PEGASUS (FARSIDE SAGA: BOOK TWO)

"Ok..." Jason started as he suddenly looked through his tinted helmet at Danny, stepping onto the surface of the planet. "I know I programmed you with a learning algorithm, so it was no surprise that you figured out the holo emitters and showed up in the debriefing room, you got me when you popped up on the bridge where there are none except for my chair and navigation, but the ship is Nano integrated so I figured that one out eventually, even the shuttle isn't surprising. Now you're away from the ship. You're...AWAY...from...the ship." He finished, allowing the question to sink in.

"I was wondering when you were going to ask me about that. Seems our little friends learned a new trick. They've collectively downloaded my matrix and formed an exact replicated drone. Technically I'm still on the ship but I'm also here. I say this is a drone but it's almost like it's...ME also...if that makes any sense. Talk about being in two places at once." Danny said.

"Ah, I see." Jason said, impressed.

Crystallina gathered everyone together as she moved towards the front.

"Do not be afraid" was all she said as everyone looked at her.

The ground began to rumble but before anyone could say anything, crystalline tentacles sprang up from the ground and wrapped around them without touching them, pulling them into the surface. A relaxed feeling of calm fell upon them.

The crystalline ground seemed to open at their feet, and close just above their heads as they traveled in a cocoon like bubble. Although it seemed they were heading down, they arose from the floor of a dimly lit chamber. The tentacles unwrapped from around them, not leaving behind a single sparkling crumb.

Crystallina made her appearance again and walked towards the throne. As soon as she sat down, the room lit up and began to quickly shrink until she was sitting right in front of them. She looked at the group, then signaled for Star and Jason. As soon as they approached, a crystalline dome quickly formed over them and pulled them underground.

"What I have to show you is very important, and I trust you will reveal where you got this from to no one." Crystallina started as they traveled through the planetoid. "What you seek is not of this universe..."

"I know, we're from 14653-7 sector 42, Keno Quadrant. The region is Anisteria. That's nothing new." Star said.

"Yyyeess, but what used to be you, is beyond all universes. It still hasn't revealed itself completely but it is old. Old and evil." Crystallina said, the last in distaste.

"Ok, so what you're saying is her counterpart isn't her counterpart anymore, but something else, correct?" Jason asked, looking between the two of them.

"I don't believe it ever was a part of her. From what I sensed from it, it is something that I have never seen before. I didn't see any of your quantum matrix in it, and it's quantum matrix...is something else entirely." Crystallina said.

"Who ARE you?" Star asked, curious.

"To be honest, I do not know. I only know of my existence a few millennia ago during some great battle. I remember almost everything except who and what I am and where I came from. I remained hidden until a few thousand years ago when someone finally discovered me. It was then I discovered my darker side. I don't like my darker side." Crystallina said, the last as she looked past Star, remembering the first group of so called visitors.

"Hugo was helping me with my memory which is how I come to know him and Nano showed me compassion. A trait he said he picked up from humans." She finished as she looked at Jason. "She's in love with you, but she doesn't know how to tell you and now that you're reunited with your wife, she's heartbroken but will still follow you proudly."

"I knew she looked at you funny," Samantha started but was silenced by Crystallina raising her hand.

"That is a childish ordeal that is irrelevant to the matter, besides, I sensed a sort of strong honor in her. There is no need for jealousy." She said as she put her hand back down.

"Ok wait, change of subject," Jason cut in trying to wing the topic off Vanessa. He knew she liked him and he liked her, but his wife was still fresh and his since of duty wouldn't let him show it. Now, awkward and unusual as it is, he wondered what he would do now that his wife was back. "You said this thing wasn't a part of Star, then why are we seeing two of her?"

"That, I don't know. However, you my dear, are a part of it." Crystallina said as she turned and looked at Star. "That is why I was ready to destroy you, but you didn't attack me. Instead you...imprisoned me.," she shuddered, not liking the memory. "What made me wait was you made me promise not to harm anyone. The other showed no mercy...or attempted to anyway. Although I am very powerful, he is still weak, but strong enough to have cracked my casing." She finished as a doorway suddenly opened to a brightly lit hallway.

"So it seems we're still dealing with a hidden enemy." Jason said more to himself.

"Indeed. A mystery yet to reveal itself. I wonder..." Crystallina said in playful thought as she lead them down the hall, however, her lips never moved this time as Star noticed.

"Hooolyyy shit your powerful!!...I know who you are, or more so, WHAT you are. You weren't kidding, yeah you could've destroyed me. Glad you're a peaceful race, at least...I hope you are in this universe." Star said as she stared at the source of the light in the hallway.

"What am I looking at?" Jason asked, amazed as he also looked at the source.

What he saw was what looked like a stream of glowing particles flowing up from a whole in the ground through, what he thought was a soap bubble looking shaft, up to another hole above it. The shaft had a long crack almost the entire length.

"That's not Crystallina," Star said, indicating the crystal figure as she turned to the captain. "That's Crystallina." She finished, pointing at the glowing stream.

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