Chapter 1: A Discovery on Earth
The Earth, also known as the "Genuine Promise Land," was a beautiful sight to behold, especially on a perfect day like this. Its oceans sparkled in the glow of the artificial sunlight created by the scub coral, which incased the planet like a shell, suspended thousands of feet above the planet surface by the huge scub pillars. The artificial blue sky added more brightness to allow the dark blue color of the waters to be seen, while the shade of a few clouds added a darker tone below them. The calming sounds of waves splashing and seagulls flying could be heard in the distance. Several small islands could also be seen, spread throughout the region in several directions. The white sandy beaches and dark green foliage of the mountains and forests of the mainland nearby added more to its natural beauty.
For Dr. Greg "Bear" Egan, it was truly indeed a breath-taking sight. At least that's what he thought to himself as he took a break from his work at the Control Cluster's grave site to admire the scenery around him. Never in his life has he seen a landscape remotely like this. Compared to the surface above, which was mostly rocky terrain with only lakes, forests, and mountains, this was paradise. As he looked upward for a moment, he could clearly see the walls of the large gasping hole in the scub coral above him, which lead up to surface. The same hole, now dubbed "The Earth Gate," left by the blast from the Oratorio #8 satellite two years earlier. The actual blue sky could be seen beyond. If it weren't for the walls that made out the outline of the gateway itself, the two skies would literally blend, and one could not tell the difference, nor that The Earth Gate was ever there. Dr. Bear continued to stare at his surroundings for a few minutes, until the voice of Dr. Sonia Wakabayahi broke his trance.
"It truly is an absolute beautiful sight, isn't it, Dr. Bear?"
Bear turned his attention to Sonia as she approached him. Her long blond hair and her white lab coat fluttered in the gentle breeze of the warm wind as she stood by his side to look at the sight before them.
"It truly is, Sonia," he replied. "I'm actually lucky I brought my camera this time around to take a few pictures. It's too bad I couldn't do so the first time I was here two years ago. Especially with what was happening around here at the time."
"I know. If only Dewey Novak didn't destroy the Control Cluster like he did. I always wanted to see what it looked like."
"Me too. The only thing left of the cluster now is the very crater we're standing in, along with the few rooted remains, and the beach that surrounds it. Renton, Eureka, and the kids were very lucky they got to see it, and actually go inside it! If only I was here with them. To see inside the minds of the coralians themselves. And to think, they even found Adrok and Diana alive here as well! I would have given anything to see the two of them again. I always admire Adrok's work on his theories. Diana's as well. It's too bad they're gone now."
"Along with Master Norb and Sakuya, co-existing with the coralians in another dimension, from what Renton told us. At least they're all together in a better place. Personally, if I had the chance, I would have gone with them. To experience a higher realm of existence."
"So would I. However, my attentions now are to the Earth, now that we have access to it. Besides the scub coral, I always wanted to see what our original home looked like, and now, I finally got my chance!"
"As do I, Doctor. As do I."
"Dr. Bear! Dr. Bear! This is KLF unit 2 from Survey Team 3. Do you read me?" came in a call on Bear's walkie talkie.
He picked up the radio to answer back. "Bear here. What's going on?"
"Remember those faint readings we've been picking up lately? We started picking them up again at our current location and they're getting stronger."
"Where exactly are you located?"
"We're located on one of the smaller islands. The one furthest out from the dig site, at coordinates 3902."
"O.K., we're on our way over to you. Please hold your position and wait for our arrival. We'll be there in about thirty minutes."
"Roger that. KLF unit 2, over and out."
"What do you suppose those readings are all about, Doctor?" asked a concerned Sonia.
With concern in his eyes, Bear answered "Don't know. But let's hope this time we have an answer. Let's go."
The two researchers make their way back down inside the crater of the grave site, and head for one of the archaeological teams that were still at work.
Ever since the Earth Gate was created during the Second Summer of Love, the newly established United Federal Republic has been sending almost every possible survey and research ship they could, along with military escort in case of Rebel activity, to explore the Earth beneath. Both military and civilian ships alike have been sent to not only study and map the former home of humanity, but also excavate, document, and learn as much as they can about the surface and its geology and ecosystems. Almost on a weekly bases, airships travel to and from Earth, bringing back to the surface more and more knowledge about the promise land every time.
During the last two years, the teams of scientists, archaeologists, and military personal have documented much of the globe, studying many of its different environments, and documenting and cataloging many of the animals that inhabited them. Many of these environments included the tropical rainforests of Central and South America, the Sahara desert in North Africa, and even the Arctic and Antarctic regions located at the north and south poles. Not only that, many of the teams were sent to many of Earth's former countries, such as Japan, Europe, Asia, and North and South America, to excavate the many ruin cities that still stood in those regions. Upon excavating the ruins of these cities, the teams learned more and more about their human cultural histories, some of which were lost over the last 10,000 years. Everything that is documented afterwards is sent back up to the surface for further analysis and debate.
Dr. Bear and Sonia's group were different. The two were among a group of people handpicked by the U.F.R.'s Chief of Operations personally to lead several teams to excavate and study the remains of the Control Cluster at its grave as well as the surrounding region. And even after two long years, the hundreds of men and women that made up their archaeological force were still excavating the huge site, digging tranches deep into the monstrous crater to dig up many of the cluster's dead remains that were rooted deep underground. So far, things proceeded for them as usual, cataloging many of the pieces dug up and shipping them back to Tresor for further study.
However, just several days ago, things took a different turn. One of the KLF survey teams picked up strange readings around a small group of deserted islands just a few miles from the dig site. These readings were too faint at the time and were laid off as sensor ghosts, and were quickly forgotten. But then just three days later, those readings appeared again over the same location, with a higher readout, but lasted only for a few minutes. Dr. Bear personally took note of these readings, and asked that the KLF survey team stay in that area in case the readings showed up again. Now that they did, Dr. Bear was determined to find what the hell was going on in that area.
Upon reaching the main archaeological team working at the site, Dr. Bear asked the team leader for a civilian Speedship along with a small team of archeologists to join them at the island. They also managed to get a small squadron of KFLs and LFOs, consisting of three VC10s, two Terminus Series R505s, and a Spearhead unit, to join them in securing the area. Once everyone was ready just 20 minutes later, the high speed craft, piloted by Bear and Sonia, headed off to the island with their escorts. Beautiful green trails of trapar waves were left in their wake as they took flight.
Their destination was a group of five deserted islands that were situated 3.5 miles off the southern eastern coast of the crater. Each of the islands was between two and four miles in diameter, with the largest island being no bigger than a dozen football fields. The islands were mostly desert terrain with some foliage, with the largest island having a jungle and a dormant volcano on its north western half. The source of the readings came from the smallest island furthest away with the least foliage. It was "D"-shaped, no bigger than six football fields, with nothing but sandy terrain and a few palm trees scattered near the north side, along with only a few rocky formations forming on the flat eastern coastline. The KLF Survey Team of three Mon-Soonos was situated at the western end of the island, awaiting the Doctor's arrival.
Once Bear and his archaeological team and escort finally arrived, all the KFL and LFO units formed a perimeter around the island, while the archaeologists set up their equipment and base camp nearby. Dr. Bear and Sonia meanwhile met up with the pilot of the KLF that radioed them earlier to discuss the situation at hand. The pilot waiting for them at the foot of his kneeling KLF unit saluted them as they approach, and Bear and Sonia saluted back in response.
"Good to have you here, Doctor," he replied in salute.
"Pleasure's all ours, lieutenant," Bear said in response, shaking his hand after saluting back. "So you determine the source of the readings to be here on this island?"
"Yes sir, the readings seem to be originating here. Once you replied, my men and I landed to await your arrival so that we can investigate further."
"Good. Why don't you and your team stay here and guard the perimeter with the others. We'll take it from here."
"Yes, sir."
With that said, the pilot returns to the cockpit and takes his KLF unit to guard the edge of the island with the other two KLFs following. Dr. Bear and Sonia then make their way back to their team to begin their task. Once the computer and scanning equipment was setup, Sonia made the announcement.
"O.K., everyone, listen up! We're going to scan the entire island! We want every square inch of the island searched, not one stone left unturned!"
"We'll split up into teams of two!" Bear continued, "Alpha Team will search the north side, Beta the south side, Delta on the east side here, and Gamma will take the west! Dr. Sonia and I will stay here at base to study the feedback! OK, let's go!"
The teams begun their search, using the detectors they each had to scan the ground for the readings, while Bear and Sonia begun their work at base camp, monitoring the readouts and studying what they had so far. The archaeological teams continued their scanning for a good 50 minutes, checking every nuke and cranny they came across. Every palm tree was checked and no rock was left un-turned. The strange readings were showing up, but so far were erratic, and seemed as if they were coming from all around the island. Meanwhile, Dr. Bear and Sonia, along with a few colleagues, were checking the feedback monitors on what they were getting so far back in their base's tent.
"These readings, wherever they are coming form, seem to be giving off little radiation, but nothing harmful," One of the other archaeologists informed, looking over the findings on the monitors. "They seem to be in the safety zone as far as we can tell, so we should be in the green once we find what we're looking for. The gamma readings are also pretty high."
"Not only that, but there seems to be small magnetic pulse showing up on scanners," explained another colleague named Tetsuro, "But as for sonar and radar, they seem to be having difficulty locking on to the exact location of the readings. It's like the readings are bouncing back on each other."
"But what exactly do you think it could be?" pondered Sonia, "Not even scub coral gave off readings like this."
"True, but whatever it is, it's definitely not scub coral," Dr. Bear inducted. As he examined each of the teams' readings on computer screens, one monitor began displaying stronger readouts. He and his colleagues gathered around the screen and notice that it was Beta Team's readouts they were observing. Bear quickly picked up his walkie talkie to contact them. "Beta Team, come in please?"
"This is Beta Team, go ahead, Doctor," the man at the other end replied.
"We're starting to pick up the readings at a stronger scale here."
"Yes, we've finished our readings on our side and began moving toward the center of the island. The readings seem to be coming in stronger and more clearly as we move further inland."
"Are you sure?"
"Affirmative."
Dr. Bear took a moment to think things through, and came up with the answer. He then heads outside with a microphone and speaks in to call out to all the teams scattered around.
"Attention all teams! Begin scanning inward! Repeat, begin scanning inward! We'll meet you all in the center of the island! Bear out!"
All four teams start making their way inward toward the center of the island. As they did, they began making progress. The further they got toward the exact center of the island, the stronger the readings became. Once the four teams met up around the center area, Bear, Sonia, and the others arrived, with all nine KLF and LFO units encircling the area's perimeter. Bear makes his approach to the two men that made up Beta Team.
"What do we have?" he asked.
"Readings coming in hot, and signals clean," answer the young man holding the detector. "It seems to be coming from the exact center right round here."
"We found it!" shouted the Gamma Team leader as they stood just a few feet north. "I got sonar readings! It's right here! The readings are coming from here!"
Bear and the others all make their way to Gamma Team and gather around. The other teams check their scanning equipment and make the same conclusion.
"He's right, sir," replied Alpha's scanner as he scanned the ground at his feet with the detector, "The readings are coming from this spot."
"From the looks of it, the source is directly below us, about several yards down. And it looks as if they readings are getting stronger, almost as if…"
"Almost as what?" Sonia asked, a little concern at the man's expression.
"Almost as if the source were moving towards us."
"Sir," replied one of the KLF units, "radar is picking up something there. It must be the source of the signals. He's right, it's moving up towards us. It's rising toward the surface."
"Sir, look at the readings now!"
As Bear and the others gathered around, they saw that the instrument readings were now off the charts. All sonar, gamma, and radiation readings were now spiking through the roof.
"Sweet Jesus!" one of other scientist spoke out in disbelief.
At that moment, Dr. Bear could have sworn that he felt a small vibration at his feet. It was a few moments later that confirmed his feeling. The ground started to vibrate all around them. The vibrations soon turned into a small earthquake that shook the whole island. Bear, Sonia, and the other archaeologists started to tumble a bit from the quake, while the KLFs and LFOs stood their ground.
"W-What's going on?!" Sonia managed to say while grabbing on to Dr. Bear's arm for support.
"I don't know, let's get out of here!" replied Bear.
The ground right underneath them began to rise up. Bear, Sonia, and those around them lost their footing and fell on top of each other in a pile up. The ground continued to rise under them like a small hill forming as they struggled to get back on their feet.
"Move!" shouted Bear as he helped his assistant up on her feet and getting off the rising sand. "MOVE!!"
Everyone scattered like mad dogs, and made a mad dash toward the KFLs and LFOs that started to back away from the area as the rising sands got bigger and bigger. Once Bear and his people were safe behind the mobile suits' legs, and everyone was at a safe distance from the disturbance, they all could make out what was happening on the scene.
The sands in the central area continued to rise up until it was literally a huge "sand bubble." Its diameter was a good 40 feet at least, and rose to about 15-20 feet high before it stopped rising, and the ground stopped shaking. The bubble stood here sticking out of the ground for a few moments.
But before anyone could ask what the heck it was, the bubble exploded! Sand and dust flew everywhere, creating a dust cloud that covered the whole island. Bear and his people covered their faces from getting sand in their eyes, and stood back behind the LFOs a few minutes for the dust to clear.
A low humming sound was heard coming from within the site. Bear and Sonia turn their heads to see and could make out a faint light source rising up from where the bubble stood. The light was a dark purple color, and dimed in and out like it was pulsing erratically. Once the dust finally settled, everyone turned to look. What they saw defied the laws of physics.
Hovering about 10 feet above the sink hole where the bubble once stood was a huge floating sphere made out of sand, rock, and boulders of different sizes and shapes, encircling the light within and rotating from west to east. The purple light's rays shined through the spaces in between the floating debris which blocked any good view of its source. Whatever the source was, it also emitted a low pulsing hum.
Bear and Sonia, along with the rest of their team, just stood there in a complete awe at the floating anomaly. The pilots in their LFOs glued to their screens as they too stare at the site before them. What they were seeing was impossible.
As the light source continued to shine and pulse, the floating debris began to break up and fall to the ground, and into the hole. As more and more debris fell away, the brighter the light source got as the blockage cleared. Within minutes, all the sand, dust, and rubble had fell to the ground, filling up the hole.
The bright light continued to float where it was, continuing to pulse and hum, until it began to slowly descent to the ground. All eyes were locked on the light as it lowered more and more until it finally came to a halt just four feet from the rumble surface. The light then started to dim and fade away, and that's when Dr. Bear gave everyone the OK to advance toward it. Everybody stayed together as they approached, with the KLFs and LFOs keeping gun pods drawn on the target in case something goes wrong. Once there was only a six foot gap between the light and the surrounding group of archaeologists, the light finally subsided completely, and the pulsing hum stopped. What stood in its place was unexpected to say the least.
The object, which was the source of the light, rotating from west to east, was a purplish-black, octagonal, brilliant cut gem. Upon a closer inspection, it turned out to be – an emerald! A black colored emerald.
All the archaeologists just stood there dumbfounded, while whispering among themselves, asking each other "what is it?" and "where did it come from?" After staring at the floating object for a few minutes, Dr. Bear made his approach. He got out his scanner and took a reading. All scans appeared normal. Whatever it was, it was safe. He then extended his right arm out to touch the object. A few of his follow scientists tried to tell him to back off, fearing it would bite his hand off, but he quickly told them it was OK. After all, it was just floating there, doing nothing but shining in the sunlight. After getting a feel with the tip of his middle finger, and finding no reaction, he proceeded to feel it with the rest of his hand. It was cool to the touch. Once he felt it was alright, he grabbed hold of the emerald from where it hovered, and brought it closer for further inspection. Once the KLFs and LFOs saw that he was in no danger, they laid down their weapons. Sonia then walked up to Bear as he continued to inspect the jewel, much like a pawn shop dealer would his own.
"Incredible," Bear finally said, totally astonished as he looked closely at the treasure he held.
"What…is it?" asked a shocked and bewildered Sonia, who was still getting over all that has happened.
"It's… an emerald. A black emerald!"
"But how? How could an emerald cause all that we just saw? And…and aren't emeralds supposed to be green?"
"I don't know, Sonia. But I think we just hit the jackpot." Bear then turns his attention to everyone else present, while holding up the emerald high for all to see. "Ladies and Gentlemen! We've made a discovery! Maybe one of the most greatest discoveries we've made yet! Everyone listen up! Let's get everything packed and ready to go! We're heading back up to the surface! Let's move out!"
After everyone got his orders, Bear then spoke with one of his other colleague Tetsuro.
"Tetsuro, I want you to contact the main team back at the grave site and tell them to continue excavating without us. We're heading home."
"Yes, Doctor," Tetsuro replied, then running back to the Speedship.
With that, everyone began heading back to camp to pack away their equipment and leave for home, while Sonia followed Dr. Bear back to the Speedship.
"What exactly are we going to do now, Doctor?" she asked.
"We're going to head back to Bellforest," Bear said. "Whatever this thing is, it's more than just a pretty piece of jewelry."
"Really, you think? What we just saw back there defied the very laws of physics! How can a simple emerald do all that?"
"I don't know, Sonia. But we're going to find out."
"You also mind telling me why we're going to Bellforest, and not Tresor?"
"Oh, we're going to Tresor alright. But first, I like to go see some friends."
With that, they boarded the ship and soon began helping the other archaeologists prep for launch, while the LFOs kept guard awaiting their orders to take off. The black emerald itself was place in a container under heavy guard. Tetsuro meanwhile contacted the main archaeological team still at the grave site to continue on with their mission to excavate the cluster's remains without them.
Once everything was packed up and ready, the Speed ship and their military escort took off in a blaze of trapar waves toward their destination, heading up toward the Earth Gate, and back up the scub coral surface. From there, it was on to the town of Bellforest, and to the town's military air force base.
The overweight doctor believed that today would be a day recorded in the history books. Just like the discovery of the scub coral 10,000 years earlier, a new discovery had been made on Earth. But what Dr. Bear didn't realize was that the emerald he and his people had uncovered would soon lead him and few of his old friends on an adventure they would never forget.
Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this first chapter. For the discovery of the emerald, I wanted it to be dramanic. After all, it is a chaos emerald, and the chaos do have mysterious powers. I know that the Arks of the Cosmos have gravity powers, but so do the emeralds, since they do hover above the ground, right?
Next Chapter: Renton, Eureka, and all of Gekkostate, along with new members, unite at Bellforest State Military Base for a new mission - the devilery of a "special" cargo to Tresor...