Post by s4g on Jan 3, 2007 14:52:28 GMT 1
The sound of an air handler drew him slowly out of slumber. The first few minutes Ian just laid there trying to remember where he was. He remembered that he had not returned to his own apartment for fear of being tracked down by his family, and not being a member of any gang yet there was nowhere else for him to belong, so where was he?
He could tell that he was in some kind of bed, and that the blanket that now covered him was not threadbare. There was also a light on somewhere in the room... Was that perfume he smelled? That’s when Ian remembered the Escher from last night. What was her name again? …Amber.
Just then Ian felt the bed move, like a weight being shifted. When his eyes shot open Amber was propped above him on all fours, her face only a few centimeters above his. She peered into his eyes as if looking for something.
Time stood still for a few moments. Ian’s brain flooded with thoughts, but none of his muscles responded to his immediate commands.
“Uh… what happened,” Ian finally stammered.
“It was pretty funny really. We came back here, chatted for a while; you climbed into bed and passed out.” Amber said as she sat up and leaned against the wall. She had a huge smirk on her face. “You slept like you didn’t have a care in the world… or that you were even aware that you were in a woman’s bedroom…odd behavior for a man.” She seemed to contemplate the last point.
Ian blushed as he realized where he was. “I… that is… I meant no offense…. I mean…”
“It’s alright,” Amber laughed. “The other Cats are always telling me that all men want to do is…”
“Oh!... Well, um… that is…” Ian’s face was beginning to turn red and sweat started forming on his brow. Sitting up he continued to be at a loss for words. “I find you very attractive… and given the opportunity I’d…”
“You’d what?” Amber asked leaning towards Ian once more.
BAM, BAM, BAM! Both Ian and Amber jumped with a start as a woman with green hair barged through the door.
“Amber! Stop playing with your new toy and get your ass moving!” And with that she was gone, leaving the door ajar.
“I’d better get going. The girls are going on the prowl today. If I do well I might earn my colors.” Amber leapt off the bed and cleared half the room. Spinning around she snatched up her pistol and sword holsters from a chair and faced Ian. “See you around the bridge Ian… There’s nothing here for you to steal so… just pull the door shut when you leave,” and then Amber darted out the door.
Ian stared at the doorway for sometime not knowing what to think. “I fell asleep! What was I thinking?” he said to himself with a grin. After a few minutes he threw the blanket aside and stood to leave. His holster remained at his side… with the las pistol. A quick check showed that the power cell still had its full charge. “Best to get on with it then,” and then Ian stepped through the door pulling it shut behind him.
Ian walked down the stairs into the main room. For a long time he just stood there trying to figure out where to go. Before he could figure it out the man from his first foray into the proving grounds stepped up behind him.
“Dyrke is waiting for you little rat.”
Ian spun around, “I…”
“Shut up Rat bile. You’re only going to get one shot at this, and Dyrke is not one to like surprises. Especially the stunt you pulled yesterday. Fortunately for you the kid’s going to make it, albeit in a lesser capacity… Move it.”
Ian followed a few paces behind until they reached their destination somewhere within the Bifrost’s lower levels. “Wait here little rat.”
“Um, wait. What’s your name?” Ian called out to his escort’s back.
“You don’t need to worry about that little rat. Not until you pass the ‘Q’ course.” And with that the man left the room.
Dyrke didn’t keep him waiting long. “I’ve been told that you have made yourself at home here at the Bifrost little rat.”
Ian cringed at what was becoming his nickname.
“On to business,” Dyrke said. “This will be slightly different than the normal rotation as we are short on time and initiates.” Ian shifted. Dyrke continued, “there will be four phases that you will be going through. They are back to back with no breaks in between. The only pause you will have will be for direction from one of my team. Do you have any questions?”
“So, do you mean when I pass these tests, I’ll be…?”
“IF you pass them,” Dyrke interrupted. “The overview is this. Phase one will be a reconnaissance type of mission. You will have to move in and around a particular target and then retrieve one item of ‘interest’. From there you will do what we refer to as a deep insertion, “there were chuckles from the others who had since come into the room. Dyrke peered over Ian’s shoulder and silenced the room once more. “Once you complete this test you will be making a trip to the sump, and if you survive this far you will have to make a journey that your wildest imaginations can not come up with.”
Ian shifted his weight and looked around the room. Maybe… this was not such a bright idea after all. All he’d wanted to do was get out of Hive City, have a little adventure. When it was all said and done maybe even return home to a nice job. Now… he was not sure if would survive these tests. Why had he even gotten out of that nice bed?
“Alright little rat, time to die.”
He could tell that he was in some kind of bed, and that the blanket that now covered him was not threadbare. There was also a light on somewhere in the room... Was that perfume he smelled? That’s when Ian remembered the Escher from last night. What was her name again? …Amber.
Just then Ian felt the bed move, like a weight being shifted. When his eyes shot open Amber was propped above him on all fours, her face only a few centimeters above his. She peered into his eyes as if looking for something.
Time stood still for a few moments. Ian’s brain flooded with thoughts, but none of his muscles responded to his immediate commands.
“Uh… what happened,” Ian finally stammered.
“It was pretty funny really. We came back here, chatted for a while; you climbed into bed and passed out.” Amber said as she sat up and leaned against the wall. She had a huge smirk on her face. “You slept like you didn’t have a care in the world… or that you were even aware that you were in a woman’s bedroom…odd behavior for a man.” She seemed to contemplate the last point.
Ian blushed as he realized where he was. “I… that is… I meant no offense…. I mean…”
“It’s alright,” Amber laughed. “The other Cats are always telling me that all men want to do is…”
“Oh!... Well, um… that is…” Ian’s face was beginning to turn red and sweat started forming on his brow. Sitting up he continued to be at a loss for words. “I find you very attractive… and given the opportunity I’d…”
“You’d what?” Amber asked leaning towards Ian once more.
BAM, BAM, BAM! Both Ian and Amber jumped with a start as a woman with green hair barged through the door.
“Amber! Stop playing with your new toy and get your ass moving!” And with that she was gone, leaving the door ajar.
“I’d better get going. The girls are going on the prowl today. If I do well I might earn my colors.” Amber leapt off the bed and cleared half the room. Spinning around she snatched up her pistol and sword holsters from a chair and faced Ian. “See you around the bridge Ian… There’s nothing here for you to steal so… just pull the door shut when you leave,” and then Amber darted out the door.
Ian stared at the doorway for sometime not knowing what to think. “I fell asleep! What was I thinking?” he said to himself with a grin. After a few minutes he threw the blanket aside and stood to leave. His holster remained at his side… with the las pistol. A quick check showed that the power cell still had its full charge. “Best to get on with it then,” and then Ian stepped through the door pulling it shut behind him.
Ian walked down the stairs into the main room. For a long time he just stood there trying to figure out where to go. Before he could figure it out the man from his first foray into the proving grounds stepped up behind him.
“Dyrke is waiting for you little rat.”
Ian spun around, “I…”
“Shut up Rat bile. You’re only going to get one shot at this, and Dyrke is not one to like surprises. Especially the stunt you pulled yesterday. Fortunately for you the kid’s going to make it, albeit in a lesser capacity… Move it.”
Ian followed a few paces behind until they reached their destination somewhere within the Bifrost’s lower levels. “Wait here little rat.”
“Um, wait. What’s your name?” Ian called out to his escort’s back.
“You don’t need to worry about that little rat. Not until you pass the ‘Q’ course.” And with that the man left the room.
Dyrke didn’t keep him waiting long. “I’ve been told that you have made yourself at home here at the Bifrost little rat.”
Ian cringed at what was becoming his nickname.
“On to business,” Dyrke said. “This will be slightly different than the normal rotation as we are short on time and initiates.” Ian shifted. Dyrke continued, “there will be four phases that you will be going through. They are back to back with no breaks in between. The only pause you will have will be for direction from one of my team. Do you have any questions?”
“So, do you mean when I pass these tests, I’ll be…?”
“IF you pass them,” Dyrke interrupted. “The overview is this. Phase one will be a reconnaissance type of mission. You will have to move in and around a particular target and then retrieve one item of ‘interest’. From there you will do what we refer to as a deep insertion, “there were chuckles from the others who had since come into the room. Dyrke peered over Ian’s shoulder and silenced the room once more. “Once you complete this test you will be making a trip to the sump, and if you survive this far you will have to make a journey that your wildest imaginations can not come up with.”
Ian shifted his weight and looked around the room. Maybe… this was not such a bright idea after all. All he’d wanted to do was get out of Hive City, have a little adventure. When it was all said and done maybe even return home to a nice job. Now… he was not sure if would survive these tests. Why had he even gotten out of that nice bed?
“Alright little rat, time to die.”