Sylvie asks the question, "So if your dimension does not have material things, what are the stars and galaxies that we can see around us, made of?"
The beings now a-tuned to listen to Sylvie, reply that those are just an illusion made by themselves, to replicate what they had seen the other side of the anomaly.
Sylvie asks how the beings could have possibly expected to satisfy their desire to all posses material things.
The beings, ask just how many of themselves Sylvie thinks there are.
Sylvie replies, "Probably trillions of millions, if our dimension was anything to go by."
The beings do their equivalent of laugh. Then explain that there are only a thousand if that.
Ed enters the conversation, suggesting that maybe there could be some sort of trade set up between the two dimensions, so that the beings desire for material things could still be satisfied.
The beings say that they have nothing in return to trade.
Ed suggests that they probably have knowledge that his peoples would be only too happy to trade for. Ed asks if there are others in their dimension.
The beings sadly inform Ed that there used to be, but they gradually diminished, leaving only themselves. In fact it had become quite lonely and that was partly why looking after the travellers had at first been quite rewarding, as it gave the beings something purposeful to do.
Ed suddenly has a brainwave and he asks if the beings had ever crossed over themselves into Ed's dimension. They ask him why this question. He insists that they answer it. To which they answer that they had never tried it. Ed suggests that rather than his people's transport material things to their dimension, they may be able to come through the anomaly and live in Ed's dimension alongside Ed and his peoples and they could share their material existence.
The beings are quite enthusiastic at this suggestion and whilst also rather apprehensive, in-case it goes wrong and they perish, their enthusiasm has the upper hand so to speak.
It is decided that one of the beings would test out the theory about going through the anomaly, after the rescue of Ed's peoples had been completed. The fall back plan, would be that some sort of exchange could be worked upon.
~~~~~~~~
Chapter 34 - Endings
The rescue of the captives took several weeks to complete, Ed and his fellow crew members from the Jasteritan, had been successfully transferred to the Klashnayev. The conversion from breathing liquid back to air was pretty traumatic for all concerned, but it was successful in all but one member of the crew, young Toljev. For some reason he just did not survive the transfer. The military doctor thought that Toljev had some underlying health problems and she said that she was amazed that he had survived the conversion to breathing liquid in the first place.
Ed was delighted that Kevin had been found and even though he was taken onto another craft, he insisted on a transfer to Ed's craft. His logic being that anyone as lucky as Ed was bound to make it back home safe and sound, so Kevin's money was with Ed.
Ed was even delighted to see that Jiash was safe and sound. Although when they brought her pod on-board, Ed wondered why nearly every time they met up, she had to end up naked again. Talking of which, it was also embarrassing when Fedioaux's pod was also brought aboard. He was just glad that the pair of them were still unconscious and didn't see him.
Paul had made such a fuss when Ed came aboard the Klashnayev in his pod. Paul was probably more distressed when Ed was converted from liquid to air breathing, than Ed was.
Apparently Richard was pretty distressed by it all and took it quite bad. Probably more to do with the fact that Sylvie was there and had witnessed the whole thing. For someone who when the boys first met her seemed to have nerves of steel and no emotions, she seemed to go to pieces.
Jiash had withdrawn all charges against Ed, saying that she was mistaken and too drunk to realise what a truly supportive friend and colleague Ed had been, she also apologised to Ed and said that she hoped it would not affect either of their careers or their future friendship. She said that she had been envious of what Ed had with Jenny and also the confidence and self assured nature that he showed had all made her feel insecure. The fact that he had shown her friendship, she had misunderstood him and her feelings got carried away with her. Ed said that whilst he did not understand it all, he was quite prepared to forgive and resort to being friends again. After all any friend of Mickey and Kevin, was not going to be all bad. They had laughed.
The beings ventured through the anomaly and sure enough found that they could exist and live in Ed's dimension. They found themselves in a nice corner not far from where the anomaly last found itself. What is more they managed to close the anomaly before leaving it.
Whilst the journey home to Regenis 4 only took two days, it seemed like a lifetime to the intrepid travellers. There was a tumultuous reception when they arrived. Richard said to the the Captain, "I don't think you'll be able to keep the existence of this craft secret much longer."
As they left the craft, the civilians glanced back through the port windows at the Klashnayev and were most surprised at the sight that met their eyes. The Captain replied, "Mr Glaceons, I don't know what you think is wrong with my craft, why would anyone want to keep it a secret?"
Richard astounded, just manages to stutter out the question, "How... how on.... how on R4 did you do that?"
They stare at the almost regular looking craft standing on the landing dock, no longer sleek, black and mysterious.
The Captain smiles and says, "Now, that would be a secret!"
Maria and Jenny can be heard above the other voices as they scream Ed and Paul's names. Paul is quite surprised that Carina is not here to meet him, after all he had commed her several days ago to say when they would be back. Perhaps she had an unavoidable lecture to attend, or could even be an exam. Come to that even Dad isn't here. Paul doesn't have any more time to ponder the what's and the why fors of it all, his mother is enveloping him in the biggest of hugs he's had in years. Whilst Ed has disappeared, smothered in Jenny.
Whilst Maria insists that Richard and Sylvie come back to 'theirs', Richard and Sylvie insist they have other plans and promise to catch up in a few days.
~~~~ Later ~~~~
It is night, Maria, Ed and Jenny have all said they are tired and going to bed, they decant to their rooms, leaving Paul and Edward in the entertainments room. Suddenly there are raised voices. Edward's is one of the voices, he had seemed quite remote when they had met up at the spaceport transvec station, he had hardly said a word all the way home.
At first the voices coming from the entertainment room, were quite low and calm, then this. A loud outburst followed by Edward's voice. Edward can be heard to say, "Well it hasn't exactly been easy for me." Then Edward's voice is considerably restrained again, he can just be heard to mumble through the walls.
Maria and the others, just too tired to find out what is going on, leave Paul and Edward to sort it out.
After quieter dialogue, there's suddenly a loud outburst as the entertainments room door opens and Paul can be heard to say, "Well thanks for nothing, you could have told me a hell of a lot earlier, instead of which you'd rather ruin my life and everyone else's. You selfish....."
The door slams, in time with Paul's last utterance on the subject. There's some slamming around in his room for a while, then footsteps down the hall, the front door opens and is slammed shut.
Ed opens his bedroom door just in time to catch his father walking towards the front door. Ed asks, "What's up with Paul then Dad?"
Edward pauses a moment then says, "Oh just a difference of opinion, I'll sort it, don't worry, you get some sleep."
Ed reluctantly slips back into his room and Jenny asks, what is up. Ed relays his father's words, but somehow, he knows that there's more to it than that.
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