Second Portal

Rangga sat in his dimly lit room, the weight of his decision pressing heavily on his shoulders. The dagger Mr. Timan had given him lay on the table beside him, its blade gleaming faintly in the low light. He glanced at the clock; it was almost midnight. The dome rangers had completed their raid and were busy escorting the spoils of their mission. It was now or never.

He peered out of his window, ensuring no one was around. The mining camp was quiet, with only a few guards patrolling the perimeter. The darkness was his ally, providing the cover he needed. With a deep breath, he strapped the dagger to his waist and stepped outside, moving silently through the shadows.

The path to the dome was eerily quiet. The night air was cool, and the only sounds were the distant hum of machinery and the occasional chirp of night insects. Rangga felt a shiver run down his spine as he approached the dome. The colossal structure loomed ahead, its presence both intimidating and mysterious.

He slipped through a gap in the fence and made his way to the dome's entrance. The area was deserted, the ground littered with debris from the day's activities. The dome itself was a stark contrast to its surroundings, a smooth, metallic surface that seemed almost otherworldly.

Rangga's heart pounded as he stepped inside. The interior was dimly lit, the shadows casting strange patterns on the walls. He moved cautiously, his senses heightened by the tension. Ahead, he could see the alien spaceship, a massive, disc-shaped craft that seemed to hover just above the ground. It was about 30 meters in diameter, and its surface was sleek and unblemished.

He approached the ship, his eyes drawn to the open hatch on the side. A ramp extended down to the ground, inviting him in. Taking a deep breath, he ascended the ramp, his footsteps echoing in the empty chamber.

Inside, the spaceship was surprisingly spacious. The main room was stark and minimalistic, with smooth, curved walls and a high ceiling. In the center of the room, there was a single pilot's seat facing a control panel. The seat was sleek and ergonomic, designed for a being much larger than a human.

Rangga looked around, noting the eerie silence. The only other feature in the room was a single door on the far wall. It appeared seamless, blending into the metal surface around it. There was a small, inconspicuous button beside the door.

Rangga stood in the center of the alien spaceship's main room, the silence almost deafening. He felt a cold shiver run down his spine as Sora's voice echoed in his mind.

"Sir, the room is clear. No life forms or documents detected," Sora reported.

Rangga frowned. "How do you know that?"

"I can scan the environment within a 50-meter radius to collect data," Sora replied calmly.

Rangga's eyes widened in astonishment. "Can you find any computers or devices that we can access?"

Sora paused briefly before responding. "I detect one panel with an active energy source. It is located on the right side of the main room. If you want me to collect the data, please touch the panel to begin the data transfer"

Rangga made his way to the indicated panel, the alien technology both fascinating and intimidating. The panel was embedded in the smooth, metallic wall, its surface glowing faintly. He placed his hand on it as Sora instructed, feeling a slight hum beneath his fingers. Suddenly, the panel lit up, and Rangga felt a subtle vibration as Sora began to absorb the data.

"I am downloading all the data from the spaceship's systems," Sora informed him. "This will take a few moments."

Rangga nodded, his mind racing with thoughts and possibilities. He walked over to the pilot's seat and sat down, the cool metal feeling oddly comforting. As he waited, he reflected on the snippets of information he had gathered about alien ships and their mysterious portals.

He recalled how media reports described the portals within alien spacecraft as Terrariums—magical ecosystems that defied conventional understanding. Each portal led to a different environment: vast jungles, towering mountains, and more. These ecosystems were teeming with alien creatures, each guarding precious jade stones.

Jade stones, or simply jades, were the most coveted treasures known to humanity. There were four known types, each distinguished by its color: green, blue, red, and gold. The jades emitted a luminescent glow, with the brightness indicating the energy they contained. Green jades were the most common, while gold jades were legendary, with only one ever found.

Rangga's thoughts drifted to the legendary gold jade, the one embedded in the golden sword wielded by Rangga Aji, the first Dome Ranger, in 2025. The gold jade's power was unmatched, and its discovery changed the course of human history. Since then, no other gold jade had been found, and the gold sword had become a symbol of ultimate power.

Jades were not only valuable but also immensely powerful. They could be attached to weapons, amplifying the strength and abilities of the Dome Rangers. The weakest Dome Rangers used blue jades, while the strongest, the elite class, wielded weapons with red jades. Ordinary humans couldn't handle the power of jades without significant risk.

The utility of jades extended beyond combat. A mere gram of green jade, the lowest tier, could power a car for 100 kilometers when used with an energy converter. This made jade the most expensive and sought-after commodity on Earth, often used as a currency in its own right.

The silence of the spaceship enveloped him, broken only by the hum of distant machinery. Suddenly, Sora's voice echoed in his mind, snapping him back to reality.

"Sir, the analysis is complete, but due to the limited data collected, my information is still incomplete. However, I discovered something."

Rangga leaned forward, intrigued. "What did you find?"

"There are two-dimensional spaces within this spaceship," Sora explained.

Rangga's brow furrowed. "Two spaces? But I've only seen one portal here, and everyone knows about that. The Dome Rangers have already taken all the resources from it."

Sora's voice remained calm and analytical. "There is a hidden panel above the known portal door. It serves as the access point to the second-dimensional space."

Heart pounding, Rangga approached the portal door. Doubt and fear gnawed at him, but curiosity and determination propelled him forward. His eyes scanned the area above the portal, and after a tense moment, he found the concealed panel. It was a small, almost imperceptible indentation in the smooth metal.

Taking a deep breath, he reached out and pressed the panel. The portal door responded immediately, splitting open from the center, with one half rising upwards and the other sinking into the floor. The doorway revealed a shimmering, otherworldly light, casting an ethereal glow across Rangga's face.

He felt a mix of fear and awe. The prospect of stepping into an unknown dimension was daunting, but the desire to uncover the truth and honor Mr. Timan's sacrifice fueled his courage.

"Sora, let's go!" Rangga whispered, his voice steadying with determination.

"Yes, sir," Sora replied, her tone both reassuring and resolute.

With a final, resolute breath, Rangga stepped towards the portal.

--end chapter--