It was a logical decision for many to leave Earth. It was facing turmoil and uncertainty. Horti, her friends, and her family expected to find the advanced Dinnion society snobby but stable and safe—little did they know. They expected challenges; they had a lot to catch up and learn, but they also found the Dinnion society teetering on the verge of a coup.

Horti’s life on Earth had not been wonderful even before aliens attacked, and Earth decided to join the Empire of Cassius, two galaxies away. She was small, plump, and a nerd. She had good friends and a supportive family but didn’t feel good about herself. Everything got worse—she had a nasty accident in her early twenties, lost her right leg above the knee, and sustained disfiguring burns.

It was hard to find work, and her boss showed a cruel streak after he employed her.

Then her boyfriend became abusive following his involvement with drugs and alcohol.

Her boss fired her, and she ended her relationship with her boyfriend after he cheated on her and dealt drugs on a cheapskate date with her at MacDonald’s.

Horti’s family decided it was time to pack up and leave Earth after telling Horti they intended to live on Dinnio Prime, a planet in another Galaxy that housed the most advanced humanoids in the Uzliumbax Empire.

Horti’s grandparents believed they were all from an ancient civilization.

Horti had a life-threatening accident at the University in the capital just before the summer break. That triggered a series of events that led to the discovery of a significant threat to the Dinnion and several other civilizations.

Horti helped unravel the story behind the insurrection and discovered an ancient enemy, which she helped the Empire vanquish.

She discovered a portal to her people in another multiverse. Her mission had begun. Yet nothing happened.

It was a time of waiting before the storm. The Empire knew of the other multiverse and the people trapped there, but everyone was holding their breath, and no one knew what to do. Horti was enjoying a simple life, trying to keep her mind off her task. It was so big she preferred not to think about it. It was there, shadowing her every move, but she was happy not to do anything until the spider priestesses, the Azloc, told her it was time for her and the team she selected to get the necessary training they needed to go to the other side. Her friend, who had traveled through the portal to guide her, told her nothing of value and then returned to the other multiverse.

Some jobs are too big and daunting to face. Many days Horti hoped the whole problem wasn’t real and would disappear.

Before going, the team faced a grueling training regimen. Then they invaded a vast underground complex before forming an alliance and moving to meet Horti’s people, who were demoralized and had lost all hope. Crime was rampant, and a terrorist was wreaking havoc. Horti and her team discovered they must deal with the critical problems, and time was running out fast.

Horti was in the dark fighting spiders and losing. Her husband was at her side, and her friends were behind her. She was in a fog, and she couldn’t feel her way. The spiders wanted to lay eggs in her. The eggs would turn into worms, forcing her to become a zombie.

The fog slowly cleared. She knew what to do but couldn’t progress; too many spiders were before her. It was futile. She was bone tired, and her friends had fallen. Who was she, and what did she have to do? Why was she letting everyone down after they had prepared her so well? She was failing, and there was no one to blame but herself.

Horti woke up late. She had an exam today. Her stomach rumbled. Horti felt hungry. She was so hungry her stomach was painful and knotted. Where was the damn muesli? If she didn’t eat, she would get a headache, and her stomach would twist and obstruct her bowel. Her stomach was big and bloated. What was the exam subject? Where was it? Her mind was foggy. Where was her slate? Her timetable was on it. Her backpack must be in her father’s car, and he wasn’t there. She went to the computer and tried ineffectively to switch it on. She panicked.

I must find the place, the time, and the subject. Check the power. She crawled under her desk. It was too dark to see if the switch was on, but she felt for the button. The wires were bare. Oh no! She felt a sickening jolt.

Horti sat up in bed, panting. She rubbed her eyes and stretched. The room was pitch black, but she knew it was nearly time to get up. Was she awake, or was it a dream in a dream?

In the distance, she heard her mother’s voice calling her to come home. The voice resonated as if she was calling her from the other side of a long metal pipe. She rubbed her eyes and scratched her face. Yes, she was awake. She pinched her leg to be sure. Ow!

Horti Maguire turned twenty-six on a glorious summer’s day in the Dinnion Regency in Vandaska, the capital city, while living underground on a farm where her parents and grandparents grew mushrooms.

The Dinnion Regency was reeling from an attempted takeover by insurgents. The turmoil unsettled the people, but they remained prideful, snobby, insular, and intolerant. Despite how they treated her, Horti had begun to get used to them and adapt to Dinnion society.

The Dinnion were convinced their short snouts were gorgeous and the Dinnion civilization was more advanced than others. Most refused to accept they would develop flat faces like the other humanoid ancients.

Craig, her husband-to-be, stretched out his hand and patted her side.

“Happy birthday, darling; why don’t you lie back, and I’ll make your day even better.”

“I am in a rush; it’ll have to be a quickie,” said Hortie. She shifted backward until she touched Craig.

Craig reached around her and fondled her breasts while kissing her behind her ear. He also blew warm air onto her neck. Horti felt herself becoming aroused. Craig shifted his hand further down and caressed her inner thigh. He avoided her vulva until Horti started pushing backward. He gently caressed adjacent to her clit on both sides, scooping moisture from her vagina. Craig moved slowly in and out, varying the pattern, and resumed grinding, alternating with going slow, then a few quick movements.

Horti lifted her leg, and Craig slowly inserted himself into her, moved his chest away, and ground slowly against her. Craig speeded up and shoved his chest back behind her and twisted her nipples, and then as he speeded up, now pounding into her, he pinched them and then rubbed rapidly on her clit. Horti came, and so did Craig a few moments later.

Craig reached for her again.

Horti darted out of his way and jumped out of bed. The lights switched on. She bustled into the refresher before returning to the bedroom, her hair still damp. She kissed Craig tenderly on the cheek, then dashed into the kitchen and returned to the bedroom. She handed Craig a cup of tea.

“I am late, and I must run to get a delivery from the depot for my grandparents. It is a package of spores and miscellaneous seeds they are testing. I promised to fetch it as soon as the office opens,” said Horti. “I woke late as I had some nasty nightmares. One was fighting spiders; the other was one of those exam dreams where nothing goes right, and you can’t find your pencil or your keys or whatever, and it’s the wrong day, and the timetable is screwed up.”

“Yeah, I know what it is like; I still get them. It’s your birthday. What’s the rush?”

“The depot is open, and I must get there. I promised everyone,” said Horti chewing on a dried fruit stick. “I must get some cereal; I am sick of this stuff.”

“That is ridiculous. Everything is open twenty-four hours a day. Who on Earth keeps office hours?”

“Sweetheart, we are not on Earth. You must ask who on Dinnio Prime keeps Earth office hours in Vendaska, the capital?”

“Come here, and I will ask you nicely and use the proper references,” said Craig laughing. “We’ve had the quickie, and we’re warmed up. How about a slow round or two?”

“I am not going to take that chance. You tired me out last night, and I know if I come anywhere near you, I won’t get going till lunchtime, and the place takes a siesta at 1 pm,” said Horti.

“That is incredible,” said Craig climbing out of bed. “I never realized anyone here would keep Spanish office hours and take a siesta. The climate might be like the Mediterranean, but a siesta, no!”

“I am taking no chances,” said Horti.

Craig laughed, “Horti, you are kidding me; I refuse to believe it!”

“I confess I may have misled you,” said Horti. “They start the siesta at 12:30, not 1:00 pm.”

“What time do they open again?” Craig asked.

“They open at 3:00 pm and go till 7:30 pm.”

“Amazing, maybe some of the people are like the mountain people, a lot of families who do what they shouldn’t do, and they are decidedly odd, odder than the usual Dinnion rigid eccentricity. We are in the country, and I should have expected something like this,” said Craig.

“Craig, you never know what to expect here. We are only eight km from the capital as the bat flies; it is hardly in the country. This is just how the people are!”

“Horti, do you want to play borm this afternoon?”

“Sure, I won’t be long. I’ll get the packages, drop them at my parents, have a cup of tea, and come home. I’ll pick up some real food from my mother. See you later. I am off to the portal.”

Horti strode out of the portal into a cavern filled with derelict fairground booths and rides. She recalled someone telling her the owners painted and rejuvenated the place once every fifty years for a regional fair. She felt gloomy every time she came this way. Everything was dusty and broken down. Several structures stood tall, almost to the roof of the enormous cave.

The depot, authorized to receive biological material, was at the back of the fairground for some inexplicable reason. She passed several broken down, shoddily made stalls. On the shelf of one was a broken doll with one eye and one arm broken and hanging from a thread.

She had an uneasy feeling someone or something was watching her. There was nothing behind her. She dodged between two walls and looked back. There was nothing and nobody.

The delivery depot was the most derelict building in the fairground. The front was twenty meters wide, but behind was a massive warehouse of seeds.

In the front, a lopsided archaic sign hung on two hooks. “Seed Delivery and Depot.” The door had an old-fashioned bell that rang as you opened the door. It would have been a curiosity even if it were on Earth. The whole place was a relic from the distant past.

Horti was reminded of the Dinnion version of a cow when she saw Marzine, the owner’s niece, chewing on something. She had brassy, bright orange hair, unusual for the Dinnion, and a pronounced snout. She didn’t look up as Horti approached her.

Horti stealthily stalked behind Marzine. “Hello, Marzine; how are you?” She shouted in her ear. Marzine jumped off her stool and glared at Horti.

“Hello, snout face, pretending you didn’t see me again,” said Horti smiling. “I am led to believe the store is open.”

Marzine looked carefully at her slate. “No, not for ten minutes; we are due to open at 9:30 today. Everybody around here knows that.”

“Everybody around here says you are the laziest, most useless sack of Dinnionkind. According to your uncle, you are supposed to be open 24 hours a day. Marzine, he will not be happy to hear about your slack office hours and siesta routine.”

“What is a siesta?”

“The time you steal from your uncle after lunch when screwing your boyfriend.”

Marzine blushed. “How do you know Horti? Who told you.”

“You just did you silly cow. We, primitives, can work things out. We may be slow, but we get there. This is the sixth time I’ve been to this dump. I’ve learned something or two since the first time,” said Horti. “Another thing Marzine, if you mess with my order again, I will drag you by your gene-dyed hair to our haunted farm and let the spirits of the dead tear out your insides. We, primitives, know how to handle the murderous spirits of the dead, and if you are not careful, I will guide them here to visit you one night.”

Marzine looked at Horti, her eyes wide. She jumped off the stool in the office and dashed into the store. She scanned the boxes and brought back Horti’s boxes.

“Horti, there is no need to get yourself all bitter and twisted. I was joking with you,” said Marzine looking down at the floor and fidgeting.

“I come here to get seeds, not for a comedy act. You don’t want to see me when I get angry, Marzine.”

“I am sorry, Horti. Please don’t tell my uncle. He said I have run out of chances. This is the best job I have ever had.”

Marzine packed the boxes into a carry bag and handed them to Horti.

“Well, have a good day, Marzine; I’ll see you around the place sometime,” said Horti cheerfully. “Now, you be careful!”

Horti grabbed the bag and turned to leave the depot.

Marzine looked after Horti fearfully.

Horti popped her head back in, “Where is your uncle’s store, AI?”

Marzine’s eyes widened, and she opened her mouth.

“You know the one that is supposed to ensure the depot is open 24 hours a day? Oh no, don’t tell me you sold it! What will your uncle think about that?” Horti asked.

“Please, Horti, don’t tell him. You will get the best service in this area. Just ask, and I will do it!”

“How was the dreaded Marzine today?” Vivian, her mother, asked.

“I got advice and some useful information from one of the other farmers at the market last week. She told me how to handle Marzine,” said Horti, “and it worked like a charm. I have Marzine on the back foot and suitably terrified.”

Vivian grinned. “Marzine is a useless waste of space.”

Horti nodded, then picked up her mug and dunked her rusk. “Are these South African rusks?”

“Yes and no; Robert is making them on Porquenta under license. He discovered them recently but could not duplicate them to his high standards, so he decided to license them. They are as addictive as they ever were,” said Vivian, “have another one.”

Horti reached forward and pulled a rusk out of the packet. She dunked it as before into her mug and quickly put it in her mouth. Tea dribbled down her chin. She wiped her chin with the back of her hand.

“Mum, it is strange how this area looks so much like home. It is hardly different from our country towns. The farms use AIs and advanced equipment, but the farmhouses and people are no different from back home. Marzine is the worst example of an idle country hick. She has nothing to be a snob about, but she acts like ‘Lady Muck.’ She treated me like a peasant and an idiot up until today.”

Horti carefully fished a soggy piece of her rusk from her tea with a teaspoon and placed the spoon in her mouth. “The seeds and spores are on the table in the shed. I have time for another quick mug of tea, and then I am off to play borm with Craig.”

“What are the people like at the club?”

“The people at the club have got used to us, and things are even better since the influx of the Uzliumbax. The Dinnion are slowly warming to us. The Uzliumbax are friendly, informal, and outgoing and love playing borm. They are loosening up the Dinnion fast. There are a lot of bugs around, and they are also helping a lot.”

Horti pulled out another rusk from the packet and dipped it carefully into her milky tea.

“This is an excellent tea. I like it. I wonder if the Dinnion would like tea?” Horti wondered.

“I started a small import-export company and am supplying teas to Lauren’s restaurants. This is the same one we had at home.”

“Excellent idea, Mum. We must all have an irresistible entrepreneurial gene!”

“Yes, isn’t it fun,” said Vivian, “The great part about it all is we are here early, and the markets are enormous.”

“I never thought you and Dad would get into farming. I saw him busy with a mass of pipes. What is he doing?”

We are growing udder tissues and lining tubes to produce milk.”

“How is it going?” Horti asked.

“We are almost there. The Dinnion uses the technique to produce many unique biological products.”

“How is your first magic reactor going, Horti?”

“The factories of the Gromelix Dragons are now prepared to commence production. The dragons have almost finished building the test reactor. We will start evaluating the output next week. It can power Gromelikine.”

“Will anyone buy it?” Vivian asked.

“The lawyer tells me the demand is enormous. The Gromelix intend to lead the Empire and build the first city using Level Three power in this universe. They will use my reactors. They are also making a new generation of electronic chips and modular components I designed and prototyped. The dragons catch on fast and move ahead faster than I expected. Their goal is to surpass the competition in this market by making significant advancements, similar to how the Emperor found a way to advance in the mini-universe.”

“Horti, I thought you were partnering with Philippa?”

“Mum, I am. Philippa is investing massively in the project and educating the bugs as quickly as possible. Like most of the Empire, the bugs are learning to use magic. As you know, the dragons are way ahead of everyone other than the Uzliumbax, who moved to our universe recently from Norbut 19, and the Uzliumbax in the mini-universe. Philippa has sent thousands of bugs to Gromelikine to learn to use magic from the dragons and then will work with the Gromelix. The bugs agreed to go to Gromelikine and stay there for ten years,” said Horti. “The Gromelix are short of labor, and the bugs work part-time and learn to use and manipulate magic.”

“Horti, how do the bugs feel about that?” Vivian asked.

“The bugs are happy to do it. Ten years is nothing for them. The bugs are fun and easygoing compared to the Dinnion and welcome new challenges. I would be happy to study in the Collective and spend time with the bugs,” said Horti.

“Isn’t the bug culture very different from ours?” Vivian asked.

“Bug culture is much simpler than humanoid culture. They work most of the time. They don’t read anything non-technical. The bugs are much less selfish than we are, and the group’s well-being is paramount. They watch the holo-news, but until the Emperor spent time with them, they had no interest in leisure or holidays. They are adopting the culture of the Empire,” said Horti. “We saw bug tourists everywhere on Earth. They are also direct and mostly honest. It would be best to watch out for fleas; they are deceptive traders.”

Vivian grinned. “I see the bugs everywhere. I remember seeing busloads of them back home taking holovids of everything.”

“They are all over the university. I thoroughly enjoy spending time with them. They are also more loyal and trustworthy than humanoids,” said Horti. “However, they are much more curious than any other beings I have encountered.”

“How are sales of your game going?” Vivian asked.

“It is exploding everywhere. Philippa and Porquenta are distributing it for me. They will give every child older than twelve a copy. It is also standard fare for the military. Porquenta provides the definitive reference server and hosts trillions on other servers. We discovered our game adapts to the individual’s needs and abilities and is one of our society’s learning machines. We didn’t realize how much we learned about our culture and what our people know until last year,” said Horti.

“What did Porquenta discover when he evaluated your games machine?” Asked Vivian.

“It is as powerful as he is but in a tiny package. Porquenta also discovered the game is much better on a supermassive server. The game grows on bigger servers. He offers preliminary game versions as software and adds a subscription to a server. Guess who makes the best servers?”

“You and your pal from the Collective,” said Vivian.

“The latest machine has all the new Gromelix electronics and is better than anything anywhere,” said Horti.

“It will make you a wealthy young lady, Horti.”

“True, but I will need all my assets to help our people. The biggest limitation is the time taken to teach people to use and work with magic.” Horti frowned.

“How do you design generators, reactors, and other magical stuff?” Vivian asked.

“I can access designs for all sorts of esoteric stuff from within the game. My friends and I took years to reach the game level to get plans like the reactor. Mastering the plans we are currently using took more time. We first learned to make clothes and a sword,”—Horti snorted—“Then we made our armor. We continued to advance. In the next phase, we had to mine and shape metals, then make alloys. We concentrated on preparations for war in the game, but we found everything we needed on the game server. As I moved into manufacturing, I found the advanced concepts and technology design details of a highly technological society. I give the plans to the Gromelix engineers, who build devices from the plans. They are excellent workers and work long days. The Gromelix don’t need more than an hour of sleep each night. They play the game every second of their spare time and progress fast. In five years or less, they will catch up to us,” Horti added.

“Who else is manufacturing your product?” Vivian asked.

“The rest of the Empire faces a long learning curve. Valsam, the Azloc Queen and Empress, came to see Craig and me. They are working hard on the game, and she says they want to get into manufacturing and would like some projects to get their teeth into. They can’t yet do most of the metallurgy bits, but they are good fabricators, have good AIs, and the drones don’t get bored. They want to build a new generation of ships and weapons. Nevertheless, it is all going frustratingly slowly.”

“Won’t the Gromelix and Philippa get upset?” Vivian asked.

“I don’t think so; the Gromelix have labor shortages. I am meeting with Philippa and the Gromelix Queen next week to discuss Azloc participation, but the Gromelix know they can’t do it all,” said Horti.

“I thought they had many planets. Arn’t there trillions of them?” Vivian’s brow furrowed.

“No, there are fewer than you think, as their planets could not support a big population. They are massive in their original forms; they dwarf the dragons of our myths and are bigger than our dinosaurs. They ate dinosaurs and large varieties of cattle. Few planets could sustain more than a billion of them. Jason’s AI on Gromelikine told them they could make themselves smaller. Their small form is half a meter taller than I am. All available Gromelix are working on the project. There is another problem that slows them. They have huge AIs poorly suited to work on our microscopic electronic work. The Collective gave the Gromelix small humanoid bodies so that they can do the work on Uzliumbax machines, but they have not yet built small AIs and drones, though they are giving the big ones new small bodies. Jason has given them a hundred thousand humanoid AIs to help them transition. They do not have enough dragon power to do the rapidly expanding work. Until they build generators, the work on Level 3 systems is labor intensive and slow,” Horti explained.

“How advanced is the mini-universe?” Vivian asked. “Can’t they help?”

“Philippa says they advanced further than the Gromelix in the understanding and using magic but are grossly inefficient, and they cannot use our magic. Rather than building industrial processes, they were obsessed with using magic and wanted to do everything themselves. They hardly use AIs, and factories do not exist. Philippa said everything costs them a fortune to produce. She intends our Empire to develop differently. They also have different channels of magical power in the mini-universe, and much of the technology they developed and use will not work here,” Horti added. “The only short-term work they could do is to produce alloys, but they are agonizingly slow.”

“What does Philippa think of your equipment?” Vivian asked.

“She thinks our knowledge and electronics are way ahead of the Mini Universe and even the people from Norbut 19. She committed to us, and she is a straight shooter. You know her well, and I know you respect and trust her. I know she likes you, and you enjoy partnering with her. My lawyers tell me I won’t find better or fairer contracts. The Gromelix are also honorable beings. I like them as much as I like the bugs,” said Horti.

“What about the Norbut 19 people? Surely they can do all this stuff?” Vivian asked.

“They are battling to adapt here, and the magic they know is different from that of the mini-universe and this one. Jason believes they will adapt faster than most expect and add to our efforts,” said Horti. “Magical power, known as Level Three, comprises many different streams in each universe. The magic we learned in our game only worked after the Gromelix Dragons showed us how to convert it for our purposes here.”

“How well do the Uzliumbax adapt here?” Vivian asked.

“Most of the original Uzliumbax that traveled from the Universe Norbut 19 moved to new bodies as their original bodies cannot survive here. However, most of the Uzliumbax chose to descend rather than travel. The Collective constructed the majority of the bodies to contain their presence, but the Empire also took on the responsibility once they learned the techniques from the Collective. Most of the civilizations that made up the Empire decided to involve themselves in the task. The Uzliumbax agreed to remain in the civilization that built their bodies for at least ten years. The sponsoring civilizations are assisting some in finding more planets. Others chose to stay in those living ships of theirs and remain in their original bodies,” Horti explained.

“Were the Uzliumbax originally from Norbut 19?” Vivian asked. “Did they evolve there?”

“Mum, that is an excellent question. I asked the same question of one of the oldest Uzliumbax professors. He told me they believed they came from another multiverse, but after they arrived, they landed near a violently exploding supernova and lost most of their memories and a big chunk of their fleet. He remembers they had a humanoid shape but developed new bodies to adapt to Norbut 19. They did not know how to escape from Norbut 19 until much later. The Uzliumbax relearned much of what they knew before they arrived in our multiverse. He told me they recovered their original DNA structure before sending others or moving here and used it to define the bodies built by the Collective,” Horti explained.

“The origin of the Uzliumbax is a great puzzle! Can I change the subject?” Vivian asked.

Horti nodded.

“What do the ancient Uzliumbax think of your game?” Vivian asked.

Horti laughed. “They love the game as much as anyone else. Billions of the Norbut 19 Uzliumbax are furiously playing the game. Craig told me they find it useful, and it helps them adapt to this universe.”

“Has the project of rebuilding the Uzliumbax ended?”

“There are still billions of Uzliumbax who require bodies. They are being rebuilt all over the Empire. I have personally encountered several reconstructed Uzliumbax at the University and while playing borm. They are amiable and affable individuals, similar to insects. Their presence is well-received, and they seem to be adjusting swiftly,” Horti explained. “A majority of them decided not to undertake the journey, and instead opted to descend.”

“What does that mean?” Vivian asked.

“Adapting to a new body in a new universe is challenging. There is an alternative method that many choose. They send their consciousness here, and it enters a baby in utero. They grow up without their memories, but their genes take over the new body over time,” Horti explained. “They relearn what they know and regain some memories. The memories seem like a second-hand experiences. Mine are much like that.”

“Yes, you previously said that about your memories. What you describe as descent probably happened to you,” said Vivian.

“Yes, the Collective doctors agree with you and suspect something like that happened to my friends and me. We did not retain our memories, but unlike the Uzliumbax, our genes contain our full memories and everything we learned, and we are slowly getting some of what we know back,” said Horti. “After the descent, the Uzliumbax recover a fraction of what we do. The doctors say our genes contain way more information.”

“In farming, we haven’t encountered academics from elsewhere,” said Vivian. “Horti, any more thoughts about Jason?”

Horti rested her chin on the palm of her left hand, her elbow on the table, and leaned forward. “Mum, he is a handsome man. He looks much like Craig and is the same height and physical build but has blonder hair, like Sean and Harry. He is pleasant and friendly but unpretentious. He is self-effacing and humble. He fully attends to me when I speak to him about something. I am the center of his attention. Jason focuses intently on the person speaking with him. He has more presence than Orma Chatzke and Queen Basarab combined. I like him a lot. I think he is fond of me and likes me.”

“What are the empresses like?”

“They are fine women. All are magnificent-looking, but most of the Uzliumbax are lovely. All the Empresses have pleasant personalities except one who is of Zaos origin. Remember that girl we had at school who manipulated people, had temper tantrums, cut herself, and had several suicide attempts?”

Vivian nodded. “I sure do, she drove her mother to distraction. She was highly intelligent but impossible.”

“Lisirra is a lot like that. She misunderstands things and gets the wrong end of the stick. She was jealous of me. On my first day there, she told me that Jason had enough empresses and that I must stick with Craig,” Horti grinned. “Once I got to know her, I got along with her well. She has a brilliant mind and is passionately interested in intelligence work. She told me she has Zaos personality disorder of the worst kind.”

“How does Jason manage her?” Vivian asked.

“Philippa told me at first he was tolerant of her, but recently, he puts her over his knee and smacks her bottom. She screams and protests but provokes him to repeat the process every few weeks. The physical punishment improved her behavior considerably. Philippa also told me Lisirra has been competing in the intelligence simulations and has reached the top rank.”

“What does she look like?”

Horti took out her slate and showed pictures of the royal family.

“She looks like a Californian surfer,” said Vivian laughing. “What is Gromelikine like?”

“ It is more mountainous and volcanic than Earth. The Gromelix mostly go around in their small dragon or even smaller humanoid shapes. They prefer to use their humanoid hands when they do electronic work. As I mentioned, they are taller than us in the small dragon form and more heavily built, and of course, they have a tail. They are friendly like the bugs but look fierce and intimidating. I met many in business meetings. Next time Jason said the queen wanted to take me for a ride on the back of a dragon. She was away on Dinnio Prime when I was on Gromelikine. Everything on Gromelikine is massive, but they are building small structures to replace the big ones. They recently planted vegetables and fruit, which they intend to eat as humanoids. They tell me they intend to use their big bodies when they fight wars.” Horti grinned while dunking yet another rusk.

“Why didn’t they use their small bodies previously?” Vivian asked.

“They didn’t know they could change until Jason’s AI told them. Everything could have been smaller.”

“When will the new city running on magic be ready?” Vivian asked.

“The city they are building, which will run on Level Three power, will be ready to take the first batch of people in a month. Those guys move fast.”

“What did you do on Gromelikine?”

“Mum, I must go, it’s getting late, and I am playing borm this afternoon.”

“Enjoy yourself. Remember, you and Craig are here tonight, along with your friends, for dinner. Everyone wants to hear about your trip. The grandparents are looking at mushroom varieties and alternative growing methods on Earth.”

Horti hugged her mother and passed through the portal.

That evening, Horti and Craig met her friends from Earth, Aubrey, Sammy, and Heather, at her parent’s house for dinner. Horti answered their questions about the trip to Gromelikine.

“What is happening about our trip to the other side?” Aubrey asked. “Have you heard from Chak, that flaky friend of yours?”

“I haven’t heard anything. She told me she would remain on our farm after we went to meet Jason and would create a training program for us. I offered to take her with us to talk to Jason so she could tell him about the other multiverse. I told her she could also meet some people who would accompany us. She evaded any commitment and wouldn’t explain anything. When we returned, she was gone. She left a note to say she decided to go back but would return by the time we returned. She refused to accompany me on our trip to meet Jason and interview prospective team members. There is something funny going on,” said Horti.

“I am sure the Emperor would have had many questions for her,” said Heather.

“She was cagy and evaded most of my questions. I remember her as a good friend, but now I am unsure. I don’t trust her; she is not the person I remember,” said Horti.

“I felt she had a hidden agenda and was being obstructive. She kept saying I can tell you soon, and I will tell you when this happens or that happens,” said Sammy.

“I keep hearing my mother’s voice telling me to come home. It’s not a dream. I know they are in dire straits. We must go soon, or it will be too late. We have three weeks until we have a break. We should be training in the break,” said Horti. “I am restless and itching to do something useful.”

Vivian passed around pieces of Horti’s favorite apple pie indulgently served with double thick cream on the top and a dollop of ice cream on the side. Horti’s friends ate the pie silently before sitting back. Sammy rubbed his stomach.

Vivian placed a chocolate cake with lighted candles on the table. Horti blew out the candles. The group cheered and sang happy birthday.

“Have you heard from the Azloc priestesses?” Aubrey asked.

“ I received a message just before blowing out the candles. I have a funny feeling it could be the Azloc priestesses.” Horti looked at her slate.

“The priestesses want us to join them during the break; they will pick us up along with the group who will join us,” said Horti.

“Who is coming along?” Heather asked.

“Lisirra, a Zaos Empress and an intelligence specialist, Trackrof Graf from the Coven; Jiskassa Sabins, one of the senior Azloc Queens; Kalalal Ravengus, an Azayal Royal with training as an assassin in special forces; Griffexor Omulix a Gromelix, medical, Annjus Vaghund Drewek-Michelle another Empress an Uzliumbax, Emic Sondadar a Dinnion royal, Marcela Arsenia a Destroyer Priestess, Missmy Ssimon a Schlogg also medical, and Mystera Magnus of the Collective. The One, Monty, the leader of the Una, will meet us on the planet, along with Odalis Klohn, the Azloc Priestess.”

“That is an illustrious team,” said Vivian. “You have empresses and even a leader of a remarkable civilization.”

Horti nodded absently.

“Do we have any Ordreg, one of those four-armed humanoids, or any from the Empires of Cassius, Felix, or even the Warriors?” Aubrey asked.

“No, I had a message from our medical genetics super-brains to say our genes did not take in all those you selected, Horti. The doctors think the others may need to spend time with us and receive several injections. It’s not going to happen; we don’t have the time,” said Sammy. “We must get together and train.”

“You would think we are preparing for battle,” said Craig. “I suppose it is better to be over rather than underprepared and have an outstanding team at one’s side. My father is always prepared and has several contingency plans. He is also a great selector of outstanding people.”

“We met all of the group mentioned except Marcela Arsenia, the Destroyer priestess. She is a surprise. Do we know if Odalis intends to come along?” Heather asked.

“No, I don’t know if she will train us or come along. I know Jason was surprised Monty, the One, volunteered,” said Horti. “Not one of the people we interviewed turned us down. They all accepted the offer of our genes without hesitation.”

“It is a no-brainer,” said Charlie laughing. “No, that is not correct. I was happy to discover my brain is improving, and I have grown an extra brain annex! There is no downside. I learned runes easily and improved my magical skills. Women find me irresistible, and riches will soon start flowing my way. I get the game free and popcorn during breaks. What more can a person want? I will have a holiday in a different multiverse and lounge on a beach under a fading sun while chatting with a queen,” said Charlie.

“If the sun is fading, the beach will be freezing, and you won’t be lounging on any beach, boyo!” Said Aubrey.

“ Charlie, did you love the rehabilitation after the restructure?” Sammy asked, grinning.

“I admit it was horrific, but it was worth getting this super body,” said Charlie. “I also got to meet a real live Grork; that was also fun. She did give me a bit of headache, but it was transient, and if I think about it, better a teensy migraine than die with a cooked brain.”

Horti rolled her eyes.

“The One, Monty was worried his avatar might not work in the multiverse. Do you know what he decided to do, Sammy?” Horti asked.

“Monty and his people resolved to give up their energy bodies and transition to humanoid forms. The Collective and the Dinnion are rebuilding his people. He chose a body with the same percentage of our genes as mine as the rest of the Una. The doctors reduced the time to ten days to build one of our bodies. Monty finished his rehabilitation a few days ago. He and the rebuilt Una are relocating to a Una planet which the Azayal moved from Bekta Delta,” said Sammy. “The Una in the Bekta Delta universe has a delicate body with wings. They have not yet decided to migrate to our bodies.”

“So, Horti, it is getting more real; what are your thoughts?” Charlie asked.

“I was enjoying myself on the farm. Craig and I were getting to know each other, and I had my head in the sand. I tried not to think about my huge responsibility. Part of me wants to enjoy life at home, but another part itches to get going. However, I appreciate how much you guys have helped me so far. I am terrified of going to a massive empire and going on a mission for which I am ill-equipped. I have a dream team, but we will be primitives in a truly ancient society. The worst part is that we know nothing about what we face and rely on information and direction from oracles and a game,” said Horti.

“Chak was of no help. I didn’t get a good feeling from her.”

“She was obstructive,” said Sammy.

“Chak was not how I remembered her.” Horti stuck her tongue to the side of her mouth and rolled her eyes. “I am not mature enough for all this responsibility. I am grateful I have a fine family, a solid well, connected prospective husband, and fine friends. You helped me so much last year. I couldn’t have a better family, partner, and friends,” said Horti.

“What about you, Craig?” Charlie asked. “What are your thoughts about the future?”

“Charlie, that is a question I have been asking myself daily. On Earth, I had a business and thought I was happy, and all I wanted to achieve by studying here was the same business but a more sophisticated version. After our first meeting, I met Horti and you guys and found myself in a whirlwind. We go for dinner in town and get attacked by a gang of students. I realized after that night Horti was pretty special, but I didn’t realize how special she was until I saw how she handled the police. My life has been constant drama since then,” said Craig.

“Your boys did pretty well,” said Heather.

“My sons constantly impress me; they learned much during their time with the bugs,” Craig added. “I was pretty freaked out when I heard what the oracles predicted and learned about your genes. I was envious of the extra brain you had. I discovered a burning desire to learn magic and realized my life had been as dull as ditchwater,” said Craig.

“Your dad had much the same experience as you did,” said Horti.

“Before the day of the fight, I never realized I was in a rut. I had a craving for something else, but I repressed the feeling. On fight night, I finally knew I was my father’s son. I wanted adventure and to do something beyond consulting and advising pleasant but boring clients. I want to do something significant! ”

“Do you feel any different?” Sammy asked.

“This year, my perspective on life shifted radically. My relationship with my father improved enormously. My father used to send me packages of information and updates on what he was doing. I didn’t look at it until I had been here a while. I didn’t want anything to change my view of my father,” said Craig.

“What was your view of your father?” Heather asked. “I don’t know anything about it.”

“My father was my hero as a child, which is the case with many children. I liked and respected him in my early teens. He and my mother were close; she was a wonderfully warm, loyal, devoted mother and wife.” Craig rubbed his chin and frowned. “One day, I came home from school and passed his study. I heard him talking to a woman and arranging to meet her at her house. I couldn’t believe it. I wrote down the place and the time and cycled there at the appointed time. It is the first time I ever truanted.”

Craig sat and held his head, looking down at the table.

“So what happened?” Heather asked.

Craig looked up, brushing a wandering tear from his cheek.

“I saw Dad and a woman who was a close friend of my mother lying on a bed together. I walked up the drive with my bike, vomited behind the sandstone wall outside, and then slowly cycled back home. On the way home, a van nearly hit me when I went through a stop street. I hit the curb and scraped my knee.”

“Did you confront him?” Heather asked.

Craig shook his head. “I was upset for several weeks. I tried to speak to Lauren, my sister, but she said it was part of who we were and from where we came,” said Craig. “She told me it was a non-issue and that she and my mother knew what was happening and weren’t concerned. I thought she was mocking me.”

“Why was that?” Horti asked.

“Do you know I have never told anyone this story before?” Craig shook his head. “I will finish telling you what happened and then explain Lauren’s behavior. I got angry, and my rage remained on a low boil until this last year. It happened again. Some months after the previous assignation, I heard my father again arranging a liaison with another woman!”

“You thought your father was a serial womanizer?” Heather asked with eyebrows raised.

“Exactly, and he was hurting my mother and laughing behind her back,” Craig replied.

“Did you go and watch?” Aubrey asked.

“Yes, I went, but I only confirmed his car was at her house and then went back home. I was furious,” said Craig. “I couldn’t bear to see my father in bed with yet another woman.”

“What did you do?” Heather asked.

“I bottled it up and was icy cold to my father from fourteen until recently.”

“Did your mother ever find out?” Heather asked.

“When I was seventeen, during an argument with my mother, I blurted out my father was a womanizer.”

“How did she react?” Charlie asked.

“She smiled and replied, ’That is why you hate your father. Now I understand. Your father is no womanizer, women fall for your father, but he doesn’t pursue them without my say-so. I arrange what your father does. Your grandparents and Lauren all know we have good reasons for doing as we do.’ She explained about the issues in the Empire,” said Craig. “I didn’t hear a word she said. I was confused and angry. I felt humiliated about the whole thing and never asked my mother to repeat the explanation.”

“What was it about?” Asked Aubrey.

“I thought my mother forgave his indiscretions after other women seduced him. I do remember a few very odd conversations we had over dinner. My mother talked about the women I had seen my father meet, their pregnancies, and their children. She remained close friends with them and fussed over their children. I was freaked out by her behavior and confused. I remember Lauren looking at me oddly and smiling. That only added to the confusion,” Craig explained.

“What happened after that?” Asked Heather. “What did you think was going on?”

“I wanted to get away as soon as I could. I liked computers, and so did Lauren. After finishing university, my father was the only person prepared to employ me. Lauren was working for him and loved it. I looked around for several months but reluctantly accepted a job working with him while applying for jobs in America. I loved the work in the company, and my father was an excellent boss, but I struggled to stomach being with him for the two years it took to find something in the States.”

“So you did nothing and resented him,” said Sammy.

“Dad hates to be the day-to-day leader and administrator. He gave the company to Lauren to run and stepped back. She grew the company and moved internationally. She and I partnered on many projects, but I nurtured my anger toward the old man. I am ashamed to admit I was pleased to hear he was in trouble with the police and had a heart attack after my mother’s suicide,” said Craig.

“What did Sean and Harry think of him?” Heather asked.

“They loved him and spent time with him when they could. He arranged for them to study in the Collective. I went to the ship to take advantage of the medical pods. I refused his offer to train elsewhere until I realized I had no future if I didn’t. I received regular updates from him, learning machines, and even a simulator. I had several invitations to visit from my great Uncle Cassius and Aunt Alana and my father and his wives. Philippa spoke to me regularly. I liked her very much. I finally visited Gromelikine. I was blown away but never admitted it.”

“Did anyone pick up on what was happening?” Asked Heather.

“I think the empresses knew something about my attitude; none spoke to me until Ooryphyon, the Teokraeus confronted me about my father. She was gentle, but I wasn’t listening. I was an idiot because I later realized my grandparents had explained it all to me, but it wasn’t real until I came here and did anthropology; it clarified the issues,” said Craig. “When I saw the ratio of females to males, it rammed the fundamental issue home. The behavior of women further reinforced what I had denied.”

“What do you mean?” Heather asked.

“On campus and in the city, I could see many women and only an occasional man. The Dinnion men complain about the women never leaving them alone and demanding they father children. Anthropology classes reminded me of the unequal ratio of women to men in many societies, including the Cassius Empire, where we were originally from. I used to hear stories of the Empire incessantly from my grandparents. They used to joke when I was in my teens that in the Empire, women would chase me as the men were infertile and there were more women than men. I remember my grandmother telling me the women were not jealous as many women wanted children, and many men were infertile. If they didn’t share the men who could father children, they would have slowly died out,” explained Craig.

“Did your grandparents explain your parents’ behavior?” Heather asked.

“Yes, directly several times. I remember my grandmothers’ explained the people of Empire origin stuck together and intermarried on Earth. It was their duty to have children and keep the numbers up. They spelled out the women helped their friends who had infertile husbands to become pregnant.”

“Why didn’t you click?” Aubrey asked.

“I didn’t think about my parents as being of the Empire. I was born on Earth, and the Empire was a mythical place, and that mythical place had abandoned us. No, that is only a tiny part of it. I wanted to nurture my resentment. I didn’t want to hear anything contradicting my ill-formed grudge against my father,” Craig reflected.

“I understand that,” said Sammy.

“After Gromelikine, everything became real. I even visited Emperor Cassius and Aunt Alana. I knew my days on Earth were numbered, but I used my grudge against my father as my excuse to stay home. Once the boys left, I realized my wife was a foreign woman I hardly knew and whose attitudes and beliefs I detested. As the restructuring of Earth began in earnest, I knew my business was about to become moribund, and I must leave. The marriage ended unpleasantly,” explained Craig.

“Back to how you felt you understood your father and yourself better; how did that happen?” Heather asked.

“Horti encouraged me to reconcile with my father, and I made plans to visit him. I was ready to do it, but she was also planning what we would do if she were in an accident.”

“It would have been a difficult time. Your father’s campus was infested with the enemy, those Gazronnaas creatures,” said Charlie.

“Yes, that is true. My father was engrossed in the problems on campus and was grappling with the runes and fighting the Gazronnaas. Despite all that, he made time for me. I told him what had happened and how I had reacted. He told me he never felt he was of the Empire. He surprised me. It was how I felt. He said it had abandoned them on Earth. I was equally surprised when he told me he was distressed when two of my mother’s friends wanted him to father their children. He explained how he tried to talk my mother out of the idea. She told him she was not concerned and he had a responsibility. She admitted she set it up. He said the guilt of it burned in him for years. Even now, he found it hard to accept he had more than one wife.”

“How did you react to his confession?” Asked Heather.

“ I realized we both were ready for that discussion. Both of us felt it was a traumatic time,” said Craig and sat back. “I felt we had sorted out something important. I was relieved to get it off my chest. Talking about it again today is also good. I feel the anger and the pain of much of my life dissipating. He told me he saw my anger as his punishment for what he had done. He was delighted we had resolved our issues and credited Horti!”

“Okay, so you sorted out stuff with your father, and you and Horti have been dancing around each other, playing borm; now, how are you thinking?” Sammy asked.

“First, I must go back a step. I went to Earth, and while there, I heard about Horti’s accident. It was full speed ahead, and I jumped on a treadmill that gets faster and faster.”

“Craig, in the old days on Earth, you had an orderly life. You move to Dinnio Prime, get involved with Horti, and bang; you are involved with Naturalistas and Grork. Life turns into frenetic activity. You are no longer a consultant; you are a doer. You seemed to accept everything, but were you bottling up your feelings?” Heather asked.

“I became friends with Orma Chatzke in the Collective and got close to Philippa’s sisters. They asked me the same question several times. I want to return to when Horti launched into the fight with the students. I felt like a spare part. It all happened so quickly. I got into it when you guys did and tried my best. I learned a lot about myself. I didn’t take my martial arts training seriously before that point,” said Craig, absently scratching his head.

“What is the point you are making? I’ve lost you,” said Heather.

“I decided to watch all the presentations my father sent to me. I realized he approached his initial trip to the Empire as challenging and was determined to master as much as possible. I knew then I had never truly extended myself. I could get into the best universities and do well, but I never discovered my full potential. Horti put everything into what she did, much as my father did. I knew I wanted to be the best I could be for my own sake, and I became determined to do it.”

“Craig, you still haven’t explained how you felt about being in Horti’s whirlwind,” said Heather. “You are ducking and diving.”

“I felt alive for the first time while organizing and coordinating Horti’s move to the Collective. I was shocked when Orma Chatzke showed me the hospital and city damage but was impressed by how you handled yourselves before and when the Naturalistas attacked you,” Craig explained. “My first thought was I envied you. I wished I could do the same. Then I was determined I was going to learn to do the same. I knew my father developed powers, and there was no reason I couldn’t do the same.”

“So, how did you go about it?” Charlie asked.

“Horti gave me a copy of the game and played it. I had plenty of time on the estate and played it whenever possible. You guys were in the pods receiving new bodies and learning to use them. The estate has an excellent gym and a superb bug martial arts and weapons trainer. I did the gym and martial arts every day, followed by simulations, then the game. Every day I flew as a bug. I also spoke to Orma Chatzke at lunch or dinner and her sisters in the evening. I also got to know Merken and Mazzod well,” said Craig. “I began to understand as I spoke to Orma Chatzke; I could think of myself as a prince but not as an Emperor of the Uzliumbax.”

“Craig, aren’t you the crown prince and first in line after your father?” Heather asked.

“Surprisingly, I am not. When we descended from Norbut 19, a supermassive black hole scrambled time and space. Ben, one of the grandsons of a woman my father had a relationship with, is the crown prince. Originally he was my father. The AIs tested all our DNA, and it is unequivocal. It is bizarre that a man younger than my sons is my father and is next in line for the throne. I am next in line in fifty million years or so, probably longer if I know my luck.” Craig chuckled.

“How did that happen?” Heather asked.

“When the ships were falling into the black hole, many descended. They escaped from a position where the black hole distorted time and physics as we know it; everything was turned upside down,” Craig explained.

“What did you do on Earth before my accident?” Horti asked.

“I went to spend time with Lauren and her family. Lauren introduced me to a Grork who was part of the Grork royal family and is considering moving from an AI body to a Collective one. I explained how hard it was and how brutal the rehabilitation would be,” said Craig.

“Did you talk about anything else?” Heather asked.

“I asked her if she knew where we came from before Norbut 19,” said Craig. “She told me she was born on a ship traveling to Norbut 19 from another Multiverse. Her parents told her the Multiverse they left was slowly collapsing. Her parents told stories of life in the other Multiverse.”

“They were living in the Uzliumbax, weren’t they?” Aubrey asked.

“No, they were different beings before Norbut 19. They only became part of the Uzliumbax on Norbut 19,” Craig explained. “She previously had an insect body. There was a bigger surprise. The Grork told me before that they had been ghosts, and the Uzliumbax Emperor, who came from a jelly people, got his people to give them bodies. The Grork remembered the stories exactly as her parents told her. I was speaking to her when I received the call about Horti’s accident. I forgot what she said until now. I was surprised to hear her story.”

“The Uzliumbax came from a jelly people! That is extraordinary,” said Sammy.

“Yes, that was a profound shock to me,” said Craig. “The Grork was an extraordinary woman. I found her very interesting.”

“Do you think she was telling the truth?” Aubrey asked.

“Yes, she told me exactly what her parents told her,” said Craig. “Lauren told me she was a woman of integrity.”

“That was an interesting deviation. Craig, can we return to your growing understanding and new motivation to excel?” Heather asked.

“I realized when investigating the Naturalista I liked doing something myself instead of consulting on something. The problems were real and personal. I was alive. Let me qualify that; terrified but alive. Horti was at risk; they could kill her or worse if we didn’t get it right,” said Craig.

“What happened when you were captured? None of us heard the story from your perspective. We heard you went to open the new stadium, and the bad guys captured you; then, we rescued you but were told not to ask you anything until the doctors cleared you. Are you able to talk about it?” Sammy asked.

“Yes, I can talk about it. It was a terrifying experience. I was staying at the palace, and they took me to open the stadium on my father’s behalf. I was surprised the palace only allocated me two guards. I complained, and they gave me ten. I asked about stadium security, and Basarab’s secretary told me there was ample security and that I didn’t need ten guards.

“I was suspicious but didn’t want to make a fuss. I had asked Basarab about it the previous night, and she said there was plenty of security arranged for me. However, I knew from Merken the Naturalistas would capture me. Merken told me that if the Naturalista did not capture me, we would not capture the general and colonel, and the whole problem would fester and screw up Horti’s project. The Naturalista would assassinate Basarab and me. I knew I was heading for trouble and must make the best of deep shit. There is nothing worse than decisions where whatever choice you make, you face something godawful. I couldn’t imagine anything worse than being in the hands of the Naturalista. The whole idea of living with a nasty parasite in my head freaked me out.”

“Yeah, difficult decisions are part of being a ruler,” said Horti. “I want to make decisions where whatever I decide, the results are wonderful.”

“That only happens when you and your people reach Nirvana, and a celestial hard rock band is playing your tune,” said Charlie.

“Please continue, Craig,” said Heather looking around the group. “No more interruptions.”

Craig smiled wryly. “I was waiting in the VIP area with other dignitaries when the Naturalista attacked. They struck fast and in force. My guards fell seconds later. I felt something tap my side and lost consciousness. I knew nothing until I found myself in a dank cold cell. Water dripped from several points above me. I was on a rotten lumpy mattress and in a one-piece coverall. There was a primitive refresher and an old-style tooth cleaner. Guards came once a day, shut down the force field, and gave me food and water for the day. The food was the same every day; an unidentifiable slop.”

“What did the guards tell you?” Sammy asked.

“None of the guards communicated with me and didn’t respond to questions. I met no other prisoners,” said Craig. “I had no external stimuli and nothing to do. I resolved to discipline myself and keep busy. I tried to exercise and practice the magic I had learned. The magical power streams were weak, but I absorbed what I could and practiced. The space was cramped. If I got wet, I had a miserable day until I dried.”

“What happened when the colonel visited?” Heather asked.

“They gave me a new garment and bundled me off to the hospital. When the colonel saw me, she went into a rage. She screamed at me for five minutes. I gathered she intended to put a Grork in me, but the tests showed it would not live for long. The colonel complained that the Grork would not survive long enough to kill my father.”

“What was that about?” Horti asked.

“She was happy to explain it to me when I asked what the problem was. She told me I had dominant pure Uzliumbax DNA, which was bad enough, but my Earth DNA was also nasty, as was this new unidentifiable DNA I had.”

“How did you react?” Sammy asked.

“I explained I had the family cancer curse. It was unique to us. The cancer DNA took us over, and we suffered a miserable death. I told her my father was suffering the same affliction. I told her I had seen Dinnion, Uzliumbax, and Collective doctors and had a poor prognosis.”

“What did she think of your explanation?”

“She swallowed it hook, line, and sinker. She calmed down and said she would discuss the implications of what I said to the medical people.”

“She returned several hours later to say they would give me some Dinnion DNA to see if they could get it to take me over.”

“That would be a problem,” said Sammy.

“Yes, I know. I told her what happened when my father was exposed to Dinnion DNA.”

“It is an unsurmountable problem,” said Sammy. “You would become sick!”

“The colonel refused to believe me.”

“Why?” Asked Heather.

Craig shrugged. “I told the doctor what I told Kemel after Kemel and her thugs took me to the hospital. The doctor warned Kemel I might get very sick, and she did not know how to treat the condition. The Colonel told her to go ahead. I was expendable. The doctor put me in the pod and added some Dinnion DNA.”

“Did it take?” Heather asked.

“After I came out, she asked her the same. The doctor told Kemel we must wait and see. I knew she was lying; she was terrified of Kemel. Within twenty minutes, I started to feel ill.”

“Jason became ill very soon after his first contact with the Dinnion,” said Sammy.

“Then we heard the explosions. After paging through several screens, the colonel told the guards to escort us to an upper level. We walked up several flights of stairs and then to a portal. I started vomiting.”

“How did you walk?” Sammy asked.

Craig shrugged. “I woke up after a rebuild and heard they had done nasty things to me. I had plenty of time to think while in my cell and during rehabilitation.”

“Nothing crystalizes my thinking more than a life-and-death experience,” Heather grinned.

“I wanted to go along with Horti whatever she did and see how it turned out. I knew I was no longer interested in running an AI security company. I have concerns about my future role in Horti’s life, but I know none of you can reassure me about what Horti’s people will be like and if we will survive our trip to the other multiverse. None of us know what we face on the other side. I cannot imagine how we could save Horti’s people. I don’t even know the problems we are trying to solve,” said Craig.

“Craig, are your sons coming along?” Heather asked.

“No, they are going back to Earth; Jeanette got herself into some trouble. I refused to get involved. They reluctantly agreed to go along after Lauren spoke to them. Lauren refused to get involved after the last time and shipped her off somewhere. Jeanette managed to find her way back to Earth.”

“Horti, what about your family?”

“They say they have an important role in growing mushrooms. They don’t know why, but they say they will be needed. I can’t understand how mushrooms could be so vital, but they are insistent. None of them are coming along,” said Horti.

The small conference room was comfortably furnished bug style. There was a low table, the walls were bare, and they were seated on boat-like chairs like the Collective. They all were in Azloc bodies, and all conversations were telepathic. The building was one of the few above ground and had small slits that permitted only a dim light in the room. Horti found her spider eyes surprisingly good.

“Welcome to Verdoon, the home of the Azloc priestesses. We will brief you and provide you with training for your mission,” Mother Superior said. “Has your friend provided you with any useful information?” The Mother Superior turned to Horti.

“No, even though I recall she was an old friend, I don’t trust her, and I suspect she has another agenda. My mother is calling me to come; time is running out.”

The Mother Superior peered at Horti, her gaze a long way away. She then turned to introduce Marcela, the Destroyer priestess.

“Marcela, please tell the group what your oracles have discussed with the sisterhood.”

Marcela nodded and stood in front of the group.

“We sisters are part of the group who went to Bekta Delta from Norbut 19. We were scientists and technicians. The old religion is misnamed. It is a system of self-development and not a religion. That is what priestess means in our language. The Destroyer males used priestess as a derogatory term, but in recent years the women have used it respectfully.

“Our role was to give the people their knowledge after they descended. When you descend, you lose your memories.”

“Marcela, what about the priestesses? Why did you not lose your memories?” Sammy asked.

“Some of us can change our bodies to suit different universes. Craig, your grandparents could do the same, but the recovery process is onerous and slow after the change. I could barely walk for the first year and battled to feed myself. Your parents elected to take new bodies as rehabilitation can be done in condensed time,” Marcela explained.

“How many descended to Bekta Delta rather than came here?” Horti asked.

“Not all the people chose to descend in Bekta Delta. One-third did not want to move on. The Emperor took many to this Universe as it has better resources and is much bigger than Bekta Delta. He was cautious and split the people to descend into two different apes. They became the Dinnion and the Uzliumbax. We arranged to follow him after we completed our duty in Bekta Delta.

“The priestesses considered the reptiles chosen by the Destroyers a poor choice. We didn’t give them the knowledge of the people as we were unhappy with the attitudes they showed and the awful way they rejected the loyal Grork,” said Marcela. “We took as many as possible from Bekta Delta and the Grork of the Uzliumbax and Dinnion and inserted them into spiders we modified with Uzliumbax DNA. We did well with the Grork here, but it took a long time. They flourished as Azloc. We later discovered the Azloc priestesses on this planet and realized they were a different, much more advanced sentient species. They are not Grork. We related well to them as we were familiar with chemical communication, and they became close friends.

“They played a key role for us, agreeing to assess the Emperor after the Destroyers restricted our freedom. The priestesses were bored waiting for what their assignment was to be,” said Marcela.

“Why did they restrict you?” Lisirra asked.

“The Destroyers became angry with us as we were outspoken in our criticism of them and their attitudes. They decided to restrict our freedom of action then later, they held us in Bekta Delta and prevented us from traveling.

“The Azloc priestesses looked after the Azloc for us after we could come here no longer. They only recently confided in us and explained they like you, Horti, were sent here from a dying multiverse. They came here to do something but did not know when or what they would be required to do.

“The Destroyers loosened their control of us in recent years. Several of us entered military service. I became a free agent after our capture by the Emperor.

“Six months ago, our oracles told us of you, Horti, and your people and that the Azloc priestesses came from the same multiverse.

“We learned much more about the Azloc Priestess queens recently. They fulfilled minor missions requested in dreams but only recalled who they were after we talked to them. They don’t know very much about their major mission. Like you, the Azloc are blocked from knowing something until a critical event occurs. Mother Superior?”

The Mother Superior remained seated as she spoke. “Horti, we remembered our mission after we met you. We were told to meet you and assess you but not why. Then we were told to do nothing until either your friend informed us fully of your mission or she did not. She did not betray you, but she is acting for someone else. Those interests are obscure to us, but without her help, you will have a more dangerous and complicated task, and time is running out.”

“I intend to capture her and will interrogate her if she returns,” said Horti.

“Excellent, you can take her with you on your mission,” Mother Superior said. “What do you think your mission could be?”

“I have given it much thought. I can picture myself when I was seven or eight, and my friend was there. The Azloc Queen arrived. We could not communicate with her. My mother was trying to decide what to do. I saw her moving her arm and forming a spear with her hand. My friend has a powerful and commanding voice that she was practicing. It appears to come from somewhere other than her.”

Horti looked around the group. “‘Do not do what you are thinking of,’ she said, employing her ventriloquist voice. My mother was startled and gently touched the Azloc Queen’s neck. After communicating with you, I realized she should have done as I did. The Queen stormed out, and we fought many minor skirmishes over the years, never a war.”

“Does that mean your mother will not support our people coming across?” Asked the Mother Superior.

“My mother will not want to bring her problems to this Universe.”

“How did Chak react?” Asked Craig.

“She first looked triumphant, then her face fell. She told me she felt guilty and believed she had caused an insurmountable problem.”

“How did your mother react?” Heather asked.

“My mother said nothing. I suggested Chak talk to my mother. She refused to talk to my mother about her deception. Chak made me promise never to tell my mother the voice was hers.”

“Horti, was that friend the one who visited you?”

“Yes, Mother Superior.”

“Chak must know how dire the situation is on the other side. What is she playing at?” Asked Aubrey.

Horti shrugged, turned both palms to the ceiling, and turned down her mouth. “If I must save our people, why would anyone want to obstruct me from returning? Could it be she doesn’t want me to tell my mother? Has she taken my place and fears losing it? Has she taken up with my alleged betrothed and doesn’t want me back?”

“You must get to the Azloc Queen and reconcile your peoples. That is what we see as your first mission. War cannot be the solution,” said Marcela.

“It will be a difficult mission, as I can be sure the Azloc Queen knows what my mother intends to do,” said Horti.

“Horti, you can be sure the Azloc on the other side has a plan, as does your mother. There must be a reason so much time passed, yet we can speculate until a black hole forms, but we have no more helpful information to share.

Horti sighed. “I know I am speculating without information. I must find what is in my friend’s brain.”

“Horti, the Azloc priestesses received instructions to train you to navigate the tunnels to get to the Queen,” said Marcela. “ My priests and priestesses requested I go with you as the fate of our Universe depends on what you do.”

“If that is the case, then might it be possible for the Azloc to want us to intervene on their behalf?” Asked Heather.

“That is something we cannot see. We only see vague pictures of your mission but not our place in it.”

“We request you take Odalis. She has much to offer,” said the Mother Superior.

Horti nodded. “I have no problem taking you along, Odalis. What must we do next, Mother Superior?”

“We recall the layout of the tunnels you will need to travel to get to the Queen in her brood chamber. We created tunnels arranged as they are in the underground city and the palace, and we will give you clothing and armor so that you can survive the cold and fit in with our people. The planet is icy. The sun is dying. We will train you and your team for three months. We will start with three weeks in the tunnels. You will all attend University with Horti and train daily for two months in every moment of your free time,” said the Mother Superior.

That was a preview of Finding Her People in Another Universe Book2 Series 2 Ver 2. To read the rest purchase the book.

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