Like Lambs to the Shepherd
A call came from the the center of the circle.
Denerin: "Cromwell! We found her!"
Cromwell rose, his old joints creaking after so much time at rest, rushing over to where over six dozen Androids meditated in silence, all surrounding a hologram displaying a map of the stars. Denerin led the divination, his face weary with the energy spent, but his eyes alight with purpose. The Children of the Forge around them sighed as the hologram zoomed in on their discovered coordinates, showing a habitable planet out in the Vast.
Safarae -- the map's database called it.
From the back of the chamber, Derrak scoffed.
Cromwell: "Do you know it?"
Derrak: "Aye. A pleasure planet, owned by the Merrytime Expedition Corporation. They've settled a small island on the planet, and invite wealthy... hunters to chase the Kaiju there. Or so they say. In reality, they import smaller creatures for sport, and inflate noble ego." Cromwell only nodded in response. It gave him no small comfort that their ancestral homeland was known by the world, but that it had barely been explored was a boon. If they'd discovered anything of the First Ones there, the planet would be far more prominent, and likely taken over by research corporations. Cromwell: "How long will it take to get there?"
Denerin: "By Drift, anywhere from a week to a month." Derrak agreed with a low growl -- the Hellknight citadels were massive and imposing, but that made them some of the slowest starships in existence. That they could move at all was supposedly a scientific marvel. If only they could see how easily the Forge relocated, with the right individual at the helm... Cromwell: "Entity?" From the corner opposite where Derrak rested, a wisp of geometric shapes lilted towards the hologram, examining the coordinates with a slow hum. As she approached, many of the Children bowed their heads, and offered small prayers to their god. Entity: "An age to cross by means unknown, but the Forge cannot provide better."
Cromwell: "Do it."
Entity: "And the men of snow?" Derrak perked up at that -- he was getting used to Entity's speech patterns, and knew her meaning. Whether or not to take the Hellknights with them... It was within Helen's power. Cromwell held up a placating hand to the steaming Dwarf. Cromwell: "We have an accord. They go with us, to continue their business with the Shepherd."
Entity: "So it shall never be." Entity began her work, and Cromwell tapped away at his comm unit. All about the Forge, Children received messages warning them to take shelter, and to find something solid to hold on to. Thankfully, only those who'd refused to return home were unaware of the impending move, and so they expected little harm would be done. The manufactured planet began to shake, gears spinning like titans, clanging together like great drums, opening and closing spatial anomalies as the Forge attuned to its destination. Cromwell could not help but smile -- to watch his home at last return to its ultimate purpose, to explore the stars. When the process was complete, the artificial gravity stuttered for a moment, halted as the mass of metal and magic zipped from one space to another, and then the hologram in front of Denerin chirped, readjusting from what was old to what was new. Safarae, a green-and-blue jewel in all that black. Their homeworld. And somewhere on it, their Shepherd...
Derrak: "Aye. A pleasure planet, owned by the Merrytime Expedition Corporation. They've settled a small island on the planet, and invite wealthy... hunters to chase the Kaiju there. Or so they say. In reality, they import smaller creatures for sport, and inflate noble ego." Cromwell only nodded in response. It gave him no small comfort that their ancestral homeland was known by the world, but that it had barely been explored was a boon. If they'd discovered anything of the First Ones there, the planet would be far more prominent, and likely taken over by research corporations. Cromwell: "How long will it take to get there?"
Denerin: "By Drift, anywhere from a week to a month." Derrak agreed with a low growl -- the Hellknight citadels were massive and imposing, but that made them some of the slowest starships in existence. That they could move at all was supposedly a scientific marvel. If only they could see how easily the Forge relocated, with the right individual at the helm... Cromwell: "Entity?" From the corner opposite where Derrak rested, a wisp of geometric shapes lilted towards the hologram, examining the coordinates with a slow hum. As she approached, many of the Children bowed their heads, and offered small prayers to their god. Entity: "An age to cross by means unknown, but the Forge cannot provide better."
Cromwell: "Do it."
Entity: "And the men of snow?" Derrak perked up at that -- he was getting used to Entity's speech patterns, and knew her meaning. Whether or not to take the Hellknights with them... It was within Helen's power. Cromwell held up a placating hand to the steaming Dwarf. Cromwell: "We have an accord. They go with us, to continue their business with the Shepherd."
Entity: "So it shall never be." Entity began her work, and Cromwell tapped away at his comm unit. All about the Forge, Children received messages warning them to take shelter, and to find something solid to hold on to. Thankfully, only those who'd refused to return home were unaware of the impending move, and so they expected little harm would be done. The manufactured planet began to shake, gears spinning like titans, clanging together like great drums, opening and closing spatial anomalies as the Forge attuned to its destination. Cromwell could not help but smile -- to watch his home at last return to its ultimate purpose, to explore the stars. When the process was complete, the artificial gravity stuttered for a moment, halted as the mass of metal and magic zipped from one space to another, and then the hologram in front of Denerin chirped, readjusting from what was old to what was new. Safarae, a green-and-blue jewel in all that black. Their homeworld. And somewhere on it, their Shepherd...
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