Scene 2: A Doorway to the Heavens

Alpha Site: 0555hrs

Each of you had been here for the week. An eventful week at that. Though the tragedy at the dig had cast a shadow upon it, work had quickened in pace since. Literally everyone was abuzz at the discovery of the coverstone. After three days of excavation the stone had been safely extracted revealing a metal ring covered in symbols.

The military presence had been summoned because of the nature of radiation emanating from the object. No one had any clue as to what the purpose of the ring could have been. But, working tirelessly Duclair and Dr. Connel-Gulbane had interpreted it to be some kind of "portal."

Progress went rapidly, when a call from Beta Site revealed a set of symbols that corresponded to the markings on the portal. Only last night had the first set been tested. The result was a burst of energy from the portal that had stabilized into what the eggheads called an "Einstein-Rosen Bridge."

A robot outfitted with cameras and sensors had been sent through. After arriving at its destination it revealed a grassy plane, mountains, forests, and a skyline with two suns.

The klaxon of the site wide intercom buzzed twice, jarring those who may have been asleep to full wakefulness. At Alpha site it took the laziest person the better part of a day to realize, life and death happened due to how a person responded to the intercom.

"Kowalsky, Messer, Rodriguez, Donahue, and Duclair. Assemble at Sub-Level 3 for assignment." Came Watch Officer Gennady Rochenkin's monotone voice over the intercom.

2nd Lieutenant Kowalsky looked his usual self, beyond tired, the Gulf War had taken a toll on his mental state but he was recovering well. He shared his thoughts on the state of Iraq with anyone who was curious. He had been an Operator in Delta Force.

Messer had been an infectious disease specialist for Doctor's Without Borders since 1989, and had recently left after the Zulu Ebola outbreak. He was an odd one, having a doctorates in general medicine, a PhD in Virology, and a Master's Degree in Eastern medicine. It turns out he knew Connel-Gulbane and Chief Lauman from their childhood. He referred to them as "The Twins" even though they weren't biologically related. A jab at how alike the duo were in mannerism and appearance.

They met on the lift, with Franziska Edwards already present. She had her normal composure, and the perperually pissed look that made her look scary despite her diminutive stature. She was sipping coffee from a steel insulated travel mug. Nearby a parcel labelled "Elias DuClair" right next to her. Upon seeing the Doctor she beckoned him. "Here's your orser Elias. You can always pick them up at the distribution facility on sublevel 1 if you can't wait. Good work keeping your cool last week, that was a tough situation by any standard."

After directing Elias to his order she took a separate box, a smaller sized from inside her suit coat. A charcoal silk suit, with emerald green accents that matches her blouse. Wearing a pencil skirt and somehow managing stillettos despite the utilitarian construction of the lift. "And a gift from the Brass for all of you. Matching patches! Now you all look official." a glue on set of velcro patches.

Travelling to the gate was a much simpler task now that the water level had been lowered by sumps pumping the cave water into the power station in Sublevel 1. The rudimentary bridge of plastic floats and wire was suitable for foot traffic. Not glamorous but functional and industrious.

Justice was already set to go at the gateroom sitting on the motorized unmanned vehicle holding most of the expeditions equipment, he was strumming on a banjo practicing scales - dressed in khaki and tiger stripe camouflage, with a tan colored poncho. He looked quite cozy as he strummed idly and hummed along. His own equipment was fairly light, and pretty much what one would expect for their mission. The mission parameter was to travel through the gate and ascertain a means for a return trip. The expedition had been outfitted for one month stay beyond the gate. Whereupon Alpha Site would dial back for the return trip.

After everyone assembled for readiness the gate began to dial. A pool of shimmering water exploded between the ring. Promising a new frontier, untouched it seemed by humans.

"The reading from the probe indicated it gets quite cold during transit, which lasts for just a little over one quarter second." Justice briefed and started to stride to the debarkation ramp. "But its temperate, even at night on the other side. We have a busy day ahead campers, so lets get to it." He stopped in awe of the pool, it was written on his face as he observed the seemingly magical portal before him. Justice just grinned, shook his head and chuckled as he walked into the event horizon. The Unmanned vehicle slowly made its way to the shimmering pool. Neither he nor the automaton even slowed as they traversed into the liminal bridge.

Cold had been an understatement. Transit was also not quite accurate to what transpired. The event horizon, felt exactly like freezing cold water. But had acted like a buffer, analyzing the matter which entered the pool. A sixth sense told the human mind it had been known, upon touching the pool in the deepest and most complete sense the gate had known you. This was the shortest part of transit. Fortunately whatever had converted your matter to pure energy did it in an instant, else you mind - still fully conscious - would have felt as it tore your mass apart.

That quarter second might have been an eternity in transit. The sensation of movement certainly existed in the liminal space, however distance and time lost coherence. Therefore, it was directionless, and eternal. An immediate knowing, this was where consciousness lay. And at the knowing, transit ended. A sudden splash into ice water, without wet. And you arrived, pushed through the gate by inertia. The first interplanetary travellers of the age.

The body, and more importantly the mind, on reflex wanted to take a deep breath upon completion of transit. Donahue, who had a lungful of air learned with only a minimum of pain, exhaling before transit was the best choice. He would be fine, but as his diagphragm spasmed he learned. It was painful, but every instinct told him it could have been much worse.

The gate had deposited the team ahead of the MALP, somehow giving priority to living creatures. The air here was sweet, mentholated. It felt quite pleasant. Narcosis was mild, pleasant, but did not induce euphoria only heightened clarity.

Far to the north the naked eye could make out a drop before the horizon was swallowed into water. To the east grasslands. To the south the grassland terminated at what appeared to be a treeline. The west increased in elevation, into a mountain range. Ambient occlusion was higher, distance skewed by the second sun, doubling shadows created a halo effect arround reflected surfaces. But this world was beautiful. It even smelled like heaven, sweet and spicy grass in abundance were instinctively mouthwatering.

Responding to the explosion of gate transit. A flock of birds took flight shrieking in panic flying northward. Landing several hundred yards distant.

Windswept grasses had an all too predictable effect on humans. It was as if there was something built into our species that told us collectively to look and listen. And when it happened, the silence had to be broken.

"Huh, looks like Oklahoma." Justice muttured and considered the scene. "Water to the north, some kind of lake." He rose a setof binoculars and scanned the shore. "Good as place as any to set up camp. No shelter though." He turns to Veronica and Kowalsky. "Thoughts?"