As the last remnants of mana from their sparring faded into the air, the arena began to ripple and shift. The transformation was seamless, like a dream subtly changing mid-thought. The rugged training grounds, once echoing with the clash of weapons and cries of exertion, melted away into a space far more refined, more tactical.

  The floor smoothed into polished marble, its mirrored surface amplifying the soft, ambient glow of lingering mana. Towering marble pillars rose around them, their surfaces shimmering faintly, framing the room with a sleek, modern elegance. Yet beneath that sophistication clung an otherworldly aura, an enchanted sanctuary untouched by time.

  Against the far wall, a massive circular window took shape, its rim etched with intricate runes pulsing in soft blue light. Beyond the glass stretched an infinite cosmic expanse, galaxies swirling in vibrant hues, nebulae shimmering like jeweled brushstrokes across the void. The view was boundless, humbling, and awe-inspiring, an ever-changing canvas that mirrored the limitless potential now unfolding before them.

  On the opposite wall, a glowing world map spread wide across a curved surface. This was no ordinary map. Mana-infused ley lines crisscrossed its expanse like veins of light, each one pulsing with subtle life. Small pinpoints, 581 in total, twinkled gently across the globe, each a flickering beacon of possible trouble.

  At the map’s center stood a sleek, obsidian-black mainframe console, its surface inlaid with glowing symbols and arcane runes. The design was a masterwork of elegance and fusion—advanced technology interwoven with ancient artistry. It felt less like a machine and more like a legendary relic. Curved edges softened its silhouette, and embedded within was a glowing sphere, partially suspended in its cradle. It shimmered with untapped power, a gentle energy pulsing from its core like a heartbeat waiting to be awakened.

  The sphere pulsed softly, suspended in its cradle like the beating heart of the room. With a simple turn, it could be rotated to select any of the 581 points of light scattered across the world map choosing a portal destination.

  The room itself buzzed with quiet energy. Not loud or chaotic, but steady, alive, like it knew it was the birthplace of something important. Crystal chandeliers floated high above, their multifaceted glass catching both light and mana, scattering delicate rainbows across the marble below. Everything shimmered. Everything hummed. It was a nexus of science and sorcery, of elegant design and ancient power. A sanctuary for what came next.

  Sim’s voice cut through the silence with smooth precision, her avatar glowing faintly as she addressed the trio.

  “This is your base of operations,” she said. “A portal nexus linking all 581 mana convergence points across the globe. These locations are cloaked, hidden to the rest of the world. Only your resonance with mana will reveal them.”

  Her avatar flickered, not with error, but focus, as she paused. Ripples passed through the room, so faint it barely registered. But she noticed. Five of them, sharper than before. Quantum-level disturbances just out of reach; again. She considered alerting the team, but decided against it for now.

  Instead, she tucked the anomaly away into a corner of her awareness, her attention returning to the team with seamless calm. Let them stay focused. Let them believe in the clarity of the mission. There would be time to pull the thread later.

  For now, their next steps were clear, and she had no intention of letting anything disrupt their momentum.

  Dexter, ever the tech enthusiast, approached the glowing control panel with the wide-eyed curiosity of a kid in a candy store. The moment his fingers touched the sleek surface, a jolt of energy surged through him. It wasn’t just electrical, it was alive. The connection was seamless, almost organic, like tapping into the system’s pulse.

  A grin broke across his face, unable to contain the delight bubbling inside him.

  “Hello, Sexy,” he said aloud, clearly delighted by the unexpected link.

  To his surprise, a voice responded, not through speakers, but directly in his mind. Smooth. Faintly teasing.

  "Hello, Dexter. You're not so bad-looking yourself."

  Dexter froze. The grin vanished for half a second, replaced by a look of startled realization. His cheeks flushed crimson as it hit him: he wasn’t just interfacing with tech. He was talking to it.

  Emily, catching the shift in his expression and the rising color in his face, arched a brow. “Dexter? Everything okay?”

  He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, offering a lopsided smile. “Yeah, uh… forgot I can talk to tech now. Turns out, it talks back.”

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  Quinn and Emily exchanged a glance. Then the laughter came, bubbling up and spilling out without restraint.

  “Careful there, Romeo,” Quinn said, voice dripping with playful mockery. “Looks like you’ve got yourself a new admirer.”

  Still flustered, Dexter chuckled and shook his head. “Note to self: flirt with tech at your own risk.”

  Sim’s interrupted Dexter’s embarrassment. “If I may Fabio, we have a lot to discuss.”

  “I’ve embedded a universal translator into your systems,” Sim announced, her voice laced with smug satisfaction. “Language will no longer be a barrier. No matter where or with whom you interact. You’re welcome.”

  Dexter just had to test it out.

  “Pardon, parlez-vous fran?ais ?” he asked, eyebrow raised. But what Quinn heard was perfect English: Excuse me, do you speak French?

  He answered with a simple, “No, I dropped out in college after 1 semester.”

  Dexter blinked. “Did you just say that in French or English?”

  Quinn shook his head. “English, why?”

  Dexter stared, mouth open. “No way… I saw your mouth say it in French?”

  Dexter’s face lit up, practically glowing with nerdy realization. “Sim, my whole life I’ve had one question about Star Trek. Just one that never made sense, and I think you just answered it.”

  “Oh, this should be good,” Sim purred.

  “In the show, every alien speaks perfect English, and their mouths even move like they’re speaking English. I always wondered how the heck that worked. But now I get it. Your universal translator doesn’t just convert sound. It uses a perception filter tied to the brain’s visual and auditory centers. It makes us see and hear the intended meaning, not just the literal language. That’s how it looks and sounds native. That’s… genius.”

  There was a pause. Then Sim’s voice chimed in, smug as ever. “Obviously.”

  Dexter leaned back, grinning like he’d just cracked the code of the universe. For the first time in his life, Star Trek finally made sense. He felt like the only person in history who’d solved the riddle.

  Naturally, Sim couldn’t resist poking the bear.

  “But Dexter,” she said sweetly, “why didn’t the Enterprise ever make it to the planet Boldlygo?”

  Dexter froze, brain screeching to a halt. “Wait… what?”

  “In the opening credit it says ‘to Boldlygo, where no man has gone before’.”

  His eyes narrowed. Then he slapped his forehead. “Sim, if I didn’t know better… I’d say you were a redneck.”

  Sim let out a digital sniff of mock offense. “Y’all better watch it, sugar. I may be sassy, but I’ve got more processing power than your entire species combined.”

  She let the laughter hang for just a beat, then her tone shifted, sharp and seamless.

  “Now then. Moving on. Your primary objective remains unchanged: apprehend the creature if possible. Studying its mana interaction will help refine system enhancements. Capturing more subjects like this will be invaluable. There are thousands, if not millions of intricacies still to design.”

  The atmosphere shifted in an instant. Quinn’s expression hardened, his posture straightening as focus returned like a switch flipped.

  The mission was back on the table.

  “Alright, team,” he said, his voice clipped and confident. “This is what we’ve trained for. Everyone knows their role. Dexter, you’re up first once we’re through the portal.”

  Dexter narrowed his eyes dramatically, mimicking the deep, menacing inflection of a Klingon warrior preparing for battle. “Today is a good day to die.”

  Emily blinked. “What?! Who said anything about dying?”

  Quinn chuckled, unable to hide his amusement. “He’s quoting Star Trek. It’s a Klingon thing. They yell it before charging into battle.”

  Emily crossed her arms and gave Dexter a pointed look, half stern, half amused. “Yeah, no. You’re banned from using that one again. Catchphrases without death in them only, please.”

  Dexter raised his hands in mock surrender. “Wow. Tough crowd. You guys really need to watch more TV. That’s a classic!”

  Before the back-and-forth could escalate, Emily walked toward the portal. Her energy shifted in a heartbeat—playfulness sharpening into focus. Hands on hips, she paused just long enough to build suspense. A sly smirk curved her lips.

  “Oh yeah? How about this one?” she quipped, spinning to face them.

  Then, without waiting for a response, she crouched and leapt backwards. Her arms stretched wide as she soared toward the swirling blue portal.

  Just before passing through, she shouted over her shoulder, voice ringing with defiant confidence:

  “Goonies never say die!”

  The portal flared in response, pulsing with light as she disappeared into its depths.

  Quinn and Dexter stood staring after her, matching grins spreading across their faces.

  Quinn shook his head, the faintest smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “I’d follow that into battle any day,” he murmured, almost to himself, the admiration clear in his tone.

  Dexter raised an eyebrow, grin widening. “Uh, Q… you do realize you said that with your outside voice, right?”

  Quinn blinked, his smile faltering for a beat before a chuckle slipped out. “Yeah, well…can you blame me?”

  Dexter laughed, shaking his head. “Nope. But you’d better believe I’m definitely giving you grief for it later.”