Red-rumm - Thanks for the fb. This next part will answer a few questions. More will come soon.
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Sliding Into Antar
Alex & Isabel, King & Queen Of Antar
Chapter 15
XV
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"Is there a problem," the AVMTech asked.
"No… no… no… no problem," Max stammered. "We, uh… We'll land where you directed us to land. Is, uh… King Alex around?"
The young tech smiled. "The king has more important things to attend to than hanging around watching me work, I suspect. He may be at the palace."
"Could you let him know that we're here?"
"I already have," the tech said. "The message was relayed to the palace and to his private ComServer as soon as your ship entered Antarian air space."
"Oh… okay… well… good. Yeah, that's… that's… good."
"I can't wait to see how this all came about," Michael said, as Max dropped back into the pilot's seat, a stunned look on his face.
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The New Granolith settled into the space designated for it at the CoruzAntar spaceport and powered down, coming to rest on its anti-gravity locks. From the bridge window, Max could see that a hover vehicle was headed toward the ship…
"I'll go down first and make sure their friendly."
"Like hell, you will," Michael objected. "I'm going with you. You may need me."
Max just nodded.
Max and Michael appeared in the transport circle beneath the ship and watched as the hover vehicle drew near. It was a Dyygitix-Sixteen. Michael looked the vehicle over, nodding appreciatively, as it approached…
"Well, somebody is either robbing the royal treasury or Antar is going through a prosperity boom," Michael mused, "A Dyygitix-sixteen would set me back two years salary on our Antar."
"Maybe it's the palace car," Max said.
Michael nodded. "Could be, I guess. Kind of small and sporty for a palace car, though."
The Dyygitix-sixteen pulled up beside Max and Michael, and the top slid back and flipped upward then slid down into the sides of the vehicle and disappeared all in one smooth, almost fluid movement. Alex hopped out of the driver's seat and walked up to Max and Michael, looking Max in the eyes…
"When they told me you were here, Max, I wanted to see it for myself. I've gotta tell you, I didn't really believe it." Alex glanced at the New Granolith. "Where'd you get the ship? Even I don't have any ships that big. Don't tell me Kivar left it on Earth. You couldn't hide something that size."
"You'd be surprised," Max said, lifting his arm and speaking into his wrist ComServer… "Varec… put the invisibility shield on."
As they watched, the New Granolith disappeared completely from sight.
Alex nodded. "I'm impressed! But I still don't believe Kivar left it on Earth."
Max shook his head. "Nope… you're right… he didn't. I had it built. That is, Michael and I had it built… so we could go back to Earth's past and change some… uh… mistakes."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a minute. You lost me there, Max. The past? Did you mess with the past on Earth? My past? Am I going to disappear now or something, so you can take your throne back? You didn't want it… remember?"
Max's face clearly betrayed his surprise, but he recovered quickly…
"Alex, there's something you need to know."
"Yeah, it sounds like it."
"We're not the same Max and Michael that you know… KNEW. We're sort of… from a different dimension."
Alex nodded. "Oh, well, why didn't you say so?"
"You believe me?"
"No."
"It's true," Michael said. "Do you want proof?"
"Proof would be good."
Michael nodded and spoke into his own wrist ComServer…
"Varec… would you send Alex and Isabel down, please?"
Michael smiled, enjoying the puzzled look of uncertainty that came over Alex's face. A moment later, Alex and Isabel appeared in the transport circle beneath the still invisible ship and walked over to where Max, Michael, and the King stood.
Alex put out his hand, and his royal double took it and slowly shook it, albeit a bit suspiciously… then he looked at Isabel and shook his head…
"Another dimension, huh?"
"Yep," Alex from the New Granolith said.
"Wow. That's… unexpected…" King Alex replied thoughtfully, finding himself having trouble taking his eyes off of Isabel. "Why did you come to this dimension?"
"Actually, we were trying to find our own dimension again," Isabel said. "We seem to have been pushed off of our dimensional trajectory or something like that. Varec can explain it. Anyway, we keep finding Antars in the wrong dimensions now."
The king nodded. "I didn't know the existence of alternate dimensions had been proven yet… much less that anyone was actively traveling around between them."
"We're kind of new to it," Alex from the New Granolith admitted. "I guess that's why we're lost."
His royal double smiled, suddenly becoming the congenial host. "Well! As long as you're here on my Antar, you'll have to come to the palace and have dinner with us… with Isabel and me. She'd love to see you!" Alex turned and looked at Max… "I'm happy to see you, too, Max… even if you're not the one I knew… or maybe because you're not."
"I don't think we'll all fit in a Dyygitix-sixteen," Michael said.
Alex nodded. He had forgotten that there were others on the ship besides Max, Michael, Isabel, and his double. "How many of you are there?"
"Eleven," Michael said, "Max and Liz, Maria and myself, Alex and Iz, Tess and Rayylar, Varec, Kyle, and Jim."
"Liz and Maria?" Alex repeated, suddenly perking up noticeably, "Liz and Maria are here?"
Max nodded.
Alex raised his wrist to his mouth… "Joygo, would you please send the palace car to the spaceport? Yeah… thanks." He turned back to his guests and smiled. "There'll be plenty of room."
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As the sun began to set over CoruzAntar, Antar's capitol city, the palace dining hall came alive with gaiety, laughter, and small talk…
"To our guests," Alex said, raising his tall glass in a toast. Queen Isabel, Tess, and several Antarian friends raised their own glasses in agreement. When Isabel had learned of the arrival of the New Granolith group she had called Tess and her Antarian friends and asked them to come to the palace.
"It's nice to have visitors from Earth," Isabel said, "It's not like we get a steady stream of them. In fact, actually, you're the first… and you don't even live on Earth anymore."
Isabel from the New Granolith looked at her double and smiled, but her eyes seemed to be saying, "I'm so sorry." The queen noticed…
"Don't feel sorry for me. I chose to come… I have Alex! And I have friends, lots of them. Of course… they're not the ones I grew up with. Or mom and dad…"
"I'd love to hear how you came here by yourselves and became the king and queen," Liz said, looking at Alex.
Alex smiled and shook his head… "Boring. You wouldn't want to hear it."
Liz raised her eyebrows and pressed her lips together with determination…
"I do want to hear it, Alex! And I don't think it's boring. There has to be a very interesting story there!"
Alex shook his head again. "I try not to make a habit of killing my guests with boring talk about myself… especially during their first meal with me."
"We'll take the risk," Maria said. "Spill it, Alex!"
"Let's talk about you," Alex replied, trying to change the subject. "Tell me about your ship."
Liz and Maria, sitting on either side of Alex, both reached over and put their hands around his neck at the same time. "Don't make us strangle you, Alex!" Maria said. "Humor us. You're not supposed to say no to a lady's request."
Alex adopted a mock look of terror and glanced at Isabel… "Are you going to let them do this?" Isabel smiled and nonchalantly took another bite of grelliats.
"Darn, she knows we love him too much to kill him," Maria said.
"But what if we didn't," Liz asked.
"I'd probably have to vaporize you," Isabel said, calmly taking another bite of grelliats. This drew laughter from all her Antarian friends as well as from Tess; and Liz and Maria both smiled, too.
"You're lucky you're so adorable," Liz said, giving Alex a gentle shove, "'Cause if you weren't…"
"So I don't have to tell you how we got here then?"
"I didn't say that," Liz replied emphatically. "I can still hurt you… lovingly, of course."
Alex chuckled. "Alright! Alright… You asked for it. Don't blame me if I bore you to death, though. I warned you."
Alex turned and glanced at Tess, almost apologetically, and seemed to be asking for her permission. Tess smiled slightly and then nodded.
tbc