Lukkage awoke with a start. Attempting to move her hands, she realized they were shackled to a cold metal chair. She growled. What have I done wrong? Why would they do this to me? They are going to pay big time! she thought to herself. Of course, her naivete and arrogance ignored the fact that she had tried to destroy the whole of Gargantia because Pinion broke up with her, an act of pettiness taken to the utmost extreme. Sensing chains wrapped round her arms, she struggled to remove them. This attempt failed. She screeched into the dark, hoping she could lure a person to help her. No one came to her aid. Instead, an electric light suddenly flickered on, illuminating her face, pale skin, magenta-colored hair while another revealed a person standing a few feet away. A voice thundered across the room.

“Ms. Lukkage, you are on trial for crimes against Gargantia and its residents. We cannot stand idly by as you continue to enact destruction.

“Crimes! Ha! There are no laws on the seas!

“That’s where you are wrong. You have repeatedly entered the jurisdiction of Gargantia time and time again. As the Fleet Commander, I can comfortably assert this is true and correct. We have eyewitness testimony and records coming out the wazoo.

“This proceeding is a sham. Isn’t anyone gonna defend me?

We’d rather hear from you directly. Tell us why you attacked the Gargantia Fleet and put hundreds upon hundreds of human lives at risk.”

Staring at Ridget’s light violet eyes, she saw a fierceness that reminded her of herself. This was a showdown, one she would not win, due to the unquestionable hostility on the ship toward pirates such as her. She recognized the inevitability of her punishment. From her perspective, the Gargantians had taken a bolder move than she expected, capturing her and scuttling the pirate fleet. Without anyone else behind her, she could do little to “counter” Gargantia or enact ‘revenge’ on Pinion and that space captain, whose name she couldn’t remember.

“…that darned Pinion…he broke off our relationship…I wanted to get back at him and everything that stood by him…destroying Gargantia would give me the prestige, making me the sole leader of the planet, where I could do what I pleased.

“Could you have survived, anyway? If Gargantia had disappeared, the fuel and supplies onboard your ships would have run out. What a fool hearty act over a broken heart…without any further explanation of your actions, we have no alternative. We will pronounce our sentence.

“Wait! I haven’t had the appropriate amount of time to explain myself…this is a sham trial! Admit it, you damn scoundrels!

“The books we have on trials are limited, so we are going off what is available, what Dr. Oldham, the Sage, acquired for us…do you have a problem with knowledge, with learning?

“I-I don’t know how to respond to that.

“Throw her in the brig.

“NO! Please let me see Pinion again…one last time.

“Ha. That ain’t gonna happen, lady. He will not be coming to see you.

This is an outrage! This will not stand! When the people of Gargantia find out, the power all you elites hold will crumble like a bunch of breadcrumbs!”

Ridget sighed. The trial had not gone the way she expected. Lukkage acted quite belligerent and her explanation didn’t make sense. She asked herself, Lukkage conducted this attack all because Pinion dumped her? It appeared extreme, especially to someone who had never been in a relationship with anyone else before. Marching to the command headquarters, she met Crown and Flange. Dr. Oldham had contacted her, saying he would be en route shortly, after he finished talking with the space captain.

“Crown, Flange? What should I do about Lukkage? I’m afraid that if I release her, she’ll cobble her pirate fleet back together…and menace us again.

“That is a valid line of thinking. However, we can’t let her rot in a cell. The more criminal elements on the ship, including those that captured the comrades of the space captain, bringing them to that awful saloon, will be emboldened and try to release her. We can’t risk a wide social conflict. I say we ask Dr. Oldham for his counsel on this important matter.

I agree, Flange. Ridget, you have a point. Keeping her locked up forever isn’t an answer either. We need something that will solve the crisis without riling up the Gargantian people.”

Throwing back her dark purple hair, Ridget twiddled her thumbs, debating about their next move. Meanwhile, Dr. Oldham and Lars chuckled in his sanctuary, reminiscing about his past life and Lars’ life on the Earth thousands, if not millions of light-years away.

“Mister, thanks so much for talking with me today. I really appreciate it. I hope what I’ve told you serves as a great addition to your library.

“It is and will help those in Gargantia, whether now or in the future, learn about other planets, to expand their horizons, moving humanity forward. I must go…I’m obligated to help with the trial of that wayward Pirate Queen, as the sage on this fleet.

“Oh, the one I knocked over with my concussive boom…yeah, that lady. Can I help?

“They didn’t ask for you. By jove, you could come along anyway. I’d get your two friends back to the ship so they don’t get jammed up in this whole mess.

“Alright, Mister, that plan is swell! Thanks for thinking of me!

My pleasure, Captain Lars.”

Sometime later, Pappy and Rhodonite returned to the ship, where Lars told them to stay and not follow him. They did so reluctantly. He gazed at their worried faces, assuring them he’d come back safe and sound, then they could all move onto the next adventure, together. Rhodonite, calmer than usual, smiled and addressed Lars directly.

“Thanks Captain. We’ll be waiting for you. Best of luck!”

As Ridget, Flange, and Crown couldn’t agree on how to treat Lukkage, Dr. Oldham arrived. This ended his sauntering across Gargantia. He joined Lars, with both crossing the expanse of the fleet to the command headquarters. They had been expecting the good doctor, knowing that his attendance would calm them, improving their ability to make a decision. The presence of Lars astonished them. No one could understand why he had agreed to help them.

“Captain Lars, why have you come here? This is a matter that doesn’t concern you. Your spaceship, which landed here yesterday, can leave, along with the four mates onboard.

“Miss, I am obligated to help in whatever way I can. I am not a Gargantian, but I am human. Ensuring that humanity survives is part of my life mission.

“Ok, Captain Lars. What ideas do you have for the Pirate Queen?

“Why not mediate a discussion between her and Pinion? If it goes well, they can work out their differences without fighting each other.

That’s not a bad idea. We can arrange that, most certainly!”

Lukkage opened her eyes once again with a sight before her that she couldn’t believe. Pinion began to enter the room. Perhaps, she thought, the Gargantians were getting soft and wouldn’t be as harsh. Or maybe the darkness of the room distorted her sense of reality. She couldn’t be completely sure if a hallucination had taken over or not. She cried out.

“Pinion, is that you?

“Yeah, it is. They told me to come here so we could work out our differences. Bridget, Crown, and Flange will be mediators, as will the space captain.

In any case, I’m glad to be alive rather than dead. It’s a relief.”

Lars grinned. He saw the approach he has posed as already bearing fruit. If he had tried this on Etheria, maybe the civil war could have ended. Unfortunately, his mind wasn’t in the place to come up with such an idea. He had just endured a space battle and had Steven, in some new pink form, yell at him, threatening to smash him into little pieces, similar to what he did to Pearl, hurting her as plunged her into the ground.

Pinion cleared his throat. He would beat Lukkage to the punch, so he could have the upper hand in this conversation, hoping it would go his way.

“I am sorry for hurting you, Lukkage, I didn’t think it meant that much…I guess I was being selfish, thinking about myself and no one else.”

Moaning, Lukkage took a deep breath and replied back, softly, “I’m glad to hear that, Pinion. Let’s be together again. I’ve changed!”

Pinion couldn’t stand this sort of deception and trickery. He wouldn’t fall for it. He recognized Lukkage’s personality, especially her over-confidence. He bellowed back in a display of words which astounded Lars, Ridget, and the others in attendance.

“I’m not going to be your boyfriend again! I told you that already. What we had wasn’t healthy. We need to go our separate ways and accept each other’s choices.

“Fine, fine. There’s no convincing you. I’ll just cry a river into the vast ocean circling this world, entering a dark road of despair.

“There’s no reason to think that way, Lukkage. You’ll find someone out there, I’ll bet on that.

“Thanks for believing in me, Pinion. Friends?

“Sure, but nothing more.

I…can live with that.”

As Lars saw it, Gargantia had dodged a bullet. The method of mediation he had showed these humans could help them unite their society, heal its wounds, and bring peace, at least he thought, in his naivete about the success of this technique. In reality, the process would be much harder, not something that could be solved in one night or one single meeting. Having never experienced that or been a part of that process, this perspective escaped him. For the Gargantian leaders, such as Ridget, they were thankful Lars helped them.

“Captain, I am grateful for your suggestion. What you did today is a great weight off our shoulders. Is there anything we can do?

“No, ma’am, I don’t believe so. I already installed a warp pad in that library run by Doctor Oldham, so when we get back to our Earth, we can return here whenever!

“A warp…what?

“It’s a device that allows for me and my friends to travel across distances. Humans can’t use it, as only those with gems, such as my shipmates and buddies back home, can independently activate it. Anything atop the pad, when it is activated, can warp through space despite extreme difficulty. Essentially, humans cannot initiate warps without a warp whistle, while they can ride through warp streams. When we have returned to our planet, we will provide you with one. Also, make sure you don’t drop heavy objects on it as that will render it unusable.

“That information is helpful, Captain. Well, I hope you come back soon! You will always be welcome in Gargantia!

“Thanks for your hospitality, Fleet Commander! And for you, Doctor Oldham!

My pleasure, my fine pink friend.”

On the way to his ship, a similar face stopped him. She peered into his eyes so deeply he sensed she, at that moment, examined his soul. Shaking his head, he twisted about, stopping to explain why he couldn’t stay, even as he predicted it wouldn’t satisfy her.

“Melty, I’m aware you fancy me and all…but, I’m sorry, you can’t come with me. It’s not possible. I already have four people on my ship, so any more would unbalance it.

“I-I understand, Captain. I wish we could be together…I’ll miss you, cutie.

Uh…Here’s a photograph. Its no substitute for the real me. I hope it helps calm your mind.”

As tears streamed across her face and onto her cheeks, she handed a detailed illustration of herself to Lars, drawn by Amy, who had a robust artistic talent. She began singing a melancholy song of loss and commemoration:

One day, someplace/ We’ll meet again/ While you blast off to space/

As he continued running, he could hear the vocals continuing, getting more emphatic. He could hear voices joining her, predicting the other voices were her friends Amy and Saaya. The words filled his heart as he neared the OCAC, with its engines roaring, even though he still felt, to an extent, that Maaya was too young for him.

One day, someplace/ We’ll meet again/ And have a tender embrace/

Only steps away from the ship, he waved back at the gleeful Gargantians. Bellows yelled “you are the best, Lars! See you soon!” to which he smiled. Entering the ship, the last stanza of the song echoed in the breeze:

Someday, someway/ I’m gonna feel treasured/ Even as you drift away/

Ledo, having recovered from his concussion, came out to hug Amy, who pecked him on the cheek. They stood among the Gargantians who watched in awe, joined by those such as Grace, Amy’s animal companion, and mechanics such as Mayta, as the OCAC lifted off one last time. People squealed “happy travels, Captain!”, “thanks again!”, and “we wish you the best!” In keeping with her devotion, Melty roared at the top of her lungs, “I love you, Lars!” Before the ship jettisoned out of view, Bebel peered out his window, observing the ship lit up by the early morning light. Somberly, he remarked, “Goodbye, friend. Safe travels in the wide universe.”

The engines thundering with power, the craft made its way out of the planet’s atmosphere. Lars turned to the Rutile Twins and snickered. Sitting in his captain’s chair, he realized the ship was his second home, with his residence in Beach City as his first.

“RT, punch it!

Aye, aye Captain! Warping in 3...2…1!”

The ship soared through the stars, going at unimaginable rates. Lars felt relaxed until he searched his pockets frantically. As he did that, Pappy piped up, comparable to a prairie dog coming out of the desert sand for the first time.

“I…predict the light brown-haired girl will declare her adoration for the Captain…oh my!

“Pappy, that isn’t a surprise. I knew that already. Wait…when I gave her a picture…oh no. I gave her the photocopy of that photograph of those two women who we fought above the Earth’s surface in that space battle too. I hope…

“It will be fine, Captain. I wouldn’t fret over it. I doubt anything bad will come of this.

Rhodonite, I guess not.”

Suddenly, a greenish glow surrounded the ship. Alert sirens began to go off, warning of danger. Lars stared in astonishment. They hadn’t encountered anything like it before. He asked his comrades if they could assist.

“RT, Rhodonite…what is happening?

“Captain, someone is trying to pull us out of our warp as we travel across the universe, before we reach our destination. I…

“ARE WE GONNA DIE! HELP!

“Rhodonite, calm down. Fluorite, what about the engines? Can we get past this and escape?

The…engines…are…at…full…power…we…are…stuck.”

Griping, Lars realized that only one choice remained. Escaping this dilemma required fighting the enemy head on, as outrunning them would be impossible. Standing upright, he issued a command to Fluorite and his other crew members.

“Fluorite, cut the engines. Rhodonite, charge the cannons. RT, keep the ship steady.

“Aye, aye!

“B-but…captain…shouldn’t we trying to beat this rather than going headlong into it?

“I thought that too, Rhodo…nite. Whoever did this needs to be dealt with severely.

As you wish, Captain.”

Sputtering, the spacecraft dropped out of hyperspace. Due to the violent nature, another spacetime disruption occurred, again in a two-month interval, making it equivalent to October 18, 2019, using Earth time measurements. A squadron of four tetrahedron-shaped spacefighters stood steady, flying in the formation of a Diamond. The pale chartreuse yellow sheen of each craft sparkled in the starlight. The video screen of the OCAC beeped and Rhodonite, terrified, pressed a button. The screen lit up, showing four different faces on the screen, each with their own square. The Gems cackled as Lars observed them worryingly.

“We are the Peridot Squadron…the honor of the once gallant Emerald, in all her glory. For your crime that day, Captain, you will meet your doom!”

The Off Colors shivered in fear. Aware of the inevitability of conflict, Lars prepared himself to berate the sniveling Peridots for their reckless behavior. Anyone who threatened those on his ship in any way were his enemies.

“You bastards! Pulling us out of hyperspace in that way that could have killed us. Don’t you know better than to hurt people? Come on!

If it had destroyed your ship, none of us would have cared. We are loyal to Emerald until the sun sets on the Great Diamond Authority. Nothing will stop us now!”

These Peridots saw themselves as remarkable, as Gems of the sun, having no incursions, and few or little cracks. They prided themselves on what they perceived as strong magical powers and their brilliant green skin. Contrasting the gem with the same name, they would not aid in physical detox, help with healing, treating afflictions, or counter effects of negative emotions. Rather than lessening suffering, they aimed to bring about the “necessary change,” which meant cleansing the interlopers, improving their own self-esteem and well-being. Additionally, their actions brought coldness and war, discharging their emotional issues on others. Arrogant and rationalizing their aggression, the Peridots felt that destroying Lars would bring them clarity and heal them, connecting them together. In one way or another, through these actions, the Peridots had poisoned themselves and their minds were infected with villainy.

The video screen zapped off, revealing an empty space ahead. Lars and his comrades gazed at the enemy. He ordered Rhodonite to shoot their cannons at two of the “Peri-Blasters” as he nicknamed the enemy craft, while directing RT to fire the OCAC’s missiles at the remaining ships. Rhodonite and RT complied, giving a message to those wayward Peridots that the OCAC was the boss of outer space above the unidentified planet.

A huge explosion destroyed one of the enemy crafts, followed by two others damaged by laser bolts from the OCAC, and rockets went screaming toward the remaining ship. This bold, pre-emptive attack caught the Peridots off guard as their weapons hadn’t fully charged, putting them at a disadvantage. They held their ground, coordinating with each other to engage in what they saw as a joint offensive to eliminate the intruders. For now, they were on the run, at least until the space battle had turned in their favor. The remaining Peridots believed that their combined brainpower would result in a glorious victory over the Off Colors.

************

Countless light years away, Glimmer’s eyes opened, awoken by the strong wind hitting her face, with the sensation of thousands of tiny needles stabbing her in the cheeks. Clinging onto her staff for her dear life, she hoped it would all be okay, and that she would land safely on the ground. Why did I have to jump in that damn portal! she professed in her internal monologue. Beginning to sob as she fell, the temperature began rising, so much it hurt. Continuing her descent, the velocity increased. She kept trying to use her powers. Nothing appeared to work. That is until a lightning bolt struck her. Using her last ounce of strength, she channeled the electrical force into a bolt of magic energy traveling faster than the speed of light. Scarlemagne dismounted his two-headed huge black Mega Flamingo when a light came from the sky, blinding him. It entered his body and exploded him into a million pieces, along with the nearby Flamingo. Without this mandrill at the top of the food chain of the decaying badlands, chaos seemed inevitable because this ‘leader’ had been obsessed with bringing people under control with terroristic and psychological methods. His fellow nobles, specifically Lemieux, Easy, Spider, De Brazza, and Marmoset, dispersed in all directions. The court he built had been smashed mistakenly by an outsider who didn’t mean to produce such broad social change.

The flash of light and ensuing detonation shocked a mauve-skinned 13-year-old Kipo, whose right arm had sustained a mutated form, complete with spots, large claws, and pink fur. Her compatriots, Benson, Wolf, Dave, and Mandu were also scared by the nearby explosion.

“What the heck was that? It came from Scarlemagne’s headquarters...

“I’m not sure, Kipo. It ain’t good. It came from the sky and all…oh my, there’s a girl falling through the air! What in the world?

“It’s our duty to save her and…my Dad before he’s tortured by Scarlemagne’s goons.

“Fine, Kipo. We’ll catch her. Don’t forget what our mission is.

I won’t. I can promise you that.”

Dazed from her exertion of force, her light purple tunic and bushy pastel pink-purplish hair fluttering in the air, Glimmer’s brown-pinkish eyes hopelessly peered at the planet’s surface. This will be my last act, my last triumph. Remember me, Bow. I’ll always miss you, she told herself. Out of nowhere, a big furry arm reached out and grabbed her. She closed her eyes and blacked out as Kipo guided the Mega Flamingo to the ground. What had formerly been Scarlemagne’s court resembled another part of the wasteland. A dark brown-skinned man, with a circular beard and closely cropped brown hair, ran toward her. He embraced Kipo tenderly and she hugged him back. She had been reunited, with her father, Lio.

“Uh, Dad, we have someone tumbling through the air. We had to rescue her before coming here. I hope that’s ok. Sorry we are late.

“I understand, Kipo. No person’s life should be wasted. In all my years underground, I’ve never seen someone with such tanned skin, thick sideburns, or clothes of that type. No one here wears sleeveless dark people leotards, light purple tunics, purple boots, fingerless light blue gloves, or a sparkling blue cape. It’s odd.

I agree, Dad, it is strange. What should we do about her?”

Weakly, Glimmer opened her eyes. Seeing only blurry shapes, she mumbled some words. Only a few were comprehensible, clearly a jumbled mess of thoughts with no rhyme or reason.

“Etheria…Bow…Entrapta…portal…space-time…runestone…friend.”

No one had any idea what Glimmer meant, as she became limp and non-responsive. Her appearance didn’t buck the usual standards of their group. Kipo had spiky pale-pink hair in a ponytail, wearing a medium grey shirt over a black tank top, dark purple jeans, and pink high tops. Benson, about the same age, had dark brown skin, short and spiky black hair, a buttoned-up lilac shirt underneath a white sweater, light brown pants, sneakers, and a green-colored backpack. This contrasted with Wolf, a shorter girl, who had a similar skin complexion, curly black hair, cuffed grey jeans, a black T-shirt, the skin cape of a mute wolf, and carried a tall menacing staff. Completing their group were two other companions: a teal blue-skinned pig with four eyes, two black ears, a snout, and six legs, named Mandu, and a constantly changing bug named Dave. Even so, none of them had ever seen someone with the same physical features or outfit as her. Nor had anyone witnessed a purple-colored staff, with an ornate blue jewel and light pinkish white-colored loop on top, which Glimmer’s right hand tightly clung to..

A few hours passed. She awoke to the sight of Wolf’s light brown eyes, Benson’s brown eyes, and Kipo’s magenta eyes ogling her. The glow of the nearby fire, crackling from burning sticks and twigs, illuminated the crevice. Rubbing her eyes, to make sure she wasn’t dreaming, she came to the realization that all the people examining her were real.

“Where am I? And who are you all?

“You are in a barren, bleak land known as Las Vistas. I’m Kipo. What’s your name?

“My name is Glimmer…ugh, my head is throbbing…it hurts so badly.

“Nice to meet you. We’ll get you some medical supplies tomorrow to treat your injured head. For now, we will rest…together.

Thanks, my kind friend. I’ll need some new clothes too because these don’t suit me anymore after I left my home and…arrived here. Good night.”

As Kipo and Glimmer drifted off to sleep. Wolf grumbled about not trusting an outsider such as Glimmer, while Benson assured him it would be fine. Soon consumed by slumber, Dave, Mandu and Lio joined them. The latter snoozed near his daughter, Kipo, intending to stay by her side for protection and express his affection for her subconsciously.

The next day, the morning sun softly lit the faces of Kipo, Glimmer, Wolf, Benson, and Lio. Yawning, Kipo stretched and gently whispered that everyone needed to get up. Mandu and Dave did so, followed by Wolf. Lio and Benson remained in slumber. Glimmer groused about needing “five more minutes” to rest, while Kipo awoke her dad, and Dave awakened Benson. Once everyone had roused, Kipo haughtily led the group out of the cave into the dilapidated town, city, or whatever type of sprawling human settlement it had been in the ‘old days.’ It reminded Glimmer of the settlements destroyed by the Horde on Etheria, making her shed a tear, becoming more homesick. Under her breath, she murmured, “I wish I could go home.” Spinning in a 360-degree direction, Kipo asked her about it, making her jump.

“Glimmer, what’s ‘home’ for you?

“I-it’s a faraway planet named Etheria…you probably haven’t heard of it.

So, you are from another planet? That’s so cool!”

Continuing to walk through the run-down, teal-covered streets, trees and bushes popped in and out of decaying buildings. They came upon the place Kipo had gotten her outfit all those days ago. Although it had only been two weeks since she had been inside, it seemed an eternity ago. The orange-painted partially crumbling building had a huge, sturdy tree growing on the roof, a crunched sign with the word “clothing” in all caps on front. The former store had no discernible door. Kipo boastfully showed Glimmer indoors while Lio, Benson, Wolf, and Dave did not enter. Mandu, following their typical behavior, wandered in, snorting. Plants grew throughout, showing that the store had been unoccupied for a long time.

Marching behind the moldy curtain, Glimmer threw her leotard, tunic, fingerless gloves, long white glove, and sparkling blue cape over the curtain rod. Kipo clutched the discarded clothes in her hands. Fancying the sparky quality of the fabric, she stashed Glimmer’s cape into her small pants pockets, barely fitting. Glimmer tried on a cute explorer’s outfit with a sombrero, a light green short-sleeved colored shirt, darker green shorts fastened with a brown belt, announcing “a ha!” She groaned. As she continued testing garments, she followed the same pattern. Next, she put on long dark blue pants and an oversized dark pink sweater with a teal stripe down the middle, followed by a ballerina outfit with a white tutu, light purple pantyhose, a light-and-dark purple top with half-sleeves. Following that, a dark green shirt, medium blue undershirt, and a black hat. Afterwards, a black sleeveless shirt, blue pants, and a huge overcoat, then a huge overflowing, multi-colored dress. None of these outfits suited her right, so she closed the curtain and combined elements of each get-up. She put on the black sleeveless shirt on top of a light-and-dark purple top piece, pulled on light purple pantyhose, putting darker green shorts over top. She kept her maroon boots which had white moons on the front and sole, with light blue wings on the sides, and varied blue points, while discarding her former apparels. She appreciated how it fit her beige-colored and brown-tinted skin. She kept her boots so that some memory of home would always be with her. She loudly pronounced that the clothes fit her perfectly. Kipo clapped happily while Glimmer awkwardly smiled in response, uttering in her ear, “thank you for saving me.”

After leaving the store, they sauntered over to a vacant supermarket, finding a pack of adhesive bandages and other medical dressings, snatching them for their own survival. When Glimmer’s back had turned, Kipo sneakily stuffed Glimmer’s shimmering cape into Benson’s backpack. He noticed and she smirked at him, telling him to be quiet. He rolled his eyes. Lio wrapped long medical strips around Glimmer’s forehead in hopes that it would help her recover. Continuing to travel across the dirt roads, she asked herself what time and place she had ended up in. Back on Etheria, in contrast with Earth, no one followed a set year system, at least not while the war with the Horde raged. Curious, she asked Kipo about the planet, hoping to learn more about it. If she would be stuck here, she thought that knowing more would be important to her survival in the coming days.

“So…what year is it here in Las Vistas?

“Last I heard…

“The year is 2220, over two hundred years after the Great Mutant Outbreak in 2007.

“Dad! I was about to say that!

“Sorry, Kipo, the response just came off my tongue.

“It’s ok, Dad. I realize that you are excited to meet someone new and I can sympathize with that. Welcome to Las Vistas, Glimmer!

I-It’s a pleasure to be here.”

With Scarlemagne deceased, the animal order had been disrupted. Groups vied for power. Kipo and her friends, new and old, were not alone. A legion of Mod Frogs, comprised of Mrs. Sartori, Jamack, Harris, and Kwat, approached them, stamping out of their limousine, a huge dragonfly on a chain, which had pulled the car forward, touching down. These creatures were some of the planet’s mutes, a result of the Great Mutant Outbreak. Creature had metamorphosed beyond their initial intelligence and size, as humans fled to burrows under the planet’s surface. As a result, these new mutes asserted their dominance, banding together with others, sometimes employing human vehicles such as cars and motorcycles. The food chain changed, with mutes on top and humans near the bottom. Many of fauna had enhanced capabilities, extra eyes, arms, or whatnot. Some didn’t even speak a discernible language, and a few were gigantic. The Mod Frogs comprised frogs the size of typical humans, basing their organization around the mob’s culture, wore tailored suits, and dedicated themselves to organized crime. Luckily, the immaculate night vision of these villains wouldn’t be a problem. Mrs. Sartori headed the heinous group, cackling at the sight of them.

“Our leader is dead. We claim rightful ascendance to lead this land in his place! No longer will this be Las Vistas. It will be named…Froglandia!

“Wait, Scarlemagne died?

Yes, you insignificant speck! A dazzling, blinding light came from the sky, decimating him, causing his body to spread a thousand directions.”

The long tongues of Mrs. Sartori, Jamack, Harris, and Kwat reached out for Kipo, Benson, Lio, and Wolf, believing that the newcomer (Glimmer), Mandu, and Dave couldn’t possibly fight them. Trembling, Glimmer raised her staff and pointed it at the Mod Frogs. She wished for her magic capabilities to return so she could save her newfangled friends. A mirrored surface shone upon her staff. Combining with her reinvigorated might, her weapon shot out an intense blast, cutting off the tongues of the Mod Frogs, injuring them, as she struggled to control this power. In shock and fear, the mutes fled, swearing to never mess with them again. Kipo cheered.

“Go, Glimmer! Go get ‘em, girl!

“Wait…that light we saw today reminds me of yesterday when something similar came from the sky above.

“Oh yeah, I remember that. Uh, Glimmer, did you do the same thing yesterday?

“Accidentally. A lightning bolt struck this pole…I channeled my innate magic abilities downward…a strong white light shot out. Everything went dark. When I opened my eyes again, I saw some blurry shapes, mumbling something, and fell back asleep. Awaking the second time, I found myself lying in a cave sitting nearby a fire. I don’t recall how I got there.

“That’s ok, you blacked out, that’s all…it does mean, however, that you killed Scarlemagne. He is the top creature on the surface.

“Oh. I didn’t mean to! I hope he at least deserved it.

I suppose so. It means we are in a heap of trouble. We can’t let anyone in on this secret. Otherwise, everyone will be out to get us.”

By ‘everyone,’ Kipo implied the six-armed Mega Monkey, the all-female Scooter Skunks without a fixed residence, Dubstep Bees, and self-proclaimed scholars calling themselves the Newton Wolves. Of these groups, Scarlemange had controlled the Mega Monkey while the bees reported to him as spies, the Newton Wolves cooperated with him in exchange for their freedom to live in a way they chose, and the Humming Bombers dropped nectar grenades. With Scarlemagne dead, who would these groups serve? There were other enormous mutes such as towering Mega Bunnies with five sets of ears and eight legs, having their own cute infant bunnies, double-beaked massive Mega Pigeons, and mutated canines with extra noses, eyes, legs and eyes which were called Mega Dogs. Unlike the other mutes, they had no loyalty to any individual or group. Furthermore, the Mega Tortoises, reptiles which had four eyes and lush shells covered with trees, probably wouldn’t mind Kipo and her group. The same could be suspected about the mute rats, Amy and Brad, who ran the only amusement park on the surface, the Umlaut Snäkes who Kipo had rocked out with in the desert, the ax-wielding lumberjack-like Timbercats, and the Fitness Racoons. The beige bucktoothed, bug-eyed Glam Rock Hamsters, the mute butterfly named Charles, a mute elephant, dragonflies, and a deathstalker scorpion, along with many others, were wild cards who could side with anyone.

************

Light-years away, Apta extended her arms outward in a meditative pose. She had spent a long night trying to recalibrate the computer systems, adapting them to the recent changes. The former royal realms of Snows, Mystacor, Bright Moon, Salineas, and Plumeria were now connected with the Commune of Alwyn, the city-state of Elberon, and the Republic of Thaymor. The planet of Etheria, completely free from war and conflict, couldn’t sustain a world wide web because that would require a better power source. However, the planet did have what some called an ‘extranet,’ with content accessible from a newly-created information architecture, sshared by those on the planet. It contrasted from a world wide web, used on Earth by humans, and an intranet. The Etherian network crossed boundaries between state entities, while an intranet would be within a single organization or entity. Content on this network derived from an Interworking Protocol or IP, which she had co-written with Bow. Access to this network had been restricted to computer hubs in each state entity, while content traveled through cables, across the land to the central nervous system, consisting of a new location sitting atop the former Fright Zone. This network had more than static sites or a shared drive with stored documents. Rather, there were discussion boards and microblogs where citizens could comment on the issues in their community while public comment on government decisions was encouraged. This system did not have virtual private networks owned by multiple entities. Instead, it had access-controlled traffic and firewalls, similar to some extranets.

For about four months, from March to mid-June 2019 the Archives of Etheria (AOE) sat on the same location after the Horde’s defeat. Back then, Apta, in an act of penitence for her collaboration with the Horde, ensured that AOE had the suitable equipment. She continued this process when the AOE moved to Mystacor using her newfound passion for bureaucratic methods. Now, the Central Etherian Data Center, headed by Apta, who had the title of Chief Technology Officer (CTO), named CEDC for short, had been constructed in its place. The AOE remained in Mystacor, at the request of George and Lance. She employed some of the old Horde machinery which had been left behind and discarded. Fuma had moved in with her, recognizing the importance of their friendship, as did Bow. She wouldn’t be alone.

It had been over three months since Glimmer had been transported through time and space to another planet, in a separate dimension. When her spacetime passageway intersected with the warp path of the OCAC it had been sent through a wormhole. Etheria had made tremendous progress since that point. Despite those changes, Bow missed Glimmer, deep down, and thought if he forgot her, it would hurt him less. The fall season approached on the planet, with Fuma wishing it would bring good spirits to all.

The wafts of delicious food reached Apta’s nose. She shot out of her bed in a manner befitting a rocket. In the kitchen, within the facility’s above-ground floor, situated on the same floor as the private rooms, where Apta, Bow, and Fuma slept, Fuma turned over pancakes with a wooden spatula she had carved herself. The pancakes were created from remnants of coconut-type fruits on trees deep in the Whispering Woods and plump deep purple berries on Plumerian trees, resembling blackcurrants. The fruits were picked by loyal Plumerians who were compensated through Liberation Dollars, a common currency that all the self-governing statelets of the planet had agreed upon. Apta, Fuma, and the other former Princesses continued to provide guidance in their non-governing roles. Ambling into the room, Apta beamed.

“Good morning, my fine friend! What are ya cooking today?

“Some pancakes…it’s one of those recipes from that cookbook you stole from Earth.

“Right! I made one last mission with my probes before shutting down my operations in Mystacor, trying to focus all my attention on Etheria. Some disturbance in the fibers and curves of spacetime caused many of those probes to be damaged, except one, which contained that book. It came back only a few days ago. I’m planning to use those probes as scrap to improve the CEDC. I’m glad you are making use of the book.

“Thanks for going to the trouble to get it! I really appreciate it as an early birthday present.

“No problem, Fuma. I’d do anything for you, even if we never leave this planet.

“Don’t say that, dear. One day the portal of yours will work again…or maybe people will come from Earth. That ‘Steven’ still has that magical lion, right?

“Yeah, sure. Is breakfast ready?

“It sure is! If you could call Bow, I’d appreciate it.

Can do, flower girl.”

Hollering, Apta’s voice echoed throughout the first floor. In no time at all, the sound reached Bow’s room which affixed on it, reading “Respect the Tech Master. Please Knock Before Entering.” Racing to his door enthusiastically, Apta banged on it, saying in a sweet voice, “come on, little bow-ey, it’s time for breakfast. Rise and shine!” He stirred and moved his arms outward, putting on his typical outfit: a sleeveless white tank top, light blue pants fastened with a brown belt and golden buckle, and knee-high boots. In the past, he wore a set of golden armor, a metal sleeve on his shoulder, and a forearm guard. Such armaments collected dust in a wooden closet, while his brown-and-gold quiver of arrows sat on a nearby table, as did a traditional and decorative composite bow. At the present, the Etherians lived happily, enjoying their peacetime, without any enemy to fight, whether internally or externally. Bow reflected that himself, with the new look. He flung open the door, making Apta recoil.

“You don’t have to address me that way. You aren’t my mo…dad, Apta!

“Yeah, but it’s cute.

Fine, whatever. I heard breakfast is ready and I guess I should eat something.”

Strolling into the kitchen, he massaged his black eyes with his fingers. He knew that her nice hot meal would be great way to start the day. He lamented that her intense work, often without a break. Even though wartime had come and gone, sometimes she appeared to run herself ragged in order to keep the CEDC running, somewhat fulfilling the homemaker role.

“Fuma, thanks for making breakfast. This food is great!…what is it they called?

“Pancakes! They come from fruit grown in the Whispering Woods, topped by berries grown in Plumeria, picked by the citizens there. I’m so proud they are self-sufficient now, with extra supplies to trade with us. It’s so delightful!

“That’s cool! You work so hard here. Please let me make breakfast sometime.

“I-I enjoy cooking so much, though!

I understand that, Fuma…Still, I’d appreciate having a chance.”

Scratching her head, she pondered his proposal. While she had helped Apta with the Runestone Draining Project and other wild programs, in the long past, manual labor seemed more of her cup of tea. Breathing deeply, she nodded, and jovially yelped.

“BBow, that sounds fantastic! I can gather some fruits from the forest, with the permission of the Plumerians and others…like those awful-smelling but juicy giant fruits, small blue-to-black, lime-green skinned, greenish-red, yellow-spotted pear-shaped, and the greenish-yellow skinned fruits…or I can grow some in my wonderful greenhouse. In fact, I have some mini-yellow and plump red fruits, large purple hybrid berries, grapes, and so much more. Gardening is my second-favorite thing after cooking!

“I am excited for you, Fuma. I think I’ll make something with all the cornmeal we have. My dads used to make this thing called grits with tomato sauce. That probably isn’t right for the first meal of the day, but I’ll change it, adding some fruits on top of the grits.

“I can’t wait! You are so smart, Bow!

Thanks for the encouragement.”

He pivoted to Apta, who gazed at him confusedly. Despite Fuma attempting to improve her social skills, she continued to remain a bit awkward. Motioning in her direction, taking the social cues from Fuma, Apta realized that he wanted to talk to her.

“Bow, is there something you wanna ask me about?

“There is. Can I go to Mystacor to visit my dads?

“Definitely! Have fun. Keep in contact with us, ok?

You can count on me!”

Grabbing his quiver and bow for protection, Bow skipped outside happily, promising to tell them about AOE’s functioning, something that interested Apta deeply. Humming to himself, he observed the beautiful sights surrounding him, as he walked through the Whispering Woods. He had grown up in the woods, so the surroundings didn’t surprise him. On his way through this magical landscape, he stumbled upon one of the newly created computer centers. The name “Whispering Woods Junction” had been emblazoned on the front. For years, the library run by his dads, George and Lance, occupied the space. Times were different now. It delighted him that it continued to be used, especially in a way he never envisioned.

After a grueling hike through the woods, he reached the cliff where individuals stood before they crossed into Mystacor. The floating grassy rock, protective barrier, and the invisibility. It all seemed familiar. He visited the site once with Glimmer and Adora, another time with Glimmer, Adora, and the Crystal Gems, and finally lived there for several months as the unnecessary civil war raged across the planet. Treading carefully, the sights awed him once more. He knocked on a huge wooden door and announced himself. The door opened and George shook his hand, glad to see him again. He closed the door behind him and led Bow down a hallway.

“Bow, thanks so much for coming to visit! What brings you here?

“I thought I’d check up on you all. Apta wanted to a progress report on the archives, since she helped build the system you all use…she’s more into that technical stuff than me.

“Tell her that we’ve made digital copies of all the documents in our possession, along with photographs of three-dimensional objects, complete with a searchable database. All the originals remain stored and are constantly cared for, following her instructions.

“I’ll be sure to relay that to her. Dad, what about you? How are you doing?

Great! This intellectual milieu excites me. I learn something new every day.”

George called out, his voice reverberating through the building. “Hey, Lance! Bow came in for a visit…wanna come join us?”

An awkward pause ensued. Lance chirped back. “Definitely! Meet me in the audiovisual room. I’m watching that oral history interview I did a while back.”

Strolling in, the video astonished Bow. He hadn’t seen her for so long. Even on a screen, his memories flooded back as her essence shined through. His cheeks flushed with warmth and turned a dark red, holding his left hand to his face. He sheepishly laughed, trying to hide his emotions. He never imagined that a video of Adora would trigger such a reaction. Lance continued to study the film intently while George noticed his son’s response.

“You had a thing for her? You never told us anything about that.

“U-uh…I-I-I…enjoyed her as a friend, that’s all. Nothing happened between us!

“It’s fine, son, we are always here to listen. We are archivists now. However, I will always be your dad, as will George, until the end of time.

Thanks, Dad. Let’s watch the tape.”

Bow picked up a headset, sitting down next to Lance. All that time ago, his dad saw the interview with Adora as the perfect way to learn about She-Ra’s powers and the First Ones, convincing her to talk with him in a library side room. Her participation would help future Etherians learn about She-Ra. He promised her that the interview’s contents would stay in confidence. Now, he thought about making it public, although he needed Adora’s permission first. Bow recalled how he had entered the library with Glimmer and that samurai fellow, his uneasiness when Adora shouted "By the Power of Greyskull!,” echoing through the walls, and the camaraderie between her and his dad when they re-entered the library, drinking tea. Closing his eyes, Bow concentrated on the sound, trying to avoid the visual content distracting him. As hairs stood on the back of his neck, he breathed deeply and listened attentively.

“I’d like to ask you some questions today. This is Lance, citizen of Etheria, recording at the family library in the Whispering Woods on this beautiful day, with Adora Eros. Could you please state your name and age for the record? “I’m Adora Eros, fighter for the Rebellion, age 17, I suppose. “Let’s start with that. You saw that video from the Crimson Waste temple earlier, where it showed your mom and dad. Do you remember anything about them? “No. I recall being held by someone, seeing the stars, and being taken in by the Horde. Most of my early childhood memories are in the Fright Zone, playing with Catra, and the others. “Tell me more about that, if you would. “The Fright Zone wasn’t the best place to grow up. There were so many rules and we were being trained to join their marauding army. Not until I met Glimmer and Bow, did I experience real joy and fun. My life changed when I joined them in the valiant battle against the Horde. Both are such great friends and I value them. “Now, the last time you came to the library, you transformed into a magical princess. Could you show us how it works? I’d be happy to! I do it all the time now, so its no biggie. For the Honor of Greyskull!”

With a flash, holding up her sword, her appearance changed. She became more muscular and her hair changed to a lighter blonde shade, as did her height, now towering over eight feet tall. Lance marveled at her new appearance. He continued his questioning.

“In this new form, what powers do you have? “Apart from the ability to transform the sword into a cup, flute, shield, bracelet, or whatnot, I have super strength, incredible agility, healing abilities, animal transformation, and energy blasts. Even when I’m not transformed, I am skilled in hand-to-hand combat, survival, navigation, and developing strategy, due to my years training as a Horde soldier. “That’s a lot. How long does do you stay in this transformed form? “It depends, but I can control it a lot better than when I first discovered my abilities. It’s a lot of responsibility but I’ll do anything to keep my friends safe. “Is there anything else you’d like to tell us? “Sometimes, I feel alone on this planet. Bow and Glimmer are my friends, and we form the Best Friend Squad together. That’s nice. I wish someone new would arrive on this planet I could share my skills with. For now, I’ll work with what I have. “When you say ‘someone new’ you mean a person from another world? “Well, duh. If I was born on Eternia…why wouldn’t there be hundreds, if not thousands of others out there, populated with life? It’s the only logical explanation. I can’t agree more. Now…”

While Bow and Lance were absorbed intently by the film, George sprinted to the door. He opened it, welcoming the next patron inside the archives. He saw a familiar face: Angella, the purple-skinned, pink-and-purple haired Chief Archivist on paper. She often moped and walled herself off from others after her daughter, Glimmer, jumped into a portal all those months ago. The video continued playing. It ended with pleasantries.

“Thank you, Adora, for participating in this interview. “My pleasure. I can come back anytime to continue our conversation. “That sounds great! How about some tea? “Sure! Let’s bust out of this joint and go back the main library room. There’s nothing I’d love more, especially if we are tea-drinking while doing it!”

The tape concluded with laughs from Lance and Adora. Lance turned off the screen, which receded into the ceiling. With a soft knock on the doorframe by a tattered white glove, Bow spun his chair 180 degrees. Angella entered the room to Bow and Lance’s amazement. In the past, she had taken care of herself. Her dual-toned hair looked matted, her blue cape ratty, her pink leotard and light purple leggings frayed, her purple boots worn ragged. Only her wings shimmered, as did the gem adorning her forehead and her pearl-drop-shaped earrings. She began sobbing.

“I miss my daughter so much! If I had been able to talk to her, maybe she wouldn’t have marched into that portal! Oh, the inhumanity!

“I tried to do that. She remained pigheaded. My pleas were ignored. Even if you had attempted to convince her, it would all be for naught.

“You are right, Bow. I examine the stars every day, hoping Glimmer will come back. All I wish is for her safety, wherever she is in the universe.

She’ll be ok. As long as we don’t forget her, she will live on for us.”

On the other side of the planet, the CEDC’s front door rattled. Fuma unbolted the lock, grinning to her delight. The tan-skinned, slender feline woman wore a moldy, greyish cloak, complete with a hood of the same color. Her heterochromatic eyes, turquoise on the right, pale yellow on the left, sparkling, she introduced herself as “Wildcat, uh, the intern.” Stepping inside, Fuma, led her to the lower floor where the data centers were housed. Apta informed her the previous day that this new person would be working in their facility. Catching a glimpse of the woman from the side of her eye, Apta told Fuma to “leave us,” complying with the request. Going about her other duties like gardening and creating plants, with her still-existing magic abilities, the woman threw off her disguise. She revealed herself to be Catra, formerly the Horde’s second-in-command, once sentenced to imprisonment in the Northern Reach alongside Scorpia, Rogelio, Kyle, Lonnie, Grizzlor, Octavia, and other minor Horde soldiers. Chuckling maniacally, Apta declared, “let’s get to work,” followed by a smile from Catra akin to the grin of a malevolent Cheshire Cat.

************

Back in space, millions if not billions of light years away, the battle between the OCAC had turned into a standoff. TheOCAC’s cannons were charging as were those of the enemy ships. Rhodonite shrieked in utter horror. A new energy signature was off the charts, stronger than anything she had ever witnessed.

“CCaptain! The Peridots are charging up a huge machine and pointing it straight at us! We need to do something, otherwise we will be crumbled into specks of dust!

“Don’t worry Rhodo…nite. Everything contains energy, whether it is massive or massless. We are traveling across the plains of spacetime…space and time are unified…There can be large energy fluctuation at small scales. I doubt we will be drawn into another space and time distortion or any sort of quantum entanglement. In any case, their mechanism needs to be destabilized by any means necessary…its existence threatens the fabric of the universe.

It will be done, Captain!”

The OCAC's weapons were discharged, with green lasers streaking across the sky, hitting the edges of the apparatus with a boom. A huge wormhole appeared, smashing the machine into bits. The Peridots were scattered as a result, thrown across space wildly.

Unfortunately for Lars and the Off Colors, the spacetime gateway pulled them in, with momentum growing every second. Having studied science in school, he predicted that time would move slower from them due to their acceleration and the pull of gravity, recognizing the continuous and discrete nature of spacetime, the latter warping around gravitational bodies. He couldn’t comprehend the changes in this four-dimensional space, complete with curves and flat areas, certain particles and fields connected even if on opposite sides of the universe, a phenomenon known as quantum nonlocality. If he been nerdy enough, he could have measured the distances they traveled using ‘light signals’. Some theorized that the fabric of reality consisted only of a grid of pixels while others once thought that you couldn’t go faster than the speed of light. None of this mattered now. He wished they weren’t entering a black hole which would kill them, rearranging their atoms in new forms, with energy and matter crushed, unable to escape. He doubted they were entering a white hole, a region which allows light, energy, or matter to leave but cannot be entered from the outside.

Without warning, an unknown force charged up their weapons, readying them to fire. Rhodonite did all she could to reverse it. Nothing worked. Lars wondered if a gravitational wave instigated from a disruption in the curvature of spacetime, the wormhole itself, or a network extending across the universe. The distress of his crew concerned him. He roared one command they all could follow without question.

“Hang on tight, Pappy, Rhodo, RT, and Fluorite! We are in for a wild ride!

Aye, Captain, thar she blows!”