Crushing Reality (short story)

 was the ninth short story in Down the Middle.

Plot
to be added

Characters

 * Chris Cwej
 * Larles
 * Kwol
 * Asylum patient
 * Harlan
 * Female orderly
 * Harlan's mother
 * Superior's agent

Worldbuilding

 * Chris uses a temporal dampener and a aetha-drive.
 * Seven is Chris' lucky number.
 * In one of the shifting timelines, Harlan sees his past self running from Voltron invaders.
 * After stepping into the maelstrom of time, Chris sees several timelines.
 * In one such timeline, Golgalith was ravaged by a Vorshagg battle fleet. The Galactic Heritage Foundation fought to converse the planet, but it was eventually destroyed by the Valuensis, and later sold to the Micron.
 * In another, Golgalith's sun was drained by Helicron ships.
 * In yet another timeline, the Ferutu hid from the Superiors until they were able to wipe them out after a strike.
 * Adepts at temporal theory knew an alternate timeline could held any manner of futures.
 * Right after Chris, Larles and Kwol leave the planet, timeships of the Superiors phased into existence nearby.

Story notes
to be added

Continuity

 * Golgalith is a nexus world. (PROSE: Alien Bodies)
 * Chris goes to Gulliver's Rest. (PROSE: Flight of the Cyberons)