-=+ +=- [COMPLETED] The Second Universe -=+ +=-

Part 5: Thaumaturginite

The fireteam members began scanning and looting the fabricators and their output, and soon, an entrance different from the one they used to get in opened, which lead straight to a short staircase where starlight was visible at the end. Exiting via the stairwell, they found themselves at the side of a cliff overlooking Sarnin's distant shores. The beach is located about 10 kilometers away, and several rock spires existed along any path to the beach.

Considering the fireteam was about a kilometer above sea level and allied forces were a distance away, they had two options. One option was to teleport, and two was to wingsuit over. Also considering one of them had looted a functional jetpack from that facility and Allen and the others were interested in how well the jetpack worked, so there was really only one option; to wingsuit over.

"You really wanna test that facility jetpack?" Allen transmitted to the rifleman/grenadier using the jetpack. "I am positive sir." He responded. "Alright then, let's fly." Allen activated his New World Union issued jetpack, hopped off the cliff face, and started flying. The fireteam's members began to follow, hopping off the cliff one by one and activating their jetpacks. 

The jetpack looted from the facility performed similarly, though notably turned faster than the New World Union made jetpack due to larger fins and improved side engines; however the New World Union jetpacks notably flew faster than the facility-received jetpack. Allen noticed the guy missing and transmitted to him. "CROSS! ACTIVATE YOUR STANDARD PACK! YOU'RE SLOWING!"

"ROGER THAT SIR!" Cross deactivated the facility pack and activated his standard issue one, which allowed him to catch up and form back up with the rest of his fireteam. The team was dodging and weaving through incoming spires until they finally reached the end of them. They flew over the left edge of the armored strike group and made perfect touchdowns on the side of their battlestation, entering its interior pocket dimension via the door.

major reference incoming

"Briefing"

December 3, 542 - 17:02:00

Sgt. Allen, 30th HB-Division attached Marines

Sarnin-based New World Union Battlestation

Frogfoot Peninsula, Balingian Empire

Allen and his fireteam entered the Monolith battlestation and made their way to the debriefing room, dropping off the artifact in an analyzer slot as they passed by. As he was about to enter, an infantrybot notified Allen. "Sergeant Allen, there's a special visitor who will debrief you. Your fireteam will have to go forward one and enter the second debriefing room." "Copy." Allen responded, the entering the room. Off the side of his right eye, he saw the rest of his fireteam proceeding to the other room.

There was one seat in the room, and on the stage where there would normally be a presentation or infantrybot giving a speech was a hologram of the EMPEROR. A presentation began to play. "The rest of your fireteam and you delivered the loot. Twenty of you versus a whole underground fortress with unknown capabilities. I'm asking much more from you now."

The presentation video showed a map of the area, before zooming out far enough to a view of universal sectors. "Earlier you were a Marine on the frontlines against an unknown foe. But now, frontlines are becomin' history. Uniforms are relics--it's why we issue you guys armor only. The war wages all across reality. And there have already been and in the same way will be casualties." The presentation zoomed into a sector, then a planet, then a city, then a hotel-airport complex. 

The technology present was very analogous to New World Union technology, and their architecture bore a superficial aesthetic similarity. However, it still seemed a few years behind the Union. Allen was running millions of situations in his head, wondering how all of this could be possible, before his thoughts were interrupted by the hologram speaking. "These images you see before you were captured by EXTF Special Activities Division drone operators. An artifact with a million times the power compared to the one you just placed in the analyzer is located there, and these artifacts of Thaumaturginite as we have dubbed them could bring our nation ahead by thousands of years easily.-"

The presentation video began showing blueprints of the building, which had been obtained by the very same EXTFSAD drones earlier that day. "There's also a massive event involving exclusively military-serving aliens from that nation. They also bear a resemblance to homo sapiens, or humans, just like you and [me]--" When the hologram said 'me' it temporarily glitched out, before returning to normal.

"You, another operator who we will choose, (hint hint this character has already been introduced) 'Black Dragon Actual', or Tempus aka the head of the EXTFSAD and CEO of Enigma Corps PMC, and the two Co-Directors of the EXTF Phantom and Genesis will also join you on the mission. Phantom and Genesis will sorta be your co-commanders, so be sure to follow their orders." The screen then flashed a roofless bird's eye view of the airport, a blue line representing their path through the airport.

"Follow where the blue line will lead, which will be highlighted by our Universal Positioning Systems. Our cloaking as it stands is unfortunately insufficient for a stealth operation and a perfect opportunity like this seldom reveals itself, meaning you'll have to go loud. You'll also have to be wearing Enigma Corps attire, to give us plausible deniability. Since we're probably gonna ignite a major conflict by stealing that artifact anyway even if we use Enigma Corps as a veil, it won't make a difference if you go loud." 

Allen then had a question to ask. "Why can't we just ask them for the artifact, Y-your Highness?"  "Don't call me Your Highness anymore," the emperor answered, "Makes us sound like we're in the era before the Union started. Also, please call me sir, since I'm your commander-in-chief. Anyway, from the recon we've performed on their society, it was immediately clear that they possessed an extreme overreliance on this technology. We also lucked out when drones managed to record many conversations about their people being very selfish with their Thaumaturginite artifacts. This and a bunch of other signs give us a pretty bad forecast if we decide to approach diplomatically and risk our guys goin' through another reviving."

Allen then had another question. "Sir, where are we going to be infiltrating and exfiltrating, and at what times?" The emperor responded with "You'll be arriving with a smuggled hovercar at a secret tunnel created by drones under the airport at precisely 08:40:05, after which you'll be entering an elevator and arriving at the correct floor at 08:40:55. And for some bonus info, when you exit the elevator, you will shoot the guy giving a speech with a suppressed M905, before you start shooting everyone there. To reiterate, there are ZERO civilians there, so go weapons hot."

"Is there anything else I need to know, Sir?" Sgt. Allen asked. "You'll be getting one hell of a promotion for your involvement and getting some special weapons and gear, and that's about it." The emperor finished. "Thank you, Sir." "Of course, Sergeant. Operation's gonna be soon but indefinite. Maybe two to three months as a general estimate. Stay frosty, Sergeant. I will rebrief you again before the operation. Have a good one, yeah?" "Yeah, of course, sir. Will do." Allen said, exiting the room.

3234 words, holy shit i cooked

i do not have a release schedule btw

v1.1 December 25, 2023, silly update

v1.2 edited the no russian intro section