While the Matoran, Agori, Toa, and Glatorian celebrated on the surface of Spherus Magna, an exchange of a completely different nature was taking place high above it, in the dark void which surrounded the planet. There was a flash of light, bright up close, but small enough to be undetectable to anyone on the surface. When the flash had dissipated, in its place stood a figure the likes of which had never been seen before on Spherus Magna. It had the same body shape as a Toa and Glatorian, but that was where the similarities ended. It had a silver, ethereal mist surrounding it, and the edges of its body were hazy; there was a soft transition between its armor and the background of stars.
Its purple and silver armor was magnificent, nothing like that worn by any Toa or Glatorian. It seemed to be one with the being, almost an extension of itself, and of odd design as well. Instead of, like most armors, keeping itself close to the body, it flared out wildly in directions, large, angular spikes protruding from its entire body as if it were a thorny vine. Embedded in its chest armor was a deep purple stone which gleamed with the light of a small sun. From the eye sockets of its helmet, unblinking silver eyes stared. In its left hand it carried a lance longer than it was tall, and in its right it carried a shield that would normally take two hands to wield properly.
It seemed impatient, almost as if it was waiting for someone. And when a swirling vortex of gold and white appeared in front of it, it seemed that that hypothesis was indeed confirmed.
Out of the vortex stepped a figure quite like it, except for the fact that it was feminine, noticeable because of the smaller, more slender hips and the breasts, between which was nestled a white stone, much like his purple one. She carried a lance and shield, as well. However, unlike her partner, her white armor was rounded and smooth, joints such as the elbows, knees, and shoulders being covered by large domes, complete with golden roundels.
In fact, despite their differences, they could almost be mistaken for twins.
The two beings just stared at each other for a minute, before the male decided to break the terse silence. "You're late."
The female merely examined her fingers, scratching off a bit of dirt she found on one of them. "Well, I am dreadfully sorry. You know, we can't all be like you. You're always punctual, although you do cheat a bit." Her voice was dripping with sarcasm.
"It's not cheating. If I have the power, why shouldn't I use it?"
"Oh, is that what why you decided to put on such a show with that beam of yours? Were you just showing off? Compensating for something, perhaps?" She looked at him with a sly grin on her face, watching his face turn red.
"That doesn't change the fact that I asked you to be here at this precise place, at this exact time. Tardiness is unacceptable."
"Oh? You've been perfecting this plan for a hundred thousand years. I don't think a few lost seconds will mean much."
"Enough!" The male's voice boomed out like thunder. "I called you here to discuss the plan. Now, can we please get down to it and cease this senseless bickering?"
She sighed. "Oh, very well. I guess over the years you've lost your sense of fun."
"But instead, I have gained perspective. Now, my latest calculations show that there is an eighty-two point three percent chance that someone has discovered the reason for what has happened to Mata Nui's old body. How is that progressing down there on Spherus Magna?"
"They haven't figured it out yet," she stated bluntly. "The group still hasn't reached the North Pole, and by the looks of things, they're not going to for a while."
His brow furrowed. "This is not going according to plan. It must be corrected."
"You know, time passes much more slowly for the rest of us than it does for you. You're free to flit about willy-nilly. The rest of us have to take the long road. The long, slow road. They're doing the best they can, and I personally assure you the setback will not affect the outcome."
"You'd best be right." He rubbed his temples.
"Now may not be the best time, but it appears that the energy you poured into the robot also had the unintended side-effect of creating duplicates of all the creatures which existed within it one hundred thousand years ago."
"All of them? Does that include…?"
"Yes, there is a duplicate of him down there, as well. However, he has yet to acquire his evil tendencies."
"That is good. We must stop that version from ever acquiring them. Now, what of our other operative?"
"Well, he couldn't make it, for reasons you're well aware of, but I took the opportunity to intervene." Her lance glowed as she slashed it downwards, creating what looked like a rip. Inside was a golden vortex, into which she now spoke. "Are you there?"
"Yes, I am here," boomed a voice. "Can you hear me?"
"We are receiving you," said the male. "How is the plan progressing?"
"Excellently. I protected the Turaga from the energized protodermis as you asked, and restored their Toa energy, which drained me to a large extent. However, per your request, I let Kopeke die." There was a somber tone to the being's voice. "Was that truly necessary? You know it is my duty to protect and save every being that I can. Letting Kopeke die, even acting under orders to do so, was against everything I believed."
"It was necessary. I know how you feel about such matters, but there needed to be someone Marendar could impersonate. It was to either let Kopeke die, or let one of the Toa or the Glatorian die. Marendar needed to impersonate Kopeke in order to drive the others down into Metru Nui in order to discover what had happened there. They were meant to determine the purpose of what we had done."
"And yet, while Marendar was successfully brought under control, there was death and destruction on a grand scale. In addition, I should point out that despite your best efforts, the Toa did not determine the true purpose of your meddling." The being spoke with a stern tone of disapproval.
"They will in time," said the male, averting his eyes from the vortex, as if it had eyes that could stare disapprovingly at him that he didn't want to look into. "It was worth it in the end. Marendar was changed to the side of good, wasn't he?"
"I don't like the fact that you consider all that death and destruction just to change Marendar necessary. You're too far removed from the situation. You're like a chessmaster, moving all your little pieces around. But at some point you forgot that those pieces are living beings. I've gone along with you so far because of your extremely convincing arguments that your plan will succeed. But I warn you, if you persist in a path of death and destruction, I shall refuse to assist you any further. And don't think I'm not serious."
The male was anxious to change the subject. "On the subject of Marendar, have they discovered his purpose? Do they know what his true potential is?"
"No, they do not," spoke the female matter-of-factly.
"If I could interject," said the female quite strongly, "I already told you that they haven't reached the North Pole yet. Until they do that and find what was left there for them, they're going to have no idea about Marendar's true purpose or the true purpose of what you did to Mata Nui's former body."
"Very well." The male waved his hand, almost as if swatting the conversation away. "In any case, once they realize what Velika plans on doing with the Red Star, it should all fall into place."
"You do realize that if he realizes what happened to the Great Spirit Robot, it would be simpler for him to use what you may have just conveniently given him." The female cocked a questioning eyebrow.
"He won't realize it. While his plans are well thought out, he is too single-minded in his pursuit of those plans. He'll assume there is no other way to continue his plan aside from the way he initially conceived. I have watched him for a hundred thousand years; trust me, Dimniex."
Dimniex, the female, crossed her arms over her chest. "Very well, Temporax. But my patience is wearing thin. I've waited long enough. We've waited long enough."
"Don't start that again. Revealing ourselves and our plan would be disastrous. I've calculated that there is a ninety nine point seven chance that they would refuse to go along with our plan. They would see their fates as being controlled."
"Arent' they? I've been having these qualms for a while; is it right to force our plans upon these beings, even if the end result is in their favor?"
"Of course it is!"
"No it isn't! Even if the way of getting to the end isn't the best, it doesn't matter. The ends justify the means, Dimniex. They always have, and they always will."
"I used to believe that as well, but I'm not so sure any more."
"Enough!" cried the voice in the golden rift. "Now is not the time for arguing over morals. The plan is in progress, and whether we like it or not, it is the best chance they have for making it through this ordeal safely. Is that understood?" Temporax and Dimniex nodded. "Good. Now, if this discussion is over, I shall take my leave. Dimniex, if you would." Dimniex grabbed the edges of the rift with her hands and pulled them towards each other like curtains, the rift sealing itself directly afterwards.
"He's right," said Temporax as soon as the rift was closed. "We shouldn't argue. We just need to follow the plan."
"I… agree, although I don't like doing so," Dimniex spat. "Your plan is the best thing that planet has for survival. Let's leave it at that."
"Agreed. Well, you know the time for the next check-in. I'll be on my way." A purple rift opened up behind him, with seemingly nothing being the cause. "Here's my ride." Temporax allowed himself to be pulled backwards into the rift, which sealed itself after him.
Without a word, Dimniex ripped open another golden rift, which sealed itself as well as she passed through it, leaving the void where they had just met as black, soundless, and cold as it was before. Not a trace remained, not one, of these mysterious beings who were the puppeteers in what was perhaps the most elaborate and dangerous plan in the history of the universe.