Back at the ATV, Aleerin, the young Mechalus, told the group what the Syndicate had found. It was a worm hole generator from some kind of alien race. He was brought here to help understand the technology. He had been at it for a couple of weeks and had not really found out anything, but about 2 weeks ago he was in that room where they had all met. He tried to connect to an outcropping of rock and all of the sudden the whole facility came to life. The golden veins in the walls started to pulse and vast amounts of power was flowing throughout the room. Aleerin could not quite explain how it felt. He was almost overwhelmed by the power of it all. He also sensed something else there; a conscience of some kind but very alien. Once he was over his awe, he made attempts to connect with the conscience. After a couple of days he found it. He moved into an area of the machine and started to probe around. By this point his mind was starting to get used to the alien thought patterns that had built the machine. He was working on a control area of some sort when all of the sudden he was confronted by the conscience he had felt before. It was immense and seemed to hold wisdom beyond Aleerin's comprehension. He greeted it but it just stood there looking at him. Then it told him that he was not ready yet. He inquired as to what he was supposed to be ready for. The entity replied it had the knowledge of the universe. Then it was gone. The next couple of days were spent looking for it and that was how he found the gate controls. He knew what they were and how to use them at once, but for some reason he could only set it to one planet.

The Syndicate sent through a group to see what was there. They found a lush green planet. At one time, there was a thriving population on it. From what the group could tell, the population had either left or died out over 100 million years ago. Though vegetation had not completely taken over the city yet. This was disturbing since normal vegetation would have destroyed this city in that time. Groups went back and forth to the planet crystal, which is what they had called it because of the numerous crystal structures. Then they must have found something because after that all travel was restricted.

I was sent through to work on some medical equipment and got it up and running. Then a couple of days later I saw the first one. The cyborgs started to arrive. I thought nothing of it but later it became obvious the Syndicate was building an army. That is when I started to stall and would not give them any new information I found. At first nothing happened. Then I was called to Port Royal and told to either get results or I will be eliminated. After coming back, I fed them small bits of information but they did not believe me. That was when I became their prisoner.

After he had finished his story, Linda asked,

"How far away was this other planet?"

"Statement: It's location/placement is approximately 1000 light years closer to the core of the galaxy."

Yalp asked,

"What was the technology level?"

"Statement: It is higher/more advanced than here. Technology/knowledge was only available/accessible in medical field."

Pogo looked at the young Mechalus and asked,

"Does this device go to any other world?"

"Statement: Device/gate can access/connect with millions of other devices/gates. Gate/device on Penates only access/connect to planet crystal. Reason/conclusion unknown at this time."

Denise looked around the ATV and said,

"We need to know what is going on back at Port Royal."

Aleerin said,

"Statement: Syndicate/gang has a radio station that transmits/sends out news every hour/60 minutes." He then moved to the transmitter and got the station.

They had dinner and waited for the news to come on. When it did the lead story was of the concord's mobile space station the Lighthouse entering the system. It should be in orbit of Penates in about 36 hours. The rest of the news was Lighthouse related, mostly to do with economics and stories on the Lighthouse.

Denise said,

"Good. They are here. We have to make our way back to Port Royal and then up to the Lighthouse. If we leave now we should hit it just as it comes into orbit." They quickly got ready to travel and were on their way.

The trip to Port Royal was long and rough, between the rocky terrain and the puddles of different chemicals. They were always making detours. During one of those detours they found a small settlement. It was not more than a couple of buildings. Though it looked to be a sub-terrainien form of some sort. Denise decided to give it a wide berth but found that was not possible because of a gully right in their path. This had not been a problem on the trip in because they had been much further south. Denise had wanted to take a more direct route going back and now they had to go right by this settlement.

As they approached the settlement a voice came over their com system.

"This is Troll Haven to unidentified ATV. If you wish to cross, you must pay a toll."

Denise raised an eye brow and looked around at the others. Then she lifted the microphone and said,

"Troll Haven, this is unidentified ATV. We are on Syndicate business and do not have time to stop."

At that moment an explosion rocked the left side of the ATV. Connor said,

"That was a laser cannon. How the heck did a pile of back water bumpkins get a laser cannon?"

Denise smiled at him and said,

"We are on Penates. You can buy anything if you have the money."

"Great. Now what do we do?" asked Linda.

"You are going to unzip your top to reveal a little flesh. Then we get you on the video com. That is when Connor and I are going to blow that cannon," replied Denise. Linda looked shocked, then a wicked little smirk crossed her lips.

Denise and Connor moved to the air lock and got on their e-suits. Linda got on the video com. Her short strawberry blond hair showing with a seductive smile. On the video screen came the image of a very scruffy middle aged man who looked as if he had not seen a shower or hair brush for months. She swallowed and said,

"Hello handsome. My name is Bambi. Me and my friends got lost on our way back to Port Royal. You don't want to hurt a group of helpless working girls do you?"

The man replied,

"Working girls? What do you mean?"

She almost laughed before replying,

"We entertain the Syndicates company outside of Port Royal."

"Are you a comedian? Tell me a joke."

She was about to tell him a joke when suddenly an explosion within the compound interrupted her. She could see dust settling in front of the man on the screen. He said,

"What have you done? Now I am going to have to destroy you." She watched him push a button, but nothing happened.