The Impossible Machines - Chapter 4-1

His saviour didn't so much as wait around for Slaine before moving on at a brisk pace, apparently trusting that he would follow. He did so without needless questions, easily catching up to her with longer strides...which was why he nearly collided with her back when she abruptly halted. Considering how petite she was, he almost feared knocking her over, and in the back of his mind he was grateful he was able to stop without losing his balance and devolving into a flailing mess.

( Eminence Front )

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Note: So RL has pwned me pretty hard, but I've been chipping away at this all this time. It's just been...really slow. As it is, this part of the chapter is only partially-done. But I figured that I should put something up for the time being.

Ghost Fragment: Aldnoah 1

NEW GRIMOIRE CARD ACQUIRED
Ghost Fragment: Aldnoah 1

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"Since you're early visiting me, that means there's some major news you just have to share with me right now."

"The ancient aliens who created Aldnoah might have been discovered. Researchers compared the ruins on Venus to the Hypergate on the Moon and found them to be nearly identical."

"...OK, that is a big find. What did they uncover?"

"Here, look at this."

"Seriously? That looks like vaguely like Solis. They really think something like kataphrakts built the Hypergates?"

"No. They appear to have been a race of intelligent cybernetic beings, though it is possible that some kataphrakts were based on their physiology. More importantly, the reason why researchers believe Aldnoah has failed so far in efforts to replicate it is because it was simply an attempt by these 'Vex' to simulate the Traveller's abilities."

"So, what they're basically saying is that Aldnoah has always been just a cheap knock-off?"

"Not as you put it. It was simply – if one could say 'simply' about something so complex – their attempt to understand how it works, which was also why..."

"...Why the power depreciated when it was granted to someone by a member of the royal family."

"Yes. It seemed that Dr. Vers Rayvers inadvertently became a hub for their network, and only biological descendants were recognised by the network as 'slave' hubs."

"Charming. I imagine this means Aldnoah research has been abandoned. Why study the imitation when you have the real thing almost literally hovering over your head?"

"...In so many words."

"But you know what this means, right? The royal family doesn't have to be solely responsible for maintaining life on a dead world, not with the Traveller terraforming it and making Aldnoah obsolete. Mars hasn't needed provisions from Earth for over a year, maybe they could finally..."

"The political situation is still unstable. The people still look to the Empress for leadership, if no longer the metaphorical lifeblood of the planet."

"...Oh. That's a shame. I was hoping Mars would start to become more democratic by now. But I suppose some things never change."