"The Mirror Universe cannot hurt ours."

Ever since the first tests hinted at the existence of a Mirror universe to our own, that had been a cardinal guiding point. Yphilios was just a reflected universe, and could no more harm us than a literal mirror could damage more than the self-esteem of the one reflected in it. There were no existing inhabitants or sentient creatures - it was a blank realm ready to be developed at the needs and whim of humanity. That was why Dr. Friedrich and Dr. Alter had been able to set up the Archos Institute and so easily exploit the Mirror Universe without resistance or complaint. Earth could change reality in the shards of the Yphilios - but nothing in Yphilios could ever affect Earth. The people of Earth held no fear towards it.

Or at least, there hadn't been. The odd taste of sweat and metal in Alessia's mouth - that could only be fear. An unvoiced fear shared by all those in the room, coupled with the electricity of change.

The current director of the Institute itself, Dr. Seraf Young, came to a podium that rose along one wall of the room. "As some of you know," she began, "we are currently at the Alpha site for Archos Institute, on the planet Dawn, in what we call the prime shard. The facility here is larger than the branch institute in Seattle. For now, we will be conducting screenings for maximum security, before continuing operations here for the time being."

Alessia bit her lip in shock, and even Peter stiffened. A complete shard world unannounced to the public? An operational facility? Archos might as well be it's own government and kingdom at that point.

Dr. Young clicked her tongue and a screen descended behind her, showing a scene of a large group of Archos employees, a few in the orange jumpsuits of the interns, standing near a snowy mountain lodge as several others in their group skied past them. It wasn't clear if it was live or recorded. "Twenty-eight minutes ago, our time, there was an incident on Fennoth. Only one death has been reported, as of yet, no other serious injuries." The screen targeted and expanded one section, where a beautiful woman in an ornate white pantsuit approached. "This is the first time someone on one of the shard worlds has interacted with humans in an unexpected way. This woman is not from Earth, and neither is she one of the denizens we created to populate the world. Yet she approached our team and spoke with several of our people right before this happened:"

The brunette stranger tossed what looked like gems on the ground, and the wooden lodge and ski lifts evaporated into black dust. There was little other way to describe it - one moment they were there, the next they were gone, the last residues of their existence carried off on the wind.

"She warned our team to leave and not return to that region, claiming it as part of her territory. When two of our security got close, they were blown back. We theorize the power she is using is the Archos designed syllabery. Not wishing a potentially dangerous interaction, the team retreated through the portal as per procedure. Unfortunately, something destroyed the portal as our people were coming through. Reed Paris of the Fennoth team did not make it." She shook her head, and there was a moment of soft groaning in one portion of the room. "Currently the Seattle Branch is on Standby Alert, and operations in Fennoth have been suspended across all branches for the time being. We will continue monitoring Fennoth from this facility on Dawn, to avoid any risk of contaminating Earth."

Alessia heard scoffing from about the room.

"Care to share?" The director glared at those making noise.

"If I may," a scientist in a traditional lab coat spoke up, "what do you mean, contaminating? Everyone knows that Earth is perfectly isolated from anything done to or by the shard worlds."

The director played a clip of the portal on Earth's side destructing as the group came through. "Does that look like, "no affect?" to you? Is two-million dollars in damaged equipment and the loss of a human life nothing to be concerned about?" She sighed. "I understand this is difficult to process. It is for all of us - we've operated these past two centuries under the assumption that Yphilios is merely like clay waiting to be molded, that can't touch us in the slightest. That it's our cake to have and eat, not be eaten in turn. But for now, we must table all our assumptions."

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She looked solemnly around the room before continuing. No one interrupted. "Everyone here will be reassigned to tasks related to this current emergency - and I trust you will do so with the utmost secrecy and circumspection. Our hope is to have you all returned to Earth as quickly as possible, and that this will turn out to be something easily explained that will not affect the long-term plans of our company nor the safety of our home planet." She clicked her tongue again and the screen pulled up several security protocols:

Safety Screening Procedure 1. Wait in place until your department or group is called 2. Stand with your arms out and comply with Safety Scan 3. Answer any and all questions 4. When cleared, proceed to the nearest exit with your team 5. Do not leave your assigned dormitory and cafe area

It wasn't a particularly difficult process, but it took a while. By the time Alessia's team was scanned, her feet and back ached from stranding so long. She wondered how Kai was faring - she couldn't even see him through the crowd, but he must have been there on Fennoth when it all happened. No doubt his list of interview questions was far larger than the short-list her group got. 'Have you ever travelled to Fennoth, virtually or in person?' Obviously not. 'Are you feeling ill?' No, unless you counted some general queasiness. 'Do you agree to abide by all NDA disclosures you have signed, as well as keep the existence of Dawn, the prime shard, and all related topics a secret from anyone not authorized by Archos to know?' Sure, no one would believe her anyway.

Only a few other teams merged with theirs as they left the main room. No one talked much, not even Barb or Enz. They did exchange telling glances, though, as if they'd all stumbled upon something terrible and life-changing.

And maybe it was. Alessia could feel something around her, and the sensation was growing. It wasn't quite a feeling like, "home" or "trust," but it was something she felt akin to "energy" or "connection." It was strange to think it, but even, "reality" - as if Dawn and perhaps the whole Mirror Universe was the greater reality and Earth the lesser reflection. It couldn't be that way, of course - countless tests had shown that that the reality of YPhilios could be programmed and changed, while Earth's home universe could not. But, it didn't *feel* that way.

Alessia stretched and folded her hands as secretly as she could as they walked. How had her avatars done it, again? Oh yes, like a two-finger claw with thumb, and a slight twist of the wrist -

The ponytail holder she'd slipped out of her hair dropped and rolled away, even bounced unrealistically off the floor to the side of the corridor. She collected it, offering a few awkward apologies for "dropping" it.

Only she hadn't. It was a functional if messy use of "Kinetic Dart." Magery worked on Dawn.

She hid her smile, though it was harder to hide the bounce in her step, as they passed their groups' assigned cafeteria and began splitting off into the dormitories. Assuming they didn't pair her off with Barb - maybe even if they did - she knew what she'd be practicing tonight.