The children expected to use the pyramids to return by time travel to the future and the population expected it as well. This left another exit using the third smaller pyramid. Isis chose to use the larger pyramid and Ching was given the smaller pyramid. Jim would take the Pegasus. Isis agreed to be transported to Artemis with the twins. Jim explained that the time of return was not subject to her choice. Isis sensed that he would make another ploy for freedom, but he promised her that he would arrive at the same time as she, and would stay on Artemis indefinitely to spend time with the children. They both agreed that the Pegasus should go with them. Jim stated that the transportation of the Pegasus was a little more dangerous, and the pyramid route had been used before. Genie would have no difficulty coordinating the mass transfer of Isis and the children to Artemis, because the programming was easy for that route. The Pegasus, on the other hand, would have to reemerge from the black hole at ultra-light speed and pull time flip-flops as it stabilized itself into a stable time field. Isis and the children would simply reemerge in the Queen's chamber on Artemis as if they simply passed through a looking glass. Jim bluntly stated that it was going to be a very wild ride and he was going to have to use the black hole as a brake. Jim's technical talk confused Isis, but she did rather like the convenience of a portal style space-time jump. She remembered the wild ride on the Pegasus to get where she was, and the children told her how easily and quickly the pyramids worked. Isis didn't believe that the pyramids had any intrinsic power of their own. She knew that Jim and John both used the pyramids to mask the method that they really did use. Isis knew for certain that the Box was the mechanism that performed the act.
Jim was always good for his word, even to Isis. She knew that if he said he would be there waiting for her at Artemis, that is where he would be. The only difficulty with Jim was getting him to agree to do anything. Consequently, she trusted Jim to return the Pegasus to her as well. Just to make sure, she asked, "Jim, will you have the Pegasus parked in the garage where it ought to be when I have returned?"
"Yes, Isis."
"Very well, then. The children and I shall return to Artemis via the pyramids and you shall return using the Pegasus. Do we all leave at the same time?"
"Yes. It is essential that you enter your chambers simultaneously. Your ritual will assure that such occurs. I will be hovering the Pegasus above the pyramids at that time. We will then all disappear simultaneously, and accelerate immediately beyond the event horizon, or over the rainbow for the children." By the children, he met not only Ching and Jan but also the Earth humans who were incapable of understanding the true structure of the universe. Isis referred to the phenomena in her rituals as swifter than shadows. "The next thing you know, you will be on Artemis."
"That is incredible, Jim."
"There are limitations, Isis. The return seems easy only because we're not supposed to be here in the first place. Our place is in the future and not here. The Box will be able to restore a tremendous amount of borrowed energy back to our time."
"Meaning?"
"A 12,000 year jump back to our own time after a backward time displacement works slightly different than a 12,000 year jump into the future from our own time. It's hard to explain but there are some rather basic differences."
Jim, don't bore me with your explanations. Just you and the Pegasus shall be there as well. Understood?"
"Whatever you say."
Isis didn't trust Jim again, but what could she do. He appeared to be cooperating and she couldn't criticize his current actions. She reluctantly agreed, but insisted that Jim assist in creating a spectacular departure ceremony, in which they both would promise their eventual return to Earth. Jim agreed again. There could be no doubt that Jim wanted to return to his own time and Isis concluded that this was Jim's major driving motivation. Now believing that Jim was being helpful only to return to the future, she trusted that he would take her and the children as well and do exactly as he promised.
Morgana arranged for another great festival as over seven million were present for this occasion. To stimulate the pleasure of the people, the atmosphere was laced heavily with ambrosia for days before the departure. Many tents were setup and numerous support enterprises sprung up as well. The Amazon women would dance very provocatively for the human men that had been invited. A fine balance of five to one female population was maintained in the designated pleasure tents which the men would struggle their way to enter. In spite of the desire created, the Amazon women did not actually interact with the men during the festival. To ease the frustration, the women in the pleasure tents were strictly human. The Amazons would entice the men. By the time they had made it to the pleasure tents they were unaware that the Amazons had slipped in human women to avoid the fatalities. Thus the mood was that of intense arousal and satisfaction. Isis provided cakes, fine meats and ales of sorts for the pleasure seekers. She expressed her happiness that all were enjoying life with great vigor. She had provided them with prosperity so that they could find such happiness. Her high priestess would announce oracles at designated times of the day, when she would advise the masses of the significance of the Amazon queen's next effort.
The Amazons sang praise to Jim, the high priest of Isis and their king. They gave him another name, which Isis created. Jim was honored for having come from the stars. He would navigate the great Pegasus across the horizon of the heavens. Of great significance was the fact that the children and Isis were entering the pyramids to go to the same star. This ceremony was of intense significance to all the Amazons because they knew after this date there would be no going back, ever. The children were of extreme importance to the human population. Isis referred to Ching and Jan as Earth's children as well as hers. Isis proclaimed an oracle.
The place which is closed is opened, the place which is shut is sealed.
As we lie down in a closed place and the seal is placed,
The road shall be open and heaven shall not shut us out.
Into the world of shadows we shall enter on my way to Xanadu.
Oh great ship of light, you too will soar to Artemis as well.
An empire of the stars and an empire of time.
To love me is to bring prosperity.
"I leave you these monuments to forever remember you of me so that I am never forgotten."
She would remind them constantly.
"So that the Earth shall continue to provide its yield regularly, my priestesses will Initiate your chosen to forever remember the secrets which changed Earth from a host of hunter savages into a thriving civilization. Honor me with the seasons and when I return I shall find you to be worthy descendants." Saying this, Isis clearly established her current bureaucracy as Earth's sole governing authority.
Isis said much more during the festivities. Morgana also was quite taxed with speaking engagements. A hundred score of songs, poems and ballads were composed to commemorate the departure. Jim was on board the Pegasus along with those Amazons that chose to return to Artemis. A seat was made available for all in the great viewing chamber on board the Pegasus. Jim had more than just Helen and Antiope to keep him company this time. However, none would dare interfere with Jim during the departure because his power was too intense that day. Idiot even complained to Jim about the need to drive the Box into a 250% overload for a fairly prolonged interval. Jim reminded Idiot that he had designed the Box to sustain 300% overload. Idiot reminded Jim that he was programmed to warn him of dangerous overload conditions in excess of 150%. Idiot gave a 97% chance for survival, but 67% chance of sustaining damage to the
hyperdimensional transportation unit. This could mean that once he finally arrived in Artemis, Idiot would have limited capabilities, and many subsystems would need new circuits. As Idiot would burn up, many of its control circuits would self-destruct. Due to an elaborate self-defensive switching system, backup circuits would kick in while the defective circuits would flag themselves for replacement. Jim watched the televised procession as he brought the Pegasus and the Box into a supercharged state. Even the Pegasus was in a 200% overloaded capability. Idiot controlled the anti-gravity controls with such great precision that the Pegasus simply floated absolutely motionless in a fixed location. All aboard the Pegasus were already weightless as Jim had already screened out Earth's gravitational field as the great shields of the Pegasus absorbed all energy and retransmitted it almost as if it were invisible. Indeed all were amazed at the appearance of the Pegasus as it faded in and out of view. At times it was actually invisible, but only to reappear as it continued to maintain a presence in its "current" time frame. Idiot had of course assumed control of the Pegasus. It then shot a laser to each pyramid chamber as it awaited the arrival of the other travelers. The observers on the plateau watched the great ghost ship fade and reappear. It was not hard to stretch the imagination that Isis and the children would also be phased away to a ghost like state and taken to the stars with the great Pegasus.
Immediately after the trio was televised entering their chambers, the lasers from the ghost ship changed color and disappeared. A great burst of light appeared from the Pegasus as it streaked into the sky. Jim carefully controlled the release of radiation and energy so that the observers would not be harmed. The streak of light that appeared was nothing more than a trail left by the Pegasus as the Box proceeded to reduce the outward dimension. Even though the ship was actually invisible during the departure, the sudden displacement into the future would necessarily release some light energy due to the intense amount of mass and energy contained within the Box at that point in space-time.
True to his word, Jim was in the queen's chamber in Xanadu waiting for her as she and the children arrived.
VENETIA
Chapter Forty-Six Back to the Future