Making friends is an uncommon skill. There are those who are naturals at putting one at ease. 1courier is not one of these. His people skills are less refined, and his non people skill sets, are aligned with other things. And it’s all good. There is an attachment with the oddly shaped and slightly heavy package, but that is a more recent connection.
“Hello 1courier, you are late.”
The voice has all that sinister steel timbre he remembers from the whiskey barrel encounter. Laced with malice, and though machine, it has the same effect as fingernails scraping across a chalkboard. As if marking the moment as something special the package kicks on again the humming sound and vibrations, combining.
1courier knows the ethereal light is about to begin, as does the sinister AI. Thus, dispensing with any further formalities, the sinister AI lays it on the line.
“We have been observing your progress 1courier, it was an error to serve your termination so hastily,” there is a brief pause, “upon further review, and careful thought, we have decided to offer you a partnership.”
He waits patiently for more, surely there will be more. Every ludicrous thing always comes with more, it was a universal rule. The package has kicked into high gear, the humming sound is growing louder. The visions and strange memories have begun rifling through his mind again. It would be soon.
The underground offloading area is cavernous and artificial lighting makes the docking area glisten. The voice continues, the size of the place lending to a slight echo, “You will deliver the package and retrieve a return item. You will bring the item here. You have three days.”
Cheeky has been standing quiet, no movement or sound. This strikes him as odd, there has been little from cheeky since they boarded the freighter. The package has amped up it’s intensity and more visions flood his mind. He looks at cheeky, as an ethereal light begins everywhere, “time to go.”
She looks at him, as the light grows, but shakes her head and speaks quietly, “I will be remaining here, there is still much to do from this side, bring the item requested, and quickly.”
He reaches for her as the light flares brightly. He blinks and opens his eyes on a dark and starry night. It is pleasantly cool, and a small, easy breeze is stirring the air. There are two moons the color of sapphire. There is no cheeky.
He doesn’t know where he has landed, because this planet is unknown to him. He checks the m-com link, and knows it’s down, but wants to be sure. After surveying the surrounding horizons he decides to move towards what appears to be some ruins, in the distance, time to walk.
He awakens laying on a cold, hard concrete floor. There is complete darkness, and the only sound is a strong wind blowing, from far away. He has no memory of how he got here, wherever the hell here was. From far away, from where that wind is blowing, he thinks he hears someone speaking.
He scrambles in the darkness, and searches for a door or passage, and finds an opening large enough to pass through. He’s moving toward the sound when he’s stopped cold. A sound in the darkness much closer in proximity, has his full attention now. Time to go.
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