Page 4 - The Chronicles Ser2 (6-10)

end a huge geo-stationary orbital platform was placed above the planet, it was named Terra Edo for
obvious reasons. It was equipped with all the latest Terraforming equipment, Atmospheric orbiters
for cleaning the atmosphere of contaminants, latest models of the advanced Mechanoids and Bio-
technology from Venus Colony, now called Venosia Prime. The orbiters were vast, oversized versions
of hovercraft with extremely powerful Gravitic Nullifiers. There was still a long way to go to get the
planet ready for seeding with any life forms higher than microbes. It had taken longer than expected
for the crust to stabilise enough to allow the Landers to start their work. Volcanic activity was still
rampant, and would be so for decades yet to come. As part of the Terraforming process, the planets’
rotation was greatly accelerated. This led to a shift in the tilt to almost vertical. A day lasted only
thirteen hours at current acceleration. It was surprising that anything of the former terrain survived,
but a small seed of the original crust had in the form of an equatorial island that was slowly being
eroded into the magma. However; one area around the North polar axis had stabilised. This “land
mass” was “floating” on a globe of boiling molten rock. Only in the last few days had the Southern
pole shown any signs of forming crust, but the seeds of a Southern polar land mass were there, as
were a group of small islands around the equator, these being a volcanic chain. Old Terra was now a
memory.

Georg greeted them as they entered the Bridge of Terra Edo.

“From what we’ve been able to gather, the object must have been deep down by the core. Our
Terraforming efforts must have dislodged it” he said. “Humerus has taken some Mechanoids down
to see if it can be accessed in any way” he added.

“Surely; Humerus can’t stand the conditions down there” KKtrrrfft queried as only a Flutvarn could.

“He’s got a Krall Exo-Suit with him, so he should be all right. The object should be visible on the
opticals shortly” Georg said as he adjusted a scanner screen. “There! See!”

The Mechanoids Optical units were capable of relaying what they saw to the Comms on
Terra Edo. The object had grounded on the southern tip of a promontory of basalt that had cooled
sufficiently to be firm enough for it to remain there. It was a huge sphere, perfectly smooth and
about three thousand feet in diameter.

“I’m relaying the signals my suit is picking up” came Humerus’ voice over the comms. “It’s kicking
out several kilowatts of broad spectrum static” he added “I can’t get closer, even the suit is having
difficulty filtering the interference – Great Maker! It’s vibrating the whole area. I can feel it through
the suit. Not exactly audible – sub sonic like pressure waves…” His voice started to break up.

“Can you get a better contact?” Fenton asked the comms technician.

“Sorry sir, it’s a problem with his suit. Look one of the Mechanoids has him in its Opticals!” The
young girl replied

On the view screen Humerus was seen indicating a problem with the Exo-Suits’ antennae.
One appeared to be bent. Another Mechanoid was attempting to repair it. The ground shook making
the first mechanoid turn to look at the object. It was covered in a writhing glow of multi-coloured
plasma. It rose about fifty feet straight up and hung there like a giant Christmas bauble. The
watchers on board Terra Edo gasped collectively. Lightning sparked from the bottom of the sphere.
Humerus and the Mechanoids dashed for the Lander. The Lander took off heading to Terra Edo.
Behind them the sphere followed their upward path. The Lander docked and its occupants headed
to the Bridge. The sphere took up an orbit two kilometres away from Terra Edo at the same altitude.