Date: March 11th, 1861
Time: Pre-dawn
Location: Albion City


	Matu'i observed as the night forsake it's vail on the Inner Earth's sun. It was a real marvel to see the transition of night to day and day to night. The Keeper of the Lost Technology knew how the sun-appearance, or rather sunrise worked on the surface of the Earth thanks to those members of their nation that had stumbled down to Inner Earth by accident and told tales of their life on Outer Earth.

	When the Inner Earth natives had first encountered live people from the surface, they'd decided it was worth investigating, even if the Lemurians were somewhat reticent, but still agreed as to assure themselves that these new humans would not pose any threat to New Mu and the inhabitants of hollow earth. Matu'i wasn't born yet when those first expeditions to the surface took place. But the history was unambiguous as to the results from them. The surface dwellers were deemed too aggressive and war hungry to be made contact with. Their technology could pose some interest, as well as their cultural development, but not enough to outweigh their danger assessment. Thus the denizens of Inner Earth decided unanimously not to interfere with the surfacers and protect New Mu's territory so that it could not willingly be discovered.

	But still, some humans from the surface managed to find some way into hollow earth and New Mu's explorers either found their corpses or alive individuals who were brought into the fold. Most stayed, in awe with the wonder that was Inner Earth. Some tried to return to their own world. No one knew if they made it or not as the trek to the surface was too dangerous with the Batu'i roaming hollow earth and New Mu could not spare its explorers as escorts to those who wished to return home. They were given every provision and supplies they might need, as well as directions with the safest routes back, but the rest was up to them.

	Matu'i scowled, as she knew a perfectly safe route back to the surface, but it was prohibited to disclose its existence to outsiders. The access to Inner Earth which Matu'i's ancestors had used to enter hollow earth still existed, protected and secure by sophisticated machines, part of the Lost Technology legacy of the Giant races, and her obligation to keep in working order. It was also why she was currently awake at the crack of dawn. The on duty maintenance team at the facility protecting the entrance had reported some minor malfunctions they could not repair without the correct replacement parts. They'd called in a consult with the Keeper as the problem could get aggravated with time.

	"Yo, runt!" A hand slapped Matu'i on the shoulder almost knocking her out of balance. She twisted to stare at T'min, a fellow explorer. The Keeper grinned at the greeting. On a good day T'min was pushing the five foot margin on her tippy-toes. Her stature indicative of the larger percentage of Lemurian blood running through her veins. But since she had a few years on Matu'i the name stuck.

	"Hey, T'min, what are you trying to do, knock my shoulder out! Isn't it too early in the morning for that?" Matu'i said rubbing her shoulder in mock pain.

	"Har-har." T'min rolled her eyes and grinned at her friend. "Are you all set for the trek to the entrance facility?" She asked, concern coloring her voice.

	Matu'i sighed inwardly. People often did that. Waylaid her on her way out of Albion to ask if she was prepared, if she'd taken enough supplies, if she hadn't forgotten this or that. It made her sound irresponsible and an airhead. And she was nothing but, of course. She wouldn't have lived to be this age had she been. Just because she sometimes lost track of time and happened to run out of supplies and ended up in a bind, didn't mean she was irresponsible! Okay, true, many a time she was saved by all those peoples' thoughtfulness, giving her extra supplies on her way out, or reminding her to double up on those. And she was grateful. She was! But sometimes, like a petulant child, she got irritated, as if people didn't trust her to take care of herself.

	Sighing she answered her friend. "Yes, mom, I'm all set. My traveling gear is in order and I've got more than enough supplies to last me the trek to Arboram. After that it's just a day's worth of travel to the facility. I'll be well within range of food and water at all times." She knew her tone was pointed, but she couldn't help it.

	"Alright, no need to get testy, runt." T'min laid her hand on Matu'i's shoulder and peered into her eyes. "I worry not because I think you irresponsible, but because I am your friend."

	Her soft voice pierced Matu'i's irritation and the scowl left her face. "Sorry. I just..." She didn't finish. T'min knew her well enough to know the reason behind the little outburst.

	"Plus I was also asking because P'nir and I were thinking of accompanying you." T'min added cautiously, warry that her statement would bring another irate comment from her friend. She knew how Matu'i valued her independence and hated being seen as an irresponsible airhead. Which she wasn't. It was just that sometime she got so engrossed in her work, she could be a bit scatterbrained. But this wasn't the reason she and her partner had decided to accompany their friend on the trek. There'd been increasing number of reports about Batu'i shifting their territory in the vicinity of the entrance facility. And with Batu'i close by it was best not to travel alone.

	Matu'i stared down her friend. She could see the shifting emotions etched on her angled, beautiful face. She could also clearly see the concern in her eyes. "Why?" She asked evenly. "So I can watch you and P'nir make googly eyes at each other all the time." She added with a spark of mirth in her own eyes. T'min and P'nir, a scout and one of the few members of Albion's city watch, were in the she's-so-fucking-beautiful-I-can't-keep-my-eyes-or-hands-off-her stage of their relationship. Not that it wasn't endearing to observe, but after a while it made her feel kinda sorry for herself for not having what they had. And she hated indulging in self-pity.

	However, before T'min could answer, a tall woman appeared behind her, grasped her around the waist and lifted her off the ground.

	"Hi, love." She greeted as T'min twisted to give her partner a chaste kiss on the lips. "Talk with the runt yet?"

	"Put me down, you goon!" T'min scalded her feet dangling comically in the air. As she was lowered to the ground she turned and elbowed P'nir in the stomach. The taller woman grunted, grinning. "Yes, I talked to her. I was just about to explain how you suggested we accompany her."

	P'nir was rubbing her stomach where T'min's elbow had made a solid contact. "I don't remember making it a suggestion." She stared Matu'i down. The two almost on par in stubbornness.

	"That's because I'm not a brute like you, my love, going about lifting people over your shoulder and taking them places."

	"But I thought you liked it when I manhandle you." P'nir batted her eyelashes innocently at T'min, who proceeded to blush profusely in embarrassment, the comment obviously hitting home. She jabbed another elbow in her partner's stomach and turned to Matu'i.

	"Well, that's how it is then. We're coming with you. So don't argue!" P'nir, who'd doubled over at the second elbow in the gut, now stood tall next to T'min, an arm around her shoulders the other still rubbing her stomach, smiling down at Matu'i.

	The Keeper couldn't keep a straight face at her friend’s shenanigans. She burst out laughing wholeheartedly.

	The trio was off in the next half hour.
[hr]

Date: March 13th, 1861
Time: Evening
Location: Arboram


	"I say we wait." T'min looked cautiously at Matu'i and her partner. When it came to brash behavior, both Matu'i and P'nir could be faulted. Both were brave beyond words and liked to test themselves and the odds too much for her liking. "I don't like the reports, we're receiving about this errant Batu'i. It's large enough and it might be looking for a new territory. If it has gone without his own hunting grounds for a while it would be all the more aggressive and dangerous." She continued, not really wanting to give Matu'i and P'nir time to argue with her. "The report of the maintenance team at the entrance facility didn't state anything of great emergency. Plus, we have bed weather coming our way." She finished, looking at the pair in front of her expectantly.

	"I hear you." Matu'i spoke first. "I don't like the reports of the errant Batu'i just as much as you." T'min's face brightened in hope. "However..." The Keeper continued and T'min wilted. "The maintenance chief's report was from a week ago. I can ill afford to delay any longer. These are old machines, maintained with repurposed parts. They were made to endure, but if not properly observed and cared for, they will fail. If the maintenance chief deemed my presence necessary, it must be important as the crew there knows their stuff." Matu'i looked T'min and P'nir over. "And I don't need to point out the importance of that facility to either of you. The surfacers are a violent bunch. We won't turn them away should they stumble inside hollow earth. But we don't need to open the doors for them either." P'nir nodded in agreement and T'min as well after a short moment of hesitation.

	"If we leave early tomorrow morning, we should be able to make it there before nightfall." P'nir announced.
[hr]
Date: March 14th, 1861
Time: Evening
[hider=Location: Near the entrance facility][img]https://video-images.vice.com/_uncategorized/1487527443029-13_NL.jpeg[/img][/hider]

	Late next evening the trio arrived harrowed at the entrance facility. A freak encounter with the [url=https://i.pinimg.com/originals/5b/a5/39/5ba539a4942266c345682f922d598f34.jpg]errant Batu'i[/url] they've received reports about had delayed the group, making them take a longer route. When they'd finally arrived, the sun had been completely engulfed by the night's darkness and the only light came from the half-obscured moon. Thankfully the weather had held.

	Even late at night, with the moon's light shining, the facility that housed the Lost Technology protecting the New Mu entrance to Inner Earth looked spectacular. Or perhaps it was exactly because of the semidarkness and the magical light of the moon that the whole ensemble looked positively mystical. The trio didn't dally too much, entering hastily. They were tired and stressed out from the encounter with the Batu'i. The chief of the shift at the facility greeted them and showed them their quarters. Any real work would be done the next days. For now they would rest.