First chapter starts here:
There is a small little snippet missing, that I hope to recover from my damaged laptop. But none the less, here is the next chapter:
As Alaric left the mess hall, he walked briskly across Tessela’s compound, and made his way to his apartment. He was still stunned over lunch what had happened at lunch, and walked in silence. Nobody paid him any extra attention besides a slight head nod here and there, as usual. Looking up, he noticed the slight geometrical structure of the dome that surrounded the sprawling city. Though it was fairly large, and all owned by Aurelius, the city and a sense of unity about it. The streets and apartments were neatly organized, and the buildings reached a fair height, some up to six stories tall. All of them were dwarfed by the large tower in the center of the city, standing twenty five stories tall. At the top, was Dr. Tessela’s personal apartment, with Alaric’s own apartment just two stories below. The space between the two were shared by both men, as their private ecological and computer labs. It also held Aurelius’s engineering quarters, where he build his crazy machines.
As reached the elevator and entered his password, Alaric made a mental note to remember to stop by, and see what the Doctor had left him. Ashlee had mentioned it specifically, so it must be exceptional this time. He was jolted from his thoughts by the elevator not stopping at his floor, but continuing up to the top of the tower. As it stopped and the doors open, Alaric quickly did a quick scan and saw two armed guards standing in front of the doors to Doc’s office. Alarms started going if in his head, seeing how nobody was permitted weapons in the city, ever. There weren’t any even in the city, aside from a few in this very room, used only for emergencies. There was a police force, but they were rarely necessary, and it never game to full violence. As he approached the doors, the guards both held out their nearest hand to him, commanding him to stop. They were rather large, mean looking with shaved heads. Professional soldiers of the General’s personal elite, the best trained men in the world. Alaric was no afraid of their size, being quite a large man himself, but he knew he was much, much quicker. People with weapons in the city made him uncomfortable, especially those who didn’t live in the city. He noticed the guard on the left type a quick message into his arm band with a display and full keyboard, and was quickly followed by footsteps in the room behind the door. As the door opened to see Doctor Aurelius’s face, Alaric could read there was trouble in the room behind. Mentally preparing himself, he followed into the office.
As he walked into the room, he casual pulled his left hand from his pocket and ran it through his hear, pulling it out of his face. Nobody caught the gesture as anything but casual, but under his long hair, a small ear piece was placed. He tapped his own watch twice, enabling its voice recording. The Doctor followed quickly behind, and ushered Alaric towards a man standing with his back to the room, facing the window view of the entire city. Everything was white and clean, with several small block-sized gardens for relaxation and oxygen production. The largest was directly below the tower, with a small pond in the midst of trees. It was a beautiful site, if you knew what you were looking at. As Alaric approached, the short squat man turned around, and came eye to eye with Alaric. It had been several months since he had seen the General, but he looked much the same. The man appraised Alaric, and finally settled into a serious look that was the closest thing to smiling the man ever did. Alaric became more alarmed than before; he had expected one of the man’s leading officers, but not the General himself. It must be gravely serious for him to come.
“General Gobith, it is good to see you.” Alaric offered to the man. His eyes never left Alaric’s as is searching for some secret hidden in them. He nodded his head at the kind gesture, and began to speak.
“Commander Ibbeth sent me to come check on you. He had the entire army headquarters in an uproar when you disappeared from your tracker. He was furious, convinced your.. Caregiver had let you get killed. It will please him to know his top pick is safe and sound. That is, you are safe, I assume?” The General’s tone was deadly, more so than usual, showing the seriousness of the visit. His eyes moved slowly between both of the men before him, searching for any expression to betray a lie or secret. Clearing his throat, Doctor Aurelius spoke up.
“I had sent Alaric on a training exercise, and part of it required underground exploration. Trying to prepare him for what is to come, if he passes your tests. During the training exercise, he entered a spot of the cave with several hundred feet of rock above him, with heavy ore deposits above. The distance mixed with the deposits was strong enough to disrupt satellite tracking. I have my own trackers on him of course, and he fell off of my grid as well. He reappeared just a few hours later, when he came out from the deepest part of the cave. I have been sure to run a full scan of both body and brain, and can assure you he is completely fine.” The General watched Alaric the entire time Aurleius was speaking, and after a few moments seemed to accept his words. He then answered, with his face growing even graver.
“Aurelius. I know the Commander trusts you with Alaric, but I do not. He may be the only hope for the human race. You have both done inspiring work in the field of what is happening to the planet, but your research can go no forward without our help. Despite all your money, “Doctor”, you can’t leave the planet without my permission, let alone the other worlds out there. While you have done phenomenal work in your field, we have done the same in ours. Our Ranger ships are the best ships in human history, with a laundry list of abilities. No matter how you admit it, we are your equals, in different aspects. We both want the same thing: the continuation of the human race. Make sure you keep that in mind next time you lose him and decide not to contact us. Should it happen again, your little sleep over will be over, and we will come get him. Forcefully, if necessary. I’d not like it to come to that. Your city may be the pinnacle of clean and health for the environment, but it will NOT stand up in a siege.” Ending his obvious threat to the Doctor, he turned to Alaric, just as serious. “And you, had better make sure you have your priorities straight. Your species needs you to save it, not follow any other plans this man decides to lay down. I speak for the whole of the Earth’s population, he is but one man, of questionable sanity. And though you are the best, do not become arrogant. You still have the rigorous Ranger training from you. And there are other promising candidates out there besides you. Be sure this city doesn’t dull you into being unable to perform.” As he ended his threats, he seemed to physically deflate down to his regular size. Alaric commended the General. He was very adept and making himself clear, and leave no doubt of the threats, even if they weren’t verbalized. All three men remained in silence, before the Doctor spoke up.
“If you would like, I can have Alaric lead you to the cave. He made an interesting discovery, one worthy of the scare it caused. It wouldn’t take more than the afternoon if you fly. I would enjoy going myself, though the trek may be a little hard on me.”
The General nodded his head slowly, and answered. “If it will help calm the Commander, I will go and see this discovery of yours. Does it prove any of your theories?”
“Not yet, but it will need to be researched. That will have to wait sadly, as you are stealing my best field research. I’ve sent a message down. A hoverjet waits for us.”
All three man then turned, and Doctor caught Alaric’s eyes as he walked by. He held the gaze, then glanced to Alaric’s ear. With a slow nod, he confirmed the Doctor’s suspicions. As they walked to the elevator and began their decent, Aurelius sent off several messages, confirming the dome border read for a departure, and a general announcement not to be alarmed as an unscheduled flight would be occurring. The news spread quickly, as the citizens of the city were well in tuned to the messages. As the elevator reached his floor, Alaric excused himself from their company, quoting that he needed to retrieve his gear. As soon as the doors closed behind him, his watched alerted him of an incoming call. He answered, and was surprised to hear Ashlee’s voice in his ear.
“I see you recorded the entire meeting. The Doctor was smart enough to call me and mute his watch, and I was listening in. No messages about this visit were received before they entered the city, and the General seems to be telling the truth. Aurelius asks that you show them everything you found on your last trip, even the waterfall. That should appease the General’s curiosity, and end any suspicions of the place. The map you sent us shows the room below you found, but it should be nearly impossible to find without the same equipment. Whatever you do, you have to make sure the General does not learn of it. The military would destroy the entire ground above and we would never get to research it as we should. The General’s fear of your research is well founded, if somewhat high. The implications behind a living planet that could communicate would ruin their perfect rule. He speaks of peace on the planet, but the Commander is gathering the population around his citadel, expecting to harness the earth for what it has left, then leave it behind.” Alaric went on as she described what all he was supposed to reveal to the General, and what needed to be kept secret. As he grabbed his gear and headed back down the elevator, she finished. “Is there anything else you need?”
“Actually. The general spoke of new vessels the Commander had made for Rangers. They’re supposed to be the most advanced ever. If you could, find out what all they can do. We need to be prepared when I finish Ranger training.”
"That may take some time. I'll work on it while you're gone. Have the guards followed the General?" She seemed scared. Alaric was somewhat surprised. She seemed the serious doctor, never fearing anything. He shrugged off the thoughts, and turned his attention to the hoverjet parked now on the lift-off platform. The entrance was open, and the other four men must be inside. He whispered quietly, making sure his voice couldn't be picked up by anyone.
"I want you to search both my apartment, the lab, and Doc's apartment. I know the General doesn't trust. He may have left behind something to keep an eye on us. It may be physical, or on the central computer. Everything from the cave is saved on the private server, so that's safe. If you do find anything, wait until we get back. He'll know what to do. And don't let them catch you. There's no telling what they might do."
He didn't have a chance to hear here answer before stepping on the plane, and was forced to cut off the call. Hefting his usual pack down next to the rest of the tools, he walked up to the meeting room. The air in the room was tense. Nobody really trusted each other, and the weapons present made worse. He hadn't told anyone, but he had both his bow in the bag and his knife in his pocket. Alaric had no plans of needing them, but it was better to be prepared. The engines started up, and the craft lifted up through the whole in the ground above.
The flight to the cave was quiet and short. It took them an hour what it took him several days to reach. The plan was to have the pilot hover while they repelled into the cave. The thought of the short General going down the rope amused Alaric, but he didn't show it. As he followed the other men down to the doors, he put his sunglasses on, turning on both sonar mapping and the display built in to the glass. He saw a message pop up from Ashlee, saying she had thoroughly checked his apartment and hasn't found anything. That was a slight relief, but he suspected the Commander had some hidden agenda. He forgot the worries of it thought, as he jumped out of the ship an landed down in his world. This time, he chuckled quietly as he imagined the General and his guards distraught over the loss of their technology. His, and most likely Doc's, would still work. As long as he didn't go near the cave, he would have an advantage should anything happen. He hoped against it as he began a slow pace leading them deeper into the cave. He traveled silently, with the Doctor and General behind him, and the guards noisily bringing up the rear. He wondered how they were fairing in boots made for urban combat, and not underground rivers. As if an answer to his thoughts, he heard a slight noise before a loud crack, followed by mumbled curses. He turned around to see one of the guards pushing himself up after slipping on a rock. He hadn't seen under the water. He seemed alright, and after the other guard helped him recover his footing, the party continued. It took Alaric over three times longer to lead the slower men down to the waterfall. As they rounded the next turn, Alaric slowed down to warn the others. "This is the end. It continues for about thirty yards, before the river flows over the edge."
The General spoke up with an angry voice, "I hope you have a damn good reason for bringing me this far into oblivion to look at a river." Alaric stepped forward, and offered to lead the General the rest of the way. He then made his way to the edge of the waterfall. He looked over, and saw the cave entrance was out of regular sight. He motioned the General forward, and held on to him as he looked over the edge. The General let out a low whistle looking at the expanse below.
"How far down does it go?" Alaric broke a glow stick and dropped it down the waterfall, and watched as it took several minutes to disappear from sight. He spoke up then, looking at the man's expression of fear.
"All the way. To the center, I would assume. We lose signal on probes we send before they reach the bottom, or center, or whatever is down there. If we find answers on any other planet, this is where we would try and fuse it to the planet." Alaric looked back down, and even though he couldn't see it with his own eyes, the sonar confronted the orb bellow. Surprisingly, he felt a strong since of comfort knowing his secret place would be visited by nobody else. He was drawn back to the real world by the General turning away and starting to the rest of the group.
"Doctor Aurelius, why have you not informed the Commander of this place?" He seemed rather upset by the discovery.
"We only just found this place. After the last global earthquake that pushed us into the cities, the cave was exposed. Nobody comes out this far, so it was simply unknown by everyone. Alaric just discovered it last week. This is only his third trip. As he said, we haven't managed to get any information from this place. The interference gets worse the further down you go. We can't do anything more here." The General glared for a moment, then spoke up one last time.
"You may own a city Aurelius, but remember you still have a government over you. Remember that next time you make a discovery of this proportions. I had another hovercraft follow us out here. We need to get back to prepare for the new batch of candidates. I expect a full report on this place sent along with Alaric to Commander Ibbeth." And with that, General Gobith of the United Earth's Army left the two other men in stunned silence.
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There is a small little snippet missing, that I hope to recover from my damaged laptop. But none the less, here is the next chapter:
Rise of a Ranger
As Alaric left the mess hall, he walked briskly across Tessela’s compound, and made his way to his apartment. He was still stunned over lunch what had happened at lunch, and walked in silence. Nobody paid him any extra attention besides a slight head nod here and there, as usual. Looking up, he noticed the slight geometrical structure of the dome that surrounded the sprawling city. Though it was fairly large, and all owned by Aurelius, the city and a sense of unity about it. The streets and apartments were neatly organized, and the buildings reached a fair height, some up to six stories tall. All of them were dwarfed by the large tower in the center of the city, standing twenty five stories tall. At the top, was Dr. Tessela’s personal apartment, with Alaric’s own apartment just two stories below. The space between the two were shared by both men, as their private ecological and computer labs. It also held Aurelius’s engineering quarters, where he build his crazy machines.
As reached the elevator and entered his password, Alaric made a mental note to remember to stop by, and see what the Doctor had left him. Ashlee had mentioned it specifically, so it must be exceptional this time. He was jolted from his thoughts by the elevator not stopping at his floor, but continuing up to the top of the tower. As it stopped and the doors open, Alaric quickly did a quick scan and saw two armed guards standing in front of the doors to Doc’s office. Alarms started going if in his head, seeing how nobody was permitted weapons in the city, ever. There weren’t any even in the city, aside from a few in this very room, used only for emergencies. There was a police force, but they were rarely necessary, and it never game to full violence. As he approached the doors, the guards both held out their nearest hand to him, commanding him to stop. They were rather large, mean looking with shaved heads. Professional soldiers of the General’s personal elite, the best trained men in the world. Alaric was no afraid of their size, being quite a large man himself, but he knew he was much, much quicker. People with weapons in the city made him uncomfortable, especially those who didn’t live in the city. He noticed the guard on the left type a quick message into his arm band with a display and full keyboard, and was quickly followed by footsteps in the room behind the door. As the door opened to see Doctor Aurelius’s face, Alaric could read there was trouble in the room behind. Mentally preparing himself, he followed into the office.
As he walked into the room, he casual pulled his left hand from his pocket and ran it through his hear, pulling it out of his face. Nobody caught the gesture as anything but casual, but under his long hair, a small ear piece was placed. He tapped his own watch twice, enabling its voice recording. The Doctor followed quickly behind, and ushered Alaric towards a man standing with his back to the room, facing the window view of the entire city. Everything was white and clean, with several small block-sized gardens for relaxation and oxygen production. The largest was directly below the tower, with a small pond in the midst of trees. It was a beautiful site, if you knew what you were looking at. As Alaric approached, the short squat man turned around, and came eye to eye with Alaric. It had been several months since he had seen the General, but he looked much the same. The man appraised Alaric, and finally settled into a serious look that was the closest thing to smiling the man ever did. Alaric became more alarmed than before; he had expected one of the man’s leading officers, but not the General himself. It must be gravely serious for him to come.
“General Gobith, it is good to see you.” Alaric offered to the man. His eyes never left Alaric’s as is searching for some secret hidden in them. He nodded his head at the kind gesture, and began to speak.
“Commander Ibbeth sent me to come check on you. He had the entire army headquarters in an uproar when you disappeared from your tracker. He was furious, convinced your.. Caregiver had let you get killed. It will please him to know his top pick is safe and sound. That is, you are safe, I assume?” The General’s tone was deadly, more so than usual, showing the seriousness of the visit. His eyes moved slowly between both of the men before him, searching for any expression to betray a lie or secret. Clearing his throat, Doctor Aurelius spoke up.
“I had sent Alaric on a training exercise, and part of it required underground exploration. Trying to prepare him for what is to come, if he passes your tests. During the training exercise, he entered a spot of the cave with several hundred feet of rock above him, with heavy ore deposits above. The distance mixed with the deposits was strong enough to disrupt satellite tracking. I have my own trackers on him of course, and he fell off of my grid as well. He reappeared just a few hours later, when he came out from the deepest part of the cave. I have been sure to run a full scan of both body and brain, and can assure you he is completely fine.” The General watched Alaric the entire time Aurleius was speaking, and after a few moments seemed to accept his words. He then answered, with his face growing even graver.
“Aurelius. I know the Commander trusts you with Alaric, but I do not. He may be the only hope for the human race. You have both done inspiring work in the field of what is happening to the planet, but your research can go no forward without our help. Despite all your money, “Doctor”, you can’t leave the planet without my permission, let alone the other worlds out there. While you have done phenomenal work in your field, we have done the same in ours. Our Ranger ships are the best ships in human history, with a laundry list of abilities. No matter how you admit it, we are your equals, in different aspects. We both want the same thing: the continuation of the human race. Make sure you keep that in mind next time you lose him and decide not to contact us. Should it happen again, your little sleep over will be over, and we will come get him. Forcefully, if necessary. I’d not like it to come to that. Your city may be the pinnacle of clean and health for the environment, but it will NOT stand up in a siege.” Ending his obvious threat to the Doctor, he turned to Alaric, just as serious. “And you, had better make sure you have your priorities straight. Your species needs you to save it, not follow any other plans this man decides to lay down. I speak for the whole of the Earth’s population, he is but one man, of questionable sanity. And though you are the best, do not become arrogant. You still have the rigorous Ranger training from you. And there are other promising candidates out there besides you. Be sure this city doesn’t dull you into being unable to perform.” As he ended his threats, he seemed to physically deflate down to his regular size. Alaric commended the General. He was very adept and making himself clear, and leave no doubt of the threats, even if they weren’t verbalized. All three men remained in silence, before the Doctor spoke up.
“If you would like, I can have Alaric lead you to the cave. He made an interesting discovery, one worthy of the scare it caused. It wouldn’t take more than the afternoon if you fly. I would enjoy going myself, though the trek may be a little hard on me.”
The General nodded his head slowly, and answered. “If it will help calm the Commander, I will go and see this discovery of yours. Does it prove any of your theories?”
“Not yet, but it will need to be researched. That will have to wait sadly, as you are stealing my best field research. I’ve sent a message down. A hoverjet waits for us.”
All three man then turned, and Doctor caught Alaric’s eyes as he walked by. He held the gaze, then glanced to Alaric’s ear. With a slow nod, he confirmed the Doctor’s suspicions. As they walked to the elevator and began their decent, Aurelius sent off several messages, confirming the dome border read for a departure, and a general announcement not to be alarmed as an unscheduled flight would be occurring. The news spread quickly, as the citizens of the city were well in tuned to the messages. As the elevator reached his floor, Alaric excused himself from their company, quoting that he needed to retrieve his gear. As soon as the doors closed behind him, his watched alerted him of an incoming call. He answered, and was surprised to hear Ashlee’s voice in his ear.
“I see you recorded the entire meeting. The Doctor was smart enough to call me and mute his watch, and I was listening in. No messages about this visit were received before they entered the city, and the General seems to be telling the truth. Aurelius asks that you show them everything you found on your last trip, even the waterfall. That should appease the General’s curiosity, and end any suspicions of the place. The map you sent us shows the room below you found, but it should be nearly impossible to find without the same equipment. Whatever you do, you have to make sure the General does not learn of it. The military would destroy the entire ground above and we would never get to research it as we should. The General’s fear of your research is well founded, if somewhat high. The implications behind a living planet that could communicate would ruin their perfect rule. He speaks of peace on the planet, but the Commander is gathering the population around his citadel, expecting to harness the earth for what it has left, then leave it behind.” Alaric went on as she described what all he was supposed to reveal to the General, and what needed to be kept secret. As he grabbed his gear and headed back down the elevator, she finished. “Is there anything else you need?”
“Actually. The general spoke of new vessels the Commander had made for Rangers. They’re supposed to be the most advanced ever. If you could, find out what all they can do. We need to be prepared when I finish Ranger training.”
"That may take some time. I'll work on it while you're gone. Have the guards followed the General?" She seemed scared. Alaric was somewhat surprised. She seemed the serious doctor, never fearing anything. He shrugged off the thoughts, and turned his attention to the hoverjet parked now on the lift-off platform. The entrance was open, and the other four men must be inside. He whispered quietly, making sure his voice couldn't be picked up by anyone.
"I want you to search both my apartment, the lab, and Doc's apartment. I know the General doesn't trust. He may have left behind something to keep an eye on us. It may be physical, or on the central computer. Everything from the cave is saved on the private server, so that's safe. If you do find anything, wait until we get back. He'll know what to do. And don't let them catch you. There's no telling what they might do."
He didn't have a chance to hear here answer before stepping on the plane, and was forced to cut off the call. Hefting his usual pack down next to the rest of the tools, he walked up to the meeting room. The air in the room was tense. Nobody really trusted each other, and the weapons present made worse. He hadn't told anyone, but he had both his bow in the bag and his knife in his pocket. Alaric had no plans of needing them, but it was better to be prepared. The engines started up, and the craft lifted up through the whole in the ground above.
The flight to the cave was quiet and short. It took them an hour what it took him several days to reach. The plan was to have the pilot hover while they repelled into the cave. The thought of the short General going down the rope amused Alaric, but he didn't show it. As he followed the other men down to the doors, he put his sunglasses on, turning on both sonar mapping and the display built in to the glass. He saw a message pop up from Ashlee, saying she had thoroughly checked his apartment and hasn't found anything. That was a slight relief, but he suspected the Commander had some hidden agenda. He forgot the worries of it thought, as he jumped out of the ship an landed down in his world. This time, he chuckled quietly as he imagined the General and his guards distraught over the loss of their technology. His, and most likely Doc's, would still work. As long as he didn't go near the cave, he would have an advantage should anything happen. He hoped against it as he began a slow pace leading them deeper into the cave. He traveled silently, with the Doctor and General behind him, and the guards noisily bringing up the rear. He wondered how they were fairing in boots made for urban combat, and not underground rivers. As if an answer to his thoughts, he heard a slight noise before a loud crack, followed by mumbled curses. He turned around to see one of the guards pushing himself up after slipping on a rock. He hadn't seen under the water. He seemed alright, and after the other guard helped him recover his footing, the party continued. It took Alaric over three times longer to lead the slower men down to the waterfall. As they rounded the next turn, Alaric slowed down to warn the others. "This is the end. It continues for about thirty yards, before the river flows over the edge."
The General spoke up with an angry voice, "I hope you have a damn good reason for bringing me this far into oblivion to look at a river." Alaric stepped forward, and offered to lead the General the rest of the way. He then made his way to the edge of the waterfall. He looked over, and saw the cave entrance was out of regular sight. He motioned the General forward, and held on to him as he looked over the edge. The General let out a low whistle looking at the expanse below.
"How far down does it go?" Alaric broke a glow stick and dropped it down the waterfall, and watched as it took several minutes to disappear from sight. He spoke up then, looking at the man's expression of fear.
"All the way. To the center, I would assume. We lose signal on probes we send before they reach the bottom, or center, or whatever is down there. If we find answers on any other planet, this is where we would try and fuse it to the planet." Alaric looked back down, and even though he couldn't see it with his own eyes, the sonar confronted the orb bellow. Surprisingly, he felt a strong since of comfort knowing his secret place would be visited by nobody else. He was drawn back to the real world by the General turning away and starting to the rest of the group.
"Doctor Aurelius, why have you not informed the Commander of this place?" He seemed rather upset by the discovery.
"We only just found this place. After the last global earthquake that pushed us into the cities, the cave was exposed. Nobody comes out this far, so it was simply unknown by everyone. Alaric just discovered it last week. This is only his third trip. As he said, we haven't managed to get any information from this place. The interference gets worse the further down you go. We can't do anything more here." The General glared for a moment, then spoke up one last time.
"You may own a city Aurelius, but remember you still have a government over you. Remember that next time you make a discovery of this proportions. I had another hovercraft follow us out here. We need to get back to prepare for the new batch of candidates. I expect a full report on this place sent along with Alaric to Commander Ibbeth." And with that, General Gobith of the United Earth's Army left the two other men in stunned silence.
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