CHAPTER THIRTEEN: PEEKABOO; THE OBSERVER EFFECT, p. 72

At the Touchpoint campsite in the CE reality, Elion was sitting in the main tent with Carlson Kincaid and Lia Santere, chatting about what was planned for the next few weeks ahead. 

The head Sherpa for the two groups, Dawa Norbu, entered. He said to Elion, "You're needed in the aperture cavern. They say it is urgent."

Elion and the group got up and left with Dawa. Elion asked, "Did they say what this was about?"

"No, Diki just yelled down to get you and added a few words in our language to make me hasten." 

"What were the words?"

Dawa replied, "Nawa yong! You know the words?"

"Yes, 'come quickly','" Elion responded. 

The four hastened up the scaffolding's ladder and were expecting some sort of immediate danger, or God forbid another team member missing. But everyone was there; they were all gathered around their sensor nodule.

Aaron Kincaid could be heard above the rest of the team. He said, "He was here and now he is gone."

Kaia looked to see Elion and said,  "Elion, you'll be interested in this. The CE-R-AI Mk II was here and now is gone. It was some type of holographic projection. It appeared right over there where Rye vanished. It sent some style of data to this relay station, and then vanished."

Aria, "I didn't know the Mark II had this type of tech in it."

Elion replied, "It doesn't. It seems someone or something has modified its programming on that side to send us a message. 

Everyone, you focus 100 percent of your time on decoding the message. It should be in a code we know, I hope it is anyway. The backup CE-R-AI Mk III is due here on the next shipment. I will initialize it and send it up as soon as it gets there.

Things we know are these: The Mk II is functional, it is not alone, and the aperture is a two-way concourse, at least as far as mechanical objects are concerned. Focus on that, and I will get you the best help I can, the Mk III up and functional. This, people, is the miracle we've been looking for."

⸻

Dr. Calder stood looking at the Mk II in awe, it was such a blessing in a tin cup, he mused—unexpected, breakable, and oddly precious. He swore he wouldn't say another derogatory thing about AI. This was a true marvel.

"Mark II, have I thanked you for all you've done for me?"

"Acknowledgment received. I assure you, no gratitude is required. Preservation is my protocol. Restoration was a choice. You are a team member and know you are remembered."

Its speech patterns were not as personal as Dr. Calder expected, but it would do. It was a machine, but a special machine. It will probably forget all about it before the next Marr BioTech data upload. But he hoped that wasn't the case.

"Mark II, what are the odds my message got through to the team?"

"Probability: 87.4%. Signal integrity: partial. Emotional content: preserved. Interpretation: variable. Outcome: pending human understanding."

"What did you see through the apertures? Did you see the team?"

"I saw them. I saw the ones you remember. They moved with urgency. They looked for you as soon as the signal got through. There were three missing. I assume they were somewhere else. The aperture responded to the team's presence—and to mine. I was seen, and I sent the message. 

You are not forgotten, Dr. Calder, if that is what you are worried about. Not enough time has passed for them to stop grieving the loss of your presence." The Mk II responded.

A few moments passed without words when Dr. Calder spoke.

"Now we wait, I guess, no use going to the teahouse when you're expecting company. Isn't that right, Mark II?"

"Correct. Your presence is anticipated. The aperture remains active as it always was. It is a matter of how long Elion takes to decipher the message. I assumed he had already figured out that the Touchpoint is a corridor capable of two-way travel and had deduced that machines are unaffected since I arrived here in working condition. 

I understand humans do not like to wait, but waiting is not idle—it is preparation. You have signaled. They have received. The teahouse can wait. The message cannot."

⸻

June stood at the opening of the bridge with many prayer wheels turned. She said, "I didn't know Sonam Gyaltshen well, nor for long. However, as the boy from Syabrubesi whispered in my ear, he died for me at this very spot. It was in another reality that we stood, his arm around me, and together we looked at the trees and the river below, a very peaceful scene that my ex-wife interrupted when she shot him in the back of the head. This woman is pure wickedness and will stop at nothing to have me in her life."

She read slowly as the group bowed their heads,

"The Ink is Bleakness in Pale Blue

Your love impales my disposition. 

I bend upon demise, afresh, 

As the pale blue blood from Cupid's 

Darts skewer my center core. 

And as I die, I see your passion inked.

Published by Sonam4460: Poets Lift"

She paused, folded the poem, and tucked it close to her heart.

"Everything about this poem is untraceable. I, and now you, know the truth. He didn't exist in this realm. His death was so violent it followed me through the Touchpoint to this place, like a heavy grief, and the Touchpoint remembered. Someone or something published this for him, and it follows me. It has been mandated for me to remember. All the clues were given, and I awoke that I might heal the wound Seri Quade had created. Perhaps that is the beginning spot for this investigation. Heal the hurt."

Korian said, "It sounds like you want revenge. I know I would if I were you. I speak for myself, but I am with you in this. Let's fix the wrong done to you by this evil creature. Find her and eliminate her before she takes another life." 

Hear, hear, they all said in support of Korian.

June replied, "We are investigators, not vigilantes. Besides, she is somewhere we can't reach her. I know her well. She is where the wealth gathers—luring it to her domain. Besides, if we heal the quantum aperture, we fix the problem. No passage, no access; she can't return."

⸻