[u][b]Location:[/b] Rif Research Facility, Haghich System[/u]

[color=burlywood]“Come all you pretty fair maids, whoever you may be. Who love a jolly sailor bold that ploughs the raging sea,”[/color] a rich and beautiful female voice reverberates within the walls of the innermost portion of the facility. The source of the voice is a figure that is walking gracefully with the slow tune towards the middle of the room.

[color=burlywood]”While up aloft, in storm or gale, from me his absence mourn, and firmly pray, arrive the day, he home will safe return.”[/color]

The scene would have been serene if not for the unconscious bodies that lay on the floor, or the environmental armor and helmet that she wears. Dim red lights glow from the helmet's one-way glass that obscures the singing woman's face. The lights would appear like some spider's eyes and fangs, befitting the scene around her.

[color=burlywood]”My name it is Maria, a merchant's daughter fair. And I have left my parents and three thousand pounds a year.”[/color]

With practiced elegance, she disarms the final alarm that protected the data card that she was sent to take. Its data was said to hold some information about an advanced combat A.I. prototype that was banned in almost a dozen star systems because of its ability to learn and adapt in an almost incomprehensible speed despite its size.

[color=burlywood]”My heart is pierced by Cupid, I disdain all glittering gold, There is nothing can console me but my jolly sailor b--”[/color]

Her song was stopped with the sound of explosion behind her and smoke grenades being tossed in the room. She was about to turn towards the source of the noise but an electric slug was shot towards her before she could finish her motion. The woman falls to the ground, convulsing as the strong electric shocks passed through her body, and all turns to black.

[hr]

[u][b]Location:[/b] Unknown, Unknown system[/u]

The woman wakes, but does not open her eyes nor make a sound. She tries to listen in or even feel for her surroundings, but nothing useful came out of it other than the fact that she was lying down and that she was feeling particularly uncomfortable and restrained in something tight. There was also something on her face, but she dares not open her eyes to see what it was. The woman laid unmoving for a few moments, not wanting to alert those who apprehended her that she was awake but the silence and emptiness of the room was deafening to her. The shrill sound of nothingness screamed at her loudly, urging her to scream back at it in hopes of filling the void. Thankfully, for her, lights flooded the room so fast and so brightly that it forced her to wince.

[b]“We know you're awake. Stand up and sit down.”[/b] a raspy male voice called out to her from the other side of the room. The woman was then forced to open her eyes slowly to allow herself to adapt to the sudden change in lighting. She would have pulled her arms up to cover her eyes, had it not been tied down, in a loose sense of the term.

Matija looks towards the direction of the voice and sees herself in a white padded room with three other people. One of them is a man wearing a black office type suit which sat on a chair, just in front of two armed men which she presumed as his guards or escort of sorts. [color=burlywood]”Who-”[/color] As she spoke, she notices that she could not move her mouth as easily as she would have wanted to. Looking down, she also realises that she is bound, not with ropes or anything that she was used to. Instead, she finds herself inside a strait jacket.

[color=burlywood]”YOU!”[/color] she shouts out angrily at the man. With some effort, she manages to stand up and run towards the suited man. Before she could reach him, one of the guards moves to intercept her and then hit her with the butt of their rifle to knock her down. The same armed guard then points the rifle towards her as she crumples to the floor.

[color=burlywood]”FfffFFFFUCK! I SWEAR, I'LL RIP YOUR NECK OFF'A YOU!”[/color]

[b]“Real cute, Holmström. Tell me, how the hell would you do that with that muzzle, hm?”[/b] the man in the suit spoke with amusement in his rough voice as he wordlessly orders the guard to stand down.

Matija was about to retort, but she was stopped when the suited man spoke again.

[b]“But whatever. I was sent to this crazy ward to invite you to a party, freak. It's called the Revenant project. I suggest you don't refuse.”[/b] The man said cooly and adjusted his tie while saying so.

[color=burlywood]”Tch! And what if I do refuse, huh? What're [b]YOU[/b] gonna do? Report back to H.Q. and tell your boss? Why don't you go do that, pig?”[/color] Matija defiantly spoke, challenging the man to do something to her as a response, but got nothing more than an unamused chuckle.

[b]“Funny that you should say that,”[/b] the suited man grinned as he moved his face menacingly closer to Matija's. [b]“I mean, I can just get you stuck here for life. Or even order these guys to kill you. It'll be a favor to the entirety of the galaxy anyway. Or... I have a better idea! I could give a go signal for the manhunt for... Hmm... Who was that again? Pops? I wonder if he has enemies willing to know where he is too...”[/b]

Matija's face darkened at the realization, which then turned into seething rage. [color=burlywood]”DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE!”[/color] She headbutts the suited man's face, disorienting him and causing him to reel over. The guards swiftly retaliated by hitting her with the butt of their rifles, again, and kicking her till she could no longer fight back.

[b]“YOU BITCH!”[/b] The suited man hisses as he holds his bloody nose. [b]“You're gonna pay for that! GUARDS!”[/b]

With that command, Matija was dragged out of her cell and into another wing of the facility where the rest of the night was pierced by her readily weakening screams.

[hr]

[u][b]Location:[/b] Chronos Station, two weeks later[/u]

The last shuttle comes in the station utterly late. The disappointment shows in the rest of the crew's tired faces but they continued on in the name of professionalism. As some turn to face the shuttle as it landed, more crew turned towards the ship as the doors opened and an ancient earth song blaringly plays inside its cabin.

[b]“IF YOU WANNA BE MY LOVER, YOU GOTTA GET WITH MY FRIENDS! MAKE 'EM LAST FOREVER, FRIENDSHIP NEVER ENDS,”[/b] was the lyrics of the song before the pilot finally turns the speakers off with an obvious look of relief to his face. One of the station's floor managers rush towards the pilot with obvious anger in her face while the pilot and the rest of the crew explained. One of them pushes out someone bound in a wheelchair while another takes out a large heavy looking hard-case. She was bound in a strait jacket and had a muzzle on her grinning mouth.

[color=burlywood]”So this is the party?”[/color] Matija asked as she was being released from her wheelchair-bound torture. [color=burlywood]”You guys look so shady and edgy-”[/color] she pauses when she sees the skeleton [color=burlywood]”Except you. You look cool, Sir- er, Ma'am?”[/color] she tilts her head as a querie towards the skeleton's preferences.

[color=burlywood]”Oh, yeah. Uh, yeah. Bill?”[/color] Matija turns towards the person that pushed her wheelchair. [color=burlywood]“You're gonna untie me and remove the muzzle now, right? That was what your boss told us.”[/color] She pokes her tongue out at Bill while she smiles at him. The man sighs, obviously tired of her, but complies to his orders anyway.

The odd-eyed woman turns back towards the people whom she presumed was her new team of sorts, while Bill sluggishly untied her, and smiled at them again. [color=burlywood]”So, what'd I miss?”[/color]