You’re all working loyally in your assigned service firms. Things are tough – there was a computer glitch a few hours ago that wiped out half the daycycle’s data, so now you’re struggling to catch up with your daily fun challenge quotas. Of course, you’re not unhappy with this at all, as you are overjoyed to serve The Computer even in the face of whatever Commie sabotage caused that glitch!
Suddenly, your PDC’s bleep loudly and a message scrolls across the screens.
+++ATTENTION CITIZEN. YOU HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF COMPLEX OPERATIONAL DEFENCE, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY. THIS IS A PERMANENT TRANSFER. YOUARE PROMOTED ONE SECURITY CLEARANCE LEVEL AND GRANTED DCOD-ALPHA CLEARANCE, ALSO EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY. REPORT TO CORRIDOR T-39A IMMEDIATELY FOR YOUR NEW SERVICE FIRM ASSIGNMENT WITHIN DCOD.
THIS MESSAGE IS CLASSIFIED DCOD-ALPHA. ANY DISCLOSURE OF THIS INFORMATION TO CITIZENS WITHOUT DCOD-ALPHA CLEARANCE IS TREASON.+++
A cheery jingle plays at the end of the message and a strange logo is displayed on the PDC screen – something called the Department of Complex Operational Defence.
Instantly you feel an itch between your shoulder blades as you become aware of many eyes attempting to read the message over your shoulder. Still bathing in the glow of the hatred, envy and general dislike of your former service firm colleagues, you quickly clear your desk and head towards the assigned briefing room…
Corridor T-39A is crowded with other citizens, all carrying boxes of files, papers, Teela-O mugs, grenades and other personal effects. It seems they may have been transferred to the new DCOD too. A printout of the new group’s logo is stuck to the wall, next to another printout declaring that.
++++ CORRIDOR T-39A IS NOW SECURED BY DCOD. ALL TRESPASSERS ARE SUBJECT TO IMMEDIATE TERMINATION. THANK YOU FOR READING THIS MESSAGE ++++
Around you the crowd mills like leaderless sheepobots with no-one seeming to have the faintest idea as to what is going on. The smell of fear and personal odour is omnipresent.
Several briefing room doors lead off from the corridor; there are little red lights above each door, indicating that it is currently occupied.
A lone Jackobot marches back and forth through the crowd, endlessly repeating the phrase ‘all our briefing officers are currently busy, please wait. Your briefing is important to us; please stay in the waiting zone until a briefing officer becomes available. Attempting to leave the queue or change your place in the queue without authorization is treason. Repeat; All our briefing officers are currently busy…’