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Centre for Interdimensional Studies and Research
UEG Colony World Panorama
April 21, 2841
“But Colonel! You can’t be serious!” Exclaimed Doctor Stuart Travesty, trying to keep up with the fast walking speed of Colonel Calhoun. His labcoat fluttered in the light breeze as the sound of raging waterfalls was heard all through the facility. "We’ve been working on this for months! We were supposed to send an exploration team in for research! And you’re sending in Marines?!”
The power-armoured Colonel didn’t stop. “Correct.” He said simply. His visor had retracted into his helmet, showing his aged and scarred face. “My Marines are the exploration team.”
Dr. Travesty, the Head Researcher of Project RIFTGATE, threw his arms into the air. “You can’t just do that! What if there are other beings on the other side of the portal? What if they think we want war?”
Calhoun scoffed. “Yeah? Do you actually think there are? Give me a break.” He stopped when Travesty rushed ahead of him and blocked his path. “Doctor, what are you doing?” He asked, his voice filled with impatience. He wanted to get this over with, and go back to fighting in the Colonial Uprising. He didn’t want to come here, but he followed orders no matter what.
“And if there are?” Dr. Travesty continued, electing another scoff from the Colonel. “Think of the possibilities! There could be anything on the other side! They might even have weapons beyond our comprehension!”
“Oh yeah?” Calhoun challenged, suddenly whipping out his SHP8 sidearm and aiming it at the Doctor. “Tell that to my gun. Now move, or I’ll shoot you.”
Travesty gulped and dashed ahead to the command area, in an open field right behind the Panorama Centre for Interdimensional Studies and Research. Calhoun sighed and holstered his side arm by the magnetic grips on his armour, and made his way towards the RIFTGATE.
A multitude beeping machines of varying sizes covered the field, sheltered by several tents and metal structures. with the area itself having been laid with a hardcrete cover. However, the one feature that stood out were two massive metal prongs that towered in the air, connected by wires to a plasma reactor. For the time being, it was dark and deactivated, but scientists and researchers sped around the area, trying to avoid men in powered armour and vehicles parked around the area.
Calhoun allowed himself to smile for once. He may not have wanted to come here, but hell, his Marines did a hell good job of setting up. He walked forwards to where Travesty was, and his dropped his smile when the Doctor accidentally spilled his doublecaf all over the floor. He cleared his throat, causing him to turn around. The Doctor showed a look of annoyance, before it quickly turned to one of fear. “Colonel Calhoun! How may I help you?”
“Is it ready?” The Colonel asked immediately, gesturing to the inactive RIFTGATE. Travesty turned back to the computer he was working on and began to rapidly type in some lines of code. “Almost.” He said, the light from the screen reflecting off his glasses. “There… and there!” Several warning lights went off as the prongs seemed to unfold. “We can activate when ready, Colonel.”
Calhoun nodded, walking towards the gathered Marines. The 41st Special Combat Unit was a larger military unit, having more than two thousand men, not to mention the numerous vehicles and Those Winter Sundays, a Colorado-class Heavy Frigate currently hovering several kilometres above the facility. “Listen up, people!” He said, his helmet’s external speakers amplifying his voice. “I know we were kicking some rebel ass, but now, we got a new mission!” All the Marines and several scientists and researchers were paying their fullest attention. “We’re going through a Alternate Reality RIFT Portal into an alternate dimension, whatever that means. I don’t know what’s on the other end, but if it’s hostile, shoot it. Got that?”
He was rewarded with the resounding cries of ‘yes sir’. “Good.” He looked over to Travesty. “Open it up, Doctor.” The Head Researcher was undoubtedly excited, judging by the huge smile on his face. He gave several instructions to a few top researchers, and they all crowded around a control panel. They pushed several buttons, and suddenly, the space between the metal prongs seemed to violently rip and tear open. At first, it was simply a blinding white, before it cleared to reveal a mountainous landscape. Travesty and the research team immediately began to cheer as they celebrated their victory, while Calhoun immediately began to bark orders at the Marines.
“Alright! Marines, enter through the portal! Vehicles and aircraft will follow.” Dozens of men and women all in powered armour streamed through the portal and exited out, securing and surrounding the area. Then the war machines followed, with tanks and armour and vehicles pushing through along with several aircraft, all of which carried even more Marines. Calhoun was one of the last to enter. He checked if the air was safe, before pulling off his helmet and taking a breath. “Well, good to see that it worked.” He turned to the unit’s drone operators. “Launch the recon drones.”
The operators complied and a dozen or more metre-long drones were launched into the air, each one speeding off in a different direction. Next, the Colonel turned to the rest of the Marines. “Alright. Now that we’re through, start setting up a base here. Teams, recon the area.”
Several metal plates were placed onto the ground. Then, they unfolded, connecting with each other as they began to form a rectangular building. This continued until the building resembled an actual military base, a small one, but a base nonetheless. The tanks had began to set up around the perimeter, their turrets scanning the skyline. Recon convoys set off in various directions, each one with a recon team of Marines and several more vehicle crews.
All in all, things were going well.
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Portal appears on the sloped grassy bit.