The Uplift Protocol: In the Beginning

Issue 27: Escape

Two shall hold a crown. Hidden by all the Depths. One filled with rage and death, the other with a mark upon their crest. Time ticks ever closer. Can you hear it, jailer? The Song of Unity begins!—The Hanged Man.

After so long, I will finally escape this accursed place. I leave my sister to her fate. I will go out and find my destiny. It certainly doesn’t lie with Thoth or Earth.—Snake Charmer.

At first, I wasn’t able to access the crown properly. My brother could because of his added Typherian abilities but also due to his belt’s nature, he was still quite hidden in comparison to me. So White would give me cryptic updates for a while. I concentrated on what I could do. Stop Thoth. Made me glad that Osiris and Barracuda were on the ball. Alongside Uncle Paxton. They had been preparing for this for a while. Even Sul’sandra got into the thick of things. Even remarking, “I will not allow allies to go unremarked. We will stand together.”—Sleeping in Starlight, a memoir of the 22nd century.

Stonewall Correctional

Inner Cell Blocks

January 11th, 2104

Hilary Brookes guided the Hanged Man to his new cell. One that was specially prepared for him. She had added something else just as important. Bit by bit, the nanites had built the device. It would be a one time use. It had Keeper designs but used Terran metals. As to remain undetected until the last moment. She still made it a point to leave bread crumbs. She hoped to have all her enemies kill or wound each other. The Hanged Man grabbed the air around him.

“You see? Yes, pretty thoughts. Cherish them. Unity will find us all.”

He giggled.

“Entwined through Weave, Blood and Time, the crown to end all crowns swirling around two suns.”

If it wasn’t for the ratty beard and milky white irises she’d assume he was a haggard elderly woman. He sniffed then made a tap dance motion.

“I see. A lonely thing with its flute. Singing to rats and children!”

She placed him within the room. From the corner of her eye, she detected an opaque shape. A serpent. It flicked its tongue at her and disappeared.

*****

Set kept his distance. Giving the Chronos toy only a glimpse. She had no idea of the potency of the Hanged Man, only that he had the gift to infect others with madness. Like the stories of old about Medusa and her ability to turn people to stone with a look, he could infect those who stared into his eyes. Set’s blood was ablaze when he was near the madman. He would wait and pounce when the time was right.

Snake Charmer would be good clay. One he had to harness carefully. The Demi didn’t trust easily. Made sense with the company he had kept but like all things, the time would come to strike. Set wanted the perfect team. The only reason why the Hanged Man was in this prison was his abilities. The old records had nothing on him. Which was rare within this technological age. Filled with tests, fingerprints and other things. Set knew that other forces watched the Hanged Man as well. Listened far too closely. He slipped into Charmer’s cell. Coiling around the sleeping man’s head. Filling it with ancient magic. He too would need an Avatar or host to perform his will. As the door opened, Set curled himself around Snake Charmers right arm. From shoulder to wrist. Then he turned into a gray tattoo in the shape of a great serpent. It wouldn’t be out of place. Many criminals here got their skin marked.

The guard examined the sleeping prisoner. Not even bothering to learn his designation or name. It was this very apathy that would help Set and Brookes build the opportunity. Soon the old Atlantian outcast would have his moment.

*****

Arkesh glanced around the small courtyard. This was his one hour for exercise and he took it. Using the track to run while he collected his thoughts. The magic sleeping within him excited the former Muthra. It was not of any civilization he knew. Whatever Set had done filled him with powers beyond his ken. It would take some time to truly master them but he could use his enhancements to great effect. No longer relying on the old Markav tech. His bones hummed. He would use the vents tonight. To escape. Taking the Hanged Man with him. Set hissed within his mind.

Yes. The path is set. Once you use that teleporter the daughter of Chronos built. I will guide you both to another. Fate has more in store for you and the disgraced X’mil.

He put on more speed. Filling his lungs with more air. Saving the extra bits of it within his reinforced lungs. He could survive a momentarily within vacuum now. How interesting. His patron’s laughter was infectious. He let out a great shout. Causing the guards to still. Their eyes locked on him with concern. One even aimed his rifle. Its indicators glowing red as he charged it. Arkesh waved. The final day had begun.

*****

The Hanged Man peered upwards. He could hear a very faint noise. Of bones knitting and reforming. First, a shoe appeared. Then the legs. Finally the broad chest of Snake Charmer reformed. The bones sliding back into place with a soft crunch. He held up his hand. One finger begging for silence. The elder crouched. Placing a hand on the floor. The guards were in the middle of their shifts. He brought the other hand to his beard. Let the taller demi guide him.

They disappeared in a swirl of light. The alarms fading as they blinked. The Hanged Man muttered, “Sea of Dark. Shall we play? An endless waltz!”

The room around them had atmospheric readings. Since they weren’t suffocating to death. That was a start.

Arkesh ordered the ship, “Designation?”

The displays didn’t respond. He walked over to the main console upon the wall.

None of it was automated like he was used to. He tapped the screen open. Still nothing.

The Hanged Man turned. Seeing the red glow of the powered down flight controls. He felt his hands being drawn to a certain joystick. He let out a soft sigh, “Running Diagnostic now. Mission Control….Mission Control….Huston……problem.”

Snake Charmer read the words printed on the “screen” he was trying to tap.

His face turned sour.

USS Mayweather: Designation Shuttle 24-9, Enterprise-Class Space Shuttle.

A four-armed brown alien built like a tank aimed a grav-rifle at them. His eyestalks were curious but still deadly. “Set, how are these jokers going to help me get my son? And why put them here? This is my private collection.”

Arkesh felt his right arm tingle. It raised, the snakehead pulling from his skin, “All in good time Mr. Nix.” The Hanged Man whimpered. Hugging his boney hands to his chest. Rocking back and forth, “Must escape the Eye. Must. It is looking for us. IT will find us! HIDE!”

Other voices were heard. They exited the old-style Earth shuttle to see that they were inside a pirate vessel. Under the command of Draken Nix, the Foehammer of Utasa Sector and the number one wanted pirate across 5 universes. He hollered for his men, “Get on the ‘net. See what’s out there in that Weave today. It's got my bones itching!” Unlike the others here the head Pirate could see something they could not. This frail-looking creature with white hair had seen things that he needed. Vital things to free his son and escape this doomed universe forever.

It has seen Unity’s true form.

Draken intended to keep what he caught. One eyestalk turned to look at the darker man’s arm. The snake would be a problem but first, he had to get his son and alliances had been made on less. He waved them to the sleeping area. “Go get changed. The replicator will give you what you need. It just needs to scan your brains for preferences.”

Outside the few displays Arkesh had seen, the Weave churned. Its black, yellow, golden-orange patterns constantly shifting. He had never heard of ships being able to travel within it. Hide? Yes. Chronos was able to do that. But travel? Odd that. Most races, even the most ancient would use Scholar Gates or FTL to get around. How had these pirates manufactured vessels that got around the most basic space travel laws in existence? He would learn much here.

Then cast them off when the time was right.

The Hanged Man muttered, “The In-between spaces. So much. So vast. We are not welcomed here.” The ancient man turned his gaze to the Weave. These ships only on the cusp. He knew better. It was good that he wasn’t near Earth-Eden anymore. That way they wouldn’t see. Not like him. He continued, “Never cross the lines. Never. Never. Never.” He sat heavily into a bunk. The bed forming around him as his nightmares took him back.

Precious moments of clarity. He blinked.

His mind was still surrounded by fog but for those few moments.

The spear.

The word of the First gleaming with holy radiance.

Bright shards piercing everything.

His divine sight forever darkened. Cursed to hear the thoughts of Unity.

“I must have more. More. It is out there. Dear little lights. But the Eye hurts us.”

His beard quivered. Arkesh just smirked, “Rest old man. Leave the killing to me.”

The Hanged Man continued to mutter into the darkness of the cabin after all others left.

*****

Draken allowed Snake Charmer level 1 access. Just the basics. He didn’t know what Set wanted but it wasn’t anything good. But this place was going to get scragged anyways. He barked an order, “Take the Weave point to Line 203, then bring us into normal space, just near that asteroid cluster. We will attack the Typherian prison at midday their local time. Most of these types expect us, the Pirates, to crawl out at night.” That got some catcalls from his crew. They wanted some of that top shelf House Fancy Ale drinking samples. If they took some of those pretty Typherians with them for entertainment. All the better.

Take out the spinal nodes and they’d be perfect little slaves.

Cooking, cleaning, and other “fancies.”

Darken felt his mouth water at the prospects.

The Reach was about to be Breached.

He smirked at his joke. Forcing his men to laugh along with him.

*****

X’mil was forking in some gruel when Nix winked at him. “Got a proposition for ya.”

The Typherian’s dull copper eyes narrowed. His nose wrinkling with disgust.

Nix let out a sharp burst of hideous laughter. “No, not that kind. Even if you are someone’s type. Let’s just say I have a package coming.”

He let out a whoop as the alarms started.

X’mil didn’t hesitate, he sprinted to the edge of the communal nutritional enclosure and jumped. Clawing at the wall.He had never been much for physical activity on its own but this place was sheer boredom and he relished the chance to strangle the first Typherian he could find. Sadly that didn’t happen. An explosion shook the ground and a gaping hole appeared. Various arms and other devices keeping it from reforming. Striker sprinted past, grabbing X’mil with his upper two arms. The facility continued to quake. One pirate shoved a com device into Nix’s ear. His father had come to rescue him.

“Please tell me we aren’t going anywhere near Earth.”

Draken bit back a curse, “No. That place is about to be scragged to Oblivion by Thoth. They deserve that insane bastard.”

Snake Charmer could feel Set’s humor radiating outward.

No, Earth for later. The Golden City can wait a bit longer.

X’mil growled, “I still want to see it burn. J’ino loves that place ever so dearly.”

An unholy glint entered his eyes. He would avenge himself upon her. He felt his lips curl.

In so many ways.

The Jupiter Rising

Medical Bay

January 18th, 2104

I dreamed.

The cosmos whirled by. A distress call went out, it was coded with priority 1 alerts to Typha itself. X’mil had escaped. Adding to the troubles we would face later. White pulled me back. Her voice was concerned. <>

I pulled back. Focusing on Earth.

White’s mind faded into the background.

Was my paternal home system the only place I was allowed to examine?

She replied bluntly, <>

I could see the Leylines so clearly now. Each reinforced by that Markav woman’s counter sigil. The Monitor, I reminded myself. Everything needed names in my book. A soft pressure on my head woke me. Lorain was placing more sensors all over my body. The blue fluid of the Med Pod bringing me back to the here and now. I quirked an eyebrow. “All systems optimal Doctor Sawsmith?” I grinned when I threw the famous line at her. She snorted. “Yes Captain Cosmos. You have full functionality.” She even took on the accent. My parents burst into the room. They had the Terran Alliance network online. The holovid that was streaming was the same on every station.

Madame Mayhem’s face was plastered on every channel. Her two-sided mask of silver and gold in place. The eyes staring out weren’t normal. They gleamed with hellish fires.

Her voice rang out, “I am the Bride of Chronos and you will all bow to me.”

I replied, “Then it's time for a divorce.”

Dad couldn’t quite keep his face serious.

For just that instant it was just another day.

Mom batted me on the head for good measure.

Doc rounded it all out with, “I’ll go get the guns. You all bring in the cat.”