Once Upon A Time Traveler by Paula Kaye
Chapter 8
Henry stretched his long lanky frame, and rolled over again. He couldn't seem to relax. Worse for him, all he'd done that night was lay in a semi-trance state and shake from exhaustion. Edward had been murmuring to him –something. But, even Edward's ramblings and taunts didn't faze him in the least, right now. Henry popped open the heir loom gold watch of his father's and read the time as nearing 5 in the morning.
A feeling of imminence pervaded him. He'd noticed it amongst the others as well. Yet, it had a vise grip on his throat that had yet to cease. It was one thing to have a sense of impending doom, it was a far different thing, however, to know precisely when, where, who, and how of it all. One part of him wished he could settle all accounts and let everything just fall into place. Yet another side of him, namely Hyde, was no more willing to just 'let things be' than before. If there were any way in which he could make his will come about, he'd push Jekyll to the very brink to do so, or kill Jekyll in the process.
While all was, for the most part, quiet on-board, Henry rose and put his vest on. Having lain abed in his trousers and shirt was unusual for the fastidious man. But, being that his medical training was so ingrained in him, it mattered not that his shirt was rumpled and his trousers were in dire need of pressing. There had been plenty of long nights spent in the half-throes of sleep while on-call in hospital.
Dorian Gray would never have been caught dead appearing as disheveled as Jekyll.
A shadow of a smile played on Henry's lips. At least he had some lengths to go yet before he'd allow Edward to turn him into that much of a hedonist and a rake. Henry thought he'd go to the Main Parlor and see if there were any books housed there that would be worth the turning of their pages. Everyone would be up in the next few hours, and breakfast would commence. He could simply appear to have arrived earlier than the others.
Somewhere In Nevada
Penn was prepped and in the midst of locking her helmet onto her suit's collar-link. For some reason unknown to her, she felt uncomfortable enough to look up to the Missions Control Booth not some fifty feet away. Olga Volkavich sat at the con, and it occurred to Penn that the Russian doctor had seemed much more distracted than usual.
And, in a twist, Mina was the one escorting her onto the tarmac of the launch pad. The Vampiress was speaking very quickly, yet enunciating eloquently as they walked. Everyone was too wrapped up in the Chronosphere's test trajectories to pay them much attention. Besides, thought Penn, this was just a routine test. She wasn't even scheduled for lift off.
Trying to keep a casual tone in her voice, Penn thought she'd try to get some answers from her friend, "You know, I didn't really get a straight answer from anybody." Now, indicating Talmedge in the Missions Control Booth, Penn asked, "Why'd he have me suit up? I thought this was just to test the sphere."
"He didn't order it. I did.", Mina responded, only mildly put out that she was made to answer any questions at this critical juncture.
"What?", Penn couldn't help the surprise in her voice. "Why?"
Mina kept Penn moving towards the ship as the Vampiress smiled tightly in a bid to pretend nothing was amiss. It was critical to get Penn into the sphere and on her way before anyone was able to stop Mina and Olga from performing what they had realized was the only thing to save Penn's life. Olga had no inkling however, that Penn would be sent at Mina's direction to a most unusual destination.
The normally cool Mina betrayed only a hint of irritation while trying to pass off any suspicions Penn may have, "It's to afford you all the protection you might need during this particular shake down.", Mina was nearly floating while trying to get Penn to hurry. "We don't want to take any unnecessary risks with you, now do we?"
"Since When?", Penn stopped still as she stood at the bottom of the steely ladder attached to the cat walk that led to the sphere. She realized what she was experiencing was the 'bum's rush' and she wanted to know why Mina was pushing her so hard into the sphere. When Penn stopped Mina had been moving ahead. Once Mina realized she was walking alone, the effect was unintentionally hilarious. Mina had to retrace her steps and somehow 'encourage' Penn on her way.
"What's holdin' up the caravan?", Nate's voice bellowed overhead on the loud speaker. "You gettin' a psychic message from Elvis? He tellin' you it's not a good day to go flyin'? Or, would that be Buddy Holly?"
Penn pointed to the man in the three piece suit behind the thick bullet proof glass, and scowled, "I'm warning you, Nate! Not Funny!"
"Yeah, yeah… I'm shakin' in my boots.", the Security Chief retorted. "Just get in the damn sphere so we can get this show on the road so these professionals can get some real work done."
Penn looked to Mina as if she was onto the widow's plans. But, plans for what? With Mina one could never tell.
She was in such a whirl over the possibilities, she never thought to check Nate's 'mind'. She knew if she tried to access Mina's mind without permission, she'd wind up a mental wreck for three days afterward, such was the power of the former lady of the Victorian Era. Also, 'Unauthorized Scanning' was considered highly unethical and only reserved for 'serious and possibly dangerous' situations.
Though Penn sensed easily that Mina was in no mood to kid around, the Chrononaut wasn't in a mood to be 'hustled' either. It was a standoff and as everyone was waiting for the Pilot, she shook her head and dutifully gripped the ladder's bar to ascend the rungs that led to the catwalk.
Allowing Mina the silence she seemed to crave as she arrived at the open hatch, Penn now turned and again sought to see past the vampire's stony expression. Without meaning to do so, Penn almost forced a link with Mina's mind while simultaneously asking, (curiosity does funny things to psychics when they Know they're being shut out of a situation they Need to know about), "What's really going on here, today?"
The protective power of Mina's mind against the innocent probing of Penn's forced Penn to stagger back a step as Mina's mind refused the psychic any entry. Instinctively, Penn put out her arms, seeking and finding the edges of the hatch door, to brace herself from falling backwards.
"You should have known better.", Mina uncharacteristically said, being more than a bit curt with Penn.
Nate's voice rang out over the loud speaker, "You two done playin' down there?"
Penn shook her head as if to clear it, and looked to Mina, truly agog with wonder and respect for the Vampiress,
Mina shook her head, "Honestly, I wish you'd just do as you're told."
Penn shrugged it off, "Sorry. I guess I just really needed to know what's really going on."
"You will." , Mina announced almost grimly.
Penn moved to seat herself in the Sphere, the flight chair cradling her like a loving pair of arms. A flight tech appeared and moved to strap her in so tight that her eyes nearly popped out of her head. It was at this time that whom ever was escorting her to the Sphere usually walked away, but, Mina stood there, as if waiting for some
sign or signal to come from Penn. Penn now knew that something was seriously amiss. She seemed to remember back to the previous night. Something about Mina. They'd spoken about – Something. It was Almost 'visible' just out of her mind's eye's range of view.
Penn put a gloved finger the middle of her forehead. Mina felt guilt at having hypnotized her friend into forgetting all that they'd said that night. But, it was too risky. She didn't want Penn to say anything to anyone until the time – she smiled to herself at that word, time…. Yes… Time… Until the time was right.
Olga's voice now rang out over the loud speaker and the Sphere was humming louder, "Systems engaged. Power at 80 per cent!"
The flight techs cleared away, and Mina leaned forward into the cabin of the Sphere.
Anyone else would have been blown away by the wind kicked up from the thrust of the sphere, but, Mina's wasn't a human body.
"What're you still doing here? Get into the booth!", Penn yelled over the loud noise that was only growing louder. Inside the sphere all was calm, but, outside the sphere, it appeared that a small tornado was gathering power.
"Remember last night?", Mina asked.
The flight techs nervously waited to see when they could bolt the hatch onto the opening.
"No!", Penn yelled over the thrusters kicking in.
Mina fixed Penn with another meaningful glare, and announced, "You do now!"
Penn's eyes opened slightly, and her mouth hung as wide as the hatch. She was preparing to say something when Mina turned to the techs and yelled, "Put it on now!"
They moved with the speed of a Monaco pit crew and the door was on and sealed in thirty seconds.
Penn struggled in the sphere, not sure what she was going to do, but, definitely wanting to take Mina to task for the momentary lobotomy that she'd been given. Olga's voice sounded again, as Mina flew, (literally), down to the
launch pad tarmac and as a blur moved to the Missions Booth.
"Power at 95 per cent. Thrusters one, two, three - on."
As Mina entered the booth, Nate observed, unusually sincere for once, "We could really use you out in the field."
"Power now at 100 per cent.", cameOlga's voice.
The Sphere's console was blinking and the joy stick was skewing, and Penn instinctively reached for it, to steady the craft's lurching.
"Engage.", Olga's voice commanded.
What the hell, thought Penn. Fine, systems shake down shouldn't take more than a nano second.
Penn's thickly gloved hand reached out for the Lift Off button.As her hand came down on it, she continued her inner rant.
I'll have it out with Mina in twenty minutes. Of course, that'll have to wait until after they've thumped my knees, pounded on my back, squeezed the heck out of my arm taking a blood pressure reading, and Mina can even draw the blood from my arm! Then, I'll tell her what I think of That little mind fu-!
With a massive shudder, Penn's attention was diverted to piloting the Chronosphere.
Lift off!
What The Hell?
Quickly gathering her fuzzied senses around her, she flexed her arms as she tried to take better control of the craft that seemed to catapult up and forward!
The rest of the crew and staff only saw the craft cover itself in a billow of shimmering light and then 'blink' out of the room. The same standard lift off for the sphere. Only, she wasn't supposed to have taken off!
Nate, as ever, was the first to comment. Standing agape, hands on hips, he looked out at the empty launch pad and asked, "Uh – Now, where in the hell did she go?"
Olga and Mina looked at each other askance, two little kitties who'd just shared a canary.
On The Nautilus
The service crew found Henry asleep in one of the high backed wing chairs, a book precariously perched on one knee as his hand barely held the volume by it's opened spine. Quietly, they laid the table for the breakfast buffet.
Mina entered, and looked about the room as the preparations were taking place. She was both surprised and touched to see Henry in repose. The staff looked to her uncertainly, understanding that she would have tobe the one best to awaken him without startling him too much.However, Dorian had seen Mina's shadow pass his cabin's door, and he hastily made to follow her. He crossed the threshold just behind her as she stood, watching Henry at his rest.
"Morning all", Dorian addressed Mina directly, and flashed a dazzling smile to all in the room. This was, sadly, the greatest gift he felt he could bestow upon the ordinary people'; acknowledging their existence. This was enough to suddenly awaken Henry from his extended nap and as he shifted in waking, the book fell to the floor.
Again, he looked up to see Mina smiling brightly to him, as he reached for the text at his feet.
"Sorry.", he sheepishly offered. "I – ", he began, but, Mina waved her hand dismissing any need for explanation.
"Nonsense, Henry. It's most understandable.", she said, smiling to Henry and then, glaring at Dorian smirking at the seemingly flustered doctor.
"Yes, well – ", Henry again began, smoothing the back of his hair and straightening his tie which had somehow loosened during his rest.
"Ah, good morning.", Capt. Nemo greeted those faces already in the room, as he strode in magnificently.
Then, one by one the rest of the League filed in, and the laying out of the resplendent breakfast began to take shape.
Along the Time Space Continuum
The Chrono-Sphere hurtled through a worm hole that Penn had never known existed. Black holes could be mapped. Time steams fluctuated and now, she seemed to be going along a pre-programmed trajectory that try as she may, she was unable to control. This more than anything else was causing her a well-earned panic attack.
Tears of sweat streamed between her breasts as she fought with the control panel. The console blinked maddeningly, and worse yet, she could see by the readouts that the computer's mainframe was being eaten from the heat being generated by the sphere's, (supposedly), unexpected output of energy.
Topside on the Nautilus
Henry sought to somehow reclaim that buried thought that had caused him such palpitation two days before. He was given his leave as the rest of them busied themselves in other ways. Again, Quatermaine engaged Sawyer in target practice, while Dorian watched smirking, wondering what would happen if, saySawyer were startled and lost his grip on Quatermaine's prized Matilda, sending the heavy piece of metal to the bottom of the ocean's floor. Without a second in between the two thoughts, he sickeningly realized that Nemo would have half of his ship's crewmen all in their gear and fishing for it! That wiped the smirk off of his face, for now, anyway. So, sourly, he turned his attention to where everyone else was watching. The glittering horizon where the sea and the sky met.
And, unfortunately for Skinner, although he had Mina to himself, he was getting no where near the Vampiress' heart. Mina, by contrast, was more intent on speaking with Nemo about the troubled physician.
"He seems a bit calmer this morning.", Nemo observed.
"'E's fine, as far as I can see.", Skinner tried to join in the conversation.
Mina paused in reflection, and commented, "That is the way he would appear. However, as you know, appearances have been most deceptive, especially with one such as he."
"Yes,", Nemo had to grudgingly admit.
Then, as Henry turned to finally face Mina and began to stroll towards them, the turquoise sky seemed to show a glimmering trail just above them. Quatermaine noticed this as he was trying to show Sawyer the difference in a particular shot, and the floating target moved away. Not from a playful dolphin, not from a school of deep sea fish. It was a form of wave'. A reactive ripple effect from some massive movement. But, what could be that large to cause such a reaction from the ocean? The answer was above them.
As Penn's craft entered the historic atmosphere, blinding heat continued to build, both outside and in. Sparks flew from the console and she fought with the fried computer wiring to keep it from bursting into flame. A sound of hissing also rose as the ship was decompressing, spitting hydrolic fluid into the pristine atmosphere as it finally arrived at its destined target. The target that Mina and Olga had programmed it for. Penn found that she had to take her gloves off in order to do anything near to disabling some of the trickier wiring that had yet to ignite. The craft jerked and bobbed as the walls of the air streams it was invading objected to being disturbed.
Hitting air pockets along the way also caused havoc in Penn's ability to do any good for herself, or to keep the ship intact until she landed. She'd simply found the most available'window' of entry and tried to point the craft in that direction. It hadn't been easy, by any means, and she knew if she survived, her whole bodywould ache so badly she'd probably wish she'd died. She caught herself fantasizing about the meds she'd been given by Olga, then, she remembered the pill bottles Mina had put into her hand. Yep. She was hoping that she'd get to live long enough to take that pain away.
She was able to see the ocean's surface coming into view, and the undersea ship that was near it, serenely floating above the surface. There were three words to describe her feelings at that precise moment.What. The. Fuck! She felt herself actually freaking out. Usually, she was able to rationalize situations and tell herself that things weren't as bad as they appeared. But, with the hard wall of water fast approaching, the sphere would be shattered like tossing an uncooked egg onto a concrete wall that was ten Miles deep - Unless -She tried to lurch towards the hatch.
The only word to have described her would have been 'dead'. That is, if she didn't find a way to blow the hatch before she hit the water. If she could do that, she thought, then, the pressure would be absorbed and she might be flung free from the ship. The only down side to this was, if the craft did land on the water, open hatch side down, she would drown without so much as a chance for rescue.
There was another chance, one that Mina had thought of which Penn hadn't even imagined.
Penn found, and began to fight with, the emergency hatch release and as the ship below seemed to float closer. Her craft was within easy view of those topside, like a shooting comet, complete with a trailing tail of fire, screaming across the otherwise undisturbed sky.
"Now, tha's no't somethin' you see everyday.", Skinner characteristically understated.
"What is it?", Nemo exclaimed, seemingly angered that the environment was being challenged.
Mina however, paused to watch Henry's expression. His eyes were undiverted from the image of the fiery orb as it streaked through the azure sky. His brow knitted and his heart raced. He was frozen with fear, dread, and she caught the scent that lingered from him; an odd mixture of lust; she sniffed the air again, and tenderness.
Penn struggled to brace herself for the force of the landing, as the watery depths seemed to form a greenish quartz seal below her, and the force from above, was stifling from the smoke which began to fill the craft, started to burn her throat. Coughing, her eyes blinded by the heat, the smoke and the tears that rose to fight the intruding pollutants, Penn fought the sensation of floating out of her body. She fought the urge to simply give up.She knew what was happening to her.
She was dying.
Mina's hand now flew to her own throat, in some unknown psychic connection, and she knew who was aboard the vehicle wreaking havoc in the atmosphere.
At that moment, Penn's craft met the ocean surface. With the force of a ten ton boulder dropped into a large lake, the craft at first was denied access' to the water's buoyancy, and after the first shock' of abrupt intrusion was embraced, the water seemed to settle the Chrono-sphere.
"Oh, my god!", Mina exclaimed. She alone had heard the screams in Penn's mind.
