Mutabilis (Oolite Saga Part 2) Read online

  She had to make Jim believe it too, so he’d be hurt enough to let her go, at least until he would no longer be able to stop her. Feigning a lack of interest in seeing him again, and deliberately ignoring his question about what she’d been up to had been hard enough, she’d wanted to tell him that she’d longed to see him, but had been too ashamed to do so.

  Putting on her show of betrayal had hurt her far more than she had expected it to.

  I’ve lied and cheated a hundred times to close a deal, yet this was like cutting myself in half…

  It had been to no avail. She had been prepared to sacrifice herself for Jim, but even that had been denied her. Zerz had both outwitted her, and punished her.

  This can’t be happening…

  Her own words from just a day before came back to haunt her.

  I’ll have my revenge, whatever the cost! – So Rebecca, was it worth it? My obsession has claimed another life! I can’t kid myself any longer, now I know what my feelings were… Zerz could see it, even if I couldn’t!

  She grasped Jim’s lifeless hand, squeezing it tightly, emotions overwhelming her.

  Jim, you should have just let me die! Why did you mess up my plan?

  Rebecca knew the answer.

  Both of us fools! Why couldn’t we just admit what we felt…

  “IT’S NOT FAIR!” she screamed into the darkness, dissolving into hysterical tears. There was no answer. Still distraught, she lowered her head, idly smoothing Jim’s hair away from his eyes. Trembling, she ran her hand over his eyes, closing them. At the sight of his pale, empty face she gasped, her hand going to her mouth. Fresh tears formed, unashamedly cascading down her face.

  I’ve lost everything I cared about again! I didn’t get to say anything I wanted to say. You were right, Jim! Give up the revenge! Why didn’t I listen to you? Why?

  A breeze drifted through the cavern. She felt it, cool across her skin. She heard a faint sound akin to a ship landing, followed by a soft thud.

  She sat up and spun around, looking frantically around her. There was nothing there. The cavern was empty. She almost fainted as a fresh wave of dizziness washed over her.

  Suddenly a bright light fell upon her, she squinted into it, able to make out only a vague shadowy shape, a loading ramp, apparently folding out of nothingness. A cloaked ship? There were voices too, bickering with each other.

  “Cutting it fine as usual I see,” the voice was rough and grating, but not unkind. The accent was tutored.

  “We’re exactly on time!” the other voice was lighter, more melodic, but less sophisticated. “I’d like to see you do better.”

  “Quickly, we don’t have much time!”

  Rebecca could see two figures approaching. Alarmed, she scrambled to a sitting position, wiping the tears from her eyes with her free hand. She was in no condition to put up any resistance.

  “Who are you… ?”

  The figures strode in front of the illuminated docking ramp and Rebecca was able to make them out more clearly. The first was a woman, slender, but elegantly dressed in a somewhat impractical red gown, with fine brown hair interspersed with silver streaks. Her face was friendly and open, eyes alight with enthusiasm, but surrounded by crows feet and wrinkles. The second was a man, dressed in a heavy cloak. His face was old, grey and bearded, but Rebecca immediately recognised his piercing gaze.

  “Iacobus!” Rebecca gasped. “Where did you come from?”

  The man frowned, exchanging a look with his companion. “Iacobus you say? You know me?”

  Rebecca stared at him, frowning, he looked younger, more vigorous than before. “You sent me! Don’t you remember?”

  “I did?” He seemed astonished.

  His companion seemed to find this most amusing. “Well, Iacob, who else were you going to trust, eh?”

  “I can’t believe I would be so cavalier,” Iacob replied. “Yet, it explains who sent her here… ”

  “Stop it,” the woman interrupted. “You’ll confuse her. We’ve got to… ”

  “Yes, yes, all right!” Iacob blustered.

  “What the hell is going on?” Rebecca demanded, angry and confused. “Are you Iacob, or Iacobus?”

  “Rebecca, we don’t have much time,” Iacob said. “This is complex, and I can not explain it to you in its entirety.”

  “You can damn well try!” Rebecca cried out, her anger flaring.

  “The assassin, Zerz, has used Raxxla as he intended, but there have been consequences that he did not foresee, events that should not have occurred. In the years following, the Selezen Crisis grew worse… ”

  Rebecca stared at him, bewildered. “The what? Years? He only just left a moment ago!”

  “She won’t have a clue what you’re talking about… ” the woman said, in an almost sing-song voice.

  “Selezen Crisis! 3162 ’til 3174!” Iacob said hurriedly. “Zerz is behind it! It’s due to a quantum wave flux, a reciprocal vibration in the witchspace flow, it’s vitally important that you reverse the primary event that caused this paradoxical… ”

  “3162?” Rebecca responded, looking from one to the other. “That’s more than twenty years away! What… ”

  The woman pushed Iacob aside, rolling her eyes and shaking her head. She knelt down beside Rebecca and spoke gently, touching her arm reassuringly. “Listen, it’s quite simple. We’re from the future. We’re here to make sure that you’re able to stop Zerz before he misuses Raxxla.”

  “You can’t tell her about that, Reba!” Iacob snapped. “She’s not supposed to know!”

  Reba? She looks so like the holo-pics of my mother… . It couldn’t be, could it? No, it’s not possible. Maybe I’m dreaming…

  Rebecca stared into Reba’s, eyes. Reba’s face was tense, anxious, frank and honest. “She deserves the truth,” Reba said gently, more for Rebecca’s benefit than Iacob’s.

  Rebecca frowned, her head spinning with confusion. “Who are you two?”

  “Your ship; did you get the cloaking device as directed?” Reba asked.

  “Well, yes, but… ” Rebecca replied, still disorientated.

  “Then Zerz won’t have been able to destroy it. You must stop him before he jumps to Lave.”

  “I’m not leaving Jim!” Rebecca tightened her grip on Jim’s hand. “You can’t make me!”

  Reba took her other hand and gently lifted Rebecca to her feet, pulling her slightly away from Jim’s body. “Jim will be fine. Come with me. Iacob, hurry up!”

  If it is a dream, it’s a cruel one!

  “But… he’s dead!” Rebecca’s face crumpled again, tears filling her eyes. She allowed herself to be drawn away, but her voice rose with alarm and hysteria as she saw Iacob move towards Jim. “Zerz killed him! It’s too late! LEAVE HIM ALONE!”

  Reba caught her arm. “It’s all right, everything will be all right. Trust me!”

  Iacob had opened what appeared to be some kind of medical kit and was waving some kind of medical scanner over Jim’s body. “Old style cellular disrupter,” he tutted. “To think people used to carry those around.” He looked rather reprovingly at Rebecca.

  “Stop it, please!” Rebecca whimpered, distraught. “Please, just leave him alone… .”

  Reba held her arms open to Rebecca, and Rebecca found herself falling into them, sobbing uncontrollably again. Despite her being a stranger, Reba’s embrace was somehow reassuring, beyond just the physical support. It was almost like family.

  Who is this woman? It’s like I know her! My mother…

  Rebecca almost fainted.

  “Rebecca, he’s not dead. Not for us… ” Reba held her close, touching her gently on the back and shoulders. Rebecca relented, too lost and confused to hold back.

  “Almost done,” Iacob called.

  “She’s hurt too,” Reba scolded, indicating Rebecca’s face. “That bastard Zerz roughed her up pretty bad! Be quick!”

  Iacob adjusted the device and a beam of light played across Jim’s body. After a few moments h
e handed the device to Reba. She gently pulled back from Rebecca.

  “Hold still my dear, this won’t take a moment.”

  Somehow Rebecca felt she could trust this woman implicitly. The same light played across her face. Rebecca felt as sense of extreme well-being and energy flooded into her. She felt the bruising on her face easing. Reba wiped her face gently with a cleansing pad from the kit.

  “There,” Reba said with a wink, apparently satisfied. “Now you look gorgeous again.”

  I feel better! This isn’t a dream! What’s going on? Who are these people?

  “What is that? How did you… . Who are you?” Rebecca reached out to touch the device in curiosity. Reba quickly pulled it away and pocketed it.

  “What in the name of Randomius Factoria… ”

  Rebecca turned to see Jim sitting up, looking pale, dizzy and confused, but very much alive. She stared in complete disbelief for a long moment, then looked at Reba and Iacob.

  That’s impossible, I must have gone mad! Maybe I’m delirious!

  Reba smiled and nodded encouragement.

  I don’t care!

  Rebecca cried in delight, flinging herself at him and hugging him close. “JIM! I can’t… JIM!”

  “Rebecca? But I was… ”

  Rebecca couldn’t help herself. She pulled him close and kissed him full on the lips, unwilling to let him go again.

  “For God’s sake girl! There’s no time for all this!” Iacob snapped. “You must hurry… ”

  “Aww, Iacob, this is the best bit,” Reba chided him, with a broad grin on her face. “You’re getting too old.”

  Rebecca was oblivious of everything else around her. There was no façade of indifference this time, no offhandedness. She stopped, looking searchingly into Jim’s eyes. “I thought you were… ”

  Jim reached out to touch her face in amazement. The bruising and the vicious cut across her face were gone, along with the dried smear of blood. Just the thinnest, almost invisible, white line marked the location of the cut inflicted on her cheek. If it hadn’t been for her now torn, blood-stained and muddied dress, there would have been no indication that anything had happened to her.

  “And you? You were hurt… ” he echoed weakly.

  He didn’t stop to hear the answer. He looked into Rebecca’s eyes and pulled her back to return the kiss, she didn’t resist.

  I’m never letting this girl out of my sight again…

  “Ahem!” Iacob coughed impatiently.

  Jim released Rebecca and turned, looking at Iacob and Reba.

  “Who are you?” Jim said, as bewildered as Rebecca had been. “And where did you come from?”

  “Oh, they’re from the future or something,” Rebecca said matter of factly, releasing him helping him to his feet.

  “The future… ?”

  “See, I told you she was the right choice,” Reba said to Iacob. “Straight to the point, nothing fazes her for long… ”

  “… As always,” Iacob rolled his eyes.

  Jim looked at Iacob and Reba, and across at the landing gantry apparently suspended in mid air. “You’re trying to tell me that Raxxla… ”

  “All true, yes, yes. Time travel, portals, all of it!” Iacob answered. “Surely you realise that by now! Good grief! Don’t be so dense young man!”

  Jim eyebrows raised in surprise at the rebuff.

  “Time travel. Right.” Rebecca turned to Reba. “Wait a minute! You said Zerz had already been to Raxxla! If we stop him, then he won’t get there, you won’t have to come here, you won’t help us and we won’t be able to stop him, so… ”

  “Just stop,” Reba said, her voice amused. “Trust me, you do not want to go there. All you have to do is stop Zerz.”

  “Is someone going to explain this?” Jim demanded.

  “There’s no time,” Iacob snapped. “You must trust us.”

  “Why should we?” Jim argued back.

  “Jim!” Rebecca hissed. “You don’t cross-examine someone who brings you back from the dead! You say ‘thanks’ and do what they say!”

  “You should listen to her more, Jim,” Reba said, still sounding amused. Iacob, on the other hand, was glaring at her again. Jim looked unconvinced.

  “You’ve got to answer this at least,” Jim said. “Zerz has a plasma accelerator. He’ll make mincemeat of us in a fire-fight! You say your from the future, how does Rebecca stop him then?”

  “Good question!” Rebecca said, looking at the older pair expectantly.

  Reba looked at Iacob and they exchanged an anxious look.

  “I don’t know how you do it,” Reba squeezed Rebecca’s hand in hers, her eyes gleaming as if with pride when she looked at Rebecca. “I just know you can. Believe in yourself.”

  “That isn’t very helpful!” Rebecca said, frustrated. “Why can’t you help us? Two ships on one – we might stand a chance!”

  “Time paradox,” Reba shrugged. “It’s not possible. Anyway, we’ve only got an Ophidian class scout-ship.”

  “We’re not going anywhere until you tell us who the hell you are!” Jim stated, folding his arms.

  “Jim!” Rebecca remonstrated, pulling at his arm. “Now is not the time… ”

  “She’s right! There’s no time!” Iacob snapped. “You must go! Hurry!”

  Jim glared at Iacob impassively. Iacob sighed and looked at Reba.

  Reba shrugged. “I did tell you this would happen. You know what they’re like.”

  “Do you have to be right all the time?” Iacob replied, before fixed Jim with a sharp look. “If I tell you will you go? Carry out this task immediately?”

  Rebecca looked between them both, and then at Jim.

  Jim studied the Iacob’s face for a long moment and then looked at Rebecca. She nodded.

  “All right. Yes, we’ll go.”

  Iacob looked at Reba, and waved his hand dismissively. “You wanted to tell them.”

  Reba smiled, and looked straight at them, with a mischievous grin. “We’re you.”

  Rebecca and Jim exchanged a quick startled look.

  “Us?” they replied together.

  “From the year 3175 to be precise,” Iacob volunteered impatiently. “No more questions, you must stop Zerz!”

  Reba smiled, and with a flash of humour said, “You could say the future depends on it.”

  “If you’re us, you must be able to tell us more!” Rebecca said. “Give us some advice! What should we do?”

  “Don’t get yourselves killed!” Reba replied, grinning. “We’d be most upset about it!”

  “Cute.”

  “I can only give you one piece of advice,” Iacob said sternly. “I can’t give you more for obvious reasons.”

  “Time paradoxes,” Jim breathed out.

  Iacob nodded and then spoke directly to Jim. “Listen carefully. You will need more time.”

  “That’s it?” Jim spluttered. “Just some cryptic clue? I’ll need more time? What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “You’ll understand why… ”

  “… when we’re older?” Jim snapped back. “Thanks! You’re worse than my parents!”

  “And for God’s sake,” Iacob said crossly, stooping down, picking up the Raxxla file and pushing it towards Jim. “Look after this!”

  Iacob and Reba turned and headed towards their invisible ship. As they reached the loading ramp of their ship, Iacob called back to them, “I can’t tell you any more! Now go! Zerz must be stopped! And don’t tell them anything else, Reba!”

  They both ran up into the interior and the loading ramp began to fold away.

  If she’s from the future, she must know!

  “Wait!” Rebecca suddenly shouted. “One more question! Do I save my family?”

  The loading ramp slammed shut and disappeared.

  For a moment Jim and Rebecca said nothing, just listening as the invisible ship launched. The sound faded away.

  Rebecca looked at Jim.

  “Are you okay?” she aske
d, in a small voice. “I mean, you were, well… ”

  “Dead?” Jim couldn’t quite get his head around it. He remembered everything fading away around him, Rebecca’s anxious face, and then it was just like waking from sleep, with a stranger standing over him.

  “Er… yeah,” Rebecca said uncertainly. She picked up the knife from where it had fallen in on the sandy floor.

  “I feel fine. You?”

  “Good. A bit tired, but okay.”

  He looked across at her in disbelief. “I grow a beard?”

  Rebecca laughed, and they both relaxed.

  “Suits you,” Rebecca said coyly. “Better than grey hair and laughter lines, though I do look good in a dress, don’t I? Not bad for a wrinkly. Come on, we’ve got a job to do.”

  Zerz had the galactic overjump programmed in to the witchdrive. He reduced the throttles and the whine of the ramjet drives reduced to a gentle hum. The Falchion was poised, ready to jump. He pressed the commtab sequence to initiate the jump.

  Galactic Witchspace to Lave in 15 s.

  He sat back and waited for the eerie glow of witchspace to surround the Falchion and transport him to his destination. He felt a surge of elation. He had the location of Raxxla, he was unimpeded now. Jim was disposed of and he had the comforting knowledge that he had both physically and mentally tortured the woman who had cost him his reputation.

  She would be forced to choose between dying a lonely lingering death marooned on Oresrati with the corpse of her beloved Jim, or be forced into a desperate suspended animation thruspace trip which would take twenty years to complete, with little chance of success.

  I will savour that thought for many years…

  The countdown ended. Nothing happened. The console spat out a string of messages:

  Witchdrive Malfunction! Jump Aborted.

  Alignment Parameters Incorrect.

  Please proceed to an authorised service centre.

  Zerz stared at the console in disbelief, actually slamming his hands down on it in sheer frustration. A quick check revealed all the witchdrive alignment parameters appeared to be fine. He had seen her adjust the alignment! Yes, she had used an unorthodox approach, but everything checked out! All the status indicators had been green and they still were. Somehow she had been able to engineer a faulty alignment that appeared to be fine to every status check short of actually performing the jump itself!