The Interdimensional Highway Plan

[bertinator]

<<< Previously

On a normally quiet field in the heart of Studland, a small crowd has gathered. Almost all of them representatives of the Yellow Partnership, save for a TV Crew that will broadcast todays' events to the entire brikverse.




Good morning, my fellow citizens, and a heartfelt thank you to each and every one of you gathered here on this commemorable day. Today, we stand at the threshold of history, as we undertake the inaugural field test of our interdimensional portal. This moment is not just a test - it marks a significant milestone for the Interdimensional Highway Plan that will connect us to realms beyond our own.




I would like to take a brief moment to express my deepest gratitude to our Yellow Partners — the dedicated men and women from the Space Repair Garage and Menders of Construction — whose tireless efforts made the construction of this portal possible.




And a special salute goes to Lieutenant Cooper Jackson, who is about to demonstrate unwavering courage as the first minifigure to step through this magikal gateway. We stand with you, Lieutenant, as you prepare to make history.



With that said, let us begin our countdown.

3...




2...




1...




SKA-WOOOSSHHH!!!

As Vesper pushes the red button, a immense wave of energy surges through the air, and the portal roars to life, spinning and churning with fire and raw power.




Immediately and without hesitation, Cooper Jackson begins to walk, almost sprint, towards the portal.




"One small step for minifig ..."




...




The portal snaps closed quickly after Lt. Jackson stepped through. The crystal that powered the gateway, now drained of all its energy, changes colors to a fainted grey.




"Well, I think that was it. Drinks, anyone?"

[ninja_bait]

[MadMario]

"...where we can expect the arrival of the first portal-travelling minifig very soon. The portal itself already opened!"





*swoosh* *swirl**kablob*"..."





"...one giant leap for the brikverse!"

The crowd of SRG and MoC technicians cheers as Lt. Cooper Jackson leaves the correspondent portal alive and kicking.





"Hello, world! Glad to be here!"

"Lieutenant, Just a word."





"What´s it like to be the first person ever to use such a technology? And more important, what does portal travel feel like?"

"Oh, it´s great! And it feels a bit like riding a rollercoaster in zero gravity while being electrocuted and also pursued by an unspeakable eldritch horror. But that ends as soon as you pass the event horizon. And you get the smell of cotton candy in your nose the whole time!"

"Uh-huh. Yeah. Portal travel surely sounds... interesting?"

"Yeah, it totally is. Some more data analysis and we´re good to open the network to the public soon. What could go wrong?"

Well, that´s it for now from the testing range of the new Interdimensional Highway Plan! Stay tuned for more news on this topic later on!"





"...aaand we´re off. Thanks for the interview, Lt. Jackson."

"No problem. But hey, maybe you can tell me where I can get an Uber back to Studland?"

[MadMario]

*swoosh* *swirl**kablob*"..."





"...one giant leap for the..."





"...Brik...verse? ... wait, what´s going on here?"





"Where is everyone? ... Hello?"

*rustle, rustle* - *pleh?*

"Oh, shit..."





"Fleebnorks! That´s why no one´s here! But how... in so short time... Is this... ANOTHER BRIKVERSE?

And indeed, this version of Cooper Jackson landed in another version of the brikverse! A malfunction? A temper of the Chaos Gods? Koincidence? Whatever it is, it opens up new possibilities and raises just as many questions about the...
Multi-Brikverse!




But as profound as this insight is, it is unlikely that this variant of Cooper Jackson can pass it on...

[bertinator]

The night before Manly Fuckin' Santa day, BR 2,024. Scientists of the yellow partnership are still working late in one of the yellow science labs in Studland.




"Good afternoon, hard-working ladies and gentlefigs. I was traveling past here and decided to pay you a little visit. Is there anyone who could give me a little update - how are things with the Program?"




The lead engineer, one of the Menders of Construction, steps forward.

"Prime Minister Staxwell. Compliments on the outfit, are you headed for a celebration?"
"Thank you. I am indeed."




"Our work is going as planned. Portal hardware construction is in full swing, with the first dozen portals already finished and ready to be used. Our field tests have shown that calculations for the interdimensional trajectories appear to be mostly correct."
"Appear to be...?"




"Yes. Furthermore, this means the next phase of the program is now crucial, because that will allow us to really scale up our network coverage and start expansion."
"Understandable. That is good to hear. And you can count on Studland when it comes to this next phase, the Expansion phase."




The chief scientist of the SRG steps in.

"Miss Staxwell, do you know if the Studland research team has been able to look at the data I sent them? It's about the power usage of the portals. With the current supply of energy crystals already diminishing, I don't see how Studland is planning to keep the portals operat..."




"Don't worry. About the energy situation. Everything is under control. The S.M.A.R.T. is well underway in making sure Studland keeps its' promise of meeting the energy requirements to sustain the portal network - indefinitely."




"Oh. Well. Uhh... That's great."
"Have a nice evening, miss Staxwell."
"Thank you. Good night."

[bertinator]

It's Manly Fuckin' Santa days' eve, BR 2,024. A small crowd has gathered at an illustrious Studland inn, The Boulder, for a Rekon celebration. Among them are noteable characters from the Yellow Partnership, their rich benefactors and some other influential bizfigs.




Vesper, as host of the party, has prepared a little speech.

"Welcome, one and all, to The Boulder on this Manly Fuckin' Santa days' eve. Tonight, we gather not just to celebrate but to reflect on our progress and look forward to the exciting next phase of our journey.
I’m reminded of how this year began—with just a climate promise, an ambitious vision, and the determination to make it a reality. Since then, we’ve come a long way. Earlier this year, we unveiled the portal prototype, and shared it's technicalities with science departments all across the brikverse. It's field test was a triumph, giving us valuable insights for the next phase. And while research into sustainable power solutions is ongoing, we're closer than ever to solving this vital piece of the puzzle."




"Mark your calendars, my friends, for next January is expedition time. With equipment polished and gleaming, weapons charged to full capacity, and uniforms pressed to perfection, BR 2,025 will thrust us into the next phase of the Interdimensional Highway Plan.
As soon as the Rekonstruktion dawns, the first expeditionary parties of the Studland Corps for Operations in Unknown Territories (S.C.O.U.T.) will launch, and the momentum won’t stop there. Throughout the first month of the year, we’ll send wave after wave of explorers, their mission clear: to establish new portal locations, collect crucial portal fuel, and map uncharted territories."



"So, let us raise a toast—to our Studland explorers, a happy birthday to Manly Fuckin’ Santa, and the glorious Rekonstruktion ahead! 2x2speed to us all, and may the coming year bring us ever closer to our goals.

Cheers!"

[bertinator]

"Best wishes, prime minister, and congratulations on yet another great speech. Sounds like it's going very well with the Interdimensional Highway Plan."
"Thank you, commander Bertinator. And we're very grateful that you would lend us your venue for this event. The program has been succesfull indeed - and an exciting period lies ahead of us."




"I was wondering, miss Staxwell, about this exploration phase. You'll be sending out squads of Studlanders to remote places with these portals - but how will they ever make it back home? Do you keep the portals here in Studland open the whole time?"




"Oh haha, imagine the cost of that. No. Right before we send the Studlanders, we send a second portal ring through the portal. It sets up automatically at the remote location, creating the infrastructure for the expeditionary force to portal back home when they're finished."




"Wow."
"The only thing we can not send to the remote location, is the power crystals. So the objective for the expeditionary force is threefold - secure the portal site, gather information, but most importantly: gather transparent material to power up the portal a second time and make the trip back home."




"Sounds like a risky expedition then."
"Well, it's quite the adventure indeed, but that is what we Studlanders are known for, isn't it? Besides, our scientists have assured me that their interdimensional trajectory calculations are 100% correct, so we know exactly where we'll be sending the Studlanders: to safe, quiet, and mineral-rich corners of the brikverse. What could possibly go wrong?"

[bertinator]

Sir Chris Tofferlee adresses the S.C.O.U.T. teams before they step through the portals and set out on their quests.




(this man actually speaks in bold b.t.w.)
"Fellow Studlanders. It's an incredible honour for me to be speaking to you here today. Much has been said about the groundbreaking expeditions we're about to embark on, so I'll keep it short. Prime Minister Staxwell has assured me that the brikverse has its' eyes on us with high expectations. As my dear friend Peter Cushing once remarked, 'The stage is set; let us rise to meet it.'"




"SCOUT team Red, you'll be first through the gates. Scans indicate tropical islands and lush, mineral-rich caves lie ahead of you. A paradise... or so it seems. Go forth, and prove this journey worthy of your strength. Good luck."




Inspired by their leader, the first Studland explorers step through the interdimensional portal, commencing their mission to one of the many uncharted realms soon to be connected to the highway.

Find out where this portal leads >>>

[bertinator]

"Major Somber. We're very grateful that the Studland Armor Division has decided to join our exploration efforts, and that you would lead them on this mission personally. My compliments!"
"Aye, not a problem, Officer Tofferlee. We just couldn't miss it - that'd be too sad, y'know?"




"Hold on to your butts!"

Find out where this portal leads and what happens next... >>>

[bertinator]

A few days later, with the Exploration phase in full swing, the S.C.O.U.T. headquarters has received an S.O.S. signal. It's origin is World #24, where they sent Major Somber on his mission and who hasn't returned yet.

Sir Chris Tofferlee decides to send in an additional squad.

"Officer Voidstrike, glad you could arrive on such short notice. Is your squad prepared? Your journey on the interdimensional highway is about to begin."
"All set. When I heard that Major Somber might be in trouble, I knew we had to go."




"Fire her up and hold on to your..."




"... briks."

Check out this teams' mission >>>

[bertinator]

Another batch of S.C.O.U.T. explorers rush to embark on their interdimensional adventure.

"Hurry along now, brave studlanders! This'll be a short trip! I want you back here and debriefed before the end of the month..."



"... else I'll have to call Quantumsurfer and ask for an extension. And you know how we feel about extensions!"

"AYE AYE!" shouts the team in unison as they step through the portal.

Find out where they're headed >>>

[bertinator]

Squad after squad embarks on their quest.

The Studlanders who stepped throught the portals do what they do best:
Explore the brikverse and fight to survive.

Tag along with Cyclops Saucers' team >>>




Find out what happened with Professor Brickleton >>>




Or witness this epic portal-centric clash of power.