Seal of Sedna(IC)

[Ari]

GM

The twin heads seemed to become..brighter? At the least the menagerie trying to trumpet, scream and hiss over the phone operator became more excited "Name? Ah, yes, I am-" the creature began a flood of gurgling syllables that twisted, wound themselves about each other, and turned into some kind of confusing mass of sounds the human voice couldn't easily replicate "...but you may refer to me as Hrnnngshurgh, if you so desire" it added casually when it had done "I am not one to stand on ceremony" one of its heads migrated to get a little closer to the pinned superhuman, where it visibly considered the request for freedom, at last rolling its eyes in the general direction of Quintessence's face "I really see no reason why not" it agreed "When I-when the Preservers left me in charge here, I'm sure they didn't mean for a prolonged restraint" a pulse went through the tubes, and the force fields were somehow retracted into the machine, and the rams slid back into the ceiling.

The other face joined its comrade in a melange of lava-like movement, the heat coming off of it intense even at the distance it kept from the enhanced human. "I ask your pardon, but I only have limited control over the machines outside this room, so I'm afraid I have limited ability to assist your comrades should they try to rejoin you. Now," it seeped comfortably through the tubes "What would you like to talk about?"

The Terminus portal glittered with an light that was acrid itself.

[Raveled]

"Well now, keep your cape on." Ironclad traced a finger through the map, avoiding the most direct route and bypassing most of the traps. "If we follow this path, we should avoid most of the radiation and the traps." She glanced all around and shrugged. "It'll take a little longer, but this suit tops out somewhere above Mach 3. I don't think we'll save that much time by taking a round-about route."

[Supercape]

"I'm never without my cape" replied Supercape, mentally adjusting it to become just that slightly bit larger and shinier.

"Mach 3 eh?" he continued, scratching his chin. "Well that will cut down our transit time considerably, I dare say. Although I won't be able to keep up with that. No jet boots!" he explained pointing at his blue boots.

"Complicated business, flight. This cape actually works by bending gravity around it, folding it open ahead of me, and closed behind me. From a strictly 4 dimensional perspective of course. Gets a bit more complicated than that. "

He studied Ironclad's suit.

"I suspect Jets might have been an easier solution".

He studied the map Ironclad had produced.

"In any case, the sooner we set off, the sooner we arrive. Although what waits us is another question!" and with that, he swirled his cape and flew off.

[Ari]

GM

At the incredible speeds the three heroes traveled at, they sped unharmed through the first few dozen hallways, the corrosive power of the Doom Coil itself causing their passage to be filled with the gnawing, acidic hiss of the raw entropy trying to destroy everything around it, even the powerful field that Supercape had bound around the duo. The further they went into the strange facility, the more obvious it became that the place had been somehow warped, twisted from its original dimensions to form a maze of wandering passageways which seemed to change their walls, floors and ceilings at whim. The few windows they happened across showed the distant but recognizable forms of the Lor fleet blocking out hundreds of stars with their neat spherical formation. The crisp light that filtered through didn't do much to give the place any cheer.

At last they arrived at the dusty(a departure from most of the complex, which had been almost unhealthily sterile) portal leading into the central chamber of the station, a mass of interlocking doors that ensured that nothing unwanted could easily get out. Or in.

[Raveled]

Ironclad set down in the corridor, her metal boots raising swirls of dust. She ran a metal hand over the surface of the door, brushing away cobwebs and settled grime. "Right," she said after a minute. "Just stand ready to protect us in case of errant T-Baby activity, Supercape." The heroine shook out her right arm and a golden glow built up around the fingers of that hand. "Phalanx? Watch our back and make sure the complex doesn't protest this too much. Like with guns."

The heroine brought her glowing, crackling gauntlet close to the door. At first it appeared that nothing had happened, but when Ironclad tapped the door an entire sheet of metal came away, holding its shape for maybe half a second before dissolving into fragments and floating away. "Right," Ironclad said, sniffing in the comfort of her own helmet. "Gonna have to peel this thing like an onion..."

[Ari]

GM

With a hissing roar, the powerful cutting tool burned its way into the ancient metal, which while initially yielding to the sudden introduction of the enormous heat, seemed to have sterner stuff underneath. Whatever the Preservers had built the place out of, the torch inflicted only light damage to it. But it was still permeable, and could be brought down all the same.

Meanwhile, inside of the center, the lava-like creature was puzzling over an oddly makeshift surveillance system, observing Ironclad's attempted entry with no little surprise "They're quite persistent" he commented, surprise evident behind the chattering of apes that partially obscured it.

[Paragon]

Well, I was hoping that there was something you could do to help me. My companions and I are here to explore this facility and learn from it. I think my friends would be very much interested in meeting you. They are much more scientifically minded then I am. I think you would find. On ersation with them very fun. I was hoping there was something you could do to bring them here to talk with you. Failing that would you let me go to them and bring them back here?

[Ari]

GM

'Hrnnngshurgh' bowed a head at Paragon's request, and pulling a few flowing limbs free from the rest of its body began working the oddly rough-hewn controls situated next to the massive doors, the bowed head saying apologetically over a chorus of howling "it will take a while, the er..gravtinroutic assemblicates will need to be quite thoroughly degaussed. It will unfortunately take a little while to get the doors open to let your comrades in."

With a grind and screech of metal, the doors began to slowly be levered open by a fantastic assortment of clamps, stout poles and more than a few limbs from the creature. The movement of the doors could have been felt for several hundred meters down the hall, and it caused the area around the entrance to the center to tremble as the vast paltes were forced into their recesses, sending dust flying through the air. It took quite a bit of force to keep the doors from getting back out.

[Raveled]

Ironclad edged into the room, eyes wide behind her mask as her enhanced mind strove to take it all in. Most of the structures were unfathomable at the moment but her brain went to work on them. Meanwhile, she focused on the multi-limbed reptilian thing and just beyond it...

"Paragon!" Ironclad routed power to her wrist blasters but kept from actually aiming them. "Wait, what's going on here? Supercape and I were tracing an energy signature, but... Okay, I'm lost here. Where is all this Terminus energy coming from, anyway?"

[Supercape]

"What on earth is that..? are you...? who...?" said a confused Supercape, lagging just behind Ironclad, maintaining the particular array of quantum strings that he had carefully erected to shield them (hopefully) against the Terminus Energy.

The creature, he reminded himself, was not necessarily malign, or dangerous, based just on it's appearance.

"Hold your fire!" he whispered to Ironclad.

"Just what is going on here?" he said with more strength to his voice. "And, more importantly, how do we stop it?"

[Ari]

GM

Over a rattling of scales and a soft hissing the lava-like creature spoke with great deference, turning one head towards Ironclad and the other towards Supercape.

"Greetings, humans! I am...please call me 'Hrnnnsgh', as my full name is quite difficult for even me to speak, and for all to remember;" its saurian jaws gave a smile that on any other kind of face would have been almost pleasant. "as for why I am here, I was set here by the Preservers many hundreds of thousands of y-cycles ago. To study forms of energy" it hurriedly clarified.

"Do not worry about the 'Terminus' energies," it added warmly(and indeed the heat it gave off briefly intensified when it spoke) "The power source(referred to as a 'portal' by your associate) is perfectly safe in its containment field, I even store some of the excess variants I've created in tanks throughout the facility" its faces suddenly fell "Speaking of which, I apologise for the..harsh security measures, I have limited control over them from here, and cannot leave this room to strengthen my command of the complex; no sustaining tubes, you see?" it explained sadly.

Looking from the two scientists to the hulking figure of Phalanx it asked nervously "I-I'm not in any trouble, am I? from the Re-from the civilization that has been attempting to access this place?"

[Raveled]

Ironclad exchanged glances with Supercape and slowly powered down her wrist blasters. "You were placed here by the Preservers? As a cybernetic governing intelligence? I see." She glanced around the room, edging away from the nearest containment tank. Bottled and ready-to-use Terminus energies, ehn? "The, uh, the Re-form civilization is worried about the purpose of this facility," Ironclad explained, "but they also want to know what happened to their researchers and soldiers." So would I, she added silently.

[Paragon]

Quintessence looks at his companions and shakes is head in resignation. I have tried to explain to my new friend here the dangers of not only Terminus energy, but also the dangers of the beings who are from the other side of the portal. I think I may not have the relevant technical knowledge to convince 'Hrnnnsgh' of the dangers inherent in having a portal open to Terminus. Hopefully one of you more technical people can convince 'Hrnnnsgh' when I have been so hopelessly useless. Though I must say throughout the whole conversation 'Hrnnnsgh' has been quite open.

[Ari]

GM

The creature thrumming with heat looked almost pleased(from what could be observed of its faces) and said to Quintessence, with a dove-like cooing behind every word "Thank you kindly! I have no wish to be an obstruction, and can assure you, the portal is quite safe indeed!" twising its other head more fully upon Ironclad it answered her cautiously "I am most assuredly not cybernetic, I am from a race of semi-molten sapients who inhabit a planetary body, er, quite far from most inhabited systems." With a pulsation of warmth from its bulk roiling through the various tubes it continued "If the Re-if the Re-form people have any concerns, I shall happily relocate to a place where they can observe my work, and shall gladly conduct my experiments within their paramenters. As for their personnel," it added, brightening up(and cooling down noticeably) "I have merely teleported them to the old crew decks below. Perhaps their ship's sensors were unable to locate their signals past this level?" it offered seriously.

The tubes bearing its immense body had slowly begun to shift away from around Quintessence, revealing both the enhanced human on the broad examination table and the flickering portal behind powerful shields just beyond.

[Raveled]

Ironclad reluctantly powered down her weapons, considering the weird metal-man's words. A species of living, molten iron? Weird, but surely not the oddest thing she'd ever seen. Then she spied the portal to the Terminus, leaking its fulminous red and black, and her jaw dropped. Instantly her augmented mind activated the suit's sensors. The suit drank in details while she stared and her mental gears whirled. Part of her gibbered in horror at the dangers the open portal presented but the larger part of her was consumed with the possibilities it presented. Why, just to put a probe into the Terminus, take exact readings, learn the vibrational frequency...!

"" She took advantage of the secure communication line they shared, beaming her thoughts to him over radio waves. ""

[Supercape]

Supercape sighed.

"Terminus energy? safe?" he answered cracking his knuckles.

"Believe me, I share your intellectual curiosity about the phenomenon..." he continued "...but the consequences, even if we are slightly wrong, could be devastating. What if Omega and an army of drones flew through it one day? there are a thousand scenario's, a million variables. For every outcome that we gain something, there is a disaster scenario married to it..."

Perhaps his own exploratory instincts were somewhat sated by his own ability to fold the universe and explore it. He empathised with Ironclad, but did not agree.

To add to his point, he flicked a few electons this way and that, creating a radio signal to Ironclad.

"And we have no way of corroborating this...things...story. It could easily be a ruse...."

[Paragon]

Looking at the strange alien being carefully Quintessence shakes his head. "I must say I wish I could believe you, but your story just does not make much sense. Why would the preservers put you in charge of the facility but not give you control or all the internal systems. More likely you have gained control of the facility in your limited way since they have left. I am going to give you one last chance to shut down the portal and release the people you have imprisoned before I make you shut it down. The choice is yours. With that Quintessence takes a step towards the being in the room and gets into a fighting stance.

[Ari]

GM

Why would the preservers put you in charge of the facility but not give you control over all the internal systems? I am going to give you one last chance to shut down the portal and release the people you have imprisoned before I make you shut it down. The choice is yours.

There was a brief silence punctuated by dull rumbles and bubbling as the creature looked a little unnerved by the blunt and open challenge. After a few moments glancing back and forth between the four humans it at last began nervously "Ah...I..er, yes. I am not inclined to violence, I will comply readily with your request. I have some scanning equipment set up around the screen, I would advise you at least give it a glance before shutting down the portal. I am sure none of us want to accidentally level this facility!" it joked nervously, looking at the shimmering circle of black and red. "By the way...how much power can you two consistently generate for..around ten minutes?" it asked Ironclad and Supercape suddenly "I have tried to close it several times myself, but each time I run out of..'Terminus energy' you call it? Yes, I run out of the power I generate from that before I can close the portal. A little annoying really, having to keep that portal open for so long. At least I can funnel the excess energy into those storage tanks behind the walls.".

[Supercape]

Supercape scratched his head. He was tired, and confused. He didn't know what to think or who to trust any more, although he certainly placed more faith in Paragon than in the unknown creature.

"Energy to close a portal?" he queried, unsure if this made sense. It was unknown technology, and one could not treat anything with certainty. But in his experience the energy needed to open portal's was vast, even if done efficiently.

"Wouldn't pulling the plug work better?" he said to nobody in particular.

"As for myself, give me a few molecules to work with, I can create a lot of energy. E=MC squared and all that. But for now, I would very much like to see this portal, and I am sure my friend here..." he gestured towards Ironclad "..would too..."

[Raveled]

"Using power generated from the portal to maintain the portal? How did you ever come up with a system so over-elaborate and dependent on everything to just so?" She shook her head and mentally called up her suit's schematics. "I suppose I could increase the matter-antimatter reaction. The event horizon is sustaining itself nicely in this environment, it shouldn't be a problem to increase power. I'd have to reroute the radiation shielding for extra control over the black hole, though, but I think Supercape would do fine for protecting us from any of the fallout." She paused and added, "Of course I'd need a ride home afterwards."

[Ari]

GM

"It is not over-complicated" said Hrnnngsh a little archly "and I developed this setup only after I learned how quickly the radiation degrades, and left free it somehow accelerates the decay of its environment, something that so far I have had little success in curtailing. I confess it is a trifle circular, but I need to both maintain the overall shape and size of the entryway and power a vast complex with a largely depleted reactor at the same time, which as you might imagine is quite energy-intensive!" it said, a rumbling like hippos echoing behind its sentences.

Slithering a little higher to get a few tubes under its main neck, it continued "Indeed, a lot of the power I expend on this thing is to keep it from growing to(if my calculations are to be trusted) a size greater than this entire room. Pushing both against that and the decay factor makes every attempt to shrink or collapse is..-Pyrrhic- at best" there was a strange tingling in the ears at the word 'Pyrrhic', and all of the heroes understood that it was a translation of some similar term "so, regrettably, pulling the plug, deactivating the power systems in place, that will have a very detrimental effect, rather than with conventional portals that tend to dissipate once no longer being acted upon."

With a squishing noise very at odds with its appearance, the lava creature removed a tube from the wall, revealing a cylindrical energy port "That will give you a few thousand -joules- to work with, I hope it is enough," it said earnestly "I need quite a bit of current to keep my containment field from collapsing."

[Raveled]

Ironclad eyed the power system without much trust in her (hidden) expression. "I think we can improve on that to work with," she said. "Quintessence, if you could just prepare to..." She turned her back to the paragon and disengaged the back-fitted reactor; immediately low-power warnings flickered into life in her view and she switched over to battery power. She wouldn't be able to fly or use her weapons like this, but she would still be protected from the outside world and be able to probe with her sensors. She led Quintessence to set the reactor down near the power conduit. She rotated one wrist and a pair of metal rods pocked out, which she grabbed with her other hand and fully extracted. "Now then," she said, settling in a half Lotus position and poking at the device. "I think we can do more than a few thousand joules, yes? If I expand the black hole to, say, 150 nanometers and start bringing in a half-gram of antimatter every few seconds we should get a good reaction going! Supercape, if you could shield against radiation, I could divert powering away from the reactor's shielding..."

[Supercape]

"Very well..." said Supercape, cracking his knuckles.

"I shall leave nothing to chance. Its just a matter of dampening everything down. Stamping it flat. Eliminating the quantum tunnelling effect. The principle is very easy!" he smiled.

He creased his shoulders and neck.

"Its just bloody hard work..." he smiled, daunted at the task.

He pressed his fingers to his temples, and the shimmering around him stopped, replaced by a sort of dullness that permeated the atmosphere around them.

"Just don't ask me to keep this up forever....or even very long at all...." he murmured, his eyes closed with concentration and sweat pouring off his brow.

[Ari]

GM

Shutting down the Terminus portal proved to be an at least moderately difficult task.

"Wait! Nononono, we can't remove those shields without first erecting this filter..."

It had its share of annoyances.

"Now we must wait for a little while; if we try and disrupt it now we'll just make it start trying to expand within the containment."

But on the whole was uneventful.

"Shut it off! Shut it off before it destroys us all!"

With a deep *thrummmmm* the portal quietly folded into itself, winking out in a wisp of raw entropy. Coiling into a single continuous mass, the vast lava creature appeared to do its brand of a sigh of relief, leaning against the ceiling and the rams at its apex. "I am quite obliged to you all" it said with utter sincerity "A few more revolutions and I would have lost control of the portal altogether, to be quite frank. Never did have very much control over it" it admitted sheepishly, plugging one of its 'legs' back into the socket, a hum of electric energy flowing through it once more.

Raising a free tentacle it declared solemnly "Now, I have not forgotten our agreement, I will release the c-the unfortunates who were transported into lower levels, please give me a moment..." a short burst of electric signals were easily detected by the heroes' relevant super-senses, shooting away to the depths of the strange base. With a sudden burst of static, around a dozen Lor officers appeared, small rings rising and falling around them as they were teleported out of whatever holding area they had been kept in. Their cries of surprise were entirely understandable. "Wha-what? Who are you people, where are we?" "Answer us! What's going on?"

Dropping down lower, the vast creature tapped at a few buttons, which was followed by a throaty groan of power being diverted, and a noticeable strengthening of the lights. "And now, if you wish, you can be transported off this place. Thank you for your aid, I-" a sudden flash, and with the now-familiar *whoosh* of Lor teleport technology transporting the officers, the strange creature, and the heroes out of the facility.

They appeared in the vast cargo bay, facing a large transparent-battalium tank that the scientist they had met was being unceremoniously dumped into out of his suit by a small assembly line of cranes. Captain Mirta, in the very model of crisp military form, observed this critically alongside a contingent of at-ease tactical personnel. Sighting the newly-arrived heroes she walked towards them with a genuine smile, saluting them smartly "Thank you all! Our crewmembers are rescued, this fraud" she jerked a savage thumb over her shoulder at Hrnnngsh "can look forward to a long time behind a force-field, and we can start studying the complex in peace! This has gone even better than how I had hoped! By the way," she added, glancing at a small pad on her wrist "The admiral wants to congratulate you in person int he mission room as soon as you're ready. No need to hurry, I'm sure the rest of the crew will be glad to celebrate this success" she almost grinned outright.

[Supercape]

Supercape gazed impassively at the Lor.

"I can only advise caution" he said, his shoulders slumped slightly.

Tired...tired...too tired to string together an argument...he realised. It had taken effort to sort out the strings and sub atomic particles, the ebb and flow of events down there. Terminus energy was not easy to handle...not easy at all.

"Whatever that creature is, you have only determined it is not to be trusted. Which is says nothing about the reality of what is down there. It could, potentially, be even worse..."

He slumped onto a chair, rumpling his cape, putting his head on a hand.

"But if your admiral wants to dish out a medal, I can hardly say no!"