Date: 1/9/16...
Time: 5:59 am… CORRECTION… 6:00 am...
Location: Loading… Loading… Loading… CLASSIFIED...
“A Bright Writer once said...
A world with no limits cannot see itself fall, a world with limits, can watch itself fall.”
Sitting at my desk in the office, my finger taps upon the keyboard on a empty e-mail screen. I was waiting for a e-mail for my orders on what to do next about a certain project that must be nameless for the time being. The blinds of the room were closed keeping the sunlight from coming in, but the rest of the room was dark but somewhat lit with the help of my computer screen. My eyes were heavy with fatigue as I was closing in on my 20 hour awake waiting for my screen to flash with the news from the test chamber. My head rested upon my hand that was balled in a fist with my elbow resting on the computer table.
All though it wasn't a pillow, it was still comfy, so I soon find myself falling asleep. But, of course I couldn’t, for a knocking came at my office door. Lifting my head up putting down my hand, I shake myself awake and try to look at attention. I rub the sleep out of my eyes and look to the door on the other end of my room.
“Who is it?” I said trying to sound like I normally do, not sleepy.
“Lieutenant Colonel John Silversmith sir, may I come in sir, I have word on the E.L.P.” Came the voice on the other end of the wall. Hearing his voice, I turned on my desk lamp and stood up out of my seat and rested my hand on the desk in front of me.
“Okay, come on in.” The door knob turns and slowly opens revealing a man dressed in his Army BDU with a Lt. Col. Badge on his chest that shines off the light of the hallway. He’s holding a light brown folder that seems to be bursting at the edges with papers and paper clips. On the front of the folder said, “TOP SECRET” in big red bold letters.
“Thank you sir, can’t really talk to you outside now can I?”
“No, I don’t believe you can, you know you could have just sent me an email, I have been up for, what feels like an eternity.” Saying this I flop back into my office chair and rub my brows trying to stay awake, and a little bit in annoyance.
“Oh, sorry sir, I just thought a, more formal discussion should take place, you know, man to man.” I really wasn't in the mood but, I guess I would let him talk. I motion for him to come inside while I yawn for maybe the fifth time in under five minutes.
“How are you holding up sir, well, minus the budget cuts to your division, and this news about your unit getting picked for this, off world relocation, and, a shit ton of other things, but, other than those, how are you feeling?” He walks in front of my desk and pulls up a chair.
“I’m tired, I look like shit, feel like shit, and probably smell like it too, what else is new?” I look up just in time to see him shrug his shoulders.
He sits in a chair, one of those green leather wooden arm rest chairs you might see a dentist office, you know the ones, coffee table next to them, magazines resting on top in a orderly fashion, yeah, those.
“So, that folder for me?” I ask pointing to the folder that he now has tucked under his left arm. He looks down and puts on a face like he forgot it was there,
“Oh, yes, sorry sir,” He takes it out of his armpit and rests it on the table behind my screen and slowly pushes it forward until it hits the stand. I put my hand under the screen and pick up the folder with my left hand. Course when I lift it up to read it, the text isn't there, so I assume that it’s upside down.
Seeing that, I flip it over, and fair enough, I was meet with the blood red text of the folder.
I smirk out of annoyance, ‘This was the last thing I need to be doing right now, I’m too tired for this.’ I think to myself.
“All of the info about project, is in this folder.” finally taking in the whole thing, the folder felt a lot heavier than I thought it would, witch, added to my stress. Ignoring his previous statement, I tore into the folder flipping it open and immediately began scanning over the pictures and documents of the E.L.P. Project.
It began to tell the story from the beginning...
It’s was 1988, a Wednesday in September. It was one of those, stereotypical, perfect type of days, no clouds, it was about 68 degrees out and the winds were blowing just right, to the point where, it wasn't too, strong, or too weak. The time was around four past nine o'clock in the morning when down at the N.A.S.A space station alarms were going off left and right like they didn’t care who heard them.
Apparently there was asteroid hurtling toward earth at an alarming rate. So, fast that it took nearly five hours to pinpoint the exact location where this rock was going to touch down. It was going to smash in a field in New Mexico. Luckily it wasn't in a crowded area, so it was going to be easy to extract once it hits. The problem was that it was going hit in about a week or so, and the area of touchdown wasn't near any bases as a matter of fact, the only base near it was a top secret research facility.
So seeing this, the government recruited a few scientists and asked for them to wait for the Asteroid to hit. The week went by faster than they intended and the rock finally hit.
They quickly went to work on the rock, cooling it, recording it, and extracting it.
The rock was taken to the base and was held there until a discovery was made, more like accidentally made.
Upon dropping the asteroid off at the base. The truck that was moving it, made a rather quickly right turn to avoid hitting a low bearing beam and the straps holding the rock snapped and it tumbled of the bed and crashed down on the ground, breaking it in half. Luckily no one was hurt, but the discovery that was made was astounding. Inside the asteroid was an unknown crystal with a glowing property. It glowed blaze orange and it gave off a new kind of radiation wave that actually wasn't a hazard to human life.
It was called, “X-wave.”
After the rock was moved to a lab deep under ground within the facility did the real test actually begin. And with the new Discovery of this, X-wave, scientists went to quick work producing equipment to monitor the crystals.
Upon doing so, the scientists began to see a pattern in the waves current, yes I said current. When the X-waves were emitted from the rock, they expanded for about about five feet, until, it turned upward and kept going until it expanded into space. This current was being monitored into space for ten years until 1998 when the wave stopped expanding and began focusing on a certain spot.
A planet.
Now everyone was excited, they have discovered a new planet, and the government wanted pictures. But, there was one problem, we couldn’t see it…
The planet couldn’t been seen by any of our telescopes. This was a problem because, if they couldn’t see it then, it might as well not be there, so, they did the next best option.
Send up a communications satellite. And that was exactly what they did, they instantly began constructing a satellite that could withstand the test of time. And two years later in 2000 it was finished and launched.
Then, silence. No one heard about the project for about 14 years. Not a sound was heard, the satellite stayed the course and was still in command. But, since the launch and some time after it, everything went quiet.
Until, the satellite changed course for the first time and began a orbit. A orbit around the Planet. Instantly scientists were called back to the labs and began running checks on the satellite.
And soon after that, after the satellite checked out okay, pictures of the planet came in. But, nobody could believe what they were seeing. The planet was an exact representation of earth, blue skies, white clouds, mountains, plains, deserts, forests, jungles, and sentient life.
These almost exact copies of our horses. except that they are a little smaller and a lot softer looking. And they, are, very, colorful...
Now these pictures were the only way they could classify this planet, as an Earth type planet.
So, the government took all this in and tried to formulate a plan. What were they going to do now? How are we going to get to that planet without prolonged interaction with space? How are we going to communicate with these new beings? They couldn’t reach an answer, and now even the public was becoming suspicious. They didn’t know about the project.
This info was not available to the public eye, this whole project was shielded from viewing so no one could raise any questions, and it was very hard to do so because the scientists who work at the base, were going in and out, and what if something were to slip.
So, now the scientists live in the complex in a barracks type of living quarters that was thrown together by the military engineers.
Back to the problem, the government was out of answers, until they remembered the X-waves. They remembered how they rode the waves strait to the planet. So they got an idea.
By taking the crystals out of the asteroid and placing them in a ring that was suspended in air by cables and wires that held an electrical circuit. If it were applied with the right amount of electricity, it could amplify the amount of X-ways that were given off. If all went well, (Which it did,) the crystals would make a ring with their energy and the orange like outlining of the crystals disappear, and would give off a much brighter and stronger rainbow effect that, threw the blinding light would make a portal that could open and close in the duration of about five seconds.
With this new technology in their hands, they began construction on the real portal, as new soldiers from the United States Army began their training for the open world they were going to be crossing over to…
“And, here we are, finishing up the last stage of this portal,” I said looking up from the pictures and papers of the folder and backup to the officer who sit twiddling his thumbs, quietly humming, “Lieutenant?” I said as I watched him snap out of his waiting and look over to me.
“Yes sir?” He said standing up as I did as well. I handed him the folder, which he, again, stuffed under his arm.
“I know why you're here,” I said as I lowered down to a sticky note posted under my computer monitor, “Here ya go.”
“Uh, is this the, unit list sir?” He said taking it from my hand as the stickiness of the yellow slip of paper tugged off my finger. On the, “Unit List,” was a few bullets with info about what units that were going over to the other side.
It read,
Headquarters & Headquarters Company from 2nd Brigade Combat Team.
battalion commander, lieutenant colonel, James, T, Gullon
battalion executive officer, major, Thomas, K, Thenail
personnel officer (S1), captain, David, J, Clomb
intelligence officer (S2), captain, Damian, H, Carter
operations officer (S3), major, Sharlet, J, Barzara
logistics officer (S4), captain, Roger, D, Zedler
plans officer (S5), major, James, H, York
communications officer (S6), captain Jonny, T, Whitney
(Call em up, some my be on vacation.)
2nd Brigade Combat Team (Stryker) "Warriors"
1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment
1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment
1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment
225th Brigade Support Battalion
66th Engineer Company
556th Signal Company
TOTAL AMOUNT OF PERSONNEL: 4960 Soldiers ( Minus the HQ.)
It was a rather larger type of sticky note than many others. He looked it over and after maybe and minute or so of reading, he stuck it to the folder and it jutted out like a feather on a fedora.
“Thank you sir, i'll have this page delivered to the deployment office ASAP, I won't forget it, I guess i’ll make it my top priority.” Saying this he turned around and began to walk for the door, but stopped half way and turned back around snapping his fingers,
“Oh, one more thing, stage three was pushed from next week, to today. A few more scientist have come in and slammed the production level into overdrive and finished preparing the portal. Head down to the test chamber whenever you suit up from now until, uhhhh, hold on,” Saying this he turned toward the mounted clock above my chair that I had on the right side of my office.
“12:00 this evening, alrighty?”
“Okay, thanks for letting me know, now get going, and I’ll see you around.” He turned around and opened the door of my office lighting up his badge again,
“Sir,” He said giving a salute, “Good luck.” I returned his salute,
“Thanks.” He shut the door as the room became dim again.
‘Okay, time to get serious.’ I thought. I moved over to a dresser on the far left side of my room.
I opened it revealing a brand new, Woodland Original army BDU, complete with Kevlar helmet, bullet proof vest, gloves with the fingertips cut off and the knuckles exposed, black boots, and belt with holster. The suit hung there like some sort of ghost as the steel hanger held the shirt and vest and the helmet rested on a shelf above it and everything else lay below it.
“Okay, lets do this.” I said to myself under my breath.
Upon suiting up and finishing off with my boots and belt I closed my dresser revealing a man sized mirror that was hammered into the left door. My suit fit like a glove, especially the gloves. I turn to the side, sizing myself up checking for any imperfections, seeing none I returned to the front staring myself in the eyes. I quickly got into a resting position with my legs spread apart and hand behind my back. Then quickly I snapped my hand from my back and to my sides and re-positioned my left foot about a second later so that both feet were next to each other in a perfect stance of attention.
“Still got it in me.” I said laughing a bit. ‘I may be a old man compared to these soldiers, but I won’t go ahead and show it.” I moved away from the mirror and over to my desk. I opened up one the compartments and looked down to a shining silver beast.
A Colt M1911 custom made semi automatic pistol. It had a silver casing around it and the grip was black with a star where the screws held it in. I smiled as I picked it up. It felt empty, I slid the top back and pressed the release button, ‘Nothing,’ I thought. I reached down into the blackness of the compartment and came out with with three mags of 45. caliber rounds. I slid one into place and cocked the gun back as it loaded the first round into the barrel.
The sound of the click was the loudest thing I had heard in a while.
I slid the gun into the holster and placed the other two mags into a few cases behind the gun on my belt. I walked out of my office and locked the door and began the longest trip of all, the trip to the test chamber. I walked down the cold and unforgiving concrete corridor following a red line that read, “TEST CHAMBER” in big bold letters. It was a rather long journey to the chamber, I had to walk by so much stuff, Lab Areas, Housing, Military Testing, Coolant Systems, food courts (Which I got coffee from), and the main control facility.
But eventually I got to the main elevator that led down to the bottom floor, where the chamber was. I pushed the button on the control panel and saw that the elevator was on sub level -4 and was now on its way. So I waited. Some time went by as I found myself waiting with someone else. A security guard, who, after some conversation was also on his way to the chamber to switch out for a on guard officer.
His name was Barney, seemed like a nice guy. He said he found this place when he finished a tour over in Iraq and decided to keep his title of a protector and got this job.
“Yeah, what can I say, when you do something for so long, it’s hard to break that urge to do the thing that you love.” He said looking at me.
“Then why didn’t you become a Police Officer?” I asked. He rolled his eyes at me and gave off a half snicker.
‘Please, give me a break, I want to protect something that's important, not just civilians. I mean look at this place, a secret base, now devoted to working on portals! Now that's pretty damn cool.” I had to admit he was right.
“So, you got any friends here?” I asked trying to some what change the subject for no reason.
“Well, yeah I got tons of friends back in the research department. As a matter of fact my buddies Gor-”
He was cut off by the elevators ping as the door opened revealing a red carpeted, wooden walled elevator. I saw my chance and walked in as did Barney. I pushed the bottom button, but hold my finger in as I remembered how this thing worked.
If you held your finger there, the button would scan your print and would see if you could actually go to this floor. Luckily It dinged green and the doors shut. The elevator started up and began it’s way down into the depths of the Earth. Besides the music coming from an overhead speaker, things got quiet between me and Barney.
“So, uh you were saying?” I asked after maybe five minutes just standing there listening to the most annoying music in the world. When Barney didn’t say anything I turned to where I thought he was standing. But when I didn’t see him I frantically began looking around the elevator car. But, there was no more Barney.
“Uh-huh… wait, what?” I was just trying to formulate an explanation of what just happened. But, before I could the elevator began slowing down to a stop. I tried to ignore the disappearance of the guard as I faced forward waiting for the doors to open up. When they did I was meet with a nearly dark concrete corridor with the same red line as before. Not knowing why half the lights in the corridor were off, I made my way down to the double doors at the end.
Upon opening them, my eyes were meet with the blinding light of a much brighter whiter room with over head ceiling lamps and white floor panels. A wall over to the right of me was mostly framed glass, bellow was about five mega computers that seemed to be hooked up to the wall, all with flashing buttons, levers, screens, and vents. To the left of me was a wall with dozens of complicated switches on them, along with more flashing buttons and screens, that I knew nothing about.
I walked forward as the doors behind me auto closed with a clicking sound. I kept walking forward until I saw something, or rather, someone. A scientist with a lab coat, black and red striped tie, tan khakis, brown dress shoes, and a blue undershirt. He had a clean shaved face that sported a pair of glasses. His plastic name card glinted the already bright lights of the room into a beam that nearly blinded me.
“Hey! Excuse me!” I said rather loudly, but not too loudly. The scientist looked up from what he was doing and looked over to me, his glasses lens were white as snow and nearly glowed.
“Oh! Is that you General?” Came the man, his voice sounded younger than mine, but not to old, maybe 21 or 29 around that age.
“Yes! It’s me, what with the lights?” I asked. Suddenly I heard a loud snapping sound as the lights of the room died down to a normal setting as the lights that were off in the hallway came back on.
“Sorry General… the crystals were acting up and they screwed with the damn lighting systems. But I fixed it now.” I finally got a good look at him, now that his glasses weren't reflecting all the light in the room back at me. He had a green brownish eye color, bags had formed under his eyelids. I could tell he was tired, but he still was holding himself together so I guess he was going to be okay.
“It’s fine,” I said rubbing my eyes. “I didn’t go blind, yet.” I said moving closer to him.
He was knelt down next to a open control panel that had tons of dials and meters with red and blue wire that protruded out almost like veins. He got up, and closed the panel after stuffing the wires back in and locked it with a key.
“So, I assume the Lieutenant gave you the news? Isn’t it great? We can do the final project today, I mean, wow, this is really the first break in the project we’ve ever had in this project. And you know what the best part is? The government gave us the go ahead two hours ago.” He said walking over to the wall with the windows and computers, I followed. He grabbed the console of the center one and threw a huge red switch. On the other side of the wall of glass came dozens of clicking sound as overhead lights in the next room snapped to life as they shone down upon the jewel of the operation.
The lights lit up the top arch of the portal, and as more lights came on, it shown more and more of the large room just on the other side of the windows. It was a very big concrete and metal framed room with ceiling vents that, when activated, would pump any and all fums in the chamber out to the surface.
On the right side was a huge metal garage door that on the other side was a elevator that connected to the military parking lot where all the military trucks stay ready to roll out. Under us, where we were standing was the lift that connected the lab to the chamber, I couldn't see it though, it was part of the wall that was connected to the windows where I stand now.
“Isn’t she magnificent?” The scientist says, marveling at the now fully lit room. I had to admit, this whole chamber, this project, even me staying here in the facility was magnificent. I’m not exaggerating when I say, this could be the most exciting thing I have ever done in my Military Career. Of course I don’t say that, I just say,
“Yes, it very much is, magnificent.” It was the least I could say.
After a little while of watching him round back and forth along the wall with computers, the doors on the far side of the lab opened up, revealing a group of scientists. All of them wore the same exact uniforms, except some hand hyper-microscope goggles that could strap onto their head and slide down over there eyes.
They walked forward and join the scientist at the computers that I, before now, found that his name is Jerry, I saw his name tag. They begin fiddling with switches, and levers, and buttons as they flash on and off, make beeping sounds, and typical other science crap.
“So,” Came another Scientist, “I assume, the troops are being contacted as we speak, if I am safe to say that?” I look over to him and began laying down what is going to be moving over to the other side so that they can prepare for the future, and not have it be a surprise. After I laid down the units, they began making adjustments to the portals mainframe.
“Thank you sir… I have just finished the final tweaks.” Came Jerry, his voice was slightly muffled for he was pressed up against the console typing.
“If you would like sir, you may relax for now, seeing how no units have arrived, and we haven’t opened the portal.” Came a much older looking scientist, maybe even older than me.
“Hey, thanks, ill be over here in this chair, if you need a extra hand with anything, I’m your man.” Saying this I turn around and roll over a wheeled office chair to a desk with a PC on top, that actually wasn't connect to the grid that ran to the portal. It was a stand alone computer.
So in the next ten minutes, I soon find myself playing solitaire going on my fifth game as I half watched the scientists and half played the game.
Time: 8:30 am…
“general… general…” I had nodded off for maybe an hour or so due to my exhaustion and the coffee earlier didn't help worth crap. I was asleep at the computer I had played solitaire at and someone was trying to wake me up. Lets just say they did…
“GENERAL!!!!!!!!” My eyes instantly shot open to the muffled light of the lab pressed under my forehead. I lifted up and found a man standing in front of me. A man in a Woodland Army BDU… with a Lieutenant Colonel badge presses on him chest, Silversmith…
“Ah, morning sir, glad to see you got some sleep…” He said with a smug face. I rubbed my eyes so that things could become clear again.
“Silversmith? Why are you here?” I ask…
“Didn't they tell you, I’m leading the troops over on the other side! Apparently they wanted to keep you here, since you're a much higher target and sent me in instead.”
“Who’s idea was that?” I said with a very obvious annoyed tone in my voice.
“The governments, sir.” He said now lowering his tone to a more serious tone.
“Uh-huh… figures.”
Date: 1/9/16…
Time: 8:00 am…
Location: CLASSIFIED…
POV: Lt. Col. John Silversmith...
Standing over my higher up, it hits me, that I have never seen him like this before. Sleepy, Annoyed, and sarcastic, all at the same time. It was rather a funny sight, but I decided to say nothing as I walk away from the General and walk over to the window as I watch the sleeping portal.
“How much longer until power up?” I ask one of the scientists. He flips up his arm and looks at his watch.
“Fifteen, why?” He asks looking up and over to me.
“Cause, the troops need to get into place, right now…” Saying this I pull up my hand held radio and walk back over to the drowsy general.
“Sir, the troops need to be called in, can I go ahead with the plan?” I said waving the radio in my hand. He looks up and nods his head.
“Do it.” He says.
“Okay sir,” I click the radio on and lift it to my mouth. “Topside, topside, this chamber over, do copy?” I say.
For a couple of seconds, nothing, then it clicks back.
“We read you chamber, you may send your traffic, over.”
“Alright, here the deal, get the troops ready and roll them onto the platform. Then begin the descent, i'll be waiting inside the chamber, over.”
“Copy that chamber, we will be eager to see you, over and out.” After clicking the radio off, I move back to the scientists. I put my hand on one of their shoulders,
“You may begin.” He turns around and gives me a nod as all the other scientists begin running to the computers and begin the first starting procedure.
One of the scientist throw a big switch and push a button. All of a sudden. the light above us go out as the previous bright lights made it even harder to see. Then the light came back, in red. Alarms began sounding throughout the facility as the announcer came on the intercom.
“ATTENTION ALL PERSONNEL, PLEASE REPORT TO YOUR STATIONS FOR PORTAL ENGAGEMENT, I REPEAT, PLEASE REPORT TO YOUR STATIONS.”
The ceiling in the test chamber begin to move inward as the ceiling panels split apart and began spreading away, opening a giant room above the portal. They stopped moving with a loud clunking noise when they reached the walls of the room, as another noise filled the air, a big mechanical noise as a giant machine began descending from the now open ceiling.
It looked like a big box with a cylinder connected to the front of it. In Front of the cylinders were these giant metal fingers that bent inward. The box was connect to a giant pole that was hooked up to the ceiling, wires and cables hung from the ceiling and led to the machine as it finally stopped and moved so that the fingers were pointed at the portal.
It was massive, I could see why the whole test chamber was so big. A scientist next to me began talking.
“Portal emitter in place, starting stage two, activating now… portal beam at 1%... Lieutenant, follow me. I turned due to hearing my name and before I could question him, he was already walking away toward a elevator door. I left the control area and came up behind him. He turned to me and pushed a button next to the doors.
“Okay, listen, the troops will be in the test chamber with you, the portal will activate and when it does, you need to push on in, understand?” I shook my head just as the elevator opened. I lump formed in my throat as the empty elevator car beckoned to me for me to step inside, and become one step closer to the portal.
A feeling of anxiety formed as I took my first step, I didn't know why I did, it just did, maybe because I was leaving my home, not just my home, but my planet too. Friends, family, neighbors, none will be present anymore, the only people ill have is the men we have trained to be ready for this day. The only link to humanity I have, is myself.
I felt a hand on my shoulder, I turn around to see the general,
“Good luck son, have faith, I believe in you.” He said with a smile. Ya know sometimes I think he can read minds. I shook my head and walked the rest of the way into the car. I turned to see the control room one last time before the metal doors slid in it’s way. The car began it’s decent as I stayed where I was and looked straight ahead as I felt the car move with my feet. It felt like forever as I went down. Until the doors opened again.
The chamber lay in front of me as I walked forward out of the elevator and into plain sight of the scientists right above me in the control room. I turn around and look as the doors close for the last time. I move upward to the pane of glass whom I could see the General in, the waved. I waved back. Then I turn to my right to a giant garage door.
“ Ventilation fans activating now…” A speak above the door said. The sides of the walls were filled with circles that each held a fan that, until now was just starting to spin up as the draft in the room began to increase by the second. The fans, one by one, began clicking on, adding more wind to the room as I return to the garage door, I heard the sound of rumbling over the noise of the fans twirling. The rumbling began to increase, slowly at first, until it began to grow louder and louder, until it matched the pitch of the fans themselves.
“Military transport garage door, opening now, here they come!” Came a deep rough voice room the speakers, it was the General. The lights above the door became green as the door began to lift upward and fold back out of the room.
At first I saw nothing, just darkness, pitch darkness only the sound of the rumbling was present. I could see something was wrong. I was about to turn to the windows and tell them until something did happen.
Lights began turning on, bright lights that shone directly onto me. They came from the garage. They came in sets of twos, another after another began turning on, then the sound rolling began come toward me as the true source of the lights began rolling forward.
Dozens and dozens of modified M1126 Strykers began to roll forward. All had a fresh paint job of olive drab green, they looked brand new. All though not all of them were the same, some had different duties. Some were the MGS, RV, MC, and CV versions. While others were the ESV, MEV types.
All of these, no matter their, jobs were still amazing. I got out of the way to let them pass and park in front of the portal as more piled into the room. The sound of their mortars were like music to my ears as they all revved and rolled to a stop. It was just one of those times, where you feel good to be a human, more importantly an American. Until the sound of the engines coming out of the door, changed to a lighter and much more innocent ones. I turn to see a few groups of Humvees and Supply trucks. They two had the same color of the Strykers and again they too looked brand new.
I walk along the back wall and let all the trucks enter the room and waited until they became rested. I waited a little bit longer after everything became still. And when things did I walked closer to the portal. I walked along side all of the vehicles until I was in front of them. I raised my hand and spoke the out over all the noise.
“Attention all troops! I would like to see all of the commanders from every battalion, and every company, right now!” I tried to make my self as clear as possible, and some how, someway it worked.
Four Battalion leaders came forward along with two Company leaders. They all wore Woodland Original uniforms just like everyone else. I placed my hand behind my back and looked at attention.
“Okay listen up, when we reach the other side, we are to build a Communications center right way, so you.” I point at a company leader, “Get you engineers ready and brief them before we go. Next after the center, we need to contact Earth for further instructions… understood?” A loud booming, “Sir, yes, sir!” each of the commanders went back to their vehicles and mounted up again.
“Portal at 55%, where are halfway there!” came the speakers once again. We waited, and waited, and waited, and waited some more. But, we could rush production any faster, even if I was staring at the portal kill it because it was taking forever.
But, time must go on, and sooner than later, so must the portal, and it did, finally.
“Portal at 100%, beginning stage three. Stand by!” Came the intercom again. The machine above as began revving up as it turned on ever so slowly. It began to give of a bright white light as it charged up and prepared to fire.
I Have to say, it looks pretty cool… I mean, it’s nothing really special, but, still, the lights are pretty cool.
Ten minutes later, after what seemed like forever, the portal was ready.
“Portal activation beam in 3, 2, 1, firing…” Came the speakers again. Now the portal beam began charging up as me and every other soldier looked up and listened to the sound of something along the lines of a jet engine. The cylinders shot out a white beam of energy that began wrapping around the metal fingers as it powered up.
That also looked very awesome.
Then after all the finger had a current running through it, a beam of light shot out and slammed into the portal arch and began spinning around creating a giant wall of light it nearly blinded me and the rest of the soldiers. Then the humming of the portal began as the hole room began to shake violently.
“GO! GO NOW!!!! We can’t hold on to this for much longer!” Yelled a voice.
“Okay! Here we go!!!!” I said waving my arm as I began running toward the light. The sound of engines filled the room as everything seemed to be louder than ever before as I tried to shun the noises as I ran with a whole army following in my footsteps.
‘LETS DO THIS!!!!!!’ I thought in my head as I jump into the void as the noises around me disappeared from me as the light did as well.
Then darkness, I couldn’t see anything, I wasn't dead, I was still breathing, but how would I know, I’ve never been dead before.
‘If this is what being dead feels like, then being dead sucks.’
But then I realize something it’s dark because… because my eyes were closed. I opened up and looked around. At first I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. So I closed my eyes and waited for a few seconds, then I opened them again, but nothing changed.
My heart was taken from me as my eyes now lay upon constellations of stars. Millions of little white specks that twinkle as they burn, space clouds, galaxies, and other things, surrounded me. It was beautiful. But I was wondering something, why was I still moving even though I wasn't running anymore?
I Look down and see that my feet were standing still, but I was moving forward at an alarming rate. I turn around and see the rest of the soldiers in their vehicles, not moving either. It was strange, like as soon as we entered the rift, we would be frozen while we rode it to our destination. All though it was cool and I could do this for the rest of my life, I was worried of what will happen when we arrived, luckily I wouldn’t have to.
My feet began to move again, except it wasn’t me moving them, something was moving them for me. It started out as a walk, then a jog, then a run, and now back up to the sprint I made into the portal. I tried to stop, but I couldn’t control myself. But that wasn’t the only thing happening, I could hear the engines of the Strykers accelerating as at the end of the rift came a bright light.
It was so bright I had to close my eyes again. It came closer and closer and closer until I felt that I was entering it.
And then I heard birds.
I open my eyes and see a green field passing by me for, i’m still running. I stop and look around. The whole area was an open field, it had a few flowers spreading up around here and here as butterflies hover over some. I look to my right and see a dense forest with trees that have a huge over and which makes everything else darker than it really would be without the tree cover. In Front of me, miles away, was a huge mountain range with snow top mountains and clouds that hover toward the top. To my left was more fields. The fields danced with the breeze that swept from the mountains and down to here.
We made it…
Of course I would have nearly died If I didn’t turn off to the left when I exited the portal, because two seconds later a pack of Strykers begin exiting out of thin air, there engines roar as they power ahead of me. More and more come through at lighting speed. As there tries meet ground and rip up the earth below trying to get traction.
It was so cool, seeing every vehicle come through, and the best part was no one rear ended anybody. As the rift closed, and the last humvee crossed by me. I quickly made hast chasing after them. Most of them parked in an orderly fashion for everyone was a little shook up, Strykers rest every where in the field the supply trucks are scattered. At least the Humvees are parked in a general area.
But, the unprofessionalism of the troops could be dismissed for right now, I was too happy to care. I was so happy I climbed up on the nearest stryker and stood up over top everyone else. I saw a few soldiers looking around at the surrounding areas, others were getting out of there strykers and other vehicles. I had been wanting to do this for a long time. I drew a long breath and let my lungs fill air, and gave a pause
“WE DID IT!” I yelled at the top of my lungs after five seconds of taking a breath. The soldiers all turned out of fear and confusion, but upon seeing me, they cheered right along and it created a huge uproar of applause. Every soldier cheered as I jumped down.
“All right you know the drill, lets get to work! Get these strykers in order, and find the Engineering company!” I barked as every soldier quickly ran back to their vehicles and got to quick work sorting themselves out. I walked away from the commotion and and let them do their thing and sat down on a flat strong under a convenient tree on a hill not to far away. The engines roared again as the air became filled with the now hair raising sound of human ingenuity doing it’s thing.
This went for about an hour. I watched over everything on the hill as the strykers moved and sorted around, and parked into three long rows. The Humvees parked on the left of the line and the trucks isolated themselves from the rest.
Things were looking good, so I turned back around to sit again and was meet with a face.
“Major Thomas, H, Garrison, commander of the 66th engineering company reporting for duty sir.” At first I was freaked out that he appeared out of no where, secondly I was pissed off a bit that it took him an hour to reach me.
“Major, can you please tell me why it took you an hour to reach me?” I asked hands folded behind my back as he stood in front of me. He looked confused at first for about a second then became serious again.
“Sorry sir, I had to help everyone else with sorting and parking, I couldn’t get to you until now, plus some one told me to see you just now.” He said directly to my face. He wasn’t lying.
“Okay then, anyways, follow me please.” Saying that I began to walk over toward the group of canvas covered trucks that were parked in a little area just for them. The walk over was quick seeing how they parked rather close to me.
Reaching the first truck, I grabbed a handle and pulled myself up into the back. Inside the truck was a couple of tarp covered crates and other green colored boxes with white writing. I knew exactly was all this stuff was.
“All right major,” I said turning around in the dense space of the truck, “Here is the communication center. I would like this thing built ASAP and here,” I turned around and rummaged through the crates, I found what I needed a tube with a strap. “These are the blueprints for the building, the other trucks have build supplies, you copy?” I asked He grabbed the tube out of my hand and saluted,
“Yes sir, I copy sir, I’ll get my men on the job as soon as I round them up.” Saying that he ran away into the crowd of soldiers and strykers.
Knowing that the most important job of this whole operation was getting taken care now, I begin walking back up to the hill I was resting on before now. I sit down and rest my back up against the tree and cross my legs, and close my eyes and try and rest for a few seconds.
But that's short lived because the engineers begin the construction on the base, and when they build isn't quite, so I just sit down and watch as everything comes together slowly before my eyes.
1/9/14…
7:45 am…
Canterlot Castle…
I sit here on my throne watching the sky as if i'm trying to pick out a cloud that I rather like. I got tired of my daily tasks of signing and creating royal documents and soon found myself looking out the window at the beautiful sky that the pegasi put together for today.
I really needed to get back to work, but I soon find that even staring out a window is more exciting than just signing my name and completing other royal tasks and matters like, my economy, our social structure, guard training, trading routes between cities, and plenty of other things.
I have been doing this for over 1000 years and yet I have never actually taken a break from it all. I always set out to do so, I tell myself I will, but, yet, I actually haven’t done it yet. But today, I will.
I look away from the open window and stand up out of my chair, the guards eyes twitch over to me and watch as I trot down the throne steps and onto the floor. I hear their hoof steps begin following me, that's when I stop and turn around. I turned around rather quickly and they didn’t expect me to so, they nearly bumped into me. But after a quick second of fixing themselves up, the stand at attention.
“Guards?” I say and wait for a response. The black coated one on the right speaks up.
“Yes your majesty?” The white one on the right watches and listens closely.
“I am going for a little walk, my royal duties have stressed me out to no end, and I need to clear my mind. But don’t worry i’ll be back within a few minutes.” Now the two look at each other and upon turning back to me the white one speaks up.
“Your majesty, are you going of royal grounds? If so, we are to escort wherever you go.” I appreciated the concern for my well being, but I wasn't going far.
“No, I’m only walking out to the garden, I will not be needing any escorts for right now.” The two stand back and walk to their spots at the throne.
“Okay princess we will be here, guarding your throne. Shall we alert Princess Luna?” The black ones asks. I tap my hoof on my chin and think.
“If she happens to come by, tell here where I am, other then that no, thank you.” The two salute,
“Roger your majesty.” They say together. Then, also together, they move their swords out of their resting position and throw it put on there shoulder. The bottom of the handle rests in their hoofs. I turn back around and walk forward to the big wooden doors of the throne room.
I open them and close them just as fast after I move through them. The halls were quiet, a little too quiet for my liking. My hoofs click on the polished concrete floor of the castle as the lights from the windows light up the corridor. It was actually rather pretty, I haven’t walked through my castle in forever, and I missed the beauty from the stained glass windows and there bright colors. Of course I couldn’t watch them forever, I turned the corner and was meet with another set of doors.
These doors lead outside to the castle courtyard. I didn’t wait too long to open the doors as I throw them open and let the wind rush by me as the outside temperature mixes with the indoors. It was a little colder out than inside the castle, except the castle wasn’t to cold, it was rather comfy, but outside, was a little colder. The rushing air that came by me sent chills down my spine and gave me goose bumps.
Today was only, 45 degrees, yesterday, it was 20, and trust me, I was glad to be inside. I trot out of the doorway and immediately feel the embracing warmth of the sun as it warms my body and some what keeps me warm, even though I could still feel the cold. I begin to walk along a stone path that curved along the garden.
I always did love a good walk through the garden, it was always peaceful here, I could always be in a stressed situation and some how manage to let all my troubles, just, float away into the wind. And today was no exception.
8:10 am…
I was still outside, I wasn’t warm anymore, and I decided to turn around on the path, and return inside. My stress had been lifted for now as I try to hang on to the sights of the garden as long as I could, it's beauty, the wild life, the clear blue sky. The way back wasn’t to upsetting, even though I really didn’t want to go back, but I knew very well that Luna couldn’t do all my work for me, and I can’t do all her for her either.
I was coming inside and was about to touch the golden handles of the doors when a rather big just of wind swept down from the roof tops top the castle towers and rushed by me. It may have just been wind but, I got a strange feeling as the wind passed me by. So strange in fact that I turn with the current and watched as it pointed toward the Everfree Forest.
But, it wasn’t headed toward the Everfree, it was going beyond it. In fact it was going above the Everfree, it didn’t go anywhere near it. I could feel it. I felt something had been disturbed in the balance. The winds don’t choose where they go, they follow the way of the pegasi. Even if a pegasus made those winds, which I don’t think one did, then the winds wouldn't change course like it had a mind of it’s own.
But, I tried not to let it bother me, there had to be an explanation for that, and it might as well be left alone. I really tried to push the wind out of my mind and I entered the castle. I made my way back to the throne room and took a seat again and moved the papers I was already working on before I went out.
“Did Princess Luna come by guards?” I asked to the two statues of guards that stand at my side.
“No, your majesty, Princess Luna did not come buy. Would you like us to get her for you?” The white one asked. I thought for maybe a good five seconds, then responded with a quick,
“No.”
