Planet B-17: The Beginnings

Chapter 15: The Curve around the Wall

Clever though you are, answered Omiran, use your vaster senses. Walk the Bridge of Infinity and doubt yourself not. Your way is clear and is yours alone. I shall not assist you.

Concern was evident in Zadek's golden clock-wheels eyes. "Why not?"

You shall find a way.

Or else?

No answer came.

He waited for a time. Then turned, murmuring, "Bridge of Infinity. Use your vaster senses. Alright." He was building himself up, summoning strength to embark on this new and unexpected quest.

Something about the wall still drew his eyes, and he went nearer and nearer, and the space-bands appeared to hold void between them – a non-space-like interval the width of a hair – and Zadek drew nearer and watched even closer; yes, indeed, there were spaces and non-spaces, all white, some more luminous than others; some were near and some were far; some felt crammed and others, wider – space next to space next to space, and in between were the non-spaces, which sparkled not.

Clock-brain prevalence signalled he was now part of the wall, the rectangular hallway to his left; and in he went deeper.

I need answers, he thought.

Stepping sideways, he re-emerged into the hallway. Was it a tunnel? Or a stairway?

Luminescent, hair-width panels, almost see-though, now beamed head-high by the wall. What was their function and how could he operate –

Use your vaster senses, he remembered Omiran say.

Clock-brain prevalence makes sense of the multi-timeline worlds I'm in, he thought. But why did Omiran specify not to use it? What are these vaster senses? What do they mean for an Omirion?

One of the panels beamed fleetingly, and Zadek noticed it was the third in line. Then a medley of lights flashed in and out, in and out, in a somewhat arbitrary manner, or at least so it seemed; were it a coded language, he held not the key. They kept on beaming, and after a while, Zadek turned around and, choosing a direction, he went into the curving space around the wall.

It lifted him higher, though he could distinguish no steps.

Higher still.

Up.

One step. He noticed the Captain behind his desk, not looking at him. He found himself in Command Bay. He entered – a different he.

"You wanted to see me, sir," said the other he.

A time loop, he thought, and glanced at the Captain.

"Yes, I did. Please be seated."

He witnessed their interaction. And was back in the tunnel. Panels beaming. Steps towards the curved space. Another loop. Up again.

"You wanted to see me, sir."

He pulled himself back. Back into the tunnel. Seeking serenity within. Heart beating fast, then progressively slower. Back to optimal. He opened his eyes.

Bridge of Infinity. Doubt yourself not.

He chose the same route.

"You–"

And was back.

He re-entered the curve around the wall and arrived in the corridor outside CommandBay. He saw himself come and touched his other self's shoulder.

Back into the whiteness, ready for another loop.

Stepping into the curve, he was propelled again – he thought of engines somehow – and momentarily reached the Engine Room, listened to the sound for but one moment, and was absorbed into the hallway.

Something pulls me back here. I need to anchor myself.

He made a new attempt. Emerging into one of Umbar's corridors, he tried to hold on to some surface, but there was nothing but smooth wall in reach.

Back to the tunnel.

He turned and looked at the curve at the other end of the hallway and he headed that way. He felt a slightly higher pressure as he walked upon the unseen steps and it seemed he was walking sideways to the right. He spotted Umbar – from the outside – gleaming beneath the darkened sky, white, oval, massive; and something inside him wanted to go back, thus he almost plunged forth as if into a waterfall-wall –

he emerged within the wall,

then stepped sideways into the tunnel.

"Interesting."

Another attempt, and then one more, and so on, until he was finally able to walk from Seremna, the blue, bioluminescent forest (that which shines, in the Ylam tongue of the southern galactic ring) to chosen spots on Umbar. Whichever came to mind, the curve would take him to it. Then he would return and make another journey: one curve always took him aboard Umbar and the other, always outside of it and within sight.

The tunnel is the gateway, he acknowledged. 'Use your higher senses' means do not let what seems logical dictate what's possible.

Cleverness suits you, retorted Omiran. Now you know what becoming whole again means.

The logical and non-logical converging into one.

They are put to unitary use.

Zadek nodded. A fluid physicality.

You understand.

He stepped towards the curve that teleported him outside of Umbar, wishing to arrive by the crater, yet something blocked him and he remained inside the tunnel. For a moment, he pondered, then recalled, "I must not interfere."

They themselves must find a way out, transmitted Omiran, however long it takes.

Agreed.

Then choosing a new destination of his interest, Zadek tested the portal's openness with his arm. Nothing blocked it, so he stepped into a new space around the wall.

He had chosen to see Lera.

Oh, how diverse our paths! Where would you go if you could use the Bridge of Infinity?