OVER THE SILVER SKY TO THE WORLD OF NEVER : Part 251 - What's Really Eating Away At You?
I am one of those people who is never happier than when I'm proved to be correct. I am old and extremely cynical, because I've had decades of experience of the festering pile of shit that mankind is and always has been. There's a nice video linked that you can watch. It's a single grain of the mountain of evidence I was correct. There is a lovely, beautiful lady called Bethany Gaskin (AKA Blove) who has a YouTube channel. From which she makes over a million a year and way more than that, from numerous other sources, because she's a social media influencer. Her channel consists of video's of her eating. First I must state that I have nothing but admiration for her. Good for you lady. You found your niche and you deserve all the success you get. Second, now do you understand when I tell you mankind is fucked? That's the level of your average person. They will compulsively watch someone eating. George Carlin put it best when he said "Think how stupid the average person is, then realize half of them are stupider than that". The world is on fire, so social media pours gasoline onto the flames and opium into the brains of the useless cattle polluting it with their stupidity. I'm old. The world will outlast me. I don't give a fuck in most ways. Neither do most of those cattle either, even though they are the ones who are going to suffer and die in their millions. Oh and over this last weekend I found about 20 different stories that show I'm right. Even the love is filled with hate; MANKIND IS FUCKED.
(The copyright to this image is the property of 2 Political Junkies.)
The two friends lay under that dark, starless sky for a while. Knowing this could be their last chance for some time for this. Depending on circumstances of course. Eventually they decided to pack everything away then head back to their campsite near the trike. Things were quiet up at the house, meaning there was very little chance of discovery. There was a slight chill in the air. The grass damp with dew. Pip pulled her coat closed around her, although it wasn't that cold. He could tell from her vital signs, the icy sensation she felt was psychological. They'd walked in silence well past the half way point. Jake could tell she had something bubbling away inside her. Was happy when she decided to let it out.
"You've traveled through time haven't you? Why can't you time travel back to before this started then prevent it happening?"
That was a question he asked himself a thousand times. Now he had an answer for it. From somewhere or other.
"Time travel is very convoluted I'm afraid. It's impossible for a start. You can only ever travel in the direction time is traveling. It relies on using other dimensions, where time flows differently in a very unpredictable way. It's extremely hazardous to. Some universes are a lot easier to get into than they are to get out of. If you're lucky you might find a universe where time travels backwards that you can use. That's got to be the most mind bending experience there is. A place where nothing travels slower than light. Cause and effect are reversed. It once took me five years to go back five days. By the time I got there I'd forgotten why. Besides timelines are exceptionally resistant to being altered in any way. Any solution you apply can make matters a lot worse. But you already know that don't you?"
She nodded. He understood why she asked. He'd done the same himself when there were no alternatives, but you clung onto the hope that reality could be changed for your benefit. The inevitable could be prevented or postponed. His explanation wasn't going to stop her from bargaining away the inescapable.
"If we left now we could be over the border before Ugo arrives."
He hadn't been counting, but he was sure they'd already gone over all these things at least twice before.
"Nice idea, but I have to be here in case anything happens."
Stubbornly she refused to desist.
"You're the Wanderer. Doesn't you remaining here guarantee something is bound to happen. Surely if you go there's less chance of anything major happening?"
"Great theory. Until you look at the 99.999999% of things like this that happen when I'm not there. Me being here s not a precondition of this particular shit storm. Our presence here has brought things to a head. This or far worse was going to happen no matter what."
She was fiddling with the firewave strapped to her wrist. Had been doing so for an extended period now. Hinting that her true concern wasn't anything to do with her line of questioning.
"We should get plenty of coffee." She dissembled. "The rate you're drinking it we'll run out by tomorrow."
Something was gnawing away at the one who'd recently become the most important person in his life. Pip was still fingering her firewave distractedly.
"On the understanding you don't have to answer, I'd like to ask what's really eating away at you?" Forgetting he could see her every feature, she made a face. Something about this was distasteful to her.
"I think Pengelly might be far more deeply involved in whatever Scarlet and Daisy are doing."
"Okay. Now is that you over thinking things, or based on evidence."
"A bit of both. I've got a couple of bots going through historical data. They aren't that sophisticated so it's a pretty basic rummage around. I don't have the time to do a proper examination or refine my searches. I'm getting too many hits on him and the women for it to be coincidental. Like I said though, I haven't looked at any video or listened to the audio. That ship has recorded the last 20 years of everything that's happened in any technology friendly region within light years of here. That's a lot of data."
Though he wasn't the right person for it he decided to give her some advice.
"Stick a pin in that for now. You're taking this far too personally Pip."
"No I'm not." She exclaimed far too quickly.
He'd hit home with that.
"Yes you are. It's perfectly understandable. Right now it looks like nothing you believed was right. Your whole world has been turned upside down. That would shake anyone's confidence. make them doubt everything."
"You seem to manage."
"Only through extended practice. My world has been shaken more often than a babies rattle."
He knew she was looking at him.
"Fine. I'm taking this personally. He's my uncle. My blood. My family. That's about as personal as you can get." She paused before continuing. "None of this is about me though. I'm inconsequential."
"Are you balls?" He chuckled ruefully. "You being here with me is making a huge difference. And I don't just mean with all the information you've hacked into. Right now you're the only thing worth fighting for."
That seemed to put her more at ease. They'd reached the main campsite at this point. The place where their kit was stored at least. No one had spent much time there. His eyes were drawn to the packs they'd brought with them. Being able to see their contents clearly, was still a major head fuck. Nothing compared with staring into the fold space crate. It had more inside than outside. Right now he was looking at so much of everything, he couldn't make sense of anything. One item drew his attention. He'd known it was there for a while now. Had debated what he'd do if he were in this situation, without coming to a conclusion.
Why had she brought that along with them? After insisting he leave his super gun behind to? He had to decide. Whatever he did had some risk. Scarlet had crossed a lot of lines, most of them his. Any combination of which should have set off numerous alarms in him. They had, only he'd decided to ignore them. Now he could no longer have the luxury of doing this. Should he take it? Place it out of harms way for now. It represented a red line. One that if it were crossed would be impossible to ignore. He was honest enough with himself to know she'd crossed a lot of red lines. He'd leave it where it was. The final red line. If that was breached there'd be no return and no point. Things would be altered even more than they already had been. Was it bait? Not really, if this were a noose she'd have not only brought the rope along she'd have tied it and thrown it over a branch. Strangely he felt a sense of relief. Comfortable with a decision. That was unusual.
They gathered up all they knew they'd need along with stuff they thought might come in handy. In Jake's case this was four of the large packs of coffee and two pistols he'd forgotten about. Plus a few items from the medikit. He was further loaded down with various arcane objects his colleague required. On the way back they had to duck for cover when Scarlet went to the kitchen. After that the way was clear to head back to the ship without further incident. Their little talk had cheered Pip up he thought. While not overjoyed she looked to be more comfortable. Now she only looked at her wrist device every few minutes. Right up until they entered the control room. Then she was back at her desk. Where she remained until he dragged her away. She might not need to sleep, but he did. Of course he had to explain to her how he could sleep with all that was going on and what might be expected of him. Again it was all down to practice and a fatalistic acceptance.
Sleep. His only refuge. Not tonight though. He'd barely closed his eyes before she was shaking him. Now if this was some kind of a sex based prank he was going to get angry. Only he'd couldn't be angry with Pip. Not for more than a split second. She was sitting up beside him. Not anxious or disturbed, as far as he could tell. More excited. She had something she wanted to share with him.
"Are you awake?" She asked.
Jake, who was also sitting up at this point, gave himself the once over.
"Feels like it. Although to be fair I wasn't asleep anyway."
"That's good." She panted.
"Well?" He asked.
"I'm just trying to get it straight in my head. It was very confusing... I was just in her memory palace Jake."
Much as he disapproved of that, Jake knew it was pointless pointing it out.
"Did something change in the memory?"
"Damn right it did. I was in that cabin watching the pantomime play out over and over again. Different each time. I still can't spot a pattern or get a clue as to what it's all about. That's not important though. All four of them were there together when the door opened."
Now that was interesting. Well worth the disturbing of his slumber.
"Who came in?"
She was holding his hands and staring into his eyes as she spoke.
"She did. I nearly shit myself. I immediately worked out she was visiting her palace."
"Did Scarlet see you?" He demanded.
"No. I ducked down beside the bunk and crawled under it. She stood there for quite some time. Watching it I assume. She didn't do anything."
"Well that's fine then. Another unsolved mystery we can explore later."
The pressure on his hands increased.
"That's not it. She went to the cupboard in the corner. The one she calls her trophy cabinet and always keeps locked in the real world. Then she opened it and stepped through. I followed her. It's okay she was far too busy to see me. I'm not sure she could anyway but I'm not stupid enough to take that risk. She's building another memory Jake. Of this place. It's as unreal as the one with the Ashenram. That thing isn't there, only her Ydrie, Daisy and Pengelly. She hasn't put the cast in motion yet. There's another character. I couldn't make out who exactly. Couldn't even say whether it's male or female. It's a representation of here and now Jake. Idealized and delusional of course. There's a small river for a start with a bridge over it. I hid until she went back through the door, then returned here. She was only there for a few minutes at most. She didn't do anything that I could see."
Now he was really glad he'd held back any criticism. If she hadn't been there this would have been missed. It was another piece of a puzzle. Still impenetrable yet valuable for the future. If he had one.
"That's not how a memory palace is supposed to work. They can be surreal and fanciful, but they are meant to represent an actual event. Or a skill you've learned. A memory of something at least. It's possible the scene is coded. Meaning she has a shorthand for recording things. The two different settings may have little to do with what's actually contained in them. A lit candle could indicate an idea for instance. It's built around the builder. Mine is very literal. I tend not to go for flights of fancy. All my images are from the real world and my earth's mythology for the most part. You should get some sleep. It's pointless tiring yourself out over this. No way you can work out what the hell is going on."
Her eyes were shining with a near messianic fervor. That was not good. She thumped the bedclothes with her fists.
"I can't sleep now. I think I might go back. See if I can reenter the new memory through that door."
Arguing would be worthless here. No matter what he said she'd be going back.
"I've got something that might be of use." He stated, climbing over her for his coat. Reaching into a pocket he drew it out. Applying the medistrip to her neck before Pip even knew what was happening. She toppled backwards onto the pillow. "Sorry about that my angel. I do not want to risk you burning yourself out."
Jake tucked her in, smoothing her long blonde hair into order. As a bonus for his duplicity he could now sleep peacefully without interruptions. It didn't make him feel any better about what he'd done. Then again it shouldn't.