Manifest Fantasy

Chapter 13: Tier 9

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Armstrong Base, Grenden Plains
November 29, 2024

Henry stepped out of his quarters, putting on a jacket as the chill of the air nipped at his skin. The base was quiet this morning, most of the personnel probably still recovering from the Thanksgiving feast they'd shared with the Sonarans. It had been an interesting experience, blending traditions like that. The Sonarans had been fascinated by the history of the holiday, and in turn, they'd shared some of their own customs. The food had been a trip too – Henry never imagined having gravy made from the local herbs and spices.

The food ran out surprisingly quickly – in high demand by both the base personnel and the various diplomatic and scholarly staff from the numerous Sonarans who had participated. And now, it was back to basics. Henry entered the relatively empty mess hall and grabbed a plate of French toast and bacon, pairing it with a cup of coffee. He took a seat alone at one of the tables, digging into his meal as he pored over the mission briefing on his tablet. The Gatebuilder site, with its strange readings and potential for advanced technology, had been on his mind since the moment he woke up.

He noticed movement in his peripheral vision, someone approaching him. He looked up and felt his heart flutter a bit upon recognizing her vibrant purple eyes. Sera slid into the seat across from him, setting her tray down on the table with a clatter.

Henry blinked in surprise at the mountain of food she'd managed to pile onto the tray. "Uh, hungry?" he asked, eyeing the stack of pancakes, the mound of scrambled eggs, and the generous helping of bacon and sausage.

She picked up a strip of bacon and analyzed it. "I must confess, the composition of this dish is rather puzzling. But the server was quite adamant that this constituted a 'classic American breakfast.' I suppose it would be remiss of me not to at least try it."

She took a tentative bite of the strip, eyes widening at the crunch and the burst of flavor. "Oh, this is quite delightful. What was this called again?"

Henry chuckled. "That's bacon. And those," he pointed to the sausages, "are sausages. The fluffy things are pancakes – great with butter and syrup. And the yellow stuff is scrambled eggs."

"Well I must say, this is quite the feast," Sera remarked. "I'm surprised a military force offers such luxuries. Typically, such a bountiful meal would be reserved for the most special of occasions, or the tables of the nobility." 

"Yeah, that's mostly just us. We get special treatment since we're, y'know." Henry said, gesturing to the base outside. "The brass likes to make sure we're well-fed. Keeps morale up when we're far from home."

Sera furrowed her brow, glancing out the window toward the swirling portal. "But surely, with the gateway so close at hand, you could return to your homeland with ease?"

Henry smiled, leaning back casually. "Well, yeah, but imagine the stories we'd miss out on here, the adventures. But if you're asking for an invite," he said, raising an eyebrow, "I'm afraid we'll have to stick with going out in Eldralore for the time being."

"An invitation to your world?" Sera gave an interested smile. "My, Captain, how forthright of you. Yet, you speak truly. There remain many stories yet to unfold here. And on that note..."