Ripped Apart: Quantum Twins – Adventures On Two Worlds

by Geoffrey Arnold

  Ing always enjoyed taking people on journeys because it confused the logic out of every brain. It worked on the same principle as a twistor, instantaneously becoming five lines of infinite length, each in a different direction, except the one that didn’t.

  Shandur had to locate which line passed through where they wanted to get off, and then stop. Ing took them through all five directions, one after the other, before allowing itself to be located at Lungunu. The four youngsters were left at the front door where they were greeted by Aunt Gallia, as they called the twins’ great-great aunt.

  ‘Why don’t you go down to the kitchen,’ she said. ‘I’m sure Cook can find you something nice to eat. Mandara and I need to talk with the twins’ parents.’

  The not-twins didn’t really want to, because they wanted to do something useful. As usual, Wrenden thought: ‘Why not?’ Tamina took charge.

  ‘That’s a good idea,’ she said in a loud voice to cover up thoughtsending: ‘Cook likes twins. We winkle truth.’

  ‘Come to the Welcome Room when you’re ready,’ Lellia said, smiling at Tamina’s innocent belief that she was old enough to securely tightband a thought to three other people. That the youngsters would get the broad picture from Cook suited Lellia. She would not have to relate the distressing events and she wanted her nephew and niece to have privacy for the news she had for them about the Accelerator Room.

  Cook had what she considered the perfect image: round and jolly with cheery red cheeks. The four friends knew that the way to her heart was through their stomachs.

  Twenty minits of happy munching later and winkling successfully concluded, they knew all there was to know. Despite searching in every manner possible the adults had not been able to locate either twin on Vertazia, or in the seventh dimension which the friends had not thought of. Yet they had found sufficient evidence to indicate they were alive. Due to serious damage in a special part of Lungunu, Lellia and Mandara had not yet been able to pursue a theory that the twins might be on Azura.

  ‘If anyone can find them. We can,’ Tamina said with certainty. The others nodded. They knew how powerful the bond was between all six of them. ‘If they are on Azura, a group mentasynch, using the power of the Stroems,’ she announced into the silence.

  They all knew that the basic function of the six Stroems was to maintain the link with Azura, but not even the twins had ever been allowed to go into the Cavern because of the potential danger. The others paled, licked their lips, then nodded: the six were BestFriends. They rose as one, gave their honourings to the animals and crops that had provided their meal, their thanks to Cook, and headed upstairs.

  As they entered the Welcome Room, the friends had to admit that they were forever impressed by Lungunu’s skill. As the door closed they found themselves on a beautiful tropical island. Like most Tazii when indoors, none of them wore shoes so as to experience the variety of effects most floors enjoyed displaying. The beach felt like luxurious sandy coloured grass.

  Disappointed to find four loungers waiting for them, they were pleased as their thoughts were recognised and the loungers moved together and transformed into a curved sofa, whilst retaining the multicoloured stripes of the loungers.

  Lellia scrutinised the youngsters as they settled down and sent their ‘Tamuchlies’ to House.

  Pelnak and Shimara were as quiet and self-composed as usual and living up to their nickname of ‘not-twins’. Both were wearing long-sleeved tops over trousers cut-off at mid calf. One with a top in shades of pale yellow over trousers with swirls of dark green, the other with a top of shades of pale green over trousers with swirls of dark yellow.

  Wrenden had chosen plain colours to suit his sombre mood. A dark green sweater over brown cut-offs.

  Tamina had shot up early to be much taller than usual for her age. Her discomfort at being head and shoulders above her contemporaries had been exacerbated when she developed a generous bust line. Lellia was pleased to see that she had at last got over her embarrassment which had caused her to badly round her shoulders, and was now celebrating her Form. A steely determination in Tamina’s aura was reflected in a figure hugging, sleeveless snuggy in shades of pale blue-grey over fashionable cut-off trouser-tights in electric blue with silver threads.

  *

  ‘Aunt Gallia,’ Tamina started, ‘we know about the twins being missing. We ourselves think Tullia is all right, but we can’t reach Qwelby. We thought a group mentasynch using the energy of the Stroems?’ Although it was originally her idea, the others had agreed, so all four now owned it.

  All three adults were taken aback. ‘Tamina had not been that explicit earlier,’ the twin’s parents thoughtshared, then remembered her exact words which they had not followed up.

  ‘I know none of us have been into the XzylCavern,’ Tamina continued when no one commented. ‘We need more power. And. Well. The twins have told us of the Stroems. And, I thought…’ Tamina finished in a small voice, deciding to take the blame for what she was sure was the forthcoming criticism.

  ‘I think my husband needs to hear this,’ Lellia said, thoughtsending him to join them.

  Lift noted the urgency in Lellia’s request, and acted.

  Tamina had only just had time to share her feeling of relief that Mandara’s being summoned meant they were being taken seriously when Lift arrived and dissolved, depositing him into a striped armchair. He arched one massive eyebrow.

  ‘Tamina,’ Lellia said. ‘Please start with why you contacted the twins’ parents.’

  At sixteen years and eight months, Tamina was the oldest by a year, but she was not the leader. In true Tazian style the group had no leader. Being in Lungunu with the twins’ family, she wished they were there to explain. But. She was Tullia’s elderest and thus also a sort of older sister to Qwelby. And to my own irritating brother. She sat upright and folded her hands in her lap.

  ‘We all tune in to each other every day, even if only for a light touch.’ Set in soft, straw yellow ovals, the unusually large emerald green centres of her eyes went pale as she flicked into her memory, and she decided to summarise what had happened.

  ‘When none of us had reached either of the twins, we got together at our house. We formed our group in the usual way. And searched. I found a faint trace of Tullia. But she was only half there.’

  ‘I found no trace of Qwelby,’ Wrenden added, sadly.

  ‘Your group of four?’ Mandara asked. ‘How do you form that?’

  ‘Our ritual is really for all six of us. Sometimes we do something similar when we are… erm, experimenting with the twins…’ Tamina paused. She was having difficulty in keeping away from voicing any untruths, as that fact would be seen in her aura. She was also struggling with her emotions as she recalled the part they had all played in helping the twins to penetrate Mandara’s and Shandur’s Privacy Shield, which had led to them exploring the attic.

  ‘We did that when we helped them the other day,’ she finished brightly, thinking of the Bell Tower. Relieved, she went on to explain the ceremony used by all six of them.

  ‘We based it on one of the HoloWrapper adventures of Aurigan times,’ Pelnak added. ‘The twins suggested some changes to make it really ours and not just a copy of an HWFantasy.’

  The youngsters were puzzled by the solid feeling of amazement issuing from Mandara.

  Lellia was sending forth a strong feeling of encouragement, so it was natural for Wrenden to volunteer more.

  ‘I felt a bit left out as all the others have their fourteenth rebirthday crystals. So Qwelby made this for me.’ He slipped a hand down his sweater and pulled his EraBand into view. It was a torc made of a series of linked metal ovals, each striped gold and silver on a dark grey base. One oval was larger than the others and would be the home for whatever crystal was chosen and attuned to his torc. Attached to that oval by a short, invisible cord was an oval of green simujade. Everyone could see engraved on it were two, interlinked circles.

  ‘Your ceremony. You mentioned using
a… plaque?’ Mandara asked.

  Tamina reached into a pouch hanging at her side and held it out on the palm of her hand for all to see. There was a profound silence as the adults studied it.

  *

  Completely covering her hand everyone could see a slightly convex object with twelve straight sides. Fine grooves etched onto it created twelve isosceles triangles marked with the ten colours of the rainbow plus infra red and ultra violet. Joining the corners of each pair of adjacent triangles was a pair of intertwined lines, forming six larger isosceles triangles.

  ‘This is the result of all the time spent in my laboratory?’ Mandara asked.

  Grins and nods were all the answer required.

  The adults’ desire for further explanation was so strong there was no need for anyone to ask.

  ‘The twins designed all this,’ Tamina explained. They were very insistent it was done exactly as they said. Each of us applied two of the colours to adjacent triangles. Then we engraved the six sides of the inner figure. You will see that each side bridges exactly two segments. In this sequence.’ She pointed as she spoke. ‘Me, Tullia, Shimara, Wrenden, Qwelby, Pelnak. And we engraved those sides in opposite pairs. So Wrenden and I each engraved one line on both of our segments, and so on. The twins said its name is Óweppâ.’

  Tamina leant forward, extending her hand and the object.

  ‘Right in the centre you can see seven semi-circles. No particular pattern. The twins said they represented the seven dimensions of life. Three, four, five, six, seven, eight and nine.’ She looked around the adult’s faces. ‘We’ve never heard of the sixth dimension but the twins said it was there.’

  Mizena held out her hand and received the object.

  ‘Heavy!’ she exclaimed. ‘And old.’

  ‘No, we made it less than two years ago,’ Pelnak said.

  ‘No. I mean the energy is old,’ Mizena replied. Noticing her husband’s raised eyebrow she turned to him. ‘I’m not just a happy farmer, mother and house-wife. Don’t forget my genes,’ she said in reference to the genes she carried of Rrîltallâ Taminûllÿâ, the great healer-heroine of Aurigan times.

  ‘It was all very strange,’ Wrenden explained. ‘We just did what they said. No discussion at all. And the twins were… different.’

  ‘It was their eyes,’ Shimara said. ‘All the time we were working the fine rims around their purple orbs were silver, instead of their usual, you know, Tullia lavender and Qwelby violet.’

  ‘And their ovals were rimmed with silver,’ Pelnak added.

  ‘It was like Invaders from the Nebula,’ Wrenden said, referring to a Sci-Fi HoloWrapper popular amongst the younger children, ‘and they’d been taken over by the aliens.’

  The object was passed round to Mandara.

  ‘You have created a very powerful Talisman,’ he said, feeling the energy. ‘This one interfaces with the sixth level of vibration. What do you know of that?’

  The youngsters and Mizena shook their heads.

  ‘We know so little of the time before the Great Divide. Our researches,’ he indicated his wife and Shandur, ‘indicate the sixth dimension to have been a vibratory band on the side, so to speak. Not a level through which the Auriganii lived in what seems to have been the long journey through all the levels.’ He paused.

  ‘Keep it simple, my dear,’ his wife said, reaching out to rest a hand gently on the big mans’ arm and using the contact to ensure tight-beaming of an accompanying thought. ‘This is not the time to mention the inner hexagon and the power of its links.’

  ‘No. Your expertise. But you worry me. How much power are they unconsciously tapping into, and where did the twins learn all this?’ Mandara tight-beamed back as he appeared to take time to consider his words.

  ‘In the manner in which you have explained that you formed your group, you have managed to reproduce what I believe was a powerful Aurigan ceremony, by which you have created a separate and distinct energy entity capable of accessing the sixth dimension. One that has far more power than all six of you put together. I think that explains how you were able to create the Time Bubble and the Bell Tower.’

  The youngsters shared looks of surprise, amazement and excitement.

  ‘What do you use this for?’ Mandara asked.

  ‘There is so much information in the Archives that is age restricted,’ Pelnak answered. ‘Since we formed our group, all six of us exploring together, we can access well beyond our age limits.’

  ‘Such as?’ Mizena asked

  ‘Science for me,’ Pelnak answered.

  ‘Azura, for me and Qwelby,’ Wrenden said.

  ‘Dance and fashion for me,’ Tamina added. ‘And fashion for Tullia, of course. And she explores healing and what it would mean to devote her life to that.’

  ‘I like bits of what the girls explore,’ Shimara explained. ‘I like the idea of combing them to create new energy schemes of interior decoration, houses and furniture that can adapt themselves to people’s needs, emotional as well as physical.’ She blushed as she glanced at Tamina. ‘And asking you to help make them beautiful.’

  ‘And Quantum Twins of course,’ Tamina and Wrenden said together.

  All four adults nodded their understanding. Given that the whole race lived in tune with the underlying energies of the cosmos they were convinced that there had to be a particular reason for the existence of Quantum Twins. Hoping to find information amongst the very old and degraded records, Mandara and Lellia had devised powerful and discrete search protocols. They had not been able to discover any more than they had already been told.

  ‘And we all want to know more about the lives of our ancestors,’ Pelnak added to nods from his friends.

  ‘It sounds like you have accessed knowledge several years ahead of you, at least into the tenth and eleventh phases,’ Mizena said in admiration.

  ‘And beyond,’ Wrenden added. ‘But that’s adult stuff and it’s, well, boring.’

  The adults laughed as a feeling of relief spread amongst them that the children still were, at least sometimes, children.

  ‘How do your Educationers react to the knowledge in your work?’ Mizena asked.

  ‘We don’t put any age restricted stuff into our college work!’ Pelnak replied in a horrified tone of voice.

  ‘The Educationers are all adults and they’re… boring.’ Wrenden’s voice tailed off. ‘But you’re not,’ he added quickly.

  Everyone could see the ‘Why not?’ hanging in the air above his head.

  It was as though the room itself sighed as Lellia received thoughts of permission from the other adults. The lighting dimmed and the sky turned to night. Instead of the sun, hanging above their heads was a planet streaked with dark reds and blacks and with a purple ring around it. The traditional image for Auriga in its last days.

  ‘I will save you a long and technical history lesson,’ Lellia said. ‘It appeared that the basis for the violence was in some of the exploration, creation, achievement and reward sequences of our DNA. Now, by the time adulthood is achieved, each Tazian has been calibrated and, dependent upon the individual, certain restrictions are applied as part of the ceremony. Putting it far too simply: the calibration is on a peace/aggression index related to co-operative effort/personal achievement.’

  ‘Oh, great. I’m in for a full dose then,’ Wrenden said bitterly, referring to his genetic inheritance from the Uddîšû Ngélûzhrâ Khèrñîszón.

  ‘Surely we need adventurers and explorers,’ Tamina said, tightbanding her brother her thought that it was about time he let go of that Hero’s other attribute of Trickster. It had only been a few days ago that he had played his latest trick at a family meal with the twins present.

  Black hens laid eggs larger than all others, and occasionally even larger sky blue ones with a lot of rich yolk at the narrow end. Tamina loved those soft boiled. As she had gone to crack the shell the egg cup had morphed, turning the egg narrow side down. By the time she had discovered that it was glued in positio
n and had had to eat though the white, the yolk had gone hard, totally spoiling her special treat. She had grimaced and shaken her head, as if in sad dismissal and deliberately disarming her brother. She had then mentaformed an arm into a snake and hissed.

  All Tazian boys had a degree of snake phobia before their Awakening and becoming men. At times Tamina used that to get back at her brother, using real snakes. On that occasion Wrenden had jerked back and succeeded in partially blocking the energy. Qwelby had gone pale and rushed from the room. Tullia had groaned, clutched her stomach and bent over.

  ‘He’s terrified,’ Tullia had said. ‘I never send snake images, no matter how much he annoys me. I feel his fear. Kaigii. Identical twins.’ She had given Tamina a lop-sided smile. ‘You couldn’t know. We hide that very securely.’

  Tamina had only recently experienced her Awakening and was coming to terms with what it meant for her. How she was going to help Tullia through that when her youngerest reacted as a boy as well as a girl was a question she had filed away to explore later.

  ‘We do need them.’ Lellia’s words cut through Tamina’s reminiscing. ‘It depends on their level of co-operation.’ Her accompanying thoughts were expressing her long-standing concern about the basis on which such decisions were made.

  ‘Oh, he can do that all right,’ Tamina said, in a sour tone of voice. She was remembering one of the more audacious tricks that her brother and Qwelby had pulled off. Entering her bedroom she had seen a sphere of water balanced on the top of the door. It had taken her too long to think through the unbelievably advanced level of skill of ‘the pair of pests’ as she and Tullia called them. It was not even real water that was being released from a mental force field. She was being made to imagine the water. By the time she had realised that, she had allowed herself to feel soaked through.