We all awaken to the brightness of the same sun.
Perseverance cloaked follows the four UN ships trailing behind Mercury’s direct path to the sun. Approaching the sun, Laiden passes the UN ships slowing down, then asking Serra when they need to slow down, to which she replies, “I recommend now.” Laiden has Serra slow Perseverance down as Mercury, now a massive fireball, smashes into the sun creating a massive solar flare.
The UN ships spend half an hour making and recording observations. Everything indicates the nanites were completely vaporized. Laiden stays around another half hour confirming the sun is stable before heading back to the UN fleet.
Andrew, Fey, Malcolm, Noun, Ridge, and Trenton are brought aboard the Behemoth where Colonel Waterton attends their debriefing. Malcolm answers Waterton’s demand to know what happened with Mercury saying it was the will of God. Waterton wants proof, but Malcolm echoes that there is never proof of the will of God - one must have faith. Noun irritated with religious talks throws a screw at Malcolm landing neatly in Eli’s tiny hands.
Waterton tells Ridge that he expects a full report and warns the rest to stay out of trouble. Dr Peters wants to know whether he can home now, but Waterton says he’ll have to check with his superiors. Ridge having already written up her report, sends it Colonel Waterton and then gets herself assigned to the repair operations. Everyone gets paid some for their services to the UN.
Malcolm holds a memorial service for the conclusion of Mercury’s demise. Dr Peters attends. Fey, Noun, and Trenton are brought to the barracks where Noun begins etching a mural into the windows. Fey finds peers quietly out a window facing the sun.
Colonel Waterton sends similar messages to Fey, Noun, and Dr Peters, “Details of the Grey Goo being consuming Mercury and the UN Forces destabilizing its orbit into the sun completely destroying them along with all knowledge of how they work and were created will be released. About Percepi, the additional news that the UN was only able to save three eminent professional prior to Percepi’s destruction will be announced. You are free to go on the condition that you adhere to these all future official details we fabricate.” They all agree with this.
Malcolm receives a slightly different message. He is welcome to stay on in his current capacity or take leave as he sees fit. Trenton receives thanks for his recent services and his dereliction of duty will be overlooked. He is to return and finish basic training. Ridge is rewarded with a medal and commendation for her attempts at collecting the Grey Goo. She is free to take shore leave with the lower alert status.
Several hours later, Perseverance decloaks out of the UN fleet’s sensor range. When in range, Laiden complies with the Behemoth’s request to dock. Prior to leaving he reminds Serra to not allow anyone on Perseverance.
Laiden, greeted by armed escort, is brought to somewhat hostile Colonel Waterton who has many questions. Laiden tells that the ship Perseverance has protections which allowed him to survive. He knows little about the technical specifics on the shielding and cloaking technologies. He bluffs poorly that he is a Mercaba test pilot.
Waterton flat out says that the ship’s technologies are security threats and that they are seriously considering confiscating it. They will contact Mercaba to confirm his story, to which Laiden states that it was a Mercaba Mercury Division secret project. Waterton will check in with his superiors, but for now he is free to move about the ship (with this armed escort of course).
Laiden goes to the lounge relishing real food and human company. Serra asks how Laiden would like her to respond to inquiries about him being a test pilot. Laiden would like her to comply, and Serra confirms, “Forwarding all the fake details now.”
The Behemoth begins its journey back to Luna as Fey, Andrew, Malcolm, Trenton, Laiden, and Noun unwind in the lounge. Various people trade contact information. Malcolm says they need to get a new address from him each week if they want to be able to stay in contact with him.
Waterton approaches Laiden telling him that he would be allowed to retain his ship as long as Laiden remain on retainer to the UN. Laiden is reluctant, but realizes his alternatives are to be a fugitive or have his ship confiscated. After more discussion it becomes clear that this arrangement isn’t too much of a choice. They settle on some payment arrangements and his official status remaining dead.
During Malcolm’s FTX fighting and killing some demons Trenton’s eyes glow teal and Fey shrinks down to the size of a dime glowing brightly.
Sunday June 11, 2299 mid morning, the group is shuttled to Luna. Noun contacts his secretary getting his up-coming events corrected (she is glad to see him alive). Dr Peters contacts his girlfriend, who is happy but want to know what happened. Dr Peters says that they can meet at this apartment and talk about this there. Malcolm looks into more missions probing what happened at Percepi.
Laiden boards Perseverance and takes shelter in a moon crater’s shadow. There is some banter between Serra and Laiden about suspending some ethical algorithms she’s running about losing her original purpose and taking up a new purpose following Laiden. Then Serra wonders how he will be able to contact her if needed. Laiden reassures Serra he has the ability to communicate with the ship. Serra chimes that they are a better match than it originally thought.
Dr Peters, Fey, and Noun are flooded with reporters wanting to hear about their rescue from Percepi, which they filter out. Dr Peters decides to hold a press conference. Ridge and Noun work together to refine Ridge’s new body.
Fey is mystically contacted by Selena Sharptooth of the New Lunar Order who wishes to meet in the great forest of Pax Artificium. Selena’s tone is cold and unfeeling. Fey reluctantly agrees to meet the next day (Monday).
Fey meets with Nexus (a really old pixie) in Xanadu near the Taigan forest. Fey learns that Everlily Nix hasn’t been heard from in over a year and that the troll Sledge Greenhorn has become the Gaian leader in her absence. Rumors say that Nix is on Luna. He suggests that she meet with Sledge as he knows the politics better. Nexus graces Fey with nature’s blessing conferring +5 defense bonus and energy resistance 5 to all elements. Fey thanks Nexus and tells him to start worrying if he doesn’t hear from her in a few days (she writes this down for him as well).
Fey meets with Sledge in a secret grove, where he is devouring a cooked chicken leg sitting on a rock near a fire. Getting to the matter about Everlily Nix, Sledge is guarded. He doesn’t think she’s missing, but with the New Lunar Order. Trying not to sound mean, he thinks the order has forgotten about Gaia, believing the caretaker has turned on them.
The Gaian Order is angry, but Sledge is remaining level headed. Those on Luna are no longer returning and paying their respects to the caretaker. Sledge realizes that Fey was one of those working on placing forests on colonies and wonders whether these issues came up there. Fey says there weren’t any such talks. They continue chatting for some time about other various things.
Later Monday, Fey is strolling through the great forest in Pax Artificium when she realizes she is being followed. A feral looking woman with animalistic features steps out with a serious expression introducing herself as Selena Sharptooth. She wants to know what happened at Percepi. Fey wants to know why she should share that information.
Selena is very concerned that the caretaker did not warn or news on what happened at Percepi. Selena is angered when she learns from Fey that those on Percepi did not get any warning either. Fey defends the caretaker saying he works in mysterious ways, but Selena glares accusing he chooses not to share ever since the incident on Mercury. Those on Luna are disturbed and unhappy with their relationship with the caretaker.
Luna, who has awakened, has called on her people to stop the caretaker. The order is looking to change the heart tree to sever its connection with Gaia and wants to know whether Fey would help. Fey conveys more suspicion than she harbors to gain trust from Selena. Fey gets guarded agreement to bring in some of her friends.
Fey contacts the rest of the group. Dr Peters, Malcolm, Noun, and Ridge meet at Fey’s hotel. Through a VR meeting Laiden and Trenton attend as Fey explains all that has happened and ask for help. Dr Peters asks if the UN knows about this, Fey doesn’t think so. Fey asks whether this can remain outside of the UN’s knowledge, looking to Ridge. Ridge states that she can unless if becomes a matter of galactic security.
Trenton wonders whether the mystic energies gave birth to Luna. Fey believes that it has always been there and that life brought to the moon awoke her. Noun places the moon on one end of a scale and a cross on the other. Fey picks up the message and says Luna could be many things, not knowing if she learns more towards good or evil. All she knows is that she and the Order are skeptical of the caretaker.
Ridge makes some abrupt statement, “you’re talking a lot”, which made me (Ozzyie) laugh, but Malcolm may have interpreted as a little hostile.
Malcolm asks if Trenton would like to be relieved of basic training. Trenton declines. Noun creates a tiny soldier that marches up to Trenton and jumps in his pocket.
Fey loses focus, is contacted and is told that the caretaker is personally interested in her and the experiences with Mercury. An audience has been arranged. When Fey returns to the group she is stressed and tells us the caretaker wants to meet with her.
She goes on to explain that a meeting with the caretaker can not be hidden for the Order and decides it needs to wait a couple days. She leaves a message with Nexus.
The VR meeting ends. Fey leads Noun, Ridge, Malcolm, and Andrew (Peters) to the Pax forest to find Serena. Fey gets email from Nexus that Sledge thought it was urgent to meet immediately and has taken off to find her. Fey frustrated, grrrrrs out an arrrrggg (spell checker hates both those “words”) and tells us that the Gaian troll leader is on his way. Noun hides behind a tree.
A tiny voice out of nowhere greets the party. It is EverLily Nix with spiked red hair, a tiny rapier, and in warrior’s garb (Athena jests Kevlar Spandex). After a round of greetings, the subject turns to Sledge. Nix’s opinion is he the kindest troll she’s ever met, thinks just enough to be difficult, but is naïve and doesn’t understand what’s going on.
Fey tells Nix that the caretaker wants to meet with her. Nix tells Fey she should go and hear what he has to say, but to be careful as she no longer trusts the caretaker. She elaborates that the caretaker is building an evil machine to change Luna into what he is. Ridge compares this to reproducing or perhaps he is getting tired and wants a replacement? (Oz isn’t sure what happens here, but Ridges comments seem to get lost in the conversation).
The group learns a number of things. Luna first spoke 8 years ago and is very young unable to communicate clearly. The caretaker fears what happened on Percepi. The order is angry because the caretaker should have been able to share what happened on Percepi through the heart tree.
Noun shows Fey his bag. Fey checks and says it is not magic and that he is very special person (great compliment).
Someone (Oz doesn’t know who) speculates that perhaps the caretaker wants to protect or aid Luna in a way it can not understand. Nix says Fey should talk with the caretaker and tell him he is wrong and if they run into William Moss he can’t be trusted as he follows the caretaker blindly.
Thud, crash, crackle. Something large approaches the party. Noun hides again. Nix vanishes. Malcolm drops a canopy of invisibility over the party. A large troll thrashes through the brush as Fey steps out of the invisibility umbrella greeting Sledge and introducing the rest of the party as the invisibility drops. Sledge wants to relay the caretaker’s message, but Fey convinces Sledge that this should be told somewhere else.
Fey contacts Laiden to see if he can pick the group up and bring them to Earth. Laiden agrees, but only in another city. Laiden uses some new technology the ship just developed to travel through the city shielding, even though Serra tells him the chances of it working are around 87%. Luckily it makes it through, picks the group up and gets out safely.
Sledge gets a bit space sick, Noun debates touching Sledge’s teeth, but decides against it. Ridge fascinated by how the ship went through the barrier starts getting details from Serra, but learns that all the algorithms that does this goes through Miller2, which she didn’t know existed.
Sledge tells everyone that the caretaker got impatient waiting, and to tell all those at Mercury, “Have you thought about the souls that were on Mercury? They are now trapped on the sun and can’t be recycled, but he’s got a plan to plant a tree on the sun, water it with mystic energy and the souls will be able to come home”.
Taken aback, the plan seems crazy, but the crew goes with it. They confirm from Serra that Perseverance should be able to survive the sun’s heat for nearly an hour. No one is sure how the seed from Earth can survive on the sun. Everyone heads to Earth, where it is learned that the caretaker is repairing the seed.
Perseverance is outfitted to hold the needed mystic energies. Fey communicates with Nix, telling her about the plan to release the souls on the sun. Nix expresses concern that this might give the caretaker even more power, to which Fey admits she has the same and many other questions that will have to be answered when she meets with the caretaker.
During the week, there is some news over about the abduction of some scientists being a publicity stunt. People can now be engineered to be a mystic, which begins many debates. Supposedly Magitec abducted the scientist, but it as Stratco publicity stunt gone wrong.
Ridge notices that files in her computer memory have been altered as though Malcolm never existed. Ridge confronts Malcolm, who tells her it isn’t so much that he did something as it is part of who he is. Ridge surmises he’s some sort of angel to which Malcolm admits it is something like that.
Towards the end of the week, sirens bring every one to the last of the rituals in a well guarded grove where 20 halflings melodically chant a song of birth and renewal in a circle around a giant pea pod. The song finishes, the seed burst, and is then engulfed in a pillar of flame leaving behind an untouched tinged red seed and the blackened husk of the 20 halfings. The hollowed shelled husks crumble, but inside are the halflings reborn.