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The Victoria Chronicles

**Chapter 13

The Sanctuary**

Vix peered around at her surroundings after her feet hit the floor. At least she assumed it was the floor. Above was a matching ring she had just dropped through. Or maybe it was the same one? She wasn't sure. Around her was a dim interior of a room, or small cave, or inside of a whale or some such, it was hard to tell.

Before she had much chance to examine her surroundings the portal blinked closed and the daylight disappeared, leaving her in very dim almost pitch black dark, even for her advanced eyesight.

"Uhm, Percii? Visalth?" Vix called out. "Could I maybe have a little light?"

A few seconds after she poke the walls of the room melted into the floor and the ceiling above her retreated into the circumference of the ring while an iris closed inside the center before the ring turned on its edge and floated backwards till it contacted the wall behind her.

From the height that the portal-ring had previously been it was obvious that she wasn't necessarily under the ground she had been standing on in the woods. She may not even be in the same woods. Or any woods!

Vix now found herself in a much larger room lit by a light that she could not discern the source of. A room that contained a lot of things, some she recognized, some she didn't. To her it almost seemed like she was in some sort of futuristic museum. Among the myriad of things surrounding her, tucked off in the corner she found...

"A Victorian study?" Vix said out loud.

But before she could fully process all this there was a blur of movement and suddenly she was looking down the length of a very alien looking...thing. She didn't know what it was, but the way it tracked even her smallest of movements made her nervous and gave her the impression that it was probably not good for her health if she angered it.

"Oh! Er, hello...not sure if you can understand me, or even hear me, but I'm meant to be here. I think?" Vix said carefully and slowly. "Uhm, Visalth and Percii know me. Do you know them?"

The alien mechanism seemed non-phased by this statement. The good thing was that she hadn't been shot yet. Or eviscerated, sliced and diced or cut up into julienne fries as of yet by the various ...attachments? But she still got the impression that these could still be options if she wasn't careful.

A long silence dragged out as the two stared at each other. Vix didn't know if the thing could see, but defiantly felt sure that it could sense her very clearly. So standing still seemed the sensually thing to do.

She also got the impression that this, 'creature, machine?' didn't know what to make of her either.

Eventually Percii's voice cut in to dispel the silence.

"No. Bad ship! Stand down! She is a guest!" The little AI said in a stern tone. The appendage wavered a bit and there was a protesting groan from further in the room's innards.

"I said stand down!" Percii said more forcibly then Vix had ever heard the AI speak before.

The mechanism continued to hesitate, though it had backed off slightly. That is until a familiar voice called out through the ether.

"It's alright. She is my successor." Visalth's voice called out through the room.

The threatening appendage pulled back a small way looking confused before morphing into something significantly less threatening. It then came back at her and got very close, moving all around left and right, up and down around Vix's body. It was clearly checking her out in some fashion, she really didn't know. A scanner perhaps? Vix also got the distinct impression that she was also being sniffed, similar to how a dog may to check out someone new.

A few other scanners appeared from the ceiling, walls and floor and similarly did the same as the first before they all came to a consensus. They then retracted back to where they had come from except a few that stayed and affectionately rubbed up against her. Vix also heard a distinct sound akin to purring coming from deep within the structure.

"OK...this is new." Vix said uncertainly, "I assume that I'm welcome now?" Vix said as she patted one of the limbs in a way that she hoped was a reassuring gesture.

"The ship now recognizes you and had accepted you. She seems to actually like you." Visalth's voice said just before appearing seated in one of the tall wing-backed chairs in the library-like study. "I only wish that I could have introduced you while still alive before passing. But that wasn't meant to be." She said sadly before continuing, "Moving on."

At the sound of her voice the remaining appendages withdrew back into the walls and floor and the lights brightened to a more comfortable light level.

"Please, have a seat young Victoria." Visalth said, indicating an empty chair.

Vix walked over and sat down in the opposing high leather chair.

_"Would you like some tea?"_Visalth asked politely.

"Uh, sure." Vix said slightly perplexed.

An alien mechanical armature came up from the floor holding a try with a tea service and another appendage poured her a cup of hot tea. An audible sound somewhere between a groan and a whine emitted from the room after the teapot was placed back onto the tray and the armature hovered over the cream and sugar.

"Huh? Oh." Vix said after a fraction of thought. "Just cream please."

The armature poured a measure of cream into the cup and stirred it with a spoon before offering it to Vix.

"Thank you." Vix said. The room again gave a slight groan. Vix got the impression that she was being told 'you're welcome'.

Vix took a sip before lowering the teacup back onto the soucer and asked. "Darjeeling?"

_"Yes. I've always like the flavor."_Visalth replied.

"Wait. How did I know that? I've never had Darjeeling before." Vix said confused.

"Remember young Victoria, you have some of my memories." Visalth replied.

"Right. I'm still getting used to that." Vix said. It still felt weird having someone else's memories in her head, but at least she could distinguish them from her own, including the mannerisms she would occasionally slip into. The British accent mainly from time to time.

Looking up she noticed that Visalth didn't have any tea.

"Aren't you going to have some?" Vix asked.

Visalth responded by leaning forward in her chair and reaching down towards the table. Her hand passed right through.

"Oh, right." Vix said embarrassed. "The, uh...being dead thing." Vix said trailing off.

Looking for something else to say she shifted the topic to something else.

"Forgive my ignorance Visalth, but I get the impression that this ship or whatever is alive somehow?"

"You are correct little one." Visalth said over from her chair. She was wearing her favored Victorian clothing with high laced boots. Despite being what Vix assumed was a ghost her heals still managed to click on the hard surface of the decking whenever she shifted position. "This was one of our research ships. And she is in fact alive and aware. She is a blended technological and biological construct. So be nice to her."

"It's a she?" Vix asked.

"She seems to respond well to the pronoun despite not having any real gender outside of her own mental processes. And if it pleases her I see no reason to disagree with her." Visalth said in her pleasing upper class and gentile tone.

The room was large and despite the appearance in other sections this area of the room looked more like a study from the Victorian era.

There were tall bookshelves along one wall and a small sitting area near what looked like an actual fireplace with a few large wing backed chairs surrounding a round coffee table. There was what looked like an actual functioning fireplace set into the wall, and it had the look of having been well used. Vix had no idea how that worked and decided to pin that thought for a later conversation as there was still plenty to look at in the room. After the drawing room/study area there was what looked like a small lab area. In it were the stereotypical glass beakers and retorts as well as many much more alien looking devices setting on workbenches. The place looked like a lab from the late 1800's had crashed into an alien spaceship along with a far future motif. The effect was as alien as the rest of the ship she had seen so far. In other alcoves there seemed to be various items from many parts of history. Grecian and Roman vases, Egyptian Needles and stele just to name a few artifacts.

Only, from what she had seen so far this place was less ship and more...she wasn't really sure.

"Visalth? What is this place?" Vix asked as she looked around the large area.

"This is my sanctuary. The place I would go when I needed to get away from the world outside."_Visalth said placidly with a small sigh. _"Also my person research place when I needed more advanced tools your world has yet to discover."

"And the small library?" Vix asked looking at the study tucked in its corner.

"Just a collection of books that I have collected over the years." Visalth said as her heals clicked over next to where Vix was standing. "Although still quite primitive by our standards your people have quite the imagination. Humans have created some splendid art over the centuries. And some of your stories! So inventive and majestic!" Visalth said, her voice filled with passing and awe.

"I also can't help but notice that you seem rather more...solid." Vix said uncertainly, "I thought you were dead. I mean, sure, the whole Obi-Wan thing makes a bit of sense from time to time. And the dreams I can understand. But I literally saw you pick up a teacup."

"Ah, perceptive as always. Yes, in this place I am allowed a certain...latitude of freedom." Visalth said smiling. "The ships holo-systems help with this, as does my link to this ship."

Vix thought about this for a bit before continuing. "You're mentally linked with this ship?" she finally asked.

_"Yes, as much as I am with you."_Visalth replied.

"How does that work?" Vix asked.

"For my species it was a mix of natural evolution and our technology." Visalth said simply.

"And our link." Vix asked with a bit of trepidation.

"The same. Remember, your biology in more Vivudrosian than human or animal." Visalth said, "You are now a blended species, and such share abilities with all three of them. Especially your Vivudrosian side."

"Ah." Vix said quietly. She really could think of much else to add at this point. And she was just a little afraid of the answer if she did.

"Anyway." Visalth said with a small clap and getting up from her chair, "I told Percii to have you come here for a reason young Victoria."

"I suspected as much, although he wouldn't say why." Vix said looking back at the bookshelves and noting with some mild interests some of the titles. There were a lot of the popular classics on the shelves. "He just said that there were a few things that I might need."

"Quite so." Visalth said, "And also some things you should know before you continue your search." She said as she pulled a book from the shelf, the cover was partially visible through her ghostly fingers. "Things such as the airfield you intend to go to."

"You know about the airfield?!" Vix exclaimed, barely keeping herself from yelling, "Why didn't you say something sooner?!"

"You already know the answer to that Victoria." Visalth said as she ran a finger along the books spine. "There are powers and forces that even I must obey."

"Because of some unspoken bullshit that prevents you." Vix said in a low lone and looking away. She wanted to be mad, and she was. But she wanted to be mad at Visalth for not telling her everything she apparently knew. And not being able to be mad at her made her that much more frustrated. But she knew somewhere deep in her core that what Visalth told her was true. There was something preventing her from giving her the information she clearly knew. Vix just wished that for just a small moment that Visalth would break that silence. But even then she believed Visalth's warning about dire consequences about breaking this unspoken packed.

Vix felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up at Visalth's sad face. _"I know it's hard for you. I can see it in your face, feel it in your soul. It hurts me too that I can't just tell you what you everything I know. Just know that it is all for a reason, and when the time comes you will understand why it must be this way. For now be patient. Continue your investigations, you are on the right track."_Visalth said with a reassuring squeeze of her shoulder.

"I know. I don't know how I know, but somehow I do." Vix said, "It's just so aggravating. And these bozo's just infuriate me more!" she said as she balled her fist. "I'm really getting tired of people pointing guns at me!"

"And that is one reason I had Percii bring you here finally." Visalth said, "Please stand up dear. Percii? Please bring up your interface if you would be so kind."

As Vix did as she was asked the jewel on her bracer lit up and a holographic display was presented before her. Visalth get closer and with a flurry of hand movement stated taping some of the various pictograms on the display. As she did some changed their shape and color while others faded out or were replaced by new ones. A series of boxes showed alien text that scrolled by faster than Vix could read, although she did from time to time catch the odd word. Words like clothing and suit came up quit often as some of the pictograms changed from red to green.

Finally Visalth finished her work and the display blinked out of existence again. "There, all done."_Visalth said, _ "Try that young Victoria."

"Try what?" Vix asked confused.

"Your new clothing." Visalth said simply yet a bit cryptic.

Vix looked down at herself and examined what she was wearing. It looked the same as before. "I don't understand." She eventually said when she didn't find anything out of place.

"Think of what you would like to be wearing." Visalth said, "It can be anything. Just picture it in your mind then concentrate on it."

"Uhm, ok?" Vix said still confused.

Vix thought of a simple pair of jeans and green t-shirt along with the flannel she always wore. When the mental picture was firmly sitting in her mind she lightly concentrated on it. Then she felt it. There was movement under the overalls she was still wearing starting from the bracer on her right arm and rapidly spreading across her body till it covered her whole form from the neck down. Then suddenly the overalls bulked up slightly as if she were wearing extra cloths on underneath.

Vix looked down at herself then up to Visalth who was wearing a benevolent smile on her face before looking down again and very slowly pulling down on the zipper of the overalls. She then peeked under the shirt she had been wearing all day and found that she was wearing another shirt on under that.

"Uhm, excuse me one sec." she said before turning around bashfully. Visalth kindly also turned around to give the vixen a bit of privacy. Working her arms free of the top of the overalls and then pulling the shirt up and over her head Vix saw that she was wearing under that was a near exact copy of the same shirt, but with her favorite flannel over that and they both fit her propositions better than what she had been wearing today as if they had been custom tailored for her.

"Wha--what just happened here?" Vix asked, more confused than ever now.

"You are now wearing what you may call a smart garment." Visalth said. "In point of fact it is an advanced Vivudrosian protective suit made to mimic any garment the wearer may think of. And it needn't be just anything they have seen, but anything they can imagine. It can mimic any material tactilely but many times stronger than the Kevlar used by your militaries today."

"So...what you're saying is that it is built proof?" Vix asked slowly.

"To a point." Visalth said, "Most small arms projectiles will be simple deflected and their energy absorbed. Blades will also be turned away."

"So it's like body armor." Vix asked.

_"Yes, but much more versatile."_Visalth explained.

"Why." Vix asked. She was so awestruck that she really couldn't think of anything better to ask.

"Your bracer is more than merely Percii's interface. Far more." Visalth said. "As with the suit now enabled you will have better protection, and, you will find that it better molds to your form as you shift between forms."

"Protection from what?" Vix said concerned.

"From some of the perils you will face in the upcoming days." Visalth said before continuing critical tone, "But be warned child. The environmental threat suit has its limits, and won't protect you from extreme projectiles or excessive heats above its capabilities. For those instances you would need the environmental exposure suit. This is just the research suit."

"What's the difference?" Vix asked.

"You see child. Way back when we were primarily a race of scientist and researchers we knew that there would be situations and environments that would be hazardous even for us. In order to study these places and even their flora and fauna we developed the environmental suits and the EXS's. With them we could get very close to dangerous creatures. And the EXS would protect us from the extremes certain exo-biomes. From extreme cold and heat to the vacuum of space." Visalth explained.

"Kinda like the space suits astronauts wear." Vix said as she tried to process all this.

"Something like that. But far less bulky and restrictive and made for the most extreme environments. With the EXS you could swim in liquid methane oceans to no ill effect." Visalth said, "And I have."

"Then...why not just give me the armor straight away if you're concerned about my getting shot at?"

"For several reasons." Visalth replied seriously, "For one you still need the suit to interface with the, armor as you say, secondly you need to learn to use the normal suit before you could use the "armor", and thirdly it needs to be custom fitted to your mental patterns. You'll need to use the research suit for a period of time before all the relevant data is collected."

"Okay...I guess that makes some sense." Vix said slowly, "So how does the research suit work?"

"Pay close attention little one and we will start off with the basics." Visalth said with tone of meticulousness.

After what seemed like hours but was in fact only half of one. Vix felt that she had a pretty good handle on the capabilities of the suit. She was still a bit weirded out by it and the way that it hugged her body more than a glove could ever hope to while in its null state. It just felt too much like being naked.

But something she had learned about its capabilities was its use in conjunction with normal cloths. It could repair them while she wore them as well as make small alterations when she shifted between her vulpine and human forms. That was going to prove useful. At least she wouldn't have to worry about having a hole in her jeans just below the belt where her tail would be when using her human form.

Having cloths that fit her right was also a bonus. As were boots that didn't cramp when she was using digigrade feet!

She took one last look at the suit in its null state before donning her cloths back on. After fully dressed again Vix watched the suit retract back into her bracer. Even though she had a decent understanding of how it worked now it was still a sight to see it disappear into the bracer to be stored away in the pocket dimension.

The suit when worn in its basic form was a mainly a dark graphite color covered in a hexagon pattern. The edges of the hexagons gave off a shimmering light occasionally shifting through all the colors before going dark again whenever she moved. It was a little like wearing a prism.

With just a little thought of her mind and the garment could morph to look and feel like her jeans and olive green t-shirt before with her red and brown flannel worn over the undershirt. Even though the garment could easily mimic her cloths Vix insisted on wearing the real thing for now. She just didn't feel right otherwise, at least till she had some time to use it more.

"Well done!" Visalth said giving a small clap of approval. To some people they might consider this statement condescending, given by a teacher one their pupil had finally caught on to the lesson, but Vix knew that the sentiment was genuine when coming from the Vivudrosian.

"Now then." Visalth said as her ghostly heals clicked on the floor as she walked over to her. "I see you've been making use of the multi-tool."

"Yes, it's been a bit...useful." Vix said thinking back to her broken cell phone and how the tool had restored the fractured screen.

"I think you might be interested in another feature that it has." Visalth said. "Pull it out and enter this code."

Giving Visalth a perplexed look Vix reached into her pocket and into the dimensional storage space and retrieved the tool. She then activated the tools holo-display and with Visalth prompting her from over her shoulder scrolled through a few option boxes and found what Visalth was indicating. Summoning a keypad into existence she glanced at the alien symbols briefly and still able to understand an alien language she had never seen before she entered in the code Visalth had told her.

"Ok, done." Vix said looking up at Visalth, "Now what?"

"You have now unlocked the devices stun mode." Visalth said.

"What, like a Taser?" Vix asked looking back down at the pipe-like tool in her paw.

"In some ways yes. But much more versatile than the clunky electrified self-defense weapons humans have invented so far." Visalth explained. "Here, allow me to show you."

Visalth walked over to a different part of the room/lab and stopped at a pedestal near a portion of wall. The surface of the pedestal lit up and she entered a few commands into the interface. A large holographic screen blinked into existence about a half a foot from the wall and looked to be about four feet high and twelve feet wide, although Vix suspected the actual size of it was not constrained to these dimensions and could in fact be any size it needed to be by the user.

Visalth waved her hand across the screen and a diagram of the multi-tool came into being. This being a hologram the image rendered into three dimensions. The image of the tool cycled through a few different forms slowly before returning to the first image and repeating the cycle.

"As you can see it has a number of defense modes and forms depending on what the user needs at the moment."_Visalth explained. _"And I can see on your face that you are concerned. But let me allay your fears. The tool can only be used in a non-fatal way. It will only stun the target or put it in a short term stasis. No matter how high the setting is it wall always self-adjust to the highest necessary to render the target unconscious without harm to the target."

"What were these modes used for?" Vix asked as she watched the display cycle through the modes and show the effects of each one.

"Mainly for specimen collection."_Visalth said, _"Remember, we were a race of scientists. We would use it to put a target animal into stasis so that we could safely examine it, then return it to its home unharmed."

"I'm getting a grey vibe here." Vix said anxiously. She suddenly had visions of all the old sci-fi movies she had seen growing up about alien abductions.

"What? Oh, Them!"_Visalth said with a bit of confusion before realization dawned and her tone took on a dark tone. Vix had never hear Visalth talk in such a distasteful voice about...well...anything really. _"Nasty little things. Well, most of them are. A rare few were actually fairly decent and shared our outlook of doing no harm to intelligent beings."

"Wait hold on! Back up the truck." Vix said incredulously. "Grey aliens really exist?"

"Hmm? Oh yes." Visalth said, "You don't see them as much as you used to. They were more active primarily during the late forties through the sixties tapering off in the early seventies. They were mainly drawn here during the period when all the nuclear bomb testing was going on above ground. I think they were hoping to find another advanced species to study but became disillusioned when you didn't move on to fusion power. Never understood why they enjoyed cutting people open and putting them back together again. It's so much cleaner just to do a deep scan on an animal and you get just as much detail and information. No need for cutting living things open like that. Nasty little things they are. I think they actually get some pleasure from it. The nasty ones that is. The more enlightened ones were much easier to deal with."

"Wow. I..I don't know what to think." Vix stammered a little from the revelation. "I thought they were just something made up by Hollywood."

"Oh no. they are quite real young Victoria." Visalth said, "Thankfully they are something you needn't worry about."

"Because they don't come here anymore?" Vix said hopefully.

"Oh they still come around from time to time. But they pose no real threat to you personally." Visalth replied.

"Oh." Vix said nervously.

"Now, on to other unpleasant things."_Visalth said becoming serious again. _"When you go to the airfield be very mindful. Not all is as it appears." She warned.

"How so?" Vix asked, her ears perking up at the mention of the airfield.

"That, you will have to discover for yourself. I con not say anymore on the subject." Visalth said somberly.

"Let me guess." Vix said tiredly and pinching the bridge of her muzzle. "The Universe prevents you, right?" behind her Vix's tail twitched as it swayed left to right behind her in slight agitation.

"Yes." Visalth said softly, "There are things even I must obey."

"Right." Vix said straightening up and looking over to the portal ring. "Any other sage advice to give me before I go?"

"Just know that the future isn't written yet." Visalth said, "I see many possible outcomes, and they all mainly center on the decisions you make from this point on. So be mindful and be wary."

"Ok..." Vix said as she digested this. She was careful to listen closely to what Visalth said, trying to discern any hidden meaning to what she said, but also because she suspected that if Visalth was saying it, it was because it was important.

"Oh! And Victoria? Do pop in from time to time. The ship gets lonely. A visit from you would do her good."_Visalth said. _"Yes, of course."_Visalth replied kindly, _"My sanctuary is now yours. The ship will always accept you. Just think of the portal anytime you are near a door and one will open for you wherever you are."

"Wait, so I don't need to come back to the woods to gain entry?" Vix asked.

"No. In fact, once you leave the ring in the woods will vanish." Visalth said. "Just picture the portal in your mind. You have my memories of it. It will come easily to you. Try it now young Victoria."

Vix turned and looked at the portal. She pictured the woods outside and the portal opened up. She thought about her new home in the loft of Pops' old shop building and the portal changed to a view of the main room as if she were standing in front of the doo to the outside stairs.

_"See? You remember how it works."_Visalth said in a congratulational tone.

"No, I think you remember and I'm just remembering what you remember." Vix paused for a moment to run that sentence through her internal filter again and it still felt wrong. "Well...you know what I mean."

"But be mindful, you can only use it to go to places where you've been to before. And be careful who sees you use it." Visalth warned, "There are those that would give anything to gain access to this place. And the few that could do so could inflict great harm if they did."

"People like Smith." Vix said flatly in great understanding.

"Exactly. He's been looking for this place for some time." Visalth said gravely, "Do not let him find it."

"I won't Visalth. I promise." Vix said solemnly. Then without another word she opened the portal back to the woods where Frank was still waiting for her. The portal ring turned its face downward and she gave a small leap up and through it before it again closed behind her.

Visalth watched her go, and once she was alone in the room looked off into the distance as if looking at something far off. In fact she was looking at something both very, very far away and also extremely close.

_"Are you quite sure this is the right course of action? Should I really be burdening her with so much?"_Visalth said to the empty room.

She listened to a voice only she could hear. Well, not really a voice persey, but an intelligence nonetheless.

"I wish you would allow me to tell her more. She barely understands what she must do now. It would be so much easier for her if she knew what the future held."

Again the intelligence made its quasi-thoughts known to Visalth alone.

"Yes. I suppose you are right. The damage to the fabric could be severe. Another rift could very well open again. But is she strong enough to prevent it."

Another thought was said.

"Yes, I sincerely hope so."