Chap 8: Military Bunker

Once the massive StarPoint BattleStar dropped out of hyperspace the two of us went over the system log before rushing to the shuttlebay. When we arrived at the shuttlebay we searched for our StarGaze Tracer, a Medium Class StarShip nicknamed Tiger Lily.

This particular StarShip was designed for a wide variety of tasks such as investigating possible Dimensional Rifts. It also includes a NeuroLink that connects the StarGazer crew members to the StarShips on board AI system. This system allows us to communicate with the StarShip and everything aboard the StarShip as long as either of us remains within range.

Then we made our way to the surface of the planet Riviera Haven. Which is where we meet with one of the Galactica Starz Officers stationed on the planet. He led us to an underground military bunker below the city. Where we waited for General Benjamin of the Resinwood House, the men who requested our presents in this sector.

"Good evening General Benjamin of the Resinwood House, I'm Sunmarie of the Lockheart House and this here is my twin sister Dawnmarie of the Lockheart House. We are the StarGazers you requested from StarPoint Central. You asked us to investigate possible Dimensional Rifts beneath the planet's surface. Would you be able to fill us in on the details?" I asked as they gave us a tour of the facility.

At the end of the tour we stopped in front of a bulkhead door which led us to an underground tunnel filled with radiation fog.

"Several Galactica Starz Officer's reported a mysterious building hidden within the radiation fog," explained General Benjamin of the Resinwood House as he pointed to the hazmat suits.

"This could prove to be quite an interesting day wouldn't you say sister?" I asked.

"Yes, your quite right sis if we manage to find the Dimensional Rift will need to establish a stable Dimensional Portal into the Dimensional Rift if we plan on investigating it," explained Dawnmarie of the Lockheart House to the general.

He handed the two of us hazmat suits and his fellow officers prepared to set off with us for a possible Dimensional Rift sighting.

These Dimensional Rifts exist throughout the entire galaxy and they contain untold dangers. They are believed to be the result of either time manipulation or remnants of another timeline that once existed.

Dimensional Rifts, as per the galactic scholars, are tears in the fabric of space-time, bridging distinct pocket dimensions. They are characterized by anomalies in gravitational waves and unusual energy readings. The reason behind their existence remains speculative, however, two prevalent theories hold the scientific community's interest. The first suggests that these rifts result from time manipulation, as catastrophic as a temporal paradox, causing a segment of one timeline to exist amid another. The second theory posits that these rifts are remnants of an extinct timeline, lingering anomalies from an erased existence.

In StarPoint lore, a tale known as the "Big Reset" is often recounted. The legend speaks of an event in a past timeline, where advanced civilizations had harnessed time itself. However, their actions led to a cataclysmic event, culminating in a timeline reset to avert complete annihilation. The civilizations were lost, but their actions left behind these Dimensional Rifts. These fissures, remnants of the past, are believed to hold within them echoes of these forgotten civilizations and their knowledge, making them a subject of intrigue and exploration, despite the inherent danger they represent.

The two of us along with the general and his Galactica Starz Officer's ventured into the fog dressed in hazmat suits. We brought some gear with us from the StarGazer Tracer StarShip in order to set up a Barrier Tent so we could establish a Dimensional Rift. This Barrier Tent when set up properly would allow us to cover a small area and the portable generators we brought would allow us to remove any radiation from the immediate area. In doing so we would be able to remove our hazmat suits and then we would be able to open a small Dimensional Portal into the Dimensional Rift by gathering the Dimensional Energy around us.

We began walking around the cavern for what felt like hours before stopping for a short break.

"How much further do we have to go?" asked Dawnmarie of the Lockheart House.

"Not much further, we should reach the place in another ten minutes," explained Galactica Starz Officer Carla of the Benjamin House while we stopped in order to take a quick break before pressing on.

When we arrived at the place the Galactica Starz Officers began unloading the equipment we brought with us including the Barrier Tent. Soon after setting up the portable generators they begin removing the radiation from the immediate area. It took some time before we were able to enter. When we entered the two of us began feeling around for the Dimensional Energy that Dimensional Rifts normally give off. After several tries we felt something faint which came and went about every half hour. This happened for a few hours. It was as if that place was moving between different planes of existence but why? and would we be able to get a good lock on that place? We asked ourselves as we focused on a fixed point within the Dimensional Rift and we somehow managed to open a stable Dimensional Portal.

Before we could enter the Dimensional Portal a mysterious fog came out of the portal and it manifested into a fierce beast which resembles a cerberus. The creature stood guard over the entrance of the portal waiting for us to make our move.

"We need to close the portal right away before the beast has a chance to destroy the Barrier Tent protecting us," I suggested and we carefully yet quickly drew Dimensional Energy away from the portal, causing it to collapse in on itself.

The moment the Dimensional Portal closed the fog and the beast began to vanish just like that.

"It appears the fog we are currently seeing in this cavern may not exactly be there. Believe it or not we believe it may have originated from within the Dimensional Rift," explained Dawnmarie of the Lockheart House.

"We don't know for sure but it's a good bet," I said.

"We might be able to go a little further but we only have a small amount of food left. What do you think, do you believe you and your sister have what it takes to open another Dimensional Portal into the Dimensional Rift if we venture further out?" asked General Benjamin of the Resinwood House as he waited patiently for our answer.

"I believe the two of us could open another Dimensional Portal if we moved further away from this location but there's no telling what's waiting for us on the other side. The question I have for you is do you and your fellow Starz Officers have confidence in our ability to do this? If so we will need to move further out there once we do that there will be no turning back. Either we make it into the Dimensional Rift, or we will die out here of starvation, or the last of our clean oxygen. What is your decision?" I asked.

"I wouldn't have come this far if we didn't believe in you and your sister. Fellow Starz Officers of the Galactica Star Federation I won't lie there's no guarantee we will make it out of this alive if we do somehow make it will have to leave the Barrier Tent and the portable generators behind is that clear? Will need to carry everything we brought with us through the portal. Now that you understand what's on the line, let's move out. We will continue moving on until we can't walk anymore!" Proclaimed General Benjamin of the Resinwood House when they heard his confidence they let out a loud cheer and we continued to press forward not knowing what danger lay ahead of us.