“That’s it?” Leah asked, “All this, just to run?” She looked Elias over, seemingly unimpressed. “And they only want what we’ve been searching centuries for?”

Elias had, at some point, directed someone in the camp to bring him new limbs, which had latched on to the ragged stumps of his form worryingly fast.

He flexed a single, newly grafted hand as he spoke.

“He’s done the math and can assure you something is there. The scars alone indicate a massive power source and whatever system that made them can be adapted to our own technology. After that we can take a slower, more measured approach in our resurrection.”

“You intend to share a world with a people whose most recent invention is the pointy stick.”

Synel stared the woman down.

“A people who, in your own words, hold a knife to your throat.”

Leah paused, considering the group before she spoke.

“You said you could adapt it. Do your new friends have a way to manufacture our technology?” She directed the question at Summers.

“No,” Summers said, “we don’t.”

Elias stepped between the two.

“They already have what we need, you know that the-”

“Absolutely not,” Leah cut him off. “We can’t afford that risk.”

“Risk?” Elias said, turning to Summers. “If we don’t cooperate, you’ll destroy the anchor?”

“Uh, yes?” Summers replied. Pat and the others would very well try, at least.

“There, no risk. In fact, it’s less risky. If only because there’s a chance the ‘anchor’ won’t be destroyed with this course.”

“This ‘course’ removes all our other options. Without these bodies-”

“Will they help against what’s coming?” Elias interrupted. “No, they’re a burden at best. How much of our time has been wasted scrambling to get our people back in the blind hope one will know what to do?”

“You act as though this is our only option.”

Elias cackled; a bit of the madness Summers had seen earlier leaking into his voice.

“Isn’t it? Or was there some grand revelation while I was away? Even if you were to destroy these people, we’d likely spend another million years searching for another habitable planet. Face it, we’re out of options, it’s time to choose with what we have available.”

Leah didn’t respond. After a long moment, she turned her head, the two male forms beside her remained silent as she stared Summers down.

“I’ll need to see this world of yours before I make a decision.”

“Uh, no?”

“This is not up for negotiation. If we’re to make a deal, I’ll need to see what we’re dealing with.”

“I don’t trust you, and I’m positive the second we let you in the same time zone as the anchor you’ll do something to fuck with it,” Summers replied. “Can you even see anything that Elias can’t?”

“No,” Leah admitted. “My specialty is in tactical operations. Elias is the only one here that could determine the usefulness of that place.”

“Then fuck no.”

She considered him, then rose from her makeshift seat, scrutinizing him. She gestured with one hand.

“Matteus, hold him.”

Summers tensed, the world suddenly vibrating with energy. Before he could reach for his gun, a tendril of flesh shot through the ground. Synel yelped as Summers shoved her out of the way of the pilar of flesh that began to coil around him. He jammed a hand into the pillar, forcing it to part even as he dove through the opening. Leah’s eyes widened a fraction as the two male figures at her side, apparently bodyguards, moved to intercept Summers. He pressed his hand into the black, fleshy ground even as it tried to rise up to stall him, pressing his will into it. Summers forced both it, and the two men to freeze as he raised his weapon and aimed.

At the same time, Leah raised her own hand, and Summers could feel something in his body twisting in a direction it shouldn’t. He didn’t let that stop him, firing even as a combination of vertigo and pain overtook his mind, most of his shots going wide, but more than a few finding their mark. The two men went down in a heap as Leah, seemingly unconcerned, moved closer, the sense of vertigo intensifying as she did. Summers tried to angle his rifle on her, only for his hand to drop.

As she reached him, Leah pressed a hand into Summers’ head. The world disappeared, his sight going black. He was conscious, in a way, part of him could feel her doing something to his mind, probing it, even as he tried to fight it off. Blind or not, he could still feel her presence. His hand weakly rose up to grasp her arm, but she didn’t react, even as he pressed down with everything he had, muscle, will. All in a vain attempt to pull the woman away, the skeen’s power literally tearing strips of flesh from her arm as he tried to pry it off.

It wasn’t working.

Fortunately, she’d forgotten about Synel.

Bang!

Leah’s arm exploded in a fountain of black blood as Synel pulled back, seemingly surprised by her own actions.

“You-” Leah’s words were cut off as Summers gripped her head in one hand and drove it into the ground. He lifted his gun, leveling it on one of the black-clad men as he got to his feet, only for the other man to raise his hands in surrender.

“Fine,” Leah said, clear annoyance in her voice. “I agree to your terms.”

Summers paused.

“Excuse me?”

“I said you have a deal. You can have your bodies and this ridiculous plan. Now let me up.”

Summers opened his mouth, then closed it.

“You just tried to kill him!” Synel shouted from the side.

Leah raised her stump of an arm.

“And you shot me. Besides, I only wanted to verify that he was acting in good faith.”

“Veri- were you reading my mind?” Summers asked.

“Yes. I have no interest in blind faith.”

“That’s-” Summers hesitated. Part of him just wanted to finish the woman here, but that would just get them killed. The worst part was, he was pretty sure she knew that. He took a breath, gritting his teeth. “You know what, fine.”

He wasn’t sure if he no longer gave a shit, or if the absurdity of the situation had just burned out his ability to care, either way Summers tentatively released the woman. She got up in kind, no sense of her earlier aggression present.

Summers glanced at Synel, breathing hard, clearly fighting back the adrenaline that was sure to be coursing through her. The very large revolver she held in one hand was trembling, he put a hand on hers to steady it.

“Nice shot.”

“It was much louder than I was led to believe.” Synel swallowed, before she gestured towards Leah. “I would like to point out that, while we can agree to your terms, the rest of the region will likely not honor such an agreement.”

“I understand. After we conclude our business here, we’ll switch to a slower approach in our methods, elsewhere. It’s a very large world, I have no doubt we can set ourselves up as Gods or the like to the local savages without much difficulty.”

Synel looked like she was about to argue that but decided against it.

“First thing’s first,” Leah said. “We do need to verify this device is functional for our needs. Once we do that, I can begin ‘returning’ your people.”

“Our people won’t cooperate unless they have their loved ones back,” Synel objected. “We don’t need them all, simply whoever we designate.”

Leah took a long breath.

“Fine, we can figure out the details, but we should get moving regardless. Take me to this meeting place of yours.”

“Won’t you need to tell the others about this?” Synel asked.

“We’ve reached a consensus. Unlike you, we have much more efficient means to speak.” Leah said, glancing at Elias. “I was heavily outvoted, but I’m satisfied with what I saw in your Commander’s mind. Despite his. . . violent tendencies.” Leah looked at the two bodyguards, one of which wasn’t getting up. “Don’t misunderstand, I don’t hold anything as petty as a grudge. At best you’ve annoyed us.”

“Really?” Summers let some skepticism slip into his voice.

“You’ve done nothing but hamper our return.” She gestured to a man behind her, pointing to her arm and the other man in turn. “And he’ll be fine once we find a replacement heart.”

“Sure. . .” Summers watched as the extremely dead man on the ground was dragged away. “So, where do we start?”

“First,” Leah began, “introductions.”

The portal opened to reveal Pat, Asle, and about two hundred of their people waiting, guns pointed at the tear in reality, and by extension, them.

“It’s all right,” Summers called over, apparently too slowly as Leah strolled through the portal, past Asle, and into the obsidian world. “Don’t shoot her,” he added when a few of the twitchier recruits angled their guns on the uncaring woman.

“I think I understand what Elias saw in this place.” Leah scrutinized a far-off mountain, either oblivious or unconcerned about the several dozen armed elves around her.

After a moment, she turned to Pat as he approached.

“You’re in charge here, correct?”

“No, I-”

“Yeah,” Summers answered for him.

“I’ll have your people returned soon enough.”

Pat hesitated, looking at a few of the soldiers behind them.

“Commander,” Pat stressed the word to Summers, “I’m not sure it’s wise to have her, or any of the others here so soon.”

“Why?” Leah asked. “If it’s a matter of discipline, simply tell them we surrendered. I have no interest in your petty squabbling.”

Both Summers at Pat stared at her a beat.

“Are you. . . okay with that?” Summers asked.

“Pride is a vestige of our barbaric roots. I’m interested in results, not politics.”

Pat glanced to Summers, he nodded. Pat went off to share the ‘good’ news with the others.

“That’s going to make things a little easier, so. . . thanks?”

“I don’t care, I’ve already seen into your mind, you’ll honor our agreement so long as it’s in the best interest of your people. That’s enough for me.” She turned towards Summers. “Did Elias tell you what we’re facing?”

“. . .He told me it was God.”

“A simplification, to be sure, but accurate. The progenitor, as we’ve come to call it, is a force of being. I want you to understand that.”

“Something we can’t fight,” Summers concluded.

“No. When we discovered its existence, we were elated. Its discovery catapulted our technology thousands of years ahead. In fact, part of the anchor was based on its structure.”

“Structure?”

“Both its quantum and – honestly it goes over my head. Point being, what you understand is the tip of the iceberg in terms of reality. We studied it. It found us in turn. We fought. We lost.”

“Do you know how long we have?”

“Months, at the most. Weeks might be more accurate,” She turned to Summers. “I don’t say this lightly, but if this idea of yours and Elias has any merit. . .” Leah paused, then turned to him. “We had several of our sociologists create plans that could be used for a peaceful integration, we had to forgo that when that idiot Wendel realized what was coming. What he caused. If he’d only waited. . .” She trailed off, more than a little malice in her voice.

“Good time to bring up that I killed him?”

“I don’t care.” She reached up, taking off what was apparently a mask, the face of a tired, if young woman beneath it.

Around them, most of his soldiers were staring at the two with a mixture of emotions. He turned to see several of the black-eyed soldiers streaming in as Asle held the ‘door’ open. It looked to be a bit of a strain, but she didn’t complain.

“I’ll have our most recent additions inside this world soon enough,” Leah added. “Have your people mark the ones they’d like returned, and I’ll do what I can.”

Summers saw Ayra in the crowd, speaking with Pat. A wide-eyed expression as a few green-uniformed men, her men, marched inside.

“I appreciate that.”

“I’ll stick to our deal, so long as you deliver on yours. I would, however, recommend we keep a substantial force in reserve.”

“Why? You already admitted we can’t fight this thing. Not with people, anyway.”

“Because, you don’t know where this miracle device of yours is located, we’ll need a force that can move quickly, preferably one that’s disposable.”

He didn’t like thinking of people as ‘disposable’, but then again, if what she was saying was true, an attitude like that might not be a luxury he could keep.

He nodded.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”