Lt Phillipe 'Prometheus' Normand - Dave H
Lt. Phillipe Normand, now going by the callsign “Prometheus”, was recruited to U.N.I.T.E.D relatively recently as a specialist in ITP theory, where he contributed to research teams attempting to build a stable ITP gate.
Recently, however, he has been transferred by the request of Cdr. Smith herself to the Exploratory Division. He has been assigned to the XS-42 special response unit as the team's ITP specialist and technician.
Eternity
Prometheus sighed, or tried to. The emotion was there, the visuals, but no sound. He metaphorically kicked the metaphorical control panel with his metaphorical boot, sending a shimmer through the VR-space, bringing with it a low hiss of static. “Better.” This time the word was accompanied by sound, and he smiled.
He took out a metaphorical roll of duct tape, and patched up the crack that had appeared in the metaphorical wall of reality. The static stopped. “Perfect.”
The scene shifted, wheeling around until the room became pitch black, illuminated by a thousand pin-pricks of light in every imaginable direction. He traced familiar runes between them with a finger, and began building a world for the dead, passing readings back to Cavenson as she worked on the structure of the Hall.
—
From The Chronicles of Ragnarok, by Hanaar Dorfsson
Once the prototype Hall had been completed, and Dr Cavenson and Prometheus were satisfied that it was safe to use, they began work on the full sized hall, to encompass all of Midgard. Wary of the attacks that had befallen the Dwarven Hall during Ragnarok, the Midgardian Hall was placed at an inaccessible location in the Arctic, with several layers of automated defence, and a self contained power source. Construction proceeded mostly as expected, and soon, the Hall was completed. Not wanting to force eternal life on those who did not wish it, or who wished an alternative afterlife, Prometheus and Cavenson made sure that souls had a means of voluntarily leaving the Hall should they so wish, either to Gridgard, or to the Dwarven Hall.
Prometheus himself took this option once he was sure that the new Hall functioned correctly, taking the Dwarves up on their offer to teach him the ways of the most powerful enchantments. Some say that when he returned, there was something somehow different. The skill with science and machines was still there, but now seemed somehow more intuitive. There are even rumours that within the criss-crossed patterns of duct tape that adorn all the artefacts left behind are the pointers to a new magic, fusing Dwarven enchantment and Midgardian science in perfect harmony. Certainly, Prometheus has achieved things that no other could, with the exception of the esteemed Dr Reshvayov, finally developing a consistent unified ITP theory, developing a way to duplicate souls, and many more such wonders. Still, what changes were made as he learned the magics are uncertain, since the duplicates left behind appear not to have his full skill in enchantment, perhaps as some side effect of the duplication process.
—
“Oh, the original? No idea, to be honest. Most of the Alpha forks won't talk about it, but I did get one of them to open up after a late night in the labs. Apparently the original disappeared not long after he cracked the PNPIF duplication problem. Just forked himself a few times, and then left. No-one knows where. Though, if I know him (and, let's be honest, I mostly *am* him) he probably built another REVENANT and went to explore the void. And yes, I know that's ridiculous. But who else would dare?” –Prometheus-Beta-17
—
Transmission received by all former members of XS-42, dated 23 July 2274
“I've found something. I can't say what it is right now, but I'm going to need a diplomat, a scout, and someone to help me understand some new races. If you guys want to get the band back together, there'll be a void ship waiting for you at Isla de Corvo in two weeks.”