Aberrant: The Infinity Hour - [ItB:The Infinity Hour] - Rianna Connelly

[Titan]

It was the last day the Hacinebi dig would be open for excavation. The sun was setting over the Euphrates, the air turning cool. The actual archeologists had left back in October, but the site was still open to students for an additional semester. Most of the few remaining students had left, taking a van to Birecik hours ago. Only Rianna remained.

Finally, she straightened up from the rock wall, and stood. She stretched her back, and massaged it with both hands. In the light of dusk, she looked around at the mound. Her semester in Turkey was almost up, but they had done some good work here. She surveyed the three rectangular holes on the north side of the mound. She had helped clear the burials herself. Her name wouldn't go on any papers, unless she was extremely lucky in Artifact Analysis, but she had contributed to the Hacinebi Excavation. Not but a few of her contemporaries could say same.

She shivered. A much cooler wind swiftly dried whatever sweat clung to her skin. She gazed across the river at the disappearing light. Behind her, unnoticed, a cloud of dust announced an approaching vehicle.

Rianna bent, and gathered her tools. She took a final look around, slinging her satchel over her shoulder. The drone of the engine finally caused her to glance at the road. She sighed, then walked toward the remaining van.

She put her satchel in the rear of the van, then paused in the act of pulling down the door. The approaching vehicle was a Jeep, nearly new by Birecik standards. A man drove, with a woman passenger who held a broad hat to her head against the wind. It pulled up next to the van, and the woman looked at Rianna.

"Hello there. Are you Rianna Connelly?"

Rianna took a deep, calming breath, and let it out slowly.

"Yes, that's me."

The woman smiled, and held up a blocky phone with a long black antenna. Rianna noticed for the first time the small satellite dish in the back of the Jeep.

"I have a phone call for you, miss."

Rianna took the phone, and rolled her eyes at the woman. She looked at the phone a moment, shaking her head, then finally chuckled and put it to her ear.

"Hi Daddy."

[Iron Rose]

"How is the dig going, Ria?" Her father's rich baritone voice boomed in her ear as she adjusted the phone.

"Just fine Daddy, We wrapped up the excavation today, I imagine the finally shipment will be museum bound by tomorrow morning." She held her hand up to shield her conversation from the wind.

"Your sister sends her regards. She's consulting again in Hollywood, helping one of the famous get the perfect body they think they need." Elizabeth wasn't one of the brightest people alive, but in her chosen fields, she was exceptional. She was a much sought after dietician and physical trainer, and she had many happy satisfied clients already, with only six months under her belt.

"That's nice, is everything going well with Melissa?" Her baby sister was perhaps Rianna's most glaring soft spot. With her parents not really around to raise her, The eldest daughter made a point of making sure her little sister had a happy childhood, much as Liz did when she was home. Rianna nurtured her mind, Liz her body, and despite a fifteen year age difference, The three Connelly sisters go along famously.

"she's doing well, waiting for you to come back home, something about a ski trip you two promised her, even though your mother and I can't make it."

Rianna sighed. "Well yes,if there's enough snow we'll go. I'd prefer that you and mom come, but I know it's not likely."

Her father nodded. "If there was another way Ria.."

"It's Okay, daddy, really. I had a colleague contact me for a dig in the Badlands, it's really late in the season, and he needs me to come out to confirm some things, i'm going to catch a flight in the morning, Spend a little time with Melissa, and then head to the dig. If you'll allow me, I'll bring her with me."

"I swear one dinosaur fan is bad enough, now you're teaching your sister..." He was laughing, and it made Rianna smile.

"That's nothing new Daddy, I taught everyone as I learned."

"Alright, well, I'll try to be there personally to pick you up in Denver. If not, I will see you before you head out again after the Badlands."

"Okay Daddy." She hung up the phone when he did, and sighed. As smart as she was She would always call her father Daddy, even if it sounded childish. He loved it so, so even the more gruff Liz still did it grudgingly. Their mother smiled, knowing her daughters were humoring their father, but it made her happy that they'd do so.

Rianna took the offered ride back to the hotel, setting about taking a shower, and then packing up all her things, including notes, those and her laptop going in her carryon, as she made ready to return stateside.

"I love going abroad, but there's something to be said for the feeling of going home." She smiled as she spoke quietly.

[Titan]

There were a few things that sucked about being in a rich family, but a private jet wasn't one of them. Rianna was driven directly onto the tarmac and let out just a few feet from the steps up to the plane's entrance. The driver took her bags to the hold under the belly and stowed them, but Rianna was only peripherally aware. She climbed the aluminum stairs to be greeted by the steward.

"Hello, Miss Rianna." He smiled and held out his hand for her bag. She handed it over with an answering smile.

"Hi Jeff. Come all this way just for me?"

The steward shook his head.

"Nope. Mr. Executive Vice President Elgin is meeting with the Saudis this month. You're just a detour on the way home."

Rianna nodded, and inwardly she was relieved. The only thing more wasteful than flying one person over in this massive corporate jet would be flying it over empty just to give her a ride home. She ducked into the cockpit.

"Hi guys!"

Captain Red and his co-pilot swiveled to greet her. Red was almost like family, she had known him since she was little.

"Hey, Booger-face. Where's Booger-head?" Red cocked an eyebrow at her that made her feel four, and she giggled.

"Liz is in Hollywood, according to Daddy, as I'm sure you know. Hi Louis." She nodded amiably to the co-pilot. He was newer, he'd flown for the company for less than a year. Rianna wasn't sure he cared much for her.

"Miss Rianna." He nodded back, friendly enough, "Are you glad to be going State-side?"

"For sure," she agreed, glad he seemed to be relaxing around her at last.

Red turned back to his controls. "Go get settled, kiddo. I gotta see if I remember how to fly this bird."

Rianna laughed and went aft.

[Iron Rose]

She settled in for the flight home, with it's stops in London and Laguardia to refuel. She nodded to Vice President Elgin, noting his somber disposition hadn't improved much.

"Did the meetings go well, Mr. Elgin?"

He looked up at the young woman who could one day very well be his boss and nodded. "As well as can be expected, Dr. Connelly."

"Rianna please, There's no need to be so formal on our long ride home unless you feel it utterly warranted."

He nodded. "Well Rianna, it's all a compromise, but I feel certain we got the better end, getting most of what we wanted without giving up too many advantages. The Saudis are tough negotiators, but we do have what they want, and more than that, Oil's nowhere near the top of our lists. I think surprise played heavily in our favor there."

She smiled. The business world was only of tangential interest to her, it was the realm of her parents, who were young and healthy. She would learn some of it, but much as her twin sister, it wasn't an interest to her. Certainly, her parents funded a couple projects she undertook, but they ll met with success, and were great good press for the company, showing that it was about more than money, but real scientific exploration and research as well.

In London,while refueling, one of the attendants went out and got a meal for everyone, and They sat and ate in silence. Once airborne again, both She and the Vice president drifted off to sleep.

[Titan]

Rianna dreamed.

And in her dream, she flew. She soared above the earth like a bird, a plane. She felt the wind in her face and the sun on her skin. She smelled the daffodils in the field below, and looked down. Quick as a thought, she drew her knees up and plunged toward the field of flowers. She pulled up at the last second, buzzing the tops of the daffodils. She flipped over onto her back and spread her arms wide, feeling the edges of the petals graze her arms and hands, the backs of her legs. She smiled, and a shadow crossed her face. She opened her eyes.

A dot, up in the cloudless sky. It grew bigger quickly, and she flew upright suddenly, peered into the sky with a hand over her eyes. Larger it came, until it nearly blotted out the sun. A vulture, no a pterodactyl- something- made of mashed up metal. Shiny bits over rusted bits, all in a jumble with screws and rivets, crushed together into the shape of some infernal monster dove at her.

She gasped, and turned to flee. The daffodils were gone, she was on a rocky cliff, and flew off the cliff over red lava. Black obsidian reared, dripping, from the molten surface like accusing fingers. She dodged one, risked a glance over her shoulder. The creature was right behind her. She looked back, crashed into obsidian, started to fall. Grasping at the stone frantically, her fingers found purchase. She clung to the rock, sobbing in relief- when the monster was on her.

Clawing metal talons and gnashing steel jaws were everywhere. She screamed. She tried to raise her hands to defend herself, but her hands had sunk into the stone. Obsidian roots twisted around her wrists. Her toes brushed the lava, and sizzled. She screamed again, as the creature reared back, and pounced on her fa-

BUMP

Rianna jerked awake, gasping for breath. She clung to the armrests, eyes darting this way and that as she tried to grip this reality. Elgin slept on in his reclining chair across the cabin. Jeff stood leaning on the bar. The mind's habits tend to hold, and she quickly realized that it had been a dream. She took in another shaky breath, then saw Jeff doing the same.

He gripped the edge of the bar, looking all around as well. He looked very concerned. She opened her mouth to ask him if he were alright.

BUMP

Rianna hovered over her reclining chair for just a second, but she saw Jeff's legs come up off of the deck. He held the edge of the bar still, tightly, and his legs swung up over his head. When she was slammed back into her chair, taking her breath away, he crashed face first into the bar, shattering it. He lay crumpled on the splintered surface. Blood streamed from his nose and mouth.

[Iron Rose]

This had been a new one. She seldom saw herself as the damsel to be saved, She wondered what meaning it had had, and more than that, why it felt so real. She could smell the burned flesh, and still felt the effects of the phantom pain from those visicous steel jaws and shredding teeth....

Then the plane lurched, and the whole world went crazy.

"Red, Mr.. Elgin, Jeff's hurt bad, what's going on?!" She croaked out, recovering still from having the wind knocked from her.

She looked around furtively for anyone, and not seeing a soul, did something stupid in the extreme. She unbuckled her seatbelt, and half stumbled, half walked over to Jeff's side, placing her fingers to his neck to check for a pulse, even as the plane bucked again, and she was thrown bodily against the wall, a shark crack heralding a broken rib, as She clung to consciousness, determined to help the man laying on the floor.

Half the world away, Elizabeth stopped, feeling a terrible sense of dread. Something was happening to Rianna, something bad, very bad. "Oh Ria..."

[Titan]

Elizabeth reflected a moment on how unlikely her life was. Four months ago, she had been a trendy trainer, with a couple of bona fide celebrity clients. Now, she was an Image Consultant for CAA, the Creative Artists Agency, and that friends and neighbors is a very big deal. She was working with an agent named Ron Tyler at the moment, and her team (her team?) was right this moment prepping Téa Leoni for the premier of her latest movie, Deep Impact. The drone of a talk radio show filled the room, as the actress was having her hair trimmed minutely, and Liz was nodding at the results. Beside her, a woman went through a rack of clothes. Liz smiled to herself at how quickly things changed. She stepped forward, a small fruit smoothie in a tulip glass held out to the actress. Téa smiled and took the offered drink. She took a sip and raised her eyebrows. She nodded, and talked around the straw.

"What is this? It's awesome!" At her movement, the man cutting her hair stepped back. Liz grinned at him, waved him away. She sensed that the actress might be getting annoyed with all the physical fuss, it might be time for a break.

"Greek natural plain yogurt, coconut milk, a dash of cinnamon, avocado for shiny hair and nails, bee pollen, strawberries, and a smidge of spinach, to aid digestion. It's one of my favorites before a big night." She smiled, "What's this you're listening to? I'd have taken you for a rock girl."

Téa laughed. "You got me. No, this is some guy David got me on to. He got all the conspiracy stuff out of his system with the X-Files, and guys like this are hilarious to him. But, I dunno, this guy, he makes a weird sense..." Liz listened for a moment.

"I try, as well as I am able... to speak the truth. The revelation to me, of His divine Will, of Unity... was more than announcement of the End of Days. As huge as it is, as cataclysmic it sounds... at heart, the revelation of Unity is a guide to living our daily lives. Not only in preparation of the War to come, but in preparation of your new life with Him."

Liz cocked a doubtful eyebrow. Giving respect to the rich and famous was all well and good, but she wasn't so enamored of her new job that she would baldly lie. The guy sounded like a whackjob. But Téa was nodding and laughing.

"I know, right? But listen..."

"All things serve the Unity, if only we look for it. There are miracles all around us- Not only the Novus! No, the very structure of the universe is a miracle. A magnet, drawing iron filings, is a miracle. A plane in the air, made of metal though it is, still flying! That's a miracle we see every day! Everything we see, everything we do, that is a miracle!"

Liz cocked her head, thoughtfully. She just about believed that very thing. Téa nodded, her smirk saying 'I told you so' wordlessly.

"Buddha, the Koran, the I-Ching, Tarot, Astrology.... all of these can have power, for that is the nature of the Unity. Miracles in all things, for He is in all things and knows all things. He is in us and of us, and anything can have power if we will it so. If Astrology is the way you come to the Unity, so be it! To you I say: Gemini is in a troubled phase, but a new day dawns. Your task will be hard, but you will have all the help you need." the speaker chuckled lightly, "I hope you get the idea. You already have power, all the power you need, to change your life, and the world around you. Novus or not, you are a miracle, and you should act like it. I'm Chrystian Kalpa, of the Church of Immanent Escheaton, and you are listening to The Coming War. I'll be back in a moment."

Liz took in a deep breath, let it out slowly. She didn't know about this 'Coming War' business, but the guy had something, that was for sure. She saw Téa watching her, and laughed. Téa nodded knowingly.

"Right? When you listen to him for a while he makes some sense. Ha! Tell David that, would you?"'

It was Liz's turn to nod. "You got it. So. Do you feel like trying on some dress-"

Elizabeth stopped, feeling a terrible sense of dread. Something was happening to Rianna, something bad, very bad. "Oh Ria..."

*** *** *** *** ***

Rianna crawled across the deck, towards the cockpit. One glance at Elgin had told her that he wasn't in any shape to help her, he was holding a forearm up to a nose that streamed with blood. Absently, she wondered who didn't strap in when sleeping at 15,000 feet. Apparently Senior Vice Presidents at Connelly Securities. She almost chuckled, macabre though it was, but a sharp pain in her ribs warned against it. She concentrated on getting to the cockpit. She grabbed an arm of one of the seats, thought briefly about trying to stand.

BUMP- *RRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIPPPPPPPPPP*

She thought better of it, shaken. That time, she had heard the very metal of the plane warping and tearing. That was very bad. Jeff and Elgin were both continuing to be battered in the flailing cabin. She pulled towards the cockpit. Suddenly-

BRRRrrrRRRRIIIIIIPPPPPP

Through a porthole, she saw the wing tear off. Immediately, she was tossed sideways, pressed to the deck. The plane was spiraling. She screamed, and her head seemed to explode.

*** *** *** *** ***

Téa Leoni and four members of the CAA prep team watched, jaws open in amazement, as Elizabeth Connelly floated in midair, a blue light shining out of her eyes and open mouth. Her limbs extended like Leonardo Da Vinci's Man, and her hair floated around her face. In the silent eruption, the man on the radio returned.

"Welcome, Listeners, to The Coming War. We are talking about miracles. And, my friends, as I'm sure you will agree- the miracles are just beginning."

[Iron Rose]

The pain filled her world, and she reached out,Just wishing for the plane to stop. It was beyond imagination, but the plane did. Intertia should have thrown her and everyone else around, but it didn't. She didn't know how but she held it, even as she controlled the descent. Knowing that the electronics were fried, she played a card she only hoped was true. "Liz, please, help us." The psionic message between the twins was almost instaneous, and communicated the whole of the situation in an instant.

A passing look in a peice of mirrior revealed a new truth. Her body was a brilliant shining metal, right down to her bright red hair.

It was sometime later she awoke in her normal form, weak as a kitten but not hurting anymore. by luck a french coastal patrol boat was nearby, and somehow had found them. They were pulling her, and everyone else aboard. Nobody died, but everyone was injured, and Jeff and Mr Elgin had already been airlifted off to a hospital to have their more serious wounds treated. Red elected to remain at her side, though he looked like hell. "Everyone safe?"

"Some dings and dents, but we''re fine. I hope your parents don't take the cost of the plane from y salary." His smile made her nod, even as she lay on the stretcher. "They won't I won't let them."

[Titan]

Lincoln turned away from the office of the Maître des Quais. He thumped his fist against his thigh. It was Pasadena all over again. He stalked to the car, where Susilo waited passively in the passenger seat, and slid behind the wheel. He wanted to bash the steering wheel with his fists, screaming obscenities. They never had found the guy in Pasadena, but they were going to find this girl. Lincoln was not about to give up, and raging at their bad luck wouldn't help anything. He took deep, measured breaths while Susilo watched. Finally, the Indonesian spoke.

"No problem?"

Lincoln laughed bitterly. "Yeah, Susilo. Big problem. Big fucking problem. She ain't here, mate. She was brought in on the Ouragan this morning. The Dockmaster thinks that she was taken to the hospital, if my French hasn't failed me. The Clinique Pasteur. It's just like goddamned Pasadena."

Susilo took this in calmly. He nodded slowly.

"Hospital. No problem."

Lincoln liked the smaller man. He liked the way he kept to himself, and never lost his nerve. They had been through a lot the last couple of weeks, and Lincoln would back him with fists or money any time the Indonesian ever needed it. But right at that second, he wanted to smash Susilo's face in. He sat quietly for a moment, until the urge to do violence had passed, then put the car into gear.

"Yeah. No problem. We'll just go to the hospital, then."

*** *** *** ***

Dr. Yuji Go made a show of checking the girl's vital signs. She was as well as could be expected, he thought, considering that a benign sort of tumor had grown to the size of a tomato in her skull in about a minutes time. He wasn't particularly worried. He had seen it before, several times. The fact that all of those times had been in the last month and a half didn't change the feeling that this was old hat. Still, there were forms to fill out, and formalities to adhere to. He recorded her heart rate on his chart. The girl looked at him, her eyes still bloodshot from the pain of her eruption.

"Will it be much longer? I feel much better now, honest I do."

He chuckled. "I am certain that you do, Miss Connelly, however there is much more study that needs to be done. It will be best if you come to London with me, so that we can find out more about your talents and what has caused them."

The girl shook her head slightly, then cocked it. She seemed to think for a moment.

"If I go to London with you.... I can come home any time I want?"

Dr. Go looked surprised. "Of course, why would you not?"

The girl shrugged. "I've heard some weird things about what is going on in London. Like, some of the Novus aren't allowed to leave."

The Japanese man looked suddenly stern. "That is malicious tabloid gossip, nothing more. Every Novus is a volunteer, and paid quite well for their services to medical science. They, and you, are free to leave at any time. We simply wish to provide a haven for new Novus, and find out how these talents work."

The girl looked speculative. "Have- have you heard of any other group like yours? Like the World Health Organization and Aeon, but run by other Novus?"

The man shook his head. "I have not, no. Frankly I would be very surprised to find that there was such an organization. It would take an enormous amount of money and staff to put together, and every major physician and researcher is in London."

The girl nodded. "Ok. I'll go. I was just... wondering."

*** *** ***

The girl nodded at Lincoln. "Ok. I'll go. I guess it's good to keep my options open."

Lincoln almost shuddered with relief. For a moment, he wasn't sure that she would agree. She seemed rather fixated on London. Still, he felt that he had answered her questions satisfactorily, considering how little he actually knew about what was really going on in London.

"That's excellent. We must leave soon, though, they are coming."

Rianna looked puzzled. "WHO, right? WHO is coming?"

Lincoln's face sort of fell. He mumbled, "Yes, exactly."

*** *** ***

Dr. Go glanced up at the girl's laughter, which seemed apropos of nothing. She waved him off, and covered her guffaws with her hand.

"Oh, Ria, you are bad!"

He shook his head, and made a note on his chart. This one would bear some close observation, he thought.