MF1.0 - 16 - Recruitment

Ryan had to smile, though the ease of the recruitment was unsurprising, it was a rare pleasure for a new recruit to be so openly excited. More often it was a case of “yeah, sure, whatever” or “how much do I get paid” or “so long as it keeps that eight-armed-hippo-beast away”.

Persons who had been exposed to the true wonder of the world, rather than just the humdrum of the everyday subconsciously drew themselves towards it. They naturally gravitated towards groups like Echelon or the Solstice, or one of a hundred smaller factions that didn’t really matter at all. For recruits, it was a definite plus, as it made them more accepting, for the Solstice, it was also a plus - in their case, it made them more willing to hate.

‘Follow me then,’ he said as he walked toward the door. She stayed in place by the window.

‘Ryan?’ the girl said and he looked back. ’Or is it sir now? Admiral? Grand Moff?’ She sighed. ’I don’t know if it’s something you’ve noticed…but I’m kind of in my pyjamas, and unless this entire building is empty, do you think you could like conjure me some real clothes?’

He clicked his fingers and required her into a gray version of the recruit training uniform - a three-piece utilitarian costume and motioned for her to follow.

She looked down at herself. ’I’m not sure if I should feel violated or awesomed by that.’

He stared at her for a moment and wondered if she was always like this. It certainly was a change from “Yes, sir, of course sir, I’ll do that sir” and “No sir, sorry sir”. Taylor had a way of making all of the recruits believe that, if angered, any agent was capable of throwing a troublesome recruit through a window, door or wall.

She followed a few steps behind him as they headed for the lift, looking at the doors and the walls. ’So, is it like a battleship and you navigate by numbers?’

‘Most recruits don’t have a problem navigating the Agency.’

‘It’s not like the Enterprise, right?’ she asked as the lift doors slid open.

‘I beg your pardon?’

‘On the Enterprise, there’s only one bathroom.’

He ran a quick self-diagnostic, then replayed the girl’s words. Yes, she was in fact saying the words that he was hearing. There was always the possibility that this was a trick by a playful god, or an intrusion on reality by some unknown creature, however, all reports indicated that everything was normal. ’We have,’ he replied at last, ’more than enough facilities.’ He paused and considered the reasons why it could have been brought up. ’Did you need…?’

‘No,’ she said quickly, ’just crossing out some possibilities. Abundant bathrooms is good, the lack of elevator music is expected, the nature of exactly what you are is still puzzling me.’

‘I’m an agent.’

‘Yes, the suit, gun and office kind of gave that away. I meant the literal what.’ She bit her lip and waved her hands. ‘There isn’t exactly a more delicate way to phrase that question.’

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">A single thought stopped the lift in its journey. ‘What are your conclusions so far?’

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">‘You can conjure stuff, but there’s no arcane bullshit so I’m not expecting that this place is Hoggle’s. No runes, no smoke, no wand, no reagents. You arbitrarily clicked your fingers but I don’t think that’s key - it’s no nose of Samantha. Teleportation, you can take at least one person with you, but I don’t know if it has a recharge, hence why we’re taking a lift when you had no problem bringing me across the city in a few seconds. There’s no obvious Scotty, possibly personal, possibly some variant of shunpo. You have amazing knowledge, though you could have been lying about the twelve buildings.’

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">‘Fourteen. And a tree.’

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">‘I have no conclusive conclusions. In a case such as this I would gladly defer to a simple answer.’

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">‘We’re guardians, we protect the world from those that are not supposed to interfere.’

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">‘Immortal?’

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">‘Yes.’

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">‘How immortal?’

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">He gave her the look he gave to recruits he wished to scare off. ‘That’s not something we discuss.’

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">She raised her eyebrows. ‘So you’ve got a weakness then?’

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">He shook his head. ‘No, rather, it generally bothers humans to know that we have none.’

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">She cocked her head to the side. ‘So why do you need me?’

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">‘Recruits?’ A thought restarted the lift. ‘We don’t need them, but we aren’t going to deny anyone’s wish to protect their world.’

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">She leant back against the life wall. ‘Spare me, please. If I have to sign up for the whole saving the world rhetoric then maybe this outfit isn’t for me.’

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">‘You’re a hacker, Miss Mimosa. Data and information is your world, correct?’

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">‘Yes, but-’

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">‘Then the only rhetoric you have to believe in is your own.’ The lift doors slid open. ‘This way.’