Chapter 14: Announcing Horti’s Return

A stately white-haired woman walked into the room. She looked much like Horti’s mother.

Horti ran to her and hugged her. “Aunty Moksur, I am delighted to see you.”

Moksur’s eyes filled with tears. “It has been so long, despair has settled like a plague upon our people, and Zyla adds pestilence to the mix. She is worse than I ever imagined. Her evil nature knows no bounds.”

“I understand; I felt her mind while I fought her flying here,” said Horti.

“She attacked and destroyed one of our storage planets. There were a billion people on the planet whose sole role was preparing for leaving and loading our ships.”

Moksur rubbed her face and each eye individually. “This is not a time to ruminate over what we can’t change. Horti, you must prepare for your presentation in front of our people. You can offer them hope amid the fear of doom, providing them with a focus with minimal preparation time. We will act quickly to deal with the criminals who have festered in a climate of fear, doubt, and lack of hope. There is transient satisfaction from inflicting harm on others when life is grim,” said Moksur.

“I will happily do as you suggest, Aunt Moksur.”

“I will help you. You must be ready within an hour. We have much to do before you can return to the other side. I have spoken to Monra; she will do her best to augment our fleets. She will help us pick off Zyla’s fleets one by one. She will place a reserve fleet nearby, commanded by Maslav.”

“What other major problems do we face?” Asked Horti.

“There are dangers even here. Zyla is cunning and preoccupied with torturing you and your mother. If she cannot capture you in the next few days, she will do her best to assassinate you. She has only a few days before her window of opportunity to leave here closes. She will put as many resources as possible into capturing or killing you. The more you undermine her, the more she must use her precious resources,” said Moksur.

“Heather, come and sit next to me. Dealing with terrorist organizations is your specialty. Moksur, do you have specialists in the area we can consult and use?” Horti asked.

“I have them in droves, but you and your people must lead the effort. We will give you armor to wear beneath your clothes and shields. It would help if you always carried weapons,” said Moksur. “You must only use your special weapon for Zyla. You need something faster and more lethal to carry with you.”

“Thank you. Moksur, we also brought some catalysts for you. We can produce it where we come from. We will bring more back when we return.”

Horti nodded to the others, who all passed Moksur their remaining transdim packs.

Moksur looked in one of the packs.

“This is a treasure, thank you very much. Most of it will go to the repulsers, shields, and anchors. Horti, I will tell you how much time it will buy us tomorrow. I suspect not as much as I hope. The multiverse relentlessly shrinks around us, regardless of what we do within. We will keep some in reserve for the gates and ships.”

“I will return in forty-five minutes to take you to the media center.” Moksur swept out of the room.

“I have a good idea of what I want to say and do,” said Horti. “I will run it past you. If anyone wishes to add anything, please feel free to interrupt. I want to give them my life overview and your father’s. It will give them a good idea of life and who we know. Craig, is that alright?” Horti asked.

“That is fine. I suggest you say nothing about the Colza in the short term. We don’t want Zyla to know about them until after they attack her ships. Make sure you don’t give Zyla anything she can use to harm the gates. We must keep knowledge of the Colza portal hidden,” said Craig. “My father’s story will provide an overview of our allies. I will give you the version Dad used for Earth recently. His intelligence people vetted it. In the short term, I would hold back your version until Moksur’s intelligence people can go through it and remove anything Zyla will find helpful.”

“Good idea,” said Horti, then turned to the group. “I will give you an overview. You can comment afterward.”

A harried-looking Moksur returned fifty minutes later. “The Colza were waiting for your instructions, Horti; they attacked several of Zyla’s fleets. Zyla attacked another of our supply planets and was repulsed but seriously damaged the planet.

“She also set off explosions in buildings here. She caused extensive damage and caused panic. Your speech is of critical importance,” said Moksur. “The people are so used to me that they hear nothing of what I say.”

“I want Craig to come with me.”

“As you wish, Horti, we must hurry. They are waiting for us.”

Moksur led Horti and Craig down a rabbit warren of corridors and passageways. Moksur opened a door and sat Craig and Horti down in front of a woman who placed makeup on both to prepare them for the appearance before the media.

The whole procedure took thirty seconds. Horti thought she must be an AI as she worked frenetically and frighteningly fast.

“You look even more lovely, Horti,” said Craig.

“You look handsome, my husband,” said Horti. “Now, let’s get it done.”

“You might recognize me as your crown princess. I am here to tell you to prepare for your new home in another multiverse. Today Zyla Grep Vandran attacked the fleet returning me home. I fought a telepathic battle with Zyla and can confirm she took my mother, hostage. Zyla can no longer deny she betrays her people and endeavors to ruin your chances to enjoy a new life in our universe,” said Horti. “Yesterday, we published the lists of whom she will betray and who is on her pitiful list to go. She promised many a false dream of a life in another multiverse.

“After I talk to you, I will introduce you to a presentation of the Emperor, who will play a significant role in saving all of our people. Next to me is my husband, Craig Kargo, the son of the Emperor. I will also give you a presentation of his life. From these presentations, you will see my mother intended to provide you with a viable alternative and hope for the future. You will also get a feel for our friends and allies in the other multiverse.

“My mother chose our multiverse after our scouts confirmed it viable, and I went on a long trip to build a gate directly through and begin constructing the gates that are big enough for planets to pass through. That was two million years ago.

“Zyla sabotaged the mission. She spread my crew over our universe, and I awakened only recently. I did not know my mission until a year ago. I faced sabotage and obstructions before I made my way over. The Colza trained me for the task, and we are now formally allied with them.

“Without them, my mission would have failed. They will work with us. Today they are helping us defend our ships which will pull our planets through the gates. They will join us and continue to partner with us in our universe. It is more than big enough for us, many times over. It is a universe many billions of times more enormous than this one.

“We will do as the Queen planned, build the gates, and set up the bridge. We hope to have it done as soon as possible. I urge all of you who have supported Zyla to abandon her. She will betray you. Many she promised to take with her cannot do so. I will tell you why. She uses fleets to attack our storage planet and ships carrying you and your supplies. She is so anxious to harm you she will not be able to take the people with her that she has promised to take. Trillions of you will die without the help of the Colza.

“Zyla has stolen from us, kidnapped my mother; she delayed our plans for millions of years. She almost killed all of you. She is the single most significant risk all of us face; an envious, jealous woman who only wishes to rub the hopes of all of us into the dust.

“I will provide the presentations as promised over the next few days. Now is the time to clean up your cities as best you can. Prepare to leave in ten weeks. Some will board ships; most will remain on the planets as we carry them to our side, the universe Nasta 9.

“Sizros Grep Milvithon is a traitor; she is an imposter pretending to be my mother. No single person on this planet or our world acting for Zyla will accompany her. You will soon know what I say is true.

“We will speak again before you leave; I am Horti Erugam, your crown princess. Now a few words from my husband. Horti indicated to Craig.

“My father is honorable and will do his best for you. The Colza and their cousins, the Azloc, are part of our Empire. Billions will work on gates to get them done in time. We created a team of people you will meet during the presentation. They sacrificed everything to help you. You may not know, but we will all in our universe become Enphaet. Your DNA spreads fast, and we love having a big brain.