Chapter 3

Aradi examined the hatch, only Protectorate officers could access it, she took her GCID and scanned the barcode, she removed the hatch, she laid on her back, using the strength of her legs, she held onto the hatch, she lowered herself through the hatch in an upside down position, her eyes scanned empty room. The top floor seemed to be empty, but it was darkened, there were no lights on, zero visibility, odd... She then let herself drop to the floor, if not for her boots, she would have been quieter than the dust and pebbles dropping with her. The Elf readied her pistol and looked around, her vision adapted quite nicely, though not perfect, visibility was still awful. Her ears twitched, she tried to focus on her surroundings, seeing if she could hear anything, it was mostly muffled movements below. She shook her head and then  took out small gel packs from her personal pouch, and inserted them in her ears.

Her eyes veered to a door that was cracked open, she slowly approached it, readying her weapon, she slowly turned her head to the side and placed her ear upon the wall for a moment, believing it to be empty, she quietly opened it. There was a Databox in the room along with some janitorial devices and a computer. There was a contraption of some kind attached to the Databox that linked up to a tablet, 

That’s the device blocking the outside scanners and preventing camera access, could be preventing radio transmissions too, hmmmm…

Aradi’s attention turned to the tablet that was hooked into the Databox, it was locked,, 

this being left alone wouldn’t happen in any real scenario. The Elf took out her tablet and went to an app that allowed brute force attacks on electronic device security systems in order to gain access. She scanned the modified device, and the attack instantly initiated, after several seconds, the password was cracked, 

Everytime these idiot low-lifes try some new code, our system cracks it in no time. A bunch of useless scum, I can’t wait to destroy them….

Her blue eyes lowered, dragging themselves to the screen of the laptop, 

I’m in! Ok, and the camera access…..

Aradi began shifting through the cameras. Privacy is a privilege within the Council; those who lose enough SoCred may have cameras set up in their kitchens, living rooms, and / or  single rooms. The footage taken from the homes also contributed to data gathering targeted ads, and behavior improvement programs, but it’s not the only reason to have such devices installed, former criminals are often required to have them as well. She flipped through cameras as she called the detailed briefings from previous logs during her studies. There would be at least 4 hostages, which is usually the maximum, but if a Protectorate was taken, it could be a wild card of under 10 hostages and hostiles, Protectorate safety would be priority, especially at an E-Class housing block. She found 4 being guarded by 2, they were tied up, 1 roamed the hallways between the floors under her, and there she was, the recruit, guarded by 1, there was another hostage with her.
Hmm…. only 1 guarding the Protectorate. New recruits in my position might try to directly save the recruit due to blindly following protocol, unaware that points get dock for every hostage injured….. if I made a move on the 1 guard, the rest would be alerted…I need to move quietly, starting from the top floor, and then bring Sidko in.  


Suddenly, an explosion went off in the distance, Aradi’s attention was taken, she checked the status of the other recruits, things weren’t looking good, and there were 7 minutes left until completion.

Aradi created a duplicate feed system to trick any of the hostiles in case they were alerted to their presence. With advanced technology, most things get done with the push of a button. Aradi patched a comms signal to Sidko, she spoke quietly,
“Got a local on the recruit, we’ll have to hit them before they can alert one another. There’s one in the hallway up from the ground floor and , I’m unlocking a window into a room directly across from Room A6, where 4 hostages are in, there’s 2 guards overseeing them, one roaming the hallway”
Sidko nodded, 

“Yes ma’am”

Sidko quietly made his way around the building, going through the same alleyway Aradi did, he looked up at window, he took a peak to see if any hostiles were walking around, one walked by, 

The muzzle tip of a gun slowly entered a window, it looked around, checking to see if the coast was clear, what followed after, was a big lump of weight trying to quietly step down, this made Sidko’s face cringe, hoping he had not caused too much noise, he now moved with extra caution. He looked around the apartment with his weapon ready to fire, the silence in  the room screamed at him, he became nervous as he stepped towards the door. Sidko’s hand slowly reached the door, he pressed the open button, the door quickly slid open, he jolted in reaction, yet there was nothing in front of him.

Aradi patched in, he jumped once again,
“I’m in position, breaching in 5”
Sidko sighed,
He then shook his head, he quickly walked to the door, making enough noise to alert the other side of it. Muffled shouting began to talk in a rapid manner, suddenly bullets came through the door, Sidko was hit in his vest, he felt like a gut punch came right at him,  an exchange of gunfire. Sidko nearly struggled to stand, he ran at the door. The recruit’s leg lifted and kicked it open, he aimed his gun, one hostile down, Sidko shifted his weapon, the hostile turned, their gaze met. He suddenly froze out of nowhere . He was about to take the life of someone bad, someone who had done things bad enough to have a gun pointed at him, but when he saw the eyes of his enemy, a strange hesitation came over him, a feeling of sadness. Why did this fellow citizen of the Council stoop so low? How could they? How could anyone? The Council is just, the Council is peace th-

A hostage seemingly got up and charged him, Sidko suddenly felt a force smack him in the chest, the hit was so heavy that he felt as if something grasped at the very  air in his lungs and yank it out while his chest collapsed on him, he fell back, realizing that the core of that peace, that unity, was not only created by the ever present wisdom of the Council, but enforced by the Protectorate: the ever sharpened dagger  of the Council and if he didn’t step up, it would falter.

Suddenly the ceiling exploded debris fell on the one Sidko initially took aim at, Aradi dropped down on top of the assailant, the barrel of her gun immediately discharging bullets into the skull of the hostile, she then aimed her gun up and fired upon the one who overwhelmed Sidko. The Elf quickly turned and changed demeanor as she looked at the 2 hostages including the Protectorate, she untied them and spoke in an assuring tone.
“Thank  the Council we just got here in time, if any of you need anything just let me or Recruit Sidko here know” she said as she knelt in front of them, Sidko murmured, he seemed to try and make excuses for his mistakes,
“sh-she was unarmed - I…” he managed to say, Aradi rolled the body over with her foot,
“No Citizen is unarmed, the intent, animosity, arrogance, disregard for the law, her ideas…is violence itself” 
Aradi stood up,
“You got 4 minutes, tag the hostiles and send them to the data base” 

After weeks of simulation training later…..

1 hour before Graduation ceremony,

Aradi sat down in a meeting with Supreme Officer Gorduna, Toh-Rin, and Peatra, and Officer Kyden, the other F.T.O. alongside her and now deceased Officer Brak. Gorduna sighed as he looked at the performances of the ,
“The events surrounding your transfer, unfortunate. At first these results don’t look promising, but the 32% increase in performance and memory during the simulation runs balances it out, the end result is what matters, no wonder they are graduating today ... .congratulations Officer Kyden, Officer Aradi. Despite the death of Officer Brak, you both managed to disperse doubt amongst the recruits”

“Thank you, sey” the Officers said. Peatra then spoke,
“As for you, Lieutenant Aradi. The R&D department was overloaded during the sims, needing new turbines to be built in the eco-parks, it’s suffice to say that keeping you in this position is going to be costly, you are to be moved back to being a Stand Alone Field Operator after the graduation ceremony”

Aradi took a breath of relief,
“Thank you - I mean, not that I wasn’t grateful to be given the position, I don’t feel qualified, someone like Officer Brak, understood the level of support the recruits needed, the performance data would be higher if he were around.”

Gorduna looked to Aradi, her face remained unphased despite her words of kindness,
“You’re dismissed” 

The seat was pushed back, the Elf stood herself up, posture straight, naturally.
“Thank you, sey”  

Graduation Ceremony

Many young trainees of the Council, soon to be Officers in the Protectorate, stood in rows, many eager to receive their accommodations and head off to celebrate with drinks and virtual ventures, while some felt more pristine for attending such an important event, attempting to imitate and or impress the higher ups who watched. Aradi stood to the side with other Officers while Supreme Officer Gorduna took to the stand. She couldn’t help but feel eyes were on her, because they were, uniforms aside. She was the only one there that was different from the rest, as usual but for some reason she couldn’t help but feel a bit of a light hearted envy for the new recruits, a fresh start not much expected, and no sudden transfers without warning. Her uniform was standard, unlike the graduates, she was not required to wear a ceremonial outfit. The soon to be former trainees dawned a long poncho like garment, similar to the traditions of the political world. The color scheme for the decade was of Opanious, representing the tall blue Citizens that were originally known as the Opans, only the founders of the Council are permitted in cycling color schemes. A giant eye in the middle chest region noted the all powerful, all seeing Council. The Elf looked to Gorduna as he walked by, for some reason, she felt a slight rage suddenly build up. She then looked at the crowd, strange, what was that?

The microphone rang out a sound that seemed to reach for everybody’s attention before retracting back into silence, and the room followed. Gorduna spoke, and all listened,
“Your efforts, your lives, brought here by the Council, who now deems many of you worthy to become a Protectorate. As a Protectorate you will obey the Council’s will, and you will serve with greater vigor than that of the average Citizen…..”

A few drones hovered above the crowd as the Supreme Officer spoke, one in particular, controlled by our patrons of the dark…

“Look at it, unaware, like a good Citizen” a voice said,
“My my, Chairmember. If that envy I hear?” another said,
The shadowy figure looked to the source of it’s responder,
“I’ve only ever felt slogged by the fact I can’t have her dissect her properly, especially after the simulations we ran her through”
“It was quite interesting wasn’t it?”
An elongated finger ran itself on the screen of a tablet, swiping through the latest data, the voice continued,
“The amount of power required to keep her from destroying the simulation and killing the others, it was quite riveting to watch, I almost wanted to add it to our War Games if it weren’t for that project”
“It would have been wouldn’t it? But what of the other anomalies we saw?”
“Our scientists are working try and rebuild the event, I don’t expect much, the video feed is so bad we wouldn’t even know where she was if it weren’t the transcripts, but even the sound around her cut and distorted, barely recoverable”
“It’s a real shame those First Gen Citizens weren’t killed off” 
“Yes…but moving on. The base on Gantun is nearly complete, a few more weeks. That artifact you picked up from the trader, I didn’t get a chance to look at it”
“The artifact is quite interesting, the Ancients operated differently than us as you know, but exactly how? We’re not sure, myth is myth, afterall…but their stories are the same across our planets, translated words describing the same thing, tall, long lives, able to speak any language after hearing a few words, great feats that defy logic.  They’ve clearly had some kind of power perceived by the natives that took them to the heights of gods. Obviously it was some kind of advanced power, but to know that it was so long ago, and suddenly they all vanished. It does take quite a feat to only leave stories of your existence, and only strange gem stones what else have we. One thing that stands out which concerns me: The subject, Aradi. Fits the behavior patterns, lives beyond that of a human being, her youth is still intact, but the only difference is her hair color…. It’s blue, strange”
“If it’s a disguise, it’s a poor one indeed” 

“No matter, if the subject fails us, we simply erase and continue the project with the other asset”
“He is on route to Gantun now, correct?”
“Yes, he will steal the artifact amongst other things” 

“Good, I’d say this meeting was rather productive”