Remember. Remember.

[HuggieSunrise]

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In the vortex of unconsciousness jim began to see light, blurry and splotchy. He became aware of what he was observing and was unmoved or unconcerned, as if he was in an out of body experience he was aware... of the woman in the field, a green field.

Several acres of tobacco being tended to by large racks of arms and sprayers suspended on a irrigation platform on a center pivot. Huge green circles visible from the sky, but the woman was fighting with what looked like a leaking hose.

The perspective shifted to a house about an acre away two stories Victorian looking. With wine casks under a lean to on the side of the home.

On the porch there was an old man... Monty? no.. its dad.. no. not my dad. Annie's.
Annie was affixing an adhesive patch to the grey hose that went directly on to the pivot motors gearbox.

What a mess. These are suppose to be self sufficient right?

Annie asked to the open air. The robot holding a tool box shook his head in a vary proper manner. It had a tuxedo painted on its chassy and was referred to as Sir Reginald.

Jim didn't perceive her speaking french... but he knew she was.. His thoughts weren't solid either instead it felt like the experience itself was forcing upon him the need to absorb everything he was experiencing. He did. As it seemed part of himself that were lost.. for however long.. were returning to him.

Sir Reginald began picking up parts Annie had torn apart out of frustration earlier. She was ill tempered towards all machinery that broke down days after warranty.

Annie closed up the covering for the pumps and gearbox with a few less screws then when she had started and started the water flow. The pivot came back to life as water flowed through the crazy looping and splitting junctions rotating wheels in groove in the soil and pushing solar panels that let the mess of robotic arms to pick up weeds and pests in the range of their pincers.

An old man called over a radio.
Hows my junkess? Everything ok over there mon petit ?

Annie picked up the tiny receiver and mumbled
If this stops again im going to pull it apart and make a half dozen walking water cans.

Dinners going to be late. But the wine is early!
the old voice chortled.

Dont you DARE drink past supper again! You need the calories! Ill be there in a moment.
She looked back to the driod.

Reggie put those back in the cellar.
she begain to jog back to the farmhouse.

On the porch there was a small table for two. The old man in a wheelchair was sipping wine from a bottle despite having a full glass on the table. Annie gave the man a disapproving look.

Papa if you do that youll just fall asleep through dinner.
she went inside and picked up a small service tray. What looked like some sorta sauce or mashed vegtable and green beans. She put some on a small plate and set it infront of her father.

The old man looked at it picked up a green bean with his hands and ate it.

Your not a caveman.
Annie chided.

Mon petit. Respect my age. Your going to miss important things like enjoying yourself... not the food cause its terrible. Why dont you go and have lunch with some nice man in town hm? Badger him till hes 94 and let me pass drunk and comfortable.
he was playing with his food.

After this season ill let you drink yourself off a cliff and we can get off of this plantation and back to France! she said enthusiactily.

Pa pa rolled his old eyes and threw his arms into the air.

Oh help me god. Youll never get me to go back there. What is the problem with being safe out here? Marne doesn't become you?
he forced a bite of mush. His face reflected disappointment and he promptly added salt... lots of salt.

Papa its only the knights fighting. Have you looked at the horizon? The smog is making it colder every winter and the workers are constantly-
Annie was cut off by a finger pointed at her.

Dont you bring up revolt like its some inconvenience, those are people, and I don't want to argue during a meal. .. well if this was a meal. I don't want to fight while drinking! If you so intent on moving we can go to Nevers... buy a villa. Or build a new one. Wed both like the sun and surf no?.

Papa forced the meal down... to get to the rest of his wine quicker.

Annie wasn't happy but the number of seasons papa had left, she thought they could be longer and at better quality on France. All the good medical treatments are there. Doctors vacationed in nevers, no one lived there on account of the hurricanes.

She watched him drink. and watched the sunset as he fell asleep himself taking loving care to put him to bed. We weighed less and less now, like a child, this man ended up being someone she had to take care of. She was only 22.

Her father was an Admiral longer then he was a duke. But when the crown demands your ship to be handed to the next generation you accept you discharge and move on into the sunset. He didnt plan on having a daughter.

The fighting on New France wasn't anything serious for Dukes and Duchess's but the knights where constantly challenging for their liege's territory. Corporations even threw in with alliances and families. But in the 5th century, Annies family had reached an end of itself. Her father what was left of a family that had a few black marks on it but what counted was hie opinion of the crown. Abusing the peasantry would lead to ruin her grandfather said. Upon retirement her father said the same and shortly after the invitations to dinner stopped.

Annie tucked in her father as best she could... he has an uncanny ability to holding onto a wine bottle while sleeping. He figured it would be his burial pose...

She didnt wanter her father to leave her but she could see the age and the procession of days getting to him. He was much more active when she was a teenager but as she took a more active role on the plantation and excelled in her home schooling Monty knew she would be able to handle herself. She was already more violent then he was.. He blamed the mother.

The harvest of tobacco was the largest yet on the Antuonette plantation. As papa predicted one of the larger agribusiness firms baught the land and the house from them, not because of his status but because annie did good work.

Plenty of Ducats and Francs to rely on, papa put aside enough for his funeral arrangements, paid off debts and packed two and a half tones of antiques on board a transport for the resort planet of Nevers.

The villa was a complete disaster. The dome home was like a concrete shaped bulb above the coral stone foundations of the beaches. The 300 kph winds of the typical cyclone that hits bi yearly had managed to break a window and steal the porch that was so prominently featured on the real estate sellers promotion.

Annie was not pleased...

Papa ignored her and like a little boy begain making sand castles. Supported by wine bottles.

It was three months of settling in, buying new clothing, learning not to burn in the sun before the house was cleaned up and a portch complete with tiki bar was christened.

The neighbors, a middle aged couple, who had sent their teenage sons over to help repair the home and build the porch were there sharing their news of the latest trends on the beaches, what theve heard from home.

The teens were too eager to help around the home as it appeared Annie was he only twenty two year old woman within 100 miles. The family was nice but they where peasantry. He was an accountant and she was a geologist who had found oil on 15 colony worlds.

Papa appreciated them to keep him company but eventually when they figured out they where royalty tradition squeaked itself in. Papa didnt like the idea of knighting or being bowed to.

Nevers looked like it was going to be so boring Annie might wither and fade away...

That was before Alexzander Le Morte came to visit.

<TBC>

[HuggieSunrise]

During the rainy season annie would make sure to store as much freash water as possible. Several of the water traps were set out behind the home so when she heard a strange male voice a feeling of panic struck her.

Papa!?

she said loudly running to the front of the home to see a man dressed in dark business attire. His hair was short and black and had dark circles under his eyes. Besides these ghastly features however was a man with a vary young face she assumed the worst however since this man had a weapon holstered on his side.

Annies father made a confused noise.
Annie? Whats the matter?

Papa. This man I have not seen him. I did not know we were exspecting guests.
annie said.

The person of interest introduced himself.
Madame. I am Alexzander Morte. I came here to confirm your fathers... personal arrangements.

Annie kept looking at the gun. She wasn't a stranger to rifles and other weapons for driving off vermin and sometimes predatory animals but that was a smaller quicker weapon. It made her uneasy and she looked it.

Ma petit... fetch tea, something, anything, for a few moments?
Monty begged.

Annie nodded and walked quickly into the kitchen. She only heard mumbling.

Alexzander straightened his shirt and sat down on an ottoman to an empty chair next to Monty.

We dont care for the titles, doing what we need to do comes from the blessing of the crown, but I would take it as a personal favor if you would consider it.
Alexzander continued from before.

Junkers and junkess's have all kinds. Im sure Michelle doesent need me to knight him even if he wants it so badly. Tell me... What is the real reason? Why trust them to do your dirty work? Your too capable to rely on them.
Monty questioned shifting his position on his rocker.

Mr Morte knew he was rushed. A young woman was about to enter the room and knowing the stalk of the Antoinette's made them inquisitive prideful and above all nosey.

Admiral. You did pay a great deal of francs. But most of whom I represent are too secretive and cautious. This would make arrangements afterward more permanent. And we will hear troubles ahead much easier.

Annie came from the kitchen with a tray service, she was still not the best cook, and Sir Reginald was recharging so the tea was rushed and the shortcake was... for all intents... freshly unfrozen.

Serving tea she kept her eyes on the strange man, who in turn kept his attention on her father.

After everyone had a sip of hot water papa spoke.

Vary well. If Michelle wants such a cursed thing so be it. Just. Hold up your end of the bargain.

With that Alexzander got up.
Madame your effort on the tea was commendable. I will take my leave of you.
Morte said setting down his tea, to Annie's horror to Alexzanders forwardness.

She couldn't help at that moment but become interested.

Papa clutched his chest suddenly.
Woman! Poison!
he put his tea down picking through the shortcake.

Papa. What was that about?
she inquired.

Im old. Your young. If you want to return to france after Im gone. I made sure you were safe.
He took a bite.

Annie somehow didnt trust this. Papa hated France, along with talking about the past, socks, and fake people. All these things and more came from france. But a man, prim, and armed? Couldn't have been a noble.

Papa. You dont have to lie. she said.

You dont have to ask silly questions. Brat.


Michelle La Grange was a junker. Not fowl but business like. In his thirtys and charming. Charming enough to keep Annies attention, especially after papa knighted him as a Knight of Antoinette.

Papa started to fade though. About a year after he was on some sort of life support or another. The aea air helped, but the home became a mortuary. Somehow news of Admiral Antoinette spread, Friends who were almost as old as he and younger men who had heard of or served under him came to the home and for a period of two months it was a constant reunion.

Annie was comfortable with the naval men as she had remembered most of them from when she was a child.

Story's of glorious fights amongst the stars and antics on the decks of the Rosalee. Even stories she never heard about how her own father had tracked down fleets of Bonn and Chantelle. They weren't teaching this history in schools anymore.

As papa drew closer to final breaths, those who remained in the home weren't so much revolutionaries as they where inspired by the example of the old admirals who despite paving the way of kings to power, where forgotten, force ably by the march of progress.

Montgomery Antoinette died leaving Annie to be the duchess of Antoinette. The vision showed the procession of years, as rivalries rose but quickly fell to her family's influence namely the knight of Antoinette, the junker Michelle. A knight who connected to all the scandal and dirty secrets made problems dissappear. As the Unione predicted.

Though as many in even these modern times. Junkers aren't tools to be used too often.

Michelle had courted Annie for some time. But it seemed whenever she came close to deciding it was the right thing to do. Alexzander would appear to talk her out of it. She had hoped he would be more assertive in her direction. But the arrangement was that he and the others of the Unione would look after and over her.

Things would become heated between the two men especially when it was about Annies lack of a husband and heir.

A cold night... came... She was roused form her bed by Michelle franticly.

Mon ami get dressed! We have to leave! There are bombs going off all over and I think there are ships coming to this house!
Michelle actually sounded scared.

He was outside screaming into the comm. She never let hasty men inside the house even if she did like them.

Annie wasn't in a mental state to scrutinize or ask questions. Alexzander had always had her pack a case and an outfit specificity for traveling if the worst occurred, but she always expected Alex to show up with men as he usually did.

Where is Alexander, Michelle?
Sleepily but with haste she was getting dressed. Sir Reginald stood with her bag ready and was haphazardly loading her gun for her.

Mon ami hurry. I don't know what kind of ships they are so we need to leave soon, if their police or navy we need to be fast!
Michelle exclaimed.

She was packed. Dressed. And holstered in five minutes. Alex would be proud. If he could be she thought. Outside it was dark and a storm was on the horizon, the small dual cockpit junker ship, improvised and used with vary little telltale markings. The wind was picking up.

She looked at her home.. to the observer it knew it would be the last time. Sir Reginald looking out the bedroom window for a moment looked like papa. She blinked repeatedly, waved to the old robot and climbed into the copilot pod of Michelles ship.


As the ship left, the stars shifted and the rainstorm was upon the house. The observer saw Three ships land around the home. One man. Alexzander went inside the home calling Annies name, cursing.

Where is she?

The robot said she left with La Grange.

If that fool gets her out of the system, everything falls apart.

No.. no. he'd take her to Bourbon. Get all the ships and men together.

What? Bourbons just a depot, He cant marry her or hurt her-

It doesn't matter! Tear it apart if you have to! We cant let that murderer become a duke!Alexzander was the first back in his ship.

<TBC>

[HuggieSunrise]

Space wasn't new to Annie. Thought it had been a few years since shed seen it. Her seat in the copilot position was a separate pod apart from the main pod. Michelle was piloting the ship out of the gravity well and hugging the orbital curve tightly as he had though he spotted unione ships.

Annie didn't know the man driving her to Bourbon had managed to poison the families and people on over 15 stations and outposts. This hurt a lot of people, and killed less, but angered many more.

Annie wasn't the target, Michelle hoped that if he was going to get out alive he would have to make a hostage of honor, though with tempers so high it might not be enough.

The catamaran ship crept up on the Bourbon asteroid to find it already being sieged.

Transports where ramming themselves against docking ports and turrets where being blown off.

Through the internal comm Annie was confused as she spoke.

+Michelle! These arent terrorists these are normal people!+

Michelle didnt reply instead he cut around, to face Alexzander and crew who had almost gotten to nip his heels.. He muted Annies comm so should couldn't hear or say anything.

Annie looked over saw that he looked angry. More ships of Alex's showed up. She had a sinking feeling, like no one was going to get out of this.

Using every bit of mechanical ingenuity she could muster to try and trigger a pod ejection but found no mechanism.

The bastard must have removed it. she said.

She pulled out her sidearm. Pointing it under where the analogue module is supposed to go for the ejection system. Pulled the trigger.

The smell of burnt metal and fittings filled the cockpit and there was a slit hiss and whine as her seat shoved her upward and out of the ship. There was little noise, just sounds of the em signature of weapons fire.

She was getting dizzy though. It wasn't from her trajectory. Her hand cannon put a hole in the pod.

Alex flew in with a vengeance firing everything he had at Sir La Grange.

Little concern for the girl in the leaking escape pod.

Bolts and streams of energy flew, Annie managed to plug most of the leak with fire retardant, It wouldn't hold forever.

Looking out through cracked glass at the station she saw all the airlocks opening. People were flying out the doors without suits.

Horrifying to her to watch, though it was all she could do. Somewhere her comm flipped back on. Ass she heard was screaming, from the station but more pronounced was what sounded like Michelle.

She looked about to find his ship out of contron and on fire headed for her or rather the asteriod behind her..

The crash, and there was darkness.

From Alex's position all he saw was a traitor die. Pods get lost in fighting, its probably their only survival mechanism that they don't activate a beacon till fighting is over.

Alex and his wing waited for the pillaging of Bourbon to be over before skimming the field for Annie.

They never found her.



Annie did not know how she got rescued or if it even was a rescue but the next memory or scene was a sickbay type environment. She looked like she was in pain, and jim observing this realized he was looking through someone elses eyes.

The man checking on her had fair skin and blonde hair, and Zoner dress.

Toliman Sol. Philosophical leader or Mar Sara of an unnamed way of life. Master Teacher and commander of a huge ship that jim hadn't ever seen before. The name of it was Babylon. A colony in space.

Its engines had a core in it. Designed to burn solar emanations and beryllium to go or rather fold across entire jump hole networks.

The issue though was it was an imperfect system. Yes it did deliver the Dreadnaught into the depths of space but never quite back in the same direction it came. Last time it was in the middle of an ancient city in space and they barely made it out in one piece.

Toliman wanted answers as to where they were now. Annie would have to recover quickly. This Galliac house had large war fleets. The Babylon could probably take out two or three of their larger vessels, but they wouldn't make it home.

He figured the other dreadnaughts encountered similar situations. As to why they never came back well. The universe while large seemed to have more dangerous residents lately.

As Annie rose and a medical robot of some kind sprung into action Toliman entered.

Annie looked at the large Nordic looking man trying to fathom what family he could have possibly been from.

Annie began speaking in french and the look on Tolimans face was of instant curiosity,, that or something terrible began to smell.. that sent Annie into a horrible fit of being self conscious.

Do you know this language?
Toliman asked. Annie nodded but in sudden horror. Was this man a rebel? Only rebels speak the tongue of those that abandoned France.
Little bit. Annie squeaked out. It hurt to talk.

Ah that hurt I see. Take time to recover. I am an exsplorer and were, well, lost. When your up to it wed like to know where we are.
He spoke slowly to her.

Annie got they where exploring and that their lost but quite frankly didn't believe it. It didn't matter though her chest hurt so badly she thought she was going to collapse.

The droid saw the inflammation and helped her to roll over while administering pain medication.

Toliman left the room as it looked like she was loosing consciousness.

He walked around the hall on the exterior of the med bay to a containment facility. Looking inside the figure was not visible but he knew the alien was there.


He felt cool thoughts push against him. He never fully understood the impressions but knew it was a form of greeting.

He pressed a button on the outside of the containment door.
Still unsure to where we are.

***..(Alone) Woman knows~remebers { A starry night sky above the ocean of planet nevers zooming outward enough to see other planets and stations.} ***

Toliman blinked
Yes that isn't far from here. Well move under cloak so she can help us easier.

*** (Hopeful) Close to light~union ***

A deal is a deal. I appreciate your patience with us and your help.
Toliman saw a brief white and blue glimmer inside the room, reflecting shards of a source of light.

He hit controls to cycle portholes to reflect sunlght into the room.

*** (Relief) ***

Toliman walked on. It was the dirty secret of the sect of students and teachers. If the rest of the Zoners knew that The Way was from one of the highest order of Nomads...

It wouldn't just be shat that hits the fan. Toliman was already scorned for not exterminating nomads on sight. The first few infected cases of humans sent shock waves through society as is.

Toliman was one of the few that saw them for what they were. Humanity and Alien cultures being completely different from one another.

Yet no one was trying to create common ground. So far he only knew speaking to them was like talking to an echo. Give it fear and you get fear, give it understanding and it will wish understanding.

Humanity however was anything but understanding on to itself... Still he had hope.

[HuggieSunrise]

The years had not been good to Jim. back surgery and plastic surgery to reclaim some semblance of youth did little to cover up scars of hard work and high prices paid.

He was sitting rather comfortably in his quarters aboard the Estium as he noticed the heirloom artifact. He had received potent flashes of lives he never had.. but where oddly connected to him somehow.

It was unnerving to him.. he avoided touching it with his bare hands as true contact with it seemed to cause flashes...

But despite all his progress and starting his dreams of fixing the distressed minds of Sirius one freeport/smelter/god forsaken hole in space at a time something was undone.... left behind.. unfinished.

"Ahh fine.. " he resigned picking up the artifact bare handed.. he stared for a moment.. but a feeling of wind him took him away...

he felt.. heat around him.. and as the murky vision of closed eyes into deep memory emerged he saw a grand ship.. in flames barreling through a gauntlet of automated defence batteries and platforms pieces of the ship being blown off as it glided through the gauntlet... eventually breaching its way to a jumphole...

The hull groaned as it entered and as Jim traveled with the Babylon through its final voyage the ship came out in pieces.. on the other side..

into a minefield... that was apparently deployed as a deturrent from larger ships.. Smaller craft were making it through and not setting off the ancient junk metal explosives.

Several blue and brilliant entities floated near the wreak.. offering no anger or assistance, escape pods and vessels leaving the wreak of the broken colony vessel from bays prepped before the ship made its daring rung through the field out of Gallic space.

A brilliant release and flare of blue energy erupted from one of the rear sections joining with the Solomon Khara... A single vessel went with them.



The aliens journey was long... Jim saw and recognized the worlds of Orkney and the undeveloped Niobium fields of tau-23.


The journey seemed to bring them to a place however... A grand city of lights with a star.. and worlds within it. A globe of ancient architecture unchanged for millions of years.

Seas of blue living lights within it but only a few active islands of alien wonder alight within the sphere. The blue seas asleep.. dormant.. waiting for some tune of fate.. yet to be played.

The sensations of thought filled jims mind.. The sphere was ancient.. created by a force more primitive.. but singularly more powerful then these brilliant beings of light. Something older and more orderly.

The Adviser called it "The Old Song." jim found himself watching Tolomon and Annie inside the cramped transport being led on.. not fully under thier own control..

In Annies hands was an object Jim was holding himself.. in all these visions he hardly saw it but he knew it was Annies. or rather her fathers before her..and his fathers father.. etc.

This was why they where being brought here... This place of slumbering gods.



The memories are sporadic here... but it was a room where Tolomon wasn't present.. this made Annie vary nervous she clutched the artifact as it was the only thing she had that was "hers" left in the world.

in the inky darkness..Annie made out a glimmer like a silver strand.. and then what looks like.. an angel of light appeared before her.. an odd alien blue light...


*** 'Yours' -are- 'ours' Relic~song sung for immortal clarity... ***

Annie felt it...

"Im sorry.. you mean this?" she handled the crystal in its setting.

Annie noticed it began to shine from the inside. The angle came forward and reached out for it...

She didnt know why.. but she felt.. it was alright to let go of it.. And while she did so.. it floated tot he beings hands.. and lit.

A blinding symphony of images lights sounds and feelings.. Oh the feelings.. how dazzling they where all at once...

There were.. Towers built in jungles of Angkor Wat.. and step pyramids and towers in Babylon.. shining marble and granite pyramids white among the golden sands of the Nile... ancient cities with walls in the Americas..

designs drawn in the sands surging with power in the deserts of ancient man... and it went further... Glass domes upon Luna... five sided pyramids of Mars.. the faces... the hanging islands and ruins of Io and Titan..

And nestled within a small ancient container unopened and found from the ancient rubble of Titans floating ruins and placed within a case labeled "Allied Research / Case No:02234".

Time went further backward as the artifact showed its secrets to the being of light.. but Annie had lost focus and closed her eyes when she saw the origins of the Artifact where from Earth itself.

She saw the images on the face of the being like a playback. Strange nightmarish images of ..creatures.. some looking mantis like or reptilian or odd short grey skinned beings with giant void like eyes..

and as the secrets played out.. the being.. un judging and un moved stopped its testimony. reaching.. seemingly withing it drew the light of the artifact out and placed this light upon its crown like a jewel or a piece of jewlery.

The angle came close to annie.. who was tired.. honestly tired of what had transpired int he months leading up to the babylons escape from Gallic territory and now this. it was A true odessey into hell.. nothing made sence and she thought it never would..

The being of light touched her mins with a feather like appendage that created a light in whitch is used to fill the empty artifact.

It would now remember and store the minds of those around it once more.. from here on out. A.. gift.. of legacy for her and those after her.

"Who are you?" She asked. painfully.. she didnt know if she could take anymore riddled speech mind to mind.. but for once the being of light spoke plainly.

"We are the most ancient of that which surrounds us. The knowledge you had.. was not for the ones slumbering here. nor for you. Thiers is not to know whom watches them but to know and choose thier place." It seems to emanate.

Annie merely nodded... it didnt take a scientist to see most of the lights were off intentionally in this place and that those here were unlike the beings dormant... but not dissimilar... These beings of light where almost luminous.. and warm to feel.. The others where beautiful and blue and entrancing but somehow... less vibrant.

"We will set things right... and the leave them here to become." it finished its speech.

Annie handled the Artifact once again... feel into a deep sleep...


The next memory was of Tolomon.. He stood curious his "captive" was before him in the company of a much taller more imposing being.

The figures spoke as one to him..

"The Shrine will sing to those who carry the "mark" and -your- heritage/duty is to continue your path. Erase your pasts... begin anew with your current "advent" They sounded.

Tolomon looked thoughtful.

"What of the planet we passed? My people have had limited contact with the inhabitants.. but the visions you've shown me of.. your holding it and seeding it... does this mean they are special?" Tolomon asked.

The three conferred for a moment..

"Pacified. Few "plains/worlds" are like it. Those who colonized there will be changed /mutated from your kind the "mark" shows more brightly there." the mass of voices ended.

Tolomon knew his mission then... To cultivate a secret society to prepare for those children in mans future who will show a predisposition towards the beings hes come to call "the divine". now there were too few from the survivors and colonists to "harvest" but they will have children.. and grand children and even perhaps thier great grandchildren will manifest the mutations more strongly.

The fields... the cardimine dusts and pollen's would alter the humans on that world.. so the first generations will be born there...

That is where the Temple will be built, the community will stay quiet and secret until the time is right...