[POV - BEAROF]
Within one of the rooms of the Lienus Rail, sat 4 people. Having finally found some lasting peace after the past 7, torturous months, all they wanted was to get some sleep.
Some definite rest, but alas, fate had other plans.
Well.
At least Bearof did.
"What House is he from? Or perhaps some big corpo-guild?" Bearof asked.
The people he aimed the question at; Bob, Le'ahna, and Varric, were FAR younger than him, some couple decades, and were part of the newer generation. Kids could be reliable to keep up with the latest gossip.
'Most of them anyway' he mused. He was brought out of it when Le'ahna spoke up.
"....I...I haven't noticed any visible crests anywhere. Or any well known ones in any case. Not on those androids, in that station a while ago, or even inside this 'Lienus Rail' as our 'benefactor' called it" she said, while emphasizing on some words with air quotes.
"Speaking of trains, what's up with this one?" Varric said.
"What do you mean?"
"Woman, what I mean is...well, everything. Look, we've all been on sonic, or at the very worst, sub-sonic rails, so it's not strange thing to us. What's strange is..." he trailed off.
"Spit it out Varric" said Bearof
"W...Why is it here?"
Le'ahna and Bearof gave him strange looks. Receiving them, Varric pleadingly looked to Bob, who'd been very quiet so far.
"I'm with Varric on this one. It really IS strange. First off, the size of this train is....unnatural, to say the least. It's more than three times the size of the ones we had back home! And if I'd heard the boy-in-white last time, we're going the same speed, or even faster! FASTER THAN SOUND, IN SOMETHING THIS SIZE!" Bob said, getting increasingly louder with each word.
The others had backed up the moment he'd begun his rant. They'd gotten used to it over the past couple months, and no one could really blame him. He'd stepped up to a role he wasn't prepared for, and handled it beyond anyone's expectations.
"Then, there's the location. Lokir had been designated a Class-10 Hazard zone more than 40 years ago, that escalated to Class-8 only 6 years ago, without any reason. At least, any reason that was publicly available. To build something of this size? Along with the related infrastructure, like the tracks? It'd need an inordinate amount of money AND time. Even more considering the dangers here."
And Bob was right. Hazard zones were places with some particular instability, that led to the environment becoming increasingly hostile to just about everything. It wasn't just hostile for the living either, as there were many Hazard zones that the Undead found exceptionally unwelcome.
Bearof leaned back further, the dim lights of the train car casting deep shadows across his weathered face. "Let's talk about Aedhira himself," he said, his voice cutting through the lingering tension. "We need to consider all possibilities. What do we know about him?"
Le'ahna tilted her head thoughtfully. "He doesn't act like a soldier, more like a scholar or a scientist. He has this air of knowledge about him, like he knows things we can't even begin to understand."
Varric nodded in agreement. "But he's also not completely out of touch with combat. The way he directed those...androids, or whatever they are, showed he knows how to handle a fight. And those moves—definitely not something you learn from books alone."
Bob, who had been silent for a while, finally spoke up. "His technology is beyond anything we've seen. The train, the androids, even his armor... It's all advanced, but also strange. It's like he's using a mix of old and new tech, some of which I can't even begin to place."
Bearof stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Again, could he be from a noble house? Maybe one with old ties to Lokir, a family with ancient secrets and resources?"
Le'ahna shrugged. "It's possible. There are plenty of noble houses with long-forgotten histories. Some of them could have ties to places like Lokir, buried deep in their archives."
"Or it could be a guild, like you said," Varric suggested. "The big corpo-guilds have the resources and the secrecy to pull something like this off. Maybe he's a high-ranking member, sent here for a special mission."
Bob frowned. "But why would a guild or a noble house invest so much in a place like Lokir? The resources here aren't worth the risk, not with the Fyrraths and other dangers. There has to be something more."
Bearof nodded, leaning forward. "That's the crux of it. Whatever his origins, Aedhira has a reason for being here, and it's not just to help us. We need to figure out what that reason is."
Le'ahna sighed, her gaze drifting to the sleek interior of the train car. "And those androids—or whatever they are—they're like nothing I've ever seen. They're too advanced to be standard models, but they don't match any of the known tech from the big houses or guilds."
"Maybe they're not androids at all," Varric speculated. "What if they're golems? Automatons built with some kind of lost tech? It would explain their efficiency and the way they operate."
Bearof shook his head. "I've seen golems before, and these don't fit the mold. They're too...fluid, too adaptable. Golems are usually rigid, bound by their programming or enchantments. These...things...they seem to think for themselves, to some extent."
Bob rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "That would mean Aedhira has access to something far beyond our understanding. Whether it's ancient magic, lost technology, or something else entirely, it places him in a league of his own."
Bearof's eyes narrowed. "And what about those extraction vessels? They were beyond outdated, practically ancient by our standards. I'm no scholar, but even I know that we moved on from Combustion Propulsion entire ERAS ago. Why would someone with access to such advanced technology use relics like that?"
Le'ahna nodded. "It doesn't make sense. Unless...unless they're not as outdated as they seem. Maybe there's something about their design or materials that makes them valuable in ways we don't understand."
Varric agreed. "Or maybe they're a decoy, meant to throw us off. Make us think he's less advanced or resourceful than he actually is."
Bearof leaned back, his grizzled face thoughtful. "So, we're all in agreement that this whole setup is highly suspicious," he concluded, his voice a gravelly rumble.
Le'ahna nodded, her eyes flicking around the room as if expecting hidden listeners. "It doesn't add up. The resources, the technology, the timing...whoever this 'Aedhira' is, he's got backing from somewhere. But from who or what, is the question."
"Or why," Varric added, his youthful face tense. "Why go through all this trouble for us? For Lokir? What's the angle?"
Bob sighed, rubbing his temples. "There's always an angle. No one does something for nothing, especially not something on this scale."
Bearof, sensing the rising tension, decided to steer the conversation toward a more immediate concern. "Alright, let's break this down. We need to be ready for whatever comes next. First off, let's keep an eye on our 'benefactor.' Watch for any signs of who he might be working for or what he really wants."
Le'ahna frowned. "And if he's planning to double-cross us?"
"Then we'll be ready," Bearof replied firmly. "We've survived this long by being cautious and sticking together. We won't stop now."
Varric shifted uncomfortably. "Do you think he knows we're suspicious of him?"
Bearof considered this. "Maybe. But if he does, he hasn't shown it. Not that I can tell, with that Helm of his"
Bearof's group fell into a contemplative silence, the low hum of the Lienus Rail's engines the only sound in the room. The sleek walls and soft lighting of the train car provided a stark contrast to the rough-and-tumble environment they had endured for months. Despite the relative comfort, the unease among them was palpable.
Finally, Bob spoke up, his voice tinged with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. "You know, this whole situation reminds me of something I read about Lokir back at the academy. Lokir wasn't always a Class-10 Hazard zone. It used to be a thriving colony, rich in resources and scientific research."
Bearof and the others turned their attention to Bob, intrigued. "Go on," Bearof urged.
Bob adjusted his glasses, the lenses catching the ambient light. "Well, Lokir was originally settled for its unique geological features and abundant mineral resources. But what really set it apart was its proximity to a series of natural energy nodes—places where the planet's magnetic field was unusually strong. These nodes were believed to be remnants of some ancient cataclysm, possibly linked to the planet's core."
Le'ahna frowned. "Energy nodes? Like Ley-lines back home?"
Bob nodded. "Exactly like the Ley-lines back home, except-" he took a breath.
"-this isn't mana. The energy nodes were incredibly powerful and unstable, making them both a boon and a bane for the settlers. They provided limitless energy for a time, allowing for rapid technological advancement and experimentation. But as the years went by, the nodes became increasingly volatile, leading to a series of catastrophic events."
Varric leaned forward, his interest piqued. "Catastrophic how?"
"Massive earthquakes, magnetic storms, and radiation bursts," Bob explained. "The worst of it happened about forty years ago, when a series of earthquakes triggered a chain reaction in the energy nodes. The resulting disaster decimated the surface and turned Lokir into a Hazard zone."
Varric stroked his chin thoughtfully. "So, this place is sitting on top of a bunch of ticking time bombs. Great."
Bob continued, his expression serious. "The thing is, Lokir's designation as a Class-10 Hazard zone wasn't just because of the physical dangers"
"I did some research on various hazard zones. Lokir wasn't my primary focus, but it intrigued me because of its classification change and the rumors surrounding it."
The others turned their attention to Bob, sensing the importance of what he was about to reveal.
"Lokir was initially designated as a Class-10 Hazard zone about forty years ago due to its extreme environmental instability. That classification means it's a place where life—and even unlife—finds it difficult, not impossible, but difficult- to survive. The Fyrraths and other dangers we've encountered are just the tip of the iceberg."
Le'ahna nodded, her eyes narrowing. "Go on."
"About six years ago, Lokir's classification was suddenly escalated to a Class-8 Hazard zone. Normally, hazard classifications, as places become more....problematic, decrease in value. And what's more, there were no publicly available reasons for this change. It's as if someone or something wanted to draw less attention to it. To spook people off. "
Bearof leaned forward, intrigued. "What does that mean, exactly?"
"It means," Bob continued, "that Lokir is hiding something—something that whoever reclassified it doesn't want the general populace to know about. And building something like this Lienus Rail here? It would require a massive investment of both time and resources. Why would anyone do that in a place that's supposed to be nearly uninhabitable?"
Varric's eyes widened. "So, you think Aedhira—or whoever he's working for—knows what's really going on here?"
Bob nodded. "Exactly. They must have a reason for investing so heavily in this area. The technology we've seen—the train, the androids, even the outdated extraction vessels—suggests they have access to a mix of old and advanced tech, possibly scavenged or repurposed from different sources. It's a patchwork of capabilities, which means they've been working here for a long time, under the radar."
Le'ahna crossed her arms, her brow furrowed. "But why keep it secret? What's so important about Lokir?"
Bob took a deep breath, leaning back as he delved into his memories of the tour and the scant records he had found. "During a tour I took with my uncle to a nearby Lagrange point, we passed by a research station that had once monitored Lokir. The guides there mentioned that Lokir was rumored to hold ancient artifacts, powerful and potentially dangerous. But there were also whispers about it being a focal point for unexplained energy anomalies—something that drew in researchers and corporations alike."
Bearof's eyes narrowed. "Artifacts and energy anomalies... That sounds like something worth keeping secret, especially if it's powerful enough to be a game-changer."
Le'ahna's eyes widened. "You think Aedhira is here because of that? The artifact or technology?"
Bob shrugged. "It's possible. The timing and resources required to set up something like the Lienus Rail and his advanced tech suggest a deeper motive. If there's something valuable or dangerous hidden on Lokir, it would explain a lot."
Bearof leaned back, his mind racing. "If that's true, then we're caught in the middle of something much bigger than we thought. And Aedhira... he could be after whatever that artifact is."
"Exactly," Bob agreed. "If Aedhira and his backers are here, it's likely they're after something specific—something they can't afford to let fall into the wrong hands. It might explain their mix of technology and why they're willing to risk so much."
Varric shivered. "So we're caught in the middle of some grand scheme, with no idea who the players are or what their endgame is."
The group fell silent again, each lost in their thoughts. The implications of Bob's revelations were staggering. If Aedhira was indeed after some ancient technology or artifact, it could spell both opportunity and danger for them all.
Bearof finally broke the silence. "Alright, we need to keep our eyes and ears open. We don't know what Aedhira's true intentions are, but we need to be prepared for anything. Bob, keep digging into what you know about Lokir. Anything you can remember from your research or that tour might be crucial."
Bob nodded, a determined look in his eyes. "I'll do my best. There might be more to Lokir's history that could help us understand what we're dealing with."
Le'ahna and Varric exchanged glances, a mix of apprehension and resolve on their faces. "We'll watch Aedhira," Le'ahna said. "If he makes any moves that seem suspicious, we'll know."
Bearof nodded. "Good. Remember, we stick together. We've come this far by trusting each other, and we won't stop now."
---
Aedhira stood in the control cabin, watching the landscape blur past through the reinforced window. The hum of the rail was a comforting constant, a reminder of the technology and power at his disposal. Yet, his thoughts were troubled.
"Argos," he called, his voice low.
[Yes, Sire?]
"Run a scan on our passengers. I want to know what they're talking about."
[Accessing internal surveillance systems...completed. Audio feed initiating.]
Aedhira listened intently as the conversation among Bearof and the others played through the speakers. He heard their suspicions, their questions, and their determination. A small smile played at the corners of his mouth.
"So, they're wary of me," he mused. "Good. They should be."
'And to think they could get that far after sheer speculation. Mother almighty, they're scary.' he mused
'Or they would be if I had any idea as to what they're talking about'
[Do you wish to take any action, Sire?]
Aedhira shook his head. "No, not yet. Let them think they're onto something. It will keep them sharp, focused. We need that kind of resolve for what's ahead."
He turned back to the controls, his expression hardening. The journey was far from over, and the true challenges had yet to reveal themselves. But Aedhira was prepared. He had plans, contingencies, and allies they knew nothing about.
Not yet.
As the Lienus Rail sped through the subterranean tunnels, Aedhira's mind raced with thoughts of strategy and survival. He was determined to see his mission through, no matter the cost.
A flash of the monstrosity back a couple hours ago resurfaced, and he had to force it back down.
If the refugees could help him achieve his goals, then all the better. He would use their strength, their resilience, and their suspicion to his advantage. The game was afoot, and Aedhira intended to win.