[hider=Physiological Interview] [color=papayawhip][color=linen]"Please state you name for the record Miss,"[/color] A pointy nosed man in a crisp white collared shirt asked. He adjusted his glasses and pressed a hand to the table set between him and his client, opening up a computerized interface. A dossier pulled up with information about the auburn haired woman before him, including her training exams. [color=lightsalmon]"Annelle Caldera,"[/color] Anne replied formally, you could hear the underlying tones of nervousness in her voice. [color=linen]"You're the daughter of Lucias, yes? I heard he had high hopes for you,"[/color] The clerk smiled reassuringly. To Anne however it looked sinister, snake-like. There had been a lot of pressure put onto her because of this fact, her prestigious father. The Head of the Watchmen, a man who escalated himself to the very top. Everybody had expected one of two things from her, to forge her own trail in a blaze of glory, or to ride her father's success. Anne watched the clerk, mustering the strength to keep her face passive as he flipped through her records. [color=linen]"I see you know work as a Systems Engineer, why did you leave the watchmen?"[/color] The clerk asked, fixing his sharp eyes on her. Suddenly the weight of this interview set itself upon her. This man could put her away somewhere dark and isolated if he deemed her too fucked up to be among society, or even if he just wanted to. Who would question him? Who questions the questioners? [color=lightsalmon]"I.."[/color] Anne started, picking through her words carefully, [color=lightsalmon]"I lost my squad, my friends. After that, I didn't feel like I could adequately perform my duties."[/color] Anne took a breath, willing her eyes to stop watering. The memory was still fresh in her mind, their faces, what was left of them. [color=linen]"Yes, it says here you quit for personal reasons, in the comments you only put 'I can't do this anymore', elaborate,"[/color] He demanded, leaning forward and folding his hands on the table. Anne took a breath, balling her fists tightly to try and distract her mind, [color=lightsalmon]"We were the Valkyrie Swords.."[/color] [indent][i][color=slategray] It was an average night, punctuated by a light drizzle of rain. It had been dark in the slums, but here it was practically abyssal. Anne crouched inside a rusted building, her hidden form peering through metal blinds that refused to move anymore. Her squad was lined up to either side of her, bodies barely moving as they mimicked the stillness of the night. Anne watched the rain falling, so soft it barely made a sound. Her mind pondered how it all worked, the weather, the day cycles. She always did that, lost herself in thoughts of machines of how they worked. Receiving a stern tongue from her father about how she should be training, something he'd been pushing since she had been young. Even then she only earned average marks. She could practically feel the disappointment in his eyes, but he had never showed it, he just kept pushing. "Maybe this will be the night you get a name, huh?" The woman next to Anne said. She turned to look at her squad captain, a blonde haired green eyed beauty by the name of Madaline—But everyone just called her Sunshine. You always got a nickname after you earned a story, it related somehow. The man next to Madaline chuckled quietly, Ox, and he was built like one too. "You think sho ah?" He chuckled again, a quiet rumbling. Anne remembered the first time she'd met Ox, a little over six foot tall he cast a shadow that should could nap beneath. That felt like so long ago, a younger version of her even though it had been a measly two years. It might as well have been a lifetime ago. "Shut up you oaf," Marcy hissed. Despite the name, Marcy was a man, the titled was derived from the word 'mercy'. Which was something he did not give. "Both of you quiet, look," Sunshine said, leaning a little closer. The small square lit up for just a moment before going dark again. From the first entrance two flashes signaled, which were returned by the new arrival. Anne never quite understood why a signal that was older than dirt was still used. Car doors slammed shut and idle engines became quiet as shadowed figures emerged, loaded with duffel bags and armed. A table was quickly set up in the middle, flanked by each faction's soldiers. The two leaders stood to either side, showing their wares and negotiating deals. Anne turned on her visor's interface. She pressed the thumb of her left hand against the palm of her hands, activating the interface nodes in her glove. She moved her hand slowly through the air, manipulating the imagery on her visor, marking the targets. [color=lightsalmon]"Marked,"[/color] she whispered. A second later three small blips hovered at the edge of her vision, notifying her that she was linked up with her squad. A few seconds passed as Sunshine read the situation. As Anne watched another window popped up, Sunshine was profiling the two at the table. The first was a key negotiator for Sapphique, Malcolm Croyle. The dossier the department had on him popped up, Anne closed it. She had read his report at least twice. Sunshine sucked in a breath as the second window popped up, Anthony Tandon, a civil rights spokesman. He's led peaceful protests and given a number of speeches in an attempt to fight the corrupt power of the government. "Holy shit, is he Liberata?" An unfamiliar voice asked. Anne focused on her interface, A blazing sun and chariot had appeared just below the blips for her squad. Sunshine must have linked up with the Dawn Riders, another group of watchmen posted up just across the square. "Eyes on the price boys," Sunshine whispered through the comms, "Case is open, Axel you got eyes on it?" "Yea I see it," A husky voice murmuered, "Looks like a weapon's deal, look like Mr.Tandon is buying something pretty big." "Alright ladies, wait for the bang," Sunshine ordered, pulling a sophisticated canister off her waist belt. She carefully nudged the door open, though it still let out a quiet squeak. One of the nearby figures turned towards the sound, elbowing his buddy in the ribs. They took a step towards the hiding place of Anne and her squad just as Sunshine rolled the device out. It let out a shrill whine half a second before exploding into a blinding glare of light. The men screamed, falling to the ground, along with most of the others present in the square. A door at the opposite end of the clearing flew open, The Dawn Riders simultaneously moving out with weapons ready at the same moment that the Valkyrie Swords filed out of the building. Sunshine fired two quick pops, downing the closest blinded men and the others took that as their cue. A hail of gunfire opened up in the square, ballistics pinged off the walls and orange balls of kinetic energy punctured through metal surfaces, leaving smoldering holes. It was pure chaos as the seperate criminal forces scrambled for cover, each opening fire on any target that wasn't their own. Tandon yanked a briefcase off the table and high tailed it towards his vehicle, the tall wiry man running with reckless abandon through the torrential walls of gunfire. Anne moved steadily towards him, dropping anything flagged red that crossed her path. "Tandon's making a break for it!" Another strange voice declared, another Dawn Rider Anne didn't know. [color=lightsalmon]"On it,"[/color] Anne said, slinging her weapon and turning on her mag gloves. She sprinted towards the car just as the door closed. Its rubber tires shrieked as it accelerated in reverse out of the alleyway. The driver was skilled, throwing the wheel and spinning the car just as it exited the alleyway. Anne dug down, reaching for speed. She'd never been terribly fast, but today she was fast enough. She lunged at the side of the vehicle just as it started gaining momentum, feeling her gloves latch onto its metal surface. The vehicle began picking up speed. The rear passenger window came down and a body leaned out, pointing a barrel in Anne's face. She tapped the boot of her heel, feeling the energy kick on the magnets in her boot as she swung her leg out. The magnet caught the gun and Anne used the momentum to swing down as hard as she could. The gunner let out a cry as he was ripped from the window and fell beneath the tires. The car rocked as it rolled over the body, the driver locked the tires sending them into a squealing skid sideways up the road. Around them traffic honked in protest, trying to move out of the way. The vehicle smashed into a transit bus. The force of the impact launched Anne into the vehicle, connecting her head into the rear passenger door with adequate force. She slumped against the side of the car, her magnets holding her upright, if a bit skewed. Tandon stepped out of the car, blood running down his face and his coat tails swaying in the light breeze. "Foolish girl," He seethed, pulling a pistol on Anne just as she started regaining some semblance of composure. Tandon reached over and switched her gloves off, letting Anne fall to the ground. He pressed a boot firmly against her throat, rage glittering in his eyes. "Another government dog, following her master's orders. Tell me, do you play dead?" He asked, clicking back the hammer on his gun. Anne grunted, trying to shift his foot off of her. "Anthony, enough," Someone said. In Anne's distraction another car had pulled up, followed by several others. Anthony seemed to shrug as he stepped back, allowing Anne to suck in ragged breaths of air. The voice was owned by a large man, muscular but not top heavy, he seemed evenly proportioned. He rubbed a grizzled hand against his thick, scruffy beard. "I could use someone with your kind of determination," He reasoned, crouching next to Anne and placing his hands on his knees. Anne pulled herself up onto her knees, rubbing her throat. The burly man stood, reaching into his pocket and dropping an electronic card next to Anne. She reached out, taking it in her hand. The display flashed to life, showing a server address. [color=lightsalmon]"Who—"[/color] "Freeze!" Sunshine screamed, charging up the sidewalk with her gun drawn. Anne looked back to see her squad coming to her rescue. Sunshine barely paused for a breath before firing a shot. Anne reached her hand up, realizing that her squad hadn't seen the other Liberata vehicles arrive, and how could they, the other vehicles looked like any old civilian car. [color=lightsalmon]"Sunshine wait, he's not—!"[/color] Anne struggled to shout, but the words came out in a wheezing rasp. Return fire poured out from all around her squad. Men and women dressed in plain clothes suddenly had weapons and weren't holding back. Muzzles flashed next to Anne's face, creating still images of blinding white light, followed by the sight of her squad... [/color][/i][/indent] "I see, surely that would leave to some.. traumatic stress, no?" The clerk asked, adjusting his glasses as he tapped out some notes onto the table. Anne wiped at her eyes, willing herself to keep it together, [color=lightsalmon]"I just.. I,"[/color] Anne was on the verge of breaking down into fitful sobs. It had only been a few months, hadn't it? "How about your home life?" The clerk asked, flipping to another screen showing flowing meadows of grass, and rolling hills bathed beneath golden light [color=lightsalmon]"Not much to say there,"[/color] She replied with a bit of a waver in her voice, [color=lightsalmon]"Dad was always at work, but we had a nice home in Sector Two. I remembering baking with my mom on cold winter days, and kicking our feet in the stream during warmer weather. Dad was always at work, but he—"[/color] "What did your father do back then?" [color=lightsalmon]"He was a part of DigiCorp, one of their Gladiators,"[/color] She answered, a visage of her farther dressed up in DigiCorp armor pulling itself to the forefront of her mind. He had been so much happier back then. "What happened?" [color=lightsalmon]"Is it relevant?"[/color] Anne questioned, raising an eyebrow at him. She was sure some of the effect was lost due to her red eyes, which were still partially watery. "In a mental evaluation, everything counts, and we have lost time to make up for," The clerk explained, folding his hands and once more fixing his penetrating gaze on Anne. [color=lightsalmon]"Hey, the delays weren't my fault alright—"[/color] Anne began, trying to defend herself. "Yes yes, You were saying about your father?" [color=lightsalmon]"Ah... Right,"[/color] Anne said, digging back into her memories, [color=lightsalmon]"He liked Digicorp, but at the end of the day it was a corporation and I guess he just, wanted to make a difference you know? Especially after my mom died."[/color] "How did she pass?" Anne sighed, steeling her frayed nerves and letting out a morbid chuckle, [color=lightsalmon]"She stepped on somebody's toes. We were walking home from grocery shopping, I was still young, too young to help carry the groceries anyways. I was dancing around her, doing kid stuff. She tried to pull me out of somebody's way, wound up bumping into another person and scuffed his shoes. He looked like the wealthy, hoity-toity type, fancy suit, dark shades, bleached hair you know? Well, he got pretty mad, looking at the scuff mark on his shoes. I still remember the sneer in his face when he shoved my mother back, she fell, right into the road."[/color] "Was he prosecuted?" [color=lightsalmon]"What do you think? They probably slapped his hand and said 'temper temper'."[/color] The clerk nodded, "Such injustice in this world, it's a shame. Your mother was a fine woman." [color=lightsalmon]"How do you?"[/color] Anne trailed off as the clerk answered her by tapping his finger on the tapping, as if to say 'I know everything'. Anne leaned back in her chair, letting out a huff of air that flipped her bangs from her face. "Do you talk to your father?" [color=lightsalmon]"Not since I left the Watchmen, pretty sure I've disappointed him but unfortunately that's overshadowed by all of this unyielding hate."[/color] "Why do you hate him?" [color=lightsalmon]"Why?"[/color] Anne responded incredulously, leaning forward, [color=lightsalmon]"I don't know, how about for not being there to protect her? How about for shutting down and leaving me alone after my mom died. How about for trying to force me to become his littler soldier ever since that day, always pushing me, dragging me along behind him in this grand vision of Father and Daughter cleaning up the streets? For devoting himself to his work, escalating himself all the way up into the president's lap to be hand fed his fucking biscuits and leaving me alone to lock the door and microwave frozen fucking pizza? For looking at me with disappointment in his eyes every fucking time I'm in his presence, like it's my fault, like I'm this huge fucking failure."[/color] Anne took a shuddering breath, she hadn't realized she had been shouting. She was standing now too, her grip on the edge of the table strong enough to scatter the pixels on the table. The clerk had the same look on his face, blank, all-knowing. She swore if he had smiled just then she would have decked him. "I see, I believe I've collected enough data for this interview." The statement come out of nowhere, ripping away all of Anne's steam. She plopped back down in the chair, feeling worry and anxiety eating away her rage. [color=lightsalmon]"So, how'd I do?"[/color] She asked, her frazzled mind signaled this was an appropriate time to laugh—so she did. "You harbor a lot of resentment, towards the Watchmen, towards your father." [color=lightsalmon]"God damn Doc, I think you just cured me,"[/color] Anne remarked, feeling everything drain out of her. She felt empty, purposeless. "I'm not going to put your away, Anne, I will however recommend your employer to move you to the basement level." [color=lightsalmon]"Yea? Some dungeon to lock me away in?"[/color] "Just the opposite actually. There's a man down there named Elliot Watts, he's one of us." [color=lightsalmon]"One of us?"[/color] Anne asked suspiciously, suddenly feeling quite uncomfortable. "You'll understand, in time. Learn before you decide. You're interview has already been submitted and cleared, you've been a normal, stable citizen for at least a month now." [color=lightsalmon]"What are you talking about?"[/color] "In time Anne, In time," The clerk said. His chair screeched quietly as she stood, closing the table's interface and leaving the room. Anne just sat there, she wasn't sure for how long. Time passed as she stared at the sliver of light peeking through the partially ajar door. Her thoughts running together, smashing into each other in an uncontrolled chaos. [color=lightsalmon]"What the actual fuck?"[/color] She asked the empty air. [/color][/hider]