September 5th, OE 102
A great scar, sliced across the stomach of the Moon. The Lunar Maw, from whence all EOT had come, and still more was excavated every day. Metallic forms scrambled out of its way, the once colossal mining equipment rigs that had littered its surface now conspicuously clear. Across telepathic and Cytron channels, an announcement crackled to life, accompanied by an insistent warning siren.
A series of explosions rippled across the lip of the maw. There was a terrible shuddering and shattering of rock, as the chasm widened. Slowly but surely, a form began to emerge from its center, where the gap was thickest: A strange, luminous shape that bathed the Lunar surface in its eerie, pulsating light.
A series of silver-colored Raftclanz emerged in close formation, following the emergence of the artifact. They clustered about its four corners - and a sparkling shower of green was released between them, enveloping the gateway. Slowly but surely... It began to move, carried bodily by the Knight Machines, whose thrusters fired with everything they had, each one a miniature Roman Candle, little flames dancing on the tips of the gate's bladed compass-points.
After what felt like an eternity, the Crossgate came to a relative halt, and the Raftclanz broke off in waves. Any fine adjustments could be made later - the important part had been done.
On the surface, ensconed in an observation center, Queen Selene of Luna finally felt herself breathe again. A round of applause broke out in the room behind her - but for once, she didn't share their enthusiasm, in spite of the magnitude of their accomplishment. If she had it her way, she would have flung the cursed thing into the sun - but according to Ganeden, it was beyond even her ability to do so. Consequently, they were stuck with it... For now, at least.
She turned to the other figure watching the proceedings. An older man, his robes were reminiscent of some who had taken up the Eastern fashion among their kind, leaning over a silver walking cane. His eyes, however, betrayed a sharp mind, scrutinizing every detail of the goings-on as he thoughtfully stroked his beard. Selene nodded in the old man's direction, saying quietly as she did:
"Thank you for your assistance, Lord Argenti. The extraction would not have been possible without you."
Senex Argenti simply shook his head, waving off the praise as he did seemingly everything else.
"The Crescent Arms have served the Lunar family for centuries." He said gruffly; "No thanks is necessary."
He took a couple of steps forward, eyes still fixed on the now gleaming light overhead. The object's slow revolution sent scintillating glints to the cameras below, and he couldn't help but grumble something under his breath before adding:
"I do wonder, however: This Crossgate... What is it, exactly?"
Selene paused, a hand on her hip. Ganeden had only been able to explain so much... and with the threat of the Ruina now ever-present, they could no longer afford to keep the Ur-Human artifact hidden in the Moon's heart.
"A door, so to speak." She said, at last.
"It was, at least. Now, it's best not pondered where it leads."
"And what of the guardian?"
"Nashim Ganeden has spent the past hundred years keeping it sealed away. She needs time to recuperate her strength."
Selene sighed, and looked with him up at the Crossgate. As beautiful as its glow was... To her, it was nothing short of a malevolent star of ill omens gleaming overhead, as if directing her destiny.
"Until then..." She said, solemnly;
"We are on our own."
A great scar, sliced across the stomach of the Moon. The Lunar Maw, from whence all EOT had come, and still more was excavated every day. Metallic forms scrambled out of its way, the once colossal mining equipment rigs that had littered its surface now conspicuously clear. Across telepathic and Cytron channels, an announcement crackled to life, accompanied by an insistent warning siren.
"Commencing countdown. Three. Two. One-"
"Releasing blast charges."
"Releasing blast charges."
A series of silver-colored Raftclanz emerged in close formation, following the emergence of the artifact. They clustered about its four corners - and a sparkling shower of green was released between them, enveloping the gateway. Slowly but surely... It began to move, carried bodily by the Knight Machines, whose thrusters fired with everything they had, each one a miniature Roman Candle, little flames dancing on the tips of the gate's bladed compass-points.
"Orgone Cloud activated. Transferring to synchronous orbit with Luna."
"Position stable. Dispersing O-Particles... Now."
"Position stable. Dispersing O-Particles... Now."
On the surface, ensconed in an observation center, Queen Selene of Luna finally felt herself breathe again. A round of applause broke out in the room behind her - but for once, she didn't share their enthusiasm, in spite of the magnitude of their accomplishment. If she had it her way, she would have flung the cursed thing into the sun - but according to Ganeden, it was beyond even her ability to do so. Consequently, they were stuck with it... For now, at least.
She turned to the other figure watching the proceedings. An older man, his robes were reminiscent of some who had taken up the Eastern fashion among their kind, leaning over a silver walking cane. His eyes, however, betrayed a sharp mind, scrutinizing every detail of the goings-on as he thoughtfully stroked his beard. Selene nodded in the old man's direction, saying quietly as she did:
"Thank you for your assistance, Lord Argenti. The extraction would not have been possible without you."
Senex Argenti simply shook his head, waving off the praise as he did seemingly everything else.
"The Crescent Arms have served the Lunar family for centuries." He said gruffly; "No thanks is necessary."
He took a couple of steps forward, eyes still fixed on the now gleaming light overhead. The object's slow revolution sent scintillating glints to the cameras below, and he couldn't help but grumble something under his breath before adding:
"I do wonder, however: This Crossgate... What is it, exactly?"
Selene paused, a hand on her hip. Ganeden had only been able to explain so much... and with the threat of the Ruina now ever-present, they could no longer afford to keep the Ur-Human artifact hidden in the Moon's heart.
"A door, so to speak." She said, at last.
"It was, at least. Now, it's best not pondered where it leads."
"And what of the guardian?"
"Nashim Ganeden has spent the past hundred years keeping it sealed away. She needs time to recuperate her strength."
Selene sighed, and looked with him up at the Crossgate. As beautiful as its glow was... To her, it was nothing short of a malevolent star of ill omens gleaming overhead, as if directing her destiny.
"Until then..." She said, solemnly;
"We are on our own."
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