Claria's Homeland [Open]

After more than a few arguments and altercations with the Kayuratan officials that stayed in their comfortable offices and board rooms high in the upper levels of the Central Hub, Amyas Raeburn finally gained the freedom to move about the city as he desired. Yes, Module 7 was a great place to start his search in the city what with its rather large thriving population and the very obvious discontent for Kayurata’s presence, it did not serve to satisfy his personal curiosity of the rest of the city. Besides, it was not like he could not have said that he found evidence to support the theory of uprising against Kayurata. That was obvious to anyone who even remotely knew of what transpired on Acionna’s Sorrow. It was not a hidden fact that there were factions and groups of people who opposed the iron fist that ruled the ocean city with a death grip, which was why he wanted access to more of the city.

Why would a government hire mercenaries at the expensive of their own money to seek out evidence of rebels when it was painfully obvious that they existed? It was quite abundantly clear that they did exist since there were always propaganda fliers thrown around the streets, scrambled transmissions sent to the populace from hidden locations, and the occasional gunfight that ensued in the various districts. So, why then was there a need for the mercenaries when the soldiers could have went in and cleared every house in a crackdown on their own terms?

These questions and many others like it caused the personal curiosity to well up and boil over in Amyas’ mind. He already had doubts in accepting the contract, and it was not as if he was short on money so that was not too much of a factor. So why was he here?

It doesn’t matter, he mentally muttered as he pushed a branch to the side to pass through the rather thick and dense forest that he found himself in. Granted, Module 5 was one giant forest that had been overgrown by foliage and plant life. The wildlife that was found here had also reclaimed the module in the form of feral animals that were once pets and fish that had found refuge in the flooded sections of the module after bulkheads failed. He found solace in it, however, as the natural reclamation of one of mankind’s greatest engineering achievements was somewhat comforting. The return to the natural state of life was a reminder to the veteran combatant, something sobering and refreshing as he navigated through the forest in his flight suit, the face shield of his helmet remaining opaque for the time being.

It was said that the systems that were designed to monitor and control the growth and reproduction of plant life malfunctioned. A failure in the life support system seemed to coincide with the event that forced the residents to flee and gave what life remained free reign over Module 5. Now as Amyas walked around the overgrown central opening of the module, there seemed to only be bushes that engulfed entire façades of old structures and trees whose branches fanned out in a network of intertwined bark and leaves. Heavy growths of moss and lichen ate away at metal and concrete in their endless efforts to tear away at all things artificial. Even as each step he made on the soft floor of plants tore away at the strata with the treads of his boots, there remained a persistent layer of soil beneath as if the plant growth had been around for millennia rather than mere decades. Again, Amyas found himself in awe of the ocean city and how even a malfunctioning and decrepit system was beneficial for something so natural and untamed. Nature always found its course, after all.

The pilot allowed himself to get lost in thought and wonder of his surroundings while also maintaining a sense of alertness about himself. In a supposedly abandoned section of the city, Amyas believed that something living still existed. Even a domesticated dog turned into a vicious and territorial beast when left alone for generations, after all.

What was Amyas intending to find in this place? Was he simply here to enjoy the scenery of some natural green in an otherwise rundown and decrepit rust bucket that barely stayed afloat, or was he truly searching for something else entirely to somehow validate his reasoning for coming to Acionna’s Sorrow? Was there really a need for an answer? He supposed not since he accepted the contract on the terms and conditions set forth by the Kayuratan government with intentions to “root out the oppressive evil that constantly threatens the safety and wellbeing of the productive and lively people of the State of Kayurata.” Amyas shook his head and sighed as he remembered one of the lines of his contract. It was a load of absolute shite for all her cared.

His thoughts instantly fell away as his hand dropped to his thigh when the distinctive snapping sound of a twig shot out from behind one of the trees that lined the edge of the artificially contained forest before him. His hand rested on the grip of his sidearm in readiness to draw and fire should the need arise as he crept closer to the trees. His visor marked the likely point of origin of the sound with a distance marker while the rest of his suit’s sensor systems continued on in their vigilant observation of the world around him.

“If you’re a puppy, come out barking,” Amyas ordered, his voice echoing through his suit’s external sound system clearly. He did not necessarily think that anyone was around so his orders were more for him to simply fill the silent void in hopes of easing a strange sensation that suddenly took him. It was not quite fear, though it was something that held him in an uneasy state. Then again, ever since coming here he was always in an uneasy state.

Amyas gripped his sidearm tightly in readiness to draw the weapon, though kept it in the holster for the time being. Not having expected a reply at all, the pilot found himself in a bit of a bewildered moment at the reply he did receive. Not only was it surprising that someone actually replied, but the voice that the reply came from was a curious note. Sweetly feminine and pleasingly tender was the voice even as it shook in the nervous state that the person was in. Still, commanding and womanly, possibly a person who was not unfamiliar with the guerilla war that constantly roared in the other modules and the central hub, which then begged the question: Was Module 5 untouched by war?

“Just a random tourist gone for a bit of sight-seeing,” Amyas responded in the sarcastic manner that he used when in an unknown situation. “I didn’t think anyone lived here anymore.”

Amyas stood anxiously in the moment of silence that came after his reply, his hand adjusting its grip on his sidearm not out of preparation for action but more for comfort to ease his excited nerves. He glanced around him for a moment to ensure that there was nothing else around him and in an attempt to find any other hidden creature that may have been about. When his attention returned forward, his eyes came upon the woman that revealed herself from behind a tree. Fabric of a darkened forest green hung loosely off her body, modestly covering her body though affording her movement necessary to navigate the thick overgrowth of plants. In her hand, the woman held firmly to a spear that seemed more suitable for hunting prey than it did for defending against a soldier that may have been potentially armed and armoured. Amyas supposed it was possible to defeat an armoured soldier with it, but then again, from what he had seen thus far, was there really need for such worries in this module?

However, this thought was not what struck hardest at the pilot’s attention. Instead, what caught his attention the most was the gleaming metal that caught the light that shown through the broken bulkheads to reveal the sunny skies on high. Wrapped around the woman’s legs was a system of metal servos, supports, and frames that seemed quite connected to her body. Exeskeleton systems were a common sight, but to find someone other than a government figure or a soldier in this deteriorated and dilapidated city wearing them was something of a strange and curious interest.

“I suppose,” Amyas replied, the visor of his helmet highlighting and noting the exoskeleton system that the woman wore, though try as it might, his suit was unable to identify the model or maker of the system. Was that a surprise though? After all, it could have been machined by the woman that wore them, bringing up even more questions than the thought answered.

“I don’t imagine it’s any safer here than it is in the Central Hub. A guide might also be useful…”