A capsule sits against a wall in a dark, silent room, the room is empty, spare for the capsule itself. The only noise in the room is the low hum being produced by the capsule. The capsule is made of a metal alloy and reinforced glass. The contents of it are hidden behind the layers of ice which sits within it.

On the side of the capsule reads the words, TES CYRO POD #603.

Suddenly, the Cyro Pod beeps and hisses open, revealing a large, nude Caucasian man. The man has dark hair and is currently unconscious. He falls out of the capsule onto the metal floor, hitting his head, causing him to stir.

Shivering, he stands up and scans the room, his eyes slowly adjusting to the dark. As he looks and moves around, he notices that the room seems to have a slight sway to it, reminiscent of that of a ship. He looks towards the capsule he fell out of, at the words on the capsule.

TES Cyro Pod #603 huh, he thought, memories coming back to his dizzied mind. Why am I out of the Pod, he wondered, the North American TES program was to be shut down, did the Republic dissolve the treaty and go to war with her allies?

While pondering those questions, trying to think of an answer, the room gets flooded with blinding light. A door opposite to the wall the capsule was sitting upon, opens, its hydraulics hissing. As the door is opening, a man walks into the door way.

“TES Number 603, you have been called into duty,” said the man.

“Who are you,” asked 603.

“I am Sergeant Charles Clyde of the North American Army,” explained Clyde, “I am to bring you to the Bridge to meet with the General.”

"Why hav-" 603 was interrupted by Clyde throwing a bag towards him.

603 caught the bag and examined the contents. Inside were briefs, a shirt, a pair of pants, socks, and a pair of boots. All of which seemed a bit small for 603's large frame.

“Put those on and leave the room once you are done,” Clyde told 603, “after that I'll escort you to the Bridge.”

"Understood," affirmed 603.

After a moment's time, 603 exited the room and entered the hallway. After looking over 603, Clyde began leading him down the hallway, towards where the General was at. Before 603 couldn't get a good look at Clyde's equipment, but now, in the light of the hallway, he could get a good look at it.

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Clyde was wearing some kind of metal alloy over his military fatigues, the metal seemed like it worked, evident by the large number of dents and scratches on the chest piece. However the left pauldron seemed out of place, it did not match the right pauldron and it was shinier than the rest of the armor.

“What's up with your pauldron,” asked 603, pointing with his chin toward Clyde's left pauldron.

“That? I took it off a dead Federation soldier in the Rockies," Explained Clyde, "don't know why or how, but their armor is the best around, most rounds you fire at them just bounces off.”

“Uh huh, what about your helmet, haven't seen that around when I served," 603 said while pointing at the helmet under Clyde's arm.

"This," asked Clyde, handing the helmet to 603, "that is standard issue, been out for the better half of a decade."

The helmet in question looked and functioned like a standard helmet. The only things that stood out was the gold reflective visor which would cover the top half of the face and the built in radio and receiver.

603 handed the helmet back to Clyde, and the two of them continued down the hallway in silence, the only thing breaking it was the occasional radio chatter from Clyde's helmet. While he noticed it before, the way the hallway swayed had confirmed his previous thoughts.

Definitely on a ship, 603 thought, why a ship?

He thought the last part out loud, breaking the silence between the two men.

“Sorry?” asked Clyde.

“We're on a ship aren't we? Where is it heading?” 603 questioned Clyde, curious of the situation.

“We are on a ship, you're right, however I do not know the destination,” Clyde told him, “I figure the General will explain that to you.”

The two of the reach a stairwell, and begin making their ascent to the Bridge. Clyde begins checking his armor, making sure everything is correctly strapped and clipped together. Satisfied with his armor, he dons his helmet.

“What are you doing,” 603 asked, curious to what the other man was doing.

"Huh? Oh, ha, the General is a real stickler when it comes to equipment maintenance," laughed Clyde, “been on my ass a lot for this,” Clyde taps his left pauldron.

As Clyde was finishing his sentence, they reach a door. Above the door the words, Bridge 1, can be read. Outside the door stands two men, wearing equipment similar to Clyde, without the noticeable wear and tear. Both men notice the pair and one presses a button on an intercom. 

The intercom beeps and one of the men speak into it, after a short while another voice comes through it and the door clanks as it unlocks. Slowly, the door hisses open, revealing the interior of the Bridge and the many men inside.

"TES Unit Number 603," says a voice, with a slight accent, “we've been waiting fer ya fer a good while now, glad to see ya join us.”

603 turns to see the man who's voice rang out. The man was an older gentleman, his eyes shined with a youthfulness that contrasted against his wrinkled face.

“You're the General?” questioned 603.

“I am General Lawrence Aders of the North American Army, nice to meet ya, 603,” said Aders.

"Why has the TES program been resumed," 603 asked with growing anxiousness and curiosity, "surely the Republic wouldn't betray her allies."

The General sighed.

“That's just it, son,“ said Aders, with sorrow rising in his voice, ”the Republic is no more.”