Far Pangaea 54: Static Cling

Madigan Ridge turned ghostly while Malcolm Brand was still inside her. Having shocked even herself that she would go against her principals and have sex with another man. Malcolm too had a great deal of respect for her Husband General Obadiah Ridge. Yet, they concluded while alone that none of them would ever see their own era ever again. It was a no- brainer. Enjoy the life you had access to. As it was Madigan Ridge died once already. Why not enjoy the new life while she could. She should be ashamed of herself. Right this second as a matter of fact.

"How is that possible? How could Obadiah be contacting us from---the future?" She floats nude in front of Malcolm and Cam. Both men used to seeing her nude anyway there was no modesty.

"I don't know Maddy." Cam lowers his gaze, not from embarrassment but in trying to tune in on his mental connection to British Vampire Sabbath Black. She had somehow been possessed by Obadiah, "Hold on I'm trying to focus on what he's saying through Sabbath."

"Saying through?" Malcolm winces.

"Full on Exorcist Buddy. Quiet down." Cam holds his temple. Proving painful to pick up her thoughts. He had very limited thoughts from his own darker self. Still, he was attempting to drag in both of their thoughts.

While focusing the rest of the crew joined the trio outside. Elle Franklin, Greta Winston, Colonel Ruby Goddard, and James Ian Pryce. Lastly following came Madigan's daughter Sophia. Rushing after she too felt a disturbance coming from the microbial colony within Sabbath Black's body. The parasitic legion communicating as one.

"You hear what I hear Cam?" Sophia rushes past everyone without touching them. Her tiny friends worked up into a frenzy by the white noise of dimensional cross communication.

"Yeah. Trying to pinpoint down Sabbath for answers. Angel Me too. It's not easy."

Sophia eyes her Mom and Malcolm close together nude. Her heightened senses sniffing out the evidence of sex. Eyes narrowing at her Mom she starts to speak. Madigan beats her too it.

"Piper Sophia? Your Father is trying to contact us."

Ruby immediately brightens up, "Wait? What? General Ridge?"

"Yep." Cam holds a hand out for everyone to hush, "Possessing Sabbath. You guys all need to shut up."

James lays back as if worried. Standing behind Ruby as a mask. Something was definitely bothering the boy.

"Sabbath? If you can hear me. Let me talk to the General. Maddy is here. So is Sophia."

Cam persists. Within his head he feels a surge of static followed by a lost voice. Sabbath was trying hard to keep in control over her own persona.

Suddenly, Cameron Scott's eyes light up and a voice takes over his own, "Maddy? Are you out there? It's Obadiah."

Maddy and Sophia step closer, "Obadiah? I'm here. How are you reaching out to us?"

"Not easily. We're using technology designed by Nicola Tesla. The Philadelphia Experiment. You somehow appeared on old video from 1943. That gave REGION its first clue. Plenty of other clues narrowing down when and where you might be. Is everyone alright? Sophia?"

"I'm here Daddy. I love you." She tries to cry but her face merely absorbs escaped moisture and steams a bit.

"There's my lil girl. Thank God you're both still alive."

"I've never been near any Philadelphia Experiment, Obadiah. Maybe in my future. Just not yet." Maddy admits.

"Is James Ian Pryce there with you?"

"Yes." Ruby jumps in, "Colonel Ruby Goddard, Sir."

"Keep my girls alive Goddard. Everyone."

"I will Sir. Colonel Jack Ramse, Malcolm Brand, Eleanor Franklin, and Cameron Scott also survived. Although Jack had to leave us. Long story, Sir."

"Let Mr. Pryce talk." The General orders.

James swallows shyly, "Yes, Sir? I'm here."

"Good Boy. Your hacking Region led us to pinpoint you in time. The info you found from 1943 and 1974 was invaluable."

"1974?" He looks stunned. Hiding his face from the others.

"Yes indeed. We're still looking into more clues that you gave us."

Ruby glares at James, "You sent clues BEFORE we got lost?"

Everyone zeroed in on the revelation. He held his palms up defensively, sulking, "I can explain."

"We're checking in on this Lucas Dorsey character as well." Obadiah reports, "His Granddaughter Serena is helping us along. I'm calling from January of 2021. It's taken us time to locate clues and build something that can get you all home. Tesla was a genius but it's still taking every bloody Physicist we have to break down the complications. Just know I won't rest until my girls are home."

"I love you Obadiah. I'm sorry to say. None of us are the same as you remember." Maddy looks with regret and despair.

"Meaning what?"

"Obie? I died in the crash. I was reborn as a ghost. I know how that sounds but I'm able to switch places with my deceased body and become whole for short periods."

"Died? What?"

James decides to take charge. He had much to make up for, "General? I'm sorry I got everyone into this. I knew once I was caught I would be locked away by REGION. I'm too young for that. Besides, I had other motives. Look up an archive called, OPERATION: BEAUTIFUL DREAMER. It will explain everything."

Cam's eyes dim, "I'm losing Sabbath. Daylight's coming. The General is fading out."

Ruby immediately drags James away from any hostiles looking to lynch the boy. None of them of course wanted to hurt James. They just needed answers.

"What did you do James?" Ruby looked teary eyed. She trusted the Boy. Hauling him alone toward the crops she held his shirt sleeve for security that he didn't run.

"Saved us. Ruby you have to listen to me. I'm not the bad guy. I swear."

"So talk." The redhead sneers.

"The day before I was caught for hacking and you and your guard dogs came for me I dug into a file called SILENT WHISPER. Someone at REGION was designing a Time Machine using tech from aliens. A cross technology of various species. Our flight was that first stage experiment. I wasn't caught for hacking Ruby. I allowed them to find me. I needed to be on that flight. I didn't know any of you well enough to really care who else was on there. I know you now. I'm so sorry."

"Why would you want to be on that flight?"

"A darn good reason. I left myself a note. One that not even REGION has. That's why I told General Ridge to look into OPERATION BEAUTIFUL DREAMER. Within that bulletproof file is a message from me. I came here to find myself."

Ruby looks drained, "Yourself? You were here before you were here?"

"I know how that sounds. I needed to understand why. How that was even possible. My parents? They're not biological. My Father is here. I was born here."

"Dear God." Ruby stands in awe, "Do you know who your parents are?"

James lowers his gaze, "Not for certain."

"Then how can you know you were born here?"

"The message my older self left told me so. He tried to tell me who my parents are but died before he could. A seriously fucked up time rift."

"How did your older self leave the message?"

James swallows dryly, "Written in stone. On tablets found in Ancient Sumer. Ever hear of the Annunaki? Angels they say. They who gave Man a lease on life. Even I don't know much about them. Nobody does. I came here to find out how I relate to them. How I managed to leave my message in their language."

"Good Lord. James?"

"I know. A lot to take in. I'll explain to the others."

"We will explain to the others. No more hiding anything. Understood?"

"Understood."

That they did.

In the passing of Antonaeus Gaicazar, the Roman's sword flickers. With interest the Roman gently pulls it halfway from its scabbard. The glowing ceases. Narrowing eyes Gaicazar stood puzzled. Back into its sheath it went.

Even a docile T-Rex stood silent.

The rabbits continued to eat.

Over a hundred miles away Sabbath Black expelled the Captain's spirit. Returning to normal she fell forward into Cameron Scott's arms.

"What was that? I've been trying to snap you out of that trance for thirty minutes."

"What did I say?" She appeared confused.

"It's not what you said. It's the voice that came out of you. Once I recognized it as General Ridge even his voice stopped talking. Somehow he managed to send a time sensitive message. The ghosts around here must be conduits. I think we need to look this boat over from stern to bow. See if we find any clues as to how this was possible."

"Yes. Agreed. Who is General Ridge?"

"Madigan's Husband. Sophia's Dad. One of the brightest General's in the Military. Decorated for Missions even the Public never knew about. Shady world in the Future Sabbath. We hide more than we share."

"Do you hide more than you share?" She takes the risk, "What did you do to me Cameron?"

"Do? I gave you a taste of my soul. I gave you wings. Now we can fly together. Not batty style wings neither. No more of that crap. Beauty requires beauty."

"I felt my tiny friends moving all over my insides. They feared you Cameron."

"They shouldn't. I'm not here to hurt anybody. I swear."

"For a moment I felt my humanity return. How is that possible?"

"Well! Your Maker no longer lives. Nor his Maker. Maybe I'm trying to remake you without biting you. Cut me some slack Sabbath. I'm learning as I go. I'm a Baby remember?"

"You are not a Baby." She lowers her gaze to his massive penis, "That does not belong to any Baby." As she looks down she discovers Lucy the Neanderthal. Presumably a Neanderthal that is, staring at his dangling beast. Timidly using an index finger to touch and watch it sway.

Cam hadn't even noticed. Until his gaze lowered with Sabbath's.

"Hey! Shoo! Not yours."

Lucy falls backward and looks ready to cry.

Sabbath notes her ability had changed. The moonlight although low in the morning sky had not harmed her further. She attributes this to whatever Cameron had done to her. Shaking a bit she turns to the ghosts about her. Most were fading as the sun was creeping up on the horizon.

"May I have time alone? All of this has taken its toll on me."

"Sure. Head on up to the Palace. I'll get Lucy here to safety."

"Another room perhaps? One without guests?"

"Oh! Yeah. Take as long as you need. I'll babysit the Kids. Once you rest we can start our search. Captain's quarters might be a good beginning."

"Thank you Cameron."

She forsakes igniting her wings and chooses to leap high enough to climb the chain ladder. At the top the Male Neanderthals greet her with ape like noises. They had seen her possessed by the Captain's ghost. They were a bit afraid of her at the moment. In her thoughts she knew one thing. She needed Cameron Scott. The other one.

Hours later James Ian Pryce sat alone in his room. He and his pet German Shepard kept each other company. The dog sensing his Master's sorrow. James had no intentions of hurting his friends. Hiding the truth was easy. He knew how to play poker. It wasn't as if he wanted to lie to them. It was because he knew the truth would piss them off. Lying felt better. Until he was alone. The problem was he knew too much. Just not enough. As he ponders the darkness he sits in he feels a presence. He wasn't alone. Xander perks up but remains silent. Reaching for a light he hears an easily recognized voice.

"Leave the light off James. I don't want to see your face."

"Maddy." He acknowledges.

"I've mulled over your story. While I believe you I'm very hurt."

"I'm so--"

"Sorry? I know you are. You didn't have time to know any of us. That doesn't make it right."

"The plane was going to vanish with or without me on it. I swear. REGION was testing prototypes. They've tried to get this right for 80 years now. Nobody ever survives long if they do get pulled back. Don't believe the Government. Especially REGION. I don't even know why they brought your Husband in to let him know. If he digs too deep they will probably take his life." He weeps, "Why do you think they wanted Me so badly? I was the key. I had been here before. I was born here."

"If that were true why did they not take you the second you made it back?"

"My parents. The adoptive ones used to work for REGION. They didn't know I knew. They were assigned to watch over me until I was old enough. Smart enough. When the time was right. I set REGION up. They came after me because I let them. They had no clue just how deep I dug into all this time travel mess. Once I found out my true history I had to know who my real parents were. If I can get you all home I swear I will. But, I'm staying. I have to."

"What good would I be back home James? I'm dead. I would still be that way. How could Sophia live in the real world like she is? For that matter any of us. As much as I would love to see my Husband again. I can't. Not unless he comes to us."

"He said 2021. That means REGION brought him on board shortly after we vanished in 2019. It took them a year to reach us on a Time Channel. Sorry if I sound giddy considering but I wasn't sure how far they could reach. It's really cool. And, I'm happy that you could hear his voice again. He yours."

"It was good to hear him. James? He also mentioned the year 1974. What did REGION find in that year?"

"Something I've yet to encounter since being here. When it does I can set it in motion."

"What is it?"

"A Hominid from the Australopithecus afarensis species. A female. She lived in Ethiopia 3.2 million years ago. Paleoanthropologists discovered a skeleton but not just any skeletal remains. There was more to her time capsule. Something that was kept hidden."

"Which was?"

"Dog tags. A pilots dog tags. Belonging to Cameron Nicolas Scott."

"Oh my God."

"Cam left the message then. Not you."

"Yes and No. They admit to finding 40% of the skeleton. It was intact. On her bones were etched My name. Ruby's name. Your name. With the message FIND US GENERAL RIDGE."

"Incredible."

"I left dozens of clues. Some have not even been found yet."

"If we get the opportunity to talk to Obadiah we need to warn him. He also said I was part of the Philadelphia Experiment. How?"

"In 1943 they tested the first Time travel experiment on the USS Eldridge. It faded back in time then teleported to New York. Then, back to Philly. The ship is on a constant loop. From 1943's disappearance the ship phases in and out of time. It will constantly do that. Even though it stays the same once it gets back."

"That's confusing."

"I know. It's all about wavelength. Time is tricky. REGION first tested this whole Theory after Tesla invented something he called the DAYDREAM. A device for teleportation over time and space. REGION found out about his designs. Regardless of public knowledge they murdered Tesla. Stealing his blueprints. Every invention he put on paper. Patented or not. REGION is evil. Trust me. They want to use Time Travel to set things in motion that will make certain benefactors very powerful."

"Lucas Dorsey?"

"He was the prototype. Majestic 12 sent him back with the Ganthorians. I don't think they even knew their plan. The Ganthorians are not time travelers. Dorsey must have smuggled the time device on board."

The door to James room opens up. A silhouette stands in the shadows. By stature it was easy enough to tell it was Ruby Goddard. She had been eavesdropping. Betrayed however by her glowing tummy spelling the letters M E.

"Hello Me." Maddy talks to the darkness.

"Couldn't help hearing voices. I check on him every thirty minutes."

"I understand Guys. You can't trust me. I don't blame you." He pouts.

"We're trying James." Ruby sighs.

"How do we explain all these other planes and ships that ended up here? Dinosaurs. Eden?"

"REGION has known of Time Waves for centuries. It's nothing alien tech. It's the existence of the natural order. What the Lord gives the Lord takes away."

"Okay hold on." Ruby decides to clap and turn on the jar of alien fireflies in his corner. The light making He and Ruby wince. "There is just way too much Biblical references in the last two weeks. Eden. Souls. Adam and Eve. Angels. What exactly is going on here?"

"Is Cam God?" Maddy questions.

"I don't think he's God. If anything another Angel. One without wings" James offers his hypothesis, "Honestly, I don't know. If I did I would fess up. We're in Pangaea guys. Before the tectonic plates split all of the continents it was one big land mass. If Eden was sixty miles from us that puts us in Ancient Iraq. Of course there's no way to know for certain. Even Eden could have been swept up in a Time Wave. Landing here. We are talking about Time in the sense of lost reality. Anything can end up here at the beginning. Let's just feel lucky we aren't trying to survive on molten lava the day God started the Earth."

Ruby hears her belly growl, "I need to eat."

"Eating for two?" Maddy smiles.

"Don't remind me. Until I get officially confirmed by James and Elle I say it's gas. Gas that spells."

"Better it spells than smells." James laughs then quickly clamps a hand over his mouth, "Sorry. No time for humor."

"Cute." Ruby smirks, "Come on James. Let's build a salad. I'm not letting you out of my sight."

"I can handle that."

"No looking at my ass."

"I won't."

"He did." Maddy shook her head.

The youth today.

Over a hundred miles out Jack Ramse was still running. All through the night and a better portion of the morning he tested his endurance. He wasn't even tired. He thought about contacting Ruby but chose to give her time. All he could do was think about having to leave his friends. This journey was going to prove more emotional than he expected. Tough as nails Jack Ramse. Not when he was alone.

Stopping at the capsized shell of what appeared to be a Viking ship he sat down and decided to pull out the scroll map Gaicazar had given him. Guessing at his current location he notes bodies of water. Not all that far ahead. Two hundred miles tops. It would be nice to see a beach again. He recalls the rainbow Ruby had spotted from on top the Ganthorian Hilton. Perhaps a waterfall as well.

Buzzing about him he looked up to see his travelling companion Fenway alias DR-1. The grapefruit sized drone James had sent with him. The drone kept eyes ahead of him then reported back every thirty minutes. His early warning system. No life currently.

His biggest worry was probably straggler Vampires looking for a meal. At least at night. Luckily he could see in the dark fairly well and didn't require much sleep. Losing his friends kept him wide awake. The sun was harsh but his clothing kept him from burning. His had a wrapped head like a Nomad to prevent his forehead and face from the ultraviolet assault. He knew one thing. When he reached water it was bath time. Looking up at the sun he calculated daylight. Two hundred miles was going to be tomorrow's journey. He would run at least another 80 miles before setting up camp. With a swig of bottled water from a canteen he corks it and waves Fenway back out.

"Right behind you Fenway."

Within a private room on board the Cruise ship Sabbath Black laid down on a soft bed to think. Her earlier scars left upon her by Cameron Scott healing with the assist of microbial friends in every cell of her body. They had been reeling from Cameron's unexpected touch and then her possession outside. Her body was wiped.

Hand over her eyes she tries her best to rest. Finally, deciding to attempt contact with the other Cameron Scott. Fearing her current Beau the other version of Cam she keeps her chatter minimal. So far he couldn't pick up on her bond with Cam. How could one Cam hear her while the other could not? Unless he just wasn't admitting to it.

"Cameron?" She calls out mentally.

Over a hundred miles away the wingless Cameron was looking under the hood of his 71 Charger affectionately named Hendrix. So many questions filled his head until she interrupted his thoughts.