Chapter One: The Team

I was awoken by someone calling my name, Druein.

My eyes slowly open and I glance up at the person hovering over my bed. I groan and slowly move myself to sit up, having been enjoying my sleep, I stared daggers at the wall, yawning as I stretch and get myself up.

I grab my uniform, a blue jacket with a yellow streak that was hi-vis, as I woke nights at the search sites. It was easier to search at night, as it wasn't so hot.
The sun was setting as I walk out, pulling my shorts up and tightening my buckle.

I glanced back into my little bedroom, cabin like tent, inside was some trinkets from what I've collected over the years, all antient technologies, or things to that nature. I had video cameras, photo cameras, even a few video game consoles. I had actually managed to fix a lot, having found them all from work, and been a repair tech, salaveging and finding all these "useless" parts, that when put in some of this other tech, it actually worked wonders.
Some parts were from my old job, which was similar to this, but more of an office job, looking through history books, learning about the years, and finding out what humans were like decades ago.

I jump, feeling a tap on my shoulder, turning to look at one of the other humans who shared in the full cabin, with their own bedroom and all.
"Alright... I'm up..." I grumble, stretching and yawning once again. "Did you find anything?" I look at her.
"No, and Cap is getting angry." She replied, her voice trembling slightly, and her green eyes, just gazed down at the floor.

Mariaum was the sweetest girl ever, she always wore rather loud and virabant clothing, even working in the hot sun, the only thing that upset her more than anything else, was others emotions, espescally anger.

I straighten myself up, looking at her and smiling, giving her shoulder a slight pet and make her look up at me. "I'm sure we'll find something soon." I reasured her. "We've only looked west, so Deran and I have asked to go east, and hope we find something there, I'll be back in a few days." I wink at her. "Even if Cap is angry, remember, you have the best baking in town."

She smiles and yawns, giving me a hug and walking off to her bedroom.

I sigh, stretching again as I walk out of the whole cabin.

The moon was rising as I peered outside, the sun was still setting, I stretched and grabbed my camera, flashlight and backpack that I kept outside, filled with most of my journals and notes from where we had been.
The camera was for our own safety, streamed in real time for our security guards, tracking our locations just in case s**t hit the fan, or we found some hole, especally at night.
They were also there, just because some bad ex-employees fucked it up for the rest of us, and tried to steal some very valuable trinkets.
All of our trinkets went off to measuems and only a select frew people were allowed to keep things, like myself.

If it can't be fixed with what we have already, you can take it, and fix it, keep it, take it apart for other things.

Money didn't matter to me anymore, I was sorted for food, though the meals here weren't too nice, but they helped me survive. Work paid for my room, food, actual house, which I could return to at any given time. I had a lovely two bedroom home, which was about 20 minutes from most things, in a small town.

Filled, of course, with so many trinkets and collections I had found over the years.

Work also had my funeral plans, and would pay for them, anything I needed, it was paid for. I had quite a bit of sums in my bank account as well. Working on site meant I had 1k an hour, even when I slept.

I never wished to work, but the fact my parents couldn't support me forever, and they needed help with their own bills, was my motivation to find a job, then I found one which was learning about our history, so I took it, and became a repair tech for the measum, so now, I was hired to do search and salvage. This job was seasonal, as it moved people from place to place, but we could always have holidays, and days off, and just calm down from the stress. We could always go and travel for our own health.

I sigh, turning on my camera and walking to the mess hall, it felt like camp, everytime I entered the hall, bringing back so many memories every single time.

I scanned the hall, seeing one of the guys who worked the night shift with me, he was pretty dreamy, his light green eyes could make me get lost for days, he could see straight through you, and tollerated no bullshit, he was pretty pale, which worked out for him working nights, because he didn't turn into a lobster. When we first met, he had told me he was a vampire, which I never believed, but secretly hoped was true. He had no freckles, but had bright red hair, which was cut pretty short, in a fade. His name, Deran Nurko.

Or as we said at work, Nurko. As we addressed everyone with their last names.

I had actually tried to research his history, but he had nothing on him, not a single school, camp, anything.

I grabbed a plate for whatever slop they were serving today, and plated myself up the canned tuna, mashed potatos and a small bit of mince (ground beef), which was all blended up in a stew, it wasn't really tasty, but it was food, before going to sit.

I sat across from Deran, trying not to get lost in his eyes, but I noticed a small mouse-like figure sitting at the end of our table.
"Morning." I say, after a few minutes of silence. "Anyone else awake?" I mumble, still trying to wake myself up.

"Dunno." Was all his raspy voice could reply, before he took a drink.

I looked towards the creature, my focus fixed on them, my estimated guess was they were new to the crew, 103cm (3'4) or so in height, they had a scar over their left eye, pretty skinny, 30kg (66 or so pounds), and looked to be about 18 years old, but had grey or silver hair.

I glance at Deran, expecting him to tell me who this new crewmate was, if they even were a crewmate. He didn't reply, and just started eating, I sighed and rolled my eyes, starting to eat, figuring he'll tell me later, when we're both more woken up.

After finishing my food, I got up and went over to them, they were slumped over, snoring lightly, as I approached, I hadn't heard them until I got closer, they were clearly still breathing, but I could study them a little, without waking them up, one hand resting on my hip, which would be where I kept my gun, but that was currently in my locker, which I hadn't got yet.

Whatever this figure was, I shrugged and grabbed my plate, returning it to the tray, looking at Deran. "Ready to pack up?" I ask.

He smiles and stretches, having just finished his food, but before I could turn and leave, I hear our names. Sighing I turn around, and I'm greeted by a tall, thin man, with hazel eyes and a beard, looking at me. "You two met your new crewmate?" He asked, smiling brightly. "Was going to ask if they can hang out with you on your week trip." He smirks, clearly giving us no choice.

We both shook our heads. "They're still asleep." Deran replied simply, looking at the man, who I didn't even reconize.

The man chuckles and shakes his head. "Asnika!" He calls out, making the figure jolt and jump up at attention.
"Yes sir?" I hear from behind me, turning I see the figure, saluting, and ready for orders.
I walk over, holding out my hand. "Druien." I say, as they shake my hand, looking slightly away and timid, but I noticed their eyes were a slightly different colour, and as they shook my hand, I could have sworn they had an extra finger, but when I looked, they only had the normal, four fingers and a thumb. Deran followed suit.

"Hello." Was all the figure said, they spoke in a hushed, raspy and somewhat robotic sounding tone. All I could do was stare and study it.

After a while they went and got their slop, as we spoke to the strange man, finding out he was one of our new bosses, and we would have to have Asnika on the salvaging week, with us.

The other night shift crew started to come in and grab their food, each sitting and chatting, while Deran and I packed our things ready for the week.

We spoke in a hushed voice, as we both agreed that we had never seen something that looked so human, but also didn't at the same time, they were skin and bones, even their hand was super boney.

I had heard that pure humans, couldn't live away from the shelters for too long, but one person had lasted a month, on stolen supplies.

However, that was a rather punishable offence, being cast out, with nothing at all, and forced to live out in the desert.

I didn't understand why anyone would try and escape, because the job was pretty nice, aside from the food, the benefits were amazing, and even if you weren't happy with the job, they didn't care, and you could basically leave at any point.

We were allowed to set up camps for a week, in different areas to where we were, if the search team was out east, we could start heading out west, but only for 5 days at a time, setting markers, and where we had been, if we find something on day 5, we were allowed to come back, and then continue back out that way for 3 weeks, spending 6 weeks out, away from shelter. Wherever we found something, the day shift, or two would come and meet us, wherever we were set up.

The day shift had set areas, whereas the night shift, could split up and go anywhere, as long as it was close enough to base, they can still come back and restock.

The day shift were more for the "weaker" few, unable to survive on their own, and having to huddle together if something attacked. The night shift, were the more stronger people, able to fend for themselves, or kill, as we were in the desert, and anything could happen. Sometimes we found whale bones, or boats, or even just a few keys, coins, or whatever else was at the bottom of the ocean.

As for being recruited, your first month, was shadowing different teams, both night and day shifts, to see what would be better suited, it just so happened, this new recruit had been sent to shadow us for their first night, our boss having forgotten we were going for a week, but it didn't matter, as we were both heavily armed, and trained, could protect our own a*s, as well as an extra body, as long as they stayed out of our way.

Everyone was still waking up, as we grabbed our waters, canned food, a few containers of slop, a small chilly bin (cooler), and some snack bars. Deran went off and got us a tent, as I looked at the new recruit, wondering what I was going to do with them, a bit suspisious about them, as they didn't seem fit to be working, or something was iffy about them.

I didn't know what it was, if the higher ups were just hiring spies, to make sure people were actually handing in things they found, or if there was now stricter rules about joking about the company, or hating the company. I was quite worried about it all, and Deran could see it from my face, that I wasn't happy.

"Gun!" He reminded me, walking past me to unlock his locker, making me jump, and look at him, sighing.

I unlock my locker, looking at my guns, two pistols and my sniper. Then grabbed my night vision glasses, and suited myself up, in the padded gear, looking at the new recruit, and checking they had all their gear as well.