Alignment
The elevator descended no less than two thousand meters. They rode in edgy, uncomfortable silence. They dared not even think, much less speak, of what came next. The invisible servants of the Old Ones were everywhere, watching and listening and sifting through minds that were not careful. The Madness pressed in at all times, at the surface; it was only down here, specifically down here in the Sterile Area, that one could gradually think of anything other than simple Fear.
At last they passed through the Membrane and the paranoia was stripped away. Here, in this safe bubble, Humankind was going to build and deploy its defense when the stars were right - right for the Old Ones, that is. The data coming back from Hubble II could not be argued with: the End Times were fast approaching. The only question was, could Humankind survive beyond the End?
These were the thoughts that, at last, could be allowed to form in the Colonel's head. Now that they were in the Sterile Area, safe from the microorganic tendrils of the servitors, they could think about what they were attempting to do. And this, the Colonel had been informed, was their best hope so far.
The doors opened to reveal the largest subterranean chamber ever constructed by human hands, a sphere a thousand meters across. They emerged at its top, looked down into its vast space. There, a monstrous construction was underway.
The Colonel was confused. "It looks like… an enormous chair… on a huge monorail line."
The Chief Scientist nodded. "When Great Cthulhu wakes from his slumber, we're going to strap him into a nice comfy carseat and just drive him around until he nods back off."
The Colonel - who had two small children of his own, the very children he was fighting to preserve the world for - took another long look at the gargantuan seat being built. Honestly, it wasn't the most Insane thing they were working on. Not even close.
It was that sort of world, now.
------
For consideration: and over in this chamber is the enormous tinkling mobile that psionically projects Brahms' "Lullaby" directly into your reptile stem
At last they passed through the Membrane and the paranoia was stripped away. Here, in this safe bubble, Humankind was going to build and deploy its defense when the stars were right - right for the Old Ones, that is. The data coming back from Hubble II could not be argued with: the End Times were fast approaching. The only question was, could Humankind survive beyond the End?
These were the thoughts that, at last, could be allowed to form in the Colonel's head. Now that they were in the Sterile Area, safe from the microorganic tendrils of the servitors, they could think about what they were attempting to do. And this, the Colonel had been informed, was their best hope so far.
The doors opened to reveal the largest subterranean chamber ever constructed by human hands, a sphere a thousand meters across. They emerged at its top, looked down into its vast space. There, a monstrous construction was underway.
The Colonel was confused. "It looks like… an enormous chair… on a huge monorail line."
The Chief Scientist nodded. "When Great Cthulhu wakes from his slumber, we're going to strap him into a nice comfy carseat and just drive him around until he nods back off."
The Colonel - who had two small children of his own, the very children he was fighting to preserve the world for - took another long look at the gargantuan seat being built. Honestly, it wasn't the most Insane thing they were working on. Not even close.
It was that sort of world, now.
------
For consideration: and over in this chamber is the enormous tinkling mobile that psionically projects Brahms' "Lullaby" directly into your reptile stem