Editing KSGU:Volume 10 Chapter 3 (section)

===Part 2===

The many feathers gathered in a circle slowly closed as they opened. The hole leading to the outside world shrank, concealing the light beacons and the white frame of the "Nahel Argama" drifting in space.

"The hatch is closing. Can we still make contact?"

Conroy's voice came from the Type 94 Base Jabber behind. '"Actuator, confirmed." Banagher heard Lieutenant Gariety's voice as he turned his eyes left and right. The spacious spaceport swallowed the "Unicorn" and the base jabber, filling the vision of the all view monitor. He saw the charred marks of the beam rifle, back at the 500m wide rectangular space, and the partition gate slid apart. The space behind the gate seemingly invited them in, and was relatively dim compared to the port. There should be some docks for massive ships, but the lighting was heavily dimmed.

"Is someone controlling it?"

"No, looks like it's a machine response. Did the "Magallanica" systems identify the "Unicorn"? Looks like we can only go in."

Banagher heard the conversation between Conroy and Gael, passing through the partition wall large enough for the "Nahel Argama" to pass through. The first impression he had of this place was the scorched hole. Most of the lighting was faulty, unable to illuminate the port, along with the cranes that had collapsed and drifted in space; all of these were scars of the battle a month ago. The partition gate too had a hole, but it was patched up, with signs of the bare minimal repairs involving air pressure.

It appeared the drones had executed repairs. The hole however was covered with new steel, and Banagher recalled it being the mark the "Unicorn" punctured through, the hole he made that instant when he was tossed into the cockpit without knowing what was going on, just trying to eliminate Marida's "Kshatriya".

There were similar, obvious looking patch marks. Opposite it was an industrial block, along with the hangar of the “Unicorn”. Was that man’s corpse lying somewhere in this darkness? The new memories suddenly filled Banagher’s heart, his hand on the joystick frozen. However, another hand reaching from the side was placed on his. The warmth reached him through the glove, as though siphoning away the extra strength.

Audrey leaned forward from the co-pilot seat, gently nodding to him. Her eyes were affirming to him, I am here, and he nodded back, suppressing his rising feelings as he looked forward. The latch behind them closed, and the massive wall before them began to slide. The ‘Base Jabber’ remained on standby, and on Conroy’s command, the two “Lotos” accompanying it accelerated, moving before the “Unicorn”.

The ECOAS special units had transformed into mobile suits, and passed the partition into the next block. The 920 wielding the anti-aircraft machine gun on the right shoulder was occupied by Conroy and the others, while the 729 “Loto”  with the gatling gun was one boarded by Gael. The “Unicorn” followed the two 12m tall units, passed through the doors, and the hatch 200m wide began to close. The four walls concealed the Base Jabber, the flowing winds pelting upon the “Unicorn”.  As the winds continued to shuffle from everywhere, Banagher descended to the bridge with the “Lotos” flanking him.

Air was gushing in and filling the massive space, allowing for the booster thrusters and mobile frames to be heard in the cockpit, along with many others.  Banagher’s ears were long used to the vacuum, and while feeling a sharp pain from the air, he let the “Unicorn” advance to the partition. The “Loto” hooked their feet anchors into the grooves of the ground, allow their brown units to move forward. The air finished filling before the three units arrived at the partition, so large it dwarfed the mobile suits as it slowly slid aside.

Before them was the industrial block that was always filled with air. The space looked extremely dark, a forest of steel formed by countless overlapping cranes and conveyor belts. Most of them were violently severed, their charred remains floating in zero gravity, the WIP materials drifting in the darkness. Naturally, there was no functioning facility, and all communications with “Industrial 7” seemed to have ceased. There appeared to be nary any human activity, let alone repair works. There were piles of cold debris in the bottomless darkness, and a time-stopping silence roamed in the core of the”Magallanica”.

They would see the “Laplace Box” at the end of this darkness. There was a warmth lingering in his chest, neither fear nor excitement, as he looked through this wasteland of an industrial block. The 729 on the shoulder took a step forward. “There’s an elevator to the gravity area”, so Gael said.

“There’s probably a cargo lift for mobile suits to use. Let’s go.”

The 729 “Loto” pushed aside the twisted debris with its manipulator, moving further in.  While the “Unicorn” tailed it, the 920 “Loto” advanced with footsteps ringing. “Don’t let your guard down”. Conroy’s tense voice echoed through the wireless. The three units spaced themselves sufficiently such that they would not be shot at once, advancing through the dim industrial block. Banagher raised the Beam Magnum, currently with two rounds, and advanced while making sure the unit did not deviate off course.

‘There’s the hiding place of Vist Foundation founder beneath this mansion…a cryo room? I can believe it exists, but I don’t understand why it does.”

Conroy’s tentative murmur echoed through the wireless as they passed the industrial block and reached the path leading to the elevator block. “You mean?” Gael answered.

“The construction of the “Magallanica” is by itself part of the Founder’s plans, but even though the plans that were leaked, I don’t understand why he hid his residence in such a simple place like a basement. That woman called Martha had checked through all the Foundation’s facilities thorough, right”

“You searched through the mansion during your prior operation, but you found nothing.”

“That is true…”

“There are blind spots, like the bottom of a lamp, and features not easily detected. It’s not wrong to say it is beneath the mansion, but not completely correct.”

Conroy did not respond further to Gael’s deliberately obfuscated words. The three units arrived at the elevator block, and stopped before the spiral doors the size of a mobile suit.

Their current position was located at the core of the rotating residence area, and they descended at least 500m down the elevator. The gravity block was located within the inner walls of the ‘snail’ shell, and within it was the mansion the Vist family transported from Earth.  Banagher pressed the button using the mechanical arm protruding from the elbow,. The  729 “Loto” had boarded, and moved aside to let the “Unicorn” in. The 920 “Loto” took a step back, “We’ll wait here.” Conroy’s  voice came through the wireless.

“Banagher, keep communicating, and no matter what happens, deal with it calmly. Don’t forget, we got your back covered.”

The guiding voice was truly Conroy’s way of guidance. Banagher felt a little relaxed, “Yes”, and replied thus. The spiral gates closed, and the elevator began to descend. The 920 “Loto” instantly flowed upwards, and once the elevator doors shielded their vision, all that were left were fleeting lights at regular intervals.

“I can’t say that I know everything. This “Magallanica” is managed by the organization directly affiliated to the leader. Even the colony management familiar with Master Cardeas has no idea of the actual layout.”

The weight of gravity bore upon the blood pressure along with the descending ceiling. Banagher had the “Unicorn” turn its head about, looking down at the “Loto” that was merely as tall as the “Unicorn” waist.

“If Master Cardeas had not informed me of this failsafe, even I would not have known about this cryo. The Founder himself has equivalent value to the “Box” given his knowledge of all the secrets.”

So he had to spend his life fending against assassins? Banagher sensed another reason why his blood pressure rose, muttering, “Founder of the Vist Foundation…Syam Vist.” This seemingly unacquainted name resonated with Alberto’s words, the man who killed his own son. “He is your great-grandfather.” Gael continued, but every single fact was so hard to accept, the fragmented words merely dancing in Banagher’s heart.

“I’m not going to say what kind of person he is. Do determine with your own eyes. What I can say now is my guess, the “Laplace Box” is with Master Syam. I never thought the cryo and the ‘box’ would be at the same place, but since the La+ Program points to this place, I can’t think of any other. Looking at the simple structure of the cryo, I don’t think there’s an additional place to hide”

“A secret hidden within a secret. He lived a hundred years using such a dangerous thing like cryo…”

Audrey muttered with amazement and pity. The emotion Banagher had once gulped rose again, “That has nothing to do with this.” And he retorted with a stiff voice,

“Many…too many have died. If that thing is not worth the sacrifice…”

The heat being suppressed in the heart was scorching his organs, tormenting him to the point of breathlessness. Banagher could sense Audrey being tentative to tell him something as he kept staring at the lights flowing down to up. A little while later, the lights stopped, and another dazzling light filled the all-view monitor. The spacious artificial air and earth of the gravity block revealed itself before the “Unicorn”.

The ceiling 200m tall or so was projecting blue skies and clouds, and one could see a large arching grassland from above. Despite this, it was a dazzling sight to the eyes that had just trevassed the vacuum battlefield, the vibrant colors and lights melting away all tension at once. The elevator slid through the transparent, plastic well, slowly landing upon the gravity block covered in plantation. Banagher felt slightly dizzy as he was unaccustomed to the sudden change in visuals, and the elevator, having arrived at the lowest level, let out a dull metallic buzz.

The spiral hatch opened, and the “Unicorn” exited the elevator, taking a large step forward. The empty space before the elevator was trampled upon, and there were grass patches to the flanks of the barren dirt road. It seemed they had arrived at a more distant block, for the Vist residence was nowhere to be seen. A flock of birds, probably terrified by the footsteps of the two large giants, left the trees and flew into the artificial sky in a unified arch. It was a month ago when Banagher met Audrey; his memories of the encounter awoke as he basked in that fresh greenness for the time being.

His hair was a little longer, and physically, he was no different. However, he was a completely different person in terms of how he viewed things, and how he rationalized them. He could not comprehend how it affected it, “We’ll wait here.” So Gael said, the miniature “Loto” behind Banagher taking a step back.

“Please guide the “Unicorn” forward. The seal of the La+ Program has been released. You should be able to get a reaction by going close.”

Gael did not hint further, for he probably was still servient to Cardeas, and swore to keep the cryo a secret. The “Unicorn” would determine its most appropriate pilot, and lead the way to “Laplace Box”. Banagher recalled the words Cardeas said, exchanged nods with Audrey, opened the throttles, and stepped on the pedal.

The thruster jets blew upon the still “Loto”. The “Unicorn” stomped off the ground, racing through the short blue sky. Banagher watched the altimeter as he stuck close to the ceiling, descending and hopping whenever he saw an empty space, moving through the round, donut-like scenery. Looking down from above, he saw that there were more empty spaces than he had assumed.  The were empty spaces before the elevators spaced apart regularly, along with the forests and grassland. There were paths big enough for large trucks to pass through. The forest boundaries were clearly trimmed, and there were artificial objects wherever he landed. These were likely to be portholes, shared tunnels that would provide supplies to any places with signs of life.

“Banagher, this is…”

“Yeah…this isn’t an ordinary space. Feels like it’s designed to be capable of holding an additional warehouse or school or large facility.”

Banagher nearly blurted out words like base or barracks or the like, but swallowed it back as he looked forward. There was a foundation to rebuild the world after the ‘box’ was opened. He recalled Gael’s words as Cardeas’ dreams unfolded before him, and he felt a slight chill. Beyond the holographic clouds, the Vist family’s mansion appeared.

The trimmed garden and the Earth-weathered artificial stone structures were exactly the same as they were during his last visit a month ago. Banagher saw a driveway at the porch, “We’re landing”, and had the “Unicorn” descend before Audrey could not. The short bursts of the thrusters caused the unit to decelerate and descend in an arch. The “Unicorn” landed while facing the house, captured by gravity as its feet sank into the porch, the thruster winds blowing upon the garden.

The little shrubs in the garden swayed slightly, the water bursting from the fountain splashing apart. The windows shook, but not massively so for this 100m building. Despite being a three storey building, each level was extraordinarily tall, the roof taller than the “Unicorn”. Looking over from the main camera in the head, he could see the sculpture right above the main entrance, the clock in the middle pointing to 11.30pm.

The windows curtains were all pulled down, and there was no presence to be felt. Banagher wondered if there would be anyone welcoming them in, “Shall we go…?” Audrey asked, and they exchanged looks, but the main monitor suddenly showed the “La+” words, and Banagher felt a gust rising from beneath his feet, striking his shull

──You found it?

[[Image:KSGU10 030.jpg|thumb]]

The gust became a voice, flashing through his forehead as a light. The kind voice sounded so familiar. Who is it? So Banagher quietly called out, but the visuals on the all-view monitors vanished, and the cockpit fell into brief darkness. Banagher instinctively grabbed Audrey’s hand, and when a screen was switched on again, he saw a picture.

There was a lady standing before a little tent, putting her jewellery into the box of a waiting lady. Flanking her sides with a unicorn and a lion, pulling the entrance aside as they raised their front legs, inviting her in. It was no simple painting; every pattern and animal on the crimson background was stitched on the cloth. These were the six tapestries, the last of them depicting the lady and the unicorn together…Banagher recalled the words Cardeas said to him, that the other five tapestries symbolized the human five senses, and nobody knew what the last called the ‘tent’ meant. That person told him that as they did not know, they had to draw, to think, to seek the unspeakable knowledge and truth, and to understand the meaning of the ancient words ‘à mon seul désir’.

“My only desire…”

The ‘voice’ that had asked if he had found it permeated through his body again, exploding in light. Banagher could not answer except for an inexplicable expression as he stared at the ‘tent’, and there was a heavy rumbling rising from beneath his feet.
 
It was not the “Unicorn” trembling, but the plates of the gravity block. The earthquake tremor shook the unit, the auto balancers twirling their bodies around, the strong gusts blowing loudly on the external amplifiers. “Banagher…”Audrey groaned, and Banagher grabbed her hand as he stared at the tapestry broadcasted on the all-view monitors. The tent opened before the lady was shaking, as though there was a darkness swallowing secrets rumbling away.