After Alecs exciting day at the Norecrest Hospital, Alec is taken before the City Elders for testing and to check his mental state. Along the way to see the Elders, Alec saw some of the Last City out of the patrol ships window. Norecrest hospital was in a slums part of the city, so it must be a secret location. Decaying and decrepit buildings, artillery craters, and adults and kids in worn-out clothing litter the streets, looking through the trash for food, clothes, or other provisions. The officer sent to pick up Alec was named Simons, and Alec didn't like him. All Alec could think to do to him was fill his mouth with peanut butter, put him in a clown suit, and shoot him in a rocket off to Pluto. "Take a look around, Alec," Simons said to Alec. "Look at what your "god" does to those who survive. It is the Traveler who watches over us now." Alec just looked out the window, seeing their faces, the box setting next to him. One, a little girl with blue eyes and blonde hair, about five years of age, waved as they went by. Alec raised his hand to wave back, but Simons jerked his hand down. "Don't be stupid." Simons said in a cold voice. "Don't worry, someday, an orphanage will be built, then she'll have a home." Simons said in a sarcastic manner. "Don't you ever touch me again," said Alec. "When I have the money, I'll help them." "Whatever." Simons responded. They crossed over a wall into a wealthy part of the city. Shiny buildings, green lawns, no trash in the streets, androids running about on errands, it was a utopia compared to the other side. The people here were dressed like royalty it seemed, cruising around in luxury vehicles, etc. People here didn't seem to notice that on the other side of the wall was a whole different world. Alec started to fall into a dormant mode; this happens so that human organs don't get damaged, the brain does require rest. Once again, Alec dreamed... "You know, Alec," Began Daniel "You got to meet his chick, Avery, you wouldn't believe-" "No." Alec responded. "I'm not into whores and strippers." "Come, on Alec. You got to have a date for the weekend." "Actually, I have one." "Who, that fat chick from D-Company, bad move" "No." "You don't have one." "Let’s find me one then, eh?' Daniel looked around the hanger, it's were everyone hung out when they had time to kill. Basketball, cards, lifting, sparring, Parcheesi, you name it. "Half the population on this bucket is women, right?" Daniel asked. "Right," Alec responded. Daniel started naming off women in the different companies: Sarah from C-Company, Julie from K-Company, and such, each with Daniels own personal description, from body to personality. But then Alec saw her, over by the volley ball nets. "Her." Alec said. "Who is this her of which you speak?" Asked Daniel in a mockingly manner. "The one playing volleyball, with the ponytail, you know her?" "Don't know her....but I’ll introduce you!" "Daniel, don't." "Yeah, yeah, 'waiting on the right one.' Be back in a flash." With that, Daniel bolted over to the volleyball net. Alec waited, fearing what Daniel may say. The young woman looked from Daniel to Alec back to Daniel. She handed the ball to Daniel and ran towards Alec. He panicked, was he dressed right? Did he have breath mint? Too late, she had reached the table. "Hi!" Said the woman, short of breath from her short jog from the volley ball net, it was a good seventy-five yards. "My names Eleanor, E-Company, just arrived this week. Your friend said that you wanted to ask me something..." Alec was caught off guard, but he spoke. "Yeah, uh," Alec stuttered. "Name's Alec, B-company, been here a few years. Would you like to go to the Guardians Ball this weekend?' Eleanor placed left hand on her hip and her right index finger on her chin, thinking. Alec waited with anticipation, hoping she'd say yes. "Yes, only on the condition that I'm home by 1800 hours." Eleanor said "Pick you up at 1600 hours." Alec responded. "Deal," Eleanor said with a wink and a smile. "Better get back before your friend ends up target practice, see you!" With that she ran back and Daniel returned. "What'd she say," Daniel began to ask. "You like her? She like you, or was she just talking about me? I know I don't." "She said yes." Alec responded "Oh," Daniel exclaimed, faking emotion. "I feel like a proud Papa right now." "Shut-" The dream was over, for now... "Alec!" Simons yelled. "Wake up! Machines dreaming now, pretty ridiculous if you ask me." The Elders building....stood out like a sore thumb. Gargoyles on the roof, big fountain in the front, Neptune in the center of it, and all fresh water to adorn him in, they couldn't spend their money any other way, I guess. The inside was like a palace, marble pillars, waxed floors, statues of former leaders and heroes line the halls, expensive art work of battles long forgotten. All these resources just for a meeting place for people who never set foot out in the battle field. They docked and entered the building. The Elders, all upper class, wealthy, well groomed, and college degrees that only princes could afford, these were the ones largely in charge of commerce in the city. Alec didn't like them, now he stood before them, as an Exo Titan. "Let us now have attention for a Registration for one Alec Blackwater." The head elder was speaking. "Sargent Alec Blackwater, you have done a service to the city with your sacrifice. We were sad to see that your family was killed..." Alecs mind went blank....Family? Impossible or maybe he just didn't remember. "Alec?" The lead elder asked. "Your memory is damaged, you brain was damaged during the surgery, it was dormant two minutes, you lost some memory. But, it will come back over time. For now, all you need to know is that you are a Delta Mark III, one of a kind. A brain and a heart, that's all that's left of Alec Blackwater. You are designed as a war machine, not the first prototype of your kind, won’t be the last. We own you." The words burned into what remained of Alec’s soul. Owned? War machine? Family? "We will register you as a Titan, as before." The head Elder stated. "Do I hear a second?" "Second." An elder raised his hand. "And a notion to end this session, please, before it gets too late." "All in Favor say 'Eye'" The head elder said. "Opposed?" There was no one opposed. "Alec Blackwater, I hear by reinstate you as a Titan, by the power invested in me as Head Elder. You are to report to the Citadel for immediate deployment. Dismissed." "Thank you, sir." Alec responded, he then turned and followed Simons down the hall, looking out the window, wondering, what lay in store for him....Family? End Chapter 1 Next time, Alec gets to try out his hand at recon in the wastelands. Alec Blackwater Collection http://www.bungie.net/7_Alec-Blackwater-Chronicles-Collection/en/Forum/Post?id=63761509