Allistor smacked his head.  “You’re right.  We need to get them at the other strongholds.  If our people can teleport between them, that eliminates the risk of traveling the roads.  Hold on a second.”

He pulled up his Stronghold interface and found the Install Teleportation Substation option.  There was a little counter next to it showing six units available at no cost.  Or rather, the licenses to install them were available.  The actual installation of the structure cost two thousand klax.  Allistor wasn’t about to argue.   When he selected the Warren, a three-dimensional map appeared on his display with a movable round icon that he could place in the location he wanted.  He thought about it for a moment, then asked his three advisors.

“Hey, guys.  I know this is just a wild guess kind of situation.  But if we have a teleporter, do you think it could be used to invade this place?  Like, could aliens use it to attack the Citadel once our year is up?  Cuz if so, I’m thinking hard about where we place these.”

Dean nodded, thinking.  “I see your point.  But, I mean… they have to have some kind of safeguard, right?  An authorization code or something?  Otherwise who would ever use them?”

Helen snorted.  “Maybe they’re some kind of cosmic joke?  Like… ‘look at the foolish humans installing teleports everywhere so we don’t even have to fly over to kill them in their sleep.’ or something?”

Andrea sided with Dean.  “I mean, I think they have to be securable somehow.  But for today, and the rest of this year, the aliens can’t come here, right?  So all we have to worry about is other humans.  And my guess is it will be a while before anyone else earns the ability, or the funds necessary, to buy them.  I say we take advantage while we can.”

“Good enough for me.” Allistor placed the pad for the Warren next to the garage as a sort of compromise.  Inside the wall, but outside the securable underground levels.   Then he did the same for the Silo.   He decided not to place them at the outposts.

Calling everyone together, he told them that a teleport system had been set up between the Strongholds.  There was a brief pause of shock while everyone absorbed the news, then a loud cheering began.  Goodrich did some kind of weird cowboy dance that fascinated Fuzzy.  The bear seemed to think the man was afflicted somehow, and he walked over to sniff at him.  Then very kindly set the Fibble at his feet as some kind of ‘get well’ or sympathy offering.  Much to the delight of the crowd.

“So… who wants to be our lab monkey?  I mean, this thing might be a hoax.  Some cruel joke by the system, or an attempt to wipe us out like lemmings,” Allistor asked, sobering the mood quite a bit.  But Goodrich couldn’t be deterred.