Post Realignment: The Best of Both Worlds

Best of Both Worlds 

Collected Trade Paper Back

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Except from Studio Head Interview on relaunched “Mountain and Sea” 

Funny story. 

After we graduated the cast at the end of the Next Gen 2006 run, “Mountain and Sea” (M&S) continued on for almost a dozen issues. M&S wrapped up with the well received “Downpour” arc where Cara became “Crimson Tide” full time. Fans quickly took to the fallen hero and really embraced her as a villain. Extent didn’t fare so well post arc. We didn’t really understand why he wasn’t moving books any more. We wrapped up the Extent ongoing series due to poor sales but left him in the “Ark of Worlds” (AoW) ongoing series.

Then something interesting happened. Ark of Worlds gave us a chance to play with different iterations of Extent and Eddie. While the original Extent faded into the background these variants really resonated with fans. In AoW we took some inspiration from the early “cube adventures” in Next Gen. It made sense as "Cube Adventures" inspired the Ark of Worlds so we had come full circle. Turns out that Extent works best when he has Eddie to riff off – otherwise he is just too mopey and listless. It was kind of like our version of DC’s Hawk and Dove or Marvel’s Cloak and Dagger.

This put us in a difficult spot. Crimson Tide is still popular as a recurring villain across Earth Prime titles so reconciling Adrian with Cara wasn’t going to work. We had let her villainy take her much darker places than we originally planned but it worked so well that we had to shelve our plans for her redemption.

A few years earlier we had already foreshadowed some still coming stories for Earth Prime that relied on Extent and Eddie being together. It was a bit of a lack of editorial oversight on our behalf. We had painted ourselves into a corner because we had to put the duo back together for past, current and future continuity – you are going to have to read some of the coming stories to understand why. No spoilers. So we needed them together but couldn’t really do it because Crimson Tide was so popular.

A lot of ideas were thrown around and then discarded. We initially wanted to try and avoid the "Suspiciously Similar Substitute" trope. We threw around the idea of using one of the alternate iterations of the couple we saw on Ark of Worlds but it occurred to us that we might be able to lever off the "Counterpart Comparison" trope effect. It was going to happen anyway so why not work it into the narrative and get the best of both worlds… which as you know became that name for the Ark of Worlds story that introduced readers to Tara Cassidy Breen (Maelstrom).

It turns out Tara comes straight out of already established continuity. Different Adrians. Different Caras. Also lots of our cube adventures featured  Cara becoming Crimson so that wasn't a surprise either.

Tara gave us a chance to revisit what made “Mountain and Sea” so special. It was kind of a super soap opera. The challenge was in making Tara to definitely be her own character. I think we nailed the trick of having our cake and eating too because we now have an interesting dynamic and tension without violating continuity. Cara and Tara are both fun to write. Their powers, personality and background are different from what readers might think. Crimson Tide and Maelstrom can both do things that other cannot do. And where they do have some commonality you can see why these two clash. Its kind of a “there but for the grace of god go I” – for both of them.

Tara’s introduction led to the awkward relationship we have now between Extent, Maelstrom and Crimson Tide. We know Extent is all about awkward relationships. “Best of Both Worlds” proved a hit and now we are relaunching “Mountain and Sea” starring Adrian and Tara.

And here’s a surprise bonus. I’m pleased to announce we are re-launching “Extent” one month after “Mountain and Sea” debuts.

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2008...

The sanctuary known as the Ark of Worlds drifted lazily in the inter dimensional limbo of the Terminus. Blood red spectral winds of Warpwold danced around the safe haven amidst the chaos. The briefing room within the Ark was filled with tension. Three people were within: one man, two women. Only the blond woman looked at ease. The other two radiated discomfort. 

The man was tall, powerfully built topped with a shock of chestnut hair. The uncomfortable woman was petite but curvaceous. A shock of long red hair cascaded down her face, shoulders and back. The third woman, also diminutive, wore a a utilitarian smock of grey and white. She was crowned with iridescent blond hair, cropped pragmatically short. She was the only one who appeared at ease. And she was clearly the one in control.

Vicki smoothed her white grey smock and gave her most un-reassuring Cheshire cat smile. “Adrian David Hooper, Tara Cassidy Breen. Tara Cassidy Breen, Adrian David Hooper.” She nodded from the large man to the diminutive red-haired woman and then back again.

Adrian kept his eyes averted and nervously rubbed the back of his neck. “Ummm…”

“Errr…” stumbled Tara, her eyes roving everywhere except the other two occupants of the room.

Adrian found his tongue first. “Vicki, this is weird.”

“Totally weird. I’m not enjoying this,” Tara hastily agreed, still nervously looking anywhere but at the two other parties. Nervously she flicked her long red hair away from her face.

“Yes. This will be uncomfortable,“ Vicki adopted her schoolmarm voice. “I need you both to put aside the past and work together. You both work for me now and now I need you to work together.”

“But he’s a doppelganger of Aidan Wainwright,” protested Tara.  

“And she’s Cara Avonmora’s doppelganger,” blurted Adrian.

Vicki icily cut across the objections of both parties. “He’s not Aidan. I'm sorry but he's dead. She’s not Cara. She's a sociopathic murderer. I need you both to be adults. Aidan and Cara are gone. You both need to get over your respective childhood crushes and establish a professional outlook on this. I’ll be having you working together on missions soon and I need to know that you will both be up to code.”

Tara made a suggestion. “Can’t you just assign us different partners?”

“You know full well how many iterations of people we encounter on the Ark and in the field. My problem is that you two have no issue with your own dopplegangers but experience real difficulty in interacting with dopplegangers of your old sweethearts.  I will not tolerate that any more. And before you interject again, this problem is localised to you two and just you two. I need you to resolve this. Now.”

▬▬▬▬▬

The coffee was quickly going cold. Each person made perfunctionary sips.

“So… he died before we graduated Claremont." Tara wrung her napkin while avoiding Adrian's eyes. "Aidan was always impulsive but I wish he just waited a little longer that time. We were fighting Labyrinth and one of their overcharged DNAscent variants. Our friend Christine was infected. To stop her Aidan had to kill her at the cost of his own life. It hit us all hard but Emi and I the hardest. Emi almost had an alternate solution. After that I drifted through the last year and on for a little until Vicki snatched me up to work for the Ark. Not long after that my reality got caught in the Doom Coil. Earth-308 is gone. As near as we can tell I'm the sole survivor. You?”

“I’m sorry.” Adrian reached for Tara’s hand but hesitated. He quickly withdrew it, unsure how to proceed. Tara in turn folded her arms back around herself hugging her torso.

“Oh… umm… I'm from Earth Prime. It's in a stable orbit. Although Omega would love to throw it into the Doom Coil we've kept out of his reach so far." Adrian toyed with his coffee cup. "It... ah... it sounds like the two time lines are pretty similar. Your Wainwrights are basically my Hoopers. Your Breen are my Avonmoras. As far as I can tell even the last names have similar meanings and origins. Umm… anyway… so in my reality, Earth Prime, Emi got her solution up before I could break the toxic DNAscent flask. Christine and I both lived.”

“Damn you Emi,” murmured Tara. “My Emi. I mean.”

“If she's anything like mine I’m sure she gave it her best." Once more Adrian reflexly reached out and drew back before making contact. "Anyway looking back you… sorry, I mean Cara... Yup. Cara. Got it. Cara had a few… odd… moments back when I first met her in my second year of Claremont. At first she was pretty frightened by her fury but seemed okay. As the years progressed she became… I dunno harder. We figured it was just all the crap that came with being with Next Gen but looking back… it wasn’t. We all missed the signs. Even Professor Summers missed it. Eventually I leaned that she was living a kind of double life as Cara and the super villain Crimson Tide. After graduation we went to Hawaii together for our gap year. All hell broke loose. She went full dark side. I sent her prison and came back alone. She’s been a… anyway I put her in jail a few times since then but I don’t know where she is at the moment. She pops up occasionally to make my life hell. Whenever I see an iteration…”

“… like me.” Tara stared down at her cooling coffee and once more lifted the napkin.

“Umm… yeah. I get all… dunno.” Adrian paused. The ceiling was suddenly a fascinating thing to study. “I get messed up inside.”

“… me too. You look and sound like Aiden… kinda of. I mean you do look like him and your voice matches but the more you talk the more I notice differences. You speak differently.” Tara looked at Adrian fully. To him it seemed to be the first time they made actual eye contact. “ It’s… syntax, word choice, inflection. I don’t know but when you talk it kinda softens the blow. I... uh... can tell you're someone else. This is weird… it's too weird and awkward… and a painful.” She tore the paper napkin in half.

“I know what you mean." He took in her form. "Your eyes are green not blue. Your hair falls differently and is a different shade. You smile differently and your mannerisms…" Adrian looked carefully at Tara before breaking his long appraising gaze. “Yup… uh… so this is weird."

Agreement was swift. "Definitely weird." 

Adrian fumbled his coffee cup. A pool of dark liquid spread across the table. "Uh... say. Vicki wants us to work together. Let's work together. Do you want to go fight some crime instead of this, whatever this is?”

Tara shot to her feet in enthusiasm “Hell yes! Anything but this.”

“As you wish.” It was an automatic response. The phrase was old habit that had simply gone dormant but wasn't dead. It didn’t even register on Adrian’s mind.

Tara froze. She wore a startled expression. “Did you just quote the Princes’ Bride?”

“Yeah.” Adrian blushed deeply. “Wait. Did you say Prince or Princess?”

Tara’s expression calmed. “Prince. The Prince’s Bride. Story of a commoner who is forced to marry an evil Prince after her poor farm boy love is killed by pirates.”

“Yeah that’s the one but it’s called the Princess Bride where I come from.”

“That’s silly.” Tara switched to good natured bemusement. “Buttercup is a commoner not a Princess and she is the bride of the Prince hence the Prince’s Bride.”

“Okay…" Adrian paused thoughtfully, "so maybe there are more differences between our worlds than we thought.”

“Let’s find out.”

“Yeah. It’s gotta be better than sitting here.”

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"I like your uniform" Tara shyly offered the compliment.

"Thanks. Not too painful?" Adrian enquired with hesitation.

"Nope. Never seen it before." Tara's smile was broad. "Also... Extent? I've heard it used by some dopplegangers but... I... hung with Resize."

"Sooo... Your outfit is... umm... also unique. You... ah... you look really nice in it." Adrian bumbled his way through the sentence while attempting to not stare. Tara was definitely curvy in all the places where Adrian liked curves. "Uh... so I didn't catch your code name."

"Maelstrom."

"You ever go by Eddy?"

"No. Now stop being such a lunk and let's find a reality that needs us."

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There was a loud sploosh noise followed by splash back from a very surprised heavily tattooed man. He didn't look surprised for long as a more forceful water blast drove him backwards and down.

Maelstrom lowered her outstretch palm. The water cascade instantly ceased. She turned to Extent in puzzlement. "Did... did you just... did you just water bomb that Yakuza?"

"Yeah." Adrian answered. "I figured you could use the water."

"Why?" Maelstrom's expression didn't change.

"You don’t... need it?" Now it was Extent's turn to look puzzled.

“Nah. I'm part Undine. I kinda generate it. I’ll need to rehydrate later but I’m good for now." There was a casual dismissiveness in Maelstrom's tone. "Also, what’s up with your combat stance? You don’t box?”

“What? No." Extent sounded both puzzled and offended. "That could hurt someone. I’m super strong. One wrong punch and someone could die. Mostly Akido with some Greco wrestling and a few other soft form martial arts in the mix plus a lot of gymnastics.” With a gentle side step Extent sent another Yakuza spiralling away (with a little lift assistance).

“Well you move like an acrobat. Aiden would just wade in.”

“That’s crazy dangerous.”

"Yeah. It was. It got him killed."

▬▬▬▬▬

Present minus 11 months 3 weeks…

“The hell? Why didn’t you use a water blast?”

“Why would I do that when the shield deflected their swords.”

“But... it’s just that… that’s not the combo. I guess the differences are starting to become evident.”

▬▬▬▬▬

"Hey. Hey! HEY! Whatta ya think you’re doing? Hands OFF!" Tara was almost completely smothered. Adrian had practically enveloped her. The two now rolled awkwardly on the floor amidst a raging inferno that was once a warehouse.

“Sorry. Reflex. Don’t tell me," Adrian awkwardly sighed. "You’re also invulnerable.”

“No…. um… Okay so this fire isn’t hurting so I guess you’ve somehow made me invulnerable…" Tara squirmed as she assessed, "...and I’ve never been shrunk before. Can you please let go now?”

“Uhhh… can’t." he apologised. "You're only invulnerable while not normal size and I can only shrink you while I hug you. Sorry.”

“For reals?”

“Yeah. That’s how it works." It was more explanation than apology. "My bad on a first date. I can let you go once you put the fire out.”

“Right. Fire." Tara's surprise momentary vanished before returning twofold. "Wait… first date?”

“I didn’t mean that.”

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The Willow bar was only moderately crowded. It was friendly environment; homey and safe. Adrian wore jeans and an old Claremont jersey in gold and blue. Tara wore jeans, an emerald blouse and a battered bomber jacket.

"So earlier, what did you mean when you said part Undine?" he leaned forward fascinated.

Tara's smile was sparkling. "Mum was an Undine... umm... Irish water spirit. A kind of like a fairy." Tara switched to rote recital. "Undine are usually found in forest pools and waterfalls, and their beautiful singing voices are sometimes heard over the sound of water."

Adrian was entranced, "beautiful singing Irish water faeries huh?"

"Yup." Tara cocked her head slightly. "Although Dad is... was.. mortal. Daughters are supposed to breed true. That means they are always Undine. Male children miss out."

"What else can you do?"

"Well... as you found out, I don't need water to fuel my powers. I pretty much have total control over open water. I can't really affect anything inside a container but that's not a problem since I can more or less create the water I need."

Adrian continued his fascinated gaze. "More or less?"

"I can become aqueous - fully or partially. If I need to I can convert part of my body to water and replace it later."

"So... you like lose a limb or something?"

"No silly. Just mass. I can usually pull a lot of moisture from the open environment. I just supplement it when I need to. Makes me real thirsty later though. No water retention jokes permitted."

Adrian motioned the bar keep. "Another drink. The lady is thirsty."

"Ha, ha." Tara chided. "Although I am thirsty. And... it completely messes with my dress sizes. Thank god for morphic molecule underwear."

"You wear morphic molecule underwear?" It was part tease and part incredulous.

"Hey that stuff doesn't grow on trees. Even if Vicki  keeps me mostly in supply." Tara feigned indignation. "Besides you never know when you might need to use your powers. I would have thought you had the same problem. What with growing and shrinking and all?"

Adrian looked down at his clothes briefly. "Nope. I project a field. Everything in it gets affected. Can you imagine me being tiny or huge and butt naked?"

Tara's eyes quickly played over him. She immediately blushed.

"That.... wasn't what I intended to say." He flushed. "Anyway that's how I shrunk us down. Real short range though. Pretty much have to engulf the target to get good coverage. Sorry again about that. I wasn't meaning to be grabby. So what else can Undine do?"

Tara dropped her head and shyly offered, "Well, I'm really hard to kill."

This surprised Adrian. "You said you weren't invulnerable earlier?"

"I'm not." Tara smiled as she explained. "I just can't be killed... mostly. As long as one drop of me is left I can rebuild myself when I rejoin more water."

"Cool... a real lady in the lake"

"Where did you think the legend came from you silly lunk."

"You said Undines sing. Do you sing Tara?"

"Foolish mortal, you have no idea."

Her declaration was met with a bemused smirk. He rose and gently reached for her hand. "Let's find out. Ms Breen, I believe it's time for Karaoke."

"Really Mr Hooper? Prepare to have your ass kicked."

Hey, I was doing just fine before I met you
I drink too much and that's an issue but I'm okay
Hey, you tell your friends it was nice to meet them
But I hope I never see them again

I know it breaks your heart
Moved to the city in a broke down car
And four years, no calls
Now you're looking pretty in a hotel bar
And I can't stop
No, I can't stop

So baby pull me closer in the backseat of your Rover
That I know you can't afford
Bite that tattoo on your shoulder
Pull the sheets right off the corner
Of the mattress that you stole
From your roommate back in Boulder
We ain't ever getting older

We ain't ever getting older
We ain't ever getting older
You look as good as the day I met you
I forget just why I left you, I was insane
Stay and play that Blink-182 song
That we beat to death in Tuscon, okay
I know it breaks your heart
Moved to the city in a broke down car
And four years, no call
Now I'm looking pretty in a hotel bar
And I can't stop
No, I can't stop

So baby pull me closer in the backseat of your Rover
That I know you can't afford
Bite that tattoo on your shoulder
Pull the sheets right off the corner
Of the mattress that you stole
From your roommate back in Boulder
We ain't ever getting older

[Adrian]
So baby pull me closer in the backseat of your Rover
That I know you can't afford
Bite that tattoo on your shoulder
Pull the sheets right off the corner
Of the mattress that you stole
From your roommate back in Boulder
We ain't ever getting older

We ain't ever getting older
No we ain't ever getting older

The song concluded. The singers grinned like idiots at each other. Unthinking they clasped hands and bowed. As they left the small stage their hands remained firmly locked together. A smattering of applause accompanied them off the floor. In short order the bartender shooed the pair back to the karaoke machine.

Lying in my bed I hear the clock tick,
And think of you
Caught up in circles confusion--
Is nothing new
Flashback--warm nights--
Almost left behind
Suitcases of memories,
Time after--

Sometimes you picture me--
I'm walking too far ahead
You're calling to me, I can't hear
What you've said--
Then you say--go slow--
I fall behind--
The second hand unwinds

If you're lost you can look--and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you--I'll be waiting 
Time after time

After my picture fades and darkness has 
Turned to gray
Watching through windows--you're wondering
If I'm OK
Secrets stolen from deep inside
The drum beats out of time--

If you're lost you can look--and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you--I'll be waiting 
Time after time

You said go slow--
I fall behind
The second hand unwinds--
If you're lost you can look--and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you--I'll be waiting 
Time after time

Time after time...
Time after time...
Time after time...
Time after time...

Song after song followed as the evening stretched into the hours until the bar closed.

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2 weeks later...

It could have been ignominious but instead was sincere. The small hand genuinely offered to help Adrian haul himself to his feet from the smoking ground.

"You okay partner?" Concern creased Tara's brow.

Adrian forced himself to his knees and looked down at his torso. His shirt was charred and torn. It had been reduced to rags. His pants had fared slightly better and preserved some modesty.

Tara continued to look on both puzzled and concerned. "Hey! You there, Adrian? I know you're a bit of a lunk but I hope he didn't completely fry your brain. I thought you were invulnerable?"

"Umm...." Adrian shook the daze from his head. "I'm not invulnerable when normal size. I barely got my field up in time."

"You sure you're okay?" Tara unsuccessfully attempted to help the massive man to his feet. "He got you good."

"I think... yeah." His world continued to drift in and out of focus. "I think I managed to swap electrocution for being tazed. Where'd he go?"

"In that heap just there." There was a twinkle in Tara's eye. "Turns out he doesn't like water."

Adrian craned his neck and shifted his body to better take in the scene. More tattered threads fell from him. "He's got no taste."

"Oh hey! You're inked!" Tara almost squealed in delight. "Just the left shoulder or more?"

"What? Oh..." Adrian was still shaking off the effects of the electrical discharge. "Uhh... just two more. Places where... let's say you can't see them."

"But I want to," she implored.

Adrian looked down at his legs meaningfully.

"Uhhh... Maybe another time," she quickly backpedalled.

Adrian furrowed his brow. "What's that mean?"

"Nothing. Wrong choice of words." Tara blushed as she stepped back. "Maybe a pic? Oh... that wouldn't be a di... umm... you know what, never mind. I can get used to disappointment."

"The Princess Bride?" Adrian wobbled as he finally stood.

"The Prince's Bride thank you very much" Tara darted forward to steady Adrian. "Anyway, so is that an Aquarius? A Ganymede tattoo?"

"Close." Adrian smiled. The ground was still undulating beneath him. Despite the fog he was impressed. It wasn't often that anyone came this close to being right. "It's Hyas..."

"Oh! The Titan. Nice!" Tara cut in. "That makes more sense than the beautiful Phrygian youth... not that you aren't bea... umm... So... did you also get killed by a serpent?"

Adrian's was impressed. Tara knew her mythology. A painful realisation crossed his mind. "Actually now that you point it out. Yeah. A serpent got me good."

"I don't get it?" Tara's delight evaporated as connections were made. "Oh... her. Sorry."

"Doesn't matter now. Long time ago." A convenient wall provided much needed support. "So now you have seen my hidden bits, it's only fair for you to show me some of yours." He waggled his finger at Tara running it up and down her form."

"What? Mr Hooper! We're partners!" She radiated indignation.

"Huh?" Adrian leaned against the wall. "Oh... I just mean any ink? Not... ah.." He plucked at his ruined and revealing clothes. At a futile attempt at dignity he tried to pull the rags across himself. He blushed. "That is TOTALLY not what I meant!"

"A little Celtic work in wode blue." Tara shyly admitted. "Like you, not anywhere public. Of course I have to remember to put it back on after I go aqueous."

Adrian was impressed. "You lose tattoos if you change form?"

"They're not part of my natural body so keeping them isn't reflex. I have to remember to add them."

"So everything is natural huh?" Adrian almost bit his tongue  "Ah... that sounded better in my head."

"Skay..." Tara dismissed the double entendre.  "And for the record... yes. Everything is natural. I can't even dye my hair and guarantee to remember it.... so... Hyas... um... consort to rain-nymphs huh?"

"Yeah."

"You do know I'm technically a rain-nymph right?" Tara calmly stated.

"You ain't snared me yet faerie girl."

"Gimme time," she smiled sweetly and then quickly followed up with "that's not what I meant."

Adrian hastily backtracked. "Me neither."

"Glad we cleared that up."  Tara toyed with her curls.

"Right then." Adrian finally stood without assistance.

"Now that that's sorted, let's get that guy to the cops."

▬▬▬▬▬

2 more weeks later...

The alley was dark. Two entwined forms broke apart. Beneath them sat a sodden brightly coloured spandex clad man restrained by what was once a fire escape.

The sitting man looked blankly out of the alley towards an escape that was clearly beyond his reach. A puddle around him was slowly expanding into the detritus of the alley.

“Kill… me... now..” he pleaded to the uncaring universe.

The man’s request was met with a swift kick from the male of the entwined forms and a quick retort.

“Quiet you.”

The standing man nervously pulled away from the woman.

“Soooooooooo…” He drew out the vowel for half a dozen heart beats.

The woman stepped away and blushed almost as deeply as her fiery hair. “Umm…”

“I didn’t mean for this to happen.” Adrian’s words tumbled out in both apology and panic.

“Me neither!” Tara quickly protested. “It was totally not what I… umm…” Her tone softened. “Yeah. Not planned... ah Partner.”

“It just  kinda happened… I haven’t felt a rush like that while fighting...” He paused before recovering. “…uh... for a long time, partner.”

“Yeah. Me too.” Tara smoothed her costume. “Total buzz… then uh… this happened. Spontaneous, right?”

“Yeah. Just happened.” He agreed straightening his jacket.

“I'm serious,” the man on the ground pleaded. “Just call the cops. I promise to wait right here. You go get a room.”

Tara kicked him. “Quiet you.”

“Let's... ah... not talk about this okay?” His voice hesitated, almost inviting a refusal.

“Yup. First rule of fight club.” Tara confirmed. Adrian deflated in expression and size as his powers subconsciously kicked in.

“Ahh…. unless you want to talk about it?” ventured Adrian hopefully. He stopped his involuntary descent leaving him eye to eye with Tara.

“Nope... unless it happens again.” Tara suggested. "Wanna fight crime again tomorrow? See what happens?"

“As you wish.”

▬▬▬▬▬

Another 2 weeks later again...

Vicki swept past Tara in the gently curving corridor of the Ark of Worlds.

"You're looking well," Vicki noted.

Tara became immediately defensive. "What do you mean?"

"Better adjusted. Happier. Your new partner is working out?" Vicki's question was mostly rhetorical. "Oh, did you lose that ring your wore on your necklace?"

"Uh..." Tara's hand flex reflexly to her throat. "Umm... yeah. Some world. Not sure which. Ummm... I gotta... gotta be somewhere... else."

Vicki continued her path and waved a dismissed hand. "I'm sure you'll find what you're looking for."

The corridor continued to curve. Shortly Adrian strolled into view.

"Hey Vicki!" His smile was broad. "Have you seen Tara anywhere? I thought we could... ummm... practice. Some. Moves. Together." He trailed off lamely.

"Riiiiiiiiight." The drawl and sarcasm were perfectly balanced. "You two seem to be working out well."

"Ummmmm... yeah." Adrian's response was laden with suspicion for the inevitable trap.

"She's about 100 metres ahead of you and moving fast." Vicki arched one eyebrow. "I wouldn't let her get away if I were you."

The double meaning was lost on Adrian who simply offered thanks. Before he could fully depart Vicki raised her voice. "I couldn't help noticing, what happened to your pendant?"

Adrian froze in his tracks. He responded while carefully keeping his back to Vicki. "I... took it off. Choking hazard."

"Funny. That never bothered you before." Vicki noted. "It must have been difficult to take off. I recall you had your friend Spook meld the links so it was irremovable?"

"Ummmm....." Heartbeats passed. "Turns out... turns out he missed a few links."

"I see." Vicki commenced walking again. "He's not the only one. Go catch Tara."

▬▬▬▬▬

The hanger was a seldom used feature of the Ark of Worlds. Most transit occurred through the Embarkation Room where portals to selected realities could safely be opened within it’s mutli-vaulted layout. Much like the Embarkation Room, the hanger was compartmentalised and armoured and shielded against everything that could be anticipated. In an omniversal observation platform, that list was very long.

Mostly the hanger was used by agents of the Ark that could transverse the Warpwold under their own power. The most common use was retrieval of artifacts from the accretion disk of the Doom Coil. While the Terminus itself was dangerous, approaching the Doom Coil was akin to suicide as the Coil’s ever hungry tendrils reached out into both the Terminus and beyond seeking fresh realities to grind.

The cavernous hanger, designed to one day house some form of ship or vessel, stood vacant apart from a man and a woman. The door was gaping open and a shimmering force field protected them from the angry red Warpwold beyond. The pair held hands as they solemnly stood silhouetted against the ever raging red storm.

“We're sure about this?” offered Tara.

Not trusting his voice Adrian simply shook is head.

“It’s okay,” Tara lay her head on his arm and gently coaxed. “You don't have to. I can do this alone.”

Adrian inhaled deeply and found his voice. “I didn’t think it would be so hard.”

“Well…” hesitation crept into Tara’s demeanour. “Me neither but we made it this far.”

They stood in silence before the roiling blood drenched vista.

Adrian turned to face Tara. Gently lowering his head to her height he tenderly kissed her forehead. One hand remained firmly ensconced in Tara’s. He raised his free hand. Cradled within his palm dangled a tarnished silver pendant.

“It's time." he mumbled. “What this is... was... doesn't matter. Now it's just a chain stopping me moving forward.”

“Just chains,” she breathed as she raised her free hand to his. She held a golden ring strung upon a silver chain.

They joined their hands and combined the trinkets within. With a gentle throw the pair cast the jewellery into the red abyss.

▬▬▬▬▬

Vicki paused from her work and raised her vision to the internal cameras. The hanger had caught her eye. Impassively she watch Adrian and Tara. As the pair slowly left the hanger hand in hand, a cold smile played across her lips. “Finally. We're moving again. A few more decades and I’ll have you right where I want you…”

▬▬▬▬▬

With dexterity that belied its construction, the armoured gauntlet of scorched metal reached into the swirling detritus among the Warpwold and plucked free it’s prey. Two gleaming metal decorations, a pendant and a ring hung from the fingers of the being.

“My Lord?” A voice hesitantly enquired.

The hand rubbed the prize between it’s fingers. The enquiry went unanswered until the figure that owned the hand had finished contemplating the find.

The voice that replied was the personification of the inevitable grinding of entropy against the wheel of time. “Add Earth Prime to the active list.”

“Yes, my Lord. At once, my Lord.”

The form, which never turned from the Terminus, continued to gaze into it’s depths. Despite the hulking armoured suit the figure emanated a sense of satisfaction. “In just a few handfuls of years it shall finally be mine.”

▬▬▬▬▬

End