by M. D. Cooper
“Jaiden was the one who discovered that the Void Dragons were heading to Earth, then?”
“Correct.”
“Is he alive?”
“He is,” Void answered.
“How do you know all this?”
“I’m very sensitive to beings passing into and out of whatever reality I am in—it’s how I found you. When I sensed this breach, I investigated.”
“So who were these travelers?”
“Mercenaries. A team led by someone called Jon Hunter. They appeared to be pawns in the plans of a greater power. I can show you, if you’d like?”
“Of course,” Amanda said.
She felt Void’s Magic reach out to her mind, and allowed the Arch Magus to reach into her head. She knew she could trust her, mainly because her mother, Sophia, did. Suddenly, images and knowledge flooded her mind, and she had perfect recollection of the events that had happened to Jaiden.
She took a moment to think them through and get them straightened out in her mind before she smirked and looked back up at Void.
“A cocky fellow, isn’t he,” Amanda commented. “So, what does this all mean? Is it important somehow?” she said, looking over at the section of decking where this mister Hunter had killed a young Nomad Magus with his Magical sword.
“I’m unsure. Maybe it means nothing, but, it’s another breach of the multiverse with a connection to you. You’re not a typical Magus, Amanda…that much we both know.”
Amanda nodded as she closed her eyes and returned to the events surrounding Jaiden’s escape, including his flight from the station aboard Jon’s ship, the Gunbus, – which had also crossed over into this universe with Jon – and its fight with a Void Dragon before more weirdness happened. A pair of Magic users appeared, who finally got Jaiden to his ship.
“I need to thank Jaiden sometime,” Amanda commented.
“He doesn’t have perfect recollection of the events that happened to him here—another effect of transuniversal travel that you have also experienced.”
Amanda nodded again, remembering the trouble she’d had remembering what had happened to her during her visit to BOB’s Bar.
“So, you said you had some missions for me?”
“Indeed, I do,” Void answered. “Within this reality, I am not the only Magus with the ability to cross between universes. There are others. One group, who call themselves Reavers, have taken this power and turned it into an operation for their personal gain. They visit other universes, hunt for anything that might be of value, and steal it, bringing it back to this one. They also trade items, polluting universes with tech that shouldn’t be there, and recruit team members. As you can probably imagine, this could potentially be very dangerous.”
Amanda understood. While many things, such as a coffee cup, could cross over quite harmlessly, technology or Magic could be disruptive or downright lethal, were it to be brought back and fall into the wrong hands. They could change the course of wars and worse.
“Such as Jon’s ship, the one that Jaiden took a trip on,” Amanda answered.
“Indeed, the Gunbus had extrauniversal tech on it,” Void agreed.
“Tell me what you need me to do.”
“A Reaver has crossed over into a universe that you have a link to. The universe that Tanis Richards is a part of.”
“Tanis? From BOB’s Bar? Oh, wow.”
“Correct.”
“Alright, count me in. Are you going to send me there?”
“No need. You can cross over yourself.”
“Excuse me?”
“Amanda, you’re not like most Magi, and you easily meet the requirements to make such a trip. Usually, only un-sundered Arch Magi have the potential to cross between universes, but your extra-universal heritage works in your favor, making it that much easier for you. In addition, you have a link to that universe already, meaning it’s unlikely you will get lost.”
“Lost?” Amanda asked, curious.
“The multiverse is huge, vast, possibly infinite, and if you’re not careful, it can be all too easy to lose your way. Magi have left this universe in the past, never to return.”
“That’s not good.”
“I have faith in you, Amanda. You will not get lost.”
Amanda blinked, feeling her cheeks begin to burn. “Thank you…” she said, feeling a little embarrassed by Void’s belief in her.
To say she had her doubts that she could make such a trip would be an understatement. She did, however, trust Void.
“So, how do I do this?” Amanda asked after a moment’s pause to take in what she had just been told.
“It’s no different from the usual way you Port from place to place. Focus on where you want to be and impose your will on the veil of Essentia. A word of warning, though: this will likely be exhausting for you, not least because it’s your first attempt.”
Amanda nodded once. “I understand.”
Void’s usually neutral face smiled, an expression that looked a little odd on her chrome face. “Then please, go ahead.”
“So, I should focus on Tanis?”
“Only enough to focus your mind on her universe. Instead, focus more on the mission I gave you. You have enough details to get you to the right area.”
Amanda took a deep breath. “Alright, here we go.” She closed her eyes.
Focusing her thoughts, Amanda pulled on the Magical energy of Essentia that was everywhere, all around her, and cleared her mind. As she gathered the energy to her, she first focused on Tanis, and then on the universe she was within. As the image of the tall, blonde woman solidified in her mind, she added in thoughts about the Reaver, someone from her universe who was already there, where she wanted to be, and began to impose her will on the extra-dimensional energy that was now rushing through her.
She forced her wishes to become reality, picturing herself in that universe. Her Magic surged as light flashed behind her eyes, and an intense feeling of dislocation washed over her. She collapsed and landed on a hard floor, knowing she was no longer in her own world.
She’d crossed realities.
Feeling drained, like she’d just run several marathons back to back, Amanda only wanted to curl up and go to sleep.
“Stars! Who’s that?” said a gruff voice close by.
Amanda blinked her eyes open and looked up. She realized she was sitting in the middle of some kind of alleyway. The ground was dirty and covered in scraps of litter.
“Of course,” she muttered. “Where else would I appear?” Alleyways seemed to be a recurring location in her life.
She shook her head to clear her mind as she pushed herself up to her feet.
“I said who the hell are you?”
Amanda heard the unmistakable click of a weapon a little too close to her head for comfort.
She looked up to see a man pointing the business end of a handgun at her.
“Well, I’m not in Kansas anymore,” she said to herself, noticing that the buildings around her stretched up to a metal overhead with pipes and cables running over it. Her Aetheric senses were still a little fuzzy from the trip, but she quickly realized she was aboard a space station of some kind.
“What?” the man asked.
Amanda noticed movement behind him. Further up the way, three thugs were beating up a victim against the wall.
“What’s going on up there? Who’s the babe?” one of them called.
Amanda felt her eyebrows creep up her forehead at the comment and had a feeling she knew where this was going. She checked her Aegis, the Magical force field that hugged her skin; it was still there and going strong. She was also relieved to note that Essentia still flowed all around her, visible in her Aetheric Sight.
“No idea,” the man next to her answered his friend.
“Kill her, then, we don’t want no witnesses.”
Amanda wasn’t sure if she could get away with using Magic in this world, but it was becoming clear that she might need to defend herself.
&nb
sp; “Shame. Sorry, Red,” the man said, and squeezed the trigger.
The slug thrower fired, and a round slammed into her Aegis, ricocheting off into the nearby wall.
Amanda smiled at him.
The man looked shocked.
“What the hell!” yelled one of his companions further up the alleyway. “I meant do it quietly. Stars, now we’re going to have station security on our asses.”
She wasn’t sure how much the man in front of her heard, though, as Amanda wasted no time in retaliating.
Sweeping her hand, she hit his wrist with her fist, feeling and hearing his bones crack as his pistol flew from his grip. She followed it up with a swift kick to his groin, making him bend forward, where his face met her knee. Blood splattered over her white and grey bodysuit as his nose exploded.
The man coughed, spluttered, and made several unintelligible noises as he shuffled back, nearly tripping as he went. Amanda followed and delivered a kick that hit him like a battering ram, her enhanced strength making short work of him. He flew back ten meters, hit the floor close to his companions, and lay still.
The remaining three thugs stopped attacking their victim and turned to face Amanda. Their previous target slumped to the ground and looked up to see what was happening.
“You’re going to regret that,” one of the aggressors said, and they all pulled out weapons—ranging from small, snub-nosed blasters to huge, formidable-looking hand cannons.
“You think?” Amanda asked.
The lead man didn’t answer other than to sneer at her, and then all three opened fire, sending bullets, and in one case, an electron beam, at her. The blasts hit her Aegis and either stopped dead or rebounded harmlessly.
She wanted to end this quickly, but she also didn’t want to kill these idiots. With a thought, she focused her will and hit the three of them with a powerful Kinetic punch.
They were knocked off their feet, landing on the ground with solid-sounding thuds.
The victim’s eyes went as wide as plates as he watched the confrontation, only for his gaze to be drawn to something behind her.
Crap, she thought.
She’d not been concentrating, and the mental fog from crossing into this universe was still interfering with her senses, meaning she’d missed the additional people rushing into the alleyway behind her.
“CPS! Hands up,” a female voice barked at her.
Amanda relaxed her stance and took a deep breath, held it, and let it go slowly. It wasn’t the ending to this little fight that she’d wanted, but maybe it would work itself out.
Slowly, she raised her hands.
“Get on your knees,” the voice continued.
Amanda did as she was asked and listened closely. Her Aetheric senses felt five humans approaching behind her, wearing body armor and carrying some serious weaponry. One of them stepped up to her and grabbed her wrists to bind them.
The man that the thugs had first been attacking got up and started to make his way over to them, dripping blood.
“Sir, please stay where you are,” one of the men behind her ordered.
“But she saved me. She’s not the one you need to arrest. You need to take these guys,” he said, waving toward the thugs.
“Don’t worry, we will,” the CPS officer said as three others moved forward to cuff the men indicated.
The guard finished binding her hands and moved around into her field of view.
“Is that right?” the officer asked Amanda, referring to the other mans comments. “What have you got to say for yourself?”
Amanda looked up at the woman with a slight smile on her face. “I want to see Admiral Tanis Richards of the ISF,” she said, remembering the logo on the outfit Tanis had worn when she’d first met her.
“Who?”
A VISITOR
STELLAR DATE: 05.10.8948 (Adjusted Years)
LOCATION: En route to CPS Station, Cerka Station
REGION: Mullens, Virginis System, LoS Space
“So, who’s Tanis Richards?” Jinx asked as the four women followed Detective Alla to the police station where the suspect was being held.
“She’s the leader of our people,” Iris explained. “The Governor of New Canaan and also the head of our military.”
Jinx cocked her head, regarding Iris with a look of suspicion. “Seems a bit totalitarian.”
“Yeah,” Jessica said, laughing as she considered how outsiders would see Tanis. “But now that the military effort is taking more of her time, she’s stepping away from the governorship.”
Jinx seemed unsatisfied by the answer. “OK, but New Canaan is three thousand light years from here. Who would show up at Virginis expecting to be able to talk to her?”
“It’s not super surprising,” Cheeky said. “Well, I mean, that people are looking for her. After what she did in Bollam’s World….”
“Wait!” Jinx interjected. “I learned about that back when I was a nav AI. We were fed the details of a battle with the Intrepid.”
“That’s the one,” Jessica nodded. “We all fought at Bollam’s. Tanis led our forces.”
“Which is why people might seek her out. Since we’re kinda representing the Intrepid Space Force, I guess it kinda makes sense that someone wanting to talk to Tanis would come here to us.”
“No,” Jessica shook her head. “It really doesn’t. The AST has this system under blockade, which means anyone looking for Tanis has been here for weeks, which means they would have to know she’s not with us.”
Cheeky shrugged. “Well, I dunno…maybe this woman’s been living under a rock somewhere. I know it’s hard to believe—and I’m only half being sarcastic here—but we’re actually not the center of the universe.”
“That’s because there is no center of the universe,” Jessica countered.
“That’s not exactly true,” Iris replied, glancing at Jessica and then shaking her head. “Oh, nevermind, you’re just being argumentative. I don’t know why I didn’t pick up on that.”
“Me either,” Jessica replied.
Detective Alla glanced over her shoulder at the four women, and shook her head. “Core, the four of you talk like a gaggle of teenagers.”
“Really?” Cheeky asked brightly. “Thanks! I think that’s what keeps us so youthful.”
“I don’t think she meant it as a compliment,” Jinx said in a quiet voice.
Cheeky shrugged. “Doesn’t matter, I’m going to take it as one anyway.”
Alla laughed. “Honestly? I really have no idea how I meant it.”
As the detective spoke, she turned onto a large thoroughfare that ran down the station’s central spire, and gestured to the CPS station. It was set into the right side of the concourse, covering five levels of the sweep, and people were flowing in and out of the entrance like it was a hopping club.
“Is it…always that busy?” Jessica asked.
“No.” Dala shook her head. “Only since you got here.”
Cheeky winced. “Sorry.”
“Not your fault.” The detective waited for a lull in station car traffic and then led the group across the concourse. “Mostly it’s people trying to resolve damages from rioting and fighting—so first we have to figure out who broke what and then pass the reports on to the insurance carriers. Since a lot of people have fled Cerka, and a lot of refugees have shown up, we’re seeing a wave of break-ins.”
“Like the one we just saw,” Jessica added.
“Well…more petty theft. And to top it all off, everyone who isn’t pissed that something precious to them was broken is out partying every night, happy to be alive, so we’re dealing with people smashed out of their minds.”
Examining the composition of the crowd moving in and out of the CPS station, Jessica could see that, at present, there appeared to be more of the former types than the latter.
“Well, hopefully we can take this woman off your hands and give you one less thing to worry about,” Iris said.
Alla gave the gleaming
silver AI a long look. “Well, you’ll try, but you four strike me as the type to get into the thick of things at every turn.”
Cheeky gasped and placed a hand on her chest. “Why, I do believe you…have us totally made.”
Detective Alla bellowed for the crowd to “Make a hole,” and finally led the four women into the station.
It didn’t surprise Jessica that the interior was a doubling down of the mass of people on the exterior. People were crowded in everywhere, trying to reach the front desk, explaining that they’d only been “drinking for a day or two,” and pleading their case to disinterested officers.
Alla led them through the CPS station, using her glower as a weapon to drive a wedge into the crush of people and AI frames.
They came to a rear corridor that only had a few pockets of people—mostly CPS officers—talking in hushed tones. Most of the groups were standing outside of doors that Jessica assumed led into interrogation rooms.
At the end of the hall was a room with a heavy carbon-fiber door, guarded by two heavily-armed soldiers—Virginis Defense Force, not CPS cops—standing on either side.
“VDF?” Jessica asked. “Has Admiral Hera taken an interest in our visitor?”
“No,” Alla shook her head. “Once I let them know I was bringing you in, the captain decided not to push it up the ladder. The VDF just has a few ‘toons rotating through to give us a hand.”
“Oh?” Iris asked. “Where are the rest of them?”
Alla sighed. “Trying to deal with a group of punks who are racing modded cars through residential corridors.”