The Aftermath
Vi Somno sat on a large security transport watching the central sphere of Stratus Bastion go white hot, tremble slightly, then swiftly implode into itself.
The entire thing was quick and silent and did not disturb any of the residents of the three cities on Stratus Bastion.
The squad watched the compacted sphere jettison up. It smoothly arched through the battle door's protective barrier and down to the water far below.
Both BDJ and Tally spoke of its destination.
>There is 87.69% probability that the remnants of the Stratus Bastion breeding center will fall into the depths of the Fasso Trench.
"The sphere will fall I to the depths of the Fasso Trench. This portion of the breeding apparatus and all test subjects have been utterly destroyed."
They all sat in silence – Tally's words reverberating through their neural nets.
The security transport was from the private sector and was being sent to Ageis Nexus to relieve workers and private security on the battle dome. It was a massive transport and utilized both jet like hover engines and helicopter type propellers.
It takes the transport three hours to get to Ageis Nexus from Stratus Bastion.
Ageis Nexus was a gleaming black fortress surrounded by eight tower cities that extended up into the clouds. All of this sat upon a massive hovering platform and was covered by a high arching dome.
Water streamed from Ageis Nexus from eight points where massive waterways dumped into the oceans below.
The fortress in the middle of the battle dome was huge with four towering dark sky scrapers – neon lights running up and down their lengths – positioned around a vast black dome.
Vi Somno found out that this dome was the main breeding center for Nexus Directive and a training facility for babies and children born of the Directive's experimentation.
As they neared Ageis Nexus they realized that something was wrong – the battle dome was on high alert. The dome itself was oscillating between colors and as the security transport approached it was commanded to halt.
They held outside Ageis Nexus security zone and waited. Suddenly the dome contracted and expanded and pushed their transport back.
Their group encrypted comms hissed to life.
"Let's be calm everyone. This is normal. Their breeding facilities below just self destructed and were jettisoned. Of course they would go on high alert."
Jackie nodded as she watched the alert signaled all over the dome and along buildings on the outer perimeter.
"All we can do is wait and stay calm. We will get in."
Kieran entered a dark room, his cybernetics hissing as he moved. Fluid moved silently around his cortex as he moved and before a wall and it slid open, revealing a large compartment with several syntho-skin body suits hanging. He reached in and grabbed an Alexander Simms suit and proceeded to put it on.
He pulled the top over the crystalline form housing his cortex and the suit made a sucking sound and conformed to his cybernetic skeleton.
The amorphous face contorted until it had the exact characteristics of Alexander Simms. He walked from the room and into an opulent office with an unbelievable view of Ageis Nexus and four of its massive tower cities.
He ads drops to his human eye after it is contained within the syntho-skin and smiled. He looked at the massive security transport on the screen, then in the direction of the Fasso Trench.
"Very good Jackie. You are even better than I thought you'd be. But I need to hurry things along a bit."
His hand extends and sitting on the palm was a clear crystal orb with sparking pink and green energy – the experimental Subaquilus crystal and Crysalite hybrid.