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chocobobuttThey'd told him he was faulty.
Well, that's not strictly true, other people had been told he was faulty and that he wasn't suitable for combat (even though his shooting was excellent), but he'd been there at the time and that sort of counted - at least, it was the only way he was ever told anything, anyway.
They'd said he was to be decommissioned. He didn't know what decommissioned was, but he knew it was something a trooper didn't come back from. There were a lot of things a trooper didn't come back from, though, so at least he didn't know enough to be scared. Mostly, he was curious.
Maybe that was the problem. None of the others seemed to ever be curious. He was just supposed to follow orders, he wasn't supposed to know what why meant, let alone ask it.
It had been easier, before, being raised the same as all the others, given the same instructions. None of the others had talked, so he didn't either - but he did listen. He listened, and he learned - not much, just bits and pieces here and there, things that meant nothing to him and things that sounded interesting. Anything from state secrets to petty dramas between colleagues, and he didn't know one from the other truth be told, didn't know enough about the world to slot any of it into places that fit - he just liked to hear people talk. It made him feel less... lonely.
Another problem. He never realised he wasn't meant to feel anything at all.
Whatever decommissioning was or wasn't, he never had the chance to find out, though, because while he was being transported from one end of the facility to the other, the vehicle carrying him was hijacked. He didn't know it at the time - his armour had been deactivated, rendering him practically blind and barely able to move, and all he could hear was the sounds of a fight and then the vehicle was moving again - and it seemed like it was going much, much further than just the other end of the facility...
After a long journey and some disorienting moves, he becomes aware that someone is activating the release catches on his helmet, and he barely has chance to react before he's wincing at the sudden flood of painfully bright light (it's not overly bright, it just seems it after so long in darkness) - followed immediately by an uncomfortably loud clatter as whoever removed his helmet drops it.
"Holy shit." somebody in front of him breathes, as he's still trying to adjust to the light.
Well, that's not strictly true, other people had been told he was faulty and that he wasn't suitable for combat (even though his shooting was excellent), but he'd been there at the time and that sort of counted - at least, it was the only way he was ever told anything, anyway.
They'd said he was to be decommissioned. He didn't know what decommissioned was, but he knew it was something a trooper didn't come back from. There were a lot of things a trooper didn't come back from, though, so at least he didn't know enough to be scared. Mostly, he was curious.
Maybe that was the problem. None of the others seemed to ever be curious. He was just supposed to follow orders, he wasn't supposed to know what why meant, let alone ask it.
It had been easier, before, being raised the same as all the others, given the same instructions. None of the others had talked, so he didn't either - but he did listen. He listened, and he learned - not much, just bits and pieces here and there, things that meant nothing to him and things that sounded interesting. Anything from state secrets to petty dramas between colleagues, and he didn't know one from the other truth be told, didn't know enough about the world to slot any of it into places that fit - he just liked to hear people talk. It made him feel less... lonely.
Another problem. He never realised he wasn't meant to feel anything at all.
Whatever decommissioning was or wasn't, he never had the chance to find out, though, because while he was being transported from one end of the facility to the other, the vehicle carrying him was hijacked. He didn't know it at the time - his armour had been deactivated, rendering him practically blind and barely able to move, and all he could hear was the sounds of a fight and then the vehicle was moving again - and it seemed like it was going much, much further than just the other end of the facility...
After a long journey and some disorienting moves, he becomes aware that someone is activating the release catches on his helmet, and he barely has chance to react before he's wincing at the sudden flood of painfully bright light (it's not overly bright, it just seems it after so long in darkness) - followed immediately by an uncomfortably loud clatter as whoever removed his helmet drops it.
"Holy shit." somebody in front of him breathes, as he's still trying to adjust to the light.
"Get... get Marshal Leonis. He should see this."
