Meeting the team

It took a surprisingly short time to travel to this Donavore. Presumably because it was close in the first place. Perhaps this Mainframe wanted people in the local area so she didn't have to arrange for FTL travel.

Even though it's common enough nowadays it's still expensive and hard to find a good enough pilot that they can run an FTL craft. Anyway now that I've arrived I take a look out the window down below. Though it's just a holographic projection on the window because obviously you can't have actual windows on a space ship or it'd be way too fragile. I guess some people have them but they quickly end up dead or never use it so they don't really matter.

Touching down in the craft I notice the building that we're landing near and several similar transport ships either in the sky or as specs in the distance. Presumably they were picked up the same way I was and are going to arrive after me. It's nice to know I'll be the first one to arrive I suppose. Gives me time to get a good lay of the land.

Speaking of, the only thing I can see here is gravel, salt and one giant temple like structure that's clearly had the years take a toll on it. The once what I believe to be shining white exterior is now a dull grey covered in dust and salt from the nearby landscape. The majestic holiness of the structure now lost to time as it looks as though it'd been through the battle of time.

Some of the outside walls were cracked or had small holes where something was thrown at it at tremendous speed. Presumably this was a rock in a storm or something similar. Once I start looking for them I spot similar holes or dents everywhere on the structure. Similarly the wooden doors that once would've looked large and perhaps a little intimidating now just look worn down and out of energy.

When I step off the ship and get a closer look at the doors as I approach them I notice that parts of the wood making up the door is splintering. Even the metal ring like handles on the door appear to be rusted. This is a ridiculous sight in today's day and age. Even something that was left for years wouldn't get this bad.

How long had this temple been abandoned? It had to be a few decades maybe more. Yet this is the area you want to have a secretive meeting? I push on the door just to check that it didn't creak under the weight of my hand. Surprisingly I didn't hear a sound and pulling my hand away I felt none of the stinging pain of the splinters I got when my training doll was shattered.

Hoping that perhaps the structure was more… structured than I gave it credit for I grabbed the ring like protrusion on the door and turned. Now I heard a creaking sound. Regardless I ignored the fear that perhaps the building would crash onto me and pushed the door.

The creaking of the handle got louder and the groaning of the door made it sound like millions of wailing souls were right in front of me. I ignored the chill running up my spine just like the fear and stepped inside. Surprisingly the place was tidy.

Or I suppose it wasn't surprising when you think about it. After all the place wasn't so much tidy as it was empty. A massive empty room with a single table and chairs in the middle. The table looked incredibly out of place, like an anachronism. It lit up with the lights of electricity and the cables powering it appeared to be managed rather neatly as they ran across the floor and were taped to it so no one could trip on them.

They were also away from anywhere that could be used as an entrance proving that whoever put this here had a meticulous personality or just knew what they were doing. Perhaps in this case it was both.

The table was hexagonal in shape and the top of it appeared to be made of a sort of plastic like material while the rest was a metal I couldn't quite identify. It was clearly high tech and an utter mismatch for the surroundings of this dingy temple.

The chairs too were a sort of anachronism. They were customised to suit the needs of the team I presumed given that there was a hole in the back of one of the chairs for a tail and another had a similar hole but bigger.

So we have two beastkins on the team. Doesn't tell me much but oh well. I decided to sit down on the chair I was assigned. Or at least In assumed it was my assigned seat since all the ones other than the beastkin specialised chairs were probably for the rest of us. So I sat in the first seat I saw and looked around for this Mainframe character. Even though I'm here no one is here to welcome me.

That's probably a bit rude but presumably someone will be using this table so I'll just have to sit here and wait for everyone to arrive. I didn't have to do much waiting for someone to arrive but it wasn't who I was expecting.

The big wooden doors that I came through just a minute ago groaned once more and this time I could see what was causing the groaning. Not the person coming through the door just yet but I could see that the groaning was actually the wood grinding against the stone floor. I guess in a way there were wailing souls.

The wailing soul of the door as it gets ground down just by being opened and closed. I would've loved to save the door by just leaving the door open but the outside air was just a bit too violent for me. After all outside was a barren wasteland of salt and gravel. What happens with high winds in an area with small particles like that.

You get something akin to a gravel storm and that would not be great for the skin if I didn't shut the door. So unfortunately I remind myself to shut the door behind my new teammate as they enter in case they didn't as I take a look at their face.

This is where the surprise hits me, the person I see in the door is Tommy. He's certainly grown up quite a bit since I last saw him considering we were children but that's definitely Tommy. His feminine features are somewhat hard to miss after all.

His skin is pale and smooth as a baby's bottom. Actually it's probably smoother than that. That's how well he takes care of his skin. His eyes droop at the sides and it gives him a warm gentle gaze that calms anyone he looks at.

His ears are slightly longer than mine and that's natural considering he's an elf. A space elf to be exact. They're pretty common, though them being orphans is pretty rare given their racial proclivity to do everything 'in house'.

His hair is brown with highlights of blond and goes all the way down to just past his shoulders. If this was my first time meeting him I wouldn't be able to tell if he was a man or woman. Something he often takes advantage of for pranks, work and generally getting along in the world.

According to him people are more easily swayed to give him things if they think he's a beautiful woman than a guy out to shop. I can't blame him. Yet when my gaze reaches his beautiful emerald eyes instead of the familiar recognition we should be feeling or perhaps the surprise at seeing a friend here we both start laughing like there's no tomorrow.

This lasts for a little while until I eventually decide we should start talking and try to sputter out in between giggles. "Who thought I'd see you here Tommy?… Right after we had our little chat. Here… For revenge… too… hahaha" I couldn't hold in my laughter 'till the end but I think I managed well enough as I continue to laugh at our little predicament.

Honestly I came here prepared for enemy territory. To not know anyone and to find that after every corner I turn I would find some stranger just waiting to stab me in the back. So to see Tommy here is a relief to me and puts the whole situation in perspective for me. It's no longer an area of scary enemy territory now it's just a fun picnic.

"Yeah I know right? Nice seein' ya here Ams. It's been so long why I'm just delighted to see your beautiful visage. I came brimmin' with a blazin' fire of revenge and what do I find? An old acquaintance and a pleasant chat waiting for me." His voice is high pitched even through the laughter. Actually his demeanour is even more lady like than mine. He puts his hand up to his mouth to cover it while he giggles into it like a folding fan.

I don't show it on my face but no woman dislikes being complimented by an old acquaintance and Tommy knows exactly when to push my buttons in that regard. Though still squirming on the inside from the compliment I keep myself calm and rational and hopefully I keep the heat out of my cheeks.

To distract myself I take a look at what Tommy's worn to the occasion. It's a surprisingly androgynous outfit. No skirt but also no leather jacket or anything. It appears he's just wearing a hoodie and jeans. The hoodie is both blue and pink with a sort of ball in the middle that looks like it's gathering the blue and pink into a sort of energy ball.

It's a nice design and tells me exactly how Tommy is treating this. If he doesn't trust someone or believes he can get more out of them he'll come in girlish clothing. He's long got out of the habit of being embarrassed cross-dressing for work at this point.

On the other hand if he trusts everyone in attendance he'll usually wear whatever he wants. Which tends towards brighter and more masculine clothing such as a beach T-shirt and shorts. Since he's doing neither he just didn't know what to expect and is going with something androgynous so he can be prepared for all scenarios though I'd bet he didn't expect me here.

"So I take it Mainframe contacted you saying something about revenge for Soph and you immediately accepted right?" I could see the scene already. Tommy gets a message promising revenge for Sophie. He knows this is dangerous and he knows that this is likely to get him into trouble but…

Not only is he curious about this person who is using Sophie as bait but he also DOES want revenge for Sophie even if he can't do it himself. So he decides to go along despite his suspicions of danger and if anything goes wrong he'll just blame bad luck but if things go right he's got everything he wants.

Obviously he's gonna take that risk and sure enough. "Yeah you know me Mels. Can't pass up a chance like this. Even if they didn't mention Soph by name I still would'a come. I mean I wanna get back at Flux in any way I can and this is clearly a good way to do that."

Yeah. Actually it probably would've worked better if they didn't mention Soph. Since now that he knows they're in it for her or have some sort of connection to her I imagine he's mighty suspicious of who exactly this Mainframe character is.

"So any guesses yet?" I ask not expecting much. I mean sure he's suspicious but if the way they interacted with me is anything to go by they likely want to reveal as little to us as possible. Even Tommy's skills probably won't dig up anything on such short notice.

"Best leads I've got is that they're somehow connected to Sophie's company." He shrugs a little with a confused look on his face. He appears truly baffled but clearly not by the fact that they're related to Sophie. That's obvious.

"I mean the confusing thing is I'm fairly certain the company is backing this operation but it's more like they're a part of it from what I can understand. Someone is either on par with or in charge of Sophie's company and they appear to be pulling strings for this operation. I mean the building we're in now is an orphanage Frame products Ltd. just established." His confused look glances around the room we're in. The dark and empty temple looking structure with no orphans in sight.

Yeah this is fishy alright. Clearly this isn't an orphanage. I mean it might become one in the future and clearly people have been here and cleaned the place up a bit but that's it. There's no staff, no orphans and nothing that would indicate a major manufacturer of both weapons and everyday tech is part of this.

"Yeah I don't see any orphans Tommy. You sure that's right?" I might sound a little too sceptical of an old friend but it's a habit in my business. You can't trust anything at face value even if it is coming from a friend. It is still incredibly suspicious though. Even without the fact that on paper this is an orphanage this is an abandoned building on possibly an abandoned planet.

I guess you gotta hide the shadiness somewhere. "Sure as I'll ever be Ams. I investigated the records even to double check. Apparently they bought this building and the surrounding land plus the licenses for running an orphanage and whatnot all within the time after we got that call from this mysterious Mainframe character. It's truly odd." His confusion was still on his face and I could imagine why. Managing to get all this up and running after they phoned us is insane even bare bones this is quite the achievement if they have proper documentation.

"That seems suspicious in and of itself. The fact that they set this up AFTER they called us. It's almost like they didn't exist before they contacted us." My suspicions grew the more we chatted about this Mainframe. No records of them ever existing, they have a connection with Soph's company and they clearly have massive resources and a healthy amount of talent and experience.

After our little Mainframe talk we chatted about inoffensive topics and old memories for a while. I say a while but it was only half an hour or so before the next participant arrived. I didn't recognize the visitor though.

Through the creaking doors, which I'm going to call The gate of souls due to all the screaming from the floor, stepped a little girl. I say little but she's probably only 17 or 16. She has a hoodie and a pair of joggings. Both have a sort of brown/burgundy colour scheme with some white accents.

Behind her swung a tail like a metronome with a white tip and bright brown fur that appeared to be covered in salt. Under her hoodie I could also see a pair of ears with a similar colour scheme to her tail. So she's a beastkin? I thought to myself a little intrigued.

I wasn't quite sure what type of beastkin she was but it was clearly feline or canine since she had a long thin tail and ears plus no horns or wings or anything. Her face was a little like Sophie's despite being a few years younger than her. She had hazel eyes and a kind smile on her face. Despite the state her tail is in she appeared to pay it no mind.

Her hair was a similar brown to her fur but a bit darker. It was a little weird actually. I've heard that beastkin's fur can be different from their hair colour but it's a first for me to see it. It's not astronomically rare but it's still not a common trait to have.

When she turned her kind smile and child-like hazel eyes in my direction however I felt a chill go down my spine. I don't know why. But I suddenly felt like I was in life-threatening danger just by being near her. It wasn't even a matter of strength. While she seemed combat trained she wasn't quite on my level though she could probably beat Tommy if she had to.

Yet for some reason despite being stronger than her I felt an uncontrollable impulse to flee. My instincts were screaming danger and I stepped back a little. My suspicions grew when seeing my fearful reaction she didn't even blink. In fact her smile seemed to grow wider. Though it was only for a second and if it wasn't for my instinct's warning I would've dismissed it as my imagination.

I was definitely not imagining things however as I felt an aura of glee spring up around her like a blooming meadow the moment she noticed my fear. Tommy appeared to rescue me in the knick of time however. "Emily what are you doing here?" His sharp gaze and question left me stumped. He knows this madwoman? I thought to myself stunned as I looked at him.

I know Tommy can read a room. He should be well aware of both my questioning stare and the fact that this woman is absolutely terrifying and I am absolutely terrified. Which is why I knew his interjection was him saving me and not just asking his question regardless of the mood in the air.

Yet he completely ignored my eyes pleading for answer as he kept his silent sharp gaze trained on Emily. His provocation only appeared to be a passing breeze to her as the woman put her kind smile back on and the aura of pure malicious glee radiating from her vanished as quickly as it appeared.

Finally catching my breath I remembered that Tommy called her Emily and etched the name into my memory as someone to look out for. Clearly she was dangerous and since she's here she'll likely be part of the mission. I just hope she doesn't leave me for dead because it would be more fun for her.

Emily, who's name I just memorized under the heading 'do not touch with a ten foot pole', smiled at Tommy and explained her reasoning for being here while introducing herself. "Not even a greeting Thomas. Why that's just so rude. I haven't introduced myself to your friend. My name is Emily and I have the pleasure of serving as CEO of Frame products Ltd. Though as you might have guessed I am merely servant to my master Sophie Felivar."

The fanaticism in her eyes was terrifying. It was like a deep, dark abyss that sucked you in like a vacuum only it never emptied out it's tank so you get stuck with all the dust and such clinging to you as you try to squirm your way out. It's just… Ughhh

Wait did she say servant to Sophie? CEO of Frame products Ltd.? That's Soph's company. She's Sophie's servant? She's happy describing herself as Sophie's servant? My doubts and fears about the woman in front of me only grew as I watched her smile. What I once saw as kind now chilled me to the bone. It was eerie. Like a machine or imitation. An impressive one but looking closer her smile was an imitation.

Still I'm a merc and I need to keep up appearances so I try to stay composed as I introduce myself in turn. "Amelie Felivar. Mercenary and Soph's sister." My introduction ends up sounding court and uninterested. Just a facade I put up in most situations and not really anything special for Emily in particular. Though I am forcing it a little more than usual.

Apparently sensing as much Emily's smile grows even wider for a second and I think I saw her bearing her teeth in a predator's smile. Yep no… Not going to deal with that. So I look to Tommy for help who is still shooting Emily a piercing gaze. Confused I stare at him until he asks his question and I snap back to myself.

"Like I said why are YOU CEO of Frame products Ltd. HERE!" Tommy's voice becomes deeper and more masculine than usual. It sounds almost like the voice he always has is a fake but I know him better than that. He has the composure to fake an authoritative voice like this which is a good sign.

But now that I hear him ask that I have several questions of my own. I know Tommy said Mainframe and Frame products Ltd. Are linked in some way but getting the CEO out here is impressive. There's no way some random Joe or partner would be able to get her out here. Especially alone without guards and they haven't even showed up themselves yet.

"I am here because of the same reason as you I imagine. Though it appears I know a lot more about the current situation than you do." She smiles at me again and I tremble a little. Let's just ignore that smile. It's terrifying to look at.

Tommy gives her a pointed stare as if saying with his eyes 'then hurry up and tell us'. Sure enough Emily sighs and gives us an explanation though even before she starts I can tell she knows more than she's going to tell us.

"Did you not think it strange? FRAME products Ltd. MainFRAME. Honestly are you all idiots?" She asks with genuine curiosity in her voice and it makes the question even more hurtful than it would've been had she been asking out of spite.

I mean plenty of places copy names from each other nowadays it wouldn't be surprising unless she pointed it out. Still it does make me wonder. What do the two have to do with each other? Clearly they've been in contact with Sophie a number of times while or perhaps even before she was starting up her company.

"I'm here for revenge on behalf of my dearly departed master. But I do know Mainframe's methods and can assure you that they will do everything to ensure that goal. Any more and I'm afraid I cannot or to perhaps be more apt, will not say." She finished with a smile that screamed 'ask any more and I will murder you' so we just shut up and shook her hand before going back to our seats.

Emily apparently didn't have a seat of her own and stood next to the holo-table. Well now I'm pretty sure this Mainframe person won't show up. That's certainly troubling. They know Sophie during or before her company's rise, they are clearly hiding something and they have enough sway with Emily here that she'd be willing to be a spokesperson for them.