“I don’t know exactly what it was, and neither does Augustus. From what I hear it was some sort of spherical gem, no bigger than a marble, but it was powering the entire excavation site. It was encased in a room where the archaic energy of the thing could be contained. Augustus said the way it was lashing out energy looked unnatural. When they got inside the room, it burned right through Augustus’ armor when he tried to touch it. We have no known record of anything like this on earth, not even from our solar system, and even before the golden age. Whatever it is, it’s not…” [i]Could it be what I think it is?[/i] Leggat raised his hand, prematurely ending Aruthur’s story. There was a long pause between the two of them, and the only thing that could be heard was the sounds of the city outside. “Surely you know how crazy this sounds right? I guess me hearing about it won’t do me any justice. I need to see this… thing, and I need to see it now.” Leggat stood up, but before he could take a step, Aruthur replied. “Leggat, they couldn’t bring it back. It ate through every container they tried to put it in. All we have for now is the video recording from Augustus’ helmet cam. I suggest the council take a look at it before we take any further actions. We don’t even know what this thing is.” [i]We…[/i] Councillor Leggat turned around and put his hands behind his back. He stared out the window, and look all around him. Life was everywhere. Trees, merchants in the streets, ships above him. Everything he saw was because of what he had done for the city. All because of what the council had done for the city. Aruthur knew what Leggat was thinking. He was just waiting from him to say it. “Graduation ceremonies are still scheduled for tomorrow Aruthur, I suggest you get some rest. Whatever this thing is, it sounds powerful. It sounds like something the city needs. Imagine the kind of power we could bring to the people behind these walls if we got a hold of this unusual gem?” Aruthur shifted again in his chair. “But we have the traveller sir. We have the power of the traveller.” Leggat turned around, and put his hands on his desk. His head slowly rose and his white mask was perfectly aligned with the angle of Aruthur’s face. “But only the council knows the true purpose of the traveller, where’s the fun in that?” Aruthur left almost as soon as he came. After seeing him to the door, Leggat stood in silence, looking up at the ceiling. He didn’t know what he was thinking, but he was thinking something, which was more than enough for him. He walked over to a panel on the west wall and entered a code. The wall slid open to reveal a liquor cabinet. [i]Only whiskey for this occasion.[/i] He poured the clear bronze liquid into his glass along with two chilled stone cubes. He looked outside his window, again, and moved slowly to this chair with the whiskey in hand. His white robes gracefully dragged on the floor barely enough for it to appear long. He sat and swung his chair around. He gripped the cup from the bottom and swirled it. There was nothing he loved more than the sounds of whiskey swirling in a glass. That, and screams. He clicked a button on the top of his mask, releasing its grip from his hidden face. It was the first time he felt the circulated air of tower Sparrow in ages. He closed his eyes and leaned back. [i]Hopefully James will be ready for returning Venus soon. I hope to get a few of Augustus’ men rallied up for round two. Not until after graduation though, I will let him have his moment.[/i] He opened his eyes and leveled his head. One sip from the whiskey sent warmth shooting through his half frail body. He licked his lips in discomfort, but he learned to enjoy it. The sun was just setting over the wall now, and it would soon be dark. He had enough of starting at the movement of the city. He almost had a headache. He guzzled the rest of his whiskey and got up off his chair. He walked out of the room he just spent the last four hours in, left tower Sparrow, and made his way home. He always passed merchants square and his way home, usually earlier than this though. He liked to pick up a loaf of fresh baked bread from Marcy the cripple, but he walked passed her shop and everything was already taken down. Whiskey made him think of food. A good cup of whiskey and some good food was all Leggat ever wanted, but he knew he could never have that luxury, not now, not during what is happening. [i]Not during what will soon happen.[/i] He continued to walk, being greeted by the citizens of the city. As a councilman, he was revered and looked up to. Children never gave him a second look, but respectful young men like Titans about to graduate would always move aside. He was about five minutes away from his home now. The thought of sleep was the one thing he looked forward to the most at the end of his day, but the only thing that was on his mind this evening… [i]Tomorrow.[/i]