On the other side of the spectrum were the tall-timid pale skeletal species called Shon’mirah. They were thinkers – mathematicians and the cooler heads for conflicts, dealing out justice when necessary. The Shon’mirah was illusive, but Charles knew of their presence. In every reference to them, they were the honored statesmen, who above all practiced peaceful alternatives instead of war.
When he saw the third member of the Triad Charles’ flesh turned cold. He stared at the images before him. In all his travels, of all the worlds he had excavated never had he found reference to the Cosmea.
“They’re human,” Da’Mira said in amazement. “Charles – they’re human, like in the ice!”
Words stuck in Charles’ throat. “I have… I mean I’ve never found evidence of humans being out here. We’ve always assumed we were indigenous to Earth. Now with the one’s in the ice cave and these here…” Why haven’t we found evidence about them before?
Charles read on. The Cosmea were a race of necromancers also known as shadow people. No one knew when they were about, able to take the form of other races, the Cosmea were more legend than reality. “I could have studied them over the years… never knowing they were human. They must have had some incredible powers to keep hidden.”
Da’Mira cleared her throat, said, “You are Origin?”
I AM ORIGIN>
“What can you tell us about the Cosmea?”
THE COSMEA WERE EVERYWHERE AND NO WHERE>
“Riddles Origin?”
THE COSMEA WERE THE FORCE BEHIND THE LAST WAR – THE DEFINING WAR – THE WAR THAT ENDED EVERYTHING>
“What war?” Da’Mira asked.
THE WAR THAT ENDED EVERYTHING>
Charles looked at Da’Mira. His brow knitted, he said, “Let’s try this from a different approach. You are Origin?”
I AM ORIGIN>
“Where did the Cosmea come from?”
THE COSMEA WERE EVERYWHERE AND NOWHERE – THEY WERE THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THE LAST WAR – THE DEFINING WAR – THE WAR THAT ENDED EVERYTHING>
“The war with who?” Da’Mira asked.
Origin didn’t reply.
“Who was the war with?” Charles asked.
Origin didn’t reply.
“What does it mean?” Da’Mira asked.
“We know from the worlds we’ve excavated that there had been a war, a war so massive that it destroyed every alien species in the galaxy. No one survived.”
“Except us.”
Charles glanced at Da’Mira, and said, “When this war happened there was no us. The humans on Earth were barbarous and believed that the sun was a god.”
“No scientism in your voice,” Da’Mira said with a soft smile.
“Proven facts are hard to deny in this age of man, Milady. Ever since the Cosmos was lost we’ve learned so much…” Charles’ words trailed off. He stumbled over his thoughts and he got a funny feeling in his chest. He drew in a deep breath and bit his lower lip.
“What is it?” Da’Mira asked.
The words hung on the tip of Charles’ tongue for a moment and then he said looking up at the human images on the wall, “Cosmea is another word for cosmos.”
Da’Mira looked at Charles, her eyes narrowed, confused, she said, “Perhaps you could explain your idea.”
“You are Origin?”
I AM ORIGIN>
“Display all information on the test vessel Cosmos,” Charles said and waited anxiously like a child receiving a present.
Pictures of Cosmos’s crew replaced the images of the Cosmea. The ship’s captain, Rachel Tannador stood with the twenty-four others of her crew. Prideful, Rachel had the personification of a commanding officer. Yet by her appearance, she wasn’t afraid of hard work. The sleeves of her flight jacket rolled up. Dirt and grease stained her arms and face.
Da’Mira took a step close to the image and said in a hush, “I’ve never seen her before.”
“You look like her. I bet she was a lot like you.”
Da’Mira glanced back at Charles, grinned and said, “You think so?”
COSMOS LAUNCHED FROM EARTH IN 2138 SETTING OUT TO PROVE WORMHOLE THEORY AS A MEANS OF SAFE, FASTER THAN LIGHT SPACE TRAVEL>
“Yes – I’m aware of that. What happened to the ship?”
“No one knows what happened to it,” Da’Mira said backing away from the image of her ancestor.
COSMOS BEGAN ITS FLIGHT AT FOURTEEN HUNDRED HOURS EARTH TIME AND ENTERED AN UNSTABLE WORMHOLE AT FIFTEEN FOURTEEN HUNDRED HOURS – CROSSING THE EVENT HORIZON AND INTO A TEMPORAL WAVE>
“And?” Charles waited for more.
“I think he’s done.”
“You are Origin?”
I AM ORIGIN>
“What happened to Cosmos after it entered the temporal wave?”
OBSERVE>
The images of the crew faded, and a new series of images appeared on the wall overlaying the schematic of the test ship. Charles’ eyes widened with excitement. He took a step closer to the pictographs and reached out to touch them. He swallowed, it stuck in his throat. “This is incredible – incredible,” he said.
“What are they?” Da’Mira asked confused and admitted, “I’ve never understood mathematics, especially on the scale like this.”
“These are mathematic calculations on a temporal scale. They far exceed quantum mechanics and my personal knowledge. I don’t know what this… wait a minute.”
“You understand this?” Da’Mira asked pointing at the calculations.
“To a degree yes… I have a good idea.”
“Are you going to tell me?”
Charles shook his head, said, “Let’s have Origin tell us. You are Origin?”
I AM ORIGIN>
“Did the crew of the Cosmos time travel?”
THE EXPERIMENTAL SHIP – IN WORMHOLE FLIGHT – INADVERTENTLY PASSED THROUGH THE EVENT HORIZON OF A BLACK HOLE AND WERE PROPELLED THROUGH TIME>
Charles and Da’Mira exchanged looks.
“They traveled back in time,” Charles said, sounding vindicated.
“How far back in time?” Da’Mira asked.
“Origin – how far back did the Cosmos travel?”
EIGHT THOUSAND, FOUR HUNDRED AND SEVEN YEARS>
“How the hell is that even possible?” Da’Mira asked.
“Do you know what this means?” Charles said clapping his hands together. He spun around and raised his voice in euphoria. “Do any of you understand what this means…” his joyfulness faded however when he saw his duffle bag lying empty on the floor. Da’Mira had been wearing it since the main chamber, but slipped it off when she became inundated by the probing lights. He scooped it up in his fist and showed it to Da’Mira. “Empty.”
“The casket,” Da’Mira said in a hushed voice. She looked around the chamber and asked, “Could one of the others have taken it?”
“I don’t…” Charles also searched the chamber. He couldn’t believe that any of his own team would take the cask. Most of them had been in his employ for a long time. He trusted them, and they trusted him. No, it couldn’t have been any of my people, he thought. Then he spotted Van Xavier standing by himself. Charles looked for his brother. Gregaor was never far from him. Now that makes sense. Charles looked over his shoulder to Da’Mira and asked, “Where is Gregaor – where is Gregaor Xavier?”
Earth – North America Wasteland
Cheyenne Mountain Complex
May 7, 2442
Avara and Colin chased the black crystal through the dim corridors of the military base. The stone emitted a dark light, enough to guide them. It zigzagged back and forth, gyrating ahead of them, as if it led a wild goose chase. Under different circumstances Avara thought this would be fun.
The black onyx shot through corridors, down staircases, zipping along as if it knew its destination. Colin and Avara kept up with the stone as best they could. At points along the way, the crystal hovered, waiting for them to catch up before proceeding.
The crystal race
d down deep into the dark bellows of the mountain. The only light came from the crystal itself. It emitted a resonating pulse of black light and fabricated a gray charcoal radiance and cast an ominous hue throughout the lower level.
The stone stopped, hovered outside a glass chamber. Marked in bold red letters outside the chamber were several words that Avara could not read. Separated by generations of evolved language, the old-world English looked like gibberish to her.
Following the words with an extended finger, Avara asked, “Can you read what it says?”
Colin nodded and read out loud, “Quantum Residence Chamber – Authorized Personnel Only.”
“Do you know what this means?” Avara asked pointing at a symbol that looked like a sideways eight.
“No,” Colin replied. He pulled off his knitted cap, scratched his head and then pulled it back on.
The black crystal repeatedly tapped against the glass of the chamber as if trying to get through.
“What do you think it’s trying to do?” Colin wondered out loud.
“I don’t understand any of this. What is this stone – how is it flying and why are we killing ourselves chasing it?” Avara asked. The more she thought of the strange occurrences the less likely she believed them, even after experiencing them. She’d always been of person of literal truths. A believer of things with concrete reasoning attached to them. The black crystal broke all the rules of nature. The sun, the moon, the change in seasons made sense to her. They’d been part of her life, she knew them, she expected them, but the crystal made no sense.
“Hey – you all right?” Colin asked.
Avara looked at Colin unsure how to answer him. She wanted to say yes, but that would be a lie. The only reason she came into the black hills to begin with was to find the scavengers and broker a peace. She wanted none of this. She didn’t believe in sorcery, or its scientific counterpart. “I want to go home.”
“Once we figure this out, I’ll see you home.”
Avara always considered herself a strong person. She fought alongside her husband just a year ago when the scavengers attacked enforce. She tended to the injured and dying and never once did she cry. Avara rarely cried until now. “I want to go home.”
Colin took her by the shoulders, squared her with him and said, “All right – all right… I’ll take you home.”
Tears streamed down Avara’s face, and she demanded, “Now… right now?”
“Now,” Colin replied. He reached over to take a hold of the gemstone. The crystal vibrated with his touch, a high-pitched whine squealed from the rock. Avara buckled to her knees holding the palms of her hands over her ears. The resonating sound shattered the glass of the chamber. Colin let go of the gem, it buzzed ahead through the broken window frame. Shards of razor sharp glass blew outward crashing all around them; the glass sliced through Colin like a razor.
Avara shielded her eyes with her arms. Her heavy chesterfield coat blocked the glass and protected her. When the glass settled, Avara opened her eyes. The dark crystal floated in the center of the chamber. Wonder-struck she gave Colin a dashing glance.
Colin stepped through the broken glass into the chamber. Blood covered his bare legs. Avara stood and followed him through, into the laboratory. Besides a round raised platform several inches off the floor in the center of the room, the chamber was empty. A black brick wall at the far side of the laboratory stood out from the rest of the room. Avara surveyed it, turning her back to Colin. She reached out to touch the brick but retracted her hand – she gasped.
“What is it?” Colin asked joining her.
“I felt a tingle from it,” Avara said; her voice tight in her throat.
“Come on. Let’s get out of here. I’ll come back in a few days after I know you’re all right.”
Avara almost told him to wait, that she wanted to finish this through, but she hesitated and said, “Thank you,” instead.
Again, Colin reached out for the black onyx, it buzzed away from him like an insect. When he took a step closer he inadvertently stepped on the raised platform. A blinding white light burst free from the base. The force shoved Colin back. The room flooded with bright blinding energy. It shot through the room as if rocket propelled. The crystal flew past Colin and Avara and slammed into the mortar. An earsplitting crack echoed through the level and the black brick shattered like dry clay, it crumbled to the floor in large clumps.
The entire level of the complex shook. “It’s an earthquake!” Avara reached out for Colin’s hand and he pulled her out of the room. What black bricks remained on the wall folded in on themselves like a giant kaleidoscope and sounded like metal against metal. A swirling vortex of immense size opened behind them. Avara screamed, but her cries went unheard. A gravity-well sucked them toward a whirlpool that formed on the wall. Colin’s strong legs fought against the pull, but when the shards of glass on the floor flew by him – they struck him with the force of bullets from a gun. He lost his footing trying to avoid their sharp edges.
Avara reached out to find something to grab a hold of, but all her hands found were air. She looked over her shoulder closed her eyes and waited to be pulled into the event horizon.
Every part of Avara’s body froze, she shivered, her teeth chattered. She’d never been so cold. Her muscles and joints were stiff and ached when she tried to move. Confused and unable to draw a breath she panicked. The air yanked out of her lungs and no matter how hard she tried she couldn’t find a breath. Dazed, unsure of what happened to her, or where she had gone. She rolled over and pushed herself up off a smooth floor. The tips of her fingers were numb. Unable to open her eyes she reached up and touched them. Ice sealed them shut. She tried not to panic. Her lips swollen and cold, she shivered. Yet, that was the least of her worries. She still couldn’t draw a breath. Avara fisted her hands and slammed them on the floor, her heart raced, anger cut through her and she thought of her daughter, Veranda. Her body grew warmer. The frost that sealed her eyes melted and she opened them to find Colin in front of her. He was speaking, but she didn’t hear him.
Colin slapped her across the face and Avara drew in a deep breath, the fresh air filled her lungs, stabbing at her heart, it startled her. She grabbed hold of Colin’s tunic – pulled him close. Taking several more breaths a warm sensation melted over her. Collapsing to the floor she took hold of Colin’s hand – tears stung her eyes.
“Avara… Avara…” Colin said repeatedly.
Avara nodded and said, “I can hear you.”
Colin ran his hand through her tangled hair and pushed it out of her face. She slapped his hand away. “I’m… I’m fine,” she shuddered; her voice strained. She opened her eyes wider and looked around. Wonderstruck, Avara saw the same black brick wall, but they were no longer in the same room. She refrained from asking what happened, because by the dumbfounded look on Colin’s face, he knew as little as she. She stood up with a helping hand. Her joints had loosened up and though there was a chill deep down in her bones, she felt warmer and ready to go.
“Go where?” Colin asked after Avara expressed her readiness to leave.
“Home… remember, you promised we’d go home.”
Colin brushed Avara off with a wave of his hand.
This infuriated Avara, and she stepped around in front of Colin giving him a stern glare.
“Look around. I’m not sure where we are…”
Avara took a moment and studied their new surroundings. The room wasn’t much bigger than the one they were in. The walls were a pinkish gray, except for the black brick wall, the only familiar thing in the room. The brick’s sleek shiny surface gave her an eerie feeling and she turned away. Avara noticed the walls on the opposite side of the room decorated with crooked and twisted symbols. Although she couldn’t read them, she knew they were a warning.
Colin reached out to touch the symbols.
“Are you sure that’s safe?” Avara said rushing ahead to join him. When she did, an invisible door formed in the wall. Its sle
ek curved outline pushed inward and slid open with a whoosh. She jumped back, and the door slid closed. She and Colin exchanged looks.
Colin stepped toward the opening in the wall. Again, the outline of the door appeared. He regarded Avara and gave her a half smile and pulled his sword from his back. “Want to see where it goes?”
Avara shook her head no but stepped up to join him.
Before Colin turned back toward the door he saw something from the corner of his eye. Avara turned toward his gaze. There lying on the floor she saw the black crystal. Like the brick wall, it gave her chills; though she wasn’t sure if the chills came from the stone, or because of the effects from being transported to a new place. Colin snatched the crystal from its resting place, held it in his hand for a moment and slipped it in the pocket of his white cotton jersey.
“Ready?”
Again, Avara shook her head no, but followed Colin out of the room. Her legs weak, she forced herself on.
Outside the room they found an antechamber with a flight of stairs leading up and disappearing out of sight. When they heard a scream, Colin stammered forward as if he recognized the shout. More shouts and bedlam followed.
“Come on!” Colin yelled and sprinted up the stairs, leaping over several steps at a time and leaving Avara behind. She sighed and gave chase, afraid of what lie ahead of them.
Kepler 369
The Origin Chamber
May 7, 2442 – Earth Time
Gregaor Xavier stood back; watching, waiting and listening to Da’Mira and Charles confront Origin, all the while drinking in the information from the holographic images on the wall. He had questions but decided it prudent to remain in the background until he found the right opportunity. That had been the only thing he’d learned from his mother. She knew the fine art of deception when to act and to wait.
Gregaor waited. If he could find the right moment, the right question to ask he would speak up. And when he did he would take control of the situation. He waited for something he could use to present itself.
Origin Expedition Page 36