The sun's first rays spread their warmth as the tall woman knelt atop RhyDin City's Northwest wall. Cloaked, she intensely studied everything in her line of sight. The stealth was perfect; not so much of an outline would be seen even were one to pass right by her. Not even her scent would be carried by the soft breeze, even to the most sensitive fauna.
"I have arrived," the assassin's voice was a soft whisper, seemingly into thin air; one of her own teeth had been replaced with the device that carried her words to the Voice.
"Give me a visual." The Voice responded immediately, frank as usual. It spoke directly into her brain, or so she'd assumed. On one assignment, she had carefully navigated through crowded rooms with its guidance and none had ever heard - not even her target, a powerful telepath.
Aksana obeyed, blinking twice in rapid succession. The sensation was strange still, as the transference of her sight was one she could feel. Then again, sight itself was still somewhat new to her. She was born, raised and trained blind.
It had been twenty months and eleven days since the morning she woke up in the empty surgical room, covered in blood, and there was light. The Voice then guided her through what she assumed was the final 'test'. The facility had been set to self-destruct, and her sole mission then was to escape.
She had never seen the man behind the Voice, if there even was one. All Aksana knew was that the Voice had given her strength when she had been crippled, light when all had been dark, and most of all, a purpose when she had none.
It was a memory she'd relived many times, just as she did now, until the Voice brought her back to the present. "Little has changed." Its tone was almost sentimental. "You know the drill, Aksana. Find and eliminate the target."
"I"." She whispered once again, although the sound would not pass her lips. It was automatic, but she knew it was wrong the moment it came out. Skuth... Aksana reprimanded herself sharply, remembering the instructions.
As she expected, the Voice returned quickly, strictly. "Do not speak our language, Aksana. Even to me. And do not take your stealth for granted. Despite its primitive appearance, there are technologies in this city that may be able to detect you. Intelligence reports change by the hour, and the spaceport brings in traffic from hundreds, possibly thousands of worlds." After a moment's pause, the Voice continued, and the sharp tone melted away. Times like this were what gave her the theory that the Voice was human. "This will, however, also work to your advantage. The diversity of species and technologies here is met with unparalleled complacence. This is fortunate because your suit does not have enough power to maintain the cloak indefinitely, and you will have to manage it carefully. We have, of course, taken great care to conceal the elements of your gear that would betray its source. Further, you may be required to gather human intelligence. This is not a 'kill and escape' stealth assignment, Aksana....nor will it be accomplished overnight. The target is not a simpleton behind a desk. He is a soldier. To compound matters, he has powerful allies here. Not only must you find him, you must isolate and eliminate him, and recover the five items we require for study."
"Understood. Reporting schedule?" Another blink and the visual transmission ended. Standing, Aksana paced slowly along the edge of the wall, gazing out toward the sea.
"Once per day, unless an urgent situation arises. Only report in isolation. There is no strict timeline for this assignment, and gathering reliable intelligence entails more than just reading dossiers. I cannot guide you here like I have before. Spread your wings, my Naira. You are the jewel of our project, and you have my utmost confidence."
"I am honored," she whispered, just before the commlink terminated. The words were her custom and her truth. Without the Voice, she would still be a mind trapped in a weak, helpless shell, lost in a void.
Aksana leaped gracefully from the wall, spinning through the air and coming to rest in a perfect three-point stance on the stone below. As she stood, an unspoken command removed the cloak, and silent footsteps carried her into the city.
"I have arrived," the assassin's voice was a soft whisper, seemingly into thin air; one of her own teeth had been replaced with the device that carried her words to the Voice.
"Give me a visual." The Voice responded immediately, frank as usual. It spoke directly into her brain, or so she'd assumed. On one assignment, she had carefully navigated through crowded rooms with its guidance and none had ever heard - not even her target, a powerful telepath.
Aksana obeyed, blinking twice in rapid succession. The sensation was strange still, as the transference of her sight was one she could feel. Then again, sight itself was still somewhat new to her. She was born, raised and trained blind.
It had been twenty months and eleven days since the morning she woke up in the empty surgical room, covered in blood, and there was light. The Voice then guided her through what she assumed was the final 'test'. The facility had been set to self-destruct, and her sole mission then was to escape.
She had never seen the man behind the Voice, if there even was one. All Aksana knew was that the Voice had given her strength when she had been crippled, light when all had been dark, and most of all, a purpose when she had none.
It was a memory she'd relived many times, just as she did now, until the Voice brought her back to the present. "Little has changed." Its tone was almost sentimental. "You know the drill, Aksana. Find and eliminate the target."
"I"." She whispered once again, although the sound would not pass her lips. It was automatic, but she knew it was wrong the moment it came out. Skuth... Aksana reprimanded herself sharply, remembering the instructions.
As she expected, the Voice returned quickly, strictly. "Do not speak our language, Aksana. Even to me. And do not take your stealth for granted. Despite its primitive appearance, there are technologies in this city that may be able to detect you. Intelligence reports change by the hour, and the spaceport brings in traffic from hundreds, possibly thousands of worlds." After a moment's pause, the Voice continued, and the sharp tone melted away. Times like this were what gave her the theory that the Voice was human. "This will, however, also work to your advantage. The diversity of species and technologies here is met with unparalleled complacence. This is fortunate because your suit does not have enough power to maintain the cloak indefinitely, and you will have to manage it carefully. We have, of course, taken great care to conceal the elements of your gear that would betray its source. Further, you may be required to gather human intelligence. This is not a 'kill and escape' stealth assignment, Aksana....nor will it be accomplished overnight. The target is not a simpleton behind a desk. He is a soldier. To compound matters, he has powerful allies here. Not only must you find him, you must isolate and eliminate him, and recover the five items we require for study."
"Understood. Reporting schedule?" Another blink and the visual transmission ended. Standing, Aksana paced slowly along the edge of the wall, gazing out toward the sea.
"Once per day, unless an urgent situation arises. Only report in isolation. There is no strict timeline for this assignment, and gathering reliable intelligence entails more than just reading dossiers. I cannot guide you here like I have before. Spread your wings, my Naira. You are the jewel of our project, and you have my utmost confidence."
"I am honored," she whispered, just before the commlink terminated. The words were her custom and her truth. Without the Voice, she would still be a mind trapped in a weak, helpless shell, lost in a void.
Aksana leaped gracefully from the wall, spinning through the air and coming to rest in a perfect three-point stance on the stone below. As she stood, an unspoken command removed the cloak, and silent footsteps carried her into the city.