Chapter Twenty-One – Lost in The Repository


    I walked away from Holly and Billie to where the ridge came to a sharp peak. I’d have to add some wooden planks there, but it wouldn’t be a bad main hallway to our house near the cypress tree.


    The air was crisp, but not cold, and the ocean below smelled good.


    I carefully made my way to the tree and looked out at the lost section of San Francisco out in the waves. Leaning against the tree, I told Opal I was ready to hear all about her evaluation of our current circumstances.


    Her slightly robotic voice filled my head.


    HOSTNAME: Sid Marshall. Due to fluctuating energy levels, evaluation is only 78% accurate. All current data is subject to change. There is a 22% chance that queries will be rejected. Would you like to continue? YES/NO.


    “Yes, Opal. I want to continue.” I couldn’t help but laugh a little. Opal was basically a C+ student. Hey, it was a passing grade.


    The girls walked over to me, talking in hushed voices.


    However, when I asked Opal the question that was most on our minds, the girls fell quiet.


    “Opal, what is this place?” I held my breath.


    Sector 654. Marusian beach and corresponding cliffs from the planet Marusia, part of the Oralongo subcontinent.


    “What did you say?” Billie was nearly yelling at that point.


    “She’s telling me the name of the sector,” I replied. “Opal, I don’t mean the name of this sector. I mean all the sectors together. What is this world?”


    Inaccurate description. K’Shaul is not a world, but a series of sectors, created by the Ravana Storms.


    That brought up an obvious question. “What are the Ravana Storms?”


    An anomalous wave of energy that transports organic and inorganic matter to K’Shaul, also known as the Repository.


    “Why were we brought here but not our clothes? Why did it cut the bus in half?”


    Data on the Ravana Storms is limited. The purpose of the Ravana Storms is unknown. The nature of the Ravana Storms is unknown. The location of K’Shaul, relative to known spacetime locations is unknown. The nature of K’Shaul is unknown.


    I felt Holly’s hand on my arm. “Sid, I know you can hear her, but we can’t. Could you possibly relay your conversation to us?”


    “Sorry. So far, Opal is kind of telling us what we already know. She doesn’t understand much, but she did call K’Shaul by another name…the Repository. Like I thought, it’s not a planet but more like a series of sectors.”


    “What’s a repository?” Billie asked. “Is that like where you get drugs from?”


    I chuckled. “It’s a place where you put stuff. So the Ravana Storm goes around the universe grabbing sections of other worlds and bringing them here. Opal doesn’t know why or how. And she doesn’t know what’s going on here, but our little piece of beachfront property is in Sector 654, better known as Marusia.”


    “Sid,” Holly said softly. “If Opal knows the name of the sector and the name of the world, there must be a master list of sectors she’s pulling from. Ask her if she has a map of all the sectors.”


    I didn’t need to.


    HOST COMPANION: Professor Holly Kroft has a valid query. Marusian cypress tree detected. Extrapolation made by this unit. Accuracy within 98%. The Repository cannot have a map due to the changing nature of the landscape due to the Ravana Storms.


    “Sorry, Holly, but Opal knew it was Marusia because of the tree.” I then relayed the rest of the information.


    Opal then burst out with new information that hit my eyes rather than my ears.


    <<<>>>


    Description adjusted. Sector 3.654.C. Further queries anticipated. Naming convention explained:


    <ul>


    <li>Universe: 3</li>


    <li>World_ID: 654</li>


    <li>Temporal stream: C</li>


    </ul>


    <<<>>>


    “Hold on. I’m getting something else,” I told the girls that we were actually in Sector 3.654.C, which meant the Ravana Storms pulls from across time and space as well as other universes.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Billie sighed, and it wasn’t a happy sound. “Fucking multiverse shit. I can’t even escape from Marvel here. That sucks.”


    Holly was more reasonable. “It’s the multiple worlds theory in quantum physics, though it’s always been theoretical. I’m rather alarmed that Opal’s analysis extends beyond your physical senses. How could she find that information?


    HOST COMPANION: Professor Holly Kroft has a valid query. This unit is capable of quantum scanning. This unit is in an error state due to fluctuating energy levels, so accuracy approaches 100% but is not 100%. Extrapolation parameter set to yes.


    I told Holly that basically Opal can scan the world around us, and she can make guesses.


    Billie laughed. “So Opal can basically MRI you. Can she tell us if you have dinosaur syphilis or not?”


    HOST COMPANION: Billie Kidd has a valid query. HOSTNAME: Sid Marshall had sexual intercourse with an unknown partner. Sid Marshall does not have any foreign bodies or infections. Body optimized to 51%. Possible upgrades available with additional power. Charged to 15% of full. Unknown energy detected.


    “No dinosaur syphilis and no space gonorrhea, Billie.” I couldn’t help but sound a little smug. But then I had another question for Opal. “Is the unknown energy really magic? And what’s magic anyway?”


    Magic defined: 1) A power source of mysterious or supernatural origin that defies the scientific method. 2)The power of apparently influencing the course of events by using mysterious or supernatural forces.


    I told Holly and Billie the answer, though I wasn’t about to forget what Opal had said. I loved that I had more upgrades available to me, once I found more power crystals.


    “Okay, Opal, what is your primary mission? And don’t say you can’t tell me because of your power levels.”


    Holly laughed. “Never give a woman a way out, Sid. Big mistake.”


    That made me wince. Damn.


    This unit’s current primary mission is to remove error state caused by fluctuating power levels. Current error state is 92% of normal functionality. Unacceptable parameters. Find Sector X to reconfigure this unit. Sector X. Foiros Waystation.


    “What’s the Foiros Waystation?”


    Sector X is the location of the Foiros Waystation. The Foiros are superior feline entities and this unit’s former host. The Foiros were able to anticipate the Ravana Storms with 76% accuracy. This unit traveled into a Ravana Storm with former host, HOSTNAME: ASSTUR NISTAA. Information limited due to security parameters and ethical considerations. Location of Sector X is unknown. Map of the Repository might be found at the Foiros Waystation in Sector X. More information on the Repository might be available at the Foiros Waystation in Sector X.


    Billie exhaled loudly. “Sid’s not saying anything. Why isn’t he saying anything?”


    Holly was there to help. “Give him a minute.”


    I was grateful for the information, but she was raising as any questions as she answered. “Can you lead us to Sector X?”


    The location of the Foiros Waystation in Sector X is unknown. This unit’s current primary mission is to remove error state caused by fluctuating power levels. Current error state is 92% of normal functionality. Please charge this unit to 100% for optimal functionality for additional information on this unit’s original primary mission.


    We went around and around like that for a while. The bottom line was that she needed more power crystals. Sector X remained a big mystery, like so much else, but at the same time, we had a location where we could charge both Opal and our guns.


    I had other questions, like who were the Arkadian and who were the Paraxens, but for now, I had more important information.


    After telling the girls what Opal had said, I then asked the A.I. a question. “Opal, I have a couple more slots open in my Paraxen Multitool. Can you bring up the menu?


    <<<>>>


    Paraxen Multitool Name: Betsy


    Tool configurations:


    <ul>


    <li>Etrusca Roofing Hammer</li>


    <li>Ax</li>


    <li>Javelin</li>


    <li>Add tool pending.</li>


    <li>Add tool pending.</li>


    </ul>


    <<<>>>


    “Okay, Opal, no fucking around. I want a chainsaw.”


    “Holy shit,” Billie breathed. “Is this a good idea?”


    I ignored her.


    HOSTNAME: Sid Marshall. Literally sexual intercourse with this unit is impossible. Slang detected. Adjusting response. Chainsaw beyond multitool parameters.


    I’d been prepared for that. “Opal, can you configure the multitool to be a bow?”


    A bow is a length of flexible material and a string-like material that converts force from human musculature into potential energy. This stored mechanical energy is converted into kinetic energy upon release of the bowstring, and a majority of that kinetic energy is transferred to a projectile. Such a device is within this unit’s capabilities.


    I smiled. I had her. ‘Okay, Opal, but chainsaw isn’t that different. It’s a stick with a chain. Same thing.”


    A stick with a chain would be possible, including track and mechanisms for adjusting the material, but this theoretical chainsaw would lack power source.


    I wasn’t about to stop. “When I use my muscles, am I tapping into the unknown energy you detected?”


    Affirmative.


    “If the unknown energy can be used to power my cells, I would think we could use it to power a chainsaw.”


    Billie sighed. “Why do we need a chainsaw, Sid?”


    I ignored her for the moment.


    Analyzing. Pending results. 3% Complete.


    My heart sank. Would it take her days to complete the analysis? That meant more nights up in our tree, which I wasn’t looking forward to. The climb up there was a pain in the ass, and another night of rain wasn’t appealing. Also, it was only a matter of time before something attacked us up there. Fighting on tree branches would be tough.


    Billie wasn’t about to stay quiet. “Okay, fine, you want a chainsaw. But don’t break Opal in the process. She’s pretty useless, but she’s better than nothing.”


    “Let him try,” Holly urged. “If Sid can build us a home, we need to let him. I hope this works.”


    I agreed whole-heartedly. “Come on, Opal. Don’t overthink it. You optimized my cells. You can optimize the multitool. You can combine science and magic.”


    Incorrect use of language. Science consists of systematic observation, measurement, experimentation, and the formulation, testing, and modification of hypotheses. Magic is a power source of mysterious or supernatural origin that defies the scientific method. Analysis complete. Would you like me to attempt to configure your Paraxen Multitool into a chainsaw? YES/NO.


    “Yes,” I said.


    A second later, I was in agonizing pain. I collapsed on the ridge, and I would’ve fallen if Billie hadn’t been the CrossFit queen. She leapt forward and caught me while I writhed in pain.


    I was being optimized again, and it fucking sucked.