A Window to Another World

[RAVEN]

It started innocently or at least as innocent as I get. I was recently camping in the Rockies. I had received an anonymous tip about an underground base populated by Reptoids in the area. I had a reporter's hunch that there would be a story and nothing better to do while my lawyer sorted out a copyright enfringement issue, so I explored up across the border into Cananda and discovered the lost ruins which are the Sunshine Campground. As a self-confessed city boy, I was clearly out of my element.

While enjoying a relaxing evening, a bright flash lit up the evening sky. Al of our electronics and vehicles at the campsite were ruined (including my new 4th generation iPhone). Now normally I would call in half a dozen reporters from the After Midnight network and sick them on the problem, but being out of communication removes me from most of my resources.

So, I put on my best coat and new hiking boots. I left the campsite headed Southwest to find the source of the flash somewhere over the hoothills. Yes, I was an Eagle Scout. Thank you for asking.

Then I heard some very large pass over my head above the pines...

[Cybermancer]

As it happens, I was also in the area on vacation when there was a bright flash.

There must have been an Electro-Magnetic-Pulse because the SUV I was driving stopped working. Rolling to the curb, I soon discovered all my electronics had been likewise disabled.

My two passengers were both fine so it seemed like a good idea to investigate the source of the light. I disposed of my various devices and replaced them with, shall we say, more analogue items. At least a couple still had a point and click interface however.

Screwing our courage to the sticking place, we set out into the woods, in the direction of the long faded light. It wasn't hard to find our way though. My compass was pointing due west...

[Michael T]

As luck (or unluck) would have it I was in the same area as the others in this threads involvement. I was sitting in a ley line drawing energy to recharge talismans and batteries when the line's energy fluctuates for a second, then came the flash and the line tried to pull energy from me for a split second. I found my phone fried and myself a bit irritated by this mess. I cast invisibility on myself and began flying towards the direction of the pull off the line.

[RAVEN]

That was you guys?!

No one mentioned being involved in the Society, so I never asked. Perhaps the crossing of our paths was not as coincidental it seemed at the time.

[RAVEN]

And how did we meet? I was making my way through the wilderness with a frontiersman attitude which would have made Jack London proud. I also wasn't feeling any signs of radiation poisoning which was a good thing that Jack never included in his stories.

Ten or twenty minutes deep into the brush, I heard voices. Concerned that I might become the punch line in a funny story about a hunting accident, I called, 'Hello. Is someone there? Don't shoot! I am not a talking deer!'

In response, a booming voice answered, 'Nobody here but us chickens.'

Then a second stranger's voice added, 'Hello there? Who's that? We were on the road when there was that flash of light. We're on our way to check it out.'

We met in a patch of moonlight. I added, 'Greetings chickens, being a fowl of these woods might be more hazardous than being a deer friend. All animal jokes aside, my name is Raven. I came from the Sunshine Campground nearby. We saw the flash also, voided my iPhone warranty.' Yes, I was carrying Walther (my gun), but I kept it hidden in my pocket. The others were more casual with Constitutional Right to Bear Arms.

[Doctor Boggs]

I don't know anything about luck being involved but I was one of the passengers in Cyber's truck when that fricken flash of light happened. I didn't take it so calmly when I noticed my computer and phone were fried.... shoulda figured I'd need it EMP shielded but noooo.

Anyway, grabbed my guns and we started walking until we ran into Raven, I'm the one who made the chickens crack. Good lord but he ran with it... right, the woods were busy that night I tell ya.

[Michael T]

As I flew through the trees I heard voices, I turned toward the people. I landed and slowly crept up toward the people to see who they were. I did not recognize any one so I decided to observe for a little while to determine what they were up to. And then it got a bit interesting when I detected magic and aura on the group.

[RAVEN]

That was you, Micheal T? When you introduced yourself, I thought you said your name was Michelle. It would not have been the manliest of names, but I was in no position to judge. Besides, I seem to recall the Doctor nearly shooting you around this time. Perhaps you of the good doctor should explain this, at it appears that I wasn't getting the full story. How silly of me to not read auras like all of the cool kids...

[Doctor Boggs]

Now now, let's be fair, I just sorta pointed a rifle in his general direction and asked him to show hisself. Feeling a bucket of energy like that coming towards ya puts a fella a bit on edge is all; plus a trick or two I learned out west let me see him standing there all invisible; so I just asked him politely to come out.

[RAVEN]

Well, there you have it. I don't recall exactly what was said next, but our gun point deplomacy seems to have worked. Instead of killing each other, we wandered off into the deeper forest together. To the woodland animals, we might have looked like an exceedingly bad Wizard of Oz cosplay.

We set out in what we thought was the direction of flash, but it soon became clear that we didn't know where we were going. For the next hour, maybe hour and a half, we hiked. We followed a lumber road which dead ended. Then we followed a game trail which also dead ended at a small lake. The doctor said that he was following a ley line, but I have a hard time imaging even energy choosing to travel such a hap-hazard course over rough terrain. The night was clear enough that I was able to navigate by star light, at least enough that I was able to check the stars from time to time and see that we were in fact not traveling circles.

I think it was Micheal who first spotted the hunting cabin on the far side of the lake. That was the point of no return for us.

[Michael T]

As we hiked along following the trail and the ley line I kept catching glimpses in the distance of a flying shadow that I hoped was just my eyes playing tricks on me. It was something I never wanted to see again and it turned out to be true. As Raven said I did spot the cabin on the lake shore so we headed there.

[RAVEN]

That thing Micheal saw in the sky -- it was not an hummingbird.

The cabin was not like your rich boss' cabin with satellite television and two point five bathrooms. It was more like the shed in back of your boss' cabin where you boss' snowmobile is parked. It had no outdoor plumbing. Some epic fishing probably happened at this cabin, but not that night.

The cabin was happening place. All of the cool kids were there. By cool kids, we of course mean a handful of hunters and a squad of armed soldiers. Now we normally couldn't get close to professional soldiers in the wilderness, but these Beetle Baileys were unusually preoccupied about losing communication with some nearby facility and arguing about what to do next.

My hiking buddies came up with an answer.

[Cybermancer]

Well, to say that I had an answer suggests that I saw a question or problem to be addressed. Rather, I saw an opportunity.

Actually, the civilians did present a small problem. They needed to be evacuated from the area. It was why the soldiers were there to begin with but they were being awfully inefficient about the whole affair.

So I sought out the highest ranking soldier and presented him with credentials and a story that I hoped would convince him to accept direction. Frankly, he seemed releived to have someone to pin things on should things go wrong. I began giving 'suggestions' that sounded much more like 'orders'. As these directions fit well within his existing orders and standard proceedures, it wasn't much of a problem.

During these negotiations, most of the rest of our crew were hanging back in case my bluff didn't work as well as I hoped. My ward was unwilling to leave my side, however. She held onto the sleeve of my jacket while I discussed the situation with the young officer. I have no idea what he may have thought of the image we would have presented him.

Once I was confident that my ploy was going to fly I motioned for the others to join us. Naturally I assured the officer that they were with me and it was okay for them to be with us.

The immediate plan was simple. A bare minimum number of soldiers were to escort the civilians back to a nearby camp ground. The remainder would escort us to the point of origin of the mystery. A small military installation that was cause of a surprisingly large problem.

That's all I have time to type out at the moment.

[RAVEN]

If anything, I think that the soldiers were pleased to see her. I think she was quite welcome.

Nonetheless, Cybermancer slid into the role of a bureaucrat with surprising ease and skill. I and Micheal slid into the roles of lackies. I made sure to borwnnose a little just to complete the disguise.

We shortly learned that the facility where these soldiers were headquartered was involved in some type of energy research. It was called Sigma Station, and these soldiers were hiking a regular long range patrol loop around the facility when the flash occured. They told us that they had seen a helicopter heading towards the facility but were unable to contact it due to their electronics, including their radios, being fried as well.

Let us not forget an improtant part of this story. Doctor Boggs, at this point, volunteered himself for a strategic retreat.

[Doctor Boggs]

Retreat? Hey now, I just had those poor civvies best interests at heart. That's why I offered to see them safely out of the area. Seriously though, how many of us have seen innocent bystanders 'head for safety' never to be seen again?

So I tried to make sure they got out alive.

[RAVEN]

Doctor Boggs, you can assert that you did not run away like a little girl, but I saw pigtails. How many civilians did you evacuate anyway? I never did get a head count.

So, a decision was made to bypass the weapon cache and go directly to Sigma Station. I am not certain who made that decision, but I am certainly the one who regretted it.

Before I know it, we are marching back into the dark forest again. This time, the soldiers were showing the way to our destination. Not even a half hour later, we happened upon the crash site. Yes, I wrote "crash site." If you don't believe it, go back and read it again. It was right there, next to the path of crashed trees and destruction. A Blackhawk helicopter was there, burning.

Fortunately, the co-pilot was still alive and conscious. It was little Miss Cybermancer's Ward who reached him first.

[Robyn]

Greetings.

Due to recent developments, Cybermancer is unable to continue to post here.

However, he took extensive notes and instructed me to review them. Before his departure he also directed me to continue his portion of this tale.

While technically it is perhaps best that 'Cybermancer's ward' interject at this stage of the story, it is perhaps not a wise idea at this time. The whole ordeal was somewhat tramautic.

The pilot was able to relate additional details regarding Sigma Stations location.

Directions given corresponded with an ongoing investigation Cybermancer was conducting. During his mission in Yellowstone, he detected some disturbing readings that while faint suggested a powerful source. Additional readings would later help triangulate the exact location.

Seeking out additional information on the area, Cybermancer discovered some satellite photos showing an entire military installation. What troubled him was that he couldn't account for it on existing power grids. Nor could he find any evidence that the camp was producing it's own power via traditional methods available.

At this point he indicates in his notes that he felt it was imperative to get closer to the station to confirm his suspicions.

There was a wrinkle however. The station was currently under assualt and occupied by 'hostiles'.

[RAVEN]

Well hello there,

Yes, the installation as he called it. I would call it a field of smoldering rubble.

So we approached Rubblopolus slowly and as stealthily as we could manage while leading a small army of armed and nervous soldiers. Convincing those soldier boys to follow us was truely an epic achievement in the annuls of b.s. and a sight be behold, I can not get over that part. Cybermancer and his ward were leading. I was close behind. Micheal T was -- truthfully, I am not sure what he was doing. At times during the evening, he was right behind me. Then he would completely vanish and be back again the next minute.

The installation was almost completely ruined by an explosion. Actually, considering how much debris was still in the field and how the treeline was still intact, it may have been an implosion. There was a small maintainence shed still mostly standing at the far end of an oval shaped field. I went crazy looking

[Robyn]

Good day,

As Cybermancer is still indisposed, I will again continue with relating details from his journal.

He reports that he basically asked the soldiers present to run interference and distraction for everyone else. He also mentions that he was pretty certain that it was likely a suicide mission but there was much more at stake.

Apparently he recognized the technology being utilized at the facility and it confirmed his worst fears about what was being done there. The beings that were currently over running the area chilled him a great deal more. Something had gone terribly wrong and it was clear that the usual occupants of the station were no longer in control of the situation.

His report is somewhat unclear at this point. It focuses primarily on the activities of himself and his ward. I gather from this that the group split up or divided their attention at this point.

For his part, Cybermancer seemed mostly concerned with disabling what he calls "Super String Manipulation Generators". Apparently he also recovered some critical parts from each one but I have not seen any of them so they must be hidden away in a secure location.

There is notable frustration in his tone as he reports one incident, however. Apparently after disabling one SSMG, he happened to glance back to see some small creature repairing it. This creature is identified in the report as being a gremlin.

It is possible he may have momentarily lost focus at this point. He bears particular ill will towards these creatures.

It was his ward that got him back on track and working at his task before anymore invaders crossed over.

[Doctor Boggs]

I can't speak to what was going on at the facility since I was off in the woods with all those hikers and campers and whatnot (pigtails Raven? We're gonna have words, soonish.) trying to help them get away from whatever nasty business I could feel roaming the woods.

Of course we all know what use good intentions are and less than a mile from where we split up something occurred. If you've ever traveled through old forest at night you know how difficult it is to keep a lookout and yeah, something managed to swoop in and snatch a few folks. Yes I did try and stop it and no I was not successful. I had a line of sight on the big bastard for a few seconds at most then the trees hid it from sight again the low flying creep.

I'm sure I hit the sucker with my rifle, it just didn't phase the damn thing. So I told the rest to double time it and headed after the creep to try and get those people back, likely as that seemed.

[Ron Caliburn]

A gremlin fixing something?

Was it under control of something else?

[Robyn]

A gremlin fixing something?

Was it under control of something else?

Funny you should say that, Mr. Caliburn. Cybermancer indicates in his report that was exactly what he suspected was going on. Apparently it was something he saw from the otherside of the portal.

You see, despite Cybermancer's efforts to close the portal by deactivating the generator devices on this side, the portal just would not close. He began to suspect that it must be being maintained from the other side somehow. Seeing the Gremlin from earlier pass back over thru the portal seems to have cinched it for him.

Everyone else was occupied trying to rescue personnel from the complex as well as contain the creatures that had already come thru. Feeling he had no choice, Cybermancer went thru the portal. Apparently his ward went with him although his notes are somewhat unclear on that. She does seem to have her own mind about such things.

In any case, the details of what he saw and did on the other side are sadly lacking. I do have a few excerpts from his report to share.

There are stories and legends of books that tell of other worlds. Having visited such lands of madness, I can now fully appreciate how simply reading accounts of them might indeed drive one insane.

The little beast (I beleive he is referring to the Gremlin) was indeed working with powers from the other side. As I feared, there were more of the damnable generators on this side. They were being powered via a ritual being conducted by a cabal of our enemies sorcerors.

My only chance was to take them and the generators out while simultaneously protecting my ward from harm.

I shant relate the details of the event. I would prefer to forget I was ever there much less all that occured.

All that matters is that the portal was closed and I was able to cobble together a device to get us home again.

Still, I cannot shake one concern.

These creatures are not known for being tech savvy. I have grave concerns should humanity lose their greatest advantage against such beasts.

That is pretty much all I know about it. He patently refused to discuss the details or even why he didn't want to discuss it. He was anxious pretty much constantly until Jan 21st of last year, when he... began his new mission.

I have not heard from him in that time.

[Cybermancer]

Thank you, Robyn, for passing on information from my reports. I don't really have much more to add to the account that would be relevant.

I hope that everyone else got out of the area relatively unscathed.

[Phoenix]

Well here's a thread from six years ago that seems to have been buried. Some things are perhaps best left forgotten but not this, I think.

There are holes in this account. What exactly was on the other side? As the poster who knows the answer has surrendered his account to someone who wasn't there and probably wasn't briefed, we may never know. But we can perhaps speculate. There are a few places I know that would certainly be traumatic to even experienced travelers. And I'm not talking about the usual jetset racking of their frequent flier miles if you get what I mean.

I know a thing or two about the Sigma Project. It was real hush-hush. It was kept off the books and cancelled a short time after these posts were made. However my contact says that it was recently reactivated.

Which is interesting because yet another contact tells me that there is a competing operation with vaguely similar goals yet radically different approaches. It's called Operation Morning Star.

So what do these government black ops want? Well obviously Sigma was trying to open a portal to another world. Less obvious is whether they intended to hit the dimension from which gargoyles originate or if that was an accident? Or did the humans intend one thing only to be manipulated in another direction?

One wonders if anything can be done about it in any case.

[Kermode]

Very interesting.

[Cybermancer]

My predecessor left many questions with relation to this situation unanswered. He did seem to think that while this particular operation was shut down, interest in the project had not died away.

I have seen some evidence recently that suggests perhaps new avenues are being explored. That attempt was likewise interfered with but I can't say for how long.

[Kermode]

This strikes me as the kind of thing someone might want to pursue, to keep other less than desirable crossovers from occuring.

[Cybermancer]

This strikes me as the kind of thing someone might want to pursue, to keep other less than desirable crossovers from occuring.

It is on my radar and I've begun some preliminary investigations in this direction. I'd just as soon not wake up any sleeping dragons if I can avoid it however.