The Indestructibles (Book 4): Like A Comet Read Online Free PDF Page B

"That's the other reason we've
patched you in," Doc said. "Billy is going to translate for us so
Dude can fill us in on the big picture."
          "I don't know if translate is
the right word," Billy said. "I'm mostly just going to repeat what he
says inside my head—does this sound as crazy to everyone else as it sounds to
me? It seems nuts to me."
          "Not gonna lie, Starbuck, it is pretty messed up," Emily said.
          What about you? Are you ready for
this? Billy thought.
          Honestly, I should have told
you all of this a long time ago, Dude said.
          Why didn't you? Billy thought.
          Because at first I needed to
make sure you'd be a worthy partner. And then we were too busy saving the world
a few times, Dude said. I did have every intention to share this
information with you.
          Anything I'm about to translate
for the rest of these guys that's going to make me really uncomfortable? Billy
asked.
          Truthfully? Probably all of it, Dude said.
          Well that's reassuring, Billy
thought. Where are we going to start?
          At the very beginning, Dude
said. You should know where you come from.
          Last time I had this conversation,
it was a very awkward afternoon with my dad, Billy said. Let's get this over
with.
          "Hey Billy, you've got that
slack-jawed look going on," Emily said. "You talking with Dude?"
          "Yeah," he said.
          "Whenever you're ready,
Billy," Doc said. "No rush."
          How do I begin? Billy thought.
          Like you would any story, Dude said. You start, and I'll tell you what to say.
     
    * * *
     
          And Straylight said:
          Once upon a time.
          "A long time ago, in a galaxy
far, far away?" said Emily.
          "Quiet, Emily,"said
Jane. "Let him talk."
          She's not wrong, Straylight
said. It was a long time ago in a galaxy far far away. My people, the beings
you call the Luminae, had a home world. It was a planet made of light.
          "Humans call you the Luminae,"
Jane said. "But that's not your real name, right? What should we really
call you?"
          "Oh sure, you get to
interrupt him and I can't," said Emily.
          "Hush, Em," said Jane.
          No, it's okay, said Straylight. My real name, our real name, is made up of light, a certain tone and glow.
It can't be translated for human language. Your people called us the Luminae,
and that is a fine name. A strong name. We accepted it gladly.
          "You said once upon a time
you had a home world," Titus said. "It's gone?"
          We had a home world made of
light, Straylight said. It was the most beautiful thing you would ever
have seen. And we swam along its surface like fish, glittering in the daylight.
It was paradise.
          But it had a flaw. All worlds have
a flaw, you know. All worlds, great and small, have some crack, some
imperfection, and because of that imperfection every world is one bad day away
from becoming nothing. This is the way of the universe. Nothing is perfect, and
nothing is forever.
          "Does our world have a flaw?"
said Jane.
          Of course, Straylight said. More than one. As
did ours. And when our world died, we fled. We ran to the stars. We rode the
cosmic byways like dolphins along the prow of a ship. A school of shooting stars.
          "Is your world gone?"
Emily asked.
          Gone like a dream the moment
you wake. A haunting memory in the corner of your mind, something you can't
quite recall, a thing you love but can never touch. There was nothing like it
in the universe. We know this for sure, because in our search, we looked for a
new home, a place like ours, with seas of light and mountains made of
moonbeams.
          "Well this is off to quite a
depressing start," Billy said, deviating from the script. He felt Dude
admonish him silently. "Sorry. I was editorializing. I'll continue."
           As I was