by M. D. Cooper
Angela added.
“Your family is beautiful, Blondie. You keep them safe, you hear? Or you’ll have me to answer to,” Amanda said, her tone light and humorous.
Tanis smiled back. “I will.”
“Well, with all the weirdness back home, I didn’t think I’d see anything new over here, but you guys have officially surprised me.”
“We’re a ‘go big, or go home’ sort of people. Well, now that we have a home, at least.”
“Home’s important,” Amanda agreed, thinking of her own little corner of her universe.
An idea occurred to her as she gazed out over the picturesque landscape of Ol’ Sam. Her mind went to BOB’s Bar, and then to Inisfail, her pocket spirit realm back on Earth.
I wonder if Void can move Inisfail out of my universe? she thought. Maybe then I can access it from anywhere.
“You shifting out of this universe already?” Tanis asked, poking fun at her.
“Hmmm? Oh, no, sorry, just lost in thought about home.”
Tanis nodded in understanding.
“Maybe when you’re done with your war,” Amanda continued, “and I’m done chasing these Reavers across multiple universes, we can meet up again and really relax.”
“I know the perfect place,” Tanis said.
“Until then, I’m going to leave you with a little gift,” Amanda said with a coy smile, turning to face her friend.
~Bob? I’m going to Port my ship aboard as a present for Tanis. Can you show me where would be a good spot?~
The AI provided an image of a large docking bay, and then a larger image of the ship with her position and the bay highlighted.
~Thanks. I’m going to miss those dulcet tones of yours.~
“A gift?” Tanis asked.
Amanda chuckled and held up a finger. “Hold on,” she said as she reached out with her power and shaped the Essentia within her to suit her needs.
With a snap, she Ported them both across the ship and into the allotted docking bay. Simultaneously, she Ported her ship and its contents into the I2, causing them all to appear at the same moment.
“Whoa,” Tanis said, grabbing Amanda’s arm to steady herself as she looked around the room, and then up at the ship before them.
“For you,” Amanda told Tanis, gesturing at the Aether Ship.
“Really?” she asked.
“Hey, Amanda—oh, hi,” Jinx said, looking at Tanis.
“Hi yourself.”
“This is Jinx, an AI that Jessica helped. She’s returning with me,” Amanda explained.
“You’re Tanis, right?” Jinx asked. “And Angela?”
“I am. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Tanis said, shaking Jinx’s hand.
“Likewise,” Jinx returned. “Wow, this is amazing. I’ve heard so much about you from Sabrina and Iris. I love the ship, by the way… Oooh, is Bob here?”
Bob answered.
“Bob! I’m a big fan,” Jinx effused.
“Are you sure you want to come with me?” Amanda asked.
“Yes, of course. Sorry, I’ve just heard so much about this ship.”
Amanda smiled warmly. “It’s okay.”
“So, you’re leaving this here?” Tanis gestured at the small vessel. “You don’t need it to get back home?”
“Nope. It’s all yours. Do as you want with it. I only needed it to get here from Virginis. You might need to put some engines in it of your own tech, though.”
“I’m sure Earnest will have fun with it,” Tanis replied.
Amanda nodded. “Well, it’s been a blast, Blondie.”
“It’s been good to see you again. Looking forward to catching up again sometime,” Tanis agreed.
“You can count on it. Come here, give me a hug,” Amanda said, pulling her in. Finally separating and stepping back, she gave Tanis one last smile. “See you soon.”
With a snap, she and Jinx vanished, appearing once more in Bob’s node chamber.
~Sorry, just a quick pit stop,~ Amanda said over a private Link to Jinx.
Amanda stepped up to the railing and stared deep into his node.
~She’s going to ascend, isn’t she?~
Bob didn’t reply.
~I can see it. The same energies interacting with her that do with you, just on a lesser scale. I’m right, aren’t I?~
Amanda took the lack of denial as affirmation and nodded.
~I thought so,~ she said, her tone serious. ~Watch over her, won’t you?~
Amanda inclined her head once more. “I’ll be back, one day,” she said aloud, as she summoned her Magic and pushed through the skin of this universe and back into hers.
With a resounding snap of displaced air, Amanda and Jinx appeared back in her universe, on the main deck of the Arkady, where it was still docked on Sol Prime.
Amanda breathed a sigh of relief and walked over to the nearby couch, perching on the edge of it as she took a few more deep breaths.
“That crossing took a lot out of you, didn’t it,” Jinx said.
Amanda nodded. “They’re exhausting, but it’s good to be back.”
“So, is this your ship? The Arkady?”
“Yup. Certainly is. It’s your home now as well, if you’d like.”
“Are you sure?”
“I mean, I don’t know what your plans are, but the offer is there. You’re free to do what you like. It’s up to you, really.”
“I was planning to stay with you, if that’s acceptable.”
Amanda smiled, feeling relieved.
If she were being honest with herself, she had felt a little worried about the idea of Jinx gallivanting around an unfamiliar universe, and would probably have tried to persuade her to stay anyway.
“Of course,” she said, smiling. “Let’s find you a room.”
“Thank you. I did have an idea though…”
“Oh?” Amanda asked.
“Well, I got along really well with Sabrina, and I liked the setup she had. I was embedded within a computer on a ship before, but that was very different. Sabrina is free. She can travel to stars and use a body to visit stations…. That’s what I want.”
“You want to be embedded in a ship?”
Jinx nodded. “I do. This ship, if you’ll have me.”
Amanda smiled, got up, and pulled Jinx into a hug. “I would be honored for you to be the Arkady’s AI,” she said, pulling away with a warm smile on her face.
“Thank you,” Jinx replied. “It’s been an interesting couple of days.”
“It sure has. Oh, speaking of which…” Amanda said.
She focused on her time sense to see how much had passed between her departure and her return, and found she’d only been gone for a little over a day.
“Huh, interesting,” she mused, wondering if other universes would be different.
“Everything okay?” Jinx asked.
“Everything’s fine,” Amanda replied.
Essentia burst suddenly nearby, and the familiar chrome form of Void appeared out of thin air.
“Shite, woman, you scared me.”
“Apologies, Amanda,” Void replied. “I wanted to offer my congratulations on a job well done. The Reavers have retreated from that universe. I presume everything went smoothly?”
“Well, I’m not sure about that, but yes, we prevailed. I do have one question, though. While I was there, I found it harder to use Magic, as if it was more of a strain to pull the Essentia to me. Do you know why that would be?”
“Aaaah, yes. This can happen sometimes
. Essentia permeates the entire multiverse, but while in some universes it flows freely, such as in ours, in others, it is more limited, making Magic harder. The universes with fewer or no supernatural creatures tend to have less Essentia running through them. It’s something to be aware of, but you seem to have handled it well.”
“I got there in the end,” Amanda nodded. “And it was fun…good to see my friends again.”
“Then you will be pleased to know that I have another mission for you,” Void said.
THE END
* * * * *
Read on for information about the next Quantum Legends book, and the other series these characters appear in.
AFTERWORD
Thank you for reading this first book in the Quantum Legends Series. This experiment was a lot of fun to write, and I think we have a book that both myself and Michael can be proud of.
I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as we did writing it.
Amanda’s multiverse adventures don’t stop here. There will be more books in this series to come.
Watch my facebook group to be kept up to date with the latest news: www.facebook.com/groups/MagiSagaFans
In the meantime, you can follow the continuing adventures of Amanda, Jessica, Cheeky and Tanis in their respective series.
Many thanks,
Andrew
* * * * *
I had a fantastic time writing this book with Andrew Dobell, and it was a lot of fun to have these characters meet.
Regarding where this book sits in the Aeon 14 Universe’s timeline, it follows the events of A Surreptitious Rescue of Friends and Foes, in the Perseus Gate Season 2 series.
If you’ve not read any Aeon 14 books, I recommend starting with Destiny Lost, where you’ll meet the crew of Sabrina, though with a different captain.
Thanks,
Michael Cooper
BOOKS BY ANDREW DOBELL
Star Magi Saga – Space Fantasy
Star Magi – Book 1
Magi Nexus – Book 2
War Magi – Book 3
Star Magi Saga Tales – Space Fantasy
Maiden Voyage – Prequel
Epiphany – Book 2
Quantum Legends
Anomaly on Cerka
The Magi Saga – Urban Fantasy
Magi Dawn: The Magi Saga Book 1
Magi Rising: The Magi Saga Book 2
Magi Omen: The Magi Saga Book 3
Magi Edge: The Magi Saga Book 4
Magi Odyssey: The Magi Saga Book 5
Magi Descent: The Magi Saga book 6
Magi Rebirth: The Magi Saga book 7
Tales of the Magi Saga – Urban Fantasy
Angel of Tarut
His Love
Hack Imperfect
Casino Red
Uprising
A Thoroughly Modern Witch
Pilgrimage
Wasteland Road Knights – Post Apocalyptic
Liberation
Exploration
Revelation
Determination
The New Prometheus - Cyberpunk
The New Prometheus
The Prometheus Gambit
The Prometheus Trap
Prometheus Vengeance
Anthologies I am part of:
The Expanding Universe – Sci-Fi
The Expanding Universe 3 – Sci-Fi
Pew Pew – A fist full of Pews
Bobs Bar 1
Bobs Bar 2
Sign up to my Mailing List.
www.andrewdobellauthor.co.uk
THE BOOKS OF AEON 14
Keep up to date with what is releasing in Aeon 14 with the free Aeon 14 Reading Guide.
The Sentience Wars: Origins (Age of the Sentience Wars – w/James S. Aaron)
- Books 1-3 Omnibus: Lyssa’s Rise
- Book 1: Lyssa’s Dream
- Book 2: Lyssa’s Run
- Book 3: Lyssa’s Flight
- Book 4: Lyssa’s Call
- Book 5: Lyssa’s Flame
Legends of the Sentience Wars (Age of the Sentience Wars – w/James S. Aaron)
- Volume 1: The Proteus Bridge
- Volume 2: Vesta Burning
The Sentience Wars: Solar War 1 (Age of the Sentience Wars – w/James S. Aaron)
- Book 1: Eve of Destruction
Enfield Genesis (Age of the Sentience Wars – w/Lisa Richman)
- Book 1: Alpha Centauri
- Book 2: Proxima Centauri
- Book 3: Tau Ceti
- Book 4: Epsilon Eridani
- Book 5: Sirius (April 2019)
Origins of Destiny (The Age of Terra)
- Prequel: Storming the Norse Wind
- Prequel: Angel’s Rise: The Huntress (available on Patreon)
- Book 1: Tanis Richards: Shore Leave
- Book 2: Tanis Richards: Masquerade
- Book 3: Tanis Richards: Blackest Night
- Book 4: Tanis Richards: Kill Shot
The Intrepid Saga (The Age of Terra)
- Book 1: Outsystem
- Book 2: A Path in the Darkness
- Book 3: Building Victoria
- The Intrepid Saga Omnibus – Also contains Destiny Lost, book 1 of the Orion War series
- Destiny Rising – Special Author’s Extended Edition comprised of both Outsystem and A Path in the Darkness with over 100 pages of new content.
The Warlord (Before the Age of the Orion War)
- Books 1-3 Omnibus: The Warlord of Midditerra
- Book 1: The Woman Without a World
- Book 2: The Woman Who Seized an Empire
- Book 3: The Woman Who Lost Everything
The Orion War
- Books 1-3 Omnibus (includes Ignite the Stars anthology)
- Book 1: Destiny Lost
- Book 2: New Canaan
- Book 3: Orion Rising
- Book 4: The Scipio Alliance
- Book 5: Attack on Thebes
- Book 6: War on a Thousand Fronts
- Book 7: Precipice of Darkness
- Book 8: Airtha Ascendancy
- Book 9: The Orion Front
- Book 10: Starfire (2019)
- Book 11: Race Across Spacetime (2019)
- Book 12: Return to Sol (2019)
Building New Canaan (Age of the Orion War – w/J.J. Green)
- Book 1: Carthage
- Book 2: Tyre
- Book 3: Troy
- Book 4: Athens
Tales of the Orion War
- Book 1: Set the Galaxy on Fire
- Book 2: Ignite the Stars
- Book 3: Burn the Galaxy to Ash (2019)
Perilous Alliance (Age of the Orion War – w/Chris J. Pike)
- Book 1-3 Omnibus: Crisis in Silstrand
- Book 1: Close Proximity
- Book 2: Strike Vector
- Book 3: Collision Course
- Book 4: Impact Imminent
- Book 5: Critical Inertia
- Book 6: Impulse Shock
Rika’s Marauders (Age of the Orion War)
- Book 1-3 Omnibus: Rika Activated
- Prequel: Rika Mechanized
- Book 1: Rika Outcast
- Book 2: Rika Redeemed
- Book 3: Rika Triumphant
- Book 4: Rika Commander
- Book 5: Rika Infiltrator
- Book 6: Rika Unleashed
- Book 7: Rika Conqueror
Non-Aeon 14 Anthologies containing Rika stories
- Bob’s Bar Volume 2
- Backblast Area Clear
The Genevian Queen (Age of the Orion War)
- Book 1: Rika Rising (2019)
- Book 2: Rika Coronated (2019)
- Book 3: Rika Reigns (2019)
Perseus Gate (Age of the Orion War)
Season 1: Orion Space
- Episode 1: The Gate at the Grey Wolf Star
- Episode 2: The World at the Edge of Space
- Episode 3: The Dance on the Moons of Serenity
- Episode 4:
The Last Bastion of Star City
- Episode 5: The Toll Road Between the Stars
- Episode 6: The Final Stroll on Perseus’s Arm
- Eps 1-3 Omnibus: The Trail Through the Stars
- Eps 4-6 Omnibus: The Path Amongst the Clouds
Season 2: Inner Stars
- Episode 1: A Meeting of Bodies and Minds
- Episode 2: A Deception and a Promise Kept
- Episode 3: A Surreptitious Rescue of Friends and Foes
- Episode 4: A Victory and a Crushing Defeat
- Episode 5: A Trial and the Tribulations (2019)
- Episode 6: A Deal and a True Story Told (2019)
- Episode 7: A New Empire and An Old Ally (2019)
- Eps 1-3 Omnibus: A Siege and a Salvation from Enemies
Hand’s Assassin (Age of the Orion War – w/T.G. Ayer)
- Book 1: Death Dealer
- Book 2: Death Mark (2019)
Machete System Bounty Hunter (Age of the Orion War – w/Zen DiPietro)
- Book 1: Hired Gun
- Book 2: Gunning for Trouble
- Book 3: With Guns Blazing
Fennington Station Murder Mysteries (Age of the Orion War)
- Book 1: Whole Latte Death (w/Chris J. Pike)
- Book 2: Cocoa Crush (w/Chris J. Pike)
Vexa Legacy (Age of the FTL Wars – w/Andrew Gates)
- Book 1: Seas of the Red Star
The Empire (Age of the Orion War)
- Book 1: The Empress and the Ambassador
- Book 2: Consort of the Scorpion Empress (2019)
- Book 3: By the Empress’s Command (2019)
The Sol Dissolution (The Age of Terra)
- Book 1: Venusian Uprising (2019)
- Book 2: Scattered Disk (2019)
- Book 3: Jovian Offensive (2019)
- Book 4: Fall of Terra (2019)
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Andrew has always been something of a storyteller and a creative. As a child, he dreamed of becoming a comic book artist. While that dream never really came true, it did develop into a love of telling stories through RPGs like Dungeons and Dragons and Vampire the Masquerade.