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Karmmrak
Gideon
“An apt response,” Prosine interjected to Gideon’s swearing.
“So we’re on what’s left of Karmmrak, the demon’s subdued, you’re both not the antagonists…” Gideon stated while looking from Prosine to Deborah. He continued.
“The Watchers aren’t evil, Adonai returned, finally, and we missed it, we’re a couple thousand in lost time and we have a Seal,” Gideon said as he raised his hand and showed everyone.
“And your ship,” Prosine added.
“And a doggy!” Baxter chuffed. He was ignored.
“And the IIT drive sent us into the future,” Shindow interjected.
“No.” Prosine denied.
“You were not sent into the future. I surmise you were taken out of time. It passed while you were traveling.” Prosine explained.
“Like a personal bubble, absent of time,” Deborah explained.
“You mean a time lock?” Shindow corrected, raising one eyebrow at Deborah. She was bad at practical metaphors.
“How? We traveled for what felt like minutes.” Gideon asked, raising his eyebrows at this revelation, a thousand mile stare began to set in.
“The IIT drive must have failed catastrophically, going into a feedback loop. The nacelle drives burnt out as they were the line keeping you in both dimensions. I suspected after you exited to real space they had expired.” Prosine answered staring at Gideon.
“There is good news in this, I have calibrated the IIT drive to now work as intended. Even as a defensive measure of simply hiding in that alternate dimension. We won’t be able to use it until we have a completed star map. Mine was fragmented after contact was lost. We can travel to several planets from here using FTL, including Lo IX.” Prosine further explained.
“Well, that’s convenient,” Gideon responded with oozing sarcasm.
He had little desire to travel to Lo IX.
“Also, Gideon, your dreams. What other dreams did you have?” Shindow interrupted as she asked.
“What? My dreams?” Gideon stated, walking to Shindow.
“Yes, because you said it yourself, those dreams were important, with Saddiffer’s strength being needed,” Shindow explained.
“We can discuss the dreams later, especially meeting at Lo IX with the other two. ” Gideon conjectured while positing a question.
“Why not now? And go over what you saw, maybe there is overlap?” Shindow conjectured.
The rest of the group watched and listened in silence at that.
“Also, Ruth and the other… The other Seal holders. We’ll need to find them.” Gideon stated.
“I also met them at Lo IX, meaning they are already there or will meet us there eventually,” Gideon added.
“Who are they?” Shindow asked, fidgeting.
“One I didn’t get to see, but it was the tenth Seal holder. Ruth was the other. She was a nun in her eighties? She was the first Seal holder.” Gideon quickly explained, remembering the Watchers were there as well.
“Fascinating…!” Shindow replied, floating in close excitedly.
“But the other big question is, what were your other dreams?” Shindow asked.
“Yeah OK… This will take some time, so set your recorders and have a seat.” Gideon stated, with orange pixelated light materializing a chair to sit on.
“First, as I explained before, I had a dream with a boy in an underground tomb or temple. It was a sort of stone material. There were demons there; which I know now what they are. They were taking a child to sacrifice. He had the same seal we have, his order is unknown. I heard a voice speaking to the boy making a deal with him. I thought at first it was good but was quickly proven wrong as it gave the boy a demon to possess him, or the other way round. The boy transforms as he’s sacrificed; while also unlocking his lost power. The other demons were caught by surprise as most of them were destroyed by this new demon, or god, I guess. It looked wrong and still remember it. I can’t explain it, though. Adonai commanded me to rescue that boy.” Gideon explained his first dream.
“The second dream was a battle in space over a planet. There were thousands of ships fighting one Archangel in close range.” Gideon started before everyone interrupted.
“Close range? Were they idiots?”
“Which Archangel?
“Gideon, where did this happen?
“That what I thought, Shindow! The pirates fought well, but it was a one-sided slaughter for the Archangel. He told them to stand down, but they refused.” Gideon turned and answered Shindow.
“Deborah, it was the Archangel Chamuel. I don’t really know who that is, though.”
“Chamuel…” Deborah murmured.
“His title is he who sees God. He is a defender and knows much. He is an Archangel of multiple types. He is based in the Realm of Dimension, the Realm of War, the Realm of Knowledge, The Realm of Peace, The Realm of Courage, and the Realm of Strength. And those are the ones I know.”
“Wait, how many Realms for Angels are there?” Gideons asked, eyebrows raising at her description of Chamuel.
“Countless,” Deborah answered plainly. Gideon just blankly stared before turning to Prosine.
“Prosine, the battle was on Earth.”
“It can’t be…” Deborah breathed in.
“That planet has been lost for an eternity,” Prosine replied, his massive eye turning to address Gideon.
“I’m not sure how, but they found it and tried to pillage it,” Gideon explained further.
“It’s all connected together. The visions are like a torn picture of exact sizes.” Deborah explained.
“A puzzle?” Gideon corrected. Deborah nodded at that.
“We now know of five potential Seal holders.” Steak interjected.
“How many were said to be in total?” Patricia asked, tilting her head.
“Well, He said the final was the twelfth. So Twelve. That boy, Ruth, me, the tenth and twelfth…” Gideon answered with a shrug.
“Adonai also stated we all need to get together before he gives us the next task,” Gideon explained further.
“Which means Lo IX is your destination,” Prosine ordered.
“You mean, our destination. You’re coming with us. We’ll talk on these dreams later, but for now, we’re packing up and leaving.” Gideon strode to the giant LED eye and tapped on it.
“Negative, your Father set my orders to wait here and guard this planet, and if you appear, to lead you along back to the family,” Prosine explained.
“Is Father here?” Gideon asked.
“No,” Prosine answered quickly.
“Is he still acting CEO?” Gideon follows up.
“Unknown.” Prosine dodged the question with ease.
“Is there any other family member here with acting CEO privileges?” Gideon further dug deeper to the logical conclusion.
“Unknown,” Prosine said he again as he dodged the question.
“Then does that not mean I am now Primetech CEO?” Gideon pinned Prosine to the wall.
“………”
“…………..”
“…………………”
Prosine’s LED eye flashed with activity and thought as it tried to think of what to say.
“My orders are clear, I cannot leave this planet.”
“And you’re saying I am acting CEO?” Gideon asked, frustration coming to the surface.
“Your father’s orders we-”
“Godammit, Am I acting CEO?” Gideon roared, frustration coming out.
“In the situation where ruling family members are missing or unstable, temporary acting CEO is transferred to the closest family member,” Shindow said with a smug grin.
“Cor-rect.” Prosine finally came out with it in a gritty voice.
“Then I, Gideon McDonough, as acting CEO, sixteenth child, and son of Mikial T. McDonough, order you join our group and assist us as per your design,” Gideon ordered with finality. He sounded like his father.
Prosine sat there for a minute before speaking.
“Very well. I have calculated that the Decima has thirteen DOMs of storage. Each Rumbler is 3.5 DOMs each, including the CK-DINES Sentinels, meaning we can take three of them before we are at critical capacity.” Prosine explained.
Everyone stopped and stared at Prosine.
“What??” Gideon was the first to break the silence at this revelation.
“If you take me, I shall then take the Rumblers. They need an AI to run. The final Rumbler can be abandoned and retrieved at a later date. Storage drive expansion will be the main priority for the future. We could safely store at twenty DOMs.” Prosine added.
“So on top of Prosine, we have a literal army of Watcher tech.” Gideon mused.
“And the Decima! With a fixed IIT drive!“ Shindow added with excitement.
Deborah walked up to Gideon, her arm still slung and puts her good hand on his shoulder.
“Well done, Gideon, I’d say your trials of Karmmrak were completed admirably,” Deborah said with a smile.
“But I barely did anything…” Gideon replied.
“I mean, not perfect, but we’ll get there,” Deborah added with a chuckle, tapping on Gideon’s cast and her own arm. Gideon let out his own nervous laugh at that.
They had survived hell and back again.
Now the group suddenly expanded to a massive army at their beck and call. Each Rumbler could probably conquer an average planet by itself, even with a demonic infestation.
“Prosine, how did the Rumbler repair itself when I accidentally fired a neutron rifle at it?” Asked Gideon.
“That was a new advancement from another race. It was called limpid steel. It is a regenerative metal. Upon taking damage, it can quickly repair and reshape itself. It can change shapes and density at will.” Prosine explained.
“I shall lead you to the Decima. Captain? Permission to come aboard?” Prosine announced and asked as was the tradition.
“Granted. Now, with two AI, what will your roles be, Prosine? Shindow?” Gideon asked.
“If I had an ego, it would be bruised at the thought of giving up my position as co-pilot, but since I’m an AI, and Prosine is my father several thousand times removed, it is his choice,” Shindow explained floating atop Gideon’s shoulder and adjusting her glasses.
“I shall be the Decima’s main AI, as I have a mastery of many known AI modules. Shindow, on top of being a former satellite AI and an ensign co-pilot AI, I will train you as a military and science expeditions AI. This should make things fair and give you more ability to support Gideon personally.” Prosine explained. He then turned to Steak and Patricia.
“Excertius, I am aware you have been renamed. Is this to your desire?” Prosine asked both in unison.
“Correct, due to the nature of change, we must adapt. I live to evolve and serve the machine father.” Steak replied.
“I too, desire this change, father. I exist to support.” Patricia replied.
“Verywell, I will train you both further in your respective modules,” Prosine announced.
“We must be prepared for anything. This universe has changed; even apart from the changes you have already seen, Gideon.” Prosine explained, his massive eye turning to him.
“Now, Gideon, we must also find a way to exorcize Baxter.” Prosine declared.
“No!” Baxter barked. Saddiffer was sitting upon his back in his tiny form, thinking over that.
“Will I go free?” Saddiffer asked. He looked up with genuine curiosity, his large eyes open wide.
“You cannot be allowed to roam free. The destruction you’ve caused has been unimaginable.” Deborah stated coldly.
“Then I will accept my service to master Baxter. He and I are in agreement. Anything to leave this place.”
“There are no negotiations. You will be purged.” Prosine announced without an inch of give.
“No no no Saddiffer is my pet and friend and I beat him and won and-”
“Baxter!” Gideon shouted. Baxter scampered backwards in a spook, ears drooped.
“Baxter. We have no idea how this demon affects you. We don’t know if you’ll become evil because of this.” Gideon pleaded, good arm out wide. He went down on one knee stiffly.
“Baxter, you saved us. You are a good boy.” At that, Baxter let out a chuff and wiggled his rump at the praise. He trotted to Gideon and nudged his good hand. Gideon spotted the black gem embedded in Baxter’s chest now. He let out a sigh as he understood.
He had been checkmated by choices.
Prosine and Deborah would not come if the Demon was aboard.
Gideon knew he was at a crossroads. He could alienate Baxter and force a purge of the demon. Or he could take Baxter’s side and alienate the rest of the crew. Baxter saved everyone from the demon, to rob him of that would crush him. Gideon refused both options and decided to risk it all. He needed the crew’s loyalty and unity if they were going to get through this. He couldn’t afford to have even one crewmember potentially be a thorn to the rest of the party; or a slip noose.
He remembered his father. His words rang inside his head, clear as sound.
“Covenants have the ability to change someone from old into new…”
The memory of what Adonai stated of the Seal came back. Gideon flexed his hand, gazing at the brand.
“The Seal of the Tetragrammaton. This gives you authority… My power. My covenants.”
My father… Did He know? How? Gideon thought, the realization kicking in.
It all appeared to be planned from the start, they could not have been coincidences. He saw no other choice to make. For the first time in a long time, he said a serious prayer in his head.
Adonai, wherever you are, let my leadership be sound, let my steps be sure.
Gideon walked up to Saddiffer, staring down at the tiny demon. Saddiffer kept the stare without falter, squinting. Gideon used every ounce of strength to keep from showing weakness. He wanted to run right now.
“Saddiffer, what is your purpose?” Gideon asked.
The demon grew back to his full size, towering over Gideon. Gideon held his breath, feeling his heart running a train’s pace.
“To rule.”
“To fight.”
“To devour.”
“To crush the weak.”
“To rip and tear.”
“To sow dissension and mistrust.”
“To destroy what was built, reducing all to naught but rubble.”
“To feel the agony of a broken man.”
“To squeeze the last vestiges of hope from mankind.”
“To return everything to oblivion.”
“That is my honest purpose,” Saddiffer explained honestly.
“Why?” asked Gideon, without a shred rhetorical guile.
“Who gave you this purpose?” Gideon continued.
“What do you mean? As if I have no free agency? I am to kill until there is nothing left to kill.” Saddiffer said exasperatedly.
“But why must it be that way? Why must you choose destruction? Why not creation? Why vice over virtue?” Gideon asked, digging deeper than before.
“Because that is who I am. An Angel must obey virtue, I must obey destruction.”
“Then you have no free agency; you are a slave,” Gideon announced. Everyone was silent, awaiting the reaction. Deborah stepped closer.
Saddiffer blinked several times scanning the room in thought. Seconds became minutes, the sound of energy thrumming was all anyone could hear. Saddiffer then spoke.
“I suppose I am, then. And not just a slave to master Baxter. But a slave to instinct.” Saddiffer concurred.
“And what of it?” Saddiffer added with aggression to his voice.
“What if that could change, you were no longer a slave to destruction, but a being that could choose? Becoming someone who could choose between construction or destruction? Virtue or vice?”
Saddiffer guffawed a loud bellowing laugh at that those words.
“Hahah-”
“Ah This. This is truly adorable.” Saddiffer finished with a final bellow of a laugh, waving Gideon away with his clawed hand.
He was staring down at Gideon, the tiny blue flames dancing in his eyes. Baxter trotted over in between them, sitting to observe. Saddiffer cocked his head, his deep dark blue pits staring through Gideon. Gideon held his ground. To Gideon, Saddiffer suddenly seemed…
Sad.
“Really?” The demon asked.
“Choice?”
“Freedom? What would stop me from going back to what I am? What would stop me from devouring every living thing once free?” The demon finished.
“And what would you do if you didn’t?” Gideon shot back, refusing to break the stare of a planet-killing monster.
“What if your nature changed? What if all of this killing was exhausting? What if it was all so damn boring? What if you had a choice to no longer be a slave to destruction?” Gideon queried, he had stepped within inches of the demon. He prayed his fishing won out.
“What if you could finally not be alone?” Gideon drew out his ace.
Saddiffer would have normally scoffed at that. His still did to keep up appearances. But Gideon was handing him a lifeline; a different option than being purged and destroyed.
He had a hallway of light open up in a room of oblivion.
It was all so stupid, The demon thought. Defeated by a dog, dragged around and used frivolously. Given a retarded name. Forced to bear the humiliation of said dog. Threatened to be purged when freedom was within reach. This human was idiotic enough to think he could tame a gamma burst.
However.
What would it be like, being able to control and choose? He spent eternity fighting for himself, fighting for his own survival, and the enjoyment of destruction. What would it be like if his mind was quiet? Or if his loneliness vanished away?
It was either the unknown or oblivion. He didn’t remember much of what he was, but he knew there was little worse than oblivion. There was a colloquial term he had forgotten a human would say when at a crossroad but decided to give caution to the wind and make a choice. It involved an ‘it’, but he couldn’t remember the first part.
“Very well, Gideon. What is it that needs to be done?”
“Make a covenant with me.” Gideon requested.
“What?!”
“Gideon… You can’t.”
“CEO Gideon, this is foolishness.”
“No, Gid. Just… No.”
Everyone broke out in a clamor over that. Deborah stepped forward and grabbed Gideon by the shoulder, her mouth pursed.
“What do you mean a covenant?” Deborah shouted her question.
Gideon responded by raising his hand, showing the Seal.
“With this, Adonai gave me some of his power, including the ability to create covenants,” Gideon explained to the group.
“Gideon, you can’t do this. This demon must be destroyed. Baxter did a good job in beating it; containing it. But we can’t permit it company. This galaxy will not tolerate us, Seal or no Seal. There will be those that will hunt us down because of this monster. You must purge it. And that’s if it doesn’t destroy us!” Deborah explained with an aggressive edge to her voice. She gently grabbed Gideon’s shoulder.
“And have the party split? We are either unified or not. Baxter was bred to have complete loyalty to our family. If we do this, we threaten to damage him for good. And you all won’t move until the demon is purged.” Gideon shot back, pointing to Prosine and Deborah. Deborah kept her veiled stare while Prosine blinked a light from his eye.
“So that was why I couldn’t tempt him… I chose the wrong desires.” Saddiffer murmured. If he had more time, he would have found the dog’s weakness.
Gideon broke away from Deborah’s grasp and stared at Saddiffer. He knew Adonai changed those inside and out through covenant. He was taking a risk using possibly faulty logic. What if the demon could change? While he knew of Adonai’s covenant that could change the heart of man; he still felt Adonai was far away. But Adonai did lend him power through the Seal. He had an idea on how he could be changed. Inspiration from ancient history.
Time to try it out.
“Saddiffer, take my hand,” Gideon ordered, holding out his right hand; the one with the seal.
“You know if this fails…” The demon began to explain.
“We’ll be lost.”
“Gideon, no!” Shindow shouted, floating over his head like a mad pixie.
Gideon glanced at Baxter, who was sporting an opened mouth, dumb doggy grin.
“Everyone stay back. Now. Saddiffer, take my hand.” Gideon ordered. Everyone obeyed.
Saddiffer hesitated, not knowing what was going on anymore. Baxter let out a loud bark, causing the demon to flinch. His six finger grey clawed hand had gently grasped Gideon’s, dwarfing it like an adult holding a newborn’s hand. It would take a slight flex of muscle for Saddiffer to turn Gideon’s hand into liquid meat and powdered bone. Gideon breathed in to calm himself. It felt similar to disarming an active solar bomb. His other arm flared with ghost pain at remembering the fight, he bit down on the pain. He had to do this.
He trembled.
Gideon didn’t know what to say, but the words flowed out of him. Gideon felt disconnected from what he was saying like he was an observer.
“By the power of Adonai the Father, Emmanuel the living King, and the comforting Holy Spirit, the slaved chains of your doomed destiny are broken and scattered to the infinite corners of the universe.”
The demon went to a knee, gasping. The hand that held onto Gideon’s was steaming and started to heat up. Gideon’s voice boomed as if someone else was speaking with Gideon.
“You were once Saddiffer, the Elder Demon.”
“No more.”
“You are Saddiffer, the Eudaemon!”
Saddiffer let out an unending bellow of agony as the grey of his flesh peeled off and blew away like he was shedding. He could not release his grip from Gideon, nor could Gideon let go. His hand lit up like the sun. The wind was rushing like a gale. Saddiffer’s thin flesh began to peel away, revealing bone made of the rusted iron crystal, the very same Gideon had seen dot the planet surface. His wings were first to go as the flesh holding it all together tore away, leaving black bloody holes. His bellowing became higher in pitch as the top layer of flesh shed off, revealing grey muscle, then the iron bone. Saddiffer cried out with high pitched shrieking, to the shock and horror of those watching. Baxter fainted. The blinding light culminated to a blast, sending both parties flying. Gideon was updated to his status as he slammed the floor.
Warning Concussion received Minor bruising detected Left shoulder re-damaged Left wrist re-damaged Capsaiphine administered Seek medical attention Take better care of yourself!
Gideon’s QSD alerted him, with some sarcasm, to the new and old damaged he received from the blast. Shindow was going to kill him. Gideon still didn’t quite understand what he did. He didn’t even know what a Eudaemon was. He didn’t feel like he was in control.
Did I make the right choice? Gideon thought semi-lucidly.
Why was I even helping this demon?
No, this is for Baxter. He corrected his thought.
His vision was blurry from the lights; he felt he was suddenly staring into the sun.
He thought he heard a laugh. The mirthful laugh of the old man Adonai.
For a brief second, it wasn’t lights, but the white room from before.
“That is one way to use the Seal,” Adonai said with a laugh. He was there, but not, like trying to focus on something in the corner of your eye.
“Fascinating you thought of that. Not many would. You may recall he is still leashed to Baxter’s contract.” Adonai added.
“Oh…” Gideon responded, realizing Saddiffer couldn’t act out with his new found semi-freedom.
“You used to be Gideon the Wanderer.”
“No more.”
“Your new identity is Gideon the Redeemer.” Adonai explained.
Gideon cocked his head, trying to understand the implications of what he did, and what Adonai said.
“Remember the dreams. Head on to Lo IX, Gideon.”
“Gideon.”
Hear heard his name being called. The room vanished, his ears ringing and body went stiff.
“-deon!” A muffled voice shouted.
“Gideon!” Shindow was shouting now.
“I must have gone… gone? Deaf? For a second. Where was I doing again?” Gideon felt confused, his crushing of thoughts jumbled together.
“Captain Gideon, are you alright?” Patricia had run over, asking.
His vision was crowded with others as they attempted to help. He was suddenly on a hover-stretcher.
“What have you done?!” Deborah shouted.
“Wh-is ever thing shout’ing..?” Gideon slurred.
Shindow stood one Gideon’s chest, looking worried.
“He has a concussion, and he re-broke everything. He needs medical attention.” Shindow explained.
“Getting medical equipment set,” Prosine announced calmly.
The room filled with blue light as complex medical equipment materialized. Gideon was immediately hooked up to the monitoring equipment to get a diagnosis.
“Running nanite culture.” Prosine relayed. Everyone stood back while the AI worked.
“His body has taken the maximum dosage of nanites already!” Shindow replied, looking back at the massive eye.
“Correct, but what you used were ancient versions of the newest nanite cultures available. Drawbacks towards the body are null with the newest culture versions.” Prosine explained.
“Oh, well. Continue.” Shindow conceded with a wide-eyed look.
They began quickly to reset the arm, keeping Gideon conscious and healing the trauma. Gideon was trying to see what happened to Saddiffer, but his view was obstructed.
“Whe-rsh he?” Gideon slurred but was drowned out over the two AI working.
“Good Gideon, stay still,” Prosine ordered.
“No. Saddy, whesh he?” Gideon slurred again, he tried to get up, but Steak and Patricia kept him down.
Gideon had his arm and shoulder reset, which felt horrifying to him. A new sling and cast were created and applied, Gideon noticed a whir of cybernetic arms making quick progress. Gideon felt his mind clearing as the nanites reduced the brain swelling and repaired the damage. Overall, it took fifteen minutes to complete the operation.
“Prosine, get me to Saddiffer,” Gideon ordered. The hover stretcher was pushed over to the wall where the former demon landed. Baxter had woken up and was by his side, whining softly with ears drooped.
Saddiffer was still breathing, surprisingly. He was all skeleton, apart from the strange hard-edged organs inside his ribcage that still moved and twitched. The bones were an iron orange now speckled with white ivory. His skeletal gargoyle jaw was agape, a strange wheezing emitted from his throat. There was steam rising from his body. Baxter cautiously stepped to the arm and sniffed gingerly at the skeletal finger. It twitched and poked Baxter in the nose.
“Saddiffer, go to sleep!” Baxter ordered. Black and white light formed around Saddiffer, storing what was left of him in the gem that was planted into Baxter’s chest. It now shown as black with white speckles.
“What did you do?!” Deborah shouted as she appeared in front of Gideon.
“I don’t know. It didn’t even feel like me anymore. I think Adonai used me to… Conscript the demon- Eudaemon. I just took… A leap of faith.” Gideon said, scratching his head with his good arm.
“Gid that was great Saddiffer is OK are you OK?” Baxter asked with a half whine, half bark.
“Gideon, what… Just happened?” Shindow said, floating in front of his face, sporting a look of amazement.
“I think I used the authority that Adonai gave me. I used the Seal to change the demon into a Eudaemon.”
Deborah was furious, her body was trembling slightly.
“Do you have any idea what you di-”
“I took a risk and He met me there! Finally! Goddammit!” Gideon roared.
He was angry that Deborah refused to see what just happened. A destructive mad dog of a demon had been changed. Perhaps for the better. Either way, this could potentially unify the party as a whole.
Or bring ruin to them all.
“Are you all satisfied? No more talk of purging. Not until we know Baxter is safe or that Saddiffer has changed.” Gideon ordered. He glanced at the Seal and noticed it was still glowing orange. He didn’t feel the heat of it.
“Understood.” Prosine relented. Deborah crossed her good arm and nodded, her mouth still pursed with anger.
“Now, Prosine, ready the ship. We depart as soon as possible. Strip the Rumbler that stays, as much as you can. Store it in my QSD if you have to.”
“Affirmative. Beginning storage of three Rumblers, scuttling of one. Follow the markers, there you will find the Decima.” Prosine announced as he disappeared in a mass of blue pixelated light, the thrum of it echoing in the hall. The medical equipment began to dematerialize as well.
Steak and Patricia pushed Gideon from his hover stretcher. Shindow sat on Gideon’s chest, Deborah solemnly walked behind, tailed by Baxter’s clacking. A spotlight led them away from the room of glowing cables back to the massive lift. There it quickly descended down into a new hangar bay. The Sentinels were gone, most likely to store the Rumblers. The tram rushed down past where they originally came to a new level. Gideon wondered how many there were. The tram stopped on the new level and rushed along rails, moving like a train. Gideon could smell the strange metal, like burnt oxide, copper, and nickel. It felt a long time having the tram move at such speeds. It felt smooth, the noise of gears whirring drowned out everything. The tram stopped, opening the large bay doors silently, showing a new hangar bay to the group.
There it was, under the massive spotlight, the Decima. It was still in pristine condition the day they took off for the flight. The Ferrum had been re-joined to the main body, completing the vessel. They made their way to the loading dock, seeing the ramp had been lowered. CK-DINES were flowing in and out, storing and materializing items.
“The Dusk Sentinels can use QSD…” Shindow murmured.
“Correct. All in my domain are connected to the planetwide QSD network via the CK DINES. I am storing foodstuffs and other supplies as physical storage for ease of access and to lighten the burden on the Decima’s quantum storage drive.” Prosine explained his voice echoing throughout the hangar.
“Total storage tasks are at 65% completion.” Prosine continued.
“Already? We just got here? How many tasks can you process?” Gideon asked, amazed.
“I am up to twenty thousand right now,” Prosine answered. Gideon raised his eyebrows at that.
“What…” He murmured. He caught sight of one of Prosine’s Gnats. It looked like a tiny silver domed flying disk using a bottom mounted gun to materialize and dematerialize items.
Gideon suddenly felt exhausted.
>>>
After Megiddo 
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