act46side

No, this <i>really</i> isn't the time to worry about that.

Seriously, relax a little. This is your career's big moment, y'know, you should be enjoying it.

Alrighty then, all ready?

I've gotten this far...

Alright! Let's do this!

Deep within the mountains hides a clearing rarely set foot in by man.

The mysterious object that fell from the heavens lies in the center of the clearing. Surrounding it are countless probes and sensors, like some ancient altar.

Elena slowly moves the power armor forwards.

She can sense countless eyes boring holes into her even through the cockpit. Everyone awaits this historic first contact.

The irregular indigo object is right in front of her. Elena takes a few deep breaths, then slowly stretches out her hands.

The robotic arms make contact with it.

There is no explosion, or flash of light, or unexpected activity. It is like an ordinary handshake.

As gentle as a snowflake falling to the ground.

We've got the preliminary analysis of the sample, Chief Urbica.

What's it say?!

The results are really surprising...

We have no idea what seventy percent of its composition is. It's not any sort of material known to man.

But it seems like its structure has been severely damaged.

As for the remaining thirty percent, we're sure that...

There is fundamentally no difference between its main component and the somatic cells of Terra's Elves.

Did you say... Elves?

But why... would Elves come from outer space...?

It might be completely unimaginable, but based on what we've seen from the sample, the conclusion is clear.

If we're sure that this part of it is just like an Elf... then wouldn't the damage to its structure mean that it ran into some sort of danger before it fell...?

So this is the 'meteorite' you were looking for?

En—Saintess, what are you doing here?

Shh! Not too loud...

I snuck out of the Court. I could hardly miss the chance to see our guest from beyond the sky up close.

It seems... rather more dangerous than I imagined?

Unknown objects always have a certain amount of danger.

Its fall onto Kjerag, was it pure coincidence, or some sort of unexpected factor? Or to put it in another way, what sort of causal relationship does it have with Kjeragandr's dormancy...?

Right now, we don't even know where to start with our research.

The life of a scientist is bitter work indeed.

Oh? What is this screen for...?

That's a sonographic imager.

Based on our observations, this unknown object is constantly sending out a type of infrasonic wave.

It's very regular, always repeating across the same frequency band.

How curious... If it weren't for your explanation, I would have thought it was some kind of writing.

Writing...?

The shape of this frequency closely resembles ancient Kjerag symbols that were used to transmit information.

It's very simple, with an extremely limited vocabulary. It's mostly carved on rocks or trees, to inform your friends of the prey's location, or the movements of a fierce beast, that sort of information.

Hmm... The similarities are striking, now that I think more about it.

Enya! Can you read this language? Could you translate it?

Only somewhat. If you want to decipher it, I'll have to go back to the Hall of Writings to find <i>Memory and Symbols</i>—

I've got it here!

Huh?

When I snuck into the Vine-Bead Court, I scanned all the books they let you borrow the whole way through with my terminal, just in case... Aha, here!

I didn't think you would...

I'm begging you, Enya, please!

Alright... I'll give it a try.

Enya takes the terminal from Elena, and with some guidance, she finds the relevant text.

She looks at the diagrams in the ancient tome, writing out her translation in the snow with her finger.

<color=#000000>Destruction... has arrived</color>