Sliding Into Antar
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Back In Space
Chapter 31
XXXI
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>>>Two Months Later
The New Granolith and its crew were in their third day back in space again after leaving behind yet another Antar that was not their own. The truth is, when they came to new Antars these days, they didn't really expect them to be their own. But they hoped. They never gave up hope. The Antar that Pierce had sought to rule… and destroy… had been left behind nine Antars ago and was just one more memory among many on a long and weary quest to find the one Antar out of millions… perhaps out of billions… that was the right one… the one that they called home.
Maria stared through the dome of the observatory at the stars as they swept by in the darkness of space, and she nestled her head deeper into Michael's arms. The two were lying together on the oversized sofa that they both loved so much. Nearby, Max took off the remote viewing device that had been on his head and turned his observation chair around slowly so that he was facing Liz. She smiled at him, and he smiled back and took her hands in his…
"We will find our way home, you know."
Liz nodded. "I know. I just wish it could be sooner. Sometimes I feel so lost out here, Max. It's like… almost like… our children all died or something."
"Don't say that, Liz."
"It's just how it feels… not being able to be with them or see them or know if they're okay…"
Max nodded and took Liz into his arms, cradling her head gently against his chest, then he turned his face upward and stared through the dome into space, as a single tear worked its way slowly down his face. He felt it, too. On board the New Granolith, emotions ran the gamut. Sometimes they laughed, sometimes they played… and sometimes they cried.
But the sadness was always wiped away soon by happier thoughts… or by the antics of the crew. Interestingly, during this long trip together without their children they had begun to act more like the teenagers they had once been. They had become the children again themselves. It wasn't a bad thing really. It was the result of having no need to act like parents. It simply allowed their true personalities to come to the forefront… minus some of the natural inhibitions that parenting and social responsibilities bring with them. Any of them would have given everything they had to have that responsibility again… just to see their children again. But the realities that they had to deal with were something a bit different.
"Does it seem to you that the places we land up on keep getting weirder and weirder," asked Tess… to no one in particular.
Isabel nodded. "I think we're going further and further away from the reality we know. It seems like it anyway."
"Well, I don't know," Kyle said, "A couple of the Antars we were on in the last few weeks were pretty normal, I thought… Everything was peaceful, Max was the king, Kivar was gone… a lot like our own Antar."
"Maybe," Michael said, "But Tess is right… some of them have been pretty weird."
"Well, okay," Kyle conceded, "If you count that one where you and Maria were the royal couple three planets back."
Michael rolled his eyes. "That one wasn't weird. They had peace and prosperity, and everyone was happy. What, you think Maria and I couldn't do it?"
"Oh, I'm sure Maria could," Kyle chided.
"Be thankful I'm happy holding Maria right now and don't feel like moving my arm, Kyle. It's the only thing keeping your butt from getting a good scorching."
Kyle chuckled. "Well, there WAS that Antar where Liz, Maria, Alex, and I were the real Antarians and we all had these awesome powers, and you and Max and Tess and Isabel were the earthlings… and had no powers."
"That one was whacked," Michael retorted, frowning.
"You just can't stand seeing what you would be like without powers," Kyle chided.
"Yeah well… that's one frikkin' planet out of… how many now? Anyway, don't go getting all high and mighty, VALENTI, 'cause you aren't the one that had the powers back there."
"Yeah, well, but I do have some powers of my own, GUERIN. I know, they're kind of paltry, but they're something. It's more than your average earthling has."
"That's only because Max healed you that time."
"Maybe, maybe not. He never healed Alex or Maria, and they developed powers, too."
Michael shrugged. "So the Antarian food is healthy… and our air is good for you."
Kyle smiled. "My double back there was pretty awesome, wasn't he!"
Michael groaned and turned all his attentions back to Maria.
Tess smiled and shook her head… "Well, I thought the weirdest Antar so far was that one three weeks ago… the one where Kivar was the king and the people totally, like, worshipped him. They were going to have us burned at the stake when we showed our faces on their planet!"
Alex nodded. "Yeah, if Kivar hadn't been so damned honorable and nice and hadn't convinced everyone that we weren't their former royals, we'd have been shish-kabob… Antarian style!"
"That's because on that Antar, you weren't the real royals," Rayylar said. "Kivar was the real king, and we… well, you guys that is, tried to overthrow him and take his throne before, and they thought you had come back to try again. They really loved that guy!"
"Yeah," Michael agreed, smiling, "But what I liked about that Antar was that Nicholas was a woman… a real girly girl… with curly blonde hair and lipstick! I thought I would split a gut when I recognized him… uh, HER. And then when Kivar kissed him!"
Alex snorted and nodded enthusiastically… "Nicholas was Kivar's wife, Nichola! That was pretty funny! I might have even laughed if I hadn't been looking at a frikkin' BONFIRE… UNDER MY FEET!"
Michael snickered. "Hey, all's well that ends well, Alex."
"Speak for yourself. They hadn't lit your fire yet when Kivar saved us."
Michael smiled and hugged Maria closer to him.
"Yeah, that was the weirdest Antar of all!" Tess said again, laughing.
"Pshhhh! Not even close," Isabel huffed.
Michael raised his head and looked at Isabel questioningly… "Oh yeah, then what do you think was the weirdest one?"
"The one where my double was married to… that guy!"
Michael grinned… "Say it, Iz… JESSE."
"Geeeeeeeeeeez!" Isabel groaned, "Get over it, Michael! We find one whacked world that's all screwed up and you don't let anyone forget it!"
Michael laughed. "What was so whacked about that planet? It was at peace. Max and Liz were the king and queen. All of our doubles were there, and they were all happy… Huh?"
"Alex wasn't there!"
"Yeah… so…?"
Isabel huffed. "That is so unbelievable… I mean… God, Michael! Even you can see that's freaky! Nobody would believe it… I still don't! I would never just forget about Alex and marry some guy named Jesse… or anybody else… especially so soon after…"
"Well, your double did marry that Jesse guy. So SHE must NOT have thought it was whacked."
"She was brain damaged."
"Really? She looked fine to me."
"If you consider vapid and air-headed to be fine… yeah, I suppose so."
Michael chuckled. "You're just jealous 'cause she got the stud and you got Alex."
Isabel spun around suddenly, and Michael leapt from the sofa, hitting the floor running.
"Run, Michael!" Max yelled, laughing, as Isabel tore out of the observatory after him.
"Max… don't encourage him!" Liz said, "One of these days, she may catch him… and she may do him some serious bodily harm."
"If I don't do it first," Alex said, as he headed out the door after Isabel and Michael.
Max shrugged, grinning like a mischievous child. "It's okay. I can fix it… whatever they do."
"OH!" Maria huffed, rolling over and pulling the sofa pillow over her head in an exaggerated display of disgust at Max's comment.
"You think she'll catch him?" Tess asked, looking just a wee bit concerned.
Max shook his head and pointed toward the door. Michael walked in, with a self-satisfied smile on his face. Tess looked at him, puzzled…
"Where did you come from? Where's Isabel? And Alex?"
Michael chuckled… "Isabel's probably running all over the ship looking for me. Alex is following her. I ducked into the droids' nook just outside the door and stood behind the vacuum hoses until she got in the ascension chamber. Alex waited for it to come back up, then he went down, too."
"She'll blow you into little smoking embers, Michael," Tess said. "You know she'll catch you sooner or later."
Michael grinned. "Don't count on it, Tess. I'm one step ahead of her."
Tess nodded. "For now. But I'd be looking over your shoulder, Michael."
"I'm touched by your concern, Tess."
Tess smiled. "Don't let it go to your head. I may be cheering for her."
Michael rolled his eyes and plopped down on the sofa beside Maria again… "Now where were we?"
But at that moment, Isabel came in the door, and she did not look amused when she saw Michael sitting there.
"Michael, stand away from Maria if you don't want Maria vaporized, too."
Michael laughed, though just a bit nervously this time… "You wouldn't do anything that might hurt Maria."
"You want to take that chance?"
Michael stared at Isabel's face for a moment, gauging the look in her eyes, then he stood up and walked to the other side of the room.
"Don't hurt him," Maria said.
Isabel seemed to smile, but only slightly. "He won't feel pain, Maria… not for long."
"Isabel's kidding," Liz whispered to Maria, "She's pissed, but she wouldn't really hurt Michael."
Maria didn't appear so sure, but she nodded.
Isabel lifted her hand, and Michael prepared to block it, lifting his own hand. As fate would have it, Alex walked into the room at that moment. Seeing Michael with his hand up and Isabel across the room from him, Alex sent a surge of power at Michael at the same time as Isabel did. The next moment, the room erupted in light, and everyone looked away, guarding their eyes. When they looked again, there were only gasps.
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End of Chapter 31
tbc…