by Adair Hart
Okon sized up Evaran. “You’re much taller in person.”
“May we speak in private?” asked Evaran.
“My guards will be just outside this room.”
“Another wise decision.”
Okon waved off the guards, who then exited the room.
“Where do you want your supplies delivered?” asked Evaran.
“I already sent someone to the entrance,” said Okon. “He will show your friend where to take it.”
“Very well. May we sit?”
“Of course.”
Jane took a seat between Dr. Snowden and Emily. Evaran sat across the aisle while Okon stood in front of them.
“So … what history lesson do you need?” asked Okon.
Evaran extended his hand. A projection of the Voss ship in orbit they had seen earlier appeared as a projection from his ring. “This is a Voss Imperium ship. I am guessing the war did not go well.”
Okon paused for a moment, then burst out laughing. “Is it that obvious? Yeah, we lost the war, and it wasn’t even close. They hit us so hard and fast we had no time to retaliate. It was like they knew exactly where to strike.”
Evaran rubbed his chin. “I see. And what about the United Planets? Did they not help?”
“Wouldn’t have mattered. By the time we sent communication off to them, Roeth had been conquered. The Voss Imperium settled in, rounded up Kalesh as slaves, and now they enjoy their new colony.”
Jane perked her head up. “The United Planets would still have tried.”
“Oh … they did. Their fleet got trashed. I’ve never seen a battle so lopsided. The vaunted United Planets drone swarms were commandeered and attacked their own fleet. It was like they had internal knowledge of the command protocols.”
“Given the Voss ships I’ve seen, that’s not too surprising. They seem … different.”
Okon eyed Jane. “You look like a United Planets agent.”
“I used to be one.”
“And now you travel around asking for history lessons.”
Jane shook her head as she chuckled. “I guess if you look at it that way, it does sound kinda funny.”
Okon looked back at Evaran. “Not all Kalesh were enslaved. Some, like us, ran to the old cave networks our ancestors used, like this one. The Voss don’t mess with us out here, but coming by food, water, and, hell, any supplies is darn near impossible.”
Evaran raised a finger. “To help with that, V is delivering to you a matter replicator along with an element storage tank and a matter converter to fill it.”
Okon’s eyes widened. “How’d you get your hands on that? Or do I want to know?”
“There is nothing illegal about it, and it has a dampening field, so you do not need to worry about it being detected. It is preloaded with medicine, food, beverage, and structural patterns. You can add your own patterns through the interface.”
Okon exhaled sharply from his mouth. “All that … just to know that the Voss kicked our ass?”
“Your people need help. It is the least I could do.”
Okon cleared his throat. “Thank you. I have to ask … why is this information so important to you?”
Evaran glanced at Jane, Dr. Snowden, and Emily, then back at Okon. “We are time travelers. We came to this area because there was an anomaly.”
Okon’s lips parted. “Uhh … okay …”
Jane cleared her throat. “Did you teach at the Gunz Tahl Institute?”
“I’m not sure how you would know that, but yeah … long ago.”
“Then you know about temporal mechanics. This is a real-world example. It’s not theory. Trust me, I was where you were mentally, until I actually saw it.”
Okon’s eyes darted between Evaran, Dr. Snowden, Jane, and Emily. “This all sounds … a little off to me. Why are you all here, in this part of Roeth, though?”
“We were investigating the illegal augment trade,” said Evaran. He gestured at Jane. “She was a United Planets agent stationed in Da Nesh. When Dr. Snowden, Emily, and I arrived, we met up with Jane. She suggested we meet with Warlord Okon to find out details.”
Okon jerked his head back. “Warlord!”
“Yes, and you tried to kill us to send a message to aliens coming to Roeth that it was not safe. You were unsuccessful.”
Okon harrumphed as he looked at Jane. “And you were in Da Nesh?”
“Yeah. I loved it. I really miss it. My timeline is gone, though.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” said Okon with furrowed eyebrows. “Da Nesh was a beautiful city. Now it’s a Voss Imperium–controlled refugee camp. More like a prison, if you ask me. Okay … so … I didn’t kill you. Then what?”
“We discovered the illegal augments came from a company called Advanced Dynamics, ran by a creature called Billozein. In our effort to capture him, he did something that caused the timeline to change. In the new timeline, we investigated Corunus—”
“What’s that?” asked Okon.
“A joint United Planets and Kalesh space station.”
“Oh.”
“Once we went there, we met with Ambassador Okon.”
Okon snorted. “Ambassador!”
Jane, Dr. Snowden, and Emily chuckled.
“You appeared to enjoy your role,” said Evaran.
Okon sighed. “Any opportunity like that has been long gone. Let me guess the next steps. This … Billozein thing … caused another timeline change, and now you’re here trying to figure out the timeline differences. Am I right?”
“You are indeed wise.”
“So what happens if you catch this … thing?” asked Okon.
Evaran tilted his head. “It will reset the timeline to its original design.”
“The Voss Imperium … ,” said Okon with narrowed eyes.
“I predict that if we reset the timeline, they will lose the war, and Roeth will have a United Planets presence. Also, this meeting would never have occurred.”
Okon exhaled from his nose. “I would disappear, and you might meet another Okon?”
“Hopefully not a warlord version.”
Okon laughed. “I like you. Aliens could learn a thing or two from you.” He smirked. “You probably want to know if I know anything about this Billozein thing, but as you can tell, I’ve never heard of him or it or whatever it is. However … you mentioned augments. That’s one thing the Voss seem to have in abundance. When their troops landed, we fought them in the forests. I’ve never seen a group move and fight in such a coordinated manner, or at the speed that they did.”
Evaran glanced at Jane. “Do you recall if the Voss historically from your timeline had augments?”
Jane shook her head. “I don’t recall hearing anything about that, but I’m sure they had some. Nothing that would give them such a huge advantage technologically, though.”
Okon rubbed his chin. “Well, there’s your answer then. If in the other timelines the Voss Imperium were defeated, but not this one, then the Voss Imperium have an advantage they didn’t have before.”
Jane pondered Okon’s words, then slowly raised her head. “Billozein helped the Voss Imperium!”
Okon smirked. “That’s my thought as well. Good luck trying to find him. I wouldn’t even know where to begin looking.”
Jane’s eyes darted around as she tapped her fingertips together. “I may know someone who might …”
“Andrew. It is a start,” said Evaran. He stood, causing the others to stand. With an extended hand, he said, “V has delivered the matter replicator unit and the associated devices. We appreciate your help. Before we go, I am curious. I have met Warlord Okon and Ambassador Okon. What title do I ascribe to you?”
“Surviving Okon,” said Okon with a chuckle. “If you’re being serious, I guess Rebel Leader Okon.”
Evaran shook Okon’s hand. “It fits.” He glanced at Dr. Snowden, Jane, and Emily. “Anything else we need to cover?”
Jane bobbed her head. “I’m good.”
; Dr. Snowden and Emily shook their heads.
“Very well,” said Evaran with a final nod at Okon. He gestured to the exit. “To find Andrew then.”
Dr. Snowden sat in the Torvatta command center and watched the screens as the Torvatta flew into space. He went over their meeting with Okon. Billozein was going to push his augments, and now technology, every chance he got in order to further his goals. Based on what Okon said, Billozein used the Voss to create progeny like he had with humans and Kalesh.
Jane tapped at his arm. “Thinking hard?”
“No … I was … thinking about our meeting with Okon.”
Jane smirked. “I’m starting to get used to meeting different versions of people, and to a greater extent, seeing all these timeline changes.”
“You’ll get used to it,” said Dr. Snowden. He noticed Evaran casting a sidelong glance at him.
Evaran tapped at his chair console.
The front right screen turned into a map showing the part of the galaxy they were in, which included Earth and Roeth. Small, scattered red dots appeared with a green line around multiple solar systems.
Evaran gestured at the map. “Jane, where would Andrew be?”
Jane stood up and walked over to the map. After a moment, she had zoomed into a space station near Jupiter. “He would be there. It’s one of several major command centers for the United Planets. This is where he was before going to Roeth, at least.”
“V, take us there,” said Evaran.
“Acknowledged.”
Jane sat back down as the Torvatta opened a portal and flew through it.
The Torvatta exited near a large space station.
Dr. Snowden noted it looked different from Corunus. This one was much larger and reminded him a bit of the Purifier space station he had seen in another adventure. The station had a large half-dome top with a rotating cylinder under it. Rings extended around the cylinder. Ships of all sizes flew around, and others were docked.
Several ships and drones approached the Torvatta.
“Analysis. Communication protocols analyzed. Incoming transmission.”
The screen flickered for a moment.
A male human appeared on the screen, with a white two-piece suit. Various technical-looking pads appeared on the arms, legs, and chest. “You have entered United Planets space. Your ship was not detected until now. Explain.”
Evaran tapped at his chair console. “I am relaying to you our credentials.”
The man looked away for a moment, then looked back with widened eyes. “My mistake. I apologize for any delay. Please proceed.”
The screen went blank.
Jane chuckled. “That Evaran Protocol works pretty well.”
Evaran looked down. “Unfortunately, too well. I did not know it would have this level of impact.”
“You’re regretting putting it in place?” asked Jane.
“I will … modify it … after we capture Billozein.”
It was obvious to Dr. Snowden that something about the protocol bothered Evaran. Dr. Snowden figured their arrival at Roeth and the subsequent notifications to all power groups was a consideration. Warlord Okon’s power play was one action that resulted from the mere knowledge of it. He did not know what Evaran would do, but his gut told him that Evaran was probably going to wipe out any mention of his past events.
“Landing pad coordinates received,” said V.
“Take us in and put us into scan profile two,” said Evaran.
“Acknowledged.”
The Torvatta flew toward the surface of a drumlike cylinder. A rectangular landing pad outlined in green on the front left screen. Once the Torvatta had landed, the pad descended. Doors above the pad sealed shut. After a moment, the pad came to a stop. A beam shot out and scanned the Torvatta.
Evaran stood and gestured at the exit. “Let us go.”
Dr. Snowden took a measured breath as he stood along with Jane and Emily. This would be his first look at what he imagined humanity to be like in the future. The last version he had seen was the human-supremacist Purifiers. He glanced at Emily, who was flexing her hands. He could tell she was thinking along the same lines as he. The landing sequence was different than what he had seen previously. Maybe it was an older approach, given how close it was to Earth. It would make sense that any advanced docking or hangar bays would be built near new construction.
V flew past Dr. Snowden as he exited the Torvatta.
Dr. Snowden looked up at V. “Orb mode again this time?”
V stretched out two of his extensions and landed with them serving as legs. He positioned the other two into a teapot pose. His top light glowed for a moment. “Yes.”
Dr. Snowden, Jane, and Emily chuckled.
Dr. Snowden noticed that there were several humanoid robots and androids walking around. It made sense to him to use them in a potentially dangerous environment to organics. Looking around, he wondered where or when the decontamination sequence would occur.
They crossed the hangar and walked into a small tunnel that was roughly eight feet wide. The end of the tunnel had a solid door, and once they were all in, the other side closed up. A light beam rose from the floor while a mist enveloped the room.
Dr. Snowden remembered this sequence. He looked at Evaran. “This kinda feels like the Krotovore mist.”
Evaran moved his hand through the mist, causing swirling trails to follow it. After a moment, he said, “Now that you mention it, it appears to be similar in composition. That seems unusual.”
Emily ran her hand through the mist. “You don’t think Krotovore technology got to Earth somehow, do you? There were two crashed ships, from what I remember.”
“I do not know, but it is now something I will need to look into.”
Emily glanced at Dr. Snowden.
Dr. Snowden ran a hand over his mouth and off to the side of his face. Maybe that Krotovore technology was recovered. It would seem that their abduction when they met Evaran might be part of something bigger in Earth’s history relative to this point in time.
After a minute, the mist was sucked back in, and the light lines that had been scanning them dissipated. The door in front of them slid open.
They entered a small hexagonal room with an android and two humanoid robot guards.
The android approached them. “How may I be of assistance?”
“Are you going to register us?” asked Evaran.
“You are already registered.”
“I see,” said Evaran. “Where would we find Andrew Dotrick?”
The android paused for a moment and dipped his head. He raised it back up and looked at Evaran. “Shall I contact him?”
“Please do.”
The android paused for a moment before speaking. “He has been notified of your arrival. Do you need a guide?”
Extending his right arm, Evaran said, “Please proceed.”
The android pivoted along with the two robot guards, and everyone followed them out of the room.
Dr. Snowden smiled as he looked around the large, open-air plaza they entered. It had technical-looking pillars that stood roughly ten feet tall spaced out across the expanse. On the pillars’ sides were screens and various holo projections shooting out. Various lounges and side stores with open fronts ringed the plaza.
The plaza was part of an advanced large city with a light-blue sky. He enjoyed the warm weather and cool breeze. Transportation tubes seemed to interconnect buildings, and small rivers ran through the city. He wondered how they got it all to work.
He snorted at the amount of advertising he saw. Even in the future, humanity had not moved past that. The amount of aliens relieved him. No human supremacy here. Everything was clean, organized, and very technical-looking, similar to the space habitat. Heavy-suited human guards stood around while other humans in white two-piece suits with silver segmented lines bustled around.
Emily swatted his arm. “Focus.”
Dr. Snowden raised his eyebrows while shrugging. When he
thought about traveling with Evaran through space and time, it was moments like this that he valued highly. With a swat back at Emily’s arm, he said, “Let’s do this.”
Emily shook her head while Jane chuckled.
After trawling through several more expansive plazas, buildings, corridors, and elevators, they reached Andrew’s office. The android gestured at the outline of a door on the wall.
Evaran bowed. “Thank you.”
The android stared at Evaran for a moment, then took off with the two robot guards behind him.
Jane glanced at Dr. Snowden, who lightly squeezed her arm. Meeting a timeline version of Okon was one thing, but a version of Andrew would be different.
Evaran interacted with the door console, causing the door interior to form a glowing hexagonal pattern before dissipating.
Emily entered the room first, with Dr. Snowden behind her.
Jane walked in and saw that it was of typical United Planets design. She gasped as she saw that Andrew was not alone. Although he looked similar to how she remembered him, it was this timeline’s version of herself standing next to Andrew that caught her attention. Apparently she caught this timeline version’s attention as well. It would seem that even with Roeth occupied, she still worked as an agent. Based on the decorations on the other Jane’s uniform, she was a higher rank than Andrew. Maybe Chris was here too.
After an awkward moment, Andrew tapped at his desk, causing four chairs to slide out from the walls. After everyone was seated, he glanced at Evaran, then Jane. “This should be interesting. Please feel free to begin.”
“Thank you. First off, did the android that brought us here explain to you who we were?”
“Oh yeah … and my boss,” he said, nodding at the other Jane, “thought the protocols were myths. I will say I wasn’t expecting to see the Evaran Protocol activated, though.”
Jane scrutinized the other Jane. It seemed that regardless of the timeline, her career path was constant. Andrew seemed more subdued than she remembered. She had expected him to jump out of his chair, but maybe being of a lower rank had something to do with that.
Evaran raised a finger. “Very good. Let me bring you up to speed on why we are here. We are investigating a timeline anomaly caused by a creature known as Billozein. He has already changed the timeline twice.” He gestured at Jane. “She is from the original timeline we entered, and due to being on my ship when the timeline changed, she crossed over to the new timeline with us.”
