Thread:FleetCaptainT/@comment-27324808-20170326065221

Song of the Swans - Part 7, Elision

Chapter Thirty-one

Intrepid

  Like flying down a hallway, the rush of motion was dreamlike, perceived but not heard.  Not felt either, except for a sickening twisting in the gut of Intrepid’s otherwise numb body, weightless in the void between universes.  That, his inside out stomach, he could feel, and a pinching around his hand: the sensation of another hand grabbing his hand, pulling him through Unverse by it; guiding him.

  He perceived a light at the end of a hallway, the exit from Unverse, at first only the size of a pinhole.  But it grew larger into a distinct ring shape that soon encompassed his entire vision.  It was then that Intrepid’s physical awareness, his blurred vision, sounds, and feelings returned.  His first sensation was stumbling, and he flailed his arms, but someone yanked him strongly to his feet and spun him around.

  Intrepid blinked several times, each mental refresh bringing something new of the person into focus.  Their gray jacketed arm, gripping him firmly so he didn’t fall; broad, leather clad shoulders; a round face, clean-shaven, with blue eyes and blond hair, but older than the last time Intrepid had seen him.

  “Luke Mercury.” Intrepid’s widened eyes took in the future dimension’s version of his best friend, who grinned back.  The two of them stood in a brightly lit, white-walled storage room.  Green wall-markings emblazoned it undoubtedly as belonging to the future dimension’s Leek Works.

  “Think you can stand on your own?” the older Luke asked.  Intrepid nodded, and instead of letting go Luke pulled Intrepid into a bear hug.  “What the heck were you doing on Militiregnum?  That place’s a death trap in your dimension.”  He stepped back and stared Intrepid down.  “I haven’t seen you looking like this in twenty years!”

  “Well, there is a twenty year difference between our dimensions.” Intrepid stated.

  “I know,” Luke said, “and the differences also include thousands of little details, and big details, but you’d know that, wouldn’t you, spending enough time with the people here.”

  “Hardly.” Intrepid admitted.  “You’ve said more in one sentence than Red in a day.”

  “That’s because we’re best buddies!” Luke crowed.  “Or,” he quieted down, “we, I mean I, and the you from here were best buddies.  It’s been awhile since you, I mean he and I have talked.”  He scratched his blond head contritely.  “But you’re different.”

  Intrepid was curious too.  “So why did you rescue me?  From Militiregnum?” he asked, since what did this Luke care about him from another dimension?  Was he a self-interested vigilante like Charles Bradfrodson, the future Cyclone?

  “Honestly you remind me of the Intrepid I used to know.  Did I say you look a lot like this guy I know named Intrepid Fusion Eclipse?” Luke joked nostalgically.  “I happened to notice all of your zipping about when I was just in Unverse.  I miss my old friend, and would still help him now if I could.  I suppose this is some cosmic way of accomplishing that, if not for him, than for me, and you of course.”

  Intrepid nodded wordlessly, not sure what to say to that.  Except thanks?  Instead he gave the thirty-six year old Luke Mercury’s jacket an optical inspection.  Unlike Red’s, Crimson’s, or Cailan’s sweatshirts, Luke’s jacket bore no Leek Works markings.  “What’s the salt between you and Leek Works?” he posed.

  “I’m independent.” Luke declared.  “The Leek Works I knew didn’t report to the Nexus Force, or Republic as it’s called nowadays.”  Luke perked up at the sound of a sliding door whishing open in the next storage room.  “I may be leaving now.” he said.

  Intrepid shrugged carelessly, but inwardly he could dig this weird future Luke leaving.  He wouldn’t mind leaving himself.  Get back to my Luke, and Mara, Kate, Cyclone, Edgar, et cetera, he thought.  He reached for his Unverse Manipulator, when a familiar person walked into the room that made Intrepid pause.

  Red stopped in the doorway, looking between Intrepid and Luke.  “You’re back.” she said amiably, despite her troubled expression.  The sentence could apply to either of them, Intrepid realized, but Red made it clear by turning to him that her next words were for him only.

  “I suppose I should let you know,” said the red-haired girl who was extradimensionally related to him, her expression grave with unconcealed solemnity, “My dad wants to talk with you.”

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