The tears flowed for roughly an hour as Allan and Aly reunited. Allan apologized profusely and relayed what he had been told. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, everyone seemed to calm down.
“Im just glad you are back.” Aly said, her arms wrapped around Allan and her head resting on his chest.
“Me too.” Jalla said smiling at Allan.
“I knew you would be back, but I worried…” Aly said her voice somewhat muffled as she had refused to let go of him since his return.
“So I do have a question.” Allan said gently pushing Aly back so he could look her in her face. “How did my mom end up living with you?”
“Well, why don’t you ask her?” Aly said and gestured to Allan’s back where his mother was being helped onto the bridge by Nara.
“Ohh Allan.” She said with a smile, “I am glad you are back. Aly told me what was happening…”
Sarah’s voice trailed off as she caught sight of the shifting golden tattoo. Anger flashed across her face. “Allan James Mac’Millen, is that a Tattoo?!”
Allan laughed and went to hug his mother. “Yes mother, it is a tattoo given to me by the beings who requested my temporary death. It is to mark me as a favorite of theirs I guess.”
“Hmmm,” Sarah said her face softening at the explanation. “Well, I guess it’s all right then. I grew up Christian, so some things are still bad in my mind, and yet I have a son who consorts with Gods and apparently tells them off on a semi-regular basis. I guess I can get over the gods, or rather an even higher being giving you a tattoo as a gift.”
A funny look passed over Sarah’s face. “So do you know what it’s like now?”
Aly and Jalla looked confused. But Allan smiled at his mother. “No, I do not have any memories of my time in death. You shouldn’t worry about it, it will be a long time before you have to go there.”
Allan saw his mother’s tight smile and how Aly flinched at his words. “Mom, what's wrong.”
Allan looked at her then, really looked at her, and realized just how skinny she was and almost yellow in color. Sarah looked up at him. “Oh, my boy, you and Eddy both have always been so quick to put things together. I have Cancer Allan, liver cancer, the doctors say there is nothing to be done. So I called Aly about four months ago, She rushed back with Jalla, Tilllia, Nara, and Eddy in tow. She did everything she could, but my liver was shredded for all practical purposes.”
“You couldn’t help her?” Allan asked turning to Aly, taking in his mother's condition as calmly as he could.
“I do not have the nescicary training to help her. And the medical AI is already working wonders…” Aly seemed hesitant.
“Why not take her to station Xentrop Theta? Have Doc take a look at her, and see if anyone can help.” Allan said. He knew he was desperately grasping at straws.
“We were going to, Doc already suggested we could get Jeths to build her an artificial liver and he would happily install it for her. But Allan…” Jalla was hesitant now, “Allan the Chiln have taken over the station and several other key points in the galaxy. They are declaring themselves for the enemy. We don’t know what happened but Chalxra and Kilndla have not been able to communicate with us. It has been getting harder and harder to travel let alone get messages to people who are stuck on the outside of a broken Jump Gate.”
Allan sagged into a seat. “Of course, we were going to go help them and then I died and disappeared for a year. I let Chalxra down.”
A small flash of light announced Eddy and Tillia’s arrival. “Hey, Allan.” Eddy said and clapped Allan on the shoulder.
Jalla and Tillia hugged and retreated to talk with each other. Allan smiled at Eddy who was giving Sarah a hug. “Good to see you, Eddy.”
“I’m glad your back, shit is falling apart, and no matter how much I pester anyone they won’t give me answers, particularly the Gods,” Eddy said, then a light seemed to spark in his eyes. “But I get a feeling its all about to change.”
“I hope so. What ship are you here on?” Allan asked.
“Well about three weeks before shit got really bad and the Chiln claimed several points, I was on the Gish homeworld training a group for search and destroy missions. When we got word about what was happening, we loaded up with Hilx’Nit and headed out to a shipyard where Hilx’Nit assigned me command and told me to do what I could so I am flying a behemoth.”
Eddy gestured out the leftmost viewport and Allan had to laugh, the ship was less of a ship and more of a portable city. It looked desolate though. “So what’s its name?”
Eddy smiled with his best shit-eating grin. “Hamunaptra.”
Allan groaned. “You really do love that movie.”
“Hey man, Fraiser is a badass, and is one of the best actors ever.” Eddy retorted.
Aly smiled as Allan and Eddy continued like this. She knew these two men were connected by a love for the woman who had been their only support in youth, and by the horrible things their fathers had made them do. She noticed Eddy’s face took on a strange look as Allan’s voice took on a more serious tone.
“Eddy, you remember the girl you dated who was trying to get in on the presidential press team.” Allan asked.
“Yeah, Teresa, what about her?” Eddy said looking almost confused.
“You think she could convince the president to meet us and chat about what’s going on?”
Eddy shrugged. “Maybe, but honestly you should probably be talking to this fucker right here.”
Eddy walked over and slapped his hand down on Mack’s shoulder. Allan raised an eyebrow. “So, Mack, you think you can get the president to listen?”
“Probably,” Mack said with a grin. “Unfortunately I have had quite a bit of dealing with the president, especially since I blew off a mission to help you. Since coming back and before I took a hiatus to come here, I got appointed to a special advisory position in the White House. Basically, I tell the president if a mission is feasible or not.”
“Cool shit.” Allan said taking a seat and looking up at Aly. “Aly, could you connect Mack to the White House switchboard?”
“Of course.” She said with a smile, despite not wanting to leave his side.
“Oh, you mean right now, right now.” Mack said his tone holding a note of confusion and worry.
“Yes, I do. I have been tasked to prepare mankind and bring it forth into the galaxy. Xulgra and the higher beings both asked this of me.” Allan said.
“Well fuck. Yeah, I will talk with the president, and get you a meeting ASAP.” Mack said and then turned to Eddy. “You should call everyone and tell them to do their thing.”
Eddy nodded and pressed a button causing his ship to teleport him back. Allan looked around curiously. “Do their thing?” He asked no one in particular.
“Remember how you and Aly told everyone to try and prepare the world for what was to come. Well, they took you seriously. Between those of us who went with you to Aly’s world, only one of us has simply been laxing off with the president.” Mara said getting a silly look from Mack, “Everyone else has at the very least been stockpiling weapons, I know Troy now owns the single largest manufacturing facility for all things military anywhere in the world. A couple of the other guys work with him. But the others are all doing their thing.”
“So do you think people are ready?” Allan asked the concern in his voice making everyone wonder what he knew was coming.
“I don’t know,” Mara said hugging Jessie close. “All I know is with the group you took off world on your side, you have damn near the largest stockpile of weapons on the planet.”
“Good.” Allan said as Mack ended his chat with the president.
“Okay Allan, let's go he said to show up whenever,” Mack said.
“I have a better idea.”
[Planet: Earth, White House - United States of America, Oval Office]
“That was a strange call.” President Rorgan muttered to himself. He liked Mack, and despite the fact Mack had come as highly recommended as you could possibly be, Mack was most certainly an acquired taste.
“Well regardless, it sounded like he was wanting to introduce someone pretty badly so I imagine he will be here soon.” President Rorgan said aloud. He did this a lot, speaking his internal thoughts out loud. He began to wonder where he had first picked up the habit, thinking back to his childhood, he leaned back in his chair.
Suddenly he was falling. He was brought up short by the floor. After a flurry of readjusting himself, he was back on his feet and finally noticed his surroundings. Gone was the often lonely Oval Office, with its regal trappings. Gone was the isolation which came with spending time in the Oval Office. Instead, everything was metal.
“Mr. President.” A familiar voice called out. President Rorgan turned to face the sound and found Mack standing with a group of people.
“Mack. you…” His words trailed off as his eyes took in the sight before him. Several of the people were human, he was sure, but three of them were not. One was nude and mostly covered in brightly colored scales, and two others were tall and furred looking like something akin to a fox or a wolf.
“What the fuck.” The president said and stumbled back.
Mack jumped forward to steady the president. A new voice, one the president was not familiar with, spoke. “Mr. President, my name is Allan James Mac’Millen, and I have some things I need to tell you, but first let me welcome you to the Solstice, and congratulate you on your first time in outer space.”
The president looked around and finally saw the viewports that displayed the blue marble of earth floating in a sea of ink. The President worked his jaw for a moment and then collapsed to the floor, supported by Mack.
Everyone looked at Allan, who shrugged. “I guess it could have been worse.”
