Through The Gate

~~A note to my readers -- I am sure that upon reading these next few installments, some of my readers may be shocked or find themselves unable to belief such grandiose claims. Some Caledonians may have some previous knowledge of what I am about to share while others may go so far as to cry "trickery" on my part. I wish to assure that although what has happened during this stage of the expedition is quite amazing, there is no slight of hand here. These events, technological devices, and processes I will be describing are very real and very much in use. I have yet to understand how their discovery upon the Mainland may influence Caledon. For now, I shall leave it to my humble readers to discern and speculate this for themselves. ~

His name was Mr. Seijin Roo and he explained that he, seeing me in the distance had been curious of my presence. He asked if I was enjoying the nature preserve. Not realizing I was standing in one, I affirmed that I was and introduced myself and my mission. He bade me sit upon another hovering disc he summoned and then asked if I would follow him so that he might be able to show me around a bit. In his words, "The nature preserve is only part of it."

I folded myself onto the small disc and found to my surprise that once cross-legged I was very comfortable. It seemed some sort of energy field held me securely in-place on top of the disc so what appeared to be a dangerous and rather clumsy device was, in truth, very comfortable and very secure. I discovered with some surprise that the device was powered by my own thoughts which not only left my hands free but also placed great control upon piloting the craft. Mr. Roo stated I should fly straight upwards and by merely thinking it, I did so. Following his directions I soon found myself several hundred feet in the air and looking at a massive floating castle in the sky. It was his project and he thought I might enjoy viewing it. He was correct. As it would happen, the floating castle was only the tip of a much larger iceberg.


Landing and walking around on the thin floating platform that held such a grand structure, Mr. Roo guided me over to a large, hollow circular device which was constructed of what appeared to be two interlocking metal rings with odd runes carved upon the inner ring. Seven metal flat pyramidal pieces formed a type of pointing lock upon the outer ring. There was a mystical air and otherworldliness to the device which I recognized from my previous travels. It is a sense, an aura that one picks up after dealing with things of antiquity and power. Call it a tingling to the skin or knowing in your very spine. Whatever this thing was, it was old and very powerful, most likely created from a strong mix of technology and magic. Or, perhaps, created from a technology so far advanced that in its use it would appear as magic to us for hundreds of years. I had no idea what abilities the device could perform but luckily Mr. Roo did not make me wait for long.

By calling out a key phrase, a wash of energy seemed to flood from the device and the rings began to spin. One ring would spin against the other and the runic devices would rotate to one of the rectancular pieces upon the outer ring. A loud mechanical locking sound would emanate and then the ring would spin again. All the while, the energy around the device was building. Finally, after three loud locks, the energy I had been hearing began to turn into an audible hum which, in turn, became a loud pop. Upon this last sound, a blue energy field appeared in the center of the circle. This was the portal, I was instructed, for instantaneous travel to another location where another device was waiting to recieve any travellers. This, he claimed, was a Stargate.

The opening to the portal did not last long. The blue field shimmered and winked out. After stepping down from his hover disc and speaking another combination which caused the device to begin spinning, my host explained that he was calling for the gate itself to choose a random destination. Once finished we would this time step through. He also assured me I would be able to return here so as not to cause much deviation from my current path. I must admit that at that moment I was filled with a mix of trepidation and immense excitement. I did not know the man well and, the thought raced eagerly through my head, he could be leading me into a trap. I had no idea where I would be going and my reliance upon returning to an area I did know rested solely with this man who knew the secrets of the Stargate. As the hum built it matched my growing level of exhilaration and when the blue field popped into view I was quick on his heels as we jumped through the portal.

I would like to say that there was a immense feeling of electricity all over my body. Perhaps a nauseous turning of my stomache as if the very fiber of my being was being turned inside out? In truth, there was little feeling at all and that was perhaps the most disturbing. One moment I was leaping blindly to my fate at the turst of a complete stranger and the next I was standing on the other side, upon a raised platform and surrounded by cold and heavy blue steel walls. Behind me stood another Gate. A little further ahead were long windows which curved outward and revealed a wide cloudless horizon which suggested we were very far above the earth. Around me began hovering and buzzing an odd clockwork device that seemed to take a great interest in me. I realized I was alone and my heart lept to my throat as I had the thought I had been decieved indeed! My hand went for the Webley. Then, there was another popping sound and through the portal strode Mr. Roo.


We gathered near the device and within moments the watery blue field vanished leaving us in the metal room. In the newborn silence there came the thrumming sound of a huge engine which seemed to subtly vibrate the metal plates under my booted feet. The clockwork device buzzed more about my head and declared in a strange voice that I had been scanned and found safe. Where was I? What was this device scanning me?

I had only a few mere moments to try to simulatanously gather myself and launch my questions to Mr. Roo before, suddenly, just to my left, the Stargate began to hum again. Stepping back quickly out of instinct, I turned to Mr. Roo and asked him if he had was the reason for it.

"No," he said, "there is someone else coming through."

~~To Be Continued~~