Ch. 4 Frozen Departure

On the Pinfeather, a stark contrast in auras was evident between the two distinct groups on board. One side of the chamber was occupied by the Thrashers; their robust, mechanically and biotechnologically enhanced forms and visual unity were like an imposing, unbreakable wall. Across from them, the historians from the Galactic Codex sat, their presence diminutive in comparison.

Among the historians, Elara Nyxus was the one who hesitated briefly before entering the Pinfeather. Her wide eyes, tinged with apprehension, darted occasionally toward the imposing figures, She had read about the Thrashers, of course, and it was an inevitability that one day she would have to work with them, but seeing this in the flesh was another thing.

Their collective aura of experience and battle-hardened determination seemed to envelop the vessel's holding area. Elara's plumage was adorned in soft shades of amethyst and silver; her beak had just recently been plated with silver, as this was only her third cycle as an accepted member of the Galactic Codex of Historiography.

Elara had been excited at the opportunity to get hands-on with an unexplored planet, and in such a short amount of time, she at times thought that some of her seniors would become jealous of this privilege and become resentful. Those thoughts quickly left her as she saw the recordings and images left behind by her senior historian, Aerin Lunaris.

Elara had stayed up many rotations combing over every frame of the recordings, trying to glean answers from what had happened, but all it had done was make her more anxious and give her more questions. Her foremost thoughts were those intricate symbols that historian Lunaris has recorded. While they still have images and references to the symbols, when historian Lunaris uploaded them to the Alphermeric Codex and sent them back to the station, it was almost like some kind of cyber attack.

The Alphermeric Codex, being one of the pinnacles of technology as a language-deciphering quantum computer stronger and faster than any other in all of existence, seized up and caught fire, requiring a complete restoration of most of its hardware. She recalled that for a time, the Recountants who manage the Alphermeric Codex truly believed they had come under some sort of attack from the Shattered Talon, a group of rebels trying to destabilize the empire and put their insane leader on the throne.

Besides those symbols and their odd effects, she couldn't help but wonder why historian Lunaris didn't have Thrasher already accompanying him on his posting as Paradisium G-148; he had been scheduled to stay planetside for 4 cycles, which is an abnormally long time for one to spend by themselves, along with the inherent dangers solo missions entail on Paradisium class planets. It simply made no sense. With all these questions and uncertainties, she felt in her gut that the codex needed more time and preparation before sending more people planetside, that not all questions had been answered, and that there were too many variables. However, here she was fully outfitted in an EVA suit, in a pinfeather with Thrasher guards armed to the beak, and yet she still felt scared.

Pulled from her thoughts, the man who sat beside her asked her a question. "What about you, Elara? Do you think the mold's radiation emission properties are a byproduct of it breaking down materials?" She looked up at him. Like everyone on board, he was wearing the black form-fitting EVA suit; it completely covered him, leaving the easiest place to focus on the two red gem-like visors that sat on everyone's eyes. "That would just be conjecture; we're going to need an actual sample before we know more." She was staring at the blood-red gems. She couldn't see his face, but she knew Seraphan Vaelor from his voice.

Seraphan was a wealthy young man who, while growing up as the third son of the empire's second-biggest shipyard contractor, held no love for the construction world, as he was apt to share without invitation. His deep indigo and gray plumage, passed down in the Vaelor line, made him quite identifiable to anyone well-versed in the aristocracy of the empire, something Elara had only casually researched. Well, that's a boring answer." Seraphan said with a tinge of disappointment.

"But a sobering and pragmatic answer," said the woman on the other side of Seraphan. Albara Faelis was the leading historian on this expedition; she was 15 years Elara's senior and had achieved the rank of archivist in that time. She had regal ruby-red and onyx-black plumage and a slender frame. Albara was the one leading both Elara and Seraphan on this mission, something Elara was grateful for as she already knew Albara well enough before this assignment to know she was trustworthy.

However, gathering samples is not our mission. Remember that we are just investigating the source of the strange radiation and the odd signals from these coordinates. We have been instructed to avoid touching the mold in any regard." Albara said as a reminder to both new historians. "Other squads are gathering samples, however, so it won't be a mystery for much longer," she said with a hint of a smile.

Elara nodded to that and went back to her holographic display, still skimming the video, going over the final moments in the bridge, pausing it on the gigantic eye. She paused, staring at it, being sucked into its depths, falling deeper and deeper into the void of its eye. Until, with a loud shaking, the Pinfeather started to enter the upper atmosphere, knocking her out of the depths. She quickly ended the recording.

As the transport shook and banged, pushing through the tough atmosphere of Paradisuim G-148, Elara could hear something else in the noise: large booms of thunder that almost made her jump. The piolets voice came over everyone's displays again "As expected, large storms cover 65% of the planet's surface, turbulence will be over once we get closer to the surface."

The Pinfeather's tumultuous journey through the atmosphere continued, with the transport shaking and shuddering as it battled against the fierce winds and the swirling storm clouds. For a few more tense moments, the occupants of the vessel held on, their anticipation building as they pushed through the tempestuous barrier.

Finally, with a jolt and a sudden sensation of violent movement, the Pinfeather burst through the thick layers of clouds, revealing a drastically different landscape below. Instead of dense forests and alien flora, they now gazed upon an expansive arctic expanse blanketed in pristine white. The sudden shift from the roiling storms above to the calm, frozen wasteland was a striking contrast to Elara.

As the transport descended further, the arctic sheet stretched out beneath them, broken only by the jagged peaks of icy mountains that pierced the horizon. The relentless winds still howled, but the fury of the storm seemed to lessen in this desolate, frozen region.

The pilot's voice echoed through the displays once more, informing the passengers of their new surroundings. "We've reached the coordinates provided. Scanners have picked up a structure at this location. It appears to be a ruin of some sort. Here's the feed." The pilot then shifted the scanner and video feed to all the passengers.

Elara leaned closer to her holographic display, her gaze fixated on the topographical map that showed their descent trajectory and the indicated location of the ruin. Her heart raced, a mixture of excitement and unease filling her. Only now did she realize she had been half hoping nothing was at the coordinates, but with confirmation to the contrary, she couldn't help but feel anxious.

Beside her, Seraphan and Albara were equally intrigued, their holographic displays projecting the same image of the ruin on the frozen landscape. The sight was both captivating and eerie, with the ruin's presence seeming incongruous with the frozen surroundings.

One of the Thrashers suddenly spoke aloud to the pilot, making Elara jump as her intense focus on the images almost made her forget about their presence. "Scan for movement as well; I want to know if anything down there is alive." The large man spoke with a deep voice; his name displayed on Elara's visor , Joran Vyldari (Commander).

"Understood, coming right up," the pilot said in a quick response. Elara regarded the group of Thrashers once more; one by one, they were standing up, doing final checks on their equipment, then drawing their weapons. Elara looked over to Albara, who was moving as well. She brought out three small silver boxes from one of the compartments in the seating area and handed one to each of us.

She looked at both of us and said, "Rely on the Thrashers, but in the worst-case scenario, rely on these." Elara looked down, pressing the release on the silver box. Sitting inside was an Aurum Beam-caster.

The pilot's voice returned: "Scanners show no signs of life at the moment." Joran Vyldari, the Thrasher commander, nodded in acknowledgment. "Prepare for descent," he instructed, his deep voice resonating with authority. The cabin hummed as the Pinfeather adjusted its trajectory, guided by the pilot's skillful hand.

As the transport descended, the sensation of lowering was akin to floating on a cloud of anticipation. The once turbulent winds now felt like a distant memory, replaced by a sense of calm and purpose. The Pinfeather's hull brushed against the soft snow of the arctic expanse, the landing gentle and precise.

Elara's grip on the small silver box tightened as she looked at the Aurum Beam-caster within. Dread twisted in her gut at the thought of having to use such a weapon. She reluctantly placed the Beam-caster in her holster, standing up along with Seraphan and Albara. The atmosphere in the cabin shifted, with a collective readiness taking hold of the small group of historians.

With synchronized movements, the squad of Thrashers moved toward the exit. The doors of the Pinfeather opened, revealing the harsh arctic expanse beyond. The howling winds rushed into the cabin, and the haunting noise was a chilling reminder of the planet's deadly nature. The sight that greeted them was both awe-inspiring and ominous.

In the distance, a domed-shaped ruin loomed against the white landscape. Its structure was aged and weathered, yet it possessed an undeniable air of mystery.

The Squad of Thrashers made a quick and tactical exit from the Pinfeather weapons raised and sweeping all directions. After giving the all-clear, Albara and Seraphan started making their descent onto the planet's surface. Hesitating for a heartbeat, Elara followed. Elara's heart raced as she stepped onto the snow-covered ground, the cold seeping through the soles of her EVA boots. The technology automatically recognized an extreme change in temperature and started heating up the whole suit in response. The ruin stood like a silent sentinel, its secrets waiting to be uncovered amidst the frozen desolation.