It had been a long and arduous climb down the treetops to the bottom of the deepest forest known to man. If the strain of uneven footfalls and dangerously snapping branches had not been enough, it was the pain and heartache of having lost comrades. Suddenly snatched away so violently, or slumbering in an unknown poisonous coma, it would be on their mind fighting for attention whilst their already tired and aching bodies would be on a continuous level of alertness. They'd be listening for any signal of the unknown mysterious pursuers. Or perhaps there were none, and the attack on the ship was nothing more than Eldritch spilling coffee on a major powercore.<br/><br/>Snapping branches, a loud cough or a tiny slip would be enough for many to snap their neck up and hold their hands over the handles of their weapons. The deeper they descended into this planet of lush growth, the stranger the smells and sounds became. There was no day nor night in this fauna. There was hardly any light at first. But as they stumbled over the crudely made stairs that circled endlessly around the tree they had landed their ship on, their eyesight began to adjust to the new levels of light.<br/><br/>At first it would look like strange flecks floating before them. Almost as if there was nothing there, but just their exhaustion playing tricks with their minds. But as it grew in number and their eyes began to recognise patterns, they would emerge into a world beyond breathtaking beauty. There were colours that could not be described with words, flickering shimmers upon glooming shrooms and fat flounting flowers that looked prettily poisonous in pink. Glistening lights the most masterly cut diamond could not even compete with would fall in fat droplets down the yards-long tubes of leaves watering its own flowers. Phosphorous firework patterns of colours draped across this jungle of darkness, with luring smells trying to tell them that<i> it's ok.</i><i>They're safe now... How could anything so beautiful harbour danger?</i><br/><br/>At last after another climb of more than 8 hours they would reach something they'd thought to be the forestfloor. Luckily Akris was experienced with the ground level and had halted the group in time to point towards their destination. The forestfloor was no solid ground you could walk on. It was a strangely thick black substance with a surface to still to not be alive. If one of the groupmembers would have been fortunate enough to see a twig snap off and fall on it, they'd see the compositional floor of black death swallow it up with a sizzling fume of smoke rising from a bubble in its place. Strangely enough it smelled sweet, almost like boiling caramel, which could explain the pressing humid heat that would make the members sweat who weren't wearing their environmental suits.<br/><br/>Following Akris' lead they'd be able to see an extremely well-hidden man-made base hanging a few meters above the black surface. Round metal plates were hovering fixed into the air, creating an easy path towards it. They would have to watch out on some of them, as they'd seemed to be slick with drooling pools of blood. Blood that seemed thick and gooey, as if it had been drooling there for a while now. There were no bodies to be found, and as the team finally got close enough, they could see that the base was entirely made out of mirrors. Unbreakable one-way mirrors, reflecting the darkness around it and seamlessly blending into its environment.<br/><br/>As soon as Akris would have opened the gate with his touch upon the glass, the last remaining inhabitants would be facing him on the other side. A feat that was fairly simple seeing as it had already have seen the party coming its way through the mirrored glass.<br/><br/>///<br/><br/>The base has 4 floors and is a perfect hexagon with the hearth in its centre. Each<a class="externalLink" href="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSkkNw1a8oA9hVnE5awX-NXGAyjHHTOoyW4LmZfYxEwGDWf2dj_xR087w" target="_blank">hallway</a>on the outside is made out of mirrored glass from top to bottom, giving the inhabitants a perfect view of the planet. There are lights in place, but currently turned off seeing as there is no power going to them. The corners are spaced like a droplet-pattern, its point facing outwards completing the hexagons shape. This means that inside, there are spacious halls with crescentic rooms that have<a class="externalLink" href="https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2013/10/dezeen_Library-and-Learning-Centre-in-Vienna-by-Zaha-Hadid-Architects_31.jpg" target="_blank">curved balconies</a>. Enormous<a class="externalLink" href="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/13/94/20/13942095321a14906b179d59622c1bad.jpg" target="_blank">laboratories</a>and<a class="externalLink" href="http://preview.turbosquid.com/Preview/2016/02/13__15_47_17/SciFi_Laboratoty01.jpgd007fda9-8002-4f55-b58e-33a5aaea6b87Original.jpg" target="_blank">medic bays</a>are present. Beautiful organic shapes are to be found in the most simple things like<a class="externalLink" href="https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2014/09/Soho_Fuxing_Plaza_by_Aim_Architecture_dezeen_784_24.jpg" target="_blank">bridges </a>and walkways. There are even<a class="externalLink" href="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/0weg3NTR-4U/maxresdefault.jpg" target="_blank">meeting rooms </a>with the last high-tech available to man. Let's not forget the<a class="externalLink" href="http://dinosar.com.tr/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/end-2.jpg" target="_blank">stainless steel kitchens</a>, filled to the brim with real food from a variety of planets.<a class="externalLink" href="http://psipunk.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Nereid-Futuristic-Yacht-Interior-Adelina-Popescu-12.jpg" target="_blank">Cosy diners</a>are to be found nearby, with colourful pillows that break the monotonous white of the walls, or if you're able to break the system codes once Alicia has fixed the power-outtage, you could even visit the<a class="externalLink" href="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/qex4ohfbOrI/maxresdefault.jpg" target="_blank">superior's dining halls</a>with<a class="externalLink" href="http://www.fubiz.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/cadence-architects-elastica-house-interiors-bangalore-india-02-900x600.jpg" target="_blank">holographic "windows</a>" of a beach on earth.<a class="externalLink" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yW45OuViexg/UAKYrQSyX2I/AAAAAAAAAh8/EMJHgkMQ-94/s640/Futuristic-Interior-Design-1-510x340.jpg" target="_blank">Most rooms</a>are quite generic, with the only difference between them is the colour.<a class="externalLink" href="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/d1/75/41/d17541362ffff731a308882041b579a5.jpg" target="_blank">Each room</a>has 1 colour, for the sheets and pillows, flowers and drapes... Only the<a class="externalLink" href="http://luxurylaunches.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Tzarina_luxury_interior_yacht_3-thumb-550x394.jpg" target="_blank">superior's rooms</a>are slightly more luxurious with king-size beds and holographic windows, there are only two that stand out and they both differ greatly from each<a class="externalLink" href="http://artishock.org/sites/default/files/efd9b834ed9ed18042cd84ae09667b72.jpg" target="_blank"> other.</a>(Especially the large<a class="externalLink" href="http://www.novate.ru/files/u9180/TRON_Designs_Corian_03.jpg" target="_blank"> hottub</a>in the last one is quite lavish for a research facility...)<br/><br/>In the great hall around the hearth of the hexagon there will be a<a class="externalLink" href="http://rodenska.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/zahaphil.jpg" target="_blank">floor </a>for certain vessels with which you could traverse the planet.<a class="externalLink" href="http://www.tuvie.com/wp-content/uploads/luxury-marine-taxi-yacht2.jpg" target="_blank">Ships</a>and<a class="externalLink" href="http://wonderstoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Lamborghini-Yacht.jpg" target="_blank">cruisers</a>that could sail the black forest floor and research the Diablo trench. But all look to have never been used before. Unfortunately the<a class="externalLink" href="http://www.arteria-gaming.net/promo/sci1.jpg" target="_blank">hearth</a>of the hexagon isn't a curveaous and pretty as the rest of the base. It's functional, clear and simple. With phosphorous lights that haven't died yet, and tools in neat places. Alicia would love the<a class="externalLink" href="http://trialbot.net/pix/212.jpg" target="_blank">place</a>. All in all, the entire base is the size of a small town. Set between and inside the bark of two trees, but this is hardly noticeable on the inside.<br/><br/>Strangely there is no sight of a struggle, not a single clue about what has happened to the hundreds of inhabitants that had once lived on these luxurious floors...<div class="messageTextEndMarker"> </div>