Manifest Fantasy

Chapter 19: Exceptions

Author's Note:

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"... covers the recon sweep of GB-2. Zulu-9 has the exfil and comms details in their supplemental." Henry closed the folder and sat back, noting the sideways glances and wide eyes around the conference table. The room fell silent as Armstrong's command and scientific staff digested the information. From the Sentinel Lindwyrm to the facility's artifacts and the Nobians, the GB-2 mission had uncovered more than they ever could have imagined.

Director Lombard seemed as antsy as her fellow scientists. Of course, Henry completely understood why. The Manifest Project had been chasing scraps for decades, ever since Area 51 was first constructed over the gateway. She probably expected to wait another several decades before anything interesting came up following the portal's activation. For Lombard, who had dedicated her entire career to unlocking the secrets of the Gatebuilders, the artifacts from GB-2 must have been the archaeological equivalent of hitting the lottery.

Dr. Perdue was just as excited – it was more than obvious. The creature's scales alone, which had shrugged off .50 cal rounds and weathered 40mm grenades like a tank, promised to revolutionize their understanding of material science. And then there were the rumors of dragon parts being used in everything from top-quality local equipment to magical elixirs and treatments. Well, lindwyrms weren't quite dragons, but they were close enough, right? If even half of the rumors were true, then they had at their fingertips an exclusive goldmine of discoveries.

Beside her, Dr. Lamarr seemed relatively composed, but Henry knew her. The darting eyes gave it away: while she was definitely interested in the report, she was dying to get back to the lab and poke around a bit more. The locator and storage devices alone could probably propel them a few hundred years ahead, if they could even figure out how these things worked. There wasn't much a caveman – even a really smart one – could learn from a smartphone. He simply wouldn't have the tools or the industry. Unlike the hypothetical caveman though, they had access to an entire Gatebuilder site, perhaps multiple if they could figure out how to crack open the various Gatebuilder towers around Armstrong.

Ambassador Perry, in contrast, looked like his kid just flunked a class. It was a pretty accurate assessment too, since the last time he looked like this was well, when his kid got a 1 in AP U.S. History. Anecdotes aside, it was pretty uncharacteristic of him – it suggested a concerning development, especially coupled with the fact that General Harding shared the very same look.

It didn't take a genius to guess why they seemed so sour. The Nobian's blatant disregard for the Grenden Accords was a red flag – a sign that they were growing bolder and more aggressive. The incident at Duke Vancor's guest mansion, the Hardale quest, and now a violation of a long-standing treaty? If they were willing to risk open war with the Sonarans, it could only mean one of two things: either they'd amassed enough strength to no longer fear their neighbors, or they'd recognized the immense value of the Gatebuilder sites and were willing to do whatever it took to secure them. Maybe both.