Pioneer: A SciFi Progression Story

[Diatomic Element]

Chapter 1: One Way Out

"Over the centuries, many people have described the euphoria of an eternal form. Musicians sing of unaging VibroFlesh, of the physical comfort between partners- So too have the poets lauded humanity for ascending their weak, pulpy bodies. Through science, humans have moved beyond the confines of the physical, enabling innovative robotics and the settlement of the new Solar frontier.

Even disregarding the ambitions of the bold and revolutionary, the industry of human proxies was a lifesaving measure for many; For those unhappy with their body, their genetics, or even their identity as a whole. After the doomed experiment of artificial life, many saw this transformation as the next step towards a brighter future."

- ReVoss Education, Volume 12: The Synthetic Revolution​

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Alexander had always hated his body, never quite able to ignore the ever present feeling of claustrophobia and the itch at the back of his memories. A lifetime of corporate propaganda poured down his throat, and he still hated the stinking hunk of metal that trapped his mind. Whether it was a hellish solar drone or a distinguished servant chassis, any job he took was another reminder of the human form he could never get back.

If only he could go back to his past self, tell the desperate teen what his life would be like… But no, Alexander mused, starvation wasn't much of a choice. He had seen many of his fellow "Pioneers" self-destruct, but that thought had never stuck in his head. He wanted to live, damn it, and slavery was supposed to be temporary. All the frilly Earthborn claimed that the system was meant to help people like him, to give him useful skills and enrich his life, but-

With a harsh buzz, the computer reminded him that now was not the moment to space out. While it was roomier than the charging bays that he was usually stuffed into, the space he occupied could barely be called living quarters- It was just an empty workshop and a flickering computer, with a lonely camera watching him from the ceiling.

Letting out a sigh, Alexander turned to the monitor, the dim device safely ensconced behind a thick plastic panel. Peering past the scratched surface, he worked the sticky buttons set below the screen, scrolling through his choices for body modification.

WireRabbit Frame: Have you ever been jealous of cartoon characters, with their endless excitement and unending energy? With springy hydraulics, now you can beat that roadrunner any time you want! Run down your enemies, or surprise them with a quick reload!

Expense-Friendly Specialization: When fighting in tight quarters, it can be difficult to keep company equipment safe- With our patented aiming software, you will greatly reduce the potential for your weapon to harm you, or your environment! Will not prevent all damage. Locksoft does not guarantee all weapon coverage. This software is not a substitute for training. This software does not assist in aiming. This software is not meant as a substitute for armor. This software does not assist in preventing outside damage.

Root'n Toot'n Ricochet Ammo: Howdy! If you want to win your local sharpshooting competition, Wild Joe's got you covered! Your ammo is now awesome, providing additional penetration and the ability to bounce off two surfaces!

TR1200 Specialization: Your usual ammo is replaced by disposable microdrone technology- It will move slower, but stealthily, with the ability to maintain cohesion after bouncing off one wall.

Classic Binding Rounds: The outer shell of your bullet will splatter on impact, slightly restricting any movement.​

Internally, Alexander did his best to frown. Taking greater care with the interface, he flicked through all the options once more, slowly checking to see if he had missed any hidden bombs.

When he had first signed up for the Trayocraft Public Test, he wasn't sure what he would be getting- As the original public test, it was quite unique, and loudly claimed to keep their death games as experimental as they could. The third party tests he had watched were quite disappointing, but they were also the cheap kind that merely beamed sponsorships into your chip- Trayocraft's viewing fee had been double his yearly salary, which meant he had no idea what he was in for.

So, where was the power? Where was the uniqueness? The Root'n Toot'n ammo had a disgusting name, plus it was a franchised product, so that was clearly off the table. Sure, it didn't offer a bad modification, but Alexander didn't trust it. On the opposite axis were the Binding rounds, which were clearly just chaff. Slowing enemies would be helpful, but all the streams he had ever seen stressed that guns were the primary weapon of the fight- And this upgrade wouldn't help him stop a bullet.

Meanwhile, Alexander was just confused by the TR1200. The name sucked, the ability seemed incredibly niche in the kind of fast paced fights he had seen in his research, and the riskiness of it just didn't appeal to him. On a similar note, the Expense Specialization was clearly not intended for the Trayocraft games. Why the hell was it lumped in with the rest of his potential kit?! The only use Alexander could see in this was explosives, but he just planned to never be in the path of his own weapons. Were the corpo drones really so unskilled that they needed this?

Very tragically, Alexander was left with one real option. The WireRabbit frame had a terrible gimmick, but additional speed seemed extremely useful. Dodging shots, taking cover, or advancing on a fleeing foe; Speed could be the difference in securing the win, particularly in long shootouts where his reload might turn the tide. It wasn't flashy, and Alexander wasn't happy about the lack of firepower, but it was the best he had.

Making the effort to verbalize a sigh, he selected the WireRabbit frame. With a hiss, a panel opened up on a wall, and a little maintenance Pioneer came trundling through. Gazing at the servant's lackluster form, not so different from his former self, he silently thanked TrayoCraft for upgrading his form- A few tweaks to establish a baseline of power, with a built in gun and a weak shield.

Silently gathering its tools, his assistant motioned for him to lay down. With a grumble, Alexander laid back, and he took the liberty of detaching his sensors. Some of the younger Pioneers stayed awake during modifications, fearing a lapse in what little security they had- But Alexander wasn't worried. He was just a pathetic drone, no one would take interest in him. He would remain a puny Pioneer to them, until it was too late.

 

[Diatomic Element]

Chapter 2: First Impressions​

Alexander rocked back and forth, his anticipation keeping pace with his anxiety as he waited for the first round to begin.

After his surgery, he had been disappointed to find that his body was largely unchanged. From what he could see, his body was simply longer, and he knew better than to expect a mirror in his quarters- despite his efforts, he couldn't see his reflection on the computer screen under an endless sequence of ads. Once the time came, he wasn't even allowed to walk through a normal hallway; Instead, scurrying like a rat through a twisting sequence of tunnels.

Now, he found himself above the chute that would deliver him to the arena. The briefing had been unfortunately brief on the details, but Alexander gathered what he could from the dry report. Death in these rounds was temporary, and the first to three wins would secure their freedom.

Truth be told, he wasn't sure how well he wanted to do in this first game. The winner was barred from upgrades next round, and it put an early target on his back. On the other hand… His instincts were screaming at him to take this seriously. To seize the moment, no matter how foolishly. Wasn't that why he wanted to be here?

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With a rumble, he was shaken from his thoughts by the floor opening up below him. His visual sensors flared as he was flung into the light, barely able to land without embarrassing himself. Straightening up, he looked all around the room, and was begrudgingly impressed at what he had to see.

Surrounding Alexander was the signature layout of a lunar shipping warehouse- The uniform boxes, elevated catwalks, and the distinct lack of charm or style. Far less familiar was the massive pit that lay below, quickly disappearing into the darkness. Trayocraft certainly made more impressive stages than he had expected, but Alexander didn't have to be a genius to know that such a pit would kill him.

Quickly glancing around, a troublesome fact was made apparent to Alexander. There were only five other candidates!? That couldn't be right, was this a preliminary bracket before the main event? Having so few competitors would improve his chances, but it would throw off his plans to use stealth or alliances.

As the contestants settled into place, several camera drones emerged from behind the wall, a male voice echoing from them. With an obnoxious crackle, it proclaimed "Hey, what's good my Trayo-Heads!? It's Your Boy, Gale Storm! For the 360th monthly Trayocraft Public Test, we have a few surprises for you! This season, we are going all out- I finally got the bosses to authorize the good stuff!"

Alexander rolled his eyes, thinking about what a moron this presenter was. How was it fair that he had to be a slave, while people like this lived their best life? To pass the remaining few seconds, he stared at the person closest to him- A simple chassis, no obvious upgrades, and a painfully generic smile. Why would you ever go for the classic look, Alexander wondered? Your face was one of the few ways that corps let you express yourself, so why would you neglect it?

With one last crackle, Gale announced, "And with that, let the games begin!"

Alexander felt his gun and voice box unlock, and chaos erupted around the arena.

The Pioneer in front of him lunged forwards, their gun shooting wildly, and shouted, "Hallo!"

Taking a tactical retreat, Alexander jumped to a nearby catwalk, blindly firing behind him as he fled. With a cheerful tone, the person pursuing him quipped, "I'm Leonidovich, what's your name?"

The two darted around, but the terrain favored his opponent- There was no cover, and Alexander was getting chipped down over time. Both Pioneer's attempts to use their personal shield were… Somewhat effective, but neither men were experts on the timing. As a miniaturized debris blocker, it only lasted for a pulse before ending- And the recharge rate was quite punishing.

At this rate, Alexander thought, he might just lose to this idiot- So why not distract him? "You don't need to know my name, Leon. We are enemies!"

Leonidovich actually took a moment to pause, remarking, "I am not this 'Leon' you speak of, and I need a name for you, my friend! Otherwise I might have to call you bunny boy!"

Dread began to coil in his stomach, and Alexander responded, "What do you mean? How do you know what upgrade I received?!"

The fool actually laughed, saying, "It is obvious, my friend! You have those ears on top of your head!"

Oh. Oh no.

Alexander actually put his head in his hands, the chase having fully halted by now. Why wasn't there a warning on the modification… No one was going to respect him now. He needed to win this first round, establishing himself as a badass, or he would be forever embarrassed!

Shaking off his feelings, he faced Leonidovich. The idiot kept smiling, but even he could tell that Alexander's mood had shifted.

Alexander spat, "You can call me Alexander, but I will be winning this one, 'friend'," as he leapt into action. No more would he run, he needed to find height and wear Leonidovich down over time- There could be no rest!

Racing back and forth, he was starting to get frustrated by the upgrade Leonidovich had taken- Both men had been taking roughly equivalent fire, but that idiot looked nowhere near as bad as Alexander felt! Was he repairing himself somehow?

After a few more beats, Alexander had backed Leonidovich into a corner. Now was the time to triumph, now was the time-

The time to watch a glowing shot go over his shoulder and straight for his opponent, Leonidovich's eyes widening before activating his shield. With a white shimmer, the shot bounced off, and hit Alexander.

For a second, all he could do was look down at the hole in his chassis, Leonidovich gazing at him in shock.

"Fuck."

Spoiler: AN

Sorry for the delay, life has gotten busy.

 

[blankmask]

Interesting. Definitely gonna watch this.