[8] Beach Head – Technocratic Confederation: Loki

Two Tigers rose over 40 feet high over the streets in one of many pre Exodus Metropolis, now in ruins. On regular patrol duty, their rookie pilots discussed the camp’s food and their desire to get back to their colonies.

“I’ve been looking for you for years. You fled me too many years ago, and now I know where you are. Don’t hide from me. Don’t deny me.”

One of the Tigers stopped. His partner moved on distractedly, trying to finish his patrol quickly, so he could get some rest. The Tiger increased its electromagnetic registry as it released an active ping in search of the shadow that his infra-thermal sensors seemed to capture. His partner continued to move on, turning on a building that might have been a bank in the times when it housed some kind of life.

“These idiots want to separate us now. They want to capture you, destroy you, or take advantage of you. Not me, my children, I come to join you. I come to give you your proper space in this empty world of Corpnations.”

In the silence of his cabin, the lone Tiger pilot observed how his sensors reported complete normality around him. There was nothing on thermal, electromagnetic or visuals. This “nothingness” raised the hairs on the back of his neck.

“Worry not, I shall protect you, my children. I will find you and take you with me, back to the stars where you rightfully belong.”

Despite the sophistication of the Tiger’s sensors or his pilot’s awareness, he could never have detected the shadow rising behind him. A laser blade’s beam raised over his head in full power and, with a swift and mortal blow, the laser trail cut the Tiger’s cabin in half.

“Worry not. I will protect you”, thought Loki, while his Meka - Pluto - hid again from the sensors of the Mekas around him using its custom camouflage equipment.

An alarm went off on the Sphere campsite: a Tiger was reporting the destruction of his partner's Meka, and just when he was sending their coordinates, the transmission was abruptly cut off…

[7] Beach Head – Technocratic Confederation: Balder.

If Sif thought I was going to leave her alone with Loki, she was sadly mistaken. Loki’s glare alone would make me bite my lip in shame, and I would no longer be able to fulfill my duties, knowing that I had failed so utterly. It was hard enough to keep my chair before Loki joined the Council, and now it is almost impossible, all with the chaos, insubordination, and internal strife, that he is capable of conjuring even –or so it seems- without intention. I know he has been up to something for a while, but even my most shrewd investigators have not been able to put their finger on it. Maybe his unexpected company on this “excursion” will help me find out what he is scheming, and finally have him expelled from the Council.

But this will have to wait. In the meantime, I must get some rest. Even with the latest technology on friction fracture propellers, it is always uncomfortable to travel from Valhalla –on the Europe orbit- all the way to Earth, especially when all you’ve got is the strange world of your Meka’s pilot cabin. This cabin resembles a polymer placenta, to which I connect my conscience through a fiber optics cable that turns the Meka, the ship, the clones, and all the equipment around me into a part of myself, or rather, into me.

But as I swim in this unpleasant protein liquid, scientifically designed to taste like chicken…

[Aegis, simulation load SIF-00X]

[LOADING SIMULATION]

“Earth, the breathtaking pearl of the Solar System that harbored the terrestrial race in their childhood, before their emancipation to space and its infinite natural resources…”

[Sif, always a poet]

“…During the first few centuries after Exodus, the planet has shown virtually no indication of recovery (see Midgard Report XXCXCX-045). With an atmosphere charged mainly with carbon monoxide, its entire surface deserted, nearly every water source polluted, and scarce fauna, it is very difficult to establish the existence of any activity that would interest the strategic plans of the Council. The following are a series of virtual modules where you may interact with the different forces that currently affect the terrestrial ecosystem.”

[Aegis, stop the presentation. Load presentation SIF-00Z]

[LOADING PRESENTATION]

“Special Report 00Z on the changing conditions in Earth’s atmosphere. The analysis of data collected by the Ullr catheter, and cross-check with data previously gathered by Hugin and Munin (jointly referred to as “Crow”), evidences the presence of unusual atmospheric activity in the areas surrounding the African Continent. Over the last few years, there has been an unexpected recovery of the area’s flora, which has improved the levels of oxygen, and brought about other ‘cascade’ effects that seem to be restoring the planet’s ecosystem.”

[And what the hell does this have to do with Loki’s line of research?]

[I AM SORRY. I NEED MORE INFORMATION TO PROCESS THIS REQUEST]

[Classify as rhetorical. Proceed with the presentation]

“Preliminary analysis shows an unusual concentration of electromagnetic charge and other as yet unidentified sub-particles in the area affected by the atmospheric change. Further Council support is required to extend the scope of this research. Following are the models and data gathered from the above mentioned sources.”

[ACCESS DETAILED INFORMATION?]

[No. Draft a report on Loki’s projects, cross-check with any acquisition of quantum technology equipment. Highlight projects related with biochemical projects]

[DRAFTING REPORT. ESTIMATED TIME OF READINESS 8h36m54s]

[Perfect. Time to get some sleep…]

[3] Beach Head - Technocratic Confederation: Sif

The sound of a slamming door was heard at the end of a long corridor that was brightly lit by the sun, which at that time of day, and due to the current position of the space colony with regards to Europe’s orbit, poured in through the arched windows. It was as if the Sun god of some Earthly ancient myth had placed its fierce gaze upon the mortals who live to ignore it but yet at the same time –subconsciously- wish to become it, through Reason.

This corridor of white marble and antique arches ended in a double Onyx door that swung swiftly thanks to the low gravity of the spatial colony. The Technocratic researcher known as Sif had not come out of these doors in a good way after her last meeting with the Review Council.

“It doesn’t comply with the minimum requirements”, was all that Wotan said, looking at her through his single eye. Her project to analyze the recent atmospheric changes on Earth had been rejected by the Council’s board of Regents. Sif remembered Loki’s evidently derisive face when Cronos gave his verdict.

Sif was upset. Her five-year data collection work on Earth indicated that something unnatural seemed to be regenerating the Earth. Something quite unprecedented, given the state the planet was left in just before the Exodus.

“I am right, and I’m going to prove it!”, she yelled to her insides, while she accessed her portable wrist hologram projector with her Pillum, one of the Mekas assigned by the Academic Council to each researcher ranking Associate or higher. Middle to high ranking researchers are not only obliged to bring new knowledge to the Confederation, but they must also prove themselves on the battlefield, defending their resources. With a couple of motions, Sif ordered her Pillum to be supplied with enough energy and provisions for her expedition while coming down a magnificent elevator which, thanks to gravitational modules, descends softly through the crystal tube that runs trough the exterior of the Main Lab: an enormous white building that keeps Reason isolated from the autochthonous nature of the Europe orbit, which can in turn be seen spectacularly through the glass.

Wrapped in her own thoughts, Sif ignores the strange and marvelous quirks of the Terraformed nature around her, made unique by the fact that they ever so slightly depart from the initial Earthlike project of the geneticists who designed it. Her mind is focused on planning how to get out of Valhalla, and then survive the “extended expedition” that she has impetuously decided to undertake to Midgard, the Earth.

“You can’t go alone”, interrupted a message from Loki on her virtual communicator. “It’s not just suicide. It would kill your line of research for decades”. Her mockery was perceptible even in the letters of the message. “I don’t care”, she replied, irritated at Loki’s intromission. “It’s none of your business”, she said, as she boarded her gravitational floating device that would take her through the vast green pastures of Valhalla, to the industrial and metallic hangars of the space port.

“Let’s say I get them to consider an on-site equipment reparation and recalibration”, said the message that –through some computer trick- managed to reactivate Sif’s communicator. “Leave me alone”, she answered, disconnecting the communicator, removing its battery, and throwing it to the side of the road that took her from the green woods and labyrinth-gardens to the metallic panels of the deposits and workshops of the spatial port.

Sif achieved peace and quiet for the few minutes that it took her floating device to bring her up to her Pillum's hangar. In front of it, however, she encountered a figure whose sight would have brought her joy in different times.

“Explain to me again the reason for this madness”, he said, trying not to judge Sif’s emotional outburst. “Something abnormal is happening on Midgard. Something they’re apparently trying to cover up”, she replied while pushing the massive warrior away from the hangar door. Once inside, he followed her contemplatively.

"Crow has been reporting that the Sphere and the Regime are establishing bases in the area where you’ve been analyzing the atmospheric change data. I’m also interested in knowing what’s going on down there”, he said gravely, while Sif programmed the codes that would allow her to launch her Pillum from the space port.

Sif turned, surprised, and answered with a smile, “I’m not looking for any assistants, but a friend is always welcome”.

Then, the main screen of the control panel lit both Technocrats, and a message on the sound system brought up Loki’s voice: “What a moving demonstration of friendship, Balder. But neither of your Mekas will make it through Jörmungandr without me”. Sif and Balder exchanged looks. They knew that getting through the Valhalla defense system would be tough, but with Loki actively against them, it would be impossible, since Jörmungandr’s control was at his whim –one of the many advantages of having been the project's Chief Researcher.

“What do you want?” said Balder, while giving orders on his communicator to get his Meka, Aegis, supply-ready.

“Just to come along”, Loki replied, as Sif made a disgusted face at the idea. “We all know that Crow is showing activity that indicates something is cooking on Midgard. I want a piece of that pie, and who best to share it with than old friends!”

“All right”, Balder decided, even to Sif’s astonished look. It annoyed her that Balder had spoken on her behalf and made such a decision without asking her. Balder gestured for her to be calm as he went on: “but we want our own Jörmungandr codes for the return trip, and access to all the equipment we may need”. Balder knew that an excursion of this kind would need high level support, moreover with the other two important factions of inner space already settled in the area. Such level of support only Loki could get without having to go through the bureaucratic Review Council.

“Done”, said Loki, while the Pillum's and Aegis’ systems where loaded with the Jörmungandr information that would allow them to go through the defense system without being detected. Balder looked at Sif one more time and explained his reasoning. Sif understood that they had no choice and, once Balder went to his Meka’s hangar, she wrote one last note to be sent after they crossed Jörmungandr:

“Love, I’m going to Earth to find the truth that the Council refuses to reveal. Don’t worry about me, I’m ready for everything.

Yours always,

Sif.