The Record of Unusual Creature

While Hao Ren hated to admit it, Lily the dumb husky could actually come up with some rather sensible suggestions. Lily was right. The arks do not need a permanent place to call home. To the people in it, the concept of ‘homeworld’ had long vanished, and even a generation or two would not revive such a notion within their minds. So regardless if you were to give them a planet, or how long you would allow them to live on one is immaterial. Now what the arks sorely need is a place to call port, and a chance to repair those ancient, decrepit and now soon to fall apart systems. Even ten years would be too optimistic a timeframe to complete the repairs.

Hao Ren ran through his progress within the Plane of Dreams, and figured that he would probably run into a suitable planet soon enough. At that time, he will just have Lawrence and his kin to move again.

Y’zaks was a little apprehensive when he heard Lily’s suggestion. “While technically possible, but humans are fickle. It’s easy to send them to Io, but after they find out about the world beyond the ark, getting them back into space may not be as easy.”

“Oh? The rampaging mad demon king finally gotten a grasp of human psychology?” Vivian gave Y’zaks a wry look.

“That’s a minor problem.” Hao Ren laughed. “Any case, the arks controls are with Nolan. I tell you, after knowing old man Lawrence, those buggers down there are just really bratty children. While me as outsider should not interfere with their social order, but I have a responsibility to stop these rascals from wrecking other’s property. If they could rebuild their civilisation, that will be for the best, if they were to get mired in chaos for a length of time…. then giving them a spank would be a duty of a proper adult.”

He then aded. “Of course, that’s after we get the Siren’s approval. I’ll go look for Queen Katreina once we go back, and see if she’s okay in letting someone else bunk on her homeworld. We cannot afford another mistake like Tannagost. So before that… Nolan, move the arks near the drone hives. Let the drones run some emergency repairs on the ship. There’s some defensive firepower there too, that should protect the ark.”

Nolan nodded as her projection disappeared from the bridge. A moment later, Hao Ren saw the arks started turning slowly. A flash of silver light beamed from the ancient black hulls (that is the light from the osmotic cores). The massive engines on the side of the arks started a series of complicated realignments and adjustments as the normal engines shut down one-by-one while the grids of the distortion generator into standby, turning from dark red, into blazing white. What followed was a series of dimensional distortion appearing all along the arks length, as one-by-one the arks entered hypserspace travel and disappeared.

As the arks vanished into hyperspace, what was left was a trail of distortion mirrors. And the stars around the area had distoted into odd shapes, while the center of the trail was pitch black.

Hao Ren did not return to Earth after the arks had left. He ordered Nolan to reset the navigational target and headed towards CARS.

He wanted to send the third gilded disc back, and talk to the three guardian giants about something.

Crystal Apple Research Station, Laboratory Sector

In the vast crystal hall, the third floating platform had been activated. A new gilded disc was suspended in mid air and started spinning alongside the energy field. A few light orbs and crystalline clusters floated around the disc, and started performing some prelimenary scans of this new test subject. Beside the floating platform, two other gilded discs floating like masks in midair, staring expressionlessly towards their new ‘sibling’.

From the surface, the three gilded disc are only suspended where they stood, but from the readings of the test instruments, there was a series of highspeed data transfer between the three discs, and the transference model was many times more complicated compared to when only two discs were present. They not only received the infdormation, they had also recompose, change, edit these information and every resonance results in at least two variables. And the edited data would cause a new resonance, and every cycle sees data being discarded, or new data formed to merge into the combined resonance of the three discs.

The ‘data signals’ jumping between the discs were beyond human comprehension, and it could not even be transcribed. So the testing instruments could only simulate the data transfer as jumping lights strobes on the holographic projection. Hao Ren was looking at the signals from the control dais and was immediately overwhelmed by it. Almost as if he was witnesssing an insane fireworks show.

“Just by adding one more, the resonance model had gone to hell…” amazement was apparent in the MDT’s voice. “I do not dare to think how many are there, and what will happen if they were all reassembled again. I dare say thisi thing may actually live up to its namesake, and as soon as all pieces are brought together, the data explosion is akin to a birth of a new world.”

“That’s why they are called the ‘World Engine.” Hao Ren smiled before looking at the guardian giants beside him. “How’s that? I told you I’d bring the Goddess’ relics back. I’m a man of my word.”

Muru, Lemendusa and Heve immediately rushed over as soon as they heard that third gilded disc was found. They were on Tannagost checking out the status of the plantlife in the woods there, and they did not even bother grooming themselves when they got back. Muru and Lemendusa had branches and leaves all over their clothes, and two tiny sprouts actually jutted out from Heve’s long hair. That’s right, two sprouts. For a ten meter tall giant, surely it was not weird to have two meter-long sprouts jutting out of your hair right? That said, Hao Ren had a hard time imagining how did the lady giant got the sprouts into her hair in the first place…

Muru dusted off his clothes as he smiled. “I of course believe you. Your actions have already gained the respect of the guardians. Your actions have already proven that you are on our side.”

Hao Ren leapt about as he tried to avoid the falling rocks and branches that was dusted off by Muru. “Well, aren’t you lot considerate. This is a proper science facility, can’t you guys clean up before coming? Say… were you guys actually inspecting the ecosystem or did you went on a survival trip in the wilds? Why are you guys in such a sorry state?”

“Zom was trying out a new way to simulate life and something went wrong. A forest experienced a massive growth and we had to go ‘trim the garden’. Heve spoke gently. “It is still not familiar with the equipment that you have designed for him after all.”

“Oh, so it does need help from experienced ‘gardeners’ like you.” Hao Ren replied casually before looking at Muru. “Actually, I have something to ask. I’m not sure if you have any idea what the ‘Denizens of the Stars’ are?”

“Denizens of the Stars?” Muru turned towards Lemendusa by reflect. “Is this their official title?”

“Oh right, the Denizens of the Stars is the name given to them by the mortal races. You may call them by other names.” Hao Ren slapped his forehead before getting the MDT to display the holographic projection of the denizens. The images were not necessarily accurate, as they were 3D models that was composed by Hao Ren based on a few ancient information that he have managed to collect, there is bound to be difference with realit. But if the guardian giants have seen them before, then it is very possible that they might recognise it. “Just like that, their outer form is a shapeless cloud of light, there’s energy points within them, no fixed form either, and height wise, they could probably be as tall as you guys.”

There was a slight change in Muru’s eyes as he saw the flickering light. Lemendusa and Heve too closed in by reflex. A moment later, Muru spoke. “I’m not sure if its them… Have I told you about the Eternals?”

Hao Ren immediately perked to attention. The guardians do have some information regarding the Denizens of the Stars. “You’ve mentioned them once, but there was no time for details then. And I was too busy that I forgot to follow up. So, these Denizens of the Stars are the Eternals?”

“No, these denizens may be one of the Eternals.” Muru’s expression was stern. “The Eternals are not a race.”