Shadow Of The Past Trilogy ∞ THE DISPLACED

64 ∞ making moves

Day Sixteen ∞ Saturday morning, 25 August 1979

IT WAS INTOXICATING.

High voltage current pulsed through Selina's atoms, the potential propelling her to recruit molecules in her surroundings, to augment beyond her own scope within a heartbeat. It took self-control to leave the utility lines and retreat before she would cause longer-lasting effects on the grid. But that did not stop her growth. Incorporating the energy inherent in nature, in every atom around her, was a slower yet as effective a process, that brought back memories.

Memories of her forebears, the original non-human Aumega.

A taste of the life they led before humans colonized Maar. Before the strife ended and the merging communion.

Selina had never attempted taking on this form before—structured dematerialization into her non-physical self had always been restricted to the five octillion plus atoms she consisted of. She was third generation Aumega, dedicated to a life as a human—a life chosen by her first instance and unquestioned by her. Still relatively young in her cycle of existence.

Yet here she was—unbounded, expanded... and free.

She had never known it would impact her like this. Finally she understood what it meant to be Wind of the Sands... and Consciousness of the Air...

The sea was far away, but she could well imagine what being Consciousness of the Sea felt like.

One and many Souls... There was none other like her here on this Earth – as far as she knew. Maybe there were some like her on Mars, still unknown to this world...

Many and one flow...

One – and many flow...

She had to rein in herself, return to the present, back to what was important. She could not allow this new perception of herself to be of detriment to her new Queen.

Queen Lepantra... She was halfway home on the last leg now, with her Shield and her Sword. Helicopters passed their position on their approach, spotlights glaring at Selina's cloud form as she flowed above the trees. These were white helicopters with red markings, not armed like the ones guarding the convoy. Selina reached the clearing and lowered herself, filling its circumference, swirling the surface dirt, erasing the remaining tracks from the ceremony.

She would remain here as a distraction until the three were safe indoors. She watched as the helicopters approached her from either side.

"Some sort of atmospheric anomaly...," a voice said inside one of the helicopters. "But it... it's behaving like it's sentient. Or controlled remotely. It's moved some 800 meters north, straight to a dead stop. It's stationary at ground level right now. Should we approach?"

"Negative. Maintain safe distance and observe. What are its dimensions?"

"About sixty by thirty by three, four meters. Looks like a cloud that's lost its way... But it caused a lot of electrical disturbance earlier."

"Any activity now?"

"Just movement within itself. I see... occasional sparks... like it's a low-hanging storm cloud."

"Civilians?"

"Negative. There are no signs of civilians, and no residences in the vicinity."

"Stand by for tasking."

Selina rose slowly to hover above the treetops as she surveyed the progress of the convoy over 2,700 kilometers west.

As she had anticipated, it was slowing to a halt.