Fantasy Kaizoic: Earth Reborn

[Chai_T3a]

"Thank you." he said, taking the bottle. He regulates himself this time as per request. Taking a quick look around him, he noticed that the entire room seemed to be in a frantic state. The organized mess was a good sign. Everything seemed to have gone according to plan.

But the relief of surviving cryo only brought upon other questions. "Hey. How long have we been asleep for?" he asked the syndroid, mentally gearing himself for the answer.

 

[Da Doofus]

The Syndroid looked at him, her glassy blue eyes showed a surprisingly human amount of life.
"We . . . Don't know. The ship is only now coming back online as far as non essential functions. The data has yet to be compiled."
She looked over at a pair of Noah security carrying a diasabled Syndroid coated in dust across the floor.
"What the-" said with surpise, glancing back at Kairo. "Just take things slowly and go to the Atrium, ok?" She patted his shoulder and jogged to the guards.
Even her movements were humanly fluid.

 

[Chai_T3a]

Kairo couldn’t help but feel concern and sorrow for the disabled Syndrome. Though the thing wasn’t human, he knew AI had advanced to the point where they could function and live just like he did. He didn’t what kind of condition the Syndroid was in, but he found himself silently wishing that it wasn’t anything major.

He felt compelled to help, but he had no knowledge as how to do that. This wasn’t something he could fix by screwing a few bolts in. The feeling of hopelessness welled in him again.

He averted his gaze from and scene and began heading to the atrium. Someone would know how to repair the Syndroid. Well, at least he would hope so.

 

[Da Doofus]

Once he arrived, it would look like a true city by then. Bustling crowds of Noah passengers moving from one neon-lit path to another. Steam from cooking meat plumed from a few buildings in the distance.
The smell reached his nose, making his stomach grumble.

Nearby, a clearing with tables had an open spot. Others sat, and had Syndroids bring them trays of cooked food and nutritional tablets in cups.
Closest thing to a restaurant he was liable to get for a while, so the spot would be taken at any moment.

 

[Chai_T3a]

He felt his hunger overpower him at that moment. His legs carried him to that open spot as if they were on autopilot. He swerved and dodged tables, Syndroid, and generally anything that was in his path. In no time, he had arrived and taken the seat.

 

[Da Doofus]

A Syndroid soon arrived with a tray of cooked beef and a cup of assorted nutritional tablets. The beef had to had been grown from stored DNA designed to grow raw flesh to be harvested.
Nearby was a man with short, light brown hair and a chin with faint stubble.
He was currently finishing off the sliced beef tips while also looking around cautiously.

 

[Chai_T3a]

"Thank you." Kairo answered, giving the Syndroid a smile. Quickly after that, he digged straight into the beef. He tried his best to stay civil but it was tough to control his hunger. The beef itself wasn't something too grand. In fact, it was a bit under seasoned for Kairo's taste, but at that moment, he felt like he'd never eaten such an amazing meal in his life. The injection definitely didn't slow his metabolism enough.

He was already halfway through his meal before he noticed the man that was sitting across from him. He seemed to catch his eye more than all the other people. Mostly in the sense that he wasn't greedily shoving food in his mouth. That itself was probably a tell that something wasn't quite right. Mix it with the weary expression on his face, and Kairo's interest was sufficiently peaked.

"Hey! You alright? Something bothering you?" He asked the guy.

 

[Da Doofus]

He darted his head at Kairo.
"Oh yeah." He smirked, waving him off. "Just fine." He took a sip of water, and that's when Kairo would see the ID tag on his arm had been ripped off.

 

[Chai_T3a]

Kairo raises his eyebrow in curiosity, he definitely wasn't just fine. He was about to ask about the missing ID tag, but realized that it might not be smart to put it out there. He calmly puts his fork back onto the table, before pointing at the spot the ID tag was supposed to be.

"You sure?" he asked.

 

[Da Doofus]

The man saw that Kairo noticed the missing tag, and quickly put the water container down to hide it.
"How bout you mind your own business, huh?" He snapped before getting up to leave.
The only other thing Kairo would notice was the nametag on the jumpsuit that said 'Michaels: Cargo Deck C'.

 

[Chai_T3a]

Yeah, something was definitely off.

Kairo, looked down at his food, and then back at Michaels. This was not something you saw everyday. His curiosity was getting the better of him, and he really wanted to follow him. But he didn't feel like he should. Who was he to mess with someone else's personal life?

Besides their was perfectly good food right next to him. He wanted to finish that.

He took a few bites beef, but the curiosity never really died down. In fact, he only felt it grow stronger the further Michaels had walked. He found himself conflicted again. Should he be a horrible person and straight up stalk some guy, or should he just forget it and finish his food?

'You know what. Screw it.' he thought, he'd been way too friendly to everyone his entire life. He'd been given a chance to change his life, and maybe being more assertive was part of that. He quickly stabbed a few more pieces of the beef, stuffing it in his mouth. Next, he pocketed the nutrient tablets and drank a big gulp of water before he started speed walking towards the direction Michaels was heading.

He had to admit, this was kind of fun.

 

[Da Doofus]

The man with the nametag Michaels maneuvered through the crowds expertly. Taking extra turns and going into the densest sections of the Atrium.
This was a man already thinking that he should avoid being followed.
He slipped up one time, and bumped into a portly man after passing a medical clinic. Something fell out of his pocket.
It looked like a robotics processor data chip.

He apologized to the man, and continued on.

 

[Chai_T3a]

Kairo had to admit that this guy was good at disappearing. If it wasn't for his one mistake, he would have lost him already. He definitely wasn't as smooth at getting through the crowd. Bumping into people became a pretty normal thing after a while. Same thing with apologizing for said bumping.

He almost missed the processor chip on the floor in his mad chase, but luckily, he found it. Picking it up, he pocketed the thing. It must have been something important. Pocketing the thing took him a bit of time, and when he looked up, Michaels had left his field of vision. He continued in the general direction that he'd assume he went. Hoping he could catch a glance of him.

 

[Da Doofus]

He'd finally see his quarry board a public transport into the lower levels of the Atrium. Once he was aboard, and the shuttle shut its doors, he approached the window as it flew off and presented Kairo with a middle finger before being carried off to another section of the ship.
He was unaware of the data chip in Kairo's possession.

Perhaps a security guard could assist him.

 

[Chai_T3a]

'Huh. Great manners.' he thought to himself as he watched Michaels jet away.

Well, now he had a processor chip in his pocket and he had no idea what to do with it. Maybe someone working on the ship would have an idea as to what the thing was. The fact that he was possibly ruining Michaels plan didn't sit well with him, but maybe this thing was an essential part of the ship.

Decisions definitely were not Kairo's strong suit. In fact, that probably was an understatement. He shakes his head to try and clear out his mind. Maybe he should just let fate decide. He'd go explore the Atrium a bit. Get a feel as to his new temporary home. If he were to bump into a guard, then he'd throw Michaels under the bus. He proceeded to just wander around.

 

[Da Doofus]

He would see plentiful housing buildings similar to his own. Below, on the next floor, there would be job recruitment kiosks for passengers once the recolonization process began.
In the distance however, was a massive holographic projection of Earth. It looked a bit different than before however, the oceans covered more of the planet, Australia was no more than a collection of islands, and North America was separated from South America by a small sea.
No color besides the digital blue was discernable, so the biome of the planet was still unknown.
They had landed, so if he wanted to, he could return to his room to take a peek outside through his terminal.

 

[Chai_T3a]

The projection of the planet did peak his interest, and he found himself heading back towards his quarters. It didn't take him too long before he got back, opened up his terminal, and pulled up a live feed of the outside world.

 

[Da Doofus]

The last time he viewed the world outside the Noah, it was a battlefield between machine and monsters in a land beset by fire, ash, and rain.
Now, a lush tropical paradise surrounded the entirety of the ship. Mountains coated in green and mist made up the horizon, and flocks of birds could be seen in a blue sky.
It was beautiful.

 

[Chai_T3a]

Kairo looks at the projection in shock. He blinked a few times just to make sure his vision wasn't failing him. The sight he saw in the projection was absolutely beautiful. The world he left behind was replaced by luscious forest and teeming wildlife. It gave him a sense of hope. This was a world he wouldn't mind living in. He marvels at the sight for a good half an hour, taking in the views and imagining what he would do once he was allowed to leave the ship.

After a while, he decides to close the feed. There was other thing's he needed to know, and one of those was how long he'd been out for. Hopefully that information had been retrieved at this point. He searches his terminal for that information.

 

[Da Doofus]

No such information was available, however there were notifications regarding the volunteer survey team. It mentions a possible expedition in a few weeks, once ship systems had been completely restored.
There were also positions open on the security team, overseen by Commander Stryx Caffold.
That name sounded familiar to Kairo . . .

Further down was a notification of positions on the botany and biological research teams led by Dr. Helen Faolain.
If he had any inkling to pursue a more hands on future on the Noah Project, this was the time.

 

[Chai_T3a]

Kairo looks at the positions opened to him. He was surprised that Dr. Faolain had such a high position on the ship. His interactions with her before suddenly became much more humbling.

Besides that, the name Commander Stryx Caffold caught his attention. Where had he heard that name before? He decided to do a quick search to figure out.

 

[Da Doofus]

'Stryx Caffold, born in New Atlanta, Cuba in 2168. Decorated pilot in 7th Mechanical heavy infantry. Earned multiple commendations in his service in defending the United American Republic in the First Emergence.
36 confirmed kills on rampaging creatures within Republic territory.
Last known mission in 2193; Anchorage, Alaska. He and seven other Crusaders engaged the newly emerged Apex and suffered heavy casualties. Commander Stryx was the last soldier to survive the battle.'

That was it. Stryx Caffold was the pilot of the St. George Crusader mech. The man was a war-hero, monster slayer, whatever the presses decided to call him.
The only man to fight the Northern Apex and survive.

 

[Chai_T3a]

After reading through the article. The name clicked in his mind. He'd heard his parents talk about Commander Stryx more then just a few times. They'd had worked under him for a brief period of time before the tragedy that ended up claiming their lives. That, and the fact that his name was on the news constantly. He was truly someone that people looked up to.

The information he had just gotten definitely spiced up the possibility of joining the security team. But the other two choices didn't seem any less interesting. It was a tough decision to make. Kairo once again found himself stuck. If he was allowed to be in all 3 teams, then he definitely would have done so.

After some time spent analyzing each position, he decided to apply for the volunteer survey team. Although he would have loved to follow in his parents footsteps, he wasn't confident about how useful his skillsets would play into combat. And he just didn't half a lot of knowledge in the sciences. He'd be more of a liability to Helen than an asset. Besides, looking at the live feed made him really excited about venturing out into the world.

He tapped on the notification for the survey team as quickly as he could. Fearful that brooding for too long would only make the decision harder.

 

[Da Doofus]

A message came later saying that he would be entered in the selection process.
In a few weeks time, thirty men and women would be selected for a first expedition for a settlement claim.

 

[Chai_T3a]

He ended up also applying for the Security team. Just in case he isn’t accepted on the Survey team.

On another note, he still had the processing chip. He takes a look at the thing and decides to try and search up the model. Hopefully he could find something about it.