Part 1:
Whether it's a knock at the door.
Or a bug through an open window.
Unexpected guests?
They can be a hassle.
Imagine our surprise, then, as a ghostly purple head appeared and cast its glowing eyes right at us.
“Forgive my arrival," it moaned. “Time is scant! Help is needed. A world teeters on oblivion!”
“Who are you?” Rick asked.
“I am called … Uubiquatus.”
“Yeah, I bet are you,” Dale said under his breath.
“My world faces destruction. I search for heroes to aid us.”
“You came here? You’re sure it’s the right place?”
“My senses tell me you are worthy.”
Rick turned to me as the purple head waited.
“What do you think?”
“It sounds like they’ve got major trouble. I’m up for it, I guess.”
“Be warned,” said the phantasm. “Danger and struggle await.”
“We understand. Count us in,” Rick said. “Will we be gone long? I’ve got a job and all.”
“I can return you so that only one hour will pass in your world.”
Rick left a note for Colin and sent a text to Genevieve, in case our return didn’t go as planned.
“We’re ready,” he said.
Two hands appeared on either side of the floating head.
The hands grew as they reached out and cupped around us.
We were carried off in the grip of a spirit.
Or a bug through an open window.
Unexpected guests?
They can be a hassle.
Imagine our surprise, then, as a ghostly purple head appeared and cast its glowing eyes right at us.
“Forgive my arrival," it moaned. “Time is scant! Help is needed. A world teeters on oblivion!”
“Who are you?” Rick asked.
“I am called … Uubiquatus.”
“Yeah, I bet are you,” Dale said under his breath.
“My world faces destruction. I search for heroes to aid us.”
“You came here? You’re sure it’s the right place?”
“My senses tell me you are worthy.”
Rick turned to me as the purple head waited.
“What do you think?”
“It sounds like they’ve got major trouble. I’m up for it, I guess.”
“Be warned,” said the phantasm. “Danger and struggle await.”
“We understand. Count us in,” Rick said. “Will we be gone long? I’ve got a job and all.”
“I can return you so that only one hour will pass in your world.”
Rick left a note for Colin and sent a text to Genevieve, in case our return didn’t go as planned.
“We’re ready,” he said.
Two hands appeared on either side of the floating head.
The hands grew as they reached out and cupped around us.
We were carried off in the grip of a spirit.
Howling winds! And a bumpy ride. We rode in darkness. But never too bumpy.
Eventually the hands opened, depositing us in a great hall gleaming with silver.
Triumphant figures in stunning costumes observed our entrance.
Heroes in bright colors and impossible physiques.
We turned back to Uubiquatus, who now was a full-bodied purple man.
He balanced against a wall as the giant head and hands shrunk back into him.
“I’ve brought … more allies.”
“You have achieved much,” said a muscular man in blue. “Go rest.”
Uubiquatus staggered away, leaving us with the strangers.
“My name is Lincoln,” said the hero. He wore a sky blue costume with purple-y boots. A block letter L was on his collar.
“Hello," Dale responded.
Lincoln pressed a microphone and said, “Del, our recruits are here.”
A man in business attire came out to greet us.
“Special Agent Del Ford,” he smiled. Shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows; a gun sat on his hip.
Eventually the hands opened, depositing us in a great hall gleaming with silver.
Triumphant figures in stunning costumes observed our entrance.
Heroes in bright colors and impossible physiques.
We turned back to Uubiquatus, who now was a full-bodied purple man.
He balanced against a wall as the giant head and hands shrunk back into him.
“I’ve brought … more allies.”
“You have achieved much,” said a muscular man in blue. “Go rest.”
Uubiquatus staggered away, leaving us with the strangers.
“My name is Lincoln,” said the hero. He wore a sky blue costume with purple-y boots. A block letter L was on his collar.
“Hello," Dale responded.
Lincoln pressed a microphone and said, “Del, our recruits are here.”
A man in business attire came out to greet us.
“Special Agent Del Ford,” he smiled. Shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows; a gun sat on his hip.
“I’m the FBI liaison to that crowd out there," he said, leading us to an office with leather chairs.
“Hello," I said, as we sat down.
“You were told this could be rough stuff? That ghost didn’t sugarcoat it, did he?”
“He informed us of the risks,” Rick answered.
“Good. Can you give me a rundown of your abilities?"
“I can vanish from one place and reappear somewhere else,” Dale said. “People nearby go as well.”
“Excellent. And you, Ms. Hatcher-Hyung?”
“Uh, that’s the thing. You see … I don’t really have any powers. Neither does my brother.”
“Seriously?”
“Sorry.”
Special Agent Del Ford grinned and folded his hands in his lap.
“You want to know something? I don’t have any powers either. Don’t sweat it.”
“Are you sure?” Rick asked.
“If Uubiquatus thinks you should be here, then you belong.”
“I’ll keep an eye on them,” Dale said with new-found authority.
“All right, down to business. We have aliens in space, headed our way. That’s Problem One.
“Aliens?"
“We also have something strange going on at the equator. Might be the aliens as well."
“Okay, then."
“And we also have a new villain: the King of Clouds. He turns clouds into hunks of rock, then sending them crashing down."
“For real?"
“He did it five days ago. A fishing village. Hundreds dead in Verttyeke, Norway."
“Hello," I said, as we sat down.
“You were told this could be rough stuff? That ghost didn’t sugarcoat it, did he?”
“He informed us of the risks,” Rick answered.
“Good. Can you give me a rundown of your abilities?"
“I can vanish from one place and reappear somewhere else,” Dale said. “People nearby go as well.”
“Excellent. And you, Ms. Hatcher-Hyung?”
“Uh, that’s the thing. You see … I don’t really have any powers. Neither does my brother.”
“Seriously?”
“Sorry.”
Special Agent Del Ford grinned and folded his hands in his lap.
“You want to know something? I don’t have any powers either. Don’t sweat it.”
“Are you sure?” Rick asked.
“If Uubiquatus thinks you should be here, then you belong.”
“I’ll keep an eye on them,” Dale said with new-found authority.
“All right, down to business. We have aliens in space, headed our way. That’s Problem One.
“Aliens?"
“We also have something strange going on at the equator. Might be the aliens as well."
“Okay, then."
“And we also have a new villain: the King of Clouds. He turns clouds into hunks of rock, then sending them crashing down."
“For real?"
“He did it five days ago. A fishing village. Hundreds dead in Verttyeke, Norway."
The Special Agent bowed his head.
We did the same.
Then he put a hand to his face, as if making sure he hadn’t forgotten anything.
“Any questions?”
“Only about a hundred. What is all this?” Rick asked. “Who are those people out there?”
“That is the QCP: a courageous group of ten heroes fighting to keep the world safe.”
“QCP?”
“The Quinicia Coruscate Passel.”
“I … I don’t know what it means,” Dale said. “Is that English?”
“Quinicia refers to where we are – Quinicia City. And Coruscate? That has to do with light or energy. Passel? It means a group.”
“That’s the name?” I asked.
“It wasn’t anyone’s first choice. But all the good ones were taken! Trademarked and copyrighted. We mostly just go by QCP.”
He handed us a folder stamped TOP SECRET.
“Here's everybody on the roster," he said.
“It’s OK for us have this?”
“Yes, please. You deserve to know who’s fighting beside you.”
I nodded and opened the folder.
We did the same.
Then he put a hand to his face, as if making sure he hadn’t forgotten anything.
“Any questions?”
“Only about a hundred. What is all this?” Rick asked. “Who are those people out there?”
“That is the QCP: a courageous group of ten heroes fighting to keep the world safe.”
“QCP?”
“The Quinicia Coruscate Passel.”
“I … I don’t know what it means,” Dale said. “Is that English?”
“Quinicia refers to where we are – Quinicia City. And Coruscate? That has to do with light or energy. Passel? It means a group.”
“That’s the name?” I asked.
“It wasn’t anyone’s first choice. But all the good ones were taken! Trademarked and copyrighted. We mostly just go by QCP.”
He handed us a folder stamped TOP SECRET.
“Here's everybody on the roster," he said.
“It’s OK for us have this?”
“Yes, please. You deserve to know who’s fighting beside you.”
I nodded and opened the folder.