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South of Bikini Season 5 Episode 7 "Celestra" 4:30PM, Reilly Research Station, July 17th, 2020BC "Welcome back Empress. It is 4:30PM July 17th, 2020BC." RVP announced as I rephased our group- all thirty-six of us. Needless to say the Rec Room was instantly alive with some of my sisters rushing for the four food stations, some others- the Pixies- changing modes to stretch their wings after such an extended sequester- actually just two days. A few- Mom, Franny Darough, and Quintin Darough quickly left the room for a much needed shower. Billie, Gena, Reggie, Amy, Lena, and Rommie sat down at a table after pulling a few more chairs to it. "So...glad that's finally over, Alex?" Billie asked wearily as she placed her head in her hands with elbows firmly planted on the table. "I know I am." She lifted her head slightly to look at the rest of us. "How can they live like that?" she moaned. "The age of enlightenment- aka, Andie and Regina Celeste, and Atlantis won't land for six hundred-ten thousand years, Billie. Almost half of those 'peoples' we relocated today will not survive the initial stages of the coming Ice Age. Only the heartiest of them will last the many millennia of frozen landscape. Some will even leave the cooling planet in search of a more stable home. What technological advancements they make in that time will not survive intact. Only a handful of simple cave art, some pottery, and some bones from the ones left behind will clue archeologists in to the very basics of life in the future millennia of the era we just visited." I informed my Assistant Director. "That's a pretty bleak and foreboding future, Alex. Why did we spend the time rescuing them in the first place?" Billie commented morbidly. "Could you predict which tribe moved to the forefront in technology just by our limited observation, Will?" I asked and waited. She didn't answer, but her gaze fell to the table. "Remember how early we were in their development. Six hundred thousand years is an awfully long time for the peoples to intermingle and rearrange themselves socially. All of those tribes could be donors of genetic material for the greater society that will arise, take to the stars, and establish thriving civilizations on other worlds. Would you really want to make the call as to which ones we saved?" I argued. I sensed someone nearby. "What do you think of that, mother?" I asked, looking over to the closest wall of the room. "I would say that was a very rational and civilized argument, Alexandra." Alexis answered as she walked out of the wall and became completely tangible. "Ma? How did you...I mean, I couldn't feel...how did she do that?" Reggie babbled as her eyes popped out and mouth unhinged. "Your Gram has been doing that almost her entire life, Reg. Great- gram's memories indicate she was responsible for scaring the pantaloons off many a noble or villager in and around Avalon." "And I'd have gotten away with it too, if it hadn't been for you meddling kids!" Mom laughed heartily. That warranted an exaggerated eye roll from some of us seated at the table. "Didn't you say you wanted to take a long shower, ma?" I asked in an annoyed tone. "Did that for a couple hours then came back a couple." she answered nonchalantly before pulling up another chair. Everyone moved around to make room. "I must have the greatest Grandma in the world!" Reggie exclaimed. "Well unfortunately your Gram has to be leaving, Honeybee. I have a planet to reorganize." Mom told her sadly. "That's okay. I know where you live, Gram," Reggie replied cryptically with a devious grin. "Of course you do, honeybee. And y'all are welcome to drop in anytime ya like. Y'all have a standin' invite." Mom smiled tensely. Had she seen Reggie's miraculous arrival a year from now? Or, was she just humoring her Granddaughter? Only the Empress knew for sure... And I sure wasn't tellin'! Ma, whether snooping in my mind or accessing her gift, seemed to sense that her granddaughter might not be kidding about coming to visit. "Remember, Honeybee, Gram's not just across the river and through the woods." "No," Reggie countered in an all too serious tone. "You're out of this system and thirty degrees to the left of the galactic center at a declination of forty-two-point seven-eight-eight-six above our current horizon." All independent conversations at our table suddenly ceased and all eyes were now locked on my daughter. Mom's mouth dropped open and almost hit the tabletop. Sounds like someone's been talking to a rocket scientist or at least studying to be one!" Rommie giggled. "Reilly took you to visit your Aunt Carroll?" I assumed with a laugh. Reggie shied away a little. "She's a very intelligent woman. Why doesn't she work for NASA?" "Carroll prefers to work behind the scenes, honey, but she's the best damn navigator in the universes," I praised. Billie decided to switch topics. "So...you mentioned Commodore Celeste and Atlantis, Alex? Is there possibly a mission there in our immediate future?" she smiled knowingly. "Atlantis?" Ma gasped. "It really exists? Ma would always talk about it, but she said she hadn't been there personally. Maybe we could go there sometime?" "It'd be great to see the kids again, Alex," Yuuka said from my right shoulder. "Ya, Sunny told me all about her visit. I'd like to see it for myself, Empress." Trina bubbled from my left. I hadn't felt either of them land. In fact, I just noticed that each of us had a Pixie on each of our shoulders! I looked up to the ceiling- neigh, to the heavens- for strength. Fay was hovering up there and waved back timidly with a forced smile. Should I be calling pest control for a severe infestation of flying pests, I wondered? Shaking my head in defeat, I looked back down to those of us seated around the table. Those of my sisters with mind-reading abilities were fighting a giggle or two. "Ma, before you leave, I know some people that might like to meet you," I proposed with a quick wink to Billie. "Yessss!" both Trina and Yuuka hissed quietly in victory. "Another mission with the Empress, Alexandra? My, you certainly don't believe in letting any moss grow under your feet, do you?" Mom replied in mock surprise. "I promised to return and help some people we met earlier. Y'all are welcome ta come," I explained. I was beginning to feel tired again. This next mission would commence after I got some rest. "Cami, you make the preparations. We'll need you, yer ma, and Cassi as well as Billie and Gena at the core of the mission. Who else joins us is yer choice. Limit the team ta thirty-six, though. Yuuka and Treen, y'all need ta dismount now. I'll see y'all in the morning. G'night," I said to my sisters as I got up and walked out into the passageway. "She does know that it's only four in the afternoon, right?" I heard someone whisper just before I ported to Kili's south beach. My Reilly became my favorite pink string bikini and beach towel, and I sat down then stretched out on the warm sand for some needed relaxation. When I awoke, I noticed two other women lying beside me, one on either side. "Good morning, Director. Did you sleep well?" Yuuka asked from my right. "Let me guess, you two ported with me, right?" I assumed correctly. "Trina and I thought it best to stay with you, Alex. Each of us took a two hour watch." I checked my suit's chronometer. It was 7AM. "Was I out here all night?" I asked; a little concerned that I had. "Like I said, director, we took two hour shifts to make sure you were not alone." I had a funny feeling and looked back toward the treeline to see nineteen other women lying in the morning sun. "Thanks for the concern, girls." I acknowledged as I nodded to them. "I knew that I'd be fine, though." "Well we didn't, Alexandra!" Allie countered as she flew into my vision and hovered. She now looked younger than when we saw each other at the Epiphany day celebration. She and Sasha's Petunia had synched up when Alex had taken them to her time. "Really, honey, I'd have been fine. It's not like anything would crawl out of the ocean and..." I started to say before I noticed six heads appear in the gentle swells just off shore. One of them seemed to be wearing a mask, regulator, and Scuba tank. After a minute or so, Rommie, Reggie, Gena, and Francis Darough jogged excitedly out of the surf. Mom and Quintin followed at a slower pace. All seemed to have enjoyed their morning swim. "Well, that was certainly something I've never done before!" Mom said as she produced a towel from behind her and spread it out at my feet and sat down. The others choose close spots and did likewise. "You really should've taken Rommie up on her offer, Quinn," Mom teased as she gave me a wink. "Sorry to be such a party-pooper, but I'm not that big a fan of the water, ladies. I can only take it in small doses...one swimming pool at a time, usually." he chuckled. "Although, I must admit that the present company had me rethinking that phobia. Before these last two weeks I'd never even heard of 'Mermaids'," he shook his head in disbelief, "now, I've just swum with five of the most beautifully exotic creatures the heavens could have produced." "It honestly doesn't hurt when Rommie does her thing, Quinn. Just an invigorating tingle is all you feel," Franny told him as she smiled knowingly to her ex. 'He forgot and ordered a drink from the food station this morning, Alex.' She thought to me and physically winked precociously. 'All according to what mom and I have seen, honey,' I thought back with a slight twitch of my eyebrow. Mom flashed me a devilish grin. Francis Darough grimaced momentarily at that. "So, Alexandra, I have been invited on another one of your missions, though details have been rare in release. Might I ask where or when we might travel today?" Quintin Darough asked as our silence started to become awkward. "We'll be helping family settle and unpack on their new home, Quinn. It'll be more of a family reunion than mission though, so no need to worry about wild animals or bloodthirsty savages," I informed him as I giggled playfully. "Well, maybe a few bloodthirsty savages." "Girls? Are we all packed and ready to go?" I asked around as I saw Reggie rephase from returning Amy's scuba gear back to Reilly. "We're still missing a couple people, Alex," Rommie said as everyone on the beach began to stand up; they're Reilly's changing into their default configuration. I stood and followed suit. "Hey! Wait for us!" Amy Reynolds shouted as she and Lena ran out of the treeline thirty meters away from us. We had been waiting almost fifteen minutes and started to join hands in preparation for transit. I know I didn't have to have physical contact with my companions to transit anymore, but I wanted to be sure no one rephased outside Atlantis' hull. "Sorry to hold you up, Empress, but Lena had a wardrobe malfunction and Randi needed to diagnosis it," Amy informed us. Lena was blushing profusely, looking extremely embarrassed. I motioned for them to join our group and began thinking of where and when. "Transiting in three, two, one." What immediately struck me as odd was the lack of any alarms. Usually the ship's temporal anomaly warning system would go wild as soon as we arrived. Why wasn't that happening now? What had happened in our absence? Where was everybody? "Doesn't look like anybody's home, Alex," Yuuka said from my shoulder. I felt...someone...close by. Since we were all in physical contact, I decided to turn the tables on my half-sister by stopping time. We all began to give off a bluish light, as well as one other person standing over by the floor to ceiling windows in this observation lounge. Reggie and mom both looked at me curiously. "Is that her, ma? Is that Aunt Andromeda?" "Sure is, honey! And she's tryin' ta pull a fast one, too," I answered with a smile. As we looked on at the glowing figure, you could see her turn from the window and pause for a moment. She then began walking toward us. Once near enough, the figure began to pulse and quickly came into plain view as she matched my phasing. "You are absolutely no fun, Alex!" she accused as I released time and rephased us all. "How's everything, Andie? You kinda' had me worried when we got here," I told her as we embraced each other lovingly. "I wanted to pop in and surprise you, but...well...you got me instead," Andie said as she released me and looked around at us. Her eyes lingered on Reggie and Mom. "Andie? My mom, Alexis Reilly and my second daughter, Regina. Ladies, Commodore Andromeda Celeste," I introduced. "Nice to meet you," Mom offered. "Hi there," Reggie squeaked shyly. Andie's attention snapped to Reggie instantly then slowly returned to me. Her eyes looked ready to overflow with tears. "You named your daughter after my sister, Alex?" Andie sniffed as she wiped her eyes. "Why?" "Apparently, Alex has a thing for the letter 'R', Commodore," Billie answered sarcastically. "JACKIE!" Andie screeched shrilly as she jumped over and wrapped her arms around my Assistant Director. Our squadron of Pixies suddenly took flight and flew to the far side of the recently empty lounge. Andromeda noticed and momentarily glanced back at me through narrowed eyes. Billie remained stiff and silent. "Andie? My Assistant Director, Billie Sangiere. She's Jack Cummins' temporal twin. My half sister immediately released her. "I'm very sorry, Miss Sangiere. I'm relatively new to the whole 'temporal' thing. I assume you and the Commander have...um...synched?" "We have, Commodore. It is nice to meet you in person though," Billie replied diplomatically offering her hand. "My I present my daughter, Iphigeneia." "Mother!" Gena groaned. "Just call me Gena- with a 'G'." "Welcome, Gena," Andie bowed slightly. "Cami, good to see you again," Andie said, not missing a beat. "I see you brought your daughter as well?" "I did, but I'm over here, Commodore. I also brought my mother, Francis, and my father, Quintin, on this visitation," Andie looked between the two women then looked back to me. "Temporal twin or identical genomes?" she asked. "Universal twins, sis," I corrected with a devious smile. "Universal twin..," Andie's mouth dropped open as she made the connection. "By the Seven Worlds, Alex! Does this mean that you found a way to save your Homeworld?" she screeched in excitement. "She did indeed, Commodore. Alexandra, all three, transported the living portion of our homeland to this universe and saved almost the whole population," Mom bubbled with pride. "All three...Alexandras?" Again Andie's eyes widened in amazement. "I thought the power of three was a fanciful story!" "Commodore Celeste, I thought the very same thing until I witnessed it personally. Quintin Darough. Pleased to meet you," Quintin Darough offered his hand in friendship. "In fact, I find your entire sisterhood simply amazing and quite unbelievable." "Thank you, Mr. Darough, I feel likewise. Sisters? Who might you three be?" Andie asked Amy, Lena, and Rommie pleasantly. "Commander Amy Reynolds, U.S. Navy, Retired, Commodore. Alex Steinert's crew, ma'am," Amy announced as she snapped to attention. "United States Senator, Romney Marsh, Commodore. Also a member of Alex Steinert's crew," Rommie stepped forward and offered her hand. "And you, young lady? Who would you be?" Andie asked brightly. "I'm Lena...Leeena Reynolds, Madam Commodore. Amy just adopted me a few days ago, ma'am," Our young sister blushed profusely. Amy's mouth just about hit the floor! "And what of the Pixies, Little Flower?" Andie asked referencing the name she used on our previous trip to Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1944. Yuuka flew from my shoulder and grew up in front of Andie. In the far corner of the lounge, nineteen other Pixies followed her lead and grew to human size. "Commodore, may I present the Pixies of the Homeworld..." While Yuuka handled the Pixie introductions, Mom, the Daroughs, Billie and Gena Sangiere, Rommie, Amy, Lena, and I migrated to the windows. Earth came into view and slowly crossed the expanse of the observation lounge. "It's such a beautiful planet, Alexandra," Mom whispered as she took my hand in hers and squeezed gently. "But why all the ice and snow?" "This is what we call the Ice Age, mom. We're about seventy-thousand years in the past, relative to us leaving Reilly." "So all those people we rescued and relocated yesterday..." "All long since departed, mom, but their descendants lived on and developed advanced technologies, advanced civilizations. Most left for the stars when the planet started to cool while a small portion decided to tough it out down there, Without our help that never would have come to pass." "So if I'm seeing this right, the prodigal children have returned?" she asked quietly. I squeezed her hand a little tighter twice in answer. "I see. So they are not to know or does your stepsister already carry that knowledge within her?" Mom asked just above a whisper. This time, I squeezed her hand once. "Alexandra, you mustn't keep such valuable information from them- especially from your sister," Mom advised a little louder. "I agree, ma'am. Our Empress should be more forthcoming with any vital information that may influence our future, isn't that right, Alex?" Andie interrupted from just behind me. I hadn't seen her reflection in the window. "So what is this about 'prodigal children'?" Andie continued. I swallowed hard then looked to the ceiling. "Hey, Dixie? Can you tell me the current status of the LZ?" I asked the station's AI. "The LZ is currently clear of all severe weather anomalies. Current weather patterns indicate another low-pressure event building to the east. Depending on the upper level current, it could obscure the LZ in ten days, Alexandra. Oh, and welcome back to Atlantis, Empress." "Thank you, honey, it's good to be back," I answered pleasantly. "Dixie?" Andie smiled as she looked around to all of us. "You've been monitoring the introductions, I assume?" "Of course, Commodore. Quarters for our guests have been reserved and are being prepared. Would you like me to establish accesses and security clearances for our visitors, also?" The AI inquired in a happy tone. "You know me too well, dear. Yes, standard access and clearances...oh, reinstate Camille, Yuuka, and Alexandra Reilly's status. Amend Jacquelyn Cummins' clearances to Billie Sangiere since they share all memories and knowledge." "Already done, Commodore. Will there be anything else, Andie?" Dixie inquired. "Yes," Andie looked at Yuuka for a moment before continuing, "Alert all primary educational facilities and personnel that the Pixies have returned for a visit and have brought their sisters this time. Curriculum schedules should be amended accordingly- just as last time." "Message sent, Commodore...Ma'am, I'm already receiving replies from several educators wishing to schedule visitation times and days. How would you like me to respond?" Dixie announced in a stunned tone. Andie thought for a moment, observing the twenty-one women gathered together looking back at her- all with pleading eyes. "After an impromptu orientation conducted by Yuuka, Sunni, and myself, all requests will be acknowledged and scheduled so that our guests will not fatigue themselves, the faculty, or the students. Coordinate all scheduling requests with Yuuka and Sunni, dear." "As you wish, Commodore. Welcome back Yuuka and Sunni. The children have missed you these last four months." "Nice to be back, Dixie," Yuuka replied but paused a few seconds. "Um, just to set the record straight? This is not Sunni Smithson but her universal twin, Trina." "Trina Richland, Commodore Celeste, second daughter of Mei Lee, Third eldest Pixie to Empress Alexandra Frances Steinert of Avalon." "My apologies, Trina. I assumed you to be Sunni and wasn't listening clearly during Yuuka's introduction," Andie bowed slightly. "Apparently, neither was Dixie," she smirked. "M'lady," Trina said returning the gesture. "Alex? I'd like an explanation of your most recent statements? Shall we say...five seconds in my conference room?" Andie eyed me critically. I closed my eyes gently and nodded once. When I opened them, three of us were standing in the requested venue. Andie's mouth dropped open immediately as she looked at mom and I then around us. "Should I even ask where or when you learned that one, sister?" she gasped. "Mistress Reilly, why are you here?" Andie asked- still in shock. "Yes, mother, why ARE you here? I hadn't included you in my transit group this time," I said with my eyes narrowed to her. "I thought I'd give it a try, Alexandra. Not having to physically touch someone to transport is much more convenient. Wouldn't you agree, Empress?" Mom giggled. "She reminds me of mother," Andie grumbled just above a whisper. I had seen the similarities from the start. "So, Alex, you were saying something about the 'prodigal children' and 'returning home'? Can you explain this more so I can understand your terminology? In our base language, 'Prodigal Child' or more specifically 'Prodigal Son' references a person- sibling if you will- that has left the family unit to venture forth on thier own only to return to the base unit after some time, but only after realizing that existence was difficult, and opportunities were rare and somewhat fleeting outside of the base unit." "That is basically the specifics of the fable, sis," I said with a smile. "In this case though, the definition should be expanded to children, as in the 'children' that had long since left this world to populate the stars have now returned home to start anew. The fourth cycle of Earth is about to begin." Andie plopped down into a chair and stared, dumbfounded, at me for several minutes. Mom and I also took our seats and waited patiently. "Wwwww...wwwweeeee are from here...originally, Empress?" she stammered; her mouth still somewhat unhinged. "Commodore Celeste," Mom started to answer, "We have just returned from a mission to some six hundred thousand years before our current date where we relocated several thousand individuals from certain annihilation. While there, Alexandra, Billie, and I foresaw the future of the 'peoples'- as they called themselves, tracing them through many millions of generations up to the present. According to what we have seen, you are the descendants of those 'peoples', in particular, the ones who decided to reach out into space to colonize this universe. You are the first to return home though. Welcome home, Commodore Andromeda Celeste. Andie looked on the verge of tears before she vanished. "That went better than expected, Alexandra," Mom said as she eyed me carefully. "And you accuse me of being over dramatic," I groaned. "It had to be done, Alexandra. You, yourself, saw that it was necessary for what now must come to pass." "Yes, Ma, I know. I just think we could have broken the news a little softer?" "Bandage theory, Alexandra. Rip it off and get it over with quickly," Mom said coldly. I stood up and walked over to the door. "I'll show you to your room, mother," I said as I motioned her out. E.S. Atlantis, Standard Year 258:01:23 "And you claim that almost half this spacecraft is empty because of mass riots and pandemonium before their departure?" Mom reiterated as we sat in my living area conversing. "The protesters and saboteurs threatened to rip Atlantis to bits according to Andie. She despondently had to follow the order to liftoff. Her father wasn't even able to get aboard," I related sadly. "Maybe I should have done more research before ripping that bandage off," Mom said quietly in retrospect. "Maybe, but what's done is done. Andie's strong. She's one of us, mom. She'll get through it," I told her as I looked over to my entrance door. "Isn't that right, Andromeda? Billie, you, Gena, and Reggie can rephase too, ladies." "How in the worlds do you do that, Alex?" Andie complained as soon as she appeared. "...of course she was going to do it, Gena, we all take extreme pleasure in doing it, and it drives Reilly up the wall," Reggie giggled as she and Gena reappeared. Billie silently shook her head in amusement as she materialized. "Have a seat, ladies," I giggled. "There are several bumps in the time stream pertaining to Atlantis that need addressed." "So, Aunt Andie, have you reconciled yourself to the fact that this is your peoples' origin world?" "Regina Andromeda Reilly!" Mom exclaimed angrily at her granddaughter's rudeness. Andie's mouth dropped open and her eyes immediately grew wet. "Yes, I'm named after you and your sister, Aunt Andie- or so I've been told," Reggie answered Andie's unasked, tear-laden, question. "I've been told it was so we never forget our history...our past...that we never forget the ideals..." Enough, Regina," I said gently. "We have more important topics to discuss with our sisters." "Sisters?" Andie asked as she looked back up and over to me. "You really should get into the habit of using your foresight more, sis," I said pointing to the door. "Three, two, one." The door slid open and Regina Celeste timidly walked in. She was starting to show nicely now at four and a half months. "Alexandra? Empress, you asked me here?" "Have a seat, Reggie," I said motioning her to the open spot next to my Reggie. "Thank you...um...Empress." "Reggie, I'd like you to meet my sisters for this trip. This is my mother, Alexis Reilly. Next to her is..." "Jacki! So nice to see you again," Reggie Celeste cut me off. Billie noticeably stiffened. "Billie Sangiere, honey. Billie is Jack Cummins temporal twin," I corrected. "Sorry, ma'am. Nice to meet you," she said after taking a deep breath. "Over next to Andie is Billie's daughter, Iphigeneia..." "Gena. With a 'G'" Gena interrupted through clinched teeth. I rolled my eyes. "And sitting next to you is my youngest," I paused briefly, "Regina Andromeda Reilly." Reggie Celeste's eyes opened wide and her mouth dropped open. "Must you be so dramatic, ma?" Reggie hissed. "Hi, I'm Reggie Reilly, nice to finally meet my namesakes," My daughter glared at me from her seat. "See, ma, it's that easy. No muss, no hassle, no worries." My mom began laughing hysterically. "Goddess!" she exclaimed, "I love my family." That seemed to break Regina Celeste out of her shock. "I am humbled by your decision to honor us this way, Empress Alexandra. I am at quite a loss for words and can only think of a quaint retort that Ricki Lynn Samuels relayed to me when she last visited." "And what would that be, Reg?" I asked with a knowing smile. "Ooooh, shit!" Laughter filled my living quarters. "So that is the core of my plan, ladies. Any questions?" I asked as I observed Andie and Reggie Celeste shaking like two Aspen leaves in a gentle wind. "Do we even know where this planet is, Alex?" Billie asked. "That's where Cassi comes in," I looked to one of the three women who had arrived late. "I need you to scan Andie's memory for an image of the city they lived in before departing their world- preferably a park with some privacy. Relay it to me and we'll be off." "Alex, I would like to go, but I am afraid I will only slow you down. My son has been restless of late and I wish not to take chances," Regina Celeste explained as she politely tried to opt out of the mission. "Trust me when I say that nothing will happen to your child, Regina, and that you are the key to the success of one portion of our mission. I ask that you reconsider accompanying us," I said regally. "Ask Andie if her foresight agrees with mine, though. Just to be sure." I noticed Andie immediately close her eyes for about thirty seconds. Her eyes shot open. "Reggie, you have to go. Alex is right. You are the key to convincing father of our identities. I have seen your child being born healthy on the planet beneath us," My half sister confirmed. Regina Celeste remained quiet for a few long seconds before agreeing to come along. E.S. Atlantis, Standard Year 258:01:24 "So, is everyone ready?" I asked as Yuuka walked into Andie's conference room. "I'm sorry to be late, Alex. I wanted to make sure Trina and Allie knew the visitation schedule. Those preschool kids can really get cranky- almost bordering on cannibalistic!" I remained quiet, but held out my hands. "Reverting back to the 'old ways' Empress?" Billie inquired sarcastically. "I find it's not as easy to lose someone when traveling to a new world, Billie," I retorted, eyeing my assistant director through narrowed lids. Billie smiled nervously. "Oh," Gena and Reggie fought valiantly to keep from giggling. "Andie, if you would picture our target site in your mind so that Cassi can relay it to me, please?" "Doing it as we speak, Empress," Andie responded with a devious grin. An image of a pleasant looking parklet with a row of tall, evergreen- looking trees appeared in my mind. "Thanks, honey," I said as I leaned out to look at Cassi Darough. "Everyone ready?" I asked for a second time. Everyone nodded. The 'pleasant looking parklet' looked bigger in my mind. Now, in reality, it couldn't have covered more than three thousand square meters. I also noticed the decreased pull of gravity. It explained the taller statures of my half-sisters and their friends. "Wow, my parent's backyard in Shizuoka was bigger than this!" Yuuka complained as we all continued to look around. I noticed off to our left the huge and very imposing 'Atlantis' with hundreds of support and umbilical towers around her massive perimeter. I also noticed that we were very alone. "Phasing in three, two, one." "Holy shit!" my daughter gasped as she just caught sight of the monstrous spacecraft. "How close are we to that?" "As I remember, this park was about eight hundred furlongs from the launch site," Regina Celeste answered. "HOLY SHIT! That's like, a hundred and sixty kilometers!" "As the Carnivorous Dwelling Finch flies, yes," Regina Celeste replied. "Carnivorous Dwelling Finch?" Yuuka asked with a gulp. "Don't worry. They only attack smaller birds, Yuuka," Andie said brushing off the Pixie's concern. "Oh...wait, how big are these Finches?" "About a third of a cubit," Andie answered. "Um...that's...that's around eight inches," Yuuka gulped again, her eyes practically popping from their sockets. "I guess you should stay out of Pixie mode while we're here then, huh?" I snorted as I tried desperately to hold my laughter. "Fffffffffft. They're relatively harmless unless they haven't eaten in a while. The things to really watch out for are the Golden-Crested Raptors. They attack in pairs and straight out of the sun. You never hear them coming!" Andie warned with a devious grin. "And how big are they?" Yuuka asked with her mouth slightly open. "They usually have a two or three cubit wingspan. Some are bigger," Andie's smile widened. "And they live around here?" Yuuka dared ask. "Well, this is one of the few places left where they can still roost." "Alex? Maybe I should have bowed out gracefully on this one." "We got us a whole squad of Mind Warriors, honey," I laughed. "Nothing is going to happen to you here." A large shadow flew across the ground as a very large bird gracefully glided through the sky directly above us. Yuuka was suddenly nowhere to be found! I felt a slight tugging on my right earlobe. Andie looked up then suddenly looked back toward me and started laughing hysterically. "That was a Green-billed Day Owl. They only eat fruit, Pixie." "Only fruit? You sure?" she asked. "Only fruit," Andie continued to giggle, "but it is best to stay out from under them. They tend to be very regular." Holding back my laughter became impossible as my companions broke into fits of laughter themselves. Sirens began to sound from everywhere! Their tones echoed across the desolate, urban streets in a shrill, out-of-tune, chaotic, symphony. Andie and Regina's heads snapped toward the gigantic ship. "We have to seek shelter! This way! NOW!" Andie shouted excitedly. "Why? We should be far enough away from the launch here, shouldn't we?" Quintin Darough asked innocently. "In our last communication before we got out of range, we were told this park had suffered heavy damage," Andie relayed rapidly. "We have thirty minutes to get to shelter. This way, quickly!" We had no sooner gotten to the subway station's platform level several hundred meters below the surface when the ground started vibrating. Panicked cries echoed through the abandoned station from others who had taken refuge down here. Andie motioned for us to get against the wall opposite the guideway and crouch down, protecting our heads. The vibration quickly worsened and the ground actually began violently shaking. An earsplitting, low frequency droning filled the obsolete station as a ravaging wind exited the tunnel at the far end of the station platform and wildly blew debris around us. "Cami, can you channel this wind back into the tunnel through the station?" I shouted. The debris blowing around us collected as if vacuumed up and entered the tunnel bore at our end of the station and a calm settled in around us. Several of our fellow refugees looked on at the strange occurrence, dumbfounded. Of the fifty people to take refuge down here, we were, by far, the shortest in stature. Only Andie, Regina, Mom, my Reggie, and I came close in height to everyone else. After ten minutes the winds and the shaking eased and Cami dropped her deflective field. "Now what do we do?" A woman of about one hundred and ninety centimeters asked as she stood up- her voice trembling fearfully. "We survive," A man, about two hundred-ten centimeters tall answered as he stood and looked curiously at our group. "And just where do you 'dwarves' hail from?" he boomed glaring angrily at us. "Leave them alone, Rould! They're trapped like the rest of us," The woman logically chided. "I'm sorry for his rude outburst. My brother isn't known for his diplomacy. I'm also sorry for the chaotic situation, but the launch wasn't scheduled until tomorrow, mid- morning." "We were all scheduled to board this evening," The towering man again boomed in a deep baritone. "Something must have happened to cause the premature departure." Andie stood, took a cleansing breath, and turned. "According to the reports we heard there was a massive riot at the launch site. People were being ordered to get away, but were instead trying to disable the ship. We had just arrived in the park when the warnings sounded." "You look very familiar, madam. Have I seen you in and around the launch site, maybe?" The man asked as his eyes narrowed. "Andromeda Scott, sir," Andie said as she offered her hand. "I'm an interplanetary liason. My half sisters, Regina and Alexandra Fleming, and I were put in charge of escorting these visiting dignitaries here to watch the liftoff. May I introduce Quintin, Frances, Camille, and Cassiopeia Darough, Isabella and Iphigeneia Sangiere, Yuuka Sukiro, Amy and Lena Reynolds, Romney Marsh, Freya Morgana, and Alexis and Regina Reilly- all from the planet Solara Three." "Billie. Gena," Each corrected in disgust. "So you have a spacecraft? Would it be possible to request a ride?" he asked in a very subdued, pleading tone. We all looked down to the station's floor sadly. "Our ship was in the spaceport. We were to leave for orbit...before the launch tomorrow," My Reggie replied despondently. The towering man rubbed his face in despair. "Anything in the spaceport has likely been incinerated to atoms." "Ya," my Reggie replied, "getting off this planet doesn't look so promising right now." "We are truly sorry for your predicament. As I said, the launch had been scheduled for tomorrow, mid-morning," The woman apologized. "What do we do now, Madam Scott?" Billie asked looking at both Andie and I with worry clearly evident. She was getting too good at acting parts. "I imagine," Andie responded, "we find Commander Celeste and see what can be done for you and these unfortunate people, Mdm. Sangiere." "Chairman Celeste was due to board earlier today. He was scheduled to board three groups before us," The woman explained sadly. "Lucky Cadaver Hound," the man, Rould, groused angrily. "Maybe the rioting discouraged his boarding?" Cami chimed brightly." "Hardly! His eldest daughter commands the ship! He probably boarded during the preflight preparations two days ago," Rould declared jealously. "I can assure you that is not the case, sir."Andie responded, a little angered by the accusation. "I was in a meeting with him just last night at 1800hrs- in his office." "An' what of the riotous? Have they suffered the same fate as our wee spacecraft, Mdm. Fleming?" Fay asked in her inherited Freya Clan brogue. Everyone remained silent at that question. "The poor ground hares. Never had a chance," Rould mumbled despondently to himself. "Maybe they got to shelter?" Rommie suggested optimistically. "The place is probably still a molten crater. Nothing within an eight hundred and fifty furlong radius could have survived," Rould cried- his voice echoing down both tunnel bores. "Then let's go topside and see what's left," Amy suggested. "Are you out of your minds? I just said that anything in an eight hundred and fifty furlong radius no longer exists and you still want to go up there? Just to see?" "We call it 'recon', sir. Shall we go topside, Mdm. Fleming?" Amy countered bravely. "Your burial ritual," Rould said shaking his head. The view from our vantage point consisted of kilometers and kilometers of devastation. The heat radiating from everything around us was barely tolerable and several fires rekindled as we looked on. "I told you nothing would be left," Rould reiterated sadly as he appeared from the subway entrance stairway. "Amy? Would you and Lena care to cool things down a little?" Billie asked pleasantly. "Sure thing, ma'am," Amy replied as she looked to Lena. "Come on, little sister, let's have some fun!" Immediately, angry looking storm clouds began to appear and gather overhead. Our fellow refugees looked at the two women in confusion until it stated to sprinkle. "What in the seven worlds is happening?" Someone in the crowd exclaimed as a murmur arose. "We need to cool the surrounding area quickly in case others are trapped below ground as we were," Billie explained calmly. "How can these two be doing this, Mdm. Scott?" Rould asked in awe. His sister, whom we had no name for yet, looked on in complete amazement at the miracle happening around them. "The women of Solara Three have differing abilities, sir. I explained. "Each having pledged to use their abilities to help their fellow sentients. What was left of a building's wall began to crack and collapse a few meters away and threatened to injure several people that had wondered too close. "I got it," Frances Darough shouted as she raised a hand toward the crumbling fa?ade. The falling debris magically diverted to either side of the potential victims and fell harmlessly to the still hot, now- steaming ground. Again, the onlookers were awestruck by the display. "Ladies and gents a wee problem's appeared. Hostiles on our eight. Fay announced as she motioned in that direction. "You sure, Fay?" Andie asked in concern. "Aye, ma'am. A dozen hostiles inbound on our eight," she clarified. "Defensive actions only, Ms. Morgana," Billie advised as Fay nodded and began to gain altitude. Our onlookers' mouths dropped, as they became silent- their eyes locked on the miraculous flying woman. About three meters up Fay deployed her weapons ports and kept rising; finally holding at about thirty meters. That really drew a gasp from the crowd! "I didn't know she could do that!" Andie declared excitedly as she looked toward me. I just smiled deviously. After five minutes a dozen unruly types appeared walking out of a heat mirage on the devastated, urban horizon. Laughter and shouts could be heard from the small group along with breaking glass and other breakable materials not already destroyed from the liftoff concussion. The intentions of the unsavory characters were confirmed three minutes later. "Ah, fresh meat!" Their apparent leader announced to his band of miscreants. "Take what ya want my pretty's! They're harmless...an' look, they gots them some dwarves too! Must be havin' a party!" His group laughed menacingly as one. Billie stepped forward. "I must insist you leave these people alone and just move on, sir," she warned pleasantly. "Hear that, pretty's? The blondie dwarf wants us to move on," he mocked sarcastically. The group again laughed as one. "What's say we don't want to, Miss Pigmy? What's say we like it here?" "Then I must warn you, we will defend ourselves and these people, sir," Billie replied calmly, showing absolutely no fear. He paused to think about it for a few seconds. "Nah," he replied and started to approach us again. Fearful cries erupted from our fellow refugees. "Why must they always underestimate us?" Billie asked as she nodded to me. "Ms. Morgana, use of deadly force is hereby authorized, though only if necessary and by your discretion," I announced with an evil smile toward our attackers. The malevolent group glanced around at us but neglected to look up. Had they, they would have seen our sister thirty meters up in a fully offensive attitude, all weapons systems actively tracking them, and with the sun at her back. Billie stood her ground as one of the larger minions rushed past his leader toward her. A boney dart struck the huge man's neck as he got within three meters of my steadfast assistant director. More than half of it disappeared into his flesh, still he moved forward. Another dart embedded itself into the advancing man's neck. He finally stopped and looked up to see where they had come from. Seeing Fay hovering overhead, he looked confused and suddenly crumbled to the ground. The derelict band's leader growled in anger at his fallen comrade. "Gloves off, pretty's! Get 'em!" he bellowed. Four tall men rushed forward toward us. 'Steady ladies.' Billie's voice recommended in my head. 'Try to incapacitate only. Use of deadly force has already been authorized, but only if required.' Fay landed one of her darts in each of the four advancing men. But they had momentum on their side, the closest reaching Billie with a gruesome expression on his face. He suddenly flew off the ground and over her head to land several meters away from us. Two other men instantly flew high into the air and landed hard on the scorched pavement next to their dazed comrade. The forth man- having made it almost to Gena- simply evaporated into a cloud of dust, which then slowly settled to the ground. "I suggest you withdraw or surrender, sir. You cannot possibly win this," Billie advised as four more lackeys rushed our position. Fay landed a critical dart to the center of two of the men's foreheads, dropping them instantly. 'I've got the other two, Billie.' Cami's voice said in my head. Immediately, the remaining two rushers shot sideways and collided hard with each other. Both dropped to the ground unconscious. The three remaining henchmen ran around to try and flank us, but Fay directed two of her smaller yield missiles at their feet. One of the resulting explosions threw the man on our left into the air and toward Rommie. She instantly jumped to attack mode and her large muscular tail redirected him twenty or so meters behind their onlooking leader. The other unfortunate attacker took a direct lightning strike from Amy's angry storm cloud. "See, that's how to use a defensive tool to make an offensive strike, kiddo," Amy lectured Lena without losing her focus on the action around her. Yet another man, the third of the last group, evaporated into another cloud of dust. One of the thrown men got back up and started to approach from our rear. He too vaporized before he got within a meter of Frances and Quintin Darough. Franny suddenly looked like she was going to lose the contents of her stomach. Unconscious man number two shook his head, stood, and ran back toward us. Fay landed two darts into his forehead. He stumbled and dropped on the spot. As the third reawakened man approached, Rommie coiled down once more into her attack stance and 'knocked one out of the park'- to quote my sister. He flew headfirst into what remained of a nearby building with a disgusting crackle. His lifeless corpse dropping two floors to the ground. Mr. 'bigshot leader', now minus his 'friends', turned in fear and began to run away. "I think not, young man!" I said serenely as I pointed a finger to him. He froze in place as I stopped time for him. "Billie, if you please?" I asked her to retrieve the fleeing criminal. The once arrogant man hovered off the ground and slowly floated back, turned then landed gently before me. "Could you hold him here a few minutes, Cassi?" I asked as his feet connected with the burnt and cracked pavement in front of me. She nodded and I released my hold on time. The terrified thug began to struggle to free his feet, but failed. "You were warned," I stated calmly as I looked up into this man's eyes. He stood a full half-meter above me glaring back defiantly. "Was it really worth it?" I asked. "You lost eleven men here today and for what?" "Because you didn't feel it was necessary to participate in the Exodus Lottery? Or were you just so lazy you didn't feel like bothering? Maybe you figured that with a third of the people gone you could declare yourself king or master of your own little piece of the planet?" I smiled at him knowing it was all of the above. Some subtle eye movements and his slightly flaring nostrils verified I had hit the mark. I walked completely around our prisoner once and again looked directly into his eyes. "Do you want me to let you go, young man...give you a second chance?" I asked as my mouth formed an evil smile. "I want to kill you all!" he seethed. "Well that's not going to happen, I'm afraid," I paused for a brief twenty seconds. "Here's what IS going to happen, though," I paused again. "I'm going to let you start over...give you that second chance...a chance to redeem yourself and become the better person you could have been, socially." My prisoner tried to spit in my face, but I saw it coming a kilometer away and stopped it- reversing time for it. The result was the spittle returning to his mouth and dissociating. His eyes widened as well as those of our nearer, fellow refugees. "Hold still now," I advised, my evil smile growing to maniacal proportions. "This may or may not hurt. I've never done this before so we'll just have to find out." I began to reverse time for this damaged, waste of an individual, while at the same time cueing my 'otherworldly' blue glow. Amy would later tell me that the effect was very impressive with her overcast sky. Several minutes passed as I continued to reverse time for him. He grew younger by the second and I kept on turning back his clock. Still younger he became as he began to lose height and volume- his clothes becoming slack, losing his pants then his undergarment falling to the ground. His scruffy beard vanished, receding back into his face. Still I rewound his clock. He was now shorter than me and my sisters and looked on the verge of puberty. His shirt now looked like a knee-length dress on him. I continued to reverse time for this individual. He was losing height and mass at a staggering rate now. I estimated he was roughly five or six years old now, but I kept concentrating. The toddler looked barely out of diapers now as I nodded for Cassi to release him. Her eyes looked on in fear as she tried to comprehend what she saw happening. The child wobbled, lost his balance, and fell back onto his bare buttocks. The new infant began crying loudly from inside his pile of adult clothes. I finally reestablished time for him. Everything was quiet- except for the crying baby in front of me. Not a single person said anything as I reached down and lifted the naked infant into my arms and cradled him. Settling somewhat, he immediately set his attention to my breast. "No can do, sweetie. These here soda fountains are dry for the foreseeable future, but Ah'll find ya some grub," I said gently. Closing my eyes for only a few seconds I opened them and began to approach the unmoving, deathly silent, crowd. They began to silently part in fear as I drew closer. I finally stopped before one young woman who looked to be in her mid twenties and on the verge of passing out. "Ah understand y'all been trying to have a youngin' a yer own fer a number'a years?" I asked gently and waited for the terror-stricken, dumbfounded, woman to slowly shake her head in the positive. "Y'all recently had a late-term miscarriage?" I asked gently, almost in a whisper. She nodded almost imperceptivity this time. I offered her the infant in my arms. "He's yours if y'all promise to raise him better this time as opposed to the last," I said setting my terms. "Can y'all do that?" Reaching out slowly, the young woman cautiously took the infant and cradled him lovingly to her. She continued to stare at my sisters and I- mostly at me, though. "He looks to be a might hungry, best make use of them full udders y'all got there. Ah seen they still work pretty well." "What...what are you?" she spoke quietly, nervously. "IIIIII've never heard of any race that can do the things I've seen here, today. Are you Gods or...or Goddess', or...?" The woman asked as she awkwardly pulled up her blouse and bra cup. She winced as the infant latched on immediately. "No, ma'am! We're just normal folk tryin' ta make a difference...tryin' to help those 'round us in dire straits," I told her. "If not Gods, who are you then?" she asked as she looked down at the feeding infant then back at me. "Just friends, hun. Just...friends." "Alex? We're running low on moisture here. Lena and I won't be able to keep up the fire fighting for much longer," Amy warned as she caught everyone's attention. "That's good for now, gals. We'll be switching to recovery mode now. Amy and Lena both nodded and the clouds dispersed rapidly. "Alex? Was it your intention to show our hand so early?" Mom questioned in a hushed voice. "They needed our help, but this here one," I pointed to Rould, "This here one's jus' 'bout ready ta ask the million dollar question," I whispered back. The man, Rould, carefully, reverently, approached. "Madam, I know you have been introduced to us as Alexandra Fleming, half -sister to Andromeda and Regina Scott here, but...if I might ask...do you..," he swallowed hard and tried to prepare himself. "Mmmmmight you answer to another name? Say, a name vastly more regal?" he asked cautiously and paused again for a few seconds. "From what I have just seen...and...and from what I have studied of our myths and legends...Are you...'Her'?" he continued, bowing his head reverently. His still unnamed sister gasped and looked to her brother incredulously. "Rould?" "Raquel, you've read those same stories! Does it not strike you, the similarities between this woman and the legend? She...she actually turned back 'Time' for this man!" he motioned to the nursing mother and babe next to me. "What more proof should we require?" "Is my brother correct, Mdm. Fleming? Are you indeed...'Her'?" Mom stepped forward. "The Empress of Time and Space," Mom decreed, but paused as everyone within earshot gasped and I glared at her, "does not usually reveal herself so quickly upon our arrival in any given place. This group, this time period, must be very special to her for some reason." When I returned my attention to our fellow refugees, I noticed them all kneeling! "Now look what ya done, Ma! Please...please, ever'body stand up," I protested wearily as I motioned for everyone to stand back up. "None y'all should feel ya need to kneel to me...nor ta any a my sisters fer that matter." The group looked around at each other in confusion before slowly standing. "And you, madam," Rould looked to Andie, "You are observably a sister of the Empress, but...you look like the commander of the Exodus ship that just departed this planet. Am I correct in that assumption, Commodore Andromeda Celeste?" Again the group gasped and began murmuring among them selves. "I am," Andie confirmed firmly. "Along with my sister and executive, Regina Celeste, and we do not deny our relationship to Alexandra, sir. We are indeed her half-sisters. We are of her bloodline." The group's volume increased exponentially. Andie continued as she increased her volume too. "We are here to correct several issues pertaining to the launch of Atlantis! Please! If you can direct your attention toward Alexandra!" "Ladies and gentlemen," I started my explanation, "it has come to my attention that most of you were scheduled to board Atlantis in later calls. As we have told you, riotous protests at the launch site threatened to compromise the structural integrity of the ship. Launch Control, in compliance with your government officials, issued an emergency departure order that Andromeda had no choice but to follow." "In any case, it is to your advantage that you and many others did not embark as planned. A severe miscalculation in the engineers' thrust to mass ratio doomed the mission before it started," I revealed and paused as the group began talking all at once to me. Andie and Reggie stared at me in abject horror! "It's true!" I shouted to regain their attention. "Once barely clear of the support and umbilical towers, thirty-five percent of the main thrusters would have gone into thermal overload and shut down. Atlantis would be on the ground in a smoldering hulk, all those aboard dead or critically injured." "NO!" Andie burst into tears as she and Regina buried their heads in each other's shoulders. "And how can you possibly know this?" Rould asked in disbelief. "Do your legends not describe my other ability of foresight and prophesy?" I asked seriously. The towering man thought about that for a few moments before his mouth dropped open. "So this venture was doomed from the start had the protests not ensued? We are all condemned?" "Not at all, ladies and gentlemen," I smiled. "Y'all can rest assured that mah sisters and Ah have been watchin'. In fact, that's why we're here now. Though Ah cain't transport the whole planet, Ah kin transport those that the lottery's already chosen." "And what if not selected by the 'lottery'?" A man further back in the group shouted angrily. "Mr. Blankenhardt, don't try my patience!" I warned as all conversation stopped. People were amazed that I knew exactly who posed the question. "We will try to help as many of you as we can- as safely as we can," I told him as I stared the taller man down. "My way of travel does not involve use of a spacecraft and therefore I must be extra cautious as to the number of people I transfer from here to another planetary system." "I thought you said your craft was at the spaceport?" Rould asked confused. "And it has just left orbit for your new home, sir. Would you have believed any of us before seeing demonstration, though?" I asked with a bright smile. "We need to get back to Exodus Project Headquarters. I promised my sisters, Andromeda and Regina, I'd ask their father if he wanted to come along. Now...are any of you interested in seeing the beautiful planet Andromeda and her crew found?" After silencing the group again, I asked everyone to join hands. New Babylon Space Command, Celestra, Standard Year 247:06:21 "Please make sure that you are not partially obstructed by any objects. If I rephase and you are standing in something it becomes part of you," I warned before Cami acknowledged everyone was in the clear. "Alright, we've arrived. Everyone can release their hands." "How can you do such amazing things?" Our former ruffian's new mother asked in cautious fear. "I just can, ma'am. We refer to them as 'gifts'," I replied with a calming smile. "Andie? Where might we find 'Father Celeste'?" I asked brightly. "Seeing as you transported us straight into headquarters, I'd say that we found him," she said as a somewhat tall man hurried over to us with several other VERY tall men holding their weapons at the ready. Andie and Reggie's dad slid to a stop as I turned in his direction. "YOU! How did you get in here and why bring all these people?" Artemis Celeste demanded as he held out his arms to stop his guards. "Hello, Artie. Miss me?" I replied in a sexy, breathy voice. I felt my half-sisters' eyes burning into me. "Sir? Do you know these people?" One of the guards questioned. "I know one...maybe three of them, Sergeant." "Your orders, sir?" "Sergeant," I spoke up, "See that these people are escorted to the large auditorium, given something to eat and drink, and made comfortable. My sisters and I need to speak to your commander for a few minutes." "Sir?" "Do as my wife says, sergeant, I'm in good hands," Artemis Celeste ordered. "Very well, sir. Ladies and gentlemen, if you would please follow us?" One of them replied after staring between me and their commander several times. Artemis waited until the last of our fellow refugees turned a corner at the end of the corridor. "Ruth! What in the Seven Worlds are you doing here? I haven't seen you since you just up and disappeared twenty-seven years ago!" "Father, this isn't mother," Andie informed him. "This is our half- sister, Alexandra, Empress of Time and Space." "Alexandra, Empress of Tim... Andromeda, what have you done to your hair? And Reggie? Are you...you...?" "Yes, father, I'm expecting," Reggie announced as she and Andie hurried over and wrapped their arms around their father. "It's so good to see you again, father! After the ship launched, I never expected to see you ever again!" Andie sobbed joyfully. "But Atlantis...it hasn't launched yet!" Andie and Reggie slowly turned back from their father and glared at me. "Alex?" "Do you think the people we rescue this afternoon are the only ones needing assistance?" I asked nonchalantly. "But this control center is eighty furlongs beneath the surface, Alex," Andie exclaimed. "And Andie's favorite park, where we arrived, was eight hundred away and completely devastated, hun," I stated factually. "What?" Artemus choked, "The liftoff destruction will spread out that far?" "Your spaceport will be nothing more than a ninety furlong deep crater, Artie," I revealed. "In four hours." He looked dumbfounded. "What, you set about to build this huge spaceship, but somehow you miscalculated the thrust to mass ratio, and then you miscalculated the destructive power of the engines you actually installed? Honey, I'd be hiring a different group of engineers!" I chided. "Be that as it may, why bring innocent people here? To share our fate?" "Artie, I don't believe in 'fate'," I declared with determination. "Never have." "But how could you possibly transport the entire control center away given just four hours, Ruth...Alexandra?" "Billie, get your Mind Warriors into the bullpen and warmed up, hun," I said with a grin. "Sangiere and Darough Protection Agency awaiting orders, director," Billie responded. "Hey! I thought we agreed that this time it should be Darough and Sangiere!" Cami complained. "Really, Camille?" Billie exclaimed, "At a time like this?" "Ladies?" I turned and stared. They both rolled their eyes at each other and turned their attention back to me. "Mmmiiii...Mmmind...Warriors?" Artemis stuttered but suddenly winced with a start as his head bumped the ceiling. "Yes, Artie, Mind Warriors. Plural. Five to be exact, and all with the power of the universe at their beckoned call. Ruth has told you of the power of a single Mind Warrior, right?" Artemus Celeste's face went white. Apparently, she had. "Billie, Gena, Cami, Cassi, and Franny, stay here and coordinate your regions. We need Atlantis to liftoff without overloading the engines AND blasting this facility into molten rock. Artie, they'll need the outside dimensions of this bunker. A floor plan would help immensely. Reggie, Lena, Amy, Rommie, Yuuka, Fay, and Lexi are with me. We have more refugees to round up. Quinn you are our liaison. Work with Cmdr. Celeste," I ordered as our group began to split up. Another subway station appeared around my smaller group. This one contained over one hundred people- all sobbing and crying in fear and despair. Several of them looked injured from the turbulent winds and debris that thrashed through mere moments ago- by their perception. "Reggie, you an' yer gram shuttle the injured back to Artemus. The rest of us'll gather ever'one else up," I ordered. Both women nodded and began looking through the crowd for the severely injured. Finding a couple in dire need of medical attention, they immediately disappeared with the select victims. "Where did you come from?" A very tall woman demanded cautiously from off to our right. "We are known as the Sisters of Kili and are here to help, ma'am," I answered. "But, you weren't here a moment ago! Where did you come from?" "We just made it into the station as the winds hit, ma'am," I lied. "No, I was watching the stairs as the winds began and you were nowhere in sight!" A man off to our left accused. "Hey! I claimed me a perty dwarf!" Another man crowed just as Yuuka screamed. The prone man had reached out and grabbed my sister's ankle. That was an unfortunate mistake! Yuuka went into Pixie mode instantly. Fay disappeared toward the ceiling, weapons deployed. Unfortunately, the man's hand was still attached to my Pixie when she did so. Three Pixies now lay on the floor- one, Yuuka, desperately punching at the hand on her ankle for release. The second and third Pixies seemed to have passed out and lay sprawled together on the floor, one holding the other's leg. Once released from the hold, Yuuka flew up to my shoulder and cried hysterically into my collar. Amy, Rommie, and Lena stared down at the floor in stunned amazement. "Hooooollllly SHIT!" Rommie gasped finally, though still unable to look away from the spectacle. "How the HELL did you do that, Yuuka?" "Brilliant! Two more of 'em!" Fay groused from overhead. Yuuka continued to cry on my collar. "Same way you can, Splash. Yuuka and Sasha did it with the skipper's Alexis that one time," Amy informed her stunned sister. "You okay, hun?" I asked quietly of the girl sobbing hysterically on my shoulder. "I..." "Shhh. It's okay, hun. They had it coming anyway," I tried to soothe my Pixie sister. I noticed the people around us looked stunned and hadn't said a word since Yuuka had screamed. "What are you people?" The first woman asked cautiously. "Empress!" Lena announced as she came over and knelt on one knee before me, her right fist to her left breast. "There are more wounded here! We must get them to the medical facility!" "Empress?" Several people gasped quietly. Reggie and mom rephased at that instant and the crowd hushed instantly. "Lena found more over there, ladies. She seems to think they require immediate treatment," I recommended. Both saw Lena on one knee and replied. "Of course, Empress Alexandra! We will attend to them," Mom answered humbly. My name and 'title' echoed in whispers around the station. "Empress? What of these people? Are they to be relocated as we have done to others stranded by the premature launch?" Lena