CHAPTER ONE – Prologue

The Horizon is a space station with artificial gravity was invented and launched on 2803, at Silas 32 Space Centre, the center of space age. The Horizon was built with survival in mind, the poor couldn’t afford the luxury so only the rich and the scientists were invited there. The Horizon is Paradise not-on-earth, because of the earth’s harsh conditions, population’s growth is cramped. So they built The Horizon, to expand human race but only for the rich. Discrimination broke out whenever a Descent, a team or a group descended from The Horizon to escort scientists to do research, is made. The Research Labs and luxury houses were sold because most of the people that inhabited those facilities ascended to The Horizon and received better treatment and environment. All technology that was being developed on earth was abandoned and they start to develop them in space, so were left behind with little resources and ancient technology. They left us for dead.

We lost sight of the interesting Individual, our government contacted the Horizon about this Individual, and they won’t answer. This is weird as it is... –What’s more interesting is they developed a new Technology called ADARI, Advanced Artificial Intelligence, and soon swarms of what we call Autos, Descended and a showroom was built on big cities. Autos are meant to assist human survival, or so they say, layered with Isaac Asimov’s ‘The Three Laws of Robotics’:

 

By the 2900’s Autos are all over the place, in houses, hospitals, workshops, restaurants, even bars. They were helping us live, over time we gained respect for The Horizon for sending us Autos so that we may utilize them. We send scout teams formed from Autos to check the Barrens and survey for changes in them. Of course, Law Enforcement is still made up from Humans but they say someday… Autos will replace them…

 

 

Long after many scouts embarked on their trip, they returned with at least one or two missing. ADARI started to take interest in this case and ordered AEGIS, Autos Enforcement Group International and Space. AEGIS was formed into two Divisions, Ground and Horizon. Ground specializes in cases on Earth whilst Horizon specializes in enforcement on The Horizon, but we never heard of any case from The Horizon so were sure they’re slacking up there. And this is where my story begin.

 

CHAPTER TWO – The Barrens

We stepped down the stairs as we see a bunch of Autos Maid cleaning the main mansion hall. “Sure is big for a non-profit company CEO” I thought. But I shrugged it off and got into the car. Cars are still old school, same engine block, not floating from the ground and no sci-fi neon you would read in Horizon’s Pamphlet. A load of bull, the Horizon is. As we head back to HQ, we got a call about another Intel down on the Ghetto’s. I hate the Ghetto’s, filled with Nutrium Junkies and Trashed, and misused Autos. Makes my gut feel twisted when seeing them.
The door went flying down as we kicked it down. “HALT! AEGIS!” we both screamed, our Intel Man, Guido, was waiting for us laid back sitting down at the old ragged couch. It was a simple shack filled with just a bed, a ragged couch, and a few Autos Parts on the corner. Guido wore a torn jacket, and dirty beanie, and he had those crazy Nutrium eyes. I knew he’s hooked on Nutrium. We might change the tides.

 

He presented us with an RAD EXO, an anti-radiation suit. I looked at my partner with ‘Are you joking me’ eyes. But EXO Suits are hard to come by these days because of Materials you’d have to scavenge on The Barren. I do believe Guido’s EXO Suit could take us far, but Horn’s Edge is a different matter. It within the Deep Barren. The Deep Barrens has the most Radiation levels, no one ever traveled there… Except for the scouts! It’s a general Scouts Route, since their first deployment in the Deep Barren, it showed decrease in Radiation its Levels. EXO suits are Horizon Tech, they’re as rare as Ultrium. Ultrium at its lowest form, 0.13% Purity Rate can cost as good as a Million Credits. News of a 97.03% Ultrium was thrown around but it remains un-verified. Ultrium are powerful power source, the more it glows, the high its purity. Autos use 0.00034% Ultrium that outlasts their metal durability.
Ghetto made suits are common and not as good as Horizon Suits. Horizon suits can withstand Radiation and even Space Travel. GTO Suits are Ghetto Suits and isn’t worth calling it an EXO level. Guido suit looks GTO tier. But we need an expert’s opinion so I called my friend over, Mayfield, an expert on Horizon Tech. He was invited to The Horizon but he decline as the Barren is what he’s researching and he doesn’t intend to leave his research un-completed.

I gathered the guys and tied Guido down to a chair. We searched Guido’s hut and found 3 RAD EXO Suits, I quickly made a report to HQ. They didn’t believe me and dismissed the case. The Chief ta
I was frustrated, mostly angered.
A week after the incident, I gathered Milo and Mayfield.







Milo sighed but he has been with me for 2 years, were good friends, and went to AEGIS Academy together. With the RAD Suits put on we entered my car, and set off to the Barren Gates. Barren Gates are always guarded 24/7 but with Mayfield’s ID we should get through.
An hour drive, these RAD Suits are a pain to maneuver, we arrived at Barren Gates and showed the Guard Mayfield’s ID and they let us in, they were convinced! Thank God. Horn’s Edge is 2 days drive west from Barren Gates. So we take turns driving.
Not long after the drive, the Radio announced dangerous Bandits along the Barrens, with stolen Horizon Goods, they are suspected to be gang members preying on unsuspecting Research Team. I was terrified, but tried to drive calmly, each one of us is equipped with VEX-16 Rifles, a standard in AEGIS Earth agents, along with a Bulletproof Vest under our Suits. VEX-16 is earth gun and nothing like the Horizon has so if the bandits has Horizon Goods, they might likely have a standard PFX-70, an AEGIS Horizon Agents standard. It could burst a Concrete wall to smithereens and gut out Autos. Let’s just hope out Suits can withstand them.
We pulled over and set camp, were in a minimal radiation zone so we can take off our suits. We set up campfires and tents. Good thing Milo brought beer, untainted by Radiation we drank to our fullest and… actually passed out. I woke up to a rough bang, I see a car headlight. “OH SHIT IT’S THE BANDITS!!!” I thought to myself. Panicking, I quickly got up, woke the others up and wore my Suit. The Bandit shot a bullet and I was able to dodge it, but it looked like a PFX-70 Ammo. I retaliated as the other ran behind a cover in some rock. An all-out gunfight was in motion.




Milo fired back as hard as he could, whilst I strafed aside trying to shoot the band of bandits surrounding us. It looked like my shot didn’t do any damage but after a while it did and killed 3 bandits. 2 to go. Milo pushed up and ran behind the car, managed to kill the truck’s driver. And I finished the last one.
We all caught our breath and treated Mayfield. Mayfield may not be able to move his left arm for a week or two so we let him off the driving. We salvaged their suits and Rifles, got in our car and when I started the car. It won’t start. There was so many bullet holes on the car engine that gasoline leaked, thank god it didn’t burst to flames. We moved our stuff to the military truck, and head on to Horn’s Edge. About 6 more hours till we get there.

 

CHAPTER THREE – Horn’s Edge
We arrived at 3:42PM. Horn’s Edge, the RAD-O-Meter is going crazy, we better make it quick. We had our suit go full body, makes it heavier to move and slower. Guido said it was 13km east from here, we should be able to make it by dinner. 2 Hour drive and we made it. There was an old Checkpoint here before the Radiation levels spiked. There was a figure with a cloak sitting down in the middle of the Checkpoint. I unveiled the cloak while Milo and Mayfield aimed the gun at the Figure. It was an Auto. With no Face Plate, bare face with skull like shape and red eyes. Looks like a Generation 1 Autos