Bennu Strand:The World Inside Book One: book one, #1

By Alexander Pink

The first epic story in a ground-breaking science fiction/fantasy series begins with the extraordinary journey of nine Nu human children who possess genetic access to the secret knowledge of PtahGen, the primary creative source of all matter and energy within the universe. As humanity approaches the age of super-terrestrial technology, the ancestral stories and nightly Dream the Nine telepathically share reveals the prophesied return of the ancient Deities, when humanity, under the manipulated guidance of their ancient adversary, begins to develop the technology to harness ProtoGen. Following their discovery of the Castellan, the advanced, ancient Ne-Teru warship responsible for the technological revolution, the authorities detection of their emergent meta-human abilities with the forbidden knowledge they possess leads to their isolated confinement, where The Nine make a pact to keep the knowledge from being used to develop the weaponry of the Gods. Their only escape from the daily torture… the Land of Phantasy, the magical higher dimensional kingdom of the World Inside.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Alexander Pink
• Release date: Aug 21, 2017
• ISBN: 9781494859121

Alexander Pink

A writer, artist, DJ, and researcher from a Jamaican family, Alexander Pink was born in England and raised in Canada. He's a Speculative Fiction (Science Fiction, Dark Fantasy) writer with a keen interest in the human condition, African world history, metaphysics, advancing technology, cosmology and spirituality. He is a Generation Xer with lifelong interests in Sci Fi/Fantasy film, TV, and novels, anime, Marvel comics, classic video games, mythological martial arts films of the 60's and 70's, reared on the transformative music of the 70's, and reading influences from fiction through history to controversial knowledge, he offers unique and original writing from the seldom explored perspective of those existing within the African Diaspora.

Book preview

Bennu Strand: The World Inside

Book One

Alexander Pink

Copyright © 2013 Alexander Pink

All rights reserved.

ISBN: 1494859122

ISBN 13: 9781494859121

Library of Congress Control Number: XXXXX (If applicable)

LCCN Imprint Name: City and State (If applicable)

CHAPTER ONE

Memories of a Future Past

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The crew of the city-size battle fortress Law of One concluded their emotional farewell to Astra, earth’s sister civilization of Canis Prime and prepared for what all hoped would be a successful campaign. The Law led several battle fortresses and dozens of carriers lifting off from bases from all across the planate, the fleet rocketed through the thinning upper atmosphere before switching to electromagnetic propulsion, which pulled them towards the starry heavens like a magnet.

The Navigator pulled up the 3-D holographic rendering of the domed sky, grabbed and laid the image out into a 2-D desktop star map. She tapped on a small circle on the opposite side of the star map, enlarging the swirl of light representing Sol system, then selected the display of the outer edge of the Oort cloud.

The vessels’ fold drives initiated discharges of blue and white bolts of highly charged PtahGenic energy from the plating, which danced along the dark, dense waters of the Great Canopy while forming an energy conduit. The waters above poured through the energy funnel, encasing each vessel inside interdimensional spheres, referred to as fold bubbles. The water-filled dark energy bubbles continued to discharge micro lightning bolts, magnetically drawing the contents inside the firmament.

Time paused with the barrier’s reabsorption of the dark waters, which permitted the fleet of dimensional spheres’ gentle passage through the vault of the heavens, rapidly sailing high above planate Astra. The starry firmament unrolled beneath them like two ends of an infinite scroll, showing the system of worlds dotting the vast plane stretching out in all directions.

With their coordinates locked on the tiny point of light that was the Sol system, the blue-and-white energy bubbles that engulfed the fleet imploded, shrinking to the size of particles and becoming part of the wave, briefly opening the crew’s minds to the timeless All Field that pervaded the higher-dimensional Spheres. In the All Field, Nu humans could see the past, present, and myriad of potential futures in a single moment.

The particles expanded like the slow pulse of a Deity, and the fleet emerged from the erupting fold gates, having crossed the celestial waters to the Kuiper Belt in a heartbeat. The legendary battle fortress joined the main fleet anchored roughly forty AUs from the earth and camouflaged itself within the giant icy bodies of the ring that surrounded the Terran vault.

Everything was eerily calm aboard the ship; the gentle waves of silver energy cascading within the soothing blue-green-tinted, glass-like corridors offered little comfort to its dedicated crew. Preparing to launch a massive offensive against the Intergalactic Sovereign Empire occupying earth had even the most experienced of the combat veterans feeling disconcerted. Those unable to sleep the final full cycle turned to the usual early-morning diversions.

Michael quietly lay in bed beside Brielle, turning his focus inwards while she slept. Having cast off the world outside, he plunged into the All Field of consciousness, where he sensed the crew members try everything from practicing Khemetic yoga to various-level Mantu Arts exercises, weight lifting, and cardio training to divert their thoughts from the impending battle. Some disassembled and cleaned their weapons, others inspected their vehicles, and a few groups turned to sparring and sharp weapons training, but all proved less than effective for most of the crew.

Meditation first thing in the morning always centered Michael upon waking from the disturbing Dream the Archangels could never recall in their youth, but not today. Wanting to be the first person his wife saw upon waking, he stayed in bed trying to maintain a quiet mind while twisting his dreadlocks and staring up at his reflection on the translucent ceiling, observing the slow spin of the cosmos around Ta.

Michael hoped Nu was as perceptible within the cosmos as she was through the thinly spread veil over the massive planate of Astra. Using his hawk-like vision, he tried to look beyond the star-speckled darkness of The Great Ocean that silhouetted his mocha skin to no avail. Michael closed his eyes, eventually feeling his essence expand into Nu, where his first eye saw the flashes of conflict and felt the explosions of a great battle in the aerospace. He found the colossal, armored form of The Sword of Eternity standing high above the earth plane’s central pole, with one foot on the Western coast of Alkebulan, and the other on Eastern Amexam.

The giant archangel knelt on the oceans and pushed her fingers into the Arctic pole, pulling the earth apart for Michael’s essence to enter the planate. He emerged inside the hollow world, finding a massive army marching towards a great city, illuminated by the approaching central sun. A flash brighter than a thousand stars erupted from the center of the city, the blast wave of blue and white energy consuming the inner world snagged Michael’s essence as it erupted out of the northern pole entrance, shattering the vault, laying the world to waste.

Unable to quiet his mind now racing with concern, Michael opened his eyes and found a brief escape as he traced the curvy lines of Brielle’s naked, half-covered body. He followed the Native Amexam necklace, nestled between the caramel mountains of her gently heaving bosom like a great river flowing toward her neck. Her thick dark curls, usually tied in a braid, cascaded from the outline of her serene face, showing no signs of typical early-morning distress just before waking. Michael’s unintentional unification with Brielle’s slumbering mind slowed time in the world outside as he was drawn deeper into her psyche; causing her to react unexpectedly, slamming shut the gateway, putting an end to the eternal moment.

You know, there are more direct ways to wake me up, Brielle grumbled.

I didn’t mean to intrude, Michael whispered while he kissed Brielle’s neck.

Let me guess...You were drinking in my gorgeous visage as if for the last time. She rolled over with a kiss so enthralling; they didn’t notice the surging Slip-drives cause the sapphire-colored plating of the Law to glow like the sun disappearing over the horizon. Bands of blue-and-white lightning dancing along the outer hull arced a kilometer outside, propelling the ship through slip-stream.  

Something like that.

I recognize that tone. She sighed. You’ve spent the whole night thinking about the mission, haven’t you?

Let’s see...It’s the morning of the mission to retake earth, and in seven days not one of us has had the Dream that’s plagued us our whole lives, Michael replied. What’s to think about?

Whether we like it or not, the time for thinking is over, baby. The mission is a go. So let’s just enjoy what could very well be our last time together.

And you people say I’m gloomy... Michael had smirked before they lost themselves in a timeless kiss.

Brielle and Michael felt time hiccup before the blue-and-white energy field that engulfed the ship erupted, pushing the vessel out of slipstream. For a moment, Michael and Brielle felt complete serenity seeing the pebble-size earth for the first time since they fled their home planate. Despite the ship-wide drop in temperature, everyone aboard was so captivated by the image of their home, it never occurred to them to question why the fleet had been deposited such a distance from their destination.

A thunderous boom preceded the violent shaking of the enormous battleship. Lights off! Michael barked, as he and Brielle sat up in bed and instinctively activated their Morphogenetic combat suits. Directed by their will, the genetically grafted, living melanin mimicking cotton underwear transmuted into a damage-resistant leather. The material expanded, shooting up over their bodies and dressing them in Bja armor, a protective layer of snake-like skin fortified by what the ancient tribes of the earth referred to as the Metal of Heaven.

Seeing two sets of hands force open the door to their cabin prompted the anxious couple to draw the handguns from the holsters forged on their suits. Michael and Brielle remained perfectly still in bed, targeting the two figures entering the cabin through the smoke that filled the room from the hallway.

Brielle! Michael!  The familiar thoughts called out from their brothers, temporarily setting their minds at ease. Uriel, whose blond hair looked as though spun out of the sun itself, followed Raphael, stout like a young Malaysian bull, with pin-straight jet-black hair and tanned skin. His dark, sloping eyes centered on the motionless mound in the middle of the bed, approaching with caution.

We’re all right, Brielle said before another series of ship-rattling impacts. What’s going on? she asked.

Something pushed us out of slipstream! Raphael shouted over Admiral Brandt’s instructions repeating over the comm.

They were waiting for us! Uriel added.

Michael stared through the transparent bulkhead, watching the flashes of light filling the cosmic ocean between the fleet and many ships forming a blockade of the earth. Unto the breach...

Mariel, the commander of the 1st Aurora Star group, heard the mental calls of her sisters, Nicki, and Deanna, and picked herself up from the hangar bay floor amid the chaos. Inspired by her sisters’ focus on readying their fighters, she calmly tied back her long black hair while her officer’s uniform transformed into a Morphogenic suit, covering her olive skin with her squadron’s black combat uniform and body armor, accented in red highlights representing Red Horse Squadron. What’s our status? she asked her sisters.

All pilots accounted for and flight ready! Deanna reported, activating the cockpit’s systems.

All Aurora fighters and bombers are armed and ready for launch, Nicki stated while performing remote-controlled flight checks of the entire squadron.

All but two BTC units are manned and ready! Emanuel added from his single-seat compartment.

Our ride should be here any second, Emanuel said.

How long do you think we should wait? Matthew asked with a chuckle. Lean, with a sporty build, bronze skin, and dark-brown hair, he was the cocky lady-killer of the group.

You’ve got jokes. Good for you, Michael thought to his brother.

A hundred forty-four, sound off! Mariel said, climbing into her cockpit.

Heru-Khuti here, Emanuel said.

Se-Bek here, Matthew said.

Te-Huti en route, Uriel reported.

Au-Sar en route, said Michael. Mariel and her sisters breathed a sigh of relief while the other BTC operators sounded off, knowing her absent sister and brothers were all right.

You heard the Admiral. Move it! shouted Quinn, the Law’s chief weapons officer, at frazzled crew members blocking the passageway on her way to the bridge. The tall, Malagasy Amazon with East Asian features and sandy-colored skin paused to glance behind her and proudly watched the crew scramble to their posts while the Law’s attack force mobilized.

Quinn entered the bridge seeing all senior staff plugged into the command interface stations, which enabled cerebral control of the living battleship’s critical systems. At the Conn stood Admiral Patrick Brandt, a tall, tawny-skinned, powerful man who looked more like a professional fighter than the commander of Nevaeh’s flagship, Quinn! I’ve got the helm; Marty needs you on offensive weapons!

Martinez, the sharp-featured, dark-haired Latin dream showed visible strain from the demands of manning both the offensive and defensive systems. From Quinn’s M-suit, pads of bio-circuitry formed over her eyes and glabella, then connected to the corners of her mouth. She felt Martinez’ relief as she submerged into the interface, unburdening him of operating the Law’s offensive-weapons station. All tiers prepare to receive new target packages, she said.

The Law of One and other PtahGenic vessels were fish in the galactic ocean. Interfaced with the Law of One’s external sensors, Quinn had to force herself to ignore the joy of experiencing the Law’s fluidal, dark-space existence and focus her sensors on the shoal of enemy ships that seemed to fill the space surrounding her now city-size body.

Guys, I’m sensing a disturbance on Ta’s surface, Matthew thought. The land offensive is already underway.

Without air support? Mariel barked. Who gave the attack order?

Secretary General Austin is the battlefield commander, Emanuel replied.

I always knew that man was a fool, Deanna added.

So much for the element of surprise, Brielle said, stopping at the bomber marked with her call sign, Au-Set. She stared into Michael’s dark, almond-shaped eyes for what she hoped would not be the last time, and kissed him deeply.

Don’t worry. We have a few surprises left. Now move your asses! Mariel ordered.

See you in a bit, baby, Michael said, before kissing Brielle.

I’m counting on it, my love, Brielle thought, while Raphael boarded the bomber. Michael and Uriel glanced at the damaged elevator then at each other before leaping over the guardrail. Helmets formed over their heads while they fell twenty feet before slamming into their control chairs and plunging three stories down through the tops of their six-story polymorphic spheres, nicknamed the Ball Busters. Living neural tubes plugged their M-suits directly into their vessels’ neural interfaces, rerouting the operators’ motor signals and enabling the biotechnological combat unit’s perfect duplication of human movement.

All Aurora’s are ready for launch! Mariel radioed.

All infantry is ready for deployment! Michael added.

All bombers are standing by for separation! Brielle reported.

Imaging’s been restored, Admiral! said Jan.

The fleet’s formation is breaking up, Admiral! Joel added.

Let’s hit it, Brandt ordered the hangar bay doors opened. To the Archangels, hearing the hypersonic weapons fire and the thunderous, electrostatic explosions circumventing the laws of nature was like listening to a symphony the other human branches could not hear. Through their PtahGenic connection, only they were able to hear the ear-splitting noise of PtahGenic weaponry piercing the eerie quiet of fluidal space. The spears of light blasts streaking back and forth ahead of their exit made their adrenaline rush like a waterfall. Knowing the weapons of the Deities were in the hands of the unfeeling, space-dwelling human society occupying earth was more than enough to reaffirm the urgency of their lifelong mission.

All right, guys, are we ready to take it to em? Mariel asked.

Ase! The sisters and their subordinate pilots declared. Mariel put her thrusters to full, catapulting her fighter out of the launch bay. Her sisters followed with a series of twists, turns, and narrow escapes as the twenty-four Aurora starfighters engaged the slower, less responsive enemy vessels at point-blank. For the Sovereign pilot, battling the superior armored Starfighter was like a puffer trying to outswim a sailfish.

Open a channel to Fleet Admiral Naples! Brandt ordered. Kimberly’s heart sank as she detected the wreckage of their sister ship.

"Sir, the Three Realms has been destroyed. Admiral Kinnley has ordered the second fleet to retreat to fall back coordinates at the edge of the Oort cloud."

Brandt looked into the eyes of the remaining bridge crew and saw the same look of determination he felt. When I accepted this mission, I promised myself this ship would burn before I’d turn back, he said, taking his seat. "Open the intercom fleet wide. Attention, all ship commanders, and personnel. While Admiral Kinnley has ordered the fleet to fall back, I’m requesting all combat-capable battleship-carriers to assemble into burning-spear formation behind the Law and prepare to commence Operation Deep Strike."

While the Law’s bridge crew observed the sisters engage the cruisers, Quinn felt the pangs of envy. She longed to be out there in the thick of battle, feeling the g-forces while maneuvering her Aurora fighter at heart-pounding speeds, but being one of the best gunner pilots earned her the weapons station of Nevaeh’s flagship.

PtahGen, muttered the nine siblings, sensing the Pentacore reactor powering up.

Admiral, sensors are detecting a massive energy reading coming from below the plane, Kimberly said, sending the image of the battlefield within the earth to the main viewer, which showed a target sign in the form of a familiar energy signature detected below the surface of the capital city.

I’m getting strange readings here Admiral, Jan warned before the bridge crew nearly jumped out of their seats when they heard the urgency of the PtahGenic weapons detector, Brace for impact!

Rays of light flashed from the northern hemisphere, crippling several vessels, What was that? Quinn asked, Was that ProtoGen?

The Pentacore’s operational! Kimberly reported. That blast originated from Nevaeh City!"

From the interior? Brandt asked.

It seems Alpha squad was right about the dimensional side effects of actualizing ProtoGen. There looks to be a tear in the interdimensional barrier separating the worlds. Sensor logs have been recording the momentary appearance of the Capital on the outer surface. And each appearance seems to be recurring in longer intervals, 

Am I really seeing this? Julia questioned while watching the display monitor show the image of the inner earth’s Nevaeh City bleeding through the picture of the outer earth’s Apex North accelerator complex, He’s turning the world inside out.

They’re firing again! Joel shouted. Hoping the densified armor would stand up to a deflected impact, Brandt turned the Law of One into the path of the energy blast that exploded from one of ten towers before Nevaeh city disappeared again, taking the full force of the beam with it. Nevertheless, the partial beam of PtahGenic energy passed through the orbital platform like a prism, destroying and critically damaging dozens of vessels with wide beams of light. Merely grazing the Law’s outer hull caused surges that overloaded many conduits, causing explosions to rip through the primary power distribution network.

Crewmembers not safely seated with safety harnesses in affected areas got swept by hurricane-force winds blasting through the corridors and hurled into space before the blast doors could close off the series of breaches.

Secondary distribution network is holding, but cooling systems have failed. The Law’s reactor temperature is climbing! I estimate five minutes to a core meltdown. Jan warned.

Brie, that last hit damaged the cooling systems! Brandt shouted over the comm. We’re not going to last much longer out here!

Abandon ship, Admiral. We can take it from here! Brielle replied to Raphael’s surprise, despite the massive number of enemy ships blockading earth.

We’re too far from the run, Admiral. There’s no way they’ll make it to the drop through all that, Quinn stated.

Activate the fold drives and redirect power output to propulsion. Brie, we still have weapons, armor, and propulsion. We’ll get you to the run coordinates. Stand ready to separate. Brandt said, watching proudly as Quinn, Martinez, and the bridge crew continued their duties despite fire spreading throughout the bridge. The Law of One concentrated forward fire, leading the six remaining battleship-carriers as they plowed through the enemy fleet’s first blockade line.

The Law of One’s interlocking armored plating began to slide back, uncovering the bomber squadron, when a massive internal explosion killed primary power before freeing the vessels, leaving them exposed while the enemy fleet regrouped.

What’s happening with the doors? Brandt shouted.

Primary systems are failing Admiral! We can’t complete hull separation! Martinez reported.

Auxiliary systems? 

Initialized but unstable, Jan said.

We’re sitting ducks! Raphael shouted, watching the enemy fleet advance.

Like hell you are! Brandt shouted while he keyed the sequence overloading the hydraulic system. The bridge crew braced as some of the struts anchoring the bombers to the mammoth vessel’s hull erupted, leaving the Law without power as the pursuing enemy fighters and cruisers launched a final flurry of missiles and energy blasts. Take it to them, Brie! Brandt shouted.

Brielle set her thrusters to full power, ripping free of the Law of One, then immediately banked, escaping the bombardment that destroyed the remaining bomber squadron along with the legendary battleship carrier.

Brielle! Raphael pointed to dozens of Ball Busters floating in the debris field.

Mariners, sound off! Brielle called.

We’re all right, Brie! Tabitha shouted as the surviving Archangels detonated the shells of their Ball Busters, unleashing their thruster-powered armored exoskeletons, engaging the incoming enemy vessels.

Continue the mission. We’ll hold them here as long as we can! Sonny added.

Red, Yellow, and Blue Squadrons form up with me! Brielle said, commanding twenty-four Aurora starfighters, led by her sisters, into a diamond-shaped, defensive formation, leaving behind the surviving BTC units holding back the enemy fighters’ advance. The PtahGen powered group of Aurora fighter ships encircling the Cruiser enhanced the twenty-four pilots’ ability to think and act as one mind. The enemy starfighters were hard-pressed to match the squadron’s impossibly natural maneuvers as they navigated the hot zone like a flock of sparrows preparing for the journey south.  

We’re almost in position, ladies. Clear us a path! Brielle said as the second line of enemy drone fighters and battle cruisers opened fire, hoping to strike the invisible bomber. The squadron of Aurora fighters aggressively broke formation, drawing out the enemy ships from the last line that blockaded earth. The hidden Aurora cruiser stabbed through the remaining ships like the tip of a spear piercing the heart of a mighty beast. Several drones followed after the nearly invisible bomber’s advance to the final line of orbital defenses.

A short burst of ProtoGenic energy passed through the large, heptagon-shaped weapons platforms and indiscriminately blanketed the approach area with splintered rays, destroying many of their own fighters in a desperate attempt to zero in on the veiled bomber with glancing hits. The alarms blared, announcing that a stray blast had damaged the bomber’s shroud.

Brie, the shroud’s offline! We’re visible! Raphael reported.

Divert power to the deflectors. I’ll try my best to get us there in one piece! Brielle told him, as another indirect hit rattled the bomber.

The deflector’s failing! I’m increasing armor densification, but I don’t know how long it’ll hold against those platforms!

Hang on to your helmets, Knights! The final leg’s going to be a bit rough! Brielle said, proceeding to twist and turn, quickly maneuvering the bomber around the incoming fire, which exploded ever closer. After a grazing blast had struck the Aurora’s nose cone, Brielle wiped the blood trickling from her nostril and shook the pain of what felt like a straight punch. Despite the intense pain, she focused on the mission and tried to pull together the quadrupled image of the weapons platform ahead.

Armor densification is failing, Brie! We have to break off! Raphael observed condensation forming along the windowpane.

So far we’re the only ones who made it to the run coordinates. If we are all that’s left of the bomber squadron, this will be our only chance! Just hold us together as long as you can! Brielle advised.

I’ll do my best, but it’s going to take a miracle to get past that platform, Raphael said while they rapidly approached the mountain-size sentry of the northern pole entrance. Just as feelings of doubt began to erode Brielle’s determination, she and her siblings sensed a familiar upsurge of power beyond the Terran sector.

The sisters immediately broke off their engagement of the enemy fighters and cruisers before a massive bolt of plasma lightning burned through the center of the combat zone, vaporizing all but the Auroras and BTC units, and striking the weapons platform directly in the bomber’s path. The siblings felt tremendous relief when the internal explosions blew the platform to bits, as the Castellan, an elegant thirteen-story armored exoskeleton, erupted through the top of the fireball, rising like a winged Tokugawa samurai.

Are you guys alright? Da-Heti asked.

A bit singed, but we’re okay! Did any of the other runners make it through?

"Unfortunately not. The enemy fleet concentrated their attacks on all carriers. The Law was the only one to penetrate the blockade. It’s all on you now," Da-Heti replied.

Just watch our backs. We’re going in hot! Brielle said as the bomber approached the northern porthole.

All right, Aurora’s, let’s light them up! Da-Heti commanded.

The wings of the Castellan expanded while its jet thrusters primed, glowing white hot on its back before exploding, firing the mighty armored giant like a bullet, penetrating the hull of the vessel leading the incoming enemy fleet. The Aurora fighters hooked on to the BTC units like winged jet packs and followed the Castellan inside, unleashing hell while blazing through the ship’s large interior, erupting out of the opposite end ahead of the exploding enemy flagship. The Castellan and Aurora-stacked BTC units immediately attacked the discombobulated fleet, giving the Sovereign pilots pause while the Aurora bomber continued to the top of earth’s vault.

Brielle activated the fold drives; enclosing the vessel in a dimensional warp bubble, which enabled the ship to pass through the firmament entering the enclosure. The ship rocketed to the North Pole and plunged into the entrance, which protected the inner earth with an interdimensional barrier.

The bomber emerged from the aperture, entering the world inside, which was far larger than the one above. By comparison, the lush green land and crystal blue oceans seemed to go on forever beneath the sun, beginning to swell in the sky. The giant trees of the ancient forests which dwarfed the three hundred foot Redwoods, looked like fields of wild grass compared to the Agarthan Ished; ginormous silicon trees standing in place of mountains, with some as tall as thirty miles high.

The feelings of child-like awe with their return to this most magical land faded as quickly as the darkness retreating from the growing sun, which revealed their approach to Nevaeh over an expanding desert, where the AgarthIshed rapidly gave way to numerous flat-topped stumps similar to the mesas on the outer earth. A thin haze fogged the sky as they approached their target, rocketing over dozens of industrial complexes dotting the now barren, quarried wasteland still smoldering from the world army’s forward offensive.

The white, central sun of earth’s interior broke through dark clouds smothering the sky; illuminating several colossal, monolithic stone statues of helmeted Xi warriors— Olmec figures with imposing expressions, mounted on cliffs protruding from the Thirteen Mesas, overlooking Nevaeh City, the capital of inner earth. The siblings’ hearts sank seeing that the once-endless, ancient forest and fields beyond the lush green borders of the ultramodern, island metropolis were now a massive wasteland.

Enormous flags representing the Twelve Divisions linked the seemingly endless front line of a vast, land army approaching a massive defensive line of soldiers that barricaded the capital’s gates.

Behind the wall, a massive ziggurat adorned with representations of the zodiac’s house of Cancer, crowned the Citadel, a gargantuan central tower that loomed ominously over the glass and steel of the mega city. Peals of thunder and violent flashes of lightning seem to intensify in response to the war cry of ten thousand shouting voices demanding the surrender of the city.

Aaron, Brielle’s father and the former head of Earth Research and Technologies, stood chained in front of a broad opening, staring in awe and dismay. Like dawn spreading across the mountains, a vast and mighty army comes, such as never was of in prehistoric times nor ever will be in ages to come.

Inside the control chamber beneath the Citadel, a dozen technicians anxiously looked around the reactor’s control room, startled by the sounds of thousands of deep voices growing deafeningly loud, while Iago, the corrupt high priest and self-proclaimed regional ruler, activated the city’s defenses. Feeling rather confident, he glared at the image of hundreds of warriors charging the defensive line. Let them come, he said, observing the untimely crossing of a small herd of triceratopses caught in the middle of the battlefield.

Although armed with both projectile and particle weapons, the soldiers driving the enormous mechanized warriors seemed perfectly content to use blunt and archaic weapons better suited for earlier and less civilized ages of war. Centuries of education, social evolution, and personal spiritual development had become like dusty, ancient scrolls containing masterworks of human intelligence and imagination written in a soon to be dead language.

Brielle and Raphael observed a small number of the most aggressive dinosaurs boldly attack the nearest combatants towering twelve stories above them in defense of their terrified young, sacrificing themselves for the survival of the herds’ future.

Raph, can you—? Brielle thought.

Already on it, Raphael thought while ‘marking’ several targets near the herd. He armed the pulse cannon and fired dozens of shots, crippling and destroying enemy mechs while warning off loyal soldiers.

Raphael analyzed the multispectral data streaming into his brain’s vision centers from the bomber’s tactical interface, which revealed a growing field of spatial distortions forming high above the capital. Brie, you see that?

That’s not a rainbow down there...is it? Brielle asked.

It’s PtahGenic radiation. The Pentacore reactor is stable.

Brielle, it's likely Iago has figured out how to create an interdimensional barrier around the city, Uriel advised.

What does that mean for the mission? Emanuel asked.

It means things just got a bit harder, Brielle replied. The four anxious brothers unified with Brielle’s mind while she looked down on the city, observing the island metropolis of the Sixth Sphere beginning to phase in and out of existence, fluctuating between the supercontinent of the Fifth Sphere Terra and the world wide battle spoiling the vulnerable Seventh Sphere earth.

Brie, the field is emanating from the central core, but it isn’t cohesive yet. It’s weakest along the periphery. You’ll have to drop us outside the wall. Uriel said.

Matthew, I’ll need your help, Brielle thought as she opened the bomb-bay doors. They needed to time the drop just right; a few seconds early would see the package delivered to the Fifth Sphere supercontinent of the remote past. A few seconds late would send them into the outer earth’s ocean on the Seventh Sphere. She could do it with the bomber’s targeting program, but utilizing Matthew’s faculty of differentiation would increase their chances of success. Time seemed to stretch while Brielle and Matthew unified minds and examined the field’s patterns. They saw the barrier spread out over the city from the core like streams of lava boiling out of a volcano.

Hit ’em hard, Knights! Brielle hollered, releasing the four Ball Busters.

Screeching through the air like birds of prey, the six-story, super dense spheres used for deep-penetration incursions plummeted toward the capital despite the thunderous streams of energy blasting from three of the ten guard towers. Aside from the six-foot-thick layer of Bja metal protecting its contents, the Ball Busters were like giant eyeballs that provided the driver with omnidirectional vision as they effortlessly passed through the streams unharmed.

While his Archangel Brothers looked down on their targets, Michael was the first to look up seeing one of the energy streams strike the back of the cruiser. In an instant, explosions ripped out from the aft section, engulfing the vessel in a ball of fire before a final explosion erupted, tearing a hole in the sky.

Children, it’s time to wake up, They heard a distant voice call from the great beyond. Feeling their consciousness quickly expanding to fill the universe deep within shocked the dreamers, awakening them from their Dream.

CHAPTER TWO

Michael and Brielle

People from all walks of life filled Batu (Central) Park, enjoying the lazy Saturday afternoon as if under recent declaration of the end of a long war. There were circus performers, jugglers, and petting zoos, as well as a host of vendors offering a world of common and rare merchandise. The lines of children with painted faces, waiting for their turn on the amusement rides, seemed unmoving. With so many activities for a visitor to choose from, Michael left the choice to Brielle. Her eyes lit up while directing her thoughts to her mother, Samantha, telepathically broadcasting the answer to the crucial question of the moment.

The image of cotton candy in Brielle’s mind was as clear as a mountain spring and more potent than the sweet aroma of caramel popcorn, which almost suffocated them on their way to the snack zone. Samantha continued her conversation with Jeremy, Michael’s father, who happily nodded in agreement. As they made their way through the busiest part of the park to the candy vendor across from the water fountain, the children found fascination in the mix of humans celebrating their devotion to the aboriginal tribes of the world. The feelings of oneness and tranquility radiating from the tribes felt soothing to them, causing their pace to drag.

Jeremy and Samantha felt the children’s sense of unity and openness with the tribes suddenly shut down, becoming closed and alert as they approached a group of young, gray-skinned humans scornfully observing the tribes escalate to directly harassing the participants.

Mommy, look, Brielle thought.

It’s not polite to point, Brie, Samantha said.

But they're being mean to those people, Michael said.

I know, Samantha said, but as much as we may want to, we can’t get involved.

The children felt their parents struggle to quell their instinct to intervene.

Is it because they might be working with the Watchers? Michael thought.

What makes you think that? Samantha asked.

Some of the others think they do mean things to try to draw us out, Michael thought.

It is possible, I suppose, Jeremy thought, despite Samantha’s sharp glance.

The children examined every gray-skinned human their eyes happened to meet, of which there were many. Brielle and Michael had little contact with the outside world. Seeing a gray person in real life was a thing of wonder, but sensing their hostility toward the other human branches was beyond the children’s understanding.

Children, it’s not polite to stare, Jeremy mentally warned.

Are there Chromes on Nevaeh too, Daddy? Michael thought back while measuring the imposing glare of a mounted patrol officer.

Michael, I have told you not to call them that, Samantha thought.

But daddy calls them Chromes.

Samantha frowned at Jeremy’s attempt to mask his amusement. And he’s wrong for doing so. Aren’t you, Jeremy?

Your auntie’s, right, Michael. Call them by their proper name.

Homo sapiens Akhromatos, Brielle thought.

Excellent, Brielle, Samantha thought.

"So are there any Akhromatos on Nevaeh?" Michael asked.

Not many. Not like there are here, Jeremy said, looking around. When counted together the other branches outnumber the Akhromatos by a thousand to one on Nevaeh. But here on earth, they seem to inhabit the most developed cities. He continued while Samantha flashed a disapproving look. What’s the problem? It’s just statistics, Jeremy privately thought to her.

Military statistics, if I’m not mistaken, Samantha retorted.

Are they not being prepared for tactical lives? Jeremy thought.

Tactical, not military...If we can help it. They deserve better than to live the lives of soldiers, Samantha thought back.

I know they do, Jeremy thought to her. So what color cotton candy would you like? He calmly thought to them, as he prepared to address the vendor.

I want red, Brielle mentally exclaimed with an amused giggle.

How much for two? Jeremy asked the vendor.

That’ll be fifty, he answered.

The children noticed Jeremy and Samantha look at each other as though they felt the vendor was taking advantage of a couple of tourists. Brielle reached up, wanting to watch the cotton candy being made while Jeremy comically grumbled to himself, making Samantha and Brielle laugh, as he often did; only, this time, he made the mistake of letting go of Michael’s hand while pulling out his wallet.

Is that the tourist price? Jeremy asked the vendor.

Same price for everybody, my friend. Is that going to be credit or cash?

Cash, he replied. Have you made up your mind, son? Jeremy thought to Michael.

I want the blue one, Michael thought.

Hearing the sound of excitement and bewilderment coming from behind them, Samantha glanced around. Um...Jeremy?

Jeremy froze, seeing through Samantha’s eyes the image of a crowd gathering around the fountain, watching Michael walking on water as he picked up the coins on the fountain floor.

Oh, no, Michael, Jeremy thought, leaving Samantha to tend to the cotton candy. He calmly but quickly made his way through the crowd, finding Michael in the fountain, walking on the surface of the water. He gently but quickly lifted Michael out of the fountain amid the star-struck audience while Samantha stood ready with Brielle in her arms, prepared to depart immediately as a group or separately and take different routes back to the Haven.

That was incredible! someone exclaimed.

How’d he do that daddy? asked a child in the crowd. Was it magic?

It’s...the shoes. The soles are...flotation devices. We got them on a cruise, Jeremy explained while quickly carting his son away.

Smooth, Samantha thought.

Are you scanning for possible threats?