<::|| The Unit ||::>

[Dallas]

NOTE: This story is a direct continuation of The Candidate, same setting and same char, here it is as I advise reading it before this one. http://www.catalyst-gaming.net/index.php?topic=19021.0   


<::|| The Unit ||::>   
<::|| Honoured Service ||::>

The dropship shuddered from the skies, falling through the heavens, descending similar to a bird of prey, into the city below. As the cabin shook it's occupants remained still, stoic expression plastered over their blank faces. Unit 016 was among them, fresh from Orion Training Base and en-route to City 17 for their first assignments. The engines screamed as the ship locked into a docking path with the City 17 Citadel; the largest and most important citadel in the sector and homed to Global Administrator Doctor Breen. 016 revelled in the honour of serving under such an esteemed leader. The gunship hurtled through onwards, moving in graceful glides before throwing itself to a halt; the cabin jolted, tossing the units inside the harnesses.

The cabin was still for a number of minutes, say the occasional clang of metal frames and interlocking tracks, which guided the dropship deep into the heart of the Citadel. A voice then spoke, a deep monotoned voice that was almost impossible to understand to the untrained ear- but to 016 and the rest of the units it was heard with a fluent familiarity.
'Orion-One is docked, opening bay doors.'  With those words, the harness disengaged, all units rose at once and stepped off in single file. 016 cast a glance at the hanger they were lined up in; an almost endless space above them, dotted with columns of brilliant white light, below the glass floor was an equally endless abyss, a platform suddenly emerged from the dark below and ascended rapidly to meet the units.

The platform rose to several feet above them; an extremely tall unit, donning an imposing and prestigious mask glanced over them with mild annoyance before swishing the platform control panel, sending the platform flying off. In the end, after a couple minutes of pure observation, it was Dispatch that instructed them on where the prep room was. The units arrived in the locker room; 016 was assigned to room B-5 Locker 59. Inside 016's locker was two sets of uniform, one light kevlar vest, a stun-baton, a strange wrist mounted device and a dull grey mask with dim blue eye sockets and a small ventilator mounted of the front. 016 felt a sudden rush of emotion as she slid the mask on after slipping into uniform- she suppressed such emotion quickly.

The inside of the mask was surprisingly chilled compared to the slightly sweaty air of the locker room, the sides of her vision were now occupied with data-feeds, heart rate, GPS trackers and several other "important" systems. All this and 016 could still see quite clearly that she was expected to report to the Prep-Room on Citadel Ground Zero. She moved to the far end of the locker room, out the door, into a dull corridor with five small transport elevators running along the walls, 016 entered one and verbally stated, in her now monotoned voice.
"Ground zero."

Ground zero was a massive open hanger of sorts, APCs and SYNTH units being prepped for deployment, units moving around in tight squads towards vehicles. Several units joined 016 on her approach to a stairwell, which lead to the ground unit control centre. 016 wasn't allowed inside, neither were the others, they simply stood in the hall, each in front of a terminal, receiving orders for the day from Dispatch. 016 was assigned to C17 Train Terminal to assist units in citizen processing, she shut off the console and followed her GPS back to the vehicles where she and the others entered an APC and set off. The journey was a strange one; 016 left alone with her thoughts, all of the units around her were of equal rank and they had probably been here much longer yet they all behaved the same way... 016 told herself it was just a sign of a good example but throughout the journey she couldn't shake the feeling that there was something wrong. Feeling was not something she remembered being accustomed to so she forced it back on her mind until the APC drew to a halt and the units went to work.

[Borkatjov]

Good to see you're still writing these stories Jack.
I like them!

[Dallas]

<::|| The Unit ||::>   
<::|| With Valour ||::>

The autumn foliage drifted lazily into the plaza. The voice of Doctor Breen offered a melodic ambience to the scene while the far off calls of a broadcast mixed with the low rumbles of a passing patrol at the end of the street added to the hive of activity. The units filed past the citizenry; some stepped aside, others were pushed away to make room. The lobby of the station was a large, high-ceilinged area with a couple queues of citizens towards- what was once the ticket booths- now the ration dispensers. The citizens stared forwards, their faces sunken and sad. 016 couldn't understand that. She was happy, yet the citizens almost never seemed to be enjoying life. With the wonders of the Union, life had been vastly improved there was no reasoning behind the citizens moods. 016's mask display then dispensed a notice telling her to approach designated unit 415 for orders, said unit was standing by a citizen at the far end of the lobby, standing with a citizen by a trash can. 016 approached the unit at a quick pace, she could glimpse the conversation once within range.
"<:: I sad pick up the can, you knocked it over, pick it up." The citizen paused, staring at the unit; the man's face was bearded and he wore some rather awkward looking black glasses. The man didn't utter a word as he knelt, picking up the can of Breen water, which he had apparently knocked over, before he put it into the trashcan. 415 laughed it off saying he could go, it was then he turned and saw 016.
"<:: Oh-Sixteen?" He asked, his tone seeming bored.
"<:: Yes sir."  016 replied, eager to not make a poor first impression.
"<:: Dispatch wants us in processing, let's go."

The two moved out the back into an alley where they entered through a biolocked door. The room behind the biolock was a dimly lit tiled chamber, a single red cushioned chair sat predominantly in the middle; it had neck, arm and ankle shackles built into the frame. Above the chair, a pointed alien device hung from the ceiling, its pylons trained on the chair. The sound of scuffling footsteps sounded from the hallway, 415 gestured 016 to the door, she moved towards the door and slid the viewhatch open. Facing her was a set of black circles identical to hers. She opened the door quickly, first to enter was a citizen; she was bleeding and looked like she had been hit in the face, moment later the officer came in clutching a stunstick.
"<:: Need assistance?" He asked, eyes fixed uneasily on the weeping female. I let 415 respond as he locked her into the chair.
"<:: Negative." The unit nodded and left swiftly, closing the door shut.

I stood by the door, leaning on the wall, watching and learning from 415's tactics. 415 stood in front of the citizen; he shuffled his feet back and forth before slipping out the citizen's relocation coupon.
"<:: Alice Fredrick? Citizen ID Number Eight-four-two-two-five-six?"
The citizen nodded, her eyes red with her tears and face turning a dull shade of purple from the bruising. "<:: Your prior designation was City Twenty?" Another nod followed by a sniff. "<:: You were convicted of two accounts of conspiracy during your time in C12. We now have reason to believe you are here to corrupt the populace of City Seventeen." 415 gestured to the suitcase of the female. "<:: Your suitcase was found to contain four citizen ration packs. I'm sure you know the civil block notices that are in all cities? The one that says precisely: Citizens who are found hoarding/collecting rations will be dealt with severely." The female once again started sobbing, she cried.
"Please! Don't hurt me, I was only keeping them for when I was hungry!"
"<:: Aren't you hungry now? Huh?" 415 said clenching his fists together. "<:: Or maybe you were keeping them to sell to citizens, you are not permitted to trade, anti-citizen swine" 415 backhanded the citizen hard in the cheek, the smack struck a nerve in 016 for a fraction of a second, she twitched involuntarily. The citizen gasped, reeling from the blow while 415 went over to suitcase, tearing open the ration packets and taking out the supplements and Breen waters. "<:: Unit!" He ordered. "<:: Hold it's mouth open!"

016 moved forwards slowly and joined 415 at the locked neck of the citizen where 016 tried to gently hold the female's mouth open, but the citizen was not compliant, she screamed and spat and bit. 016 applied force; she forcefully pulled the female's mouth ajar, her own strength began to frighten her. 415, who had already opened the first jar of supplements, began to pour the grey, lumpy mixture down her throat. The citizen chocked violently, spitting it up and shaking all her limbs in repulsion but 415 was relentlessness, he popped open a can of Breen water and began to pour that in as well. The coughing and choking continued, only fuelling 415's anger, by the time the second jar of supplements was halfway done, the woman fell still. 415 stopped to check a pulse as 016 took a couple steps back, rather traumatized by the ordeal. The girl was covered in the foul grey fluid. 016 looked down to the floor and realized they were standing in a pool of dried blood, the blood had now mixed with the vomit to form crimson lumps that sprawled across the floor. 016 was now horrified, what did she do to deserve this fate...

415 spoke up.
"<:: Breathing, just." 016 took a sigh of relief but it quickly faded as 415 then unshackled her then preceded to stamp forward of her kneecaps, breaking the bones out of the knees with a sickening crack. He then dragged her off the chair and out into the alley, where she was left. "<:: You see that, Sixteen? That was justice." However, despite all that was right in this world, 016 was not sure she would call it... Justice.

[Borkatjov]

Quite good Dallas.
Are you planning on making a book?

[swag master spiderman]

Erm why did you stop

[Reimer]

Great read while waiting for HL2RP to come up, would love to see more.

[Dallas]

Yeah sorry, been revising lately so I haven't had time to finish the next installment, don't worry, coming soon.