Chapter 4: Multiple Personalities

They used the portal the entire next day and found nothing interesting. They did however learn the mining colony received transmissions every eight hours and twenty minutes, so they set their schedule accordingly. Then they went back to the defense planning.

"Alondra can you tell me anything about what kept you in the containment area when you were a prisoner?"

<For what purpose?>

"If the evil ones arrive and take a good portion of the bodies, we will need to protect this place from the other spirits won't we?"

<You're right we would be much safer that way, and I'm sorry to say that I don't know. However I can tell you there are places here that we cannot go.>

"Would you show me please?"

They walked around the house Alondra pointed out the electrical room out back and the areas where the main conduit ran underground. Then she said, "I cant seem to get close to your dog either."

"It must be the electrical field that causes that, hold on a minute I have an idea," John ran inside, retrieved his plasma ball, and ran back outside.

"Ok Alondra I need you and your friends to get back a ways before I start this," He fired up his globe and his idea was confirmed none of them could get close to it.

"Ok so we have something to keep them away, but it would also keep you guys away so we need to keep working on this. Alondra have you or your species ever tried to share a body?"

<You mean inhabit a body that already contains a, what did you call it oh yes spirit?>

"Yes that is what I mean."

<That has been done before but it causes a lot of confusion. Both the spirits end up fighting for control of the body.>

"What if we didn't fight for control? If you joined with me could you leave later if we found you your own body?"

<Yes, that would be possible, why would you be willing to do this?>

"Well if we're going to be friends, we might as well get to know one another better. What about your friends that came with you?"

<We have already joined as one; I was chosen to speak for them all. However, they still do talk on occasion.>

"What would we need to do to try this?"

<If you are serious, I will try to join you while you sleep tonight.>

John decided if this worked, he could use his parent's energy transmitters to keep the spirits at bay. That's not what they're for but it would be a great use if they were needed.

Then he remembered what Alondra said, "You said you cant get close to the dog?"

"That's correct its just like the other things, only not as strong."

John filed the information away for later. He figured it had to be his parents doing.

The next morning John woke up feeling a little strange.

<Good morning, > John heard Alondra say in his head.

"Good morning did everything go well?" John asked.

<Yes, the integration was successful. You are a very unique specimen, you are only partially biological. You also should know that your body would have rejected me if not for your enhancements.>

"Yes that was my parents doing after my accident. But why did that help?"

<You do not need to speak out load I will hear you just think it. The fluid in your veins is not compatible with my species. After I found this out I checked all the others and it was the same way, except for three of Jason's men.>

<Are you saying I have an incompatible blood type?>

<Correct, it appears that way.>

"Wow this is really strange," John thought to himself.

<I heard that, > Alondra said.

It took John a few months to get used to Alondra but after that, they got along fine. They had finished setting up the energy transmitters at the house and down in the cave. John also finished the new version of the XM-19 that was now called the XM-19+. Jason tested it out and said he couldn't live without it, so more were prepared for the rest of his crew. The extra supplies Jason had ordered had come in a few days ago; they were two Cougar (MRAP) vehicles that had been converted to electric. All that was left was to install the reactors and the energy transmitters.

They opened the big bay doors at the rear of the shop, pulled the trucks inside, and began to work on them. The fuel tanks had been replaced with water tanks and the diesel engine with a very large electric motor. Now they needed to figure out what to do about the gun mounts on the top.

"What do you think? I'm not sure the laser would be a good idea," John said.

"Actually the laser would work fine, while you and Alondra have been learning to co-exist we have made a few modifications. It now has two modes of fire, continuous, and pulse, in pulse mode its effective range can be increased to just under a mile. With a few other modifications it will fit in the mount just fine," Trish said.

"Wow that's great; I guess I need to read your notes."

The next day during a regular portal opening to gather intelligence, what they had feared finally came true.

<There is no doubt they know where you are and are already on the way. They informed the keepers that they were bringing four escorts and thirty cargo vessels.> Alondra said.

"Ok people that was it Alondra says there on the way. We have no idea how fast they can travel so they could possibly be here in days, we just don't know," John said.

"John can we invite are parents here, would they be safer?" Jennifer asked.

"Sure they would be welcome, which goes for you too Jason and your men. Anyone you want to invite, go ahead."

"Great I know Mom will love the observatory, that's what she used to teach in college," Trish said.

"Damn! The observatory, that's it," Jason said.

"What are you talking about Jason?," Trish asked.

"Remember the comment I made about needing a very good scope to use the portal generator in space?"

"He's right we can use the telescope. We just need to mount the portal generator on it and align them," John said.

"I'll get right on it," Trish said.

The twin's parents accepted the invitation to spend some time with their daughters at John's house. They arrived two days later in their motor home and the twins introduced them to everyone. They all went into the meeting room and then began a story they would never believe.

"James, Donna we have an incredible story to tell you. I know you wouldn't believe me so I will leave it to your daughters to tell." John said.

Three hours later the twin's parents were still sitting there with their mouths open.

"Do you have the course these ships are taking to get here?" Donna asked.

"No we have no idea where they left from, but we have a general direction," John answered.

"Well I guess that's something, we can start scanning that portion of sky."

"Great I want to go public as soon as we get any conformation on the incoming ships."

"Oh shit," Donna said as James just looked at her.

"I know the government will hate us," John said.

"Also we haven't discussed this much but it appears that certain blood types may be incompatible with their joining procedure, it's possible that they will leave all of those people behind."

"Isn't there any way we can stop this from happening?" James asked.

"I'm open for suggestions, we have one idea we are working on but that's it. We have made great strides in my parents' work but nothing that can defend us against a fleet of alien ships," John replied.

"Do you think being in the cave that far underground will protect us?" Jason asked.

"I hope so; there is no outside link to the cave at all. It has its own reactor and everything else that is needed comes through with the portal, including the air. So there is no trace of it anywhere, hopefully they will miss it. They may also try to find the portal technology, but as far as everyone knows it all went up in the explosion."

"I have an idea for a weapon system using the portal generator as the base but it will take a while to build, and we would need to integrate it into the telescope and use it for targeting," Trish said.

"Great Trish; keep on that, use whoever you need to help. I need to figure out a way to get Captain Scott into this group, I just don't know how."

The meeting broke up them and John went into the lab to speak to the computer in private. "Computer, is there a way to keep some kind of lock on me and use it to create a portal from wherever I am to the cave?"

"You have the same implant your parents did so I can track you. With the enhancements that have been made to the portal this would work without any problems. I would estimate a safe zone of 16 miles using the portal this way. Any further distances would need to be better focused and thus not work correctly."