warframe (critique copy)

8/11/2019 Warframe (critique copy)

1/33

WarframeChapter 1Page 1

Chapter 2...Page 7

Chapter 3...Page 11

Chapter 4.Page 15

Chapter 5.Page 20

Interlude.Page 26

Chapter 6.Page 28

Chapter 7.Page 35

Chapter 8.Page 43


2/33

1

The gray, powdery dust shifted like fine sand underneath Jimmys boot as he took another short step.

Where his foot had been, was now a clear print. It caught his eye, and he smiled.

Perhaps Ill leave my own legacy, Neil, he thought. His eyes lifted and grazed the grey, dusty

landscape. Slopes rolled ahead of him, curving downward in the distance to mesh with the deep black

above. It was hardly the fells of rural England, but he had no complaints. Earth looked so small, at this

distance. Tracts of white drifted across the blue and brown surface. A smile touched his lips. Beautiful as

it was, it was still a single, tiny sphere in the cosmic marble bag of the Solar system. The Solar Systemitself only a tiny fraction of the grand Milky Way.

He inched forward, then hopped, growing bolder. He noticed again the way the dust crunched

beneath his boots, such that he could almost feel that he was on the beach. A massive, waterless beach.

And he was wearing an oversized full body swim suit. The thought made him grin.

His foot slipped, and he tumbled. But to his horror, what met his outstretched gloves was not the soft

gray dust. What greeted his hands and eyes was a looming blackness, which eagerly reached to embrace

him as he fell. Fright surged through his veins; his hands scrabbled at the rock. Sharp stone grazed the

fabric of his gloveswould it tear through? Fuck, he hoped not. He continued to plummet, specks of

rock and dust bouncing off of his faceplate.

At last, his fingers felt a jut in the stone. He held onto it for dear life, feeling a small jolt as his body

ceased its drop. His momentum swung him into the wall, and the face of his helmet scratched against it

with a blood curdling scraping noise. He held his breath for a few secondsand when there was no shrill

hissing noise of air escaping his suit, let it out in what would be the deepest sigh of relief of his life. If he

made it back, he swore hed shake the hand of every man and woman that had designed this thing.

But he wasnt out of danger yet, he knew. Careful, so as not to make too much motion, he brushed

the front of his suit with his free hand; he had to find his flashlight, so he could at least do a cursory

inspection of his surroundings. Unclipping it, he clicked it on and swept it around him. Drawing up the

resolve to point it down, his stomach fluttered. He prayed this trip wouldnt end with him being

swallowed in a bottomless ravine. Yet had the situation been less dire, he would have rolled his eyes.

Letting go of the wall, he bent his knees and landed on the ground - that had been a mere three feet

below him.

He was in some kind of narrow crevice. That he knew for certain. The walls were only about ten feet

apart, and their black faces rose high above him. Craning his neck, he glimpsed the dim light of the sun

touching the very top of the wall in front of him. Good God, thats got to be at least forty five meters, he

thought.

How am I going to get back up there?he wondered. To his surprise, moisture started to well up in his


3/33

eyes. No. No, no no no. he repeated to himself. He blinked rapidly, forcing the tears away. Now was not

the time for hopelessness. He wouldget back up.

Sweeping the flashlight back down, he could not spot its light for a moment. Confused, he jiggled it. It

had to be functioning, as he saw the light flicker on the wall to the left and rightbut in the middle

black. Intrigued, he took a tentative step forward. And another. No rock met him. Turning his head, he

pointed the light behind him, shining a bright circle on the stone. Looking back in front of him, the light

disappearedno - there it was. Dim, but the way it angled

Theres aturn, he realized. Curiosity nudged him into leaning forward, trying to peer deeper in. It

would likely not be prudent to go exploring unknown holes on the wallsHe bit the inside of his cheek,

glancing at his oxygen levels. He had enough for one more hour. His radio clicked and static burst over

the speaker, causing him to jump.

Harrington, are you there? Come in, Harrington, spoke an even voice.

Im here, he replied,thankful to hear his partner again.

A burst of static, then, Status?

Thatsgoing to be an inconclusive, Goodman, Harrington said. There was a pause. His radio

clicked again.Care to elaborate on that, Jim? Goodman said.

Harrington hesitated, looking back up at the entrance to the treacherous ravine. How could he best

explain this? He pressed the transmit button. Well, Goodman, Ive fallen and I cant get up.

Letting go, he made up his mind. He would continue ahead through the passageway. He would give it

just two minutes, then come back immediately. There was no reply from his partner for a good ten

seconds. He could already see Goodman in his minds eye, calculating and processing like the machine

that man was. He smirked to himself. Goodman hadnt altogether appreciated the term of endearment

from the others, but he took it in thin lipped stride. His radio clicked again, finally.

Location? Goodman asked.

Dont rightly know, bud. Can I get back to you on that? Harrington responded, quelling aslighttremor in his voice. Turning sideways, he started to edge himself through. Despite the opening being

fairly wide, the walls quickly became constricted. Now, inching along, they were barely four feet apart.

Where the ceiling had previously been about ten feet above him, it was now hardly more than one.

How much longer does this go?He wondered if it went anywhere at all.

Minutes passed slowly; eternities packed into deceptively minute spans, progress painstakingly

arduous. He kept his flashlight pointed forward, even though the only thing that met his sight was more

tunnel. There was no radio traffic from Goodman. Either the rock was blocking the signal, orhe could

only hope the man was working on an extraction plan. Curiosity drove him on, but he had no intention

of making this a one way trip. The rock occasionally scratched against his visor, each time making him

stop and listen for leakage. Each time he hoped desperately itwasnt going to puncture through.

The passage switched sharply to the left, continuing for a few feet more. He wiggled through, the

stone scratching against the fabric of his suit. Squeezing through the last foot or so, he finally popped

out, landing on his posterior with a grunt. Standing up, he dusted himself off, doing a quick check to

make sure his suit had not been ripped in the fall. What he beheld next as he lifted his eyes to examine

his surroundings, caused them to go wide.

A vast, vaulted chamber greeted him. Its ceiling arched high overhead into a dome, the top hidden in

darkness. He stepped forward, caution constricting his stomach into knots.


4/33

Whatin the world?he thought. The floor was remarkably smooth, as if it had been carved by some

enormous machine. But what was even stranger, were the lights. Spheres embedded into the rock. They

stretched around the entire room, forming a massive ring about thirty feet up. They gave off a soft

turquoise light in small circles around them. His eyes followed them along the length of the wall, coming

to rest upon the large formation at the opposite end of the chamber. There, they were arranged into a

symmetrical pattern that resembled a flower?It was huge, and curved with the surface of the wall as it

rose. It was that which provided the majority of light to this room, he figured.

He took the sight in with awe. His breath began to quickenonly to stop, as his eyes traced the

mysterious symbol to its base, where... he squinted his eyes. There was something there, backlit by the

same dim turquoise light. A primal part of him in the back of his mind screamed at him to leave. This

was dangerous. He didnt know what this place was, but it was dangerous. He stood stock still for a

moment, feeling tingling in his legs that urged him to turn and run.

Run, his body cried.

He pushed it down, and took a tentative step forward. Then another. And another. As the gap

between himself and the enigmatic display before him shrunk, he expected at any moment for

something to happen. What might come from this eerie place he did not know; and did he want to? Hismind began to race with thoughts of beasts and specters leaping out of the darkness to attack him. Hell,

it would only have been crazier than the situation already was by a small margin.

As he neared the wall and its adornments, his eyes discerned that what he had thought was one large

object, was in fact many objects. His step quickened, burning curiosity overpowering his caution. Getting

closer, the things became clearer. Roughly eight of them; cylinders, stretching several feet higher than

he. They curved at the top, slipping out of the rock to the floor like growths. It became apparent that

they were not lit from behindthey emanated their own glow. And upon further inspection, he

discovered why. Inside of thesepods, there were people.

* * *

Jimmy leapt back with a shout, stumbling over his boots and falling to the ground. Adrenaline surged

through him, and his mind raced. His eyes were wide with fright, alarm, confusion. He dragged himself

away from thosethings, on his hands and feet. The stone floor was pure ice to the touch. His breathing

was fasthe realized he was starting to hyperventilate. He had to calm himself. Calm his breathing. He

shut his eyes tight, and counted methodically to ten. Opened his eyes. They were still there.

Oh my God. Oh my G- he started to think. His frantic train of thought was interrupted by a burst of

static. He jumped and shouted, his heart leaping into his throat. A voice came through, almost

unintelligible through thick static.

Harrington. Harrington, come in. Status request.Come in, Harrington.

Jimmy recognized Goodmans stern voice. Sweet Christ, what timing. Closing his eyes again and

taking a deep breath, he thumbed the transmit switch, stammering out the words. Harrington here.

Statusgood God, I dont know. Therestheres something down here, Goodman. Theres something

His thumb slipped off of the button, unable to complete his sentence.

Noise burst over his speaker again; Goodmans voice drifted through. The static fluctuated in

strength, making it difficult to determine what he said.

what...on was all that he caught.

Please reiterate, Goodman, Jimmy said. I repeat, please reiterate.


5/33

Silence. The radio clickedbut nothing came through. Not even static. It clicked again; the end of

Goodmans attempt at contact.

Jim pressed his transmit button. Goodman, can you copy? I repeat, can you copy? he said. A click as

he let go of the button, and thensilence. Ear throbbing, deafening silence.


6/33

2YEAR2123

HALTSZEY LABORATORY CENTER

It was a massive room. Dark, and cold. The metal walls that spanned every side were quite plain, the

ceiling invisible from the ground. Their uncaring facades seemed to make the air feel even colder. A

metal and glass room protruded out of the fore wall. It resembled a large balcony, except it was entirely

wrapped in one way glass that slanted inward. Metal steps led down from its side to the floor.

A voice rang through the cavernous space.

How do you feel?Feminine and of a velvet timbre, it belonged to Doctor Maria Santos, who sat in the glass terrace.

A large spotlight in the center of the ceiling projected a bright circle of illumination onto the floor. A

figure shifted in that light.

I feel fine, for now. No alien poison seeping in just yet, it said.

The intercom clicked, and a chuckle emanated through the speakers. Thats good David, but seriously.

Is anythingdifferent at all? Maria asked, curiosity creeping into her voice.

David, the aforementioned figure, was silent for some moments. He looked down at his body. Clenched

and unclenched his hands. Ran them, curious, along his arms.

Its a little disappointing. I certainly dontfeellike I could lift a car, or withstand bullets. I feel

perfectly normal, to be frank. Except He paused.

Except? Maria prodded.

My vision. Itswell, I dont seem to be blind but the visual light spectrum doesnt appear to be the

mode of sight at all. Everything looksblack. InsteadI see outlines of things. White outlines. I feel like

Im seeing in sonar, for lack of a better description.

Maria twirled her pencil in her fingers, biting the inside of her cheek. She scratched some notes into

her writing pad, then pressed the transmit button on the console in front of her; Stand by.

She leaned back in her chair, the quiet creaking filling the otherwise silent room. It wasnt the most

amazing study in terms of technology. It might even be considered Spartan, but it made do. Lockers

occupied an unimposing amount of space on the wall to the right, names at the top of each. The desk

where she sat stood just in front of the large glass panes, affording anybody working there a view of the

immense space below. There were computers, and consoles with various buttons and switches

accompanying each. She still had no idea what most of them did.

To the curiosity of most, she kept the study lights off whenever she was alone. They said it was a little

creepy to be sitting in the dark by ones self. That made her smirk, but she didnt care. She found it

soothing. The sterile white lights always felt like they pushed down on her mind; a pressure that was

lifted in the dark. It was vacant and inviting, allowing her thoughts to expand and fill the space around

her. So the only illumination came from the multiple computer monitors. That, and the soft turquoise

light that emanated off of them.


7/33

She swung her chair around, facing the back of the room. There, they lined the entire wall.

Capsules. Tubes. Pods. Tin cans. The few people that knew about them had a few nicknames for them.

The casualness of those names belied their objects alien nature. Maybe that was deliberate. One of the

ways people distanced themselves from them. Though of coursestrange as the cases wereon their

own, their contents were far more interesting - or frightening, depending on your perspective.

Suits.

Or so they were called. The official name for their concept, design, and presumed purpose was

Warframe. How it was intended they would be used for combatwas beyond her. Beyond anyone, at

this point. She just knew that they unnerved her. And fascinated her at the same time. So when she had

first learned there were scientists needed to begin study of thesethings, she had investigated every

possible means of getting into the program. She sighed. And here she was. Conducting some trivial

secondary test.

The suitsmaterial had already been investigated by another team. From what they had been able to

determine without taking samples, they suggested that for all intents and purposes the fabric was

some type of synthetic material. What that material had originally come from... hell if anyone knew. It

had taken some time for the suits to leave quarantine, as well. Officials had been reluctant to take themout until they were completely certain there would be no biological risk. Lord forbid some alien

civilization set a trap such that humanitys own curiosity would doom them. She sighed again, and put

her chin in her hand. Tapped her cheek, thoughtful.

The sound of the study door opening startled her; she jumped, a hand smacking into her coffee

thermos. Rescuing it from its peril, she looked up to find David standing in the doorway.

Everything alright? he asked.

Adjusting her glasses, she nodded, realizing she must have lost herself in thought again. Yes, thank

you. Im sorry, I zoned way out. Ready to start the tests?

He returned her nod, and exited back through the door and down the metal stairway to the floor below

without another word. Her eyes remained on the door. When it clicked shut, she exhaled - andshuddered. As many times as she looked at those suits, she could never grow used to the fact they had

no observable face.

The testing itself was far less glamorous than she had anticipated. A timed track run, weight lifting

with gradual increases in weight, and an obstacle course were just a few of the items on the checklist on

her clipboard. They all passed in routine. Boredom was just an unfortunate side effect she would have to

deal with. At the end of the day, Maria tossed her glasses onto the table, and laid her head in her arms

on the cool metal. The room was far too chilly to take a nap in, but she felt almost mentally exhausted

enough to do just that. It was the kind of exhaustion she could feel in her bones, that made her just

want to curl up until it was time to go home again.

Opening her eyes, she adjusted her head and spied David between the monitors through the glass

partition. He was standing idly by, running his fingers over the horn on the front of themask? She

wondered if she could call it even that, considering how there did not appear to be any separate

components to the full body suit. Its exact specifications still eluded her.

She found herself biting her lip. What wasit? Other than the bizarre way the optical system worked -

despite the lack of any apparent opening or mechanismin terms of function, it appeared to be nothing

more than a costume. Her eyes closed and she laid her head down again. It had been a long day. After a

moment, she reached for her glasses and pressed the intercom button. Stand by please. Swiveling in


8/33

her chair, her eye caught a sideways glimpse of the pods standing in the back of the room. Turning to

face them, she gazed at each one in turn.

Standing, she slipped her hands into the pockets of her lab coat - she had insisted on getting to wear

oneand made her way over to one in particular. It sat in a harness, arms lifted a few inches oneach

side. There had been multiple suits recovered from Luna, each with a unique look. While she had yet to

gain enlightenment into the nature of the suits, she had to admire their design. A couple of them were

quite elaborate, but she preferred the one she stood in front of now. It was simple. Light green, with a

slate gray chest plate that looked like it had the texture of thick leather. A single protuberance arched

from its forehead to the back of its neck. She glanced behind her. David would still be waiting for her in

the large room beneath. She looked back at the pod. It wasnt locked

Biting her lip again, and making a small prayer no one decided to walk in, she unlatched the door. It

opened slowly upward, with a quiet hiss. She let her fingers drop from the handle, and breathed in the

scent that reached her. She couldnt recognize what it was, but a picture of a dusty valley on the moon

fluttered briefly through her mind. Im smelling moon dust. She smirked to herself. Her fingers slipped

around the material, and lifted the suit off of its supports. She stepped back, lifting it to the light to see it

better. It was extraordinarily light, she noted. Running it between her fingers, it felt as if it had been

woven from silk.

Ouch! she yelped, a hand darting back. She inspected a tingling finger; it had felt like shed received

a strong static shock. Looking back, her eyes narrowed. The hand still holding the suit looked strange.

The color was draining, and it was turninggray? Shouting, she dropped the suit no, it stuck to her skin

she waved her hand around frantically.

What the hell?! she cried. She glimpsed the dragging suit it appeared to be getting smaller as the

gray color seeped down the length of her arm. Screaming, she stumbled back, tripping on the leg of a

chair. There was the sound of scraping metal, a sickening thud, and she saw no more.


9/33

3YEAR2122

LUNA

Whoa, easy there! Careful! Latching the radio to his suit, the foreman gesticulated wildly or, as

wildly as he felt comfortable doing in his bulky gear. The low gravity of Luna was something he was still

getting accustomed to, and a few tumbles had taught him that caution was the safe bet. Dropping his

armsslowlyhe put his hands on his waist, and gazed at the surrounding landscape. Dusty gray on all

sides, with sweeping rises and dips. Large machinery was gathered around the opening of a transport

ship nearby, with another personnel ship separate from his own next to it. The blue and green marble of

Earth hung, picturesque, above the scene. Both it and Luna faced Sol, the bright disc casting shadowsbehind the hills and small rocks. He couldnt help but smile privately.

The US had scrambled to develop and put into motion this technology. The eyes of the people that

ran the Treasury had probably popped when looking over the budget for this mission. Getting here

before Xinde Yitian or Mir got wind of whatever was in this chalky marble had likely been the main

reason it had been pushed ahead as quickly as it had, even. Yet despite that

At the beginning of this mission, he had felt excitement. He would be one of the first people to lay

eyes on something nobody else in the world had seen. The number of conspiracy theories would

undoubtedly explode in a night if news of this was released. He had even had to sign a non-disclosure

agreement before being allowed to join. Now, he felt a measure of anxiety. The more he thought about

seeing the objects up close, the more his nerves quivered; a tingling in his skin that would not leave.

Shaking his head, his focus returned to the current objective of positioning the crane by the infamous

creviceand ducked when the arm of the machine passed a foot over his head, responding with mild

curses over the radio.

The positioning of the machinery took the rest of the 24 hour period. At the start of a second, Ward

was lowered into the gap. He pushed down creeping feelings of panic as he watched the surface stretch

away. His fingers slipped around the metal cord he was strapped to and gripped it tight, finding some

security in its thickness. A small amount of time passed as he found and explored the cavernthough

exploredwas a more polite word for awestruck staring.Near the end of the functional day, the pods

sat, only slightly worse for wear, in the cargo hold of the squat ship they were to take back to Earth; the

same he and his partner had arrived in.

On final inspection, Ward found nothing to be amiss, and pressed the switch for thick, cushioned for

comfort metal bars to close on the pods. He knew he would be holding his breath the whole ride home.

Whatever was in these pods was sure to bring new knowledge to the scientific communityindeed, the

whole world, one way or another. The loss of these things would be catastrophic. He stepped closer to

one of them. The glass formed a semi-circle, framed from the back by gleaming metal. He cupped his

hands around his eyes and peered into it. Contrary to what hed heard, they were pitch black inside, and


10/33

the contents were hidden from view. He felt a pang of jealousy for Harrington. At least hehad gotten to

see what was inside. He leaned back, and rapped his knuckles on the glass. It felt quite thick.

After the airlock and subsequent shower in the decontamination roomhe had always said it just felt

like he was being sprayed with air freshenerhe undid the latch on his helmet and it came loose with a

satisfying click. Stepping into the cockpit, hundreds of buttons and knobs surrounded him, and a few

lights blinked on and off at random intervals. His partner was doing pre-takeoff checks while Ward

closed and latched the cockpit door and sat down; had there been a view of a tarmac in the cockpit

window instead of the gray and black panorama, he would have passed as a 747 pilot doing a routine

checklist before a five thirty to Dallas.

So what now? Ward asked.

Not looking up, Charles drawled a response. Well John, well be the first to head off, as you know.

Assuming nothing goes awry, and we all explode on the way back, well ease into a temporary

orbitwait for the right momentjettison the load. Thatll be the cans, he jerked a thumb back in the

direction of the cargo holdand us. Hopefully we land right where we want, and he dashed off a

check mark with some flairwe come back as heroes.

Ward grinned, closing his eyes as he relaxed into his seat. Not an easy thing to do in the bulky

ensemble. The glory isnt important to me, man. What I meant was what do you think is going tohappen when we bring them back? This could change a ton of things for us. And I dont just mean you

and I- he gestured in a sweeping motion at the distant sphere, two hundred and thirty nine thousand

miles away. Im talking about the human race. Whatever this is its bound to bring change, for better

or worse. I mean He glanced over at Charles, who didnt appear to be listening.

His eyes were riveted on Earth, straight ahead.

Hey, whats wrong?

No answer. Hey

Shhh!

Nonplussed, Ward opened his mouth to retort. But the look on his partners face stopped him. His

gray eyes were wide in fright, and his jaw was clenched so tight the muscles bulged. His fingers clutchedthe clipboard, white knuckled, the paper crumpling at the edges.

Two minutes passed. It felt like an eternity, with Charles staring ahead unwaveringly, and John staring

at Charles. At last the man opened his mouth again. The words came one at a time, in a deep voice Ward

did not recognize.

They know.

Another moment of silence. It weighed down on the ears, the crisp air suddenly heavy.

What?

They know, the voice repeated.

What are you talking about?

John flinched as Charles snarled at him, eyes flashing. ARENT YOU LISTENING? THEY KNOW. To his

horror, Charles voice had grown even deeper, into a roar, with a faint voice in the background that

sounded like a woman shrieking.

Growing more alarmed by the second, eyes darting to the door of the cockpit - it was metal, and

would take some effort to open - then back to his partner, John stared at the man before him. His face

was contorted now in an expression of intense anger, andterror? His eyes moved rapidly, staring past

him, as if watching for something in the distance.

As he watched, the mans face began to relax.Eventually, he looked back down at the checklist in his

lap. Picked it up, and resumed reading. For a long time, Ward was unsure what to say to break the


11/33

uncomfortable silence. Charles caught sight of him in the corner of his eye and did a double take, giving

him a look. His eyebrow raised. Something the matter? You okay?

John sputtered. Am Ialright? What about you?What was that?

Both of Charles eyebrows were raised now. What was what? The confusion andwas that

concern? in his voice unsettled Ward. He gazed at the man for a moment more, then sat back into his

seat. He realized he had been leaning away from his partner in his chair, every muscle tense. They

relaxed a minute amount now.

No. No, Im good. Sorry,he muttered. He could feel the manseyes on him. He picked up his own

checklist, and pretended to immerse himself in the text. None of the words made it through; would he

be able to fight if Charles attacked?

At last his partners sharp gray eyesturned away, and they resumed getting ready to leave. Ward

threw intermittent glances Charles way, watching to see if the episode would repeat, or if any signsof it

having happened would emerge. None did.

The rest of the flight passed without further incident. The macabre events of before drifted into the

back of Wards mind as he let himself try toshake them and concentrate on the flight back to Earth.

It was still a long way back, and the maneuvering would take all of his focus. The rest of the machinerywould be retrieved at a later date; right now their priority was to get the pods back to a facility for

study.

Much later, after all the congratulations ceremonies were finished, and hands were shaken and

champagne corks popped, Ward would return to the surreal moment he had experienced in the cockpit.

It would keep him up many a night.


12/33

4YEAR2123

HALTSZEY LABORATORY CENTER

Maria awoke to a gentle shaking on her shoulder. Her eyes opened with some effortthey felt heavy

as lead - and she looked around. The room was dark. Her head pounded and she winced, eyes shutting

again tight. There was something hard against her back. Cold The floor. Was she lying on the floor? A

voice said her name quietly, then with more force. tos. Doctor Santos. Can you hear me? Are you

alright? The hands holding her shook her again.

She blinked a few more times. The black remained. Primal panic struck, and she began to shriek,thrashing in the grip of whatever held her. I cant see! Oh God, I cantfucking see! Im blind!

Her flailing fist connected with something soft, and there was a pained grunt. The voice shouted her

name again, and she was startled out of her hysteria. Maria!Its okay. Its okay. Im going to need you

to calm down, alright? Youre in the lab, Im here.Its okay. That was Davids voice.

Her head swiveled, looking for him. Its not fucking alright, she snapped. Why the hell cant I see-

Her voice caught in her throat, and she breathed in sharply. What?

At last, David managed to coax her to her feet, rubbing his cheek. Allow me to elaborate, he said.

He backed away a step just in case. You arent blind. I had the exact same reaction at first- he

hesitated. Though with a measure less screaming.

She stared at him. Or, what she perceived as him.Right. Sorry. But tell me what you see.

She took a moment to search her mind. Her voice scraped as she tried to find the words. Itslike

you described earlier. Everything is black. But with white outlines around everything. Likelike objects

rendering in a simulation, but at the very bare bones.

He nodded. Like three dimensional sonar-

Not quite sonar, she interrupted, steady fascination overcoming her apprehension, aided by Davids

calm tone. She looked around the entire room, trying to take in every detail. Theres no pinging like

with sonar. But the outlines shake, like ripples in water. I wonder why that is?

Her hands reached to touch her face. Her fingertips felt a circular indent, and traced a curved rod that

extended from her forehead, arching to the back of her neck. Her memory returned bit by bit. This had

to be the suit shed been looking at earlier. There were swells and ridges along her arms, and she felt a

plate put pressure on her chest when she breathed in. It was thicker than the rest of the surrounding

material, and felt like tough leather.

Doctor David said. His tone had changed. I neglected to mention something earlier.

Curiosity piqued, she looked at him. Yes?

His head was turned, facing the glass pane that overlooked the vast room below. There were still

walls and ropes erected in various positions around the room. While I was going through that obstacle


13/33

course he hesitated. There was a point where Idreached to climb something, and I felt a ashock.

Like static, but stronger. It wasnt necessarily painful, either more like a slight sting, and then a sense

of my nervesvibrating.

She nodded to herself, a memory returning of the same happening when she had touched the fabric

of her suit before.

He was silent for a moment. Do you remember when I initially had trouble climbing over the wall

obstacle? he asked.

She nodded again.

Well, I thought I was hallucinating or something but, it felt like my hand was stickingto the wood.

Like a magnet. I was able to pull it off easily, and when I put my hand back on it, nothing happened. I

figured that Id imagined it.

Well, now at least theres a faint possibility of having a real life Spider Man now, she joked. It was a

stupid attempt at humor. Stupid. This was getting serious. At least, as serious as you might expect alien

super-suits from Luna to be, for Christs sake. Her hand reflexively moved to brush her hair behind her

ear; a nervous habit. She started when she realized it wasnt there. Of course not. Why would it be?

MariaAlerted by a crack in Davids voice, she looked back up at him. Yes?

Call me crazypleasesay Im crazy, but I think that Warframe might have been a prudent term for

these suits.

She immediately caught what he meant. You think these arebattle suits? she asked with a skittish

laugh.

He nodded without a word, and the smile faded from her face.

The heavy silence that followed was almost tangible. The only sound was that of the computers

ticking away, minding their own business, ignorant of the fear that started to well up in her throat. She

could taste it in her mouth. Or was that bile? It was hot, and bitter, and she felt the urge to vomit. Was

she overreacting? Surely she was. All they had to go on was a single anecdote. Hardly a result ofreplicated studies. There was no other evidence that these suits were meant to be anything but novel

costumes

She caught movement in the corner of her eye, and turned to see the glass window. In it were two

figures, black with hazy rippling white outlines. One taller than the other, and a little wider. Another,

shorter than the second, and slim. As she raised her hand, the slim figure on the left raised its hand too.

She shuddered.

David, if what you think is truewhat would it mean?

He didnt answer at first. I dont know, Maria. I dont know, and part of me doesnt even want to

know. Do you know the one quote by who was it Arthur Clarke?

Lowering her hand, she turned to look at him. The outline of his face quivered. The words trickled

back to her. Two possibilities exist. That we are alone in this universe, and thatwe are not. Both are

equally terrifying.

He nodded. I thinkwe may have found which of the two possibilities is more likely, he said, voice

quavering.

Another silence. How many had there been, since she had woken from her collapse? They typically

werent this uncomfortable. This full of dread. Her life had been spent constantly busy. From the

university, where she had spent several years studying the sciences in order to get her dream job as a


14/33

researcher. Lifetimes spent in dark rooms, sitting at a desk filled with papers, the only illumination

provided by a table lamp. Where the only peace from the mental exhaustion was found in the dark

confines of a book, when her eyes were closed and face against the pages, falling asleep after having

studied through another morning. The slow days in the lab had helped her find that peace again. That

silence. Hours lost in thought or a screen, scrolling through abstracts. Silence that escaped her mind

now, as thoughts raced - wonder and horror simultaneously flooding her veins with ice.

And then the screaming started. But it did not emanate from her lips. It exploded in her ears, echoing

from the deep recesses of her mind. She gasped in pain and collapsed on the floor, curling up and

clutching her head. Shrieks. Such unnatural shrieks. She was unable to tell if it was a man or womanit

sounded like a composite of both. They continued for only a few seconds, before mercifully quieting, the

sound receding far away. But as they did, on the back of her tightly closed eyelids, a vision began to

form.

A blinding white light filled her sight. Gradually, it grew smaller. No- it wasnt getting smaller, it was

drawing away. As it moved farther, she could see that the lightseveral lights - were attached to a

massive shape at one end. Billions of much smaller lights surrounded the shape as it drifted. As the

vision expanded, more of the shape came into a view. It was ugly and bulbously misshapen; it resembledsome gargantuan, grotesque insect. Rods extended from it in seemingly random places; antennae? Part

of her realized that the bright light that had blinded her before resembledengines. Engines, on a

massive ship. And the lights surrounding it were billions of unblinking stars.

The vision flared with another bright light, fading to reveal the visage of a hideous, wrinkled face. One

of its eyes was replaced by a metal ring, with what looked like a camera lens in its center. The other eye

was narrowed, peering at something. The face was attached to an even more unsightly body, itself

covered in bulbous, dark brown metal segments.

The figure was standing on an elevated dais, hands gripping the railing. A dim light provided murky

orange illumination. As she watched, the face contorted into an expression she interpreted as shock. Itsmouth opened and it started shouting. The sounds that came out were not words she recognized as any

language. Sharp and guttural, they evoked immediate reactions from the other figures in the small

space, seated in a circle around the dais. Their heads were faced away. What she could see of them,

they wore the same attire as the first figurebut instead of brown, the metal on their bodies was gray

green. The places at which they sat resembled terminals. She recognized the glimmer of screens. And as

she watched, an image appeared on every screen. It was black, dotted with white specks. And in the

center, a distant spherical object. Only one side was illuminated - streaked with white and blue - the

other half in the dark.

The vision vanished in an instant, and the feeling of the cold floor against her returned. Her body sank

against it. Her breath came in quick, ragged gasps, and she instinctively acknowledged that she was

hyperventilating. Had to calm her breathing. Calm her breathing. She sucked in a large gulp of air, and

her body shivered. The sensation of drowning was trickling away, and a voice was echoing in her ears for

the second time that day.

Davids familiar voice coalesced into words, sharp and alarmed. Maria, what happened? You started

screaming againare you okay? Only a slightly ludicrous question.

Still she couldnt answer; her lungs begged for air.


15/33

After a moment, she jerked her head in a nod, forcing out the words between convulsions. Yes. Yes,

Im alright- I think. Im okay, she said, more to herself than to David. She took a moment to gather

herselfor, attempt toand crawled to a wall, pulling herself into a sitting position with her back

against it. Her muscles continued to shiver violently, despite the room being only lukewarm.

David David, I saw something, she gasped, her hand seeking out his arm for security. He was knelt

beside her.

He had been watching the shivers in her legs calm, but his head turned to look her in the eye now

or the approximation of where her eyes would be. What did you see? His voice was surprisingly

steady. She found some confidence in that.

II dont know. It was strange. It- She fell silent mid-sentence. The shivers ceased. Her breathing

stopped. Where she had been facing the opposite wall, she turned her face to look at him.

David.

What is it?

They know.

What?

David David, Im scared, she said, tears stinging the corners of her eyes. Her hand tightened on

Davids arm.What are you talking about? What did you see, Maria?

Maria only shook her head with a choked sob and drew her legs into her chest, wrapping her arms

about them and clutching them tightly to her, as if she would never let go. As David watched in fearful

bewilderment, she began to rock back and forth. Quietly crying nothing but, They know.

Over and over again.


16/33

5YEAR2123

FORT KEYES CLINIC

Hmm? Oh, welcome back there, sleepy head, a voice said.

A bright light penetrated through the haze, and Maria lifted a hand to shield her face. Hello?

Where where am I? she asked. Sitting up made her stomach turn, and her mouth watered. She closed

her eyes again, letting the nausea settle. Once she felt she wouldnt throw up anymore, she tried to get

a fix on her surroundings. The walls were light blue, with a window door on her right opening up to a

small balcony. She could see from the darkness that it was late. A warm breeze drifted through, bringing

with it the thick scent of honeysuckleoverlapped with the faint, sterile smell of cleaning fluids. Therewere beeping machines around the bed she sat in, and a portly woman with a kindly face and brown

hair in a ponytail stood next to her; her blue scrubs gave her away as a nurse. She was monitoring one of

the screens to her left.

Am I in the hospital? Maria asked.

Well lookatchew, the woman said, smiling at her. Not a minute up and that minds already

workin. Yes dear, youre in the hospital. Your colleague brought you in here a few days ago, all in a

worry! Said youd collapsed. She had a sweet tinge of a southern accent in her voice, that Maria

couldnt help but find comforting. Still

Ive been here for days? Jesus she said, rubbing her eyes. Her long black hair probably looked a

fuzzy mess.

Well sit tight hun, Doctor Miller will be right with you. Can I getcha anything? Water, orange juice?

She leaned down with a conspiratorial smile. Maybe I could sneak you a chocolate bar?

Maria smiled at her but shook her headand immediately stopped when her stomach churned

again. No, Im good. But thank you. I appreciate it maam.

Oh you just call me Laura, dear. And dont mention it. Ill go get the doctor for you.

Stretching as the nurse left, Maria let out a satisfied groan as her muscles tingled to life. It felt good to

move again. Laura said shed been lying here for days? With some alarm, it hit her that she wasnt in the

suit anymore. Not entirely a bad thingWarframe was a classified project after all, and it wouldnt have

been good form to run around campus in those things anywaybut where was it, then? She needed to

get back to the lab.

Moving up against the pillows at her back, she felt something tug at her chest, under the gown. For

the first time, she noticed the long tubes coming out of her. They were connected to a couple of the

machines on the left side of the bed. From her small amount of reading into clinical nursing, she guessed

the one in her chest was a saline IV, to keep her hydrated. The tube in her arm was clear of fluid for the

moment; maybe a feeding tube or something? On second thought, she doubted it. Those typically went

into the stomach or she shuddered. Down the nose. The one coming out between her legs she guessed

to be A grimace of revulsion passed across her face. It had to be a catheter. She almost felt lucky that


17/33

she hadnt woken up in time to endure the indignation of changing the bag. She didnt even wantto

think about how the other kind

Ugh, she muttered, cringing and pushing the thought away.

Her throat felt dry when she swallowed. Now that she thought about it, she wished she hadasked for

a glass of water; her stomach felt tight with hunger, too. Looking around again, she couldnt see a water

fountain. She was about to press the button for the nurse, when the lock on the door to her room

clicked, and a man in turquoise scrubs stepped through. He was joined by someone else.

Ah, good morning Miss Santos! Finally decided to rejoin the world of the living, hm? he said, picking

up the clipboard at the foot of her bed.

Indeed, she replied, glancing at the woman behind him. She most certainly did nothave a kind face

like Laura had. Her very haircutshort, graying, and clipped down at her earsspoke severe; though

the frown on her wrinkled mouth didnt help. Even her posture was formal, standing straight with her

hands behind her back. She was looking at all the instruments around the bed, as if inspecting them.

They didnt appear to be passing.

Well Im doctor Miller nice to meet you. I dont imagine you should have to stay here much longernow, fortunately, he said, skimming the pages on the clipboard. Just need to ask some basic questions,

make sure youre feeling well. Any pain?

No, thankfully, Maria said.

Mmkaynausea?

She shook her headregretting it immediately. Actually, a little.

Anything else feel out of the ordinary?

Not to my knowledge.

His pen scratched away.

Any other questions? Maria asked after a pause, hoping she didnt sound impatient.

Nnno he muttered, finishing up on the clipboard. At this point weve just been ahmaintaining, waiting for you to wake up. And here you are! he said. Finished, he looked at her with a

smile.

Well I greatly appreciate it. And I hate to be rude- Is there anything else you need from me? Could I

leave today, by any chance? Maria asked.

Ah- well, well need to keep you here for just another night make sure nothing else happens, which

nothing should. Had his voice caught, there? In the meantime, this would be where I introduce doctor

Gardner, he said, turning to the woman, who stepped up beside him. She looked like she hadnt even

moved an inch until now. She didnt speak, and her frown seemed to grow almost imperceptibly deeper.

Shes the clinic psychologist, and just has a few questions for you, Miller said.

Questions? Maria asked.

Ah- yes. The man seemed to stammer a lot. Cursory stuff; its part of the facility routine when it

comes to pre-departure.

The woman gave Miller a curt thank you. It seemed like a dismissal, as he nodded and walked out of

the room with a quick step . Gardner watched the door click shut, then turned to look at her. The

womanseyes were a sharp blue, and seemed to see straight through her.

Silence was not a space Maria altogether wanted to share with the stern woman standing at the foot

of her bed, studying her over thin rimmed glasses. She looked for all the world like a strict grandmother.

She probably gave toothbrushes to children for Halloween.


18/33

Allow me to get straight to the point, Miss Santos, she finally said. Her voice creaked a little, making

her sound even older than she looked. I understand you collapsed after a mildly severe mental

trauma?

Who told you that? Maria asked. She didnt want to go into those details any more than she had to.

That is of no present concern. Can you elaborate on what events led up to it?

Unfortunately I am not at liberty to disclose that information, maam.

Is that so?

It is, maam.

Another silence; a pause after the first clash of swords between duelists. The faint sound of a car

alarm in some far away parking lot drifted through the open window.

I also understand you have not been completely quiet, during your stay here at the clinic. One of

the nurses reported you were muttering things under your breath, during fits of restlessness. Something

along the lines of, they know. Do you experience hallucinations, Miss Santos?

I do not, maam, she said, ice racing through her veins. Damn.

Doctor Gardner waited. Maria knew she was silently pressuring her to say more. An uncomfortable

few seconds passed between the two, each staring at the other.The woman sighed, and took off her glassesthey were attached to a string around her neck, on

which she now allowed them to hang freely. Miss Santos -

Doctor Santos, maam.

Doctor Santos, Gardner continued, I do not want this to be difficult any more than you do.

The door is over there, maam. With respect.

Gardner smiled. Inexplicably, Maria found it to be even more threatening than her scowl. The way

she cocked her head, lips curved up in a sweet smile, giving a glimpse of cigarettestained teeth she

repressed a shudder, and clamped her lips together. They had only just met, but Maria did not want to

show any sign of weakness in front of her. She had a feeling that would prove costly.

Right. Well, DoctorSantos, I should be on my way. I have no further questions for you. I will letdoctor Miller know to properly help you accommodate for your trip.

Trip? What trip?

To inpatient care, Im afraid.

Excuse me? On what authority?

Why on my own, my dear girl, she said. She walked to one of the machines to the left of the bed

there was a waft of what smelled like cigarettesand lifted her glasses to peer through them at the

screen. You see, she crooned in a mournful tone, Im afraid youve failed to pass a simple

psychological exam. One of her skeletal fingers pressed a button on the device. We cant let you be

released just yetnot until youve been well taken care of in your recovery from thisdreadfulmental

illness of yours

It dawned on Maria that this woman was deadly serious, and her stomach dropped. Feeling panic,

she flung the sheets away and jumped out of the bed, intending to make for the door. Her foot caught

on the catheter coming out of her leg, jerking it free and causing her to trip. She fell to the floor in a

heap with a cry of pain, the tube dripping its contents. She barely gave it a thought; she could be

disgusted later. She had to escape. Get away from this vulture of a woman.

Help! she cried. Would anyone even hear me? Laura?She hoped desperately that anyone was in

earshot.


19/33

Please dont make this messy, Miss Santos. The janitors only get paid so much, Gardner said. Her

voice was coldly steady now, an iron in it that belied her frail frame.

Marias head was pounding, and she felt weak.Her muscles protested her every move. Her breathing

was becoming ragged. Her leg stung from where the tape and catheter needle had been ripped out. She

felt a cold sensation seep on her cheekthe tube in her arm had also come free. Where it had been

empty before, a clear fluid was ebbing from it onto the floor next to her. An anesthetic? Numbing

agent? Her mind felt sluggish; she couldnt think straight anymore. Have to get away. Have to escape.

Why are you doing this? she snarled through gritted teeth, fingers clawing at the floor to pull

herself forward. Her hair was splayed around her, and the revolting mix of fluids was beginning to seep

into it. She heard heels clicking against the tile, and watched them make their way around the bed. They

stopped in front of her.

Gardner was silent, gazing down at her through those thin spectacles. After a moment, she turned,

and Maria watched her feet make their way to the door. She heard the knob turn and the door open,

Gardners footsteps echoing down the hall.

The door creaked closed with a click as, helpless, Marias vision went dark.

* * *

What isthis Gardner, a man said, tone hushed. I cant-

Youll do this, Doctor, Gardner said,whether you like it or not.

Shes mypatient, Gardner, the man said, his voice raising. Its not right, let alone legal-

Quiet, you imbecile, the woman hissed. This comes fromfarabove youyou will. Obey.

Marias eyes opened, a crack of light broaching the dark. Through her eyelashes she was barely able

to make out two figures standing at the foot of the bed she lay on. Their forms were heavily blurred,

faces indiscernible. She tried to look around, but an agonizing throb in her head forced her to close her

eyes again in pain. Was this the same bed as before? A dry part of her in the back of her mind sparked;

was this whole getting knocked out thing going to become a trend in her career? The whisperedconversation was still going, but she couldnt make out any more words.

It ended abruptly, Gardner snapping something that made the manDoctor Miller?go quiet. There

was the sound of heels clicking on tile, receding away. When it sounded like they had turned a corner,

the man muttered something to himself. He sounded angry. She heard him walk around to the head of

her bed, then a small bump as he put his hands on the rail. A moment of silence passed between them.

Nobody else seemed to be present; every other light down the hallway was off.

She felt him lean down over the head of the bed, the metal of the rail creaking. Im sorry, he

whispered into her ear, breath brushing her hair. Please forgive me.

Why does he sound so sad? What is there to forgive?she thought, through the haze of her stupor.

The bed started to shake underneath her. Wheels rattled on the floor. A pattern of light followed by

dark intermittently brightened the back of her eyelids.

Where am I going?she wondered, before fading back into unconsciousness.


20/33

InterludeYEAR2122

LOCATION UNKNOWN

It was a small room, that lacked artificial illumination. Circular, with a hexagonally segmented glass

dome in place of a roof. Starlight from Cernarus Prime streamed through. It shone on Alads weathered

face, his hands clasped behind his back. This had come to be his favorite spot on the ship, over the long

time-cycles of travel. From here, he could almost pretend there wasnt a crew at all. That he was alone

in space. A solitary point, drifting through the endless expanses, only ever stumbling on a star or planet

once in a millennia. Nothing but him and dusty, colorful nebulae, stretching millions of miles across.

Surrounding him like some celestial cradle. Where he could find peace.

The screen on the pedestal to his right flashed. Alas. He pressed the translucent notification with a

gloved finger, causing it to populate with a short message in orange neon script. He read it quickly and

pressed the confirmation, gaze shifting back to the view. The circular platform behind him lowered,

silent.

When it raised again, someone was standing on it. He turned grudgingly to face and acknowledge it.

Its attire was simple; identical to his, though the color was a dull grey instead of yellow. The style of

their clothing itself was not elegant; a vertically striped single-piece of a simple polymer material, with

bulky white gloves and boots. Between its shoulders rested a rectangular, white case that conformed to

slot snugly over the chest. It was meant for practicality, and even his own was modest, despite his

position.

The thing had no name. None of them did. Another cog in the machine, among thousands. It was

easier to separate himself from them when it stared at him with that oscillating, glowing green slit on

the front of the case; its operative face. It did not speak aloud, instead relaying its message to the

screen. An image resolved on it of a small, spherical object, embedded in the coal black among the

numerous white specks around it. Only one side of it was illuminated; from what he could make out, it

was streaked with white and blue, with flecks of brown. A new world to harvest? There werent very

many of those these days.

A message appeared on the screen next to the image. Scanning it, Alads eyes widened, and he

looked to the figure standing before him for confirmation. It did not say anything, and he shook his

head, remembering how ridiculous it was to expect normal communication from them. Looking back to

the screen, he struggled to reconcile what he read with what he felt. They had found the capsules so

soon? Actually, they must have found them some time agothis message would have taken some time

to propagate all the way to his ship, out in the middle of nowhere.

But the text was undeniable. The beacon had been activated. The pods were discovered. Orders were

coming to reclaim them. And no doubt the Grineer knew as well. The filthy, inbred scum would likely

already be making their own way to the planet. They had to assume they were, for the time being. In the


21/33

meantime, he nodded absently to the drone and waved it away, dismissing it. It made no gesture of

reciprocation, simply activating the platform to descend again.

Alad turned back to the view of distant Cernarus, blinking his eyes in the brightness. The interaction

had been typical of his dealings with the things on this ship. In a way, he realized he wasalone in space.

Autonomous. Requiring no direction. The crew of drones kept to themselves in their menial work,

otherwise ignorant or uncaring of their surroundings. Ignorant, unless given direction, that anything or

anyone else existed. A ghost crew. In a way, he was alone.

But he wouldnt be, soon. The ship thrummed to life from its drift, arduously turning its enormous

bulk to face the space between the stars. The light from Cernarus slid off of his face. The pods were

discovered. And the Corpus were coming to Earth.


22/33

6YEAR2123

AN APARTMENT IN COLORADO

The door opened, steam roiling out onto the ceiling. Ian stepped out, head buried in the towel he was

drying his hair with. His muscles still ached from the workout an hour ago, but less so than before. A nice

hot shower was always good for that, hed learned. Deciding to put on a pot of water for tea, he made

his way into the kitchen.

He had to hold the kettle by the base while it filled with water. The handle was nearly broken out of

its place by nowhe would have to fix that some time. After setting it on the stove and turning on theheat, he walked the span of the one room apartment to his computer. Waking it from sleep, the same

Writers Pendocument from earlier that morningtitled, New Story? greeted him. The cursor was

still blinking away, alone on the page.

He sat down in the chair, revolving to face the screen, and leaned back with his hands in his lap.

Staring at the page never yielded any inspiration, he knew, and his eyes were already wanderingnot

that the walls were any more fruitful. He knew every little line in it by now, too. Could see where the

people who had painted it had started, and where the brush had stopped. If he looked in the right place,

he could even tell where they had repaintedover a small hole where a screw had been

The vibrating of his phone startled him out of a daydream. He picked it up, glancing at the screen. Nota number he recognized.

Hello? he said, putting it to his ear.

Good morning! said a boisterous voice. Ian flinched, moving the phone away from his ear for a

moment.

Ah good morning may I ask whos speaking?

By all means this is Jack Bryson. Is this Ian Drake?

Yes, speaking.

I have a proposal for you, Mr. Drake.

Oh- Im sorry, Im not interested in any products right now-

Oh, no, no no no! My apologies where are my manners? Allow me to fully introduce myself. This is

Jack Bryson, DO over here at the NESC. National Experimental Science Center - bit of a mouthful, I know.

Were under the Department of Science and Technology, if that helps lend some credibility.

Ian blinked, unsure how to respond. What reason would theNESC? have to call him? Nice to meet

you, he said. May I ask what you need?

Well like I said, I have a proposal for you. More like a job offer.

A job offer?

Yes I understand youre recently separated from the military?


23/33

Ahb- yeah, unemployed for now. Im looking around though-

Well look nomore! Bryson interrupted. Though of course the choice is still yours to make.

Ian wasnt sure whether he was amused or annoyed by the waythis Bryson spoke. He felt curious

though. He minimized the Pen doc and pulled up the browser to search for the place. He didneed to

find work. Well may I ask what the job is?

I would prefer to speak in person, but the job titleis that of Experimental Physical Affairs Specialist.

ExperimentalPhysicalAffairsSpecialist, you said? Ian asked, typing it into the search bar.

If youre trying to look it up, it wont bring much in the way of a description new position and all.

But again, we can speak in person if youre interested.

The man was rightthe only results that displayed were completely unrelated. He deleted that, then

searched for the name of the organization. That didget a hit. He clicked the link, and a primitive looking

web page populated the screen.

Youre in Colorado too? Ian asked.

That we are! The weather isnt always great in our particular location, but the view is nice at least.

Indeed Ian mumbled, perusing the homepage. It was an hour drive...

There was a lull in the conversation; Bryson was probably waiting for a response.

Ahwell, Mister Drake, shall I await your call?

Oh- yeah, actuallyI mean, Im not doing anything today Is the address on here correct?

Wonderful!My schedules fairly free for once, so I should be able to meet with you myself but no,

the address there is just to the visitors center. Its nearby, but not the place you want. Let me give you

the one to the front gate. Just tell them I sent for you, theyll give you some paperwork, yada yada

* * *

As Ian pulled up to the gate, an exquisitely bored looking guard stepped out of the small building next

to it.ID? he asked, between chews of his gum.

Ah- well, I dont have an ID will this do? Ian said, passing the guard the piece of paper. It was a

temporary pass he had been emailed to print out. The secretary had saidit should cover the visit, but

Ian could not help but feel some trepidation. The guards raised eyebrows werent helping. Ian caught a

glance of a pistol grip on his side.

Stand by, the man said. He turned around and stepped back into the small structure. Ian took the

opportunity to peek out from his windshield at his surroundings.

A fence with loops of barbed wire on the top extended from either side of the gate, stretching on

until he couldnt make it out from the foliage anymore. Tall oak trees stood on either side of the road,

which he could see led a short ways past the gate to a sizable building. The road made a small

roundabout, in the center of which was a grassy patch with a large sign that had the letters, NESC in

shiny gold chrome. Well, the place lookedlegitimate at least. Another road branched off from the circle,

continuing up the hill and to the right. Sunshine streamed through the leaves as they waved in a breeze,

making for a shifting mosaic of green and yellow. It was actually quite picturesque, he mused.

A clipboard being thrust through his window made him jump.

I just need you to fill this out,sir, the guard said. Jotting down his answers, he gave the clipboard

back. The guard handed him a small piece of paper back and stepped away. Nodding his thanks as the


24/33

gate opened, Ian drove the short distance to the parking lot. Once parked, he looked down at the piece

of paper he had received. It was a sticker with an NESC seal at the top, and under it printed in bold black

letters: Visitor. He peeled it and stuck it on his chest, rubbing it in to make sure it stuck.

Opening the car door and stepping out, he inhaled deeply of the clean air. Tall trees surrounded the

small clearing, arching into a green canopy. The sound of the wind in the branches and chirping birds

helped ease his anxiety. Maybe this wouldnt be so bad - it was a nice location.

The building itself was paneled in black glass, and there was a blast of cold air as the AC poured over

him coming in the door. The receptionist received him warmly, and he asked her where he would be

meeting with Jack Bryson. She tapped away at the computer. Apparently finding what she needed, she

scratched out some directions onto a piece of paper.

I confess I used to get lost here a few times myself; the numbering is so weird, she said, handing

him the sticky note with a smile.

While climbing the stairs, Ian noticed his stomach fluttering. He hadnt pictured doing this, so soon.

New environment, new people. Bryson himself had soundedfriendlybut now he thought about it, he

didnt actually know very much about this place at all. Telemarketerssounded friendly. And why hadhe

called him, anyway? He had no scientific background. Suspicion joined the anxiety, and he remindedhimself to stay on his guard.

Both the hallway and door were nondescript, the only thing on the latter being a handle and keypad.

Ian lifted his hand and, after some hesitation, knocked.

Who is it? called a familiar voice.

Ian Drake? he said.

Ah, Mister Drake! Come in, please.

What greeted him as he stepped through was an equally plain room. The walls were the same light

beige as the hallway, with a long table stretching from one end to the other; it looked like the room was

typically reserved for conferences. A window stretched horizontally along the length of the outwardfacing wall, affording a spectacular view of the parking lot. Finishing his scan of the place, his eyes came

to rest on the man on the other side of the table - the only other person in the room. He was faced away

from him, looking out of the window with his hands clasped behind his back in a position resembling

parade rest.

He turned to face him now. An odd look flickered across his face, to be quickly again by a good

natured smile. Good morning, Mister Drake! Im Jack Bryson - I hope you didnt have too much trouble

getting here? Sleep well? he asked, extending his hand over the table.

Ian, please. And pleased to meet you sir, he said, returning Brysons handshake.

And the same to you. Now, I imagine you must be wondering who I really am, why I called, is this a

pyramid scheme he said with a chuckle. And I apologize for the cloak and dagger enigma. But Ill get

right to the point, as I valueand Im certain youvalueyour time. Bryson stood straight, hair in a

neat yet stylish cut. The black suit he wore was crisp, and the man exuded a professional bearing. Ian

had to admit he cut an impressive figure. Prior service, maybe?

I appreciate it sir. And I would be lying if I said I werent curious.

I can imagine, Bryson said, nodding. He took the opportunity to sit down at the table, and when he

looked up at Ian his face became serious startlingly quickly. Now, Mister Drake, this is just one

relatively small installation compared to the rest of the NESC, but it isarguably - the most important


25/33

one. I cannot go into the full details here, but are you familiar with the concept of exo-suits?

Ian nodded, pulling out a seat as well. Isnt the DRA still trying to make one that could be utilized

downrange?

Indeed they are.Fine tuning at this point, actually. But now, imagine something more. Much

more.

He cocked his head, eyebrows furrowing. Is there already a functional exo-suit?

Brysons smile grew again. It was less jovial this time, and more knowing. How was your time in

New Afghanistan, Mister Drake?

His eyebrow twitched. Uneventful, sir, he said, tone clipped. Why do you ask?

Because I have seen your record, Drake. I understand your stay in the sandbox was more than

uneventful, by quite a fair measure. I have read that you served admirably for your capacity. Three lives

saved, sustaining a bullet wound in the process. How is it, if I may ask?

Better, Ian said, through pursed lips.Thank you for asking.

Im glad. Now imagine this. Picture, while you were in the NA, that you had a suit. And not just one

of these simple, clunky looking things were still trying to figure out how to mass produce, Bryson said

with a dismissive wave. Something that, had you had it, you would have been able to save those people

without receiving more than a scratch. Maybe even eliminate the enemy as well.

Ian felt a twinge of indignation. He had preferred to keep the experience in the past, and here this

man was, digging it up like some sort of grave robber. Mister Bryson, with respect, I would appreciate if

you did not use my background as leverage, he said, trying to keep his voice level to avoid sounding

hostile.

Thankfully, the man did not press further. He immediately lifted his hands in a conciliatory gesture.

My apologies. I understand how personal these things can be. I only want you to help you understand

what were trying to do here.

And what is that, sir, if I may ask?

Bryson visibly hesitated, eyes looking away for a moment. Like I said, I cannot go into the full details

here. But were trying to reach that point, to where we can use what we have in the field, if we can. Well, I have to confess that my scientificbackground is mostly limited to reading Anatomy and

Physiology for Dummies, unless its body testers you need sir.

Correct. Its not your science knowledge were looking for no offense intended of course.

None taken.

Mister Drake, Bryson said, leaning forward to put his elbows on the table between them. His fingers

laced together in front of him. His voice was lowered when he spoke again. What we have, is an

opportunity. We have reason to believe what we have has applications. Combatapplications, as I

mentioned. The possibility isadmittedly slim, but it is one we want to explore. It would be

momentous, if we succeeded.Ian could hear the thinly veiled excitement in Brysons voice.

This all sounds extremely intriguing sir, and I wouldactually love to be part of it. But I need to

know. Why me? What do I have more to offer than anyone else?

A fair question. Brysons eyes looked away again, before returning to gaze directly into his. I have

reason to believe you - yes, among some others - are one of our best options. I should hope you would

prove me correct.

I would hate to do otherwise.

Good to hear. One last question do you retain your security clearance?

I should, yes sir.


26/33

Bryson nodded. Then his face broke out into a large grin. Wonderful! he exclaimed, putting his

hands on the table and standing. Welcome to the team, Mister Drake!

Ian stood as wellit felt appropriate. Well sirIll need some time to think about this-

Oh by all means, by all means, Bryson said. His animation and volume - seemed to have returned

in full force; he spoke and gestured with an energy that belied his gray flecked hair. Now that he looked,

Ian noticed Brysons face was somewhat wrinkledand pocked as well. No doubt the man had had an

interesting history himself. And, if its the commute youre worried about, we have housing here on the

installation. Yet another perk of working on the forefront of progress!

Ian couldnt help but smile. Rogersir. Ill be sure to give you a call soon, he said, extending his hand.

Bryson shook it, grip firm. Good, good. I look forward to hearing from you.

* * *

Closing the door to the apartment, he made his way to the bathroom. The meeting hadnt been long,

but the drive had, and he had had far too much water when working out that morning.

When finished and washing his hands, he caught his own eye in the mirror. There were small bags

under them. Had those been there when he was meeting with Bryson? That would have explained theremark when theyd first met; he dismissed it as just a passing question of greeting. He supposed he had

stayed up late the night before.

Inspirations as finicky as I remember, he thought, a long yawn escaping him as he left the bathroom.

Picking his way over to his desk at the opposite wall, he nearly slipped on a beer bottle. He felt a pang

of shame as he stepped over it; the apartment was still a mess, despite his numerous resolutions to

clean it. And when he sat and woke his computer, the Writers Pendocument greeted him again. There

was enough white on the page to fill the dark room with a dim illumination. The cursor was still there,

blinking away.

For a few moments, Ian stared at the screen. Then, slowly, something started to well up in his chest -like a rope was constricting around him. His face twisted and his eyes stung.

Wheres my phone?he thought, hands searching through the clutter on the small black glass desk.

Remembering it was still in his pocket, he pulled it out and dialed.

Hello? came Brysons voice.

Ill do it, sir.

Mister Drake?

Yessir.

Ah, wonderful! Im glad to hear it. When is convenient for you to start?

Any time.

Excellent. Its Friday so almost everyones left for the day by now come on in on Monday, and well

set you up.

Thank you very much sir, I look forward to it.

I must say, Bryson said, sounding like he had stopped just before hanging up. That was quick! You

certainly know what you want. See you Monday, Mister Drake.

The phone beeped, signaling the end of the call. Ian put the phone on the deskclearing a small

space for it firstand leant back into the chair.

Right, he thought.


27/33

7YEAR2123

FORT KEYES,COLORADO

The length of in-processing was a necessary evil, Ian figured. Nobody typically enjoyed the time spent

building a paper profileno one conventionally sane, at least. Particularly when it lasted a months

time. A month of sitting in rooms that all looked the same, waiting for people that all looked the same to

fill out papers that all looked the same. It wasnt dreary. He didnt allow himself to complain about it.

But still.

Well, he thought. His muscles strained and shook to complete one last rep. Specks of salty sweatexploded from the top of his lip as he heaved, taking air in deep breaths and blowing it out in meditative

timing.At least the gym here is nice enough to help me occupy some time.

Though, nice enough was something of an understatement.

The place was enormous, and brightly lit. At least 200 square feet of weights, contraptions, and hot,

perspiration filled air. Some of the machines he had recognized as one workout or another. Some others

left him wondering if the people who had stocked the place had some strange fascination with creating

clean, modern replicas of medieval torture devices. Mirrors lined every wall, providing a further

panorama of the surroundings.

Finally, he leaned back into the seat with a pained grunt. He let his eyes close, chest heaving. Theleather was drenched from his exertion, and he was already looking forward to showering. He could

only imagine how bad the place was when it was full; one more reason he preferred to come during the

hours it was empty.

Whats going to happen when in-processing isdone, though?he wondered.

Part of him wasnt sure if he regretted his eagerness in taking this on or not. He hadnt met the

standard requisite of time spent overthinking things to feel completely comfortable that he had pored

over every avenue.

Then again, maybe its a blessing,he mused while his breathing and heartbeat slowed. I thought

myself ready to leave the military, yet

He still had trouble reconciling with himself that not long after the excitement of leavingan

overwhelming sense ofpanichad come over him. What wouldhe have done had this chance not come

along? He chuckled darkly - sore muscles protesting even that - when he realized that the fluttering

feeling in the pit of his stomach wasnt anxiety about starting in a new environment but relief. He felt

an enormous comfort being back in some semblance of stability; knowing what was going to happen.

Even though, if he were honest with himself, he didntknow what was going to happen in this place. But

it was a whole lot better than nothing at all.


28/33

Stinging sweat dripped into the corner of his eye, and for the third time that day he wished hed had

the foresight to buy a sweatband.

* * *

Towel draped around his neck and backpack slung over a shoulder, his sneakers crunched in the

gravel of the path. The sound of a passing car reached him through the oak trees; the road was just over

the hill on the right and out of sight. Part of him wished hed driven instead of walked to the gym, and

he drug a hand across his sweating forehead. The humidity was a change from California, where the

temperature had usually bordered on chilly. Rather like what air conditioning would have felt like.

Now, nowhe thought to himself, smiling.

Look at me, he hummed. Im a scientist. The thought made him laugh aloud.

The door swished against the carpeted floor as it shut, and a heavenly blast of cold air blew across his

hot brow. The thick humidity outside had got him sweating again, though the walk from the gym to the

dormitory building had been relatively short. Walking down the hallway, he stopped by the small openlounge room in the middle. Complete with a couch, two chairs, a table with magazines on it and

television, it looked as standard a setup as the white paint on the wall. It was likely just a courtesy, as he

didnt believe many of the people working here actually made the dormitories theirresidence. Apart

from him. He had passed a few sleepy looking people in civilian clothes before, carrying what appeared

to be white lab coats over their arms. He had even seen a few Navy and Air Force lower enlisted in

uniform. Although, if there were officers here too, they were likely in the more aesthetically pleasing

brick houses down the road.

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he dropped his backpack on a chair by a window. Procuring a

water canteen, he undid the cap and took a sip. Then a larger swallow. There were heavily forested

slopes visible through the window near him; a sea of different shades of green and yellow. It reminded

him of the couple of years he had spent studying in Monterey.

The weather there had been somewhat chilly, but there were consistently clear skies at least. His stay

there had been one of the few times he remembered truly enjoying photography. He smiled, abashed,

when he thought of when his father had taken him hiking in Yosemite. His younger self hadnt

approached trudging up the steep climbs with much more than begrudging reluctance. And now he was

twenty two much more wizened and worldly than his sixteen year old counterpart. He rather wished

he could do that hike over.


29/33

A small hand tapping on his shoulder jolted him out of the reverie. Turning around, he was

confronted by a petite figure. She had short black hair and pale blue eyes, with pale skin to match. The

toothy smile she wore made her look even more pixieish. She must have just come from a run, he

figured, as she was wearing jogging clothes. An open phone lay in her right hand.

You alright? Youve been standing there for quite a while, buddy, she said.

Oh- I didnt realize. I was just kind of phased out, Ian said with a sheepish grin. Just getting lost in

the tangles of nostalgic reminiscence.

Her eyebrows raised, lips forming into a smirk. A poet, huh? And what would a literary mastermind

be doing in a place like this?

He stepped back to lean against the window sill, and took another swig of water before replying. I

appreciate the compliment? And its a long, complicated story. Well I say that, but thats only to

make it sound more mysterious than it is.

So youre saying I should call the campus police to alert them to a disarmingly well groomed

hobo wandering around? I dont have any change on me, before you ask.

He reflexively ran a hand through his short brown hair and grinned wider. I would appreciate if you

didnt, actually. While it would make me less of a liar in saying its complicated, Im not sure if Imwilling to make that sort of sacrifice for the story. And what about you? Do you typically ask this many

questions of a stranger? he asked.

His quip succeeded in getting a giggle out of her. Holding out her empty hand, she smiled. Well then,

allow me to remedy my impoliteness. Names Pauline.

Gently returning her handshake, he smiled back. Ian. Nice to meet you. You may now resume your

interrogation without fear of further discourtesy.

Her eyes arced in a bemoaning look of amusement. She looked down at her phone again, and he

heard it vibrating. A frown crossed her face. Well, there goes that, she said.

Get ditched by someone?

Actually, yes. A friend said she was going to wait for me to come back from my run to go get food,but she just texted me saying she left already.

A shame. Really shows who your friends are, doesnt it?

Honestly? she said, closing the phone and stuffing it in her pocket. Im a little relieved. Shes been

going through some drama and Im pretty sure she was just going to regale me with the latest exploits of

her ex again and She looked exhausted just mentioning it.She shook her head. But its not my place

to comment on that, is it?

He shrugged, and took another gulp of water. I think it would be fair not to.

She bit her lip, looking thoughtful. Well hey I mean, are yougoing anywhere right now?

I was about to take a shower and change, he said, but past that Ive no plans, nope.

Welllll... I was going to do the same, and then I was just thinking about going to grab a cup of coffee,

now Ive nothing else to do. Wanna come with? Im trying to make some friends around here better

ones, anyway,she added.

He blinked. Oh- yeah, sure!

She smiled again, nodding. Cool. See you down here in an hour then?

Starting my timernow, he said, pantomiming pressing a button on his watch.

She giggled, and he glimpsed a flash of white. Okay, cool.

* * *


30/33

Fourty minutes later, he stood with his back against the lounge wall again. He had changed into a

black polo shirt and jeans, and his head felt cool from the specks of water still in his hair. He was

hunched over slightly to see the screen of his phone, though his thoughts were elsewhere.

Not these clunky looking things were still trying to mass produce Bryson had said, the first day

theyd met.

Thats funny, he thought. Even after a few decades since the first functional robotic augmentations

were created, some people think of them as primitive.He bit the inside of his cheek, pensive. What is it

they have here that makes someone say that?

A shriek made him start, train of thought irrevocably derailing. He looked up to see Pauline standing

in front of him, a hand on her chest, breathing heavily. She looked like shed just seen a ghost.

Youre here early, she said between breaths.

He cocked his head, retort forming in his mind already. Should I be concerned about associating

myself with someone frightened by punctuality? he asked.

She gave him a look. No, just- never mind. Ready to go?

The place she took them to was somewhat dark and musty; the only light came through the largewindows of the storefront. It was the orange color of sunset, and streamed through in patches; the

silhouettes of leaves shifted on the wall. It was enough though, as the hole in the wall shop was quite

small. There were only around ten tables in the whole placetall, with chairs to match. Pauline, having

received her drink first, picked one right by the window and rough brick wall.

Joining her, steaming cup in hand, Ian sat down in the opposite metal chair. He lifted his drink to his

nose. The smell was more aromatic than he had thought coffee could be. Its name on the menu was

something he had not recognizedas Englishso he had decided to try it. He lifted it to his lips now,

carefully taking a test sip.

Fuck! he hissed, quickly covering his mouth and looking around to see if the cashier had heard. She

didnt appear to have, as she was still deeply focused in straightening the cookies on the counter.Hot? Pauline asked, looking at him over her own cup. She blewthe picture of demurenessinto

it, stirring the black liquid into ripples. Wisps of steam washed over the rim.

He shrugged and shook his head, feigning ignorance that anything had even happened. Sunlight

caught the corner of his eye. He looked out the window, squinting and blinking when the sun made his

eyes reflexively contract. The glass itself wasnt completely flat; it rippled slightly, distorting the light

that came through into fiery lines and halos. Looking back, he caught her looking at him.

Her eyes flitted away, studying the window. So weve been talking for a while now, but I still feel like

all I know is your name. Care to introduce me?she said, glancing back at him.

He shrugged. Not much to know, really. Wannabe writer and musician turned scientist, apparently.

The corner of her mouth curved into a smile. Oh? Writing the great-

American novel? he interrupted with a grin, leaning forward with his elbo

warframe (critique copy)

Documents