(Day 3448 / Y7, March 8th)

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The notes and everything were plastered all over the globe room. A team of three artists was making detailed renders of all the details they could from the room, including the circular designs that had somehow sculpted themselves on the side walls an hour after re-activating the Far Home map.

“Our estimates are that the white and the black ones are nearly at the same distance. Well, we’re closer to one of those black blobs from here, but that’s only a small difference overall,” the head of the mapmakers reported.

First Gater Kaznikal looked pensively at the planetary globe as the Gater showed her the notes.

“So, six-limbed weirdos to the south and flat-faced furless critters northeast. At least, if this is accurate and current, everyone is still in their corners after nine years. Unless Blue and Red have met already, given how close they look to be.”

“Based on measurements of Far Home’s diameter compared to this, it is 600 to 700 miles. Black and Blue seem half that, and Blue to Red is… murky. I’m sure some computer back Home can give us the optimal distance.”

A Gater bounded down the stairs. Kaznikal recognized her; she had been going to a side room upstairs to avoid clutter while transferring Homeward.

“All data sent and updated. Even if this blows up and we all get killed, the preliminary maps are safe,” she said.

Kaznikal shook her head.

“No self-destruction system, please. We’ve got the Aetherists keeping watch on those canisters and making sure they don’t start refilling again after they shut down, so I’d rather not have another threat coming up.”

She turned toward another raider.

“Anything about the canister under this room?”

“Nothing. It’s still full, and it doesn’t seem to drain into the map globe. No idea what it is for.”

Her snout twitched. It would be their luck if that Aether reservoir did fuel a last-ditch measure.

A movement at the edge of her perception triggered alarm. All of the raiders tensed simultaneously as a shape appeared suddenly.

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A person. She breathed deeply, exhaling, and looking almost in tears. Kaznikal’s snout twitched, then she realized what it was.

“You’re Nidagg?”

“Yes. Yes, oh yes. Thanks, Great Mother.”

Not again.

She extended her arms, and Kaznikal took them in, holding each other at arms’ length. Nidagg breathed again deeply.

“Once I heard you were heading here, I kept track. I watched this room so many times… then it was active again. And that person – Illakal – started uploading pictures, and I knew… it was safe.”

She looked as everyone in the room raised their fists and yelled.

“It must be hard,” Kaznikal said.

“They all piled up on the doorframe, sacrificing everything to buy me time since I was the lowest level. Then I was back Home, with only the room showing on the Gate, as usual. But no one recessed. I was exiled, alone.”

“And you were saved. That’s how we knew of this. Thanks to you. Thanks to all of you…”

Kaznikal was standing on top of the Pyramid as the smaller Gater slowly climbed down, with another Gater accompanying her still unsteady gait. Nidagg would move into the temporary camp, and in a couple of days, a pair of raiders returning would escort her back to “civilization,” as much as such existed on Second Home.

She would bounce back. Gaters were always resilient, more than the stats on the Interface showed. But it was always reassuring to have one’s respawn location in a safe area, not in the depths of a potential death trap.

Loud clanks sounded, as she spotted the only person who could make so much noise. Therominn and his legendary iron-toed boots was climbing the stairs.

“It ends as well as it could,” she said.

He appeared to be really, really worried, making her snout twitch.

“I hope it’s not bad news,” she said.

“It is. Rather… worrisome.”

“Does the Pyramid have another mechanic activated?”

Therominn’s ears twitched in negative.

“Worse. We have four… runners.”

“Four what?”

“There’s four Gaters who have left the area unannounced. They were spotted and tracked, but they are clearly running away. North-northeast. And fast.”

For a few seconds, Kaznikal looked blankly at the Gater. There was nothing north of the Pyramid. Except…

“Fuck. Not this.”

She slumped. The Psionicist continued.

“I know one of them. Masilias. And I wondered why she had purchased a runner skill stone recently. One of those skills that let you run for insanely long at no stamina costs.”

“They have prepared for this, you mean.”

They bounced down, Kaznikal following him toward the camp. One of the Gaters there was waiting for them and turned toward the north.

“Where are they now?”

“Just moved out of my skill range. Over 30 miles now,” the tracker said with a twist of the snout.

“I sometimes despair about civilization. Almost a decade in a new world, and nobody’s acting responsibly anymore,” she said.

“It’s only a small minority. For them, it’s still the greatest game ever made. Beats the biggest VR MMOs at Home.”

“And that’s who is going to represent all of us to the very first alien species we’ll meet. Hotheads out for a thrill.”

Kaznikal let out a massive sigh.

“I’ll get their guilds to leave them a message at Home for when they return. But I’m not hopeful.”

“You can’t get them neutralized and kept exiled after they transfer back?”

“One or two, maybe. All of them? No way. For better or worse, they’re gunning for the black ones.”