A New Dawn

Chapter 5: Digging Up Questions

Memories of the past drive us all, in an endless cycle of search...

Blues blinked as he stepped inside the tent, his optics taking a half-moment to deal with the light changes. Not for the last time, he wished he still had his helmet…

The tent was a large, cluttered room, filled with stacks of papers, odd site artifacts, and the normal debris of a very lived-in room. It was obvious that the site Director used this tent as his main office and home. What was much more surprising was that he was able to keep track of everything inside. But, there he was, digging his was back to a little sitting area, complete with four fold-up chairs and a mostly clear table. Gesturing to the other two to sit, he smiled up at them, plopping down into his own chair and pulling a cup from the pile of things next to him.

Sitting primly in her chair, Fleur glanced at Blues, who had declined sitting. He was standing, leaning on a handy sturdy filing cabinet. Looking back at Victor, she continued on, shaking her head slightly. "So, Director, as I asked before, do you run into many Irregulars out here? Any of the other Mechaloids turn once they are dug up?"

The man shook his head, looking a little troubled by the subject. "I'm afraid that- no, not really. This is the first Maverick that we have seen out here in a long while, actually. I have no idea what caused him to go off like he did; no one said anything about him acting strangely before today."

Fleur raised an eyebrow, leaning forward a little. "Before? Did anyone mention anything today, before he went Irregular?"

"Today? No… I don't know what happened. I just heard the sounds of that truck being torn apart..." Blinking, the Director shook his head, taking a pull from his mug. "Sorry, I am afraid I really can't help much, here."

"Do you want me to call out a team to scan the other 'loids?"

The man hesitated, and then shook his head. "No, I think we should be fine, here. Thank you for the quick response, though, I do appreciate it."

Fleur gave him a warm smile. "No problem; I was bored today, anyway." Feeling the tension in the tent pop like a bubble, Blues spoke up.

"So… what's going on, now? I just woke up, remember? Am I free to go?" He had pushed off the wall, and was watching the other two.

Fleur turned towards him, a smile on her face. "I suppose you could leave, if you really wanted. I have been asked to bring you to Dr. Cain so he can have a look at you, but… I really don't want to stop you if you want to leave." She cocked her head to the side; a gesture Blues was starting to find slightly annoying. Like she was studying him...

"I suppose you don't know where you are, though, do you? You don't have to stay, but what else do you have to do?"

Blues glared at the vulpine woman. She was right, of course, even if he didn't like it. He had huge sections of his memory that had gone off line or simply corrupted, and he still didn't know where, or when, he was. He was used to being lost to the world, but he wasn't certain just where he had lost grip on the world. Clenching his fist, he noted that while his right arm seemed fine in it's hand mode, he couldn't even switch over to the gun mode, let alone fire it. Without a bearing and no weapon, he was pretty helpless, for now...

"Fine. I'll go to your Doctor."

Fleur's smile got larger. "Good, then. Looks like things are finished, here, yes?" She glanced at the Site Director. He nodded over his drink, then pointed to the side.

"If you want to leave immediately, then head to the blue colored truck. The nice ladies in there will get you set up with the mobile 'porter, You should be back to the city in no time."

Giving another quick salute, Fleur turned towards the front of the tent. Practically bounding to the door, Fleur grandly swept aside the tent flap with her staff. "After you, Mister Blues."

Giving the messy room a final, quick look, Blues sighed, and wordlessly left the tent. This was going to be a long day...

Wincing in the bright sun, Blues looked around the bustle of the camp, wondering how they were able to get on with their lives so quickly after the morning's events. It seemed... strange, somehow. Something was wrong... Deciding to go with his instincts, he spoke up, calling to the woman bounding forward in front of him. "Fleur..."

The vulpine Hunter glanced over her shoulder, slowing down to his pace once she saw his face. Stopping next to him, she continued in a low voice. "Whats up? Why the worried face, all a sudden? Cain's a little enthusiastic, but nothing to be scared of."

Blues glared at her, cutting her off. "Didn't that conversation seem strange to you? I haven't been awake long, but it almost seemed like he was hiding something."

"You know... Hmm..." Fleur nibbled her lower lip as she trailed off into thought, scanning her memories. Raising an eyebrow, she frowned. "Now that you mention it, he did seem to try to avoid me bringing in any extra eyes to this area. Maybe it's worth looking into. Though..." She shrugged, shouldering her staff. "He could just be busy and distracted by the dig."

Blues shook his head. "I don't think so. I think there is something here, and he doesn't want to talk about it. He's distracted, though, you're right about that. He's not going to check to see if we actually left or not."

"You're onto something. It's not going to hurt if we look around a little, and they certainly don't expect me back at base so soon." Her ears perked up at this, as she got more animated. "It's been forever since I've done solo work! But, wait..." She looked back at him, blowing a wisp of hair out of one eye. "When are we a 'we'? I figured you to be the cold, loner type..."

Blues narrowed his eyes, wishing, not for the last time he was beginning to think, that he had his helmet. She was right, he WOULD prefer to do this on his own, but... "I don't know my way around, yet, remember? Besides, I need a new gun..."

Fleur glanced down at his hand, where he was holding out the worn training pistol. Narrowing her eyes, she smirked a little, as an idea took hold. "Well... he didn't actually tell us to go... And I AM a Maverick Hunter, after all. And if we wandered around, asked some questions, and picked up some equipment, no one would suspect a thing. Come on!" She grabbed his outstretched hand and took off, shifting to a low jog.

'Wow...' Blues ran behind her, unsure if she even knew where they were going, and with it her Doctor Cain apparently forgotten. Hoping this wasn't going to turn into a bad idea teaming up with the strange girl, he couldn't help note that she was as quick to decision as she was to run. Barely keeping pace, he brushed off a stray memory, as he heard a ghostly cackle echo in the back of his head.

'...Today Autovale, tomorrow the world! Gah, ha, ha~!'

An full hour and ten minutes later, by his internal clock, Blues was happy to have finally found someplace that seemed relevant. After the first twenty minutes or so of roundabout questioning, it seemed obvious that something strange was happening around camp, though not a person seemed too interested in talking. Fleur thought it might be disinterest, or perhaps lack of information. Blues had a different opinion. Fear had a way of closing tongues, or so he had said at the half-hour mark. Fifty minutes in, he noted that they were starting to circle back on the Director's tent. It was twenty minutes later, after getting some strange looks from people they already questioned, that they ducked into a small, plain-looking, and apparently forgotten tent to discuss their next move.

It was there they found the armory.

Fleur was the first one to recognize it for what it was, as she sat on a nearby dusty box and noticed a weapon rack behind Blues. Up in a moment, twin tails swishing in excitement, she pulled of the tarp covering it with a flourish. After waiting a moment to let the dust, always thick at a work site, to settle, they examined what they had found. There was a trio of racks, with armor, weapons, and a handful of other random, but perhaps useful, gadgets.

"Well, it looks like these haven't been disturbed in a while." Blues said, pulling on a synth-shirt that he had found to replace his old, torn one. It didn't seem to be armored at all, but it did cling to him better then the vest he had been wearing, along with covering his arms.

"This is a -ooph!- dig site, after all. This dust covers everything; I hate to consider what it's doing to my hair." Fleur's voice echoed out of a huge crate she had climbed into, looking at what things might be inside. She tossed something out towards him, missing by a good body length. "Here, try this!"

Picking up the strange, rectangular device, Blues turned it over in his hands, trying to figure it out. Noting a hand grip, he held it gently and activated it, blinking as a field of pale green light sprung into effect, forming a shield of energy. Noting the shape and size, he shifted his shoulder, reassuring that his trusty old shield was still attached. Placing the field generator aside he called back. "Not for me, I think."

"Suit yourself... Seems easier to carry then your old, -hmm... whats this?- clunky thing. Who uses shields anymore, anyway...?" Trailing off, the woman's voice was replaced my the sounds of shifting equipment. Glaring a moment at her back, he frowned at the generator a moment before he slid it wordlessly into his belt pack.

Pulling a gun off the magnetized weapons rack, Blues looked over the handgun, unsure just what to look for. While he preferred his familiar Arm Buster, he was realistic enough to see that it was going to need some extensive work to repair. Luckily, his hand and fingers seemed to be working alright, but until then he was stuck with hand-held equipment. Frowning, he pulled another gun off the rack and moved on.

Wandering over to the armor rack, he scanned it quickly, much more sure of what he wanted. He had always preferred a light, armored bodysuit, giving him maximum control of his arms, which was useful when maneuvering a heavy shield and still lining up shots. Backed up with a sturdy helmet and armored leg guards, he could stand firm against most storms of fire. However, his new legs, for all their improved mobility, seemed much less armored then what he recalled preferring. It looked like, for now, at least, he would have to change up his style some.

The one he decided on was armored breastplate, dark gray in color with a reddish crystal in the chest. It was a little larger then he would like, but also looked much more protective then the light vest that he had on earlier. The only real problem was the shoulders; they were large, pointed things, perhaps to help minimize fire coming from above. The right one was fine, but the left... Sitting on a box, he rummaged out a small toolbox and set to unlatching the left shoulder plate.

Fleur came back into view, a small pack full of things under one arm, her staff missing from view. Cocking her head, she watched him work for a few minutes, then spoke up. "What are you even bothering with that for, anyway? That thing'll slow you down a lot, I'm sure. What is it with you and defense, anyway?"

"Sooner or later, one always gets backed into a corner. You're ability to survive comes down to how well you can handle being overwhelmed." Popping off the last connection, the shoulder plate finally came off, leaving a smooth, unmarked surface behind. Pausing a moment, Blues pulled the armor on, settling into it, working his shield around quickly to see if the missing shoulder piece was going to be enough clearance. It was heavier then he thought it might be, but not so bad that he couldn't compensate. Now, if he only had a helmet...

"So, there ARE a pair of thieves sneaking into the camp! Rather careless of you to get caught.." The sudden words were immediately followed by the distinct sound of a weapon's safety switching off.