Public Dreams of Freedom

[Zane Hawke]

Location: Unknown
Time: 0900

The four walls of blank, insulated durasteel plates were all that surrounded Zane's cell. Only one clear indication of a door with a bright light on the ceiling that never goes out. Zane was sitting on the cold floor with his back to one of the walls. Only a cot built into the wall with a thin blanket that Zane had to take care not to accidentally rip. He already accidentally tore a hole in the blanket in his sleep one night.

Like clockwork, Zane would get served two meals a day and half of the time Zane didn't even know what he was eating. The only thing he did know was that it all tasted bland. Whether that was the result of experiments that were being done to him, or he just simply can't taste anything for some reason. Sometimes the experiment was some kind of drug, a serum that he's supposed to take for some reason. Sometimes it leaves him sick or feels like he got run over by a bantha. Eventually, as what Zane assumed to be days had gone by, the effects would wear off and he'd get a breather for a few days. Then he might be taken out of his cell and be thrown into some sort of physical test. Sometimes it'll be walking through a maze and getting to the other side. Other times it'll be like he's training through specialized equipment to see how his body performs after the serum's effects. Zane still didn't know what the serum was or what it was supposed to do other than he always felt terrible with every dose.

What was odd was the fact that all Zane interacted with outside of his cell was droids that loved to strong arm him and some voice that speaks over the intercoms. Least to say the facility was pretty well guarded as there were always military grade droids armed with rifles patrolling throughout the facility. There was even a reconnaissance probe droid that Zane sometimes caught a glimpse of during these tests.

Now, after Zane finished eating his tasteless meal, he sighs as he rests his head on the balled up bundle of his blanket to serve as a terrible pillow. How he missed being outside, to see the sky and to explore the space beyond the atmospheres. Sure he missed the droid fights too, but really he missed building the droids from the hardware to the software. It was truthfully his escape from how much a trainwreck his home life was. Now, whenever he focuses on this strange sixth-like sense, Zane can't feel anything outside of his cell. Like something was blocking his ability to look past it. All he could do is sigh as his mind dreamed of returning to freedom and being out of this nightmare.

 

[Dr. Veinstein]

Zane Hawke

Outside the door, Zane would be able to hear a voice. This voice wouldn't sound like another droid, or even the intercom. This one sounded close by, and organic.

"Control, this is Guard Ulgrin, requesting Cell 33-A-23 opened in Block 8." The voice said.

The door slid open, exposing the room to the outside hallway. Outside the room, four guards stood outside the room. Two were the standard droids that Zane had seen all the time. The other two, however, were clearly humans, wearing heavy-duty riot gear. The organic guards were heavily armed, and the droid guards were also well-armed. Something was clearly different about this set-up.

"Hey, do me a favor, and step out of your cell. They need you down in one of the Testing Areas." The Guard said. "Oh, and don't try anything. It won't exactly go good for you."

Well this would no doubt be new to Zane. Usually he was escorted by droids, but now, for some reason, there were actual people alongside those droids. Something was definitely up.

 

[Zane Hawke]

Dr. Veinstein

It wasn't like Zane wasn't grateful of just talking to another person. Truthfully he doesn't really know how long he's been in this facility as he stopped keeping track of that time a while ago. Really it was the meals that reminded Zane of the time. His head turned to face towards the door as he heard a voice, not droid-like or intercom, but somebody was actually there. When the door opened there was two security droids that Zane always saw in the facility, but the other two looked alive at least and yet they were geared up like they were expecting a riot to happen. More than a couple of red flags was raised from just appearances.

One of them spoke of Zane being sent to one of the training grounds, and he leisurely stood up to his feet. Not that he was garbed in anything special aside from a clean white shirt and some kind of silky grey pants. His feet was bare to the cold floor, but he was used to it by this point.

"What's the occasion?" Except the time that Zane was bought off from the slavers, this was the first time he's come into direct contact with anybody that wasn't a droid. Of course he kept his hands opened and where the guards plus droids can see that Zane was unarmed. He approaches the guards before stopping just at the doorframe as he doesn't know which way he was going. Or rather, he just assumed that he doesn't know which way to go.

"So what am I doing this time? Maze running? Gym workout? Or Dodge the Blaster from those remote droids." Zane was curious, but he also wanted to know what all that goes on with this facility. He's certain that there are other people like him, but Zane has never interacted with them before.

 

[Cruk Tuk]

There was always more to learn, more to study. With his control over the Hive, he needed to ensure that they kept doing just that. Sometimes that required the employment of outsiders. It simply seemed the most efficient solution while his own hive worked on the production of the technology they would use, some of which would be shared with the Elysium Empire naturally. They primarily worked on droids and weaponry, however, the biological studies were not outside of their use entirely. Sometimes that study needed to be understood before production had begun.

The Geonosian observed what study he could, but up until now he did not get particularly involved. He was present for this one, and waiting. He would observe, but he doubted there would be many changes made. He was simply here to be here. He had not brought any of his kind with him for this, there was no need to distract them from their goals. Nor was he expecting any problems. Though, it didn't mean he left himself unarmed. That was something that was never going to happen, even within his own hive.

So he waited, and he watched.

Zane Hawke Dr. Veinstein



Equipment:
Beam weapon (on his back)
Personal Energy Shield
Translating Vocoder (around his neck)
Static Pike

(OOC: IF there are any issues with this, let me know)

 

[Dr. Veinstein]

Cruk Tuk Zane Hawke

"So what am I doing this time? Maze running? Gym workout? Or Dodge the Blaster from those remote droids."

One of the guards chuckled. "Heh, you aren't allowed to know that information, not yet, now come on." The guards then turned, and started leading Zane down the long, winding pathways of the facility.

A Scientist stepped up next to Cruk Tuk in the observation room. "Shouldn't be much longer now until the test begins. I'm sorry, what was your name again?" The Scientist asked the Geonosian. "Also, might I ask why you have chosen to observe our test today?

The guards continued to guide Zane down the hallways. They passed other cells, offices, and rooms hidden behind large, metal doors. The guards continued to lead Zane, until they reached a metal door, which slide open. One of the guards stepped through the door, then looked at Zane. "Alright, step in here would ya?" The guard asked Zane.

 

[Zane Hawke]

Dr. Veinstein Cruk Tuk

It was a need-to-know basis where no information was to be given until it became relevant. Although the guards' choice of word involving "yet" suggested that things will be explained in due time. That was fine with Zane as he knew that it was unlikely that they would disclose any information. Sure Zane got caught up with the wrong crowd and made some bad decisions that landed him here of all places. But Zane was still perceptive and insightful to gather information from people. Of course he's taking this change of routine with a grain of salt as this type of thing can only be one of three things. They are adding more tests into the daily routine. They could have him subjected to a lethal test of either toxin, disease, or even torn apart by some experimental beast. Or perhaps, at least Zane hoped, this test can be his Ticket to be outside of his current predicament.

Zane didn't question any further as he suspected that the guard would either ignore him or grow agitated. Potentially both, and frankly if Zane was going to be here for a longer term then he doesn't need to make an enemy out of the guards. Although he reckoned that the guards wouldn't care either way as to them, Zane is just another subject. Somebody's property to perform whatever experiments they deemed fit as nobody would come looking for him. Perhaps his mother if she was even around to notice, but Zane’s father? Highly unlikely that his father noticed Zane’s disappearance, or if he has then clearly the man never made an effort.

To Zane this was typical behavior of his father, to others who knew his father would be disappointed that he had given up after one humiliating defeat. It was a pit of despair that the old man never got out of. Zane honestly thought if he took up his father's craft and made droids for droid fighting. It might spark some inspiration or put some fire under the man to get him moving again. Zane counted a few times where despite the old man being a drunk, he helped Zane figure out some of the more complicated parts or programs within the droids.

But alas this was neither the time or place to dwell in such matters. After they came upon a door to which one of the guards stepped inside the room. Zane was gestured and basically ordered to follow. So Zane, with minor caution in his steps as his eyes swept from wall to wall of the room. He doesn't really know what to make of the place, but least to say there's no complex labyrinth or bunch of workout equipment. Rather Zane noted how open and nearly empty it was as he stepped inside of the room. Then he proceeds to look back at the guard.

"This is pretty spacious for a training regiment. What am I doing here exactly?" Zane was piecing together from the physical workout and mentally navigating through complex passages with whatever that serum was. Might be an adrenaline booster? Zane wasn't sure, and medicine was never his forte. Whatever it was, the serum always made him feel sick for a while.

 

[Cruk Tuk]

(OOC I cannot believe I somehow didn't notice. If I take that long, I may have forgotten/missed it somewhere.)

Cruk acknowledged that the tests would begin soon, "Cruk Tuk." he responded simply, the vocabulator translating the geonosian as he spoke. "I just wanted to see how things might be going. Used to things being done by my Hive, seems wrong to never be present for the test." in truth it wasn't even that he couldn't be trusted, it was just a matter of a dislike of leaving things unattended. Besides, checking in meant he could see if there were any irregularities to make note of.

He narrowed his eyes at Zane Hawke below. It was fine, the human body and geonosians did quite noticeably vary but there were enough similarities that the changes could be made depending on who things were being used on or for. Though there was also the possibility something was too different, in that case, there'd be some more tampering done. But until everything was already looked through that was unnecessary. He'd trust in the skills of Dr. Veinstein , in so much as he'd trust an outside scientist he didn't know well.