'How long has it been since I have seen sunlight?'
A dark haired individual thought to himself as he takes another sip of his cold chocolate. Staring blankly at the grubby fake window pane that displays a morning grassland.
'Not the artificial one that can replicate a sun's output of warmth and vitamins in some drabby old lobby, of course.'
He was thinking about the actual sun that is his home planet's star. Venture's anchor point and sole star in the solar system, Beni, or at least that is what his predecessors have named it when they arrived in Venture a long, long time ago. Though naming it with conjunction to the colour red, might be a bit off...
With that thought to himself, Nikolai then finish drinking his cold mug of chocolate as he toss it to the bin where it will be shortly cleaned automatically. Though, with the way energy is being rationed recently, it'll be expected in the near future that he'll be the one washing his dishes up. And despite how his mother keep on telling him to clean after himself, he'll make sure first to use that neat feature until he can't.
When he finishes wiping his hand, putting on his ear buds, he then got to the metal door, opening downwards with precision and a groaning rust as Nikolai met a familiar individual on the hallway.
"Morning, Walker, uh... Mirai! Nice to meet you today!" His morning call however, met with dead silence as the militarised Peacewalker, that is nearly the height of the corridor, gave him a blank stare. It's cameras looked at him with a whir, before retracting and marching on as if it didn't saw him with heavy metallic stomps. "Talk about a cold morning..."
Make sense, its not like they were sentient AI, Nikolai only gave them names because he recognised the subtle differences of the walkers. In Mirai's case, some kid draw something illegible on its rectangular metallic head, making it very obvious that it is Mirai. "(If Mirai is here, then Sakura is still stationed here as well...)" He mumbled to himself as he walked out of the monolithic empty, but clean corridor.
With the noises he could hear are only of his own, and the metallic noises from Mirai ahead of him. He takes the usual glance at the empty rooms being locked up for future residency, always thinking to himself how empty this place is than it used to...
Fort City Naha.
One of the still standing cities that survived the invasion since the planet was successfully occupied by the alien invaders years ago. In the region he is currently living, Fort City Saitama was the Fort City he used to lived since birth, however, it too has fall by the claws of the aliens and was abandoned. Of the cities his family and friends evacuated, Naha City was their destination because of its proximity to the ocean where naval ships are present incase for the worst case scenario, that it too will fall. By which, its status as a normal city and its sudden conversion into a Fort City, was a real miracle it hasn't already followed up by its neighbours. Not that Nikolai want his city to fall, just making a factual observation in their current state of affairs.
Nikolai eventually seperate from Mirai and reached to the elevator, where he was greeted by the same monotonous cheer that didn't make him cheerful of the empty lift. He got inside and push the button upwards as the lift immediately gone up, before stopping as the door opened to reveal other people going in. The lift was large enough that Nikolai didn't move from his place and nodded at their presence as the lift then sped upwards.
"Hey, have you heard the news last night? About a failed ambush at the aliens?" One of the men spoke up to his companion as they nodded. "Yeah, knew it, it was a failure. I mean, what can you expect fighting against a stupidly guarded fleet, cruising along the mesophere? Our mass drivers weren't even firing for Aperture's sake!" Replied his companion in a disgruntled voice as Nikolai's ears perked of the news already spreading.
Nikolai did hear about that, mainly from his old friend who keeps on talking about their people's military's activities nonstop. Apparently the mission was conducted because of a important list of individuals are onboard on one of the alleged space yachts, or at least the alien's equivalent of it. Naturally, Nikolai has no idea who or what were those high ranking individuals their people were targeting, only the fact that it warranted a suicidal sortie to take a chance to sink it. Either way, it failed as the gamble didn't pay off, though it did damaged it, it wasn't enough to sink it as their military suffered more losses.
"If only Winston was present, too bad he got injured on the previous sortie." The man said with a click of his tongue. As his companion then nudges at him right away. "Oi, don't say that out loud, (someone's with us...)" They take a subtle look at Nikolai who pretended he was listening to music with the turned off earbuds on his ears. The two men then glanced away, but wary this time, as they didn't talk to each other. Most likely a private mental channel through the implanted chips, as they reached their floor and walked away from the lift as it closes and goes upwards once more.
". . ."
Nikolai smiled warily as he didn't thought that he would have something to talk about to his friend of something juicy, though not exactly the most positive conversation if the topic revolves around the Le Mars Ace being injured. Added of course of the depressing news of the failed ambush. A topic is still a topic nonetheless to distract themselves from their soon to be stressful but exciting activities later on. "Guess it'll be one of those days..." He said to himself as he fixed his jacket to not be too wrinkly, revealing his ID as his stop was now present.
With a chime from the artificial bell, the lift then opened the doors as the usual lights always blinded him for a moment. There, a lot more people are present to a almost choking degree, as Nikolai carefully weaved through the crowd towards his destination.
He looked up the closest large monitor displaying the news in the area, which was easy to spot as Capt. James Winston's face is plastered all over with the damaged space yacht in the background. There staring on the screen was a petite, red haired girl that was covered by an oversized sturdy jacket that reaches down to her thighs. Her long red haired swayed with a glimmer as her electric blue eyes looked at Nikolai with a small smirk on her lips. "You should be like me and just get into biomechanics and cybernetics Nik, I can tell you were trying to sneak up behind me. Without even looking!" She spoke with a mischievous voice as Nikolai made a strained smile.
"You already know I'm planning on staying pure, dimwit." In which the reply he got was a confident huff and puff, and straddles next to him. "Not even babies are that naive on being pure." She teased incredulously, earning another strained smile from Nikolai.
Cecilia is Nikolai's oldest friend, simply because they met at the hospital barely a year old before the invasion even happened years ago. It also happened to be apparently, that they were born in the same year too. Yet despite that, she's more knowledgeable and physically capable than him. Didn't help she's not pure like him either, as she's riddled with cybernetics and augments of Aperture knows what tubes been poking at her body. Luckily, at least he is more 'handsome' on the face department. Though no matter how Nikolai put it, being above average in looks would make him a perfect target if the aliens targeted him. Of course, aliens aren't the only one targeting his ass...
'Truly it is not easy to be handsome... At least that's what my mum told me...'
"Whatever, whatever... Anyways, ready for our class work, Cilia?" Nikolai asked as Cecilia nodded slowly, though still having that mischievous look, and drifted like a leaf to go to his other side as the two of them then walked towards the armored indoor tram waiting for passengers and sat inside on one of the long chairs as more passengers came in.
"Excited to be in surface duty again?" Cecilia asked as she grabs a rations bar under her thick jacket and began to devour that tasteless disgusting thing. "What's there to be excited? If the stress of gruelling educational demonstrations are already tough, being shot in the head by the aliens would add that pile on the list." Nikolai huffed as he leaned his back on the back rest. "Well, if something exciting happens, like being given permission to go to the boundaries, then that will be a cool thing."
Cecilia nodded at his reply as the tram then rocked, with the car full, it then slowly began to move. "Unfortunately, the last time we were given permission, you beat that rich kid to pulp. Didn't think of the consequences on that one, did you?" Cecilia's voice began to border in teasing as she takes another ration bar and devoured it.
"[Welcome, dear passengers. I hope you will have a wonderful time visiting the surface. It is 0548 of Thursday, weather forecast is very cloudy, and winds speeds are fair.]"
"What? He deserved it for being a asshole. And also, it's a calculated move! I may be in trouble on that time, but look! He didn't even bother us since then!" Cecilia only chuckled as she takes another ration bar from her jacket and began to devour it once more as Nikolai gave her a deadpan look. "Oi, answer me with you're mouth, not with food."
Cecilia didn't answer and shakes her head as she swallowed the bar and proceeds to grab the fourth one. "Sure, sure Nik, if that's how you put it. I'm happy for you." She replied in false enthusiasm, swallowing that fourth disgusting ration bar as she burp in satisfaction. Making Nikolai shudder of how she even finds that tasteless thing tasty when all it has are just nutrients.
"[Remember to follow the rules of conduct inside the car. First is to not be too loud to become a bother to the other passengers.]"
Nikolai then let out a breath as he looked at the window to distract himself from the ration bar. Watching the street filled with so many people under the fake sunlight, before his view was blocked as the tram entered the tunnel. Leaving his reflection staring back at him and the sound of the rails being pressured by the tram's weight. Followed by the crumbling of the ration bar's plastic from Cecilia's hands and the tid bits of the conversations of the other passengers entering his ears.
"[Second, is to give ample space to you're fellow passengers to move. Third, is to keep you're firearms away from children's grasp.]"
It was there how Nikolai thought once more, despite being trapped in the underground from the aliens, it's as if life still goes on and the whole thing ran as if nothing just happened on the surface...
No it's just that they got used to this mundane scenario after how long this battle of survival has gone through. If Nikolai was correct, it should be 11 or so years since that fateful day happened, the surface is basically under the grasp of the aliens and the remaining fort cities are just hiding underground, or underwater if the location is by the sea. Heck, Nikolai heard once from Cecilia that there was even a base inside a inactive volcano housing the sole ACE in the planet, if true that is.
However there is one thing Nikolai and probably everyone is thinking. Earth has not come for them, it could be for multiple of reasons why they didn't come. However, the fact that the projection of aid coming at the very least in a decade by the SAI Venture didn't happened, was a huge blow to morale. The fact that a supercomputer and a sentient AI at that, got wrong was also another blow, because that meant their chances of survival just plummeted drastically.
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"[And lastly, we hope you have a wonderful day using V-Rails as you're choice in transportation. Have a wonderful good morning.]"
Nikolai could only hope however that if they were the last generation in this planet, then by the very least the discovery of Earth must not happen. Perhaps this scenario being left to die has it's benefits... Free schooling, free stockpile of food per family, free implants and cybernetics, even free firearms and money depending on the situation.
Nikolai chuckled at himself inwardly, though he barely finds it funny. At the very least, he doesn't resent Earth for it, despite how they are basically left to die, circumstances is circumstances, and some are just inescapable from strings of fate and luck. In this case, the most likely answer is the relay pod being launched a decade ago simply malfunctioned or even destroyed. Nobody can do anything about that. Despite the rising discontent of Earth and the government, at the very least thank them for keeping our asses alive this whole time since the invasion started.
"Got anything to say under that head of your's?"
Cecilia ponders as Nikolai shake his head and take a glance at her as they reached to a stop, her electric blue eyes met his brown ones. Some of the passengers left the tram as the doors opened. Coincidentally, leaving their car empty as most of them got out of the small station. With that, the armored tram closed its doors and continued to make haste as Nikolai replied with a small smirk.
"Just thinking how stupid you're bangs lo-" He wasn't given a chance to finish his sentence as Cecilia made a sharp jab at his stomach. Crumbling him immediately like a millipede.
Nikolai and Cecilia are now standing at a large empty corridor of some rundown school annex, wearing not their usual outfits as they are being covered by a grey hazard suit to camouflage themselves in the abandoned cityscape. In front of them are their schoolmates wearing the same thing, there are about 100 of them currently either nervous and excited. The only one breaking the costume party is their instructor, wearing a black Standard Uniforme with a helmet providing oxygen and filtering with the added protection and two militarized Peacewalkers, of which Nikolai recognise one of them as Sakura.
Everybody was talking to one another through their private channels in their hazard suit, before they were interrupted by the instructor alerting them as they now face him at the front as silence takes over. The instructor then eyed the pairs, and then eyeing critically at Nikolai and Cecilia before speaking as he looked at everyone.
"[Attention. As you read the briefing earlier in you're pads or implants, there was a sudden change in the schedules of our usual activities. The Surface Activities have been transferred to this month, due to some complications in the new upcoming schedule for the next term. The Student Council and the Board have decided to hasten the Live Scouting Exam.]"
Immediately, chatter was evident in the public channel, but the instructor raised his hand as silence takes over again.
"[Attention. Know that despite this exam being a live activity, you will not be partaking in the actual scouting of the xenos. It will be a heavily controlled environment to ensure casualties not to occur. You will be scouting the Peacewalkers acting as the xenos in question. If you successfully scouted one, a point will be given. Going to the Boundaries for easy points is prohibited, am I clear, Number 001 and 002?]"
Nikolai remained unfazed as he pretended not to hear his number being called out, earning a subtle kick from Cecilia as she replied for them.
"[Sir yes, sir!]"
Nikolai only snickered at the predicament as the instructor nodded at Cecilia's response. Continuing his parting words.
"[Good, since all of you already know the rules of engagement in a Live Exam. I have nothing more to say, except for one last scenario. If ever a xeno is spotted or vice versa, immediately withdraw and do not fight the xenos. As you are now, you cannot combat them effectively despite the digital training. We will send a extermination team at the spotted xeno's location if it ever come. That is all, and position.]"
He then made a salute at all of them as everybody then followed his actions. With a defining roar from the public channel, they responded in unison.
"[FOR THE REPUBLIC!]"
Nikolai lay on his belly as he spotted a "enemy camp" of the aliens. He used his spotter to immediately punch in the coordinates, wind speed, and the possible trajectory of the bullet. After a moment, a confirmation was given as he earned a bunch of points, followed by another batch as Cecilia "shot" them down.
Obviously this was all a test, as the aliens are basically militarised four legged drones poorly disguised as the aliens with their laughable costumes. Making them unironically a sore thumb in the abandoned cityscape. However, it gets the job done, so Nikolai ain't complaining if he gets more points easier of the recycled assets.
"(Wanna take it easy?)" Cecilia asked him through their private channel. Nikolai takes a look at their score, they are at the top for now, but it won't be long before their classmates catch up quickly. Nikolai could only laugh at her suggestion. "(You mean, you're the one who's going to take easy. I can barely keep up with you with my spotting!)"
Maybe because she's obsessed with anything military, but as far as Nikolai remembered, she's been really, really good with firearms since they were children. That it sometimes freaked him out a little because how she sometimes carelessly show them off in front of him with the safety off. If ever anybody is partnered up with her in gunnery related activities, chances of you're team on the top is very high.
"(No comment.)" She replied with that subtle mischievous tone before cutting the connection off. Guess that means Nikolai as has some free time for himself, but it's not like he'll slack off just because they got high points.
Nikolai then got up from his place and stretched his limbs as the wind picks up slightly. There after stretching, Nikolai takes a good look on the remaining remains of the abandoned surface of Naha City. It's like one of those apocalyptic films he watch, only in real life as he take a sigh at the mighty monolithic city now in crumbles.
"Still no sun..." He whispered to himself as he takes a look at the darken sky with contempt.
Nikolai has no idea why the sun is specifically blocked by the clouds, and it isn't just a coincidence whenever he goes out and the sun is blocked. It has been like that after the invasion, and frankly, Nikolai is starting to think this was more artificial than natural. Their government ain't saying about it, but they aren't confirming things either as it left ambiguous whether or not it's his side or the aliens blocked the sun. And whatever the case is, Nikolai doesn't like it one bit as it only makes the environment more colder than it already is.
Nikolai sighed as he was about to packed up his scouting equipment when he got a private channel from a certain someone that make his lips grimace. "Accept private channel." Nikolai spoke outloud as his HUD shows a handsome or so looking young man, staring at him with smugness. Nikolai already has a huge idea what this is already.
"(Hello Freeman, thanks for accepting the call. Wou- DENY.)" Nikolai immediately said and as he was about to close the channel, the stubborn pitched noise made him pause as he looked at the blonde with barely strained contempt through his smile.
The person on the HUD is Jhonn Monoma, a rich kid from the Imperial and Union, and if his haughty vibes didn't made it obvious, then the customised hazard suit that not only looks different, but has a camouflage feature as Nikolai seen it earlier blending in the surroundings by copying it like a Venturian Chameleon. He is a spoiled, arrogant rich kid, a classic that Nikolai didn't thought was real until he saw him back then with his clique making fun of Cecilia for being a dolled up cyborg.
In other words, Jhonn is the kind that Nikolai wouldn't mind giving a punch to the face. Unfortunately he can't, as the last time he did it by sabotaging his test and harassing him from the Boundary with his nonlethal sniper rifle, he nearly got suspended.
"(Wa-wa-wa-wait! Give me a second alright?! This is why interacting with Republic Sc-... ehmm.)" Nikolai only rolled his eyes at the poorly disguised discrimination against his countrymen, but he didn't say anything and let him continue. "(Anyways, I need you're assistance, since you're partnered up with... her. I need you to scout the xeno's main base.)"
Nikolai then look at his map, seeing a clear space and indeed potential rallying point for their fake alien targets. Though on the other hand, it is clear by the way the collapsed buildings are arranged. Not only it is a clear trap for scouters because of the many ways the fake alien sniper can spot him back, but also how far it is from the map near to the edge of the Boundaries. Where the likelihood of allies helping him are good to none, except for Cecilia of course.
"(Uh huh...)" Nikolai responded half heartedly. "(In other words you want me and Cecilia to take on the Gauntlet Area? That not even our seniors can beat? Sorry, but I ain't accepting it.)" Nikolai snickered to himself of the obvious trap. Not even kids can be fooled with that old school trick. Right as he was about to turn it off, Jhonn hastily tried to stop him from doing so.
"(DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND MANNERS?! For fuck sake... This is why I hate interacting with you people!)" He then took a deep breath as credit where it's due, he surprisingly calmed himself much quickly than Nikolai honestly thought. "(Republic Scum... I... I need you're help...)"
At first Nikolai was confused and was even about to laughed his ass off from the mighty Jhonn asking for his help, then he puts two and two together. The location on the map, his desperation, and his insistence it was him to asked of this as it made it even more funnier than he thought it would be.
"(Ahh... I see. It's not because you want us to scout it, but rather, we're cleaning up you're ass because you tried to challenge it on you're own and failed spectacularly! Where's you're cronies by the way? Thought you're little servants would have helped you.)" Nikolai taunted as no matter the current situation they are in, laughing at someone's stupidity out loud will never get old. And base on the fuming and barely contained rage on Jhonn's face, Nikolai hit the bullseye. "(Alright, I'll privately contact our instructor for this little incident~ So nobody knows that Sir Monoma was dumb enough to challenge the Gauntlet without support.)"
"(I... appreciate it...)" A strained appreciation escapes from his lips as Jhonn immediately turned the private channel off as Nikolai laughed his hats off a good minute or two of the blonde's predicament before eventually typing a private message to the instructor. And after a quick conversation, the instructor already send a dispatch of drones to help Jhonn as Nikolai made a sigh of disappointment that it ended so quickly.
'Guess random stuff always seemed to happened in the surface.'
Nikolai thought with a snicker. And just as he was about to grab his scouting equipment, another person decided to contact him privately. Making his eyebrow twitch a bit, not that he was annoyed, more like the timing was a bit of a comedic timing. Nikolai then bet himself for what this call was; Is it about Cecilia making fun of him for their score now dropping in the 33rd Place for not doing anything? Jhonn's cronies telling him to save their master? A classmate getting caught of a simple trap and need some help? Heck, it could be his mum calling him in the not so great time in the test.
CLICK!
Either way, all of it was wrong, as the moment he accepted it, static was only present with indescribable words came to his ears. It's not unpleasant, but not exactly pleasing as the signal was so bad that Nikolai finds it unbelievable that someone wrecked their transceivers to be this unintelligible. That is if it weren't the fact that the sender was from a unkown source and a faint tapping noises as the signal then disappeared, just as fast it appeared.
"What the actual..." Nikolai may not be the smartest in tech, but as far as he knows, someone was speaking through the channel and was even tapping a lot for him to not understand the person's voice even more. Speaking of the voice, Nikolai didn't even recognise it from his class, and sure as hell it ain't his mother. What in the world was that call?
". . ."
Nikolai couldn't admit it as silence came over, followed by the wind. As much as it was his duty to tell his instructor of the unknown caller, a big part of him wants to find out himself as it screamed mystery and something breaking from the monotonous. Firstly, Nikolai wasn't a idiot to just go there without a second thought, as he made up a toss up decision because he doubted that it was the aliens who did that. Simply because they were taught of it's patterns, one of which is how they distinctly called out someone's name and how it always started and ended with a incoherent long syllable. Which is most likely a greeting and a goodbye.
And even if it was a alien who did that, all of them are given the equivalent of grenade sized bug sprays. Though not a kill shot, it is definitely enough to at least stun them to use a smoke filtering grenade to escape. And if escape is not optional, they were given emergency concentrated direct thermal firearms. Or, a short range plasma pistol, almost a useless weapon if it weren't for that deadly 5m kill zone with it's limited energy capacity. Not the best, but enough of a chance.
With that in mind, Nikolai then puts a estimate on the origin of the call. After seeing it's rough coordinates, it seems to be... surprisingly inside the Boundaries. In it's most generous estimates that is.
With everything ready, he takes a look at the ruined city one last time before departing as he can't shake the feeling that he is about to step into a landmine. As he let himself drift towards the phantom's voice...
