Chapter 117

The Reviews Are In, and News Flash: People are Assholes

I had worked hard with Julie and Nicole on recording our first few songs. We were Retro-Vector, which meant we had something and magnitude, while going to a fixed place in space. I want it to be said that I didn’t like the name, but the girls did and so I was outvoted two to one. Then when Julie began inviting the other women that were all tortured in the past lifetime, and my heart melted.

They too apparently thought the name Retro-Vector was amazing, as it tried to show what we were doing. Using retro, which was apparently my playing of the violin to cause amplifying changes to the future while focusing on the fixed position, which was the top of the charts.

“Honestly, I think if a band must explain their name, it will be a wash. The fact that even after we explain our name to most people, they still only have a vague idea of what it means, is a bad sign. Look, I like the idea, but…” That was all I got out before I was shamed by 12 angry women. Still, it was fun to be part of the process. Even if I was to the silent guy in the back who stroked his fiddle, while staring at girls. Yeah, that didn’t sound right, going to have to remove that line eventually.

As it turned out, I was not the only one with musical talents. There were several women from Julie and Nicole’s group who had different levels of music. The only problem is that I often outshone many of them. By that I mean, I was Retro-Vector, what Slash was to GNR (It’s a history thing, you might need to look it up at this point).

Still, I was patient, and paid for a lot of the expenses. Most of this started off as small things. A few certs for all of us to eat. Then a few more for what was Retro-Vector without an RV for a traveling tour bus. Then there were recording costs, copyrighting costs, and so many other things that well, let’s just say tensions got high.

“Look Gramps, we are so close to making it that we just need to keep pushing.” Yulia said.

That was my nickname with the girls too, Gramps. At first it was an homage to my hair, but then it slowly gained more traction due to my general grumpy demeanor.

I wasn’t grumpy actually, actually looking back it was one of the best times of my life. We were a band. Rachel, Felicia, and Julie all made the singers. Olivia and Marts played additional instruments. I alternated between guitar and violin.

Then the others, like Yulia, they were all the hype women. They were the ones who went out and got supplies from the local markets while the rest of us set up to be nomadic traveling space band. It was an interesting experience and one I would not want to take away for anything.

That is the odd part now. In this lifetime, I’m so used to having everything erased, that any form of hard work, I almost wonder if it will get washed away.

Still, we posted both live and recorded sessions of our songs.

You never know just how vulnerable you really are, until you have someone critique your hardest efforts into lines of mediocrity.

“Me Versus the Universe. More like Amish versus the turn of the millennium. Who does that? Who still uses the violin of all instruments.” -Serious_Audiophile-89 said. “A bunch of trashy humans traveling around with their rich Grandpa. Wish I was rich, so I could get women to follow me around like that.” -Constant_Travesion*57 said. “The song ‘As You Wish,’ is supposed to stand for ‘I love you?’ Gods that is so cringeworthy. Who even comes up with that drivel?” -Dissapoited_Lover4395

There were more, many, many more critiques. Some were just harsh without any background; others were just harsh. Slowly, some of the women that were just taken on as friends of the band, parted ways.

Traci and Alice both decided to stay on an Endarian compound where they grew the ginger roots for many of the Endarian power bars circulating the galaxy.

Nicole and Yulia both stayed on as our planners, until there was some type of falling out. At which point Nicole and Carrie left to go into a different business route. Something to deal with antiquing, I don’t know.

Then finally Lynna and Noel both left when the food they managed to procure went bad after Yulia left it outside the fridge for two days.

So yeah, that was how our band was left with only ourselves and Yulia our dictator for a manager.

Now, while flying an RV for a spaceship is not the most ideal form of travel. The one we got with solar panels and omni-directional charging stations made it so we barely if ever had to stop to refuel.

Also, with my piloting skills it was easy enough getting the required license needed to be the one-person flight crew of our ship.

This was actually a blessing, for rather than some of the other girls occasionally coming to check in on me, I got to be by myself.

Ping. Incoming Call from: Mother.

I checked the message read out and sighed. I didn’t want to get into another argument, but I did miss her. This was after all the first lifetime where we were connecting on any level. I realize now that this was always my fault. Well only partially my fault. My brother was and will always be the main cause of my strained relationship with my parents. This of course goes back to his getting his powers four years before I did. Meaning he had four years to cause terror, while all I could do was sit back and deal with the contents of his anger.

Connect.

“Hi. You don’t call.”

At that, I laughed. “Well hello to you too.”

At that my mother visibly deflated.

“Look I don’t want to fight.”

“Then don’t.”

Huff.

“Look it is not that simple.” Mom says, as I can see her fidgeting.

“It really is. We will try this. I won’t bring up your backing of my mind rapist of a brother, even after I made sure to clean up your minds to show what he did. And you won’t comment on my joining a bad.”

“But your brother brings up a good point. How can he be the cause of all those bad memories.”

I shake my head. “Mom, you spoke to him directly, right?”

“Well yes, just as I’d like to do so with you, now.”

I shake my head.

“Mom, you know he can still read your mind. He is using you.”

“You have always been against him.”

At that I cross my arms and just stare at her.

“Okay, I realize a lot of that might be those memories you spoke about. But still, he isn’t the devil.”

I just shake my head.

“Nope, he is just a narcissist who still insists on making my life difficult. Listen, tell my brother an ultimatum for me. Tell him to stop socially manipulating you and dad, or I will make him the psychic equivalent of a turnip.”

“What does that even mean?”

“Doesn’t matter, just tell him that he has one week from today.” I say, as a set another reminder on my calendar, only to see that I have an important date today.

“What event is this?”

Message notification: Meet Bonfire 14 to fix brother’s mess.

As soon as I read the notification, I realize today is the day I am supposed to go to universe number 14 and fix that version of my brother’s mistakes there too.

Maybe I can use that universe’s version of my parents as a test run, on how to fix things with my own parents.

“What event is what?” Mom asks, slightly annoyed. “Also, know that you and your brother could get along much better if you weren’t so hostile to him.”

“Mom, he mind raped us for years. YEARS. He made it so I was the pariah of the family and even now that you have your memories back of all the terrible things he has done. You just ignore them. Or worse let him manipulate you into thinking I somehow put his powers in your mind. Look, I’ve got to take care of something that just came up.”

“You always do this. Leave.”

“Well yeah, there is no point to stay talking if all you do is hop on a line, then harp on me for net letting my socially manipulative brother talk to me.”

I pause for a moment, then I recall while I didn’t record everything. I did record enough with my brother to show that in this lifetime he has taken advantage of at least two different women.

“You know what. Here are the video feeds from my communicator. You see for yourself what happened.” I then proceed to send the two videos. The one from this universe where he was with an attractive woman in a black dress.

Then the video of the angry bonfire lady, who I mentally freed in the 14th universe.

I of course left out the part where I teleported in or helped torture my alternate brother for over an hour. I figured that last part would not be helpful to my case here.

“What? Who is this? Wait, isn’t that the girl who is filing that false court case against Chet?” Mom asks, mainly to herself as she covers her mouth.

“Also, I didn’t want to show this, but I recorded our first video. Know that my sending it to you, will negate your winnings as multi-billionaires, but I will do it as an ultimate trump card to make you believe me.” I state.

“You recorded that? You recorded yourself breaking the law?” Mom asks.

“Oh yeah, that is probably one of the weaker ones. At most they could get me with conspiracy to commit perjury.” I say.

I of course leave off the fact that for either charge to be taken seriously a record of my having Precognition would have to have been recorded somewhere. Which it hasn’t in fact, I’ve made sure to never pull up my status screens, except for when my communicators are off and in a different room entirely. I might be overly paranoid, but I do not want records of my status getting sent out.

I already have enough headaches dealing with this timeline that the last thing I need is some super entity trying to gain control over me or influence me in any way.

“You, you are a monster. This proves it.” Mom says, a little fear and anger filling her voice.

At that, I just force a strained smile on my face.

“You know what, you might be correct. Look, I’ve got to run. Why don’t you become more like dad and pretend I never existed.”

“Kyle Goldman, you know that is not the case. Your father is just having a hard time processing this.”

Hah.

I laugh at that. “You know, I have to say, at least his contempt for me is manageable. Your contempt for me however, well, it used to hurt.” I say, as I feel something inside me shut off at that.

“Used to?”

“Goodbye mother. You won’t hear from me again.” I say.

Call disconnected.

Would you like to block caller?

Blocking callers: Mother, Father, Brother.

Confirm deletion?

I paused as I look at those three people. I try to remember what they were to me. Then realize it doesn’t matter, what they were and what I was are two entirely different things right now.

Checking our course, I realize that even with autopilot we are more than three days of travel time away from our next destination. I am actually excited about this stop, as I remember there being a hidden temple somewhere in there. Still that location is days away, and I have a bigger more important matter to attend do.

Fixing my brother’s mess in universe 14.

“I’m going to take a nap really quick.” I tell the girls over the comms. This way if they come in and see the console empty, they won’t be too concerned. They know the only time a pilot is really needed, are during three times: Takeoffs, landings, and pirates. Fortunately, this sector of the universe is fairly safe.

With that in mind, I focus on Ms. Bonfire and Poof.