"sorry if i'm being pushy again. i get how it's, uh, a lot."
"I mean, I appreciate it." Even if you don't fully trust her, you have to admit it is nice to have someone who seemingly cares for you. "That's why I hired you today. I thought you'd be a good coworker. But, really, you don't need to coddle me."
An inscrutable expression rests on Ashton's face. "i didn't intend to, it's just...when i first saw you, you looked...how's the best way to describe it? out of place? a filing mistake?"
"something tells me that you weren't <span class="mu-b">supposed to be here.</span> that you were <span class="mu-b">brought here by accident.</span>"
"How so?"
"it's hard to say, really, a gut feeling? maybe a heart feeling?"
"That's not a saying." "i dunno how else to describe it!"
Ashton leans against the wall right outside 199X's airlock. "i just want you to be safe, okay? but, yeah, you're right. if you want some advice, i got some."
Ashton points at her jaw. "if you want to WIN a fight against someone, you have to hit it where it hurts. here's a good spot but the shins, knees and groin? those are probably the ones i aim for the most."
"breaking the knee slows their movements down. the shin isn't really protected much by the body, one solid strike to it will mess someone up and the groin?"
Ashton doesn't even have to finish her sentence before your body instinctually shivers.
"yeah, exactly. works best if it's a dude but it hurts a lot if you hit a girl down there."
"Yeahhh, good thing you told me that, because we might have to fight this anomaly sooner or later. Got your gun ready?"
"mh hm." Ashton yanks her revolver out of its holster. "ready when you are."
Before you rush inside, you remember that you actually got some armor you could equip. You equip the MAKESHIFT GUARD ARMOR with Ashton's help. It's stuffy and bulky but you rather be uncomfortable than dead.
You aim yourself with your own gun because, to be honest, you don't like your odds on winning a fight against 199X with your big stick. Ashton enters first and you quickly follow behind her. You pray to whatever god there is that you don't actually have to fight it.
https://youtu.be/-ADDguL1iP8 - COLD
Snowflakes lazily drift through the air. The walls and ceiling are covered in a thin layer of frost while dry, powdery snow cakes the ground. Every step the two of you take makes a loud CRUNCH thanks to the powdery snow. This wasn't here yesterday, you know that for sure, and you're pretty sure you didn't upgrade its cell with an atmosphere control system.
The anomaly is standing at the far back of the containment cell. Its face is firmly pressed against the walls as if it was trying to hide it. It scratches at the wall with long, gnarly nails that were beyond filthy. They were sharp enough to crave letters into the steel itself with little effort.
It either doesn't notice you or it outright refuses to acknowledge you right now. Every few seconds, a full body shiver would wrack its body.
