Changin Scenery

Elias stiffened for a moment before turning back toward her. He gave a small nod. "Of course, Ela—Platoon Commander Elara," he said with a smirk, his tone edging on teasing.

Elara rolled her eyes but handed a clipboard to the pink-haired soldier. "Sergeant Rylen, take this report back to HQ and file it. I'll meet you in the training room after breakfast."

Rylen accepted the clipboard with a crisp salute. "Understood, Platoon Commander. It shouldn't take long to deliver this and return to Alpha Base."

Elara turned to the rest of her team. "The rest of you, report back to your individual units and proceed with the day's assignments."

With a slight bow, the soldiers responded in unison, "Yes, Platoon Commander," before dispersing. The quiet efficiency of their movements gave Elias a faint sense of awe as he watched them leave.

"Any reason you wanted to see me in particular, Elara?" Elias asked, crossing his arms casually.

Her expression softened slightly, though her voice remained firm. "You mentioned that man was after you—and your shard. Any idea how he found you or even knew you had one?"

Elias shook his head. "No idea. But whatever tipped him off, it wasn't anything I did. He didn't know my name—just called me 'boy.' My guess? Some kind of detection system."

"Detection system?" Elara tilted her head, considering the idea. "Why do you think that?"

"Before he attacked, he locked onto me right away. It wasn't random, but it didn't seem personal either. Maybe his Ikona could sense mine, or maybe it's something else. Honestly, who knows at this point?"

Elara crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing in thought. "That's strange. I've been trying to wrap my head around it too. Ever since I met the doctor… the one who gave us the initial message… I've had more questions than answers. I can't imagine what the other ninety-nine are experiencing."

Elias frowned. "Right, he mentioned the others were getting the same message. But that guy? He didn't look familiar. He could be from another planet—or maybe even Cradle. Or somewhere we've never heard of."

"Possible," Elara said. She paused, her curiosity piqued. "You mentioned 'Ikona.' What is that?"

Elias shrugged. "You know, the little creature that floats around and bugs us."

He tapped his chest lightly. "Hey, Dot's, you still there?"

For a moment, there was nothing but silence. Then, a tiny yawn echoed from within him as Dot's emerged, lazily rolling out from her hiding spot. She stretched her small limbs, blinking groggily. "Sorry. I must've dozed off. You're not dead. That's great."

Elara blinked, her gaze fixed on the small creature now floating in front of Elias. "An Ikona, huh?" she murmured, studying Dot's intently. "You look… different from the one that appeared to me a few days ago."

Dot's crossed her tiny arms and huffed. "That's because everyone's different. We were all created by the Doctor, after all."

Moments later, a cool, icy-white Ikona emerged from Elara's chest, her translucent edges shimmering faintly. The creature's small form brightened when she spotted Dot's. "Well, if it isn't another one of us!" she exclaimed, rushing over and hugging Dot's tightly.

"Good to see you, Cubes," Dot's replied with a faint smile. "Glad to be awake, but… I'm worried about the Doctor. I don't know why, but seeing him just made me sad."

"Same here," Cubes admitted, pulling back slightly. "My memories are all over the place, too. Ever since I woke up and met this crazy lady," she gestured toward Elara with a grin, "it's been nonstop running, sprinting, and sparring. Then I saw the vision of the Doctor, the stat sheet showed up, and she hit all the requirements. But… nothing's happened yet. So, she just went on with her routine until the call came in about humans under attack. Next thing I knew, her heart rate spiked from, like, 70 beats per minute to something insane."

Dot's nodded. "Sounds about right. It's like everything's a fog. You'd think he'd have left us more to work with."

Elias chimed in, his brow furrowed. "That does explain Dot's memory issues. I wonder if it's intentional—or just some kind of glitch in how you're made. What's your name, anyway?"

Cubes glanced at Elara, who was busy scanning her team. "She started calling me Cubes," the creature said with a small shrug. "Because when I hit my limit, something weird happens. Ice radiates off me, and everything around us gets cold. Like, really cold. Feels like ice cubes rolling across my skin." She scratched her head, clearly puzzled. "No clue why it happens, though."

Elara finally spoke up, her voice firm. "Things are being monitored closely. So far, 25 people in this country alone have been identified and brought in for testing. The higher-ups are taking all of this seriously. If I keep improving, they've hinted I might get to lead a platoon of shard-bearers someday."

Elias raised an eyebrow. "A platoon? Why's that necessary?"

Elara met his gaze. "Bluntly? If this works, we'll have the perfect counter to the alien invasions that have been hitting us for years. If someone develops the ability to track their movements or predict their strategies, we could finally take the fight to them. But… I'm getting ahead of myself."

She shook her head slightly, brushing the thought aside. "That's enough for now. Go meet with Warden Commander Geras when you get to the training grounds. I'll be putting in a request to have you assigned to my squad so I can keep a close eye on you."

Elias nodded. "Sure thing."

At that moment, the loud beep of a vehicle sounded as a fresh bus rolled up to replace the damaged one. The broken vehicle was slowly being hauled away by a second transport. Elara clapped her hands. "Let's move! Deadlines don't wait for anyone."

As the recruits filed onto the new bus, Elara gave Elias a rare smile. "We'll talk more later. Maybe over some drinks, if you're lucky."

"Sounds like a plan," Elias said with a grin, watching as Cubes waved at Dot's while Elara strode off.

Turning to board the bus, Elias noticed the driver giving him a knowing smirk. "You handled yourself pretty well out there," the man said, leaning back in his seat. "Not bad for someone who looks like they haven't hit a gym in years."

Elias laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Just doing what I could. Guess older guys like me think faster or something."

He handed the driver his revolver back. "By the way, thanks for letting me borrow this. I've always preferred gunpowder rounds. My dad taught me how to shoot with these when I was a kid."

The driver chuckled, inspecting the weapon before holstering it. "Same here. Been using it for years. Plasma rifles are flashier, sure, but they break down too much for my liking. Good old-fashioned gunpowder never lets you down."

Elias nodded faintly, his energy drained as he moved further into the bus. He slumped into a seat near the front, beside Marcus, who leaned his head against the window. Elias glanced at it, noting the material was far thicker than normal glass—probably some military-grade composite. "Makes sense," he thought. "Wouldn't want to risk a stray plasma shot cracking it."

He sighed, letting his head rest against the seatback. The events of the day weighed on him, the adrenaline that had kept him moving now fully spent. His body felt heavy, and his eyes fluttered shut as the hum of the engine faded into the background.

The sharp screech of brakes yanked him out of his daze. The bus jolted slightly, and Elias's head snapped forward. Around him, the other recruits stirred, some rubbing their eyes as they muttered about the abrupt stop.

Elias blinked, sitting up straighter as he peered out the window. His gaze was drawn to a massive security gate ahead, flanked by towering barricades and manned by heavily armed guards in dark tactical gear. The guards moved with precision, their eyes scanning every vehicle with an intensity that sent a small chill down Elias's spine.

The bus slowed further as they approached, the driver lowering his window to hand over a clearance pass. Elias watched one of the guards step forward, a plasma rifle slung across his chest. The man scanned the bus with a sharp, practiced gaze before giving a curt nod. A mechanical hum followed as the barricades began to part, revealing more of the facility beyond.

"Security's no joke," Elias thought as the bus rolled forward. He caught glimpses of structures beyond the gate—large, imposing buildings with sleek lines and reinforced exteriors. The faint glow of energy shields shimmered over some of the larger complexes.

The deeper they went, the more the base came into view. Training fields stretched out on either side, dotted with towering obstacles and sparring platforms. Soldiers in matching combat gear moved through drills, their movements synchronized. A distant clang of metal rang out, likely from a weapons test.