"Try me." Dylan said.
"Ok, but don't say I didn't warn you." Harper said. "Trance and I are late because, I was talking with Golden Trance about how she had to let Purple Trance power the BHB."
"Excuse me?" Dylan asked. "Did you say you were talking with Golden Trance?"
"I said you wouldn't believe me."
"I'm sorry Harper, but that's pretty bizarre, even for you."
"How exactly were you talking to her Harper?" Becka asked.
"Listen. Here's what happened. Trance left me in Medical, while she went to get something from her room."
"I was taking longer than I had anticipated, and Harper came looking for me." Trance said.
"On my way to her room, I felt something happen to me. Afterwards I felt like something had changed, like Andromeda or something else around me was different in some way.
When I got to Trance's room, she invited me in. All of her lights were off. When I turned the lights on , instead of seeing my purple pixie, I saw my golden goddess. I had traveled back in time to the point right before we defeated the Abyss. I convinced Golden Trance to allow Purple Trance to power the BHB."
"If what you say is true," Dylan said. "then, since golden and purple Trances joined, our Trance should remember the conversation that you had with her golden counterpart. Trance?"
"It's true Dylan. I remember Harper talking to me, and telling me that I had to let my other self do what she had to do. That was the first time I saw Harper as an Avatar."
"Does this have something to do with his new ability that you were talking about on board Eternity?" Rick asked.
"What new ability? Dylan asked. "Trance, what's going on? I need to know everything."
"Everything?" Trance asked. "I know a lot of things Dylan. If you lived another three hundred years, it would not be enough time for me to even begin to tell you everything I know."
Dylan looked frustrated.
"Fine Trance. Don't tell me Everything. Just tell me how it's possible that Harper apparently traveled back in time."
"He's an Avatar." Trance simply said.
"Are you saying that you too can travel through time?" Dylan asked.
"No." Trance replied. "You see, Avatars like me and now Harper, each have a special gift in addition to the natural abilities that all avatars have in common. I can foresee possible futures, Determine the probability of situations, and find things. Of course the reason I'm good at finding things is because of my gift of Determining probability and possible futures.
The gift that Harper has is a very special gift. I have never seen another Avatar that possessed it before, but I have heard the stories of the ones known as Guardians."
"Guardians?" Rommie asked.
"Guardians of what?" Rhade asked.
"The Guardians of Time?" Trance answered.
"And these Guardians have the ability to travel through time?" Dylan asked.
"Yes." Trance said. "But they can do much more than that."
"Like what?"
"You know as well as I that what has happened, has happened. The past cannot be changed or rewritten. When we went back to the Battle of Witch Head, we did what we had to do, what we had already done. We didn't change the past, we simply did what we were supposed to do. We could have done nothing else.
The Guardians, however, are not limited in this same manner. They can change the past, to make the present better,… or worse."
"Worse?" Becka asked. "Why would they want to make it worse?"
"Not all people, not even the Guardians, are good Becka. There is one I've heard about that would like nothing better than to destroy everything in existence, or make himself ruler of the universe."
"If these Guardians can do what you say Trance," Dylan said. "Then why hasn't this one that you speak of succeeded?"
"Because of another Guardian." Trance replied. "A Guardian dedicated to helping all life forms, and letting them live in peace. He has fought the evil one for a very long time, and kept him in check."
"Why don't the other Guardians join together and destroy the Bad Guardian Trance?" Harper asked.
"The other Guardians discovered a very long time ago that it was dangerous to interfere with the existing timeline, so they refuse to interfere one way or the other, except on rare occasions when it is in their best interest to intercede. Thousands of years ago, they traveled to a planet, far removed from other inhabitable worlds. Over the centuries , they slowly forgot much of who they once were. They have even forgotten their true origin."
"Trance." Rommie said. "Are you saying that Harper has somehow became like one of these Guardians?"
"No. Harper isn't like them. I don't believe he will ever become like most of the other Eternals are today, but he may sometime in the future,… or past, decide to be like the one Guardian fighting evil throughout the galaxies."
"Whoa Trance!" Harper said. "Me fighting some evil Guardian thing? I'm an engineer. I love my job."
Everybody looked at him.
"Ok. I'm a captain of my own ship too, and I'm about to wage war with a superior race of genetically enhanced Ubers. That doesn't make me a hero."
"Harper," Dylan said. "You've been fighting evil your whole life. More so than even me. I can't think of a better person to be given such a gift. I know you will use it wisely…. I hope."
"Wisely? Rhade said. "Harper?"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Harper asked.
"You do have a gift at getting into trouble." Rhade said. "Just try not to blow the universe up trying to make a new and better Sparky Cola." Rhade grinned.
"Got it." Harper said. "No blowing up the universe."
"There is really no danger of that anyhow Rhade." Trance said. "At least not yet."
"What do you mean (not yet)?" Dylan asked.
"Harper's new ability is still not fully developed." Trance said. "His journey to the past, although necessary, it was accidental. It will be quite some time before he is able to use his new gift at will."
Trance looked at Harper.
"Harper, I'm sorry. I meant to tell all of this to you in private."
"It's ok Trance." Harper said, as he reached across the table and took her hand in his. "I understand."
Dylan cleared his throat. "What's happened to Harper is truly very fascinating, but it's time we talked about Earth."
"I agree." Replied Harper.
"As I understand it, while Harper was commanding Eternity, he and his crew were able to launch devices that are now orbiting Earth. These devices are currently disrupting all communications on the planet. Is that correct Harper?"
"Well, actually," Harper began. "They are disrupting all Nietzchean communications. I set the disruptors so that they wouldn't effect communications of the resistance fighters. That is if they're still using the same equipment that,… Brendan had." His voice dropped to a much quieter tone, as he mentioned his cousin's name.
"Good thinking Harper." Dylan said. "I also understand that although Nietzchean communications are disrupted, we can initiate communications with them if we so desire?"
"You got it Boss." Harper said. "That's how I communicated with the captain of the Prowler after hitting it with a disrupter."
"So what's our next move?" Rhade asked.
"I've been thinking about that." Harper said. "I discussed a plan with Rommie." Harper motioned to Rommie to give the details.
Rommie stood up and began to speak.
"If we were to attempt a frontal attack, Harper believes, as I do, that the Nietzchean's would use their human slaves as shields. They may even threaten to kill them if we refuse to terminate our attack."
"I wise deduction." Rhade replied. "Dragans put little to no value in the lives of their human slaves."
"So what can we do?" Becka asked.
"Contact the current leader of Earth's Resistance fighters." Rommie said. "Then set up a location to land Eternity, while her cloaking device is engaged. Once down we will arm Earth's freedom fighters and organize a massive jail break, freeing all slaves and prisoners. We only have a rough estimate of how many men and women the Resistance has that are able to fight, but the plan is to split them up into three battalions. The first battalion will rescue the prisoners and slaves. The second battalion will hit the Nietzchean soldier's sleeping quarters, while the third battalion will strike at the heart of the Nietzchean's stronghold on Boston, their command center, Faneuil Hall."
"Sounds like a good plan." Dylan said. "And with the Nietzcheans unable to communicate with each other, their chain of command will be disrupted, and other Nietzchean controlled cities won't know what's going on until the battle reaches them."
"I have a question." Rhade said. "What happens when other ships attempt to come to Earth? They will find out what's going on."
"That's all taken care of Rhade." Harper said. "Eternity is currently transmitting that Earth is under a maximum level quarantine. No ships are permitted to even enter the system."
Dylan set there astonished at how well his engineer had thought things through. He had to admit that Harper was becoming a fine captain.
"And Glory and I shall deal with any ships that try to leave the planet." Andromeda said.
Dylan looked at Trance. "Any idea when Stark will wake up?"
"According to my recent tests, " Trance said. "It's going to be some time before he regains consciousness. He suffered severe head trauma. The nanobots are helping, but even with his Nietzchean physiology, I'd be guessing he won't be waking for at least another day."
"I really wanted to talk to him before we started," Dylan said. "But I guess it can wait. I guess our next move should be to go ahead and contact the resistance. Andromeda, did Harper give you the access codes for their communicators?"
"Yes Dylan." Andromeda replied.
"Then contact Earth's resistance, and request to speak with whoever is in charge."
"Yes Dylan."
"Once we liberate Boston," Dylan said. "More may be willing to fight for their freedom. Boston will become once again a monument for freedom, but this time it will be freedom for the entire planet."
"Dylan." Trance said. "There's something else that we need to consider."
"What's that Trance?" Dylan asked.
"The freed slaves, prisoners, and even ordinary citizens will probably be in great need of medical treatment as well as nourishment."
"Agreed." Becka said. "When I found Harper he looked like skin stretched over bones, and the way he talked, he ate more than most, being a good scavenger."
Harper felt a bit uncomfortable. It was true that he survived by eating scraps that the Ubers threw away. Nearly every night he would secretly dash out and literally dive into the dumpsters behind the Ubers barracks, searching for anything edible.
Sometimes he would luck out and find a bone with a bit of meat on it. It doesn't sound like much, but he could boil the bone and live off of the broth for several days. It didn't give him the feeling of being full, but it kept him alive.
All this was true, but Harper was uncomfortable with his friends learning too much of what it was like for him on Earth. The problem was, and Harper realized it, that soon they would all see exactly what it was like for him. He had already told Becka some of what had happened to him, and Rommie knew quite a bit from their last visit to Earth together. He assured himself that it would be ok. These were his friends, and his only family since Brendan died. They knew that he didn't want anyone's pity, so it just might be ok.
"Good thinking Trance." Dylan said. "Once we've secured Boston you will be in charge of supplying necessary food and medical treatment to the people. In fact, when the landing party goes down to meet the leader of the resistance, I see no reason why we couldn't take them some food and medical supplies as well as weapons."
"Thank you Dylan." Trance said.
"Earth's soldiers will be stronger and fight better after they've had a few good meals." Rhade said.
"Dylan." Andromeda said. "I have made contact with the resistance, and they are replying."
"Thank you."
On the screen in the conference room a familiar face appeared, causing Harper to fall out of his seat, bruising his tail. Everyone in the room was speechless.
"Captain Dylan Hunt. It's a pleasure to meet you. I am the leader of Earth's resistance fighters,…. Brendan Lahey.