Braking will begin in twenty seconds. Please make sure your restraints are secure.

The moon now filled the entirety of the forward viewport, and Jay fancied he could actually see individual forms in the sea of monsters. However, he could still not make out the artificial form of the Lunar Base, or the row of braking grids that was supposed to slow them down. But considering that he had no way to slow the pod down himself, he had no choice but to have faith that everything went well.

As opposed to the pod being a fraction of a degree off course, missing the base entirely and plowing into the moon beyond.

Braking in ten seconds.

Jay double-checked his restraints. Beside him, Tycho was still tightening his, showing the first signs of nervousness that Jay had seen since the beginning of this trip. Jiri was seated behind Jay, so he could only hope that she could take care of herself.

Braking will begin...now.

Again, Jay glanced out the forward screen. This time, he was able to make out a tiny spot of green in the distance. An instant later, it filled the screen, and there was a flash of white and an audible snap!that reverberated through the structure of the pod as it plowed through the braking grid. Before Jay's mind could even register the impact, the pod had collided with the next grid, and was through it on to the next. The impacts created a sort of strobe effect within the cabin, and the vibrations threatened to jar Jay's teeth loose.

Jiri exclaimed. This is so much better than the Trabia shot!

The frequency of the impacts was beginning to fall off; now, the strobe effect was replaced with stacatto bursts separated by ever-growing intervals. Which meant the pod was slowing down, just as it was supposed to. Jay would certainly be relieved, once the vibrations lessened to the point where he could inhale. Looking out, he could now see the hulking form of the Lunar Base in the distance, exactly where it should be, waiting to pick them up.

Despite the efforts of the previous braking grids, the pod was still moving at a considerable speed when it dove into the base's retrieval bay, on its way to the final ethereal green hexagon at the opposite end. Where slight vibrations had resulted from the previous impacts, this one produced a good-sized jolt as the pod was jarred to a near-complete halt before breaking through. Having been guided by the grids themselves, it slid perfectly into the waiting clamp, settling snugly against the structure of the base. The trip was over. They had been literally shot out of a cannon into outer space and been picked up in orbit of the moon.

So we're here, Jay said, ending the silence that followed the braking. This seemed to be a cue for the three of them to remove their restraints and stand in preparation to disembark.

I wonder what the reception will be like, he added silently.


Lunar Base, built not so long after the time of the Sorceress Wars, was of entirely Esthar design, although it was now under international supervision. At the moment, the base commander was a Monterosa native, and the hallways — grey with translucent blue ribbing — were decorated with banners bearing the emblem of the facility, a typically grandiose Western touch. Jay also wondered if the red stripe in the carpeting was a new addition. He supposed the people had to do something to keep themselves busy.

Welcome to Lunar Base, the official said stiffly as Jaysen and the rest stepped out of the docking section and into the ring of the main hallway. I am Junior Administrator Strafen. I'll be escorting you around the platform.

Jaysen Trager, Jay said uneasily. He wasn't particularly proud to be the one supposedly in charge of the group. SeeD ID E512040. These are Tycho DaLannen and Jiri Nasima. We're...up from Esthar Garden.

The man acknowledged. Well, why don't you come with me. I'll show you around.

Tycho broke in, nearly causing Jay to wince. Ian DaLannen. He works here. Can we see him?

Strafen glanced at the SeeD, and breathed what might have been a sigh as he checked the notepad in his hand. Mr. DaLannen is working at the moment, he said. He's not available.

Tycho opened his mouth to say something, but Jay quickly broke in. Thank you, sir, he said, with a pointed look at his fellow SeeD.

Hey, how bout showing us what's going on up here? Jiri jumped in. Maybe we can help.

Strafen's eyebrows definitely jumped at this statement. Nonetheless, he motioned down the corridor. This way, he said, and turned to go. Jay followed, hoping that, whatever would happen next, he would have a job to go home to.

At least while I'm up here, Ayo can't touch me, he thought.


At the time of its establishment, Strafen was saying, Lunar Base was the most advanced facility of any kind in the world. The artificial gravity system that enables you to be walking here was in fact part of its original construction, and has not needed to be replaced once.

They were walking along a windowed portion of the hallway, that afforded an excellent view of the lunar world which sprawled off to their left. Once again, Jay could not help but be unsettled by the seething mass of monsters. Furthermore, the floor curved upwards as it went, reminding Jay of some sort of giant hamster wheel.

For over two hundred years, Strafen continued, Lunar Base has been responsible for restraining the monsters on the Lunar World. After the missile attacks and the Purges were unsuccessful in completely destroying the monsters, it was decided that the proper course of action was instead to restrain them, so that they would never again bring harm to the planet.

Do the monsters always look like that? Jay interjected.

Hey, yeah! Jiri added. That doesn't look so great.

There's no need to worry, Strafen assured them. Occasionally, the monsters do become...agitated, but not once since this base's completion have they been able to create a Lunar Cry. Thanks to our efforts, and the efforts of those who came before us, there has not been a single lunar cry in what is by far the longest period in recorded history. I assure you, we are perfectly safe.

Right, Jay repeated silently, looking out at the seething brown mass that seemed to engulf the moon. Perfectly safe.

So how long until we get there, man? Tycho demanded.

Lunar Base is a necessarily large facility, Strafen replied. I'm sorry for the inconvenience.

Don't worry about it. How long?

Jay suppressed a groan.

We're almost there, Strafen replied.

Indeed, not long after he had said this, they passed the last window and entered a stretch of bare wall. Jay couldn't help but be relieved that the perfectly safe' monsters on the moon were finally hidden from his view, along with the unsettling, endless starfield. Turning his back on them gratefully, he tried to be interested in whatever Strafen was saying.

The original device built to suppress a Lunar Cry was on the planet, at Tears Point. It used elements of the Crystal Pillar to attempt to dampen its signal and prevent monsters from leaving the moon. Needless to say, the attempt was a failure.

Well, sure, Jiri interjected. Every SeeD knows that.

Strafen gave her a look. The Lunatic Pandora, however, was not the sole source of the Lunar Cries. Left to their own devices, the monsters will eventually escape the lunar world and fall to the surface, consuming everything that stood in their way. Furthermore, the disappearance of the Lunatic Pandora after time compression was the cause of some concern.

Does this guy ever shut up? Jay wondered.

They came to a large double door, where Strafen stopped and turned to face them. So it was agreed that another structure should be constructed, he said.

Tycho rushed forward with such eagerness that Jay considered it a miracle he didn't ram into it before it opened. Jiri followed and, after a moment's pause, he trailed after them.

The room beyond was massive. A ceiling easily ten meters high vaulted above their heads, and in width it threatened to rival Esthar Garden's concourse. The far wall of the room was all a massive window, offering a view only partly hidden by the bank of workstations and monitors that ran along it. The room was filled with technicians, each one carrying some sort of notepad or tool, yet there still seemed to be more than enough workstations to go around.

Beyond the window was easily the strangest structure Jay had ever seen. From this point of view, it seemed a sort of three-dimensional gridwork that threatened to overwhelm the mind just trying to form an image of it. It seemed at once angular and fluid, seeming to integrate every geometric shape known to man. Throughout this structure ran a series of spindly tendrils that glowed faintly, eerily in the darkness of space.

Jiri breathed.

Strafen said, is the Crystal Lattice. Composed of precision-crafted energy crystals in total massing over seven kilotons, the Lattice is the single reason this base is here. He motioned to a hologram projected on one of the walls, which showed an object shaped like a contact lens, with a semi-transparent projection of the Lunar Base behind it. As the three watched, the image expanded to show the intricate network of crystal which formed the Lattice, and then the slight bulge in the Lunar base against which it was situated, the eye to its lens. The Lattice uses the same principles as the crystals at Tears point and within the Lunatic Pandora, but its design allows its power to be increased several thousand fold. Powered by the Base's reactor, the lattice in fact resonates in harmony, and in the event of a catastrophic power failure on the base, could continue to repress any Lunar Cry for a period of fifty years.

Tycho said. What's wrong with it?

Strafen paused. Jay guessed it wasn't part of his job description to say anything bad about the base. Probably as a result of some very minor construction imperfection, he said, one of the crystals has fractured. We are attempting to repair it while still utilizing the Lattice as a whole, since a shutdown would be next to impossible and highly dangerous.

Repair it how? Jay asked, looking again out the window. A person in a pressure suit floated by, holding some sort of instrument.

We are using the most advanced fusion techniques known to humans, Strafen said. We are hampered by the fact that the vibrations render impossible the use of any sort of brace for the crystal, but we are managing well. We anticipate the repairs to be complete within 72 hours.

Fusion, Jay repeated silently. No brace. ...So I'm guessing there isn't much we could do to help, he said.

Strafen agreed.

Jay heard the door slide open behind them. Tycho spun around so fast it was a marvel he didn't fall over, and Jay and Jiri turned to see what it was that had caught Tycho's attention. The man who stepped through the door was dressed in a smart Station outfit, precise enough to give the impression that not a day went by when he didn't have it cleaned, treated and pressed. He wore a short beard, trimmed to equal precision, and a pair of thin-rimmed antique glasses. Even so, Jay instantly identified a resemblance in this man's features and those of the SeeD standing frozen to his side.

Ah, Mr. DaLannen, Strafen said. These three were most anxious to see you. He walked away, apparently not particularly interested in viewing the reunion.

For a moment, they just stood there. Jay wondered if he should speak up, but had no real desire to, much less any idea what he might say.

the man said. What...what are you doing here, son?

I heard there was some trouble, Tycho said flatly. So everything all right?

Tycho's father fidgeted a bit uncomfortably. It's nothing we can't handle, I'm sure. Tycho...

Good to hear. Well, I'm sure you've got a lot of work to do. He stepped past his father, walking out the door without another word.

An awkward silence followed, where Jay, Jiri, and Tycho's father stared at the closed door. Finally, Jay forced a smile.

he said, extending his hand. I'm Jaysen Trager, up from Esthar Garden....