Story Reader / Interlude / Treasure / Story
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All that was left of the Riot form was warped metal and broken circuitry. Some of its systems were still functioning, enough to shed ominous light through the dents and gashes in its carapace, but nothing else.
It's abnormal for Commandant to not respond. Murol, Xun, we're pulling out.
My orders transmitted, I sheathed my blade and dashed for the rear, stopping only when I noticed the absence of following footfalls.
Murol? Xun?
—
In the aftermath of the battle, only Riot was left.
The EM noose was still wound tightly around the non-functional hulk, but the Constructs who bound it in the first place were nowhere to be found.
Now is not the time for games. Report!
Something frustrating in me ticked. My growl of frustration echoed in the empty field.
Murol! Xun!
I searched everywhere, even tearing down the equipment they've set up to look for data echoes, but there was nothing. Not even a whisper.
Right, Hiro was here too. His channel is...
————
...Empty?
Not even a reminder of a failed connection. The channel was empty, the address vacant. My unasked questions fell on absent ears.
What is happening...
Ugh…
Still with us, Lucia? I was asking for your opinion on your new teammates, Lee and Liv.
There are other unallocated Constructs. By merit of your performance, I'll allow you to cycle through them until you find the right candidates.
The battlefield, the Riot, was gone. Only Commander Nikola stands in front of me, an open file in his hand, his gaze expectant as I ponder the future of Gray Raven.
No... they will form the backbone of Gray Raven.
They are who we're looking for.
...Hmph, so be it. Consider them part of Gray Raven from this day forward.
It was only after the Commander left that I released an unintentionally held breath. I backed up against the wall, M.I.N.D. reeling at the pain of rampant destabilization.
Every time I recall this specific memory, the data is always so scrambled to the point that my retrieval process glitches, skipping ahead to the days leading up to my first meeting with Commandant.
Though it may not be much to go on, I do have my theories...
Theories on Luna, my past teammates, Commandant...
The Lucia they knew...
...could not be the me right now.
