by T. R. Harris
As the Sansa slipped through the static gate of the landing bay and atmosphere was added, he prepared for what was to come. He had no weapons; his body was his weapon. The Aris would be easy. He’d seen their bodies—even had parts of them filling his once severed joints. They were frail creatures. Only their immortality and intelligence made them powerful.
The mutants were another matter, so the sooner he assimilated the Aris, the sooner he could take on his real challenge. It wouldn’t be easy, but he’d waited five thousand years for this moment. He would face it head-0n and with stubborn determination. He would not be denied.
A pair of spindly robots greeted him as he left the ship. He ignored them and moved through a small airlock into the space station. At the first computer terminal, he accessed the station’s files, using his knowledge of Aris systems to help him. Within seconds he was scanning the layout of the station, committing it to memory.
He was working the computer—searching for a location program to track the occupants—when the first Aris approached from down the corridor.
There was a moment when both parties simply stared at one another, waiting to see what the other would do. The Aris wasn’t frightened, just confused. It was obvious he had no idea who or what Te’moc was, and that suited his purposes perfectly. He pounced.
Without the restricting metal attachments as before, Te’moc was free to exercise his purpose for existing. Even before reaching the Aris, his body was mutating, turning viscous, less defined. He didn’t actually strike the Aris with his form as much as he splashed against it. But it wasn’t an out of control splattering. His body enveloped the smaller creature, spreading to every centimeter of the being before appearing to be absorbed by the Aris’ skin.
That was exactly what happened. Te’moc was now part of the alien, filtering his body through every cell, every membrane, every nerve. Instantly, the essence that was J’nae began to separate from its host, bonding with Te’moc’s cells on a molecular level. It only took a few seconds for this to happen since there was so little essence to extract.
At that point, Te’moc removed himself from the Aris. The extraction was much more traumatic than the fusing. The Aris deformed into something completely unrecognizable as confused cells sought to reform. This state of transference was temporary, and the elevated energy levels within the Aris allowed his body to survive the extraction event. The body reformed.
His Aris victim collapsed to the deck, conscious but drained. Where once J’nae’s essence gave the body vitality, what was left was an exhausted, emaciated shell of a being, with red eyes and sallow face.
Sad, sickly eyes looked up at Te’moc, who now lorded over the aged creature with an evil grin.
“Why?” the Aris mumbled.
“Because I can,” Te’moc answered.
The Aris now had only mortal life within him, with the extraction process subtracting additional decades from his lifespan. He was already old at the time he received J’nae’s essence, and in a matter of seconds, the years caught up to him. He died a minute later from extreme old age.
Te’moc was still looking at the withered body of the Aris when he noticed a strange sensation within his body. More correctly, it was something he didn’t notice: a presence.
Through his years of processing the essences for Panur and the Sol-Kor, he could still remember the distinct feeling of each one. His body could hold these lifeforms separate from his own, preventing them from being overtaken by his lifeforce. But this felt … different. There was something there, but not complete.
His recent experience with J’nae in the form of the Human female revealed just how dominant both host and subject could be. They constantly fought for supremacy. But in the case of the generic hosts from Panur’s lab, the outcome was never in doubt. The essence he would infuse the hosts with became dominant almost immediately. Freeform embryos, distilled from previously living creatures, were even more dominant. Summer Rains had received the same dose as the Aris, and the phantom inside her was as real as she was. However, with the Aris, that was not the case. Why not?
Te’moc couldn’t dwell on the problem while standing in a corridor with a dead Aris at his feet. Surely others were aware of his presence by now and would take precautions. But did they realize the once-immortal creature on the deck was no longer immortal—or alive? The answer was yes. Panur would have warned them of his abilities, and if it was one thing Te’moc understood, it was an immortal’s desperate desire to stay immortal.
Through the computer system, Te’moc hadn’t found a way to track the Aris aboard the station. They could communicate telepathically, so there was no need for such a system. With no other option, he began the tedious task of searching the entire station.
He did have information he could use. Summer Rains and J’nae had spent a brief period aboard the station, and as J’nae helped him replace his mechanical attachments, she dropped subtle hints about the Aris and their mission to save the universe. Eight of them were relegated to sentry duty, committing their bodies to incredible cosmic forces to keep the rip in space/time from expanding. These eight Aris would be a none factor until the time came for them to be assimilated. That left seven active Aris—now six after the demise of his first victim.
And then there were the mutants. They were a different matter altogether, with the greatest unknown being the creature known as Lila Bol. He would have to be cautious as he moved about the space station.
Fifteen minutes later, Te’moc was still treading the passageways, passing ambivalent service robots who paid him no attention. The dead Aris must not have put out the mental warning before being assimilated. That was good. But although he knew the layout of the station, Te’moc was still walking blind. And why had he not run into any more Aris?
He made his way to the bridge. The Aris would have to be there.
He was right. There was one.
He had his back to Te’moc when he entered, but even then, Te’moc could sense the tension in the creature’s frail shoulders. He was ready when the Aris suddenly turned, pressing his palms forward and unleashing twin bolts of hot plasma energy.
From his studies at the Aris base, he knew these ancient creatures had such weapons implanted in their hands, capable of channeling some of their internal energy into deadly bolts of electricity. Te’moc jumped, stepping on a command console before hopping quickly between several others. The Aris tried to follow his rapid movement with his hands, but there was a slight pause between recharges, enough for Te’moc to time his leaps. He closed on the desperate alien before one final step, landing behind the Aris and grasping his wrists, holding his arms to the side.
Te’moc was much stronger than the Aris and had no trouble keeping his palms pointed away from him. Even still, bolts flashed out, striking bulkheads and service stations on the bridge.
Eventually, the Aris calmed down, realizing the futility of his efforts.
“Who are you?” the Aris asked.
“You do not know me?”
“There is a probability you are the creature Panur calls Te’moc, but I will need confirmation.”
“You are correct. I am Te’moc. Now tell me, where is Panur and the other Aris?”
“I will not tell you.”
Te’moc pulled tighter on the short arms of the alien. “Yes, you will. You will have no choice.”
Te’moc looked at the opening to the bridge, expecting reinforcements. The Aris could contact his companions telepathically; there was nothing Te’moc could do to stop that. And if they came while he and the Aris were fused, he could be vulnerable.
Because of that, he tried a different approach.
His body began to change, softening, becoming more pliant. His gripping hands merged with the Aris’ wrists. Normally, this would be painful, but the immortal felt no pain. Next, Te’moc leaned down until his chin came in contact with the top of the Aris’ smooth grey head. A moment later, Te’moc stood headless, having melded his with that of the Aris
. He could now see through the alien’s eyes while reading his thoughts. It wasn’t a complete merging in pursuit of essence, but something a lot less pervasive.
While watching the doorway, Te’moc began to probe the memories of the Aris. Although he’d fused with one earlier, this was a different experience, and it left him in awe and wonder.
There were so many memories, going back thousands of years, during the waking moments of this creature, between billion-year-old periods of sleep. Te’moc could spend years within the Aris’ brain and only scratch the surface of his life. But that was not why he was here; however, the complexity made his task more difficult. He had to work his way through the intricate maze searching for the most recent memories.
It took an hour, during which time no one entered the bridge except a pair of maintenance robots who came and went without acknowledging the presence of either Te’moc or the Aris. When finally he found what he was looking for, he was disappointed.
The other Aris weren’t here.
Only two were aboard the huge space station; one was dead, and the other soon would be. But Te’moc did learn where the others were, including Panur and Lila Bol. It was a place called Terminus Base.
The Aris had the coordinates committed to memory; everything he ever saw or did was locked away in his incredible mind. If Te’moc had been any other creature, he would have felt remorse at what he was about to do. Instead, he allowed the rest of his body to fuse with that of the Aris. The tiny body fell to the deck, where it remained for a few moments before Te’moc withdrew.
This extraction only confirmed his earlier suspicions. There was something wrong with the Essence of J’nae.
With no other Aris aboard the station, Te’moc now had time to ponder on his discovery. The essence was the same as from the first Aris, meaning both were taken from the same batch. Records at the Aris base in the Milky Way indicated J’nae was distilled in a single process and her essence divided into thirty-seven equal vials. The Privileged Aris used fifteen portions, the Technician Kracion one, and the Human Summer Rains another. That left twenty-one remaining vials, the ones Panur took from the Aris base.
But what this also meant was that each recipient received the same essence. There should have been no difference between the vials. This left Te’moc with only one conclusion: The Aris bodies had somehow corrupted the essence they carried. This would explain why J’nae’s lifeforce in their bodies was much less dominant, while in Summer Rains it fought for control.
This raised a serious question. Could the Aris essence help Te’moc with his challenge of Panur, or was this a waste of time?
He carefully analyzed the changes his body was going through with the addition of two doses of J’nae. He did sense a change, just not nearly as much as he was expecting. He extrapolated further. If he had all the Aris essence in him, would it give him the power he needed?
It would be close. He was feeling stronger, more resistance. But even if he assimilated all the essence at full strength, he would never attain full immortality, which was the one thing he needed to guarantee victory over the mutant. In the end, Te’moc was still a biologic creation. He did not have the ability within him to become immortal. Not unless he assimilated Panur.
He shrugged. He didn’t need guarantees. All he needed was opportunity. Even as he was now, if he could fuse with Panur before the mutant could resist, it would be enough. Te’moc smiled, knowing that Panur knew this as well as he. And because of that, this great and mighty being feared Te’moc. Knowing this fact gave him strength and courage. He thrived on the fear of others.
Te’moc returned to the Arya, but not before stopping to make certain modifications to the engine components of the huge space station. He could not leave it intact; Panur and Lila Bol could use it to build weapons and deterrents against him. He would cut off their resources as he went. Perhaps if it came down to just him and Panur, he could prevail. All it would take would be an unguarded touch, just enough for Te’moc to gain entry. After that, Panur would be his.
11
…at Terminus Base
Terminus Base was located on a rather pleasant world with a favorable atmosphere and lovely terrain. But that’s not the reason the base was here. The Aris chose the planet for its proximity to what they called the Terminus Anomaly, part of which lit up the distance night sky with what looked to be a huge solar prominence frozen in space. If one was to move closer to the spectacle, a streaming million-kilometer-long loop of fire would be seen, which narrowed to a point that was invisible until one drew closer. At that point, a hundred-kilometer-long-cylinder would be seen which both received the fiery tumult and ejected it out the other end.
On the Terminus planet, Aris robots constructed a modest living and work facility for the immortals, along with a much larger industrial complex which constructed the channeling cylinders, as well as the means to place them in space. With the recent stabilization of the anomaly, no further sentry stations were needed, so most of the facility was shut down, its army of robots stacked idle until needed again. Hopefully, that time would never come.
Every evening, the incredible spectacle of Terminus rising in the night sky was an awesome sight to behold. The primitive species that called the planet home came to worship the fire in the sky, calling it their new god. If only they knew what danger it posed, they would be casting spells to make it go away rather than worshiping the spectacle. And at the same time, they would be building monuments to the Aris, as well as the mutants, Panur and Lila Bol. Without them, the planet—and everything else—was doomed.
“We have surveyed the nearby universes and determined our puncture points,” Lila said to Nunki. “We will leave immediately to begin the drilling. Already the test holes have extended the life of your efforts by several thousand years. Ninety penetrations and the pressure will be relieved enough for the sentries to pull the fabric together and heal the tear.”
Aris do not normally show emotion, at least not the Privileged class. Even so, Nunki was having trouble containing his excitement. Lila knew he’d taken a chance allowing her and Panur into their project, trusting they would see the seriousness of their efforts and choose to help. The mutants were vagabonds, with no real ties to either race, galaxy or universe. They were also unique, and as such, could make a home anywhere they went, including universes not destined for destruction.
However, they embraced the problem with full devotion, and in a relatively short time, had not only found a way to extend the life of the project but to repair the rip permanently. Lila realized the contribution they’d made, not out of ego, but simple logic. She smiled, thinking of a quote from her Human heritage. ‘Veni, vidi, vici. They came, they saw, they conquered.’ Very succinct and to the point, as were most things Human.
“And Panur is in your vessel?” Nunki asked.
“Yes, making final preparations. I must go now. The tour will take several days. We will return when we are finished.”
Nunki nodded his aged head; aged but immortal. Lila thought of that dichotomy as she observed the ancient creature. The attainment of immortality had been the racial goal of the Aris for billions of years. They achieved it, but at the end of most of their natural lives. As a consequence, their bodies were preserved at the last stage of their lifecycle. Immortality didn’t give back the years; it only added to them.
“I thank you for your noble efforts,” Nunki said. “Since almost from the moment we became immortal, the Aris have struggled with this dilemma, never having the opportunity to fulfill our true destiny of eternal learning. If this works, we will be … free.”
“Perhaps your destiny has been to save the Milky Way from destruction. The Aris put so much effort into making the galaxy into what it has become. You should be proud.”
Nunki’s sad eyes glassed over. “Our proudest achievement … is you, Lila Bol. I still find it overwhelming to be standing here, speaking with the Apex Being. I am glad you survived. Looking back now, I would not have enjoyed t
aking your lifeforce as our own after seeing what you have become. You are such a valuable addition to eternity.”
Lila blushed; she was capable of such emotion, being the product of a biological union. “I appreciate your kind words, Nunki. And I, too, am glad I was not sacrificed for your common good.”
Lila left the room a moment later and made her way to the work chamber where the lightship sat, open at the centerline, with Panur’s tiny grey head sticking out.
“He has been informed,” Lila said.
“Then we are ready. Climb in. Let’s go save a universe.”
“Two, actually,” Lila corrected.
Panur smiled. “Of course, but who’s counting?”
12
…approaching Terminus Base
The Terminus base was not far from the Aris space station. As Te’moc brought the Arya in close, he could see one of the sentry posts glowing in nearby space. There were seven more, invisible from this location due to the considerable distances involved. The rip in space was a light-year in length. If the Aris had not caught it in time to retard its growth, it would be a hundred times that by now and expanding exponentially. Prodigious amounts of dark matter and energy would be pouring through, the result of the divergent pressures between the universes. This planet—along with all the other systems within a thousand light-years—would have long since been sucked into the Human universe, converted into stray atoms in the process. And the effects would only multiply until entire galaxies joined the flow. And the effect would be the same in the other universe, as a tidal wave of material flooded in, pushing everything that had once existed out of its way. It would take millions of years, but eventually, the pressure would stabilize. By then neither universe would be recognizable.
