"Al, confirm status of communications array."
"Comm Array Status is green with optimal broadcast conditions."
He sat at the desk, frustrated.
"Al, open diagnostics dashboard." A semi-transparent hologram dashboard of colored charts and graphs appeared in front of the oak desk top. The writing quill ink and journal could be seen on the desk.
Everything appeared functional. He opened the navigational charts dashboard. He felt a weight in his gut as he saw what he feared. Nothing. A map of stars but no known configurations. No supporting charts.
"Al--how many centuries of star mapping records and force casts do you have?"
"It is theoretically unlimited, assuming I can fix where and when we are."
"Al--appropriate spatial and temporal location based on current star charts?"
"Spatial: Andromeda Delta Quadrant sector 2. Temporal: 1000 BCE. Probability: 98.5%."
He sat, stunned. Oh, hell. Far, far away, and...a long time ago.
Some time passed while he coordinated with the limited information available, and the powers of the onboard intelligence, and he finally tracked down four potential start points for where he was. Somewhere in the early worlds of the Gate; somewhere in distant Earth Prime prehistory, around the rise of Atlach-Nacha, or possibly even farther away, near the world of the K'n-yan; somewhere around the Idiran Second Great Exile; or...Oz.
"Your Grace, in this temporal range the following events have probability ranges."
He nodded. "Go ahead."
"Quox the Dragon is born, son of the Original Dragon in Oz. Idirans retake Idir in the second Idiran-Culture War. Earth Prime, in 1006 BCE David becomes king of the ancient United Kingdom of Israel. Earth Prime, earliest evidence of farming in the Kenya highlands. Also on Earth Prime, circa 1000 BCE: the Iron Age starts, the United Kingdom of Israel reaches its largest size; it is Israel's golden age. Earth Prime, circa 1000 BCE, the Nok culture rises in Nigeria, also circa 1000 BCE, Latins come to Italy from the Danube region. Earth Prime, circa 1000 BCE, archaeological evidence obtained from inscriptions excavated in 2005 dates the Proto-Dravidian language, a classical language spoken in India. Earth Prime, circa 1000 BCE, Assyrians start to conquer neighbouring regions. Circa 1000 BCE, Earth Prime world population: 50,000,000."
He breathed. "Go on."
"Earth Prime, circa 1000 BCE, Priene in Western Anatolia is founded; Hungarian separates from its closest linguistic relatives, the Ob-Ugric languages; ancient Iranian peoples enter Persia. Circa 1000 BCE, Nyarlathotep rules Egypt until deposed by a feral cat from outside the palaces. Circa 1000 BCE, Villanovans occupy northern and western Italy. Earth Prime, circa 1000 BCE, the Phoenician alphabet is invented; rice is cultivated in Ancient Japan; the early Horizon period starts in the Andes, as well as the Chavin culture establishing, as well as the Paracas culture."
"A lot happening in the Andes," the Duke said dryly.
"Yes. Also, circa 1000 BCE, the historical beginning of the peoples we later know as Illyrians, rough carbon-14 dating of the Cherchen Man, and circa 1085 BCE, Solomon is given the Seal and Keys to control Jinn and Angels."
"Al--scan for thaumaturgic, chthonic, and Magickal signatures."
"Significant Etheric resonance. High range of Higgs-Boson decay and distortion."
Hiro looked at the dashboard, checking the data. That had to be it. The key of Solomon, Nyarlathotep..."Al, can we fold space?"
"In theory, yes, but..."
An hour later, Hiro stood in the lab space of the Gray Area. He opened the ritual with the LBRP. The pentagram on the casing of the large witch bomb in Stormhold reacts, spinning slowly...
An hour past that, the Duchess was carting a firepit into place, with some strongly-rooted seats surrounding it, because the last tree had apparently decided to walk away...and she heard a low hum.
She looked up, and saw the sigils on the witch bomb begin to spin...
(To be continued in part III.)
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