Kuro: A Land in Eternal Night

Chapter 1.3: Taiyou-Shi, City of the Sun

They were now staring at the sealed entrance to Reactor Core #3. Solid metal doors looked back at them impassively; grim, foreboding guardians that prevented would-be trespassers.

"Fala, this isn't funny..." Gustav began.

Fala smiled even more. "Gustav, there is only one way to find out how accurate this document is..."

"Where did you find this document, Fala?"

"I hacked it off of the Central Reserve's classified files."

"Fala that is a Class-A violation. We could go to prison for years. I can't believe you called me out to the hill for the sole purpose of looking at Reactor #3. I could have sworn you had something else in mind."

Fala looked at Gustav with a puzzled expression on her face. "And what might that be, Gustav?"

Gustav sighed. "Never mind. What's your plan?"

Fala giggled. "I think you can figure that one out yourself, Mr. Smarty Pants."

Gustav sighed again. "I was afraid of that. You want proof Diskarma lied, right? What better way than to check the output of the most productive reactor in Taiyou-Shi for five straight years."

Fala beamed. "Gustav, you are a man after my own heart."

"Well I am..." Gustav muttered under his breath.

"What was that?"

"Never mind, Fala."

Gustav walked right up to the entrance and looked around. The reactor entrance was nondescript, just a tiny black dome with heavy metal doors. The reactor itself was underground, far below the city's three plates, lower even than the Utter Darkness. One would think that security would be tighter, but then again, no one in their right mind would think of entering a reactor core without authorization.

Tabloids were rife with stories of people disappearing in the shadows. Curiosity killed the cat, it was often said. Curiosity about the reactor meant more than death. It meant a total disappearance. Individuals who were far too curious found themselves completely wiped from history, the entire record of their lives obliterated. Acquaintances went about as though those persons never existed.

"Do we even have a game plan?" Gustav muttered out loud.

"Shhh!" Fala said. "This way." She smiled, a strange gleam in her eyes as she moved forward.

When they had first met at school, Fala knew that Gustav disliked her initially. He thought she was arrogant and pig-headed. He specifically didn't like the way she went about things. Most people found Fala headstrong and impulsive, and Gustav in particular found her direct manner off-putting.

In time, however, Fala noticed a change in Gustav's opinion. Once they began working closely together, Gustav began to realize he was mistaken in his initial assessment of her. Although Fala appeared impetuous, she had always shown him that she had a plan, and that the plan always worked out.

Most people didn't understand why Fala joined the Sun Watchers. Many of the Sun Watchers were misfits, square pegs in round holes that didn't fit in with the crowd.

Fala was different on the surface. She was likable and made friends easily. Good at sports and academics, she made a name for herself at the University rather quickly. She distinguished herself, and soon had a small fan following of sorts. But beneath her cheery exterior, there was something else at work. There was a melancholy, dismal side to Fala, a side she tried very hard to hide. She became obsessed with the Lost Period, about how humanity had lost its link with divinity, how the Deities had forsaken man. When she was with the Sun Watchers, Fala felt that she didn't need to hide that side of herself.

Fala looked up to find a concealed keypad high above them. "Gustav! Help me with this will you?" Gustav was staring intently at Fala now. "I need you to hoist me up," said Fala. "The keypad is too high." She was attempting to break into the security lock of the #3 Reactor. Gustav didn't look surprised in the least.

"I suppose you haven't thought through this?" Gustav asked as he hoisted Fala up above his shoulders.

"Far from it, my friend." She smiled back at Gustav. She keyed in a nine-digit code sequence, cancelled out, keyed in yet another nine-digit code sequence, cancelled yet again and then entered in a 14-key sequence. The keypad lit up and the light screen activated. A distinct puzzle was presented, with dots of light in a box pattern. Fala took a series of zig-zagging swipes on the light screen.

"Access confirmed," an electronic voice said as Fala came down from Gustav's shoulders.

"The key sequence won't be enough," Gustav began, "We need a biometric clearance card, one that's tied to the owner's genetic code..."

The doorway opened and Fala walked right in.

"...which you obviously have on you and acquired via methods that I don't really want to know about."

"Believe me, Gustav, you really don't." Fala laughed out loud.

Gustav put the Chrysanthemums down on the ground by the door. "Stay right there," he told the flowers. "I'm coming back for you."