Wednesday05

The seed has been prepared, and it’s almost time for it to be taken to the Sun, planted, and watered with mystic energy. But first they must speak to the Caretaker directly. They meet the council (Sledge Greenhorn, Elana Connendeol, and Liza), who quickly agrees they can touch the Heart Tree to speak with Gaia. All their foremost thoughts, questions and fears rise up and the Caretaker respondes, confirming that planting the seed on the Sun will bring the souls home. If the questions are forceful enough, the Caretaker conveys that these souls are crucial for preventing future calamities like what happened to Percepi.

When they reach the sun, the Oversoul reaches out to communicate with the ship. It is hostile at first, but can be talked down. Once it understands they are planting a tree so that it can return to Earth, it is pleased, and helps the tree grow faster. The tree is wreathed in flames.

The Oversoul then returns home, oblivious to the fact that is about to be forced into servitude as part of the Deus Ex Machina.

The stairway to heaven that Pip designed (blueprints only – another gnome later built it) is a literal gateway into the Celestial portion of the Caretaker’s mind. This could be useful for a number of reasons, as it is a "backdoor" into Emmanuel. So it could be exploited to attack or alter the Caretaker, or used to meet with the celestials. It could also potentially be inverted to create a stairway downward to hell, releasing demons upon the earth. But Midgard guards this artifact carefully – its existence is only known to half a dozen people.

After returning from the Sun (mission successful), it is Friday, June 23. There is breaking news of the return of the rogue planet, this time in the Wolf 359 system. U.N. Forces orders the party to intercept the planet. They must land at the Luna City spaceport, where a crew of mystic technicians ("weavers") are on hand to web the ship, so that it can be teleported to Canis quickly – a process taking approximately one hour. From Canis, it’s eight hours to the planet.

If they attempt to locate the rogue planet alien (Rae) on Earth, there is no sign of her. But if they are clever, they may learn that Harry Bryant has been given authority over her position. An ID card was made for her that continually tracks her position. Rossner knows about this, but declines to reveal her current location to the party.

Glaurung flings them away, but the ship can counter with its new phasing ability. The cloak might also be useful to avoid notice from the locals. But with whom do they try to communicate? The Red Guard is deployed to meet them, if they are seen by anyone. Glaurung actually notifies the Council of Wyrms of the intruders, and the Red Guard brings them directly to the Council.

See Saturday03 for information about the Council.

The Council instructs them that Glaurung demands they leave, and never return. No other aliens are to approach or set foot on their world. The party is assured that Dragonstar will not be returning to any Terran system again. They are also assured that Glaurung will leave as soon as possible, before the Beast can catch up to them.

Thus, 18 hours after its arrival (about 9 hours after the Wednesday group arrives), the planet leaves. But not before the echoes of the Destroyer begin to be heard…