With a single word "The Voice" spoke everything into existence, and then every thing formed as the voice concieved it. "The Voice" did this out of a desire. A desire for a family to love and for a family to love "The Voice." But it was not a perfect family. For a being to be capable of love, that being must also be capable of choice. ...and one chose different.

"The One" was jealous of "The Voice." Through the eternities that jealousy grew to resentment, until it exploded in hatred. "The one" convinced many of his siblings to embrace that hatred and a war erupted. The voice was so deeply saddened by all the destruction and with a single word "the voice" ended the war. But the damage had already been done, for "The One" and his followers could not just simply rejoin the family. Too much hatred and strife had permanently separated them. So they left. In their stead was a hole. A hole felt deeply by "The Voice." So "The Voice" spoke creation again.

A creation that gave "The One" a new opportunity.

Jared McKinsey felt very strange. Actually he felt kinda like he was falling. Problem with that was he knew as a fact that he was laying on his back. Or maybe the ground was falling with him.

Weirder still he felt free of all the achenes he'd carried his entire life. That last part was only so weird because till now he'd never realized there was an ache. At nine years old he'd always had perfect health, at the top of his game. But now he somehow felt better.

As he slowly opened his eyes, all he could see was a white blur. He held up his left hand just to make sure he wasn't blind. His eyes were fine.

He'd had a dream once, that had been in a white blur just like this. But that dream consisted of him being chased by a cobra wearing a leather jacket, which was nothing like this situation at all.

Sitting up, he looked around to get his bearings. The last thing he could remember was being on a plane. His very first plane trip in fact. But after a few hours in the air the whole cabin had started to shake for some reason. Jared wasn't sure what happened after that. Only that here was after.

A distant group of people in the corner of his eye, caught his attention. "Maybe one of them knows what's going on." he thought to himself.

As he got to his feet, he noticed one boy in particular who stood out from the others. He looked like a typical boy mostly, brown hair, green eyes, clear complexion, even a few freckles. He was probably a year or two older.

He was standing there in the middle of the group that was passing him to wherever was beyond the edge of wherever this white blur was.

But something looked very different about the boy. Was it the wings on his back? No everyone seemed to have wings. For the first time, Jared even noticed his own.

The light coming off him? Everyone seemed to have a barely noticeable glow. But perhaps that was it. This light did look different somehow. That's despite the fact that it was exactly the same color and brightness as everyone else's light.

He approached the boy cautiously. "Do you mind if I ask..." Jared started in a nervous voice. "You look different from everyone else somehow."

"Of course I look different." was the reply. "I'm not human. I never was." The boy was not startled, and he not even turned to meet Jared's gaze. He just matter-of-factly, but in a happy way said, "And you're not like them either?"

Finally turning to regard Jared he added, "You are a newcomer. You'll want to follow me."

As it turned out, the boy was not just a year or two older than Jared. He was immeasurably older. Though Jared had no idea what he meant when he said "At least not measurable in side this pocket of time."

But Jared got a small idea of what he was talking about when the boy mentioned that he'd spent eons with the group of "winged" humans they'd just left. Winged being Jared description of course.

The boy's name was Saul, and he'd apparently decided to make himself Jared's guide as they traveled through what seemed to be a vast city. They arrived at their destination, a place Saul called the gate. But it was hardly like any gate Jared had ever seen.

It seemed to be made of light. Not a glow type light like Jared had seen coming from everyone else, but a bright light that seemed to be solidified and made into a building material. Though it was so bright it still didn't hurt the eyes like earth light. Or maybe that was all light here Jared thought as he took note of the many others going about and around the Gate.

Saul turned to him with excitement and said, "You are in for a treat! You'll feel pleasure like you've never felt before. You're going to be timeless in a way that was not possible while still in your body."

Jared had not understood what he was talking about at the time, but once through the gate his understanding was growing. He would never be able describe the full feeling to you or me, but he was no longer feeling with just his skin. He could now feel everything around him and on.

He couldn't just see in one direction, but in all directions at the same time. He could even see himself and the light that was glowing off him. And it was nothing like a mirror reflection either.

His body felt kinda like how your arm feels when you've been laying on it the wrong way. You can sense it there but you can't really feel it. His sense of time was the same way. He felt it going backward and forward at the same time.

Also Jared could feel the presence of everyone else. He could feel them inside of him and around him. His feeling them led naturally to the question:

"Where are my parents?"

Jared stood atop a rock-face staring North at a forbidding deep red sky, filled with darker and even more forbidding clouds. This was all topped off with the occasional lightning strike. His thoughts were full of bewilderment, because he'd never seen anything like it before.

Now that he'd experienced the gate he understood that all this was a bubble of some kind. Or rather the surface of a bubble, and the past was inside. He was not sure how much time he'd been in the gate, he wasn't even sure if it mattered to him anymore.

"Is this hell?" He asked Saul whom he thought was right behind him. But a very different voice answered, from a much older definitely bigger man.

"In a way I suppose it is. In the same way I suppose this rock-face would be purgatory."

Jared turned back over his left shoulder to see what he thought to be a giant. It was a tall man with rough, coarse hair and skin browner than anyone even on his dad's side of the family. In fact aside from his towering height the man reminded Jared of a cousin that used to be fond of playfully slapping him on the back so hard he'd usually topple over.

No, wait this wasn't a man. This was one of Saul's kind.

Saul spoke up from behind the new arrival's right side knee, as he moved in full view of Jared. "This is Azeem. He knows everything about everyone who is beyond the rock-face."

"The word 'everything' is a slight exaggeration on Saul's part." Azeem countered as he pointed North at whatever lies below the angry clouds. "I don't know where your parents will be by the time you get to the bottom of the rock-face."

His parents were the reason Jared was on the rock-face, but he was a bit stunned because Saul had not had a chance to explain that to the new arrival yet. He'd been with Jared ever since they left the gate. "How do you know what I'm looking for, anyway?"

"Because Saul knows." Azeemed answered as if that settled the matter. But when he noticed Jared's baffled look he added, "Saul and I are brothers. There are no secrets between us."

Jared thought all this through very tightly. He looked Azeem over then asked, "Well if Saul knows everything you do, then why won't he know where my parents are when we get to the bottom?"

Azeem cracked a smile. "There are dynamics involved." As Azeem stepped up next to him, Jared moved in the fashion he would to avoid a friendly "pat" from his cousin. Azeem seemed not to notice. "But don't worry; finding your parents won't be difficult for Saul." His smile just as quickly sobered up. "I must however warn you, bringing your parents back may present difficulties."

Jared tensed up. He did not want to hear this at all. Saul had told him that they had brought many back from the low lands. He saw no reason why his parents should be any different.

"You must be prepared to fail or you could be lost too." Azeem finished.

Jared not only didn't understand what Azeem was trying to say, he did not really care. He just agreed so that he wouldn't be delayed any more than need be.

Azeem didn't look as if he he bought Jared's act but made no attempt to say so. And with that Jared spread his wings to for the first time to take flight. They were much longer than he had expected them to be what with their folded size and weight.

As Jared took off from the edge Saul started to follow, but Azeem grabbed his shoulder to stop him. It was not an aggressive grab but it was an informal one. They'd known each other for eternities, and Azeem had made a habit out of looking out for Saul.

That's why Azeem couldn't just let him leave without asking about his intentions.

Saul knew all of this instinctively and answered honestly. After all Saul was not in the habit of lying, quite the opposite actually. "I'm just going to help him find his parents. I'll be back soon enough."

Azeem looked skeptical at best. "You've always been free to come and go as you please they all are." Nodding out to the North again. "You've never needed an excuse to go out there, why use one now?"

Saul could've settled the whole matter by just saying he wasn't using an excuse, but he didn't. Instead he simply said, "I'll come back."

Azeem shook his head. "It's just that I've seen you flutter your loyalties as close to the line as I've seen you flutter time itself. When it comes time for choice, please go with those who will look out for your best interests."

Saul knew he was referring to the ages old argument that was ensuing with some of their brothers beyond the rock-face. "I've already chosen sides, remember?"

Azeem looked skeptical at best. "No secrets between us remember?"

Below the dark clouds Jared found land not totally different from anything he'd see on Earth. It was dark but this wasn't a problem because it seems that Jared could now see perfectly well in the dark. Just as well as in perfect daylight.

He found a clear area to land then looked back skyward. Their was no sign of either Azeem nor Saul. Not that he'd expected Azeem to follow anyways. But where was Saul?

On his way down Jared had passed over the castle at the bottom of the cliff without noticing it. It was below the Rock-face, and he'd flown in too high to get a good look at it.

Like all earth castles this castle had to be built by someone. In this case the builder was Luke. Eternities ago Luke had built it for his brother Samael. He was once such a supporter of Samael, those days. But these days he was more frustrated than anything else.

Time does that to one. It had not been Luke who invented time, but he was the one who came up with the idea to fill the void around the gate with it. You see with time bad feelings can fester. Samael Knew that, and that's why he'd encouraged Luke on this project.

But now it was Luke who was festering from time.

Life there had not turned out the way he'd expected so Luke who was now festering like a human. These days with Luke arguments are the norm. What were these arguments are about? Even Luke doesn't know anymore. So his brothers and sisters don't stand a chance of figuring it out.

But Samael has managed to pacify him Eon by Eon. However even Samael realized his time was running thin.

It was the first time since before the creation of time that Samael heard Saul's voice. Coming from behind him.

"You do of course realize that the more you pursue this insane goal of yours the more miserable you make yourself and those around you."

Samael turned to see him. He was laying, arms folded, in the arms of a statue of Azeem. His gaze was fixed on the ceiling.

"And I suppose you would've done it all better" Samael scoffed. Actually Saul wouldn't have tried it at all. But Samael knew that.

Saul's gaze shifted to his brother, with no hint of malice, "I'm just pointing out what you should've realized an eternity ago."

When he spoke again Samael was much calmer more controlled. "And you are the expert on making ones self miserable. Aren't you Saul?"

Wasting no time Saul answered, "I'm not miserable!" As he got to his feet.

Samael raised an eyebrow, "You're not happy either. There are no secrets between us, remember?" after a moment with no answer from Saul he added, "Of course you do."

Indignant Saul retorted, "And I never lie. Remember?" But there was no silence after this remark.

"Daniel is nearby." It almost sounded like Samael just blurted it out. A comment designed to make an emotional response. And it worked.

"Daniel knows I'm here." was Saul's very measured response. "If he wishes to see me he can." Then wanting very badly to change the subject he said, "But that's not why I'm here."

Samael obliged "No of course it's not." It had not escaped his notice that Saul was now making an effort to avoid eye contact. "Your new human friend will find his mother at the out point. Tell him to follow the river east." He leaned close in toward Saul's ear to add, "But don't tell him who told you."

Truth is Saul had never really intended to, "I doubt he would believe me if I did. But as you wish."

"You'd better go to him." His voice turned grave. "Femus draws near."

If there is only one lesson to be learned from Femus then it is how anger and hatred can mutilate the spirit. Femus is fueled by pure rage and this has left him horribly scarred and disfigured into something barely recognizable as humanoid.

Long ago he (If the word "he" still applies) had a disagreement with his brothers at the gate. He'd never believed in an afterlife before. In fact he'd been certain all of his life there was none. That it was inconcievable.

He no longer remembers what the disagreement was about, only that he was right. He must be right.

Now he wanders the 12 forests. trying to prove to all just how right he is. Usually he travels with his followers whom he's beaten into submission long ago. Like a pack of wolves out for prey in the forests. For with every passing season his anger grows, ready to devour all in it's path.

There were no followers this time, they were all staying back as they sometimes do.

The first thing Jared heard were the bone chilling screams. They were a cause for concern at first, but Jared's focus on his parents was enough that he eventually stopped noticing them.

Didn't matter anyway. The screams had stopped for a moment as Jared wandered close to the edge of the forest.

The forest seemed a contradiction of autumn and spring. The leaves of the trees were the colors of the former season, but they were also budding flowers of various colors as in the later season.

A pile of debris at the edge of the forest caught Jared's attention. Mostly wood and rocks, but he'd seen a piece of the "light" material that the gate had been made out of.

This sparked Jared's curiosity.

As he reached out with his left hand to grab it some of the debris behind Jared exploded. "Acquiescence!" The now somewhat familiar voice shouted as the horrible monster towered over him.

The deadly force knocked Jared to the ground. Wait! It was deadly force. But Jared could no longer die. Instead it was the searing pain of death, vaguely remembered from the plane crashing into the ocean from what seemed a lifetime ago.

The monster raised again, staring him right down. "They lied! Don't you see that? The bastard lied!" Jared had no idea what the creature meant. He was still fixated on the question of what would happen when he can't die from all the pain the creature could inflict on him.

The monster's hammering fist caused a whole tree to explode. "WHY CAN'T YOU SEE THAT THEY LIED!"

Jared heard a noise from his left. A sound he'd never heard before. Chancing a glance he saw Saul standing above another broken tree, with a light coming off him. Not like the light he'd seen before. This was painful light. It was even more painful than earth light.

Femus got the message and retreated. But Saul knew that would only be for so long. Femus has a short memory these days.

Jared looked in horror at the wake of the monster. "What was that?"

"It used to be a man."

Jared found the concept to be totally alien. "That thing was human?"

"An eternity ago!"

"I really don't get what you people mean when you say Eternity. Eternity means forever doesn't it?"

"Not really. Forever is a length of time. As infinite as that length may be an eternity is without time. Without being in one place at a time. Sort of like what you felt beyond the gate"

But the awe of what Saul had said was soon replace by Jared's curiosity. "Where have you been?" he asked Saul.

"Finding your mother." Saul's answer got an immediate response of interest as Jared sat straight up.

Saul pointed to his right. "See that Forrest?" Jared nodded. "Fly over it to the other side. Fly hard, fly fast, and don't stay airborne too long." Saul gave him an arm up to his feet.

"You'll come to a beach, follow it north but on the ground. You will find your mother somewhere along the way."

Jared had never even asked where Saul had gotten his information from. He just took to the sky with Saul's warning fresh in mind. Saul watched him depart in silence. Once Jared disappeared over the tree tops, Saul said seemingly to no one, "Hello Daniel!"

The best friend Saul had ever had moved from behind him, as if from nowhere. "It has been a long time, Saul." he said. "Perhaps too long."

"It's been an eternity, but since when does time mean anything to us?" Saul replied to his brother.

Soon they were walking, reminiscing, and renewing their unimaginably long friendship. It was like they'd never been apart, but it would not be long before this too brief a moment would be spoiled. For Daniel knew why Saul was there, and he resisted even the thought.

There are no secrets between them.

"Everyone knows how you feel about what happened," Saul insisted. "You could come back with me."

"No, I already knew that. But I also know how they feel about it all. ...about me. I just can't live with that and you know it." He stepped out to where the first tree had exploded. "Besides, look around you." He added with his arms motioning to his surroundings. "We're not as miserable here as the others say we are. We're certainly not evil, we're free."

"Free from what?" Saul countered.

Daniel scoffed as he flew off.

That was all there was to it. Daniel had made up his mind. Saul so wanted to chase him down. but what use would that be? He could not make Daniel come back any more than he could make himself be happy at the gate.

Samael was laying in the arms of a statue of Ibliss, arms folded. His gaze was fixed on the sky. "You do of course realize that was a very human mistake you made" He said.

"You thought it would be as easy as letting him come to you and reminiscing a bit. That he would just go back to the gate with you, as though it was ages past."

"He could always change his mind." was Saul's reply.

Samael's gaze shifted to his brother. "Not without losing what you have. He's committed to me now." He paused a moment to let it sink in. "It doesn't have to be this way. You could go with him you know."

"I've already expressed my content to you."

"There are no secrets between us. You're not happy."

"Listen to my words!"

"It's not your words that speak the whole truth. It's what you're not saying." Samael countered adding Latin, "Res ipsa loquitur"

Without hesitation Saul piped a smart alec remark back. "Sed quid in infernos dicet"

With an arrogant smirk Samael answered, "Satis"

"Non sequitur" Saul added.

"Oh yes" Samael assured him. "It does!"

Focused as he was, Jared still chose to heed Saul's warning about staying airborne too long. He had no wish to see the monster again.

Once he got across the forest Jared noticed it was lighter here. The clouds were still up but they were illuminated by something below. Not above like on Earth.

As Saul had said the spot Jared had landed was at the edge of a vast ocean. Though he could not explain how he instinctively new that north was to his left. So as instructed, he followed the beach until...

"Mom!" Jared shouted as he ran down the beach to his mother's embrace "I thought I'd never see you again!"

After a moment she pulled his head back to inspect him, showering with a million questions of concern. "Are you hurt?" "How did you find me?" "Are you alright?" It was like they'd never been apart, but it would not be long before this too brief a moment would be spoiled.

"I've come a long way to bring you back."

The sentence caused an immediate reaction. But not the reaction Jared had been expecting. "What?" he asked.

"Bring me back?" She asked pushing him away.

It was at that moment they both heard Femus' tortured scream in the distance. Jared felt an immediate need to get his mother and go. But she would not come.

"That city sent you, didn't it?" She said with a dark look in her eyes. A look filled with anger, hate. None of which Jared could possibly recognize, at least not in his own mother. "Who are you? Where is my son?" She asked as though she no longer recognized him.

"You know me" Femus screamed again, but this time it was closer. "I'm your son." he pleaded.

Her gaze was pure suspicion. As though she wasn't sure she could trust her own eyes.

"Mom!" He continued "We need to go before that monster comes back."

"I'd much rather face that monster than go back to that false god! It's Moses is a Jew and it allows homosexuals in it's presence" None of this made any sense to Jared who only cared about having her back. It was as if they were talking on two totally different levels.

But try as he might he could not hold himself to stay and face the monster again.

"You could come with me though. We could find the way together. If you are my son..."

"I AM! I'm Jared!" He screamed. A loud scream. And something in him told him that the monster had heard it too.

She scoffed as she flew off.

That was all there was to it. Jared so wanted to chase her down. But the horrible screams were so close. He remembered Saul's warning about flying too long... Too near to Femus.... And he was feeling so tired by now.

The scream roared again killing whatever nerve he'd had. He ran in the opposite direction, through the woods, over a dead tree stump, around some bushes, and past the clearing.

The feeling on his back was always that the monster was gaining on him. But now it was different. He felt tired for some reason. Like he'd never outrun the monster. The harder he pushed to pick up speed, the harder it became to hold out what speed he had. Then he saw Saul.

As they stood there face to face. Saul could tell something was wrong. He could see it in Jared's eyes. Jared was heart broken. That meant he would be weakened as well. "You must be prepared to fail or you could be lost too." Azeem had said. Saul had heard femus' screams as well. He knew that Jared's weakened state would never permit him escape.

There was little time for details though. Saul could hear Femus nearing and with his Rape-gang close behind. "Fly Jared, Fly!" he shouted.

He was flapping harder than he'd ever flapped in memory. The harder he pushed to pick up altitude, the harder it became to hold out what altitude he had. For he was disheartened too. But he had to make it. Saul had seen it in Jared's eyes, that he'd lost the will to escape.

Even without looking back Saul knew that Femus was almost to Jared. But Saul could not focus on that. Saul was focused on beating his wings. Wether he wanted to admit it or not he'd lost much of his will too. Every beat became more difficult than the last and his dishearten state would severely limit how high he could get. Time was certainly drawing near on poor Jared if he did not meet his goal. For it was only his will to save Jared that gave him his fuel.

At the point when Saul had beat his wings for what he knew would be the last possible time, he let out a cry that sounded like noting any living human will ever hear. And with that it was over, with no more will or energy Saul fell back into the depths to join Jared's fate.

Saul had blacked out under all the stress. Something uncommon for his people, but it didn't matter. He did not need to see it all. For Micheal and Azeem knew they were all safe ergo Saul knew it too.

Saul did however chance a glance down at Jared and Micheal, at the first chance he could. For he knew this was not over. As long as Jared's Mother was bound to the 12 forests of the lowlands Jared would be too.

Just as surely as Daniel bound Saul there.

Saul leaned back again. Looking a Azeem's face. He'd been right all along. Like Jared's mother Daniel did hold Saul's loyalties. And as long as they were separate Saul would be drawn there too.

Azeem would never bring this up himself, but Saul knew he realized it. For there were no secrets between brothers.

Alcor hung against the backdrop of stars like a diamond sparkling in a light outside Jack Morris' cockpit dome. It was not the only close star in this part of space. The four stars which dominated the Mizar system that he had just left were directly behind him. But he could only see them in his rear scope.

There was a centuries old dispute on earth as to whether Alcor was actually a part of the Mizar system or not. It was never clear if they actually orbit each other, but it is clear they move in some way together as all five stars dance their dance across each other in space.

None of this was much concern to Jack at this moment however. He was eager to put as much distance between himself and the Mizars as possible. His "Condor" spacecraft had been damaged by a weapon that was commonly called a "Zipper," and what was foremost on Jack's mind was getting back to friendly Skies as fast as he possibly could.

He'd been flying with a squadron when they were attacked back in the Mizar system. It was supposed to be a simple three day patrol, which was supposed to simultaneously give the newly promoted Lieutenant Wallace Jackson his first flight as a lieutenant. (As well as giving his fleet a chance to update their information on a colony of humans making a home in the system.)

Normally Jack's best friend Prince Raymond would be flying with him in a two seater Condor. But he'd convinced Raymond to fly with Jackson for training purposes. as a consequence this flight was the first in almost two years where Jack was flying alone.

Once he was damaged on the first day of the flight, Jack ordered all the others to go on ahead of him to the prescribed emergency coordinates on the other side of Alcor. At the time Jack figured that with his ship breaking he could simply eject and float till he was picked up, if worse comes to worse.

Not that time was really against him, Jack's Enviro-suit could theoretically keep him alive for months even years. In fact he was certain that the longest float on record was nearly five years. But after thinking that over Jack had decided that if it came down to it he would rather die in his ship. He'd much sooner blow his own helmet off, than float for years in space.

You see, he figured that as long as he was still in his ship he had at least a chance to make it to Alcor. With a whole pirate fleet behind him in the Mizar system, it was not likely that his fleet would be able to come after him. So he could end up floating in space for way longer than he cared for unless he was picked up by the pirates which would be even worse.

Problem is that Alcor hangs more than three light-months away from Mizar. So even for a fully functional "Condor" flying with it's squadron at a cruising speed of Light-twelve (Twelve times the speed of light) it would be a real chore to make it all that way.

But in the shape Jack was in he was not sure what would happen.

His best chance would be if his squadron could somehow get help to him, whenever they reach the transmission buoy. That would be great, but he didn't think he'd last that long. At the very least the others needed to get the prince back to safety.

Jack's scope "beeped" as the Condor entered the Lagrangian point between Mizar and Alcor. A Lagrangian point is a point in the middle of two massive objects (in this case star systems) where the gravity of both objects act equally.

Lagrange points have a nasty habit of collecting debris. In the case of stars that are a quarter light year apart that debris could easily get planet size. But right at that moment it was the orbiting asteroids that had Jack's attention. Weaving in and out between them all was a stressful affair.

This brought his thoughts back to the what-if scenario of his ship not making it. The Condor is naturally designed with a lot of back up systems in case of destruction of the ship. (Aside from the Enviro-suit mentioned before.)

There is the seat the pilot sits in. It has thrusters that can be used as a maneuvering unit when it ejects. With all these asteroids he could bounce from rock to rock till located. He'd still be stuck in the suit, but the asteroid field might at least be more tolerable than floating however long in deep space.

You see humans rarely take off their "Enviro-suits" outside of their artificial environments anyways for fear of "Wells-syndrome" Which is just a common name for bad effects of any human caused by being in an environment other than Earth's or an earth simulated.

The suits were designed to give it's wearer food, oxygen, water and anything else to make him/her as comfortable as possible. This is along with recycling all of it as much as possible, while adding as little bulk as possible. So it was not wearing the suit per-se that bugged Jack. It was prolonged floating in deep space.

There may be a third option that Jack had not thought of. If so his P.I.D. (Personal Intelligence Device) would be able to think of it. Every officer has a personal computer on his recessive artificial arm. (In Jacks case it's the right arm.)

This computer is often used as a sort of copilot, though Jack had his shut off. It has an artificial intelligence that can help the officer make life and death decisions, as well as the ability to mimic many human behaviors. But to Jack it's not much of a conversationalist.

Jack had considered turning it back on to ask for an analysis of the situation. But he had decided against that because it would just argue the best option would be to eject and float. No thanks!

The Jovian at the center of the Lagrangian was roughly Jupiter sized and gaseous. It also had far more orbitals than what is typical for planets in star-systems. (That was a side effect of being in the Lagrange.)

Suddenly an alert beeped again. Jack look his instruments over, apparently the pirates had found him.

As the Condor slowly drew towards it, the ship started losing power. Jack managed to maneuver it into a partially stable orbit, but he had no way of adjusting the trajectory to avoid hitting one of the moons.

If he ejected now he could use the maneuvering unit to stay clear, but then he's back to the whole decision of floating in space for years. That was the one thought that truly disturbed him. No! He thought. I'm not going to do it.

The last of the Condor's systems started shutting down, and time was running out to make the decision. He began to muse about how his life had led to this. He finally decided he would destroy the Condor himself.

Just as he leaned to activate the self destruct, his communicator blinked with the familiar sound of Prince Raymond's voice asking if he was alright. With surprise and relief Jack looked up to see the beautiful gold wings of a star-frigate from his fleet.

Redwood is just a sleepy little town in the middle of a southern state, with a population of maybe fifty to a hundred. It's far from any cities, far from anything really.

That is anything except for the local Cotton processing plant.

Since most of the surrounding land is made up of acres upon acres of cotton-fields, the processing plant is the only reason there is a little town there at all. Since there are not many other options almost all the locals work at the mill, though the mill is not the only thing in the little town.

There are for example the houses and trailers of what few residents there are. Unfortunately for the residents most of them are owned by the same family that owns the mill, and thus rent them out to mill employees. But there's also a little general store for supplies.

This store is where most of the locals shop most of the time. Especially the ones who don't have a car to drive the fifteen miles east across the cotton Fields to the next nearest store. People like Pierce.

That store was the only reason Pierce was out at all today.

Pierce was a fairly typical southern guy. Especially for such an isolated town. He like so many of his neighbors works in the mill. But today is his day off.

Yes Pierce was normal enough, however the four year old girl who was following close behind can hardly be considered typical by anyone's standards.

Pierce was not some close friend of the child's family. This little reddish-blond neighbor had followed Pierce to the store and back because he preferred her following him over the alternative. (Her playing unsupervised in the street.)

This little girl was well known among all the people of the neighborhood as one who regularly plays unsupervised outside of her mother's yard. Pierce never knew what happened to the father, but the mother is infamous for not keeping track of the child.

That is why it was no real surprise when a police car pulled up next to him.

"Do you have any form of I.D.?" the officer asked as he exited the vehicle.

"Yes" Pierce replied as he started reaching for his wallet. "What is the problem officer?"

"There's no problem!" he replied. "I'm just stopping to see if everything is alright." Of course he was lying. Pierce knew quite well that the police do not stop you just to see if everything is alright.

As the officer looked over the I.D. he asked "Is this your daughter?" which Pierce knew was the whole point of this encounter.

"She's my neighbor's daughter." he said smoothly. "We..." He started to continue but decided to correct himself mid through the first word. "My neighbors and I often find her wandering around the neighborhood unsupervised. One of us usually just puts her back in her yard and closes the gate of the fence."

The officer looked skeptical. "So why didn't you just put her back in her yard this time?"

"I'm going to do that on my way home." he replied coolly. "She was half down the street when I came across her, so I figured I'd take her home on my way back."

Pierce finally built up enough nerve to cut to the chase. "Now that I've answered several of your questions, why don't you tell me what this is really about."

"Like I said I'm just stopping by here to see what the situation is." was the stubborn reply. "Do you have a car?" the officer added trying to control the conversation.

"You're lying to me." Pierce indignantly demanded. "Police do not come to this side of the county unless they are called. You and I both know that."

The officer looked him over with some reserve. "Alright then. This child's mother reported her missing about ten minutes ago. I figured I'd look around the neighborhood while my partner fills out the police report."

It was at this moment that the Officer's cell phone beeped. "Don't go anywhere." He directed. He stepped away, just out of range to keep Pierce from hearing what he was saying, but it was not long before he stepped back to finish this.

"You're a very lucky man today." He announced. "One of the neighbors collaborates your story. Since I have the girl, no harm no foul, right! We don't want any more trouble today, how'bout you go straight home and next time you see this little girl out of her yard, you just keep walking?"

Of course Pierce wasn't going to argue with this guy if he was going to let him go. But as Pierce continued on his way he did scoff at the irony of it all. The irony of the police Motto: "To protect and serve."

A young cadet found himself in the middle of a dark and seemingly endless horizon. It was filled with darker and even more forbidding clouds, one of which he seemed to be walking on. Though to his feet it felt like he were walking on a level and solid surface.

Since one's tenth birthday is the youngest an applicant can be accepted as a cadet, Lex Beck is among the youngest of all the cadets in the alliance star-fleet. However he is also the most genius. He'd wondered if that was part of the reason that the creatures had chosen to make contact with him.

Creatures?

As disorientation wore off shock and concern lit his body with adrenaline.

He started looking himself over, but to his relief he was wearing his light blue, one piece, utility jumpsuit. Complete with the tools that are typically attached to it.

The cottonoid uniform was such a relief because he had striped down to his underwear before inducing the dream-like state he was currently in. The medical assistant had argued that he should be allowed to hook monitors to Lex for safety purposes.

Not that Lex thought it mattered much to the aliens here if he had his uniform or just his birthday suite. He just didn't like the idea of appearing in front of possibly an entire civilization in just his smileys.

Lex was startled by the sudden appearance of a dark shadowy figure to his right. It was soon followed by another, then another, then another. He was uncertain just how many were there, something in his mind prevented him from counting them. (Or maybe it was something around him that prevented it.)

The shadow creatures had no discernible humanoid features, except maybe a head that wasn't all that distinct. What bothered Lex were the eyes. He could not see any eyes per-se. But he could somehow sense they were there.

"You are disturbing our existence again." one of the creatures spoke up in a dark shadowy voice, but with a tone of knowing who Lex was and what he was doing here.

"I'm sorry about that." Lex apologized, "But, it couldn't be helped."

It was true that Lex had met the creatures before, though not as directly as this. It was his first flight as a cadet, and the ship he was on was forced to crashland on a planet the crew had speculated was near the Jory nebula.

Within the first week on the planet Lex had found himself in a cave looking for a possible water supply when he was attacked by some kind of indigenous predator. It was these creatures Lex was now talking to who saved his life. But in doing so they did something strange with his body on the molecular level.

Finished with his apology, Lex got right to the point. "Something you're doing is hurting one of my colleagues. I had to find a way to communicate with you again so we could put a stop to it." "Your colleague's close proximity to us is disrupting our existence." A different creature said, followed by a third that added, "You destroy what we once were." Then a fourth, "We're simply pushing him away."

Lex's mind went racing. His colleague Jeremy had been trapped by an energy field while out on one of the routine patrols that Lex's shipmates have been doing since the "water cave" incident. They needed to be sure that none those predators that had attacked Lex would make a try at the ship's wreckage with the remaining crew still dependant on it.

The problem with this explanation is the location where Jeremy was trapped by the energy field was far from the cave where Lex had been attacked. What could these two areas on the planet possibly have in common that disturbs the creatures? Especially when they are in opposite directions from the crash site.

Lex tried pleading, "Please tell me how this disruption works. Maybe if we work together we can fix this problem without any loss of life on either side."

"Removing your colleague, puts an end to the disruption." one of the creatures said in what sounded suspiciously like a curt tone. Any-which-way, this kind of negotiating was getting Lex nowhere and with time running out for Jeremy.

"We can use whatever you did to me in the cave to defend ourselves, if you're trying to exterminate us." Lex threatened. Which was no bluff, Lex had spent weeks going through tests by the ship's surviving Med-tech. Though they could not detect the changes in Lex they had relied on Lex reviewing the results himself. (He seemed to have some kind of sense about the alien technology.)

Lex had found that he could use the changes within him to metaphorically "bomb" the door between Jory and the creatures shut. This would cause two problems though. First is the fact that Lex could not survive it. Second is that it would likely hurt or even kill some or all of the creatures.

Upon hearing the threat one of the creatures immediately spoke up. "You're telling us you'll be good neighbors, even as you threaten to disrupt us more." Another creature added, "This does not make sense."

"What does not make sense is that you would rather kill a sentient being than work together to solve our mutual problems." Lex countered.

"Not true. Your backward motion is frozen." One said, with another adding, "It is too difficult to disrupt it even if we want to." third, "We are merely pushing back the forward motion parts of you that interfere with us."

If it had been anyone else they would've missed it all-together, but when the creature referred to "backward motion" Lex jumped from one epiphany to another. The first one had said, "You destroy what we once were." That was the first time he'd ever heard any of them use a past tense verb.

"Time! You're talking about time?" Lex shouted more as a question.

There was no answer from the creatures, so Lex continued, "That motion you see is what we call time. When we get to the end of it, our existence is terminated." Though truthfully Lex was having a hard time imagining how they could see any kind of motion without the time element.

"Most of you are existing without the forward motion." one interjected.

Lex was baffled. "What the dead ones? They're not existing." He said, trying to figure out how he was going to explain death to timeless beings.

"Yes, they are." one of the creatures said, interrupting his train of thought. "Turn and perceive them" another added and as an image appeared in front of Lex.

Though Lex would have no idea how to describe it to his colleagues even if he tried, he knew that the image was billions upon trillions of people. Most dead but resting inside the flow of their time periods.

Lex had never imagined that he'd ever see the universe so clearly. As humans our perception is limited to what frame of reference we are in. Like when you're on a planet. It's traveling around it's star, yet you can't feel it move because inside the frame of the planet you're not moving.

But Lex for the first time in his life could sense beyond that. Though he'd never experienced this before, it somehow did have a very familiar feel to it. From his frame he had a clear unimaginable understanding of what he was seeing. It was like he were a fish born in a river, and for the first time he had ventured out to the ocean. Only now he was staring back into the river with new eyes.

Time's flow itself seemed propelled by the very explosion that created the universe in the first place. Lex's friends family every one he knows who's still alive was on the surface of the "bubble" of that explosion. Always moving forward, their lives like strings in time. Lex never thought he could even view the universe with such clarity. But here it was.

Though Lex was amazed at what he saw, he was undeterred from helping Jeremy. "But from our point of view we can only exist at one point in time on that bubble." he explained. "We can see behind but it's not a clear existence to us." (Wondering if human memory counts.) "We can't see what's forward at all. That's why I need you to explain to me how my colleague is disrupting your existence."

One creature immediately spoke up. "It is impossible for any creature to exist like that." another added, "You could unwittingly terminate your own existence." A third chimed in, "That is why we must cut you away from us."

"It is true that we do make mistakes from time to time, and that some of them are fatal. But we DO learn from those mistakes." Lex explained. "You on the other hand are making a mistake that you can see the result of. Can't you?" True, it was a bold accusation. But after seeing the universe as it was Lex was growing confident that he'd come to an understanding of their nature.

"No! If the choice is between you or us..." they replied, "We must choose us."

"Not if you're not in mortal danger, then it's just murder." Lex countered. But with this he'd had all the information he needed to bring his point home. "What you are essentially afraid of is learning something new. That is the change in your existence. Right?"

They still seemed determined to have their way. "But this termination you speak of is not so final as you suggest."

"As I suggested, you mean." Lex corrected. "I just stood here in front of you and learned something new, See?" holding out his arms as a gesture for them to observe him. "Not all change is bad."

Lex was blinded by a sudden light. Somehow he knew that his connection to the creatures was severed. This was bad on so many levels because he could not be sure they were going to release Jeremy, and he was not sure he could detonate the gate if they had altered him again.

As the light cleared an image appeared in Lex's mind that he was only half able to comprehend. It was an image of his home on Earth about five years before.

He and his father were siting on the floor in their family room. The father was instructing Lex on ancient techniques of meditating passed on to him by his father. Some of which had been passed father to son for more than a millinia.

Lex smiled as the image of his mother passed by. She gave her usual warning to father and son, as she often did. "Don't get caught doing that. You know that the law defines meditation as a religious practice."

To which his Father replied as he always did, "We're in our own home, with the windows drawn. We'll be safe."

Though Lex now knew that his mother was right in that it was still dangerous. even with the windows drawn. On earth anyone archaic enough to practice religion is swiftly dealt with in accordance with the Craig Directive. In this case it would mean Lex's parents would lose his sister and him.

But, then something happened. Something Lex had long forgotten. (Or maybe he just never thought about it till now.) The five year old image of himself had gotten dizzy, and fell back against the floor.

Lex opened his eyes to Cody the ship's acting commander. He was young but the only one of the ships real officers to survive the crash. Behind him was the BTC (Synthetic officer) who was acting as the med tech. Sixtinez was what they liked to call him.

Lex looked around to put his mind at ease. Many of the panels were still out of place and a few of the scorch marks on the walls which were left over from the crash were still visable. The med bay looked mostly the same as when he was put under.

"Are you alright?" Cody asked.

Lex nodded.

"We're not sure why, but for some reason you were unsuccessful making contact with the aliens. In fact we nearly lost you in the attempt."

"No, I was there. I had thought I'd convinced them, but I never got the chance to use the weapon. I'm the one who failed you." Lex resigned. "And failed Jeremy."

The two officers exchanged uneasy glances. "Don't worry about it, it was just a dream." Cody assured. "We've been monitoring your sleep for two days. But on the bright side the force field that held Jeremy failed. It turned out that it had been unstable all along."

Lex was confused. "That can't be. I was there...... The creatures must have released...."

Cody interrupted him, "Lex! The force field failed before your consciousness even spiked. You could not have affected it in any way."

"Even if you had made contact." Sixtinez added.

Lex started to protest, but decided against it. They'd seen all the evidence they'd needed and their minds were made up. Besides, even before the attempt Cody had his doubts about the creatures. It all seemed too much like mysicism to him. Alien creatures he can't see or touch.

Anyways discussion at this point was moot. Now that the danger was past Lex had a lot to think about.

As both the others left him in the med bay, Lex laid his head back on his pillow and thought about the vision that the creatures had let him see.

The more Lex had thought about the whole experience the more he thought about the dream or memory (Or whatever it was) Just before he woke up. He could now remember more clearly the whole event from five years ago. Lex had felt something that day, that's why he had become dizzy. It was the same kind of clarity that he'd felt when he was viewing the image the creatures provided.

Lex had figured that he must've been at some sort of half point between his existence and theirs. If Lex had been right about these creatures all along, then they could see what the entire time-line of the universe looked like. Of all those beings that were inside the time flow, Lex knew some were human some were not. But they were all what we'd consider dead.

If there was a part of humans that still existed after death then the possibilities could be beyond what even Lex's mind could wrap around. (And Lex could imagine a lot.) "Our line never disappears," the creatures had said. The universe seemed designed to contain us.

Though it wasn't technically after death that they were existing, Lex mused. They were continuing to exist within their own time periods... Or time lines maybe. (Lex didn't even have the vocabulary to describe what he was considering.)

Human science has known there was a fold beyond fourth dimensional science for many centuries. Wormholes and many of the various kinds of citius light engines fold space-time for their effects. But they never actually exit space-time itself. To exist beyond that fold one would have to be void of all matter. that is why electrical technology can't take humans outside of time.

So wouldn't this make death itself a technology?

All these questions just kept running through Lex's head. He knew he'd get another shot at it. It wasn't Jeremy that had disrupted the creatures as they had though. All along it had been Lex, he was absolutely sure of that.

Lex had somehow made Contact.

Millie