Perfect Worlds Omnibus

by Eric Filler

  Theshrinkingonlylastedafewseconds,untilshewasalittlegirl.Thenthe fatteningbegan.Arolloffatbecameapotbelly,whichsoonbecameagutthat keptgettingbiggeruntilithadliftedhertanktop’shemalmosttoherarmpits.

  Atthesametimeherrearandthighsswelled,burstingtheseamsofhershorts.

  Stillshekeptgettingfatter,biggerthanshe’deverbeen.Thepalemoundof fleshpouringfromhermidsectionexpandeduntilitstuckoutatleastfifteen centimeters,whilethebottomofitsaggedpastthebaseofherpelvis.

  Onlythendiditfinallystop.Hertanktopexpandedtothesizeofatentto drapeoverhercorpulentframe.Thematerialturnedadullgray,colorfulfishes poppingupalloverit.Withsomeeffortshemanagedtoraiseonearmenoughto touchthesaggingfatwhereherneckshouldbe,followedbyacheekthatbulged asifshewereholdinginabreath.Shemadeherwayuptotheunattractivebowl cuthermotherhadusedtogiveher.

  Imitatingacarnivalbarker,Valshouted,“Ladiesandgentlemen,stepright upandseetheone,theonly:Molegirl!”

  “Val,please—”

  “Seeyouaround,Molegirl.AtleastIwill.”

  EvenasValsaidthis,Kari’svisiondimmed.Sheforcedherselftoshuffle forward,towardsValandtheStoneofChange.Butsincesheweighedagood hundredfiftykilos,KarihadnochanceofcatchinguptoVal.Herformerbest friendtookafewstepsback,pausingatthedoor.Kari’svisionturnedtodim tunnelswhiletheexertionofmovinglefthertoowindedtodomorethan wheeze.

  “Val!”shemanagedtoblurtoutjustbeforetheworldturneddark.She stumbledagainstthebed,collapsingontoKrisee’scorpse.Sherolledovertothe othersideofthebed,keepingonehandonKriseetopullherclose.

  Shesobbedintoherformerlover’ssticky,blood-stainedhair.Everything waslostnow.Kriseewasdead,Valhadturnedouttobeapsychopath,andall Karihadtolookforwardtonowwasspendingtherestofherlifeasamorbidly obeseblindgirl.Shehadwantedtomakeagreatdiscovery,tobenefittheworld, butjustlikeTai’svisionforaperfectworld,ithadfailed,leavingherwith nothing.

  Overthesoundofherwheezing,sheheardVal’sfootstepsfade.

  Thentherewasonlythedarkness.

  PartII:WrathoftheStone

  Part1

  Chapter1

  Afterayearinspace,Jerididn’trecognizeherselfinthemirroranymore.

  Sincetheydidn’thaveaproperstylistonboard,herhairhadgrowntoherwaist; sincetheydidn’thaveanydecentconditioneritwasalsodryandfullofsplit ends.Theydidn’thaveanydyetocoverupthegraystreaksamongstthegolden strandseither.Theairintheshipwassodrythateverytimesheshowered—

  whichwasonlyonceaweektoconservewater—sheleftalayerofskinbehind.

  Andwithoutmuchinthewayofcosmetics,shecoulddolittletocoverthe wrinklesaroundhereyesandmouth.She’dtakentokeepingherbangslongto coverthecreasesinherforehead.

  Ontopofallthat,thehigh-carbrationsandlackofspaceforexercisehad givenherapaunchanddouble-chin.Shehadtriedtousethetinygymforabout tenminutesbeforeTerycameintoleerather.She’drathergetfatthantolet thatgreasypigseehernearlynaked.Asthecaptainshecouldorderhimtostay out,buthewouldstilllurkaroundtosneakpeeksather.

  Thespeakernexttothemirrorinherquartersbuzzed.“Captain,we’vejust clearedShrome’souterrings,”cameSheri’sever-chippervoice.Forthefirstsix monthsthatvoicewithitssunnycadencehadbeenpleasant,butovertimeithad beguntograteonJeri,justlikeeverythingelseaboutthismission.

  “I’llberightthere,”Jerisaid.Shebrushedbackherhair,smoothedherblue uniformjacketoverherstomach,andthensmiled.Herteethtoohad deterioratedthankstoalackofdentalfacilities;theyhadlosttheirpearlyluster andbeguntoyellow.Sheclosedhermouthandsighed.

  ***

  ThebridgewasonlytwentymetersfromJeri’scabin.Theentireshipcould fitinthesittingroomofMother’sestate.Notforthefirsttime,Jeripondered whathadpossessedhertojointheSpaceCorps.Shecouldhavejoinedthe CoastalPatrol,donehercompulsorytwoyearsasanaideinanadmiral’soffice, andthenreturnedhometomarryoneofMother’sfriend’sdaughtersandspend therestofherdaysonanestateofherown.

  Butshehadonlybeenseventeenandsuchalifehadseemedtoostagnant forheryoungself.Thestarshadbeckonedtoherwithpromisesofromanceand adventure.Someromance,shegrumbledtoherself.Twentyyearslatershewas jammedintoafilthytincanforayearwithaswinish manandawomanwho practicallylappedatherfacelikeapuppy.

  Jeritookherseatonthebridgeandstudiedthedisplays.AsSherihadsaid, they’djustclearedShrome,thesixthplanetinthesystem.Anotherdayandthey

  wouldreachPhera—home.Thenshecouldfinallygetsomerealairandhead outforthenearestspaforsomebadly-neededbeautification.

  Aheadofher,Sherioperatedthenavigationarray.UnlikeJeri,Sheri seemedtohavethrivedinthisenvironment.Herpastyskinglowed,heruniform hunglooseronher,andeventheshaggybrownbobshehadtrimmedherself seemedperky.Perhapsitwasacaseofmindovermatter,Jerimused.

  ThedooropenedandrightawayJeri’snosewrinkled.Afterayear,Jeri hadcometoknowalltoowellthatstenchofgrease,stalesweat,andichweed lozengesthataccompaniedTeryeverywhere.Sheforceddownasighasshe turnedaround.“Somethingwrongwiththeengines?”sheasked.Astheship’s technician—theonlyworkforamanonboard—Terywasn’tsupposedtocome tothebridgeunlesstherewassomeissuethatneededtoberesolved.

  “Nope.Justseein’whatyougirlsupto.”

  “That’snoneofyourconcern.Now—”Shecutoffasaflashofwhitelight blindedher.Shethrewupahand,butitwastoolate.Hadtheshipexploded?

  Hadsomethingfiredonthem?Maybeithadbeenasolarflareorsomeother naturalphenomenon.

  “Lieutenant—”Jeristoppedagainashervisioncleared.Sheristillsatin frontofher,buttherewassomethingodd.Thegirl’shairwaslonger,downto hershoulders.WhenSheriturned,Jerisawonlythestripesforanensignonthe girl’sshoulders.

  “Captain?”

  Jeriranahandthroughherhairtofeelitwasdowntoshoulder-lengthas well.Sheputahandtoherstomachtofeelitwasfirmagain.Whenshelooked downathershoulders,shesawcommander’sstripes.

  Justtoconfirmwhathadhappened,sheturnedtoTery.Hisheadhadalittle morestubbleandhismustachewasneater.Hiscoverallslookedthesame,but thestinkcomingoffhimseemedlesspotent.

  Itwascleartheyhadallgottenyounger.Buthow?Itmusthavebeenthat flashoflight,butwhathadthatbeen?Jeriturnedtoherinstruments.Except theyweredifferentaswell.Themonitorshadlessresolutionthanjustafew minutesagoandthecontrolshadrevertedtotactilebuttonsinsteadoftouch screens.

  Jeritriedtosummonallhercaptainlyauthority.“Mr.Tonil,getbacktothe enginesandmakesurethey’restillfunctioningproperly.”

  “Yes,ma’am,”hesaid,nolesssarcasticallythanheusuallydid.

  SheriwaspattingherhairasJerihaddone.“Whatdowedonow, Captain?”

  “WekeepheadingforPhera.Maximumspeed.”Andjustpraynothingelse

  strangehappens,sheaddedtoherself.

  Chapter2

  Threehourslater,theystilldidn’thaveaclueaboutwhathadhappened.

  Thegoodnewswasthattheshipwasn’tabouttoshakeapart.Thebadnewswas thatliketheirbodies,theentireshiphadseemedtoregressseveralyears.That cutdownontheirspeedasthenewoldenginesdidn’thavethesamecapabilities; itwouldtakethemfourdaystogethomenow.

  Tomakethingsworse,theycouldn’tcontactPhera.Thecommunications systemnolongerhadthe
rangeforthisdistance.ButTeryassuredthemthey hadenoughair,food,andwatertocompletethereturntrip—unlesssomething elsehappened.

  Atthispoint,Jericouldonlychalkituptosomekindoftemporalanomaly.

  Theyhadbeensentoutontheirmissionofexplorationtofindsuchphenomenon, butnotuntilontheirwaybackhadtheyfoundanything.Jeriindicatedtheevent inherlog;standardprocedurewouldbetogobacktostudytheareamore thoroughly,butsinceithadaffectedtheshipaswell,Jeriwasn’tabouttotake thechance.

  Shehadtoadmitthechangesweren’tallbad.Whenshe’dgottenachance toseeherselfinamirror,she’dgrinnedinspiteofherself.Shewasaboutfive yearsyoungernow,attheendofherprime,butinherprimenonetheless.No grayinherhair,nofatonherbelly,andonlythetiniestwrinklesvisible.Even herteethhadbeenrestoredtotheirformerwhiteness.Andithadcostalotless thanbeautificationtreatmentsonPhera.

  Asanaddedbonus,theeventseemedtohaveknockedoutsomeofSheri’s relentlessconfidence.Thegirlkeptstaringatherhands,asiftheywouldshrink onheratanymoment.Finally,sheturnedtoask,“Whenwegetback,arethey goingtomakemeanensignagain?”

  “Idoubtthat.Ifnothingelse,justsewonanotherstripeandnoonewill knowthedifference.”

  “Thankyou,ma’am.”

  ThemomentSherifinished,ithappenedagain.Anotherflashoflight blindedJeri.Beforehervisioncleared,shefeltthebackofherhead;aponytail hungdownpasthershouldersnow.Whenshecouldseeagain,shesawensign’s stripesonhershoulders.

  AsforSheri,herhairhadbecomeseverelyshorn.Inplaceofauniformshe woreabluecoverall.Itwasacadet’suniform.“Ohno!”Sheriyelled.

  “Relax,Lieutenant,”Jerisaid,thoughhervoicesoundeddifferent,more chipper,asSheri’shadbeen.“It’snottimetopanicyet.”

  Evenasshesaidthis,Jerifelttheshipslowyetagain.Theyweregoingto bestuckouthereevenlongernow.Andhowlonguntilithappenedagain?

  ***

  Thenextchangecametwohourslater.Jericlosedhereyesatthefirstsign ofaflash.Thisallowedhervisiontoclearmorerapidly.Whenitdid,shesaw thatnowsheworeacadet’scoverall.Shefelttheseverelyshornhairallcadets wererequiredtowear.

  Sheriwasnolongerasoldier.SheworeanordinaryblueT-shirtandjeans.

  Herlonghairwentdowntoherwaist,butwasheldbackfromherfacebya plasticheadbandadornedwithabowaswell.Afewpimplesevendottedher chinandcheeks.Sherigaspedandthentearscametohereyes.“It’snotfair.

  I’ma teenagernow.”

  Jeritriedtomustersomecommandauthority,butcouldn’tmanageit.“We havetostaycalm.There’snouseinpanicking.”

  “Butwekeepgettingyounger.Andit’sgetting faster.”Bothofthosefacts weretrue.Inanhourorsotheymightchangeagain,andthenJeriwouldbea teenageraswell.Howlonguntiltheybecamefetusesagain?Orhowlonguntil theshipdisappearedaroundthem?

  Itwascleartheyhadtodosomething,butwhat?Jerihadtakenafew sciencecoursesinschool,butshehadn’tpaidmuchattentiontothem.Noneof themhadeverdealtwiththiskindofquantumeventinanycase.Theonlything itseemedtheycoulddowastrytogetinrangetocontactPheraforhelp.

  Jericheckedhercontrolstosearchforanyothershipsintheareathatmight beabletohelp.Thedisplayshadbecomeevenlowerresolution,thesensors’

  rangemorelimited;shecouldn’tpickupanythingintheirvicinity.

  Shefinallydecidedtogobacktothetinyinfirmary.Theequipmentthere hadneverbeenmuchtostartwithandnowitwasevenless.Shepickedupa scannerthathadswelledtothesizeofatoasterandhadtobefourtimesthe weightofone.Withthisshemanagedtoscanherself.Itwasaslow, cumbersomeprocesswiththeoutdatedequipment.

  Oncethemachinewasfinished,Jeristudiedtheresults.Shewasn’ta medicaldoctorbyanystretch,butfromwhatshecouldtell,therewasnothing differentabouther.Shewasaperfectlynormalnineteen-year-oldgirl.Ifonly theyhadsomethinghigherresolutionsoshemightbeabletoseewhatwas happeningatthesubatomiclevel.Evenifshecould,whatdifferencewouldit make?

  Assheponderedthis,therecameanotherflash.Shehadthewherewithalto triggerthescannerinthehopeitmightdetectsomething.Thescannerbecame largerandheavierinherhands,untilshecouldfinallynolongerholdit.

  Oncehervisioncleared,shesawthescannerwasnolongerahand-held instrument.Instead,alargeboxsatatopatripodwithwheelsonit.Jeriwheeled thisovertoscanherselfagain.Asthemachinewhirredandbeeped,sheturned toamirrorintheinfirmary.

  Shewasnolongerasoldiernoweither.Inplaceofauniformsheworea whitesummerdress.Goldenhairhungwildandloose.Hercheekshadgaineda littlechubbiness,“babyfat”ashermotherhadcalledit.Thatonlyhelpedto makeherfacelooksmootherandyounger.Thiswasthebodythathadmelted theheartsofsomanygirls—andboys—inhighschool.Backthenshehadbeen abletomakethemquiverwithjustatossofhergoldentresses.

  Thescannerbeeped.Shewasn’tsurprisedtoseetheresultscomebackto showshehadbecomesixteenyearsold.Shesmiledatherreflectionfora moment,beforesherememberedthatsoonitwouldchangeagainandshewould getevenyounger,probablyfourteenorthirteen.

  Shehurriedtothebridge,whereshefoundSherihadalreadyreachedthat turbulentage.Theacnehadmultipliedonherface.Likemanygeeksatschool, shehadtriedtocoveritwithhergreasybrownhair.WhileJerihadbabyfat, Sherihadfatfatinapotbellythatdrapedoverherwaist.Thehemofherwhite blousebarelycoveredupthefatwhensheturnedaround.

  “We’vegottofindsomewaytomakeitstop,”Sheriwhined.“Idon’twant togetanyyounger.”

  “Iknow.Stayhereandwatchthings.”

  “Whereareyougoingnow?”

  “I’mgoingtoseeifwecanmakethisthinggoanyfaster.”Sheprayedthey couldfindawaybeforeshewounduplookinglikeSherionceshehither awkwardteenphase.

  ***

  Terywasstillintheengineroom.Hetoohadfinallyregressedtoa teenager.HismustachehadturnedwispyandlikeSheri,acnedottedhisface.

  Hesportedablackflattopthatalongwithhisdingywhiteshirtandtornjeans foreshadowedthekindofmanhewouldbecome.

  Henearlydroppedthewrenchinhishandswhenhesawher.“Well, someonecleanedupnice,”hesaidwithasmirk.

  “Weneedtomakethisthinggofaster.Wegottogethomebeforewe’retoo littletoreachthecontrols.”

  “Iknowthat,sweetheart.WhatdoyouthinkI’mdoingdownhere?”

  “Don’ttalktomelikethat.I’mstillcaptainofthisship.”

  “Yeah,right.Look,honey,thispieceofshitain’tgoingtogonofaster.

  Thiscrappyreactor’sabouttobustattheseamsasitis.”

  Asshe’doftendoneinhighschool,Jeriglidedforwardandputahandon Tery’sarm.“Areyousureaboutthat?”shecooed.“I’msureabig,strongman likeyouknowsofsomewaytomakeitgofaster.”

  Likeanyhornyadolescentmale,hischeeksreddenedandsweatblossomed onhisforehead.“W-well,IcanseewhatIcando.ButImightneedsomehelp.”

  “I’mallyours,”shesaid.

  Ordinarilyshewouldn’tdreamofworkinginthesmellyengineroomwitha piglikeTery,butdesperatetimescalledfordesperatemeasures.Ifhecouldfind awaytogetthemhomefaster—oratleastsotheycouldgetinrangetocallfor help—shewouldgivehimablowjobrighthereonthefloor.

  Thoughassheworked,shesnuckglancesatTery.Hemightnotbesobad.

  Thelasttimeshewassixteen,shehadexperimentedwithquiteafewmenlike him.Menweresomuchless complicatedthanwomen.Theirneedswer
eso mucheasiertounderstand.Acomplimenthereorthere,atight-fittingblouse, andagentlepatandtheywouldbereadytostormthegatesofHellforher.

  “Thataboutdoesit,”hefinallysaid.“Oughttoboosttheengineoutputby twentypercent.Foralittlewhileatleast.Notsurehowlongshecanhold together.”

  “I’msureyou’llfindaway,”Jerisaid.SheranherhandalongTery’sarm andthenstooduponhertoestogivehimakiss.

  Histonguewasinsidehermouthasthenextchangecame.Shehadher eyesclosed,butshecouldstillsensetheflash.Histonguewasstillinsideher mouth,butnowshetastedsomethingmetallicinhermouthaswell.Sheshoved himbackwards.“Thtayawayfromme!”sheshrieked.

  Hismustachehadvanishedcompletelywiththischangewhilehisacnehad multiplied.Inadditiontotheflattop,hesportedascragglyponytailnowas well.Therewasalsoanearringinhisleftear.

  Asforher,sheworeagreenschooluniformnow.Sheranahandthrough long,straighthair.Themetallictasteinhermouthcamefromthebracesshe’d wornwhenshewasfourteen.Afewroguezitsdottedherpubescentfaceas well.

  “What’syourproblem,princess?”hesneered.

  “MaybeIdon’twantyourgrothtongueinmymouth,”shesaid.Thereason sheknewwasthatnowshewasonlythirteen,nolongerbraveenoughto experimentwithboys.Backthenshehadbeenscaredeventoexperimentwith girls.Thathadn’tchangeduntilshe’dmetagirlnamedVal,whohadchanged hermindinthelinenclosetofMother’shouseduringapartyJerihadthrown whenMotherwasgone.

  Jeri’scheeksreddenedatthememoryofherfirstkiss.Valhadbeenso

  cute,soinnocentwithherfrecklesandshort,scrawnybody.AndyetValhad beentheonewho’dknownwhattodo;she’dbeentheoneincharge.Toobad theyhadn’tseeneachotheragainafterthatsummer.Theyhadwrittenonceor twice,buttheneventhatstopped.ShehadnoideawhathadbecomeofValsince then.