The Evaran Chronicles Box Set: Books 13-15: The Evaran Chronicles, #105

By Adair Hart

An end can also be a beginning

 

Dr. Albert Snowden and his niece, Emily, continue their space-and-time-traveling adventures with Evaran and V. They'll deal with a cosmic artifact, a dangerous cult that has twisted Evaran's ideals, and an enemy that causes Evaran to look in the mirror, all while trying to maintain timeline integrity. Along the way, they'll meet new allies, in particular several that were chosen by the Torvatta.

 

This final box set contains the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth books in The Evaran Chronicles. If you like science fiction, time travel, technology, and adventure with a science fantasy bent, then this series is for you.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Adair Hart
• Release date: Dec 9, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223446927

Book preview

Title

Copyright © 2021 Adair Hart

All rights are reserved to the author. No part of this ebook may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Editing done by Eliza Dee

Cover done by Tom Edwards

Interior design done by Colleen Sheehan

Proofread done by Jade Hemming

Published by Quantum Edge Publishing

www.AdairHart.com

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The story so far

- In The Arrival, The Evaran Chronicles prequel, a space- and time-traveling being known as Evaran rescues Jake Melkins and Kathy from a Seceltor slaver named Greecho. It is Evaran’s first adventure in the Milky Way galaxy and introduces him to Earth.

- In The Awakening, Book 1 of The Evaran Chronicles, Dr. Albert Snowden and his niece, Emily Snowden, are abducted by an alien race known as the Krotovore. They are rescued by Evaran and V, Evaran’s trusty mobile artificial intelligence, who drops them back off on Earth.

- In The Fredorian Destiny, Book 2 of The Evaran Chronicles, Evaran returns to check on Dr. Snowden and Emily, and they ask to travel with him. Evaran accepts. They then help Fredoria, a planet of human ex-slaves, become a full trade partner with the Kreagan Star Empire, the local galactic superpower in Earth’s region of the galaxy. Hampered by the industrialist Seeros and bounty hunters, they secure the Arkaron, a Kreagan relic, for the Fredorians to give to the Kreagan emperor.

- In The Purification, Book 3 of The Evaran Chronicles, Evaran and the gang fight the timeline invaders known as the Purifiers, a human-supremacist group led by the Overlord that tries to change Earth’s history.

- In The Time Refugee, Book 4 of The Evaran Chronicles, they tangle with Billozein, a rogue time traveler, while helping Jane Trellis, a time refugee who is pulled out of her timeline.

- In The Evaran Origin, Book 5 of The Evaran Chronicles, they discover Evaran’s origin and meet Levaran, another one of Evaran’s plane forms, while fighting the Time Wardens, a timeline-void race that hunts rift travelers.

- In The Shadow Connection, Book 6 of The Evaran Chronicles, they group up with Jake Melkins and the nonhuman community to defend Earth from the ambitions of Caltorus, a dimensional being that rules over a vast empire encompassing worlds in many dimensions.

- In The Human Factor, Book 7 of The Evaran Chronicles, they head to AD 10105 and deal with a ruthless AI known as Salazar, in addition to fixing the timeline.

- In The Cosmic Parallel, Book 8 of The Evaran Chronicles, they leap from parallel timeline to timeline in a trap designed by the Mortani, plane refugees who blame Evaran for their situation.

- In The Unification, Book 9 of The Evaran Chronicles, they travel to AD 514,723 to unify humanity while dealing with an extradimensional threat.

- In The Portal Effect, Book 10 of The Evaran Chronicles, they deal with a rogue time traveler who enjoys zapping people to the past and altering timelines.

- In The Time Cube, Book 11 of The Evaran Chronicles, they meet Dalton Kingston as they travel to the Horologium-Reticulum supercluster to deal with the ruthless Tenagrin Hegemony.

- In The Evaran Impact, Book 12 of The Evaran Chronicles, they meet Sivaran, another one of Evaran’s plane forms, in another universe and help him deal with Wardax, a cosmic threat.

- This book continues their adventures.

Evaran's Technology

Torvatta—his disc-shaped ship that can travel through time and space. It is roughly fifteen feet tall by thirty feet wide. The interior contains six dimensional rooms, an open area with a semitransparent floor and sides, and a roof that can be transformed by hard holograms. A shielding around the Torvatta prevents most matter from entering.

Universal interface card (UIC)—a credit-card-sized device carried on his belt that allows access to most technological systems that do not have an artificial intelligence in them. It can also view limited information on biological systems.

Augmented reality interface (ARI)—an interface that only he can see around him.

Utility handle—a hilt-like device carried on his belt that can extend morphable matter in any shape, typically a baton or staff; can also fire repulsion, grappling, heat, mist, sticky globules, and stun beams.

Illumination orbs—small orbs on his belt that provide lighting and can hover.

Projection orb—an orb that allows projections to be sent to it from remote sources, such as Evaran’s ring or the Torvatta.

Ring—a ring that can provide holographic projection and scan.

Prologue

Captain Abrax’s catlike eyes narrowed as he surveyed the space tunnel his ship flew through. He served the Morokel Galactic Federation, or MGF, and had been assigned to escort a group of scientists through the strange portal that had popped up in MGF space. Although the room he stood in had no external windows, information and data was piped into his ocular augments. What appeared as an empty room to others was jam-packed with information windows showing many types of metrics.

Like most Tiskin escort ships, his ship was filled with the captain’s clan. Abrax enjoyed having his family and friends along and tolerated the MGF scientists and researchers. Even the very young came on this trip. Tiskins were nomadic by nature, and exploring space tunnels was in their blood.

Next to Abrax stood Gulukra, a prominent scientist and fellow Tiskin, whose white whiskers were common for someone of her age. She led the scientific group on board. Her orange-and-white fur stuck out where it could from her loose robe. Abrax appreciated Gulukra’s wisdom, and she was a good role model for all Tiskins. He might have followed in her footsteps, but his family had a history of commanding ships and exploring space tunnels resembling the one they were in.

You’re worried, said Gulukra.

Abrax growled. Something about this tunnel is off. It doesn’t seem to match other ones we’ve been in.

Gulukra purred. Relax. There’s no need for your fur to stand. Yes, this tunnel is new and interesting, and we’ll be the first living things to see what’s on the other side.

True. I think every Tiskin lives for that.

She patted his furry arm. You have Blatok Security Droids if something goes wrong. Your ship is powerful and fast and should be able to handle anything that comes its way. The Eight chose wisely. I trust in their wisdom.

Abrax’s eyes narrowed as he continued to stare at the portal tunnel’s walls. It looked like it was made of glass with a constantly shifting green liquid of various hues sliding around. Gulukra was right that there were Blatok Security Droids, or BSDs, on board. He had personally chosen and modified the ones for his ship. However, if they were activated, then that meant things were really bad.

An officer signaled to Abrax. There’s a strange anomaly appearing across the ship.

Show me, said Abrax.

He studied the screens that the officer flung his way. A strange orange mist floated in various rooms. Several of the ship’s staff were already investigating the glow wherever it went. A quick check showed all systems to be running optimally. It could be a side effect of being in the tunnel. That would not surprise him.

I’ve seen this before, said Gulukra. The slats in her eyes widened.

Where? asked Abrax.

She uttered a low growl. One of the ruins we investigated a while back. There was this glow, then Gothlic lords and their minions arrived.

They’re a myth, said Abrax. Stories told by the Gothlic church to convert followers.

Oh no…they’re very real. I’ve seen them, said Gulukra. Rare…yes, but they’ve been popping up more often as of late. However, their arrival is always preceded by a cloud like what we’re seeing, then they do what they do, then they vanish thirty minutes later. I’d activate your security now.

Abrax continued to study the strange mist across various rooms. He had heard of the Gothlic lords and their minions and even viewed supposed footage of their activity, but it was easy to fake anything digital. The Gothlic church disseminated the videos as proof that their gods had returned. Still, Gulukra was not one to spin tales.

Gulukra’s gaze bored through Abrax. I’m being serious. You need to activate them.

Fine, said Abrax. He interacted with a floating window and activated the BSDs.

Nothing happened.

He tilted his head, then tried to initiate a security alert.

Silence.

We’re exiting the tunnel! said an officer. Our engines have stopped!

A chill ran up Abrax’s spine. They had exited the portal and were flying toward a planet with large masses of water and a sprinkling of land. They would not be able to fly away, but maybe they could guide it to a less-than-disastrous landing. There was also the potential threat of the Gothlic lords and their minions, although nothing had registered yet.

The solar system they entered had one sun and several rocky planets along with some gas ones. It did not register as a known solar system. Wherever the tunnel exited, it was far beyond known space.

Plot a course to a safe landing! said Abrax.

Yes, Captain! said the officer.

Abrax examined the line that had been plotted. With their engines out, they still had isolated thrusters they could use. The shielding was on the fritz, but the design of the ship could handle planetary entry.

Look! said Gulukra, shoving a data window in front of Abrax.

His fur rose as a bipedal alien in tight black clothing materialized. Chains, hooks, and rods poked through the skin and clothing at various points. It looked tortured, but it stood as if everything was okay. Next to it were two large creatures that had massive legs. The creatures were hunched over and possessed powerful arms, but he could see that the monsters could stand if they wanted to.

A Gothlic lord and two fleshreavers, said Gulukra.

Abrax swallowed hard as the Gothlic lord shot out a fleshy tendril with a spiked ending. It impaled a worker, who was then lifted. The lord then proceeded to skin the worker alive. Abrax growled. The Gothlic lord had killed Daramin, one of Abrax’s clan.

Other workers tried to flee the room but were hunted and smashed into the deck before being brought back to the lord.

The Gothlic lord looked up at the video feed. In a deep, gravelly voice, it sneered and said, We’re here.

The window went blank.

Abrax pinned his ears back. The Gothlic lords were capable of disrupting systems. With them now in various parts of the ship and no BSDs to assist, it would be up to him and his security force to contain them. He had never fought a Gothlic lord or fleshreavers, so he was not even sure if energy weapons would work. One thing he was sure of was that Tiskins did not back down from a fight.

He pointed around the room. Activate fortress protocol. He motioned at two nearby officers. Inform the others…and be careful.

The Tiskins placed both fists facing each other on their chest and said in unison, Yes, Captain!

Abrax walked over to a panel in the wall, and after a few taps on a nearby console, it opened. He pulled out a small energy pistol and tossed it at Gulukra, who awkwardly caught it. For himself, he chose two clawed blades that went over his wrists. He also had his energy pistol. Other officers grabbed various energy weapons and began to set up a defense near the only entrance to the room.

Not much can survive a Gothlic assault. I escaped the one I saw from before, but barely, said Gulukra, ducking behind a workstation.

Abrax adopted an aggressive stance. We’ll survive. You said they’re here for thirty minutes?

Gulukra nodded.

We’ll be planetside by then, assuming we haven’t blown up, said Abrax.

She aimed her pistol forward. I’m concerned about how they were able to appear here inside a space tunnel. Maybe it had something to do with that.

We can figure that out later, said Abrax. He growled. Assuming there is one.

Chapter One

Dr. Albert Snowden loved getting the chance to talk with unique beings like Kantris, an ancient shape-shifting Outsider. He was the head librarian of the Wild Haven Institute library, and he looked at ease in his white robe with a blue-and-silver collar sitting behind a large desk. A metallic belt hung across his waist, and his fair skin and white hair added to the lightly colored overall appearance.

Lord Vygon, the ancient vampire, had mentioned Kantris to Emily on the previous adventure. She had been eager to meet him, so Dr. Snowden accompanied her. He did not mind getting out of Columbus, Ohio, for a while and making the trip to upstate New York. It was September 7, 2013, at 11:00 a.m., roughly three weeks after their last trip with Evaran, which had dealt with a rogue cosmic entity.

The massive office they were in was populated by packed bookshelves. Light rays danced through large windows and the smell of apples permeated the air.

So, Lord Vygon mentioned you to me, said Kantris in a calm voice while gesturing at Emily.

She smiled. Yeah. Since my uncle and I are long-lived, Lord Vygon and I discussed publishing papers two hundred years from now and how odd it would be. He then said I’d be like you.

Kantris steepled his fingers. He is wise.

Dr. Snowden raised a finger. How do you contribute without being noticed?

Very carefully, said Kantris with a smile.

The group laughed.

But in all seriousness, I go through established scientists and give them knowledge as needed, said Kantris. There’s no need to mention my name in the papers.

Dr. Snowden bobbed his head. I guess that’s easy when you have the resources of the Earth Ward.

Kantris grinned. And the Helians before that.

Plus you’re in the Immortal Order. I’m sure that helps.

Kantris’s eyes widened. Oh…uh…what’s that?

Dr. Snowden furrowed his brow. "The Torvatta has you and thirty-nine others listed in the Immortal Order, along with several events they were involved in. With an organization like that behind you, it’s no wonder you got a lot of information."

"The Torvatta…Evaran’s ship. Of course, said Kantris. We’ve kept our order secret for hundreds of thousands of years, but it seems nothing escapes the Torvatta."

Well, Evaran did some of the legwork in observing too.

Kantris rubbed his chin. "It would seem anyone with access to the Torvatta would have this information. Lord Vygon surely does, as would Inspector Dalton Kingston of the Earth Ward."

Probably, said Emily. We know you’re a secret society, so we won’t tell anyone.

Kantris chortled. This is not quite how I expected this conversation to go.

"Probably not. On another note, you’ve been around for a very long time, I heard. When did you arrive on Earth? The Torvatta doesn’t have a full record."

Kantris studied her. When I came…there were multiple species of humans.

Dr. Snowden’s eyes narrowed. Are you referring to Neanderthals, Denisovans, and potentially other branches?

I am.

Emily drew her head back. Then that would put your arrival somewhere around two hundred thousand years ago!

Kantris’s eyes sparkled. "Close enough. How far back does the Torvatta have records of us?"

About ten thousand years, said Emily. That’s so cool you’ve lived for so long. I guess since you can shape-shift, that made it easier to blend in. Lord Vygon mentioned you could camouflage yourself.

Yes, but I’m glad we’re in this age now. History is not as romantic as it might appear.

Emily played with her ponytail. I bet. Did you travel to various places a lot, or stay in one place mainly?

As you travel with Evaran and can time travel, I probably shouldn’t tell you where I’ve been, although it seems some of our travels have already been documented, said Kantris.

Dr. Snowden wrinkled his brow. If we had met, you’d have known already.

You’re quite right, said Kantris. I could never tell you, though.

Time travel, said Dr. Snowden, shaking his head.

He winced as a familiar feeling washed over him. The last time he had felt it was when a timeline update had occurred. His heart raced. He and Emily could reappear in a new timeline that might have environmental issues. They could even appear in a mountain or deep underwater.

Emily doubled over. I feel it too. We don’t have much time!

What’s going on? asked Kantris.

Timeline update. Past has been changed, said Dr. Snowden, hopping up. We’re temporally shielded, so we’ll appear in the new timeline.

Kantris stood. How can I help?

Dr. Snowden shook his head. You can’t. You’ll disappear with this timeline.

That’s disconcerting.

We have to get topside! said Dr. Snowden. If we resolve whatever this is, we’ll be back in a moment.

All right, said Kantris.

Dr. Snowden and Emily bolted out of his office. The strange sensation got stronger, and Dr. Snowden knew the timeline update was imminent.

Emily opened her PSD. Evaran! Timeline change.

Evaran displayed as a holo face. "I have your position, and the Torvatta is going to low orbit. It will travel back in time twenty minutes and appear near you from your perspective once you exit the Wild Haven Institute, assuming the update does not occur first."

Dr. Snowden gulped. They were still a few levels underground, and the sensation got stronger every step he took. I don’t think we’ll make it before it hits!

"Perhaps not, but know that the Torvatta will be near wherever you pop out to in the new timeline. I would suggest you form a cube from your PSD and get inside it. Raise your helmets."

All right!

I got this, said Emily. She ended the communication and tapped at her PSD.

Dr. Snowden’s breathing increased as the sensation got stronger. He did not recall it feeling as strong before. It had started as a tingle, then a semitransparent metallic curtain had swept across everything.

Emily spawned a sealed eight-by-eight cube around her with a large doorway facing Dr. Snowden.

Dr. Snowden’s pulse accelerated as he saw the curtain. It swept faster than he could run, even with him focusing, which usually slowed down things around him. By the time he managed to get one leg and one arm—the one holding the PSD— inside Emily’s cube, he had been encased by some type of concrete. Thankfully, his helmet allowed him to breathe, but it was dark, and he could not move.

Hold on, Uncle Albert! said Emily.

Dr. Snowden felt her grab his PSD from his hand. His heart raced as his claustrophobia kicked in. This was a nightmare.

Relax, said Evaran, his face appearing in the inner faceplate. "The Torvatta is over your area, but if we melt down to you, it will destabilize the structure you are in."

Yeah, don’t do that! said Dr. Snowden.

Emily will use your PSD to form a pickaxe and chip you out of your current location and into the cube, said Evaran. "Once done, she can form a door on the other side. The Torvatta has scanned your area and located a nearby open space. We will land and come to you."

Okay, said Dr. Snowden, gulping and closing his eyes for a moment.

The chipping sound he heard reassured him, and Emily’s avatar showed her working like a madwoman.

What…uh…does the surface look like? asked Dr. Snowden.

An abandoned city now in ruins, said Evaran. Observe.

Dr. Snowden focused on the images of a city that nature had claimed. The city itself resembled a solid plate with towers rising out of it. Tunnels ran between the buildings. However, whoever had lived there had not done so in a while.

Towers were exposed and collapsed tunnels were everywhere. Vegetation had moved in, and half the city was covered in it. His eye did catch the life sign readings that showed that there was still something alive, but he did not think they were the builders.

After ten minutes, he could wriggle his right shoulder.

You still okay? she asked.

I will be much better once I’m out of there.

Okay, hold on.

He breathed easier when she had chipped enough away that he could move into the cube. His muscles relaxed, causing him to grimace. He must not have realized how much he had been exerting them.

Emily helped him sit. You’re okay.

Dr. Snowden lowered his helmet and gulped down a big breath. Okay, that wasn’t fun.

Sure wasn’t. She went to an interface on the wall.

A moment later, the doorway changed sides.

Emily began to work on clearing a path.

He admired her tenacity. Even after expending all that energy to get him out, she was at it again. He hopped up and gestured at her to hand over the pickaxe.

You just rest, said Emily.

He shook his head. I’ve been in one position for too long. A little exercise would do me good.

Oh, now you want to exercise, she said, playfully swatting his arm.

He grabbed the pickaxe and then focused on chipping away on the right side. It would take some time to go through, and he wished he had vibrating nanobots like Kess, his evolved girlfriend half a million years into the future. At least they were alive, and Evaran and V knew where they were. He glanced over at Emily, who smiled at him. He was glad she was there. With determination in his eyes, he concentrated on creating a tunnel.

Scene Break

Emily took a breather when she was a quarter of the way to the open area. Dr. Snowden had started the tunnel out, and she had pushed it even farther, but her energy was being sapped. If there had been two PSDs in play, it might have helped speed things along, but Dr. Snowden was beat, and her PSD was being used for the cube enclosure. Twenty-five minutes had passed, and she wondered if they would need to raise their helmets to conserve oxygen.

I have an idea, said Dr. Snowden, peeking into the tunnel.

She wiped some sweat from her brow. Shoot.

Check to see if there’s a grinder pattern, sort of like what Kess, Dalton, and Bob did to that wall in Korkorus.

Emily remembered that Korkorus was an alien fortress the gang had breached. Kess, Dalton Kingston, and Bob, a unique being who could mimic anything, had joined them, and they all had the ability to chew through walls. Half of Kess’s body was made up of nanobots, so she had easily used them to munch through. Dalton’s nanosuit could vibrate and Bob could create a wall with miniature grinders on it.

Emily flicked through the patterns and used the search functionality. After perusing a bit, she came across a disc-shaped circular structure with odd teeth on one face. The other face had a rod that extended out of the PSD. There were a bunch of metrics she did not understand, such as boring depth and spindle speed. However, she understood that her PSD could spin the object, and it would munch through anything up to a certain level.

She held up the grinder to Dr. Snowden. I think this might work. I wonder why Evaran didn’t suggest that?

Dunno. It doesn’t look like it’s meant for accurate removal. It’s more of a borer. Give it a shot, he said.

Emily focused on the nearest rock ahead of her and placed the grinder on the rock wall. After pressing a button on her PSD, the grinder whirred into motion and rotated at dizzying speeds. She braced herself and pressed forward.

Speckles flew away as the grinder effortlessly ate through.

Yeah, liking that, she said, raising her helmet. It does take some strength to hold it in place, though, but nothing I can’t handle. Also need my helmet up to keep dust out.

Looks like it’ll work, then, said Dr. Snowden.

Her helmet slightly buzzed. She raised it and then saw Evaran’s and V’s faces appear in the lower right of her inner faceplate.

V and I have landed and are on our way to you. Due to the environment, it may be a while, said Evaran.

It’s cool, said Emily. Uncle Albert suggested a grinding device, so that’s what I’m using now. We should reach that open area in no time.

Analysis. It will wear you down, said V.

Emily sighed. I know, but I’d rather be out of here.

I understand, said Evaran. I would have suggested a grinder, but it requires a lot of effort to wield relative to a pickaxe and is not as accurate. The main thing is that it sounds like you are safe for the moment. We will contact you once we are closer.

All right.

Their faces grayed out. If anyone other than the gang had encountered this situation, they would have probably died. It put into perspective how lucky Emily was. While she had talked with Evaran, she had made a lot of progress on the tunnel.

Dr. Snowden tapped her shoulder. I can do it for a bit. That device will make it a lot easier.

You sure? she asked.

He eyed her.

She grinned and handed over the PSD, then went to the cube and sat down. Her muscles relaxed. She did not realize she had been tensing them unconsciously the whole time. Then again, it was not every day that a timeline change dumped you into the middle of some rock. The exertion from chipping out Dr. Snowden and then working on the tunnel was catching up to her. She grimaced as she laid her head back against the wall.

Fifteen minutes later, Dr. Snowden joined her. I’m just about through. However, there’s a metal wall or something.

Thick? asked Emily.

Nope, and I already cut through some of it. Figured you can pull your PSD in now, and we can go together, he said. He moved into the tunnel.

She hopped up and stood next to him, then reached over to the PSD interface. A moment later, the cube pulled back into her PSD.

Imagine if we didn’t have PSDs, she said, shuddering while gazing at the open area.

Let’s not. C’mon, he said.

They ground through the remaining metal wall, then stepped through. It was dark, and her sensors showed that oxygen made up thirty-five percent of the air. The ground, walls, and ceiling were covered in vegetation, but she detected metallic floors underneath.

This tunnel is perfectly rectangular—well, beneath all the vegetation, said Dr. Snowden.

Yeah, and higher oxygen…which means if there’s any bugs, I’m sure they’re bigger than normal.

He laughed. You and your bugs.

A chattering sound echoed out.

What’s that? she asked with wide eyes.

She focused and tried to sense if anything was around, but nothing registered. However, the chattering had begun to rise.

Umm…Evaran, I don’t think we’re alone down here, said Emily over comms.

You are not, said Evaran. The city is essentially a large rectangular block with horizontal tunnels carved out in a grid pattern. It would make an ideal place for many living organisms.

Emily grimaced. Yeah, and probably big bugs.

"Perhaps. V and I have landed on what appears to be a landing pad. I am sending you a layout of the area per the Torvatta’s scans. There is a vertical shaft not too far from where you are. You can use your flying platform to ascend, assuming it is safe to do so. If not, we will clear any obstructions."

Emily studied the bizarre city. Although it was in a ruined state with parts of it missing, the main square pillars were still intact for the most part. The massive tunnels, then, were just the gaps between the pillars. She suspected there were other structures on each level, but there was little evidence of it.

Evaran and V were roughly a mile away and topside. Several ramps had been marked out as well as a vertical shaft. She bet it was where an elevator of some type used to be. Hopefully, they would have no issues, but the noises bothered her.

I guess we go to that shaft, then, said Dr. Snowden.

Emily studied her PSD pattern builder. Yeah, and I have an idea.

She pulled up the flying platform, and like the cube from before, she added height to the sides and a roof. The tunnel was large enough for them to fly through, and she did not want to trudge along the grimy floor. It might not be fully stable, and this way, they kept off the ground. She poked around and adjusted the opacity attribute of the new sides and roof to make them transparent. She also added a rear door that could only open from the inside.

Okay, ready? she asked.

Dr. Snowden nodded.

She stood back and formed the covered flying platform, then opened the door in the back. Come aboard my modified flying platform!

Dr. Snowden chuckled. I like it, and in this environment particularly. He joined her and closed the door.

All right, here we go, she said.

She plopped down in the front chair while Dr. Snowden sat behind her in one of the side rows.

The platform hovered, then moved forward. Although it was pitch black out, their helmets allowed them to see in the dark.

Emily studied the green arrows provided by her ARI while navigating. She thought she saw something skittering across the walls, but whatever it was, it disappeared as fast as soon as it had been detected.

This place is so desolate, said Dr. Snowden.

Yeah, it is.

After fifteen minutes, they were getting close to the shaft.

Emily was glad they did not have to walk. It made her appreciate her PSD even more. It was like a body part to her now. Her eyes narrowed when a cacophony of growling and clicking erupted from all sides. She sensed a lot of something all around.

I wonder what— She shrieked as she jumped back.

A bug had landed on the front of the platform, but it was the size of a house cat. It had two large body segments held together by a ball-like muscle. However, the bug-like face had pincers, and a strange tentacle ending in a flat face with teeth had latched onto the platform. The bug tried its hardest to get in. The frantic pace of its legs trying to scratch their way in unnerved her.

What the heck is that? asked Dr. Snowden, leaning away.

I don’t know, said Emily, gulping.

Her heart pounded when a horde descended on the platform, making it touch ground. The writhing bodies, pincers, and lamprey-like tendrils made her nauseous. She focused and tried to move the platform, but it was stuck under the weight of all the bugs.

Evaran! said Dr. Snowden. We’re under some type of bug swarm and can’t move.

V and I are on our way, said Evaran. Do not pull your platform back into your PSD.

No way! said Emily.

She scowled at the bugs. Although she had initially been frightened of them, they now angered her since they stopped her from leaving. A part of her wanted to take them on, but she knew that was not the smartest choice. Thankfully, the bugs could not penetrate morphable metal. She shuddered to think if they had been walking. She sat next to Dr. Snowden and leaned against him. All they could do was wait.

Chapter Two

V stood with Evaran on the Torvatta’s ramp and looked down at the lush jungle that had sprouted on the top of the strange block city. The design was unlike anything V had cataloged, but it was apparent that the builders were no longer there.

Vegetation had claimed the surface, and the vertical shaft they needed to reach started a few levels into the city. The Torvatta would need to melt through. His calculations showed that they could do that without issue. Going further would destabilize the city, and with Dr. Snowden and Emily below, that was not desirable.

The life-forms that had been detected flying about resembled big insects. That was most likely due to the higher oxygen content. Emily would not care for that. There were also large centipede-like bugs crawling everywhere. He determined that the lack of birds or mammals might be a result of the large number of insects.

Analysis. We will need to melt forty feet into the city to reach the vertical shaft. It should not cause any problems.

I concur, said Evaran. "Once we reach the shaft, we can pull the Torvatta back out and then use it as an anchor to rappel down with our grappling beams."

Query. Could we not form a flying platform?

Evaran shook his head. If that swarm can hold down Emily’s modified platform, they would do the same to ours. I do not want to crash down if the creatures swarm us. By rappelling down, we can fight if need be and control our descent.

Acknowledged.

V had updated his robot body so that his segmented arms could pop out from the shoulders. That would allow him to use his PSD arm. He still had his stun capability in the other arms, but his PSD one could do that too.

The Torvatta’s shields lit up as the Torvatta descended to the top of the city. Once the Torvatta began to melt through, the immediate area shook. That had been predicted, but the overall structure held. A moment later, a perfect cylindrical tunnel had been bored into the city’s top surface, exposing a deep vertical shaft. The Torvatta ascended and hovered over the newly created hole.

Evaran and V jumped off and landed on the side of the hole. Evaran fired a grappling beam at the underside of the Torvatta. V popped out his PSD arm from his right shoulder and fired a grappling beam. He used his left arm to level himself off.

Are you ready? asked Evaran.

I am.

Evaran peered down the hole. Okay. Let us go. He jumped in and began to descend.

V followed him, and after a few slight adjustments, they had stabilized themselves such that they would not be bouncing off walls. Although the descent was not fast, they had time to reach the bottom. The modified flying platform Emily had created would hold until Evaran and V got there. Emily had initially been startled, and he noted that she was now angry. He did not like to see her in either state.

As they descended, he analyzed the levels they passed. It was dark, but he could still scan, and the shaft was meant for easy vertical traversal. However, the lack of support infrastructure suggested that either the city builders could fly, or they had devices that allowed them to.

Halfway down and thirty minutes later, a chattering sound emanated from below them.

Analysis. I have detected several of the creatures approaching us from below.

I have as well, said Evaran. If they come, we can stabilize ourselves against the wall and knock them away.

Acknowledged.

V examined the five insects flying toward them. The city must have been the perfect nest for them. He picked up faint pings, which suggested they used echolocation like bats or dolphins.

The first creature to arrive went straight for Evaran.

He kicked it into a side level.

Another insect tried to latch onto V, but he swatted it away into a third one, which made them crash to the ground of the nearby level.

The fourth and fifth attempted to flank Evaran, but he swung to the side, kicked off the wall, then crashed into both insects, knocking them back down the shaft.

Evaran took a moment to get back to center, and they descended.

The bugs had posed no threat, but V suspected most would not against the both of them. It would not go as well if they were both human and without advanced technology.

After another thirty minutes, they reached a pile of debris on the ground. There had been several other insect attacks, but like the first fight, they had gone quickly.

V pulled in his grappling beam at the same time Evaran reeled his in. A survey of the environment indicated that the vertical shaft collected waste material. The mushy and slimy substance they stood in showed various stages of decay. He determined the smell was that of rotting flesh.

Evaran hopped off the pile with V in tow. Dr. Snowden, Emily, we are on your level now and approaching your position.

Good luck, said Emily. There’s a whole hive of these things on top of us. They’ve been like that the last hour. I can’t even see out.

Understood. We will be there shortly, said Evaran. He waved forward. Let us go.

V checked out the large tunnel they were in. It was a gap between the massive pillars and had some sort of vegetation growing on the surfaces. He had detected the faint sound of water gurgling somewhere. Perhaps the city was tied into a river system, although that had not shown up on the Torvatta’s scans.

After a fifteen-minute hike, they reached Dr. Snowden and Emily’s location. The creatures had formed a loose pyramid structure on top of Emily’s platform.

Evaran fired a mist beam, which V lit up.

The pyramid fell apart as some insects tumbled off while others swarmed toward Evaran and V.

V continued to light up mist after mist, but the bugs kept coming. They had also learned to avoid the cloud and were using the ceiling and sides to get around.

Some reached V and leapt at him, but he swatted them away. Others tried to fly at him, but he hit them with stun beams.

Evaran had formed his staff and spun through the mass of bugs. Sometimes he disappeared when swarmed, but moments later, he would reappear as the creatures went flying everywhere.

V had been covered a few times, but due to his shielding, the swarm presented no threat. He spun in place and raised and lowered his hands. The insects were knocked away. Those that did land on him were able to hang on, but he would pause now and then to toss them off.

After ten hectic minutes, the swarm scattered.

Evaran and V went up to Emily’s platform.

Emily pulled the platform back into her PSD and looked around. Wow. You two were machines out there!

It is good that you are safe, but we should not linger here, said Evaran.

Emily hugged him, then V. No argument there. Just happy to see you both.

Yeah, me too, said Dr. Snowden, high-fiving V and slapping Evaran on the back.

They took off to the shaft.

V understood why they had not tried to fight the swarm. Emily might have been able to hold them back for some time, but Dr. Snowden most likely would have been overrun. She had chosen the safer route, although he calculated that she was still amped up from the situation.

They reached the shaft and stood before the refuse pile they had initially landed on.

That looks nasty, said Emily.

Dr. Snowden grimaced. Yeah, like a garbage dump.

I believe it is, said Evaran. The creatures should not engage us at this point. He motioned at V. Create a flying platform that we can shoot from. We can board that, and if we encounter any attackers, there will be three of us who can defend.

Acknowledged, said V.

He stood still and extended his PSD arm out of his shoulder, then formed the open-top flying platform. Everyone boarded, and a moment later, they were off. He noted that Dr. Snowden and Emily looked tired. They must be exhausted from all the chipping. They were safe now, but V ran several simulations to see if this would affect their mental state. Knowing the timeline could change and place them in a dangerous situation at any time, with only a moment to react, would be unsettling.

They would need to have a meeting to figure out what had caused the timeline change and how to correct it. One topic would be to determine what to do if this occurred again. If Dr. Snowden had been alone, it could have been much worse. V ran more simulations on both scenarios as he continued to pilot.

Scene Break

Dr. Snowden frowned as he stared at his coffee cup. He had enjoyed a good nap after getting back to the Torvatta, but he was preoccupied with what had happened. Timeline changes were not new to him, but usually he was on the Torvatta when they happened. This one had occurred when he was outside it and showed how easy it would be for him to die. Thankfully, Emily had been near and Evaran could be contacted. That might not always be the case.

It was 4:00 p.m., and just five hours earlier he had been fighting for his life. His heart rate shot up as he thought about dying while encased in rock. He was still on edge from the previous adventure, where his mind had been assaulted by Wardax, a rogue cosmic entity. Not only that, but he had experienced others dying when Wardax had been in his head.

Nightmares already plagued Dr. Snowden, and being trapped did not help things. If he did not have temporal shielding, he would have avoided being encased in rock. The price of being tied to the Torvatta with permanent temporal shielding was an increased chance of death with any timeline change, and he was sure he would have more nightmares about that.

Emily waltzed into the room and got an orange soda, then took a seat. Hey, you okay?

He shrugged.

She sighed. Yeah. This morning sucked. Although it shows how unique we are, it also shows how vulnerable we are.

Yeah, said Dr. Snowden. I’m thankful I had a survival suit, a PSD, and you with me. Anything less would have been disastrous.

Emily stared at him. You faced potential death with Wardax, and then this timeline change thing…they both happened so close to each other. I get it. I’m going to pull an Uncle Albert, then.

He eyed her.

We know this situation can occur, so how do we mitigate it? There would need to be something that allowed for you to excavate an area for you to use your PSD. Once you have that, new patterns could be used to help you escape.

He wagged a finger at her. I like it. I’m sure Evaran and V have a variety of solutions already planned out.

Probably.

As if on cue, Evaran and V entered the room. Evaran sat at the head of the table, while V, in projected mode, sat next to Emily.

I hope your rest helped, said Evaran.

It did, said Emily.

V glanced at Dr. Snowden. Analysis. You are bothered.

Well…I was encased in rock earlier, and without assistance, I would have died. It’s not often I think of my mortality, but I had time this morning, said Dr. Snowden.

Evaran and I have some countermeasures to protect against that.

Dr. Snowden glanced at Emily. See?

Emily grinned. What’d you come up with?

Evaran raised a finger. Using Kess as a model, your PSD will be upgraded to use nanobots. They can be programmed for things like excavation and controlled via the PSD.

Whoa, really? asked Dr. Snowden. That would replace having to use the grinder pattern. But how would I use it if I’m encased in rock?

Analysis. Voice activation with keywords can execute nanobot programs. One of them is to excavate an area around you should you find yourself trapped again.

Dr. Snowden rubbed his chin. So, I could say ‘Clear the area’ and the nanobots would go to work clearing out a space around me?

That is correct, said Evaran. The only downside is that the nanobots are in your PSD, so if you do not have it, that would be an issue.

It’s my third arm, said Dr. Snowden.

I understand, said Evaran. A set of shoulder strips containing nanobots will be added to your suit to address the situation where you do not have access to your PSD.

Emily perked up. That’s awesome.

Indeed.

Dr. Snowden appreciated that he would have some programmable nanobots under his control. It would have helped to have them when he was trapped, and he saw a lot of other applications with them. Dalton Kingston, the Torvatta’s chosen and a great friend, could vibrate his nanosuit to chew through doors and other things. Dr. Snowden figured he could have an Open Door program. The endless possibilities ignited his mind, and for the moment, he forgot he had ever been worried.

When do we get these upgrades? he asked.

After this meeting, V will attend to it, said Evaran. However, now that we are all here, we can discuss the situation. A timeline change has occurred, and it is far enough back in time that a new civilization, or perhaps multiple ones, was able to arise. There was not much on the city that we could find, so our next step is to locate when the timeline change happened. Whatever caused it needs to be dealt with.

Yeah, I’m thinking it was really long ago, said Emily.

I concur, said Evaran. I will begin the process of checking known points in time. You two can continue resting after V upgrades your PSDs and survival suits.

Dr. Snowden shook his head. I’m good. I want to see what put me in that situation. But yeah, upgrades first, then find out what happened.

Understood, said Evaran as he stood. When you are ready, I will be in the command center.

Dr. Snowden puffed his cheeks and let out a slow breath. All right, V, you’re up.

V stood. I am now.

Emily laughed.

V’s eyes lit up as he exited the room with her.

Dr. Snowden looked at his coffee mug. He had not even drunk much, but he did feel better. The upgrade solution was a perfect resolution to help mitigate the next time this occurred. Watching out for timeline changes was something he was always aware of, and this would probably not be the last one.

Chapter Three

Emily went to her quarters and slipped out of her survival suit. She always wore it when possible, especially since it could project a holo outfit, but she wanted to wear something casual. When she had been on a prison planet long ago, she had been suitless, and it had made her ordeal rough. When she had gotten zapped to the past more recently, her suit had made things a lot easier.

After five minutes, she had changed into some jeans, sneakers, and a comfortable sweater and went to the research lab with her suit in hand alongside Dr. Snowden and V. Dr. Snowden had already laid his suit and PSD on a nearby slab, so she placed hers down next to his.

V walked over to a side counter and picked up four thick metallic strips.

Those are the nanobots? asked Dr. Snowden.

They are nanobot containers, said V. The strips will be placed over your shoulders on each side. The strips are also extremely resilient.

V carried them over to the suits, then laid them on the table. A rod extended from the floor. He was a master as he pulled out various thin wires and connected them to the suit, which puffed out as if someone were wearing it.

She always appreciated seeing something being modified or created. In the past, she did not care as much, but she understood the power being added, and she did not want to miss that.

V grabbed a strip and placed it over the right shoulder. He used his heat beam from his PSD to outline the strip. A moment later, he tapped at the strip and verified it was attached.

Dr. Snowden, as a test, you can order your nanobots to spike. Preface your command with ‘Nanobot command’ by itself, then say ‘spike,’ said V.

Umm…okay. Nanobot command. Spike, said Dr. Snowden.

Eight sharp spikes erupted from the strip.

Dr. Snowden’s eyes widened. Whoa! That is powerful. Now how do I get it to go back in?

You can issue a reset command, said V.

Nanobot command. Reset.

The spikes merged back into the flat strip.

I love it, said Emily. I guess there is an interface to these, right?

V nodded. It is configurable via your PSD.

She glanced at Dr. Snowden as V applied the rest of the strips to Dr. Snowden’s suit, then hers. Ideas rampaged through her mind about how to use the nanobots. It would take some time to master commands, but she was glad there were some basic ones. She was sure Evaran and V had already added some, so she would learn those.

She gestured at the PSDs. What about those?

V grabbed both and placed them on a large matter replicator. It activated and the PSDs vanished, then reappeared. He handed them back to Dr. Snowden and Emily.

Like the suit’s nanobots, you can command these ones using your PSD interface, said V. He motioned at Emily. There are some patterns that Evaran and I added based on our adventures. One of them is a nanobot wall.

Emily studied her PSD. To eat through walls like Bob?

Yes.

Emily remembered Bob as a powerful being who could mimic anything. In one of the situations where they had needed to go through rock, he had formed a wall and inched forward.

So, what? I just point and execute the pattern? she asked.

Yes. I would suggest not doing it in here. If you wish to test a pattern, scan the nearby wall and then select the wall cover one, said V.

She scanned the lab wall, then opened her PSD menu and found the nanobot icon. A list of patterns showed. She appreciated that she could group them. She selected the wall cover pattern.

Now what?

Stand against the wall, extend your PSD and execute the pattern, said V.

She complied and drew her head back some when a small stream of nanobots flew out and formed an enclosure around her. What happened?

I have relayed my view to you. You appear as a column jutting out of the wall. You are also impervious to thermal scans with this.

That’s crazy! she said as she pulled the nanobots back in.

Analysis. I think it is useful.

I meant that I love it! she said.

Dr. Snowden chuckled. That’s a great pattern if you don’t need to move. Be good for hiding.

Do you like it? asked V.

Dr. Snowden and Emily high-fived V.

We love it, said Emily.

Excellent. It will take some time to learn all the patterns, but they will prove useful should you end up encased again, said V.

Dr. Snowden sighed. Oh yeah. This would have been very helpful earlier. I take it your PSD has the new nanobots as well?

They do, and a part of the design was inspired by Evot and what she could do with her nanobots. Kess and Dalton were also influences.

I could see that.

Emily’s heart warmed at hearing Evot’s name. She was an AI that was full of life and had two small control units, each with its own nanoswarm. She was also bound to Dalton Kingston, who himself had a nanosuit. Kess was half of a nanoswarm, and she had displayed creative and unique approaches to situations with her nanobots. It was no surprise they were influences.

She poked Dr. Snowden. We have a lot to learn with these.

Yeah, we do, he said.

There’s already quite a few patterns, but I saw that we could edit them.

Dr. Snowden studied his PSD interface. Huh. Interesting.

The initial list contained mainly patterns that were defensive in nature. She could see maybe a shield forming on her backside as she used her energy one up front. She planned to test it in the holo room when they had time. She wondered about offensive options. Another topic to research.

If you are ready, we can join Evaran in the command center, said V.

Dr. Snowden slapped V on the back. Time to dig into our next mystery!

Emily was glad to see Dr. Snowden’s upbeat mood. He had been brooding more since the last adventure, and she hoped this one might raise his spirits. Like her, he enjoyed the trips out, but the last one had hurt him bad. She squeezed his arm on the way out, causing him to smile at her. For the moment, everything was calm, but she knew how fast things could escalate. She made it a point in her mind to keep an eye on Dr. Snowden.

Scene Break

Dr. Snowden eased back into the familiar U-shaped seating area on the right in the command center. Emily sat next to him, which was unusual. Normally she was on the left side. Although his stomach churned to think of what might lie ahead, his curiosity burned in him. They were about to jump through time and check various points to ensure they lined up with known activity. While time travel was not new to him, he did enjoy seeing Earth in the past.

Evaran motioned at V. Take us to the coordinates I have specified.

Acknowledged.

The Torvatta began to ascend.

Where we going first? asked Dr. Snowden.

January 30, 1933, Berlin, Germany, said Evaran.

Hitler’s wave from the chancellery building. Although I hate that man, I’d be curious to see the event.

Me too! said Emily. At least we know what happens to him.

After twenty minutes and some light chatter, the Torvatta reached low orbit, then jumped back in time.

Dr. Snowden studied the scanned floating debris. While most of it was small, the larger chunks probably originated from ships and space stations. The scans of the planet indicated no active civilization present. One window that stood out had been zoomed into a ruined city.

Not much out here or down below, said Dr. Snowden.

I concur. V, take us to 2611 BC, said Evaran.

Acknowledged.

Dr. Snowden loved that they could history hop, which was what he had initially thought traveling with Evaran would be. The need to fight was the cost of these adventures, and as the last one showed, they could get messy fast. He had learned battle tactics and become a marksman with his PSD, but he was more comfortable learning about stellar phenomena.

The Torvatta jumped back in time.

Dr. Snowden furrowed his brow. There were satellites, ships, and stations, but they did not register as any that he knew. Most were greenish in color, and they had a crystalline appearance to them. One station resembled a compressed radio signal, but it was easy to see striations. The circuitry-like lines that covered the structure made his skin crawl. The last time he had seen something similar, on a previous adventure, it had turned out to be a mind-controlled infected horde.

The scan of the city below showed it was bustling with activity. Ships flew around, as did the denizens, who had wings. It was an insectoid race, but there were also spiderlike robots. As much as he wanted to fly down and investigate, he knew this was temporary.

That’s an interesting design, said Emily. She pointed at a window. That city has bugs walking around in it.

Evaran rubbed his chin. It would seem so. There is no sign of humanity here, so we must go further back. V, take us to 491,566 BC and to the location I have marked.

Dr. Snowden’s curiosity was piqued. What event was that?

"The first hominid group to leave Africa for Europe and Asia. They will become Homo neanderthalensis, or Neanderthals, as you know them."

Emily drew her head back. Wow. That’s so cool that you saw that.

I agree, said Evaran. I wanted to see how humanity evolved, so I took some time to study its evolution and the various species it had. It is one activity I do between summonses.

Ah, your ‘checking the timescape’ thing.

Indeed.

Dr. Snowden had seen times where the Torvatta would be gone for days at a time. Although Evaran could come back a second after he had left, Dr. Snowden figured it was a psychological thing to ensure he and Emily could function without it being present. In the case of the earlier time change, he was glad Evaran, V, and the Torvatta had been around.

After the Torvatta jumped back in time, he examined the strange ships in orbit. They were less advanced than the ones he had seen before, but they had a similar aesthetic. A scan of the planet showed the cube cities everywhere. It intrigued him that there were no robotic aspects, but the denizens still flew around.

I would say no humans here either, said Emily.

Evaran rubbed his chin. So it would seem. V, take us to 4,430,218 BC. Africa should have humanlike ancestors present there.

Acknowledged.

The Torvatta jumped again.

Dr. Snowden’s eyes rose at seeing a new style of ships, satellites, and stations in orbit. The Torvatta had moved some in order to scan a specific point in Africa. Instead of early human ancestors, there was an advanced civilization that was different from the ones in the future. The bipedal creatures that were identified looked reptilian and stood only around two feet tall. No sign of humanity was detected.

That’s not good, said Dr. Snowden. It seems humanity’s ancestors aren’t around.

Whatever changed the timeline did so, then, in the far past. This civilization, like the others, covers the planet. We will need to go back further, said Evaran.

Should we check to see if the Kreagans are where they’re supposed to be?

Evaran shook his head. They have not evolved fully at this point in time. If it were later in their evolution, we could verify, but I do not know the evolutionary history of the Kreagans.

Got it, said Dr. Snowden.

V, take us sixty-six million years into the past, to the end of the Cretaceous period.

Dr. Snowden gestured at Emily. Dinosaurs? Right?

Yep. Last era of the Mesozoic. Also ended with a meteor crash, she said.

Ah.

The Torvatta hopped back in time.

Dr. Snowden wrinkled his brow. Seeing ships and stations still, but these are different from the others. This timeline change must have occurred very early.

I concur, said Evaran. V, take us to the beginning of the Cretaceous period at around one hundred and forty-five million years ago.

Acknowledged.

After the Torvatta went back in time, Emily’s face lit up. Dinosaurs have been detected!

Evaran studied the various data windows that displayed from the Torvatta’s scan. "Yes. The timeline change occurred sometime in the Cretaceous period.