5 Whispers of the Unknown
During the time when the blaring alarm echoed through the air, the room was bathed in a deep hue of crimson, casting an ominous glow upon the laboratory's strange machines and contraptions. In the centre, a mysterious tornado had emerged, swirling with a potent energy that seemed to defy the laws of nature.
"Professor Nincom, we have to shut down these machines immediately to prevent them from exploding!" Ernestine urged, her voice trembling with both fear and urgency. Her eyes darted between the swirling vortex and the professor's perplexed expression. "We do not have enough power at this point to keep them stable for a long period of time."
Professor Nincom, an eccentric and brilliant scientist, turned to Ernestine with a determined gleam in his eyes. "I know, my dear, but you must understand the significance of what we are about to achieve. The potential rewards of this experiment are beyond imagination; I can feel it in my bones. We must take this risk, for the sake of knowledge and progress."
As the tornado's winds picked up, loose papers and equipment were caught in its malevolent grasp, pulled into the swirling void like leaves in a storm. The air crackled with an eerie energy, and the laboratory's AI system chimed in with a warning voice, "Generator overheating, system at a dangerous level, please follow process 789."
Ernestine's heart dropped with dread, knowing that the professor's unwavering ambition might lead them down a perilous path. Despite the warning signs, he remained transfixed by the portal slowly forming in front of them.
She gazed at him, her mentor, her father figure, torn between her loyalty and her fears. Professor Nincom had always been an adventurer in the realm of science, pushing the boundaries with unyielding determination. Over the years, she had come to respect and admire his brilliance, but now she found herself questioning the wisdom of this perilous pursuit. Though worried, she chose to trust his judgment. With a nod, she stepped back, unable to tear her eyes away from the mesmerizing yet ominous spectacle before them.
Unbeknownst to them, their experiment had a profound effect on the very fabric of reality. As the machines hummed and the tornado intensified, a rift in spacetime began to form, connecting their world to an unknown and enigmatic dimension beyond comprehension.
A disarming smile grew on his face, a mix of excitement and apprehension, that Ernestine had never seen before as all loose material was pulled into the swirling wind. Suddenly, a robotic voice shouted out: "GENERATOR OVERHEATING, SYSTEM AT A DANGEROUS LEVEL, PLEASE FOLLOW PROCESS 789."
Ernestine's heart pounded in her chest, knowing he would resent her for what she was about to do. He was still entranced by the portal slowly forming in front of them, but she knew she had to act. She forced herself forward and grabbed hold of an emergency shut-down lever. The vacuum pressure increased until she eventually pulled down on the lever. In an instant, a massive shockwave blasted outwards, pushing everything away from its core, tearing through the room with a force that slammed them into the wall.
As the deafening impact subsided, the room fell into an eerie silence. Ernestine gasped for breath, her body trembling from the ordeal. She turned her gaze to the professor, who had lost consciousness due to the violent upheaval. Guilt washed over her, but she knew deep down that she had made the right choice to prevent a catastrophe.
The aftermath of their experiment left them in a state of disarray, but Ernestine knew they had averted a disaster. It was a bitter victory, knowing the potential cost of their pursuit. They were pioneers, venturing into uncharted territory, and the consequences of their actions were yet to be fully understood.
As Ernestine opened her eyes and found herself in a dreary hospital room, reality hit her hard. Professor Nincom had entrusted them with investigating the mysterious anomaly in Austria-Obersalzberg, but now she was filled with uncertainty. What if something had happened to the professor? The worry gnawed at her, and she desperately searched her surroundings, but he was nowhere to be seen. Panic rose inside her, and she felt a sense of responsibility for his well-being.
And in the shadows of the hospital room, the unmistakable sound of a loud, obnoxious cackle rang out. Ernestine's heart raced, and the tingles running down her spine filled her with dread and confusion. It could only belong to a single person… Dr. Creighton Shackleford.
He had a reputation around the military base as the chief physician, infamous for his cold-hearted and inhuman nature, preferring to spend his time cutting into the dead rather than aiding the living. In his presence, all she could feel were chills running up her spine, a deep-rooted unease that she couldn't shake.
Dr. Shackleford eyed her with a mix of relief and apprehension. "Oh, darling, you've finally come to." His words revealed an unsettling mix of joy and something darker. She could almost see his mind churning, weighing the various questions that had no doubt been plaguing him since she woke.
With a sinister voice, Dr. Shackleford said, "For a moment, I feared I would have to cut your skin open to find out what had happened to you and the professor, but as both of you seem to be in good condition now," his tone was laced with disappointment that their health had been restored without any experimentation. It was a strange mixture of emotions that left Ernestine unnerved and confused, relieved both she and the professor were well, yet something about his tone made her feel uneasy.
He pulled out a white metal pencil from his pocket and gently pressed the top. A faint popping sound emerged, followed by a glowing hologram projecting her charts and vitals into the air.
The doctor glanced at her with an expression that suggested he knew something was wrong, but his words painted a different picture. "Your vitals seem to be fine, maybe even improved from your usual lack of self-care," he said, his eyes giving away a hint of boredom. Then, a mischievous smile appeared on his face as he added, "Oh, and your little boy seems to be alright too, but we can only be sure of that after he's been born."
The sharp sting of his words left Ernestine reeling. Little boy? Was she pregnant? So many questions raced through her mind, and a mix of emotions flooded her heart—panic, frustration, even anger, all swirling within her as she tried to force an emotionless expression on her face.
His mischievous grin stretched from ear to ear, and his eyes glowed with an ominous light as he spoke, "Oh dear, don't tell me you didn't know. I guess I spoiled that surprise for you and that stress reliever of yours, Tavin."
He gave a sinister chuckle as the realization set in, leaving Ernestine feeling vulnerable and exposed.
Her lips trembled, and her voice seemed to have vanished as the doctor's words sank in. She tried desperately to hold back the tears that threatened to fall, but her emotions were overwhelming. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she attempted to listen to what the doctor was saying, but his words just seemed to blur together. This couldn't be happening… not now. Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, her work, the professor, the potential pregnancy—all swirling chaotically.
A cold hand touching her shoulder, creeping towards her chest, shook her out of her trance. She wanted to push it away, but she didn't want to cause a scene. Dr. Shackleford held the second highest rank in the base, same as the Professor. Even though she enjoyed many perks by working under the Professor, she didn't want to risk getting in bad standing with the Marshall. But she also knew if she didn't speak up, that fear would only continue to grow.
She finally mustered the courage to say something, but before she could get a word out, Professor Nincom burst through the door, causing Dr. Shackleford to pull his hand away in a state of fright.
"Ah! My genius student has awakened, so why wasn't I informed right away? We have much to do, and I have to catch you up on so many eventful developments, Ernie!" the professor said, with an edge of annoyance in his voice directed at Dr. Shackleford.
Dr. Shackleford gritted his teeth as he spat out, "She only just came to a minute ago, and her vitals are stable. I'll leave the two of you alone, but I need your assurance that neither of you will tell anyone in the base what happened here today - outside of us three and the Marshall."
Professor Nincom's voice rose with impatience, "Stop wasting your breath. You'd prefer that someone knew, don't think I haven't noticed what happens to those who have seen too much by helping us get out of here. I need not remind you of our agreement."
The Doctor raised his arm, illuminated by the icy blue light of the hologram hovering in the air. His voice was a deep chill as he laughed and spun around before heading towards the door, leaving an eerie silence in his wake.
The professor leaned heavily on his metal staff, its silver surface adorned with blinking lights and engraved symbols. To break the silence, he coughed, "I hope the Dr didn't do anything indecent to you, but I am afraid I can't give you much time to rest. Thanks to you, we managed to open the anomaly, and what we know so far is that it leads to another world. You can see everything for yourself on the computer in our laboratory. We are not allowed to bring any data out of the room and only allowed to discuss things with the Marshall directly, not via any other devices."
As Ernestine was bombarded with one startling revelation after another, she knew she had to focus and stay level-headed.
"Yes, Professor, I understand," she replied. "I'll get my lab coat on right away and follow you, but I have to let Tavin know that I'm safe."
Professor Nincom fixed her with a piercing gaze and spoke in a calm yet stern voice. "Of course, Ernie. I kept your boyfriend informed for the last three days while no one was allowed to visit you. He can be quite the handful when he gets agitated."
The weight of her worries began to dissipate, and a warm smile spread across her face. She reminded herself that she only needed to address each problem one by one, and soon enough, she would find a way to face them all.
As the professor waited in front of the door, she quickly fixed herself up and left a message for Tavin, apologizing that she couldn't see him right now but assuring him that she was okay and thankful for his concern.
They walked down the hallway in an uncomfortable silence. The other workers stopped what they were doing and stared as they passed, their whispers cutting through the air like a knife. When they finally reached the laboratory, there was still a faint trace of chaos left over from the implosion.
The heavy steel door shut behind them, and Ernestine looked up at the glowing control panel. They had been deciphering the anomaly for years, trying to unlock its secrets. Now, after countless hours of work and sacrifice, they had finally succeeded. Tears of joy and pride filled her eyes as she realized that their hard work had paid off.
Professor Nincom, with a hint of pride, declared, "Let it all out and take a minute to comprehend everything. Then grab a chair; I have to show you what's on the other side before we send another robot through."
For hours, the Professor gave her a crash course in the new world's ecosystem. He showed her videos of colossal trees that would dwarf their counterparts on Earth, as well as strange creatures with features similar to their own but with destructive capabilities. The fifth team, led by the Marshall, was getting ready to embark into the wilds.
Her excitement grew stronger, even though she wrestled with her uncertainty about whether to keep the potential pregnancy. Soon, the AI voice would pull them out of their brainstorming session on their next moves, how to best obtain samples from the other world.
AI Voice: "Marshall Martinez's request to enter with 8 more people. Please confirm your next move."
The Professor swiped his finger on the door scanner, and the massive steel portal slid open.
The Marshall stepped through the doorway with a stoic expression and a jagged scar that stretched from the corner of his right eye to his chin. Following closely behind were eight team members, some young, some old, each wearing an emotion like a badge of honor.
The younger ones' faces were filled with excitement and anticipation, while the veterans' expressions showed a mix of fear and pride.
Martinez: "Is everything ready?" His steely gaze skated over them, then without hesitation, he made for the portal.
"Ready your weapons, everyone," he commanded sternly. "And remember what I said: stay together at all costs, no matter what happens. If you become separated, regroup and keep each other close."
They loaded one of the robots with a camera and sent it through the portal with the soldiers. Their only chance of coming back with any information was if they managed to brave their mission, so they watched nervously as it disappeared into the unknown.
Professor Nincom: "Now is the time to test your courage and venture forth. Return! Even if you don't bring back any materials, your experience will be invaluable for future expeditions."
Marshall: "Let's go, let's see what lies beyond our grasp!"
As Ernestine controlled the monitors for any unexpected measurements, she found herself yearning to explore the other side herself. But with the potential pregnancy and the responsibility she felt for the professor's safety, she knew she had to stay put and ensure the portal remained stable for their return. Perhaps someday there would be another chance to explore out there, but for now, she had to learn patience and make the best of their current situation.
