I cannot fiddle, but I can make a great state of a small city
Themistocles 524-459 BCE

5:59 AM MST
09 Leo, 266

Dr. Danu J Seloi's bedroom
Rift launch facility
Mars

6:00 AM
Alarm off Get out of bed

6:35
Downstairs
Check Messages

Inbox
Email - Director Hale
From: Director Hale, Chief Scientist
To: Dr.Seloi
Subject: Sorry Kid

So yeah, sorry about this kid, but no launch party for you. The system cache needs purging. You'll need to head to the launch site and run a full sim…. today. As in right now. You know, so we can launch the single greatest scientific experiment in human history on time, tomorrow.

Enjoy your sim time, the real heroes around here will be sure to enjoy the launch party!

Director Hale

Reply

Email - Dr. Seloi
From: Dr. Seloi
To: Direcot Hale, Chief Scientist
Subject: WHATEVER

Fine. Somebody has to be useful around here. Maybe I'll also instect the JOVEN drive while I'm there. You know, the thing made possible by MY grandfather and the only reason we are here. You can enjoy your 'party' while I make a difference.

Dr. Seloi
Junior scientist
Rift lab backup team

SEND

9:12 AM
Rift Lab Control
Enter lab control and get this over with

The eve of humanity's greatest journey

[after doing the initial camera training]

A.D.A. LOG
Analysis
Hello Dr. Seloi. I hope your day is pleasant. Director Hale has requested you perform a few additional tasks in addition to the cache purge.

Director Hale would like the likes on at the lunch site for tonight's launch party. He wants the visiting dignitaries to clearly see the launch site. He has instructed you construct a tower to connect the rift lab to the launch site. This will power the lights.

You may close my interface and proceed. I will provide additional information as the need arise.

[after doing a building tutorial]

Alert
SYSTEM PROMPT
ACTIVATE EXPERIMENTAL SOYLENT FIELDS ON TOWERS?
SYSTEM OVERRIDE REQUIRED. ACTION NOT RECCOMENDED

Dr. Seloi
Yep, Override. That will show Hale.

Alert
CONFIRM OVERIDE?
NOTICE: DIRECTOR HALE WILL BE INFORMED OF THIS ACTION

Dr. Seloi
Absolutely

A.D.A. LOG
Analysis
The soylent fields are now activating, Dr Seloi. These were not scheduled to be activated until tonight's launch party. They were supposed to be part of the exhibition.

The soylent fields are operating within normal parameters. Each field is producing energy that is being fed across the network to the rift lab. The energy statis in the top left of the interface reflects increased energy production.

Your assigned tasks are now complete. Director hale has requested you remain here during the launch party.

[after a bit]

Alert
ORBITAL SENSORS HAVE DETECTED INCOMING HIGH VELOCITY OBJECTS. POSSIBLE METEORS WITH LIKELY GROUND STRIKES.
INITIATE CONDITION 2 PROTOCOLS

Dr. Seloi
Activate A.D.A

A.D.A. LOG
Analysis
Orbital sensors confirm incoming meteor strikes. Protocol 2 initiated. Base on lock down. The rift lab is now decoupled from the base. All lab bulkheads are closed.

Please Brace for impact Dr. Seloi.

After a building is destroyed

Director Hale
!!! PRIORITY COMMUNICATION !!!
MESSAGE FROM DIRECTOR HALE

Danu! We don't know what caused those impacts. They weren't normal meteors. They have released something that is spreading across the terrain. I've releaseed the control systems for the lab. Move it to the launch site now!

None of the crew are there… you have to do this alone! We can't get to you and that stuff is advancing on the whole base!

Dr. Seloi
O… Ok… Doing it!

After moving the rift lab to the launch site

A.D.A. LOG
Analysis
– FULL SYSTEM ACCESS GRANTED –
The unknown material is approaching the rift lab. I recommend relocating mining cannons around the launch site. They may delay the progress of the material.

After a bit

Director Hale
!!! PRIORITY COMMUNICATION !!!
MESSAGE FROM DIRECTOR HALE

Danu…. you have to get out of here. You have to save the lab and yourself…

That 'stuff' is destroying everything. There's no time… I've sent the command to A.D.A. to initiate the Launch sequence. Jump to Farsite!

Dr. Seloi
No… No sir!

Director Hale
!!! PRIORITY COMMUNICATION !!!
MESSAGE FROM DIRECTOR HALE

Dr. Seloi…. Danu… you can do this. Take the lab through rift space. be the first to ever traverse the galactic void!

You need to know that your grandfather []

MESSAGE TERMINATED AT SOURCE

Dr. Seloi
Dr. Hale!!!! No!!! I CAN'T

A.D.A. LOG
– LAUNCH SEQUENCE INITIATED –

I'm sorry Dr. Seloi, but communications with Director Hale have been lost. Life support has failed across the base and the unknown material is continuing its advance.

The launch sequence needs some time to initialize. The final calculations for our jump to Farsite have not yet been completed. An approximate solution is currently in place.

Use mining cannons to keep the unknown material away from the rift lab until the initialization is complete.

after waiting for initialisation

Alert
RIFT ENGINES INITIALIZED !!! READY TO JUMP !!!

–INITIATE JUMP TO FARSITE–

after jumping away

Alert
Moments Later
A message is received
—D-nu! — Com– in! We h–ve tak-en she-lt-r in the und–grou-d cav–rn- ! Da-u!!!

——–

The jump was a success, but now what?

You can never go home…

This place had a hard life.

Eons of fighting must have taken place here.

It's clear. We've only just stepped onto the galactic stage.

Each world is worse than the last. But perhaps there is a glimmer of hope.

Things are getting real, and getting dangerous.

The complexity of each of these worlds is astounding. Each, filled with more and more abandoned technology. What could it mean?

One plus one is greater than two.

This was once a world… maybe.

Sometimes the best offense is a good defense.

This world was used for some massive sale experimentation.

What if remembering the past changed it?

What is life without the dark?

Some things need protecting.

The first of here info caches. Get it as fast as you can.