Miserably, the last class of the week for me is Logistics. It’s a smaller group than any of the others, designed specifically for Nobles like myself, who’ll presumably be managing entire fleets in the Imperial Navy, should we manage to graduate. Lucia Hark is among that group, although she doesn’t spare me a second glance through the entire session.
It’s an important topic- not everything can be delegated to a subordinate or a machine. But it’s also exceedingly tedious. By the end of the class period, it’s all I can do to keep myself from carving gashes into the floor with the tip of my tail. After three and a half excruciating hours, Professor Iliescu finally dismisses us, with instructions to download six chapters from our textbook, which is really more of a technical manual, before the next class.
There’s no rest for the wicked, however. I have another meeting scheduled, this time with both of my newly-appointed officers. There is one more role I need to fill, that of my Engineering Officer, but whoever receives that title won’t be a part of the War Council to begin with, so there’s less of a hurry. My copyclan already assembled dossiers on the members of the Combat Group and Intelligence Group, and sent them to their respective officers- that’s not what we’re gathering to discuss. Rather, we’re coming together to prepare for tomorrow’s training exercise.
After yesterday, I’m in no hurry to host another meeting in my own apartment. Similarly, I’ve had my fill of lunchtime and dinner get-togethers, not to mention the fact that it’s mid-afternoon now, which is no time for a proper meal. This time, I’ll be meeting Niko and Sofie outdoors. It’s comfortably temperate outside, as it is most days around here. Technically speaking, we’ll be venturing outside of the bounds of the Citadel itself, but not nearly far enough to be in any actual danger.
Having been carved out of the side of a mountain, the Citadel doesn’t really have much in the way of a local neighborhood. To the immediate south lies a sea of mist, which conceals miles of jagged spikes, geoformed specifically to act as a deterrent to any would-be invaders. Beyond that lies the wilds, from lush jungle to frozen tundra. We’re headed north, however- or northwest, to be more precise. In that direction lies a lightly wooded area just outside of the Citadel’s walls, where I’ve asked Sofie and Niko to meet me. It’s small enough not to merit even a formal name, but everybody I’ve heard speak of it, calls it the Grove.
Sander accompanies me, slug-thrower shotgun strapped to his back. It’s a nice piece of hardware- not quite on the level of a Regalia weapon, but impressive nonetheless. I’ve got my own sidearm on too, although more as a reminder to people that I’m not entirely reliant on my bodyguard for self-defense than because I’m actually expecting any trouble.
The walk takes me through some parts of the Citadel I haven’t yet visited. That includes passing by Gofannon’s Forge, the massive engineering facility dedicated to those Nobles with a particular affinity for technology. By chance, Ada is heading out right when Sander and I walk by, and she gives me a wave, brushing her sweat-matted blue-blonde hair from her forehead. We’re a little too far to communicate without shouting, so I wave back, and send a brainband message along with the gesture, suggesting that we get drinks sometime soon. Her response isn’t quite brimming with enthusiasm, but neither is it a firm rejection. At present, she’s my main prospect for Engineering Officer, which means her presence in the Forge is an encouraging sight.
Past the Forge, we enter a quiet little area, which seems to mainly consist of housing for the Citadel’s support staff. It resembles an ordinary residential neighborhood, save for the fact that every one of the modest two-story homes is identical. Much like the streets themselves, and indeed most of the rest of the architecture around here, they’re made from white marble, and while I can’t see much to be especially excited about with them, there isn’t much to complain about either.
The main downside of working at the Citadel has to be the lack of privacy. Since they have access to plenty of young, vulnerable Nobles, they have to be carefully vetted before even stepping foot on Akademos, and even then, monitored closely by the Citadel’s security office for their entire period of employment. That didn’t stop someone from setting up a death trap in my apartment, though. Which reminds me of something.
“Hey, have you made any progress figuring out how that Mindkiller dart-launcher got in my room?”
I’d like to think that the reason I haven’t asked Sander about it since the day it happened is because I was giving him time to work the case, but in reality, I’m pretty sure I just forgot. It seems like a ridiculous thing to forget about, but no further attempts on my life have been made, and I’ve had other concerns since then.
“Not much. I’ve spoken to your Intelligence Officer about working together to investigate the incident further. She, in turn, has already tasked one of her subordinates with ascertaining which members of the janitorial staff had access to your rooms, and at what time. They are not aware of the reason for the inquiry, of course.”
That’s more progress than I thought he’d have made, to be honest. Hopefully whoever Sofie put on the job knows how to be discreet, else they might spook the perpetrator and cause them to flee the moon. Then again, doing so would be a fairly sure indication of guilt, even if it would make getting any answers from them difficult.
“Great. Keep me posted, will you?”
“As you wish.”
In stark contrast to the grandiose archway that I passed through on my entrance to the Citadel, the gate leading out is small, modest, and manned by one very bored Imperium soldier. He takes down our names disinterestedly, and informs us that we’re to return before nightfall, or they’ll send Myrmidons after us. I somehow doubt that they’d actually call in the big guns over such a minor infraction, but I’m also not eager to put that theory to the test, which I suppose means the scare tactics are working.
Not long after we pass through the gate, I see the first of the trees. They’re twisted, gnarled things, with frail branches that droop low and twist crookedly. Their leaves, however, are a striking violet, the sort that almost glitters in the afternoon sun. That rare trait is why the Grove escaped destruction during the construction of the Citadel. Of course, it’s a plant native to the entire moon, and there are entire forests elsewhere, but it was seen as valuable to preserve a sliver of that beauty up here as well.
“Hey, Izzy! Sandman! Over here!”
It might very well be my imagination, but I could swear I hear a hint of an exasperated sigh from Sander, as he turns his head towards the person hailing us. Sofie seems to have come up with a nickname for him, probably around the time when he contacted her to ask for help in his investigation. Hopefully it doesn’t actually bother him too much, or I’ll have to ask her to knock it off.
My two officers are standing by a rock wall near to the ‘entrance’ to the Grove, which is really just a trail through the trees that’s been blazed by generations of Nobles trekking through it, towards the vista on the other side. Niko is wearing a black muscle shirt, exposing his shapely biceps, and the tattoos that adorn his arms. On the right are a pair of serpents engaged in a vicious battle for dominance, or perhaps aggressively mating. On the left is an assortment of smaller images and symbols, from a grinning skull with a bullet hole in its forehead, to the alchemical symbol for sulfur. What’s most impressive is the way that they’re interconnected, making each of the individual additions seem as though they’re part of a larger tapestry, though precisely what it is, I can’t discern without being able to see more of the canvas. Sofie has on a layered miniskirt and navy-blue jacket, with a strange design that seems intended to have the sleeves hanging off of her arms. Maybe that’s the height of Imperium fashion these days- growing up where I did, I never really had cause to pay attention to those passing trends. I have to admit, though, she does manage to make it work.
At Niko’s feet is a duffel bag, which he hoists up and puts over his shoulder as I approach. At my gesture, the pair comes to meet Sander and I in the middle, not far from the treeline. I haven’t lost sight of the fact that the first two people in my unit that I really spoke to were also the two people I first chose as officers. Hopefully nobody thinks I chose them just because they were nice to me.
“You brought what I asked for?”
It’s a bit of a redundant question, as I doubt Niko would have hauled a duffel bag’s worth of anything out here without being asked to, but I do still feel the need to check. He nods and pats the bag, though he’s not yet aware why I requested such specific items. That surprise will have to wait until after we’re finished with our business, though.
“Good. And you?”
Sofie gives a sardonic laugh.
“Be a pretty poor intel chief if I couldn’t follow simple instructions.”
That part isn’t a surprise. I asked Sofie to bring some countersurveillance tech, just to make sure nobody would be able to listen in on our conversation. Of course, they’d have to have trailed us out here, and I doubt anybody could have done so without Sander or I noticing, but it’s never wise to take chances.
“True enough. Let’s get going, shall we?”
Readjusting the straps of my messenger bag, I take the first step into the Grove. It’s a far cry from the haunted forest one might expect to find on the outskirts of a prestigious academy like the Citadel. Even with the sun starting to creep towards the horizon, it’s not the slightest bit spine-chilling. If anything, the late afternoon light makes the violet foliage sparkle more beautifully than before.
“Gotta say, Izzy, you really know how to pick a place for a meeting like this.”
“Well, it’s certainly no Elysium, but I’m glad it’s got your seal of approval.”
Sofie laughs, and the melodic sound carries further than it has any right to, the leaves shimmering with light as it carries across their fragile surfaces. We can’t talk business quite yet, not until she’s deployed the anti-surveillance tech, so I’m glad to have something to fill the silence.
Not much later, another sound entirely grabs my attention- the sound of rushing water. It’s faint at first, but grows louder as we approach the source, a veritable river that runs straight through the heart of the Grove. It’s reasonably wide, and deep enough that I wouldn’t want to walk through it, but fortunately there’s a path of stepping stones that allows us to cross. The water itself is pristine, crystal clear, a result of the climate control satellites that scrub some ninety percent of all pollutants from the moon’s atmosphere and ecosystem, not that there was terribly much to begin with.
The four of us pass over the river, though Niko nearly slips and falls on the water-slick surface of one of the stepping stones, which has been worn smooth over time. Before he can tumble into the drink, Sander snaps out an arm and catches him, helping the Stormwolf steady himself. Neither says a word, they just exchange Very Serious Looks and continue following Sofie and I.
Though it disappears from our sight for a time, the sound of the river remains with us as we continue our trek in companionable silence. We’ve still got a few solid hours of sunlight left, so I’m not too worried about having to cut things short thanks to the curfew, but I’m not about to waste too much time either. Fortunately, we arrive at our destination before I have to tell anybody to pick up the pace.
At the end of the trail is a clearing, which overlooks a cliff. Before us is an expansive vista, showcasing the natural beauty of Akademos. The river valley below is vast and placid, nestled between the peaks of several smaller mountains in the vicinity of the Citadel. To our left is a burbling waterfall, the terminus of the river we passed over, and one of many that feeds into this aquatic basin. It’s a breathtaking sight, although the effect might be amplified somewhat for me, considering how stark the contrast is with where I grew up.
Once they’ve taken in the view to their satisfaction, the others get moving. Sofie pulls four collapsible pylons out of her pocket, and sets to work establishing a perimeter with them. When activated, they’ll project a field that will baffle digital surveillance, ensuring that we can speak in relative privacy. Niko and Sander head for a large, flat rock slab that has four smaller rocks arranged around it, like chairs around a table. They must have been placed like that intentionally, so people coming out here would have somewhere to sit.
Placing myself on the unoccupied side of the table, I stretch languidly, using my tail to pull my arms back a bit further. When Sofie finishes setting up the pylons and comes to sit next to me, I wrap it around her shoulders, and she responds by brushing it idly like one might do to their hair. My extra appendage isn’t especially sensitive, but I feel a tingle run up my spine nevertheless.
“So, our first training exercise is tomorrow. I haven’t given you much time to prepare, I know. That’s intentional. Everybody except me will be going in mostly blind. But it wouldn’t be fair if I led one of the two teams, since I was the one who designed the exercise, so you two are gonna do it. Neither of you are tactics-types, I know, but you are my officers, and the only other proper tactician we have is Kat, who... probably isn’t up for it yet.”
Neither of my officers look especially surprised about this. Niko leans forward, resting his chin on his palm.
“Let me guess- you called us here to pick our teams.”
“Bingo. Sander and I are a package deal, so whichever team gets us will have a slight numerical advantage. I figured we could flip for that, and then the two of you could just go back and forth after. Sound good?”
“Sure.”
With a satisfied hum, I pull an Imperial Mark out of my pocket, and flash both sides of it at Sofie and Niko, so they know it’s not double-headed. Positioning the silver coin on my knuckle, I flip it into the air. The moment it leaves my hand, Sofie calls out “Tails!” and gives my actual tail a squeeze for luck.
Sure enough, the coin comes up tails, and the platinum-haired woman cheers.
“Great. So you know, I’m not gonna give you any hints just ‘cause I’m on your team. And this means Niko gets first pick of the rest of the group.”
“Aw, you know I don’t care about any of that, Izzy,” she says, lifting up the tip of my tail to plant a kiss on the flat side of my barb. “I just want you close to me.”
The Stormwolf rolls his eyes.
“I want Mars.”
A solid first choice. He’s probably the only person in our unit I can see going toe-to-toe with Sander. The initial selections are just going to be Niko and Sofie trading off members of the combat unit, since those are obviously the most desirable choices for a training exercise like this. I haven’t actually specified that it’s going to be a battle, but it’s a safe assumption on their parts.
“Colleen,” the spymaster replies, still caressing my tail while she looks off into the middle distance, likely consulting the brainband to remind herself of who everybody in our unit is.
“Ibrahim.”
“Amalia.”
Niko falls silent for a moment, contemplating his options. We’ve already run out of the optimal choices- now it’s a question of who’s the best of the worst. Not that there are only four useful people in the whole unit, but most of the others aren’t combat specialists.
“Nikitha,” he says at last. That’s the chemical weapons expert I’ve been putting off meeting with. Having her on the other team doesn’t seem ideal to me.
“Tai,” Sofie replies. She seems to be prioritizing members of her intelligence group, which makes some sense, but could end up leaving us imbalanced.
“Valent.”
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“Ada.”
“Grant.”
“Kat.”
There’s a long pause, then Niko sighs and says “Bret.” I grimace sympathetically. He may have more combat specialists, but it seems like he still drew a bad hand overall. Then again, having somebody to use as cannon fodder could prove useful, although I wouldn’t be shocked if Bret found a way to screw up even that task.
“Well, that’s that. You should probably contact your teams after we’re done here, and tell them to prepare. Don’t worry if it goes bad- I designed the exercise to be particularly hard the first time through.”
“How reassuring,” Niko replies with a chuckle. “I notice you said ‘after we’re done here’ as though there’s still something on the agenda. Can I assume that has something to do with what you asked me to bring along?”
“That does seem like it would be a safe assumption, doesn’t it?”
The Stormwolf picks up his duffel bag and dumps it on the table, then unzips it to reveal what’s inside- a bundle of rope. Or, as becomes obvious as I draw them out, three bundles of rope, with harnesses attached to one end. Thankfully, Niko packed the ropes up tightly enough to keep them from getting tangled up in each other, so I don’t have to waste time undoing any knots before I pass my companions their bundles.
“What’s the idea here, Izzy?” Sofie asks, examining the rope in her hands. “You want us all to tie each other up? Kinky. I dig it, but this doesn’t really seem like the right setting.”
Rolling my eyes, I smack her gently with my tail.
“This isn’t the right kind of rope for that, silly. We’re gonna be doing some climbing.”
----------------------------------------
Beneath the Citadel is a vast network of caverns known as the Subterrane, hollowed out by both natural and artificial means from the inside of the massive mountain upon which the city itself was built. Most of the entrances are found in the Citadel itself, in the form of staircases and the like. We aren’t exactly going to be coming in through an approved entrance, though. As it happens, there’s an opening behind the very waterfall we’re standing near, which leads directly into the Subterrane. It’s not the easiest way to get in, but that’s precisely why we’re doing it- because coming in this way will give us access to an area of the cave system that can’t be accessed through the standard entrances.
Niko seems to be the most trepidatious about the entire enterprise, but he doesn’t do more than frown slightly as we’re affixing our anchors to the cliffside near to the waterfall. None of us have any practical experience with climbing- or rappelling, in this case -but that’s easily solved with a quick skillsoft download. I’m half expecting Sander to insist on double-checking my harness to make sure I did it properly, but he doesn’t, seemingly more focused on getting his own squared away. Of course, while I would hardly relish a second death this week, it’s not as if it would be permanent, so I can’t fault him for not doing so.
Naturally, I’m the first to go, descending the cliff face slowly and carefully. Heights aren’t my area of expertise, since Demeter VII was pretty much all flat surfaces, but the artificial competence provided by the skillsoft makes up for my own lack of experience. Once I’m far enough down, I start shifting towards the waterfall, until I can see the entrance to the caverns through its surface. It’s rather poorly-lit, so I can’t quite tell what awaits us inside. There’s only one way to find out, though- so I kick off of the rocks and swing to the side, plunging through the frigid water and into the Subterrane.
As soon as my feet are on solid ground, I add slack to the rope, to prevent it from yanking me back out. Then, making sure to take a few steps away from the edge, I detach the harness entirely, letting it swing back out. Common sense should be enough to tell the others that I made it through, but just to be safe, I send them a wordless brainband notification conveying that sentiment. Then I turn my full attention to my surroundings. The hole I came through seems to have been carved out of the rock specifically to give people inside a look at the same view we were all admiring earlier, but through the filter of the flowing water. That same water is now soaking through my clothes, which is less than ideal, but I knew what I was getting into when I started planning this little adventure.
Flicking my tail back and forth, I shed some of the excess moisture clinging to it, and take a few more steps into the cavern. It doesn’t look much like a traditional cave- the ceiling is jagged and rocky, yes, but the floor beneath me is paved with white marble, albeit less polished than the streets of the Citadel proper, since this portion of the Subterrane was sealed off quite some time ago. A few feet from the ‘window,’ in the center of this little room, is a platform set into the ground, where the marble abruptly gives way to a circular patch of smooth blue crystal, in the center of which is an obelisk carved from the same material.
Just as I’m about to place a damp palm on the obelisk’s surface, I hear a gleeful howl, and turn to see Sofie come through the waterfall, disengaging her harness before she has a foot on the ground, and tumbling semi-gracefully towards me. She springs to her feet and shakes her hair like a dog might, spraying me with water.
“I can’t believe how slow you took it, Izzy! You totally missed out.”
She’s probably right. Some animal instinct in my brain is still very much afraid of what it’d feel like to be broken against the rocks below if I fell, but I wouldn’t retain that memory when I came back, so the only thing I’d really lose is time. Hell, it probably wouldn’t even have kept the others from having a good time if I’d died, though it would have ruined my plans. Giving her a rueful look, I shrug.
It’s not long before Niko joins us, taking an approach closer to my own, although he does get a bit more daring with his entrance. I have to admit, the way his wet shirt clings to his body is rather eye-catching, though I manage to tear my eyes away before he notices I’m staring. Sadly, Sofie’s outfit isn’t really tight enough for the water to reveal much.
Sander isn’t going to be joining us- someone had to stay up top and watch the ropes, so we’ll have a way to get back up after we’re done. Plus, I’d be lying if I said the prospect of getting some time away from him wasn’t appealing. It’s not that his near-constant presence bothers me, but him being around all the time does tend to change the context of social interactions. Not even necessarily for the worse, but it’s like there’s an elephant in the room, just waiting for the moment when he’ll be called upon to trample someone. That creates a certain amount of tension in people.
As the Stormwolf approaches, I pull out my Q-tool, and activate the portable heater application. The three of us gather around it, gratefully basking in the warmth until we’re reasonably dry. Some dampness still lingers, and that’s not likely to change, since we’re now underground, without much in the way of light, but I can live with that. Although, if only to make navigation easier, I turn the Q-tool into a glowstick, which casts a warm glow onto our surroundings.
“I’d ask why this section of the Subterrane was sealed off, but I have a feeling you’re building up to a grand reveal.”
“Correct. Now c’mon, we’ve got a lot of ground to cover.”
Tossing the glowstick into the air, I snag it with my tail and use that to hold it high above my head, as I head out of the obelisk room with Sofie and Niko in tow. They follow me into a hallway with a vaulted ceiling of blue gemstone, the color of which seems to have bled into the marble, giving it a faint purple hue. On the walls are fraying banners bearing the insignias of the Imperium and the Citadel, and in the middle of the hall are a series of spaced-out plant boxes, their contents long since having withered away. Our footsteps echo as we pass through, shadows dancing as the light from my Q-tool scatters them.
“Okay,” Sofie says, “if you wanna keep our destination a secret, that’s fine. But you gotta tell me how you found out about this place. I mean, you’re not exactly who I would expect to have insider info, y’know?”
“Well, that’s the thing. I’m not quite sure how I know either.”
Though it’s hard to tell with the way the darkness obscure his features, I think Niko is frowning. The black horns jutting from his forehead make his shadow on the wall look more sinister than it has any right to be.
“What do you mean?”
One part of me hesitates, but it’s too late now. Besides, if I can’t confide in these two, I’m pretty much screwed to begin with.
“Last night, I got an encrypted brainband transmission. Anonymized sender, geolocation tag scrambled, the works. All it contained was instructions on how to get in here, and my personal recognition code. I’ve never told it to anybody, or even written it down... yet whoever sent the transmission knew about it. So I figured I could trust them, at least for the time being.”
As I’m talking, we come to the end of the hallway, and make our way into a large room, lit by a luminescent crystal pyramid protruding from the ceiling. It’s bright enough that the room doesn’t get noticeably darker when I switch off the glowstick and stow the Q-tool back in my pocket. The center of the room contains a wide circle with intricate metal tracery engraved into it. Extending from that circle are four pathways, pointing in each of the cardinal directions, including one that stretches back in the direction we just came. Divided by those pathways are four small ponds, filled with lilies and moss, clearly not having been tended in the slightest since this area was sealed off. Beneath their shallow surfaces, I see some small fish, which scatter as I approach, likely frightened by the presence of another creature.
It’s not especially difficult to guess where we’re supposed to go next. The left and rightmost passages lead into hallways nearly identical to the one we just came from, while the northern one leads up a small flight of stairs, and through a circular archway, into a much wider hall. Before I can proceed, however, Niko places a hand on my shoulder.
“Are you certain it was wise to leave Sander behind, knowing this could be a trap?”
“Oh, I’m almost completely certain this isn’t a trap. Sure, there are people out there who want me dead, but this isn’t exactly the most efficient way to go about it. My guess would be that whoever sent me that message is an ally, the same person who arranged for you two and Sander to end up in my unit.”
Now it’s Sofie’s turn to frown, likely at the prospect that her assignment to the Gazelle unit was in some way the work of manipulation behind the scenes.
“You really think that’s what’s going on?”
“I’d bet good money on it. Think- you two are both from Noble lines that should, by all rights, be highly respected, considering your capabilities. But instead, you’re treated with undue suspicion thanks to the actions of your predecessors. A different unit commander might have sidelined you because of that, but I won’t, because I’m in the same boat. And as for Sander... without him in the unit, I’d already be truedead. Sure, maybe it’s just a stroke of good luck, but combined with the fact that I’ve got you two, I’m more inclined to believe somebody is trying to pull strings in my favor.”
Niko is pacing around the circle, looking equal parts thoughtful and concerned.
“Curious. And you say they knew your personal recognition code?”
“Yeah. Honestly, I don’t have a clue who they are yet. Maybe they left a clue down here or something, but I’m not sure. What I do know is that there’s something specific they want me to see, and I want you two to see it as well.”
A slightly tense silence falls upon us as we venture through the circular doorway. They aren’t giving me the impression that they’re upset, exactly. After all, I disclosed the nature of the expedition as soon as they asked, so it’s not like they could reasonably accuse me of keeping secrets from them. The tension is there nonetheless- mainly, I suspect, because they’re expecting this to be a trap. Trusting in some mysterious benefactor can’t be easy for them, but hopefully they’ll become accustomed to the idea quickly.
Personally, I’d rather like to find out who my silent partner is, but it seems unlikely that they’ll be showing their face today. It’s been less than a week since I arrived, after all.
The light from the crystalline pyramid doesn’t extend very far into the grand hall, but before I decide to pull the glowstick out, another light source reveals itself- this time decidedly more natural. It shines through a doorway on our left, and I pause in place for a moment, before deciding to investigate. What we find is a room containing a wide, low spiral staircase, which seems to lead several levels down. On this level, however, are a pair of stained-glass windows, one on either side of a walkway that leads out of the caverns and onto a balcony exposed to the open air. At the end of that balcony is a white marble statue, which seems to have been worn away at by the elements, to the point where identifying its subject is next to impossible. To make matters worse, ivy seems to have grown up from underneath the balcony to wrap around it.
Heading down the first flight of stairs to the level of the balcony, I approach it slowly, until I’m in the shadow’s statue. This isn’t what I was brought here to see, but it’s certainly interesting nonetheless. We’ve passed a few other statues on our way here, mostly tucked into corners, but I’m sure I could identify who they were based off of, if I cared to. Founders, their stony features preserved underground. Yet this one was deliberately left out, even after this section of the Subterrane was abandoned. Perhaps it depicted someone whose statue nobody would officially condone being torn down, but wouldn’t care enough about to have it protected in any way. Someone like the Deceiver Admiral, perhaps.
Whether or not my hunch is right, I have a feeling we’re on the right track. Turning away from the weathered sculpture, I continue down the stairs. In the center of the stairwell is a tree, which- unlike the other plantings we’ve seen -seems to have survived the abandonment of this part of the cave system. Its proximity to the open-air balcony has to be what saved it, with the opening allowing in just enough sunlight and rainwater to nourish it. Still, the tree looks sickly and frail. Some overly sentimental voice in the back of my head, which sounds strikingly similar to Father Nico, suggests that I make a habit of coming back here and giving it some attention- but I pay it no mind. That would be a significant misuse of my valuable time, not to mention the fact that it would almost certainly expose the existence of this hidden entrance to the sealed-off section of the Subterrane. Besides, appearances aside, the tree seems to have done just fine without me so far. I’m not quite so arrogant as to assume it’ll simply wither away without my care.
“That a friend of yours?” Sofie asks, nodding in the general direction of the statue.
“Not sure. But we aren’t far now, so c’mon.”
By the time we reach the bottom of the stairwell, the daylight is just a faint glow from above. The floor is littered with dried-up, dead leaves that crunch under our feet as we proceed into the next hallway. This one is much shorter, and rather lacking in decorations compared to the others we’ve been through so far. At the end, however, is a black iron gate, clearly locked tight. The lock itself seems to have been made in the shape of a skull, jaw open for a key to be inserted. A key which I lack, meaning we’re going to have to employ less legitimate methods.
Breaking and entering before my first week here is up might seem unwise, and that’s because it probably is. But playing by the rules just isn’t who I am. Obviously that won’t fly if we get caught, but one perk of coming from a line of rulebreakers is that you tend to be pretty good at it. And I’m not dumb enough to pull something like this if I thought there was a serious chance I’d actually get caught. This area of the Subterrane was sealed off a long time ago, so no security cameras were ever set up down here. No alarm system either, just a plain old analogue lock. That’s not to say it’ll be especially easy to get in- even analogue locks are complex enough these days that an ordinary person couldn’t pick them. That’s why we developed Pilfer ‘bots.
As Sofie and Niko watch, I pull a small oval-shaped lump of metal out of my pocket, and place it in my palm. Holding my hand near the lock, I press a finger to the back of the device, and watch it activate, insect-like limbs emerging from its smooth surface, which splits apart to reveal a ‘head’ with three tiny, glowing green eyes. Tilting my hand forward, I let the Pilfer ‘bot crawl into the mouth of the skull, where it disappears. It’s small enough to fit into the lock mechanism itself, where it’ll reconfigure its shape to match the lock’s design.
Since Pilfer ‘bots are pretty much only useful for the exact thing we’re using one for right now, they aren’t strictly legal in the Imperium. You can’t buy them, or even make them using a matter-fabricator. What you can do, however, is download the specs, and fabricate the individual components, and then put one together yourself. If someone discovered what you were doing and ratted you out, you’d be in trouble, but it’s a big Imperium, and the authorities can’t be everywhere at once.
After a minute, I hear the lock click open, and the ‘bot pops out, crawling right back into my hand and sealing itself back up with a digital chirp. As I’m sticking it back in my pocket, Sofie makes an impressed sound behind me.
“Nice. You got any more of those I can borrow? Would make my job a lot easier if I had one or two of them on-hand.”
“I’ll see what I can do, but you gotta be careful. Anybody sees you using one, and we’re both screwed.”
“Please,” the Silver Shadow scoffs, sounding mock-offended. “I’m the soul of discretion.”
For both our sakes, I hope that’s true, because we’re right at the threshold of what I brought her and Niko here to see, and if they start telling tales out of school, I could be in real trouble. The gate creaks ominously as I push it open, and my companions remain a step or two behind me as we walk through.
Inside, a massive clockwork mechanism built into the floor shifts and spins silently. Above it, a huge metal dodecahedron is suspended inside of another clockwork contraption, which rotates around it in cyclical patterns. Each of the dodecahedron’s facets has a circular screen built into it, which all read 00:00:00, the same six digits on all twelve faces. On the walls of the room are more banners, but unlike the ones we passed before, these are the same golden-brass color as the clockwork machinery, displaying symbols unfamiliar to me.
While I’m staring, Niko starts to pace around the edge of the machine, careful not to get his foot stuck in the shifting gears. Sofie stays next to me, her gaze shifting back and forth between the dodecahedron’s various rotating faces, and my own.
“Either of you know what this is?”
Niko shakes his head, while Sofie makes a vague negatory sound. The whole room is lit by a spherical lamp set into the ceiling, which doesn’t seem to have dimmed meaningfully since this place was sealed off. Maybe it’s built into the machinery somehow, and not connected to the same power source that the rest of the Subterrane is.
“They called it the Strongbox. A vault designed by seven of the top engineer Founders, including the Fractalsmith himself. It’s said that every one of the technologically-minded Founders contributed to its contents, but nobody knows exactly what those contents are. Some say it’s the schematics for every Regalia weapon ever developed. Others think it might contain the original personality matrices of the Founders themselves. There’s even speculation that they locked a fully general artificial intelligence in there.”
Upon hearing that, Niko freezes, then takes several steps back, looking wary.
“When it was built, the screens all showed countdown timers, each of them counting down to a different date. But each of those dates came and went, and the box never opened. After the last one passed, the Citadel administration decided to have the whole thing sealed off, and a good portion of the Subterrane itself, just to be safe. Some say they’re worried about people trying to break it open or steal it, others think they’re trying to keep whatever’s inside from getting out. While they haven’t quite made the topic taboo, they’ve certainly done their best to prevent anybody from learning about it, which is probably why neither of you have. Hell, I hadn’t heard anything about it until that message last night put me onto it.”
Sofie flicks her hair over her shoulder, and takes a step closer to me, her eyes still fixed on the Strongbox.
“So, why d’you think your mystery friend wanted you to see this?”
“Well, I can’t say for sure, but I’m reasonably certain they want me to crack it open.”