Day 52nd, Year of 3:

I am bothered by the loss of my fortress. Three years of construction, two years keeping it unseen by anyone, and the irony that I have been driven out of it in less than three hours. It has served its purpose, how short it was, to keep its master safe in the face of an invasion. It has been a relief that none of the data from my experimentations were captured by the government, but my losses from that attack would take long before my organization could recover from it. This shall serve as a lesson to me that no fortress can be properly defended from a potent attack force. The efforts of my men to fend off a highly-skilled, organized and determined enemy must be noted, and in return for the lives, most of them lost or would lose, their reason for fighting the government must be completed.

My findings in creating the dimensional rift are correct, although there is a slight miscalculation on the tremendous energy requirements to keep a small tear open. The question now lies in what kind of entity I could attract with such a small tear in time and space. Of course, a mere slit is no more than a pinprick in the fabric of realities, and as such could only permit lesser beings to pass through. I could not rely on probability and gamble for a being greater than the stony giant that died by the hand of one of my many hunters. The only direction I can follow in attracting more powerful creatures to control would be to acquire greater and constant energy sources. I am speculating that more powerful entities will be drawn to the energy a large portal gathers from. This cannot be done immediately, for this requires time and resources to synthesize the crystals needed to create the dimensional cutters and, more studies will be conducted as to what ways can a specific being be brought from one dimension to another.

I have noticed that the control mechanism is more effective on a subject under strain or when its survival instincts push the organism to the brink of despair. This final characteristic of the survival dynamic sheds the awareness of the target in exchange for added strength and speed. It can be said that this state is where the mechanism can be deployed at the most efficiency. Whenever the brain is sending an alarm to the rest of the body under a life-threatening situation or when it orders the rest of the body to destroy the object of its rage makes the manipulation process very easy. This remains effective as long as the subject feels it is under constant threat. The first subject proved to be successful material for the simpler version of the device. Overriding a lesser being's survival dynamic is not much of a challenge. Now the test will advance to another stage. The captured soldier shall gauge how effective the control mechanism will be on sentient creatures and to what extent can that control be exercised.

-x-

The third day of seeing nothing but the ocean's blue darkness from a metal-rimmed window has begun. The Gray Fox would occasionally chance upon the sight of sunlight occupying the waters' upper reaches, but such novelties were too rare and too fleeting to be enjoyed. He would feel the submersible ship dive deeper, probably to evade surface patrols that grew more vigilant since the loss of the crime lord's Schweiglands facility. Kriemreich's surface fleet was out to get them, or anyone who escaped the takeover of the vast island fortress. The Gray Fox placed his pen on a half-empty ink tub and closed the book he was writing on before he decided to leave his study and check on the crew. He passed by the long and narrow corridor that connected each of the submersible's sections; only the droning noises of the ship's engine room accompanied the sound of his footsteps. The Gray Fox reached the front end of the Ancamna where the crew was busy with the vessel's controls. A tricorne-wearing man approached the scientist.

"Sir, we have just left the Albertan cordon. We should be safe for the time being without having to conduct maneuvers."

"Excellent, Captain." The crime lord exhaled in relief. "How long before we get to the other facility?"

The ship's commander approached a table with a sea chart of the Delitian Content occupying most of the space. "Sailing straight will bring us there in three hours if we encounter none of the Imperials."

"That would mean more time waiting. I should leave you to your work, Captain."

The Gray Fox returned to his quarters and lay dreamless on his mattress. There were thoughts - stirring, relentless and colorful visions that ran in his mind. Pictures of the fortress, the attacks, and the many cities of Kriemreich formed a collage that showed no meaning. More pictures formed in his mind until an unrecognizable wash of colors spiraled in the sleeping scientist.

A slight force lifted the crime Lord from sleep, followed by weak continuous knocks on the door. He got up, raked his hair, and sprung seated on his bed. He made no haste in answering the door; the crime lord removed dirt from his eyes before he attended to the one outside his room. A short screech confirmed that the door could be pulled open.

"Sir, we have arrived." It was one of the green coats. He stood aside and waited for the syndicate leader to come out of the chamber.

The Gray Fox climbed up the already opened hatch and found himself in another cave. This one was well-lit compared to the escape tunnel that housed the Ancamna, and was more than four times as wide. No scent of tunnel slime disturbed his nose; only the scent of steam lingered in the area. The cavern ceiling had steel supports that spanned from one side of the dome to the other; they served no other purpose aside from holding the many downward-pointing lamps. A few men were standing on the wood and steel dock, but the Gray Fox only took notice of the one in front center. The leader of his welcoming body was a well-built man with a huge green crystal for his right eye.

"Congratulations on your safe return, Master," the man said in an almost-hissing tone.

"Consider it a near-death for me. I have been too confident in the defenses," The Gray Fox shook his right fist. "Underestimating the strength of the Empire's soldiers cost me dearly. We have much to talk about, Mister Norton."

"Of course, Master. I'm all ears."

Both men walked out of the docks and into the middle of a steel ceiling and smoothened rock walls. The Gray Fox's voice wavered to almost a whisper, hinting his aide to do the same when both resumed their talks while on the move.

"You are aware of how much in men, materiel, and facilities I have lost after the government sacked my island. I need you to address one of those issues. There will be... stricter requirements though. I will not spend a pfennig on men who could not properly hold their weapons. Give me real warriors – those who could not be steamrolled so easily."

"Hiring such a force will cost us high. Our coffers will run out if we use old recruitment practices."

"How do you suggest going around that?"

"I have this idea, Master." Norton responded enthusiastically. "Our rivals surely house decent fighters. They could give us our needed men, but they might ask for impossible rates or even worse, wrest control of the organization from you..."

"Then what...?" The Gray Fox spoke in rising irritation.

"We could hire skilled individuals and team them up to destroy the other syndicates. Then we could assimilate the remains of those groups into our organization. This would be cheaper in the sense and pose fewer problems with acquiring suitable people. This can also reduce the number of nuisances we would have to deal with."

"Where and how are you going to get these 'skilled individuals' you speak of?" The Gray Fox began showing interest, but his eyes cast a doubting gaze.

"I have my sources of course, and the means to gauge their worthiness."

"Very well, you decide on what approach you will devise to get this done. You can start working on it right away. Remember that I do not want the government picking up on a trail to us. Make sure your actions would not be noticeable."

"Yes, Master. I should be on my way then." Norton bowed his head and smiled at the Gray Fox. He left the crime lord when they reached a staircase that led to the upper level of the complex.