The Directory Research Center. A base built to study the technological marvel of underground ruins that had been found on the frozen continent and especially the centerpiece of the ruins: the mystical closed gateway into the unknown.
It had been a place of hope, a place of progress and new technology. Its personnel believed in its cause and the cause of the young head of the centre. The young head, Karl Persson, had been a genius, and though eccentric his kindness was unquestionable. His dream had been to make the world a better place, and thought that the ruins in Antarctic held the key to that dream. Over the years the site personnel had become more like him, developing an eccentric habit or two, being as far away from civilization as they were.
The Directory itself had almost forgotten the base, there hadn’t been much news worthy of the attention of the decision makers after all. But that had mattered little to the employees of the DARC. The money flow never stopped and their home had been largely left alone after all. Last time Directory paid attention to the base was after DAMON incursions became more common. It had been to militarize it, and to shift their research to Mobile Weapons.
Little remained of those times.
The scientists and other personnel, previously eccentric but kind and welcoming had been twisted into cruel beings, more machine than man, their only goal being the death of the world for the sake of their master the Lord of Ruin.
The body of Karl Persson, like always, still embodied the spirit of the research center. But said spirit no longer was warm and welcoming in its eccentricity. It was now cold and cruel in its inhumanity. Laughter no longer echoed in the corridors, nor were the days made brighter by the constant ever-amusing bickering of Paula and Karl over whatever subject it was that they were butting heads over. Nor could you find James, Laura and Johan merrily drinking the night away while exchanging stories. It had all gone away forever in one terrible moment.
Silence reigned over the base most of the time now. The Ruina, especially the Miles, had little need for talking. The one exception inside the base was the vicinity of the Melior Esse, the Ruina leaders and lieutenants of their master, the Lord of Ruin.
Two of them, Kvinna and Slask, were away infiltrating Taskforce Upsilon and human society, but in a rare moment the remaining three were all gathered in one place: the office of the chief of the research center.
Huvud, the leader of the Melior Esse sat behind the desk, flanked by Vapen and Viggen. All three were staring at the Miles captain that had just finished its report to them.
He wanted to throw him to the Fabula Forest, to recycle the essence that had been used to create it. But the gesture would be wasted on the Ruina, and despite few having seen their Angeli now there was no way to link them to the DARC.
Not to mention that whatever the trail was, it interested him. Something was telling him that it was important.
So no, no recycling the Miles captain in front of him.
“Very well.” He spoke to the Miles captain. In contrast to the voice of the Miles his voice was soft, but with something lurking beneath the softness. “Your new assignment is to scour the world for any sightings and mentions of the humans you had to flee from. Especially the Tausendfuessler and the two Mobile Weapons it was carrying. Perhaps you will find them by searching for the battleship, perhaps not. What matters is that you will keep me informed on every sighting of the source of the trail you detected. Begone.”
The Miles left the room, the mechanical door silently opening to him without prompt. As the door closed after the Miles the three Melior Esse were left alone. Their leader turned to his left, where Vapen was standing. “Skruv should have finished with the modifications to the first few Huckebeins. Vapen, go test them on DAMONs.”
Hearing the command, Vapen threw his head back and let out a deranged, high pitched laugh. The laugh was completely at odds with his large, muscular body. “Hopefully they’ll last longer before breaking this time!” Taking large strides, Vapen was soon out of the office.
“He is very loud, we should just give him a microphone and take over the world with the power of his voice.” Huvud muttered to himself, ears ringing. Shaking his head, his attention was turned to Viggen. “Go to Skruv, ask him to make a Mobile Weapon for you. With the latest batch we should have enough energy. I will have a task for you once it is finished.”
Viggen nodded, she knew that Huvud would not send her - would not send any of the Melior Esse, no matter how much of a failure they were, or how disappointing - if the task wasn’t important.
It had been a place of hope, a place of progress and new technology. Its personnel believed in its cause and the cause of the young head of the centre. The young head, Karl Persson, had been a genius, and though eccentric his kindness was unquestionable. His dream had been to make the world a better place, and thought that the ruins in Antarctic held the key to that dream. Over the years the site personnel had become more like him, developing an eccentric habit or two, being as far away from civilization as they were.
The Directory itself had almost forgotten the base, there hadn’t been much news worthy of the attention of the decision makers after all. But that had mattered little to the employees of the DARC. The money flow never stopped and their home had been largely left alone after all. Last time Directory paid attention to the base was after DAMON incursions became more common. It had been to militarize it, and to shift their research to Mobile Weapons.
Little remained of those times.
The scientists and other personnel, previously eccentric but kind and welcoming had been twisted into cruel beings, more machine than man, their only goal being the death of the world for the sake of their master the Lord of Ruin.
The body of Karl Persson, like always, still embodied the spirit of the research center. But said spirit no longer was warm and welcoming in its eccentricity. It was now cold and cruel in its inhumanity. Laughter no longer echoed in the corridors, nor were the days made brighter by the constant ever-amusing bickering of Paula and Karl over whatever subject it was that they were butting heads over. Nor could you find James, Laura and Johan merrily drinking the night away while exchanging stories. It had all gone away forever in one terrible moment.
Silence reigned over the base most of the time now. The Ruina, especially the Miles, had little need for talking. The one exception inside the base was the vicinity of the Melior Esse, the Ruina leaders and lieutenants of their master, the Lord of Ruin.
Two of them, Kvinna and Slask, were away infiltrating Taskforce Upsilon and human society, but in a rare moment the remaining three were all gathered in one place: the office of the chief of the research center.
Huvud, the leader of the Melior Esse sat behind the desk, flanked by Vapen and Viggen. All three were staring at the Miles captain that had just finished its report to them.
He wanted to throw him to the Fabula Forest, to recycle the essence that had been used to create it. But the gesture would be wasted on the Ruina, and despite few having seen their Angeli now there was no way to link them to the DARC.
Not to mention that whatever the trail was, it interested him. Something was telling him that it was important.
So no, no recycling the Miles captain in front of him.
“Very well.” He spoke to the Miles captain. In contrast to the voice of the Miles his voice was soft, but with something lurking beneath the softness. “Your new assignment is to scour the world for any sightings and mentions of the humans you had to flee from. Especially the Tausendfuessler and the two Mobile Weapons it was carrying. Perhaps you will find them by searching for the battleship, perhaps not. What matters is that you will keep me informed on every sighting of the source of the trail you detected. Begone.”
The Miles left the room, the mechanical door silently opening to him without prompt. As the door closed after the Miles the three Melior Esse were left alone. Their leader turned to his left, where Vapen was standing. “Skruv should have finished with the modifications to the first few Huckebeins. Vapen, go test them on DAMONs.”
Hearing the command, Vapen threw his head back and let out a deranged, high pitched laugh. The laugh was completely at odds with his large, muscular body. “Hopefully they’ll last longer before breaking this time!” Taking large strides, Vapen was soon out of the office.
“He is very loud, we should just give him a microphone and take over the world with the power of his voice.” Huvud muttered to himself, ears ringing. Shaking his head, his attention was turned to Viggen. “Go to Skruv, ask him to make a Mobile Weapon for you. With the latest batch we should have enough energy. I will have a task for you once it is finished.”
Viggen nodded, she knew that Huvud would not send her - would not send any of the Melior Esse, no matter how much of a failure they were, or how disappointing - if the task wasn’t important.