Aftermath
Will wasn't joking about the trek through the woods. It was dark and wet. Foggy, and strange. Just like the days when Phobos was in reign, now that Elyon thought about it.
She, along with a contingent of thirty soldiers, were heading North for Northton. Glint wouldn't be back to Meridian for another few days. And this could not wait.
This newspaper clipping in the hand of one of Elyon's soldiers showed the face of Doctor Matthews. But Elyon knew for a fact that he was not from Earth. If Star said she saw his face off Earth, then she definitely did. But she was sure they were all in sync on the same thought:
This guy was bad news.
All too soon, the gates Star described as the protection for Northton was in sight. Steel and guarded. Caleb grabbed the reigns for the Queen's horse and yelled, "Slow speed!" Their group slowed while a squad of Northton's soldiers walked out of the gate keeping them at bay.
Caleb handed the reigns of Queen Elyon's horse to one of his own men. Then quickly slid off, leaving them to secure her. They knew only small things about this place. Allies, yes. But not much beyond that.
Caleb approached an approaching captain and presented the clipping. "We are here to gain information!" He yelled. "On this man!"
The soldier he was talking to took the document and looked it over. The title of the clipping was what really caught his eye. "Doctor Matthews Creates Portals!" No wonder Meridian was involved.
He nodded then shot his hand up behind him. "Open the gates! Supply Queen Elyon an escort to the castle and summon the King and Queen!"
~TLO~
The networks were a mess. Scientists, doctors, theorists, every large headed person in the scientist community were going haywire. An hour after the meeting, Patricia's Notes were put out there. The portals were creating wormholes through a dimensional protective barrier, endangering them all. Pictures of Star flying out of the portal were mass pressed and posted online. And Doctor Samuel was asked questions.
The second he was outside TechCom, many people were questioning the required tactics used to open the portals. According to the playback footage, the teenager on the screen merely shot her hand forward to create one while a bunch of technology here was used and operated for more than ten minutes. "Warming up," he called it.
Multiple representatives from college laboratories were taking different sides already. One was to continue making the portals and learn through trial and error. Others were saying don't risk it. Aliens literally noticed it and warned them about the potential danger. Many were taking side two.
While Matthews was escorted back home in an Escalade between two others, his thoughts moved back to the Guardians. The Government here were going to make him shut down those portals and discontinue the project. That was inevitable.
But what they didn't see they couldn't stop. Quite.
On the sunny streets of Heatherfield, shadowed by the looming skyscrapers, many people stared at televisions and had their own opinions. Star was one of them. Disguised in her own special way. After she dropped Merci off and praised her for a job well done, she stepped back onto Earth and observed the aftermath. No chaos. Not yet anyway. Everyone were calm.
But this had blown up pretty quickly. The United States Department of Sciences were already on the screen telling the world of a possible executive order to cease all light generated particle projects. Anything using more power than a standard X-ray machine had to go off until otherwise stated.
"Jeez," Star pinged. She just shook her head. "Gone for two hours and this happens." She turned and walked away from the shop hosting a television in the window and adjusted her red hair.
Taranee was doing her own research despite Will's reluctance in her old room when she got the ping. She was alone at the moment. It was quiet and silent. The sun's rays were bathing her small desk used to hold her projects and homework in the past, but now served as an office for her own projects. She smirked and replied, "They're just a little freaked, they'll be okay."
A knock on her door brought her attention to the right, where her mother stood in the doorway. Holding a face of unease with something behind her back. "So uhhh," she started off. "I know you may be a little busy investigating..."
Taranee denied that with a shake of her head. "Not really. I'm mostly just focusing on what Doctor Matthews has as of right now. But before we start making assumptions of his reasons for making them, we need to know his background. So until we learn that, we're just gathering potential evidence. And waiting for a decision from the Government about these portals."
"Well... Okay."
"And yes. If they choose not to close, we will crash them. We will crash, and we will smash. Now what's up, mom? You're acting... Strange."
Despite Taranee's honesty to causing property violations, Theresa walked into the room and smiled innocently. "Well... Ever since your brother got engaged and had a little girl, we decided we'd have a Girl's Day Out whenever possible."
Her hand left her back and held out to Taranee... Slips of paper? Taranee grabbed one and asked, "Uhh... What is this?"
"A ticket to a movie with us."
"...oh." A movie. It's been years since she's watched a movie.
Theresa got the feeling she was missing something. She stroked her short blue hair and asked, "Do you... Not like it? I mean, we can always do something else—"
"No, no, it's just... I usually don't do anything without one of the girls. After we left Earth, we sort of... Got addicted to each other." Addicted was an understatement.
Theresa smirked and crossed her arms with a tease in her mind. "You mean like Hay-Lin? I saw you two frenching in the backyard yesterday."
She saw them? Oh jeez! Taranee blushed and squeezed her eyes shut. "Ugh, mom! Come on, way to spy on us!" The thought of someone spying on her, let alone her mother... Ugh.
"What? You weren't very discreet about it, you were in the backyard of all places. Back to the subject, it's a good thing I have a second one then." She dropped the other ticket into Taranee's hand and ordered, "Bring a friend."
Taranee stared at the ticket with her mind scrambling to find potential candidates. Being aligned in Kandrakar's defense wasn't really a thing that allowed you to make friends. So one of the Guardians would have to do. And Taranee knew just who.
She glanced up to her mom with a small smile. "I know just who to bring. She's been super stressed lately over everything. And to be honest she works twice as hard as us. So a relaxing moment is required for her." Taranee stood up and made a quick ping, demanding attention from someone who's probably been getting them all day. Then walked past her mother. "When are we leaving?"
Theresa followed her out into the hall and answered, "In a few minutes. The movie starts at two. That gives us time for lunch. Maybe they could meet us on the way."
Taranee doubled down the stairs in her strange dress and greeted Matira and Tara on the couch. "Hey, girls."
They looked over their shoulders while she moved for the front door. But it wasn't time to go yet. Theresa called, "Sweetheart, hold on, not yet!"
"I know!" She grabbed the handle and pulled the door open for Star on the other side. She was holding up a fist preparing to knock on the other side with a bland cold expression. "I was letting in a friend."
Star was wearing a tight pair of blue jeans and a crop top that held a frog on it. Her red hair was draped over her front. Covering her breasts and stopping at her knees. Taranee delivered a questioning stare. Star said, "I can't exactly walk out here with my earlier wear. Especially since I'm so..."
"True. Come in." Star walked past her into the house and looked around. Everything was fresh and clean. Even the air smelled of... Children? Star poked her head into the living room and eyed the females staring back. They were just as confused as to who this is.
Taranee came in to save their minds though. Smiling, Taranee pointed to Star and introduced, "Mom, you know Will."
Theresa eyed "Will" and then back up to Taranee. "Will? As in Will Vandom? It's hard to remember your old friends, but I'm sure your friends are supposed to be in their thirties now."
"She's immortal."
"Mmm. The same girl who nearly killed everyone. And the source of all these problems." Theresa crossed her arms and glared down to her with distrust.
Taranee placed her hands on her hips and scolded, "Mom! Will is a much better person now, it's been a decade since all of that!"
"I know dear, but some old scars hardly heal."
Star just shrugged it off and continued looking around Taranee's. Have they ever been here before? She asked, "So why am I here? What is this research we're conducting?"
Taranee walked behind Star and placed her hands on her shoulders. Grinning. Star knew right then and there something was up. "We are researching a query: How long does it take to put a smile on Star's cranky little baby face? Without violence or Melissa?"
Mortified, Star inquired, "What?! Taranee we have no time for games! We have to grab Matthews by the throat and throw him behind bars!"
"And we will. But we don't need you passing out in the process. So take some time off, kid!"
"I am thirty-one!"
In a few minutes, Star was sulking on the sidewalk in an urban shop next to Taranee walking. This area existed on Hootakah, but they were more... Advanced. A bunch of restaurants, a giant water fountain, people eating, sunny day. Tara was licking away at an ice cream cone her mother had bought her. At least she's having fun. She reminded Star of Sarah when she was much younger.
Taranee noticed Star's blank stare and asked, "What's up? You have that look." They stopped at the water fountain that distorted their reflections so Taranee could flip a penny she found inside.
Star didn't want to tell her about this. Because she wasn't sure it was going to happen. But looking at little Tara gave her that push. Eyes on the water, Star crossed her arms and answered, "Well... I had a conversation with Melissa yesterday about our Guardianship. I told her... How I wanted to start a family with her."
That was news. Taranee gasped and asked, "Whoa, really? Wow, I never would have known you like children."
"Well I raised Sarah."
"True. Here, Tara. Why don't you try it?" Taranee held out a penny and placed it in her Niece's hand. She stared at it for a second. Then just threw it into the water. Will silently laughed at her innocence with the other women. At least she had the basics down.
"STOP! THIEF!" The party of five turned around and witnessed a man run out of a store booking it for the other side. The shopkeeper, a woman in her late fifties pointed at him and yelled, "Jewelry thief!"
Well that won't do. Star and Taranee looked at each other before Taranee shrugged. "Go ahead. You're better at it."
Star grinned and stretched herself out for some exercise. Touching her toes, stretching her back and doing jumping jacks. Even twisting her shape that made Taranee roll her eyes and call her a show off. Then sprinted around the fountain and took chase. Star was a fast runner. A really fast runner. The thief was fast too. But not like Star. "Halt! Drop the goods, mole rat!" She yelled.
The guy looked over his shoulder and blanched at the girl running after him. She would have a hard time following. So he assumed. He turned left and ran into a crowded shopping center next door. Star followed along shortly after and slid to a stop to look around. He's smart. But this tactic only works on those on the ground.
Star jumped up onto a nearby trash dumpster. Then onto the wall and off onto a hanging ladder behind her. She quickly climbed it and hopped onto the stone roof of this building.
If this man was smart, he'd start walking with the crowd. Leaving him invisible. So Star approached the edge of the building and eyed the crowd. It wasn't as if everyone here were shoulder to shoulder. But it was certainly a noted number more than the other location.
She smoldered and glanced around. If he was walking with these people then... There. He was on the sidelines stashing something else in his bag. Then he walked away and... Snatched a purse out of a woman's hands. Jeez, he's a bold one. And definitely desperate. But Star was even more bold.
She stepped back and ran forward to jump off the ledge. Flying off the roof for the car beneath her. She landed on the hood and flipped off, triggering its alarm. Then booked after him again. "Stop running!" She warned. But he continued running for it. Star zoomed past the woman whom's purse was snatched calling the police. Then reached behind her and into her rear pocket for her slinger.
"This better work," she muttered. Then spun it over her head like a lasso and threw it. It went up into the air and orbited around. Flying straight into the thief's legs. Tied up, he tripped and rolled over the ground grunting. Now he was scared of that girl running straight for him.
He worked the rope but found it pointless. Especially when she grabbed him by the shirt and hefted him up to her face. "Come on, buddy! You're done!"
Star turned around and twisted his arm behind his back. Then led him back towards the police officers who just arrived on the scene. Mission accomplished. That was a much needed workout.
~TLO~
It would be a few hours in before Elyon came back to Earth with the results they needed about "Samuel Matthews." Leaving the Guardians with Earth's issue: Disable the portals, or keep them and risk a bunch of aliens flying around destroying them, and the safety of themselves. It was a no brainer. But based off these news reports, people were turning it into a big deal.
Cornelia, Melissa and Irma were walking around Heatherfield's mall with a pen and notepad. Littered with words. A letter. A warning. They already had the location of these portals, but there were so much more across the planet. A ping from Star told them she could blow them up all at the same time. All over the planet. They just needed to be activated and controlled by her. They already had the device used to supply it. They could easily figure out how to use it. They just had to leave a note. A warning. To push them to deactivate the portals.
The mall wasn't too crowded today. If at all. But Star's message definitely reached ears. Out of curiosity, Melissa pinged, "Status, Hay?"
"You have a ten minute window before the cameras start running again." Hay-Lin was in the security office, nudging one out of the three sleeping security guards. The cameras were going through a "reset," giving the Guardians time.
Melissa and Cornelia eyed the GU LABS main store. Running with thick security while a few were inside talking. Even police were walking the beat every few minutes. The Guardians ducked out of sight for a moment to do their thing. Cornelia ripped the note off the pad and passed it to Irma. She poked a small hole in it and sewn a string through that she tied around a small arrow. Then it was passed to Melissa, who immediately turned herself and it invisible.
"We're ready," she pinged. Then walked out of place and pulled a small bow out from the back of her shirt.
"Eight minutes."
Melissa raised the bow and aimed the arrow. She was cautious. Quiet. Ignorant of those unaware around them. Unafraid. She squeezed one eye shut and adjusted the bow on her target. Then let it fly. It zipped over the gray space over the lowest floor. Then straight through the glass of one of GU LABS' many windows, creating a medium sized hole before embedding itself in the wall behind the register.
She lowered the arrow and watched when someone called out from inside the store. "Mission accomplished. Let's go."
While the police moved in, the Guardians moved out. Hay-Lin opened a portal for them inside for the security office. The Guards were still slumped in their seats when they arrived, clonked out. Whether Hay-Lin hit them hard or whatever, they were out cold. Cornelia even poked one's cheek. He didn't even stir. Melissa whistled and asked, "Jeez, what did you do, Hay?"
"I hit them. They didn't even see me. Let's go." She raised the Heart and opened another spinning blue portal. Then they were gone. Let the Security Guards handle those impending headaches they would be having in a few minutes on their own.
~TLO~
Theresa had never seen any of the Guardians in action before. But if Will were any indication, then Taranee had some impressive tricks up her sleeves.
All the police needed from Star was an anonymous statement. Then they let her go, despite the clear assault she did on this guy. Either they let her go because she helped return jewelry, a purse, and some buskin's tip money, or she did some of that Guardian stuff that probably involved mental magic.
Either way, the movies were a few feet away.
Taranee and Star just stood to the side out of everyone's way and let the natives here choose their food when they stepped inside the theater. They had no idea what was good anyway. Star just crossed her arms and eyed the environment when Hay-Lin pinged, "Message delivered. Girls, what do you have on Doctor Matthews?"
"He's a tricky one." Taranee's eyes were trained on her mother grabbing candy and popcorn. But her mind was on their conversation. "Based off of Star and I's combined findings, Doctor Matthews was a NASA Scientist twenty years ago from our current date. Seventeen years ago, he developed a computer operating system for mobile devices and sold them to a company for a hefty price of fourteen billion."
Star weighed in and added, "That money was then used to buy scientific equipment for what was next utilized to 'begin changing transportation.'"
Taranee's family walked back over when Melissa piped in, "He was developing GU Portals."
"Which means he has a lab somewhere. We need to find that lab. From there, we can get even more info."
They were distracted when Tara grabbed Taranee's hand and excitedly pulled her along. "Stop staring, Aunt Taranee!" She scolded. "We're going to miss it!"
Star just sighed and followed after them while she continued her mental meeting. "Queen Elyon should have some type of information for us on this guy soon. Keep an eye out for her."
"Star." Star glanced to her right at an adult version of their queen friend. Wearing a pair of blue jeans and sporting a brown t-shirt with a turtle on the front. Of all things. Star also guessed her hair was inside the shirt. Given how the rings at the ends of those long ponytails were creating a shape at her hips.
"Nevermind. I found her." Star stopped and turned to smirk at her. And actually speak. "You're pretty silent."
"Got it from the best." After a wink, Elyon grabbed her left hand and slapped a scroll into it. "Everything on this guy is right here. You were right. He's from Northton. And even the children have bad things to say about this guy."
Star looked down at the scroll then glanced back up at Elyon. "How bad are we talking?"
"Bad as in... He's fucking insane."
And that was the first time anyone has ever heard Elyon curse. This scroll must've held some seriously bad mojo.
She nodded and began the walk back into the theater. "I'll tell the girls. Have Himerish know we're onto this guy."
"He's holding no doubts." Then Elyon turned and walked for the doors to the museum. Star admired her walk. Elegant, regal. Her parents would be proud, were they still alive.
After she walked from view, Star gripped the scroll and headed for the theater. The news had arrived.