LOCATION: PORTAL TECHNOLOGY GROUP
AREA: ASHEN CITY, NOCTURNUS
STARDATE: 4205771x256 | TIME: LATE NIGHT
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System Message:
The following events occurred outside the area observed by the System. This historical Record was reconstructed from a memory archive voluntarily released after the subject Trevor Gant’s return.
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In all, it took twenty-one days, and it was quite the balancing act.
Trevor thought about the circus trick with multiple spinning plates and found the metaphor an apt one.
As Varris, he had to stall his Master from completing the emergency portal, while at the same time building one of his own that would actually function as intended.
He also had to find a way to keep the main portal open during a mass evacuation, while distracting the Black Guard.
But it was even worse than that, because the initial “softening up” phase of the incursion into Earth was almost complete, Kallus having gleaned enough data that it was time to bring in thousands of more powerful troops to push through the portal.
From the reports Trevor had hacked into, he wasn’t sure Earth was ready for a force of this power and size. That meant he had to destroy the beacon on Nocturnus that would guide the troops there.
And since the beacon was located at the Off-World Transport Station, he figured a little extra sabotage would cut off any escape routes and strand the rest of the Black Guard on the planet.
It wouldn’t keep the Empire at bay forever, but it would have to be enough. And if he destroyed Portal Tech and the main gate itself in the evacuation process, that would give Earth the best chance.
At the very least, to buy it time.
Time for humanity to grow stronger and shore up its defenses.
“Serves them right,” he whispered. “The Black Guard can all die along with the rest of Portal Tech.”
Tin nodded. “It sure does. So, what happens next?”
Trevor had taken to using his Varris persona by day and Rogue persona by night. For weeks now, he would cloak himself in shadow and slip out, rushing to the lower district.
There, he began distributing handwritten notes from Tin to help arrange everything. He made them read it on the spot, memorize the information, then take the notes back. Later, he burned the instructions, leaving no trace behind.
Tin’s old neighbors and friends, hearing that she was being so well taken care of, displayed more courage than Trevor had thought possible.
They assigned twelve laborers to widen the tunnel under the storehouse. Those men worked through the night, bolstered by extra energy rations that Trevor smuggled over from the Upper District.
But it was Trevor’s solution to the main portal that he was most proud of. He had designed a module that could fit into his palm. It was magnetic, and when placed on the portal device, would keep the rift open for a limited time, freezing the portal mages in place until the bridge collapsed and backfired in a grand explosion on Nocturnus.
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The problem was throughput at the main portal.
There were 2,452 people living in the lower district. Tin said she trusted all but a handful of them to keep the secret.
That meant that over 2,300 people, plus or minus maybe a few, needed to pass through the portal before it shut down.
It was fine if more made it through, but the Varris part of his personality didn’t want to reward snitches. In the end, Trevor decided he would do his best with the tech and leave the rest up to fate.
Next up was the Transport Station. The member of the Black Guard who had initially showed Trevor to his new home still contacted him from time to time.
Ostensibly, to check in on him and make sure he was settling in well. Trevor knew the man was only trying to ingratiate himself to someone he knew to be a powerful rising star.
No problem there. Ambition was something Varris could make use of.
“I need to meet with the Guard at the Station tomorrow night,” Trevor said. “Can you arrange it while I’m at work today?”
Tin took notes.
“No problem. I’m sure he’ll be glad to hear from you.”
“Next, I need you to get this to the person you trust the most on Shale Street.”
He handed her the portal module.
“Let me see the paper.”
Trevor drew the portal device, along with the figures of six mages. He highlighted a spot under the hand pads to the far right.
“It goes right here. It will make a click if it’s set right. If there’s no click, they need to pull it off and do it again. Do you understand?”
Tin nodded, making more notes.
“But how will they be able to get to the portal without being noticed?”
Trevor laughed.
“First, the portal mages are catatonic while they are at the gate. So no worries about being seen there. You could walk right up and slap them on the ass, they won’t even notice.”
Tin laughed at the absurdity of that notion.
“Second,” Trevor continued, “the explosion at the Transport Station will be their cue to run for the gate. The Black Guard will have their hands full dealing with the explosions at the Transport Station and Portal Tech.”
“Okay,” Tin said, continuing to take it down on her notepad.
“Your friend should let some people through first, but they will have to set the device before going through themselves. Once the module is placed, they will have about thirty minutes before everything closes, so tell them to choose their opportunity wisely.”
Tin continued writing, not wanting to miss any detail. Then she set her pencil down and looked up at Trevor.
“So we’re really doing this…”
He reached out and pulled her into a hug.
“I can’t wait to show you my world,” he said. “It will take some getting used to, but you’re going to love it there.”
“Will I still be able to work for you?” she asked.
Trevor laughed.
“You will have your own life. Full agency. I hope you stay with me, because I love you. But I will not force you to stay.”
A look of sadness crossed her face. Trevor continued.
“Let me explain this better. On my planet, every person is free. Not only free, but empowered. You will gain access to a new System. One that exists for the sole purpose of making you stronger, not keeping you weak.”
He smiled and rubbed her hair as she cried on his shoulder.
“As for me, we will be equals. We can get married if you wish. Start a family. The possibilities are endless.”
He pulled back and held her shoulders, looking her in the eyes.
“But first, we need to make this complicated plan go off without a hitch. There are a lot of moving parts, and far too many variables for my taste. I also don’t love the idea of having to rely on—”
She pressed her finger to his lips.
“They have never even imagined freedom, Trevor. When they learned it may be possible to actually escape this place, they were all on board.”
“But what if one of them tells the Guard?” Trevor asked.
It was the question that had been weighing on him the most. That Varris voice whispering in the back of his mind. Telling him those pitiful lives weren’t worth saving.
Even as Trevor knew that wasn’t how he felt, the risk factor was one he couldn’t ignore.
“Let me reassure you this time,” Tin whispered. She leaned in close, her breath tickling his ear as she spoke softly.
“I made sure only those worthy of our trust would ever know about this. There are only about a hundred who are not. We made sure they would never get word of any of this. I promise you.”
Trevor nodded.
“It will have to be enough.”
They spent weeks working on every aspect of the plan, and after twenty-one days of preparation, it was finally time.
With the first bell in the morning, the zero hour was upon them.
All the plates were spinning.
Could each stay in motion long enough for it all to work?