Another Heart Calls

Her heart is heavy. What feels like both a lifetime ago and yesterday at the same time, Interceptor reminisces about her journey before and after the war. All the struggles to start, feeling like she was rising above a deadly riptide, only to feel lost again as everyone went their separate ways after the Omega Conflict. Despite her power and accomplishments, she has anxiety about where she heads to next. Leaving Castle Adia, she heads to Marcy's Playground to prepare and head out on her mission.

After final preparations, Interceptor leaves in a low-key vehicle with plenty of speed but without the flashy looks. She buckles in, brings all systems online and sets forth. A few hours into the ride, she hears something knocking and rolling around in the cargo compartment. She’s confident it’s nothing that she brought along rattling around; something must be wrong with the transport. She brings the vehicle to a stop, exits, and nonchalantly opens the cargo door. Interceptor almost goes into full defense mode but just as quickly stops and wonders what kind of dumb-assery life has thrown her way. “Uh, hey….. hi. I’m sorry, but where the hell am I?” asks the young man lying amongst various bags and gear. The man clearly looks hungover, disheveled, and does not seem to care too much. Interceptor, now more relaxed but still very annoyed, “We’re some ways outside of Everlong. In MY transport. Now you know what my question is going to be to you, right?” The man tries to sit up but physically can’t, while rubbing his head intensely, “Ah shit, I’m sorry. Kinda lost track last night. Not sure if I stumbled in here or somebody made me stumble in here. Uuuughgghhh……" Interceptor lets out a sigh and reluctantly helps the man out of the cargo.

She takes some time grabbing items to help sober the man up and relieve the pounding headache he’s enduring. The stench of alcohol on him is almost unbearable. “Sounds like you had one hell of a night there. Celebrating something fun?” “.....No, just trying to forget someone. Guess that didn’t work out too great. Thanks for the water and medpak. Again, sorry for crashing the ride. Definitely not the type of thing I would ever think of doing.” “If you were trying to forget someone, then your drunk ass probably thought of the next best thing and thought to get far away from them” Interceptor says, laughing, trying to find something funny in her mission’s speed bump. “I guess. Any chance you could drive me back? I can pay you for the ride and inconvenience” he says, hopeful, but also knowing he’s completely at the mercy of this imposing soldier. “I’m in a bit of a time crunch so no, sorry. But I can drop you off at the next stop I make.” With a squinty face, “Fair enough. I appreciate the lift either way. Who knows, maybe I’ll find something better at the next place.” “I’d say it’s always best to keep moving forward; life has treated me better for doing such a thing” she says. He finds the strength to smile, “See, better already. The name’s Scotty by the way.” “Good. And it’s Interceptor. Let’s get moving.” They both get back into the transport and speed off.