S1, 07 Meeting (FB) (May 20, 2014)

Corresponding text underneath each picture.

**22nd MAY 2086**

Judge: “Frank Foster, I hereby find you guilty of two counts of murder…”

Frank: “*NO!*”

Judge: “and sentence you to life imprisonment!”

Frank: “But I’m innocent!”

Judge: “The evidence against you is overwhelming; you have only been spared the death penalty because of your age! Guards! Take him away!”

Frank: “*NOOOOOOOO!*"

\***The sound of a metal jail door closing.**\*

Judge: “For the crimes you have committed both against your family and in turn this city, I personally hope you *ROT* in jail!”

Frank: “But I didn’t do anything! I want my Mum! *DADDY!* \***Begins to sob**.\*”

Judge: “Well you should have thought about that before you *MURDERED THEM!*"

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**27th December 2094: Present Day**

It was the day following my raid on the weapons factory in New Jersey, Earth. I had got back to my hideout in the remains of Birmingham, Alabama late in the evening and was too tired to contact Mr. Grey, my mysterious rescuer or his even more mysterious boss to let them know how the task had gone, so I had waited until the morning before calling.

Mr. Grey: “And the prototype?”

Tank: “I have it here. Along with the blueprints.”

Mr. Grey: “Good. Then we must meet again.”

Tank: “Why?”

Mr. Grey: “My boss, your benefactor, needs that prototype.”

Tank: “But I thought it was to be destroyed before more could be made and used in the war?”

Mr. Grey: “There has been a slight change of plan. You are right when you said it is no longer to be used in the war by the Imperium; it is however going to be used by the Aurelians.”

Tank: “*What?!*”

Mr. Grey: “I am sorry for deceiving you Tank but if you had known what it was to be used for, would you have gotten it for me?”

I thought for a moment before responding, also trying to keep my annoyance in check.

Tank: “No.”

Mr. Grey: “Precisely. Now, my boss would like our meet to take place on natural ground, so, can you get to Etrion?”

I was annoyed but had no choice.

Tank: “Yeah. When?”

Mr. Grey: “Midday tomorrow, local time. I’ll send the co-ordinates when you’re en-route.”

Tank: “Understood.”

Mr. Grey: “I’ll see you there.”

With that, he ended the link and his blue hologram fizzled out.

I was angry that he’d lied to me about the prototype but I knew that there was nothing I could do. My benefactor had busted me out of jail and was promising me answers. I couldn’t afford to turn against him now; whoever he was.

The next day, I set off early. I cleared my stuff out from the office, because I had a feeling I wouldn’t be coming back again, and headed in my ship for Etrion. As promised, on the way, Mr. Grey sent me the meeting co-ordinates and so when I got closer to the planet, I typed them into the navi-computer and entered the atmosphere.

Etrion was the only moon of the huge planet Qoter and had apparently, not that long ago, been a great independent system, but after a devastating Civil War with Qoter, most of the planet was turned to ruins. Now it was mostly abandoned. The only populous were raiders and nomads. Loners and the lost. Scoundrels and scum.

The perfect place for a discreet meeting.

I arrived at the co-ordinates at about half past 11 and found a suitable touchdown point nearby.

After the shift occurred, time was a difficult thing to measure throughout the galaxy, as each planet had its own time zones. However, when the GI took control, they unified everything and time became measured as it was on Earth. This worked well for cross-planetary time-telling, but it did mean that, for example, one o’clock in the afternoon on Earth – middle of the day, but at the same time on Iapra, one o’clock would be coming up to midnight; all because of the distance from the sun and the speed of planetary rotations.

So our midday meeting on Etrion actually took place at approximately five in the afternoon, Earth time.

I left my ship to look around. I was on what looked like it would once have been a farmstead, but now there was only dust and ruins; burnt timber beams and charcoaled ground. No sign of Mr. Grey yet though, however I was a couple of minutes early.

I wandered around the local area for a minute or two and then returned to the ship to find Mr. Grey already there, waiting for me, a speeder bike parked behind him.

Mr. Grey: “Greetings again, Tank.”

Tank: “Mr. Grey.” I nodded as I approached. I noticed that he was dressed in a different, perfectly tailored suit to the one I’d seen him in last time. This one was blue with pinstripes.

Mr. Grey: “You have the prototype and blueprints?”

Tank: “Here.” I passed over both items.

Mr. Grey: “Fantastic.” He replied and examined them both for a few moments. He then tucked the blueprints into his suit jacket and slid the gun into a saddlebox on his speeder.

Mr. Grey: “My boss will be very pleased.”

Tank: “Who is this boss of yours?” I enquired, getting a little frustrated with all the secrecy. “I know nothing about either of you!”

Mr. Grey: “There is good reason, I assure you. The work my boss does benefits a great deal of people, however, as the majority of it is illegal we must maintain the upmost secrecy.”

Tank: “But at least I have a name for you! Am I expected to just refer to your boss as… your boss?”

Mr. Grey smirked and appeared to think for a moment before replying.

Mr. Grey: “Those we work with and who must have dealings with him refer to him as, ‘The Brain’.

Tank: “The Brain?” I questioned in disbelief.

Mr. Grey: “Indeed. Because of his incredible smarts and planning abilities. He truly is a genius.”

I almost thought he was joking when he’d said ‘The Brain’, but as he said that, the look on his face showed that he truly believed what he was saying. The previous time I’d met him, he’d hardly revealed anything through his facial expressions, but now, he looked like he was talking about somebody he properly admired and respected.

I nodded my understanding.

Tank: “Okay.”

Mr. Grey: “Now, here.” He reached back into his jacket and pulled out another small cardboard folder and held it out to me.

Tank: “What’s this?”

Mr. Grey: “Your next assignment.”

I was just about to open it and have a look inside, but it was at that moment that five men and a woman, all dressed in scraps of clothing, rags and armour, leapt out at us, shouting threats and orders and surrounding Mr. Grey and I in a circle.

I quickly tucked the folder into my coat and was tempted to draw my weapons but after quickly glancing at them all, I realised every single one of them was armed. On my own, I might, *might*, have stood a chance, but if a fight broke out now, Mr. Grey would almost certainly be killed and I couldn’t risk that happening.

Raider #1: “Put your hands on your heads!” one guy shouted at us, taking a step closer towards us.

Tank: “What do you want?” I asked, not doing as he’d ordered.

Raider #1: “I said, *HANDS ON YOUR HEADS!*”

I scowled and still refused to comply. I glanced at Mr. Grey who looked worriedly back at me, silently asking what to do. I couldn’t risk his safety though, so I nodded slightly to him and he did so in return and raised his arms.

Raider #2: “’Ere, posh boy! Hand over your money!” another guy demanded of Mr. Grey who, to be fair, looked less scared than I thought he would. In fact, he appeared to be about to speak.

However, he obviously hadn’t been quick enough in doing what he’d been told because the raider who’d threatened him then shot him in the leg.

He cried out in pain and collapsed in a heap. My first reaction was one of shock and anger that he’d been harmed.

But that only lasted a millisecond. With Grey out of the way, I knew now was my chance.

Before Grey had even finished hitting the floor, I acted. My pistols were in my hands and my arms flew out to my sides.

I fired in both directions, bringing my arms round to meet at my front.

There was just a single raider left and he was standing right in front of me. My pistols were aimed at his face and he stood frozen, mouth ajar. I barred my teeth at him.

He panicked and dropped his gun, stuttering something incomprehensible in a different language.

Tank: “Run.”

He did. He turned and stumbled a step or two before sprinting out of sight.

I watched him go to make sure he wasn’t coming back and then lowered my pistols, turning back to Mr. Grey.

I found him lying on the ground, clutching his bleeding leg, but watching me.

Mr. Grey: “That was quite a display.” He smirked up at me. “But I thought you didn’t kill?”

Tank: “How are you?” I asked, ignoring his question because I had already started to feel bad for taking so many lives.

Mr. Grey: “I’m alright, given the circumstances.” He winced and looked at his wound.

I crouched beside him and took a look at the injury.

Tank: “It’s a clean wound.” I informed him, ripping a strip of material from my t shirt. “It should recover fully providing you give it rest and get it properly bandaged soon.”

Grey nodded and winced in pain again as he pushed himself into a sitting position.

Tank: “This might hurt a little.” I informed him and picked a couple of bits of fabric from his trouser leg out of the wound. He made a little noise of pain but it was over in a couple of seconds. I then began to tightly wrap the strip of material I’d ripped from my shirt around the wound.

Mr. Grey: “Where did you learn medical skills? I assume it wasn’t in prison?” Grey asked as I finished bandaging his leg.

Tank: “After my first breakout. When I was in hiding with another convict.” I told him as I stood up.

Mr. Grey: “Ah yes, the notorious Jarred Zeal.”

I looked at him in surprise.

Tank: “Is there anything you don’t know?” I asked, offering him my hand to help him up. He smirked in response.

Mr. Grey: “A little.”

Tank: “Are you okay to walk?”

Mr. Grey: “I’ll manage. Thank you.” He nodded in appreciation.

Tank: “Can you pilot your speeder?”

Grey looked at me for a moment.

Mr. Grey: “I’ll manage.” He repeated with a slight smile.

I nodded.

Mr. Grey limped over to his speeder bike and lifted himself onto it. He kicked the footpedal which made the engine roar into life. How he’d arrived without me hearing him, I’d never know. He brought the bike up beside me.

There was a pause of a few seconds in which he just looked at me.

Mr. Grey: “Thank you.” He said quickly and then floored it.

I watched as he sped across the dusty plains into the distance, wondering what other secrets the mysterious man might be hiding, how much he and his boss, ‘The Brain’, really did know and then I turned around and walked back to my ship, reading for my next mission.

**BONUS IMAGES:**

The courtroom with young Frank being sentenced.

The destroyed farmstead.

The main diorama.

As my series is going to be jumping around though time, I will include a date on each episode and add it to the timeline at the end of each episode so that you can follow it.

TIMELINE