Far Pangaea 96: Come Together

"He looks so peaceful floating in there."

"I do don't I?"

Sophia Ridge frowns a Young James Ian Pryce as they observe the body of James the Elder from his own future. Floating in his preservation tube he at least would not decay. Being deceased does that to a person. Sophia was tired of being duped and used. Her Great Grandfather Orin Ridge had switched his mind over to that body and fooled everyone into believing James the Elder came back from his spiritual journey with amnesia. Everyone bought into the ruse but James himself. This particular James just so happened to steal Sophia's heart. Leaving the sixteen year old version of the man feeling smitten but neglected. She had no interest in the younger James. This was tough on both of them.

"It's good that you're getting a better handle over your Tyrant Tears. It's kind of nice to see you wearing clothes." He fidgets, "Not that..."

"Stop." She holds a hand to his mouth preventing him mentioning her nudity on most days.

"Sorry." He offers through telepathy. She merely rolled her eyes at his entering her mind.

"That is the closest you will ever get to entering me James. Unless you magically age into that man in the tank. With his grown up attitude."

"I recall acting just like I do now at 33. Weird that you say that."

"Whatever."

"Look Sophia even if I never become the man of your dreams I just need to get this off of my chest. I don't know how we survived the coming apocalypse for that Man in there to ever grow up to begin with. He said he saved everyone and got them back to the future. I've been thinking hard about this...what if this guy really isn't me? I mean obviously he is but with all of the other Earths and Moons I'm beginning to think he could be from one of those somehow crossing into ours. It sort of makes sense. Add in the paradox theory that things change with one tiny miscalculation and well...maybe he got his set of friends home...just not this home. What if they're...?" He points outward and dots the air five times before fanning his fingers.

"Out there? On one of the other Earths?"

"Exactly."

She ponders his theory and smiles, "That means I can have five adult James Ian's to choose from." He rolls his eyes until she slugs his chest with her knuckles. Not enough to hurt him just knock some shock into him. "Just kidding...loosen up Jameson."

"Jameson?"

"Figure of speech. You might be on to something. That could be why I find this James different than you."

"Which also means there may be another Sophia out there for me." He chuckles and starts to hit her chest like she had his She narrows her eyes and he reels back nervously.

"Keep dreaming. In no world out there does a Sophia Ridge remotely like a James Ian Pryce."

"Gee thanks. Love you too."

Hearing this she switches her gaze and brightens her eyes. For a guy with telepathy he should have caught on. He was still so used to being normal it flew right over his head. Sophia Ridge had been lying to him. She really did have feelings but knew he was just too young at the moment. The lie would remain.

To help the sudden tenseness the door to the lab opened up and two Ganthorians entered to perform other tasks. That led Sophia and James to leave the Elder to his rest. If a shell could smile he would. Was that a twitch at the corner of his mouth?

Outside in the hallway the kids heard the crying of a baby. Sophia smirking looks back at the lab then to James. "Oh, I thought I left you back there crying."

"Ha! God must be needing a diaper change. Hungry?" He sticks his tongue out at her.

"I'm not eating that diaper."

"Come on the garbage disposal is broken."

"Fuck you." She points with a stern look, "Don't even think about that."

Greta Winston with her Stetson tilted trudges through the hall around them, "Why do I get Deity duty?"

They follow her inside the room and observe the active kicking and whining baby. Sophia sneered at the infant knowing that the baby itself, the shell that is..was that of her Great Grandfather Orin Ridge. Recalling all the damage he had done to her psyche she could just as easily snuff the bastard out. Then there was God supposedly inside his body now. That changed everything. She was raised to be a good Christian girl but we all know that went out the baptismal. Watching Greta clean him up, powder his bottom and put him in another diaper he suddenly sparkled. Not just in persona. Greta held him up to literally witness a golden hue about his body.

"Now ain't that a kicker. Wonder what this here golden thing is about? Maybe ole God here is claiming this body and doing some tinkerin'."

"Wow!" Sophia was drawn to the glow. Looking at her hands they too began glowing.

"Don't let the Tyrants..." Too late her life fiber uniform is eaten away and absorbed into Sophia leaving her nude once again. James never finished his sentence.

"They're singing up a storm James. Like baby Angels. I think they're reacting to God there glistening."

Holding baby God Greta observes the child turn at an angle to face Sophia. Pointing at her awkwardly they observe another change in Sophia. Shocked by the Tyrants relocation she smiles brightly. "They moved into my bones. Every single bone. My outer skin, muscles, and organs are normal. Wow. This feels entirely different." Her own skin pigment changing to pink and perky James drools. Staring at her until she scowls covering her chest with her arms, then one hand moving South to her vagina while following his eyes. "Seriously?"

"I'll just find you another life fiber suit." James took off like a bat out of Hell.

"Kids I swear." She winks at Greta.

"Mmmmhmmm!" Greta knew the girl had feelings. Modesty certainly wasn't part of them. She was merely sending off signals to keep her attitude from being noticed.

"Do you think God had my Tyrants move elsewhere?"

"I think God wants you to start wearing dresses and being a real woman again."

"You think so?"

"Look at our Little Messiah. He's approving of my idea. Aren't you Rascal?" She tweaks his nose getting a round of giggles and bubbles.

"It's hard for me not to think that he's inside the man I hate most in the world. Love inside hatred is such a contrast."

"I don't think God had much choice in the body thievery stuff Sophia. Let's just be happy he's here with us."

"Right. Thank you God." Sophia fidgets a bit then leans up on her toes to kiss the golden baby's cheek. He cooed and actually seemed to blush. His buried face in Greta's neckline was so cute that Greta had her own vision. Keeping it to herself that she wouldn't mind being a mother someday.

James returns with another uniform for Sophia but this time holds it out at arms length avoiding a direct contact with her. She smiled at his attempt at respect as she slipped the suit on. Becoming skin tight it was as if she were still nude. Just the way she liked it. Marching past him James had to look. She didn't have to be a telepath to read his mind. Poor guy.

On the Bridge of the X'Orr as it hovered over the coldest climates on Pangaea. It hadn't moved at this point as they attempted to ascertain the coordinates to Celestial City. With the assist of SeVen the Ganthorians wanted to learn more before charging in to any situation that might cause them harm.

"Milo Greyson used his satellite MEMO to keep a close eye on events in Pangaea clear through the end of time on this world. Near the year 3333." SeVen reports.

"How could we have overlooked such a satellite?" T'Ule glanced at his leader Harpea.

"Locate this device that we may use it to access our target area."

"Dare we try to escape this atmosphere? The Earth's magnetic fields are what directly stalls most engines." Another scientist poses.

"We designed the X'Orr for just that probability L'Ator." T'Ule reminds him.

"It would benefit us to better understand the five Earths if we were in its orbit." A third Ganthorian C'heeto admits in favor of it.

"Do it Mav'Ryk." Harpea decides just as Ruby Goddard assisted by Elle Franklin and her lover Animahni enter the Bridge. It was becoming increasingly harder to walk on her own. Her once regarded strength levels now feeding her babies.

"Do what Harpea?" Ruby needed to know.

"We must go beyond Earths atmosphere to access our situation before charging in to this Celestial City only to be blown out of the sky. Let us learn our opposition."

Through the windows blue sky became darkness. A landscape of unhindered stars made everyone drop their jaws. The Ganthorians were used to such a marvel. Ruby and her friends found this all new.

"Searching for Milo Greyson's satellite now Commander." Mav'Ryk reports as SeVen stands behind him regally.

"Should Milo and my friends have survived MEMO would be our best option in locating them. The Maltese Cuckoo was preprogramed to appear in this era very near the City. A cluster of thousands of alien vessels that came to Earth in this worlds past in search of a rare element in abundance here."

"Gold?" Elle was curious. "I've seen documentaries on Aliens coming to Earth to mine for gold. Peru and such."

"Indeed." L'Ator acknowledged her observation.

"So these aliens did just that?" Ruby stared outside in awe of the five Earths now coming into better view.

"I would guess that many mined here but never made it away from Earth. Lucas Dorsey somehow captured them and capitalized on their mining and building techniques. Milo mentioned a great tower. A tower to the Heavens made of gold." SeVen adds.

"So Jacobs Ladder?" Elle points out.

"Tower of Babylon?" Ruby counters.

SeVen defines a better possibility. "Ideas stolen from Dorsey undoubtedly as humanity progressed."

"So the Earth does survive." Ruby looks from scientist to scientist.

SeVen poises a palm toward the screen. "Which Earth?"

"Good lord." Everyone chilled at the concept.

"There! Commander look." Mav'Ryk stands from his pilots chair.

"Enhance that area."

Mav bends over his console switching the monitor on magnify. It wasn't MEMO it was something far more startling.

"Ganthorian starships. I do not recognize their design." T'Ule studies them more closely. "The lead vessel has the designation markings of the Z'Enygog. I...have not heard of such a vessel."

"Perhaps it is because it was not built in your era." SeVen dares to offer a theory. "It is possible that these ships are from a time long after this vessel had departed."

"Interesting." Harpea ponders. "It means our people thrived long after us."

"Should we make contact Commander?" Mav'Ryk was prepared to open a hailing frequency.

"Delay that. Let us find this MEMO. We can use it to our advantage prior to reaching out to the fleet. Learn what we need to support them in joining forces."

"Are we sure your people are friendly if they're from the far future?" Ruby the leader questioned things as she was trained. Always be ready to counter the unknown.

"As insulting as that sounds you could be very correct Colonel Goddard." Harpea hated to admit it. "Stealth mode Mav"Ryk."

The X'Orr goes invisible to the naked eye. In doing so a similar event took place on Earths horizon. "Look! Did anyone see that? A tiny speck out there just did the same."

Elle points to the area referenced to.

"I see nothing." T'Ule frowned.

"Magnify that point again. Large as you can." Elle had to know.

L'Ator did the honors from another console. An image enlarges of a small satellite, the size of a couple school buses bound together.

"MEMO." SeVen perks up, "Lock on to it before it phases away. It is only in one position for mere moments."

"Can we hold it if it moves like that?" Elle flared her eyes for answers.

"Locked Commander. I am jamming its teleportation capabilities. It cannot evade us."

"Good work Mav." Ruby smiled. It was nice to be respected even by a human.

The bridge gets more crowded as James Ian enters with his dog Xander.

"Whoa! We did get lighter. I noticed a gravitational imbalance before it leveled out. Why are we in space?" He glimpses the target, "Is that Milo's satellite MEMO?"

Elle smugly crosses her arms before answering for everyone else. "Looks that way. We're gonna use it to spy on that Celestial City once we figure out how."

"Milo is out there somewhere. I can feel him." James shivers with excitement now that SeVen had informed him of the Maltese Cuckoo and Milo being in Pangaea. He really hoped that Milo was still alive. It would be a bummer if he hadn't survived.

Harpea resumes control over her people. "Utilize this MEMO to find Princess Kym'Ani. Narrow down her DNA and have it sniff her out."

"Like dog?" Xander telepathically looks to James.

"Sure. Kind of. I don't think Milo built it to find a person though. It's more of a spy on the Earth, it's climate changes and seismic activity. The continual building blocks of existence."

"We must try." Harpea acknowledges the observation.

T'Ule scans MEMO in order to manipulate it's functions. Overriding it would not be easy. In his probe he hesitates. "Commander? I hear...singing."

Everyone looks toward James and SeVen. Ruby motions for T'Ule, "Put it over the speakers."

After a bit of static the song rambles filtering through.

"Nobody knows the trouble Milo see...nobody knows my sorrow. Except you eyes of Helena."

"THAT'S MILO." James brightens up.

"How is it Milo finds himself aboard MEMO?" SeVen moves closer to T'Ule's communication board. Taking over for T'Ule the Pleidian begins to channel a hailing frequency then pauses. Standing up straight he leers toward Harpea and Ruby. "Perhaps it is not wise to attempt communion. Those Ganthorian vessels might track us and keep us from our agenda."

James didn't like the answer. "We can't just leave Milo in there. He sounds weak."

"Oxygen levels on board MEMO are depleting. He has 15 hours at maximum." L'Ator adds.

Ruby adds, "We have to go get him then. Without letting him know."

"Why hasn't he contacted us? Or the Ganthorian fleet?" Elle questioned.

"For the same reason as we do not. He does not know the loyalties nor advancements the future of Ganthor has established." SeVen points out.

"You're the Ganthorians." Ruby eyes Harpea, "What are your thoughts considering they're your people? Your descendants."

Harpea winces in thought. She would be known as a traitor to her people. The thought of being locked away or worse executed were unacceptable.

"I...I cannot determine their reaction. I have committed many devious acts in siding with Orin Ridge. All of us have. I will not risk my crew nor my new friends here by letting them know of us."

"I don't think we have a real way of hiding from them." James admits, "Not even your cloaking can disguise us long. They just seem more concerned with the multiple Earth's and Moons."

"Confusing indeed." SeVen puzzles rubbing his chin. "Dimensions are phasing into one. I would speculate that not all of these Ganthorians are from the very same dimension. It is likely that each have journeyed to this moment to study the dimensional rifts."

"Soooo? You're saying that there are five different variations of Ganthorians out there?"

Ruby tried to comprehend her visual through the monitors. "What do you think James?"

With no reply she turns to realize her son had left the bridge. "James? Oh no! Please tell me he's not going after this Milo guy."

"I'll find him." Elle took off. She prompts a Ganthorian to guide her toward a shuttle bay. Even though they had rescued SeVen's drone parking it in the docking bays, the X'Orr was too massive to recall directions. He leads her down to the bays just in time to see Xander on his hind feet against protective glass watching docking doors open up and a small two man pod leave its mooring. "Dammit James." Elle pets Xander. "Does he even know how to pilot that thing?"

"Master smart. He figure it out."

"So not used to you talking X."

"Does he have a spacesuit on even?" She looks at the Ganthorian next to her admiring James bravery.

"The pod protects and offers oxygen for a limited amount of time. He can reach this MEMO but..."

"But what?"

"The hold we have on it to sustain it's teleportation abilities will not let the pod through."

"And, if we remove the lock it teleports away."

"Yes."

"Wonderful. We can't even communicate with James without letting your future People know our location. How does James plan on saving this Milo?"

"Why we not bring Milo friend here like SeVen friend?" Xander posed a good question.

"Right!" Elle looks to the scientist.

"The craft is designed to constantly move its coordinates. If we attempt bringing it on board it could explode in our docks and potentially cripple us."

"Any brilliant ideas Mister Science Guy?"

The Ganthorian shrugs. Elle shook her head and headed back to tell Ruby. She was not going to like this one bit.

Celestial City...

"Why can I not read your mind Jack Ramse?" Orin Ridge within the body of God himself probes carefully throughout a three mile range. He was hearing everything but Jack and his flock of Angels. And, of course Lucas Dorsey. That guy had something that was overriding even his keen awareness. How can anything be missed by God? Maybe God had built in a protective measure just in case of such an intrusion. However, just being inside God's head amplified Orin a hundred fold. Just not enough for some inexplicable reason to delve into Jack or the Angels. It occurred to him when the mind switcheroo game caught him off guard that Jack possessed an extraordinary ring. Perhaps that had something to do with the jamming. The woman he was with also wore a ring. If the switch decided to do so again Orin would be ready.

An alien Tailor does last minute alterations on God's tuxedo. Orin merely played coy as a God who did not know he was a God. Sure he could walk right out of there controlling the Tailor and his guards but that would tip his hand concerning Dorsey. He concluded buying time was in his best interest.

It would also help if he understood the different languages. He should have borrowed a translation collar from those do-gooders on the X'Hal. He would learn all that was needed as he went along. For now he would live out whatever sick fantasy Dorsey had in mind. Why was he so worried about marrying a lizard? What did that tower he saw overlooking the black mountain have to do with anything? Obvious answer was power. Orin liked power himself. He would fight for that power when the time was right.

As he stood there a strange sensation enters his mind. A sudden opening in the chamber that released outside thoughts. Hearing a woman complain about the prisoner not really being Jack Ramse. An Angel losing sight of her mission and revealing to this woman her true identity. A failure in illusion that would jeopardize everyone.

"What have we here? There you are lovely lady." He discovers Circe/ Olga who stresses over losing Jack. Capturing her human thoughts became easier than any of the Angels. Circe was worried now that Jack had left them behind due to some curse. Orin pondered this curse. This could give him the advantage he needed. Darting his eyes about as if lost Orin wishes for a triggered transfer. Not yet it would appear.

"Curses indeed." Orin could only hope.

Outside Celestial City amid the chaos...

"Keep moving people. We have no choice but to seek refuge in the City of Gold."

Addison Rogers took point, leading her rebel band down the mountainside that was falling apart. Ahead of them clearing a path was the Leprechaun Lowball accessing his metallic ball armor that controlled gravity all about him. Utilizing it allowed him to send waves of mass weight change tossing fallen trees and boulders about like ragdolls. The rock Troll Synu now that he had recovered followed up behind everyone making certain nothing coming down from higher ground took them by surprise. In between were the Angel Razorhide assisting him, Bianca TeLeone the Greek Beauty from the 1970's, Serena Dorsey in full blue skinned glory that seemed more than capable of dealing with her surroundings suddenly. Now that her ring was offering up an extended display of its properties her entire body became stronger and more athletic. Behind her still was the Seer known as Helena the Wretch, an ancient blind woman who saw future events through magically enhanced water. Water that took shape in her skull as liquid eyeballs. Her true eyeballs though immortal were elsewhere...up there in the Heavens.