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Old 10/12/17, 10:23 PM   #2
Goldstone
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Join Date: 10/09/17
Location: San Diego, CA
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Default Chapter 2: Fading Hues and Shining Lights

Chapter 2: Fading Hues and Shining Lights
Aurora, Corona Natural Preserve

As the sun began to set, Nuck always enjoyed watching the orange and purple hues reflect off of the shiny tower. The Bodge would never embrace something so ostentatious, despite the Auroran’s claims that the Spires have a low impact on the land. Still… Nuck labored for a solid year just to get the opportunity to work at an Auroran Preserve, and the hard work did not disappoint, the view before him a solid testament to that. If the Auroran’s were selling... Nuck was considering buying. The Auroran’s valued brains over brawn, but even they knew the Bodge were second to none in all ecological concerns. So after passing the rigorous screening process, Nuck finally earned a contract with the preserve, and truth be told he loved his station a little more than others.

The contracts the City Spires worked out with the Bodge tribes were for 6 month rotations, as per the tribe leaders. They didn't want their people to be away from their home lands for longer than that. Five to twelve tribesmen would live and work in the natural preserves at the base of the Spires. Originally the goal was to reverse any negative impact the Spires construction had on the local flora and fauna. But now Bodges daily duties at the preserves mostly consisted of tending to injured wildlife, clearing potential fire hazards, and collecting data for the Spires researchers.

Nuck waited for the beautiful gleam to fade away, before returning to his assignment of collecting the axes and rakes used in the days task of brush clearing. He loaded up the tools into a large wagon cart and hauled it back to the Bodge base camp. The camp was comprised of a few large grass and mortar huts tucked beneath a thick canopy of trees. Small lanterns that emitted a dull blue light were scattered along the trails and paths between the huts, a large commotion was coming from the center hut, which was really only half a hut and half patio. It was dinner time, and the Bodge contractors were in a particularly upbeat mood.

Nuck dragged the cart into the utility hut, then took his shirt off to ring out the sweat, before tucking it into his waistband and headed for the communal hut. A half eaten animal was still being tended on a spit, while soggy greens and other vegetables simmered in a cauldron. No one wore a shirt or shoes and Nuck was the only one in pants. The other contractors wore loincloths, and leg wraps of animal pelts and woven long grass. While working in close proximity to the Spire, they wore clothes and boots to best project confidence with the Auroran’s. They didn't want to reinforce the image of savages that so many bared of them.

The Camp Keeper, an old tribesmen of few words and grey dreadlocks down to the small of his back, ripped a large chunk of meat from the beast on the spit and plopped it into a large leaf then handed it to Nuck. Nuck then used a wooden spoon to scoop some veggies from the cauldron onto his leaf, then rolled the whole thing up and began to feast on it as he took a seat along the ring of benches around the fire. A female and male tribesmen, in full regalia… danced and chanted around the fire while a drummer lulled the totality of the contractor's present, all 10 of them.

The male dancer, glided through the ash covered dirt in a strange acrobatic maneuver, before rising to his feet, inches away from Nuck. The dancer was pale white, with beet red on his ridges from constant exposure to the sun, dirt and ash dusted across his bare abdomen accentuated the naturally muscular physique all Bodge had. His face smudged with neatly painted strips of blue and green war paint. His milky skin, and matted blond hair, within inches of Nuck’s chocolate complexion and bald head… framed a perfect testament to polar opposites, night and day meeting face-to-face.

“Brother Nuck…” the dancer said, still inches away from Nuck, who casually stared back as he continued to chew his leaf roll. “...Your duties be done for the day. Time to rejoin the Tribe.” The dancer said as he ran his fingers across the painted lines on his own face, then transferred the war paint onto Nuck’s glistening but otherwise unsullied visage. “I’m eating.” Nuck commented, taking another bite of his roll. “I don't care.” The dancer replied mischievously. “Tonight… we watch YOU dance.” The dancer said as he took the remainder of Nuck’s roll and handed it to Nuck’s neighbor, before taking his hand and attempting to pull him to his feet.

Nuck resisted, he was not against tradition, he just didn’t like the attention, but the female dancer came and grabbed his other hand and heaved at him. “You been here 5 months Nuck, and ain't nobody seen you dance yet.” the red headed amazonian woman stated.
“That’s cause I don't dance so good.” Nuck protested.
“Nonsense!” The Camp Keeper spat. Everyone froze at his words, as age and wisdom were highly respected in Bodge culture… especially when such an elder is deemed leader. Somehow the old man had maneuvered from the spit to the drummer without being seen. And he now stood next to the drummer with the drum in his own hands. “If you be Bodge, den you a dancer. Am not gonna pretend we don see you staring at that ivory tower all day and each night. Her majesty has enthralled you, and you’ve not made any form of communion since you got here. The land bring you here, gives you these sights and these gifts… now you give back. You dance!” And on that decree, the Camper Keeper sat, placed the drum between his legs and began palming out a deep rhythm, and chanting a primitive song. The first drummer added by knocking on the wooden bench with his knuckles and the three melodies flowed and mixed and created the most visceral pulse.

No one in the camp, Nuck included, had ever seen the Camp Keeper drum before… and the song was frighteningly infectious. The two dancers returned to dancing while the rest of the tribesmen bobbed to the beat or joined in the chanting. Something came over Nuck, the connection to his people and to the land was a thing that was always talked about as if it were a physical thing, but never before had this connection felt so palpable. He stomped out of his boots then dropped to one knee. He took in the contractions of the beat, filled his lungs with the smoke and dust filled air, sealed his eyes then let the land move him. In this trance-like state it was not the dancer that decided the moves or interpreted the music, for them it was the land. As if the very dirty was popping up under their feet and maneuvering them about as it deemed fit. Giving oneself over to the land was a common way to pay tribute, even if it was metaphysical.

What felt like moments of music and dancing to the group, ended after a few hours. The dancers were sweaty and winded, the Camp Keeper was also short of breath, and everyone else erupted in cheers and whales in celebration of the grand performance. Slowly everyone began to disperse, but the dancers and Nuck went to the wash basin. Being in the presence of nudity was in and of itself not a sexual thing, it was natural, and so Bodge had no hang ups about coed bathing. The three scrubbed and soaked, before settling into the pond like basin to just relax.

“Brother Nuck.” The woman said breaking the silence. “I’m sorry for putting you on the spot.”
“I’m not…” The male dancer interjected, “Did you see how amazing he was? Why don't you dance more often?”
“I don't know.” Nuck responded. “It doesn’t come naturally to me. I haven’t found a way to provide communion yet. Nothing feels honorable when I do it.”
“Ok… so if not dancing, how about hunting? Cultivating? Or running?” She asked.
“I tried, I’m ok at them but they don't feel right.” He answered.
“And I take it you ain’t the thinking type?” The male asked
“You mean doctoring, keeping, and mixing… nah, I ain’t so good at them.” He responded.
“Yeah, neither are we… that’s why we dance.” The man chuckled.

One by one the three dried off and retired to the huts for sleep. Before tonight Nuck was a bit sadden that in one month's time, his contract would end and he’d have to return to his home tribe and once again try to find his place among his people. The idea haunted him… until the Keeper made him dance. The elders are immensely wise, there was always layers of reason to their decisions. The Keeper wasn't just making Nuck contribute or pay homage to the land, he was rekindling Nuck’s connection to his home. For the first time since being at the preserve, Nuck went to sleep reminiscing about home.

Aurora, City Spire Corona

The morning went as usual as any despite the eagerness that saturated the air. The entire Spire, and many others throughout Aurora were on pins and needles awaiting the day's expedition into the Trust. Jannik met with the rest of his class and Professor Caldir gathered them and led them through the Spire halls. Each spire was the size of a small City, housing five to eight thousand occupants. Some compartments of the Spire could feel a bit cramped at times, but the main passages ways and lifts scattered about them were often pretty spacious. As the class got onto one of the massive lifts and began the ascent to the mission-lab, Caldir took a moment to quiz her students. “So who here is familiar with Dr. Meglin’s transporter?”
“Oh I am.” Toby answered, when the Professor gestured for him to carry on, he told them what he know. “Dr Meglin applied atom splitting technology to produce a man made Einstein-Rosen Bridge. They’ve had a 100 over 100 success rating transporting varied items, including biological material, between Corona and other Spires.”
“That’s right.” The Professor acknowledged.
“But Professor…” Galo said slowly raising her hand. “What if the containment mechanics fail. This entire Spire, even half the globe could be consumed.”
“Oh Galo…” The professor playfully shook her head. “The utmost of care was taken into the construction of this device. It never would have made it to testing, let alone real world application if the Council did not believe it to be foolproof.”
“Great… the hubris of these elitist terrans is going to kill us all.” Yen quietly huffed, before Jannick silenced him with a nudge.

When the lift reached their desired level it was a short walk to the lab where the expedition was launching from. The room was brimming with personnel. Numerous technicians were tending to various terminals littered around a large pad in the center of four crescent shaped pillars. The class was guided to a proto-screen barrier where they would join another class in observing the trial from behind the screens safety. Flanking there barrier screen was another with a number of the Auroran Nations Council of Leaders. On one side of the pad, a group of security personnel were dressing down in environmental suits, and arming up with varied weapons, kits, and tools. Across from them another security team was setting up defensive weapons and containment units… in the eventuality something came back through the transporter that was not welcome.

“Ok Major Enreg, what are your objectives again?” Dr. Meglin asked as he reviewed his technicians work. He was a squat middle aged man with salt and pepper hair and thick spectacles. “Come on Doc, I’m a professional here. Don’t patronize me.” The late 20-something year old Major huffed. He was fitt, more fit than most as few Auroran’s put any stake in physical conditioning. He is mostly human/Asian ethnicity, grey eyed, neatly groomed, short black hair, razor sharp features and ruggedly handsome. All topped off with a tiny scar splitting one of his eyebrows. His person radiates authority, and that authority breeds respect or even fear in many of the Spire citizens. A helpful trait to possess for the Spires head of security.

“Please Major, humor us.” One of the heavy set Council Leaders suggested from behind their proto-barrier. With a slightly apologetic glance at the Council member, Enreg began announcing his team's objectives as he helped one of his team members strap into their environmental suit. “Alright team! For review… Our objectives are as follows: Primary, assuming there is no life aboard the station, we are to recover The Trust data logs. Secondary, ascertain the condition of the Station. Is she capable of producing life support, power, etcetera. Objective number three… find the Ranger Series Bronze Morpher.” The announcement of the third objective sent tingles through everyone present. After today the people of Enshi might be in possession of the instrument that saved the entire planet.

“Very good Major. Now audio and visual communication will be down so long as the station is without power, that being said this battery powered transponder is capable of sending a single signal, with only a delay of 26 seconds. Use it to notify us to re-open the transporter bridge.” The Doctor explained as he handed the Major a remote control sized device with a single button on it. With a nod, Enreg took the device then continued suiting up with his men.

When the team was done preparing they gathered on the pad, and awaited transport. “Ladies and Gentlemen,” Dr. Meglin addressed the observers. “For better or worse, we are finally launching our first recovery mission to The Trust. Councilor… with your permission?” He said toward the Leaders taking cover behind the proto-barrier. “Proceed Doctor.” The heavy set council member permitted. And with that Dr. Meglin and his technicians began milling away at the various computer terminals littered about the room. The whir of energy building up washed over the lab, and a mechanical voice began to countdown from five, and on zero… the team vanished into strobing particle cloud, and flashed upward on a beam of light.

From within the lab it just seemed like a tiny explosion of light had whiffed into the ceiling, but from miles off a beam of light could be seen zipping skyward from the Corona Spire. If the other Spires didn't already know of the mission, and were not eagerly awaiting the reports to roll in, they surely would have been alerted by the phenomenon. As the Bodge contractors at the Spires base suddenly were. The flash and heavy boom spooked the majority of them like a wild herd catching wind of a nearby predator, but not Nuck. Curiosity and awe locked his eyes on the sky. He watched the beam shear into the heavens… it climbed so high it appeared to curve, until it narrowed to nothing.

When it was gone, Nuck had to contain the trembling his body suddenly became afflicted with. His heart raced, his breath shallow… he wanted to run straight to the Spire door and demand answers, but his fellow contractors were beginning to panic at the uncertainty of what just happened. Unsure if the Spire was under attack or if they were in danger, they all elected to return to camp. Nuck could do nothing else but join them.

Last edited by Goldstone; 10/17/17 at 03:48 AM.
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