When she joined the medics inside the cell they had just finished sedating Yasper, who was strapped to a stretcher. ‘Everyone out!’ Jazmay pointed to the exit.
One medic dared to try and report. ‘He’s heavily sedated —’
‘I have eyes, I can see that.’ Jazmay glared at her. ‘Don’t make me repeat myself.’
The young female medic quickly detoured to the door, and Jazmay locked down the room in their wake. With a thought, she disabled the monitoring camera and jammed the small viewing window in the door, then resumed her own form to return to Yasper’s side.
‘I cannot believe your own father would do this to you.’ She held his hands and willed the sedative to reverse back through his system and out through the needle wounds. The clear fluid drained from his body without spilling one drop of his blood.
As Yasper began to stir, Jazmay banished his restraints, and he immediately began to float up towards the ceiling. Jazmay grabbed for him, but the weight of his sleeping form was against her and to her amusement he slipped through her fingers. He appeared so comfortable, curled up on the ceiling, facing down towards her, that Jazmay almost felt bad disturbing him. ‘Yasper!’ she called and when he opened his eyes, she waved up at him.
‘Hello, you,’ he said with a smile, and then realising his unusual predicament, his smile broadened. ‘I thought I’d died and gone to heaven there for a second.’
‘Sorry, no, you’re still here in the MSS medical detention block on Maladaan,’ she advised and held a hand up to him. ‘But I can change that, if you like?’
‘Taren!’ Yasper realised she was in danger.
‘Already taken care of.’ Jazmay winked, and wiggled her fingers to urge him to take hold, which he did.
‘What a woman,’ he said as she pulled him down close to herself. ‘Will you marry me?’
Jazmay took hold of his floating form by the head, with both her hands. ‘Just try and stop me.’ She kissed him and the door to the cell unlocked and opened, which startled their lips apart. ‘It must be your father.’ Jazmay was of the mind to teleport them elsewhere.
‘Wait.’ Yasper waylaid her as his father was wheeled in, seated in a wheelchair.
‘What’s happened? Your heart?’ Yasper clung to Jazmay to prevent himself floating upwards.
When Ronan saw how his son was struggling, he ordered the medics and agents with him to leave and close the door.
‘You look like you should be in a hospital bed.’ Yasper grabbed onto the stretcher he’d been strapped to and pulled himself towards his father, who gasped when he saw his son’s legs floating behind him.
‘You weren’t bluffing,’ the chief mumbled. ‘Thank the Lord of the Inner-world that I did not die this day.’ Ronan grabbed hold of Yasper, as soon as he was within arm’s reach, and pulled him in to hold him as he’d not done since Yasper was a small child. ‘I love you, boy, no matter what you do, who you love, or how much you despise your old man —’
‘I don’t despise you,’ Yasper insisted. ‘I hate the system that keeps a large percentage of the United System population repressed!’
‘We’re going to change that, Anselm and I,’ Ronan, teary-eyed, assured him. ‘And until then … if I can cover for Anselm’s kindred, I can certainly cover my own.’ His father looked to Jazmay, who appeared a little uncomfortable. ‘That includes you, young lady … I will ensure my grandchildren have a better world than this one, in which they may thrive.’
Jazmay gasped and nearly burst into tears. ‘How could you remember that?’
Ronan smiled, rather enjoying having the mysterious advantage over someone else for a change. ‘You must have left quite an impression.’
‘She certainly does,’ Yasper agreed.
‘No,’ Jazmay couldn’t accept his answer. ‘You couldn’t have seen through into another timeline, surely?’
‘Of course I can,’ Ronan bantered playfully, ‘I’ve just come back from the dead, I can do anything! Including changing this planet’s psychic-restraining laws.’
‘Is this even my father?’ Yasper laughed, beyond thrilled about the transformation. ‘Death has sure done wonders for you!’
‘No, son,’ Ronan’s eyes filled with tears as he confessed. ‘It is your life that has done wonders for me.’ He hugged Yasper again and as he did so, he looked to Jazmay and mouthed the words ‘Thank you’.
Probably best not to mention that I have stolen the chief’s genetic blueprint, at least until after the first grandchild is born. The resolve brought a cheeky smile to Jazmay’s face as the last of her resentment melted away. She was at peace with the world, which, the warrior in her finally realised, was the secret to being truly free.
A soft gentle pressure on her lips seduced Taren from her slumber, as in her wildest dreams she imagined that somehow she was being awoken with a kiss by her long-lost lover.
When her eyes parted to see the very young Zeven Gudrun smiling down at her, Taren hit him. ‘What are you doing?’
Taren looked about to realise that she was back in her childhood bedroom and safe from the MSS.
‘Well I thought the prince got to do that, once he’d rescued the fair princess?’ he defended.
‘Not if they’re related!’ She whacked him again, several times.
‘Yow!’ Zeven fended her off. ‘I just saved you from losing most of your mind again! You could be a little grateful.’
‘I am grateful,’ she barked, and then broke into a disappointed smile. ‘I just thought …’ She stopped short of saying it, shook her head and gave a heavy exhale to try and release the pining feeling in her chest.
‘You thought I was Lucian.’ Zeven knew the conclusion. ‘Well, sorry to disappoint … he still doesn’t know you exist!’
Taren caught her breath, hurt by the fact, and Zeven winced.
‘Sorry, that was harsh.’
Taren repressed her urge to get upset. ‘I have to go after Yasper.’
‘Jazmay is taking care of that.’ He attempted to calm her down.
‘So were we successful? Am I an outlaw? What happened?’ Taren pumped Zeven for answers that he didn’t have.
‘I don’t know what’s happened.’ Zeven shrugged. ‘I just broke you out of the memory bank and —’
The front door chimed, whereupon they both froze and caught their breath.
‘Who knows we’re here?’ Taren wondered in a whisper, knowing Jazmay wouldn’t use the front door.
‘Probably everyone, the way you were carrying on just now.’ Zeven crept towards the bedroom door, and out into the corridor that led towards the front door. Taren followed and then took the lead, much to Zeven’s annoyance.
As she was ahead, Taren beat Zeven to the exterior surveillance screen, within which could be seen a hooded character. ‘Anselm,’ they both said at once, and as he was alone, Taren issued the command to open the door.
He entered swiftly and alone, whereby Taren locked the door behind him. ‘Father,’ Taren greeted him with a respectful nod from a distance, ‘are you here to arrest me, or pat me on the back?’
‘Definitely the latter.’ He smiled, proud to inform. ‘Ronan will honour your deal —’
‘I’m not an outlaw, yes!’ Taren and Zeven began squealing and jumping for joy, before Anselm could finish.
‘— and, he wishes to discuss political reform for the rights of those with the Powers,’ Anselm added to shock them to silence. ‘So that psychics will be judged on their merits, just like everybody else, and freed or restrained accordingly.’
‘What!’ Zeven was shocked to his foundations. ‘You mean I may not have to be an outlaw in hiding all my life either!’ He didn’t sound too sure if he was happy about that or not.
‘You’ll always be on my secret service,’ Taren assured him with a smile and Zeven was appeased by that thought. ‘Good heavens!’ The full ramifications of what she had accomplished this day began to sink in. ‘This is the way things always should have been,’ she realised. ‘This i
s going to have a huge effect on the future of the entire United Systems.’
‘Yes, it will,’ her father agreed, and unable to contain himself any longer he approached and held his daughter. ‘I am so very proud of you.’
Taren closed her eyes, and for a moment she was a little girl again. The safety she felt within the embrace let her know she had truly come home, and tears of relief and gratitude began to flow.
‘Shhh,’ Anselm whispered, kissing her head as he rocked her to calm, and Zeven quietly left the room to leave them to speak alone. ‘It’s over now —’
‘Oh no, no, no, no, no, it isn’t.’ Taren pulled back to look her father in the face. ‘This is just the beginning.’ She wiped the tears from her face and stepped away from him.
‘Oh dear.’ Her father found her claim rather ominous.
‘I have so much I have to tell you, Father.’ Taren looked him straight in the eye. ‘I know who my mother is.’
‘What?’ Anselm’s eyes near popped out of their sockets. ‘Your mother is dead.’
‘No, she isn’t,’ Taren challenged. ‘She’s ruling on Phemoria as we speak.’
Anselm went very pale and quiet.
‘I also know that you love her very much and she loves you —’
‘Now you’ve left reality,’ he argued, just as Taren had known he would.
‘I know that it was the morning after the night of my conception that you argued and fell out, because you were robbed of your memory of the event by Khalid Mansur —’
‘What!’ Anselm was gob-smacked.
‘Who is in fact my mother’s half-brother and is out to steal her throne, by way of me … if you get my drift,’ Taren concluded calmly, but her father had to take a seat.
‘Khalid doesn’t know who you are, only Ronan does, and I believe you have him well onside at present.’ Anselm was confident about that. ‘But as far as your mother is concerned, I have to tell you, Taren, she’s completely insane these days.’
‘No, Father, she is cursed. Literally!’ Taren enlightened. ‘Remove the crown of Phemoria from her head, and you’ll have back the woman you fell in love with. I swear it to you on my life.’
Anselm had never been lost for words, but he was absolutely dumbstruck, for the longest time. ‘If I can verify your claim, I will have Mansur arrested and restrained.’
‘Just check the memory bank on Sermetica for a deposit from you at around that time,’ Taren advised, ‘I’m sure you’ll find it a very arousing memory indeed.’ She tried not to grin. ‘But arresting Mansur will not be so easy — he has supernatural allies — so best not to let them know we are aware, just yet.’
‘Supernatural allies?’ Anselm was suddenly very concerned. ‘I can see we do have a lot to talk about. In fact, you’re starting to sound like a politician. Is that where your future is heading?’
‘Not right away.’ Taren didn’t discount the possibility out of hand. ‘I’m more interested in science and philanthropy at present.’
‘Do tell.’ Anselm was interested to hear this. ‘You’ve worked so hard to gain your freedom, I was wondering what you planned to do with it.’
‘Well, I studied last time around,’ Taren answered. ‘I have several different science degrees and a doctorate in quantum physics.’
‘Really? I didn’t know that,’ Anselm conceded. ‘Good for you.’
‘I now have quite a large nest egg of funds from my days in the service, which I intended to use for university, and which I am now looking to invest in a project that I have been eyeing off,’ she advised in a leading fashion.
‘Really? Anything I might be interested in?’ He offered to help just as he had promised Zeven he would.
‘Only if you are talking from a personal point of view, no government or otherwise secret service funds allowed.’ Taren fielded the offer — even though she had yet to become involved with the project.
‘Of course.’ Anselm smiled, delighted by the idea of being business partners. ‘What’s the deal?’
‘It’s a science project, of course.’ Taren prepared to launch into a sales pitch. ‘The project name is A.M.I.E. —’
‘The Astro-Marine Institute Explorer,’ Anselm cut in, ‘I was only just reading a proposal that was sent to my office along with invitations to a fundraiser next week.’
Taren smiled broadly, unable to believe her luck, although it was typical of destiny to provide. ‘I guess that makes you my new best friend?’
‘No one has to know we’re related,’ Anselm realised. ‘In fact, a business partnership is the perfect way of seeing more of you without raising suspicion.’
‘I’d like that.’ Taren smiled to assure him.
‘Me too.’ Anselm stood, having regained his sensibilities.
‘I’ll be taking my apartment back.’ Taren moved to open the blinds in the apartment for the first time in ages, which sent dust flying everywhere, as the light of the grey day filled the room.
‘Might be time to call in the cleaners too,’ her father concurred, waving dust from his path to her. ‘There is something that is puzzling me?’
‘What’s that?’ Taren asked, although she got the distinct impression she shouldn’t.
‘You gave up Yasper Ronan very easily,’ he said warily. ‘Why do I get the feeling there is another man involved in all this somewhere? I mean, AMIE’s handsome, intelligent and well-written creator wouldn’t have any bearing on your interest now, would it?’
Her father knew her tastes a little better than expected, and just the thought of Lucian made her light up like a city on New Year’s Eve. ‘Not that it is any of your business, but … we loved each other very much once upon the future, and hopefully that will come to pass again, as it has many times before.’
‘So he’s the one!’ Her father felt a little overwhelmed to know in advance who his son-in-law would be, as he had often wondered if Taren would ever marry.
‘If I can be with him, without getting him killed, I will be.’ She was very sure about that. ‘His soul and mine are one and the same, just as yours and mother’s are within the ranks of the Grigori.’
‘The Grigori?’ Anselm frowned, having never heard the term before.
‘Your spirit self. The Grigori are being drawn down into their incarnations here, and waking up to the fact that they are here to bring about huge sweeping reforms to every aspect of civilisation in the United Systems. And if we do not outsmart your viceroy and his secret allies, every planet will be controlled by a dark force, more formidable and spiteful than the Phemoray who are controlling Mother. Maladaan will escape the wraith, only to be cast into another universe where a more evil threat awaits.’
Anselm was looking very concerned; he wanted to doubt her forecast, but he could not. ‘I am an ally, Taren,’ he assured her, in case there was any doubt about that.
‘I know that you are, the Grigori told me.’ She smiled at him broadly in conclusion. ‘And so will Mother be if we can get those bloody witches away from her.’
His daughter’s attitude made him smile. ‘You give me hope that our family life could be what I have always dreamt it should have been.’ A tear escaped his eye and fell straight to the floor; betraying the love he still felt for the mother of his child.
‘She will come back to us.’ Taren’s tears began afresh as she hugged her father to assure him. ‘I have had many grand adventures across time and space, and what I’ve learnt is that nothing is ever wasted in life, and no one is ever lost, from the smallest quanta of our being to the Grigorian souls that are at our highest point of individualised consciousness.’ Taren was having an epiphany; her scientific knowledge was melding with the esoteric knowledge she had gained in her travels and she was amazed by what she realised. ‘Both quanta and soul-minds, in their pristine state, are not just in one place at one time, but both here and there, and in fact everywhere in space and time!’
‘Whoa.’ Her father was rather amazed by what he was hearing.
‘A wise m
an told me that the same principles that govern quanta could be applied to soul-minds as well, which means that, when one pair of formally connected souls are subject to being measured or observed, one twin chooses its own real state and the second twin chooses a state, not the same, but complimentary to its partner. And like quanta, once soul-minds have shared the same identical state, they remain linked, no matter how far they travel from each other.’
Anselm was pleasantly surprised by his daughter’s resolve, for it did lighten his heart. ‘Now that’s a beautiful theory.’
‘It is indeed.’ Taren’s eyes drifted to the panoramic cityscape outside her window, as her theory continued to unfold in her mind. ‘And if I am right about this, then I can only be confident. For if you observe or measure one quanta from a system, then all the other quanta from that system switch from their virtual states to a real state too!’ The implications of this occurring with her soul group brought a smile to her face. ‘And as I am being measured, I know the Grigori will rise to meet this challenge with me, and together …’ she looked to her father, optimistic, ‘… we shall create an idyllic civilisation that might one day rival the one we once founded in the Universe Parallel.’
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bletzer, June G, Ph.D: The Donning International Encyclopedic Psychic Dictionary, The Donning Company Publishers, Virginia, USA. 1986.
Laszlo, Ervin: Science and the Akashic Field — An Integral Theory of Everything, Inner Traditions Rochester, Vermont. 2004.
McTaggart, Lynne: The Field — the Quest for the Secret Force of the Universe, HarperCollins Publishers, London. 2001.
McTaggart, Lynne: The Intention Experiment, HarperElement Publishers, London. 2007.
PLANETS OF THE UNITED STAR SYSTEMS
Maladaan
Capital City: Esponisa
Ruler: President Woodford Tallak
Climate: Polluted
Landscape: Overdeveloped
Highrise-modern cityscapes
Known as the technology capital of the USS
The Universe Parallel Page 45
