The old freight train station on Main Street in Washington Court House had long ago been converted into a live-stock feed factory. As was the case so often, Armageddon made something old new again.
Engineers had re-converted the one-story wooden building back into a train station with relative ease; the platforms and ramps were in good condition and CSX had operated on the accompanying tracks up until the day the world went away.
General Jerry Shepherd hoisted a soft travel bag over his shoulder and walked across the puddle-covered parking lot. He heard the rough idle of supply trucks anticipating cargo and the distant hiss of a steam engine waiting for passengers.
In contrast to most of his travel, a squad of security did not escort the General due to his presence in Ohio being a secret. He did not mind, however. Shepherd did not like the royal treatment. The more time he spent on the frontier of this new, untamed America the more he craved a sense of individuality and even a touch of adventure. No doubt that craving contributed to the rash rescue attempt.
I think I'm turning in to a cowboy, he admitted to himself.
A high pressure system had moved over central Ohio and the temperature rose to forty degrees, the highest since early December but winter managed to maintain its grip by sending a mix of sleet and rain from an absolutely gloomy sky.
In fact, 'gloomy' described the entire scene outside the station; rain over everything, the waterfall-like rush pouring off the station’s slanted roof, desolate trees in the distance that looked weary of winter. Everything lacked color, as if the sleet had washed away the reds and blues. Even the canvas green on the army trucks was torn and faded.
He worked his way between parked trucks, dodged a couple of moving ones, accepted the salute of two soldiers who noticed the stars on the collar of his BDUs, and passed two Bull Terriers sniffing for trouble before entering the building that smelled like a barn.
Shep paid forty "Continentals" for a one-way ticket to Wilkes-Barre (that price doubled in the last three weeks), then relaxed on a makeshift bench made of barrels and wooden planks.
His train idled outside and was scheduled to leave at 3 p.m., a half-hour ago. Those who traveled on The Empire's rails knew to add at least one full hour to any scheduled departure.
Shep tried to relax but could not. His concern for Trevor and sense of guilt over the botched mission would not allow it. He tried to divert his attention by people-watching.
He saw an elderly woman and a young boy walk hand-in-hand between the ticket counter and schedule postings. He did not need a sixth sense to know that the older woman was the caretaker of a soldier’s child.
Nearby, a middle aged man argued with an attendant over a schedule. Shep knew the man was not actually angry over a schedule. He was afraid; afraid for whomever it was he had come to visit at the camp.
He saw a group of adults and kids bustle in with carts full of luggage, and he saw a pregnant girl crying in a corner.
At last, a couple of familiar faces. Nina and Denise crossed the station and exited out onto the loading platform. He wanted to run to them, but first he had to prepare for questioning.
Like clockwork, Nina asked Shepherd about the year of her missing memories every six months. Each time he danced, dodged, and outright lied to keep his vow of never speaking of that relationship. He anticipated a need to dance yet again, but struggled to build a good defense. Exactly how could he explain to her that Trevor Stone-the Emperor-left behind his palace and body guards and grand plans to seek out little old Nina Forest?
Shepherd let loose a long sigh before grabbing his bag and strolling across the busy lobby and outside. A slanted roof covered most of the platform; the freezing rain fell in sheets from the lip of that roof. Some of the flood pitter-patted against the edge of the concrete landing.
He spotted Nina and Denise hovering at the far end of the crowded platform. Nina carried a duffel bag of personal gear and Denise a backpack. Odin-Nina’s faithful Norwegian Elkhound-sat near the two women.
The General walked alongside the train as he made his way toward them. That train consisted of an eclectic collection of cars starting with several 1930’s vintage coaches, a glimmering silver Amtrak diner, a couple of old mail cars, and even a red caboose. He spotted all manner of modifications to the couplings, the undercarriages, and the wheels of the cars. Like everything else in the new world, transportation worked by modifying leftovers.
A monster of a Mallet-type steam locomotive led the caravan, sitting and rumbling like a steel dragon waiting to take flight. Its coal tender proudly proclaimed "Norfolk and Western."
Denise spotted him first. She ran over and gave her 'Pop' a big hug.
He asked Nina, "How are you feeling?"
"I’m good. Especially since I’ve got two weeks back home. They’re transferring my unit to the south. Probably going to heat up down there soon."
"All aboard!"
The Conductor’s shout elicited a murmur of relief from the crowd followed by the sound of feet shuffling toward the coaches.
They boarded the musty old cars with Odin trotting along behind. Nina had spent the extra thirty Continentals on a sleeper car for the sake of Denise who was exhausted, even if she would not admit it. While Shep traveled to Wilkes-Barre, Nina and her daughter would remain on board all the way to Annapolis, meaning they would spend the night on the train.
Nina opened the door to the old-style sleeper and hustled Denise in. The window there looked out on the train station platform. Soon enough it would offer a view of rolling Ohio countryside, then Pennsylvania farmland, then mountains, and more.
Shepherd asked, "So what's your plan?"
Denise stared out at the masses queued on the landing. Streaks of snowy rain raced along the glass.
"First we’ll get settled. Then we’re going to the dining car. I’m starved and I don’t think Denise has had much more than hot chocolate in a couple of days."
"Some chow sounds right fine by me," Shepherd had not realized his hunger until she mentioned food.
"Then Denise is going nap. I think she’s had even less sleep than she’s had food."
"Sounds like you’ve got a pretty good plan lined up."
Nina faced him head on and, with the same friendly tone, said, "And after I get her tucked in, you and I are going to sit down and you’re going to tell me why the Emperor came all this way just to find me."
Nina left him standing at the doorway as she entered the compartment to stow her bag.
General Jerry Shepherd lost his appetite.
– The rectangular Railscout's electronic motor whirred as it buzzed along the tracks on metal wheels with sensors and cameras measuring the landscape from a small dome on the center of its suitcase-sized frame.
Information transmitted miles back to its host engine affirmed that the tracks remained in good condition, the icy rain had stopped, and, so far, no sign of any threats from the woods, plains, or empty villages surrounding the railway.
– Jerry Shepherd waited in the dining car, his heart thumped and sweat greased his brow.
How exactly am I going to get out of this one?
Nina approached along the aisle swaying side to side in abeyance of the wobbling car then sat across from him.
"You want a coffee?"
She ignored the gesture and started right off, "Why did Trevor Stone come to find me? I’m just one of a hundred thousand soldiers. There has to be hundreds of soldiers missing all over this war and he takes the time to go after me. Why?"
"I don’t like your tone there, Captain Forest. I think you need to remember who it is you’re talking to."
"Listen, don’t pull that with me, Shep. You’re not allowed to. You’ve never fallen back on rank before so you can't do it now. I won’t fall for it. I want answers."
He slowly sipped his mug of coffee. Another delaying tactic.
She was right, of course. He had never — never- pulled rank on her. To do so now only made him look more guilty. Instead, he grabbed for another tactic.
"My oh my, you sure got one bloated noggin' on those shoulders. Listen to you; ‘why did Trevor Stone come out here looking for me?’ Do you hear yourself?"
"So, what? He came out looking for Odin?"
Shepherd almost laughed because Nina did not know that Odin had originally been Trevor’s personal pet. He wondered how intense her questions would become if she found out that little nugget of information.
"Now you listen to me, because I’m a right bit tired of getting interrogated every six months by you. The Emperor came to Ohio to surprise the troops. I came along because I heard you had gone missing and I wanted to find you. Maybe you don’t recall, but there was a time way back in the beginning when there weren’t many people other than Trev, Brewer, Johnny, and yeah, Nina Forest. So when I told Trevor I was going looking for you, he decided to take charge of the whole thing himself. You ask me, I think he was just tired of sitting behind a desk."
He then nonchalantly sipped his coffee. To his surprise, he saw her eyes waver. Hitting at her ego-or suggesting her ego got the better of her-helped. She seemed off-balance. Unsure whether to proceed.
"General Shepherd?" The interruption came from the Conductor, a man who appeared to have lost all color in his cheeks and spoke through trembling lips. "I’m sorry, Sir, but I heard you were on board and, well, we have a problem, Sir."
Several Internal Security agents wearing plain cloths but identified by I.S. armbands hurried through the car on their way forward.
"What is it?"
"Could you come up to the security car? We could use your help…"
…The Railscout slowed forward momentum allowing the steam engine to catch up. The cow-catcher at the front of the locomotive opened and the Railscout fit perfectly inside a compartment there with a metallic clang.
In the armor-plated security car, a sharp buzz from a table top of electronic controls signaled the I.S. Onboard Chief Officer (O.C. O) that the surveillance drone was secure.
Shep and Nina stood behind the O.C.O. seated at the console as he replayed a video image for the third time and said, "I was hoping you people could tell me what that is."
The grainy image played on a malfunctioning monitor, I.S. never received the best equipment and train security occupied a lower rung on the totem pole. Nonetheless, the image displayed a house-sized mound of flesh with a big ugly mouth straddling a road fifty yards off the tracks.
Two creepy, flat eyes moved-drifting up, down, and side to side like flotsam atop a pond-on pale, slimy skin.
General Shepherd ran a hand over his eyes as he told the O.C.O. as well as the assembled security force, "Hostile Number one-five-seven. It only gets a number because no one has figured out a polite enough name for it."
"It looks like it’s just sitting there," the Chief observed. "No arms or legs. Maybe it can’t reach the tracks."
Nina scoffed, "Keep telling yourself that."
"Then we should stop? We have to hit the brakes now if we’re going to stop before we get to it."
"Nope. Can’t do that," Shepherd explained. "We need to push through really fast. Tell your engineer to crank the steam. Seems to me, that’s the best way to get by this thing."
Nina added, "Listen, you’d better radio I.S. HQ for this sector. They’ll need to get some military units over here to clean up that pile of shit. Tell them you’ve got a one-fifty-seven."
The Chief pointed out, "There’s no way military units will get here in time to help us."
Shepherd said, "She knows that. What she means is that you should radio them now, ‘cause we might not be around to radio them later…"
…The steam train chugged across the western Pennsylvania landscape gaining more and more speed as it ran on rails cutting between a collection of soft hills, patches of forest, and then one of the hundreds of ghost towns inside The Empire’s borders.
The mound of pale creature sat on a stretch of road at the edge of the empty village. It spoiled what could have been a Norman Rockwell painting of small town America. Other than the movement of its two yellow eyes and the occasional grinding of its massive, ugly mouth, the thing showed no sign of life.
Five I.S. agents traveled on the train, including their Chief who remained in the security car to monitor the situation while the Conductor searched for soldiers or volunteers to help.
The I.S. agents not watching monitors divided, a pair went to the locomotive to protect the crew and another two took positions in the old-fashioned caboose.
Nina and Shep, carrying assault rifles with grenade launchers, waited at the middle of the train, a train that included the large steam locomotive, its tender, the armored security control car, two mail coaches filled with packages and bags, a dining car, and four old-style passenger cars followed by the caboose that also served as a secondary security station..
With time short, Nina sent a porter to find Denise in the sleeping car and fill her in on the situation. Other attendants moved passengers forward to the enclosed mail cars where the windowless walls and heavy doors provided better protection.
On Shepherd's advice, they planned to race past the creature as quickly as possible. By the time the train reached the danger zone, the locomotive hit top speed. Smoke billowed from the stack, the cars rattled and shook causing gasps of fear among the passengers huddled in the dark mail cars, and the rail lines vibrated to the point of emitting a low hum like a tuning fork.
All of the defenders carried radios. Shep listened to the play-by-play from the I.S. agents in the locomotive: "Closing on it now, no sign of movement. Those friggin’ eyes are looking right at us! Man, that's some ugly shit."
The cars clickity-clacked along the tracks as if the train had gone mad.
"We’re passing…no movement…nothing."
Shep watched from his position alongside Nina in one of the passenger cars. The big blob of sickly pale fat did not move. Its two eyes swirled around in its mass and stayed locked on the passing train.
"Man, I think we’re okay on this," the forward-most agents cheered.
Shepherd and Nina drifted toward the rear of the train as the last coaches passed the disgusting mound of flesh. They both slid open windows better see the hideous creature, allowing the foul smell of the thing to seep inside.
The security detail in the caboose radioed, "Hey, no sign of movement. It’s just looking at us like…wait a second…what the Hell..?"
Nina and Shepherd saw what the men in the caboose saw: the creature’s massive mouth opened and the entire blob of a thing heaved, complete with a bellow that sounded as if it vomited.
In fact, it did.
Things flew out of its mouth. Large insect-like beasts with bodies as large as an automobile and wing spans stretching a good thirty feet from tip to tip.
As they flew out-expelled from the belly of the blob-their undercarriages unfolded revealing rows of legs and two scythe-like appendages.
The swarm-six of them-hovered in the air for a moment then headed toward the escaping train. The quick flap of their membrane wings created a loud whir audible even over the frantic chugging of the steam engine.
"We’ve got incoming!" Shepherd radioed as he followed Nina through the passenger coaches and then finally into the caboose.
One I.S. agent had removed a glass panel from the roof cupola to aim a heavy machine gun at the approaching flock.
The second agent asked nervously, "What are these things? What was that big blob?"
Nina answered the man with an angry tone in her voice; a tone Shep knew did not come from hostile animals but from his ability to deflect her questioning. "These flying things are fetching dinner for the big thing. I’m just saying, you don’t want that to happen."
"What? They’ll carry someone back and feed it to the momma-thing?"
"Not exactly," Nina delighted in the nasty explanation probably as a means of releasing the nastiness she felt toward Shepherd at that moment. "These flying things eat you then go back to 'momma'. Then she eats them. I have to think, that would just suck."
"Don’t worry about it," Shepherd assured. "Just start firing. Look for the soft spot under the neck. Don’t bother with the heads; they’re armor plated."
On cue, the officer in the cupola ripped loose a burst of fully automatic gunfire while shouting, "They’re…coming…in…fast!"
Nina opened the rear door of the caboose and was greeted by a disgusting maw, two eyes on stalks, and the swing of one of the scythe-like appendages.
Forest dived back into the caboose. The bone-blade of the creature crashed through the wooden walls like a knife through butter. Those walls splintered and warped. The rear part of the caboose’s roof collapsed midway down and blocked the rear door.
The impact knocked the machine gun man off balance and he fell out of the cupola. On the way down, his weapon fired wildly. Bullets from the gun killed the second I.S. agent and nearly did the same to Nina as she lay prone on the floor.
"Get out! Get out!" Shepherd ordered as he dragged the machine-gun man to his feet.
Shock overcame the poor guy as he realized he just cut his partner in two.
"Oh shit! I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry!"
Shepherd pulled him toward the door even as the man continued to apologize to both pieces of his friend’s corpse.
A heavy thud from above announced the arrival of a second insect while the first one tried to claw through the wood of the half-fallen roof.
Nina scrambled to her feet and fired a three-round burst of bullets through the debris, covering Shepherd as he dragged the babbling gunner out of the caboose, across the metal walkway atop the coupler, and through the doorway of the rearmost passenger coach. As she did, she spied two more insect things flying alongside the train searching for avenues of attack.
With one insect at the rear door trying to push through the debris of the roof it had caused to collapse and a second on the stretch of roof that still stood, a third rammed the side of the caboose.
The entire car rose into the air, the two rear wheels corkscrewed then landed off the tracks. Sparks erupted from those derailed metal wheels rubbing against the rail. The friction sent a vibration across the coupler and into the passenger car. They felt the torque of the wayward caboose pull at the coach threatening a chain reaction that could crash the entire train.
"We’re going to friggin’ derail!" the I.S. agent screamed as a frigid wind whipped through the open doorway of the coach from where the three watched the caboose's death throws.
"Cut it loose! Cut the caboose loose!" Shep ordered the guy.
The man looked to Shep with wide, frightened eyes but after a second of hesitation he found the courage to do the job. He put aside his machine gun and crawled on his belly. Nina and Shep took pot shots at a couple of the giant insects flying alongside the train.
The rear wheels grew red from heat as they dragged and flared against the rails. Twisting metal groaned.
Suddenly the landscape changed. Instead of town and roads, the train dove into a densely-populated evergreen forest forcing the flying insects to retreat to the sky or become entangled in branches. The two creatures already on the caboose remained.
The I.S. officer cast aside the metal planks that served as a walkway over the coupler. He then leaned down and yanked hoses and wires.
"Hurry up!" Nina shouted as their two unearthly passengers took notice of the three people standing in the open air between the caboose and the passenger coach.
"Almost there!"
The train rounded a bend at break neck speed. The line of cars-even those still firmly on rails-groaned as g force pulled the entire assembly to the right. The rear of the caboose took to the air. Its motion sent a shiver through the entire train. The physics became unavoidable…the wayward caboose would drag the entire train off the tracks.
Shepherd hoped the crash killed him; he did not want a big bug to eat him alive.
At the last possible second, the agent unleashed the coupler.
The caboose literally flew off the railroad and spun in the air. The two insects clung to the vehicle even as the red car disintegrated in the spin. All of them-the caboose and the two giant insects-exploded into a wall of trees.
The train continued on, one car lighter.
Nina and Shep helped the agent to his feet.
"Well done," Shep patted the shaken man on his back then led the three defenders further inside what was now the last car on the train, one of the four old style coaches. Of course, the entire car had been evacuated.
A radio transmission warned, "Three of them are heading for the roof!"
They heard the creatures land overhead. A moment later one of the massive blade-like appendages smashed through the ceiling all the way down and into the floor.
Seconds later, another scythe pierced the ceiling forcing Nina to dive and roll to avoid its blind strike.
The insects acted like magicians slicing their knife-like appendages through a box in to which the beautiful assistant had been sealed.
"Keep…moving…forward…" Shep implored but it seemed as if another blade from either the roof or the side blocked every step they took…
…The locomotive roared forward out of the forest, across a trestle overlooking a cold stream, and through a rolling field. Ahead of it, on the tracks, landed the fourth flying insect-beast, challenging the engine head on.
From Hivvan saboteurs to human train robbers, this creature would soon learn that while the steam train came from a museum, it did not lack teeth.
A gun pod deployed at the front of the engine just above the cow-catcher compartment storing the Railscout. The weapon spooled to life and released an incinerating fire of plasma, eradicating the insect’s armor plating and destroyed everything except for two fibrous wings that fluttered off in the January wind like oversized leaves…
…The I.S. agent raised his heavy machine gun and fired a torrent of bullets straight up, tearing away an entire section of roof and eating into the belly of a beast. A sickly puss rained down upon him even as his dead target lost grip and fell away from the speeding coach.
That puss smelled like gasoline and it burned. He screamed.
Shep came to his assistance, forcing him forward even as blades from the remaining creatures tried to skewer them.
One of the monsters stuck its head in through the destroyed patch of ceiling. Nina hit it with full-automatic fire right in the face. It retreated for a moment.
"Go! Go! Go!"
The security man-still screaming from burns to his face and shoulders-let Shep lead him out the door and to the open-air ramp leading toward the next coach. He unlatched the door and saw a small crowd of volunteers as well as the Conductor waiting in there.
Shepherd gently pushed the man inside and ordered them to, "Get this fella some help and get forward."
One of the creatures swung its head between cars and tried to engulf Shepherd as he stood above the coupling. Nina tackled Shep out of the bite of the monster and into the next coach. The sight of the two diving in just below alien jaws encouraged the Conductor and the volunteers to accelerate from a walk to a sprint toward the front of the train.
Nina, lying on the floor next to Shep, turned and fired her weapon through the portal they had just crashed through. The insect thing squeezed into the space between the cars, its spindly legs resting on the metal crosswalk as if it might just follow them into the passenger car.
Nina reacted, "Fire in the hole!"
Shepherd did the only thing he had time to do; he rolled under one of the seats.
Nina launched a grenade from the M203 on her M4's barrel and also rolled for cover.
The grenade hit the creature at close range. The explosion pushed it back into the rear-most coach. Chunks of the creature tore off and the wood frame of the passenger car caught fire as the creature went up in flames. The flash-fire threatened to engulf the entire compartment.
The last two of the insects stood on top of that coach jabbing their scythe-claws through the roof hoping to hit prey but actually cutting at their burning comrade.
Nina stood and reloaded her launcher. She then fired a second grenade into the burning coach. The explosion split the train car in two. The rear half derailed and rolled down an embankment. Two of the dying creatures went with it while the third-the last one-took to the air with its wings on fire. It fluttered for a second like a warped firefly and then fell.
"We need help back here," Shepherd radioed from the floor between seats. "Get us a fire extinguisher and someone who can uncouple the last coach."
Nina, still full of anger, turned to face Shepherd with half-a-mind to restart the interrogation right there. She wanted answers.
Then she saw the metal rod through his shoulder.
"Holy shit, Shep," anger evaporated into panic.
The explosion had sent shrapnel every where, including a foot-long steel rod through the seats and into his right shoulder.
The Conductor and two men entered the car and worked quickly to disconnect the burning, dragging coach from the train before the flames could spread.
Nina held Shepherd. A blood stain formed on his shirt and his sharp eyes glazed.
"Oh my God. I need a medic here!"
"It ain’t nothing, Nina. Don’t go fussin'."
Nina took stock of the nasty-looking wound. The rod had not hit any vital organs but the pain was immense, or it would be, once the adrenaline of battle faded.
"Oh, Shep, this is my fault. I shouldn’t have fired the grenade so close."
"Now don’t go sayin' that. You did what you always do, Nina. You won the fight."
He fell unconscious. Nina felt for a pulse and found a strong one. Still, she cradled his head in her lap and forgot about her questions. Suddenly they did not seem so important.
10. Redoubt
Trevor stood at the apartment's only window and from what the other Nina told him, most apartments did not have windows and those that did needed to shut the shudders after dark. That gave Trevor only another few minutes to view the city from the thirteenth floor of what felt like a nearly empty skyscraper hotel.
From his vantage point, he saw a couple of other skyscrapers which were part of the cluster of tall buildings comprising central Thebes; each colored dirty green, each-according to Nina-dormitories.
As he scanned the city, he saw smaller square-shaped and rectangular buildings; he saw fuel cisterns and generator stations, roof top greenhouses and air defense batteries.
Far away from the downtown sector, he saw smoke stacks and factory buildings including a giant structure resembling a sort of industrial cathedral, but a veil of smog hovered over the district obscuring the view.
A few traffic lights worked and he spied a handful of vehicles that reminded him of cargo carriers, transports, and cars from home but the streets remained mainly empty.
It was January in this world, too, yet half the buildings in the city emitted no smoke. That meant half the buildings in the city did not need heat because they were empty.
Overall, he saw a dark, sad city more depressing than the empty cities on his own post-Armageddon Earth. Those cities had died. This city-this 'Thebes'-seemed more a zombie: dead but too stubborn to pass quietly.
The thought made him shiver because he knew there had been a Trevor Stone on this world. A Trevor Stone who-like himself-led humanity’s fight. A Trevor Stone who made some mistake or another; who had failed.
Yes, they brought him here as a prisoner, but he felt pity for these humans. The Nina of this world thought that he could help so she kidnapped him. Could he judge her harshly? Had he not sent waves of his K9 killers to slaughter a village in the name of victory?
The bathroom door opened. Reverend Johnny joined Trevor at the window.
"What is it you spy, my friend?"
"I have spent every day since the world changed fighting so as to never see this."
Johnny nodded his head and quoted softly, "They may try to rebuild, but I will demolish them again…their country will be known as 'The Land of Wickedness,' and their people will be called 'The People with Whom the LORD Is Forever Angry.' "
The second sunset of their stay in Thebes neared. The two men were kept isolated the entire time, starting first at a vacant military barracks, then an empty dining hall where they found the food as bland as the walls, and now this apartment. Other than the company of a few silent guards, they remained alone except for the occasional question of "how are you guys holding up?" and the promise that "this won’t last much longer," during quick visits from Nina.
As for the dormitory, the furniture felt old, musty, and hard. Trevor found neither communication devices nor any type of radio or television. The dim lighting tended to flicker on and off, meaning power generation posed yet another issue for the people of this Earth.
With his eyes fixed on the darkening city outside, Trevor told Johnny, "I want to apologize. It was my foolishness that led us here."
"You owe me no apology, Trevor. I am wise in many ways but your vision in matters such as these is keener. If we were to speak honestly, then I must admit that you are in tune with forces I can not comprehend. You are a person of destiny, everyone knows this but we fear to speak openly of it."
"I suppose," Trevor said, "some things are best left unspoken."
"This is true. But here we are in what is apparently a duplicate world; a duplicate universe. The same in many ways and yet different in its subtleties. Imagine if told of a parallel universe a few years ago how we would have reacted. That revelation would have been enough to question all of what we know; our place in the universe, our faith, our science. But here I stand not in awe of this incredible truth, but in complete acceptance. Why is that?"
Trevor answered, "Because you’ve seen so much already. Because monsters and aliens are real. When you’re fighting for your life it is easy to set aside the larger picture and focus on the 'what' and not the 'why' because the 'why' might just drive you crazy."
"Yes, indeed. But for those who follow you, Trevor, there is a greater truth. We have fought the vile beasts and glimpsed Hell. These things point to powerful, all-encompassing forces. Yet, we are not afraid of these powers. Do you know why? Because of you. Partly because you are a master general, partly because you have taken the burden of our survival on your shoulders so as to keep that burden from crushing us. But most important, you are a man in tune with the powers. I suppose you could say, when the Gods convene to weave their plans, they save a seat for you at the table. I know that no matter how small we seem, we are in fact giants. We have to be; otherwise the universe wouldn’t be going to such trouble to destroy us."
Trevor considered.
A seat at the table.
A quick knock on the door interrupted their conversation. Nina Forest walked inside.
"Sorry leaving you alone for a while like that, but I had a couple of things to take care of. I promise you’ll have my complete attention from here on in."
"I see," Trevor responded as she joined them at the window.
"Beautiful, isn’t it," she gestured to the view although her words were probably sarcastic.
"Sad," Trevor corrected. "I see a city that is barely alive."
"Barely alive is better than dead. I mean, I’ll take it, you know?"
"Tell us, my dear, what events conspired to lead to these dismal circumstances?"
"How far back do you want me to go?"
"Let me start," Trevor said. "Alien invasion, monsters, end of civilization. The Trevor Stone of this world becomes the leader and you win some fights, build up an army, save a lot of people, and start conquering territory. How am I doing?"
"That about sums it up. Until the really big battle."
"I’ll guess. The battle of five armies."
"Actually, there were seven armies."
Johnny laughed. "That would explain much."
"I mean, the big battle sort of put a damper on things but, still, we were in good shape. Lots of cities. Factories. In some spots it was almost like a regular life, you know?"
He led, "Then..?"
Her head bowed and Trevor could have sworn he saw tears in her eyes.
"Then you were killed. I mean, then our Trevor died in battle."
She gathered her thoughts. "Trevor was a great warrior. He won battles that we never thought we’d win. He was the glue holding us together. He kept the army officers in line and loyal; he kept the civilian leaders in their place. I mean, he made sure we worked toward the same goal, you know?"
Reverend Johnny assured, "I know."
"So what happened after…after I died?"
She sighed. "At first, chaos. Without Trevor at the top, the chain of command broke apart. Some officers tried to take over and some…some people actually killed each other. It was, like, almost a civil war. It went on for a while until we lost cities and armies because we were too busy fighting with ourselves. That’s when people negotiated. In the end, a group of administrators took over. We call them The Committee."
Trevor posed the next question, "How long has it been like this?"
"Like this? You-I mean, our Trevor-died two years ago. We’ve been losing ground even since. Things are bad. This is it. This is the last city. Do you understand? Twenty thousand people are all we have left. We’re desperate."
Trevor saw the mark of that desperation in her eyes. His heart sank. How could it not? Maybe she was not the Nina he knew, but she looked like her; sounded like her.
Nonetheless, he said, "I’m sorry, but I’m your prisoner, remember? You dragged me here. I have my own world to worry about. I don’t belong here."
"Your world is fine," she shot as that desperation turned to defensiveness. "Your armies are on the march. What were you doing? Were you leading them in the battlefield?"
Trevor remembered the maps and push pins and casualty reports. Maybe he had already been a prisoner and just did not know it.
"We are about to be wiped off the Earth. Does that matter? Do you want to see me die?"
"What I want is to go home. To be with my people," his words sounded hollow.
"You can make a difference here, Trevor."
Reverend Johnny asked, "Miss, you said your version of Trevor Stone died two years ago. Certainly your people know this; there is a statue in your courtyard. Therefore, they can not be fooled into believing he is still alive. Or am I mistaken?"
"Yes, everyone knows our Emperor is dead. Part of the problem is that our people saw him as more than a man; more than a leader. He was touched by greatness, we all knew this. When he was alive," her eyes grew vacant as she remembered. "When he was alive we knew we couldn’t be defeated. But when he died…"
Trevor finished for her, "When he died, it proved that you weren't invincible."
"But this is not your Trevor who stands before you," the Reverend pointed out.
"No," Trevor agreed. "I’m not. But her people could see…could see another Trevor from another universe; another world. To them it might be a sort of resurrection."
Johnny shifted uneasily at the reference to 'resurrection.'
"Yes, that’s right," Nina encouraged. "If only to see you. To have you walk among our troops. Then, maybe my people would be encouraged again."
"Or maybe we should leave right now and return home," Johnny proposed. "As you have said, Miss, the death of your Trevor was the beginning of your destruction. His disappearance from our world could be the commencement of our own annihilation."
Nina turned away and looked out the window. She did not answer Johnny but Trevor spoke for her. That angry tone returned to his voice, directed at the woman who had spirited him away from his world.
"We can’t go back, Reverend. At least not the way we came, isn’t that right, Nina? You somehow tricked someone-or I should say, some thing — out of its transport ship or whatever. I got a feeling you know whatever trick you used won’t work twice."
"I’ll find a way to get you home," she insisted without facing him. "I just need time."
"I look out that window," Trevor tapped the glass, "and I see a people who are running out of time."
Nina clasped her hands and struggled with words; struggled to hold back anger, frustration, and fear. "The attacks are coming every few days. We beat them back but each time we lose people; each time our supplies drain further. I…we…don’t know what to do. So I tried this. Tell me you wouldn’t have done the same, to save your people."
She made a point with which he could not argue. Besides, now that he was here, could he walk away? Was there a connection between humanity’s fate on his world and elsewhere?
"You moved across universes. What made you think to do that and how did you do it?"
She sighed as if such a discussion only wasted time.
"Trevor-our Trevor-I think he knew about the whole multi-dimension stuff. He knew a lot of things he never shared with me. He was secretive about some things, you know?"
Reverend Johnny answered, "We know."
"So anyway, after he died and things started to fall apart we got a tip about the Nyx and their nest. About what it was capable of doing. That got us thinking; if there’s another Earth with another Trevor who’s doing better, then maybe he could help us." She wringed her hands, cast her eyes down. "I wanted our leader back. I wanted…I wanted Trevor back."
Trevor heard more than mere loyalty for a leader in her words.
Johnny, however, kept the conversation on track. "So you managed to get a hold of this Nyx’s equipment? Can we not do that again?"
"No. We always knew it was a one-shot deal. But, hey, we’ll find another way home."
"Wait a second," Trevor interrupted. "How many, um. Wait, how to phrase this? How many different ‘worlds’ are there?"
Reverend Johnny tried to answer, "I have heard suggestions of an infinite number of parallel universes from theorists back in the days before the invasion. One would imagine-"
"Eight."
"Eight?" The men echoed in unison.
"Eight different universes; eight different Earths at war."
"What made you decide on, well, me from my world?"
"Look, this wasn’t a cruise. Time was not on our side, you know? I mean, I got kind of lucky. It just so happened you were doing pretty good. Your people weren’t going to miss you much. With all the success you had, well, I’m hoping The Committee won’t kill me over this."
Surprised, Trevor asked, "What do you mean?"
She curled her lip and admitted, "Well, The Committee wasn’t really a big fan of this mission. They’re all about conserving resources. For them, we’re on the defensive now and we’re going to stay that way. We lost some people doing this, spent a lot of valuable fuel and ammunition, and I really can’t show them any results, you know?"
"You do have me," he stated the obvious.
"Yes, but you’re not sounding too cooperative. I told The Committee…" she stopped and bit her lip again.
"You told them what?"
Johnny answered for her, "She told them that you would stay and fight for them. That you would do it for her. "
She did not want to answer, but after several seconds of the men staring at her she said, "Listen, I’ll get you home. I promise. And I’m sorry about stealing you away like this. But we’re dying here; it’s just a matter of time unless something changes. You can’t tell me that you don’t care what happens. We’re human beings, just like you."
Trevor’s mind raced. He thought of a hundred reasons why he should walk away from this alternate reality and find a way home. He found a hundred more to stay and help.
In his mind, two facts stood out. First, he had no way home. Not yet. If he was going to find a way home it would be with the help of these people.
Second, he stood two feet from Nina Forest, talking to her without the cold distance of stolen memories. Yes, a part of him tingled excitedly, like an eighth grade kid finding out the girl he held a crush for would be sitting next to him in Algebra class.
"Trevor, I don’t know the big picture. I’ll bet you know more about that than I do. But we’re connected even if we’re from different universes. You want to draw my blood and test it? I’m not going to rip off a mask and actually be a big lizard or something. I mean, there’s no parasite controlling my body. I’m not an android; I have veins and a heart and lungs like you.
"Kidnapping you…luring you was not nice. I can see why you’re angry and I would be in your place, too. Especially to be brought here, where humanity is doomed. I only ask a few days of your time. See what we’re doing, maybe you can show us a way out of our bind. Maybe you can inspire our people."
Reverend Johnny spoke in a deep but low tone, like a teacher trying to get through to a student, "You only ask that he saves the people of this planet. Mr. Stone is busy trying to save the people of our Earth. Two worlds is a tall request for one man."
Trevor gazed out the window. The last streaks of sun flickered off the buildings like embers of a fire smoldering away. He reached for the metal shutters and considered. Could he refuse her?
"I don't like being here. I'm not happy about it. But now I know there are eight different Earths facing invasion; eight places where humanity is under siege. Why? What's the grand plan at work here? If I can understand that plan, then maybe we can defeat it; for the sake of every person fighting and dying on those worlds. You said your Trevor knew of these Nyx things that allowed you to jump universes? What if he was on the trail of the answer?"
"Pray tell, what answer?" Johnny's voice carried an aggravated edge as he saw where Trevor's reasoning led.
"The answer to the question of 'why'?" He then narrowed his eyes at Nina and said, "Do you agree that we must return to our world? Do you promise to help us find a way home?"
She nodded.
"Okay then," he pulled the shutters closed. "Take me to The Committee."
– Nina gave the two men plain brown coveralls, matching the outfits worn by maintenance workers and non-combat personnel. She made sure Trevor wore a cap that fit snug over his head, hoping to hide his identity, for the time being.
She wore a short tan leather jacket over her black battle suit. Trevor and Johnny received a couple of windbreakers that were not adequate against the cold but would have to do for now because heavy jackets were in short supply.
The elevator took them to the first floor where they stopped at a security station just inside the heavy glass doors of the main entrance. Nina spoke to the military policeman there. Trevor believed her words may have actually awoken that man.
"We need ground transportation to the Operations Center."
That guard grabbed a phone and made a call but his eyes kept glancing at the familiar-looking man in the brown coveralls and cap. Trevor tried not to make eye contact.
Nina took him aside and said, "Most people have to walk around the city. Fuel is a luxury. Most of the traffic you see on the streets is military convoys, supply runs, or VIPs."
The guard hung up the phone and said, "Major Forest, transportation is on its way."
"Major Forest?" Trevor repeated her rank. "How good for you."
"What am I," she paused, stepped closer to him, and then whispered into his ear. "What am I on your world?"
"Captain. But honestly, you could be whatever you wanted. My Nina chose to stay a field operative. She was — is- most at home doing something dangerous."
She smiled. "I see that’s at least one more thing I have in common with her."
A vehicle arrived at the main entrance. Nina led the group outside into a blast of cold wind howling along the wide and dark empty street.
Trevor gave the sedan a quick look over. He saw a variety of styles from his home world: a touch of 50's flare with covered wheel wells, chrome trim, and a very aerodynamic profile.
He slipped into the rear seat with Johnny. Nina sat in the front passenger side. She told the soldier at the wheel their destination and off they went.
The engine rumbled to life and the driver steered them along the lonely streets. A few vehicles-mainly trucks and armored cars-traveled the roads. Trevor saw many parked vehicles, most of which had deteriorated to skeletons, probably farmed for parts.
He asked, "What do you use for fuel?"
"Ethanol mixtures with gasoline for our vehicles, processed from oil. Some of our buildings and facilities use solar power, coal, and wood although we do have a nuclear reactor but it's tough to keep up and running due to a lack of parts and skilled technicians."
Reverend Johnny joined the conversation, "Tell me, have you adapted any alien technology for your uses?"
She shook her head. "Not much. Honestly, we always did well living off the resources we produced. But ever since things started going bad we’ve had less land to mine or drill. I mean, we send out scavenger parties who do strip mining, dig wells, that sort of thing, you know? But those are hit and miss operations. Seems we are always low on supplies."
Trevor said, "On my world, we’ve adapted alien technology to serve our purposes. There’s a sort of irony using their stuff against them."
"He means he gets a kick out of it, praise the Lord."
"I’ll bet," Nina turned in her seat to face them and smiled.
"What about laws and regulations and an economy and all that?" Trevor asked cautiously.
The Major chuckled. "Laws? Regulations? An economy? We don’t really have time for that shit. We’re trying to stay alive, Trevor. Maybe you guys have the extra time to start playing politics but we don’t."
Johnny suggested smartly, "He’ll get a kick out of that, too."
"The Committee does handle a lot of administrative stuff," she conceded. "I mean, there are rules and all that. They’re always passing rules. They love to shuffle paper and crap like that. The rest of us are busy fighting and dying."
The car passed a series of small buildings. A couple of those looked to be vacant stores. One big red sign suggested an active night club.
"What about money?"
"Money? Yeah, sure, and I own stocks, too," she laughed then grew more serious. "Sorry. It’s just that, well, it sounds like you guys are living the high life back there. Guess the war’s over, huh?"
After a moment of silence, Trevor mumbled, "I have much more to do."
"We get credits to use on luxuries. Sometimes you can trade credits to get out of a tour of duty on the front lines. Whatever. Most people use the credits to party or trade up a food card or something like that."
"But not you, Miss?"
She shook her head, "I’ve got things pretty good, I guess. Being a Major and all."
"Hmmm…and being so close to your former Emperor, no doubt?" Johnny suggested.
Trevor moved to another subject, "What about kids? Families? Civilians? How do they live around here?"
"There are no civilians, not like you think. A civilian for us is someone who doesn’t fight in the front lines; techs, support people. You see, everyone fights or supports the fight. If you’re not a front line soldier, you’re working a couple of different shit jobs. If you don’t contribute, you don’t eat. Get it?"
Johnny jumped in, "But there are men and women here. Surely there are children."
"Yes, but not many. No one wants children."
Stone’s fatherly instincts shuddered at the thought. "If you’re going to survive you have to have kids. They are the future."
"Trevor, we don’t have a future. No one wants to give birth to a kid today when tomorrow we could all be slaughtered. Would you bring a child into the world when you know that at any moment your people could be wiped out?"
He thought for a moment and then asked, "Did I…do I have a son here?"
Nina’s head tilted as if hearing a strange sound. "No. Why, do you have one back home?"
"Yes."
His answer seemed to surprise her. She said nothing the rest of the trip.
The car came to a stop in front of a wide, long building. Several tall transmission towers sprouted from the roof. A number of armored vehicles parked in a lot next to the complex. Sandbags and a gun turret complimented the sentries at the front door.
"This is the Ops-Operations-Center. We’ll find The Committee here."
They exited the vehicle and approached a big iron door. Nina spoke with the guards who then allowed entry.
Dull gray halls lined the interior with heavy metal beams crisscrossing the ceiling and soffit lights providing patches of illumination although half of them appeared burnt out.
Unlike the rest of Thebes, he saw plenty of people in the Ops Center including guards, couriers, and technicians while a public address system called out messages such as, "Tactical analysis team report to discussion chamber four," "Major Davis contact communications center," and "Northern perimeter Sector G-4 reports scanner malfunction."
Despite the number of people, Trevor noticed a relaxed atmosphere. He saw guards wearing poorly kempt uniforms, couriers stopping to chat, and technicians wandering about with no purpose. The announcements from the P.A. system droned on, but no one appeared to care.
Nina directed them up a short flight of metal stairs and through a set of double doors leading to a large control room with a high ceiling.
Desks and consoles swept across the room on descending half-circle tiers, all facing toward one massive wall with two huge monitors and several smaller ones. Those monitors presented pictures of the perimeter and gates of the city. Doors-probably offices-surrounded the chamber.
"Stay here," Major Forest said and she moved around the room.
As they waited, Trevor overhead conversations as well as radio communications.
"Ah, yeah, Gino you guys are on watch until twenty-two hundred hours so you are going to miss all the fun."
"Shit man, that sucks. I got an extra hundred credits I was going to blow on the table."
"This is G-4 we’ve got a problem with our monitoring equipment here. I’ve been waiting on a tech team for four hours. What is their status?"
"I dunno, G-4. I just got off my break. What’s the problem again?"
Nina returned and summoned, "This way, boys."
She led them across the control room to a set of big double doors guarded by a pair of heavily armed, serious-looking sentries. Trevor appreciated seeing at least a couple of grim faces in the place. From what he observed so far, the attitude of the humans on this world more resembled students in a campus dormitory than a people on the verge of extinction.
The doors opened to a large, oppressive room. On one end stood a raised platform where three men sat at a long table overlooking the chamber like a judge’s bench. Trevor felt the presence of at least three more persons in the room standing in dark corners.
The doors closed behind the newcomers, shutting out the noise from the Ops Center.
Trevor and Johnny followed Nina as she circumvented an oval table to approach the platform and the overlords sitting there.
To his surprise, Trevor did not see an Evan Godfrey doppelganger on The Committee. Instead, he found three middle aged men who in dress and Anglo appearance resembled stereotype Republicans from a bad Hollywood movie.
Major Forest spoke to them. Trevor thought he sensed contempt in her voice.
"If it so honors The Committee, may I introduce Trevor Stone and his associate, the Reverend Johnny."
The first Committeeman stared down and said: "This is Trevor Stone of the alternate world?"
The second: "He looks identical."
The third: "The theories on parallel development have been proven. I suggest we invest additional resources in further studying the applications of this discovery."
"No one has yet proposed any tactical advantages to be gained by this knowledge," spoke the first.
"True. We no longer have access to the assets necessary for traveling to another alternate reality. This operation has been self-terminating," spoke the second.
"Your analysis is correct. We should halt outward bound cross-dimensional research until such time as additional assets are made available," spoke the third.
Major Forest addressed them again. "The operation achieved its objective. Standing before you is Trevor Stone. On his Earth, humanity thrives. He has forged a vast Empire and defeated numerous enemies."
The first Committeeman sounded contrite. "Yes. Your operation was successful and a Trevor Stone stands before us. Despite our position on the matter, Major Forest has succeeded."
The second Committeeman sounded skeptical. "However, Major Forest acted without direct authorization from The Committee. One could construe her actions as insubordination."
The third Committeeman sounded direct. "Agreed. Major Forest’s actions resulted in the death of six members of the Third Legion and two support personnel, not to mention expending vast quantities of fuel and ammunition."
A voice from one of the corners joined the discussion. "Major Forest acted with my approval. I was not aware The Committee forbade the project. Had that been so, the operation never would have proceeded."
That voice moved out of the shadow and into the light; a short man with scruff on his cheeks and a head on the verge of complete baldness. Trevor thought him to be mid-forties, but his eyes seemed somewhat sharper than the rest of the people he had met thus far.
He wore a gray uniform with several colorful emblems on the collar yet his disposition struck Trevor as more a business man than a soldier. Something in the way he walked; a little too rigid, a little too forced, as if he tried to play the role of an officer but was not quite comfortable in the boots.
"Director Snowe," Nina nodded toward the man and he returned the gesture before turning his attention to Trevor. Snowe's eyes studied him as if searching for something. Perhaps Snowe wondered if he had been worth the effort.
Nina spoke to The Committee again, "We have an opportunity to change our situation. If The Committee does not object, I would have Trevor Stone address you directly."
"Only officers of proper rank may address The Committee."
"This man is not even a member of our military hierarchy."
"For him to speak before The Committee would be most improper."
After all he survived, after all he built from the ruins of Armageddon, Trevor Stone did not appreciate a trio of arrogant administrators dismissing him.
To the shock of every one in the room, he interrupted, "Well someone needs to address this Committee because the way I see it you’re all going to be ShellSquid bait by summer."
"Improper!"
"Uncalled for!"
"Disruptive!"
Nina reacted with a grin; Director Snowe stood silent and watched.
"I didn’t ask to come here. Now I understand I can’t get home. So that means I’m stuck on this sinking ship of fools with you. If you don’t want to hear from me then, fine, open the front gate and let me out ‘cause I’d rather take my chances out there than painted in this giant corner you’ve made for yourselves."
"You are out of line!"
"You will be silent!"
"You will be removed!"
Snowe broke in. He spoke in a calm voice. One might even say measured.
"With all due respect to The Committee, it should be noted that this man is, in fact, Emperor Trevor Stone…on his world. I am certain that he is not accustomed to being told he cannot speak. I hope The Committee will take this under consideration."
A silence lasted several long seconds. The Committeemen then whispered to one another before addressing those gathered below.
"Yes. This is an unusual situation."
"Indeed. Some latitude could be granted."
"Agreed. He will be allowed to address The Committee."
Snowe added, "The Committee was presented with the parameters of the mission and while you did not directly approve said mission in the end, those parameters are still applicable. I point out again what Major Forest said; this Trevor Stone has been successful in his war defending his Earth. It is possible that he has knowledge that could be valuable to our efforts."
"Unlikely."
"Possibly."
"Certainly."
Again, silence. Trevor realized after several more seconds of that silence that he had been granted the opportunity to speak.
"Well, um, I do not know much of what has happened on this Earth, only what I’ve seen so far. But I know on my world we adapted alien technology to serve us in a lot of ways. It also seems to me that you’ve got some morale problems. Just on the walk over here I saw, well, a sort of lazy attitude in the guards around here. I mean, you’re The Committee; you’re the guys in charge. The people guarding this building should be ready for anything. Honestly, the security around here is so bad I think a herd of Chew Cows could overrun this place."
Based on their expressions, the people in the room did not recognize the nicknames of the creatures Trevor mentioned. His point came across nonetheless.
"Intriguing. The adaptation of foreign technology to address our supply issues has merit."
"Insightful. Morale among our troops needs to be improved in order to ensure defensive operations."
"Correct. The Committee is the final authority and must be protected at all costs."
Nina suggested, "Perhaps The Committee will grant Trevor Stone an honorary position in the military ranks. He could observe our techniques and resources and tell us how they differ from his own world. He may even have information on enemy forces that we do not have."
The Committee whispered amongst themselves yet again.
"This is acceptable. An honorary position with limited authority."
"We are agreed. He will be given a special command with the Third Legion under Director Snowe."
"It is settled. Major Forest and Director Snowe will oversee Trevor Stone."
The trio of rulers fell silent and turned their attention to the piles of folders and papers on their desk, as if no one else in the room existed anymore.
Nina whispered, "Let's go before they change their mind."
Snowe remained behind while Nina herded Trevor and Johnny from the chamber.