0001: A New Beginning

[crux_mods]

Whatever your activities before, they're interrupted by a sudden lurching feeling, like someone's put a hook into the pit of your very being and yanked. There's a brief burst, a brilliantly twisting tunnel? And then silence. Stars fill your vision, along with bodies, machines, and not much else before everything mercifully goes black. The shock of it, more than the lack of air.

And then, there's sound. There's not much at first. Beeping. Lots of beeping. Some of it is irritatingly loud, and apparently it's the cause of a lot of excitement. When vision returns, the first thing to note would be alien writing blinking in your field of vision, displayed on a monitor or a clear bubble somewhere. Alien, but familiar enough for you to read "Awakening". Whatever that means, you're apparently not alone, as people in black and white uniforms are rushing through the large room you're in, the room filled with people hooked up to all kinds of machines. Of course, some of them don't look entirely like people.

All of a sudden, a haggered face fills your field of vision. "Great Shades of Elvis! Another one! Look, please remain calm." The poor nurse turns and starts to fiddle with some of the machines surrounding you. "There's been an accident, but you're okay. Try to stay quiet and don't disturb the other patients. Someone will be with you in a moment." They turn away to shout across the room, as if that wouldn't disturb anyone. "Hoi, Oglaf! Mark this one as alive so Security can take them for the briefing!" He gestures at some official looking people in red and black uniforms assisting other patients into wheelchairs. "Just flag one of them down, they'll take you to the briefing. We'll explain everything. Just don't panic, you're in good hands." He grins and pats your shin. "Welcome to the Fleet, eh? 'scume, someone else is starting to budge and I gotta make sure it's not some poor sot swallowed his tongue again." With that, he leaves you alone with your thoughts and the bright lights.

[Medical Arrival | Hangar Arrival | Briefing | Post-Briefing 1 | Post-Briefing 2]

Comments

[zerolimits]

Hostage. This is what Zero thought he was as he awakened in the database. If he was able to at the time, he likely would've put up a fight against whoever trapped him in here. But being sealed inside of a sleep chamber tends to make even strong fighters rather defenseless.

He figured he would be kept here for some time, the people who put him here able to do what they pleased with his body. That is, until he heard the voice of the engineer. The voice said he could return to his body after answering some questions. Could he trust him? He didn't have much choice.

"Ask away. It's not like I'm in any position to object," he said after a moment of thought.

[crux_npcs]

"You can object all you like," comes the swift response. Unsaid is It just won't do any good.

Copied off of the datapad that's getting passed around, Zero gets the same questions as everyone else. "First: Are you aware of, or have you had contact with, the Rogue AIs of Bama? Second: What is your current legal status among your people? Third: Will you harm any humans upon being reinstalled into your proper body? Fourth: If reinstalled, will you comply with Fleet orders until you have completed the briefing?"

At least it's to the point.

[zerolimits]

The questions were simple enough. Answering them would be easy, Zero had no reason to lie.

"If they're rogue, then they'd likely be nothing but scrap if I did meet them." That's his job as a Hunter afterall.

"I am Zero, a Maverick Hunter in command of the Special 0 Unit. I am charged with defending the world from Maverick threats and protecting the innocent."

"I only fight those who are already a threat to others." The answer doesn't give promises he won't fight humans, but assures that he won't harm those who aren't a danger. He waits a moment to hear what the voice says before he answers the last question.