“Uh, greetings Ultihaxlard sir, call me Alan,” Alan responded, really wishing Icewolf had used a different username.

“New addition?” A Hispanic guy in a white suit asked. His body language practically yelled that Alan shouldn’t be here.

“Yes. Alan here somehow managed to convince the Titan AI to allow him aboard and grant him passage. I'm curious, how did you manage to discern I was an Ultihaxlard?”

“Uh, my AI told me.”

“Well, I suppose that answers both questions then. Now that we’re all here, let’s get aboard this dropship so we can get to the Titan.”

The guy in the suit threw Alan a questioning glance, but followed Pharaoh as he walked up the ramp of the dropship without saying anything. Alan waited until everyone else was in front of him, following Kitana who was the last of the group to walk aboard. Alan noticed a splattering of blood on her robe. Everyone else seemed rather disheveled as well. The knight he had seen earlier was missing his helmet, and there were small tears he noticed in other people’s clothing.

Pharaoh led them into the loading zone, where five seats aligned each side of the ship, silver rectangular blocks that adjusted for each person that stood in front of them. In the middle there was space for other belongings and cargo, but nothing was there now.

Pharaoh paused before entering the room where Alan assumed the pilots sat.

Negative. Dropship most likely piloted by Titan AI, Eve sent.

“Alright, you’ll all begin the Tutorial once aboard as agreed," Pharaoh said. "You will be joined by Alan. Rest assured we aren’t brainwashing your leaders or anything like that. The Three, blessed be their name, would never stand for it."

Pharaoh entered the cockpit as everyone sat down.

Once seated, Alan noticed a metallic seatbelt and strapped it over his waist as he looked up at everyone. Not sure what to say he looked up at the person in the white suit seated directly across from him, and said, “So uh, who are you guys?”

"I’m Thiago," he said. "I don’t know how you got yourself aboard, but as far as you're concerned we’re a group of arbitrary players that have arranged to be on the same ship to Khersath. I'm more interested in who you are."

"He's a business acquaintance," Kitana answered for Alan. "What happened after I left?"

“After the announcement of the bomb, a force field covering the stage and first few rows was activated while people evacuated," Thiago said. "The shield stopped most of the blast, but the people in the back rows weren’t so lucky. We were quickly extracted and found our way here. Where did you go? You disappeared the instant gunfire was heard.” Thiago glanced at the blood on Kitana.

"I went to find the fighting," Kitana said, calmly staring back at Thiago.

“Well, um, I’m glad to hear the announcement helped,” Alan said.

“That was you?” a short, brawny guy asked. He had dark brown hair and wore military fatigues, but carried no weapon. He had a faint Eastern European accent Alan couldn't place.