom. Neera remained on the bed, sweat beading her forehead as she continued to focus her mind on the Oversoul, trawling for any sign of Galen. She cracked open an eye and saw her husband looming over her, an urgent look on his face. "S ... sorry. Nothing yet." Her voice drifted, then returned, stronger. "Ten more minutes. That's all." *** Luc wolf-whistled. "Whoa. Looks like it's my lucky night!" He stood in the open entrance of his apartment, casually eyeing his visitor. "So, what brings a lovely young lady like you to my doorstep?" "You did business with me once," she purred. "I did?" There was a slight nod. "I was impressed, and require your services again." Luc stared at the vision of loveliness standing before him: Her thick, curly jet-black hair cascaded past her shoulders, framing a pale, oval- shaped face with huge, liquid, emerald-green eyes, delicate, arching eyebrows, a full, red pouty mouth and a perky nose. Her willowy form was blessed with a generously endowed chest that wasn't too much of a good thing, a narrow waist and flaring hips and buttocks. If that wasn't enough, her clothing revealed a lot more creamy, supple skin than it hid. "Essence!" Luc whispered. "G ... G ... Galen Mindaro? Is that you?!" The young woman licked her lipsticked mouth provocatively. "The one and only, although I prefer Galena Mindaro now, for obvious reasons." "Um, yeah. I can see why." Galena frowned slightly and put her hands on her hips. "Yikes! I didn't mean it like that! I ..." Luc sighed, giving up. "How did you find me, anyway?" Galena rolled her eyes. "You stick out like a sore thumb in the Oversoul's public domains," she explained, flashing him a lascivious grin. "In particular, you seem to be very active in the singles scene." Luc shrugged. "I might've been born female, but as a male, I have needs, too!" "So do I. When's your next delivery to the A'sazi Clan in the Uncivilized Lands?" "How should I know?! I'm just a lowly courier!" Luc protested. "They've been part of your route for more than two years now. Make an educated guess." Luc threw up his hands. "OK, OK. Probably not until the end of the month. We usually get a surge of deliveries to and from the A'sazi around that time." Galena grinned. "Good. You're going to take me with you." "I am?" "You are," she confirmed, pushing past Luc and strutting into his apartment, startling him. "H ... hey! What do you think you're doing?!" "Why, I'm going to spend some time here," she said silkily. "Surely a young buck like you wouldn't mind sharing his company with a gorgeous young woman such as myself, hmm?" Luc blushed. "Err, um, no." Galena smiled brightly. "Great! Now, where can I get some privacy? I have business to attend to." *** The vision came to Neera out of the blue: In an instant she went from seeing an inky blackness to seeing a panorama of structures and dwellings rising up the side of a weather-worn cliff and spreading out around its base. The alpha apex let out an involuntary gasp. Concerned, Tomos asked, "What is it? Are you OK?" "Yes ... yes ... I think it's Galen." Neera's voice was distant. "Galen? No, it's ... it's Galena, now!" The cliffside buildings were erected within massive overhangs of limestone and sandstone that had been left behind when eons of water and wind erosion had carved out softer layers of rock. Ranging in height from a single story to three stories, the fused-adobe structures were dense with the scurrying forms of people. There were more modest structures at the base of the cliff; pit houses of some type, varying in size and complexity, their fused-adobe walls excellent at absorbing heat during the colder months and and releasing it in warmer times. Incongruously, there was also a smattering of more-modern construction - including, of all things, a rugged building housing an atmospheric vortex station - the occasional sensor array and even a few gravdrive- powered vehicles mixed in among the older, sol-driven vehicles. "I think it's Trevi," Neera breathed. "That's where Galena's heading to ... but ... not right away." She blinked, the vision coming to an abrupt end, and looked up at Tomos. "Trevi. It's the main A'sazi town - the one where Averi was living when I kil ... when she died." Tomos was silent for a moment. He finally sighed, then said, "Galena understood your message." "Thank the Essence something went right today," Neera commented. Tomos helped her off the bed and onto her feet. "I guess we're about to find out what's so critical to the Helios that s/he thought it necessary to royally screw up our lives." "For what it's worth, I'm pretty sure it doesn't involve Project Transcendence," Tomos said confidently. "That's MedCore's baby, and we wouldn't be going to the SciCore if Transcendence had issues." "Good. We spent more than a decade of our lives working the kinks out of Transcendence," Neera recalled. "If I never see another telomere or DNA base pair, it'll be too soon." *** If it's any consolation, beloved, Neera telepped Tomos, at least it appears we have this part of the Tether port to ourselves. The observation earned her a mental snort. It's a very small consolation, he telepped back as the two of them and their three Nephilim escorts made their way through the empty, echoing concourse. Our friends - he nodded toward the Nephilim - still haven't told us squat. The lack of information is really beginning to rub me the wrong way. You're preaching to the choir, Neera telepped. Ahead of them, a Nephilim brought a hand to the side of his head, as if listening to something, then nodded ever so slightly. Neera smiled grimly. I think we're about to get some answers, though, she informed Tomos. A soft hiss could be heard in the distance, where a dozen, evenly spaced, thin, carbon nanotube-like Tethers were deeply anchored to the floor. Moments later, part of the concourse's roof cycled open, widening from a diameter of less than two inches - just enough to admit a Tether - to a diameter of more than 20 feet across. A low hum filled the air, then dissipated into silence as a multi-storied cube slowly slid through the opening and settled into place, hovering a foot or so off the floor. It was a Peapod, one capable of carrying hundreds of passengers. This one, though, would be ferrying only five passengers. An entrance slid open, revealing a bright interior. "All aboard!" a Nephilim ordered. Clambering inside, Neera and Tomos could see there was nothing special about the Peapod. It was like any other of its kind: Four stories tall, with each floor capable of seating 60 passengers on thin-cushioned, metal seats ringing each floor. A hollow, metal-like cylinder pierced the entirety of the vehicle through its center; it was through this that the Tether itself ran, prevented from contacting the cylinder's lining by magnetic repulsion technology. There was a caged pilot's station on the first floor; inside was a woman using a holosphere to direct the vehicle's functions. Lastly, the Peapod's base was heavily plated, to shield it from the powerful lasers used to propel it up to the CITIrings far overhead in a geostationary orbit. "Launch sequence initiated," the pilot's amplified voice rang out. "All passengers assume your seats." Neera and Tomos, both veterans of Tether travel, settled down. Body- hugging force fields leapt into existence, immobilizing everyone except for the pilot, who was protected from the launch energies within her cage. A rising sensation could be felt in the stillness that followed as the Peapod's gravdrives kicked in, lifting it through the concourse's roof. The ship rose higher and higher, then stopped, seemingly hovering several hundred feet above the Tether port. WHUMP! WHUMP!! WHUMP!!! WHUMP!!!! The cube began rising, slowly at first, but quickly gaining speed as, once again, the twin roof lasers fired. Their glittering, ruby beams slammed into the base of the Peapod, rattling its reinforced bottom, again and again and again, the repetition reaching the point where, to the unaided human eye, there appeared to be twin lines of solid light connected to the ship, now nothing more than a blurred, bright object no bigger than a speck vanishing into the vast depths of the evening sky, hurtling up the Tether far faster than any atmospheric gravdrive could ever have propelled it. It's beautiful, beloved, Neera thought telepathically, drinking in the sight offered by the ship's wraparound viewpane. It never gets old. Never, I tell you. The words drew Tomos, his eyes closed, to his wife. What never gets - she opened her mind to him, letting him witness what she was seeing - oh, that! I totally agree with your sentiments, honey! The blue and white shield of Haven dominated the viewpane. Wispy clouds drifted serenely far below, parting on occasion to reveal verdant green landmasses. Haven's features bore a striking resemblence to what observers far in the future would be familiar with. Nonetheless, there were stark differences as well: the oceans were shallower due to the vast amounts of water locked up in the extensive ice sheets choking North America, Europe and other parts of the world. This left continental shelves high and dry, making them fit for habitation - and humanity had taken advantage of that, building cities upon the land and, from there, expanding their civilizations further and further inland until, over the centuries, civilization's grip extended over most of the ice-free areas of Haven. The level of the Atlantic Ocean had dropped below a thick ridge of rock astride the Strait of Gilbratar, leaving the Mediterranean Basin isolated from the great ocean as an inland sea. There was no Persian Gulf, at least not one filled with water. Instead, it was dry land, renowned across the Global Consensus for its fertility. Southeast Asia and Indonesia had merged into a single landmass, and Australia was joined with New Guinea, so reduced were the waters of the Pacific and Indian oceans. On a smaller scale, the Black Sea was also an isolated, inland sea, its future connection to the Mediterranean Sea, the Bosporus, nowhere to be found - as was the case with the Sea of Marmara and the Aegean Sea. It was all dry land, thick with forests and the imprint of civilization, including tubetrain networks, a few cities and a scattering of smaller communities. Lastly, the islands destined to become Britain and Ireland in the far future weren't yet islands, still linked by fingers of land to greater Europe. Throughout this familiar, yet alien, world known as Haven, the great megafauna of the Ice Age lumbered, swam and hunted - vast herds of mammoths and mastodons, prides of sabertooth cats, 8-foot-tall terror birds, plesiosaurs, solitary cave lions, packs of dire wolves, giant sloths, towering bears, meat-eating kangaroos and so much more. Even the weather was different, especially on continents weighed down by ice sheets. In the future, North America would primarily receive its moisture in a west-to-east pattern, with both coasts benefitting. But that wasn't the case in 12,300 BCE, the era of Neera and Tomos. Instead, the moisture moved in an east-to-west pattern, leaving the East Coast moist, and the West Coast far drier. The Peapod's ascent slowed and, in the next instant, the force fields released their passengers. The pilot's voice sounded: "We will be arriving at the Centrum CITIring momentarily," she crisply announced. "Passengers are advised to prepare accordingly." "She must have a script or something," Tomos murmured, looking around the mostly empty chamber. Neera chuckled. "And deviation from it is a crime punishable by death!" A Nephilim spoke, snuffing out the lighthearted moment. "Once aboard Centrum, you will be taken to a ship," he revealed. "Aboard it is a delegation that has more information about your assignment." "What do you know of our assignment?" Neera asked impatiently. "Just that we are to ensure your safe transit and subsequent arrival." A soft hiss could be heard, then nothing but silence as the vehicle slid through a force field-protected opening and into one of Centrum's Tether ports. It, like the port in Triton, appeared to be abandoned. The Nephilim gestured as the cube's entrance yawned open. "That, of course, means clearing the way for you and Tomos." "The VIP treatment. I like it," Tomos approved. "You know, I could get used to this, but the food and tableside service ... well, it leaves something to be desired." The nameless Nephilim snorted. "We'll take that under advisement, apex," he said. The group entered what would have normally been a bustling concourse and quickly made their way into a connecting corridor. A short while later they emerged into cavernous chamber whose vaulted ceiling seemed impossibly distant. It was one of Centrum's solship bays, one designed to accomodate a mix of government, private and commercial ships. This, too, however, showed the hallmark of intercession by the Luminaries - its berths were empty and nary a soul was to be found on its vast floor of warm, golden metal. Empty. Just like the MedCore Hub and Tether port concourses in Triton and Centrum. Empty, save for a single, small vessel at the far end of the bay. Neera inhaled sharply. "I've never seen a ship like that before," she whispered to Tomos, who nodded mutely. "Whose bright idea was it to give it such a spindly design and put its Elemental crystals in that odd, ringlike construct?" No answers were forthcoming from the Nephilim as the group stepped aboard a levidisc that whisked them across the bay toward the dark ship. As they drew nearer to it, Neera could see filaments of some kind radiating out from where the I-shaped bow with its spherical head had merged with the stern in the form of a vertical column bisecting the ring. The disc came to a stop not more than an inch off the metal deck; the group stepped off and approached the ship. A figure in the uniform of a MilCore transport primcron was waiting for them. "Greetings, Alpha Apex Neera Mindaro and Apex Tomos Mindaro," the tall, muscled man said. "I am Etark Quinsai, primcron of the Global Consensus transport ship Gattica." Neera started. "Clan Quinsai?" she said, her tone surprised. "What's your relation to Arcee Quinsai?" "She's my eldest daughter." Neera put two and two together in the same instant. She had seen and heard the name before, on various holodocuments related to Transcendence volunteers and on the rare occasions when Arcee had talked about what some of her more prominent family members did for a living. The alpha apex shook her head. "Wow," she said, "it's really a small world after all, isn't it?" "Apparently so." Etark motioned. "Neera and Tomos, a delegation awaits you. Come aboard." Turning his attention to the Nephilim, he added, "You're to return to your regular duties. Dismissed!" Neera and Tomos watched as the levidisc sped off with the three Nephilim, then turned and marched up the Gattica's extended landing ramp. As soon as the pair stepped into the transport, Etark ushered them down yet another corridor. Wheeling to a stop before a closed entrance, he turned to his guests and said, "The delegation is in here. They'll tell you everything you need to know." Etark turned back to the entrance and closed his eyes, telepping with those inside the room. "They're ready," he suddenly said, his eyes snapping open as, simultaneously, the entrance whirred, then irised open. Etark motioned Neera and Tomos forward. "Go, now." Entering the room, the apexes saw a pair of occupied chairs with their backs facing them. The plush chairs slowly swiveled about - and revealed the seemingly impossible. "Neera! Tomos!" a man's jovial, bass voice boomed. "You two look like you've just seen ghosts!" "This ... this ..." Neera shrugged helplessly, unable to utter a cohesive sentence. Tomos didn't fare much better. "The blast ... your ... your ... DNA ...!" "I found your mangled hand!" Neera babbled. "It looked like burnt bacon! Two fingers were missing!" She spun to face the other seat's occupant. "You! All we ever found was a blackened, tar-like smear with traces of your DNA!" "And yet here we are," the lilting voice of the woman said. "It would seem reports of our deaths have been greatly exaggerated, wouldn't you say?" Neera stared at alpha apexes Tarn Osiris and Beit Oannes - her mentors and two of the original members of Project Transcendence. The same people who died in a lab explosion a decade ago, with just bits of their bodies and traces of DNA left behind, so hot and powerful was the detonation. "I don't understand," Neera whispered. "How is this possible? The investigation covered all angles ..." "There were things neither of you were meant to know back then," Tarn said, rising to his feet and wrapping his arms around Neera and Tomos. "But that's about to change." "We, too, were once in the dark," Beit added, remaining seated. "But then we stuck our noses in the wrong places once too often. It got us 'killed' and, subsequently, admitted into the club, so to speak." "The Luminarium ensured that the probe into our 'deaths' would meet with a tidy resolution." The implication horrified Neera. "We're going to be 'killed' too, aren't we?" she whispered hollowly. Tarn held up his hands placatingly. "You two aren't slated to 'die.' In fact, most of the people snatched away by the Luminarium in the last century haven't had to face such a dire scenario." He snorted. "Just the lucky few of us whose actions were inadvertently threatening to expose the operation. Most everyone else is sworn to secrecy and allowed the occasional trip back to the populated worlds." "OK, so we're not going to 'die.' That's a good thing," Neera said, searching for a silver lining. "But where are we going that we'll only be able to make occasional trips back to the populated worlds?" "It's called Goliath," Beit offered. Tomos cocked his head. "The name doesn't ring a bell." "Good," Beit said primly, "because that means the blanket of secrecy remains in place. One can't be too careful, after all, even with Goliath being in the Kuiper Belt." "That's a months-long journey!" Tomos exclaimed. Tarn and Beit exchanged knowing grins. "A little more than five years ago, that would have indeed been the case. But not anymore," Tarn hinted. "For you see, the Gattica is a new type of ship, among the first of the Celestial class." Unfazed by their wary looks, he plowed ahead. "I know you have your doubts. Quite understandable, really, but they'll be put to rest once you see this ship in action." Tarn closed his eyes, linking with Etark in the LogosCore. "Get ready for the ride of your lives," Tarn advised, his eyes snapping open, "because the Gattica is just a hint of what's to come!" With that, the gargantuan doors to the solship bay cracked open as the Gattica powered up its Celestial engine, rose, then darted through the narrow opening and plunged headlong into space. *** "AUGH!" Luc looked up from his book, bewildered by the wail. "AAAUUUGGGHHH!!!" Vaulting out of his recliner, Luc ran toward the commotion coming from the bathroom. "Hey! Are you OK in there, Galena?!" he yelled, pounding on the sealed door. Luc heard a low, rasping moan, then sniffles. His heart sank. Oh, Essence! What if she's dying?! Luc thought frantically. I'm not a physican! I don't even know CPR! He twisted the knob. "Hang on! I'm coming in!" "I heard your ..." Luc's voice trailed off into befuddled silence. Before him, huddled on the floor, was a naked, young man. He was shivering amid a scattering of shredded clothing. "Oh no," Luc murmured, suspecting what had occurred. "You must be Galen," he said softly, crouching next to the slender teenager and instinctively engulfing him in a hug. "Your male Pattern reasserted itself." Galen hiccuped. "I ... I guess ... so," he quavered. "It ... it happened ... so quickly ... so painfully!" Luc's chest tightened. "There are times," he said heavily, "that it's really excruciating to be an omnisex. Especially during Second Puberty." He sat on the hard, cold floor next to Galen. "I experienced it eight years ago - multiple and unpredictable Pattern shifts, mood swings, a feeling of utter helplessness ... the whole works." "W ... were your loved ones there ... there for you?" Luc nodded. "All of them." "Mine ... mine would have been -" tears pooled in Galen's eyes "- if ... if it hadn't been ... for ... for so many things ... beyond ... my control." Galen's tears spilled, starring his cheeks. He heaved and began sobbing. Through it all, Luc held him close, listening to the teenager's story. When all was said and done, Luc's soul ached for Galen. He's had to endure a lot in his young life, Luc thought, wiping at a stray streak of salty moisture. And yet he thinks his burdens are nothing compared to what others have gone through. Bollocks to that! "I know it's of little consolation to you right now, Galen," Luc said. "But, in time, you will regain mastery of your Pattern. All omnisexes do." He raised his hand, and allowed it to change - its fingers thinning and lengthening, nails extending a half-inch or so beyond newly feminized fingertips, their dusting of dark hair lightening, then disappearing entirely. The transformation stopped, and Luc's masculine paw had been replaced by a smaller, softer and much more dainty appendage. "It might be months, or even a year or two. Each omnisex is different. But control will return." Galen stared, awestruck, as Luc's hand changed once again, resuming its masculine form. He held up his own hand, so unlike Galena's, and concentrated. Nothing happened. He looked over Luc. "This isn't going to be easy for me," his voice steadying, "but I'll learn to roll with the punches." "For what it's worth, I think you're doing admirably," Luc commended his unexpected guest. He paused, thinking, then added, "That said, I'm concerned about your plans to go into exile in the Uncivilized Lands. Your body is in flux right now; it's not a good idea to stress it out even more. You're still in the 24-hour window given by the Helios ... how can I change your mind about all of this?" "You can't." Galen climbed to his feet. "Besides, if I read my aunt correctly, that's where she wants me to go." He offered Luc an earnest look. "So that's where I'll be, among the A'sazi Clan." "You're required to serve your exile under the terms set forth by the SecCore," Luc gently reminded Galen. "If you leave like this, without registering or following their terms, it'll leave a permanent mark on your record, even if all's forgiven at some point in the future." Galen sighed. "I know. But what the Helios did was wrong. If I obeyed hir, I would be repudiating the lawful process that determined Neera and Tomos Mindaro were best-suited to be my guardians." He kicked aside the pile of shredded clothing and stalked out of the bathroom, with Luc at his side, listening raptly. "I would be endorsing rule by fiat, and I won't do that. Even if it means years in exile." Luc's rapt attention gave way to cool calculation. "You feel pretty strongly about this, don't you?" "I didn't until recently," Galen admitted, not noticing Luc's attitude change. "Oh, I noticed how, on occasion, mother would be cajoled into participating in yet another Lightbringing Mission, despite having shouldered more than her fair share of something that's allegedly every citizen's duty to under take. "Looking back," he continued, "there were times when mother and Neera had a weekend planned together, but Neera would suddenly have to back out because some higher-up in the MedCore decided that Project Transcendence came first, not the welfare of its overworked apexes and support staff." "Then there was the time my uncle, Kieren, was passed over for a promotion in the MerxCore. Supposedly, it was because he refused to have his crews drill into a geologically unstable area on Imbrium, despite being ordered to do so. It seems those deposits of Elemental crystals were more valuable to the Global Consensus than the lives of his men and women." Galen laughed harshly. "Then again, maybe I'm just pulling at straws. After all, it wasn't until today that I found out just how much the Luminarium could affect me. I'm a little bitter about that, you know." The two settled into a comfortable sofa, one whose nanomaterials automatically shifted form to fit their contours. Luc wore a pensive expression, then spoke: "You might not be pulling at straws," he said slowly. "If there's one thing I like to do, it's read. And, to be frank, your thoughts about the Global Consensus are shared by a number of writers. They claim the Luminarium has become increasingly authoritarian in nature over the last 400 years or so. Of course, other writers disagree ... but, still ..." "It makes you wonder, doesn't it?" Galen offered. Luc reluctantly nodded. "All the more reason, then, to strike a blow against them, even if it's for naught. What they're doing is wrong, period." *** "It's my fault, Neera, that you and Tomos find yourselves in this predicament," Tarn said forthrightly. "All these years, I've kept an eye on the Project Transcendence team from afar, noting its achievements and its adversities, all culminating in the successful public unveiling a few months ago." Tarn stood, hands clasped behind his back, at a viewpane in the conference quarters. Sitting at the stout, square table behind him were the apexes, their faces inscrutable, and a subdued Beit. "I wanted only the best of the best," Tarn continued, turning back to the table, his face animated. "And you two are just that: the cream of the crop. Ever since you were adepts, I knew greatness waited in the wings. Your years of hard work and sacrifice for Transcendence turned that potential into reality, and so, when the Luminarium decided fresh perspectives were needed, I told them to grab you two." "You denied us the chance to become guardians to a parentless nephew," Neera said, her voice flat. "We were going to give him a home. We were going to be there to help him through Second Puberty." Tomos was even more direct. "We were going to give Galen stability, damnit," he rumbled. Beit joined the conversation, steering it in a less confrontational direction. "Do you remember, Neera," she said, "why you were selected to fill one of just three open adept slots on Project Transcendence?" Neera's mouth thinned. "Because of my obsession to never again allow a horror like the Haizun Pandemic to ravage humanity." "Ah, yes," Beit murmured, drumming her fingers, "but there was more to it than that ..." *** Neera fidgeted in the chair. She tried not to, but her willpower was woefully inadequate to the task. Today's the day, she thought, inhaling deeply, trying a new tactic to calm her nerves and thudding heart. It's my make or break moment - either I impress the selection panel, or I don't. A nearby door cycled open, revealing the silhouette of a figure within. This is it, the adept thought, rising to her feet. They've come for me. The sihouette stepped into the corridor, and Neera's hopes deflated. It was a young man in a jumpsuit. He had a shock of straw-colored hair and twinkling, gray-blue eyes. "I understand you're next," he said softly, sweeping past her, fingering his adept's medallion. "Good luck. You're going to need it." "Thanks," Neera replied uncertainly. Inwardly, she cringed. There were no ifs, ands or buts about it: Tomos Votan was a competitor - and her equal in physics, biology and a number of other esoteric scientific subjects. Great, just great, she thought worriedly. I figured Project Transcendence would attract some of the keener adepts, but why him? This project's never drawn much attention to itself! "Neera Mindaro?" a deep, ringing voice inquired. She looked up and did a double take. Standing before her was a Nephilim. What's he doing here? she asked herself, nodding at the stern-faced man. Is there a Luminary waiting to interview me?! "The panel awaits your presence, adept." Getting to her feet, Neera glided into the open entrance, the massive frame of the Nephilim at her back. Entering the chamber, she didn't see a Luminary, but gulped anyway. The interviewers were none other than alpha apexes Tarn Osiris and Beit Oaanes, both legends in their own right. The two sat in stiff-backed chairs, holodata flickering in and out around them. They wore neutral expressions. "I'll cut to the chase, adept," Tarn said brusquely as Neera sat and folded her hands in her lap. "You were chosen to be interviewed based on the recommendations of your university advisers and your academic record - so were the other 23 adepts. In other words, you're all equally qualified." "So, what we want to know is," Beit noted, "what's your 'wow' factor, Neera Mindaro? Why should we choose you for one of the three openings? What sets you apart from the other candidates?" Neera swallowed hard, then began speaking, her voice clear and concise. "I'm here because of Leodis Mindaro, the man who entered my sister's life and gave Averi not only great joy, but a beautiful child as well. I'm here because Leodis cannot be - he was among the more than 70 million people who died in the Haizun Pandemic." She paused, gathering her thoughts. "In short, I'm here because the leaders, apexes and aspiring apexes of this world, including the three of us, failed the victims of that epidemic." She leaned forward, her chestnut-brown eyes intent. "I'm here to do my part to ensure that never happens again. And I can only do that by being part of the Transcendence team." "Your assumptions about the goals of Transcendence could be your undoing," Tarn said tartly. "If that's the case, why am I being interviewed by two of the world's foremost biogeneticists?" Neera observed. "You're working on something explosive. Something that will change the course of humanity. Something that might very well make epidemics obsolete, a horror of bygone eras." Tarn knew she was fishing for information. "While your exuberance is refreshing, it's premature," he said, ignoring her probing. "Also, keep in mind that you're far from being the only applicant whose life was affected by last year's epidemic." "I'm well aware of that," Neera said softly. "But I vowed to Leodis as he lay dying that I would never again let that kind of death near those whom I loved and admired." The adept sighed. "To that end, I've done my homework regarding Transcendence. "I've searched far and wide within the Oversoul and visited numerous MedCore and SciCore facilities. I know about the personnel transfers, resource demands, the seemingly unconnected findings published in obscure journals over a span of many years, and much more. I've done this all in the pursuit of insights into the project, all in preparation for this moment. I doubt any of the other applicants -" Beit held up a hand. "We, too, know of your activities. It's the third reason you're here." "And, no, most of the other applicants haven't been as thorough as you," Tarn gruffly conceded. "Most?" Inwardly, Neera winced once again. "If I may ask, who -" "You may not ask," Beit said kindly. "Our business here is finished. It's been a pleasure meeting you, Neera Mindaro." The alpha apex rose and extended her hand. "We expect to make our decision within the next few weeks." Tarn stood as well. "You'll be made aware of it at that point, and not a moment sooner." "Thank you for giving me time to make my case," Neera said, shaking Beit's proffered hand. "I look forward to hearing back from the panel." With that, she left the chamber, the Nephilim once again at her back. Stepping into the corridor, she glanced back to see the heavy-set man standing just inside the entrance, his face now expressionless, as the thick, metal door whirred and cycled shut with a resounding clang of finality. One thing I didn't foresee, Neera thought, was the Nephilim. His presence alone tells me everything Tarn and Beit didn't: Transcendence is something big. So big that the Luminarium itself is involved. *** "We were impressed by the effort you put into digging up information on Transcendance," Beit said. "That, combined with your adviser recommendations and academic transcripts, sealed the deal." "It was almost the same situation with Tomos," Tarn pointed out. "The two of you shined." Beit nodded. "But now, the same thoroughness and doggedness you displayed as part of Transcendence is going to do you well in the Kuiper Belt. In fact, we're counting on it - and by that, I mean not just Tarn and I, but all of humanity." Neera and Tomos stiffened and looked at each other. Their reaction wasn't lost on Tarn or Beit. "The Celestial-class ships, as we said, are but the tip of the iceberg," Tarn reminded them. "The iceberg itself is Operation Exodus - nothing less than the migration of humanity out of the Sol Star System." Neera and Tomos stared incredulously at their alpha apex counterparts. "You're talking about a billion people!" Neera sputtered. "More, if you include the Uncivilized Lands!" "Approximately 1.3 billion in all," Beit acknowledged, her voice unflappable. "It can be done." The woman's countenance darkened slightly. "No, can isn't the right word. It will be done." The questions, inevitably, came. "How? Why?" Tomos inquired in a shell- shocked voice. "How? Well, let's begin by saying part of it involves million-passenger seedships," Tarn said. Moving away from the viewpane, he settled into a chair next to Beit. "As for why, one word best sums it up -" "- Hael," Beit hissed. "All of this is because of Hael." *** Compared to some of the Goliath's other halls - including the Cosmos Chamber, as Daani had come to think of the place with only transparent force fields between her and the absolute zero of space - the one the magnus and her staff were being escorted into now was downright drab in nature. "At least we have hors d'oeuvres," Baris joked, pointing to series of small, savory-looking food dishes set out on a long table. "Ooh! Look! They even have Carmesian chocolates!" Daani wasn't in a receptive mood, but she knew her senior analyst was just trying to add a touch of lightheartedness to an otherwise foreboding atmosphere. After all, the magnus' entire staff was now aware of Operation Exodus, its huge seedships and, of course, Hael. Whatever that turns out to be, Daani thought darkly. Knowing our luck, probably some superevolved virus that's 100 percent lethal. "You go on, Baris, but I think I'll skip," Daani said, taking a seat and watching most of her staffers form a line at the food table. "It'd go right to my hips, anyway." Scanning the hall, the magnus couldn't help but notice its most prominent feature - a wallholo that rivaled the size of the ones in Centrum's LogosCore - and, standing in front of it, Idra. The Luminary was engaged in conversation with a shimmering figure. Ah, I thought so, Daani mused, seeing the figure's silver eyes. It's the female-form Beholder from the geosatellite. Hmphf. I guess I shouldn't be shocked that it turns out to be in Idra's personal service. There was a small commotion as another group of people entered the chamber. Glancing at them, Daani recognized Primcron Etark Quinsai and - Could it be? the magnus thought, squinting at the new arrivals. I'll be darned, it is! That's Neera and Tomos Mindaro with the primcron! She shook her head. Poor bastards. They ... "What's the meaning of this?!" Neera's voice rang out, her eyes drilling into Daani. "What's a demoted and exiled MilCore officer doing aboard an allegedly top-secret space station?" "Because, alpha apex," Idra said, her voice suddenly amplified. "Magnus Daani Cyclus has a critical role to fill in Operation Exodus." She paused, then pointedly added, "As do you and everyone else in this hall." Her gaze drifted to the small sea of faces before her as conversations quieted. "Not a one of you is here by chance. You've all been selected for various reasons to help save the human race." The wallholo came to life, its three-dimensional display filled to capacity by a hot, yellow, glowing ball of gas and energy. Its roiling, black-speckled surface erupted before the onlookers, sending a vast flare of radiation hurtling outward, causing some in the audience to instinctively duck. "Can anyone tell me what we're looking at?" Idra wondered. "Well, obviously, it's a star," Baris volunteered. "Judging from the darkspots, it's Sol, probably from a few days ago. The primary is going through a major darkspot cycle right now, and those planet-sized flares are common during such cycles." "You're half right." Baris stared at Idra, flummoxed. "I mean no disrespect, Luminary, but I know Sol's experiencing a maximum darkspot cycle. It's been all over the news, even out here in the Kuiper Belt." "Oh, don't get me wrong: You're correct about the darkspot cycle ... but not the star." Baris blinked. A deathly silence had fallen over the crowd. "What you're seeing isn't Sol," Idra continued matter-of-factly. "It's Hael." *** "A star?" Neera muttered to herself. "Hael is ... a star?!" "Rest assured, alpha apex, you heard me correctly the first time," Idra said. "Hael is a Sol-class star, basically identical to our own primary. In fact, we think it was born in the same interstellar nursery that also gave rise to Sol and an undetermined number of other stars five billion years ago." "So you're saying Hael is, essentially, a sister star to Sol?" Idra nodded. "Unfortunately, it's a family reunion we really don't want to be a part of." The wallholo flickered, then displayed new data. "As you can see, Hael will be at its closest point to Sol in little over a century -" The Luminary paused as gasps filled the hall. All eyes darted from Idra to the wallholo and back again. Their reaction is understandable, she thought. I've seen it time and time again over the decades as our best and brightest are confronted for the first time with this mortal threat to humanity. "Projections indicate Hael won't pass directly through the solar system; rather, it's going to pass above its plane, probably coming within a light-year or so of Sol." Ardun Lux cocked his head. "Isn't that a good thing?" he asked suspiciously. Idra shrugged. "In a sense, yes, because if Hael were to pass directly through the solar system, it'd disrupt orbits, rip apart an inner planet or two and possibly claim some of the outer worlds for itself. On the other hand -" "Comets ... asteroids ... quakes ... oh, Essence, it's going to be a nightmare!" "You hit the nail right on the head, Neera," the Luminary said solemnly. She gestured and, once again, the wallholo changed. "As you can all see, the close passage of Hael will produce immense gravitic disruptions across the solar system." This time, no one gasped. They simply stared at the wallholo, where a time-lapsed projection played itself out, showing Hael's approach and, as it drew closer, the increasing magnitude of gravitic upheaval. They watched as Hael passed through the Oort Cloud, sweeping up untold numbers of comets and flinging them inward - straight at Sol's terrestrial worlds, including Haven. Numbly, they saw that wasn't all that awaited in the coming years: As Hael drew even nearer to Sol, its gravitic effects began disrupting the Kuiper Belt, sending a second wave of comets and asteroids tumbling inward. "Already, we've seen the effects of Hael," Idra informed her audience. "For untold millennia, our ancestors have lived with frequent meteor impacts and increasingly powerful quakes. Ages ago, prior to manned spaceflight, we thought it was just Haven. But it's not; it's the Moon, Mars, Imbrium - virtually every world we've set foot on or observed, we've seen harbingers of what's to come. "We just didn't know it at the time." "Speaking of time, how long has the Luminarium known of Hael?" Tomos inquired in a brittle voice. Idra's expression remained neutral. "We've been aware of the threat for 600 years." "You've known that long?!" Tomos spat, his face crimson. "When do you plan on telling the public?!" "No one - not even our most esteemed alpha apexes - could believe the data the SciCore was receiving!" Idra snapped. The wallholo shifted, revealing an ancient space probe. "The transmission was spotty in nature, most of its information was garbled and, on top of it all, it was coming from a sublight, first-generation probe sent out 500 years before by Numidia!" The Haven of 13,400 BCE had been a vastly different place than the Haven of 12,300 BCE or even of 12,900 BCE: Well over a hundred nations occupied its ice-free zones. Industrialization was finished and the world was barreling head-long into an age of computers and space exploration. Numidia was the first nation to send a probe beyond Imbrium, and other countries had quickly risen to the gauntlet thrown down by the Numidians, all in the name of knowledge and prestige. Of course, it couldn't last, human nature being what it is. The age of empires was coming and, 150 years after sending the probe into trans- Imbrium space, Numidia found itself on the losing side of a savage war with the aggressive, expansionistic matriarchy of the Tal Kyrte, its North African homeland smashed into rubble by the women and incorporated into their sprawling empire. "But then, a few years later, another transmission came, this one from an Atlantean probe." Idra paused, collecting herself. "Then a third, from a Muian spacecraft. The data began piling up: There was a star where there shouldn't be one. A star whose bearing would bring it perilously close to Sol." Using information from the old, nation-state probes, the Global Consensus worked feverishly to pinpoint Hael's location. But in a galaxy containing hundreds of billions of stars, the process had been far harder than trying to find a needle in a haystack, even with resources being concentrated on Sol's immediate galactic neighborhood. It was 12,890 BCE before the apexes proclaimed their success. "The Helios at the time authorized Operation Exodus. He also gave the go-ahead for a second wave of space probes, in order to learn more about Hael. These probes were sturdier and faster than their predecessors - and they were manned, in a sense: aboard each one was a new type of Beholder, one not limited to a virtual existence in the Oversoul. Unencumbered by a human life span and based on a quantum crystal core, these physical Beholders were the brains of the latest space probes." Neera held her head in her hands. "Let me guess," she said, looking up, "these probes confirmed the Luminarium's worst fears?" "Almost," Idra confirmed, "but not quite. While our long-range observations indicated that Hael wasn't on a direct collision course with Sol, it would be another 200 years before we received word from the Beholder-crewed probes confirming that that was, indeed, the case. A silver lining, so to speak." "Shit. You call that a silver lining? After what the projections show?!" Neera groaned. Idra's halo, surprisingly, remained a placid green. Neera sighed. "My apologies, Luminary. I'm just having trouble wrapping my mind around this. Less than a day ago, my biggest concern was giving my orphaned nephew a home. Now I'm being told humanity itself might not have a future." "No apology is necessary," Idra reassured the alpha apex. "I've seen similiar reactions a dozen times before and it's ... well, I know how you feel. How all of you must feel." Tomos crossed his arms. "You never answered my question: Why isn't this public knowledge?" "Right now, we don't have the means to save all 1.3 billion people," Idra said coolly. "As it stands, we have enough seedships to spirit away only 245 million souls." "What? You're not going to build anymore?" "There are a two dozen Goliath-class industrial space stations in the Kuiper Belt. It took us until 12,790 BCE to get them built, staffed and operational," Idra explained. "Even working at full capacity, it takes the stations two years to build and assemble the components for each seedship." Tomos did the math in his head, and slumped. "The seedships won't be enough," he said. "We might be able to get another 55 of them built, but that still leaves a billion people stranded ..." Idra's expression was grim. "And, thus, we reach the crux of why everyone in this hall is here." *** "Magnus Daani Cyclus!" Idra called out. The officer stood. "You and your staffers are being entrusted with a critical mission: Now that we've had five years to work out the kinks in the Celestial technology, we're dispatching a reconnissance ship to investigate the more than 400 stars that harbor planets, as indicated by our space-based liquid mirrors." The wallholo blinked and, floating serenely where data had been only moments before, was the strangest-looking ship the magnus had ever laid eyes on, including the Gattica. Its hull was shaped like a thick pancake. From its stern sprouted three nacelles: the centermost one was the thickest and longest, stretching straight back and sprouting a horizontal, rectangular plate of some sort. The surface of the plate was embedded with Elemental crystals in odd configurations that all but screamed Celestial in nature. The thinner nacelles matched the length of the engine nacelle, then twisted at a 90-degree angle forward so that, if seen together, the two arms would form a U-like shape around roughly two-thirds of the primary hull. The surfaces of these nacelles were pitted with weapons emplacements and shield generators. Lastly, a ridge of metal vertically bisected the primary hull and, at its center, was a small, dome-like structure - the ship's bridge. "Your primary objective will be to investigate each system for Haven- class planets capable of sustaining not only life, but civilization as well," Idra continued. "You said this was a reconnissance ship," Daani noted, gesturing at the wallholo. "If that's the case, why does it have so many weapons and shields, Luminary?" "We don't know what you might encounter out there, magnus," Idra replied. "As such, we felt it was necessary to give you the ability to defend yourself if need be." Her voice grew earnest. "We cannot afford to lose you, Daani. We're using the time we have left to retrofit existing seedships with Celestial technology, and to build new seedships. Three hundred million people are relying on you to find them new worlds to call home; it's up to you to find those planets - and return safely with the data." For the first time since the meeting began, Tarn spoke up. "To that end, magnus," the alpha apex said, "Beit Oannes and myself will be accompanying you." "Our familiarity with the biological sciences will allow us to help identify habitable planets," Beit added. "After all, just because a world has life on it doesn't mean its ecosphere is compatible with humans." "What about us?" Neera plaintively asked. "I thought Tomos and I were going to be -" "- working with myself and Beit on the seedships," Tarn finished. "The answer is no, you won't. You will, however, be instrumental in another aspect of Operation Exodus." "And, since you're wondering," Idra cut in, "I'll fill you in on the details, Neera and Tomos. I'll start with a question: "What do you know about parallel universes?" *** The question flummoxed Neera and Tomos. Recovering her wits first, Neera said, "Honestly, not much, other than the fact that various theories have been proposed and discarded over the years." "Nothing could ever be proven beyond a reasonable doubt," Tomos emphasized. "Open multiverses. The big bounce. Many worlds interpretation. String landscapes. Each theory has its proponents but, at best, they've been marginalized by mainstream apexes and are considered to be, well, crackpots." Idra hooted. "What if I told you the crackpots might not be as cracked as everyone thinks they are?" The apexes exchanged glances. "OK, we're game," Neera declared, turning to fix Idra with a steely gaze. "So, show us what you got." "It all began with Celestial technology," Idra explained. "When we started researching it 15 years ago, access to sidespace was, at best, a shot in the dark. After spending two years tweaking the Elemental crystals with limited success, we made fundamental changes, which appeared to fix the problem." "But it didn't, did it?" Tomos interjected. "Hardly. Naive to what was really going on, we sent probes into the resulting wormholes. Most of the time, they showed up at their destination - a few, however, never returned to realspace." Idra shook her head. "The probes pulled their vanishing acts in wormholes we found to be highly unstable. We investigated, but our efforts were for naught: The probes were gone, and we couldn't figure out why." "Then, one of them called home. A week after disappearing, it sent a single data burst." The Luminary stepped back and looked up at the wallholo. "This is what it contained." "RRROOOWWWRRR!" The audience jerked at the deafening noise, its startled, disbelieving eyes riveted on the the scene unfolding within the wallholo. The seemingly alien roar came again - "RRROOOWWWRRR!" - and, on some primitive, instinctual level, the audience knew the ear-splitting cry couldn't have come from a mammalian t