Episode XII
Through the dark looking glass
 

 “All hands, prepare for impact, all hands.” The GTD Requiem floated along the event horizon of the Black Hole. The magnificent thing had just swallowed up the rest of that moon, and they were approaching the coordinates where they had to jump, to leave this Shivan territory, to leave here with so many questions unanswered seemed wrong somehow. But they had no choice. “Better strap yourselves in.” Kate nodded. Kate walked over to one of the walls. She hit a button and a series of straps swung out. Kate stepped up, she pulled the straps tight around her, Vo’rant was awkward in the straps but he still fit. Ridow took the last place, next to Kate; he pulled it tight and gave Kate a reassuring glance.
 “Sir, we’re approaching the coordinates.” David nodded, he pulled tight the straps of his chair.
 “Brace yourselves people, this one’s going to be rough.” The officer looked over at the console; she began to read down the numbers as they clicked on the screen.
 “Twenty seconds until impact.” She began. “Fifteen Seconds.” The ship began to bounce around, as the temporal winds began to take a hold of the mighty ship. “Ten seconds.” The ship began to bucket, and through itself about. “Ten seconds.” She said, the ship blurred as time began to twist around the ship, a cup of coffee fell off a desk, an officer reached to stop it, but he missed. The cup fell as if in slow motion. Ship bounced up to meet the cup, the metallic cup bounced slowly on the deck. The ship continued to bucket and through itself about. “Ten seconds.” David lifted a hand. “Five Seconds.” David spoke up.
 “Graviton field to full.” The ship was being tossed as if a wooden ship in a hurricane. From side to side, without delay. An officer turned.
 “Sir, Gavametric Field at full.” David swore.
 “Hold on.” The countdown reached zero. The ship through itself as if it had hit a brick wall. The screen itself exploded out as if something had struck it. A piece of the screen exploded out and flew towards Ridow. Ridow quickly undid his straps, he was thrown to the deck. The piece of metal sliced into the bounds, which had once feebly held his body. He was being thrown about the bridge, Kate reached out a hand to him. Ridow caught her grasp. She pulled him in towards her, towards safety. Vo’rant had a worried look on his face.
 “I won’t let you go.” Kate said. Ridow managed half a smile, even with the blood drenching his hair.
 “I know.” Ridow replied, for that moment they were caught in endless time, the moment could have lasted forever. Then the ship bounced again. an officer spun around.
 “Sir, we’re losing the armor.” David nodded.
“Engage emergency force-fields.” He yelled. A console near the back of the bridge exploded out, the officer at the controls yelled for a brief second and then fell down into the control panel.
 “Sir, we’ve lost the starboard engine.” David looked around in a frantic, he could see nothing, feel nothing, he stared out at space through the small port hole next to what was left of the main viewer.
 “Can we still make the jump to subspace?” David yelled. Everyone was yelling now, trying to hear each other over the sound of their ship being torn apart around them.
 “We’ll have to increase engine power.” The officer replied. David nodded, his mind leapt from system to system, and then his mind rested on the only choice he had.
 “Take power from the Gavametric Field.” David said simply. The officer was about to say something. “I know.” David said slowly, he grew stern. “Do it.” David swiveled the chair around and saw the three figures in the back of the bridge, he saw Ridow and Kate together, Kate shot him a worried glance, David turned back to the matter at hand. “Give me a countdown.” He yelled, someone started from somewhere on the bridge.
 “twenty seconds.” They began. “fifteen seconds, ten seconds.” David spoke up over her voice.
 “Prepare jump – “ Someone cut him off.
 “Sir, we’ve lost all the shielding, we’re losing altitude.” David looked around.
 “Increase power to engines, hurry it up people.” David said quickly. “Prepare for Subspace warp jump, on zero.” The countdown continued.
 “Ten, nine, eight…” The ship began to jump around even more. Then suddenly all was quiet; the bridge was bathed in an eerie what glow. They crew was stunned. “Seven, six…” The light enveloped them all, it seeped in through the porthole, it felt like someone was guiding them, as if here, stuck between time and space a force was guiding them to safety. “five, four, three, two, one, zero.” David spun around.
 “Hit it now, engage jump drives.” The ship bucketed one last time as the light exploded off the ship. The subspace portal forced itself open, the catalyst melted down towards the center of the black hole, the small destroyer passed between the realm of space and down, down, deep into the bowels of subspace. The ship tumbled, falling, heading about.
 On the bridge they we’re all tossed to one side. Chairs rolled across the floor. Ridow lost his footing and fell almost vertically. Kate winced at the pain, but she kept a hold of Ridow.
 “Warp drives off.” He yelled, he looked over and saw that the officer for that console was plastered on the other wall. David released his straps and began to crawl up the bridge floor. He pulled himself up to the control panel. He typed in the codes, and hit the small button. Subspace melted away, the gravity returned to the bridge, and they were tossed off the walls. Ridow fell to the floor, Kate still holding unto him. David slumped against the control panel out of breath. Vo’rant quickly unhitched himself from the wall and hurried over to the censor controls.
 “Sensors are gone. Star chart’s are down, relay’s are down. He smiled quietly to himself. “Comm. is still working. How I don’t know, but it is.” David looked up; he stared at the stars outside of the porthole.
 “Where are we?” Kate unlocked the straps and knelt beside Ridow. Ridow smiled.
 “Ow. Let’s not do that again.” Kate smiled.
 “Let’s get you down to the medbay.” Kate helped Ridow to his feet, she pulled his arm around her shoulder, and the two walked off the bridge. David looked around as his officers started back to their stations.
 “First order of business get those sensors back online. I don’t want anyone sneaking up on us.” David looked around. “And second find out where the hell we are, I don’t care how, hang someone outside the bulkhead and count the stars if you have to.” He smiled at that. He looked around his bridge crew in distress, he knew they were under a lot of pressure, but it could not be avoided. He hoped they were home, he really did.

 Ridow had passed out on the way to the medbay. When he awoke he was looking into Kate’s bright eyes, he tried to move, but found it hurt too much. Kate moved out of the way to reveal the doctor standing over him.
 “Four broken ribs, a mild concussion, and a broken arm.” Ridow tried to look around, his head fell over, he saw more patients across the way in the larger room. “Don’t do anything too strenuous. I’ve bandaged the wounds, but you’re going to have to let them head on their own.” Ridow nodded. “And take my advice this time Commander.” Ridow smiled. Kate helped Ridow to his feat. He sat on the bed for a moment, looking around, he shook his head and then got to his feet. He fell forward an inch, Kate caught him before he fell too far. “You should probably get some rest.” The doctor turned to Kate. “take him to his quarters, we’re brimming down here.” Kate nodded, she helped Ridow to leave the small medbay. They walked for a slow moment down the corridor. Repair crews ran about repairing bulkheads, and support beams. The ship had taken quite a toll during their little escapade.
 “I’ll take you too my quarters, they’re closer to the heart of the ship, and there’s probably no damage teams there.” Ridow’s quarters were right on the outskirts of the ship. And they were probably blown to bits. They rounded a corner and came to Kate’s quarters. She fitted in the access card and the door slid open. They stopped a moment, looking into the big screens that displayed space before them. Two of the screens we’re crackling with static. The center screen displayed space, and a single vessel.
 “Maybe I’ve been hit harder then I thought.” Ridow struggled. Kate shook her head.
 “Not unless I got hit too.” Ridow smiled.
 “Then that’s an Orion, and we’re home.” Ridow turned to Kate, she looked back up at him and smiled.
 

 The man with the black coat stepped out of the council room. “Fools.” He muttered under his breath. Someone walked up to him. The new figure seemed shocked, he reached into his coat and pulled out a white cloth. The man with the black coat grabbed the cloth from him and pressed it to his face. “What do you have for me?” The man with the black coat began to walk down the hallway, the new figure swallowed and then fell in behind him.
 “Sir, the Requiem has passed into subspace.” The man in the black coat nodded slowly.
 “It is of no matter.” The man shook his head.
 “But sir, the council…” He trailed off, the man with the black coat stopped and turned slowly.
 “Those fools in there have no clew what they’re dealing with.” The man with the black coat took down the cloth, its white fabric was covered in blood. “The Leader for the Shivans is nothing, they will fail, no matter what I do.” He smiled. “And their failure will be their final mistake, I will crush them when they least expect it.” His hand tightened around the cloth, blood stained his hand. “The Triplicate will be mine.” The man spoke up.
 “But for now sir?” He asked, the man with the black coat turned slowly and began walking again.
 “Continue with the plan.” The man saluted, speeding up he passed the man with the black coat. The man with the Black Coat smiled quietly to himself, he took down the cloth and looked into its red stain, stained with his blood.
 “This will be the Final Battlefield.” He walked away.
 

 Darkness filled the void. A single light illuminated the face of Samuel Morrison, not the face of an old, worn man, but the face of a man who fought, and supposedly died in the first Great War.
 “I did what you asked, what more do you want of me?” Sam asked, yelling into the void. “why won’t you let me die.” Three voices responded. But they weren’t talking to Sam, they we’re talking to each other, but their voices echoed in this place as if it were a canyon.
 “The Leader for the Shivans does not understand.” Said the first voice, a thin mellow tone that didn’t change at all.
 “how could he.” The second voice was higher pitched and sounded more human then alien.
 “we gave him enough time.” Said the third voice, this one was deep, and very strong.
 “Perhaps not enough information, though.” Said the second voice.
 “Unfortunate.” Said the first voice.
 “What is this? What’s going on?” Sam asked, he spun his head trying to see where the voices were coming from. “If this is hell it’s pretty crummy.” Sam muttered to himself.
 “The Leader for the Shivans believes himself to be dead.” Said the third voice.
 “was he ever alive?” said the first voice.
 “can he prove to have ever been alive?” Said the second voice. Suddenly Sam her footsteps in the darkness. He stared into the shadows waiting. A man stepped into the light, he was a surly fellow, and Sam didn’t know him.
 “I am Miztral, and you will have to forgive my brethren, they do not know how little Terrans understand about time.” Sam cocked an eyebrough, Miztral gave a small laugh. “Let me explain.” An hourglass appeared in Miztral’s hand. “Time is like this hour glass.” Miztral turned the glass over and the grains of sand began to pour through the small opening. “These grains of sand, like days, nights, hours, or even years, pass through this point,” He pointed at the center of the glass “the present and then move into the past.” Miztral dropped the glass on the floor; Sam watched it fall and shatter, spreading grains of sand all over the dark floor. “But what if time wasn’t that organized, what if the sand was spread out over the floor like this.” Miztral motioned to the floor. “Then we could walk anywhere among the sands of time unhindered. We could bring someone back to life, or doom them to parish.” The grains of sand disappeared off the floor and the hourglass was again in Miztral’s hand, except this time the sand floated in the opposite direction in the hourglass. The sands floated up, through the center of the glass, and rested on the top. “So in this place, you have existed, you exist, and you will exist.” He smiled. “And yet you never existed, you do not exist, nor will you ever exist.” Miztral said, it was almost too confusing for even him to grasp.
 “Limbo.” Sam said simply. “Purgatory.” Miztral nodded.
 “But unlike the Catholic Church believed you can’t pay your way out of this place.” Sam nodded.
 “This is all well and good, but what do you want of me?” Miztral shook his head, and stepped out of the light.
 “It is not he who wants something of you.” The light grew, and there standing in the dark was a Shivan. The background changed, as the light came up, there floating in space was the flowing gases of a nebula. They were almost peaceful. The Shivan walked up to the nebula. “It was me.” The Shivan looked hurt for some strange reason.
 “Cron’is?” Sam asked slowly. The Shivan shook his head.
 “He is not here.” The Shivan said slowly.
 “Then who?” The Shivan didn’t move.
 “You know me, thirty two years ago, the visions, the ripples, the time warp, you’ve known me for longer then you think Samuel Morrison.” Sam walked up to the Shivan’s side.
 “Then what do you want of me Shivan?” Sam asked.
 “To take my place, to protect the very fabric of time itself. Miztral will tell you all you need to know.” Sam reached out, but he pulled back. “you can decline, there is nor force here.” Sam looked into the swirling gases.
 “Then before I accept, who are you?” The Shivan looked up high.
 “Long ago I was a Shivan, eight thousand years ago I was Ki’onus, the first Shivan highlord, and the last of the good in Shivans.” Sam stepped back. “I leave to you my legacy, this universe, to protect. There are dark days ahead, and you are better suited for the struggle then myself.” Sam squinted, as if trying to make out a hidden ship in the darkness.
 “Why is that?” Sam asked slowly.
 “Because you fought the evil before.” Sam stepped back. “And when you accept I can finally rest, eight thousand years is a long time to pay for a mistake a billion years old.” Sam nodded.
 “Then rest old Shivan.” Sam put a hand on Ki’onus. Ki’onus smiled. White light filled the Shivan, changed him, he changed to pure energy, and shattered like glass.
 “That was the right thing to do Sam.” Vo’tion said coming out of the darkness.
 “was it though?” Sam suddenly went wide eye. He spun around, and looked into the smiling face of Vo’tion, his old friend. “Vo’tion.” Sam whispered in shock.
 “Welcome back old friend.” Vo’tion said smiling. “There’s a whole universe out there to protect.” Sam nodded, he waved an arm and the picture of the nebula changed, it displayed Earth, slowly spinning in the darkness.
 “I have come home.” Sam said slowly. And the two stood there, a single moment. Samuel Morrison smiled quietly to himself as he watched the small blue planet spin, but there was no time to rest, the final battle was near. The war had begun thirty two years ago when Samuel Morrison had defeated Cron’is, that Shivan was still alive out here somewhere. If he could be brought back, what would stop someone else from bringing back Cron’is.
 And somewhere, in the depths of almighty time, Cron’is smiled at that.
 

 Now the tables were set, things were in motion, and the only thing left to do was wait for the final battle, all the pawns were set. The Triplicate was waiting for its time to strike, the GTVA was breaking down without a guiding for to rally behind, and the intire universe would be racked by a battle that would rage across time and space and rip the very fabric that made the universe apart. And so power had changed hands, the GTD Dunwitch Hill had been destroyed, and the black hole had pulled away a year from their lives, the true journey had jut begun, the journey from Dunwitch Hill
 The final battle of the Leader for the Shivans had just begun. Catherine Norrow, Jack Ridow, Ma’cran Vo’rant, and the man known simply as Dove would have to stand against an evil far worse then the Shivans could ever be. And so the battle begins, and the only one who is left standing will control past, present, future, and all that could be. The final battle had truly begun…
 
    To be continued…