Roll of Pennies
The sounds of gunfire rang in Johnson's ears. Biting down and tugging on the bandage covering his wounded leg, he hastily reloaded his firearm.
For a moment, before he fired on the Lemurians who had pinned his team into a corner and already claimed two of his friends, Johnson reflected on what brought him here.
Johnson had grown up in poverty, the oldest of three children. He had started working at a young age to support his sick mother and younger siblings, and all his life he bounced from one odd job to the next.
Rose Buckler
Order: Please let me know when you get this. I foun...
Tracking Number: 53******
Estimated Delivery: 05/22/2056
Shipping Method: Priority
Shipping Address: Research Center, Polarity Zone, Neptune
Shipping Details:
BTW Mama should have sent over another package as well. Let me know when you get it.
Papa
Royal Capacitor
Order: ZAP2-K “Royal” Capacitor
Tracking Number: 145***************
Estimated Delivery: 04/30/2056
Shipping Method: Standard
Shipping Address: Power Plant 005, Route 10, Venus
Shipping Details: Here’s a replacement for your damaged equipment. Crazy how gang activity is starting up again – even crazier that they’d steal a capacitor from you guys. Anyway, you guys know the drill – make sure routinely discharge the capacitor’s storage cells, as it may hold on to latent voltage.
Runald's Band
"Should memories be lost,
Should oceans be clouded,
Will you bring me fervor?
Will you die with me?"
-The Syzygy of Io and Europa
Rusted Key
Order: Key
Tracking Number: 12******
Estimated Delivery: 01/21/2056
Shipping Method: Standard
Shipping Address: |||||||, Druid Hills, Earth
Shipping Details:
I don't trust UESC. Not one bit. Their Security Chests? Full of overrides and backdoors- I've got a cousin working in their factory, and they've got all kinds of weird things going on in those chests. I've seen so many of them in auctions - for the lost and unclaimed ones - and you just pay money, and it springs open on the spot.
Safer Spaces
"You can't shoot me.
You can't taze me.
You can't gas me.
You can't even knock me down.
Not without something very precious going squish."
Sawmerang
I'm so happy they let me bring my trusty disc toy on this trip! Trees need cutting? Disc toy. Baddies getting a little too close? Disc toy. Fun after-hours game of catch? Disc toy... but only if you're trained to catch it.
Scavenger
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==== MyBabel Machine Translator ====
==== [Version 12.45.1.009 ] ======
========================================
Training… <100000000 cycles>
Training… <100000000 cycles>
Training... <100000000 cycles>
Training... <102515 cycles>
Complete!
Display result? Y/N
Y
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I watch the strange creatures from a distance. What powerful things they use. I want them. But there’s too many of them. I’ve seen what they do to the others – they kill without mercy.
I’m a bit scared, but it’s okay.
Scorched Acres
Welcome to DataScraper (v3.1.53 – beta branch)
$ Scraping memory... done.
$ Resolving... done.
$ Combing for relevant data... done.
Complete!
DAY 03
I’ve encountered a strange, alien compound. Several platforms, supported by large stone pillars. There are various tiers and “floors” decorated with plants and elaborate sculptures. The masonry of these ruins is incredible. Although they appear recently polished... it also seems uninhabited. Lucky me - I was getting tired and needed some rest.
Sentient Meat Hook
"When artificial intelligence became more commonplace, many companies jumped on the trend for "smart" products. This included smart doors, lights, coffee makers, lawnmowers, vacuum cleaners, bedding, kitchen knife sets, and other home goods. After a series of gruesome lawsuits stemming from hacked smart appliances, most products soon went back to their more traditional, analog lines."
-"Why Is Smart So Dumb? VII"