Stranded: Mind Poison

Chapter 2: The Inside-World

The SkyDiver Range was a portal that led between worlds. A technology created by those who came from before the blackout and the most likely method of transportation between mega-stations. Though no one had ever discovered the SkyDiver entrance on Promethean or indeed any other of the stations that didn't stop the belief that one existed.

Rather traipsed through the abandoned and ancient sections of the mega-station. He recalled his violent encounter with the Garafe and subsequent torture as they attempted to extract information about the battleship and the creature from him. They didn't know the secret of importance, however: he was going to find the SkyDiver Range and open up the universe to them.

Grathe walked beside him, clad in armor, and baring a curved claw-blade of unknown origin. The Machinist had built this armor and weapon for their great quest of tracking down the SkyDiver Range. If the way was opened again perhaps they could find the answers about why they had lost connection to the rest of the universe.

"SpaceDiver Range works for ships so it must work for people too." When Grathe spoke the words, Rather felt some doubt in their assumptions. There were limits to the SpaceDiver, having only six possible destinations, each of those having its own mega-station including Promethean.

This was an absurd quest. Yet, he continued through the old parts of the station. Not everywhere was utilized and much of the exterior levels had been abandoned due to radiation concerns and general disrepair. The exterior made the perfect place to hide lost technology because who would come out this far to find it?

They traversed storage areas, picked clean long ago, probably following the blackout and the mass panic that had raged inside the mega-station. At least two long and open areas twice as big as a regular corridor whose purpose had been lost right alongside the blackout. Everywhere had dust and debris scattered everywhere, but if there was anything valuable it had already been taken.

"Recently by the smell." Grathe had his nose up but looked disgusted.

A colony for lack of a better descriptor had been built up around what had probably been passenger dormitories for the trade ships that traversed to and from the mega-stations. Whatever Obsolus group had decided to take this place had known to reinforce the walls, ceilings, and floors to slow the leakage of radiation. They had done an amicable job, but ultimately no sanguine existence could happen this close to the deteriorating hull of Promethean.

The shell was literally flaking off. There were efforts from various groups to reinforce sections around the ports, but these were limited and not well organized. Meanwhile, abandoned areas were becoming exposed to the star's radiation, which was seeping down through the interior into populated regions. They were facing another station-wide event, but this time nobody wanted to take responsibility for the problem or join forces to fix it.

"What made them decide to move up here?" Rather couldn't fathom living this close to the hull. The Obsolus were more resistant to radiation, but they were far from immune to it and could die the same as Keloi.

"Less competition for space... less competition in general. Some Obsolus are more resistant to radiation than others. I dunno," Grathe replied. There was literally whole cities inside the mega-station left abandoned, which might contradict Grathe's ideas, but Rather didn't argue. He was holding his nose and hurried towards the other side as if the colony had also served as one giant toilet.

Rather stayed for a moment or two longer, searching for evidence of who had lived here and why, and because he couldn't actually smell anything abhorrent like his Bertania companion. There was nothing here other than the reinforcement, shielding, and a general repair of the sections that had served as living quarters. Whoever had been here had left and never returned.