Status: NEEDS REWRITING
***NEED WORK
Chapter 16: Going Under
Mivian’s POV
The moment we set foot into the simulation unit, we were immediately swarmed by technicians, assistants and crew workers. We weren't even given enough time to say a friendly hi to them before they started to poke around with us. Body temp, blood pressure, sensory reaction, vision, hearing, Energy readings, and another whole list of stuff were being taken and recorded in the whole frenzy.
After 30 minutes of being poked and prodded at from every angle, we were then ushered away out of the room. We made our way down a busy hallway past many other technicians and crew members robed in their white lab coats. It wasn't too long before we approached a big sliding door. Our escort pressed his hand against the entry scanner and rapidly punched in the code. The red light on the double security system flashed green before the door slid to the side with a hiss. We walked in without further hesitation.
This room was cooler in temperature, and darker in lighting. The only light came from the lines of monitors and tracker screens that were lined up neatly in an orderly formation. Beyond that was another room, separated by a glass screen. And on the other side of the glass were two gray seats, with wires stringing out from the headrest.
The total immersion system, I thought, immediately recognizing the high-tech gadgets and equipment.
Overall, everything was all changed and updated from the last time I went under. I heard the hiss of the metal slide door behind me. I wheeled around to see Thya stroll in with her hands in her pockets.
"Are you ready?" she asked.
I nodded, feeling my adrenaline start kicking.
"Good. Follow me." she said, turning, her long white lab coat whipping around her.
She walked over to the glass wall. She touched her index finger to the smooth surface and slid it down in one fast motion. She then stepped out of the way and motioned towards it.
"Go ahead; you know what to do." she said, directed to me.
I nodded and approached the glass. I lifted my hand up and through the glass. As I had expected, my hand just slid through without any pain. I smiled slightly to myself and kept on walking through until I was on the other side. I turned to see Darvien slipping through behind me. I quickly skimmed through the room.
Yup, everything was updated; all the equipment seemed new and very expensive looking. From the submersion couch, to the stimulator and the submersion gears. I was admiring all the technology I was able to take on a test drive today when I heard a voice echo in the room.
"Okay, boneheads; finish up the preps in there by yourselves. Hey, Newbie, Mivi will help you. I'm coming in to wire you up in five. So hurry up!!!" Thya's voice spoke out clear through the speakers, filling the space without an echo.
Darvien looked at me and then back at the Plexiglas quizzically. Thya was there on the other side. She just lifted her hand and wiggled her fingers in a mocking wave, smiling all too brightly. Darvien turned back to me.
"'Newbie'?"
I laugh a little at the confusion at the term.
"Oh, Thya likes giving people nicknames and rarely calls them by their real names. She's not very good with remembering names." I said. "Come to think of it, Zavius, Sarvwen, Ava and I are the only ones without any real nicknames."
Suddenly, a voice rang through the room.
"What in the frond's name are you two standing there and taking up space for? Hurry up!!" Thya yelled, banging on the Plexiglas.
I rolled my eyes and grabbed hold of Darvien's arm.
"Let's go; grandma can't wait." i muttered loud enough for my smart comment to be heard through the glass.
I turned and dragged him to the steel prep table on the other side of the room, turning my back to Thya's protest.
There were two white, skin-tight jackets laying side by side on a silver surface, one smaller than the other. Assuming that the smaller one was mine, I picked it up by its shoulders. At the same time, a fog-film came over the Plexiglas wall we walked through. Darvien noticed too and gave me his look of question.
"Giving us privacy." I said, rubbing the white suit between my fingers.
"Hurry up, we probably only have half the time now."
Right on queue, Thya's voice filled the air once more.
"HEY!!! I'm not getting any readings!!!" Thya sang.
Readings? I glanced down at the fabric in my hands.
I zipped the front zipper down and flipped it open. Sure enough, there were thin, silver, wire-like material weaved into the inside of the suit.
The sensory receivers...
This added to my list of excitement. The light-weight jacket I was holding was the submersion gear, tracking our reaction to the stimuli every minute. But for some reason, it covered only the waist up of the body.
Hmmm...interesting.
Totally a better upgrade than the whole body suit it used to be. This should be fun. Without another word, I turned away from Darvien and started to pull my top over my head.
"Gwarf!!"
I wheeled around at the strange sound to find Darvien's back facing me. I could feel surprise, shock and other emotions rolling off of him like heat waves. I rolled my eyes to myself in amusement.
Such an innocent gent, eh?
I slipped my arms into the tight sleeves and fumbled with the zipper.
"Darvien, I understand that this is a bit awkward, but they really need you to get ready. Do you want me to turn the other way?" I teased, tugging at the fast.
I saw his ears twitch slightly before he turned around.
"It's nothing like that, really. I was just---"
Then he saw me struggling with my gear fastener...
With the front open...
Revealing my black mission gear bra.
Immediately, he turned beet-red.
"Oh geez," I muttered. "Get used to it; this is how we work around here."
I tugged on the fastener again, but without budging it an inch. I don't know why, but I started to feel bad for Darvien.
"Come on...move," I yanked with an extra effort for Darvien's sake.
It slid up with a quick zip.
Immediately, the fabric started to feel comfortably warm against my skin. I turned back to Darvien and tossed him his gear.
"Come on; we probably have half of the given time left." I said, trying to change the atmosphere.
I turned around casually to give him privacy, trying not to give away what I was doing. I pretended to look through the set equipment as I waited for him to get ready.
"Okay, I'm set." he said not even a half minute later.
I turned around and saw Darvien, fully changed. The sensory receiver gear shaped around his toned muscles snugly.
"Reading 1; all clear. Reading 2; all clear. Vitals are stable, no visible complication. Stimuli gauge: 100%. Alright!!" Thya called out before coming into the room.
"Took you long enough." she added grouchily.
She pointed at the total immersion couches.
"Okay, get on and get comfortable. We have a lot to cover. Mandatory procedures, yada, yada, yada." she said, clapping her hands.
We both sat down in our individual seats and did as she said. I could tell Thya was setting herself into auto-pilot mode.
"The whole submersion time in the virtual simulation would be approximately 30 minutes long. In the half-hour period, it should take you through the equivalence of roughly 12 hours in the virtual world." she said.
We just nodded.
"You would be in a deep-mind trance, one that would resemble one of a comatose state. I will be administering a serum into your system to trigger that state. It is vital that you stay calm and DO NOT, by all means, fight the drug as it goes into your system."
She looked at us with stern eyes, as if looking for the slightest objection. She went on.
"The whole entering process is painless; though you may feel a fizzing, numbing sensation creep over you. This is due to the serum taking over you whole nerve system and your motor skills. But that should go away when the submersion process is successfully complete."
Thya took a deep breath before starting again.
"Since our computers directly stimulates your brain, you will be able to see, feel, hear, smell and, if you ever come upon a certain situation, taste in this virtual world. If you ever do taste anything while you're under, honestly, I don't want to know. I've heard stories."
She winced and I silently smirked to myself. We both knew who would intentionally try to taste something virtual.
Zavius had said it was something he couldn't resist. Sarvwen said it tasted like burnt rubber.
Thya must have been thinking the same thing because I saw her mouth twitch in either disgust, or a suppressed grin. She walked over to us and started to strap us into our couches.
"Alright!! Now that we got that part over with, here's your assignment. You are being put under a Level 6: Tracking mission. Though this is all virtual simulation, it is very much like the real deal. So don't underestimate your opponent."
She gave the buckles on the straps a light tap.
"Oh, and it WILL hurt if you don't take this seriously." she said, as she stuck on a bunch of wires with suction cups to our temples, neck, arms and the place over our hearts.
She traced every wire to its outlet, making sure everything was in its right place. Then Thya took out a silver mission card. She cleared her throat and read it out loud.
"You are sent into the Living in a mission to track down a rank 5, half-ling Bloodjack. A dangerous fiend; be warned."
I was a bit confused. I knew any kind of half-changed Blood-kins were violent and out of control. And I knew that Slayers were sent on these missions. But those that were of a lower rank were usually tracking for humans; to be specific, a human organization they call themselves Wych Hunters, who just loved to make a scene about every creature to scare the people and boast about their prey. If we were tracking a potential threat, that could only mean...
Thya's voice cut through my thoughts.
"And like any regular tracking missions, you are to mark the target and somehow lead it into a vacant area. Then...well, you know what to do."
"Wait, I thought it was a tracking mission." I blurted out.
Thya looked at me with a raised brow while she worked.
"It is. And did I mention this mission was assigned as a mission combo? Track and Eliminate," she said.
With that, she clasped a breathing mask over my nose and mouth, not letting me respond. All I could do was blink stupidly. She smirked at me as she turned to do the same to Darvien. I scrunched up my nose to shift the mask over my mouth. I saw the blue serum in a small vial attached to the front of the mask, swirling serenely.
Such powerful serenity to knock me out cold... a strange combination of words, wasn't it?
I glanced over to Darvien and saw that he was strapped in tight and snug as I was. He looked at me and I saw a mix of excitement and nervousness. That's when I realized that I was feeling the same way.
Thya stood in front of us, seemingly satisfied with her work.
"Alright, boneheads, now that I tucked you in nice and good, relax. Sleep tight!! You are going under in---"
She lifted her open hand up in a heads-up.
"...five...four...three...two...one..."
I inhaled deeply, and felt a tingling sensation shoot through my limbs.
WOW... that was fast...
The moment we set foot into the simulation unit, we were immediately swarmed by technicians, assistants and crew workers. We weren't even given enough time to say a friendly hi to them before they started to poke around with us. Body temp, blood pressure, sensory reaction, vision, hearing, Energy readings, and another whole list of stuff were being taken and recorded in the whole frenzy.
After 30 minutes of being poked and prodded at from every angle, we were then ushered away out of the room. We made our way down a busy hallway past many other technicians and crew members robed in their white lab coats. It wasn't too long before we approached a big sliding door. Our escort pressed his hand against the entry scanner and rapidly punched in the code. The red light on the double security system flashed green before the door slid to the side with a hiss. We walked in without further hesitation.
This room was cooler in temperature, and darker in lighting. The only light came from the lines of monitors and tracker screens that were lined up neatly in an orderly formation. Beyond that was another room, separated by a glass screen. And on the other side of the glass were two gray seats, with wires stringing out from the headrest.
The total immersion system, I thought, immediately recognizing the high-tech gadgets and equipment.
Overall, everything was all changed and updated from the last time I went under. I heard the hiss of the metal slide door behind me. I wheeled around to see Thya stroll in with her hands in her pockets.
"Are you ready?" she asked.
I nodded, feeling my adrenaline start kicking.
"Good. Follow me." she said, turning, her long white lab coat whipping around her.
She walked over to the glass wall. She touched her index finger to the smooth surface and slid it down in one fast motion. She then stepped out of the way and motioned towards it.
"Go ahead; you know what to do." she said, directed to me.
I nodded and approached the glass. I lifted my hand up and through the glass. As I had expected, my hand just slid through without any pain. I smiled slightly to myself and kept on walking through until I was on the other side. I turned to see Darvien slipping through behind me. I quickly skimmed through the room.
Yup, everything was updated; all the equipment seemed new and very expensive looking. From the submersion couch, to the stimulator and the submersion gears. I was admiring all the technology I was able to take on a test drive today when I heard a voice echo in the room.
"Okay, boneheads; finish up the preps in there by yourselves. Hey, Newbie, Mivi will help you. I'm coming in to wire you up in five. So hurry up!!!" Thya's voice spoke out clear through the speakers, filling the space without an echo.
Darvien looked at me and then back at the Plexiglas quizzically. Thya was there on the other side. She just lifted her hand and wiggled her fingers in a mocking wave, smiling all too brightly. Darvien turned back to me.
"'Newbie'?"
I laugh a little at the confusion at the term.
"Oh, Thya likes giving people nicknames and rarely calls them by their real names. She's not very good with remembering names." I said. "Come to think of it, Zavius, Sarvwen, Ava and I are the only ones without any real nicknames."
Suddenly, a voice rang through the room.
"What in the frond's name are you two standing there and taking up space for? Hurry up!!" Thya yelled, banging on the Plexiglas.
I rolled my eyes and grabbed hold of Darvien's arm.
"Let's go; grandma can't wait." i muttered loud enough for my smart comment to be heard through the glass.
I turned and dragged him to the steel prep table on the other side of the room, turning my back to Thya's protest.
There were two white, skin-tight jackets laying side by side on a silver surface, one smaller than the other. Assuming that the smaller one was mine, I picked it up by its shoulders. At the same time, a fog-film came over the Plexiglas wall we walked through. Darvien noticed too and gave me his look of question.
"Giving us privacy." I said, rubbing the white suit between my fingers.
"Hurry up, we probably only have half the time now."
Right on queue, Thya's voice filled the air once more.
"HEY!!! I'm not getting any readings!!!" Thya sang.
Readings? I glanced down at the fabric in my hands.
I zipped the front zipper down and flipped it open. Sure enough, there were thin, silver, wire-like material weaved into the inside of the suit.
The sensory receivers...
This added to my list of excitement. The light-weight jacket I was holding was the submersion gear, tracking our reaction to the stimuli every minute. But for some reason, it covered only the waist up of the body.
Hmmm...interesting.
Totally a better upgrade than the whole body suit it used to be. This should be fun. Without another word, I turned away from Darvien and started to pull my top over my head.
"Gwarf!!"
I wheeled around at the strange sound to find Darvien's back facing me. I could feel surprise, shock and other emotions rolling off of him like heat waves. I rolled my eyes to myself in amusement.
Such an innocent gent, eh?
I slipped my arms into the tight sleeves and fumbled with the zipper.
"Darvien, I understand that this is a bit awkward, but they really need you to get ready. Do you want me to turn the other way?" I teased, tugging at the fast.
I saw his ears twitch slightly before he turned around.
"It's nothing like that, really. I was just---"
Then he saw me struggling with my gear fastener...
With the front open...
Revealing my black mission gear bra.
Immediately, he turned beet-red.
"Oh geez," I muttered. "Get used to it; this is how we work around here."
I tugged on the fastener again, but without budging it an inch. I don't know why, but I started to feel bad for Darvien.
"Come on...move," I yanked with an extra effort for Darvien's sake.
It slid up with a quick zip.
Immediately, the fabric started to feel comfortably warm against my skin. I turned back to Darvien and tossed him his gear.
"Come on; we probably have half of the given time left." I said, trying to change the atmosphere.
I turned around casually to give him privacy, trying not to give away what I was doing. I pretended to look through the set equipment as I waited for him to get ready.
"Okay, I'm set." he said not even a half minute later.
I turned around and saw Darvien, fully changed. The sensory receiver gear shaped around his toned muscles snugly.
"Reading 1; all clear. Reading 2; all clear. Vitals are stable, no visible complication. Stimuli gauge: 100%. Alright!!" Thya called out before coming into the room.
"Took you long enough." she added grouchily.
She pointed at the total immersion couches.
"Okay, get on and get comfortable. We have a lot to cover. Mandatory procedures, yada, yada, yada." she said, clapping her hands.
We both sat down in our individual seats and did as she said. I could tell Thya was setting herself into auto-pilot mode.
"The whole submersion time in the virtual simulation would be approximately 30 minutes long. In the half-hour period, it should take you through the equivalence of roughly 12 hours in the virtual world." she said.
We just nodded.
"You would be in a deep-mind trance, one that would resemble one of a comatose state. I will be administering a serum into your system to trigger that state. It is vital that you stay calm and DO NOT, by all means, fight the drug as it goes into your system."
She looked at us with stern eyes, as if looking for the slightest objection. She went on.
"The whole entering process is painless; though you may feel a fizzing, numbing sensation creep over you. This is due to the serum taking over you whole nerve system and your motor skills. But that should go away when the submersion process is successfully complete."
Thya took a deep breath before starting again.
"Since our computers directly stimulates your brain, you will be able to see, feel, hear, smell and, if you ever come upon a certain situation, taste in this virtual world. If you ever do taste anything while you're under, honestly, I don't want to know. I've heard stories."
She winced and I silently smirked to myself. We both knew who would intentionally try to taste something virtual.
Zavius had said it was something he couldn't resist. Sarvwen said it tasted like burnt rubber.
Thya must have been thinking the same thing because I saw her mouth twitch in either disgust, or a suppressed grin. She walked over to us and started to strap us into our couches.
"Alright!! Now that we got that part over with, here's your assignment. You are being put under a Level 6: Tracking mission. Though this is all virtual simulation, it is very much like the real deal. So don't underestimate your opponent."
She gave the buckles on the straps a light tap.
"Oh, and it WILL hurt if you don't take this seriously." she said, as she stuck on a bunch of wires with suction cups to our temples, neck, arms and the place over our hearts.
She traced every wire to its outlet, making sure everything was in its right place. Then Thya took out a silver mission card. She cleared her throat and read it out loud.
"You are sent into the Living in a mission to track down a rank 5, half-ling Bloodjack. A dangerous fiend; be warned."
I was a bit confused. I knew any kind of half-changed Blood-kins were violent and out of control. And I knew that Slayers were sent on these missions. But those that were of a lower rank were usually tracking for humans; to be specific, a human organization they call themselves Wych Hunters, who just loved to make a scene about every creature to scare the people and boast about their prey. If we were tracking a potential threat, that could only mean...
Thya's voice cut through my thoughts.
"And like any regular tracking missions, you are to mark the target and somehow lead it into a vacant area. Then...well, you know what to do."
"Wait, I thought it was a tracking mission." I blurted out.
Thya looked at me with a raised brow while she worked.
"It is. And did I mention this mission was assigned as a mission combo? Track and Eliminate," she said.
With that, she clasped a breathing mask over my nose and mouth, not letting me respond. All I could do was blink stupidly. She smirked at me as she turned to do the same to Darvien. I scrunched up my nose to shift the mask over my mouth. I saw the blue serum in a small vial attached to the front of the mask, swirling serenely.
Such powerful serenity to knock me out cold... a strange combination of words, wasn't it?
I glanced over to Darvien and saw that he was strapped in tight and snug as I was. He looked at me and I saw a mix of excitement and nervousness. That's when I realized that I was feeling the same way.
Thya stood in front of us, seemingly satisfied with her work.
"Alright, boneheads, now that I tucked you in nice and good, relax. Sleep tight!! You are going under in---"
She lifted her open hand up in a heads-up.
"...five...four...three...two...one..."
I inhaled deeply, and felt a tingling sensation shoot through my limbs.
WOW... that was fast...
♠ ♠ ♠
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