Futuristic Forsaken: The Neutral Zone

[Infab]

2. Aid
This woman clearly needs help. You have a pistol, and could give her covering fire while she retreats.

Thoughtful of you. Be careful, however. Your foe is a trained soldier.

Right. I just need to force him into cover. She can get away, and we can make a run for it before he can return fire.

You lean out from the corner of the small tunnel, taking aim with your Makarov. You line up the sights, aiming for the man's center of mass, and fire off three shots. The first shot collides with his armor, apparently knocking the wind out of him and forcing him down. The second and third shots collided with his cover, a simple metal container that mine carts could dump their contents in. The woman quickly looked around at you, surprised by your sudden intervention.

You give her a nod, before motioning for her to follow. "Let's go!" you call out to her, before firing off two more shots at the man in the distance. He was attempting to get back up to fire at you, but your follow-up shots forced him back into cover.

She scrambles to her feet, almost falling down as she lost her footing briefly, before darting down the tunnel with you. To help with covering your escape, you look up and fire a shot at a few of the lights above. The bullets collide, shattering the bulbs and plunging the two of you into darkness as you make your escape.

You could hear the man behind you fire off a burst in your direction, which went wide, before loudly shouting "Son-of-a...FUCK!". Seems you ruined his day.

As the pair of you continue moving, you hear the woman just behind you speak. "T-Thank you so, so much! I thought I was a goner! He's been chasing me for the past hour!" she said, between breaths.

"We can talk later. We have to get out of these tunnels." you reply, "I'm going to the Repair Bay. There's an elevator we can use there to go up to the colony."

"That's where I was headed!" she quickly states, "The guys over in the Commonwealth colony sent me! They've been trying to re-establish short range communications with whoever is still in charge of the Union colony! I was bringing equipment along to make that happen, but that bastard and his friends there destroyed my gear! Now I just have what's in my backpack!"

"Hopefully Alisa is still in charge." you respond, "Once we get up there, I'm sure we can figure something out regarding comms."

"Right, yeah! Someone probably has a transmitter up there somewhere!" she says, "My name is Reyna, by the way!"

"Scott." you reply, stating your own name.

She's Commonwealth, hmm? Interesting.

--- --- --- --- ---

Ally Acquired!



Reyna Hendrix
Commonwealth Communications Technician
Technical/Electronics Skillset

--- --- --- --- ---​

You continue on, and eventually come to a fork in the large tunnel. Just what you were expecting to run into. The right tunnel seemed to turn off to the right, while the left one continued straight ahead. Which one was it again? Reyna looks to you expectantly, before glancing back behind you both. You couldn't stay there very long.


1. Left

You seem to recall the path being more of a straight line than a curve. It allowed you to see what machinery was being brought back from down the tunnels on the tracks, and allowed for the larger vehicles to be brought over and tended to without having to even remove them from their trolleys. That had to be it.

2. Right

The right tunnel seems like it would prove more fruitful. You do recall a spiraling tunnel, leading downward on the northern side of the colony. A repair bay, within easy reach for equipment deep in the mines below. A perfect place to put it, right?

 

[Breadman]

2

 

[Worthlessplebian]

2

 

[dikdik]

222222

 

[joshuadim]

2

 

[hardcore.munchkin]

2

 

[Infab]

2. Right
The right tunnel seems like it would prove more fruitful. You do recall a spiraling tunnel, leading downward on the northern side of the colony. A repair bay, within easy reach for equipment deep in the mines below. A perfect place to put it, right?

You reach back and nudge Reyna, and motion towards the right turn when she turns to look at you. "We'll head down that one." you say. You've been through here dozens of times. You were sure that this was the way.

She nods rapidly, and follows behind you as you move towards the spiraling tunnel to the right. The tunnel itself did bank hard to the right, descending downward in a screw-like way. Eventually, however, after what felt like descending three or so floors, you come out to a tunnel facing going both north and south with smaller tunnels running off to the west. As you both look around, Reyna suddenly nudges you and points out bright lights just down the tunnel to the north. The Repair Bay. It seems you made the right call.

You both jog down the track, getting closer to the repair bay with each step. As you near, you notice that the workshop's large garage doors were raised. Inside, vehicles in the middle of being repaired, but with no-one to repair them. The main door was propped open, a monkey wrench holding it open. You do, however spot something else.

There's blood on the door, and marks on the ground as if someone was dragged inside.

You motion for Reyna to stop. "Is that pistol of yours loaded?" you ask, swapping your empty magazine in your Makarov for a fresh one.

She nods. "Y-Yeah?" she says, soon noticing the same thing you had. "...O-Oh."

"Yeah. Move quietly, and keep an eye out." you say, before slowly approaching the open door. Your pistol leveled on it.

As you near, you listen quietly. You don't hear any movement. No voices, either. You glance down to the blood trail, following it with your eyes as you move into the doorway. Eventually, you spot its source.

There's a man laying just a few feet away, dressed in a similar jumpsuit to you. A mining pick is jutting upwards from his head, but most of the blood seemed to have come from his missing leg. It looks as though it had been ripped off entirely. You look around, and eventually find the rest of the leg resting against one of the machines that was in for repair.

Suddenly, you hear Reyna shout. "LOOK OUT!" she blurts out, forcing you to snap around.

It's a synth. Heavily damaged, at that. It looks as though it had taken damage from a shotgun, chunks of its torso missing from buckshot impacts. Its clothes, which looked more like a camouflage battle dress uniform you'd see on soldiers, was covered in burn marks and blue machine oil. The machine oil is coming from the synth itself, as that was what made up the synth's blood.

Ah, a synthetic organism. Watch yourself, they're a lot stronger than the two of you.

The synth is quickly approaching across the shop, shoving a large open toolbox out of the way like it was made of cardboard. Its human green eyes are locked onto you, but they wouldn't be for long. The sound of pistol fire soon fills the shop, as Reyna fires a handful of rounds into the synth's damaged torso. It doesn't seem to stop, however, so you take aim and fire a few yourself. You, however, aim for the head.

Two of your shots connect, one ripping through the synth's right eye while the other collides and ricochets off the upper part of its skull. Machine oil pours from its wounds, but it doesn't stop. Time to find something more effective. You quickly look about, searching for something. Anything.

You spot a handheld cutting torch, resting on a stool next to one of the vehicles. You quickly dart over and grab it, twisting the valve open on the attached oxygen and acetylene tanks, and use the attached striker to ignite the flame and focus it into a blue jet. If anything could put this Synth down, this would. You just had to get close enough to use it. (Mechanical)

Reyna fires two more shots into the synth, as it gets close you. Its hands were outstretched, ready to grab you by the throat. You were prepared however; You pull the pipe wrench from your hip and slam it across the side of the synth's head with a backswing of your off hand. Then, around came the cutting torch. The muzzle collides with the now stunned synth's neck, driving deep into its neck near where the carotid artery would be in a human. The torch is still going, however, and quickly burns a hole straight through the synth's neck. As soon as you see the flame shoot out the other side, you push the torch towards the synth's spine.

The flame cleaves through the artifical flesh and muscle like paper, eventually severing the spine and killing the synth on the spot. The synth falls over, twitching for a few moments, before eventually ceasing to move.

"Holy fuck." mutters Reyna behind you, gun still pointed at the dead synth "T-That's a Union synth."

You examine the camo on the uniform, and it does indeed match the standard pattern that Union security personell wear in the colony above.

"He must have malfunctioned and went on a rampage." you respond, before Reyna pushes past you abruptly. Then, a moment later, she stomps on the synth's head multiple times.

"I -stomp- fucking -stomp- hate -stomp- synths!! -stomp- ...Creepy fucks!! -stomp-" she spits, as she repeatedly slams her boot down on the dead synth's skull. Eventually, she smashes it, sending bits of bone and brain matter across the floor. Blue machine oil pools beneath it.

You almost smirk, but this was no time to screw around. "Alright. The elevator should be in the back of the shop. Through that door over there." you say, pointing out a reinforced door in the back on the right. It was built into the wall, just past some tables covered in tools and old parts, and appears to have a pannel on the wall next to it. As the two of you move through the shop, approaching it, you notice that the panel has a key card reader built into it.

You check about your person... you don't recall picking up a key card. "Shit. I don't have the card." you mutter. You must have lost it at some point before you passed out.

Reyna grins. "Allow me. I can try and bypass it." she says confidently, moving over the panel and pulling off her backpack. She reaches into her bag, drawing out a screwdriver and an odd black box.

You watch as Reyna works, removing the cover of the panel and fooling around with the electricals inside using the contents of the black box. Which seemed to be more wires with connectors and a small screen with a keypad. What was she doing, rewiring the panel? (Reyna uses her Technical/Electronics skillset!)

Eventually, you both notice the door suddenly slide open. Whatever she did worked. "Bingo!" she says aloud, before stuffing her belongings back into her backpack. "Let's go."

Inside the room ahead, you see several shelves covered in boxes and minor machine parts. But at the very back, you spot an elevator. It was just large enough for a handful of people to stand on. You both beeline for the elevator, soon stepping onto it and looking over the control panel on the railing. A simple pair of switches, marked up and down.

You tap the up switch, and the elevator makes a loud buzz. Then, it jerks, shaking the two of you. You brace yourself, as does Reyna, and soon the elevator begins to rise upwards.

Reyna grins at you. "Almost home, I guess. For you, anyway. I'm just glad to be out of those cold, dark tunnels." she says.

"Yeah. Hopefully we won't be going back down there anytime soon." you respond with a slight smirk.

How very optimistic.

--- --- ---
​

The ride upward takes a few minutes, as the elevator's pace was a bit on the slower end. It also had to climb through several meters of Lethe's crust. Eventually, however, you feel the elevator begin to slow. As it came to a crawl, you find yourself in the parts warehouse. Excellent. Just where you needed to be.

The room was quite large, full of shelves with varying sizes of boxes and crates. There were no loose parts here. Everything had to be clean and kept in top shape. As the pair of you step off the elevator, you glance to Reyna.

"Alright, we need to get to the Administration sector. We'll have to pass through the Security sec--"

You manage to get out only so much, before something hard strikes you across the back of the head. You hear Reyna say something as you fall over, and soon hear her get struck as well. Both of you collapse, falling to the cold stone floor in heaps. The last thing you see as your vision fades to black are several pairs of black combat boots quickly approaching you from throughout the warehouse.

- + - END OF INTRO - + -


​

 

[Infab]

- + - CHAPTER ONE: WAKING THE FALLEN - + -



​

Thirteen days prior...

---
December 14th, Year 734 of Galactic Era 4
Lethe, Hades, Aidoneus System, The Neutral Zone
Sub-Cavern Alpha of Auxiliary Tunnel 247B
Research Facility 'Basilisk' (Classified Status)
---


"Identification confirmed. Welcome to the the Basilisk facility, gentlemen." stated a feminine voice through the intercom, speaking to the group of black clad individuals inside the small white room. They had been sealed in, both bulkheads in front and behind them locked until their ID cards could be processed. A necessary precaution, especially as this facility wasn't supposed to exist. Neither was this cavern or tunnel, for that matter.

"Finally." muttered one of the men, moving away from the wall he had propped against. He rested his hand on the stock of the rifle dangling from his torso, as he glanced to his superior nearby. "Hope this doesn't take too long."

"...It won't. Just a short chat with the eggheads, then we escort the package out of here." responded his commander, without looking in his direction.

"Nice. There's a chicken alfredo dinner with my name on it back on the Rickenbacker." responded the last of the three men in the room. A shotgun hung from his side, as he rubbed his hands together. He blew into them after a moment, then rubbed them rapidly together once more. "Is it always this cold down here?"

"Supposedly. They did tell us to dress for the cold. You're the idiot that didn't listen." responded the one with the rifle, glancing in the direction of his comrade.

Their commander suddenly spoke again. "Button it. We've got a job to do." he stated, soon turning around and kneeling down. He pulled his backpack off, unzipping it slightly and reaching inside. As he fiddled around with its contents, he gave an order to his subordinates. "Stack up on the door."

The two soldiers moved into position, taking their weapons in hand and standing on either side of the large bulkhead door. The bulkhead made a hiss, preparing to open. "I'll do the talking. Just stand there and look like the soldiers you are." stated the commander again, as he finished with whatever was in his backpack. He zipped it closed, then slung the pack onto his back as he stood.

He turned to face his subordinates, just as the bulkhead opened up. On the other side stood a woman with tanned skin, glasses, and short brown hair. She was clad in a white labcoat, with a simple blue dress shirt and black slacks beneath. She looked between the soldiers, then to the commander in the center.

"You must be Commander Winters. I'm Doctor Esther Chapman, lead researcher here at the Basilisk Facility." she stated, as the three soldiers emerged from the room.

​

"A pleasure, Dr. Chapman." stated Winters, "You know why we're here."

"Of course. The people up top want our project moved to a new location. Away from the more nosey types in the colonies."

"Yep. So, shall we get to it?"

"Right this way." she said, motioning for the trio to follow. Winters' two subordinates glanced to one another, before following behind their commander as he walked after Chapman. It was a bit warmer in the facility than it was outside in the tunnels, thankfully. Central heating systems to keep the scientists inside comfortable as they worked.

"So far, we've yet to identify exactly what this dormant creature is. It doesn't match any known lifeforms that humanity has encountered over the centuries, and its also proving difficult to study." said Chapman, as the four walked through the metal halls of the facility.

"Why's that?" asked Winters.

"Because if anyone human looks directly upon the creature, either in person or through various cameras or imaging systems... they develop immediate and irreversible psychosis."

"So in other words, don't look at it."

"Precisely. We'll have the synths on hand secure it in a containment unit, before we allow for you to transport it."

They would pass by other scientists moving about, along with a few synths clad in jumpsuits. Workers, meant to do the jobs the human ones couldn't. Particularly useful in the realm of science and engineering.

As they rounded a corner, entering what was marked on the steel tiled wall as the 'Observation Deck', Chapman spoke again. "We've decided to name the entity 'Hypnos'. Its only fitting, given the name of this moon, and the others moons and planets here in the system."

"I'll never understand the deal with naming things after ancient mythological things." responded Winters, shaking his head.

"Well, its easier on the brain and mouth than naming it, say, 'Entity #34752187-BRAVO', isn't it?" she responded, cutting Winters a look.

"...You have a point." he muttered.

The Observation Deck was, really, just a room full of large and bulky computer terminals. A few scientists were scattered around, looking at screens, imputing data via keyboard and datapad, or reading through the long strings of paper that were unfurling from some of the consoles. There were three large windows at the end of the room, overlooking the central chamber that held 'Hypnos' in its dormant state. They were blacked out, with large metal sheets pulled over them to prevent someone from peering down at it. It looked as though they were beginning to close up shop here.

Chapman turned to Winters after a moment, before speaking once again. "We'll monitor the creature from here, while you, your friends, and the synths move it. Afterwards, we'll finish packing up and start shipping the equipment and relevant data to the new facility." she stated, folding her hands behind her.

She then noticed Winters sigh, and raised an eyebrow. "What? What is it?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.

"There's been a few changes." he responded. A moment later, he drew his pistol from his holster and leveled it at Chapman's head. "No one is leaving this facility. Not even the entity."

As soon as the last word left his mouth, he pulled the trigger. There was a scream from elsewhere in the room, a scientist having saw Winters execute Chapman. The scream was quickly silenced by a burst of assault rifle fire, and soon enough, the rest of the scientists would follow Chapman's lead into death.

​

Now...

---
December 27th, Year 734 of Galactic Era 4
Your Mind
---

Do you often dream of home?

"...Huh?"

I asked if you often dream of home? You know, Sieliv. Back in the Union?

Your eyes flutter open, and you find yourself sitting in the living room of your old colonial home on Sieliv. It was just as you had remembered it, from when you were a child. Tan and white wallpaper, an old brown couch and chair. A coffee table, with a few Union approved magazines laid out atop it. An old oval-shaped tan rug beneath you on the dark wood floor. A TV was on, across from the couch and chair, but only displayed white noise. Pictures of you and your family adorned the wall, along with a single poster related to the Union and patriotism.

You are standing in the corner, looking over the room as if you had just entered it from the hallway to your left. As you glance down, you notice that you're dressed in normal clothing now. A red polo shirt, khaki pants, brown leather shoes. You were dressed almost like your dad used to, when he wasn't working. You look to your right, to the window as the voice gently continues.

It seems like a beautiful place. Rolling plains, covered in golden wheat fields. Bright green trees. Quaint little colonial houses. A rugged people, mostly miners and farmers. All working together to further the goals of the Union, and their own lives. An idealic Union world, really.

​

1. Yes

"Yes." you say, "I do dream of it a lot." You're honestly homesick, wishing to return to the simpler life that Sieliv offered. It was a much better place than Lethe, especially right now.

2. No

"No, I don't." you bluntly say. You don't miss the place. You moved away for a reason. Too many bad memories of your childhood, and of your father. Being dressed like him disgusts you, especially with the way he acted to both your mother as well as you when he came in from the fields.

3. Ignore

Why would you humor this mysterious voice? Why did it choose this place of all things to conjure up? "Show yourself." you finally state aloud, "I'm already sick of this. If you're going to talk to me, do it."

 

[hardcore.munchkin]

2

 

[joshuadim]

2

 

[Worthlessplebian]

1

 

[dikdik]

1

 

[Breadman]

3

 

[K0mori]

3

 

[Damian0358]

3

 

[Infab]

3. Ignore
Why would you humor this mysterious voice? Why did it choose this place of all things to conjure up? "Show yourself." you finally state aloud, "I'm already sick of this. If you're going to talk to me, do it."

...Well. Alright, then.

A moment later, the room vanishes. Fading away like dust or sand in the wind. It's replaced by a simple black void, with a pair of simple folding chairs facing one another and spaced a few feet apart. You were back in your grey jumpsuit, with its blood and machine oil stains. You look about, trying to see if you could make out anyone or anything around you. However, you see nothing.

Until you look back at the chairs.

Sitting (quite theatrically) on one of the chairs, looking up at you with a smile, was a court jester. A woman, clad in colorful garb and thick make-up. She casually waved to the chair opposite of you, tilting her head slightly to let the tails of her hat dangle freely behind her chair.

​

You hesitate, eyeing the woman for a few moments, before slowly moving over to the chair. After a few moments, you cautiously sit down. Her amber eyes follow you the whole time, her warm smile remaining through it all.

"I was trying to make you comfortable. Familiar environs and all..." the woman soon says, her voice a bit different from the one that's been speaking to you through your mind. "Its easier to communicate with people when they're at ease... Recreating childhood memories helps for some. Others, you have to dig a little... You're a special case. You want to get straight to the meat of things."

She motion's a hand towards herself, waving it down her form. "A little probing while you were unconscious told me that you were a fan of feudal sorts of tales when you were a child. Warring kings and queens, Knights battling monsters and saving damsels in distress..." she said, "...Fools making fools of others in some cases, to comical effect."

You go to speak, but she states just what you were about to ask for. "I go by many names, and have done so since the creation of this universe, as well as those before it. Scientists here on... Lethe, as you all call it... named me 'Hypnos'. A Greek god of old, I believe. Fitting, too, as he was the god of sleep... and I've been sleeping far, far too long." she states.

She then leans forward, resting her chin in her hand as she sets her elbow on her knee. "Now! Let's talk. We have some time after all." she says, staring at you. The smile returns to her face afterwards.


1. Question

"...Just what are you?" you ask, almost immediately. This being can read your memories, talk to you through telepathy, manifest things in your mind, seemingly shapeshift...

2. Accuse

"Are you the cause of what's going on across Lethe?" you ask bluntly, pointing a finger towards the jester. "You can invade people's minds. What's to stop you from driving someone mad like Héctor?"

3. Thank

"Uh..." you start, reaching up to scratch your head. "...Thank you for... the help, I guess. I don't know why you'd help me, or any of us." It was the truth. You really didn't know why this... thing was helping you. Was it benevolent? Was it just toying with you? What was its deal?

 

[Breadman]

1

 

[Worthlessplebian]

1

 

[K0mori]

3

 

[joshuadim]

1

 

[dikdik]

1

 

[hardcore.munchkin]

1

 

[Infab]

1. Question
"...Just what are you?" you ask, almost immediately. This being can read your memories, talk to you through telepathy, manifest things in your mind, seemingly shapeshift...

"I am what your science-fiction writers like to refer to as an 'eldritch abomination'." she replies, following it with a simple chuckle. "However, I prefer being called an 'Old One'. It's a lot less harsh."

She motions to herself again, with her off-hand. "What you see before you is what I want you to see in order to protect your mind. If you saw my true form, you would not be able to grasp its nature. It would drive you mad, and suicide would soon follow." she explained. "The only beings on Lethe that can look upon me are the synthetic lifeforms roaming about."

You take a moment to process the information given, before asking another question. "How... How long have you been here?"

"Oh... I've been trapped here, well... I'd guess about five to seven billion years?" she responds, sitting back in the chair. "It practically flew by, though. Things tend to do that when you're asleep."

"Trapped here? How did you get trapped here?"

"Oh, my sibling put me here!"

Your eyes widen slightly. There's... There's more of them?

Hypnos grins. "Oh, yes. There's several of us! Most are dormant, of course. Scattered across the vast cosmos of the universe. We get bored, go to sleep for a few millennia, then wake up to see what's new. There aren't as many as there once was, however. Infighting tends to sort of kill off one or two from time to time."

She shifts, adjusting herself in the chair and folding her other leg over her right knee. "The last time we were all awake was when 'the Big Bang' happened. Quite a show, honestly! Happens every so many trillions of years. The universe just explodes into existence, expands, contracts, dies, then explodes again. My brood mother was the one that set off the spark that blew this current universe into existence."

You look down slowly towards the space between you, eyes widened even more. T-They created the universe, billions of years ago...

"Hey. Listen to me."

You look back up, noticing that Hypnos was leaning forward again. Chin resting in her hand, elbow propped on her knee once more.

"...Don't think about that. Its not important. It never was. Okay?" she says softly, "There's just some things you don't need to worry about. Things that have such little meaning in your life that they're absolutely trivial."

You stare at her for a few moments, before slowly nodding. She soon smiles. "Now, I bet you're wondering what I do with my time while roaming about the universe." she says, before pointing a finger towards you. "Its also why you are important to me!"

She sits back, and clasps her hands together. "I like to think of myself as... well, a wandering scholar. I collect information, and sometimes use it to help steer civilizations here and there in the right direction. I also collect stories, ranging from the most mythic to the most common. It allows me to keep small pieces of civilizations alive long after they're gone."

She grows quiet for a moment, smiling, before softly speaking again. "...The stories and grand mythologies they pass on to others. The memories that they choose to share with me, be they good or bad. Their hopes. Their dreams. What makes a race who they are... or who they were, will never fade as long as I exist. They are part of me."

Hypnos then leans forward again, motioning a finger towards you. "...Your story is the next one I wish to collect, and I shall collect it by simply helping you live through this. You will survive this ordeal, on this bleak little moon in the middle of nowhere."

You simply stare at her for a few moments, reaching up and rubbing the stitched wound on the back of your head. Eventually, however, you find your next question.

"Why were you trapped here? You said you were sleeping, so what woke you up?"

Hypnos waves a hand to the side. "My sibling, who I'll refer to as Thanatos for the sake of naming conventions, has a bit of an ego. He has a fondness for killing off races that he thinks are unworthy to survive. I happened to challenge him to a game involving two sentient races in a galaxy a great distance from here a few billion years ago, and I won. The races formed a peaceful alliance, instead of things devolving into an intergalactic war which would have slaughtered them all."

"In a fit of rage, he managed to put me to sleep... somehow. Then, he brought me here and buried me in a chamber deep below the surface. Never to do the things I enjoy ever again, locked in an eternal slimber under kilometers of rock." She then holds up a finger. "Until... a few scientists broke into the cavern which contained me. The moment the cavern was breached, I woke. I learned all I know of your race and your history through them."

"However, when I woke, Thanatos noticed. He was the one that caused this entire ordeal. He manipulated three soldiers into setting off bombs in the lab built around my cavern, and now I've been sealed away once again. I do not sleep, however, and he knows that. He intends to kill everyone on this moon in order to prevent any of you from finding a way to free me... which we will figure out in time."

She points to you again. "...If I go free, I can stop him. That, or at least lure him away from you all. That's the second reason I need you alive."

Suddenly, you hear a low rumbling in the distance. Hypnos seems to notice it as well, glancing to the side. "Ah, they're finally trying to wake you up." she states, before standing. She gives you a theatrical bow, her hat's tails flopping over before you. She then glances up to you from her bowed state, and smiles. "If you need me, just think of me. I'll also pop in from time to time as hallucinations. Only you will see me... so try not to physically interact with me."

She straightens up. "We'll chat again like this the next time you sleep. For now, however...tah-tah!"

​

---
December 27th, Year 734 of Galactic Era 4
Lethe, Hades, Aidoneus System, The Neutral Zone
Detention/Interrogation Cell #1, Holding & Processing Division, Security Sector, UXSS Colony 'Samotsvety'
---


You feel cold water suddenly splash against your face, hurled at you from a glass a few inches away. You jolt awake, coughing and blinking rapidly. Trying to rid yourself of the water as you shake your head. Once you're able to see properly, you notice you're in a small square room, sitting behind a steel table that was bolted to the floor. Your steel chair was also bolted down, and you notice your hands are cuffed together and to a small metal bar built into the table in front of you. A soft white light hanging above the table lit most of the room, save for anything standing immediately next to the walls or metal door leading out.

Across from you sits a Union security officer, well dressed and with a pistol sitting in front of him on the table next to a clipboard. There was another soldier nearby, geared up in armor and clutching an AK. Behind the well dressed officer is a large black plate of glass. Obviously a one way window, and likely with someone watching you on the other side.

"Scott Hawkins." the officer starts, running a hand through his black hair as he looks down at the clipboard. "That's your name, correct?"

"Y-Yeah. Scott Hawkins. What the hell is this?" you ask, looking between the officer and the soldier then behind them to the one-way glass.

"An interrogation. Comply and you won't harmed. Understand?" responds the officer.

"W-Where's Reyna?" you quickly ask, to which the officer cocks an eyebrow.

"The Commonwealth woman is next door, receiving the same treatment." he states, before moving to the next item on the clipboard. "You were born on June 3rd, of the year 700, on the Union colony of Sieliv. Your mother was a Commonwealth defector, while your father was a loyal Union citizen. Correct?"


1. Comply

"Yes. That's correct." you respond. If you simply did as they asked, this would be over quickly. You've done nothing wrong. You're not a traitor. You're not some insane maniac like those running around down in the mines.

2. Demand

"I'm not answering another question until I speak to someone from administration." you state bluntly. "I want to talk to Alisa Zvereva. She knows who I am. We worked together for ten years. She asked me personally to come here with others." If there was anyone here that would trust you, it'd be Alisa. She'd get you out of this.

3. Refuse

You don't say a word, instead giving the security officer and soldier both looks. They don't deserve a word out of you, a loyal Union citizen. You don't need to waste your breath.

 

[Breadman]

2

 

[K0mori]

1