by Frank Carey
"Leader, allow me to explain."
"Shut up, Muntz. I have grown weary of your prattle."
"Atmar!" Muntz said as the elf walked through a doorway with a blaster leveled at Muntz. "How did you get in here?"
Atmar held up a blood red hacker ball. "I had a key. Now, step away from the door. I'd hate to see you leave."
"Atmar, we have no quarrel with you..." the leader began to say.
"Except you destroyed my ship, killed my wife and my unborn child along with hundreds of crew members. Other than that... Oh, look, a mark nineteen IWU. Is this yours, Josiah?"
"Yes, it is. Destroy it, and I will give you whatever you want."
"Muntz, you traitor," the leader said as he and several Alue moved to stop Atmar and take Muntz in custody.
Atmar shook his head. While keeping his weapon on Muntz and his eyes on the advancing Alue, Atmar slapped the IWUs activation button. Around him, Alues turned to one another, raised their left hands, and spawned hundreds of young before falling to the floor in a post-mating stupor, leaving him and Muntz to their own devices.
"What have you done?" Muntz asked as he continued to stare at the weapon in Muntz's hand. Around them, balls of plasma swarmed around the IWU while more entered through the doors and walls.
"We done had a hoedown," Atmar said as the activity indicators on the IWU flashed rapidly. Around him, the Alue slept. "Talk to me, Muntz."
He explained about the plan to bring Alura through the gateway.
"Ambitious. You do know that would cause a catastrophic failure of the space-time continuum. With that much planet, it would probably take out the surrounding universes including the League. I really don't think I can allow that," Atmar said.
Harm walked into the room, making his way past sleeping Alue to stand near Atmar and Muntz. "I told him it was a bad idea, and I showed him it was a bad idea, but did he listen?"
"Probably not," Atmar said. "What did you do, Muntz?"
"He built a device similar to the one you used to bridge the universes, but his version used four, twenty-foot-long crystals."
Atmar thumbed the weapon to full power. "Muntz, didn't equations indicate a resonance condition forming? Your design would have set the multiverse back to big-bang conditions."
"I don't think he even checked the math," Harm said. "Anyway, I took care of the problem. I destroyed the crystals."
"You what?" Muntz screamed.
"I used a sort of tuning fork to shatter them. Then I sent the neos back to our universe. Muntz, it's over.”
"No! It is never over. Tralaska will rule!" he screamed as he pulled out a hidden blaster and shot Harm, sending him into the wall.
"That was stupid," Atmar said as he fired his weapon, instantly vaporizing Muntz. He ran over to where Harm lay. "Harmon, I think you're dying."
Harm coughed blood. "I hate to break this to you, but we both are. There's an injector in my pocket, press it against my neck."
Atmar did as requested. The injector hissed as it delivered its load into Harm's bloodstream
"Now, take my hand."
"Why?"
"So we both may live."
Shrugging, Atmar took Harmon's hand. He screamed as his soul was ripped from his clone body and deposited in Harm's. At that moment, the lights went out for both of them.
###
Harm and Atmar materialized inside a dive bar. Harm sat at a table, a blaster sitting on the table in front of him while Atmar stood nearby.
"Where are we?" Atmar asked. "This place looks disturbingly familiar."
Harm picked up the blaster and removed the power pack before throwing the weapon into the fireplace. He threw the pack behind the bar. "It should. This is where you were born."
"I knew... Wait, that bar was torn down years ago to make room for a runway."
"Atmar, this is a figment of a dying mind."
"Whose mind?"
"Ours."
"We're dying?"
"Yeah. Muntz botched the genetic manipulation responsible for your being able to live outside my brain."
"That poser. I will kill him..."
"You already did."
Atmar sat down. Glasses of iced tea appeared in front of them along with several dozen bobble head, hula-girl dolls strewn about the room.
"I hate those things. What do you mean by we're dying?"
"Your clone body is dead and this body is healing, but unless you and I rejoin, we will die in a few days from psychic trauma."
"There's no cure?"
"We have to rejoin. That's the only cure."
Atmar sat back and stared at the ceiling. "Mitrell is dead. Our daughter is dead. I'm tired, so let's die. Is this how you felt back then?"
"Worse, but that isn't the point. Mitrell and your daughter are alive. The admiral saved most of the crew while closing that damn gate you opened. She's now a hero of the League."
Atmar bolted upright. "You lie!"
Harm waved at the room's viewer. A playback of the conversation he had with Mitrell appeared in full, living color.
"She lives."
A wall blew out across the room. Behind it was blackness.
"Not to rush you, but we don't have much time," Harm said, leaning back and staring at Atmar.
"They're safe?"
"They are under Ventosian protection. Smuggler's Cove will probably hire her to run the place. They blame you for the raids."
Another wall blew out.
"Well?"
"What will happen to me if I agree to rejoin you?"
"You and I will die, then be reborn as Lucien Irithyl, Prince of Ventos Prime. No more capers. No more hacks. No more schemes. Atmar the Clone, and Harmon, the Smuggler Elf, will no longer exist."
"Will I get to see my daughter?"
Harm nodded. "Just take my hand."
Atmar nodded and took Harmon's hand in his as the bar disintegrated around them.
###
The doors flew open as EMEF Team Eight ran in. "Elf Down," Royce yelled as the team secured the room while avoiding the sleeping Alue. Nerst slid over and started CPR on Harm while Royce checked Atmar. "He's dead."
With the Team in place, the med team made their way into the room with Ciara, Losira, and Marta close behind.
"Docs, he used the treatment," Ciara yelled while holding up the injector. "How is he?"
"Blaster wound to the chest and significant blood loss, but the nanorobots have spun-off repair teams." Nerst reported as she pressed three injectors into Harm’s thigh in rapid secession. "My Queen, your assistance please."
"What can I do?"
"Not to put too fine a point on it, I need you to see if there's anyone left in there to save."
She grimaced before taking his free hand in hers, forming a link.
###
Losira was back in the castle, in the grand meeting room where matters of state were discussed and decided. A tall elf sat at the table while scribbling away on a pad of paper.
"Harmon?"
He turned and smiled. "Losira! Damn, sister, I missed you," he said as he walked over and gave her a hug.
She pulled back. "Who are you? Where's my brother."
"What makes you think I'm not your brother? We’re in his mind, are we not?"
"Are we? Where are the sheep? Where’s the Castle? The Dragon?" What happened to your hair?"
He ran his hand over his neatly cut hair. The ponytail gone, replaced by a formal taper-cut properly reflecting the station of Prince. "Have a seat, and I'll try to explain."
Losira sat.
"Atmar and Harmon died. Their personalities recombined to form me, Lucien Irithyl, your brother. I'm the elf who married Marta, fathered Aerith, and disappeared when Harmon and Atmar formed. You and I have never met until now."
"Harmon is dead?"
"He, nor Atmar, was ever really alive. They were placeholders for me, and unfortunately, they overstayed their welcome. Harm realized this, but he had to persuade Atmar to rejoin."
"Muntz did this?"
Lucien nodded. "I never knew what was happening until it was too late. Harmon realized this when you vented aboard the Cube."
"So you're Harmon?"
"And Atmar. Both, yet neither. I'm sorry this is so confusing."
"What about Marta?"
"I've always loved Marta and always will. I think she will recognize me when I come out of this coma."
"You’re so familiar..."
"I should be. You've been seeing glimpses of me since you first met Harmon. That's why you got so mad at him. He was me, yet he wasn't, and it was really wearing on you."
"And you’re Atmar?"
"Yes. Atmar held the pieces you felt were missing in Harmon. I am now complete."
She reached out and took his hand. "Lucien... I missed you."
"And I missed you, Losira."
"Did Muntz escape?"
"No. After he shot me, Atmar disintegrated him. His atoms are coating the walls of the room."
"And those four neos?"
"They’re our younger sisters and brothers. Mother is going to have a field day. Which reminds me," he said as he waved at hand at the wall viewer. Images of his conversation with the neos replayed on the screen.
She gave him the warrior princess look. "What do you want to do?"
"Forget about it. Hell, I wouldn't have told you except you would have eventually seen it during a link. "One more thing before I go."
"Shoot."
She waved her hand to indicate the surroundings.
"Ah, yes, the new digs. Think of them as works in progress. Goodbye, Sister. Tell them I'm fine."
The scene faded as she found herself back in the room. She looked at the Alturan medic. "He's OK."
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Lucien entered an empty house. He walked into the kitchen and found it deserted. "Computer, is there anyone home?"
"Yes, sir. General McMurphy is in the bedroom. Shall I notify her of your arrival?"
"Yes, please."
Marta walked in wearing her dress uniform. "Hey you."
He leaned over and kissed her, careful not to mess up her lipstick. "Award ceremony?"
"Yeah. One forgets the other things happening in the League when you're dealing with an invasion. EMEF Team Four is getting awards for rescuing hostages during the siege of the Earth embassy on Tralaska. Damn fine op if you ask me. You've got that diplomatic shindig, right?"
He nodded. "Yeah. A meet and greet involving the Telescu delegation."
"That's right. A little bird told me that you were instrumental in getting the Telescu to join the League. Nice work, elf."
"Awww shucks. Ummm, my father is going to be at the reception tonight."
"I see,” she said, frowning. Harm had told her about Muntz's files they found in the other universe, which detailed Lucien's kidnapping. "That complicates things. Is Lenora going to be there?"
Lucien nodded.
"Are you going to talk to him?"
"Yeah, it's time. I need to find out why. With the Aymar's it's easy. They were broke, and they needed a companion for Tannith."
"Does Tanni know?"
Lucien nodded again. "But not at the time. She found out much later, after I walked out. Quick question."
"Yes?"
"Do you have any emotional attachment to the shop or its contents?"
"No, why?"
"I want to move it off the estate."
"Sure, knock yourself out."
"What about the ships?"
"Naw. I have a chauffeur now. She's very good.”
"Thanks. Oh, look at the time!"
She looked up at the kitchen chrono just as they heard a horn from the front. "General, your ride is here," the computer announced.
She grabbed her purse from the table. "How do I look?"
"Like the elven goddess you are."
"Thanks." She kissed him and headed out the door, leaving him to his musings. He looked out the kitchen window and saw his workshop, two hangers, and two of his ships parked on the tarmac. "Computer, initiate link with Glentar Skoll. The number is in the directory."
"Working..."
"Harmon of House Aymar! Long time, no see."
"Hey, Glentar. How's the family?"
"One new wife and two more children. The Skoll clan grows!"
"Congrats, buddy. I guess you haven't heard. It's now Lucien of House Irithyl."
"You are Prince Lucien? I employed Prince Lucien?"
"Yes, you did, old friend. Listen, I've got a project that's right up your alley. Are you busy tomorrow night? I was thinking we could meet to discuss things and lie about old times."
"That would be wonderful. How about the Sign of Maltor at seven?"
"Perfect. I'll see you then and there."
Lucien cut the connection, then headed upstairs to change for the gala.
###
"Prince Lucien of Ventos Prime," the herald announced to one and all. He smiled at Lucien.
"You enjoyed that, didn't you?" Lucien whispered. Back in the Harmon days, Lucien would just appear with a glass of iced tea in hand, having bypassed the front door altogether.
The herald shrugged.
Lucien walked down the stairs and began the long, tedious stroll through the party, greeting guests and making small talk along the way. At some point, he took possession of a flute of sparkling Ventosian wine and sipped from it as he mingled.
"My Prince!" his mother exclaimed, "What have you done with my scoundrel son?"
"He is safely ensconced in the tower, milady. Hello Mother," he said while leaning over and kissing her cheek. "How are you doing?"
"I'm shocked, but doing fine. You know how to kiss a woman's cheek?"
"Yes. Try not to swoon, but I can also kiss a lady's hand," he said while demonstrating.
"You cad! What will my husband say?"
"He will be scandalized. Speaking of husband, where is father? I need to talk to him."
Her face hardened as she took him by the arm and took him aside. "What has happened, Harmon? You have never sought out your father."
He looked at her. "You know, don't you?"
She nodded. "I've known for many years now. How did you find out?"
"Muntz was a very thorough note taker."
"Damn him to all the hells in this universe and the next."
"What isn't mentioned is why."
"I was dying, and I would have taken you and Losira with me. Muntz approached your father with a cure, but you were the price."
"You know, I came here to ream him a new one. You have made that impossible. Harmon and Atmar would have made a scene."
"Harmon and Atmar? Atmar is dead, but you are Harmon, my son."
Lucien shook his head. "Atmar and Harmon are gone, merged together to form me, Prince Lucien, your son."
"Lucien?"
Lucien turned to face his father. He put down his glass and reached over, hugging the man. "I missed you," Lucien said.
Lawrence looked over at Lenora. She nodded back, tears flowing down her cheeks.
"I missed you, too, my son." He stepped back and raised his glass for all to see. "Ladies and gentlemen, my son, Lucien Irithyl, has returned!"
The crowd toasted the return of the lost son, then cheered as they crowded around the three to offer congratulations.
###
Dean Chalker paced nervously while he waited for Prince Lucien's arrival.
"Dean Chalker, Professor Aymar-Scott is here to see you."
"Thank the gods! Send her in."
The office door opened and Tannith walked in, a look of confusion on her face. "Sir, I just got notice that you wanted to see me about an urgent matter. Is there a problem?"
"No, no problem, at least I don't think there's a problem. Gods, I hope there isn't a problem..." he started to hyperventilate, so Tannith had him sit while she fetched him some water.
"Sir, you must calm yourself. Now, start from the beginning, and tell me
what's going on."
"Is your brother Prince Lucien?"
"Yes, his adopted name is Harmon Aymar. Why?"
"Prince Lucien is coming here, to this college, to my office."
"OK, did he say why?"
"He wouldn't say. Have I, I mean we, done something to offend His Royal Highness?"
Tannith saw where this was going. "Dean Chalker, you have done nothing wrong. Harm... I mean Lucien, is probably just making a social call..."
The intercom bleeped. "Dean Chalker, Prince Lucien Irithyl is here to see you."
"Oh my," the dean said as his eyes fluttered.
"Chalker! Focus!” Tannith yelled. She reached over and activated the comm. "Send him in, please."
The door opened, and Lucien walked in wearing a two-piece suit and black loafers, his ponytail gone, replace by a stylish tapered cut. On his right ring finger was the signet ring he now wore while on royal business.
"Tannith," he said with a hug and a kiss on her cheek. "How's the new job?"
"Love it. Lucien, this is Dean Chalker. Dean, this is my brother, Prince Lucien Irithyl. Don't mind the dean; I think he's having a breakdown."
Lucien knelt down next to the older elf. "You're an engineer, right? You'd rather be in the lab, wouldn't you?"
The dean nodded as he visibly calmed.
"Been there, sir. For years I used my workshop as a place of refuge from the world."
"You have been there," the dean said, his fear replaced by camaraderie with another of his ilk.
"Oh the stories I could tell," Lucien said while getting him and Tannith a seat. "Tanni, remember the first time Losira met the lurker?"
"How could I forget the screams?"
"Losira? The queen? What's a lurker?"
"Minimal functionality, bipedal robot used to test boots for the EMEF," Lucien explained. "About so tall and so wide. It walks around the Prince's residence wearing all sorts of boot prototypes. Losi walked into it one evening and had a fit. She almost shot it."
"Fascinating. I wish we had a lurker for our engineers to work with."
"Really?"
The dean nodded.
"That's excellent because I have a proposition for you," Lucien said as he pulled a thick notebook from his briefcase. Inside were lists, spreadsheets, maps, and diagrams. "This notebook is the master book for my workshop on the estate which I have decided to donate kit and caboodle to this college. It contains several decades’ worth of tools and things I've collected."