The drone lifts off and flies above the level of the building they were just in. Looking down they can see the pool more clearly, and also a variety of other outdoor recreation areas: orchards, a tennis court, more garden areas, a larger vegetable garden, a running track, and an amphitheater. "I'm not sure if I want to investigate that staircase or see if the drone can go higher so we can see beyond that wall."

"Oh, she can definitely go higher." Up, up, up.

Beyond the white wall is a wider variety of areas. There are warehouses and what might be apartment buildings, and buildings with no clear purpose from above. Then beyond that there is another wall, this one seems to be laid out in a triangle. There's a wide border pattered in a number of colors before you reach this second wall. Yellow, orange, red, black and finally green. This border surrounds the walls on both sides but they can tell from the corners that they're in one sixth of a hexagon. "Whoever built this place really likes the number six. The image is getting pretty fuzzy at this point. I'm not sure how much more we'll get out of going higher but up to you."

"You're right. This is bullshit though. Your teleporter idea seems more likely by the minute."

"Or some sort of simulation, but it's a pretty detailed simulation if it can fake your drone."

"A city sized holodeck and teleporting are both impossible. There's got to be another reason, some way out. Any ideas, Alice?" I want to go home...

Alice hears the words as if she'd spoken them, and in the surface of her mind. Alice can feel the vulnerability the fear. I know, I do too. I wanted to be a spy not live in a sci-fi novel. She hiccups. "Did I say that outloud?" She swallows, and looks to the sky. In the distance the clouds are just beginning to clear.

"Noo you didn't. What on Earth..."

Nick points to the sky. "Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore. Or Earth."

Zahn looks where Nick is pointing and takes a deep shuddering breath. "Fuck, I never wanted to actually end up in Omicron."

"Not just Omicron Excalibur too if I don't miss my mark Zahn. There's some sort of telepathy thing." She shakes her head then remembers they're not alone. "When we were younger and playing games of pretend, Omicron was what we said when a game included sci-fi elements, and Excalibur was what we said when it included magic."

"Magic? Magic?! What magic?"

"Alice and I just had some kind of... Telepathic episode. Two mental sentences, with an undercurrent of emotion."

"Yeah, it was weird, it felt harder to keep secrets, less natural. I admitted to wanting to be a spy. Zahn likes to tease me about it but I try not to be open about it so as not to hurt my chances. I think it's alright to trust you, being stuck in this together."

"What started the... Magic thing? Could you tell?"

"It was, she looked into my eyes, and we were already feeling similar things. I don't know if the feelings part was important. Did you notice anything else from your end Walta?"

"Well, I was thinking what I 'said' pretty strongly... There might have been something. Want to try to do that again? Could be important, figuring out how it works."

Alice takes a moment to collect herself then nods. "Alright." She looks over and meets Walta's eyes. Can you hear me Walta the words carry an undercurrent of uncertainty, I wonder if I'll be able to do this with Zahn.

I think I'm hearing you.

Her fear is tangled with excitement. Oh wow, real magic. I pretended I was a fantasy novel character when I was a kid you know.

I wonder how deep this goes, can I send. She sends a picture of her childhood bedroom, but then the link gets away from her and there's a flash of memory of kissing someone intensely on her bed before she hiccups and the link breaks. She gasps for breath. "That can get intense."

"Yeah, woah, that was... Something." She blushes a bit.

"I don't think I'm going to try this, the way you're describing it."

"I think I tried to push too far. It wasn't that intense when we were just sharing surface thoughts, but I tried to share part of a memory and it transitioned into showing a related one I didn't intend." She takes a deep breath. "Zahn will you try it with me?"

Zahn sighs a little. "You know some of what you're going to see, are you sure?" Alice nods. "Alright." He takes a deep breath and then meets her eyes. At first it's just a wash of emotions, the loneliness Zahn feels most of the time, the slight undertone of excitement he feels despite everything in this place. The repressed attraction that's always buried a little ways beneath the surface when he's around Alice. He almost retreats from the link, feels the hiccup building but then he feels the same gentle acceptance that Alice always gives him, tinged with a bit of discomfort at the attraction and her uncertainty and fear at the situation. Thanks with that he gently breaks the link. His eyes are watering with the beginning of tears and he steps over to embrace Alice in a gentle hug. "Thank you."

Nick isn't sure what to say here. Either about that or the subtle looks Walta is giving him. He gives a polite cough. "Shall we explore the basement of our central building and then go look at the library again? I think reading what's been given to us is more important than ever now."