OVER THE SILVER SKY TO THE WORLD OF NEVER : Part 233 - Now Show Me What's Got You So Upset.

Yesterday, "Over The Silver Sky" reached the landmark of being half a million words long. That's almost two thirds of a Bible, only with far fewer laughs. The 10 Commandments make me laugh most of all. In my defense it's also got far fewer illogical contradictions. Admittedly about 50% of those words are the same 10 or so used with monotonous regularity. I know that nobody really reads this or even is particularly interested. Out of those likes I've been given, I'd say maybe a couple of people have followed the story more than an episode or so. At some point I will go over this magnum opus of nonsense and do a bit of editing. There is no end in sight yet though. This thing could go on to be of Bible length or more. I've placed characters in an infinite number of infinities. I've done this on purpose. Partly because I want others to explore the possibilities. Take the plot holes and loose ends to make up their own stories. Either with the same characters or new ones. What I wanted to do was fan the flames of imagination, yours and mine. I appreciate the votes far more than you can know. For reasons I will not reveal. Now I'm going to be pretentious and preposterously silly. Everyone has a story in them. Their story or something they've imagined. A place they go to when they day dream. Sharing these stories is good. It doesn't even have to be the whole story. You meet a stranger and you talk. You learn a part of their story as you talk. You may never meet again. You will definitely never know their whole story. Most of us don't even know our own, because we are still living it. I think sharing pieces of our stories is a wonderful thing we should do more of. Go out and find out others stories. And possibly make them part of your own. Anyway thank you to everyone who has "liked" and upvoted my output and to all those who have read even one of these posts. Now on with this seemingly endless nonsense.

(The copyright to this image is the property of Digital Notebook.)

The this wasn't immediately forthcoming. Jake waited while Pip fiddled with her firewave device. Slowly coming to realize she was purposely postponing. Unless she had something else on her mind.

"I'm sensing some hesitation on your part." He announced.
She stopped playing with the screen.
"To begin with." She was still prevaricating. It indicated that to her this was something really big. "Anybody can browse the Fafindi version of the web. It's open to everyone. Even you."
"Is that so? Well I prefer not to know anything about technology. As long as it works that's all I need to know. I'm a point and click guy. That's why I like guns. They have a really simple user interface. One I can easily get to grips with. Do go on though."
He gave her a big smile. Straight from his heart. She was hurting so he wanted to do something to soothe that.
"I want you to know I feel real bad about.... doing this. I knew you hadn't said I couldn't. Then I realized I was being deceitful. That's why I stopped my hacking attempt really. I lied to you in the past. Used you. So I held myself back. Which is when I started going over the recordings and everything else I'd collected. I don't know that you can ever forgive me. I don't think I could."
He shrugged.
"We've all done it. What we thought was for the best all round. Only to find out we were being selfish or couldn't see the full picture. Unaware of the consequences of our actions. You're right though. I'm not going to forgive you." Her face fell. "There's nothing to forgive. Now show me you ingenious genius."
She gave him a grateful smile.
"I could have hacked the Ustraski ship even more easily. But I didn't. Even I thought that was bending your words a bit too far."
"Well done you then" He grinned. "The Ustraski are another zero crime people. They're communal and intimately interconnected. No individualism and a group consciousness. Now show me what's got you so upset." He insisted knowing that she was delaying very much like he did whenever something sensitive came up.
"I was worried I might be becoming what she tried to make me. Afraid I'd end up just like her."
Jake knew, or thought he did, who this she was. Best to check though. He'd had a lot of misunderstandings recently.
"She?"
Still fussing over her gadget, Pip gave him an incredulous look.
"The captain of course."
"I think you might be being a bit harsh there. The whole situation could be warping your perspective." That didn't help. Pip looked bruised by his words. He'd rather stupidly dismissed her concerns. "Until I know what's upset you I can't really judge can I."
That seemed to pacify her damaged feelings. Pip became all business like now. Instead of playing with her data she started to flick it around all over the place.
"Okay. You're being unbiased. I think I'm right. Now this isn't in chronological order. It's what I've picked up from the recordings. The first one is in the shower. That was the most difficult to analyze."
A bit of unnecessary detail to add another second before the reluctant reveal. She pressed play. Scarlet's voice came from the speaker, the sound of flowing water in the background, but muted.
"I've never met anyone like you Ydrie. No man or woman has made me feel like this before. It's like we were meant to be together. You certainly know how to use your little Ydrie." She giggled. "Not so little though is he? These last 2 days have made every other sexual experience fade into nothing. I love you so much I could explode. And you've made me explode a lot. Now I'd really like it if you made me explode again."
Pip halted the playback looking at him expectantly.
Of course he'd heard that. As well as seen their activities.
"It might be nothing." He offered. True, but it had hurt him to hear that and a lot of other things. "Believe it or not I've had women claim I was the biggest and the best they'd ever had. In the heat of passion we say things we think will please our lovers. Get them to up their performance."
"I've seen and heard enough orgasms to tell real from fake. I also know when a man or woman is faking their feelings to get what they want. I'm not naive, I had good teachers. Anyway you said she'd fallen in love yourself. Besides I've run it through a voice analysis. She believes what she's saying so should we. There's more anyway."
Another file was accessed. This time it was Taini and Scarlet sitting outside alone, before any of the others joined them.
"We have so much in common Taini. Art, literature, poetry, history and archaeology. It's like we were made for each other. Ydrie has the heart and soul of an artist and a poet. I love him more than I've loved anyone. He completes me."
A depressing sense of deja vu engulfed him. A common experience for someone who had lived as many different lives as Jake had. Only this wasn't from a previous life. It was from less than a couple of hours ago. As Scarlet had been going all out to bond with Ydrie's sister as closely as possible.
"That's Scarlet for you. Always 100%..." He knew he was bullshitting. Scrambled for something else to grab onto. "Always with a hidden agenda. A subtext she keeps concealed. Who knows what she really has in mind here? It could be to get an invite for Daisy to meet the Patriarch."
"At some point you and I are going to have to stop making excuses for her Jake." Pip replied. "It's not just you and me she's turning her back on. There's a lot more and I've only scratched the surface of what's been going on in that house over the last two days. This is almost what she was like about that Ashenram Jean-Pierre. The same unthinking devotion."
Still refusing to accept there might be something in what Pip was trying to prove here, Jake added a vital modification to her theory which was becoming more and more clear.
"But Ydrie is no Ashenram. He's a really great guy as far as I can tell. Genuine and completely truthful about everything."
"Yeah, I think you're right. Ydrie and Taini are complete innocents. Not a deceitful bone in their bodies. Always doing the right thing. Now guess what I'm looking at now? Another great guy who'd do anything for her no matter the cost."
That was a compliment of course. One he really didn't care for right now. He was having his own emotional turmoil here. Repeating his experiences from earlier in their visit. This time without the high definition images, which were threatening to return to him. This was reality continually kicking him in the balls. Here came another one, if he was any judge. The next extract played. This time with only the three crew members present. They'd been sitting outside again.
"It's so wonderful here isn't it." Scarlet gushed. "I bet you're glad the others voted to stay here for longer. Don't worry Daisy. I'm sure Ydrie can use his contacts in the cities to get you an audience with the Patriarch. It's so peaceful here. Nothing to do but enjoy ourselves. I can honestly say this is the best I've ever felt. Spending all this time in the arms of the man I love with all my heart."
Daisy cut in here. Showing anxiety in her tone.
"I should caution you Scarlet. Your heart may not bring that which you desire. There is far more at stake here than I think you know. This is merely a short break from our usual routine."
"I can't lose anything worth as much as Ydrie does to me. Don't be silly Daisy, what could possibly spoil this moment. Apart from it ending far too soon. And right now eternity feels too soon." Daisy made to speak, but Scarlet interrupted. "Speaking of which I should get back. I don't want to miss a second with my man if I can help it."
Jake knew even better than Pip did that this was all true. He'd been through it before. More than once. He also had the benefit of knowing the hormones that were coursing through Scarlet.
"See what I mean." Pip explained. "She lied to me that they'd voted to remain here and then she lied to Daisy and Pengelly when she said we'd all voted to stay here. She's manipulated all of us with her lies. The only reason we're here is because she loves getting fucked by that huge cock. This is all about her, as per usual."

Before he could come up with a counter worthy of the name, Pip was choosing another nail to drive into her argument. Those words she'd refused to say to him through multiple lifetimes being used repeatedly with another man. The sex was inconsequential, he didn't care about that. This was soul destroying though and going over it again made it hurt much more. He loved her however. Had loved her from before she even knew he existed. If this was what she wanted, if this was what would make her happiest, he wouldn't stand in her way. Scarlet being happy was all he cared about. What did this reveal about their relationship though? Had it been a sham on her part from the very beginning? He'd introduced her to worlds and adventures beyond her imagination. Was he simply a tour guide as far as she was concerned? A means to an end. How had she tolerated him for all this time? It certainly explained her continual antipathy regarding him. The next sledgehammer blow fell as the file played.

This was Scarlet and Ydrie on their own outside. It had only happened less than half an hour ago. The two of them naked and happy together as she sat in Ydrie's lap. He'd blocked most of it out. It was becoming easier to do that now. Once his attention was drawn he could divert it. In this case it had been by listening to Ugo intently while ignoring the background noise.

"You know Ydrie, you should come with me. We could sail the Boundless Ocean together. I told you, I'm captain of one of the best ships out there. You and I could do whatever we want. Whenever we want to. It's my ship. No one can stop me. I'm my own boss. Except with you that is. Then my strong man takes over."
"This life you speak of sounds... extraordinary. I have never used a weapon in anger in my whole life. I have never seen an ocean, nor even a sea. What skills would I have to offer? As I understand it from you, the crew must agree to any addition to your crew."
"That's true. The thing is I've got them eating out of my hand. They'll do exactly what I tell them to do. As long as I use my wiles, they'll swallow anything I say. They'll make you an officer on my say so. You wouldn't even have to do much, apart from be with me. I even persuaded them to take on an absolute moron as quartermaster. He's another example of what I can do. Poor sap does everything I tell him, without question. Oh he might struggle a bit, but I could get him to kill himself as long as I put it right. He's in love with me you see. I string him along. Do it with all the crew really. Throw them a few scrapes and pretend I listen to them. At the end of the day they'll do as I say. I think I'll make you my lieutenant. Get you a nice uniform. I've got a lot influence you know. I'm not only in control of one ship. I've got a fleet. The other captains, they follow me like loyal dogs. Just like my crew. There's not one of them wouldn't sacrifice their pointless lives for me." Scarlet enthused.
"Your words do sound rather harsh my love. Surely you have more regard for these people."
Scarlet snorted.
"They aren't like the people you know Ydrie, my darling. They're all worthless scum. You won't find a single finer feeling among them. They expect to be used. So I use them. There's a new ruler in Palamar thanks to me you know. Kayzee and I have history. I recommended her and now she's running the city. That's how much influence I have. I chose her because I knew I could control her. We were very close for a time. She still thinks there's a chance again and I let her keep thinking that. These people expect to die every day. The ones that do are mostly resurrected and I can easily find replacements for all the others. Besides I want to leave all that behind. I can do that with you. No more brutish stupidity. These people hero worship me. I can do no wrong and when you're with me I'll do what you want me to do. All I have to do is get you to Palamar and you're a ship's officer on my ship."
More followed. None of it complimentary to those mentioned in general or specifically. Ydrie still wasn't entirely convinced, but he was seeing her through rose tinted spectacles of lust. The savagery she spoke of was something he had no knowledge of. He hadn't seen her dispatch Kruger and Itchyelbow. The violence and barbarity could even seem attractive to him.
"Why don't you stay here with me and my sister. We would have the comforts of civilization for the rest of our lives. You talk of death and destruction. Fighting and dying. What would I find outside Fafindi? This world you talk of, beyond our borders is of no interest to me. I crave romance and excitement of course, but not conflict. I know there must be wondrous things out there. What would captivate me my angel? What secret knowledge would I find to include in my art and my life?"
She kissed him passionately.
"Okay. So you're not convinced of how impressive my influence is. How about this then? You know Daisy, she's my closest friend? Well she's The Matriarch."
"I have met several matriarch's though there are none I'd call my friend. How is this Daisy different?"
Jake could hardly believe his ears, or that he'd missed this interchange. Failed to register it being more precise. matriarch's and patriarch's had littered his exchange with Ugo though. Lost in among those. Surely she wouldn't? Scarlet giggled as Jake's heart stopped and dropped.
"Daisy isn't A matriarch silly. She's the original, genuine, one and only Golden Light of The Dawn. She's THE MATRIARCH from earth. And she's my friend."
Pip was looking at Jake's expression with puzzlement.
"What the fuck does she think she's doing?" He exclaimed in bewilderment. "I can't believe she said that. Holy fuck. We've got to get ahead of this Pip, before shit and fan collide. There could be a major civil war about to break out all over us."