The Black Diamond

Chapter 10.2: Fellowship

[Data Report Loading...]

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[Activating...activation successful.]

[Loading Leadership subroutines.]

[Successfully uploaded, stand by...]

I awoke inside a gray and flat room, and a small door opened before me. Looking to the left, there were dozens of similar doors with a single Oton exiting at a time. We all lined up and went to the right hallway, following a blue line on the floor. It brought us to the scientists. Their cases were white while ours were gray, and there was a tall one amongst the small huddled group. This must be the Chief from my records.

CSO: Identify yourself.

Balt: I am codenamed "Balt".

CSO: Welcome to Advanced Systems, Balt. We are glad to have an officer for our tests, I am sure you are aware of the new Mark 3 casing?

Balt: The bipedal variety, yes. I am aware.

CSO: Your part in its development is simple yet important: we have several dozen blank units in the next room, and they are prepared for a mass data transfer. Once transferred, you will lead your soldiers on a short expedition on the nearby planet.

Balt: Understood, what is the nature of this expedition?

CSO: I have received reports of an unknown energy spike on a planetoid surrounded by mountains, the terrain is too rough for the Mrk 1 and 2. Are you all prepared?

All: Yes!

CSO: Follow me.

This room was equally simple, yet it was filled with some complex-looking devices, the largest being a bank of silver rectangles that had lights and spinning discs on the front, and each one had thick wires attached to the machine next to it. We were placed on an elevated portion of the floor, where small plugs descend and attached to the back of our domes.

[Uplink detected. Initiating Data Transfer protocols...locating available units....successful.]

The Chief positioned himself behind a command terminal, adjusting some knobs with his main claw. There were several loud beeps, then a chime before the machine flashed to life.

CSO: Once the transfer is complete, you may be confused on the passage of time. We expect there to be some "lag" in the process.

Balt: We understand, begin the transfer sequence now.

CSO: Initializing...3, 2, 1.....

[All systems have been halted because of a remote override, please stand by...]

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[Data Transfer successful.]

The room was different now, like the previous but with everything on the opposite side of the room, and the lights were minimal. Our bodies, too, were completely different. We had legs, and hands like they do, it took us some time to adjust and adapt to these forms. There was also several massive crates nearby us, each labeled with a material, like concrete, steel, and some crates had replacement parts for our bodies and the Automatons.

Beep!

CSO: This is the Chief Scientists, 30 standard minutes have passed, please report your status and compatibility.