Against the eternal night of wildspace, the asteroid looked like just another rock floating in the eternal night's sea. But, until a few months past, this asteroid was one of a handful that served a specific purpose: the observation of the planet known as Sphereworld. Inhabited by sages and astronomers, the asteroids were used to constantly observe and record anything interesting involving the hollow planet. For centuries, the observation posts recorded many things, which helped them to understand a little more about the sphere they lived in themselves.
However, that was then. Two months past, Sphereworld suddenly disappeared, leaving nary a clue that it was ever there. The outposts could find no trace of the planet, no residue of magics that might have removed it. Of the thirty outposts that operated around Sphereworld, most were abandoned. Five stayed on, hoping to find some glimpse of what went wrong.
That is, they stayed on until today. Rumors had been circulating along the trade routes that Lord Colicor was closing the observatory stations. Since there was nothing left to observe, why man the outposts. There were also rumors that he thought if the bases were closed, that would be less trade routes for spelljamming ships, and another reason for his planar travel.
Onboard this one particular asteroid, officially designated Observation Post K- 12, the three space watchers onboard refused to believe Colicor would make them leave. They nicknamed their asteroid 'Tal Tunchin', from an ancient tongue that meant 'the last man out of the bar at closing time'. It was also a term which meant 'a stubborn fool', but they didn't care. They knew something was happening out there, and they planned to stay and see it through.
There were only three people living on Tal Tunchin, an elderly dwarven sage named Ranthamus and a human husband and wife pair of clerics, Dar and Mari Nightwynd. For weeks, they watched the area where Sphereworld once stood, to only see nothing. However, weeks of looking paid off when one day, during a day watch, they saw a small flash of light near the center of where Sphereworld used to be.
They knew it wasn't a star, or a distant opening in the sphere wall, but something in front of them. Using an elven flitter, they investigated but found nothing more. Their hope renewed, they watched the area with more intent, waiting for a new sign.
That is, they watched until today, when a dull green Omnispacial Defense Force Squidship arrived at the post.
Dar Nightwynd, his hair still bright blond and in excellent physical condition despite being near fifty standard years old, stood near the hailing crystal. His wife Mari, almost half Dar's age, stood off to his right. Ranthamus refused to acknowledge the new ship; instead he continued to make notes in his personal log.
"But, captain," Dar argued. The captain of the squid ship, a seasoned spacefarer himself, remained impassioned to Dar's requests, "we're onto something positive here. Why do we have to leave now?"
"Lord Colicor has ordered this outpost closed, Nightwynd." The captain was sympathetic. "I have no choice. Either leave willingly, or I have orders to launch a boarding party to take you by force."
"This is crazy!" Mari exclaimed, storming over to another port to look outside. She looked past the squid ship toward where Sphereworld used to be.
"Hun?" Ranthamus looked up, but realized they were still arguing, just went back to his writing.
"Captain," Dar continued, "if we could just have another week. I am certain we can justify the continued operations of this base."
"I don't have that luxury, Nightwynd," the captain replied. "I am sorry, but you leave me no choice. Prepare to"
"DAR!" Mari exclaimed. "Come look! It's back!"
Both Dar and Ranthamus ran over to see what had excited Mari. Outside, behind the squid, another flash of light was seen exactly where the first had appeared. This time, however, the flash was brighter, more noticeable, and more powerful. It stayed in view, not disappearing like the first.
"What do you think, Ran?" Dar asked.
"No way in the nine hells that captain'll let us stay," the sage commented.
"I agree. Dar turned to Mari. "Start up the flitter, and gather up our belongings. I'll join you two soon." Mari and Ranthamus left, while Dar picked up a few maps. A minute later, he stepped back in front of the crystal.
"Captain?" Dar called. The captain's image reappeared.
"What is that?" the captain asked.
"Sir, I've talked it over with my associates, and we agree that it might be best to leave. Will you give us a few minutes to gather some personal belongings?"
The captain looked sternly at Dar for a few seconds, then nodded. "You've got three minutes, then we'll open a dimension door."
"Thank you, captain. Nightwynd out."
Three minutes later, a dimension door appeared next to the hailing crystal, and two junior officers stepped through, both carrying crossbows and swords at their belts. No one was there on the deck, and papers were scattered to and fro.
Below the asteroid, an elven flitter launched from a hidden dock out of the squid's sight. Dar on the helm, he maneuvered the little ship around and toward the glowing light. Mari looked behind them to see the squid moving about, headed toward them.
"They spotted us!" she cried.
"No way we can outrun them," Ranthamus said.
"We've got to see what's out there!" Dar said, and the flitter moved as quick as it could to the glow. The squid was faster than the flitter, and within seconds, the ODF ship was on top of them. Someone on the squid launched grappling lines toward the flitter, missing the first two times, but catching the ship the third.
Just as the flitter was being towed in, the light before them flared. Dar grabbed Mari, pulling her close to him, trying to protect her. Ranthamus muttered a dwarven prayer as the light seemed to grab them and pull them in. The squid ship, still firmly attached to the flitter, was absorbed into the light as well.
Just as soon as it had started flaring, the light faded back to normal. However, there was now a ball of white light, larger than before, where Sphereworld once stood. And it was growing.
