8. "We have to send Onimex," Daniel said. "Almost no one knows about Onimex except us and Ireana, and Onimex can do the job."  To anyone unfamiliar with the saga in progress, such a line would seem out of place, but again, 'time' for some cultures is only a point of view.

9. B'jhon drew his bottom lip and chin into his trademark contemplative pose.  Familiarity is such a comforting thought.  He nodding his head to acknowledge Daniel.  In fact, any movement at all was merely a reflex.  Daniel knew that B'jhon understood him.

10. "The order is given then?" asked B'jhon, waiting for a gestural authorization.  In all the known Universe, nobody was more authoritative than Daniel, yet nobody in the Universe knew who he was unless they were Corlos operatives. 

11. Daniel looked into B'jhons perceptive and gracefully aging face and nodded.  Then he returned his gaze back to the window.  Rarely did anything ever get this out of control, but a paradox was in-progress -- several timelines were about to converge at one point in space.

12. There was only one higher than Daniel and it was rumored that Daniel knew The One personally.  There existed no more or less evidence to support the fact for anyone else, except that Daniel was held accountable for knowing God.  Indeed, what Daniel knew was humbling.

13. Sunova had drifted into a stellar cloud, attracting crystals that shattered like glitter on impact.  The impacts were as harmless as rain, but slightly more musical as gentle waves of crystals increased and decreased then disappeared.  Once again the softly shifting swirls of color reappeared.  

14. To see this every day would make everywhere else seem monotonous.  Somewhere 'out there' the Mind of God was at work.

15. Without further delay, B'jhon left Daniel's presence to carry out his orders.

IN COUNSEL

16. The council chamber was demurely lit with built-in other-worldly appointments. 

19. Even if B'jhon had announced something spontaneously slap stick, nobody would have reacted -- such cool composure was a Corlos signature  not rigidly enforced.  Where traditions go, the chamber and all of the caverns in Sunova had been hewn by an ancient 'light race' when the orb traversed more hospitable space.  When their energy-bodies could no longer sustain the new astral conditions -- they left. 

20. "Where is he?" Lt. Camden asked from the opposite end of the table.  We're it not for the lethargic movement of his head -- the sound source would have been untraceable.  The acoustics on Sunova had an mysterious quality due to the hyper-dense reinfused rock foundation.   

21. "Earth," the chairperson answered, "Somewhere in 2012, their time," she added.

22. Deliberately reflective pauses inbetween lines was not uncommon either.  Possibly due to the unquantifiable convergences of linear time.

24. The amusement seemed spread evenly among all. 

25. This waking-dream effect was normal on Corlos.  It was believed that nobody aged there. 

27. Maybe they weren't lively per se, but the unified mind was clearly on-mission.   Once you got used to it -- you fell into suit. 

28. "Does anyone have any objection or see any reason why we should not proceed with the investigation as ordered?"  B'jhon inquired.

29. There were neither yeas nor nays, which was normal.  If someone wished to speak -- they were free to do so.

30. One final visual sweep of the room and the consensus was locked in.  That was a good example of what happened at these meetings.    

31. "Then Onimex is hereby reactivated to investigate the background of Kor for his trial -- Wexli, do it to it.  Meeting adjourned."  

ON EARTH

32. Ireana thought that she was in her own 'waking dream' when Onimex relayed new orders from Corlos.

33. She didn't register what Onimex said at first because 'Corlos-speak' had been abandoned years ago to encourage the idea of blending in locally.  

34. The first few repeated lines had no more relevance than an infant's contented gibbering coos.

35. But these coos has the effect of flies disturbing a slice of watermelon.  It was an old spark of ambition being exhumed and it took a split personality to resurrect the past.     

36. Ireana had spent the last 49 years working for Dow chemical at their Hawaiian experimental laboratory.  The current year was 2012.

37. She hired on as a bio-molecular engineer and inventor without portfolio.  She talked the talk and impressed the resident scholar, so Dow gave her a laboratory of her own. 

38. Her demonstrations always left her spectators speechless. 

39. Dow kept a lid on her by letting her write her own salary.  They also gave her a limitless expense account so that her salary was truly hers.    

40. This was her first contact with Corlos since her banishment in 1963.  

41. Ireana had been faced with a rather disturbing mission:  Terminate Dayton... or join him in exile. 

42. Onimex repeated his message again since she programmed him to have unlimited patience with her.

43. She had given him a psionic implant so that their discussions could occur nonverbally.  So far, only a few seconds had passed.    

44. "They're contacting me now?" she reiterated.

45. 49 years is a long time.  "Yes, Corlos is attempting to contact you.  In fact, they have already," Onimex confirmed.

46. Attentuated Exosynapse was the mechanism that enabled psionics in biologicals. 

47. Like machines, the Human brain is electrically-driven.  Exosensory potential allows energy from one source to access another.  Virtually all Vejhonians are natural psionists.

48. Humans have psionic potential, but are taught from birth to ignore it.    

66. "I'll complete the mission, make my report and come back before I left," Onimex reassured her.  She glanced at the far threshold expecting Onimex to peek from the other side, like he did when she first initialized him on M-tro-1.

67. Ireana had programmed Onimex with the latest theoretical knowledge on time travel and expected him to leap beyond conventional knowledge on his own.  Indeed, since his first initialization, he had accumulated a vast library of extraneous information that only he knew.  He had learned how to store some of his data in other dimensions so that a comprehensive transdimensional download was impossible unless he agreed.      

68. "Only a house droid would have talent like mine and never use it," he prevailed upon Corlos' request. 

69. Onimex had a tendency to be very child like with Ireana.  It was his affectionate acknowledgment of her as his creator. 

70. Onimex had also watched over Kiles since the day of his birth:  He was Kiles' best friend and hard-wired family.  For Kiles, it was like having a 3rd parent and constant companion until the day he left for Vejhon.  It was a sad moment; "I have to clear my Mom's name," Kiles said.  

71. "Historically, Corlos has never taken 'No' for an answer," Onimex said with a slight sardonic tone.   He was getting to her.

72. Ireana luxuriated for a long, lazy moment.  Right now, she is obstructing a vast Universal exploit.  "It's all up to me," she whispered.

73. 'I programmed him to read my mind,' she said privately, in a psionic pattern reserved for Onimex.  He heard it perfectly.  And that was her answer. 

74. A hazy translucence invaded her consciousness and faded away like a dream within a dream. 

IREANA AWAKES

75. Ireana came to.  She had fallen asleep.  It was only a dream.   But a very real dream. 

76. She studied the ceiling vent and contemplated thermal convection by Human standards.  'A 17,000 strand difference,' she reminded herself, between Vejhonian and Human DNA.  That's not very much.  Almost negligible. 

77. She forced herself to rise.  The laboratory was still there.  'I want a drink,' she thought to herself.

78. 'Why do I want a drink?' she questioned.  'Always over analyzing,' Onimex said, in stereo with her own conscience. 

79. She approached her cryo island and opened an inconspicuous bottom drawer.  She had removed the pull knob to to discourage indulgence by the uninvited.  The bottom drawer lip opened the drawer easily but nobody checked there.  

80. A welcome sight for sore eyes; therein an assortment of liquors and preferred imbibements arranged neater than a gift basket.    

81. The dream was so vivid and realistic that it haunted her.  She suffered equal portions of apprehension and elation with a dash of anxiety.   

82. There was no need to ask Onimex if he knew what she had dreamt.  Not divulging her every thought was a trick that Dayton taught Onimex

83. This particular moment, however, Onimex did know more than he revealed.  He just didn't want to bring it on all at once. 

84. "Ireana can now hear our conversation," Onimex said, "Please restate the essentials for her benefit and I will dispatch immediately."

85. Being an excellent actress, she could conceal her consternation -- it's one thing to dream things, and another when they happen.  

86. Ireana bypassed the plan to mix her favorite concoction and took a swig straight from the bottle in her hand.

87. "Excuse me," Onimex repeated, posturing purely for Corlos' benefit, "Ireana can now hear our conversation.  Please restate the essentials for her benefit and I will dispatch immediately."

88. "Ireana?" a soft, Heavenly voice queried.   Her eyes enlivened and she pulled the bottle into her bosom with both arms.  

89. "Override the... Psi... relay... hold on my thoughts," she instructed Onimex.   She still questioned whether she was awake.

90. "Done," Onimex confirmed. 

91. It had been 49 years since she had given Onimex that type of an instruction, so it didn't roll smoothly off of her lips.

94. "Whereabouts unknown," Onimex privately injected on his Ireana channel. 

95. 'Secret sorceress' was an awkward claim to fame and equally ironic.  Only Onimex could catch the duality of Ireana's thoughts on the matter.

97. "Understood," she said.   She understood Corlos' lack of elaboration quite well and had survived her share of silent meetings.

98. "You're friend will return once his assignment is completed," the voice reassured her.

99. As the guarantor of justice at the proceeding, Corlos could not send a field operative as a matter of organizational integrity. 

100. So the dream had been real.  Ireana denied herself any further indulgence.  "You're released for this assignment," she instructed Onimex.  Her intonation had 49 years worth of rust, but Onimex and Corlos understood perfectly.  

101. 'Did I say that?' she thought quietly.

102. 'Not so loud,' Onimex replied in character, 'I'll be back before you wake up.'

103. It was true -- Onimex could live 1,000 years and return before he left.  The law of reversion was nature's failsafe designed to inhibit prolonged trans-time adventures.  

107. She was too composed to feel pity and too wise not to let time burn.

108. Onimex used the moment to escape.  He knew that any delay would result in another delay, so he skipped the formality.  

109. "Onimex?" she mumbled weakly.  She felt it.  "You little..." she didn't finish.

110. She knew he was already past Alpha Centuri and somewhere well beyond, riding on ribbons of eternity. 

111. Just like a dream.

112. There was no response.  Something a psionist never enjoys. 

113. In the vacuum was a different frequency.  It seemed like she could hear the thoughts of a million people all around the Earth and turn them on and off like a switch.    

114. Even the collective intelligence of a million Humans did not equate to a small part of Onimex's capability.

116. Ireana strolled over to the lab window which bordered a natural Hawaiian garden.  'The ferns look so lovely,' she conceded.  She refused to wallow in tragedy and instead reflected on how nobody else in the Universe was anything quite like her.  

117. Then she took her bottle back to the cryo table to fix herself the concoction she wanted to begin with.

118. 'I'm not trying to escape,' she thought, 'I did that 49 years ago.'  The problem was closure; nothing in Ireana's life had any sense of closure. 

119. People don't understand the heart of a woman.  She stopped mixing her drink and stared frozen at the polished metallic counter.

120. Then the evidence of a single tear fell into her crystal tumbler.  

121. If people only knew what really happens in this Universe.  It would seem sad but Ireana wasn't sad.  

122. She felt alive again, as if some small part of her was reengaging reality.  In truth, the dynamic that she contributed was expressly her own. 

123. Ireana smiled as if swept by nostalgic memories of romance on a summer's eve. 

124. And in her eyes was genuine happiness; the wisdom of the ages.

125. "Have a safe flight," she mumbled out loud.

126. Indeed, the Universe is an interdependent organism.  This war had been long, bloody and needed to end.         

ONIMEX ENROUTE

127. Onimex was the most low maintenance droid ever assembled.  He could run his own diagnostics and repair his ailments long before they had a chance to mestastasize. 

128. He expended negligible resources to maintain total in-flight integrity and was perpetually powered by static energy amplifiers that never needed assisted maintenance.      

129. His calculations of pre-time velocities and stellar trajectories required layered quantum slip dynamics that changed from point to point.    

130. He had to add several chaos streams to cancel random deviations.   The only quantity that Onimex feared was absolute zero, and even then, he could avoid such a catastrophe in any number of ways.   

131. His transdimensional reverse-wave would have him arrive at Vejhon, index 19,363 dans around Kolob, the nearest major star. 

132. Time could be reversed using thought-velocity, but wave-current surfing was faster and less complicated.

133. A competent dimensional navigator could manipulate timespace by surfing through dimensional currents just like ancient seafaring navigators used tradewinds and astral navigation to traverse a two dimensional plane.  On the ocean, the Z axis spelled doom to floating objects. 

134. Transdimensional travel requires an understanding of time; a thematic wavelength that makes matter visible.  Time is the canvas upon which the artist paints.  Time can be frozen or accelerated but can not be ignored.  Consciousness requires time. 

135. Time is not consistent at every point in space, or from one dimension to the next.  Time can sympathetically transpose identical events in timespace.  Chaos disrupts Cosmos that structures Chaos.  Because perfectly balanced forces have a net movement of zero, time becomes the creative power that enables polarity and motion to occur.  Without time -- everything stops.  Photos are timeless because they move neither forward nor backward.

137. Indigenous philosophies are generally worthless to off-worlders except for cultural and diplomatic purposes.      

138. Time affords knowledge to those who will learn.   Onimex had to start slowing down. 

ABOVE VEJHON

139. Onimex paused in Vejhon's upper orbit to conduct his validation protocols.

140. The order from Corlos was the only license that he needed.      

141. There was no corporeal authority higher than Corlos.

142. Next was his time index authentication procedure.    

143. Planets are easy to distinguish from each other and easy to date.  

144. The first 1,000 checks of 10,000 options confirmed a 100% match from orbit.  He canceled the remaining 9,000 options and proceeded to determine the exact day and time.    

145. The target coordinates were approaching mid-morning on the day in question.

146. He broaden his analysis to include perfunctory real-time samples. 

147. Vejhon, index 19,363 dans around Kolob where 1 Vejhonian Dan equals 200 cycles around Kolob.

148. Moderate population. Lower mid-orbital strata contains an aqueous layer that surrounds the entire planet.  

149. The water layer reflected the blackness of space on approach which made the planet seem invisible.    

150. The watershell distributes heat evenly from three neighboring suns.  The first sun was 12 minutes away as light travels. 

151. Predominant tropical climate covering most of the landmass, even at the poles.

152. Oceans, seas, great lakes and watersheds compose one fourth of Vejhon's surface area.  The water was evenly distributed on the surface.

153. An additional ocean's worth of moisture saturates the air and is drawn toward the watershell.  The shell perspires and absorbs sustainably.  

154. An additional ocean's worth of water is contained in the watershell.  A collapse of the watershell would reduce the landmass to only one third of the planet's surface.

155. Onimex would check the watershell's vulnerability to meteor penetration at a later time.  A meteor large enough to collapse the shell would likely kill the planet too.      

156. Onimex had arrived just in time for the daily disappearing act; an effect viewable only from mid-orbit.  

157. The convergence of modulating light from the three suns made the entire planet disappear.  It was a momentary illusion and sometimes called a blind spot by space farers.  Onimex was not going to wait for the disappearing act to end.  

THE SURFACE

158. He slipped beneath the watershell and a stunning panorama of emerald forests, lakes, oceans and majestic mountains appeared below.  

159. The sparkling shades of green were accented by crystal streams and well dispersed population centers had a celestial affect on the soul. 

160. There was one well lit metropolis that served as the center of commerce and seat of Government:  Balitor. 

161. A large portion of the population chose to reside away from most major population centers.  With such beautiful surroundings, why would anyone choose city life over rural living?

162. Surface destination engaged.  Onimex would land at that location and observe.  It was one in a series of observations that the tribunal wanted.

163. It was fairly easy to remain invisible by slipping slightly out of synch with Vejhon's natural timewave.  It was not a cumbersome process -- it only required that he synch with anything that was not in synch with Kolob.    

164. That meant that he was virtually there, but not literally. 

165. Onimex slowed his descent and turned on his static envelope as he sank beneath the highest tree tops.

166. The true meaning of rain forest began to materialize as the sunlight barely streaked through a misty haze of green.  This was otherworldly to him, but normal to those who hunted, lived and played in these woods. 

167. As Onimex slipped into the grass, a gentle mist seemed to arise from beneath the fauna.  The whole place was alive. 

168. He switched on his A/V equipment and captured the sound of insects and tree dwelling species all around. 

169. As a precautionary measure, he kept his internal pressurization at optimum levels.  That kept the moisture out and enabled immediate egress should it be necessary.  He was not ordinarily this cautious at home, although Dayton was fond of saying, "You can never be too careful."

172. Onimex was hovering quietly and inconspicuously above a small stream.  He was careful not to nudge the tall blades of grass to avoid undue attention.  So far, no problems. 

173. This particular rainforrest was wedged inbetween two mammoth mountains unlike anything on Earth.  Their summits reach into low orbit, well below the watershell but beyond optical clarity.  

174. The mountains could have been named in honor of Bri and Kor, to symbolize their monumental lives. 

176. Perhaps El Sha knew the future, but even she wouldn't have wished for such calamity from her womb. 

THE BOYS

177. The moment was upon him. 

178. Across the stream, not far away, two 15-year-old boys emerged from the underbrush in virtual stealth.  Indeed, nobody would have noticed without advance warning.

179. For Onimex, the moment had profound significance.  If an AI unit could feel shivers tingle its spine -- this was that moment.

180. Onimex fine tuned his dimensional shift by bouncing a trace wave off the water surface.  He was still invisible, but had to be sure.

181. Kor suddenly froze and stuck his arm out to halt Bri.  Onimex was certain that Kor's sudden response was not a reaction to him because his trace wave did not disturb the water.  

182. Bri was accustomed to Kor's predator instinct and halted.  To do otherwise would been insulting. 

183. "What?" Bri whispered.

184. Kor studied the space in which Onimex hovered.  Onimex felt exposed.  It was Kor's lack of instant recognition that gave Onimex some consolation that he was still invisible.    

185. Kor was nearly certain that something was there -- something that didn't belong; something unnatural.  Bri only sensed what Kor was sensing, but made no attempt to sense anything on his own.  Kor was aptly more attuned with nature and would interpret any comment from Bri as a challenge.  For Bri, the scenario reduced to one question:  "How badly do I want to get beaten up today?"  Bri always lost, but he was not afraid of Kor.  

186. 'Unknowns' was something that Kor did not appreciate; the sensation quietly vexed him.  Bri sensed the irritation in Kor and it stirred up his own anxiety.  When Kor became vexed at something else, he took it out on his brother.  One of Kor's mysterious ways. 

187. Using the future as a guide, Onimex began to reverse engineer the sibling rivalry immediately.      

188. The war tribunal must have selected this time-index for a reason.  

189. There was an odd dynamic in this investigation that perplexed Onimex paradoxically.  By merely observing, could he be altering the future?  If Kor can truly sense him, does his presence alter the past?   In the quantum view, "Yes," to both questions.  Mathematically, "No:"   This evidence would be required regardless of the gathering method used.  In the hyper-quantum view, "The past is irretrievably ever-present."

191. Bri didn't doubt it, and playfully interpreted Kor's line to be self descriptive.

192. Kor was too serious by Bri's standard and Bri wasn't serious at all according to Kor.  Kor interpreted Bri's thoughts to be perpetually sarcastic.

193. Kor had a secret mentor named Mantra, who had been training Kor in personal guardianship.  Maybe the mysterious sensation was one of Mantra's new tests?   It was certainly unlike any test he had experienced before.

194. Kor crept forward with the stealth of a panther; his eyes steadfast and deadly.  This did not make Onimex feel at ease.    

195. Bri felt the burning focus of Kor's mind and pitied whatever had fallen in its path.  Change was imminent. 

196. Onimex did not even have a chance to see what hit him.  The most sophisticated machine in the Universe was unable to dodge a primitive attack?

197. In one swift blur of motion, Kor struck the anomaly five times before Bri even realized that something had happened. 

198. This was Kor's way, being able to maneuver faster than time.  Kor even indulged Bri's light-hearted sentiment about the target object. 

199. "If it thought it was camouflaged -- it can't be very smart," Bri thought.  Onimex was momentarily unconscious; still out of phase with Vejhon.

201. Then Bri began to feel his usual montage of emotions:  Guilt, sadness, embarrassment, anger, perplexity and defensiveness. 

202. That was precisely when Kor wanted to slug Bri.  To Kor, Bri's emotions was like pouring a whole bag of sugar in a small glass of tea.  There was no need for such dramatic overtones.  That's how life was on Vejhon -- everyone's private thoughts were part of a larger strata, unless one knew how to guard his mind.            

203. The buttons had been mutually pushed.  Even without a dialogue, something had to give, which meant that a fight was brewing. 

204. "It shouldn't be here, " Kor reiterated, "I don't think it's dead."  Kor was appealing to Bri, who always upheld himself as a champion of all life and existence.  Sometimes Bri-logic was as mysterious as Kor's.    

205. "Do you think it was really threatening us?" Bri asked, very much on edge.  Kor sighed angrily because he already knew where this was going.

206. "Oh, fuck you!" Kor rebuked him, "Why don't you just go home and clean the damn house!" 

207. That's all it took to bring it on.  Kor always jabbed with emasculating remarks because they were 100% effective.  He attacked Bri's sexuality because Vejhonian young men, full of piss and vinegar, would defend their honor unless the accusations were true.        

208. Bri glared at Kor and deprived him of an easy fight.  It was the repetition of the same tactic that irritated him more than the words said. 

210. "You're pissed off because I'm faster than you." Kor said, straightening his back and daring Bri to lunge.  They had totally forgot about the mysterious indentation in the water. 

211. The truth was that Bri really didn't want to fight.  He wanted to know why they couldn't just act like brothers.  Does everything always have to end up in a fight?  Do I always have to be weak, just because I... 

212. "Because you what..." Kor challenged him.  Bri didn't say anything out loud.  A quivering surge of hot energy shot through them like a gallon of adrenaline had just entered their bloodstreams.  It wasn't fear.   Kor started to sweat and impulsively gripped his manhood as though the solution was about to explode in his balls.        

213. Onimex regained his levitation and decided to omit this embarrassing slip from his report.  The recording process had not been affected.  He would have to take extra care to avoid future attacks.  Perhaps shift an additional point out-of-phase or reference another datum?  

214. The dilemma for Onimex was that Kor could 'sense' him when no other Vejhonian could. 

215. So Onimex had to ask himself, "Do I go up, regroup and reengage... or what?  What would Ireana tell me to do?"  He recalled a conversation:

216. "No, you can't just keep going back and back, thinking that you're going to fix it," Ireana told him during a discussion on time paradoxes.

219. "Don't over-think things;" Dayton always said to Ireana.  So far, the trip was uneventful. 

221. Contests among Vejhonian youth were considered sporting as long as their clothes were off; nakedness symbolized fair play.  Except for the Psionic Guard who recruited on a gender-neutral basis, girls were disuaded from combat to protect their femininity.  That did not mean that every girl religiously obeyed the rule, it meant that it was frowned upon for girls to be caught fighting. 

PSIONIC STANDARDS

224. On Vejhon: Psionics is synonymous with Language.

225. Psionics is comprised of symbols that can be imparted to a strata that contains other symbols.  This strata can be read by all who possess psionic ability.

226. The strata makes it possible to communicate over distance without an electronic device. 

226. Most worlds construct a global electronic grid that interconnects the population.  Over stellar distances, psionics erodes.  The Light Race was believed to have mastered quantum thought before being translated into energy beings by Tetragammaton. 

227. On Vejhon, interconnectivity is conducted psionically since psionics is indigenous to Vejhon.  If you are Vejhonian -- you are psionic, and thus a psionist.  The exceptions include resident legal aliens, rogues, no-recs and off-shellers.  

228. 'Shell' is slang for 'world' because of the watershell has always existed. 

229. Most indentured servants are recruited from the non-psionic classes.  Under Vejhonian law, a non-psionist captured without portfolio; without credentials and/or without sufficient funds can be indentured by the captor.  The law makes every Vejhonian a de facto Immigration Agent and personally responsible for State security.   Truly hideous crimes are rare since premeditation is easy to interdict before a perpetrator can act.  That did not mean that Vejhon was a crime free zone -- it means that the two polarized forces permeating Vejhon were rarely, if ever caught.      

WHAT OF ONIMEX?