Exaltica: Eden Awakening Saga, Sin Denial Options

[Sailerius]

Exaltica: The Eden Awakening Saga
Episode 1: Sin Denial

"Emergency power conservation is in effect. All non-essential systems have been taken offline."

The recording of the woman’s voice is the first sound you’re able to make sense of. A dull ache of annoyance in the back of your head suggests that you’ve heard that recording before. You’re pretty tired, though, so your eyes flutter shut again and you drift back down into the depths of unconsciousness.

"Emergency power conservation is in effect. All non-essential systems have been taken offline."

Just as you’re about to fall asleep again, the recording plays again. It’s starting to get really annoying. You probably won’t be able to get any sleep until it stops. You suppose that means you’ll just have to get up (even if only to stop that blasted recording). It makes a pretty good alarm clock.

Your feet touch the floor uncertainly. You’re not sure if it’s because you’ve been asleep or because the artificial gravity in the ship is acting up, but you have a hard time standing up straight. Wait a minute, why are you on a ship?

As you try to gather your bearings, memories flood back to you in a disorganized heap of imagery. It takes a few minutes to sort everything out and arrange the memories chronologically. There must be something missing, though; no matter how you put together the disjointed pieces of your memory, you just can’t figure out where you are or how you got there. Maybe looking around will provide you with some clues.

The only lights on in the ship are the dim red emergency lights which illuminate only the essential areas. Inside rooms (whose heavy metal doors you must manually slide open because "Emergency power conservation is in effect. All non-essential systems have been taken offline."), it’s almost completely black.

The ship you’re on is fairly large; you’re able to gather that there are six decks and a sizable docking bay. Too big to be personal transport. A supply ship would have a larger cargo bay.

More importantly, where is the crew? And where is everyone else?

You’re all located on deck 3 and wake up in different cabins. Features on this deck: Cabins, storage, lift (deactivated), stairs.

[Sailerius]

The officer turned to the civilians (Zhi and Turk) who were inquiring about the spectacle (or lack thereof). "The situation is under control. It's just fallout from the situation on Morgan." The street suddenly trembles with the muted noise of a bomb blast and muffled cries of pain come from underground. The officer with whom they were speaking grabs his radio, hearing it buzz, and turns to face away from the two to answer it.

"We need backup! Jesus, these things aren't human!" begged the horror-laced voice of the man on the other end. Before either of them could respond to the eerie message, they were approached by an officer wearing the Oraph uniform.

"Your presence has been requested at the waystation immediately. Please come with me." Individual officers were dispatched to fetch the other members of the group and they were all brought by personnel transport to the Oraph waystation, which sat at the edge of the colony near the Nexus Node. They were all gathered into a small conference room, where Major Jorich's secretary was waiting (the major was conspicuously absent). A window which overlooked the spaceport attached to the Nexus Node allowed curious eyes to catch a glimpse of important-looking cargo being loaded onto an Oraph ship with a throng of important-looking officials swarming around it. Among the objects being loaded onto the ship is the remnants of the mysterious craft they had spotted in the hangar of the ship they had awakened in.

Once everyone was gathered in the conference room, the secretary spoke.

"A shuttle will be departing within the hour for Erza and I have been instructed to ensure that you're all on it when it leaves. As it stands now, travel to and from Morgan is impossible. The circumstances are beyond my control, but you might be able to effect a change by helping out. What's in it for you? Well, employment for one. A job at Oraph comes with an appreciable stipend as well as security clearance so that you can be kept in the know regarding proprietary secrets relating to the Nexus and the situation on Morgan. The choice is yours, of course, but I'm afraid that, because of what you've seen, we can't just let you walk free. If you turn the offer down, you'll need to stay here on Eutocius under UF observation. So, what will it be?"