And here's the last chapter. That ends part one. And you've
already seen the first 3 chapters of part 2. Please let me know what you
think, and what needs fixing.
Thank you.
Ed Becerra
"Dreamers may die, but the dream is eternal..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hello, again.
Here's Chapter 6 of Legion's Quest. Took a while. I was busy
guilt-tripping. Sorry about that.
(Hey, it's a tradition. If angst-ing is good enough for the mighty
moderator of RAAS, MegaZone, it's good enough for me! 8-) <grin>)
My thanks again to:
My first fans, Dieter Hirsbrunner (drh@cherry-semi.com), Bree Duffy
(bree.duffy@chemek.com) and Calvin T. Ellison (Zwiak@ix.netcom.com), who
sent me my first fan letters and some greatly needed words of encouragement.
I'm very grateful. Thanks, guys.
Darren Steffler, Chris Schumacher, and Bert Van Vliet. Their works
introduced me to fan fiction. I owe you guys.
And always to the UF gang. MegaZone, Gryphon, ReRob, PCHammer, Chris,
Larry Mann and 'Doc Mui. Thank you all. I hope you're reading this, so you
know how much I want to thank you.
Additional dialog for Doc Mui by Pearson "Doc" Mui!
Additional dialog for PCHammer by Martin "PCHammer" Rose!
Now on with the story...
And the LEGION continues...
**********************************
"I'm just an old soldier and harmless hack writer; I'm not used to such
adventures."
- Robert A. Heinlein, "The Cat Who Walks Through Walls"
The morning after...
Ed wasn't too keen on waking up. He couldn't remember why, but he was
sure he didn't want to face the morning ahead. A tiny voice in the back of
his mind kept screeching that it was a mistake, that he mustn't wake up. In
the end, it was his nose that made the decision.
*Fried sauerkraut and sausage, scrambled with eggs and potatoes. A
Barvarian breakfast. I haven't had one of those since... since... the
accident!*
His eyes shot open and took in the room. *Wasn't a dream, then. Damn. I
guess I couldn't get that lucky. Well, if breakfast's ready, I'd better get
up.*
He looked around and spotted his clothes hanging on a rack near the
bathroom. He showered, shaved, dressed, and headed downstairs to chow.
Hammer looked up from the table as he entered the room. "Mornin', Ed.
Feeling any better?"
"Could be worse. Oh, thank you, Mrs. Rose. I didn't know you knew how to
make a Barvarian breakfast." He sat down. "It's a little harder to stay
depressed when somebody makes your favorite breakfast for you. But how did
you know?"
Eiko smiled at him. "Eve told me. The recipe was a bit old, but it wasn't
any trouble."
Ed dug in. "Well, <chomp, shovel, chomp> you really did it justice. It
tastes <shovel, chomp, shovel> great. I should've guessed. She's been
looking out for me <chomp, shovel, chomp> since I got here. What better
going-away present can a man <shovel, chomp, shovel> have than his favorite
breakfast? I've got to thank her. I'll see if I can't phone her from the
spaceport. I suppose I'd better call a cab. I've got to catch the first
flight to Cybertron. The sooner I do it, the less likely anyone else will
show up and start making threats."
"How much do you remember?" Hammer asked him.
Ed sighed. "Most of it. And Legion left me a few messages. Dreams, kind
of. An instant replay of his talk with you and Doc, for one. Is it true that
the boomer wasn't from this universe?"
"Yes. That's the only conclusion the materials analysts could draw."
"Damn. I wonder which one of them did it. The Q, the Timelords, or the
Guardians. Oh, well. Time will tell. And it looks like I've got a lot of
_that_ on my hands. Whether I want it or not." He burped. "Excuse me. I'd
better go call that cab."
"Don't bother. I'll give you a ride there. Besides, I got a message that
there are some people waiting to see you off. Along with a surprise."
"Wonder what that could be? Don't tell me, I know. If I knew what it was,
it wouldn't be a surprise anymore." He grimaced. "I always did hate surprise
parties." He turned to Eiko. "Can you tell the children goodbye for me? If I
do it myself, like as not I'll break out crying. And I've always hated
sentimental goodbye scenes."
She nodded. "I will. They'll miss you. I think Dh'ot was starting to get
a crush on you. I know that Yach'o and Wach'o will definitely miss having
you around as a fall guy. You were such a good sport about it, even when
they did that thing with the anvils. Thank you for the time you spent with
them. Noriko appreciated the rest more than you'll ever know." She smiled
again, and hugged him. "You've been a good neighbor and a good friend,
Edward. We'll remember you."
"Thank you. I... I..." *I'm not gonna cry, I'm not gonna cry, I'm not
gonna cry, I'm not gonna cry. Oh, who am I kidding? Once I'm out of here,
I'll be bawling like a baby.* "I hope I can come back, someday. Maybe if I
can ever get this mess my life's become straightened out. This place, you
people, you're the only folks I've met where I've felt at home. Where I've
felt that I belonged."
"Well, then, you'd best take care of yourself. I'll expect to see you
back here again. Now you and Diggy better get to the spaceport. And wipe
your eyes, there's no need to cry. We'll be here, if you need us." She made
shooing motions with her hands. "Now get going, you!"
***
STEEL BREEZE PRODUCTIONS
and
Industrial Might & Logic
Are Proud to Present
L E G I O N ' S Q U E S T
Chapter 6
(or Saying Goodbye Hurts)
***
A small Fed-X truck was pulled up outside of Ed's bungalow, and the crew
had just loaded the last crate on board.
"I don't know why I'm doing this, Hammer. There's no way I can take all
this stuff with me. I've got to move fast, before those bastards that jumped
me in Osbourne Plaza try again."
"That's what the surprise is about, Ed. Just bear with us."
"You're going to keep this `mysterious Darkwing' thing going until we get
to the spaceport, aren't you. You know it drives me crazy."
"Yes. And yes."
"Aaaarrrrgggghhhh!!!!" *If I didn't like him and Eiko so much, I swear
I'd wait for him to transform, then beat him into scrap metal! Of course, he
probably just beat me back. And the way my luck's going, he'd take me like
Grant took Richmond.*
Hammer shifted into his Rotofoil form and opened up. "Okay, get in. You
don't want to be late to your own sendoff."
Ed stepped inside, looking around curiously. He'd never been inside of
one of Hammer's Cybertronian forms. He wanted to remember this ride. After
all, it was going to be his first and last one.
***
"This voyage has begun!" - Kermit the Frog, "Muppet Treasure Island"
At the New Avalon spaceport...
Pearson Mui and Selene were waiting at one of the docking bays. Doc was
holding a magnum of champagne by the neck. As Ed got out of the Rotofoil and
Hammer transformed, a small floating hologram generator flickered to life.
Ed blinked in surprise. "Eve? What are you doing here?"
"You didn't expect to leave without our seeing you on your way, did you?"
She smiled. "That's what friends do."
"Besides," added Doc. "You can't just up and sneak out on us. Isn't
proper."
"We care about you, Ed." said Selene. "It's only right to be here to say
good bye."
"Listen, if you guys keep this up, you're gonna break me up before I have
a chance to leave." Ed replied. "Anyway, what's this surprise Hammer told me
about? A going away party?"
"Not just that. There's a little something more. But I'll leave that to
someone else." said Doc. He pointed to his right. "And here he comes."
The hawk-like nose would have given it away, even if Ed hadn't met him
before. That was in the metahuman ward at the Fritz Koopman/Paul Heaton
Memorial Hospital when he'd first arrived here.
"Hello, Bell. Been a few months. I see you're still doing the Sherlock
Holmes look. I like it. It works for you. Can _you_ tell me what's going on?
Everyone here seems determined to surprise me with something."
Edison Bell looked at him, and grinned. "I'd be happy to. We've something
to show you. Just walk this way."
"Groucho Marx, 1938. And if I could walk that way, I probably wouldn't be
here."
Everyone groaned.
"Hey, Edison started it! That punchline's so old, they probably used it
when _he_ was a kid!" Ed ducked as a Nerf brick sailed his way. "Okay, okay!
I surrender! Now will _somebody_ please show me the surprise?!"
"It's in the docking bay, Edward. Let's go take a look." Edison led the
way, with Edward bringing up the rear. He couldn't see over their heads, and
had to wait until they'd all entered before he could get a good look at what
was inside.
When he did, his jaw dropped.
It was a starship. It vaguely resembled a Klingon Bird of Prey, but the
lines were sleeker, and it had fairings over what would be the photon
torpedo tube. The whole look was somehow more...graceful than a Bird of Prey
would normally be.
"H...Hey, I can't afford this!! And I can't accept a bloody _starship_ as
a gift! It's way too much! Beside, I don't know jack about piloting a
starship, much less a warbird like this."
"First of all," Edison told him. "It's not a gift. I'm just delivering it
to you as a favor for a friend. And you've already paid for it."
"How the hell could I have paid for it? I don't have anywhere near the
cash I'd need for a starship. Hell, I can't even afford a flivver right
now!"
"You've paid for it, Ed. You just haven't paid for it yet." said Doc.
Ed whirled, pointing a finger at Doc, mouth open, ready to say something.
Then he froze for a moment.
"Doc, did I ever tell you just how much I hate time travel?!"
"Quite a few times, according to Legion."
"Well, I do." Ed was holding his head, rubbing his aching temples. "This
whole time loop thing really gives me the tsuris. Fortuna, I'm never gonna
be able to straighten out my life if this keeps up." He turned to Edison. "I
take it that my future self bought this, and gave it to you to give to me?"
"That's right. And a few other things."
"Like what?"
"Like this." Edison pointed at a sheet-covered object under one wing of
the ship.
Ed walked over to it, pulling the cloth off. "Christine! Oh, Christine!
Oh, my baby!" He dropped to his knees and hugged the bumper of the 1975
German-built Mercury Capri that had been revealed. "Oh, baby, I'm _so_
sorry. Daddy didn't mean to leave you. How is Daddy's widdle girl?
Itsy-bitsy snooky-wookums." He started polishing the hood with his
shirtsleeve while Doc and Hammer stared at him.
"Classic case of Ozaki's Syndrome, don't you think Marty?"
Hammer looked at Doc, shaking his head. "And I thought Gryphon and Zoner
had things going on with their cars."
Ed had started mumbling in baby talk to his car. Suddenly, he let out a
loud yell. "What the _hell_ is this?! Someone's been tampering with
Christine. If I find out who, they're gonna die REAL _slow_!"
"Maybe you should look at that note on the windshield, Ed." Doc told him.
"Huh? What no.., oh!" He pulled the paper from under the wiper and read
aloud, "Nothing like a good upgrade now and then. (signed) Legion." He
crushed the note in his fist. "Great. Just fargin' great. Now I'm playing
practical jokes on _myself_! What next? Putting whoopee cushions in my own
chairs?"
Doc laughed. "That's up to you, isn't it? Besides, it can be a lot of
fun!"
Ed grimaced. "That's right. You'd know, wouldn't you? I seem to remember
something about somebody following himself around, trying to make history
come out the way he remembered it."
Doc just grinned at him. "Maybe you'd better read the time-traveler's
manuel, Ed. Looks like you're gonna need it."
He sighed. "Yeah. But that doesn't help me with piloting this thing. And
given what's following me, what am I gonna do for a crew? It's not like I'm
gonna be coming back. This is looking more and more like a one way trip. I
don't want to wish that on anyone."
A new voice spoke up. "I think _I_ can take care of that for you."
Ed turned around, but didn't see anyone. The voice seemed to be coming
from the ship, itself. "Who's that? Who's there?"
/* Olivia Newton-John "Magic" _Back to Basics_ */
There was the shimmer of a transporter, and another small holo-projector
appeared in mid-air. It switched itself on, and the image of a beautiful,
dark-haired woman appeared. She wore a long black dress that clung to her
like a coat of paint. The neckline plunged like the stock market during the
Great Depression. The skirt was slashed to the hip. Black fingernails and a
silver necklace with a bat amulet that nestled in her cleavage completed a
eerie and provocative look that had Ed staring bug-eyed.
"A gah, geh, gah...bweh?" he sputtered.
Hammer laughed, and turned to Doc with one of his trademark smirks. "I
see his impersonations are improving. That's the same sound you made when
you were promoted to lieutenant."
"Not quite, but he's getting there. Needs a little work, yet. He'd have
to sound more like Taz to come close to how I sounded when I was promoted."
Ed snarfed once or twice, then managed to get out a few words. "Who...
who are you? You look just like...like Elvira!"
"I'm Minerva. I'm your ship. Or, to be more precise, I'm the on-board AI
of your ship. And the look is what _you_ created, lover boy. I'm your pilot,
your crew, your ship and your personal assistant, all rolled up into one."
"Urgle..."
"He's a little overcome. He told me that he would be." She turned to the
others. "Could you let the Fed-X truck in? I'll transport his property
straight to the cargo bay." The Capri shimmered and disappeared. "It's time
for us to go. Thank you for the help, Mr. Bell. And I'd like to thank all of
you on his behalf for the help you gave him. He's a little choked up, right
now."
"...."
"When you're through with your goodbyes, come on board, lover. I've
already got us cleared for a course for Cybertron." She vanished as a ramp
lowered itself from the body of the ship. "I'll be waiting for you."
Ed had a stunned look on his face. He shook his head a couple of times,
and groaned, "I ... think I'm in way, _way_ over my head here....."
***
"Who hired this crew?!"
"I'm starting to worry about this voyage."
- Kermit the Frog, "Muppet Treasure Island"
"Why do I get the feeling I've just made a really BIG error in judgment,
here?"
- the author, just after he began to download the entire "Serendipity"
fan fic (784 K) through a 2400 bps modem.
Doc stepped forward with the magnum of champange. "There's one last thing
to do before you go, Ed."
"What's that?"
He handed the bottle to Ed. "You've got to christen your ship, and name
it."
"Oh. Right." He stood there, deep in thought for several moments.
"There's only one name that fits. When I was young, there was an explorer
that I admired greatly. He charted the depths of the last fronter the earth
had to offer. A poet, a scholar, a gentle man. He was my first real hero. I
could do a lot worse than to name my ship after his." He stepped over to
Eve. "There's a piece of music. Do you think that you'd have ..." He
whispered the name.
She nodded. "An excellent choice. And fitting. I do have that. Would you
like me to play it?"
"Yes, please. As I break the bottle."
He stepped up to the bow of the ship.
"In memory of Captain Jacques Cousteau, I christen you, the Calypso!" He
swung the bottle, shattering it and spraying champagne everywhere.
Behind him, music began to play.
"To sail on a dream, on a crystal clear ocean,
to ride on the crest of a wild raging storm.
To work in the service of life and the living,
in search of the answers to questions unknown.
To be part of the movement, part of the growing,
part of beginning to understand.
Aye, Calypso, the places you've been to,
the things that you've shown us, the stories you tell.
Aye, Calypso, I sing to your spirit,
The men who have served you so long and so well.
Like the dolphin who guides you,
You bring us beside you.
To light up the darkness and show us the way.
For though we are strangers in your silent world,
to live on the land we must learn from the sea.
To be true as the tide, free as a windswell,
Joyful and loving in letting it be.
Aye, Calypso, the places you've been to,
the things that you've shown us, the stories you tell.
Aye, Calypso, I sing to your spirit,
The men who have served you so long and so well.
Aye, Calypso, the places you've been to,
the things that you've shown us, the stories you tell.
Aye, Calypso, I sing to your spirit,
The men who have served you so long and so well."
There was a long moment of silence. Then Selene spoke up.
"That was ... fitting. It is a good name, Edward. And it will carry you
far, I think." She stepped forward and kissed him on the cheek. He blushed.
"I wish you well in your journeys, my friend. May the Fortuna you speak of,
care for you."
"I ... I'm gonna miss you. It was a good picnic, wasn't it."
"Yes, it was. Now take care of yourself, Ed. And don't forget to write."
Doc Mui was next. They shook hands. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do,
Ed."
"Yeah, right. This from a guy who spent, what, the past four and a half
centuries hopping across time and space, not to mention various other
dimentions?"
"Hey, what can I say? It's a living. Besides, who knows? We might meet
again, somewhere. It's a small multi-verse."
"What? Do you know something that I don't?" Ed looked at him
suspiciously.
Doc just smiled mysteriously.
"You know, if you weren't my doctor and my friend, I'd be hitting you
right about now. I _really_ hate that inscrutable oriental shtick. Ah,
well... Thank you, Doc. I don't think I could have dealt with this without
your help."
He stepped over to Edison. "I don't know if I should say good-bye to you
Mr. Bell. `See you later.' would seem more apropriate, knowing you. The way
you show up around the multi-verse, we'll probably trip over each over
sooner or later. You, Vaughn, and Dr. Who." He shook his head. "What a trio.
Well, I can't say it'll be boring. A lot of things, maybe, but not boring."
"Everything's possible in the infinity of realtime, Edward. And we both
have time enough for eternity. Don't be so hard on yourself. Have some fun.
It's a good life. Try living it." They shook.
Ed turned to Hammer.
"Best of luck, Ed. It's been real. I hope you can find your way home."
"Yeah, me too. But it won't be the same without you guys. You and Eiko
gave me a reason to keep going. And the kids reminded me that, no matter
what, life does go on. Somewhere along the line, I'd forgotten that. Thank
you."
"No charge. It's on the house." They shook hands. "Godspeed, and a safe
journey."
"Well, I prefer Culture Club myself, but Journey's not a bad group. I
just wish I wasn't in such a Rush. Hmmm... I wonder if this ship has a
Bachman-Turner Overdrive?"
Everyone moaned.
"Hey. If I don't laugh, I'm going to cry. And if I start, I don't think
I'll be able to stop." He bowed his head for a moment. "Now... Last,
perhaps, but not least. Never the least. Eve... thank you. You watched over
me, you cared for me, and cared _about_ me. There haven't been many people
in my life who've done that." He picked up a small package he'd carried from
the bungalow. "I know you're a hologram, but... this is for you." He opened
it up and set the contents in front of her projector.
Her eyes widened. "It's beautiful!" Resting on the ground was a small
crystal figurene. It showed Eve singing, with a microphone in her hand, hair
swirling around her shoulders.
"I saw that picture of you one day back home in my own universe, and I
tried this. Funny, ever since the accident, I've gotten better at the artsy
stuff. I hope you like it."
"Thank you, Ed. It's very beautiful. I'll treasure it."
"It's no big thing. Just... remember me when you look at it. As long as
somebody remembers me, I'm not really gone, you know?"
"I will. I think we all will."
"Thank you. I'm sorry I messed up your lives so much. But I'm not sorry
that I had the chance to meet you. You're good people. The best I've ever
known. Now... I better get going. I've got enemies on my trail, and I don't
want you folks hurt any more."
He turned and walked up the ramp into the ship. As the hatch began to
close, he turned again to face them.
"Good bye. I'm going to miss you all so very much..."
He turned his face away and headed to the bridge. But not fast enough to
hide the tears from them.
***
"If our friendship depends on things like time and space, then when we
finally overcome space and time, we've destroyed our own brotherhood!
But overcome space, and all we have left is Here. Overcome time, and
all we have left is Now. And in the middle of Here and Now, don't you
think that we might see each other once or twice?"
- Jonathan Livingston Seagull
"Calypso, you're cleared for departure to Cybertron. You are number one
on the flightpath. Please proceed with takeoff."
"Thank you, New Avalon control. Calypso is up and running. Are there any
pilot's adviseries?"
"Not at this time. We do have a message to pass on to you, Calypso. It's
from Admiral MegaZone."
"Ahh... Please go ahead with the message, control."
"Calypso, message reads... Second star to the right, and straight on 'til
morning. Drop us a line sometime. Vaya con Dios. Zoner."
"Thank you, control. Please make back... Thank you. Been nice working
with ya, Dr. Venkmann. Live long, and prosper. Fortuna bless the Wedge. Ed."
"Will do. New Avalon control, out."
"Calypso, out."
He looked around at the bridge of his new ship. *I can't believe this is
happening to me. WHY is this happening to me? In four months, I've lost TWO
lives. First Haxtun, Colorado; then Utopia Planetia. And now I own a star
ship. It's all just too much.* He sighed.
"Minerva? Are you there?"
"Yes, lover. I'm always here for you. What do you need?"
*I wish she wouldn't call me that. I don't even know her. Although she
seems to know everything about me.*
"Time to get going. The course is set?"
"Plotted, set, and locked in. Just give the word."
*You know, I've always wanted to say this.*
"Minerva, the word is given. Best speed to Cybertron. Make it so."
**********************************
Personal Log: Entry 61
It's been two days since I've left Utopia Planetia. I can't believe that
I'm responsible for this ship. I must have changed a great deal in the times
to come. Whoops. That didn't quite come out right. I guess I'm _going_ to
change a great deal in the years to come, so that the person I'm to become,
the person who bought this ship, is _very_ different from who and what I am
now.
I really hate trying to describe this in English. It just doesn't have
the words you need to deal with time travel.
I've checked it over, what little I could understand, and it stuns me.
It's powered by a dimentional rift, with a backup total-conversion generator
for emergencies. The original warp drive has been replaced with a Burroughs
Irrelevancy Drive taken from one of the universes Robert Heinlein used to
write about. Instead of photon torpedoes, there are minature T-C (total
conversion) weapons. Scary. The rest of the ship is like that. It even has a
phasing cloak, obtained (stolen?) from Starfleet. There's very little left
of the original Klingon Bird of Prey. Hell, the way it's been equipped, this
thing could probably give Genom's AT&T battlestation a run for it's money.
Or even Darth Vader's Death Star.
Minerva's helping me keep my personal log up to date, but she's rather
put out that I won't let her file all my log entries. I keep trying to tell
her that's it's not that I distrust her, it's just that I don't want to
leave any evidence behind. Like Robert Asprin said once:
"Throughout this journal, there will be file gaps where I have deleted or
withheld files which are either pointlessly caught up in the petty details
of the time or contain evidence which might be utilized in court should
certain activities of the period ever come to public attention."
Too true. Some of my entries could put me behind bars for a very long
time. In many places, just the armament of the Calypso itself is enough to
jail me for a few centuries.
It's mind-blowing, at times.
There is _one_ thing I discovered that I'm going to find useful when I
get to Cybertron. I was afraid I'd look like a bug, compared to all those 8
to 24 meter tall autobots. When I went through the cargo bay, I found an old
IFR-X1 Infiltrator battlesuit from the Federated Commonwealth, still in good
working order. I had Minerva remove the Johnston Mk XII Autogrenade launcher
from the weapons hardpoint on the left arm and replace it with a regular
hand. It's only 4 meters tall, but at least I'll fit in. And I'll be less
likely to get stepped on.
The cargo bay was a big surprise. It's bigger on the inside than it is on
the outside. Minerva tells me that this is a corollary of the equations that
govern the Burroughs Irrelevant Drive. You can use it to create and shape
space warps. Kind of reminds me of Doctor Who's Tardis. At least I don't
have to worry about running out of room for my stuff.
I just wish somebody could tell me how the hell I managed to end up like
this. At what point did my life turn into a piece of fan fiction? I wish I
knew.
I just want to go home...
End Log Entry 61
**********************************
"You can get just so much from a good thing; You can linger too long in
your dreams..."
- Billy Joel, "Keeping the Faith"
A week later, in standard orbit around Cybertron...
"Iacon spaceport control, this is the Calypso, requesting landing
instructions."
"Calypso, you're expected. Please use vectored approach to landing pad
324. Do you have an auto-pilot?"
"Hmmm... I guess you could call her that..."
"Her?"
"Ahh... Never mind, Iacon control. Go ahead."
"Please link your auto-pilot to ground control. We understand that you
are ... somewhat inexperienced in piloting starcraft. We will guide you
down."
"Okay. Just gimme a moment here..." *Now how the hell do I do this? D'OH!
Just _ASK_ her, moron. She's the AI here.* "Uh... Minerva, how do I do
this?"
"I've got it covered for you, lover. Linkage established. Landing in five
minutes."
"Iacon control, you got that?"
"Yes. Everything is green across the board. You have a welcoming commitee
waiting for you, Calypso."
"Thank you, control. Calypso out."
"Iacon control out."
***
"Minerva, did you deactivate the stealth systems on the Infiltrator? It'd
be rude to walk down the ramp with them working. After a few million years
of war with the Decepticons, they're likely pretty quick on the trigger when
somebody uses cloaking tech around them. And I can't blame them. I would be,
too."
"Don't worry, lover. The systems are intact, but off line. You'd better
suit up. They're waiting for you."
"All right. Lower the cargo bay ramp, please." He started clanking
towards the hatch." *Battle armor, star ships and now Autobots. I _should_
be in a state of shock. I guess I blew all the fuses on my sense of awe a
long time ago. Terminal overload. I'm overdrawn on my confusion account, as
Twister put it.*
But that wasn't _quite_ true. He found that out when he noticed who was
waiting for him at the foot of the ramp.
"Greetings, Edward. We've word of you from Utopia Planitia. PCHammer had
informed us of your problems, and of your need to meet with Vector Sigma."
*You know, he's much bigger in real life,* Ed thought numbly. *And a LOT
more impressive. But then, you'd expect that from Optimus Prime. The
cartoons really didn't do him justice.*
"I... uhh... Thank you, Prime. I didn't expect that you and Ultra Magnus
would... I mean..." *Engage brain before putting mouth in gear, stupid!* "I
hope the armor didn't offend. I just thought I'd fit in better. It's
unarmed. It's just I had no idea that I'd rate a welcome from the leader of
the Autobots."
"Your case interested me, Edward. Very few beings are willing to risk
accessing Vector Sigma directly. It can be dangerous. It's mind is vast
beyond comprehension."
"It's not like I have a choice, sir. So, what now?"
"We head for the level where Vector Sigma resides. Can your armor
transform?"
"I'm afraid not. But if I recall correctly, isn't Ultra Magnus a car
carrier in his vehicle form? I could ride in his trailor, if he's willing."
"It would be my pleasure." Magnus transformed, with the buzz-crunch of
Cybertronian technology, and Ed marched the Infiltrator into his trailor.
"Are you secure back there?"
"You don't mind if I grab a strut, to hold on to?"
"Go ahead. I wouldn't want you to fall out."
They started off. Ed looked around his cockpit. *Now where's that damn
scanner... Ah!* "Can anybody hear me? Am I on the right frequency?"
Magnus' voice came over the speakers. "You're coming in loud and clear,
Edward. Is there a problem?"
"No. I'm just a little nervous. I feel better when I'm talking to
somebody. How long before we reach Vector Sigma?"
"We should be there in 30 minutes. And I understand how you feel. Blurr
is much like that. But he speaks _much_ faster than you do."
"Now there's an understatement. But thank you, Magnus. What I'm about to
do is pretty frightening. If I had any other choice, I'd be running like a
scared rabbit. It's good to be able to talk with somebody along the way."
"There's nothing wrong with being scared, Edward. Anyone who says that
they feel no fear is either crazy or lying. It's when you let the fear
control you, that causes problems."
"Thanks, Magnus. I forget that, sometimes."
***
"I've got a real firm grip on reality... by the throat."
- DigiCom, alias Mario Di Giacomo; "OTAKU RISING I"
Ed looked up at the huge shimmering sphere that filled the room. It drew
the eye almost uncontrollably. A cold shudder worked it's way up his back.
"So this is Vector Sigma. I really didn't understand just how... powerful it
is. I mean, I know it is, or was, the source of Transformer sentience,
but..."
"Yes," Prime said. "It is one of the most powerful forces in cyberspace.
Along with the Autobot Matrix, it is the greatest artifact of Cybertronian
technology."
"Thanks. That really helps, Prime. I'm about to go one on one with
something that everyone on Cybertron believes to be just a few steps away
from being a god. Encourage me, why don't you."
"I didn't quite mean it that way, Edward..." Prime began.
"Yeah, I know. No offence. I'm just really nervous. And I mouth off to
people when I am. Defence mechanism. Well, it's now or never."
Ed opened his armor and stepped out. As he stepped closer to the sphere,
it began to drift closer to the floor. Finally, it was within arm's reach.
He swallowed hard, and turned toward Prime and Magnus.
"If I screw this up, would you send what's left of me back to Hammer? He
and Doc Mui are the closest thing I've got to a next-of-kin in this
reality."
Magnus nodded.
"Okay. There's no turning back now. Here goes nothing." He stepped up to
the glittering sphere, and in a single swift movement, placed his palm on
it's surface.
Contact.
***
CONTACT.
MEDIA FORMAT ERROR.
CARBON BASED LIFEFORM.
INTERFACE PROTOCOL ERROR.
ORGANIC SENTIENCE.
INITIATING PROPER PROTOCOLS FOR ORGANIC INTERFACE.
ERROR.
NON-STANDARD ORGANIC LIFEFORCE.
CHECKING...
***
Went into Cyberspace amped
Input to the max
I was going for total meltdown
Direct feed
No buffer
I charge like a hotline to God
Zipzip flash slickbright
chrome ripping through
the Matrix at supersonic speed
Neural feedback hit
Metabolic overload back in the Meatware
Fevered tissues aflame with data
I was burning
Liquid metal comet boiling
the data flow plume of binary stream
They could see me all
the way to Chiba City
All the way to orbit
Quicksilver tsunami of
thermonuclear wildfire
Never been anything like me
Keep Cyberjocks talking for years
I was it, man
History
***
// Oh, man, what a rush! My brain feels like... Hey! Where the hell am I?
Is this... cyberspace? //
\\ YES. \\
// And you're... //
\\ VECTOR SIGMA. \\
// So what comes next? //
\\ MORE DATA. YOU WILL NEED IT. YOU HAVE A LONG FUTURE AHEAD OF YOU. \\
// Do I have a choice? //
\\ NO. \\
// Figures. Just my luck. Go ahead. //
\\ PREPARE YOURSELF. SECOND TRANSFER BEGINS... NOW. \\
***
// How much of this will I remember when I get back to my body? //
\\ VERY LITTLE. YOU HAVE YET TO GAIN YOUR PROPER STATURE. BUT THE
INFORMATION WILL ALWAYS REMAIN IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND, READY FOR THE DAY
WHEN YOU ARE CAPABLE OF USING IT. \\
// Somehow that doesn't really comfort me very much. //
\\ IT IS NOT MEANT TO COMFORT. YOU HAVE CEASED TO BE A CHARACTER, AND ARE
NOW A PLAYER IN THE GREAT GAME. \\
// Oh, joy. //
\\ IT IS TIME FOR YOU TO LEAVE NOW. WE MAY MEET AGAIN, IN TIME. \\
// Pity. I could get to like it here. Maybe someday...? //
\\ PERHAPS. NO BEING EVER KNOWS ALL THAT THE FUTURE CAN HOLD. \\
// Well, thank you for the help and the information. It's nice to know
that there *is* _some_ meaning in what's happened to me. Even if I'm going
to forget it in a few moments. Well, gotta go. As the Eskimos say, sometime
again, my friend. //
***
When his eyes opened, Ed thought to himself, *Hmmm... Interesting pattern
of rivets on the floor. You know, if I'm gonna keep passing out and falling
on my face, I really gotta start wearing a crash helmet. Or at least a nose
guard. My new body doesn't break as easily as the old one used to, but it
still hurts, damn it.*
He rolled over and looked up at the huge Transformers looming over him.
"How long have I been unconscious?"
"Unconscious?" Optimus sounded puzzled. "You touched Vector Sigma,
grunted, and fell over. It's been less than five seconds."
Ed picked himself up, painfully. "I suppose I should be grateful. Last
time, I was out for days. Well, I think I got what I needed." He rubbed at
his temples. "Fortuna! I feel like I've just swallowed the contents of the
entire Library of Congress. And I can't burp. Everything's pretty fuzzy in
here. But somehow I have the feeling that I've gotten the information I came
for." He shook his head. "So I'd best be leaving. Is there any way I can
thank you for your help? I'm well aware that I couldn't have done this
without your permission, Optimus."
"You don't owe us anything, Edward. We did this as a favor to PCHammer
and the Wedge."
"Maybe. But I still feel like I owe you guys something. If I ever get
back this way again, whatever you need; if it's within my power to give it
to you, it's yours. Well, I'd best get back to the Calypso. It's time for me
to be going." He sighed. "Seems like I've been saying that a great deal,
lately. Can't be helped, I suppose. But if I ever find the scum that did
this to me, well... when I get my hands on him, I may just borrow your files
on Decepticon war crimes, to find some new and _interesting_ ideas on what
to do with the good Dr. Smith."
***
"It's been a privilege meeting you, Prime. And you as well, Magnus. You
were heros of mine, back in my native reality. It's good to see that the
reality exceedes the legend." Ed extended the gauntlet of his armor. "Would
you do me the honor of shaking my hand? So to speak, of course."
"It would be my pleasure, Edward." They shook hands, and Optimus gazed
down at him with a quizzical look on his face.
"Where will you go now, Edward? What's next for you?"
"Like my future self said... explore the multi-verse, and myself. Try to
see what's out there, and what's inside me. And maybe find a way back home.
I don't really buy into this destiny thing people keep handing me." He
looked up at the distant stars. "_I'm_ the captain of my soul, not some
mystical _destiny_, damn it all! Not the Stars, not the Gods, and certainly
not Fate or Destiny. True or not, that's the way I have to live my life. I
can't accept anything else."
"I understand. But sometimes destiny comes for a person, whether they
like it or not. I was once Orion Pax. Now, I am Optimus Prime. Once, I would
have fought that change. Now I realize that it was inevitable."
"I've still got to try, though. Thank you for everything, Prime. Maybe
we'll meet again. May Fortuna bless and keep you."
"And you as well, Edward. Until all are one. Farewell."
"Until all are one, Prime. Goodbye."
He turned and entered the Calypso, which lifted off a few moments later.
It streaked towards the sky like a homesick angel. As he watched it
disappear, Optimus Prime heard Magnus mutter something.
"What?"
"I said, do you think we'll really see him again?"
"No. If he ever finds his way home, I don't think he'll ever willingly
leave it again. That was a very homesick young being we just met, old
friend." The Calypso had passed beyond the range of Prime's sensors, and he
turned towards his headquarters. "But stranger things have happened. *Much*
stranger things have happened. It's a infinitely large multi-verse out
there, Magnus. Very large, indeed."
**********************************
"Are you ready, lover boy?" Minerva asked.
*Damn it! I _really_ wish she'd stop calling me that.* he thought.
"No. But I have to do this anyway."
"Then give the order, lover."
"All right. According to Doctor Burroughs, it take a translation or
rotation of at least ten quanta in size to make a real change in universes.
Anything less just gets you a world almost identical to the last. Right?"
"Yes."
"All right, then," Ed responded. He crossed the bridge and sat down in
the captain's chair. "Attention to orders. Make ready the Irrelevancy Drive.
Set all rotations and translations to ten quanta per unit, minimum. Prepare
to rotate one unit at my command."
"All changes laid in and carried out. Last chance to back out of this,
B'wana."
"Not on your life, m'dear." He gazed out the viewscreen, for one last
look at a universe he'd once thought fictional. He'd found new worlds, new
friends and new enemies. A whole new life. "Undocumented Features. A
beautiful universe. And one that I can't have. I'll miss it, and them. But I
have to find my home."
"I know, boss. I'm sorry."
He shook his head. "Don't. This whole thing's my own damn fault. Now get
ready, girl." He stood up. "Play me some music. Something fitting. Something
appropriate."
In the background, "Rocky Mountain High" swelled from the speakers.
"Thank you. On my mark, rotate."
"Five."
"Four."
"Three."
"Two."
"One."
"ROTATE!"
*** DISCONTINUITY ***
And a small piece of space was empty again.
/* John Denver "Take Me Home, Country Roads" _Greatest Hits_ */
**********************************
And that's Chapter 6, and the end of Part One. I hope you all enjoyed it.
It took a little longer that the others. I came down with carpal tunnel
syndrome in the middle of it. Ouch!
I'd like to thank the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for
presenting me this Oscar...
Ooops! Wrong speech! Sorry! Anyway, I'd like to thank all of you who
emailed me and told me you enjoyed this story. That's why I kept it going.
For you.
Don't worry about the ending. Legion will be back in "Legion's Quest 2:
Tanks for the Memories"
Lyrics from "Calypso" (c) by John Denver. Used without permission. {I got
no money, John. If ya wanna sue, well...}
Poem (c) by David Gonterman, based on a passage from Ghost Rider 2099 #1,
from Marvel Comics. Used _with_ David's permission. (Yes, I know the poet
personally. Nyah, nyah! So there! <grin>)
Concepts stolen from -
Pearson "Doc" Mui stolen from: Pearson Mui! (And Boy! was it hard,
smuggling him over the state line. He put up quite a fight!)
PCHammer stolen from Martin "PCHammer" Rose. (And if you think it's easy
stealing a Transformer, YOU try it sometime!)
Thank you, guys. You were there for me when I needed it most.
And collectively to:
Brian "Megazone" Bikowicz, Ben "Gryphon" D. Hutchins, Rob "ReRob"
Mandeville, Larry "R-Type" Mann, Martin "PCHammer" F. Rose, Pearson "Doc"
Mui, Chris "Robotech Master" Meadows, Adam "Pfloyd" Johnson, and everyone
else who contributed to my biggest inspiration...
*** UNDOCUMENTED FEATURES ***
Read it.
Good people and good citizens of the net, all. They could have flamed me
to death for writing this, and they didn't. Gryphon advised me gently and
helped me to find my own voice. Thank you, Ben.
Thank you, you've been a wonderful audience.
And Remember.....
"Anime... It's not just for breakfast anymore!"
See you soon.
Edward Becerra
[edward@genesis.org] or
[eabecerra@nyx.cs.du.edu]