Far Pangaea 42 : Suit Yourself

Isolated like her first encounter with the parasitic rain Sophia Ridge found herself whole again. At least that was something. Her meditation chamber dank and lonely. Save for her new friends within her every cell. Every fiber. Every bone. She felt incredible. Happy to be reborn. If only the void in her stomach would subside. She could feel its hunger. Outweighing any hunger that her microscopic pals ever expressed.

"God! This Amulet being part of me scares me to death. Again." She ponders.

"I hear you Sophia."

Her head lifts up at hearing words within her, "Cameron? Oh my God! I thought you died with my body. I should be mad at you for that by the way."

"Your friends convinced me. I didn't think you would be eaten though. Glad things worked out."

"By accident. What if James hadn't tossed his life fiber over the Amulet?"

"So that's how we're alive. Sorta."

"Are we stuck together in my body now?" She flares her eyes.

"No. I'm a part of your lil friends choir now. They showed me a way back to my old body. I'm inside Verago now. Linked between he and the other parasites. Symbiotic, Whatever they are. All I know is I'm still around. I can communicate with you through the kids here. I need you to tell Jack and Ruby they need to go west. There's an oil tanker here in the desert. Black soil all around it. Around sixty miles out. That's where the Mother and Verago are holed up. I don't think you guys will be attacked tonight. I can hear through Verago's voice at least. Somehow his thoughts are blocked though. I'm trying to be cautious so he doesn't realize I'm hitching a ride. My body's done for. He's warped it beyond anything my body could take even if we found a way to drive him out of it."

"I'm so sorry Cameron. Jack's putting together a battle plan. As soon as we're ready we'll come get you. Let's hope by this Amulet being a part of me it can do something to take out this Mother and her kindergarteners."

"Fingers crossed. Oh wait I don't have fingers."

"I'll cross mine for you. Just not my legs." She giggles, "Sorry. Couldn't resist."

"I better get back. Oh, Sabbath still keeps in touch with me. Well at least she did when I was in your body. Haven't heard from her since. Maybe I severed our connection. If you see her try not to kill her. For me?"

"I'll do my best. And warn the others. Be safe Cam. I wuvs you."

"You're still not licking my face."

"Ha! As if you have a face right now."

Cam was gone. Sophia felt badly for her last remark. Hopefully he hadn't heard her. Now to warn Jack. Isolation or not she had to get out of here.

Outside the Ganthorian ship Jack Ramse took stock of the sanity Antonaeus Gaicazar still possessed. After losing his connection to Heaven he looked lost. Passing Malcolm Jack's worry grew dim. Malcolm's expression of doubt wasn't helping.

"I'm sorry things went bad for you. If you don't want to join us in battle now I'd understand. But, we could use you. I can tell you're a born leader."

"I have seen my fair share of war. This is but another. I will fight beside you against evil. If I fall it is God's decree." The Roman holds his helmet.

"Good attitude. In my era I was a leader too. I guess I still am. Even though Ruby outranks me."

"A woman leader?"

"I know. Still boggles me too." He chuckles, "She's tough though. Don't think she's not. You saw her shoot down that Magician. Wasn't a bit of fear in her at the time."

"You are her Mate?"

"No. She might want that but I'm still married. My wife Renee is back in my time period."

"Perhaps you should concentrate on what is here and now?"

"You sure do say concentrate a lot." Jack narrows his eyes.

"With prayer and concentration miracles will come."

"Even losing your link to the Big Guy upstairs you keep your faith. That's commendable. I wish I felt that way. I can honestly say I've never been a religious man. When you kill people that commandment is shot to hell. The rest just falls in line."

"Aye. I too have felt such burdens. In war there is little choice."

"Right. Hey. I need to discuss something with you. Strategy. I have ideas but if you're against those I'll understand. What I have in mind might be pretty nasty."

"I would hear your strategy."

"Alright. Not long ago Cameron and Malcolm found a book in the desert. Chinese book. It's a book of magic and history James says. That's how we pieced together the Amulet and this Verago character. Lilith too I suppose. Quite a few assumptions I think. We really don't know what's true. Anyway, James feels that there are spells in the book that could be used against Verago. Only thing is there are curses associated with each spell."

"Tis bad then."

"For us maybe. You're immortal right?"

"I am. Although I have lost much of my power I do still feel a long life within me. If not I have lived long enough to know I would be ashes to the wind."

"Well. That might keep you from those curses. We need somebody willing to sacrifice themselves to cast any spell that might help. James suggested you. Only because you have the best chance of avoiding whatever the curse might be."

Gaicazar ponders the words. His thoughts troubled by necessity. God would want him to end this evil. Rid it from existence. At any and all cost.

"I shall pray for guidance. Should I receive a sign then I shall agree. Until them I must say nay."

"Fair enough."

Both men hear a clearing of a throat behind them. Turning in step they see James Ian with hands behind his back. Foot tapping the dirt.

"Anything wrong?" Jack winces.

"Nope. Not really. I just felt I needed to talk with our Roman friend here."

Gaicazar peaks a brow, "Speak."

James releases his wrist and brings forward something he had held back. Within his hand is the Chinese blade Soultaker. Showing it off with a slash in the air. Still in its sheath.

"What is this?" Antonaeus grew curious.

"I realize this is a much smaller blade than you're used to but it too is enchanted. Unlike your sword this one claims souls. It used to belong to a Chinese warrior named Kong Zao. He used it to ward off evil just like your blade did. However this blade is compensated by absorbing souls into it. The Book of the Living claims that it can fell demons. I'm thinking that could mean Vampires. Possibly fallen Angels. However, there would most likely be no soul within any of them. They are dead."

Jack stops James by holding his hand up, "We know Sabbath and her sister have a split soul. Still Vampires."

"Yeah, that's rare. Which is why Lilith needs them and keeps them under her control. It's obvious she has them for a reason. I'm guessing that in some way once Verago reaches his peak strength he can manipulate their soul to his advantage. After all he does have Cam's soul occupied right now. He must be feeding on it or he couldn't exist in Cam's body. I'm thinking he siphoned Gaicazar there and Sophia's pets to hold that soul prisoner. Immortality is a strong drug. Impervious parasites the finest armor alive."

"Then this sword is of no use if it cannot pierce the beast." Gaicazar expresses.

"It can. If the right person sucks those microbes right back out of Verago."

"How might we do such a thing."

"She's on her way now." James turns to see Sophia sprinting toward them. Gaicazar's eyes widening upon seeing Sophia once again. Only different, "She swam with the big fish again. They brought her back from the dead. Still boggles the mind. Just glad it happened. The red hue in her skin is due to also absorbing the Amulet. I'm thinking she can defeat Verago. Suck him right back into that Amulet. In this case Sophia herself."

"I'm not sucking off no demon." Sophia joins them overhearing James.

"Take things serious Sophia." Jack scolds her, "There's no time to joke around. By the way didn't I order you into quarantine?"

"Fine. Yeah, but I broke curfew Daddy. Just wanted to tell you something important."

"What?"

"Cameron isn't dead. He communicated with me through my microbial posse. When my body was eaten his conscience moved into my buddies. There's a unified mind and now he's part of that."

"Interesting." James folds his arms.

"Right. Cam is back inside his body through the thoughts shared with the Aquarium microbes and those that I used to have on me. In me. Even though Verago took them hostage they still share a mental connection. Also, Cam told me to tell you to head sixty miles west. Locate an oil tanker called the Velchek. That's where the Vamps and Verago are living."

Jack stood expressionless. His mind totally blown by everything.

"He doesn't want us to kill Sabbath either."

"Let's hope we can avoid doing that. If she really is Eve from a past life I'd hate to piss off God." Jack grimaces.

James looks down at the shards of Gaicazar's original blade, "What if I could rebuild this blade. Do you think it might still possess and powers?"

Gaicazar points to his eye, "Here lie the power of God. My blade enchanted through it. Without God's gift I am nothing."

"Are you certain it's powered by your eye? Would you allow me to try something? If I'm correct you might be back in business. If not, we can't say we didn't try."

"Aye. You have my blessing." The Roman respects the boy.

Looking over his shoulder near the cattle pen James finds Elle Franklin teaching Greta Winston how to fight. Wanting to give the young woman a fighting chance in this world. Whistling loudly to get their attention James motions the girls to join them.

Eying Sophia, Jack points toward the ship, "Quarantine. Until we leave. Please."

Groaning Sophia marches back into the Ganthorian craft. Passing Elle and Greta along the way.

"You rang?" Elle presses a thin button on a hydraulic spear and watches it retract back into a short pencil sized shape. Stashing it in a belt sheath holding dozens of them.

"How charged up are your limbs?" James ponders.

"Been out here all morning. Why?"

James bends down and collects the hilt of Gaicazar's sword and a piece to it. Passing it to Elle he feels a bit of energy coursing through the metal. Convinced it still had life in it.

"Channel your eyes into a micro thin beam and give it your best shot to weld this back together."

"Alright." She holds it in her diamond hands. Her life fiber outfit creating diamond facets all over her body. As Gaicazar observes her he witnesses the blade reform piece by piece as James fits them together. As the final shard holds into place she looks it over good before passing it to Gaicazar. Jack claiming the Chinese Blade Soultaker in the meantime.

"You have done what my eye could not. My thanks friend Elle." He raises it toward the sky.

"One word for you Antonaeus." James chuckles, "Concentrate."

Grinning at the boy Gaicazar closes his eyes and not only prays but promises to God that his mission would never end. As the sun itself beat down upon the flickering blade it gradually begins to glow. It's welded seams vanishing and becoming whole once more. Sensing it's power the Roman opens his eyes in awe. The second his eyes look upon the glowing blade his body feels strengthened. In strength so returns his faith. In faith, his eye begins to glow as well.

"God has not abandoned me after all." Gaicazar stood proud.

"I never really thought he had. Your sword tech is based on solar cells." James reports, "Elle charged them as she reformed the exterior. Your eye might have God's best intentions but in all honesty I believe your connect to this blade is sun based. Like Elle it collects and absorbs energy. All it needed was a bit of encouragement."

"I shall not forgot your assist Young James. Even though I question much."

"All good. I had the idea when you touched your blade against Elle's diamond arm and guided her to create a sun sword of her own. Your eye lights up when you acknowledge God's miracles. I just gave you a miracle of my own. Do you see evil?"

"I do not. Yet, none of you have showed me reason to think you evil. That remains to be seen."

"Pardon the pun." James chuckles, "We'll see once Sophia comes back. If your eye acknowledges the Amulet then I'd say you're back in business."

"Or, of the Chinese book." Jack reminds him.

"I was thinking about that too. Instead of risking anyone getting cursed. How about I program a gravity sphere to decipher, record, and recite. That way nobody human faces trouble."

"Smart. Do it." Jack orders.

"Ok. I've got more ideas to help you Jack. Give me until dawn." James then turns to Greta, "That life fiber suit helping you?"

"It is. I'm so in control over my see through self I got no complaints."

"It's called invisibility. I realized something more. I want you to go invisible. When you are I then want you to try something else. The suit could tap into more than just your ability to go invisible."

"What are ya sayin'?" Greta looks confused. So did Jack and Elle.

You might be able to control things like your scent. If invisible only the Vamps might smell you. Hear you even. Concentrate on the word Stealth. The fiber reacts to talents you already exhibit and enhances them."

"You sayin' I stink?"

"No. But, the Vamps have a keen sense of smell. Hearing too. I want to give you the best advantage you can have if you plan on joining Jack. So, try that for me?"

"Sure 'nuff." Greta goes invisible. Pondering in her mind the word Stealth. In response the suit seals out sound. As she talks within her field of influence the group hears nothing. Even when she yells. Realizing they can't hear her she jumps up and down. Stepping away ten feet she doesn't even leave a foot print. Moments later she turns visible.

"Ya'll never heard me screamin'?"

"Not a peep." Jack was impressed noting her change in position, "Nor a trail."

"Join me inside later Greta. I'm going to give you a pair of contact lenses I found in Ganthorian archives. Those will let you see in the dark and even magnify. All you would have to do is tell the life fiber to let you use those. It will feed into whatever power even tech you use."

"I'm likin' this Ben Franklin stuff." She giggles.

"Anything more I can use?" Elle looks hopeful.

"Glad you asked. Let's use your diamond shell like an electromagnetic spectrum. Like Sophia was able to go ultraviolet I want you to be able to as well. All you need is an access to that particular radiation wavelength. I've got tech out the wazoo that the Ganthorian's kept. Simple arm bands that you can tap into is good enough. Just practice bursts. You can then pulsate beams through your hands like a flashbulb going off. Flash. Fry Vamp. Flash. Fry Vamp."

Jack was proud of James. So many options they had that he became hopeful of a victory. His biggest worry was somehow saving Cameron Scott.

James looks around for Malcolm Brand. Seeing the man choosing to be a hermit he motions everyone to follow him. Even Madigan Ridge gave Mal a bit of distance. They both needed space. It wouldn't last long.

"Malcolm?" James approaches as the Man was moving supplies into the cargo container they pulled the 71 Charger out of. Being empty he chose to make it a shelter. He halts carrying a bean bag chair inside and looks toward the congregation.

"Wassup?"

"We need to test your runes better. I want to see the reaction of Life Fiber suits to what each of your runes represent." He turns around, "Gaicazar? Can I convince you to wear a suit like Elle and Greta are wearing?"

The Roman pauses to glare at the women, then at his own armor and cloth. Owing the boy for his revelations he nods, "Would I not look a fool?"

"Probably, but I'm trying to make this war winnable. Trust me."

"Aye." He begins undressing. Greta blushing turns away. Elle was less hospitable. Yep, the Roman was hung like a horse. Elle Franklin had to stare. With interest. Jack could only scowl at her.

James reaches into his pocket an tugs out a folded section of Life Fiber. Flagging it out to it's full width the cloth became the size of a bathroom towel. He then passes it to the nude Roman. Gaicazar holding the tiny fabric with a cocked eye brow.

"Where be the rest of it?"

"It's enough. Hold it to your chest and think the words Blanket me." James directs.

Doing so the Centurion observes the cloth expand and flow all around his body from head to toe. His surprise expressed through grunts. His face covered he hears James tell him to order the cloth to reveal his head. Seconds later he stands in only the cloth. Elle still admiring the contours of a ten inch monstrosity. Greta even peripherally eying it.

"Tis a strange garb indeed." Gaicazar confides.

"Ok. Get's better just stay with me." James turns back to Malcolm, "I need you to reach for the sky. Show us the runes."

Malcolm moves away from them beyond the cargo containers. To give himself room to call up a sixty foot size. Stripping nude to keep his clothing from shredding away from his altered physique. In doing this Madigan Ridge joins the onlookers up close.

"If I recall right." James paces around Malcolm carefully. Motioning Gaicazar to his side, "Malcolm? Can you lay down on your side so we can reach your spinal runes?" He yells skyward.

Brand waits until everyone reaches a safe distance before squatting and stretching out on the desert floor. A loud thump of shifting weight he awaits their inspection.

"Gaicazar? Come here and touch the middle rune on his spine."

Guided by James the Roman presses a raised palm on the glowing rune. The second he touches it his body begins forming as if a metallic armor. The Life Fiber adapting to the rune and helping Gaicazar maintain his new reality.

"By the God Son." Gaicazar admires his appearance. His entire body a steel blue.

Clenching his fists he could hear the strength quadrupled of what he originally possessed.

Knocking on his arm with the sound of banging Gaicazar notes Jack hand him his sword. Claiming his blade the weapon also turned steel blue matching his armored form. The accessories kept coming. Elle brought his Centurion helmet. Once placed on his head it too turned from bronze to steel.

"How's that feel Big Guy?" James asks.

"Like a Warrior indeed. I feel much stronger. You are a miracle in itself Friend James."

"I try. Now, as you love saying. Concentrate. Feel the blades power. Ignite your eye."

Thoughts presented his blade flares up glowing white hot. As does his eye. Everyone stood amazed by this newfound power.

"How long will the armor last James?" Madigan knew her form could not sustain it's structure long.

"Wearing the Life Fiber I'm thinking he could stay this way as long as he wants. I guess we'll know for certain later on."

"James?" Maddy ponders, "If I concentrate myself human then wear a fiber suit. Could I remain normal?"

"Jack and Ruby once asked me if I could find a way to cloth you and Sophia. We all know Sophia's a lost cause concerning clothes. Before we knew you could become human short periods I would have said no. Now, I say try it."

Madigan appears hopeful. Looking about for more life fiber.

"Sorry, I only brought out that piece for Gaicazar. We can get more and try it before you leave."

"Hold the phone." Elle grins. She recalls her diamond enhancements back into the suit then wills it off of her body. Holding the fabric she stands in her bra and panties, "Here Maddy. Try it."

Gaicazar admires Elle's body as she stands with her back to him. A beauty indeed. His gaze never faltering as she awaits Madigan to shift human. Once in flesh and blood Maddy applies to cloth to her body and allows it to glide across her. Standing there she remains human. After five minutes Madigan begins to laugh.

"It worked. I can live in this if I have too. Jack? I'm alive."

James smiles, "Try willing yourself back to being a ghost. Go back and forth. The suit could potentially let you live in both worlds as needed. You have to admit being a ghost has it's advantages."