The Anti-Mother’s subatomic particles were zooming at a high rate and while most of them were still around Yoko Ono, a portion were pulled away, heading for me. “I will engulf you first.”
Another layer gone. “Sure you will. I mean, you’ll try. I get why you want to, of course. Because I’m more powerful than you.”
SuperBun needs us to coordinate something very carefully, Lilith said. Once enough of the Anti-Mother is pulled away from Yoko Ono, we have to throw SuperBun and the sphere from Cradus and Spehidon, accurately, at the core. Aim for the black spot.
Wanted to whine and say no. But felt SuperBun’s resoluteness and determination that this was the right way. Couldn’t ask him to be less than he was, and he was a hero. This was what heroes did. My music changing to “My Hero” by the Foo Fighters was also something of a confirmation. Got it.
Love for me radiated from SuperBun. Sent the same right back to him.
Fortunately, SuperBun was in my throwing hand already. Unfortunately, my hands were kind of full and dropping the Z’porrah power cube was not an option. Therefore, how I was going to get the sphere was another story. One I’d worry about once I had a clear shot.
Another layer burned away. Be prepared, Lilith said. I am matching our frequencies to that of the star itself. It will feel odd to you, but it will keep us all alive longer. John is around you and, due to his abilities, I can alter him as well.
If the surge when Lilith had entered me was mind-blowing, this change was so much more that I felt like I was the entire galaxy or that the entire galaxy was contained within me or both. I was one with Yoko Ono, saw how the fusion worked to power the star, understood how the black spot at the core could be triggered and how it could be kept dormant, saw the heat going to the planets, saw every single thing on each planet, down to their subatomic particles, and yet it was all instantly comprehensible. No wonder the Superconsciousness Society had rules.
Saw all the other stars in the galaxy, all the billions of them. Yoko Ono was one of the rarest—a sentient star. But her powers were weak—no star surfer had visited her in a long time to give her an exchange of powers—and that was why the Anti-Mother had targeted her. Yoko Ono needed help to become all that she could be.
“In this form . . . I can see . . . what Yoko Ono needs,” Wruck said. “And I believe we can give it to her. When I’m in a form I can do what the form is capable of doing.”
SuperBun said that he was definitely part of that help and that this was, realistically, what he’d been created to do. And because I was holding him, Lilith had been able to make his atoms match Yoko Ono’s as well. He saw what she needed also. And she needed all of us in different ways.
Figured physical action was going to be what I was bringing to the table, and knew I could pull the Anti-Mother away from Yoko Ono if I could get her to move just a bit more.
The layers of body armor were still burning off, but it didn’t matter, because we were one with the star. It couldn’t hurt us because that would be harming itself. The only way we’d be hurt was if the Anti-Mother succeeded. And we were not going to allow that to happen.
My music changed to “Mr. Shuck and Jive” by Art Garfunkel. Realized that time was going slower for us or faster for us or just running differently than normal, because I was hearing the full songs being played but time didn’t seem to be passing along with the songs. Or something. Chose not to try to figure it out but instead to take the hint.
“You’re ugly and you dressed your son funny.”
“What?” the Anti-Mother roared as she moved more of herself toward me. “You dare insult me? You who are nothing more than an insignificant worm? You dare insult my son? He who was the greatest leader this galaxy has ever known?”
Was more than amazed that this level of taunting was having such an effect. However, the Anti-Mother had been alone in space for a really long time and no one had probably ever spoken to her like this when she was alive. Maybe it was the novelty of the approach that was getting to her. Or the lameness.
Then again, if faded memory served, I hadn’t been much more scintillating when dealing with the living Mephistopheles. Maybe the Schoolyard Taunting Method was just my best go-to option. However, since my motto was “Whatever Works,” I was good with how things were going, particularly since we were not turning to dust at this moment.
“You’re the epitome of insignificant, lady. No one even remembers who you are and no one cares, either.”
“They will care. I will show them, then bring my son to me! He who conquered all!”
“You mean he who destroyed your star and billions of people in a fit of pique? We’re talking about the same guy, right? Mephistopheles, Lord of the Fuglies, who is totally disappointed in his Mommy Dearest right now.”
“As if you would know?”
“He told me so. Personally.”
“As if he would deign to speak with the likes of you?”
“Oh, he more than deigns. We hang. We’re kind of BFFs in a really weird way. And he’s not happy that you’re still on this pathetic kill ’em all kick, destined to ensure that you fail and die in a less than spectacular way. Then we won’t mourn you at all. Just in case you weren’t sure. And by ‘we’ I include Mephistopheles.”
“I will enjoy destroying you.” The Anti-Mother was getting seriously pissed—could tell by the way her particles were moving. We were close to where I’d have a clear shot to hit Yoko Ono. There was nothing for it. Had to put the Z’porrah power cube in my purse and pull the sphere out.
Looked at the cube as I did so. For the first time, saw every aspect of the cube and comprehended it all. How to work it, what it could do, how to change it to do whatever I needed, and more were burned into my mind. Figuratively, at least at this moment. Didn’t want to think about later moments.
Felt Wruck sending some kind of essence toward Yoko Ono. Followed the trail of it, too, because even telepathic thoughts and similar things had subatomic particles. Who knew? I hadn’t, but accepted it as reality since that’s what my reality was now. All this was great, too, because it gave me a trajectory to follow.
Put SuperBun on my shoulder while I carefully placed the cube in my purse and pulled out the sphere. Saw Cradus and Spehidon, their essences, what they really were. They were both beautiful, different from people just as Yoko Ono was, special in ways that were hard for a human brain to describe and something a superconsciousness brain took for granted. And they were both ready to do whatever they needed to in order to assist.
All of this had taken less than a second, because being joined to Lilith and the star as we currently were meant I was moving far faster than warp speed. But the music sounded normal. Time was weird in this situation and I needed to stop worrying about it. All my focus needed to be on the key situation.