The brittle pages lay within a small chest: tucked away in a nook of a cave buried under rock and snow.  The entry starts and ends with a flowing, handwritten script in an unknown language — apparent notes about the printed text entries that make up most of the pages.

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   The following intercepts are communications between Senator Alfred Kursden and Nathaniel Jorrall, the founder of one of the world’s largest aerospace corporations. Both are full-blooded Alfath.

From: A.K.          To: N.J.

Latest projections for Ragnarok are devastating. Administration is trying to keep it quiet for now but it will eventually leak. Thoughts?

From: N.J.          To: A.K.

Your first priority, Senator, is to make sure you are on whatever committee forms to decide on a response. Use old-fashioned methods if necessary. I’ll contact our aerospace people.

From: A.K.          To: N.J.

Re: Committee – National or International? Will be harder to talk my way onto a global board.

From: N.J.          To: A.K.

International. Give me names of any who try to hinder your appointment.

From: A.K.          To: N.J.

News of Ragnarok was leaked — wouldn’t be your work by any chance? 

From: N.J.          To: A.K.

Development already has a solution that will provide a way home. Forwarding plans but sit on them until other ideas hit stumbling blocks. When the time comes,  someone expendable needs to introduce the proposal to committee — NOT YOU.

From: A.K.          To: N.J.

Thrall presented plan for the arks today. Committee fairly jumped on the idea. Public announcement of the arks will be made next week. I will, unfortunately, be unable to attend the announcement as I will have an emergency to address.

From: N.J.          To: A.K.

Congratulations on your promotion, Mister Chairman.

From: A.K.          To: N.J.

Arks are a go. Governments committing funding for at least 50.  Need to start planning logistics for our people. Even with our longevity the arks will be too slow for us to see Tarros.

From: N.J.          To: A.K.

Our work ensures our children’s children will reclaim our home world. I’ll handle logistics. You focus on keeping the right people in place. Working now to find the Displaced and reveal the truth of their heritage to them.

From: A.K.          To: N.J.

Re: Displaced — We would include half-humans in our plans?

From: N.J.          To: A.K.

Re: Displaced — We are too few without them. They still have power even if diluted. Their human blood will make them more pliable to our needs.

From: A.K.          To: N.J.

Congratulations on winning the contract to build the Thelian Dawn. My office will forward you information on the build site in Arizona.

From: N.J.          To: A.K.

Thank you, Senator. My people look forward to serving mankind in this endeavor.

  

   These intercepts confirm that the Alfath are actively seeking to return to Tarros. They further confirm (by mention of old-fashioned ways) that they have not forsaken the practice of spilling blood to power their magic.

   There are so few of us now, and none remain who had come from Tarros originally. I will travel ahead using the archives as a guide and prepare for their arrival. The human-born will have no choice but to travel on the ship. Thankfully the Alfath are not the only ones with people on the inside.