The Exiles:A New Power

Home On The Prairie

Months later.

The Research Station on the planet, which had been called 'New Arizona' by some intrepid bastard whose little nickname had caught on, had grown substantially as more researchers were awoken from cryosleep. Admittedly, a staff of a few hundred researchers, plus a garrison of several hundred Marines may not have seemed so much in comparison to the millions still aboard the fleet, actively in Cryo, but their families were also being added into the mix.

Doctor Grayson marched through the small underground city, which had expanded out from the base of the station, through its collapsed tunnels and into the depths of the planet's safe zone. A multitude of families were, in fact, living in specialty-made 'apartments' as built by the Navy's Construction Battalions. From wires connected to the reactor of the place to a specialized wavespace communication station built deep into the central section of the complex and linked directly to Atlana to keep her operational.

There was also a massive mess hall and a hydroponics section for growing the vegetables that'd feed them. Grayson regarded the place with a smile, noting to herself that it may yet expand further, into a full, operational underground city at a later date, that could potentially accommodate tens, if not hundreds of thousands of those currently asleep aboard the fleet.

This was their most out-of-the-way place, the only safe haven from other interstellar cultures that may have formed deeper in the galaxy, according to Atlana. The other planets that she had given coordinates to had apparently been discovered with a calculation for drift from Latana. Of course, in millions of years, some of the might've drifted off from their original location from during the Concordat's time.

Still, even with the joy of new colonization permeating the air, she saw the adults' stares. Those of the soldiers, scientists and support staff within the base, as well as their families, extended or otherwise. There was still the animosity, the hatred of having left their brethren to battle alone, the families out on Earth to fend for themselves. They all understood the mission, however, Grayson thought as she walked down the halls.

They understood it, but just like the Naval Crew and Marines, it did not mean they had to like it.

She saw them soldier on, regardless, some tending to the base's systems via maintenance, others playing with and tending to the kids. The security garrison marched through, chatting each-other and the civilians, whether family or family friends, up as they did so. Doctor Grayson, however, had a specific target:The hangar which had the aircraft that would take her to the fleet.

Marching into it, to the sight of the supporting engineers and the open top hatch of the place(as well as the sand that gathered in the corners), the woman saw the Pelican that would take her up to the ships. She paused as she saw captain Caleb and his squad already packing their kit for the trip, then smiled at them. The man nodded, hefting his duffel full of supplies and slinging it onto the shelves above the seats of the Pelican.

She marched into the transport as the rest of the Ranger unit boarded, then said, "I take it you remain my escort for the exploration of the new planet?"

"Command's orders," He replied as he helped her with her bags, slotting them on top and beside his. He looked over to her, then asked, "I'm hearing this time we're going tropical? Still burning hot, but nothing quite like New Arizona..." words which made the Doctor's smile widen. The group of soldiers and the woman sat themselves down in the chairs and strapped in as the pilot and co-pilot walked in.

"Indeed," Grayson nodded, "Command, in the meanwhile, will be testing out the new idea we've had in regards to combining Element Zero and our jump drives... Though there's still the matter of the eddies within Slipspace itself that may knock the ship about as it reduces its mass to near-nil for travel," She then explained and pulled her tablet out of her pocket. She thumbed it, then nodded approvingly and added, "That should be solved as soon as we crack one of Atlana's latest gifts. Kinetic Barriers are apparently an extra layer of armoring of a sort, meant to be able to repulse kinetic energy. Some of our doctors speculate they can be used to help our FTL travel, too."