What’s wrong with my friend?
Someone grabs my shoulder. Turning around, I see Josiah behind me. “What is this? Some kind of hologram?”
Suddenly, a great boom of thunder rocks the chamber. A rolling blue cloud curls across the stage, pouring out over the audience as well.
Zoe’s puff bomb.
Moving as one, Thorne and I race away from Josiah. We look like the two most buff senior citizens in the universe as we sprint through the backstage door. With the smoke so heavy, the guard doesn’t even see us.
Trouble is, once we get backstage, we can’t see a thing either. Good thing the guard station is to our right. I stumble through the smoke until my hand hits the door. It’s locked.
“We need to get to the guard station,” I tell Thorne. “I must grab that agony switch for the Hollow.”
“She doesn’t need it anymore.”
“She doesn’t?” I can’t believe what I’m hearing.
“It’s the Hollow. Let’s just say she’ll figure it out on her own.”
“That sounds like the Hollow all right.”
“We can head straight to the Crawler.”
“Perfect.”
All the hours of practice now pay off. I count off the perfect number of steps to the chamber where they’re holding the Crawler. Every time my foot touches the floor, I know I’m getting closer to success. The replacement sentient swarm is still in my pocket.
We can do this.
Before I know it, I’m inside the chamber where the Crawler is held. I march the six steps to get to the machine itself.
Five.
Four.
Three.
Something stands in my way. Or rather, someone.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Meimi?”
Even in the thick smoke, I know who this is.
Josiah.
My heart sinks.
“I knew you’d pull something,” sneers Josiah. “That’s why I memorized Godwin’s plan.”
All of a sudden, the smoke evaporates.
The room’s dimensions become clear. It’s a small steel space that now holds Old Lady Me, Old Guy Thorne, Josiah, and the Crawler. A flash of purple light flickers around me and Old Guy Thorne.
The hologram illusions for both of us vanish. Now there’s no question who we really are.
“Want access to the Crawler?” asks Josiah. “I got here first. My pass gives me an extra level of access to everything. What do you say to that?”
“Something I’ve wanted to for quite some time.” Thorne pulls back his fist and slams Josiah right in the jaw. The guy falls over like a sack of potatoes.
My fake sponsor father is out cold. Good.
Thorne returns his focus to me.“I’ll drag him out of the container and slam the door. He shouldn’t wake up for a while.”
Which means it’s time that I go to work.
Moving forward, I quickly open the access panel atop the Crawler. I enter the codes we got from Fritz; a small opening appears in the Crawler’s side. The Lacerator is in there. My hands shake as I slip out the Lacerator’s nest and replace it with the new sentient swarm.
“And now,” echoes Godwin’s voice from onstage. “I bring you, the Crawler!”
One wall of the metal room slides up. Bright stage lights pour in from the new opening. Thorne and I rush to the opposite wall, where we can stay hidden in shadows. At the same time, the Crawler lurches to life and marches out onto the stage.
I blink hard, not believing what I’m seeing.
The plan is back in action. At least, for now.
Take that, Godwin.
40 Thorne
“No matter how well planned the visit, one must always expect the unexpected.” – Beauregard the Great, Instructions for Visiting Parallel Worlds
Meimi and I stand in the shadows of the metal shipping box for the Crawler. Rusted walls surround us. The waist-high spider bot lurches forward, pausing when it reaches center stage.
Godwin beams with pride. So foul. This is the most animated I’ve ever seen him, and it’s all because he’s about to commit mass murder. “Let’s see those numbers again on screen!”
Behind the doctor, the wall of monitors shows the final count once more.
Humboldt-Merciless Undesirables Tagged: 2,507,699
Godwin-Horde Undesirables Tagged: 565,431
Grand Total: 3,073,130
“Do you see that?” asks Godwin. “Three million weaklings. Three million burdens. Three million traitors, fools, and rebels. And we even have one right here onstage. The Hollow!”
The crowd lets out a loud chorus of hisses and boos. Across the stage, a spotlight focuses on the metal prison. Inside the cage, the Hollow wobbles from foot to foot, trying to stay upright. The outline of her body starts to fray. I’ve been on enough missions to other worlds to know when one’s about to fall apart.
A jolt of alarm moves through me. How long ago did we drug Vargas and create the illusion that he’s the Hollow? The effect can’t keep going forever. And Zoe’s hallucinogen? No idea how long that will last either.
“What’s wrong with the Hollow?” asks Meimi.
“That’s not the Hollow,” I reply. “It’s Vargas.”
“He’s got a set of thumb rings.”
I nod.
In reply, Meimi laces her fingers with mine and focuses onstage. Her small hand trembles in my grasp.
“But there’s more for us tonight than just the Hollow,” booms Godwin. “We’ve sent out drone cameras to key spots across the continent. Witness the undesirables on screen!”
The wall of monitors now becomes live video feeds of more than a hundred people. Every few seconds, each face changes. Although they are different ages, genders, and skin tones, all these so-called undesirables have one thing in common. The video feeds show them in black and white with exaggerated shadows. Every last one of them is framed to look frightening on screen.
“Behold,” cries Godwin. “The blight on our continent that must be cleansed!”
The crowd cheers like mad. And that is the word for it: madness. Some of these faces are children. Others are elderly with oxygen masks. Every one of them has value. They all deserve life. Sweat beads on my skin.
Please let our new plan work.
Godwin raises the master mechanism in his hand. “When I press the finish button, we shall watch them all be cleansed from this earth. Because inside this Crawler are two revolutionary innovations. First, there’s an omnivoid generator, which will transport three million copies of this very Crawler to each undesirable. And second, there’s the Lacerator, which will cleanse each blight quickly and painlessly. Their bodies will vanish in a matter of minutes.”
Another cheer erupts. It seems the audience really loves the vanishing part. Meimi shivers. I pull her back against my chest and wrap my arms around her waist. So many things have gone wrong in the last twenty-four hours.
Please, let this one thing go right.
The real Engine inside the Crawler simply must work.
“You’re about to see the first cleansing engine of its kind, both on screen and in the cage that holds the Hollow. Let’s count down this miracle together! Three … Two … One!” Raising his fist, Godwin lifts the control mechanism high once more. “And now, I activate the Crawler!”
A flash of white light bursts from the mechanism in Godwin’s hand. A halo of small lightning bolts surrounds the Crawler. Meimi’s omnivoid generator kicks to life. Instantly an orb of silver light surrounds the machine as her device creates its first mini drift void, which appears as a bubble of shimmering gray around the massive Crawler.
Another flash of light follows. The mini drift void disappears, along with the Crawler inside.
That’s it. The first Crawler is off to kill.
Another burst of light follows and is gone. The second mini drift void vanishes. On screen, we see two of the undesirables gasp in fear. The Crawler just materialized before them.
&n
bsp; On reflex, my hands ball into fists yet again. I’m a fighter, and my instinct is to pound this machine into scrap metal.
The flashes of light flicker at a faster pace. More mini drift voids form. Additional Crawlers go out across the continent. Soon the flickers of light become so fast, it’s hard to tell them apart any more. Millions of mini drift voids open and close at once.
On screen, the Crawlers march over to each undesirable. Quick as a whip, thin metallic arms jut out from the base of the Crawler’s body, grasping their undesirable around the throat, pulling the person closer.
The wall of monitors now shows myriad faces in every stage of panic. Blank shock. Screaming in terror. Silent weeping.
The crowd is so enthralled by the many images onstage, no one notices the first danger sign for Godwin’s plan.
The Crawler in this chamber hasn’t moved toward the Hollow.
Meimi and I share a look that mixes both worry and excitement. This is right. The Crawler here is recognizing that the Hollow is really Vargas.
Next, the wall of monitors show another panel sliding open on all the Crawlers. A wisp of silver particles coils out.
The new sentient swarm is free. All three million versions of it.
On screen, countless tendrils of silver reach toward three million bodies at once. Some particles enter their bodies. The sick become well. Other thin cords of sentient wind into nearby data feeds. Unjust records are wiped. False debts become erased.
I exhale a shaky breath. This is working.
The display wall shows more wisps winding into the very camera drones feeding video from the undesirables into the wall of monitors. The images of undesirables change. Where the pictures were once black and white, now color and light flood the on screen video. Some so-called undesirables pull off their oxygen masks to breathe deeply. Other children laugh. Even more adults stare amazed at data feeds that bring them good news. More cheer and smile. A handful even thank the Authority.
Godwin goes berserk. “What’s wrong? This isn’t how this was supposed to happen.” He rounds on President Hope. “This wasn’t my plan.”
The images on the screen all change. This time, they take the form of a single face.
The Hollow. And she’s smiling.
With that, I know what happened. Somehow, the Hollow got an agony switch as well as a safe place to use her true controller for the Engine. Again, she’s amazing.
The Hollow’s voice booms through the chamber. “Greetings, Godwin, Mother Hope, and everyone who calls the Authority their rulers.” The place falls silent. “I come to you tonight with great news. Dr. Godwin was planning a coup. My friends and I stopped him.”
After that, I can’t believe what I’m hearing. Literally.
The sound of the Hollow’s voice is gone. A comm unit has appeared in my ear, distracting me from everything else.
Beep … beep …
Justice is calling. I freeze as the importance of this fact slams into me.
Justice is calling!
I step away from Meimi to another corner. “Accept comm,” I whisper.
“Thorne?” asks Justice.
“Here.”
“I got good news. We got your powers back. Obviously.”
“That’s really great.” And it is. “But I’m in the middle of something.”
“Hold your quarter horses. Slate found a device that will protect your transcendent from Father. You’re free to give her back her memories, brother.”
This news is even more stunning. “Where did Slate find this device?”
“Did you hear what I said?” asks Justice. “You can kiss your girl right now, if you want. You’re good as gold. Do you really care how Slate made it happen?”
“No, I suppose I don’t.” I chuckle. “Thanks for the update.”
With that, my mind launches into a whirl of realizations. I have my powers back. I can finally return Meimi’s memories. And the Hollow is still speaking to everyone onstage, just as we planned.
What a night.
41 Meimi
I can’t believe what I’m seeing. I mean, I can believe it, but the way my life goes, I’m waiting for a piano to fall on my head or something.
Things just don’t go smoothly for me.
Thorne steps up behind me once more. I turn to him. “Why did you walk away?” I ask.
“Best if I explain later.”
At this point, it’s tempting to push. What could possibly distract Thorne at this moment? I don’t say a word, though. Why? Thorne’s decided to stand behind me once more and wrap his arms around my waist. The press of his firm body against me is really soothing.
Over on the stage, the image of the Hollow’s face changes, and that further derails my mental train. I quickly come to a solemn decision.
Thorne is right. He can explain later.
On the wall of monitors, the Hollow’s eyes light up with videos, numbers, and letters. I’ve known this woman long enough to realize one thing: she’s processing something big.
“Godwin falsely accused me of betraying Mother Hope,” announces the Hollow. “I’ve spent months collecting evidence of his true goal … which is to kill Mother Hope, murder General Humboldt, and erase the entire institution of the Star Council. Godwin won’t stop until he rules the Authority. Alone.”
The image of the Hollow’s face becomes replaced by dozens of video streams, each one showing Godwin, key documents, and plans.
“Here’s all the proof I’ve collected but have been unable to share before this moment. And here is also the truth about today’s cleansing. That list is filled with Godwin’s enemies, as well as many of my friends.”
President Hope lifts her patch, revealing how her right eye is all metal, just like the Hollow’s. The president focuses on the stream of video evidence. Like I’ve seen with the Hollow, the president’s eye flickers with images and text as she soaks in everything at once.
“It’s true,” declares President Hope. “Godwin is a traitor.”
The images of Godwin’s deceit disappear from the wall of monitors. Once again, the Hollow’s face overtakes the many screens. “The Crawler was indeed sent out with a creature like the Lacerator, only this one heals instead of kills. Most of those listed as undesirable are now ready to be full citizens once more.”
The audience falls silent. A heavy kind of energy fills the air. It’s a mixture of funeral-style mourning and the shock of a lightning strike. Someone sobs. Another person cries with joy.
A realization appears. Even here, in the middle of so much bloodlust, people were dreading the loss of someone they loved.
“The person in my cage?” asks the Hollow. “That’s a very incapacitated Captain Vargas, who was supposed to destroy me tonight. You may want to think about getting him a new job, Humboldt.”
Inside the cage, the hologram projector finally kicks out. Now everyone can see that the person imprisoned is not the Hollow, but Captain Vargas. It turns out that Zoe’s hallucinogen is a drug that lasts a super-long time. No sooner does the hologram disappear than Vargas starts swaying more violently than ever before.
“Find me that flower!” cries Vargas. “Slake the beast.” Then he falls over unconscious.
What in the ever-loving Hilbert space was that about?
I let out a silent whistle. Wow, Zoe’s drugs are serious stuff.
President Hope addresses the on screen version of the Hollow. The president’s voice is so low, only those near the stage can hear her, including me and Thorne. “I’m sorry I doubted you.” With that, the president pivots to face the audience. “It seems we do have an example of my administration’s effectiveness, but in a different way. General Humboldt?”
Humboldt marches forward, pausing beside the president. “Yes, Madam President?”
“Brother, apprehend this traitor.” She points to Godwin.
The doctor scoffs. “I am not a traitor. That evidence is a sham.”
Humboldt doesn’t even reply to this exc
use. Instead, the general follows the president’s order and immediately frog-marches Godwin offstage.
Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.
President Hope then gestures to the audience. “And I shall take it as a personal mission to extend my appreciation to everyone who assisted in this glorious show of support. To the Hollow and her friends, I thank you!”
President Hope keeps saying other stuff, but I don’t hear a word. The metal panel that had lifted up to release the Crawler now lets off an ominous screech. For a moment, it wobbles in place before us.
Then it slams shut with a heavy thud.
Oh, no.
42 Thorne
“Transcendence is a fierce kind of love. Bright. Profound. Consuming.” – Empress Ophelia, The Lost Book of Transcendents
After the metal door slams shut, Meimi lets out a low gasp. “That was unexpected.”
“It was.” I pull her chest closer against mine. “And it means one thing. We did it.”
“We saved them all,” declares Meimi quietly.
“Yes.” I move my thumb in arcs against her stomach. “You make a great leader.”
“You do realize we’re trapped in a dark metal container, right?”
“I do.”
“Fritz rigged this to let us in here. I’m not sure there’s an easy way out.”
I lean in until my mouth almost brushes Meimi’s ear. “Not to worry,” I say in a low voice. Meimi shivers. I must admit, I love the feel of her body moving against mine.
And now that I have my powers back?
So much more is possible, too.
In my mind, I send a series of images to my knowledge sentient, showing them what needs to happen next. They respond immediately.
Above my skin, tiny particles of silver light rise up. I grin. It feels great to regain control over my powers.
“Are those sentient?” asks Meimi breathlessly.
Alien Minds: Dimension Drift, Book 1 Page 20
