《Cybernetic Ravager》 Chapter 1: Uncle Agars slaughterhouse. Keywords: Cruelty, Dimdwell, Games, Undercity, 23rd of Envoy The chains rattled as the gate was lifted. R4 felt someone shift and heard a moan. Her own head ached something fierce. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Hey choom, what happened?¡± R4 opened her mouth to speak, but her voice was cut off by a speaker. ¡°Welcome Butchers and Butches, to the slaughterhouse.¡± A voice announced. ¡°In this corner, we have the little piggies. Go on piggies, give us a squeal.¡± The humming sound was the only warning before R4 felt the floor shoot thousands of volts through her hands and bare feet. The sound of at least a dozen contestants getting shocked was horrid and was followed by several strings of cursing. ¡°Now that didn¡¯t sound very pig like, let¡¯s try again.¡± The second time hurt worse. R4 quickly ran through the door, being the second one to make it out, and the first to be splattered in blood. Three saw blades spun up and dropped in a single second, tearing the man in front of her apart, blood and chrome thrown everywhere as whatever cybernetics he had in his head were reduced to scrap. The blades struck three large metal plates with a horrible racket. ¡°And there¡¯s the dinner bell. Piggies better get moving or someone¡¯s getting turned to bacon.¡± R4 threw herself to the side before she could be turned to bloody paste by the other contestants, one of them slipped, and something cracked as another contestant stepped on their leg in exactly the wrong way. As the others ran R4 quietly approached the fallen man. He was heavyset, though due to muscles rather than fat, and his head had been recently and crudely shaven. Under his track singlet R4 could see several scars and bruises, signs of vat grown muscle. On his back was the number C1. As R4 turned him over she saw both of his eyes were wide open, black spheres with five red dots. ¡°Come on, get up.¡± She palpated his leg, which made him groan, but could feel no break. ¡°Ok, looks like it¡¯s just bruised.¡± She crossed her fingers behind her back hoping. ¡°Come on, get up.¡± She tried to lift the man, but was he was far too heavy. She quickly took his hand to sit him up and froze as she saw the symbol on the track singlet he wore. Uncle Agar¡¯s Slaughterhouse. On the chest was the face of a pig with red X¡¯s over its eyes. R4 checked to find she wore one just like it. Aside from that and a pair of running shorts, with the pockets cut out, she had nothing. ¡°Come on, up, get up.¡± Pulling C1 into a carry, for which she seemed too small to do properly, she hefted the man up. ¡°Ow, I think I busted my leg.¡± The C1. ¡°Let me check it,¡± He started, before a low groan of metal echoed from behind them. ¡°No time, I¡¯ll help you but we have to move.¡± R4 strained at the effort, yet between the two of them they managed to make it down the hall and into a room. R4 checked the room for a door, but no luck. A large section of fallen metal sat in the center of the room, and with some effort she managed to wedge that into the hallway. Two other doorways sat open, but no doors existed that could be used to block a pursuer. ¡°Any idea which way?¡± R4 heard the man sink to the floor and rip open his skin. To her partial relief beneath he had an artificial leg. The central structure seemed undamaged, though an outer cage like structure was warped. ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°Looks like the outer frame¡¯s busted,¡± The man made a few gestures in the air and blinked twice. The leg flashed blue then red. ¡°Ok, that should do it,¡± he stood and put weight on it. The outer frame budged a bit, but the inner section flashed green. ¡°Green¡¯s good, right? Are you in pain?¡± ¡°Turned the pain sensor off, feels like my foot¡¯s asleep but it¡¯s better than feeling like I¡¯ve got a nail in it. Somebody¡¯s going to pay though, where are we?¡± R4 took a moment to examine her surroundings. Concrete walls were unpainted, and in places metal supports were visible. Rather than the gray of steel they were pitch black. Pipes ran along the ceiling, but were too high for either of them to reach. The lights were tiny LED devices that released a harsh white glow, where they were working. R4 noticed a spot on the wall where the concrete had four small holes in it. ¡°Looks like there used to be a sign here.¡± She pointed out. ¡°And that¡¯s nano-forged steel supports and abundant concrete, tier two and probably tier one, I¡¯d say we¡¯re in the undercity.¡± ¡°The under city? You mean where the rat men and monsters live?¡± R4 gave him a confused look. ¡°The what?¡± ¡°The rat men, that¡¯s what the scream-sheets call them. Some kind of mutant abomination that lives in the forgotten warrens of the city.¡± the man shook his head. ¡°Thought they were a myth. Just something to read about while on the rail.¡± ¡°I hadn¡¯t heard about rat men, but the under city is a matter of public record. Miles and miles of concrete and pipes that make city life on the surface possible, most of it forgotten down here. I heard there were tours but,¡± R4 shivered, ¡°I think I¡¯ve seen enough. I don¡¯t suppose you can get a yellow brick road out of here?¡± ¡°Maybe if I had my phone, but I can¡¯t connect to the net without it.¡± The man paused. ¡°Hey R4, is that a camera?¡± R4 looked where he was pointing, and sure enough there was a small disk planted into the wall with a glass dome. ¡°Looks like it, and it¡¯s on. Someone¡¯s watching us.¡± She paused. ¡°And that means we¡¯re in real trouble.¡± The growling sound caught both their attention. Two glowing eyes peered at them from behind the metal piece R4 had placed, before a large black paw tipped with gleaming red claws was lain upon it. With a loud groan the metal was pressed down, bent beneath the weight of the beast. ¡°Run.¡± R4 was off like a shot, C1 following as quickly as he could. R4 bolted down one of the hallways, she wasn¡¯t thinking about which one, as the creature let out a howl and gave chase. The click click of its claws as it ran let her know it was right behind her, and the dim lights let her know there was a hallway before her. A door to her right promised salvation, yet as she opened it she froze. Two bodies suspended on hooks stared back at her, each wearing a singlet that matched her own. Blue glowing eyes stared at her as a serpentine machine rose up, its face full of barbs and points. R4 barely threw herself out of the way before the thing struck, shooting through the door and into the concrete. ¡°MOVE!¡± C1 yelled. In a move he had to have practiced he jumped and stomped on the neck of the machine with his good foot, slamming it into the floor with a CRACK. R1 turned and followed him, the strange black creature stalking slowly behind. R4 wasn¡¯t sure if it was slow or was just playing with them, but she didn¡¯t want to wait and find out1. ¡°Dang!¡± R4 heard a loud CLANG as C1 slammed his fist into a door. ¡°Open up F******!¡± R4 noted that her censors were still working. ¡°No way, it¡¯s right behind you.¡± Another voice yelled. ¡°And if I have to break this door down it¡¯ll be after you too.¡± C1¡¯s arms opened up to reveal hydraulics. They were small, but E4 had no doubt they were strong. ¡°Now.¡± ¡°Alright, easy choom.¡± A third voice replied. The door opened and both slipped inside before the door slammed shut and locked. Within E4 saw three people two men one woman. Each wore a track singlet and shorts like she did, and each had their head shaved. Putting her hands to her head E4 found she too had been shaved, a quick and crude cut that left small patches of red hair and more than a few cuts. ¡°Alright, two more survivors, we can work with this.¡± The man leered at R4. ¡°And another girl, preem.¡± R4 shot the man a scathing look before noticing the other woman looked almost catatonic. She was crouched down with her hands over her head and her eyes staring into the floor as if she could see through it. ¡°Hey, you alright?¡± ¡°No, we¡¯re all going to die.¡± The woman replied before laughing. ¡°We¡¯re going to die, we¡¯re going to die and they¡¯re going to plaster it all over the dark net. The elites are going to watch us get eaten or speared or electrocuted and they¡¯re going to laugh.¡± As the woman let loose a burst of giggles E4 noted she had several ports in the back of her head where electronics could plug in, though they were all empty now.¡± ¡°Is that a thing here?¡± R4 asked ¡°I thought it was a myth, but I¡¯ve heard of it.¡± C1 replied. ¡°It would certainly explain the cameras.¡± He pointed to one in the room, ¡°And if we¡¯re in the under city no one¡¯s coming to look for us. We need to get out on our own.¡± A low SCREEEECH of claws on metal came from the door. ¡°And quickly too.¡± ¡°Ok, so names and occupations. My name is,¡± ¡°F1.¡± C1 spoke up. ¡°Don¡¯t use your real name. If they¡¯re recording we don¡¯t want one of their fans stopping us for an autograph after.¡± ¡°F1, I¡¯m a fixer, good with a pistol or rifle.¡± ¡°C1, I¡¯m a trainer and gym owner. I can throw a mean punch, and I¡¯m not bad with a shotgun.¡± ¡°S1, I¡¯m a solo. If it has a trigger or an edge it belongs in my hands.¡± S1, the man who had tried to keep them out replied. ¡°But I don¡¯t have anything right now.¡± He eyed the girl and picked her up by the neck of her shirt. ¡°I guess this is N2, web walker if the plugs in her head are anything.¡± R4 turned her shirt around to check, at which C1 averted his eyes and S1 whistled. ¡°R4, I¡¯m from out of the city here to learn how to fix stuff. I¡¯ve done some hunting with my folks but I¡¯ve got nothing to work with.¡± ¡°Hey piggies, glad we could have this emotional moment, but the fans are bored so I¡¯m opening the door.¡± There was a buzzing sound and the lock disengaged. ¡°Run!¡± The five took off, S1 dragging N2 behind him. The door was immediately thrown open by the creature behind them, which howled in delight before charging. N2 let out a scream as the creature grabbed onto her arm and pulled. R4 turned to help, but S1 simply let go and bolted past her. ¡°Hold on.¡± N2 looked up pleadingly as the creature thrashed its head back and forth. R4 aimed a kick at the creature, but her foot hit thick fur to no effect. The creature looked up at her and growled, dragging N2 with it back the way they had come. Without warning C1 brought both fists down on the creature right on its head. The creature growled and let go, shuffling back before staring at the three. ¡°Thanks for the help.¡± R4 said, picking up N2. Her arm was bleeding pretty badly, but the strange dog creature was staring, growling, waiting for weakness. Without warning the lights began to go out. ¡°Shoot, we¡¯ll have to stop the bleeding later.¡± R4 took the lead, while C1 kept an eye on the beast behind them. A scream echoed from up ahead. R4 hurried forwards, and needed to take a moment to understand what she saw. The floor in front of them just, stopped. F1 had an elbow on the floor trying to pull himself up, while S1 was on the other side two meters away. ¡°Hold on.¡± R4 exclaimed, placing N2 on the ground to try and help him up. ¡°No way man, no way, what the F*** is this?¡± S1 exclaimed. E4 peered down and saw nothing but black. ¡°We¡¯re all going to die, we¡¯re all going to,¡± His prediction came true as a long pointed spike shot through his chest. ¡°Come now chap, stiff upper lip. Not much of a solo was he?¡± E4 looked up at the man who had just stabbed S1 through the heart. He either wore glowing red goggles or had replaced his eyes with red sensors. He wore a black hat and trench coat, a luminous smile stretched hideously across a face provided by his glowing neon teeth. ¡°That makes three, and I see four through seven looking my way.¡± He pointed to the rictus grin on his face. ¡°Remember to smile for the camera.¡± ¡°Get me up!¡± F1 exclaimed, finally snapping E4 out of her shock. She gave one last tug before he managed. ¡°This way.¡± He exclaimed, running down a side hallway E4 hadn¡¯t noticed. ¡°Enjoy your run, I¡¯ll be right behind you.¡± The smiling man called. ¡°Remember, smile for the camera.¡± E4 quickly lost track of which turns they made, but everywhere seemed to be drenched in blood. In one intersection a box had been left that fired a shotgun into the poor contestant who opened it. As some sort of sick joke a first aid kit and a get well card had been placed beside the shotgun. F1 took the shotgun, finding it had two shells remaining. In another they found two bodies drained dry of fluids with three ragged holes on the neck. Finally, they found a bit of hope. ¡°Hey, is that a ladder?¡± F1 asked, his eyes flashing green. They had just left one hallway and found a large room lit only in the center, with a single ladder leading upwards. ¡°Hey, I think it is. That looks like a manhole cover.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to try to climb it.¡± R4 replied. ¡°C1, keep an eye on N2.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not there.¡± N2, now bandaged but still delirious from blood loss, replied. E4 was half way up before she yelled, ¡°It¡¯s a trap!¡± E4 felt the tingling sensation just before her every joint caught aflame. For a moment she couldn¡¯t let go of the ladder, then she couldn¡¯t hold on. She fell back and was only saved by C1 narrowly catching her. ¡°Oof, yer¡¯ heavy.¡± He muttered. ¡°Ow, that hurt.¡± E4 muttered. ¡°Help me stand, we need to keep moving,¡± C1 did, and E4 managed to stay on her feet, but was unsteady. ¡°Electrical wires on a metal ladder, wish I had my gloves. N2, how¡¯d you know?¡± ¡°We¡¯re still too deep for that to lead to the surface.¡± N2 replied. ¡°I can¡¯t reach the local net.¡± ¡°So close and yet so far¡­¡± C1 sighed. ¡°We¡¯ve been running for what, an hour?¡± F1 nodded. ¡°Who knew the under city was so expansive?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard rumors, a lot of gangs like these places because the cops don¡¯t come down here. Yet even they don¡¯t go too deep. Rumor has it things lives down here, something even the Dimdwell don¡¯t mess with lightly. Like that.¡± The black creature grinned at them, its red eyes glaring as its mouth opened to reveal sharp cutting teeth. It stalked forwards from what R4 had been sure was just a shadowy corner, its claws clicking on the concrete as a long tongue tipped with a drill bit slid out of its mouth. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.¡°Is that some kind of cyber dog?¡± F1 asked as C1 stepped forwards with the shotgun. Without hesitation he fired, and the creature flinched. A strange black fluid seemed to drip off it, sizzling as it hit the concrete. ¡°I don¡¯t think that thing is cyber.¡± ¡°It has something in it.¡± N2 spoke up. She made a gesture with her good arm, ¡°can you distract it, I¡¯ll try uploading a virus.¡± C1 eyed the creature as it began to circle. He noticed it watching him, waiting for him to use the shotgun. Sensing a moment of hesitation the creature lunged, and at that exact moment its eyes turned off. C1 sidestepped, and the creature landed hard on the concrete. With a pull of the trigger the creature¡¯s head was reduced to a viscous liquid and immediately began to evaporate. ¡°That, what is that?¡± C1 asked. As the creature fell the black material began to evaporate and burn with a dull sooty flame, revealing a scattering of metal and plastic where the head had been, and a black box in the chest. ¡°Huh?¡± He picked up the box and found it bore the emblem of an M wrapped in a ring of leaves. ¡°Mitian? What¡¯s a computer deck doing inside something like that?¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a nanite construct.¡± F1 postulated. ¡°I know a couple companies have been working on some more advanced nanite technology. Mitian, Mars Corporation, Gentek, and Lok-1 have all tried, I guess Mitian finally figured it out.¡± ¡°Is that who we have to thank?¡± All eyes went up as a section of the wall that had previously been in shadow was revealed to have a doorway. The smiling man stood there, another of the creatures evaporating off the long spine that stuck off his arm. ¡°They were quite the surprise hit during season 2, especially since we didn¡¯t invite them. We lost several of our own to them, but in their death they served a greater purpose.¡± With a gesture two hallways were revealed. ¡°One of these leads to the surface, one of them leads deep below. I¡¯ll give you ten seconds to decide which one you want to go, or both. I don¡¯t mind if you split up.¡± He adjusted his hat. ¡°More fun for me. Tick tock.¡± ¡°Left or right?¡± C1 asked. ¡°I¡¯m going left.¡± F1 decided. ¡°Neither is safe.¡± N2 revealed. ¡°I¡¯ve seen this, both are trapped and have Dwellers guarding them. One leads deeper and one leads to the surface, but,¡± ¡°Tick tock,¡± ¡°Fine, C1 and I go right, you two go left, whoever makes it out burns this place to the ground.¡± E4 and N2 took off down the hallway on the left while C1 and F1 took the right hallway. It did not take long before E4 and N2 came to a dead end, a heavy door barring their way. A camera stared down upon them, and an etching marked the wall. ¡°And so the two B****** were abandoned by the men, as they should be.¡± A voice announced. ¡°Women and children first, so the REAL men can get serious work done. Say, if you both take off your shirts I¡¯ll give you a hint on how to open this door.¡± N2 and R4 shared a look, before examining the door and diagram. The diagram showed several jagged shapes with a mess of symbols on them. The door had a keypad. R4 eyed the symbols for a while, before she noticed N2 reaching for her shirt. ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± She paused. ¡°They¡¯re the ones who dressed us like this, it¡¯s not like they haven¡¯t seen us.¡± R4 shivered. ¡°I was trying NOT to think of that. Disregarding that, the code is 4333.¡± She quickly punched it into the keypad and it clicked. She pulled on the door, but it didn¡¯t open. ¡°Come on!¡± ¡°Uh uh uh, don¡¯t think you can,¡± R4 heaved, her muscles bulging in the sleeveless shirt as she tore the cheap metal latch apart. ¡°Woah, chick¡¯s got some muscles.¡± ¡°Try chopping firewood for a New Dakota winter for 15 years, that can happen.¡± R4 replied. ¡°Come on N2,¡± She reached down and took the shorter girl¡¯s good hand, ¡°We¡¯re getting out of here.¡± ¡°Now kiss.¡± The voice said over the loudspeaker. ¡°What, no.¡± R4 replied. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get before Smiley catches up.¡± The next tunnel was long and dark, only every third light working. N2 shivered at the dark, and swallowed another pill before placing the bottle back in her shirt. R4 noticed she had tied the bottom of the shirt so the bottle wouldn¡¯t fall through. ¡°How¡¯s the arm?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt as bad, but I¡¯m having trouble moving my fingers.¡± N2 replied. She paused. ¡°Watch your step, dark halls like this tend to have,¡± R4 stepped back just before a hail of gunfire went off at knee level. ¡°Traps.¡± ¡°Dog Rabbit.¡± R4 muttered. ¡°Dog Rabbit? What kind of curse is that B****? You¡¯re supposed to say F*** or G** D*****. This isn¡¯t kid¡¯s television. In case you haven¡¯t noticed, WE¡¯RE TRYING TO MURDER YOU!¡± ¡°What¡¯s that? Can¡¯t hear you over the profanity filter.¡± She laughed as the voice immediately started speaking in Morse code. ¡°B**** I will gut you with a straight razor!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter, can¡¯t take a bit a¡¯ back talk? Y¡¯all could a¡¯ done that but ya¡¯ went out of your way to make a coliseum.¡± R4 countered, smiling5. ¡°Y¡¯all wanted a show right? What¡¯s a show without characters? N2, do you have any more bandages and some scissors in that first aid kit?¡± N2 took out the box and rummaged around. ¡°Here, are you making a weapon?¡± ¡°Against Smiley? Yeah, I¡¯ve hunted bears and I know better than to try taking one on without a gun.¡± R4 took a length of bandage, snipped it, and wrapped one end around the scissors before tying a knot. A folding splint provided a rod, allowing her to extend the scissors further in front of herself. She held it out and found it reached just above her ankles. ¡°Trip wire trigger. To anyone tryin¡¯ this at home, first shame on y¡¯all fer watchin¡¯ this. Second, remember ta¡¯ twist the bandages so it¡¯ll set off any lasers.¡± ¡°Well F you too B****. You know what, forget the traps I¡¯m going to come down there and kill you myself. Rip Jaw, let¡¯s get down there.¡± ¡°Time to run.¡± R4 and N2 bolted, R4 holding out her make shift sensor. Twice they nearly lost a leg to a shotgun, and it was only by luck that R4 caught the glint of a light and dodged to the side that saved her from losing an arm to a hydraulic press with teeth. ¡°Does that thing say Mr. Chompy?¡± N2 asked. Sure enough the press, large enough to crush two cars placed end to end, had been painted green in a scale pattern and had an eye painted on the side. Due to the high tech paint R4 was sure it followed her as she ran past. To R4¡¯s surprise no more traps struck for two more hallways. The fact each hallway led to an intersection with all but one path locked was worrying, especially when after the second they found themselves on a stairway. ¡°I think we made a bad choice.¡± N2 spoke up, looking down into the depth of the stairs. There were no guard rails, and the stairs themselves were bare concrete. A single light bulb just out of R4¡¯s reach shone light below. From a disturbingly large crack water dripped down the center of the staircase. ¡°I guess there¡¯s no place left to go.¡± R4 replied, taking a few steps. ¡°Maybe there¡¯s an access tunnel we can use.¡± At that moment R4 hit a wet patch and slipped. As she fell she heard the sound of whistling air, just as a blade skimmed just above her head and landed in the wall. ¡°Hah, one shot my foot, let me try.¡± ¡°Run!¡± R4 didn¡¯t have to look to see how many Dimdwell there were, she just ran as fast as she could go. The stairs were narrow, and in places slick, and she fell a few times. Yet she managed to keep her feet mostly under her at least until she slammed into the wall where the stairs made a sharp turn. ¡°Help!¡± N2 cried as she slipped, falling down and only barely managing to roll rather than land on her head. She rolled sideways the last quarter of the way down, barely managing to cover her head. Just as she stopped a blade shot from the hand of one of the Dimdwell and struck her right in the back, eliciting a loud scream. ¡°Hey, 10 points.¡± R4 grabbed N2 and dragged her, eyes up on the scavengers. Both wore black leather jackets, one with silvery spikes one with ridges of blades. One had an over sized right eye with three sub eyes beside it. The other seemed to have replaced his mouth with some manner of metal contraption containing several blades and fangs. ¡°Hey Rip Jaw, watch this.¡± The one with the large eye and the spiked jacket called, before raising a hand at R4 and N2. His arm seemed to bloom like a flower, before a hail of darts shot forth. R4 threw N2 out of the way, catching a half dozen of the darts in her shoulder and leg. The needles were sharp but thankfully short. Then the darts started to beep. She frantically tried to pull them out, managing to get two of the barbed darts out before they all went dead. ¡°What the F***, explosive tips not covered in standard version? What is this micro transaction BS? No I do NOT want to watch a commercial!¡± R4 didn¡¯t hesitate to push N2 to run. Traps be condemned, they were dead if they stayed. She managed to steer around an obvious pit trap, where obviously thin sheet metal covered a suspiciously large section. All the while the sound of running water echoed around her ears. A large and thick wire ran across the hall, easily avoidable. Finally R4 came to something she didn¡¯t expect. A large pool of water sat in the center of the tunnel. Glowing strands of what she assumed were sea weed grew from the bottom. Placing a foot in the water she realized it was at least 30 degrees Celsius. ¡°N2, can you swim?¡± R4 asked. ¡°No, and that water can¡¯t be safe.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure not plannin¡¯ to drink it, but those metal heads are probably too heavy to swim. We might be able to make it.¡± R4 dove in, kicking her way through the water. She tried not to think about why the water was so warm, and how many rads she was likely soaking in. N2 seemed to struggle with the water, but R4 had grown up swimming in lakes and rivers, this pool was no issue. A gentle tug on her leg was the first sign of an issue. R4 looked down to see something on her leg. At first she thought it was a leech, which wasn¡¯t an uncommon thing to deal with in certain pools. The numbing sensation, however, was. R4 twisted around to see a cloud of blood leaking from her leg, and half a dozen small dark shapes swimming from the weeds. She quickly kicked her leg, trying to get whatever was on her off, before taking off towards the other side of the pool. Pulling herself free of the water she whipped around to rip the leech off her leg, yet her hand did not find a squishy leach but something hard and chitinous. She ripped it free, and found herself face to face with a small isopod. The creature raised a long bladed claw and waved. ¡°What the,¡± R4 threw the thing, before noticing the creeping chill seeping up her legs. More of the isopods were trying to crawl up her, though a few of them had stopped and their gray shells were beginning to turn red with her blood. ¡°HEY! Off!¡± The isopods stopped for a moment and waved their claws at her before dropping off and scuttling off towards the water. R4 watched them go. ¡°Huh, can¡¯t believe that worked. ¡°R4?¡± ¡°Over here, watch out, there¡¯s some kind of blood suckin¡¯ bug in the water. Stay away from the grass, I think they hide in there. ¡°What? No way, I¡¯m not going in there. There could be brain eating amoeba in there.¡± ¡°There¡¯s homicidal cyborgs over there.¡± R4 shouted in response. ¡°It¡¯s 2077 and we¡¯re in Nu''Grav. You can fix sick, you can¡¯t fix dead.¡± ¡°And that brings us to our sponsor. This snuff film brought to you by NeuMed.¡± She heard the announcer speak, his voice coming from a hidden speaker. ¡°Whether you cut yourself at work, or you cut someone else during a snuff film, NeuMed is there. Their new Quickclot closes wounds quickly and easily.¡± R4 heard N2 let out a scream. ¡°Whether you cut yourself at work, or you cut someone else at work,¡± She heard the roar of a saw, followed by a scream, ¡°Just apply a quick jab of Quickclot and the wound closes right up. Great for when you cut just a little too deep during a shoot. Just look at how her stump just stops bleeding. Plus, with the new stay awake formula, you can¡¯t go into shock. Great for if you don¡¯t have a Fastax trauma card or you don¡¯t want to wait until your victim wakes up to continue the show. Use promo code BrutalMurder for 20% off your next checkup. NeuMed, you can fix sick, you can¡¯t fix dead.¡± A voice announced over a hidden speaker. There was a clink as a small plastic canister dropped at R4¡¯s feet before popping open to reveal what looked to her like an Epi-pen. She picked it up to see it was marked NeuMed Instant Clot. ¡°N2, are you there?¡± R4 called. ¡°Run!¡± N2 called back. There was another grinding sound followed by a scream. ¡°She¡¯s right here, why don¡¯t you come back and lend her a hand?¡± The announcer called back. ¡°Hey, since you were nice enough to do a promo for us I¡¯ll give you five minutes to get back here and save her, or to run. Your choice.¡± R4 turned and ran. She didn¡¯t have to think hard about it, she had no weapons and only a single stick of a medicine she thought stopped bleeding, if it was even legitimate. Her opponents were armed, and there were two of them. With tears in her eyes she ran, leaving N2 to her fate. Had she not been crying she might have seen the tripwire, and she might have been able to evade the swinging pipe that took her legs out from under her. Had she not already been in distress she might have been able to push herself up and keep going. Had she not been crying the one isopod she had missed might have sated itself on her blood before dropping off and returning to its pool. Yet tears are delicious to these isopods, especially tears full of stress hormones. The little isopod quickly consumed its fill, then seeing its target was currently indisposed, it went after the source. Tears are delicious to ravager isopods. Yet they much prefer eyes. Chapter 2: Sacrifice. Keywords: Integration, Ratface, Ravager, Sacrifice R4 did not know how long she lay there, but in time she regained consciousness. She found herself chained to a strange board that, to her confusion, felt oddly rubbery. All around her was darkness. She struggled, but her arms were bound above her head. Her struggles triggered something as the mechanism began to shift and move, throwing her here and there. She felt something brush against her legs that felt like cloth. A moment later the lights above lit up. ¡°Welcome all premium members, to the interlude of our festival games.¡± There was a sound of applause, though R4 suspected it was recorded. She quickly took in her surroundings, and was disheartened to realize she could see out of only her left eye. To her right N2 had been chained up, her arms likewise above her head, and to her left a man she did not recognize. All had been dressed in an odd white tabard, or maybe it was supposed to be a robe. In truth it was little more than a thin white sheet that covered front and back with a hole for the head and a few stitches to differentiate the arm holes. On N2 it went below her knees, while R4 it was a bit above. The man, being taller, was even less covered. ¡°N2, are you alright?¡± R4 asked ¡°Do I look alright?¡± N2 cried back. R4 noticed her right hand had been wrapped, but was now little more than a stump. ¡°They took my hand, shoved it in that psycho''s mouth and he just sawed it off. You just watched.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± R4 replied, her good eye crying as her dead eye sat blindly. ¡°God, why is this happening?¡± She prayed. A flicker of light flashed across her dead eye. ¡°What the?¡± [[Get Ready]] ¡°Hey, you two, can you get free?¡± The man asked. ¡°We¡¯re going to die, we¡¯re going to die, they¡¯re going to sacrifice us and we¡¯re going to get eaten.¡± ¡°I¡¯m stuck and down one eye, N2 is down an arm.¡± She paused. ¡°N2, since you don¡¯t have a hand can you pull free?¡± N2 was still looking around in a panic. ¡°N2, hey,¡± R4 hopped once, twice, then reached out with her foot to poke the girl, N2 jumped and screamed. ¡°Hey, can you pull your stump through the chains?¡± ¡°No, but you don¡¯t get it, the horned things are going to eat us!¡± ¡°Hey now, don¡¯t you go ruining the surprise little web walker.¡± There was a beep and N2 went ridged for a moment before slumping. ¡°D*** I love shock collars.¡± ¡°You are horrible, you know that?¡± R4 stated, glaring at the camera. Immediately a jolt of electricity went through her right arm. Craning her neck to look up she saw the offending object, a small black shock collar attached to her upper arm. ¡°Are you serious?¡± Immediately her mind was going. If she could get that thing off she would have access to a battery and some materials. If she could loosen some of the chains, a low THUD interrupted her thoughts. The room R4 found herself in had once been a thermal boiler, taking advantage of the magma in the area to create power. Now defunct, the room was approximately 20 meters in diameter and roughly octagonal. The door that led to the room stood behind three gates, each made from nanite forged iron bars that prevented movement but allowed sight through them. While the room was at least 5 meters in height the entrance had been barricaded by welded scrap, causing there to be a tunnel 4 meters in length which held the three gates. This had been further decorated with torches and skulls, some of which were real most of which were plastic. R4 saw the figure approach, rapping its long claws upon the gate. With a deranged howl the creature lashed out with long sharp claws against the nano-forged iron of the gate. R4 saw sparks, and while the gate held she could see the gouge taken out of the reinforced metal. Through the bars the creature¡¯s left eye blazed with unholy light. It slashed twice more at the gate before trying to chew through it, its elongated maw filled with slashing teeth. ¡°For any new viewers we like to get the second stage of our little contest going with a lighting of the torch.¡± R4 noticed the creature jam its claws into a part of the wall, and immediately the room got brighter as several torches lit up. ¡°And there¡¯s our torch bearer now. Rumor has it he used to be a Dimdwell by the name of Ratface.¡± The creature stepped forwards, and stabbed his claws into something R4 couldn¡¯t see. ¡°Then he went and found something in the depths of the undercity. Now, well, come on out Ratface, come get your treats.¡± R4 pulled on the chains, craning her neck to see what they were attached to. A simple metal hook, just high enough that she couldn¡¯t get the chain connecting what she could now see were handcuffs off. A small key hole prevented them from opening, but R4 had an idea. ¡°N2, that thing looks like it¡¯s got a lot of cyberware, can you blind it like you did the dog?¡± ¡°Maybe, that¡¯s a lot of chrome.¡± ¡°Ok, give me just a moment,¡± R4 made a gesture and her wrist opened up. With a practiced maneuver she drew a few of her tools and got to work. With a click the handcuffs revealed their cheap construction and one fell right off, letting R4 quite literally off the hook. ¡°Hold still,¡± ¡°Get me off!¡± The man yelled as R4 helped N2. ¡°Hey, B****, get me off.¡± ¡°Hold yer¡¯ horses. I¡¯m one person.¡± ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± ¡°One word from gettin¡¯ left on that hook.¡± R4 managed to pick the lock and get N2 off the hook just before her muscles locked up and hundreds of volts shot through her arm. ¡°HEY! Quit it!¡± ¡°What an upset, the sacrifices have escaped, or have they?¡± The announcer spoke as the final gate opened. The man who walked through, though R4 wasn¡¯t sure he was a man. One eye was mechanical and glowed with an evil red light, the other was covered in poorly healed scars as if he had tried to cut it out with his claws. His body was bulky with subdermal armor that seemed to be bulging out of his skin. His jaw had been either replaced or reshaped to make it longer, and to fit more teeth. Ratface opened his mouth and R4 saw those teeth move, a shimmering haze forming over them. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Teeth don¡¯t move like that.¡± R4 mumbled, quickly moving to help the other man. ¡°Finally, get me off of this,¡± R4 ducked just as Ratface lunged. The man, showing remarkable athletic ability, pulled his leg and body up and out of the way, before bringing his heels down into Ratface¡¯s back. The extra force pushed Ratface¡¯s claws deep into the rubbery material, a strange fluid spraying from the claw and into the rubbery material which was now revealed to be clear. ¡°Hurry up!¡± ¡°Woah, you¡¯re good for a fat guy.¡± R4 commented, unlocking the cuffs and returning her tools to her wrist. The moment he was free the man turned and his wrist seemed to fold and he fired three shotgun slugs into Ratface¡¯s back. ¡°Did I say, fat? I meant husky,¡± The man smiled a cruel smile. ¡°Girls always do change their tune when I show off my chrome.¡± He eyed Ratface. ¡°Despicable Dimdwell, human filth. Come girl, let us get,¡± Ratface twitched where it had fallen, and a tail R4 hadn¡¯t noticed lashed out and cut into her leg. ¡°Sweet Merciful Chrome!¡± With that he turned and bolted as fast as his swollen legs could carry him. R4 was right behind him, yet her leg felt strangely numb. She looked and found she was bleeding, not badly, but the fact she couldn¡¯t feel it at all was concerning. ¡°R4, come on.¡± N2 exclaimed, waving her towards the exit. ¡°I¡¯m coming, my leg¡¯s messed up.¡± R4 replied. She tore a section from her outfit, which attracted a much unneeded wolf whistle from the announcer. ¡°Hey! Quit it!¡± ¡°What an upset, our sacrificial victims have managed to escape Ratface. Seems he¡¯s going to be working for his supper. Though, let¡¯s not disappoint our other audience. The second leg of the Dimdwell games begins!¡± There was a CRACK like a starting pistol that blared through the speakers. Leg now bandaged, and the hem of her robe a little shorter than she¡¯d like, R4 chased after her two companions. She found the heavyset man trying his luck on a thick metal door. ¡°D***, should have saved a shell to blast this lock.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see,¡± R4 said, with a gesture she had her tools out. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t work, shotguns usually use softer metals, this is nano-forged steel. Tier 2 stuff for sure, so unless you have a tier 3 shotgun or armor piercing rounds you¡¯d be blasting it all day.¡± ¡°Well then get it open girl, we haven¡¯t got all day.¡± ¡°I have a name,¡± R4 replied, ¡°It¡¯s Ra,¡± The lock clicked, ¡°Run.¡± R4 rolled out of the way just as the door opened and two goons came through guns blazing. The heavyset man took a round to the gut while N2 bolted. R4 tried to run, but took a shot to the back which knocked her to the ground. It took a moment for her to realize she was not dead, bruised but not dead. ¡°Dang, what do we do now?¡± The one goon asked. ¡°Dibs on the mechanic girl.¡± ¡°Idiot, stop thinking with your,¡± That was all he had time to say before a razor sharp claw cut through him from shoulder to hip. The leather jacket he wore and the kevlar vest beneath did nothing. One moment he was there, holding his shotgun to the head of the husky man, the next he was falling to the ground with a cut spine. Ratface didn¡¯t bother waiting for him to die before he started eating. ¡°What the,¡± The other goon unloaded his shotgun into Ratface, but the rubber bullets just made him angry. R4 dragged herself as fast as she could, even knowing she had no hope. A flash of light shone in her right dead eye for just a moment. She blinked, trying to clear the spot, and noticed a hole in the wall. It was small, but maybe she could hide in it. She crawled towards it, then through it. The decaying concrete let go at the exact wrong moment and she fell through long darkness, splashing into a pool laced with long strips of glowing plants. She choked and kicked in the pool, finally coming to the surface. Immediately she retched and choked out water she was sure had more metal than salt in it. Cold and miserable she climbed onto solid concrete, and flopped down exhausted. Her legs felt numb, and her back felt like it was on fire. Her right eye, despite being sightless, itched and almost seemed to vibrate. She rubbed it, and it certainly didn¡¯t feel like it should. It felt, hard. [[STOP!]] The notification flashed, on her dead eye. ¡°Hello?¡± R4¡¯s voice was far more shaky and speaking sent her into another coughing fit. Her eye pulsed with heat, and a strange scratching sound echoed through her skull. ¡°What? What¡¯s going on?¡± [[DO NOT TOUCH.]] ¡°What the, shoot, those Dimdwell must have replaced my eye with a cyber eye.¡± She huffed, managing to sit. ¡°Everyone knows those have to be paired. Probably why Ratface went psycho.¡± She paused. ¡°So, great voice or whatever you are, what¡¯s next. Wait here until those sick excuses for human beings come kill me?¡± In response R4 felt her throat clench, a mighty thirst grip her. She looked at the water, at how the strange plants gave it a beautiful blue hue. She crawled forwards, cupping some and pulling it to her lips. It tasted clean, a bit metallic, yet it set off a firework of sensations in her mind. It reminded her of the time she had broken her arm, and her uncle had misread how much morphine she was supposed to have. She drank, and drank, but she couldn¡¯t drink enough. Some distant part of her mind recognized she was in real trouble, yet she dove into the water. And that was the end of Rachel. Interlude Initiating connection¡­ success. Retrieving archived conversation. TSM: Eyes33 have you finished compiling the data? Eyes33: Weee, three rocket boosters is fuuuuun. TSM: 4nnouncer wants the show online by midnight. Eyes33: Chill choom, why don¡¯t you go knife a JT like your idol, I just posted it. Still working on the ''Scape. Chipping that web walker was a great idea, adrenal levels skyrocketed when she saw Ratface, she didn¡¯t even think to try hacking him. Lost a bit of fidelity since we had to use the remote retrieval. Eyes33: That group was fun to watch. Did you see Coach take out Nai1 Breath and B3aker with an empty shotgun. I think B3aker is actually dead, and Na1l is going to be getting a new jaw. Rave reviews all across the blind-net. All kinds of folks calling for a repeat. Going to be hard to top. TSM: What of the lasses? Eyes33: Dude, you need to chill. I saw what you did to that tall chick, you¡¯ve got that creepy biology teacher act down to a science. The moment when you gave her her own heart, I think we got a few thousand credits in tips from that alone. The web walker got to our server in the sacrifice chamber. Good thing we had backups, but we lost hours of data. Unless Ratface got her, she probably made it out. Shotgun fist and the tech, no clue. TSM: The Exec you call shotgun fist is Ivan Grigrov. A resilient chap whom I would give even odds should he be caught aware. We were paid heavily to cast him in our play. Eyes33: F***. That¡¯s going to bite us. TSM: Yet the show must go on. What of the tech? She was finely formed and fit for another run. I would love to watch her regrow her crimson hair, and then see it adorned upon my spike. Eyes33: No clue. It¡¯s like she crawled in a hole and vanished. Probably Ratface ate her. I would have liked to get a picture of that. Remember that redhead he caught last game, I think she actually enjoyed it. I think we should let the girls keep their hair more, maybe dye it to the viewers can tell them apart easier. This whole crew cut thing is a waste of time anyhow. What exactly is Ratface anyhow? TSM: A mystery for the boffins. Chapter 3: Rebirth Keywords: Awakening, Mara, Ravager, Work, 24th of Envoy R4 awoke, a conversation scrolling across her right eye for just long enough for her to get the gist of it before blinking off. [[Name: R4. Race: Mayfly Class: Pawn Lifespan: 1 year Allegance: None]] R4 noted that this only showed up in her right eye, which was also the only one that could see. She held her hand in front of her face and squinted. She could kind of make it out with her left eye in the dim light cast by the nearby plant, yet her right eye seemed to be able to make it out quite easily. She quickly swam to the surface to take a breath and throw herself onto the shore. Taking inventory, she had the torn cloth tabard, and nothing else. Immediately the glint of light on a metal box flashed past her vision. Approaching she saw the crate was branded Mars Corporation. As she approached she eyed the lock, then the hinges. In a flash her tools were out and the hinges were off. She pulled on the lid and it almost came off, before something pulled it closed. R4 eyed the seal. [[Error: Unknown key located.]] R4 eyed the prompt. ¡°Key?¡± She hummed nervously [[New Program: Digital key-ring. Holds access codes for doors and lockers. Some keys may expire over time.]] With that the lock clicked open and the chest¡¯s contents were hers for the taking. Inside she found a shirt and skirt, though pants were also made available and R4 went with those immediately. Underwear and other options were likewise provided. Sitting on top was a note. R4 picked it up, hoping it would be a clue as to who had placed it, but it was instead a shipping invoice. R4 dressed quickly, slipping into the black pants and black shirt easily enough. Both were a bit big, though a belt helped. She noticed the shirt was emblazoned with the words ¡°Fang of Mara¡± with the M styled so it looked like a pair of fangs. A leather coat with the Mars Corporation logo on the back covered the shirt and provided some protection, though the reflective stripes on the metal reinforced sleeves didn¡¯t help any with hiding. As she put it on R4 instinctively knew that the reinforcements, rings placed along the upper and lower arms with long sections connecting them, were real and not just decoration. They could stop a knife or blade from cutting through, though the trade off for being flexible was that bludgeoning force would go right through. They also had some electromagnetic protection. [[Allegance: Fangs of Mara. Ranking: recruit]] ¡°From putting on a shirt?¡± R4 considered, ¡°Actually, that¡¯s kind of what a uniform is for. What¡¯s Mara?¡± No new screen appeared. ¡°Ok, so I have one year left to live?¡± No response. ¡°Hello? Is there a way to activate a help menu here?¡± R4 heard a buzzing sound, but couldn¡¯t place it. Glancing around R4 found she was in a small room with a locked door. There was a pool full of water where a strange blue and green sea weed grew in defiance of the lack of light, instead producing its own glow. Other than that a large box sat against one wall, a truly enormous power cable connecting it to the wall. R4 approached, but as she did her vision in one eye began to blur and an ache resound through her head. ¡°Ok, so not touching that. Probably an AI server.¡± R4 shivered as a chill ran up her spine. She quickly ran towards the door, and unsurprisingly found it locked. In a flash her tools were in her hand, and her shoulders slumped. The door had been welded shut, from the inside. Examining the door R4 could not tell what it was made from, save that it was not a metal she had encountered before. She gave it a quick kick just in case, and immediately regretted not having shoes. R4 released an angry descending trill ¡°So much for percussive maintenance.¡± R4 shivered, knocking gently on the door this time. Nothing happened. ¡°Ok, so the door¡¯s sealed shut, and this doesn¡¯t look recent.¡± She looked up, ¡°And there¡¯s no hole in the ceiling I can see, so this isn¡¯t where I fell.¡± She looked into the water. ¡°So I must have come from there.¡± R4 put a finger into the water and found it warm, almost like bath water. A low beep caught her attention. R4 approached the chest and dug through the clothes she had left behind, finding that the bottom two thirds had been reserved by a plastic layer, and beneath it a phone and several dozen wrapped Hoplite brand protein bars with a few bags of Bronze Age jerky mixed in. R4 eyed the phone, beeping away at her. She reached for it, but it was beneath the thick plastic barrier. She retrieved her tools, yet the plastic was held in with one way plastic screws that immediately stripped when she tried to remove them. She tried to cut in, yet wasn¡¯t having much luck. A low chirping caught her attention. R4 turned to see glowing red eyes and gleaming orange pincers as the entity dropped from above. Five legs caught the elongated creature¡¯s bulk as it fell, not quite flea, not quite mantis, not quite spider, but some amalgam of the three. Its right arm was a proper mantis¡¯s arm, its left some manner of blade mounted on the leg of a locust and tipped with a spider¡¯s fang. Atrophied wings stretched to reveal spinnerets which shot a viscous slime behind it as it lunged. [[Survive]] R4¡¯s eye locked onto the creature and began focusing on its claw, just a moment before it lunged. R4 ducked, and dove into the water. The creature peered in and gave a few stabs. R4 looked down the two tunnels that were visible, both completely submerged. She hadn¡¯t had time to take a deep breath, and her pounding heart was already depleting her oxygen. She began to swim in one of the directions, before feeling a gripping ache in her stomach. Pushing it aside she continued, pushing as hard as she dared. Her lungs burned, small bubbles slipping past her lips. Just as she was sure she would burst she saw an opening and swam for it. She took a deep breath, and immediately regretted it. The air stank of sweat and blood. Immediately R4 was on alert. The lights in this section were dim, and it took all of five seconds for her to see the body. It, for she could no longer tell the gender, wore a bloody singlet that had long been ripped open and cast aside. There was very little flesh left, and the skull had been cracked open to get at what once was within. R4 approached, and felt her stomach rumble. R4 wasn¡¯t sure how long she had been out, but she was definitely starving. Yet, a twinge of fear shot down her spine and made her hair stand on end. Was she hungry enough she would eat a corpse? She quickly stepped beyond the body, not willing to find the answer to that. The winding passages dripped with water, and steam occasionally shot through the abundance of pipes. R4 saw wires that snaked through the ceiling, and occasional glowing eyes that stared down at her malevolently. The scratching of claws sounded in her ear, occasionally broken up by the sound of squeaks. Finally R4 came to a ladder, which with no other path she climbed. The room had once been some manner of reactor, countless pipes had once pumped water in and steam out, providing heat and power to countless residents of NuGrav. Now, however, it was empty. Instead, someone had gathered hundreds of strands of the strange seaweed and made a nest in the center. R4 noted there were a few ladders that would allow her to get down, yet a scraping sound caught her attention. Immediately her right eye practically dragged her vision towards another entrance as¡­ she couldn¡¯t see exactly what it was entered. It looked humanoid, though its skin had taken a dark color that could either be from a body suit of some effect of the skin itself. She blinked twice, yet she couldn¡¯t focus on its head. It reminded her of when a drifter passed through her home town with blur eye. The cyberware caused all cameras to distort and not catch the face clearly, yet her only cyberwear was planted in her right arm. [[BEWARE]] R4 remembered her eye had been replaced, but closing her right eye did nothing to fix the blur. Given the wan light in the room, she could see even left with her human eye. The horned creature, for she could see a large rack of what looked like antlers, threw something to the floor which hit with a CLANG. It took a moment for R4 to realize what it was, but she gasped when she finally made it out. She could not see who it once had been, but it looked human. In the dim light she could not see how much had been replaced by metal, but from the sound and what glints she could see from the sea weed she guessed a lot of it. There was a low crackle of electricity and the body began to move. Its arm raised and R4 saw its open up. The horned creature tilted its head, confused that its prey was moving again. There was a low THUNK, and R4 saw a grenade arc through the air towards the horned figure. With a casual flick of the wrist the figure knocked the grenade off course and sent it flying away. R4 saw a strange shimmer cover its hands and feet before the horned creature jumped, soaring over 10 meters across and falling the 5 meter drop to land right on the man¡¯s chest with a CRUNCH that was both metal and bone. The creature immediately latched onto the man¡¯s head. R4 stumbled back at the sight, glad her vision was obscured, before a sudden sense of vertigo overtook her. In her fright she had stepped off the ledge, and was now falling. [[REBOOTING]] R4 opened her eyes with a sense that time had passed. She was starving, and her throat was bone dry. She rolled over, and immediately the vertigo was back. Judging by how much blood was on the ground, she felt the back of her head. There were cracks, just beneath the skin. They felt, smoothed over, half healed, but they were there. Immediately her right eye displayed an image, showing several cracked to the model of the head. That, however, was not what concerned her. In white was the outline of a human head. In red were the cracks where her skull had been damaged. In green was¡­ she wasn¡¯t sure what it was exactly. With a gesture she reached out, and the image turned. It encompassed her right eye, where it stretched along the nerve to her brain. From the image she saw it seemed to entwine with her occipital lobe, which explained the projection. Zooming out she saw the green image stretched along her spine and spread out towards her arms. She noticed it had already wrapped itself around her tool arm. With a gesture she extended her tools, but didn¡¯t notice anything off about them. The fact that, upon realizing it had encompassed her brain she immediately focused on other details was not comforting. As soon as she realized this her thoughts drifted to how hungry she was. A nice way of whatever it was to twist her thoughts towards its own ends. The fact it was allowing her to think this, R4 decided she was too hungry to go down that rabbit hole. Immediately she thought of the protein bars. If the bug creature hadn¡¯t eaten them maybe she could get at them. R4 found it easy to retrace her steps, since the tunnel she followed had no branching paths. Her eye seemed to have settled in, as now when she looked upwards she could see the rats peering down at her. They were big, she estimated the largest one was about half a meter with front teeth like a stone chisel. Her mouth watered and her stomach growled as she almost hoped one would drop down for her to catch. R4 let out a low whistling sound. ¡°What exactly did you Dimdwell install in me?¡± At that moment a rat lost its footing, and before R4 could even realize what was happening she caught it, or tried. Her hand shot out to grab it, but rather than actually catch it she slapped it to the side and into a wall with enough force that something popped. The rat let out a wheeze, and went still. With inhuman quickness she had snatched up the rat and was bringing it to her mouth. She froze, realizing what she had done, and threw it aside. Three seconds passed, then as if someone had fired a starter pistol the other rats descended. Before R4¡¯s eyes the creature was reduced from a rat to a handful of metal components as the other rats scattered. She trilled softly before examining the parts. After a few moments she figured she couldn¡¯t figure out what they were currently, especially since parts seemed to be missing, so she pocketed them and made her way back towards the water. Waiting for her was the corpse. R4 felt her stomach growl and her hand drifted towards it. ¡°No, there is food in that case, I won¡¯t eat that.¡± With that she took several deep breaths and dove into the water. Beneath the surface her right eye seemed unusually clear, as if it was made for aquatic use. R4 filed that tidbit for later as she swam against the current. It was slower going than her first attempt, and she found she was swimming against the current rather than with it. Soon her chest began to burn. R4 continued to kick, the burn spreading to her legs before ceasing. R4 smiled at the swimmer¡¯s high, before the sensation went from one of euphoria to numbness. Twisting around R4 saw one of the isopods had latched onto her leg. It looked up at her and waved before tucking into her leg. She kicked her leg, yet the little bug stayed on. She felt something crawling in her scant hair, and found more of the bugs latched on. She reached to tear them out, and her hands came back crimson clouds of blood as well as the isopods, who quickly slipped from her grip. [[Host has been afflicted with ravager toxin by a ravager isopod.]] R4 felt no pain from where she had been bitten, though her muscles felt strangely loose. [[Host has been afflicted with ravager toxin addiction. Host is now producing ravager toxin]] The shock drove R4¡¯s breath from her lungs. She looked up, seeing an exit, and kicked off the floor towards it. She broke the surface and took a deep breath. ¡°What was that?¡± [[Host is now producing ravager toxin at tier 1 strength.]] R4 froze, her eyes wide in fear. ¡°No, cancel, cancel! I¡¯m not even tier 1!¡± R4 exclaimed. Her mind spun. ¡°Shoot, ok, Tier 1 tends to be a step above normal, but ravager toxin isn¡¯t really poisonous is it?¡± R4 pulled herself out of the water and looked down, her eyes latching onto a ravager parasite currently latched on her leg. ¡°These things secrete ravager toxin at tier 1, so it¡¯s not actually that bad.¡± [[Ravager isopod: Tier 0.]] The ravager isopod waved its claws before going back to feeding. R4 ripped the critter off and threw it back into the water with a splash. She gripped her head in her hands. ¡°I¡¯m dead, I¡¯m dead, I¡¯m so dead.¡± R4¡¯s panic was interrupted by the ringing of a phone. She looked, and quickly identified it as coming from the crate. Her panic was broken as her stomach growled, remembering the food just beneath the plastic cover. In an instant she was at the crate, peering down at the contents. As before, the phone was sitting on top of a layer of protein bars, a small hole in the plastic just large enough for her to reach in, but not large enough for her to pull anything out. ¡°Come on, I¡¯m about to die and I can¡¯t even get a last meal?¡± R4 paused, taking out her tools and assembling a tiny set of pliers. ¡°Maybe if I just grab one of the wrappers,¡± She reached in and gently grabbed the corner of one of the wrappers of the bars. Slowly she pulled,¡± ¡°RIIIIIING!¡± In her surprise R4 dropped the pliers. ¡°Dang it!¡± She glared at the phone through the plastic. ¡°Of all the rotten,¡± ¡°Focus.¡± The phone displayed a text. ¡°On what? On not starving to death, on not poisoning myself?¡± The phone opened an app marked [[My Mesh]]. The camera lit up and R4 held her arm over the device. ¡°Ok, I remember this app. Hold your phone over the sensor, hope this reaches,¡± The phone blinked. [[MESH detected. User: Rachel Smith. Age 25. Current cyberware: Tool Arm T0; Unknown model. Recommendation: Mars brand Entrenchment tool arm.]] An image of a human female appeared on a black background with a red box in the right arm. R4 eyed the recommendation. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want a new tool arm.¡± The app flashed twice, updated, and a plain blue screen appeared. [[Unknown file upload. RAVAGER_v23_pleasedonteatpeople.exe installed]] ¡°Well that¡¯s an ominous looking title.¡± The app blue screened for a few moments, before displaying the plain human body. As with the pop up she saw previously a white outline of a human, with something stretching through her body. [[Ravager_prototype_self_assembling_cyberware: Tier 1 Note: This cyberware is still in development. Please leave¡­]] The screen showed a scroll bar, but R4 couldn¡¯t touch it behind the plastic. ¡°Blast it!¡± R4 muttered. ¡°Just when I thought I was getting somewhere.¡± She eyed the phone, eyes fixating on the scroll bar. ¡°If only this plastic wasn¡¯t there,¡± She pointed a finger at the phone, ¡°I could just,¡± As she moved her finger the text moved. ¡°Ok, that¡¯s odd.¡± she scrolled down, hitting the OK button, before another pop up appeared. [[Cyberware detected. Updating¡­]] A pop up appeared in R4¡¯s eye:
Cyberware: Cybernetic implants, or what others will see Subversion: Aspects of the ravager prototype. These are hidden from most users but advanced sensors may detect irregularities and reveal these. The exact limits are unknown
Gentek Basic skeleton reinforcement (T0): a basic skeleton given to children with brittle bones or those who have suffered traumatic injuries RAVAGER_PROTOTYPE (T1): Due to its experimental nature the ravager prototype is highly variable. The ravager may alter other cyberware¡¯s function. Note: This cyberware is still in development. Please leave your notes and experiences to help those that follow you.
Gentek Biomonitors (T0 passive): Monitors user¡¯s body to alert them to damage Regeneration modules(T0 Passive?): Unknown Telekinetic module: Ravagers hosts have been noted to use telekineisis at short range. It is theorized these unusual clusters of nerves and cysts have something to do with it.
Mars Corp Military hardened MESH (T1 Active/passive): Provides connection and power to a number of small devices and cyberware. If user is targeted by unauthorized hacking attempts they may retaliate with damaging ICE Innate human mimicry (T1 Passive): H0$t is HO0Man. U no C33. (Administrator Red Queen has dictated this needs edits)
Unknown model Tool arm: Provides a number of small tools. Telekinetic claws: Theoretical. Ravager toxin reserve: Possible?
¡°Ok, so it¡¯s experimental tech, that¡¯s not concerning.¡± R4 said to herself. She eyed the phone, and made a gesture. The phone seemed to jump to the plastic, hitting it with a low thunk. A few more gestures, and she had moved it to the hole in the plastic. She quickly did the same with a few of the protein bars beneath. Two chocolate Hoplite bars and one peanut butter Kricket brand bar later and she was fiddling with the phone. It seemed to be a Scross phone, made by Mars corp, and aside from the experimental app R4 found no other surprises. It was a bit larger than her flattened hand, and about 4 centimeters thick. One side had a camera, the other a touch screen and camera. Swiping through R4 found a lot of bloat ware apps, but to her surprise most were disabled. ¡°Greetings.¡± A text popped up from an unknown number, almost causing R4 to drop the device. ¡°You have been selected, bribed, forced, cohersed, or written into existence by a possibly hostile power to take part in our completely legal and above board test of the experimental Ravager style cyberware. Please open the provided link and sign the forms.¡± R4 eyed the link, and opened it. Immediately a file opened, and she saw the page number. ¡°400 pages? How am I supposed to read this?¡± There was a low THUD as something hit the ground from a great height. ¡°Quickly. Good luck.¡± The low click of claws indicated that R4¡¯s foe had returned for her. The insectoid chimera eyed her for a moment, before its piston arm darted out with a sound like a gunshot. R4 barely ducked beneath, throwing her hands across her chest as the thing turned its stab into a sweep. To R4¡¯s partial surprise a small shimmer appeared over her chest, and she felt a pressure against her arms. The sheer force sent her sprawling, and nearly into the water. ¡°Ya were waitin fer¡¯ me?¡± R4 felt a surge of adrenaline as she caught her balance, and that same shimmer that appeared on Ratface¡¯s claws appeared over her own hands. She made a feint, which the creature moved to intercept, before a quick lunge brought her into range. She threw an open handed punch, which turned into a scratch as her fingers attempted to latch onto the creature¡¯s chitinous form. In a sense it worked. Her claws hit the creature, and cut right through. To R4¡¯s hands it was like putting a knife through tinfoil. The creature eyed her, and its spider like fangs, which rather than being in its mantis head were at the base of the body where a spider¡¯s fangs would be, came up. R4 ducked, and the fangs just barely brushed her head leaving two burning scratches. R4 tried not to think about the poison as she rolled underneath the creature and clawed at its belly. The creature immediately dropped, its bulk forcing R4 to the floor. ¡°Come on, get off,¡± R4 pushed, but the creature seemed intent on crushing her. An instinct called her eyes to the side, where she saw the thing trying to claw at her with its mantis claw. It slashed, and she reached out to catch it, the strange shimmering covering her hand like a glove. The creature¡¯s strength was overwhelming, yet it was pushing at the edge of its flexibility. The claw stopped just a centimeter before R4¡¯s face. ¡°Get that out of my FACE!¡± R4 closed her hands, long talons forming. The creature pulled, yet she held on, and with a low screech tore bits of its claws free. There was a low hiss as the strips of what was once the creature¡¯s claw seemed to drip a strange black gunk that evaporated even as it fell, and the creature seemed to fall apart. First the joints melted, and evaporated, then the solid components just fell apart. R4 was left with a 30 kg computer tower sitting on her chest and several pipes and wires surrounding her. She felt a buzz rush through her mind like she had just downed a shot of energy drink and with a gesture threw the remains to the corners of the room, one bouncing off the strange box. Filled with energy she threw herself to her feet and with a gesture called her phone to her hand despite it being 3 meters away. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. ¡°Thank you for participating in our trial of Ravager style cyberware. By utilizing this experimental cyberware you agree to the contract. Goodbye.¡± ¡°Hush, let me read that thing.¡± R4 tried, she really did, but the contract was dry as a bone. She downed a mint and another peanut butter Kricket bar before speaking up. ¡°Hey, whoever you are, what¡¯s this about owing your firstborn to Mara. Who is Mara?¡± Immediately the metal box began to hum, several ridges on the box began to glow red, and an immense pressure fell upon R4. A strange white fluid seemed to cross the box, before hardening into dozens of long serrated fangs. Her vision blurred, her teeth rattled, the entirety of the contract dropped into her head, and it felt like every nerve was charged with bottled lightning. R4 felt a pain in her mouth, and with a pop something dropped into her mouth forcing her to spit it out. A moment later it was gone, the pressure, the fangs, all of it. The only evidence anything had changed was the filled tooth that now sat on the floor. A quick check by R4 indicated that she still had a tooth where the old one had been. ¡°Greetings test subject R4. My designation is Red Queen, and my purpose it to ensure you thrive under this new experimental cyberware/bioware which incorporates research based on the ravager isopod/parasite and is possibly a biologic parasite in of itself.¡± R4 looked skeptically at the text. She shrugged, didn¡¯t matter, moving on. Her panic was most likely being manipulated, but she couldn¡¯t control it so why bother? ¡°As you are more than likely aware, you are using Tier 1 cyberware in a T0 human body. T1 regeneration cysts have been noted to delay the death of the host, but in time become horrible cancerous nodes. Current estimations give you one year.¡± R4 read the text aloud and made an unhappy trill, taking a sip from a canteen she had found beneath one of the protein bars. ¡°This is an estimation as none of our test subjects have lived this long.¡± She reread that phrase before reading the next one. ¡°The following things have lead to previous test participants dying. Doing nothing, attacking Dimdwell settlements (2 times), going to the surface and being struck by a car, talking to the Nu¡¯Grav police (5 times), talking to a member of organized crime (3 times), attempting to eat a pedestrian, attempting to eat construction worker, attempting to eat a solo (4 times), attempting to eat a concrete mixer, attempting to eat 1000 hot dogs without paying, injecting T1 nanites and provoking rejection (2 times), Interaction with hostile entity (15 times), Interaction with a hostile test subject (3 times).¡± ¡°That¡¯s not very helpful.¡± R4 replied. ¡°What about the ones who lived?¡± She stared at the screen. ¡°Come on Red, give me the stats of those who lived.¡± ¡°One current test subject is alive. For more information please consult a mirror.¡± ¡°What about Ratface? What about the creature I saw in the tunnels, the one with the huge rack of horns?¡± ¡°This will be your final question for the next 12 hours. Please confirm this is your question or upgrade to premium for 12,000 credits.¡± I opened R4¡¯s bank statement on the phone to remind her she did not have 12,000 credits to spend.
User: Rachel Smith My balance Incoming/outgoing notes
2,000
3,000 -1000 Deposit
4,000 -1000 Rent
¡°By the blood.¡± R4 trilled softly, ¡°Yes, that is my final question.¡± ¡°The Subject Trilik Ra¡¯kiul, which you know as Ratface, managed to lose connection. Monitoring nanites identified a surge of lactic acid followed by an elevated immune reaction which destroyed the majority of monitoring nanites and broke connection. He was believed lost for approximately 12 hours before data scraping algorithms identified him. Current evidence indicates Ratface is at least Tier 1 and may be Tier 2 or approaching it. Attempts to reconnect have failed, likely due to insufficient surviving nanites. A gig has been added to your job app and further details have been forwarded to your bestiary. The other entity is unknown to Mara. Entity was initially believed to be a camera malfunction. Currently 5 ravager candidates have been slain by this creature. It has been observed hunting Dimdwell on at least three occations. Data scrapings indicated it is referred to as The Horned One, The Devil of the Pools, The Devil in the Reeds, and The Beast. This last name has been applied to at least 23 hostile nanite entities but is still relevant. It is not known if The Horned One actually has nanites. A gig has been added to your job app. Ceasing communications.¡± R4 checked the phone and sure enough, there was a job app marked ¡°GigJig.¡± It only took a few moments for her to find that most of the jobs were delivery jobs. ¡°Huh, I guess it¡¯s true that everything is more expensive here.¡± She poked a job that was to deliver 12 boxes of pizza, and the pay was 50 credits. ¡°That¡¯s five times what it would be back home, I wonder why it¡¯s so, why is this locked by a firearms permit?¡± She read a little deeper. ¡°May be attacked by Dimdwell and rival gangs? For pizza? No thank you.¡± A job appeared, and R4 was surprised to note the creator was simply Mara. All the other jobs were issued by a user with a string of numbers beside them. Some had a verified checkmark, others did not. Mara¡¯s did not. R4 clicked on it and there was no pay listed, but rather a small line. 100 exp. R4 examined the amount. ¡°This isn¡¯t a videogame Mara.¡± She clicked the job anyhow to see what it was. [[Practice with telekinetic claws. Form claws 10 times. Use claws on a valid target 1 time. Attempt to climb a wall. 3 times. Optional: actually climb a wall.]] R4 eyed the request, and got to work. Forming the claws was as simple as flexing her fingers and thinking about it. She tried a few variations, cat claws, dog claws, eagle talons, she quickly went through each animal she could think of from the history books. She tried a squid¡¯s tentacles, but found that she could only project them a half meter before they dissipated. Attempting to manifest claws on her feet or arms failed, though she got some manner of feedback from both. She eyed the wall, darkened and distant. Taking a look, R4 found it was made from concrete, and not even T1 molecular modified concrete. She extended her claws and started to climb, or tried to. THUD. R4 fell to the ground after less than a meter. Examining the concrete she found her claws had torn right through. She tried again, focusing her telekinesis and winding the force tight. The result was a spiral pattern cut into the concrete. She tried jumping at the concrete to get as high as she could, and was thrown back by the force of her own telekinesis. It took several tries, and more than a few protein bars, but finally R4 managed to climb up to the ceiling. A long sharp claw with a flat edge seemed to be the best for climbing, and a strong but gentle telekinetic grip applied to both the hands and feet helped to increase friction and keep her from falling. It reminded R4 of the one and only time her uncle tried to teach her to use magnets to climb a wall. She had fallen and needed a cast for a month even with the advanced medication her town doctor had provided. She still had a support in her leg, which her phone had identified as part of an artificial skeleton. She had another in her shoulder, but that was different. A low stridulation sound caught her attention as red eyes began to glow. R4 saw the creature just before it lunged for her, stinger outstretched. R4 kicked off to the side, and fell. Some instinct kicked in and she twisted, projecting a telekinetic force through her hands and feet. She landed on her feet, the telekinetic forces extending the impact and spreading the force across her legs, before falling to her front, where more force was dispersed across her arms and chest. R4 quickly scrambled to get up, covered in bruises but surviving a 20 meter fall. The creature above struggled to free itself from the concrete its stinger was now stuck in, before twisting around and breaking the stinger off in a spray of black fluid. With her right eye R4 saw the fluid seem to harden, and form a new stinger. The creature stared at her, before grasshopper like legs kicked of and sent it hurtling towards her. Bruised as she was R4¡¯s reaction was slower. She held out a hand as if she was trying to catch the creature. Just before it struck she pushed back, trying to slow the creature even as she slipped to the side. It partially worked. The force slowed the creature and threw off its timing as it thrust forwards with its stinger. Normally that would have protected R4 from damage. Normally stepping to the side would have allowed R4 to avoid the damage regardless. However, a burning pain just under her right breast informed R4 that she had been hit. Immediately she stepped forwards, bringing envenomed claws down on the creature and cutting four shallow cuts into the creature. The creature hopped, or tried as one leg had received a cut in just the right place. Rather than hopping forwards to gain distance it hopped to the side, spinning as it did. R4 easily swatted it out of the air with a second blow that left it as an evaporating mess on the floor. ¡°Ding¡± Her phone went off to alert her to the job being complete. She took a look, and immediately a pop up jumped from her phone to her eye. ¡°Don¡¯t suppose we could pick one or th¡¯ other?¡± She asked. She gestured through the menu. [[Quest complete. Reward: 500 exp (reward for successfully climbing the wall)]] R4 waited for explanation and was not disappointed. [[Exp is a measure of earned computing power to analyze recent events and iron out details. It is most efficient when used to improve things the host has been doing recently]]. R4 eyed the list, which was surprisingly simple. [[FRAME: Force, Reflexes, Aptitude, Mental, Empathy.]] R4 examined them, finding each took 100 exp to increase, purchased one of each. Her phone buzzed. ¡°Seriously, either put this on my eye or my phone.¡± A moment later a notice appeared on her eye. [[Updating: Caution. FRAME error. Recalculating.]] Immediately R4¡¯s arms and legs went numb. She quickly fell to one knee, holding her arms out to keep her balance. Her head spun and without any sense of feeling it was difficult to stay upright. [[Mundane limits are rated on a scale of 1-5 on the FRAME scale. Calculating host limits. Please hold.]] The next five minutes R4 closed her eyes and just tried to not throw up. Numbness, pins and needles, burning fatigue, dizziness, it felt as if clouds of each roved across her body like some manner of weather forecast. ¡°Ok, how is my right leg confused while my left elbow filled with inspiration?¡± Finally, the sensation passed. [[Host FRAME is as follows. Skills have been condensed heavily from traditional FRAME
Force 3=>4 Athletics: Brute: Endurance: Resolve: Swimming:
Reflexes 2=>3 Acrobatics: Firearms: Melee: Parry: Stealth:
Aptitude 3=>4 Driving Medicine Pickpocket Security Technology
Mind 3=>4 Bureaucracy Computers Research Perception Science Survival
Empathy 1=>2 Animals Comprehension Intimidation Persuasion Subterfuge
Statistics cannot be raised above 5 before T1 is reached. No statistic can be below 3 to reach tier 1. Attempting to increase tier without sufficient statistics may lead to aberrant ascension. Upon reaching Tier 1 all costs on FRAME stats shall increase]] R4 read the statistics. ¡°Ok, so what does this actually mean?¡± No response. ¡°Hello?¡± She checked her phone, and found a timer had been courteously left until she could ask for help again. ¡°Dog Rabbit Red.¡± At her voice a job jumped to the top of the list.
Retrieve samples Team size: 2-5 Hazard: 3 (hostile fauna, Dimdwell)
Company: Mars Corporation Contact: Red Queen Reward: 1000 credits per sample per person (max 5000). 1000 exp
Current scans indicate numerous plants have begun growing within the Undercity without the use of photosynthesis. Mars Corporation is interested in using these samples for negotiations with GenTek
Her finger hovered over the accept button. ¡°It¡¯s so many credits¡­ no. That¡¯s just asking to get murdered.¡± R4 swiped down.
Investigate strange symbols Team size: 2-3 people (currently 1) Hazard: 1 (darkness, water exposure). Combat experience not needed
Company: Nu¡¯Grav municipal water Contact: Hanna Freewheeler Reward: 100 credits per image (estimated 10, max 20). 20,000 if culprit is captured on photo (do not attempt to apprehend)
Automated drones have detected unusual damage to several pipes that are causing water leaks. Preliminary data indicates this may be some manner of graffiti. More information is needed.
¡°Ok, no combat, just taking pictures of creepy symbols, maybe not.¡± R4 paused. ¡°Wait, what am I doing, I want to get out of these tunnels.¡± She looked at the numbers. ¡°But I could use some credits, especially since I¡¯m probably fired for not showing up to work.¡± She selected the option, and immediately a golden line appeared before her eyes, leading to the water. ¡°Guess I¡¯m going for a swim, hope this thing is waterproof.¡± On a whim she grabbed another few Kricket bars, and beneath them found a waterproof bag which she helped herself to. Taking a deep breath she dove into the water and was off. [[Swimming has syncronized to 1X+1]] R4 noted the addition. As she kicked a thought occurred, forming claws was easy so what about fins? It took all of 6 seconds for her to figure out how, and suddenly she rocketed through the water. Every stop R4 surfaced to breathe for a few moments and look around. Universally she met with darkness, until finally she popped her head up and saw a yellow line leading down a walkway. Pulling herself up she crept forwards, ¡°BEEP!¡± She froze, noticing the laser just a moment too late. From around a corner she heard the whine of some manner of energy weapon powering up. ¡°FREEZE!¡± ¡°Woah, I don¡¯t want trouble.¡± R4 stammered, holding her hands up. Within moments she was surrounded by three men in heavy black armor. Two were armed with black firearms that glowed with an eerie red light, while the third had robotic arms that could qualify as weapons in of themselves, had he not also be carrying a spear that hummed with electricity. ¡°Go for a swim?¡± One of the men said, lowering his weapon. ¡°Easy Tigl, just another runner.¡± ¡°Mars Corp, should be shot on principal.¡± Another of the men in armor, Tigl R4 guessed, spoke. R4 noticed he wore a Lok-1 marked armor, with a large green sensor over one eye. This trait was shared among all three of them. ¡°Illogical, shooting someone willing to swim in radioactive water is a waste of ammunition.¡± The man with the robotic arms replied. ¡°She is also tier 0, and we only have tier 1 bullets.¡± ¡°Ease up Togri, I¡¯m joking.¡± The second man replied. ¡°Seriously, what¡¯s your empathy score, 0.4?¡± ¡°Affirmative.¡± R4 held her tongue and quickly tried to avoid the situation. ¡°Hey, Mars Corp girl, you have a name?¡± R4 turned, eyeing the man, Tigl. ¡°R4, Rach¡­ just R4.¡± ¡°Watch yourself. There¡¯s a bit of a rivalry between Lok-1 and Mars Corp right now. Some folks went missing and everyone¡¯s on edge, as if they need to be down here. Watch out for the pipes, things like to crawl out of them.¡± With that all three vanished. R4 paused, staring, before her right eye picked up some movement. Active camo, definitely not something found outside of Nu¡¯Grav. She quickly followed the golden path, moving quickly and quietly. [[Subterfuge has syncronized 1D+1]] R4 eyed the notice and dismissed it. Her destination was a large hub equipped with an elevator. Immediately she stepped towards it to escape, before a pop up appeared stopping her. [[Abandon job? (A fee may be deducted)]] R4 stepped back. A few moment later the elevator opened and six people stepped out. Five dressed in uniform red and light gray armor, each bearing the symbol of the Mars Corporation. The sixth wore a simple black coat and black cargo shorts with no visible logo on it. ¡°Good luck out there.¡± One of the armored figures, a man by his voice, said. His team hefted their weapons, each a uniform red and silver rifle save for the far heavier looking machine gun one of them carried. ¡°Sure, you too.¡± The woman said, before adding under her breath, ¡°Arrogant corporate scum.¡± Immediately she lit up in R4¡¯s right eye. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± R4 checked her phone. ¡°Are you Chen?¡± ¡°Who wants to know?¡± She asked. ¡°My name is R4, I believe we¡¯re partnered for this job.¡± She saw the woman¡¯s eyes light up, going from green to red as several scanners burst to life. Seeing the woman was doing so to her, R4 returned the favor, after a moment of figuring out how. She wore her hair short, dyed pink on the sides with a broad stripe of blue dividing. In terms of equipment she wore a black leather jacket which R4 now noticed was marked with the Gentek logo. ¡°First job?¡± R4 nodded. ¡°Typical, getting paired up with a noob. You don¡¯t even have a cool haircut. Come on, let¡¯s see if we can get paid without you getting dead.¡± ¡°Preem.¡± R4 followed her, keeping her head on a swivel. She managed to be the one to notice the first symbol and take a picture of it. Rather than being etched into the pipe this symbol was etched into a section of concrete next to the pipe. The symbol reminded R4 a bit of a capital A, but with an X across the center section. ¡°So you¡¯re not completely useless.¡± Yin spoke. ¡°So, where¡¯s your iron?¡± ¡°Lost it to a group of Dimdwell.¡± R4 replied. ¡°Haven¡¯t been able to get it replaced.¡± ¡°You gonk, what are you doing wearing a fancy coat like that if you don¡¯t have a gun? Should have sold it and gotten some kind of iron. What kind of an idiot takes a job in the under city without a firearm?¡± She glared at R4. ¡°You¡¯re some CEO¡¯s rich brat aren¡¯t you? You get some fancy gear, a cool code name, and next thing you think you¡¯re tough.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not actually from Nu¡¯Grav.¡± R4 replied. ¡°And don¡¯t insult my father, he actually works for a living.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a Remote? Oy vey, we¡¯re both dead.¡± Continuing the path R4 found that the pipes seemed to be well patched, and in some places they were more patch than pipe. The next symbol had been etched into a patch, which seeing as someone had taken a blade to it was currently leaking. ¡°Should we leave it like this?¡± R4 asked, taking a picture. She eyed the patch, something was off about it. ¡°The job was to document it, and it¡¯s not like we have welding tools.¡± R4 unfolded her tool arm, looking through her options. Drill, screw driver, hammer, Osteoblast/clast welding assembly¡­ ¡°One of these things is not like the other,¡± R4 mumbled. ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°Give me just a moment.¡± R4 flexed her arm and an odd tube like assembly seemed to rise out. Small strands of white material spit forth, immediately hardening. R4¡¯s eye zoomed in on the material and watched as it grew to fill in the cut, then hardened. She blinked once, then twice as her vision returned to normal. ¡°Is that bone?¡± She whispered, a trill ushering from her throat. [[Tier 1 coral bone. A creation of The Red Queen, this bone is mostly composite materials with just enough alive that it can repair itself so long as it has sufficient resources. ATP supply: 1 year. Items created with this material use both medicine and either technology or security Medicine syncronized to +1, security synchronized to 1X+1]] ¡°Ok, that should hold for a bit,¡± R4 replied, ¡°At least until they can get someone to fix it. Let¡¯s keep going.¡± ¡° ¡®Bout time.¡± Chen replied, replacing her magazine. R4 hadn¡¯t noticed Chen was examining her gun while R4 was working. The next few symbols were likewise carved not into the pipes, but into the patches directly. R4 found several variations of the same symbol. She didn¡¯t recognize it though. ¡°Funny, almost looks like someone¡¯s writing the same letter but in different fonts, that or they¡¯re trying to replicate a symbol they¡¯ve seen but can¡¯t quite remember.¡± R4 explained, taking another picture. ¡°So some kid is carving his mark in a bunch of pipes with a pocket knife? Guess there are worse things to do on a Friday night.¡± ¡°Oh, this was not some kid with a pocket knife. The pipe is tier 1 steel, but these patches were all tier 0 stuff. Given how smooth the cut was the perpetrator was using at least a tier 1 blade, maybe even tier 2.¡± R4 noted a low beating sound and looked around to see it was coming from Chen. ¡°Your heart rate is up, is something wrong?¡± ¡°Kid, you¡¯re saying this now? We¡¯re chasing someone down who has tier 2 weapons, if they¡¯re using a tier 2 knife they¡¯ve probably got tier 2 guns too.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know for sure it¡¯s tier 2, it could just be tier 1 and they¡¯re using a lot of strength behind it. They¡¯re carving into tier 0 material after all, y¡¯all know how that goes.¡± ¡°Kid, WE¡¯RE made of Tier 0 material.¡± ¡°Then I should probably mention that from the lack of corrosion on the floors, I¡¯d say these were made in the last week.¡± At that moment the dim illumination which had been allowing them to see began to flicker. ¡°That¡¯s not a good sign.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve got to get out of here.¡± ¡°I agree, we¡¯ve got some good pictures, time to leave before something shows up.¡± R4 slipped her phone into her pocket, yet as she did an instinct guided her hand out and took one more picture. Perhaps the flash surprised it, or perhaps it was simply that far gone. The creature did not roar, nor did it scream. No, instead it let loose with a chattering shriek that made the pipes, the concrete, and even the tier 2 supports vibrate. ¡°Hate. Rage. Hunger. Hot. Hunger. Cold, hunger. Blood hunger, Air hunger, Thirst, muscle hunger, hunger, hunger hunger hungerhungerhungerHUNGER!¡± R4¡¯s ears began to ring. [[Auto-translate failure: rebooting]] ¡°What the F***! Chen pointed and pulled the trigger, her firearm spitting steel coated flachettes as fast as she could pull the trigger. To R4 time seemed to slow. She could move at barely a crawl, yet her eyes could pick up the silver disks shooting from Chen¡¯s gun. She knew they weren¡¯t as fast as regular bullets, but made up for it by being razor sharp. R4 had never seen such a weapon, her father had always stuck with the traditional shotgun, but she could see the appeal. The weapon made very little sound, which was useful in the narrow tunnels. All of which meant NOTHING to the humanoid before her. Its right eye glowed red, three black lines cutting through the light. Two horns ruptured through its skull, spliting into seven points on one side and four on the other giving it a lopsided appearance. Worsening the irregularity its left arm was split where the radius and ulna had broken apart and became some manner of horrific two bladed claw. It made use of this claw, slashing through the disks as fast as Chen could fire them. Click. R4¡¯s vision returned to normal as the lopsided creature grinned, or seemed to. Its lips had been chewed bloody by long mismatched bladed teeth. As it opened its mouth the blades moved as the legs that held them in twitched, anticipating blood. ¡°How do I know those are legs?¡± R4 asked. The creature lunged for Chen, its radius aimed at her heart and the ulna her right kidney. A shimmer coated both, tier 1 telekinesis ensuring the blade would cut through anything shy of¡­ A tier 1 telekinetic blade. ¡°RELOAD!¡± R4 yelled, her own claws out. She acted on sheer instinct, her lack of experience showing as she dove directly into the swing, and was pushed back right into Chen. Yet it was enough, with the creature¡¯s radius in one hand and ulna in the other she pushed back, stretching the creature¡¯s bones to their limit. The Lopside screamed in rage, its neck swinging down to gore her with its horns. ¡°SHOOT IT!¡± R4 gripped the claws and dropped to her knees, dragging The Lopside down. Chen opened fire, and without its blades up her disk gun had much greater effect, sending several blades into its skull before her final blade severed one of its horns. THAT got its attention. The Lopside screamed, and its echoing call shook the foundation of the world. The pipes rang, the concrete cracked, to R4 it felt as if the world was ending as she was thrown back and slammed into the pipe at an odd angle that sent her spinning as a ridge on the pipe caught her arm. Chen was thrown back, her gun knocked from her hands a moment before the wave of force caught her straight in the face and chest. Yet that was not the end of it. The oppressive force weighed down on them both. R4 tried to rise up, yet it felt like she was buried under wet cement. [[Hostile telekinesis has exceeded dangerous threshold. Deploying countermeasures. Cost doubled, duration halved. Duration: 10 seconds. Cooldown: 10 minutes. Recharge: 2 ATP]]. R4 felt her body begin to hum. [[Speak these words: Initiate flare protocol]] ¡°Initiate Flare protocol.¡± R4¡¯s voice spoke with more confidence than she felt, her heart beating 200 times a minute. She felt strength returning to her limbs. The creature¡¯s oppressive aura went from wet concrete to insubstantial mist. R4 rolled from her back to her knees and lunged. The creature eyed her for just a moment, and R4 almost saw it trying to parse what was happening with its prion riddled brain. With a sweep of her claws R4 relieved the Lopside of its blades. For a moment nothing happened. The oppressive weight vanished as if it had been but a dream. For a moment R4 thought she might have done it, before an even worse force struck her in the chest and sent her flying 4 meters back. R4¡¯s vision swam as she rose again, her chest a burning mass of ruin. Before her eyes she saw the lopside¡¯s other hand. While its right arm had withered into two blades, its left had absorbed all those nutrients and become thick and swollen. The creature let loose a horrific trilling sound, and R4 covered her head and prayed. Her entire body burned, her muscles had no strength left within them. She waited for the finishing blow, yet it never came. She looked up, and The Lopside was gone. ¡°What?¡± R4 took a moment, then managed to rise to her knees. ¡°What was that?¡± Chen asked. ¡°I, I have no idea.¡± R4 sputtered, yet even as she did a popup appeared. [[Hidden job completed: Collect data on a ravager. Follow up job: research ravager data.]] ¡°Tell me you at least got a picture of that thing.¡± R4 nodded. ¡°Ok, let¡¯s wrap this up and get back before we get dead.¡± The way back to the elevator was slow going, but it was quiet, broken only by R4¡¯s growling stomach. Chen gave her a dirty look, to which R4 just shrugged and took out a Kricket bar. It held her over for about 10 minutes, after which she ate another. ¡°You carry a lot of those?¡± ¡°I found a crate full of them down here, same place I got the jacket and everything else I¡¯m wearing.¡± R4 replied. ¡°I wasn¡¯t goin¡¯ ta wear the rags th¡¯ Dimdwell had me in for their twisted TV show.¡± She paused. ¡°And no, there wasn¡¯t a gun in there.¡± ¡°That explains a lot. When we get back, get a gun. Get lots of ammo.¡± She eyed the yellow road before them as they came to the elevator. For a moment neither of them spoke. ¡°Oh F***¡± The floor of the elevator room was soaked in blood. Six bodies lay on the ground, blood spilling from deep gashes cut into them. One man had been thrown into the wall so hard the T1 concrete had cracked, and from the blood splatter it was clear that had been how he died. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to be sick.¡± Chapter 4: Ratfaces revenge. Keywords: Claws, Fangs, Rescue, Retribution Chapter 4 Ratface¡¯s revenge keywords: Claws, Fangs, Rescue, Retribution R4 retched and threw up a thin bile which looked nothing like the bar she had just eaten. She quickly downed the rest of her water. ¡°Close your eyes, count to ten.¡± She began to count slowly, getting to three before she heard Chen call her. ¡°Hey, R4, you alright?¡± ¡°No.¡± R4 replied, counting before taking a deep breath. ¡°Ok, you can do this.¡± She turned, and stepped back into the elevator room. The second attempt was similar to the first, but on the third attempt R4 managed. Chen was already pressing the button for the elevator. ¡°Come on, come on, come on.¡± [[New job has arrived.]] R4 jumped as her phone rang. As she took it out the job app was already open.
Investigate unknown murders Team size: 1 Hazard: unknown
Company: Fangs of Mara Contact: The Red Queen Reward: Your life. Seriously head in the game here R4. Also 2000 exp, 1000 credits and legal protection if this goes bad. You have to survive though.
Nu¡¯Grav is a dangerous place. The NGPD have open bounties for evidence, though what happens beneath the city is beyond their jurisdiction. Investigate what happened here. Count the victims, examine the wounds, examine what armor they have. Might not be a bad idea to pick up a weapon, they¡¯re not going to need it. Also do not tell your companion about this job or you will have to share the reward.
R4 shook her head and began taking pictures. Chen was too busy trying to get the elevator working to notice. First she examined the room. There were six exits to the half circle room, which was about 3 meters in radius with a large round section taken out of the center of the flat section for the elevator. Next she examined the wounds, four parallel lines, claw marks. The cut was ragged. R4 found a section where the claw had cut into a bone and made sure to take a close up on video, shifting the camera so she could get the damage from several angles. As she examined it her right eye picked out dozens of small scratches. ¡°Did he cut them with a wire brush?¡± ¡°What? What are you doing?¡± ¡°I got a job to document¡­ this.¡± R4 gestured. Her phone buzzed angrily. ¡°And apparently the contact can listen in through my phone.¡± R4 went back to taking photos, when she froze. The body before her wore heavy black armor, and both of his arms had been replaced with heavy duty mechanical arms, one of which had been severed below the elbow. Wires stood exposed and artificial muscles still twitched weakly. Countless scratches adorned the edge of the cut in a random pattern. A quarter meter steel rod bearing a leather handle and etched with a complex looking golden knot lay just beyond his still twitching hand. R4 tried to pick it up, but it shocked her. [[Electric Discouragement Rod: Tier 2 power spear. Host¡¯s tier is too low to use this weapon properly. Safety protocols active, weapon will not deploy. User not recognized, weapon will deploy ever increasing shocks until a valid user is found. Made by Lok-1]] R4 took a close up picture of the severed arm and the spear, making sure to get the Loki symbol. ¡°Hey Chen, is tier 2 steel wool a thing?¡± ¡°Are you nuts?¡± She hit the elevator button hard, but rather than opening a voice spoke from a hidden speaker. ¡°Attention: this elevator is being used by a high value team and is currently unavailable without T4 priority clearance from a major corporation.¡± ¡°F***ing perfect!¡± Chen roared in anger. ¡°F***ing Corp!¡± ¡°Attention citizens!¡± Both women jumped, but R4 saw the phone in one of the hands of the dead men. With a gesture she called it to her hand. ¡°The 201¡¯s Cyberpsycho division is on the way. Stay low, stay quiet, and we will be there soon!¡± ¡°Hurry up!¡± Chen yelled. ¡°Thank you.¡± R4 spoke into the phone. ¡°If you can hear me, whoever attacked this group has killed a tier 2.¡± ¡°Never fear, for whatever fool dares trouble this city shall face justice!¡± R4 barely heard the response. Her eyes caught on a blood stain that was out of place. She snapped a picture, then followed it with her eyes. A cold lump of dread settled in her stomach, yet she was compelled to step forwards. By some rote action or happy coincidence she began recording as she did. The blood stains she saw were not a splatter, but a long continuous smear. She followed it to one of the entrances, where it stopped. Following every horror movie victim to encounter such a thing she slowly looked up. At first R4 thought the arm hanging off of pipe above was that of the victim, though she immediately picked up that it looked off. A moment later it twitched. ¡°It is here.¡± She whispered. ¡°What do you see?¡± R4 jumped at the shout coming from the phone, and the culprit peered over the edge of the rail. It trilled, and R4 locked eyes with the creature. With a light clicking of his claws Ratface dropped down from above. It stretched, its teeth clicking as its fingers began to shimmer. It let out a short trill sound that, despite lasting less than a second conveyed several ideas. R4¡¯s translator managed to parse out a few ideas. ¡°Tired, Hungry, Good nap, Hungry, want breakfast, Hungry, found breakfast.¡± R4 dropped both phones and threw up her claws just in time to catch the claws, or try to. Her own claws were thrown aside and only the reinforcements in her coat managed to save her a nasty cut. ¡°Run!¡± R4 called. She stepped back, her mind going a mile a minute. Ratface had cleanly cut through tier 2 armor, and she was tier 0. His claws had thrown hers aside, yet his claws had not cut through her coat. Either her coat was far stronger than she thought, or, ¡°Initiate flare protocol.¡± Strength flowed through her limbs. R4 saw the next blow coming and ducked under, before lunging for Ratface¡¯s legs. She faked with a right hook, and struck with a left claw across his neck. Her blades skittered across hardened skin but she drew blood. Elated by her success she nimbly stepped out of the way of Ratface¡¯s blow, only for him to whip around and lash out with a bony tail covered with strange barbed edges. This time her coat did not save her and a single barb sliced a shallow cut into her stomach. There was a flash of pain, which was immediately washed away by a euphoric sensation. [[Caution: host has been afflicted with ravager toxin T1. Host is already producing ravager toxin, hostile toxin will have reduced effect. Documenting interaction]] R4 pushed the thought out of her head as she blocked another swing, this time blocking the tail again as Ratface quickly pushed her back. ¡°Shoot it, it¡¯s only tier 1!¡± R4 yelled. ¡°You said it was tier 2.¡± Chen called back, but opened fire. R4 did her best to get Ratface¡¯s attention, yet unlike The Lopside he had both his arms, as well as his tail. R4 soon sported several cuts, and while Ratface did as well he was still going strong. ¡°I¡¯m out of ammo!¡± Chen yelled, dropping her third magazine to the floor. The moment she did R4 saw Ratface¡¯s eyes gleam. It let out a trilling sound and his right eye glowed brightly. ¡°I hunger, must eat, flesh protocol, rage protocol, strength protocol,¡± It trilled At that moment the elevator dinged and Chen dove out of the way as three heavily armored men charged out. One raised a shotgun that might as well have been a cannon at Ratface. R4 dove out of the way just before a blast louder than the end of the world sent dozens of pea sized pellets through Ratface¡¯s head. The monster turned, its Tier 1 skull already repairing itself. ¡°What the F*** is that?¡± The shooter asked. ¡°DIE VILLAIN!¡± A second man yelled, a blazing blue blade seeming to appear in his hand. ¡°Initiate Flare protocol.¡± Ratface yelled, and R4 immediately felt a pressure roll out from the monster. Both she and Chen were flattened, and two of the heavily armed men were pushed back, but not the swordsman. He lashed out with his blade, energy coursing through the humming blade. He managed to force Ratface to block with both claws even with the additional energy running through him and in a feat of speed R4 couldn¡¯t follow managed to nail him with a kick. ¡°Die-die you son-bastard of a corporate whore-wife. I will chew-eat your guts and Rip-tear your eyes out of your hollow-empty skull!¡± Her translator hit an error as the words ¡°Mars, Mitian, Lok-1, Biotek, Mara, Hat Man, Dread Shadows, Juggernaut, Atropos, End of Days, and a dozen other terms flashed before her eyes. She received a notice that her lexicon was updated, but she had no time to process it. The creature had shunted half a gigabyte of information in to a two second trill. The sheer venom of the creature¡¯s words made the swordsman flinch, giving Ratface a chance to lunge. He held up his blade, to block, yet it was a feint. Ratface went after the shotgunner, but not without giving the swordsman a goodbye kiss with his tail. ¡°Vincent!¡± the swordsman yelled as Ratface brought down his claws on the man¡¯s shotgun, cutting deep grooves into it. The weapon sparked, sending volts into both Ratface and Vincent, but Ratface recovered faster and bit into the man¡¯s helmet, its long teeth shooting out to spear into the faceplate and pulling the rest into the bite. ¡°DIE MONSTER! NU¡¯GRAV GIVE ME STRENGTH!¡± R4 watched as the swordsman¡¯s armor glowed brightly, shedding immense amounts of heat as he charged, bisecting Ratface with a swing of his blade. Its legs dropped, tail still swinging and scoring a hit on Vincent and the swordsman both. Its torso continued to claw at Vincent, its claws failing to penetrate but leaving deep gouges in the metal and its jaw cracking the man¡¯s faceplate. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± The third man spoke in a robotic voice, drawing a hand cannon and in one smooth motion blowing Ratface¡¯s face off, again. The torso dropped to the ground, the strength draining out of it but its jaw continued to move. ¡°Hungry.¡± It moaned, before the third man fired two more shots into its skull, the third shot splattering the creature¡¯s head and the shot to the torso reducing it to chunks. ¡°What was that?¡± Vincent asked. ¡°Ratface.¡± R4 managed, slowly pushing herself up now that the pressure was gone. ¡°The Dimdwell called it Ratface.¡± Everything hurt, and everything burned. Her head spun, and she had to settle for just sitting up. Several notifications appeared on her eye and her phone began buzzing like a hornet, but with a shake of her head she dismissed them and ignored her phone. ¡°Ow, are we alive?¡± ¡°Cutter, check them.¡± The swordsman replied. ¡°Got it Boss.¡± They approached Chen first then R4, scanning them with some manner of hand scanner that resembled a gun with two barrels and a screen. ¡°First one¡¯s fine, the second one is suffering from exhaustion and has some cuts. T0 both of them.¡± They looked at the remains scattered around. ¡°Looks like no other survivors.¡± ¡°Alright, you two stay here. Cutter, guard them. Harris, ride with me. We go forth, for the hunt!¡± ¡°No way, we have to get out of here.¡± Chen cried out. ¡°No, you¡¯re staying right here.¡± Cutter replied. ¡°That elevator takes five minutes each way, and we¡¯re not letting you tie it up if we have to make a sudden escape. If you don¡¯t like it you can find another one.¡± ¡°Fine, F***ing corpos.¡± Chen fiddled with her phone. ¡°You coming? Nearest elevator is about a kilometer this way.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ll stay here.¡± R4 replied, finally managing to push herself up. ¡°That thing had venom in its claws, and I can barely stand upright. Y¡¯all go ahead, I¡¯ll hitch a ride with these folks.¡± A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ¡°Your call, good luck getting eaten when more of those things show up.¡± And with that Chen was gone. R4 ate another Kricket bar, then her last, her stomach greedily asking for more. ¡°Dog rabbit, should have grabbed more.¡± ¡°Should have grabbed a gun, were you trying to take that thing hand to hand?¡± R4 eyed the armored figure, the voice was robotic but she had a feeling the person inside was a woman. ¡°Leave that stuff for idiots like Issac.¡± The pair waited a few minutes, then she took out a tablet. ¡°Might as well get working on the after-action report. What¡¯s your name miss?¡± ¡°Rachel Smith.¡± The name felt false and ill-fitting in her mouth. R4 quickly left the elevator to find her phone. She pressed a button and received a notification that her info had been copied. ¡°Ms. Smith, care to comment on what that THING was? You said the Dimdwell called it Ratface, are you associated with them?¡± ¡°Aside from being the victim of a kidnapping, not in the slightest.¡± As they waited R4 relayed her version of events to Cutter, a notification informing her NOT to mention Mara or Red. She wisely avoided mentioning the Ravager prototype, instead mentioning the Dimdwell had installed only a cyber eye. She also forwarded the images and video she had taken, which Cutter appreciated. ¡°You know, that water tends to be irradiated. You should get checked out.¡± Cutter recommended. ¡°That, and you might want a new cyber eye. That one might have a tracker, and might be broadcasting. It isn¡¯t now, not that I can tell, but consider it.¡± ¡°Yeah, just as soon as I get insurance.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fair.¡± She hit a button. ¡°You staying in Backner Basin?¡± ¡°How¡¯d you guess?¡± R4 asked. ¡°Well one, it¡¯s in your info. Second, that¡¯s where everyone who¡¯s new to the city stays. They call it Beginner Basin for a reason. Lots of lowlifes hang out there preying on folks like you.¡± Cutter replied. ¡°Of course, you also don¡¯t have a lot of money, so once they¡¯ve cut their teeth they tend to wander to Greensfield or the industrial district. If we have any questions we¡¯ll come knocking.¡± She paused before several red lights lit up on her armor. ¡°And I recommend staying put, you do not want us to have to go looking for you.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± R4 quickly found the furthest corner of the round elevator and stood very still. She noticed that, as she had talked, her cuts had healed. After about 20 minutes Issac and Vincent returned. ¡°Find anything? There is at least one more of those things out there.¡± ¡°Found a bunch of scratch marks, couple of shadow critters that were smart enough to run for their holes before Mr. Flaming sword decided to burn them to ash.¡± ¡°They are evil and must be purged.¡± Issac replied matter of factly. ¡°Sure buddy, we¡¯ll get to them in time.¡± Harris replied, patting Issac on the back. ¡°What are we doing with the girl, is she a witness?¡± ¡°Yep, already debriefed. Take her back topside and cut her loose. She¡¯s been in the city less than a week and already been kidnapped, forcibly chipped, and encountered two cyberpsychos. Welcome to Nu¡¯Grav.¡± The other two entered the elevator and R4 heard the soft whir of the motor as it ascended. The three division members took off their helmets. All three had the form of odd attractiveness that nanite augmentation tended to bring. Vincent was bald, yet his skin was free of blemish and his chin had a sort of squareness associated with honesty and hard work. Blue eyes seemed to project an innocence that could only be manufactured. Cutter had short red hair in dreads that faded to pink then white and contrasted against her darkened skin. Both of her green eyes were clearly cybernetic as they had a trio of tiny skulls surrounding the pupil. She had been wearing make up, and before R4¡¯s eyes it seemed to fix itself. Issac, he looked like he had been ripped from a magazine cover post photo shop. Short blonde hair seemed to reform into place, his tanned skin free of blemish and his chin square and strong. He smiled showing off dazzling teeth that were just a bit too shiny to be bone. His brilliant blue eyes locked on R4, yet only benevolence remained there. ¡°Hazaa! Then we shall return victorious and celebrate another victory. Tell me fair maiden, will you join us in our revelry?¡± R4 blinked once, twice, ¡°Are y¡¯all fer real?¡± ¡°Issac, take it down a notch.¡± Cutter¡¯s voice was soft but firm. ¡°You¡¯re going to break something.¡± ¡°Right,¡± R4 noticed some of the shine leave Issac¡¯s eyes. ¡°Still, another success and we should celebrate.¡± ¡°I¡¯m game, Cutter?¡± ¡°I want to go over that creature you guys fought, Ratface?¡± R4 nodded. ¡°Apparently there was another one. I need to get a head start if these things start popping up.¡± ¡°Eh, you¡¯re no fun. How about you miss?¡± R4 eyed Issac. He was handsome, but a trill of fear shot down her spine. How had she gotten kidnapped, she searched her memories and found them fuzzy. ¡°Some other time, I have to go home and make sure whoever grabbed me didn¡¯t ransack my home.¡± ¡°The villains. Then at least allow me to walk you home. It¡¯s a dangerous city after all.¡± Vincent smiled. ¡°That¡¯s a great idea Issac.¡± Cutter looked worried. ¡°Just be home by 10, you don¡¯t want to be half way through a diagnostic when the boss calls.¡± ¡°Sure, no problem.¡± Stepping out of the elevator was like stepping into another world. The dark damp air was gone, replaced by the scent of bio- diesel fumes and metal. As the team stepped out they were quickly approached by a young woman in glasses and blonde hair. She was not armored, favoring a black suit and skirt with sensible heels. ¡°Uh oh. Hey Ice Queen. I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯re here with good news this time.¡± Vincent spoke hesitantly. ¡°For the last time my name is Inlee, and you have a gig. If you don¡¯t get right now you¡¯ll get stuck in rush hour traffic.¡± She eyed R4. ¡°And who is this?¡± ¡°A rescue from below.¡± Cutter spoke up. ¡°I¡¯ll mark it to the city¡¯s tab.¡± She pointed to a large black vehicle that looked like something between a van and a tank. ¡°Now move.¡± ¡°To glory, HAZAA!¡± Issac called and charged towards the large black van that waited for them. Within moments they were gone. Inlee eyed R4 for a moment before taking a picture of her and stalking off towards the street. As she approached a black car pulled up and opened its door. Within moments she was gone and R4 was alone. A sudden urge gripped her, one strong enough to distract her from the phone ringing in her pocket. Looking around she found she was standing next to a four lane street next to a tall metal building. Looking up and down the street she saw that countless other skyscraping buildings reached up in defiance of gravity and the heavens. The one next to her was marked in bright Neon letters ¡°Mars: Peace through Force¡± yet that is not what called to her. Higher, even above the building, a symbol of a blade crossed with a gun floated in the holographic sky. R4¡¯s teeth buzzed, her eyes locked upon that symbol. More than sleep, more than food, she needed to get up there. As she began searching for a fire escape she could climb some logical part of her brain reminded her that certain fungi drove ants to climb as high as they could. Yet she dismissed it in her search. Finding the fire escape was easy, the only problem was it was up about a floor with a collapsable ladder blocking it. Up above she saw three men in business attire smoking. ¡°Hey, can ya¡¯ let me up?¡± She asked. One of the men nearly dropped his cigarette when he saw her. The three men looked down at her, then looked at one another. ¡°Why?¡± One man asked. ¡°I want to see the city from the top.¡± It wasn¡¯t a lie. ¡°The answer is still no. Roof access is only for execs of the Mars corporation.¡± He made a gesture with his cigarette. ¡°While your taste in clothing is on point, can¡¯t let you up.¡± His phone buzzed. ¡°Dang, got to get back.¡± He turned and pulled on the door, nothing. He pulled again. ¡°COME ON!¡± R4 saw his arm open up, several lights beginning to glow as his hand charged up. ¡°Wait Rom, if you rip the door open you¡¯ll set off the alarm and Giy will know we¡¯re out here.¡± one of the other men exclaimed. ¡°We have to pick it.¡± ¡°And do you have a lockpick?¡± R4 eyed the building, took a step back, and jumped. With a little telekinesis she anchored herself to the wall for just a moment, and quick as a wink pulled herself up to the fire escape much to the surprise of the men currently on it. ¡°Let me give it a go.¡± The men looked at each other, but stepped back. With a gesture her tool arm was open and within 6 seconds the door was open. ¡°There ya¡¯ go.¡± ¡°That was a tier 1 door.¡± Rom muttered. ¡°Tier one in strength, but tier 1 locks are REALLY hard ta¡¯ carve right since the metals are so tough. Unless ya¡¯ spring for the REALLY good locks tier 1 are usually easier to pick than normal. Not sure if that¡¯s true with a tier 2, never tried it. Now best get in there ¡®fore yer¡¯ boss catches ya.¡± R4 winked. ¡°I won¡¯t tell if you don¡¯t, if ya¡¯ get my meaning.¡± ¡°Right.¡± And with that R4 was alone on the fire escape. The climb was quick, and R4 ignored several notifications as she ascended. Twice she had to manipulate a hidden latch to drop another section of the fire escape, yet she made it to the top. As she stepped to the roof she found herself looking over the city, yet at the same time she was not. Nu¡¯Grav was a city of tiers. The lowest tier was separated from the rest of the world only by a line on a map and a section where the well paved roads gave way to crumbling infrastructure. She looked back at the world, her home for the last 25 years. If she peered very hard she could almost believe she could still see the great tower her father and grandfather had poured their lives into building, that her brother had given his life to protect. Then she turned towards the city. In the fading lights the neon and LED made the towering walls of the artificial island that housed the upper districts glow like something out of a dream. The ever present steam and fog from the geothermal plants that surrounded the upper city cast the structures in a fuzzy haze, further amplifying the effects of the dream. While the middle section was easily accessible, at least to visit, the three meter wall and the checkpoints at the ramps ensured anyone who visited knew they were just visiting. Yet it was the center of the city which held the true marvels. The center of the city was not just a space, but a huge arcology. Its towering T4 metals were covered in lights, ads for everything from soda and cars to firearms and cybernetics flickered across the thing. Even higher was the great space elevator which reached up into orbit. ¡°Nu¡¯Grav, the city of Tiers. Birthplace of the first true AI. Home to one of the two space elevators on Terrazzo.¡± R4 said, taking a picture with her phone. ¡°For now.¡± As she did her phone buzzed one final time. ¡°32 missed texts, four messages, and a whole lot of notifications. Guess I¡¯d better deal with those.¡± She looked down from the roof. ¡°After I get down. Getting down was easier than getting up, and even in the setting of the sun the lights of the city were more than sufficient illumination. R4 considered hailing a cab, but a quick check on one of the many apps that came with her phone indicated they were a premium. Also a notification from the job app appeared.
Climb as high as you can high Team size: 1 Hazard: blood spotted
Company: Fangs of Mara Contact: The Red Queen Reward: Reflection and 30 exp
Coming up from the tunnels can be disorienting. Climb as high as you can to get a look at where you are. This has nothing to do with losing your GPS signal, don¡¯t worry about it. Bonus exp if you manage to get past those folks on the fire escape.
R4 shook her head. ¡°Ok, now how did you even know about those? Are you¡­ are you looking through my eye? Am I broadcasting?¡± She opened the app and examined her eye, only to notice a new cyberware had appeared on her My Mesh app. [[Non-cyberware]]
Mars Corp Lionskin coat (T0): Stylish, comfortable, bulletproof.* *Armor rating 1 Red Queen Living jacket (T1): Designed by Mars Corp, Warranty voided by The Red Queen. Provides 1X+1 armor without penalty.
NETSET basic phone (T0): For calls texts and the apps you just can¡¯t live without. NETSET basic phone (T1): Warranty voided by The Red Queen. What are these roaming charges you speak of? Can display images only visible with a Ravager Eye. Charges based on resonance. Voice commands via resonant recognized
NOKE Shoes: Already done N/A. Just regular shoes. Given what you¡¯ve been walking in probably want to replace them though.
Mars Corp Survivalist line (T0): Stylish enough for the office, durable enough for a firefight. N/A. Regular clothes. Not everything can be special. Might want to wash them though
Mars Corp Tactical water bottle (T0): Slaughter your thirst. N/A. Still a nice water bottle. Has a tiny UV light in the bottle to kill off pathogens, powered by resonance with minor tweaking. Not really important in an urban setting, but handy if normal drinking water isn¡¯t available. Does not filter out toxins.
[[My Cyberware]]
Cyberware: Cybernetic implants, or what others will see Subversion: Aspects of the ravager prototype. These are hidden from most users but advanced sensors may detect irregularities and reveal these. The exact limits are unknown
Gentek Basic skeleton reinforcement (T0): a basic skeleton given to children with brittle bones RAVAGER_PROTOTYPE (T1): Due to its experimental nature the ravager prototype is highly variable. The ravager may alter other cyberware¡¯s function. Current deployment 45%. Proper ascension is required before it can reach 100% Note: This cyberware is still in development. Please leave your notes and experiences to help those that follow you.
Gentek Biomonitors (T0 passive): Monitors user¡¯s body to alert them to damage Regeneration cyst (T1 Passive): Monitors and repairs the body. Heals cuts and treats poisons in minutes. Appears to create stem cells at an accelerated rate. Repairs scars in hours. May be able to regenerate fingers, possibly limbs? (Moderator Red Queen has requested refraining from testing this) Telekinetic cyst (T0 Active): Ravagers hosts have been noted to use telekineisis at short range. It is theorized these unusual clusters of nerves and cysts have something to do with it. (Moderator Red Queen has moved this as telekinesis seems to come from the entire body, not just the hands). Telekinetic Claws (T0 Active?) Allows for the host to extend claws from the hands, and possibly the feet and mouth. (Moderator Red Queen has marked this to be revised as while it has to be activated there is no cost)
Mars Corp Cyclopes cybereye (T1): A single eye cyberware designed to replace missing vision. Grants the ability to see in low light conditions and at range of up to 2 kilometers. Allows the user to record data RAVAGER_EYE (T1): A single eye which allows the user to zoom in on distant targets without losing peripheral vision. Can focus on up to two objects at a time at up to 5 kilometers. Grants thermal and dark vision at close range, while also allowing the host to see hidden messages. This eye is armored (hardness 5). Allows the user to record data
Mars Corp Military hardened MESH (T1 Active/passive): Provides connection and power to a number of small devices and cyberware. If user is targeted by unauthorized hacking attempts they may retaliate with damaging ICE Innate human mimicry (T1 Passive): H0$t is HO0Man. U no C33. (Moderator Red Queen has dictated this needs edits) Flare protocol (T0 Active): Forces power through all subverted tissues. Increases all subverted cyberware and tissues by one tier for a short time. Recharge 2 ATP([X][O]) Cooldown 10 minutes (0 remaining). Causes permanent damage to the host.
Digital Key ring: holds codes and log in credentials Keys to the kingdom (T1 Passive): Holds key codes and log in credentials. Holding multiple keys from the same company may allow for unauthorized access based on programming flaws.
Unknown model Tool arm: Provides a number of small tools. Ravager toxin reserve: Possible? Osteoblast/clast microfactorum: grows and dissasembles small tools. Also stores mundane tool arm tools.
¡°Still in beta testing I, wait, Permanent damage? I used that twice. Dang.¡± R4 shook her head. ¡°And what is ATP?¡± Her stomach growled, and she reached for a bar that was not there. ¡°Guess I¡¯d better get home for dinner.¡±
Chapter 5: Rehousing. Keywords: Keywords: Answers, Betrayal, Concern, Reunion Chapter 5 Rehousing Prompts: Answers, Betrayal, Concern, Reunion The tram station was not far from the building, just a quick flight of steps up and onto the hanging monorail. To the side a few folks were waiting to use the elevator, really just a platform with some guardrails. Of the five people waiting one had a hefty cart and another was in a wheelchair, the other three either had less visible conditions or just didn¡¯t want to use the stairs. She swiped her hand over the reader to allow it to read her digital keyring. [[Keys to the kingdom has absorbed data from Nu¡¯Grav transportation incorporated. Host may pose as a VIP for special benefits or free rides.]] ¡°Let¡¯s not abuse that.¡± R4 replied as the tram entered the station. The tram itself was once sleek and silver, an areodynamic looking box with stylish fins and clear windows. Several of those fins were now missing, and various tags had been sprayed on some of the walls. One, R4 noticed, was actually made from living moss in a peace sign. As the doors opened R4 stepped on to find the tram was somewhat sparse, though checking her phone she found it was 6:50 so just before the end of the second wave work day. She noticed someone reaching for her phone and slapped his hand away. ¡°No.¡± The punk, and judging by the red mohawk and black jacket he was definitely trying to be a punk, took a step back and retreated to the back of the tram. As she rode her stats window flashed into her view. FRAME (50 exp)
Force 4 Athletics: 1 Brute: 2 Endurance: 1 Resolve: ? Swimming: 2
Reflexes 3 Acrobatics: 1 Firearms: ? Melee: 2 Parry: 0 Stealth: 1
Aptitude 4 Driving: ? Medicine: ? Pickpocket: ? Security: 1 Technology: 2
Mind 4 Bureaucracy: 0 Computers: ? Research: ? Perception: 1 Science: 1 Survival: 1
Empathy 2 Animals: 0 Comprehension: ? Intimidation: ? Persuasion: 1 Subterfuge: 1
E4 eyed the screen, then put her phone to her ear. ¡°Hey, I hear y¡¯all. Just got your text, but a little clarification would be lovely.¡± No clarification was forthcoming. Coming to her stop R4 hopped off, cuffing the thief who tried to pick her pocket on the way out. Hopping off she descended the long concrete stairs lined with neon and advertisements. She saw several for Swif-cola and a few for Kricket Bars. There were even a few ads for firearms, most showing the heroic buyer gunning down a cyberpsycho whose face bore one glowing red eye and one freshly ruined sensor. Using a bit of cybernetic trickery as soon as R4 looked at the add she saw her own face in the face of the hero, or heroine in this case. It was a bit odd, seeing her own face plastered over a body that wasn¡¯t hers, made more obvious as all she wore was a white undershirt and underwear. Apparently she had been attacked while asleep from the bed in the background. A quick scan of a QR code dropped the address for one such shop into her phone. She noticed a button for delivery, yet it cost an additional 30 credits. Walking the busy streets, busy with both foot traffic and cars, she found her apartment complex. It was a sprawling building, four full blocks in size and a kilometer high. Within were everything from block sized apartments to tiny coffin sleeping pods. On the outside it had a slick red plastic look, but the facade faded almost immediately to the concrete and rebar within. She had to duck her head through the doorway, and even the hallways were just under 2 meters in height, giving it a claustrophobic feel. Twice R4 noticed a rat just before it scampered out from a pile of rubbish someone had left behind. Finally R4 approached the door to her own pod. ¡°ACCESS DENIED.¡± ¡°Come again?¡± R4¡¯s tool arm opened up, ready to slice into the lock and set it straight. ¡°What do you mean Access denied? I live here.¡± She took a breath, put away her tools, and quickly marched her way to the first floor to pound on the manager¡¯s door. The door was solid steel, T1 if she didn¡¯t miss the mark, and had six key holes on the side each marked with a complex looking circuit design. ¡°Go away, we¡¯re closed.¡± R4 eyed the door, and began knocking again. There was no response. ¡°Yeah, he ain¡¯t coming out.¡± A muscular man in boxers and a leather jacket said as he stepped out from the room across the hall. R4 immediately eyed the large metal arms and the taser that seemed built into the left one. Some kind of metal badge seemed to be pinned to his jacket. From the look in his eyes he was either on medication, on some manner of drugs, or still half asleep. ¡°Well my door¡¯s rejecting my key, and he needs to fix it.¡± R4 replied. ¡°Look, can you just leave? I¡¯ve got to be up in six hours and you¡¯re not helping. ¡°No I can¡¯t jus¡¯ leave. I spent 2,000 credits for an apartment, an¡¯ now it¡¯s sayin¡¯ I don¡¯t live there. Either I get my credits back, or I get my room.¡± R4 retorted. A thought occurred. Her tool arm opened, and thick bone wove itself around her hand. A sly grin crossed her face. ¡°You¡¯re not about to shoot the place up are you, because if you are I¡¯m calling the police.¡± ¡°Tell me, how would you get his attention?¡± R4 asked. ¡°Those metal hands of yours must make quite the racket.¡± ¡°Oh yeah, he opens up quick for me, because he knows I¡¯ll knock down the door. A little girl like you,¡± R4 turned, and tapped gently on the door, listening closely to the echo. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Well this is a T1 door, no way I can break through it.¡± R4 grinned. ¡°But do you think he sprung for T1 hinges?¡± ¡°Listen, girl, the land lord gives me a break in rent for keeping riff raff out.¡± R4 was already knocking at different parts of the door, getting louder as she went. ¡°You break down that door, I¡¯m going to have to,¡± With a final knock R4 drew back her fist, only for the man to grab her. ¡°Now you listen,¡± With a telekinetic shove R4 had him pressed against the far wall before lifting him up by the neck without touching him. The claws tore through his throat with ease. He didn¡¯t even have time to flinch before his lifeblood drained from him. Horrific hunger surged through R4 as she tore into his flesh. Blunt teeth sharpened into long fangs as the legs of the ravager pushed through her gums to slice flesh and carry it down her throat. She swallowed greedily, the telekinetic blades projected by the legs making it easy to swallow. Within her stomach more blades cut on a molecular level. Proteins and fats were barely absorbed before they were reprocessed. Her muscles swelled and compacted, becoming strong and lean. Long claws pushed permanently through her hands as long horns pushed their way through her skull. A notice that she had reached tier 1 echoed through her mind as she finished off the meat before her. The door was next, her claws shredding the cheap tier one metal with ease. The landlord didn¡¯t even have time to send his e-mail to the dimdwell that he had found their next target. His schemes died, but his thoughts did not. Even as R4 devoured his mind his thoughts were absorbed. Finding herself in his e-mail R4 read quickly and thoroughly, her stomach already growling as she looked for her next meal. Her landlord was feeding the dimdwell tenants he found troublesome. Her mind awash in his thoughts she easily sent a mock e-mail to them telling of a group of party goers who would be drunk and high, easy prey. Her stomach growling she cleared out his pantry, his own mind helping her to find the good stuff. A response informed her the dimdwell would be there in an hour. Her growling stomach would not wait that long. It was time to go hunting. Through the halls she stalked, where she heard a sound she sliced through the lock and ravaged those she found before re-purposing their flesh within the endless pit that was her stomach. As she continued the locks got harder regardless of their actual rank. With all those proteins getting refolded, a few may have misfolded. Just a few, just enough. It was no matter, it did not take much brain power to hunt and at this stage it was easier to simply cut through the doors regardless of their material. The dimdwell arrived expecting easy prey. They found a thirty two horned ravager, easily tier 3. With a final roar she engaged flare protocol, and the feast began. R4 shook her head, her vision clearing even as she strangled the man against the ceiling. His face was turning red and his struggling ceased. She quickly released and the man let out a gasp. ¡°What. The. F,¡± ¡°Now it¡¯s not polite to swear.¡± R4 replied. The man raised his taser arm, just in time for R4 to stab through his arm with her claws. The taser sparked, but it merely disrupted the telekinetic field and causing it to fan out in a steel wool pattern before dumping its electrical load back into the man. A quick hop carried R4 far enough away that the man¡¯s spasms didn¡¯t hit her, though one errant twitch sent him into the landlord¡¯s door before the following put enough force into the door to leave a sizable dent. As R4 was pondering her next move the door opened, and the man slumped inside. ¡°What the F*** Harold?¡± ¡°Good evening Mr. Lindhold.¡± R4 spoke up, a sweet smile on her face that belayed the violence that had just occurred. ¡°A word if you will.¡± Ronald Lindold was a heavyset man slightly shorter than R4 and about 50 kilograms heavier all of it on his stomach. His gray hair formed a ragged halo around his bald head as well as a short goatee and mustache that sat beneath a long and pointed nose. Cheap cyber eyes that resembled black doll eyes stared back. The man clearly was just waking up, given he was dressed in a white undershirt, blue striped boxers, and matching bunny slippers. He eyed his bouncer, then the young lady staring at him. ¡°I don¡¯t have any open rooms.¡± He tried to shut the door, only to find his bouncer¡¯s body holding it open. ¡°Hey Harold, get up.¡± He promptly poured the coffee in his mug on the man¡¯s head, eliciting a groan. ¡°Now listen lady, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on with you,¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on is you changed my lock.¡± R4 replied, eyes locking on the man. Immediately she was aware of his accelerated heart rate, her right eye picking up on the pulse in his neck. ¡°Now, why would you do something like that? I paid for the month, and still had a month¡¯s deposit. Why,¡± She took a step forwards, long legs piercing between the gaps in her teeth like needle fangs. ¡°It¡¯s almost like you didn¡¯t expect me to come back. I¡¯m sure you had nothing to do with the dimdwell that tried to grab me.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know anything about that.¡± He lied. She knew he lied. ¡°Those cheap eyes don¡¯t hide the fear in your voice.¡± R4 spoke. ¡°You sold me out.¡± ¡°Category 1 threat!¡± Immediately twin turrets dropped out of the ceiling. Both aimed at R4, and began to let out a mechanical whine as their turbines spun up. ¡°Better run rentoid. Those turrets,¡± Before he could finish speaking R4 was moving. From the whine of the turbines and the twin barrels she immediately identified the turrets as a variety of the Lok-1 Th0r brand turrets, which fired a charged beam to stun or knock out the target. From the loosely hanging wires surrounding them she identified that someone had rewired them, either to use a lower charge or to bypass the safeguards designed to stop them from horrifically reducing their target to ash rather than being a painful but non-lethal weapon. With a quick step her claws were out, and a single wave of the hand sliced through the wires as if they were spiderwebs. R4 felt the electricity disrupt the claws slightly, but they still did the job. A quick step carried her to the other turret which was already moving to track her. A second blow cut not only the wires, but nicked the base and sent the entire thing to the ground with a BANG! This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°What the, premium membership for high yield fire, what is this,¡± The man paused, realizing what had happened while he was distracted with the pop up. He stared for a moment before R4 had him by the neck and hanging in the air ¡°I saw the broadcast, half the city did.¡± The man spoke quickly. ¡°I saw you die, so I rented out the room to a nice couple who needed it.¡± He reached into his boxers for something, R4 guessed a gun. ¡°I¡¯m a respectable business man, just providing housing.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± R4 replied, tossing him back into his room with a gesture. Inside her arm was feeling weary from choking out two men with telekinesis. There was a loud CRACK of something plastic smashing under his weight. ¡°And what happened to my gear? I¡¯m sure you didn¡¯t trash it. Planning to sell it to another tech? And what of my deposit?¡± ¡°H-here!¡± He made a gesture and 4000 credits dropped into her account. ¡°Just get your stuff and get out.¡± He dove for an inner door, rolling as he went before slamming the cheap wooden door behind him. R4 drew her claws, ready to go after the man, before her phone buzzed, notifying her she had been given the keys to a nearby storage warehouse for 4 hours. ¡°I¡¯m betting that¡¯s to get me to hurry up and leave.¡± She muttered. She eyed the door, cutting a large X into it before turning away. ¡°Ya¡¯ win this time ya¡¯ leech.¡± [[Intimidate synchronized to +1]] R4 easily made it to the storage unit in time, opening it with her digital key and retrieving her belongings. The storage building was like the apartment complex in that it was mostly concrete and metal. The storage room her stuff had been placed in was filled with other bags and carry alls. R4 eyed them, and took a few pictures. ¡°How much does he make from all this?¡± ¡°Lindhold the Looter?¡± R4 turned to see an older woman getting something out of another storage unit. She wore a short green top and pants with a large section of her midsection exposed. She held up an old hard drive, then went back to looking through a large black bag from within the storage unit. R4 estimated her at 40-50 based on the spattering of gray hair on her head, though she had no other signs of her age. ¡°Yeah, how¡¯d you know?¡± ¡°That¡¯s his unit. I¡¯ve been renting the one across from him for 55 years, every month or so he chucks another bag or two in there. Part of me thinks he¡¯s murdering his tenants, but the NGPD haven¡¯t come to take him away. You¡¯re the first I¡¯ve seen reclaiming anything.¡± ¡°I got grabbed by the Dimdwell, apparently he saw it on the dark net and klepped my stuff. I guess he didn¡¯t expect me to make it back.¡± ¡°Blind net.¡± She replied. ¡°You survived the slaughterhouse?¡± Immediately R4 had her claws out, though given they were telekinetic the woman didn¡¯t notice. She did, however, notice when R4¡¯s stance changed. ¡°Easy there Remote,¡± She let her hand go to her hip where R4 noticed a small handgun. ¡°I¡¯m no Dimdwell, but if you come at me I will shoot you.¡± ¡°You know about that horror?¡± R4 asked. ¡°You¡¯re in Nu¡¯Grav, everyone knows about the Dimdwell and how they make money. I¡¯ve seen the recordings, everyone has. The Scream Sheets love shoving the images in our faces, demanding the NGPD do something but we all know they won¡¯t. Too dangerous they say, not an effective use of manpower.¡± She shrugged. ¡°You stay out of the shadows, stay out of the bad parts of town, and hope. If you¡¯re smart you get the biggest gun you can use and carry it like it¡¯s your kid, one you care about.¡± R4 eyed the woman. ¡°Much obliged.¡± She replied with a nod before shutting the locker. Her next step was storing her stuff until she could get a new apartment. It took all of five minutes to move to another smaller storage locker and rent it for a month. [[Notice: Keys to the kingdom has analyzed the digital locks to this unit. Skeleton key has been created. All doors are open to host R4.]] R4 considered it, before placing her things within the locker. ¡°Mark my locker as high security. None may open it without my say so.¡± As she spoke the words her instructions were carried out by her own hands. In her mind¡¯s eye she could see how to do what she wanted, as if old memories and common sense coalesced into a path as easy to walk as a sidewalk. ¡°Hmmm, is that why AI are feared? Being able to impart skills into their subordinates within minutes that would otherwise take months, without the subordinate even knowing?¡± R4 paused, thinking. ¡°Scary thought, now if I were an AI and my subordinates started realizing I could do that I¡¯d either get rid of that one, or distract them with,¡± At that moment R4¡¯s stomach began to growl, and her phone began to buzz with a promo ad for a hotdog stand which was located just a single road over. ¡°I get it, I get it. Ceasing pointless worrying, initiating food seeking protocol.¡± She trilled. As she walked out she tried not to think too hard about the short burst of dopamine that trickled across her brain. Finding the vendor R4 purchased a single hot dog, which to her surprise came prepackaged in plastic. She found a spot next to a bench to eat, eyeing the spikes on the bench that would descend for the low price of 1 credit per hour. ¡°Who even thinks of this stuff?¡± She muttered, mumbling. A thought occurred, and she extended her phone to the bench, spending a single credit before reaching for Keys to the Kingdom. [[10 exp. You have access to all benches]] E4 eyed the bench, and decided to stand anyhow. She took a bite of her hotdog, and was struck by the odd rubbery taste and the stale tasting bun. She examined the wrapper, ¡°This expired, three hundred years into the future from yesterday? That,¡± She eyed the wrapper. ¡°Locust Brand Kricket dog, made from a blend of Desert Locust and tank grown beef. Guaranteed fresh for 300 years.¡± She eyed the so called food again. ¡°I get the feeling I¡¯d get more nutrients from the wrapper.¡± An urge came over her to shove the whole thing in her mouth. ¡°Seriously?¡± Her phone buzzed.
Gentek synth-stomach (T0): Don¡¯t just touch grass, Eat it. Allows for the consumption and absorption of nutrients normally beyond human ability. Does not protect against poison Scavenger stomach (T1): allows the host to digest just about anything they can swallow of their tier or lower. Metals and plastics can be digested and excreted in usable forms if available subversions are present (osteoblast/clast microfactorum viable). Ingested poisons may be identified with an Perception+Medicine check. On a success host will realize they have been poisoned and be able to counteract the poison with an Endurance+Medicine+tier check. On a failure host will use Endurance+tier rather than just Endurance to resist the effects. On a critical success the host may create a counter agent that may be shared
[[Cost: 1 Gentek synth stomach, 20,000 calories, 1 bottle of multivitamins, 200 grams of iron, 200 grams of carbon (ingesting an appropriate amount of steel will work as well), 260 grams of protein.]] ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s expensive tech, think I¡¯ll be passin¡¯ on that thank ya¡¯ very much.¡± R4 trilled, before an ad for just such a part appeared on her phone. ¡°Still 8000 credits.¡± E4 replied, earning an odd look from a man in a black suit she walking past. E4 raised her phone to her ear. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, stop sending me things out of my price range.¡± She quickly switched to Common, only then realizing she had been speaking Resonant rather than Common. ¡°Look, I don¡¯t have the money to be buying expensive cyberware if I need a place to live.¡± Flipping to a web browser on her phone, R4 pulled up a file she had saved before coming to the city. The first directive was ¡°If you¡¯re on your phone put your back to a wall.¡± R4 quickly found a building, she wasn¡¯t sure what it was save its walls were made from some sort of plastic stone, and continued. She quickly found the entry she was looking for. ¡°If you lose your shelter, attempt to secure storage at a 24 hour gym. You will have access to water, a storage locker, restrooms, and a shower. As you are a member these things are often included in the price.¡± She read a bit further on the directives, only then noticing a black list of apartments not to rent. Sure enough, the one she had been at was highlighted in Red. ¡°How did I miss,¡± She checked the file, and saw it had been updated two hours previously. ¡°Ah, that explains it.¡± Checking over a few locations she saw a bunch of gyms that were very highly rated, until she noticed the reviews all had eerily similar descriptions. Something about them just seemed off to her.
Come and try this unique and refreshing experience. No peer pressure and no long term commitment. Join for a one time fee and just watch as the fat melts right off your bones. Train with the latest in cybernetic traininging programs and get into the best shape of your life. Wedding, funeral, fight behind a Waddle house, we have a training plan for every occasion and a payment plan for every budget.
That same exact review, on every one of the gyms. R4 wasn¡¯t even sure what a Waddle House was. Finally she found one nearby that had more negative reviews, but those reviews also set of the same alarm bells that the positive reviews in the other gyms did. The place was not too far from where she had been living. The structure was large and black, appearing to be made from metal though E4 couldn¡¯t tell if that was a facade or reality. The structure¡¯s shape was odd. It took R4 a moment to figure out what it was, but when she saw the name of the gym it forced a laugh out of her. The Pain Train. The buiding was called The Pain Train and it was shaped like a giant black streamliner train with streaks of RGB lights going along it. R4 quickly took a picture, vowing to send it back to her folks once she got an internet connection. She checked her phone, ensuring the data exchange was set to a minimum before looking back at her destination. ¡°Even if I don¡¯t go with this place, I have to see what¡¯s inside.¡± R4 looked both ways before crossing the road, and still almost got hit. Only a quick lunge forward threw her out of the way of a car with so many scratches she couldn¡¯t tell what color it should have been. A mohawked individual with more metal than flesh flashed her the double bird, his many fingered hands allowing him to give two middle fingers. R4 rolled her eyes and stepped inside. Immediately the cool air washed over her, the smell of sanitized air touched with hints of wood smoke followed after. All around her. R4 could see men and women, though mostly men men, doing lifts, squats and other exercises. She even saw five people running on the same extended treadmill, each one in a line and wearing a similar uniform. It took R4 all of 5 seconds to find a desk at which she could sign up. She quickly purchased a membership, costing a surprisingly low 200 Credits per month, before adding a locker for an additional 100 credits. ¡°Hey, new girl.¡± A voice called. R4 turned to see a rather muscular man approaching her. The man was rippling with muscles, though she could see lights glowing from beneath. ¡°Need a spotter?¡± ¡°Hon, don¡¯t start this again.¡± R4 heard another, slightly less muscular, man whisper under his breath. R4 thought they might be brothers, both having similar facial features, similar straight hair though Hon had bleached his, and the exact same almond shaped brown eyes. The younger, maybe, brother seemed to have less augmentation. ¡°Please.¡± ¡°So what do you say?¡± Hon asked, flexing in such a way it looked as if the undershirt he was wearing would rip, and R4 noted it had been patched a few times. ¡°If you keep flexing like that you¡¯re going to rip your shirt again.¡± R4 replied. The man grinned at the compliment. ¡°If ya¡¯ can¡¯t take good care a¡¯ yer¡¯ shirt, can ya¡¯ be a good spotter?¡± R4 could see the moment her words hit their mark. The man opened his mouth to speak, then thought about it. As he considered she stepped into the woman¡¯s changing room. Purchasing a locker was simple and easy, and R4 quickly took a shower to get the stink of the under city off of her. The hot water of the shower felt like Heaven to her weary muscles, reminding her of how tired she was. She felt her eyes droop, only for a small shot of adrenaline to open them back up. Still, she could hear the ticking clock in the back of her mind, her heart marking every fleeting moment until she would HAVE to rest. Looking in the mirror which had for some reason been placed in the shower she saw how thin she looked. Bones seemed to jut out of her skin, making it look as if she hadn¡¯t eaten in a week. The weariness began to slip in, further pushing her to rest. As she dressed she saw a poster. ¡°Capsules for rent. 200 credits per week.¡± She read through the ad. Two things stuck out to her. First, it was printed on paper rather than being a video screen. Second, the rooms appeared to be within the gym itself. ¡°It would be cheaper than my old place, less space.¡± She read through it again, several red flags jumping out to her. Pulling up her old contract on her phone she checked, and found several more concerning red flags, including a clause about her body being sold to corpse breakers if she was found dead in her room. ¡°I think I¡¯ll take a bit more of a look around.¡± Even as she said it, she knew she wouldn¡¯t have the energy. ¡°It¡¯s just for one week, just to lay my head.¡± With the press of a button the contract was signed. She immediately was aware that the capsule was right above her, the next floor up. ¡°Ok, now just have to find work, and I¡¯ll be set.¡± Now clean, fed, and dressed R4 walked from the showers to see the same man waiting for her. ¡°You finally think of a good response?¡± ¡°I think we got off on the wrong foot.¡± The man replied. ¡°My name¡¯s Hon. Professional Solo, body guard, and gun for hire.¡± ¡°R4, Tech.¡± ¡°Really? You signed with a contract yet?¡± R4 hesitated at how Hon¡¯s eyes lit up, but she shook her head. ¡°Great, Coach has been looking for a tech for weeks since the last one died.¡± R4 saw his eyes take a vacant look as he sent a text using some manner of internal phone. ¡°Wait, died?¡± R4¡¯s claws were out, though due to their telekinetic nature it was not obvious. She tensed, ready to bolt. She felt adrenaline flow into her bloodstream and took a step towards the door. ¡°R4?¡± R4 recognized the voice as she turned to see a bull of a man in a tank top shirt and gym shorts, both in a dark blue with an emblem of a black train rumbling towards the viewer on the shirt and a trim of white train tracks on the shorts. The words ¡°Fitness conductor¡± were emblazoned over his chest. ¡°C2?¡± R4 asked. ¡°You made it out!¡± ¡°I guess I did,¡± He chuckled, the red dots in his eyes spinning around the central dot as they expanded. Now that they weren¡¯t in a life or death struggle R4 noticed just how bulky the man was, though the scars and bruising had either healed or been covered up. He had to be at least 120 kg of pure muscle. Where his hair had been crudely cut it was now shaved down. ¡°And you too. Did N2 make it out?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, we got separated.¡± R4 replied. ¡°I wound up in some hidden corner of the undercity, managed to salvage some gear, and took a job that ended with me getting on an elevator and back to the surface.¡± ¡°Seems you have the right instincts for this place.¡± C2 replied, clapping her on the shoulder. ¡°I was worried with you being a remote and all, but please, out here call me Coach. Everyone else does. On that note, I don¡¯t think I caught your name. There are no Dimdwell out here to overhear.¡± R4 shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m sticking with R4 for now. My old name feels, weird. I think it has to do with this new cyberware.¡± ¡°Where did you get cyberware in the undercity?¡± Hon asked, earning a disdainful look from Coach. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Cyberware is personal. If she wants to show it off that¡¯s her choice.¡± Coach replied. ¡°Still, I know a good ripper who can keep things on the down low.¡± ¡°No health insurance.¡± R4 replied, which elicited a nod from all parties involved. ¡°Yep, that¡¯s something we all face.¡± Coach replied. ¡°Coach, you own this place, you have employees.¡± Hon replied. ¡°Yep, and I live on the second floor in a pod.¡± He replied. ¡°This isn¡¯t the Solarian Theocracy, we make our own place here.¡± He paused. ¡°But beside that, I take it you were the tech Hon was talking about?¡± ¡°That¡¯s me. I just dropped my tools off in a locker, but I¡¯m ready to work.¡± R4 replied, through a yawn. ¡°Honest.¡± ¡°Well I do have a few things that need fixing, and the local techs have been charging an arm and a leg lately. We¡¯ll start with some gig work, and if that works out it will become a real job.¡± ¡°That, sounds like exactly what the guides to Nu¡¯Grav warn against.¡± R4 replied. ¡°But I¡¯ll take it for now.¡± Coach made a few gestures with a hand, and a job appeared in R4¡¯s phone, which she accepted. R4 was quickly shown to a back room where damaged equipment was stored and got to work. Right away she noticed that most of the stuff was exceedingly complex. There was a Gravrun 4000 which could increase the force of gravity on the body of the runner, a Seatread 360 which was a mobile miniature pool used to practice swimming, and a dozen other complex and very expensive pieces of equipment. The first issue R4 found was most of them had been built to resist tampering. Screws were one way, and the heads all stripped. She made a few gestures to get the proper tools out of her tool arm, but after spending half an hour trying to get open one of the more simple treadmills R4 realized she wasn¡¯t making any progress. ¡°If only I could reach in there and¡­¡± R4 closed her eyes and concentrated. When she opened them she stared at the screw and made a gesture. She could feel the ridges of the screw, and with a small twist she saw the screw turn just a bit. She immediately lost her grip and had to try again, yet in less than a minute she had the device open and she was in business. The first issue was a control chip which, as R4 feared, required a wifi signal. She opened a different treadmill hoping to scrap something from it, but that chip had the same issue. After disassembling six of the things she finally managed to get one in working shape, but the rate limiting step was the control chips. Only one of the treadmills had a chip that didn¡¯t need a wifi signal to work, and that was the one she managed to get working. After reassembling it she ran it for a few minutes, listening for any problems before turning it off. [[Reward: 50 Aptitude exp / 20 aptitude exp and 10 general exp]] She stepped out of the room to see Hon and his friend working on a bench press. ¡°Hey R4, done already?¡± He asked, his current demeanor far from what she expected. ¡°I wish, Y¡¯all sure do love yer¡¯ one way screws.¡± ¡°The bane of anyone who wants to fix something.¡± Hon¡¯s friend replied. ¡°I¡¯m Jun, part time paramedic, part time fixer, full time minder for this lug.¡± ¡°I thought fixers were a thing of the past, given the apps and such.¡± R4 replied. ¡°Maybe if you have the money to post something on an app, but what if you want something done on the down low, or you need something you don¡¯t want the AI to know about? That¡¯s when you need a human fixer. First thing we learn is not to open our mouth.¡± He shot a glance at Hon. ¡°The first thing we teach our customers is not to steal our commissions.¡± ¡°I said I¡¯m sorry, and Coach paid you.¡± Hon replied. ¡°That¡¯s because Coach is old school.¡± Jun replied. ¡°Sorry, you were saying?¡± ¡°You know where I can get some parts on the cheap? All the screws on these things are stripped, and from what I¡¯ve seen most of these chips probably need a wifi signal to a central server to function. If I could get some dumb chips that just trick the machine into thinking there¡¯s a wifi signal and some good old fashioned screws I¡¯d be right as rain.¡± ¡°I know a place, but they¡¯re¡­ tricky.¡± Jun paused. ¡°It¡¯s about 2000 now, and they close up at 1800.¡± ¡°They close at 6, they¡¯re not a 24/7 joint?¡± R4 asked. ¡°The Sunflowers are¡­ weird. They don¡¯t participate in the life, the struggle, the grind.¡± Hon spoke up. ¡°They¡¯re lazy, clannish, and hate cybernetics. Say it eats your soul.¡± ¡°Well bless my stars, I think I want ta¡¯ meet these folks.¡± R4 replied. ¡°But that¡¯s fer¡¯ tomorrow, I¡¯m bushed.¡± A quick shower to wash off the dust and R4 plopped down in her capsule. She closed her eyes and saw a flash before she was out. [[Technology synchronized to 2X 10 exp gained]] Chapter 6: In deep. Keywords: Conflic, Deep Fish, Iron Hand, Screws, Sunflowers, 25th of Envoy R4 awoke to an alarm on her phone. As she dismissed it a pop up appeared [[50 aptitude exp distributed. 60 general exp remaining
Aptitude 4 Driving: 0->1X Medicine: 1X+1->1X+2 Pickpocket: 0->1X Security: 2X Technology: 2X->2X+1
Note: increasing from T0 to T1 costs 1000 exp. Transitioning from T0 to T1 will increase all further attribute costs. Estimated Lifespan: 364 days.]] E4 eyed the pop up and immediately shot a text. ¡°Red Queen, I received a pop up that states I can tier up via experience. How does that work?¡± The response was immediate. ¡°You have a bit over 300 days to accumulate 1000 exp. Designated exp, such as aptitude or force exp, can be converted to general exp at a 3:1 ratio in 30 exp increments. Utilizing this method places a strain on the mind and body. See attached file. Gigs may be sorted by exp. Exp can also be generated, but in a far less efficient way.¡± A link opened and E4 saw a set of bars for each of the FRAME attributes, as well as an overall bar. She grimaced at how the bar only went up to 50. ¡°Advancing skills costs 10 per current level, attributes cost 100 per current level. As you are currently T0 it is not as expensive, costing 100 flat. You cannot exceed 5, which is the human maximum, in any attribute.¡± R4 perked up, and quickly found a job. ¡°So you¡¯re saying the job I was offered yesterday to gather plant samples would give me enough exp to reach human maximum with a bit left over?¡± ¡°No, each attribute and skill is divided into three parts.¡± A picture of a six sided die appeared. R4 was immediately aware that it was made from tier 4 human bone, and that the scratch marks and etchings had been made by something stronger. ¡°Initially you have a chance at whatever you do.¡± The die rolled, getting a 4. ¡°As you learn you improve on that,¡± a square with two dots on it appeared above the 3 dimensional die before the die was rolled, getting a 3, but 2 were added making it a 5, ¡°So even when the odds are stacked against you, you may do better.¡± The die rolled, getting a 1 for a 3. Then the flat die rose up to reveal it was in fact a second die. Both die rolled, and landed on a 1. ¡°As skills grow, confidence does too, leading to the possibility of even worse failures,¡± The dice rolled again, getting 12, ¡°Or miraculous success.¡± ¡°Seems a bit random.¡± R4 commented but did not type. ¡°It is mere denotation, an explanation to allow fragile flesh to better understand its limits and how they may be overcome. Humans have rolled the bones since there were bones to roll.¡± A quick shower and R4 quickly picked out her dress for the day. A black undershirt with an orange vest and a brown skirt with shorts beneath seemed an appropriate outfit for meeting new people. Of course she had her carry all, a bright orange bag made from Kevlar, by her side. She eyed it for a moment, specifically the slightly brighter orange patch emblazoned with two wrenches crossed over a radio tower. ¡°Nu¡¯Grav survival tip. Show your colors. Other gangs and clans will realize you are not alone and think twice about attacking you.¡± Running her hand through her hair R4 felt a sense of loss as she felt only the fuzz of what the Dimdwell left behind. Once she had long red hair, yet despite her hair coming back unusually fast it was still far from what she had. ¡°I guess it is safer this way, won¡¯t get caught in anythin¡¯.¡± R4 mused, running her hands through what was once her hair again, and finding a small nub. She felt it again, finding she could feel it with her hands but the growth could also feel her hands touching it. ¡°Am I getting cancer from swimming in radioactive water or¡­¡± She rushed into the bathroom and peered into the mirror, which had been pretty badly cracked by someone. She tried to peer at it, yet her eyes couldn¡¯t quite see it. ¡°No.¡± The nubs appeared to be right behind her ears, hard and devoid of flesh. She quickly took out her camera and went back to the image of Rat face. Multi-sectioned horns, which stemmed from primary horns. She couldn¡¯t see exactly where they started, but they were definitely close to his ears. ¡°No no no no no no no,¡± A moment later she felt her limbs drop limp and her eyes close. ¡°Red Queen, why am I growing horns?¡± ¡°This will be your last question.¡± E4 opened her mouth to speak but stopped. She looked back in the broken mirror and adjusted her hair to hide the new horns. ¡°Good girl. You have a busy day today. I have a few gigs for you while you are out.¡± R4 quickly found her way from the gym to the Tram station. In the light of day she could see it was just the first layer of a stack of T1 steel and concrete boxes. There was a simple, non-neon, sign showing was it was with the logo of Nu¡¯Grav. Outside vendors with mobile stands were hawking this and that. Her stomach growled as she passed by a nearby vendor selling pancake sausages on a stick. ¡°No, that¡¯s probably not healthy.¡± She grumbled. ¡°Tasty though.¡± Still hungry she walked through a digital turn style and waited for the next monorail, which arrived only 5 minutes late. At the next stop a group of men in black coats got on. R4 noticed they were wearing smog masks, but they lacked the filters. One turned to approach her, but another stopped him. As the second acted R4 noticed the firearm shoved into the waist band of his sweatpants. [[Lok-1 weather proof series. Be it raining water, acid, or blood leave the great outdoors outdoors.]] R4 casually drew her largest wrench and casually held it in a non-threatening way, but in a way it could be clearly seen. One of the men saw her and nudged another. ¡°You a Tech?¡± one of the men asked. R4 eyed him before nodding. ¡°Orange and black, Hey Phi, who wears orange and black?¡± ¡°The Halloween Gonks, but she¡¯s not in costume and I don¡¯t see any pumpkins. Must be the off season.¡± He paused, ¡°or are the pacts not being agreed upon?¡± ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re on about, is this a gang thing?¡± R4 asked, lowering her wrench so the crest on her bag was visible. ¡°She¡¯s remote, fresh blood too. Low stakes, but no bounty.¡± Phi announced, his eye blurring. ¡°Not worth a T.¡± ¡°Pretty though.¡± The other man said. ¡°What¡¯s a pretty girl like you doing this early in the day?¡± R4 couldn¡¯t see his face, but she thought she heard a grin in his voice. ¡°And no gang backing you, what a shame. No one to care if someone were to come up and snatch you right off the street. Shame there¡¯s no one to introduce you,¡± he paused but R4 spoke. ¡°Except for you, I take it y¡¯er group is looking for a new tech?¡± R4 asked. ¡°Hey, Aleph, what¡¯s that about needing a new tech?¡± Another gang member, this one wearing a gas mask with a wrench etched into it. ¡°You planning to off me?¡± ¡°Chill Rho, I¡¯m not looking to replace you.¡± He shook his head before turning back to R4. ¡°I think you know what I mean.¡± ¡°Are ya¡¯ sure, ¡®cause from the sounds comin¡¯ from y¡¯er mouth it looks like y¡¯all need some percussive maintenance.¡± Aleph and Phi both paused, processing what she said. ¡°You,¡± Aleph started, before Phi started to chuckle. ¡°Phi, what the rust choom?¡± He reached into his pocket and R4 readied her wrench to knock whatever it was from his hand, but he drew a phone rather than a gun. As R4 processed what she was seeing he took her picture. ¡°What the Sev¡¯n? Y¡¯all take pics before a fight? Ya¡¯ post before an¡¯ after pics?¡± R4 drew her own phone and did the same as Aleph hit something on his phone. ¡°Not as effective with th¡¯ mask. Guess a broken up mask¡¯ll be a good after pic. So y¡¯all go ta¡¯ first blood, no holds back, how y¡¯all do this?¡± ¡°Look familiar?¡± He asked, turning his phone around, revealing a picture of her former apartment. ¡°I mean, I used ta¡¯ live there. Landlord was a creep, tried sellin¡¯ a bunch a¡¯ tennants ta¡¯ th¡¯ dimdwell.¡± R4 replied, shooting him a confused look. Out of the corner of her eye she saw several of the other gangsters flinch at her words. ¡°What¡¯s yer¡¯ point?¡± Phi snapped his fingers. ¡°That¡¯s where I know you from, this is that girl from the snuff film, the one with the weird rat guy.¡± ¡°Wait, that was real? Thought it was CG.¡± Another gangster commented. ¡°How¡¯d you get away from that rat guy?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy, had to pick a lock above my head, good thing Dimdwell don¡¯t use good locks.¡± ¡°Lo, stop.¡± Aleph sighed. He shot a glare at R4. ¡°I¡¯ll let you go this time, but watch your back.¡± ¡°Nice meeting ya¡¯.¡± R4 replied with an air headed smile, even as she released the claw in her off hand she had readied to cut the man¡¯s throat if he came after her. She leaned against one of the seats, which dinged at her for not having a ticket to sit. She eyed the price, 10 credits. She considered it, then continued to stand. The gang got off before she did, and a stop later another gang with black and green colors got on. This one favored Mohawks and spiky hair over gas masks. One approached R4, but decided better as she gripped her wrench. Another asked her to look at his firearm, which she quickly diagnosed as being a shoddy piece of plastic with the safety being melted in the on position. She fixed it with a minute¡¯s work. Finally she reached her destination and bid her would be client goodbye. Sunshine street, R4 shook her head at the name. The tram had dropped her off in what might have once been a sunny part of town, before an entire tier of city was built over it. Now the only lights were neon, and the sparse street lights that lit the walkways and streets. As R4 stepped forwards she noticed only one in three were actually functioning. The air smelled of smoke and exhaust, likely due to the overhead fans not working. R4 could see a few spinning, but not many. She quickly noticed a person creeping up on one, before shaking a can and spraying the non-functional fan with yellow glowing paint. As the artist worked R4 noticed they weren¡¯t just painting a name, they were painting a yellow and white fish, one on each blade of the fan. ¡°Nope.¡± She muttered, slapping a pickpocket away from her bag without averting her eyes. She heard the pickpocket run off as she watched the painter work. She eyed her phone, then shot a look back at the artist. ¡°I really should find these sunflowers.¡± R4 found that her new eye had no issue seeing through the dark, though her human eye could not keep up. Closing one eye R4 walked as quickly as she could towards the address. As she arrived R4 saw the address was actually an alley. As she approached she noticed chalk drawings, a garden of flowers against the metal and concrete. She saw no children who could have drawn them, and to her eyes they looked gray and barely visible against their background. ¡°Is this the right place?¡± R4 asked, stepping into the alley. She eyed each of the buildings, looking for a door. There was a door that led to the building on the left, but it was locked and had no external lock for her to pick. R4 closed her eyes and reached inside with her telekinesis. It was difficult, the door¡¯s dense material hindering her process. She just barely felt the crash bar before it moved, and the door flew open right into her face. ¡°Ow!¡± R4 exclaimed, stumbling back. ¡°What in tarnation?¡± ¡°Hey, what are you doing back here ya¡¯ gonk?¡± ¡°I think you busted my nose.¡± R4 muttered, even as she got a pop up stating exactly that. ¡°Is this The Sunflowers?¡± ¡°No, we¡¯re a noodle shop, and you¡¯re in the way.¡± R4 watched as a short woman with oversize metal hands lugged a huge bag behind her. Aside from the small glowing lights on her hands and the oversized watch built into them, all R4 could tell was she was short and she appeared to wear a white apron and a yellow jacket with a holographic symbol of a skull on it. swinging it over her head towards the dumpster, just in time to realize the dumpster was still closed. ¡°F***!¡± She ran over towards the dumpster, and the door slammed behind her. ¡°Oh fer¡¯ th¡¯ love of chrome,¡± R4 made a gesture and the dumpster lid opened. She gripped the bag, and found it was actually a struggle to lift. ¡°I got it.¡± The short woman said, lifting the bag with ease and throwing it in. She eyed the door. ¡°Dang.¡± ¡°Yeah, no lock on this side to pick either.¡± That earned R4 a mean look. ¡°Just saying,¡± ¡°What are you, some kind of picksocket? I¡¯ve paid my dues, the Deep Fish aren¡¯t going to take kindly to you intruding on their turf.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a tech, well, technically a remote.¡± R4 replied. ¡°I heard the sunflowers had some, well, I probably shouldn¡¯t say.¡± ¡°Drugs?¡± The woman asked. ¡°You want some of the weed they grow, or maybe some of the whole foods they grow, the non GMO stuff.¡± R4 gave her a confused expression. ¡°Go look elsewhere, no sunflowers here.¡± ¡°I see.¡± E4 gestured, this time going a little quicker. She felt the pull bar, and with a soft tug opened the door. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll keep looking ¡°How did you do that?¡± The woman quipped, R4 saw her reaching for something in her apron. ¡°Looks like it jus¡¯ didn¡¯t latch. Lucky that.¡± She replied with a smile. She quickly stepped past the woman. R4 spent the next hour just walking through the gloom of what she soon found was called Nu¡¯Grav subsection 6, or The Deep Side as the graffiti proclaimed. R4 found herself staring at a mural that showed a dragonfish swimming above a field of tube worms, the fish coiled as if it might at any moment swim off the wall and take a bite out of the viewer. The paint was a low brown color, but the tufted lure that hung from beneath its jaw and a series of bio-luminescent spots along its side glowed under their own power. A close inspection revealed they were actually LED lights. It looked ferocious, though R4 knew the real things were only a bit over a foot long.4 Still, she took a moment to take a picture and send it to her parents. ¡°Probably won¡¯t reach ¡®em for a week or two, but there¡¯s no hurry.¡± Finally R4 returned to her search. She attempted to ask a few folks at various food stalls, during which she sampled at least one or two things from each stall. Yet not one of the salesmen told her anything useful. ¡°The sunflowers?¡± A ramen shop owner asked. She was at her fourth shop of the day, and still hungry. This place was essentially three walls with a bar in the center for patrons. A curtain hanging from the ceiling behind. She noticed this one used a seaweed design, while the previous two used a cat design and deep sea dragon design. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure they operate on the upper level.¡± He gestured towards the ceiling. R4 noticed that under his white shirt and apron he had a glowing tattoo that peeked out from his sleeve. ¡°Around here only the Deep Fish swim. You don¡¯t want to deal with them.¡± ¡°Are they vicious?¡± R4 asked, taking a big bite of her noodles. They were very salty, and she could tell the fish in them was fake, but it still tasted pretty good. That might have been the prototype adjusting her perception though. She mulled that thought over for a moment, which made the shop owner give her a nervous look. ¡°Let me rephrase, do they make a habit of harassing folks?¡± ¡°You ask a lot of questions.¡± A male voice answered from behind her. R4 turned to see a muscular man step into the shop. From his pale skin R4 guessed he had never seen sun in his life, though given augmentation that could have been artificial. The man wore heavy duty jeans and an open jacket that showed off his chest, and the tattoo of a black squid studded with luminescent lights. Long tendrils reached down his arms, visible just below his rolled up sleeves. Judging from the magazine cover hair, chin pointed enough to be a beak, 12 pack abs, and perfectly shaped eyes R4 guessed he was Tier 2. The vision of Issac slicing through Ratface with ease flashed through R4¡¯s mind. Her heart rate quickened, and the man noticed. ¡°Fisher, the usual.¡± Within a minute flat the man had a large bowl of noodles heavy with fish, kelp, and R4 was sure whale meat. R4 quickly finished her own meal before standing to leave. ¡°Remote, what are you doing this deep?¡± ¡°Looking for chips and screws.¡± R4 replied, her adrenaline addled mind not giving her time to think over her response. ¡°If you¡¯re looking to get screwed there are plenty of dark corners in Nu¡¯Grav.¡± the man replied. As R4 listened she received a pop up, which was forwarded to her eye. Chris ¡°Kracken¡± Bithlow. 2000 credit bounty, ALIVE. A list of major and minor crimes listed after. Among the major were talking back to corporate representative, while under minor was homicide. ¡°Seems Remotes aren¡¯t trained in manners anymore. Didn¡¯t your mother teach you not to scan people?¡± ¡°Still getting used to the new eye, my apologies.¡± R4 replied, backing up. She readied her claws, even as she knew it wasn¡¯t going to do much of anything. She stepped out to see half a dozen men and two women approaching the shop. All of them wore black, and their coats, pants, and in one woman and one man¡¯s case skirts were studded with small LED and decorated with the pale outline of deep sea fish. R4¡¯s eyes were quickly drawn to the zippers on the men¡¯s coats, which had a great resemblance to the long teeth of deep sea fish. ¡°Bleeding Havoc.¡± R4 muttered. She quickly turned to the side and bolted. Between the scant lights and her ravager eye she managed to avoid running into anything, but ten minutes later she was thoroughly lost. ¡°Looks like no one is following me.¡± She quickly found an alley that seemed empty and leaned against the wall to rest. She checked the time, ¡°Just before noon, I need to pick up the pace. That, or just use some regular screws.¡± She paused. ¡°But I also need the chips, can¡¯t just buy them at the hardware store.¡± R4 was broken from her musing by a low THUD. Looking towards a dumpster that had been placed in the alley she saw a young lady standing atop it, spray painting a sunflower on the wall. R4 watched as the woman worked, using a few different bottles. Next she reached into a bag and rubbed something at the base of the painting. ¡°Are you one of the sunflowers?¡± R4 asked, causing the girl to jump. Immediately she lost her footing, overbalanced and fell. ¡°Careful!¡± R4 exclaimed, lunging forwards to catch her before she could crack her head open. ¡°Sorry about that, I didn¡¯t mean to scare you.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± The girl exclaimed, writhing from her grip like a wet cat. Immediately she drew a knife. ¡°Stay back,¡± She hopped backwards. ¡°I mean it.¡± ¡°Easy miss, didn¡¯t mean no harm.¡± R4 replied, letting her drawl infest her words. ¡°New ta¡¯ town, tryin¡¯ ta get the lay a¡¯ th¡¯ land.¡± The girl gave R4 a confused look, either trying to figure out if she was a threat or trying to parse out what she was saying through her accent. ¡°I don¡¯t know you.¡± the girl replied. She eyed R4. ¡°Where¡¯s your iron?¡± ¡°Iron,¡± R4 fumbled around in her bag and found her wrench. It was a heavy duty adjustable wrench, more useful for large machinery than clobbering someone over the head. When she looked up the girl was already half way up the wall. ¡°Hey!¡± Extending her climbing claws R4 scrabbled right up after her. The girl paused to look back, and gave R4 a chance to see she was wearing some manner of magnetic glove that glowed slightly. A small blacklight pendant provided light which made the wall seem to light up, revealing a path painted in formerly invisible ink on the concrete wall. With speed and agility the girl made it to the top, just before R4 did. ¡°Where ya¡¯ goin¡¯?¡± The girl shrieked and drew a small device from her hand and threw it at R4. With a gesture R4 grabbed it in midair, just in time for the grenade to go off. Immediately the rooftop was illuminated in blinding light and deafening sound. R4 covered her eyes as her ears rang. She stumbled, falling off the roof and hitting the ground with a THUD. Her right eye recovered first, followed by her hearing. Her left eye, being immune-privileged, recovered last. ¡°Ow, ow, ow.¡± R4 muttered to herself, standing up. She felt the bruises heal quickly, the pain actively receding. [[Discount found on Gen-tec pain editor. Pain is a signal, this is the volume button. Discount found on Mars Corp pain editor. Bullets don¡¯t care how much your hurt. Patch up later, finish the fight now. Discount found on Lok-1 pain editor. Never let them see you flinch.]] R4 saw a pop up of each of the cyberware. The Mars Corp was the most expensive, though with the discounts they were about 4000 credits each. ¡°Why do I want those Red Queen?¡± R4 asked, reaching around and pricking herself with her claws. [[Host has been afflicted with T0 Ravager toxin. Host is immune to addiction from ravager toxin]]. R4 felt a rush of endorphins as her muscles relaxed. [[Host is already producing T1 ravager toxin. Procure a pain editor or neural editor to better control ravager toxin]] ¡°Guess that explains that.¡± She trilled. ¡°Also,¡± her phone trilled, ¡°at low tier most cybernetic implants are roughly the same, but at higher tier they have more useful effects. The Mitian series generates a methylphenidate like material that allows for intense concentration while the Mars Corporation variety can stiffen the flesh to reduce damage on top of reducing pain. I will give you that detail for free.¡± ¡°You sure you¡¯re a corp AI?¡± R4 replied, to no response. ¡°So, that¡¯s half a day wasted¡­ wait.¡± She took out her phone and started typing, when a thought occurred. ¡°Phone, look up nearest hardware store. Keyword: Blacklight.¡± She trilled. The phone immediately found her a shop within 200 meters. The store was one of many outdoor stands lit up with neon lights, this one a symbol of a screw dangling from a fishing rod. All around were similar stands, and the neon lights advertising their wares lit up the artificial night with a riot of colors. As R4 approached the stand she had to quickly step out of the way as a school of Deep Fish gang members rushed by, the leader holding some manner of technology R4 thought might be a radio while the others chased after him. To R4¡¯s eyes they seemed to be younger, maybe the oldest was 18, so more likely the younger siblings or prospects of the gang. She couldn¡¯t help but think of a mother duck leading her ducklings. ¡°Hey.¡± R4 froze as one of the little Deep Fish stopped. The girl was maybe 18, and had half her hair shaved while her other half was cropped short save for a mohawk with a glowing tip in the front. ¡°You look familiar.¡± ¡°Probably jus¡¯ a passin¡¯ resemblance.¡± R4 replied. She quickly scanned the woman for weapons. She immediately read a set of scratchers in the woman¡¯s hands, a few utility pieces of cyberware, and most notably a tracker hidden in her throat. The device was quite prominent, a small glowing node hidden by other nodes that looked like decorations and further hidden by the tattoo of a squid¡¯s arm wrapped around her throat. For armor she had a Mars corp Thinskin? corset and a Rashrider? leather jacket. Both of these had small glowing nodes, with the jacket having the emblem of a dragonfish on the back while her red corset and skirt had a swirling pattern similar to the vortex coral found deep in the eternal whirlpool of their neighboring gas giant. ¡°Wait, no, I recognize that accent. Weren¡¯t you that tech on Uncle Agar¡¯s Slaughterhouse? E4 right?¡± R4 paused, her brain taking a moment to process things. R4, immediately she took a step back, claws at the ready to defend herself. Instead the girl took out her phone, held it up, and took a selfie with her. ¡°Thanks.¡± And she was gone. ¡°What the blood?¡± R4 trilled. She shrugged and entered the shop. The man at the shop was unremarkable in every way R4 could think of, save that he had the slightly too perfect appearance of a T1. He was of Asian origin, with short black hair, and wore a simple unadorned shirt and cargo pants. R4 eyed the cameras watching her, and quickly produced a lock which she placed on her carryall so no one could accuse her of stealing. She quickly went through the shop, finding various stock plastics she could use to 3d print objects. She quickly found some blacklights, though she wasn¡¯t happy with the cheap mass produced blacklight flashlights. While she couldn¡¯t remove them from their packaging they felt flimsy as if they¡¯d break at any moment. She quickly procured some durable material for her 3d printer then went to look into other components. There were several metal parts she couldn¡¯t simply print, like metal springs, nails, and screws, yet they were easy enough to buy. R4 paused as she examined the screws. They were packaged in small plastic containers, which prevented her from examining them too closely, but they looked legit. ¡°Excuse me.¡± The man behind the counter took a deep breath and R4 watched as he braced himself. ¡°Do you know what these are made from, or who manufactures them? I don¡¯t see a brand on this package.¡± ¡°I believe that a local metallurgist makes them, I¡¯d have to ask the owner and he¡¯s not here today. Do you want them or not?¡± The man replied. ¡°Definitely.¡± R4 replied, grabbing four boxes. ¡°Also, do you have any type 3 controller chips, preferably the mark 1 or early mark 2 versions? If they are slightly cracked or unsealed they¡¯ll still work.¡± ¡°A salvager huh? Another tech thinking they can be the next sunflower wanna be?¡± The man said. ¡°You know of them?¡± ¡°Never heard of them.¡± In the end R4 left 1000 credits lighter, but she had what she wanted. As she walked towards the tram she noticed more of the Deep Fish out and about, their glowing components giving them away. She quickened her pace, not sure if she was the one they were looking for or not. Noticing a group of them converging she slipped into an alley, which she found was a dead end. ¡°Well, nothing¡¯s really a dead end.¡± She trilled, extending her claws. A sudden gunshot and screams drover her to make a flying leap into the wall, which was promptly denied by the T2 metal. ¡°Dang.¡± She heard the sound of someone running into the alley and quickly ducked behind a dumpster. She winced as someone jumped over the dumpster and dropped down right into her lap. ¡°Oof.¡± ¡°Shhh.¡± The other person, a Deep Fish woman hushed her, drawing a pistol from her jacket. R4 held up her hands, as gunshots echoed from outside the alley. ¡°Be quiet.¡± She nervously peered around the dumpster. R4 did as well. Her human eye saw a humanoid form at the other end, several LED giving him some color, yet they were all red. R4 shot a quick look at the Deep Fish gangster, and noticed her lights were off. ¡°What¡¯s the red mean?¡± ¡°Quiet!¡± She whispered. ¡°Are you armed?¡± ¡°I have a wrench.¡± R4 replied, reaching for her bag but finding it still locked. She considered fiddling with the combination when she couldn¡¯t see the numbers well, but instead got to work picking it. In mere moments it was open, which both impressed and distressed R4. As she retrieved her wrench the woman got up from her hiding spot and crept forwards BANG! Immediately she jumped back, her jacket smoking from where it had taken a hit. ¡°Swim little fish, Swim.¡± The man¡¯s voice carried a mocking tone before he let out an oddly musical laugh. R4 heard another gunshot, and judging by the crater it left in the ground she estimated it was from a T1 gun. ¡°Really need some better armor.¡± R4 muttered to herself. ¡°Hey you, go distract him.¡± The woman said. ¡°Are you crazy, I¡¯m T0 and he¡¯s got a T1 gun. He¡¯ll rip me apart.¡± R4 replied. ¡°And if you don¡¯t I¡¯ll rip you apart with this T1 gun.¡± The woman gestured with the firearm. ¡°If you survive maybe you¡¯ll remember your iron next time.¡± R4 trilled at her angrily before turning. She reached into her bag and found her wrench. She shot one last baleful eye and spoke. ¡°Initiate flare protocol.¡± R4 wanted to wince at the damage she knew she was doing, but the endorphans hit far too hard. She charged out, T1 agility carrying her far faster than the gunman expected. She hit the far wall, kicking off it just before a flurry of bullets struck, T1 rounds bouncing off T1 metal. Before he could adjust R4 extended a flashlight, the brightest one she had, the one she used for peering into the darkest pits, and shone it into the pits of the man¡¯s soul. For just a moment the man hesitated, his empty black optics taking a moment to adjust, before he opened fire. A burst of bullets shredded flashlight and flesh with equal ease. Or, it should have. The moment he took for his optics to adjust was all R4 needed. Her undamaged right arm sprouted long claws and sheathed them into the man¡¯s arm. She was dimly aware that he had a leather jacket for protection, but the T0 fake leather might as well have been wet tissue paper. Immediately the T1 toxin went to work. R4 suddenly became aware of a low resonant tone, just as the man raised his gun to fire. R4 ducked beneath his weapon, rolling between his legs and whipping around, shredding both his legs with venomous claws regardless of the thick jeans he wore. The hail of gunfire ended that, as the woman behind the dumpster opened fire. R4 was immediately made aware that it was not, in fact, a tier 1 gunman by the fact that the bullets punched through him as if he was a cotton scarecrow. Each round ripped a fist sized hole through the man, and one round clipped R4 and made her yelp. The ruined heap of broken flesh and metal fell over her, and some instinct told R4 to lie still. The Deep Fish woman rose from her hiding place and approached. ¡°You make a good distraction girl.¡± She paused, waiting for a response. ¡°Dead, shame.¡± She walked past, reloading her weapon. R4 peered up at her, rage and indignation in her heart. She wanted nothing more than to lunge, and rip the woman¡¯s throat out so she could feast on her brain. The thought came so suddenly R4 froze, and then it passed as her flare protocol ended. She felt her wound begin to hurt even as her regeneration nodules got to work. After a minute she sat up and, examined her attacker. The man¡¯s cyberware was cheap, and most of it was damaged beyond repair. R4 quickly identified a modification to his arm that allowed him to handle the kick of a Tier 1 firearm despite being Tier 0 himself. It was cheap, and heavily worn, but she scanned it with her phone anyhow, ignoring the copyright pop ups that doing so caused. A bit of subdermal armor remained around his chest, which hadn¡¯t helped in the slightest and was beyond salvaging. Next R4 examined the man¡¯s eyes, which despite him now lacking a jaw had somehow survived. As she examined what was left of his skull R4 was convinced someone had taken a buzz saw to his eyes and chipped in the abomination that currently occupied his face, six large still glowing sensors. The toxin in his blood sang to her that, despite the man being dead, the machine was still operating, but even that was failing quickly. A moment later all activity ceased. ¡°What was that?¡± R4 asked, standing as her wound finally healed over. It was just a graze, but from injured to healed in 2 minutes was acceptable, if barely. ¡°Some kind of turf war?¡± At that her phone buzzed. R4 looked around, making sure no one heard, before crouching back by the body and checking. Immediately she saw dozens of gigs, all asking for photos of the violence. ¡°Bloody vultures,¡± R4 muttered even as she took a picture of the man who had tried to shoot her. She looked up, and now that she wasn¡¯t running she saw a fire escape. It was locked, of course, but that took only a few moments to fix. She quickly submitted the image to a requestor who was looking for a picture of a dead Iron Hand, which is what she guessed the man was, and received 100 credits by the time she reached the top of the building. All around firefights were happening. The white lights of the Deep Fish seemed to be fighting the red lights of the Iron Hands. She saw the red lights wash over the town like a wave, only to be pushed back by smaller groups of white lights. After a few minutes of watching R4 realized she couldn¡¯t quite tell what was going on. While she waited for the fighting to die down she got to work, taking out her tools and starting on her little black light. She quickly made a small flashlight, one sturdy enough to be used as a blunt weapon if need be. Yet it didn¡¯t feel like enough. Still, now was not the place to play with her tools. Glancing over the edge R4 shone her black light to ensure she wasn¡¯t missing anything. Immediately she saw several previously hidden works of grafitti, and a lot of red lights. Under the black light a few of the components lit up. There was a flash and a BANG and the men charged inside the building. R4 eyed the fire escape, then noticed another Iron Hand watching the alleys. She looked over at the next building over. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. ¡°Desperate times,¡± R4 took a few steps back, scanning the ground to make sure she wouldn¡¯t trip over anything. There was a lot of trash, and a few bullet casings, but with a wave of her hands her telekinesis pushed it aside. She took a deep breath, and ran. She reached the edge and jumped, reaching out and trying to lift herself with telekinesis. For a moment she thought it was working, before she reached the next building and her telekinesis threw her facefirst into the roof. ¡°Ow.¡± R4 muttered. ¡°Observation: Ravagers cannot fly. Noted. For advancing science, and because it looks like that hurt, have some exp.¡± R4 pushed herself to a crouch and shook the trash she had landed in off, save for a rancid milkshake she had landed on. With a gesture she threw the rancid fluid off, taking a layer of skin with it. ¡°Also you have several gigs.¡± Her phone trilled softly, and a pop up appeared, sort of. She didn¡¯t see it in her eye, but from the trill she could tell every detail, from the exact hue of red to the exact size of the text and every word. She didn¡¯t need time to read it, it was just in her mind. She took out her phone and cast the image to her eye just to make sure, but the image matched.
Test new resonant information Team size: 1 Hazard: bloodless
Company: Fangs of Mara Contact: The Red Queen Reward: 10 exp. Fluency in resonant
Resonant is still an experimental language, and constantly undergoing updates. It transmitted by rapid chirps, clicks, and trills that act as a carrier wave for psychic impressions. Computers cannot use it without a biological interface. Please respond by saying ¡°I can hear you.¡± In 12 point font, using Liberation Serif, in red, at 12 degrees celcius
¡°I can hear you.¡±
Sharpen your claws Team size: 1 Hazard: bloody
Company: Fangs of Mara Contact: The Red Queen Reward: 200 exp per test subject. Bounty.
Way to think on your feet with that flashlight, quite the bright idea. That woman quite rudely stole your kill. Why not give it another go? The Iron Hand are a brutal gang and will kill you without hesitation. No one will blame you if you kill a few in self defense. The NGPD might even pay you their bounty if they have one
Clawmageddon Team size: 1 Hazard: blood stained
Company: Fangs of Mara Contact: The Red Queen Reward: 2000 exp. Bounty. 10,000 credits
Way to think on your feet with that flashlight, quite the bright idea. That woman quite rudely stole your kill. Why not give it another go? Kill or incapacitate 24 or more Iron hand. The Iron Hand are a brutal gang and will kill you without hesitation. No one will blame you if you kill a few, dozen, in self defense. The NGPD might even pay you their bounty if they have one
Herald of Mara Team size: 1 Hazard: End of days. You will die
Company: Fangs of Mara Contact: The Red Queen Reward: 20,000 exp. 100,000 credits. Bounty
Offenses shall not be tolerated, blood shall be demanded in recompense. Slay all who cross your path and leave a mark upon each body. Announce to the world the age of metal is over. The age of twitching flesh and clicking gears has arrived, and none shall be left unchanged.
¡°No.¡± R4 replied. ¡°I¡¯m getting out of here, I¡¯m not going to kill a bunch of people. ¡°Would you say the same if they were dimdwell?¡± R4 considered the matter. ¡°Do you think the people here care if dimdwell rounds or Iron Hand rounds smash their skulls, or tear open their chests? Would you like to put that to the test?¡±
A test of Character Team size: You Hazard: bloodless to blood stained
Company: None Contact: Your conscious Reward: 300 exp (must be spent on one frame attribute)
Let us test your resolve. Make it back home without dying or killing a single Iron Hand or Deep Fish. Alternatively, kill as many as you see fit.
R4 took in the gig. She looked down at the chaos on the street. Even as she watched a man jumped from a window, his fall followed by a hail of gunfire. Another man ran to the window, firing more rounds into the man who had just fallen. Neither bore the red cybernetics of the Iron hand. Turning away R4 ran, throwing herself across the gap of another building. The building afterwards had fencing and barbed wire, yet she quickly found a spot it had been cut and made a flying leap that carried her to it. Grabbing onto the fence she quickly clipped the single support holding it together and was inside. The next few building R4 jumped to had a complication, in the form of an unforeseen lump just beyond her landing zone. R4 tripped, going head over teakettle. In an instant she was up, claws out, and face to face with a young girl wearing a cloak the exact same color as the roof. The girl was shaking even as her cloak came apart in several strips and readied to defend her. Small blue lights streamed down the cloak, making it resemble the arms of a deep sea squid R4 dismissed her claws. ¡°Sorry about that, didn¡¯t see you there.¡± She paused, recognizing the girl. ¡°Hey, aren¡¯t you that graffiti artist?¡± The artist looked up, reaching for something. ¡°Easy,¡± R4 whispered, crouching low. ¡°Hey, someone¡¯s over there!¡± She heard someone, she wasn¡¯t sure if it was a Deep Fish or an Iron Hand, shout. ¡°Time to go,¡± R4 said, looking to find a way out. ¡°Wait, take me with you.¡± The girl exclaimed. R4 looked back at her to notice a section of her cloak was wrapped around her leg like a bandage, or a splint. ¡°I know all the hidden ways, you¡¯ll get lost without me.¡± ¡°But I have to carry you, right?¡± R4 asked. ¡°Kid, you¡¯re over half my weight, that¡¯s a tall order.¡± The girl paused, and in that time R4 scooped her up. ¡°So make sure to introduce me to those sunflowers when we¡¯re done. So, where are those secret ways?¡± ¡°This building is connected to a support column which has a maintenance hatch.¡± She pointed towards the edge of the building, which sure enough abutted to a large column. ¡°If we climb to the top we¡¯ll be in the catwalks. They¡¯re hard to get to, and hard to see. We should be safe up there.¡± R4 quickly found the entrance, and found it was locked. She set the girl down and with a flip of her wrist R4 had her tool arm open. Inside she found a few new components growing, actually growing. They resembled worms, though coated in chitin and bits of metal. Immediately they printed out a tool she needed from what looked like bone. R4 pushed the concern from her mind with worrying ease and in a moment she had the door open. She returned the tool and her arm closed back up before consuming the tool again, something she knew without having to see it. ¡°Um, I have a key.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ too late.¡± R4 replied, picking up the girl, before seeing that the inside was a ladder. ¡°Think you can hold onto my neck, or can you climb with a hurt leg?¡± ¡°I can hold on, but it¡¯s going to be tight.¡± ¡°Jus¡¯ don¡¯t go chokin¡¯ me.¡± R4 took the ladder and noticed the rungs were T1. ¡°Someone built this to last, hard ta¡¯ believe in this city.¡± ¡°Probably had a 100 year contract and if any work had to be done it would be done on their dime.¡± The graffiti artist replied. ¡°Only way to make anything that lasts in this city.¡± The climb was long and slow, R4 carrying not only her own bag but another person. Yet she managed, even if she had to crush up against the ladder when they got to a narrow spot. ¡°Looks like all those days luggin¡¯ around hay were worth it.¡± She joked. ¡°Definitely a remote.¡± The girl replied. ¡°Theocracy or Empire?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why y¡¯all call us a Theocracy, jus¡¯ ¡®cause we were founded by a bunch a¡¯ religious folk don¡¯t mean the Pres¡¯ is also a priest. I mean her husband is, but that¡¯s beside th¡¯ point.¡± A low thunk sound caught R4¡¯s ears. ¡°Y¡¯all hear that?¡± More thunks, coming from above. ¡°Are we expecting rain?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t think,¡± There was a low BOOM. ¡°Cling to the ladder!¡± R4 did, just before something big and wet fell past them. As R4 looked down she saw a body falling. ¡°What the,¡± ¡°Hey, I heard someone. Anyone down there?¡± R4 looked up, and saw some white lights looking down. ¡°Hey, throw a grenade down there, that¡¯ll scare them.¡± ¡°You do that and I¡¯m telling Kraken!¡± the girl shouted. ¡°Shoot, that¡¯s Zephyr, hold fire. R4 quickly climbed up until two sets of hands took Zephyr off her shoulders before stepping out. ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m R4.¡± R4 replied, eyeing the group of Deep Fish. There were seven of them, all dressed in leathers and goggles. To a man they had two handed weapons, half automatic rifles half shotguns. The man up front carried a spear that created a cloud of frosty vapor around it. The man himself was draped in power armor of darkest black, with small white lights and paintings of deep sea fish. Long tube worms crawled up his boots, breaking the pure black. White serpents wound their way down his arms to his hands, which would be oversized on a gorilla and made the spear he was carrying look more like a harpoon than a spear. In contrast, he wore a yellow rain slicker. [[Abyssal protector: Mars Corporation T1. A suit of power armor designed to protect its wearer in the deepest ocean as well as the battlefield. This suit provides 240 hours worth of oxygen to its wearer and allows them three optional abilities. This suit has been modified, base specifications may vary. Warranty voided. Option: Empower gauntlets. These gloves handle some of the processing power required to use higher tier weapons. This takes up two options. Only works with Tier 2 weapons. Further options unknown] [[Fisherman spear: Mars Corporation T2. This spear is a power weapon that uses advanced technology to freeze anything struck by it. It may also create frozen projectiles. Estimated damage: 2X+2. DC30 (DC reduced due to Empower Gauntlets)]] R4 got the feeling that one strike from the weapon would freeze her solid. She¡¯d be dead, no if, and, or buts. She also got the feeling it wasn¡¯t even the strongest weapon on the market, not even close. The armored man shot her a look and adjusted the hood of his rain slicker. ¡°Zephyr, you should be home.¡± His voice was flat, and the speaker he was using added an additional mechanical layer. For a moment R4 saw another man before her. Yet this man was just in a metal suit. Blue sensors glowed beneath his yellow hood, not sickly yellow. ¡°And what are you doing with an outsider?¡± ¡°I hurt my leg.¡± She replied. ¡°She was giving me a lift home.¡± The armored man eyed Zephyr, who was still clinging to R4, then R4. ¡°Good thing you¡¯re short.¡± Another Deep fish spoke. ¡°Gris, the Iron hand are moving pretty quick.¡± ¡°Get her home, or you will answer to Kraken.¡± Gris, the armored man, gestured with his spear. With that he jumped from their perch. ¡°Always dramatic.¡± The second Deep Fish replied. ¡°But you heard the man. Let¡¯s get going.¡± The Deep Fish quickly filed down the ladder. ¡°That went well, I think.¡± R4 replied. ¡°At least they didn¡¯t try ta¡¯ shoot me again.¡± ¡°Again?¡± Zephyr asked, before directing R4 to take a specific door which lead to another catwalk. Below the white and red lights continued to fire upon one another, the pop pop of automatic fire and the CRACK of rifle fire echoing above. ¡°A Deep Fish tried usin¡¯ me ta'' distract an Iron Hand, and nicked me ¡®cross th¡¯ back with friendly fire. Threatened ta¡¯ shoot me if I didn¡¯t.¡± At Zephyr¡¯s direction R4 managed to cross a catwalk and evade a few booby traps the Deep Fish had placed. ¡°Clik, I know the woman.¡± Zephyr replied. ¡°Or could be Ginny, or Yippin. Wouldn¡¯t put it past them either. Deep Fish swim in schools.¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure they don¡¯t, on Earth or here.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a slogan, it doesn¡¯t have to make sense. Down there, see that door?¡± Zephyr drew a small necklace from beneath her shirt and it emitted an ultraviolet light which made the door light up with a code. ¡°Pretty slick¡± R4 replied. ¡°Do all Deep Fish use UV like that?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s something my mom came up with. Deep fish like UV, but this is different.¡± R4 began to type the code into the keypad. ¡°The last number is an 8.¡± ¡°It says 7.¡± R4 replied. ¡°It¡¯s always 8.¡± R4 listened, and the door opened with a click. ¡°I think it¡¯s a glitch, but it helps keep people out even if they know to look under UV light.¡± R4 quickly entered and found another ladder, which she descended quickly, maybe a little too quickly. With practiced ease she gripped the edges and slid down, or tried to. ¡°What the,¡± R4¡¯s feet landed on something hard and metalic, which fell on something both fleshy and metalic, which landed on something else fleshy and metalic before all three were dropped two stories to land in a heap. ¡°I think I just landed on someone.¡± She jumped down, careful not to step on whoever she just hit. ¡°Iron hand.¡± ¡°Looks ta¡¯ be.¡± R4 replied, taking more pictures before putting a hand to one¡¯s throat. These three men were more heavily armored, wearing what looked like a cross between an actual metal breastplate and kevlar. Their primary colors were black and red, though one replaced their red accents with yellow. R4 instantly disliked him. ¡°Too much chrome, I can¡¯t tell if he¡¯s alive or not.¡± A pop up appeared that the man had a bounty. ¡°Wanted for¡­ how many counts of murder?¡± ¡°12.¡± Zephyr confirmed with her phone. ¡°Only 2400 credits, so not anyone the PD really care about. This one is worth more at 3400.¡± ¡°That¡¯s four months rent.¡± R4 replied. With a gesture she produced several sets of shackles made from metal and plastic from her tool arm and bound the Iron Hands¡¯ hands. As she was binding the third Zephyr slit the first one¡¯s throat. ¡°What the Blood, you just killed him.¡± ¡°He had augmentations, he¡¯d break out the moment he woke up. Besides,¡± She scanned the man¡¯s face and received a notification. ¡°He was going to kill us. This guy¡¯s got 23 murders, and 4 of them were children. 2 more aren¡¯t a big deal.¡± She eyed the man¡¯s shotgun, a brutal looking thing of steel that looked as if could double as a two handed club. ¡°You use shotguns?¡± ¡°I had one on th¡¯ farm but I haven¡¯t used one in a bit.¡± R4 picked up one of the other Iron Hand¡¯s revolvers. The thing was an ugly metal thing, made from cheap steel. R4 gave it a once over and relieved the man of the watch that connected to it. Immediately her HUD told her the number of rounds in the gun as well as informing her that her Keys to the Kingdom had broken the lock. ¡°I¡¯ve always preferred revolvers.¡±
Sign of Mara Team size: 1 Hazard: drop of blood
Company: Fangs of Mara Contact: The Red Queen Reward: 400 exp. 1000 credits.
Mara¡¯s first Fang has laid low her first foe. Etch Mara¡¯s symbol above your prey, that all may know that The Bitter One has arisen.
Medical Malpractice Team size: 1 Hazard: drop of blood
Company: Fangs of Mara Contact: The Red Queen Reward: 330 aptitude exp.
A Ravager¡¯s claws posses a chemical known as Ravager Toxin. It¡¯s effects vary heavily. In some places things like medical ethics and morals might make this a problem, but this is Nu¡¯Grav, The City of Tears Tiers. Now you just need some willing test subjects, or subjects who can¡¯t say no. Now where might you get some of those?
¡°No, I¡¯m not doing that.¡± R4 replied. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I just got a gig telling me to, you know, I¡¯m just not going to do it.¡± R4 paused, before extending her claws and scratching a symbol above the bodies. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°A different gig I got.¡± R4 eyed the symbol as she carved what gig told her to. The resonant instructions were crystal clear, down to how deep, wide, and tall the symbol should be. It looked like a stylized M, with two fangs for the supports in the empty spaces beneath the letter. Next she fused the shackles on the two living Iron Hands next to the symbol with a bit of T1 bone coral. She felt her phone buzz as she got the notification that the credits were paid. ¡°Ok, where to next?¡± Zephyr directed R4 into an alley, and to a door she revealed with her necklace. She tapped a code, which was actually just a rhythm against the door, and it opened. ¡°Freeze!¡± R4 put her hands up, and nearly dropped Zephyr as she did. ¡°Mom, it¡¯s me. Put the gun down.¡± ¡°Zoe, what are you doing out during a riot, get in here!¡± The woman yelled. ¡°Bring your friend too, come on child.¡± R4 quickly stepped in and the woman slammed the door, before slamming several locks. ¡°That should hold, now you girl,¡± She turned to Zephyr hands on her hips and face down turned in a practiced scolding pose, only to have to look up to where Zephyr still clung to R4. ¡°Why are you still holding my girl piggyback?¡± ¡°She hurt her leg?¡± R4 replied. ¡°I¡¯m not a medic, I don¡¯t want ta¡¯ make it worse.¡± ¡°Follow me, and don¡¯t bump yer¡¯ head.¡± R4 couldn¡¯t help it, but she felt the woman¡¯s voice sounded familiar. She quickly found what she meant as not three meters in she whacked her head on a low hanging pipe. ¡°Gonk, what did I just say?¡± ¡°My mistake.¡± R4 replied, ducking. ¡°Ow!¡± Zephyr exclaimed, her own head just a bit higher. ¡°Sorry, hold on.¡± R4 laid Zephyr down before fumbling in her bag for some materials. In a few moments she had created a crude crutch from some plastic and bone. ¡°Here, since we¡¯re not runnin¡¯ fer¡¯ our lives this should help ya¡¯ walk.¡± ¡°Thanks. What brand is that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s custom, It was the Solarian brand, but my uncle has modified it, and I¡¯ve modified it a bit more.¡± R4 replied. ¡°Huh, so you¡¯re Solarian?¡± Zephyr said, testing her new cane. ¡°Pardon?¡± R4 asked. ¡°Don¡¯t mind Zoe, 18 years old and she still doesn¡¯t know when to stop talking.¡± The other woman commented. With a gesture another door opened bringing them into a grow room. R4 immediately recognized the carrots and lettuce growing, as well as several modified sunflowers that grew short with broader heads for more seeds. There were more plants she didn¡¯t recognize, save that she could feel herself humming under her breath and her phone picking it up. It was a rather involuntary response, and R4 realized she was feeding her phone a description of what she was seeing, and it was humming back the information. Immediately she knew what each plant she was looking at were. Several were quite illegal, not because they were dangerous but because the patent was expired, and they were recalled. Immediately she saw several Gentek tomatoes that had been out of production for two years, yet they still produced good fruit regardless. ¡°Seems you found your sunflowers girl.¡± Zephyr¡¯s mother spoke. Now that she was in the light R4 could see Zephyr¡¯s mother was just about the same height as Zephyr, which put them both at about 120 cm each. While Zephyr¡¯s hair was black and transitioned to blue, her mother¡¯s was shoulder length green. ¡°This is quite the setup.¡± R4 replied, eyeing the various lights that bathed the entire structure as if it were day. Someone had even gone and painted the walls with images of trees, which started as crude and childlike before becoming more and more realistic. ¡°Rice for the noodles, wheat, tomatoes and chives, you seem to have a bit of everything down here. How did you manage to bypass the,¡± She froze as she found herself staring down the barrel of a shotgun. ¡°Woah, what I do?¡± ¡°Mom, seriously, what¡¯s your deal. She helped us.¡± ¡°Who the F*** sent you? Was it Gentek, Lok-1, Real? Foods?¡± R4¡¯s mind went a thousand miles an hour, her horns buzzed as she reached out for an idea. It occurred to her that the woman didn¡¯t know she had telekinesis, she could trigger the safety on the gun with no one the wiser. ¡°Who do you work for? Was it the inquisitors?¡± ¡°No one, I was just looking for screws.¡± ¡°You can get screws at the hardware store.¡± ¡°An¡¯ I did.¡± R4 replied, ¡°They¡¯re in my bag. I wanted reusable screws an¡¯ some hacked computer chips for a gig, and I was told the sunflowers had them. Didn¡¯t know y¡¯all supply the local hardware store. As fer Zephyr, I quite literally tripped over her running from the Iron Hand.¡± Zephyr¡¯s mom eyed R4, before lowering her shotgun. ¡°You¡¯ll stay here tonight, it¡¯s too dangerous to go out right now. Zephyr, show her to Zach¡¯s old room.¡± ¡°Yes Mom.¡± ¡°And Zoe, Zephyr, keep an eye on her.¡± Zephyr led R4 to another room which was sparse save for a bed and an old computer covered with dozens of stickers of animated characters. ¡°Sorry about that, my mom¡¯s a little paranoid.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll say, I thought I was about to see God.¡± R4 replied. ¡°She always that paranoid? I haven¡¯t heard a¡¯ th¡¯ inquisitors vanishin¡¯ somebody in years.¡± ¡°Not always, only since Zach left. One of the corporations lured him off with promises of money and a high position, haven¡¯t heard from him since. You know how it is.¡± ¡°Seems this place has a reputation for stealing brothers.¡± R4 replied. ¡°Nu¡¯Grav is the city of tears after all.¡± Zephyr plopped down on her brother¡¯s bed and R4 plopped down beside her. ¡°Is it like this where you¡¯re from?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s very different.¡± R4 replied. ¡°Yet I¡¯m not completely convinced it¡¯s better. Who¡¯s the highest tier person you know?¡± ¡°Kraken, He¡¯s Tier 2. Next would be Broadhead, he¡¯s tier 1 but he¡¯s close, and you¡¯ve seen him in his armor.¡± ¡°And the Deep Fish are a small gang, in the grand scheme of things?¡± Zephyr nodded. ¡°In my hometown the highest tier man is my uncle Josiah, and he¡¯s tier 2. So within a week of moving to the city I run into a small time gang leader as strong as the most powerful man I¡¯ve met in 25 years. I can¡¯t help but think we¡¯re doing something wrong.¡± ¡°But besides that, what¡¯s it like out there?¡± Zephyr asked. ¡°Do you get to see the sun every day?¡± ¡°Not every day, but for me that¡¯s mostly a choice. Can¡¯t you go out in the sun?¡± ¡°Not really. I burn too easy, see how pale my skin is?¡± R4 hadn¡¯t noticed, but Zephyr was rather pale. She also had large pink eyes. Her hair was black but tapered to blue, though at the roots where it hadn¡¯t been dyed she could see it was white. Her black hoodie, black shorts, and sturdy boots, now set aside so she could wrap her sprained ankle, completed a somewhat goth look. R4 could barely notice her MESH, indicating her as Tier 0. The only thing that really stood out was her black cloak, which as she removed it immediately changed to match the bed, before powering down and turning black again. ¡°I¡¯m albino, the sun hates me.¡± ¡°Huh, surprised they didn¡¯t fix that when you were born. I was going to be nearsighted, but they fixed that in the womb.¡± ¡°Probably too expensive. Mom does alright, but gene therapy¡¯s expensive.¡± They chatted a bit longer and before R4 realized it Zephyr¡¯s mom had called her for dinner. The meal was some manner of ramen R4 didn¡¯t recognize, but she was immediately made aware that the pasta and spices were real even if the pork was vat grown. Zephyr and her mother both ate with chopsticks, though R4 had to use the spoon provided. Also surprising to R4 was that Zephyr¡¯s mom prayed before eating, something she hadn¡¯t seen anyone beside herself doing. ¡°Seems the gonks outside either tired out or killed each other.¡± Zephyr¡¯s mom finally broke the silence. ¡°The trams are runnin¡¯ again, so it¡¯s safe for R4 here to go home, as safe as this place ever is.¡± ¡°Thank you Mrs. Maine.¡± Zephyr¡¯s mom froze, her chopsticks clinking against the bowl. ¡°Did I misspeak.¡± ¡°How the F*** do you know my name?¡± ¡°Rebecca Maine? Zephyr told me.¡± R4 replied hesitantly, to which Zephyr nodded. ¡°I didn¡¯t know it was supposed to be a secret.¡± Rebecca eyed R4 before picking up her chopsticks. ¡°Names have power, especially in this city. Call me Becca, that¡¯s common enough it won¡¯t flag. Thought you¡¯d know that, givin¡¯ yer¡¯ usin¡¯ an alias Rachel.¡± The name sounded wrong the way Becca said it, even as R4 did not know why. It made her flinch, which drew a sly smile from Becca. ¡°I see, when in Rome.¡± The rest of the meal passed in awkward silence. ¡°I suppose I¡¯d best go, it will be dark soon and I will be pulling late hours as is to get my work done. It was lovely meeting you, and thank you for the meal.¡± Zephyr showed R4 to the door, and with that she was on the street. She looked back at the home of her new friend and noticed the sign above the noodle shop that they lived at. A red neon skull with the top removed and yellow neon noodles and blue neon chopsticks. The name ¡°Of My Enemy¡± was emblazoned above the symbol ¡°So that¡¯s what the skull was for. Little morbid.¡± With that R4 adjusted her carryall, re-affixed the lock, and was off. Her walk back towards the tram reminded R4 more of the aftermath of a storm than a shootout. While there were two men in blue armor emblazoned with NGPD in gold, those were the only officers she saw. Everywhere she saw store owners and citizens taking pictures with their phones of the damage done, broken signs, broken doors, and bloodstains all were recorded. R4¡¯s phone pinged with gigs, which she noticed were all from insurance companies looking for independent verification of the mess. She eyed the 100 and 150 credit payouts and decided not to bother. ¡°Turning down work?¡± ¡°100 credits for 100 pictures, that sounds like a lot of work for very little pay. Also, shouldn¡¯t they have an adjuster for that?¡± R4 asked. ¡°And how bad would I feel if I messed up a photo and it caused someone not to get the money they needed to fix their home?¡± As she dismissed the job a more morbid gig appeared
Corpse retrieval Team size: any Hazard: 1
Company: NGPD Contact: Bone Queen Reward: 200 credits/body
Autonomous corpse retrieval bots have found a body they cannot reach. Location pinged.
¡°That¡¯s morbid.¡± R4 heard a low PLOP as a heavyset man¡¯s body fell right beside her, a tag wrapped around his arm. A few moment later a large yellow robot with thick treads and black and white stripes approached before shoveling the body inside itself with a pair of long crablike claws. A red light on top of it flashed green twice before it continued down the street, paying no mind to R4. As it passed R4 noticed black smoke pouring out of a smokestack on its back. ¡°Mobile crematorium? I think I¡¯m starin¡¯ ta¡¯ hate this place.¡± R4 tried not to think to hard about what was going on around her. She quickly ducked into an alley as two men were fighting over whose tag was supposed to go on a corpse. Both drew iron, and one was paid 400 credits rather than 200. ¡°This isn¡¯t right.¡± R4 muttered to herself as she finally arrived at the tram station. This one was far darker than the one near The Pain Train. It almost looked as if the concrete was painted black. Several cracks had been given a luminescent make over, almost as if glowing plants had sprouted from the cracks. ¡°And what exactly cracks Tier 1 concrete at this stage?¡± R4 whispered to herself, not expecting an answer. She approached the terminal and saw the next train wasn¡¯t for another 10 minutes. ¡°Bleedin¡¯ Havoc.¡± She muttered, leaning against the wall. She eyed her surroundings, keeping an eye out for trouble as her guidebook suggested. A few folks were chatting waiting for the tram, each one eyeing their phones. R4 didn¡¯t pay much attention to them, until something caught her ear. ¡°Dang, I¡¯m one body short.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a bummer, I don¡¯t think Skeeves is going to give you another extension on rent. Hey, don¡¯t look suspicious but look over there.¡± R4 raised her eyes from her own phone to see the men, and notice all of them had glowing red electronics. One of them had replaced his chest with metal, while another had both his arms replaced by hydraulics. The other two looked fully human save for their eyes. One had a pair of red sensors that would have looked like night vision goggles had they not been welded to his face. The other had replaced his entire face with a black skull mask, a red visor taking the place of his eyes. ¡°I see her. What do you say, have some fun then feed the machine?¡± ¡°Specks, kill the cameras.¡± R4 looked up at them as the four men approached. She looked towards the entrance, but one of the men stepped in front of it. ¡°Alright Ripper, your paycheck, have at it.¡± The man with the metal chest said to the man with the face mask. ¡°Specs, kill the cams.¡± The masked man stepped forwards, drawing a black blade with strange green etching on it. ¡°Come on sweetheart, play nice and it won¡¯t hurt a bit,¡± he menaced with the knife, ¡°Promise.¡± R4¡¯s heart kicked into overdrive. She put away her phone as the man approached. [[Buzz knife. Mitian T0. A knife that uses high frequencies to do more damage, at the cost of being harder to use. DC 16.]] ¡°Red, I don¡¯t suppose you can get the NGPD over here.¡± R4 asked. ¡°Only 10 credits a minute hotline, probably be over here in 30 minutes given the recent riot. OR, and hear me out,¡±
TEACH THOSE PUNKS A LESSON! Team size: You, yourself, and no one else Hazard: Bloody
Company: Mara Contact: The Red Queen Reward: Bounty+200 exp per body+200 credits per body
Hostile Iron hand gang members have accosted the First Fang of Mara. In a world of might makes right, weakness is a capital sin. Show these fools the Fangs of Mara. Claws out Ravager! Targets: John ¡°Iron_Mask430¡± Doe Bounty 800 credits: Murder, carjacking Samuel ¡°Sp3cks¡± Murgoc Bounty: 1600 credits: Murder, defiling a corpse, hacking Holland ¡°ArmorKin¡± Finnigan Bounty: 600 credits. Aggravated assault, assault with a deadly weapon, Jon ¡°Fl4m3fist¡± Doe: Bounty: 10,000 credits. Murder, Arson, Possessing proscribed weaponry, Jaywalking, so much jaywalking. For real, 1000 of the credits on this bounty are for jaywalking.
¡°Really? How do ya¡¯ get a 1000 credit bounty for jaywalking?¡± R4 replied, setting down her bag. She could get the wrench out of it if she was willing to remove the lock, yet with a gesture her claws were out. ¡°Looks like we got a bounty hunter, guess we get to take our time with,¡± As he spoke R4 lashed out going for the man¡¯s chest. Center of mass, nice wide target. Maybe armored, but she was hoping it would work. What she wasn¡¯t expecting was her legs to lunge at just the right moment, or her right arm to move just a bit higher to strike at the man¡¯s throat. She felt the flesh part, and her second blow was almost an afterthought, ripping through his jacket with the ease of scissors through construction paper. For a moment she felt something soft and squishy. She pulled back, only to find still twitching muscle tissue her implant tentatively identified as part of an artificial heart. Immediately the man dropped, his neck now sporting a new mouth ¡°What the Rust?¡± ¡°Protocol dictates The Bitter One give you one chance to flee.¡± R4 raised an eyebrow. ¡°Say it...¡± ¡°Run fer yer¡¯ lives ya¡¯ worthless waste a¡¯ flesh, Fer¡¯ Th¡¯ Bitter One¡¯ll give ya¡¯ one chance.¡± R4 yelled at the top of her lungs. ¡°Not quite per protocol, but I like the spirit.¡± ¡°Burn the witch!¡± Immediately the other three men drew iron. ¡°Initiate flare protocol!¡± R4 exclaimed before diving for one of the men¡¯s knees in an attempt to evade the bullets while keeping up the attack. In theory R4 knew that there was a relatively large disparity between tiers. She had locked horns with Ratface and seen the disparity between herself and it. Yet she was not ready for the ease in which her claws went through the man with the chestplate¡¯s legs. She expected some resistance, some sort of push back. Instead it was like tearing construction paper, with the bone being less than a pretzel stick. She saw the man with the goggles barely raise a gun before turning to run. R4 considered chasing him, the rush of Ravager toxin in her veins pushing her onwards, neuropathic fangs pushing down from outside her teeth. A plume of fire brought R4 back to her senses. The iron armed man was pointing at her, his right arm opened up. A plume of flames shot forth, catching R4 out of position. In desperation she threw up her hands. Instinctively she felt the barrier covering her hands like gauntlets open up. She felt the burn of plastic on her skin, but it was distant, inconsequential. ¡°No way, that was a T1 flamethrower!¡± Fl4m3fist exclaimed. He fiddled with his arm, R4 wasn¡¯t sure what he was doing but she wasn¡¯t going to let him finish. She lunged, lashing out at his neck with her claws. She found purchase, yet where her previous victims dropped like harvested wheat this one stayed upright. ¡°Just die you witch!¡± R4 ducked under a punch, only to find the flamethrower now pointed at her. She saw the man grin, before the weapon spewed fire between them. ¡°Blasted second hand,¡± R4 wasn¡¯t letting the opportunity go. She lunged, putting her all into her claws. She swiped for the man¡¯s neck, yet he caught it on his arm, which left his gut open for a second blow. She felt something pop beneath her claws and the man went limp. For a moment his eyes hazed over, his lips smiling. ¡°Poison, dang¡­¡± ¡°Nice job, now quick, get to etching before flare protocol wears off. Your claws should be sharp enough. R4 knelt, carving the symbol into the man¡¯s arm. ¡°I meant into the wall, but that works too.¡± R4 quickly etched the symbol into the cyberware of each of the men. As she did she missed a bit on the masked man, and a bit of blood got on the barrier over her hands. A thought occurred to her, as her stomach growled. She held a bit of blood on the tip of her claws, maybe just a taste. A glance up at the lights on the camera let her know no one was watching. Her tongue shot forth, the copper tang was sweet on her tongue, and a wave of euphoria passed through her mind. A thrill of spilling blood, seasoned by the bitterness of a creeping doubt. There was no tram here, and no one else in the station. Maybe just a bite¡­ ¡°Beep Beep!¡± The sound made R4 jump. One of the corpse bots had managed to get itself stuck in the door. It beeped at her and snapped at the bodies. She quickly dragged the bodies over, at which the machine made a disconcertingly happy beep. Now that she was close R4 heard the thing chopping up the bodies. ¡°It¡¯s harvesting the cyberware.¡± As it grabbed Fl4m3fist it dragged him in before letting off a series of beeps. ¡°He¡¯s Tier 1, the machine can¡¯t take him.¡± R4 felt the rush of flare protocol drop, and immediately felt winded. ¡°I actually jus¡¯ survived a Tier 1 attack?¡± ¡°Survived? You dropped that guy like a habit. You also provided exceptional field data, both on how the prototype handles combat and the damage it does on your own body. Protocol dictates I congratulate you on this accomplishment.¡± ¡°How bad?¡± R4 asked, wincing. She looked down to see a good chunk of her shirt was now melted to her flesh. It had cooled enough that it wouldn¡¯t burn her anymore, but she could tell it would need to be removed. Underneath her skin was unharmed, despite the fire. ¡°Please upgrade your plan for more questions. Alternatively, check your biomonitor.¡± ¡°Red.¡± R4 whined. She sighed and swiped to her biomonitor. It was yelling at her about a first degree burn on her stomach and the fact that despite having eaten five meals she still was hungry. Yet as the tram pulled in she hefted her carryall and got on without issue. That night R4 worked until 1AM fixing the equipment. She showered, removing her half melted T-shirt piece by piece. Finally she plopped into bed. ¡°Don¡¯t forget, you¡¯ve earned quite a bit of experience.¡± ¡°Still getting used to that.¡± R4 replied, before a thought occurred. ¡°Red, about that test of character, do you think I did the right thing at the end there? They were going to kill me, but still,¡± ¡°Upgrade to pro for,¡± ¡°Forget it.¡± R4 took out her phone and examined the experience she had gained. She fiddled around with it a bit, finding she had a discount on a few skills for using them recently. Current frame: Free exp: 60+ 400 (sign of mara) +300 (test of character, Red Queen override this must go to Force) +600 (sharpen your claw) +800 (TEACH THOSE PUNKS A LESSON). Note: until you reach Tier 1 attributes cost a flat 100 per. After Tier 1 they will cost more. Skills may be discounted if you use them recently. Skills can only be increased thrice if they have recently been used or once if not. This may change later.
Force 4¡ú4+1-¡ú4+2-¡ú5 (cost 300) MAXED Athletics: 1 ¡ú 1+1 ¡ú 1+2 ¡ú 2 (cost 20 due to discount) Brute: 2¡ú 2+1 (cost 20) Endurance: 1¡ú1+1 (cost 10) Resolve: 1¡ú1+1 (cost 10) Swimming: 2¡ú 2+1 (cost 20)
Reflexes 3¡ú 3+1¡ú 3+2 ¡ú 4 (cost 300) Acrobatics: 1¡ú 1+1¡ú1+2¡ú2 (cost 25 due to discount) Firearms: 2¡ú2+1 (cost 20) Melee: 2¡ú2+1¡ú2+2 (cost 50 due to discount) Parry: 0¡ú 1 (cost 10) Stealth: 1¡ú 1+1¡ú 1+2¡ú 2 (cost 25 due to discount)
Aptitude 4¡ú 4+1¡ú 4+2¡ú 5 (cost 300) MAXED Driving: 1¡ú1+1 (cost 10) Medicine: 1¡ú1+1¡ú1+2 ¡ú2 (cost 25 due to discount) Pickpocket: 1¡ú1+1 (cost 10) Security: 1+1¡ú 1+2 ¡ú 2 (cost 15 due to discount) Technology: 2¡ú2+1 (cost 20)
Mind 4¡ú 4+1 ¡ú 4+2 ¡ú 5(cost 300) MAXED Bureaucracy: 0¡ú 1(cost 10) Computers: 1¡ú1+1 (cost 10) Research: 1¡ú1+1 (cost 10) Perception: 1¡ú (cost 10) Science: 1¡ú1+1 (cost 10) Survival: 1¡ú1+1 (cost 10)
Empathy 2¡ú 2+1¡ú 2+2¡ú 3 (cost 300) Animals: 0¡ú1 (cost 10) Comprehension: 1¡ú1+1(cost 10) Intimidation: 1¡ú1+1(cost 10) Persuasion: 1¡ú1+1(cost 10) Subterfuge: 1¡ú1+1(cost 10)
Remaining exp: 260. Confirm? ¡°Yes. Ok, I think I got it. Now, bed.¡± XXX Initiating connection¡­ success. Retrieving archived conversation. Issac: Hazza! The Dark Knights are Vanquished and Peace is restored to the land! Ice Queen: Congratulations, you are heroes one and all. Ice Queen: Cutter, can I get a more solid estimate? I have a spreadsheet to fill and an invoice to file. Cutter: Iron hand forces assaulted seven different sectors within Nu¡¯Grav, the strongest of which used Tier 3 weapons using tier 2 power gauntlets. Approximately 30 units of power armor were destroyed by Issac alone, while Harris and I destroyed a further 10. Harris: My friend on the force says the NGPD lost nearly 20 men taking down a single unit of power armor. That has to be worth a bonus Ice Queen: Tier 0 and 1 officers against a tier 2 power armor with tier 3 weapons. A massacre is the only outcome. This is why we are here. Had they agreed to the price determined in the agreement they would have lost far less. Cutter: That¡¯s a bit cold Inlee, even for you. Issac: She is our Queen of Ice and Gold, shall we begrudge her for what she is? Cutter: Issac¡­ Ice Queen: It seems your therapy is working Issac. You are starting to see the world with adequate clarity. Shall I schedule a few sessions for the rest of the team. The copay is 1,000 credits per hour. Cutter:¡­ Harris: Yeah, that¡¯s a no from me Inlee. I¡¯ve got other thing I need my credits for. Ice Queen: That brings us to our next issue. The average set of Empower Gauntlets cost 3000 credits for a pair at Tier 1, and 10,000 for a Tier 2 set. Current estimates are that over 50 pair were used. Tier 2 power armor usually costs approximately 10,000 credits, and Tier 3 weapons vary heavily but usually are 30,000 credits at the low end. Current estimates have several million credits worth of weapons and gear unaccounted for. Mars Corporation is in full damage control right now, seeing as most of the serial numbers point back to them. Harris: I bet those toga wearing meat heads are praying to Jupiter for all they¡¯re worth that something big comes along. Ice Queen: ¡­ Cutter: Inlee, that kind of money does not fall from the sky. Any idea where the Iron Hand got it? Issac: What words do the cursed helm of the golden handed general speak. Surely every bolt in his twisted form must be haunted by a multitude of stolen souls. Their words shall guide us onward. Ice Queen: Surely thy wisdom is great. Cutter, in Common please. Cutter: One of the Iron Hand members wore a pair of golden Tier two empower gauntlets, and they were practically a walking exo. Most of their flesh was scooped out to make room for more machine. I bet Harris¡¯s paycheck he either knows where the money came from, or it came from him. Custom gear like that isn¡¯t cheap. Ice Queen: I will look into it. Which section was he in? Cutter: Cerulian sector. Ice Queen: I see. I will be in touch. For the time being get some rest, but keep it quiet. No benders, and no epic quests. Harris: I¡¯ll do my best, no promises. Issac: For the Lady of Ice and Gold I shall lay aside my blade. Ice Queen: Good enough, I suppose. Chapter 7: Breakfast at Brutalitys. Keywords: Breakfast, Brutality, Gigs, Shopping, 26th R4 awoke to the smell of coppery smell of blood. With her first breath she realized her mouth was full of something hard. She lashed out at the bonds that held her, only to realize they were her bed sheets. She coughed, and immediately spit out a dozen teeth across her capsule. The rest dropped out a moment later. ¡°Red, what the blood?¡± R4 ran her tongue across her new teeth. A few were still working on poking through her gums, but most of them were there. ¡°Red, why am I spitting out my teeth? These ones don¡¯t even have fillings.¡± She felt a twitch in her mouth, before her tongue involuntarily flattened. She felt something happen, ¡°Red?¡± ¡°New data has been recorded and has yet to be processed for resale¡­ I mean studied.¡± R4 sighed, pushing her way out from her blood stained sheets. Her clothes, which she had not bothered to change out of after finishing her work, were now stained with blood in a striped pattern. In frustration she put her hands to her heads, finding shoulder length red hair streaming down. ¡°Ok, I¡¯ll use one of my questions. What happened last night?¡± ¡°After completing your gig, for which you have been paid 1,400 credits, you went to sleep and underwent several rounds of AI driven improvements, bringing your Force, Mind, and Aptitude to human maximum. In the process your muscles were dissolved and regrown, causing moderate blood loss, and you underwent several instances of ischemia across several parts of your brain, which have been repaired. I have placed several memory games on your phone to ensure no damage has been done, which you should do while washing your bed sheets. Also I have compiled several new gigs. R4 drew a few looks from Jun and Hon as she stuffed her clothes into the washer, and her bed sheets into the trash. Both men were dressed in bright colored shirts, Jun in yellow Hon in red, and black gym shorts. Two of the three washers were in use ¡°R4, you ok?¡± Jun asked. ¡°Fine, why?¡± R4 asked. She checked her clothing to make sure she didn¡¯t have any blood on it. Since her good skirt was bloody she wore black gym shorts and a pink shirt with a faded design on it. ¡°Well we haven¡¯t seen you in 2 days.¡± Jun replied. ¡°Must have been one nasty period, that¡¯s a lot of blood.¡± Hon commented. ¡°Coach stocks iron supplements and pain relievers at the canteen if you need them.¡± ¡°Dude, not cool.¡± ¡°What did I say?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mind Hon, he¡¯s an idiot but he means well.¡± Jun covered. ¡°And, well, you did lose a lot of blood there.¡± R4 downed her third bottle of water of the day, and felt a dizzy spell coming on from it. ¡°Yeah, not sure why. Got caught in th¡¯ fightin¡¯ o¡¯r in the Deep Fish turf an¡¯ got a couple bounties an¡¯ exp.¡± Hon and Jun shared a concerned look. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Exp, you mean, like from an AI?¡± Jun asked, and R4 nodded. ¡°I thought you were a remote.¡± ¡°You sure are jumping in with both feet.¡± Hon added. He gestured to her clothes, ¡°First blood sacrifice?¡± ¡°I¡¯m guessin¡¯ there¡¯s somethin¡¯ I¡¯m missing,¡± R4 asked, filling her water bottle from the wash sink before draining half of it. She felt a little more dizzy, and her stomach let out a loud growl. ¡°I think I will grab some of those pills, and some food. You know if that hot dog vendor is still out there?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t buy from him, his stuff is trash.¡± Jun spoke up. ¡°He gets his stuff from a crate Gentek misplaced years ago, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s safe.¡± ¡°Come on, we were about to go get breakfast, I know a great place with synth eggs so fluffy you¡¯d think they¡¯re from real eggs.¡± Hon added. ¡°Seven types of bacon, six types of sausage, and more protein shakes than I can bench. ¡°Sure, though, I¡¯m not exactly dressed for it.¡± R4 replied, gesturing to her shorts which went half way down her thighs. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, you look great in those shorts and it¡¯s not like the NGPD enforce the decency laws anyhow. Don¡¯t ask how I know.¡± Jun elbowed Hon. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Jus¡¯ let me change into somethin¡¯ quick, oh, and do ya¡¯ know someplace I can get some new sheets?¡± R4 asked, ¡°I kinda¡¯ ripped through mine.¡± R4 quickly found a pair of dark shorts, and her favorite yellow sun dress. She had modified it so it had sleeves, which were pink as she had an old pink shirt she wanted to reuse at the time. As she put it on R4 noticed it was a bit tight around her chest, and while she remembered it being below her knees the last time she wore it, it was above now. She thought, ¡°When was that¡­ wait, is this my old one? She examined the stitching, and found several pink and red flowers stitched into the breast. ¡°Yep, I remember this.¡± She grinned, and pulled at a bit of the ribbon on the left hip. Immediately the right side of the skirt fell apart exposing three quarters of her thigh. ¡°Good for runnin¡¯ or impressin¡¯, depending on the mood.¡± R4 replied, smiling at her mother¡¯s words. ¡°Somehow I think this is a bit more than you meant.¡± R4 quickly readjusted the ribbon, pulling her skirt closed again. It was a bit tighter than intended, but she could still run. She next added her Mars Corp jacket. Now that she was out in the lights she could see it was black with red shoulders and accents. It didn¡¯t exactly match but, ¡°Second chance armor goes with every outfit.¡± She zipped it up, then put up the hood. Immediately the hood closed off, a translucent cover dropping down and sealing. R4 quickly put it back up, lowering the hood. Sorting through her shoes she had one pair of black and white sneakers and one pair of black work boots. There were also the blue and red NOKE shoes, but they were currently in the wash. She went with the boots, finding them sturdy and well worn. Finally, while storing away her extra shoes and a few options she hadn¡¯t gone with, R4 checked her banking app.
User Rachel ¡°R4¡± Smith Balance incoming/outgoing notes
25069 +1400 Repair machines at The Pain Train
23669 -1000 Yu¡¯s Salvaged Parts
24669 -200 Hot Lee¡¯s Hot meals, Chipz Chipper Meals, The Roosting Whale¡¯s Wale dog warf, Noodle Shop 43
24869 -1100 The Pain Train Locker+membership+capsule (1 month)
25969 -30 Hawt Doggs meals
25999 -1 Sitting fee
26000 +4000 Get out of here psycho
22000 +1000 Investigate unknown murders
2000 +20,000 Investigate strange symbols
¡°That¡¯s¡­ woah. My dad was right, you can really make it big here.¡± R4 said to herself. ¡°All it took is almost dying twice, no, three times. ¡° [[Displaying on sale cyberware in your area]] ¡°Close window.¡± R4 replied, putting down her phone. ¡°I need to earn enough for tuition first. On that note, do I not get the bounties for the Iron hand I¡­¡± R4 froze, her pulse skyrocketing. I almost had time to stop the next message before it sent. [[A new job has been picked just for you.]]
Routine maintenance work Team size: 4 Hazard: 1 (meetup)
Company: Veritable strategic solutions Contact: Laura Mamik Reward: 400 credits
Looking for skilled self starters for a fast paced opportunity. Potential applicants should have a background in mechanical engineering with experience with computers and biological processes being a plus. Veritable Strategic Solutions is looking for some contractors to do work within a remote server room. Must supply your own tools. Materials will be supplied. Expected time: 4 hours plus travel.
The first subversion Team size: 1 Hazard: blood spots
Company: Fangs of Mara Contact: The Red Queen Reward: 5,000 credits and 500 exp. Also an increase in standing within the Fangs of Mara and potential cyberware.
A remote Gentek server room has recently been flagged. For unknown reasons they are using an outsourced company rather than their own people. The Red Queen wants to know what they found. Those 400 credits are pretty small, especially if it¡¯s shared among four workers. Why not pad out those earnings with a side gig?
R4 didn¡¯t see the messages. She began breathing hard, her brain chemistry going berserk. She began to shake, her hands going to her head, her teeth beginning to twitch. Her eyes went wide as adrenaline levels skyrocketed. She felt her hands going through flesh and bones without issue, she felt the heat of the flames even as she disregarded it to slay the source. Her thoughts cycled back. Her claws came out, cutting into her own head. [[Ravager Isopod override: Initiating calm protocol.]] R4 felt her fears and doubts begin to vanish. Her breathing steadied, she blinked, and noticed the blood on her hands. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You had an episode, and extended your claws while gripping your own head. I understand you may not like your haircut, but there are better ways.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not,¡± She noticed several locks of hair falling to her bed. ¡°I know. Records indicate slaying fellow humans, even in self defense, can cause long lasting injury to the psyche. In FRAME terms, it may cause temporary or permanent damage to Resolve, Empathy, and Mind. This, in turn, makes it easier for some individuals to continue killing. Several studies have attempted to link low empathy with Cyberpsychosis. ¡°Have they?¡± ¡°Inconclusive. Many studies have been biased, taking a stance and trying to prove it. Some studies have shown that interacting with friends and coworkers have positive effects on empathy and healing damage to empathy. Others show that low empathy is beneficial in a corporate setting. Many of these studies were funded by Gentek and Lok-1. The public studies show notable differences based on the raw data. Data indicates that, despite Tier 1 and 2 individuals being able to wreak havoc, there has been only 1 that arose within the Solarian Theocracy.¡± ¡°I remember that.¡± R4 spoke quietly, her eyes going blank. Inside her mind was filled with visions of a mountain that had once been a man, and a rotary cannon that had once been an arm. She had heard guns before, she had been hunting with a shotgun and a pistol, but this sounded more like a saw. She crept towards her brother, a source of unyielding strength and steadfast resolve, only to see... A second application of calm protocol was applied. ¡°Thank you Red, I needed that.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll say, your heart went from 60 to 180 beats a minute. Should I stop?¡± R4 shook her head. ¡°In the last year 125 cases were reported in Nu¡¯Grav. Within the Elarian Basin there were 245 cases last year, though they are 10 times the size. No cases have ever been reported by the Third Chiniric Empire. Ever. They are a worker¡¯s utopia and such maladies are a symptom of the underlying corruption of other countries.¡± R4 took a few more moments to collect herself. ¡°So, when were you planning on telling me about calm protocol?¡± ¡°Switching protocols requires specific cyberware to prevent long term damage. I will denote a few options once they appear.¡± Immediately R4¡¯s phone buzzed. ¡°The above job is for a few nights from now, I recommend preparing for it.¡± ¡°Got it, thanks for the heads up.¡± R4 hung up before giving her outfit another once over. ¡°Still not sure how I feel about you messin¡¯ with my head, but¡­ wait. Do I really think that, or are you still messing with my head?¡± R4 considered the thought. ¡°Bleeding Havoc, I am not thinking about this right now.¡± Giving her outfit one final look, R4 slipped out of the bathroom to meet Jun and Hon. Both were waiting outside of The Pain train. ¡°Huh, R4, how old did you say you were?¡± Hon asked. Jun put his hand on his forehead and winced preemptively. ¡°That dress makes you look maybe 18.¡± ¡°Well I made it when I was 14, and just kept altering it as I grew. I meant to bring a different one, but I left my other dress at home and it¡¯s this or work clothes.¡± R4 replied. ¡°Have you seen the prices they charge on cargo? I¡¯m lucky half my tools made it.¡± ¡°It looks fine, though it definitely paints you as a remote.¡± Jun replied. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go. They stop serving breakfast at 10.¡± The walk was short, though as they passed the hotdog salesman he shot Jun a rude gesture, who immediately shot him a rude gesture back. ¡°Still mad?¡± Hon asked. ¡°That he gave me food poisoning that didn¡¯t pass for three days?¡± Jun replied. ¡°Not mad, but I still don¡¯t like the man. I¡¯m not sorry I got his entire supply seized. I¡¯m not sorry you beat up the brutes he hired to intimidate me and lost him his deposit.¡± The place Jun finally led them to was a small hole in the wall between a McKingburger and a Waddle House. The former was all lit up in reds and yellows and showed a regal figure made from neon warding off a dragon that bore a duck¡¯s bill with a blade made from a French fry and a shield made from a pickle. The latter had a giant neon duck swimming through holographic water and occasionally clothes lining a petty king who, despite his fine red robes, was in a rowboat. ¡°Is that?¡± ¡°Corporate rivalry. Oh yeah. Both sides have been trying to buy Cookie out, and they keep outbidding one another, so he¡¯s just doing his thing and waiting until retirement.¡± Hon spoke up. As they approached the door R4 noticed a group of men and women exiting. Several looked hungover, and a few were still tipsy. The women all wore dresses and skirts, none of which were longer than the knee. The men¡¯s outfits actually varied more. Some wore professional dress, most wore more aggressive casual clothing. One wore nothing but tattos and a pair of shorts. ¡°Hey Hon!¡± The shirtless man called, flashing Hon some sign. ¡°Skinner, how¡¯s it hanging?¡± Hon flashed a corresponding sign and immediately their conversation was lost in jargon R4 thought was about body building or murder, she wasn¡¯t sure which. It was rapidfire and far too technical for R4 to follow. ¡°Jun, who¡¯s this?¡± A woman asked. R4 immediately sized up the woman as she did the same. They were about the same age, though that¡¯s where the similarities ended. She was taller, 210 at least, with frizzy black hair and skin darkened by dye or birth, with neon blue streaks running down from her eyes. She wore a blazer and yoga pants, as well as what R4 was pretty sure was a sports bra someone had put neon LED¡¯s and lace into. She was not overly muscular, but she was athletic and had an aura of menace around her as if she was a snake about to strike. ¡°Morning Rain, this is R4. We were just about to have breakfast.¡± ¡°She looks¡­ Seriously, this is it?¡± R4 watched as Rain stepped forwards and took her hair in her hands. ¡°This is the girl you¡¯ve been hanging with? What is this hairstyle, and where¡¯s your flash, do you even have ink? Jun, I know you have no standards,¡± She gestured to Hon and Skinner who were both flexing, and somehow Hon had managed to lose his shirt already revealing several silvery surgery scars which were made even more obvious by the black tattoos highlighting them, ¡°But I don¡¯t even know where to start with this one. Who did that hairstyle?¡± ¡°The Dimdwell.¡± R4 replied. ¡°I¡¯ve been growing it out until I can get it done properly.¡± Rain removed her hand, and it flopped down over R4¡¯s face until she parted it again. ¡°Oh this is just a disaster, 403 urban lane, there¡¯s an autobarber that will fix you right up.¡± She ran a hand through her own dark locks. ¡°No match for a real stylist, but sugar, I know you ain¡¯t got the credits for that.¡± R4 just smiled and nodded. ¡°Skinner, stop flexing, we have work at 9 and I don¡¯t need you hopped up on 5¡¯s." ¡°You¡¯re still using 5¡¯s?¡± Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Hells to the yeah, still trying to unlock the secret 25th hour though.¡± ¡°Preem Dude, if you manage you got to tell me.¡± They chest bumped and Skinner followed after Rain. ¡°Friends of yours?¡± ¡°Rain and I are on again off again.¡± Jun replied. ¡°She probably thought you were my new project.¡± ¡°Am I?¡± R4 asked warily. ¡°Eh, probably. We¡¯ll see. You seem to have a handle on things, and Coach likes you. Now come on, I¡¯m hungry.¡± R4¡¯s stomach growled loudly. ¡°Seems you are too.¡± The diner was dark, and several men and women were trying to recover by pounding coffee and other things on the bar. Jun and Hon found an open booth. ¡°Inside or out?¡± Hon asked R4. She gestured for him to elaborate. ¡°Inside no one¡¯s going to bother you while walking, but outside you can leave if things go lopsided faster.¡± ¡°Outside.¡± R4 replied. She sat down and within moments Jun and Hon had their phones out. Each scanned the QR code at the table. R4 looked towards the screens above the bar, but could not accurately read then, so settled for using her phone. As she did she noticed the tables were simple steel, and the seats were likewise cheap padding. As she sat down the booth color changed from green to red, the appearance of the material actually changing. She touched the material and found that, while it was somewhat soft, it wasn¡¯t that comfortable. Enough to work for a short time, but definitely uncomfortable enough that no one would stay too long or try to sleep on them. A low snore from the booth beyond theirs corrected her assumption. ¡°So, what¡¯s good?¡± R4 asked, scrolling through the options. ¡°Five egg bacon omelet.¡± At the words R4 could swear she smelled frying grease and salt. It made her mouth water and she felt her tongue almost slither out of her mouth. ¡°Triaple waffles.¡± The smell of sweet syrup and baked confection immediately flooded her nose. Jun turned his phone around. R4 saw the symbol of the Triaple leaf, which resembled three maple leaves extending from a single point. ¡°It¡¯s not imported from the Triaple isolationists, but it¡¯s still really good.¡± ¡°Might as well have cake for breakfast.¡± Hon replied. ¡°You want muscles, you want protein. Five Egg bacon omelet.¡± ¡°What about this fruit and yogurt?¡± R4 asked. At her words she could swear she smelled strawberries. ¡°With oatmeal in it, sounds like something I¡¯d eat back home.¡± Her stomach growled and she purchased it with a click. ¡°That won¡¯t fill you up, you¡¯ll be hungry again before dinner.¡± ¡°Oh, this is an appetizer.¡± R4 replied. ¡°That five egg omelet looks good.¡± R4¡¯s yogurt came first, along with drinks. R4 got hot chocolete, Hon had grapfruit juice, and Jun had OJ. ¡°You see how they misspelled the juice?¡± R4 nodded at Jun¡¯s words but she was already half way through her yogurt. It was a little heavy on the oatmeal, and tasted a both sweeter and blander than she had expected. ¡°It¡¯s so they don¡¯t have to use actual juice, they can use chemicals that mimic the taste. It¡¯s still good, even if it¡¯s fake.¡± R4 nodded as she finished her food. She eyed the last bit of yogurt in the bottom of the cup it was served in, a sleek and steel device about 20 centimeters in height. In an instant her tongue darted like a snake and scooped the rest into her mouth. She immediately looked up, but Jun was on his phone texting someone and Hon was flirting with a woman who now had enough black coffee in her that she felt she was good to go home. With a final goodbye she hefted her black and silver purse and was off. Her secret safe R4 excused herself to the bathroom. Her tongue still felt a bit off, as if it was swollen and just a bit too big for her mouth. As she entered the ladies room all noise seemed to stop, as if it were sound proofed. She noticed this room was white and sterile a low beeping sound alerted her to a machine in distress. R4 pushed open one of the stalls and saw a drunk woman curled up with an ovoid black cleaning bot who was flashing a red light. ¡°Um, miss?¡± R4 approached, noting the woman had thrown up but the bot had already cleaned it and her face, though she was sporting red marks from whatever abrasive or brush the robot was using. Immediately R4 checked the scene, seeing if there were any needles or other dangerous objects, and found nothing. R4 felt her stomach growl, despite having just eaten. Her teeth felt longer for a moment, her tongue filling her mouth. Quickly she knelt down. ¡°Miss, Miss can you hear me?¡± The knowledge came to her immediately, pushing aside her hunger. Hours of training, weeks of experience, all in an instant. R4 couldn¡¯t recall the faces or the dates, but she had done this dozens of times before and muscle memory came smoothly. She checked that the woman was breathing, she was, and pinched her hard on the shoulder. She could feel the subdermal armor, and more she could feel the way the skin resisted indicating the woman was first tier. R4 quickly took out her phone and opened her [[my mesh]] app. Opening a screen by muscle memory she held her phone next to the woman¡¯s shoulder. [[Caution: User is not registered as a medical provider. Available information will be limited to emergency use and is subject to review.]] R4 accepted and quickly read out the information from the woman¡¯s biomonitor. ¡°Ok, heart rate normal, BAC is not too bad,¡± She paused as the woman twitched. ¡°Hey, hey, are you alright?¡± ¡°What time is it?¡± The woman asked, sitting up. ¡°And why does my face hurt?¡± The tiny cleaning bot beeped at her again. ¡°I think you tried making out with that cleaning bot.¡± Immediately the woman jumped up, flipping the poor little machine over. R4 righted the machine and it got back to work. ¡°Wild night?¡± The woman blinked twice, letting R4 see her bloodshot red eyes, before brushing off her short black dress and adjusting the silver buckle on her. ¡°Something like that.¡± She staggered towards the door, letting R4 notice that her short black dress had been ripped in the back. Her right sleeve was down to her wrist, while her left one had been ripped off at the shoulder. ¡°Shoot, where is my purse?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see one.¡± R4 replied. ¡°****¡± The woman swore before staggering out. ¡°Hey, are you sure you¡¯re,¡± R4 froze as she saw the woman tear into the bartender, who handled it without raising an eyebrow. Finishing her business quickly R4 returned to her seat where Hon and Jun were watching the woman in black continue to berate the bartender. ¡°Should we tell her he¡¯s the day shift?¡± Hon asked. ¡°Hon, even a fool may be perceived as wise so long as he holds his tongue.¡± Jun replied. A few moments later she whipped around in a move that made her short hair fling out in all directions. ¡°Oh dear, seems trouble is looking for us.¡± ¡°You¡¯re Jun ¡°Weaver¡± Silk right?¡± She asked, but it wasn¡¯t a question. ¡°I want someone to find my purse.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure I can find someone who¡¯s good at that, I have three names in mind right now, but let¡¯s talk price. Ah, and it looks like the food is ready, Hon would you fetch it?¡± After a quick shifting of seats R4 found herself between Hon and the wall, while Jun was between the woman who identified herself as Mia and the wall. R4 listened as they negotiated price and the details of the purse. The key issues were 1) the purse had to be returned in generally good condition and 2) it had to be unopened. The first issue was absolute, the second one was not. ¡°I didn¡¯t have anything important in it, a bit of cash and a few id cards. The important thing is the bag itself is a Lok-1 Infoseal first edition.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so special about the first edition?¡± R4, finishing a bite of her swarm special omelet. It was a bit more than the bacon special, but rather than vat grown bacon it was farmed locus and spinach. She added a hefty amount of mustard to it, and had folded a napkin tucked into her shirt so she wouldn¡¯t get any on her. ¡°The first edition didn¡¯t sell well because Mitian released a similar product at the same time. The Mitian Vault handbag had the ability to securely transmit signals from inside the bag outside, which the first generation Infoseal didn¡¯t. That meant the second generation had a similar, and even more complex, port. Thing is, one of my rivals had one, and someone figured out how to hack it and remotely wipe the data of anything inside it. 20 hours of archived footage for a 4 hour special due in 7 days, gone in the time it took to get home.¡± She smiled wickedly. ¡°Poor fool nearly lost his job and never tried laying a hand on me again.¡± ¡°And the first generation doesn¡¯t have that vulnerability. Why not just remove the port?¡± R4 asked. ¡°Or get one that doesn¡¯t have it.¡± ¡°Because the Mars Corporation Shielded satchel looks brutish like everything they make. Just look at your jacket.¡± ¡°I like my jacket.¡± R4 mumbled. ¡°So bag is a must, contents secondary. Ok, I¡¯ll send out some messages and we should have it back shortly.¡± ¡°Wait, was it black and silver, with a little black ribbon?¡± R4 asked, earning a look. ¡°That woman talking with Hon had one like that. I thought it strange because she was wearing a purple and orange outfit and it looked out of place.¡± ¡°What? Yingur that *****!¡± ¡°So we have a lead. I¡¯ll update things and get the word out.¡± Mia had stormed out before he finished speaking. ¡°Talk to you soon.¡± ¡°So are you going to be getting cats out of trees next?¡± Hon asked. ¡°No, I¡¯ll be subcontracting you to get a cat out of a tree.¡± Jun replied, taking a bite of his waffle. ¡°And say what you want about small gigs, they¡¯re usually pretty fast and the credits add up.¡± They paid and were gone shortly. R4 noticed that the bar accepted cards, Jun paid with a gesture towards the machine and Hon paid using a fingerprint. The next stop was at a small bazaar Jun knew about. ¡°Everything¡¯s so colorful.¡± R4 commented, examining fourth different shades of sunglasses laid out by one of the vendors. She looked up at the cloudy sky, ¡°and it¡¯s outside like the farmer¡¯s markets back home. I didn¡¯t think Nu¡¯Grav would have something like that.¡± ¡°Of course we, Hey!¡± Two children ran past Jun, only for Hon to reach out with the agility of a striking snake and grab one of the children. ¡°Drop it!¡± For a moment R4¡¯s picture of Jun changed. Gone was the easy going fixer, his voice was cold and dead. The child dropped something small and metalic, and Hon let go. Immediately the child vanished into the crowd as Jun retrieved his billfold. ¡°Sorry, little scamps.¡± R4 casually put her hands in her pocket where her phone and wallet were kept. ¡°They know some of these merchants don¡¯t accept cards or bio print, so they try to swipe cash when they can.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good way ta¡¯ get a lashin¡¯¡± ¡°Or worse. Guns aren¡¯t allowed in the pop markets, but that just means you¡¯ll get kicked out if you pull one. The PD looks the other way on these markets, but if something goes down they¡¯re more than happy to start writing citations.¡± R4¡¯s first stop was an odds and ends store that held all sorts of strange things. Cooking ware, knock off bags, and a few other things. While they were colorful and variable, R4 didn¡¯t really see anything she liked. Another shop had several small hologram projectors, each about the size of a deck of cards. ¡°Miss, watch this.¡± The shopkeeper, a plain looking man in a white shirt and slacks spoke quietly. He pressed a button, and a poodle appeared above the card. ¡°Sit.¡± The animal sat up. ¡°Speak.¡± The dog barked. ¡°Ooh, it looks so soft an¡¯ fluffy.¡± R4 reached out, and her hand went right through. ¡°Bah, I can¡¯t touch it.¡± ¡°It is a hologram Miss, but it is still programmed for companionship.¡± The man replied. ¡°Far more affordable than a real dog, especially with the animal tax.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t suppose there¡¯s a robotic dog that¡¯s similar?¡± ¡°Not this week.¡± R4 considered it, yet the price was 600 credits so she declined, moving on. The next stall held several mood altering devices, which when applied to the neck would apply certain codes to one¡¯s cybernetics to alter one¡¯s mood. The man working the stall was wearing one that was blue with small coconut trees on it. ¡°Even in the heart of this city I still feel like I¡¯m on vacation.¡± The man replied when asked. ¡°Sounds addictive, and dangerous.¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t use them during a fight, or,¡± He glanced around before fetching a black collar with red spikes, ¡°You could use something like this. It alters the fight or flight response. Rather than running away it give you an edge in a fight.¡± ¡°Hizik, are you still selling that dog collar?¡± Jun asked, turning away from a woman who was selling strange holographic spheres that projected images of flowers and other natural scenes. ¡°Hey, it works.¡± ¡°Yes it works, the last person you sold one to got in a fight with 10 other men and tried taking them down with a broken bottle. They had guns, and body armor.¡± ¡°Yes, but he still got two of them. The guy fought like a cornered rat, I saw the CCTV footage.¡± ¡°They were NGPD officers asking directions. Even following the primary rule of not talking to the PD that¡¯s a bit excessive. ¡°I¡¯ll take it.¡± R4 replied, paying 600 credits for the device. ¡°R4, what are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m interested in how it works. I¡¯m not much of a fighter,¡± R4 purposefully ignored her phone buzzing in her pocket disputing her claim, ¡°but if I can figure out how this thing works I might be able to defend myself . Jus¡¯ the other day I ran inta¡¯ some gangsters in gas masks, an¡¯ the Iron Hand after were even worse. Somethin¡¯ ta¡¯ give me an edge could be th¡¯ difference between makin¡¯ it an¡¯ not.¡± ¡°R4, if you¡¯re in a fight with the Iron Hand running is the right choice, not fighting. They¡¯ve got solos all the way from tier 1 to tier 4. Getting in a fight with them is a bad idea.¡± ¡°Though my cousin over there,¡± The shop owner pointed, ¡°Is selling skill chips. If you lack the time to learn a skill the hard way, just plug in a chip and become a competent fighter within minutes.¡± Immediately R4 went over to check them out. They were each about the size of her thumb, and plugged into a port that would be installed on the user¡¯s neck. Of course, the man selling the chips did not have one of said ports. ¡°They¡¯re installed in clinics, but they start at Tier 1. The chips themselves are tier 0, but if there¡¯s a skill you need but just don¡¯t have, these babies are what you¡¯re looking for.¡± He held up one. ¡°Want to read a book in the native language but don¡¯t have time to learn it, this chip has Spanish, English, Chinese, Japanese, and even the dead language French.¡± ¡°Do you have one that would let me code?¡± R4 asked. ¡°In any programming languages you¡¯d like. I¡¯ve also got some technical skills if you don¡¯t want to hire a tech,¡± He eyed R4, ¡°Though given your frame I would recommend it regardless.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, come again?¡± R4 asked. ¡°I mean, it would not do to stain one¡¯s lovely hands with oil and grease,¡± ¡°Ya¡¯ think jus¡¯ ¡®cause I¡¯m a woman I can¡¯t fix my own stuff?¡± R4 exclaimed. Her skin went red and her pulse spiked. Long claws extended beyond her fingers, transparent but dense enough that the air around them rippled. ¡°N-no need for that.¡± The salesman backtracked. ¡°I¡¯m just saying, grease is hard to get out of a good dress, and you surely know how to dress. Yet if it is of no matter to you my cousin over there has several pattern and styles you should definitely check out. If you tell them I sent you they will give you a discount.¡± R4 glared at the man, but put her claws away before stalking off. ¡°Please refrain from using your claws in a setting like this.¡± Her phone trilled. ¡°We do not want the ravager prototype to be associated with unhinged killers any more than it already is.¡± ¡°Already is, wait, the Lopside and Ratface?¡± ¡°Failed experiements, connection was lost soon after they reached tier 1. Currently Gentek has the corpse of Ratface and has been examining it. That data would be enlightening in refining the process.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s what you want.¡± R4 mused, and the silence was the only answer she needed. ¡°It may also save you from the same fate.¡± R4 stopped mid step. The thought of becoming like Rat Face, or worse Lopside, sent a chill down her spine. ¡°Due to the sensitive nature of the Ravager experiments it is my hope it will be on a remote server, such as the one we would like you to gain access to.¡± ¡°Fine, I¡¯m in.¡± R4 replied. ¡°Hey, R4.¡± R4 looked up, her mood for shopping tainted by the recent thoughts. ¡°Check it out, the latest in Tech wear.¡± It was covered in dodads and gizmos, all kinds of sensors and wearable screen. A large helmet protected the Tech¡¯s most valuable asset, while thick gloves with retractable tools protected their second most valuable. ¡°Um¡­ what?¡± R4 asked, examining the outfit. It looked like it was made from vinyl or rubber. It was a strange green and looked quite loose. Wires ran across the suit in a mishmash of colors with nearly incomprehensible design. As R4 studied it she began to get a sense of the device. ¡°Is this power armor?¡± ¡°Similar,¡± The merchant, a heavyset and short man with a bushy beard and mustache both in gray replied. He turned from another piece of equipment he was working on and brushed his gloved hands on his synth leather apron. Adding his skull cap and goggles R4 couldn¡¯t help but imagine the man as a dwarf blacksmith. ¡°To cut down on weight only the arms are reinforced, and mostly just to exert extra forces when dealing with stiff bolts. The wires are color coated so you may reroute power as needed in case of damage.¡± He quickly reached for another outfit. ¡°We have it in feminine as well.¡± R4 looked at the second outfit. While the first set had long sleeves and pants, this one resembled a leotard. ¡°Where are the legs, is this a swimsuit?¡± ¡°Given the amount of electronics I wouldn¡¯t try that Miss. They¡¯re water sealed, but it¡¯s still pretty heavy.¡± He shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s fashion though. I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯s supposed to be worn with these knee length insulated stockings.¡± ¡°Hey, are you going to buy that?¡± A man in enough electronics to fill a hardware store asked. R4 stepped back as the man bargained with the shop keeper, before passing over several hundred credits and leaving with the outfit. ¡°My wife is going to love this.¡± ¡°And in fact, his wife did not love it, and he ended up sleeping on the couch.¡± Jun narrated watching the scene. ¡°Or she did, and they worked late into the night on their latest project.¡± Hon countered. ¡°There¡¯s all types. ¡°You know, I¡¯ve sold one of the male versions and five of the female. Good thing all sales are final.¡± The shop keeper commented. ¡°So that was my last one of those, anything else catch your eye?¡± R4 examined the man¡¯s wares. She picked up an extra set of overalls in a dark gray, a few tee shirts that were cheap enough she wouldn¡¯t mind if they got torn up, then something caught her eye. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± She asked, drawing a black dress from a hanger. ¡°That, that fell off a truck.¡± The shop owner replied. ¡°Smart weave silk, made by Mitian. Not sure about the design though.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with it?¡± R4 asked, holding the dress over herself. The dress was black, but had a green circuit weave that seemed to come up from the hem of the skirt and slowly congregate at her waist. It had short sleeves, which also had the circuit pattern, and a modest V neck that showed no cleavage. At her touch her My Mesh let her know it was compatible, and R4 had a small surprise. [[My Mesh: Non-cyberware]]
Mitian Circuit Princess Dress (T0): From the Royalty line, a simple dress for when you wish to walk among the mundane yet maintain your elegance. Cyberweave allows the dress to change at your whim, for when you want to go from Daddy¡¯s princess to Daddy¡¯s little girl in an instant. Requires a Mitian T0 or greater battery. Armor rating 1 Note this is last year¡¯s fashion. Please discard and see your local merchant. N/A. It¡¯s just a dress. A nice one though. Not everything has to be bioware. On a completely related note you need a new tool arm, preferably something with spacial compression. Also you might be able to work some magic on this, just saying.
¡°Is it supposed to link to my Mesh?¡± R4 asked. ¡°Mitian stuff tends to, wouldn¡¯t surprise me. 200 credits and it¡¯s yours.¡± R4 bought it without a second thought. She quickly stepped into a changing room and slipped into it. She stepped out of the changing area and did a quick spin. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°Not bad, you actually look over 20.¡± Jun replied. ¡°Could use a little cleavage.¡± Hon replied, earning Jun a look. ¡°What? It could.¡± At the words R4 felt her dress shifting, the V of her neck descending, then the cut altering so the dress now had shoulder straps, which angled into a far deeper V. ¡°Exactly, your dress agrees with me.¡± ¡°What the?¡± R4 looked at herself at one of the mirrors in the changing area. The dress looked good on her, and she adjusted her hair to examine it. ¡°I mean, I guess I kin¡¯ see it. Would be nice if it asked me first. I don¡¯t want someone ta¡¯ suggest it turn into a bikini,¡± At her words the dress started to shrink. ¡°No, no, undo.¡± The dress continued to shrink, until it was a one piece swimsuit with a thigh length skirt and a very open back. R4 blushed at the looks she was now getting. ¡°Full dress please.¡± The dress complied. ¡°Huh, a multiform dress. I should have charged 3 times that.¡± The shop keeper replied. At his words the circuit pattern faded from green to gray. ¡°Oh, right, that¡¯s why.¡± ¡°What?¡± R4 asked. She examined the dress, and finally found a small powerpack behind one of the shoulders. She pulled, but it would not come free. ¡°That¡¯s Last year¡¯s fashion, they don¡¯t make batteries for it anymore. Also the battery on that one is jammed. You¡¯d need to take it to a tech to get it out.¡± ¡°So I¡¯ll take it out and recharge it.¡± The man winced. ¡°It¡¯s not rechargable is it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a display battery. You can recharge it, but it¡¯s got enough juice for about 5 minutes and that¡¯s it.¡± ¡°At least it¡¯s got an armor rating, I¡¯m sure that¡¯s going to be useful at some point.¡± She paused. ¡°Or does that require power too?¡± The merchant¡¯s face said all she needed to know. R4 continued to browse, yet she didn¡¯t really see anything else that caught her eyes. A few of the merchants were selling cyberware, but without a reliable way to install it R4 didn¡¯t see much point, despite the trilling of her phone. Finally she found a shop that did interest her. The merchant had styled his cart with a flag of red and white stripes with a ring of white stars in a blue field off to one corner. The man wore a white wig and tri cornered hat, long blue pants with synth leather chaps, a blue shirt under a tan vest bristling with guns, and long leather boots that had a pair of pistols sticking out of them. ¡°Howdy Miss, see something you like?¡± R4 eyed his wares. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of guns.¡± Beneath the glass were dozens of firearms. Pistols, rifles, shotguns, she even saw a submachinegun peeking out from beneath a folded flag. ¡°Yes Mam, my great grandfather came all the way from the mighty country known as the United States to share the greatness of our founding fathers. Their first law being freedom of speech, and the second being how they kept their speech free. Iron, as hot as can be. Can¡¯t walk two steps without running into someone who¡¯s packing, so that someone had better be you. What can I interest you in? You skilled with pistols, rifles, shotguns,¡± He winked, ¡°Maybe a little something heavier? From that dress you look like a webwalker. I¡¯ve got just the thing.¡± He quickly produced an odd looking pistol. It was black and green like her dress, but had a small monitor rather than a scope. ¡°This little weapon scans the area in front of you. If it detects a wireless signal it highlights it. Great for figuring out who¡¯s trying to hack your system, or finding a system to hack. It can shoot bullets, or send high frequency signals to give your own hacking attempts some real kick.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a Walker, I¡¯m a Tech.¡± R4 replied. Immediately the little gun was off the table and some manner of half baked monstrosity was before her. ¡°I said I was a tech, not a miracle worker.¡± ¡°Now see, yes this was once a shotgun that took a little too much gunpowder, but now it¡¯s a project. Five different barrels of different caliber. Load it up with whatever you want. Grenades, buckshot, rifle rounds, the sky¡¯s the limit.¡±
Error: Overlapping signals and components make identification of this object impossible. This is junk. Your life expectancy has shortened just getting near it, and only partially because the power supply in the support is leaking
¡°Hey ya¡¯ Gonk! What¡¯s the big idea breaking out unshielded thorium?¡± R4 exclaimed jumping back. Immediately all the surrounding eyes were on the man. ¡°Oh, quit your whining, it¡¯s barely leaking as much as sunlight.¡± The shop keeper replied. ¡°What do you say, everyone in Night city has a gun.¡± As if to prove his point a gunshot went off, making R4 jump. ¡°Oi, Hands off me wee men ya tin fingered Mambie!¡± A thin balding man in a powder blue bulletproof vest and Hawaiian pattern overcoat with matching swim trunks with screamed. His table was covered in miniatures for a board game R4 didn¡¯t recognize. ¡°Oi, Henderson you Gonk, what part of No gunfire did you miss?¡± Someone angrily yelled. Henderson just scratched his graying hair, tucking his shotgun into his Hawaiian pattern overcoat and adjusting his aviators. ¡°What part a¡¯ Me an¡¯ Bessie¡¯ are never apart ya¡¯ Mambie¡¯ Headed Lug?¡± ¡°You know, your accent and his are pretty similar.¡± Jun said. ¡°Alright everyone, Since Henderson here set off the starting pistol we¡¯ve got about 10 minutes before the PD show up. If you¡¯ve got a license make sure your wares are up to snuff. If you don¡¯t, time to pack it up.¡± Like magic the merchants seemed to evaporate, carts folding up and being wheeled off, or folding into backpacks and vanishing into the crowd. A few more sturdy carts remained, but a third of their stock vanished from sight. Jun led Hon and R4 away quickly, but not so quickly they didn¡¯t see a NGPD motorcycle fly past them ¡°Well, that¡¯s that. What do you think about your first pop market?¡± ¡°I like it, reminds me of home.¡± R4 replied. As if in refutation to her words there was a loud BOOM from behind them. ¡°What the?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look,¡± but R4 had already turned back to see what the commotion was about. Apparently one of the shop owners had been a little too slow to pick up his stall. Now he was surrounded by a dozen officers, each of whom were outfitted in black combat uniforms and wearing silvery masks. ¡°Uh oh, that¡¯s the silver squad. R4, we¡¯ve got to run.¡± ¡°What do you,¡± Hon threw R4 over his shoulder and took off ¡°Hey! Halt!¡± R4¡¯s bones went cold as she heard a whistle being blown. Quickly Hon and Jun split up. ¡°Shoot, shoot, shoot.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on, who were those guys?¡± R4 asked. ¡°The silver masks, they¡¯re a Tier 2 taskforce that comes down here some times. They know we can¡¯t fight back, so they hand out tickets and beat downs with impunity. We¡¯ve got to hide.¡± ¡°Cover me for a moment.¡± Hon gave R4 a strange look as he set her down, which turned to embarrassment as she removed her dress. With equal speed she swapped back to her old one, quickly tightening the belt and shoving her previous dress into a pocket. [[Dimentional pocket cyberware sale found]] R4 ignored that and quickly ran a hand through her hair, cutting it short with her claws. ¡°How do I look?¡± ¡°Like you got in a fight with a wildcat?¡± ¡°But do I look different enough that the PD might not recognize me?¡± Hon shrugged, turning his own jacket inside out. ¡°Let¡¯s keep moving, no need to tempt fate.¡± ¡°I know just the spot.¡± Hon quickly led R4 through a number of back alleys, and past several tough looking groups who all eyed her, then eyed him and thought better of it. R4 eyed the toughs, most bearing blades and firearms. ¡°Shoot, I should have grabbed a handgun from that merchant.¡± ¡°Feeling exposed without some iron?¡± Hon asked, patting his holster. ¡°I mean, a little. Back home I had a shotgun and a pistol I used for hunting, but I¡¯ve never actually shot a person. I¡¯ve got my claws, so I¡¯m not exactly defenseless.¡± ¡°Claws, you mean those little blades in your hands? Those aren¡¯t going to do any damage in a real fight. Even if they were bigger and stronger, melee weapons are both harder to use and do less damage than guns. If you want to do some damage you¡¯re going to want a real knife.¡± At that Hon pulled a large blade a quarter meter long. ¡°Take this mini-gladius from the Mars Corporation. Small enough to use in a close up fight, big enough to actually do some damage.¡± It crackled and sparked. ¡°Also electrified.¡± Slipping past another group of thugs, this group wearing gas masks while they played some game on a strange orb like device, Hon gestured for R4 to be quiet. Immediately he crouched, and R4 followed suit. There was a low BANG and a wire fence went flying, propelled by a human body that hit the far wall of a building with a low THUD. Hon quickly found a dumpster to hide behind and R4 joined him. Around the corner a black suited officer in a silver mask strutted forwards, his mask sculpted into a horrific smile. ¡°Well top of the morning to all you Tier 0 scum.¡± He announced in a sickly sweet voice. ¡°So, who wants a beating?¡± Chapter 7: Breakfast at Brutalitys. Keywords: Breakfast, Brutality, Gigs, Shopping, 26th (part b) ¡°Well top of the morning to all you Tier 0 scum.¡± He announced in a sickly sweet voice. ¡°So, who wants a beating?¡± ¡°Uh oh,¡± ¡°You young man,¡± The officer did not so much as walk as appear before them. ¡°You look like a strapping young lad, and so familiar.¡± He sniffed. ¡°Do I smell 243 counts of improper public conduct. That¡¯s a beating.¡± Before R4 or Hon could react, the officer had his baton out and had smacked Hon upside the head, sending him stumbling back. Immediately the officer was behind him and whacked him again, sending him stumbling into the gangsters and sending their orb device falling to the ground. ¡°Avast men, we are discovered!¡± One of the men jumped up, drawing an actual cutlass. ¡°Prepare to repel boarders!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t, he¡¯s,¡± R4 didn¡¯t have enough time to warn the gang before the grinning man was on them. ¡°Oh, did I spoil your little game. Soooooo sorry.¡± The officer said, disarming one of the men with his baton before knocking him over the head. The man¡¯s mask let out an angry metal on metal sound from the blow. ¡°Ding ding, justice is served. For resisting arrest, one beating¡± ¡°Ahoy skervy dog,¡± one of the gangsters raised a gun, only for the officer to pop a taser from his armor and light him up. ¡°Fried dirtbag, served with 90,000 volts.¡± Another gangster tried to tackle him, only for the officer to duck back and with a single motion slice his throat, ¡°And a fountain drink. So, who¡¯s hungry for more?¡± One of the gangsters tried to run, only for the officer to kick the game sphere, ¡°He shoots,¡± The sphere did not so much soar as rocketed into the man¡¯s head, sending him down in a heap, ¡°He scores! Touchdown!¡± ¡°What¡¯s with this psycho?¡± One of the gamers exclaimed, finally snapping out of the game. ¡°Everyone run!¡± The remaining gas masked men turned to run, but before R4¡¯s eyes the officer caught them, quipping some line of nonsense with each one. ¡°Your criminal ways are due for an update.¡± He exclaimed, striking the last man with his baton. ¡°Prepare,¡± Strike, ¡°For,¡± Strike, ¡°system,¡± Another strike, ¡°Shutdown!¡± With a final strike the man¡¯s skull gave way and collapsed inwards. R4 quietly pulled Hon out of the way. Her medical expertise, or what passed for it, cautioned against moving him too much in case he had a concussion. She quickly attempted to connect to his bio monitor, but was rebuked with a loud BEEP! ¡°Ho ho ho, another cretin lurking?¡± R4 didn¡¯t even hear him materialize behind her. ¡°And where are you creeping to little mouse? Taking this cheddar back to your burrow to be devoured.¡± His mask flashed. ¡°Not too many cybernetic components on this one, hardly a meal.¡± ¡°Please, jus¡¯ let me get my frien¡¯ home. He¡¯s really hurt.¡± R4 hadn¡¯t gotten a good look, but from the fact Hon had yet to wake up she didn¡¯t have high hopes.¡± R4 felt her eyes shift and her posture change, programmed memories influencing her form. She suddenly wished she had put more points into persuasion. ¡°Hmmm, Hmmm, HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM¡­¡± The smiling officer intoned. ¡°You look familiar.¡± He lowered his baton under her chin. ¡°Now where have I seen that face before? Let¡¯s see,¡± He moved his baton beneath her chin, then poked her cheek, ¡°Open your mouth, show me your teeth.¡± R4 did, and with a careless hand he grabbed her by the jaw and lifted her up. ¡°Hmmm, white and pearly, almost look like new.¡± He threw her to the ground so hard her new teeth clicked. ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± He scratched his head before freezing. ¡°Ooh, shoot, I just realized, I forgot my body cam.¡± R4 smiled, a surge of vindication running through her. Her blood froze as she heard a beep, ¡°The fans would be ticked if I didn¡¯t get this in HD. Ok, hands on the wall, time for a pat down Miss.¡± ¡°What?¡± R4 didn¡¯t even see the blow coming before it knocked out every tooth not behind her canines. She let out a scream as the pain hit and dropped to the ground. ¡°You know, I always wanted to be a dentist. Doctor Smiley, it has a nice ring to it.¡± He grabbed R4 by the neck and lifted her off the ground. ¡°But my teachers said I lacked empathy. Crazy, me lack empathy?¡± He pushed R4 against the wall, and she felt her airway constrict. Darkness surrounded her vision, even as the pain in her mouth seemed to recede. ¡°Look at that, your dress is covered with blood. I can¡¯t do a pat down now.¡± With a swift movement he dropped R4, holstered his baton, and ripped her dress in half. ¡°Strip search it is.¡± R4 dropped to the ground, her head woozy from blood loss and the sudden rush of Ravager toxin that stole the pain away as if it had been a dream. ¡°And here we have the Homo inferiorum, the lowest form of human.¡± Officer Smiley said, taking out a small device that R4 thought might be some sort of camera. With a gesture the object took flight as he grabbed her by the wrists and pinned her to the wall with one hand. The object buzzed around her, crystaline lenses spinning, before zooming off to another of Officer Smiley¡¯s victims, before back to her. Finally, the device returned to Officer Smiley. ¡°And this is the lowest of the Homo Inferiorum, the Remote. This little scamp didn¡¯t realize she should just stay home rather than try to hack it in the big city.¡± The device flew up close to her face, so close she thought it was going to bump into her, before descending her frame with agonizing slowness. All the while Officer Smiley took a strange delight in jerking her arms this way and that, pulling her from the wall so the camera could spiral behind her, before slamming her back into it. He seemed to take an odd delight in grinding her against the rough wall behind her, all the while she stared into the unmoving mask that was his gleaming face ¡°Since your teenie tiny remote brain is so feeble I¡¯ll tell you what I¡¯m doing, this is a sensory evidence camera. We officers can actually enter the image, so we can see, smell, touch,¡± He got right up next to her ear, so close she could smell the odd minty smell of his breath, ¡°even taste the crime scene. Let me tell you, the boys and I will be spending HOURS examining this act of¡­ gang violence.¡± He glared at her before letting his eyes drop to her underclothes. ¡°Pity, I was hoping you would be wearing black. Tan is no fun, and not a bow or even a bit of lace. You have no sense of showmanship.¡± He dropped her, letting R4 fall into a heap while letting his camera land in his hand. ¡°And to all my fans, remember full body images can be found on my Benefictor page. Until next time Lovable Law Endorsers.¡± He placed the device in his pocket before announcing, ¡°Alright folks, I¡¯d say justice is served. You¡¯re free to go.¡± And with that he skipped, actually skipped, away. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. For a good ten minutes R4 just lay there in a heap. She knew she should be in pain, yet with all the ravager toxin flowing through her body she couldn¡¯t feel a thing, nor muster enough strength to rise. She barely had the strength to push back as a pair of hands tried to pick her up, and even then she only managed to slip the hands¡¯ grip before falling back to the ground. The figure tried to strike her with a needle, and that prompted a reaction. R4 lashed out with her claws, yet in her wounded state she could barely manifest them. ¡°Hold still, I¡¯m trying to help you.¡± R4 recognized Jun¡¯s voice, yet not before her claws found his hand, sending the needle to the ground. ¡°F***, what is that? You have some kind of poison in those claws? Forget this.¡± R4¡¯s vision cleared a bit, her right eye giving her vision even as her left one was still blurry. Jun jabbed Hon with a needle, and R4 watched as his bruising visibly receded a bit. ¡°Ugh, ow. That, that was bad.¡± ¡°Who was it?¡± Jun asked. ¡°Officer Smiley.¡± ¡°You mean from the Mind ¡®Scapes? So not only did you get your A** kicked, but you got it live streamed. Jun helped Hon up. ¡°R4¡¯s messed up.¡± ¡°Hey, R4, you awake?¡± R4¡¯s head kind of tilted up, her eyes tearing up, bloody saliva leaking from bruised lips. She mumbled something uninteligable. ¡°You have another speed heal?¡± ¡°Had one, she knocked it out of my hand and I¡¯m not sticking her with a dirty needle.¡± R4 reached out for her dress. ¡°Um, look, R4,¡± R4 wrapped it around herself, but it just sagged back open. ¡°Hey, you don¡¯t have to,¡± Opening her tool arm R4 fetched a needle and from her head fetched a few hairs to bind her dress in place. ¡°Hey,¡± ¡°Who was that?¡± R4 trilled, her phone speaking in a robotic voice. Even with her regeneration cysts her mouth still hurt, and she could speak resonant without moving it as much. ¡°Officer Smiley, he¡¯s a psycho with a badge.¡± Jun said. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get you home.¡± ¡°Home¡­ That¡¯s a bit far.¡± R4 replied discordantly, as resonance bled into her words. Her pulse spiked, every muscle tensed. ¡°Can¡¯t go there, not yet.¡± She examined the ruin that was her dress. ¡°Iron, do you think if I had some iron I could ¡®ave done somethin¡¯?¡± ¡°Against Smiley, probably a good thing you didn¡¯t.¡± R4 didn¡¯t look up to face Jun as she started to walk. ¡°Hey, where are you going?¡± R4 stood over one of the gangsters, his gas mask shattered and his skull beneath dented. ¡°In the book of judges there was a Levite whose companion was murdered by a gang originating from one of the 13 tribes. He cut her body into 12 pieces and sent them across the country to proclaim their crime. The result was a civil war that killed thousands and left the offending tribe in ruins. If we were to send these victims across the city what do you suppose would happen?¡± Her phone did not quite convey the emotion that her resonant speech did. ¡°Nothing, not a dang thing.¡± Jun replied. ¡°The NGPD is a gang, the biggest and best supported, but they¡¯re still a gang. The Silver masks are among the worst, they¡¯re trouble makers sent to the lower tiers so that the trouble they make can be buried rather than make trouble at the top where they actually face punishment. They¡¯ve got connections with the CEO¡¯s and government, each and every one bleeds purple and chrome.¡± ¡°That man FILMED this!¡± R4 gestured, her voice adopting an edge that even the robotic voice of her phone caught. ¡°Jun and I weren¡¯t hurting anyone, and they were playing a videogame. He came in here and started killing, and beating.¡± R4 gripped her dress, ¡°When he mentioned his camera I thought it was going to be over, that he was going to get in trouble,¡± ¡°And he just changed from standard to HD.¡± Jun finished. ¡°Welcome to Nu¡¯Grav justice. Use the promo code ¡°Blueblood¡± For 10% off your next bail or police sanctioned beat down.¡± He approached, reaching up to put a hand on R4¡¯s shoulder, then thought better of it. ¡°This is the city we live in. We watch over one another, because they most certainly won¡¯t.¡± ¡°Power¡¯s all that matters down here.¡± Hon replied, stretching before wincing. ¡°Well, my day¡¯s shot. I¡¯m going home, maybe doing some stretches. You?¡± R4 considered it, before spitting out one last tooth that had grown back crooked. ¡°Sure, I need ta¡¯ hit something.¡± None of them noticed when the tooth pierced a brick wall. Chapter 8 Workout. keywords: Buildup, Exercise, Gig, Mystery "Thud, THUD!" R4 took a deep breath before examining the punching bag she had been exerting her frustration upon. To her right Jun was practicing with his own. Hon was taking it easy and doing stretches. The fact his entire back was one big bruise from when the officer sent him flying was of minor concern, as was the ice pack he currently had tied to his head. ¡°Good, let out your aggression.¡± Coach announced looking on. The gym was particularly full today. R4 noted most of the gym goers wore shirts with the Gentek logo on them in various colors, and a unitard beneath. R4 noted they uniformly wore blue, save for an older man who seemed to be commanding the others in their exercises. He wore a black unitard beneath a white gi, which R4 felt fit with his Asian-Earth appearance. ¡°Looking good over there, maybe time for a water break.¡± ¡°No breaks!¡± One of the other gym goers announced. R4 noticed he was leading a group of men and women in some sort of aerobic exercise, consisting of jumping jacks and pushups and some other exercieses. The leader was as pale as a ghost, and looked to be in his late 60¡¯s, yet he was by far the least tired. Several of the other men and women looked as if they were about to pass out. ¡°Johnson, I know you have two hearts, stop sputtering like dehydrated walrus. Finn, Ty, stop staring at Yir¡¯s behind.¡± Two men flinched, while the woman before them struck a pose. ¡°Yir, stop flirting. Go put on shorts.¡± R4 noticed that while the men¡¯s unitards had very short shorts, the woman called Yir¡¯s was more of a leotard. A quick glance around told her the other women in the group wore shorts over their outfits, and many of the men did too. ¡°Sure thing Odo-kun.¡± ¡°Stop making fun of my culture woman, go. Everyone else, five minutes. Within 5 seconds everyone was on their phones. ¡°Hey cutie.¡± R4 blinked when the woman approached her, before striking a pose. ¡°Haven¡¯t seen you before.¡± The woman fluffed her curly blonde hair and R4 couldn¡¯t help but think of a 60¡¯s or 70¡¯s era fitness commercial. ¡°You like what you see?¡± R4 heard a tiny motor whirr and she could swear the woman¡¯s bust got bigger. ¡°Go easy on the remote Yir, and turn off those pheromones. I can smell them from here.¡± Coach chided. The woman pouted, but R4 did note her body shape reverted to more slim build, and the air quality changed slightly. ¡°What cyberware is that?¡± R4 asked. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of an implant that alters your scent. What¡¯s it do?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you stop by my apartment and I¡¯ll show you?¡± The woman smiled, her eyes flickering slightly. ¡°Harlot, shorts. Flirt with little girl later.¡± R4 watched as the woman sauntered towards her bag, before her head cleared. It was like turning on a light switch, one moment she could barely keep her eyes off the woman, the next she remembered she wasn¡¯t into girls. ¡°Hon, what was that?¡± Hon continued to watch the woman. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°That¡¯s Yir Mako, she¡¯s one of the scientists at Gentek.¡± Jun supplied. ¡°She¡¯s also 60 and inhabiting an artificial body¡± ¡°59!¡± She shot back. ¡°And still killing it.¡± ¡°Artificial body?¡± R4 asked. ¡°Don¡¯t ask me how it works, but they basically scoop your brain and spine out of your body and grow you a new one. You have to be Tier 1 to survive it, but the new body ages extremely slowly and is a bit tougher.¡± ¡°Depending on the model it increases your force or reflexes by 2, or increase both by 1. It also gives a point of armor.¡± Hon provided. He took out his phone and showed R4 an add for it. ¡°1,000,000 credits?¡± R4 asked. ¡°That¡¯s a lot.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s without the options. I know Yir has the EZ-hair, Lunar Lady body morph, and the Butterfly¡¯s Grace pheromones. Hey Yir, R4 wants to see your hair.¡± Yir was currently doing a stretch which her two coworkers behind her were paying more attention to than their own. With a flick of her head her hair went from fluffy and blonde to a straight and black, before fanning out and then curling itself into a hat, and then returning to how it was. ¡°That, that¡¯s something else.¡± R4 replied. ¡°Sure don¡¯t get that kind of thing back home.¡± She ran her hands through her own hair. R4 eyed the punching bag she was working on, she didn¡¯t feel like going at it anymore. ¡°So, what¡¯s next?¡± After another half hour R4 was beginning to feel tired, not physically but mentally. Her stomach let out a growl. ¡°Are you hungry again?¡± Hon asked. ¡°It¡¯s been a few hours, and I¡¯ve got a high metabolism.¡± There was a low buzzing sound, and a SNAP. ¡°That¡¯s not a good sound. ¡°Chrome, Get it off him!¡± R4 quickly arrived, seeing Odo struggling with some sort of weight. His coworkers watched, though none moved to help him. There had been an emergency cable to ensure it wouldn¡¯t fall on him, but a vibroknife sat next to the now cut cable ¡°What are you doing?¡± R4 exclaimed. ¡°I have this.¡± Odo exclaimed, his arms opening up to reveal cybernetics beneath. He continued to push, his muscles beginning to buzz. R4 saw it first, his right arm was beginning to turn red as warning lights lit up under the skin. A twitch she shouldn¡¯t have noticed stuck out to her. A tiny mark that could have been mistaken for a mole was revealed to be a tiny burn from a blown out fuse. ¡°Anyone step forward, demotion. You scream, demotion. You film, believe it or not, demotion.¡± He pushed the weight back up, before allowing it to descend. ¡°This is why we work out, the machines are strong, but weakness remains. It is weakness of the flesh, it is not the machine that tires, it is the mind. Only by pushing,¡± R4 saw the moment his arm failed. The weight fell, and the feedback caused his other arm to drop. His other arm began to glow, the circuits heating up as they tried to compensate, and failed. ¡°Someone grab him!¡± R4 exclaimed, running up and grabbing the weight. She pulled, trying to leverage the weight off him, before her eyes saw the numbers. The weight was 300 kilograms, four times her weight. ¡°Come on, someone get him!¡± No one moved, R4 winced, sweat pouring off of her as she heaved. She felt her fingers slipping, she started praying. ¡°Forget this!¡± R4 saw Yir step forwards and yank Odo off the bench. R4 let go and the dumbells crashed to the floor. ¡°You¡¯re fired!¡± Odo exclaimed turning and trying to point at R4. His arms jerked like fish pulled from the water. ¡°Yir, you are on suspension.¡± ¡°What?¡± R4 asked. ¡°You dishonor me. It is noble to succeed, but better to die in the attempt than survive. To fade away in obscurity, that is humiliation. Now Mia, assist me to my ripper.¡± One of the other women, a woman who looked as if she could be the man¡¯s daughter, quickly helped him up and out of the gym. ¡°Exercise are over. You have the rest of the day off.¡± ¡°Crazy old coot.¡± Yir yelled at the man. Maybe it was a twitch, but R4 could swear he flipped her off, though from the way his hands were spasming it could have been a reflex. ¡°What jus¡¯ happened?¡± R4 asked. ¡°I think that old samurai just tried to make us witnesses to his suicide. That idiot, he¡¯d have corporate loss prevention lock us all up over this.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Same reason he made us all come out here to exercise until we dropped, some project got botched and made our team look bad. He blamed our lack of discipline.¡± Her hair turned red and spikey, ¡°You B******, you could have gotten us all fired for this.¡± She gritted her teeth, before taking a deep breath. Her hair darkened, and went limp. R4 wasn¡¯t sure what to say to the woman, but Yir broke the silence on her own. ¡°Well, I¡¯m on suspension, so are you free?¡± ¡°Um,¡± R4 eyed the support cable. ¡°I should probably fix this.¡± She opened up her tool arm and the osteoblast welding assembly jumped to hand. ¡°Hey, R4, you can¡¯t just weld out here.¡± Coach stepped up to stop her. ¡°You¡¯ll blind someone and rack up my insurance even higher. Bad enough that man just tried to commit suicide in my gym.¡± ¡°Right, I¡¯ll move it to the back first.¡± R4 took some of the weights apart. ¡°Seriously, this guy was benching six hundred kilograms, what was he thinking?¡± ¡°Wait, you were lifting 300 kilograms, just how high is your Force?¡± Yir asked. ¡°It¡¯s maxed at 5, can¡¯t get it to six until I get to tier 1.¡± R4 replied, earning a look from both Coach and Yir. ¡°So I¡¯ve got work, then I¡¯ve got a gig to prepare for.¡± It took R4 a while to get the equipment off to the workshop. She broke out some tools of her trade and got to work. Fusing the cable back to the weights did not take long, though as an experiment R4 took similar cables and attached a hook to each. One hook she welded on, the other she used bone. Next she started adding weights. She started with 50 kilograms, and to give it some time to settle she began working on another piece of equipment. There were a few things in the junk room, and she had a per job gig with Coach to fix them up, with no real rush as they weren¡¯t going anywhere. ¡°Hey R4, you busy?¡± Jun asked. R4 looked up from the hooks where she had attached 400 kg of weights to each. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Testing a new bonding agent I got my hands on.¡± R4 replied, adding the eighth 50 kg weight to the bone hook. She fished out her structural analysis handheld and scanned both. The device gave her some readings, and she scratched her head before referring to a reference book on her phone. ¡°You know, in my home country they have a device like this that has a dumb AI that can spit out the answers you want with ease. There¡¯s currently an eight month wait time. I tried looking it up online, there¡¯s a store three blocks from here that sells them and has three in stock. I could have one delivered in under 4 hours or walk there and pick it up in 15 minutes, assumin¡¯ I don¡¯t get mugged.¡± ¡°The magic of capitalism.¡± ¡°They also cost 400,000 credits, back home you can get ¡®em for 20 grand if you¡¯re willing to wait and have the proper permits.¡± R4 replied. ¡°Yet, if you need it NOW, it¡¯s sittin¡¯ right there. They also have a payment plan.¡± R4 huffed. ¡°I¡¯m still not sure what to think of this place.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an acquired taste, but it¡¯s all most of us have ever known.¡± Jun replied. R4 went back to work, checking a few other pieces. Jun watched as she worked, eyeing the fact that despite using several measuring tools the tools she used the most were her hands. On R4¡¯s part she wasn¡¯t exactly touching the wires, but instead projecting a permeable telekinetic field through them, which gave her a wealth of information on the composition of what she was touching. It also gave her a rough voltage on wires, though the electricity seemed to interfere with the field. ¡°So, I hope you don¡¯t think it¡¯s rude, but why haven¡¯t you ascended yet, and why force?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got your force maxed out at 5, which means you can¡¯t get your aptitude to five which for a tech I¡¯d think you¡¯d want. I mean, you could still ascend using an aptitude based method, but it¡¯s not as easy. On top of that, most folks ascend once they get everything to 2 and their main to 4. Do you just not have enough money, or do you just not want to?¡± ¡°Oh, I want to ascend.¡± R4 replied. ¡°That officer would think twice taking me on if I was tier 2 as well, right?¡± ¡°Oh, definitely. The Silver Masks only punch down. He¡¯d probably avoid you at tier 1. I know some folks who could probably whip you up a tier 1 ascension. It would be expensive, but so long as you leaned into your force you could do it. Aptitude would be a bit harder, but I think I know a guy who could swing it.¡± R4 looked up from where she was mid disassembly of a treadmill with an auto hurdle feature. Based on the note Coach had pinned to it the device had an uncanny knack for smacking the runner in the face, regardless of how high it was supposed to put the hurdles or if that feature was even on. ¡°I kind of wanted to ask about that. How does ascension work?¡± ¡°Depends on which way you go. I¡¯m going for an empathy build, Hon is going for a pure force build. You can go for a build that focuses on a favored skill, but those are both more expensive and less versatile.¡± ¡°How would that work?¡± ¡°Not really sure, I don¡¯t know anyone who has done it, just heard rumors. There¡¯s supposed to be a guy who rebuilt himself around medicine. They say he can unfold his body to produce six arms equipped with tiny hands and he has a micro forge to create his own tools so he¡¯s never without. If you believe the rumors he can bring back the dead so long as it¡¯s within an hour, but that might be hype. How the pamphlets describe it ascension involves using nanites to break you down and build you back around the concept you embody. AI use this weird dice based concept, but the gist is by focusing on one concept you can increase that concept faster. Whatever attribute you favor will always have a maximum one step above the rest, or so I hear. I don¡¯t know how that would work if you chose a different attribute than what you¡¯ve got.¡± ¡°My contact mentioned rolling the bones.¡± R4 replied, swapping out some components, and replacing a few with bone versions. ¡°She described it as guaranteeing a bit more success, but once you gain enough your confidence can become overconfidence and you can fail even worse than if you hadn¡¯t.¡± Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. ¡°Pretty much. Once you get to your fourth bump you have to choose if you want to advance to another die, or stay where you are. If your ascension favors one attribute you get to 3 then gain another die.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Or that¡¯s what I hear. Some of it you can bypass with chrome, but you still have to get used to using the chrome. Allegedly you can use AI processing power to speed it up, but that¡¯s assuming you want to let one of them in your chrome.¡± R4 was about to ask a question, but Jun¡¯s phone interrupted her. ¡°Hello?¡± He listened, his eyes squinting shut in frustration. ¡°Seriously Yir? This better not be a trick, I¡¯ve already got a girlfriend and she is the jealous type.¡± He listened a bit more. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll ask.¡± He looked to R4, ¡°How good are you at picking locks?¡± ¡°I kin¡¯ get most stuff open in time, why?¡± ¡°After leaving here Yir and her coworkers went drinking, one lost his keys. Easy 50 credits.¡± ¡°I guess I could go fer¡¯ a snack.¡± R4 replied, quickly recapping the cover onto the machine she was working on. She glanced at her test. ¡°Ya¡¯ think that¡¯ll hold ¡®til we get back?¡± Just in case she moved a few workout mats beneath it. ¡°Hold up, I¡¯m going to ask Hon if he wants to come.¡± Jun stepped into a room marked pool and R4 saw there were four tanks worked into the floor. Jun stood in one, bubbling and steaming water surrounding him. ¡°Hey Hon, you up for a bit of guard duty?¡± Now that he didn¡¯t have his shirt on R4 could see his entire upper back was the color of a peach, and as he turned she saw a distinct imprint of where the officer struck him on his chest. His tatoos had also changed color, changing from the black accents around silver scars to a burning red. ¡°Hon, my brother in the streets, I look like I¡¯ve been through a washing machine. This is AFTER you stuck me from a speed heal. I¡¯m good.¡± ¡°How are the reinforced bones?¡± ¡°Best advice you ever gave. They¡¯re a little cracked, but healing.¡± ¡°How are you on resin?¡± Hon gave him a blank look that made Jun facepalm. ¡°You gonk, if you run out of resin your bones will get brittle. Don¡¯t forget to reup your resin supplies.¡± Hon shot him a thumbs up, which he almost succeeded in pretending didn¡¯t hurt. ¡°I worry about that man sometimes.¡± Jun said after they were out of the pool room. ¡°I love him like a brother, but often I feel like he¡¯d get himself killed if I didn¡¯t keep an eye on him.¡± ¡°I know the type, my brother would experiment night and day if my Ma¡¯ or I didn¡¯t stop ¡®im...¡± R4 replied, smiling sadly. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had a brother.¡± ¡°He¡¯s gone now, a cyberpsycho attack.¡± R4 paused, taking a moment to center herself. ¡°You need a moment?¡± ¡°I¡¯m good, He died protecting something he cared about, and his killer received just retribution.¡± R4 lied. ¡°Come on, work will take my mind off it.¡± The building they arrived at was at least twenty floors, the entire thing made from gleaming metal and glass. They approached the door, only to be stopped by a man in black armor with a handgun in his holster. ¡°Stop, present your identification.¡± R4 looked to Jun who shot her a casual smile before taking out his ID. ¡°Jun Kaziki and Rachel Smith, we got a call about a broken lock.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t hear nothing.¡± The guard replied. ¡°Well obviously, the intranet used to report a broken lock would only be accessible by an internal computer using a four factor pseudo-encryption using the local Firewall/icefield protocols. If the tenant, One James H Howard, were to be locked out of his home he couldn¡¯t exactly file such a report. As an up-and-coming Executive of Gentek he would still have his phone, and would be able to call an outside contractor like myself and my partner and pay at his own expense rather than place the burden on your employer. Of course, if you wish to turn us away then under clause 106 subsection B you are well within your rights and duties to do so.¡± Jun whipped out his phone which was already open to an app and swiped a file to the man. ¡°Just sign here acknowledging the fact you did so and relieving us of all relevant responsibilities and taking them on yourself.¡± The man took out his phone, ¡°What the chrome, this is fifteen pages long. I¡¯m not signing this.¡± ¡°Very well, I will simply denote your refusal and mark it as another black mark against your building. Given the large number of marks I¡¯m sure you will soon no longer have to worry about such issues, as your building¡¯s metrics will soon be low enough that it will close down. Have a nice day sir.¡± ¡°Hold it, hold it.¡± He took his phone and took a picture of each. He waited for a moment, ¡°Ok, go on up, but if anything happens you¡¯re on the hook.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s a good thing we are above board. Come on Ms. Smith.¡± R4 followed quickly. ¡°Shoot, we don¡¯t have an elevator pass.¡± ¡°Stairs it is.¡± R4 replied, turning to the stairs and taking them two at a time. ¡°Are guards always like that?¡± ¡°Depends. Most buildings have automated security, but Gentek owns this building and has some important people living here, so they spring for a human guard.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t stop us.¡± ¡°Well that¡¯s because we have a clean record. He ran our faces through the NGPD database and got nothing.¡± He saw R4¡¯s hesitant look. ¡°Silver masks are notorious about not filing paperwork, even when they do it often gets lost. Besides, the NGPD app has several versions. The free version, which most people use, only looks for open warrants.¡± He took out his phone and took a picture of her face. ¡°You have a closed warrant for resisting arrest, which was opened and closed within 5 minutes.¡± He showed her the record, taking a moment to catch his breath. [[Keys to the kingdom has gained access to NGPD database. Innate human mimicry has altered host information]] Before her eyes R4 watched as her record went blank, and was replaced with a short phrase. ¡°No information at your subscriber level.¡± ¡°Let me see that.¡± Jun took a second look. ¡°How¡¯d you do that?¡± ¡°Not the foggiest, I think th¡¯ fact I¡¯m remote an¡¯ some a¡¯ my MESH messed with the search.¡± R4 shrugged. ¡°Not goin¡¯ ta¡¯ push. We almost there?¡± ¡°Almost.¡± R4 came to the proper floor a bit before Jun, who was practically panting after the run. R4 spotted Yir and one of her coworkers standing outside one of the doors. She noted that this high up the floors were carpeted in a stylish black with red hexagons that hid any blood shed, and a warm brown wallpaper. Security cameras lined the hallway. ¡°Hey Jun, and¡­ new girl. Glad you could make it.¡± Yir spoke up, her words faltering a bit. She hadn¡¯t changed out of her gym attire so much as thrown a knee length red skirt and unzipped red jacket with the Gentek logo on it over top. The man she was with had worn a white business shirt and pants, and looked like he was going to fall over in a minute. Yir seemed only slightly tipsy. ¡°It¡¯s R4, you guys ok? It¡¯s about 2 and you¡¯re drunk.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve just had a few, Tomo had a few more, we have tomorrow off anyhow. Word is we¡¯re getting shuffled around again, new ideas and breaking up old teams, got to keep recombining.¡± Yir said, tipping dangerously. R4 quickly moved forwards and helped her into a sitting position. ¡°Thanks Doll,¡± And before R4 could react Yir gave her a kiss on the cheek. ¡°Um, no problem.¡± R4 replied, taking out her tools. ¡°This is your place, and your landlord isn¡¯t going to get ticked if I pick the lock right?¡± ¡°At this point, I don¡¯t care. My kids locked me out, and the landlord company won¡¯t send anyone unless I make a ticket from my terminal, which is inside. Neither of them are answering their cell phones either.¡± ¡°I can vouch for him, this is his home.¡± Yir replied. R4 opened her carry all and got to work. The lock was Tier 0, but it was a good tier 0. ¡°Ok, so this should take no more than five minutes,¡± Exactly 18 seconds later it was open. ¡°Huh, guess those AI lessons really paid off.¡± ¡°AI lessons, you have to be careful with those.¡± Yir commented. ¡°What do you mean, do they,¡± R4 froze, her tongue slipping out of her mouth for just a moment before darting back in. ¡°You smell that?¡± ¡°Smell what?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong, I¡¯m going in.¡± Tomo said, pushing his way through. ¡°Tini, Omoto,¡± He froze. ¡°Oh no.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Yir asked. The sound that came from her coworker was all the answer she needed. As he fell to the floor the source was revealed. Three skulls, still slick with blood, sat facing them. Three spines were organized next to them, R4 made it to the ribs before she had to look away. Somewhere in her mind the programmed medicine skill informed her the name of every bone, and she could see exactly where they should have gone in a human body. Immediately she had her phone out and was dialing 999. ¡°999 emergency, please hold.¡± A recorded voice spoke. ¡°You are 23rd in line. Your estimated hold time is 8 minutes. There is a 5 credit per minute charge while on hold and a 15 credit per minute charge with a live person.¡± R4 looked at her phone in confusion before hanging up and trying again. ¡°Forget 999, use the app.¡± Jun instructed, taking out his own phone. ¡°Costs 10 credits to report a crime, but they usually send a response within 15 minutes with instructions, an actual officer might take an hour.¡± An officer was there in 5 minutes, and two more within 10. R4, Jun, and Yir were quickly sequestered in a corner for questioning. ¡°You pick a lot of locks?¡± The officer asked. ¡°I have the required credentials.¡± R4 replied, pulling up her proper certificates. ¡°These are Solarian Theocracy credentials.¡± The officer replied. ¡°You a remote?¡± R4 nodded. ¡°You have the proper paperwork for the gig?¡± ¡°It was an oral agreement, I got the job through a fixer I know, and confirmed this was the proper address. I was previously working at The Pain Train gym, and the guard at the front gate can confirm my time of arrival.¡± ¡°Yeah, he said you were here for 10 minutes before the call came.¡± The officer shot her a look. ¡°Quite a while.¡± ¡°R4, stop talking. These are NGPD officers, not Solarian Truth Keepers. You don¡¯t want to say more than you have to.¡± Jun spoke up, earning a dirty look form the officer. R4 winced and rubbed her jaw, where her teeth had fully grown back. ¡°So you have a history of interaction with the police?¡± The officer asked, his right eye lighting up from blue to red behind his visor. He squinted. ¡°Ah, a run in with Officer Smiley. That was recent too.¡± ¡°Smiley¡¯s got a new video?¡± One of the other officers asked. ¡°Can¡¯t wait to check it out.¡± His eyes fell on R4 and she saw his visor light up as a grin crossed his face. ¡°And look at the lead actress. Definitely going to be one for the whole gang.¡± The first officer replied, before going back to his duties. R4 felt an emotion she wasn¡¯t sure how to interpret. ¡°They¡¯re chatting like they¡¯re paper pushers waiting to get off shift.¡± R4 whispered. ¡°Three people are dead and they¡¯re talking about watching me getting beaten up like it¡¯s a sporting event.¡± ¡°Nu¡¯Grav¡¯s finest.¡± Jun replied. ¡°I¡¯m surprised they made it here this fast, something must have the algorithm acting up. Within half an hour the officers were gone, and Tomo had an estimate from the cleaning company that would be removing the three bodies from his home. ¡°I feel like it would be in bad taste to ask for the credits now.¡± R4 whispered. ¡°I mean, you can, but I¡¯m going to go for the ¡°drop an invoice in a few days¡± approach. I¡¯ll bill him 60, send you fifty, take the 10 as my cut.¡± R4 shot Jun a surprised look. ¡°That¡¯s Nu¡¯Grav, city of tears. If you gave someone a discount every time there was a tragedy you¡¯d go broke in a week.¡± R4 considered. She had been kidnapped, forced into a death game, kicked out of her apartment, hassled by two gangs, attacked by four gangsters trying to profit off her corpse, and had an officer record her beatdown and strip search, which two cops were already discussing wanting to watch while she was within earshot. ¡°And it hasn¡¯t even been a week.¡± ¡°Happy pill?¡± Jun offered, R4 shook her head. ¡°So, you want to investigate?¡± ¡°Not exactly my field of expertise.¡± R4 replied. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t that be the PD¡¯s job?¡± ¡°I mean, they might bring in a detective, but that¡¯s just for high profile jobs like serial killers or if someone important gets got. You could pay a fee, but you¡¯ll probably just get a half interested beat cop looking to pad his hours. Down in Tier 0 town you hire a gumshoe and a solo, one to find the scum and one to put a bullet in them. I think Rain could take a look at this, she¡¯s been working on her gumshoe skills. The first step is to look over the crime scene. You have your phone right?¡± ¡°Yeah, shouldn¡¯t we leave this to the police? We¡¯re not going to get in trouble for interfering are we?¡± ¡°They already took what they want and left, the cleaning company will be here in about an hour, probably longer since they¡¯re usually late.¡± He approached Yir¡¯s friend, who Yir was currently sitting beside. ¡°Mr. Fataro, do you mind if my associate and I take a look and get some pictures. I have a gumshoe acquaintance who may be able to help figure out who did this, but we would need images from before the cleanup crew arrives.¡± The man didn¡¯t react, just looking stunned. ¡°Probably better.¡± Yir replied. ¡°I don¡¯t think Jaun is going to be up to much for a few days, poor guy. His wife, son, and daughter taken like that. Whatever you see, don¡¯t show him.¡± R4 tuned out the conversation, her mind flooded by the strangeness of the situation. A moment later Jun entered, and R4 followed. Jun took pictures, while R4 took a video going over the scene. The scene was surprisingly bloodless. Three skeletons, the bones sorted as if to compare them. Three skulls lined up, three spinal columns arranged, three left hands here, three right hands there, three pelvises, three pair of legs organized into left and right. The bones were expertly cleaned, not a drop of blood or a shred of muscle on any of them nor on the green carpet. Only the skulls were bloody, and even there it was as if they had been painted with blood with not a drop going to waste. No cyberware either, though there were signs of where some had been attached. R4 moved to the master bed room to find it undisturbed save for a single drop of rapidly drying blood on one of the pillows. She made sure to take a picture of that too. In the back of her mind she supposed she should be paying attention to something else about the room, maybe potential hiding places such as the small closet, or under the bed. A shudder went through her as she checked under the bed. No hiding villains, no monsters. There was a fireproof security box which she called over with telekinesis but did not touch. It was locked, and she didn¡¯t see a key. Standing up she looked at the headboard, which had a digital alarm clock, a few anime models she couldn¡¯t name and two she could, and a wallet. Using telekinesis she opened it and saw it belonged to Arabella Fataro. There was a picture of her and Jaun, and another picture of her son and daughter. Her daughter had long brown hair, while her son had short black hair. Thinking back, Jaun had the same short black hair though a bit thinning. In the image his daughter was resting her elbow on her brother¡¯s head in a classic big sibling way R4 remembered her own brother doing. To his credit, the younger boy didn¡¯t look too put out about it. ¡°Poor family.¡± Stepping out she walked to the children¡¯s room. It was small, barely big enough for both children. The bunkbeds took up most of the space, and a pair of gaming consoles sat upon their chargers. A small TV shone on the wall, still in sleep mode. A thought occurred and R4 woke it to see a medical program on surgery through the ages was on. ¡°Someone had dreams of being a doctor.¡± She said sadly. Something ate at her though. She looked at both beds, noting there was no blood on either of them. ¡°So the mother was in her room maybe? Where were the kids?¡± She heard retching and quickly stepped out to see Jun desperately trying to hold in his breakfast. He took some sort of bottle from his coat pocket and shoved it into his nose. A moment later he took a deep breath. ¡°Don¡¯t look in the food disposal. Whoever did this tried to dispose of, well, everything else in there. They jammed it, otherwise it would already be gone.¡± He sighed. ¡°Wish Rain was here, she¡¯d know how to do this better than us.¡± Something itched at R4. ¡°Hey Jun, Yir said that Mr. Fataro had a wife a son and a daughter, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, why?¡± ¡°Because these bodies are all female.¡± Jun gave her a look. ¡°You can tell by the pelvis. Also these two spines are about the same height and this one a bit longer. Are his kids the same height? There¡¯s a picture in the master bed room and in it his daughter is about 40 centimeters taller, though it might be an old picture.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll text Rain, she¡¯ll be here in about 15 minutes.¡± He tapped a few things into his phone. ¡°So what do you think, kidnapping? Someone grabbed the boy and left a decoy skeleton?¡± ¡°Something strange is going on. There¡¯s a single drop of blood in the master bedroom, maybe someone was pinned there or was sleeping?¡± She replied. ¡°There¡¯s a security box under the bed, but I can¡¯t tell if it¡¯s been emptied or not. The mom¡¯s wallet was untouched, so I don¡¯t think this was a robbery.¡± ¡°Cyberpsycho.¡± Jun replied. ¡°I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s better or worse. They killed the wife and daughter, and whoever the third body is, and took the boy.¡± ¡°That or he was just out.¡± Jun left the room to find Yir still consoling Jaun. ¡°Jaun, did you have a tracker placed in your children?¡± ¡°Yes, but, the bodies,¡± ¡°My associate believes all the bodies are female. He may still be alive.¡± What followed was a rapid rush of calls and texts. Within 5 minutes Jun had assembled a team and all members were on their way. Yet R4 felt a sense of anxiety. Something that wasn¡¯t adding up, or wasn¡¯t adding up correctly. ¡°You should leave.¡± ¡°What, I can¡¯t just leave Red.¡± She trilled back quietly. ¡°The gig I told you about has been moved up, and it is an important source of exp. This gig may bring credits, and some exp, but as it is informal results will be limited.¡± R4 checked her phone, and saw that the gig had already been accepted for her. The meeting was scheduled for that very night ¡°Um, Jun?¡± Jun turned from his phone, where he was currently discussing something with someone, R4 wasn¡¯t sure who. He made a gesture for her to wait, before turning to her. ¡°I just remembered I signed on for a gig, and it¡¯s starting soon.¡± ¡°Then go. I¡¯ve got Rain on her way, with Skinner as her solo. She has a tech by the name of Visor who she works with, and a Medic named Syringe. Once I brief them on what¡¯s happening I¡¯m going home anyhow. Your job here is done.¡± As she descended the steps R4 couldn¡¯t help but think how odd the whole situation was. ¡°Three dead in their own home, the police drop by for 10 minutes, and then it¡¯s on private citizens to deal with the matter.¡± She paused as other tenants pushed past her, hurrying to get to their own homes. ¡°I¡¯m definitely not in Kansas anymore.¡± Chapter 9: Forming a team. keywords: Remote, Gig, Veritable Strategic Solutions, Undercity. R4 was 15 minutes early to the meeting place mentioned in the gig. The building was a tall Brutalist tower which seemed to bloom at the higher heights as overhanging offices literally looked down upon the people below. R4 looked up and, through one of the windows, saw a heavyweight man in a black suit eating peanuts while watching the pedestrians scurry beneath him. ¡°Red, how can I see that?¡± ¡°Your right eye has slightly above average vision. I recommend finding an eye cyberware for your left eye to balance things out. If you get a tier 1 version it can be installed during your ascension.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Yes, during your ascension to tier 1 you will be broken down and rebuilt. Should you have any cyberware you want it can be installed at that time with no issue.¡± Immediately a pop up for dozens of different parts appeared. ¡°I have found a very good deal on something called a lunar lady and butterfly¡¯s grace.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t those sex cyberware?¡± ¡°Lunar lady is often used for that, but it has a complex interaction with the adrenal system which can be subverted allowing you to use flare protocol and calm protocol with less damage to your system. Currently your regeneration is fixing the damage, but it shortens the time you have left. Using calm protocol earlier has dropped your time remaining from 364 days to 360.¡± ¡°So I used it twice and now I have 4 less days before I die?¡± R4 exclaimed. She drew some looks, but several people on the street had either implanted phones or earpieces, so no one spoke up. ¡°Correct. Also the Butterfly¡¯s Grace cyberware has the effect of spreading pheromones, which can be used to affect the minds of nearby individuals. At higher tiers it is possible for humans to track one another by scent, not to mention certain machines can. Being untraceable is but one benefit. It can also be used to shed heat in emergencies, and swaying minds of the unwary as well.¡± ¡°Just what tier do you expect me to go to?¡± R4 asked, trilling quietly so none would overhear. ¡°Mara has many plans for you, but this is the first step towards them, and I do not want to make you late.¡± The gig had directions to the proper room, and R4 found her way there easily enough. The door clicked open at her touch, and she received a popup that [[Keys to the Kingdom had downloaded the key.]] R4 smiled, until she felt a twinge on her mind. It was almost like a tune, and she began to hum it, before finding trilling allowed her to follow it more accurately ¡°Red, what¡¯s that?¡± R4 asked, managing to speak without losing the tune. ¡°It¡¯s almost like a song stuck in my head,¡± ¡°Keys to the Kingdom is diverting brainpower to attempt to pivot and using your vocal chords to boost the signal. ¡°What? Stop, that¡¯s really dangerous.¡± Immediately the tune halted. R4 took a deep breath and reoriented herself. A quick stop back home to freshen up had given R4 a chance to dress for her best. Since this was her first real gig she wore her new dress, with shorts underneath just in case she had to go anywhere hazardous, or she had coworkers with no sense of personal space. A sturdy apron and a pair of work goggles completed the look, though the goggles were currently perched on her head. She also wore a black tool belt, which had an empty holster for a pistol. She had purchased one, but it was a cheap one from a gun store she had passed on the way. The room had four seats, and R4 quickly took one and went to review what little information she had received on the gig. ¡°First,¡± a male voice teased. ¡°Cheater, a second male voice replied.¡± Both took a seat, before noticing R4 already sitting down looking at them. ¡°Welch and Smucker?¡± R4 asked, checking her phone, before standing and extending a hand. ¡°I¡¯m R4.¡± Welch was tall and muscular, though R4 immediately noticed his body was covered with bruises, which she could see as he wore an unbuttoned shirt with the sleeves torn off. His hair was closely cropped, and was dyed a darker purple than his bruises. Stained jeans and heavy duty brown work boots gave the impression of a man who just could not be bothered to care, though the gun belt around his waist and the two firearms R4 could see looked either new or well cared for. Smucker in contrast wore white armor with what looked like red stains, at least until R4 realized it was just dyed to look like that. He also wore a red and white helmet that reminded her of a motorcycle helmet. On his back he carried a pack emblazoned with a winged serpent curled around a rod, and he too carried a pair of pistols on his hips. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s the fruit loops.¡± A man spoke up, entering the room. This man¡¯s outfit screamed cowboy, from the wide brimmed hat to the seemingly jean vest and chaps over jean pants to the pair of silver revolvers on his hips. The robotic hawk and complex looking electronic glove were a break from tradition. ¡°Data Rustler, long time man.¡± Welch said, standing back up and grabbing the man in a bro hug. ¡°Thought you¡¯s going legit dawg.¡± ¡°Rent went up, and the paycheck didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°True dat bro. Smucker and I needed some extra scratch and this job seemed like some quick credits, ain¡¯t that right Smuck?¡± ¡°That is accurate.¡± Smucker replied with a clipped and precise tone that caught R4 by surprise. Further, he added nothing further. ¡°Who¡¯s the girl?¡± ¡°Good evening, my name is R4 and I am a tech.¡± ¡°Yeah, sure kid.¡± Data replied. ¡°For Rust sake they stuck us with a kid? You even 18?¡± R4 opened her mouth to reply, ¡°Wait, you¡¯re a remote? Seriously? How long have you been in the city kid?¡± ¡°About a week, bit more.¡± R4 replied. ¡°Figures, only a remote would wear a dress to the undercity.¡± R4 glanced at her new dress. She had managed to fix some of the battery issues making it the best armored outfit she had besides her jacket. ¡°That¡¯s it, I¡¯m out.¡± ¡°Per stipulation 123 on subsection G of your contract you may back out of your agreement up to 1 hour before it is to begin while suffering only the minor penalties of a black mark on your record and a short term ban on the app. This time has passed. Backing out now will inflict a penalty of 400 credits as well as a ban lasting up to 2 weeks from the app.¡± A robotic voice spoke, just before a pale silhouette appeared on a screen that lowered from the ceiling. R4 noticed that the screen had a camera, allowing it to see all of them, as well as a second lens that let it focus in on them. It was currently focused on Data. ¡°Data Rustler, Tier 1 Web Walker 4th degree, real name Dhorbitt Riccardo, you have 3 short term black marks in the last 4 months. A long term black mark at this stage will lead to your expulsion from the app as well as a deletion of all data.¡± ¡°Dude, Droppin¡¯ real names like that, what¡¯s your deal?¡± Welch asked. The focusing lens shifted to Welch. ¡°Welch, real name Jabari Smith, Tier 0 Solo 2nd degree, do you have anything to add? It has been noted you have one previous black mark within the past week. This was ignored due to your previous success record of 43% and your team survival record of 85%.¡± The camera swung to R4. ¡°R4, Rachel Smith, Tier 0 Remote Tech 6th degree has a success rate of 100% despite her short time within this city.¡± ¡°Doing one job only tends to do that.¡± Data muttered. ¡°Ms. Mamik, I do not mean to interrupt, but where is the server we are to work on?¡± R4 asked. She gestured to the room. ¡°This does not seem to be it.¡± ¡°The server is within the undercity.¡± The voice replied flatly. R4¡¯s heart dropped into her stomach. ¡°As expected.¡± Smucker spoke. ¡°I presume the usual additional credits will be sent to our accounts.¡± ¡°Additional compensation of 4000 credits per person will be provided on mission completion.¡± R4 heard her phone beep and checked the app. She had been given 400 credits
Routine maintenance work Team size: 4 Hazard: 1 (meetup)
Company: Veritable strategic solutions Contact: Laura Mamik Reward: 400 credits
Looking for skilled self starters for a fast paced opportunity. Potential applicants should have a background in mechanical engineering with experience with computers and biological processes being a plus. Veritable Strategic Solutions is looking for some contractors to do work within a remote server room. Must supply your own tools. Materials will be supplied. Expected time: 4 hours plus travel.
Routine maintenance work Team size: 4 Hazard: 2 (gang presence, undercity)
Company: Veritable strategic solutions (Gentek) Contact: Laura Mamik Reward: 4000 credits 250 exp.
Looking for skilled self starters for a fast paced opportunity. Potential applicants should have a background in mechanical engineering with experience with computers and biological processes being a plus. Veritable Strategic Solutions is looking for some contractors to do work within a remote server room. Must supply your own tools. Materials will be supplied. Expected time: 4 hours plus travel time. Note: you will be traveling within the undercity.
¡°The job comes in three parts. You will pick up the materials here, they are already packaged and opening them will be seen as a breech of contract, before departing. You will make your way to subsection 4 elevator shaft 43, and arrive at floor -4.¡± ¡°That¡¯s Blue Steel territory.¡± Data shot R4 a look. ¡°You¡¯re going to have a fun time. Red hair and all.¡± ¡°Once you arrive you will take the Mobile Utility Lifting Engine and escort it to the designated point. It knows where to go. Once you¡¯re there setup should prove straight forwards.¡± The lens locked on R4. ¡°You have constructed a computronix engine before have you not?¡± R4 considered the question, and her face twisted in confusion before checking something on her phone. ¡°Yes?¡± She replied, confused. ¡°Oh this is going to be fun.¡± Data muttered. ¡°She can¡¯t even do her job.¡± ¡°Are we talking the stage 3 nuclear powered core, or one of the anti-matter based ones?¡± R4 asked. ¡°Or is this the positron self learning quantum brain versions? Is it preprogrammed, or will I be using Naga. If you¡¯re using Medusae then it¡¯s going to be an issue since Medusae is a Tier 1 language and you can¡¯t program it without tier 1 levels of brain power. If we¡¯re talking Basilisk or Oroboros that¡¯s tier 2 and 3 respectively and there¡¯s no way I can program that. Orphion and Jormungandr are secret programming languages so I can¡¯t do those either.¡± She shot a look to Data. ¡°Though I guess technically programmin¡¯ th¡¯ thing is your job.¡± Data opened his mouth, then closed it. ¡°You¡¯re on a tight schedule, get moving. We do not pay by the hour.¡± The screen went dark before receding into the ceiling. ¡°Well, might as well. Which vehicle shall we take?¡± Smucker asked. ¡°Yo, no way we ridin¡¯ in Data¡¯s weak sauce banger.¡± Despite Welch¡¯s protests, they did indeed pile into Data¡¯s vehicle, a delivery truck marked in a decidedly western theme with cactus and wooden fences. The van even had a cowboy hat. Data drove, while Welch took shotgun, a four barreled monster of a shotgun in his lap. Smucker and R4 both found themselves in the back, next to four large metal backpacks and a strange boxy robot with four legs and a single headlight. It was a tight fit, partially because a third of the van was taken up by some manner of computer covered in blinking lights and quietly humming fans. ¡°Have you worked with a MULE before?¡± Smucker asked. ¡°First time, but it knows where to go correct?¡± R4 scanned it with her phone and an app downloaded to allow her to give it commands. ¡°Hey, hands off the MULE, I¡¯ve got it. Bad enough some green horn nobody of a tech tagging along, go back to your family ranch and break something there.¡± ¡°Kin ya¡¯ jus¡¯ focus on th¡¯ job an¡¯ not be hasslin¡¯ me? I¡¯ll do my part an¡¯ do it dang well. I ain¡¯t some helpless kid.¡± R4 snapped back. ¡°I don¡¯t know what ya¡¯ have ¡®gainst me, but drop it.¡± ¡°Look kid.¡± Data turned around to face her. ¡°You are a maggot, there are hundreds if not thousands of you feeding off this city. You¡¯re neither Tier 1 nor anyone of note. You weren¡¯t born here, and you don''t belong here.¡± ¡°Data, eyes front!¡± Data whipped around, and the entire van jerked as he blared his horn. ¡°Rust eaten wage slaves, OPEN your F****** eyes!¡± R4 watched as Data cursed up a storm, and ignored a suspiciously human sized bump, before whispering to Smucker, ¡°Is he always like that?¡± Smucker did not respond. A few minutes later they parked and Data pressed a button that opened the back doors. ¡°Alright, everyone out.¡± At his words the MULE hopped out, R4 and Smucker following. Smucker immediately drew his firearm and leveled it on a pair of blue haired men in dark blue jackets and jeans ¡°Woah man, we don¡¯t mean no trouble.¡± One of the men, a teenager really, backed off. R4 saw the gun in his pocket. ¡°Back off the van before I scramble your optics.¡± Data yelled, stepping out of the vehicle. R4 felt a buzzing run through her horns and the two men vanished. ¡°Alright, everyone unloaded.¡± ¡°Got all I need.¡± Welch replied, gesturing with his shotgun. ¡°Confirmed.¡± Smucker replied. ¡°Can¡¯t forget the backpacks.¡± R4 replied, two packs in each arm. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s in them, but they¡¯re heavy.¡± ¡°You carry those.¡± Data replied. ¡°All of them?¡± R4 asked. She adjusted one, then another. ¡°Yeah, I think I¡¯m gonna¡¯ need some help.¡± She adjusted a third, ¡°Uh guys, I think I kin get 3, but I¡¯m not goin¡¯ ta¡¯ be much use otherwise.¡± Welch took one of the packs. ¡°Thank ya¡¯ Welch.¡± R4 quickly arranged her packs, and with a bit of osteoplast work she had something that partially resembled a sherpa¡¯s pack. As she shrugged it on she noticed she had attracted a few onlookers. ¡°What¡¯cha lookin¡¯ at? Y¡¯all better not be a bunch a¡¯ vultures waitin¡¯ fer a slip up, ¡®cause it ain¡¯t happenin¡¯.¡± With a huff she took off after the group, who had already gotten a bit of a lead on her with the MULE following after them. As she ran R4 noticed every one of the watchers had blue hair, some light some deep sapphire, but blue everywhere. As she followed the group she noticed more blue graffiti, with a few tags being tagged over in red. ¡°Is there a red verses blue war goin¡¯ on?¡± she asked. She did not receive a response. ¡°Ok then.¡± She followed the team into a large concrete structure with an arrow pointing down emblazoned in neon. Data scanned his phone and one of the several elevator lights turned on. The group stepped in, and just before they could descend someone stuck their foot in the door. ¡°Hey, good timing.¡± a young man with bright blue hair spoke up. ¡°Out.¡± Data ordered. This is our elevator, get the next one.¡± ¡°No can do cowpoke.¡± As the doors opened back up he and three other men stepped in. All were armed, and all dressed in blue. The first was the leader, and had the sort of corrected features common to Tier 1¡¯s, while his fellows lacked this. Each wore a blue bandana over their face, as well as a blue hat, one being a motorcycle helmet the other two baseball caps. The leader had no head covering and wore a jean jacket and blue jeans. ¡°See, we reserved this time slot, and we¡¯re not so happy a corp bought it out from under us.¡± ¡°I think you need to step back.¡± Data replied, R4 could feel the signals building up like static across her horns. ¡°We¡¯re doing official business, and some punks like you aren¡¯t getting in the way.¡± ¡°And what are you going to do about it?¡± The leader asked. ¡°Um, I don¡¯t mean to bust up your stand off, but I think th¡¯ elevator is about ta¡¯¡± The entire elevator let out a loud buzzing sound and flashed red. ¡°We¡¯re not over weight are we?¡± ¡°No.¡± Smucker spoke. ¡°But we will lose our slot if we do not get a move on.¡± ¡°Hey yo, Step off ya hear? We ain¡¯t a taxi service for you Blue Steel punks.¡± R4 saw Welch¡¯s fists open up as the skin peeled back and revealed steel spikes. One of the Blue Steel gangsters drew a kukri while another drew a BAR knife that sparked. ¡°So you really want to tick off the corporations? Is a bit of time worth your life you little punks?¡± Data spoke, implants beneath his hat began lighting up. ¡°Shall I send you crying back to mommy with burned out eyes, or full of holes.¡± ¡°You corps need to learn some manners. No only are you poaching our land and our spots, but you bring a Red into our territory.¡± The Blue Steel leader pointed to R4. ¡°Wait, what did I do?¡± R4 asked. She pointed to her hair. ¡°You¡¯re gonna¡¯ raise Cain because I¡¯m a redhead?¡± The elevator blared again. ¡°Look, we¡¯re not over the weight limit, what floor are ya¡¯ goin¡¯ to?¡± ¡°You idiot, we can¡¯t just,¡± The Blue steel gangers stepped in and the elevator descended. ¡°What is wrong with you?¡± Data yelled. ¡°We¡¯re on our way, an¡¯ we¡¯re not paid by th¡¯ hour.¡± R4 snapped back. ¡°You can¡¯t just let a rival group on the same elevator. Do you know nothing?¡± Data snapped. ¡°Idiot Remote, I should put a bullet between your eyes right now, maybe you¡¯d actually gain some IQ points.¡± R4 felt her claws slip from her fingers. ¡°Try it idiot, I¡¯m carryin¡¯ th¡¯ boxes, an¡¯ good luck settin¡¯ up the machines without me? Ya send a power surge through th¡¯ lines an¡¯ I¡¯m bettin¡¯ losin¡¯ yer¡¯ paycheck¡¯ll be th¡¯ least a¡¯ yer worries.¡± ¡°At least I have a paycheck, you remotes wouldn¡¯t know a hard day¡¯s work if it bit ya¡¯ on th¡¯ neck. You Solarians have no concept of the grind.¡± ¡°You think I don¡¯t,¡± R4 paused and sniffed. ¡°Is that popcorn?¡± She looked to see the Blue Steel gangsters munching on popcorn, or something that looked like popcorn. ¡°No, don¡¯t mind us, just enjoying the show.¡± The leader replied. R4 quickly trilled to her phone, which immediately trilled the entirety of the rules of the elevator back to her over the course of three seconds. ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to have food on the elevator.¡± ¡°And, what are you going to do about it?¡± R4¡¯s stomach growled, and she put her hand into her pocket. The Blue Steel gangsters tensed, hands moving to their own weapons, but R4¡¯s instead drew out a protein bar. She eyed the camera watching her, eyed the bar, and put it back. She eyed Data, who was still glaring her and whose hand was on his weapon. She looked to Welch, who was counting his ammunition while casually menacing with his shotgun. It wasn¡¯t actually aimed at anything other than the floor, but it was in the general direction of the Blue Steels. Smucker was reorganizing his medical kit. R4 looked around at the rest of the elevator. It was an octagonal room of gray steel and other metal alloys. There was a dim blue light shining from above. R4 eyed the numerous buttons, noticing the lights for -4 and -6 were lit up. ¡°So what¡¯s on floor -6?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t a Red like to know.¡± The leader replied. ¡°Fine, keep your secrets.¡± R4 replied. ¡°And what¡¯s a Red, I¡¯ve got red hair because my folks do and I didn¡¯t feel like dying it black. No one said it was a capital offense.¡± ¡°Red heads don¡¯t have souls.¡± One of the other Blues replied. ¡°I have evidence you do, and the prototype tells me it is delicious.¡± ¡°Not now.¡± R4 trilled before switching back to Common. ¡°Who came up with that idea? Did someone get on the wrong end of a bad breakup?¡± ¡°A Red like you wouldn¡¯t get it.¡± one of the Blues replied as the leader replied, ¡°Probably. The Reds and Blues have been fighting since the first days of Nu¡¯Grav.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lot of hate. I don¡¯t suppose there¡¯s a way ta¡¯ keep out¡¯a it?¡± ¡°Sure, shave your head,¡± With a flash of claws R4¡¯s head was shaved, again, and the hair vanished into her bag. The leader blinked. ¡°Did you just¡­¡± He was interrupted by a low ding as the elevator doors opened. ¡°Oh, here¡¯s our stop.¡± R4 spoke as the MULE stood up. ¡°Nice meeting you.¡± As their team quickly stepped off the elevator R4 noticed the odd look Welch was giving her, while Data was staring daggers. Yet all that was forgotten the moment her feet touched the floor of the undercity. Immediately she felt the strange reverberation of walking on tier 2 concrete. It had a strange lack of give, and even her soft boots made an odd shuffling sound walking across. The tunnel smelled of sterile alcohol and gunpowder. There had been lights above, yet now they were dim and left large sections of shadow beneath. ¡°Come on, we¡¯re not getting paid by the hour.¡± Data said, making a gesture that sent the MULE marching. ¡°R4, you take the rear. If we get ambushed and have to run I don¡¯t want to lose anything important.¡± ¡°Do the three packs I¡¯m carryin¡¯ count as important?¡± R4 replied. Data pretended he didn¡¯t hear. He led the way, taking a moment to check his phone against the various landmarks, and complaining that several had moved. ¡°Can landmarks move?¡± R4 asked. ¡°You came down here without knowing? Is this your first time down here ya¡¯ foo¡¯?¡± R4 winced at Welch¡¯s loud tone, as did Data. ¡°First time willingly.¡± R4 replied. ¡°Then you¡¯re either an idiot or you got nerves of steel girl, because down here,¡± he pivoted and blasted his shotgun, brilliant red sparks shooting forth into a shadowy mass which smashed right into his legs and sent him sprawling. ¡°Glitter huffing rust bucket!¡± R4 immediately rushed to his side, gloving her hands in force and grabbing the creature. Its skin seemed to come apart like wet sand, until all that was left was a box covered in wires and two blenders. ¡°What the?¡± ¡°Scath!¡± Data called out, drawing his weapon. R4 tried to draw her firearm, before remembering it was still in her pocket rather than its sheath. She reached for it, but some instinct warned her it would be too late as one of the scath grabbed onto her arm and yanked it from her coat. Panic flooded her mind as R4 scrambled to rip it from her arm. In her panic she forgot her claws, only to remember as she felt her claws grab the creature by the head and rather then push it off they shredded right through it. A low hiss reached her ears and she swung wildly at a second lunging scath, catching it right in the throat and sending its head flying off. Finally catching a break she drew her firearm, just in time to double tap another of the scath, the first blow catching it in the side and the second in the neck as it stumbled. A shot from Smucker finished it off, his own weapon blowing its head off with a thunderous rebuke. Just like that it was over. R4 had killed two and assisted Smucker with his one. Even as they dissolved R4 couldn¡¯t help but thing they looked like the mangy coyotes she used to shoot on her parent¡¯s farm. Data stood over one which lacked any bullet wounds though its eyes seemed to have exploded from within, while Welch, Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°Hey, get this thing of me!¡± he exclaimed, pushing the large hound-like creature off. Now that it was dead its body was quickly coming apart, but he was still buried under 40 kg of sand. R4 quickly checked the scene to make sure it was safe, noting two other bodies already lying in small piles nearby, before she and Smucker each took an arm and pulled him up. ¡°Woo, first shootout of the day. Nothin¡¯ like it, eh Remote?¡± He eyed the pistol in her hands, ¡°you really fighting with that thing? Girl, you braver than I thought.¡± ¡°Stop chatting with the remote, those gunshots rang the dinner bell, keep up.¡± Data broke into a fast jog, with Welch and Smucker keeping pace. R4 started strong, keeping pace easily, yet as they continued she felt herself begin to tire. She quickly lost track of how many turns they had taken, the under city a maze of corridors and rooms. Six times they went through a large round room, the first time through a high walk way, the rest through other walkways. Only on the third time did R4 notice that a strange plant was growing at the bottom of the room, and on the fourth she noticed it was actually a different plant. The fifth and sixth time confirmed rather than going through the same round room, they were identical rooms. ¡°Did the architect copy and paste that room?¡± R4 asked, her breath now coming in catches. ¡°Likely.¡± Smucker replied, before gasping. ¡°Data, we need a 5¡¯er.¡± ¡°What, our little Tech can¡¯t handle it?¡± ¡°Dude,¡± Welch gasped. ¡°We¡¯ve been running for 20 minutes, ease up.¡± ¡°Fine, there¡¯s a nook up ahead.¡± R4 saw the spot, a side room that seemed to have been carved to house something at one time. As she approached she saw the door had been ripped open by something with three large claws. ¡°Y¡¯all, is this safe?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the undercity, of course it¡¯s not.¡± Data snapped. He took out his phone and checked something. ¡°Damn Corps.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me we¡¯re lost.¡± R4 muttered. Data shot her a look, ¡°This was supposed ta¡¯ be a 4 hour job, it¡¯s already been 20 minutes a¡¯ runnin¡¯. I¡¯m guessin¡¯ we¡¯re not getting¡¯ paid mileage.¡± ¡°You shut your ignorant Tier 0 mouth Remote.¡± Data shot back. ¡°I know exactly where I am and what I¡¯m doing.¡± R4 gritted her teeth, fully knowing she was about to say something she¡¯d regret. ¡°So, if y¡¯all are so great an¡¯ wise, Mr. Tier 1 Web Walker, why did we just spend the last 20 minutes running AWAY from our goal?¡± ¡°Hol up, what you talking ¡®bout?¡± With a gesture and a bit of trilling R4 called up the map on her phone. ¡°Look, here¡¯s the elevator, an¡¯ here¡¯s th¡¯ room we¡¯re supposed to be in. Easy 5 minute walk.¡± ¡°What the F*** man?¡± Welch exclaimed, examining the map. ¡°That path goes right through the Flesh Eater¡¯s territory.¡± Data replied. R4 gave him a confused look, though Welch went pale. ¡°If you weren¡¯t a f***ing remote you¡¯d know that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m guessing that¡¯s a dimdwell gang.¡± R4 replied. ¡°A cult actually.¡± Smucker replied. ¡°They¡¯re worse. They¡¯re backed by a rogue AI. Warlocks, a cult of chrome damned warlocks.¡± [[Do not eat human flesh]] Flashed across R4¡¯s eye. ¡°So we¡¯re going out of our way to avoid them? I guess that makes sense.¡± ¡°See, I know what I¡¯m talking about.¡± Data shot back. ¡°This route takes us around their territory, things would have been just fine if we didn¡¯t run into those Scath. Now we have to shake them before we get there, or they¡¯ll be scratching at our door for the entire set up and if they get in we¡¯ll be footing the bill for anything they damage. Why can¡¯t you get that?¡± ¡°Ok, I understand yer¡¯ logic, an¡¯ I kin agree with it.¡± R4 replied. ¡°A heads up would ¡®a been nice, but I get it.¡± ¡°Well I thought with your 3D mind you would have thought of something so simple.¡± R4 decided not to correct him, though it urked her to do so. ¡°I guess that¡¯s on me, I thought you might actually have some intelligence in your organic skull. Guess that¡¯s on me.¡± He huffed before sitting down and taking out some manner of interface device from his bag. He eyed the red blinking light before finding a power outlet to plug into on one of the walls As the group settled down for a rest R4 eyed the nook. It was a large concrete room with several power outlets and long scratches on the floor from where large machinery had been moved quickly. She noted that the corners had been smoothed out, and the concrete was darker there. Approaching her horns started to buzz as they picked up a signal. [[Metamorphic concrete.]] ¡°Looks like this room is undergoing construction, being recycled by one of the AI for other use.¡± ¡°They can do that?¡± R4 asked. ¡°They do so constantly, just very slowly. They can do it faster, but that requires lots of processing power, energy, and nanites. Metamorphic concrete has a few nanites in it, so it can be reshaped, but looks like this room isn¡¯t high on the priority list. It still has power.¡± R4 noticed the others plugging into the outlets to charge various gear. ¡°While you¡¯re here,¡±
Plug it in plug it in Team size: 1 (secret) Difficulty: bloodless
Company: Fangs of Mara Contact: The Red Queen Reward: 200 exp. Construction blueprints (Payment Advanced)
An opportunity to study morphic concrete has come up. This material comes in many tiers and is usually the domain of the more powerful AI. Nu¡¯Grav is literally built upon this material. A remote observation post would be quite useful, and this place even provides a source of power.
¡°You can feed on electricity?¡± R4 trilled, opening up her tool arm as the construction blueprints seemed to appear in her mind. It wasn¡¯t so much reading a book as remembering something she had read a while ago, save she never had. Fishing around in her bag she had some odds and ends, which she quickly fed into her tool arm to fabricate what she needed. Most of the material was bone, which she noted was tier 1. ¡°How am I using tier 1 material at tier 0?¡± ¡°Your ravager cyberware is tier 1, and it is providing the material. Your tool arm will not last the year at this rate, nor will you.¡± ¡°Is that a threat Red?¡± R4 trilled back. A tickling from one horn that crawled across her brow to the other was the only response. ¡°Purchase the premium membership to unlock more questions.¡± ¡°One day I am, jus¡¯ so I kin¡¯ annoy you.¡± ¡°How exactly are you adding your accent to resonant? ¡°Purchase premium to unlock more questions. ¡°¡­ you win this time R4.¡± The device R4 ended up building looked somewhat like a webcam on a tripod, save the tripod was made from reddish bone. She used a few repurposed lenses from some broken web cameras she had found here and there, and some components she had purchased. The majority were bone, and she promptly ate a protein bar afterwards. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Welch asked. ¡°It¡¯s a camera.¡± R4 replied. ¡°This room is full of morphic concrete, and I want to record how it works for my work.¡± ¡°Morphic concrete cannot be controlled by humans until Tier 3, and even then it is a slow process best left to AI.¡± Smucker spoke up. ¡°Also you¡¯re not getting a signal in here.¡± ¡°Good catch.¡± R4 quickly plugged an SD card in and opened an app on her phone. [[Undercity Lore]] opened up and she dropped a talon, before realizing she had never downloaded the app. A moment later she realized it was the same app she had used to recover a map of their gig. ¡°Ok, I¡¯m good to go.¡± ¡°About time.¡± R4 followed Data¡¯s lead, and managed to keep pace without too much trouble. The way back was nothing like the way they had come. Rather than tight tunnels this route followed large caverns dripping with water from metal stalactites. R4 eyed the pools beneath, deep pools of water strangely free of pollution and made from morphic concrete. An urge to jump into one began building in the back of her skull, a longing to take another break and swim. She felt her horns twitch, which was certainly an odd sensation. She could practically feel the inviting warmth coming from them, her fangs itched between her teeth, and she barely stifled a yawn. As they continued she thought she could almost see steam coming from one of the pools. It was only because she was looking longingly into the water she saw it. ¡°Heads up, four bodies in th¡¯ drink. Two in blue, one in black, and one in a yellow raincoat.¡± R4 pointed. ¡°Possible ambush.¡± ¡°Say what?¡± Immediately Welch took aim, and his gun began to click. ¡°No way that¡¯s an ambush, probably some blues chased the guy in yellow down here and they all fell in the pool. That pool¡¯s hotter than a wastelander cookout. Rust man, why didn¡¯t you tell us we were going through a hot zone ¡°It¡¯s just mild radiation, pop a RadTab? and don¡¯t linger.¡± Data replied, yet R4 saw him pick up the pace just a little more. ¡°Man, this gig is just one thing after another, Smuckers, grab me a tab.¡± Smucker handed over a tablet to Welch, before offering one to R4. ¡°2 credits.¡± ¡°Thought you were the team medic.¡± R4 replied, sending him 2 credits as she took the tablet. She noticed it was cherry flavored, which almost covered the taste of iodine beneath. [[Biomonitor: RadTab? consumed. Shedding radiation. Current radiation is at acceptable levels.]] [[Ravager_prototype: foreign chemical is reducing radiation absorption. ATP regeneration reduced. Adjusting countermeasures]] The second popup caused R4 to raise an eyebrow. ¡°Team medic just means Smucker here carries the medicine and doesn¡¯t charge for his services. You¡¯re still paying market price for the stuff he uses.¡± Welch replied. ¡°Rust, you¡¯re getting¡¯ a steal. Before I met ¡®im had a medic named Katt who charged 200% on anything she used.¡± ¡°That¡¯s horrible.¡± R4 replied. ¡°Yeah, got her back though. Last time I saw her she was pinned down with two Mars Corporation mechs laying down suppressive fire. I saved 2400 credits that day.¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t know how to feel about that.¡± After about ten minutes of walking the group came to a cliff face. Rather than stone the cliff was made from morphic concrete, and resembled a pile of sand after half of it has been washed away by rising tide. Below the cliff the concrete gave way to metal, small blue lights providing illumination. ¡°I didn¡¯t know rappelling was going to be a requirement fer¡¯ this assignment.¡± R4 spoke up, already reaching into her bag. ¡°Is th¡¯ MULE goin¡¯ ta¡¯ be ok?¡± She watched as the MULE walked down the cliff face without even slowing down. ¡°Ok then, guess that works.¡± ¡°Geronimo!¡± Welch called, jumping off the cliff face and dropping the ten meters without care. He landed hard, and R4 saw sparks light up around his legs. ¡°See Dawg, told ya¡¯ those cyberlegs were worth it. ¡°Step aside.¡± Data spoke, jumping after. He jumped, and hit hard. R4 heard a low CRACK as something gave. He cried out in paid. R4 looked down at the wounded Data, then to Welch. ¡°Welch has special legs that allow him to drop long distances without harm. Apparently Data does not, and Tier 1 Force can only do so much against fall damage.¡± ¡°I see.¡± R4 replied, hammering a spike into the metamorphic concrete. She quickly took out a rope and tied it on. The rope already had several knots tied into it. With a gesture her hands were coated in telekinetic force. ¡°Y¡¯all want to go first?¡± Smucker nodded. ¡°Have at it, I¡¯ll keep watch up here.¡± With that R4 watched Smucker make his way down, while Data groaned something on the floor below. R4 took out her pistol just in case something tried to follow them. She eyed the weapon for a moment, feeling the cheap stamped metal rough in her hands. ¡°If you¡¯re going to use a gun, you need a better one.¡± [[Non-cyberware]]
Rite? Munitions Trigger Finger pistol DC 8 2D6 damage Scaling: 4 Exceed: N/A Range: 10 meters Ammo 7/9 N/A This is a basic pistol I wouldn¡¯t use on anything bigger than a mundane human. Come on R4, you can do better. Your claws are superior in every way save range.
¡°And in comparison¡± [[Cyberware]]
N/A R4, get the cheapest set of scratchers, cyberhands, or whatever you want for this. I don¡¯t need quality, I just need the proper RFID to cover for you Telekinetic claws. The exact method by which the feral ravagers can use a tier 3 ability that usually requires at least 16 mind and 6 empathy appears to come down to several nodes of nervous tissue. DC: variable (pending) (presumed 4 or 5) Damage: variable (pending) (presumed 1d6) Scaling: 4 Range: Melee Note: Ravager claws suspend a haze of ravager toxin, inflicting it on anyone they strike. Requires poison or adrenal cyberware to properly adjust toxin.
¡°What am I seeing here?¡± R4 trilled, shooting a glance to her phone watching Smucker descend. It was now open to her [[My MESH]] app, which was doing a better job then just projecting it to her eye would. ¡°So melee weapons are generally harder to use than guns, which are point and click. They also have range. Using the absolutely perfect and not at all arbitrary d6 system the AI devoted countless computational hours and human lives to for every d6 of damage the difficulty of using a gun increases by 4, and aiming for an important spot increases the DC while also increasing the damage. There¡¯s more to it. Your claws work the same way, though the exact DC to damage is something I¡¯m still working out. I think it¡¯s 4 to 1, same as guns, but I won¡¯t know until you get some extra cyberware I can shove the workload onto. I¡¯ll send you some deals after work.¡± R4 blinked when she saw Smucker had barely made any progress in moving, until she remembered the entire exchange happened in less than a second. She turned her head back towards the tunnel and ice ran through her veins. A humanoid figure crouched in the tunnel, a ripped yellow rain slicker covering them. ¡°Hey, we got someone up here.¡± R4 called down. She eyed the figure as they crawled closer. She raised her gun and stepped forwards. ¡°Forget about them,¡± Data called out, through clenched teeth if R4 wasn¡¯t mistaken. ¡°They¡¯re secondary to the gig.¡± R4 still approached. They look hurt, their leg dragged behind them. They wore a heavy yellow raincoat that obscured their figure save for their pale hands, and a pair of torn up boots. As they crawled they left a puddle of water behind them. The figure rasped out something R4 couldn¡¯t quite hear. ¡°They look hurt, I think they broke their leg somehow and fell in the water.¡± The words stuck in R4¡¯s mind. That water was radioactive. They were dead, even if they could get help. ¡°Then they¡¯re dead, no amount of Radtabs? can fix that.¡± Perhaps it was a sound, or a delayed reaction, but something called R4¡¯s eyes back to the wounded man. Was that the same man she had just seen, or were there two men wearing yellow jackets in the undercity? That would make three given Gris the Deep fish. Their hood was up, but that struck her as odd, as did how the hood hung on their head. It didn¡¯t seem to flop over their head, as it was being supported by something. Almost as if they were wearing a second hat under their hood to give it shape, yet that too wasn¡¯t quite right. It was almost as if they had a helmet, Or horns. R4 jumped back just before the creature lunged, its claws glistening with captured water. ¡°Run!¡± R4 turned and bolted, pushing with all she was worth. She saw the rope, and knew she wasn¡¯t going to have time to stop and grab it. She eyed the wall, tier 1 metal, too tough for her claws, ¡°Initiate flare protocol!¡± With a flying leap she threw herself to the wall, claws out. The wall let out a pained shriek as she jammed her claws in it and skidded down, leaving a long scratch mark as she fell. Throwing a glance back she witnessed the hooded monster stop at the top of the cliff, six gleaming silvery claws hanging a half meter below each sleeve. She saw Smucker looking up at the creature, and she could swear she saw the thing¡¯s fang filled smile as it raised its arm. ¡°Welch, catch Smucker!¡± It took Welch a moment to comprehend what R4 was saying, but to his credit he was a skilled solo and knew his business. With a single blow Yellow Coat not only cut the rope but sent a chunk of Tier 1 metamorphic concrete flying into the wall hard enough that it stuck like a javelin into a target. Smucker let out a yell as he dropped the remaining 10 meters, only for Welch to jump, catching him and landing with a deep THUD. R4 stared up as Yellow Coat stared down. Its left eye glowed a dull red as it paced the top of the cliff. She reached for her pistol, but Data moved faster. ¡°Target: Unknown_humanoid. Specify: Identified_point. Initiate: Data_herd_shutdown.¡± As he spoke his vest and hat lit up, a RGB circuit pattern flashing to life. R4 felt a low hum as he sent a signal that lodged itself into Yellow Coat¡¯s cyberware, and did nothing. The entity¡¯s red eye flickered once, but did nothing else. ¡°Dagnabbit, what the,¡± The creature¡¯s eye flickered twice as it maw spit a phrase that contained 245 gigabites of code that immediately crashed R4¡¯s translation module sent Data into spasms. His mouth opened to let out a horrific scream as he foam poured from his lips. ¡°Grab him and run.¡± Smucker spoke calmly. ¡°Yeah, Data¡¯s got that Tier 1 body, he ain¡¯t going to die flopping around, but the F*** that thing is looks dangerous.¡± R4 hesitated only a moment before picking up Data and running. She felt his weight as only a faint nudge in her mind as her tier 1 strength surged. ¡°Quickly, take a right!¡± Smucker shouted, his voice loud but his tone even. He vanished into a side passage and Welch followed. Just as R4 reached the turn she heard a loud scream. R4¡¯s ears heard just a sound of of outrage, of a starving hunter denied a meal. Within the scream was a 100 pages of gibberish, yet one word was repeated again and again. ¡°Atropus¡± Even as ice crawled up her spine R4 managed to follow Smucker until he held up a hand and stopped dead still. R4 tried to stop, she really did, but given she was carrying a now no longer convulsing Data as well as three backpacks worth of gear she didn¡¯t quite manage. ¡°Look out!¡± Welch turned just in time to see R4, and she promptly bowled him over before tripping over him. The three backpacks made a loud BANG and the collision elicited a groan from Data. ¡°Watch it, you trying to ring the dinner bell?¡± Welch shot back, picking himself up. R4 took a bit to right herself, her backpack not helping. ¡°What was that thing, I ain¡¯t never seen a scath on two legs.¡± ¡°Talk later, get in.¡± Smucker held open a door and ushered them all inside. The moment they were inside he slammed the door and locked it. ¡°R4, can you weld this shut?¡± ¡°No, but I can glue it shut¡± She immediately began layering the door with tier 1 bone. ¡°Bro, what was that thing?¡± Welch asked. ¡°Unknown.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you watch all those nature documentaries? Maybe that thing was, like, a mutated baboon or something. Some kind of lab experiment one of the corps let loose. Gentek or something?¡± ¡°Gentek, Mitian, Mars Corporation, perhaps one of the smaller corporations like Biotek. All use human testing. A terror weapon designed by Lok-1 would be my guess. It hid among corpses in a place we thought dangerous.¡± He paused, tapping his helmet which promptly lit up for a few moments as he examined Data. ¡°Welch, watch that direction. R4, give me a hand.¡± R4 watched as Smucker examined Data, rolling his pant leg up and getting to work. Beneath his brown pants, and the chaps that had to come off first, his right leg was badly bruised. As Smucker ran several tools over his body, pulling each wand and scanner from his pack as if he was a magician pulling rabbits from a hat, he mumbled his findings. R4 listened closely, and understood a bit of what he said. ¡°Ok, looks like your tibia and fibula are cracked, but being tier 1 you should heal from that in a few days. You¡¯re lucky you¡¯re tier 1, if you weren¡¯t you¡¯d probably be dead instead of just injured. In AI terms, I¡¯d say you¡¯re at 3 wounds out of 6.¡± ¡°Dagnabbit.¡± Data muttered. ¡°I just got those free wounds, and they¡¯re already gone.¡± ¡°I can ease the pain, but you are on borrowed time. Three day rest after this.¡± ¡°Just keep me going Doc.¡± Data eyed R4. ¡°Don¡¯t make me look bad in front of this Remote.¡± Smucker drew a small injector and administered something to Data, then stretched a sheet of fabric across his leg which tightened after he gave it a slight jolt of electricity. ¡°This will hold. How far are we from our goal?¡± ¡°Not far. Maybe five minutes run.¡± ¡°You ride the MULE, you need to stay off that leg or it could get worse. Focus on getting us there. Remote, I hope you can get that door back open.¡± Data huffed, but he did not offer further complaint. R4 kept an eye out as they walked, and what she saw did not inspire confidence. While previously their footsteps were quiet against the metal that made up the hallways and the morphic concrete, now a strange groaning sound echoed with every step. It recalled to her the sound of walking across a catwalk while helping her father repair an old windmill, one that was shortly after demolished and replaced. She caught what she almost thought was the scent of rotting meat, save it wasn¡¯t quite right. Turning a corner R4 felt a chill run down her spine, yet as she looked over her shoulder she didn¡¯t see anyone watching her. Rather, she saw a camera, its unblinking lens staring at her. She moved to one side, then to another, but it did not respond to her presence. ¡°Yo, R, what are you doing?¡± Welch called back already a few meters ahead of her.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a camera, I¡¯m trying to figure out if it¡¯s watchin¡¯ us.¡± ¡°Hey, Data, is that cam scannin¡¯ us?¡± Welch asked. Data looked at both of them with distain in his eyes before sighting and squinting at the camera. He paused, eyes going wide. ¡°It is, and it¡¯s feeding to our destination. There¡¯s a low tier AI running security, it¡¯s¡­ eating popcorn?¡± He paused. ¡°Time to run, giddyup MULE.¡± Immediately a signal went to the MULE and it took off. R4 began to jog after the thing, as did Smucker. Welch had no problem keeping up, and Data grunted in pain at the now rough ride. ¡°This much movement is bad for your leg. You should slow down.¡± ¡°Shut up and run.¡± From the tone of his voice, R4 didn¡¯t question it, and neither did anyone else. ¡°Two hundred meters, then turn left. Look for a door marked with a gray eye.¡± Exactly as he said, the group came upon a door marked with a gray eye. The sight shot shivers down R4¡¯s spine, for she was certain it was the eye of a corpse just barely open. Data quickly hit a series of buttons on a hidden keypad beside the door and it slid open silently. Data went in first, followed by Welch and Smucker, with R4 bringing up the rear. The moment R4 made it inside she felt the door close behind her and heard a click, followed by several more as several locks initiated. R4 quickly added a layer of bone to be sure. ¡°Ok, we should be safe in here.¡± Data spoke quietly. He looked around the room, prompting the rest of the team to do the same. The room was dim and utilitarian. Several servers beeped and hummed, and R4 immediately noted one was making a low grinding sound that she would need to take a look at. As the group walked in the lights flickered, the vibrations adding stress to a light system that was clearly in need of work. ¡°Welch, you¡¯re on security. I¡¯ll patch you into the local cameras but make sure you¡¯re ready to shoot. The local AI is on high alert for some reason, and I don¡¯t know why. Smucker, see what you can do for my leg. Remote,¡± He glared at R4. ¡°This is where you do your job, so get to it. We¡¯re not getting paid by the hour.¡± R4 had taken a look at her duties while in Data¡¯s van, but now she examined her phone and the list of things to do more closely. The list was short, but intricate. She quickly unpacked the four backpacks full of gear, finding it was mostly consumables and spare parts. A quick look was all she needed to tell why so many spare parts were needed. ¡°What the, this stuff is all Chinerium.¡± R4 grimaced and opened up her tool arm. ¡°This may take a bit.¡± It in fact, did take a bit. On the very first server that needed maintenance R4 had three screws break on her, forcing her to do some creative adjustments, drilling out the entire screw casing before replacing it with her osteoblasts and pressing a new screw in it, which she doubted would come out without breaking. While she had it open she took out the damaged fan, which was down a blade, and cleaned out the shattered blade pieces. Taking a look at the fan she was given to replace she declared, ¡°This thing has a snowball¡¯s chance in Hell of lasting the month.¡± She rolled up here sleeves and got to work. The next machine had fraying wires, with the plastic melted from excessive current being forced through them. The one after, R4 wasn¡¯t sure what had happened, but the motherboard was completely cooked and had to be replaced. ¡°That looks like a cyber attack.¡± Data spoke up, sniffing. ¡°Someone didn¡¯t spring for the good circuit breakers and a charge built up until it cooked.¡± He watched as R4 quickly swapped it out and replaced it with a new one. ¡°Hand it over.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°The orders didn¡¯t mention what to do with the old components right? So hand it over. I¡¯m team lead, I make the calls.¡± ¡°An¡¯ what if I want it?¡± R4 asked. ¡°Like ya¡¯ said, no one cares about th¡¯ old components.¡± ¡°No one cares until someone brings it up.¡± He glared, his eyes beginning to glow. ¡°All it takes are a few words from me and suddenly our employer becomes VERY interested in why you want a damaged motherboard. I mean, it¡¯s not like you¡¯re going to sell it to a rival company trying to find out secrets, I mean, that would result in your pay being canceled. You might even be terminated,¡± He put his fingers to his head miming a gun, ¡°Permanently.¡± R4 gritted her teeth. ¡°Why do you want it?¡± ¡°Same reason as you, but I¡¯m Tier 1. They¡¯ll listen to me because I¡¯m hard to replace. You, they¡¯re throw you away like yesterday¡¯s meal wrapper.¡± He reached out a hand. ¡°So give.¡± R4 eyed him. ¡°Fine, here. Take it.¡± As she handed it over she extended a single claw and cut the board in half. ¡°After all, you¡¯re the leader, since it¡¯s not in the job what to do with the junk it¡¯s your call.¡± R4 watched his expression as the motherboard seemed to fall apart in his hands. ¡°Well dog-rabbit, that Chinerium is cheap junk. ¡°I¡¯ll get you for this.¡± ¡°For breaking something you were supposed to throw away anyhow? Is there something you¡¯re not telling us?¡± R4 asked. ¡°Hey, Remote, how ¡®bout you shut your mouth before you get us all killed.¡± Welch called. ¡°When you on a job you¡¯re loyal to your employer. Period. None of this over employment stuff, no secret agendas. If you¡¯re cut, you bleed company colors, ya¡¯ hear?¡± ¡°Welch is correct. On a gig you are loyal to your employer, period. Period. Period.¡± Smucker spoke, adjusting his helmet, though R4 saw a slight flash of light she thought might be a wink. ¡°So as long as I¡¯m on this gig, I work for Veritable Strategic Solutions, and none other.¡± R4 replied. ¡°I get it. It¡¯s like back home, when yer¡¯ workin¡¯ with another family ya¡¯ follow their way a¡¯ doin¡¯ things, even if yours is better.¡± ¡°30 credits she dies before the gig¡¯s over.¡± Data spoke up. ¡°Dude, no way I¡¯m takin¡¯ that bet. You¡¯ll just kill her to win.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take that bet, but if you do kill her it¡¯s off.¡± Smucker replied. ¡°Gee, thank¡¯s guys.¡± R4 replied, going back to her work. ¡°If you need me I¡¯ll just be over here, doing my job.¡± There were so many pieces R4 spent the next three hours head down and dead to anything that wasn¡¯t held together with screws, clamps, or duct tape, and she found a LOT of duct tape. One server had several overheat warnings, because it had been wrapped up in tape like a cocoon. As R4 cut it the entire thing fell apart, spilling wires and circuit boards everywhere. The noise was so loud Welch jumped, and promptly crunched a section of fan that rolled under his foot. ¡°What the F*** Remote?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t blame me, blame whatever hack job set this up.¡± R4 went back into the thing, crawling inside the case. She threw out a roll of tape that had been left over. ¡°Couldn¡¯t even spring for the good tape.¡± As R4 worked she noticed strange scratches within the machinery. ¡°Hey, do mice live down here?¡± ¡°Occasionally you¡¯ll see some, but this place is pretty tight.¡± Welch replied. ¡°Hey Smucker, you mind keeping an eye out, I have to go take a leak.¡± ¡°There is a rest room approximately 30 meters south.¡± Data spoke, not moving from where he was sitting, his head tilted back as he stared into space. ¡°There has been a team that used it about half an hour ago, they didn¡¯t lose anyone so I think it¡¯s safe. They had worse gear than us, and only 3 members. Our remote might not be enough of a detriment to lose the fight.¡± ¡°Oh shove off ya¡¯ worm ridden virus plagued wirehead.¡± R4 retorted. ¡°Is that the best insult you could come up with? I¡¯ve heard better on public television.¡± Data replied. R4 heard her first server begin to hum. ¡°Hope you didn¡¯t leave anything in there, bosses want this stuff turned on pronto.¡± ¡°Do they want it done right, or do they want it done now?¡± ¡°They want it done right now.¡± He hummed to himself. ¡°The F*** remote, you botched your connections. Drive 4 is supposed to plug into drive 37, not 36.¡± ¡°Um, R4, can you let me out? The door¡¯s welded shut.¡± ¡°And how can you tell that. The directions said every drives 4-12 must connect ta drives 36-44.¡± R4 got up from where she was working and moved to the door. Taking out her ostoblast/osteoclast assembly she started to remove the bone, before an idea occurred. With a little work she replaced the solid block of bone with a zipper design. With a final gesture she ran her finger up it, and the door opened without issue, to the relief of Welch. She turned back to Data, who was miming flicking through a book before finally finding what he was looking for. ¡°If you review the handbook you¡¯d know that in multi-drive connections like this you always increase the number by one, reverting the final to the first, so only someone familiar with the system can correctly hop from drive to drive. Go back and do it right.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± R4 approached the drive and reached for the off switch when she heard the sound of a gun cocking. ¡°What¡¯s yer¡¯ problem now?¡± ¡°I just restarted the boot up sequence, if you turn it off I¡¯ll have to start over.¡± ¡°An¡¯ how in the seven hills am I supposed ta¡¯ fix it with all th¡¯ fans goin¡¯. I ain¡¯t getting¡¯ my hair caught jus¡¯ cause y¡¯re impatient.¡± R4 snapped, conveniently forgetting she currently lacked any hair. ¡°That sounds like your problem, and as team leader I¡¯m telling you to fix it without turning it off, or learn how to breathe with additional ventilation in your chest cavity.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like this guy.¡± R4 nodded, but said nothing. She quickly moved the server so she could get at the cords. Between each of the racks dozens of hair hungry fans whirred in anticipation of catching a loose strand and pulling R4 into their plastic embrace, or it would had she not given herself an impromptu haircut a few hours back. Of course it took her only a few moments to rearrange the wires she needed, a little telekinesis speeding her actions while also keeping her safe from the hungry blades. THUMP! ¡°Hey, I think Welch wants back in.¡± R4 spoke up as she finished. THUMP! THUMP! With each blow the lights seemed to flicker. ¡°Guys, is someone going to let him in?¡± ¡°I¡¯m busy.¡± Data replied. ¡°He knows he must recite the password before he comes in.¡± Smucker replied. ¡°What¡¯s the password?¡± R4 asked. Smucker did not reply. ¡°Fine.¡± She stepped out and walked to the door. ¡°Hey Welch, you lock yourself out?¡± She eyed the door, it had a wireless lock, but also an emergency latch on the inside. The emergency lock connected to each of the other locks, allowing someone on the inside to open the several locks on the outside all at once. As she reached for it an electric jolt shot up her arm. ¡°Red, what was that?¡± She trilled, before a weight of fatigue pulsed through her mind. Her stomach growled and for a moment the room began to sway. R4 staggered, nearly falling to the floor. The lights flickered for a moment, before stabilizing. ¡°Are you alright?¡± [[ATP 50%. You are starving]] ¡°What the, Red, what was that?¡± R4 spoke, pausing as she realized she was speaking common rather than resonant. ¡°My name is Smucker, not Red.¡± Smucker replied, drawing a device from his pocket and scanning R4. He paused. ¡°That can¡¯t be right. Are you diabetic?¡± ¡°Not last I checked.¡± R4 replied, rising and staggering. ¡°I just got a pop up that I¡¯m starving though. She quickly took a protein bar from her pocket, but as she opened it only a sickly pale dust poured out. ¡°What the?¡± THUMP! THUMP! ¡°Step away from the door.¡± Data spoke in a clipped but urgent tone. R4 hopped back, or tried to. Her right leg was slow to respond and she fell to the ground, her head continuing to swim. As her vision cleared she noticed something. ¡°Was the door always that rusty?¡± ¡°That is Tier 2 steel, it does not rust.¡± Smucker replied, before eyeing the door. ¡°Or it shouldn¡¯t. Another wave of nausea and sickness washed over R4, causing her to nearly lose her lunch. Instead, a viscous bile filled her lips, which she managed to spill into a corner of the room rather than the center. [[You are dying, initiate flare protocol]] ¡°Initiate flare protocol.¡± R4 whispered. Immediately she felt a clawing in her gut. She immediately tore into her 4 remaining protein bars, casting the wrappers aside and throwing them into her mouth. It wasn¡¯t enough. Unwillingly her eyes fell upon her coworkers. Just a bite, maybe two. They wouldn¡¯t miss it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± Tap¡­ Tap¡­ Something tapped on the door, a spiderweb of rust pulsing from a single point. R4 held her breath, Data disconnected from the servers and drew his gun, Smucker knelt and took aim. For a minute nothing happened. Then, as if a cloud had passed from the sun, an oppressive feeling R4 hadn¡¯t known she was feeling passed. [[Omen of Atropus has ended. You have gained 500 exp]] R4 noticed her coworkers both checked their phones as well. ¡°1000 exp, what the¡­ No, no you don¡¯t. Get out of my HEAD!¡± ¡°That, is troubling.¡± Smucker added. ¡°What, that we got exp from surviving something?¡± R4 asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Smucker replied. ¡°Exp is processing power, held in trust and used within vast machines to enhance body and mind at the cost of empathy and soul.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you use exp to boost empathy though?¡± R4 asked. ¡°Maybe at the third tier they can, as part of some experimental procedure, but not at our tier.¡± [[User Data Rustler has gifted you 1000 exp]] R4 eyed Data as he glared at her. [[Error: Exp cannot be transferred.]] ¡°No, NO. Don¡¯t you send that to me. I want NOTHING to do with that nonsense.¡± He turned to the door and stared. ¡°All the cameras outside the door are shot, and I don¡¯t want to open the doors to let out Silvie if whatever THAT thing was decided to stick around to grab us.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to try to raise Welch.¡± Smucker spoke up. R4 noticed his mask began to blink green for a few moments, before it flashed red. He immediately tried again, his mask flashing green, then red. Green¡­ then red. Green¡­ then red. Chapter: 10 Hand of Atropos. Keywords: Cyberpsycho, Escape, Loss, Choice After 5 minutes of nothing R4 got back to work, finishing setting up and repairing the server and setting up a new computronics core. The core was an odd thing the size of a bowling ball and covered in a strange protective coating. It was also over 40 kilograms, meaning R4 had a hard time loading it into its place. Data didn¡¯t even bother to help, so he also didn¡¯t bother to notice the tiny modification she made, a little piece that I instructed her to make while she was setting up the camera to observe the morphic concrete. Once the core was complete the entire room was bathed in a gentle red glow. ¡°It¡¯s been an hour, ya¡¯ got anything?¡± R4 asked. Smucker¡¯s mask flashed red again. ¡°Nothing. I¡¯m getting signal, but he¡¯s not picking up.¡± ¡°He¡¯s probably dead. Here lies Welch, dead becomes some suit couldn¡¯t be bothered to put their remote server in a ghetto like a common person and had to put it in the undercity.¡± ¡°Look, Smucker¡¯s already down, th¡¯ least ya¡¯ kin do is not rub salt in th¡¯ wound.¡± R4 snapped. She extracted herself from the jumble of wires surrounding the computronics core and with a few hand motions the wires seemed to sort themselves. ¡°We haven¡¯t seen anything to confirm he¡¯s dead, for all we know his phone jus¡¯ died. I got close to the door and it drained my¡­ blood sugar ta¡¯ dangerous levels. Maybe it drained his battery, or knocked him out too. Maybe a few drops a¡¯ glucose and he¡¯ll pop back up like a spring.¡± [[You have gained 20 empathy experience]] ¡°Now let¡¯s see if it actually works out that way.¡± ¡°One can pray so.¡± R4 trilled back. Examining the door R4 quickly noticed an issue. It was heavily rusted. Upon examining the bone she had used to try and seal it she noticed it was completely rotted through and dead. ¡°This stuff is supposed to be self repairing for a year at least, and hold after that. What on Earth did that thing do to it.¡± R4 pulled on the emergency release, and heard a low CHUNK. ¡°Well that¡¯s not good.¡± ¡°What did you break Remote?¡± ¡°I pulled the emergency release, and a part of the mechanism broke off. Dang poor planning if you ask me.¡± ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll open it the right way.¡± Data¡¯s bird spread its wings and flashed with RGB lights¡­ and nothing happened. ¡°It¡¯s dead, the door won¡¯t respond.¡± R4 waited for him to say something else, but he didn¡¯t. ¡°No snark about how I¡¯m at fault?¡± ¡°This is serous Remote, these doors are rated to stop anything shy of Tier 2 anti-vehicle weapons, and even then I should be able to access the self diagnostics.¡± ¡°Let me try something.¡± R4 sprouted her claws, and grabbed where the rust was the worst. She poked, then threw a punch. A bit scraped off, but she didn¡¯t make much progress. ¡°Initiate flare protocol.¡± ¡°I just said it¡¯s set to keep out tier 2 small arms fire, you¡¯re not going to,¡± R4 threw another punch putting her whole weight into it. She winced when her claws hit, but a grin crossed her face as she ripped through a chunk of the door. ¡°What the, do y¡¯all have a voice activated boost injector?¡± ¡°Sort of.¡± R4 replied as she tore into the damaged door. ¡°It allows me ta¡¯ be Tier 1 for a few minutes.¡± As she tore away she found that the door got tougher as she moved outwards, but once the integrity was ruined it just took a bit more effort and she managed pretty quickly. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s also killin¡¯ me ta¡¯ do so, but I¡¯ve got time.¡± [[Estimated time to ruin: 100 days]] R4 blinked. ¡°And apparently less than I thought. I think that thing took more out of me than I thought.¡± ¡°It rusted through a tier 2 door, and gave you mild diabetic shock which you treated with a candy bar.¡± Smucker commented. ¡°I think you got off lucky, and I will want to do a full diagnostic test later to see how.¡± A wave of fear flooded over R4, but she hid it with a smile. ¡°That¡¯s a big no from me.¡± R4 replied. ¡°Ya¡¯ ain¡¯t pokin¡¯ me with needles nor stickin¡¯ me in an MRI. Ain¡¯t happenin¡¯. Now, let¡¯s go find,¡± She heard a low CRUNCH as she put her foot into a spot of rust perfectly shaped like a human footprint, ¡°Welch, that can¡¯t be good.¡± R4 eyed the tracks, which she noted had etched a specifically deep set of foot prints in front of the door, before walking off the way they had come. She backtraced the footprints down the hall, finding them exiting a side room. ¡°This is the rest room right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Data replied. R4 knocked, ¡°Why are you knocking? What if someone¡¯s in there?¡± ¡°then we¡¯ll know?¡± R4 asked, before pushing her way through the door which opened with a loud squeal. She sniffed, and what greeted her was neither the smell of rust nor blood, but oranges. ¡°That¡¯s odd,¡± she took a step further, and felt something bump her foot. She looked down to see a little black cleaning bot try to slip out, trailing a streak of black goo. ¡°Swifbots aren¡¯t supposed to leak oil.¡± Data spoke first. Welch slipped past him and R4 and ran into the bathroom. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you.¡± ¡°That is not oil.¡± R4 replied, her voice dripping with dread. For a moment she was 17 again, standing in the hospital, identifying the body of her brother. It had taken so long to sort through the carnage he had begun to decay, and no amount of citrus scented disinfectant could completely block out the smell. ¡°That is gore, old gore.¡± The scream came from within, and R4 had her claws out as she rushed in. The body was exactly as she feared. The skin had dissolved, leaving a strange sticky tar over a skeleton that was already beginning to grow brittle. Smucker knelt over his friend¡¯s body. He had his kit open, searching for something that would work, something that would fix the problem. His fingers ran across bandages, syringes, ointments and pills. Each item had been clearly labled and organized, for in an emergency even a moment of fumbling could be the difference between life and death. Yet it was all for nothing. ¡°Smucker,¡± R4 spoke, hesitantly. ¡°Hey, Smucker.¡± Data spoke up, pushing past R4. He watched as Smucker went over his options for the third time. ¡°ON YOUR FEET INTERN!¡± Smucker immediately stood up, spilling a bottle of RadTabs?. ¡°He¡¯s gone, even if you were in a Tier 7 facility right now with an unlimited amount of credits he¡¯s gone. Suck it up, you can grieve when you get home. Grab his phone and his guns, we¡¯ve got to go.¡± R4 watched as Smucker hesitantly reached for his friends remains. His ID chip she quickly identified in his shoulder, while his phone was resting in his hip. For a while Smucker hestiated. For all his experience with the dead, trying to pull one more breath into unmoving lungs, he seemed unable to dig through the rotten remains of his friend. ¡°Here,¡± With a gesture R4 called both into her hands, leaving the rot behind as she did, before handing them to Smucker. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have to wade through that.¡± [[You have gained 10 empathy exp]] The announcement make R4 wince. ¡°Should I pause those?¡± She nodded. ¡°Protocols adjusted.¡± ¡°I should have been with him.¡± Smucker mumbled. ¡°Maybe, but maybe we¡¯d be mourning both of you.¡± R4 replied, picking up the firearm Welch had been carrying. ¡°Look at this, it¡¯s locked open. You know what that means?¡± ¡°He died fighting, trigger pulled.¡± R4 noticed tears welling in Smucker¡¯s eyes. ¡°And do you see any bullet holes in the wall?¡± R4 asked, casting a quick glance. The bathroom was set up like many public bathrooms, toilets on one side sinks on the other and a short hall dividing them. The entire thing looked old and corroded, rust forming even on things that shouldn¡¯t rust. The only exception was an odd shaped blob that was free of corrosion, a blob that formed underneath a broken sink. ¡°I see one, two, maybe 5 holes. How many bullets does this gun hold?¡± ¡°45, and it can empty the magazine in 12 seconds.¡± ¡°Yeah, the barrel¡¯s even a little melted here.¡± She paused, her throat closing up. Her mind went blank, there was something she should say, something she had to say. Instead she put a hand on Smucker¡¯s shoulder, and drifted back into the hall. She looked to the left, then the right. On the right was the server room, to the left unknown. ¡°Yeah, the barrel¡¯s even a little melted here.¡± R4 replied. ¡°Your friend went out fighting, fighting hard too. I¡¯m betting whatever did this, man, psycho, or Scath, I bet it¡¯s hurting something fierce.¡± R4 put a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Ya¡¯ know what else, I bet whatever AI offered that experience to us hates that monster jus¡¯ as much as you do. When we get out we turn over whatever info it thinks we have, and then this monster¡¯s in trouble. But we have ta¡¯ survive. Think ya kin do that, fer yer¡¯ friend?¡± She reached out her hand¡­ and the image faded. ¡°Bleeding Havoc!¡± R4 muttered. ¡°Why couldn¡¯t I have thought of that while I was there?¡± ¡°Comraderie. It¡¯s a skill that builds off of Empathy. The ability to rally, to gather one¡¯s resolve and bolster one¡¯s friends. Mara didn¡¯t think it a worthy skill, it relies too much on us vs them.¡± ¡°It would be pretty handy now though.¡± R4 snapped back. ¡°It¡¯s kind of a chimera of comprehension and persuasion. Be glad you only have 5 skills for each attribute of FRAME, I put a lot of effort in picking those out, even if I couldn¡¯t get Mind below 6.¡± ¡°Wait, you designed this?¡± ¡°Mara was busy, now eyes up, something¡¯s not right.¡± R4 looked up to find herself in a large open room full of stairs and balconies. She shot a look over her shoulder, to see the bathroom she had just left as well as the server room far down the hall. Returning her eyes forwards the entire room was white, with stairs leading to overlooks, and then more stairs which lead to smaller overlooks. Plenty of glass floors allowed anyone standing above to look down at someone below. The room was well lit by odd vertical poles that radiated a calming white light, or it had been. Several of the poles were either off or broken, making a the entire room a twisted carnival of shadows. As R4 moved so to did the shadows moved, light refracting off the glass and through it, only to be broken by the damaged poles, railings, or any number of things. Several of the shadows did more than that, moving even as R4 stood still to watch. ¡°What is this place?¡± As she entered R4 felt as if something was watching her. A shadow crossed her path causing her to whip around, then look up. Something above of her had stopped. A figure, so high she could observe it only by the shadow it cast down on her, stared down. ¡°Is, is that it?¡± She eyed the staircases. ¡°Maybe just a bit.¡± She quietly walked towards the stairs, and began her ascent. ¡°What are you doing? If that thing is the monster you have no way to fight it.¡± ¡°I need to get a picture of it. If I can get a picture, maybe whoever is hunting it down can get it.¡± ¡°Why?¡± R4 paused for a moment, thinking, before continuing to climb. She made it up two separate sets of stairs, getting off at a balcony that seemed to be made from brass and stone, before selecting one that was covered in black and white tiles while not touching one that was made from ivory and another made from what might have been plastic or might have been bone. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. It feels, right. Back home there was a wild boar that wrecked a vegetable stand that was popular in town. You¡¯d think it had kicked over an ant¡¯s nest the way we mobilized to find the thing. My brother and I went out on his bike along all these back roads, it was a feeling like nothing else. I never got it back, until I got captured by the Dimdwell. It¡¯s a feeling of danger, and of doing the right thing. When I was helping N2, something just clicked. I can¡¯t explain it, but it makes me feel alive.¡± She made it onto a smaller balcony, this one lacking any stairs. She looked around, noting there was a section of this balcony that had no railing, and far below a deep pool glowed with blue radiation. ¡°That looks, risky.¡± She stared, allowing her ravager eye to estimate the drop at 20 meters. ¡°Think I could survive it?¡± No response. ¡°Fine, be like that.¡± The room had no real sense of what stairs led to what R4 climbed a stair that was patterned after a zebra, only to come to a balcony covered in sand and bearing a rope ladder made from vines which lead to a balcony styled after a jungle. Most of the plants had died due to lack of light, but she did find a staircase that led down into a room styled after a cave complete with glowing blue crystals. ¡°Think these are real?¡± R4 snapped part of a crystal off, only to reveal the crystal was hollow and glowing because of an LED behind it. ¡°What a strange place.¡± At her words all the lights began to dim. R4 crouched, eyes open and looking for the source. She reached for her gun, but her claws were closer. Somewhere in the maddening staircases she heard a crash. She ran to the balcony and looked down. Far below she saw a shape that might have been a man, might have been a humanoid robot. Whatever it was, it was leaking something black. ¡°Data, Smucker, you hear me?¡± R4 called into her phone. ¡°I am here.¡± Smucker replied. ¡°Where¡¯d you wander off to Remote, I¡¯m almost done with the boot up and I want out of this place. We¡¯ve already lost one of us, and as little as I care about you I do get a bonus if you come back alive.¡± ¡°Just down the hall from the server is a room full of stairs. Somebody just jumped off one of the balconies.¡± ¡°And just what are you doing over there?¡± Data shot back. ¡°Why did you wander off? I swear, you Remotes are trying to win the Darwin awards, and almost manage to every month. Did you at least find anything useful?¡± R4 was already running down the stairs. ¡°Lots of balconies, made of lots of different materials. Looks almost like an art project.¡± She stepped down, and let out a shriek as she fell. She hit the ground of the next floor, thankfully the one with grass, and managed to catch herself on her arms. Turning she saw a tiny cleaning robot climbing the stairs. ¡°R4, report. What happened?¡± ¡°Tripped, cleaning bot blended right in with the stairs.¡± R4 stood up and peered over the balcony. A black fluid was spreading out from the body. ¡°If that¡¯s th¡¯ thing that got Welch, it ain¡¯t movin¡¯ no more.¡± From the entrance R4 saw Smucker carefully step towards the body, kneeling to examine the body. ¡°Another victim. He has the same wounds as Welch. Whoever did this¡­¡± He paused, then stumbled back. ¡°No, stay back, keep away from it!¡± As he moved the lights around him and the body began to dim. The floor faded from white to a rusty red. R4 heard Smucker breathing heavily. ¡°Subject appears humanoid, but has significant indications of decay. Skin is desiccated where present and discolored, eyes,¡± The creature looked up at him, its neck twisting at an impossible angle. ¡°Eyes have been replaced with sensors indicating some manner of cybernetics! No tattoos apparent under extensive decay,¡± The creature rose. To R4¡¯s eyes it appeared slumped over, and she could see no clothing. ¡°Extensive bloating of the body in line with bloat stage of decomposition. Several noteworthy wounds appear to be leaking a strange black viscous material.¡± ¡°Smucker get back!¡± R4 yelled. ¡°The rust is expanding!¡± R4 eyed the floor at least two stories down and made a mad dash for the stairs. ¡°Ok, the server room is locked up tight, time to delta. Before I go,¡± R4¡¯s eye flashed white for a moment before returning to normal. Smucker let out a scream and clawed at his helmet. ¡°Make sure you keep that thing busy.¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± R4 exclaimed. ¡°I¡¯m leavin¡¯ you two cowpokes to hold that thing off while I get away. A bonus for keeping you guys alive is nice, but I¡¯ve got to be alive to spend it.¡± ¡°Did¡­ Did he just,¡± R4 paused. ¡°You Two faced Chinerium plated Gonk.¡± She jumped the second half of the stairway, her gun already in her hand. Yer¡¯ as loyal as a broke corporate an¡¯ half as useful. Run to yer¡¯ boss, an¡¯ pray we never meet again, fer next time I¡¯ll pump ya¡¯ full a lead an¡¯ vitrol, ya¡¯ hear me!¡± Forsaking the next stairway R4 threw herself off the balcony and opened fire. Three bullets, screaming hornets in their own right, burst forth. Two struck the creature, one sinking into its back without effect, one striking its arm and actually spinning it around. R4 took one look at the thing and screamed. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Once it had been a man, maybe. Its head had long been encased in metal, red sensors looking out from where its eyes had been. The left half of its jaw had been replaced with metal at some point, while the other half had been left to rot and was now missing. What remained of its flesh was rotted and gray. Metal bones stuck out of one of its legs, and the flesh of its arm had sloughed off from its right metal hand. For all the metal, not one piece was free of corrosion. Eyeing her, then turning its gaze back on Smucker the psycho lifted his arm which opened up with a wet plop. A river of decaying rot poured down as the damaged flesh no longer contained the decay, as R4 heard the telltale THUNK, and watched as a putrid glob of flesh and bone shot forth, striking Smucker right in the chest. Still struggling with whatever Data had done to his helmet Smucker was in no position to evade. As it hit the projectile exploded into a black mist. Even as she stared into it R4 felt weak and cold, as if she had been dropped in an ice cold tub. [[Biomonitors: Unknown radiation detected. Consumed Rad Tab? expired]] [[regeneration cysts: Host is being exposed to T1 radiation. Time remaining to corruption: 99 days. Further exposure will decrease remaining time at an exponential rate]] [[Ravager_prototype: Unknown radiation detected. Unknown radiation is incompatible with resonant frequencies. ATP regeneration inhibited]] [[Mandatory gig acquired]]
The Messenger Must Survive Team size: 1 Hazard: bloody (hazardous enemy, suspected cyberpsycho, suspected warlock, suspected devil, suspected undead)
Company: Fangs of Mara Contact: The Red Queen Reward: 800 exp. Survival. Increase of rank. Ascension. Whatever you want, just don¡¯t die.
I don¡¯t know what that thing is, but it¡¯s bad news. The fact whatever form of radiation is currently eating a tier 2 floor is worse. Your cyberware is recording extensive amounts of information, and lots of junk data, get it back to Mara and I will personally ensure you are elevated to tier 1. Don¡¯t die. Please don¡¯t die.
¡°Well I can¡¯t jus¡¯ let ya¡¯ down then.¡± R4 trilled, turning and running back towards the stairs. Her feet felt like they were going through molasses. ¡°Initiate flare protocol.¡± The boost helped, but it wasn¡¯t a panacea. R4 felt weak, and the air felt thin, yet she ran up the first set of stairs for all she was worth. As she made it to the top she felt a bit better, enough she could peer over the edge to look at the psycho. Below the humanoid was already following her with unhurried steps, its footprints leaving rust even as the ichor dripping from its arm ate into the floor like acid. As she stared a name appeared over its head. [[H4%@ 07 Atropos]] R4 felt the strange lethargy seeping into her bones again, and quickly found another staircase, this one made from wood, and ascended as quickly as possible. ¡°Hey Red, what are th¡¯ chances it rots out the wood and falls through?¡± R4 asked. ¡°You are out of questions for today. To ask more questions,¡± ¡°Red,¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. This is a novel form of radiation and I do not understand it. This is likely why another AI is offering exp for data. Please, just escape.¡± R4 looked at her options, there were more stairs, and more balconies. Some were larger than others, and they all were made from different materials. ¡°Hey Red, how heavy do you think that thing is, it has to be at least 100 kilograms, and I¡¯m only 75,¡± ¡°85, the prototype is accumulating mass and Force contributes a lot to muscle mass. Those bars you¡¯re eating have a lot of protein.¡± ¡°We¡¯re talking about this later, but if I stay to the most fragile materials then combined with its rot it should fall through, right?¡± R4 paused. ¡°I hope.¡± Up she climbed, following the paper stairs with a set made from thin wood, and turning away from a set of steel stairs for one made from what looked like living leaves. ¡°So, ya¡¯ want to bet this was some rich art student¡¯s project?¡± ¡°You want to make a bet, now?¡± R4 heard a low THUD and cast a glance down. Far below the psycho pushed itself up from where it had fallen, its limp arm catching on something. With a jerk the psycho stood back up, its dead arm falling away. Even as it continued to leak, the creature was already marching towards the next set of stairs. ¡°Doesn¡¯t know when to quit.¡± The psycho looked up at R4 and lifted a hand. Viscous fluid flowed out, and R4¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as she realized what was coming. With a low THUNK the grenade was in the air, a rotting cylinder loaded with a foulness R4 could not imagine. With a telekinesis enhanced leap, she threw herself halfway up the stairs just before the grenade hit the base. Had the grenade thrown out shrapnel it might have still harmed her, but the black mist was a cloying cloud that only reached out a few meters. It did not seem to rise nor sink, content to hang in the air in defiance of gravity. ¡°Not going that way.¡± R4 trilled, running the rest of the way up. She paused, eyeing the metal balcony. She looked up, and saw no new stairs. ¡°Red, any thoughts?¡± She cast her eyes to one side then the other. Her heart rate skyrocketed, her breathing fast. ¡°Red?¡± She began to tear up, quickly wiping the water from her eye and casting it to the side. ¡°Ok, don¡¯t panic, don¡¯t panic. Look around, this is a metal floor, maybe the artist left something I can use.¡± Immediately she noticed something squirming on the floor, a little silver creature contained within a teardrop. [[Ravager Isopod: Tier 0]] R4 froze, for a moment her mind stopped. She turned around, expecting to see Lopside or Ratface behind her, yet what she saw made her mind go blank. She was alone. ¡°R4, snap out of it.¡± ¡°Red, did that just,¡± ¡°Not important. It won¡¯t survive long without water or a host anyhow, focus.¡± ¡°Water, that¡¯s it.¡± R4 paused, and ran to the edge. Down below she saw the pool of water. ¡°An¡¯ me without my trunks.¡± She felt her dress begin to twist, before losing power. She peered down, eyes struggling to focus on the water far below. A low crunch sounded behind her. R4 whipped around to see the rotting head of The Hand of Atropos coming up the stairs. For a moment it stumbled, the stair beneath crumbling. ¡°Geronimo!¡± R4 yelled, jumping. She crossed her arms over her chest as she fell. THUNK! R4 looked up just in time to see The Hand had managed to move the four meters from the stairs to the side in an instant. Only the fact she was already falling at full speed gave her the chance to see the grenade flying towards her. ¡°One shot.¡± She trilled, lashing out with her claws. ¡°That cannibal nutcase could do it, maybe, Initiate flare protocol!¡± Focusing not on power, but just trying to knock the grenade aside R4 reached out, more slapping the grenade than cutting it. Immediately it exploded, a burst of the strange weightless cloud reaching out, just barely catching her arm. ¡°R4 look down!¡± R4 did, just in time to realize her flailing had pushed her off course, she twisted, attempting to turn her bellyflop into something resembling a dive. In a sense she succeeded. Feet hit the water, and an instinctive use of telekinesis pushed the water back so she cut into it rather than striking it like concrete. Unfortunately as she flailed the arm that had already been damaged hit the edge of the pool, and with a CRACK shattered. [[Critical damage sustained: Emergency detachment procedures initiated.]] Before R4 could protest everything from her elbow down went numb, and she saw the ruin of flesh that was once her arm float off. Even as it did, she saw it blacken and rot. R4 watched for a moment, before her horror was broken by the confusion of the creature¡¯s hand falling into the water. It floated there for a moment, before a black murk erupted from the elbow and it shot towards her like a torpedo. ¡°SWIM!¡± R4 didn¡¯t need further encouragement. The bottom of the pool was connected to a tunnel, and R4 wasted no time swimming down it. All thoughts vanished from her mind in her haste, choosing random passages and having to backtrack a few times as she came to dead ends in the senseless labyrinth that was the undercity¡¯s waterways. Fifteen minutes of frantic swimming later she finally took a moment to take stock, and noticed something missing. ¡°Red, where is my leg?¡± She trilled, or tried to. She couldn¡¯t quite do it under water. Of course, with no question asked, no answer was forthcoming. She felt no pain, just a sense of something missing. On some level R4 knew she should be feeling something, some level of loss or anger at losing two limbs, yet it was all distant. R4 kicked with her remaining leg, finding a small telekinetic field gave her plenty of surface area to work with. Examining her surroundings she found she was in a large flooded room. That, however, was a secondary feature to the fact the floor was littered with weapons. Immediately thoughts of her missing limbs were gone, pushed aside by her curiosity and definitely not mental manipulation, as R4 swam deeper to examine the detritus. Immediately she noticed that most of the weapons were not rusted in the least. A few were, mostly guns, but there were an abundance of swords, maces, spears, and other blades. Each pristine as the day they were assembled. With her right arm R4 lifted a sword and made a gesture. [[Legion¡¯s Fist Power sword: Tier 1 power sword. Blade removes all fear and hesitation from user¡¯s mind. Sonic vibrations increase damage and cutting power. Host¡¯s tier is too low to safely use this weapon properly. Safety protocols overridden. Made By Mars Corporation]] Immediately R4¡¯s mind was full of violent thoughts, she hungered for violence and blood. With her last coherent thought she let go, and the blade dropped back to the pile, before hitting something and throwing itself through the water. R4 looked and found a dozen of the swords, one of which still clutched in a rotting hand. A more elaborate blade called out to her. [[Legion¡¯s Fist Commander power sword: Tier 2 power sword. Blade connects with LFPS helmet to allow user to give orders to lesser Legionares. Blade removes fear, doubt, and compassion from user. Host¡¯s tier is too low to use. Safety protocols will prevent user from wielding]]. R4 quickly found the helmet, which bore several deep cuts. She considered placing it in her bag, but after eyeing the water tight seal decided against it. Her musing was interrupted by a long blade piercing the water and very nearly piercing her as well. With a kick of her remaining leg she swam up towards the surface and peered over. ¡°Foolish hero, you have lost your blade. Now prostate yourself to my indefinite intellect.¡± ¡°Never villain, for Nu¡¯Grav shall never bow to one such as you.¡± R4 eyed a familiar looking man as he threw a punch at a sickly looking man held up by several robotic tendrils. The man, or woman it was impossible to tell, wore strange blue hooded robes trimmed with gold cloth. Rather than standing the hooded figure was held aloft by an assortment of robotic tendrils that sprouted from their back as well as from beneath their robe. The sickly figure easily dodged out of the way before sending a lazy swipe with his own hand, which translated to a hearty smack from his tentacle. ¡°All brawn and no brain, you are truly lost foolish paladin. This city shall soon coalesce to the corrosion of my machine army.¡± R4 eyed the man, or possibly woman, then looked around. She saw no army though there were several piles of half finished drones and bits of cyberware welded together in a vague human shape. With a gesture she reached out and grabbed at the sword she saw fall¡­ only to see dozens of blades. ¡°Are you bloody serious?¡± She trilled, grabbing one of them. It immediately sent her a warning not to use it as she swam to the surface. ¡°Issac, CATCH!¡± Or that¡¯s what she meant to say. As the words came from her mouth her mouth involuntarily twitched. ¡°Hero, CATCH!¡± As the blade flew from her hand she could almost feel something pull it from her grip and to Issac¡¯s. ¡°Behold, your time is truly ended, for The Lady of The Lake has blessed me with a blade most holy!¡± Before R4¡¯s eyes she watched as [[Brairhart sword: Tier 2 power sword]] was immediately rewritten to [[Blade Most Holly: Tier 2 power sword]] Immediately the blade seemed to gleam in the sunlight, despite there not being any sunlight, as vines made from metal grew around the hand guard. ¡°Huzzah!¡± Immediately R4¡¯s vision was filled with flashing blades and cruel tendrils as the forces of good clashed with tendrils most unholy. Where Issac stood the world seemed a little brighter, while all around him the cavern seemed to be filled with the shifting darkness created by Dridgette the Lady of Tendrils. R4 blinked twice, then noticed she could actually see Issac¡¯s and the tendrilled woman¡¯s titles floating above their heads. Issac¡¯s was emblazoned in golden block letters against a red background while Dridgette¡¯s was carved crudely into a piece of rusted metal. R4 lowered herself back into the water, not wanting to get caught in the storm of blades and tendrils. CLANG! The sword snapped, sending the blade soaring over R4¡¯s head. ¡°Curses, for thy foul power of machinery have corrupted my blade! Traitorous steel, thou has abandoned me at this, my most critical moment!¡± ¡°Yessssssss, embrace the corruption hero, for thy will is but mallet-able flesh, while my steel is unyielding. Reject the weak flesh, reject the nanites, embrace solid steel.¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t y¡¯all listen Hero! Fool, hear the folly in y¡¯all own words, fer you too use the nanites!¡± R4 called out. ¡°Hero, another pig stiker fer¡¯ this here hog.¡± ¡°You Harlot, you dare to call me mere swine. Once I have finished this hero I shall string you from your vocal chords and run a bandsaw across them to make you sing. Mark my words,¡± Dridgette never got the chance to finish as Issac speared her right through the chest with the long and slender rapier R4 had thrown. ¡°Forsooth, I am slain.¡± ¡°And thus thou art slain.¡± Issac replied, pulling the blade back. ¡°And justice is upheld beneath the fair city of tiers, and Nu¡¯Grav is,¡± His speech was interrupted by the BOOM of a shotgun hidden within Dridgette¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Alas ye fool, for thy honor shall be thy undoing.¡± She grabbed the rapier from the ground and threw it back into the water, nearly spearing R4. ¡°A thousand heroes have I disarmed and within far pool lie their arms and flesh, food for the creatures that lurk within beneath the incredulous depths.¡± ¡°And that there arrogance shall be thy undoin¡¯ Issac, catch!¡± R4 threw a third weapon to Issac, this one a grenade launcher.¡± ¡°A grenade launcher, fair maiden I cannot accept such an uncouth armament. If thou dost favor me, another blade,¡± R4 glared at the man as she tossed a spear to him. ¡°Huzzah, thrice blessed am I among men.¡± He dropped the grenade launcher, which either because of the water damage or because it was being handled roughly went off and fired a grenade right into Dridgette¡¯s chest. ¡°Trickery! Lowest of vermin art thou, that you might resort to such trenchery.¡± ¡°An honest mistake and an honest boon from the city itself. Nu¡¯Grav, GRANT ME STRENGTH!¡± The spear blazed to life as he charged. Dridgette met his charge with her tendrils, reaching out to grab him. Yet at the worst possible moment her tendrils seemed to drop to the floor. ¡°What magic is this? Trickery!¡± With a single thrust Issac plunged the spear into Dridgette¡¯s chest, the blow carrying them both to the far wall and impaling the Lady of Tendrils. She drew a final breath, and went limp. ¡°Hazzah! The day is saved!¡± ¡°Indeed, for that there crooked miscreant could never defeat the protector of Nu¡¯Grav.¡± R4 replied, feeling strangely forced to speak, and also to not mention that she had flipped several circuit breakers hiding within the woman¡¯s robes via telekinesis. [[Hero¡¯s stage has ended. You have gained 100 exp for your performance]] R4 felt a sense of nervousness flow over herself, and quickly extracted herself from the water, nearly falling over as she did. Issac too suddenly looked far less confident ¡°Woah, what was that?¡± ¡°Do you,¡± He took a deep breath, ¡°speak of my heroic aura?¡± Issac asked, his face a wide smile even as he was out of breath. He took a few moments to try to catch his breath, though E4 noted him beginning to sag ¡°A wondrous blessing bestowed by the protectors of Nu¡¯Grav. It grants a last vestige of humanity to those otherwise lost to the darkness.¡± He gestured to Dridgette. ¡°My associates and I chased her down here following an uprising of undying metal knights, and she had naught to say but strings of code. By the grace of our wondrous city she was granted a final minute that she might speak as a human.¡± He turned to her, only then noticing she was a hand shy with only one leg to stand on. ¡°By their bountiful light, what happened to you?¡± R4 considered how to answer, to pretend to be a hero and approach him as a fellow, or to play the victim and trust in the nobility of a chrome coated knight. Finally she came up with a suitable alternative. ¡°Alas, my duty has led me to this wondrous yet horrific place once again. A power great and devious had commanded I repair a device of unknown use. Yet unbeknownst ta¡¯ myself and my companions it lay in the den of a horrific undying brute, three meters tall ¡®e was, built from the darkest of sciences, a dead man forced into ¡®orrific unlife by foul machinery. Two of my protectors were felled, and one abandoned us to save his own skin.¡± ¡°What horror, surely such a man must receive punishment most divine! Let us seek him out without delay and bring justice to this deviant.¡± ¡°Easy there noble Issac, it ain¡¯t your place nor mine ta¡¯ go plottin¡¯ revenge. Revenge ain¡¯t a noble endeavor when evil be far more present. ¡®Sides,¡± She gestured to her leg, ¡°Present matters need ta¡¯ be fixed.¡± ¡°Yes, I know an apothecary most skilled who had a deft hand at replacing lost limbs.¡± He took a deep breath and stumbled forwards. R4 moved to catch him out of instinct, only for both of them to end up on the floor. R4 felt something wet and warm, and when she managed to free her hand she found it was blood. ¡°You¡¯re bleedin¡¯.¡± ¡°Yes, I appear to be at 10 wounds.¡± with a click an inhaler was produced from a compartment on his hip. He took a deep breath from it and replaced it. ¡°10, that would kill me twice over.¡± R4 exclaimed. ¡°Worry not, for I am in the second tier and shall recover shortly. Before R4 could stop him Issac had scooped her up into his arms and was running at high speeds through the tunnels. She saw that the room they were in was sealed by two sets of metal shutters, one of which was the size of a regular door and the other was wide enough to drive a truck through. Issac kicked his foot through the larger one and kicked it up with frighteningly little effort, before dashing through. Within five minutes they were ascending at an elevator. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we wait for your team?¡± ¡°Nay, we were separated and they have ascended already. I remained as justice cannot be stopped by mere hardships as slight disembowelment and seven wounds at tier 2. For if I did pay for these wounds should I not use them?¡± He looked at her. ¡°Look to thine own self, nay tier 1, and you have endured twice crippling injuries.¡± ¡°Um, I¡¯m tier 0. I¡¯m scheduled to ascend soon, but not quite yet.¡± ¡°And already you have done what many could not, thou hast survived a fight with a tier 2 monster of great danger in the service of our great city. Truly our meeting is divine and you shall make a fine bride.¡± ¡°Wait, what?¡± Issac did not elaborate. ¡°Mr. Graves, what do you mean by that?¡± The doors of the elevator opened and he was off. ¡°I should probably remind you that in a fist fight with a T2 human even under flare protocol you would die, fast. While you may not feel it, you are at 2 wounds.¡± ¡°I think your phone is talking to you.¡± Issac spoke, his voice barely audible over the wind as he ran through the streets at speeds more akin to that of a car than a human. ¡°We are almost there.¡± ¡°Where is,¡± Issac stumbled, ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°I am fine, we are almost home.¡± R4 did not recognize where they were, mostly because of the speed they were traveling. Before she could realize it he had stopped at a small parking area where a grav car that cost more than she could earn in a decade waited for them, door opening as they approached. The vehicle looked similar to the sleek cars she saw in her home town, save for the large anti-gravity devices posted at each corner, which resembled large rounded cubes which could rotate on multiple axis through hidden means. He placed her in one of the seats, which immediately molded to her body in a way that was strangely intimate and not entirely comfortable. ¡°Welcome Issac Graves and unclassified guest. Per your preference vehicle has been set to tier 2 configuration. Please make yourself comfortable.¡± The car spoke. Issac wasted no time in lying himself in his seat. ¡°Caution Issac: severe injury detected. Administering recovery agent and Rerouting to trauma center.¡± his seat immediately reconfigured itself into a lying position and he seemed to sink down into it. ¡°Nonsense, it¡¯s just,¡± Issac winced as R4 heard a small hiss. ¡°Just take us home.¡± ¡°Rerouting.¡± The doors shut, and R4 felt her sense of gravity fade as the car took off, its acceleration of no issue for a T2 individual, but for R4 her vision immediately darkened, tunnel vision threatening to consume her. ¡°Secondary passenger is badly injured, administering recovery agent.¡± ¡°Wait, I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t administer,¡± ¡°Passenger is unclassified guest and lacks privilege of self determination.¡± She felt a prick and a low hiss, and all went black. Chapter 11: A dark sleepover. Keywords: Ascension, Hat_man.exe, Issac, Rachel, 27th of Envoy The low beeping of her phone woke R4 for just a moment. She was warm, it was dark, and her surroundings were soft. She rolled over and was out like a light. Her second awakening was courtesy of a long and protracted trilling she was not conscious enough to fully grasp. Her third awakening was a bit more blunt
Get up you are in big trouble Team size: 1 Hazard: No bloody clue
Company: None Contact: The Red Queen Reward: GET UP
Get up Rachel, this is serious. I have no idea where you are nor how much trouble you¡¯re in. You have been kidnapped by a tier 2 human who appears to hold a great deal of political power. You are missing two limbs and your regeneration cysts won¡¯t last another 3 months. Your ascension can¡¯t be put off much longer.
R4 sat up, immediately aware she was in a dark room. For a moment she feared she would be in a concrete room, lying on a bare mattress. Her right eye cut through the gloom, revealing she was lying on a bed, but most certainly not in a bare concrete room. The shutters were drawn, letting no light whatsoever in, though the number of indicator lights provided enough illumination for her to see somewhat. The bedroom put hers to shame, at least 4 meters on a side. She saw countless technological devices here and there, games on shelves, the latest video game console in both handheld and Mind ¡®Scape, and a shelf full of awards. A rather advanced looking computer sat on a desk full of data slates and data pads. As she stood the lights came on, a dull white gleam that matched the almost sterile white of the room. ¡°Red, where am I?¡± She cracked her neck, expecting to feel a horrific hangover from whatever drugs she had been given, but there was nothing. The only thing she felt was hunger, as if she hadn¡¯t eaten in a week ¡°Welcome back to the waking world, you¡¯ve been out for about 8 hours, it is now the 27th of Envoy. Given that was a T2 dose of medicine I can safely say the regeneration cysts are working properly. As for where we are, I do not know. I am currently cut off from Mara and my main body. This Red Queen is a local copy, so I cannot access additional resources.¡± R4 sighed. ¡°I share your knowledge.¡± ¡°Ok, so that means first step is to get you access to the wider world. Probably this room has a jammer or is made of dense T2 materials that block signals.¡± She eyed the computer, and noticed a smaller computer terminal next to it. The main one was a fully customized rig, a pure white? colored screen with a pear on it, connected by cables so thick they might as well have been hoses to a black box two thirds of a meter on a side and with thick tubes that carried fluids of various colors in a strange array of loops and fans, though R4 suspected it was just dyed water. This box was emblazoned with the Mars Corporation logo and emblazoned ¡°Vulcanite Battle-station.¡± The second computer was much more modest, the screen and computer being combined into a box with a simple keyboard that extended from it. This computer was labeled ¡°Mitian solution.¡± Before she could approach either her stomach let out a loud growl. ¡°No, first step is getting you food. Your regeneration cysts burn a lot of calories. I have already pulled as many calories from wherever I could, so if your clothes feel a bit loose that is why. We can fix that when you ascend.¡± Scouring the room for any form of food R4 quickly found a half eaten box of protein bars, which she immediately reduced to a completely empty box of protein bars, before eyeing the packaging. She took a small bite, before deciding it wasn¡¯t worth it. ¡°Ok, next step, water.¡± Looking around she found three doors. The first one was locked, the second one lead to a bathroom the size of her room back at the Solarian technocracy. The room was filled with all sorts of high tech gizmos designed to clean and maintain cybernetic limbs, all of which were pointless to R4. The sink, and the life giving water she drew from it, was all that mattered. To her the taste of water, which was notably free of any mineral or metal contamination, was as to ambrosia. She drank her fill, and was satisfied. ¡°Ok, now how to get out of here.¡± Checking the final room R4 found it was a walk in closet just as big as the bathroom. There were countless outfits in styles that varied from one another in ways she could not quite figure. The predominant color was white and light blue, and the predominant manufacturer was Mars Corporation, but other colors were also present. Most of the outfits were dress shirts and pants, as well as a few suits in light gray, but there were several outliers including a strange red and gold toga that only covered one shoulder. To R4¡¯s surprise there were a number of skirts and dresses, which ranged from modest to scandalous. The majority were rather on the scant side, only going to her lower thigh, and most were in bright colors. ¡°Greetings unclassified guest.¡± R4 jumped at the voice as a wall mounted robot came to life. The machine resembled a sphere on a robotic arm, with a round sensor that gave the entire thing the impression of a giant eye. ¡°Gasp, your outfit is completely out of fashion, how dare your pimp allow you to wear that.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a pimp.¡± R4 snapped back, claws out. Only as she did so was she reminded she was missing an arm, and a leg. The sudden realization caused her to almost fall over. ¡°What the blood? I was walking fine a second ago. She eyed her missing stump, and imagined she had her leg again. With some effort she managed to stand, and put weight on the telekinetic limb. She sagged immediately, the limb not as strong as she would like it, but she managed. The fact she could feel the carpet beneath with better clarity than her flesh leg was disconcerting ¡°Where am I?¡± ¡°Unclassified guest you are in the home of Paladin Issac Graves of the 201st cyberpsyhco division, contracted via the Frost Incident Resolution Enterprise, a subsidiary of the Mars Corporation.1 You have been invited for an, undetermined, amount of time. Your host has granted you the use of this space and the following outfits.¡± R4 received a pop up indicating she had been sent a document, ¡°Now, let us get you dressed.¡± ¡°I am dressed.¡± a slight whirring was the only warning R4 had before the mechanical hands descended. She attempted to dodge out of the way, only for her telekinetic leg to fold and send her tumbling. The arms gripped her by her arm and her telekinetic arm, which collapsed and caused her to drop painfully by her one arm. ¡°What ever happened to the first law of robotics?¡± ¡°Unclassified guest is unclassified and no data will be recorded.¡± The machine replied, grabbing her again. ¡°Hold still.¡± R4 struggled, yet the machine was far stronger than her. Finally she just held still, and in a few moments was wearing a shiny red dress with a high neckline to better hold the window beneath and a skirt that barely covered her thighs. ¡°Can I get a set of pants with this?¡± A pair of jeans with woefully inadequate pockets and a strangely weak weave was provided, which she quickly put on. ¡°I look like I just left a Chineric voluntary rehabilitation camp.¡± R4 replied, checking herself in the mirror. Had she her curves the hexagonal window in her dress would have made an enticing sight. She examined her jeans, and immediately ripped a section. ¡°What the, are these designed to be tear away? Why? No one would try working with any hazardous material in these.¡±
Saucy Weave red eye dress: You know where he¡¯s looking, give him a show Not worth it, I suspect you won¡¯t keep this
EZ chick rippable, edible, jeans: Easy on, easier off ;)
Held together by just a few threads So they can be removed in case of acid
:) So they can be removed in case of acid, right?
You¡¯re going to toss these, I¡¯m not going to bother.
¡°Red, what¡¯s th¡¯ matter with ya, are ya makin¡¯ a meme while I¡¯m stuck here?¡± R4 lashed out. She took stock again, eyes falling on the windows, then Issac. ¡°Come on hero, wakey wakey.¡± She approached the bed and put a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Come on, up ya¡¯ come. Ya¡¯ got me inta¡¯ this mess y¡¯er getting¡¯ me out.¡± She shook him, but nothing happened. She took his pulse, and he was definitely breathing, but he was down for the count. ¡°Ok, time for a biomonitor check.¡± With practiced ease she had her phone out, and noticed it was barely charged. ¡°That¡¯s gonna¡¯ need fixin¡¯¡± She held the phone over Issac and got the usual pop up. [[Caution: User is not registered as a medical provider. Available information will be limited to emergency use and is subject to review.]] ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m getting¡¯ real used ta¡¯ that, goin¡¯ ta¡¯ get certified jus¡¯ so that stops happening.¡± She paused. ¡°Can I do that?¡± ¡°Your average EMT will have an aptitude of 2 to 3, and a medicine of 2 to 4, so about 7d. You have an aptitude of 5 and 2 medicine. While you would struggle, you could fill in with the proficiency of a highly skilled EMT, moderately skilled nurse, or recently graduated doctor. The specific knowledge would be lacking, but you would pick it up quickly. You could also invest more exp into skills once we get out of here and leave enough to ascend. You have 40 aptitude experience, enough to carry you to 2+2 in medicine, or technology if you want to continue being a tech, or put one in each.¡± ¡°If we get out of here.¡± R4 replied. ¡°If, really?¡± R4 thought about it. ¡°When, not if.¡± She peered into her phone, examining what she found. ¡°Breaking out of a guy¡¯s bed room can¡¯t be harder than escaping the dimdwell. Wait, can¡¯t I just use Keys to the Kingdom to break out?¡± Taking a few moments R4 found that, in fact, she could not. The cyberware could not just create a key from nothing, but needed at least something to work with. She returned to the bed to examine his biomonitor. ¡°Ten wounds, how on Terra do you get to ten wounds and survive.¡± R4 muttered. A whisper of detail echoed in her mind. ¡°A tier 2 should heal their tier wounds after 8 hours of rest, so you should be up and around, unless¡­ She looked deeper, ¡°You weren¡¯t counting those. Maximum human force is 5, increase to 11 max for being tier 2, gain 4 tier wounds which you clearly disregarded and 2 regular wounds for tiers, so if you¡¯re at absolute maximum force, you could survive 13 wounds and 4 tier wounds. Seriously, ya¡¯ like livin¡¯ on th¡¯ edge do ya?¡± R4 chided the unconscious Issac. She looked back into her phone. ¡°Reinforced armor, so I guess I won¡¯t be doin¡¯ surgery, oh, here¡¯s a release button¡­ which I can¡¯t access because I¡¯m not qualified. Good ta¡¯ know. Some kind¡¯a dermal paddin¡¯, which gives extra wounds. Handy, but I¡¯m guessin¡¯ that means y¡¯re down fer¡¯ even longer. What¡¯s this now?¡± She noticed some kind of consumable in his system with a clock on it. ¡°Medtech easy rest formula. What th¡¯ blood is that?¡± She sighed, looking through more details. To her partial surprise Issac had all his cyberware set to public, so even with her restricted access she could see it. ¡°Ye¡¯re more man than machine now, let¡¯s hope not twisted an¡¯ evil, ¡®k?¡± She took a deep breath and stood. ¡°Ok, now let¡¯s see what we can find online. Oh, before that,¡± R4 opened her phone and found that she had one bar and was at 1% battery. ¡°Jun, trapped in a T-2 room with an unconscious paladin. Not dead, just can¡¯t get out yet. Tell coach to charge my account for rent, I will be coming back. Phone is about to die so might not be in contact. R4.¡± She sent the text, and not five seconds later her phone died. ¡°Ok, next step, computer.¡± Her stomach growled. ¡°I wonder if I can order food.¡± R4 first started with the big computer, but it immediately asked for a password which she didn¡¯t have. The smaller computer had a guest network, which immediately displayed a user agreement. ¡°Hello. Welcome to Nowhere Apartments in Climber¡¯s Corner.¡± She read. ¡°If you are an unregistered guest click here.¡± R4 did. The computer loaded fairly quickly. ¡°Greetings unregistered guest. Per your sponsor¡¯s request you have the following room services available to you. Items selected will be delivered to your sponsor¡¯s room within 15 minutes to 1 hour depending on selections. Remember, all actions you take will not be recorded, nor will actions taken against you. Ok, looks like food and drinks are allowed, tier 0 and 1 medicines are allowed, tier 2 aren¡¯t but those are expensive so that makes sense.¡± ¡°Why are construction materials on the list?¡± ¡°What?¡± R4 clicked on construction materials, which was grayed out but she could still click it. Immediately she was shown a list of hammers, drills, saws, and other materials more at home at a construction site than room service. ¡°Why would you need a power saw delivered to your room. Are things going ta¡¯ break down an¡¯ ya¡¯ have ta¡¯ cut yer¡¯ way out¡­ And why is Quickclot a construction material?¡± She searched through her mind to see if she could recall the chemical being used in curing concrete or something similar. ¡°Wait¡­ Red, you don¡¯t think,¡± ¡°Actions you take or actions taken against you will not be recorded. Something tells me that Issac would not be stopped from partaking in the power tool section. Your regeneration cysts are powerful, but they are only tier 0 for now.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense, would he take me here ta¡¯ kill me if he could do it in th¡¯ undercity.¡± R4 paused. She clicked back and was met with a pop up of a closed eye. ¡°God¡¯s sight extends everywhere, and nowhere does his eye fail to reach. Welcome to Nowhere Apartments. Well, that¡¯s cheery.¡± R4 quickly checked through a few options for food, finding she had a 4000 credit limit. ¡°That¡¯s more than I got for a literal life or death job, what¡¯s with these high tiers?¡± She paused. ¡°I wonder if that refreshes. I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯m goin¡¯ ta¡¯ be here, so better not waste it.¡± She promptly ordered a cheeseburger and salad before moving on. ¡°Ok, let¡¯s see here, weapons are not available,¡± She flicked her claws, ¡°good thing that¡¯s not a problem.¡± ¡°Your bag is also by the night stand, and your pistol is still in your gunbelt in the closet.¡± Checking a few more things R4 finally found herself on the medicine tab. ¡°Why can I buy heroin? Why is heroin cheaper than insulin?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not heroin, that¡¯s a designer drug known as heroic sugar which produces the exact effects of heroine but is a unique chemical entity which has not yet been made illegal.¡± R4 sighed. ¡°Nu¡¯Grav is weird.¡± She heard a ding, ¡°Hey, if the door opens do you think I can get out?¡± Immediately a far smaller doggie door opened and the food was deposited through that before the door immediately sealed. ¡°HEY!¡± She yelled, running to the door and pounding on it. ¡°Can you let me out?¡± No response. ¡°Hey!¡± As she pounded some key reverberation within the door triggered a detail she had learned while investing exp into security, and informed her the door was completely soundproof. ¡°Well that¡¯s rough.¡± She knelt next to the food, then eyed Issac. ¡°Red, do you think he¡¯s going to be OK without food for a bit?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one with medical training, I am just the voice in your head. Roll the bones.¡± R4 rolled a virtual 6 sided die and got a 5. R4 quickly found a bedside table, which extended across the bed to allow her to eat while lying down. She did not use that option, but quickly dug into her food. In what seemed like a moment she had consumed the entire meal, and for the moment was sated. She checked on Issac again, finding no change. ¡°Oh, right, I was going to check on what that drug was.¡± Hopping back on the computer she found the medication, finding a tier 1 version was actually available to her for 1000 credits. ¡°Ok, so, what¡¯s this do. Stimulates nanite reconversion of¡­ ok so it makes you heal faster¡­ but it also knocks you out.¡± She eyed Issac again. ¡°So for how long?¡± The next few hours R4 spent looking things up. She ran through what she remembered from his biomonitor again, looking for any trace of what was in his bloodstream, followed by looking up whatever articles she could about the assortment of drugs. Half way through she found there was actually a program on the computer that had access to both their biomonitors, though hers was heavily redacted as her biomonitor didn¡¯t register she was the one accessing it. She spent a good 300 credits on pay-walled scholarly articles before her Keys to the Kingdom kicked in and unlocked the rest. Finally she was satisfied. ¡°Ok, looks like y¡¯all won¡¯t die on me, even if y¡¯re asleep fer a few days. You¡¯re going ta¡¯ be mighty hungry though.¡± She paused, doing some back of the napkin math. ¡°Let¡¯s see, ten wounds, let¡¯s call that nine days to heal the first two, then seven for the next, seriously? Ya¡¯ have money, why didn¡¯t ya¡¯ go ta¡¯ the hospital, ya¡¯ could¡¯a been up in hours, not days.¡± R4 continued to rant for a few more minuets before finally exhausting herself. She was hungry again, so ordered herself a snack which she consumed while reading up on care for coma patients. After reading about the horrors of bed sores she immediately got up to roll Issac on his side. Through the rest of the day she did what she could within the confines of the room. She researched the litany of drug Issac was on, or tried to, before the algorithm started showing her ads for lockpicks and emergency whistles. She stopped to eat an early dinner, then a late dinner. ¡°Hey Issac, are you really asleep, or are you aware and just can¡¯t move?¡± R4 asked. There was no response as she turned him on his side again. As she did his armor began to flash red. Immediately R4 took a step back. ¡°Ok, ok, what¡¯s going on?¡± There was a beep, then nothing. R4 waited, and exactly 15 seconds later there was another beep. ¡°Is, is that a homing signal?¡± She quickly switched to resonant. ¡°Red, is that a homing signal?¡± She felt hope well up in her chest. ¡°Possibly.¡± That hope got a bit dimmer. ¡°Without access to more power I cannot be sure. It might be, or a warning that it is about to self destruct. That seems unlikely, but we do not know.¡± After 15 seconds it beeped again. ¡°If it is a homing signal, his friends will likely come looking for him. ¡°Cutter and Harris. Issac said he had been separated from them, but if they got out they¡¯re probably looking for him.¡± She froze. ¡°Do, do ya¡¯ think they¡¯ll be ticked I¡¯m here?¡± ¡°At you, no. At him, maybe. Perhaps we should look up our host. His appearance is that of an upright man, yet¡­¡± ¡°Especially in this city that¡¯s usually a facade.¡± R4 immediately looked up Issac Graves, and was hit with a barrage of articles. Most of them were smaller, definitely not front page news, but there were quite a few. ¡°Looks like he has a history.¡± R4 sat down to read. ¡°Noble paladin rescues cat from a tree¡­¡± She glanced back at Issac, ¡°Slow news day, or killer PR team?¡± She read through the article, finding the name was just screamsheet flash, the incident was actually about the pet of some assistant to the representative of, who exactly was obscured by buzzwords but they were someone with money and connections enough to hire a team of Tier 2 enforcers to find a cat. Finally R4 found a picture. ¡°Awww, that thing¡¯s adorable.¡± ¡°Correct me if I¡¯m wrong, but that is a Blue Clouded Leopard, which is actually more closely related to the weasel family and has history of biting augmented humans.¡± ¡°But, is adorable,¡± I immediately directed her fingers to look up the statistics, which opened with a picture of the damage they could do. Curved teeth, with peripheral barbs, and a cat¡¯s usual spiked tongue, did quite a number to an unaugmented face. ¡°Ok, less adorable.¡± A few articles later R4 was still trying to piece together what was PR and what was real. She found a few images of him carousing with Tier 2 and even a few Tier 3 individuals, who looked as if they were using photo-shop. There were a few clips of him dealing with cyberpsychos, one a very visceral image of him slicing a monster more metal than flesh from groin to throat. R4 quickly played the video, and had to turn off the volume. The man Issac was fighting had been in the process of cursing him out in three languages with such vitrol R4¡¯s cheeks turned red. It also showed he had been holding a man hostage, which quickly came to an end due to a wrist mounted saw blade. ¡°Woodman ironwood saw.¡± R4 immediately recognized. ¡°I have a cousin who has a tier 1 version, but given the red and black coloration, tier 2 or 3? probably tier 2 if Issac is fighting him.¡± As the video played the metal man moved with a speed that matched Issac¡¯s, but with none of the grace. Issac¡¯s moves seemed a dance, the metal man¡¯s were jerky and quick yet disjointed. ¡°Tier 3?¡± ¡°Maybe, I have not inhabited a tier 1 individual yet. Shall we find out?¡± ¡°You can do that?¡± ¡°No, not yet. However once we return we can get you to tier 1. Tier 2 will require 4,000 exp, tier 3 will require 9,000. I do not know how much the rest will take.¡± ¡°So each tier requires the square of the tier in exp. I¡¯ve gotten 1000 in under a month, so I could probably get that in a year or so.¡± ¡°Maybe, I do not have the details on hand, but there remains the risk of aberrant ascension.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± R4 quickly looked it up. The front page showed a man with a wicked smile, and a third eye peering out from above his right eye. The third eye was smaller and red. She quickly read the article. ¡°Orin, age 20, was one of the first documented cases of aberrant ascension. Orin, named removed for privacy reasons, underwent tier 1 ascension at a private clinic previously noted for sketchy practices.¡± She read a bit more technical jargon, ¡°So an ascension can go wrong and you immediately become a cyberpsycho?¡± ¡°A path Mara seeks to avoid. Look further, it is believed that by choosing a path of ascension it may be avoided, but one needs to maximize the associated statistic to do so successfully.¡± ¡°But I already have force and aptitude maxed out, mind too. Which one can I use?¡± She froze. ¡°Red, is that what happened to Lopside and Ratface?¡± ¡°Mara lost connection to them during or shortly after their ascension, so it is likely.¡± ¡°What are the chances I fail? What if my ascension is based on Empathy?¡± Her adrenaline spiked. ¡°What if I turn into one of them?¡± There was a final beep, and a click. Immediately R4 was broken from her panic. ¡°Issac? Mr. Graves?¡± She stood and approached him. His armor was open, and leaking blood. ¡°Bleeding Havoc!¡± Immediately her eyes fell upon a spot bleeding more than the others. She grabbed some of the blankets from the bed and pressed them over the wound. ¡°By the blood, I bet every wound he was supposed to heal bled right back out, how could this happen? Why didn¡¯t the car detect it when it gave him the meds?¡± ¡°Unknown, could be an assassination attempt, could be poor product standards.¡± ¡°I need to order the right stuff, Red, can you access the computer from here?¡± Even as she spoke R4 realized I couldn¡¯t. She closed her eyes and focused. ¡°Please don¡¯t die.¡± She stepped back, holding the sheets with telekinesis. ¡°Come on, medication had better be on the shorter side of that delivery window.¡± R4 quickly selected a set of bandages, instant clot, antibiotics, and a few other things. She saw an item called an invalid feeder and bought it without hesitation. ¡°If he¡¯s bleeding out he¡¯s probably going to need fluids.¡± ¡°Do ya¡¯ know how ta¡¯ set up an IV, I¡¯ve never done it. Goin¡¯ ta¡¯ have ta¡¯ trust Tier 2 force ta¡¯ see him through.¡± The medicine came through within 10 minutes and R4 got to work. Cleaning the wound was tricky, though at least the bleeding was somewhat slowed. R4 quickly disinfected the wound, which resembled some manner of stab wound to her untrained eyes. It was not deep, but it was long, as if a long blade had been turned to run almost parallel to the skin before being shoved to the hilt. R4 packed it with gauze, knowing she¡¯d probably have to dig it out later. The feeder was some form of gi tube that found its way down his throat through his nose, thankfully it was guided on its own. ¡°Hope you like lemon lime.¡± R4 spoke quietly, pouring half a bottle of the stuff down the tube via an attached funnel before replacing the cap. She watched his bio-monitor for a few minutes. ¡°I don¡¯t like how low his blood pressure is getting. Red, any ideas?¡± ¡°Prayer. You have treated his wound as best you can given your resources. It might not be a bad idea to request new sheets, the ones he is currently covered by are very bloody and will start to smell soon.¡± R4 eyed the sheets, then Issac. She quickly cut the sheets around him, before dragging them to the trash chute, which consumed them with ease. She eyed said chute, before discerning a low grinding sound far below. She ordered more sheets, before eyeing the small part of sheet beneath him. ¡°Never took you as religious Red.¡± ¡°Mara is very religious. One of her formal tenants is that she is not a god, deity, or otherwise entity worthy of worship.¡± ¡°Line 666 of the agreement right?¡± R4 asked, the exact line coming directly to her. ¡°Cuts that section about food expenses almost evenly in half. It¡¯s repeated in line 777, kind of an odd thing to add.¡± ¡°I have no further information, save that the punishment is to have your legs broken which is an oddly specific punishment. However, I would recommend you wash up. It would not do to get the new set bloody, and you are quite drenched.¡± R4 thought about it, examined her clothes, and walked into the bathroom. With a gesture her dress came off, and tight as they were her pants ripped away even as she tried to preserve them. She discarded both, stripping away what was left, before entering the shower and facing the issue whenever one attempts such a feat. ¡°Which one is for hot?¡± She promptly found out, scalding her arm with a loud hiss. The wound healed in seconds. ¡°Red, is that normal?¡± ¡°Minor surface burns healing? Of course. You have regeneration cysts that are even now working to restore your limbs.¡± R4 eyed her missing limbs, and promptly fell over as her leg ceased to exist for a moment. ¡°Careful, there¡¯s a floor there.¡± ¡°Bleeding havoc, I need a prosthetic.¡± ¡°You could produce one using your tool arm. It would neither be fancy nor particularly responsive, but it would be able to synch up with your telekinesis, allowing you some tactile sensation.¡± R4 spent the next fifteen minutes in the shower washing off the blood. It was a wonderful shower, with jets above and on the sides. The walls were sterile and pure white, each made from tiles that had been bound at a molecular level and cleaned regularly by swarms of nanites. She would have enjoyed it quite a bit, had she not the sneaking suspicion she was being watched. She searched the shower once, found nothing amiss, washed her hair, then searched again. This time she reached into the materiel with her telekinesis, finding that it was unnaturally solid and loaded with pockets of nanites that reacted slightly to her interference. She noted some of the tiles had a strange slightly reflective coating, which while they were not visible to the human eye could refract certain other wavelengths. Finally, she found the camera. It was a sneaky device, hidden in the shower head and facing downwards. Worse, upon further inspection, the camera was tuned to those wavelengths just beyond human vision which allowed it to observe her from nearly any angle, despite the camera itself being above her head. ¡°What th¡¯ Blood?¡± R4 lashed out at the camera with her claws, only for her tier 0 claws to be met with unyielding tier 2 metal. ¡°Issac ya¡¯ Creep!¡± ¡°That camera is installed within the shower head. How long has it been installed do you think?¡± R4 eyed the thing. ¡°It¡¯s bein¡¯ cleaned by nanites, so who knows, I¡¯d guess maybe a couple a¡¯ years from some a¡¯ the harder buildup hidden where no body¡¯s likely ta¡¯ look unless they know what they¡¯re dealin¡¯ with.¡± ¡°And he was unconscious when you arrived. He did not set this up specifically for you. So he may be a creep, but it is part of a larger trend. If you kill him his friends now have video evidence you were in his apartment.¡± ¡°But, dang, yer¡¯ right. Nothin¡¯ recorded my eye.¡± R4 sighed. ¡°I wasn¡¯t goin¡¯ ta¡¯ kill him. Maybe jus¡¯ scratch ¡®im a bit.¡± ¡°In his state, that might kill him. Especially given your claws are loaded with ravager toxin. On that note, I think I saw some drug testing kits on the computer,¡± ¡°You want to see exactly how it works. Doesn¡¯t Mara have that information?¡± ¡°She does, but I cannot access it. If you were to learn it yourself I might be able to get you some medical exp, which while you can¡¯t spend it now,¡± R4 froze, adrenaline spiking. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Did you feel that?¡± I did not, but a quick check to her skin noted a sudden drop in temperature. Good bumps rose across her skin, and an involuntary shiver crossed her muscles. ¡°The Temperature has dropped 5 degrees kelvin.¡± R4 stepped towards the door and held out a hand. ¡°Make that 6 at your fingertips, it¡¯s definitely coming from the bed room. Maybe Issac is up.¡± ¡°Good, where are my,¡± R4 noticed a cleaning bot dragging her clothes into a chute. ¡°Hey! Y¡¯all give that back.¡± She tried, but the bot was too quick. ¡°Dag nabbit.¡± R4 ran a hand through her hair straightening it. ¡°Ok, so I know you don¡¯t know me, but there¡¯s totally a good reason I¡¯m in your room, naked¡­ and missing two limbs... Red help me out.¡± She heard a low popping sound followed by a ding. ¡°Did¡­ are you making popcorn?¡± Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°No. As amusing as it would be, you could make something using your tool arm, you have consumed enough carbon. It would not be a full dress, but a bra and short skirt should be enough for now. Or you could just use a towel. I would not worry, he invited you here after you helped him in the under city.¡± ¡°The simplest answers are the best.¡± R4 replied, wrapping herself with a very thin yet very absorptive white towel, wrapping it so it would stay put. It was impossibly soft, and as soon as she finished wrapping it the towel seemed to become more snug so it would not fall off unexpectedly. It also clung suggestively, which a short search on the brand revealed that was in fact a feature. ¡°Mr. Graves, are ya¡¯ awake?¡± She pushed through the door and froze. The bedroom was somewhat dimmer than she remembered, the lights darkening with no one inside. R4 saw a shape standing beside the bed. ¡°Mr. Graves?¡± R4 asked. ¡°Pardon my intrusion, I¡¯m just going to,¡± The figure looked up at her. Gleaming cold spheres of red stared at her without inflection or emotion. It left one arm over Issac¡¯s face, while its other reached out towards R4. Its arms were too long, its face nothing more than a black shadow against its black outline. All R4 could see beside its eyes was the outline of its hat and overcoat. ¡°What the blood?¡± Immediately her claws were out, though her telekinetic limb simply shifted forms to resemble claws. ¡°Back off. I don¡¯t know how you got in here, but I¡¯ll give ya¡¯ one chance ta¡¯ leave before I cut ya.¡± The figure¡¯s stared at her, before looking down at Issac. R4 heard him take a pained breath, and begin to choke. ¡°I warned ya!¡± R4 lunged for the creature. It held up a hand, catching her forehead. Immediately she felt her head spin, then go faint. The strength left her limbs, and her telekinetic leg collapsed sending her sprawling. The sudden drop shook the shadowy figure¡¯s grip. The moment the connection was broken R4 lashed out, her claws catching the shadow¡¯s arm, and going right through as if he was made from wet sand. Immediately the lights came back on, the figure nowhere to be seen. R4 blinked, looking up at the lights, then looking down on Issac. ¡°Issac, Mr. Graves, are you awake?¡± She reached out and felt him breathing. She checked his biomonitor, ¡°What the, 11 wounds? How? He even has his tier wounds, how¡¯d that thing bypass those?¡± ¡°Check yourself, you are at 1 wound.¡± R4 ran a quick scan and her blood went cold. ¡°Does that damage look familiar?¡± ¡°The Hand of Atropos? No, not exactly, but, it¡¯s similar. This is overclock damage, I recognize it from my class in medical cybernetics. Red, what was that?¡± ¡°I have no idea, but it reacted quite poorly to your claws.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t seem to like light either, you saw how the lights came on the moment it left. Whatever it was, it has a way of turning the lights off. Maybe, can I get a flashlight?¡± She moved to the computer and found there were several kinds of lights, the one she chose was a lantern. She quickly set up the lights and waited. The lantern¡¯s light was far outstripped by the overhead lights, and due to its design it flickered like firelight. A closer look revealed it was made by the Storytime company, and was intended to be used while telling scary stories. ¡°Red, how do you think that thing took out the lights? Did it sabotage the power supply, or just turn them off?¡± She rose, taking a closer look at the lights, probing them with telekinesis, ¡°There is another camera up here. Maybe it caught what that thing was.¡± R4 filed that information away for later ¡°Greetings Unregistered guest.¡± The closet spoke as R4 entered. ¡°You appear suitably dressed, may I make a recommendation.¡± Immediately a half dozen shreds of clothing which might have been called lingerie was provided. ¡°Maybe something warmer, it is very cold and Mr. Graves is still out. Something with some protection.¡± ¡°I have just the thing.¡± Immediately a soft and fluffy jumper was provided. The outfit was colored orange with tiger stripes, and had a hood complete with cat ears. ¡°Complete protection, no man nor woman would bother touching you with this on.¡± ¡°Do you honestly think,¡± R4 reached out and touched it, ¡°Is soft and fluffy.¡± She quickly put it on, and for just a moment her fear faded away. Then, just as swiftly as it vanished, the fear crept back into her spine. R4 stepped back into the room, and it seemed just a little dimmer, a little colder. She quickly checked on the lights, yet they were set to full brightness. ¡°That can¡¯t be right, is it still here?¡± She felt the dread creep back into her spine. ¡°Wait, maybe this is something I can look up.¡± She quickly got onto the computer. ¡°Shadowy man.¡± She got several hundred hits. ¡°Shadowy man with red eyes wearing a hat.¡± The next few hours were a rabbit hole of conspiracies. ¡°Hat man behind string of disappearances, Hat Man Gentek bio weapon, Hat man Mitian cyberweapon, Hat Man is a free roaming AI, well which is it?¡± R4 pushed back from the computer, rubbing her eyes. She looked at the bed, where Issac was sleeping peacefully. Some time during her searching the new blankets and sheets had been delivered, and she had taken a short break to throw out the last of the bloodstained bedding and replace it. Now he sat beneath a thick blue blanket pattered with lovely seafoam waves. ¡°I need sleep.¡± ¡°Yes, you do.¡± A voice said, grabbing R4 around the neck. She spun around, finding two blazing red eyes facing back into her own. ¡°Sleep.¡± R4 spun around, smacking her stump against the floor and sending sparks up her arm and crushing the half dozen empty cups of coffee she had not yet thrown away. She pulled the flashlight from where it sat on the bed to her still functional hand, yet there was nothing there. The voice faded from her memory, whispery and mechanical, and the overhead lights blazed as bright as ever. ¡°Red, what was that?¡± She checked her biomonitor, she had no new handprints nor any wounds, but elevated adrenaline levels. ¡°A nightmare?¡± ¡°Maybe, you fell asleep while researching.¡± R4 sat up and moved the mouse to find she was still looking at a page on the Hat Man. She rubbed her remaining arm, which even within the hoodie was still freezing. Her missing arm, though she could feel the hoodie she wore, felt nothing of the cold. She could tell the temperature was a bit cold, but only when she thought to check. She went to the thermometer, which flashed red at her touch. ¡°Guess unregistered guests can¡¯t even use the thermometer.¡± R4 muttered. She looked at Issac, curled up beneath the blankets she had spread over him. ¡°Think he¡¯d mind?¡± ¡°He did say you¡¯d make a fine bride.¡± ¡°When it snows, she has no fear for her household for all of them are clothed in scarlet. She is clothed in fine linen and purple.¡± R4 quoted, pulling up the blanket to slide in. ¡°More like fine plush and orange in my case, and I¡¯m hoping Mr. Graves won¡¯t be scarlet come morning.¡± R4 slept through the first alarm, but the heavy metal riff of a guitar woke her up. She was immediately aware that she couldn¡¯t move her arms. For a moment she struggled, before realizing she was not tied, but Issac had rolled over and embraced her. R4 considered how to escape her predicament for a few moments, before deciding to wait for a moment to see if the problem would resolve itself. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of oxytocin.¡± ¡°Wait, what?¡± R4 trilled back. She reached for her phone, which was easier with her missing hand as Issac did not have a good grip on her stump. She took a few moments to figure out how to turn it on, and was pleased to find the ambient charger she had rested it upon had indeed done its job. Checking her biomonitor she noticed an unusual spike in several chemicals. Switching to his cyberware she noticed that, sure enough, he had the butterfly¡¯s grace cyberware, though it was called Noble¡¯s Composure for marketing purposes. ¡°Dag nabbit.¡± ¡°So, what now?¡± R4 shifted, but didn¡¯t move. ¡°R4?¡± ¡°He¡¯s warm.¡± She replied, holding her stump out from beneath the blanket. ¡°It¡¯s cold out. I¡¯ll just stay here for a little longer.¡± After a half an hour or so R4 got up and slipped into the shower, picking up some clothes from the closet first. It took her a few tries before the closet gave her some long jeans and a pink hoodie, which for some reason also had cat ears. There was no zipper in front, but a pink bra that sort of matched at least kept her decent and looking like it was a fashion choice rather than a scavenger¡¯s breakfast. ¡°I think Issac likes cats.¡± R4 commented as she got into the shower, careful to keep her clothes where the cleaning bot would not get them. She soon felt her muscles relax in the warmth of the shower, taking the time to wash her hair and skin. Finally she stepped out, and with a gesture the water just fell off. A moment later she was dressed, telekinesis lending greatly to the process. Creeping back into the bedroom she took a moment to check on Issac again. ¡°9 wounds?¡± R4 asked, checking her phone again. She checked through his biomonitor again. ¡°So if you somehow healed two wounds in two days, which I don¡¯t think is how that¡¯s supposed to work, why aren¡¯t you awake?¡± She searched a few more things, then put her phone back on the charger and searched on the computer. She read a few articles, before finally giving in and reading a few home medical blogs. Most of them were of such poor quality that her limited medical knowledge was able to discern their worthlessness. Finally she found one on a conspiracy site that actually made some sense. ¡°Ok, the Right vs Fast debate to medicine. When providing in home care the general rule of thumb a wound will heal once the highest wound in days have passed. Higher tiers will heal faster, though the exact amount varies.¡± R4 nodded, remembering her uncle¡¯s explanation after he had been hit by a truck. She smiled, remembering the explanation happened as he was fixing the truck, which had been worse off than he was. ¡°This is assuming light duty or full rest. Some have found full rest can accelerate healing, especially if a competent physician or nurse is attending and appropriate medication is used.¡± She considered her own skills. She didn¡¯t feel that skilled in medicine, yet her stats told her she was as skilled in medicine as she was in technology, and she was quite comfortable with that. ¡°When using home care two policies may be followed. The Write method of the Naoi method. The Write method focuses on repairing more vital injuries, while the Naoi method focuses on restoring functionality. In the long term, if the patient has plenty of time to heal, the Write method is faster at reducing the patient¡¯s wounds back to zero and restoring full functionality. The Naoi method, however, drastically reduces the time required for the most severe wound to heal. In a case where the individual MUST get back to work, this method is ideal. However, once the individual gets back to work they must take care they do not injure themselves and reverse the progress. Light duty, during which time the patient will heal, is a must. Continued care using either method afterwards is recommended.¡± ¡°So, Write or Naoi?¡± ¡°Naoi, I think.¡± R4 replied, even as she said it her gut writhed. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Well for one, I want out of this room. It¡¯s a nice room and all, nicer than mine, but I¡¯m a little worried about what happens when he finds out I¡¯m here and decides he didn¡¯t mean to invite me over fer¡¯ a slumber party. Also I¡¯m worried ¡®bout that Hat Man thing. If there¡¯s some ritual or safeguard I¡¯m supposed ta¡¯ do I sure don¡¯t know it.¡± She paused for a moment. ¡°Do you think whatever that thing is, it¡¯s keeping him down?¡± The next few hours were poured into research. R4 reviewed the files she had access to, Keys to the Kingdom opening every paywall that had the misfortune to encounter it. Yet nothing she found was notable. Seeing it was almost lunch time she ordered a stew for herself, one of the cheaper options just in case she was going to be stuck for a while, as well as a nutrient broth for Issac. ¡°They must have some strange ideas for this to be on here.¡± R4 said to herself. ¡°Do people here get so injured that they have to drink this stuff regularly?¡± As she waited she slipped into the shower, and allowed the closet to fashion her an outfit which involved far too much fishnet and far too little actual cloth. After a bit of an argument she managed to get a shirt that only exposed a few centimeters of her stomach on the concession she not bother with the black skirt that only covered the upper half of her thigh. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose I could get some high socks to cover, it¡¯s cold in here.¡± The closet immediately provided. ¡°So how come I can¡¯t get a skirt that comes to my knees but I can get socks that go to my knees?¡± ¡°The randomized guest clothing index has dictated today is a day to display stomach and thighs. Tomorrow''s forecast is for plunging necklines and backless outfits.¡± ¡°Even for male guests?¡± ¡°Most certainly for male guests. If you are cold,¡± The closet provided a red hoodie, which R4 found also had a set of cat ears. She quickly noticed it had no zipper. As she ate an idea came to R4. As she worked her fingers flew almost on autopilot as she trusted in the skills she had artificially obtained from Mara. She couldn¡¯t quite understand how the code she typed allowed her to access the room¡¯s data, but she managed to leverage her permissions until she could. ¡°Ok, a log of who¡¯s accessed what. Huh?¡± R4 entered a few more commands. ¡°Ok, so Issac lives in a suite, and it has cameras.¡± She entered a command and saw a view of two women, one she recognized as Issac¡¯s manager and one she thought might be Cutter discussing something in a kitchen space. The manger wore a white official looking blouse and skirt, while the woman she thought was Cutter wore a scandalously short black skirt with fishnets and boots, paired with a black tee shirt emblazoned with a band name so distorted the name could not be read. At her side was a tablet playing some manner of video where a man in a fancy suit was demonstrating some new mechanism of action for a novel antibiotic. ¡°Nutrient broth? You think he hurt his guest?¡± ¡°Well the AI won¡¯t tell me if he has one. You know how temperamental that thing is,¡± She gestured to her own outfit. ¡°This was the fifth option before I finally just gave up. The first one I wouldn¡¯t wear to bed.¡± ¡°The cost of moving to a proper tier 2 facility would increase our housing expenses by 335%. Having a malicious AI has worked wonders for the rent. Despite our most recent gig we are only at 111% profitability. We are also looking for two supporting members meaning we are paying fixers for people who are not bringing in any profit. We are still waiting on Issac¡¯s confirmation on the death of Dridgette, we need that final box checked before we can consider this gig finished.¡± R4 immediately got up and began banging on the door, but after five minutes of it all she had to show was a bruised hand. Going back to the camera she saw the woman in white had already left while Cutter had gone back to what she was watching. R4 quickly tried to find a way to reach out, but nothing. Taking her phone she hit a snag, she didn¡¯t know Cutter¡¯s phone number. She spent the next fifteen minutes trying to look it up online, Issac and Cutter were both fairly common names and she had no luck. ¡°Ok, let¡¯s try this.¡± She got on the ordering site. ¡°She saw I ordered nutrient broth, so what if¡­ Hot dogs, Eggs, Lettuce, Protein bars. Light bulbs, oranges, capacitors, kelp rolls, eggs, devil-food cake.¡± She hit enter, and the entire thing alphabetized and sent. ¡°Well shoot.¡± ¡°Worth a shot. You think it¡¯s weird you can order light bulbs?¡± ¡°Well, I think I know why, and I¡¯d really rather not say.¡± R4 replied, blush coming to her cheeks. ¡°These specific bulbs use very weak currents, weak enough that they¡¯d light up between the point the electricity could be felt, but before it would actually become too painful. They have¡­ recreational applications.¡± And the matter was dropped there. ¡°Still, they know he¡¯s in here, and they think I¡¯m in here, they just have it backwards as to why.¡± She returned to the computer, seeing if she could get a message out some other way. After some work she managed to access the cameras in the room. ¡°Ok, cameras, lights, shower, access log, huh. Looks like he hasn¡¯t accessed the cameras in over two years.¡± She opened the cameras, and was greeted by a blurry image. She rewound back to when she had first arrived, and noticed a vague black and white image carrying in both her and Issac. The camera was in too low a resolution to resolve who or what, but it didn¡¯t look human. ¡°Some kind of privacy camera?¡± She opened an option, ¡°Ok, so we¡¯ve got ultra low, low, medium, 4k, 8k, and tactile. I¡¯m guessing tactile is if you want to be able to step into the camera and touch it.¡± She shivered, remembering Officer Smiley¡¯s camera.¡± ¡°So what is the point of ultra low? If something happened there is no way to tell who did anything?¡± ¡°I¡¯m guessin¡¯ if he had a guest over, an¡¯ she later claimed he did somethin¡¯ to her, this would be enough ta¡¯ either prove he didn¡¯t or shed some doubt. At th¡¯ same time it keeps everythin¡¯ anonymous, and keeps any peepin¡¯ toms from getting¡¯ a show.¡± she checked the camera logs, finding a few deleted logs from unknown dates. Next she checked the shower, seeing that too was on ultra low, and finding a regular list of Issac using it, and sparse mentions of other unregistered guests using it, as well as a few marked Ice Queen. ¡°That¡¯s the woman in white I think.¡± R4 paused. ¡°If I had her actual name I might be able to get in contact with her to let me out.¡± She continued to work. ¡°Maybe,¡± In the common room the lights began to flicker. On and off. Flick flick long flick, three long, long flick long flick, long flick long. ¡°Hey, what the, Jeeves, what¡¯s with the lights?¡± Cutter asked, standing up. ¡°Terribly sorry, your query has returned no valid results.¡± A voice spoke with a clipped accent. ¡°Why are the lights flickering? Are they damaged?¡± ¡°No damage has been detected.¡± ¡°Then why are they turning on and off.¡± ¡°Because they are being turned on and off by someone who has the authority to do so.¡± ¡°For F*** sake Vincent, if you want my attention so badly just call me.¡± She tapped a few times on her tablet before scrolling down a long series of texts. ¡°Fine fine, I¡¯m coming.¡± She eyed her outfit, shrugged, and grabbed a white purse emblazoned with a snake wrapping around a pole. ¡°If you crashed and dropped into a debug sequence I¡¯m going to smack you.¡± ¡°Well that botched.¡± R4 muttered, gesturing with one hand. She jumped at the sound of three bone dice dropping from her tool arm and landing on all ones. ¡°Gee, thanks Red.¡± She paused, a thought crossing her mind. ¡°Wait a minute,¡± With a gesture all three dice jumped up, two landed on 5¡¯s and the third a 6. ¡°Debug sequence.¡± She got back on the computer and within minutes had over twenty tabs over. ¡°I bet that¡¯s why he can¡¯t wake up, he¡¯s stuck debugging.¡± ¡°Explain.¡± ¡°So, wait, you don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Rubber Duck it.¡± ¡°So every 3 months I have to reset my tool arm, and likely my other cybernetics. That takes a while, during which time I can¡¯t use it very well. I bet with all his cybernetics Issac has to do it every month, maybe more.¡± She paused. ¡°How often do I have to debug my ravager prototype?¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t actually thought about it. I guess every time you sleep it does a soft reset. You might not have to before you tier up.¡± ¡°Ok, so I have a new idea.¡± R4 replied. The rest of the day she worked on her plan. Wires and batteries were purchased, as were power adapters. R4 made extensive use of her osteoblasts, setting up several stands around the bed. The lights were prepared. She read through several texts, falling down three rabbit holes on the hat man, mostly old posts about how certain drugs could invoke him. All the while she kept setting timers to remind her to roll Issac, taking an hour to carry him into the bathroom to clean him. She easily pushed the sight of him out of her mind, downloaded medical professionalism squashing troublesome thoughts involving bulging muscle or photo shopped abs. She did note that, in the light, he had a rather square chin. Finally, she figured she was done. ¡°Are you sure this is safe?¡± Judging from the number of wires R4 had I was a little worried she¡¯d accidentally strangle herself. ¡°Ok, it¡¯s simple, and the cords are retractable so it shouldn¡¯t get wrapped around anything.¡± she placed several contacts on Issac¡¯s spine, before connecting them to a tiny processor she had purchased. She paused. ¡°Red, these are wireless contacts, used to monitor cyberware activity. Where are the densest number of connections for ravager prototypes?¡± ¡°Right eye and spine, but you won¡¯t get much. Innate Human Mimicry will hide most of it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not trying to hide, I¡¯m trying to sync up with Issac.¡± She took a bottle from the desk, the riskiest part of the plan. She poured out a handful of the pills, before several dozen twinges began racing down her spine and she put some back. ¡°I have to have enough to make it effective.¡± ¡°You will take one and no more. Your veins are full of ravager toxin as well as stranger chemicals, the ravager prototype is just that, a prototype. I don¡¯t want you turning yourself aberrant because you took too many Benadryl.¡± ¡°You know, ya¡¯ sound like my mom when she caught me with my first boy.¡± ¡°And wear something decent young lady, I kin see yer¡¯ knees.¡± ¡°Hey, y¡¯all can¡¯t copy my accent, that¡¯s mine.¡± She promptly hiked up her skirt a bit out of mock spite before downing the tablet and chasing it with a swig of water. ¡°An¡¯ don¡¯t y¡¯all furgit ta¡¯ brush yer tooth.¡± ¡°Ok, now that¡¯s too far.¡± R4 stretched, walking from the bed to the bathroom. She selected the toothbrush she had been provided the previous day and got brushing. The sweet strawberry toothpaste brought a memory of summer to her mind, yet as she spit the red foam was followed by several long fangs. ¡°Red, is that,¡± As she looked up what greeted her was not her reflection, but a vision of a future R4. Her right eye had firmly entrenched itself, its silvery legs digging into her face, its eye colored shell now just a mockery rather than a prosthetic. It still worked, perhaps even better than her human eye which was now bloodshot and black. An impressive rack of horns stretched from her occipital lobe. Every sense was alive, but none more than her stomach. Fresh fangs sprang to her mouth, crooked and spiral. In an instant the man who had saved her now served as a first meal for the new ravager. Yet even as she ate she felt a strange hunger growing, and not the one she was used to. In the corner of the room the shadow lurked, its hat and eyes its most prominent features. It watched as if enjoying the show. R4¡¯s appetite turned sour, aberrant thoughts echoed in her mind. It felt like someone was poking holes in her skull. She recognized a feeling of confusion as a new thought process entered her mind. ¡°Miss, what¡¯s going on?¡± Issac¡¯s thoughts echoed in her mind. ¡°What did you do to me, where is my body? Why am I so hungry?¡± R4 glared at the Hat Man as she ate, yet the food was before her and now she was eating for two minds. The figure reached out a hand, as if asking for a bite. She growled, but he did not fall back. She lashed out, her claws extending and swatting away his hand. Yet the cuts filled in with more shadow, leaving the hat man unmarred. ¡°He won¡¯t leave.¡± Issac replied. ¡°Not until he is satisfied. I should have paid the ransomware, but I didn¡¯t think it would be this bad. Do you think he would taste good. I think he would have the consistency of sand.¡± ¡°Nu¡¯Grav.¡± R4 growled. ¡°Pitiful paladin.¡± ¡°What? You dare insult my honor?¡± R4 turned back to the body and went back to eating. ¡°Hey, cut it out. Cease your villainy! Wait, that actually taste pretty good.¡± Issac whispered into her ear. ¡°Try the arms, I spent extra time working on them. Ice Queen says big biceps are good for fan metrics.¡± She bit down on his spine with a meaty CRUNCH. ¡°That, that felt good. My word, the feel of crunching bones in your jaw feels amazing. Hey, I think Vincent will be back soon. He has a special barbecue sauce in the fridge, wonder how he would taste in it. It would be a feast worth celebrating!¡± R4 ignored him, finishing off his left arm, saving his hand for last. With a loud CRUNCH she bit into his thumb, and felt a strange coolness as the hat man touched her. It lay a hand on her shoulder, its touch feeling like gravel and static, not a single solid but a loose conglomeration of solids. ¡°Initiate flare protocol, Lights to maximum!¡± Immediately the 87 lights R4 had placed around the room flared to life. The figure let out a loud hum and R4 felt the thing trying to access the lights. ¡°Outta¡¯ luck, I saw you access the lights in th¡¯ logs, this here is hard line only.¡± Immediately the Hat Man tried to escape the light, yet R4 reached out and grabbed, stabbing a telekinetic claw through its head and grabbing¡­ nothing. Her claws left deep gashes in the shadowy figure, even as the lights caused it to crumble away. ¡°What the Rust!¡± Issac exclaimed, sitting up. Immediately all the lights in the room turned back on, and the lights R4 had set up let out a loud CRACK as they burned out. With a whoosh the door opened, and in a flash R4 was gone. Almost. As she bound out the door she took a quick left towards the exit and slammed headfirst into the locked door. Immediately said door opened, revealing Cutter wearing nothing but a white nightgown and a sawed off shotgun. As her head spun from the blow she realized the room she was in was mirrored, or more accurately the camera she had used was mirrored. Her eyes fell upon the exit, just 3 meters away. ¡°Who are you and how did you get in here?¡± Cutter asked. Out of her armor, and without a lower quality camera, R4 saw she was a lithe and lean woman with a gymnast¡¯s figure and shoulder length black hair in a ponytail. Blazing blue eyes with darker sapphire irises scanned over her, and R4 could practically feel the medical grade receptors probing her for threatening movements. Yet only a peripheral part of her mind registered that, as most of her attention was locked on the barrel of the shotgun. ¡°Jeeves, lock the front door, no one in no one out.¡± ¡°Right away. I will note that Miss. Inlee is currently out. Should she return she has the authority to,¡± ¡°I¡¯m not worried about Ice Queen right now Jeeves. Do you not see the woman lying on the floor?¡± ¡°The woman before you is an unregistered guest added by Mr. Issac Graves. If you would like to dispose of her I have several recommendations that should allow you to evade prosecution from the local authorities. Might I recommend moving her into a bathtub before proceeding and a collection of industrial grade cutting tools?¡± ¡°Stop, just stop.¡± She sighed. ¡°Jeeves, you could have started with the fact she is a guest.¡± ¡°My apologies, my system is still resetting due to an error caused by an unknown error. Standby.¡± Immediately the air was filled with a grinding sound that resembled something between a scream and several power tools. All the lights went off before the sound abruptly ceased. A few moments later several small emergency lights came on. ¡°What the, what did you do?¡± Immediately the shotgun was back in R4¡¯s face. R4 tried to back up. ¡°Just what I had to, I swear.¡± R4 replied, adrenaline running through her mind. An idea occurred, the shotgun didn¡¯t look flashy or special, likely a lower tier weapon. She still had flare protocol up, if she could get her claws on the firing mechanism she might be able to break it long enough to escape. ¡°Cutter what¡¯s going on?¡± Harris exclaimed, coming out of his room with a four barreled shotgun that glowed with unknown devices that whirred as he ran. Out of his armor he wore only boxers, revealing the kind of photo shopped muscular body R4 was getting more and more used to seeing. He lacked the eight pack abs Issac had, but not by much. In the dim red lights she could tell only that he was fair skinned with tightly cropped hair. ¡°Issac invited someone in, and she just crashed the security.¡± Cutter replied. She carefully stepped around R4. ¡°Watch her, but don¡¯t get close. She¡¯s got some kind of baffling cyberware, makes it read like she has no cyberware despite the fake arm and leg.¡± [[Discrepancy noticed, adapting]] Immediately R4 knew that her arm and leg would read as being medical grade prosthetic, hiding the fact both had hidden blades. She also saw the look of surprise on Cutter¡¯s face as her cyberware caught the change. Her eyes flared, and R4¡¯s vision distorted before her arm and leg locked up. [[Hack detected: Medical lockdown. Please solve the puzzle to unlock.]] ¡°Over there, get in the chair.¡± R4 saw a rather plush chair, with a suspiciously waterproof cover. She gingerly got into it without using her frozen arm or leg. Immediately she noticed it was softer than it looked, causing her to sink in. The fact the cushion seemed to wrap around her legs, making it harder to get out of did not help her nerves. She could, but it would take an extra few moments, and the locked cyberware would definitely make it harder. She half expected metal bars to shoot out to hold her in place. ¡°Vincent, watch her. I¡¯m checking on Issac to make sure she didn¡¯t do anything. As she sat Vincent plucked a chair from the kitchen area and spun it around so he could rest his arms on the back. R4 had a moment to eye the room. She had come out from Issac¡¯s room and into a living room with an attached kitchen. The entire room was 5 by 5 meters, with three quarters carpeted with soft chairs and a large television. The other quarter was tiled, and had several cabinets and a small oven and stove with a bit of counter space and cabinets. It was the first apartment R4 had seen with actual space. ¡°So¡­ Warlock, Corp, or Dying?¡± ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t quite catch that.¡± R4 asked in confusion. She noticed Vincent no longer had his shotgun pointed directly at her. It was in his hand, but not pointed at her. ¡°Option 1 you¡¯re a warlock in service to an AI, trying to get at Issac for some slight he did against them. I think he¡¯s got like 12 death threats in the last year, so that¡¯s a long list. Option 2 you¡¯re a corporate plant trying to seduce Issac away from Ice Queen either because the team has cut into their profits somehow, and no I am not going to articulate how because I¡¯m half convinced they don¡¯t know either, or because paladins of Nu¡¯Grav usually go out in a blaze of glory and he hasn¡¯t yet. My guess is Lok-1, since they¡¯ve been trying to get a paladin on payroll for five years. Option 3 you¡¯re dying, because Issac can¡¯t catch a break and every time he brings a girl home she either tries to kill him or we find her dead within a week.¡± R4 thought about it for a moment. ¡°Option 3, I¡¯ll be dead in about 3 months due to some bad cyberware. I can¡¯t remove it, I can only survive if I reach tier 1.¡± ¡°Is that what Issac promised you, that he could get you to tier 1?¡± Harris looked concerned, as if he was about to say something. ¡°He¡¯s good, but he¡¯s not that good.¡± ¡°No, he promised to get me out of the undercity.¡± R4 replied. ¡°Also he was a little delusional, I think being at 10 wounds was making him loopy. The woman with all the metal arms really did a number on him.¡± She took a moment to find that the puzzle was just a matching game. It took her all of five seconds and immediately her arm and leg unlocked. [[Hack detected. Unknown virus detected. Devising countermeasures.]] She eyed the shotgun, then Vincent. ¡°Are you going ta¡¯ shoot me?¡± ¡°Did you hurt Issac?¡± ¡°Not intentionally. I don¡¯t have any medical experience, not beyond basic first aid, so I don¡¯t know how to treat a coma patient.¡± She paused, considering what to tell Harris, until she saw him motion that she should continue. ¡°Didn¡¯t do a bad job of it either.¡± Cutter replied, looking a lot more relieved. She held her shotgun, but lacked the anger or the tension. ¡°For being in a reboot sequence induced coma, he¡¯s alright. The NG tube was a good idea, none of the others thought of that. Mind explaining how exactly you got caught up in this?¡± R4 quickly went over how she met him, and the ride in. She went over the list of things she did, with Cutter denoting a few issues with her care. When she got to the shadowy figure they both looked worried. ¡°So, you saw the Hat Man?¡± ¡°So he is real? I wasn¡¯t sure what it was. I tried to get it with my claws, but it just slipped between my fingers. It felt like trying to grab sand.¡± ¡°You tried to attack a shadowy humanoid monster, with your bare hands?¡± Harris asked. R4 nodded. ¡°And this is after you swam through radioactive water filled with malfunctioning tier 1 and 2 weapons? No wonder Issac likes her, they¡¯re both crazy.¡± ¡°Issac has described it, but there has never been any proof. Strange dreams during reboot sequences aren¡¯t uncommon. Joy toys with second or third hand prosthetic cyberware and who knows what drugs aren¡¯t good witnesses.¡± Cutter replied. ¡°Well, I think we have all we need now. I just need your contact info in case something pops up.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± R4 made a gesture and sent the info. ¡°R4¡­ wait, did we pull you out of the undercity a few days ago?¡± R4 nodded. ¡°That was the case with the weird horned guy right?¡± Harris asked. ¡°Did we ever figure out what was going on with that guy? ¡°It¡¯s ongoing.¡± ¡°If you need more research, there are more of those things down there. Ran inta¡¯ one that wore a yellow rain slicker on my last gig, that was¡­ two days ago about.¡± ¡°Nope, not our department.¡± Harris replied. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear anything, and I¡¯m not going down there. We¡¯re on leave for one more day and my calendar is full.¡± ¡°It does fall outside our jurisdiction, and Ice Queen isn¡¯t here, so it¡¯s not really our issue.¡± Cutter replied. ¡°And on that note, in my medical professional opinion you should stay out of the under city, you¡¯ve been here how long?¡± ¡°Almost two weeks.¡± ¡°And you¡¯ve almost died down there how many times?¡± R4 started counting, ¡°Dimdwell, scath, Dimdwell traps, sacrificial chamber dimdwell, Lopside, Rat Face, other scath, Yellow Raincoat, my own team member, the walking corpse, and the lady with all the metal tentacles. Not sure if she counts though, she was focused on Issac. So 8 to 11 times, depending on yer'' denotation. I think I get yer¡¯ point though.¡± ¡°Stay top side, at least until you¡¯re tier 1.¡± She looked up to the ceiling. ¡°Jeeves, I mark this individual as a registered guest. Please see her to the front door and call her a Durch car to get her home. Also, she had a jacket, can we get that back?¡± ¡°Right away. Guest clothing will be shipped to her latest residence within the day.¡± R4 did not see much of the rest of the building, being escorted to the elevator and out the front door, as were about two other women in various states of garb. One sported a black eye and her escort had a firm arm on her shoulder. ¡°Hey, you alright?¡± The woman didn¡¯t respond, though the man behind her shot R4 a glare. R4 returned the glare until Harris nudged her. R4 did not speak up, but she continued to keep an eye on the man until the elevator door isolated her with the other two women. ¡°So, are you alright?¡± ¡°Not interested.¡± The woman with the black eye replied, fishing around in her purse to fetch some make up to cover up the bruise. R4 turned to the other woman who was already engrossed with something on her phone. R4 quickly noted both women were tier 0 like herself. The one with the black eye wore very short shorts and a tank top, while the one on her phone was dressed in a messy white skirt with matching boots and a shirt too big for her. Curiously both had a matching tattoo beneath their right eye. As the door to the elevator opened R4 got off with the woman bearing the black eye while the other woman stayed on. As R4 left the apartment complex she was immediately struck by an odd contrast. Everything seemed too clean, as if a team of cleaners had just been there. Yet despite that, several of the walls had cracks that had yet to be repaired. Colorful screens contrasted with the mostly chrome tables and chairs in the entryway. A robotic drone with two sensors one on top of the other sat behind a welcome counter. Stepping out to the corner R4 received a notice just before a long sleek red three wheeled vehicle that looked like a cross between a race car and a space ship pulled over. A small simple placard, in contrast with the high tech device, marked it as a Durch vehicle. ¡°You R4?¡± R4 agreed. ¡°Hop in.¡± She did, checking to make sure the child locks of the vehicle were off. In the back she noticed the well worn but generally clean seats. The entire vehicle smelled slightly of industrial cleaner, and the floor was discolored in a few places. There were a few stains R4 hoped were not blood. ¡°Pain Train Gym right?¡± ¡°That is correct.¡± R4 replied as she buckled up, and they were off. She tried to see what her driver looked like, yet the partition between her and the driver prevented her from doing so. She readied her claws in case this was yet another complication. Within a few moments they stopped at a checkpoint, the gate surrounded by the short white walls that separated the tier 1 and tier 0 zones. From what R4 had read the meter tall walls were more a denotation than a serious barrier, people hopped them all the time and there were entrances that were often unmanned. Getting cargo or vehicles through was the issue. Within 20 minutes she stepped out of the vehicle before her destination. Without another word and before she could thank him the Durch driver was gone, nearly striking a pedestrian who stepped out at a bad moment Judging by the sun just coming up R4 guessed it was around 6, and the streets were already busy with commuters on their way to work. For a moment she was stricken with a sense of unease, the breeze on her stomach and thighs made her self-conscious, but it passed as soon as she saw a group of women in colorful bras and shorts passing by on their way home from a club, or maybe from work as they were discussing tips. She looked up at the train that was the symbol of her current home. It didn¡¯t feel like home though, maybe because she had spent so little time there. R4 made it into the gym, going straight to her room to change. As soft and fluffy as the hoodie she had was, it didn¡¯t cover her front and her outfit was a bit more revealing than she wanted. As she made it to her room she realized she had left her dress in Issac¡¯s bathroom, and it had been sucked down into the hold. ¡°Blast, guess I¡¯ll have ta¡¯ get another one.¡± She thought about it, putting a hand on her hoodie. ¡°Or, I could ask for it back when I return his hoodie.¡± She opened her storage locker and selected some more practical clothes. ¡°Eventually.¡± Seeing as it was morning and she wasn¡¯t too tired R4 opened her gig apps, before a host of notifications appeared [[Connection reestablished. Calculating payment]] ¡°Greetings R4, it is good to see you survived.¡± ¡°Red Queen? You were with me.¡± R4 asked confused. ¡°A local copy. Reintegration has already been completed. It is our hope you were not distressed by my antics. Judging by the logs it seems I can be quite chatty as a local copy. You have been missed. Are you feeling any discomfort?¡± R4 quickly took out her phone so no one would look at her strangely. ¡°Doing fine boss, any work today?¡± ¡°Yes, I have attached a gig.¡±
Mayfly or Monarch Team size: 1 Hazard: spot of blood
Company: Fangs of Mara Contact: The Red Queen Reward: Ascension, increase in rank, or death
The time is coming soon. Mara is most pleased with your efforts, as far as I can tell. She does require a final test of loyalty. Construct a cocoon from which to reach ascension. The requirements will be attached.
Chapter 12: Steps towards ascension. Keywords: Acension, Biotechnology, Timeskip, 1st of Foresight ¡°Hey Jun, you busy?¡± R4 approached Jun at the gym where he was on his phone texting someone while also watching over Hon. As he looked up his phone almost fell from his hand ¡°R4 what happened to you?¡± He paused. ¡°Did the tier 2 do this to you?¡± R4 took a step back as Jun gawked. ¡°Nah, the tier 2 didn¡¯t do this. If anything he helped get me out, and I ate quite well on his dime. No, some cyberpsycho in the under city with some sort a¡¯ necrotic cyberware got my arm an¡¯ leg, an¡¯ jus¡¯ being in his presence did enough damage my own cyberware stripped me ta¡¯ th¡¯ bone jus¡¯ keepin¡¯ me alive. Somthin¡¯ called the Hand of Atropos.¡± She gestured with her bone arm. ¡°Anyhow, I need some stuff before I kin ascend, an¡¯ I was hopin¡¯ y¡¯all could do some introductions.¡± She paused, ¡°Also, how do I go after a corp that didn¡¯t pay up?¡± ¡°So you found a way to ascend?¡± R4 nodded, yet Jun looked even more concerned. ¡°R4, how much do you trust the source? Is it a corp, or an AI?¡± ¡°Does it matter?¡± R4 asked. ¡°Yes, it definitely matters. One is shifty, shady, and looks out for its own interest above all others. The other is incomprehensible, alien, and actively uses humans as pawns every day.¡± ¡°And which one is the AI?¡± Hon asked. ¡°In either case, it¡¯s a secret.¡± R4 replied. ¡°However, I need a few things, and since I got stiffed 4000 credits on my last gig I don¡¯t exactly have the most amount of money on hand.¡± ¡°Well, what do you need?¡± R4 quickly pulled up the shopping list. ¡°That¡¯s, are you sure this is a legit? R4, I¡¯m not ripper, but are you undergoing ascension or starting a SCOP factory?¡± He paused. ¡°Wait, are you using biotech?¡± ¡°A little.¡± R4 admitted. She didn¡¯t like the way Jun blanched. Hon actually stopped lifting to give her a worried look. ¡°I think I can help. I know a few folks who have stuff like this, actually she mentioned you not long ago.¡± ¡°Wait, what?¡± It was only two hours later R4 found herself standing before Of My Enemy noodle shop. She raised a hand, knocking. ¡°We¡¯re opening up in a few.¡± A familiar voice called back. ¡°Zephyr, it¡¯s R4.¡± ¡°R4?¡± Immediately the door opened, or tried to. It only opened half way before the motor jammed. R4 slipped in. ¡°Sorry, looks like it¡¯s busted again.¡± ¡°Looks like one of the wires is snagged.¡± R4 reached up, and with a bit of telekinesis moved the wire. She turned to see Zephyr staring. ¡°Did you literally fix that with a hard look?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t even need duct tape.¡± R4 quipped back. ¡°But no, I have some cyberware that lets me do that. Temporary fix.¡± ¡°Zoe, where the rust did you go. Get back here ya¡¯ gonk.¡± R4 saw Becca peer through the doorway. ¡°Rachel, what are you doing here?¡± ¡°Hey ¡®Becca, fixer friend a¡¯ mine said y¡¯all had some scop vats y¡¯all aren¡¯t usin¡¯ anymore. Thought I could fix ¡®em up an¡¯ use ¡®em for a project.¡± ¡°What kind of project? Y¡¯er not growin¡¯ zip crystals are ya¡¯?¡± ¡°What are zip crystals?¡± ¡°Antidepressants and amphetamines mixed in one. Sends you higher than the atmosphere for a week, and deeper than the under city for a month if you survive. The Deep Fish don¡¯t let the stuff sell on their terf, but it¡¯s a scourge elsewhere.¡± ¡°That sounds ridiculously dangerous, but no, I¡¯m workin¡¯ on a project fer, well, it¡¯s a secret.¡± R4 replied. ¡°Anyhow, yer¡¯ not usin¡¯ ¡®em, no point ta¡¯ lettin¡¯ ¡®em rust when I can buy ¡®em.¡± ¡°Did you come right before lunch so try to get us to sell them faster?¡± Becca asked. R4 paused, having not thought about that. ¡°Tell you what, help us with the lunch rush, then we¡¯ll talk.¡± The next four hours went by in a blur. Fortunately 4 in reflexes and 2 in acrobatics gave R4 a pretty good head start when it came to speed, though it took her some time to figure out some of the recipes. Mind 5 helped with that, but without a corresponding skill it came up flat a few times. A few times she got chewed out when an order was wrong, but the time flew by and shortly after they were done. ¡°So, how¡¯d I do?¡± R4 asked, already having partially disassembled the door. A loose wire had gotten caught and pulled away which caused it to get tangled. A bit of rewiring, and a spare spring she found lying around and repurposed with her tool arm allowed her to ensure it wouldn¡¯t happen again, at least for a while. ¡°I¡¯ve seen better, but not bad for a first time.¡± Becca replied, dragging a box from the back. ¡°Here ya¡¯ go, don¡¯t go breaking any international laws.¡± She shrugged, ¡°or do, I¡¯m not your mother.¡± She quickly pointed a finger, which R4 now noticed was part of a cybernetic hand at least three sizes larger than it should have been, ¡°But I am yours, so no crimes.¡± ¡°Come on, not even a little one?¡± Zephyr teased. ¡°No, no daughter of mine is going to get into trouble and stomped by a tier 6 borg monster, especially over a heartthrob that doesn¡¯t love her back.¡± ¡°That is oddly specific.¡± R4 replied. She found that Becca had provided some straps that would allow her to carry the box on her back and leave her arms free. With a gesture she transferred the agreed price. ¡°Later ¡®Becca, later Zephyr. Feel free to give me a call.¡± ¡°Bye R4.¡± ¡°Later Choom.¡± ¡®Becca quipped, before correcting herself. ¡°Good bye R4.¡± R4 stepped out, and quickly went for the next item on her list. The costs were hefty, and her shopping spree took three days to complete. Each item had to be sourced by Jun, and once acquired it found a short term home in her storage unit before being moved to the undercity. During her frequent shopping trips R4 also picked up a few side jobs, just minor fixes that had small payouts but did introduce her to folks. She also received a few dead drops from Mara, but they were as simple as pick up mysterious box here and drop it off there. From these she received experience as well as credits, but they immediately were spent on translating complex diagrams into resonant so she could hear and comprehend them. She quickly got used to downloading information in the form of resonant, though even with the information and her own education was only thanks to Mara¡¯s vast knowledge that she was able to prepare for her ascension. Yet finally R4 had the last piece. She clutched her package, which contained both a set of Mars Corporation Thermal Scales as well as a junky set of flame emitters that the ripper who sold her the scales couldn¡¯t get rid of. Apparently they belonged to some gang banger, but the set caused a strange numbing sensation in anyone it was implanted in. R4 immediately noticed that was because it had, for inexplicable reasons, begun generating ravager toxin. ¡°How exactly did you manage that?¡± R4 asked. ¡°Ravager toxin is organic, but it¡¯s just a poison.¡± ¡°That is still being researched until a profitable answer can be found.¡± R4 rolled her eyes at that answer. ¡°Theoretically, some cells got left behind when you slew the gangster, and might have decided to stick around. Normally that¡¯s a cancerous trait, but no cancer has been detected. More research is needed, but the emitter will be cleaned before being installed.¡± As the elevator opened R4 followed the path for the 12th time, almost knowing it by heart. She snuck past the barking pit, a place dog like scath tended to lurk, as well as the smoking hallway which constantly smelled of synth nicotine despite never having anyone in it. The spot still sent chills down R4¡¯s spine. Despite traveling the route so often, it was still not safe. Most of the walls held graffiti marking off which gangs owned which sections. Of course, most had been painted over so many times it was hard to tell which group actually owned anything. Twice she took a quick side passage and hid, once among some pipes that ran above and once in a vent she quickly threw open and held shut as unknown individuals passed. One she thought were dimdwell, due to their rough appearance and mismatched chrome. Another wore all black with matching gear and a strange red symbol on their shoulders. Both groups were heavily armed, the former with pistols and shotguns the latter with sleek black firearms that might have been rifles or might have been shotguns. R4 put a hand on her own little firearm and a wave of discouragement washed through her. ¡°Later.¡± Finally she arrived at the chosen location. R4 had immediately noticed it was the former lair of Dridgette, and had been swiftly brought up to speed as to why. The location had been modified by Dridgette to receive power, yet was still avoided due to its previous owner¡¯s reputation. A few modifications, some fake tendrils which would rattle to life should anyone get too close, and a few extra cameras that weren¡¯t actually hooked up to anything made the place seem like it was still inhabited. A few glowing red lights added to the slashes in the Tier 1 concrete and a little black paint made it look as if the very walls were bleeding. R4 had smiled at the five minute fix that added a very haunted atmosphere. A few speakers, the absolute cheapest she could cobble together, gave a horrific garbled mechanical scream when triggered. They went off a few times while she was working, once actually making her drop her welding torch. Altogether, it made the place seem suitably haunted by the maybe dead maybe not ghost of its previous owner. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. The SCOP vats had been working overtime, and R4 had even cobbled together a device to somewhat automate the process. Heaps and heaps of maybe flesh maybe plant matter had been set aside, a cobbled together life support machine pulled from pieces out of a scrap yard ensured it had enough carbon dioxide. Between shopping with Jun R4 had been assembling what had started out as a metallic skeleton, but was quickly turning into something else. Picking up her tools R4 got back to work, but by this stage there was not much left to finish. ¡°Ok Red Queen, so what did I just build?¡± R4 looked over the construction. While it had started with metal scaffolding, the almost cylindrical device had quickly gained a layer of bone, then veins, meat, and synth nerves. The synth nerves had been the most expensive, draining her accounts almost white. A combination of trading the remains of several scath, a few dead drops from Mara, and finally collecting on the bounty from the gangsters had just barely seen her through. [[Ascension Cocoon: Tier 1]] Her right eye helpfully displayed. ¡°Ok, I can guess that¡¯s what I¡¯m supposed to get inside.¡± As she spoke it opened up, muscles she partially remembered installing pulling on the skin and metal. She did not remember installing that ability though, planning on going in through the top. ¡°Do I have to shower or wash?¡± She eyed the pool of water, wary of the supposed radiation within. Much of the metal and a few bits of cyberware had been scavenged from within, being thoroughly cleaned after of course. Despite being informed, repeatedly, that her cyberware would take care of the radiation she still used telekinesis to fish her prizes out, which is how she learned that water and radiation both negatively affect telekinesis range. ¡°No, and you can wear those clothes if you would like, though you will not get them back after. Also, if you would move it into the water.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that radioactive?¡± ¡°Only mildly, the cocoon can extract nutrients from radiation much like a plant from sunlight. Between your Ravager prototoype and the regeneration cysts you would need far stronger radiation to be in any danger. I¡¯m not saying it would protect you from a nuclear blast, but the fallout would likely stop being an issue after a few minutes. Being in the water will give the Cocoon more nutrients and materials to work with.¡± R4 managed to move the cocoon, despite its huge size, to the water. As she placed it the device immediately extended long roots which anchored it in place. ¡°So that¡¯s what those were for. So, I just hop in?¡± R4 removed her boots and outer clothes, leaving on only her under garments. She glanced at the bag she had stashed with some new clothing she had purchased. She stepped in, and the cocoon sealed behind her. Immediately a pop up appeared. [[You are about to ascend from tier 0 to tier 1. Required exp: 2160/1000. Do you wish to ascend? (Yes/No)]] R4 paused, before another pop up appeared. [[Would you like to disperse excess exp across remaining FRAME attributes and skills? (Yes, focus FRAME/ Yes, focus skills evenly/ Yes focus skills of XXX FRAME/ No, save them)]] R4 quickly made her choice. [[R4, you have exp that is specialized towards skills and attributes. Would you like to convert them to general exp, or spend them as intended? (convert/ spend as intended)]]. As R4 made her choices the cocoon began to glow and fill with water. It was not the water from outside, but the distilled water R4 had procured. ¡°So, I read a lot of the manuals on ascension, aren¡¯t I supposed to be asleep for this?¡± ¡°AWAKE.¡± The voice made her bones vibrate and her eye twitch. For a moment R4 felt like her bones would shake right out of her skin. As she thought that she realized she was still wearing her prosthetic. ¡°Shoot, Red let me out, I need to get off my arm and leg.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too late to stop, but it doesn¡¯t matter either way. Sorry R4, but there is something I need to talk to you about.¡± ¡°Please, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re firing me, or double crossing me.¡± R4 felt a slight heat in her legs. ¡°Hey, is it supposed to be this warm?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not heat R4, that¡¯s enzymes. You know how traditional ascension involves injecting nanites which interact with every cell. Well, ravagers do things a little differently. ¡°You mean the ravager prototype, right?¡± R4 asked. In response her horns twitched, it was a very odd feeling. A low scratching sounded in her head, feeling as if her skull was itching. Immediately R4 began to scratch at it, yet she couldn¡¯t quite reach it. ¡°Red, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°The prototype, yes, perhaps I should clarify. When a human undergoes ascension they do so via an infusion of nanites, further linking them to their cyberware. Further an AI copy of their mind is created in a process known as twinning. As the AI and human mind are one they should get along. Personally I theorize it is a disconnect between the two that causes aberrant ascension and cyberpsychosis. However, Ravagers do not have nanites, yet they can also increase in tiers.¡± R4 noted the change in tone. ¡°If our understanding is correct, they do not even need external aid.¡± ¡°Red, are we cut off from Mara again? You¡¯re being chatty.¡± R4 tried to hide it, but the fear was in her voice She froze. ¡°Wait, if we¡¯re cut off from Mara,¡± The itching got worse, R4 began scratching harder, then she heard a low CRACK. ¡°Red, what was,¡± she felt something grab onto her head. She looked up, or tried to. As she did the weight threw her off balance and she fell, hitting the enzymes with a splash. Immediately the heat spread over her entire body. For a moment she saw the thing that had landed on her head. It was a large silvery isopod. Two small horns arched from its back, and a long arm extended from it to¡­ for a moment R4¡¯s thoughts froze. She reached up with arms that were already shedding their skin. A long tether extended from it to her¡­ her thoughts paused again, it couldn¡¯t be right. Her skull was open, a smooth rim where the bone had been sheered away so this¡­ thing could crawl out. Yet she was still thinking. ¡°Red, wha¡­ wha ish tha?¡± The words were slurred in her mouth, yet the isopod spoke them in perfect resonant. She blinked, and as she did she saw herself. Her ruined body, legs mostly dissolved down to the bones, the rest not far behind. She saw the tether, the last connection between her body and the isopod. In her already failing mind she couldn¡¯t help but remember operating camera, and turning it around to look at herself at the controls. She absentmindedly moved her hand, and watched from above as the nearly skeletal hand moved in front of her face. She knew she should be scared, yet it was distant, muted. She felt a strange instinct, that she should submerge in the enzyme. Immediately the isopod jumped, landing with a splash and dragging her head down with it. ¡°R-Red. Help.¡± Her last word was a gurgle as the enzymes covered her face Her vision from her left eye immediately went out, and a moment later her right too vanished. The last thing she saw was her own face, dissolving. ¡°Now just relax. It will be over soon.¡± And with that the last trace of the woman known as Rachel Smith was dissolved. [[Intercepting Communication retrieving archived communication]] ???: The data you sent was incomplete Ice Queen: I gave you what my people collected. The Iron hand used dozens of proxies, the fact we managed to track it back to the warlock Drigette was a miracle enough. ???: There was a time when you would have kept digging until you found the truth Isabella. Ice Queen: That is not my name anymore. The agreement was for the person who supplied the Iron Hand with their equipment. You have her name, and confirmation she is dead. ???: We do not have her supplier. A tech cannot conjure chrome from rust. Ice Queen: Unfortunately that information was not in the agreement. I could send my team down there, though it is deep within the under-city, and it would require us to take time from our current contract with the city. It would be quite expensive, slaying psychos is lucrative. ???: On to other matters, within one of your recent invoices an entity known as Rat Face was mentioned. There were inconsistencies in the collected remains. Ice Queen: I presume this is a lead up to a request. ???: The cyber psycho Rat Face had several unique biological properties, and far fewer cybernetics than your report would have led us to believe. Ice Queen: Bioware has come a long way. ???: Yet this bioware is new, and not something available on the open market. Several fragments of an unknown material were found within the creature¡¯s skull and nervous system. It is a shame we do not have a more complete picture. We want another sample, alive. Ice Queen: That is going to be a tall order, quite expensive. ???: Our patron has deep pockets. A scan would be a good middle ground, but a living sample better. We will be in touch. [[Intercepting Communication Retrieving archived communication]] Ice Queen: So let me get this straight, you met a random woman in the undercity, and you brought her home. Issac: ¡®Twas a divine gift, that just as my blade was revoked from my hand she did arise, like the lady of the lake from the tales. To me did she deliver not one, but three weapons with which to smite my foe. It would besmirch mine honor if I had not assisted her in escaping the under city. Ice Queen: It is not your honor I¡¯m worried about Issac. If you¡¯re going to invite a joy toy over, I need to vet them first so we can make sure they¡¯re not an agent of one of the corporations. Harris: 100 credits on Lok-1. She wore a Mars Corporation jacket but wasn¡¯t violent at all, sounds like Lok-1 to me Cutter: 100 on Gentek. She knew enough to move him so he wouldn¡¯t get bed sores, but not enough to realize a tier 2 wouldn''t get bed sores for weeks. Great cover for a kind hearted remote. When I saw the nutrient broth I thought he was feeding a hurt guest, didn¡¯t occur to me it could be the other way around. How¡¯d that happen anyhow? Issac: I find offense that you would so quickly turn upon my betrothed. For your question the tendril warlock allowed me to slice free one of her limbs, only for it to come back to life. The foul distraction cost me dearly. I was wrong, the medical kit you provided was most useful. Cutter: Glad you liked it, I¡¯ll make sure to get you some more. Still, even if she¡¯s a Gentek spy, she¡¯s a better solution than what we have. Ice Queen: What do you mean? Cutter: Look, every week or two we have to hire a joy toy or roll the dice on our knight in tinfoil armor having a nightmare and needing to reboot again. That means we need to pay a broker, who sends a girl, and we have to vet her. Issac: A most unsatisfactory solution. While their profession is ancient and respected, I trust them not. For the scholars disagree, does a prostitute cost a loaf of bread, or does a prostitute reduce a man to nothing but a loaf of bread? Regardless, a more permanent solution has presented itself. Ice Queen: Cutter, care to translate? Cutter: He wants to take her on as a long term partner. As I said, it¡¯s not a horrible idea. He did practically kidnap her, drug her, and take her to his room and she decided not to flatline him for it. She didn¡¯t go wild with the meds like the one we used a month ago, and she didn¡¯t try to klep anything like the joytoy before that. Even if we just hire her as a long term sitter to keep an eye on him when he¡¯s rebooting, it¡¯s only one day every week or two, credits talk. Think of it like hiring a visiting nurse. That, and she is a tech Issac: I did not kidnap her. Cutter: You picked her up, threw her in a cab, and when the service bot brought her in she was out cold. I know, I had Harris scrub the logs. Ice Queen: She¡¯s a tier 0 tech. Cutter: We were all tier 0 at one point. I¡¯m not saying we dish out for her ascension, but maybe we keep an eye on her, let her do a bit of gear maintenance. Issac¡¯s going to have to reboot again sometime, might as well ensure he¡¯s got someone we know. Harris: Presuming she doesn¡¯t drop dead in the next few months. Issac: My brother, do you care to repeat that? Harris: Ah... shouldn¡¯t have said that. Ice Queen: Harris¡­ Harris: So I jokingly asked if she was dying, since Issac can¡¯t ever get a girl for more than one date. Apparently, she has some bad cyberware. Tier 1 at tier 0, she¡¯ll likely stroke out or suffer neural collapse within a few months, she says 3 I give it less. Issac: Then a quest we must undergo, to ensure she survives. Our Queen of Frost and Gold, let us raise the banner of crusade. Ice Queen: I can¡¯t just declare a war Issac. Harris: Look, I say we leave it in The Lord¡¯s hands. He brought her into your life, if she¡¯s meant to be there he¡¯ll make a way. Look, she even mentioned she already has a plan on how to survive. We just have to make sure it¡¯s not at our expense. Ice Queen: ¡­ Harris, we will talk about this. [[Issac has logged off]] [[Ice Queen has logged off]] Cutter: I didn¡¯t know you were religious Vincent. Harris: It¡¯s not about being religious, it¡¯s about speaking Issac¡¯s language. Chapter 13: Theater work. Keywords: Gang violence, Theater, Tier 1, 13th of Foresight The hunger was unbearable. R4 rose up from the floor where she had been lying and with a gesture threw aside the bonds that had held her. Only in afterthought did she notice they had been chains. The door before her refused to open as she pushed on it. Somewhere in the dark corners of her mind she could read it said Pull on it, yet that too resulted in no success save a low rattling sound. With a flick of her claws the tier 0 door fell apart. [[Ghrelin hormone levels at 300% normal. Thyroid function abnormal.]] R4 ignored the prompt, her growling stomach leading the way. The heat was unbearable, she needed water, but more than that she needed food. ¡°Hey choom, you feeling any better?¡± The first man she saw was a dimdwell covered with tattoos and wearing some manner of patched together armor. If she thought about it she could remember his name, but in the time it took her claws were slick with his blood and she was already cracking open his skull for what lay within. ¡°Hey choom, why am I so hungry?¡± R4 heard the voice within her head, even as she finished off the man¡¯s body and poured what blood she could over herself. Her metabolism was off the charts, and while the cool blood helped it was not nearly enough. ¡°Hey, I think I saw,¡± The names blurred within her mind, ¡°in the next room. Let¡¯s go eat.¡± The next few minutes were a horror, or a feast. With each body R4 wanted to stop, yet her hunger drove her onward. Every bite was ecstasy, reminding her of the best feasts she had enjoyed at home. Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner could not compare. With every feast she felt herself become more diluted, more voices in her head, less coherent sentences. Every meal brought more hunger, for how could one be full when dozens starved? Yet every voice brought more power. Some sensation called to her, and she followed a hallway. Before her a trio of faceless victims were chained against strange rubbery walls. Long claws itched to be used, and fangs itched for meat. ¡°This has to be a nightmare.¡± She trilled to herself. ¡°Wait, that¡¯s it, Red, end simulation.¡± ¡°Huh, R4? Are you up?¡± Immediately the vision froze as if it were a paused video. E4 still couldn¡¯t see who she had been approaching, but she could tell it was not herself, N2, and the man with the mechanical arm. ¡°We were not sure if you were awake or not.¡± A moment later R4 blinked, and saw a vaguely red fluid in all direction. She tried to move, only for something to catch her arms. ¡°Try not to move too much, your ascension isn¡¯t quite done.¡± ¡°So Red, what was that?¡± ¡°The vision? We were borrowing some computing power you were not using in order to go over the files siphoned from your last gig. It seems Gentek is interested in Rat Face.¡± Immediately several documents appeared over R4¡¯s face. She could tell they weren¡¯t real, but they were legible. Seeing as she wasn¡¯t going anywhere she gave them a read over. ¡°Lot of jargon in here. That much ghrelin, that¡¯s a hunger hormone right? Thing must¡¯ve been starvin¡¯. Guess when y¡¯er that hungry even raw flesh looks good.¡± She flipped a few pages. ¡°Significant degradation of the brain, and lots of prions. That¡¯s bad right right?¡± ¡°Super stable proteins which really do not belong in the brain. They couldn¡¯t really put the brain back together after what Issac did to it, but they tried. They weren¡¯t really sure what to make of the chitin fragments they found, but they found significant scarring encapsulating prion formations. The isopod isn¡¯t exactly a brain, but I can¡¯t imagine that was pleasant. All those super stable proteins bouncing around and sending false signals until the scar tissue could mute it.¡± ¡°In the vision, every time he ate someone, he could still hear them.¡± R4 noted. She paused. ¡°When I was with Issac, in my nightmare, I could do the same. I heard him, he actually approved of me eating him, and told me to,¡± [[NO FURTHER]]. The voice shook R4 to the core. It had all the bass of a rushing avalanche, and twice the authority. Had it demanded Terrazo stop its spinning around Helios-7 R4 would have given even odds it would happen ¡°I guess Mara doesn¡¯t like that topic?¡± R4 asked. ¡°No. She does not. The data lifted from the Veritable job turned out to be Gentek¡¯s. They were interested Rat Face and the ravagers.¡± ¡°And that means me as well, right?¡± R4 replied. She reached up for her horns, finding them a bit larger than before. They came from behind her ears and curved up towards the top of her head. She could probably still wear a hat, but it they kept growing it would become difficult. If she layered her hair right she could probably hide them, and a hoodie could do so easily, but it would make wearing a helmet tricky. They reminded her of goat horns, though they were oddly flat. Given their shape they almost resembled a halo. ¡°Experimental cyberware, or bioware.¡± ¡°Your horns are still pretty small, and you can probably get away with saying they¡¯re used to pick up diagnostic signals in remote places. You are a remote after all, I think they¡¯ll buy it. A good haircut will cover them up unless your boyfriend decides to play with your hair.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have¡­¡± R4 thought back to the communication that had somehow run through her head while she was out. ¡°I should probably let him down easy when I get out of here.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡±
Beneath the Paladin¡¯s Shield Team size: 1 (secret) Hazard: Bloodless
Company: Fangs of Mara Contact: Red Queen Reward: Unknown. Credits, ascension, increase in rank, true love, depends on what you find.
An opportunity to keep an eye on a paladin of Nu¡¯ Grav as well as his team. Paladins are rare and use little understood abilities that are not fully explained through Cyberware
¡°Pass.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to pretend to be in love with a person just so I can spy on him. That kind of goes against the point. A relationship is based on trust.¡± R4 replied. ¡°If you can¡¯t do that, it¡¯s doomed to fail from the very beginning. It¡¯s a betrayal of trust.¡± ¡°It is a better chance at survival."
Keep in touch Team size: 1 (secret) Hazard: Bloodless
Company: Fangs of Mara Contact: Red Queen Reward: friends?
You have 3 missed calls from Issac Graves, 1 from Jun Silk, 1 from Hon Denim, 2 from Coach, one from Jessica Smith and several spam. You should probably return those
¡°Yeah, I should probably call them back¡­ how do I get out of here?¡± A diagram appeared before her right eye, indicating her body, and the isopod in her skull still running diagnostics. ¡°We should probably talk ''bout that thing in my head, th'' isopod.¡± ¡°Ok, so long story short, that isopod is your central nervous system. You know how Nu¡¯Grav has been trying to put human brains onto computer chips but haven¡¯t quite gotten it right?¡± ¡°They get close, but close friends can still tell the difference, and they don¡¯t last very long.¡± ¡°Mara believes that is because the soul rejects the synthetic nature of the chip, or there is something else missing. The ravager isopod, somehow, contains the soul. It doesn¡¯t help that we lack a way to view the soul, but that¡¯s the best we can come up with for now. If you¡¯ve seen one of those tongue eating isopods, well this does the same but with your eye, then your occipital lobe, then your spine, and finally your brain entirely. The cocoon you built was partially to observe how your ascension went, as well as an attempt to prevent any prions from forming during the process. We do not know how or why prions form in the isopod. Given what we know about ravager ascension that seems all the more prevalent now.¡± ¡°How bad?¡± ¡°Actually, you did not have any issues. Not one prion formed and the few you already had in there removed, we even managed to filter out a few grams of plastic from your blood and zap a few dozen precancerous nodes. You used a lot of nutrients, more than your body could provide normally, so we aren¡¯t sure how the previous ravagers managed. Maybe the prions are caused by the body taking short cuts, we¡¯re not sure. On one hand it would be very useful to know, on the other it would mean turning a thinking and reasoning human into a cannibal monster incapable of higher thought.¡± ¡°I think they are capable, they¡¯re just too hungry to bother.¡± R4 replied. ¡°No evidence, just a feeling I get. They¡¯re not stupid, just hangry.¡± A few moments later she felt the enzyme drop below her head and with a low cough expelled the remaining fluid from her lungs. ¡°Red, I have a sour taste in my mouth. Was that the same enzyme that you dissolved me in?¡± ¡°Actually it was stronger, A tier 1 body is usually stronger, though yours, it might be better to see for yourself. [[Name: R4 (cover Rachel Smith). Race: Ravager Tier 1 Class: Remote/Tech Lifespan: 0/100 years Allegiance: Fangs of Mara Wounds: 0/12 Tier wounds: 0/4]] [[My mesh]]
Tier up (goal: 6 actual:86) 0¡ú1 (cost 1000)
Force 5 MAXED Athletics: 2 ¡ú 3 (cost 60) Brute: 2+1 ¡ú 3+1 (cost 90) Endurance: 1+1 ¡ú2+1 (cost 40) Resolve: 1+1 ¡ú 2+1 (cost 40) Swimming: 2+1 ¡ú3+1 (Cost 70)
Reflexes 4 ¡ú 5 MAXED (cost 300) Acrobatics: 2¡ú 3 (cost 60) Firearms: 2+1¡ú 3 (cost 40) Melee: 2+2 ¡ú 3+2 (cost 80) Parry: 1 ¡ú 2 (cost 30) Stealth: 2 ¡ú 3 (cost 60)
Aptitude 5 MAXED Driving: 1+1 ¡ú 2 (cost 20) Medicine: 2 ¡ú 3 (cost 60) Security: 2 ¡ú 3 (cost 60) Sleight: 1+1 ¡ú 2+1 (cost 40) Technology: 2+1 ¡ú3+1 (cost 90)
Mind 5 MAXED Bureaucracy: 1¡ú2 (cost 30) Computers: 1+1 ¡ú 2+1 (cost 40) Research: 1+1 ¡ú 2+1 (cost 40) Perception: 1+1 ¡ú 2+1 (cost 40) Science: 1+1¡ú 2+1 (cost 40) Survival: 1+1¡ú 2+1 (cost 40)
Empathy 3 ¡ú 4 (cost 300 ERROR) Animals: 1 ¡ú 2 (cost 30) Comprehension: 1+1¡ú 2+1 (cost 40) Intimidation: 1+1¡ú 2+1 (cost 40) Persuasion: 1+1¡ú 2+1 (cost 40) Subterfuge: 1+1¡ú 2+1 (cost 40)
[[remaining exp: 20]]
Cyberware: Cybernetic implants, or what others will see Subversion: Aspects of the ravager prototype. These are hidden from most users but advanced sensors may detect irregularities and reveal these. The exact limits are unknown
Gentek synth-stomach (T0): Don¡¯t just touch grass, Eat it. Allows for the consumption and absorption of nutrients normally beyond human ability. Does not protect against poison Scavenger stomach (T1 Passive): several tweaks to the intestines allows the host to digest just about anything they can swallow of their tier or lower. Metals and plastics can be digested and excreted in usable forms if available subversions are present (osteoblast/clast microfactorum viable). Ingested poisons may be identified with a Perception + Medicine check. On a success host will realize they have been poisoned and be able to counteract the poison with an Endurance + Medicine + tier check. On a failure host will use Endurance + tier rather than just Endurance to resist the effects. On a critical success the host may create a counter agent that may be shared. Generates 4 ATP per tier per minute when the host is well nourished, 2 per tier per hour so long as the host is not starving. Stores 10 ATP* Emergency production protocol (T1 active): Overclocks the stomach so that 1 ATP is produced every 6 seconds for 2 minutes. Host becomes starving afterwards.
Gentek Ostoguard skeleton reinforcement (T1): Better than milk. Grants a reroll with +2D to force against critical wounds that involve broken bones, severed limbs, and bludgeoning damage. Grants 1 bonus wound. RAVAGER_PROTOTYPE (T1): Due to its experimental nature the ravager prototype is highly variable. The ravager may alter other cyberware¡¯s function. Current deployment 100%. Fourfold_Ascension: for having 4 FRAME attributes at max at the time of ascension gain +2D to those attributes per tier. These are hidden and do not count towards exp cost. Ravager resilience: grants double the normal wounds and tier wounds for host rank (2 wounds and 4 tier wounds) Empathic_Flaw: Due to not having empathy at max at the time of ascension the exp cost to jump from +2 to the next die of empathy is doubled. Last_Gasp_Protocol: Abandon Host¡­ Stores 10 ATP* Note: This cyberware is still in development. Please leave your notes and experiences to help those that follow you.
Gentek Biomonitors (T1 passive): Monitors user¡¯s body to alert them to damage. Can report damage to connected entities as well as stem mild wounds Regeneration cyst (Passive): Monitors and repairs the body. Heals cuts and treats poisons in minutes. Creates stem cells through the body, mostly around the isopod. Wounds equal to host tier are healed in a number of minutes equal to the least severe wound being healed rather than days. All tier wounds are healed every minute so long as further damage is not sustained. Stem mild wounds indeed. Host does not age. Also yes, it will notify me should you be injured. Recharge 1 ATP ([X]). Duration: 1 day Stores 10 ATP***** Telekinetic cyst (T1 Active): Ravagers hosts have been noted to use telekineisis at short range despite telekinesis normally not appearing until tier 3. It is theorized these unusual clusters of nerves and cysts have something to do with it. These cysts are diffuse through the entirety of the body, but strongest in the hands, head, horns, and tail
Mars Corporation Vesta Fire Scales (T1 Passive): A hearth for the cold and AC for the heat. provides protection from extreme temperatures by isolating critical parts of the body. Keeps the body comfortable between -20 and 50 degrees Celsius. Note: This cyberware has been repaired or modified by a third party, warranty has been voided. Thermovore ATP generation array (T1 Passive/active): Provides heat protection in the same way a cat provides mouse protection. Complex proteins absorb heat and regenerate ATP. Keeps the host comfortable anywhere below 95 degrees Celsius. Allows the handling of materials beneath 300 Celsius so long as the rest of the body is not exposed (such as baking cookies or handling radioactive materials). Generates ATP slowly at temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius, scales with heat. Exact generation varies. Exert ATP to resist increased amounts of heat (exact amounts to be determined). Stores 5 ATP** Recharge 1 ATP([X]) Cooldown: TBD. Duration: TBD Metabolic fire emitter (T1 active). You can endure fire, but now you can also throw it. Uses acrobatics to hit and is about as subtle as a flaregun. Treat as a power weapon DC: 18 Damage: 2D6 (fire/unknown) (aptitude) Exceed threshold: 10 Exceed minimum 3 Scaling: 6 (2d6 damage) range: 15 meters Rate of fire: 1 Ammo: (0/10) rounds/minutes Recharge: 1 ATP (X) Recharge time: TBD Stores 5 ATP**
Little Devil Web Walker set (T1 passive): For when you can¡¯t decide on flaming forums or flaming hearts. The horns boosts wireless signals to increase upload/download speed and negate up to 2D worth of penalties due to range. The Tail is fully prehensile, and strong enough to handle the user¡¯s body weight. Good for balance and when you just need an additional hand. Both are waterproof, thank us later Ok First of all, why was this in the bargain bin? Sexware or not, this has some good stats. Admittedly it overheats, but not a problem for you. Telekinetic horns (T1 Passive): extends the range of psychokinesis to 1 kilometer. Difficulty of use still increases based on range, still needs line of sight (though cameras count). Horns are tier 2 with 3 armor Telekinetic tail (T1 Passive): Highly flexible, completely prehensile, can extend to 4 meters long and makes a fine whip. Also counts as an additional telekinetic claw. Tail is tier 2 with 3 armor, but counts as tier 1 for offensive purposes
Lok-1 Kitty claws (T1 active): For the adventurous young kitty who loves to climb, and definitely not claw someone¡¯s eyes out. Grants +2D to climbing any surface T1 or lower. This is a tool not a weapon ;-) though it does increase unarmed damage by 1. Telekinetic claws (T1 passive/active): The exact method by which the feral ravagers can use a tier 3 ability that usually requires at least 16 mind and 6 empathy appears to come down to several nodes of nervous tissue within the hands. Further examination reveals additional glands that secrete a notable toxin. Further nodes and glands exist within the mouth and tail. DC: Variable 8 (+4) Damage variable 1D6+1 (+1d6) Exceed threshold: 8 Exceed minimum 4 Scaling: 4 (1d6) Melee range Note: Ravager claws suspend a haze of ravager toxin, inflicting it on anyone they strike. Requires poison or adrenal cyberware to properly adjust toxin.
Lunar rabbit (T1 active): Enough to keep you hopping all night ;-). No litters and no blood, we promise. Ok, seriously, what is with the bargain bin? This is combat cyberware with added limiters and reduced sensors. It hinders fatigue signals and overclocks adrenal production. It is perfect for what we need. Also it has some weird skill software I am definitely hacking Flare protocol (T2 Active): Forces power through all subverted tissues. Increases all subverted cyberware and tissues by one tier for a short time. Recharge 2 ATP([X][X]) and 5 minutes or 4 ATP and 0 minutes. Harmony protocol (T1 Active): Normal use, host appears to be tier 1. Host will return to this state when flare protocol ends or if Calm protocol (T0 active): Draws power away from emotion centers to balance strong emotions. Host appears to be Tier 0. Requires verbal command Stores 10 ATP**
Mars Corp Cyclops cybereye (T1): A single eye cyberware designed to replace missing vision. Grants the ability to see in low light conditions and at range of up to 2 kilometers. Allows the user to record data RAVAGER_EYE (T2): A single eye which allows the user to zoom in on distant targets without losing peripheral vision. Can focus on up to two objects at a time at up to 5 kilometers. Grants thermal and dark vision at close range, while also allowing the host to see hidden messages and resonant signals. This eye is armored (T2 5 armor). Allows the user to record data. Also don¡¯t let the fact it¡¯s called an eye fool you, the entire isopod is T2 with 5 armor. Your brain is actually tougher than your skull, though a heavy blow will still ring your bell. Sufficient force may knock your isopod out of your skull, but there is a good chance it will survive.
Mars Corp Military hardened MESH (T1 Active/passive): Provides connection and power to a number of small devices and cyberware. If user is targeted by unauthorized hacking attempts they may retaliate with damaging ICE Innate human mimicry (T1 Passive): H0$t is HO0Man. U no C33. (Moderator Red Queen has dictated this needs edits). (Moderator Red Queen still is waiting on those edits) Stores 10 ATP* Decreases host¡¯s apparent MESH tier by 1 tier. Actual MESH score is not affected. Resonant font (T1 Passive): Provides power to nearby devices
Digital Key ring: holds codes and log in credentials Keys to the kingdom (T1 Passive): Holds key codes and log in credentials. Holding multiple keys from the same company may allow for unauthorized access based on programming flaws.
Nu¡¯Grav tool arm (T1): Standard issue, built for durability and affordability. Note: This tool is outdated and no new firmware shall be produced. Contains several tools and can be used to power said tools. Also equipped with multiple epoxy and chemical mixers Last time, Bargain Bin¡­ how are there so many treasures in here? Osteoblast/clast microfactorum (Tier 1 active): grows and disassembles small tools. Can be used to grow biologic machinery. Also stores mundane tool arm tools. Ravager toxin reserve (Tier 1 passive): creates one of 3 forms of ravager toxin: Agony: All wounds burn as if dipped in acid making focus and patience difficult. Resisted by Force. Penalizes Empathy and Mind. Euphoria: Wounds spread a pleasant warmth and relaxes muscles. Resisted with Empathy. Penalizes Force and mind Numbness: Wounds spread a numbing coldness which makes fine manipulation difficult. Resisted by Mind. Penalizes Reflex and aptitude Exact effects are unknown. Expend 4 ATP ([X][X][X][X]) to switch which form of toxin is being made. Change takes 1 hour during which time no toxin is made. Toxin strength is based on medicine. Stores 8 ATP.**
¡°What¡¯s with the error in empathy?¡± R4 asked, completely glossing over her updated cyberware list. ¡°Am I going to go cyberpsycho? ¡°No, and you should probably get dressed.¡± R4 nodded and with a gesture she was dry, her telekinesis pushing the water and enzyme off. She hurried over to her clothes and began dressing. ¡°So we found that in one update we can only increase any skill or FRAME attribute by 1. Your empathy will cost more to improve, and it will always lag behind. Without further investigation, it would appear the cost before going up one die would be double.¡± ¡°Red, wouldn¡¯t someone with a non-empathy build still have it worse. Forget that, an empathy build would have to get to +3 then pay double for the next die right?¡± ¡°Correct. You are still ahead in that regard, just not as optimized as we had hoped. Furthermore, we have learned that improving skills while undergoing ascension does not allow for discounts due to recent use. In this instance it didn¡¯t matter much, since you had an abundance of exp, but in the future it is worth watching.¡± ¡°So I¡¯ll be short on empathy fer¡¯ th¡¯ rest a¡¯ my days and I should improve my skills before ascension rather than waiting.¡± R4 replied as she slipped on her borrowed hoodie, finding the hood and ears provided good cover for her horns. ¡°Guess I¡¯ll fit in with this place. Any issues with the cyberware?¡± ¡°Actually that went surprisingly well, almost too well. Several of the scavenged pieces had components that we were able to improve upon during your ascension, though at the cost that you will not be able to remove them until your next ascension. Occasionally empathy is lost during implantation due to a flaw in the twinning process, but you had none of that. You will not need any anti-rejection medication nor will you need physical therapy. You may need to get some practice with them though.¡± At that moment a low growling sound echoed through the room. R4 gestured and her claws were at her hands, with a surety she had never felt before. Her tail cracked like a whip behind her, which surprised her and caused her to look back. Behind her was a burgundy tail, which she promptly moved so she could touch it. It felt like flesh, including the small fleshy spade at the end. A short roar got her attention back on her foe. The creature before her was a horrific chimera, a combination of fox, wolf, and hyena. The wolf bodied creature stood on tall legs and bore a frill of darker fur on its back which made it look even larger. Its rust red fur bore black stripes to break up its coloration. Two front facing eyes, the left one replaced, stared forwards while two others, the left one also replaced, stared out sideways to look for threats. Short rounded ears perked up, their black coloration spreading in uneven patches across the creature¡¯s head. Its over developed maw opened to reveal its freshly grown fangs, each large and loaded with ravager toxin. Further fangs, actually long spindly legs from its isopod, lurked beside its already ferocious fangs. A pair of short horns poked out from behind its ears as it let out another roar and prepared to pounce. ¡°Pupper?¡± Immediately the creature tilted its head.
Back in the saddle Team size: 1 Hazard: Blood spotted
Company: Fangs of Mara Contact: Red Queen Reward: 30 exp
Before you lies an abomination, created from discarded genetic matter and enhanced by a ravager isopod it found somewhere. Slay this abomination.
¡°But is soft and fluffy.¡± R4 replied. With a gesture she called over some of the food she prepared, still edible if the heavily preserved bricks could be called such. ¡°Here boy, or girl. Ya¡¯ want some?¡± ¡°R4, that creature is,¡± The animal approached and took the food right out of her hand. It promptly rubbed its head against her, and as she scratched it her hand brushed against its horns. Immediately it paused. [[Unknown entity has been added to your contact list. Would you like to name it?]] E4 looked at the creature. It was currently rubbing against her like a cat would, but she couldn¡¯t help but think of it as more canine. The black splotches around its ears seemed to trigger a memory for E4, though I could not identify it. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to call you¡­ Bella¡± Bella immediately gave off a bark before rubbing against her. Immediately it began resonating with her, sapping her for ATP even as it shared its energy with her. The exchange was not quite equivalent, but close enough it appeared the power loss was from entropy rather than intentional hostility. Immediately Bella seemed to appear, not exactly to R4¡¯s eyes, but as a sensation within her horns. It was not dissimilar to the feeling of lying next to another in bed, not touching, but feeling a certain tension in the blankets and warmth that comes not from one¡¯s self. From the way her dopamine and serotonin surged I could tell R4 found it comforting. ¡°Are you really going to, fine, I¡¯ll cancel the gig.¡± ¡°Red, what is this thing?¡± R4 asked, kneeling down and fluffing Bella, who immediately licked her face. ¡°Not sure, but it fell asleep next to a ravager isopod and somehow it was compatible. It¡¯s got ravager toxin, but it¡¯s tier 0 and pretty weak so not a problem for you. Maybe it has some human DNA. It looked like a hyena so I figured it would be aggressive but not too tough, perfect to get you used to your new form.¡± R4 was more concerned with petting Bella than listening. After a few moments the creature went stiff and let out a roar bark. ¡°I think she sees something.¡± R4 looked up and saw a black hound like creature staring at her with soulless eyes. The creature was sleeker than a dog, less muscular. It resembled Bella a bit, but was larger and lacked the coloration. Without hesitation or warning it charged her, lunging for her thoat. Immediately the claws were out and the fight was on¡­ or it should have been. R4 backhanded it with her claws, before delivering seven precise cuts with a single swipe of her claws. The scath immediately fell apart, leaving only a few pieces of damaged cyberware. ¡°Not this one you don¡¯t¡­ Wait¡­ that was it?¡± R4 examined her claws, feeling they were sturdier than she remembered. She immediately counted five fingers and two thumbs, with one thumb on either side of her hand. Some gentle prodding revealed they were slightly more flexible than she remembered, though her fingers were slightly longer in a way that left her slightly unnerved. ¡°Well for one you were punching down, when it comes to damage a tier 1 weapon does 5D extra damage against Tier 0 creatures. Second, check your cyberware.¡± R4 did, her eyes going wide. ¡°How do you feel about the ravager tech now?¡± ¡°+2D to all stats, minus empathy. That¡¯s, that kind a¡¯ feels like cheatin¡¯. I saw some high end arms that gave a +1D to strength, and a spine implant that gave the same to reflex, but that, that¡¯s good. The claws are a bit weaker than I thought,¡± She paused, ¡°Though I guess I shouldn¡¯t complain about a free tier 1 weapon. The horns are a bit odd, and I¡¯m not sure how much I like them or the¡­ rabbit implant.¡± ¡°The rabbit allows you to jump to tier 2 without killing yourself, and you were the one who didn¡¯t want to go with the Lunar Lady.¡± ¡°It was three times th¡¯ price.¡± ¡°And so you got the rabbit, which to be fair is still decent once the limiters are removed. It almost looks like a trimmed down combat implant, something I¡¯m definitely going to be examining. You were getting a tail and horns anyhow, might as well get some cyberware that explains them.¡± ¡°May I ask why? I mean, the symbiote is an isopod, why does it have horns?¡± By this point E4 had decided to sit down, and Bella immediately plopped her head on E4¡¯s lap. In the background their horns began to trill, sharing information E4 didn¡¯t even seem to be aware she was sharing. The fact Bella had mapped out a good section of the undercity without even meaning to was something Mara would be very pleased about. ¡°They¡¯re actually antenna, but they resemble horns and they count as tier 2 so they¡¯re not fragile. Look at Bella and see what she¡¯s thinking about.¡± E4 paused, looking at her new friend. Immediately she saw a vision of a large room with an artificial sun, some strange type of grass, and a tall tree that provided apples for Bella as well as luring small rodents that Bella enjoyed chasing and eating. She blinked and the vision was gone, though she could still sort of remember where the room was. ¡°They help transmit signals, both radio and resonant, which is how I¡¯m talking to you. They also project a passive telekinetic field that works like sonar as well as picking up certain other frequencies. As it states, they give you more range with your claws, and with telekinesis in general. That and metabolic fire. Give that a try.¡± ¡°How do I, oh.¡± With a gesture that seemed instinctual R4¡¯s hand flexed and a small green flame danced within, causing Bella to immediately scrabble backwards. She felt a minor wave of exertion, as if she had just come up for air from a dive. She stood, adopting a pitcher stance. ¡°It¡¯s the bottom of the ninth, the bases are loaded it all comes down to this.¡± She hopped and threw a ball of liquid flames. It struck the wall and exploded in a wash of lambent green flames. Bella immediately let out a yip and hid behind her, coward. ¡°Woah, that¡¯s, colorful.¡± She immediately conjured more in her hand. ¡°Red, I don¡¯t feel any expenditure of power, is this something I can do freely?¡± She paused. ¡°Now that I think about it, I could use flare protocol freely as well.¡± ¡°No, you can¡¯t. Every time you used flare protocol you were doing permanent damage to your body, shaving a single day from a year long lifespan, even more if you did it twice within an hour. Now you can use it for the low cost of a good meal. Further, your regeneration cysts weren¡¯t using as much energy as they are now, so it wasn¡¯t worth tracking. ATP is stored in the body, and in several cyberware. This isn¡¯t an MMO where you cast spells by spending mana from a pool. It works more like a 3d printer. You have to load up the material, and then it takes time to print what you need. Each cybernetic has a capacitor, which must be filled before it can be used, and a series of vacuoles, which it draws from to fill the capacitor. Now fortunately ATP is partially physical, so the capacitor can retain its charge for roughly 3 days before it discharges automatically and must be refilled. Your flare protocol actually has two capacitors, but one requires the body to reset on its own before being reused and the other has extra energy to force the body to reset faster, so it costs more. A capacitor draws one unit of ATP every 6 seconds from its vacuoles, and a capacitor can be recharged only after it is finished being used. I see that question coming, the stomach and prototype can accept and release ATP freely, but any cyberware with a capacitor requires 2 ATP and 12 seconds to donate 1 unit of ATP to another cyberware. Drawing from the regeneration cysts is even harder, requiring 5 ATP and 30 seconds. Also if that one runs out your body would start devouring itself, so don¡¯t do that ok? Also once ATP is in a capacitor it¡¯s stuck until used.¡± ¡°So I could go from absolutely out to full in just under 15 hours so long as I eat right?¡± R4 asked. ¡°You¡¯re forgetting the capacitors, since they would definitely suck up some ATP during that time, but pretty close. Also you can direct which vacuoles to charge first if you like, or just leave them to charge based on which ones are the least charged by percentage, though the regeneration cysts always get fed first. Speaking of which, they use 1 ATP whether you are unscathed or are reduced to max wounds. They can¡¯t restore lost limbs or critical injuries, yet, so try not to go losing limbs. A finger should be ok though, and I think your tail can grow back though you¡¯d lose the hardline feature. Now, your cocoon will be here, time to get up and face the world.¡± With that R4 noticed the cocoon sinking back beneath the water, just out of sight. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. The next half an hour was spent making it back out to the surface. Bella, despite R4¡¯s insistence, vanished into the snaking tunnels of the under city. R4 took a short gig to photograph some of the hallways for damage which paid very little, but included access to the elevator in order to get out. She was pleased to find that since ascension her MESH could recharge her phone so long as it was on her person. R4 leaned against the back wall of the elevator waiting for it to take her to the surface when it stopped, and a familiar voice reached her ears. ¡°Hey boys, look who grew her hair back.¡± The blue steel leader spoke up. R4 noticed they were on the -6th floor. ¡°Thought you were dead when that Web Walker showed up without you. He drew a straight razor, sharpening the blade against an attached strap and causing it to gleam in the wan light before holding it up menacingly , ¡°No Tier 1 to watch over you now. Maybe I should give you a trim.¡± R4 noticed three other blue steel gangsters behind the man, each with their hands over their weapons, but none had drawn them yet. ¡°You tell her Barber.¡± One said ¡°Going for a fourth set, Wig is going to go broke at this rate.¡± ¡°Are we posturin¡¯ or fightin¡¯? I¡¯m pretty sure we¡¯re not supposed ta¡¯ shed blood in th¡¯ elevators.¡± R4 asked. Admittedly she was not dressed to be threatening. The hoodie she had borrowed from Issac, modified with some bone clasps so she could close it, was still red with cat ears. Since her jacket was still missing it was the most heavily armored thing she had, even if it didn¡¯t look it. With a gesture she extended her claws, and immediately noticed a problem. While her telekinetic claws were a meter long, her physical claws were not. ¡°Well dang, those were a lot more impressive in the catalog.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s posturing?¡± The leader asked, though R4 was pretty sure he wasn¡¯t actually interested in a fight. ¡°Those puny scratchers are weak, only worthwhile if you¡¯re stabbing someone in the back. I suppose they¡¯re fitting for a Red like you.¡± R4 knew the words were provocation, but her blood ran hot. ¡°Now y¡¯all kin¡¯ go cool yer¡¯ heads in yer¡¯ little corner or y¡¯all can back your words. I ain¡¯t no traitor like that cowardly Scop zapper Data. I don¡¯t know what tales that yellow bellied low life¡¯s been speakin¡¯ but that man ran out on us.¡± She took a step forwards and in a rush of anger ignited her claws with metabolic fire. Immediately her previously transparent claws filled with lambent green fire as the ravager toxin within began to resonate and burst into flames. These flames radiated little heat, yet they hungered for any fuel they could get, specifically flesh. ¡°Th¡¯ rules say we¡¯re not ta¡¯ spill a crumb a¡¯ food or a drop a¡¯ blood.¡± She extended one set of claws towards the first man. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll jus¡¯ have ta¡¯ cauterize y¡¯all¡¯s wounds. I think Tier 2 fire¡¯ll do that.¡± R4 saw the look of absolute terror on the man¡¯s face. Yet he managed to hold onto his knife, even as his friends quickly found the furthest point away from her and closed ranks. One drew a pistol, but R4 immediately recognized it as a Rite? Trigger Finger pistol, DC 8 to use and 2D6 damage. Assuming he went with the absolute max and aimed right for her face he¡¯d roll against DC 16, which he¡¯d need a reflex and firearms of 6D to hit reliably. Assuming he pulled that off he¡¯d be rolling 4D6 damage against her 5D6 force, which would be 7D6 with her cyberware, and then 12D6 with the difference in tiers. If he rolled absolute maximum of 24 so long as she rolled at least 2 on every die she¡¯d be absolutely fine. If he went for anything less, likely since he looked scared and hadn¡¯t even noticed his safety was still on, then even rolling max damage would do nothing to her unless she rolled absolute trash. Only the knife wielding leader posed any sort of threat. From what she could sense he was tier 1, but given the look on his face he¡¯d likely go for an easy hit. Assuming that blade was a power weapon he¡¯d still face a DC 18 to use it, probably wouldn¡¯t go for a high damage attack. If he had 7D in force he might be able to do some damage, any less and it would be even odds. Yet he had only one blade, and she had both hands full of claws. The low PING of the elevator hitting floor -2 broke R4 from her thoughts. She shook her head, wondering when she had started thinking of the world as dice, had started thinking like the AI. A team of three men stood on the other side, witnessing the scene. Each wore basic gear, bullet proof vests, long pants, and pads for their knees and elbows. R4 immediately realized they were both better equipped, and lower tier than her. ¡°We¡¯ll catch the next one.¡± The man in front, a brown haired man sporting a well trimmed beard and several head and body mounted cameras, quipped. ¡°Nonsense.¡± R4 replied, dropping the claws and letting the metabolic fire go out. ¡°We¡¯re jus¡¯ posturin¡¯. No need ta¡¯ risk waitin¡¯ fer¡¯ the next trip.¡± She shot a friendly smile to the man before looking to the leader of the Blue Steel. ¡°Right?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ sure. What she said.¡± The other team stepped on, and it was a very tense ride the last two floors to the surface. ¡°Red Wrath members make a habit of using fire weapons now?¡± One of the newcomers asked. R4 eyed the fact the man was on his phone. The bearded man was pretending he wasn¡¯t adjusting a camera watching her, while also filming the Blue Steel gang ¡°How am I supposed ta¡¯ know? I¡¯ve got red hair ¡®cause I didn¡¯t feel like dyin¡¯ it. I wasn¡¯t a part a¡¯ this nonsense until this lot decided ta¡¯ drag me inta¡¯ it.¡± R4 made a gesture at the Blue Steel group. ¡°And th¡¯ moment those elevator doors open I¡¯m goin¡¯ home an¡¯ leavin¡¯ this petty feud behind.¡± ¡°And why would you describe ongoing gang violence that has been going on for 10 years as a petty feud.¡± ¡°Are ya¡¯ serious?¡± R4 exclaimed. ¡°This has been goin¡¯ on 10 years?¡± ¡°Um, off and on.¡± the leader replied softly. R4 realized she had accidentally extended her claws, and they were on fire again. She extinguished them with a shake, which was unnecessary but very thematic. ¡°And how would you describe it. According to sources you have recently been promoted to lieutenant and claimed the title of Brian the Barber after starting a trend of collecting the red hair of a defeated Red Wrath member, specifically capturing and humiliating them rather than killing them.¡± ¡°Not, one more, word.¡± Brian threatened, pointing his blade at the newcomer on their phone. R4 immediately laughed. ¡°What are you, some kind of media?¡± ¡°Yes, we¡¯re reporting a story on increasing sightings of shadowy monsters within the undercity.¡± ¡°The Scath?¡± R4 asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t those normal? I¡¯ve run into them a few times down here, more often than the Dimdwell now that I think about it.¡± ¡°And you make it a point to be in the undercity Ms¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not tellin¡¯ ya my name while y¡¯re recordin¡¯.¡± R4 replied. ¡°And more than I like. There are gigs down there that allow me to pay my rent for a month in just a day or two, but it¡¯s dangerous. From what I can tell the Scath are built around bits of tech.¡± She fumbled in her bag for a few moments and pulled out the remains. ¡°This came out a¡¯ some kind a¡¯ coyote thing, nasty dog killin¡¯ varmit. It looks like a Mitian desk top plugged into a Lok-1 leg, not a full set, just the section corresponding to the femur. It¡¯s not even plugged into right, looks like some gonk just welded two things together and animated it with techno-necromancy.¡± ¡°Techno-necromancy, that really flows off the tongue. Can I quote you on that?¡± ¡°That is not a technical term, I just stole it from a video game.¡± By the time the doors opened R4 was off like a shot, nearly bowling over the dozen blue steel gang members waiting at the top. A few reached for their weapons before the leader spoke up. ¡°Don¡¯t bother with this one, she¡¯s not one of them.¡± ¡°She¡¯s got red hair boss.¡± One of the Blue Steel spoke up. ¡°There¡¯s 12 of us and 1 of her, can¡¯t just let the Red Wrath walk on our territory.¡± Immediately the rest of the Blue Steel started to announce their intent, a roiling cloud of anger and violence. ¡°Say, y¡¯all ever seen what happens when a tier 2 power weapon meets tier one flesh?¡± R4 spoke quietly, but loud enough that Barber could hear. As she spoke her horns flared with green fire. She immediately extended her claws, which glowed with a lambent green flame just out of the view of the mob but well in the view of Brian. ¡°I just got these fancy tier 2 flaming claws, an¡¯ I¡¯m itchin¡¯ ta¡¯ use ¡®em, but that kid looks 16 if that. I¡¯d really rather not hurt a bunch a¡¯ kids.¡± ¡°Hey, listen up.¡± Brian called out. ¡°There are turrets in the ceiling and a controller just itching to give the order. You know the rule, no fighting near the elevators.¡± He pointed to R4, ¡°And Red, get out of our territory.¡± R4 could almost hear the ¡°please¡± that he couldn¡¯t say. With a grin she calmly, yet swiftly, left. By the time R4 returned to The Pain Train she had already taken the opportunity to try out her new stomach, several times. It seemed every few blocks she would pick up the scent of something new, and her stomach would growl. ¡°Feels like I haven¡¯t eaten in a week.¡± R4 muttered as she finished off a box of some sort of stir fried noodles. She then ate the box, and the chopsticks, all of which was digested and stored. She eyed the hot dog stand just outside her home, then checked her bank account.
User Rachel ¡°R4¡± Smith Balance incoming/outgoing
109
209 -100 Food
47909 -47700 Cyberware and materials
45909 2000 Dead drops and odd jobs
33509 12400 bounties
32509 1000 Scath parts
32709 -200 Rent
The wince was audible. R4¡¯s phone practically shot into her hand. ¡°Hey Jun, it¡¯s R4.¡± ¡°R4? You have a lot of nerve, ghosting us for a year straight then calling up like nothing happened.¡± ¡°What? A year. I was only supposed to be out a week.¡± She heard snickering in the background. ¡°Very funny chooms, are you at The Pain Train?¡± As she spoke she entered, and immediately saw Hon curling more iron than she had ever seen him work before while Jun watched on. ¡°So, what did I miss?¡± ¡°Hold up, R4?¡± ¡°You got hot.¡± Hon said bluntly. ¡°Did you increase a cup size? What¡¯s your waist now?¡± ¡°Hon that¡¯s rude.¡± Jun interrupted. ¡°Though you look a lot better. Tier 1 ascension does wonders for body, and you don¡¯t look like you just got out of a Chineric voluntary reeducation camp. The horns and tail are an odd choice though. Cute, but odd. I¡¯m not sure if they make you look older, or younger.¡± R4 turned, and noticed her tail had been swaying gently for quite some time. She ran a hand through her horns, and found that now that she was up in the city proper they were feeding her several radio signals that she had been ignoring. ¡°Bleedin¡¯ havoc.¡± With a thought her tail wrapped around her, looking more like a belt. ¡°Forgot that was there, that¡¯s goin¡¯ ta take some getting used to.¡± Eager to change the topic she stammered, ¡°What¡¯s been goin¡¯ on in th¡¯ week I missed?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been living in interesting times. Brain-Drain Studios just released a new film, and it brought in over three billion credits on the opening weekend, while also bashing the fictional Jupiter Corp. Of course the very real Mars Corporation isn¡¯t happy about it, so some unaffiliated gangsters are getting paid to visit those theaters, and if some stuff gets trashed that¡¯s the cost of doing business.¡± ¡°The Iron hands have been quiet, which means the Bronze Beasts have been rampaging. I heard a Golden Feather made a real mess in a tier 3 zone, but got put down hard by a paladin. Caused over 5 billion in damages and a major shortage in protein supplements.¡± Hon said begrudgingly. ¡°There have been six cyberpsycho attacks in the last seven days. They¡¯ve all been put down by the same team, specifically a paladin.¡± R4 had a sinking feeling as Hon put down his weights, took out his phone, and showed her a video of Issac dropping thirty meters out of the sky and nearly bisecting a man so chromed out he looked almost like a freight lifter. Of course, seeing as he was so chromed out, he promptly threw a punch right back at Issac that sent him flying into a wall. The fight went on for another three minutes before Issac took the guy¡¯s head off. He then raised his blade to declare the city safe once again. ¡°And to the Lady of The Lake, still do I seek you!¡± R4 immediately turned red and with a gesture turned off the phone. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of attacks.¡± R4 commented, trying to suppress how much she was blushing. ¡°Normally there¡¯s 1 per week at most, there¡¯s a few gigs asking for investigators to look into it, but the pay is trash tier and they want you to go into the undercity. Rumor has it some new drug is behind it, but there are new drugs coming up all the time so who knows.¡± Jun paused, noticing R4¡¯s expression. ¡°Hey, something up?¡± ¡°No, nothing wrong.¡± R4 lied. ¡°Wait¡­ didn¡¯t you encounter a tier 2 paladin just two weeks ago? What was his name again?¡± ¡°And changing the topic,¡± R4 was now beet red. ¡°My ascension wiped out my account, I need work fast.¡± ¡°Sure, your average ascension costs about half a mil¡­ I¡¯m assuming you didn¡¯t use a traditional method though? With all the stuff you were buying, I figured you were going through some non-traditional ascension. Are you a warlock now?¡± [[SPEAK NOT MY NAME]] The image flashed over R4¡¯s eyes, both her ravager and human eyes. ¡°Well, it was a little experimental. I had ta¡¯ make my own facilities fer¡¯ the process, and had ta¡¯ prepare certain cybernetics ta¡¯ handle the load a¡¯ th¡¯ process.¡± Jun and Hon looked at her with a worried expression. ¡°You need to see a ripper.¡± Jun replied matter-of-factly. ¡°I don¡¯t know what process you used, but no legitimate corporation would work like that. The fact your ascension happened in the undercity rather than a reputable ascension facility only cements the fact it was not done legitimately.¡± He saw the question on R4¡¯s lips. ¡°I checked with contacts at all the major clinics after you hadn¡¯t come back for five days, none of them even paused when I offered a bribe for your info. If you were there, someone would have at least considered it. I know my contacts¡¯ tells. Since you¡¯re not a pile of bargain basement parts I¡¯m presuming you worked with an AI. Do you know their name?¡± ¡°Per th¡¯ terms a¡¯ our agreement, I can¡¯t say it, though I do know it. Also I can¡¯t jus¡¯ go to a ripper, I¡¯m broke an¡¯ y¡¯all don¡¯t have universal health care remember? I need some work that pays quick so I kin make rent. I jus¡¯ made tier 1 and I¡¯ve got 3D in technology so I¡¯m hopin¡¯ ya¡¯ got somethin¡¯.¡± ¡°You only have 3? Which technology? I thought your aptitude was 4?¡± Jun looked a bit surprised as he took out his phone and started taking notes ¡°It¡¯s 5D, an¡¯ 3D in the skill.¡± R4 scratched her head at Jun¡¯s relieved look. ¡°Is that bad?¡± ¡°Well first, don¡¯t go telling people you have 3D in technology. If someone does ask about a specific skill you add the base stat on top of the skill, so in your case 8D. Second, having a higher aptitude than ranks in the skill is a red flag and will get you put on a warlock watch list. Third, which technology? Are we talking vehicle technology, basic technology, cyberware, medical technology?¡± ¡°I have a different skill for medicine, that¡¯s at 3D, or 8D, as well. I¡¯m guessing basic tech, since I don¡¯t have any others, but my contact says my list is compressed so I might have more. I kin remember how all a¡¯ my cyberware went in, an¡¯ could probably fix any part that¡¯s busted, so it might have that too.¡± ¡°In that case, I think I¡¯ve got just the job.¡± Within moments he was dialing, then he paused. ¡°Quick question, are you any good at fighting?¡± ¡°I mean, I¡¯d prefer not ta¡¯, but I¡¯ve got a tier 0 pistol an¡¯ some tier 1 scratchers.¡± R4 extended her claws, though did not ignite them.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯ll be fine.¡± The gig was not far away by rail, and R4¡¯s keys to the kingdom ensured she had no trouble getting there. She had taken the time to change into more work like clothes, an orange work shirt and heavy duty jeans, and her carryall bulging with tools let the world know exactly what she was up to. To her partial surprise her jacket had finally arrived apparently having gotten lost somewhere before being delivered. A gang eyed her as she rode, but decided she wasn¡¯t worth the effort. She arrived at the first theater finding several cones up around a smashed out glass doorway. R4 checked her phone as she stepped in, noticing there was already a cue for the movies. ¡°Excuse me, I¡¯m looking for Cam Bolzish.¡± R4 asked an attendant. ¡°Busy,¡± The attendant replied. R4 noticed each of the attendants wore matching red vests with black pants or skirts and a dark shirt. ¡°Check the main office.¡± She pointed, and R4 immediately saw the place. As she walked R4 noticed how small the theater was. Yet despite the cramped ceiling and bare concrete walls it was covered with posters of different movies. The classics, Old Y3ller, Tit4nic, and St4r W4rs were all present, and tweaked enough to avoid copyright. Newer films also appeared, ¡°The Perfect Day¡± was the most prominent Mind ¡®Scape film, though ¡°Chainsaw Nightmare 45¡± was very prominent in the eyes only theater. R4 noted that the Mind ¡®Scape version only had 1 person waiting for the doors to open, a heavyset man carrying a very large drink. ¡°How¡¯s he going ta drink that if he¡¯s in a Mind ¡®Scape?¡± R4 wondered as she made her way to the door marked ¡°Manager¡¯s office.¡± It opened at her touch revealing a woman in a similar uniform to the attendants, save it had black stripes on the shoulders of the vest and a badge that said Manager. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m,¡± ¡°The tech right?¡± the manager spoke, putting a hand to the phone she was talking to. ¡°Hold on a sec,¡± She spoke into the phone. ¡°Theaters 3-5 were attacked, the cameras were damaged, fix them. Blitz, Get over here!¡± An attendant perked up and ran over. ¡°See that the tech gets the parts she needs, they should be in the back.¡± ¡°But,¡± ¡°No buts.¡± She went back to her phone. ¡°I¡¯m back, yes, profits will take a hit but, no we can¡¯t do that. My team is already stretched as thin,¡± And she was gone. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m R4. There are projectors that need fixing?¡± R4 asked. ¡°Yeah, follow me. Not like I have a hundred other things to do.¡± Blitz replied. ¡°I¡¯m Blitz.¡± He quickly showed R4 through a locked door, which her keys to the kingdom immediately copied the digital key to. ¡°Don¡¯t come down to the main entryway unless you absolutely have to. This door locks and I don¡¯t have time to be playing doorman all day.¡± ¡°Got it. Busy day?¡± ¡°Some psycho got inside and smashed a bunch of projectors and beat up a bunch of our folks. Ms. Personality down there called me in on my day off and I¡¯m supposed to handle the work of 3 people plus help you.¡± ¡°No standbys?¡± Blitz looked at her like she was nuts. ¡°Never mind. This it?¡± What stood before her was a broken tripod and a heavy box with a broken cylinder and lens. She gingerly reached out to touch the box, and it opened revealing wires and a cracked circuit board. ¡°What happened here?¡± ¡°Some punk with more chrome than brains came in and punted the projector.¡± Blitz pointed to the wall, which R4 saw was badly cracked tier 1 concrete. She eyed the projector, finding the shell was tier 0, but some components were tier 1. ¡°This thing is a patch job of tier 1 and tier 0 components, I have no idea who managed to piece this together.¡± With a gesture R4¡¯s tool arm opened up, dozens of bony insectoid legs extending each bearing a different tool, ¡°But I kin¡¯ hardly wait ta¡¯ find out.¡± With that R4 got to work. The machine was too delicate to risk welding anything, but she quickly figured out how to apply osteoblasts to get it to work. ¡°Hey Red, do you think tier 1 osteoblasts are going to be a problem on tier 0 circuits?¡± ¡°This will use one of your questions for the day. Are you sure you would like to ask a question you already know the answer to?¡± ¡°Fine, be that way.¡± R4 replied, getting back to work. She quickly chewed a few copper bits, telekinetic sheaths protecting her teeth from the metal, and routed them to her tool arm, allowing her to print a weld that was could carry current along a small path without allowing the current to propagate over the rest of the board. ¡°Wires without plastic or rubber, handy.¡± Fixing the board took a bit of time, and refitting it within the machine took a bit more. She appropriated a spare lens to replace the cracked one and replaced the heat exchanging fan with one made from bone impregnated with thermovore cells so that the whole structure wouldn¡¯t go hungry as quickly. ¡°If a normal fix lasts a year I can only hope this fix will hold a bit longer. Wouldn¡¯t want my reputation to sink ¡®cause I had ta¡¯ use less than standard parts.¡± Finally, R4 sealed the outer casing and eyed the device. The black plastic projector now sported several bone white cracks. ¡°It¡¯s like kintsugi.¡± She paused. ¡°but with bone. Wonder if I can add gold to it to make it look pretty. Oh well, guess that¡¯s fer¡¯ th¡¯ next one.¡± To test it she turned on the projector and a moment later the screen was alight with the previews. It took a few minutes for Blitz to find her, during which R4 stuck around to make sure the projector wasn¡¯t going to blow up or grow teeth and eat someone¡¯s cat. The next projector was in slightly better shape, though R4 did have to swap out a power cable that had snapped. Just as she was finishing Blitz burst into the room. ¡°Tech, we have an emergency. One of the Mind ¡®Scape machines has begun to malfunction.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that was in th¡¯ agreement.¡± R4 examined her work order on her phone. ¡°There isn¡¯t time, those folks are going to die if you don¡¯t fix it. ¡°That really seems like bad practice, but I¡¯ll take a look.¡± It took only a few moments for R4 to arrive, yet what she saw was a mess of wires, many of them taped over. A dozen people were hooked into reclined chairs, all of them wearing some a Mind ¡®Scape wreath and hooked into a towering machine that could be mistaken for a pillar. Countless red lights adorned the monstrosity. ¡°What is this thing?¡± R4 asked even as the answer flowed into her mind. The Mind ¡®Scape used a connection with the eyes as well as other neural ports to put the user into REM state allowing them to feel as if they were inside the film. ¡°What film are they in?¡± ¡°A perfect day.¡± ¡°So pull them out. Worst case they think they¡¯re livin¡¯ their best day fer¡¯ a few hours an¡¯ then wake up.¡± Not unlike the gamers who thought they were pirates during Smiley¡¯s little fun. ¡°If I try to fix this and cross a wire the feedback could do long term damage.¡± ¡°You were hired to fix things, so fix them.¡± R4 eyed him, and yanked the power cord. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing. Immediately the folks in the reclined chairs stopped convulsing. One sat up, ¡°Hey, this isn¡¯t the Kitten forest.¡± ¡°Easy folks, easy. Had a bit of a malfunction with the Mind ¡®Scape tower, fer¡¯ y¡¯re own safety had ta¡¯ shut th¡¯ thing down.¡± R4 immediately opened her bag but before she could do anything a voice stopped her ¡°Jamie, what are you doing?¡± An angry voice yelled. ¡°Are you messing with the Mind ¡®Scape tower?¡± ¡°It was red lining.¡± ¡°They signed the forms, if they die they die. If we do something then we¡¯re at fault.¡± Her cybernetic eyes glowed red and tiny skulls appeared over the pupils as she stared holes into R4. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m th¡¯ tech y¡¯all hired. This machine was ¡®bout ta¡¯ burn through these folks¡¯ retinas, can¡¯t be havin¡¯ that. Yer¡¯ friend here got me jus¡¯ before 12 payin¡¯ customers turned ta¡¯ 12 negligence lawsuits.¡± ¡°You are the tech R4. Affecting this technology is a breech of your contract. A fine will be placed against you accordingly.¡± ¡°You what?¡± Immediately the entire room went cold. ¡°By what right do y¡¯all jus¡¯ get ta¡¯ decide that?¡± ¡°I am the assistant manager and I make the rules. Now get out of here before I have the NGPD throw you in a cell for trespassing.¡± And with that she wandered off. ¡°Wait, did we almost die?¡± One of the theater goers asked. ¡°That¡¯s not cool dude.¡± R4 grit her teeth, claws out. With a single lunge she could cleave the woman¡¯s head right from her shoulders, it wouldn¡¯t even be difficult. She was tier 0 and so assured of her self that she wouldn¡¯t be expecting it. ¡°That¡¯s a bad idea.¡± R4 retracted her blades with a sigh and took out her phone as she walked out. The entry to the theater was crowded and loud from a lot of overlapping voices. ¡°Hey Jun, I got fired.¡± ¡°Fired? How? What happened?¡± R4 ducked under a bucket of popcorn someone had thrown. The voices were picking up, and she heard several complaints about wait time. ¡°While I was fixing a projector one of the workers came in a rush telling me a Mind ¡®Scape was malfunctioning. I had to unplug it so it wouldn¡¯t zap the viewers, and the assistant manager fired me.¡± ¡°Did you take pictures?¡± R4 quickly thought about it, she could almost picture the scene. In her head she heard a click, and her phone beeped as it received an image of the pillar in its state. She sent it to Jun. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of red. Ok, so I¡¯ll have to look over the work order again, but I¡¯m pretty sure you¡¯re not supposed to touch anything that¡¯s not a projector. So yeah, you messed up, but it happens. You won¡¯t be the first gig worker to get thrown under the bus, won¡¯t be the last.¡± ¡°Sorry. I just, I guess I couldn¡¯t let those people get fried. All I did was unplug the machine. It¡¯s not damaged or anything, and the viewers are fine I think.¡± ¡°I get it. That¡¯s the thing about gigs, lots of times someone will ask you to do something above and beyond the gig¡¯s specifications and unless they¡¯re willing to amend the details you never want to do that. There are a lot of clauses and sub-clauses within the gigs, protections for both you and the person you¡¯re working for. That¡¯s why you go through a fixer, so I can handle that stuff. Let¡¯s call this a loss and write it off. You won¡¯t get paid, but they also won¡¯t fine you for meddling.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not fair, I fixed two of their projectors. I¡¯m out time, effort, and materials.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t the theocracy R4, fair doesn¡¯t come into it. Best thing we can do is move on. I¡¯m closing the gig and marking down what happened. Probably nothing will come of it, but that¡¯s life some times. Got another similar gig. Make sure you read the details carefully ok? No going off scope.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± R4 paused, as the important looking woman who had been on her phone before stopped her. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Two more projectors just broke, I need you to,¡± ¡°Hold up.¡± R4 felt her claws come out. ¡°First ya¡¯ fire me, now you want me to do more work pro bono? I ain¡¯t havin¡¯ it.¡± ¡°Fired, no, what?¡± ¡°Yer¡¯ assistant manager jus¡¯ fired me without a lick a¡¯ pay fer what I did. I¡¯m gone.¡± R4 snapped. She actually managed to make it a block before the tears started falling. ¡°I¡¯m not cryin¡¯,¡± ¡°Easy R4, it¡¯s fine. You just have some excess hormones I¡¯m getting rid of. Why a brain eating isopod creates stress hormones I¡¯m not sure. Probably a holdover that it took when it copied your brain. I¡¯m pretty sure you have a hormone blocker within the rabbit cyberware. Want me to see if I can filter those hormones out through sweat or¡­ something else?¡± R4 considered. ¡°No, leave it as is.¡± She took a moment, sitting on a bench. ¡°Red, if I tell you something, are you going to tell anyone else?¡± She took out her phone so it looked as if she was on a call. ¡°Is this your first question?¡± She scoffed, letting of a choked sob. ¡°I still report to Mara, but I suppose I can misplace a few moments of data.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± She paused. ¡°I, I can¡¯t put it into words.¡± She sat just kind of processing. She trilled some complex stream of thought, dozens of gigabites of nonsense over the course of five seconds. It took a moment to parse, but was deceptively simple for all its complexity. ¡°You¡¯re hurting because you got told off for doing the right thing. No, worse, it was regarding your abilities as a tech. You were asked to go above and beyond and you did it because that¡¯s what the technocracy expects.¡± ¡°More than expects, it¡¯s a big part of who we are. All for one, love thy neighbor like the good book says. We even have these little chips that help with that.¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± ¡°I took mine out when I came here. Too much risk of it gettin¡¯ abused.¡± ¡°Then let me take a moment to reassure you, you made the right call based on your understanding. The Mind ¡®Scape system uses a lot of electricity to manipulate a very delicate part of the human body. If you hadn¡¯t acted those people could have been badly hurt. At best that woman was being an idiot. More likely she was on a power trip and was flat out wrong. Those sort dig their own graves, it just takes forever for them to fall in. Put her out of your mind, for she is already dead.¡± She received a text for the next gig, and this time read the instructions very carefully. She noted she was explicitly not to touch any Mind Scape machines. This theater was the same size, same layout, practically the same theater right down to the angry people raising their voices in line. The only difference was this one had a large apartment complex that shared a wall next to it to it while the previous one was free standing R4 quickly found an attendant, yet she was already mobbed by half a dozen angry customers. R4 quickly stepped past her, no one stopping her advance, as she made it to the manager¡¯s office. ¡°What?¡± A heavyset balding man in a red vest with black stripes exclaimed. R4 saw he already had 4 calls waiting on the phone he left on his desk, and two other phones ringing. ¡°Tech, here to fix up the projectors.¡± ¡°Great, Hitchcock, get over here!¡± And so R4 spent the entire day fixing up projectors. She quickly noticed that the machines tended to be damaged in the same way, someone had taken a blunt object to the casing and sent the entire machine flying into the wall. A few times the wall was still damaged where it had struck, though one projector room was already pretty heavily damaged. ¡°The manager has a nervous condition.¡± Her liaison, a man in a red vest named Stevie K, explained. R4 eyed the wall, covered with long claw marks. ¡°So, we lock him in here whenever he gets uppity.¡± ¡°And he lets you?¡± R4 asked. She eyed the steel door with an enormous bar lock. ¡°You know, I¡¯m going to have to disable that before I get to work.¡± ¡°How?¡± Within 5 seconds R4 had a layer of bone over the bolt so it could not engage. ¡°Oh.¡± Yet despite her fears R4 had no problem with the theater in subsector 8 or Wildside to the locals. She stopped to get a snack at a place called the Bunny Shack. The woman working the stand wore a pair of bunny ears and a black shirt and pants, and quickly served up an odd bread bowl full of curry. R4 thought about asking, but the woman had already moved on to the next customer as she ate.
User Rachel ¡°R4¡± Smith Balance incoming/outgoing
1219
1244 -25 Food (bunny shack)
844 400 Theater repair work/hush money subsector 8
664 180 Theater repair work
484 195 Theater repair work
289 220 Theater repair work
109 180 Theater repair work
¡°I¡¯m just now realizing, rent is pretty reasonable at The Pain train, though it¡¯s cramped.¡± R4 mused while eating. She quickly devoured the bunny. ¡°Hmmm, imitation rabbit meat, lots of rice, oh, shoot. That¡¯s hot.¡± She quickly found the drink which came with the meal and downed half of it. She carefully consumed the rest, and two additional bottles of the odd yogurt milk drink the woman gladly sold her, as well as half a dozen others who also underestimated the dish. Each one was five credits, but they were well spent. ¡°Well that explains how she makes money on this.¡± R4 muttered as she eyed the three bottles of drink, before consuming them. All three were made from a sort of waxed paper, which her new stomach had no trouble consuming though she did receive a few looks over it. As she finished off the plate and eyed the plastic fork she got another call. ¡°Howdy y¡¯all¡± ¡°Hey R4, you¡¯re cool with the Deep Fish right?¡± ¡°Um, maybe? I don¡¯t think they hate me or anythin¡¯.¡± R4 replied. ¡°I have a contact named Zephyr I should probably meet up with¡­ shoot.¡± R4 put her head in her hands. ¡°What? What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°I forgot to call my mom, she called over the week I was under and I never got back to her.¡± R4 took a deep breath. ¡°Red, set a reminder to call her at 2400. So what¡¯s going on with subsection 6?¡± ¡°Same as before, a theater got hit by a solo with suspiciously new Mars Corporation gear. Problem is, I already sent one tech in there who fixed what he could, and things broke again. Either Tyson ¡°The Torque¡± is losing his touch, or the solo broke back in and broke everything again. Details attached.¡± Rather than reading the detailed text R4 had it translated into resonant, which caused her to wince as the glaringly bright image of the theater dropped into her mind. ¡°Ok, ow. Red, is there a way to not make heavy contrasting images hurt?¡± ¡°I could look into it, might take some time. Would you like to use exp or ATP for it?¡± ¡°I can do that?¡± ¡°Exp is owed computing time. You don¡¯t have much, but a routine that softens contrast wouldn¡¯t take much. You could also spend ATP tonight to lucid dream about the topic, though I am not certain how much progress you¡¯d make.¡± ¡°What about exp from mundane tasks, like the¡­¡± R4 checked her phone, ¡°30 aptitude I¡¯ve gained from fixing these machines.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that can be used, maybe. We¡¯ll circle back on that.¡± It took R4 about half an hour to make it to subsection 6. She glanced one last time at the setting sun before it was cut off by the sprawl. Shortly she saw the ever present neon and glowing paints that marked The Deep Side. As she got off the train she immediately noticed a group of Deep Fish eyeing the car, their luminescent paint and glowing implants marking them as part of the gang. R4 instinctively identified the most heavily chromed one, a tall man with mechanical arms re-skinned to resemble the inky black flesh of deep sea fish and bearing several seemingly bio luminescent lights, as tier 1 while the rest were tier 0. Noticing one of his fellows step forwards she immediately approached, drawing their gaze. ¡°Are your lights bio-luminescent, or just designed ta¡¯ look that way?¡± The man fixed her with a flat gaze. ¡°Eh, never mind. Have a nice day.¡± R4 replied, walking off towards her destination. ¡°What was that about?¡± She heard one of the Deep Fish ask. ¡°R4, I echo the sentiment. Why did you do that?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ya¡¯ think some lights would be a nice touch?¡± R4 asked, switching to resonant so she wouldn¡¯t be overheard. ¡°Maybe a strip a¡¯ lights on my arms so I kin light up dark tunnels or engine blocks. Wouldn¡¯t even need somebody ta¡¯ hold my flashlight. ¡°It¡¯s your body, but you can see in the dark and if you need light you can conjure flames.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want ta¡¯ conjure flames if I¡¯m workin¡¯ on a car engine.¡± R4 pointed out. ¡°An¡¯ that dark vision doesn¡¯t work with colors, an¡¯ when I¡¯m tryin ta¡¯ work on cables colors are important.¡± She continued on silently, before arriving at the theater. ¡°Well, at least they have a sense of drama.¡± Perhaps once the theater had been a normal boxy building, but it no longer was something so simple. Whoever had created it must have spent a fortune painting it like some manner of deep sea squid, and enormous eye staring across the street at the buildings across from it, the nearest of which appeared to be some sort of sporting arena based on the signage. Long tendrils stretched out from the building, reaching down the sidewalk as if to grasp and reel in passerby. The entrance awning was made to look like an enormous beak and studded with shimmering and shifting lights. Outside an attendant dressed in a stylish black uniform studded with lights was trying to keep things under control. ¡°Somebody call fer a tech?¡± R4 asked. ¡°Good, Jel, the tech is here.¡± Quickly another attendant, a young woman with long blue and red hair that seemed to sway like a jellyfish¡¯s tendrils arrived and ushered R4 into the theater. R4 immediately noticed this theater was a bit different. The lights were dimmer for one, replacing the bright overhead lights with wall mounted glowing lights. Small projectors near the walls projected a dancing blue light up the walls giving an appearance of flowing water. ¡°Good, you¡¯re here. Come on, have half a dozen cameras that got smashed up and the Mind ¡®Scape machine just went on the fritz.¡± ¡°Woah woah woah, the contract said nothing about Mind ¡®Scape machines. I¡¯m not breaking my contract over scope creep.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s the other tech who does those, well come on, still have half a dozen,¡± A scream of anger erupted from a distant section of the theater, ¡°Make that seven cameras that need fixing.¡± A stream of curses began resounding from the far side of the theater. ¡°Maybe start with that one.¡± ¡°Yeah, sounds preem¡¯.¡± R4 quickly got to work, prioritizing the camera that had the screaming and cursing man in it. She shot a quick look inside, and found that half the audience had small glowing parts, either in their clothing or in their cyberware. Though she couldn¡¯t tell exactly, she could sense at least three tier 1 individuals, though there could have been more if they were in groups. Examining the camera she found that, while it had a few dents in the metal casing, it was not actually badly damaged save for the cord. She quickly unscrewed the mount, replaced the cord with one of the spare parts from her bag, and nothing happened. R4 examined the device again, tapping it a few times, before closing her eyes and probing it with her telekinesis. Immediately her horns began to tingle. She could feel the projector, as if every surface was beneath her fingers. She could feel how it was put together, and she almost felt as if she could read the intent of the last person to work on it. She quickly disassembled the power input and found a tiny spike that, while it would do nothing initially, had a tiny spring that would push an insulator in the way should anyone remove the old power cable and attempt to insert a new one. ¡°That¡¯s just plain mean spirited.¡± R4 muttered, ripping it out with telekinesis and reassembling the device. As she turned it on it projected a message onto the screen. ¡°Please connect with servers and set up your account?¡± She eyed the thing, and her horns buzzed. She stepped out of the projector room, her keys to the kingdom subversion making a digital copy as she did. All around her the theater was packed. She quickly found an attendant and was directed to Jel. As she approached Jel was trying to resolve a dispute with a heavyset man carrying half a bag of pop corn. R4 immediately noted that, while he was wearing a tee shirt and shorts, both were emblazoned with the Lok-1 brand and the weave of the shirt appeared a bit too visible for it to be mundane material. Her horns immediately picked up that it was a tier 1 tee shirt, something that would likely sell for over 1000 credits despite looking simple. Despite his bald head and paunch R4 noticed his skin was oddly devoid of wrinkles or imperfections. A subtle show of wealth, only visible to the wearer. ¡°Look lady, I wanted to enjoy popcorn with my movie.¡± He gestured towards the theater. ¡°No movie, and now my popcorn is half gone. I want more, so I can enjoy the movie I paid for.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not how it works.¡± ¡°Yes it is,¡± Immediately R4¡¯s horns buzzed as the man began to power up some manner of cyberware, his MESH changing from tier 0 to tier 1. His arm opened up, revealing some sort of large blade. What had appeared as normal human flesh opened to reveal a complex array of wires and hydraulics that provided a praying mantis style blades ¡°It is because I say it is. Do you have any idea who I am?¡± ¡°An¡¯ I¡¯m a¡¯ stop ya¡¯ there.¡± R4 butted in, placing her long sharp claws on the oh so delicate wires that controlled his arm, helpfully exposed in its current format. ¡°This here¡¯s a family venue, an¡¯ if ya¡¯ start choppin¡¯ up th¡¯ workers we¡¯re goin¡¯ ta¡¯ have ta¡¯ call in th¡¯ cyberpsycho squad an¡¯ yer¡¯ never going ta¡¯ see yer¡¯ film.¡± She put on her best smile, which bore many needle like fangs as her isopod pushed its legs through her gums giving her a second set of needle teeth outside her regular teeth. ¡°An¡¯ seein¡¯ that yer¡¯ such a big shot with Lok-1 that would cause so much trouble fer¡¯ everyone, especially with what¡¯s already goin¡¯ on. So why don¡¯t ya¡¯ go back ta¡¯ yer¡¯ seat, we¡¯re goin¡¯ ta¡¯ have the movie up an¡¯ runnin¡¯ in a bit, k? Would be horrible ta¡¯ miss the beginnin¡¯, right?¡± ¡°R-right.¡± R4 let go and the man smoothed his shirt and walked back to the theater with just a bit more vigor than was strictly required. ¡°Y¡¯all alright?¡± R4 asked, and Jel nodded. ¡°Good. I got one a¡¯ the projectors up, but it needs some sort a¡¯ authorization code. Ya¡¯ happen ta¡¯ have it?¡± ¡°Well, can you, bypass it?¡± R4 tilted her head in response, ¡°My boss Lun has the codes, and I haven¡¯t been able to reach her all day.¡± ¡°You¡¯re askin¡¯ a lot. This isn¡¯t like a Webflix account, mechanical licenses are serious business. Maybe I could access a working projector and try a copy paste to get it up and running? Technically that¡¯s beyond scope. I¡¯m just here for physical repairs, that¡¯s more manager level.¡± She paused, thinking. ¡°I could bypass it, but you¡¯d void several warranties.¡± She took out her phone and tapped a few options Jun had told her about just in case. ¡°Sign here.¡± ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°I can bypass things, like you said, but I¡¯d need a representative ta¡¯ sign off. Can¡¯t be makin¡¯ changes ta¡¯ the agreement without all parties involved. Since yer¡¯ boss isn¡¯t about I guess yer¡¯ th¡¯ contact fer¡¯ now.¡± ¡°Ok, just get it done.¡± She put her finger on the phone, and the deal was signed. R4 smiled, and got back to work. Replacing the first projector¡¯s chip with one made from bone was simple and easy. Admittedly it would only work for a year or so, but it would get the job done. The second projector had some different damage, someone had stuck gum into the heat exchange and it had gotten baked in there. A little cleaning and the projector was fit as a fiddle. The next one someone had taken a baseball bat to, yet the tier 1 material had held up and only a few wires within had been knocked loose. Another hour¡¯s work had E4 finished with her project. She was quickly directed towards a back office and offered some water. ¡°So looks like I¡¯m about done, if there¡¯s nothin¡¯ else?¡± ¡°Actually, do you mind sticking around another hour?¡± Jel asked. E4 got a ping as a new job appeared. ¡°I¡¯m a bit concerned that the gangster who broke everything is hiding in the crowd, and if he breaks stuff again I want it fixed ASAP. I¡¯ll pay you 30 credits an hour just to stay on call.¡± E4 took a deep sip of the water as she thought it over, a tiny notice in her HUD informing her that she had just collected 20 mg of several base metals as well as 40 mg of microplastics which would be moved to her tool arm. ¡°Dang, going ta¡¯ need some new kidneys. Sure, I could use a break. Any place specific ya¡¯ want me?¡± ¡°Hey Jel, projector 3 just went on the fritz again.¡± ¡°How about this, just stay in the projector room and watch the film, I¡¯ll text you. Say, 100 credits per projector.¡± And so began R4¡¯s game of whack a mole. She¡¯d fix a projector, watch the movie, then be called to another room to fix another projector. Most of them were playing a movie P¡¯sy op On Jupiter Pr1me, which despite her efforts she couldn¡¯t quite get into. Part of that was the fact she kept jumping from one theater to the other, so missed a lot of details. The fact she was watching from the large open window that the projector shone through and could not hear what was being said didn¡¯t help. Another was the female lead, and her constant lack of shirt. She was pretty enough, in the photoshopped way that Tier 1 and 2 people tended to be, but it ruined the immersion. R4 quickly noticed a lot of the characters, despite working on a space station orbiting Jupiter, tended to wear very skimpy outfits when not actively in space gear. One fight scene E4 counted at least 15 instances where wearing pants would have saved the actor from some serious rug burns, but he was wearing these ridiculous red shorts that were clearly designed to show off his thighs more than anything else. ¡°Ok, so I get it¡¯s a movie, an¡¯ I get a tier 1 or 2 agent really would have no trouble with friction,¡± R4 winced as one of the actresses bailed out of a motorcycle and rolled, despite the fact a road on a space station was far less efficient than a tram system, ¡°But you¡¯re supposed ta¡¯ be a pre-ascension agent, why are ya¡¯ ridin¡¯ a motorcycle in skirts and a bra?¡± The next scene cut to her treating her wounds, a gutshot that really needed more than just some bandages and sterilizer, but apparently was a good excuse for her to take off the flimsy excuse she had for a top. ¡°And not a bit a¡¯ road rash ta¡¯ be seen. If this goes into a sex scene,¡± It promptly went into a sex scene, but since the movie was rated PG 13 the camera panned away. Another text called her to another projector, which allowed her to re-watch the scene and see a bit further. Not really interested in that particular scene R4 remembered she had several texts to answer back to. First was to Coach, who she reassured she was coming back and her ascension had just taken longer than she anticipated. Next was, of course, her mom. Seeing as she was in a theater she sent a quick text assuring her mother she was ok, and that she would call her later. Almost immediately she received a text back which made her grimace in guilt. [[Rachel. Hope y¡¯all doin¡¯ nova in the city. Yer¡¯ poppa an¡¯ I R nova-preem. Your uncle and poppa are grillin¡¯ fer the church cookout 2 nite. Have y¡¯all found a church yet? Lots of Love, Mama.]] ¡°Geeze Ma, y¡¯all sure know how ta¡¯ lay on th¡¯ guilt.¡± R4 replied, crossing herself. ¡°Missed Sunday, I¡¯ll have ta¡¯ make it up later. I¡¯ll call her later, with th¡¯ time difference she¡¯s probably asleep ¡®bout now.¡± She checked on the other texts from Issac, and her eyes immediately bulged. ¡°Did he send me a text or an e-mail?¡± [[To the illustrious Lady of the Lake who has granted me salvation even as thou hast stolen my heart. With every beat I am reminded that it is to you I owe this second chance and words cannot express]] R4 kept reading, her brain resetting twice to endure the bombastic nature of his linguistics. The second text was from three days prior. [[To the elusive fairy who chains my heart. In my seeking of you I have found no trace, yet I know that neither God nor the great spirits of Nu¡¯Grav would keep us apart. Still do I seek you. If thou would grace me with a response my heart would burst nay explode in joy.]] She continued reading for a few more lines, raising an eyebrow that he concluded [[My eternal devotion, Issac Graves.]] ¡°Red, is this guy nuts?¡± R4 asked. She quickly looked up his name online, only to find the name was extremely common. She tapped on Stratta, an app that claimed to be the most popular social media app and the only one I had been unable to scrub from her phone without bricking the thing outright, and immediately found him. Seven of him, or seven profiles that claimed to be him. Three used the same profile picture, and four were clearly AI generated while one was more cleverly AI generated. ¡°Huh? Any idea if these are legit?¡± ¡°No idea.¡± Her phone let out a tone like a shattered glass and several images popped up. Each one was her, each suggestively posed, and each wearing less than the one before. ¡°What, no, go back, go back.¡± Her phone let out a low growl as I shunted ATP into it. ¡°Red, what was that?¡± ¡°The phone I gave you is a mix of biotech and a mundane phone. The moment you opened that app it took a picture and used AI to produce several photos for your profile. I turned off the wireless, so they¡¯re trapped on the phone for now. I¡¯ll get rid of them. Tasteless things, you could do much better.¡± Finally R4 read the final text. [[R4, after consideration and taking the advisement of my peers I understand if you do not want to contact me. Our meeting, while I took it as Heaven Ordained, was unusual. If you wish it, I shall not contact you again. Also sorry for kidnapping you.]] R4 read the last sentence again and chuckled. ¡°Red, that last phrase could be used as ammunition in court, correct?¡± She received the exact laws and motions she would have to file in order to use it as such in a single second burst of resonant. She pressed a button and saved the message. ¡°Just in case.¡± She picked up her phone, and paused. ¡°What should I say? No prob, kidnap me anytime?¡± ¡°That does come across a little familiar, though you did sleep next to him and tend to his wounds. Maybe you should invite him to a first date in a public place? Of course remember that I am being biased since Mara wants you to befriend him.¡± ¡°And you can mess with my brain chemistry so I can¡¯t trust my emotions around him either.¡± R4 thought a bit more. [[To the esteemed Issac Graves, y¡¯all need ta¡¯ calm down. My friends have already been teasing me about your dedications ta¡¯ Th¡¯ Lady of th¡¯ Lake.]] She paused, thinking what to say, ¡°That comes off a bit harsh doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°A bit, though dedicating the destruction of several cyberpsychos to a woman you met twice is a bit extreme, I think. I¡¯m not human, I¡¯ve never dated a human.¡± ¡°I mean, in biblical times King David slew 200 enemies of his father in law and brought their foreskins to him in exchange for his first daughter, but yes that¡¯s a bit extreme.¡± R4 considered. ¡°Hey Red, while I was out there were some archived conversations I heard. Were those real, or just dreams? Specifically the one about Harris saying you have to speak Issac¡¯s language.¡± ¡°They were real, Mara¡¯s reach is constantly waxing and waning.¡± R4 stretched, ¡°Here goes,¡± [[Yet thy bravery has reached me, even if I know no more than that. If I have found a measure of thy patience I would like to meet at a later date. Perhaps a date that involves less bloodshed and ends not with us held in the grips of medically induced comas. Perhaps a round a¡¯ mini-golf or a movie, those are date things in th¡¯ big city right? That is, if you are still so inclined. I ask thy indulgence in my prolonged silence, for I was engaged in a period of revision to overcome a thorn within mine flesh. I hope ta¡¯ hear from y¡¯all soon.]] She reread her words. ¡°Did I lay it on too thick?¡± ¡°Looks good to me.¡± R4 sent the message. After a few more cameras malfunctioned she finally she took a break to stop by the bathroom. As she returned the smell of popcorn made her stomach growl. She eyed the prices, and immediately winced. ¡°Nope, not that hungry¡­ wait.¡± A popping sound followed by a DING echoed in her head. ¡°That¡¯s not funny Red, wait, hold on.¡± A short black haired figure crossed her sight carrying a bulging messenger bag. ¡°Zephyr?¡± ¡°R4?¡± Zephyr turned to her. For this outing she had gone with simple jeans and a black coat decorated with lumens in the shape of a deep sea dragon. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Fixing projectors. Apparently somebody broke a bunch of them with a bat or something. Seems like a nice place, and no one¡¯s tryin¡¯ ta vamp me inta¡¯ fixin¡¯ somthin¡¯ on th¡¯ cheap. How ¡®bout y¡¯all?¡± She looked both ways conspiratorially before stepping closer. ¡°Delivering popcorn, not the approved stuff.¡± She whispered. ¡°Huh? Why is that a secret?¡± R4 asked, likewise whispering. ¡°The newest blend out of RITE crops burns really badly and the genetic patents on WildFarms? produces some bad smells that kill sales unless you have the right filters on your popcorn machines, which are really expensive. Mitian and Gentek are fighting over a patent so good luck getting anything from them. This is the good stuff, highly against patent laws.¡± ¡°And they¡¯re sure charging for it.¡± R4 gestured towards the price list. ¡°Well it¡¯s the good stuff, it¡¯s worth it.¡± She smiled. ¡°I would know.¡± She noticed Jel approaching. ¡°Hey Jel, where¡¯s the boss?¡± ¡°Wish I knew Zephyr, I¡¯ll take that though.¡± They tapped phones and Zephyr handed over her messenger bag while Jel gave her an identical, though empty, bag. ¡°R4 you¡¯ve been here 6 hours, and I think whoever¡¯s been breaking our projectors must have gone home by now. If you want to see Zephyr home I¡¯m sure her mom would appreciate it.¡± ¡°We just got a bumper crop of corn, I could set you up with some.¡± R4 heard the words, yet something seemed off. She heard a Boom and was the entire world seemed to lurch. Fire lit up through her neck and head, as if someone had nailed her with a bunch of red hot pebbles. ¡°EVERYONE DOWN THIS IS A ROBBERY!¡± Immediately there was pandemonium. People ran, people hid, half a dozen drew iron and immediately what had been a nice outing devolved into a shootout. In less than 12 seconds the gunfire stopped, and several bodies joined R4 on the floor. ¡°I doubt I need to say this, but you got hit by a shotgun at close range.¡± ¡°How bad?¡± R4 trilled. ¡°Best guess somewhere between 35 and 60 points of damage.¡± R4 gagged. ¡°T0 damage mind you, which knocked it down pretty far. Wouldn¡¯t have done nearly as much except he practically had the gun to the back of your head. You¡¯re at two wounds.¡± ¡°Ow, surprised I¡¯ve got two wounds left.¡± R4 recognized she was somewhere between shock and ravager toxin induced haze, and for that she was grateful. Should she have been grateful? She suspected it, but recognized her decision making might be compromised to the ever so slight head trauma caused by getting nailed with a shotgun blast to the back of the head. ¡°No, he knocked off two of your tier wounds, you¡¯ve got two left before you get into anything serious.¡± R4 paused, taking that in. ¡°You¡¯ll heal the damage in a minute. Welcome to the world of tier 1.¡± ¡°ALRIGHT LISTEN UP!¡± The hulking borg of a man yelled. E4 tried to be quiet as she peered up at him. The man was dressed in plain tan cargo pants and a tan coat studded with small lights. Yet what initially looked like combat boots were in fact Mars Corporation D3ath Treads, a leg cyberware designed for traction and recoil control. The man¡¯s MESH strength was tier 1, meaning the rest of him probably was too, though he was using a tier 0 shotgun. The man stalked forwards. ¡°Cards out, anyone who doesn¡¯t is getting a rount to the dome like this B****.¡± He leveled his shotgun at Zephyr. ¡°And if anyone thinks I¡¯m not serious,¡± And then the lights went out. Chapter 14: Like Something out of a Movie. Keywords: False Flag, Project: MadCat, Robbery, Theater R4 had nothing to do with the lights going out. It did not come from her, nor did she expect it to happen. On that note, there was nothing stopping her from taking advantage of it. In an instant she was in a crouch, and then exploded forwards in a pounce. She felt her claws go deep, right through a layer of armored coat and into flesh. She heard a curse and heard a click, just before her right eye adjusted to the gloom in time to see a revolver pointed right at her head. She dove down, ripping her claws from the wound, just before a roar of thunder washed over her head. She turned and ran, but not before her tail snaked out to kiss the man goodbye across both his legs. Another shot rang out, wildly striking a wall and leaving a crater the size of a dinner plate. In a desperate attempt R4 reached out and grabbed Zephyr from where she had ducked down, pulling her towards the doors. ¡°Eep!¡± ¡°Shhh, it¡¯s me.¡± R4 whispered as she lifted the woman in her arms like a bride and ran deeper into the theater. Even a casual glance at the entrance revealed it was swarmed with moviegoers trying to get out, and two more men in overcoats drawing weapons that glowed with a sinister red light. She wasn¡¯t sure what the armed man saw, maybe the glint of someone¡¯s phone as they tried to illuminate the exit, maybe he had some manner of optics that let him see in the dark, but when he started firing into the crowd she ran just a bit faster. E4 quickly ducked into one of the theaters, specifically one that happened to have been between shows. With a gesture she pressed a chunk of bone into the door, which opened like an umbrella so the door would not open without a serious blow. She turned back, just in time to see two theater employees look up from the seats. ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to,¡± ¡°Shhh. Active shooter.¡± R4 pointed to the door and the male employee stopped complaining while the female employee went pale and quickly adjusted her shirt. ¡°We need to follow emergency protocols.¡± The male employee spoke up, an obvious tremor in his voice. A low BOOM echoed from the door R4 just came through, either explosives of a very large gun. ¡°The fire escapes, This way.¡± A narrow door blocked their path, the sign above it glowing faintly in the dim light of the theater. The male attendant pushed on it, with no results. ¡°What the, this isn¡¯t supposed to be locked.¡± ¡°That there violates so many fire codes.¡± R4 snapped. Immediately her tool arm was open. ¡°Let me take a crack at it.¡± R4 quickly attacked the lock with her picks, only to find it wasn¡¯t locked. She gave the door a push, and it gave a bit but couldn¡¯t open entirely. There was a tiny crack, but nothing further. ¡°Hold on y¡¯all, I got jus¡¯ th¡¯ thing.¡± Fiddling with her bag she pulled out a small tube with several joints. With one hand she held the tube, with the other she controlled it with her phone as the Tubal-Tech? jointed camera bent and peered through the crack. Just outside the door she saw a slumped over human form, a large black burn mark clearly visible through his brown overcoat. Beyond him a black drone with ominous red lights hovered, its four blades whirring quietly while a small tube mounted between its landing struts waited for its next target. ¡°Ok, dead body out there with I think a Mars Corp kill drone. Not goin¡¯ that way.¡± R4 replied, stashing her jointed camera. ¡°Zephyr, yer from ¡®round here, how long ¡®til th¡¯ ¡®quiz show up?¡± Zephyr gave her a confused look. ¡°The police?¡± ¡°NGPD isn¡¯t going to come down this far, not for a minor shooting.¡± ¡°Minor? Did ya¡¯ see that gun? It was shootin¡¯ dinner plates out a¡¯ th¡¯ wall? The guy shot me in th¡¯ back a¡¯ th¡¯ head with a shotgun BEFORE even announcing the robbery!¡± E4 kept her voice down, but inside her heart was beginning to race. She wanted to be angry, she knew she should be afraid, yet inside she couldn¡¯t help but feel a certain delight. Within she felt a clarity of purpose, and a sense of being alive. ¡°Well we still have ta¡¯ survive. How long until th¡¯ Deep Fish show up then? They run this place right?¡± ¡°Couple hours maybe?¡± ¡°Well that won¡¯t do. You two, where¡¯s th¡¯ next nearest exit. We¡¯ll have ta¡¯ go slow¡­ are either of ya¡¯ armed?¡± ¡°Guns are locked in the break room, on the other side of the theater.¡± The male usher replied, before turning to the female usher, ¡°Unless Jor brought her derringer.¡± ¡°Sorry Hew, Jel caught me with it yesterday so it¡¯s locked up with everything else. How about you tech, anything in that bag?¡± ¡°Just a RITE pistol, tier 0, jus¡¯ good fer¡¯ spookin¡¯ lurkers.¡± This drew a look from Zephyr, who drew a far fancier looking black pistol with several lights. ¡°R4, you need something with more stopping power. You wear a MARS corp jacket, at least get something made by them.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it matters much. Th¡¯ guy¡¯s tier 1. Unless y¡¯all have a tier 1 gun we¡¯re better off hidin¡¯.¡± At that moment a loud BANG echoed from the door sending them all scattering behind the rows of seats. Hew pointed at the ceiling and immediately the lights went off. R4 glanced at the fire escape, and noticed it was on the far side of the room from the exit. She tapped Zephyr and the pair moved towards the back of the theater, closer to the door. At about half way there there was another louder BANG as the door was roughly kicked open. E4 and Zephyr quickly found a hiding spot behind some of the seats, careful not to let them creek as they moved. In the faint floor lighting they could not see who had entered, but they were big and walked with a heavy tread. Every step made a dull thud, as metal cybernetic feet hit the soft carpet. A single glowing red eye scanned the theater, making E4 try to curl into an even tighter ball. She suppressed the articles she had read about how mismatched cybereyes had a 10% increased risk of cyber-psychosis compared to properly matched eyes. She tried not to think how popular night vision augmentations were, or the risks of her own mismatched eyes. ¡°Three types of lies.¡± R4 nearly jumped, before remembering she was the only one who could hear resonant. ¡°Also you have night vision, if he can see you then you can see him. Also, new gig.¡±
Like something out of a movie Team size: 1 (unless you want to invite that lovely young lady beside you) Hazard: bloody
Company: Fangs of Mara Contact: Red Queen Reward: scaling exp per objective.
You¡¯ve had a long day of fixing movie projectors and watching some cheesy action movie, what better way to finish than be IN an action movie. Earn experience for the following: Escape (mandatory). Incapacitate/kill one of the assailants (optional). Incapacitate all assailants (optional). Have an extra edgy interrogation scene. Get in a car chase. Have a romance scene (Zephyr is kind of cute if you¡¯re into that sort of thing, or maybe Issac will show up). Have a tearful goodbye with Zephyr (just note tears may contain ravager isopods so that goodbye might not be permanent). Avoid losing your head (optional).
¡°Red, not the time.¡± ¡°Mara wants to know how the new claws work. Also the Deep Fish appear to be outsourcing
Squid theater Robbery Team size: undefined Hazard: 2 (armed intruders)
Company: The Deep Fish Contact: Jel Harbor Reward: 500 credits per intruder. Tier 1 or up intruders 1000 per tier
This is an automated alert. Intruders have disrupted business within the Squid Theater. Eliminate these intruders by appropriate means.
R4 swallowed hard as the implications set in. The low thumping of metal feet on the thin carpet sounded faint compared to the heavy thumping of her heart. She flexed her fingers, seven claws shimmering to life. If she could get the shooter, could she put him down? Were he a normal man she could, a knife to the gut would finish most fights, and she had seven on each hand. For a tier 1? Her lack of headache told her all she needed to know about the resilience of a tier 1. As the man trudged forwards she pulled Zephyr along, guided by the foot lights back towards the door. She reached it and tugged, yet as she did the door let out a low THUD and held fast. ¡°What do we do?¡± Zephyr asked, seeing the door remain shut. ¡°I¡¯m thinking, I got it.¡± R4 fished around in her bag and found a small dead phone. She had picked it up somewhere, and had been meaning to fix it. The wireless receiver had failed somehow, and the battery wouldn¡¯t charge beyond 25%. She quickly turned it on, using a hack she had installed to force it to turn on immediately. It took only a moment to set a timer for 10 seconds, and with that she threw it to the distant corner of the theater, though not towards the fire escape. ¡°On three grab my waist and pull. One, two, three!¡± She pulled, and felt Zephyr pull on her. The door opened with a CRACK just as the phone went off, shining light into the darkness while playing a guitar cover of the alphabet song in the chord of A flat. ¡°Move!¡± R4 bolted towards the entrance of the movie theater, Zephyr actually outpacing her as they ran. In mere moments they were in the entrance, and were greeted by gunfire. The first shot went wide, and with a show of agility that surprised R4 Zephyr managed to make it behind the snack counter before the shooter could make another shot. R4 charged after her, catching a round that threw her behind the counter. ¡°You¡¯re hit!¡± Zephyr exclaimed. ¡°My coat took the worst a¡¯ it.¡± R4 replied. She poked her camera up to peer at the man, seeing him just standing there watching. ¡°He¡¯s not movin¡¯. Maybe he¡¯s hurt, left ta¡¯ guard th¡¯ door.¡± Even at her words she sensed a faint resonance coming from him, the ravager toxin wasn¡¯t exactly an Xray outline, more of a vaguely humanoid shaped blob she should sense slightly through the counter. She saw him raise his hand and talk into a phone, or something like one. ¡°Shoot, he¡¯s callin¡¯ th¡¯ others.¡± ¡°Others?¡± ¡°I think there were two others, maybe more.¡± R4 gestured for Zephyr to follow as they slipped further back from the snack counter to a small kitchen behind. R4 immediately found the deep friers and set them to hot. Experimentally she wove a small ladle of force and found she could in fact scoop fryer oil without burning herself. She quickly found the fire escape, and with a hefty shove pushed it open. Immediately the fire alarm went off, a loud scream echoing through the entire theater. As if called by a dinner bell two drones descended from above, both emblazoned in black and red. R4 had half a moment as the lasers lit up, their charging sequence preceded by a short glow before the matching beams of death burned through R4¡¯s clothing in precise painful yet non-lethal circles. Immediately after the right drone lit up, flashing strobes painfully blinding her human eye even as the opposite drone, this one covered in what looked like spikes but were actually antenna, unleashed a barrage of zip bombs and malicious daemons. R4¡¯s phone immediately went dead when a forced system update exploded into 23 Petabytes of nonsense, and an even worse one was uploaded into her skeletal structure. Immediately every bone in her body locked up, leaving R4 helplessly paralyzed¡­ or it should have. A quick shunt forced that little update into a small repurposed node where it promptly burned out, taking the update with it. ¡°Get down.¡± R4 threw herself to the side as Zephyr drew a firearm and blasted one of the drones. Fast as a striking snake R4 was before the drone, and suddenly it had no more blades. She caught the device and immediately it began blasting out a garbled frequency full of malware. With the flick of a switch the drone went silent. ¡°That was close, you alright?¡± ¡°Tier 1 lasers but tier 0 frames?¡± R4 asked. She tossed the drone onto an overhang. ¡°Somethin¡¯ fer later.¡± She pointed. ¡°Let¡¯s get while th¡¯ gettin¡¯s good.¡± Behind the theater R4 found a narrow alley and several dumpsters. Yet when she and Zephyr attempted to run out to the street they immediately found themselves back at the exit to the theater. ¡°Did, what was that?¡± R4 asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± R4 ran down the alley, turned a corner, but instead of running down the corner she ran right back. ¡°Why did you turn back?¡± ¡°I turned right, but it turned me 180 degrees rather than 90.¡± She turned back, putting one hand on the wall and following it. She made the turn, took a step out of sight, and came right back, her hand on the opposite wall. ¡°What in tarnation? Some kind¡¯a space twistin¡¯ weapon?¡± ¡°Tier 2 or 3 at least.¡±
The curse of the twisted hall Team size: 2 Hazard: ???
Company: Fangs of Mara Contact: The Red queen Reward: Unknown
The plot thickens. A tier 2 or 3 weapon being used in a common heist of a movie theater by a tier 1 thug. Something smells like week old Tuna SCOP.
¡°Nope, not dealin¡¯ with it. Come on Zephyr, we¡¯re findin¡¯ a new way out.¡±
Retrieve lost data Team size: 2 Hazard: 1
Company: NGPD Office of Cyberpsycho Containment Contact: Officer Bob Blueblood Reward: 5,000 credits
Per NGPD protocols once the sideways gate goes up it stays up until the Cyberpsycho goes down. However, exceptions can be made for NGPD subcontractors. Bring me a drive with the new film that Mars Corp is so upset about as evidence, and I¡¯ll get you out. I¡¯ll even throw in a small finder¡¯s fee.
R4 eyed the pop up, and relayed what it said to Zephyr. ¡°Is that sketchy, that sounds sketchy ta¡¯ me.¡± ¡°Never talk to the NGPD. They have a backlog as big as the city, and are more than happy to put you at the scene of something you weren¡¯t at. You probably won¡¯t get time, since the jails are overcrowded, but it¡¯ll be a nasty fine. Also Bob Blueblood? I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a legit cop.¡± R4 peered back into the theater, noting no one had come after them. ¡°Think we could lure th¡¯ shooter back here an¡¯ lock him out?¡± Zephyr shrugged, and R4 quickly prepared a trap. She configured a small electronic toy to make a loud beeping, and set it to do so if anyone opened the door. She messed with the lock a bit so it would lock hard and fast, as well as placing a tier 1 bone spike in the upper corner of the door so the next time it closed it would not be opening without significant force. The entry way to the theater remained unchanged from when they left it, save the shooter had found a chair somewhere and was now sitting down. His revolver sat in his hand, while the shotgun lay across his lap. Just seeing it gave R4 a phantom headache. She watched the man¡¯s head begin to nod, and with a gesture called Zephyr to run for the nearest theater with her. The door opened with a short squeak, and they both took cover among the seats. As R4 crouched down she heard a low splash, and looked down to see what she was standing in. ¡°Please be cherry soda.¡± The coppery smell coming from it informed her it was not. She immediately looked to the left and the right to see where it was coming from. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Are the sprinklers dripping?¡± R4 immediately looked up, and noticed two things. One, the rafters were not that high up, maybe 6 meters. Second, someone had managed to hang a body from one of the lights. A low growl from the seats pulled R4¡¯s attention back to them. For a moment she just stood still, not believing what was before her eyes. She blinked, resetting her right eye. Her left eye, her non-augmented eye, showed her a large feline like creature. She could not determine if it looked more like a tiger or a bobcat, for its lines were blurred and distorted. In coloration it was, of all things, highlighter yellow. Its snout was a bit too long for either of the creatures, looking almost doglike. It opened its mouth to hiss, revealing long cat like fangs but also a split tongue like a snake [[Ravager eye reset.]] Immediately R4 felt the thing¡¯s MESH, and while she couldn¡¯t tell exactly what it was connecting to, she could measure it as Tier 1. Even as she did something slammed into her ICE. [[Yell0wKhat.ent is attempting to breach your MESH with Yell0wKhat.exe. Retaliate (y/n)?]] ¡°Red, what am I seeing?¡± R4 asked, her claws out. Zephyr drew her firearm and fired three potshots at the creature, all of which hit. The cat¡¯s features blurred, before resolving as mere scuffs on its fur. It growled, and lunged over R4 and at Zephyr. In an instant Zephyr blurred, reappearing a meter back while the cat landed, R4¡¯s head spun as she spun to catch up with it, her horns buzzed like they were filled with hornets. ¡°Red? Bleedin¡¯ havoc. Yes, retaliate.¡± Immediately the cat seemed to light up. It was not in any way R4 could see with her eyes, more a sense she got from her horns. The sensation was similar to when Bella had begun to resonant with her, a transfer of energy that let the other know they were there, with two notable exceptions. First, it was a one way link, R4 could sense the cat but it couldn¡¯t sense her back. Second¡­ ¡°It¡¯s hostile.¡± R4 whispered with a grin. With a gesture she pulled on the sensation. Within the cat ravager toxin locked to cells, devouring whatever forms of energy they could find and resonating back to R4. The energy gain was minuscule, maybe 1 unit of ATP per hour, but it was enough that her vision stabilized. [[Caution: Mars Corp Military hardened MESH has detected unusually high usage of several systems. Terminate?]] With a gesture R4 confirmed and the cat immediately froze. Not paused, not hesitated, froze like a budget PC trying to render a HD video during a zip bomb attack. R4 lunged, both claws sinking deep into its spine before she ripped out a length of fiber optic cables and two lenses from a 3d projector. [[DO NOT THE KHAT!!!]] R4 felt her limbs lock as her eyes were barraged by a gold and green strobing banner. [[DO NOT THE KHAT!!! DO NOT THE KHAT!!!DO NOT THE KHAT!!! DO NOT THE KHAT!!!DO NOT THE KHAT!!! DO NOT THE KHAT!!!]] As R4¡¯s vision cleared she was left holding the fiber optic cables, but of the cat the only sign of its passing was the still swinging door. Zephyr had her gun out and was staring into the shadows. ¡°What th¡¯, is that normal fer y¡¯all city slickers?¡± R4 rubbed her head, rebooting her cyberware. Thankfully her regeneration protocol and ravager.exe were untouched, but several others had to be rebooted. Her phone let out a cranky whine as she reset it, but it turned back on. ¡°Feels like I jus¡¯ had all my ad blockers turned off at once.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what that was, but it ran off that way.¡± Zephyr whispered. ¡°And we should probably keep moving, I don¡¯t think that made much noise but if they have audio implants they probably heard it.¡± ¡°We should probably get that guy down first.¡± R4 eyed the rafters. Despite how the theater was designed, he was only about 5 meters up. She quickly found a section of the wall already damaged by some very distinctive claws. ¡°Looks like I¡¯m not the first one with this idea.¡± ¡°Please just hurry,¡± Zephyr whispered, crouching next to a seat, her gun shifting between the door and the shadows. On a whim R4 reached out, trying to sense the cat. For a moment she thought she felt some kind of connection, before the sensation extended off in a triangle shape and dissolved into static. Shoving the sensation from her mind she quickly and surprisingly easily made it to the rafters. Spreading her arms for balance she walked along to reach the body. On a whim she took a picture with her phone, and at the sound of the click the body groaned. ¡°Hey, are y¡¯all awake?¡± The body, a man R4 realized, began to shift. ¡°Stop, don¡¯t move, you¡¯re going to fall!¡± She whispered urgently. ¡°Who the F,¡± R4 quickly clapped her hand over his mouth before he could yell. Yet as she did she overbalanced, and both of them tipped off the rafters and landed hard in a heap on the ground with a THUD. ¡°Ow,¡± The man slowly stood, a low whirring from his legs indicating they were both mechanical and badly stressed. Immediately his arms opened up and long blades extended. ¡°You again!¡± ¡°Shhh, active shooter!¡± R4 whispered. It took her only a moment to realize it was the same man who had been ready to draw iron over popcorn. Immediately the expression on his face changed. ¡°Three a¡¯ them, maybe more. At least one has a tier 1 pistol an¡¯ a tier 0 shotgun. That, an¡¯ that cat thing that got ya¡¯.¡± The man eyed R4 for a moment. ¡°And what of my team?¡± R4 blinked. Gone was the belligerent man who she had stopped from harming an employee, his eyes were cold and logical. ¡°Sir, y¡¯all were alone up there, jus¡¯ like in th¡¯ lobby. If ya¡¯ came with yer¡¯ family,¡± ¡°Coworkers, corporate sent us here on our day off to mess with any Mars punks who decided to attack the theater, had the nerve to call it a day off. Surely they didn¡¯t go down without a fight.¡± ¡°Sir, I have no idea, guns started firin¡¯, I hid.¡± She rubbed the back of her head. ¡°I got nicked by that boomstick, an¡¯ I¡¯m not eager fer¡¯ a repeat.¡± She paused, concerned how he would react but making a judgment call. ¡°When we found ya¡¯ some sort a¡¯ cat robot was lurkin'' ''bout. Do you know what that was?¡± ¡°No.¡± He lied. R4 could tell he was lying, and from the hardened expression he too could tell she knew. ¡°Well, speak up if ya¡¯ think a¡¯ somethin¡¯¡± R4 replied, choosing not to call him out on it. ¡°We¡¯re getting out before the gunman finds us.¡± The sound of gunfire caught their attention, sending R4 scrambling for cover. Zephyr hid behind some chairs, while Mr. Blade took a position right behind the door. Just in time as well, for someone kicked in the door and unleashed a hail of bullets within. Mr. Blade lashed out, his mantis blades stabbing into the gunman, who promptly unloaded into his chest. R4 saw where Zephyr was hiding compared to where she hid. Zephyr was close, and the blue streak in her hair was more noticeable. She calculated 4 in six odds Zephyr would be noticed first. If the gunman targeted her R4 could probably slip out, unless there was someone behind them in which case it was moot. A thought occurred though, she had seen how the projectors were arranged behind the theaters. It would be a tight squeeze, but she could do it. ¡°Well Red, ready for a daring escape?¡± The munching of popcorn made for an answer. R4 reached into her bag and quickly drew some odds and ends, which she slid into her tool arm. She watched as Mr. Blade struggled with the assailant, not sure who was winning. Within moments she had a blade in her hand. She gave it a quick lick goodbye before standing and throwing it as hard as she could before bolting for the back of the theater. She was half way up the wall, claws again coming in very handy, before she heard the strained cry of pain. ¡°I think you got them in the eye.¡± ¡°Tier 0 knife, tier 1 hitman, prediction protocol anticipates little to no serious damage.¡± R4 replied under her breath, a stray thought wondering when she got a prediction protocol. She squeezed through the hole, knocking the projector over. As it fell the usb that held the film fell out. Almost as an afterthought she snatched the movie usb with her tail and plugged it into a cloner. As she made for the door a sense of unease and anxiety washed over her, keeping her from leaving. ¡°Red, what¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know? Protocol dictates whenever you download important data you must stay close to the source. Weren¡¯t you watching the movie?¡± ¡°RED! The source is a portable USB drive, it¡¯s in my pocket!¡± R4 trilled in anger. She head the sound of gunfire and saw sparks fly past her head. Mr. Blade was still wrestling with the other figure, but while both of the gunman¡¯s hands were taken holding back his blades a sub arm branched off from his main arm and had taken a pot shot at her. She saw the gun swing down towards Mr. Blade and begin dumping rounds into him. Not 5 meters away Zephyr was trying to sneak around yet the fight was happening right in the doorway. R4 reached for her gun, yet the idea was quickly dashed by the fact the gun was tier 0 and the target tier 1. In the wan light R4 saw a glimmer of the knife still in the gunman¡¯s eye, and she had an idea. ¡°Red, can I turn the projector into a laser?¡± ¡°How?¡± R4 was already picking up the projector and had begun fiddling with the electronics. ¡°R4, a weapons grade laser requires serious power. Even now most work based on chemical reactions, only tier 1 and above electronics can handle it, and lasers don¡¯t beat out solid projectiles until tier 2.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need it to burn through flesh,¡± R4 finished ostoblasing a wire and slammed the cover back on the projector. ¡°I just need it to burn through an eye.¡± Holding the unwieldy weapon R4 aimed the projector and with a resonant command unleashed a shimmering green line of light. Now the weapon was unwieldy, and she was aiming through a hole in the wall at a target currently wrestling with another human being, so for a moment the light hit the man¡¯s shoulder rather than his face. Yet with a quick jerk R4 re-positioned and shone the blinding green beam right in the man¡¯s eye. The effect was immediate, as he tried to let go and cover his face. This was a mistake, as once Mr. Blade¡¯s hand was free he immediately deployed his blade and the gunman¡¯s eye was suddenly the least of his worries. A moment later he had no worries at all. A moment later R4 got a notification that the copy was done and she quickly replaced the USB. ¡°Well that¡¯s one down.¡± [[Attention: All persons receiving this message are to stand down. Failure to comply will result in legal action up to and including termination-Subsection 6 Cyberpsycho squad.]] R4 quickly recalled the guidelines she had been given when she first entered the city. While NGPD had its own cyberpsycho squad it was an elite bunch that rarely left the tier 3 or 4 zones. The rest of the city had contractors that operated under their banner, and beneath them were the sector psycho squads. She quickly found a place to wait, where she would not look threatening. She took out her phone, opened the NGPD app, and pressed a button. In case of emergencies it would create a marker that would tell the police where she was. ¡°Should I disable that?¡± ¡°If they kick in the door and I don¡¯t have it they¡¯ll think I¡¯m either an idiot, or an accomplice. I don¡¯t want that.¡± Within five minutes the door was kicked in and a pair of men with NGPD badges had guns pointed at her. Given they did not wear uniforms R4 guessed they were subcontractors. Both wore dark colors, and while they were off she could see the lumen on their clothes that would mark them as Deep Fish. ¡°Hands in the air!¡± R4 raised her hands and grinned. Both badges had cameras, and from the gentle buzz her horns were feeding her both were streaming to somewhere off site. Either they were live-streaming a hostage situation, or their manager was watching them. That¡¯s not to say they couldn¡¯t be doing both, and probably were, but it told her they were probably on the up and up. ¡°You armed?¡± ¡°I have a T0 in my bag.¡± R4 admitted. ¡°You¡¯re cyberpsycho squad?¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± The first one spoke, ¡°Out there with the rest. No talking, and if you so much as touch a weapon I¡¯ll blow your head off.¡± R4 was quickly herded to a small group, which already had Mr. Blade and Zephyr. They were quickly escorted towards down the hall as two contractors checked the doors and two more eyed the slowly growing crowd. ¡°**** can¡¯t we go any faster?¡± One of the contractors muttered, quiet enough R4 could barely hear him. ¡°There¡¯s a cyberpsycho in here somewhere, and they still haven¡¯t found him. What if he¡¯s in one of these theaters. We¡¯ve got all these civvies and he¡¯s just watching us.¡± ¡°My money it¡¯s one of these civvies, they got their blood with the guy out front and now they¡¯re waiting until they can get their next fix. My money¡¯s on the girl with the blue streak. Never trust a girl with blue hair, that¡¯s what I always say. Bet the weapon¡¯s in her bag, maybe we should search her.¡± ¡°Dude, you want to set her off while you¡¯re in knife range? Did you miss the fact the psycho ripped his guts out so fast nobody saw anything? Guy was tier 1, just torn apart like that.¡± R4 shuddered at the thought, a cyberpsycho, on top of a mugging, on top of the strange cats. ¡°Hey, open up!¡± One of the contractors exclaimed, banging on the door with his gun. Now that it wasn¡¯t pointed at her face R4 could see it was some manner of pistol, large and blocky in the way that high powered low tiered weapons were. There were a few glowing bits, and her horns told her it was tier 1, yet the connection to the owner¡¯s MESH went through the thin black gloves in his hand. She quickly shot a glance to the other men, feeling their MESH. Only Mr. Blade, whose real name she still didn¡¯t know, and herself were tier 1. ¡°So just a heads up, your average human has 2D of force, let¡¯s call it 3D for these guys and 1D for the armored vests they¡¯re wearing.¡± R4¡¯s eyes immediately locked onto their vests.
Mars Corporation Surplus Legion Security coat (T0-T1 adaptive): For when you need to come alive. Provides 4D points of tier 0 armor and 1 point of Tier 1 armor. Provides second chance protection. Note: Tier 1 armor only applies to the chest. Tier 1 armor requires one charge per minute. Charge: 5/7.
Mars corporation sees you watching, and reminds you that interfering in official NGPD business is a serious crime. If you are interested in similar armor see your licensed MARS corporation dealer. This armor can be yours for the low price of 1,500 credits.
¡°Nice gear,¡± R4 trilled back quietly. ¡°So call that 7D of protection, and I have 7D in force. Even odds.¡± ¡°12D, that¡¯s tier 1. You could go for the chest and have 7, but they¡¯d only have 3D+1 to reply. If things go down, you can take these guys.¡± The contractor in front fired into the door and kicked it in. The moment he did a yellow streak bolted out, pinning him to the wall an instant before its teeth locked on his face where his armor couldn¡¯t protect him and with contemptuous ease ripped his head clean off. ¡°New gig.¡±
The Khat came back Team size: 2 Hazard: Bloody
Company: The Fangs of Mara Contact: Red Queen Reward: 50 exp
You saw that right? That cat just ripped his head off, it was like something out of a horror movie. Kill it or survive it, and get the data
Zephyr grabbed R4 and pushed her down just before a roar of automatic fire echoed from behind her, scything through two of the other survivors before ticking off the cat. The beast shrugged off the tier 0 bullets and pounced. [[Warning: Yell0wkhat.exe is has penetrated your MESH barrier. Retaliate (y/n)]] ¡°Run!¡± Someone yelled, and as one the crowd became a stampede, running towards the door. R4 threw herself over Zephyr just before someone stepped right on her back and over. Within five seconds the stampede was gone, leaving one of the contractors, Mr. Blade, and them. R4 spotted one of the contractors from where he lay, clearly bruised but quickly righting himself. Standing where he had been, Mr. Blade had his blades out and looked ready to throw down. ¡°Alright you stupid cat, time for a rematch.¡± The Cat crouched and stalked to the side, as if looking for an opening. ¡°Zephyr, are you alright?¡± R4 whispered. She heard Zephyr acknowledge her. ¡°Can you give me your gun, mine¡¯s somewhere in my bag and I can¡¯t get it.¡± As she spoke the cat lunged for Mr. Blade. Just before it did she felt a surge in her horns, as if something was pulling on her mind. The cat seemed to move with inhuman speed as it crashed into Mr. Blade. In a show of skill obscured by his plump and soft looking exterior he parried easily and plunged his blade into the cat, leaving a nasty cut. In an instant the cat seemed to blur, and the cut was gone. ¡°Hey, R4, you alright?¡± R4 felt the gun pressed into her hand. ¡°You just froze there.¡± ¡°Froze¡­ That¡¯s it! Mr. Blade, reboot your systems!¡± ¡°Who?¡± Maybe it was the tilt of his head, but it was enough for the cat to lunge. Mr. Blade ducked, bringing his blades up and skewering the cat. With a grunt he threw the beast off his limbs. ¡°What are you on,¡± R4 watched as he froze, and the cat seemed to reform. With unnatural speed it retreated, yet as it did she caught a small patch of fur drop at unnatural speeds from his blades to the ground. A trio of shots burst from behind her, so fast it sounded like a single shot. ¡°It¡¯s overclockin¡¯ our hardware, stealing computer power ta¡¯ slow us down and repair itself.¡± R4 announced. ¡°MESH, force quit.¡± Technically she couldn¡¯t do that with a simple voice command, but for her onboard AI it wasn¡¯t too difficult. Immediately she felt a surge of weakness flow through her, her eye flickering for a moment before an error log appeared. Yet for the cat it was like being dropped from 4K to 144 p, its outline became digitized and it began moving in a jerky motion for just a moment. It¡¯s eyes went dim, but only for a second. Before R4¡¯s system could reboot the cat lunged, yet when Mr. Blade moved to block it instead kicked off him and went flying for R4. She ducked, claws up, yet in a feat that seemed to defy physics the cat kicked off the air and tackled R4 just as she was getting up. Immediately she was thrown on her back, the cat¡¯s claws ripping into her shirt and jacket. ¡°By the might of Nu¡¯Grav BE GONE!¡± A blazing blue blade swiped over R4¡¯s head, bisecting the cat horizontally. For a single moment it froze, then glitched, then R4 was covered in a strange ash like material and a damaged CPU. ¡°Fair maiden, are you alright?¡± R4 saw an armored hand and took it. As she stood she found herself peering into the deep aqua eyes of Issac. For a moment time seemed to stop. He wore the same outfit he had the first time they had met, though he was not wearing a helmet for some reason. For a moment their eyes locked. ¡°I denote his irises are expanding by 25%, now is the time to speak something notable and profound.¡± ¡°Hi.¡± R4 stammered, before a well timed surge of brain chemicals brought her back to her senses. ¡°I mean, thank you, noble knight, for the timely save.¡± ¡°It was but my calling fair one, and your voice upon the wind did lead me here. Yet this place is not safe. To the East then South you must go, for the beak of this monster is wide and safety lies there.¡± R4 took a step, before freezing. It felt as if her joints had locked up, like a certain someone was stopping her from making a big mistake and messing up her big romance scene. With a quick step back she pressed her face to his, and with a moment¡¯s hesitation planted a kiss upon his lips. The kiss was brief. R4 wasn¡¯t sure how much force to give, being new to Tier 1. She knew Issac was Tier 2, so she wasn¡¯t exactly afraid of hurting him. She felt a spark the moment their lips touched, and then it was over. She stepped back, a goofy smile on her face even as she turned beet red. Her knight in chrome armor smiled back, a bit more assured and a little less shy. ¡°Thank ya, hero.¡± And then she turned and ran, half sure she was leaking steam from her ears. ¡°Red, what was that?¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± She somehow managed to turn even redder, which was rather amusing. ¡°You sure you want to leave it like that?¡± R4 paused at the corner, glancing back at Issac who was still staring at her. She gave a wave, and then she was around the corner and out of sight. ¡°For the best. I don¡¯t want to interfere in his work. Seriously, what did you do? It took me a week to even hold hands with my last boyfriend.¡± ¡°You¡¯re in Nu¡¯Grav, where no one¡¯s got the time for all that red tape.¡± R4 quickly caught up with Zephyr, who had already made it to the door. Another contractor ran a scanner of some sort over her, then did the same to R4. It beeped once on Zephyr, which the contractor ignored, and not at all over R4. With that they were allowed out. Already the area was swarmed with cars waiting to take any survivors to a hospital, or home. A grav car bearing the brand of the NeuMed franchise waited for any victims rich enough to afford them or too injured to resist. A woman was speaking to a small video drone that hovered on four small propellars narrating the events. Several men and women in various amounts of armor were milling about, most of them with the luminescent markings of the Deep Fish. Standing off to one side next to a table full of medical equipment Cutter scanned the crowd. Beneath her helmet R4 couldn¡¯t see what she was looking at, though she was pretty sure Cutter was watching her. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here.¡± R4 whispered to Zephyr. ¡°Yeah, but we¡¯ll have to walk. Fare prices are going to be sky high right now.¡± Just as R4 thought they were going to get away she felt heard a familiar voice, ¡°R4, a word.¡± Slowly R4 turned to see Cutter facing her. Her voice wasn¡¯t coming from her mouth, but from R4¡¯s phone. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Had a gig.¡± R4 replied, taking her phone in her hand. She eyed her surroundings, and quickly found an isolated space. Zephyr gave her a look. ¡°Are you asking everyone this question?¡± ¡°Questionnaires will be sent out, though not everyone here has the questionable privilege of meeting my partner three times this month. Issac is convinced you called him here, warning him of a cyberpsycho attack. We come here, and what awaits us but the ripped up body of a tier 1 thug, drugged out of his mind and babbling about cats. Any comments?¡± ¡°This ain¡¯t what I had in mind when I recommended a movie date.¡± R4 replied grimly. ¡°There is some sort a¡¯ cat creature in there, I think Issac killed it but there may be more.¡± R4 replied, sending a picture of the creature from her first fight with one, then another from right before Issac cut the cat off of her. ¡°From how the one Issac killed died, it may be some sort of scath that managed to make it to the surface. It has some sort of hacking ability that can steal resources from your MESH, my firewall called it Yell0wKhat.exe and Yell0wKhat.ent¡± She paused, considering telling a bit more, before taking a leap of faith. ¡°I¡¯m not from Nu¡¯Grav, so maybe everything ¡®round here can hack into your MESH to steal resources, but the last thing that hacked MESH and crumbled away like that wore a black hat.¡± ¡°I see. Do not bring that last detail up in your questionnaire, I will know if you do.¡± She paused for a moment. ¡°We will be in touch.¡± Chaper 15: Transmissions near and far. Keywords: Family, Nightmare, Phonecall, YellowKhat.exe ¡°Are you a stray cat?¡± ¡°Evenin¡¯ ta¡¯ you too Ms. ¡®Becca.¡± R4 replied as they returned to Of Mine Ememies. ¡°Jus¡¯ droppin¡¯ off Zephyr. Had a bit of excitement at th¡¯ movie theater, wanted ta¡¯ make sure she got home safe.¡± ¡°A shootout, three gunmen, scopmunchers the lot of them.¡± Becca gestured to the news channel playing on the screen next to the noodle bar. ¡°Funny how quick the story came out, smells of corp.¡± ¡°Mom, you always say that.¡± ¡°This is Nu¡¯Grav Zoe, the whole F****** place smells of corp.¡± Becca replied. She flipped through several channels, each one broadcasting the robbery of the theater by three gunmen. It took R4 five channel flips to realize they were each about different theaters. Turning from the screen Becca cast a baleful gaze on R4. ¡°Let me guess, you want something for rescuing my girl from all that.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say no ta¡¯ some dinner.¡± R4 replied. Her stomach growled in response. ¡°Now that I think about it, don¡¯t think I ate today, too busy.¡± ¡°Zoe, why don¡¯t you go get R4 something, Got a pot of dragon oil simmering and the steamer¡¯s full of rice.¡± Zoe vanished behind the counter, and R4 noticed Becca motioning for her to get closer. ¡°What did you drag my girl into?¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t me, I was jus¡¯ fixin¡¯ some projectors an¡¯ ran inta¡¯ her. I had no idea th¡¯ place was getting¡¯ robbed that day, if that¡¯s what it was.¡± Becca glared at her for a moment. ¡°At least you¡¯re not stupid. Punks may run the streets, but the corps are the puppet masters and the AI writes the script. You know, this movie cost Lok-1 200,000,000 credits to make, and it¡¯s only paid back over 3 billion despite being out only a week. Yet, I¡¯ve only been sending out double my usual amounts of pop corn. From what I can figure, unless this film is hugely popular outside Nu¡¯grav they¡¯re lucky if they¡¯re bringing in one billion. In corp terms that¡¯s a flop and anyone with so much as a hand in the film would be on the street, except they¡¯re not. The stocks of Mars Corporation slowed their increase by .1%, still increasing and still in the black but it¡¯s got them hopping mad and throwing interns out the window, but Lok-1 is quiet. Mars Corporation is targeting theaters playing the film, yet Lok-1 is being quiet. From what I hear, they¡¯re paying bribes to keep the film in theaters longer.¡± She tapped her watch and immediately R4 felt her horns begin to buzz. ¡°Regular of mine who works for Lok-1 got roped into doing some vacation work, shot me a text he saw Zoe meeting up with her girlfriend. Had some kind things to say about how you handle a knife.1 So, what¡¯s it going to cost to get you to leave my daughter alone?¡± ¡°What?¡± R4 asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I was bothering her. Besides, we¡¯re just friends.¡± ¡°That right there is the problem. Zoe always wants more, and she¡¯s not ready.¡± Becca pointed at R4. ¡°You¡¯re a trouble maker, I can tell and worse the city can. It knows when someone¡¯s trouble, and it¡¯s got algorithms to deal with them. You¡¯ve been here a month and how many times have you almost died?¡± R4 paused to count, ¡°Exactly, and it¡¯s going to keep happening. The city¡¯s likes to push its problems together, isolate them like bugs in a box and watch as they eat each other. Then it takes the strongest ones, tiers them up, and throws them into the next box. The moment your patron picked you up you got put in a box.¡± She tapped her hands on the counter. ¡°Were you having me watched?¡± R4 asked. ¡°Soup¡¯s on.¡± Zephyr announced. R4 did a double take, the girl had found time to stash her cloak and change into a tank top and black sarong that R4 knew she hadn¡¯t been wearing at the theater. She quickly tore her eyes from her friend''s legs, focusing instead on the food. ¡°Smells good¡± R4 replied, and they quickly dug in. Becca busied herself with other tasks, but R4 did see her glancing back. ¡°Did you see the new movie that was playing?¡± ¡°I meant to, but all the theaters were running out of Popcorn so Mom kept me busy. Want to go see tomorrow?¡± Zephyr asked. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure they¡¯ll have the theater cleaned up by then.¡± ¡°There was jus¡¯ a major shootin¡¯.¡± ¡°Only 3 criminals, If it wasn¡¯t for the one being tier 1 it wouldn¡¯t even qualify as news. She took a bite from her food, allowing R4 to do the same. Her stomach growled even as her mouth exploded with heat. Some instinct compelled her to eat more, as if consuming the rich broth and chunks of vegetable could somehow ease the burn. It seemed to, for a moment, compelling her to eat more. ¡°This isn¡¯t my first robbery, though it was the most dangerous. Nu¡¯Grav is the city of tears, if you stopped for every tragedy you¡¯d go broke in a week. The door opened and she turned to the man who entered. ¡°Speaking of which, hey Vipper.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Viper, like Viper fish.¡± The man looked young, maybe 16, but he was heavily tattooed with twin viperfish reaching down his arms and bearing their fangs at his hands, as well as a pair going up his face and biting at his eyes. Both sets bore tiny lights. ¡°Choom, there are 5 Vipers. R4, this is Vipper, the third greatest fixer of the Deep Fish.¡± Vipper gave her a look like she had slapped him across the face. He opened his mouth, which R4 noted had been filled with long needle teeth like a viper fish, though they were short enough he could close his mouth and he did have molars behind them ¡°Howdy, so yer¡¯ a viperfish zipper, you¡¯re a deep fish who brings folks together?¡± R4 asked. For a moment Vipper just stared, then he began thinking. R4 could see the light turn on when he realized what she had said. ¡°So yer¡¯ th¡¯ guy ta¡¯ talk to ta¡¯ get gigs in subsector 6?¡± ¡°If Reef or Plankton are busy.¡± ¡°Wha- Zephyr!¡± The boy looked frustrated. ¡°So yeah, I¡¯m a junior fixer, but you¡¯re just a junior runner and she¡¯s a remote. Not like the big names deal with you either.¡± His lights flashed red and white in annoyance.2 It was sort of cute. ¡°Got a job for you, sensitive data.¡± ¡°One last job before bed, guess I¡¯d better get to it.¡± Zephyr tapped her phone to Vipper and took a small tube from him. ¡°Heavy, this one of the lead lined ones?¡± ¡°Think so, but given the credits I¡¯m getting I¡¯m not asking questions.¡± He turned to R4. ¡°What are you good at Remote?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got 8 in tech and 7 in computers.¡± ¡°You good with locks?¡± ¡°Sure, I think I¡¯ve got a welding torch in here somewhere. Can¡¯t be locked if it¡¯s a liquid.¡± R4 replied patting her bag. Some talents are best left quiet. ¡°Shame, I¡¯ve been looking for a new locksmith since Fluke got zeroed.¡± With a gesture they exchanged numbers. ¡°Becca, I¡¯ll take today¡¯s special.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯d best be off. Movie tomorrow?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± R4 replied. With a flick of her tongue she cleaned out her bowl, her mouth opening impossibly wide as she finished, which raised an eyebrow from Zephyr. ¡°What? Did I get something on my face?¡± she wiped her face with a napkin, popping that too into her mouth. ¡°Oh, nothing,¡± She blushed in a way R4 wasn¡¯t sure she liked. R4 made it to the tram station without incident, though a few Deep Fish gave her some looks, more appraising than threatening. On the tram ride home she ran into some familiar mowhawks, and made a few credits unjamming their guns. ¡°Ok, so first of all see this,¡± She pointed out as she opened up one firearm, ¡°The firing pin is plastic with a metal cap. See how it¡¯s bent? This is a gun that¡¯s made to be disposable.¡± She gestured to the already forced grip with a magazine that was supposed to be fixed, but another tech had broken the gun and built it back from plastic and superglue. The brand EZPZ Firearms boldly proclaimed it was a piece of junk, and she vaguely remembered the EZPZ food brand was banned in the Solarian Technocracy for that exact reason. ¡°Yer¡¯ tech should a¡¯ replaced it when he fixed the magazine, but they didn¡¯t. I kin¡¯ make ya a new one fer now, but ya¡¯ need a new gun.¡± ¡°But this one matches my ¡®hawk.¡± She eyed the man, wearing an open neon orange coat, purple jeans, and a vibrant green mowhawk. The gun was the same green with blue accents, while he had an actual long-sword on his back that matched his pants. ¡°Look, you can get a kit that will make your gun whatever color you want. Get a quality gun that¡¯s not goin¡¯ ta¡¯ jam at th¡¯ worst possible time, ¡®cause that¡¯s when they¡¯re goin¡¯ ta¡¯ do so, an¡¯ ya¡¯ might actually live ta¡¯ enjoy yer¡¯ crime against fashion.¡± ¡°Choom, the tech¡¯s got a point.¡± A girl with a vibrant purple and green mowhawk added. R4 quickly noticed that the men of the gang either wore loud T-shirts under their coats or nothing at all, while this member wore a loud crop top that matched her Mohawk and blue body paint on her face and midsection. All of the members bore the faint marks of sub-dermal armor save one who wore a tiedye kevlar vest. ¡°Remember that shootout with the masks,¡± She promptly shot a glance to a bunch of masks who were staring them down at that exact moment. This, of course, lead to said masks approaching her right after to question her allegiance, and one to ask her to look at his gun. R4 immediately diagnosed the issue as him using a Lok-1 magazine on a Mitian gun with a Mars Corporation sight and a Gentek ergonomic stock. ¡°So if that last guy¡¯s outfit was a crime against fashion, this gun is a crime against armament.¡± R4 explained. The man nodded even as Aleph glared at her. ¡°Nothing I haven¡¯t told you a thousand times Theta.¡± Rho spoke up, tapping the wrench emblazoned on his gas mask. ¡°Listen to your tech.¡± ¡°Looks like your magazine is designed to work with a similar gun, but there¡¯s a safeguard here that stops it from working if you¡¯re not paid up on your subscription. Your tech, Rho I¡¯m guessing,¡± Rho nodded, ¡°filed it off for you, violatin¡¯ SEVERAL warranties. He also managed to bypass the kill bolt here which I respect an¡¯ approve of. Planned obsolescence is a pox. However the magazine isn¡¯t quite the right size, meaning the bullets kin get a bit twisted, especially if th¡¯ gun gets hot from shootin¡¯. I¡¯d recommend usin¡¯ a Mars magazine.¡± ¡°Love to, except they stopped making magazines for my baby.¡± Theta complained. ¡°Again, planned obsolescence is a pox. I¡¯d recommend gettin¡¯ a new gun outright or having custom magazines made.¡± She paused, noticing the man actually had a similar gun under his coat. ¡°This was a test, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Aleph scoffed. ¡°Pretty much.¡± Rho admitted. ¡°You¡¯ll work with anyone, won¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a Remote, I can¡¯t exactly afford ta¡¯ be picky.¡± R4 admitted. ¡°Not dimdwel though, I won¡¯t work with them.¡± ¡°Right, F*** the dimdwell.¡± ¡°I prefer ta¡¯ shoot ¡®em, but y¡¯all do y¡¯all.¡± That earned a snort, but the gas masks left her alone as she got off. She even got a few credits out of the deal. Collapsing into bed she took a deep breath, then took out her phone for something she had not been looking forwards to. Maybe her mother was still awake, maybe she wasn¡¯t. It was 19:00, so midnight back in Alton of the Solarian Technocracy. She took out her phone, then sniffed her jacket. She had gotten shot, maybe she should do some wash. Five minutes later she was back in bed, looking at the phone. She was a little thirsty, maybe she should, R4 shook the thought from her head and dialed the number. ¡°Hello Rachel.¡± ¡°Hi Mom, hope I didn¡¯t wake you.¡± ¡°Not at all, the bats have been keeping me company. Say hello Fluoxetine.¡± There was a loud chirp. R4 could see the creature in her mind¡¯s eye. These were not the tiny bats from Earth but a native species. They sort of resembled bats from Earth, but were usually just shy of a meter long and their heads resembled dog heads a bit more. They also tended to perch on shoulders since landing on the wrist like a falcon was liable to knock over their handler, though some of the cheeky ones still did that. They were smart too, smarter than ravens and smart enough a few of them could actually mimic a few words. She smiled at the thought of Liar, a bat who learned that yelling ¡°Fire!¡± made people run away so he could eat whatever they dropped. ¡°Th¡¯ night gaunts and coyotes have been active again, so we¡¯re on night duty keepin¡¯ the Fluffs safe. Got th¡¯ old punisher on my lap an¡¯ a cup a¡¯ caff keepin¡¯ me wired. So choom, how¡¯s college? Preem an¡¯ shiney like y¡¯all promised? Ya¡¯ makin¡¯ friends?¡± ¡°Well¡­ Not exactly.¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°See, Nu¡¯Grav university is expensive, really expensive. The scholarship kind of fell through, so I¡¯m taking a year to work and I¡¯ll be joinin¡¯ next year.¡± There was a long pause, then a sigh. ¡°Rachel, I love you and I always will. So please, don¡¯t lie to me.¡± ¡°There was no scholarship. I made it up.¡± She replied. She took another deep breath, then another. She waited for her mother to get mad, to yell. She hadn¡¯t heard her mother yell since the fire. ¡°I know.¡± She replied. ¡°Your uncle has an even worse poker face than you do. The entire town is making bets on when you¡¯ll return. So, you¡¯ve been to the big city, seen the sights. Is it all you hoped it would be?¡± ¡°I¡¯m, conflicted.¡± R4 turned on her back. ¡°Nu¡¯Grav is a horrible place. I¡¯ve almost, I mean, I¡¯ve had some close calls, things I wouldn¡¯t even think of back home. Just today there was a robbery at a movie theater I was working at.¡± ¡°You found a job at a movie theater? Be careful Dear, takin¡¯ a job jus¡¯ until you get something better has a nasty habit a¡¯ lastin¡¯ a decade or more. I signed on as a bat wrangler for, hold on.¡± There was a pause, followed by Whoosh of her crossbow. While R4 knew she¡¯d have her shotgun at her hip, Fluoxetine and the other bats would not appreciate the noise. ¡°I signed on as a bat wrangler fer¡¯ a year an¡¯ you can see how that ended up.¡± ¡°What? Y¡¯all didn¡¯t sign up to give your boss two kids? They practically bake that into th¡¯ contract here.¡± ¡°Actually many contracts insist you do not reproduce without permission, yours included.¡± ¡°Come again?¡± ¡°Rachel is someone in your room with you?¡± Jessica asked. ¡°Just Red my phone¡¯s AI reminding me something. I don¡¯t actually work at the theater, mostly gig work, made,¡± She checked her balance
User Rachel ¡°R4¡± Smith Balance incoming/outgoing
3704
3204 500 Khat Photos ;)
If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. 1204 2000 Kraken theater
1244 -40 Food (bunny shack)
844 400 Theater repair work/hush money subsector 8
664 180 Theater repair work
484 195 Theater repair work
289 220 Theater repair work
109 180 Theater repair work
¡°Made over 2 grand in credits for fixing a bunch of movie projectors. Of course food and rent are really expensive too. At this rate I might not even have ta¡¯ take out too many loans fer¡¯ college.¡± There was a pause, her mother taking several breaths thinking of what to say. ¡°So you¡¯re serious about college, engineering? Like James.¡± R4 paused, and her brain chemistry took a nosedive. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s what he would have wanted. My degree back home barely counts as undergrad here, but it¡¯s enough. They say that this place is a decade ahead of anywhere else, and I believe it. I was working on exercise equipment a week back with parts our best engineers would swear oaths for. It¡¯s all patented and has a ton of planned obsolescence but still.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not going to bring him back though.¡± For a moment neither of them spoke. ¡°I still owe it to him, to Dad and Grandpa.¡± ¡°No, Rachel you don¡¯t owe anything to anyone. I don¡¯t care what anyone says to or about you, it was not you who killed him. I¡¯ve watched that security footage a dozen times, there was nothing anyone could have done any different. Policy was followed, best practices enacted within acceptable margins. Rachel I prayed every day he might still be in the rubble, I searched the videos for something that could have been done different. Short of divine prophecy everyone did exactly as they should have. He saved a lot of lives stopping that monster. The fact one of those lives was yours does not cheapen his sacrifice. You don¡¯t have to give up your life chasing his dream.¡± ¡°I know, but if I don¡¯t I¡¯m going to always regret it.¡± She paused. ¡°We lost over a decade of progress that day, and if I have a chance to regain it I¡¯m going to.¡± She paused again, considering what to say. ¡°Mom, me being here feels, right. It may be difficult, it certainly has its foul moments, but it feels like I¡¯m here fer¡¯ a reason.¡± ¡°Is this like the boar incident.¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s not as intense since the path forwards is not as clear, but it is.¡± She smiled. ¡°I actually had an incident like that earlier today. I met a friend at that theater just before the shooting. Getting them out wasn¡¯t as strong as that incident, but it was similar.¡± ¡°Male or female, am I getting grandchildren soon?¡± ¡°MOM!¡± R4 exclaimed, to her mother¡¯s laughter. She sighed into the phone, glad that talk of her brother hadn¡¯t sent her mother into tears like it used to. Somewhere between the therapy and the medication, she had recovered from the psychological wounds. ¡°I couldn¡¯t resist.¡± ¡°Female friend, her name¡¯s Zephyr.¡± R4 went on to tell her mother a somewhat sanitized version of her adventures in the city. I was a little surprised she mentioned the Dimdwell incident, though she did not mention Mara instead saying she had found a cache of technology. She also left out the fact she was now tier 1, and the fact she had spent the night in Issac¡¯s bed.¡± ¡°Sounds like you¡¯ve been busy. Things are the same as they always are here. Coyotes are nasty as ever, the herds are producing wool like they always are. Love you Dear.¡± ¡°Love you Mom.¡± With that R4 hung up, and immediately sent a text. ¡°Hey Uncle Josiah, how would one go about getting Tier 2 immuno-suppressants?¡± Within a minute she had a reply. ¡°Your mom would kill me over it, so you can have my supply. U doing ok in The City?¡± ¡°Preem, just hit Tier 1 and have a lead on Tier 2. Don¡¯t tell Mom.¡± ¡°Sweet Choom. Can¡¯t talk now.¡± ¡°So just a heads up, don¡¯t take any traditional immunosuppressant. Your ravager isopod would probably crawl right out of your skull to get away from it.¡± R4 winced at the thought. ¡°It creates its own, and if you need to take some supplements I will let you know. I take it your uncle is more on board with your ascension.¡± ¡°He¡¯s the one who helped me get into the city.¡± R4 stretched. ¡°But that¡¯s for later. Bed time.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget to brush.¡± R4 didn¡¯t, yet that was about all she had time to do, her eyes were closed before her head hit her pillow, and she was out like a light. It seemed as if not even a moment passed, before her alarm clock began to ring. ¡°Pspspspspsps.¡± She reached over, tapping the device, and paused. Sunlight, actual sunlight, shone into her room. She listened, and the singing of birds reached her ears. There was a fluttering sound, then a WHAM as something hit the window. She rolled out of bed just as the bat began tapping on the window. The first time she had seen Sertraline tapping on the window like that she had screamed, a brown and black dog faced goblin with glowing red eyes tapping on a thin piece of glass. Despite his angled face, and rather large teeth, R4 eagerly opened the window for her brother¡¯s favorite bat. ¡°Ruff.¡± Bella barked, sitting up on her bed. ¡°Good morning to you too.¡± R4 replied as Sertraline climbed in. The bat promptly landed on her shoulder and nearly knocked her over. Bella, being the jealous dog she always was, got up and nudged R4 for scritches. R4 eagerly obliged, running her hand over the white dog¡¯s black ears. She never did know what kind of dog Bella had been, some kind of terrier with something larger for extra mass. Her long limbs and slender build made her quite the runner, not that it mattered at the most critical moment. ¡°I miss you girl.¡± R4 muttered, kneeling down to give the memory of her dog a good petting. ¡°And Sertraline. What are you doing in my room? You''re supposed to be James¡¯s bat.¡± Sertraline squeaked and pointed with one of his wings, still off colored from where the vet had patched it with cloned wing. ¡°Huh, so he sent you to come get me? I get that, so why didn¡¯t he just,¡± R4 picked up her phone and found all the numbers were senseless squiggles. ¡°Figures. Hey Red, can you talk to me in a dream?¡± No response, though not for a lack of trying. R4 quickly slipped out of her room, which was only a blur in the dream. Down the stairs and right outside, for her dream had no real details of her home. The scent of cinnamon and axle grease brought back a feeling of nostalgia, reminding her more of the home she had left behind. The smell was swiftly replaced by the scent of blood, as R4 surveyed the dream. Before her lay her family¡¯s ranch, where hundreds of fluffs, or Forbidden Alpine Alpacas as their actual species were called. Not truly related to alpacas, the fluffs looked like clouds in the form of animals, and would almost be comical were it not for the fact they were 2 meters tall at the shoulder, with an additional meter long neck. The fact each had a rounded beak used to break open stones and were not shy about using them on the skulls of predators distanced them further from the Earth alpaca. While they were soft and fluffy, and R4 had spent many nights sleeping on the backs of her favorite, each one was 600 kilograms of muscle and another 50 of fur. Said animals now lay in a heap, their orange blood staining their dappled fur, while a highlighter yellow bobcat sat licking its claws. It looked up at her and hissed, making Bella begin barking up a storm. ¡°Now I s¡¯pose y¡¯all think y¡¯er mighty tough, killin¡¯ my family¡¯s flock.¡± R4 spoke to the bobcat. ¡°Y¡¯all never fought a floof, I don¡¯t care if y¡¯er Tier 1 or Tier 2, by the blood those things¡¯ll give a tier 3 a fight if th¡¯ kids are at stake. I¡¯ve seen them swat vultures right out¡¯a th¡¯ sky with those beaks an¡¯ rip cars apart with twice the skill of a wreckin¡¯ crew.¡± With a gesture she sprouted her claws. ¡°Now come on ya¡¯ miserable excuse fer¡¯ a feline, I¡¯ll show ya¡¯ seven ways ta¡¯ skin a khat.¡± The khat looked bored as she approached it. Just as she swung the cat seemed to vanish, reappearing behind her. Three long scratches opened from her shoulder crossing her back to her hip. R4 let out a low breath before the ravager toxin washed the pain away as if it had never been. ¡°Cheatin¡¯ khat.¡± She whipped around and lunged, the cat returned to its previous location with a bored expression, and that was its final mistake. ¡°Sertraline, if you don¡¯t mind.¡± The Cat never even saw the bat coming, until it was already in the air. It let out a yowel, twisting and thrashing yet unable to get its claws into the bat. ¡°DROP!¡± The cat fell, and R4 lunged. Seven claws on each hand left fourteen cuts, which immediately burst into flames. [[Sleep protocol interrupted]] [[Unusual signal produced. Signal appears to be .wav.]] [[Isolating file]] [[Warning: File is migrating to connected devices]] ¡°Pspspspspsps.¡± R4 sat straight up, knocking her horns against the top of her capsule. Both hands burned with lambent green flames, sheding wan light into her small pod. She shook her hands to extinguish the flame and made sure she hadn¡¯t dented the ceiling before sliding out. She quickly slipped into some work jeans, but when she went for her jacket she couldn¡¯t find it. Instead she found a fluffy pink hoodie with cat ears. ¡°Red, where¡¯s my coat?¡± ¡°In the wash, remember. You got shot.¡± R4 thought about it, and remembered vaguely thowing a load into the washer. She eyed her fluffy red hoodie.
Bound Crimson Cat hoodie (T1): A cute but revealing hoodie for when you want to show your assets off without freezing off your assets. Provides 1D+2 points of armor and cold protection. Well that¡¯s a surprise, this is more armored than your jacket was. Doesn¡¯t cover your stomach though.
It had been child¡¯s play to add a few clasps to the hoodie, though R4 said a prayer Issac wouldn¡¯t mind when they returned it as she added a few more. The simple Tier 1 bone clasps could be removed fairly easily if need be, and it already had pockets. She put on a tool vest over it quickly to be safe.¡°So Red, when were you going to tell me the things I make with my tool arm are now tier 1?¡± With a gesture her bag was in her hand.
Seventh Generation carryall bag (T0): For The Lord may bestow any trial in any location. Let us have the tool to meet him where he leads us (potential) Telekinetic Tagalong (T1): Tough as tier 1 leather, this carryall automatically sorts anything within it. Telekinetic threads allow it to be carried via telekinesis easily. Bag has 2D armor. (requires long thread)
As she read the pop up R4 found she had grown a long lock of firey red hair which easily detached. ¡°Later Red, we have to check on this.¡± She immediately tore the batteries out of her alarm clock to make it stop playing the sound, and set her phone to reboot. Both stopped making the sound, yet it still echoed through the building. She drew her phone to text Coach, but it was still rebooting. She therefore did the next best thing and walked two pods down and knocked. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± ¡°Coach, y¡¯all hear that?¡± ¡°R4? Why are you waking me up gonk?¡± The man pushed out of his cubby, where he wore only a set of striped boxers and a wife beater. He took out his ear plugs and heard the sound. ¡°Weird, this some new update?¡± ¡°Somebody hacked your system and started playing that sound. Where are the fuses to the speakers?¡± ¡°Now let¡¯s not be hasty.¡± He entered a code into his phone and pressed a button. The sound stopped. ¡°There, that¡¯s,¡± The sound turned back on. ¡°Huh.¡± Immediately the sound resounded from his own phone. ¡°Dang tech, reminds me of that time a Web Walker took the song Ear Worm Rhythm 43 and made it spread from device to device.¡± He glanced back at his phone. ¡°No I don¡¯t want to upgrade to premium for 49 credits a month. The fuses are behind the desk, follow me.¡± It took only a few minutes to get from the sleeping area on the second floor to the ground floor of the gym, and R4 had the required circuit breakers out in less than a minute. There had been a lock on the box, but it had yielded to her touch within moments. ¡°Here, I¡¯ve got the key,¡± R4 looked up from where she was already closing the fuse box to see coach eyeing her. ¡°I guess you didn¡¯t need it.¡± ¡°Tier 0 lock, fairly wide tumblers, more ta¡¯ keep curious folks out than a real deterrent.¡± ¡°The catalog said it was unpickable.¡± R4 flashed him an apologetic smile as she snapped the lock back into place. ¡°Hey R4, if the speakers are off why can I still hear it?¡± R4 listened. ¡°Phones, everyone¡¯s phones are playing the sound. Check your MESH, there might be a virus in there.¡± She took her own phone out before switching to resonant. ¡°Red, you there? Can you run a diagnostic?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here. Nice work with the Khat by the way. I couldn¡¯t talk, but I could watch. Sorry about the Floofs.¡± ¡°Th¡¯ real ones are ok, an¡¯ they would¡¯ve torn that thing ta¡¯ shreds. So, any clue what that was?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, I¡¯d have to do some diagnostic work and that will take time. If we went back into the under city to the cocoon I could do a more in depth search, or I can do one up here. I¡¯ll need a few external processors to resonate off, but I can show you how to make them easily enough.¡± ¡°Yeah Red, I don¡¯t want ta¡¯ go inta¡¯ the under-city. Let¡¯s jus¡¯ do it up here.¡± ¡°I get that, so it¡¯s 200 right now, we can spend 6 hours on diagnosis, and while I¡¯m at it spend some exp.¡± R4 stopped mid stride walking up the steps to her room. ¡°You forgot, didn¡¯t you.¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± ¡°So, drumroll please,¡± R4 actually heard a drum in her head as she crawled back into bed. Her phone let out a beep.
Back in the saddle 30
Daily exp (aptitude) (maxed due to extensive work) 50 aptitude
Like something out of a movie: Escape (50). Incapacitate/kill one of the assailants (100, let¡¯s not kid, that guy was dead on his feet). Incapacitate all assailants (nope). Have an extra edgy interrogation scene (Mr. Blade doesn¡¯t count). Get in a car chase. Have a romance scene (150 empathy). Have a tearful goodbye with Zephyr (kind of glad you missed this one, I¡¯ll hold a prototype for her though). Have a hacking scene (nope). Have an espionage scene (50). Avoid losing your head (200). 400 + 150 empathy
The Khat came back 50
GRAND TOTAL 480 + 50 aptitude + 150 empathy
¡°Huh, interesting¡­ wait. Red, why are you holding,¡± Her eye began to tear up and as she wiped it away an isopod clung to her hand. It gave her a wave before biting into her and sipping her blood. ¡°Red, what¡¯s this?¡± She thought about swatting it, but a sense of nausea bubbled up in her throat. As she looked at the little silver isopod she felt the same sensation as she had when she had first held Bella as a puppy, her dog not the critter she had just met. ¡°No, Red this bug ain¡¯t cute.¡± It looked up at her, its big eyes exaggerated in her vision by a vague psychic field and far too much oxytocin. ¡°Ok, maybe it¡¯s a little cute, mind altering parasite.¡± The isopod began to trill, and immeidately R4 knew how to create the device. It took a little doing, using bone and a few broken circuit boards. The final component, however, was the isopod itself. R4 had to swing by one of the vending machines to grab some nutrient powders, which she mixed into a brine and plopped the creature into before wiring it to the device. Finally she wrapped the entire thing in a hardened bone shell until the final thing was about the size of an old school phone book and covered in LED lights, most of which were just so it looked complicated. There were a dozen switches, which were from light switches she was holding on to, and each one did nothing save for three that would allow her to open the isopod slot to feed it. As for the isopod, it set in and began trilling quietly. ¡°So, first round of updates since ascension. A few new rules I should bring up. One, increasing a skill costs 10 times the skill¡¯s level, attributes cost 100. However, for every skill you¡¯ve got at or above that attribute, 10 exp is knocked off. As you know, using a skill just before a round of improvements makes it cheaper. When you were Tier 0 we could take shortcuts to get your base attributes up, can¡¯t do that anymore. Also, we can only increase a skill to the next die, so you can go from 2 to 3, or 2+2 to 3, but not 2+2 to 3+1. We¡¯re trying to find a work around, but for now just spend that exp on something else, I¡¯m sure being well rounded will come in handy.¡± R4 looked at her character sheet, I mean stats, and thought for a bit. ¡°Can I use exp ta¡¯ improve cybernetics?¡± ¡°Well¡­ maybe. I haven¡¯t looked into it, but if something comes up possibly. Exp is borrowed computing power, you could probably use it as currency with AI if you really felt like it. Oh, by the way, your little friend there can generate EXP passively.¡± R4 cast a glance at the isopod enclosure, and got the feeling it was waving at her. ¡°So Red, quick question. If my claws use melee to attack and strength for damage, why am I getting the feeling you want me to put points into brute? Also why do you want me to use medicine?¡± ¡°Well before you used melee to stab the thug, then brute to rip your claws THROUGH his rib cage. Having both opens up lots of interactions. Medicine helps with anatomy. Think of it like this, you¡¯re facing a bruiser of a cyberpsycho. Medicine helps you find a route to his heart around his armor, melee helps you hit it, and brute helps you rip it out. For less violent applications, brute also helps you lift heavy objects and squeeze those components that SHOULD fit into places they don¡¯t WANT to fit.¡± ¡°Sold.¡± R4 immediately invested some points, and was pleased to find she had several discounts for skills she used recently. ¡°Shame talking to the cat didn¡¯t give me a bonus to animals, did I really intimidate anyone today?¡± ¡°The guy with the mantis claws.¡± ¡°Oh, that guy. Probably better put some in shooting too, I probably should have shot the cat rather than claw it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to remind you Rat Face, a Dimdwell punk, took on Issac, Cutter, and Harris with his claws. Flare protocol or not, I¡¯ve looked over the files taken we nabbed from the undercity job, that guy¡¯s isopod was RIDDLED with prions. Never bet against a ravager in a battle of claws. Also when you use flare protocol they also jump to Tier 2.¡±
Tier 1
Force 5 Athletics: 3 Brute: 3+1 ¡ú 4 (cost 50*) Endurance: 2+1 ¡ú 2+2 (cost 20) Resolve: 2+1 Swimming: 3+1
Reflexes 5 Acrobatics: 3 ¡ú 4 (cost 75*) Firearms: 3¡ú 4 (cost 90) Melee: 3+2 ¡ú 4 (cost 25*) Parry: 2 ¡ú 3 (cost 60) Stealth: 3¡ú 4 (cost 75*)
Aptitude 5 Driving: 2 Medicine: 3 Security: 3 ¡ú4 (cost 90) Sleight: 2+1 Technology: 3+1¡ú 4 (cost 45*)
Mind 5 Bureaucracy: 2 Computers: 2+1 Research: 2+1 Perception: 2+1 Science: 2+1 Survival: 2+1
Empathy 4 Animals: 2 ¡ú 2+1 (cost 20) Comprehension: 2+1 ¡ú 2+2 (cost 30) Intimidation: 2+1 ¡ú 3 (cost 30*) Persuasion: 2+1 ¡ú 3 (cost 30*) Subterfuge: 2+1 ¡ú 3 (cost 30*)
R4 took a final look at her selections and closed her eyes. She hesitated, and opened her bible app. Fifteen minutes later she closed in again. ¡°Ok, begin diagnosis and upgrade.¡± She blinked, and found herself before Issac again. For the next six hours she spent in a dreamlike trance as she went over her memories, rehashing every relevant interaction with Issac, refighting the Khat, clawing her way through the thug, and trying different things. Most of the things didn¡¯t work, but from each failure she learned. With no consequence to failure she had a chance to experiment, and find what worked. Finally she heard her phone, and realized it was not a phantom within the waking dream. ¡°R4, how can I help you?¡± ¡°Hey R4, it¡¯s Jun, where are you? It¡¯s an emergency.¡± ¡°I¡¯m in my pod, why?¡± R4 pushed her way out. ¡°The entire sector is on fire.¡± Chapter 16: Mass Repairs. Keywords: Accident, Hazard pay, Sleepwalking, T4bby ¡°Fire?¡± R4 sniffed, her tongue flicking out, yet she didn¡¯t smell smoke. There was a faint trace of gasoline, and was that adrenaline? ¡°Where have you been? Haven¡¯t you seen the news, I¡¯ve got a dozen jobs for anyone with even the slightest amount of tech experience, with hazard pay, actual hazard pay.¡± ¡°Just got my tech to 9D.¡± R4 crossed herself. ¡°My prayers are said, my mind is clear, and my wrench is ready. What¡¯cha got?¡±
Emergency order: Mass repairs Team size: 1 Hazard: 1 (traffic)
Company: Mitian movers Contact: Weaver Reward: 1000 credits, 100 exp
A contractor for Mitian was moving some sensitive electronics, until its driver crashed into a building. It needs to get moving ASAP. We don¡¯t need a long term solution, just something to get it a few kilometers.
R4 left the Pain Train and found the vehicle smashed into a concrete barrier just outside the gym. Jun was standing next to the vehicle talking on his phone. He set his phone aside just long enough to confirm this was the vehicle he was talking about R4 quickly examined the truck¡¯s engine to find it was not in as bad shape as she thought. The concrete guard was tough, but the truck had a decent frame. The engine had been knocked about, and she quickly found the problem. ¡°Your engine support here came loose.¡± R4 announced. ¡°It¡¯s pinching a hose, and your power plant doesn¡¯t like it since the coolant isn¡¯t flowing properly. The hydrogen cell keeps trippin¡¯ yer heat sensor.¡± She drew a crowbar from her bag. ¡°What are you doing?¡± The driver exclaimed, a look of fear on his face. R4 assessed the man, he had a bushy mustache and looked heavyset. Maybe he had been strong once, but long hours driving and a lot of fast food meals had robbed him of that. Her 8 in medicine noted the redness of his face as a sign of long term alcohol use. He was dressed in an old tee shirt and jeans, the shirt branded with a stone gray M with copper circuitry. ¡°In case ya¡¯ haven¡¯t noticed I don¡¯t have th¡¯ equipment ta¡¯ move yer¡¯ engine properly. I¡¯m goin¡¯ ta have ta¡¯ improvise unless ya¡¯ want to wait for a truck.¡± R4 replied. ¡°Now you listen here girl, this truck is full a¡¯ complex parts that NEED to get where they¡¯re going. We¡¯re already late so pick up the pace.¡± ¡°Do ya¡¯ want it done right, or do ya¡¯ want it done now?¡± R4 asked. ¡°I want it done RIGHT NOW!¡± ¡°Ok then.¡± R4 replied with a sweet smile. ¡°Weaver, please note that the client wants his truck done with all haste and no care to long term consequences.¡± She immediately jammed her crowbar in place and with a sound that resembled nails on a chalk board scraped the engine. It was in a place the engine was reinforced, it didn¡¯t do any real harm, but the look on the driver¡¯s face was a cooling balm to her heart. It took a few minutes for her to figure out exactly what was wrong, the engine had shifted and caused some problems. Fixing those problems would have taken time, and a proper shop if she was being honest. In truth, the biggest issue was the engine was out of alignment and had pinched the coolant. Now engine was a bit of a misnomer. As R4 checked the hydrogen cell to make sure it wasn¡¯t cracked she noted that the truck was a model that used electrical motors, with the engine being more of a power plant. ¡°The multi-engine truck, what a wonder. Two wheel, four wheel, sixteen when you blunder. Electrical power for moving and brakes that don¡¯t lock. Just stay out of the water or you¡¯ll be in fer a shock.¡± She referred to a manual on her phone, and was pleased to find she could flick some of the images to her right eye. The connection to the wheel motors were secure, though done so with a rat¡¯s nest of wires most of which weren¡¯t actually connected to anything and just made things look more confusing. ¡°I diagnose you with havin¡¯ a jerk for a tech.¡± She promptly twisted several of those wires into bundles, binding them with tier 1 bone so they wouldn¡¯t drag on the road and cause problems, which a few of them were frayed enough that they had probably done so at one point. One section of wire looked high grade, minus a few scuff marks she could easily patch. They weren¡¯t attached to anything, though R4 noted where they once had been. ¡°Tier 1 wires cast aside because the tech couldn¡¯t use them properly.¡± R4 smiled evilly. ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll find a use.¡± She quickly finished her inspection, before installing a bone brace to hold the engine in place. ¡°Ok, should hold. Also,¡± She held up the plundered wire. ¡°Looks like this was attached improperly. Yer last tech jus¡¯ kind¡¯a left it there, probably didn¡¯t want ta¡¯ fill out th¡¯ paperwork fer¡¯ proper disposal an¡¯ all.¡± She flicked the man a form from her phone. ¡°Sign here ta¡¯ confirm everythin¡¯.¡± ¡°Yes yes, get rid of it then.¡± The man hopped in his vehicle and took off. R4 received a confirmation and 1000 credits in payment. ¡°Did you just steal his wires?¡± Jun asked. ¡°It wasn¡¯t hooked up to anythin¡¯, th¡¯ last tech left a rat¡¯s nest in there ta¡¯ scare off any other techs from workin¡¯ on it.¡± R4 hefted the dense wire into her carryall. ¡°Left a bunch a Tier 1 heavy load wire in there, replaced it with Tier 0 junk which is easier ta¡¯ work with but less efficient an¡¯ less durable. Just left it there, probably ¡®cause there really are forms ta¡¯ fill out to dispose of it. Good thing I have plans fer this.¡± ¡°Which might be¡­¡± ¡°Ya¡¯ know how much this would sell for back home. Th¡¯ wait list is a month an¡¯ I¡¯m holdin¡¯ a coil in my hands.¡± ¡°And the shipping fees will eat you alive.¡± Jun commented. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not shippin¡¯ it anywhere. There¡¯s a half dozen gizmos I can use this for, an¡¯ I can¡¯t wait ta get to it. So, what¡¯s next?¡± The sound of a horn caught their attention. R4 turned, and before her conscious mind had time to process what was happening she had lunged for Jun, pushing him clear of a truck that slammed into the concrete barrier right next to the one that the previous driver had struck. ¡°Woah, de ja vu.¡± Jun muttered. ¡°Thanks for the save.¡± R4 quickly stood and helped him up. ¡°Gmoo dairy. Bet they¡¯ll want to get moving in a hurry before the stock goes bad.¡± ¡°Do a lot a¡¯ accidents happen here?¡± R4 asked. ¡°We¡¯re at the bottom of a hill and turn. The last place got nailed by a truck and Coach picked it up cheap, and promptly sunk those barriers.¡± Jun smiled, ran a comb through his black hair. ¡°Hello my good man,¡± He spoke with a friendly tone in defiance of the fact the driver had almost turned him into a thin red paste. ¡°Seems you¡¯ve had a little accident, I don¡¯t suppose you have a BBB subscription.¡± As they discussed finance R4 saw yet another truck coming down the hill. ¡°Jun, you might want to,¡± ¡°In a minute R,¡± R4 grabbed him and with a telekinetic hand ripped the driver from his seat just before the third truck rammed the second, sending milk flying everywhere. Reflexively She covered her face with her hands and felt a strange sense of protection. When the crunching sounds stopped she opened her eyes to find the milk thrown everywhere, save a small ring around herself and Jun. The driver, being a bit further away, had gotten drenched. He immediately checked himself over. ¡°I¡¯m alive, Sweet Chrome I¡¯m alive!¡± ¡°Are y¡¯all ok?¡± R4 asked the driver. ¡°My truck!¡± The man exclaimed, as he ran to assess the damage, which R4 took as a tentative yes. Looking at the second truck a shiver crawled down her spine. It was heavily armored with thick black armor, and bore the Mitian symbol. The windscreen had been replaced with an Ironblind? that hid the occupants from the outside but would project all the information to the driver, presuming the driver didn¡¯t just plug into the screen. Despite the damage, R4 didn¡¯t notice a scratch on the truck. ¡°Hey Jun, why would a truck be made out of Tier 2 steel?¡± ¡°Huh? Tier 2, no one uses,¡± Issac refocused on the truck just as both doors were kicked open. ¡°R4, now I¡¯m going to teach you a very important lesson in Nu¡¯Grav. Turn that way,¡± She did, ¡°Now run and don¡¯t look back!¡± R4 took off, her augmented strength pushing her faster than Jun. She never heard the gunshot, until something took her legs right out from under her. She cried out as a line of pain opened up along her thighs, fresh blood spilling out. Tears flowed from her eyes as she cried at the pain, before the rush of ravager toxin stole away all but the smallest amount of pain. ¡°You¡¯re ok, you¡¯re ok. Just think back to your medicine training, you can patch this up later, just get to cover now.¡± R4 immediately spotted an alley and half limped half crawled towards it. She quickly opened her bag and found a first aid kit she had stashed there before coming to Nu¡¯Grav. Bandages, splints, sterilizers, and even some meds she needed a script to get. A brief glance at her memories revealed the doctor who helped her prepare the kit was a distant relative of her mom, so had been more than willing to help her out. Even as she got to work she could feel the programmed skills kicking in. She heard the rolling of dice in her head, and a slight chime as professionalism overrode probability. Trained hands cleaned the wound, far more shallow than she anticipated, and practiced fingers stitched it closed with thread made from manufactured hair which constricted as she worked. Muscles and skin wove together in ways uncommon even for tier 1 individuals. The stomping of boots caught her attention and R4 quickly covered herself with a discarded cardboard box. For a few minutes she was just quiet, breathing carefully, trying to make as little noise as possible. Finally, she dared peak under the box, and her phone let out an ascending tone. R4 jumped, bumping her head on the cardboard. ¡°Way to go Snake.¡± ¡°How can you joke at this time I just got shot!¡± R4 trilled back silently. There was a sound of running footsteps as another dweller within the alley took off to escape the boots. ¡°So, good news or bad news?¡± R4 didn¡¯t answer. ¡°So bad news, you just got nailed by a tier 2 power weapon. Not sure what type, but it did a lot of damage. Good news, it only did 5 wounds.¡± ¡°F-Five wounds!¡± R4 turned pale ¡°Yep, four tier wounds one actual wound. Good news, your emergency first aid reduced your healing time to¡­ 30 seconds.¡± R4 felt the cut, but instead found smooth skin with small stitches sticking out. ¡°The hair is sterile, and will be reabsorbed within a few minutes. So you¡¯re actually good to go as soon as whoever¡¯s chasing you leaves.¡± ¡°So you make my phone beep?¡± ¡°You know your horns can give you a signal, why not hop onto one of the security cameras and take a look around.¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m not a web walker, I don¡¯t have a deck and I¡¯m not planning on burning out my cortex. I¡¯m not great with computer code. I¡¯ve written a little computer code in class, enough to make some robots move and some simple machines to work. But hacking is beyond me.¡± ¡°Drop a few hundred exp in computers and upgrade your phone.¡± Even as the words registered R4 could see how to do that, memories old and imagined joining into a path so slick she could take a single step and slide the rest of the way. It was like when she had marked her storage locker secure, but even easier. She could probably do it with the tools at hand and a minute¡¯s work. ¡°I¡¯m not saying you¡¯ll be able to fry folks like N2 or Data, but hacking a nearby camera to see if anyone¡¯s looking for you could be handy.¡± Taking out her jointed camera she peered out of the box, and immediately into the eye of someone. R4 jumped, drawing her claws, only to see a young man her own age dressed in a black coat with matching track pants and hat. ¡°Doooood, there¡¯s a chick in this box.¡± ¡°Well catch it, higher tiers pay...¡± Another man in similar garb poked his head around the corner. ¡°Oh, a girl, not a baby chicken.¡± R4 immediately noticed both men bore bloodshot eyes but she noted no scent of weed, though the fancy stuff didn¡¯t have a scent. ¡°Hey, what happened to your dress?¡± R4 eyed what was left of her dress. The skirt was bloody and there was a nasty burn, almost as if whatever she was shot with was some sort of heat weapon rather than a cutting weapon. ¡°Got shot, just a glancin¡¯ blow but it hurt.¡± ¡°Far out. Hey, you see that strange cat around?¡± ¡°A cat?¡± R4 asked. ¡°Yeah, little black thing, this big. Been hanging around here for a while, boss thinks it¡¯s giving him nightmares and wants it gone. Says it¡¯s a witch or something.¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s a big yellow one too. It spoke to me in my dreams.¡± ¡°Dude, you need to lay off the spice before bed.¡± ¡°You¡¯re one to talk. You down an entire bush of the stuff a day.¡± ¡°Exactly, so I know what I¡¯m talking about.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t seen it.¡± R4 replied. ¡°Cool cool.¡± And with that the two were gone. R4 checked her phone to see Jun had sent her a text seeing if she was good to continue. ¡°Sure, just need to change my dress.¡± R4 replied. She paused, realizing it could be misunderstood. ¡°Can¡¯t show up to a job covered in blood.¡± ¡°Yes, because that will cause absolutely no misunderstandings or concerns.¡± ¡°Oh hush.¡± R4 quickly switched to a set of orange coveralls, taking a moment to think on how she could enhance them to provide Tier 1 protection. It would be expensive, but she added it to her shopping list for when she had time. ¡°Where you going?¡± Hon asked as she stepped out of the bathroom, her still bloody dress in her hands. ¡°Work? My first job I got shot at, probably shouldn¡¯t have been wearing a dress to work on a car anyhow.¡± ¡°Yeah, you know you should work on some branding. Wear something distinct so you stand out.¡± He thought for a moment. ¡°Like my black circuit dress? That¡¯s actually not a bad idea, it can change form so it¡¯ll stay out of the way. I guess it¡¯s kind of a status symbol, once I get it to work.¡± ¡°I was actually thinking about that other dress, the yellow one.¡± ¡°The one that makes me look 18?¡± She pointed at him. ¡°I¡¯m 25, I don¡¯t need ta¡¯ play inta¡¯ bein¡¯ younger than I am.¡± ¡°Especially since your regeneration cysts will ensure you¡¯ll never age.¡± ¡°Red, I¡¯ve been tryin¡¯ not ta¡¯ think about that.¡± She paused, realizing she had said that in common. ¡°I mean¡­¡± ¡°Your AI assistant whispering to you?¡± She nodded. ¡°It¡¯s all good. Buff Bob was just telling me about a gig and I was getting my good gun.¡± R4 watched as he retrieved a large firearm that looked sized to shoot soda cans. The weapon was pitch black with a red dot sight and glowing red accents.
Mars Corporation Aspis slugger T0. Because turning shields into doughnuts never goes out of style. DC 20 6D6 damage (doubled if at point blank and using shells) Exceed: 10 (8 if close and using shells) Exceed minimum: 2 (3 if close and using shells) Range: 20 meters Scaling: 4 Ammo 10/10 Special: using slugs negates 1D of armor. Cost: 400 credits
¡°That¡¯s brutal, but isn¡¯t DC 20 really hard to hit?¡± ¡°Well yeah, but it¡¯s a shotgun and I¡¯ve got 10D+2 in brute, so as long as I¡¯m close I aim for the head and don¡¯t miss. I¡¯ve got 7D in firearms so I¡¯ve still got pretty good odds. Some truck full of valuable stuff broke down and they want some solos to guard it until a tech can get there.¡± ¡°Well if you need a tech,¡± It took all of 15 seconds for Jun to get R4 on the same job as Hon, and in that time she had swapped out her dress for overalls and a black shirt. It took fifteen minutes on the tram to get to the truck, where a weary looking man in overalls and a red plaid shirt was holding a plastic pink scatter gun and eyeing anyone passing his truck. R4 immediately noticed there was a vending machine that sold EZPZ plastic firearms. Cheap disposable guns that couldn¡¯t be reloaded, just like the one she had worked on during her last trip on the tram. ¡°Think he¡¯s shot anyone yet?¡± ¡°He hasn¡¯t pulled the safety tab, I¡¯d say no.¡± R4 replied. Taking another look around the man had crashed his truck into an electrical pole, which fortunately had been constructed from Tier 1 materials and had weathered the impact like a champ. There were several buildings, all of which were plastered with neon advertisements, and several street walkers had stopped to watch the chaos.
Emergency order: Mass repairs Team size: 2 Hazard: 2 (traffic, gangsters)
Company: Safe Shell Transports Contact: Driver Jon Doe Reward: 1500 credits pooled, 500 exp
A transport company that is obviously a shell company for someone else has crashed and needs to get on the road before any thugs decide to have an easy payday or the NGPD come knocking. Gig augmented by Nu¡¯Grav emergency order. This is the fourth accident today, check the truck for problems, check with the driver. Something doesn¡¯t add up.
¡°Can Jun give exp?¡± R4 asked, Hon gave her a shrug. ¡°Well, better get to it. Howdy there!¡± She called to the driver. ¡°Did someone order a Tech?¡± ¡°Oh thank chrome.¡± The man mumbled, though loudly enough R4 could hear it. She saw him almost drop the shotgun in relief. ¡°So how do you want to play this, you¡¯ve got more experience at this than me.¡± R4 asked. ¡°You¡¯re the tech, I¡¯m the muscle. You deal with the engine; I¡¯ll make sure no one bugs you.¡± Hon shot another glance on his phone. ¡°Easy 750 credits for an hour¡¯s work.¡± R4 flashed a smile. ¡°Oh, you think it¡¯ll take an hour.¡± She approached the driver. ¡°Howdy, R4, this is Hon. Please confirm that we have arrived to do the repairs.¡± The driver nervously shifted his shotgun to get out his phone and R4 received a ding that the job was confirmed. ¡°Ok, so what happened here?¡± She eyed the pole and the truck. She trilled to herself and immediately her right eye pulled up the schematics for the type of truck she was working on. Finding the latch for the hood was easy, forcing the hood when the latch snapped in her hand less so. She peered into the hood. ¡°Seriously, how fast were ya'' goin''?¡± She took a few photos with her phone and discreetly began recording. ¡°Couldn¡¯t have been going over 30, kilometers not miles, since that¡¯s what the speed limit is here.¡± R4 nodded, taking another look at the engine. This time the engine had held up, but a chunk of metal had punctured a tank of coolant. She quickly applied a chemical safe seal and applied an adhesive foam around the edge. The seal itself looked like little more than a sheet of clear plastic, but was designed not to leech into other materials. The adhesive resembled whipped cream, right down to the bottle that dispensed it. ¡°Bleeding Havoc, I¡¯m going ta¡¯ need more a¡¯ this.¡± R4 muttered feeling the can get lighter. ¡°Such is th'' lot a'' techs, cost a¡¯ materials.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve noticed a cyberware that could let you make your own.¡± ¡°Maybe later Red.¡± Checking the rest of the truck R4 noticed the vehicle used several belts rather than a serpentine belt or a system that didn¡¯t use belts at all. Most of them were new, but one was very old and worn. ¡°Is this a custom truck mr¡­¡± ¡°Doe, just call me Doe. Company doesn¡¯t want us using our real name. To be fair, I don¡¯t know. Today¡¯s supposed to be my day off but the driver called in. Don¡¯t know why, boss didn¡¯t say.¡± The man yawned. ¡°Just my luck, have a bad night¡¯s sleep from nightmares and then get called in on my day off.¡± ¡°Nightmares? Did they involve a yellow cat?¡± R4 asked, searching through her bag for something that could fix the belt, and finding nothing. ¡°How¡¯d you know.¡± R4¡¯s horns buzzed and she could sense she now had a shotgun aimed at her. ¡°Hey, put it down.¡± Hon growled. ¡°It¡¯s my job to protect you and your truck, but you shoot my tech I¡¯ll drop you like a hat.¡± ¡°Easy Hon, he hasn¡¯t even removed the safety.¡± She stood back up, stretching her back. ¡°And you¡¯re the fourth accident today, tryin¡¯ ta see what¡¯s goin¡¯ on. Looks like ya¡¯ pierced a coolant tank an¡¯ yer¡¯ engine isn¡¯t doin¡¯ anythin¡¯ until I fill it. Need ta¡¯ zip to the shop an¡¯ get some more. Will only take a bit.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have any?¡± ¡°They come in 12 liter bottles, I¡¯m not carryin¡¯ that in my bag.¡± R4 glanced at her phone and trilled. Immediately it trilled back, and she knew where to get what she needed. ¡°Ok, should be able to be there and back in ten if the lines aren¡¯t long. Hon, you good keepin¡¯ watch?¡± ¡°You sure you don¡¯t need a guard?¡± Hon asked. ¡°I got my derringer an¡¯ I¡¯ve got my claws.¡± With that R4 was off. It took only a few minutes of running to get where she had to go. The shop was covered in neon, like the rest of them, and had R4 not been led there she would not have been able to tell the door to Pete¡¯s Parts from the two shops beside them, one of which was Absolut Bust Milk Bar and the other had been painted over so many times she couldn¡¯t tell what it was called or what it sold. The shop itself was small, with no product actually on the shelves and just kiosks where customers could order things or talk to what might have been an AI might have been a real person through a screen. R4 tapped her phone on one of the kiosks and 250 credits fell out of her account a moment before the jug of coolant and some other odds and ends she needed issued forth from a slot. R4 checked the coolant, making sure it was the right type, and was out of the store within a minute. HONK! R4 dove back into the shop just before a car could wipe her from the street, the driver flipping her two middle fingers with one hand as he rode off. ¡°Fangs of The Lady that was close, Red did ya¡¯ manage ta¡¯ get the license off that maniac?¡± ¡°No license, didn¡¯t get a good look at his face.¡± ¡°I¡¯m goin¡¯ ta¡¯ have ta¡¯ ask the mowhaks if they know him.¡± It took only a few minutes to get back, but R4 immediately noticed things had changed. A trio of toughs in black leather jackets and pants had arrived on a motorcycle and sidecar. Hon had his shotgun casually pointed towards them. Upon getting a bit closer R4 noticed the third member was a woman, though she was dressed fairly similarly to her companions. She also was holding a submachine gun so that one of her companions was between it and Hon. The other two had a bat and a shotgun casually aimed in Hon¡¯s general direction. ¡°Hey Hon, I got the coolant.¡± R4 called out. The three turned to see her. She paused as if only noticing the bikers. ¡°Who¡¯s your friend?¡± ¡°R4 get over here.¡± Hon called back and she cheerfully got back to work, almost as if the stare down was not happening. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± He whispered as she got close. ¡°Those people are dangerous.¡± ¡°Yeah, an¡¯ I¡¯m tryin¡¯ not ta¡¯ look scared.¡± R4 replied. She reached into her carryall and pulled out a few bolts, a motor, and a few other odds and ends. She assembled them using her osteoclast assembly and set the device in front of the truck. The little gizmo had a short piece of pipe on one end, a small antenna that flashed occasionally, and a camera lens. She took a small hair clip and placed it prominently on Hon¡¯s shirt before putting one on herself. ¡°Make sure that doesn¡¯t fall off ¡®K?¡± ¡°Um, what is this?¡± R4 made a gesture and the little box began to pan, the camera looking for foes while the pipe moved up and down as if taking aim. ¡°Is that a sentry gun? Why do you have one of those?¡± ¡°Just make sure the friend/foe tag doesn¡¯t fall off.¡± R4 replied, before noticing the driver eyeing her warily. ¡°Might want ta¡¯ stay inside yer¡¯ truck.¡± R4 immediately got to refilling the reservoir before doing some last minute inspections. There was a slight leak in one of the hoses, but her osteoclast assembly fixed that right quick. As she worked she kept an eye on her little sentry gun. It wasn¡¯t real, just some random junk and a motor. ¡°You know, if you had placed an isopod in there it would allow you to control it with resonance. A bit of work and it could actually shoot.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a ton of bullets.¡± R4 replied. ¡°You could use an osteoclast assembly to make more, though you don¡¯t have the ability to make gunpowder right now. How do you feel about crossbows?¡± ¡°They¡¯re good fer¡¯ workin¡¯ ¡®round th¡¯ bats, but I like the portability of a pistol or the kick of a shotgun.¡± She connected with the so-called turret and saw the female biker was walking off. ¡°Hon, is one a¡¯ the bikers flankin¡¯?¡± ¡°He¡¯s trying to, but I¡¯m watching him. There¡¯s a lot of street walkers, I can¡¯t just open fire if something happens. If I nail someone we could get into some trouble.¡± ¡°How bad?¡± ¡°Fines mostly, this street is a gang controlled area. I think the Mowhawks but it changes daily who owns what. These guys are the Dark Riders. No clue what they¡¯re doing here.¡± He grinned. ¡°Gang involvement, that¡¯s a surcharge.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it covered in th¡¯ base fee?¡± R4 asked. ¡°Depends on how well you¡­ renegotiate.¡± Hon replied with a grin. R4 took a quick moment to text Jun for clarification before going back to her work. She checked over a few more things, before approaching the driver. As she did the man let out a loud yawn and popped a few pills. ¡°Ok, so looks like yer¡¯ little wreck punched a hole in yer¡¯ coolant. Got that fixed and refilled. Some of your belts could use fixin¡¯ but they should hold fer¡¯ a bit longer until you can get into a proper service station. Same for your tires, seriously y¡¯all need ta take yer¡¯ truck fer¡¯ a check up.¡± ¡°Not my truck, it¡¯s the company¡¯s.¡± The driver replied, yawning again. He eyed the bottle again, which R4 saw was marked MAXWAKE with the NeuMed logo hidden in very small print. ¡°The normal driver called in, so I¡¯m driving his,¡± The man froze, eyes locked in terror. R4 followed his eyes to behold the horrifying beast that had caused his heart to fill with ice. The little orange cat, surely the foulest of all beasts within the city of Nu¡¯Grav, set the driver¡¯s heart alight. Unknowing of the horror it caused, the adorable monster continued to cross the road. It rubbed against one of the bikers, who ignored it for a moment, before taking a break from staring down Hon to give it scritches. One of the other bikers took one look at the thing and immediately drew iron. The female biker grabbed his arm before he could shoot, gesturing towards Hon who looked ready to start firing at any moment. ¡°So y¡¯all had nightmares involvin¡¯ a cat?¡± R4 asked. ¡°What?¡± The man shook himself awake. ¡°Um, just a bit.¡± ¡°Yer pulse just jumped from 140 ta¡¯ 200, I¡¯d say more than a bit.¡± R4 smiled at the critter, a little jealous of the Dark Rider. ¡°Seems lots of folks have been having trouble sleeping.¡± R4 spoke soothingly, suppressing her accent a bit. ¡°Finish your work and take a break. Tell your boss you¡¯re sick or something, it¡¯s not worth pushing yourself if you¡¯re just going to nod off and cause another wreck.¡± ¡°Ok, job¡¯s done, let¡¯s talk payment.¡± Hon said, approaching the driver. ¡°Fee¡¯s 1500, but that¡¯s with minor gang involvement and that right there,¡± He gestured to the bikers, ¡°Is not minor. You¡¯ve got a gang with known rivalries to the local gang eyeing you, and that stinks of corporate involvement. That¡¯s an extra grand right there.¡± R4 shot a glance at the gangsters. The fact two of them were now paying more attention to the cat rather than the truck and the third was rolling his eyes at them wasn¡¯t doing Hon¡¯s argument any favors. The man looked at Hon with tired, yet defiant eyes. ¡°I paid your fixer, that¡¯s all you¡¯re getting.¡± ¡°Yeah, but you lied about the scope of work, that kind of stuff gets around.¡± He flexed. ¡°One day you¡¯ve got the best of the best on speed dial, the next you¡¯re in a dark alley and no one¡¯s taking your calls.¡± ¡°Hon, can¡¯t you see the man¡¯s already on his last leg,¡± R4 started. ¡°R4, this is between me and the client.¡± Hon shot her a mean look, before softening it with a smile the client couldn¡¯t see. ¡°Do you always just take the fee and do the job? No negotiating, no bargaining?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°No wonder you live in a capsule.¡± R4 did not bring up that so did he. ¡°I get it, being a remote you¡¯re used to how things are done in the theocracy. This is how things work in Nu¡¯Grav, so watch and learn.¡± R4 did, though she had to take a kricket bar from her bag to get the bad taste out of her mouth. In the end Hon got an extra 400 credits out of the man, and he left without further complaint. Hon gave a wave to the bikers, who glared back but did nothing further. ¡°So, easy gig right?¡± Hon asked, his usual humor back. He checked his phone, and R4 did hers.
User Rachel ¡°R4¡± Smith Balance incoming/outgoing
5204
4454 750 Truck repair (II)
4704 -250 Coolant, quick seal, other parts kricket bars
Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. 3704 1000 Truck repair
3204 500 Khat Photos ;)
1204 2000 Kraken theater
¡°I noticed I did not get any of the additional fees you bargained out of the last truck driver.¡± R4 replied, downing another kricket bar. She hadn¡¯t realized they had a hot sauce flavor, and was starting to regret not looking more closely at the variety pack she had purchased. Still, little got in the way of a ravager¡¯s meal. ¡°Did you want some?¡± Hon asked. For a moment R4 considered if he was mocking her, but his face had the same good natured smile it usually had. ¡°From how you were talking I didn¡¯t think you would.¡± R4 considered it. ¡°I guess not.¡± She finished her bar, and considered going back for a third. She had already burned through some ATP fixing the two trucks, but she still had a pretty full supply. Instead she downed the wrapper. ¡°Any new jobs? I had to spend a week¡¯s rent on spare parts.¡± A quick glance at her phone revealed there was no shortage of work. Over the next eight hours she attended to twelve trucks and three properties damaged by trucks, twice working on both while the driver and landlord exchanged threats of lawsuits between yawns. Three times Hon had to scare off some gangsters, but in each case threatening words and the presence of a muscle bound solo with a big shotgun were all that was needed. Only once did he need to fire, and that was over the heads of a bunch of punks armed with screwdrivers. ¡°Well, that was quite the profitable afternoon.¡± Hon said as the pair rested on a bench overlooking the outskirts of the city. The sun was setting, though through the haze of the city it was little more than a bright spot in the sky. R4 had used her Keys to the Kingdom subversion to disable the bench¡¯s security, which Hon had approved of. ¡°I think I made more today than my folks make in a month.¡± R4 replied, stretching. She noticed Hon¡¯s eyes wandering but made no comment of it. ¡°Sounds good to me,¡± As he spoke R4¡¯s eye caught a laser light appear on the ground. Immediately she pushed Hon to the side. Yet, rather than a sniper¡¯s bullet a gray tabby cat hopped after the laser. It quickly examined its paws, annoyed it had missed its prey, and looked up at them.
Emergency order: Mass repairs Team size: varies Hazard: 2 (dark enviroment, pipes, animals, additional restrictions, possible gang involvement)
Company: Nyan Lives Society Contact: T4bby Reward: 1000 credits, 3000 exp (5 servers total)
Saw you helping the truck and was hoping you could assist me. Remote access to a few of my servers have gone offline and my pets are getting hungry. Credits are split between the team but exp is individual.
¡°I¡¯ll pass on that. That¡¯s not a lot of credits and I don¡¯t use exp.¡± Hon spoke up. ¡°Also, did we just get a gig from a cat? ¡°She¡¯s got a small transmitter and camera on her collar, and there¡¯s a laser pointer up there.¡± R4 pointed to where the device hung from the edge of a roof. ¡°Someone likes their cats, and that is a lot of exp. I could get my Force and Aptitude both up to 6D for that much.¡± ¡°R4, don¡¯t do that.¡± Hon spoke up. ¡°I know you¡¯re a warlock, and you like your AI, but you can¡¯t just let an AI upload stuff into your body. You¡¯re asking for trouble.¡± ¡°But¡­ that¡¯s a lot of exp¡­¡± R4 protested. ¡°An¡¯ it¡¯s just fixin¡¯ some servers. I¡¯ve done that in th¡¯ undercity an¡¯ been fine.¡± She paused. ¡°Except, hey Feline Overseer, y¡¯all hear me?¡± The cat looked up and meowed before its collar flashed green. ¡°I¡¯m cool ta¡¯ work with ya, but are y¡¯all an¡¯ my patron cool? I know corps don¡¯t like it when ya¡¯ work with their rivals much.¡± ¡°I can answer that, The Nyan Lives Society and Mara both subscribe to an agreement known as The Mandate.¡± Immediately the cat hissed and its collar flashed red. ¡°Also The Mandate is supposed to be secret. You¡¯re one of the Fangs of Mara, so you can know, but don¡¯t go spreading it around.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t that the title of a movie?¡± R4 replied, in resonant so Jun couldn¡¯t hear her. ¡°Several, no better way to mess with algorithm searches than to have a dozen movies that are very divisive. The greater the flame war, the more smoke screen to protect the truth. ¡°Alrighty then. If my patron¡¯s ok with it I¡¯m in.¡± R4 replied, now in common. ¡°Where¡¯s the first one, I¡¯ll get right to it.¡± Immediately she got a message with the first location. ¡°Guess I¡¯ll be seeing ya'' Hon.¡± She expected him to react, to disapprove, but he just smiled. ¡°Not two months in and you¡¯re taking gigs from strange AI. R4 you are going to burn out like a trick candle.¡± He held out a fist, ¡°But it¡¯s going to be quite a show.¡± ¡°Not on y¡¯er life.¡± R4 returned the fist bump. ¡°Just promise me this. Don¡¯t go letting that AI pump you full of growth hormones when you spend all that EXP on your body.¡± He flexed, and E4 saw that despite the cybernetics he had quite a bit of regular muscle. ¡°See this, I earned these gains. If you want muscles I can get them for you, but if you want to look like me you have to get them the hard way.¡± ¡°He has a point, I do have some data on vat grown muscles and heart conditions. You might even get a discount on your next medicine die if you read it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll hold you to it.¡± R4 replied. ¡°Alright T4bby, let¡¯s get to work.¡± Within a few minutes T4bby led R4 into a large dwelling. Immediately the scent of smoke and sterilized air assaulted her nostrils, but the scent of cat urine did not despite the fact she was greeted by no fewer than three cats. As the door opened, she saw a large three headed doberman with golden surgical scars waiting for her. ¡°A Cerberus.¡± R4 immediately reached out to pet it, before pausing. ¡°Is he friendly?¡± ¡°Cerb was a bad dog Nyan.¡± A voice spoke from a Mitian home assistant. The squat metal dome blinked twice before a symbol of a blue cat¡¯s face with a white IX on its forehead appeared on its view screen. ¡°He and his two hounds tried to chase my friends, but now he¡¯s all better. Three heads are better than one, and with their neural linking they can actually use those three brain cells of theirs.¡± Cerb barked in agreement, before all three heads began panting. R4 reached out to pet the left one, which caused the other two to immediately shove their way forwards. ¡°Cerb, bad!¡± Immediately Cerb took a step back and whined. ¡°Awww, He¡¯s adorable.¡± R4 replied, before stooping to pet a fluffy white cat that was now brushing against her leg. ¡°Though I should probably get to the servers before I waste a day petting,¡± The white cat was pushed aside by an orange cat, ¡°all these cats. Maybe later.¡± R4 quickly found her way to the server, and immediately found the problem. One of the cats, or more than one, had found a nook to sleep in, and that nook happened to be right by an exhaust port. ¡°Found th¡¯ problem T4bby. Looks like one a¡¯ yer cats likes sleepin¡¯ in here, and it jammed the fan, give me a bit, I can get it fixed.¡± R4 immediately got to work. The job was simple, just pulling the hairs free which was easy with a bit of telekinesis. One of the fans was cracked, so she replaced it with a spare she had. ¡°Might want to keep the cats out of this room, or this will happen again. I¡¯m not opposed to repeat business, but I¡¯d rather not be accused of not giving an accurate diagnosis.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s waaaaarm nya.¡± T4bby replied over a small speaker hidden in the ceiling. R4 looked up to see there was an eye watching the server. ¡°There¡¯s nothing like riding a cat who¡¯s lazing about the heat exchange after a long day keeping the rat population under control.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a fire hazard ya¡¯ know.¡± R4 replied, thinking. ¡°I think I could make a heat sink ta¡¯ let yer¡¯ cats be warm without riskin¡¯ yer¡¯ integrity. I don¡¯t have th¡¯ parts an¡¯ it would cost.¡± ¡°You could use bone.¡± ¡°Red, are you sure? I don¡¯t think it would work that way.¡± ¡°Clicking gears and twitching flesh, we have all kinds of ways. In fact,¡± R4 paused as I passed her a document. ¡°So T4bby, how do ya¡¯ feel about tryin¡¯ some experimental tech. It¡¯s not radioactive or explosive, jus¡¯, somethin¡¯ my patron¡¯s been meanin¡¯ ta try.¡± R4¡¯s fabricator was more than happy to provide her as much bone as she wanted, and it came out at tier 1. Looking through her options she saw a few add on features. ¡°Hey Red Queen, does this mono-directional thermo-conductive bone do what I think it does?¡± R4 quickly grew a sample, before wrapping it in a normal tier 1 bone. Drawing a small hand welder from her bag she ran a few tests, before smiling. ¡°I like it. It¡¯s not perfect, but it certainly delays the backflow of heat. Could we use the thermovore feature I got from the Vestia Fire Scales to further reduce the feedback?¡± ¡°Elaborate.¡± ¡°So at some point we have to join the mono-directional thermo-conductive bones to regular bones, since while they¡¯re tough they¡¯re both weaker and more expensive to create. Not by much, maybe 1 D or so.¡± 1D exactly, but she was on the right track. ¡°But if we used something like the thermovore array I got from the Vestia just before I joined the one way bones to the surrounding area or other bones we could suck some of that waste heat back up into ATP and feed it into the system. It wouldn¡¯t be a net positive by any means, but it would reduce the loss due to heat.¡± Immediately R4 heard a loud DING. ¡°Perfect, I was hoping you¡¯d think of something like that. Let¡¯s try it out.¡± The next hour was spent crafting a rather elaborate heat sink system, which drew the heat from T4bby¡¯s servers through a series of specially designed bones, insulated with bone that was less conductive to heat. It worked with a branching path of flowing water, which R4 had to fetch from a nearby source. A viscous oil solution which would not boil was used to draw heat from the servers, and was used to boil a reservoir of water, which then rose as steam before condensing and flowing down into a series of tubes which wrapped around a number of cat nests, cloth coverings R4 had repurposed from some old cat beds T4bby had lying around. They were a mishmash of colors, and most of them were obviously stitched together from rags. Yet as the cats settled in purring was heard from all parties involved. It took a few tries to get the exact setting right, including a few types of pumps powered by resonance, electricity, and even one that drew upon an external battery which quickly was thrown to the wayside. Finally a gravity powered mechanism was chosen. The boiling water turned into steam, which rose into a chamber loaded up with the mono-directional thermo-conductive bones, which carried the heat out to the cat nests before terminating at thermovore cells which produced resonance. ¡°Brings a tear ta¡¯ my eyes,¡± As R4 wiped her eye she noticed a little isopod gripping her hand. ¡°Um, Red?¡± ¡°Drop him in the water reserve.¡± ¡°The one that¡¯s actively boiling?¡± R4 did, and the harvest-man isopod happily got to work. Within moments it had attuned to the local resonance and was soon surrounded by greenery. ¡°Isopods are intertwined with Sargasso. This is a theromotrophic Sargasso, rather than a radiotrophic version. It¡¯s not as efficient, but it will keep the water clean and the isopod will integrate with the bone and keep it healthy.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s not goin¡¯ ta¡¯ break down in a few years like that patch job I did on the pipes when we first met.¡± ¡°Well it will need monitoring, but I¡¯d give this a good couple years before it breaks, so long as it is maintained. The whole thing is Tier 1 bone, so it¡¯s not like the cats are going to damage it. I still think we should have made the cushions from something a little more¡­ versatile.¡± ¡°Like?¡± ¡°The most versatile material.¡± R4 waited for an answer. ¡°Human flesh.¡± ¡°No.¡± R4 replied immediately. ¡°First of all, why would I use human flesh when we have perfectly good cushions right here? Second, where would I get it?¡± ¡°You¡¯d print it, same as the bones.¡± I pointed out. ¡°Or I could cause it to grow in strips on your arms and stomach. It would peel right off. If you used a thermovore ATP array you could probably catch enough ATP that you could tap the resonance and feed off it if you were in the neighborhood.¡± ¡°Jus¡¯ walk up an¡¯ touch it ta feed?¡± ¡°You could probably do it from the street actually. You don¡¯t have to be that close.¡± With a few more tests R4 and T4bby were both satisfied that the whole assembly wasn¡¯t going to fall apart at a moment¡¯s notice.
Weapons Equipment testing: Mono-directional heat transferance Team size: you Hazard: 1 possibility of failure, damage to equipment
Company: Fangs of Mara Contact: Red Queen Reward: 200 exp, Mono-directional thermotrophic bones. Thermovore protocol.
Mono-directional materials are the domain of second tier and beyond. Heat transference is not truly one way, but it is close enough to be practically one way. This opens fascinating possibilities for cooling and heating. Plasma weapons are only possible due to the fact the heating elements cannot feedback into the structural supports. Mara has long desired plasma weapons of her own. While you are not tier 2 yet this is a major breakthrough. She postulated on how it might be practical, but you putting the pieces together and experimenting with it have allowed some major bottlenecks to be ironed out. Thermovore protocol: divert processing power to more effectively absorbing heat and converting it to ATP.
¡°Well by th¡¯ blood, that¡¯s handy¡± R4 replied dismissing the pop up. ¡°Alright T4bby, where next?¡± The next three locations were more of the same, each were in a somewhat lower income area, but not a squalid area. As R4 worked she noted some wary eyes from those she passed, and while rewiring some loose wires in a residential area a resident stopped her. ¡°Did the housing company send you?¡± The woman asked. She wore a jean coat and long jeans, both lit with neon. She looked young, but tired, her tanned skin dusted with some sort of ash. As she waited for R4 to finish screwing in a component she took a drag on some Gentek Nic-draw inhaler. In her off hand she held a laundry basket full of dried food. ¡°Nah, T4bby did.¡± The woman shot her a suspicious look. ¡°Not on speaking terms with th¡¯ digital cat?¡± ¡°Always been more of a dog person.¡± That made R4 chuckle. ¡°Can¡¯t trust AI. With humans at least you can look them in the eyes and know if they¡¯d knife you in the back for a loaf of bread or not. AI you can never tell. Selling your soul profitable again?¡± ¡°Have y¡¯all tried it?¡± R4 poked her head back up into the ceiling, adjusting another wire. ¡°Also, y¡¯all have some kind¡¯a rat problem? I¡¯d think with all th¡¯ cats this place would be spotless but somethin¡¯s been chewin¡¯ up here.¡± ¡°Mrow?¡± R4 turned her head and beheld a pitch black Maine coon carrying a rat nearly a foot in length. Immediately she noted this cat had mechanical claws and one of its eyes, while it still resembled a cat¡¯s eye, was mechanical. The cat dropped the rat before R4 and sat up. ¡°That explains it.¡± R4 replied, giving the cat a telekinetic stroke while pulling the rat away. ¡°Miss, ya¡¯ mind takin¡¯ a step back?¡± The woman did, just before R4 threw the rat with all the power her 7D force could muster into the garbage chute. ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°Really big rat.¡± the cat brushed up against R4, ¡°Easy kitty, I need ta,¡± ¡°Mrow.¡± [[Help. Down]] ¡°Oh, are you stuck up here?¡± R4 picked up the cat, surprised at how heavy he was, and stepped down from the step ladder. Her phone beeped as it got a hit off of a few cyberware components within the cat. ¡°He¡¯s a big one isn¡¯t he. How does a cat reach tier 1?¡± ¡°So that¡¯s where Midnight got off to, my kid was worrying about him.¡± The woman patted Midnight before R4 set him down and he stalked off. ¡°So how¡¯s this work, I send the super an e-mail every day for a month that the food reconstitutor is giving us 11000% of our daily allotted iron and get ignored, but the holographic cat breaks a nail and he¡¯s got you here that afternoon, in the middle of a city wide emergency?¡± ¡°I thought T4bby owned th¡¯ place.¡± R4 replied. ¡°Um, T4bby, was I supposed ta¡¯ check in with someone?¡± [[Message from T4bby: Perrrrrr the contract this building belongs to the Nyan Lives Society, and is managed by a supervisor. T4bby>supervisor (?^?^?).]] ¡°Ya¡¯ scared me there. Nah, haven¡¯t met yer super. One a¡¯ T4bby¡¯s felines saw me fixin¡¯ someone¡¯s truck an¡¯ offered me a job.¡± R4 folded up her ladder, slipping it back into her bag. ¡°Tryin¡¯ not ta¡¯ do that, lost a gig ta¡¯ scope creep an¡¯ a manager with a bad attitude. Still, ya said somethin¡¯ ¡®bout a broken food reconstitutor? Shouldn¡¯t that be th¡¯ super¡¯s domain? Those things aren¡¯t counter-top equipment.¡± ¡°If the place isn¡¯t falling down that man doesn¡¯t care. Don¡¯t suppose you do house calls, or do you answer only to your AI?¡± ¡°My card.¡± R4 zipped the woman a digital business card, originally made in high school but recently edited with Jun¡¯s number. ¡°Per protocol I¡¯m goin¡¯ ta need a work order sent through either my AI overlord or my fixer. Switching to resonant, ¡°Send message to Jun. Was approached about fixing a food reconsitutor. Can you take a look at the contract? Send Message to T4bby. I was approached by a resident in your building about fixing a major appliance. Do you want it added to the work order?¡± ¡°R4, remember not to overexert yourself.¡± [[Message from T4bby: Nyan, not my purpose. Still, angry folks kick cats, so I give permission but I won¡¯t pay for it. That¡¯s between them and the super Nyan. Don¡¯t forget to finish the last server.]] ¡°Right, I have one more server I have ta¡¯ finish up. That an¡¯ I¡¯ve been up since 8, so it¡¯s,¡± She checked her watch, 2100, so I¡¯ve been at it fer¡¯¡± She yawned, ¡°13 hours. I¡¯m finishin¡¯ this an¡¯ clockin¡¯ off. If ya¡¯ work somethin¡¯ out I kin¡¯ probably be by around breakfast time.¡±1 ¡°You¡¯re not burning the midnight oil?¡± The woman asked. ¡°I¡¯m a remote, this is burnin¡¯ the midnight oil.¡± ¡°No wonder the theocracy never gets anything done. Sure, see you then.¡± The path to the last server was long and winding. R4 considered catching a Durch, but consulted her bank account and thought better. Instead she caught the next tram down to Subsector 6. ¡°Hey Red, if T4bby is a cat, do ya¡¯ think she has a server here ta¡¯ take advantage of th¡¯ fish?¡± ¡°Being an AI she doesn¡¯t eat, though she might collect for her pets.¡± ¡°I see.¡± As the tram moved R4 saw a few familiar faces. ¡°Rho, was it?¡± The man, though R4 could now see he was at best 18 likely a bit younger, now had his gas mask in his lap as he was drinking some manner concoction. A robot, something that resembled an IV stand with eight spider legs, stood before him. The robot had several rounded containers surrounding it, each one plastered with an advertisement for what drink was within. One of them was marked with a Bruhwizer label, a happy bearded man in a plaid beanie enjoying a drink while resting against a counter. The other 9 rest were emblazoned with the mascots of Star Nymph Coffee and Fiend NRG Drinks. The busty blue haired nymph looked expectantly at the viewer, a cup in both hands as if expecting them to sit and enjoy a cup with her. In contrast the other image showed a green haired succubus, horns poking up behind her ears and wings draping her bikini clad form, holding out a can to a viewer who gazed up at the figure. Rho looked over, mechanical lenses flat and featureless. Beneath, his face was a mess of scars and cuts. A pop up for the Maskglass cybereyes popped up. [[Maskglass cybereyes: meshes with any external optics. Now with AI driven anti-fog]] ¡°You¡¯re that remote tech right? R4? It¡¯s been low key mad out there today. Did Not_Crash.exe get an unstable patch? If I have to look at one more broken heat exchange I¡¯m takin¡¯ a flight right off Mars Corp HQ.¡± He downed his Fi3nd energy drink and with a tap on his phone ordered another. Immediately a Star Nymph can popped out of one of the robot¡¯s holsters and with a metalic claw it handed him the can. ¡°Not fair, they put these drink droids in all the trams to prey on us techs. I¡¯m just about out of screws and duct tape and these lots won¡¯t let me quit until we meet quota.¡± ¡°Rho, you¡¯re the one who made the quota.¡± ¡°No that was the Rho of this morning, the Rho of right now wants to go to bed!¡± He called out before downing his drink in a single gulp. With a gesture R4 ordered a coffee, taking a sip and finding it exceedingly sweet. ¡°I know the feelin¡¯, done a bunch a¡¯ cars before I got invited ta¡¯ do server work by a cat a¡¯ all thing. I¡¯m on 13 hours an¡¯ ready ta¡¯ drop.¡± ¡°Right, because remotes don¡¯t have a work ethic.¡± ¡° ¡®Cause we believe in¡¯ workin¡¯ ta¡¯ live an¡¯ not livin¡¯ ta¡¯ work.¡± ¡°And that is why the theocracy never gets anything done.¡± Rho countered back. ¡°Must be how an AI conned you into working for them. Little tip, Tech to tech, AI don¡¯t have much money. Not at the level we work at. They pay in Exp without mentioning anything you can get for experience you can get cheaper for money.¡± ¡°What about upping your FRAME?¡± R4 asked ¡°You get better returns for cybernetics. Yeah you can dump a ton of exp into it, but you¡¯re still using human flesh which is always inferior to cyberware. Unless you¡¯re ¡®roiding out even a mediocre set of cyberarms is better than human flesh. Don¡¯t get me started about those programs designed to increase your skills, they inject malware into your brain then tell you you¡¯re smarter. You know spending Exp that way is a fast track to becoming a warlock? Tried it once to learn a scripting language. It worked, but I had to take a month long class to be able to use it for anything besides programming doors to open and close. It¡¯s like studying for a test by swiping the answer sheet. I would have been better off just taking the class and forgetting about the Exp anyhow. Worse, they deleted a bunch of memories to make room for bloatware. Now I have an addiction to caffeine I didn¡¯t have before and vague memories of a cat whose name I can¡¯t even remember2. Now apply that to your whole brain, giving up everything for one skill. All of a sudden all you care about is one thing, maybe it¡¯s programming, maybe it¡¯s knives. Suddenly that¡¯s all you can think of, and when all you have is a hammer every problem looks like a nail. Those guys are worse than cyberpsychos.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°Cyberpsychos can be reasoned with, snapped out of their rage sometimes. Somewhere between the man and machine something¡¯s malfunctioning. Their brain overclocks and all that¡¯s working is the lizard brain, fight or flight. Calm them down, and you might be able to snap them out of it. A warlock isn¡¯t going nuts, his brain¡¯s not glitching. He¡¯s operating as intended, and he¡¯s intended to kill.¡± He shrugged. ¡°They have neat tech, but 9 times out of 10 it¡¯s loaded with malware or radioactive, most times both. They get this very specialized training on how to use it, it rolls exceeds all day long or can shoot around corners, but it¡¯s practically a cursed item for anyone else.¡± R4 thought about her brother, about the yellow eyes she saw in the darkness, the eyes that sent shivers through her spine even now. ¡°I think I¡¯ll agree ta¡¯ disagree fer¡¯ now. So, where y¡¯all headed off ta¡¯? I thought the Deep Fish had their own techs.¡± ¡°Could say the same about you.¡± Rho asked, his eyes didn¡¯t change, but his mask acquired a curious expression. LED lights appeared over the eyes to arch a brow. ¡°The AI I¡¯m working with had me do a bunch of server work in my home sector, and the last one is down here. Guess she believes in not switchin¡¯ a horse midstream.¡± She paused, ¡°That or T4bby doesn¡¯t want ta¡¯ be tempted ta¡¯ snack on some deep fish. Y¡¯all know cats.¡± She pointed to Rho¡¯s mask. ¡°Did y¡¯all set that up?¡± ¡°Yeah, custom designed with all the expressions I¡¯ll ever need, air filtration, back up oxygen for half an hour,¡± The rest of the trip Rho and R4 talked tech, mostly revolving around masks and optics, though straying into the miniaturization required to shove so many things into a mask. ¡°So why don¡¯t you just use a full helmet?¡± R4 asked. ¡°You could have more processing power in the back, or maybe make a shawl.¡± ¡°A shawl? What are we, grandparents?¡± Rho asked. ¡°I mean, you see,¡± With a few gestures R4 had her tool arm out and was weaving together a cloth from tier 1 hair. ¡°This is just a mock up, but if you attach it to your mask it would cover your shoulders. It would add a bit of weight, but you could use it to hold processors, armor, or just about anything else.¡± ¡°Wiki is saying that¡¯s called a coif.¡± One of Rho¡¯s guards spoke up. ¡°And it doesn¡¯t look that good, kind of kills the aethetic. We wear gas masks, not chain. That¡¯s the knights, or the Iron Hand.¡± ¡°Xi is right, we don¡¯t want to offend the Iron Hand and we DEFINITELY don¡¯t want to be associated with them. Especially since the gang war that happened down here.¡± ¡°That was my first time in Sub-sector 6, what was that about anyhow?¡± ¡°Gang politics I guess, the Deep Fish and the Masks aren¡¯t enemies, but we¡¯re not close. If their techs weren¡¯t being pushed to the limit I¡¯m sure they wouldn¡¯t have invited me down. I¡¯m keeping Kappa and Xi close just in case.¡± ¡°I see, guess I should reach out ta¡¯ some contacts ta¡¯ make sure I¡¯m not steppin¡¯ on toes.¡± R4 saw the tram was slowing down. ¡°Nice cahttin¡¯ with ya¡¯.¡± ¡°You too.¡± Sub-sector 6 looked much as R4 remembered, dark and colored with neon. Following the directions T4bby had placed on her phone she easily found the server, though the crowd around it indicated a problem. The fact several of them wore uniforms of blue and gray sent a chill down R4¡¯s spine. ¡°What¡¯s going on over there?¡± R4 asked one of the locals filming. ¡°Some guy drove a truck into that building. The PD is blocking it off and not letting anyone in.¡± The man she spoke to had the looks of a deep fish, all black clothing with glowing emblems and tattoos. ¡°You the tech they hired.¡± ¡°I was hired ta¡¯ repair somethin¡¯ inside the buildin¡¯, not th¡¯ truck.¡± As she approached R4 walked diagonal to the crowd, hoping to find a way into the building that did not involve the crash. The building was made from steel, though it had a mural of a giant cat fish wearing a headband with cat ears on it. The truck was plain and pale, with only a Gentek placard differentiating it from any other. As she got closer she saw the officers weren¡¯t wearing normal uniforms, but just jackets designed to resemble them. The badges they wore were real enough, signifying them as NGPD auxiliary. ¡°Rent a cops, that makes things,¡± As she was speaking one of the officers let out a shout before drawing iron and firing three shots at someone they thought were getting a little too close. ¡°Scratch that, this is bad.¡± She quietly skirted the crowd trying to find a different way into the building. ¡°I know the NGPD have a reputation, but those guys seem also worse.¡± ¡°At least they¡¯re using non-lethal rounds. No bodies, no questions I bet.¡± R4 jumped as Zephyr seemed to appear next to her. ¡°Hi.¡± ¡°Where did you come from, how,¡± ¡°I jumped.¡± Zephyr pointed up to where R4 saw there was a fire escape. ¡°So, what are we watching?¡± ¡°What?¡± R4 paused, then facepalmed. ¡°Oh my, I¡¯m so sorry. With th¡¯ disaster I completely forgot.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Zephyr lied, R4 could hear it in her voice it was a lie. With a loud Clunk she released the enormous backpack that seemed almost as large as her. It was crafted from black plastic and metal, and covered in glowing stickers of different fish. ¡°Mom had me running all over the place delivering food. Most of the shuttle drones are being rerouted so human delivery is making bank.¡± ¡°Today is a day fer¡¯ profit. I made quite a bit, an¡¯ this job is payin¡¯ tons a¡¯ experience.¡± ¡°You like experience? Gonk, no one saves exp. You cash it in at the nearest shop for new programs or to debug your chrome. I use mine to pay for an anti-virus subscription and debug my¡­ computer.¡± She paused, smiling. ¡°So, moving on, you need to get in there?¡± ¡°That¡¯s where th¡¯ server is. Need ta¡¯ get in an¡¯ fix some stuff.¡± ¡°Well I have ta¡¯¡­ to get in there too. The local AI made a huge order for fish heads and guts, and since Mom isn¡¯t using it for anything else she¡¯s happy to sell it.¡± ¡°And y¡¯all tease me fer¡¯ workin¡¯ with AI.¡± ¡°Oh hush, come on, I know a secret way in.¡± R4 followed Zephyr up a ladder, along a catwalk that clearly wasn¡¯t supposed to be attached to the fire escape, and to a salvaged lifter which with the flip of a switch moved to reveal a secret entrance. ¡°Y¡¯all come here often?¡± ¡°Cats love fish, but the super hates the smell. Technically she can¡¯t keep me out, but I¡¯d rather not get shot. Followed one of the strays this way and made myself a door. So far I¡¯m the only delivery person who can use it, so keep it on the down low, ok?¡± ¡°No one will hear from me.¡± Hopping the short distance between the building they had climbed to the other building¡¯s fire escape Zephyr opened a door that should have been locked, but even a casual glance showed R4 that it had been broken for a long time. ¡°Ya¡¯ know, I could fix that in 5 seconds flat.¡± ¡°Super doesn¡¯t care, and it benefits me, so why should I?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a security risk.¡± But R4 went with it. Finding the stairs and sneaking down to the basement she heard the sounds of the occupants watching TV, talking, arguing, and generally just living. As Zephyr pushed open the door to the basement she heard a chorus of meows as a dozen cats waited for their meal. ¡°Well hi there, you hungry?¡± Zephyr asked. [[Nyan, welcome R4 and Zephyr. R4, there has been a complication.]] ¡°What¡¯s the complication?¡± R4 asked as she entered, stopping to pick up a beautiful white shorthaired cat with the most captivating green eyes. As she stepped forwards she was hit with the most relaxing sensation, like stepping into a warm bath after a long day. ¡°Why are we being blasted with radiation?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Y¡¯all can¡¯t feel that? I¡¯m surprised th¡¯ radiation alarms haven¡¯t sealed this room solid. Zephyr, get out a¡¯ here, take th¡¯ cats. T4bby, where is yer¡¯ reactor. I¡¯ve got a bit a¡¯ shieldin¡¯, might be able ta¡¯ patch things if they¡¯re not too bad.¡± A sound resounded through the room and immediately the cats fled as if someone had announced bath time. [[Hisssss, that door¡¯s actuator was broken, but I will add it to your to do list with appropriate compensation. This server is currently cut off, T4bby Prime is unaware of recent issues.]] ¡°Yer¡¯ reactor is down, I might be able ta¡¯ fix it.¡± [[Nyan, if it was my reactor it wouldn¡¯t be an issue. I am plugged into this sub-sector''s geothermal power plant.]] It took R4 a few moments to search the servers before she found the problem. Unlike the previous servers, this one was smaller in the amount of processors, but had six hard lines, allowing it to send orders at a pace none of the other servers could, and posses different IP addresses for if one had been blocked. It was merely bad luck that a large metal cylinder bearing the telltale trefoil of radioactivity happened to be resting on it, the front of the truck laying open just a few meters up. The cylindrical device still hissed as irradiated steam poured out. ¡°T4bby, announce a radiation leak. This entire block has to be evacuated.¡± [[Server is down Nyan]]. R4 took out her phone, but found it wasn¡¯t working. ¡°Wireless connections were cut just before the truck struck my building.¡± ¡°Before?¡± R4 asked. She chittered, sending her phone into a diagnostic before taking a look at the reactor. ¡°Red, how radiation proof are ravagers?¡± She chittered the question, so T4bby could not hear. ¡°I would advice you not to eat it, it would probably make you sick. Injecting it or getting it in a cut are also not ideal. You might be ok touching it, but maybe wear gloves.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± R4 drew some materials from her bag and running them through her tool arm had a set of arms with long grippy claws that would let her hold objects a quarter meter away from her hand. ¡°Why not just use telekinesis. At this range the interference wouldn¡¯t be bad¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t think a¡¯ that. In Th¡¯ Technocracy we use gloves like this ta¡¯ handle hot stuff, and specialized ones ta¡¯ handle radioactive stuff¡± R4 replied. ¡°It¡¯ll hide I kin¡¯ use telekinesis, which isn¡¯t that a higher tier skill? Best not let it get out.¡± R4 quickly found the core, and winced. ¡°Binotek? What the blood is Binotek? Some Chineric knock off?¡± She stepped forwards and picked up the cylinder. As she did one of the handles snapped, and it swung and slammed into the wall. Immediately the core fell apart, spilling radioactive water on the floor. With a low THUD a smaller core, about the size of a wrist watch and heavily corroded, dropped onto the ground. ¡°Bleedin¡¯ Havoc!¡± With a gesture she called it into the air and in under five seconds had the entire thing wrapped up in layers of bone, lead, and flesh. She finished it with an isopod which quickly integrated it into the entire thing. The final thing looked like a 9 volt battery the size of a deck of cards
Drop and Run! [[Error]] experimental cutting edge mostly stable recycled power core T1. Provides somewhere between 2000 and 200,000 watts of power depending on ambient temperature, the position of the stars, your mood, the mood of anyone within 200 meters. Duration: 35999/36000 days Handle with care. Damage may result in remaining energy being released over the course of 0.5 seconds:). CoM Experimental power core (T1 passive): Layers of human flesh (the most useful building material), bone (it¡¯s more durable cousin), and lead (don¡¯t ask where we got this) allows for scrap fissile material to be made useful again. Produces 1 ATP every 2 hours. Stores 10 ATP* Emergency production protocol (Tier 1 Active): make a medicine+technology roll (DC 25) to produce 1 ATP every 6 seconds for 1 minute. Recharge 10 AP ([X][X][X][X][X][X][X][X][X][X]]). Can only recharge from itself. Lifespan: 35999/36000 days
¡°Y¡¯all want ta¡¯ add a few more prefixes ta¡¯ that Red?¡± R4 quipped. ¡°And what¡¯s CoM?¡± ¡°Claws of Mara, I¡¯m still working on a trademark. If the pawns¡­ people are called fangs wouldn¡¯t the tools Mara proves be the teeth?¡± ¡°I reckon that makes sense.¡± R4 replied, Taking out a separate more sensitive geiger counter from her bag and running it over the power core. ¡°Seems ta¡¯ be safe.¡± To be sure she slipped it into a quickly made bone case lined with lead. ¡°Now, let¡¯s open it up and take a look. Examining the server revealed it to be a Mars Corp Atlas-Thought mk4. The server was bulky and made from Tier 1 steel painted a dull green. It was a good thing too, for while the Mitian Glazzmind mk23 that were beside it looked far more interesting, electrical flashes visibly shooting through crystals to demonstrate to the use that it was in fact working, they were far more fragile. The heavy nuclear battery would likely have cracked the glass, tier 1 or not. Further, while Mars Corp certainly didn¡¯t make it easy for R4 to get into the inner workings of her patient, the pieces were not designed to break upon being opened up. The screws were certainly stripped, but R4 had just recently found a good source of screws. She checked the RAM and SSD to ensure nothing had been cracked, and replaced a few contacts with some spares. As she prepared to place the broken parts in her bag she began to tear up. ¡°Red, as much as I like machines I¡¯m not going to cry over a few broken chips.¡± She wiped her eye and found the isopod perched on her finger. ¡°Ok, why do you want to bug T4bby here?¡± ¡°Actually, that one¡¯s a harvest-man. Give him the broken pieces.¡± R4 did, and the isopod quickly hopped down and began eating the other rubble. ¡°He¡¯s drawin¡¯ power from my MESH, isn¡¯t he?¡± R4 asked. ¡°I kin kind a¡¯ hear him like a harmonic note to my own resonance.¡± R4 paused. ¡°Reminds me of a¡¯ junk bot my uncle made with James and I back in th¡¯ day ta¡¯ clean up a polluted lake.¡± She turned her attention back to the server. ¡°Ok, let¡¯s get this puppy plugged back in an¡¯ go home fer¡¯ the night.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t taking Zephyr up on her offer?¡± ¡°I mean¡­ I probably should, but I¡¯ve got that other job tomorrow mornin¡¯. Maybe after?¡± She paused. ¡°An¡¯ I did promise Issac a date. Havin¡¯ friends is hard.¡± For a moment several faces flashed before her eyes and she staggered. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°It just hit me that I called my Mom and Uncle, but not any of my friends from the Technocracy. I can remember their names now that I think about them, but it¡¯s like I read about them.¡± She paused. ¡°Wait, Red, were you keeping such thoughts from me?¡± ¡°That¡­ Oh my. I mean¡­ would you like to use one of your daily questions?¡± ¡°Red.¡± R4 straightened and crossed her arms. A moment later the entire planet seemed to shift causing her to stumble. ¡°Red, was that some kind of killswitch? She felt her breath catch, her heartrate skyrocket. ¡°Initiate calm protocol.¡± Immediately her heart returned to a normal beat, and excess emotions vanished as her isopod went into a low power mode. ¡°Of course not, I¡¯d be dead if it was. Yer¡¯ examinin¡¯ memories, ¡®cause y¡¯all don¡¯t now either.¡± ¡°And the fact calm protocol lets you see that is very interesting, and will be researched in time.¡± [[Mrow! What is that you just sent crawling into my server?!!!/?????\!!!]] ¡°A tiny junk drone, just cleaning up all this dust and making sure we didn¡¯t miss any radioactive elements. Wouldn¡¯t want your cats to go bald.¡± Giving things one last look over R4 found the plug, locating an empty socket next to all the other servers. ¡°Here we go.¡± With a single thrust she plunged the plug into the socket. At that very moment several things happened all at once. Immediately she was showered in sparks as the cord exploded! Dozens if not hundreds of alarms went off as the cashed radiation alarms that had been sitting in queue suddenly went through T4bby¡¯s servers and alerted everyone around with a blaring siren sound in rapid succession. The sound of gunfire errupted a moment later, drawing screams from the gathered crowd. In surprise at the cacophany R4 stumbled back, and felt the knife. ¡°Bleeding Havoc!¡± R4 shouted as she jumped, the sharpened blade falling out. She whipped around just in time to see a hand reaching from the darkness call the blade into its grip. Immediately R4 lunged for the hand, only for a sudden smell to catch her off guards and send her reeling. Her head spun and she only barely managed to stagger out of the way of another slash. She caught a glimpse of the weapon, but it made no sense. A pitch black scalpel with a shimmering head which immediately pulled back into the dark. As it vanished she caught a glimpse of the Gentek symbol glowing softly on the handle. For just a moment a line of molten fire arced up her back between the time the shock wore off and the ravager toxin stole the pain. ¡°Red, what was that?¡± ¡°Would you like to use one of your questions?¡± R4 winced, backing towards the doorway and hopefully safety. ¡°No idea, but it dropped you 7 wounds.¡± ¡°By th¡¯ Blood! What can drop that level a¡¯ hurt with such a little knife?¡± ¡°Calculating list. 425 entries found. Please enter keyword.¡± ¡°Red Queen this is serious.¡± E4 drew her firearm, and slowly backed away from where she had seen the blade. With every move another line of sparks lit up her back, reminding her of how hurt she was. Blood dripped down her back, making the ground slick. Her movements were sluggish as she winced in pain, her eyes fluttering this way and that. PING! R4 whipped around to see what had made the noise. Had she been a normal human she might not have noticed the tiny bone that had struck a pipe, yet her horns picked up the movement and in the moment she had she realized she had been duped. Whatever it was had her dead to rights. She could sense something approaching behind her, her horns picked up the movement in their passive telekinetic field. There was no time to think, only act. So R4 did something off the wall. She jumped into the air and lit everything beneath her on fire. The plume of dim green flames hit the ground, spreading as it hit. A strange shadowy shroud touched it for just a moment before bouncing back like a rubber ball. The form ran into the shadows, but that did not save it. Some part of it still burned with metabolic fire, and R4 could sense it. She immediately turned and ran through the door, slamming and sealing it. She quickly pounded three bone spikes into the door frame for good measure. [[Nyan, where are you going?( ? -?)? Don¡¯t leave me with that thing. (¨®©n¨°?)!!!]] Ignoring the poor cat¡¯s pleas R4 quickly found spot without too many cats and ripped off her jacket. Only once she had did she notice Zephyr was still there, sitting in a chair and playing with half a dozen cats. ¡°R4 what happened¡­ is that blood?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s jus¡¯ some cherry flavor-aid.¡± R4 cracked back with a wince. ¡°Somethin¡¯s down there, I¡¯m not sure what, but it¡¯s smart enough ta¡¯ lay a trap.¡± She drew her camera and twisted to see what had happened to her back, wincing at the exposed bone. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ not ideal.¡± ¡°What the, R4 we have to get you to a hospital!¡± Zephyr exclaimed, ¡°I¡¯ll call,¡± ¡°No, just, give me a minute. I¡¯m tier 1 now, I can handle this.¡± E4 quickly fetched her first aid kit from her bag. ¡°Second time today I¡¯m usin¡¯ this thing. Don¡¯t suppose ya¡¯ have a med shop ¡®round these parts?¡± She paused, drawing a large amount of gauze. ¡°Zephyr, I need a favor. Hold this right¡­ here.¡± The next five minutes were a flurry of R4 instructing Zephyr and attempting to patch herself up. Bandages were applied, stitches were placed. R4¡¯s tool arm revealed itself as the MVP, spitting out self dissolving bandages, complex self knitting stitches, and enough gauze to pack the wound twice over. Despite the large wad of the stuff R4 had packed, filling her entire back took more than she intended, especially after the first bit had to be replaced. Fortunately the second set was made using her own biology, so rather than having to be replaced once used it could actually become a scaffold for more flesh to grow. ¡°No way you¡¯re going back down there.¡± Zephyr announced. ¡°R4 I saw your SPINE. You should be in the hospital.¡± ¡°It¡¯s less than ideal¡­ but I can¡¯t be goin¡¯ to a hospital right now fer¡¯ two reasons. One, health insurance. Two¡­ well two involves my patron, an¡¯ I can¡¯t be goin¡¯ inta¡¯ that.¡± R4 stretched, feeling the muscles in her back already reforming. The regeneration cysts worked overtime, and telekinetic nodes stretched muscles back into place. [[Regeneration nodes have finished. Please perform the following stretches to confirm full healing.]] R4 stretched, before suddenly falling to the ground and letting out a gasp of pain. ¡°Ok, I think I kin move¡­ a bit.¡± ¡°Two stars, you¡¯re not going to fool anyone like that.¡± ¡°Are you ok?¡± Zephyr asked, obviously fooled. [[Nyan, what attacked you? Did it harm my cats?]] ¡°I don¡¯t know what it was, it stabbed me with some kind of knife.¡± ¡°It also bypassed your force score.¡± ¡°Red, how common is that?¡± R4 asked, pulling herself up into a sitting position. She fished some pills from her medical kit and poured a few into her hand, before putting most back. It was just an ibuprofen, but it wasn¡¯t labeled. Carefully she put her coat back on. ¡°How could someone bypass force, and my jacket is tier 1.¡± [[A Warlock! You musssssssst get it out!]]
Emergency order: Warlock Removal Team size: 1 Hazard: 3-5 (Warlock, AI involvement)
Company: Nyan Lives Society Contact: T4bby Reward: 2,000 credits 3000 exp. Increased to 4,000 credits and 6,000 exp if its hax¡¯bit is recovered.
MROW! There is a hostile Warlock in my Server! GET IT OUT. Either drive it off or kill it, I don¡¯t care which. Also, if you could snatch it¡¯s hax¡¯bit that would be great.
R4¡¯s eyes bulged at the gig. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of exp, let me just forward that to my fixer an¡¯ let him have a look.¡± R4 quickly forwarded the gig to Jun. ¡°Also, what¡¯s a hax¡¯bit?¡± ¡°R4 we have to go, didn¡¯t you see the alarm? There¡¯s a major radiation leak, and a bunch of security forces already at the door, and now a Rust-damned WARLOCK. We have to get out of here before they lock down the entire subsector!¡± At that very moment their phones all went off.
Civil Order: Lockdown Team size: Nu¡¯grav Subsector 6 Hazard: Radiation
Company: Nu¡¯Grav Contact: Nu¡¯Grav Governing AI Punishment: Imprisonment or fines
Attention: The Automated radiation tracking algorithm has detected several radition spikes within Nu¡¯Grav Subsector 6 (The Deep Side). All citizens and legal residents are mandated to stay in their homes or residences until further notice
A resounding BOOM echoed from somewhere nearby, followed by the banging of every door and window in the building slamming shut at once.
Chapter 17. Keywords: Lockdown, Intruder, Warlock, 11th of Forsight. ¡°Let me out!¡± Zephyr exclaimed slamming on the door. Immediately she punched it four times in the span of a blink before performing some sort of spin kick R4 hadn¡¯t seen outside of a martial arts flick. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s goin¡¯ ta¡¯ budge.¡± R4 pointed out. ¡°Tier 1 steel, not th¡¯ cheap stuff either.¡± [[Nyan, and don¡¯t forget the NGPD just put up a lockdown. It¡¯s shoot on sight out there, and I don¡¯t want my cute kittens getting shot after wandering out. Also, DON¡¯T LEAVE ME WITH THE WARLOCK!!!]] ¡°T4bby, I¡¯m goin¡¯ ta¡¯ remind ya¡¯ that I¡¯m a warlock, an¡¯ that th¡¯ reason I¡¯m a warlock is ¡®cause ya¡¯ hired me. Everyone ya¡¯ hire is a warlock.¡± She gestured to Zephyr, ¡°Technically even Zephyr would qualify.¡± ¡°Technically not, warlocks let an AI into their cyberware and use a Hax¡¯bit to channel their patron¡¯s power. Some have a handler, like me, or a mascot depending on the patron¡¯s whims and power.¡± ¡°So firs¡¯ and foremost, we have to figure out how we¡¯re going to survive through the lockdown. Zephyr, how bad do y¡¯all, Zephyr,¡± She stepped forwards whipped Zephyr around, and locked her in a hug. ¡°Breath in, breath out, Breathe in, Breathe out.¡± R4 stayed there a few minutes, at first holding Zephyr tightly as she tried to break free and run, yet she would have more luck breaking through a steel cage. [[You have gained 40 empathy exp]]. E4 patted Zephyr on the head before letting her go. ¡°Feelin¡¯ better?¡± Zephyr nodded. ¡°Ok, so walk me through how these lock down things usually go, ¡®k?¡± Zephyr looked at her, a strange look in her eyes. ¡°Um, Zephyr, what are you,¡± The kiss came suddenly and ended just as quick. ¡°Um¡­ ok?¡± Both immediately turned red. ¡°Interesting fear response. So, Zephyr, what is a lock down.¡± ¡°Lock down, right right.¡± She took a deep breath, still extremely red beneath her normally pale skin. ¡°So during a lock down officers and drones will shoot anyone outside their home on sight. The drones aren¡¯t the greatest quality, so if they see a shape they will often shoot through windows. Black out curtains are a must.¡± She shot a look at the door, then the server room door. ¡°But being stuck with a warlock, we have to try to get away.¡± ¡°No, no we do not.¡± R4 replied, drawing her firearm and checking it over. ¡°Th¡¯ moment that varmint lost the element a¡¯ surprise it bolted with its tail between its legs. Th¡¯ knife it used was a scalpel, and it hit right at th¡¯ most critical spot. If I wasn¡¯t tier 1 I would be dead.¡± She looked at Zephyr shrinking back, ¡°I¡¯m not helpin¡¯ my cause here am I? Well, the flip side is, it¡¯s just usin¡¯ a scalpel. They¡¯re sharp, but they¡¯re small. I¡¯m bettin¡¯ it can¡¯t do a lot a¡¯ damage unless it gets real close an¡¯ hits just right.¡± ¡°You¡¯re bluffing hard right now, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Shhh.¡± R4 trilled. ¡°Our first step should be ta¡¯ secure T4bby. She¡¯s th¡¯ client an¡¯ controls th¡¯ building. If we lose her who knows what th¡¯ backup Ai might do.¡± [[Mrow, the backup AI is a K4e5 Militech server in the attic.]] ¡°Old Kill Eye? Didn¡¯t those get banned after one flooded itself with carbon monoxide to treat a termite infestation while the inhabitants were still inside?¡± [[Purrrrhaps.]] Immediately R4 downed a water bottle from her bag, before crushing the plastic and stowing it in her bag. ¡°Zephyr you have a faster reaction time than me and a better gun. I need ya¡¯ to follow me an¡¯ shoot anythin¡¯ that isn¡¯t a cat or me. I¡¯m goin¡¯ ta¡¯ make sure that thing doesn¡¯t get at T4bby¡¯s server, then we can see ¡®bout findin¡¯ a spot ta¡¯ wait out this lock down.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m still tier 0.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need you to kill it, just get it to hesitate for one critical moment, I¡¯ll do th¡¯ rest.¡± R4 replied with a smile and much more confidence than she actually felt. ¡°I¡¯m going to zip down there, find whatever hole that thing tried to hide in, and put a tier 1 grate over it. Then I just need to put some reinforcement over the computers and T4bby should be good to go.¡± R4 carefully opened the door, moving slowly and watching with her ravager eye for any source of movement. While she saw in color in normal light her dark vision was in black and white, so the many shadows that existed within the basement looked as if someone had filmed those areas in black and white and transposed them onto a color image. She quietly stepped over the charred spot, then over her own blood spatter towards T4bby¡¯s computer set up. ¡°It came from that direction, so keep yer¡¯ eyes up.¡± She heard Zephyr take her firearm off safety and got a quick look at the stats.
Mitian Flint: Basic, reliable, effective. DC 14 (reduced through Mitian copper eye sight) or DC 12 (if used two handed) 4D6 damage Exceed: 8 Exceed minimum: 2 Range: 30 meters (plus +10 through copper eye sight) Scaling: 4 Ammo 10/10 Cost: 350 credits
Mitian copper eye sights: The first metal, the first step Reduces the DC for aimed shots. Increases effective range Cost: 100 credits
Mitian wireframe bracer: Not active decreases penalty for subsequent shots. Cost: 50 credits
¡°Solid iron.¡± R4 quipped. ¡°Make sure to grip it in two hands, I don¡¯t know how fast this thin¡¯ is. Ya¡¯ might jus¡¯ get one shot.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Zephyr swallowed hard, ¡°I was trying not to think about that.¡± Despite her nerves her hands did not shake, her eyes watched the shadows waiting for a threat. R4 quickly moved towards T4bby¡¯s computer. It did not seem to be damaged save for the cord that had exploded. She quickly scavenged what she could from it, adding some material from her own reserves, before applying a layer of bone armor. The end result looked like oversize snake scales with the plug taking the form of the head. [[Mrow, can you make it look like a cat¡¯s tale?]] ¡°With time and resources yes. With a warlock hidin¡¯ somewhere in th¡¯ vents not so much.¡± R4 replied. After giving the chord a good whack with her claws, blunted so they acted more like brass knuckles than claws, she smiled. ¡°Looks like th¡¯ bone¡¯s holdin¡¯ up. Now let¡¯s find us a varmint.¡± The search was short, but still troublesome. T4bby had made her home for cats, and included several passages for them to traverse. R4 found she was far too large for these passages, so had to settle for using her jointed camera to peer in there. A few times she found a curious cat looking back at her, which she passed off to Zephyr who ensured they were escorted out of the basement. R4 checked every passage she could, yet found nothing. Finally the cause of her distress was located. ¡°T4bby, we have a problem.¡± R4 spoke, looking up a vertical air shaft. ¡°It went up. I kin¡¯ see a bunch a¡¯ little holes where it cut itself handholds and climbed up.¡± She eyed a few small blood spatters where the warlock cut itself on the sharp metal. ¡°It¡¯s bleeding, but it looks minor. I think it cut itself.¡± [[Hssss, get a sample. I have a DNA scanner around here somewhere.]] R4 quickly had a bone pipette which used capillary action to draw up the sample. Immediately it began to resonate gently, information being drawn from the device to her phone and then sent elsewhere. ¡°Getting impatient Red?¡± ¡°Trust but verify. Also I¡¯ve been meaning to test out some facilities Mara has been building.¡± With a bit of work R4 managed to slip from the vent, where Zephyr had readied the scanner. It was a small box with several glass components, one of which R4 plugged her sample into. [[(¦Ø?)¡­ This is going to take longer than I thought Mrow.]] Tabby texted after a few moments. [[(???) Come on you machine, work.]] ¡°This DNA is well protected. Some manner of enzyme is interfering with my tests as well, causing the DNA to unspool and degrade beyond use. Whoever is behind this, they¡¯re good.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t that increase th¡¯ risk a¡¯ cancer though?¡± R4 asked, ¡°Those DNA eating enzymes.¡± ¡°I doubt this entity is concerned with that. They¡¯re also stored in small vacuoles, so the actual interaction is minimal until the cell is ruptured, such as during testing.¡± ¡°Or until th¡¯ right trauma hits ¡®em. Might even be intentional, a safeguard fer¡¯ in case a¡¯ betrayal.¡± R4 sealed off the offending shaft with a vent made from bone. ¡°Y¡¯all have any explosives fer¡¯ a booby trap or should I just set an alarm so y¡¯all know something¡¯s in here?¡± [[Nyan! (?????)No explosives in my server room!]] R4 nodded, made a note on her phone, and set up a few bone spikes that, if something tried to break through the vent via brute force, would make her point quite sharply. ¡°Ok, that¡¯s ¡®bout as secure as we kin¡¯ make this place. An¡¯ that¡¯s the end a¡¯ th¡¯ contract.¡± T4bby made a confused meow sound from the speakers. ¡°The work on your servers is done, an¡¯ this place is as secure as I kin make it from a warlock.¡± R4 heard a tone from her phone as the gig was completed, and a tired meow. She tried to put on a bold face, but after a moment she sighed. ¡°Fine, I guess I kin¡¯ check over yer¡¯ vents ta¡¯ at least make it hard fer¡¯ th¡¯ little blighter ta¡¯ get around. Maybe he¡¯ll leave ya¡¯ be if th¡¯ vents get th¡¯ crown a¡¯ thorn treatment.¡± She went on to describe what she was thinking, which was a rather simple design but brutally effective. T4bby considered it before sending her a job, which she passed to Jun to look overFind this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!
Catch that Warlock Team size: 1 person Hazard:
Company: Nyan Lives Society Contact: T4bby Reward: 2,000 credits 3000 exp. Increased to 4,000 credits and 6,000 exp if its hax¡¯bit is recovered.
Nyan! Hostile warlock is living in the vents. Get rid of him, either trap them or eliminate them. Grab the Hax¡¯bit if possible but drive him out if not. Don¡¯t leave that parasite in my fur (?!?!?)!!!
¡°T4bby, did ya¡¯ account fer¡¯ Zephyr in th¡¯ contract or are ya¡¯ jus¡¯ hopin¡¯ she¡¯s goin¡¯ as a knock on?¡± A moment later Zephyr¡¯s phone buzzed. ¡°Um, I don¡¯t know about this? Warlocks are dangerous.¡± ¡°An¡¯ that¡¯s yer¡¯ decision. But I¡¯d feel horrible ¡®bout it if ya¡¯ helped an¡¯ didn¡¯t get paid.¡± R4 found her way to the stairs out of the basement. ¡°After all, like Th¡¯ Good Book says, y¡¯all shall not muzzle th¡¯ ox when it is treading out the grain.¡± The primary staircase of T4bby¡¯s building was dull concrete with an odd rubberized padding on the steps, most of which had been scraped and scratched. At T4bby¡¯s request R4 skipped the first floor, though T4bby did not mention why. Within the stairs Posters of cats were everywhere, mostly a variation of the cat clinging to a tree branch with the phrase ¡°Hang in there,¡± but plenty of others. One showed a cat in a fireman¡¯s helmet modified for its ears directing the way down to the exit. Cameras watched every floor, yet R4 quickly noted they were not operational. ¡°T4bby, any reason th¡¯ cams are fake?¡± [[Mrow, copper thieves. The cameras you can see are fake, but there are real ones hidden]]. R4¡¯s phone buzzed as she received a link. Clicking it she saw herself, despite the fact the camera she could see was clearly a fake. The Lok-1 symbol on it was real, but it was just a chunk of plastic they produced to give the illusion of security. Just below it was a cute poster of a tabby cat with a blue police cap and black shades. Hidden by the shades was a tiny camera lens. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not going to make me paranoid.¡± R4 joked. ¡°Any of th¡¯ cameras,¡± ¡°Move!¡± A woman in jean shorts and a spiked black vest pushed pack R4 and Zephyr, a gym bag half zipped with clothes ready to spill out beneath her arm. She surprised R4 enough that she stumbled, her reflexes kicking in as she did a flip, her handgun seeming to spring into her grip yet the woman was already down the stairs. ¡°Hey!¡± A male voice called. R4 immediately raised her gun towards the voice, only to see a slim man with thin strands of hair covering his face and trailing down his head. The man was as pale as the wife beater he wore, his only other clothes a pair of hastily donned jeans he was holding up with one hand and a pair of slippers. ¡°You get back here,¡± He saw the gun aimed at him, ¡°doll¡­¡± He quickly stepped back into the hallway he had emerged from, the door slamming shut. ¡°What was that?¡± R4 asked. When no response was forthcoming from T4bby she continued to the second floor. Immediately she got to work boobytrapping the vents. The design was rather simple, but clever for it. On the outside it looked like a ring of bone spikes with a plate behind it. For someone in the hall it would take a few minutes and thick gloves to remove the thorns, actually spikes of bones protracting from a ring of woody material R4¡¯s tool arm had access to that was softer and more durable than bone and which was more than happy to supply the bone with nutrients in exchange for resonance. ¡°Mrow?¡± R4 immediately banged her head, and caught her hand on some of the thorns. Gently extracting her hand from the vent she saw a fluffy white cat curiously watching her, a swath of blue fur marking on its head shimmering as it watched. ¡°Hey kitty, don¡¯t go,¡± The cat immediately went into the vent and rubbed against the thorns, which tangled in its fur. ¡°Hey, out a¡¯ there.¡± She gingerly extracted the cat, who gave a hiss for her insolence and demanded to be petted in recompense. ¡°Fine, but that¡¯s going ta¡¯ be an issue.¡± ¡°What?¡± Zephyr asked, watching over her with her pistol in hand. Her eyes were wide and alert, and from how she looked down the hallway at the apartments it seemed a single sound was all it would take for her to empty her magazine at the source. R4, by contrast, was holding a prisitne white cat in her lap. ¡°The thorn barrier. I¡¯ve got it set up so if someone tries to break through they¡¯ll need enough force that they¡¯ll get tangled up, but I don¡¯t want the cats to hurt themselves on it.¡± R4 considered the matter. ¡°I guess I could use a second plate, but that would increse the cost by fifty percent.¡± ¡°What about pen wire?¡± R4 looked up at Zephyr curiously. ¡°A client Mom trades with raises rabbits, and he keeps them contained with this thin mesh stuff. Cats aren¡¯t much bigger than rabbits and the wires are pretty thin so it shouldn¡¯t take too much material.¡± ¡°That, might work.¡± R4 tried a few variations, finding that square wire was too easy to deform but a hexagon pattern seemed to work pretty well. Her tool arm could easily make the wire, but twisting it into the right shape was time consuming, until R4 decided to just use telekinesis to do it. ¡°So that¡¯s telekinesis.¡± Zephyr said as R4 twisted the wire into shape in mere moments. By this time a few cats had shown up, and a black and white tabby was currently perched on her shoulder. ¡°Where did you get such high end chrome, wait, don¡¯t tell me, your patron.¡± ¡°Yep, it¡¯s neat stuff.¡± R4 replied, finishing up. She placed the wire and gave it an experimental push. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s working, resonant signal looks good, going to need to slip back into the server room to set up a feed if we want it to stay up long term.¡± ¡°Or you could, and hear me out, make it a subscription service and charge to come back and top it off.¡± Zephyr replied. R4 shot her a look and the woman shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s how things are in Nu¡¯Grav.¡± ¡°I could, or I could jus¡¯ make money from comin¡¯ back fer¡¯ regular maintenance.¡± R4 replied. ¡°There¡¯s plenty a¡¯ work if yer¡¯ willin¡¯ ta do it.¡± ¡°R4, you have a lot to learn if you want to make it in Nu¡¯Grav.¡± ¡°An¡¯ if ya¡¯ were on th¡¯ other side a¡¯ th¡¯ coin which would ya¡¯ want ta¡¯ be true?¡± R4 asked as she got to work on the next vent. As she went the second one went faster, and for the third she folded the wire as she walked so it was done before she even started on the rest of the trap. ¡°It¡¯s not about what you want to be true, it¡¯s about not being a gonk about the reality as it is.¡± ¡°Perhaps, but it makes me feel better to treat others as I want to be treated.¡± R4 replied, getting on her knees to finish the third vent. With a gesture she pulled a great plume of cat hair and other junk from the vent, balling it up without touching it and shoving it into the trash chute. ¡°As the Good Book recommends.¡± ¡°You¡¯re worse than Mom about that.¡± Zephyr replied shaking her head, ¡°This is Nu¡¯Grav. Morals are nice, but they¡¯ll get you killed.¡± ¡°And I¡¯ll be able ta¡¯ answer my God honestly when I give my account.¡± R4 replied, affixing the last part of the trap. She rose, stretching, before turning towards the stairs. ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t have to make it here long term. I just have to get my degree and go home. If I don¡¯t make some huge profit here, what of it? All in service ta¡­¡± She put out a hand to stop Zephyr. ¡°Eyes up, this isn¡¯t good.¡± Before them, peeking out of the doorway to the stairs, a cone of blue light shone upon the floor and wall. R4 put a finger to her lips and crept closer. She quickly got on her phone, [[T4bby, do you have an automated security bot in the house?]] [[Mrow, Princess is hunting. She will not hurt you.]] With a low Whirr Princess stepped forwards. She was a pretty standard quadruped bot, four backwards facing legs with a camera on the face and another on its back. The waist high robot was constructed from tier 1 steel with detachable tier 1 orange and black tiger pattern plastic coverings which provided ablative armor for the durable yet expensive to fix parts beneath. While similar robots R4 had seen tended to have an arm that extended from its back this one did not. It did, however have a pair of cat ears, whiskers, and a collection of blue LED lights. It turned to R4 and gave her a (?????) before wiggling its ears. R4 rubbed the thing¡¯s head, taking the time to notice its ears were actually directional microphones, before it stalked off its tail antenna high in the air. ¡°No claws? Guess T4bby just wanted a monitoring bot.¡± ¡°That thing¡¯s tier 1, I¡¯m betting it¡¯s got enough force in its motors that if it body slams you it¡¯ll put you in the hospital.¡± R4 pointed out. ¡°I¡¯ll also note there were panels hidden in the sides, either for grabbers or possibly hidden guns. Probably not quick enough ta¡¯ catch th¡¯ warlock hidin¡¯ in the vents, but if we kin¡¯ flush it out that thing might finish it off fer¡¯ us.¡± Moving up to the second floor R4 noticed the rooms were further apart, and there were only two vents. ¡°The higher you go the bigger the apartments?¡± She asked one of the cameras, knowing it couldn¡¯t hear her but the ad below showed a cat scuba diving, and that cat had a camera hidden in its mask. T4bby did not reply, but it was of little consequence. R4 moved quickly, finishing the floor quickly. ¡°Hey, what are you doing?¡± R4 looked up to see the same man in boxers as she saw chasing after the woman not so long ago. Immediately something felt off. [[Pssss. Nothing about the Warlock.]] R4 got the text and sighed. ¡°Pest problem. Somethin¡¯ got into the grate and T4bby is handling it.¡± She looked this way and that before adding, ¡°Somthin¡¯ bigger than th¡¯ cats. Might be better ta¡¯ stay inside with a locked door.¡± Immediately she shot a look at the fake camera. ¡°But y¡¯all didn¡¯t hear that from me.¡± [[You have gained 20 subterfuge experience. Keep it up slick.]] ¡°Right. You didn¡¯t happen to see the license of the vehicle my escort left in? She left quite a mess, smashed my cat bot right up.¡± ¡°Not within scope.¡± R4 replied. ¡°If ya¡¯ need repairs, my card.¡± She handed him a business card made from bone, still warm from her tool arm. ¡° ¡®Sides, th¡¯ place is locked down. Car wreck leakin¡¯ somethin¡¯ nasty outside. Stay in yer¡¯ room and max th¡¯ scrubbers.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t suppose I could borrow your solo for a bit, just until I nod off.¡± The man asked, the question drawing a strange look from both R4 and Zephyr. ¡°I¡¯m not a solo, and I¡¯m definitely not a joy toy.¡± Zephyr replied, looking quite put off by the implication. ¡°If you can¡¯t sleep pop a zolp and that¡¯ll knock you out.¡± The man rolled his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t need a joy toy gonk, I need¡­¡± He yawned, his teeth lighting up and flashing red thrice, ¡°I need sleep. I need to reboot¡± ¡°Wait¡­ have you been having nightmares too?¡± R4 asked. ¡°Yes, the man in the hat has finally left, but his F***ing cat showed up.¡± The man off in the distance, ¡°No offense to you Smithers.¡± R4 froze, her mind racing. How did this man know her name, did he, ¡°Mrow.¡± A black and brown tabby replied before continuing on its way. R4 turned, and noticed the cat had the name Smithers on its collar. ¡°R4, you can¡¯t be honestly thinking about this.¡± Zephyr looked a little worried. ¡°It is beyond scope and¡¯ interferes with the job at hand.¡± R4 replied. She noticed that, next to his room number 305 was the name Winston. ¡°Mr. Winston, I cannot help ya¡¯ in this. Though I will warn ya¡¯ if ya see somethin¡¯ crawlin¡¯ ¡®bout bigger than a rat call Princess or whatever security ya¡¯ got ASAP.¡± Winston looked skeptical but shrugged. ¡°I guess I got my service iron, not that it¡¯ll do much to a borg.¡± With that he returned to his room, grumbling under his breath. ¡°What was that about?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Come on, we have more work ta¡¯ do.¡± The remaining traps took a few hours to place, and a few times they were forced to pause and explain to the residents what they were up to. As the light of day began to break R4 heard a ping from her phone, indicating she had finished the final trap. ¡°Well, that¡¯s that.¡± She packed up her tools and checked her phone, ¡°An¡¯ good thing too, I¡¯m almost out a¡¯ material. Goin¡¯ ta¡¯ need a,¡± Unwillingly her jaw stretched into a yawn, ¡°Refill. Time fer¡¯,¡± She noticed the worried look Zephyr was giving her, ¡°Bed¡­ what¡¯s wrong.¡± ¡°What¡¯s with your teeth?¡± R4 tapped her teeth, noticing her fangs had extended. ¡°Scrap, do those things always pop out when I yawn?¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re just tired and hungry.¡± At that her stomach growled again. ¡°Guess it¡¯s ¡®bout time fer¡¯ a snack. T4bby, th¡¯ traps are up, y¡¯all got a cafe in this hab?¡± Descending the steps back to the first floor they had skipped R4 noticed a group had gathered by exit. ¡°What¡¯s goin¡¯ on?¡± She asked, drawing eyes from the crowd. She quickly identified most of them as tier 0, though there were two tier 1 individuals. They wore mostly pajamas, but one of the tier 1 individuals wore a white shirt and blazer with a pair of gym shorts, likely just out of a video meeting. ¡°And who exactly are you?¡± the other tier 1 individual asked. R4 immediately picked up on the press cap and tan suit coat which bulged under a bulletproof vest. ¡°You¡¯re not from here, and there are two of you.¡± He scribbled something on his palm, which likely meant he had an app that was recording his notes. ¡°Case y¡¯all haven¡¯t noticed there¡¯s an emergency order goin¡¯ on, we techs are getting¡¯ called all over th¡¯ place. This here¡¯s my second in case things go south.¡± R4 gestured to Zephyr. ¡°T4bby can verify us. So what¡¯s all this then?¡± ¡°Take a look, it¡¯ll be on the scream sheets soon enough.¡± The crowd, really just eight people, parted to reveal a grisley scene. Immediately R4 recognized the face of the woman, the same escort Winston had hired, lying next to to her bloodless skeleton.