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Message: <blockquote data-quote="crazy_monkey1956" data-source="post: 4694629" data-attributes="member: 49514">Episode OneWelcome to My Parlor Said the Spider to the FlyMichelle Storm stood in the control room as her husband made a few last minute adjustments to the wires stuck to the crystal object.  Watching him through the plexiglass barrier made her nervous.  She wanted to be down there with him and had made the case for it numerous times.  The military types wouldn't budge though.  Several of them were in the room with Harvey now, guns ready just in case something went wrong.Harvey stepped back from the object and gave the all clear signal.  One of the technicians in the control room entered a numerical sequence on the keyboard.The object started to glow and pulse.  Michelle could hear Harvey's voice, muted by the glass, "Everybody cross your fingers."The rectangular metallic frame in front of the crystal swirled with multi-colored lights as the glow from the crystal channeled into it.  A loud crack like thunder shook the room, knocking Harvey and the military guys off their feet.  Michelle had to grab the back of the technician's chair to keep from falling herself.The frame was now filled with an image of a dark cavern of some sort, strange, alien looking mushrooms the size of redwoods visible in the distance.  Lights from what appeared to be a city nestled amongst the mushrooms could be seen.Harvey got to his feet and let out a triumphant whoop, "Hot damn!  It works!  Michelle, do you see that?  It works!"The lights in the control room flickered.  Then went dark completely.  Shouting and then gunfire in the portal room could be heard.  Something was coming through.Michelle couldn't see Harvey.  Unnatural darkness blanketed the portal room.  A moment of panic gave way to resolve and she made her downstairs, determined to be at Harvey's side, no matter what.She slipped in to the portal room as a squad of soldiers opened the blast doors and entered, SWAT style, trying to assess the situation.She couldn't see, but she felt her way along the wall, making her way to where she last she saw Harvey.  A face emerged from the darkness.  Angular features, slanted red eyes, pointed ears, stark white hair and skin the color of a starless night sky.  He carried what looked like a medieval crossbow the size of a handgun.  He fired it, the bolt sticking painfully in her arm.  And then her world went black.Harvey came to slowly, realizing that one of those crossbow bolts was still sticking out of his leg.  He rose to his feet, favoring his injured leg, looking around.  The lights were back on.  The portal was empty, the crystal's glow was gone.  Several soldiers were coming to their senses now as well.  But some were missing...as was Michelle.[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K41iLYVCBeg]Opening Credits[/ame]Max Storm: Incirlik, TurkeyLieutenant Colonel Jim Dawson waited patiently for Max to read the letter.  Dawson was in a business suit instead of a uniform, which wasn't unusual for a member of the Air Force's Office of Special Investigations or OSI.Once Max uttered the words, "Let's go," Dawson was on his feet, "This way Mr. Storm.  We'll be taking a military flight from Incirlik Air Base.  You'll be briefed en route."Dawson led Max to a government car parked nearby and opened the rear passenger door for him.Connor Lang: Cedar Springs Mental Health Facility, Colorado Springs, ColoradoConnor saw the uniformed fellow talking to Doctor Wellsly as he sat in the activity center.  Most of the other in-patients were in group therapy at the moment, which left him alone to look out the window.Doctor Wellsly and the military uniformed fellow approached, the doctor speaking gently to him, "Connor, you have a visitor.  This is Lieutenant Michaels.  He's with the Air Force."Michaels smiles, "Mr. Lang, pleased to meet you.  I'd like to talk to you for a few minutes, if you don't mind."Corporal Amy Monroe: Canberra, AustraliaAmy is ushered into the conference room where her base commander, Colonel Hayes is sitting with an American Air Force officer and a United Nations diplomat.  Hayes stands and smiles at Amy, "Have a seat Corporal.  This is Lieutenant Colonel Jackson of the United States Air Force, in charge of the exchange program."Jackson stands and offers his hand to Amy, his American accent quite prominent, "Pleasure to meet you.  We're looking forward to adding an international element to the program."The UN fellow, his business suit standing out in contrast to the military uniforms in the room, gives Jackson a look that seems to indicate that the UN pressured the US into adding that international element to whatever program Jackson is referring to.Nathaniel Abrahms: DARPA HQ, VirginiaAllison Stewart, the project lead for the parallel universes team, has assembled her team in the lounge.Allison's excitement is tangible, "All of the theory is about to become reality, ladies and gents.  The Air Force has a nifty new toy they are playing with and they want at least one of us there to help them figure out how to make it work.  The trick is, you'll be part of a more military organizational structure and will have to answer to them, not us.  Any volunteers?"Specialist Howie Blaise: Somewhere in the OzarksThe wilderness had something no city or combat zone could ever match: peace and quiet.  That's what Howie was enjoying at this very moment, suspended on a rope from a rock outcropping enjoying the view.Then something intruded on the quiet, the sound of a helicoptor landing on the outcropping above.  An Air Force uniformed fellow peeks over the edge of the outcropping, shouting over the sound of the helicoptor's blades."Specialist Blaise?  We need to talk to you!"</blockquote>

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