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Part One
A wormhole between parallel worlds
Your next slide, will be your last.
That's what the old man told him and his friends. He wasn't sure if that meant that he'd die, or that he'd finally be home. But he had to slide, even if it was his last one. It seemed like only yesterday that he drove his Cadillac through the stray wormhole. That fateful day, put him on the adventure of his life. Him, Wade, the Professor, and Cueball. His years as a singer, known as The Crying Man, were nothing compared to some of the things he'd seen sliding from one Earth to another.
He looked up ahead at the familiar bluish look of the wormhole. He then saw something that was unfamiliar. It looked like a rip. And he was heading straight for it.
"Crying Man has just sang his last note." he yelled as he fell into the rip.
Capper Central, in the vortex between all dimensions.
Opus1432 buried her head in her pillow, fighting the tears proved to be impossible. She tried to hold herself together, but the birthday party the Cappers threw for the June Cappers was too much for her to handle. There was a soft knock on her door. She got up and wiped the tears from her eyes.
"Come in." she said
The doors slid open and Tolstoy walked in. He sat on the bed next to her. He noticed that she had been crying and put an arm around her.
"Everyone has become concerned about you." he told her, "Somethings troubling you."
Opus tried not to start crying again, "I'm sorry. I guess it's the birthday party thing. It just got me to realize something."
"What's that?"
"Well, I don't know when I was born. Only that it was obviously in 2028, seeing as how I left in 2045 to be here."
"Ah, so you've never had a birthday party. Well,seeing as how everyone was fighting Kortac who had invaded the Earth, it would seem...."
"No, it's not that. Not exactly. Come on, I'll show you."
Opus led Tolstoy out into the corridor and into a room where every Capper had placed pictures on all the walls.
"You see," she explained, pointing to some of the pictures, "There's DanZero and his parents, BatQueen and her family, Uncle Gray with JAWS6988 and they're other two brothers. Every Capper has pictures of their family. Except one Capper. Me."
Tolstoy slowly nodded, beginning to understand her situation.
"I dont' even know who my parents were." she continued, "Hell, I don't even know what my real name is. I was in Augusta last weekend, on a date with Steve. He asked me my real name. He thinks I won't tell him. The only reason I can't tell him, is because I don't know."
Tolstoy shook his head, "I wish we could be of some help."
"I didn't mean to ruin the party for anyone, especially for Uncle Gray, but I just..." unable to finish the sentence, Opus gestured at all the pictures.
"My past, my family, my home, was destroyed by the Kortac. Before this place became Capper Central, I was so lonely here. But, Gray, Dan, Anime, the others, you, I no longer feel lonely anymore. Well, I don't think that is the same as your problem..."
Opus shrugged, "We're from different worlds than the others, but they care about us just the same."
"True."
The conversation was interrupted by Rizzz, who stuck his head through the doorway, still wearing a party hat.
"Tolstoy," Rizzz said, "you might want to come up to the command center, Hobbes is picking up some strange energy readings."
"I'm on my way," Tolstoy started to leave, then turned back to Opus "Opus, Gray Zombie once said something that you might want to think about."
"What's that?" she asked
"'Somewhere, Somewhen, everyone finds their destiny, and their future.' Perhaps, the same could be said about your past. Maybe there is someone who can help us with your problem."
"I hope you're right."
Tolstoy turned and left the room. Opus went back to her quarters to make herself more presentable before heading to the command center.
Command Center
MedusaD and BuckFifty sat at Hobbes' console trying to make heads or tails out of the energy reading. Gray Zombie walked in with his laser bazooka, Edgar following behind, on his back was ChimpZero, DanZero's pet chimpanzee.
"Is it Kortac related?" Gray asked
"I'm not sure," Hobbes replied, "I doubt it, but that doesn't mean that whatever it is, could be friendly."
GlitterRock and DanZero rushed in, followed by Rizzz and Tolstoy.
"Look, this better be something important." Glitter said, "I mean, last time it was because of some microphone that got tangled in one of Capper Centrals communication grids outside."
"Yea, KCAP" Dan said, "I'm curious how it got in the vortex."
Tolstoy looked at the readings on one of the smaller monitors on the console, "This is not a microphone. This is an energy reading. Almost like a dimensional rift. Haven't seen anything like it."
Opus walked into the center and stood next to The Gray Zombie,.
"You ok?" Gray asked
Opus nodded, "I'm sorry for ruining the party."
"Oh, it's ok. Long as you're ok. Want to talk about it?"
"Yea, later, though."
MedusaD turned around in her seat, "Heads up, people. Whatever this is, it's coming this way."
As if to show that MedusaD never tells lies, a rip in reality opened up. Everyone stood away from it. Gray Zombie raised his bazooka, waiting for something to jump out and try to attack.
"The Shadow Monarch?" Opus asked Gray
"Bite your tongue, girl" Gray replied
What did come out. Was a man. Of African American decent. He landed on the ground and rolled over. He looked up at the faces looking at him.
"Hi." he said.
Gray's eyes narrowed as he studied the stranger. The stranger looked at Gray and instantly recognized him.
"Holy," the man said, "Gray Zombie."
BuckFifty helped the man up, "You know Gray?" he asked, then stepped back, recognizing the new arrival.
"Watched his show all the time," the man replied, "Gray Zombie: DemonHunter. And that's Edgar. Man, he was my favorite."
Gray Zombie shook his head, "Everyone likes Edgar." he then turned to Buck, "You thinking what I'm thinking?"
Buck nodded.
"Where's Valerie?" the man asked
Gray dropped his bazooka and sat down in a chair. Opus tapped the strangers shoulder.
"Valerie is no longer around."
"Oh. I didn't know that, must of happened right after I left my Earth."
"Must have, Mr.....?"
"Brown," the man replied, "Rembrandt Brown."
"Mr.Brown," DanZero said, "Your show was cancelled. And your fate was left open."
"Until now," Gray said, regaining his composure. "And I was a television character on your Earth?"
"Yep." Rembrandt replied, "One of the best shows on television, too. I'm sorry, I didn't know about Valerie and..."
"It's ok."
Tolstoy stepped over to Rembrandt, "Mr. Brown, my name is Tolstoy. If you don't mind, may I have a word with you. By logic, you should not be here."
"Hey, call me Remmy, and believe me, with all the adventures I've had, logic was thrown out the window a long time ago."
As Tolstoy and Remmy left the room, Gray turned to Hobbes.
"Hobbes, find Animebabe."
"Contacting her now, Gray."
DanZero looked at Gray, "You don't think he's Rembrandt Brown of the televison show Sliders?"
"Oh, I believe he's Rembrandt Brown." Gray replied, "But his presence here bothers me. I have a feeling that we are all, Cappers and Remmy are going to be in big trouble before too long."
"Happens all the time on Sliders." Rizzz said
"Hell," Medusa replied, "Happens all the time with us."
Kortac Secret Base
The Kortac officer walked into Martac's office. He did a Kortac salute.
"Sir." the officer said, "we have done as you requested."
Martac smiled, "They are here?"
"Yes sir. Would you like to meet them?"
Martac walked to the door, "Oh by all means."
Martac and the officer walked out and went into the Kortac laboratory. The Kortac scientist greeted Martac.
"It took some doing," the scientist explained, "but we managed to get them."
Martac smiled and looked at his new guests.
"I am Martac, Supreme Commander of the Kortac Invasion Force." he said, "I welcome you."
"I am Kraag of the Kromags." one of the new arrivals, a Kromag, said "Thank you for the welcome, but tell me, why are we here?"
Martac smiled, "An alliance. To conquer this and any Earth."
To Be Continued
(Remmy and the Cappers learn of the Kortac/Kromag alliance)