The transport to the government facility was nothing like Oren had expected.
After the two military personnel—who might as well have been robots for all the conversation they offered showed up, he was given barely enough time to gather himself.
No chance to say goodbyes, no time to process what had happened. Within minutes, he was on a high-speed transport bus, hurtling toward the pier along with about 100 of other newly chosen participants.
There was a sense of excitement in the bus that seemed to annoyed the heck out of Oren.
"Why the heck did they all seem so excited to be shipped of to thier deaths." he thought silently
It was as if they had all brainwashed and the worse of them all was this dude named Neil.
Since the moment he got on the bus all Oren wanted to do was shoot him, he introduced himself to everyone and was lamenting on how he was so excited to be choosen.
"Hey! Names Neil, Neil Carter" he said as he sat beside me "Can you believe it? We're going to E.D.E.N.! Finally got selected!" he beamed, flashing a grin that Oren wanted to slap right off his face. "Man, this is going to be epic! You ready to survive, buddy?"
Oren gave him a flat stare. "Survive? More like march to our deaths."
Neil seemed completely oblivious to all Oren's thought on killing him. "I mean, think about it! First trial? Two years of survival? Extreme planets? Sounds like the adventure of a lifetime!"
Oren tuned him out. His head throbbed. Adventure? More like a slow execution. All he could think was: Why are you all so happy to be sent to die?
The bus screeched to a halt at a massive pier lined with sleek, silver ships. Security drones hovered overhead, their red lenses tracking every movement. Military personnel barked orders, their faces as unreadable as ever.
"Get on the ship! Move, move!"
The participants shuffled forward. Neil was still grinning. Oren tried to put as much distance between them as possible. The ship loomed above—a towering monolith of steel and glass. It wasn't designed for comfort. This was a transport vessel, nothing more.
As Oren stepped aboard, a low hum vibrated through the floor. The door hissed shut behind them.
A monitor on the ship's wall flickered to life, displaying a cold, authoritative face. The voice was emotionless, clinical.
"Welcome, participants. You have been selected to represent Earth in the Trials of E.D.E.N. Over the next week, you will undergo mandatory training to prepare you for the first challenge. Your physical condition will be assessed, your equipment provided, and you will be given survival instruction tailored to the various possible environment.Failure to comply with training protocols will result in immediate disciplinary action."
The message ended abruptly and the chaos resumed, so I looked for a corner to lay my head.
...
The Training Facility
A very unoriginal name, Oren thought. But I guess it might be worse to call it what it really is: a Farm House? A Prison? A Death Roll? He smirked bitterly. But hey, Training Facility is fine too, I guess.
The facility stretched for miles—towering steel walls topped with automated turrets, watchtowers that pierced the clouds. The smell of ozone and metal filled the air. As the ship docked, participants were herded off in tight formation. Oren scanned the surroundings.
"Line up! You'll be assigned dormitories before orientation!" a voice barked.
Hours blurred together—registration, biometric scans, medical examinations. Oren received a bracelet, cold and metallic, embedded with his ID number: #DISN135. It clamped onto his wrist with a finality that made his stomach twist.
After all the tests, Oren wandered to a large wall in the corridor displaying room assignments:
District N - Room 34
* Aliyu Mohammed DISN133
* Neil Carter DISN134
* Oren Kael DISN135
* Akari Tsukiko DISN136
Oren sighed. Of course, he'd be stuck with Neil. With his luck, the Trials might end before they even began.
He made his way to his building.
In from of the building stood a officer, as Oren approached he simply asked "Room number?"
Already used to the lack of emotion set by the people here he answer straight away "Room 34"
A key card was handed to him and he was directed to the stairs.
Shoving the key card into his pocket, he trudged up the stairs. The hallway was dim, the metallic floors echoing every step. Each door looked identical, marked only by small digital displays.
Room 34
He tapped the key card against the reader. A soft beep, then the door slid open. The room inside was sparse—two sets of bunks, basic storage lockers, and a small window that overlooked the vast, gray expanse of the facility grounds.
Oren stepped inside, tossed his bag onto the nearest bunk, and collapsed without a word. The bed wasn't comfortable, but it would do.
Finally, he thought, closing his eyes. Some peace… for now.