Project: AKRA
E.A. Szabelski
Project: AKRA
By E. A. Szabelski
Copyright © 2016 E. A. Szabelski
All Rights Reserved
Project: AKRA is part of the VayneLine universe
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Thanks to SKoparov for the outstanding illustration
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Ironically, the Emotion-Field concept as an aspect to reality proved so revolutionary that the first groups to find evidence of its existence fought and killed for its secrets, deeply contrary to the discovery’s eventual implications. It was the first indication of higher dimensional aspects that influenced our reality, as well as our own ability to change them.
– Terran Intradex Ver. 4 Excerpt on ‘Emotion Field’
See Also: Star Priestess, Classed Soldier, Project: AKRA [Declassified]
“I have reason to believe you are the best…feel like putting that reputation to the test, soldier?” The hooded figure had a light cloaking field over it that made it seemed almost like an illusion to the soldier it was speaking to.
A small smirk crossed the face of the soldier as he brushed two fingers through his short hair. “Naturally.”
The hooded figure laughed, but its tone was masked by a voice-modder, rendering its tone completely neutral so it could not be identified in any form. “I know you have taken hard missions before, but I do not expect the survival rate to be particularly high on this. There were only three groups that had both the clearance and the battle experience your group possesses. I hate sending such a valued asset like your group on a mission like this, but it is one of particular import to the Star Priestesses.”
‘To the Star Priestesses’ meant for all intents ‘to the Aelisha’.
Though the black-haired man was arrogant, he was not stupid, and likewise answered carefully. “Interesting; I assume this is your estimation of the danger. If I may ask, is that an academic estimate, or a once-soldier’s estimate?” A very small portion of Star Priestesses were soldiers, but a large percentage of Aelisha in secret operations like this were warriors.
“The latter,” the figure said in an easy tone that belied its long combat experience. “A rather well-connected criminal syndicate has stolen a very valuable collection of data. Its name is AKRA, an information processing and application unit. It holds an understanding of the universe we are just barely starting to comprehend.”
“And it’s our job to recover the data,” the man offered. It was probably an Aelisha he was dealing with most likely some high-rank diplomat or something similar. For the briefest moment he mused about tackling the creature and ripping its cloak off to see whom it was.
“ ‘Naturally’,” the cloaked figure mimicked.
The black-haired soldier laughed at the imitation, but in his mind he could tell there was something deeply wrong with this mission his squad was going to undertake. He always believed in his combat instincts, but this was different. Something was calling to him beyond just his instincts, but he had no idea what it was saying.
Considering the credits his group was offered, some mysterious ‘clearances’ for advanced weaponry they recently had been given, and the entirely personal reason that he felt something calling on this job, he knew he would do it. The soldier named Raist, told the figure they would take the job. As soon as he had said so, the figure had turned and started walking out, shimmering like a ghost that was barely visible. “Wait, one question though. Why us?”
“You were asked for specifically.”
That was interesting. He didn’t know too many people that knew him and were still alive. “By whom?”
“You are not privy to that information.”
“Ha, I am used to that,” he said to the figure that had departed.
The figure was far enough away it was completely invisible, but before it had completely left the room, its voice said to Raist, “But know an old friend sends their… regards.”
Counting the friends he had that weren’t in his squad and were still alive took about four fingers. He stood there for a moment, digesting the conversation that had just occurred. He spun his pistol lazily out of habit, more concerned with his thoughts. It crashed to the ground, and he crouched down quickly to grab it. He saw something like a small string or thread against the background blackness of his pistol and grabbed it. The single medium-length strand of hair was a bright pink.
‘That was a Solarian girl, maybe a Star Priestess or a Classed like me…I wonder who she was? Something felt weird about her.’ All Star Priestesses and really anyone this deep in secrecy were a little weird though. He shook his head, trying to stop thinking about things. ‘Too many thoughts and feelings; just focus.’
