The rectangular, metal box lay perfectly in front of Lumina. The corners were left undented and the four surfaces were free of any flaws. Hesitantly, Lumina touched her fingers to the cool, metal box. Her hand softly wrapped around it, picking it up for further inspection.

Harper sat silently across the table. Her eyes tracking Lumina's movements.

Lumina's hand slid down to her back jean pocket and pulled out her LaserBlade. She flicked a button, and a translucent, glowing, orange blade appeared. Delicately, she took it to one of the weld seams on the box. The blade quickly ran it through, and then Lumina switched it off, the blade disappearing.

Lumina bent one of the box's flaps back, and then another. A white sheet of paper was neatly folded on top of a flat, metal object. Lumina carefully pulled that sheet out. With her fingertips, the writing slowly unfolded.

There was little eloquence within the writing – more of a demand, but also a hurriedness, as if she weren't allowed to send the two items. Lumina placed a hand to the paper, not believing her friend's writing to be real.

Then Lumina's eyes caught on two bold letters.

KS

Lumina's eyes grew, but quickly shrunk back to normal as she looked up at Harper.

"I'm guessing you need to be alone?" she asked.

"How did you know?"

"The concern on your face." Harper rose from her seat, gathering up her things. Then, her heel turned and snapped against the floor, the click, click, click continuing as she closed in on the door.

"Thank-you."

Harper nodded, opening the door, and closing it behind her.

"Thank-you," Lumina whispered to herself, grateful for Harper's courtesy.

Now that Lumina was peacefully within her office, she slouched into the leather chair, her eyes starting to rove about the page – left to right.

4.26.2149

KS

DEAREST HERA,

I APOLOGIZE FOR MY TERRIBLE HANDWRITING, BUT I NEEDED TO WARN YOU AND

GROUND 2 OF SOMETHING THAT I SWORE TO KEEP SECRET UPON ENTERING NASA.

NO LONGER.

DESTRUCTION AND DEVASTATION IS IN GROUND 2 'S WAKE. MY GIFT IS OF IMPORTANCE AND WILL HELP. JUST NEED OTHER HALF.

TRANSCRIPT LEFT AS CLUE.

GROUND 1 WON'T DIVULGE SECRET DEVASTATION.

WILL CONTACT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

. . . I hope.

Soal

Lumina's thoughts twisted into a bundle of confusion. What could she possibly mean? And why did she call me Hera? I never go by that name.

Lumina pulled the tiny slab of metal out of the box. At her touch, the black, slightly curved, metal vibrated in her hand. A thin, green, glowing line appeared in the crevice that ran vertically down the base of the metal.

"What in the..."

The metal began to melt, puddling on her desk. Then, it began to fuse her fingers with the desk by forming around the two solids. Lumina quickly pulled away, and the metal retook it normal form. Lumina was in awe at the object, but still in a state of confusion as to its purpose.

Her gaze travelled over to the HoloPad that lay on the desktop. The transcript was still displayed on the screen.

Lumina's hand reached for the glass. Her fingers scrolled through the pages. Her eyes never left the page.