Provence kneeled down upon the great Persian-like carpet that was strangely present. Laying Shana down in the single circle of light in the middle of the dark room. Before which stood a pedestal that held embedded in it a computer terminal. I crouched besides to tend to my lupa. In the meantime noticing a round, illuminated panel in the darkness behind us where the mighty thick doors had enclosed us in.

  On it read:

  ''Airlock Cycled - Pressure Equalized''

  ''Internal Pressure Reading: 14.7''

  -''It's safe to take our masks off.'' I spoke, removing mine's.

  Provence did the same before rushing to release Shana from her own. She was unconscious, her face bloodied but nevertheless her head's bone structure seemed intact. Provence took to tending to her. Putting to use her knowledge and her first aid pouch by disinfecting and patching the wound where the inner dent of the helmet made the most damage.

  -She should be fine. Her race is thick-skulled, but I'd rest easier getting her to a doctor.

  -Your first aid will have to do for now.

  -What now? This place seems safe but... eerie.

  Raising myself on my feet I walked over to the computer pedestal. On its screen were a number of spheres rotating around the largest one as a large icon. Looking more closely I recognised the patterns. It was ancient Earth's solar system. In lack of any keyboard I touched the screen, and it reacted. The chart dispelling itself as a contour of light enveloped my hand and engulfed my mind.

  Binary rivers of data flowed momentarily all around me before I asserted control over my mind once more.

  I swiped over the screen to explore its controls. Finding that it was both touch and thought based. I overruled a warning, gaining access to the system. Prompting an even larger set of doors to open into a blackness that quickly dispelled, as lights instantly came to life.

  The screen before me collapsed back into dormancy, and so was its connection to my mind. Only one message remaining: ''Terminus Control Room distance: 100 meters.''

  No amount of touch or thought would change it. I guessed I got as much as I could from this one terminal with a limited purpose. I picked Shana up in my arms and lead the way.

  -Let's go. We might find something to improve our situation yet.

  We entered a round and hard-glassed transparent tunnel. And as we walked we could clearly see close and far inside the superstructure the gifts laid out by my ancestors. As the interior lights came to life.

  -''This is... all left by your ancestors?'' Provence asked, astonished by the magnitude of the vault's contents.

  -''For their descendants.'' I replied, failing not to be impressed by what we beheld.

  The great halls were lit generously. Far ahead we could notice bulbs of lights travelling fast in different directions. As some passed closer we discerned that they were super advanced drones. One stopped curiously to scan us before gliding away, resuming whatever its duty was.

  We saw great halls of massive 3D printing machines that could construct anything a populated world might need. Many supply modules. Tons of super structured boxes filled with thousands if not millions of healthy seeds. Rows upon rows of perfectly preserved books on towering shelves, as well as massive servers containing an unimaginable wealth of information and history. The culture and art that represented the beating soul of Humanity.

  Supercomputers, both small and large, able to solve even all of the universe's riddles given time. Massive atmospheric generators. Many an archeotech that my original Terran people never achieved, and which could be the last surviving models if the worst situation had befallen Mankind outside Terra's solar system.

  I noticed a row filled with gigantic cylinders, and recognised what they were. A cure for Terra. There were entire planetary biogenerators. The kind that could terraform and make a lifeless world lush with life.

  Tools to create the Garden of Eden. But even more than that, as we approached the Terminus terminal we caught sight of an even greater magnificence. The Terminus Control was a transparent dome chamber. There, a greater terminal awaited us. Outside that dome, surrounding it were three great statues. Beholden besides three tunnel entrances leading to the Terminal.

  Statues depicting renown men. Loyal recreations, massive in comparison to their originals yet created in the vision they were intended. At the least twenty times over the original figure's size in pristine marble construct.

  There stood watch the statue of David by Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simonit. Towering in its naked splendour that spoke volumes on the beauty and strength of which man's body is capable of. His statue was staring at the dome which we walked towards. His gaze wary, and I in turn worried at the insinuated implication that represented.

  I knew the statue. I knew it's history, and it's many interpretations. In Michelangelo's vision he depicts David as he sizes up the giant Goliath, before his battle with him takes place. His brow being drawn, his neck tensed, and the veins bulging out of his lowered right hand. So why did they position the statue as such to look precisely where the descendants of this world were supposed to receive the contents of this vault?

  Then there was the statue of Augustus of Prima Porta further back. Looking at two of the tunnels leading in, and almost confidently beckoning in his gesture towards the Dome Terminal. His imposing figure inspiring surety in the indomitability of the all-conquering human spirit.

  Bedecked in military clothing befitting his rank and stature in ancient Rome, he was nevertheless barefooted as was his original counterpart. Meant to imply a divine representation as a hero in the classical iconography. His cuirass armour an elaborate display of bas-reliefs, detailing complex allegorical and political references of his time. Alluding to diverse Roman deities, including Mars the god of war. The sun god Sol. Apollo, Augustus's patron. The goddess Diana. The earth goddess Ceres/Tellus. Caelus the sky god and others such as Aurora and Luna.

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  His cuirass also depicted personifications of the Empire's latest conquests such as Hispania, Gaul, Germania and Parthia. As well as commemorating Augustus's establishment of the Pax Romana, the golden age of Roman imperialism. The Roman She-wolf was present as well, the nurse of Romulus and Remus.

  Further interpretation was giving me more unwanted speculation. His statue positioned in such a line that he raised his right hand in a rhetorical adlocutio pose. As if addressing the troops, straight at the dome. What address were the descendants to receive?... That Provence and I were to receive?

  The third and last statue was of Mateo Alighieri. The son of famous inventor Alighieri senior, who first conceived and developed the Impossible Drive during the twenty-sixth century. His son leading the maiden trial formed from three spaceships. His was the only one ever to return and inform Earth of its success. Four years later he would lead the first expedition to colonise the Alpha Centauri system.

  His statue was standing nobly, and distinguished. His uniform a unique blend of space suit and uniform in one. The Star of Earth award on his chest and a cape wrapped around him, reminiscent of the time of the Roman Emperors. It depicted the first step he set upon the miraculous liveable world of Proxima Centauri b, then renamed Eden.

  His expression, one of dignified gratification on the achievement of his kind. And of a stoic expectation that nevertheless had a silent tone of optimism for the future. His hand was raised yet not as high as that of Augustus of Prima Porta. I couldn't tell if his palm was supposed to hold or to make us beheld something. As it was, I couldn't have said if he pointed to anything in particular.

  We were finally in reach of the entrance to the dome when gravity had a stroke. We were suddenly dragged downwards. Both of us slipping and landing on the long carpet full on! The lights all went out, and we were drowned in darkness before they started flickering once again to life. The gravity that so pulled us forward now normal under our feet again. I rose on my knee as my attention was caught by the massive figure on my left.

  David's statue was staring at us, apprehensive, nervous.

  -What is going on?!

  -Something's wrong with the capsule. And it shouldn't. Not from the designers that made this.

  -This doesn't bode well. Let's hurry.

  Picking up Shana we walked forward inside the dome proper. I handed the tough little girl to Provence before reaching the computer pedestal. This was a larger one standing upon a stage. The computer screen itself a semicircle of pure black glass. I ungloved both my hands and pressed my palms against the cold, smooth surface.

  -Gah!

  -Cassiel!

  Provence sprang! Grabbing onto me and about to pull me off the device before I shouted.

  -Don't! I'm... alright.

  This was technology beyond what I had ever experienced. I didn't need to press nor tap, but to think. Diagrams started appearing on the screen as well as holograms in front of us. The systems were coming to life to the touch of the descendants it was intended for. The neura-link with the computer was beyond queer and new for me. It was difficult to keep focus, and I felt as if having the mind of a small child. Barely able to comprehend forms and words.

  A slight tremor shook the insides of the superstructure.

  I knew I had to access the system further in order to understand it. But there was so much of it. It felt like my mind was trying to grasp a ball dangling ahead while a constant torrent of a water cascade was upon me. The warnings came first in both visual and audio form.

  -Genetic scan complete. Presence of Brumalian Prime and UltraMartian traits detected. Delocking absolute access.

  -Welcome Terran. Your immediate notice is required.

  -Outer temporal stasis grid terminal failure. Main black hole reactor converter self-disabled. Fusion reactor shutdown.

  -Warning! Power grid failing. Hull polarization failing. Inertial & gravitic stabilizers unreliable.

  -''Cassiel?'' Provence prompted me.

  -I'm trying to make sense of it myself.

  I willed the machine to tone down its wealth of information and serve it bit by bit in order for my mind to be able to comprehend it.

  -Black hole reactor disruption detected approximately nine hundred years ago. Fusion reactor core destabilization recorded in the same year. Fusion core continual power production at twenty percent.

  -Reality anchors temporary failure logged approximately nine hundred years ago, cause unknown. Sensor sweep detected anomalous readings during this time. No entry of known personnel recorded since the burial.

  -Active tectonic movements of Terran mantle in close proximity recorded start four hundred years ago.

  -Fusion core nearing critical one hundred and sixty-six years ago. Emergency fusion core shutdown initiated and completed. Tertiary power generation systems on-line as backup.

  -Emergency H-fuel cells engaged eighty years ago.

  -Emergency connection to power source of Keppler-Object established at the same time.

  -Imminent energy storage depletion one year ago.

  -Temporal stasis grid failure eight months ago, hull polarization engaged. Several reinitializations attempted with no result. Temporal grid reinitialization abandoned in lack of sufficient power.

  -Warning! Power cells near exhaustion. Hull polarisation failure imminent. Inertial & gravitic anchors near failure. Life support stable at minimum forty-eight hour prediction.

  -''What does this mean!?'' Asked Provence.

  -Means the lights will be cut for not paying the electric bill.

  -Warning! Object derailment by current tectonic movements in progress.

  At that notice a hologram larger than all so far appeared, engulfing the others in the middle of the dome. Showing the ''egg'' capsule we were in as it was tilting and falling into the embrace of two fault lines. And going down...

  -''I believe this is the worst outcome that could have happened to this place.'' Said Provence.

  -Yeah. Fate has a knack at pulling some of these scenarios on me. Tugging at the limit of my luck.

  -''Should I rub some of mine on you?'' Provence jested warmly.

  -''Please do.'' I jested in return. If we were to die here sooner or later, I'd rather have done it in the mood I wanted at the least. Nevertheless, I continued looking for solutions to our predicament.

  I rejected the temptations of perusing through the contents of this incredible vault in favour of finding any solution to getting us out of here.

  -''Surface exit access.'' I blurted out as well as thinking it. It was tricky, but it helped my thoughts focus if I spoke them out loud to hear them for myself.

  -Teleportarium offline. Insufficient power.

  -Warning! Warning! Hull polarization grid failure imminent!

  -Hull polarization offline.

  The lights inside and outside the chamber went off as a great tremor was felt. The holograms and the computer persisted in functioning undisturbed during this time. After a near minute the lights came back once again.

  -''Internal gravitic stabilizers holding.'' The cold and smooth robotic voice announced.

  -''Emergency procedures for object surface extraction!'' I spoke demandingly.

  -''External forces required to extract object.'' Came the cold and to the point reply.

  A second ignorable tremor came. But this time it was accompanied by a massive but muffled screech, which enormity made my spine shudder.

  -Report on current noise.

  -Object currently setting between the two engaging fault lines. Hull currently holding.

  -Endurance point of hull against current external factors?

  -Kheron-Titanium alloy hull against current external forces prediction holds an 90% chance of retaining structural integrity within the next hour if current forces do not increase.

  The pressing noises that continued to reverberate outside were chilling. We would be crushed like a tin can if we didn't find a way out of here. Tremors were still vibrating ever so slightly at our feet. It meant that the inertial dampeners weren't working at their full setting... they were in power saving mode I realised.

  -''Assessment correct.'' Responded the computer to my thoughts.

  -''What assessment?'' Asked Provence.

  -I'll... tell you later.

  I racked my brain silently this time. Searching, scrounging for any tech or possible way that would get us back to the surface alive. But there was nothing. No emergency escape pods. No self encapsulated drilling machines. No miracle DeLorean sport's car. And not enough energy to buy us time.

  -''I don't like the red markers on those levels Cassiel.'' Said Provence.

  -Neither do I, my lupa.

  -''All this amazing wealth of breakthroughs in technology, and nothing that can save this place or us...'' Provence spoke.

  -Ironic, isn't it?

  I was thinking, giving the computer ideas. Prompting it to reveal anything that might get us out of this predicament. Nothing was coming up. I nearly had lost track of time trying to peruse something useful out. Time flew differently in this weird simulation of thought and software. Eventually, with a hidden sense of defeatism I went momentarily back onto the matter of the power generating systems that the place had. Hoping to possibly restart at least one of them.

  -''Black hole reinitialization impossible. Fusion reactor core compromised. H-fuel cells near depleted. Quaternary power source at five-percent.'' It spoke plainly obvious to my face.

  -''Wait a second.'' I spoke out loud as if realization suddenly hit me regarding the fourth and last power source.

  ''What is Keppler-Object?'' I thought.

  -''Cassiel... what is that?'' Provence asked surprised as she stared at the giant hologram, the largest so far appearing in the middle of the dome room.

  It was a few moments before I gathered my senses enough to return to my own thoughts from being blasted with a packet of information.

  -The starship Cygnus.