---

Rachel folded her arms as the crystal continued to lower them further into the alien’s ship, dropping twelve levels before stopping; each floor closed above them, filling in with crystal, and every once in a while, she saw one of the creatures enveloped in their own task.

On the third layer, aliens were studying several different types of fungus and plants on a table that emitted three-dimensional holograms of the items.  Their small claw-like hands played with the symbols inside as the image zoomed in and appeared to show the DNA of the material they were studying.

On the fourth, fifth, and sixth, there were large orange crystal pods with different animals and insects inside.  The organization of the creatures seemed to be in a specific order with various similarities between the monsters.

It was at this point that Rachel’s focus moved back to the alien that had given her the translation device; while they were descending, a rigid platform of crystal spiked up from the ground and released a hologram with more symbols.

It shifted the order around before saying, “Miscalculation detected.”

The others quickly responded as they moved around the display.

“Alpha Level test could result in premature closure of the human gate.”

“If the humans do not solve the expansion of the Azure Frost, then we will be left defenseless.”

“Indeed, and unable to retreat should the opportunity arise.”

“If we give the humans our power core, then would the gate immediately close?”

“Calculations undeterminable.”

“Too many possibilities to determine a proper mode of action.”

“Data store lacking.”

“Human advance group entering distortion zone.”

“Unable to conclude results.”

“Range of error is too high for further reliable action.”

The platform stopped, and the conversation was beginning to worry her, causing her mind to accelerate and branch off their discussion.

They’re not wrong.  If they roll over and give us their primary mode of power, essentially crippling any advanced civilization, with the Azure Frost devastating the entire area, then it might just count this field as conquered.

If that happens, then would I even know the crystal’s conditions are complete?  Could it close, and I’d have no idea? I could be stuck here in that instance, and the chances of me getting back would be nigh-nonexistent.  I hadn’t considered that … this is actually extremely risky for these aliens and me.

It appears that the others have entered a part of the Azure Frost that their technology has trouble penetrating.  Does that mean Scarlet was able to go in? Perhaps … I told them to have faith in me, so I need to do the same.

These aliens are scared and awed by the fiction inside of our minds, which could mean that they just don’t have that great of an imagination.  They’re curious, but it’s more about the events around them rather than the immaterial wishes that humanity has.

By the way they’re talking, they want to wait until it’s certain the Azure Frost is dealt with, which puts me in an awkward position.  I expect that they’ll come to a conflicting conclusion that either this was a test for them or that we already have everything planned out.  That will put me on the spot.

If I say it’s a test, then it could blow over, but it’ll also keep making them second guess themselves, and put more suspicion in us.  All it takes is for them to realize that whatever they’re seeing in those soldiers’ memories is fiction and not fact.

Although, I’m sure that it’s so bizarre to their way of thinking that they just write it off as just too far advanced for them to comprehend.  That’s important … I need to redirect their thoughts and get them to explain to me what they have been learning while we wait for Maria to work her magic.

Using Mental Acceleration, she sorted through the information and decided on the direction she’d take within seconds.  She waited for her chance to enter the conversation, keeping a slight smile on her lips while holding her hands behind her back; the tips of her fingernails brushed up against her tail, causing her lower back to tense for a moment as the tickling sensation shot up her spine.

Sometimes I forget I even have a tail … just a few days ago, I was worried about grades and my family … now I’m dealing with an alien race.

The group continued to study the glowing sphere of random symbols as they bounced around their thoughts, making signs with their hands and hissing sounds.

“Error in Azure Frost proliferation calculations.”

“A point-four error.”

“It is increasing its pace.”

“Ramping or fixed?”

“Calculating … fixed pace.”

“The human’s analysis seems to be correct.”

“Yes, fluctuation in solar energy detected.”

“If left on its own, it will continue to increase its proliferation daily.”

“If it continues to spread at the current growth rate in conjunction with the solar calendar, then the Azure Frost will encase the moon within forty-three days and twelve hours.”

“With a marginal range of error within eighteen minutes.”

“The penetration of the Core will be within eighteen days.”

“Given known data.”

“Estimated time for the Jade City to arrive, eighty-three days.”

“Unsustainable.”

“The moon is lost without outside help.”

“Repair of ecosystem untenable.”

“All current ecological research would be of little value.”

“All resources spent on the current data would be our loss.”

“Conclusion unchanged.”

“Human aid is the best solution.”

“All are in favor.”

“Human action is perplexing.”

“Yes, is there data we have not compiled?”

“Would this not constitute the closing of their gate?”

“Perhaps it is also tied to the Azure Frost’s gate?”

“A resonance?”

“Perhaps.”

“Possible.”

“How long will it take for the gate to close after the conquest?”

“Unknown.”

“Uncalculable.”

“Insufficient data.”

Rachel stepped in as there was a slight pause.  “We are in the process of testing the gates ourselves.”  She laughed, smiling down at the aliens as they looked up at her, emotions utterly masked.  “Isn’t experimentation and exploration fun?”

The group’s heads fell to stare at one another, hands quickening, but tones still monotone.

“Exploration.”

“Experimentation.”

“Yes, humans are avid explorers.”

“Humans use data recklessness to expand quickly.”

“We must learn from their example.”

“What is the best use of our time?”

The group fell silent, turning back to her.

Man … these aliens really have the wrong idea of us.  I almost feel a little bad, but it’s not like I’m really lying to them.  I’m just letting them spin their own narrative. Okay, so, let’s see how much I can learn about The Oscillation and these crystals from these creatures.

“While we wait, why don’t we do some imaginative exploration of our own?”

“Imaginative…”

“Exploration?”

“We do not understand such a concept.”

“Explain.”

“Expound.”

“Show us.”

“Okay,” Rachel said with a bright smile.  “Why don’t we go to one of your observation rooms where we can do a little theorizing.”

“Understood.”

With a few quick taps of the hologram, they rose three floors before pausing.  Rachel frowned as she looked around what appeared to be an empty hallway on both sides.  Her ears twitched as she focused her hearing above them; it was difficult to penetrate and filter out the strange humming and cracking, but after a few seconds, she heard the soft tread of footsteps and sharp breathing of more aliens.

Ah … we’re waiting for traffic.  Interesting. Their brains seem somewhat connected, but not on a pure mental link level … maybe more of an emotional or some kind of minor surface level?  They certainly have a degree of unity, and from the sounds of it, each of them is connected to a rudimentary computer system that gives them a limited amount of information.

Maybe the bandwidth is the biggest issue or some kind of cultural dependence concern?  When they need to have a more direct link to the system, then they pull up those holograms.

Her attention shifted back to the ceiling as it opened up to another hallway before stopping; there more aliens were walking to their left, hissing to one another while flashing their hands.

“Attempts to utilize the human’s miniature black hole energy is enticing.”

“Yes, but the draw would appear unstable, given our current technology.”

“The connection to a sustainable link to the possibility of Artron Energy is exciting.”

“Indeed.”

“The concept of time travel has never touched The Matrix.”

Rachel turned away from their speculations and theories as her group led her down the opposite way, and they began speaking again.

“The introduction of human science has many of us intrigued.”

“We have not considered the uses of plutonium in many of our machines.”

“To use sonic vibrations as a medical scanner, life tracker, and interface device for many other species of technologies is most fascinating.”

“Yes, we have many looking into this sonic screwdriver machine.”

“Do you have such a device?”

Rachel chuckled while walking with them down the hall.  “I’m afraid that’s not my specialty.”

“Oh, I see.”

“What is your specialty?”

“Combat,” Rachel replied, holding out her hand and activating Lunar Burst.  They all slowed and made humming sounds as they hissed.  Gathering around her, they examined the white glow surrounding her fist.

“What is this energy called?”

“How is it produced?”

“Does it differ from the duller glow around your body?”

Releasing the skill, Rachel hummed thoughtfully as they came upon a dead-end.  “Consider it like a biological function that I have, and yes … it’s different than the glow my skin radiates.  It’s called Lunar…” She paused, realizing something that shocked her.

I’m not receiving any energy from the moon … they called this world a moon.  Maybe there’s a different definition for them, but my Lunar Pool wasn’t affected at all without the two orbiting moons.  Why is that?

Is it because I’m on the dark side of the moon, and not receiving the reflected light from the sun?  If that’s the case, then what would happen if I stayed in the sunlight here? Would it be like I was on the surface of the moon back on earth?  It’s the only explanation I can come up with … there has to be something more I’m missing…

Her revelation was soon overshadowed by the scene that unfolded before her as they walked toward the solid barrier in front of them, and the wall opened as they neared, likely in response to the aliens being nearby and whatever sensor they had that said they had access.  Her eyes still couldn’t penetrate the swirling orange fog that far, but she was becoming more accustomed to it.

They entered a large space, and the mist had thinned slightly, giving her a better view of the area.  All around the edges of the room was a solid extension to the wall that was slightly curved, and several aliens studied different holographic images that projected out of them.

In the center of the room was what appeared to be a yellow rectangle-shaped consol area with a diamond-shaped centerpiece, spinning in midair, where each of the rectangle points should have been were walkways that allowed someone to enter the inside of the formation.

Rachel’s attention was pulled toward the hovering object; it had several short purple spikes exiting from each smooth side of the piece, converging into a point that glowed with a red light.  It was one of the few changes in the standard orange color palette she’d seen of the ship.

The other aliens around the area quickly turned to stare at them as they entered, and her group guided her toward the center.  Without more than two seconds of silence, they continued to bombard her with questions.

“You turned it off?”

“Was that one of your weapons?”

“It’s called lunar?”

“Is that an energy?”

“Lunar Energy?”

“How strange.”

“Like the stingers of the Tolgratha?”

“What does it do?”

“How is it powered?”

With the flurry of questions, a few of the other aliens quickly joined the group but were silenced as one of them held up its hands.  “Enough. Research without focus is harmful.”

After a moment’s pause, they all looked at each other before continuing their rapid hand motions and hissing.

“Yes, focus is necessary.”

“The crystals will break.”

“What is the best subject to focus on?”

Without a response, they all turned back to her, waiting expectantly.

She chuckled softly, scratching the back of her neck before stretching it out and flipping back her hair.  “I’d like to know what you’ve learned about this moon.”

“She wishes to know about our research.”

“Why would a human be interested in our findings?”

“You haven’t been with us.”

“Yes, humans are curious.”

“Unpredictable.”

“You’ve seen the sonic screwdriver?”

“I have not.”

“Laser screwdriver.”

“No.”

“Robots.”

“Can we create crystal variants?”

“Possible.”

“Rogue AI.”

“Frightening.”

“Time manipulation.”

“Wondrous.”

“Dimensional creation.”

“Useful.”

“Molecular compression technology.”

“Needed.”

“To only name a few.”

“I have not experienced many of those things.”

“Expected.”

“Predictable.”

“Crystal integrity requires much focus.”

“Too much to absorb.”

“Far too much.”

One of the aliens held out its hand and activated the main control, causing the entire thing to brighten; the spinning sphere at its center lit-up with white light before projected a realistic three-dimensional image.  It was as if she were staring at a miniature planet.

Fascinated, Rachel moved around the aliens to get a closer look.

The sphere was spinning on a slight angle, and there was a large bubble on one of the southern continents that looked like The Oscillation event.

“This is where we are?”  Rachel asked before folding her ears back to lean in and get a better look.

“Not a live feed.”

“Yes, we are there.”

“Shouldn’t the human know?”

“No.”

“Humans specialize in different fields.”

“She is a combat-oriented human.”

“War.”

“Protecting.”

“She focuses on war strategy.”

“And engages in physical combat.”

“I was in error.”

“Understandable.”

“Data is being stored.”

“Throughput is backed up.”

“Too much data.”

“It’s a simulation of what we have compiled.”  One moved around her, sharp fingers touching the bubble.

The world expanded, showing what appeared to be a live three-dimensional image, capturing an aerial view.  A large hazy blue cloud was moving down the slopes at a slow pace, but she knew it was just her perception because of the distance shown.

“We have lost several research stations inside.”

“All communication lost.”

“No instrument can penetrate more than twenty meters.”

“Waves do not reflect out.”

“Temperature further inside is undetermined.”

“Conditions beyond are a...”

A large red hexagram-shaped crystal was blinking inside the fog on the opposite side of the mountain.  The display caused Rachel to swallow before cutting in.

“That’s the shape of the crystal?  It’s not solid like the one we came through?”

“Correct.”

“It releases a solid EM wave of light.”

“Has an image.”

“The structure is not solid.”

“Unknown waves.”

“Undetectable.”

“Perhaps Artron Energy?”

“Possible.”

“Only known release is from what the humans call the EM spectrum.”

“Human war, correct?”

“Data points in that direction.”

“Humans were at the beginning stages of the war.”

“They sent in the changed humans.”

“Indeed.”

“They are currently attacking the Azure Frost.”

“Frightening technology.”

“Terrifying.”

“Biotechnology?”

“According to one of the humans.”

“Genetic manipulation.”

“Intriguing.”

“Far more advanced.”

“Studies are in…”

They paused as Rachel licked her lips, clearing her throat as she reached over and pointed the crystal indicator.  The scene vanished, replaced by the strange gateway.

Rachel stepped back before taking a deep breath; she scanned every inch of the smooth structure.  The aliens moved to watch her, hissing, and gesturing.

“She is studying our collected data?”

“Perhaps she knows something we do not.”

“Could there be useful information found within?”

“We do not know much.”

“Time, place, and image.”

“Number of pulses.”

“Wave strength.”

“Our theory of connection.”

“That could be important.”

“It could, for many possibilities.”

“Distance…”

She slid her bottom lip under her teeth before licking them.  Their rapid responses sparked dots in her mind that she quickly connected, and several of her own questions began to bubble up.

Clearing her throat, she asked, “Can you take it back to the beginning, just before it appeared?”

The group fell silent, and a few of the aliens moved around the table; a sphere of orange light appeared before each of them with various symbols within them, and they each began moving them around and somehow changing them into different shapes.

If I can use their recording data to pinpoint more information on these crystals, then we might be able to better understand how they came to be.  Just how detailed is their monitoring equipment? They also mentioned that their Matrix … whatever that is, is being overloaded. Hopefully, they can do what I want.

The display faded, showing the spinning diamond-like crystal, and it began to increase in speed before the entire room disappeared, and they were standing in an unassuming dense part of the jungle.

There were small and medium-sized insects that she hadn’t seen before flying around the area as what looked like a rainstorm passed overhead, only noticeable by the fading sound of thunder.

Water dripped off the leaves, and a giant snake with a body as tall as her, slowly moved around her; it had bark-like skin and seemed to materialize from nowhere.  Upon further inspection, its scales changed colors to blend into the environment.

It quickly lashed out at one of the medium-sized insects, biting it in half with sharp teeth before swallowing the remains.  Several different creatures of various sizes shot out from the thick underbrush, fleeing the area.

Gazing around the scene, Rachel couldn’t help but feel awed at the spectacle; the orange haze was gone, replaced by a perfect simulation of the jungle above, and she could hear the crystal below her molding itself to simulate the impression her feet made against the mud.

The only thing that wasn’t masked was the console and aliens with her.  It looked like the structures they were playing with were simply a part of the woods around her; one of the panels was even obscured from sight by a tree between them.

These guys are way more advanced than us … light-years beyond our current technology.

“This is the time it appeared.”

“Ahead of you.”

The scene slowed in Rachel’s eyes as she activated Mental Acceleration to its maximum degree and watched the dripping water lag as if the world were trying to catch up; however, she didn’t even blink, and the three-dimensional hexagram emerged from nowhere before her.

Deactivating the skill, she released a low hum before asking, “How slow can you make it?”

“Not as slow as the humans.”

The water around her reversed until just before the crystal’s appearance, and then everything seemed to freeze.  With her wide field of vision, she watched a single line of solid red light, the size of her fist, materialize out of nowhere without any burst or gradient of hues.

Several lines branched off from the point, moving at an even pace and was perfectly straight, turning sharply at different angles to produce a three-dimensional representation of a hexagram that resembled a star.  It was as if two three-dimensional triangles had been overlapped on either side.

“Fifty times faster than light.”

“We use inferior technology to humans.”

“Only possible to capture this much.”

“Thought to be impossible.”

“Yet, we cannot deny it.”

“Light that is faster than light in the same space.”

“We theorize, the breach of dimensional space is the cause.”

“Undetermined.”

“Cannot penetrate unknown substance with monitoring equipment.”

“Waves teleport to the opposite side as if the space isn’t there at all.”

“The same for the barrier around us.”

“Human technology is far superior.”

Rachel moved around the shape as she watched a slow pulse of red light emerge from its center, branching out and taking on a solid form within the lines.  “The center light moves at light speed?”

“Correct.”

“Okay … can you show me side by side the crystal we have and this other crystal?”

They complied.

She smiled a little when half the room split, showing the camp and jungle; they watched her exit the portal with the others to talk to the Captain.  The scene slowed to a standstill, and their crystal’s internal glow faded, erasing the picture of the other side.

The solid lines began to retreat back to the centerpiece before branching out again into the right-sided triangle, released an image of the other side, retreated again, and made the left-sided triangle at the same time the other crystal was being formed.

Her mind accelerated again.

They must be synchronized between them, and there was some kind of transition phase where our crystal completely changed shapes, but it took a moment.  Why? In the span it takes to move these solid outlines, we don’t even have the technology to even hope to capture it. However, it waited an eternity in its time before changing again.

It could have something to do with a cooldown phase or lag between crystals?  Maybe the information about the Azure Frost … that could be it. The birds said the colors and shapes indicate the danger level.  It wasn’t that high until the Azure Frost came into the mix, but the world the birds were coming from must have been a powerful world to have the crystal shaped like that.

No … they had a protector that dealt with them, but I doubt they were the cause of the crystal…  Why do I keep calling it a crystal? It’s light. Well, no, not exactly that, either. We don’t know what it is, but it takes the form of a crystal.  It’s connected, though … it is coming from the same place.

Yet, there’s nothing we can do about it.  It’s a bridge between two dimensions or worlds, and this proves it can be even more, but there’s also an origin point … there has to be.  There’s something connecting the portals, but that doesn’t mean it’s every crystal.

Are they natural?  It doesn’t seem that way.  There’s a function it follows, but you could say the same about reality … the universe follows certain rules.  No, this is a rabbit hole, and I’m no rabbit. I can’t speculate much off this.

Her attention moved back to the crystal as time sped up on both sides.

“We observed the situation.”

“Unknown creatures came out.”

“Just like the humans.”

“The humans are confusing.”

“The others are not.”

“Humans contradict.”

“Vulnerable and not.”

“Powerful, but withhold their strength.”

“Anger and love unbound.”

“They experience things strongly, or seemingly, not at all.”

She hummed lowly while watching multiple creatures, including the toucan birds, exited the portal in droves; they spread out, rushing all directions.

“Then, the Azure Frost came.”

There were groups of strange creatures that came through from time to time, and then there was a pause; the leaves stopped weaving, and insects stopped moving.  The space before Rachel expanded, showing an extremely small area below the hovering crystal. A tiny blue chunk of ice had fallen through.

It struck the ground, and slowly bloomed into a blue dahlia, leaving a frozen bud at its center; the sun barely touched it through the thick undergrowth, but with the strong breeze and swaying trees, the light came through.

Time advanced to nighttime, and roots spread out, taking into the mud; a soft mist was expelled from the delicate leaves, and ice exploded around the area.  The floor seemed to leave her as the image was pulled back, and she watched the fog grow like cancer, overtaking the nearby trees within an hour.

“This is how it started,” Rachel whispered.

“Indeed.”

“None of our defenses work.”

“Bypasses all materials.”

“Freezes everything.”

“Almost no motion besides the spores.”

She watched the expansion with a grave expression; the aliens showed her their model of how quickly the proliferation and burrowing would take place.  It was at this point that their earlier predictions started to sink in about the entire planet being utterly encased by this enchanted ice. The sight caused her ears to twitch with agitation.

It bypasses every material and defensive measure these aliens have.  If all of these attempts and failures are true … will a nuke even work?

They showed her their last resort that they’d initiated only a few hours after its expansion.  Massive orange pillars of crystal shot out of the valley, meeting one other above the haze to close it off, and below the surface, more crystals dug their way to block the roots from expanding.

The orange turned black as a field of energy linked between the arches, creating a colossal force field.  The mist moved past the force field as if it wasn’t even there, and shortly after, they lost all control over the structure.  It was as if the framework was gone; it drew no energy, and the power sent through simply vanished.

A nuke probably won’t work.  These aliens are looking at us like some god-like technologically advanced civilization, but if Maria and the others fail … we’re all dead … everyone.