Prologue

"Sir, permission to speak freely."

"Permission denied Private Korkan!  Just sit back and keep to your duties."

A timid solider dressed in a green army suit nodded briefly and turned his attention back to the action going on in front of him.  He stood with his back to the only door in this large white room, next to one of his superior officers, who was about twice his size and twice as tough.  The room was as long as a football field, and as tall as a three story house with no windows.  It was filled with scientists, military personal, and other official looking people that he couldn't make out too well.  All of them were gathered near one object in the back of this room, which was so tall, it had stairs that were made at it's sides.  At first glance, it looked simply like a giant steel globe, with nothing too special about it besides the giant control panel in front of it, which glowed an eerie black.  However, a closer look at the globe would indicate dents and patches in many spots, as is to say that something might be inside.  But without any obvious air holes or ways inside, there was absolutely no way something could live in there.  At least, not to a mere private officer.

"What in the world could be in that thing?", mumbled Korkan as he leaned forward a bit to try and get a better look at the globe.  The commanding officer was about to yell again, when he suddenly stood at attention to one of the scientists coming nearby.

"Look sharp Private, it's Dr. Robav!"  The scientist put a hand up and shook his head slightly.

"At ease General, as well as you my curious Private."  Korkan smiled as he looked at this man.  He was dawned in a white lab coat, as well as white clothing underneath.  He wore square glasses and a smile that was slightly covered in black hair.  He was rather tall, but not intimidating like the General.  "Now then Private, why don't you come this way, I sure our Brigadier can handle the door on his own."

"Yes sir!" said Korkan happily as he left with the Doctor, leaving a very flustered captain behind.  He didn't catch the curious smile that Robav was giving him as they stopped in front of the control panel in front of the globe.  He gazed in awe at the sight of it.  Being up close now, he could see that the dents and repairs seemed older than he'd imagined.

"Now then, you had a question?"  Dr. Robav raised an inquisitive eyebrow as he waited for a reply.  Korkan was having a little trouble speaking, but found his words eventually.

"W-What exactly is in this thing Doc?"  It wasn't the questioned he wanted to ask, so much as the first one to come out.  He was caught off guard as Robav let out an eerily creepy laugh, while looking only at the globe in front of them.

"That, my boy, is exactly what we will be finding out tonight!"  He grabbed the microphone nearby and began messing around with the control panel.  "Ready the final preparations gentlemen!"  People everywhere began to put on suits and masks, including the general at the door.  As Korkan reached into his bag to pull out his own suit, he felt a firm hand on his shoulder.  "At this close, my boy, that won't help you or I."

Korkan was too scared to move at the thought of what might happen to himself if he disobeyed what seemed to be an order to stay where he was.  He simply stood rigid as he watched tubes being pulled from the supports holding the globe up, and the luckier group of people who stood to the wall furthest from them, pushing the giant stairs away from the globe.  It almost made it look barren, save for the one giant cord sticking from the control panel to the globe.  The Doctor seemed to be done with his button pushing and flip switching as he turned once again to Korkan.

"So my boy.  What do you think might be in this orb of steel?"  As he said this, he pressed one more button, which seemed to send the dark light surrounding the control panel down through the cord to the globe.  It almost instantly gained the same aura around it, and then, began to do something that caused Korkan to fall on his knees.  It began to pulsate.

Korkan had had enough, but could not find the strength to move at all.  The pulsations from the globe were increasing in number and speed, as what seemed like hours went by.  He finally turned to the doctor, tears falling down his face as he screamed over the loud pulsing noises.

"WHAT'S IN THIS THING?!?!"  The doctor never turned his attention away from the globe as he spoke only two simple words.

"A dream."