Risen: Shatterverse

Chapter 15: Last Minute Adjustments

Three implantations and three former entity bodies in cold storage later, we were sliding through the demdagon extra space gate and back into the cave. Lux had the loading ramp already dropping and extending as the type 4 lowered into the space we were using to park it.

"Three more Collectorverse planets implanted," Hannibal said with a smile as he looked over at a satisfied Korisahnt. "I'd say that makes this most recent operation a success."

"I agree," the Collectorverse entity leader said with a nod. "Two more darksiders to implant, then us lightsiders and our primary purpose in returning here is done!"

The two continued in conversation as they walked towards the Risen section of the cave, followed by Naveaia and her security team. Which left me standing and watching them go at the base of the ramp, my thoughts a slow churn.

"That was interesting," Teal dryly remarked as she and her Ascendancy fire team joined me on the ground. Looking over at her, I could see the bordering-on-overwhelmed look on her face through her open visor. And in that moment I realized that no matter how advanced the Ascendancy was, they had very little experience, if any, with the paranormal nature of the things they just bore witness to.

Ghosts in metal bodies, entities living in the heart of planets, and powerful aliens wielding the power of gods; this was so far outside of Teal's experience, real or otherwise, all she could muster was: "That was interesting." Which, if we were in different positions, would've been the understatement of the millennia.

Regardless, seeing that look on her silver and poly face told me one thing: this woman needed something alcoholic to drink. And pronto!

"This might be a good time to find a pub, if you folks still have those, and put a couple back before trying to unpack everything you've been a part of in the last hour or so," I suggested.

Teal favored me with a look before abruptly nodding.

"Sounds like a pretty damn good idea, actually," the Ascendancy officer said, her fireteam nodding in agreement. "The military has always utilized socialization with mild intoxicants to improve troop morale. And, as you just said, Two, it also helps to break things down amongst peers that have experienced the same thing, to better understand what transpired."

Teal paused there to tap her metallic forehead.

"I just hope they've come up with something these metallo-organic bodies can drink and actually get drunk!"

The Ascendency officer made a gesture and the five of them began walking to the rectangular hole in space that led into the Ascendency's pocket universe. They had gone maybe two or three steps before Teal looked over her shoulder.

"You're not coming with us, Two?"

"Oh!" I said, somewhat surprised. "I didn't realize I was invited!" I went to say as I quickly stepped to join them.

"You made the suggestion, friend," Teal said with a smile. "Just seems fair that you get included in our efforts to find a good watering hole in our new base!"

As we stepped through the entrance, we could see there was still a fairly steady trickle of new individuals being assembled at the mini-forge set up to recover Ascendency assets from the data sector my passenger pulled out of Garolan's database. But then the actual spectacle that was the Ascendency forward operating base grabbed my attention and refused to let it go.

Thankfully there was a base quartermaster depot close by where all of those new arrivals were removing their armor and putting on regular fatigues to continue on into the base. Teal quickly indicated that we do the same and, after removing our armor and leaving it with the base quartermaster, which had a storage facility close to the door, we moved into the expansive base to take a quick tour dressed in more convenient and comfortable Ascendency fatigues.