UNABLE TO COMPENSATE. THE PLATFORM TRANSPORTING ROBERT EISENBRAUN IS EMITTING AN ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSE IN EXCESS OF 32.1740 FEET PER SECOND SQUARED, EFFECTIVELY NEUTRALIZING THE EARTH’S GRAVITY. ACCELERATION AT ALTITUDE CREATES A GRAVITATIONAL BURBLE, PRODUCING FORCES THREE TIMES THOSE OF STANDARD GRAVITY. THESE G-FORCES ARE BEING USED TO PIN ROBERT EISENBRAUN TO THE PLATFORM SURFACE.

Fighting to turn my head, I glanced to the left and saw Oscar. The cephaloped appeared to be alive, curled up on an egg-shaped acrylic pod anchored to the metallic platform.

What is the platform’s power source?

THE POWER SOURCE IS THE PLATFORM’S PHOTOVOLTAIC CELL, AUGMENTED BY A SMALL ANEUTRONIC FUSION REACTOR LOCATED BENEATH THE PLATFORM BY THE REAR COUPLING.

Fusion? Using what elements?

DEUTERIUM AND HELIUM-3.

Can it be shut down?

THE UNIT CAN ONLY BE SHUT DOWN BY ITS TRANSHUMAN OPERATOR.

Forcing my head to the right as far as I could, I stared at a life-form so bizarre it rendered the other Omega dream elements nothing more than a day at the local zoo.

The term “transhuman” was first coined in 1927 by biologist Julian Huxley, who theorized that at some point in the future the human species could improve upon its genetic design by integrating advanced technology into the physical body in order for man to transcend the limitations of life. In a sense, ABE rendered me transhuman, though I was light-years from the medical science that yielded the being before me.

The transhuman that ABE was referring to was the platform—part human, part machine, with the human element being the head, arms, and upper torso of a woman embedded into the bow of the transport like a masthead.

She was hairless and as pale as moonlight, and where her eyes should have been there were only white lenses. Still, there was no doubt she had been cultivated from Andria’s DNA.

ABE, is communication possible?

ROBERT EISENBRAUN IS IN PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH THE SUBJECT, THEREFORE COMMUNICATION THROUGH THOUGHT ENERGY IS POSSIBLE.

Andie? It’s me … Ike.

No response.

Perhaps you don’t recognize—

I KNOW WHO YOU ARE. Her voice echoed in my mind, the tone and inflection identical to that of my fiancée.

Where are you taking us?

OUR DESTINATION IS THE HOLY CITY.

That’s very exciting. Could you ease up on the g-force so I can breathe?

THE CREATOR DOES NOT WISH IT.

I’m sure the Creator wouldn’t mind. Please. I have a concussion, the g-forces could lead to a fatal blood clot. Would the Creator approve of my death before we arrived at the Holy City?

The invisible elephant mercifully parted, allowing me to breathe normally again. Sitting up, I looked out over the platform’s edge where thick distortion waves curled the air. Farther out, I could see the treetops, allowing ABE to calculate our altitude at 1,700 feet, our air speed at 147 knots.