“WAS THAT A FUCKING NUKE?!”
Sonic Storm, looking out at a square kilometer of water going up right after Macy fired the Chemical Element Torpedo
Macy? Macy, speak to me.
“Yeah…,” I groggily said, lying at the bottom of the harbor. And then I realized. I spoke. Out loud. With a missing rebreather blown off in the blast and a battered-to-hell wetsuit.
Huh?
You are in critical condition, please stay still. The GILLS will be providing you with air and helping circulate it through your body. You are perhaps one of the most insane Vanguards I’ve ever seen, and yet, I cannot be mad at how effective that was.
“So…I’m able to breathe underwater now?”
Indeed. I believe you are…for lack of a better term, scatterbrained at the moment. That brain was probably scattered all across the harbor with that explosion. On the bright side, you completed the goal I set for you in under five minutes. You did it in three minutes and twenty seconds.
“So close to meme number, yet so far,” I giggled, a bubble of water escaping from my mouth.
Feral shark. Deeply, deeply feral.
“But I’m your feral shar-ow,” I winced as I shot my arms up in a cheering gesture, attempting to show my cheeky happiness.
If I could hear a Protector AI sigh.
Yes, yes, you are, Macy.Now please focus; we do not have much time before the pheromones from the absolute destruction you just unleashed draw in more Antithesis than you know what to deal with. Especially since there are antithesis that are currently approaching you that have been hiding on the bottom of the harbor.
Right. That was mildly sobering.
“Ok. So…what now?”
Well, since you accrued so many points, I believe we can go even further than what was originally planned. Firstly, you need 3000 points and one token for both the Class II Stalhas Technologies Catalog and the Aquatic Nanite Evolution Module - Mark One. This module is an encasing pod that will allow you to readjust your biology and synthetics to fit the body most necessary for your wishes. It will also provide a safe space to rest, as well as a place to engage in dream learning courses. You did express interest earlier in those.
“I did, in fact, do that. How exactly does this protect me?”
In a similar fashion to your harpoon, except with a much higher voltage and targeted bolts. You may also command it to deploy floating mines in the area containing payloads that you can designate prior to your slumber. You may also deploy more SHARK drones if it would please you. However, their torpedoes would need to be constantly refilled.
“I think for now the two are fine. Maybe once I’m out of the pod and have more direct control,” I muttered, feeling a wave of fatigue hit me all at once. “Let’s get the Anemone. Don’t think I didn’t see what you did.”
Whatever could you mean, Macy?
I giggled at that and then winced lightly at the injuries that I definitely felt across my body.
Understood.
Unlocked!
Class II Stalhas Technologies Catalog - 400 points, 1 token
New Purchase!
Aquatic Nanite Evolution Module - Mark ONE - 3000 points
Points reduced to: 9563
I felt myself lift off the harbor floor for a moment before I was encased in a very comfy, very high-tech pod with soft and calming blue lighting. A screen appeared in front of me.
Swapping to the vocal module within the Anemone.
The pod around me spoke. “Welcome to the Anemone. This evolution module is meant to assist you through your biological and cybernetic enhancements.” Kyos paused for a moment. “Would you also like to be able to view the area nearest to you while we work on this? Including population centers?”
Um…That was more than I thought I’d get in here.
“...Maybe later,” I said, waffling in my thoughts. “I need to get healed up first and get this show on the road. The city’s kinda getting overrun right now.” My eyes widened as I jolted with movement, trying to get up only to both hit my head on the ceiling of the anemone module and also push my injuries to the point that the pain was searing. My body went limp for a moment as I recalibrated my thoughts to the current situation.
“Nate…” I whined, kicking myself at my weakness and inability to move to help my friend. “L-let me out, Kyos! I have to get to Nate!”
“I know, Macy. But you are injured, and you need time to rest and-”
“YOU THINK I DON’T KNOW THAT?!” I screamed, tears beginning to well up in my eyes. “He’s my best friend. I can’t just leave him to all of this. It’s worse than any of us could have imagined. You want to uplift humanity, right?”
There was a pause in response from Kyos before a quiet yes broke through the silence.
“He is my connection to humanity. He’s all there is. I gave up hope on humanity before I met him. So, don’t you dare let me put myself over him if you care about humanity in any capacity,” I snarled. Fuck, this was shredding my soul raw.
Ok.
There was a moment of silence.
I will compile a list for later. However, I think that we can do something now to help improve your staying power. With your GILLS connected to your Bloodchaser, it brings up the idea to allow a nanite factory within the Bloodchaser that could be circulated through your system. We would need to upgrade the Bloodchaser to its Class II variant, but that was already going to be on the list in the first place.
“Do it.” I dropped the pretense of civility, getting straight to the point.
Unlocked!
Class I Stahas Nanotechnology - 100 points
Points reduced to…9782, 1 token
New Purchase!
Mark II Bloodchaser Propulsion System - 1500 points
Points reduced to…8282, 1 token
I felt the inner workings of the Anemone lift me up for a moment as the pins attaching the Bloodchaser to me pulled out, the machine disassembling the apparatus before a new, sleeker synthological appendage appeared next to me. The Module then placed it against my back, letting the spinal connectors dig into me once more.
This time, it at least gave me anesthetic on the way in.
I felt the connection to my neural pathways improve, the range of motions becoming ingrained through nervous input. I then saw tubes connect from the Bloodchaser into the GILLS, and the wounds that I felt began to abate slowly but surely as the GILLS circulated my internal systems with repairing nanites.
I breathed deeply. While I still felt the severe pains of my attempts to bludgeon my body with explosives still roiling in my bones, I was already starting to feel much better.
If…if you really are going to go out there…we should probably get you a couple new things. A new weapon and a new wetsuit to start. I don’t want to leave you without those. The original Requiem Piercer is somewhere in the harbor, probably still zapping our shared enemy to this moment, but it is out of your reach for now.
“Get it. I know that there’s sentimentality here and worry about my condition. I’m worried about none of that.”
I was getting antsy, my leg bouncing as I listened to Kyos hem and haw about the possible dangers.
Understood.
Unlocked!
Class II Protective Clothing - 400 points, 1 token
Points reduced to…7982
New Purchases!
Shredding Integrated Razorwire Ensemble - Model N - 1100 points
Points reduced to.. 6882
Requiem Piercer, Mark II (Feeding Frenzy) - 1000 points
Points reduced to…5882
The machine went about taking fabric that was teleported in and fashioning it onto me, weaving under and around the Bloodchaser, creating a wetsuit that felt both comfortable and light. And, as I brushed it along the side of the Anemone with a little bit of pressure, it left a scratch.
The SIREN wetsuit is made of a smart fabric that responds to pressure and impact by creating microblades that cut into an attacking force. In essence, it will protect you as well as provide an avenue to leave damage as a countermeasure.
From a side compartment on the Anemone, a new Requiem Piercer rolled out next to me. Much sleeker, sharper point. It even had a speared bottom end as well this time, which would allow me to avoid the need to always swap to my knife whenever I shot the end.
The Requiem Piercer Mark II is able to match up with some of the more potent threats that you will be facing out in the waters, at least for now. The tip will move faster to its target through the water as it will be self-propelled, which will additionally allow for course correction if needed. The shock that the Feeding Frenzy spear tip will give will be more potent and wider ranged.
“Thank you. Now…let me out of here. I have some stress to burn off,” I said through gritted teeth.
With a sigh from Kyos and the sounds of machinery moving, the top of the Anemone began to open up, revealing a swarm beginning to form from the harbor floor, Antithesis coming to seek revenge. Lightning was arcing from the Anemone, but I didn’t care.
I had one mission: Save Nate.
And they. Were. In. My. Way.
Rip and tear, Macy, until it is done.