April 12th 2489
Fifteen now. And that’s the age when the orphanage gives you a small cupcake, says thanks for your time and kicks you out. And with doing so, they gave Derek a small apartment and 168 hours to pay his weekly rent. Nothing has changed since. A few robberies, a few phones, no companions. The only people he knew were his boss and the bosses ‘assistants’. The murdery-assassin type of assistants. They were the reason Derek never lost his job due to competition and for all he knows, he’s probably not working for the wrong people. Control was everything there. It meant wealth, power and not ending up like Derek. All he did was sit at his cubicle and type stuff for hours on end. Boring and pointless but it was his only source of income. Good income. And he wasn’t going to question it.
To him, the dream ended there but there was always that one last part which he wanted to forget. One last dire ending to an already horrible nightmare. This part he knew was fictional.
The shadows of the other orphans danced on the wall behind him. The dim glowing LED flickered inside a cage beside him. 10 year old Derek was half asleep when he saw the shadows stop moving and all plunged into silence. The shadows whispered in loud, adult, gruff voices. “Great... done for the night again. Personally, I think he should be put in prison just like the rest of them.” Another replied “What rest?” Hoarse laughter followed as the shadows moved out. Derek knew this didn’t happen. He just kept denying it. Over and over again. If they knew, he would have been taken already… right?
0500 Hours, Summer, 2502
Derek Simmons woke up drenched in sweat. Probably for the thousandth time. No. More than probably. He kept thinking to himself “What’s to worry about?” His wrist display lit up and the wake up alarm started. This always happens. Walking up just before his set alarm goes off. Maybe it was a phobia of loud noises. He always shrugs it off as not important. Today was a good day. A big day. One of his two days off from his executive position at work. He didn’t know how he got there. He just did. With enough time. Today he was going to try out that new pizza place around the corner and maybe check out a video game or two. He may be 28 years old but he never left what kept him occupied for his years at the orphanage. Derek got up. Out of his bed and into the kitchen, ignoring the dust covered dumbbells. Just like every other day. His apartment was small but that was all the space he needed. A kitchen/ lounge and his small bedroom connected to his toilet. He was already dressed for some reason. Last night was probably over his set bedtime. He got out a small microwave pie, heated it up, ate it and it was off to his local electronics store.
It wasn’t until he was halfway back from the store with a copy of “Clip Raid IX: Corporate Warfare” until he noticed the message on his phone. Unknown number. He doesn’t get a lot of those. It was a short message:
GORDUS BRIDGE
6PM
THE ICARUS INTERVENTION HAS NOT YET BEEN RESOLVED
ANSWERS AWAIT, RAGSTON. COME ALONE
Messages like these were very rare to him. He was always quite paranoid even though he was always yelling at himself to not be. Messages like these he would ignore… but this one knew about the Icarus. It seemed… unique. The messaged detailed about events he had buried in his past. And ‘alone’? That was a joke. Derek Simmons was always alone. But still. An invitation like this was quite out of the ordinary and for some random bizarre reason, he decided to obey it. He didn’t like change, but this could be a good one.
His life was very routine.
CHAPTER 5
Contact
5:55 PM
Gordus Bridge
The very invitation set off alarms in his head but he just had an indescribable feeling and an urge to follow through. The sky was dark. The pink fading away rapidly, losing its former intensity. Gordus Bridge. Derek knew this bridge very well. It was a small one. Right in the middle of the local park which he jogged through on many occasions. Named after Terry Gordus; A man with a dream to build the perfect society (like everyone else), only that dream died with him all with a swift but brutal beating by an anonymous gang. This bridge symbolised what little he was able to change but also his only legacy – being well known for sacrificing his health for the city’s good (not that it did much but it was a start). Derek could barely see the city’s lights from here. With them being crowded by trees and all.
Before he realised it, it was six o’clock. So where was this mystery person? Derek started to look around when he saw a tall man dressed in a brown trench coat and black, formal trousers walk up to him. Derek spotted a 20th century long barrelled revolver holstered near his pocket. The man lowered his sunglasses and looked Derek in the eye. He uttered a single phrase “We know who you are, you are more than this.” The sunglasses shifted back towards their rightful position and the man gestured for Derek to follow him. The next thing he said really alarmed Derek. “Remember the Icarus? I… we have been watching you… we never left your side”. Derek had never heard anybody mention the horrid incident which made him who he was today ever since. “Let’s take a walk…”
The man led Derek into a darker part of the park. The trees grew thicker. The obvious question was “Who are you?” he replied “Nobody important” which was (to Derek) an obvious lie. “Derek Ragston… This was not meant to be your destiny.”
Derek, stunned by the fact that the man knew his real name questioned “Destiny?” “Look, Derek there was a reason why you had to live and it was not just because you were a little boy. It may have taken us many years to get the preparations on track and many more to plan exactly when we should meet you. This is that time. Your job, your apartment and your life is all behind you now” The man’s voice was rough and he sounded old. He lowered his voice. “I know this may seem like a lot right now… but you have to trust me. It’s for the better.”
Derek responded “I have no choice. Who would know so much about me? Something like this has never happened. I want answers.” The man glanced to him, the two still walking “And you will get them.”
They walked deeper yet into the park and soon it seemed like it was pitch black. It was only 6:15. The second the two of them started talking not too long ago, Derek had stopped keeping track of where they were going. Now, he didn’t recognise this part of the park even though he had been through it hundreds of times over. “Wait… where are we? I don’t believe I’ve been to this part of the park before.” The man replied “That’s right. Nobody has. Just you, me and my crew.” “Crew?” “Oh yeah. You’ll love ‘em.”
The surrounding was now completely foreign. Unrecognisable. It’s as if Derek had stepped into a completely different reality. The pitch black made him uneasy and the sound of the man’s voice was the only thing keeping him on track. They walked in a straight direction and suddenly a pair of lights flickered on at either sides of Derek’s feet. Bulbs. More pairs flickered on in a line. Each one by one. Derek could see that he was on a path of some sort. Dark grey pebbles lined up neatly on the path. He looked behind him. There were no lights there. Just darkness. The two continued onwards to what the lights revealed to be a door… in a cliff.
This was impossible. How in the world did Derek get here? Was he drugged? Knocked out and lead to this labyrinth? The man stopped. “Go in. I’m right behind you.” Derek slowly and cautiously walked and opened the door. It was pitch black in there. Nothing to be seen or heard. “Well, go on.” It was only when Derek realised that on the next step he took, there was nothing under his feet. He fell.
CHAPTER 6
Answers
6:45 PM
Celestin Park Underground
The fall was long but painless. With a loud tuft, he landed on what the thought to be a pile of pillows. He wasn’t far off. As he expected, he was in complete darkness and the only light coming from a flashlight attached to the barrel of an assault rifle pointed straight at his head. Another one popped up and soon a couple of others. The sudden light temporarily blinded him and it was only when he hear
d the words “It’s alright, folks. Stand down” that he regained his sight. In front of him stood several men and women. Dressed in worn early 21st century militia uniforms. Not exactly matching but not exactly too different either. In their hands were various firearms ranging from a near vintage SaR P222 to a state of the art ARN-77 PPR Prototype (Pulse Plasma rifle)… And all of them were pointed right at his head.
This was probably the second most eventful day of his life but Derek knew that he had to keep calm. Derek was not one of those calm people. “What…the…HELL IS GOING ON!?” he blurted out. His last words before the stock of an AR40 Conservative munitions rifle (CMR) came crashing into his temple.
The white light wobbled like floating phosphorus. It danced around his vision before dimming into a less intense but still bright light bulb. It dangled carelessly above his head. Derek, regaining consciousness for the first time in what seemed like ages saw nothing but that and the cold stone beyond it. At least he could feel his arms and legs. They haven’t dismembered him. This was good… so far. He shifted his near frozen head stiffly to the side. A female in a white lab coat was sifting through a file binder with her back turned towards him. Who uses a file binder anymore? Derek knew that whoever captured him is not to be messed with. He was sensible and wouldn’t dare attack them or try to escape. He changed his mind when the female turned around with a bone saw. Still, he was in no condition to run, at least he felt that way. Derek knew that he didn’t want anything to do with that bone saw so he did the only thing he could have in such a situation. “W-wait! I’m alive! Don’t eviscerate me!” The surgeon looking female looked at him with cold eyes. She was in her late twenties, probably been down here for most of her life. Her sadistic, cruel expression changed when her face suddenly lit up into a smile. Derek was now very scared and very confused. The surgeon replied with a British accent “You’re awake. Good. I didn’t mean to scare you, it’s just that we didn’t want to take any chances. Were the good guys. Wait here, let me call Carter.”
About ten minutes of excruciating waiting later, a man walked in through the doorway. “Derek” he muttered. “How we have waited for this day…” That voice… It was the same person that took him through the park. Now without the dark coat and glasses. Derek could see him clearly now. A rough, wrinkled face. Hair in need of cutting and a bounty hunters beard. The still very shocked Derek replied “Okay. I don’t know how you guys know about my past and my parents but I would very much like to return to normal society. “This is bigger that you, Derek. And you are the final piece of a very large puzzle.” “What are you going to do to me?” The next words that came out of Carter’s mouth completely wiped all of Derek’s previous theories. “We... we are going to train you.”
“You see; your father was a good soldier. A good friend too. What happened to the Icarus… Despite the name, what happened to it shouldn’t have been. You see… we are your father’s legacy. Some of the last few people that still believe in his cause. And so are you.”
“So am I?? What? A soldier?”
“We’d prefer not to call it that”
“So a Soldier?”
“Yes but what we’re doing is important and all is at risk. Earth is at risk. The United Space Order Control is heavily corrupt and they will do anything for the right price. Bounties, raids, your father…”
“What are you saying? And where the hell do I come into this?”
“You still don’t get it do you? The USOC didn’t finally track you father down. They were tipped off. And from what we know, it was someone on that ship. That person… is still alive. You weren’t the only person to escape.”
“So WHY drag me out here? Answer me!”
“Okay. This may sound a bit much… but the security doors on the Icarus were tuned so that they would only recognise approved entries. All approved personnel are all dead. Except for you. You especially. Since you are your father’s son, you have more access to the ship than even their top engineers, more than the traitor.”
“Alright then. What’s behind the security doors?”
“Proof”
“Proof? Proof of what? That my father was a deranged serial killer that murdered countless citizens and terrorised the cities of Earth for decades?”
“You’ll know it when you see it but for now, you must get ready. There is hope now that you are here. Amanda will escort you to Mr Samp for briefing. The female surgeon walked backed into the room and said “Come on. Let’s go.” “Wait! So all of a sudden I’m on some kind of mission to save the world?” “More or less” Amanda replied and she led him out of the room.
The corridors were confusing. Even if Derek had time to wander around, he would have no idea of how to get out. “So why are you guys hiding down here?” Amanda replied “We had many outposts long ago but ever since the USOC took the Icarus, we were hunted. One by one, our bases, field operators and eventually our headquarters were raided by the USOC and taken down.”
“The USOC? I didn’t think they had jurisdiction on Earth. The police would have done all that. Oh and ‘bases’, ‘headquarters’? How ‘big’ were you?
“Oh I’m afraid we had arrived. Mr Samp will answer all your questions” The two stood in front of a wooden door with a rough slab of translucent glass stuck in the middle with T. Samp stamped on it. Amanda opened the door and gestured for Derek to go in. He did as instructed. The place looked like an old waiting room for a health clinic. It smelled like one too. In the middle of it stood a bald man in a neat suit and trousers. His glasses made him look like some kind of psychiatrist. “Derek… we have waited long for this day. Why… you must be parched. Water?”
“Yes, please but I need to ask-”
“Questions. I know. Take a seat” Derek sat down on the closest wooden chair while Dr Samp sat in one opposite. “I am Tom Samp. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Now, I heard you were asking about us. This corporation. You see, we used to be a Private Military Company named Orbi-Sec. We operated on Earth and Space within our solar system. Now your father… he was a higher ranking official within our corporation before he left. And after the Icarus incident, we… Orbi-Sec were… how do you put it… blacklisted by the government. With a bit of convincing from the USOC. I know that they knew the truth but they were in it for the money. What does money buy? Power. Now the USOC is the sole government company patrolling space and they have expanded their operation across the solar system. They planned to take down any competing company and it worked. They now have control over the four solar sectors. The Sun to Venus, Earth, Mars to Saturn and Uranus to Neptune. They can do their dirty work while they themselves turn a blind eye. They’re their own bosses. Do you know what they plan to do next? They plan to take down the remaining government on Earth and shape the world to their liking. They just need a bit more control. A bit more power and they’ll do it. Do you see their propaganda? Those posters of them saving a cat with a space helmet out of a tree on Mars? This BULLSHIT is what’s winning the public over. Now… you… you need to go back to the Icarus, unlock that security door with your DNA, retrieve the evidence and save the solar system from a dictatorship.”
“Finally. This is making sense.”
“Now me… me and Carter… we started this group here. Us, a couple of scientists, operators and low level employees are here. We are what’s left. Those neat white office uniforms… Ditched. Long ago. Do you see what it’s come down to? We have to make runs into the city for food and water. At least we have contacts there. But do you see what we have sacrificed to prevent Earth from being taken over? Lives, families… gone! Now you… you are here and soon this will all be over. We have a ship waiting for you in an outpost not far from here. But you’re not ready. Not yet. The USOC will most definitely be guarding the Icarus, well what’s left of it. The never destroyed it. It would have been too costly. All the debris and bodies… …but I digress. You need to know how to defend yourself. Just like all of us here. You will be our highest priority but in the
worst case scenario, you need to be prepared. This is the entire solar system we’re talking about. Go to Marcus. The armoury manager. He’ll teach you to shoot. To fight. To survive. Now go. I’ll talk to you later. Amanda!” Amanda opened the office door. “Take him to Marcus.”
“Will do.”
CHAPTER 7
The Range
7:14 AM
Orbi-Sec Remnants, Under Celestin Park
Once again, a dark corridor, an endless maze of Orbi-Sec employees trying to survive. A light shone brightly up ahead. Derek was able to make out some weapons in the background. Guns… ANS Pulse Rifles, KH4 Particle Projectors, CaL-N Automatic handguns, Vorshek Beam Accelerators and a T-80 Gauss Sabot Projectile Rifle. Derek played a lot of video games. There was no antique rifle here, but why would there be. It’s a PMC not a museum. A rough, muscular man stepped out from behind a barred counter. He had an uncared for beard, a ballistic vest on as well as an Orbi-Sec PMC cap. Amanda said “That would be Marcus” and left. Marcus leaned forward, intimidatingly. “So, you’re the VIP we’ve been waiting through hell for. Well there is no way in hell… I’m gonna let you die so let’s get you ready for battle! Have you had any prior firearm experience?”