“Captain,” called Oak as Arsha came onto the bridge, “we have just compiled the list of the missing crewmates.”
“Who’s missing?” inquired Arsha, a little put off that members of her crew went AWOL.
“Laverda, Bashoon, Shalvey, Dalengor, Melandra, Marshii, and Thengo,” reported Oak.
“Let me make sure I got this right,” directed Arsha, “the only Senior Staff members on this ship right now are me, you, Nazay, Thangred, Malak, Elmar, and Orthena?”
“Exactly,” confirmed Oak. Arsha cast her eyes to the sky.
“Pecktar’s hairy armpits!” she swore. “Well, Commander, looks like you’re staying here until this crisis is dealt with.”
“Understood,” replied Oak.
“Captain,” called the temporary Communications Officer, a male slime by the name of Relper, “we’re receiving an Alpha Priority communication from Realmfleet.”
“Put it through,” ordered Arsha. Relper obeyed. Rokalla’s face appeared on the screen.
“Captain, have you experienced any disappearances in your vicinity?” asked Rokalla.
“Unfortunately, Admiral, yes,” replied Arsha. “Laverda, Bashoon, Shalvey, Dalengor, Melandra, Marshii, and Thengo are gone. I was in the middle of giving Ensign Bashoon a new assignment before she vanished right in front of me.”
“I was rather hoping you would tell me ‘no’,” sighed Rokalla. “I hate to add to the list, but more are missing. Your mother was visiting the Emboramiis when she, Malnar, Elmpam, and Orbak vanished. Mrs. Steelhorn has told local law enforcement that her son has disappeared. We’re also trying to locate a Mr. Jandro Dormu.”
“That’s a lot of people that just vanished,” remarked Arsha. “If you could keep us informed of new developments, they might help us in our search.”
“I shall indeed do so,” replied Rokalla. “You keep me posted of any updates as well. Good luck, Captain.” The call ended.
“Nazay, we’re going to have to leave the Glasna Kingdom,” called Arsha. “Plot a search pattern from these coordinates and be prepared to scour the entire Mid-realm.”
“Understood,” called Nazay as he informed the Glasna Kingdom’s landing pad crew they were leaving. They were granted permission to leave and the Endeavor took off. As Nazay began the search pattern, the intercoms buzzed.
“Captain,” called Elmar, “Security reports that five people have been located. They are not part of the crew in any way. They’re in the brig now.”
“On my way,” replied Arsha. “Oak, you have the conn.” She headed off to the brig to see the five people in a cell with Elmar watching them.
“I must say, they are the most cooperative intruders I’ve ever met,” mused Elmar. The people in the cell were as followed: a woman in military gear and pants, a pink, humanoid creature in a red dress, an orange-skinned girl in a schoolgirl’s outfit with a massive amount of orange petticoats, a chalk-white woman in a black dress and cowl with white trim and blue lights where eyeballs should be, and a blonde human woman in a pink dress, wearing a small crown.
“Not wanting to raise a scene?” asked Arsha.
“Trying to get our bearings,” whispered the chalk-white woman in explanation. She looked around the cell. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say this brig looks like the Endeavor’s brig.”
“It IS the Endeavor’s brig,” confirmed Arsha. “I am Princess Arsha Royana, Captain of this ship.”
“Royana?!” gasped the chalk-white woman. She then grinned. “So this is T-H-3-T-H-R-3-3-R-3-4-L-M-5!”
“Pardon?” asked Elmar.
“That’s what the identifier string would call your united sub-dimensions, the Realms,” explained the woman. “I haven’t visited here since Tendro Royana passed the Crown on to his son, Elgrad!”
“You knew my grandfather?” asked Arsha.
“Yes, I visited him after his soul left his body,” replied the woman. “I usually come here at the bidding of Falheem whenever a soul is having trouble coming to the After-realm.”
“…Death?” gulped Arsha.
“I am she,” confirmed the woman. “I assure you, young Royana, my coming here is an accident. I do not need to check on those that are dead in the Realms.” Arsha breathed a sigh of relief.
“Who are these women with you?” asked Arsha as she motioned for the cell’s barriers to be turned off.
“I am Commander Topaz of G.U.N,” introduced the woman in full military gear.
“I am Princess Peach Toadstool of the Mushroom Kingdom,” proclaimed the woman in pink.
“I’m Charline Elmira,” greeted the schoolgirl.
“I’m Amy Rose the Hedgehog,” answered the pink creature. They had already left the cell when Amy introduced herself.
“Tell me, are you missing anyone?” asked Death.
“Unfortunately, yes, I am,” sighed Arsha. “Some of my Senior Staff and my Ensign have vanished. On top of that, a couple of my fiancés and a prominent citizen of the Under-realm have disappeared as well as my mother and the parents of my future wife, Malnar.”
“Captain,” came Relper’s voice, “more people have been reported missing.” Arsha rolled her eyes and groaned.
“Who are they?” she asked.
“Foresna, Falnii, a Mr. Twaldar Endri of the Mid-realm, and a Mr. Swalmu Damfel of the Over-realm,” reported Relper.
“We may have an answer to this crisis,” muttered Arsha. “All Senior Staff currently onboard, report to the Conference Room.”
“Captain, there is a call from Prince Lardeth in the Over-realm,” continued Relper. “He insists on a private conference.”
“Tell him that whatever he needs to say cannot be made secret, not in this time of crisis,” ordered Arsha, “and tell him that we’re conducting a search for missing people. Patch the call through to the Conference Room.”
“Understood,” obliged Relper. Death and company followed Arsha and Elmar to the Conference Room. Everyone had gathered and seated themselves as Lardeth appeared on the screen.
“Arsha, what I need to say is a little out there,” he remarked. “I feel this cannot be said with other members of your crew in attendance as this could risk our careers.”
“I’m trying to find missing people, a good chunk of them being my Senior Staff,” replied Arsha. “Right now, I have five women who are from different universes, one of which is Falheem’s servant, Death. I’ve seen more of my fair share of Out There ideas. Please, try and top mine.” Lardeth blinked for a bit as Death waved at him.”
“…Okay, I have a pair of Change-a-trons on my ship,” he finally revealed. “Specifically, Justitrons. I’m in the High Sky’s cargo hold to prove it.”
“Let’s see them,” directed Arsha. The view changed to the entire cargo hold to reveal two giant robots. A blue and white one was built like a heavyset woman while the other, red, gold, and blue in color, was a skinny man with wings. Amy and Topaz’s eyes lit up.
“Swoop! Strongarm!” called Amy. The heavyset female bot, Strongarm, turned to the voice’s source and crawled forward to see who was on the screen.
“Ms. Rose! Commander Topaz!” she sighed in relief. “Thank Primus, you’re safe! Where are you?”
“We’re on a ship called the Endeavor,” explained Topaz. “Where we’re going is currently unknown.”
“We’re searching for missing people,” explained Arsha. “One of them vanished before my eyes and four of my fiancés are missing.”
“Four?!” yelped Lardeth. “You mean, Gorfanth, Falnii, Foresna, and Malnar are gone too?!”
“And Charline and I have an explanation,” called Death.
“Then, please, explain,” directed Arsha.
“It’s called a Convergence,” began Charline. “Our universes are coming together. Unfortunately, this means that some people end up in different universes.”
“They usually touch whenever there is a perceived threat to the multiverse,” continued Death. “Sometimes, fighting of various degrees will break out between universes and alliances are forged.”
“Like the Smash Tourneys!” realized Peach.
“Exactly,” confirmed Death.
“So, this is something beyond our control?” muttered Arsha, not liking the prospect of not being able to find the ones she loves.
“There IS a way for us to reunite with our friends,” assured Death, “but it will require finding a Temporal Stop.”
“And…that is?” asked Elmar.
“It’s where time has stopped in a certain area,” explained Charline. “Because of the nature of different universes, time would stop in certain areas so the universes could line up. That’s all I can give you guys as they’ve never been really studied deeply.”
“And how can we find them?” asked Orthena.
“They DO give off temporal magic wherever they are,” replied Death. “Given how commonly used magic is in this universe, you should be able to find it.”
“How are we going to explain this to Realmfleet?!” groaned Lardeth as he massaged his head.
“We just have to tell them straight,” replied Arsha. “See if you can join with my ship in a new search for a…Temporal Stop, I believe you said?”
“I did,” replied Death.
“I’ll see what I can do,” declared Lardeth. “Lardeth out.” The call ended and Charline hummed while she thought.
“A Tin for your thoughts?” asked Oak.
“Our enemies may be capitalizing on this,” remarked Charline. “Who knows where they’ve based themselves?”
At the moment, the enemies Charline was talking about had ended up in a room with a large door for Megatron’s size. He and Dr. Borg looked outside. “A space station?” guessed Megatron.
“I suppose it’s possible in universes like yours,” mused Dr. Borg. She then noticed Hiro motioning towards the door. “What are you doing?!” she gulped.
“Demonstrating something,” chuckled Hiro. He keyed in a command.
“I don’t need air to keep my Spark burning,” remarked Megatron, “but I believe you people do. But, if you want to commit suicide, fine by me.”
“Not by me!” yelped Dr. Borg. “Even the Fae subspecies need air!” The door opened and Dr. Borg grabbed onto a support in the wall…only to realize she wasn’t hearing the rush of air escaping into space. She wasn’t even being pulled towards the door. She cautiously let go of the support and headed to the open door, sticking her organic hand out. “…A bit warm for deep space,” she remarked. Megatron decided to test something out and stuck his foot outside. “What are you doing?” asked Dr. Borg.
“Treading softly,” answered Megatron. He lowered his foot slowly until…“There’s something under my foot! Something solid!” he gasped.
“The ground,” chuckled Hiro as he stepped outside and continued walking. “We’re on a planet. The construct behind you? That’s no space station, that’s a building.”
“So, this planet is invisible?” asked Dr. Borg.
“Absurd,” scoffed Megatron as he scanned the starry area at his usual pace. “What happens if you lose something or kiss something less pleasing to your eye?”
“That is, until you’re part of the atmosphere,” countered Hiro. “When you are, you sync with the spectrum.”
“Why would anyone hide a planet?” asked Dr. Borg.
“That depends on the planet, Madam,” replied Hiro. He then pulled out his phone. “Disengage planetary cloak,” he ordered.
“I obey!” confirmed a voice. Megatron heard that, remembered Optimus’ childhood as they picked up stray Earth channels after they were originally broadcast, and started putting two and two together.
“You didn’t!” he whispered. Soon, the planet slowly faded into view. It revealed a metal city against a desert landscape. Megatron remembered. “You idiot!” he whispered. “You brought us to our deaths! No!”
“What is it?” asked Dr. Borg. “What’s wrong? Where are we?” Megatron wheeled around and pointed at Hiro in an accusing manner.
“SKARO!” he roared. “You’ve brought us to Skaro!”
“The most fortified planet in this universe!” cheered Hiro.
“What’s Skaro?” asked Dr. Borg, a little annoyed at being left in the dark.
“The deadliest planet of the British Science Fiction series, Doctor Who!” replied Megatron. “This is where the Doctor’s ancient enemies were born! This is the home-world of the Daleks!”
“Correct!” barked a voice. Everyone turned to see a Drone Dalek trundle up towards them. Megatron raised his cannon at the creature.
“Put that down! It won’t hurt you!” shouted Hiro.
“It’s a Dalek! That’s all it does!” roared Megatron.
“Not as long as I control them and their creator!” answered Hiro. “There’s an explosive payload in their casings. The slightest bit of defiance and they go boom.”
“Don’t underestimate them!” hissed Megatron. “You’re playing with fire!”
“Why are you so worried?” asked Hiro. “You’re a robot!”
“A robot that’s alive and would prefer to not give genocidal maniacs the opportunity to find out how to kill me!” countered Megatron.
“Don’t be so melodramatic!” dismissed Hiro. He turned to the Dalek that arrived. “I heard you lot had a list of members that vanished?”
“Confirmed!” reported the Dalek. “Ambassador Hell, the Emperor, the Joker, and Sauron have been taken by the Convergence!”
“Your Emperor?” Dr. Borg asked the Dalek.
“And their creator,” replied Hiro.
“…Davros allowed himself to become a Dalek?” quizzed Megatron.
“Yep, and became their Emperor,” confirmed Hiro.
“…Okay, why?” asked Megatron.
“Fascinating,” mused Dr. Borg as her eye went red while she scanned the Dalek. “I’m reading an organic life-form in the casing. A primitive, cephalopod life-form with only one eye and an exposed brain. It seems to be wired into the casing, explaining why it’s twitching so much.”
“I am not a primitive life-form!” argued the Dalek. “I am pure!”
“The ultimate racist, Femmes and Gentlemechs,” muttered Megatron.
The five women were all relaxing in their private ballroom. One was in the arms of another, being lightly stroked. One was dancing with another. One was reading The Romance of the Forest. “The light ones are starting to come together,” remarked the one being caressed.
“The invitations have been sent out,” reported the other caressing the first.
“This shall be a spectacle worth noting,” mused one of the dancers.
“And the previous ones were not?” asked the second dancer, lightly chuckling as the first dancer smiled.
“Fair point,” sighed the first dancer as she rested her head on her partner’s chest as they danced.
“Some will be rowdy,” mused the reader as she continued her book. “We must remind them that we, the Chizarans, do not tolerate rule-breaking.”
“They will understand,” replied the first dancer. “This is not the first time we’ve held such an event.”
“Not every reality has the capability to watch them,” countered the caressed one.
“True, but enough realities do,” answered the first dancer. The reader gave a small smile. Just then, a light from above illuminated them, revealing their features. They all wore dresses that were various shades of their hair. The reader looked to be of African descent and wore pink. The first dancer looked to be of Japanese descent and wore blue. Her partner was of Indian descent and wore red. The one being caressed was of Native American descent and wore green. The one caressing the green one was of Anglo-Saxon descent and wore purple.
“A warrior asks for details,” remarked the purple one.
“Then we shall provide,” replied the pink one. They formed a circle from pink, to red, to blue, to green, to purple, then stuck their right arms out while their left arms touched the shoulder of the one next to them. They vanished in lights of their respective colors and flew off to the universe of the warrior who asked for details.