Chapter 17: Neophytes and New Digs

The Greyhound long distance travel bus made its way through the densely forested area via the winding paved road that carved its way through it. Inside the vehicle were over two dozen individuals, each considered a genius in their discipline or field of study. Their employers had given each of them a hefty bonus as well as paid travel expenses and other incentives to drop the projects they were currently engrossed in and be reassigned to a new, long term, and very secret project. Even their destination was unknown; many of them had been flown out on private jets before being dropped off at the Greyhound station at the proper time. They had been collected by the driver before leaving the city and driven to the remote region they were currently travelling through, the screen attached to the bus's ceiling displaying the news, an appropriately grim newsman standing in a desert region with a makeshift camp in the background.

"...the refugee crisis originated due to rising sea levels in the Mediterranean causing significant flooding in the regions of Syria, Turkey, Egypt, Israel, and Lebanon, forcing millions to leave their homes and livelihoods behind in the hope of finding safe ground and a more secure future. With neighboring countries already strained many are forced to live in these crude tents, relying on international aid for basic necessities such as clean water, food, and sanitation. As such, the arrival of the Emperor's city almost two months ago has been considered a literal godsend by most. The Priests of Illumination as they are called immediately began to assist those in the most dire need, providing them with emergency medical services and other forms of healing before transporting them to the floating city where they could be properly cared for. Where the refugees go after being transferred to the city is not known at this time but we have received reports that the refugees are being adequately housed and provided for. Additionally, many family members and friends have come forward confirming that they are in regular contact with those who were moved and that by all appearances they are being treated well. According to a recent press release from the Emperor's Chief Analyst they intend to remain until the crisis in the region is resolved."

"Seems like every day that Dragon or his people are in the news." One of the passengers remarked idly.

"Not surprising, considering." Another replied. "Have you been in one of his temples yet?"

"Nope."

"I have. A little ostentatious with all that stained glass and such but I guess if you're considered a god you can have any kind of church you want."

"Heh, true enough I suppose. You see that priest of his on the news that one time? Looks like a damn werewolf."

"With a silver cybernetic arm to boot."

"It's a Gnoll, actually."

"I don't see any difference. It's canine and walks on two legs. Might as well be a werewolf."

"How racist of you."

"It's not racism if he's a totally different species."

"Species-ist?"

"Is that even a word?"

"It is now. Or at least it will be soon enough. We've already got Dragons and Gnolls running around. What's next? Dwarves and Elves?"

"That Empress looks pretty Elven to me if the pictures aren't doctored."

"You would say that."

"Anybody have any idea of where we're going?"

"I think we're about to find out."

The group looked out the windshield of the bus to see an open clearing several hundred yards in diameter, the sky hidden by a massive convex roof of metal as high as the nearby treetops. The road on which they travelled encircled the area around the treeline just inside a massive chain link fence with warning signs posted in every direction. At the center of the clearing was a sand colored and angular concrete bunker with a large steel door set into one side.

"Well that's not ominous as all hell." One of them remarked heavily.

"What the hell are we getting into?" Another muttered.

The bus stopped at the guard post just outside the heavy gate. The driver passed his identification to the man stationed there, the figure garbed in military fatigues with an assault rifle strapped to his shoulder. Passing the ID back a moment later he opened the gate, allowing the bus to pass through and drive up to the bunker itself before stopping.

"End of the line." The driver remarked in a grim tone before glancing back at them with a teasing smile.

"Sodding arsehole's probably been waiting all day to use that line." One of the passengers muttered before they began to pile out of the bus, the driver opening the hatches on the outside where their luggage was stowed. As they began to collect their belongings the large metal door began to open ponderously with a rumble. A moment later a man in similar military fatigues stepped out with a smile on his face as he walked towards the group.

"Welcome to Research Station 13!" He announced. "I hope you all had a pleasant trip!"

"Well enough, considering." One of the passengers said before straightening up. "Who might you be then?" He asked in a British accent.

The soldier examined the skinny young man with a mop of blonde hair for a moment. "Sergeant John Patterson, head of this facility. If you all would like to follow me we'll get you situated."

The other passengers glanced at each other as the soldier turned about, walking back towards the bunker. Picking up their luggage they followed him inside.

"Like goin' into the belly o' the beast." The Englishman muttered as the steel door began to slowly close behind them, revealing a bare concrete room lit with bright overhead lights hanging from the ceiling.

"As you can see our vehicle bay is rather empty at the moment." The man said, gesturing them to follow him to a large square column in the center of the room, revealing a pair of elevator doors on one side. "The main living area and laboratories are several levels down."

Inserting a key into the keyhole next to the doors they opened allowing the group to enter. Pressing a button on the side panel the doors closed and they began to descend.

"You've each been assigned a dorm for your privacy and convenience." The Sergeant continued. "It's not a five star hotel unfortunately but hopefully it will be serviceable. We have a communal kitchen and dining area as well as a cook and cleaning staff on site. My office and the office of my staff will be on the level above the main living area and the laboratories will be a few levels below the living area. Before we get started we'll need you to sign some forms, even here we can't escape the bureaucracy." He admitted.

"NDA's I take it?" One of them asked dryly.

"Several of those and a few other consent forms." The Sergeant replied blandly. "Because of the secret nature of this project we have to cross every 't' and dot every 'i'. I'm sure you all are familiar with this type of thing already. Once the formalities are out of the way and you get your stuff unloaded we can get to the fun part."

"'Fun' he says." The Englishman grumbled.

The time passed quickly with the group filling out the various non-disclosure forms and other paperwork before they were guided to the living area and shown their quarters. After being given a brief tour they were allowed time to unpack before meeting the Sergeant back at the elevator. Heading down several more floors the door opened to reveal a large ultra-modern room done in light brown along with metallic blue and silver. Computer screens and consoles lined the walls as well as various desks next to each one. In the middle of the room illuminated by overhead spotlights were a pair of long display tables, each one bearing a white shroud covering an indistinct figure.

"What the sod is this, Frankenstein's new lab?" The Englishman asked in disbelief.

"Please don't tell me we're dissecting aliens." One of the women moaned. "My specialty is computer science not xenobiology."

The Sergeant simply smiled at them as he moved to stand between the two tables. "I assure you, ladies and gentlemen, that given the time and expense to prepare this facility as well as the incentives to get such a hand-picked group of specialists here, the last thing we want to do is waste anyone's time and talents. Our client was very specific about the type of people he needed and you all came highly recommended. Trust me when I say what you will be working on will be of great importance in the months and years to come."

Immediately he whipped away the shrouds, revealing the specimens beneath them.

The group drew in a collective breath as a pair of Terminators were revealed, their silvery skeletal faces staring upward with blank crimson optics.

"Hooollly fuck." One of them muttered while another whistled.

"These are the specimens you will be studying in order to understand their inner workings and programming. Trust me when I say these machines are beyond the bleeding edge of technology. You may have seen or heard of humanoid machines becoming a reality but these are the real deal. Intelligent machines that our client managed to secretly obtain from the alien who styles himself as the Dragon Emperor. Your job, ladies and gentlemen, will be to investigate thoroughly these machines to uncover their secrets and how they function. Everything from mechanisms and physical systems to the programming language used and their neural coding. We must know everything we can about these machines and how they operate. Something else to keep in mind is that these are the only two specimens we have and unless we are very fortunate we will not be getting more so treat them very carefully. Once we understand these machines...the real work begins."

The Sergeant smiled as he saw their eyes light up in excitement and anticipation.

Caught...hook, line, and sinker.


Elsewhere…

Beowulf observed the large group of people who sat around him in a large circular solarium decorated in soft earthy and clay tones. The colors swirled about the smooth floor and the outside edge of the room was separated by thick circular columns reaching up to a domed ceiling of crystal. Between the columns a series of arched open windows allowed in a brilliant view of the sky. Seated on soft cushions, each of the people were from different nationalities around the globe and dressed in simple white clothes representing their statuses as Aspirants as they watched Beowulf slowly walk between them. Each of them was not truly physically present nor was Beowulf himself; the room they occupied was merely a convenient conceptual space for them to occupy and communicate with Beowulf and potentially each other, a mental version of a chat room or conference call with Beowulf as the host. As such, each of them could see each other vaguely but the fine details escaped them. This was quite intentional on Beowulf's part for he was well aware that some of them would not be returning to this place after today.

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." Beowulf stated quietly. "All of you have taken the first step in that journey already. You took that step when you prayed in earnest to our Lord Prometheus, placing your faith and trust in Him as your god, something many will never do. It is not an easy thing to put aside the traditions and habits of the old and step into the new and unknown. Yet you have each taken that step willingly and our Lord rewarded each of you for that trust by granting you His boon, the Golden Breath He breathed out upon each of you either directly or through His priests."

He paused, clasping his hands behind his back, his flesh hand gripping his opposing arm's silvery wrist. "The next step was to practice and understand the boon He bestowed upon you and how it is to be used. Under the guidance of various priests you have each learned to manipulate the nanites in simple ways, from wireless communication to increasing your mental and physical capabilities to a small degree, and even creating basic physical extensions from your own bodies. Over the last several weeks each of you have proven that you are willing to sacrifice your time and energy to devote yourselves to His service and have specified your desire to become priests in your own right."

He moved to stand before the group, his golden eyes sweeping across each of them seriously.

"Such a desire is admirable and all of you shall be considered. But know that what you ask for is not a small matter. To become a Tech-Priest of Utopia, a true servant of Prometheus, is a life-long commitment, dedicated to serving others individually and aiding in the advancement of humanity as a whole. We are technologists, engineers, and technicians. We are also counselors, aides, healers, and protectors. We become whatever is needed in order to serve the needs of the people we help and we will be whatever our Lord requires us to be at any moment. It is not an easy calling but our Lord gives us the tools and knowledge we need to succeed in whatever endeavor He calls us to."

"We are not like the other religions of your world where chastity, poverty, and self-denial are considered required virtues." He continued. "However, at the same time you will be expected to meet, if not exceed, the standards and expectations set down by myself and our Lord for they are a prerequisite to being considered for the priesthood and you will be expected to maintain those standards at the very least should you be accepted. Should you become a Tech-Priest you will represent not only yourself but your god and me in your comings and goings, your dealings with others, and what actions you perform. All that you do can and may be scrutinized and examined. Your very thoughts, your soul and heart, these things will no longer be hidden for our Lord will know each and every one of them."

"All of you have memories, past events, or aspects of your personality that you find shameful or disgraceful." He said with quiet intensity as he stared into each of their eyes. "Things you would not wish others to know even under the most dire of circumstances for fear of the consequences that would follow. You also have moments of joy and brilliance, achievements and accomplishments that you desire all to know. Every intelligent being holds a mixture of darkness and light inside them. While it is not necessary that you share such things with others, know that I, myself, and Prometheus will be privy to them and it will influence our decision whether to induct you into the priesthood. Opening one's self so completely is a terrifying thought for many and I, myself was not immune to this fear when my Lord first examined my heart and soul for I was not innocent. Even so, He accepted me for who I was and in time I became his High Priest. Hold that knowledge in your heart for if a debased creature such as myself can rise so high then it is possible for each of you to attain such heights." He smiled in encouragement before becoming serious again.

"If, at this moment, you wish to remove yourself from this path you have begun you may leave this place without fear of retribution or condemnation and remain a simple follower of Prometheus. Think carefully, for though you may return to us and start this path again in the future our Lord shall know of your decision here and it will factor into His decision as to whether you may make another attempt. That being said, do not act based on what your pride may say you should do, or upon the advice of others, but examine yourself truthfully and decide for yourself what is best for you and the priesthood. Ask yourself this, are you prepared to bare your soul to your god in all of its brilliance but also all of its darkness and perversity? Do you believe you will be able to make a positive impact on others and the world should you join us, or do you not?"

As Beowulf watched several of the figures began to wink out of existence here and there, the connection terminated. Finally after a few minutes with none of the others departing he nodded.

"Very well. You have chosen to remain and as such you will be examined to determine your suitability for entry. Prepare yourself." He said to each of them.

Calling upon the powers granted to him as High Priest Beowulf began to spiritually connect with each individual, examining their minds and souls. He could feel Prometheus and even Arianasa through his spiritual links assisting with the task as it would take far too long for him to examine each individual in detail on his own. He was well aware that in time others in the priesthood would need to be able to perform such examinations as their numbers grew but for now the three of them were enough. Moments of joy and regret, hateful words spoken in anger and calming moments of compassion sifted through his mind. He beheld moments of pure altruism and self-sacrifice alongside the darkest of perverse impulses and desires more often than not held in check by titanium bands of decency and discipline. To those he found wanting he explained his reasons for refusing them, bringing to light concerns and areas of improvement with Arianasa and Prometheus replying with similar words to the ones they found lacking.

~~Unfortunately, your past actions and the choices you have made which I have pointed out to you preclude you from joining our ranks. It is my hope and the hope of our Lord that you use this decision not as fuel for anger or animosity but as a moment of wisdom that you might grow and learn from. Seek to better yourself and mature in the ways I have advised you so that one day should you come before us again with this same desire, we may congratulate you on the progress you have made and welcome you with open arms. Even as you depart in peace, remember this: you are still a follower of Prometheus and His child; His ear and the ear of His priests are always open to you and He does not forget His children.~~

For those that had passed the rigorous testing he offered words of congratulations, the other two speaking similarly.

~~Your mind, soul, and faith have been tested, and you have passed. Your mind holds the discipline, strength, and wisdom necessary to serve those in need no matter who they are or in what circumstances you find yourself. Because of the decisions you have made in times of turmoil and difficulty as well as times of peace and ease you have proven your soul to be mature and compassionate. Your faith in our Lord and in me allowed you to bare yourself completely to us without fear of retribution or reprisal. Thus you have proven your worthiness to be named as a true servant of Prometheus. Today, your new life begins and a new future awaits you. Soon you shall be approached by another of our servants who shall guide you and answer any questions you may have. Always remember, the ear of our Lord and the ears of His servants are always open to you. May your service to the Master of Technology and Illumination be long, fruitful, and fulfilling.~~

After several hours of combing through the minds of dozens of individuals, with Prometheus and Arianasa scanning far more, Beowulf released the last of the connections so that only he, Prometheus, and Arianasa remained. Impressions, thoughts, and considerations flowed between each of them naturally for some time as they compared their experiences before Beowulf finally relaxed, his mind worn from the strain as the connections faded, leaving his mind empty and quiet.


Prometheus's pyramid

A few months later…

"The last of the Middle East refugees will be moved to Raenei once they are cleared by the medical teams." Davis told Prometheus as the Dragon strolled through one of the pyramid's interior hallways. "The neophytes we inducted have done well so far in providing support and aid to the more experienced priests. While it was something of a shock for them to begin their training in such a harsh set of circumstances they applied themselves diligently. I expect that many of them will become full priests on their own quite soon, having learned quite a bit since then."

"Excellent. I trust living quarters continue to be a non-issue?" Prometheus asked.

"Considering we've had Terminators building structures and domesticating the planet non-stop since we first surveyed it, that's a yes." Davis replied. "In fact since many of them are used to dry climates we actually found a use for that circular desert region we found. It's big enough to house most of them as well as the infrastructure needed. The land around the desert's edge is converted into farmland so they are growing their own foodstuffs and they've been able to grow their own plants in the desert as well. Figs, mesquite, yucca, and so on."

"And they have no fear of living on an alien world?" Prometheus asked.

"They've been adapting quite well to the change." Davis replied. "Given that the sky, grass, and sand are almost identical to Earth's it was much easier for them to acclimate. Thankfully we were able to get a simple communications systems up and running in time so that they could confirm to their kin that they're safe and thriving. It's not perfect but letters back and forth are better than nothing."

"Yes, I doubt interdimensional video calls will be happening anytime soon." Prometheus remarked dryly. "The barriers between the realities exist for a very good reason; constantly poking holes in them just so people can talk to each other for a few minutes is a poor rationale indeed, never mind the immense power and technical difficulties."

"Speaking of interdimensional communication, a group of scientists want to conduct a study to confirm your claim about the afterlife being a reality."

"The interviews we and the Koh's gave were not enough?" Prometheus asked mildly.

"It was enough for some people but we expected backlash. Thankfully the Middle East hasn't declared Jihad on us just yet, though Rome is still calling you the Antichrist behind your back." Davis joked. "Apparently the Evangelicals are hoping you invade Jerusalem and declare yourself the one true god at some point just so they can watch Jesus show up and smite you in the face. Getting back to their request the scientists actually want to have one of their own convert just so they can commit a planned suicide and make it to your realm."

Prometheus halted. "They what?!" He asked, aghast.

"I'm totally serious." Davis replied with a hint of amusement. "They want one of their oldest members to memorize a bunch of weird phrases and number combinations we'd never be able to guess or calculate before having him convert and then painlessly killing himself so that he can appear in your realm and then recite the combinations back to them while they record the whole thing. Apparently they think that this will conclusively prove that life after death exists and that continuity of consciousness is a reality."

Prometheus covered his eyes with a paw. "The foolishness of mortals continues to astound me." He muttered. "If he truly converted I would be able to pluck those combinations out of his mind and create an illusion of him speaking to them if I desired. These scientists have no concept of what gods truly are."

"From what I understand the scientist is question is getting quite on in years and was going to retire anyway." Davis mentioned. "He probably thinks that he'll go down in history as the one to prove the existence of an afterlife or some such thing."

"Never mind that we have already proven it." Prometheus grumbled. "In any case conversion for convenience's sake is not true conversion. It would not work unless he actually believed and was willing to accept me as his god."

"People getting towards the end of their lives tend to start believing in gods to give themselves comfort if nothing else." Davis replied bluntly. "He might be willing to actually convert. It won't hurt to conduct an interview with him if nothing else."

"Actually I have a better idea." Prometheus remarked thoughtfully as he entered the throne room. "I have been considering a more long term project for some time and these scientists or at least the volunteer could very well prove helpful as the first subject of a viability study. I shall brief Beowulf on it and have him discuss the opportunity with them. How goes the construction of our temples?" He asked as he sat down in his throne and began viewing the various holo-screens floating before him.

"They're springing up like weeds everywhere." Davis replied, displaying a world map on one of the screens with small yellow dots appearing all over the globe. "It's gotten to the point where we've simply been handing out copies of the plans to the local architect drafted to build it and let them go to work. Even with the amount of Synthoids we have on hand, we won't have enough to help build every single one as well as the various construction projects we promised to assist with all at once. Naturally we'll have a Synthoid check the final structure for faults or any unpleasant surprises before opening it to the public but as more and more of the temples become active we'll need more priests to run them."

"The local populace will want to help in rebuilding anyway." Prometheus replied. "They will need the jobs and it will help them psychologically as well. Most of those cities will have drones that you can access as an onsite observer or we can send our own. If need be I will aid in this as well as bring over more priests from Oerth to handle the temples."

"If nothing else we can get some of your more recent converts and new priests to help out in the interim." Davis suggested. "How many people have converted at this point?"

"Including the recent influx of refugees? Eight hundred fifty-six thousand, seven hundred and twenty-three." Prometheus replied after a moment of reflection.

"Eight hundred and fifty-six thousand, seven hundred." Davis considered. "I'm surprised...I figured we'd be well over a million by this point."

Prometheus smiled. "I am referring to the ones who have truly believed and placed their full trust and faith in me. There are many millions of people who are praying to me but they do not truly believe in their hearts that I am what I say I am. They are testing the waters so to speak, to see if I will grant what they ask for. As they begin to see what my priests are capable of, they should be more willing to commit themselves fully to me. Now, how soon before we reach Sri Lanka and the Indian southern coast?"

"In three days." Davis replied, highlighting a portion of the map and zooming in to show their progress to the island country. "Since the first round of applicants were approved the priests have been training more. Most can have their deep examinations done within the next several days and we can start bringing them over to help in Sri Lanka via transports. We can have them help in search and rescue in conjunction with triaging the situation while we get the portals setup. At that point it will simply be a matter of getting everyone checked out. The local government won't be much help though since a lot of the island flooded and all of the higher ups bugged out before it got critical."

"Hmph. Another complication. Well, we will manage." Prometheus sighed. "For the newest recruits I recommend having them work on the Saharan Reclamation project instead. While the situation in the Middle East was difficult they at least were able to do simple tasks and observe the priests as they worked. This mission could be even more dangerous and most of them are not trained to be first responders or search and rescue personnel. Work in the Sahara may be tedious but they will still be able to learn from the Synthoids on site. Synthoids on the other hand will be better equipped to analyze and provide real time information on whatever situations we may encounter in Sri Lanka."

"I'll organize that at once." Davis replied. "Don't want to throw the newbies into the deep end if they can't swim. There is also something else that I felt should be brought to your attention. Kyprioth has been getting requests from a journalist for an interview. A man named Clarence from the Washington Post. He's been making the requests through our liaison at the UN. I only bring it up because this man was asking to speak with him directly instead of the usual request for information or an interview with you, Arianasa, or Beowulf. Considering Kyprioth hasn't even made an appearance in any of our photo ops or was mentioned in our interviews..."

"The fact that anyone knows about him and knows to contact him here is curious." Prometheus agreed. "Even more curious is the fact that Kyprioth failed to mention this to us. See what you can find out about him. If he appears at least semi-legitimate allow Kyprioth to hold an interview with him. But I expect you to coach him on his replies if it comes to it."

"Considering I've been training him as an agent of mine for years I have full faith in his ability to think and improvise on the fly." Davis replied. "But I'll be monitoring the situation anyway. We'll find out quick enough whether he's legitimate or not."