User:Zeromanicus

Nemex awoke, stretching slighty it squeezed free of the bodies sleeping soundly around it, it’s pair partner was also stirring. Nemex smirked, reaching out to stroke Nenex’s face, who reciptrocated with a soft smile. They were in a circular room, who’s edge was soft smartmat bed occupied by the twenty or so members of the genus as they were called, there was a inner table with room for everyone and a central food dispenser and holoprojector for watching films.

The others were beginning to murmur, as they began to awake, food was already been provided as Nemex got comfortable in it’s couch.

“What’s the flavour of the day?”

“Hmm, I think it’s tomato and garlic. It all tastes good to me anyway” replied Nenex.

“Well let’s be quick, they want us at the aeroport pretty early for the Xenobiology field expedition.”

“hah, yes, I haven’t forgotten. You can concentrate on the science stuff, while I’ll make sure to render whatever fantastical specimens we come across with a artistic flavour a human would be, whats the word..proud of and that I shall delight to share with others.” Said Nenex, pretending to puff out it’s chest and look important like a human.

Nemex’s biopatterns flashed purple for nervousness. Nenex responded automatically with a soft orange for concern.

“hmm?”

“We’re being escorted by SENTINELs, they can kill. Makes me uncomfortable.”

“Only dangerous things, like Xoches. Didn’t you sign up on the last drive for volunteers”

“I think most people did. It’d be unfair to let others put themselves before me.”

They reached the aeroport on the maglev, stepping off to see the rare sight of a Security cordon around their terminal, it seemed SENTINEL wanted to keep the rest of the Syntha at an arm’s length, they rarely ever interacted with the rest of society, and service was lifelong. People who showed behavioural abnormalities as a result of genetic disparity were usually processed into SENTINEL and ‘fixed’.

“Ah, Nemex and Nenex, the natural scientist and the natural artist. Welcome, welcome.” The lead scientist flashed a warm yellow.

“Arbitrator, these are the last two.” He said to a rather tall Syntha wearing the ‘uniform’ of the Extranational Circumstances Index. Nemex’s nervousness had turned to excitement, uniforms, authority! Normally everyone was equal to everyone, but the Arbitrator was one of the few who had been chosen to Arbitrate matters, decide things and in this instance, act as a liason between the SENTINELs and the science team, who had instructions to not look at, nor speak to the soldiers protecting them.

“Echo Ten, Science team is aboard, we’re ready for liftoff.”

“Confirmed.”

Ryker closed the hatch and sat down with the rest of it’s squad in the other cargobay of the shuttle. The actuators of it’s power armour whirred slightly has it sat, its real feet about a foot off the ground.

“Remember, don’t speak to the civilians. Contaminating them does nobody any good.”

Ryker knew that any mention of the Wolf-pack organisation of the military would be problematic at best, they’d probably be horrified and amazed in equal turn. In turn the civilians weren’t allowed to speak to them because they were tamed and a civilian could inadvertedly override orders and put them in danger.