Chapter 20: Chapter 20
"You expect me to believe that? I find it real hard to believe.," Eric said to Kaldala, his voice serious and laced with disbelief.
The three of them had been seated in the room, seemingly locked in a heated argument for the past few minutes.
Everyone’s face, except for Kaldala, was etched with a serious, tense expression. Yelena stood quietly with her arms folded, her back resting against the wall, listening intently to the conversation between Eric and Kaldala.
"But that’s what they believe, Eric. That’s who they worship," Kaldala replied, still seated, his voice as calm as ever as he faced the trio.
"They say he predicts things to come and is a deity that exists outside of time. He perceives the past, present, and future simultaneously."
"A dickhead outside of time? You’re saying a god? Gimme a break," Eric shot back, a deep frown on his face. It was clear he found the words irritating and false.
"The missing Nebulux was perfectly predicted and Orchestrated by him, and so was your arrival, Eric," Kaldala replied, making a grand gesture with his hands as he spoke.
Eric felt a wave of discomfort wash over him, finding Kaldala’s words a hard pill to swallow. He stood up, preparing to leave.
"Well, that clears up why you recognized me so quickly. Keep the god thing to yourself, yeah" Eric said, his tone bold and irritated. "If this god’s got some secret little fan club, just give me the address and save me the sermon."
"The planet’s capital, Solaris. It’s a few miles across the desert," Kaldala said calmly, seemingly unbothered by Eric’s sudden reaction.
"Alright, thanks. Goodbye," Eric said, waving a hand as he walked away. He headed for the exit, but Jimmy’s voice stopped him in his tracks.
"You said he knows the past, present, and future, right? And he also predicted events, including Eric’s arrival here at Sol?" Jimmy asked calmly, his tone curious and desperate as he moved toward Kaldala.
"You are correct, Master Jimmy," Kaldala calmly replied.
"Has anyone actually seen him? The High Monarch?" Jimmy asked, a frown on his face.
"Only the followers claim to speak for him. He never appears directly," Kaldala replied, shaking his head.
"Then... maybe he’s not a god," Jimmy said, taking a slow breath as he turned to face Eric, a speculative look in his eyes.
"What if he’s just someone with knowledge from another time? Someone using that knowledge to manipulate events?"
"What are you getting at, kid?" Eric replied, still irritated and in a hurry. He stood frozen near the exit, his tone sharp.
"I mean, think about it," Jimmy continued, his eyes lighting up with the hint of a new theory.
"He knows about events before they happen. He knew Eric would come. He knew about the Nebulux Core. But he’s also waiting. He needs the device to fully recharge again before he can use it." He glanced between Eric and Yelena.
"If he was some all-powerful god, wouldn’t he just act? Why wait for something as... technical as a recharge cycle?"
His words instantly piqued Yelena’s interest, causing her to slightly tilt her head as she leaned on the wall. Eric’s attention was also captured, though he wasn’t outwardly surprised.
"So, you’re saying he’s not a deity. Just someone... ahead of us?" Yelena finally spoke, raising an eyebrow, intrigued despite herself.
Jimmy nodded. "I’m saying he might be using future knowledge. Maybe advanced tech. That sounds more like a time traveler than a god."
"I thought I made myself bloody clear when i spoke with Kaldala," Eric said, his voice cold and hard.
"So, what’s this nonsense again about time travel?"
"Think about it, he—" Jimmy began, but Eric instantly cut him off.
"You don’t get it, Jimmy. This whole existing in the past, present, and future is completely impossible, and so is time travel. Time is a single constant. There’s no past, no future, only now. Period." Eric’s tone was harsh and cold as he stood in front of Jimmy.
Jimmy, determined and persistent, calmly walked up to Eric.
"February 25th, 2024. the words ’impossible’ and ’period’ were said in the debate of faster than light neutrino bursts. Now it’s 2891. Do those words still hold up?" He stood face to face with Eric, looking him straight in the eye.
"Get your head straight, kid! Time travel ain’t the same as faster than light travel. It’s about the rules, the bloody constraints. Moving across temporal coordinates? Not happening, because it’s impossible under known physics," Eric blasted back, frustrated that no one was listening to him.
"Yet the math does. Closed time like curves. Wormholes. The equations don’t forbid them. Just because we can’t engineer it yet doesn’t make it impossible, Eric," Jimmy replied, not backing down.
"Yes, mathematically! You’re quoting theories kid, not evidence!" Eric said, his voice furious and impatient.
"I’m offering a possibility," Jimmy insisted. "One that fits better than magic and faith and might get us closer to finding Cire."
A long silence settled over the room. Eric looked at Jimmy, truly looked at him, and for the first time, he didn’t have a retort. Jimmy’s words had struck a nerve, leaving him speechless and motionless.
"If he broke through the Nebulux’s super complex encryption, something even our best minds couldn’t do, then he’s working with tech beyond our current capabilities," Yelena stepped forward, her voice quiet but firm.
"Master Jimmy does have a point. Even if it’s merely a speculation for now, it does align with observable patterns," Kaldala said, standing up while nodding in agreement.
Eric’s shoulders slumped slightly. His expression softened, not convinced but deeply disturbed. "You’re all just... guessing."
"We’re thinking, instead of accepting worship as an explanation," Jimmy calmly replied, his tone soft and smooth.
"You guys just aren’t listening," Eric muttered, turning away silently.
While Eric was lost in thought, Yelena walked up to Kaldala, her gaze cold and piercing as she approached.
"You’ve given us directions and told us things no one else would. Why?" she asked, tilting her head slightly to give him a menacing, suspicious look.
Kaldala didn’t answer right away. He walked silently to the window, watching the desert wind carry fine dust across the plains.
"You’re either desperate, or you’re lying," Yelena added, her tone serious.
Kaldala exhaled slowly and turned to her.
A tiredness had entered his eyes that hadn’t been there before.
"Desperate, yes. Lying, no," he replied.
"I used to be a worshiper of the High Monarch myself, until I saw the hidden filth brewing behind the scenes."