THE RECRUIT

AUREK: Conscripted

Imperial Light Cruiser
"Deadlocked"
Lightspeed
LST: 02:00:00 // DAY: 00
Taipan

The cheers of the crowd rumble the ground shaking the monstrous doors in their hinges. The howling reverberates into Taipan's chest feeding the beast within. What lay beyond in the pit of sand was a battle to be won. If this was the last time she'd feel this anticipated moment she'd soak up every ounce of the radiating energy.

"Put on a show," says a growling voice leaning against a support pillar. His yellow eyes glowing in the dim light seeping through the spaces between the arena doors. His skin is red as blood. Black tattoos twisting and striking across his face. Cranial horns protrude from his head like a jagged crown. Wrinkles crease the corners of his eyes and around his mouth as he gives Taipan a reassuring, yet murderous grin.

"I've learned from the best," she says certain her own tattoos returned the sly expression. Her crimson skin prickles with adrenaline as she readies two vibro-blades in each hand.

The doors lift from chainlinks big enough to stand inside their eyelets. Blinding sun and stadium light pour into the space.

Something whines in the distance pulling Taipan's consciousness from the dreamlike memory. Her eyes snap open to white lights which send bolts of pain into her eyes. She squints rolling out of the stiff bunk. The distant whine begins forming comprehensible words as she realizes its a man barking orders.

"Wake up, recruits!" He says hitting bunks with a metal rod as he passes by. "We're about three minutes out."

Men and women scrabble to their feet creating a line parallel to the rows of bunks. Soldiers in white armor stand at the flanks of the door into the cabin. The T-slit visors are familiar and comforting but at the same time intimidating. The helmets could be hiding anyone and at the moment everyone was to be treated as hostile. She knew what they were after all. The soldiers remain statue still but they could be having an entire conversation and Taipan wouldn't even know it.

A few recruits roll over in their bunks mumbling. The man wearing an immaculate grey officer uniform activates the rod. It ignites in bright purple sparks buzzing with energy. The reluctant recruits earn a jab in the ribs with the electrified end. They writhe and call out under the stinging volts but responded quickly to the wake-up call, joining the lineup.

"Anyone else?" He looks around holding the rod steady. When there's no reply he shocks the nearest recruit who yells in pain doubling over. The man says again, "Anyone else?"

"No, sir!" Says all the recruits.

All except Taipan. No, she watches the man as he begins inspecting the line. He turns off the rod and clasps it behind his back, squaring his shoulders to each recruit. The brim of his hat covers his eyes making his expressions difficult to read but Taipan can tell by the stiffness of his walk that he's not as authoritative as he trying to portray. His hand shakes ever so slightly. Someone who isn't looking hard wouldn't notice.

He stops in front of Taipan tilting his head back a degree. She looks the man dead in the eye rather than straight ahead. Oh, how the mighty will fall. Her poncho hood covers her head certain the shadow masks most of her face.

"When we land, make sure this one is processed accordingly," he says looking away first and turns his head clearly talking to a soldier in white. Then he glances at the rest of the recruits and spins on his heel walking back up the line. "Your personal items in your footlockers will be searched. Any items that are found suspicious will be seized and processed appropriately."

Taipan pictures her footlocker next to her bunk stamped with her newly assigned operating number, TK-760. Seeing how she didn't have much in the way of possessions, she had packed nothing into the locker except her vibro-blades tucked securely behind the lid panel. The boot length dagger paired with a smaller seven inch knife were her choice of tools. She could wield them blindfolded. All but one piece of her armor had been destroyed to sever the evidence linking her back to the place she'd come from. And I'm going to walk in their front door.