Inception

Altas

The location of the Sanctum has changed every now and then, but one thing has always stayed constant. It was always in the rocks.

Altas rested in front of a dead end. It was hewn to look like a natural fissure in the ground. He waved his hand in front of a small bump in the rock. His green light shimmered off his metal hand and onto the rock. The rock's surface briefly changed to form into the gold and brown of the Ghosts emblem. Altas then walked through the solid rock to the other side.

A beautiful paradise rested on the other end. Real trees, flowers, grass, even a waterfall. Maria's really outdone herself this time, he thought.

"She most certainly has."

"When 're yer gonna add some of yer own stuff in here?"

"When the time permits itself." Altas replied neutrally, looking around the trees for Maria.

"Time has to be made," came from behind.

Altas whirled around to see Maria seated in front of a stone table with a chessboard on top. The garden faded into a small room, but still not yet absent of nature, where a few flowers grew through the rock. Maria gestured to the chair opposite to her, which Altas took.

"Your move."

Altas noted his while pieces laying a careful, but obvious trap for Maria's queen, which rested in the centre. He shoved a pawn forward to open a path for the bishop resting behind it.

"What is my purpose for being here?" he asked.

Maria moved her queen a space away from herself, closer to the trap.

"Have you completed the task as I had asked?"

"Uh oh, someone's in trouble…"

"The independent warrior was healed of his injuries, and then permitted to return to his tribal dropship."

Altas moved his flanking rook into a more conservative position.

"Why did you not complete the mission as I had asked?" she asked calmly.

Maria countered Altas' move by pushing her queen further into his trap.

"When healing him, I felt within him that his tribe would not have cooperated without plans had they heard we took their leader prisoner."

Altas moved a flanking bishop to close the trap of Maria's queen.

"You know of the Bioderm advance?" she asked, turning away from the board.

"I do" he replied evenly.

She waved her hand in the open air. Gold streaks flowed off her hand to form an arced mirror in the open air. Initially, an image of the entire universe appeared, which gradually zoomed until it showed only the Heartworlds system.

"The Bioderms plan to use the jumpgate to enter the system and massacre everyone. As you may be aware, the independent warrior leads a mercenary group near the jumpgate. With the proper funds, we can hire him to assist us in defending the gate."

Maria shifted herself back to the board, pushing her queen into a safer position.

"We do not possess nearly enough funds to hire a mercenary group, especially one as skilled as the one he commands." he replied bluntly, feeling an annoyance at having to state the obvious.

Altas moved his flanking rook closer to finish the trap.

"Yes, but that will change."

She gestured to the air mirror, which shifted into a different picture. Two dropships rested on frozen ground, with men here and there shuffling about. The few in the centre appeared to be having a discussion.

"The Blood Eagle, and the Empire. The Blood Eagle, with its recent troubles, has been in demand of weaponry. The Empire… is always looking to make a profit," she said uneasily. The thought of the Human Empire and its deceitful Emperor never did her well.

She moved her queen at a diagonal, cutting right through the trap. The remaining pieces would not be able to escape the queen's wrath.

"Take the funds that the Empire's traders might have on them, and anything you can access from their accounts. When you have completed that, speak with the mercenary commander and have him defend the jumpgate," she said, sitting back in the chair, knowing there were to be no further traps.

Altas lifted himself up from the table, eyeing her as questionably as his Cybrid simulation of eyes permitted. Before attempting to find the exit, as there did not appear to be one, he asked, "Do you have an estimate as to when the Bioderms will attack?"

"Soon. Very soon," she said, closing her eyes and leaning back in the chair.

I do not like surprises, he thought.

"Well, that'd make one of us."

As to mock him, the stone cave changed back into the forest where he had been initially. As Altas turned to leave, Maria asked, "Do you have a sword?"

He turned back, questionably. "Why?"

"It comes in handy," she replied, with a hint of a smile.

"I will," he said while leaving. "When the time permits itself."

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