The Morningstar Brigade

Chapter 70

XXXXXXX

URIEL

Solstice

Transportation Chamber, Morningstar Keep

"How long is it going to take for the Ladder to get up and running?" Uriel asked as Solomon scurried around checking various gauges and frantically hitting blinking buttons.

Solomon tugged at his hair and then pulled down on a big red lever with all of his might. "Well, if my tests so far have been accurate, it should take about twenty minutes for the device to finish warming up on my end. Granted, this is not an ideal final device or ideal testing circumstances. The big question will be how things go on your end."

Uriel frowned, stepping over a series of cables. "Your end? What does that mean?"

"Since our last test drive, I've redesigned the transporter to stop trying to power Eli's combat tag independent of you, because it was only refusing or shorting out the energy. Instead, this machine works in concert with your power and Eglon's Vita, focusing on amplifying your output rather than trying to supplement it. That said, I've had to get a little... creative since Isaac's sabotage. Jacob's Ladder is about fifty percent tape and optimism at this point," he explained, his hands shaking with excitement as he spoke. "But you don't need to think about that. All you need to know is that when I say go, you put your hands on that console, just like last time."

Meddy tugged at her bun, studying the giant, ramshackle metal ring anxiously. "And once it's powered up? What happens then? How many does it take through?"

Solomon didn't answer, very poorly pretending as if he hadn't heard the question.

"How many, Solomon?" Uriel demanded, putting a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"So, listen. This isn't the final design. This is a rough draft that got blown up and strapped back together. If it had been perfect, I would have called you guys before all of this happened. It isn't the luxury model of inter-reality travel, but it's all we've-"

"How many?" Uriel asked again.

Solomon hung his head and raised a single finger. "One."

Artemis lifted Solomon up by his labcoat. "One? Are you kidding? Our big plan is to still just send a single person to fight that maniac?"

"Listen, it isn't exactly my first choice either," Solomon said, wriggling free of Artemis' grip. "The Penumbra forced our hand here. It's our only option." He tapped a finger on his chin. "We could potentially send two, but transporting that much mass to and from Earth would wind up shorting out our system and the tags entirely on the return trip. We could never return to Earth. Ever."

"No, it's better this way. No one else should risk their life against Faust," Uriel said. "Will I at least be able to return with Eli?"

Solomon nodded. "Yes, one return trip with two individuals will put a strain on the tags, but it shouldn't cause any longterm damage to the system like a two-way trip would."

Artemis looked over at the locked metal doors with growing concern as Nephilim began to bang on the outside. "And what do we do in the meantime? That entrance isn't going to last forever."

Solomon shrugged. "They'll last at least fifteen minutes. You all can make your peace with Morningstar or whatever it is that people do, but in five minutes you should arrange yourself into a defensive formation," he advised. "Making sure that this contraption doesn't blow is going to require every ounce of my attention and I don't need Nephilim interrupting that."