Chapter 1:
"Good morning y'all how's everyone doing today on this lovely morning~!" Came the thundering roar of the man coming through the doorway. His voice booming off the metal walls surrounding him echoing off into the corridor and the open space before him. many who heard it filched from the sudden outburst.
"Geez we get it boss, sheesh no need to scream so early in the morning." A man's voice groaned. Holding the palm of his hands against his ears.
"Ain t nothing wrong with trying to live in the moment. You guys are all getting too gloomy as of late. Come on what happened to the fiery passion of adventuring to explore the unknown~! Does that not still excite your soul lads!"
"That was months ago boss, when we were foolish and hopeful." One of the few souls within the chambers retorted. Others murmured in agreement with hear-hear, along with other remarks.
"Good luck getting any of those 10,000 meters down in the ocean." Another young male answered in turn.
"Ah come on (Bolan) don't be so pessimistic all the time live it up a little." The first man turned his attention to the final disagreeing voice, addressing the second man who responded. The man in question being a young lad. His lean features seemingly unsullied by time. Deceivingly hiding the truth of his age being in his late twenties. Bolan didn't even turn his sight away from the holo device that he held in his hand as he responded back.
"It's not pessimistic if its facts." (Bolan) retorted, his fingers swiped at the datapad. Eyes fixated on the information displayed there, drinking in each detail. The voices in the background faded behind his mind, even as the batter between the men seemed to dim. How long has it been now? Bolan thought to himself. Truthfully, he knew the answer. It had only been just a few months since he had joined the crew. Though he felt like years had passed for him. It was the fault of no one here, it was solely how he perceived time now. Some of his gifts he realized now came be such negative effects especially in times like now. If there wasn't going to be any chances he felt as though he might lose his mind. As if some force in the universe had heard his wish.
A single chimed then blared throughout the facility they were currently in. At that everyone stood up nearly as one. That was the signal for work to commence. Thus, they all made their way toward their destination. However, this raised another chatter from the workers even kept moving. One that didn't raise any sense of enjoyment. Not out of laziness but~.
[All pilots prepare for dive, I repeat all pilots suit up and prepare for dive.] a single sentence was issued, it rang on repeating for another minute.
"This better not be a hoax." One the men grumbled his face contorted in a scowl. Almost as if he didn't believe what he was hearing.
"Whatever it is they think they've found it's going to be a false alarm again. How many times has it been this month alone?" Another man groaned yet still he rose with swiftness that denied the disagreement in his tone. Bolan went along with the crowd, there was only just the one destination that they all were heading towards. That destination being a locker room. As the workers all made their way inside, locating their own individual lockers. They began the process of doffing the fatigues they wore.
(Bolan) sighed as he undressed, doffing off his work drapes till he was fully nude. Placing his clothes into the locker. Reaching for the only other articles within. Removing it from the rack, revealing it to be a single piece of clothing. Holding it out in front of him. A body skin suit mesh with clearly indicates hidden wirings and machine components, packed in between the thin fabrics. He held up the suit gazing upon it. His thoughts headed towards a direction he didn't expect himself to. 'Pity there aren't any women here.' (Bolan) commented in the back of his mind. 'Then again.' he thought. 'If there were any women there would be chaos.' The work itself was stressful enough as it was. There wasn't any need to make it more troublesome, they were in hots water enough.
The rest of the team was now in the process of donning their own suits. So (Bolan) quickly processed to don the skin suit. Pulling the suit over his limbs the material of the suit. Pulling the suit over his form. Once donned the suit lung loosely over his skin. He then flipped a switch near the base of the collar neck brace. With a hiss of compressed air, the suits shape began to change. The original loose-fitting suit shrunk, pressing itself against (Bolan) own body outline his form. Also, nearly too erotic for his taste, but that was how the suit is. (Bolan) long had become accustomed to the suit design that was its design. He then went over the routine motions to test the suit. Flexing his fingers, rotating his limbs. Testing the functionality of the suit. He saw no or felt any flaws in his suit nor does the system have any error. There was no need to delay any further and went about his way out of the locker room.
Sometime later.
[All technicians finish final inspections; operators prepare to suit up.] a loudspeaker boomed through space around them. Repeating the same command. Walking through a long pale white corridor, the group had all donned the necessary equipment, primarily the suit they now wore. At the noise, several of the nearby operators noticeably flinched at that but no more than that. Hearing the booming voice echoing off the steel wall makes it almost impossible not to react. The claustrophobic sensation giving the illusion that the one speaking was right beside them. It no longer bothered most of the occupants, having lived in the facility for over a year now. It just made having small talk more difficult without having someone hearing every single word one was to say.
It wasn't until a minute or two before they've reached the end of the corridor. The parade emerged through the tunnel into a massive hanger bay space. This chamber was more spacious than the others the workers occupied. It was by far the largest space in the entire facility compound. The hums and roars of engines and machinery echoed off every corner of space. All sorts of machines, platforms and workstations littered and decorated the area. Everything and everyone in that vicinity flesh or Synectic was hard at work.
[All Teams prepare final preparations and mount up.] The command blared through the comms speakers.
Walking up to the platform that was assigned to him, Bolan walked slowly over to the structure that lay before him. Two mechanics stood on either side of a mechanical platform, without a word (Bolan) situated himself at the center of his designated space. Within moments of planting his foot down, gears shifted panels not visible before opened unveiling its hidden contents. This was no simple platform but a multi-axis assembly, constructed in a fashion similar to Leonardo Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man illustration, or an aerotrim.
Behind Bolan at the central point a circular frame emerged from the base. Revealing to be a central Gyro Mount containing handles and footholds for (Bolan) to stand inside, with a backrest to lean on. Before then the Gyro Ring attached its top frame to the ceiling via a Raised Dual-Ring Mooring and a Reactive Spindle Canopy. Causing (Bolan) who had stepped into the Gyro Mount mechanism assembly to lean back while holding him in place. His feet planted down upon the footholds, hands gripping the handle. As the machine roared to life, more parts of the mechanism unveiled itself as, revealing its package within its storage. Segmented components of what appears to be armor plates along with the interior mechanisms. As segmented component parts began to fix itself via the multiple utility actuator arms mounted to the mooring upon (Bolan)'s body. The mechanics then processed to do their part. To help attach and assemble these components, the mechanics each held a powered multi-tool capable of grabbing and manipulating the individual armor pieces.
The article being fitted upon (Bolan)'s body was a simple but bulky Worker Loader; a power armored suit model resembling that of an ancient warrior knight of old. A common tool in today's society from construction work to even combat role for the military. As there does exist power armor that only the military utilizes, however those were of a different class compared to the suit held in pieces and suspended by the platform. The size and bulk of some types of armor before and during the Great War required frequent training to don efficiently.
Thankfully seniors' members in the company like Bolan as well as the mechanics, had the luxury experience of donning such a complex suit effectively and efficiently. Constant drills allowed early members of the military the skill to be able to complete the task in just one minute. Though that still doesn't factor in on a suit's material nor the user's experience it could take three to twenty minutes to suit up.
After the last few minutes of system checks and connecting interior components. The suit then powered up with a slight hum of its built-in generator. Then near the base of his head, a jolt of pain shot through his head then spine. Just briefly, and then it was gone. Replaced by a soothing sensation of power. Flowing into (Bolan) like a lovers embrace. Now fully suited up, (Bolan) felt () through the suits noninvasive neural link. The suit didn't feel like a cumbersome piece of equipment overlapping his body. Instead, it felt like a part of him, like a secondary skin of metallic muscles and sinew. Acutely feeling the sensation of the joints and the cooling breeze upon surface plating armor. Everything was due to the complexity of the suits. The inflex of data streams told him everything that he needed. Though anyone can always agree, one can never be too sure.
[All teams form up.] Soon afterward another command was issued which blared through the area. Everyone by this point was suited up and ready. Thunk-thunk came the chorus of multiple metal boots hitting the steel floor.
Once assembled before the elevated balcony all Worker Loader teams and mechanical stood at attention and waited. High above a figure was slowly making their way to the near center point of the gallery. It was a man. An elderly man, one that seemed to be in his late fifties. Truthful for those who knew him, he was in his sixties. He was the head superintendent of this company. Line Ark is a multinational organization, comprised of mostly veterans. Thus, all employers of all backgrounds congregated here. And that man though set in life choose to apply for the position here. (Henry Varro) was his name, everyone here knew it. Almost no one in the entire world knew this man's name.
To the people of Line Ark, Bolan included, he was no exception to this fact. He wasn't just an old timer. He is the Old Man, a beloved hero of the War. Not just a hero. The hero. For the man is ancient, and he looks every hour of his age. What keeps him on his feet is a mixture of harsh training, and a fury within his heart that outshined his dwindling candlelight of life. The old man stood proud and tall. His stern yet not unkind features displayed upon the multiple holo feed screen, projected throughout the chamber.
His eyes surveyed the gathered assembly; his eyes seemed to gaze through the people below. Seeping through their mortal frames and into their souls. Such was the intensity of his gaze. Then he began to speak.
"For years we have fought like the packs of barbaric tribe men against one another in ages past. We thought ourselves better than our forebears as time progressed. No atter how much technology has improved our lives, nor how much more civilized we as a species had become. There lies one singular truth that hasn't changed in the flow of time. Violence and war rang in our blood, ideas and beliefs divided us. Now our world is damaged."
Another feed began to play alongside Henry Varro's face. Showcasing what he was trying to imply. A desolate wasteland filled the live feed. With barely any sign of vegetation. Then came the ruins, the many great metropolis reduced to rubble. Only a fraction of that number still stands.
That was the state of the world now.
It's the dawn of a new age, if only that was true. Anyone who would say such things would be fools. Rightfully so. There is no new dawn for humanity, not in this age. It's the late 27th century, humanity was on the brink of destruction. The world was dying, due to the aftermath of the devastating World War six or the Armageddon War. A conflict that not even the last five recorded records of world wars combined, was just as devasting. The war truly brought out the worst in humanity, resulting in forbidden unspeakable horrors unveiled into the world.
Due to that, it resulted in the outcome that humanity finds itself in now. Resources became scarce and it had become a trial to build new technologies. Yet the war still raged on. Mechanized armored warriors in plate armor once again strode out onto the battlefield. Replacing the many horrors that once stalked the battlefield. The era of warriors had emerged once again. The age of armored plate warriors taking to the field yet again. To raise efforts for the war these armored warriors were dubbed as national icons and heroes. Becoming the faces of their respective countries or corporations they fought for. All for the fame and wealth they accumulated during that time.
That was until the war had finally ended. The public doesn't know how, but the war ended. One final devasting event that put the war to rest. Along with the lives of nearly five billion human lives. The survivors of the conflict rose up to a new challenge. In the pursuit of peace and survival of humanity. To hold onto whatever scraps of civilization humanity had left, the nations around the world forgo their differences, even nationality. Becoming one unified people, though the individual cultures and countries persist. The rise of companies such as Line Ark rose in response to the crippling needs of the world. Though sadly unlike other such global conglomerates, Line Ark has been falling behind being unable to produce satisfying results for the last few years. So much so many upon the United Supreme Council, is debating upon shutting down project Ark. Deeming it as a waste of precious resources, redirecting it towards the other projects.
All the while Henry Varro continued to speak. Explaining their purpose and the goals of their mission etc-etc. For this expedition was not just a (), it was now also a last-ditch effort for the people of () to prove their worth in their continued existence. The feed played on, and more propaganda was projected in the holo-feed. Bolan, however, didn't pay any heed to it. His eyes may have been focused on the screens, but his mind was elsewhere. Another set of visuals was playing right before his eyes. Things that weren't there, however, in his mind it was. The visuals were consuming everything he saw, nothing but the imagery that now seek overtake his mind.
Admis it all a sound, no, a voice someone was speaking. Listening closer it spoke only one word. Bolan knew that word, it repeated over and over again. It was his name. the pitch getting higher with each notion.
Bolan-Bolan-Bolan! Then suddenly like breaking free of an illusionary spell. The visons ceased. The true noise of his surroundings has returned. Bolan concealed eyes hidden behind the photonlenses of his suit's armored helmet. Could see the facility before him again. His heartbeat loudly in his eardrums, his breathing was sparatic. Bolan paid no heed to these, as his attention was drawn to the source that pulled him back to real space.
"Bolan hey you alright?" Dean, one of the mechanics who tend to him, standing beside Bolan's now larger metallic frame. Puny in comparison to the armored giant that was Bolan was whispering just audibly enough to for his suits to receive, that seemed to fail as he had also been taping at Bolan suit with a socket wrench.
"You started jerking like you were having a seizure or something."
"I'm." Bolan started his voice shaking but steadily himself to sound calmer. "I'm Fine, just tired these schedules has been rough lately. I've haven't been getting any good sleep."
Dean's questioning gazed populated on section of the HUD display from the suit external cameras. Clearly indicating he didn't buy that answer.
"You." Dean started but held his tongue soon after. Due to the fact the speech the old man had been given had reach its end. As the crowd around them bellowed out roars. Drowning out any hope of finishing his words.
"Glory and Unity~!" The old man proclaimed loudly through the projections. His fist clenched, pumping it high up above his head as he roared out.
"Glory and Unity~!" Answered the call of hundreds of thousands of voices. Then came the call, it was finally time to get to work.
[All Teams prepare to drop!]
Now the bay was drowned in a sea of noise once again. Orders were shouted, footfalls clambering on the metal deck. All rushing to complete their duties.
[Team one prepare to dive~.] the command repeated through the loudspeaker. Blaring through the chorus of voice and serins rebounding everywhere.
That was his cue, Bolan stepped forward towards his assigned position along with the members that he was part of.
"We'll discuss this later!"
Dean's voice blared into his helmets comms the suit external augments picking up his voice. Bolan gave a wave behind him acknowledging, yet not ceasing in his motion as soon came upon his position among the formation of armored giants standing upon a platform. Serins blared
[Watergate is now opening Team one brace, lowering platform.] With a rumbling and tremor, then came roar of abused gears and machinery put to work. The floor then began to sink the group now found themselves sealed within an empty corridor after the ceiling closed above them.
More alarms echoed; everyone knew the drill. Water soon came pouring through the openings, flooding the whole space in a matter of minutes. An influx of new data streams across the HUD of Bolan helmet. All the systems' indicators were green with no signs of any faults detected yet. No leaks nor breaches found.
[All port door opening, brace for pressure change."] Not a second after that was said over the comms the wall before them slowly unveiled
[Let's go.]
The group moved.
Stepping through the portal (Bolan) braced himself for the change in pressure and sensation. The cold water instantly of the outside world swept over him. Wading into the outside waters before the suit's thrusters flared, propelling them through the water.
["All call signs this is Mustang Leader comms check over."]
["Mustang 1-1 Lima Charlie over."]
Mustang 2-2 Lima Charlie over. Bolan response after his command team lead. Following this, others of the team answered in sequence.
[Mustang 3-3 loud and clear over.]
[Mustang 4-4 I read you Mustang Leader.]
On and on the chat continued once all the operators of the team had responded the team lead spoke again.
["Mustang Leader to HQ all units are accounted we're now heading towards point alpha now.]