Xeight and the accompanying T3ST colony elder, Vthree, landed off the west coast of San Francisco at the crack of dawn.

Though Enine called their vehicle a ‘landing ship’, it was far more accurate to call it a landing pod.

The descent was rather rocky initially until the parachute opened up. As for the gravity? When Xeight opened the hatch of the landing pod, he honestly found it not much different to the centrifugal gravitational internal structure of the T3ST colony.

He found himself swaying drunkenly to the waves of the ocean, though luckily, the simulations he had been put through prepared him for this, somewhat. He did wrinkle his nose at the salty breeze, but did not find it overly distasteful to the mind.

Unlike Xeight, Vthree, the accompanying elder, appeared nauseous. Though currently the youngest elder of the T3ST colony, she is a few decades older than Xeight, and her ability to adapt to this environment was much more limited.

In but a few minutes, an elegant angular jet-black super-yacht, sleek as an arrow, approached the landing pod. On its side flashed the silvery-white bold name, ‘Amymone’, that glimmered slightly red and orange in the light of dawn that reflected off the wisps of clouds in the dark sky.

Xeight had thought that they would be picked up by a trawler-- James MacLeod had once mentioned this when he visited the T3ST colony.

Yet, to see the sight of such a beautiful yacht, not unlike a black swan, gliding towards him… 

Vthree, the female elder sent down to ensure the task of the T3ST mission be completed smoothly, momentarily forgot her discomfort at the shifting ocean upon the sight of this super yacht as well.

As the Amymone got closer, Xeight further saw that the super yacht was not completely of the same jet-black material-- A slightly different dark matte material illustrated a nine-headed hydra across its hull, the emblem of the Kasvallian Group.

The Amymone came to a standstill beside the landing pod, and a man dressed in a wetsuit clutching two ropes of an unidentified sinewy material leapt off the super yacht like a joyful dolphin.

He swam to the landing pod and attached the two sinewy and glittering ropes, before climbing onto the small platform right outside the open doorway of the pod.

The man beckoned at a crew member on the Amymone to begin reeling in the landing pod. He then turned to face Xeight, removing his swimming goggles to reveal a pair of glinting sapphire eyes, and the everyday neuro circlet around the forehead. He then ran his silvery hair backwards, squeezing out the ocean water from his flowing sleek strands.

“I’m Vezna,” he smiled amicably as he raised a hand. “Of the Kasvallian Group.”

“I’m Xeight.” A firm shake of the hand.

“Vthree,” his elder greeted.

The flat-tipped conal landing pod was pulled beside the Amymone by the attached ropes, the pulling device operated by Vezna’s circlet.

Vezna gestured for the two to follow him on board. A number of men in exo-skeletons began operating pulleys and mechanical hands to pull the landing pod onto the empty black platform on the superyacht.

“Welcome to Earth, my friends,” Vezna beamed under the red hue of dawn. “I hope you do not mind spending a week to two on Earth. We do have to travel to the Rocky Mountains.”

“This…” Elder Vthree had not expected this trip would take this long. After all, Starship Oneiroi would face danger if it had to hover around Earth’s vicinity for too long. They were simply here to retrieve a unit for Kasvallian Group. For reasons unknown to them, the Kasvallian Group wanted them--associated to the martians-- to take some technological unit to space.

“Oh, not to worry. Your… Grand Elder Enine, was it? We’ve already given him a code. Any ship passing by would think your starship a terran ship, should they even identify it in the darkness of space,” Vezna leisurely stated as he slid open a glass pane and strode confidently into a luxurious lounge.

Xeight found himself discovering new surfaces and furniture. The ground itself was a soft butternut wooden floorboard, before it transitioned into a creamy carpet with minor protrusions that formed a repeating hydra image.

Vezna led them to a two meter long polished black and gold marble table surrounded by many sofa seats of different soft brown hues.

“Jack.” Vezna gestured at an attending man in a black suit. “Champagne.”

The black-suited man nodded as he bowed before marching off.

“Vezna…You are…?” Vthree felt it necessary to know of Vezna’s position.

“I’m the CEO of the Kasvallian Group,” Vezna casually replied. “Surprised?”

Elder Vthree raised her eyebrows but Xeight remained expressionless as he ran his fingers against the soft fabric of the sofa.

Vezna chortled at Xeight’s reaction and just shook his head.

Perhaps some might assume Vezna to be mocking Xeight’s curiosity of the sofa material. Yet, when Xeight met eyes with Vezna, he saw only a sort of… whimsy alongside a glimmer of sorrow.

“Some might believe me being the CEO means I have some world-bending influence. Not so,” commented Vezna. “The Kasvallian Group is so large that many previous CEOs sit on a powerful overseeing board. I’m far too small.”

The attending man, Jack, returned with three glasses with a large bottle of champagne. He uncorked the bottle and was about to serve the three until Vezna reached out and poached the bottle from his grasp.

“Leave us,” he commanded.

“Yes, sir.” Jack monotonously left in an orderly manner.

Vezna poured the golden liquid for the three then raised his glass.

“Cheers!” He found himself facing the two confused figures of Vthree and Xeight.

“What event are we celebrating?” Xeight had learned from James MacLeod long ago about champagne.

Vezna set his glass down as he sighed.

“Did you know? My great great… many great ancestor was a leading researcher of… your people.” He ignored the tense expression that now occupied Elder Vthree’s face at his words, and continued.

“We cooperated with the MacLeod Group, but they got cold feet. Indeed, there were side effects, but my ancestor was devoted to resolving that issue for your people.”

“The MacLeods got cold feet and abandoned the project once the issues with your ancestors’ bodily functions appeared.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Elder Vthree tersely replied. “The connection between the brain and body requires one of balance. Any attempt to further adjust that balance would only cause further chain failures.”

“You’re not wrong,” Vezna nodded with a smile, unperturbed by the hint of hostility. “But my ancestor wanted to create a sort of artificial intelligence to bear the weight for your brains. So you are mistaken in your judgment. My ancestor considered yours his good friends!”

He tapped his neuro circlet and Xeight found his mind filled with a man’s diaries. Though he did not show on his face, internally, he was rather surprised that this diary spoke of the T3ST colony’s members as comrades in space exploration.

Elder Vthree’s widened her eyes at Vezna’s words. Would such a solution have worked if carried out way back in the older generations? She could not deny the possibility. She began examining the authenticity of the diary from Vezna.

Xeight now reached forth and raised his glass.

“A celebration of…a reunion then, is it?” He was cordial in tone.

“Yes. Yes!” Vezna nodded in controlled elation.

Their glasses clinked together and they both tilted their heads backwards. Vezna consumed the beverage in one shot. Xeight, on the other hand, took a few sips to test the taste before he imitated Vezna and poured the liquid down his throat.

Elder Vthree remained in thought to the side, her glass untouched.

“Did he succeed?” Xeight had to wonder after his mind scoured the diary he received. This ancestor of Vezna had promised himself to continue his research.

“No…” Vezna gave a shake of his head. “The Kasvallian Group didn’t always exist like today. He could never gather the needed funds for any large-scale development. All of his attempts lead to AI systems lacking in sophistication. If he had the support of the MacLeods back then…”

Vezna picked up the bottle of champagne and refilled their two glasses and dispelled his somberness.

“Oh yes. We’ll be passing the Golden Gate Bridge soon. Come!” He stood and Xeight followed. Elder Vthree hesitated but eventually also picked up her glass and followed the two much younger individuals out of the lounge.

They climbed a flight of wooden planks layered on top of the Amymone’s black frame to the very top level of the superyacht.

In front and above the superyacht towered the Golden Gate Bridge. Xeight raised his head upwards to find the rising red sun partially blocked by the majestic tower raising the bridge above the seas, creating a sort of ephemeral halo around the tower’s head.

“One of the longest existing landmarks of San Francisco. Rebuilt many times across centuries and millennium. Always the same international orange paint. It was certainly a sight yesterday with the aurora above the bridge.” Vezna’s silvery hair flowed in the wind as the Amymone sailed under the man-made wonder.

Vezna tapped his neuro circlet again. Xeight and Vthree received codes to connect to a number of devices. When Xeight did so, he found himself connected to many sensory vantage points on top of the Golden Gate Bridge, gaining a panoramic view of the twinkling bay, the dense metropolis, the expansive ocean to the western horizon.

“So… this is Earth.” Elder Vthree, too, shared this view, her heart inscrutable. This was supposedly where her ancestors once lived. Her eyes slowly developed a wispy yearning. If they were to win the war, they would surely have this type of world on Mars one day…

The superyacht docked at Marina Bay and a robust and tall trundling jeep picked up the passengers.

“We’ll have to travel by car,” Vezna noted. “Too much security if we go by plane. Hope you don’t mind. There will be stops.”

The jeep set off eastward, followed by a few extra jeeps that served the Kasvallian Group.

“So… what do you think of the city?” Vezna posed this question to his two guests as the jeep procession passed through many of the city blocks and across spanning bridges before reaching the outskirts of the city.

Xeight and Elder Vthree were now consuming their breakfast. Vezna had specially prepared these meals and their jeep even had extendable tables that served the plate. It was rather rare for Xeight to have this type of food-- the printed meals in the T3ST colony were rather mundane, mostly covering the required nutrients within a limited menu. Goop was rather common unless a special event necessitated a celebration.

“A wondrous… city.” Xeight ate his fresh and naturally sourced scrambled eggs, unable to find the words to describe the sight he had seen through the jeep’s tinted windows.

“A utopia…” Elder Vthree muttered.

“Hah,” Vezna chortled then sighed with a shake of his head. “That’s what they all say.”

Having set his eyes upon this city, Xeight felt himself somewhat understanding James MacLeod. There must be other cities like this one across Earth. The number of people he had passed by today was in the millions. Earth is lush and fertile, filled with infinite life unimagined by his mind. Xeight found his ears filled by a sudden harsh voice.

“This is just an empty husk. A prison. A tiger that has forgotten what it meant to hunt. To invent. To innovate.” Vezna barked, his eyes containing a deep sense of sorrow.

Xeight blinked, rather bewildered by Vezna’s sudden change in tone. Vezna muttered some words under his breath and his original demeanor returned.

“No matter. If you live here long enough, you’ll understand.”

Elder Vthree remained thoroughly silent, her eyes glazed in a dream. She had not heard any words of their exchange.

____________________________________________________________________________

EFSF Lunar Base

“Special Lieutenant MacLeod.” Admiral Petrov’s voice sounded through to an upright James, his body tensely locked in position. “You will be temporarily relocated to security duties on Earth for two weeks while we reach our verdict. Take your remaining team of nexarms and return to Earth. Head to the Kasvallian complex in the Rocky Mountains. They have informed us of suspicious activities around the west coast.”

“Also. Your identity as James MacLeod was requested to attend a gathering of the elites by Vezna de Lerna. Do ensure to attend that. The CEO of Neurorevo will be there as well. Just treat it as a… part-time work vacation. Maintain EFSF ties to those of influence. You know the deal, MacLeod.” Petrov sounded somewhat peeved that he was requested by Earth Federation High Command to send MacLeod for such a task.

“Afterwards, depending on our verdict, you may need to replenish your numbers with the reserves. Neurorevo has indicated that they already have new nexarm units manufactured.”

“Yes, Sir!” James saluted. He had indeed received an invite from Vezna, his old acquaintance. The message had reached him after Starship Atlas limped back to the lunar base post emergency repairs.

He and the remaining members of the team, Athena, Olivia, and Cyrus, made ready to descend in their four nexarms that had gone through maintenance.

The remaining brain of Cliupatra Saad had long been transported to Pacific City to be attached to her body copy.

“Where are we heading, sir?” Olivia asked.

“North America,” stated James. “An old… friend of mine. Requested my presence at a social gathering. We are to also ensure that… we are also to ensure that there will be no terroristic resistance against the Earth Federation. The EFSF represents the terrans, and any that resist will be deemed as terrorists without the interest of Earth at heart.”

“The admiral’s orders were for us to spread our nexarms across the west coast of North America as needed. However, I will have no choice but to attend the social gathering of the Kasvallian Group.”

Unlike the T3ST colony, they had access to Earth-to-Space spaceplanes. Their nexarms were stored in one each, and the four spaceplanes departed from the lunar base with the trajectory aimed at North America.

Two spaceplanes would land at the Kasvallian Group’s Rocky Mountains Complex-- James MacLeod’s and Athena Watanabe’s.

Cyrus Amiri headed towards Seattle while Olivia Gonzalez headed towards Los Angeles. Athena was chosen as standby, to guard the Kasvallian Complex while being in position to offer assistance to either Olivia or Cyrus. James MacLeod had to participate at Kasvallian Group’s social gathering within their Rocky Mountains Complex and might be occupied during critical moments.

James and Athena arrived on a runway that punched an expertly constructed wide tunnel into the side of the Grand Teton Mountain Peak of the Rocky Mountains in northwest Wyoming.

This was the first time that James had come to this Kasvallian Complex, and he had to marvel at the engineering feat. The tunnel they had arrived in would even allow the twenty meter tall nexarm to stand straight with no difficulty.

Many other planes were arriving as well, and James soon spotted Vergara, the current CEO of Neurorevo.

Athena controlled her nexarm and activated the connected neuro devices. Naturally, the four nexarms had brought along weapon devices useful on Earth, such as switching to crab automatons. Cyrus and Olivia carried tank devices, but Athena, having to defend the Kasvallian Complex inside Grand Teton Peak, connected a number of eight-legged mobile turrets that could traverse any terrains unlike the tank systems..

When her unit stood up and moved towards the exit for patrol duty, the tunnel lights that casted a hulking shadow elicited a thunderous applause that echoed the will of those present.

“Welcome all, welcome all!” A black-suited woman led the group of elites into the complex.

“Our CEO, Vezna de Lerna, will arrive in half a day. Please settle down-- your accommodations have already been arranged! Our complex is powered by the yellowstone supervolcano. We constantly relieve the geothermal energy for our use, so rest easy. There are quite a number of entertainment venues. Artificial hot springs, a three-sixty surround theater, viewing vantage points, exercise and sports facilities. We also have many guides for trekking if you wish to connect with nature. Many musicians have also been invited.”

“I hope you all understand, though, that this is a business and research complex, thus we do not have anything to the level of the Golden Elysium that luxuriously sails around space.”

James MacLeod remained in constant communication with his remaining team.

“How is Seattle?”

“Nothing, Sir. No signs of instability,” Cyrus replied

“Los Angeles?”

“Demonstrations are beginning… a segment of the population aren’t particularly happy with their nation contributing and strengthening the Earth Federation.” Olivia’s voice.

“Watanabe,” James communicated as he gazed out of a wide, extensive window from within the complex, viewing the full exquisite nature of the Rocky Mountains. “If I am indisposed, provide assistance to Lieutenant Gonzalez or Amiri. Do not concern yourself with this area. I will defend the Kasvallian Complex if any major issue arises.”

‘Yes, Sir!”