******************************************************** Billy Lee Black #1/Higher Power #2: Leaving Kansas ********************************************************

Billy's head was reeling. In the space of a few minutes his entire world had been flipped upside down. It was an experience he had gone through once before, back when he had discovered the truth about the Ethos organization, and going through it again did not make it easier. Finding Citan. Facing down a robot that was, at least on the surface, very similar to the basic structure of the Gears he was familiar with. Seeing Citan use his Ether powers despite Deus being gone. And the revelation that he may not be able to go home.

The last part was what really worrying him, Billy admitted. He was /needed/ at home! The children needed to be cared for, and Primera was all alone. Well, his father was at the orphanage but that fact didn't do much to calm the churning thoughts in Billy's mind. And now this. Some sort of image, a portal. He squinted, watching Preston's image on the other side of the gate as he bent down to examine the remains of what had been his watch. The timepiece had rather abruptly exploded seconds after Preston had passed through to wherever he was now. Just as a first impression, the man seemed a bit on the rash side to Billy.

Billy looked around at the others. His old friend Citan "Hyuga" Uzuki. In an indirect way, Billy was here because of Citan, as he had rejoined all his old friends back home to launch a search for the missing doctor. Then he had been tinkering with one of the black boxes in Renmazuo, showing it to Dan when the mysterious machine had suddenly erupted in purple energy. In the resulting chaos Billy had found himself here, on Nu. Badly burned and with Renmazuo, and everything else he found familiar, gone. Next was Kala Tremont. The introductions had been short, but from what Billy gathered she was a native to this world of Nu, and a mage of some form. The massive draconian, who called herself Tempreat, still made Billy nervous. Though this dragon seemed to be far less malevolent then any of the gigantic beasts he had faced in his Gear, and had in fact helped save the others from the Gear that had guarded this portal, caution seemed a prudent course. And that left Rei Ayanami. The petite girl had pale blue hair and truly crimson eyes. Those eyes had captured his attention; he had never seen that shade of eye color in anyone besides his sister. She was quiet where most of the others, even the dragon, seemed to feel uncomfortable in silence. Of course, even after only a few minutes of observation, Billy noticed that the girl took quiet to extremes. She was very withdrawn, practically encouraging the others to not talk to her. Not one to pry, Billy respected this unspoken wish and hadn't pressed her for conversation.

"Well everyone?" Tempreat rumbled. "What do we do now?"

Kala swallowed, staring at the portal. "Well, Preston's bracelet just exploded, but he seems to be okay."

The crimson scaled wyrm swiveled it's neck to peer down at Kala. Despite herself, Kala paled a little in the face of the dragon's scrutiny. "I'd rather be a little more sure of what made that trinket explode before I risk life, limb, and wing, but thanks anyway."

"S, sure Tempreat. No p, problem," the girl stammered in response.

"If I may interject an idea here," Citan said as he readjusted the spectacles on his face, "I think it was the unique nature of Preston's "trinket" that caused it to explode."

All eyes turned to the Doctor. "What do you mean, Doctor Uzuki?" said Billy.

"That was a wristwatch Billy, not just some bracelet."

Kala looked among Tempreat, Rei, Citan, and Billy. "Wristwatch? You mean something like a pocket watch?"

"Search me." said Tempreat, shrugging her shoulders.

"That's close enough. It tells the time of day." Rei said without turning to look at Kala.

"Why would that make a difference, one type or the other?" Tempreat asked.

"Simple," said Citan. "I don't think mechanical watches would be affected because mechanical watches don't use elec..."

"HEY!" Billy shot a surprised look at the portal, where Preston had just stepped back through. "Are you guys coming or not?"

Citan quietly waved at Preston to calm down. "Just a moment Preston. We are trying to conclude if any of the rest of us carry items that might react to the portal in the same way your watch just did."

Preston blinked. "Oh. Okay." He stepped away from the portal and approached the group again. "Any ideas why my watch blew up in the first place?"

"I do have one theory." Citan answered.

"We're all ears." Tempreat said with what Billy had to assume was a draconian smirk.

"I think the watch exploded mainly because of what it uses for power; electricity. As I do not believe any of the rest of us carry items that require electric power, we should be fine."

"Doctor Uzuki?" Kala said. "I don't want to sound ignorant, but where did you get this idea from?"

"I'm guessing, to be honest about it Kala. Preston, did you happen to see any kind of electrical generators on the other side of the portal? Anything that could be a massive power supply?"

Preston shook his head. "No, but I could hear a low humming. That could have come from a generator. Come on, let's back through and see what's on the other side!"

Rei sighed and shook her head, just a little bit, from side to side.

Billy, along with everyone else, turned to look at the uncharacteristic display, but Rei only stared back at them and said nothing.

"What is it Rei?" Citan finally said.

She only shook her head. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it."

Billy frowned in thought. "Well. Whatever Rei might think, I say that we need to be a bit more careful than to just charge into the portal. Preston alone didn't set off any alarms or more guards like those Gears, but if we all went in, then we might." Looking at the rest of the group, he noticed Rei give him a look that /almost/ seemed approving.

"More Gears eh?" Tempreat grinned. "That sounds like a job for a peacekeeper, which I just happen to be. That I can understand, even though most of what you five are talking about doesn't even sound like plain Nuian." She dropped down from the crouch she had been using, and swiftly crossed the distance between the group and the portal. Clasping her wings tight about her body, the dragon squeezed through the portal, emerging seemingly unhurt on the other side. Turning, she seemed to be trying to say something, but the sounds didn't pass through the gate as easily as Tempreat just had. Noticing the others all has uncomprehending looks on their faces as well, Billy dramatically motioned to his ears, trying to indicate to Tempreat that he couldn't hear her. She paused for a moment, then stuck her head back through the shimmering portal. "All seems to be clear. I don't see anything that looks like that big golem outside." Tempreat pulled her head back through the portal and gave the rest of the group an expectant look.

Citan cleared his throat. "Well then, perhaps we should see what waits for us on the other side." He moved forward, motioning for the rest to follow. Billy, almost out of reflex, fell in behind him. Preston shrugged and did the same, then Kala. Last came an expressionless Rei, silently following the rest through the portal.

The air on the other side was flat, like air no one and nothing had moved through for centuries. The taste of it coated the tongue and nostrils with something undeniable. It was a familiar taste and scent to Billy. In his travels with Citan and Fei back on his home, they had been the first people to set foot in the areas they uncovered for over 500 years, and in the case of the Zeboim ruins and the wreckage of the Eldridge they had been the first to disturb the air for several thousand years. This place tasted that kind of old. Ancient would be a better term. Wherever they were, no one else had been here for a very, very long time.

Citan was busy examining the panels and other machinery throughout the room. "Amazing! This technology is beyond anything I've ever seen!"

"That's saying a lot." Billy said.

"Indeed it is Billy, at the risk of sounding immodest. The little I can make sense of, these machines must control the interface of the portal from this side. That would be logical anyway. I really can't make heads or tails of most of this. Some of it is similar in style with the technology on the Eldridge," he indicated a particular mass of alien circuitry, "this for instance is similar enough that it could be a power module, but so much of the rest of the technology is incomprehensible. And look here," he pointed at the console that was alight with blinking buttons and displays, "These letters look like Galactic Federation Standard, but it has peculiar differences."

Rei stepped forward and peered over his shoulder. "Wormhole failsafe. Security clearance required. Please insert ID key to activate."

Citan, and everyone else, stopped rubbernecking and looked at Rei. "What did you say Rei?" asked Citan.

She indicated the panel. "That's what the words say. I don't know what your Galactic Federation Standard is, but the words are in English."

Citan narrowed his eyes in speculation as he stared at Rei. "That's twice now that you've called this English. And that you've been able to read it better than I can."

Rei shrugged noncommittally and said nothing.

Preston gave a quick shrug of his own and turned away. "Well, there doesn't seem to be much here to tell us what this place is, or why it's abandoned. I say we look around."

"Yeah, I agree." said Kala.

Billy nodded as Citan moved off after Kala and Preston. He looked down for a brief moment, thinking about home. He'd never go back. Or Doctor Uzuki said no one had ever been successful at trying to leave this...Nu. Shaking his head to clear it of the depressing thoughts he started forward again, only to notice Rei staring at him. Billy stared back, noticing again how crimson Rei's eyes were, just like his sister's. Unlike Primera though, who Billy had always been able to communicate with because of the expressiveness of her eyes, Rei's eyes had nothing behind them. No reaction to his own gaze, no response. Not even a sense of caring. It was as if the girl didn't even notice what was going on around her. He blinked, holding the girl's eyes for a heartbeat before politely gesturing at the door. "After you." She turned without a word and walked out, Billy falling into place a few steps behind her.

Outside the room Billy found the rest of the group in the hall, waiting for them. Citan looked at Billy and Rei with an expression of curiosity. "Did you two find something?"

Billy opened his mouth to answer, then shot a glance at Rei and shook his head. "No. I just got lost in my thoughts and Rei was kind enough to wait for me." Rei turned her head to look at him for a moment, then turned back around. Preston and Tempreat both made snorting noises and Kala smirked.

Citan just nodded. "I see. Well, come on then. There is no telling how large this building is." He turned and walked off, carefully examining anything that caught his eyes as he went along.

Kala coughed. "Um...Dr. Uzuki?"

"Yes Kala?" Citan said as he turned around.

"Well, not to be a pain or anything, but shouldn't we go back to the University and report our findings? Maybe get some more help? This /is/ a pretty big find isn't it?"

Citan reached up to adjust his glasses. "Well Kala, I suppose we could legitimately turn back now. You're right after all, the existence of this place is a wonderful find. But once the officials at the college knows about this place, undoubtedly they will send a research team, and we might not get to see it again." He smiled. "And that just wouldn't be any fun at all."

In response Preston laughed outloud and Billy felt a grin creep across his face. Above his head Tempreat snorted out a chuckle.

Kala blushed a bit and smiled as well. "I hadn't thought of it quite like that." Only Rei said nothing.

Suddenly Preston slapped a hand down against Tempreat's back. "Well, let's get to it then! Forward ho, and all that. Right? Right!" He turned around and came face to face with Tempreat, who had crouched down so she could look Preston in the eyes.

"What was that for?" rumbled the crimson draconian, a puff of smoke curling up from her jaws.

Preston blanched, his sudden burst of enthusiasm draining out of him like water from a sieve. "I...um...that is I..."

The dragon paused for a moment, then Tempreat grinned, showing all her teeth. "Relax Preston. I was joking."

Billy sighed, making his body relax. He was definitely still nervous around Tempreat. For a moment he had frozen, unsure of how to deal with the possibility of a conflict with the talking dragon. He cleared his throat. "Well, like Preston said, let's go shall we?"

The complex, for it soon became obvious that they were in a business building with many offices and machines unrelated to the wormhole, was very large and Billy quickly tired of examining each and every room. Instead he, and everyone but Citan, started to just peek their heads into a room and if nothing interesting sprang into sight, they would move on. This continued on for several minutes, until Billy heard someone curse under their breath. Turning around, Billy saw Preston leaning against the doorjamb of the room he had looked into. He moved across the hall, placing a hand on Preston's shoulder. "Are you all right Preston?"

Preston turned to look at Billy. His eyes were dilated, and his face was somewhat pale. He looked like he was in shock. Without a word he moved aside to let Billy see the inside of the room. Preston was a hand or so taller than Billy, so his view of the room had been blocked by Preston's shoulder. As the other man moved away however, Billy saw the room was some sort of lounge. Several couches dominated the room, all of them coated in dust so thick it paled the color of the material the couches were made of. His eyes moved across countertops where sat machines Billy assumed were for refreshment, and then stopped dead at the far wall. The entire wall was taken up by a huge window. It offered a stunning view of the outside.

Billy heard Preston move away, calling for the others to come and see the room, but Billy stood still in a state of shock, just as Preston had been. Outside the window huge buildings stood like giants that stretched up to touch the heavens. Lines of white color wove in and out of the gigantic skyscrapers. Some of them came close enough to the window Billy was looking out of that he could see they were translucent tubes, presumably some form of vehicle used them to travel through the city. Far, far below him Billy saw the criss-cross of more tubes and then finally some streets on what he fervently hoped was the ground. Bringing his eyes away from the dizzying sight he looked back to the huge buildings. Each one of them was different in form than the last, the architecture looked like they had been poured into a mold. Some of them were more square, with a decent amount of right angles and corners. Most however all but defied the laws of gravity as Billy knew them. Bizarre curves and artistic swirls moved against, blended into, and escaped from each other as he examined each building. The only thing each of them had in common was the somewhat drab grey coloring of each building. It was as if the architects of the city has sought to compensate for the drab, metallic coloring of their materials by making the buildings' forms seem fluid and artistic.

Behind him came a gasp of surprise. Billy turned to see Kala, her hands covering her mouth while here eyes threatened to pop out of her skull as she stared at the sights the window had to offer. From behind her an arm clad in green gently moved her out of the way, and Citan, Tempreat, Preston and finally Rei filed into the room.

Among the six of them there was silence for several minutes. Finally Citan laid a hand on the window and took a deep breath. "Well, this is certainly a daunting revelation, isn't it."

Kala turned to look at Citan, her face still showing shock. "Citan, w, where are we?"

He shook his head. "I don't know Kala. All I can tell you is where we aren't."

"And where exactly is that?" rumbled Tempreat from above their heads.

"Nowhere on Nu." Preston stated with a tone of finality.

Citan turned his head to look at Preston briefly before nodding. "Exactly. This kind of place would surely have been noticed before by SOMEONE."

Kala began to shake her head violently from one side to the other. "That isn't possible! It's not, everyone knows that leaving Nu isn't possible! Even the greatest wizards in history couldn't ever leave the Nexus!!" Her voice was getting shriller with each sentence; it was obvious that Kala was going hysterical.

"Calm down girl!" Tempreat said with an edge of annoyance. "Nothing is going to be helped if you go all to pieces."

Kala didn't seem to hear Tempreat. She turned to Citan. "We have to still be on Nu! We HAVE to be!"

Citan opened his mouth to say something when he was quickly pushed out of the way from behind. Rei moved past him and came up close to Kala, who viewed her with wide, frightened eyes. Without a word Rei reached a hand back and brought it around to smack Kala across the face. Kala yelped and fell down out of surprise, but her breathing slowed down and she seemed a little bit more in control.

"Good move Rei." Tempreat said approvingly. "That's the best cure for hysteria I know."

Billy had to agree, even if hitting Kala wouldn't have been a tactic he could have taken himself. "Are you all right Kala?"

"No." came the miserable reply. "I still don't understand how we could have left the Nexus, despite the fact the Citan is right. This kind of place would have been discovered a long time ago."

Citan readjusted his glasses. "Perhaps I was a bit unclear in my statement Kala. I did not mean to insinuate we had the left the Nexus altogether, merely the planet."

Tempreat curved her neck to look down to Citan. "Isn't that the same thing?"

Rei looked up at the draconian. "No."

Preston walked closer to her and grinned. "Care to elaborate, Oh demure, mysterious, and silent one?"

Rei seemed to ignore Preston's flirting. "Just leaving the planet is not the same as leaving the universe completely."

Kala stood back up. "Why not?"

"Kala," Citan began, "Back on the world Billy and I come from, we discovered the remains of a ship that traveled the areas beyond planets, which we call 'outer space.' Just believe me when I say that it isn't the same thing as traveling into a wholly separate universe."

Preston shrugged. "I've never traveled in outer space Doc, but Mom did once with Uncle Squall, and the way she described it didn't feel at all like it did when I came here. So I'll just assume you have more experience. What say we all get out of this place and have a closer look at the city?"

There were no objections, so everyone filed out of the lounge. Billy turned just before he exited and saw Rei was staring out the window again. Her back was to him so he couldn't see any kind of expression, but her fists were clamped together. "Rei? Are you okay?"

Rei turned to look at him, her face completely expressionless. "Yes, I am fine." Billy noted that her fists didn't relax, but he said nothing.

"We'd better catch up. People might talk if we keep lagging behind together." He smiled, but when he received no response to his joke Billy turned and moved off after the others. Behind him he could hear as Rei closed the door to the lounge and then followed him.

They caught up with the rest of the group only a bit down the hall. Not much was said as each person dealt with the idea of being off-planet. Billy was willing to take it in stride. Kala's reaction was understandable, given her circumstances of being a native to this world, but after traveling from a totally different reality, he didn't find much astonishing about traveling inbetween planets. And all of this was happening so quickly. It just hadn't had time to really sink in.

They passed reinforced doors, large windows, and hallways that were segmented by forcefields. The later were easy to get by as the controls for each field were located on the side the group was on. Citan and Rei both examined the controls for the first forcefield they came across and after a few minutes discovered the power controls. After that the rest of them were no barrier at all. It took nearly a half hour to navigate the building, but after a few arguments and several cases of doubling back, they finally found the front door.

"See!" Preston pronounced. "I told you this was the right way."

"And that's what you said the last four times too, and we ended up in a dead end." Kala smirked at Preston.

He shrugged. "Everyone's a critic. Let's go!" He waved them all forward, the new pink skin showing in contrast against the rest of his wrist. Citan had healed the burn from the wristwatch's explosion just after they had left the lounge.

Citan opened the heavy door. With a loud squealing sound the door swung inward; the hinges were very old and even the impressive material they were made of had begun to deteriorate. Preston, as Billy was beginning to expect, exuberantly led the way out. The others moved the follow, though Tempreat had to crouch low to move her much larger body through the doorway. Once outside she joined the others in peering around at the alien city.

"What should we do first?" Kala asked.

All of them froze as a figure stepped out from around the corner of the building they had just exited. "I think I can help answer that."

Billy's hands moved to his six-shooters instantly, and out of the corer of his eye he saw the others move for their weapons. "Who are you, sir?" he asked.

The man smiled and moved forward, his hands up to show he had no weapons. "My name is Uriel. You must forgive the auspicious entrance, but my people and I have been monitoring your movements ever since we registered the wormhole's activation on our instruments."

"Your people?" asked Preston, echoing Billy's own thoughts.

Uriel nodded and signaled to the shadows and alleys around them. Dozens of men in uniform stepped into sight, several of them with weapons in hand. "Welcome to Umbriel." he grinned.

Somehow Billy didn't feel all that welcome.

--Do not meddle in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.