The South American Base was now likely registered in the other Bases as a possession of their Ka?kar Mountains Base. And this had happened less than an hour ago. While an interception attempt by another Chosen One was unlikely, the thought could easily take root in someone's mind.
Thus, the return route was different. The shuttles rose above the Andes, offering a breathtaking view of isolated valleys and peaks worn down by time. However, the valley slopes were barren, the trees stripped lifeless by the nanites’ massive destruction. The ground vegetation appeared to be withering, adding a layer of sorrow to the once-majestic landscape. The low-angle light of dusk cast long shadows over the ridges, and the overwhelming stretch of mountains seemed to extend endlessly.
Flying over the Pacific Ocean, the shuttles passed by atolls and scattered islets, remnants of ancient sunken volcanoes. The turquoise color of the water contrasted with the sky, yet even here, the absence of marine life was striking. The shuttles flew low to avoid detection risks, while the vast silence of the open space amplified the solitude of the journey.
After long hours over the ocean, the Asian coastline emerged, bathed in a golden mist. Thailand, once lush and green, now stretched out in plains and rolling hills littered with dead trees. The rivers meandered between abandoned rice paddies, now sterile fields, while the absence of human life added to the strangeness of the scenery. The few remaining plants seemed to be fighting for survival, their leaves shriveled by an invisible force.
Crossing the Andaman Sea, the shuttles made a brief stopover above the Indian Ocean before reaching India. There, the endless plains stretched as far as the eye could see, punctuated by ancient temples. Alan, observing the landscape, noted with sadness that the nanites were also devouring the last grasslands, turning the earth into a barren mosaic. The remnants of human civilizations seemed to be dissolving into a world in decline.
Finally, the shuttles climbed again to cross the heights of the Pamir and the Himalayas, where the air grew clearer and colder. The sheer majesty of the mountains was overwhelming, but even here, the traces of destruction were visible. Some lower-altitude areas bore the marks of strangely dried-out soils. Only the highest peaks, shimmering with snow, seemed to escape the devastation.
The final stretch took them across Turkey. The sight of the Ka?kar Mountains brought relief to the crew. The mountains still stood, but the forests that once covered them were almost entirely dead, leaving behind bare slopes. The remaining vegetation seemed to be struggling for every inch of spared ground.
The shuttles landed in newly prepared docking areas. Alan found Jennel in the main courtyard, where the returning crew was congratulated on their success. Nine shuttles now rested on and around the Base. Jennel inquired about the mission.
"Did it go well?" she asked.
"Pretty well, but we had to enforce the law," Alan replied.
Jennel gave him a strange look, but he pulled her into his arms, kissed her, and added,
"I need to go talk to a friend."
With those words, he strode toward the control room. Jennel, intrigued, followed him and quickly guessed the identity of this "friend." Alan sat down and asked,
"Léa, what happens if a Chosen One dies in their Base?"
Léa replied,
"That Base will deactivate and can only be reactivated by a Chosen One from another Base. Just like you have done."
JENNEL
I didn’t want to trouble Alan with my concerns about the Base’s atmosphere. But it's becoming increasingly urgent. He needs to know. And I think I have a few simple but good ideas. Maybe even very good... Alright, let’s just say good.
Alan stood at the center of the large council chamber, arms crossed, his gaze attentive. Around him, the key figures of the Base had gathered. The seven former members of Kaynak’s Council, Imre, Rose, Yael, Maria-Luisa, Bob, as well as several other influential representatives of the group, were present. All were curious and somewhat concerned about the sudden meeting, which had been called at Jennel’s initiative.
She stood next to Alan, her expression serious, clearly troubled. She spoke in a calm but firm voice.
"Thank you for coming on such short notice. I’ll be direct. Over the past few days, I’ve been talking to many of you, observing reactions, listening to concerns. And what I feel is that something is wrong. We have achieved a critical goal: securing a safe refuge. But now, another challenge begins: the fight for stability. And if we don’t anticipate it, we are heading toward serious problems."
Jennel crossed her arms and scanned the room before continuing.
"I’ve already seen growing anxiety among many of us due to confinement. Yes, the Base is enormous, but it is also enclosed. Some are starting to feel deeply unsettled. They need space, air, a horizon. For some, it’s manageable, but for others, it’s turning into real psychological distress. We've seen people waking up in the middle of the night, sweating, panicked at the thought of being trapped."
A silence settled. Some nodded discreetly.
"We need a solution to give them the illusion of the outside. I propose two things:
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Using the holographic projectors to simulate natural landscapes in common areas and private slots. A plain, an ocean, forests. It may seem trivial, but believe me, it will help. And Léa has assured me it won't be a problem.
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Organizing supervised excursions outside the Base’s protected field. I know it’s risky, but even just a few hours in open air, even in a devastated wasteland, could be a real breath of fresh air for those who need it."
She paused to let them absorb her words before continuing.
Jennel took a deep breath.
"The second issue is more insidious but just as important. We live in a world entirely dependent on Léa. She controls our food, our comfort, and even some logistical decisions. People are starting to worry. Some refuse to use the synthesizers, others fear the AI is hiding things from us or manipulating us."
Nikos nodded.
"I’ve already heard that concern. Some believe Léa is withholding essential information from us."
Jennel nodded back.
"Exactly. Here’s what I propose:
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Create a transparent interface. Right now, most interactions with Léa are purely vocal. We need to display certain accessible data for everyone to see.
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Reassure people about our ability to function without her. It may not be 100% true, but if we create the perception that we have a backup plan, it will calm people’s nerves."
She turned toward Alan, who was listening attentively.
Jennel then looked at Rose and Bob.
"You were the first to point it out to me. Many people are starting to wonder what their purpose is. Before, they had a clear mission: survive, move forward, find the Source. Now that they’re here, they have no bearings."
Imre frowned.
"You mean they’re getting bored? After everything they’ve been through?"
"Yes. If we don’t act, we will have cases of depression—or worse, people becoming a danger to themselves or others."
Alan nodded.
"What do you suggest?"
"We need to organize roles and give everyone a purpose. Even symbolic tasks, like maintaining common areas, learning to pilot, exploring the Base’s data... can give people a sense of usefulness. We also need to establish a daily routine, with moments for learning, meetings, and physical activities to structure time."
She looked at each person in the room, searching for signs of opposition or support.
Alan straightened up and fixed Jennel with an appreciative gaze.
"You’re right. These problems will only get worse if we do nothing.
To be honest, I’m discovering Jennel’s proposals just as you are, but they all seem realistic to me. I think we need to implement them quickly because I sense the urgency as well. I won’t assign specific people; I ask you all to get involved and rally as many Survivors as possible to make these ideas a reality. Jennel can go over the details with you."
A murmur spread through the assembly, some nodding in agreement, others still processing the information but willing to follow the plan. Jennel let out a quiet sigh of relief. She had been heard.
The shuttle glided silently through the crisp air. Below, the landscape seemed to come alive in an explosion of unreal colors. Alan and his team watched in silence through the translucent walls as surreal mountains unfolded beneath them.
The terrain undulated like waves of fire, streaked with deep reds, blazing oranges, and vivid yellows. In some places, whitish patches revealed the presence of oxidized minerals, sculpting a landscape that seemed almost extraterrestrial. As they moved forward, the colors blended into a shifting kaleidoscope, as if the earth itself had been painted with broad strokes of a brush.
Yael, fascinated, murmured,
"It looks like another planet... This is the first time in a long while that something actually feels alive."
But this life was only an illusion. The land was dry, cracked from the absence of water, and only a few stunted bushes clung desperately to the barren slopes. There was no movement, no sign of animals, no fleeting shadow betraying the presence of anything other than these mineral ruins.
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
The shuttle descended slightly, following the contours of a ravine where the colors seemed even more intense, as if the ground itself burned with an invisible fire. Alan watched in silence, his jaw clenched. The beauty of the landscape did little to hide the reality: like so many other places, this land was dead.
Bob whispered,
"A place like this would have been a paradise for scientists... just a few years ago."
Alan nodded, then raised his hand slightly toward the console.
"We’re not staying long."
The shuttle gently ascended, leaving behind that fiery desert: one last burst of color in a world slowly fading into darkness.
A few minutes passed.
The shuttle descended slowly, skimming the twilight air currents. The landscape stretched open before them like an ethereal painting, where the shimmering water reflected the sun’s final rays, diffusing them in golden and crimson hues. Alan adjusted the trajectory, stabilizing the craft as they flew over a vast marshland, dotted with islands covered in glowing red vegetation.
"Look at that," Yael whispered, mesmerized.
The shallow pools sparkled beneath them, forming a patchwork of water separated by dark strips of land. In some places, tall golden reeds rose from the damp soil, swaying under the touch of the wind sweeping across the plain. The colors exploded in striking contrast—the clear blue sky, the deep red bushes, the burnt yellow of the reeds, and the silvery gray of the still water.
The shuttle traced the contours of the pools, descending lower to avoid the blinding glare of the setting sun. Further to the left, the plain stretched dry and unyielding, leading to the Base that now stood on the horizon.
Alan announced,
"We’re arriving. Let’s find stable ground for landing."
The shuttle touched down smoothly on an open patch of land near the pools. For a moment, everything seemed suspended in an eerie silence, disturbed only by the whisper of the wind slipping across the motionless water.
Thus, they discovered the third Base marked in blue by Léa.
Alan’s shuttle and the two others escorting it had activated their invisibility fields as soon as it became clear that the approach to the Base was concerning. Either it had no repulsion field or it was deactivated. They had landed at a safe distance.
Alan, joined by Imre, formed a six-person combat team, leaving the others with Bob and Yael to guard the shuttles.
The twilight cast its final glow over the plain, tinting the horizon in hues of copper and purple. Alan adjusted his gear and glanced at his companions. Imre stood beside him, his expression hard and focused, while the six fighters, including Leila and Mehmet, silently checked their weapons. Behind them, the three shuttles, invisible to the outside world, rested motionless like lurking shadows.
"Stay together and stay quiet. If this Base has no repulsion field, it's either inactive or under hostile control," Alan whispered.
Imre nodded and signaled the others to move forward.
They ventured into the plain, their footsteps muffled by the sparse vegetation. The ground was spongy in places, evidence of the marshes extending further beyond the red-tinged pools. The wind had risen, whistling softly through the dry grasses and lifting thin wisps of mist above the wettest patches.
As they advanced, the darkness thickened, gradually erasing the outlines of the distant hills. They moved cautiously, their silhouettes blending into the shifting shadows. The absence of any light from the Base only deepened the growing unease.
"It's a trap," Mehmet murmured, scanning the darkness.
Alan didn’t reply immediately. Something was off. If the Base was abandoned, why was there no sign of occupation and not even a fire or a faint glow? If it was controlled, why were there no patrols, no suspicious movement on the horizon?
They reached a small ridge overlooking a plateau below. Alan crouched and raised a hand, signaling them to halt.
"Look," he breathed.
Below, the Base finally came into view, a massive dark silhouette faintly outlined by the moonlight. It appeared intact but lifeless, frozen in an eerie silence. No signs of life. No visible presence.
A shiver ran down Alan’s spine.
"We move in under cover. If it’s an ambush, we won’t give them the advantage."
One by one, they descended the slope, vanishing into the darkness.
Alan led the way, his gaze fixed on the imposing structure looming ahead. The Base, massive and silent, stood before them like an abandoned citadel, its smooth walls barely reflecting the ghostly light of the moon. The total absence of illumination heightened the sense of emptiness, but the team knew the layout of the Bases well enough to navigate.
They moved cautiously, weaving between rock formations and uneven terrain. The wind, heavy with moisture, whistled through the deserted walkways, occasionally stirring up clouds of dust and ash that danced under the dim light.
It was Imre who stopped first, his foot striking something rigid.
"Shit," he muttered.
Everyone froze. Alan crouched and peered at what lay on the ground. A body. Then another. Two corpses in uniform, their clothes torn, but their expressions did not show surprise or panic. They had fallen with weapons in hand, frozen in postures that left no doubt: they had fought to the last.
"Look over there," Mehmet whispered, pointing into the shadows.
More bodies, scattered, some slumped against the walls, others in firing positions. The acrid scent of blood and metal clung to the still air. Alan crouched beside one of the corpses, pulling back the tattered fabric covering its chest. A clean wound cut through its side.
Imre exhaled through his teeth.
"This looks like an execution after close combat. They put up a real fight."
Alan stood and gestured to Imre.
"We need light."
Imre rummaged through his pack and retrieved several glow sticks. He cracked one, then another, releasing a soft green luminescence. He tossed two to his men, who passed them along.
The first rays of light unveiled a massacre. The walls were riddled with bullet holes, molten metal fragments and shattered glass littered the ground. Everywhere, signs of struggle: makeshift barricades, abandoned weapons, ransacked equipment.
"This wasn’t a one-sided slaughter," Mehmet observed, pointing at a series of overlapping footprints in the dust.
"Two distinct groups fought here. And there aren’t just the dead."
Alan scanned the area.
"If survivors fled, they didn’t take much with them."
They advanced slowly through the entrance hall. The same grim scene repeated at every turn: makeshift barricades, clusters of corpses, scattered gear. Some doors were broken open, others welded shut with crude seals, as if someone had tried to contain something.
Here is the English translation of your text with italicized dialogues:
After several minutes of progression, they finally reached the control room.
The sight was the same. But at the center, dominating the entire space, the large central dome stood, intact but lifeless, as inert as the rest of the structure.
Alan slowly circled the dome, placed a hand on its smooth, cold surface, and briefly closed his eyes.
"What happened here..." murmured Imre.
No one answered.
Imre observed the corpses and the silent battlefield for a long moment. He crouched near a body, examined the weapon still clenched in its hand, then looked up at Alan.
"Two factions," he finally said. "The Chosen One’s side and another. Maybe dissidents, invaders, or even Survivors from outside. What’s certain is that one of them was well-organized, maybe even better equipped than us. And look at these barricades, these defensive lines..."
Alan nodded, scrutinizing the burn marks on the metallic walls.
"The repulsion field was deactivated," Imre continued. "But was it done under duress? Blackmail, infiltration, a mistake? Or was it just a technical failure? Anything is possible."
Alan thought for a moment, then approached the central dome, imposing and silent. He placed his hand on its cold surface and stood still.
"Léa, do you read me?" he asked, activating his communicator.
The soft voice of the AI immediately responded. "I hear you, Alan."
"Can you connect to this Base’s AI?"
A brief silence followed, then Léa replied:
"Negative. This Base is in direct communication with the orbital ship via a security link. I cannot interfere as long as security protocols remain active."
Alan clenched his jaw. "And what if we apply the rules of the Gull selection?"
Another pause, longer this time.
"There is a conflict. The selection is compromised by active security protocols. Contradictory authorizations detected."
A chill ran through the room. A mechanical noise, faint at first, began to rise in intensity. Then, suddenly, the dome pulsed with a glowing orange light. An unstable magnetic ring appeared at the center, floating around a slender rod.
Without hesitation, Alan reached out and seized it.
Around his finger, the four rings appeared, each thinner than before, containing a power he still did not fully understand.
Imre took a slight step back, watching the scene cautiously.
"You just forced the Gulls' hand, didn’t you?"
Alan gave a joyless smile.
"I just reminded them of their own logic."
Night fell over the abandoned Base, enveloping the ruins of battle in deep, heavy darkness. The group decided to wait until dawn before making a decision. The bodies lay scattered in silence, and the air was thick with tension.
Imre assigned guard shifts, designating Mehmet for the first watch. He settled at the main entrance, his back against the wall, gripping his weapon tightly. The darkness felt alive, oppressive. Every noise, a whisper of wind or a distant echo made him tense. He had seen battlefields before, but never a place so frozen in chaos, as if the Base itself was holding its breath.
His mind wandered. Who had attacked whom? Had the assailants managed to escape, or were their bodies lying somewhere in the shadows, deeper inside the Base? Would reactivating the dome trigger a response from the ship in orbit? And above all… were they really alone here?
The hours passed, long and silent, interrupted only by the changing of the guard. When the sun finally peeked over the horizon, casting a pale light through the shattered structures, they prepared to leave.
Their first realization was bitter: of the three shuttles present on-site, only one was flight-worthy. The others had sustained damage during the battle or had simply been rendered useless, likely sabotaged.
"We'll take the one that works and head back," Alan declared, pounding his fist against the hull of the intact vessel.
They boarded, and Alan programmed a different return route to avoid any potential interception. The shuttle rose swiftly, joined the other three, and took a course northeast, first following the Pacific coast before entering Russian airspace.
The Siberian plains stretched endlessly beneath them, the forests nearly wiped out, their blackened skeletons marking the ground like relics of a lost era.
Flying at a low altitude allowed them to observe ghost cities. Structures still standing but devoid of life, swallowed by snow or ice storms. Above the Arctic Circle, the night was brief, and they continued their journey toward Norway.
As they crossed the Barents Sea, the shuttle skimmed the Norwegian coastline, where majestic fjords opened beneath them, now empty and silent. The sun’s reflection on the frozen waters accentuated the eerie sense of a world trapped in an endless ending.
They then veered south, quickly crossing the Baltic and entering central European airspace. Germany, then the Aegean Sea stretched beneath them before they finally descended toward the Ka?kar Mountains, their Base at last in sight.
The shuttles landed smoothly on the designated platforms. Alan was the first to step out, followed by Imre and the rest of the team.
Jennel was waiting for them at the Base’s main gate, arms crossed, impatient. Her face relaxed as she saw them safe, but her gaze remained troubled.
"So? Did everything go well?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
Alan nodded with a tired smile. "Let’s say we found the Base. But it wasn’t exactly... inhabited."
Jennel didn’t press further, but she wasn’t fooled. They had seen something important.
"While you were gone," she continued, "one of our patrols over the Arabian Peninsula detected four shuttles flying in formation toward India. They were coming from the south."
A silence settled. Then, slowly, Alan, Imre, and the others began to smile.
"We’re not the only ones playing this game," Imre said, amused.