Far Pangaea 96: Come Together

Halting mid step Wretch shrieks and channels a vision. "So many. So very many. An Armada on a blackened sea of stars."

"There she goes again." Bianca reports concerned, moving back to assist the Seer.

"She witnesses what her true eyes must be seeing." Serena joins her. "Milo has to have her eyes with him. She's seeing what's going on up above Earth."

"So we're being invaded now?" Addison calls back.

"A strong possibility." Serena nods.

"Great!" Addison snaps, "Two Colossus mother fuckers destroying everything just beyond the mountainside. Alien devils flying by like a Star Wars movie. A City of Gold onlooking another crumbling mountain and a supposed City of aliens on the other side. Sure we can survive this. No problem."

"Not to mention we may have our minds taken over by that Dorsey freak." Bianca chimes in, "Closer we get the chances get slimmer."

"My sisters and Jack Ramse will rescue our Lord." Hovers Razorhide, "Soon we will have more help."

"You an Oracle now Razorbabe?" Addison grimaces.

"I am not. Friend Serena knows, if not at this moment."

"I do? Come on you're being vague. Who was that Mother and why are you referring me to her?"

"Because...you are her. I do as you bid Mother. So will all of your children."

"Hey! I'm a baby out here somewhere now. My real Mom is in that Celestial City and I'm going after her. Nothing is going to stop me."

"Wait a second Serena." Addison looks about for their safety before getting lost in conversation. "If you're suddenly so powerful maybe you can keep Dorsey from controlling our minds. It might give us a chance to reach Jack and the others as back up."

"The rings will do that Sister." Razorhide offers.

"The rings? You knew they would protect us all along?"

"Yes. As long as we wear them mind control is nothing but a nuisance. We must only deal with his army who are under his spell."

"Why have you waited to let us in on that bit of info?" Addison loses her temper. Her ring glowing red.

"Calm yourself Sister. Do not lose control or we will all perish."

Bianca steps up to Addison hugging her from behind. "Trust me I know what it's like to lose control. Focus Addy."

The glow subsides. "I hear you. Let's keep moving."

"She's almost as impulsive as..." Bianca helps Serena with Wretch. "I just realized something. Where the heck has Iota been?"

"No time folks, keep moving. She can catch up." Addison drove her band further down. Lowball was getting to far ahead as it was.

Miles away in Celestial City, General Obadiah Ridge, Renee Ramse holding her son Jimmy, Psi Chii, and the Sumo wrestler Buku reeled from the chaos. The city itself was quiet but the two battling giants in the distance was shaking the ground like crazy.

"Where is everybody?" Obadiah scans the area for safety. The tiny hellhound Sparky walks directly at his feet faithfully. The drone Fenway buzzing about uncertain which way to go or who to help. Jimmy Jack had hijacked him from his appointed friends leaving him disoriented. He would merely stay by the little man sensing his connection to Jack Ramse.

"You complainin' Obie? Let's hightail it out of this crazy place." Buku was in a hurry.

"Not yet. We have to deal with Dorsey."

"We don't gotta deal with Dorsey. He hasn't toyed with my mind since we broke out. I wanna get as far away from him as I can before he makes me hurt you guys."

"Calm down Big Guy." Psi Chii pats her adoptive Brother's back, "I need to find a way to get this headset off me without killing myself. Let's think about this logically before we go off doing something stupid."

"I just want to find Jack. He has to be close by right?" Renee frets pacing about. She wasn't even aware that her son was pointing out toward a distant mountain away from all the disaster. Lost in her own confusion at seeing the Angel Kariloa disguised as her Husband, Renee was out of it. She had kissed an Angel. Who could ever admit to that without awe?

In her distracted thoughts Jimmy Jack made it worse. Teleporting from her grasp she screams. "JIMMMMMMY! I swear I'm putting a leash on that Kid." She panics watching as Fenway zips away in the direction behind them.

Obadiah turns holding Renee by the shoulders. "We'll find him like we always do. We have a pooch with a sniffer." To their left Sparky wags his tail and darts off leaving them, heading in another direction entirely. "Maybe not."

"I say we follow the pup." Buku starts off realizing nobody was joining him.

Without warning a batting of wings storms from above. As her shadow looms overhead all eyes move skyward. "Is that the Angel Renee kissed?"

"Don't remind me. I need to find Jimmy." Heading after Fenway Renee found her run lifted from the ground. The Angel Kariloa picking her up and carrying her away.

"I shall take you to Lord Jack. It is the least I can do after our deception. I cannot remain as Jack any longer. They know I'm not truly him."

"Thank you. Sorry I kissed you."

"Worry not. I am...used to kissing women." Shivering a bit Kariloa recalls Circe's turning of the Angel's. It was not all that unpleasant. If not against God's design.

Behind them Obadiah makes a fateful decision. "Follow the dog." Off they went. Keeping up was hardly easy.

In a Chapel built at the base of the Great Tower...

"Play the music Moron's. Let's get this wedding started."

Lucas Dorsey knew time was of the essence. With every Alien race still available to be in attendance the Chapel was full and silent out of respect for the Princess Kym'Ani if not Dorsey. His forcing them to obey his every command made them fearful. Gifts from each of them were placed on a massive table. The human workforce were even there corralled by guards even though they were under Dorsey's mind control. The Chapel held thousands. He wanted things to be of grand scale to say the least.

"What is this?" He senses a disruption out there somewhere. "Ahhh! Well played Jackie. You replaced yourself with an Angel to take your punishment." He read Renee's mind at what she perceived. "Your Wife and child are free as well. Let them wander as I have. They cannot stop me. After the ceremony it is just a matter of time before the convergence. Once things collide and the power of the black mountain is mine for the taking, I will be God. That old fool will get what's coming to him." Dorsey returns to speaking, "Bring in the Best Man."

Guards escort the frail body of God wearing a tuxedo. Within him of course is the mind of Orin Ridge playing possum. Quite aware of what he was being led into Orin scans the room to find every living being there in a stupor of mind control. He wondered if he could usurp control over them and create an uprising. For now that thought would stay to himself. At the moment he merely trudges forward to stand near Dorsey himself at the pulpit. Music playing which Orin could only conclude was instrumental pieces from the Roman era. Still beautiful. Orin was impressed.

A Priest of the Presperian race officiates the ceremony. Candles lit all around the Chapel igniting as one. Against colored glass that trembled under the war outside the scene was extraordinary. Dorsey in his own cross between white tuxedo and traditional Roman robes drawn across it looked dashing. A roman helmet resting on a half pillar lay in wait to be worn upon departure.

"Bridal music." Dorsey orders. The instrumental changed to that of a Ganthorian melody that was equivalent to Here Comes the Bride. Massive doors open to the back of the Cathedral allowing entry. From the shadows danced young Mayan girls tossing about white orchids and wild flowers. Following at a distance stepped the most beautiful Ganthorian woman alive. A very pregnant Ganthorian at that. Her dress lined with gold and precious gems. Dorsey could only smile. His bride was on her way. Kym'Ani would rather have killed herself if not for her baby. She loathed Lucas Dorsey but held her thoughts in the other direction from him. A technique that only Ganthorians had, that warded off certain intrusions if caught in time. She only allowed him access to certain thoughts. His love for her kept him from intruding to heavily as it was. She hoped that in itself would be his undoing.

Her journey escorted by Dorsey's most loyal Vizier is given up in favor of Dorsey's arm. She accepts his desire to finish her travel and joins him at the pulpit. The music ended abruptly.

"Dearly Beloved. We come together this day to join Deity with this woman of divine rite."

He was speaking of their awaiting child. The Princess lowered her gaze not truly wishing to share eye contact with Dorsey. She did however notice a strange glimmer in God's eye. She prayed that the Creator would end this farce and take she and her child away from this nightmare. Yet, he seemed dull and lifeless of mind. Hope would remain.

"If there are any here who would dare to object please step forward." The Priest swallows dryly. It was part of the ceremony. He knew none would dare.

"I object."

God lifted his head and gazed at Dorsey coldly. Dorsey merely smiled. "A moment my Darling." Dorsey stepped before God and stared him in the eye. "Awakening are you?"

"God isn't here right now. I am." With a feeble fist God strikes Dorsey in the jaw. Guards race to embrace the Deity but Dorsey wards them away.

"Oooo! Jack is back."

Miles away at the time of the beginning Wedding Ceremony...

On another side of a distant mountain Jack Ramse had to move. His curse driving him to leave the City due to his Wife Renee and his son Jimmy Jack. He knew of the boy but prayed deep within that his kid wouldn't get too close. He had hoped to defeat Dorsey before succumbing to the curses effects. Too late it seemed. Not even his own ring which had yet to manifest any true knowledgeable power seemed to disrupt his affliction. Cloaked he shakes his head and turns away. In the blink of an eye something catches his attention. Zipping by him was his faithful drone Fenway. Stopping ahead of him he gravitates there as if awaiting orders. The drone that seemed alive at times was making all kinds of strange pinging noises.

"Fenway? What are you doing out here?"

"Daaaaa?" Jack turns feeling a severe pain in his entire body. He had a bad feeling about this. Twisting in step he looks back to see a sight he didn't think possible. Sitting on the ground was his son, arms lifting as if wanting to be held. Jack fought with all of his might to keep from running. He needed to see his boy. Wanted to hold him. The tug was too strong. He turned running away only to find that Jimmy Jack had teleported in front of him and attempted to crawl toward Jack. amazed by his ability Jack growls, "Get him as far from me as possible Fenway. Go!"

Gravitating the tot, Fenway did as ordered, only to find his passenger right back where he was picked up. Teleporting from his field of energy Jack nearly tripped over the boy. "How are you doing this?" A stabbing pain in his gut doubled Jack over.

"Da!" Jimmy rises to offer his Father his first ever attempt at walking. Even as Jack writhed and curled up in pain Jimmy steps and falls. Climbs up, steps, falls. On the third try Jimmy walked and fell directly on to Jack's arm. Jack snarled in agony curling up in a convulsive ball. His ring glowed for the very first time as Jimmy swatted his hand. The kid had somehow activated it for him. The pain was gradually subsiding. Tears fell and Jack Ramse pulled his son into an embrace. It was a gut wrencher for certain. Jimmy Jack as happy. In their reunion others joined him. The Angel Kariloa appeared before him.

"Forgive me Jack Ramse. I evaded my prison when the illusion faded. I fear Lucas Dorsey may know of our deception. Within her arms was Renee Ramse kicking and screaming at being flown away from her allies. The second she saw Jack her emotions nearly made Kariloa drop her. Reaching the ground safely Renee raced to hug her Husband and child. "I traced you by following your son's teleportation trail. I was a tracker in Heaven."

"Curse is killing me. Renee...you have to take the boy and go."

"I just found you Jack. How can you ask me to leave you?" Renee clutched his cloak.

"You don't understand. I've been cursed by a dark angel named Verago. I can't get close to loved ones ever again."

"Pretty." Jimmy Jack admires the glowing ring on Jack's hand. Jack hadn't even noticed in his torment.

"The ring is trying to tell you something Jack Ramse." Kariloa kneels beside him from the back, her own ring now glowing. "May I attempt to ease your pain Lord Jack?"

"Go for it." He grits his teeth. Kariloa utilizes her powers via the ring to draw his pain into herself. Known by her new name Agoni she could embrace all forms of torture and feel no pain. This was why she replaced Jack in the alien torture chamber of Dorsey.

Wounds could heal instantly. Her pain threshold non existent. As his own pain subsides Kariloa is caught off guard by the curse itself. Halting her absorption she falls backward screaming. "I MUST GO! Forgive me Oh Lord." Kariloa rolls and ignites her wings into flight.

"What the hell was that?" Renee watched her fly away.

"Pain inside me is coming back. I think she bit off more than she could chew. Renee? It's good to see you...and my boy. He...looks like me, with your eyes. I need you to listen to me. Use Fenway there to get you two as far from here as possible. Pangaea is going to die I think. I can feel it. I need you two safe. If you can find Colonel Ruby Goddard you'll be among friends until the end."

"I'm not leaving you Jack."

"The curse makes me nomadic. It's going to control my limbs no matter how I resist. There's no stopping it. Please...get our son to safety."

"You try babysitting the brat. He teleports God knows where. I should never have taught him how to play Hide and Seek."

In a brash move Jack snatches up Jimmy and plants a kiss on his forehead. Looking him in the eye he growls. "STAY WITH MOMMY." Jimmy's eyes flare at the strict order. Deeply within him Jimmy Jack felt his power to teleport fade. Once connected Jack crawls to his feet and hugs Renee before turning to leave. Jimmy Jack cried as Renee picked him up. Passing Fenway Jack points. "NEVER LEAVE THEIR SIDE. KEEP THEM SAFE." Fenway would obey.

There was something new about Jack Ramse that even he hadn't noticed. As Fenway lifts Renee and Jimmy away Jack freezes in step. Removing his hood he shivers with a devilish grin.

"Well now! Where have you brought me Jackson?"

Orin Ridge had gotten his wish. The mind transfer had shifted once again.

From one mountain range to another...

"Atum is touching the outer atmosphere." Cameron Scott flies high toward the Heavens. Controlling light Cam, now known as Lightmare skims across the stratosphere witnessing Atum grow so large that his brow and eyes were peering out into space. In awe of the multiple Earth's Atum freezes to watch.

"Yessss! The convergence is nigh. I shall proclaim all as mine." His speech heard below the breach, knowing another few miles higher he could not be heard at all.

"How do we stop this Ra?" Cam communicates to the Osirian soul within him sharing his own. Ra never speaks he merely lifts Cam's hand to point out something missed. "Holy shit. A Ganthorian armada, thousands of them. What is going on here? I better let the others know." With a swift 360 Lightmare shot straight down into the warzone. Kytani fighters by the legion were attempting to herd the giants away, to zero avail. Cam's friend Malcolm the smaller of giants due to the amount of mystical apples eaten had given up on Atum now that he seemed mesmerized by what was above took to battling the Kytani. They and other races produced a force field net that shot over Malcolm like a spiders web. It was constricting inwardly and dragging him down. Mal didn't know what to do.

Trying to even Malcolm's odds Horus and Sabbath Black darted about in flight destroying as many fighters as possible to limit the fields potential. Malcolm was grateful for his allies.

"Guys?" Lightmare halts like a blink right between his brother and lover. "Atum's eyes are above the hemisphere. He's watching the multiple Earth's. I saw them better myself, each world looks different but Earth none the less. It's like each one has a different variation over the land masses. Maybe different points in existence?"

"Different time periods perhaps?" Sabbath/Khonsu comments.

"Worse still...maybe not worse, I don't know, but there's an entire fleet of Ganthorian ships out there too. It's insane."

"Go make contact with them Bro. Maybe they can help us kick Atum's ass." Horus throws it out there. Looking at Sabbath for answers Lightmare shrugs. It couldn't hurt. In the flutter of an eyelid Cameron Scott was in space. His trajectory uncertain until he spots a familiar ship.

"Is that the freaking X'Orr?"

First stop on his journey he zips past a tiny floating pod and recognizes a tractor beams aura due to his light perception. "What have we here?" Ignoring it he blasts toward the X'Orr. He was able to view its existence even though it was in stealth invisibility. All light became second nature to Cam. Even though other might not see through it he could. Phasing through into the Bridge Cam faces Harpea and her crew, along with Colonel Ruby Goddard.

"Guess who?" Lightmare stood proud.

Ruby was startled holding her belly. "Cameron?"

"How did you guys end up here?"

"We came in search of a friend of James, his tech at least. A probe called MEMO that keeps an eye in the sky record of all changes in Pangaea. To our surprise that friend is holed up in the probe."

A door slides open behind them and Elle Franklin darts out halting at the sight of Cam. "Whoa! Where did you come from Flyboy? Hold that answer...We have a problem Ruby. James took a pod out there to save his buddy."

"I knew he would be that stupid."

"Want me to go get him?" Cam looks over his shoulder out the viewing monitor of the X'Orr.

Mav'Ryk intervenes with new information. "He seems to be operating the pod quite effectively Colonel."

"Genius remember?" Cam removes his helmet briefly. "In case you're looking for Jack and Celestial City just look for the big blackhead popping up through the atmosphere. That would be Atum. I'm not certain how to stop him. Any ideas? Harpea? Ganthorian science guys?"

"There Commander." C'heeto directs the monitor to zoom in on Atum's location.

"All Atum has to do at this point is take five steps back and he crushes Celestial City. Dorsey and all." Cam reports. "The good thing is I don't think he can move. He's grown so large now his weight bogs him down."

"How did he get so big?" Elle studied the screen.

"Well recall those extra apples Osiris ate?"

Elle nods, "Yeah?"

"Well, Osiris ate the apples and grew big. Atum ate Osiris and the apples and grew bigger still. He has the power of three apples. Malcolm only has one. So, needless to say Malcolm has only reached waist high to Atum."

"Atum ate Osiris? Daaaamn!"

"The Pyramid was also consumed by Atum's hunger. We did get the Royal Family out before he did though. I have Ra back in me. He's not such a bad guy really. Sabbath has Khonsu but you might know that. Horus? In my doppelganger. So far my twin is being a big help."

"How did you get the other souls out of the Pyramid without them dying off permanently?"

"If you remember one of his kids was missing. Bastia the cat. She found us and absorbed the souls into herself. Nine lives theory has some truth to it."

"Damn! So she has Isis, Set, and he others safe. That's love." Elle puckers.

"The kids have all been helpful. Isis could use a home Elle. Same for Set, Mav'Ryk." He offers the former temporary Hosts the chance. Both shivered at the prospect.