Oath of the Survivor

Kyle watched the azure orb through the projection on the shuttle wall as he ascended, climbing towards the waiting flagship.  The crew on board was quiet, leaving Kyle to look and ponder.  He thought it would be a harder parting, but as he regarded at the planet that had been his home, he realized that he’d already mourned for what he was leaving behind.  The world he knew, his aspirations, his dreams – they had all been lost in the cataclysm.  Kyle fought to survive in the ruins of his world, and he’d done it.  Whatever came next, he would find it among the stars.

 Soon, the shuttle passed into the landing bay, and the sight of Earth was gone.  Kyle stood and exited, focusing on what was ahead.  He already sent a message to Chester on his way up that he’d be departing with the flagship once the first shuttles arrived.  He waved to some of the familiar faces as he made his way through the ship and towards his quarters.  There was a general buzz of activity as uniformed bodies went to and fro, getting all the preparations together for the return trip.  He opened the door to his room, and looked at his nav bracelet.  Now, he had a mountain of documents to review. 

True to her word, Angela Corthus provided an exhaustive list of possibilities for him.  The Collective was massive, and there was a virtually endless list of different fields he could choose.  Angela had highlighted seven that she recommended, along with a note.

Mr. Mayhew,

As the time approaches for you to arrive in the Collective, I want to thank you for your support during this operation.  Your efforts contributed significantly to the success, and you helped save many lives.  My great-grandson speaks highly of you, and while I know there have been areas of tension between you and our organization, it is my sincere hope that we can part ways amicably.  I personally reviewed the files and reports sent to me, and have taken the liberty of identifying several fields to which I believe you would be uniquely suited.

I have also seen to it that an additional bonus was paid directly to your account, which will become accessible when you arrive.  You will have sufficient funds to build yourself a foundation, no matter what you decide.

Finally, I will offer a word of caution.  From what I’ve heard of you, it is likely you will be tempted to visit your people when they arrive.  Though your efforts have given them a ledge, tying your path to theirs is perilous.  I would hate to see your potential squandered trying to bear the burden of your people alone.  There will be challenges for them, and they will have to rise to meet them. 

Regards,

Angela Corthus

 Kyle read the letter over again, this time out loud for C.H.A.D.D.’s benefit.  Her words were direct and to the point, which Kyle appreciated.  While he had no doubt she was a shrewd businesswoman, Kyle didn’t get the impression she was lying to him.  If she was antagonistic towards him, Angela had more than enough personal and organizational power to crush him like a bug.  Even if there were motivations beneath the surface, Kyle’s gut told him that this was advice he should listen to.  With that, he opened up the seven documents she’d recommended.

Kyle saw the seven different fields before him, with the words highlighted in three different colors.  Referencing the key, he saw that the colors each represented a different set of steps that he would need to take. 

The red color signified work that would be within the Collective itself, which would require specific applications, a set of public service examinations, and ultimately placement by a Collective administrator.  This was by far the largest overall category, though only two specific fields were highlighted by Angela.  The first was working in the Emergency Triage division, and the second was called the Planetary Survey division.  As he read over them, both seemed interesting. 

Emergency Triage involved being stationed on a planet and responding to disasters as they arose.  D Grades were typically squadron leaders, responsible for coordinating a group of E Grades.  On higher grade worlds, however, there were opportunities to act more as an individual contributor.  It made sense, given that the scope of the dangers were also higher. 

The Planetary Survey group, by contrast, was all about individual contribution.  Despite the size and scope of the Collective, much of the universe was still unknown and unexplored.  This group was tasked with information-gathering missions, and acted as first contact in situations when civilizations were discovered.  He was pretty fuzzy on what all that entailed, as Earth’s circumstances had been very non-standard.  The unique thing here, at least to Kyle, was that there was a minimum D Grade requirement.  It would provide an opportunity for him to really be around a lot of other D Grades, and given the amount he’d learned from Skippy and Duroc, that was a very good thing.

He perused more of the Collective opportunities, more out of curiosity than anything.  Much of the work was mundane, available to even unawakened.  Kyle hadn’t fully appreciated the scope of the Collective as an organization, and couldn’t help but wonder if it was a mirror to the Central Authority, just blown up to a grander scale.  On paper, it was little more than a trade agreement and alliance between many of the largest B Grade factions in the Universe.  Practically, it seemed to function much more akin to a full-blown government.  There was still a lot Kyle didn’t know, though he was hopeful he’d be able to learn more before they arrived.

Filing away the red-coded opportunities, Kyle turned his attention to the blue-coded group, again seeing two that were set apart.  This segment was all about individual organizations, offering high-level dossiers on different companies and factions.  The ones listed appeared to be C Grade, similar to Corthian Mining in size and scope.  The different types of work were as diverse as the companies that offered them, and each required specific and unique qualifications.  The two that were selected in this group were more an example, with different postings showing similar needs. 

The first was an umbrella labeled ‘Field Agent.’  Though the specifics depended on the organization, virtually every company listed had a position open for individuals to work in the field.  E Grades were typically put in squads, while D Grades fell into two categories: expedition leaders like Chester; or individual contributors.  The idea was simple – throw in with a larger faction, take advantage of the opportunities, and progress. 

The second umbrella, listed as ‘Corporate Security,’ was also familiar to Kyle.  The requirements appeared to be more stringent, and for good reason.  This was another that required D Grade as a minimum requirement, and all the jobs involved guarding something of value to the organization, be it a location, an object, or a person.  He thought of Skippy and Duroc, and their involvement on Earth.  Kyle had been offered a similar position by Angela herself, and had declined it.  Even now, it didn’t seem to be as good of a fit as the other three he’d read so far, so he moved on.

The last grouping, indicated in green, were independent work.  There were a wide variety of different types of work available, and the path was relatively simple.  A person had to complete a licensing course from an accredited group, pass a Collective-administered exam, and receive a license to operate independently.  Independents would then join a sponsored Guild, which would ensure they received work. 

There were three that Angela had marked in particular; the Private Security Guild, the Courier’s Guild, and the Mercenary’s Guild.  These were all fairly self-explanatory.  Private Security differed from Corporate Security in that it was a single assignment with a set duration, though the scope of the work was similar.  The Courier’s Guild handled everything from private deliveries to large-scale material shipments.  The Mercenary’s Guild got hired out for additional muscle in combat situations, and Kyle was shocked by the sheer number of contracts requesting them.

Kyle had already dismissed Corporate Security, and quickly tossed Private Security into the same bucket.  It just wasn’t something that interested him as much as the others, and as he learned in his sparring sessions with Skippy and Duroc, he wasn’t able to easily showcase his abilities in mock scenarios.  That still left Kyle with five viable paths that the chairwoman had highlighted, with more likely lurking within the endless sea of information he had yet to sort through.

He sighed as he closed the documents and lay down on the bed.  Thoughts swirled endlessly in Kyle’s head, anticipation and excitement mixed with trepidation.  There was a lot he had to figure out.  While he had time, Kyle knew that without a direction it would be easy to get lost in the transition to life in the Collective.  He had a tidy sum of credits to rely on, but not enough to live on forever.  Besides, one thing was certain.  Kyle didn’t want his progression to stagnate.  There were mysteries that he wanted answers to, and he wouldn’t be able to find those answers at his current level of power.  His mind continued to wander, until sleep finally took him.

The weeks that followed were a blur of activity.  Even though his work was technically done, field teams were still on the planet wrapping up their final extractions. Kyle found himself assisting Randolph in the medical bay, treating the smaller injuries that still popped up from time to time.  During their time together, Kyle had a chance to really appreciate the difference between a dedicated Healer like Randolph, and a hybrid like himself. 

The short, muscular man only had two skills at D Grade as far as Kyle could tell, the detailed diagnostic skill and a skill that isolated and removed foreign objects.  Even so, his basic healing skills showed Kyle just how much he had to learn, and he was grateful for the opportunity.

Randolph’s gruff exterior didn’t change much, though Kyle saw it crack occasionally.  The most valuable lessons Randolph shared, in Kyle’s opinion, were in the different treatments necessary for different species.  He learned a lot about goblin and skrell anatomy, which paired well with the scans C.H.A.D.D. continued to take. 

Randolph was quite fond of the drone, and the two of them swapped notes.  C.H.A.D.D. added additional detail to its skrell and goblin scans, while Randolph refined the methodology of his own diagnostic skill, working on filtering and isolating specific details.  In their down time, Kyle ran Angela’s list by Randolph.  He knew he could trust the grumpy Healer to share his full, unfiltered thoughts.

“These are all damn hard to get into, but they’re all good choices.  I’ll tell you one thing, though, you’ll make a hell of a lot more money if you sign on with a faction.”  Randolph’s moustache bristled as he talked, one hand stroking his chin thoughtfully. 

“How much more are we talking about?”

“It depends, but I’d guess thirty percent or more.  It tends to be riskier work, but the compensation makes up for it if you ask me.”

Kyle frowned as he considered Randolph’s words.  “It’s surprising to me that anybody would go independent and join a guild if things are so much better on the private end.”

Randolph scoffed.  “The guilds get paid well, but they also have higher mortality rates.  The jobs the guilds get hired for are the ones that their employers don’t have confidence in doing themselves.  If their field teams could handle it, they would.”

That got Kyle’s heart beating.  His path was tied to overcoming adversity and surviving challenges.  While there would undoubtedly be risk aligned with any of the options Angela shared with him, Randolph’s warning about becoming an independent made the option seem even more attractive.  The two continued to work, until the last day before departure. 

The announcement came across everybody’s nav bracelet, and whoops and cheers could be heard across the flagship.  Kyle read the message, and fought to keep the smile from his face, too.  The first transport vessel just arrived.  They were officially done with this leg of the journey. 

Kyle saw messages from different expedition members come through, announcing parties at the mess hall and a tournament in the training area.  While it would be fun, Kyle decided to retire to his room. 

Less than a minute after he got settled, there was a knock on the door.  Frowning, Kyle got up and opened it.  To his surprise, Rochelle was standing outside.  For the first time he’d seen, her hair wasn’t up in a tight braid, instead falling naturally, framing her face.  She wore a casual uniform, though her daggers were still on her hip.  She smiled when she saw him, a glint in her eye.

“I knew I’d find you here, Kyle.  Any particular reason you’re skipping the party?”

He returned the smile.  Their schedules meant they hadn’t really had a chance to see each other since the shopping trip.  “C.H.A.D.D.’s a lot more popular than I am, I’d get self-conscious.”

“With that new pack you made for it, that’s hardly a surprise.”

“I’m more surprised you’re not there.”

Her smile widened as she cocked her hip.  “You saw the announcement.  As of an hour ago, I’m officially on shore leave, and I can think of something a lot more fun.  Now, are you going to invite me in?”

Kyle took her hand, and let the door close behind them.