by JK Stone
Jerren placed his arm around Eneria then asked, “Eneria, could you take them to General Green? I’ll be over in a few minutes.”
Smiling Terrah watched as Eneria stretched up on her tiptoes and kissed Jerren, and then she said, “Okay, I will see you in a few minutes.”
Chapter Seven
Terrah’s nerves were on edge, she had not seen Pops since being tasered just after waking from the accident, and because Pops had tried to help her escape, Anubisis used that knowledge as another form of torture for her, insisting that Pops was in the room down the corridor and he was being dealt with after each of her ‘sessions’.
With trepidation building, Terrah entered medical aboard TDS 5 and she saw Pops on one table and the director of special operations from DARPA on the other. Shrugging off the fact that Johnathan Smith was there, Terrah looked back at Pops, and a moment later his eyes opened with a start and he shouted.
“What…what happened?”
Eneria gestured for Terrah and her sisters to approach then she said, “I have removed the restraining field, you may sit up if you would like.”
Pops turned his head in Eneria’s direction and asked, “Who are…”
Pop’s focus seemed to lock on Eneria a moment, then it settled on her. Tears began to fill Pop’s eyes as Terrah helped him to a sitting position first, then to his feet and he pulled her into a bone-crushingly tight hug.
“I thought I’d never see you again. I couldn’t get a message off of the base to send for help. When they told me Bias U’san was brought in to interrogate you, I didn’t know what to do,” Pops said as he began crying and hugged Terrah tightly.
Terrah hugged Pops firmly and patted his back. “It’s going to be alright, I’m safe now… we all are,” She motioned toward Saleria and Vellia, and at that moment Terrah was quite relieved they were in the medical room because a second after he looked in Saleria and Vellia’s direction she feared Pops was about to have a heart attack.
Eneria got their attention. “I have a room set up on the second level so you can speak. If you would all follow me please,” she instructed.
Terrah watched as Eneria left the room then Terrah, Saleria, Vellia and Pops followed along. When they arrived at the gravity lift Terrah explained to her ‘Pops’ what was about to happen, the same as Jerren had explained to her and her sisters. Pops chuckled and nodded then a moment later he busted out in laughter.
Feet planted firmly on the second level, Eneria ushered everyone to the horseshoe-shaped couch in the middle of the room. Sitting down, Pops looked between Saleria, Vellia, and settled on her questioningly.
Terrah knew what Pops needed to hear. “They know about Area 51,” she said, then added, “I had to tell them about it after we were rescued.” She saw the concern etched in his eyes, and tried to reassure him by saying, “There’s nothing to worry about, we aren’t on Earth anymore, so they’ll be safe.”
The look of shock on Pop’s face at hearing they weren’t on Earth was almost comical, and she hurried to say, “Besides, the people who rescued us knew more about Area 51 than I even did.” The shock appeared to change to that of relief and he nodded in apparent understanding.
Terrah explained what she and her sisters were told about the TDS ships, and Pops seemed to relax a little, and a moment later he asked, “What happened? I was on sub level twenty-one monitoring the DARPA scientists, sublevel security announced that there were elevator door breaches, we swept our level, but it was clear. A while later the alarms sounded, and about thirty seconds later I felt a great shock, and I only just woke up.”
Terrah was holding one of Pops hands and said, “This ship we’re in is a replica of the pyramid ship on sub twenty-one. I was rescued by the commanders of this ship and two others just like it. Bias U’san must have decided the interrogations were a waste of time, because he opted for a surgical exploration, and I was rescued during the procedure.”
Pops asked, “Are they the reason we were getting energy spikes from the ship? Are they here to take it back?”
Terrah thought about everything she’d been told about the energy spikes Jerren witnessed in the master control room, and asked, “Eneria, do you know when the Earth date correlates to when the dark matter detonation, and the GMP’s on Toralis and Serqalin were?”
Eneria seemed to think on it a moment, then said, “It is hard to say for sure, I know Calia performed the first two pulses on the planets in the same time frames, and TDS 5 was caught up in the third pulse at each of those planets, but the power surge that pulsed through this ship the first time would have been about fifty-six linear days ago, so given your current calendar I would say June sixth.
“There have been quite a few power surges recently. I would usually sequester myself in the database and only project into a body if the commander required me for something. One moment…” Eneria said.
Terrah figured Eneria was consulting her ships logs, and that was confirmed a moment later when she said, “The ship did register a large power surge on our way to Serqalin, I would place the surge late July fourth or early morning on the fifth.”
Terrah’s suspicions were confirmed, the date of the first GMP was a match for the night she was OIC and the sensor alarm first went off. And the estimated date of the dark matter detonation was within a few hours of when she had been involved in the incident that landed her in all of this, and Terrah relayed what she figured about the events regarding the sensor readings, and the timing of her accident.
“So, it was just an accident, and they weren’t after that ship?” Pops asked.
Terrah chuckled and said, “No, it wasn’t a deliberate attack and they weren’t down there for the ship, but the ship’s no longer at Area 51 either.”
“So, they did take the ship back?” Pops asked with a smile.
Shaking her head, Terrah said with a smirk, “No Pops, I took the ship… With Eneria’s help that is.” That statement seemed to throw Pops for a loop, and Terrah explained as much as she could recall.
When Terrah made it back to the point where she had been saved, Pops stood up abruptly and pulled Eneria into a fierce looking hug. A moment later the floor in the corner dissolved and Terrah observed Jerren arriving on the level.
Jerren had no sooner set his feet on the floor when Pops rushed over and pulled him into a tight hug as well.
To Jerren’s confused expression, Pops stated, “I have to thank you for saving my girls… they’re all I have…” he managed to croak out, “I was at a loss for what to do; they restricted me to the lower levels of the base so I couldn’t contact anyone for help. I think they sent me down there in hopes that another accident would kill me as well.”
Jerren nodded and replied, “My name is Jerren, and yes that was their intent. Do you have any idea how far up the chain Terrah’s incident went?”
“So sorry, my name is Lloyd, but you can call me Pops, and I’ve no idea. I was removed as the medical director years ago, and even when I had command clearance I was only given information on a need to know basis. It has to be at least to the base commander Major General Hallance, but he was taking some of his orders from the Liaison from DARPA, that’s who they brought in to interrogate Terrah, his name is Bias U’san.
“I’ve had to deal with the aftermath of his interrogations trying to prevent his victims from dying, and knowing what that man is capable of… well, it terrified me what he was going to do to my little girl.”
Jerren looked at Pops and raising his hand Jerren asked, “Would you mind?”
“No, go right ahead,” Pops replied, and Jerren placed his hand to Pop’s forehead and closed his eyes.
Terrah figured Jerren was making sure Pops could be trusted, and she felt a little irritated at first. But thinking it over, Terrah realized that they didn’t have to help Pops at all, and with the past experiences all three of her brothers had with military personnel, she really couldn’t blame them for making sure.
Jerren opened his eyes a while l
ater and he said, “You knew about the girls all along… I heard you tell Smith that you were there when they were brought home from the hospital. And there’s no need to worry about Bias U’san anymore, he’s been dealt with.”
Pops looked confused and said, “I’ve no recollection of telling Smith about any of them.”
Jerren nodded toward Saleria, Vellia, and she then asked, “Did they tell you what these ships can do?”
Pops nodded and Jerren continued, “We’re about a half-hour before that conversation in that old timeline.”
Pops appeared to take that information in stride and answered Jerren’s question. “Their father saved my life in Vietnam and we became the best of friends. The girls told you what happened?” Pops asked of Jerren, who nodded.
Pops looked between Terrah and her sisters a moment then continued, “Well the night it happened, I was the first and only one Robert called. Celeste, his wife had just arrived on base late that day and Rob took her to the Palomar Observatory. She so loved space and he surprised her with a private tour.”
“Well it happened on their way back to base, the twenty-second strategic hospital at March Air Force base was his first command and after he explained what had happened, Rob asked if I would help him.
“At the time, I wasn’t sure what to believe, but because Rob said he delivered his daughters on a roadside, he needed another officer’s signature on the birth certificates, so I did it.
“I’m ashamed to say it, but I never really believed their tale until the day of Rob and Celeste’s deaths,” Pops said sadly.
Terrah saw Pops had a hint of a tear forming. Pops looked between Terrah and her sisters then back to Jerren before he continued, “They were coming up on nine years old when the accident that killed their parents occurred. I watched as they boarded the plane. It took off and within moments the plane exploded and crashed a mile away.”
“So, you took the girls home and raised them?” Jerren asked.
Pops shook his head and said, “You don’t understand. The girls were on that flight with their parents. I rushed to the crash site and all three of them were sitting dazed in the midst of the wreckage. Their clothes had been seared off of them, but there was not a scratch or burn on any of them, so I scooped them up and got them the hell out of there.”
Terrah was shocked. Pops never told them any of this before. Thinking back, all she could recall was the pain of loss at realizing her parents had died, but she never remembered any of this.
Pops seemed to be thinking over what to tell Jerren next, and then he said, “When the OSI investigator came by to inquire as to why the girls were not on the plane, I told them the girls weren’t feeling well so their parents left them with me until they got back. I had been their godfather since their births, and nobody questioned it.”
Pops seemed to hesitate a moment then continued, “The following day, the girls disappeared right in front of me. I took a leave of absence trying to figure out what had happened and three months later they showed up in the exact location, in the same clothes and the same time of day they went missing.”
Jerren had a strange look cross his face and he asked, “What did they say happened?”
Pops wiped the tear from his eye and replied, “They told me they went on a grand adventure with their imaginary friend, Ilola…no Inola. Why?”
Jerren looked shocked and sat down, he gestured for Pops to have a seat as well and Jerren explained, “The exact same thing happened to my brothers and me, we disappeared for three months as well and we returned exactly one month before our ninth birthday. All we could recall was being on a grand adventure with our imaginary friend Inola.”
Terrah wondered what could have been going on that all six of them would have had the same missing time exactly twenty years apart, and that they would have the same explanation of events.
Pops seemed to be counting to himself and said, “You know, I didn’t realize it, but they were returned a month before their ninth as well. That’s strange.”
Jerren looked between Terrah and her sisters and asked, “Did you tell him yet?”
Terrah knew he was referring to him being their brother, and shaking her head, she said, “No, you can if you like,” And she sat back and watched Pops for his reaction.
Jerren looked at Pops and said, “Terrah, Saleria, and Vellia have brothers… their names are Jason, Justin, and Jerren.”
Terrah was watching Pops face for him to understand. It took a moment, and he asked, “You said your name is Jerren, right?”
Smiling Jerren said, “Yes, and Jason and Justin are my brothers, we are triplets as well. After we saved Terrah… Alise, Calia, and Eneria, they’re the AI’s on these ships. They noticed Terrah’s genetic code was a match for ours before we came aboard the ship. It was a ninety-nine point three percent match, and the markers placed them as direct siblings.”
Pops had a puzzled look and asked, “So you three were born in the same fashion?”
“No, our mother was hit by lightning and died at the hospital the day we were born,” Jerren looked from Vellia to Saleria and Terrah and seemed to be thinking something over, then looking at Pops Jerren asked, “Would you like to go on an adventure?”
Terrah couldn’t believe they wouldn’t be forced to leave Pops on Earth, not that she had any intention of doing that to Pops now that she had command of TDS 4. Even with the ship being in such poor condition, she would have found a way to protect him and she almost burst out crying.
Pops looked to be excited at the prospect of having an adventure with them once again and said, “If I can be near my girls, then I’m up for anything.”
Jerren smiled and said, “Okay, I need to get Terrah to the master control room so we can set course for Daregon, and once we’re on our way, we’ll be back to settle all of you on one of these ships until Terrah’s ship is ready.”
“Are we taking Johnathan Smith with us?” Terrah asked, then stated, “I saw him down in medical when we woke Pops here.”
Jerren had an expression cross his face that looked to be a mixture of regret and anger when he said, “No, I took care of him. He’s not going with us; he’s back at Area 51.”
Pops sighed and said, “That’s good, there was something not quite right in that boy’s head.”
Terrah had only met Smith on a few occasions, but she would have to agree with her Pops. Johnathan Smith was definitely not right in the head. Standing up Terrah told her sisters and Pops that she would be right back, and she trailed behind as Jerren led her away.
*****
Terrah followed Jerren into the master control room and immediately hugged him tightly as she said, “I want to thank you for not sending Pops back to Earth. After what happened at Area 51, not to mention the troubles he has gotten into helping me—
Jerren patted her on the shoulder cutting her statement short and said, “I can see how much Pops means to you and our sisters. And with what Pops has done to protect all of you, I wouldn’t have sent him back there unless he wanted to go back.”
Terrah thanked Jerren once again, and then he opened communications with the other commanders. “Alright if everyone is ready we will set our course for Daregon.”
Jerren received affirmation and he told Terrah to set course. The ship was on its way, but a second later TDS 4 popped out of phase.
Justin called out a second later saying, “Sorry we were just out of position. We’re back in formation now. You can re-phase your ship now.”
Terrah moved her ship back into a point two five Time Dilation and sighed when the power stabilized. Her gaze was then drawn to the wall with Stasis on it and she asked, “What’s in there?”
Jerren seemed to appraise Terrah a moment then said, “With all that’s happened so far, I think we should wait a while before filling you in on what’s in that room for now.”
Terrah felt her nerves rise when Jerren stated that, which only made her want to know what was in the room even more.
&
nbsp; “It’s not a bad thing,” Jerren said before adding, “we just don’t want to overwhelm the three of you with too much at the moment. Being a commander of a TDS ship is a lot to take in at first, so once your ship is charged and you are all settled in, we will explain that room to you and our sisters.”
Terrah looked hard at Jerren and realized he was just trying to help, so she nodded and said, “I’m going over to TDS 3 and set up rooms for all of us over there, could you collect my sisters and Pops and bring them over in a few?”
Terrah figured Calia’s ship would be the best for them, given Calia was more familiar with ship issues she might encounter, and Terrah would like to have her on hand in case she thought of anything she would need answers to.
Jerren smiled warmly at her and said, “Sure thing Sis,” then he turned and reentered his ship.
Terrah chuckled as Jerren stepped through the archway to his ship, then she peered around a moment. She was still a little tempted by the Stasis room but decided to do as Jerren said. She called out to Justin over her bodysuits communications, then a moment later the archway appeared and she entered TDS 3.
Chapter Eight
Terrah, with the assistance of Justin and Calia made short work of creating sleeping quarters and a common room where she, Saleria, Vellia, and Pops would be staying on the trip to Daregon. And having just completed the arrangements, Terrah found that her nerves were at ease now. Something about her brothers and their AI’s made her feel as though they were just long lost friends who finally found each other again, and they would do anything to protect them. Sighing contentedly Terrah was in the engine room watching as her sisters, Pops, Jerren, and Eneria appeared.
A moment after they all arrived Jerren said, “Well I think it’s time for us to get back to our ship.” He took Eneria’s hand in his as he gestured toward the archway adding, “Call if you need anything.”
Jerren and Eneria had just stepped through the archway leaving Terrah alone with the rest of her family and she let out a chuckle.