Somewhere off in the Multiverse
Tarsa was pacing the room, urging them all on. "Anything yet, people?" But choruses of "No," and "Nothing, yet, sir" were all the answers he got. Someone approached him.
"Come away, Tarsa," she said, pulling his arm. "You are only making them more nervous, which only slows them down. Come, have some nectar with me."
They walked together to the common room and she poured them both some nectar. "Come, sit down, take your frustration out on me if you must," she said.
They sat down together on a comfortable sofa and he sighed. "I know I'm being overly emotional," he said. "But Mellona, they aren't the ones who will have to face HIM if we fail, I am!"
"Yes, and they know that, Tarsa. And they are working as fast as they can," she said. "You know as well as I do that searching the threads is a slow process. It's going to take some time. You must be patient."
"Yes, I know," he said sighing. "It's just so curious. How could this happen? We've been watching them constantly. They've been all wrapped up in this Abaddon business. And we figured Dean's dealing with his Mark of Cain, and Sam's worry over that would keep them in line for a while. So how, all of a sudden, do they show signs of feeling good?"
"I don't know, Tarsa," she answered. "But you have good people here. They will figure it out."
Tarsa fell back against the couch and rubbed his face. "I know Mellona, I know. It's just...I'm just so scared," he said quietly. "You have no idea how scared I am. I have never had to take HIM bad news before."
Mellona was quiet for a few moments. "I know," she said, almost in awe. "But it will be all right, I know it. You're people will find out what's causing the static. It just takes time. And maybe it's just a mistake. Maybe nothing is going wrong."
"That's a nice thing to think, Mellona, but you know as well as I do our equipment is the finest. If it says there's static, there's static."
Mellona nodded. He knew she was just trying to calm him down, ease his worry. And he appreciated her efforts. But nothing was going to help until they found and solved the problem.
"I wish HE would just take them now," he said. "What's HE waiting for? They aren't ever going to be in better form then they are now. And this Mark of Cain thing can only make it better."
"I hear you, Tarsa, but HE does things in HIS own time, you know that. And HE only gets one chance so there's no margin for error. Still, I'm sure he will do it soon. The boys are ready."
Just then one of his workers came running in looking excited. "Sir," he said, "We may have found something."
Tarsa jumped up and followed Andro back into the room. "It's just the smallest vibration," sad Andro, "but it's definitely there."
"On what thread?" Tarsa asked.
"It's on one of the emotions," Andro answered. "We think it's a love thread."
"What?!" exclaimed Tarsa, "How can that be? When has there been time for something like that to happen?"
"We don't know, sir, but that's not the worst of it." said Andro, screwing his face up in worry lines.
Tarsa stared at Andro, who happened to be one of his best friends, as well as one of his best workers. "What?" he asked. "What could possibly be worse then one of them falling in love?"
"Sir," answered Andro, "It's on both their threads."
Tarsa felt the blood drain from his face as he stared at his friend in horror. This was just not possible. They hadn't met anyone. No new threads had entered their space. He sat down at the console and checked it out for himself. There it was. A definite vibration had entered the love thread on both of the boys. At the same time. This made no sense. It had entered the thread, and was still there. In fact, it had gotten even stronger on both threads.
Tarsa thought hard. This was a disaster. HE would never believe that such a thing could have happened if they had been doing their jobs properly. But even if they had missed it, there would be a new thread entering their lives. Or even an old one returning. There was nothing. Where were they, these new love interests? They had to be somewhere. And on both of them?
He felt all eyes in the room on him, waiting for him to say something. Finally he looked up at Andro and said, "You are going to have to go personally and check this out, Andro. Take two others of your choice. And hurry."
"Yes, sir!" Said Andro crisply and turned to pick his two companions.
Tarsa sat still, deep in thought. Nothing like this had ever happened before, and it chilled him to the bone. This might turn out to be the screw up that ended his very long existence.