voidmissions | [M15] ENEMY: UNKNOWN

On opening their eyes, Voidtreckers will feel a sense of disorientation, a dizziness to their vision and inside their head. Both clear quickly, letting them remember where they came from: in the midst of a mission, some unknown entity jumping them, and then —

They're here. Wherever here is.
They stand in an empty room. The lighting of the room stings their eyes after how dark the rest of the station has been. The walls, ceiling and floor are all bright white, tiles. There is no visible door, no windows.

After the disorientation comes fear. The hairs on the back of their neck stand up. For those with danger sense, these senses are going haywire, even though any other abilities are still not working. The feeling can be pushed down, it is similar to the air of expectation at the start of a horror film, the anticipation of fear rather than being in a truly dangerous situation. It might be that they have been on the train long enough to have felt it before.

Heavy footsteps sound, it is almost impossible to tell where they are coming from as the echo through the empty space. The feeling of dread grows until part of the far wall slides open with a mechanical hiss.

Filling the doorway are two huge figures, around seven foot tall and bulky. They are in large metal suits, almost like power armour, black with highlights of gold. They wear a mask that covers their whole face. It is impossible to see the figure inside at all. Their breathing comes through heavy and raspy and when they walk their footsteps are heavy. The door closes behind them and their presence makes the room feel smaller. One of them scans a green light over the voidtrecker.

"Do not be alarmed. Under sections ninety six of Inter-dimensional law and on behalf of the Void Ministry we have intercepted Voidcraft designation Voidtrecker Express as part of ongoing investigations. You have been taking part in a simulated excercise to gauge your skill and strength. No harm shall come to you or your crew, you are protected by inter dimensional law. You have been chosen for questioning and we ask that you comply. You have the right to refuse our interview but we have the right to hold you until our investigation is complete or one week in standard void time has passed, whichever is longest. Complying with us will ensure our investigation is more efficient."

The inspector talking pauses here, as if giving the voidtrecker time to take in that information.

"Do you accept our interview?"

ENEMY: UNKNOWN

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Fear is not an emotion that usually comes up for Xehanort, attached almost wholly to his near-death at the request of Ansem and the assault just before it from strangers and ones he had considered friends. People had disappeared yesterday, he'd kept an eye out for anything that could have explained where they went or revealed their locations and now--

And now anxiety chews at the corner of his mind like restless, starving rats.

It is forced down, by degrees, as he sways in place a little, eyes slitted closed. He is in control, of himself if nothing else, he will not simply submit to primitive terrors of the unknown! He will not, even with the tromp of ominous footsteps crashing closer, even with the door hissing open and being presented with heavily armored strangers.

He looks perfectly calm, utterly unruffled. It is a lie.

As an explanation is unfurled, it is weighed in silence for a long twenty seconds or so. He folds his hands behind his back, the very image of false calm and certainty. He can't tell if they're even there, his sense of darkness, his own or anyone else's, is terribly skewed. Is this another illusion? "On the conditions that any information gained in the exercise is shared, with myself if no-one else."

Science is happening, for one reason or another, and he is not a participant any longer. "We are, as I'm sure you're aware, unconsenting participants in whatever our voidcraft is up to. Any information, even the results of tests on behalf of this 'ministry', is sure to be more than we have been given until now. Once we have an accord, you will have my full cooperation and assistance, including further tests if required."

The fear hasn't faded. But he will be in command of it, he must.

There's potential science here. He cannot lose that chance!

The pair watch Xehanort, or so can be assumed from where they stand, how they do not shift as he speaks, obscured 'faces' always turned on him. As he presents his demands in return for cooperation, an exchange of information.

One of the pair speaks first, neither moving in that time.

"Your request will be denied. Passengers of the voidcraft Voidtrecker Express will not be stopped from discussing the exercise, but deals will not be made for the crew by a singular passenger. We have however received word of passengers not consenting to their time on the voidcraft. This is part of our investigation, and one of the purposes behind bringing you here. Information you are willing to share will be recorded."

"Surely you understand if you are unwilling to share even the data gleaned from putting us through torment without our consent, then you must be treated as any other captor looking for convenient victims. I have no reason other than your word to believe you are not yet another foreign force torturing my fellows and myself for your own profit and gain, or merely your entertainment."

The young researcher spreads his hands at his side, an almost helpless gesture. "As things stand, you have supplied no evidence that you are not such beings, and until provided anything to the contrary, I cannot in good conscience cooperate."

Which is ... terribly unfortunate, but as he can't even tell if these are actually people.. "I would very much like to, but I don't even have evidence you actually exist, and are not illusions conjured up by magic or drugs to make me believe otherwise."

"Identification can be offered, but was not part of your request," speaks one of the individuals. "Your request demands data of your passengers. We will not supply information on passengers travelling with you without their consent. If you refuse to cooperate under the belief that no proof of our existence can be given, then state so now. An interview will not be forced. We have explained our objective."

There's a pause. "I'm sorry, we must be relying on faulty translators, I fairly explicitly requested it be shared with all of us, and myself alone if that was somehow not allowed. Additionally, if you are aware of the train's actions of late you should be well aware that any reasonable person enduring what we have will want evidence and proofs."

"Our position will not be repeated, and your terms for cooperation to this interview shift, as does your reasoning. This is your last chance," one of the suited figures warn, "to agree to an interview. If not, then this conversation will end, and you will wait with the others for our inspection to end."

"Agree or decline," speaks the other figure. "Will you cooperate?"

Word games. His latest captors want to play word games and twist what he says to their ends. They obviously already have their outcome planned, a thought that thins his lips but his irritation otherwise doesn't show in his expression.

"In that case, given you are my jailers and tormenters, and you have shown no willingness to cooperate in turn in favor of continuing to imprison and torment, it is my duty to resist."

'Resist' in this case doesn't seem to mean immediate attack, for he does not approach or otherwise suddenly engage in violence. Tricks and lies. Was that all this reality knew how to do? More manipulations, more deceit, more illusions and falsehoods..

"Then you will be taken to where others of your passengers wait as we continue our investigation." Without either of them moving, the door from behind them slides open again, the view of a corridor visible. "Come."

A haze falls over Xehanort's senses, an awareness he will only have for a split second, before they're lost to him entirely. He will come to standing - as he come to before, within the smaller room - inside another, where others will be present.

[M15] ENEMY: UNKNOWN - THE INTERVIEW

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