The Eye
Hayate's voice reached me as I stared at a long list of logs and articles on my screen, "So you see, Fate, I'd appreciate it if you could take a look at these. Preferably sometime soon."
The screen with her face hovered just to my right.
"I know it's a lot but it looks like our involvement is just a matter of time now-"
"A lot is an understatement," I muttered.
"What's that? Anyway, seems some… details were never released to the public."
"Oh?"
"Accidents, dead crews, cryptic discoveries, you get the idea. Sorry, I have to run to another meeting now."
"Sure. I'll… be in my office if you need me."
"Get some coffee first. All's good? You look like you could use more sleep."
"Just a wedding anniversary party turning more and more demanding."
"Oh, can't wait for that one," Hayate grinned. "Nanoha must be cooking up a storm."
I chuckled to myself despite my tiredness. "You have no idea."
Back with the steaming mug in my hands, I sat at my desk again. The files Hayate sent me stared back at me in silence. With one more sigh, I got to reading.
Excerpts from Mission Log no. 0083-09-476 of Lane Starglider, Senior Data Analyst at the Agency of Stellar History and Exploration of Space, partaking in research of Non-administrated World #108 on board of the Investigator:
2:04:24 MET
Ground Team successfully transported to the surface shortly after debriefing.
4:12:43 MET
Started picking up a signal, origin unknown. Location estimate - emerging from behind Main Star.
5:01:10 MET
Source's proximity to Main Star prevents visual ID. Frequency analysis and signal's repetitive pattern suggest a message.
9:20:55 MET
Tried several methods of deciphering the signal. It fits no pattern known to our databases. Direct audio conversion results in unintelligible noise.
15:02:00 MET
Applying several denoising algorithms cleared up the audio. It sounds like some sort of speech.
17:15:45 MET
Been listening to the noise over and over again. My ears are adjusting to the pattern. Its repetitive nature, tone of the speaker, and the circumstances suggest a distress call.
Waiting for a visual.
24:03:03 MET
Received the first visual but image too small to see details. Suspected position confirmed.
E-70 hours to first intercept burn.
27:01:08 MET
Maneuver successful. We're now orbiting Main Star directly, preparing for several correction burns.
32:17:25 MET
Received first proper visual - shape not matching typical celestial body.
Still no progress with the signal meaning.
60:14:51 MET
Confirmed that the target is another spaceship.
63:10:14 MET
E-118 hours to the rendezvous. Sending signals of our own didn't bring any response.
68:08:40 MET
Rendezvous and orbit adjustments successful. Preliminary scans reveal no activity inside and outside, EVA Crew about to perform an outside inspection.
68:16:15 MET
Reflective outer layer composition unknown, multiple signs of micrometeoroid damage. Took samples for further examinations. First attempt at boarding in E-47 hours.
70:21:03 MET
Main airlock secured. Plasma cutters had trouble, but we eventually got through. Knocking politely didn't work. There is another door behind, possibly pressurized.
71:02:00 MET
Got through the second door and entered inside. Gas composition contains nearly zero oxygen. Temperature at cargo bay: 150 degrees below zero.
Walls made of unknown alloy, little signs of corrosion. Doors and corridors much bigger than ours. Inside's even more spacious, at least five meters to the ceiling. In several corridors, our light didn't even reach the other end.
Various symbols resembling triangles and rectangles are painted on the walls. No signs of life in any form.
73:00:55 MET
Discovered some kind of greenhouse. No signs of plants, just countless rows of earth-like substance. Still no sign of any life form.
75:23:50 MET
Got the results of the outer layer samples and Greenhouse Soil. Initial readings dated both around 5,000 and 4,500 years old respectively. Redoing all tests with different samples.
Also found several rooms, possibly meant for the crew. The size of everything suggests the hosts were much taller than an average human (at least 3 meters tall).
Symbols of a large eye with a teardrop and a weird… spiral repeat in particular around the rooms of the spaceship. Rooms marked with this symbol are empty, except for the same symbol engraved on the floor, much larger in size.
Still no signs of life, including any remains of the crew.
78:15:34 MET
No changes in test results with different samples. We dug deeper into the ship's outer layers. The level of degradation from solar wind exposure supports initial findings that this ship is about 5,000 years old.…
79:01:12 MET
Found another locked door. Placement suggests it leads to the captain's bridge.
Sent the second team in the opposite direction today to search the remaining parts of the ship.
80:02:45 MET
"Bridge theory" confirmed, found various screens and console-like equipment within the room.
First indication of life form present on the ship - a large part of the console is smashed to pieces, hard to tell if it was done on purpose or by accident.
82:12:32 MET
The second team has found the main reactor - probably fusion reactor - still operational. Explains why the signal is still being sent.
Also examined the consoles, found multiple mechanical damage to the surrounding area. The tracks lead to other parts of the ship.
83:01:44 MET
Found the first occupant in the storage area near the bridge - dead (huddled pose and hand placement suggest asphyxiation), preserved within a space suit.
Humanoid, 3,32 meters tall, two distinctive legs and hands (incl. thumb). External look obscured by visor. Elongated helmet suggests differences in skull shape. We took the body back to our ship for further examination.
86:04:02 MET
Six more crew members discovered. Only one more body still in a space suit, other five mummified by temperature and low-oxygen atmosphere. The clothing on them relatively plain, gray and tight-fitting.
Skulls resembling canine, well-developed fingers, nails trimmed.
Four showing signs of death by asphyxiation.
The other one impaled by four metal rods. Same clothing, but with a pendant on the neck, not found on any other body, shaped as the eye seen all over the ship. Symbol now theorized to be the mark of the captain.
91:22:15 MET
Nearly the whole ship has been mapped out. 37 bodies discovered in total, we conserved them for further investigation.
No other pendants found on the ship, the one we got bears faint traces of magic. Unusual signature. Notified HQ about finding a potential Lost Logia.
93:13:40 MET
Attempts to gain access to the ship's mainframe to no avail. This might be either due to console damage or power issues. The terminals are also nothing like what we know. Proceeding with utmost care.
97:20:25 MET
Traced most of the connectors going out of the fusion reactor. One of the main plugs was pulled out. Instructions have been given to the team to prepare for emergency evacuation before plugging it back in.
98:01:10 MET
Mainframe still works. Trying to decipher the UI.
Bringing the power back on increased temperature and oxygen levels. Intentional system shutdown scenario even more possible now.
99:20:13 MET
Found a room we overlooked upon the first inspection. One more body was found inside and another computer could be the source of the signal we picked up.
Possible cause of death: multiple self-inflicted wounds - angles and form matching the knife-like tool held by the corpse.
101:22:15 MET
No progress in deciphering the mainframe's language. No keys on my keyboard match what's written there. The closest example would be something like: "-|-/\_\/_-|-".
Excerpts from personal diary of Koizumi Riyuka, Junior Technician at the Agency of Stellar History and Exploration of Space, partaking in research of Non-administrated World #109 on board of Stellvia:
.
The logs we retrieved from the wreckage of the Investigator gave us coordinates of a small binary system cataloged as NMC-04958B. Considering the accident, the Agency is still hesitating whether to send us there or not, and to such a faraway system no less. Still, I hope they pull the trigger on it. There's so much we can learn there, I'm sure.
.
The coordinates were correct. We've performed a successful retro-sighting of the Midchildan System and verified our position. We're in NMC-04958B, orbiting a desert-like planet in the inner parts of the system's habitable zone. First descent is planned in 5 days from now on. For now, our scientists are performing from-the-orbit observation of the surface, gathering as much data as possible.
.
No signs of life on the planet. No threats detected, except for occasional sand storms. No water was found on the surface. Gravity, pressure, and temperature are all within safe ranges. Since Earth is my birthplace, I can't help but think of Mars when I look at it, save for the reddish hue.
.
The radars discovered several landing spots where the sand is relatively shallow. First unmanned descents were successful, a manned one is taking place in E-15 hours. If that's also a success, I am to go with the second group.
.
The first landing went without trouble. The reports of the team are flowing in steadily, save for communication issues during sandstorms. We'll follow, along with equipment, after an orbital lift is established.
.
Our landing was a success. The surface is so hot and bright - the twin suns make this whole desert look almost unreal.
.
The radars have made a discovery only half a kilometer north from our current position. Possibly a system of caves buried shallow under the sand. We're preparing for further exploration - only so much data can be gathered from sand samples.
.
Those can't be caves. After digging around the spot, we quickly hit the hard surface under the sand. Rocks usually don't look like polished sandstone. We'll try to keep at it without damaging them.
.
It was a ceiling! We uncovered one of the walls today. We also learned the hard way to better secure our machinery during sandstorms. Poor grounding in some cases resulted in fried circuits due to multiple thunder strikes.
.
We've requested more equipment from the Agency to continue the excavations. More detailed analysis of the data provided by the ground penetrating radars revealed a pattern. If we're correct, this whole planet may be a gigantic city buried under the sand.
.
I'm the only person from Earth, so I can't share my excitement with the rest of the team, but I feel like an archaeologist in Egypt. Today we uncovered a massive obelisk. I've heard that other teams working on the surface have had similar luck.
.
We found the first entrance. It's located on the very bottom of an almost 300m tall pyramid.
.
These pyramids used to be more than tombs, unlike the ones back home. We found multiple signs of habitation occurring in the past, but not a single living thing inside. The walls are covered in various symbols we've been trying to decipher using the Investigator's crew discoveries. The symbol of an eye, which looks like the Egyptian Eye of Horus, is present nearly everywhere - on the top of the obelisk, but also inside the pyramid, almost like a holy symbol.
Excerpts from an article published in Dimensional Archeologist, "Solar Empire", written by Dr. Magnus De'Ville (published 0084 NMC):
How does an extraordinarily-developed race, possibly influencers of our whole Galaxy, disappear without a trace? Operating technology so advanced they could travel from system to system already well over five thousand years ago, long before the Ancient Belka even existed, they shared their knowledge with inhabitants of other planets, pushing their civilizations forward.
Further research, excavations, and attempts at deciphering their ancient language saw involvement of Egyptologists from the Non-administrated World #97. Their knowledge proved the theory that, during thousands of years of their existence, up until their unexplainable demise, this mysterious race traveled all across the Galaxy in search for intelligent life.
Upon finding such a form of intelligent life, they would attempt a contact, helping with their development, before disappearing once again, never to be seen. Although we have gathered enough coordinates of other systems they have visited, none of these cultures exist today. In some cases, they disappeared along with their planets. In others, as a result of self-destruction. This leaves the aforementioned Non-administrated World #97, and its civilization, the only living legacy of their activities known to us at this moment.
(...)
So what caused this abrupt extinction of an interstellar race? The evidence suggests that it all happened over a very short period of time. Possibly a few weeks, or even days. There is no natural disaster known to us that could do this, but perhaps there is more to it than we think. The thought that there exists something capable of causing destruction of an ever-expanding race in such a short period of time, a race that acted as "gods" to many a planet, is, to me, as a researcher, the most chilling thought.
I stretched in my chair, closing the last article, before an incoming call stopped me from taking a much-needed walk around my office.
"Enforcer Fate T. Harlaown reports being fully acquainted with the reading materials sent to her an hour and twenty-nine minutes ago," I recited, adding a pout to my salute.
"At ease, Officer," Hayate replied, saluting back. "I was actually about to tell you that reading it can wait-"
I groaned.
"-but it's a good thing you're already in the loop, since you're scheduled to depart in thirty minutes."
Gaping at her, I started protesting, "But Nanoha's and my anniversary-"
Hayate sighed, slipping out of her commanding officer's mask for a moment. "I'm so sorry about this, Fate, I wish I could send someone else, but," the mask was back in place now, "You're the only one here that I trust in this matter."
I nodded.
"We've just received a call from one of the ASHES teams exploring Non-administrated World #109. It seems they found a potential Lost Logia. They requested our involvement in bringing it back to Midchilda for further examination."
"Understood. I'll get ready to leave ASAP."
"Good. You'll be sent via Dimensional Transfer to Stellvia, currently orbiting planet Euyin in the system NMC-04958B. Your task is to secure the artifact and ensure that it's transported safely back to HQ. Any questions?"
"No, Ma'am," I stood up.
"Then you're dismissed. Report to the bridge as soon as you can. Your transfer is scheduled in T-minus-twenty eight minutes."
As soon as the screen with her face disappeared, I sighed heavily. "Bardiche," I called out, walking towards a small cabinet in the corner of the office.
"At your service, Sir."
"... Clear my schedule for the rest of the week. And call Nanoha." I grabbed the small suitcase inside the cabinet and returned to my desk.
"Yes, Sir. Calling Nanoha T. Harlaown."
Nanoha's face popped up suddenly on a screen in front of me. "Hi, Fate-chan- oh, what's up?"
I quickly attempted a smile, failing just as fast. "I'm sorry, Nanoha," I said, slumping back in my chair. "I won't make it to our anniversary party."
"Oh…"
"An-... an artifact was found on another planet. They need someone with experience to bring it back safely."
"I understand."
My shoes sure looked polished well enough. "You must be disappointed."
"I'm okay, Fate-chan," she soothed. "How can I be disappointed when my wife is out there protecting people? And we can have another party when you're back?" She had a gentle smile on her face.
"But this is our first one, too…"
"Is Fate-chan being emo again?"
"Y- you've been talking with Arisa too much." I crossed my arms, then sighed in defeat. "I just… feel bad that I won't be there with you."
"I know, and I'm a bit sad, too. But this is what we chose, no?"
I nodded. She was right, I knew it, I was just acting spoiled.
"And it hardly feels like the first anniversary anyway."
"Huh?"
"It feels like we've really been married for far longer than a year," she winked at me. "Send me your updated schedule."
"But-"
"Mou, just send it," she pressed.
"I don't trust that smile of yours," I said, obeying anyway.
"Now, Fate-chan should just focus on keeping herself and others safe."
I gave her a mock salute. "Yes, Ma'am." Feeling better, I added, "I'll see you soon, okay?"
"I'll be waiting," she blew me a kiss before disconnecting.
When she was gone, I sighed again, this time more out of relief.
I exited the pod on the other side feeling mildly nauseous after the Dimensional Transfer. This one was by far the longest one in my life.
A middle-aged uniformed man with a Navy badge who seemed to be waiting stood in attention upon seeing me.
"Enforcer Fate T. Harlaown, Lost Property Disaster Prevention Unit, reporting for duty," I saluted.
"Captain Leo Hamilton. Welcome on board," he saluted back, then motioned for me to follow him.
"What's the situation?"
"The Logia found by Ground Team 2 is still on the surface. We will need your assistance in moving it back to the ship."
"Understood. What about preparations for the return trip?"
"We have planned five jumps in total, with twelve-hour cooldown periods between each."
I nodded. "Sounds reasonable. I take it that we have no information on the Logia's nature?"
"Any findings regarding the Logia are filed in the reports disseminated to those involved in the mission. I understand you were dispatched without further notice. I hope you managed to read the reports," he said, stopping by the armored door. "This will be your cabin, Officer."
He pushed the door open and I entered the small room, leaving my luggage next to a bed on the opposite wall.
"Do you need to rest after your trip?" he asked.
"No need." My nausea was already subsiding.
"Then please follow me. You'll descend to the surface and go back with the Logia in a specialized vehicle, I'd like you to meet the rest of your team."
We went through the whole plan and several emergency scenarios. There were four people going along with me - a pilot, two engineers, and a magical safety specialist for assistance. Surprisingly enough, I was the only actual mage on-board.
After the rather rough descent and landing (followed by me eventually complying and putting the EVA suit on), I found myself standing, on somewhat shaky legs, in front of the main hatch.
It opened with a loud hiss and clouds of dust and sand immediately stormed inside. We switched to our suits' intercoms.
Through my headset, I heard the Female Engineer say, "Ugh, I pity the cleaning team."
The Safety Specialist elbowed me playfully. "Feeling glad you put the suit on after all, eh?"
We stepped onto the rocky surface and I squinted my eyes, turning around to hide from the blinding twin suns above us. The Female Engineer poked me on the arm, pointing at a button to the side of her helmet.
I sighed with relief when shading in my visor activated, giving her a thumbs up, and looked up, finding myself facing our lander. A vast emptiness spread behind it and the edge of some sort of cliff we were on. Far behind the cliff, enormous clouds of dust were carried by the wind, obscuring the view in the distance.
Turning around again, my heart stopped for a second at the sight of what was in front of us.
All across the horizon stretched out a gargantuan city made of sandstone. Dozens of silent monuments, pyramids, broken statues of animals I'd never seen before, and a gigantic obelisk towering over it all.
Near the very top, a giant eye was engraved in its side. Given its height, some hundreds of meters, it made an impression of a quiet observer overlooking the city and everything below.
Someone from my team motioned for me to move. The other two were already well on their way. I followed quickly, feeling incredibly light on my feet despite the suit and all the sand we soon stepped onto.
"The atmosphere is borderline-breathable," the Female Engineer explained over the intercom, "But with all the dust and sand it's easier to just wear the suits anyway. Plus, you never know what you might catch."
I nodded but really I was still gaping at the monuments.
We covered the rest of the way in a six-wheeler taken from a camp some three hundred meters from our landing site.
"You've dealt with Lost Logia before, right?" the Safety Specialist asked me.
"I've got some experience."
The Female Engineer chimed in, "He means no disrespect, we just don't know what we're up against. I mean, in case of…"
"I've heard stories," the Specialist continued, "Of how terrible some Logia can be. Not to mention the Investigator. They found the same artifact, y'know? If anything goes wrong here, you're the only one we can count on."
"What happened to the Investigator?" I asked.
"Higher-ups said it was an accident. Glitch in the mainframe caused a reactor meltdown. But hell… first time I see this happen."
I gave him a nod. "Understood. I'll do my best to keep you safe."
He gave me a thumbs up. His face was still obscured by the visor but I imagined he was smiling.
We were almost at the entrance to the complex when a message from the Pilot came in, "Bad news. Satellites report a large sandstorm forming to the north. You might wanna hurry it up."
The Male Engineer, who was also our driver, replied, "Copy that, how long do we have?"
"An hour or less."
"Can we wait it through?"
"Negative. Unless you wanna wait a day or two."
"Well, that's a bummer," the Female Engineer commented. "I guess there won't be any sight-seeing today." She turned to me, "These sandstorms are a real pain. You barely see your own feet, and the lightnings can cause a lot of damage."
"Can we even make it back in time?" I asked, watching the dark clouds forming on the northern horizon.
"If we don't linger, easily."
The vehicle stopped with a jerk at the massive entrance and two members of another team greeted us. One of them introduced himself as a professor. His voice over the intercom sounded old.
The doorway we were in was nearly twenty meters tall and standing under the structure itself made me feel like one of those grains of sand we stepped on.
Illuminated with the light brought in by the exploration teams, the complex inside resembled a massive labyrinth of sandstone. The walls were either plain, or covered with unknown symbols. Occasionally, we'd pass by a smaller version of the eye from the obelisk engraved in stone - curvy, with something like a teardrop and a spiral.
"Is the whole city like that?" I asked the professor.
"If you mean the symbols, it is just in the outer parts. We suspect this is the oldest part of the city that was later integrated into the more modern one that lies much deeper in. What little text we managed to decipher seems to support this theory.
"From the outside, it all looks the same - probably protection from heat and winds, but on the inside it is like a different world. There is a great deal of machinery deeper inside. We must be very careful in our exploration, lest we repeat what happened to the Investigator."
"Where did you find the artifact?"
"Not far from here. There is a small spot we had missed earlier where we found the… remains," he stressed the last word. "Of course, there was nothing left of the body itself at that point, but judging from the bits of clothing and items we found, someone surely had to be inside."
We rounded a corner and he stopped. "It was actually hidden behind this massive cabinet over there," he motioned his head to the side where an old, stone construct stood, then pointed at a tiny niche in the wall
The cramped space could probably barely contain a tall human.
"Someone died here?"
"It seems so, although why, we do not know."
He resumed his stride through the massive hall. In a few minutes we reached a giant chamber filled with white tents and EVA suit-clad people going about their tasks. Navigating between the tools and boxes cluttering the floor, he led us to a tent deeper within the camp, motioning for us to go inside.
"This is it?" I asked, stepping closer to a glass showcase resting on a table in the middle of the tent. Inside was a small pendant in the shape of the same eye that could be seen all over the complex. The surface was nearly black and corroded.
"Yes," the man said, stopping on the opposite side. "The intensity of the readings is very low, but the signature is unknown to us. It is possible that we simply cannot tell how powerful this artifact really is."
"What makes you think it's a Lost Logia then?"
"Mrs. Harlaown, have you ever heard of something being labeled as an unfortunate accident only because no better explanation was ever provided?"
"Of course, but why do you ask?"
"There is no doubt that this symbol was of great importance to the creators of this city. The more we understand from all this ancient data, the more we are convinced that this pendant, just as the one found by the Investigator, was a source of great power. There is also no denying that," he looked at me, "... those who wore them, and some of those who found them, met a terrible fate."
Behind the visor, a shadow crossed his old, grayish eyes.
We managed to get back to our vehicle just in time. I could hear the thunders getting louder through my helmet when we boarded the machine.
"Buckle up!" the Pilot shouted and, minutes later, we were pushed into our seats as we accelerated upwards.
The pendant rested safely in a metal case, strapped to one of the walls and further protected by my spell.
The journey back home that followed was possibly one of the most boring and uneventful journeys in my entire service. Given the circumstances, I didn't complain.
I spent my time talking with the Captain (it turned out he used to serve in the Sailing Force), and every few hours, out of sheer boredom, made sure to report to Hayate that absolutely nothing was happening.
"Mou, Fate, it's not like I sent you here on a whim," she complained after my sixth report.
"I know, but you've gotten to eat my share of the anniversary cake," I pouted. I obviously didn't hold it against her, but the anticipation of returning home soon had gotten me in a playful mood.
"That's Nanoha's fault for insisting," Hayate crossed her arms. "Speaking of whom, you should be bugging your wife, instead of your commander."
"Oh, we'll have a call in a few hours, she's at work right now."
"What makes you think I'm not?!" Hayate fumed at me once again and terminated the call, leaving me chuckling alone in my room.
Lying on the semi-comfortable bed, I stretched out my right hand. The tiny golden ring on my finger really felt like a part of me now.
"Glad to hear the mission went smoothly, Enforcer," Hayate said, walking me personally from the teleportation pod to my office after a quick debriefing.
"Thank you, Commander. You could say it was a… piece of cake."
Hayate winced ever so slightly. "I trust that the artifact was transported safely to the lab?"
"Yes, Ma'am, I've passed it onto the designated team."
"Good. Then I'll be waiting for your full report."
We kept walking through the busy HQ while engaging in this pointlessly formal chatter for our own amusement. Everybody knew we were friends privately but, god-forbid, if anybody heard us banter at work…
"How's your spouse, Enforcer?"
"Commander, with all due respect, I'm sure you already know the answer."
Hayate crossed her arms behind her back. "I trust that your most recent absence did not negatively affect your marriage?"
"Affirmative. She's in fact requested a visitation in an hour. With your permission, of course."
"Permission granted, Enforcer. I'd hate to compromise my subordinates' private life."
"Thank you, Commander."
We eventually parted after reaching our offices, me going into mine, Hayate walking further to the nearby conference room.
I closed the door and sighed. One report to write in the fifty minutes before Nanoha arrived - I could make it. Stretching along the way, I sat at my desk and got to work. Strike while the iron is hot, and all that.
Perhaps the fact that nearly nothing happened during that mission had something to do with me finishing in a record time, barely over thirty minutes. With a triumphant sigh, I kicked back in my office chair and stretched again.
Ding sound came from my device while I was stretching my forearms. A new message titled "MHQ Safety Measures Update" was blinking on the screen, marked with a tiny red flag.
From: Dan Morrigan
Subject: MHQ Safety Measures Update
Good Time,
As some of you may already-
"Fate-chan!" sounded suddenly from the entrance to my office.
Nanoha was beaming at me from behind the half-open door. When our eyes met, she slipped inside, closing the door behind her, then skipped toward me.
"Nanoha," I stood up, catching her in my arms.
"Hope I'm not disturbing?" she returned the embrace, then climbed on her toes to kiss me.
The message was still open on my screen. And my wife was getting bolder with her kisses. "Not at all," I replied telepathically and closed my eyes, briefly giving in to her affections.
"I couldn't wait to see you," she muttered against my neck. "How was your trip?"
"Boring, and I couldn't wait to be back home."
Nanoha mumbled something incoherent while her lips traveled up to my ear. Her hand slid down my thigh.
"Nanoha, someone could come in…"
"That's the point," she giggled in reply and kissed me again before stepping back.
"You're insatiable." My ears were getting red at the thought.
Nanoha chuckled again. "Anyway, are you free for the day?"
"Almost. I need the head of the Research Department to sign my report, so I can turn it in to Hayate."
"Gonna call them?"
"I was planning to, why?"
"Just curious," Nanoha slipped behind my back, wrapping her arms around my waist, "About the thing that made my wife travel all across the Galaxy and miss our anniversary."
My hands rested on top of hers. "I guess asking in person sounds more compelling than a phone call," I mused. "Want to come with me?"
"Love to."
There is nothing as effective, at least when it comes to getting into the off-limits areas of the HQ, as flashing an Enforcer ID.
The Logia was transported to a high-security part of the Magical Research Center, at least until more was known about its nature. Until then, it would be treated with utmost care.
"Section D," I muttered, looking around. It was only my third time there. "Ah, this way."
Nanoha followed.
We came to another checkpoint.
"Stop!" A guard in full Barrier Jacket blocked our way. "State your rank and business!"
"Enforcer Fate T. Harlaown, Lost Property Disaster Prevention Unit, here to inspect the handling of the Lost Logia just transported to the HQ."
"Assisted by First Air Captain Nanoha T. Harlaown," Nanoha added.
"Ma'am!" The guard stepped aside, saluting us as we continued on our way.
We soon reached our destination. I reached for the door when it opened and a scientist walked out from the other side.
"Ah, Enforcer Harlaown," she said when she saw me. "Came to see the artifact?"
I nodded. She was a part of the team that met me earlier, only missing the hazmat suit now.
"An interesting find. We'll start running the tests tomorrow, so it's probably your last chance to see it," she smiled at me and Nanoha before walking away.
Glancing briefly at each other, we stepped inside the room she had just left.
No one else was inside. The fluorescent light made the place seem colder, on top of cramped from the walls full of computers and equipment. In the middle, on a square pedestal, or a table, rested the glass showcase I brought from Euyin.
"This is it?" Nanoha asked, peeking inside through the glass.
I stopped next to her. The black eye was resting innocently inside. "Yes."
"It's really… how to say…"
"Underwhelming?" I supplied and she let out a nervous laugh. "I feel like we should know better by now. Who knows, it could be really powerful."
Nanoha nodded. "I mean, the Book of Darkness was also just a book, right?"
We stood there in silence for a few seconds, looking at the pendant as if expecting it to react in some way to our gaze, when a signal of an incoming call startled me. Hayate's face popped up in the air.
"Hi, Fate, I know it's on a really short notice but I need you to come to my office ASAP. I received a call from- Where are you?"
"Oh, will be right there. I went to ask Dr. Elric for his signature and stopped by the lab with Nanoha on my way back. I wanted to show her the artifact-"
"Fate, you've read the new directives, right?" Hayate interrupted me, suddenly dead serious.
"Directives?"
"Oh, Fate-chan, I know! It looks like one of those Egyptian eyes, you know, from Earth!"
I ignored Nanoha's telepathic message. Hayate's eyes were drilling into me uncomfortably.
That was when I remembered the email I did not get to read in the end. My stomach sank.
Hayate stared at me wide-eyed for a second before shouting, "Get out of there, both of you! And don't-"
The rest of her words drowned in static.
I spun around and grabbed Nanoha's arm, calling out to her, but no sound came out. She opened her mouth as if talking to me but I couldn't hear a thing.
Her eyes opened wide.
The static turned into a hum, growing in intensity beyond a point of pain and for a moment I was sure I was about to go deaf. Then the floor blurred in front of me and the hum disappeared. In complete silence, everything drowned in darkness.
A/N: This was a somewhat experimental chapter but I wanted to try a slightly different format for this little "backstory" arc.
MET stands for Mission Elapsed Time (and normally has seconds included, too, which didn't make much sense in this context). The E-minus countdown is used for on-going missions and events in space.
The article title "Solar Empire" was inspired by an actual song by Hypocrisy (which is a reference in and of itself to "Stargate"), while the ship's name Stellvia comes from the early 2000's anime "Uchuu no Stellvia".
"Good Time" is my attempt at coming up with a universal TSAB greeting in official correspondence...
