Freedom Wars

"Sinners! A new operation is available from you accessory. This operation will be handled differently though, as those who are fit and able to commit to it will be required to undertake this operation. Those who cannot must go towards the medical bay to receive a pass as for the rest you will be taken to the northern border to help protect the Rangers as they investigate a crash in the region. All signs point to this not being one of our crafts and not a missile attack. Anything you are able to bring that is of worth to us will be paid for with years and credits by double. We will compensate for this forced mission anyone that chooses to abandon or refuse will be immediately executed. We expect good work and the entire cell will also be inspected while you are gone. If anything is found of illegal purposes will cost you more years to your sentence and will take entitlements away. Be warned again that this is of highest importance."

Ari watched as the man left the balcony high above the massive hall. She could see the numerous amount of people exiting from the opposite side of the wall from their cells and coming down though the numerous amount of metallic staircases. Even if they weren't there to listen to the speech it was undoubtedly transmitted through the numerous radios or screens throughout their rooms. Would be hard to broadcast to the entirety of all the cells with this one being only one of twenty six it was odd though to see them actually report to your block in specific but most just chose to believe they rolled a dice to determine which lot would be required to do the hardest of tasks.

She only returned to eating her soup as she watched others go towards their weapon caches and armorers to equip themselves. Of course like anything that ran in the city those that accomplished a lot and acquired a lot would get the best equipment with the money they had to pay. Survival was based solely on your skills alone and while many would even trade years for credits you would lose them quickly if you weren't carrying your weight. It provided a cruel but efficient system. Those that couldn't support themselves and get the worst of equipment would die. Though those that provided the most would often times live. Sometimes it didn't really matter though as complications always occurred and arming people whom were treated by society to be criminals often created conflict. Before she could finish drinking her broth she heard a voice behind her speak.

"Makes you wish we lived a couple centuries ago, huh?"

Ari turned to see a woman with metallic eyes. It was common to augment the body since many people would potentially lose limbs or body parts. If you had enough money you could even just pay to upgrade yourself. Some people viewed it as a necessary way to live. To extend your life but others still have negative views against those that were not as human as everyone else. It was also at times people considered to make the weak viable but Ari knew that this woman wasn't someone who really needed it but something she had to pay for from losing with some fight with a Ranger.

"Still remember the first time I earned a hundred credits and used it to pay for pictures of the world beforehand. They looked amazing. Pictures of tons of waters, everything so green and even places that were covered in ice. If only we could have lived during that time I would have been a millionaire. There must have been so much if they couldn't harvest it all and with ice being insanely expensive you could run an entire economy off that." She seemed to think of her own world before nodding towards the machines. "Should probably go soon. Apparently this is important and don't want to explode in here or they might bring me back to life just to kill me again because I made a mess in here." The woman teased as she walked away towards the machines.

Ari finished before placing her bowl at the center of the table where it was handled by a machine to collect it inside. It calculated how much waste was left in the bowl. Only a few droplets but it soon calculated and added a couple days to her sentence. Life was hard here nothing could be wasted but as she heard the bellows to gather at the drop ships she began to prepare herself for what to come.

There wasn't a day that didn't go by that Nyx didn't have her hands full. Whether it was tightening a bolt on an arm or making gears of the clock at the center of town click with a tenth more accuracy than last time or if it was repairing a mecha pup's paw as it whimpered across the course gravel. Nyx was not without something to do. And for her, this is what she needed, it kept her mind off of whatever job the Sinners were facing next. Nyx knew it was a harsh world outside of the wall, it didn't take her long to scale it, see the tippy top at the age of five. It was dismal. Sand and debris far as the eye could see. After that day, when local Ranger pulled her down and added 3 months of her father's service, Nyx kept her head down and her hands busy.

She picked up mechanics with ease, finding there to be a simplicity of a cog going here and a bolt going there. There was a place for everything and in the world they lived in that kind of philosophy was unheard of. Nyx's first job had been at 13, she'd been an assistant a sour but soft-spoken old man who had more arthritis in his hands that most people in the city had missing limbs. His tutelage, or his throwing her mech against the wall, had been what got her the label of best mechanic in the entire city. Because, while the teaching had been harsh, she learned and learned fast.

Being the proclaimed 'Best Mechanic of the City" was no joke. Maybe in another era, it would have been scoffed at, with an eye roll and a smirk. But in the era that Nyx lived if you didn't have money than having a trade meant everything, especially when not having a beneficial trade meant living as a Sinner. Her shop was right by the prison, she even had a separate door just for the Sinners to pop in for a repair, which they did time and time again. It was good business, if not a little dismal. She knew folk who got more years to their service as Sinners just because they didn't have time to find work elsewhere. It was easy to say she pitied them, but she knew the fine line that everyone stood on. One too many mistakes and she'd been out there floating in the wind, just like the felt of them.

Nyx didn't like to think about that. Her father had risked life and limb so that his family, i.e. her, would not be in debt at the time of his death. Through perseverance and pure luck, he achieved that. Nyx shook her head solemnly, it had been five years, but some pains never passed. She wiped oil from her forehead and looked squarely at the metal laying limp on her table. It was an easy enough repair, but the last screw didn't seem to want to go in. She sighed. Fucking thing needed to be replaced in its entirety. She began to take the machinery apart and scowled as her thoughts were interrupted by static coming from a screen to her right. She rolled her chair to it and fiddled with the buttons. She had zeroed in on the signal and listened to the newest task given to the Sinners. Nyx wasn't sure why she listened in, well, she had one reason but that was a lost cause from the moment she'd watch her sink into the walls of the prison. Regardless, she frowned as she listened. This didn't sound good. But it also meant repairs and business, which was a plus for her.

Nyx separated the pieces of metal, tossing the bolts into a bucket, the cogs into a can until all that was left was scrap metal. She wiped down the table and picked at a fleck of dry paint with her dirty nails. She waited for the new customers that were bound to come at any moment.

As if on time the sound of heavy footsteps greeted her door, each step seemed meticulous. It seemed they cared to waste as little resources as possible as the man walked through her doors followed by a few wearing dark clothes and silver equipment. It was very simple to tell the Rangers from the Sinners. As sinners used technology which was often built from whatever they could obtain the Rangers were orderly, covered in whatever necessities they needed and even at times had weapons before the age of dust. It wasn't the Rangers who were the focus as the man who had recently just spoken on the screen looked down at her. His features were softer than what had appeared on the broadcast. Though, it wasn't a doubt he was a man of war with the horrors of such things carrying in his eyes. His hair was graying and his skin grew pale the only thing that seemed to show any sign of life was the way he stood. He was old but his towering frame and built body seemed to be able to at least keep up with those around him. He gave no sign of weakness or a feeble mind and as he began to speak he did so politely to her.

"We are meeting with those whom require to undertake the current task and among those that were chosen you have become one of them."

He seemed to at least let her absorb the information before continuing on. "Knowing your skill, we value your ability and your work. People who can contribute with knowledge and abilities weigh much more compared to those whom are simply soldiers or janitors. We wish you to be with the technical front with some rangers. You will also be offered a group of Sinners to protect you. You may even choose if you wish if that calms your nerves. Your focus though will be to go onto the ground level and to identify whatever has landed at our borders. It is of utmost importance that we send someone with experience out there and unfortunately the government will not allow me to send their sons or daughters for the task which is why I have turned to you." The man motioned for one of his guards toward Nyx. "This is Metrac. One of our finest Rangers, he will survey your studies and assure communications back to our city. If there is anything you wish to ask for do so. I will compensate you by removing half of your sentence with this task when you return and if you have any currency we can offer you any equipment you may need of course." The General looked at her as the sounds of more footsteps continued to be heard. "So will you be fine with this task?" The General waited for her response.

Nyx leaned back in her chair. It was an understatement to say she was shocked by the offer, command, suggestion? Nyx wasn't precisely sure, but removing half of her years on a sentence that she generally didn't like to think about was a big plus. She fiddled with a small mecha, twisting the screws in a distraction to this direct offer that came out of no where. Though, Nyx knew it wasn't an offer, and she wouldn't have an oppotunity to say no without receiving a unwelcome cost. She looked at the General considerably, she wondered what had brought him to her door. Sure, she was well-known for her natural talent, but most Rangers didn't pay her any mind, they had different tech, tech that seemingly could fix itself. She sighed and stopped fiddling with the mech.

"Alright, I'll accept this task or whatever it is that you say." She said smoothly, she wanted to be clear, so that there was no misinterpretation to with what she was saying. "And I have a few Sinners that are worth bringing along." She said. Her mind briefly drifted to another, hoping that she'd be there among the rest of the troops of Sinners. Nyx couldn't imagine doing anything without her. She cleared her throat and ran a hand through her jet black hair that had become stiff from the oil and gease of the workshop. "And what exactly should I expect? Do ships reach our boarders often?" She had to ask, she wanted to know what she was getting into. Most never saw the outside walls unless they had the misfortune of being a full time Sinner. She wasn't exactly thrilled by the idea of going out there even if some days the pure curiosity of it drove her mad. She stood up and uncrossed her arms to shake hands with the General, before dropping it and wiping grease from her palm onto her pants and returning the hand to be shaken for a deal.