Sara asked for a group of armed forces to be posted on the borders. Harry had already gotten the travel pods stationed in the stable. Living beings of every kind were being asked to relocate to the middle zone. At the helm of war, 3shells once a formidable fortress, seemed so vulnerable.
Some of the bravest were still going out into space to collect rubble that might be of use. Debris from older satellites, garbage left in space by Earth's various countries and some reminescents of the Regime. It was more like a fishing expedition, bring anything and just about everything one could. Once back, these scraps were being converted into weapons or Shields or some even as escape pods.
One thing that was sure in case of war was that, inhabitants of 3shells had nowhere to go. During the Regime, at least they could flee to earth, now that possiblity seemed bleak.
Roff went out on many such expeditions in the past, that's how they had survived the Regime, but this seemed different, Gibbs was beside him and that brought in a huge change in his attitude.
One of the armed personnel was a guy named Adam, he was extremely intelligent to the point of annoyance. So much so that Gibbs had earlier always put him on random duties and always suspected him of treason though without proof. Since he had sworn his allegience, Gibbs and Rial hadn't been able to do much about him and the various complaints they got about him on a daily basis.
Adam had a different take on life. He saw things differently and never failed to surprise people around him. He had always helped people and though his actions were against the Regime, he was clever enough to not leave any proof behind. He had at times even helped Roff and his family to stay hidden. Orla found him rather amusing and sought his help every now and then.
Sia called Adam one day and told him to head north and find an object that looked like a small chest. Adam hurried in the direction into space and on this expedition brought back with him a small chest. Adam and his crew were unable to open it. He asked Sia if she knew what it contained; all she could say was that it probably held the key to their survival. Sia asked him to send it to Roff immediately. Father would know how to open it.
Roff was just about to enter his sleeping bag to retire for the night when Adam came with the parcel and note that Sia sent along.
"Find Mom. Sia."
Roff took the box and hurried towards the camp at the end of the sleepers. Orla was packing arms for the war. She read Sia's note, looked at the chest and said she knew where she had seen it before.
She thought hard and then suddenly remembered, it was on the cover of the Founders Book.
She hurried about to find herself a copy of it. She woke a few people up and somehow after a couple of hours was able to lay her eyes on it.
And there was the little chest right in the corner of the picture. She started to skim through the pages and not able to find it, was about to give up when Sara came in. She saw the chest and the book and said her grandmother had once mentioned about it and that it contained the secrets of their existence. She wasn't quite sure what it was or how it would be of use to them.
Roff's father Darin came by. He was sent there by Sia. He immediately recognized the book. He told them that every true blood had a copy of it.
Darin: So as to populate 3shells we were all asked to have as many children as well wanted to, but a truebloods first child was to marry only a trueblood. That way the purity was to be maintained. The other children could come from surrogates and marry per their wish.
The Chest, as far as I know, held the DNA of the Founders.
Roff: Yeah, Dad. Hmm we know how we all got here. But how to open the chest? It doesn't even have a key hole.
Darin: Hmm, I don't know, maybe you can...
"Break it open", said Sara amidst muted threats and snarls.
Adam looked at the picture and the box more keenly than the others. By then Orla had come to the page where the chest was mentioned in the book.
[Author Note: please wait for The Chest of secrets.]
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Three Shells Paradise
Fantasia[Updates on Tuesdays and Fridays] Shyla woke up dreaming of having a daughter who would cause the world to crumble and yet years later was creating a wish list for her baby shower, having married the man of her dreams. She knew the inevitable would...
