by Frank Carey
The universe blinked.
"What the Plark?!" Max exclaimed.
"We've transitioned to another universe," Red said, "but which one?"
"Welcome to Shit," Lucien said.
"Excuse me?" Red said.
"You're right, we have transitioned to another universe, but this one is special. Things that disappear from other universes end up here. Socks, gloves, car keys, ships, planes, even fragments of planets, collect here against every natural law known to the League. This place should have exploded millions of years ago, yet here it is."
"Lucien, assume for a moment that we have no plarking idea what you're talking about?" Red said. "Could you dumb it down to my level?"
"Under certain circumstances, micro portals form between this universe and all the other ones contained in the multiverse. Physical objects, including living ones, can be drawn into these portals and taken to this universe where they collect. When one says things have gone to shit, they are talking about going to this place, specifically, this planet. When too much matter is collected, the system pauses. Luckily, the Shitians are constantly shipping stuff to other planets, so the threshold is never reached, though it has happened in the past.""
So that favorite sock I can't find?" Max asked.
"It's probably here. Dryers are particularly good at generating micro portals."
"This is insane," Red said. "I can't deal with this right now."
"Yes, you can, at least for a little longer. I promise, when we're finished here, you can go back to Maeve and get back to living a normal life."
"Fine. I owe it to Niall to give his family some closure. This day has gone to shit."
"No, only we're going to shit. My understanding is your mission went well."
Max looked to the ceiling while Red just smirked. "Does that ever get old here?"
"The people who live here came up with the name, so I guess not."
A chime sounded. "This is your pilot. Prepare for landing."
###
While Greg tended to the ship, Lucien, Red and Max walked down the ramp and out onto the tarmac. Around them, ground personnel went about their work. A group of people waited nearby. The two Space Patrol Officers set their shoulders and took a deep breath.
"You two really need to lighten up," Lucien said as he walked toward the group. "I promise, they don't bite, nor do they think either of you had anything to do with Niall's death. I've explained everything to them, so all they want to do is meet you."
Hesitantly, Red and Max followed Lucien to where the family stood. With only a few feet to go, the family suddenly closed the remaining space en mass to engulf the pair in a mass hug. Red noticed Lucien walking over to talk to someone in a mechanic's coverall, their face obscured by their hat. Her attention was dragged back to the group when a tall, human male of Nordic lineage engulfed her hand and gave it a gentle shake. "Captain McKee, I'm Niall's father, Trygg Thorvald, and the lovely lady squeezing the life out of Lieutenant Wabash is my wife and Niall's mother, Fiona. By Odin's beard, I've finally met someone with hair redder than hers."
"Sir, I'm so sorry about Niall..." She stopped when four women ranging in age from twenty to thirty-five ran over and hugged her. "These are my four daughters," he explained as he reeled-off their names. They released her just in time for four young men to take their place. "And these are my four sons." Again, he reeled of names, but this time he paused at number four. "I think you already know this one."
She and Max stopped and stared at number four. He was the person Lucien had been talking to.
"Niall!" Fiona said with the fierceness of a warrior Celt. "Haven't I taught you to take off your hat in the presence of ladies?"
"Sorry, Ma, I blanked in the presence of such beautiful women." He took off his hat, then stood at attention. "Captain Niall Thorvald reporting for duty, Captain!"
Max screamed and fainted straight away. Fiona caught her in mid-drop.
"N... Niall?" Red whispered as her eyes rolled back in her head. Moving like a sprinter, Niall caught her as her knees buckled.
"Ma! I told you all this was a bad idea. God help us all if we've killed these two."
Max's eyes fluttered open. Seeing consciousness return, Fiona stood her up, but was prepared to catch her if needed. Max stood there, staring at Niall. "How?"
Niall smiled. He looked down at Red and watched her come-to. "Hey, beautiful..."
Red squirmed free, then jumped back while pulling her weapon and leveling it at him. "Who or what are you? Niall Thorvald is dead."
Max followed suit, pulling her weapon while placing herself between Niall and the family. "She's right. I was there. I watched you die!"
Niall shook his head. "Max! How did I die?"
"The FTL micro-drive shunted you and the module into other-space..."
"Was I alive or dead when the incursion occurred?"
"I don't know. I was busy trying to get the plark out of there, dammit!"
"I was alive, though knocked unconscious by the ejection motors igniting. Under normal circumstances, I should have died when the module transitioned to other-space."
"But you didn't enter other-space," Lucien explained. "The malfunctioning FTL transitioned you into another universe, this universe, just like the malfunctioning Erdexi portal generator transitioned parts of Tennosh here, parts which carried your family and twenty-thousand other souls."
Niall nodded. "I woke up with three broken ribs and a bad case of amnesia. Ren and Joshua found me and took me to town where I got a job as a mechanic. I came too when my family found me in the shop. The shock of seeing them alive restored my memory.
Max put her gun away before running over and hugging Niall. "You're alive!" She turned and looked at Red. "Captain, it's really Niall!"
Red looked at Niall and tilted her head. "Niall, it's really you?"
Max released him, then stepped back.
"You betcha!" he replied as he slowly closed the gap between him and red. He stopped when the muzzle of her pistol was pressed against his chest. "Do you really still need that?" he said as he tapped the weapon with his finger.
"No," she said before disarming it, then placing it back in its holster while keeping an eye on him. "What now?"
He shrugged as he walked up and kissed her. "How's that for starters?"
She returned the kiss with one powerful enough to cause everyone else to blush. "Not bad, but mine's better." She put her head on his chest and closed her eyes. "You're alive."
He kissed the top of her head. "And kicking. Melinda, will you marry me?"
She raised her head and looked him in the eye. "What, no going to one knee and offering me a ring?" she asked jokingly.
He got down on one knee, then produced a ring box from his pocket. "Captain Melinda McKee, will you take my hand in marriage?"
"Of course, fool!" she replied as he slipped a ring on her finger. The applause could be heard at the opposite end of the port.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Red and Max found Ariel, Samson, and Delilah sitting on the bench in front of the office, their feet up on the railing and each wearing cowboy boots and a Stetson pulled over they eyes and optical inputs. "I'm gone two days and the place goes to hell," she said while Max just shook her head.
Almost falling out of his seat, Ariel jumped up. "Red, you're back!"
"Seems like. I got your report while in transit. So, Delilah and Samson are officially deputy marshals?"
The two got up. "Yes, ma'am," they said in unison."
"Delilah, I see you got the dents fixed. No hard feelings?"
She shook her metal head. "Samson explained what happened. I think I'm the one who owes you an apology..."
"None needed, especially now."
"What's happened?" Ariel asked. Before red could answer, Samson put his hand to the side of his head. "Planet fall just outside the city. Looks like the wreckage might contain some kind of autonomous weapon system."
"Take Delilah and check i
t out. Joslyn if you need backup," Red ordered.
"Don't you want me to tag along?" Ariel asked.
"Not right this second. Max, why don't you go?"
"Aye, aye, Marshal." She and the two bots headed out back to get an APC.
"Ariel, you did good while we were gone," she said as she held the door open for him.
"Thanks. What happened, by the way?" he asked. He didn't notice the person leaning next to the counter.
"All I can say is that survivors of the Tennosh disaster were found alive and well."
"By all that's holy. Who? Where? How?"
"My family," Niall said as he removed his hat. "And that's all we can tell you?"
Ariel's jaw dropped as he stared at Niall. "You're alive?" he whispered.
"Yes, I'm alive. The official story is that I was found aboard a derelict space station with the bot and the module nowhere to be found."
"You've returned from the dead!" the necrue yelled as he reached over and hugged Niall.
"Yes, but not for long if you squeeze the life out of me," Niall choked out.
Ariel let go. "Sorry! This is great news!"
"Niall hired on as a deputy. He'll also be putting together a search and rescue team," Red said.
"We need one," Ariel agreed. "Damn, this is fantastic news."
"It gets better," Red said as she held out her left hand so the necrue could see the ring.
"Wow," Ariel said as he examined the piece of jewelry. "When's the big day?"
"You tell us," Red replied. "I was hoping you'd be our planner."
"Yahoo!" Ariel yelled as he ran outside. "I've got a wedding to plan!"
Both Red and Niall raised an eyebrow as they stared at the door. A tentacle appeared next to Niall. "I told you. Now pay up."
He reached into his pocket, pulled out a nutribar, and handed it to Franny. "Good call." He saw Red looking at them. "I said he would have a stoic reaction. She said he was a closet wedding planner. She won."
"You think you know someone..." She looked up at the chrono on the wall. "Time to walk the town, husband. Care to join me?"
"Of course," he replied.
"Husband?" Franny said. "You're already married?"
"Yep," Niall replied. "My whole family was there. Ambassador Irithyl gave away the bride and Niall's oldest sister, an ordained minister, officiated."
"Franny, we decided to have two ceremonies, so we could share the moment with everyone we know," Red explained.
"I see. Well, have a good walk and remember to take your comms with you," she said to their retreating backs as they stepped out the door. "Damn, it is a beautiful day." She took a bite of her snack, then got back to work.
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About Frank Carey
Frank Carey has been formally writing and publishing works of science fiction since late 2013. Over the years prior, he had dabbled in various forms of writing including haiku poetry, but that all changed when he and his wife, Jo, decided to try their hand at writing and self-publishing. All his work, to date, has been in the science fiction genre.
Most of his stories take place about two centuries in the future when Earth joins the League of Planetary Systems. Many of his protagonists are strong females. He is an inveterate pantser who believes the story will go where the story wants to go.
Frank’s background includes degrees in physics and extensive work as a scientific programmer and technologist.
Frank and his wife produce a podcast—Xtreme Self-Publishing—which details their self-publishing efforts.
Frank can be reached through his podcast at xtremeselfpublishing.podbean.com or via e-mail at [email protected] or [email protected]
