They are now checking to make sure no automated messages are being sent from the base. It is one minute to the scheduled portal opening of 3:05. And, wow! There has just been a very bright flash. It illuminated the whole base. It may have illuminated the entire dark side of the Moon. I wonder if that’s normal? Roll says that’s called the initial burn-off, whatever that means.
The gate has apparently opened. Automated opening, right on schedule. So far, so good. The engineers must think everything is okay, giving us the thumbs up. The gate has settled down and looks black, blacker than black, and shimmering just a little. It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen. Time for Shockwave to move out.
***
FAR OUT!
Still September 29th. We ported through the wormhole, or whatever it is. Of course, we have a bomb with us. It’s big. But not a monster. About a megaton. It seems as though wherever we go, a shockwave follows. We are cloaked, wearing rebreathers in case the atmosphere is toxic. One of the queens interviewed by Mr. T had met with some of the Empire citizens of this world. They were able to breath the same air, though the queen had needed an oxygen supplement.
The rebreathers were our effort to be extra cautious. I’m checking the air as Para, our resident biologist, runs some quick general organic tests. Cloak, cloak, cloak. It will only take a minute to determine if we can stay here without hazmat suits.
They, the Empire, aren’t aware that we are here. Sure ... we’re cloaked. But you never know with such a technically advanced civilization. No war ships in sight. They don’t seem to be in a hurry to move across to Darkside. The bomb is ready. We can arm it and port in seconds if need be.
It’s hard to describe the place on this side of the portal bridge. Amazing?
The portal gate is within a huge dome with clear glass windows. Well, not windows really. It is like a huge dome of solid glass. It’s like glass but with no framing. Just glass. But not glass. Clearer than glass. It’s almost invisible, but you can see it from the occasional light refraction. I’m not doing a good job of describing it. Like I said, it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before.
It’s night here. Two large moons. One looks a little larger than Luna back home. I feel a little lighter. Like I weigh maybe 10 pounds less than usual. Perhaps less gravity than Earth, but it’s close. There are stars. A lot of stars. There are levels and levels of ... ships ... moving very fast. Outside the dome. Aircars. It looks like a dozen or more super-freeways all stacked up on top of each other. But I don’t see any solid surfaces, just thousands of aircars, streaming along, and not that far from the dome.
There’s a city not far in the distance. With buildings like crystals reaching for space. And there’s the bomb. We didn’t know what to expect of course. But this is crazy. Are we going to detonate the bomb with the freeway so close? And the city? We have to. What choice do we have? Now to find a secure spot away from the blast effect.
Roll tethered and Rock ported away. Tethering also helps with detecting an entanglement shake. Rock popped right back. Too much stuff around. He couldn’t untangle on that try. I didn’t think he slipped the cloak, but now alarms are going off. Here goes port attempt two. He popped right back. But he has a silly look on his face.
Rock! Check out those seriously scary looking killer-robots roaming the grounds. Yeah. Impressive. Here comes one our way and its moving fast.
“Trust me,” Rock said.
We had to go. Mr. T set the bomb timer for 20 seconds and we ported. What else could he do? We untangled in a large park-like area. We were out in the countryside somewhere. Roll had spotted the place on his second port and memorized the location as best he could. We’re not too far out in the county. I can see the city. It’s not that far. We are in a hollowed-out depression, so we can hunker down from the blast effect. I think. How far are we?
Let’s see what my Ivees can tell me. There are the skyscrapers. I’ll call them that. They are tall. Incredibly tall. And beautiful. Like thin crystal spires reaching almost into space. They shimmer in waves of beautiful colors. I hear musical tones that seem to be coming from the spires carried by the wind. I think we should be further away from the bomb! Mr. T is focused on the dome, watching through an IVs booster.
He’s shouting, “Roll, you need to port to-”
A timer is beeping. “Oh no! Everyone, look away!”
We all looked away just before the flash. My Ivees automatically glazed. It will take a second to reimage. Have you ever been happy and terribly sad at the same time? The Earth is now safe. The teleportation base is surely gone. But the city? Was there another way? Why did they build a military teleportation gate so close to a city? I’ll admit my eyes are misty, and not because of that bright flash. Well, not exactly because of the flash. What have we done? Now the stupid IVs lens fan is running. I hate nukes.
How are you doing sis? Yeah, this is terrible. What was Mr. T saying before the blast?
Mr. T is shaking his head. “I don’t know where it came from. But a ship was suddenly in my field of vision and it was moving through the portal. It may have made it through the gate before the detonation. Too late to warn the EDF now. Hopefully the guns at Darkside can handle it.”
The IVs booster slipped from his hand. I made to grab them but missed. No need for them at this distance anyway, the IVs magnification
