LOCATION: VOSS TOWER
CITY: SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
DATE: SEPTEMBER 6, 2049 | TIME: 1:46 AM
Lights flashed on a panel, and attendants began preparing for incoming arrivals.
The San Francisco Portal Chamber was located inside an annex building adjacent to Voss Tower, and was manned twenty-four hours a day.
While portal technology was becoming increasingly commonplace on Earth, humanity had not yet developed any reliable, instantaneous means of off-world communications.
That meant the portal chambers located in major cities all over Earth had to be prepared for anything at all times.
It was 1:46 AM when the lights flashed on, and the four attendants stood at the ready.
Two were Fighter-based classes, and they drew their weapons. One of the remaining two was a Medic, and the last was a Portal Mage.
They took positions, and moments later a bright flash was followed by Kaela and Elena Sirova appearing out of nowhere. They were joined by Evan Mercer.
The Medic saw blood and rushed forward, but Elena waved them off.
“We’re fine. The wounds are sealed,” she said.
The Medic nodded and returned to the control panel. The warriors stowed their weapons.
“Should we call someone?” one of them asked.
Kaela shook her head.
“No, we’ve got it. Thanks, everyone.”
She checked her System clock.
“Shit, thanks for being here so late at night.”
The Portal Mage laughed.
“We’ve got night duty all week. No biggie.”
She finished her scan. No foreign antibodies or microbes were detected.
“You three are cleared to go. Take care.”
Kaela thanked them, and the three headed out into the San Francisco night.
“Shit,” Elena said suddenly.
“What is it?” Evan asked.
“The bars are going to close in a few minutes. We can’t even get drunk after all of that.”
Kaela laughed.
“Evan, why don’t you crash at our place. You could just get a hotel, but our bar is stocked to the brim. Elena always makes sure of that.”
“Pfff… Dad is the one who gives me the shopping list. I’m just the gopher.”
Evan agreed and they made their way to San Francisco’s Russian Hill neighborhood, taking the elevator to the 32nd floor.
Darian and Vanessa met them at the door and hugged everyone.
“Mallory is sleeping,” Vanessa said. “She’s had a long day. Want to tell us now, or wait until the morning?”
Elena pulled back from the hug and glanced to her right. Toward the well-stocked bar.
“All I want to do right now is have a drink and relax. Let’s save the debriefing for Voss Tower, if that’s okay?”
Darian nodded.
“Alright. Just be sure to save some for our guest. It’s nice to see you, Evan. Your parents miss you, so be sure to check in, alright?”
So the three young ones spent two hours with drinks, chatting about their excursion.
They all got two hours of sleep, rising at 6:00 AM and preparing for an early meeting with world leaders.
Only a few days had passed on Earth since the incident on the beach in the Caribbean, and Kaela and her team had learned a lot in that time.
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At 8:00 AM, a meeting was convened in Mallory’s office on the 20th floor of Voss Tower.
The Core Council was present, and the world leaders participated virtually. Skrixx and his team were also there, joining from the United Nations headquarters.
Mallory kicked things off, as usual.
“As you all have been briefed, a team of 1,092 Peacekeepers were abducted in Turks and Caicos three days ago. Kaela and Elena Sirova and Evan Mercer tracked the signal and traveled through a stealth portal.”
She turned to her daughter.
“Kaela, please proceed with your report.”
Kaela set her coffee down, then stood and looked around the table.
She took a deep breath and began.
“We were on the beach, prepared for a portal incursion. We had a 2,000 member Peacekeeper Force on hand, so according to standard procedure we split the troops in two, one half on each side of the portal.”
Kaela took another sip of coffee and continued.
“We have never seen this before, but when the portal opened, it suddenly shifted forward around a hundred feet, pulling the troops and a huge scoop of sand and water with it, then snapped shut.”
She sighed.
“We’ve never seen the Empire’s portals move before. Evan Mercer traced the signature and opened a stealth portal for us to follow. The planet is called Bastion 123295 CFP, and—”
Skrixx interrupted her.
“Did you say CFP?”
“Yes,” Kaela said. “We believe it stands for—”
“Combat Force Projection,” Skrixx said, a troubled look on his alien features. “This is not good.”
He began typing on a tablet, then looked up at the camera.
“Sector 123295 is 112,000 light-years away. Still far, but it appears they are closing in. Please continue, Kaela Sirova. What did you find on Bastion?”
Kaela reported their encounter with the five member patrol, and the crucial bit: the mid-air portal and explosion. Sadly, she also had to report that they were unable to locate the abducted Peacekeepers.
The Council and world leaders discussed the implications of the horrific developments at length. Kaela sat down and whispered with Evan and Elena off to the side.
In the end the leaders came to no conclusions, save for the obvious: humanity needed to both grow stronger and develop its defensive capabilities.
Grim and Li Wei began plans for a larger contingent of Peacekeepers to go after their own, now realizing they would need to come with force, not a small, surgical team.
They only hoped it wasn’t too late.
After the call ended, Skrixx contacted Mallory and requested a face-to-face meeting with the Council and Kaela.
Mallory’s brow raised at her daughter being included, but she told Skrixx they were free for another two hours.
Skrixx took the New York Portal to San Francisco, and was in Mallory’s office within a half hour.
He looked at Kaela for a long time before speaking. It felt as if he was analyzing her with some kind of skill nobody could see.
“You are a remarkable young human, Kaela Sirova,” he said. “I have an opportunity that I believe will interest you.”
He turned to the Core Council.
“As you know, the Orion Mercantile Syndicate is the merchant arm of the larger Orion Celestial Accord, which is composed of many facets. One of those is the Orion Luminary Institute, which functions as a training grounds and university for representatives from planets and races which have discovered or developed Systems of their own.”
Mallory nodded and let Skrixx continue.
“The academy allows one member from each planet, and the next cohort class is set to begin in roughly one of your Earth years. It will take time to travel to the school, as portals are blocked in the vicinity.”
He turned toward Kaela once again.
“Kaela, would you be interested in representing Earth at the Orion Luminary Institute?”
Mallory leaned forward.
“While I am sure we are not opposed, what is the curriculum at the Institute?”
“Ah yes,” Skrixx said, as if remembering something. “It would be important to understand this. The school features a wide education on the multiverse. The structure of space, the politics and various ruling empires, accords, and collectives. She will learn the physics and practical applications of ultra long-range space travel, as well as the physics of flexible time.”
“Flexible time?” Kaela asked. The others in the room appeared confused by this term as well.
“Right,” Skrixx said. “How can I… I believe you refer to it as spacetime. But once extra dimensions are unlocked, you will find that a straight line from past to future is not the only direction in which time moves.”
He shook his head.
“Anyway, that is the academic curriculum. Of course, there is also advanced combat training there. But this is the Orion Celestial Accord. You will not only learn to fight, but you will work with experienced trainers to develop a path toward a Mythic class.”
“A Mythic class?” Kaela asked. “I was unaware—”
“Apologies, Kaela,” Skrixx said, interrupting her. “You are unaware of many things, as is all of humanity. My team is only authorized to divulge so much to you here. But at the Institute, as the single representative from your planet, you will have no such restrictions.”
Kaela looked expectantly at Mallory, Darian, and Vanessa.
They all nodded.
“Then, I accept,” Kaela said. “How long will I be gone?”
Skrixx thought for a minute.
“I’m still getting used to calculating the passage of time in terms of your planetary cycle. I think around twenty Earth years, including travel time there and back.”
“Twenty years?” Elena shouted.
Kaela put her hand on her sister’s shoulder.
“I’ll be back before you know it. You won’t miss me that much.”
Elena smirked.
“I’m just thinking about how much higher I’ll be in the Peacekeeper chain of command when you get back, that’s all. I feel sorry for you.”
The smug look on her face failed to completely hide the tears forming in her eyes.
But Kaela let her have this one.
She knew Elena would miss her, just as she would miss Elena.
Yet there was no hiding how excited Kaela was about this unexpected invitation. She knew this would change everything.