Reverend Johnny spoke in a deep but low tone, like a teacher trying to get through to a student, "You only ask that he saves the people of this planet. Mr. Stone is busy trying to save the people of our Earth. Two worlds is a tall request for one man."
Trevor gazed out the window. The last streaks of sun flickered off the buildings like embers of a fire smoldering away. He reached for the metal shutters and considered. Could he refuse her?
"I don't like being here. I'm not happy about it. But now I know there are eight different Earths facing invasion; eight places where humanity is under siege. Why? What's the grand plan at work here? If I can understand that plan, then maybe we can defeat it; for the sake of every person fighting and dying on those worlds. You said your Trevor knew of these Nyx things that allowed you to jump universes? What if he was on the trail of the answer?"
"Pray tell, what answer?" Johnny's voice carried an aggravated edge as he saw where Trevor's reasoning led.
"The answer to the question of 'why'?" He then narrowed his eyes at Nina and said, "Do you agree that we must return to our world? Do you promise to help us find a way home?"
She nodded.
"Okay then," he pulled the shutters closed. "Take me to The Committee."
– Nina gave the two men plain brown coveralls, matching the outfits worn by maintenance workers and non-combat personnel. She made sure Trevor wore a cap that fit snug over his head, hoping to hide his identity, for the time being.
She wore a short tan leather jacket over her black battle suit. Trevor and Johnny received a couple of windbreakers that were not adequate against the cold but would have to do for now because heavy jackets were in short supply.
The elevator took them to the first floor where they stopped at a security station just inside the heavy glass doors of the main entrance. Nina spoke to the military policeman there. Trevor believed her words may have actually awoken that man.
"We need ground transportation to the Operations Center."
That guard grabbed a phone and made a call but his eyes kept glancing at the familiar-looking man in the brown coveralls and cap. Trevor tried not to make eye contact.
Nina took him aside and said, "Most people have to walk around the city. Fuel is a luxury. Most of the traffic you see on the streets is military convoys, supply runs, or VIPs."
The guard hung up the phone and said, "Major Forest, transportation is on its way."
"Major Forest?" Trevor repeated her rank. "How good for you."
"What am I," she paused, stepped closer to him, and then whispered into his ear. "What am I on your world?"
"Captain. But honestly, you could be whatever you wanted. My Nina chose to stay a field operative. She was — is- most at home doing something dangerous."
She smiled. "I see that’s at least one more thing I have in common with her."
A vehicle arrived at the main entrance. Nina led the group outside into a blast of cold wind howling along the wide and dark empty street.
Trevor gave the sedan a quick look over. He saw a variety of styles from his home world: a touch of 50's flare with covered wheel wells, chrome trim, and a very aerodynamic profile.
He slipped into the rear seat with Johnny. Nina sat in the front passenger side. She told the soldier at the wheel their destination and off they went.
The engine rumbled to life and the driver steered them along the lonely streets. A few vehicles-mainly trucks and armored cars-traveled the roads. Trevor saw many parked vehicles, most of which had deteriorated to skeletons, probably farmed for parts.
He asked, "What do you use for fuel?"
"Ethanol mixtures with gasoline for our vehicles, processed from oil. Some of our buildings and facilities use solar power, coal, and wood although we do have a nuclear reactor but it's tough to keep up and running due to a lack of parts and skilled technicians."
Reverend Johnny joined the conversation, "Tell me, have you adapted any alien technology for your uses?"
She shook her head. "Not much. Honestly, we always did well living off the resources we produced. But ever since things started going bad we’ve had less land to mine or drill. I mean, we send out scavenger parties who do strip mining, dig wells, that sort of thing, you know? But those are hit and miss operations. Seems we are always low on supplies."
Trevor said, "On my world, we’ve adapted alien technology to serve our purposes. There’s a sort of irony using their stuff against them."
"He means he gets a kick out of it, praise the Lord."
"I’ll bet," Nina turned in her seat to face them and smiled.
"What about laws and regulations and an economy and all that?" Trevor asked cautiously.
The Major chuckled. "Laws? Regulations? An economy? We don’t really have time for that shit. We’re trying to stay alive, Trevor. Maybe you guys have the extra time to start playing politics but we don’t."
Johnny suggested smartly, "He’ll get a kick out of that, too."
"The Committee does handle a lot of administrative stuff," she conceded. "I mean, there are rules and all that. They’re always passing rules. They love to shuffle paper and crap like that. The rest of us are busy fighting and dying."
The car passed a series of small buildings. A couple of those looked to be vacant stores. One big red sign suggested an active night club.
"What about money?"
"Money? Yeah, sure, and I own stocks, too," she laughed then grew more serious. "Sorry. It’s just that, well, it sounds like you guys are living the high life back there. Guess the war’s over, huh?"
After a moment of silence, Trevor mumbled, "I have much more to do."
"We get credits to use on luxuries. Sometimes you can trade credits to get out of a tour of duty on the front lines. Whatever. Most people use the credits to party or trade up a food card or something like that."
"But not you, Miss?"
She shook her head, "I’ve got things pretty good, I guess. Being a Major and all."
"Hmmm…and being so close to your former Emperor, no doubt?" Johnny suggested.
Trevor moved to another subject, "What about kids? Families? Civilians? How do they live around here?"
"There are no civilians, not like you think. A civilian for us is someone who doesn’t fight in the front lines; techs, support people. You see, everyone fights or supports the fight. If you’re not a front line soldier, you’re working a couple of different shit jobs. If you don’t contribute, you don’t eat. Get it?"
Johnny jumped in, "But there are men and women here. Surely there are children."
"Yes, but not many. No one wants children."
Stone’s fatherly instincts shuddered at the thought. "If you’re going to survive you have to have kids. They are the future."
"Trevor, we don’t have a future. No one wants to give birth to a kid today when tomorrow we could all be slaughtered. Would you bring a child into the world when you know that at any moment your people could be wiped out?"
He thought for a moment and then asked, "Did I…do I have a son here?"
Nina’s head tilted as if hearing a strange sound. "No. Why, do you have one back home?"
"Yes."
His answer seemed to surprise her. She said nothing the rest of the trip.
The car came to a stop in front of a wide, long building. Several tall transmission towers sprouted from the roof. A number of armored vehicles parked in a lot next to the complex. Sandbags and a gun turret complimented the sentries at the front door.
"This is the Ops-Operations-Center. We’ll find The Committee here."
They exited the vehicle and approached a big iron door. Nina spoke with the guards who then allowed entry.
Dull gray halls lined the interior with heavy metal beams crisscrossing the ceiling and soffit lights providing patches of illumination although half of them appeared burnt out.
Unlike the rest of Thebes, he saw plenty of people in the Ops Center including guards, couriers, and technicians while a public address system called out messages such as, "Tactical analysis team report to discussion chamber four," "Major Davis contact communications center," and "Northern perimeter Sector G-4 reports scanner malfunction."