Bridgeworlds: Deep Flux

by Randy Blackwell

  Myles shook his head. “Thank you.” He took the map from the wall with his free hand and also pushed the release button on the teleportation device on the Pontiff’s arm, pocketing that one, too. He opened a few of the drawers in the all-white desk and in one he found some kind of pistol. The guards’ eyes widened when they saw him pull it out. Myles put away the knife and pointed the pistol at the Pontiff. “I want safe passage out of here. If I think you are following me I'm going to blow his brains out. Take the teleporters from your wrists and slide them over to me.”

  The guards quickly did what he asked.

  Myles picked them up and pocketed them. That makes five. “Good. Now take off that armor.”

  The guards blinked. “Now! Or I will shoot him, then you,” Myles said with a deadly look in his eyes. The guards began to take off their armor. Myles set the Pontiff down and pointed the gun at the guards as he walked towards them. Then he looked at one guard and said, “Use the restraints you have to bind your feet and then your hands behind your back." He looked at the other guard and said, "You do the same."

  The guard did as he asked and then gave him a questioning look. Myles walked over to each guard striking him in the head with the butt of the pistol knocking both of them out.

  Myles took off his jacket and shirt. There isn’t much time I have to hurry. He took a good look at the deep gash in his arm. I’m going to need to tend to that before I move forward.

  Myles reached into one of his pockets and pulled out a needle and thread. When he was done sewing up the wound he thought it was sufficient though he was not impressed with how sloppy the sewing was. Then he checked his arms and legs. The other gashes he had received from the Knife Guard were not deep and they could at least wait. For a moment a wave of fatigue swept over Myles. I need to keep moving before exhaustion catches up to me.

  Myles looked over at the Pontiff and thought for a moment . I need to get them to focus on something other than me. Myles put his coat on the Pontiff, it was a comical scene. Now I see why they called me a fat monkey. The coat was so large on the Pontiff it hung almost like on a hanger when on him. Then Myles took the coat with the man in it and slipped it on. He tightened the coat belt around the waste securing the Pontiff to Myles' back. The man weighs next to nothing.

  “Now to get out of this place,” he said to himself as he looked around. Myles had noticed that on every tall building, the shuttles that transported tubes were on the third floor. He took the elevator to the third floor and activated his invisibility device which would also cloak the Pontiff under his long coat.

  He passed many people as he walked to the track, but none saw him. There were foot placements for each person getting on and it looked like the cab filled every trip. Myles couldn’t get in without being noticed, so he climbed it and tied himself to the metal framing at the top with some rope he had kept in his coat since leaving earth and even used in Musterion to climb down and save Sebastian. The memory caught Myles in the moment. But Myles' reminiscence was broken when the vehicle took off and Myles was sure he was going to die. It rocketed forward so fast that it took his breath away.

  Myles waited until they neared the docks before taking the Pontiff off his back and tying him to the top of the transportation tube. That ought to keep them busy long enough for me to get out of here. He got off at the docks right before the tube took off again.

  He spied some motorized boats that looked like they belonged to Gauntmen. They were very technological and advanced, but there was also one sail boat that was docked at the pier. Myles snuck forward to see a Gabad with a red bandana and a missing eye on the sailboat. By his stance and the way the others deferred to him, he looked to be the captain of the ship. His crew was made up of Akana, Gabad, and even an oriental looking Yaarma.

  Myles blinked. These were different than the species on Soterion, though. They all had wings and flew from one post to another looking like they were getting ready to set sail. The captain barked orders at them, “Abaft! Get your dungbie back there and untie us from the deck you idiots. We going to take the whole lot with us?! Its east we go to the cursed lands of Tanniyn’erets!”

  Myles nodded with a smile. How convenient! This will do. He jumped on deck, found a set of stairs and went below deck finding a cluster of ale barrels to hide behind.

  Fatigue had set in. Almost miraculously, he had been able to escape the Gauntmen and the island while starved and weak with exhaustion. Myles had never been imprisoned before this but he had known plenty of other cons who had. He was very lucky that fatigue had not set in and that he was able to ride his adrenaline out for the extent of the whole charade of escaping. Most prisoners would have buckled in the first fight having been stuck in such a small space for so long without movement. Myles wasn’t sure if it was luck, adrenaline, or miracle but he was thankful to be away. He now felt the full pain of all the wounds he had taken.

  It would be nice if the Doc was here to patch me up or even Kasey was here to tell me how stupid I was for trying to tangle with Haylale. But Myles was in a position he had become quite accustomed to over the years. He was alone and on his own.

  Myles was tired and wiped out and as he sat there trying to figure out his next move he passed out from hunger and deep fatigue. As Myles woke he could feel the hard wood deck push against his face as if he had been sleeping there for hours. Rough waves crashed against the ship and the wind blew the smell of salty ocean water past his nose. Gulls squawked above his head and Myles cracked his eyes open to see them flying above the ship. He realized he had been tied and brought above deck while he was passed out. He immediately shut his eyes again hoping his captor hadn't noticed he was awake yet.

  He squinted a few times to see the contents of his many pockets emptied onto the deck into a large pile a good fifteen feet away from him. They had even emptied the compartments in his boots. Myles felt naked stripped of all his tricks. I must know if I can mold the world around me now that I am away from that forsaken island. Nothing obvious. Something small. He imagined one of his knives back in his pockets and suddenly felt it there. Yes! I'm back!

  Myles immediately imagined the same food he had eaten on Musterion, the food of the water dwelling race of the Am Mayim. He imagined the first bite in his mouth already. I hope this works to heal me like it did on Musterion. Almost immediately Myles felt rejuvenated and full of life. The string that he had sewn his shoulder up with fell away within his shirt. He smiled slightly with his eyes still closed.

  Feeling self-confident and revitalized, Myles sat up and looked around. His breath was taken by the sight. He had been too hurried to study all of the intricate details of the boat when jumping aboard, but now he took it all in. The ship was ornate and beautiful obviously made by a master woodcraftsman. It was majestic! From what he could see, it was massive, about 70 yards long and 20 yards wide.

  As he looked around he could see only one man watching him. He was being guarded by a lithe Akana who had a long ponytail of black hair that went down past his waist. He had a scar across his face that tore diagonal from one cheek over his lips to the side of his chin as if someone had tried to carve part of his face off. The man bent over and gave Myles a beady stare. He blew his foul breath on him from between a few yellow teeth that remained in his mouth. “Capn’, the Hornswaggler. He be awake,” yelled the man.

  The captain was an old man in his 60s but he did not look like the kind of man you wanted to tangle with. There was gray hair underneath his red bandana that was long enough to flow right into his gray beard. His eyes were brown, which was odd for a Gabad. He walked toward Myles and stood over him for a moment before he reached into his coat and pulled out a 9mm glock.

  Myles’ eyes widened.

  The captain smiled, “Then you know what this is.” He turned to the Akana. “Check his forearm, Rembly.” The crew member who had been guarding him pulled up the sleeve of Myles coat to reveal the tattoo on his arm. The captain raised an eyebrow. “You are from earth, what
century?”

  Myles tried to think. Should I tell him? How does he know? “Yer a dead man already so ya might as well talk. I am Captain Samuel Burgess and this 'ere is my ship. You have stowed away carrying goods stolen from the Gauntmen and others, it would seem. You are a thief and a liar by the look of ya. And so ye have not much time to live. If you cooperate I might let ye die quickly by the gun or blade. If you do not, well… a much worse fate awaits ye.” His expression was hard as stone.

  Myles remained silent. I can get out of this, best to gamble with a poker face and call his bluff. The captain sighed. “Have it yer way. I'll still give ye a choice.” He pointed to a noose hung from the mizzenmast waiting for him. “Ye can dance the Hempen Jig…” Then he pointed to piece of wood hung over the starboard side of the ship. “…or ye can walk tha plank.” His crew let out a rowdy cheer eager to have some entertainment.

  Myles took in a deep breath. “I will take the plank.”

  They cut the ropes and Myles shed his jacket and hat. Then he walked quickly toward plank and waited.

  The captain cleared his throat, “Any last words?”

  Myles nodded his head then gave the captain a sharp look, “You are going to regret this.” The captain let out a bellowing laugh as some of his crew had gathered around him and laughed, too. Now able to see the full crew, Myles noticed that the crew was actually made up of mostly Am Mayim. He looked down to see that someone had dangled some meat overboard dripping blood into the water. There were sharks swimming about below. Myles walked to the end of the plank amid the crew's jeers and stepped off without hesitating. He fell into the water with a splash feet first... It was freezing cold and took Myles off guard causing the air to be knocked out of him.

  He surfaced, gasping for breath. Myles looked up and saw the crew leaning over to watch the carnage they expected with anticipation. The water around me is warm. He thought it and it was. Myles took a look back at the ship. The figurehead at the front of the boat was a bearded man holding a trident. His hair was painted black under a golden crown with billowing stained wood robes. He stood on the head of another man blowing a conch shell. Intricately carved mermaids decorated each side painted with beautiful golden designs down their scaled bodies.

  The sharks circled in closely around Myles. My skin is as hard as steel. One of the sharks tried to bite him but its teeth shattered on Myles’ arm. I am flame. The water around him began to boil as his body became living fire. The crew broke into a confused clamor with cursing and expressions of shock. As the water around Myles reached boiling heat the sharks swam away. Myles laughed and looked up at the crew with a smile.

  Myles didn't want to give anyone more time to realize what was going on. It was time to finish this. I am on deck behind the captain with all of my things in my pockets, hat and coat on, with my stick in hand. As he disappeared everyone gasped in shock. He held out his stick, finger on the hidden trigger while the end began to glow red. “Now I'm going to give you all a choice. You can let me have passage on board, or…we can fight with you on the other end of my boom-stick.”

  The captain and his crew turned around wide eyed. But the captain drew his sword. “No man, be he sorcerer or saint, gives me orders upon my ship!”

  The ship glowed and began to float out of the water, angling upward. The crew seemed ready and used to this and they gained holding quickly. Myles looked around him in shock. He teleported behind the captain and pulled the trigger but the captain vanished. Fire exploded from the length of Myles' walking stick and the spread from the Magi-made buckshot with gunpowder hit the side of the boat and several pirates cursed in anger at the holes in their beautiful ship. He imagined a strap on the walking stick and as it appeared he slung it around his back. With a sliver of fear he realized he was fighting a man who had the same knowledge that he did. As Myles teleported again he saw the captain thrusting his sword through the open space where he had been only a second ago. How does he know?

  Then the captain multiplied. There were 12 of him all surrounding Myles teleporting in and out to swipe at him with swords. I am like vapor. The swords went straight through him. The captains all stopped, dropping their weapons to their sides. Eleven dissipated like smoke leaving one standing in front of the incorporeal Myles. He looked Myles in the eyes and laughed. “It seems we will get nowhere with this. Shall we parley?”

  Myles nodded, not amused. He became solid again but he was still wary. He knows this place is but a dream, and he is stronger here than I am.

  The ship leveled out in the sky sailing between fluffy cloudbanks. The crew of the ship acted as if this were normal. Myles looked around as the ship captured the wind and began to move swiftly through the clouds.

  The captain slapped him on the back. “Come with me, we need to be private to talk about all of this. Half these men, if they knew what you and I know about this place… they would wreak havoc on this 'ere world.”

  Myles nodded as he followed the captain below the deck to his quarters. As they entered Myles could see walls lined with bookshelves full of old tomes and rolled up maps. There was a gold chandelier hanging from the center of the ceiling and a crimson red rug with blue embroidery directly below it. Arched windows gave a view of the horizon from the front of the ship and a small bed was positioned to take advantage of that view. Myles' attention, though, drifted to several small open chests of gold and precious gems stored underneath. He forced himself to look away before the captain noticed his gaze. At the head of the bed sat an ornately carved desk with parchment and quill laid out neatly next to a large bottle of whiskey. Secured to the left side was a globe of Soterion with both continents. Myles sat in the chair in front of the desk as the captain sat in a red cushioned chair behind it.

  Myles shook his head, “You are holding the ship in midair as we speak?” The captain smiled and held up a finger to indicate he should wait. Suddenly the walls became stone. “So no one can hear us.” He produced two glasses from a drawer in the desk and poured a glass of whiskey for them both. “Never parley without good whiskey.” He smiled and took a swig.

  Myles eyed the glass suspiciously.

  “It ain't poisoned,” he said with a smile. “That’s why I took the first gulp.”

  Myles shrugged and drank some down. It was heavy bitter stuff and made his eyes water.

  The captain slapped his leg and let out a bellowing laugh. “Gits 'em every time!” Myles shook his head, “So when are you going to get the good whiskey? I'm sorry, but I can't finish that. Not unless you want me too ill to talk.” He pushed it towards the captain who took what was left and poured it for himself.

  The captain smiled, “Suit yerself… leaves more for me. And now that ye have whet yer whistle, we can talk.” Myles leaned back and propped his boots up on the captain’s desk. He held up a finger to indicate the captain should wait, took out his pipe, and lit it. The captain raised an eyebrow at him before producing a pipe from one of the drawers in his desk. As Myles took a few puffs he offered a pinch to the Captain. He took a whiff. “Trundleberry?! I thought that was only good for tea! Best tea a man can get though. I do wonder what it would taste like as tabakee.” The captain stuffed some in his pipe, leaned back propping his own feet up on his desk, and lit the pipe with a match from his pocket.

  “Good stuff isn’t it? Helps clear the mind,” Myles said with a smile. The captain took a few puffs, smiled and nodded. “Welcome aboard the Neptune. Ye have earned yerself passage at the least. I was quite impressed with the show ya put on out there.”

  Myles tipped his hat to the captain, “About that… How did you know, that this place is a dream? And how did you know about my tattoo?”

  The captain puffed out a few smoke rings before looking at Myles, “Right down to it then? The rules of this game be that ye answer as many questions as I answer, it’s only fair. It's not exactly a dream… it’s a dream world. The people be real, some of them're dreamers. I gots a dreamer on my crew. He showed me what one could do with ju
st yer imagination. There be two ways to come here. One is by falling asleep and never waking up.” He rolled up his sleeve revealing a tattoo on his own arm, “You and me, we came through the tunnels. Now how abouts ye tell me what century it is where ye be from. I never seen a gun the likes of that. And while yer at it ye can tell me why yer headed to Tanniyn’erets.”

  “I am from the 21st century," Myles admitted between puffs, "and I am seeking a dreamer. She is the sister of a friend.”

  “My dreamer is a man.”

  Myles shrugged, “It was worth a try. How did you get to Soterion?” “Well, that’s a long answer. The year was 1708 and my ship and crew got caught in a storm. I was the Quartermaster of the Neptune then, but that storm was a man killer. We were already low on crew and we lost eighteen men. I took charge as I was the highest ranking man left but the hurricane wouldn't let up. I don’t know how I survived, but by the time all was said and done I had blacked out during the storm from a hit to the head. I woke to find I was the only man on the whole ship and I was in these giant brick tunnels. That was where I found some of my crew. I navigated the waters of the giant tunnel and found us a way to Soterion.”

  “It must have been a pretty large tunnel to hold enough water to sail this ship.” “Aye! The waters were deep and the width must have been a hundred yards. There were splits in the tunnel and there were puzzles to be solved. I'm good with puzzles but we still traveled for weeks.”

  “That world, plane, dimension, whatever it is… is called Musterion and it seems to be a gateway to other worlds. I think the size of the planet is unimaginable.”

  The captain puffed on the pipe contemplating.

  “Can I meet your dreamer,” Myles asked. The captain shrugged, “I don’t see how it could hurt; but on the morrow. Ye must know that if there’s a dreamer nearby, he or she can magnify yer power here. It's how I can move this 'ere ship. But unlike you and me, a dreamer can affect the people here. From what I have discovered in my many years of travel is that there be three kinds of souls in Soterion. There be natives, who be people from all I can tell… they be real so ye can't affect them with yer power. There be dreamers and those be the ones who fuel the substance of this world… I seen a dreamer killed once n’ this world became weak for a time. I imagine what happened is that it brought a new dreamer in before the world was strengthened again. I have only met two dreamers and they seem to be rare. The third type of soul is foreigners, those who have come here physically; you, me, the Gauntmen, and the Gruntmen. We also fuel the substance of this world but not by near as much. If all of the dreamers and foreigners were to die at once, this world would cease to exist.”