*I have accessed the public history database regarding dimensional teleportation,* the Crystallon stated, *and I have determined that it is the rarest and least-known aspect of psychoportation abilities. There have been only seven individuals identified with such abilities in the history of the Commonwealth, the last reported being over 25 standard years ago.*
*There are rumors, though, of hidden Commonwealth departments developing dimensional shifting amplifiers and enhancers,* put in Boulder, *but those rumors have the same validity as rumors of existing Predecessors from the popular media with zero-respect or worse ratings.*
*Don’t forget that Chime’s (sound of wind chimes on the spring breeze) great-uncle Threbus works for one of those secret departments,* said Stream unexpectedly. In response to Chime’s annoyed glare, Stream continued *It is not as secret as they would like, as much as they would like to believe it so.*
*But, secret or not, there are a number of organizations within the Commonwealth that would want to investigate your abilities, Chime, or worse. Some are so secret that they are above the law, and a few others do not bother with respecting the law at all.*
Birdsong said *As an adult, Chime should be free to choose her own destiny, even if it was following a dream in another universe. Ellori law is liberal enough to permit it and Commonwealth law could not override it. The Ellori government would have to step in, if anything would happen.*
*I don’t have the time or luxury of going through the official review process to be recognized as an adult. I must return quickly, and there would be too many questions asked about my absence that I cannot answer.* countered Chime. *Therefore, under Commonwealth law, I still subject to a number of restrictions to my actions.* For instance, the Commonwealth could use the law prohibiting the introduction of Commonwealth or Ellori technology to unclassified worlds without competent supervision to prevent her return, even if it only meant wearing her personal defense belt, a common item within the Commonwealth.
KXV-3871 replied *Ellori law allows for any citizen who can demonstrate competence with any advanced psychic abilities to request immediate adult status: such requests are automatically granted. Teleportation and especially dimensional teleportation are both evidence that Chime qualifies. In fact, I could code the request myself and issue it after Chime leaves, thereby retroactively justifying her actions.* What was left unsaid was that it justify most of her planned actions.
Chime explained that she was prepared to pay for anything she obtained. Gold and other formerly precious metals and jewels were plentiful in the Commonwealth, but Chime brought with her a number of small pieces of jewelry that she had acquired over the past several months: nothing particularly expensive where they originated, but quite unique and therefore fabulously valuable here. The Commonwealth was large enough and wealthy enough that there were several known collectors of alien or transworld artifacts who would pay a great deal for even one of these pieces. Her friends would be reimbursed many times over, even enough to reimburse the Commonwealth for anything of theirs she would acquire. To ensure that she could not be traced through psychometry, Chime had purposely isolated these pieces. Once they were in others’ hands, even if for a few minutes, that would overwrite the faint impressions she had left on them. Chime was also hoping that her adopted world’s effect that somehow made it difficult, if not impossible, for her people to previously telepathically trace her across the dimensions would continue to protect her.
Personal Links