Read the Story Elements of the sequel and continue the adventure.
Previously in Th3 Anomaly part 1: Crossing The Rub1con
Humans had discovered a way to teleport and time travel through gateways in the Ether using encrypted handheld devices called 'Rubicons'. In the heat of a battle Hetzel Verne, the son of Captain Jules Verne, had fallen into the Ether without a Rubicon; never to be seen again. Captain Verne had died attempting to save his daughter, Maureen, from the murderous Commander Orius. Maureen Verne then took over the role of Captain on her new undersea vessel. Commander Orius had been kidnapped by her future self and forced to time travel back to 1984. Sarah Bernhardt had used the DNA of Nikola Tesla to spindle transfer a maternal son who she named Nikola Jr. Ms. Bernhardt lived out a full life and died of old age. As a young man Nikola Jr. Used a Rubicon to teleport to a second, mysterious Earth where he met and married Amelia Airheart; a member of the human colony on the second Earth. Nikola Tesla and his Twin brother, Milutin, used the natural gateway found in the Bermuda triangle to teleport to the second earth. While there Nikola met his cloned son and discovered that the planet we call “Earth” is actually Earth mark 2 called 'Matre Behe' and the planet they had traveled to is the original 'Earth Prime' which had long ago been destroyed and abandoned by our human ancestors.
Humans had discovered a way to teleport and time travel through gateways in the Ether using encrypted handheld devices called 'Rubicons'. In the heat of a battle Hetzel Verne, the son of Captain Jules Verne, had fallen into the Ether without a Rubicon; never to be seen again. Captain Verne had died attempting to save his daughter, Maureen, from the murderous Commander Orius. Maureen Verne then took over the role of Captain on her new undersea vessel. Commander Orius had been kidnapped by her future self and forced to time travel back to 1984. Sarah Bernhardt had used the DNA of Nikola Tesla to spindle transfer a maternal son who she named Nikola Jr. Ms. Bernhardt lived out a full life and died of old age. As a young man Nikola Jr. Used a Rubicon to teleport to a second, mysterious Earth where he met and married Amelia Airheart; a member of the human colony on the second Earth. Nikola Tesla and his Twin brother, Milutin, used the natural gateway found in the Bermuda triangle to teleport to the second earth. While there Nikola met his cloned son and discovered that the planet we call “Earth” is actually Earth mark 2 called 'Matre Behe' and the planet they had traveled to is the original 'Earth Prime' which had long ago been destroyed and abandoned by our human ancestors.
And now Th3Anomaly part 2: De2troyer Of All Worlds
Hetzel thrashes his limbs. Futile. The Ether surrounds his shrinking, quivering body. The clothes he wears become lose. His bones grind and ache and then are no longer there. His cells combine, again and again, until Hetzel knows and eventually feels nothing at all. Soon a single zygote suspends within the Ether. Darkness covers over the stars within the Ether.
A feminine voice comes from the Darkness, "This empty form I can use. Hetzel, my child, you are my escape."
Matre Behe, 1984
Orius wipes her blade clean and sheaths the sword.
"Good doing business with you" Orius remarks as she leans down and removes the golden Rubicon from the stiff hand of a fresh corpse.
Her wrinkled hands align five symbols on the Rubicon and a flash of color blows her silver hair back from her face.
As Orius steps into the Crossing another crossing opens up behind her and Nikola Jr. Jumps out, "Wait, Destr..."
But her crossing closes before Orius can hear the rest.
Matre Behe, 2047
Soft shadows of leaves sway across the shoulders of Orius and across the grave stone she stands next to. Her weathered fingers touch the carved lettering intended to forever immortalize the once living soul 'Jules Gabriel Verne, 1828 – 2047'
Orius drops to her knees openly weeping. “Forgive me, Captain, can you ever forgive me for ripping your family apart. I was so blinded by my vengeance. Blind to your trust, your acceptance.”
Her head hangs low, tears dripping from the tip of her nose. Orius pulls two objects from her cloak and holds one in each hand.
She stares at the Golden Rubicon in her right hand, “Alter the past...” and at the shard of Leadlight in her left, “...or fight for the future.” Orius looks up at her minions that surround the Verne mausoleum. “Dig him up.”
Earth Prime, 2078
Captain Maureen stands on the deck of her submersible waving a farewell to Nicola Junior who boards a taxi. The Captain straps a speaking device around her neck to interpret the mute movements of her damaged vocal cords.
"It is time to begin work on the 'Mimicus'," she says to her first mate. "We will need it to destroy the last of the Berzelius Brotherhood."
Matre Behe, 2090
J.P. Morgan slouches in his plush leather chair behind an ornate walnut desk mulling over an expense report. A dim light flashes on a recessed metallic monitor sunk in his desk. Morgan switches on the monitor. The blue flickering face of Thomas Edison stares back at him,
"Brother, The Bernhardt blanks have reached maturity."
Morgan answers, "Let Ms. Breedlove know she can purchase them at her leisure." Morgan leans in closer. "Do not make the same mistake with this batch that you did with the first clone. No embedded sentience."
A sheepish Edison flicks off his end of the connection and the monitor switches to the image of the Berzelius Brotherhood.
Earth Prime, 2090
Bright marble walls echo the screams from a young boy. Even louder than the screaming is the broken voice of a father echoing in kind,
"Please stop! I will do anything. Just please stop."
In response hurried steps approach the door that the shouting resonates from.
"Is this necessary?" Cleopatra asks a man blocking her path to the door.
Outwardly the man looks like Hetzel, but his voice and actions are feminine. "I wish it were not, but there is no other way,"
Hetzel slithers an arm around the shoulder of Cleopatra. He swings his body next to hers and begins to walk her down the hallway away from the screams.
"Soon you will control the Tree of Life, my goddess." Hetzel continues, "And with it you will have control of both Earth Prime and Matre behe. All will bow to you, Lord."
"As they should." Cleopatra answers. "My power deserves their worship."
"Yes, you do." Hetzel replies. "My beautiful Lord, there is a single abomination that the men of Matre Behe use to blaspheme your authority."
Cleopatra quickly retorts, "The natural gateway. I will soon rid myself of it. Then I will control all travel between my worlds."
Matre Behe, 2090
Sarah looks up from her disassembled engine to a middle aged man entering her workshop.
"Nikky?" Several clones of Burnheardt working nearby say in unison. "Son, what are you doing here? Did your father send you back?"
"Not exactly," replies Nikola Jr. "We must talk, the destruction of humankind is approaching."
Sarah stands up, "Oh I know, I plan on having a front row seat."
Matre Behe, 2090
Aryabhata barely hears the sounds of a skirmish, nor does he feel the cool wind of his cell door opening. Not until his chains are removed does he recognized the presence of Nikola Junior.
"Oh, my friend, what have they done to your eyes?"
Ayabhata replies, "Not they; I. I destroyed them so that I would not have to look on what they were doing to my son."
Matre Behe, 2090
A middle aged Nikola Jr. opens the front passenger door to Sarah Breedlove's custom built automobile and steps out. The ocean breeze lifts the scarf off of his shoulders. Spinning around he snatches the scarf from the air as the two rear suicide doors on either side of the car open in unison and two identical clones of Sarah Bernhardt step out.
"It is out there calling to you, Mr. Tesla." Ms. Breedlove shouts over the wind from the driver's seat. She swings her door open and slides out of her car. "They are calling to you."
The boy fastens the scarf more snugly around his neck, "By 'they' I assume you speak of my family, and not the monsters and magic. No, I would not cross that barrier again, not without an army."
"An army you can have, my son," the two clones say in unison as they both point out to sea.
The waters rise and collapse around a gargantuan metallic whale surfacing just off of the coast. Hatches on the deck open ushering out dozens of sailors, each a grotesque hybred of flesh and Leadlight. Giant turbines emerge like arms from the sides of the craft and the submarine begins to rise up above the ocean. As the Mimicus reaches coasting altitude her Captain steps out onto the deck; flame red hair whipping behind the painted skull mask that she wears.
Earth Prime, 2093
The ground rumbles. Wildlife begins to flee. The seismic shifts come in waves; rhythmic, as though a giant were walking on the land. Miles below the surface of the planet the Gardener walks up the long tunnel to the surface. Behind him the empty diamond chamber at the center Earth Prime has lost its glow. With each step of the Gardener the planet groans more intensely.
"My Shiva," The voice of Aryabhata cuts through the air as the blind man clumsily stumbles down the tunnel towards the Gardener. "Please stop.” Aryabhata says between heavy breaths. “I know it can never replace what you have lost."
Aryabhata reaches the feet of the Gardener and holds out his dirty hand. "Please, I know you to be Vishnu. It is all I could find; all that is left of the once great tree. Let it be enough, great Brahma."
The Gardener looks down at the open palm of the desperate man. Nestled in its creases is a single minuscule black seed. As though cradling a newborn the Gardener gently lifts the seed between two of His fingers. Responding to His touch a vein of root begins to grow from the tiny seed.
"It is the most beautiful. Where did you find this treasure?" Asks the Gardener.
"Is it enough?" presses the exhausted Aryabhata.
"Yes," his nameless God replies.
Earth Prime, 2093
“I must remain here at the heart of my garden. Until the Tree of Life grows back I alone am this planet's source of power. Be my voice. Go where I can not. Free those who can not free themselves.” The deep voice of the Gardener echoes through the diamond chamber.
Aryabhata's hesitant hand reaches out feeling at the space in front of him and grasps the crystal sword from the scarred hand of the Gardener.
“I am no warrior, There must be an alternative to war.” Aryabhata stands holding the large transparent sword.
The Gardener replies, “The sword has already been drawn against the whole of humanity. There can be no peace until that sword is brought down.”
Aryabhata counters, “I can not even see the weapon in my own hand let alone the one my enemy holds.”
The Gardener smiles as he says, “With this sword you hold the authority over the spectrum of light. My son, you will find a sight stronger than any provided by human eyes.”
Aryabhata lifts the sword up towards the ceiling of shimmering diamond. The crystal in his hand begins to glow and a rainbow beam flashes out from it's tip.
“For what was done to my son,” says Aryabhata. “and what they made me do to my eyes.”
Earth Prime, 2099
Hetzel rides atop the head of his armored Supra-Terram through the foggy battle field. Pompously he ignores the few attacks that manage to break through his advancing line of minions. Instead allowing the attacking minions to force-ably battle his own minions after their assault goes unheeded.
Slowly a figure emerges in the fog standing in front of Hetzel's path. An enormous crystal sword lays across one shoulder of the statuesque figure. Aryabhata's blinded eyes look up at Hetzel and a half smile crests the face of Aryabhata. The dense fog behind Aryabhata begins to glow. Two spectrum of color ascend off of his shoulders and his feet leave the ground as he rises up on rainbow wings. Aryabhata soars to the height of the Supra-Terram's head. The creature roars as Hetzel draws in the reins. A blue fiery glow lights up from inside the maw of the Supra-Terram and Aryabhata takes the crystal sword in both hands.
Earth Prime, 2101
Wind stirs the plant life that grows over the timeless graveyard of crafts born both of the sea and air. A flash of color larger than any Crossing that has opened before in this natural gateway bursts to life. Out of the Crossing soars the 'Mimicus'. The gargantuan craft drops briefly with the gravitational change but soon writes herself under the steady hand of her seasoned captain.
"I have fulfilled my end of the bargain," speaks the crackly inhuman voice of the ship's Captain.
Her words unsettlingly dispersed between loud breaths interpreted by her speaking apparatus as vocal tones.
Standing nearby the captain inside the control room Ms. Breedlove turns to one of the six Bernhardt clones that accompany her and coldly states, "You belong to Captain Maureen now."
Sarah Breedlove quickly exits the control room with her five remaining minions as lifeless tentacles begin to wrap around the lone Bernhardt still standing in the room.
"Welcome aboard the Mimics, warmblood."
Earth Prime, 2101
Nikola looks out across the horizon from a large balcony atop The shell of a Divine. Next to him stand his son, Nikola Jr. And his twin brother Milutin. A cloud of dust grows ever closer from that horizon.
"Here she comes." Nikola says.
His son replies, "Whatever the cost we must stop her from destroying this land."
Earth Prime, 2101
Atop the shell of Cleopatra's Divine, the goddess mounts her lavishly decorated Supra-Terram and adjusts the golden stirrups. Suddenly a flash of color vanguards three men that step out of the Crossing just under the neck of the Supra-Terram. The beast roars and steps backward. Hundreds of guards shout and surround the three intruders.
“Angelina?” Milutin stutters.
“Angelina?” Nikola repeats as he steps forward to get a closer look at the god-like woman riding atop her Supra-Terram.
The woman known as Cleopatra gracefully slides down off of her mount as though controlling the air beneath her.
Barely touching the floor with each step she strides towards the twins, “What are you doing on my world, brothers?”
You are Cleo..” Nokola begins.
“It is only a title,” Angelina interrupts with a wave of her hand, “the original goddess passed on centuries ago...” She stops and looks into her brothers' eyes, “Oh you look so shocked. You never knew what became of your kidnapped sisters.”
Milutin rolls his eyes, “Teslas!”
Angelina looks to Nikola Jr., “Genetic anomaly. Kill this one.”
Earth Prime, 2101
Deep inside of a Crossing Cleopatra is unaffected by the onslaught of the three Tesla men; Nikola, his cloned son Jr. and Milutin. Carefully Cleopatra draws her fingers into five stances that she had studied and memorized for this precise moment. With an overwhelming silence the stars suddenly fall, dragging the three men through a rift in the Crossing. As the stars collapse the crystals powering Nikola's power suit crack apart: drained of all their power. The three men cohere back into the physical world and continue to fall. Below them, where once was solid ground, an eternal hole collapses into the very heart of Earth Prime.
Thinking quickly Milutin pulls the Golden Rubicon from his satchel, aligns five symbols together and hurriedly throws the activated Rubicon in the direction of his nephew. The Rubicon bursts into a flash of color that envelopes Nikola Jr. and an instant later two Tesla twins continue to fall.
“Now what?” shouts Nikola as the two men reach terminal velocity.
Don't worry,” replies Milutin. “Your son will figure something out.”
Matre Behe, 2101
Violent tremors roll across the city of New York. Falling to one knee, J.P. Morgan steadies himself with his walking cane as he looks up past the raging sea of panicked citizens and quaking buildings toward the horizon where a planet of purple and orange hues grows ever larger in the sky.
“Earth Prime,” he growls behind a twitchy smile, “At last we have done it!”
Turning to Edison, who lies on the ground beside him, Morgan is barely able to contain himself, “The Worlds are mine! We no longer need the Rubicons.”
He reaches into his left jacket pocket and hands Edison a large ancient key. “Go to Italy and activate the Cardinal Rubicon. The Rubicons have served us well enough, but they are now a liability. Send our pawns...away.”
Earth Prime, 2101
Perceiving an imminent attack upon her former Villain's disabled 'Murmuer', the lone Bernhardt clone serving on the deck of the 'Mimicus' dashes towards the edge of the ship. Sarah passes by an amalgamated crew member, wrenches a sliver of Leadlight from his spine and leaps off of the 'Mimicus' towards her objective on the ground below. As her body slams into the hull of the disabled 'Murmur', Sarah drives the sliver of Leadlight deep into the battered, metal machine. The clone's lifeless body drops to the ground as the craft begins to shudder. Suddenly tentacles of Leadlight grow from the 'Murmur'.
Inside the transforming craft Ms. Breedlove takes to the controls again and the newborn mechanical cephalopod Rises up on its Leadlight tentacles.
Earth Prime, 2101
Sarah Breedlove thrusts the drive levers forward propelling her 'Murmur' towards a Kingly Divine. Above the Divine Nikola Jr. Dances on silks suspended from his winged wife Amelia. Pestered by Jr.'s aerobatics the regal Divine sways unbalanced as it extends its neck unsuccessfully snapping its maw at the flying duo. On the ground below a Death Ray barely misses Sarah's machine.
"Science! Hold her steady!" Edison shouts at the minion who steers the beast. Next to Edison kneels Nikola in chains; stripped of his power suit; which Thomas Edison now wears. From below the belly of the Divine the 'Mimicus' soars into position under the beasts neck. Edison looks down onto the deck of the hovering submarine seeing her Captain.
"It is time to end the line of Verne," he growls.
Earth Prime, 2044 (+Earth Prime, 2101)
Orius stands hunched over on the edge of a cliff, her short silver hair bristling in the wind. Her wrinkled hand turning the Golden Rubicon over again and again. One symbol remains to complete the combination. Orius breaths out whispered words and rotates the final symbol into place. On shaky legs she allows her elderly body to drop off of the cliff. In a flash of color a Crossing opens up and she falls spinning inside the Crossing. Her skin begins to tighten and her muscles firm. Her hair thickens and turns to a glistening purple. Orius draws her two swords from their sheaths as the Crossing closes above her.
An instant later there is a flash of color below her and she spins through the opening; completing a half tuck and landing on green marble. Her outstretched swords resonating. Two guards fall on either side of her. In front of her Cleopatra screams and stumbles backwards clutching a bloody cheek. Behind Orius stands Nikola in chains.
“Cleopatra, my dear mortal sister,” says Nikola. “I would like you to meet a very old friend of mine.” He emphasizes the word 'old' and Orius rolls her eyes. “Orius; the destroyer of all worlds.”
Earth Prime, 2101
Trapped under the enormous foot of Cleopatra's Divine, Sarah Breedlove's 'Murmur' grapples with its Leadlight tentacles against the oppressive trunk-like leather leg. Inside her craft Sarah strains to push the control levers under the mass of the 180 meter tall living city.
A flash of color from a balcony atop the shell of the Divine momentarily distracts Sarah from noticing a second flash from within the 'Murmur'.
“There isn't time to explain,” the voice of Milutin startles Sarah.
She glances over her shoulder as her craft lurches with the slow movement of the monolithic beast.
“I need your help,” Milutin continues as he aligns symbols on the Black Rubicon that he holds. “How old are you?”
“Huh, didn't your mother teach you not to ask that of a lady? How does that saying go? A gentlemen doesn't ask...” replies Sarah.
“...and time travel never tells,” Milutin retorts. “We must go back and save my brother.”
“I ain't saving no body but my body. Let him rot.” Sarah states.
The 'Murmur's glass dome cracks.
Milutin stumbles up next Sarah at the controls and holds out the Black Rubicon, “Not Nikola, my older triplet Dane.”
With a roar the Divine shifts its weight and leans heavily on the 'Murmur'. Suddenly the craft implodes in an amalgam of fire and glass, and a flash of brilliant color.
Earth Prime, 2101
Cleopatra the immortal, untouchable goddess stumbles back from the blade of Orius. A trail of blood following her clumsy steps. The Royal Guards surrounding her gasp and start to back away. One of them falls to his knees and begins a prayer.
“Cowards!” screams Cleopatra.
Instantly the black armor plating of the guards crumples in on their helpless spasming bodies. Each guard's body collapses in on itself until all that remains are superheavy particles.
Trails of light follow the motions of her hands as Cleopatra forms her fingers into four stances that have never been conjured before. With each stance a symbol sparks into glowing existence on the back of one of her fingers.
With blood dripping down her smiling face Cleopatra calmly says, “Would you like to see the New World I am making? A world without greed or empires. A world without death or disease.”
Orius takes a step towards Cleopatra as the goddess continues. “A world with our parents, Nikola, with Dane.”
“Dane?” Nikola struggles against his chains.
“Yes, sweet brother, only you know the final stance.” Cleopatra's eyes dart down momentarily to his chains and they fall from his arms to the floor with a heavy clank. “Will you help me find paradise?”
Earth Prime, 2101
The soiled and worn boots of Nikola hesitantly shuffle past Orius, leaving the heavy chains that once bound him behind on the floor. Orius sheaths one of her swords and reaches out to stop her friend but quickly pulls her hand back. Nikola stands facing his sister, the goddess, with her glowing fingers and bloody cheek. Silently he takes her hands and forms them into the final fifth stance. A flash of vibrant color erupts behind Cleopatra. She turns and takes one step into the Crossing, holding out a hand to Nikola.
For a moment Nikola does nothing, his breathing becoming deep and audible.
“My truest friend,” his words are horse at first, “I shall forever remember, with most fondness, the untouchable example you have set for human kind.” He continues to stare blankly, with his back to Orius, unable to look her in the eye. “I have grown quite fond of you and always will love you, my friend, my Champion.”
The stern voice of Orius cuts off the end of his sentence, “I have lost you before. I will find you.”
Nikola takes his sisters hand, “Of that I am certain.”
With those words brother and sister step into the Crossing and decades later two children, a boy and a girl, step out of the Crossing onto a new world.
Earth Prime, 2101
Thomas Edison struggles to his feet under the burden of the heavy malfunctioning exo-suit. He lifts his hands together to form the stances necessary to direct a death ray at the masked Captain of the 'Mimicus' who methodically approaches Edison. The disabled suit fails to create the beam. Edison tries again to no success. Maureen continues to walk across the deck of her ship past her minions. Her bright red hair whipping in the wind behind her morbid death mask.
“Thomas Edison,” her distorted voice crackles from a speaker built into her mask. “What god did I please to receive such a gift?”
Edison takes a step backwards. “Listen,” he stammers. “I was never part of what happened to your father.”
Maureen continues her slow walk towards Edison. His eyes dart around and he takes another step backwards, this time tripping and falling violently onto his back.
“You must stop your Captain,” he coughs to her minions. “I can give you all power. I have a fleet. I will make you all Captains!”
Maureen kneels on his chest. Behind her she holds a shard of Leadlight. “Why do you speak to the dead?” her raspy mechanical voice interprets the movements of the mute Captain's vocal chords. “Captain was my father's title.”
Maureen draws the shard up under Edison's chin and slowly forces it up into his skull. Instantly his flesh begins to transform into the same grotesque amalgamation that covers the bodies of Maureen's undead minions.
“From now on you will call me...” With her free hand she reaches up and removes her skull shaped mask. Staring Edison in the eyes she strains her voice and forces out a barely recognizable sound, “...Admiral!”
Earth Prime, 2102
Aryabhata touches down on the cracked soil of Earth Prime. The glow of his ghostly colorful wings fade. Before him stretches a lush terrain untouched by the destruction behind him; mounds of Divine and Supra-Terram ripped apart and piled across each other, the bodies of homo sapiens like ants amid the monoliths and dust like a fog that covers over everything.
Aryabhata drops the crystal sword and his shoulders relax. The world is once again darkness to him.
A large white bird descends to the left of Aryabhata. As it lands its wings stretch out and become glowing arms, legs reach down to the ground where talons once curled, and in place of a beak; soft, full lips gently speak. “I have not been able to enter this place for so long I had forgotten what color its mountains are.”
A flickering ember tear rolls down the woman's face.
“They are beautiful,” Aryabhata answers in a quivering voice as he removes the red cloth that covered his once destroyed eyes.
He blinks his newly formed brown eyes.
“They are bold. With strong roots. Like my son was.” says Aryabhata.
“Like your son is,” the hand of a young boy grasps the right hand of Aryabhata.
The woman smiles, “It feels good to impart my gifts again.”
The adventure continues in “Command3r of Stars”
Hetzel thrashes his limbs. Futile. The Ether surrounds his shrinking, quivering body. The clothes he wears become lose. His bones grind and ache and then are no longer there. His cells combine, again and again, until Hetzel knows and eventually feels nothing at all. Soon a single zygote suspends within the Ether. Darkness covers over the stars within the Ether.
A feminine voice comes from the Darkness, "This empty form I can use. Hetzel, my child, you are my escape."
Matre Behe, 1984
Orius wipes her blade clean and sheaths the sword.
"Good doing business with you" Orius remarks as she leans down and removes the golden Rubicon from the stiff hand of a fresh corpse.
Her wrinkled hands align five symbols on the Rubicon and a flash of color blows her silver hair back from her face.
As Orius steps into the Crossing another crossing opens up behind her and Nikola Jr. Jumps out, "Wait, Destr..."
But her crossing closes before Orius can hear the rest.
Matre Behe, 2047
Soft shadows of leaves sway across the shoulders of Orius and across the grave stone she stands next to. Her weathered fingers touch the carved lettering intended to forever immortalize the once living soul 'Jules Gabriel Verne, 1828 – 2047'
Orius drops to her knees openly weeping. “Forgive me, Captain, can you ever forgive me for ripping your family apart. I was so blinded by my vengeance. Blind to your trust, your acceptance.”
Her head hangs low, tears dripping from the tip of her nose. Orius pulls two objects from her cloak and holds one in each hand.
She stares at the Golden Rubicon in her right hand, “Alter the past...” and at the shard of Leadlight in her left, “...or fight for the future.” Orius looks up at her minions that surround the Verne mausoleum. “Dig him up.”
Earth Prime, 2078
Captain Maureen stands on the deck of her submersible waving a farewell to Nicola Junior who boards a taxi. The Captain straps a speaking device around her neck to interpret the mute movements of her damaged vocal cords.
"It is time to begin work on the 'Mimicus'," she says to her first mate. "We will need it to destroy the last of the Berzelius Brotherhood."
Matre Behe, 2090
J.P. Morgan slouches in his plush leather chair behind an ornate walnut desk mulling over an expense report. A dim light flashes on a recessed metallic monitor sunk in his desk. Morgan switches on the monitor. The blue flickering face of Thomas Edison stares back at him,
"Brother, The Bernhardt blanks have reached maturity."
Morgan answers, "Let Ms. Breedlove know she can purchase them at her leisure." Morgan leans in closer. "Do not make the same mistake with this batch that you did with the first clone. No embedded sentience."
A sheepish Edison flicks off his end of the connection and the monitor switches to the image of the Berzelius Brotherhood.
Earth Prime, 2090
Bright marble walls echo the screams from a young boy. Even louder than the screaming is the broken voice of a father echoing in kind,
"Please stop! I will do anything. Just please stop."
In response hurried steps approach the door that the shouting resonates from.
"Is this necessary?" Cleopatra asks a man blocking her path to the door.
Outwardly the man looks like Hetzel, but his voice and actions are feminine. "I wish it were not, but there is no other way,"
Hetzel slithers an arm around the shoulder of Cleopatra. He swings his body next to hers and begins to walk her down the hallway away from the screams.
"Soon you will control the Tree of Life, my goddess." Hetzel continues, "And with it you will have control of both Earth Prime and Matre behe. All will bow to you, Lord."
"As they should." Cleopatra answers. "My power deserves their worship."
"Yes, you do." Hetzel replies. "My beautiful Lord, there is a single abomination that the men of Matre Behe use to blaspheme your authority."
Cleopatra quickly retorts, "The natural gateway. I will soon rid myself of it. Then I will control all travel between my worlds."
Matre Behe, 2090
Sarah looks up from her disassembled engine to a middle aged man entering her workshop.
"Nikky?" Several clones of Burnheardt working nearby say in unison. "Son, what are you doing here? Did your father send you back?"
"Not exactly," replies Nikola Jr. "We must talk, the destruction of humankind is approaching."
Sarah stands up, "Oh I know, I plan on having a front row seat."
Matre Behe, 2090
Aryabhata barely hears the sounds of a skirmish, nor does he feel the cool wind of his cell door opening. Not until his chains are removed does he recognized the presence of Nikola Junior.
"Oh, my friend, what have they done to your eyes?"
Ayabhata replies, "Not they; I. I destroyed them so that I would not have to look on what they were doing to my son."
Matre Behe, 2090
A middle aged Nikola Jr. opens the front passenger door to Sarah Breedlove's custom built automobile and steps out. The ocean breeze lifts the scarf off of his shoulders. Spinning around he snatches the scarf from the air as the two rear suicide doors on either side of the car open in unison and two identical clones of Sarah Bernhardt step out.
"It is out there calling to you, Mr. Tesla." Ms. Breedlove shouts over the wind from the driver's seat. She swings her door open and slides out of her car. "They are calling to you."
The boy fastens the scarf more snugly around his neck, "By 'they' I assume you speak of my family, and not the monsters and magic. No, I would not cross that barrier again, not without an army."
"An army you can have, my son," the two clones say in unison as they both point out to sea.
The waters rise and collapse around a gargantuan metallic whale surfacing just off of the coast. Hatches on the deck open ushering out dozens of sailors, each a grotesque hybred of flesh and Leadlight. Giant turbines emerge like arms from the sides of the craft and the submarine begins to rise up above the ocean. As the Mimicus reaches coasting altitude her Captain steps out onto the deck; flame red hair whipping behind the painted skull mask that she wears.
Earth Prime, 2093
The ground rumbles. Wildlife begins to flee. The seismic shifts come in waves; rhythmic, as though a giant were walking on the land. Miles below the surface of the planet the Gardener walks up the long tunnel to the surface. Behind him the empty diamond chamber at the center Earth Prime has lost its glow. With each step of the Gardener the planet groans more intensely.
"My Shiva," The voice of Aryabhata cuts through the air as the blind man clumsily stumbles down the tunnel towards the Gardener. "Please stop.” Aryabhata says between heavy breaths. “I know it can never replace what you have lost."
Aryabhata reaches the feet of the Gardener and holds out his dirty hand. "Please, I know you to be Vishnu. It is all I could find; all that is left of the once great tree. Let it be enough, great Brahma."
The Gardener looks down at the open palm of the desperate man. Nestled in its creases is a single minuscule black seed. As though cradling a newborn the Gardener gently lifts the seed between two of His fingers. Responding to His touch a vein of root begins to grow from the tiny seed.
"It is the most beautiful. Where did you find this treasure?" Asks the Gardener.
"Is it enough?" presses the exhausted Aryabhata.
"Yes," his nameless God replies.
Earth Prime, 2093
“I must remain here at the heart of my garden. Until the Tree of Life grows back I alone am this planet's source of power. Be my voice. Go where I can not. Free those who can not free themselves.” The deep voice of the Gardener echoes through the diamond chamber.
Aryabhata's hesitant hand reaches out feeling at the space in front of him and grasps the crystal sword from the scarred hand of the Gardener.
“I am no warrior, There must be an alternative to war.” Aryabhata stands holding the large transparent sword.
The Gardener replies, “The sword has already been drawn against the whole of humanity. There can be no peace until that sword is brought down.”
Aryabhata counters, “I can not even see the weapon in my own hand let alone the one my enemy holds.”
The Gardener smiles as he says, “With this sword you hold the authority over the spectrum of light. My son, you will find a sight stronger than any provided by human eyes.”
Aryabhata lifts the sword up towards the ceiling of shimmering diamond. The crystal in his hand begins to glow and a rainbow beam flashes out from it's tip.
“For what was done to my son,” says Aryabhata. “and what they made me do to my eyes.”
Earth Prime, 2099
Hetzel rides atop the head of his armored Supra-Terram through the foggy battle field. Pompously he ignores the few attacks that manage to break through his advancing line of minions. Instead allowing the attacking minions to force-ably battle his own minions after their assault goes unheeded.
Slowly a figure emerges in the fog standing in front of Hetzel's path. An enormous crystal sword lays across one shoulder of the statuesque figure. Aryabhata's blinded eyes look up at Hetzel and a half smile crests the face of Aryabhata. The dense fog behind Aryabhata begins to glow. Two spectrum of color ascend off of his shoulders and his feet leave the ground as he rises up on rainbow wings. Aryabhata soars to the height of the Supra-Terram's head. The creature roars as Hetzel draws in the reins. A blue fiery glow lights up from inside the maw of the Supra-Terram and Aryabhata takes the crystal sword in both hands.
Earth Prime, 2101
Wind stirs the plant life that grows over the timeless graveyard of crafts born both of the sea and air. A flash of color larger than any Crossing that has opened before in this natural gateway bursts to life. Out of the Crossing soars the 'Mimicus'. The gargantuan craft drops briefly with the gravitational change but soon writes herself under the steady hand of her seasoned captain.
"I have fulfilled my end of the bargain," speaks the crackly inhuman voice of the ship's Captain.
Her words unsettlingly dispersed between loud breaths interpreted by her speaking apparatus as vocal tones.
Standing nearby the captain inside the control room Ms. Breedlove turns to one of the six Bernhardt clones that accompany her and coldly states, "You belong to Captain Maureen now."
Sarah Breedlove quickly exits the control room with her five remaining minions as lifeless tentacles begin to wrap around the lone Bernhardt still standing in the room.
"Welcome aboard the Mimics, warmblood."
Earth Prime, 2101
Nikola looks out across the horizon from a large balcony atop The shell of a Divine. Next to him stand his son, Nikola Jr. And his twin brother Milutin. A cloud of dust grows ever closer from that horizon.
"Here she comes." Nikola says.
His son replies, "Whatever the cost we must stop her from destroying this land."
Earth Prime, 2101
Atop the shell of Cleopatra's Divine, the goddess mounts her lavishly decorated Supra-Terram and adjusts the golden stirrups. Suddenly a flash of color vanguards three men that step out of the Crossing just under the neck of the Supra-Terram. The beast roars and steps backward. Hundreds of guards shout and surround the three intruders.
“Angelina?” Milutin stutters.
“Angelina?” Nikola repeats as he steps forward to get a closer look at the god-like woman riding atop her Supra-Terram.
The woman known as Cleopatra gracefully slides down off of her mount as though controlling the air beneath her.
Barely touching the floor with each step she strides towards the twins, “What are you doing on my world, brothers?”
You are Cleo..” Nokola begins.
“It is only a title,” Angelina interrupts with a wave of her hand, “the original goddess passed on centuries ago...” She stops and looks into her brothers' eyes, “Oh you look so shocked. You never knew what became of your kidnapped sisters.”
Milutin rolls his eyes, “Teslas!”
Angelina looks to Nikola Jr., “Genetic anomaly. Kill this one.”
Earth Prime, 2101
Deep inside of a Crossing Cleopatra is unaffected by the onslaught of the three Tesla men; Nikola, his cloned son Jr. and Milutin. Carefully Cleopatra draws her fingers into five stances that she had studied and memorized for this precise moment. With an overwhelming silence the stars suddenly fall, dragging the three men through a rift in the Crossing. As the stars collapse the crystals powering Nikola's power suit crack apart: drained of all their power. The three men cohere back into the physical world and continue to fall. Below them, where once was solid ground, an eternal hole collapses into the very heart of Earth Prime.
Thinking quickly Milutin pulls the Golden Rubicon from his satchel, aligns five symbols together and hurriedly throws the activated Rubicon in the direction of his nephew. The Rubicon bursts into a flash of color that envelopes Nikola Jr. and an instant later two Tesla twins continue to fall.
“Now what?” shouts Nikola as the two men reach terminal velocity.
Don't worry,” replies Milutin. “Your son will figure something out.”
Matre Behe, 2101
Violent tremors roll across the city of New York. Falling to one knee, J.P. Morgan steadies himself with his walking cane as he looks up past the raging sea of panicked citizens and quaking buildings toward the horizon where a planet of purple and orange hues grows ever larger in the sky.
“Earth Prime,” he growls behind a twitchy smile, “At last we have done it!”
Turning to Edison, who lies on the ground beside him, Morgan is barely able to contain himself, “The Worlds are mine! We no longer need the Rubicons.”
He reaches into his left jacket pocket and hands Edison a large ancient key. “Go to Italy and activate the Cardinal Rubicon. The Rubicons have served us well enough, but they are now a liability. Send our pawns...away.”
Earth Prime, 2101
Perceiving an imminent attack upon her former Villain's disabled 'Murmuer', the lone Bernhardt clone serving on the deck of the 'Mimicus' dashes towards the edge of the ship. Sarah passes by an amalgamated crew member, wrenches a sliver of Leadlight from his spine and leaps off of the 'Mimicus' towards her objective on the ground below. As her body slams into the hull of the disabled 'Murmur', Sarah drives the sliver of Leadlight deep into the battered, metal machine. The clone's lifeless body drops to the ground as the craft begins to shudder. Suddenly tentacles of Leadlight grow from the 'Murmur'.
Inside the transforming craft Ms. Breedlove takes to the controls again and the newborn mechanical cephalopod Rises up on its Leadlight tentacles.
Earth Prime, 2101
Sarah Breedlove thrusts the drive levers forward propelling her 'Murmur' towards a Kingly Divine. Above the Divine Nikola Jr. Dances on silks suspended from his winged wife Amelia. Pestered by Jr.'s aerobatics the regal Divine sways unbalanced as it extends its neck unsuccessfully snapping its maw at the flying duo. On the ground below a Death Ray barely misses Sarah's machine.
"Science! Hold her steady!" Edison shouts at the minion who steers the beast. Next to Edison kneels Nikola in chains; stripped of his power suit; which Thomas Edison now wears. From below the belly of the Divine the 'Mimicus' soars into position under the beasts neck. Edison looks down onto the deck of the hovering submarine seeing her Captain.
"It is time to end the line of Verne," he growls.
Earth Prime, 2044 (+Earth Prime, 2101)
Orius stands hunched over on the edge of a cliff, her short silver hair bristling in the wind. Her wrinkled hand turning the Golden Rubicon over again and again. One symbol remains to complete the combination. Orius breaths out whispered words and rotates the final symbol into place. On shaky legs she allows her elderly body to drop off of the cliff. In a flash of color a Crossing opens up and she falls spinning inside the Crossing. Her skin begins to tighten and her muscles firm. Her hair thickens and turns to a glistening purple. Orius draws her two swords from their sheaths as the Crossing closes above her.
An instant later there is a flash of color below her and she spins through the opening; completing a half tuck and landing on green marble. Her outstretched swords resonating. Two guards fall on either side of her. In front of her Cleopatra screams and stumbles backwards clutching a bloody cheek. Behind Orius stands Nikola in chains.
“Cleopatra, my dear mortal sister,” says Nikola. “I would like you to meet a very old friend of mine.” He emphasizes the word 'old' and Orius rolls her eyes. “Orius; the destroyer of all worlds.”
Earth Prime, 2101
Trapped under the enormous foot of Cleopatra's Divine, Sarah Breedlove's 'Murmur' grapples with its Leadlight tentacles against the oppressive trunk-like leather leg. Inside her craft Sarah strains to push the control levers under the mass of the 180 meter tall living city.
A flash of color from a balcony atop the shell of the Divine momentarily distracts Sarah from noticing a second flash from within the 'Murmur'.
“There isn't time to explain,” the voice of Milutin startles Sarah.
She glances over her shoulder as her craft lurches with the slow movement of the monolithic beast.
“I need your help,” Milutin continues as he aligns symbols on the Black Rubicon that he holds. “How old are you?”
“Huh, didn't your mother teach you not to ask that of a lady? How does that saying go? A gentlemen doesn't ask...” replies Sarah.
“...and time travel never tells,” Milutin retorts. “We must go back and save my brother.”
“I ain't saving no body but my body. Let him rot.” Sarah states.
The 'Murmur's glass dome cracks.
Milutin stumbles up next Sarah at the controls and holds out the Black Rubicon, “Not Nikola, my older triplet Dane.”
With a roar the Divine shifts its weight and leans heavily on the 'Murmur'. Suddenly the craft implodes in an amalgam of fire and glass, and a flash of brilliant color.
Earth Prime, 2101
Cleopatra the immortal, untouchable goddess stumbles back from the blade of Orius. A trail of blood following her clumsy steps. The Royal Guards surrounding her gasp and start to back away. One of them falls to his knees and begins a prayer.
“Cowards!” screams Cleopatra.
Instantly the black armor plating of the guards crumples in on their helpless spasming bodies. Each guard's body collapses in on itself until all that remains are superheavy particles.
Trails of light follow the motions of her hands as Cleopatra forms her fingers into four stances that have never been conjured before. With each stance a symbol sparks into glowing existence on the back of one of her fingers.
With blood dripping down her smiling face Cleopatra calmly says, “Would you like to see the New World I am making? A world without greed or empires. A world without death or disease.”
Orius takes a step towards Cleopatra as the goddess continues. “A world with our parents, Nikola, with Dane.”
“Dane?” Nikola struggles against his chains.
“Yes, sweet brother, only you know the final stance.” Cleopatra's eyes dart down momentarily to his chains and they fall from his arms to the floor with a heavy clank. “Will you help me find paradise?”
Earth Prime, 2101
The soiled and worn boots of Nikola hesitantly shuffle past Orius, leaving the heavy chains that once bound him behind on the floor. Orius sheaths one of her swords and reaches out to stop her friend but quickly pulls her hand back. Nikola stands facing his sister, the goddess, with her glowing fingers and bloody cheek. Silently he takes her hands and forms them into the final fifth stance. A flash of vibrant color erupts behind Cleopatra. She turns and takes one step into the Crossing, holding out a hand to Nikola.
For a moment Nikola does nothing, his breathing becoming deep and audible.
“My truest friend,” his words are horse at first, “I shall forever remember, with most fondness, the untouchable example you have set for human kind.” He continues to stare blankly, with his back to Orius, unable to look her in the eye. “I have grown quite fond of you and always will love you, my friend, my Champion.”
The stern voice of Orius cuts off the end of his sentence, “I have lost you before. I will find you.”
Nikola takes his sisters hand, “Of that I am certain.”
With those words brother and sister step into the Crossing and decades later two children, a boy and a girl, step out of the Crossing onto a new world.
Earth Prime, 2101
Thomas Edison struggles to his feet under the burden of the heavy malfunctioning exo-suit. He lifts his hands together to form the stances necessary to direct a death ray at the masked Captain of the 'Mimicus' who methodically approaches Edison. The disabled suit fails to create the beam. Edison tries again to no success. Maureen continues to walk across the deck of her ship past her minions. Her bright red hair whipping in the wind behind her morbid death mask.
“Thomas Edison,” her distorted voice crackles from a speaker built into her mask. “What god did I please to receive such a gift?”
Edison takes a step backwards. “Listen,” he stammers. “I was never part of what happened to your father.”
Maureen continues her slow walk towards Edison. His eyes dart around and he takes another step backwards, this time tripping and falling violently onto his back.
“You must stop your Captain,” he coughs to her minions. “I can give you all power. I have a fleet. I will make you all Captains!”
Maureen kneels on his chest. Behind her she holds a shard of Leadlight. “Why do you speak to the dead?” her raspy mechanical voice interprets the movements of the mute Captain's vocal chords. “Captain was my father's title.”
Maureen draws the shard up under Edison's chin and slowly forces it up into his skull. Instantly his flesh begins to transform into the same grotesque amalgamation that covers the bodies of Maureen's undead minions.
“From now on you will call me...” With her free hand she reaches up and removes her skull shaped mask. Staring Edison in the eyes she strains her voice and forces out a barely recognizable sound, “...Admiral!”
Earth Prime, 2102
Aryabhata touches down on the cracked soil of Earth Prime. The glow of his ghostly colorful wings fade. Before him stretches a lush terrain untouched by the destruction behind him; mounds of Divine and Supra-Terram ripped apart and piled across each other, the bodies of homo sapiens like ants amid the monoliths and dust like a fog that covers over everything.
Aryabhata drops the crystal sword and his shoulders relax. The world is once again darkness to him.
A large white bird descends to the left of Aryabhata. As it lands its wings stretch out and become glowing arms, legs reach down to the ground where talons once curled, and in place of a beak; soft, full lips gently speak. “I have not been able to enter this place for so long I had forgotten what color its mountains are.”
A flickering ember tear rolls down the woman's face.
“They are beautiful,” Aryabhata answers in a quivering voice as he removes the red cloth that covered his once destroyed eyes.
He blinks his newly formed brown eyes.
“They are bold. With strong roots. Like my son was.” says Aryabhata.
“Like your son is,” the hand of a young boy grasps the right hand of Aryabhata.
The woman smiles, “It feels good to impart my gifts again.”
The adventure continues in “Command3r of Stars”
Th3 Anomaly is a trademark (TM) of David Landry. All names, characters, places, and events portrayed in Th3 Anomaly are copyright (c) 2011 by David Landry and are entirely fictional. Any resemblance to real life is happening entirely in your mind and you may wish to seek out psychiatric help.
