CODE: S2/S22 Episode Twenty Two Niall Turner The Pirate of Time “What about the Doctor? He was on Nova Mondas.” “No one could survive what’s happened there,” Vorkuuthh said. “No no,” Nick said, insistently. “He could have escaped, got back to his ship, found some way to transmat himself off the planet!” Alf knew the implications of what the carnage had done to Nova Mondas. To her former home planet, Earth. “They're right, Nick,” she said, fighting back her own tears. She looked from Nick to Falex. There was a dangerous look on the kid's face. Alf took a deep breath. “No-one could survive that. The Doctor is dead.” *** To the east of the Bridge of Tranquil Dreams were the Gardens of the Scented Pearl. Trees and life forms transplanted from a thousand worlds. Jaahkathna, God Empress of Draconia, shaded her eyes, looking out across the lawns. Verdant magnificence stretching away as far as the eye could see. Space enough to get lost in. Jaahkathna shifted position in her recliner, hidden in the cool shadow of the White Palace. Much of the palace was a ruin, tall grasses and smooth barked trees hiding it from view. Areas, such as this broad veranda, had been modernised and equipped for the current rulers. There was the low, insistent whine of a hov-pod in the distance. Jaahkathna jumped down from the recliner and stepped light footed towards Commander Ultarch, silhouetted at the entrance to the veranda. “Commander?” Ultarch switched off the hand held communicator he held to his ear, Honour Guards rising from their concealed positions in the foliage, weapon belts slung about cooling white silks. Ultarch waved for them to remain where they were. The pod drew closer. “The Supreme Admiral, my Lady.” Ultarch bowed. Jaahkathna nodded and stepped out into the twin sun’s light. The heat was close about her and she was glad of the Micro Temp Drones in constant attendance. The Dry Season had months left to it yet. She moved to a patch of shadow cast by the head of a great lizard carved into the stone of the palace behind her. There was constant debate among the priests and scholars as to the age of the White Palace. Some said it had been built by a civilisation predating Draconia. Jaahkathna was her mother’s child on this, having little interest in such matters. Her father would have been intrigued however. She smiled sadly to herself. The hov-pod was directly overhead now, the grass flattening as it came in to land. The top reclined smoothly and Supreme Admiral Vorkuuthh jumped down, cutting a swords swathe through the grass as the pod hummed into silence behind him. Ultarch and the Honour Guard saluted. Vorkuuthh returned the salute, bowed to the God Empress. “My life at your command.” Jaahkathna nodded. “Have you located them, Admiral?” Vorkuuthh shook his head. “I have not. Senator Akrulan would have you speak with Strategist Kolataar.” Jaahkathna inhaled deeply, pursed her lips. “The ceremony must not be delayed. The Doctor’s companions are required! Honour must be done!” “My Lady.” Vorkuuthh held her gaze. Jaahkathna's face softened. Vorkuuthh was a good man; he had lost family in the war. There was also the little matter of his surviving son. “Very well, Admiral. I know you would not waste my time. I will speak with Strategist Kolataar.” *** Nick sat down heavily. Lit a cigarette, scratched his elbow. Still couldn’t get used to the gear the Martians had grafted into him. Moving was a pain. The Martians had repaired the damage done by the Cyber Controller, but the implants were more of a pain than before. Literally and in trying to master the damn equipment. Painkillers were not an option. He found the physical pain kept him in touch with reality. With what had happened... Two months had passed by his reckoning, two long months. Too long. He didn’t know if anyone was coming to find them or not. The last days of the war had been pretty crazy. Whole thing seemed pretty crazy looking back on it. He shifted in his seat. Strained to view the street outside through the heavy smoke glass window. If it was glass. Difficult to tell like so many things on this backwater. The café door jangled open, the owner looking up disinterestedly. Falex. Boy was in a hurry as usual. Always the way with him. Nick sighed to himself. “How’s it going, Falex?” The Taurean’s eyes seemed to glow a deeper amber. “It’s going all right, Nick mate!” There was a false enthusiasm there, something Nick couldn’t quite place but he let it pass. Falex sat opposite him at the small, rough-topped table and followed his gaze into the cobbled street outside. “Looking for Alf?” Nick glowered. “Yeah, all right, Falex.” “She’ll be ages yet.” A precocious grin. “Looking for provisions I expect.” The owner of the bar interrupted, a series of guttural barks and glottal intonations. “Yeah, all right.” Nick waved a hand. “Two cups of whatever the hell that stuff is you serve in here.” He frowned at the table top. The wood, if it was wood, seemed to crawl and mottle, moving into new patterns before his eyes. Their host buzzed over. “Thanks for that. How much? What?” Incomprehensible clicking, the thrashing of sleek black mandibles and antennae. “Erm, yeah … Two of these do?” Nick proffered two of the heavier clay plates from the bag on the floor. The creature inspected them, seemed satisfied and buzzed its way back to the bar. “How come we get to land up on the planet of the mercenary insects?” wondered Nick. “We’re going to run out of crockery if we’re not careful, you know.” Falex giggled, sounding younger than the fifteen years he now appeared to be. Nick smiled too, sharing the moment. He hadn’t been getting on too well with Falex. It was good to kick back and have a laugh. Take the pressure off. What with everything that had happened. What with... Nah, don’t go there. “It’s Alf.” Falex, mischievous. The door jangled open on cue. Nick looked up, betraying his eagerness. It wasn’t Alf; it was one of the weirdos from the Pharmacopoeia. He’d seen him around. Made EnalcKarnip look positively normal. “Hullo.” Nick turned away, disinterested. The newcomer wasn’t to be put off. “If I may?” He sat at their table, removing gloves and loosening a necktie. White hair and whiskers offset smoothly tanned features. Nick physically jumped. “Christ! It’s you!” “The very same!” Bartholomew smiled, extending a hand apiece to Nick and Falex. “We need to talk.” *** Alf didn’t know what kept drawing her back to the bazaar. Nothing familiar. Point of uncertainty in an uncertain land? No… Something about it just… “Five saucers to see your future, love?” A wizened old female, humanoid and hunched within a garish patterned shawl. She sat on a stool of antique wood outside a pyramid tent of sapphire cloth. Alf turned, distracted from the noise and movement of the bazaar. The coloured tents, the floating sounds and smells seemed to fade as the old woman held her gaze. A throaty chuckle. “Just five saucers my lovely. A good price for a glimpse of your future that is!” Alf feigned nonchalance. “Don’t know that I agree with that.” She certainly had the currency. Surely Nick wouldn’t miss it if she spent just a little. Life had been getting boringly predictable stuck in the routine of things, alien routine though it may be. The old woman cleared her throat, prompting. “Oh, all right then.” Trying her best to sound disinterested, Alf slipped the rucksack from her shoulders. With a delighted cackle the old woman jumped, no, floated down from the stool. Alf gaped. The woman ended at the waist, cleanly dissected. Raucous laughter through wheezing coughs. “N’hestereeza Half a Body at your service!” She cackled her lunatic cackle. “Lost me legs to a Void Pirate’s gun twenty year ago! Pharmacists patched me up good though. Very good pharmacists here on Chronos.” “Chronos… Right…” Alf was looking uncertainly at her pile of painted saucers. “What kind of a name is that?” Another cackle. “Chronos it is! The most strange and delightful world you could hope to call your travellers home from home!” N’hestereeza floated around Alf, scarlet eyes coveting the saucers. “Oh the finest saucers you have! Just the finest!” “Er, yeah, thanks very much.” Alf looked nervously about herself. Several creatures nearby seemed to be paying her undue attention. “Keep it down will you?” That laugh again. “Oh no need for worries me pretty young love struck traveller! No one would dare rob a paying customer of N’hestereeza Half a Body!” She inhaled abruptly, shrewish lips plucking the delicate saucers from Alf’s hand. They seemed to balance in the air then disappeared one by one into her mouth whereupon she exhaled a peppermint smelling cloud of vapour. “Oh yes, very delicious. You have paid me in advance it seems. Follow on! Follow on!” The half body floated within the confines of the sapphire tent. Alf steadied herself on the stool for a moment, quickly securing the rucksack. “Okay you mad old bat, I’m following.” She stepped inside the tent. *** Falex had been listening with interest. There was something between Nick and the newcomer, something he couldn’t understand. A shared history? No. But some point of contact… A moment! Yes! Images abruptly flooded his conscious mind, surging upwards from deep below. A woman’s face… “Falex? You all right there?” Nick was looking at him in concern. “I’m all right.” He jumped down from his place at the table, aware of them watching him as he approached the bar tender. The creature leant forward, slick gossamer wings flexing slowly on its back. Falex stood on tiptoe and pointed to the back shelf, a bottle of swimming emerald liquid. The creature began to buzz indignantly then fell silent. The bottle floated from the shelf under its kinetic control. Falex smiled to himself. Empathy. A useful gift. “For sure.” The tall stranger had crossed to the bar and deftly plucked the bottle from Falex’s grasp. “A generous gift. My thanks.” He pocketed the bottle. Falex glowered, thinking anger, hate, and spite… Ow! This stranger was beyond him. He rubbed at his temples in resentment. The old man was speaking again. “You should sit and listen my young friend.” “He isn’t your friend! I’m not your friend!” Nick, getting down from his window seat and floating awkwardly towards them both. Falex started. There was real anger there and sadness too. Strange feelings. Sensations he could… exploit? He smiled slowly to himself as he felt the stranger’s hand on his shoulder. The grip was surprisingly strong for one so old. He found himself being steered towards the door. The bar tender had begun an angry, crooning chitter, inhaling and exhaling in frantic rhythm. The old man waved a hand. “Put it on the slate my flying friend. We’ll pay you before All Souls Eve.” The cobbled street beckoned, cold and unfriendly. Night was coming fast as usual. Falex felt Nick close behind him. “What do you want with us? Why now?” The stranger favoured them both with a smile, sly and enigmatic. “Time, just your time.” The door clanged to behind them. At the top of the hill, towards the bazaar and market square a rowdy group of Void Pirates were beginning to descend. A Sky Barrel veered erratically towards them, open for hire. The stranger hooked it with a silver tipped cane and Falex found himself lifted bodily aboard. Nick struggled to join them. Once he was inside, pale and morose looking in the wan blue light, the barrel began its abrupt ascent, caught on the crosswinds. There was a faint, angry shout from one of the Void Pirates below. Falex craned to look at the stranger. It was uncomfortable jammed between the old man and Nick in the mossy interior of the barrel. “Where are we going?” The stranger seemed to pause for reflection before answering. Eventually he spoke. “The Pharmacopoeia my curious young friend. The Pharmacopoeia.” “Wonderful.” Nick was shifting uncomfortably. “What do we do there? Get stoned and contemplate our navels?” “Something like that.” Falex leant back into the moss, feeling the stuff probe and explore his clothes and skin. Everything on this planet seemed to be alive. There were no constants here. It was a world of chaos. He smiled, wondering where that thought had come from and without realising it, drifted off to sleep. *** Captain Jarrad BlackStar raised the scope to his one good eye, tracing the course of the Sky Barrel. His crew shifted behind him, restless. Ratnose took an idle shot at a passing native but his eyes too were on the departing Sky Barrel. “A Taurean, captain! I can smell ‘em!” “Aye!” BlackStar waved a barnacled hand for silence. “The other two had a queer look about ‘em as well.” “Very queer, captain.” Serren, his lieutenant and confidante stepped to his side. “They will fetch a good price on the open markets.” “True, very true my beauty!” BlackStar clapped her on the shoulder. “However, we need to find ourselves some deckhands also!” He roared laughter. Serren smiled back, impassive and beautiful, the shadow light catching her sculptured features at strange angles. “So we do, Captain, so we do.” “Then let’s get moving!” Ratnose was impatient now. “It’s near an hour since I killed something!” Gakk, the Borukk Deck Master, gurgled thick laughter, towering over Ratnose. “Oh my boys, my beautiful boys!” BlackStar closed his eyes, lost to some internal rapture. “I hear stories of a great war from the space lanes but what is war?” There was a chorus of agreement. Only Serren didn’t speak, watching the sky. “Killing,” BlackStar continued, patting his ample stomach, “Should be a so much more personal experience!” Serren turned her gaze from the skies. “We should be careful, Captain. There are always the lawmakers after war. The architects of order.” She smiled. “They do not appreciate our craft.” “Ha!” Ratnose sneered. “You think they’d find us here? Lawmaker’s wouldn’t dare take the dream trip! Only the doomed or the damned find their way to Chronos!” Gakk gave a curious blink then laughed. “Huurr! We all on way to hells together!” Serren ignored the Borukk, staring at Ratnose who turned away, scowling. “The doomed, the damned and the fallen,” she said softly. Still he didn’t look at her. “I see no difference, bitch!” Spittle flecked the half-breed’s unshaven chin. BlackStar stepped between them. “Enough philosophy!” He turned a half circle, brocade coat flying at his heels. The pirate captain gestured downhill, towards the strange city’s residential quarter. “I say we combine business and pleasure!” There were broad grins to this. Ratnose was grinning now, Gakk beating his chest in anticipation. “That’s right my lovelies! Recruit and kill!” Mad laughter and a chorus of approval. Ratnose succeeded in hitting one of the insect natives with a random shot. It exploded, a mess of chitinous armour and soft flesh. There were screeching buzzes of alarm from all about the cobbled streets. “Recruit and kill! Recruit and kill!” The Void Pirate’s chant grew louder. *** It was hard to discern distance or space within the tent. Alf turned, uncertain. A rustle of movement from ahead of her. She frowned to herself. “This place feels bigger on the inside than the outside.” A mirthless laugh from somewhere ahead of her. Soft blue lamps sprung into life, illuminating a sawdust floor. Painted wooden walls and rafters far above her. N’hestereeza hovered over a circular table draped in sapphire cloth traced with patterns of emerald and vermilion. “Sit yourself down my dear.” A high-backed chair appeared from nowhere. Alf moved forward cautiously. “This isn’t right, this isn’t right at all.” She sat down slowly, watching her host with some caution. No weaponry dammit! What had she been thinking of? “No need to worry yourself.” The old woman’s eyes were a darker colour in the sapphire light, near purple. She extended a thin arm, reaching for Alf’s hand. After a moments hesitation Alf let her take it. So much had happened, so much to try and forget and let go of that she just felt like trying something new. Maybe something dangerous if truth be told. With the Doctor gone and Nick in the grumps she was really at a loss as to where she went from here. She shivered at the old woman’s touch. It was like rough paper or cloth tracing over her palm, almost ticklish. She frowned, straining to see in the soft light. The fingers were almost preternaturally long, tapering to insect thin black nails. She hadn’t noticed that before. “Yes, let’s see what you’re made of, girl.” The old woman purred softly to herself as her nails sunk into Alf’s skin, disappearing almost to the first joint. Alf gave an involuntary gasp then realised she couldn’t feel any pain. N’hestereeza was smiling down at her, floating above tables centre, the edges of her shawl tracing the cloth. Her neck was too thin as well, bending swan like. “Who are you?” Alf’s voice was barely a whisper. “I’m what you wanted to find my love struck lovely.” A moon smile. “I’m not love struck! Hey, you said that before. Outside a minute ago.” The smile faded. “Might have been a minute, might have been an hour. Could have been a thousand years.” She laughed that soul chilling laugh and Alf realised she couldn’t move her hand. No pain but no movement. Shit. She couldn’t move at all. N’hestereeza reached forward with her other hand, gently stroking Alf’s face. Alf winced. There was a momentary sensation of absolute cold then nothing. The old woman’s other hand was inside her head. Treble arse to go, as Nick might have said. “Ah yes, the boy. Always the boy.” The old woman’s face floated before her and for a minute Alf saw something else, something ageless, timeless. “Yes, yes, never mind me,” continued N’hestereeza. “What is it that you want to see?” “I... I don’t understand.” Alf heard herself speak but her lips weren’t moving. Again the sensation of cold. All encompassing cold. They were communicating mentally. Great. “Do you wish to see things as they truly are? Do you wish to see things as you want them to be? Do you wish to see things as they can never be?” The questions hung in the air for what seemed like an eternity. “Show me everything!” The laugh came again. “Very well.” Now there was pain. Images flashed through her mind, catching her heart and breath. She was standing in the strangest room. White roundel walls. Nick, Falex and the Doctor beside her as they set off on adventures new. Then running downstairs to meet Nick in a place at once known and unknown. Their home. Dissolving to a road under low grey skies. She was alone. She was… Alf jerked backwards, toppling the chair. She scrambled to her feet, raising a hand to her face, rubbing her palm. Nothing. No hint of a wound. N’hestereeza hovered above her. “Thanks,” muttered Alf. The old woman grinned, displaying sudden razor sharp teeth. A snake tongue flickered, mottled blue and green. “You did ask to see it all. Greedy I’m afraid, don’t show you nearly so much as if you’d asked just for one of ‘em.” “Now you tell me!” *** “You think they went where?” The God Empress Jaahkathna could not believe what she was hearing. “My Lady.” Senator Akrulan cleared his throat in the time honoured political fashion. Vorkuuthh was staring moodily from one of the many balustrade windows in the palace audience chamber. He seemed lost in thought. Strategist Kolataar rolled up the ancient star charts from the marbled table where they had been pored over. He was an elderly Draconian of slim build, features curiously offset by the antique ocular enhancers he insisted upon wearing. “I do not think, my Lady. I am sure of it. They are on Chronos.” The God Empress Jaahkathna sighed the sigh of one very, very exasperated. “I thought that world was a legend, a festive night’s story for children!” Vorkuuthh laughed a harsh laugh. “Like the Black Sun Station!” “Vorkuuthh!” Jaahkathna gave him a reproving look. “My Lady.” He bowed an apology and crossed to the table. Kolataar took a step back, adjusting his ocular enhancers. Akrulan cleared his throat again. “Let us take it as truth,” said Vorkuuthh. His eyes were sad. “The Doctor had a fancy to believe such things. He was not often wrong.” “He is also dead,” reminded Akrulan. Vorkuuthh glared. Akrulan failed to clear his throat. “It is real.” Kolataar’s eyes were alive. He spoke almost to himself. “Myths and legends? There is always some substance.” He began to pace a circuit of the audience chamber, speaking as though addressing a hall of students. “The expedition of Khanszatees, second son of the Third Emperor, is the best documentation of those reputing to have landed on Chronos.” Akrulan tutted. “The very name is ridiculous!” “Oh I think it has its purpose.” Kolataar continued. “The world is unquantifiable, to the mind of the Qux, the technologies of New Mars and Draconia, the academicians of Alpha Centauri and Ossobos.” He paused, clearly enjoying himself. “Nothing, and I do mean nothing, no solid artefact, has been known to return from the place.” Jaahkathna sighed again. “I sense a qualification, Strategist Kolataar.” Kolataar grinned and bowed. “My life at your command.” He frowned to himself. “The qualification, such as it is, is the planet’s orbit.” “What?” Akrulan was struggling with this. “This thing, this preposterous myth has an orbit?” He tutted. “I find that very difficult to accept.” “No, no,” Vorkuuthh was shaking his head, Kolataar eyeing him with renewed interest. “I remember my training in the Rill Academy. It was always plotted. Some treated it as a joke but we were warned to take it as truth.” His look was serious now. “Several ships crossing close to the estimated orbit of the planet were lost.” Jaahkathna interjected. “How were they lost?” Vorkuuthh tugged at his beard, distracted. “The official reports said systems failure, a meteor storm. Void Pirates perhaps” He shrugged. “There was never time to ponder such things when training.” “Well ponder this, Admiral.” Kolataar’s tone was sharp, catching the attention of all those present. “The plotted sightings of Chronos suggest the furthest reaching orbit of any known planet.” “If it exists!” Akrulan, petulant. “A recursive double loop, a mobius strip,” continued Kolataar. Akrulan snorted. “The one sided twisted rectangle of infinity! Yes, yes, I understand mathematics, Kolataar! Precisely what are you babbling about?” “Senator, please!” Jaahkathna glared. “Let him finish!” “My life at your command.” Akrulan bowed an apology and looked to Kolataar. The strategist resumed once more. “You may understand your maths, Senator Akrulan, but do you understand the word itself?” He had their attention now. “What of it?” said Vorkuuthh. “Mobius.” Kolataar savoured the sound, the word seeming to gain weight, twisting and turning in the air between them. From somewhere far off horns announced the arrival of dignitaries for the coming ceremony. “We understand its meaning, we have constructed a meaning for ourselves, yet talk to the most brilliant minds of Alpha Centauri and Qux alike and they will not be able to tell you from whence it came.” There was a heavy pause. “It has no history,” said Kolataar. “I see your meaning.” Vorkuuthh again. Kolataar smiled, seeming suddenly sly, a predator; hawk scholar caught in turquoise gold profile in the late afternoon light. “Some say that Chronos is a sign, a portent, always appearing in times of great change or catastrophe. Like it’s orbit it is unquantifiable, unknowable.” He gave a short, soft laugh. “It is a thing of the void, the null spaces, the between that lies aside and between the now and the then.” Kolataar looked from one to the other of them. “The priest scholars of old said it was a remnant of a universe before our own.” Akrulan sat down heavily, struggling to contain himself. Again, it was Vorkuuthh who spoke. “Tell me of Khanszatees’s expedition.” Kolataar smiled and stepped forward, unrolling another scroll on the marble table, setting it in place with ornamental weights. “It is all here. Khanszatees had commandeered a Taurean Buccaneer of old. The Taurean’s have always been said to have an affinity with the planet. Together with a hundred men and a crew of Taurean Sight Engineers he came to the planet. He spoke of a living world, a world where everything has life and the atmosphere itself is an intoxicant, poisoning the very air and men’s thoughts. Of Flying Ones and Mind Dwellers, terrible visitations from the Void.” A pause. “Only Khanszatees and three others returned.” Vorkuuthh was smiling, lost to some private thought. “I know the story. It is heard in the Lowside taverns as often as that of the Three-Headed Dragon of Gaasshnaarrkk.” He stretched; rocking on his heels then cracked his knuckles. “I also heard that Khanszatees was banished for improper conduct with the High Priestess of L’arratekk.” Akrulan winced. “I have heard it many times,” acknowledged Kolataar. “As always, it is dividing the substance from the myth. In this case, to return to certifiable facts. I have confirmation that the female, Alf, plus the males, Nick and Falex, left Mars shortly after the collapse of Nova Mondas. We have definite confirmation from a Centaurian cruiser that they were headed for the outer reaches of the system aboard a merchant ship.” “Away,” said Jaahkathna softly to herself. “Everything departs the centre.” No one appeared to hear. Kolataar unrolled another antiquated star chart. “They were last confirmed sighted here.” He pointed. “Whatever path they took then would have taken them close to the next predicted appearance of Chronos.” There was a long silence. Akrulan broke it. “Very well. Whatever the truth of this, the God Empress wishes them found.” “We owe them a great debt,” said Jaahkathna. “It is wrong that they should be lost, both to themselves and to others.” Akrulan nodded, at the same time favouring the Empress with a curious look. “We shall scour this sector,” he indicated the area on the star chart Kolataar had emphasised. “We shall use all available technologies and personnel. I suggest making discrete contact with Taureas II, and possibly Qux Prime.” “No.” Vorkuuthh interrupted him. “If they are there, I shall find them.” “Supreme Admiral?” Akrulan looked confused. “By your leave, my Lady.” Vorkuuthh turned to Jaahkathna. “One man will be as good as a hundred in this enterprise.” *** Bartholomew threw a handful of the familiar green mulch that passed for currency along with decorative crockery on the planet. It rained down around the expectant Sky Barrel which gave a happy gurgle then swung away upwards once more. Nick turned to follow its ascent but it was already out of sight. The broad plaza of the pharmacopoeia stretched behind him, low huddled pods and twisted towers of pastel greens and blues, blending into the night sky. If night was the right term. The light seemed to change randomly here and there was no sign of a sun or any satellites. “Come on.” Bartholomew indicated one of the towers on the far side of the plaza, connected to others of a similar build by bizarre, sloping walkways at a higher level. “Home?” wondered Nick. “Home from home.” Bartholomew smiled. “We won’t keep you long.” “Oh great, the kid’s here as well is he?” “My brother is here, yes.” Bartholomew tilted his head towards the tower. “If you will?” Falex ran at Nick’s side as they made their way towards the tower. The flying insects and the curious, spindle limbed humanoids of the planet moved all about them. There seemed to be a general urgency to the movement and there was a sound, faint but growing steadily louder, keening and painful to the ear. “Quick now,” said Bartholomew, unlocking a heavy black wood door at the base of the tower. They hurried inside, shutting the sound out. Nick felt his ears pop, looked around a sloped hallway of green moss, organic in nature. Bartholomew led the way downwards, towards a smaller door of cherry brown wood. It shimmered and disappeared. A circular chamber was revealed, illuminated in clinical white light. Anotyne jumped down from a work surface where he’d been poring over various high tech gadgets. As soon as Nick and Falex were inside he clicked a finger and the space where the door had been resealed itself. Now they were encased in a smooth egg of cocooning white. Anotyne smiled an absurd smile. “Malleable planet. I love it!” His hair seemed bigger than ever although his height hadn’t increased. “Gentlemen, good to see you both.” He threw Bartholomew a look. “You got the stuff?” Bartholomew frowned a reproving frown. “I got the stuff, yes. If you could refrain from that appalling street doggerel.” Anotyne laughed. “Hey man, be cool.” Bartholomew ignored him, taking the bottle Falex had earlier requisitioned and pouring an equal measure into four plastic tumblers. This done he carefully opened a bronze clasped tin and dropped a tiny white pill into each of the tumblers. “Exactly what is this?” said Nick. “I thought you wanted to talk?” “We do man, we do,” Anotyne reassured him. “Gotta’ skip the rush though. Void Pirate’s ride in on the Rush. They find you on the street and you’ll be a real gone cat.” He took a tumbler and drained it, coughing explosively. “Colourful but succinct.” Bartholomew pulled a face as he followed suit. “Most refreshing.” Before Nick could stop him, Falex had taken a tumbler and swallowed the contents. The boy’s tattoos glowed an immediate livid red. “Ack! Nick!” Nick shook his head. “You did it mate, you did it.” Anotyne and Bartholomew were both looking at him. “Oh, all right then. In for a penny…” Nick drained the contents of his tumbler. “Oh my God!” “Good stuff isn’t it?” grinned Anotyne. “ My throat’s melting!” *** Alf struggled to her feet, searching for an exit. There didn’t appear to be one. “Look, N’hestereeza, I need to get out of here. I need to get off this damn planet! Don’t know why I came here in the first place!” The old woman floated closer. “No, no, not now my lovely. All in good time.” The blue green tongue flickered again. “And aren’t you forgetting someone?” Alf shook her head, confused. “No, no I don’t think so. Who? Who am I forgetting?” “Oh, it’s wonderful! Wonderful the way it happens!” The reed fingers intertwined around one another, the old woman floating higher, towards the unseen rafters. Alf stared. Either the interior of the tent was expanding or N’hestereeza was shrinking. She batted absurdly from side to side, as though caught in a sudden cross wind. “You didn’t choose to come here my dear! The planet only comes to those who want to find it! Someone must have brought you along for the trip!” Mad, tiny laughter. The old woman was shrinking, deflating like some surreal balloon, zipping about the tent ever faster. “Rush is coming so you stay safe inside for now!” piped the rats needle voice, now almost imperceptible. “You stay safe with N’hestereeza!” “Rush? What’s … the … rrruuussshhh ….” Alf’s words were slurring, huge and threatening to split her skull. Thankfully, consciousness slipped a gear. *** Nick woke up. His whole body felt heavy. Wrong… He was sitting in a, what were they called? An armchair, that was it. Crushed velvet armchair, deep green, deep as the carpet that seemed to spread and whorl at his feet. There was a sofa opposite him, same colour, same material. Alf looked back at him. “Hullo, Nick.” “Alf! How did we get here?” “That’s not my name!” The girl looked annoyed. Struggled to sit upright and couldn’t. She frowned to herself. “My name is… Oh shit, who am I again?” Nick struggled to keep focussed. There was something important here. “You’re right…” “I know I’m right!” She was annoyed now. “I’m… I’m Alf! No!” She looked at Nick again. “You’re not Nick either. You were in the loop before me but you’re not who you think you are.” “Bollocks!” “Come on, Nick.” She sounded tired now. “You’ll have to do better than that!” *** “You’ll have to do better than that!” Vorkuuthh stabbed angrily at the auto scan, reprogramming it. This was the forty first segment of the sweep now. He was as far out and gone from Draconia, from the system, as it was possible to be. Preparations would be continuing apace on the home world but he was more than happy to leave that to the God Empress and Akrulan. Ultarch would play a useful part there also. He shifted in his seat, unstrapped himself and set the systems to automatic. Tired, he stood and stretched, idly watching the systems at work. The Void Runner was a good ship. Not heavily armoured but for speed and manoeuvrability, particularly hyper or void travel, it was unrivalled. There was a low beep. Vorkuuthh glanced down at the home system info feed. The delegates from Ossobos and Qux Prime had arrived on Draconia. He smiled a smile without meaning and switched the machine off. Thought of his wife and daughters, Harkothh and Voraann. Gods! He didn’t believe in gods… No, of course not. As little as he believed in the unknown world of legend he was now searching for, insinuated an inner voice. Vorkuuthh ignored it. Leaving the systems to run themselves he made his way to the back of the craft and ran the standard manifest checks. All present and correct, no good reason why it shouldn’t be. If Kolataar was right, if the planet was real, if he succeeded in establishing a safe orbit… The manifest would be essential to his success. Too many ifs! Vorkuuthh clenched an armoured fist and made his way back to the pilot’s seat. A blue warning light was winking slowly on and off. Another chance for a void jump. He flipped a switch, set the anti matter shields to maximum and the systems to manual. All right then… Carefully he lowered his void pilots visor, hesitated for a fraction of a second then hit full power. Maximum acceleration. Reality leapt away from him… *** Before Nick and Alf could confer further a door creaked open somewhere out of sight. “Out of sight out of mind!” said Nick and shivered. “Hey! Who’s in my head?” “Nobody exactly is in my tree?” Alf gave him a glum look, upset. “What’s happening, Nick?” “Now then, now then.” An elderly popinjay, spry and white haired made his way into the space between the sofa and armchair. Another armchair appeared soundlessly behind him. He was carrying an antique silver tray laden with cups and saucers. “Shall I be mother?” Another figure bounced into view, full of lunatic energy, settling itself on the sofa beside Alf. An ebony skinned cherubim with absurd dandelion hair. He carried an oversize teapot that he regarded with some pride. “Oh god,” Nick’s voice echoed in his ears. “It’s a bloody dream isn’t it!” “Oh no.” The white haired stranger gave him an all too reasonable smile. “This is absolutely real, my friend.” “As absolute as you can get!” The boy giggled to himself on the sofa. “Think you can take it any further?” Nick wasn’t having any of it, needed something to latch on to. “Nah, this ain’t real mate.” He closed his eyes. Alf’s voice from the sofa. “Then how come I’m here, genius? ‘Cos I’m certainly not in your head!” Nick opened his eyes. Nothing had changed. The old guy was pouring tea into cups on a heavy oak table that had materialised behind the sofa. “You should listen to your girlfriend,” said the kid. “She’s not my-” Nick stopped, staring at Alf, trying to ignore the kid’s grin. The old guy leant into view, proffering tea. Nick took a cup, staring at the sparkling emerald green liquid without surprise. *** Systems slowed, reality returning, the accelerated rush of the void departing. Careful, Vorkuuthh raised the visor and studied the readouts. He’d come a long way this time, there were no recognisable system pointers, not even a nav beacon on screen. He felt his heart beat that little bit faster at what the computers were telling him. There was something out there. He studied the readouts again and nodded slowly to himself. He was in null space, the in-between. Setting all detectors to maximum alert he operated the forward viewing screens. Nothing. Absolute white clarity. A small voice from somewhere deep inside. “There are no absolutes.” Vorkuuthh jumped. The Void Scan! Imbecile! He unstrapped himself and leant forward, initiating the scan. Slowly the nothing cracked and splintered, resolving itself into something dark and unknown. Vorkuuthh strained to see, gently guiding the small craft forward. Thick green mist ahead and all around him. Whatever ahead and around may be. Time and distance were meaningless here from what Kolataar and the strategists had told him. He looked back towards the manifest. Hopefully… An abrupt alarm from the instruments returned his gaze to the forward screens. It was a sight he would never forget. Chronos: Ageless and alien. The planet hung there in the void, ancient and dark, a massive globe of green fringed in curling black. The poisoned atmosphere of myth. And there! Yes! He felt a strange sense of combined elation and fear. Other shapes, other ships, caught in the planet’s strange orbit, Nick and Alf among them with no small luck. Except… Wasn’t he forgetting someone? No, he… Warning systems begin to sound, readouts flickering on and off. This was how Kolataar had warned him it would be. He didn’t have much time now. Scrambling his way towards the manifest, Vorkuuthh set to work… *** Nick squinted, gave up and closed his eyes. His hands gripped the wood of the… the what? He looked. The dressing table in front of him. An elegant three-piece mirror, outer panels closed upon the centre, was mounted on the table. “It’s all about making a choice.” Bartholomew, smooth and assuring to one side of him. “Hey man, don’t listen to him.” Anotyne from the other. “We ain’t got no conscience at all! Only doing this for shits and giggles.” “Sure you are.” Hammer blows were pulsing with dull regularity in Nick’s head. “Where’s Alf?” Bartholomew’s hand on his shoulder, feather light. “I’m afraid she couldn’t make it.” “Hey man!” Anotyne again, petulant. “Maybe she didn’t wanna’ take the trip? You thought about that?” “Shut up, Anotyne.” “Yeah right! What was that you were saying about choices?” B “No, you shut up you diminutive dipstick!” Nick turned his head, trying to focus on Bartholomew. “What choice?” He struggled to speak. “What are you offering?” The old man grinned his dangerous grin. “You’re on the outskirts of infinity Nick. How far do you want to go? Think you can meet me?” “Don’t say I didn’t warn you!” Anotyne, somewhere distant. Nick struggled to focus. Bartholomew was just an outline now, full glowing and luminescent. Abruptly Nick saw the creature as it really was. He screamed. The creature’s voice filled his mind. “We are the Construct, the Pirate of Time. Come with us and we’ll show you what was and will be.” Nick felt his heart stop beating as his consciousness followed the scream, dwindling to a- *** Falex ran. He had never run so hard or fast before. All about him on the strange, sloping streets of the nameless planet a terrible cull was being carried out. Gaudily dressed newcomers were massacring the inhabitants without discrimination. Limbs and sticky black blood rained to the cobblestone street in front of him. Another of the Flying Ones butchered. He ducked into a low alcove doorway, laughing at the chaos all about him. Somehow this seemed like a… like a release. Yes! Life with Nick and Alf had been okay but this, this was… “Chaos!” A Void Pirate strode onwards down the hill, cutlass sparking blue energy patterns in the air around him. “Death and chaos!” Falex smiled. He felt both afraid and invigorated. He… He frowned. He couldn’t actually remember how he’d got here. The last thing he remembered… Was something he couldn’t remember. He shook his head, trying to clear it. Again that woman’s face was in his mind, tattoos pulsing akin to his own. Her look was reproving somehow. Did he know her? Nick had known her. There was more he could ask Nick when he saw him again. Falex giggled to himself. He was glad he’d made Nick and Alf bring him here. It had been far too easy to do but he didn’t feel guilty. Nick and Alf had been sad after the war. After the Doctor had died in the destruction of Nova Mondas. Falex giggled again. The thought of something as big as a planet being destroyed was so absurd he couldn’t help laughing. It was good to run away from things when you were sad. Sad wasn’t a place he cared to be. Now he became aware of a new sound, a sensation, low and reverberating, deep in the air. Emerging from the alcove doorway, he looked uphill, back towards the plaza and the pharmacopoeia, unaware he had just run from this direction. Bodies jostled him and a huge hand, frighteningly strong had suddenly swung him skyward. A Void Pirate, clay grey skin and brutal unfinished features. The creature laughed, black spittle flecking Falex’s face. “The Taurean! I got the Taurean! You get bonus for me boy! Captain want to meet you!” There was an ugly cheer from all about him. Falex was swung low under one massive arm and carried uphill, pressed close against battle scarred leather and a sour sweat stench. *** Vorkuuthh was working quickly, hands flying over the ship’s controls. The atmosphere of the planet swam thick all about the small craft. A numerical readout clicked to an inevitable halt. He swung round in his seat, checking the manifest. Primed and ready. If what the scientists said was true it was all that stood between him and insanity, death or worse. He laughed a harsh laugh. A warning started to sound from the console, chiding him. “All right, all right damn you!” He initiated the final sequence and the retro count began. As automatic systems took over, Vorkuuthh strapped himself into his seat and initiated the manifest jettison. Already he was beginning to feel tired, a strange, creeping sleepfulness… If his calculation’s were correct he’d have two segments at most, so he’d have to be fast and he’d have to be- *** The low reverberating hum was coming from the null space engines of the pirate ship that now hung heavy over the pharmacopoeia plaza. In shape it was something akin to a sea buccaneer of old Draconia, although no deck was visible to speak of and it bristled with the armaments and additions of a dozen different worlds. Falex was rudely deposited on the plaza and scrambled to his feet. He turned in a circle, wondering why it was suddenly quiet. All about him groups of the humanoid natives were being herded into groups by the pirates, the broken flesh of the Flying Ones and the Sky Barrels being fed to unspeakable machines. Falex’s giant captor grinned down at him. “I got him Captain! I got the boy!” “Well done, Mr Gakk! You’ve bought yourself some free time!” A spike bearded pirate in outlandish coat and hat was approaching, a woman in sleek battle gear at his side. The man tossed a metallic transponder pad to the giant. Harsh laughter. Falex ignored it, staring at the newcomers. The one called captain extended a rough hand that he took, allowing himself to be drawn to his feet. “Up you come young mister.” Falex felt himself surveyed with an appraising eye. The man turned to the woman. “Well what do you think?” The woman said nothing, just smiled a dark eyed smile. Falex supposed she was very beautiful. Nick would know. Then he felt her voice in his mind. “Hello, Falex.” The smile hardened. “I’ve been waiting for you for such a long time now.” Next Episode: Future Signs CAST starring: Nick Pereira as Nick Sophie Aldred as Alf and Elijah Wood as Rahlena Falex with Bernard Horsfall as Supreme Admiral Vorkuuthh John Woodnut as Senator Akrulan Winona Ryder as God Empress Jaahkathna Ian Hogg as Strategist Kolataar Terry Walsh as Commander Ultarch David Daker as Captain BlackStar Adrian Edmonson as Gakk Rick Mayal as Ratnose Claudia Black as Serren Mary Morris as N'hestereeza Half a Body Michael Jackson as Anotyne Alan Rowe as Bartholomew | Season One Index | Season Two Index |