The world was all darkness and shadows. Distant clattering echoed in the night, hinting at dangers unseen. The cities were dead, their streets empty not because of the late hour, but because everyone had fled this dark and foreboding place.

It had once been a welcoming community, but everything had changed when the clouds had darkened, never to brighten again. Creatures had crawled out from the depths of the earth. Soon, they had spread everywhere—clawing, tearing, feeding upon flesh and bones. They did not care whether they were animal or human.

A few humans, however, had refused to leave. They dug their lairs deeper, enshrouding themselves in alundil—a metal so hard, even those beasts could not pierce through.

With unlimited wealth, one was only a gateway away from any world within the Imperium—even this cursed place. Maintaining such a passage open cost money as well, but Zax had more than enough to handle it. He even owned a portable gateway. What he had paid to buy it could have fed an entire planet for ten years. Of course, you still needed a gateway on the other end.

This was not his first time on Tharmin. In fact, he had become the survivors’ benefactor and sponsor. He rather liked the idea of having a community of scientists at his beck and call.

Of course, they would have stayed. Where else could they have gone without risking the wrath of the Imperials? They were safe here—so long as they remained within the confines of their metal prison.

Zax walked through the brightly lit halls, only hearing the sound of his footsteps.

It was a perfect arrangement. The scientists could have used the gateway to go anywhere they wanted, free of charge, which gave them the illusion of freedom. In reality, none of them dared step through the contraption, fearing the might of the Imperium. In return for his generosity, they could do all the research they wanted. Whatever they created was theirs, but they were happy enough to share it all with him. It would have been frustrating to see their creations condemned to remain forever within these walls. With him, at least, some could serve a purpose beyond. And, of course, every once in a while, he would suggest something they could work on, and they’d jump on the opportunity to please him.

After going through two doors, he stepped into a small empty lab.

“Hello?” he called out.

A woman’s head popped up from behind a desk.

“Oh!” She smiled. “Mr. Landers! Good to see you. It’s been a while.”

He had not given them his real name, of course. Better safe than sorry.

“It has,” he agreed. “Is Prof. Surish around?”

“He went to the surface,” she said. “Should be back in an hour or so. Can I help?”

When these people talked of the ‘surface,’ they did not mean the outside world—going there would have been a death sentence. Rather, it referred to a large complex of laboratories that was five levels up. It was as high as any of them dared to go, so it had become the ‘surface.’

Zax smiled. “I’m sure you can, Elicia. I just wanted to check on your progress.”

The woman seemed confused for a moment, then suddenly brightened. “Oh! The serum! Of course. Apologies, Mr. Landers.”

He laughed. “Has it really been so long since my last visit that you’ve forgotten all about it?”

“Not quite,” she said as she stood and headed toward another door, at the back. “It’s more like, well, we finished it. We’ve moved on to other things since, so it kind of slipped my mind there for a second.”

“Oh.” He blinked. “It’s done?”

She nodded as she opened the door. “If you’ll follow me, sir, I’ll show you.”

He walked after her.

They went through another room and stopped in front of a small window. On the other side was a tube on a metal shelf. The liquid within pulsed a brown glow.

“That’s it?” he whispered.

Elicia smiled.

“That’s it. Inject it into someone and they’ll be instantly healed of whatever illness afflicted them.” She paused. “Well, almost any illness. It also depends on how far gone they already are. The more advanced the illness, the less likely this will help.”

Zax nodded, his eyes never leaving the tube.

“That is quite alright. What you have accomplished here is formidable enough.”

“There is only one problem,” she said hesitantly.

He finally tore his eyes from the window to look at her.

“What is it?”

“Mass production will be a challenge, sir. I suspect even your fortune could not cover the cost. Besides, we wouldn’t have the personnel to—”

He made a dismissive gesture. “I only need the one sample.”

Elicia looked confused again. “But this could heal so many people throughout the Imperium! Don’t you see? It might even be the first step toward immortality.”

He flinched at the word.

“Do not speak to me of immortality.”

The woman made a face. “You sound like Surish. He’s afraid it would draw the Emperor’s wrath upon us.”

“You would do well to listen to him. Immortality belongs to the gods, not to mere humans.”

“But the Emperor is no—”

Zax lifted a hand to cut her off. “Enough. You remain free to work on whatever project you wish, as always. Just know that some may bring doom upon you. Tread with care is all I say. Now, to answer your earlier question, I am fully aware of how important this is. But, as you so brilliantly pointed out, it would be too expensive to produce. I’ll need to find investors.”

The woman brightened. “Ah, yes! Of course! Maybe even the Emperor.”

“Perhaps.” He tapped on his lips as he considered the tube. “You will make one more, in case this breaks or is lost. You have all the formulas, yes?”

She grinned as she tapped on a black console on the wall. A little compartment opened next to her hand.

“Of course we do! But that,” she said as she pointed through the window, “is the backup.” She pulled another tube from the opening. “This is the one you can take with you.” She handed it to him.

Zax laughed as he took the tube from her hands.

“How wonderful! Always one step ahead of me, aren’t you?”

“We try.”

“The Imperium doesn’t know what it’s missing out on. I wish everyone could see all the things you accomplish here.”

“Maybe one day,” she muttered.

He nodded.

“Thank you, my dear. And give my regards to Prof. Surish.”

Zax turned and walked back the way he had come, sliding the precious tube into a metal box he had brought with him for this purpose. He miniaturized the box and hid it inside his wristpad.

He stopped in the middle of an empty white hall, lifted the screen, and tapped on its glittering surface.

The air in front of him shimmered and slowly took shape. A floating rectangle with darkness inside.

He stepped through the gateway and disappeared.