The Time from Before

The Start of Plenty of Problems

Far away from the warmth of the sun, a colossal structure orbited Neptune in silence. It was frozen and dark; no sign of life or activity. But then, something stirred.

#-WARNING, WARNING, WARNING. RADIO CONTACTS CONFIRMED. ARCTOS PRESENCE SITED. PULLING STATION OUT OF HIBERNATION.-#

The voice echoed through the empty corridors, as the station's computers woke up from their long slumber. They activated the station's systems, preparing a response to the radio contacts.

The structure lit up like a star, as hundreds of lights flickered on. The reactor, once silent, now thrummed with increasing intensity, supplying the station's insatiable hunger for energy.

#-ALERT, ALERT, ALERT. COLLISION COURSE WITH NEPTUNE'S MOON TRITON DETECTED. IMPACT IN T-MINUS 15 MINUTES. EVASION MANEUVERS IMPOSSIBLE. PREPARING TO LAUNCH ALL UNITS.-#

The voice sounded more urgent, as the station realized it was on a doomed trajectory. It had no choice but to sacrifice itself for the greater cause, whatever that may be.

Orange lights spun around the station, lighting everything up with strips of orange.

The station opened the hangars' doors, revealing hundreds of metal pods. They were lined up side by side, on the floors, walls, and ceilings, held by metal rails. Each pod contained an ACU, ruthless killing machines, ready to be launched.

ACUs are a universal name, so most are differentiated from one faction to another by design and color.

#-HANGAR TWO, NINE, AND THIRTEEN OFFLINE. UNABLE TO LAUNCH UNITS FROM THOSE HANGARS. PROCEEDING WITH THE REST.-#

The station's voice reported some errors that had occurred during the hibernation period. Some of the hangars were damaged or offline, and could not launch their ACUs. But with no one to repair everything, there wasn't anything that could be done.

The station ignored those errors. It focused on the remaining hangars and launched as many ACUs as it could.

#-INITIATING LAUNCH SEQUENCE.-#

One by one, each pod ignited its engines and shot out of the hangar like fiery meteors. The pods flew past the station's hull, leaving behind trails of blazing fire and swirling smoke. The rails that held the pods were torn apart by the pod's thrust.

#-PROGRAMMING MISSION PARAMETERS.-#

Each pod received its orders from the station's computers, as they flew away from the structure. Forming elegant triangular formations, they danced in cosmic synchronicity.

#-PROGRAMMING COMPLETE. WAITING.-#

Each pod waited for the signal from the station, ready to start their journey.

#-GODSPEED.-#

The voice bid farewell to the ACUs, as it gave them the final command.

The pods surged forward, leaving only streaks of light in their wake as they distanced themselves from the only home they had ever known.

Earth was their destination. And it would take them more than a year to get there.

And in the cold grasp of Neptune's moon, Triton, the home station met its demise, evaporating into nothingness. This was a one-way journey.

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"Find yourself something here. A job, a career, I don't care. Explore for a few hours. We'll meet up at the center. You'll know it when you see it." Allen said, his voice stern and authoritative. He was busy checking his gear, making sure everything was in order. He didn't have time to babysit Mel. "I'll have Marina fetch you when it's time."