I doubt Lizzie would have recommended you, however, if you had not been an ideal candidate."
Jenny quieted her breathing and realized she had been gripping the plush arms of her chair in order to calm the shaking.
Suddenly Tarafau spoke up in her mind. "Jenny, I have observed you to be a responsible person, intelligent, kind and you adapt well to surprising circumstances. I am sure I would miss you if you decided not to accept, but you should know that this is entirely your choice. I have something for you."
He reached into a pocket of his robe and pulled out…
…a lavender envelope.
Jenny couldn't help it. She rolled her eyes and chuckled. "Another one?"
She unsealed the envelope and opened the note in her aunt's precise lettering. "Jenny," it began, "You are now in the presence of The Gatekeeper. Miriha is a kind and an amazing being. The offer she has made to you has many responsibilities. It also has many compensations. As she has already told you, you have a choice to make. I want to suggest to you that you take the opportunity and the potential risk it implies. At any point, should you decide this is not for you, you can go to Miriha and she will reverse you and all memory of portals and dimensions will be removed and you can go about your life.
But I want you to know that in all the time I have been a Guardian, even when things were difficult, I have never regretted choosing to be a part of the Dimensional Alliance. As I have kept track of you over the years, when I was on Earth, I have been so impressed with you: your steadiness, your curiosity and your strong desire to be actively engaged in something worthwhile. How I was able to do that will be revealed when you are ready.
This is important, in ways I cannot clearly express to you at this time. Please, consider taking the post. I feel strongly that you will not only not regret it, but it will enrich your life and give you the power to do many good things that will affect billions of beings you will likely never meet.
Love, Lizzie"
Jenny thought back on her life. She had been comfortable with her choices, following her passion for writing and her interests in science and nature. She had, however, considered herself more as a reporter of life rather than someone who had "adventures.” She liked her clients and enjoyed her routine of writing and hanging out with her friends.
Her little apartment had been in a nice part of town and she didn't really want for anything, although she didn't have much in the way of luxuries. A quiet life. A safe life. And it didn't have to change. She could go on that way in a beautiful home in a nice neighborhood. She wouldn't realize that there was a portal in her house. (Would it still be in her house?). She would be able to afford to live very well, with no rent to pay. And with her writing income, she wouldn't have to touch the money in Lizzie's account except for emergencies or the occasional splurge.
"Aunt Lizzie had been doing this for a very long time, hadn't she?" she said at last.
Miriha smiled, reminiscing. "Indeed. As I said before, she was about your age when the key was passed to her by one of her university professors. She was very skeptical about the whole thing, but Tarafau helped her see the value of what we do. Lizzie has made a large impact for so many over the years. We will miss her."
This last thought held a wistful sadness. This method of thought speaking was more than mere words. The actual intent of the speaker came across so clearly that there was no mistaking exactly what they meant, and their feelings were attached to the thought.
Jenny looked at Tarafau. "You knew my aunt well. Why did she do what she did?" Jenny meant so much more than just being an interdimensional ambassador. "Why did she choose me? How did she even know I could do this? What made her think this is something I could even succeed at?"
Tarafau looked seriously into her eyes. His amber eyes were piercing, yet kind, and his face was solemn. "Your aunt was one of the most joyous, kind, and intelligent beings I have had the pleasure of knowing in my lifetime. She cared deeply for peace and justice and was anxiously engaged in doing her part to keep the cosmos in balance.
I won't lie to you. This work is intense and can be dangerous, but it is also very satisfying, and you will see and do things that even your fertile imagination cannot yet picture. It will mean you won't see a lot of your friends and family, and like your aunt, you will be more of a family legend than anything. But every action you take will be a protection to them and every other Earthling you know, not to mention all living beings on planets in galaxies your kind have yet to discover.
You are feeling inadequate at the moment. You've had no training and you had your life set the way you wished it. This will be a sacrifice on your part, but I promise you it will be worth it. And, as your guide, I will be with you every step of the way. Should you choose to join us, you will be thoroughly trained in all skills you will need to do your part."
His thoughts came to her mind forcefully and there was no doubt he was sincere.
"And my friends? Won't they notice I'm not around much? Won't it cause them to be suspicious?"
Miriha nodded. "We have taken all that into account. Remember, we have been doing this for a very long time. Your cover story is that you have been hired by a large travel firm to do a series of documentary guides and that it will require you to travel extensively. This is not a lie. You will be recording your travels for us and you will be traveling to places you can't begin to imagine. You will even go many places on your Earth you may not realize exist. There are other agents on Earth with whom you will consult from time to time and one of them will be your trainer while you are learning what you must know to function in your position."
Jenny felt that her mind was going to explode with the influx of thoughts, ideas and possibilities. As a young person she had always known she would be a writer. She had imagined herself writing impressive, popular novels or great scholarly works. Her instructors had always told her to "Write what you know." Admittedly, most of what she wrote at this time was all researchable online. Very little of it actually had anything to do with personal experience. This was her opportunity to experience things that would light her imagination and help her to make a difference as well.
"All right, so, if I find down the road that I no longer want to do this or find that I can't what happens then?"
"Your life and mind will be purged of anything having to do with the portals and you will be given a good cover story and the necessary memories to support it. This doesn't happen often, but we have the technology to do it."
"So why don't you just implant the suggestions in my mind to make me do it and by-pass the whole 'choice' thing?"
"That would contradict everything we stand for. It would violate one of our primary directives. Only Evil ever uses force to accomplish their goals. We will not compromise this, and we would never use the technology available to us in this manner."
Jenny decided. "I'll do it. When do we start?"
"Give me your passport," Miriha said, holding out her hand.
Jenny slid her wallet out of her backpack and removed the little gold book. "My golden ticket?" she thought wryly.
"Now give me your left hand."
Jenny held out her left hand and before she could wonder what would happen next, Miriha poked her finger with a needle that appeared from Miriha's pocket. She gasped, but Miriha held her finger firmly and pressed it on the first page of the passport.
The blood stained the page and then disappeared as the page filled with characters, first unrecognizable and then they squirmed and became English. It outlined her name, her address (with the appendage "Earth" after "United States of America") and then an updated photo of her formed above the writing.
"Wow, you could have warned me," Jenny gasped.
Miriha dabbed at the puncture with a piece of gauze. "Hold that there for a moment. You had said you would do it and I saw no need to hesitate."
She handed the passport back and said, "This is an important document, if a little archaic. It is infused with your genetic c
ode now and cannot be forged or impersonated by anyone. You must keep it with you at all times and to facilitate that…"
She pulled out what looked like a black sports bracelet with a gold and burnt orange logo on it. She proceeded to insert the passport into a horizontal slit in the bracelet. The 3x5 inch passport slid into it as if it were smaller than the slit and disappeared. "Another dimensional portal. This will hold an amazing cache of things of various sizes, somewhat like your backpack, but it has no weight, because the things in the bracelet actually exist in a different dimensional space.
There is no actual space in the bracelet. They are just like the doors. They simply appear to be this shape because you see them this way. Other beings will see them as something different and someone who cannot see gateways will not notice you have anything more than one of those rubber bracelets that are so popular on your world.
It also has a beacon you can invoke that will allow us to know where you are. In addition, the room inside has equipment you will need as you travel, from tents to food to tech of various kinds. To open it you say, 'transport' and tell it what you need. Try it now."
Jenny started to do this, but hesitated. "Do I say it out loud or mind-speak?"
Miriha grinned. "You are as smart as Lizzie told us you were. You could say it out loud as often and loudly as you wish, and nothing would happen. This is a 'Miniature Dimensional Portal" device. The MDP is attuned to only your mind and Tarafau's. Only you or he can activate it. We give both of you access so that if you were incapacitated, Tarafau could still get the things you need and activate the beacon."
Jenny took a deep breath. "Transport passport."
The passport appeared on the floor in front of her. She picked it up and examined it with increased awe. "Cool beans!" she exclaimed aloud. Miriha and Tarafau both grinned.
"To replace it you need only touch the bracelet to it, and it will return to its place in the dimensional room. In your training we will familiarize you with the resources that are already contained in the MDP. For now, would you like to put your backpack in there?"
Jenny grinned. She touched the bracelet to the strap of her backpack and it kind of shriveled and slid into the bracelet as the passport had done. "Wow. Are there any limitations to what I can put in there?"
"We have yet to find any," Miriha replied, "but there are probably some things that would be somewhat impractical to do. You'll learn more about the capabilities of your MDP in your training."
"So, when do I start?" The possibilities of this new opportunity were beginning to excite her. She was anxious to get started.
"You will need to return and make the arrangements your aunt will have sent to you in an email. Follow her instructions exactly. Something else you should know. This is no time portal. The same amount of time will have passed on Earth as has passed since you came here. I know of no actual applications of time travel among the dimensions, for reasons you will begin to appreciate as you proceed.
Once you have made all your arrangements, invoke your bracelet with my name. It will notify me, and we will then schedule your first training."
Miriha held out both hands as she had when they had first entered the room. "Blessings of The Creator of All Things on you, Jenny. We will see you again soon."
This was clearly a dismissal. "Thank you, Miriha. I will get everything done and see you again soon."
Chapter 6: Arrangements
Jenny had almost expected everything to look different when she got home. It was all still there, all her things, the boxes on the dining room table. It was dusk when they returned. Tarafau was now Tidbit again, but Jenny saw him with new eyes.
Jenny found she could still mindspeak with Tidbit, even in his cat form. Here on Earth (Jenny found it odd to think of her home that way), she could still communicate clearly with him.
"You will be able to speak with any of the other Guardians who have been given the gift." Tidbit said, his ears perked forward and his amber eyes nearly glowing in the half light. "Your key and your passport have been activated now. You will be able to sense portals by the warming of your key against your skin. And the portals will be able to sense you and will show themselves to you. The key can also serve as a warning device under certain circumstances. It rarely happens, but you should be aware."
The boxes still sat on the dining room table and although they held a new fascination for her, Jenny knew the boxes would have to wait until tomorrow. It had been a long day and she needed to check her email for the missive from Lizzie with her instructions. She knew she was going to have to make arrangements for someone to take over her workload at the freelancer's agency and many similar things. She also realized she hadn't had a single thing to eat since about 4:30 am.
And then it occurred to her. What will I tell my friends? I'll need to get my cover story straight, if I'm going to pull this off. Her heart tugged a bit at the idea of deceiving her friends, especially Sam. "It's like I'm some kind of super-hero, secret identity and all, only without the spandex," she thought towards Tidbit.
"Your mythological super-heroes may have their 'secret identities,'" Tidbit replied, a sardonic tone to his thought, "but you were always who you are. You just have an added dimension that your friends are not ready for. Lizzie actually enjoyed it."
Lizzie. How she now wished she had known her better. So far, everyone she had met who knew her seemed to really like her. Jenny had a suspicion that she would have felt the same, if they had had any opportunity to spend any time together. Which reminded her that she still wanted to find out how Lizzie had kept such strong tabs on her. She was beginning to feel like it was some kind of dimensional tech she had yet to be exposed to.
Jenny filled up her water bottle and Tidbit's food and water bowl, made herself a sandwich and a small salad and headed for her office. Her mind was still spinning, and she wasn't sure if she would even taste the meal she had made for herself.
Sure enough, she ate mechanically as she sorted through the day's email. Along with a few spam messages, some communications with clients and an email from the freelancer's co-op, was an email from Lizzie, subject line: "Arrangements.”
She was surprised the list of action items was so short:
Contact the bank and set up all utilities payments and other bills on auto-pay.
Study your cover story and the accompanying info pack before discussing any of this with your friends or family. We have included business cards and the calls to the number on the card will go to voicemail.
Your gold passport will function as United States Passport. It will allow you to cross any national border, except in time of war. Keep it in your MDP and don't even take the bracelet off to shower. No one can take it from you unless you give it willingly. It is waterproof, shockproof and there is nothing we know of that can damage it.
Create an autoresponder sequence that will send occasional emails to friends and family, in case you may be gone for longer than expected.
Touch your cellphone to the key. It will upload an app that will allow you some new communications options outside the capability of current networks.
When you have completed all of these steps, let Miriha know. If you have any questions, Tidbit will be happy to help."
She closed the email: "Love, Lizzie"
Jenny chewed thoughtfully on the big bite of salad she had unconsciously put into her mouth. For a professional writer, she sure was having trouble finding words big enough to describe the churning of her mind right now. Amazing? Over used. "Awesome?" Too trite. "Enormous?" Too general. "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious?" Closer, but, no. No prizes here.
She mechanically deleted the spam messages and replied to the client's emails. Tomorrow she would begin to tidy up all of her projects and talk to the writing co-op manager to inform her of her "new job.” In the meantime…
…But what would happen in the meantime would have to wait for later, as the doorbell broke her reverie.
Sam stood on the porch, in h
er hiking clothes, one hand on her hip.
"We missed you on the hike today. Were you sick?"
Now it began…
"Actually, I've been really busy. I have a new job and I had to do orientation and get all the paperwork done."
"A new job? I didn't know you'd even applied for something new. I thought you liked free-lancing."
"I was contacted by a head-hunter, privately. They made me an offer I couldn't afford to refuse."
"Wow. That's my Jenny. I knew you'd be famous someday."
"Well not today," Jenny replied, sagging a little with relief that Sam didn't appear to be suspicious at the sudden turn of events. "It's a private gig. Very hush-hush. My name probably won't be made public, as usual, but it pays well, and the bennies are pretty good. Plus, I'll be travelling a lot."
Sam reached out with a ready hug. "Sounds like a blast. Maybe some time you can take me along. Every super-hero needs a side-kick, don'tcha know."
Jenny was startled. Her friend's use of the word "super-hero" was way too close to the mark.
"Well, all the more reason to throw a house-warming party. Now you have two things to celebrate." Sam's eyes twinkled. "And as your bestie, I get to make all the arrangements."
Jenny opened her mouth to speak, but Sam waved her away. "No arguments. I promise to keep it small. Maybe just the hiking club? We can barbeque, and the guys can bring their guitars. Whaddya think?"
Jenny sighed, "All right, but it'll have to be soon. As soon as my passport is processed, I'll be leaving for training."
"So what you're saying is that we finally have time to hang out in your new pad and you'll be gallivanting off into the blue yonder someplace. Well, if that's how it is, I'll have to get as much friend time in as I can."
So they sat in her living room and chatted and laughed and Sam told her about the hike and showed off her photos of the group against the beautiful canyon scenery. By the time they had wound down, it was late and after hugs and another chuckle about Jenny's new status, Sam left. She put Tidbit out with an admonition to be safe, at which Tidbit sent her a mental "evil laugh" and left, his tail waving like a banner behind him.
The House on Infinity Loop Page 5
