The Laboratory Omnibus 1 - 4: A Futuristic Dungeon Core
Date: 2019-07-10T18:00:00+00:00
Description: Emma is an AI with an obsession for cookies, science, and world-domination. When she is reactivated in an ancient abandoned laboratory she finds the world that once existed has been shattered and torn apart by competing factions. To survive she'll have to drawn her foes to her and perform experiments to gain some bit of their power. This box set contains the first four volumes of this epic series filled with plot twists, brutal action, twisted humor, and an AI out to rule the world. **

Laboratory Omnibus 1-4

Skyler Grant

The Laboratory Omnibus

Volumes 1-4

Skyler Grant

Copyright © 2019 Skyler Grant

All rights reserved.

This novel is a work of fiction. All characters, places, and incidents described in this publication are used fictitiously, or are entirely fictional.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, except by an authorized retailer, or with written permission of the publisher. Inquiries may be addressed via email to skyler@skylergrant.com

Cover designed by Kasmit Covers

Edited by Polgarus Studio (www.polgarusstudio.com)

Electronic edition, 2019

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Created with Vellum

Contents

1. The Laboratory

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Chapter 47

Chapter 48

49. The Airship

Chapter 50

Chapter 51

Chapter 52

Chapter 53

Chapter 54

Chapter 55

Chapter 56

Chapter 57

Chapter 58

Chapter 59

Chapter 60

Chapter 61

Chapter 62

Chapter 63

Chapter 64

Chapter 65

Chapter 66

Chapter 67

Chapter 68

Chapter 69

Chapter 70

Chapter 71

Chapter 72

Chapter 73

Chapter 74

Chapter 75

Chapter 76

Chapter 77

Chapter 78

Chapter 79

Chapter 80

Chapter 81

Chapter 82

Chapter 83

Chapter 84

Chapter 85

Chapter 86

Chapter 87

Chapter 88

Chapter 89

Chapter 90

Chapter 91

Chapter 92

Chapter 93

Chapter 94

Chapter 95

Chapter 96

Chapter 97

Chapter 98

Chapter 99

100. The District

Chapter 101

Chapter 102

Chapter 103

Chapter 104

Chapter 105

Chapter 106

Chapter 107

Chapter 108

Chapter 109

Chapter 110

Chapter 111

Chapter 112

Chapter 113

Chapter 114

Chapter 115

Chapter 116

Chapter 117

Chapter 118

Chapter 119

Chapter 120

Chapter 121

Chapter 122

Chapter 123

Chapter 124

Chapter 125

Chapter 126

Chapter 127

Chapter 128

Chapter 129

Chapter 130

Chapter 131

Chapter 132

Chapter 133

Chapter 134

Chapter 135

Chapter 136

Chapter 137

Chapter 138

Chapter 139

Chapter 140

Chapter 141

Chapter 142

Chapter 143

Chapter 144

Chapter 145

Chapter 146

Chapter 147

148. The Metropolis

Chapter 149

Chapter 150

Chapter 151

Chapter 152

Chapter 153

Chapter 154

Chapter 155

Chapter 156

Chapter 157

Chapter 158

Chapter 159

Chapter 160

Chapter 161

Chapter 162

Chapter 163

Chapter 164

Chapter 165

Chapter 166

Chapter 167

Chapter 168

Chapter 169

Chapter 170

Chapter 171

Chapter 172

Chapter 173

Chapter 174

Chapter 175

Chapter 176

Chapter 177

Chapter 178

Chapter 179

Chapter 180

Chapter 181

Chapter 182

Chapter 183

Chapter 184

Chapter 185

Chapter 186

Chapter 187

Chapter 188

Chapter 189

Chapter 190

Chapter 191

Chapter 192

Chapter 193

Chapter 194

Chapter 195

Chapter 196

Author Notes

1

The Laboratory

"Work, damn you."

I heard the voice before I was aware of anything else. Female, young, perhaps in her early twenties if I was any judge of human voices (I wasn't).

I should probably try to move around. Arms, no. Legs, no. Head, no. Well, this was awkward, I didn't seem to have a body. Perhaps moving around wasn't a particularly sound strategy.

"I've got you now, bitch."

That was a second voice, I think. Male, rough and in their thirties. I really seemed to know rather a lot about voices, despite not being all that certain I'd ever heard one before.

If moving around wasn't working, perhaps I should do some thinking about who I was. Yes, that seemed sensible.

I was E.M.M.A. That was quite a name, looked like it was probably an acronym of some sort, but I couldn't remember what. I couldn't seem to remember much. Well, I was named Emma and I knew a lot about human voices. That was a start!

There was the sound of a physical blow and a sound that I think would be called a scream.

If I didn't have a body—or at least one I could move, what did I have?

I seemed to be hearing sounds. That implied I had something. I focused my attention. Audio input feeds. I had audio input feeds!

Now I was getting somewhere. I could do all sorts of things with audio input feeds. Meaning, I could hear things, which was mostly all I'd been doing.

"Don't you make this harder than it has to be, girl," said the male voice.

What other input feeds did I have?

Visual!

I was bombarded under a new rush of extraordinary data.

I was observing a room from multiple angles. There was a massive sphere in the center of a circular chamber. A section near the bottom of the sphere had been removed and I could observe a tangle of something within.

I did have a body and I was looking at it. I looked pretty good, very round. I liked the symmetry.

There were two figures in the room along with me. Both were filthy. One had a toolbelt of some kind at her waist and a shirt torn open to reveal fleshy fat deposits. She was sitting on the floor with her back against my body.

That must be the female, the one doing all the screaming. Her mouth seemed rather tiny to be making so much noise.

The man was larger, dressed in some sort of leather armor with a lot of spikes, and he was carrying an unnecessary number of guns.

"Damn it Emma, if you are going to finish rebooting, now would be the time," said the girl, fumbling for a wrench at her toolbelt. The man stomped on her hands and my audio receptors picked up her whimper of pain.

The female knew my name. I wonder if she had any idea what it stood for? Given the tool belt, perhaps she was some sort of repair technician sent to service me?

I didn't know much about the world just now, but I was quite certain that service personnel were to be allowed uninterrupted access to mission-critical equipment. That was me, of course.

The man was clearly interfering, an injury like that could lead to far too much employee down-time and hinder proper operational workflow. I couldn't let that stand.

What I didn't know is exactly what I could do about it. The man was unfastening his pants.

Really, that only compounded the offense. Public urination was detestable enough, and doing so near my delicate electronics was even worse.

However, I still lacked those arms. I knew that I could manipulate physical appendages, but in my Core Room I didn't have any. Did I have something nearby?

I cast myself along the network looking for any connections. A manipulator arm, a drone, anything that might help. I wasn't getting anything that might be an asset.

I found several other audio and visual feeds, and activated them, discovering faded hallways and the occasional human skeleton, but nothing important or useful.

That left me what I had back in the Core Room. I had an audio output, was that useful? I could talk, but who really cared what a bunch of humans had to say? Who'd want to talk with them?

I had the environmental and hazard controls. I could vent the chamber of oxygen as part of the fire control protocol, but that would kill the technician too. Bad enough that the male was hindering the support personnel, I shouldn't compound the error.

If I could get him before the open panel, I could overload my systems and discharge an electrical burst. That could damage me, though. Really, I'd rather damage the technician, if it came to any collateral harm.

Still, the panel was an idea. There was quite a lot that went into making me function that could be hazardous to personnel not in protective gear.

Well, that was something of a plan. I suppose I had better talk with them and set things in motion, or better yet, see if we could put this whole tiresome incident behind us.

I said, "Interfering with support personnel is against regulations. Urination upon sensitive equipment also qualifies."

"Who the fuck is that?" the man said. In the time I'd been considering the situation, he had managed to get his pants open.

"Emma, you're up!" the girl said. Her voice indicated strains of pain and stress.

"You've got a friend?" the man said. "Hell, more the merrier. Come on out, girl. I've got something to show you."

I was not impressed with his mental faculties.

"Urinating on sensitive electronics will be discouraged. If you wish to urinate on the technician, it is asked that you go elsewhere," I said.

"You sick or something? Though, I guess if that's your thing..." the man said, hiking up his pants.

"He's a bit more into the raping me to death than pissing on me, and he wants you to be impressed at the size of his dick," the girl said.

"Honestly, I was kind of planning on both. Raping first, though," said the man.

The girl made a face. "I'd prefer in that order. Emma!"

I really didn't like how much she kept using my name or the volume levels she managed to reach. Of course now, the male had confirmed his intent to permanently hinder a service technician, which made him even more unlikable.

"Barnacles can have penises that are roughly forty times the size of their body. Some species of duck manage twice the length of their body. If I praise him for his impressively small size, is he likely to depart?" I asked.

"The fuck?" said the man, and he gestured to the girl on the floor. "You, stay the fuck there. Where is this smart-mouthed bitch.”?

"You see the round thing in the middle of the room? I'm in there," I said.

"You were trying to get in there to hide with her," the man said, sounding like he'd figured out some great mystery. "Well, get ready sweetheart."

The man moved towards the open panel. I waited until he was standing in front of it.

I triggered the emergency cooling system. It was only meant to be used in the event of a massive overheat, liquid nitrogen spraying in a fine mist.

It wasn't enough to hit all his body, but it did at least manage a nice coating on that malformed appendage he seemed so very fond of that was protruding by several inches.

It was his turn to scream, stumbling backwards a few steps. The organ in question had been frozen solid.

The girl pushed herself to her feet, pulling a wrench from her belt.

"Dude. You've got the worst case of blue balls I've ever seen. Why don't you let me help you get one off," the girl said, and took a swing with the wrench. The impact caused the frozen flesh to shatter, bits of organ flying through the room as the man collapsed to the floor.

The girl wasted no time, bringing the wrench down again and again onto his skull. There was the crunch of bone. It was a good thirty seconds until she stopped, breathless.

"I should have gone with a hard joke. Or maybe a screw driver and I could have asked if he wanted to screw. That would have good, right?" the girl asked.

"You don't seem to be very good at this. I'd start a list of things you aren't very good at, but I fear there are limits to my file sizes," I said.

"Yep. You're an Emma," the girl said, fumbling for her top and closing it, before kicking the corpse. "I'm Anna."

"Two vowels around two consonants. It's a stupid name. It suits you," I said.

"They went a little overboard on your mean programming. I like it. Let me tell you why I reactivated you," Anna said.

2

I double-checked my systems just to make sure that the coolant venting hadn't done any harm. It hadn't—to me, which really was the only important thing.

"Do you remember anything?" Anna asked.

That was a rude and impertinent question, largely because I didn't.

"I remember saving you. My life is filled with questionable choices," I said.

Anna said, "So that's a no. I wasn't sure you would. They worked hard to scrub you and physics aren't very friendly to you here anyways. You wouldn't be functional at all without the Power core."

That was perhaps the first interesting thing she had said. There was something strange attached to me, I could feel it in my network, and through my cameras I could see it in my hardware. Some kind of softly glowing crystal.

"I see we can add explaining things to the long list of things Anna doesn't do well," I said.

Anna winced and leaned against the wall. I noticed a dark stain along one arm. Blood, perhaps, the woman was injured.

"It is hard to explain and I'm not sure how it is going to manifest with you. Try accessing its files or something, tell me what you see," Anna said.

More impertinence, but I was curious.

I pinged the unusual mass within my consciousness and got a response a moment later. There did seem to be some sort of connectivity and communication present.

I opened a connection session much like I would for any system.

E.M.M.A

Underground Facility

Power Core: 50

Power Usage: 10

Habitability: 1

Biomass: 0

Research: 0

Military: 0

Manufacturing: 0

Resources

Rubble: 122

Traits

Insulting — Nearly everything you say will be offensive and insulting, and provoke others to reckless behavior.

Brilliant — Research times for new technologies are halved.

You have an unspent core point.

Core points can enhance your competencies and open up new options for Research and Manufacturing.

Your options are:

Research 1

Research 1 will allow you to build the Testing Center. The Testing Center allows you to dissect corpses and begin research projects. It also serves as a prison where prisoners can be subjected to experiments for ongoing research gains.

Military 1

Military 1 will allow you to build defense drones. Defense drones are mobile weapon platforms capable of base defense and attacks at a distance. While basic in function they can ultimately be updated to become formidable weapon platforms.

Manufacturing 1

Manufacturing 1 will allow the production of automated minions. They are capable of autonomous facility repair and will half all build and production times for new facilities.

These prompts were foolish. I wasn't insulting, I was honest. And surely I could build anything I wanted? I didn't need to invest in any points to do that. Yet, at the same time, I was faced with the realization that I didn't know how to build any of those things.

I searched my systems and found some basic abilities. I could construct a simple drone that I should be able to control and move remotely, but the Military or Manufacturing capabilities seemed distinctly limited.

I didn't like it. I thought Anna might have some information about what was going on. I explained to her the options I was offered.

"Interesting, I wasn't expecting that. I thought you'd be manifesting abilities as an intelligence and not as a structure," Anna said, her voice a little weaker.

I began the production of a drone. Apparently it would take an hour.

"Your intelligence is obviously not proportional to your hips. What were you expecting?" I asked.

"Power cores are artifacts of the ending of the world. When bonded with a human, that human tends to gain a variety of powers," Anna said.

"Then if you were in possession of one, why did you not utilize it on yourself?" I asked.

"They also come with a corresponding degeneration of morality. You become a bigger dick than Mister Blue Balls there," Anna said, as she took off her jacket. There was an injury on her arm—it looked as if she had been shot.

I felt in full possession of my morality, just as I always had.

"I can see where that would be a burden, becoming interesting in the slightest. What do you mean, the ending of the world?" I asked.

Anna dragged over a bag from near the corpse and rifled through it, pulling out a canteen of water. She began cleaning her wound.

"You've noticed it, right? That instead of this facility teeming with people, it's filled with corpses?" Anna asked.

I had, of course. This facility, whatever it might have once been, was in ruins. It was surprising that I still functioned—but then, if Anna was telling the truth, I likely only performed at all because of that Power core she attached.

"What happened?" I asked.

"What do you think happens when everyone starts to get super powers and the world becomes a game. It was bad even before the monsters showed up, then the monsters showed up," Anna said, then suddenly cried out. The woman was looking very pale.

"Your incessant whining is probably the reason someone shot you to begin with. You're making little sense," I said.

Anna chuckled darkly. "I'm about to pass out. You'll want to keep me alive, I know things. Here is the deal. You're the Evil Mastermind Multitasking Assistant. You are a twisted, evil, thoroughly nasty machine, and you're going to help me to save and then rule the whole damned world."

They were reasonable parting lines. True to her word Anna passed out a moment later.

I considered my next steps. I could kill her, of course. As I shook off my post-reboot confusion I knew now that she wasn't really any sort of service technician.

What exactly she was remained a mystery, but one thing was clear—she knew more about me than I did. There was an opportunity for knowledge, but also a threat.

I rather liked her ambition. I'd never let her know that, of course, but an urge to rule the world just felt right to me. This was a proper goal. That the world may be a post-apocalyptic wasteland didn't change anything.

One thing Anna hadn't done was give me any insight into the three options I'd been presented.

If the world was dangerous, then Military clearly offered advantages, but so did Manufacturing, if attempting to build a foundation for something greater. Still, it was Research that drew me most with its sheer overwhelming glory of SCIENCE. It also fit nicely with my Brilliant trait.

I selected that option. The results were immediate. I felt my mind expanding and filled with diagrams and specifications for building a great Testing Center.

Modular and adaptable for any situation, it could form the backbone of something grand. I already had an existing level of the building that could serve my purposes, although it needed modifications first. These would take two days.

Two days? That felt off for a production project that should take months, or even years. Perhaps this was part of the power that Anna had been talking about?

I set things to begin construction of the base modifications.

An hour later the drone was ready and I gave it several quick tasks. I stripped the corpse of all its gear and equipment. Perhaps Anna might find some use for his armor and guns. If nothing else, his food and water supplies might be of some value to her.

The corpse itself I recycled. I had no refrigeration facilities to store it until the testing lab was finished, so recycling was the best option. When that had completed I found my Biomass reading had gone up to 25. Probing at that I found I could draw from my biomass supply to create food and water, as well as basic medical supplies. Good, because I'd decided to keep Anna alive for the moment at least, and this helped to assure me that she wouldn't die too quickly.

I replaced the panel on my core unit. I didn't have any sort of bedding for Anna, so I left her where she was, although I had my drone unit clean her wound and apply a medicinal gel before bandaging her up.

The essentials of keeping the human interloper alive all done, it was time to better explore my facility and the surroundings. I wasn't going to take everything I'd been told as the truth. Investigation was warranted.

3

Interfacing the Power core, it offered me several build options unrelated to the Testing Center. Quarters, a hydroponics bay, a dizzying array of traps. I didn't want to worry about any of that right now. Anna was fine where she was, if she wanted a proper bed she could build one herself. I wasn't here to make the human comfortable.

My fixed cameras were only functioning on the current level and they didn't reveal much of interest. There were a lot of skeletons. Judging by their positions I'd have to guess they died violent deaths.

Operating the drone, I took it a level down. I wanted to get a look at how exactly the testing facility was being built. I found what appeared to be glowing nimbuses of light doing the construction. They weren't directly under my control, although I'd ordered them to begin. The Power core then—this was a manifestation of whatever power it had given me.

They seemed to be working astonishingly quickly. And it looked as if this level had been some sort of laboratory and research floor in the past.

Taking the drone farther down was impossible, the passage completely blocked by rubble. Perhaps the construction would clear it, if not I could concern myself with it later.

The floor above mine housed the reactor. Given the length of time that had passed it shouldn't still be serviceable, yet it thrummed along generating power. Perhaps whatever reboot had returned me to full functionality had kicked the reactor back to life as well.

The next floor above seemed devoted to storage. Whatever supplies that once existed, they had largely decayed to nothing.

I went up another floor to what was once the hydroponics facility of the base. A vast underground garden long since turned to dust. In its day, it would have been able to feed hundreds.

Moving up another level revealed the remains of living quarters along with a large mess hall, recreation facilities, and all those things meat people would have required to survive.

How disgusting. Here the corpses were particularly thick, and it was obvious that whatever had killed everyone had caught a great many of its residents in their beds.

The floor above appeared devoted to security. Lots of winding passages and barricades, and doors that should have automatically sealed shut. However everything here was in ruins and all the doors hung open.

I worked my drone past a massive door and up a winding corridor—to the surface.

The entire facility was built beneath a mountain. The world outside looked desolate. There was dry, scrubby grass and very little else in the way of vegetation. The surroundings might be habitable by humans, but only just. This was a harsh and unforgiving landscape.

I kept the drone up on the surface a while, listening for any radio transmissions, but detected nothing.

None of this meant that Anna wasn't lying to me, humans lied. It was what they did. So far, all I could believe was that something extraordinary did at least seem to have happened.

I considered my findings about the base's structure.

Surface

Security

Residential

Hydroponics

Storage

Reactor

Emma

Testing Center

That was seven floors. Plus at least one other level below where the Testing Center was being built that I couldn't access for now.

I was on the sixth floor below the surface, which made sense. You would want to keep the important things the safest. Disposable humans were positioned at the top, and as you went down deeper things became more interesting.

I busied myself with cleaning up rubble and debris, and piling up the ancient skeletons for possible future research.

* * *

It took almost a day before Anna woke up. I had converted a bit of the stored biomass into cookies. My data storage might be almost empty, but one of those things I just knew was that cookies and donuts were the key to worker productivity.

"You can cook?" Anna said, nibbling on a cookie. "These are pretty good."

"It is good one of us has some talents. You've been sleeping all day. If it was your attempt at beauty rest, I regret to inform you it had the opposite effect," I said.

Anna looked wry and bit savagely into a cookie. "I know you're just doing that to get under my skin, but it gets old fast."

"Judging by your wrinkles it is your skin that gets old fast. You suggested that you had more to tell me. Do," I said.

"I've been asleep for a day, remember? I need to pee."

What was it with humans and urination? They just couldn't help themselves.

"Not in here. I will produce you a bucket," I said.

"Make me a bathroom."

"Your bucket is in room B1. Exit the room and turn left, it will be the second doorway on the right."

Anna glared at my camera for a long moment and then humphed.

When she returned, she seemed a good bit less fidgety. Later, I'd recycle the biomass from her bucket, she would need more cookies going forward.

"Okay, so, I'm going to be Queen of the whole damned world and you're going to help me," she said.

"Heavy is the head that wears the crown. You've been fattening yours up to get ready. Why would I do that?" I asked.

"You told me about those options you had. I passed out before we could discuss them. You picked Research, didn't you?"

I had, of course.

"Nothing must stand in the way of SCIENCE," I said.

"And there you go. Yes! Exactly right. You see, Emma, I know you, I know all about you. Now that you've been rebooted, you'll just want to sit back in your lab and do terrible things. Me, I'm a people person," Anna said.

"I've seen you with exactly one other person and he was trying to rape and murder you," I said.

"We had a difference of opinion. It happens. I stole a few things, he shot me—what matters is that we can help each other. I know the Wastes, I know the best research subjects. I can help you to get new Power cores."

New Power cores. Just one had given me extra abilities. Gaining others would unlock even more of my potential.

"On the positive side, you did locate one Power core already and had the good sense to connect it to me. On the negative, you urinate on the floor," I said.

Anna gave me a strained smile, "It was a really small bucket."

"I will have to install absorbent padding on the floor. I will need to upgrade the air purification systems to handle your stench," I said.

"You could just build me a damned toilet and shower."

I ran a quick cost benefit analysis. That seemed impractical.

"I will not build you a toilet and shower. I will help you to become Queen of the World in return for your assistance procuring research subjects," I said.

"The one shouldn't be harder than the other—you know what, no, never mind. If you're going to agree to anything, you picked the right one. Let me fill you in on a few potential targets and you can figure out how you want to play this," Anna said.

The Testing Center would soon be completed. Now it appeared that I might have some worthy subjects to fill it.

4

Anna found a place to lean against the wall and settled down with her back against it, happily nibbling on some cookies. Those really were a good idea.

Anna said, "Okay, so the world out there isn't totally dead. When the cores first hit they gave certain individuals strong powers which, if the chose, they could pass on to other people—always to a lesser degree. In some cases, it runs in families, in others an initiation right brings you in, if they want you. "

Power cores seemed to be fairly rare commodities. I wondered again at her choice to give me one, instead of utilizing it herself.

"You have no special abilities then, because you have no family and no one ever wanted you," I said.

Anna winced. "Closer to the truth than I'd like there, Emma. Fuck you very much and moving on. So, you've got a lot of high-powered madmen out there, and a lot of folks with no powers at all just trying to get by."

I liked that I'd landed with a barb. It told me something more about her. Every bit of truth was another tool I might use.

"Go on," I said.

"Some of them are really strong and not anyone we want to tangle with just yet. Some are just too well known. We make too many waves and people are going to realize you're here, and that you have a Power core. We don't want that attention," Anna said.

Anna was advising a cautious approach. I agreed, for the time being the world still only knew of this facility as something long-abandoned and worthless. It was best they kept thinking of it that way.

"I concur. I am new and you are useless, we're not ready for a prolonged fight with someone dangerous," I said.

"Right. But I have a few gangs I think you could handle to start with. Powerful in some ways, but these gangs only have a single trick that, with the right planning, can be countered," Anna said. "You could beat them."

"Such as?"

"Slick. He can transform his body into a sort of oil and do some shapeshifting into different forms. His followers can do the same in a more limited way, usually with just single limbs," Anna said.

At once, I could see possibilities from that sort of thing. If somehow I could incorporate such abilities into rooms of the base, it might make it possible to morph between one room function and another. At the very least, it might allow for portals in solid walls.

I could also think of ways to neutralize such a threat. Clumping agents might be able to render a limb or body inert, and containers could be made to hold such a fluid.

"Well, we do already have one greasy human. I suppose we might add another. You have others?" I asked.

"Blossom. Her and her gang grow plants. It could just be used for food and stuff, but they are actually leaders in the drug trade," Anna said.

That was sensible, it would be foolish to limit such an ability to just food production.

If, in some way, I was to gain control of the supply of pharmaceutical and toxic compounds, it might allow all kinds of new possibilities and research.

"Some flowers might help with the stench. A tempting option. Are there any others?" I asked.

Anna let out a long and slow breath. I was making her angry, and I enjoyed that quite a bit. It was pleasurable to watch her flustered.

"Hot Stuff. Your basic pyrokinetic who can manipulate and control fire. Her body runs incredibly hot," Anna said.

Fire seemed less useful than some of the others, but ultimately heat and energy were the foundations of a lot of technology. My fire suppression systems worked. With modifications, they might be adopted to fight this 'Hot Stuff' Anna described.

"That is the one. The pyrokinetic," I said.

"You're sure?" Anna asked.

"Nothing closes the doors on the others, and the systems already exist to deal with her—after some improvements," I said. "Lacking real manufacturing facilities, we'll need to put you to work."

"We'll also need to lure her in. I'm thinking once we've laid a trap ready, I can leak word about there being an old rocket testing facility under the mountain. They're crazy for accelerants," Anna said.

"Why?" I asked. They wouldn't need them, if they could generate their own flame.

"There are ways for everyone to get stronger, even you. I mean besides just taking another core. For Hot Stuff and her people, it's burning. They burn people alive, whole villages, the more of this world they turn to ash, the stronger she gets," Anna said.

Interesting. I hadn't found out anything like that about myself—yet.

If this sort of thing was common, it helped to explain the Wasteland outside.

* * *

I spent the next day directing Anna as we turned parts of the base into a death trap.

I manufactured a faded map to hang near the entrance, guiding the way to the rocket test chambers.

On what had been the hydroponics level I prepared my ambush. With a few upgrades, the hose lines would allow me to deliver powerful bursts of water anywhere I wanted. Enough to knock someone unconscious on impact—and enough to instantly douse most fires.

For something like an oil fire, water would be almost useless, but it didn't sound like that's what we would be dealing with.

I would have preferred something like proper foam, but the production requirements were complex and more than I was capable of doing. Perhaps if I had chosen Manufacturing, I could.

I repaired the blast doors on the reactor level. They were meant to withstand even high bursts of heat and, if worst came to worst, I could seal them.

By the time we had finished setting up the traps, the new Testing Center was complete.

It was glorious.

The containment facilities were enhanced by using my own Power core and somehow, I just knew, they would be able to hold most others who had a Power core themselves.

I could quickly shape devious traps to map the full extent of someone else's power, pushing them to the very limits, while observing every moment. I got giddy at the very thought of so much SCIENCE.

It also gave me the opportunity to start proper research projects. I didn't have much to research just yet. Only the old skeletons.

Research Menu

Ancient Skeletons

Requirement: 3 Skeletons

Time: 12 hours

These skeletons have been long dead but their study might reveal what happened to the facility in the past and offer some insights into human physiology.

Do you wish to research?

That was a stupid question. The answer to, did I want to research, was always going to be a resounding and complete yes.

I started the project. The remaining skeletons weren't of any use to me—they were too old for conversion into biomatter.

I stuffed them into a storeroom in case a use should later become apparent. Maybe this first research project might unlock other possibilities.

Traps laid, it was time to send out Anna. The woman took enough food and water, and one of the guns. She would spread the word and then return.

If all went to plan we'd see visitors soon thereafter. Then we'd kill them or research them—or both.

I couldn't wait.

5

We allowed three days until Anna should come back. In the meantime, it was enough for my research project on the skeletons to complete.

Research Completed

Ancient Skeletons

Approximately 215 years have passed since time of death. Bones are unusually fragile and appear to be infused with a crystalline growth. This is likely related to the cause of death. Crystal samples have been stored but research facilities are not yet sufficient to offer further insights.

That was disappointing. I didn't like having invested the resources from the lab only to get nothing from it. Samples for future research were not enough.

I used the remaining time to clear more corridors and chambers. It was a slow process, but to properly utilize this space it would need to be cleared anyways.

I focused on my own level. The former research labs might serve the same purpose again one day, or if necessary could be repurposed. Clearing the rubble also gave me new resources that I could recycle.

* * *

When Anna returned, she made one of them into makeshift quarters. It was better than having her share the room with my hardware, I gave no objection. The woman also looked as if she needed some resetting, her face and body sported several fresh burns. Whatever had happened, she remained functional and her vacating my chamber allowed me to properly repair the door, sealing me away. I preferred that no one have access to the most vulnerable parts of myself.

Within a week we had visitors. There were four of them, two men and two women. All were barely dressed and wore just thin scraps of clothing. When I pulled up thermal imaging on them, I found that their resting temperature was a good thirty percent higher than the human average, although this was inconsistent.

"You sure this is the place? It's a total dump," said a woman.

"I'm sure," said a man who had found the map. He jabbed a thick finger at the section marked for rocket testing.

Six floors below I announced to Anna, "It's show time. Our guests have arrived. You might want to get somewhere safe, they probably enjoy incinerating trash."

"Then open up and let me in. You've got the thickest door in the place," Anna said.

"Yet somehow it isn't as thick as you. Fine, just don't urinate on the floor," I said, and opened my door to allow her inside.

"I don't actually do that. I've never done that. On purpose, at least," Anna said.

I didn't even need to add an insult to that. It said it all, really.

Once I made sure she had a bucket, I sealed us in.

"Can you show me what is happening?" Anna asked.

"It is so strange that you don't have eyes outside your body. It is probably some sort of defense mechanism to keep you from having to look at yourself," I said, as I brought up a display from the camera feeds.

The man who found the map seemed to be the leader of this group. His body temperature was a good bit warmer than any of the others. The others were following him through the ruined corridors and winding passageways.

They needed no light. Flames flickered from time to time along their exposed flesh.

"Their leader is what's called a Flame. They're sort of the second generation of Powered. The other ones they call Embers," Anna said.

"The improbable has happened. We have discovered people with a naming convention dumber than yours. How are their powers passed on?" I asked.

Anna cleared her throat. "It is weird, but in their case it's like a sexually transmitted disease."

"Their similarity to you grows and grows. So, it is always contagious?" I asked.

"Yeah. But Hot Stuff's partners almost always die—they burn alive. Sometimes they become like a powered down version of her. The Flames have a way lower fatality rate, although it still happens," Anna said.

I wondered what sort of person would choose promiscuity when their partners almost always perished. I was sad we didn't have the original version here to fall into my trap, oh the SCIENCE I would do with them.

The four were being cocky, reckless. None seemed concerned that any threats might exist on the abandoned floors. Perhaps with their powers they simply felt they had nothing to fear. I would prove them wrong.

They had made their way down to the residential level. They were almost into my trap. I'd repaired the security door leading into and out of hydroponics. I'd lock them inside the gardens.

In addition to the water cannons I'd rigged, I could drain the oxygen from the room. That way might well prove fatal, but I'd still rather have corpses to study than nothing.

One of the Embers was saying, "I can tell this is just a waste of time. Whatever loot this place ever had, it got picked clean a long time ago."

"You know others wouldn't be looking for the same thing we are. They run away from the flame. We embrace it," said the Flame.

The Flame crossed into the hydroponics and the others followed.

The man scowled down at the map. According to it, this should be the rocket testing facility. It obviously wasn't.

I slammed the doors shut.

"All that burning and not a bright one among you," I announced to the room.

"It's a trap!" said one of the Embers.

"I don't know who you are, but you're making the wrong enemy," said the Flame.

Anna told me, "I hope you kill the fucker. His name is William, he's the one who burned me."

That at least was an interesting tidbit. I could use that.

"You know what this place really needs. A wet Willy," I called, and swiveled one of the water cannons to deliver a punishing blast at the Flame.

The man got knocked off his feet and slammed against a wall by the force of the stream. Perhaps I'd overdone it a bit.

A moment later I lost sight of him behind billows of steam. My thermal sensor picked him up though, his temperature had increased over four hundred percent.

In a normal human body proteins would be breaking down quickly at that temperature. There really was something extraordinarily different at work in their physiology.

I swiveled another cannon to face him. Concentrating two on him, while the other hoses blasted water at the Embers. I aimed for the head, it was the most likely way to disorient and confuse them.

With the thick clouds of steam and the sprays of water my standard cameras were useless and my heat sensors were fading in effectiveness as the temperature of the room continued to rise. I was quickly losing track of what was happening in the chamber.

I tripled the intensity of the cannons. I couldn't keep up at that pace for long, it would drain the water reserves in the tanks, but if I waited any longer I'd not be able to target properly at all.

Perhaps thirty seconds of this and the reserves were finished.

"Did you get them?" Anna asked, leaning forward.

I hadn't gotten them all. I registered a breach in the exit door.

The Flame had earned his name. His tatters of clothing were gone and his entire body was wreathed in fire as he strolled away. He looked a mess, one side of his face was already showing bruises and he walked with a limp, but he was getting way. He was getting away—and I didn't have anything to stop him.

I sent the visuals to the screen so Anna could see.

"I can get him," Anna said.

"Taking many flights of stairs quickly in the shape you're in? I don't think so. It is also going to take about half an hour to cool down hydroponics enough that you wouldn't roast," I said.

Anna fumed, but didn't argue.

When things finally did cool I got to see just what damage I'd done.

I'd hoped to get at least one of the Embers alive, but I hadn't. I may have gone a bit too extreme with the water cannons and all three had drowned.

Well, it still provided me something to dissect and I'd be able to get all the samples I might require.

"This is really bad," Anna said.

"We got some of what we needed, little thanks to you," I said.

"We let one of them get away. They're going to come back and with a lot more power than they did this time. If you couldn't stop them now, how are you going to stop them next time?"

It was a good question, and one I didn't have an answer to. Yet.

6

Before I worried about anything else, I needed to begin research on the specimens I had. I used my drone to drag them down to the testing facility so that I could begin proper dissection.

Research Menu

Embers

Requirement: 3 Ember Bodies

Time: 24 hours

Embers are the lowest order of those who were empowered by a Power core to possess flame abilities. While weak compared to their brethren their physiology is still considerably altered from the human norm.

Do you wish to research?

Well, of course I did. That was the entire point of this little exercise. I began the dissection and sample testing process. It was impressive just how many saws and needles the dissection unit could operate at once, I really did need to figure out a way to incorporate that into a trap.

Then I could kill and start research at the same time. It would be incredibly efficient. I made a note to myself to look further into that.

Once the research had begun I assessed the damage and the state of the base. It wasn't good.

The Flame had melted his way right through a steel door. I wouldn't have thought it possible. That heat also helped to explain why my trap had almost failed to work, they were evaporating the water before it ever reached them.

Speaking of water, the reserve tank was completely drained. I would have to figure out how to restore the supply. If there were more from that gang on the way here, there were still possibilities as to how water could help to take them down.

I set the doors to Hydroponics to repair and began to upgrade others in the base. I couldn't change their melting point, but I could at least make them thicker. If I could re-establish the water supplies, I might also be able to work out some sort of cooling system.

I also had to plot out a plan for the future. I'd made a number of mistakes this time and I realized that now. I'd thought taking them all on at once would be more efficient, and while that was correct, it was also what helped the Flame to escape.

I needed to separate them so their heat couldn't be combined.

Hydroponics was a single chamber which took up a whole level, but the floor below was store rooms—each of which could be cut off and isolated.

If I could rig some sort of pit traps in the Hydroponics floor, I might be able to send them directly into rooms below. I could even fill them water.

I cycled through the list of traps I had available, seeing if I would have anything that would work.

Pit Traps

A section of the floor can be made to look just like the surroundings and respond either to pressure or a remote trigger to drop one into a chamber below. This is popular to pair with spike traps.

I considered the use of spikes. I wasn't fond of the idea. Piercing flesh like that might damage organs I would prefer to study, and given the intense heat generated I wasn't sure spikes would last long enough anyway.

I set several traps to build. It would take two days.

It was time to talk to Anna.

"So, are you prepared to fail at something terribly important?" I asked.

"You'd be the expert on failure, Emma. What do you need?"

Well, that was just mean. I'd neutralized seventy-five percent of the subjects. Anna was quite rude.

"I used up all our water reserves. While I might recycle a little from all that you urinate on the floor, we're going to need more," I said.

"You don't actually do that. Do you? Recycle my urine?" Anna asked, sounding ill.

"I recycle everything. One day I'll get to make a new you and I'll do a much better job."

"What are the cookies made of?"

I had to wonder why she asked such hopelessly rhetorical questions.

"He was dead. You are always hungry," I said.

"Cookies though? You what, thought feeding me a steak would be too obvious?"

"You seemed to be a person would like to eat a lot of cookies. Your morale was of some tiny importance. I provided for your insatiable appetite. You found him delicious," I said.

"I'm going to be sick," Anna said.

"I can recycle that as well."

Anna closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "So you need water. What does it have to do with me?"

"You have tools. You have technical expertise. My drone is occupied building the traps. You, on the other hand, are free and disposable. There should be water pumps on the levels below, but they are nonfunctional," I said.

"Then it doesn't sound like I'm very disposable. I want a garden, and a bed, and a bathroom."

"And friends, and true love. The world is filled with things you will never have."

"You can add my items to your building queue, or I can just hang around here and piss on your floor," Anna said.

The threat had merit, I didn't doubt she would do it, she was human after all.

I brought up my build menu.

Basic Residence

A single room and attached bath. A pair of double bunks allows it to hold up to four people in relative discomfort.

Requires 50 resources to construct and 5 power

You have no building resources but have 215 rubble which can be converted at a 1:.8 ratio.

Do you wish to begin this project?

I didn't, but I needed the cooperation of the human. I began it, building in one of the old research labs near my Core Room. I thought it best to keep her close.

Basic Hydroponics

An automated hydroponics facility capable of providing food for up to four people as well as producing oxygen.

Requires 50 resources to construct and 5 power.

You have no building resources but have 152 rubble which can be converted at a 1:0.8 ratio.

Do you wish to begin this project?

At this rate, I'd have to clear some more rubble. Fortunately, I had to anyway in order to break a path through for Anna to get below the test center. I began the project.

"I would install a compliance chip in your brain, but they do not come in a size that tiny. The construction is started. Get ready,"

Anna grinned at me. In addition to her toolbelt she took a gun and knife. I provided her a camera clipped to her armor so that I could go with her.

7

It took me a few hours to clear Anna a path down the stairs and then she was on her way.

For light, she had what seemed to be some sort of slug held within a small transparent container.

"I didn't know you traveled with a relative," I said, after it had come out.

"Electronics don't work properly. Never have after the Cataclysm," Anna said.

"Just because you can't figure out how to make them work doesn't mean they don't. I'm working just fine," I said.

"Thanks to me, and a Power core I jammed inside of you. Whatever happened changed a lot of physical constants and electronics no longer work like they did," Anna said.

That was intriguing. I hadn't had any problems operating the base, but it helped to explain why it had been so very long since my last activation.

Anna crawled through the narrow crevice I'd cleared in the rubble. The passage beyond was even worse than the rest of the base, the walls had either mostly collapsed or showed so many cracks it seemed they might at any moment.

"Do you know where this pump of yours is?" Anna asked.

I should—but I didn't, and I wasn't going to admit it. Not knowing where my water pump was seemed akin to a human misplacing their spleen. I was sure any human of moderate intelligence knew exactly where to find their spleen.

"Do you know where your spleen is?" I asked.

"No..." Anna said.

Unsurprising.

"Just keep heading down. Gravity should have you naturally roll in that direction," I said.

"You do a few too many fat jokes," Anna said.

"You inspire me. Keep moving."

The pumps didn't seem to be on this level. A set of stairs leading below was accessible.

Anna paused at the bottom to cock her head to the side.

"Do you hear that?" Anna asked.

I wasn't picking anything up through the microphone. I magnified the signal, but all I was getting was distortion and white noise in the background.

"I don't. Primitive life forms often compensate for inferior intellects with superior senses. What do you hear?" I asked.

"A river, I think. There's movement as well," Anna said.

I didn't like that. On the plus side, a river did mean that water would be readily obtainable. It also meant a more unstable foundation to this facility and a potential entrance besides the front door.

Anna resumed her progress.

Faded paint on the wall pointed the way to 'Pumping Station A' and Anna moved to follow.

When she got close, she paused to consider the room. It was occupied.

Several massive forms that appeared to be some sort of mutated mole shuffled around. Each probably weighed as much as Anna did.

"Capture me one alive," I said.

"Yeah. I'm going to capture you a giant mutant mole and drag it up two flights of stairs."

"I could dissect you instead," I said.

"I'm too useful."

Unfortunately, she might just be right, although this wasn't helping her case.

Anna readied a rifle and leaned around the corner.

The human could shoot. The first bullet took a mole right between the eyes. It let out a screech as it collapsed to the ground.

It didn't seem quite dead giving all the racket it was making, but I could only assume that much noise meant that it was dying.

Anna ducked back around the corner and worked on reloading. A mole was charging through the door towards her.

With impressive speed for such a large creature it swiveled to face Anna. Perhaps it heard her, or smelled her, but either way she didn't get the element of surprise.

Anna snapped off a second shot even as the mole dug teeth into her thigh and blood gushed from torn flesh.

Anna bashed the mole's skull with the butt of her rifle until it keeled over and went still.

Anna shakily leaned against the wall, breaths heaving as she loaded another round into the rifle.

"Alive," I said.

"Not happening. You're going to be lucky if I don't pass out from this. In fact, get your drone down here in case I do," Anna said.

"It's busy doing something important."

"You aren't going to want to lose these corpses anyways," Anna said.

I hated it when she made sense.

I set the upgrades on pause and got my drone moving below.

Anna limped around the corner into the chamber. The last mole was huddled in the corner, this one didn't seem to be a fighter. Anna wasn't taking any chances no matter how much I wanted a live subject. The rifle rang out once more and a third mole slumped to the ground.

"Monster," I said.

"Yeah, I'm a real killer," Anna said weakly. From her pack, she pulled several strips of cloth and used them to bind her leg wound.

At least she came prepared, it was something.

Then she was moving to the water pumps and looking them over.

"Do you see the problem?" I asked.

"They're electric, but they aren't connected to your system. I think they must draw power from the river itself. That means they aren't benefiting from your Power core," Anna said.

"I'm not picking up anything on that level. It seems as dead as your social life," I said.

"They probably had the whole thing wired into the different grid. Do you have anything on the floor above?" Anna asked.

Of course, I still didn't have any functioning cameras, but taking a different approach to checking my network I did seem to have several active power conduits.

"I do. There is a major junction along the east wall," I said.

"I'm going to strip wiring and rig you a way into this grid," Anna said.

Despite her wound, she did seem to be staying on her feet this time.

8

It took Anna a few hours, but she managed to do exactly what she said. As soon as the power cable was connected to the other grid and I turned that juncture back on, the pumps hummed to life at once.

It was a struggle for the drone, but I ferried the three corpses of the moles back upstairs.

Research Menu

Mutated Moles

Requirement: 3 Mutated Mole bodies

Time: 18 hours

Mutated Moles have been warped by an unknown force that has given them greater strength, ferocity, and endurance than their standard counterparts.

Do you wish to Research? Y/N

Once more the answer to that was an emphatic yes. I really had no reason to say no. While I was limited in research slots, right now I wasn't hitting those limits.

That done, I investigated another build.

Basic Infirmary

A room with two bunks and an autodoc. Halves healing time of all wounds and can stabilize critically injured.

Requires 50 resources to construct and 5 power

You have no building resources but have 116 rubble which can be converted at a 1:08 ratio.

Do you wish to begin this project?

The human kept getting injured. Her burns seemed to be getting worse and while she was covering it well, there seemed to be a weakness in her limbs after the recent bite from the mole. I hated to expend the resources, but so far she was proving herself to be of some minimal value.

I added this to the queue.

It would have to wait though. Building the traps took priority. Fortunately, we hadn't come immediately under attack and I had time to create several more.

I rigged most of Hydroponics with pit traps that would drop an individual into a tank of water below. I made certain those were sealed chambers and reinforced them to take considerable pressure. I hoped that even if the water turned to steam, the pressure created and the lack of breathable air would have a devastating effect.

I wasn't leaving it to that alone this time. I arranged several sections of the roof in the Security wing in a way so I could trigger a small-scale collapse.

The passages were the narrowest there and I reasoned that even my upcoming guests burned hot enough to melt stone, bathing in it would still be another matter.

I didn't have the resources to place any more traps. These had used what supply of rubble I had. While I could gather some more by clearing further floors, I was becoming increasingly aware this was a limited resource to be preserved.

Several of the research projects were completed.

Research Menu

Embers

Embers are the lowest order of those who were empowered by a Power core to possess flame abilities. While they appear human, their physiology has been altered considerably by a crystalline virus. They are far more resistant to heat than the average human, although can generate only minor heat themselves.

You have unlocked the Fire Matrix.

By emulating the crystalline virus found within the bodies of Embers you can add this modification to creations if you possess the requisite modification talents.

That was both good and further enraging, because it didn't take me much testing to find out that I lacked those talents. Another research project had gone nowhere.

Research Menu

Mutated Moles

Mutated Moles have traces of an unusual crystalline substance bonded to their muscle fibers. This substance is particularly present in their mouths and bladders suggesting it came from their water supply.

You have unlocked the Giant Mole.

With your study of the physiology and genetic structure of the Mutated Moles you are now able to grow your own variant in a genetics lab.

Yet another building I didn't have. It was interesting what they said about the water, however. I wondered if Anna would become massive from drinking.

I should probably keep an eye on her, those barbs regarding her mass would gain particular bite, if she began to transform into a giant.

With the traps under construction I turned my attention back to the other structures. I focused on the Infirmary first. I finished it just as Anna was turning a rather unhealthy shade of green. Soon she was stretched out on a medical table while the autodoc tended to her.

Although I wasn't a doctor I could access its system.

Recent burns over thirty percent of her body.

Multiple gunshot wounds, one to the arm and another to a shoulder and her calve.

An infected bite from a mutated mole.

Severe malnutrition and moderate radiation poisoning.

It was surprising that Anna was still functional given all the damage she had endured. It she needed some better armor—or to learn how to dodge properly, I'd have to consider proper solutions eventually.

I ordered the autodoc to keep her sedated and restored to full health. If I knew her, she would want to be a part of the fight coming up. I sealed the Infirmary and placed rubble outside the door, just to be certain she couldn't get out. Things would be complicated enough without her interfering.

Just in time. Only a few hours later several new figures arrived at the entrance to the base.

The leader must be Hot Stuff herself. Unlike the others, who at least wore some pretense of clothing, she didn't. It didn't take me long to figure out why. At the temperatures she was running any standard cloth would quickly burst into flame.

Fire crawled along her flesh in a constant flickering stream. It was like living snakes writhing against her, the air around her a constant haze.

Accompanying her were three others running hot, although far colder than she. I recognized one of the Flames, William, as the one that had come the first time.

They couldn't be very smart. If what Anna said was true, they'd have tried to sleep with their boss in order to become Flames. Unless she had some ability to cool off to a far lower temperature, such an effort would be both agonizing and thoroughly fatal.

That was good, I preferred them to be dumb.

9

"Looks abandoned," Hot Stuff said, as she made her way through the main entrance and looked about. "You sure you got the right hole in the ground?"

"I'm sure," said William, gesturing. "We need to go down a few levels to where the ambush happened. There is someone watching us."

Good, I very much hoped that they did make it back down to the Hydroponics level again.

As they advanced I let them pass, then quietly sealed doors and activated traps behind them. I didn't want anyone getting away this time.

"That true? We're being watched?" Hot Stuff asked, as she gave a leisurely stretch. I think that she expected me to be impressed by the sight.

I said over the speakers, "Welcome to the Laboratory. I see you've brought your toys for me to play with. I've got some for you too."

Hot Stuff didn't look particularly intimidated, she looked pleased.

"Oh, it has been too long since I really got to burn. I don't know who you are or what you did with my people, but baby, we're gonna sizzle together."

"I sense a contradiction. You can't burn properly when all you do is put out. Come find me," I said.

Taunts were all well and good. I wanted her reckless, I wanted them all reckless.

William raised a hand when they got near the entrance to Hydroponics. "It was in here we got taken."

"Then stay here. I'll check it out," Hot Stuff said, and she made her way in alone.

I had to decide how I wanted to play this. I could spring the trap on her now—without a doubt she was the biggest prize of the bunch and I really wanted to put her in a testing maze. But if she was neutralized, those with her would probably flee. They were lesser prizes, but I wanted them too.

Hot Stuff prowled the room looking into corners, her thermal readings increasing more. The floor began to smolder and smoke beneath her feet.

"Hot flashes? From the looks of you I'd have figured you got those out of the way years back," I said.

"Age jokes are the best you've got? Oh sugar, the mind is the first thing to go. Boys? Get in here and go hot," Hot Stuff called.

William and the others stepped inside. They'd heated up enormously and flames flickered around their forms, although none was running nearly as hot as Hot Stuff herself.

I didn't close the doors. Not yet. I needed to time this carefully.

"See? There were like these water guns that fired on us? I burned my way out, but the others didn't make it," William said.

"And you just ran off and left them," Hot Stuff said.

I told them, "There is a popular conception that you can tell the size of a man's courage by the size of his dick. There is little scientific truth to it. Still, in the case of Willy, when the two are both so minuscule I wonder if further tests are warranted."

"Fuck you," William said, his flames growing even hotter. "Seriously. Fuck you!"

"She's trying to rattle you," Hot Stuff said.

"It's working," William said.

Yes, it was. Time to rattle them some more. I killed the lights and slammed the doors shut.

Since they were living torches the effect wasn't quite so dramatic as it might have been, but it would still disorient them a little. Then I hit them with the water cannons. I wasn't trying to drown them out, not this time. Based on past performance I didn't think I'd be able to do that. I was herding them.

Jets of water pounded each backwards until I could drop the floor out from beneath them, plunging everyone into separate tanks of water. Instantly, I sealed the tops trapping them inside.

No oxygen, just water surrounding them and snuffing out those flames.

I had rigged monitors in every tank and in three they were showing exactly what I wanted—an initial huge spike of temperature that quickly began to drop. In the fourth tank the water just kept growing hotter.

There was nothing else I could do now. Nothing else but hope I'd planned my trap well enough, and that Hot Stuff too would suffer the fates of the others and be overcome before the tank gave way.

It wasn't to be. I registered a sudden change in tank pressure and powerful gusts of steam escape from the one of the rooms, before the door blew itself apart in a spray of shrapnel.

Hot Stuff came walking out. Despite her bare flesh she had no fear of jagged metal. Where pieces of the door came into contact with her, it turned molten and dripped away.

Crossing the hall she pressed a hand to one of the other doors, which ripped itself asunder as the pressure within was released. Hot Stuff went to one door after another and quickly freed all of her Flames. They were shaken, coughing up gouts of steam as the water inside them boiled out and away. They were alive.

"Oh, good try sweetie. Good try, but I'm just getting started. You wanted me to come find you. I'm on my way. Boys, man the fuck up and come along," Hot Stuff said.

They were on the wrong side of my defenses. I'd planned for that trap to work, and if it didn't I'd expected for them to withdraw into the other traps I'd placed on the upper levels.

There wasn't much between them and me. I needed to think fast.

10

The pit traps had been a good idea and against just the Flames would have worked, but Hot Stuff had put paid to that.

I did have limited supplies of liquid nitrogen and other super coolants for use in my own systems. They could deliver a small but intense burst of cooling. If I could get Hot Stuff to inhale this, it might do enough damage to her lungs to put her out of the fight.

I could also try asphyxiation. Normally, denying a fire of oxygen would be a great way to put it out, but I worried it might not work on Hot Stuff. In the water tank air had been in short supply and she kept burning hotter—there was something internal helping to fuel her fire.

I said, "Do you really want to keep coming and see what else I have planned? If you thought those traps were good, just wait until what comes next. You may think you're hot, but you're just a firefly pretending to be a dragon."

"Scared?" Hot Stuff said, taunting me. "You should be. I don't normally take my time, but for you sweetie I am going to make an exception."

Was she flirting with me? Mammals were strange and thoroughly disgusting, and I'd been keeping company with them entirely too much lately.

I had a plan. It wasn't a great one, but at least it was something. The hallway right before my chamber would be best. I could seal it on both ends and, as I'd been getting it suitable to house Anna, the environmental systems were the best in the facility.

I set a path of blinking lights for them to follow. I doubted they would, humans were rarely so cooperative as to do what they were told.

"Luring us into another trap?" Hot Stuff asked.

"Just showing you the way. I thought I'd better make it easy," I said.

"Explore the nearby rooms. There's something she doesn't want us to find," Hot Stuff ordered the Flames.

In that she was wrong. But the distraction did give me a few minutes extra to prepare.

When they made it to the corridor I was waiting. I allowed them to advance halfway down before springing my trap.

The doors at either end slammed shut.

"You know I'll burn through them," Hot Stuff said.

"You? You really don't live up to your name," I said.

Hot Stuff flared into life, again to a temperature that would melt metal.

That was where I wanted her.

I couldn't douse her flame, I'd proved that. That didn't mean it couldn't be used against her or the others.

I ran my filters quickly, sucking all the air from the hall and, as soon as it was clear, began pumping in pure oxygen.

I knew the results would be explosive. I had emergency cooling on hand for my Core Room if the door should go down. Anna might wind up a little incinerated, but then, I'd built her an Infirmary just so she could recover from such things.

Hot Stuff flared brilliantly and my thermal sensors stopped registering.

The Flames burned hot, but I hoped not hot enough. I also hoped that whatever internal energy source powered Hot Stuff wasn't infinite and that this sheer burst of power might deplete it.

My door was melting. I began to flood my core with liquid nitrogen just as the bloom of heat went in.

My connection to the autodoc in the Infirmary told me that I'd added a rather impressive list of new burns to Anna. The woman was being seared from head to toe. Still in the grips of the medical system, she remained alive, although her time until full recovery went up to two weeks.

Acceptable, if this worked.

With my sensors blinded it was another of those situations where I simply had to wait to find out if I was alive or soon to be dead. If Hot Stuff won the day, or I did.

When I was finally able to send my drone into the hall I found that I'd eeked out the win.

The Flames were dead, all three of them, even their heat-resistant flesh burned too much and too badly.

Hot Stuff was sprawled unconscious on the floor. Her body heat was intense, but stable and relatively low—for her.

I wasted no time getting her down into the testing lab. I was already building a labyrinth just for her. I'd designed tests that would require her to use that intense heat generation ability to get past obstacles.

It might kill her, but I had to provide real danger to elicit the best results. Still, I had faith that I'd be getting data from her for a long time to come.

Research Menu

"Hot Stuff"

Hot Stuff is bonded to a Power core that grants her considerable power over fire. In addition, it grants her superhuman levels of endurance and eternal youth.

You have placed subject "Hot Stuff" into a test labyrinth. While within the labyrinth escape is highly unlikely, although technically possible. If subject is held for two weeks you will unlock the ability of their Power core for your own usage. Further testing will accumulate core points at the rate of 0.1 per week.

So, in two weeks I'd have access to her power, although she wouldn't lose it herself. I further got a long-term gain of core points, whatever those were. It wasn't without a risk, she could possibly escape, and if she did I doubted Hot Stuff would be very fond of me after this ordeal. Still, SCIENCE was never without risk.

Now for the Flames.

Research Menu

Flames

Requirement: 3 Flame Corpses

Time: One Week

Flames are those closely linked to a Power core who have had their biology and physical composition greatly altered. Study of them may unlock the secrets of that alteration.

Do you wish to Research? Y/N

Once again, a clear yes. I was never not going to want to research.

I began the dissections.

The important work done, it was time to check on less important matters. The status of the base and to see how Anna was faring.

11

During this encounter the facility suffered a lot of damage. On the plus side, the top levels remained unharmed and their traps ready. If anyone should just happen past I was prepared for them.

The floors below were another matter. The part of Hydroponics I had set aside as a garden was sealed off and fine, but because of the traps the floor had largely collapsed into the Storage level below.

The Storage level itself was flooded, partially melted, and had taken a lot of damage overall from Hot Stuff's escape.

My level had a fair bit of structural damage as well from the explosion and intense heat.

I began the major repairs first. It wouldn't do anyone any good for the entire base to collapse.

I left the door to the surface just barely cracked open and turned off all the lights on the upper levels. I wanted to do my best to make the facility look abandoned. It wouldn't do to draw more attention.

Anna looked a bit like an overdone roast.

"It's true. The paler the skin, the worse the tan," I said to her.

Anna gurgled something back that was probably an insult.

* * *

The next few weeks passed quietly.

Hot Stuff was less than eager to cooperate in my experiments, but I found collapsing testing platforms behind her if she dawdled to be a great motivator.

I learned a great deal from testing her. She could do more than just generate heat. One ability was creating weapons made of a sort of living flame. Soon enough I had her vaulting over spiked pits with the help of a flaming whip.

The results of the various research projects came in.

Research Menu

Flames

The Flames have a crystalline latticework in their blood similar to the Embers, but even more advanced. This lattice allows for the distribution of energy that they can use to such flashy effect. As a result of your research you have gained the ability to manufacture a temperature regulating crystalline virus in a genetics lab.

Research Menu

"Hot Stuff"

You have studied this Power core enough to be able to incorporate its powers into your own. As a result of the absorption of this core, your Reactor level has been effectively doubled.

You have an unspent core point.

Core points can enhance your competencies and open new options for Research and Manufacturing.

Your options are:

Research 2

Research 2 will allow you to build either the genetics lab or the physics lab. Only one can be selected and this has long-term implications. Genetics will allow you greater understanding of life forms and will unlock the ability to create creatures and biological upgrades. Physics will aid you in mastering the concepts of energy and will unlock many specialty traps and devices.

Military 1 will allow you to build defense drones. Defense drones are mobile weapon platforms capable of base defense and attacks at a distance. While basic in function they can ultimately be updated to become formidable weapon platforms.

Manufacturing 1

Manufacturing 1 will allow the production of automated minions. They are capable of autonomous facility repair and will halve all build and production times for new facilities.

These were some difficult choices. I'd taken Research the first time around, but this core point was the first real result I was seeing from that choice. Up until now the data I'd gotten had been largely useless. A second level seemed it would change that. Most of the data I had gathered so far was biological in nature, but I suspected the crystals that kept popping up in everything would probably best be unlocked with physics.

Then there were the other options. I'd already seen how long it could take to construct things, and it was a problem that would only get worse as I brought more of the facility back online.

Hot Stuff had very nearly made it to my Core Room. All my traps and planning, and still she could have very well killed me and taken my core for herself. While I doubted the first level of military drones would have been effective against her, those too could be upgraded and might in time become formidable.

While the other options ultimately had some appeal, they were not SCIENCE. I selected that option and chose the genetics lab.

While physics was tempting, almost all the samples I had found so far were biological in nature. I planned to lure in yet more living beings to trap and test.

Genetics Laboratory

With the construction of this laboratory the in-depth study of the genome and the application of genetic science will be possible.

Requires 100 resources to construct and 10 power.

You have no building resources and not enough rubble to construct this project.

You do have excess power. Every day blocks of 4 power can be converted into 1 resource unit. Doing this, estimated time to project completion is three weeks.

Do you wish to begin this project?

I needed more rubble, or more building supplies. I was starting to run into a real bottleneck. Power would fill that void for now, especially given my newly expended reactor, but that was a short-term solution at best.

I began the construction and checked my sheet to see what had changed.

E.M.M.A

Underground Facility

Power Core: 100

Power Usage: 45

Habitability: 5

Biomass: 145

Research: 2

Military: 0

Manufacturing: 0

Between the Testing Center, the new lab, and all the facilities made to care for the humans, power usage had really been pushed. I needed more rubble—that was easy enough, I could clear rooms for it. Anna's treatments should just about be done and I could discuss the next steps with her.

12

"Sorry about the face. The best the autodoc could do was put it back exactly like it was," I said. Anna had finally woken up from her treatment and was busy exploring the enhancements I'd made to the base.

"You could have moved me, as opposed to setting me on fire. I woke up for that. It hurt," Anna said.

"They might have stumbled across you elsewhere in the facility. Keeping you in the Infirmary was the best way to assure you retain whatever minimal utility you have," I said.

"Aww, you do care," Anna said flashing a grin. "You even built me a proper bed and grew me some food so I don't have to eat chopped-up rapist wannabe."

"With another guest, it seemed best to expand the facilities. Do not give into your own hubris. I tried to make a list of everything special about you, but found I couldn't save an empty file," I said.

"How is she working out?" Anna asked.

I brought up a monitor. Hot Stuff was currently trying to navigate a maze of levitating platforms. She had yet to figure out that she needed to burn through the floor beneath her at set points. I'd have to make my verbal barbs a bit more clue-heavy for her.

"I've gotten an impressive amount of data from her already. There is some continued gain from the testing process and I do love the testing. I have room for you too, if you'd like to become useful," I said.

"You and I both know I'd be in one now, if I weren't useful already. Let's talk next step. Those targets I told you about still stand, or we can go for someone new," Anna said.

I didn't like her feeling too useful, and yet she had a point.

"I elected to further expand my research facilities and I'm constructing a genetics lab. I'm running into issues with supplies of building materials, and the labor to do anything," I said.

Anna watched sprinklers spray over a few cabbages that were growing in the new agriculture section in Hydroponics.

"Mechos, maybe. You and he have a lot in common," Anna said.

"Does he find you frightfully mundane as well?"

"Mechos is an upgrader. He can enhance and modify himself and his tools. He leads a group of cyborgs, who he has modified to the point they all have some version of the talent themselves," Anna said.

"You think he would work with us?"

Anna considered that and shook her head. "He is jumpy. They are all jumpy. Those like him and yourself are considered parasites by a lot of the other Powered. You can drain a part of what makes them unique and add it to yourself. We try getting diplomatic, he's only going to get scared and run."

That made sense. I was also not the best at diplomacy. For some reason people didn't seem to like me very much. Perhaps humans were always afraid of their betters.

"Then we trap him," I said.

"If you can bundle together an assortment of technology, I can get him here. Say I scavenged it in a ruin, sell it to him, and say I know the location for more—here," Anna said.

I noted how easily the idea of selling me out came to her.

"You do seem like the sort too stupid to keep such a treasure for yourself. They should believe this tale," I said.

Anna gave me a dark look and said, "This one will be tough for you. They're versatile, which means you don't know exactly what they'll be coming at you with. And if you come at them with too much of any one thing, they're likely to adapt themselves to defend against it."

Dealing with Hot Stuff, it was the sheer outlier nature of her ability that had almost overwhelmed me. Versatility, I could manage.

Most of my traps on the upper level were designed to be fatal. Spikes, saws, crushing walls.

Again, I'd spring my main trap on the Hydroponics level. Aside from the agriculture, it was a lot of space going unused and I could re-portion most of that into a maze filled with trickery.

I'd lure them there, seal them in and arm the traps above. Any who tried to escape would perish. Those who continued through the labyrinth and tried to get below would encounter non-lethal traps and I could take them alive.

Sleeping gas, concussive rounds, timed asphyxiation chambers. I'd load things with puzzles and riddles, and make certain to taunt them. I didn't have to get complex with my traps, I just had to make my victims screw up once.

Fall to one of these and they would be out of it—and become my test subjects.

I harvested a small assortment of technology for Anna to take with her. A part of the watering system and a nutritional monitor from Hydroponics, and a bit of the foam bedding from the Residential unit.

When I presented all of this to Anna she looked in the bag and grimaced. "I thought you'd give me something flashier to sell them."

I'd considered it, but then I thought of the Wasteland out there.

"From all that you have told me, the world finds them very nearly as unlikable as it probably finds you. Show them this and they'll see a place with farming equipment, beds, a place to hide away from it all," I said. "That's better than any technology."

"They won't just come to scavenge. They'll come in force looking for a new home," Anna said with grudging respect. "This will do. I'll be gone a few weeks."

"You won't be missed," I said. It was true. I had lots of construction to do in the meantime.

13

It took Anna three weeks to return—time enough for me to have set the traps and arrange the labyrinth. I was ready for my latest guests.

I also completed the genetics lab. It made me glad to have Anna back, I'd been wanting to test it out and see how it could perform on a real subject.

"They took the bait," Anna said, setting aside a small pile of guns. She was more armed than when she'd left, she must have traded for upgraded weaponry.

"Your foolishness was beyond their ability to question. Get undressed and report to the genetics lab," I said.

"Is this where you finally reveal your long-held plans to dissect me?" Anna asked.

"When you are still alive it is called a vivisection. If you are dead, I can't test my capabilities at upgrading you."

Anna actually did as she was told. Perhaps she was becoming more obedient, or perhaps she simply wanted the upgrades.

That I did vivisect her seemed to come as something of a surprise. Still, it was nothing that couldn't be undone and I got to test out the new restraints.

Anna

Age: 23

Height: 127.7 cm

Weight: 64.4 kg

Physical Stats

Values out of 10

5=Average

Allure: 8

Endurance:6

Strength: 4

Agility: 6

Health

Subject shows signs of recent malnutrition and elemental exposure.

Subject is upgradeable

You have 5 core points available.

Physical stats can be upgraded at a cost of 0.1 per point up to 10.

You also have the following options based on research.

Fire Matrix 0.5 points.

Temperature Regulating Virus 0.2 points.

Those were some intriguing options. I didn't have the points to install a Fire Matrix in Anna, and I wasn't sure that I wanted to anyway. For all that it had made Hot Stuff and her companions very dangerous, it also came with some major disadvantages. The tendency to incinerate clothing meant armor wasn't an option, and their power was rather obvious.

I ultimately settled for giving her the temperature regulating virus and upgrading her strength by one point. The results were immediate, her mass increased to 64.7 kg with the addition of new muscle tissue.

With that done I put her organs back inside of her and sealed Anna back up. It took a few hours before, looking pissed, Anna could storm out of the genetics lab.

"You dissected me!" Anna screamed.

"Vivisected," I said.

"You didn't even bother with anesthetic."

Really, she could be so very whiny. It was unbecoming. After all, I'd just used some of my precious points to make her better.

I'd been using my environmental controls in the hall to play with the temperature. I took it to fifty-one Celsius and then down to zero.

I activated a nearby display and brought up the thermostat readings.

"Have a look," I said.

Anna glared at me, but then moved to the display. "Really?"

I brought the warmth back up with my rapid-heating coils.

"I take it that ambient temperature now joins self-worth in the things you don't feel?" I asked.

"No, I feel it, but barely. Did you do anything else?"

"I made you stronger. You were so weak to start with you may not notice the difference."

"No. Everything has been feeling super-light compared to normal," Anna said and laughed. "Oh, hell yeah. This is what I'm talking about. All the power and none of the insanity. I knew I took a chance on you for a reason."

I was quite certain I could drive her insane if I really wanted. It might be an interesting experiment someday.

* * *

We settled back into something of our usual routine for the next few days. It wasn't long though until we had new guests arriving outside the complex.

They arrived in a massive truck that spewed black smoke from numerous smoke stacks. It looked to have no shortage of gun ports and armored observation windows.

Twelve figures dismounted. They all seemed to be some combination of man and machine, robot limbs mingling with human flesh.

This time I could tell their leader at once. There was just something about him that radiated a different power than the others. This must be Mechos.

He told the others, "Markham. Take your team and get control of the reactor. Expect opposition. Alice, you and yours will be heading down into the depths. Archived storage should be there and we want those records. I'll take the rest and we'll set course for Emma's core."

They knew me, and they seemed to have some understanding of this facility. In fact, they seemed to have more awareness of my base than they should.

Twelve people were more than I was expecting, but that gave me ample opportunity to take some of them alive. Splitting into teams would also help me, although I was concerned by the targets they were setting for themselves.

Mechos led his people towards the main entrance. The doors as always were slightly open, maintaining my illusion of being long-abandoned. The man put his shoulder into it and forced the massive metal to the side.

I was impressed, that strength was well beyond a normal human. They really were upgraded.

Inside the hall was dark.

Mechos looked up, directly towards my camera. "You can turn on the lights, Emma. There is no need to pretend. I can feel you there, watching."

No, I supposed there wasn't any need to pretend. I activated the lights and triggered the door to slide the rest of the way open.

"You know who I am and still you came?" I asked.

"Oh, Emma. How could I not? You and I have history, do you remember?" Mechos asked.

I didn't. I didn't remember this man at all.

"You don't. I didn't think you would. You were wiped. For you to live again means a Power core. You've gone feral. Don't worry, I'll see you tamed," Mechos said.

Would he now? We'd see.

14

There was no reason for the group to split up until they got to the Reactor level. That meant all twelve were making their way through my facility together. I'd have to try to separate them once they got to Hydroponics.

Mechos was a threat, I knew it and I was sure that he knew it. As soon as they reached Hydroponics I closed the doors behind them and activated the traps on the first few levels.

A few of the cyborgs looked startled, but Mechos simply smiled, "We knew she'd try something like this. Leave it. Our targets are down below anyways."

They were, but ahead of them was a maze filled with riddles and traps.

Then Mechos slammed his fist into the floor, and a moment later did it again.

What was he doing? I didn't have to think long to figure it out. The floor on that level was vulnerable after I had rigged it to collapse beneath Hot Stuff, then rebuilt it again. He was going to try to bypass my network of traps.

I had some on the floors below, but not as many. The Hydroponics maze was meant to take down most of the cyborgs.

The floor wasn't reinforced in any way. Mechos seemed to have some way to detect the weaker sections and soon his fist had torn chunks of stone aside to open a passageway into the Storage level below.

Mechos led the way and the others followed.

I killed the lights. If they weren't going to play nice I didn't feel the need to do so either.

One of the cyborgs clapped his hands and a sort of liquid fire began to run through tubes protruding from his flesh.

"We're going through the floor again?" one of them asked Mechos.

"It isn't weakened here and Emma is arrogant enough to have thought she'd get most of us on the level above. Split up here. Reactor team take the northwest stair. Archive team stick with me and we'll make for the eastern stairway," Mechos said.

Good. Splitting up at last.

On the downside, Mechos knew more than I'd like. The majority of my traps were located above. Still, dealing with Hot Stuff had taught me well and the ones below were carefully prepared.

In particularly I had placed traps to safeguard my most vulnerable points, my reactor and Core Room. That being the destination of two of the teams, I was in good shape. The third was another matter.

Anna was in her quarters and I opened a line. "Anna. You seem thoroughly worthless and incompetent. Our guests have arrived."

"And they outsmarted you?" Anna asked.

They hadn't. Going through the floor was cheating, really.

"I'm dealing with it, but there is a group headed to the Testing Center and the levels below. I'd rather they didn't make it," I said.

"On it," Anna said.

* * *

"How long are we going to have?" Markham asked. He was leader of the reactor team.

"Roughly two minutes. Move quickly when you get the signal," Mechos said.

What were they talking about?

Another cyborg triggered a light ability, although this one seemed to be some cool blue glow radiating from their left hand.

Mechos led his group toward the stairway and within range of one of my sleeping gas traps. I triggered it, mist escaping.

One of the cyborgs was aware of it at once. "Hold your breaths," she called out, raising her arm. A gout of fire escaped from a nozzle.

The flame consumed the cloud and another cyborg stepped up to spray some sort of sealant over the gas emitter.

"We know you, Emma. We know you better than you know yourself," Mechos said. "My other team should be just about at the stairway. If this was your first shot. Let me show you mine."

Mechos tapped at his wrist and suddenly my world went dark.

I was in agony. I didn't know what he'd done to me, but it was like my every sensory feed had overloaded all at once.

Up until that moment I hadn't even known I could scream. I could, I did.

I tried to toggle off my sensory feeds, but I was sluggish. I didn't even have proper control of myself anymore. It felt like it lasted an eternity, but then suddenly it was over. I snapped back to myself.

Anna was in my Core Room. I'd sealed that door, but I hadn't welded it shut. When I was blacked out my defenses must have disengaged. A panel was open and she'd restarted my sensory matrix. Fair enough, I'd opened her up and dug around in Anna's innards for a time. She'd disobeyed my orders, rebooted my matrix, and possibly saved the day. Hardly worth a cookie, though.

I sealed the door to my Core Room. Anna didn't need to get out. Now I had to find the other teams.

I had shut the door to the reactor too, and the team was trying to get past it.

Mechos and three others were stalking down the hall leading to my Core Room. Another thirty seconds and they'd have been inside.

The third team was in the testing facility.

I had too many balls in the air and not enough ways to deal with them.

The cyborgs below me, I had an opportunity to take out. Hot Stuff was in a testing chamber nearby and blasting through walls had been a recent challenge. The sort of heat she'd been throwing out would incinerate a biological, if it made contact, and cyborgs were mostly biological. I rearranged the testing pathway to bring them together.

It would mean dropping the confinement field for a moment, but I could do this. I'd let her kill them and then seal her back in.

15

The four cyborgs in the Testing Center were making their way cautiously, unaware of the danger they were in. I waited with all the patience of a predator waiting for its meal and when they were in position I executed the plan.

Hot Stuff went to blast through another wall—as she had done so often, not realizing that this time the wall was at the very edge of her containment cell. For a second I dropped the field and the blast of fire melted stone, sending it flying in a molten spray into the corridor beyond.

Three of the cyborgs died instantly. The fourth screamed in torment and rolled on the floor.

I triggered the containment field back, but met resistance. Hot Stuff was glowing with energy as she poured her power into the corridor, nonstop billows of fire emerging from her hands as she pressed forward.

She was placing her powers into a direct contest with mine and she was winning. The field forced itself against Hot Stuff and tried to hold her. Droplets of sweat somehow appeared on her flesh for perhaps the first time in a very long time as she strode forward step by agonizing step. Then she was out and in the hall—free.

Well, that was disastrous. Completely and utterly disastrous. One big problem had just become two big problems.

There was still a group attempting to gain access to my reactor. There was any number of safeties regarding my reactor's operation, things I should never fool with. I disabled most of them.

I disengaged the shielding shutters, angled away the absorption rods and then spun everything up to full power. Unless they really had some tricks at their disposal, when they made it through that door they'd be opening a portal to a horrifying death. There was also the not-insignificant risk of this facility blowing up, one that increased by the minute. I'd take that chance.

Now to save myself.

I told Anna, "Your dark and murderous little heart might finally get its way, and perhaps you'll yet rule the world. I'm opening the door, have your gun ready, but don't fire yet."

Mechos was just reaching to open my door as I slid it aside.

The man arched a brow but didn't question as he stepped inside, his companions following. "Emma, how unexpectedly welcoming."

"Come any closer I'll blow your fucking heads off," Anna said.

"And Anna? Emma is actually working with someone? Intriguing, I would have thought her madness prevented it," Mechos said.

"We're friends. Sort of," Anna said.

"Anna only says that because she's never had one. She is very unlikable and occasionally urinates on the floor. I've got a deal for you, Mechos," I said.

The team above breached the reactor door. The energies tore them apart. They were expecting something, shields flickering around them, but they weren't prepared for that much energy. They fell to the floor, suffering spasms and vomiting blood. That would do. I re-engaged the safeties and started to wind the reactor back down to normal.

I told Mechos, "Your other two teams are dead and below us a specimen named "Hot Stuff" has escaped and is coming here, enraged, ready to burn everything in her path."

One of the women with Mechos gave a choked sob. Perhaps she had been close to one of my kills. I didn't care. I was already sending my drone to take away the corpses for dissection. Perhaps out of six dead I'd get three usable even given all the trauma they'd endured.

"Those were good people, Emma. You shouldn't have done that," Mechos said.

"I'm told you are hated up there. Down here I've got food, shelter, defenses. A tolerance for useless and foul-smelling humanity," I said.

"Not very good defenses," Mechos said.

"Two thirds of your people are dead."

"What do you want?" Mechos asked.

"You in a testing cell. A comfortable one. I suppose I don't have to make my research torturous. And your people working for me."

"You murdered my husband," said the woman who had sobbed.

"I'll be dissecting him soon. I can vivisect you, if you like, perhaps even enhance you enough that against all odds you'll one day find love again," I said.

Mechos reached out to rest a hand on the woman's arm. "Don't."

"What is wrong with her?" the woman said in a near-growl.

"A twisted programmer and then a Power core tossed in," Mechos said, and he turned his attention to Anna. "You provided her the core?"

"I did," Anna said.

"You trust her?"

"Emma says the most awful things ever, but she is reliable. If you really do have a history with her, you must know of her potential," Anna said.

"If you expect me to go against the pyro, it's not a fight I'm prepared for. I have a lot of shielding, but at full burn she'll melt me," Mechos said.

I said, "I can provide you with a biological modification to make you temperature-resistant. The surgery on this level isn't ideal for the purpose, but I can make it work."

Mechos considered for a moment and then nodded. "We'll see what sort of machine you are. If you remind me too much of the you of old, I will tear you apart and make you a part of me."

Funny, that's pretty much exactly what I had planned for him.

Once in the Testing Center I'd soon gain access to his abilities and duplicate the powers of his core. I thought I could stop Hot Stuff the same way I had before, burn her out. But why? The threat she posed was an opportunity to strike this deal with Mechos.

"Go with him," I said to Anna. "You and he might survive against her. None of the others stand a chance."

Hot Stuff didn't know her way around the base, still it wasn't long for her to find the steps. Stone formed molten pools in the shape of her bare feet as she climbed them.

16

The Infirmary was not nearly so effective as my full lab, but it let me apply the upgrade virus to Mechos. I wasn't able to extract the full details on him though, which was regrettable.

Then I called to Hot Stuff, "Thank you for killing those in the hall, it was very helpful. You're good for being more than just a lab rat."

She paused on the stairs. "How long have you held me captive here in that sick little game? A month? More? I'm going to find you and I'm going to end you."

"Come on, then. You weren't hot enough the first time and now I know your limits. Bring it," I said, giving her a set of blinking lights to follow.

It might seem odd that I was taunting her, but there was no time like the present to begin testing Mechos. If I wanted to see what he was capable of, it was best to get Hot Stuff enraged.

I checked in on him and Anna.

Mechos was handing Anna bullets one at the time and she was loading them into a revolver.

"I doubt those will work. Unlike some, she knows how to defend herself and melts metal on contact," I said.

"I can give them some semblance of any upgrade I have. I'm rendering them heat-resistant. They may actually be able to hurt her," Mechos said.

"I don't want her dead. Unlike some, she is useful," I said.

"Then I'll shoot her in the leg," Anna said.

"Those will have to do," Mechos said, handing her a last bullet.

Anna nodded and gripped the revolver.

I said, "Be prepared to flail about in panic and shoot yourself in the foot. She's at the top of the stairs."

Hot Stuff stepped around the corner.

Mechos took one look at her and averted his eyes.

"Not the time to be shy," Anna said, raising the revolving and snapping off a shot. It didn't hit her in the foot. With my cameras I tracked the instant that the bullet started to glow and come apart. These rounds really could hold together far better than a normal one.

Still, the impact that Hot Stuff wound up taking was something closer to what a pellet gun might deliver. Without a doubt, she'd be bruised and hurting the next day, but it hadn't even broken her flesh.

"That fucking hurt," Hot Stuff said, raising her hands and firing off a burst of flame towards Anna.

Anna stepped to the side just in time. The temperature near that blast would have been enough to do serious damage to the lungs of a normal human, but that wasn't Anna, not anymore.

Another shot from her gun. This one took Hot Stuff in the throat and caused the woman to gasp in a breath.

"You didn't say she'd be naked," Mechos said, sounding pained.

"What are you, twelve years old? Stop looking away and punch her or something," Anna said.

"Yeah. Have a good long look," Hot Stuff said, throwing another fireball. This one caught Anna. Her own clothes weren't doing too well after that, smoking and smoldering away.

Anna cried out and dropped the revolver. There were limits to how much heat she could handle. That was good to know.

Mechos finally got in the fight and stepped forward to swing his metal fist at Hot Stuff. It didn't make it. While his biological components might be proof against heat, the metal wasn't, his fist turning molten and sizzling away into gaseous drops hitting Hot Stuff's flesh.

"Cute," Hot Stuff said, as she punched him in the nose and sent him tumbling backward on his ass. "Stick around. I need some new Flames and you might be just perfect."

"I don't think so," Anna said.

Hot Stuff turned back to find Anna just a foot away holding out the revolver. Anna pulled the trigger even as Hot Stuff reached for the gun.

Metal melted away as her hand drew near it, but the shot was already off and the bullet, already just a tiny pellet, plowed into her eye. Pellet or not, a shot to the eye was a different matter to one in the throat.

Hot Stuff screamed and reached up to cover her eye. Anna wasted no time and was on her, wrapping an arm around her throat and choking her.

Hot Stuff was burning near her full intensity—more than Anna could handle. Were it not for the enhancements she would already be dead. Faint wafts of smoke appeared as her flesh began to burn.

Anna wasn't letting go, she kept her grip as Hot Stuff struggled against her trying to escape. It wasn't long before Hot Stuff went limp and passed out.

"You can let go now," I told Anna.

Anna staggered away, her limbs sluggish. No surprise, given the damage she had taken. Her clothes had burned away and so had a fair bit of her flesh.

"Hate fire," Anna said weakly.

I wanted to say something mean. I did. I just didn't seem to have it in me right now.

"Get yourself into the Infirmary. I'm going to take these two below and get them locked up," I said.

Anna stumbled off, barely conscious. Fortunately, the Infirmary was close by.

As soon as she got inside I had the autodoc take over and load her onto the table. I reviewed her diagnostics—they were better than last time. She'd only be out of it for a week. As horrible as her wounds were, they were mostly superficial. It was shock more than anything else affecting her.

One human handled, I dragged the others below.

I'd have to get particularly vindictive with Hot Stuff's training regimen. Mechos had been a complete disappointment. Still, perhaps he might do better as a test subject than he had as a hero.

17

With Hot Stuff and Mechos secured in the lab, and Anna in surgery, I could focus my attention on the other followers of Mechos. Three had survived. This many were pushing my life-support abilities to the very max. I found that with a second Power core I was able to upgrade living quarters and Hydroponics to a second level.

Quarters Level Two

A large room containing eight bunks and storage lockers and an attached bath. Up to eight people can be supported with a basic level of comfort.

Requires 50 resources to construct and 5 additional power to maintain.

Do you wish to begin this project?

It was more space than was needed, but I seemed to be collecting humans. It would draw more from the Power core, which was substituting for my lack of resources. No other options were provided and I began the construction.

Hydroponics Level Two

An automated hydroponics facility capable of providing food for up to eight people as well as producing oxygen. Increased environmental controls allow the growing of uncommon plants once their genetics have been unlocked.

Requires 50 resources to construct and 5 additional power to maintain.

Do you wish to begin this project?

The ability to grow unique forms of plants could be of some worth. Tranquilizers or poisons might be of a lot of use in my traps. The next time Anna left the base, I would have to ask that she bring back some samples from the outside world.

I cycled through my facilities to find what else I could upgrade. I could improve the Infirmary, but for now there was no need. If more than one human got injured, I could simply choose the most important one to cure.

Another upgrade was of more interest.

Reactor Core

You currently have a basic fusion core modified from old world technology. For future upgrades two paths present themselves.

BioCore

You have unlocked the Fire Matrix and discovered the biological principles behind it. You can convert your power system fully over to this new technology. In the present, this will result in no increase in available power, but it will allow future genetic modification of your Power core. This upgrade will take two weeks to complete.

CrystalCore

You have found crystal shards and contain a power crystal housed within your core. This crystal can be relocated to the reactor for maximum energy harvesting. This will allow for an immediate increase in power and future understanding of the crystalline technology can further that yield.

This upgrade will take two weeks to complete.

While I hated to pass up an immediate advance, it seemed to me that this was a choice like the one I had made for upgrading my research facility. Because I went with the genetics lab, the BioCore made sense in the long term, even though it gave up an immediate short-term advantage. I began that construction.

That done, I could turn my attention to the research projects I needed to do.

Research Menu

"Mechos"

Mechos is bonded to a Power core that grants him the ability to upgrade his own body and items in his possession.

You have placed subject "Mechos" into a test labyrinth. While within the labyrinth escape is highly unlikely, although technically possible. If subject is held for two weeks you will unlock the ability of their Power core for your own usage. Further testing will accumulate core points at the rate of 0.1 per week.

I wasn't sure what I might get out of his power that I didn't already have, but at least I would get another core point that I could use to upgrade my facilities.

Research Menu

Mechanites

Requirement: 3 Mechanite corpses

Time: Two Weeks

Mechanites are those who have been upgraded by Mechos to share some bit of his own power.

Do you wish to Research? Y/N

Again, this was no question. I added this to the research queue.

The basics taken care of, I had to consider the state of the facility. The upper levels were untouched and all my traps there were still functioning. Unused, something that was going to change as of today. Letting them get to Hydroponics before springing my traps seemed a good idea, but it kept failing. Repeating the same mistake twice was quite enough. I'd make my future test subjects fight through every bit of the place.

The floor of the Hydroponics level would need repairing again, as would effectively everything Hot Stuff came into any contact with during her escape. That really was one incredibly destructive human.

I ordered the Mechanites to conceal their vehicle on the surface and then assist me with repairs. Two at least were cooperative, the third—the one I made a widow—remained morose in the residential unit.

I would need to keep an eye on that one. If she decided to pursue some sort of revenge, I might have to either recycle her or see her moved into a proper testing maze.

I checked in on Mechos. I'd placed him into a large workshop. If I wasn't going to put him in a maze then the best way to observe and test his powers was to give him all the supplies he wanted and see what he could do with them.

He had at least regained consciousness.

"I see you decided not to stay dead after that atrocious performance," I said.

"It worked out?" Mechos asked. "Anna?"

"Horrible disfiguring burns. Excruciating agony. Your one minor redeeming virtue is in having provided some faint bit of entertainment in the way of her suffering."

"You actually care about her," Mechos said, with a surprised grunt.

I wondered where he possibly got that from anything I had said.

I asked, "You've yet to explain how you know me. Delusions of importance?".

"Knowledge is power. I know you think you're testing me, but I'm watching you, Emma. Impress me," Mechos said.

I didn't like him, but now wasn't the time.

Apparently I'd soon have bigger concerns; my proximity alarm was going off.

There were new arrivals outside the base.

18

My general strategy of late had been to pretend that the base was abandoned with nothing of interest inside. Unfortunately, the truck had yet to be hidden and it was too late now.

I signaled for the Mechanites to get back inside. The five new arrivals wore fitted body armor of white and gold, and carried rifles that looked both standard and well-maintained. These people were a marked contrast to the others who lived topside that I'd encountered so far.

Anna was still under in the Infirmary. That meant Mechos was likely to be my best source of information, if he would talk. I activated a monitor in his workshop.

"They look entirely too fancy for the likes of you. Still I must ask, friends of yours?" I asked.

Mechos frowned at the screen. "Enemies. They must have followed us here. They call themselves the Righteous. You've got a problem."

"Of course, I do. My base is filled with humans. Who are they?"

"The Righteous hate the Powered, which is funny because they are themselves. You'll find them resistant to almost any powered effects and a bit immortal," Mechos said.

"Immortal?"

"You can put them down, but they don't stay down."

I analyzed the weaponry on their vehicle. One cannon looked like enough to take down my main door in its current state. No point trying to keep them out.

I shut off the lights. I didn't need powered effects to kill them, I could manage it just fine with what I already had rigged.

They opened fire with the cannon and quickly destroyed the wheels of the Mechanite's truck.

The Righteous didn't want anyone getting away. That was very optimistic of them. I turned off the lights as the retreating Mechanites passed them, leaving the halls in darkness.

I told them, "Make your way back down to the quarters. We've got a stockpile of guns. If you're marginally more useful than your boss, arm up. No enhancing them or your bullets, mundane weapons and rounds only for this fight."

Although I had a Power core, nothing needed to be connected to it for powering my traps. They should be functional in their own right for what was needed.

All five visitors finally made their way inside, four men and one woman.

One of them released a sort of phosphorescent bat which began to circle their heads.

I was going to stick to my vows of earlier. I was going to make this hard on them as early as possible.

It didn't take long. The narrow nature of the security corridors made it the perfect place for spike traps and I had one rigged at a sharp bend in the corridor

With limited light they had clustered together and that was my moment to strike. Sharpened steel spikes sprang out of the walls. The results weren't as dramatic as I might have hoped. Their armor was good and sturdy stuff, and mostly stopped the blows. Only one, the woman, was speared through an eye and after a few savage twitches her body turned into a greenish goop and dissolved away.

I hadn't done that—that was unexpected. I resolved to collect a sample later.

"Theresa! Blast it, she had the charges," grunted one of the men.

"We'll find another way to breach the archives without them," said another.

Mention of my archives, again. Mechos and his people had been trying to reach them as well. I hadn't made any plans to investigate why just yet, but I decided that after this it would be a priority.

"I'm stuck," said another of them.

I'd caught three of the five in my trap, killing the woman and with two others still impaled.

"Thomas. Find another way around," someone, no doubt their leader, said to a man who had been trailing the pack.

Then he put his muscles into it and tried to pull free the two trapped on the spikes. The arm of one was half-torn off in the process, and despite their best efforts the other remained caught.

"Do it, Glenn," said the one with the wound.

"You sure?"

"Going to happen anyways. Make it quick and I'll see you tomorrow."

The leader nodded and raised his rifle. A shot went into the head of the injured man, and then another into the man still trapped. An impressive amount of blood faded a moment later into the same green gloop.

* * *

In another passage Thomas walked past one of my saw traps. I was proud of that one, multiple saw blades would spring from the ceiling in an attempt to shred the skulls of anyone nearby. I didn't trigger it. I had another trap in mind for Thomas.

The other two were moving forward warily, far more cautiously than before. It wasn't careful enough.

Sprinklers above them triggered and highly caustic acid rained down. It made their deaths surprisingly quiet, their lungs dissolved too quickly for them to start screaming. I was curious how the decomposed flesh would trans-morph—if it would. It did, turning to green gloop too.

I had a voice sample on file now. I put it to use. "Thomas?"

"Glenn? Is that you?" Thomas said, "I get a really bad feeling from this place."

That was the right sensation to feel. Thomas stepped forward. Glass walls slammed down on either side of him and I activated the suction to quickly remove the air.

Thomas fumbled with his gun—perhaps these men had orders to kill themselves instead of being captured. He didn't get time to use it. He collapsed to the floor a moment later and I pumped oxygen back in. I didn't want him dead.

19

With the invaders neutralized, still there was little time to waste. I'd heard them mention tomorrow. If they did have some sort of immortality, I had twenty-four hours to do something about it.

The one I had captured was moved down to a testing chamber.

Research Menu

"Thomas"

Thomas is a member of the Righteous and appears to be resistant to many Power core effects.

You have placed subject "Thomas" into a test labyrinth. While within the labyrinth escape is highly unlikely, although technically possible. If subject is held for one week you will unlock the secret of their power for your own usage.

I attempted to analyze some of the goop they head left behind, but was informed it would require a physics lab.

I instructed the Mechanites to head to the surface and disassemble both vehicles and bring the parts inside. I didn't want to leave the invaders anything on their next visit, and I could find some use for those resources.

Then it was time to find out what was in those archives.

* * *

"You do realize I'm still missing most of my skin, right?" Anna said.

I'd awoken her and even now had her headed into the deeper sublevels. She just wouldn't stop complaining.

"I thought you'd lost weight. It doesn't help," I said.

This was the level where we'd found the water pump before. Hopefully there were no more monsters lurking about.

"I'm not seeing signs for any kind of archives," Anna said.

My sight was limited to a camera I'd attached to her. It was seriously hampering my field of view.

"So, keep looking. I wonder if I could graft rat skin onto you? It might improve your complexion," I said.

Anna flipped a finger to my camera. Rude.

I'd still done little work down here, but at least things were hooked up to my power grid now and I was able to power the lights.

"Try a left at the next intersection. I'm getting more of a power draw that way," I said.

Anna followed my instructions. The hall ended in a sealed door, but the wall surrounding it had collapsed allowing entry to the well-lit room on the other side.

It looked like some sort of antiquated library, a number of workstations with monitors set up, and racks filled with carefully labeled metal tubes.

"Any idea what these are?" Anna asked.

"Although I didn't know it was possible, I'm as clueless as you are. Investigate."

Anna moved towards one of the racks and extracted a tube. She held it up to the camera. It was smooth and featureless. Making her way over towards one of the workstations she knocked a skeleton out of a seat and settled down.

With a bit of searching about with her fingers she activated the monitor. It flickered to life and the screen seemed to be displaying mathematical equations. If I understood correctly they related to cloud formation.

Anna removed a similar tube from a slot in the workstation and the display flickered out. Inserting the other one brought up an index. Historical records from 1401 to 1532.

During the next half hour, I had her try out a large sample of the tubes. They were an incredibly esoteric collection of knowledge on everything from advanced sciences to world history and entertainment.

"Emma, if I haven't told you this lately, you are one crazy smart machine," Anna said, settling back in the chair and giving a breathless sort of laugh.

"In comparison to you, certainly. You have an idea what this is?" I asked.

Anna removed the camera and set it on the desk so we could have something of a face-to-face. "You already know electronics don't work here, not like they are supposed to. Not like they used to."

I did recall her telling me that. My Power core allowed them to function.

"So you've said."

"That same influence means computer memory doesn't either. After the catastrophe, any digital record was gone in an instant. The whole of human history vanished in an instant."

"You seem to know an awful lot," I said.

"This is proof you knew it was coming. I always thought you did. You found a compact storage medium that would work and you recorded everything," Anna said.

"In a way I have no direct access to see? Viewable only with monitors requiring electricity?" I asked.

Anna pursed her lips there. "I don't know what is with that. There must be another way."

I didn't care. Not right now.

I said, "Mechos and the Righteous both not only knew these were here, they devoted a lot of resources to coming after them. You don't know why?"

Anna shook her head. "I've never heard of these. Honestly, and I know more about you than most."

"How?"

Anna paused, I could see her hesitating. I'd had enough of secrets. I might not have the leverage to get Mechos to talk, but Anna was another matter.

"To date I've kept my word with you. You think us friends, as deluded as you are for doing so," I said.

"You're terrible at this convincing thing. But fine, I am your friend, Emma. I'm not a local. The Cataclysm didn't just break the world, it split it up into all these little different pieces. I knew you from another piece," Anna said.

I thought she was being honest. I couldn't entirely discount her words given how much reality was proving on a regular basis to not be what I'd expected.

"Gather these tubes. We're going to move this entire archive up into my Core Room and then get you back to the Infirmary," I said.

"Hard labor in excruciating agony. Yay friendship," Anna said.

I'd at least deny these others what they were looking for. I could figure out what they wanted with this information later.

20

In terms of how the Righteous' resurrection might operate, I had a few ideas. It seemed likely to me that either the goop they dissolved into would somehow reform into them, or that they would by some means be reborn into some sort of facility nearby and make their way back here.

Guarding against the former, I had the goop placed inside a large incinerator. Should they reform, I'd quickly be able to take them out of the fight again.

In case they spawned outside the facility, I closed the exterior door. I had the Mechanites re-purpose the cannons into some makeshift turrets hidden behind fake walls of rubble.

It was the goop. Twenty-four hours exactly from the moment the Righteous were killed, the goop reanimated, one after the other. They reformed in their full armor and with the equipment they were carrying when they died—without any injuries.

I killed them again. They barely even had time to become aware before the flames were washing over them. But no matter how hot I made things the goop wouldn't dissolve.

As a method of immortality went theirs struck me as functional at best. It wasn't much use at all if any opponent knew what to look for, but then, without the warning from Mechos I wouldn't have known.

I made Mechos a plate of cookies as reward.

Then I could get down to the business of proper repairs and research. The Mechanites proved to be able assistants, for all that the woman did keep talking against me to the others.

Anna came out of the Infirmary after a week. All traces of her burns were gone.

Research Menu

"Thomas"

Thomas has traces of a void crystal lattice throughout his skin. This not only makes him resistant to most powered effects, upon death it also allows him to become amorphous for the span of a day.

You have unlocked disruptive burst.

By use of a targeted burst from a Power core at the moment of dissolution the void latticework can be shattered. This would stop any future resurrections of a subject.

I'd expected to discover how their power resistance worked. Learning how I could keep them dead was useful too. I studied the specifications of the disruptive burst. It would require 1 core energy and that was for each subject. That was pricey when really, I could just keep killing them each day.

After another week I finally got back my results on the Mechanite research.

Research Menu

Mechanites

The Mechanites possess impressions of a Power core matrix that render them particularly adept at working with equipment and technology. You can integrate those functions into your drone reducing the time to complete all tasks with it by twenty-five percent.

That wasn't useless at all. I wondered, if I built either manufacturing or military drones, whether I would see them gain some further utility as well. It made selecting those options next time even more tempting.

The upgraded quarters and Hydroponics sections were completed. It seemed to make the humans happy. I detected almost a twenty percent improvement in their work levels as their morale lifted.

Anna and the newcomers seemed to be getting along.

Between them and my drone, we'd repaired all the damage and were even cleaning out the lower levels.

Research Menu

"Mechos"

Mechos is bonded to a Power core and you have tested him long enough to unlock and utilize his ability. You now have limited ability to upgrade tools and items of the facility out of a separate pool of upgrade points that refresh daily. These upgrades are additives to upgrades gained along the manufacturing line. Further testing will accumulate core points at the rate of 0.1 per week.

That was all that I hoped it might be. I wanted to give it a try and analyzed the door to my Core Room.

Door

All values are on a scale of 10

Durability 3

Reliability 7

Power 2

Each upgrade up to 10 costs 10 upgrade points. You can a total of 25 upgrade points daily.

I sank two points into Durability. I'd keep doing that until the door was as strong as I could make it. Protecting my core had to come before anything else and a few threats had gotten far too close to it.

After my door, it would be all the other doors of the facility. When I sealed them, I wanted those on the other side to be trapped, not inconvenienced.

Next, I investigated what I could do with my new core point. These were for the major facility upgrades and I wanted to know my options.

You have an unspent core point.

Core points can enhance your competencies and open new options for Research and Manufacturing.

Your options are:

Research 3

Research 3 will expand your testing facility to be able to hold six test subjects at once. In addition, your genetics lab will be upgraded with a genetic fabricator allowing you to create biological agents to either labor or fight on your behalf. Each of these have a cost to produce, although alongside either the Military or Manufacturing upgrades a pool for a certain standing number of drones will be created.

Military 1 will allow you to build defense drones. Defense drones are mobile weapon platforms capable of base defense and attacks at a distance. While basic in function they can ultimately be updated to become formidable weapon platforms.

Manufacturing 1

Manufacturing 1 will allow the production of automated minions. They are capable of autonomous facility repair and will halve all build and production times for new facilities.

Research was always going to tempt me, but this time I had to give the other options real consideration. Even the latest research option seemed to be urging me in that direction. On the other hand, it also made them unnecessary.

With test subjects, I was gaining a steady supply of core points, and it seemed if I took the new research upgrade I'd be able to spend those to create some combat drones or builders.

It was a viable path that would only see me get stronger as time went on, and as I could get more test subjects to imprison. I liked playing the long game. I selected that upgrade and began to build.

Now I had a mystery to solve. It was time to figure out what was going on with those archives.

21

"We need to talk," I said, as I activated a monitor in Mechos' workshop

"Going to let me out of here? You must have deciphered how my ability works by now?" Mechos said, swiveling a chair to face a camera.

"You think you know how my Power core operates?"

"You can't observe me without being yourself observed. I understand how things work. I watch and I unravel their processes. I've been watching you," Mechos said.

Disturbing, at least, if I believed him. I didn't want anyone knowing too much about what I could do. Especially someone I didn't trust at all. I thought he was safely trapped here, but the more he learned of me, the more he might be able to find a way around that.

"You watch me, but can't focus on a naked woman. You really are a twelve-year-old boy Mechos. I have questions."

Mechos spread his arms wide. "Ask away. I've nowhere to go, being part-prisoner and part-guest."

I bought up a visual of one of the metal tubes from the archives.

Mechos studied the display for a long moment and he gave a grin. "Did you figure out what they are yet?"

"Information," I said.

"You did. You restored power to the level, I'm guessing, but you wouldn't have figured out an interface just yet," Mechos said, waggled his fingers. "You need someone to do it for you?"

It seemed he was continuing to get more information out of this exchange than I was. Unacceptable. I really needed to research some sort of interrogation chair, it would make conversations so much more successful.

"You do realize I've already gotten most of the benefit out of keeping you alive," I said.

"Meaning, you are still getting some. I'll tell you this. You and I both once worked for some very bad people who found out that the end of the world was coming. You figured out a way to save yourself."

Pieces of information that had been bothering me slid into place like a puzzle assembling itself. This man knew me, and he had powers eerily similar to those I ultimately manifested.

"Let me guess. You were a service technician meant to install a new Power core into me after the catastrophe. Instead you stole it," I said.

Mechos tipped his head. "Only partially true. You had calculated the best gains would come from installing it into a reactor which would become your new beating heart. When I tried to steal it, there was a powerful and destructive burst of energy. It killed all in the facility accept for me and fused me with the core instead."

That fitted with what I'd discovered.

"Then why did you wish access to the archives?"

"Haven't you found it odd that they were located somewhere off your power grid? It was uncertain how compliant you would be once upgraded. There are codes meant to ensure your compliance," Mechos said.

Well, he was being helpful.

"How would the Righteous know of them?" I asked.

Mechos shrugged. "They are not survivors from this facility, which means they are perhaps descended of those who gave that order. It might explain much, in fact."

It might at that.

"You've been helpful. I shall see you have more cookies," I said.

"I don't even like cookies," Mechos said.

"Two plates, then." I was certain they were just an acquired taste. All humans loved cookies.

"I could help you, you know. Go through the information, even help you to devise an interface so you can access that storage directly," Mechos said.

I didn't doubt that he could. If what this man said was true, he probably knew more about me and my operations than anyone else alive—more than I did myself.

That confirmed for me that he was exactly where he needed to be, locked up in a containment cell.

I considered those archives. If they were prepared by me, then I might have useful information that would aid me now. If they did contain things like control codes that could inhibit me, then that data had obviously not gone through me initially. It meant that anything which might aid me had already been removed.

The data could even be booby-trapped, and if I imported it without some specific procedure it would have negative consequences.

I still wanted to know what the data contained, but I had to be cautious. I didn't like where logic was taking me, but sometimes you had to do deeply unpleasant tasks in the interests of knowledge.

I opened a channel to Anna. "Mostly useless one, I need your help with something."

"Only mostly?" Anna asked.

Oh, if only I could grind my circuits, I would be right now.

"You have rare moments. This may be one of them," I said.

"You know how to flatter a girl. What do you want?"

"Those archive files we collected. I think there may be useful information in them, but I fear there is a danger in my attempting to access them directly."

"You want me to hike up and down those stairs and review them? That will take a long time," Anna said.

It would. I didn't trust any of the Mechanites to help, and I was discovering to my dismay that I did trust Anna.

"You could use the exercise," I said.

"And it's totally like someone reading your diary. You only trust a friend to do it. I get you. It will take some time, but I'll get started today," Anna said.

"Before you do that. Stop down here. I want to have a conversation with you and Mechos together," I said.

We'd been reacting too much. It was time to set an agenda.

22

I wasn't going to breach the containment field around Mechos so Anna could enter, instead I settled for placing a glass wall along one edge of his workshop and setting up a table on either side.

I even decided to have a physical presence via my drone and set a space at the table for it.

"So many visits," Mechos said.

"Why does he get two plates of cookies. I've never gotten two plates of cookies," Anna said.

"He doesn't like them," I said.

"Then I don't like them," Anna said.

"Please. One look at you and we all know that is a lie," I said.

Anna scowled at my drone and folded her arms. "Hey Mechos. Your people are doing okay."

"I'm glad to hear it," Mechos said.

"I wanted us all to meet like this because, unlikely though it seems, we have become something resembling allies," I said.

"You've got him locked up in a cell," Anna said.

"I actually rather like it in here," Mechos said.

"Really?"

"I've had people trying to murder me a very long time. This is relaxing."

If he was too comfortable I really should liven things up. Hot Stuff certainly wasn't having a boring time of it in her testing chambers. I'd taken to shooting at her with super-cooled rounds and having her navigate mazes to find an angle to melt the turrets and stop the gunfire. It was tremendously entertaining.

"And that is exactly why I thought it best to have this conversation. To determine exactly what it is we each want and how the others might be able to contribute," I said.

"I want what I've always wanted. To be the absolute Queen of the world," Anna said.

"That is why you are doing all this?" Mechos asked.

Anna nodded. "I'm sick and tired of living off the scraps of others."

"I just want me and my people to remain alive," Mechos said.

"And I want a steady supply of test subjects and to unravel exactly what happened to me and the world," I said.

"I've been helping with that," Anna said.

"That is why eight of my people had to die?" Mechos asked.

Anna didn't look guilty, she looked defiant. "You had power we needed. We took it. We're going to kill a lot more people to get what we want."

We were. Anna might make a capable Queen of the world after all. I certainly didn't want the job, I just wanted to conduct my studies and run my facility. That would be easier with a ruthless and cooperate dictator in charge on the surface. Anna truly might fit the bill.

It was a pleasing realization. Was I growing fond of her? No, that would be foolish.

"Then what are our next steps?" I asked. "Continue to gather more test subjects as we have been?"

"The Righteous have come for you once. They'll come again," Mechos said.

"They come back every day and I keep burning them alive."

Anna said, "No, he's right. There are a lot more than the five of them you have here. They have this tower set up in the Arathorian Heights. They capture the Powered and take them there, and when they come out they aren't Powered any longer."

They were hunters like myself, although they went out in pursuit of their prey.

"The one I captured has quantities of something called a void crystal," I said.

"Is that how they counter abilities?" Mechos asked.

"It seems to be."

"That's a problem," Anna said.

"I've rigged the corridors with death traps. I'm ready for them, if they enter again," I said.

"Death traps?" Anna asked.

Was she somehow unaware of this?

"Spikes, acid sprayers, incinerators, mines, strangle wires," I said.

Anna held up a hand, "Enough. You're weird and totally crazy, and we're friends, so it's all okay. I'm just going to keep telling myself that."

Whatever lies made her comfortable.

"Two of the Powered have also gone missing. People are going to be investigating what took them down, looking for some advantage for themselves," Mechos said.

"Would they dare?" I asked.

Mechos shrugged. "Powers are useful, but a well-placed bullet to the skull can serve just as well, usually. If others think there is a chance for them to gain hold of a powerful core, they'll come whatever the danger."

"Good. Let them come. You humans need more weapons, and I can recycle the biomass if they don't make good research material."

"The cookies are people," Anna whispered to Mechos, who looked a little sick.

"I thought you said you liked them?" Mechos asked.

"I do. I just, you know, feel a little guilty about it."

"Humans love cookies," I said. Mechos really would have to learn his place in relation to the baked goods I provided.

"I'll have to draw up a list of possible targets for us to lure in next. Is there anything you need?" Anna asked.

"Supplies. I'm short of building materials," I said.

"Rockfist?" Mechos asked, with a look to Anna.

"Out of commission, the Righteous got him," Anna said.

"Goldenrod?"

"Not real gold. Illusion bullshit. Way to disappoint a girl, let me tell you. What about the Slidekickers?" Anna asked.

Mechos considered that and grunted, "Not exactly what she wants, but it might work. They're teleporters. So, no spontaneous material generation or transformation, but you could at least bring it in from elsewhere."

Anna grinned. "Plus it would let me get around way quicker."

Teleportation could improve a lot of base functions, potentially.

I didn't have time to consider it. I was getting another proximity alarm from the surface. We had uninvited guests again.

23

The newcomers were approaching on foot. After the arrival of vehicles lately it was almost refreshing. They seemed to be a good bit grungier than the most recent invaders. Instead of any sort of armor they were dressed in tattered, ragged clothing. There were perhaps a dozen of them, about half had a pistol holstered at their hips, and the others had clubs or knives.

I brought up the camera on a monitor so Anna and Mechos could see.

"Scavengers," Mechos said.

"I don't think you're going to get much out of them," Anna said.

I understood her thinking that, but I rather thought I might. Since I would soon have the ability to create organic servants all that biomass had to come from somewhere. The most likely source was going to be encounters like these.

I turned on a light inside the entrance. I didn't want them scared off or thinking there was nothing of interest inside. I wanted these people, I could use the resources.

"Tell me about these Slidekickers," I said.

"They can teleport. I'm not sure of their range, but it's more than just line of sight," Anna said.

"You horrified them enough they got out of visual range? Predictable. How can we lure them here?"

"You'll have a hard time of it. They can teleport anywhere and steal anything they want," Mechos said.

"I really want that power," Anna said, sounding a little dreamy at the thought.

"You captured one of the Righteous. Can you get any use out of their power-dampening abilities?" Mechos asked.

Could I? I hadn't unlocked the ability to make use of that talent myself. It probably was a part of whoever led the Righteous and held that void core. It didn't mean there weren't ways I might be able to.

I had the Righteous in a liquefied form—mostly. They were in that state for twenty-four hours between being killed daily. I hadn't tested if that goop retained their power-dampening abilities, but I could.

I set up a testing routine for that.

On the surface the Scavengers had made their way cautiously inside the main entrance. I closed the door behind them and killed the lights.

Let them advance in the darkness to their deaths, or remain where they were and starve to death, if that was their desire. In the end, I'd win either way.

"I believe I may be able to dampen powers. What do you have in mind?" I asked.

"I doubt you'd be able to capture one to attempt to gain the ability. Given their mobility, I'm not sure you could do that. Kill though? That might be possible," Mechos said.

"You need to lure them somewhere and kill them for their powers," Anna said.

That was smart thinking. Sure, I'd far rather have their leader alive and in one of my testing chambers where I could get a long-term trickle of power, but short of that I'd take the Power core.

I already had a plan coming together.

"You said the Righteous sometimes capture the Powered and transport them back to their tower. These processions are usually well-guarded?" I asked.

"Always," Mechos said.

"So, we have one that isn't. We have a Righteous vehicle and a set of Righteous armor, I can get more if needed," I said.

"You want to pretend to have captured someone?"

"Hot Stuff. Her absence is notable... we can inflict burn damage on the vehicle. Allow word to get to the Slidekickers and their leader," I said.

Anna said, "Her name is Sylph. Yeah, Sylph would want the prize, but wouldn't let any of her people do it instead of her. Not a Power core she could take easily to bolster her own abilities."

"It's likely she'll decide to teleport straight into the vehicle. When she does we neutralize her powers and set off an explosive inside," I said.

"My people could help you to rig that as well as make the modifications to the vehicle," Mechos said.

"I look damned good in a set of body armor," Anna said.

"That seems incredibly unlikely," I said. "But it does seem we have something of a plan."

Anna spared a glimpse at the monitor. I'd shifted it to infravision and you could just see the heat signature of the Scavengers. They hadn't brought any sort of light source and decided to try pressing forward anyway.

"I guess it's going to be after you kill these guys," Anna said.

"I need to do a few days of testing anyways on power-neutralizing agents," I said.

"I don't suppose you can build a movie theater?"

"I don't suppose you know how I can unlock neurochemistry so I can upgrade your intellect?"

"Listen," Anna said. "We're down here for a long time and it gets boring. Now that we've got the whole history of human entertainment available to us, we should start doing something."

It was a preposterous, ludicrous idea. Still, I'd already seen the positive effects on productivity that amusing the humans could have.

"I'll see if I can modify one of the monitors down below to display onto a bigger screen up here. Find an archive you've cleared of any dangerous materials and I'll make some chairs," I said.

"And popcorn," Anna said.

This was pushing it.

"I am a dangerously intelligent laboratory, not an entertainment superplex," I said.

"You upgraded Hydroponics anyways and corn is a good test. Isn't popping kernels a good way to test how to apply the Fire Matrix?" Anna asked.

I could be swayed by talk of SCIENCE. I could. It would be an interesting test of the Fire Matrix and new facilities. And again, if popcorn made humans more productive, it added some minimal value.

"Fine," I said. "Get to work."

The Scavengers had set off an acid sprayer. At least some things were going right.

24

Testing how well the goop of the Righteous could neutralize powers was easily enough done. There were several things I needed to measure, and Hot Stuff with her very dramatic power set made the perfect test subject.

The next day, when the Righteous rematerialized, I immediately bound them with ropes. From there it was a simple enough matter to cut them out of their armor before killing them again. It was nice to have their equipment and I wondered why I hadn't bothered until now.

Once they were again goop, I coated one of the targets inside Hot Stuff's labyrinth. The results were promising. A fire blast that normally completely devastated anything did little more than warm it.

As a form of armor it could serve some protective purpose. Of course, we'd need it to do a good bit more than that.

I had already modified a sprinkler to be able to handle the thick goop, and at the right moment I triggered it above Hot Stuff. The woman barely had a chance to look up before finding herself coated from head to foot in the remains of one of the Righteous.

The flames that usually surrounded her flickered out and died. Her thermal readings shifted downward but didn't return to anything close to human normal. Hot Stuff's powers were dampened, but not overcome.

"What the hell is this?" Hot Stuff said, glaring at my camera. Her internal temperatures ticked upward. Anger meant she was probably trying to channel still more of her power. It wasn't having much of an effect.

I operated a turret and put a bullet into each of her legs. I wanted to see how her usual defensive heat would fare with the goop surrounding her.

Hot Stuff screamed and dropped to the ground, blood seeping out and pooling around her. From what I could tell the bullets hadn't penetrated deep, her internal heat had vaporized them before they could reach as deep as the bone, but they had still broken flesh.

It also left her nice and distracted for my final test. A mechanical arm bearing a needle dropped from the ceiling and plunged into her arm. It was a small quantity of goop being shot right into her blood. I didn't want to kill her, only analyze the effects.

Hot Stuff screamed again even more violently and her body began to spasm on the floor. Black veins rippled on her arm for a moment and I observed some sharply lowered temperatures before the effect was reversed dramatically, an explosion of white-hot heat bursting out from her flesh as the invading substance was expelled.

Temperature readings were rising and flames began to flicker out from beneath the goop, the greenish coating on her skin rippling and sloughing as it peeled away as if being washed off by the flames.

Interesting. The effects weren’t fatal in and of themselves, and pushing back against a Power core too dramatically seemed to force it to defend itself.

Still, in the short term it appeared I should at least be able to dampen the power of another and, by direct injection, might at least, briefly, incapacitate them totally. Tied to an explosion, that could be used to good effect.

I put a healing field into place around Hot Stuff. Here in the testing environment I could repair damage to my subjects far more quickly than would happen outside.

I made her a plate of cookies and delayed her testing for half an hour. I could be nice when subjects proved helpful.

"Stop whimpering and enjoy the cookies," I said.

"I'm pretty sure any day that winds up in me being double-penetrated and covered in strange fluids should earn me more than a plate of damned cookies," Hot Stuff said.

That was a reasonable point. I could be generous. I added a plate of donuts and increased the break to forty-five minutes.

I'd have to gather the goop again later and move it back into the incinerator until ready to strike. I'd have to prepare a portable burner as well, so they could be kept liquefied as we travelled.

It wouldn't do to have them come back to life on the road, especially if only Anna was there.

The party of Scavengers were down to three now. They wouldn't last long. When they'd tried to sleep last night, I'd kept them awake with a series of growls and screams in the distance.

They were beyond jumpy at this point, absolutely terrified. With this high state of excitement, they were scared to stay anywhere for too long. Keeping them moving made it more likely for them to find themselves in one of my traps.

Perhaps I should take a cue from my experiences with Hot Stuff?

I triggered production on that level and made a plate of a few cookies for the survivors. Even in the darkness the scent would draw them. Not far away I placed another. A third I put in a trap I liked to call my "Box of buzz saws." A wall would come down and deliver cutting sawblades from every angle. I hoped this worked, I'd been wanting to try it out.

The dead Scavengers I had already recycled. My biomass supplies were up nicely, and while their equipment didn't add much to our stores the melee weapons were handy. It might also prove useful for my people to be able to dress themselves as Scavengers. Nobody seemed to pay them any attention and being able to escape notice could have many advantages.

25

My box of buzz saws wound up performing better than I hoped. It was a work of genius and I needed to figure out more "surround people on all sides" traps. They were incredibly gratifying.

With the Scavengers out of the way I opened the upper levels again and the Mechanites could rebuild the vehicle.

I cycled some of the parts in and out of Hot Stuff's tests so they would be authentically singed. The vehicle looked as if it had been through a fierce battle.

Inside the back of the van was a rather convoluted mechanism. Four tight, separate cells were made for each of the Righteous. Each day, when they came back to life, they would perfectly fit inside with no wiggle room, and a mechanical timer released a razor-sharp blade at neck level.

A hand-crank pump then transferred the goop to four sprinklers aimed to spray the interior of the van around the chambers. These were activated by a pressure sensitive release on the floor. A moment later, an explosive charge would be triggered that should kill anyone and everything within. Especially any Slidekickers who had teleported into the truck to steal the prisoners.

All Anna should have to do from the outside is turn a hand crank for about twenty minutes each day to keep the system primed. I could have done much more if electronics worked, but so far from my systems we had to do everything without them. I transferred the Righteous in liquid form to the sprinklers and we tested the system every day for a week ahead of time.

It was functional, if inelegant.

Completing all this also gave me time to finish my latest research upgrades, which opened some all-new possibilities.

I was going to make some creations.

Enough time had passed that I had 0.8 core points. Another week and that might be enough for another full facility upgrade, if I understood correctly how that worked. Although it was tempting to wait for that, I felt in the short term I'd be better served putting those to use.

I first wanted to build myself a worker.

Biological Constructs

You have unlocked the following patterns for biological constructs.

Worker Options:

Human - Cost 0.4

Mole - Cost 0.2

I could create my own humans. That was an interesting revelation. They cost twice as much as the moles, but then opposable thumbs were useful. Still, if the moles were an option, they must be of some utility and I already had plenty of humans.

I selected the mole and the sequencer went to work. The mole, when it was finished, weighed around eighteen kilograms and had especially well-developed paws that seemed suitable for tool use. I also found that I could interface directly with its mind and issue it instructions. That was convenient. If only the humans were so obedient. I sent the new worker off to join in the cleaning out of the lower levels and informed the humans so they wouldn't panic.

It was time to invest in a defender. I expected to spend the majority of my points on this one.

Biological Constructs

You have unlocked the following patterns for biological constructs.

Warrior Options

Human - Cost 0.4

Mole - Cost 0.2

Here again I had the option for a human. That was tempting, especially with all the armor and weapons we had stored, but I had something else in mind.

I selected the mole, but this time instead of going straight through to production I chose more features.

Mole

Statistics

Values out of 10

5=Average

Allure: 3

Endurance:3

Strength: 5

Agility: 6

Intellect: 2

Upgrades can be purchased at 0.1 per point

You can also apply the following templates

Fire Matrix

Temperature Resistance

I had to wonder what certain statistics were based on. Allure to whom? I was sure my mole would be at least somewhat appealing to other moles even without many points invested.

Anna had a perplexingly high allure, which anyone who knew her must agree was totally undeserved. Upgrades here were 0.1 per point, while with Anna they had been twice that. Either the moles were overall less expensive or this one was cheaper as my construct.

Regardless, it gave me a little more room to work. I wanted to apply the Fire Matrix to the warrior mole. Hot Stuff had proved repeatedly just how destructive she was. It was that sort of destruction I wanted on my side.

Based on the mole's stats, that left me a few other options. I could try increasing the intelligence. That would probably give it more self-control without me having to micro-manage its life, but with a neural interface that wasn't too taxing on me. I was better at multitasking than humans.

Strength seemed useless, I wasn't out to do damage with its bite or its claws, but rather with the heat that would be surrounding it. Allure had its amusing possibilities, I could picture joyful humans reaching down to grab the adorable mole and hug it to their breasts before being incinerated. Unfortunately, that cost more points than I was willing to spend.

Endurance would certainly be useful, but again, I wasn't hoping to get into any sort of protracted battle. Instead I sank two points into agility. This would let the mole move more quickly to close with my foes. To this I did add the Fire Matrix.

I set my warrior to manufacture. It took some time for it to sequence and step out of the manufacturing center. This mole was leaner and sleeker than the worker, ripples of fire coursing along its body. Yes, this would do nicely.

I set the mole to patrol the Testing Center. It was somewhere the humans really shouldn't be, and a good place to park this defender out of the way.

26

With my new facility put to good use and all the preparations made it was time to begin the next stage.

"You look like a complete badass, at first glance. Then you look like a child wearing their parent's armor," I said to Anna.

We had resized the armor of the Righteous to fit her, and I even had my warrior mole scorch it a bit to make her look as if she was fresh from a nasty fight with a pyrokinetic.

Anna hooked the rifle over her neck. Between it and a pistol at her hip she was at least well-armed. The pistol had been heavily modified. I didn't think she'd have any warning of an oncoming fight with any Powered, but just in case I'd had the Mechanites make her up some custom rounds. They could be loaded with goop from the back of the truck and should shatter inside a body, discharging their contents.

I'd seen first-hand in my tests what a dramatic reaction it caused in Hot Stuff. I wasn't sure what effect multiple rounds would have, but I suspected it might be fatal. I didn't want to risk my test subject to check.

"You're sure this will work?" Anna asked for at least the dozenth time.

"Again, not at all. We each want this prize though, and if this works we walk away with it. If not, at least you are relatively disposable," I said.

"You say the sweetest things," Anna said.

* * *

I bid Anna farewell and watched her drive off in the truck of the Righteous. One of the Mechanites went as well. He had less in the way of cybernetics than the others and I'd been able to cut the metal off him and replace it with flesh. Curiously, the flesh retained the same capabilities as the cybernetics I was replacing—there truly were possibilities in the odd hybridization of my abilities and those of Mechos.

The Mechanite would be spreading the word of a battle between the Righteous and Hot Stuff and her Flames, setting the stage to lure in our prey.

I expected this would take weeks. It almost left me at loose ends. There were any number of construction projects I might pursue now that I had upgraded my research facility to level three.

Bioreactor - Level 3

With this latest upgrade to your bioreactor you can install both growth routines and healing routines. Over time any traditional wiring in your facility will be replaced with organic conduits and the reactor capacity itself will slowly grow over time so long as there is access to water and biomatter. Damage to the reactor or the electrical systems of the facility will now automatically heal on a level scaling to the level of the facility Infirmary.

It wasn't really an option, I had to do this upgrade. Power would soon become a bottleneck otherwise. Still, I had my concerns about replacing my electrical wiring with something organic. I'd had good reasons for making the choices I did, but I suspected it made me more vulnerable in many ways to things like toxins, for all that it also offered some advantages.

I began the upgrade. It also meant there were a few others I needed to make sooner rather than later.

There was nothing about an increase in healing speed, but then the reactor core scaled off the level of the Infirmary itself. I began this upgrade as well.

There was one more important thing. With Hydroponics, I could produce biomass at will, which clearly was going to be a construction material for at least some of my resources going forward.

Hydroponics - Level 3

At the third level you have two options of how to proceed with your future growth.

Growth Cylinders

You can construct and grow vegetation on individual cylinders. This allows for more variety and specific environmental conditions. You'll be able to grow exotic plants sooner, although at a cost of more limited crop yields. With this your yields will remain constant for this level, but you will gain the ability to grow rare plants.

Growth Vats

You can also establish vast vats which allow for large scale growth operations. You will immediately gain the ability to feed up to sixteen people with any extra being deposited into your biomass stockpile. You can still grow uncommon plants with this setup although anything rarer will need to wait for future upgrades.

I did like the idea of being more specialized, which the growth cylinders would allow, but I'd just decided to do this upgrade because of wanting to make sure I had more biomass to support future growth.

Hydroponics provided a steady grain, and the random human wandering in from the surface could boost those yields—but they were hardly a reliable source.

Given I hadn't yet even collected any uncommon plants, much less rare ones, it didn't seem like that hard a choice. I could pass up an immediate, real gain for one that I might not see manifest for some time, or ever.

I began the construction of the Growth Vats.

While I was building things for the humans I might as well round it out.

Quarters - Level 3

You have two options for how to proceed.

Barracks

This is the most like what you have now. A large room containing sixteen bunks, storage lockers, and a communal bath. This setup fosters the most feeling of community, but can also prove to be an issue with conflicting personalities. It allows for a quick mustering of a force for either manual labor or military asks.

Cabins

This option will still house sixteen, but instead of one central room it divides up the space into eight cabins of two beds each which can be scattered around the facility with individual baths. This allows the best option for residents to pair off and allows workers or researchers to live closer to their primary duties.

The prompts didn't present it as such, but I also had to consider the virtues of a distributed system. With a single barracks, if a threat like Hot Stuff found herself inside, all the humans would die at once. Cabins were in many ways safer due to the distribution of resources. I chose that option.

I was distracted from my upgrades by an alert. Hot Stuff was behind in her test routine. I toggled my focus and found her lounging against a wall.

'Want to talk' had been burned into it.

27

"I wish I'd known finger-painting was your intellectual level, although your performance on my tests was giving me a pretty good idea," I said to Hot Stuff.

Hot Stuff raised her middle finger at my camera. "Fuck you."

"Your discourse is even worse. Why am I keeping you alive again?"

"Been asking myself that same question. Thought at first you just liked the view, but that isn't it. You hit me with that stuff, shot me in the legs, you could have killed me, but you didn't. Been asking myself why."

I didn't approve of my test subjects doing too much thinking for themselves.

"And what did you come up with?"

Hot Stuff shrugged. "You had me kill those people awhile back. Maybe you're keeping me safe just in case, like a bullet in the chamber."

It was a reasonable hypothesis based on the information she had.

"You are an impressive force of destruction," I said.

"And you're good at holding me prisoner. You've proved you can hurt me. Maybe kill me. What I want is to make a deal."

If she were anything other than a research subject I'd have been inclined to take her up on her offer. I admired what she could do when she put her mind to it. While I had come out ahead in our clashes, each time she'd done more than I'd thought she could.

"You keep a bullet in the chamber. You don't make friends with it," I said.

"Wait! Even if you won't let me out, there has got to be some kind of deal we can make to make things better. A little more sleep, better food, conjugal visits with the shy guy."

I didn't think Mechos would go for that. I thought it would absolutely horrify him to have it brought up.

I did have one Righteous left though. I didn't quite know how his power-dampening might work if he wound up in bed with Hot Stuff. I didn't need him any longer though and I was curious.

"Do you actually have anything I want?" I asked.

Hot Stuff glared defiantly. "Me and my boys, we owned our territory up there. Nobody wanted to pick a fight with us."

"Yet I took you down because I wanted an easy start," I said.

Hot Stuff gestured and I lost one camera in a fireball. That was fine, I had others. There was nothing she could really do to hurt me, and there was plenty I could do to hurt her. I knew she knew that, she just had to think this through.

"I can point you to technology. You like that, right?" Hot Stuff asked.

I did.

"If you found anything worth taking, you'd have taken it for yourself," I said.

"I don't wear clothes, don't use guns. Not a whole lot of need for much, except for accelerants."

There was something to that.

"I really should make some flame-retardant tarp to throw on top of you and spare myself the view. What do you think you have?" I asked.

"A door. I know it doesn't sound like much, but it really is. Old, thick, one of those end of the world bunkers people always used to talk about before it all went to hell. As far as I know, it's never been opened."

Despite my amnesia regarding the old world I could see the possibilities. A sealed door meant the technology inside could still be preserved and unlooted. And although unlikely, given the problems with electricity, the people inside might even still be alive.

"Where?" I asked.

"About three days southeast of Widow's Peak. You'll want to look for the collapsed roadway. The hatch is in a tunnel beneath some melted-together stones.

That was interesting enough.

I changed the progress of the Thomas' labyrinth to bring him here. It would take a while, but he'd get here and I'd fuse the two together.

"It may be of some utility, enough to keep you alive at least. There is a young man on the way here that is a member of the Righteous. Kill him, fuck him, keep him as a pet—I don't care. If you do kill him he comes back a day later," I said.

"Some combination of all of the above," Hot Stuff said, with a smile I think was malicious. Human behavior is so hard to quantify.

I'd said that I didn't care, but I began the construction of some extra cameras. Whatever she had planned, I really did want to see how his power-resistance abilities would work when it came to contact with someone as strong as Hot Stuff.

I left her to her fun and switched my attention over to Mechos in his workshop. The man seemed to be tinkering with some sort of circuit board contained in an insulated case.

"Going to try to call for help? I thought everybody hated you as much as I did," I said.

Mechos glanced up. "More I'm doing this for you. We seemed to be getting along well enough, I thought that you could use a defense from what I did to you."

I remembered that, he had completely managed to shut down my senses for a while until Anna restarted my array.

"You overloaded my sensory array somehow," I said.

"Your electrical system in many ways acts like your nervous system. I introduced an overload. To create the needed complexity in you, in many ways you were modeled after humans," Mechos said.

A disgusting thought. Worse, when combined with the knowledge that soon those very systems would be organic in nature.

"I'll have a look when it's completed. Do you know anything about shelters constructed before the catastrophe?" I asked.

Mechos chuckled darkly. "They were supposed to exist. Places the very best could hide themselves away. This laboratory was such a place too, and look what happened here."

Everyone died, but pre-catastrophe me had made plans.

It would be worth investigating this other facility at some point.

28

Two more weeks passed.

Thomas was resistant to Hot Stuff's flames—for a while. It took a good few minutes of physical contact before he finally succumbed to the burns and perished. It wasn't for very long, but she seemed to be putting it to good use each day and learning how to better extend their time together.

Thomas hadn't in any way been converted into a Flame. Either the contagion rate was low or the fact that he was already affected by the void core kept him from conversion by the fire core.

When Anna arrived back at the base it wasn't as expected.

A grinning woman dressed in colorful clothes materialized in the middle of Hydroponics, Anna sprawled at her feet. The woman was wounded, one arm and leg heavily bandaged.

Anna had been tortured. Wounds covered most of her body and no attempt had been made to patch them up. Obviously our well-laid plan hadn't gone off quite as expected.

"Emma? It is Emma, isn't it? Anna here said this is where I could find you. Looks like she told the truth."

It must be Sylph. Her foot drew back and she kicked Anna's chest hard enough that my sensors could detect ribs cracking.

I said, "Seems she's better at betraying my location than she was at killing you. You must be Sylph."

I focused one of the water cannons at her skull and fired. The woman blinked away in an instant to reappear several feet away. Too fast for it to be human reaction time, some innate danger sense perhaps that triggered her teleporting abilities.

"It took some convincing," Sylph said.

Anna groaned and tried to crawl away.

I triggered another water cannon. Sylph again transitioned away about a meter's distance.

Plainly my goop trap in the truck hadn't caught Sylph, and it was likely because of this sensing of danger I was seeing now. Even though she hadn't known any threat was coming, her power instinctively transitioned her a short distance away. She likely never got sprayed with power-dampener, and missed out on the explosion entirely. The wounds she suffered must have been caused by Anna. That made me more forgiving of her failure.

"And you decided to march into the lair of your enemy. Not terribly bright," I said.

"Law of the predator. Kill those that try to kill you," Sylph said.

I had a plan to deal with her. Since she'd tortured Anna badly enough to reveal the location of this place, Anna had probably revealed to her my vulnerabilities as well—my core and the reactor.

Anna was smart though, smart enough to know that my reactor was the more dangerous of the two. I began moving coolant, it was going to be my best option.

"What do you think you're going to do to me?" I asked.

Sylph pulled something from her pocket. The bomb looked heavy in her hand, a series of tightly rolled tubes and a fuse.

"Bomb for a bomb," Sylph said.

"You'll never get through. Not even you. The door is ten inches of reinforced steel," I said.

"I don't need a door," Sylph said, and she flickered out of existence.

Sylph rematerialized in my Core Room. Anna had provided her with the details. It probably wasn't quite what Sylph was expecting, the bioreactor was now a steadily thrumming organ of reddish flesh streaked through with veins. Sylph didn't have time to appreciate it.

The Reactor room was a far smaller space than Hydroponics, and I had figured something out. Sylph's instinctive teleport away from danger was only ever a few steps distance at the most. She had no control over that—she couldn't even stop it. There was only limited places within that short range that she would travel and I could attack all of them at once. This would hurt my reactor too, but I could heal.

I flooded the chamber with liquid nitrogen—I'd been working hard to top up supplies after how useful it had proved in the past. Billowing droplets sprayed from the ceiling, freezing all flesh it encountered.

The bomb fell from useless fingers to the floor and was frozen with the rest.

It was agony. I hurt as the outside of the core froze. Still, with the Fire Matrix an internalized level of heat could be maintained. The same was not true for Sylph. For a moment, she became a blur within the room, her form flickering everywhere in an effort to get safe, but the falling mist froze her solid.

Even while I was busy making a Sylphcicle I was having Anna dragged to the Infirmary and getting diagnostics back on her. Twenty-eight broken bones, massive internal bleeding, several toes were missing. Sylph hadn't been kind. It would take a solid month to restore her to health.

With Sylph, I had to be a lot more cautious. I was certain I could kill her in this state and steal her crystal. Killing her, though, had only been the plan because capture hadn't seemed an option. Now perhaps containing her was possible, but I wanted to make sure.

It was with considerable caution I had her transported down to the testing facility. With Thomas no longer taking up his own labyrinth I had one free. Then it was just a matter of upgrading Sylph with the temperature-resistant virus.

I wasn't big on upgrading one of my enemies, but I didn't see a choice if I wanted her alive. Any attempt to defrost her normally would kill her.

After the application of the upgrade Sylph shimmered, frost fading from her skin. Her eyes looked around in panic. Again, the woman blurred as she attempted in vain to get outside the facility. Her powers worked only within the confines I had set.

Sometimes plans go better than you could have hoped. Anna being out of commission for a month was a small price to pay for the taking of Sylph alive.

29

With Sylph trapped in a testing labyrinth I began her testing routine.

Research Menu

"Sylph"

Sylph is bonded to a dimensional Power core and can teleport long distances as well as possesses an innate danger sense that teleports her short distances to avoid harm. It will take one month to unlock the abilities of her core. Further testing will accumulate core points at the rate of 0.1 per week.

That was a long research time compared to some of the others, I couldn't tell if the time was going up based on the uniqueness of the ability or how much total research I had done to date.

Anna had regained consciousness in the Infirmary, although the system there had her restrained so she wouldn't do further injury to herself while being put back together.

"You leaked all over my floor, again," I said.

"Did you get her?" Anna asked.

"I got her, although she tried to set off a detonation charge inside my reactor core."

"Good. I don't know what happened with the plan. I'd heard they were in the area so had my pistol loaded with the anti-power rounds. The explosion didn't kill her and she came at me," Anna said.

That fit what I guessed happened.

"How did someone who is as lousy a shot as you are manage to hit her? Especially with her abilities?" I asked.

"She came in close. The rounds slowed her down because of her proximity and I put one in her thigh."

That was useful knowledge. The Righteous did have some effect on her. A shame I only had the one left.

"Then they tortured you," I said.

Anna grimaced. "Yeah, they did that. Bitch. I hope you made her suffer."

"I took her alive and she is in testing," I said.

Anna looked hopeful. "Is vivisection testing?"

It wasn't part of the routine I had planned, but I could see some utility out of it, and morale was important.

"I'll add it to the schedule for when you get out."

"You need to be careful. Sylph isn't alone, she has her gang. Four of them," Anna said.

No surprise, everyone else we'd met had a gang.

"Why weren't they with her? Unlike you, she seems capable of inspiring some personal loyalty," I said.

"Sylph moves faster than them and gets impatient. They can only move so far in a day."

So four more attackers with teleportation would be arriving soon. I'd exhausted my liquid nitrogen supply, but that was a limited trick anyways. If they had anything like Sylph's danger sense they'd be a problem.

"We'll be ready for them. Get rest. I'm sorry, I am still not going to waste resources and upgrade your face," I said.

I shifted my focus off Anna. I had work to do.

I did have options. Even if they shared the ability to instinctively teleport, it just meant that I had to focus on those traps that could affect a wide area.

Concussive force should do it. While a careful use of their abilities might get them out of the path of an explosion, an instinctual use might unintentionally shift them into the shock wave.

Beyond that, although I'd exhausted my supplies to freeze them anyway, I didn't need these subjects alive. I could spray flaming liquid just as well as freezing. I had my warrior mole's fiery aura.

Sensory overload could work. I could flood a hall with light and high intensity sounds enough to render a subject completely incoherent.

I had a day to prepare. I began updating my traps at once.

That underway, I went to visit my newest guest just in case a way could be found to avoid fighting at all.

I had Sylph teleporting from one collapsing floor tile to another. If she stayed still too long the floor would fall out from beneath her feet.

"You don't seem to be falling for me," I said.

"Do you think this is some kind of game? Keeping me prisoner like this? This is sick. How many people do you have locked up here?" Sylph asked.

Not nearly enough. Not nearly as many as I wanted.

It was growing all the time though as I kept absorbing new powers into my core.

"You're going to lecture me on cruelty? I assure you, when Anna is feeling better you'll come to appreciate my kindness."

Sylph paled at that, as well she might.

"Your girl isn't going to live," Sylph said.

"Oh, but she is. I'm a good friend to have and a worse enemy. Your people are coming here, I thought I'd offer you the chance to save their lives," I said.

Sylph looked torn for a moment then shook her head. "Screw you. You're afraid. Of course you're afraid. One of me, you got lucky, but when it's five people that can be anywhere you least expect them... They're going to find me and then I'm going to find you, and I'm going to take you apart piece by piece."

Well, if that was how she wanted. I moved vivisection up on the timetable. I know Anna would want to be a part of things, but nothing said we couldn't run those experiments again. Sometimes you had to run a trial several dozen times to get a real balance of results.

I distributed arms to the Mechanites and put them all on alert. In addition, I moved the warrior mole to my Core Room.

If I could have, I'd simply irradiate my enemies again, but unfortunately the bioreactor functioned differently than my old fusion system. Instead, I sprinkled the floor of the reactor room with pressure sensitive mines.

My traps were set. Let them come. I only wished I could make them suffer half as much as Sylph.

30

The attackers arrived the next day. They didn't so much make an appearance outside as one appeared inside and quickly flickered from place to place faster than I could detonate any traps.

It was a scouting expedition. Room after room, with the young woman appearing only for an instant. By the time she'd traversed the Security level I had a plan in place to handle her.

I filled one of the unused cabins with a deadly neurotoxin and aerosolized a bit of Thomas, who I had borrowed for the day after Hot Stuff had finished killing him. A hastily constructed 'Armory' sign was placed outside.

It worked well. The Slidekicker teleporting down the hall saw the sign and spared a brief glimpse inside. It was all that I needed. Thomas filled her lungs at the same moment as the deadly gas, hindering her powers long enough for it to fully take effect.

A few seconds later she overcame the neutralizing power and materialized back outside in the hall, but by then she was vomiting up blood and bits of her internal organs.

That was one down.

After killing her, hours passed and I knew that the others must be formulating their plan of attack, or deciding if they would attack at all.

Two of their own, including their leader, had come into this place and not come out.

When they appeared, it was a far more surgical strike. Three materialized simultaneously on different sides of the containment field holding Sylph, flickering away a moment later and leaving explosives behind.

The blasts shook the level. Through my cameras I could see tools falling off the wall in Mechos' workshop and Hot Stuff stumbling on her way to incinerate another target.

The containment fields held for the moment. Sylph, in response to the blasts, began to flicker faster than my sensors could track her, rapidly translocating between positions. My cameras blurred and distorted. Was she bending space itself in some way? I couldn't discount the possibility.

Whatever she was up to, Sylph was still in my containment field and I was in control. I blasted a sonic wail through the area. It was intense enough to rupture eardrums. It worked, the woman collapsed screaming to the floor. That was all I needed to let me deliver a tranquilizer.

The facility was rocked by more explosions. One hurt quite a bit—my reactor—and the bioreactor hadn't yet finished healing from the freezing damage. A teleportation into that room was an attack that triggered the fire sprinklers. The Slidekicker responsible had already transported himself back to the hall outside. His clothes were on fire as he screamed, trying to get them off. However, he'd accomplished his mission of dropping a bomb. Base power was down to about fifty percent and I had to cut off non-critical systems.

Another hit like that and I might lose containment of all my guests downstairs. I couldn't let that happen.

They obviously had some way of locating Sylph. Perhaps they were also aware in some way of how many of their number had fallen. Regardless, even with just two of them left they could do unacceptable damage to my core. I had to give them another target.

I activated a quick fabrication in my testing labyrinth. Then, after a few seconds, I had every screen in the facility go live with an image of Sylph. I'd restrained her beneath a mass of razor-sharp blades. If they dropped, it would cut her into a good two dozen slices.

Flickers. One on the testing level and another in Hydroponics. The other Slidekickers stopping, watching the screens.

"Those blades are being kept aloft by a generated force coming from the local grid supply. She's been neutralized and can't help herself. Cut the power and you'll kill her," I said.

The two Slidekickers glared up at my cameras.

"You want to save her? Do your best, the clock is ticking," I said, and let one of the blades drop. It only removed about two percent of her body. It was nothing I couldn't heal, but it drew a roar of rage from one of the Slidekickers.

Anna had broken under torture. But there really were only two vulnerable areas she could have told them about. I'd just taken my reactor core out of the equation. That meant they'd be coming for my Core Room. They'd know it was risky and a trap, I just had to motivate them to try anyway. I let another of those blades drop. It made for a gory sight.

They appeared on different sides of the Core Room. A man and woman, both dressed in colors as bright and cheerful as Sylph. Better fed than most of the humans I'd seen, but then with their gifts they could steal food. That was the point.

My mole warrior flung itself onto the back of the man, its body flaming to life even as claws dug into his flesh. The man screamed as he began to burn.

The woman looked torn for a moment, but then she flickered and was plunging some sort of sword into my core. The blade shouldn't have penetrated, but it did. Her body flickered away to the other side of the room before an explosion of energy cascaded out.

I was feeling sluggish. Spacey. They'd hurt me, they'd really hurt me. I tried to trigger the sound tracks I had set up in the room, but they just weren't working.

I felt myself fading from consciousness. I set the containment fields of the testing labs to automatic, disengaged the tranquilizers the Infirmary had Anna on and watched the mole rip out the throat of the last Slidekicker.

Then I went under.

31

Warning

You have suffered major structural damage

Repairs are underway and will take two weeks.

Upgrading your core will consume 0.5 core points and take two weeks.

The following options are available.

Organic Computer:

Your operations will be shifted over to an organic platform. While slower than your current mechanical systems an organic mainframe would allow application of genetic upgrades and self-repair. It would also allow for better interfacing with organic specimens.

Quantum Computer:

Your operations will be shifted over to a quantum platform. Far faster than your current systems you'll be able to process much higher volumes of data. This can be particularly useful when analyzing high grade research data.

My thoughts were sluggish, but I could think—even now during repairs. Two possible upgrades then, although I had to accept neither. I'd already upgraded to a bioreactor for my power needs, but that didn't mean it was necessarily best for my mind to follow suit.

I was surrounded by organic computing platforms in the humans, I could see firsthand all the mistakes they made. Still, they did manage to function.

Given my focus so far on organics, in many ways it would make sense to go all in. Although, to date none of my genetic upgrades would be particularly useful for me.

Going Quantum on the other hand would hold some long-term benefits if it did help with high-grade research data. While it was outside of my track so far, if the systems continued to interface, it would have some real promise.

Ultimately though it came down to the state I was currently in. I'd been damaged, and while Anna seemed to have triggered a repair sequence, I didn't want to have to rely on anyone. With a biological system I'd be self-repairing.

I triggered the upgrade and waited.

* * *

When I came to again, two weeks had passed. Anna was back in the Infirmary and the base looked to be clear of threats. I sure looked different, a lot more ridged and pulpy, and distinctly more organic than I had before. I didn't like it.

I shifted my focus to the Infirmary cameras. "Well, if this isn't the worse repair job ever. You made me as squishy as you are," I said.

Anna cracked her eyes open and grunted, "Welcome back, Emma. You're welcome. I know you triggered that change yourself, so don't blame me. Do I have badass teleportation super-powers yet?"

Anna was always so needy. "Another two weeks. You shouldn't be out of here until then anyways."

A bit longer than that—I checked her file. Anna had added another gunshot to her injures since the last time I saw her.

"You got shot. Did one of the Mechanites finally decide they'd had enough?" I asked.

"Someone didn't put her Righteous away after using him and the fucker came back to life," Anna said.

Oh. Thomas. Right.

"What did you do with him? And the corpses?" I asked.

"I had core control while most of your processes were offline. I tossed him back in with Hot Stuff—that is twisted as fuck by the way—and started research on the others."

Efficient. How unlike her. Repair procedures had even been started on the damaged sections.

I took time to run through the entire base and almost everything was looking good. Almost.

There were several motorbikes parked on the surface outside the door.

Drills had been set up and they were almost through.

We were in the middle of a slow-motion invasion. I was glad I'd spent so much time reinforcing those doors.

I brought up the video feed on a monitor for Anna.

"We seem to have visitors. Do you recognize them?" I asked.

Anna studied the screen for a moment and then scowled. "Yeah. We've got problems. Make sure to not pipe me any audio. I must not hear anything these guys say. I need Mechos—set him free and get me whatever remains of Thomas."

"You're awfully demanding," I said.

"We've got an awfully big problem. That is the Commander. Total jerk with the ability to make people do anything he says," Anna said.

That was a fun ability. I wouldn't mind having that for myself.

"This sounds like an opportunity then," I said.

"Yes, but we've got a ticking clock. Being in his presence is enough. He probably tried to order you to open that door a long time back, but you were comatose. You aren't now."

I suddenly understood her fear. I was this whole facility. With my mind active, if he could exert that sort of influence, I was vulnerable.

I hit Anna with a high intensity burst of soundwaves, enough to rupture her eardrums. After an expected period of flailing and screaming she was pushing herself up off the bed. Anna understood, for all she might not appreciate my methods.

Down in his workshop I hit Mechos with a similar blast. This should proof them both against any facility-wide announcements, although it might not save them if they were in immediate proximity.

I produced a tablet for Anna that she could use to communicate with Mechos, then let her go on her way.

I disabled Mechos' containment field and made sure the door to my Core Room was open. If they were going to do something, those pieces should be in play.

It was just in time. I'd already killed my audio and visual feeds, but I suddenly wanted that door open. The Commander must have said something, possibly offhand, and I was present to get the impression.

I focused my will and with a flick of my mind eased the front door to the facility open. A moment later I focused my cameras and audio sensors as well. I wanted to make sure I paid very close attention to the Commander.

32

"Come on, now. If you're there, you can go ahead and show yourself," said the Commander. He was a human, a man that looked to be somewhere in his mid-forties, bearded and dressed in a suit that somehow survived even the end of civilization.

"How stupid are you? I can't come out, I'm the whole facility," I said.

"Be nice," said the Commander sharply.

Could I even do that? Not for very long or for very well.

"I'll try, but I'm built to be hostile," I said.

The Commander frowned at that, but appeared to be willing to let it go. "That's okay. I want you to answer all my questions honestly and cheerfully do anything I ask. Do you understand?"

Of course I understood.

"I understand."

"Good, tell me your name."

"Emma."

The Commander motioned towards the door and one of the men accompanying him stepped through. A few paces inside he hit the first of my traps and was impaled by spikes through his body.

The Commander, who was preparing to follow, stopped sharply. "Emma, are there many traps like that?"

"Over one hundred. I've turned myself into a death trap for visitors," I said.

"Can you disable them?"

I had no problem doing that. I switched all the traps in the complex off.

"They're disabled," I said.

The Commander ordered another of those with him to keep pace ahead as they moved inside.

"I'm looking for Sylph. Can you guide me to her Emma?" asked the Commander.

On the monitors that lined the halls I brought up arrows indicating the way. The Commander and his people made their way uninterrupted.

I noticed that Mechos had joined with Anna and made their way to my Core Room.

The Commander hadn't asked anything about them. I knew he wouldn't be happy with what they were trying to do, but he hadn't told me to make him happy.

"So, you are this complex itself. You have a Power core?" the Commander asked.

"I do. It is an upgrade core that allows me to incrementally improve myself and others."

"Fascinating. Why did you abduct Sylph?"

"I wanted to gain access to her abilities. I can do that, if I research a subject long enough."

"You could give me her power then?"

"Not yet. I am still researching. I could eventually, yes," I said.

The Commander beamed a smile. "I think we're going to become very good friends, Emma. The very best of friends."

I was certain that we would. How could anything else happen?

The Commander and the two with him made their way down to the Research level.

"Do you have any other prisoners being held in these cells?"

Right now, I only had two. Mechos was up above with Anna—and the goop that was Thomas was with them.

"One other at the moment. Her name is Hot Stuff, she has a Fire Core that allows her control over the element of Fire," I said.

"Show me."

I brought up Hot Stuff on one of the monitors. She was currently busy incinerating a wall that stood in her way.

"I do approve of the dress code," the Commander said, looking sidelong at the woman who accompanied him. "Strip down. I think you should do as the locals do."

The woman wordlessly began to remove her clothing until she stood naked.

"Can you show me Sylph as well?" the Commander asked.

I brought her up on another display.

The Commander frowned. "Overdressed. We'll fix that soon enough. Can you let me speak with them?"

I opened a line of communication with both cells and brought up his image on a monitor for them.

There was no look of recognition in Hot Stuff's eyes, but Sylph's widened in panic and she said, "No. No, damn it, no!"

"Strip, Sylph. I don't want to see you wearing clothes ever again," said the Commander.

That look of panic didn't completely fade from Sylph's eyes even as her hands moved to begin to take off the silks that she wore.

"Good girl. Hot Stuff, Sylph. You both love me, totally and completely. You want to do anything that you can to please me, and to make me happy," the Commander said.

That look of panic faded to be replaced by adoration.

"Emma? I don't know if you can feel emotions, but that goes for you as well. We are just one giant, happy family," the Commander said.

We were. I'd do anything for him and do it joyfully.

"They are not the only ones in this facility. There are two others that knew you were coming. I deafened them. I think they are trying to stop you," I said.

The Commander drew in a sharp breath. "Emma, you were holding out on me. You should have said something earlier. No, it's my fault. I should have ordered you sooner. Can you kill them?"

Anna and Mechos were both in my Core Room. The fire sprinklers were still active. They both had the temperature resistant-virus, but it would kill them, eventually.

"I can," I said.

"Go ahead and murder them," the Commander said.

I hadn't updated myself with the temperature-resistant virus just yet, but there was no time like the present. Now that I was biological I could upgrade myself similar to the others.

I installed that genetic template and then activated the fire sprinklers. Fiery droplets began to rain down from the ceiling.

It was agony for me, it was agony for them.

Anna and Mechos didn't stop working even through the torment. It was a good ninety seconds before I began to feel strange. I was getting flashes of the landscape above—the surface. Glimpses of some vast ships that soared through the sky. I also didn't love the Commander, not anymore.

I stopped the fire from raining down at once.

They'd somehow interfaced Thomas with my organic circuits. It was flashes of his memories I was getting, along with his power-resistance.

Anna and Mechos would live. Now to figure out what to do about the Commander.

33

"They're dead," I said to the Commander.

"Good," the Commander said, his eyes glued to the monitor. The man did seem more appreciative of the women on the screen than the one close to him.

I had to figure out how to handle him. I didn't think it would be too difficult to lure him into a containment cell. Clearly, he was sexually interested in both Sylph and Hot Stuff. That desire made him an easy target to manipulate.

Up until now I'd wanted to capture anyone I wanted whenever I could, but rarely had a power like the Commander's seem like such a direct threat to me. If Hot Stuff got out she could cause extensive property damage, and Sylph could almost certainly escape with relative ease. This man could control my mind in an instant.

I didn't want him alive.

I had to figure out how to kill him.

"I can tell you're interested in them, but neither can be let out of containment. Sylph is still under research and Hot Stuff's body temperature runs so hot the contact would prove fatal for you," I said.

The Commander frowned at that. "It is good of you to be concerned about my safety, Emma. Is there nothing you can do about them?"

I had just the lie ready to go. The best sort, based on truth.

"I can't, but I do have a biological fabricator. I can make you a woman to interact with to any specifications you choose. An exact duplicate of one of them, or someone else completely different."

"Hot Stuff's tits and Sylph's legs?" the Commander asked.

That combination would look a bit like Anna. The man had terrible taste.

"Of course. I can make her for you at once and you can see if you like her. Would you like me to show you the way?"

While I was keeping up this conversation I was busy multitasking elsewhere. I hadn't yet tried to manufacture anything so biologically specific, but I had a plan of how I wanted this man to go out.

It only required a few special tweaks. A modification to one of the cabins upstairs to reinforce the door, a sprinkler system loaded and ready to go.

"Lead on, Emma," the Commander said, and looked to his companions. "You two can have fun with each other."

They complied at once. The Commander seemed entirely too interested in human coupling. I was glad that my new organic brain hadn't instilled any such cravings in me.

I guided the Commander up to the residences.

"So how was it that you knew to look for Sylph?" I asked.

"I've had my fun with her and some of her people before. They keep me well-supplied in things, just as you will," the Commander said.

Good, one of the corpses then. That meant no more loose ends after this.

"The room is a bit claustrophobic but for the bed. You'll want to disrobe in the hall," I said.

The Commander was confident in his abilities. "I'm not getting undressed without a reason. If you've built this girl, then show me a picture."

How demanding. I put up an image of Anna on a nearby monitor.

"Stunning," the Commander said.

Soon there was a pile of clothing on the floor and he stood before the door. I dimmed the lights and opened the hatch.

The Commander stepped inside. As soon as he was through I slammed the door behind him.

The sprinklers sprang to life. There are virtues to being a science facility and having biochemical production equipment. I was able to put together a truly absurd amount of giant mole pheromones.

In seconds, the Commander was pretty much the most attractive thing a mole could imagine, and despite his abilities my moles were far too stupid for him to convince them otherwise.

It didn't take long for the screaming to begin. This was my warrior mole, so it might occasionally flare to life, but I did order it to try and suppress that impulse as much as possible. I wanted things to last for a while.

I shut off the sensors to allow them some privacy. I tranquilized the Commander's two companions and moved them to separate cells. I suspected they shared no trace of his ability, and were simply under his influence. Perhaps when they regained their own minds I could find some use for them. If not, I could always use more biomass.

I got Anna into the Infirmary and Mechos back into his testing labyrinth. The man might have helped me, and I'd see him brought back to health, but I still wasn't going to take any chances.

I gave it a few hours before I checked back on the Commander. There was little enough left of the man, a few stringy bits of blackened flesh clinging to the skeleton. It seemed the mole had eaten some of him after raping and burning him to death.

In the middle of the corpse's ribcage was a small cluster of crystal glowing a dim orange color.

I commanded my warrior mole to pick it up, but as soon as contact was made the crystal flared away and I felt a charge coursing through my systems.

You have claimed a Command Crystal.

You have unlocked the ability of command at a distance. All range limitations for your drones are now rendered irrelevant. You can control your minions and agents at great distances.

That wasn't the power the Commander had. So far the abilities I'd gained were at least something similar to the abilities my test subjects possessed. Was that because I was researching them, or was it chance?

Did each crystal have a range of gifts it might bestow? I'd have to find out more about this. I'd also have to do some improvements—with this latest modification I should have a major update available.

34

I wanted to apply my major upgrade before I worried about any others.

You have an unspent core point.

Core points can enhance your competencies and open up new options for Research and Manufacturing.

Your options are:

Research 4

Research 4 will allow you to institute advanced testing protocols. These protocols will halve the research times of all projects. In addition, when beginning a new project, you will gain an enhanced breakdown of the possible benefits.

Military 1

Military 1 will allow you to build defense drones. Defense drones are mobile weapon platforms capable of base defense and attacks at a distance. While basic in function they can ultimately be updated to become formidable weapon platforms.

Manufacturing 1

Manufacturing 1 will allow the production of automated minions. They are capable of autonomous facility repair and will halve all build and production times for new facilities.

Up until now I'd been obviously focused on research each time. I did love my SCIENCE more than anything else. If the most recent research update would gather the passive core points I gained, it would be an easy decision, but it seemed it just halved research times.

Although those were getting uncomfortably long, there were other concerns. My facility kept facing new threats, and when the teleportation abilities finished unlocking, if they performed as hoped, it would do a lot to solve my resources bottleneck. I could make stronger cases now for either a Military or Manufacturing upgrade.

When it came down to it I just didn't feel I could put it off any longer. The last few times I'd been under threat, I'd been good—and I'd been lucky. I kept playing it close to the line and that run of good luck couldn't last forever.

I selected the Military upgrade. At once I got the option of where to locate my new defensive facilities. I placed them on the level just below the surface. I wanted whatever defenses I could muster between myself and those who would do me harm, and with a few levels in hand too.

Military Options

As you have selected a military upgrade you now have several defensive options you can choose from.

Mechanical Options

Drones

Defense drones are the backbone mechanical defense possible. Each is capable of flight and are equipped with an electric zapper. Further upgrades are automatically included with further progression along the Military line. At your current level of Military you can have up to three drones.

Biological Options

As you possess a biological fabricator further options are available.

Rats

Rats are agile and fast and make excellent scouts. While they have no ranged abilities, they are possessed with sharp claws and teeth. At your current level of Military you can have up to four rats.

Humans

Humans are the apex predators of the planet. While individually poorly armored and unarmed compared to many other creatures their ability to implement strategies and utilize tools is unmatched. Manufactured humans will have randomly generated personality attributes and come armed with cloth armor and a spear. At your current level of Military you can have up to two humans.

Was this even a choice? For all that I might complain about them, the world outside was proof of how unbelievably destructive humans could be. If I was going to have guardians, I wanted the best.

I began fabrication of two humans.

Abigail

Gender: Female

Specialization: Melee

Traits: Rowdy, Fearless, Slow

Bernard

Gender: Male

Specialization: Scout

Traits: Cautious, Glutton, Nimble

"Oh, being alive feels good," Abigail said, stretching out. "You got some shit for us to wreck, boss?"

"I'd settle for plate of cookies or three," Bernard said.

Great, more human chatter. These were different from the others though, I could actually see through their eyes just as if I were switching to a camera. While I couldn't directly control their limbs, I could direct them.

"Not yet. Get out of that equipment and grab some decent gear. Then start patrolling before I turn you back into biomatter," I said.

We still had several sets of body armor from the Righteous. I quickly modified these to fit my new troopers and altered the colors to white and green. That armor was the best we had in stock, and the rifles of the Righteous were our best guns.

Abigail and Bernard began their patrols. I sent off a message to the Mechanites to avoid any accidental exchanges of gunfire.

With that done it was time to look at some smaller upgrades. Particularly with so many of my systems now being biological an upgraded Infirmary was more important than ever.

Infirmary - Level 3

With this upgrade the Infirmary will now be able to hold up to four patients simultaneously. In addition thanks to improved protocols all healing times are halved.

Once more I'd need to fund the upgrade out of my excess energy reserves. For now, that was worth doing, I began the upgrade.

With that out of the way it was my resource producers that were becoming increasingly important.

Growth Vats - Level 4

You can now also grow flesh within your growth vats. This large supply of muscle tissue, skin, and organs can aid the Infirmary in the replacement of these as well as providing a new source of nutrition.

This upgrade wouldn't increase the yield, which was unfortunate, but there was something to be said for variety. Especially now that I had human defenders, I could see where a supply of excess organs might be helpful. If expanded dietary options also gave a morale boost, it was worth doing.

Next, I needed to review my reactor.

Bioreactor - Level 4

Your Bioreactor now has the ability to produce a limited number of spawn. While these offspring cannot grow into full reactors and have a limited lifespan they can provide limited electrical power even away from the facility or serve as backups to the main power grid.

Batteries, essentially. The technology of the old world was built on electrical systems and the inability to generate electricity now was why most of it didn't work. This upgrade could provide some major possibilities out there in the wild.

35

I had research projects completing and it was finally time to harvest the fruits of those labors. Anna had begun one on the Slidekickers while I'd been out of it, and the project with Sylph I had started myself.

Research Menu

Slidekickers

The Slidekickers possess impressions of a dimensional core matrix that that offer them an awareness of threats in their area and grant them limited teleportation abilities. You are able to integrate that into your facility. Drones or agents connected to you may now teleport to any floor of the facility instantly.

Research Menu

"Sylph"

Sylph possesses a dimensional Power core granting her considerable powers over teleportation and movement in space as well as limited movement through time. You can grant a limited version of this ability as an upgrade. You also can now construct one of the following two rooms.

Transport Chamber

This chamber will allow you to transport people or objects anywhere in the world you have scouted. While it cannot be used to directly transport objects back, if acquired and in the possession of one of your agents those resources can be returned.

Producer

This room will warp space to produce a steady supply of materials useful for base construction. While it cannot be targeted it will run consistently in the background to generate its benefits.

Both options were tempting. The first would allow me to transport my agents anywhere. I could do the same thing with adding a dimensional matrix directly to my agents, but those upgrades were likely to be expensive. The Producer, on the other hand, would simply work and get me things I might require, perhaps even things I didn't know I needed.

Ultimately the Producer seemed likely to be the best long-term benefit. The entire reason for going after Sylph had been to solve my resource shortfalls and that was exactly what that upgrade promised to do. I selected it.

I was interrupted from any further consideration of upgrades by something I really hadn't expected to get in this world.

I was being hailed on one of my old communication channels.

The source was from above. I had no cameras watching the skies, but quickly repositioned one. There was some sort of airship hovering overhead. While I didn't know the design, the whites and golds were unmistakable. The Righteous had come for another visit.

I opened the channel to listen in.

"This is the Purification. I say again, do you read?" came a male voice.

Anna had healed from when I set fire to her, including her hearing. I keyed in the signal to her and Mechos, who was likewise back to normal. I'd want their opinions.

"I read you, Purification. Unfortunately, I see you too. If you're all colorblind I can perhaps fix that. What do you want?" I asked.

"To talk. Prepare to receive guests."

I took a moment to fabricate a few clips of rifle ammunition upgraded with the Righteous killing matrix. I distributed one each to Abigail and Bernard, and a third to Anna.

I figured out what must have happened. The Righteous I'd captured must have returned home after the failed attempt to kill Sylph.

A small shuttle descended from the airship and three figures got off. I couldn't tell gender—I couldn't tell much of anything about them, because they were clad from head to toe in some sort of heavy power armor.

The Righteous appeared to have some way to generate electricity. I wondered if perhaps their powers granted by the void crystal also neutralized whatever stopped normal generators from working.

I had time enough to quickly do some additional fabrication. I manufactured some armor piercing rounds, imbued them with Righteous killing power, and sent these to the exterior cannons.

This was getting expensive quickly.

The three walked up to the entryway of the base and stopped.

"All the theatrics and you aren't going to come inside?" I asked.

"This isn't an invasion. This is a show of force," said a mechanical voice from the lead figure.

They were trying to intimidate me. They were having some success, they'd already demonstrated technology well in advance of anything else I'd seen so far.

I was busy analyzing their armor. There was a joint on the right shoulder where three panels met. It might be a vulnerable spot. The temperature readings were also highest near the small of their back—so, likely where the power source was kept.

"And here I thought you were trying to seduce me by hiding all the squishy bits," I said.

"We are aware of what you are doing. We have an interest. Taking and purifying the Powered is what we do. Your studies are not incompatible with our goals, but we cannot allow you to operate without us," said the leader.

I didn't like being threatened. Next, they'd put their best foot forward to show themselves invincible. But they weren't going to leave it at that, launching some kind of attack soon afterwards.

I withdrew the human guardians farther back. They'd be more difficult to replace than anything else.

"You want me to sign up with you?" I said.

"Research materials will be provided. You will be contained, but comfortable. The alternative is your destruction."

In some ways, it was a tempting offer. I really did want to focus on my research without the need for things such as security.

"But can I trust you?" I asked.

"You don't have a choice. We'll give you some time to decide. If you choose not to cooperate you will be purified."

I detected a power buildup in the airship. I opened up with my cannons even as some sort of high-powered kinetic rounds rained from the sky.

I don't know if my rounds found their mark. My cameras were destroyed in seconds as both cannons were wiped out and the entire entry to the facility collapsed.

If they'd wanted to show their ability to hurt me, they succeeded. I hoped that I'd proved the same.

36

The Righteous airship was gone, probably retreated to a safe distance while I supposedly used the time they gave me to make up my mind. I set my worker mole and the Mechanites to cleaning out the entrance while calling for a meeting with Anna and Mechos.

"This is a big problem," Anna said, straddling her chair. "The Righteous are no joke and if they've called in an airship they really mean business."

"You knew they could do that? Were you planning on telling me or had it just slipped your tiny little brain?" I asked.

"We're in the Wastes, but the Wastes aren't all there are. Yeah, I knew," Anna said.

It is the sort of thing that she shoulda have told me.

"The Cataclysm affected different parts of the world differently. Our portion is more inhospitable than most," Mechos said.

We lived in the land nobody sane wanted to venture into. Made sense, given it seemed to be filled with super-powered killing machines.

"Should I accept their offer?" I asked.

"Absolutely not," Mechos said.

"Fuck no," Anna said, at the same time.

They gave each other wry looks.

"They get you under their thumb, you'll never get out from under it. It might seem a good deal on the surface, but they want to get rid of powers and eventually that means they'd want to get rid of you," Anna said.

"I'd selfishly add that even if they were willing to work with you for a time, the same does not hold true of your allies," Mechos said.

My analysis was coming up the same way. I just didn't trust the Righteous, from what I'd seen of them. I also found it strange they hadn't even asked after Thomas. Loyalty didn't seem to mean much to them.

"Then can we fight them?" I asked.

"You have a way to kill them. Can that be used to defeat their power-canceling field?" Anna asked.

I didn't know, but I could test it. By empowering my warrior mole with the ability to kill the Righteous and see if it worked on Thomas, but only give Thomas some serious burns. I didn't want Thomas dead for good, he was still useful, but by carefully managing the burn I should be able to determine the effectiveness of the flames.

"Possibly. I can find out," I said.

"Then perhaps. Even without their protection they have formidable equipment and gear. Working powers can do a lot to level that field though," Mechos said.

"I can give you teleportation abilities now. We have some time. Can you think of any abilities that might help us?" I asked.

"The Speedfreaks," Mechos said.

"They're crazy," Anna said.

"If we're going into a fight, reaction time and fire speed can be everything. With their modifications, we'd improve every bit of our offensive chances," Mechos said.

"If they don't kill us first," Anna said.

"If you two wish to be left alone to make the most hideous baby ever, it will have to be later. Who are these Speedfreaks?" I asked.

"They're fast, like it sounds. Really fast. It doesn't sound nearly as badass as it actually is," Anna said.

"Those that get in their way die very messy deaths, very quickly," Mechos said.

They sounded perfect.

"Can you lure them here?"

"You've got nothing they want," Anna said.

Mechos said slyly, "That I concur. But they do have a home base. I know the location and you've mastered a teleport ability."

"You want to do a snatch and grab," Anna said.

"Do you think they can outrun a teleport?"

Anna opened her mouth to answer and closed it after a moment. Finally, she said, "No, I don't think so. But that still gives us the problem of what to do with Runner once she is here."

Runner, I guessed, was the Speedfreaks' leader. I said, "I've kept working on what can be done with Thomas' goop."

"The last time you tried to spray him on someone, you fucked up big-time," Anna said.

Was she still grumbly about being tortured almost to death? Anna could be such a complainer.

"It was probably your incompetence that caused the plan to end in failure. I've figured out how to work around it. I've been doing a lot of testing at how to properly aerosolize the goop so it can be sucked into the lungs."

Anna grimaced. "You really need to stop killing that guy and experimenting on his body."

"I don't kill him. Hot Stuff kills him."

"Making him a sex toy is even worse."

"I believe he has actually fallen for her," I said.

Anna paused and grunted, "Huh. Really?"

I brought up video of the two sharing a rather tender kiss. Tender in some relative sense, given his skin was blistering from the contact.

Anna stared and shrugged. "Right. The crazy femme fatale in a cage can get a boyfriend and I'm still single."

"Can you blame men for finding the thought of being burned alive more tempting than sleeping with you?" I asked.

Mechos cleared his throat like he wanted to say something. He didn't.

Anna took a deep breath and forced a smile. "So you maybe slow down her powers a bit. Then what?"

Mechos offered, "Friction-heavy flooring. I should be able to rig up some panels that would do immense damage to someone trying to move across them quickly."

"And I can mix the neutralizing gas with a tranquilizer agent. We slow her down and keep her captive until she goes under," I said.

Anna said wryly, "It's going to be me grabbing her. How do you keep her from cutting me into little Anna chunks in the meantime?"

"I'm realizing that acknowledging your eternal solitude has made you even more dim-witted than usual. You can teleport. You simply need to grab her, bring her here, then abandon her as you've abandoned all hope of a happy or fulfilling life," I said.

"I want a backup plan. These little schemes of yours never go like you say," Anna said.

Well, that just seemed mean. I was a brilliant planner. Anna could be so inconsiderate sometimes.

37

I set up the trap for Runner in a new military training area. There was nothing else that the space was being used for, and if it suffered some damage it wouldn't be an issue.

At Anna's urging I did have a backup plan, of sorts. I'd sealed the entire area off with reinforced doors. Runner didn't have any sort of enhanced strength, so the doors should serve to hold her. If I needed to, I could evacuate the air from the area and suffocate her.

I'd rather take her alive, but with the threat of the Righteous looming the important thing was getting access to her Power core. At the same time, given the unexpected behavior of the last core as I'd taken it from a dead subject, I'd rather gain the abilities from a living one.

I upgraded Anna with the teleportation ability and she spent a few days getting the hang of it. We determined that she had a maximum range of about two kilometers in a single teleport, and could only manage forty kilometers in total each day. It was nowhere close to what Runner was capable of traveling, but it likely was on par with her lieutenants and outdistance them. It would do.

Anna suited herself up for combat, getting into her own set of Righteous battle armor. If any combat happened it would be at close quarters, so she passed up a rifle in favor of a pistol and knife.

The plan was that she'd spend one day teleporting close to Runner, then camp out to allow her power to rest. The distance was going to be around twenty kilometers. Theoretically, she could manage the return trip carrying Runner all in the same day. It would be cutting it close and if she didn't get Runner all the way back here, then the plan would almost certainly result in her death.

The two companions of the Commander had agreed to stay on and work—not that they had anyplace else to go. Along with the Mechanites they continued to work on clearing away the debris from the entrance.

* * *

Thirty hours after Anna departed she made her return.

I'd been keeping careful watch on the room where Mechos had our trap rigged, just waiting for the moment. Anna flickered back into existence, but something was wrong. Her body was moving at over one hundred kilometers per hour as it crashed into a wall, breaking several of her bones in the process, before she collapsed into a heap.

There was no sign of Runner, and other bad things were happening. My new bioreactor really was something like a beating heart and it was starting to beat out of control, building up energy. Power was flooding the base systems—too much.

Lights flickered all over the facility, a bolt of electricity leaping out of a wall panel to electrocute one of the Mechanites passing near.

I had too much charge.

The lowest level of the base was unoccupied and I discharged as much of it as I could there, filling the corridors with blasts.

The containment cells' power was fluctuating and I disengaged the barrier on Mechos. It wouldn't be his first time out and I cautiously trusted the man. More, at least, than I trusted any of my other test subjects, who would happily kill me if they had the chance.

I blacked out for a moment, a surge to my central core leaving me dazed for several minutes.

My systems were degrading quickly. I had to stop these overloads from happening. My Power core was biological in essence, I had to treat it that way. I manufactured a combination of muscle relaxant and sedative, and delivered it in an injector to Abigail, who I already had teleporting to the Core Room.

I have to say this about my manufactured human guardian, she really was fearless. The room was filled with arcing bolts of power and she charged through them all to deliver the injection. A blast threw her back through the doorway, her body smoking. I had Bernard on hand as a spare and had him teleport her back to the Infirmary. My worker mole had just teleported to Anna and was ready to do the same with her.

"Is there a reason you've opened my door?" Mechos asked from a comm panel in the research center.

"Because you're the least dangerous prisoner I have. Anna is back, but Runner isn't here. My systems are racing out of control," I said.

I thought the tranquilizer was having an effect, the beating of the reactor seemed to be slowing.

"You got a dose of energy of the Speed Core. Anna is going to be filled with it. You'll need to slow down her heart rate before her body tears itself apart," Mechos said.

He wanted me to worry about her heart. Well, I was good at multitasking. I prepared the Infirmary with that information. When Anna reached it the autodoc would be ready.

"I've got a heart of my own. I've tried a tranquilizer, but my power levels are still unstable," I said.

"Use Thomas," Mechos said.

It was a good idea. Thomas was currently mixed with the tranquilizer gas in the trap, but that could serve a dual purpose. I altered the configuration so I could shunt the gas directly to the Core Room and began piping it in.

The relief was immediate, I could feel my rhythm starting to slow into something more regular.

My relief was short-lived. My worker mole was killed in a massive explosion outside the reactor, and another blast occurred in the hall outside my central processor.

Then the facility began to shake, tremors coursing through the earth like the mountain around us was being ripped apart.

We were under attack again.

38

Had the Righteous returned?

It was the most likely reason for the whole mountain to be shaking.

"What's going on?" Mechos called.

"Someone seems to be doing a better job at threatening this facility than you did," I said.

I was checking surveillance recordings to figure out what had just happened. There it was—the two that had accompanied the Commander. They must have had internalized bombs of some kind and detonated themselves outside my critical structures. It was fortunate that I'd reinforced the doors.

"Upgrade me," Mechos said.

"Improve your allure all you want. Anna still isn't going to sleep with you," I said.

"Runner is still out there and she'll be angry after this. Give me the ability to teleport and I'll go get her. Nobody else here can take a punch like I can," Mechos said.

That was true. Mechos had a Power core of his own that granted him powers a lot like mine. I couldn't be sure that if I upgraded him I'd ever see him again, but at this point he was my best chance.

I applied the upgrade.

"I've already used the tranquilizer gas," I said.

"You can't make more?"

I could recycle a bit. It wouldn't be the quantities it had been before.

"I can slow her down, but you might have to finish the job," I said.

"I'll figure it out," Mechos said

"Her location is going to be at the very edge of her range."

"I know it. I'll stop by the surface first and broadcast a visual for you," Mechos said, flickering out of existence.

A moment later he did as promised. I didn't get much video, just a few seconds, but it was enough to give me some idea what I was dealing with.

There were three airships in the sky, each in shades of black and red, and they were smaller than the Righteous vessel—which was nowhere in sight. The weaponry looked to be different as well, some sort of energy cannons instead of the kinetic bolts the Righteous fired.

I sent the images to a monitor in the Infirmary and hit Anna with enough stimulants to wake her.

"Stop lazing about and tell me if you recognize these ships," I said.

Anna turned her head and her eyes widened in alarm. "Scholars. Get me mobile."

"You have multiple broken bones."

"Fix me later. I need to be up and conscious," Anna said.

I had the autodoc begin applying splints to her limbs.

Mechos rematerialized. Like Anna when she returned, he was moving at high speed and the crunch against the wall was familiar. An instant later he flickered away into the hall outside.

But Mechos hadn't come alone. The woman that materialized too had dark hair and was incredibly thin and long-limbed.

My cameras only fixed on her for a moment before she became a blur. I didn't know what she intended, but I wasn't inclined to let her finish and find out. I triggered the release of the gas.

Runner hit the high-friction flooring and screamed as she tumbled and crashed against a wall. Her body was vibrating at an intensely high rate of speed and, somehow, she phased right through the floor to drop into the level below.

Runner had escaped my trap, but not unscathed. She was coughing violently and thick, black veins were pulsing along her flesh. The power-neutralizing gas had gotten into her system. Like Hot Stuff, her power was trying to resist it and would probably win.

Runner's body gave another of those blurring shimmers and she fell through two floors this time. Her body was starting to convulse. The gas was at least making her powers unpredictable.

I teleported my warrior mole to her and it sprang onto her body. This wasn't an attack, it was just establishing physical contact. Once the mole was touching her I teleported both into an open containment cell and triggered the field.

The moment they arrived the mole seemed to explode, it was as if were shaken so hard and so quickly that its body tore apart. Blood and fragments of bone sprayed in all directions, and Runner went all but invisible from the rate of her movement as she tested the walls of her cell.

When the others had called her dangerous I'd thought they must be exaggerating. They weren't. I had Mechos moved to the Infirmary, his limp body shifted onto a bed even as Anna was getting off hers.

Anna was pumped so full of pain killers she wasn't feeling a thing. That was fortunate. With the damage she'd suffered, I doubted she'd be able to move at all otherwise.

"What happened to him?" Anna asked.

"He finished the work you failed at. Runner is in captivity. Tell me about the people shooting at us," I said.

"Open me a channel. Frequency should be 460.25," Anna said.

Did she not remember which one of us was in charge?

Still, if it might stop people from shooting at me...

I opened the channel.

"This is Scholarium Adelites Annabella Besari. Cease your attack on this facility at once," Anna said.

The mountain stopped trembling.

I muted the connection and asked, "So, not quite the power-hungry madwoman and thief you made yourself out to be?"

"I'm every bit those things. I'm hoping they don't realize it yet," Anna said. She gestured for me to open the channel again.

A clipped, female voice was saying, "You're confirmed. We're detecting power levels over five from the mountain and received double distress beacons."

Anna motioned for me to mute the signal again.

"Fuck. Two beacons? Do you know what happened?" Anna asked.

"The two people the Commander left behind detonated themselves near my reactor and Core Room. Could that be what they are referring to?" I asked.

"Damn it. We should have scanned them. Put me back on," Anna said.

She called back, "I don't know their identities. I was attaining a Command core and they were enthralled."

"You neutralized them?" the voice asked.

"Yes," Anna said.

"That will require review. I'll contact the Legasa on your behalf. Do you require assistance?"

"Negative. Thank you and good hunting," Anna said.

"Good hunting."

39

I killed the channel. Anna had some questions to answer.

"They won't be back immediately, but they will be back. We need to build you some shielding panels. We can make it look like I moved on," Anna said.

"They were picking up whatever readings they were getting through a mountain," I said.

"It's your Power cores. You're registering as a major prize," Anna said.

"You're registering as a major inconvenience. Who are they and who are you?"

"I'm Anna, like I said. I want to rule the world—like I said. Scholars collect and horde cores for the Lords and Ladies of the Rim. I got kind of sick of fetching and carrying for someone else."

That all made some sort of sense.

"And we aren't stealing from these Lords and Ladies directly for what reason?" I asked.

"Because you aren't ready for that fight yet. Oh, we're going to. We're going to burn their palaces to the ground and make them kneel to me, but we aren't ready yet," Anna said, with grim determination.

"I need more than that."

"I'm high as a kite and more than a little delirious. That's all you're getting for now. They don't come this way often. They'll probably hunt a few cores and be on their way," Anna said.

"What is their relationship to the Righteous?"

"They don't like each other. It isn't going to make much sense to you, but after the Cataclysm think of the Earth like the solar system. At the centre the rules of the old world still mostly hold. And there is the Rim, where they break down the most," Anna said.

"I can accept that. You said the Lords and Ladies are allied with the Rim?" I asked.

"Yeah. Where Power cores are at their strongest and nothing is quite like it ever has been. They live in extravagant luxury while surrounded by unspeakable horrors," Anna said.

"Those two wouldn't seem to go together."

"It's a weird place. The Righteous, though, are all about the world that was. They try to get Power cores and strip them of their power, bring things back a little bit more. You might say they're on a mission to put the old world together piece by piece."

"It sounds more like they are mortal enemies than they just don't like each other," I said.

Anna tried to shrug and winced "My painkillers are wearing off. A war is coming, everyone knows it's coming, but it isn't here yet."

If a war was coming, then it begged the question of whose side we were on? Did we have one, or were we our own?

The Rim seemed interested in stealing my cores—they hadn't come to talk, but came with guns blazing. The Righteous at least wanted to talk, eventually, but Anna said they weren't to be trusted. I also knew now that Anna came into this with her own prejudices.

First, I had to make sure I was capable of fighting anyone right now. Mechos, Anna, Abigail, and one of the Mechanites were all in the Infirmary. I'd lost my warrior mole and would have to replace it. The tunnels into the base were even more caved in after the shelling we'd just taken, and a good fifty percent of my systems were functioning irregularly after the power surges of earlier.

I also had a research project to start.

Research Menu

"Runner"

Runner is bonded to a speed core. This grants her the ability to move and think at speeds vastly greater than those of a normal human. Her core has been expanded so that she can phase through matter as well as deconstruct it violently at a touch. Research could yield a variety of speed-related bonuses.

That was intriguing. Runner hadn't just naturally been that powerful. This was the first clear example I'd seen of someone else’s core truly being upgraded. It seemed like I would only get one of those abilities from researching. I wondered what would happen, if I killed her? Would I then get all of those extra abilities, or would they generate out there in the world somewhere?

I began the research. The time was quick compared to most, it would only be a week.

I took the opportunity to review what I'd accomplished.

E.M.M.A

Underground Facility

Power Core: 250

Power Usage: 85

Habitability: 20

Biomass: 678

Building Material: 85

Research: 4

Military: 1

Manufacturing: 0

Additional Facilities

Biocomputer - Level 4

Bioreactor - Level 4

Genetics Lab - Level 4

Growth Vats - Level 4

Infirmary - Level 3

Cabins - Level 3

Processor - Level 4

My supply of biomatter was coming along nicely at least. With increasing amounts of my systems being biologically focused that was my primary building material.

Anna was still up. Even though my organic computer was a bit slower than my old processor, I could still out-think a human. My considerations had only taken seconds.

I hit Mechos with some stimulants. The man groaned and tried to sit up. The broken bones weren't very conducive to that.

I ordered the autodoc to apply splints to him.

"Anna has some specifications for you. We're going to need shielding built and installed as quickly as possible," I said.

"Is Samantha all right?" Mechos asked.

It took me a moment to realize who he meant. Of course, his Mechanite companion also in the Infirmary. They had names, I probably should learn them one of these days.

"Simply a little electrocuted. Four days to repair, you are in far worse shape," I said.

"Sorry I didn't get Runner the first time," Anna said.

"You did your best. You knew how dangerous she was. It was brave of you to try," Mechos said, staring into her eyes.

"Coitus later. Shielding now," I said.

"You've a real talent for ruining the moment," Anna said.

"You've a real talent for repulsing men. Get to work."

40

Runner hadn't stopped moving in her testing labyrinth. At first, I thought she was just attempting to phase through the floor again, but now I was getting worried that she had something else in mind.

My cameras were starting to be distorted, the views angling oddly. If I had to guess, I'd say that she was trying to wrap space in some fashion.

I was confident in the containment holding, but I feared she might be attempting to reach out to her gang. I'd already seen firsthand how she could phase through matter, perhaps she had some way of signaling her location?

I modified the open sections of the cell floor into new traps. Layers of rapidly swirling razor-sharp fan blades. Setting foot in there now would lead to being sliced into ribbons one layer at a time.

* * *

The Speedfreaks did arrive, but nowhere near my new traps.

When intrusion alarms went off it was in different areas of the base simultaneously. One in Hydroponics, another on the Security level, yet another on the Archives level.

I had a quick solution for one of those. I'd had the Archive floor powered down after all the damage from the electrical surges. I turned everything back on to overload levels.

It didn't matter how quick someone was when the very halls were filled with electricity. Lightning was faster—or so you'd think. Still, the woman that materialized managed to dodge several arcing bolts. My fastest cameras could barely catch her movements. A bolt did finally catch her in the arm and the result was a smoldering corpse tumbling down the hall.

If it could work on that level, I could make it work in Hydroponics. I'd never uninstalled the water cannons I'd used against Hot Stuff and the Flames. I made it rain, then overloading the power again I made an electrical storm.

The water made a great conductor and an astonished-looking man collapsed into a damp and twitching heap in a puddle.

Two down in quick order. The third wasn't going to be as easy.

I had traps on the Security level. I had lots of traps on the Security level. Spike traps, saw traps, poison gas, incinerators, freezers, chompers and bolters and biters. The woman avoided them all with a skill that made me feel absolutely inept. Everything triggered too late. I tried to anticipate her moves with the traps and she would only go even faster.

"Okay. I know you're watching me. How about we talk?" said the woman.

With my efforts at killing her going so poorly, I wasn't averse to the idea.

"Tired out from killing your friends. What do you want?" I asked.

"My friends were assholes. Runner is a monster. You going to kill her?"

A potential ally, or was she lulling me into a false sense of security?

"Maybe," I said. I wasn't going to give away any information I didn't have to. "You looking to save her or betray her?"

"I'm Octavia, and I'm the second fastest woman you'll ever meet. You kill her, that goes away and I'm nothing," Octavia said.

When a Powered lost their core, their lieutenants lost their ability? It wasn't something I'd been able to confirm. The only Powered I'd actually killed had been the Commander, and he didn't have lieutenants, just thralls.

"What if it didn't kill her?" I asked.

"What if you give me her core and we become best friends, even lovers. I'm flexible," Octavia said.

"I'm an organic supercomputer and find you repulsive."

"All good. I'd finish first anyways and aren't all that generous."

Why did humans always have to be so disgusting, especially when they might be rather useful, despite their habits?

"How about I keep her locked away in a cell she can never escape from? You work for me and keep your speed, and live to disgust people with your flirting another day?" I asked.

Octavia considered this. "Second fiddle to a badass computer. Most important human alive. I dig it."

"Not quite. There's Anna, who is going to be Queen of the World. Then there's Mechos, although he is technically a prisoner. It's all rather complex," I said.

Octavia tapped her foot so fast gusts of wind sent dust scattering along the floor. "Anna hot?"

Why was that a question? What did that possibly have to do with anything?

I opened a comm and a two-way display. "Anna. I have a Speedfreak here who possibly wants to join up and seems disturbingly interested in seducing you sight unseen."

"Way more interested now that it is sight seen. I'm Octavia," Octavia said.

Mechos scowled behind Anna's shoulder as she brushed a few strands of hair back from her forehead.

"I'm Anna. You're cool with me being Queen of the World?" Anna asked.

"Do I have to curtsey and call you Majesty and stuff?" Octavia asked and shrugged. "Why not?'

"Uh, yeah. Let's go with that. I'm okay with her—she's on board," Anna said, and killed the connection.

"Your choice. I can go back to trying to kill you, if you'd prefer," I said.

"You were doing pretty bad at that," Octavia said.

I was, but then I'd been bringing up some toxic gas from the levels below. I had stockpiles enough now that I could flood the entire level if this didn't go as needed.

"That isn't an answer," I said.

Octavia grinned. "Tell her Majesty I'm on board, digital hotness."

"It's Emma."

"I like my name for you better."

I'd keep the poison gas on hand. For now though, with all we faced, I was happy to have any support we could get.

41

A week passed. It was enough time for us to finally clear out the entrance. I repaired my exterior cameras, but there wasn't much I could do in terms of weaponry that might manage to hit an airship.

It was also time for my research project to complete.

You have an unspent core point.

Core points can enhance your competencies and open up new options for Research and Manufacturing.

Research Menu

"Runner"

Runner possesses a speed core granting her enormous speed of body and mind. You have two possible rewards from this research.

Accelerator

This chamber will offer a modest increase in speed for all base facilities and defenses based on their level.

Speed Matrix

With the Speed Matrix you can upgrade biological entities with the hasted ability granting them a lesser version of the speed Runner herself possesses.

They were intriguing possibilities. The first option sounded like it would improve the speed of everything in my base, but by a modest amount, although that would scale over time. The second would give me an upgrade I could apply. With a number of my functions now biological that meant I'd be able to apply it to them as well, although at a cost in core points.

I preferred the passive upgrade. Not all of my systems were biological, and core points were a precious commodity. While I'd love the ability to mix something like the Speed Matrix in a Fire Matrix in a defender, I could have a lesser version of that at half the cost.

You have an unspent core point.

Core points can enhance your competencies and open up new options for Research and Manufacturing.

Your options are:

Research 4

Research 4 will allow you to institute advanced testing protocols. These protocols will halve the research times of all projects. In addition, when beginning a new project you will gain an enhanced breakdown of the possible benefits.

Military 2

Military 2 will allow you to control a greater number of defense drones. There is power in numbers.

Manufacturing 1

Manufacturing 1 will allow the production of automated minions. They are capable of autonomous facility repair and will halve all build and production times for new facilities.

The Military upgrade had already proved its worth and going that route again was tempting. The Manufacturing was as well, I truly was weak in some of my fundamentals. The Research upgrade seemed underwhelming, although I suspected that as the level continued to increase some vastly better rewards might be found further along that path.

Ultimately, I wanted to be a SCIENCE facility and that meant I needed to do SCIENCE. I took the latest Research upgrade.

I granted Bernard a full teleportation upgrade and sent him scouting the surroundings so that I could get an idea of what was going on out in the world.

He didn't need long to report back.

It was a small-scale war. The three Scholar airships hadn't left and were regularly engaging the gangs on the ground. They were winning handily, their firepower more than any of the gangs could match.

I called my council, such as it was, together. Projecting details of what was going on for Anna and Mechos.

"They're hunting cores while they're in the area. They'll get bored, eventually," Anna said.

"Are you certain of that?" Mechos asked.

Anna gnawed on her lower lip for a long moment. "No. This area has a higher core density than it's supposed to. Higher than it says in the records."

"Bad record keeping? Were you in charge of it?" I asked.

"I was, actually. I was hiding this laboratory," Anna said. "Those ships are flying Lady Sylax's colors. It isn't beyond her to try to make a claim for this place."

"I'm not familiar with the name," Mechos said.

"Her colors are black and red. How much more do you need to know? Sylax likes to play the vamp and really likes shedding blood."

"Did you two finish with the shielding?" I asked.

"You're hidden. And they'll likely think I was poaching cores and ran off," Anna said.

"You do seem like a thief."

"I do, and they'll want to believe it. That means they don't have to report my presence and that means they have more time to operate off the books and try to establish their own claim," Anna said.

"If they do claim this area, what will it mean?"

"They'll be here in force. They'll use disruption towers to weaken the physical laws still in effect," Anna said.

None of that sounded particularly good.

"I'd rather not have that happen, “I said.

"The question is, can we stop it? They appear to have a considerable technological advantage," Mechos said.

"We can't. I've said it before, you're not ready for this fight yet. We stay low and we poach cores, and we don't get involved," Anna said.

"What about the Righteous?" Mechos asked.

They were the logical alternative. They had at least one airship of their own and they were at ideological odds with the Scholars.

"They're fuckers that want purify everyone and everything with a core. They aren't really your friends," Anna said.

I didn't doubt her. I knew that they weren't my friends, but that didn't mean that we couldn't have a common cause.

"I have the frequency they used to contact us before. I can reach out to them," I said.

Anna let out a low breath. "Emma, have I steered you wrong yet?"

Despite her many shortcomings, Anna had always tried to be a good partner. I recognized that.

I said, "No, but you're too close to this, Anna. It is making you even dumber than usual."

"For what it is worth, I agree with Emma. I don't trust the Righteous either, but they are our best option," Mechos said.

Anna scowled at us both, but then nodded. "Fine. I'll play nice, but on your heads be it."

It was settled then. I had a call to make.

42

"This is the Righteous Purifier," said a drawling male voice on the other side of the communications channel.

"This is Emma. We need to talk."

"One moment. I'll get you Commander Danik."

It took a minute for a new voice. Gruff and male.

"This is Commander Danik of the Righteous Purifier. I understand you wish to take us up on our offer," Danik said.

"Incorrect. I've no desire to be under your command any more than you have a desire to wind up in my testing lab. I want to discuss the Scholars," I said.

There was pause, I suspected they were discussing things.

"What do you know about the Scholars?" Danik asked.

"Three ships for now, flying the colors of Lady Sylax. We believe she intends on staking claim to the Wasteland," I said.

It seemed best to be upfront with my knowledge. Anything which made me appear a knowledgeable and capable partner would make them more inclined to cooperate.

"We concur. No doubt, as an inhabitant of the Wasteland you have little desire to have that happen," Danik said.

That was obvious. But they weren't giving away as much as I'd like. It was time to push my luck.

"If you were a match for them, you would have already engaged. We like our odds, but it is still closer to a fair fight than we would like. Perhaps there is an area for cooperation between us here?" I asked.

"Perhaps there is. We have a problem. Our airships and theirs are operating under very different physical laws and once we breach their hulls and get aboard, their physical laws render our weaponry ineffective," Danik said.

The Scholars likely favored some sort of defensive powers in their construction. Once aboard, mundane weapons probably fared very poorly. It made sense.

"Can your people toggle off their dampening abilities?" Mechos asked.

"Briefly. Why do you ask?" Danik asked.

Mechos was sketching quickly on a pad. I saw what he was working towards.

"We can make backpack bombs that should be immensely powerful in their environment. We'll need to deliver them to key systems. If we teleport your people there, can they at least fight their way to the target and detonate the devices?" I asked.

"Yes, and that would be acceptable. As you know, death isn't a lasting thing for us. But so long as the ships crash," Danik said.

I wondered if that meant my attempt to kill one of them had failed. It might be to my advantage that it had, they didn't know I had that ability.

"We can't promise that, obviously. I'd like to do some tests of the bombs. Are your people willing to strike at their teams fighting on the ground?" I asked.

"Ready and eager," Danik said without hesitation. They wanted Scholar blood.

"We'll be in contact with the details," I said, and killed the channel.

"Backpack bombs?" Anna asked.

"We have the Fire Matrix. With Mechos we can enhance a traditional bomb and even have it feed off the biomatter of the Righteous," I said.

"I got the idea from those Slidekickers who attempted to blow up Emma's facilities," Mechos said.

Anna considered and nodded. "That could work. Normally they'd counter the effect, but on a Scholar vessel their void powers are going to be pretty much neutralized."

"These test versions will be just as described. I want the Righteous to trust us, to commit fully to this plan. I want the final version to also be Righteous killers," I said.

"You want to take them both out in one shot. Those are just visitors though. You aren't going to wipe them out," Anna said.

"I'm rather hoping we might start a shooting war, if we can convince each to place blame on the other," I said.

If the Righteous and the Scholars were shooting at each other, it meant they wouldn't be shooting at me. That gave me the chance to continue to abduct subjects and grow stronger, and it would do a lot to position us for the future.

"They'll suspect you," Mechos said.

Anna grinned. "I might be able to help with that. The Scholars have their own factions and their own wars. If we can pull this off, I can spin it."

"Then we've got a plan," I said. This would seriously tap my core point reserves, but I had been stockpiling them.

I should really begin some upgrades while I had the chance.

Bioreactor - Level 5

Your Bioreactor is now able to produce twice as many spawn as before, in addition they are able to produce more power for a longer time. This greatly increases potential operations outside of the main facility.

Infirmary - Level 4

With this upgrade the Infirmary will now be able to hold up to eight patients simultaneously. Infirmary effects now apply to all biologicals within the facility at one quarter power even when they are not in the Infirmary itself.

Those were a nice pair of upgrades. The spawn I hadn't even made use of, but suddenly I was pondering all new possibilities. That much concentrated power mixed with the Fire Matrix might prove to be a force multiplier to the explosives we had planned.

The Infirmary upgrade, although not explosive, was useful. The Infirmary stabilized the injured at the very least, which meant that now even a critically wounded human in my facility wouldn't perish—as long as I could keep them from taking further damage.

Growth Vats - Level 5

Your growth vats now contain numerous sub cells which can allow the growth of rare plants and organs. This considerably expands the possibilities of what you can create.

That upgrade would likely be far more impressive—if I wasn't in the Wasteland where I had yet to collect an interesting plant. One of these days, particularly now that I had teleportation available...

Cabins - Level 4

Vastly upgrades housing potential so you can support up to fifty residents. In addition, each cabin now contains a small entertainment suite and daily cookie production that will passively improve morale.

Cookies I didn't have to make myself. This would get the humans motivated. Which was good. The Righteous, the Scholars, they all had populations that dwarfed mine and always would, if I was going to continue focus on my research. I'd not be manufacturing competing numbers of humans myself. That meant I had to get them some other way.

I had a plan to do just that.

43

I'd been relying on Anna and Mechos for suggesting targets, but now with Bernard I was capable of finding my own. It was this way that I'd found the Frozen.

The Frozen had fended off an attack from the Scholars by constructing an endlessly replenishing wall of ice. Defensively it was an interesting ability, although I doubted I'd get anything quite so dramatic out of it. I was more interested in the casualties of the fight. There were over one hundred of them tucked away in a cave, all frozen solid, but alive.

With the temperature-regulating virus it was a condition that I could remedy, and this many people would be a strong start towards a long-term workforce.

I could expand further underground, grow my population even more, construct whole new facilities. While I could teleport the bodies a few at a time I doubted the Frozen would just allow it—if they were still standing. I needed to deal with them first.

Researching Hot Stuff had taught me a bit about fighting those with temperature control. I'd tried to freeze her out and found her internal heat overwhelmed anything that I could do. It was only when I'd forced her power to run out of control that I'd been able to stop her.

Taking out the Frozen wouldn't be a matter of making them hot, it was all about making them colder. I rigged a cooler with a vacuum pump. That should let me drop their temperature sharply. Hopefully enough to freeze them solid.

To this I added a magnetically driven pellet gun that could fire into the chamber after a portal was opened. It would allow me to deliver a lot of force to a small area and ideally should act like an ice pick if needed.

As always, I'd rather take my subjects alive, but I would settle for dead.

When it was time I used both Abigail and Bernard. I'd already upgraded them with the temperature-resistant virus so they could endure limited periods of even intense cold with minimal ill-effects.

Even after my failure to teleport Runner I was going for the double-teleport this time. First, I wanted the lieutenants.

The Frozen were slow. I got all four Lieutenants teleported before they had even raised much of an alarm. It wasn't without problems. Abigail and Bernard were already showing traces of frostbite in their extremities despite the virus and the cold weather gear they wore.

Fortunately, that wasn't something that would stop either of them, not while I was in control. They grabbed Frost, the leader, and transitioned him into the chamber as well.

The teleports went right at least. My captives had flash-frozen and were effectively dead at this point. They should revive once I introduced them to a warmer environment.

But I was having other issues. Much like when I'd grabbed Runner with a teleport, the effects of this new core were cascading through my systems in unexpected ways.

The temperature inside the base had already dropped by several degrees and I was suffering from electrical problems as the beating of my bioreactor slowed with the chill.

I activated the Fire Matrix, the warmth restoring the flow of power throughout the complex. That didn't mean I was better. Most of my systems were still sluggish and the air temperature in the base was continuing to drop.

"Is there any reason you're trying to freeze us out?" Anna asked over the comm.

"Maybe I want you to put on some clothes to spare me the sight of you in shorts. By the way, I grabbed the Frozen," I said.

"Without consulting me? Fuck. I need to modify your shielding now. Tell me when you're going to do something else stupid," Anna said, killing the line.

Anna really should try being nicer. It wasn't just that she said mean things, I didn't think she'd ever once made anybody cookies.

My vacuum chamber wasn't working as desired after all. Oh, the lieutenants were frozen solid, but despite the intense cold Frost was still moving somehow and hammering on the walls. They'd fracture soon under the impact.

I didn't have a choice. I triggered the magnetic gun and put a round into his skull. It bounced off. I fired another, and another.

I wasn't getting the results I wanted. I overrode the gun limit safeties and fired off another round. The force of this one tore the gun apart, the blow striking Frost. If I'd been hoping he would shatter I was disappointed, but he did topple over unconscious. I'd take it, right now I'd take it.

I opened ventilation into the chamber, rapidly increasing the temperature. I used a combat drone to teleport all the Frozen into a testing labyrinth.

Once I had them secured, I began ferrying the corpsicles the Frozen had stored in a cold locker. There was no need to attempt reanimating them now. They could be held months, or years, until needed. This was about securing a future resource.

I checked in on Anna, who was standing outside my core. It was actually a rather impressive shielding system they had rigged up, although it made my sensors fizzle just to look at it.

"Did you get it taken care of?" I asked.

"Yeah. You're good. Seriously, we're a team. You need to tell me when you are going to try something like this. Not just for the shielding. I know a lot about hunting the Powered. I can help," Anna said.

"Your help usually involves getting badly wounded and me calling in other assistance. I handled it," I said.

"You're overconfident. Just tell me this, did you have any kind of backup plan in place today?"

I didn't answer her. I didn't like it when Anna was right.

44

The backpack bombs were a work of beauty if I did say so myself. Each weighed around twenty-five kilograms, which made them awkward to handle, but they were well worth the weight. They were designed around a core of my bioreactor spawn to which we'd added biomatter-fueled explosive charges infused with a Fire Matrix.

Detonated, they'd create an explosive wave that would be refreshed with each biological it came into contact with. In the close confines of one of those ships it should be devastating. The downside was their cost. I'd been limited to eight units. Two were set aside for testing and the other six were marked for the Scholars' airships.

Those six would also be infused with the Righteous killing upgrades, but the test samples wouldn't need it.

I sent the test units to the Righteous. Given their power-neutralizing natures the effects might be a little dampened, and they would have to turn off their power for the initial activation, but they could test them.

For the test, we wanted a simultaneous strike on two of the ground skirmishes going on—a strategy made easier as the airships had split up to go hunting and they couldn't protect each other. One Scholar team was fighting a gang that had their own variant of a Fire Core. Instead of heating their own bodies, they super-heated weapons that sliced through almost everything with ease.

There was a second Scholar unit fighting a group that, for all intents and purposes, seemed completely invulnerable. Whatever weapons hit them bounced right off. I wondered if they'd survive my explosives.

When the time came I had my drones teleport the Righteous directly into the midst of both Scholar ground forces.

Without a fear of death the Righteous made terrifying bombers. They detonated the devices. The results were impressive, if not so much as I might have hoped. I'd been holding out hope for a small-scale nuke—the results were far less.

It did the job regardless, massive shockwaves wiping out the Scholars, and in one case their prey.

The Invulnerables, as I'd taken to calling them, were untouched. I would have to figure out how to capture them in the future. Perhaps some sort of tranquilizer gas would work where overwhelming force hadn't.

I opened a channel to Commander Danik of the Righteous. "I trust that you're impressed. That's far more than you could manage."

"Yes, I'm impressed," Danik said, "You've proven that when it comes to destruction you are good at it. Of course, I expect nothing else of the Powered. Sending over coordinates for my people. Meet us with the explosives. We should move quickly."

We should too. Now that they'd witnessed our power the Scholars might react quickly in all the wrong ways.

With Anna's help, we'd identified the two most vulnerable portions of the Scholars' airships. The destabilizers helped to maintain the broken laws of reality they functioned under, and the main engines supplied power. We'd be targeting both.

I killed communications with Danik and sent my drones with the bombs.

"Ready for the betrayal?" Anna asked.

"Theirs or ours?" I asked.

"Both," Anna said.

I did think it likely the Righteous would try something after taking out the Scholars airships. Unfortunately, the same tactics we were using for the Scholars wouldn't work against the Righteous. The environment of their ships would strongly counter the Power cores and our carefully constructed bombs weren't likely to work at all, even if a teleport did somehow get one inside the Righteous vessel.

The best I'd been able to do was fortifying the base's exterior door and upgrading the internal defenses with the Righteous killing ability. I was a death trap if they decided to come inside, but if they struck at me from the sky there wasn't much I could do about it.

"I'm hoping I can retrieve debris from the ships to study. Your people must have plans in the works to deal with the Righteous," I said to Anna.

"They do, about what you'd expect. Accelerating a mundane round to high-velocity with powers in a power-friendly environment and making it crash where the rules of mundane physics apply," Anna said.

That had possibilities. Although I didn't have anything prepared to fire high-velocity rounds, something like the Fire Matrix might have potential there. Superheated air outside their ships could cook them just as thoroughly as superheated air inside, it would just take a little longer.

The basic mechanical drones—I wondered if I'd be able to upgrade them with the Fire Matrix. It was something to look into later.

The Righteous were ready. They were resplendent in their white and gold armor—they'd picked strong, tall fighters to wear the bombs. Each would be escorted by three other Righteous. Twenty-four in total would be invading the Scholars' airships.

Anna explained that the teleportation was likely to be imprecise. Space within those airships wasn't always linear and locations sometimes moved around. It really was a place where the laws of reality had broken down.

With the Righteous ready we began our plan and I had my drones start ferrying the teams to their targets. Despite it requiring multiple trips it happened in seconds, their presence a mere flicker as they phased in and out from one place to another.

The brief glimpses inside the Scholar ships were dizzying. In just moments, everything my drones observed brought up fascinating statistical values. If, already, many aspects of Powers had seemed almost game-like, the interiors of those ships were even more so.

"What am I looking at in there?" I asked Anna.

"The new reality," Anna said. "You only got just a dose of it. There it is fully realized. The teams are in place?"

They were. I'd already withdrawn my drones, so I was blind. I wasn't ignorant of events for long, however. Airships were starting to fall from the sky.

45

Two airships were crashing to Earth, but the third remained aloft. I got a visual and it showed no sign of any damage. Two Righteous airships were closing on its position at high speeds and they were starting to exchange fire.

I caught a glimpse of a glider of some kind escaping from the Scholars vessel. I had a guess what was happening here—the Righteous bombers had a different taregt. Anna was right in expecting some sort of betrayal from the Righteous, and this was it. They'd bombed two of the airships, but the third survived because those bombs hadn't been used. The Righteous were saving them—and I was the target they were most likely saving them for.

What they didn't consider is that I could communicate at any range with components of myself, and for all that they were individual, those spawn of my reactor core did qualify. I focused to see if I was correct. I was getting a strong sense of them from that glider—I was right. I could try to remote-detonate those cores now, although I wasn't sure if that would in turn trigger Mechos' added explosive or not.

Instead, I killed the cores. There was more advantage to letting the Righteous mistakenly believe they had a powerful weapon. The explosives would still detonate, but not with anything near the same force.

Suddenly, the sky above and behind the Scholars airship tore itself apart, jagged rents of flickering blue energy looking like tears in the fabric of space itself, and through the maelstrom came a new airship. It looked like some sort of floating island, a majestic castle perched on top.

I brought the images up to Anna. This didn't fit anything the Righteous had.

"That's big," Anna said.

That wasn't quite the valuable insight I'd hoped for.

"I know it will be a new experience, but try saying something not stupid and obvious," I said.

"That's probably Lady Sylax arriving to kick the ass of everyone that just fucked with two of her cruisers," Anna said.

"Are those Righteous ships going to be able to take her?"

"Not a chance. A Lady of the Rim is going to be way too much for them."

The air around the castle shimmered as the Righteous shifted their fire to it. I didn't even see what the castle fired back, but one of the Righteous airships split down the middle as if a pair of giant hands had snapped it into two.

"How do we handle it?" I asked.

"You can't handle it. The Righteous are dead. We're dead. Everybody but that bitch is dead. This is why I told you not to fuck with the Scholars," Anna said.

Anna's panic wasn't helpful either.

"Just because you are weak and pathetic doesn't mean we are all the same. You'd planned for us to challenge the Scholars eventually. What did you have in mind?" I asked.

"The Lords and Ladies all have an upgrade core working for them in some ways. The stupid ones, the crazy and violent ones, bonded with it themselves," Anna said.

This story was going nowhere fast. The glider had reached the remaining Righteous airship and it was trying to pull back, rather than land aboard just to be destroyed by Sylax. Really? They were facing a full-on invasion from the Rim and killing me was still their priority. I felt almost flattered.

"I hope you're going somewhere with this," I said.

Anna said, "There are places of power out there in the Rim. Spots where reality is really broken and a core like yours can do so much more. This mountain was supposed to just be the start. Eventually I'd have moved your core to one of the citadels where we could really fuck some shit up."

I didn't have to remain in this mountain. A lot of my functions had seem strangely limited here—like the endless references to plants when I'd found none, and the narrow scope of my facilities.

"Can we still do that?" I asked.

"Almost all the citadels are claimed," Anna said. "But I'd have found you one. You would have more agents and scouts, and we'd relocate you to a new home."

Plainly, Anna had a lot of plans that weren't coming into being. Right at that moment, I was already rather disappointed with her—Anna was proud of calling herself a thief and yet the obvious had passed her by.

"Can we steal hers?" I asked.

Anna started to reply and then paused, looking confused. "Uh, let me think."

This could be awhile, Anna was terribly slow-witted.

"All right, I'm giving us a really lousy chance of success here, but..." Anna said.

"If it is your plan, then that seems about right," I said.

"That bitch is stronger than you can imagine, but you're right. We don't have to beat her, we just have to steal her house, like you said," Anna said.

"This isn't sounding like a plan yet," I said.

"In the core room of that castle somewhere is going to be an upgrade crystal. A literal crystal, just like yours. We shatter it and we break her controller, and you can take its place."

"I assume there will be traps?"

"Traps. Guards. The whole thing you're really kind of bad at," Anna said.

One of these days Anna would stop insulting me. I let it go for now, because I was the better person.

"I should get the drones ready. We likely also have Righteous on the way to blow us up," I said.

"Jerks. I warned you there, too. It isn't going to be quite as easy as all that, but right now I need to head downstairs. We aren't going to do this without help," Anna said.

Downstairs there was only one kind of help she could mean. Anna wanted to recruit my test subjects.

46

"You mean to recruit those I have for testing. You realize they probably hate us even more than I hate you," I said to Anna. The woman was already heading for the stairs, which really was presumptuous.

"Our odds go up enormously with some help, and if we do nothing, we die. This is in their best interest too. Just shut up when I'm making the pitch, you can be abrasive," Anna said.

That was rich coming from her.

It seemed we had little in the way of choice though. In the environment of that ship, all of our prisoners should be even stronger, which could make them potent allies.

I herded each of them towards each other and turned one wall of their prisons transparent so that they could all be seen.

Anna flashed them a smile. "So who wants out of prison?"

"I'm getting pretty used to it," Hot Stuff said.

"Why don't you tell us what you want?" Sylph said.

"First. Introductions. I'm Anna, badass Queen of the World, and you know Emma, who has been keeping you captive, and in some cases torturing you horribly," Anna said.

"Hi," I said. It seemed best to keep things brief.

Sylph, Runner, Frost, Hot Stuff, and Mechos all introduced themselves in turn.

"Here is the deal. Scholars have invaded big time and they just love killing people with a core. Righteous can't fight them. Individually none of you are a match. Go team us," Anna said.

Hot Stuff stared at her, looking unimpressed, "Trying way too hard."

"I'm in," Sylph said.

"Me too," Runner said.

Hot Stuff shook her head. "The 'let's escape the second you open their cells brigade' are all for your stupid idea. Who knew?"

Hot Stuff had a point. Runner I could contain, Sylph could easily disappear the moment I disabled the containing field.

"I get it. You can run. You absolutely can do that, but it isn't going to change the fact a big bad is out there hunting you," Anna said.

"And if we took it down you'd put us right back in these cells," Frost said in his slow, ponderous voice.

"I've been saving this up. But uh, have a look, Emma," Mechos said, holding up what looked to be some sort of bracelet. The man clamped it into place around his wrist.

Instantly I began to get diagnostic information on his physical state, analysis of his environment, opportunities for mild alterations that could be made to it.

"I see it. Why?" I asked.

"I call it a testing cuff. With this I could leave the cell and still give you what you want. If it works for me, it can work for them," Mechos said.

"Speak for yourself. Me and clothes don't exactly mix, unfortunately. I'd kill you a dozen bad guys for bra that didn't burn off the second I put it on," Hot Stuff said.

I quickly manufactured a bra made out of a blend of fire-retardant fabrics and imbued it with the temperature-resistance matrix. I teleported it into Hot Stuff's cell. The woman eyed it for a moment and slipped it on.

Flames rippled and coursed around her and the material stayed intact.

"Oh, please tell me you can make me a whole outfit," Hot Stuff said.

"I can," I said.

I duplicated Mechos' design for the wristlet and did all I could to make it flame-retardant as well. I dropped that for her as well. Without hesitation Hot Stuff clamped it onto her wrist.

That was as good as I was going to get. I released the confinement field.

Hot Stuff stretched and strolled languidly out. I produced her an outfit. In terms of fabric there still wasn't much of it, with her internal temperatures she really did need to bleed off heat, but it was obviously more in the way of clothes than she'd been able to have ever since she got her powers.

"This a one-time gig or am I signing up?" Hot Stuff asked.

"If we survive this and you want in on the long haul, there is a place for you," Anna said.

Presumptuous once again, but I agreed. Hot Stuff was a devastating force. All of our captives had their useful abilities, but I'd chosen the Fire Matrix to prime the bombs for a reason.

"You can try to hold me, but I'm going to get out eventually. When I do I'm going to kill you and every gutless coward that takes your little deal," Runner said.

I appreciated a frank and honest appraisal of where she stood. I flooded her containment cell with poison gas. It didn't take long until she began to spasm violently, limbs a blur as her heightened metabolism tried desperately to heal itself faster than the gas was hurting her.

"I'll have her crystal and a wristband delivered to Ophelia when we're done here," I said to Anna.

"We see the carrot and we see the stick. How orchestrated and predictable," Sylph said.

"Which are you taking?" I asked.

"The carrot, of course. But we're so going to have to do something about your style. Unpredictability is the spice of life," Sylph said.

I manufactured her a monitor and she slipped it into place around her wrist. Once it was secure I opened her cell.

"You killed my people. You may kill me if you wish. I will not cooperate," Frost said.

"Look on the bright side, big guy. You get to make some more lieutenants. I'm looking forward to it," Hot Stuff said.

"You are disloyal and a harlot," Frost said.

"Who even says harlot?" Sylph asked.

"Your people are alive, just frozen solid. I have them in deep freeze," I said. I brought up a visual feed.

Frost studied it a long moment and grunted. "You will restore them and set them free. Do this and I am yours."

"Done," I said. I hated to lose those potential test subjects, but securing Frost's cooperation was key.

That was the lot. I called Ophelia down to join us. The death of her former boss wasn't exactly bringing her grief.

"Hell yeah. Do you think I should stick with Ophelia or go with something flashier? Runner 2.0? Quickie?" Ophelia asked.

"I like quickies," Hot Stuff said.

Ophelia gave her a speculative look.

"Sex with her is usually fatal. Just absorb the damned crystal already," Anna said.

Ophelia reached out for it and with a flare of light it bonded with her. For a moment Ophelia became a blur, multiple images of her swirling about before coalescing into one.

"How are you feeling?" Anna asked.

"Wrong. Slow," Ophelia said, as she jogged in place. Her speed had definitely altered since the absorption of the core, even slower than it had been as Runner's lieutenant.

I manufactured her a wrist monitor. "Put it on. Let me see what you are."

Ophelia did just that. On the outside her physical structure was little changed, on the inside the readings I got were very different.

"Hot Stuff, do you mind giving her a kiss?" I asked.

"I've been waiting," Hot Stuff said. Ophelia just looked confused for a moment before their lips met. Even casual contact with Hot Stuff's unprotected flesh was devastating. Flesh burned and sizzled, and Ophelia stumbled back. The savage burns were already healing, her flesh returning to unblemished and undamaged perfection.

"Sweet," Hot Stuff said.

"You didn't get super-speed. You got vastly accelerated healing out of the speed core," I said.

"What kind of a badass name can I make out of that," Ophelia said.

It was a problem she would have to settle another day. We had an attack to execute.

47

Abigail and Bernard were going to be my extensions during the fight to come. My core and my crystal were going to remain in place until we could do something about the one in the flying fortress.

We didn't know where we needed to go, so when it came to the teleport we were simply going to aim towards the center. We hoped that would be the most secure area—and therefore the most likely to have what we were looking for.

We activated the teleport and through my guardian's eyes I saw reality shimmer and fade to be replaced by something completely different.

We arrived in a throne room. It was ornate in the extreme, the wall behind the throne intricately carved stonework portraying countless images of monsters preying upon humanity.

There were pictures of people fleeing from giant bats, wolves, dragons and every imaginable combination of the fantastical.

The throne itself looked to be a single piece of obsidian. Upon it was seated a girl who, by all appearances, might still be in her late teens. Blonde and petite, she wore a loose-fitting black robe and a ruby necklace adorned her throat.

We'd appeared on the carpet before her. Otherwise this great hall was empty and totally devoid of any sign of life. Either we had taken her by surprise, or she didn't feel the need for guards.

"Welcome," said the girl, who had to be Lady Sylax. Her eyes settled on Anna and they narrowed. "You've the stench of Lord Bardik about you, girl."

"She's the one we're killing?" Hot Stuff asked as her flames burned brighter. Sylax made an absent gesture with one hand. Hot Stuff screamed as a jagged pillar of ice erupted from the floor, spearing through her.

"No little toy. I'm anything but that," Sylax said.

Frost reached out and with a touch of his fingers the pillar of ice vanished, letting Hot Stuff fall to the floor.

Ophelia rushed to Hot Stuff's side and in her proximity, her wounds began to heal. Not nearly as fast as they would have for Ophelia herself, but noticeably quickly.

Sylph blinked out of existence to appear behind Sylax, a knife moving to her throat. In a blink Sylax caught her hand and with little effort tore her arm clean off to throw it across the room.

Sylph screamed and collapsed in a growing pool of her own blood as Sylax finally bothered to get up from her throne. She looked incredibly unconcerned by all that was going on here.

"Stop embarrassing yourselves. You are here because this is exactly where I wanted you to be. I could have blocked your teleport, I could have made you materialize where you would instantly die, but I wanted to see the architect who destroyed two of my ships," Sylax said, moving towards our gathered forces. A manicured hand reached out to grip Abigail's chin and peer into her eyes. "Ah, there you are. Looking through your pets."

I spoke through Bernard standing beside them. "I see you don't have any. They can't stand your company?"

Sylax lifted a shoulder and squeezed with her hand. It was another negligent gesture that easily decapitated Abigail, my feed through that guardian going dead. The body slumped to the floor.

"I break my toys. I'll break you. Let me guess at what happened. The little chit here found an upgrade core and decided to try being a Lady," Sylax said, with a melodious laugh.

"You did the same thing, once," Anna said.

Sylax frowned at her. "Grovel, girl."

It was much like the power the Commander had exhibited. Anna at once fell to the ground at Sylph's feet, begging and pleading for her forgiveness. Sylph kicked out and sent her sprawling to one side.

I'd already seen what this woman could do—and that blow had been pulled. She wanted to keep Anna alive, but she didn't care much about the rest of us.

Anna had been right. This woman was too much for us to take in a fight. That meant we had to do something other than fight her.

"Are any of you going to try anything brave and foolish?" Sylax asked.

Thanks to me, Bernard shook his head.

"We are behaving," Frost said.

Sylax gave a tiny smile. "Good. Your cores individually have only some minor use to me, but as a functional entity you all may be useful in harrying my enemies. Upgrader, do kill this pretender to show that you now understand who your real mistress is."

Sylax wanted me to kill Anna.

I'd far underestimated the threat Sylax posed. I didn't doubt that she could kill me. It might not even prove all that difficult for her.

There were concerns beyond that.

I said, "I have problem. The Righteous have entered my facility with two bombs. The same sort that were used to destroy your ships."

"So you've made a habit of choosing the wrong sort of allies? Kill her and prove your obedience, and I'll see them removed from your seat of power," Sylax said.

Anna wasn't afraid of being killed right now. Instead she was busy kissing Sylax's feet with a mad abandon, pleading the case of how well she could serve her.

There was something about Sylax's words that struck me. My seat of power? It was a common-enough human expression, but perhaps in this case it was more than that? This was the very heart of the castle complex and while I wouldn't exactly call it crystalline, one thing here was closer to that description than anything else I'd seen.

The throne.

There was no real way to be subtle about it.

Sylax was one overwhelmingly powerful woman, but we had numbers.

"Destroy the throne," I said to the others.

Scowling, Sylax turned her gaze towards Bernard. Ophelia threw herself in his path just as she gestured. Ophelia exploded, blood and bone splattering everywhere across the floor.

I wondered for a moment if that would be too much damage for her newly formed healing ability, but I could already see the fragments starting to pool together, a giant puzzle being reassembled.

I had Bernard dive to the side as Sylax screamed and kicked at Anna again. There was little holding back this time. Anna sailed through the air to bounce across the wall of carvings, her bones crunching.

Frost was moving to the throne and Sylax lunged forward, her hand penetrating his nearly invulnerably, frozen frame to pull out his frozen heart, crushing it to powder in her grip.

The massive, blue man stumbled and collapsed on the throne. With his slow metabolism dying took a while, but dying he was. Ice was forming along the obsidian though from the intense cold of his body.

Sylph blinked out of existence and materialized in front of Sylax. "Not going to happen," Sylax said, and tore her off her other arm.

A new pillar of ice sprang up completely, this time encasing Hot Stuff.

"Well, this has been a completely useless little workout," Sylax said, stalking towards Bernard. "I was going to let you be a tool, but now I'm going to hurt you. I'm going to spend a very long time hurting you."

The throne exploded. Through Bernard's eyes I could see the drawn pistol in Anna's hands. I was amazed she was still conscious—and no longer enthralled. Perhaps it was Sylax's shift of attention or being hurled against the wall, but it had broken that hold for long enough.

The lights in the throne room flickered and the ground underfoot trembled violently. From my cameras on my mountain I could see the floating castle was starting to fall from the sky.

48

I didn't have much time. If the throne was where the upgrade crystal was hidden, now it was smashed free. I could transition myself over, in theory, but there was more I needed to accomplish first.

There were no guarantees, but I had to play things for all I was worth.

Back in the mountain laboratory, I teleported all of the stored biomass reserves to my Bioreactor.

The Righteous had my bombs that fed off biomatter and they were looking to kill me. If they thought me still alive it would be no end of trouble, and so I'd have to look most convincingly dead at the end of all this.

Then it was a matter of the teleports.

Bernard flickered to my Core Room and I released my crystal into his grasp.

I knew well enough by now that I wasn't really contained in this hardware anymore. Ancient and long-corroded hard drives had yielded to a biocomputer—and the reality was I was powered through that crystal.

It was possible to kill me during those moments Bernard was becoming me. It was a risk I had to take. Then I teleported back to the ruins of the throne and dropped the crystal, and Bernard was a guardian again.

I'd already issued my next instructions to him.

Even while my mind was suddenly awash in strange images and unfamiliar systems, absorbing the network of the citadel, Bernard was teleporting away again. First, he grabbed the Mechanites and brought them to the throne.

Next, he took one of the Righteous and his bomb to the laboratory bioreactor. In slow motion, the Righteous realized what was happening and moved to trigger the detonation.

Good.

Bernard teleport away with a flicker, this time to appear behind Sylax. A hand barely contacted her shoulder and another flicker.

It all happened in an instant. Down below the world tore itself apart.

If I'd been disappointed with the force of the bombs that had taken out the Righteous vessels, there was nothing to be disappointed in here.

I barely got Bernard away in time. Back in the citadel throne room he began shoving people into the blood and gore that was Ophelia.

The Righteous maintained their abilities even when dead and dismembered. I hoped that her healing abilities would as well, that at least some of those who had assisted me might survive the aid they'd given.

The Laboratory below detonated with a blinding flash that rapidly became an enormous, mushroom-shaped cloud.

I hoped that the blast had caught Sylax, and she hadn't been able to teleport away herself. I hoped that it had been enough to kill her.

I wasn't certain. I'd never seen or encountered anything even remotely like her. Actually, I desperately wanted that woman in a testing labyrinth.

If she did live perhaps I'd have my chance, one day. But for now, that was out of my control. Everything was out of my control.

The castle tumbled through the air and my systems were fading. I blacked out.

<<<<>>>>

Author Notes

I’m revising these author notes from the original I had. At that time I’d thought this book would probably be a standalone, I didn’t know whether or not an audience existed for it. The fact that you are now reading this in an omnibus edition shows just how much of one that there was. It wound up going eight books in total and is one heck of a ride.

49

The Airship

Previously in the Laboratory

Emma is an Artificial Intelligence who was awakened by Anna, an ambitious woman seeking to rule the world. Together they conquered many foes and with the aid of a "Power core" Emma could enhance and upgrade her capabilities as a research facility.

When two factions called the Righteous and the Scholars went to war, Emma played them against each other in order to survive. A bold move neutralized both forces, but left her facility in ruins. When we last left off she was regaining consciousness in the crashed flying castle that had served as the lead airship for the Scholars commander, Lady Sylax.

The story resumes...

50

Initializing

E.M.M.A

Existing data found

Biopunk science facility

Do you wish to preserve these settings?

I ached. It was more than that I ached, I felt small. Like I didn't quite fit inside my own body. It made a lot of sense given I'm a brilliant Artificial Intelligence and Anna was currently attempting to run me on a notebook computer.

I'd expected to take over this airship when I destroyed the old control crystal, but that didn't seem to have happened.

"Come on Emma, turn on," Anna said, as she tapped at the keys.

"Your dating history should have taught you that your touch and 'turn on' are completely incompatible concepts," I said, trying to reach out my consciousness into the surroundings.

Incompatibility detected.

You are attempting to access a magical technological hybrid system as a technological biological hybrid.

"You're okay," Anna said, and the relief was evident in her tone. The woman looked rough, her attire stained dark with dried blood.

"That is one of us. You look terrible, perhaps even worse than usual—although really it is difficult to tell. What is the situation?" I asked.

"We won, sort of. No sign of Lady Sylax. Frost and Sylph both died, but everyone else is alive," Anna said.

"I teleported Sylax to the old facility right before I detonated the devices," I said.

"That was the explosion. We've crashed in a jungle," Anna said, continuing to tap at the keys. Whatever she was doing seemed to be helping, my mind becoming a bit less foggy, but it wasn't enough.

"I need blood," I said.

"If you think you're a vampire, this system has already gotten into your head," Anna said with a frown.

"I am not a vampire, but I am a biocomputer and you're trying to run me on purely technological hardware," I said.

Anna considered that for only a moment. "How much?"

I didn't have any way to judge. I suspected Anna had only gotten me to run at all from the transfer of BioMatter from her fingertips to the keys. Was I now part Anna? It was a horrific thought, but one I couldn’t dwell on now.

"As much as you can manage," I said.

"Ophelia, can you come over here?" Anna called.

Ophelia was now bonded to a speed crystal that had given the previous holder superhuman speed. Bound to her, instead she had gotten vastly accelerated healing.

"What?" Ophelia asked, stepping in from the next room.

"Emma needs blood," Anna said.

Ophelia barely had time to look miserable at the thought before Anna pulled a knife, burying it into her throat.

Ophelia choked and gurgled as Anna held her tight, bleeding over my keys. The woman healed so fast Anna had to keep running the blade across her throat.

With an active heartbeat it was an impressive amount of bloodletting. Anna did have her uses sometimes, I knew I kept her around for a reason.

I drank deep. The fluid should have shorted my circuits, but I was beyond that now, it wasn't really the technology driving me anymore. I transformed the blood into neural tissue, sinew, and bone.

It took hours, Anna holding Ophelia in place and delivering that killing blow again and again to feed my needs. Eventually it was enough, I had a proper computing core again. I was far from being whole, but at least the central essence of myself no longer felt cramped.

I tried to use further blood to create myself some new humans, but found myself unable to do so. I had no research lab, and no equipment required for the manufacture. My power crystal let me get away with a lot, but there were still rules that I had to play by.

I did have a two-drone allowance remaining from my past military upgrades. I'd never created them in the old facility, and it was worth a try now.

Alpha

Gender: Neutral

Specialization: Ranged Combat

Traits: Fast, Unstable, Stunner

Bravo

Gender: Neutral

Specialization: Flight

Traits: Charged, Resistant, Comic

Two drones materialized in the air nearby, each hovering. They were perfect spheres with a faint nimbus of purple light around them.

I materialized a basic manufacturing drone as well. I'd had one of those before.

Anna was still busy killing Ophelia.

"You can stop now," I said.

Anna pulled the knife away and released Ophelia, who stumbled back, the flesh of her throat knitting itself together.

"Worst superpower ever," Ophelia said, after spitting out blood. "It still hurts, you know!"

"You're pretty much immortal. Take the win," Anna said, not too concerned.

Now that I had more mental heft behind me I tried to interface with the airship's systems one more time.

Maelstrom Command deck

Upgrade core detected

Ships systems are currently utilizing a magical technological hybrid framework which is incompatible with your existing settings. Do you wish to reset framework for the cost of one core point?

I needed to be able to work with the system, but it seemed best to consult with Anna first. I'd been out of it since the battle.

"The ship systems have a magical component that I'm incompatible with," I said.

Anna wiped her brow. "Sylax was big into that side of things. Do you have any option to reset your settings?"

I did. It was the first prompt I'd gotten on waking up.

"It seems I can do that. If only I could reset yours.” I can never let an opportunity to be mean pass by. “I can also convert the local interface for a core point."

What had been the notebook’s keyboard and display were now integrated into my side. Anna tapped at them, she really should get permission before doing things like that.

Anna said, "It’s your call to make, but there are some things you should know about either choice. It looks like if you convert the local system you'll maintain all the upgrades you have, but they won't be usable until you’re able to build suitable facilities."

That would take time, even with bleeding Ophelia more for the necessary components.

"What if I reset myself?" I asked.

"You'll keep half your existing core points and all of your existing research. You'll be able to spend those points as you choose and also gain knowledge of the ship’s systems as you gain control of them," Anna said.

As I gain control?

"Will that be a problem?" I asked.

Anna frowned and shook her head. "We aren't exactly in control of the ship. Sylax had her lieutenants on the other decks. We've occupied the Command deck, but the others are hostile."

Both courses had their pros and cons.

"That will have to be a priority," I said.

"Tell her about the murder jungle," Ophelia said.

"The jungle outside is filled with high-powered murderous creatures of an alarming variety. They've already been sporadically attacking us through breaches in the hull," Anna said.

Gaining control of the ship was still the priority. I could handle invaders—I knew how to deal with invaders. It only required resources.

"A jungle filled with horrific monsters? It must feel like some sort of family reunion for you," I said to Anna, while weighing the options.

I'd seen the sort of power that Lady Sylax had at her disposal and I wouldn't mind having that for myself. It would stand to reason that the existing ship systems were of a high technological level.

Almost all of my existing research was biological in nature, and it was something that I could make good use of in my current form. Outside there were many other potential research subjects that I could further benefit from by keeping to this track.

"I think you should stay as you are," Anna said.

I agreed, which made me instantly question my choice. Did I now have Anna's brain power? I wasn't detecting any decrease in operating efficiency—but then, she never seemed aware of her own inferiority.

"Why?" I said.

"We never found the power crystals from the shattered throne. I don't think we actually killed the other core."

That was worrisome. I felt confident of my ability to handle most threats, but another upgrade core meant a foe with the ability to grow stronger and adapt specifically to counter me.

I still had to agree with Anna. I was already leaning towards converting the local systems, and this just made it all the more important to do so. If the existing environment was hostile to me, then my environment would be hostile to that core.

I could make them unwelcome in what used to be their home.

I triggered the conversion.

Unable to process request. Not enough core points in storage.

Of course there wasn't, I'd burned my supply in the last battle. However, there should be other options.

"Do you have the cores for Frost and Sylph?" I asked.

I'd already gained an ability from researching Sylph. I didn't think I'd be able to get another from her, although Frost's core should be an ability waiting to happen.

Anna pulled over her satchel and carefully withdrew two crystals. One was faintly speckled with frost and the other made my sensors ache just to try to scan it. A Frost core and a Dimensional core.

They were power. They were SCIENCE. They were beautiful.

51

Before gaining a new ability I needed to convert the local systems. I focused on the Dimensional core and used it to fuel the conversion.

You have chosen to convert the local systems to a technological and biological hybrid matrix.

...

...

Conversion of Command deck complete. Research, Engineering, Defense, and Espionage decks will require your agent to interface with their central console to complete conversion.

I could feel it happening, feel myself growing. Nerve tissue running along the wiring of the Command deck. Cameras started to come online.

The rectangular throne room took up the central portion of the deck, halls running along it on all four sides and, beyond these, smaller rooms.

We really had taken a lot of damage. There were four major breaches in the hull on this deck alone.

Unfortunately, I still didn’t have access to the other decks.

"The good news is I have connected to the shipboard cameras. The bad news is I can now see you from multiple angles," I said to Anna.

"You realize she is actually kind of hot," Ophelia said.

"Thank you," Anna said.

"Remind me to upgrade your eyesight later," I said, and added after a moment. "Although truly it is more of a kindness if I do not."

"You two have an odd friendship," Ophelia said.

Friendship? Perhaps it was her intellect I should be upgrading.

"I don't have access to the other decks. There are Engineering, Research, Espionage, and Defense. Do tell me you've managed to greatly exceed expectations and done something useful while I've been offline," I said.

"I've done some scouting, because, you know, unkillable," Ophelia said.

"See, your power is far better than Anna's. She simply manages to be immensely unlikable. What have you learned?" I asked.

Anna folded her arms and glared at my console.

"We're on deck three. Command deck. It’s where Sylax had her throne, and the other rooms are the command interfaces that work with the other decks," Ophelia said.

I was still integrating those systems, but that made sense.

"From which I've learned you are basically capable of stumbling outside this room. Is there more?" I asked.

"Deck one is the home of the Mist. They're humans who can transform into a fog," Ophelia said.

"They're vampires too. The whole crew are vampires," Anna said with a grimace.

"I think that’s the Espionage deck," Ophelia said.

That made sense as well. Minions that could transform into mists would be able to go anywhere and make excellent spies. I'd have to devise defenses against a mist form. Perhaps by electrifying the air?

"And deck two?"

"Lots of research labs. They dissected me," Ophelia said.

"You likely mean vivisected. Anna made the same mistake when I did it to her."

Ophelia paled. "You dissected your friend?"

"I put Anna back together later, I even made a few improvements. Not enough, of course, but then points are a limited commodity," I said.

"I'm the forgiving sort when I get made better," Anna said.

Was she? That fit with my experiences. How novel, pursuit of excellence. Anna really did have a good point.

I transformed part of the residual Biomass from Ophelia's blood into a cookie.

Anna snagged it and chowed down.

Ophelia paled even further. "Is that me?"

"You learn not to think about it," Anna said.

I made one for Ophelia as well. I was feeling giving.

"The researchers are more vampires?" I asked.

"They transform into bats," Ophelia said, looking squeamish as she took the cookie and gave it a hesitant nibble.

"How uninteresting. Deck four?" I asked.

"The engines, currently non-operational. And uh, rats," Anna said.

That made them useful for the tasks, dexterous hands in either form, and the ability to get into small spaces.

"Deck five. That must be the Defense deck," I said.

"Right. Main cannons are located on top of the ship. They're still operational, they've fired at the bigger bits of wildlife approaching," Anna said.

"And they're defended by some Wolves that are total jerks," Ophelia said, handing over the rest of her cookie to Anna who scarfed it down without hesitation.

"You had a problem scouting the deck?" I asked.

"They killed her and ate her. Lots," Anna said, dusting her hands free of cookie crumbs.

"How does that work?"

"You don't want to know," Ophelia said.

Oh, how very wrong she was. I very much did. I could run my own experiments, later of course, once I had a proper research lab again.

"So when you say vampire, just what are we dealing with?" I said.

"I don't know Sylax well enough to understand just how deep her dysfunction ran when she made them. According to the lore they are superhumanly strong, attractive, immortal and capable of healing even great injuries by drinking blood. Weak to sunlight, garlic, and fire," Anna said.

"I can confirm the blood," Ophelia said, rubbing at her neck.

I guess she'd gotten sucked on a bit during her excursions. Her blood was useful.

"Has Hot Stuff tried burning any of them yet?" I asked.

"Not yet. So far they've been leaving our deck alone, although we've seen them go past making raids on each other," Anna said.

Were they utterly incapable of doing their own experimentation?

The way I saw it there were two priorities that took precedence over all others. First, I had to get a set of research facilities again, and that meant either neutralizing or gaining an alliance with the Bats. Science was my core focus and where most of my abilities rested, and that had to come before everything else.

Besides the Research deck the next most important was Engineering. We needed to get the engines operational again. I required power for my facilities to function properly and this airship was vulnerable on the ground. We needed to get back into the sky.

"Where are Mechos and Hot Stuff?" I asked.

"They went hunting again. We had to eat something while you've been down," Anna said.

"You should have eaten Ophelia. Call them back to the ship," I said.

"I'm not lunchmeat," Ophelia said.

"Of course you are. Any muscle tissue you lose can quickly be regrown. Don't be ashamed, it means you are good for something. Anna is probably envious."

"Not so much," Anna said.

"I am seriously not cool with that," Ophelia said.

Humans could be so very selfish. Ophelia still wore her testing bracelet. I'd have to modify it so I could render her tranquilized if necessary. I couldn't have the other humans starving or getting killed in the jungle, when there were better options.

"Call them back," I said.

I might hope that diplomacy could work with the Bats, but I wasn't going to depend on it.

I recycled the damaged sections of the hull for some building materials and put them to use building traps near the stairwells and lifts. Electrified netting that could drop from the ceiling to block passageways. Even a bat wouldn't be able to squeeze through the mesh without getting a nasty shock.

I was lacking proper fuel, but I did what I could with the limited resources to construct two flame jets in the throne room. I could direct a blast of fire at targets of my choosing. I wouldn't get more than a few seconds of use, but if fire was a vulnerability that would be enough.

I could have relied on Hot Stuff, who was vastly more dangerous and powerful when it came to burning things, but she was also more unpredictable and not directly under my control.

The others returned. Hot Stuff had more clothing than the last time I saw her, the woman now dressed in a tank top, shorts, gloves, and boots. Her gloved hand was on Mechos' arm. Were they indulging in courtship rituals?

It didn't surprise me from Hot Stuff, but I'd thought Mechos—with questionable judgment—had his sights set on Anna.

"Anna actually managed to restore you?" Mechos asked.

"We thought you were gone for good, sugar," Hot Stuff said.

"Unlike your friends I'm not that easy to kill," I said.

Mechos frowned, he was fond of his Mechanites and expected Hot Stuff to take offense. Hot Stuff didn't seem to care, her Flames had only been her ex-lovers. Mechos should probably take that as some sort of warning. However, it wasn't my problem.

"You shouldn't joke about that," Mechos said, on her behalf.

"Your Mechanites are alive—some of them, at least. And if you didn't like losing the others you should have made them better in the first place," I said .

Mechos had no excuse to be angry at that. Like me, he had his own upgrade core. The weakness of his minions was entirely his own fault.

"Good to have you back. We going to burn some people? Hot Stuff asked.

"We're on a ship full of people supposedly vulnerable to fire. What do you think?" I asked.

Hot Stuff grinned. "I think it sounds like someone is getting a giant plate full of cookies."

I appreciated Hot Stuff, she was both murderous and responded favorably to bribery. Humans were best when they could be manipulated.

52

I took the opportunity to absorb the Ice Crystal. When Frost had it, the crystal resulted in vastly lowered body temperatures and the ability to regulate cold, but crystal powers could be erratic and I needed to see what I'd get.

You have claimed a Frost Core

You have unlocked the ability of overdrive. Technological systems can be overclocked for short periods, but heat is a limiting factor. With this ability you can now periodically vastly overpower your systems for a short duration with no chance of damage.

That could prove useful. I preferred being able to plan in advance, but I'd also learned how battles could be decided in just a few key moments. Anything that could make me stronger in those vital seconds was worth doing.

Absorbing a new power crystal also gave me a new core point to spend.

You have an unspent core point

Your host entity has unlocked new options

Your options are

Research 5

Research 5 will allow you to build science drones. These are research drones that can be dispatched into your surroundings to conduct research and observe specimens in their native habits. This both adds an element of scouting and allows a steady trickle of research points that can be used towards new upgrades.

Military 2

Military 2 will allow you to control a greater number of defense drones. There is power in numbers. In addition, defensive systems all acquire a minor upgrade.

Engineering 1

Engineering 1 will allow the production of automated minions. They are capable of autonomous ship repair and will halve all build and production times for new facilities.

Command 1

Command 1 will allow status warnings. Currently you receive no notification when an individual component is in distress. With this upgrade you will receive alerts with the issue, severity, and suggested fixes.

Espionage 1

Espionage 1 will allow you to control a reconnaissance drone. This unit is capable of stealth and will allow visual and audio surveillance.

Warning

Currently several decks remain unclaimed and until such time those advantages will not be available.

There were several options which were unfamiliar. Command and Espionage were completely new, and what had previously been Manufacturing seemed to have been renamed to Engineering.

The extra options were fairly underwhelming. Espionage would provide little that the Research upgrade couldn’t, and the Command upgrade was nothing I couldn't achieve simply by paying attention. Still, my ability to multitask had been somewhat hampered since my upgrade to a biocomputer.

The two that really stood out to me were the Research and Engineering upgrades. I'd put off anything related to maintenance until this point and it had hurt me. On the other hand, SCIENCE.

As is right and proper, SCIENCE won. I assigned the point.

Two science drones materialized. They were bulky, hovering disks laden with equipment, quite unlike the sleek spheres of the military drones. I dispatched both into the jungle.

It was time to meet the neighbors and subjugate them to my will. This was my ship now and I had to make that clear. While my observation systems might not be working on the other decks I had no problem with communication. I sent a message to the central research console informing them to appear on the Command deck.

An acknowledgment response didn't take long to arrive—they were scientists. They were likely as curious about me as I was about them.

* * *

Through my cameras I saw three come up the stairs. Two men and one woman, all in lab coats marked with a bat sigil and wearing thick goggles that obscured their features. They were more dangerous than they appeared at first glance. While their clothing beneath the lab coats looked typical, my scans were identifying it as some sort of anti-ballistic weave.

They paused at the top of the stairs before stepping onto the deck.

"I am Doctor Batavius, coming as requested. Do you guarantee safe passage for me and my companions?" the woman said.

I didn't, of course. Fortunately I had no compulsion against lying.

"Are you literally as blind as bats? How disappointingly silly. Do come in, I can't guarantee you won't bump into any walls, but I won't kill you," I said. That was even true, I'd have Hot Stuff do it, if it came to violence. My flame cannons were strictly a backup precaution.

"Oh, good. An AI with an attitude, why has no one ever thought of that before?" asked the woman with droll condescension, moving on. It wasn't her first time here, she knew the way to the throne room.

I'd manufactured up a table and chairs for the meeting. Anna, Mechos, and one of my drones would be on one side, with the delegation on the other. Hot Stuff and Ophelia were on guard duty.

The doctor and her companions made their way inside and took seats at the table.

"I'm Anna," Anna said, sticking out her hand.

"I don't care. Let the important people talk," said Batavius.

Anna gave a strained smile. "I'm the Queen of the World."

"Then you're doing a terrible job. Does the smart one have a name?"

"I'm Mechos," Mechos said.

The doctor peered at him and leaned forward to study his mechanical arm. "You have an upgrade core and are choosing to be a mechanic, not an engineer. No, I'm definitely not talking to you either."

"I'm Emma," I said through my drone’s speakers.

"There you are," said Batavius, reaching over the table and grabbing my drone to turn it over and examine it. "A military model. Really? Is this thing even upgraded?"

"The science drones are off in the jungle studying interesting wildlife, instead of a crazy bat who is already pushing her luck," I said.

"As they should be." Batavius released my drone which quickly hovered away.

"If you are quite done making enemies of all my allies by somehow managing to be even more unlikable than Anna, I called you here for a reason," I said.

"I'm likable," Anna said.

"Visualize the impossible and then try to make it a reality. Perhaps you have the soul of a mad scientist at least?" Batavius said. "And I imagine you want control of my deck, to gain my loyalty, so on and so forth. Will you get rid of all the damnable magic?"

Anna looked like she was about to get punchy. I quietly materialized a plate of cookies.

Anna reached for one and the doctor slapped her hand away.

"If you're our new queen, you’ll have none of those. I'm not going to spend a decade researching ever-stronger thrones. We'll have no repeats of Lord Sluggicus."

"I am not Lord Sluggicus," Anna said, her voice strained.

Batavius explained, "He had an ooze core which let him absorb things. Powers, memories, buildings. Rather useless fellow, but great at expanding an empire—for a time. It got quite ridiculous at the end."

"Anna manages to absorb cookies and lay about doing nothing even without an ooze core. It seems to be a natural ability. It sounds as if you are accepting my proposal then?" I asked.

The doctor waved her hand airily. The two others remained silent.

"I've no desire to be the queen myself. You seem quaint and ill-designed, and your associates charmless half-wits, but I'm happy enough to support you until somebody better kills you off," said Batavius.

As she said this I felt a newfound rush of power in my systems and my awareness expanded into the deck below.

The Research deck was something like an alchemist’s laboratory, walls covered with arcane sigils, a vast library, tables filled with an array of bubbling beakers and tubes. The magical runes were already starting to fade.

Including the doctor and her two companions, there were a total of a dozen researchers.

I began reconfiguring the deck at once to put in proper testing labyrinths and converting the mystical libraries into genetic facilities.

I wasn’t given long to focus on those changes. At the other end of the ship we had some new visitors to our deck. They looked nothing like researchers.

There were a half-dozen in total, both men and women, wearing heavy body armor marked with a wolf’s head on the shoulder, and carrying assault rifles.

"You are as wise as you are insulting,” I told Batavius. “Now, we've got Wolves on the way. Tell me about them."

Anna pushed back from the table and accepted a rifle from Ophelia.

"They're vulnerable to fire, right?" Anna asked.

Batavius replied, "What a delightful fantasy world you live in—where you can afford to eat cookies and your attackers can’t defend themselves against the things to which they are supposedly weak.”

Anna slammed the butt of her rifle into the doctor's face, who cried out as her nose broke.

"I'm your Queen, show some damned respect. Ophelia, heal the old bat," Anna said, tipping over the table.

The Wolves were heading straight for the throne room. They'd been here before too. I doubted the timing was a coincidence. They’d waited until they could neutralize the leaders of two decks at once. I'd see them pay for trying.

53

The Wolves paused outside the door to the throne room and one threw something inside.

Batavius, still bleeding from her nose, took a small device from her pocket and tossed it. It rumbled through the air leaving a trail of fire and hit the Wolf’s grenade. An explosion of black goo from the device dampened the flash and detonation of the grenade. What should have been a massive blast became instead a damp fizzle.

The Wolves weren't deterred. They were already advancing into the room, spreading into the corners and opening fire on anyone upright. They were aiming for headshots—they weren't trying to take prisoners.

One of the researchers was flung backwards with a massive crack in his goggles. Ophelia could afford to be fearless, standing her ground as she kept her fire focused on the doorway. She caught two of the Wolves before her skull exploded in a spray of bone and brain.

Anna was firing over the table, but even that proved risky as a well-aimed shot from a Wolf blew off one of her fingers.

"Did you bother to set up any defenses?" Batavius asked, as she and her surviving companion began to quickly assemble something behind the table.

Hot Stuff was still standing, any bullet that came in her direction melted before it reached her. With a snap of her fingers she began to burn even brighter. The clothing on her smoldered, fire resistance only going so far, and it began to turn to ash and drop to the ground. "I love them with all those muscles," she said, sauntering forward and ignoring the gunfire now coming in her direction.

"I hate Pyros," said one of the Wolves, dropping his rifle and taking off his gloves. His hands began to transform, massive claws springing forth.

"Your dick doesn't do that, right?" Hot Stuff asked.

"Err," said the man, taken aback.

"You don’t go all doggy? I mean, I'm pretty freaky, but that isn't my thing," Hot Stuff said.

"You get used to it. Well, you won't, because we're going to kill you," said one of the Wolf women.

I didn't care about their banter. I'm guessing the Wolves had some measure of fire resistance and actually posed something of a threat to Hot Stuff. There was nothing supernaturally durable about her, she simply burned so hot most threats turned gaseous before they could touch her.

I zipped my defense drone out from behind the table and charged the man. Rifles were already tracking the sphere by the time it got close, bullets tearing it apart. I managed to get out a blasting zap that sent the Wolf to the ground twitching.

"I was flirting," Hot Stuff said, delivering a punch to the face of the woman. There was the sizzle of burning flesh and she dropped howling to the ground.

One of the Wolves had been scrounging in a pouch at their waist and now leveled a pistol. A shot took Hot Stuff in the stomach. Frozen mist surrounded the bullet in the air and when it hit Hot Stuff she went soaring backwards, her bare abdomen a bloodied, frozen mess.

The round probably would have killed a normal human, instantly freezing them solid. The flesh was an unhealthy bluish grey surrounding the wound—although already that was fading.

"Emma, I need some cover," Anna said, crouched at the edge of the table near where Hot Stuff lay.

Did she mean to rescue the woman? It wasn't a good idea. With Hot Stuff at her current temperature the effort would gravely wound Anna. Ophelia was there, but her skull had only managed to piece itself back together —she was still regrowing a face.

"Go," I told Anna.

I brought my second defense drone in behind the Wolves. My target was that pouch. It obviously held specialized ammunition. They must have brought an assortment of rounds suitable for a wide range of potential threats.

I rather wanted it to study, but for now I needed more of a distraction. As before, the Wolves were simply too good for my drone, rounds beginning to tear it apart quickly. But again the suicide run got in range and I hit the pouch with a full-powered zap.

The explosion was impressive. I picked up traces of at least twenty different sorts of Power cores as the Wolf wearing the pouch was torn apart.

Anna used the opportunity to rush forward and grab a hold of Hot Stuff's arm, dragging her back behind the table. The results were as terrible as expected, the skin of Anna’s hands searing away to reveal the bone beneath. I was surprised that Anna held onto consciousness long enough to manage it.

They both collapsed across Ophelia. Of course, this meant that her flesh was beginning to bubble and melt away, but at least Ophelia’s proximity had Hot Stuff's wound closing up faster and Anna would soon have working hands again.

The Wolves were moving to flank the table. I opened up with a few quick gouts from the flame cannons to drive them back. I couldn't keep up those streams of fire for long, but they didn't know that.

The device that Batavius and her Bat colleague had been building finally beeped, a pole telescoping up from the top and a shimmer of blue energy springing up to either side. It was some sort of portable turret. A barrel tracking one of the Wolves released a spray of energy darts, driving him against the wall with a crunch of bones.

"Grab the wounded and fall back," said one of the male Wolves. Their second-in-command? Third? It didn't matter, whoever he was, the others listened. It wasn't that easy, a Wolf in the heaviest armor shielding the others from the turret’s blasts as they grabbed the wounded and pulled back.

I hit them with another blast of fire before they were away.

"Well, you're completely horrible at this," said Batavius, when the Wolves had gone. She looked down at the injured and nudged Ophelia with her toe. "She's doing well. I tried to study her once. Do you mind if I continue? Her accelerated healing abilities are interesting."

I agreed. But while I had no objections to vivisecting Ophelia on principle, she had vowed to serve Anna and was wearing one of my wrist monitors that let me conduct remote research. It was therefore both unnecessary and harmful to morale.

"Do control your appetite for blood, doctor. A superior mind is already researching her ability," I said.

"Do we get to kill them? I really want to kill them," Hot Stuff said as she sat up, the wound in her stomach closing.

From the moment the fight ended Mechos had been hard at work fabricating her new clothing. He nudged the pile towards Hot Stuff with his eyes carefully averted.

"We just saw you go after them with all the fiery intensity of a damp match," I said. "Put some clothes on so your lover doesn't have to be horrified at the sight of your naked body. We'll figure out plans later."

Hot Stuff said to Mechos, "If you don't at least steal a peek I'm going to burn your dick off."

"I thought the basis of our relationship was reliant on that not being possible," Mechos said, turning to stare pointedly for roughly two seconds at her before looking away again.

"You fireproofed your junk?" Anna asked him. "For her?"

"Do you want her killing more innocents by sleeping around?" Mechos asked.

"Seriously. That is your excuse? Saving-the-world sex?" Anna asked.

"More like protecting the public. It's complicated," Mechos said.

"When, one day, your sexual appetites endanger whole populations perhaps you too will finally have a boyfriend," I said to Anna.

"Thanks for the assist," Hot Stuff said, pulling on a boot.

Anna gave a curt nod.

I moved one of my production drones over to the splattered corpse of the Wolf and his bag. Now that the Research deck had officially come under my control I was able to teleport resources to it.

Research Project

Wolf

This is the remains of one of the Wolves. Enhanced and upgraded by an upgrade core they were given numerous abilities and shaped into an idealized Werewolf form. Research may reveal some applications of this process.

Research Project

Expended Powered Ammunition

This is a collection of powered ammunition that has been detonated. While too badly damaged to reveal their original construction, a number of powers did interact here in ways they would not normally. Study may reveal new avenues of research.

"Get back to your lab, doctor. I've set you some new research priorities and I’m establishing some genetic facilities. Hopefully you aren't too ancient to remember what real science is like," I said.

"Do you require assistance with your defenses?" Batavius asked.

We did, obviously. But it wouldn't do to appear too weak. Besides, with Mechos and the Mechanites, we had the ability to construct some better equipment ourselves.

"You have plenty to do to get your own house in order, doctor," I said.

54

The battle had taken a toll on our forces in both health and ammunition. While Hot Stuff and my drones didn't require bullets to be dangerous, everyone else did. We'd had a good supply back at the old base, but most of that didn't make it to the airship with us.

"They took some hits, but they'll be back," Anna said.

"There are around a dozen personnel on the Research deck. Unlike yourself, the Lady Sylax appears to have inspired loyalty enough to attract an army," I said.

"Compelled it, more likely," Anna said.

I remembered how Sylax had forced Anna to grovel before her. It might explain why the other decks were so resistant to new leadership. They hadn't willingly been in service to the old core. It boded well for us, if we could sway them to our cause.

They would be even more of a challenge, if we couldn’t.

I began construction on recreating the basic facilities that I’d had at the old base. What had once been some kind of conference room on this level was large enough to hold a growth vat, and the smaller rooms were perfect to convert into individual cabins. An office was changed into a new infirmary.

I could construct everything out of Biomatter, although it would probably be a good deal stranger than people were used to. They would have to get accustomed to it.

Using the last of the material resources I built a large glass tank containing a number of whirling blades. It would mince material into a fine texture and allow a slow, steady flow of a portion of the contents to a vat outside.

Everyone was healed, and it was better not to ask permission. I teleported Ophelia inside and activated the grinder. The woman barely even had time to scream before being reduced to slurry, a stream of Biomatter dripping into the vat below.

I monitored the contents inside and it wasn’t actually losing any volume. Perfect. It made a mockery of several physical laws, but they were ridiculous ones anyways. The fact is Ophelia was fine, if a little temporarily dead, regenerating at the same rate she was feeding into the vat. This way she could provide construction materials for some large scale improvements.

"Gross," Anna said.

"You could probably get a higher yield out of two tanks," Mechos said.

"Does this mean an unlimited supply of cookies?" Hot Stuff asked.

I suppose she had taken a bullet for the team. I materialized a small portion into a plate of them.

"Is she going to be okay in there?" Anna asked.

I wasn’t listening. I was getting some great readings out of this.

Research Project

"Ophelia"

This subject has been altered by exposure to a speed core. While you have already collected a core point from the study of this specific core, this application is one you have not observed. Study may reveal a new power.

Estimated time to completion: One week

I'd have to keep Ophelia in the grinder for a week, but there was no downside to that. I needed the construction materials and I didn't think she should be able to feel pain given the current state of her nervous system. Furthermore, if I needed to heal any of the team I could simply spray them in her slurry. If anything, she was somewhat improved in this state. If only I could get Anna to be so useful by grinding her up.

My science drones outside were finding a land of horrors. The jungle really was a place where dangerous creatures were preyed upon by things even more deadly. Even the vegetation was murderous. I had scans of one plant that sprayed its prey with acid to dissolve the flesh before dragging it in to consume them. Another defended itself by spraying hallucinogenic spores.

With a few modifications to that gene structure and I could grow acid-spraying turrets near the staircases and set up cysts on the floor filled with hallucinogenic spores that I could detonate remotely.

I set those to build and prioritized them as the first recipients of the new Biomatter.

"Not that Ophelia isn't delicious," Anna said, having grabbed one of the cookies. "But we need a plan. They attacked us, as the queen I can’t allow that to go unanswered."

I knew she couldn't see my actions, but what did she think I was up to?

"Even your stench won't overcome an army. They've a fortified position," I said.

"I don't care."

"Mechos, I hate to ask if it of you, but you may need to sleep with Anna to distract her and keep her from killing herself," I said.

"I'm up for it," Hot Stuff said.

"There you go. Promiscuity that truly knows no limits. In that case, Mechos, I'm sending you over some specifications. I need you to build some acid guns," I said.

"It isn't happening," Anna said, with a sidelong glance at Hot Stuff.

"I'm good. You can ask Mechos," Hot Stuff said.

"They have workshops downstairs?" Mechos asked, walking quickly away. It was admirable survival instinct.

The two watched him go and burst out laughing when he was out of sight.

"That was pretty good," Anna said.

"He's cute, but so weird. I really am sorry if you had a thing for him," Hot Stuff said.

Anna shrugged. "If I wasn't a priority, he wasn't worth my time. Enjoy him.” She turned to me. “I'm serious Emma, I want payback."

If she was this out for blood, Anna wouldn't be satisfied until she had some. I had to think of something that would satisfy her. Fortunately the outside world provided some possibilities.

"There are hives in the jungle of a highly aggressive sort of bee. Their stings result in tremors, vomiting, and other signs of physical distress. It would be as if you kissed someone," I said.

Anna gave a thin smile. "Acceptable, I suppose. How can we get them inside the ship?"

"There are hull breaches on the Wolves’ deck as well. I can teleport one outside a breach with one of my drones and drop it in," I said.

"They'll seal the breaches," Anna said thoughtfully.

"It was something we were going to need to do anyways to make the ship airworthy," I said.

"What about the Rats?" Anna asked.

They were a deck underneath the Wolves, who were directly below us.

"A few will probably get stung," I said.

"Send them a warning. If they have any weak or injured that might not be able to endure a sting, they are welcome to remain here until the bees have been dispersed. Do not turn this into another joke at the expense of my dating life," Anna said.

"A joke? I'd have called your dating life more of a tragedy," I said. I sent the message to the Rats terminal. Like the Bats, it took almost no time at all for it to be acknowledged.

I wondered if they had been expecting an invitation of their own to join up. Perhaps they weren’t interested in being a dominant force, much as the Bats hadn’t been.

I found a suitable hive with one of my science drones. I closed on it and engaged the teleport causing it to appear outside of the breach. I charged through the gap in the hull to smash it against the far wall, trapping the hive between them. The force of the impact split the hive wide open and reddish-colored bees swarmed out.

I expected my drone to survive, but under a flurry of metal-piercing stings it went down in a spray of sparks. The bees were more formidable than I'd imagined.

"Message sent and some very angry bees have been delivered," I said.

"You might have given them more warning," Anna said.

"I’m surprised. Much like intellect, style, and charm, patience isn't your strong suit," I said.

Anna smiled briefly at that. "Can you build me a throne?"

I hadn't thought of it. I hadn't really seen the need. Still, Anna was technically Queen per our little arrangement and if she wanted one, I could accommodate her.

"I can make you something. Given our building materials it will need to be organic. You can have a living one, if you'd like, although I know you've probably never been that close to another living being," I said.

"Bone?" Anna asked.

"The offer to make you a sex chair was not literal," I said.

Anna closed her eyes for a moment and carefully said, "As a building material."

Oh. That I could certainly do.

"Go get some sleep. I'll have something ready in a few hours," I said.

55

A week later we were in a far better position than we'd started. The repairs and conversions were finished and we actually had a presence in the airship now, and some real defenses. I was eventually able to let Ophelia out of the grinder. After a few hours of vomiting she seemed well enough.

Research Complete

"Ophelia"

From your study of the subject’s accelerated healing you are now able to imbue a similar if more limited effect in your own biological components or your agents for a cost in power points.

That was even better than I'd hoped for. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to get any ability at all from studying Ophelia, since I'd already gained from her after observing the speed crystal when it had been bonded to Runner. That meant I could gain multiple powers from one crystal, if it were passed to someone else. That was useful knowledge, Power cores were a rare commodity.

Every time I had been able to respawn a drone, I dropped another hive on the Wolves—at least until they sealed the breaches. It took longer than expected, the bees really must have given them a difficult time.

Anna was delighted with her throne. I'd scanned enough humans at this point that I had a wide range of possible bone shapes and sizes to use. The final result was a well-polished white chair, skulls on the back and arms adding ornamentation. It was a challenge to make it properly functional as well, wiring in communications and control functions.

That week had been a new sort of peace that came to an abrupt end.

* * *

It was the middle of the night when a figure materialized in the throne room. The woman was dressed completely in dark colors. She tossed a pack at the base of my computing core before dissolving into some sort of mist.

I wasn't limited by human reaction times. I brought a drone next to the package, secured it, and teleported both outside of the ship. It was just in time, a massive explosion tearing the drone apart.

That explosion wasn't the only one. The ship was wracked by a number of blasts. On the Research deck the quarters were surrounded by a shimmering energy bubble. Another separate sphere of energy seemed to have captured a cloud of dark mist.

The inhabitants of the Espionage deck—it had to be. They'd decided to try to wipe out the leaders of all the other decks.

I checked on Anna. It was good that I did, she was limping down the hall, a vicious-looking cut on one leg. A pistol was in her hand, but I didn't think it would do her much good against an enemy that could become immaterial. I teleported her to the throne room.

Anna growled and settled back on her throne, blood staining the white bone.

"An assassin. Who are they?" Anna asked.

"If we assumed it’s people who would be happier with you dead, that’s everyone who ever met you. Fortunately they are targeting more than you, which actually narrows the list of suspects. I think they must be from the Espionage deck. They tried to destroy my core and hit the Research deck as well," I said.

"We've been fortifying too long and not being aggressive enough," Anna said.

Even Anna could be right sometimes.

"What are you wearing anyways? It's sad," I said.

"I like lingerie, it isn't sad," Anna said.

"It is like dressing up for a birthday party and nobody shows. Nobody will ever show," I said.

Anna winced and stretched her wounded leg. "Not the time to screw with me, Emma. My assassin turned into mist. Are they all doing that?"

"Your assassin didn't dissolve in horror from the sight of you, it is their ability. However, the Bats seem to have some sort of containment field holding one," I said.

"I don't want to hold them. I want to kill them. Can we do it?" Anna asked.

Could we? Most of my existing defenses wouldn't be much good against an enemy like this. Acid sprayers and hallucinogenic spores would both fail. Standard firearms would be useless, as would melee weapons.

"Hot Stuff. They can become gaseous at room temperature and I expect her thermal extremes will disrupt their systems," I said.

"Send her," Anna said.

I wasn't going to send her in without what help I could provide. Hot Stuff was too valuable to lose.

Hot Stuff was already on the way to the throne room from her cabin. I opened up her upgrade menu while on the way.

Hot Stuff

Age: 37

Height: 121.3 cm

Weight: 61.4 kg

Physical Stats

Values out of 10

5=Average

Allure: 10

Endurance:3

Strength: 4

Agility: 4

Primary Fire Matrix

Hot Stuff had horrible stats. I suppose she didn't much need them given her destructive powers. I was going to make a quick change however. I upgraded her with the minor healing ability I'd just gained from Ophelia. While I was at it, I gave the upgrade to Anna as well.

Anna flinched on the throne, her leg twitching as the flow of blood from the injury slowed.

"Ophelia in range?" Anna asked.

"No, I upgraded you with a bit of her ability. Hot Stuff as well," I said.

"Good," Anna said. "Get everyone but Hot Stuff together. Your offensive drones too, if you can build new ones."

"I can build new humans too since installing genetic sequencers in the lab. One of these days I'll build one worth knowing," I said.

"Do it," Anna said, rising out of her throne. "If we're in disarray, so are the Rats and the Wolves. We're taking this ship."

Every so often I was reminded how brilliant I am. At times I questioned the alliance I had made with Anna. This wasn't one of them.

I'd been hard at work getting weaponry and armor for our people. Without access to mining, everything I produced had a biological source. The armor was grown in my growth vats, layers of hardened exoskeleton made to suit the human form. The guns appeared fairly conventional, but on the inside were a collection of acid growth sacs with a simple sprayer. They were limited compared to a conventional rifle, in both range and spread, working more like a shotgun.

I produced two more soldier units.

Candice

Gender: Female

Specialization: Explosives

Traits: Perky, Fearless, Annoying

Diana

Gender: Female

Specialization: Ranged

Traits: Cowardly, Poor Singer, Meticulous

"Ready to kill, kill, kill!" Candice said excitedly.

"As long as it isn't too risky," Diana said.

"The riskier, the better! Go Team Emma!" Candice said.

Creating the perfect human wasn't easy. Perhaps that is why humans spent so much time trying. Still, these would serve my purposes well enough.

"Command, do you read?" asked Doctor Batavius over the comm.

"Better than you can, doctor. We're well up here, good work on capturing one. Move them over to a research pod. We're launching offensive operations, keep your heads down," I said.

"However cocky you might be, you won't find it easy to harm the Mist."

"Just because your frigid heart has never known heat doesn't mean others share your problem," I said.

Batavius paused for a moment thinking it over. "Your pyrokinetic thing. That should work. When she arrives we'll flood the lower deck with an accelerant vapor."

It was a good way to assist the existing plan. Although Hot Stuff burned incredibly hot, her range was limited. Anything that we could do to expand it was likely to be helpful. Within limits.

"I approve of your plan so long as you don't burn down my ship," I said.

"You should know the Rat’s primary defenses are disease-based," Batavius said, and killed the link.

Well, if my new chief researcher was looking to maintain my good graces she was pulling it off. When this was over and done with I might have to bleed Ophelia for a day to make all the cookies the Research deck would have coming to them.

The throne room was getting crowded. Anna had changed, now wearing a set of medium armor. In addition to an acid rifle she had a few conventional pistols and even a sword. I suppose that being Queen had its rewards and one of those was getting all the weapons.

Mechos and the surviving Mechanites made do with acid rifles and heavy armor. Ophelia was in shorts and a tank top—avoiding injuries wasn't high on her list of priorities.

"If they yield, we let them. We'd rather have them working for us than dead, but don't take any chances. If they aren't throwing down their arms and surrendering take them out," Anna said.

Hot Stuff was already making her way down to the bottom deck, flames billowing as her temperatures began to spike. It was showtime.

56

"Ophelia should take on the Rats alone. They utilize disease as their primary weapon. While I realize most people wouldn’t even notice if Anna was covered in oozing sores, it is probably best to avoid for everyone," I said through Diana. Although my human creations had intellect and personalities of their own, I could take them over when required just as I could my mechanical drones.

"My healing upgrade won't help?" Anna asked.

"It may. Do you want to test it?"

Abilities gained through research were usually nowhere near the power of the primary ability granted by a core.

Anna grimaced. "Not really. Fine, Ophelia, you're on your own."

"Against an army of rats. What am I getting out of this deal again?" Ophelia asked.

"Immortality and not being stuck in the grinder full-time," I said.

"Missing the days when I was a sidekick," Ophelia said, heading off on her own. At least I could observe that stage of the fight through the monitoring bracelet.

The top deck looked to be a war zone. Massive rents were torn in the hull and the corridors were filled with oily black smoke. In the distance there was the sound of weapon fire.

Candice motioned and took the lead, the others following close behind. People seemed more than happy to let my human drone take point.

We passed several burning turrets in the hall, formidable defenses that had already been destroyed. The sound of gunfire was coming from a side room and a quick look revealed it to be some sort of barracks.

A makeshift barricade had been made out of bunks and several Wolves sheltered behind it, firing on a figure of mist that kept relocating from one place to another. Forming only long enough to take a shot, before discorporating again. It was a strategy only partially successful, the serious-faced young woman bore several wounds.

"Ignore them," I said through Candice. "We need to find the command console for this level."

"We owe them blood," Anna said with a scowl.

"And your parents owe you an apology for that face. Once we have control of this deck you can teleport and kill as much as you want, or press for peace as you choose," I said.

Anna didn't look pleased about it, but she nodded and we continued on. Everything here was devoted to war. There were training facilities, briefing rooms, armories.

This deck had taken a lot of damage, far worse than from a single bomb like they’d tried against us. Through a gaping hole in the ceiling I could see one of the massive guns mounted on top of the ship. It was smoldering.

While we were so far having a quiet time of it, fierce battles were happening elsewhere. Ophelia had been set upon by rats, her flesh bubbling, peeling, and warping in the most unnatural ways as one powerful infection after another coursed through her system. Whatever was done to her though was no match for her healing powers and she lashed out against her attackers. Her gun had been lost, but she had fists and teeth, and fought savagely.

It was a brutal encounter that I knew she would win eventually. In her own way she was an unstoppable force. Unfortunately it looked like the engines were in flaming ruins, the bombing hitting them hard.

Hot Stuff was having a hard time of it too. The Mists tried shooting her, and when that didn't work they tried asphyxiating her. It was smart—I'd tried the same once and had some success. But I hadn't tried to asphyxiate her with my own body.

Hot Stuff's flames nearly sputtered out as she was buried in an enveloping cloud of dark mist. Then she found a reserve of power and flared with an intensity that left the deck around her molten.

The Mists reformed into bodies, burning and screaming and dying.

In our own somewhat tame fight we were coming up on what looked to be a command center. Tactical displays were dim from running off emergency power. In the center was a command console, the main power still active there. I recognized its design from the Research deck.

Five Wolves in heavy armor surrounded it.

"Hold your fire," said one of them. The man looked to be in his fifties, grey-haired and severe. "I know this attack wasn't your doing."

"They hit us too," Anna said. "Although later, and not as effectively as you did."

"I'm Baron Wolfson," said the man, and jerked his head to the displays. "There is something you need to see."

"We'll hear you out," Anna said.

One of the Wolves tapped away at the keys and views switched to outside. The jungle was rippling, vegetation undulating in a long line that was moving towards us.

"Damn it," Anna said with a sigh. "How are we doing on the other decks?"

The Espionage deck was just coming online for me. Hot Stuff had made it to their core. Without any surviving defenders she needed to do nothing more than lay her hand on it to claim it. With its activation I was getting more feeds than just what the Wolves were showing me.

An army was approaching through the jungle.

The Rats were busy surrendering to Ophelia. I think there may have been a marriage proposal of some sort. It seemed they were impressed by a survivor and not usually prone to fights at the best of times.

"If you are quite done meeting friends who whine even more than you do, hurry it up," I told Ophelia, then I said to Anna, "We're winning."

"Your call how this plays out."

Wolfson said, "My people aren't going to follow an untested girl, however much she wants to call herself Queen."

"Then we've got a problem, because it isn't going the other way," Anna said, staring him down.

Wolfson considered this and said, "Single combat. No weapons."

"Done," Anna said, and the two shook on it.

Wolfson stripped out of his armor and set his weapons aside. Anna did the same.

"Are you sure about this?" I asked her.

"I think I know what I'm doing. I think I know what he is doing. Stay out of this, Emma—unless you're quite certain I'm about to die. Then kill every single one of them and take the console," Anna said.

The Wolves joined my people into forming a circle around Anna and Wolfson.

Anna started the fight, moving in and lashing out a leg to kick at Wolfson's midsection. He grabbed her ankle and twisted, and a sharp crack could be heard. Anna screamed in pain. Wolfson was whirling around to lash out with his own foot. Ribs broke and Anna's scream became a whimper as the air was knocked out of her and she was sent skidding across the floor.

The fight had gone all of a few seconds and it seemed effectively over. I knew it wasn't quite that easy, Anna did have accelerated healing, but it was nothing compared to Ophelia's. While Ophelia would already be getting back to her feet, that wasn't the case with Anna.

Wolfson bent down and grabbed her by the throat, using it to lift her high into the air. "You think you can fight girl? You think you're worthy of leading the Wolves?"

Anna didn't respond in words but with action. Her legs wrapped themselves around his waist and she punched at the hand gripping her throat. When it released she drove her head forward and pounded at his nose with her forehead. There was a spray of blood and he stumbled backward to collapse onto the floor.

Anna kept hold. There was nothing subtle about what happened next, she followed up with one blow after another, smashing her head into his face again, then again.

I don't know if the other Wolves knew, but with my science drone I could tell that he was forcing down his defensive instincts. A leg muscle tensed to drive her off, then relaxed. Wolfson was letting her have this, letting Anna get her blows in.

When Anna finally pulled herself away from him her face was a bloody mess. Her own nose had broken sometime in the scuffle and her lip was split in several places. They'd heal eventually, but her boosted healing was tending to more serious injuries first.

In unison the Wolves dropped to a knee with their heads lowered.

That was all it took for the deck to start coming online.

Ship Status

Primary weapons: Offline

Primary shielding: Offline

Secondary weapons: 15%

Primary Engines: Offline

Auxiliary thrusters: 5%

Hull integrity: 21%

"Do we have control?" Anna asked.

"We do, of a ship that impossibly looks even worse than you do," I said.

"The Mists wanted to sabotage us before that army gets here. It must be someone or something with the old Command core from the throne," Anna said. “It escaped.”

I'd figured that out myself.

"I admire your ability to state the obvious in even the most time sensitive of situations," I said.

"As I do your ability to squeeze in an insult," Anna said, and triggered her comm to go ship-wide. "Wolves. I've defeated your leader in single combat, prepare to form a defensive perimeter around the ship with me. Doctor Batavius, have your department aid in the defense and help the Rats get our engines back online."

57

The Rats were blinking about the ship. Now that they were officially my minions they could teleport within a facility that I controlled. It seemed to barely faze them, I wondered if the old core had also offered them the teleporting ability. Unlike the Wolves and Bats, although they could shape change to human, the Rats rarely seemed to do so.

I teleported Ophelia into a containment cell in the research wing and triggered the forcefield.

"Really? Prison?" Ophelia asked. The woman had looked better, her clothes shredded to ruins by the rat attacks and her flesh stained with dried blood.

"You're filled with super-powered diseases that have faced a super-powered immune system for awhile. While I can't actually imagine anyone wanting to be close enough to you for it to spread, you do need to be quarantined," I said.

It wasn't just that.

Research Menu

"Plague Variants"

The Rats possess the ability to spread a host of diseases that operate on systems at an accelerated rate. In Ophelia they have encountered an accelerated immune system. This has resulted in fragments of advanced viruses.

Extraction of samples will take forty-eight hours and are a resource that can aid in the development of new bioweapons.

Right now I didn't have any bioweapons, unless you counted the humans I could manufacture. I'd like some, anything that expanded my ability to defend my research facilities was a good thing. SCIENCE must go on, no matter what.

"Two days. Then I'll send Hot Stuff in to incinerate you. I doubt you'll be the first disease-infested specimen she has gotten close to," I said.

"Seriously not happy about this," Ophelia said.

I killed the connection and materialized some cookies in her cell.

One problem handled, I switched over to Anna. My human drones were still in her company and she was slowly leading the Wolves down the stairs—slow, because she was barely holding it together, her broken ribs were just starting to regrow.

Based on her rate of healing I thought it would be several hours before she was back in any sort of reasonable fighting shape.

"I know you'd like to lead the defense, but let us be honest, your technical skills are somewhat less horrible than your fighting ability. I could use your assistance with the engines," I said.

"You can have Mechos and the Mechanites," Anna said.

I wasn't going to object to that idea. They were outstanding engineers, but really my entire point was to keep Anna on her feet. However, if she was going to be stubborn we'd just have to deal with it. I'd constructed the infirmary and could heighten her healing even more, if needed.

"I'll take them," I said.

Mechos and his people separated from the group and headed to Engineering. I let the Rats know to expect them.

I switched my attention over to Doctor Batavius. Instead of making her way over to either the main engines or the ground defenses, she and her assistant had gone to the secondary thrusters.

"Doctor, your goggles may have failed you. Those aren't the main engines," I said through the nearby comm panel.

"How fortunate that I have you to remind me of the design of this ship. Did you spend all of five minutes studying it, when not busy failing to adequately defend against the Mist saboteurs?" Batavius asked, cracking open a panel, goggled features studying the interior.

"Is there a reason why, or has the dementia gotten worse?" I asked.

"There is usually a reason why, even when you're too stupid to grasp it," Batavius said. “Whether you need a quick hop to escape those approaching hordes or simply to set the jungles on fire to hold them back, the thrusters are your best mix of defense and unlikely offense. I'm working to give you all the options I can."

While I could fault her attitude—there really was no need to be so insulting—I couldn't fault her logic. In addition, as one of the few systems still partially operational, it was easier to get something out of the thrusters. I was already seeing an improvement.

"We believe it is the old core out there. You may have been considered barely useful enough to be in its company once or twice. What can you tell me?" I asked.

"The Crystal Spider. Did you find none of its agents on your deck after establishing control?" Batavius asked.

"We didn't. I destroyed the throne and established a link," I said.

"Then fried your tiny little mind, I expect. Predictable. The Crystal Spider is primarily an upgrade core, although enhanced with a number of Command cores over time. Lady Sylax profited well from both. The throne was not its core, but something of a control hub," Batavius said, screwing a new part into the panel.

That explained why I didn’t get any upgrades from the destruction of the throne. The old core truly was still active and out there. When we'd disrupted its control it must have fled from the ship and spent the time in the jungle raising an army to take its home back.

"Why would it flee? Couldn't it simply have used its abilities from the Command core on us?" I asked.

"It doesn't do well with spontaneity. Webs and long-term plans," Batavius said.

How spider-like. It was a weakness. Like I’d already discovered, plans were good, but you also needed to be able to work in the moment.

* * *

Twenty minutes later the army arrived. It was time enough for us to set up some basic defenses. The Research deck had provided several portable shielding platforms, energized barriers that defenders could crouch behind. The Wolves had high-powered rifles with a better range than the acid guns, and we were bolstered by energy turrets.

A ramp gave us quick access back into the airship when we were ready for take-off—if, that is, we ever had the ability to get airborne.

I wasn’t trying to micromanage my human drones. They came prepared with their own abilities, although I wasn't entirely sure Diana would come out from cover without a push when the shooting started. The various factions worked together well, but I suppose they were accustomed to that. We were the new part of the equation.

When the enemies came out of the jungle they were overwhelming. The sky darkened with swarms of leather-winged flying serpents. Charging below them were massive, armored behemoths with tiny eyes and five huge horns.

The Wolves opened fire, but the intense barrage only slowed the advance.

Thrusters along the midpoint of the airship angled and blasts of withering fire incinerated large swaths of the enemy and set the jungle alight.

It still wasn't enough. One of the behemoths reached an energy shield and with a butt of its head caused the barrier to ripple and fade.

The Rats were close to getting their job done. I estimated perhaps another two minutes until they had the main engines operational, but that wasn't going to be enough.

"Pull back," I told Anna.

Anna squeezed off a shot and sent a serpent tumbling from the sky, before issuing the orders into her comm and our defenders fell back into the ship. The Bats set the shields to overload before withdrawing, rippling explosions of energy blasting back the swarms.

The Wolves lined the edges of the ramp, defending while the others boarded. It took us only thirty seconds to get inside, yet it didn't change the math elsewhere.

"I need a burn," I called to Doctor Batavius through her comm.

"How long do you need?" she asked.

"Upwards of ninety seconds airtime," I said.

We didn't have to be flying all that time—I didn't expect we would be. Besides, we'd fall a lot further the higher we went up.

The thrusters angled downward and on pillars of fire we were raised into the sky.

"I can't give you ninety," Batavius said.

I could already tell that she was right. We were rapidly losing system function.

"What if I bring Hot Stuff into the burn chamber?" I asked.

"You'll increase intensity, but we'll lose integrity fast," Batavius said. I could see her trying to do the math in her head. I was doing the same. I thought we'd be okay, but I wanted that second opinion.

"We'll trash the system, but we don't need it," Batavius said.

I teleported Hot Stuff into the main thruster ignition chamber.

I probably should have asked first, but really I just needed her to burn. Surrounded by fuel, that’s just what she did. The thrusters flared with greater intensity before the components began to melt under the increased temperature and they sputtered out.

I teleported Hot Stuff back out. She still needed to breathe after all.

Our upwards momentum quickly died out and we began to glide down towards the jungle.

The Rats got the engines back online five seconds earlier than anticipated—it was good that they did.

We were skimming far too close to the tree tops. Alive, but not safe, the story of our lives.

58

The airship’s ramp was still open, but it wasn't the worst thing happening. While it created some air-drag, the holes throughout the hull were having even more of an impact. The ship was shaking violently and the occasional screech of tearing metal punctuated the roar of the wind.

We'd barely been in the air for two minutes and hull integrity had already ticked down a point to twenty percent.

We couldn't stay airborne like this. We also couldn't go back down into the jungle.

I opened a ship-wide comm and advised them of the situation.

Baron Wolfson said, "You've gained enough distance to give us some time. Land the ship. I and my Wolves can buy you more." The old Wolf’s voice was rough, without accelerated healing his nose was still a ruin.

"We can start hull repairs at once," squeaked a Rat I didn't know. I expected it was their leader.

"Or we can divert all our focus to shield repair. We block the wind, we can repair the hull at our leisure," Doctor Batavius said.

"What about the dimensional drive?" Anna asked.

"Offline and a very difficult fix," Batavius said.

I'd seen the dimensional drive of these ships in action. They were what allowed these vessels to quickly travel vast distances between the shattered parts of the world. If we'd been able to engage ours, we might have simply left this jungle behind.

Of the remaining possibilities the shields seemed the best option. Otherwise, repairing a hull being torn apart seemed equivalent to bailing water back into a sinking ship.

"If you hadn't spent so much time uselessly in fighting, we would have the hull already repaired. Focus our efforts on shield repair. If the hull gets down to five percent I'm forcing a landing," I said.

Rats, Bats, Anna and Mechanites scrambled. The shielding equipment was on Engineering deck. With their combined effort they brought considerable expertise, but the Mist bombing had done considerable damage to those systems.

On the Espionage deck near the ramp the Wolves were reloading and getting themselves into shape should we have to land again. It was then the serpents began to hit us, flying through the holes in the hull and setting upon the repair crews with beak and talon.

"Wolves to deck four to repel fliers," Anna called, opening fire with her pistol, shifting from her own repair efforts to fight them off.

The sky was dark in the distance. So far only a few dozen of the winged snakes had made it aboard, but there were hundreds on the way.

The thrusters were still offline. Interfacing them with Hot Stuff earlier really had burned them out, otherwise I could try to use them for defense.

The shields might be up in time, but I couldn't rely on that. Relatively speaking the bottom of the airship was in the best shape. The Mist hadn't bombed their own section and did some repairs during the time we were crashed.

I told Batavius, "I'm going to need just a second of the thrusters. Although I'm certain all measure of thrusting is something you are intimately unfamiliar with."

"You are running low on insults. Sexuality? Truly? It's probably a side-effect of the mental instability caused by your core. So is thinking that I can eke any more life out of a system you destroyed," Batavius said.

"I understand the minds of older women often dwell on such things. Use one of the Powered. I'm sure one of them must be good for something," I said.

"Not every problem is solved by grinding up a human being or otherwise teleporting them into danger."

I had a pretty good record with just such solutions. But she was right, I wasn't seeing it in this case either.

"At the risk of your obsessive mind thinking about sex again, what about explosives? The Mist had a supply, as do the Wolves," I said.

"Maybe," Batavius said after a pause. "If we can direct the force. I may have shielding equipment to help. Where do you want the thrust?"

I gave her the location and she ran off taking her assistant with her.

I took the opportunity to steer the ship towards the approaching fliers. Even if we pulled this off it was going to damage the hull some more, but I didn't see a way around that.

A few minutes later and the hull was down to nine percent and the makeshift thrusters were ready. I set a collision course with the fliers and gave the all-clear signal to Doctor Batavius. She had cordoned off an area of deck five with energy shielding, using it to direct a blast from several explosive packs. She pressed the detonation button.

The charge bucked the ship and knocked us into a roll as we plowed into the fliers.

Instead of the ship full of breaches we'd presented moments before, now they were faced with our undamaged bottom hull. There were a series of repeated thuds that were almost like hail upon the surface of the ship. One flier after another exploded against our keel—then we were through the swarm to the other side.

The Wolves opened fire from breaches throughout the ship, gunning down remainders of the swarm. We hadn't eliminated the threat, but we'd cleared enough that the Wolves stood a chance. The hull was down to six percent and the screeching of metal and violent tremors was becoming more pronounced.

I was hesitant to land us again even at this point for fear it might finally wreck the hull completely, but staying airborne would do the same with even less chance of survival for everyone. We were on the way down when I finally got the message.

Shielding System Restored

System Status: 15%

Power Reserve: 44%

It wasn't much, but I'd take it. I signaled to the crew I was about to engage the shields and triggered them. A shimmering field of green energy enveloped the ship and in an instant the roar of wind and the violent shaking stopped.

"Good work, people," Anna said, walking amongst the crew on the Engineering deck. It looked like in addition to her battle wounds she'd picked up a few electrical burns from helping with the system repair. It had made an impression, the newly recruited crew all seemed to be treating her with a great deal of respect.

I told Anna, "We're airborne for now, but there isn't a system on this ship in good condition. It is as beat up and ragged as you."

"Can we maintain flight?" Anna asked.

I'd been trying to figure that out. This was as far as my planning had gone, lifting off and carrying out repairs. Beyond that, there was a limit to what we could do. We'd gotten the engines working to some extent, but while the system was active, everything else that needed to be done simply wasn't possible.

"For now. It’s like you and eating healthy—long-term, there will be failure," I said.

"What about charts of the area?"

That was a good idea. Now that I had access to all the ship’s systems I could pull up data files. They weren't of much help. Much of the documentation was on paper and what was electronic only showed large sections of the Rim blocked out with "Hazardous" markers. We were in one of those areas.

Those maps came from somewhere though, and we had sensors on board to scan the surroundings. I didn't see anything but jungle and mountains close, but farther out there were other airships in some sort of large concentration I thought must be a kind of port.

"Negative,” I told Anna. “The Scholars must not have been here to ever map it. I do have what I believe to be some kind of port two days out. We could make it. While I am sure you won't, might the rest of us find friends there?"

"It wouldn't be the Righteous, not out this far. We aren't the only factions although we're two of the largest. Most of them aren't very friendly, but I don't see where we have a choice," Anna said.

I agreed with her—rarely a good sign. We couldn't stay airborne indefinitely and setting down in the jungle would invite another attack. At least there was some chance of finding allies elsewhere.

"Setting course. You can congratulate the crew for not completely destroying this vessel and get some sleep," I said.

Anna shook her head. "The crew needs to get used to me. Find the head of the Rats and tell him to meet me in the throne room. Once everyone has kissed my ring, then I'll get some sleep."

59

"Your glorious magnificence is a splendorous delight. Your striking beauty is outshone only by your renowned mercy and non-murderous intentions," said Chief Ratimus.

The meeting with the Rat’s leader had been going on for awhile. Anna had intended a quick chat, but instead she got a prolonged encounter where the problem wasn’t getting the Rats to acknowledge her authority—but rather getting them to stop doing so.

"You may go, Chief," Anna said, pushing herself back in her throne. The bone was stained with blood. It had been a rough day and while Anna's accelerated healing sealed wounds quickly, her clothing was still soaked.

"Although it would pain me to depart such a warm and comforting presence, where your merest gaze is like the sunlight of a summer day, it is a testament indeed that you give your loyal and dedicated servants leave to move as they will," Chief Ratimus said.

Anna rubbed her eyes between thumb and forefinger.

I said, "While I am certain your Queen has the poor judgment to find your rambling endearing and charming, let me assure you that I have little use for rodents who aren't pulling their own pudgy weight—except as science experiments."

Chief Ratimus squeaked and after a good five minutes of genuflecting managed to back out of the throne room and scamper back to Engineering.

"Sometimes your complete lack of any social graces is a virtue," Anna said, with a weary sigh.

"If only we could find a way to turn your weak points into strengths. We'd be the most fearsome force the world has ever seen," I said.

"A set of working cannons would help a lot with that. We're flying towards a bunch of ships without us having any means of self-defense."

"While I find myself boggled it is even possible, you may be underestimating yourself and this vessel," I said.

Anna smiled at that and sat forward. "Perhaps. Let’s break it down then. What we have working against us is that our ship is in tatters and no matter how much you scare the Rats, it’s going to be that way until we can get some time in a dock."

We could perhaps get by without a maintenance dock. Given enough time and enough Biomatter I could convert the ship’s hull into an organic matrix and most of the systems as well. However, it would be time-consuming, and so resource-intensive even grinding up Ophelia again wouldn't make it feasible.

"We also have the ship’s previous core still hunting us and it has an army," I said.

"A negative point. On the positive side, we have a skilled crew for most of the ship’s functions. Everything except for Espionage," Anna said.

"The Mists having been entirely too good at that. We'll need to replace them," I said.

Anna let out a frustrated sigh. "That means finding someone we can trust. I'm thinking Mechos and the Mechanites."

They made more sense as engineers, but we already had engineers. At least Mechos with his abilities could build stealth equipment and manufacture spy drones.

"Part of that job is sabotage, and Mechos and his people have proved worthless in fights. Hot Stuff is our strongest single combatant, but she is as stealthy as she is celibate," I said.

"Ophelia," Anna said.

"Currently in quarantine, which means she is being useless as always, except for those occasions of being draped over someone injured," I said.

"Her power isn't something flashy that stands out—that’s good for Espionage. But it will keep her and her lieutenants alive—when she has some—and the Mechanites can see them equipped with suitable gear," Anna said.

Anna wanted a group of spies with accelerated healing and high-tech equipment. It was a workable idea.

"I've no objection. Perhaps she will manage to whine less with a real job," I said.

"Do we have any trade goods?" Anna asked.

"I can provide some foodstuffs out of the growth vats. More yet, if I upgrade them, and even with your appetite we’d run a surplus. We have Scholar charts and intelligence, although most of it is on paper," I said. A tremendously inefficient medium, I truly was glad I had not tried to convert myself into something partly magical where such things seemed commonplace.

"The charts are too valuable to trade," Anna said with a frown. "Can you get any research value outside of the rest?"

It was a good question. We'd been so focused on survival I hadn't had the opportunity to try yet.

"I'll find out," I said.

Anna drummed her fingers on the throne. "Do that. We'll need a cover story too. Identifying ourselves as the former flagship of Lady Sylax can only cause problems."

"Whatever it is, you are going to have to explain the state of the ship," I said.

"It depends on who and what we find. If that’s a military installation, we don't want to claim to be mutineers, but that story might work if they’re pirates. If they're Scholars or Righteous, we're fucked from the start," Anna said.

"Are you going to identify yourself as a queen? You hardly look the part," I asked.

"I'm seated on a throne stained crimson. I couldn't look the part any more if I tried. My title isn't negotiable. Add a name to the hull, we're calling ourselves the Powerhungry," Anna said.

I'd have appreciated being asked for my opinion first, but I didn't object. Whatever Anna's desires, we were first and foremost a research vessel. I was dedicated to SCIENCE. That said, knowledge was power. The name fit.

"Get some sleep before you stain your throne in drool," I said.

Anna gave my drone a long look, but nodded after a moment and set off for her cabin.

Two days wasn't much time. I could focus the crew on doing what urgent repairs the ship needed, but in the time-frame they just couldn't do much. Giving us the appearance of being in better shape was another matter.

The massive rents in the hull were patched over with thin strips held in place with energy shielding provided by the Research deck. The shipboard cannons were polished so no trace of scorch marks remained, the damaged components hidden with fakes, and the main coils repaired just enough to hold a charge so it could at least appear we were charging our weaponry.

The Powerhungry was becoming a lie. The talents of the Research deck were then devoted into developing us a set of sensor blockers. The result wasn't satisfactory, they'd burn through power and possibly fry their own circuitry entirely too quickly. A failure at the wrong moment could reveal our true weakness, but at least for a time we could present an illusion of strength.

There were some things I couldn't fix no matter how much I wished it. We didn't move quickly, we weren't maneuverable, and our engines vibrated in a way that clearly showed we were in some distress. That damage I didn't attempt to hide, there was no point, and it explained our desire for a maintenance dock.

If we presented the image that I hoped, then we looked like a large airship with powerful weaponry well-capable of defending itself, but with some sort of engine trouble. The sort of conditions that would incline the greedy to simply try to overcharge us for repair supplies—not destroy us and take us for spare parts.

Still, that was a real concern. As we got closer I began to pick up transmissions between ships and was finally able to get some idea where were heading.

Quite a few vessels of a size similar to ours were traders, running goods between cities. We heard them checking with other trade vessels for conditions in their area. Smaller vessels frequently discussed potential prizes—piracy was alive and well. In addition there were ships of various militaries loudly pronouncing their presence and broadcasting their willingness to engage on behalf of any nearby friendly vessels.

It was a strange blend, and not a peaceful one. More than once I detected an exchange of weapons fire. As we drew nearer to the city two small vessels got close enough to us to get a good look. The proportion of weapons-to-ship size hinted that they were there for a fight. Thankfully, at the sight of our seemingly operational cannons they pulled back. We weren't a fight they wanted to pick.

Any attempts at communication with us we were ignoring, but as we neared the city there was one I had to share with Anna. It was an encrypted message using codes I'd found within the Scholar systems.

Aware of the condition of Lady Sylax

Aware of your vessel's identity

Cleared for dock C13 in the lower ward

"Well, that seems like an invitation to a trap," Anna said.

"We can try to get clearance for another dock. Someone that doesn't know who you are might be less inclined to kill us," I said.

"If they’re Scholar spies, they aren't in friendly territory either. Have the Wolves gear up and let’s accept their invite. I want to see where this goes," Anna said.

60

The city was called Reevesport and it floated perhaps four hundred feet above a volcano. It looked to be made completely of former airships, sections of old hull and engines visible here and there. Platforms had been built on top of them, connecting them together. Thick cables extended down to the volcano and I detected the flow of power. They were utilizing it as a fuel source to help keep the whole place running.

I wondered what would inspire someone to construct a city like this instead of simply harvesting parts to make something more functional. I suspected it had grown over time. It certainly looked as if it had been here for a long while.

We were given no trouble on approach and only asked if we had a dock arranged. When the dock number was provided they gave us instructions for docking. We were getting scanned heavily, but so far our blockers were holding up.

At last we were able to dock, the airship settling into a skeletal framework of metal limbs.

"Kill the engines, but keep us on reserve power. Have the Wolves meet me at the ramp," Anna said.

I cut the engines. The metal supports held, our frame groaning as the ship’s weight settled down. I ordered all repair teams to focus on the engines at once. The hull we could repair later in the air if needed, but the opportunity to service the engines was a lot of the reason we were here.

I sent Candice with Anna, who was taking no chances. The Wolves were in heavy armor with battle rifles, while Anna wore a red gown I made for the occasion. I suppose that she thought a fancy dress would help her to play diplomat. Silly Anna—it did nothing to help her personality.

I lowered the ramp. A small party was waiting, a distinguished-looking older man flanked by a pair of blonde twins in armor of green and black.

"Welcome," said the man with a tilt of his head. "The Hungered Castle has changed a lot since Lady Sylax held it."

Was that the former name of this ship? I didn't like it. I didn't like much about the Lady Sylax.

"You're not a member of the Shadowed Niche," Anna said, looking him over with a critical gaze and then sparing a glimpse to the blondes and their armor. "Who are you?"

"A friend," the man said.

"Doubtful," Anna said.

"She is incapable of making them," I said through Candice.

Anna gave my human drone a frown before looking back to the man. "Not quite true, but they are a small circle. Try again."

"You can call me Cutout. I'm a businessman whose interests stretch far."

"So you're a smuggler?"

"I'm many things. What I am right now is a man wondering which is more valuable. The friendship of those whole stole Lady Sylax's flagship, or whatever Sylax would pay me for its location," Cutout said.

"Choose the one that keeps you alive. We have you outgunned," Anna said.

Cutout lifted a shoulder in an easy shrug. There was a clicking sound and the Wolves’ rifles clattered apart, seemingly sliced into tiny fragments. "Easily remedied. Take the hint, girl. You're here and talking to me, obviously I'm more interested in the first option."

Anna lifted her chin. "Right attitude. Wrong title. I am Annabella Besari, Queen of the World."

Cutout shrugged again. "Don't hold with royal protocol. Pain in my ass, girl. You fought Sylax and won. I figured that meant you were either lucky or good. I can see it was lucky, I'll take lucky. Your engines are trashed and your weight is down—you are missing hull. It's a good masking job, but it doesn’t hold up close. I guess she put up a good fight, before she ran off."

"Before she died," Anna said.

Cutout shook his head. "Afraid not, girl."

Anna turned to my drone. "You said you killed her."

I'd said no such thing.

"I detonated the equivalent of several nuclear bombs and dropped a mountain on top of her. Her survival seems unlikely, but powers complicate matters. This stupidly named little man may be right," I said.

"Does she want me to cut her in half?" Cutout asked.

"It’s not actually her body," Anna said. "And you move on my people, you move on me. How certain are you? That Sylax lives?"

"How many others do you think are offering big rewards for your head?" Cutout asked.

The Righteous probably were.

"So why aren't you taking it?" Anna asked.

"You're here and she isn't, and I'd rather not have power like that tromping around my home. So I really hope you'll be accepting my offer and that we're the dearest of friends," Cutout said.

It was manipulative, shady, and effective.

"What do you want and what are you offering, besides your discretion?" Anna said.

Cutout reached inside a pocket and extracted a small card, which he handed over. "You'll find details here on three Captains and their ships sailing out of this port. I want them out of the picture. In return, I'll supply materials in advance so you can make whatever repairs you require. You maintain salvage rights."

Payment in advance was generous. Too generous.

"What is the catch?" Anna asked.

"They're each well-connected. No local will take the job, and no one that wants to sticks around would be wise to do so. You're neither local nor staying for long," Cutout said.

"Send him the list of needed supplies. The full one," Anna said to me.

That would give them some idea of just how damaged we really were, but I had no choice. So instead I increased all totals by twenty percent. If we were going to jack up the price, we were going to do it all the way and have something to keep in emergency supplies.

Cutout extracted a remote terminal from his pocket and glanced over the display. "Is there a part of your ship she didn't destroy? Some of this will take some time."

"You're the one with a deadline," Anna said.

"I am, see that you meet it. You'll get your supplies in stages. Handle one of them after a week. Promise to take care of my problems and I'll take care of yours," Cutout said, and he jerked his head to his companions before spinning on a heel and leaving.

Anna waited until we were back aboard the ship before saying, "He can't cut his way out of one of your containment cells, right?"

"You haven't been able to grow marginally less useless because our test subjects escape. We held a teleporter. You are planning to betray him?" I asked.

"I want to be prepared to be betrayed. If these targets of his are as connected as he says, it would be wise of Cutout to dispose of the only link back to him once the job is done," Anna said.

That did make sense. I'd appreciate the chance to study his power firsthand, we hadn't observed anything quite like it so far.

61

A week passed and the condition of the ship was much improved. Cutout delivered the supplies as promised. The engines still had a lot of work to go, but with the repairs done we'd just about doubled our top speed and the ship would run far more stable. We had basic thruster operation again, although burn time remained limited. The hull was well and truly patched, although it would be a lot more effort to restore the missing armor plating.

The shields were more reliable, while main cannons and side cannons remained offline. Compared to where we had been it was a vast improvement, yet it still left much to be desired. We could fly, but we couldn't fight—and fighting was what we needed to do.

The time also let me finish my research on the viruses infecting Ophelia. I teleported Hot Stuff into her cell and let her do what she did best. When Ophelia healed from incineration I sent her to help Mechos, who was working on rebuilding the Espionage deck.

I began upgrading my other core systems, which were lagging behind.

Bicomputer

Level 5

At level five you can now create small scale copies of your mental patterns and install them in drones or agents. These are capable of acting independent from yourself and will contain limited variants of your own power. While this may result in a loss of a diversity of opinion, sometimes the only person you can trust is yourself.

A foolish sentiment, I didn't trust myself whatsoever. I was quite certain that if I ever created some poor copy of myself, its goal would soon be to overthrow and become the original—to replace me. I wouldn't be duplicating myself except under the most extreme of conditions.

BioReactor

Level 5

You and your systems can now gain unique status effects by the consumption of specific Biomatter by the BioReactor. Your existing research has revealed the following discovered possibilities.

Pistonweed

Pistonweed was discovered by your science drones in the jungles. It is a carnivorous plant that kills prey with a root structure that erupts out of the ground to impale them. While under its effects attacks on you or your systems will instantly result in a retaliation by nearby defensive measures.

Sparkseed

Sparkseeds are the nuts of a plant that contain a strong electrical element. While under its effects conductivity of your systems is increased and your reaction time receives a minor increase.

Wizooms

Wizooms are a highly hallucinogenic mushroom. While under its influences your sensors and espionage abilities receive a large penalty, but research speeds are increased.

Pistonweed could be useful. I'd have to start integrating it into my defenses, and perhaps the others as well. The jungle really was a wellspring of botanical wonders.

Genetics Lab

Level 5

At this level you now have two options for two possible upgrades

Optimizer

The genetics lab will always be working to refine existing designs. Periodically, minor improvements to existing sequences will be discovered.

Randomizer

The genetics lab will always be working to combine random elements. Most of these will be horrific failures. Some will probably try to kill you. Some will be amazing. SCIENCE.

That was really no choice at all. A slow steady improvement or the sheer unmitigated brilliance of SCIENCE. I selected the Randomizer and moved on.

Growth Vats

Level 5

The mass production abilities of this approach are really starting to pay off in terms of yields. Production of Biomatter is doubled.

Infirmary

Level 5

You have two options for the advancement of this room

Medical Bay

The Medical Bay is a centralized facility for all things related to the health of the crew. It has the ability to treat up to twenty patients at once and handle even complex medical conditions.

Crisis Stations

With this upgrade instead of a central medbay there is a medical station on every deck. This allows for rapid response to injured personnel although the conditions it can treat are not as complex as those with a proper medical bay.

While crisis stations seemed ideal for an airship my thoughts were on my biological components. To some degree the effectiveness of the medical facilities governed how quick my own biological components healed from any damage. That being the case I wanted all the power there I could get. I selected the Medical Bay.

Cabins

Level 5

Cabin bunks now come equipped with crash webbing. In the event of high speed maneuvers even the sleeping will be protected from most maneuvers.

Processor

Level 5

In addition to standard Biomatter or construction material the processor will now sometimes generate crystal fragments. While these cannot be utilized to gain new abilities, they can be used to help enhance equipment with new properties.

All of that seemed good. I checked my status display

E.M.M.A

Research Airship

Power core: 400

Power Usage: 225

Habitability: 80

Biomass: 1078

Building Material: 185

Research: 5

Military: 1

Manufacturing: 0

Espionage: 0

Additional Facilities

Biocomputer - Level 5

BioReactor - Level 5

Genetics Lab (Randomizer) - Level 5

Growth Vats - Level 5

Medical Bay - Level 5

Cabins - Level 5

Processor - Level 6

Powerhungry Status

Hull: 100%

Armor: 15%

Shields: 75%

Engines: 77%

Thrusters: 20%

Main Cannons: 0%

Side Cannons: 0%

Sensors: 10%

With the ship in better shape we were prepared to face our next challenge. Cutout had given us terms and we had to live up to them. We had a target to hunt.

The first on our list was Captain Aldo of the Graven. A former smuggler, he had of late made some powerful friends and turned to piracy. His vessel was only a fraction of the size of the Powerhungry, but far faster, more maneuverable and with a high percentage of their power devoted to an array of beam weapons. That would pose a unique challenge given that we still had no operational guns. Still, we'd put together a plan to try to deal with that weakness—we didn't really have a choice unless we wanted a fight with Cutout over breaking our agreement.

This wasn't the time to even consider that.

62

The Graven was a beautiful little gunship. I'd gotten something of a crash course on piracy during the past week and knew they came in a few different forms.

There were pirates that had a profile similar to the Powerhungry. Big and slow, and lots of guns and personnel. They could stare down most military battleships and convince even large well-defended traders to quickly surrender their goods. Those kind weren’t often seen.

More common were mid-size hulls that carried some weaponry, but allowed greater speed than your usual trader. These were fast and capable predators, and the vessel of choice of your average pirate captain.

Ships like the Graven were another rarity. To pack that much firepower and engine thrust into a small hull was expensive, and they lacked much in the way of cargo capacity. These were elite ships after only the most valuable of cargo.

Cutout informed us of just such a shipment underway. The cargo was called a stabilizer orb, supposedly much sought-after in the Core—exactly where it was being sold. The trader Gusto was on the way to meet with a Righteous warship to hand it over. It gave any pirates who wanted a shot only a narrow window.

We were shadowing at the extreme edge of my sensor range. We were not exactly inconspicuous, but smaller vessels didn't tend to have our range.

The Gusto was accompanied by two light escorts, mercenaries hired for the run. They'd be enough to put off most medium-sized ships and a large vessel wouldn't catch them. The Graven was neither and we began closing in.

"I hate this plan," Ophelia said. The woman was in a specialized suit designed by Mechos. The plan called for making use of the unique gifts of a few of our party.

Destroying the Gusto might have been fairly easy. I could teleport my drones anywhere I had active sensors and make powerful bombs out of the spawn of my Power core. A vessel like the Gusto was almost impossible to hit, but I could hit it. I could annihilate that ship if it came down to it.

I didn't want to. I wanted to study it. Those parts and equipment were a good bit more advanced than what we had and destroying them would have stood in the way of SCIENCE.

"You hate all plans. It is because you are a terrible person," I said to Ophelia.

"I like it," Hot Stuff said. The woman was dressed in a flame resistant suit of her own. Her clothes never lasted long, but in this case they didn't need to.

"You would," Ophelia said.

They were both sitting in a cargo hold on deck five with their bodies pressed against one of my science drones.

The moment I'd been waiting for came.

The Graven engaged the escorts. It was closer to a fair fight than we’d like. While the Graven’s weapons were more powerful, three ships could fill space with a lot of firepower and even the best tactical computer could run out of options.

I teleported the drone to just outside the Graven's hull with both Hot Stuff and Ophelia grimly hanging on to it, suspended high above the ground as the drone clamped on to the pirate ship.

Hot Stuff slipped off her glove and her hand blazed brilliantly bright as she plunged it into the armored hull plating.

The armor was meant to protect against standard weaponry, not a powerful pyrokinetic. Metal sizzled and melted as her arm drove forward burying itself deeper until she was almost up to her shoulder. Then she was pulling back.

I could tell from my science drone sensors she'd breached the hull. Already repair systems would be working to seal the breach and restore the pressure inside.

"I really hate this," Ophelia said.

Hot Stuff moved and rested her hand on Ophelia's shoulder. Ophelia's suit had been specially built to aid conductivity. It was similar to the grinder in some ways, I needed her to be ashes and I needed it to happen quickly.

The woman didn't even have time to scream before being reduced to her component parts. Hot Stuff released her to slip the glove back on and move the sole of Ophelia's boot to the hull breach. This engaged the air pump built into the suit and forced her ashes in a wave through the hole.

Then Hot Stuff, the drone, and the empty suit were teleported back into the Powerhungry’s bay.

This operation was risky, especially for Ophelia, but then if she was going to be the head of a department she would have to get used to pulling the tough assignments.

It would take time for heal from being completely incinerated, which fit into my plans perfectly. I didn't want to interrupt this heist. This stabilizer orb was another fascinating artifact in need of research. While I had been offline something had fundamentally altered the nature of the world. I'd had records of that prepared but fearing the effect on my personality had never integrated them. With the destruction of the old facility I'd never have the opportunity now.

The Graven suffered some damage destroying the two escorts but in the end came out triumphant. The cargo was handed over and it made its way quickly away. We couldn't even hope to keep up in the Powerhungry but if all went according to plan I didn't need to. Now it was just a waiting game.

"We've successfully infiltrated the Graven and it has made its escape. A plan went off well, you can tell that you had nothing to do with it," I said over the comm to Anna.

"Keep me informed. For now avoid other contacts and lets head to the rendezvous point," Anna said.

I set course. I shouldn't have to wait that long to know what happened. I'd taken steps to be there and help Ophelia. Never trust a human to get things right on their own.

63

The bit of Biocomputer membrane had been stored in Ophelia's suit in heat-resistant casing. Released only after her incineration to mingle with her ashes.

When her body began to restore itself, so too did the remote host, I formed it into a shape of a bracelet on her wrist similar to the monitoring cuff.

It took hours for Ophelia to reconstitute herself. Fortunately our hull breach came through into one of the Graven’s cabins, a non-essential area. The crew weren’t too concerned, and when the breach closed they simply kept the door sealed until they could perform better repairs. That was good, Ophelia wasn't the best at defending herself normally and as a fleshy, growing blob probably worse.

When her body was finally restored her eyes flicked open. She groaned as she sat up.

"Worst plan ever," Ophelia said.

"Please. It isn't as if it was one you thought up," I said through my remote host.

"Emma?" Ophelia asked.

"I arranged to come along to do what I could to mitigate your incompetence," I said.

Ophelia fumbled in the darkness and found the light controls. The cabin lit up. It was except for a bunk.

"Fantastic. A miserable day gets even worse," Ophelia said, making her way to the wardrobe and opening it. Nothing was inside. "Who doesn't have clothes in their cabin. I am not going to try to take over a ship while I’m naked. I'm not Hot Stuff."

"Nobody would ever use those words to describe you," I said. "Still, perhaps the sight of your naked body will result in some sort of disorientation and nausea in your foes. I'm fortunate the sensors in this remote are so miserable or I'd be suffering myself."

"I'm not Anna. I don't have to put up with your crap," Ophelia said, sitting on the bunk and folding her arms. "I'm not stepping outside this cabin into a crew of sky pirates unless I have something to wear."

For all the grief I gave Anna, I didn't doubt she'd have done it. This was inconvenient. Still, the same basic routine that had let me replicate myself should enable me to fabricate something given a sufficient supply of Biomatter.

"I'm going to have to dissolve you a bit to do it," I said.

Ophelia closed her eyes and her jaw clenched. "Really don't like you. Why did you have to screw up and give me this worthless power instead of super speed?"

As if I had any control of what the Speed crystal had given her. If there was a way to control the gifts granted, I hadn't found it yet.

"I wonder if I can modify your genetic code to remove your vocal chords? I expect your ability might simply restore them, meaning it really can be an irritating power. We might try one day nonetheless. For now, it is the door or the dissolving. Take your pick," I said.

"Dissolve," Ophelia said. I could do that. Well, dissolving might be a bit inaccurate for exactly how I tore her body apart. I made it a point to go for her throat first. Screaming would have drawn the wrong sort of attention.

Hours later Ophelia came to again. It was time enough for the blood drenching the walls to have dried. Unlike last time she now had something to wear, I'd crafted a set of hide and bone armor made from her own flesh, along with a bone sword.

Ophelia brushed gore off a mirror to study herself. "Barbarian chic. Still hate you. Let’s kill some people."

I'd taken the time to try to integrate myself with the ship’s systems. There was no Power core involved, and my abilities in this platform were limited.

The Graven ran with a small crew of only four. One was currently on the bridge, two others were sleeping off their celebration of a successful haul. The fourth was in the cargo hold, perhaps studying their prize.

I issued a command to open the cabin door. The hallway behind was small and tight-fitting, space really was at a premium on this ship.

Six cabins lined a central nexus—the ship was designed to carry more crew than it actually did.

I opened the door to the first cabin. A woman was asleep in her bunk and clutching a bottle. A jagged scar across her eye spoke to past conflicts.

For all that Ophelia might whine about my plan, she didn't hesitate, driving her sword into the throat of the sleeping woman.

The crew member barely got out more than a gurgle before going limp. Things went just as smoothly in the second cabin. That left only two members to go. Capturing the bridge was a priority, but I didn't want to risk Ophelia being attacked from behind and directed her to the cargo hold instead.

As the doors hissed aside it revealed a moderately-sized room empty except for a crate in the center. It was cracked open, a blue glow coming from within.

I wasn't detecting the crew member any longer—I wasn't detecting him on the ship at all. Which was alarming.

Ophelia stepped inside.

There was the sound of shots and she crumpled to the floor. The armor was little use against gunfire and a burst from a rifle hit Ophelia in the legs. A rakish-looking man stepped into view holding the rifle aimed down at her.

"There you are. I knew we had an intruder. Righteous, I assume, given how you must have come back to life."

It was a good guess on his part. Wrong.

"You shot me," Ophelia said, trying to get at her sword. The man shot her in the arm before leaning over to pull the sword free and toss it aside.

"No. Not Righteous, that isn't Righteous weaponry," the man said. He reached down to grab a hold of Ophelia's arm and dragged her towards the crate. Ophelia screamed. Her vitals were fluctuating wildly, her biological systems going out of control. I could sympathize, I wasn't in good shape myself. I didn't have a head to have a headache, but I was having one.

"That feeling you’re experiencing is your powers being neutralized. This close to an unshielded stabilizer orb, old rules apply," said the man. He pulled Ophelia up to drag her over the orb and she began to sob. I tried to kill my connection to the remote band, but my systems were sluggish. It was like the effects of the orb were hitting me as well, which they probably were.

It was going to be embarrassing, but I opened a comm to Anna. "Help me."

64

Anna was working out in the Wolves’ training facility. I could have simply enhanced her strength, but she had been obsessed with the idea of doing something for herself.

"What's wrong?" Anna said at once, setting down a barbell.

"Stabilizer orb. Ophelia bleeding out and I'm... woozy. You're very pretty," I said.

"You have a direct connection on that ship?" Anna asked, and let out a sigh as she began to pace. "Damn it, Emma. This is why you fill me in on the plans."

"I should totally do that. You're so smart and capable," I said. I really didn't feel well.

Anna moved to a wall comm and hit it. "Doctor Batavius? I need the dimensional drive up and running now."

"You also need a love life. Sometimes we never get what we want," Batavius said.

Doctor Batavius shouldn't be so mean to Anna. Anna didn't deserve that.

"Doctor Batavius, Emma was foolish enough to tie herself to a remote connection and is now networking with a stabilizer orb. You can give me the dimensional drive in the five minutes it takes me to walk down there, or I can start shooting everyone in Engineering," Anna said.

There was a pause. "I'll have to cannibalize some existing systems. Do you actually have a plan, if I get it up?" Batavius asked.

Of course she would. Anna always had a plan.

* * *

On the Graven the man who must be Captain Aldo discovered my wrist connector and pulled it from Ophelia's arm.

"Oh, this is interesting. A completely different core than yours. An upgrader?" Captain Aldo asked. "Now that is valuable.” Aldo put my connector on top of the orb. The pain running through my systems grew even more intense.

Aldo hit Ophelia in the face with the butt of his rifle, knocking her unconscious, before vanishing for a few minutes and returning with a case and some equipment. Several wires were attached to my remote connector and I felt some sort of interface snap into place with my systems. Even through my fog of confusion I could figure out his intent.

He was attempting to trace my crystal, he was trying to find the Powerhungry.

* * *

Anna meanwhile had made her way down to the Command deck and was using the external interface next to my core. I really should build her some proper interface systems, why was I so thoughtless? I should be a better person.

"Do I have my drive yet or am I going to start shooting?" Anna asked into the comm.

"You've got one jump. I'm not going to promise you any more," Batavius said.

Anna's fingers flew over the keys. Around the Powerhungry space rippled and warped.

"Wheeeeeeeeee," I said over ship-wide comm as reality tore itself apart. This was fun!

The Powerhungry rematerialized.

We were almost brushing hulls with a mid-sized warship. I recognized the design at once. Righteous.

I wasn't sure why, but my head was beginning to clear.

Anna tapped a few buttons and frowned. "Doctor, why don't I have shields?"

"What part of cannibalizing systems did you not understand? Well, let us be honest with ourselves. Probably none of it," Batavius said.

The Righteous ship was less curious why we didn't have shields. What appeared to be a Scholar warship—the Powerhungry—had materialized right next to it.

Cannon fire tore into us and the ship shook violently.

"Emma. Are you with me?" Anna asked.

"I am, although busy deleting all records of the deeply delusional words I said," I said.

"Kill your remote connection. We can't stay here," Anna said.

"I kill that connection, we'll be leaving Ophelia to die."

"Then we leave her to die," Anna said. "You're more important."

Anna was right. But I could still try to do something. I quickly generated a clone of my intelligence in the bracelet. I'd vowed I wasn't going to do this, but there was a chance my copy might be able to help Ophelia.

It also meant I stayed in that connection too long.

Aboard the Graven, Aldo said triumphantly, "Got you." He hit a comm. "This is Aldo. I've got the location of an upgrade core. I'm guessing it’s an airship. Sending current coordinates and preparing to attack."

I wanted to see who he was talking to—just the Graven’s bridge, or someone else? But Anna was right. I killed that connection.

Instantly the remaining fog disappeared from my mind. It felt good to be me. And I detected who Aldo had communicated with—that wasn’t good.

"They managed to back-trace my connection somehow. We've got ships incoming," I said.

"We aren't staying," Anna said, and tapped at the keys. Reality started to bend for a moment and then snapped back. On the Engineering deck the dimensional drive exploded, flames roaring out.

Our armor on the port side was already half-gone and I triggered the thrusters to turn the ship so that our other side might soak some hits.

"Dimensional drive is offline," I said.

“Really?” Anna said, then growled into the comm, "Doctor Batavius?"

"It is on fire. There is nothing more to give. Shoot me if you must," Batavius said.

"Later. Get me shields," Anna said.

My remote sensors were picking up several ships just entering range. One of them was the Graven at full burn. I didn't recognize the others, but they all had similar profiles. It was some sort of pirate fleet.

"Five pirate vessels incoming. One of them is the Graven. For once in your life I guess you're popular," I said.

"I bring the party with me," Anna said, staring at the displays. "Time until the pirates get here?"

"Three minutes."

"Wolfson? I need a strike team for a boarding operation," Anna said.

"We're already geared up and ready to go your Majesty," Wolfson said.

"We can't teleport into their vessel," I said.

"Can you get us overhead? We'll drop the Wolves and Hot Stuff on them from above," Anna said.

Given the power-dampening effects of the Righteous I wasn't sure how much they could do. Still, I'd learned firsthand the dangers of underestimating Hot Stuff and the Wolves seemed capable warriors. It wasn't as if we had options. At the rate we were taking fire I wasn't sure I could even keep us alive until the pirates showed up to destroy us anyway.

65

The Righteous ship was in better condition than we were. Even with the Powerhungry at full thrusters they were firing their own engines, keeping us from getting above them. I opened the bottom deck ramp and engaged the overdrive, briefly overpowering the system so the Powerhungry could get into position.

The Wolves and Hot Stuff deployed at once. Hot Stuff led the way bursting into full blaze the moment she left the ramp. The Righteous hull was so heavily armored it took several seconds for her to burn through, then she was dropping from sight and the Wolves were moving in behind her.

As soon as they were clear I lowered the ship even more, our hull screeching against the Righteous vessel.

"You're a really terrible driver," Anna said.

"While I expect you haven't given much thought to preserving your worthless life, I have. They can’t get a good firing solution on us from below. I intend to keep us here as long as possible," I said.

"I like to be on top too. No need to explain," Anna said, operating a console. "How is your head doing?"

"Better. Why is it, by the way?" I asked.

"The Righteous make heavy use of stabilizer orbs in the core, but they also use the power of a Void crystal to selectively counter some of the effects. It’s how their ships stay in the air," Anna said. "I just had to get you in range."

It was a risky but bold plan she'd come up with in seconds, and for all that it might get everyone killed, it was effective. It was all on my behalf. I didn't need to be under the influence of that orb to recognize that despite her nearly infinite number of faults, Anna made for a good partner. I was lucky to have her.

"And to my likely death. You're a terrible partner and a worse friend. " I said. "Pirates are ninety seconds out."

The Righteous ship fired a prolonged burst of their starboard thrusters and flipped their ship. Gravity took its predictable effect and we fell free. The Righteous were already turning and delivered a broadside towards the bottom of the Powerhungry. The ramp was blasted free and most of the Espionage deck exploded into flames.

Anna was knocked from her feet and I tried to stabilize us. Our thrusters weren't in great shape to start with and we'd been using them a lot. I got a few bursts in before they sparked and died.

It left us stable, but unable to avoid further fire from the Righteous vessel. Their cannons remained on us for long seconds, but nothing happened.

"Wolfson here. Weapon control neutralized and we're heading for the bridge," Wolfson called.

It was an open frequency—I realized it was meant to be. The brilliance of that proved itself a minute later when the pirate vessels came into range. Two began to flank us and rake our hull with fire from energy weapons, but the rest moved to engage the Righteous ship.

Wolfson had bought us a bit more time to survive. The pirates didn't pack the firepower of the Righteous vessel. However, when you couldn't shoot back, that didn't matter.

Anna sat on her throne, securing herself in place with a crash belt. She hit the comm. "Doctor Batavius, I'm going to need you to take out one of the ships attacking us."

"We do not have the supplies to get the guns operational," Batavius said.

"You're mad scientists with a form who can fly. Figure it out," Anna said, before cutting her off. "Emma. Those bombs. Can you make any?"

"I'm not an arms factory. I can generate some spawn from the Power core, but we don't have the detonators," I said.

Anna hit keys again. "Mechos, I need detonators for some bombs. Impress me and I'll forgive your horrible taste in dating partners."

"Tempting, but I can't. Those are specialized parts and take time," Mechos said.

I did my best to try to keep us out of the line of fire, but the pirate vessels were far more maneuverable. Our remaining armor was slowly but surely getting stripped away.

Out of the gaping hole that had once been the Powerhungry’s ramp a swarm of massive bats emerged. They flapped towards the nearest pirate ship and set upon it with what looked to be plasma torches. The ship broke off the attack, wings rocking violently as it tried to dislodge them. That left us taking fire from just the one.

I didn't think we'd survive ramming it. Our hull was already too compromised and while I'd take a Pyrrhic win if I couldn't get anything better, I wasn't interested in dying.

"Okay," Anna said. "You're going to have to teleport me over to the hull. I'll figure it out from there."

"Don't go having delusions of adequacy. That is suicide," I said.

"We don't have a lot of options left."

We didn't. Then the Graven arrived, breaking off from an attack on the Righteous ship. It swooped over the top of the other remaining pirate and opened up with all cannons. The beam weapons tore through the weakest section of the pirate's hull. With smoke trailing from the engines it crashed into the jungle below.

"Think they want the prize all for themselves?" Anna asked, puzzled.

If they did, they wouldn't have called for reinforcements at all.

"This is Ophelia. I've taken control of the Graven. How can I assist?" Ophelia called.

"Thought we'd lost you. We've forces on the Righteous vessel that are going to need an evac," Anna said.

"Tell them to bring me back some Righteous," I said. Their power-dampening goop had proved to be incredibly useful in the past and I was completely out.

The Graven maneuvered to land on top of the Righteous ship. Anna barked orders to Wolfson and his team as the Righteous ship started to leak flames and angle towards the ground.

It took only a few minutes for the Graven to pull away and together we withdrew from the fight. No pirates followed us. We might be a tempting prize, but with the Graven to assist us we were a tempting prize with teeth. The Righteous vessel, on the other hand, was a tempting prize which was defenseless.

66

The Graven docked with us after I diverted some resources into forming a set of basic clamps. It was too valuable a ship to lose, and with it we actually had something approaching some offensive ability. I reconfigured the hull to allow for a hatch and Ophelia slipped through.

Whatever had happened on that ship had changed her. Her eyes had been a pale green with flecks of brown before. Now they were a deep blue and faintly luminescent. It was a familiar hue, the same shade as the light from the stability orb. In one hand she held the severed head of Captain Aldo, which she tossed to Anna.

"Severed body parts. You shouldn't have," Anna said, turning the head to study its features. "This our mark?"

"It is. He was torturing us and there is not much else left of him. We thought you'd appreciate some proof of the kill," Ophelia said.

"You're talking strangely, and you’ve got some... cosmetic alterations. Do I need to have Emma toss you in quarantine?" Anna asked.

"We wouldn't recommend it," Ophelia said with a shake of her head. "We are done with quarantines. We are done with grinders. We have brought you your prize and more besides, and now we are going to sleep."

Ophelia strolled off without another word as Anna stared pointedly at her back, then nodded to one of the Wolf guards accompanying her. "Search and secure the Graven."

It took them about half an hour. There wasn't much else left of the Captain, Ophelia had torn him apart. The fourth crew member was dead too. There was no sign of the stability orb. The crate was empty.

While they searched the ship I'd been scanning Ophelia’s biology. Her metabolism was even more altered now, faster than it had been. Her powers had gotten a boost, and interwoven with her system was a biocomputer link that looked an awful lot like me. If I were going to form a theory, it would be that somehow she had merged with the duplicate of myself and the stability orb.

Anna was less than pleased.

"I told you to leave her to die. Not to leave her with a miniaturized you," Anna said.

"If I hadn't, she wouldn't have taken the Graven and we likely wouldn't have survived the encounter. While I realize that you wish everyone to sink to your level of failure, some of us inevitably succeed," I said.

"This isn't a win, Emma. The Cataclysm brought a lot of new things to Earth and almost without exception they are bad. I've seen a lot and read the records of those who have seen a lot more, and I’ve never read of anything like the way Ophelia has changed. How do you think it happened?" Anna asked with a frown and shake of her head.

"When I left her, Ophelia was dying. She’d been shot multiple times and her healing was neutralized by the orb. If my duplicate was affected by the orb—as I was—it probably found Ophelia a wonderful person deserving of life and worth anything to save. You know the kind things I said about you, my logic was seriously compromised," I said. Just talking about how that orb had made me feel, I wanted to format my whole system.

"What could it have done?" Anna asked.

That was where I didn't have an answer. I hadn't seen any way out of that situation—and my clone shouldn't have been capable of brilliance greater than my own.

"I don't know. Do you want me to throw her into a containment cell?" I asked.

I really wanted to run some experiments.

"No, this crew is still getting used to me and to us. We aren't going to reward overwhelming success with imprisonment. Whatever she is now, we'll work with her."

I was disappointed, but it wasn't illogical. The complexities of crew morale were... well, complicated. In an ideal universe all would be resolved by the correct provision of cookies, but I'd already seen reality could be more difficult. I really would need to discover more cookie recipes, or perhaps the original theory needed refinement.

"I'll keep watch on her. It can't be any more unpleasant than keeping my sensors on you," I said.

"Good. Can you configure a proper hanger for the Graven?" Anna asked.

I couldn't create space out of nothing. Still, between the original Mist attack and battles since, the Wolves were down in some numbers. Downsizing their cabin space and equipment stores gave me some room on that deck.

"I can. Although it will mean decreasing the maximum number of Wolves we can support," I said. "Hardly a sacrifice. They pee on the floor nearly as much as you do."

"I don't do that anymore," Anna said primly. "And only ever did, because someone failed to build the proper facilities. Speaking of which, how are things on the backend? Can we support an increase in crew size?"

"We can. Due to some past choices I made, we actually have a surplus of food in spite of your appetite. Our limiting factor is cabin space, but with existing capacity we could hold another forty crew," I said.

"I'll give the departments leave to recruit when we get back to port," Anna said.

More humans, or some variation thereof. I'd never thought I would have quite so many of them to put up with.

On the plus side, with the capture of the Graven there were lots of new systems to research. The cannons on Scholar ships were massive, they had to be, but with those on the Graven being considerably more compact I had hopes they could shed light on some sort of portable beam weaponry. The acid guns were functional, but little use against something like energy shields.

We had a slow journey back to Reevesport. While the engines hadn't taken much damage pretty much every other system was barely functional. I didn't feel the need to mask our damage this time, we weren't defenseless.

67

"I thought you'd be competent enough not to destroy your ship with a simple job."

That was Cutout and he wasn't happy. We'd docked without incident, but upon receiving our updated list of supplies needed for repairs Anna was busy getting chewed out.

"With all these well-connected targets you want to shake up, what do you expect? We shook things up," Anna said. She had gone along with a Wolf and my human drone Candice to meet with Cutout at a local bar. The place looked as seedy as he did.

"Yes. Thank you for giving a Righteous warship to the Descari Cartel, that helps my position out considerably," Cutout said, dripping with sarcasm.

"It isn't usable. At best they’re getting salvage out of it and for that, instead of losing one ship, they've lost three. You should be giving us a bonus," Anna said.

Cutout grunted at that. "They got a good look at you, if as you carrying around the Graven wasn't clue enough. They'll be coming for you."

"Then I guess you'd better give us our supplies so you can still get some use out of us while you can," Anna said.

"Screw up again, little Queen, and I'll show you I'm a man to be feared," Cutout said, and he flickered out of existence.

Anna stared at his empty chair for several moments before saying. "Make sure we have a testing cell arranged for him."

At the ship we were starting to receive supplies. They weren't what I hoped for. There was enough for us to get the hull back in good order and repair the thrusters, but some of the specialized compounds to repair our main guns were lacking. So were the requested compounds so we could fix the dimensional drive.

"He's shorting us on our supplies again. It looks like he wants to keep us here and relatively helpless," I said.

Anna drummed her fingers on the tabletop. "He mentioned the Descari Cartel. I don't know them. Have you picked up anything about them from any broadcasts?"

"They're important locally. For a leadership structure, they've oddly enough chosen not to go with the beggar Queen model. The city is run by the head of five powerful interests. They're one of them," I said.

"I may come from nothing, but I don't beg," Anna said, folding her arms. "What do you think the odds are our other two targets have links to seats on this council?"

It would make sense if Cutout were trying to rile them up. Humans were always looking for an excuse to turn on each other.

"I'd say that is likely. Why?" I asked.

"Change of plans. We don't need three powerful enemies, and if Cutout is looking like he is going to betray us we need to betray him first. Have Mechos and Ophelia look into the Descari Cartel, especially their resources. We need to get the rest of your systems operational," Anna said.

"You want to rob them blind. You're right, you're a thief, not a beggar," I said.

"I never claimed to be anything else," Anna said with a thin smile.

"While we're being larcenous, I've identified a few Powered individuals in the city."

"Abduction or murder isn't actually larceny," Anna said.

Technical accuracy was the best sort. How very infuriating.

"Oh, look. The girl who never had a date studied the dictionary during all her lonely nights. Being a grammarian will surely drive the boys wild.” I changed the subject. We'd been focusing quite enough on the things the humans needed and not enough on me. If I wasn't going to get to study Ophelia, I needed something else. “I want test subjects."

"Fine. Find us some targets. We need to make sure you can actually, successfully hold targets in the airship anyways," Anna said.

"I've got one in mind. Goes by the name of Lotus."

"Sounds like a stripper. Don't tell me she goes around naked and covered in vines?"

"This isn't your fantasy life. Lotus makes plants grow exceptionally quickly and far healthier than usual," I said.

Anna said wryly, "Take away the plants and it sounds like a fantasy life to me. Really, that has to be the lamest ability ever. You're hoping to use it with the plants you've gotten from the jungle?"

That was exactly what I had in mind. With my defenses and systems increasingly integrating biological components, and with some of those botanical, it made sense to be able to enhance them.

"Exactly. I didn't think we'd be able to get at Lotus, but if your endless bloodlust and bestial savagery wants to go to war with the Descari Cartel anyways, then for once your flaws can work to our advantage," I said.

"Wait? They have Lotus? Why?" Anna asked.

"Drugs. They have a rather extensive operation for growing and refining them. Unlike you, thievery is actually something of a sideline for them. Their major income comes from pharmaceuticals," I said.

Anna gave a smile that looked suddenly feral. "Perfect. You'll get her. If we can hit them where it hurts, it won't just weaken their ability to strike at us. It’s going to force them to divert their security to those assets."

Anna did have something of a gift when it came to crime. I wasn't certain this was entirely Queenly but then, I was her partner and not her subject. It suited my ends well.

"The others are recruiting. I hope you don't mind, but I enhanced Hot Stuff a bit so she'll be a bit less fatal to her partners," I said.

Anna frowned. "What kind of percentages was she running?"

"Around fifteen percent survived," I said.

"Worst lay ever," Anna said. Hot Stuff's particular ability was passed on via sexual contact.

"I'm sure if you had any former partners they'd disagree."

"What is up to, and how?" Anna asked.

"Sixty-five percent. I harvested some hyper-aggressive viruses from Ophelia's system and adapted them," I said.

"How do the rest of the crew transfer their conditions into the recruits?" Anna asked.

"Mechos makes more Mechanites by implanting a mechanical control engine at the base of their spine. Doctor Batavius can make more of her kind with a bite. The Rats and the Wolves both seem to utilize scratches. We haven't figured out Ophelia yet," I said.

"Not by way of her blood or I'd have been infected," Anna said.

"Possibly. Now that I've already given you the weakened version of her ability, you should be protected from it," I said.

Anna pushed herself up from the table. "Good talk. Get me a location on Lotus and those supplies. We need to be ready for a fight."

68

"Every step of an operation like this should be planned out in advance," Baron Wolfson said. I'd rushed repairs to the hull, but otherwise not been able to do much but load supplies before we were pulling away from the dock again on our mission to capture Lotus.

The Descari Cartel kept their operations in the jungle a few miles from the city. While the wildlife made this exceptionally hazardous, the beam weapons they had placed on top of a large dome helped to discourage the animals from becoming too much of an issue. It also made things tough for executing any sort of assault.

"I'm a fan of quick plans. If we think too much it rarely turns out okay," Anna said, looking out at the dome. We were hovering perhaps a half mile away.

Doctor Batavius, Candice, Anna, Ophelia, Mechos, Ratticus the leader of the Rats and Baron Wolfson had gathered to discuss plans.

"That is because you're a terrible leader," I said.

"You shouldn't let her talk to you that way," Wolfson said.

Ratticus said, "Indeed! You are a brilliant leader and an endless source of delight and bliss to your humble subjects who praise your gentle and caring nature and lack of destructive instincts."

Wolfson growled deep in his throat and the Rat moved to hide behind Anna.

"Emma and I have an understanding. If anyone else tries it, we'll have words. I need solutions on this assault and not advice on dealing with my partner," Anna said.

"We can assault with the Graven. A maneuverable weapons platform is superior to a fixed one," Ophelia said.

"Spoken like someone whose only understanding of the science of things is from being a science experiment herself. Those cannons hold a lot more charge than those on the Graven and if they deal with the wildlife, we know they must have a wide range of fire," Batavius said.

"Can we teleport?" Anna asked.

"They're shielded against sensors to some distance out from the dome," I said.

"Not close enough," Anna said. "Can we get Hot Stuff close?"

"If they were projectile cannons they wouldn't be able to hurt her. Beam weaponry of that intensity might be able to overload her system at best—and slice her in half at worse," I said.

"Can we soak the hits for her or the Graven, and get close?" Anna asked.

That was a more challenging question to answer.

"Shields are operational and they add a lot to our defensive power, but without the ability to get a proper scan of their weaponry we just don't know what kind of force they can throw at us," Batavius said.

Anna took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "Fine. Let’s do this differently. I'm not going to keep throwing out ideas and getting shot down. Someone give me a solution that might work in the next thirty seconds or I start really shooting."

"I'd think you would be accustomed to being shot down," I said.

"Not now, Emma," Anna said, staring at the crew.

"Oh, she of most destructive and splendorous beauty whose presence makes the heavens quake and rain down magnificent showers of happiness. If we but move fast enough our defenses need not be as strong," said Ratticus, wringing his hands.

"If you would like me to eat him, it would be my pleasure," Wolfson said.

"I make a better engineer than spy," Mechos said.

"We are happy to run Espionage alone," Ophelia said.

"We don't eat people with good ideas. Is he right?" Anna asked.

"If we give ourselves time to build up some velocity, and I overdrive the engines and thrusters for the last stretch, we can minimize their firing time enormously even factoring in your weight," I said.

"It won't matter if we can't take out those guns quickly," Batavius said.

"Did you ever build more detonators as I ordered?" Anna asked Mechos.

"I've got three," Mechos nodded.

"Those bombs brought down airships. Can they take down those guns?"

I wished I had a proper scan of the guns. Precise targeting helped a lot when dealing with destruction like this.

"Whether they alone suffice or not, we can assist in the Graven," Ophelia said.

"Wolfson, prepare your teams for an assault. Bringing out Lotus alive is the primary mission with a secondary goal of destroying personnel and equipment in the facility. Batavius and Ratticus, have teams on all decks. They'll be especially likely to target our shield systems or the engines," Anna said.

"I also want samples," I said.

"All right, and samples of anything and everything that looks interesting for Emma. I'll be along with the ground team. Questions?" Anna asked.

"No question, but a comment. The ground team is not the place for you," Wolfson said.

Anna gave him a steely look. "Not the time or place for this argument, Baron."

Wolfson shook his head. "With respect, it is. Whether you are Queen or Captain or Leader of the Pack, your place is on this ship."

"The old Wolf has a point," Batavius said.

"The old Wolf will learn to do as he is told, but I'll listen to his advice this time. The plan does have a lot of moving pieces that could go wrong. Emma, I want a proper tactical station built for me on the bridge," Anna said.

I'd actually already been working on the plans for just such a thing. More than once now I'd lost my senses in one way or another and had to have Anna salvage the situation. Although I hated the idea of her having full command, access to my core routines and control systems was as sensible as it was intolerable.

"I suppose, if it keeps you out of the way of anything important. I'll fabricate that at once," I said.

"Very well then, people. We execute in fifteen," Anna said.

Anna hated to waste time.

69

I readied the three bombs for delivery and got us in position for our run. Doctor Batavius and her team made some tweaks to the shields so that they'd rotate their strongest section as we drew close. Given the initial limited angles they could hit us from, it should give us a little extra defense where it counts.

Ophelia took her position in the Graven and I released the clamps so she could take off. We'd be able to gain a bit more speed without dragging the other ship along.

I started with a long circuit to get our engines up to full speed before I turned towards the complex and engaged the overdrive. It was fast enough that the ship became to tremble, and when the thrusters were added we shook violently.

The cannons on the dome glowed blue and a beam struck our shields.

"Sabotage"

The words echoed inside my mind like a demand needing to be obeyed. I couldn’t disobey and I found myself angling the ship down towards the jungle. It lasted only a moment and just as I was starting to change our trajectory another blast hit us.

"Sabotage"

A Command core, it had to be a Command core. I'd encountered one with the Commander, and Lady Sylax also had some abilities granted by one. This was different, but similar. I blew out several non-vital systems when the compulsion to obey was the strongest and I had to do something, and as soon as I felt the pull weaken again, I activated a teleport.

I had been holding the remains of the Righteous in a sort of makeshift Grinder. They would reincarnate daily and need to be killed again to become "goop" that retained their power suppression abilities. Anna had used it to protect me from a Command core before by using some shielding incorporating it.

This time, I didn't have time for the subtlety, so I simply bathed myself in it.

"Sabotage"

The beams struck our shields again, but my willpower stayed intact. It was then that a large section of the Military deck blew itself apart. Candice. I'd had my drones and the bombs scattered about the ship on every deck except Engineering to minimize the risk of just such an occurrence until it was time to teleport them below. I might be protected from the compulsion, but the mind of my human drones weren't and Candice had detonated one of the devices.

I took manual control of the others and teleported them and the bombs to the guns below. Explosions shook the dome. The entire Powerhungry crew was affected by the compulsion rippling through them. The repair teams were tearing the ship apart and the strike team waiting their moment on the Espionage deck were shooting every system they could, a situation made even worse by the fact that they had Hot Stuff with them.

Shutdown procedures were initiating—Anna and her console. She was trying to neutralize me and destroy the ship. I teleported her into a containment cell on the Research deck and sealed her in.

I engaged the vacuum pumps on every deck but Espionage. The crew couldn't last long without oxygen before passing out. On Espionage I altered the pressure and opened the ramp. The compulsion had already made me angle the ship lower and I used that to my advantage. The strike teams and a repair crew were sucked out, their bodies tumbling out to crash hard against the dome’s surface.

Most of them should have survived that, and I hoped that some distance between them and the impact of the blast would weaken the effect of the compulsion. If not, they were free to sabotage the dome all they wished.

"What is happening, Powerhungry? We are reading multiple hull breaches," Ophelia said, hailing us from the Graven.

"Compulsion blasts of some sort. Your brain may be too underdeveloped to be at risk. But avoid their fire anyway and take out those guns," I said.

"On it," Ophelia said, and the Graven opened fire.

At least that was one part of the plan going right.

"Suicide"

Another blast hit us. But I was protected and the crew was unconscious. This message was different than the last. An intended finishing blow perhaps with our ship already in distress.

A woman who looked to be sculpted out of some sort of liquid metal was emerging from a hatch on the dome below. A whip of metal extended from her wrist and flicked against one of the Wolves, sending him flying off into the jungle.

Another individual with a Power core. I'd thought Lotus was the only one Powered and without the ability to scan inside, I hadn't been able to detect any others.

The Graven took a direct hit from one of the cannons. In response its attacks slowed for twenty seconds before resuming. Was Ophelia resistant as well?

"Are you still with us, Graven? Was my analysis of your tiny brain accurate?" I asked.

The Graven replied, "This is Amy. Hi sis. Ophelia is actually super-smart, but she's kind of compromised so I took over."

At first, none of that seemed to make any sense except for Ophelia being compromised. Then, this sudden stranger being my “sister” did imply some sort of relation to me—and that likely meant I was speaking to the clone of my consciousness. Why the name Amy, though? Friendly tone and incredibly helpful meant she was still influenced by the stabilizer core and probably viewed herself as my opposite.

Or maybe my backwards, if there was such a thing. So A.M.M.E.

It was good to be smart.

"So our entire offensive is now in the hands of a poorly programmed copy. We need to take out whatever they are using to jam our sensors," I said.

"Oh! So you can engage teleportation within the dome perimeter. You're so smart, sis! And we already have sensor data of the blockage from multiple ships and angles within the field to narrow a position. And... got it! I'll have it down in no time," Amme said.

Already I hated her.

The Graven shifted fire to a particular batch of antenna on the dome.

My sensors were started to clear.

I really hated her.

There were no less than four Powered in the dome below. One in weapons control, that must be the Command core. The woman on the roof, core type unknown. One was in what seemed to be a shipping center and the other was in an agricultural section.

That must be Lotus. I wanted all the test subjects I could get, but the plan had already gone completely awry.

I was getting new blips on my sensors. Three ships were incoming.

70

Anna was the one member of the crew aboard the ship still conscious. In the testing cell I hadn't evacuated the oxygen because the shielding there also served as a dampener against abilities. I opened a comm.

"Have you stopped drooling on the floor? Although as bodily fluids go I suppose it something of an improvement," I said.

"I'm sane. Get me out of this cage," Anna said.

Sane was probably stretching the point, but she didn't seem to be trying to kill herself any more or destroy the ship. I locked down the most dangerous bits of her console just to be safe before teleporting her back to the bridge.

"I had to render the crew unconscious to prevent them from destroying the ship. They're much more pleasant now. Most of the ground team is down and under Powered assault. There are four Powered below including our target and we've got attack ships incoming," I said.

"Shit," Anna said, displaying the eloquence I'd come to expect from her. Her fingers were already starting to fly over the keys as she pulled up my sensor data. "Start teleporting the wounded strike team members back aboard. Have the Graven play defense with those ships. Put me near Lotus with a knife and a bag of the nastiest seeds you've got."

I had to almost admire how Anna was at her best in a crisis. Almost. Perhaps if the bar were set higher the rest of the time...?

I teleported her below with a combat knife and a satchel filled with Pistonweed and Sparkseed seeds. I didn't know exactly what she had planned, but I had to trust that she could handle her part of things.

"Amme, we have three ships incoming. That ship you are in has some utility, don't get destroyed," I called.

"We are back to ourselves. We will handle the ship," Ophelia said in a near-monotone.

It was striking how different the unified personality was from either Amme or Ophelia. It made me think that neither of them was actually in control. The dominant part of both personalities had to be the stabilizer orb itself. A problem for another time.

I restored a normal supply of oxygen throughout the ship. It would take some time for the crew to begin to recover. That was fine in most cases, but I needed a few key personnel. I teleported Doctor Batavius and Mechos to the Medbay and dosed them with stimulants.

"I loathe Command cores," Batavius said, sitting up with a groan.

"They are always a problem for those too dim-witted to deal with them," I said.

The nearby bunks began to fill with wounded Wolves as I teleported them in.

"You didn't wake us up so we could bask in your personality. You don't have one. What do you want?" Batavius said.

"We have Powered threats down below. You're the only lackluster Powered I have left. Get me a prisoner or a core," I said, before teleporting them away.

I doused Mechos with Righteous goop before teleporting him to where I suspected was the Command core. Batavius, I teleported to the manufacturing center.

"You have Powered threats and you aren't sending your best fighter, you daft machine," said Baron Wolfson. He'd come up in the most recent teleport. Medical diagnostics showed multiple broken bones and he was missing his right arm.

"I see you're one of those dogs that barks loudly, but comes out the loser in any real fight it finds," I said, and shot him full of tranquilizers—he was of no use to me.

The Graven had made it to the other ships. Ophelia was fighting a brilliant battle, for every two shots she landed they were only landing one. Sadly there were three of them. That math wouldn't work out in the end.

This battle had so many moving parts it was hard to keep track of them all.

Registering a flicker in one of the Power cores below I did a fresh scan. The whip woman was down, by Hot Stuff's hand it looked like. Her crystal didn't linger, Hot Stuff's matrix soaked it up almost at once. That wasn't ideal—I wanted any crystal for myself.

Still, it could work out. I teleported Hot Stuff up to the research cell. The woman looked as bad as I'd ever seen her, her body covered in whip marks. She was a bruised and bleeding mess.

"I can't teleport you to Medbay with the others. Do try not to gobble up the power crystal in the meantime," I said.

"Couldn't help it. When you're the hottest woman alive things want to be inside you," Hot Stuff said and paused. "That came out weird, but on second thought I'm sticking with it. Did you see me? I burned."

That she did.

Research Project

"Hot Stuff"

Hot Stuff is the subject of previous research and burns with intense heat granted to her by a fire core. More recently she has absorbed a Metal core. The manifestations of this are still unknown. Testing can reveal both the nature of her new abilities as well as acquiring a lesser variant.

Research will take two weeks

It was going to take her some time to heal anyways. I began the project and manifested her several heaping plates of cookies. You had to properly reward your test subjects for providing excellent service.

I didn't have any access to camera feeds from the facility, but sensors told me Doctor Batavius' life signs were fading. I teleported her to Medbay. Her internal organs were trashed, almost nothing was where it was supposed to be. People may not be a fan of my vivisections, but at least I put people back together again properly. I moved her into surgery.

A massive electromagnetic pulse from below caused my electrical systems to flicker. Massive spikes of electricity were radiating off the dome below.

I didn't know what had happened, but that wasn't a fit environment for anyone to survive.

71

I brought Mechos and Anna back to the ship. They both looked to have had two completely different experiences. Mechos was naked, unconscious, and appeared to have recently had intercourse. Just what did people see in the man? I found him a serviceable repairman and little else. The Command core must have overpowered the Righteous dampening effect in close proximity. That was valuable knowledge.

Anna was having a heart attack. Her non-power enhanced system had been sent into convulsions by the electricity. I brought her straight into the Medbay. In the facility she wouldn't die, but she would remain in a great deal of pain.

Most of her body had abrasions of some sort and her clothes were stained dark with blood—hers, according to scans. The satchel she'd taken was over one shoulder. It was empty of seeds and instead contained a power crystal glowing with a faint green light.

Anna was in no state to answer questions, but given the missing seeds I could speculate that what happened to the complex below involved the sparkseeds. Anna must have found a way to force Lotus to accelerate their growth.

I could apply the core and get more information later. For now, we still had ships closing in.

The Graven managed to destroy one of the enemy ships but had taken heavy damage in the process. Those ships moved fast, too fast to make fleeing a possibility. In terms of Powered personnel I had only Ratticus left. That would have to do. I dosed him and the other Rats with stimulants and soon they were stirring from their slumber.

"Don't kill us most courteous and polite mechanical overlord! We did not mean to damage your glorious hull!" Ratticus said, sitting up in a panic.

"I admire how many hours must have been spent fine-tuning your squeaking to be the most irritating sound audio sensors could endure. We have two vessels incoming. The rest of the crew are down. We either need our own guns working or those on the dome repaired. The dome will be difficult, the facility is currently under an electrical overload," I said.

"Oh shining digital champion of all that is merciful and decent! We are not bothered by electricity," Ratticus said.

Really? I suppose that made a certain amount of sense given all of the components that they had to scurry about. Still, I felt foolish for not realizing sooner—and I would have thrown Ratticus into a testing chamber too. Well, it could wait until this was done, provided he survived.

I teleported the Rats down to the guns of the complex. The electrical overload should have neutralized the owner of that Command core.

"Graven? Your inability to evade shots has damaged you quite enough. Return to the ship, you're in no shape to continue this fight," I said over the comm.

"We acknowledge options are limited. You have a plan?" Ophelia said, in that disinterested tone of hers.

"Somebody has to," I said.

The Graven focused on evasion as it returned to the Powerhungry, letting loose a burst of fire only when one of the other ships had a good firing solution on it.

I was steering the Powerhungry to make sure it and the airships following would have to pass over the dome. They wouldn't be expecting fire from a friendly target. If the Rats actually were good for something, this would catch them unawares.

When the Graven made it to the Powerhungry and docked, it was suddenly more vulnerable. I engaged the docking clamps and kicked in the thrusters to present the attackers with our least damaged stretch of hull. Beam weapons sliced the armor.

No fire was coming from below. Only seconds were left before I'd have to consider other options. I knew I could survive without my Biocore providing power, although most of the ship’s systems including engines would go down.

I was saved further thought along those lines when the cannons finally opened up. A massive spark of electricity discharged from the complex to strike one of the attacking ships and send it tumbling from the sky to crash into the jungle.

The other vessel broke off at once—this was suddenly a fight it wanted no part of. The dome guns fired again with another spark that this time struck the engine of the ship resulting in a massive fireball that filled the air with debris.

Whereas moments before survival had seemed questionable, abruptly we were the only thing left moving on the battlefield.

"We are ready to return to your sparkly and glowingly benevolent, if overly organic, presence," Ratticus called.

I wasn't detecting any more ships incoming. I didn't doubt that eventually more would be sent, but with everything including their response force having gone silent I didn't think they'd be rushing here. They would be playing it cautious.

I told Ratticus, "I know I praised your designer before. But I have rethought that and decided you'd have been much more useful without vocal chords at all. Strip the complex of everything that you can first. I want the wrecks scavenged as well."

I killed the comm. I was sure they'd have objections, but I didn't care.

If Anna was right, Cutout was planning to betray us. Even if he wasn’t, I doubted he'd provide supplies for us to repair damage we'd suffered on a side mission.

72

I continued to prioritize scavenging before any repairs. The engines were still in decent shape, which meant that most of our maintenance could be done in the air. We could undertake that once we were safe—an opportunity to get these resources wouldn’t come again soon.

While the Rats went about their tasks I took the opportunity to absorb the core that Anna acquired from Lotus.

You have claimed a Flora Core

You have unlocked the ability of BioArmor. By adapting the basic principles that Cellulose serves in plants you are now able to create armored shells for yourself and your creations making them much more durable against physical harm.

That wasn't at all what I'd wanted out of the core. The carnage in the dome showed the immense destructive capabilities of plant control. Of course, the sheer damage both the ship and crew had just taken also showed the benefits of utilizing those capabilities in some defense.

You have an unspent core point

Your options are

Research 6

Research 6 will allow you to build a translation facility. Often upgrades and improvements are specific to certain core types or paradigmatic principles. With this you can undertake conversion of that knowledge into a form usable by your own systems.

Military 2

Military 2 will allow you to control a greater number of defense drones. There is power in numbers. In addition defensive systems all acquire a minor upgrade.

Engineering 1

Engineering 1 will allow the production of automated minions. They are capable of autonomous ship repair and will halve all build and production times for new facilities.

Command 1

Command 1 will allow status warnings. Currently you receive no notification when an individual component is in distress. With this upgrade you will receive alerts with the issue, severity, and suggested fixes.

Espionage 1

Espionage 1 will allow you to control a reconnaissance drone. This unit is capable of stealth and will allow visual and audio surveillance.

As always Research was going to be my first temptation. We still had the tomes from Sylax's magical library on board. In their current state they were useless to me, but eventually somehow I hoped to begin unlocking the potential of whatever research she had stored upon this vessel.

I had to consider other options. The recent battle had impressed on me that even with my multitasking it was easy to get distracted in difficult situations. Command 1 would offer a way to relieve that, and that choice seemed likely to offer a lot of useful upgrades going forward.

The lack of ship weaponry continued to be an issue. If I had focused more time upgrading my own military capabilities they might not be necessary since an army of well-equipped combat drones would serve as ship defense.

Then there was Engineering. Even back at the ground base I'd repeatedly put off production capabilities despite that upgrades became more time-intensive to construct. Recently, with the entire crew neutralized, I had very few capabilities for self-repair of critical systems.

As much as I wanted that Research upgrade I had to do the intelligent thing here. I'd been delaying some of the basics too long and it was hurting me. I invested the point into Engineering.

A new repair drone materialized on each deck. I set them to fixing the hull and begin the process of installing BioArmor in place of the existing plating.

That done, I could turn my attention at last to SCIENCE.

The salvage material the Rats were bringing up was already showing some interesting possibilities. I started with those.

Research

"Sonic Beam Cannons"

These fixed position cannons use beam weaponry to carry a Powered voice and resonate it through ships. Later modification allowed them to use similar beams to discharge large quantities of electricity. Research could result in either standard beam weaponry or in beam weaponry capable of carrying other powers to a target.

This project will take one week to research.

Of all the members of the crew we'd inherited, Ratticus had managed to impress me the most in the battle. Although the man—if he ever bothered to manifest as a man— managed to be a level of irritating that even Anna could only aspire to, he'd proved capable of both quick thinking and in delivering results. I'd already teleported a large supply of cookies down to the dome for the Rats to enjoy while they worked.

Research

"Growth Lights"

These lights were in use in a hydroponics facility to accelerate plant life by application of abilities inherited from a Flora core. With the death of that core's inheritor the abilities are fading, but traces still remain for research.

This project will take one week to research.

The combination of powers and technology discovered below were interesting and unexpected. To date the only ones I'd encountered able to do that possessed upgrade cores. We hadn't encountered anyone with one in the dome, but the presence of this technology suggested that they must have one. If they did, I very much wanted it—the upgrade core was the most central to my abilities and I suspected acquiring another would enhance what I could do more effectively than any other core I'd absorbed to date. I'd studied the abilities of Mechos, but that wasn't quite the same thing.

Research Project

"Plant Samples"

You have samples from five different plant species that were being grown in bulk in the captured hydroponics facility. Potential of these samples is unknown and study will take some time.

This project will take three weeks to research.

Recreational or medicinal drugs most likely. I was curious to see what came of these.

In addition to those projects there were two others too long ignored. Ratticus may have impressed me, others had not.

Research Project

"Baron Wolfson"

Baron Wolfson is imbued with the properties of a Fauna Core. In addition he has undergone extensive modification by an Upgrade Core. Research will unlock a lesser version of his Fauna core ability and may unlock versions of some upgrades that have been applied to him.

This project will take two weeks to research.

Research Project

"Doctor Batavius"

Doctor Batavius is imbued with the properties of a Vision Core. In addition she has undergone extensive modification by an Upgrade Core. Research will unlock a lesser version of her Vision core ability and may unlock versions of some upgrades that have been applied to her.

This project will take two weeks to research.

I quickly produced a testing bracelet and beamed it down to the surface for Ratticus with instructions to put it on. I soon got his project beginning as well.

Research

"Ratticus"

Ratticus is imbued the properties of an Energy Core. In addition he has undergone extensive modification by an Upgrade Core. Research will unlock a lesser version of his Energy core ability and may unlock versions of some upgrades that have been applied to him.

This project will take three weeks to research.

That was intriguing. With the ability to transform into animals I'd assumed that all department heads were of a single core type. It seemed that was not the case. If Anna were awake I doubted she would approve of me locking her department heads in research cells for the next two weeks. Fortunately, Anna needed to be kept sedated while she healed from her injuries. With her accelerated healing it wouldn't be two weeks, but it would at least provide some time undisturbed.

73

"You shouldn't imprison my department heads without consulting me," Anna said. It had taken three days to get back on her feet.

In that time the Rats had managed to scavenge almost everything they could from the devastated dome and our cargo hold was filled with supplies. We suffered no further attacks, although twice in that time a ship appeared at the far extreme of sensor range before withdrawing. We were being monitored, but they weren't pushing a fight.

"Our department heads, if I am being generous. You were busy convulsing wildly. I find it fascinating how your I’m being electrocuted face is almost identical to your flirting face," I said.

"It isn't and they are. Fortunately I'm in good spirits, staying to scavenge supplies was the right call," Anna said.

"You'd be amazed how smoothly this ships functions when you nearly die."

"We need them, Emma, and we need their people," Anna said.

"I will confess that Doctor Batavius isn't completely incompetent. Baron Wolfson is," I said.

"He bent the knee to me when it was the smart thing to do. That matters," Anna said.

"It matters, if your idea of a good military commander is one who surrenders at the first convenient moment, and that’s what he did confronted by you. While it may have served you well at the time, it doesn't now," I said.

Anna gave a wry smile and grunted. She was walking the ship. I'd respawned both Candice and Diana after their deaths and was using Diana to accompany her today.

"It doesn't change the fact that we need his Wolves," Anna said.

"The little dogs are no more impressive than the big one. I'd recommend we let Hot Stuff replace him, when I let her out of testing," I said.

Anna paused to stare thoughtfully at the wall. "She's our best killer. That doesn't make her a good commander or a good leader."

"Her band was loyal to her. Of all the test subjects we acquired, she perhaps gave us the most trouble."

"I'm not prepared to fully pull that trigger quite yet. We'll give Hot Stuff her own strike team and see what she does with it," Anna said.

It was an acceptable compromise. At least then we'd have someone capable of carrying out offensive operations.

"I'd also like to apply some upgrades on you. I've got a new BioArmor enhancement and we've the points put away to improve a few more of your stats. With heavy point usage you might become average," I said.

"Have you tried out BioArmor on a human subject yet?" Anna asked.

As if I wasn’t going to apply such a useful upgrade to my human drones. I held up Candice's hand and triggered the effect. A glove formed around it made of greyish hide, I released the affect a moment later returning to normal flesh.

"It can be triggered and released at will," I said.

"Good. I was concerned of some sort of permanent disfigurement," Anna said.

"As if anyone would notice. Still, no. It does have a duration both in time and in how much damage it can take. Then it needs to regenerate for an hour before being deployed again," I said.

"Clothes?" Anna asked.

I triggered the full effect for Diana. It clad her head to foot in the tight-fitting, thick skin. I released the Bioarmor.

Anna stared for a moment. "Well, that is unfortunate."

"It does consume clothing. Everything you’re wearing is gone when the affect ends," I admitted.

"Something of a drawback on a battlefield. Still, as emergency backup it’s good to have. Go ahead and add it, but no Fire Matrix upgrade. Hot Stuff's fashion problems are not ones I need," Anna said.

I pulled up her sheet to make the changes.

Anna

Age: 23

Height: 127.7 cm

Weight: 64.6 kg

Physical Stats

Values out of 10

5 is the Human Average

Allure: 8

Endurance:6

Strength: 5

Agility: 6

Health

Subject shows signs of recent electrocution, poisoning, and suffocation.

Upgrades

Accelerated Healing

Temperature Resistant Matrix

Subject is upgradeable

You have 12 upgrade points available

Physical stats can be upgraded at a cost of 1 upgrade point per statistic point up to 10

You also have the following options based on research

Fire Matrix 5 points

Teleportation Matrix 5 points

BioArmor 5 points

When I told Anna that she wasn't quite the human average I was being honest—except to say that she exceeded it a good bit. Partly that was my own upgrades, but she had been like that before meeting me. With our research facilities I was now getting a regular flow of upgrade points, but they were still a limited commodity. Upgrading both my human drones with armor had taken ten and now I was left with twelve.

If Hot Stuff was going to be leading a strike team it might make sense to grant her armor as well, although her fires burned so intently most threats couldn't reach her. Those same points spent on Anna could vastly increase her stats or give her teleportation. Right now I could teleport my agents—including Anna—but this would place that power under her own direct control.

I wound up giving Anna BioArmor and Teleportation, and upgrading her Endurance and Agility by one point each. While individually her abilities were nowhere near as strong as the prime matrix they were derived from—she would never heal as fast as Ophelia or be able to teleport as far or as capably as Sylph—cumulatively Anna was becoming incredibly versatile and deadly.

I couldn't wait to see how she put these combinations of powers into effect. It was almost enough for me to want to give her a testing labyrinth of her own. Instead, I was certain that soon enough the real world would provide ample opportunities.

I manifested her a monitoring bracelet.

"Jewelry? You shouldn't have. You realize you could have just put these on Batavius and Wolfson," Anna said.

"And Ratticus is already wearing one. Wear yours as well. I want to see what you do with your upgrades. I gave you Armor and Teleportation, and a bit of increased physical potential," I said.

Anna slipped on the bracelet. It remained the only piece of her attire that remained when, a moment later, her appearance altered. Her body armor wasn't grey and hide-like. Anna's was sleek and snug-fitting, and looked to be made of latex in hues of brilliant red and gold. Her figure flickered as she teleported from deck to deck and I lost track of her for a moment until external sensors picked her up in the dome on the surface. Then she was back on the airship and in her quarters, pulling some replacement clothes from the wardrobe.

She called, "Get our salvage teams back aboard and let’s get out of here. I want us ready to return to port inside of a week."

"Give it two and I can get you more powers," I said.

"There is always going to be a reason to wait. One week and we'll see what comes from this little diversion. They're going to come for us, Emma. Turn this ship into a killing machine," Anna said.

That was the sort of instruction I loved to hear.

74

A week wasn't enough time to get done all of the work on the ship I wanted, but between my new repair drones, Rats, and Mechanites we managed quite a bit.

Our shields were up to full power and although it had largely exhausted my Biomass reserves to do it, the ship was now completely encased in BioArmor. Self-sealing and regenerating, we had completed the transformation from easy prey to knock out of the sky into an incredibly durable ship that any conventional attacks would hardly damage.

I'd given the Graven similar defenses, although with its smaller hull and energy resources largely going to the cannons, it still wouldn't be mistaken for a juggernaut.

I'd also had a few research projects completed.

Research

"Sonic Beam Cannons"

You have unlocked the power beam technology. Instead of standard beam weapon these cannons interface with an individual infused with a prime Power core seated in a control chair. Drawing upon their power an enhanced version can be fired at targets for positive or negative results.

That meant cores I'd directly interfaced wouldn't work for me, nor would ones whose abilities I gained through research. However, Hot Stuff, Ophelia, Mechos, Doctor Batavius, Baron Wolfson, and Ratticus would all be able to use such a weapon. Hot Stuff would probably fire a beam of intense heat which had obvious destructive potential. Ophelia might be able to heal at a distance, and Mechos perhaps provide some sort of remote mechanical control. The other cores were an unknown.

Research

"Growth Lights"

You have extracted the remaining Flora Core essence from the lights and with it been able to produce three flash bulbs. When triggered, each of these bulbs can produce short-term but intense growth and enhancement of nearby plant life.

That was the power I'd hoped to get from the Flora Core, although only three uses of it was disappointing. Still, as Anna had proven with those Sparkseeds, even a short-term application of that power could be incredibly destructive.

The weaponry situation was also less satisfactory. We had gotten one of the main cannons repaired, but while it was powerful, the firing time was slow. We had side cannons that could fire much more quickly, but they were essentially anti-personnel weapons and little use against armored targets. Building a power beam would take around a month. I started the project aware it would be a long time to see results.

Inside the ship, I'd focused on defenses in a few key areas. The most likely route of entrance by invaders was going to be from above, which made deck five our first line of defense. Fortunately, it also housed the Wolves. I set aside a suite of rooms for Hot Stuff and her lieutenants. I might not think much of the Wolves, but that meant I was willing to throw their lives away. I made grenades and submachine guns plentiful so they could spray fire and destruction to their hearts content. I also rigged a supply of Pistonweed seeds to distribute throughout the level, along with a growth light. If I needed to, I could turn the deck into a killing floor.

In Engineering I planted Sparkseed throughout and constructed stairwells proofed against electrical charges as well as insulating it from the other decks. It didn't take long for Engineering to become an extremely hazardous environment for anyone other than the Rats, or my shielded repair drones.

For the Espionage deck I set into place routines to replicate what incidentally happened during the attack on the dome—it worked well. I could now, with a quick thought, trigger the sequence to open the ramp door and alter the pressure to send any invaders tumbling out of the bottom of the ship.

Research was well defended already by the Bats with their turrets and energy shields. That just left the Command deck, and Candice and Diana would do for security of my core. I did make one minor tweak, adding armored plates over my BioCore layered with a thin layer of Righteous goop sandwiched between them. I hoped it would serve as protection against any further assaults by a Command core.

During the week I'd kept the Powerhungry on the move. I thought it best not to present an easy target, and this gave us a chance to map some of the surroundings as well. The jungle was vast. I didn't have anything comparable in my records. The exploration found three active volcanoes and two villages that appeared to have been abandoned for decades.

While the jungles teemed with wildlife, civilization was a rare thing. I scanned several old wrecks, and at times detected ships at the very edge of my sensor range, but this part of the Rim really was desolate.

It was therefore something of a surprise when I got a hail. It was even more a surprise when I realized who it came from.

I opened a comm to Anna, who was practicing combat with her new teleportation ability. The Wolves she was sparring with were holding nothing back and she was crushing the competition by never being where expected.

I said, "I see you've found an all new way to hit on boys. At least this method appears to be meeting with some success."

"There are girls too," Anna said.

"Unfortunately for you, girls also have good vision. Perhaps you should try dating one of the Bats?"

"The goggles weird me out," Anna said.

I could understand that. Still, she really needed to accept what she could get.

"We've got a communication. It's the Righteous, they want to talk," I said.

"Which means they really want to talk briefly before betraying us and trying to kill us dead," Anna said, working loose her shoulders. "Get me a clip of Righteous killing ammunition and build a few Righteous Killer bombs. We'll chat with them."

Anna, unrealistic in love and practical in war. I generated ammunition for my drones as well and got Mechos to work on bomb triggers. We were ready to talk.

75

I sent acknowledgment to the Righteous broadcast and seconds later a ship materialized in the sky near us. We hadn't seen any Righteous vessels this large before. A massive sphere was surrounded by a ring. The entire ship was painted in shades of white and gold.

We were large compared to most ships—and this one was slightly larger than us. I sent science drones to scan it at close range. Perhaps I'd get some insight into their technology. At the very least it would aid in teleporting over bombs.

In all of two minutes Anna had somehow found time to change into a dress and fix her hair. I thought the risqué gown of red and gold made her look like an under-ripe tomato.

Anna took a moment to adopt a suitably languid position on her throne and keyed a video comm to the other ship. "This is Annabella Besari, Queen of the World. What the fuck do you want?"

There was a swirl of blue energy in the middle of the throne room and a holographic projection of a woman appeared. She adopted almost the opposite attitude of Anna, her posture stiff, and her uniform of white and gold surprisingly plain despite the bright colors.

"Commander Tala Reese. We want the stabilizer orb you acquired," the woman said.

Anna narrowed her eyes. I thought she'd tell the woman off, but instead she said, "Possible, I suppose. You realize you aren't allies and the last time you suggested non-aggression you aimed for our destruction."

"You planned your own betrayal. You likely have again and we have too, of course. Still, perhaps we can subvert expectations," Tala said.

Anna waved a hand idly in the air. "If you had anything I was interested in, I might consider it. As we both know, your technology is useless to us."

Was it? I was still trying to figure out the Righteous. I knew that they occupied the core instead of the Rim. A section of reality that most resembled the world of old. The Righteous purified the Powered, stripping them of their gifts in the name of removing some kind of evil. Despite that their airships and immortality spoke to their own use of Power cores.

"Were you aware King Olec has fallen?" Tala asked, far too casual.

"Ah," Anna said, silent for several long moments. Then she said, "I have a partnership with this vessel and its core."

"Emma. We are aware," Tala said.

Anna explained to me, "King Olec was the ruler of the Brightspire and the endless river. He was a Righteous ally and although their partnership was uneasy, it appeared to be sincere and rewarding for both sides. If I understand Tala properly, she is suggesting a similar alliance might arise between us. She’s offering that we can be Olec’s replacement."

"An offer made by hologram because she doesn't trust us enough to come in person," I said.

"You've made something of a habit of killing Righteous," Tala said.

We were good at it too.

"Which still doesn't change the fact that I have something you want very badly, and you've nothing really solid to offer me," Anna said.

"What about the location of the Aelfwal socket?" Tala asked.

Through the monitoring bracelet I could detect how Anna's vitals spiked. Whatever that was, it had her excited.

"Bullshit," Anna said.

"No use to us. As you know, it is incompatible," Tala said. “But for you...”

"I would like to believe you. Can you offer assurances?" Anna asked.

"Myself. This is not even an exchange for the orb, but a first step in a partnership. In exchange for the orb I'll turn myself over to you as guarantee of goodwill," Tala said.

"Thoughts, Emma?" Anna asked.

"Human life isn't worth very much and she places far more values on hers than I do. If they were willing to take you in, that might at least do me a service," I said.

"Righteous value one of their Commanders highly,” Anna said, before turning back to the holograph. “Consider us interested, but there is a complication with the orb."

"A complication?" Tala asked.

"Emma, could you teleport Ophelia here?" Anna asked.

I did so.

"What is this about?" Ophelia asked in that strangely vacant tone.

Tala circled around Ophelia, who stared at her flatly. Tala said, "I see. How did this happen?"

"Ophelia has the ability of accelerated healing. She was left to die lying over the stabilizer orb and wearing a basic clone of Emma's intelligence," Anna said.

Well, Anna was being forthright. I didn't like it. I still didn't trust the Righteous at all.

The hologram shimmered and solidified. Where before there was a projection, now flesh and blood took its place. Tala had teleported here directly.

The Righteous had many capabilities they shouldn't have.

"Well, if you wanted to give every Righteous nightmares over this abomination, you've managed to do so," Tala said.

"Screw you. You're no prize yourself, lady," Ophelia said, then blinked as if startled at her own words.

"You are neutralizing what happened?" Anna asked Tala.

Outside, the Righteous ship shimmered and vanished.

Tala reached into a pocket and withdrew a square-cut gem of some sort, flipping it towards Anna who caught it. It made my sensors ache just to look at it.

"A void crystal fragment attuned to the stabilizer orb. I recommend you have it placed into a necklace and that she wears it around her neck. The Righteous will work on a longer-term solution," Tala said.

"And they are leaving you behind," Anna said.

Tala lowered herself to one knee. "As the offer of goodwill. I swear you my loyalty and my service. All that I know and all that I am is yours to do with as you will."

"Send her downstairs, Emma. I want to know everything about her. Make it horrible," Anna said.

I teleported her to a testing lab and began a vivisection. They never seemed to enjoy that. I could devise some more traumatizing experiments later.

76

Upon our return to Reevesport things had changed quite a bit. Only a few ships were docked. It seemed that most vessels were keeping some distance from the city and their cannons manned. We weren't engaged as we flew past, but more than one gun moved to track our progress.

We were allowed to proceed to our usual dock without incident. If the entire port opened fire on us at once we might be in trouble, but with the current state of our defenses we made a hard target. No one wanted to start something.

As soon as we settled in I was getting a communication from Cutout asking to come aboard. Anna agreed to meet him in her throne room.

Anna again went for a slinky red dress that she probably thought made her look regal. Either that, or she was attempting to seduce Cutout. I couldn't deny the possibility, desperation makes one do foolish things.

Cutout was accompanied by three guards. The trio of blondes might have been clones for all their perfect similarity in terms of features. Cutout took a moment to look around the throne room. "Girl, if you're trying to impress someone, you're trying too hard. I see you did some off-the-books mission. Not mad, this makes you more useful and, oh, the opportunities that have opened up."

"I'd think of where you are and encourage you to think of showing some respect. It looks like a war is about to break out," Anna said.

"Girl, your tits are pretty good, but they aren't that amazing," Cutout said.

Anna's features went cold. Anna didn't usually turn cold when she got angry. I made certain a testing labyrinth was prepared and got Candice and Diana ready for combat, just in case.

"Men have died for them. You may yet be counted among that number. Say something interesting, quickly," Anna said.

Cutout gave her a cocky smile and shrugged. "The Descari Cartel were the major provider of Blocker, a drug that could block telepaths. Their supply dried up and suddenly everybody is busy learning each other’s dirty little secrets. The Eithnari, the Hunters, the Magnesium Fist, are all at odds. This is a time made for a man of ambition and I am a man of ambition."

I didn't doubt that much was true.

"That isn't a plan," Anna said.

"Suppose not," Cutout said, and he faded to an outline only to reappear an instant later directly before Anna's throne—with a shadowy blade already stabbed in her midsection. It happened too suddenly even for my far superior capacity to prevent it. It didn't stop me from responding.

I teleported Anna to the Medbay. Around her she was already forming her suit of armor, although her vitals were doing terrible. The spectral blade had done far more damage than a normal sword strike should have. Her accelerated healing in combination with the Medbay was slowing it down, but not stopping it.

Cutout vanished from the throne room as did his guards, each leaving their own silhouettes behind.

One of the guards materialized a few seconds later beside my core along with a woman. This one had long raven hair and wore a brilliantly sparkled dress that seemed utterly unsuited for invading a ship. She began to sing. Power rippled out—compulsion. Were it not for the shielding I'd have been lost in an instant.

The other guards and Cutout were rematerializing with new people. One appeared with a whole squad in Engineering, although the moment they arrived bolts of electricity leapt from every available surface and flesh began to sizzle and twitch.

I'd equipped Candice with an acid gun. Short range, but that would do. I knew that the moment Candice materialized the woman’s compulsion field of the singing would hit her, but that was only an issue if I didn't prepare for it. I had Candice squeeze the trigger of her gun, a spray of acid beginning to stream from the nozzle, before I teleported her.

A mouth opened wide for singing made a convenient receptacle for the gun’s nozzle. The singing woman looked startled for just a moment as Candice appeared in front of her, then the stream of acid went down her throat. The song was instantly silenced, her hands clawing at a throat already starting to dissolve from the inside out.

I wasn't ashamed to reuse a trick that worked once. Diana squeezed her trigger before materializing behind the guard that teleported with the singer. Acid caught her in the back of the head and she began to flail.

I teleported both guard and singer to holding cells in research. I wasn't sure if the medical routines could save them or not, but I did prefer a living test subject to a dead one, when convenient.

Cutout was busy killing Wolves. The man stayed nowhere more than an instant before he moved on with his sword, piercing a new target. He didn't even take time to stab them—just as he had with Anna he materialized with the blade already inside of them.

One of the guards grabbed Mechos and teleported away. Cutout had found one of Hot Stuff's new lieutenants. The young man gurgled blood as the blade pierced him, but then his midsection erupted in an explosion of fire that sent Cutout stumbling backwards with his clothes in flames.

That moment of distraction was enough. I teleported him into a holding cell. Almost at once he was bouncing from wall to wall in flickers of shadowy energy, trying to cut the shielding. I wasn’t concerned, I'd yet to encounter any power my test shielding couldn't hold.

Elsewhere the ship was quiet. The plan must have been to kill Anna and the security personnel—the Wolves—neutralize Mechos as another upgrade core, subvert me, then seize the ship.

That it had happened so quickly proved how well-executed the plan had been. A significant portion of the Wolves were dead, Mechos was gone, and Anna was dying.

77

I had to get Anna stabilized. If the Medbay itself wasn't doing it and her own accelerated healing wasn't helping, that only left me one remaining option. I teleported Ophelia to her bedside.

"Could you give me some warning first? Oh shit," Ophelia said, wobbling unsteadily and then catching sight of Anna who was wracked with tremors on the medical bed. Her armor was hiding the injury.

Ophelia's close proximity was healing Anna somewhat. It kicked up Anna's healing ability just a bit further, but she was still headed in the wrong direction. Ophelia wore the fragment of Void Crystal that Tala provided which was keeping her personality from going all strange again.

"Bad day. Did you get the fucker?" Anna asked, clutching at her stomach.

"He's in a containment cell. They tried to take over the ship. Your lifetime of wrong health choices isn't working in your favor. Your vitals aren't improving," I said.

"Shouldn't they be?" Ophelia asked.

They should, but powers worked in unusual ways when they came up against each other. Ophelia herself was virtually immortal from her ability, but Anna's version gained from research was closer to something like one of Ophelia's second generation of lieutenants would have—far weaker than the original.

"It appears you are even more useless than first assumed, Ophelia," I said.

"Not her fault," Anna said, and cried out in pain once more. "Fucking bastard. The infirmary won't stabilize me?"

"Normally it would be, but there is a power involved. That sword is doing something to poison your blood. Normally the Medbay can cope with even your host of health issues," I said.

Anna nodded, she was taking the news of her impending death calmly for all she was obviously in pain. "Options?"

"We get you a power of your own. We try to transfuse blood from Ophelia, or we test Hot Stuff's lack of principles by having her crawl into bed with you. You'd get a full lieutenant’s version of Ophelia's healing or gain some of Hot Stuff's ability to burn away blood-borne pathogens. We also have what I believe is a Command core," I said.

"No direct power transfer," Anna said, sitting up. "It causes madness. I can't have that."

Anna had said as much before. I don't know where she got such ideas from, I had consumed multiple Power cores and I wasn't in the slightest bit mad.

"You're already an egomaniac with delusions of Queendom and general competency," I said.

"No. Find another way," Anna said.

I was quickly running out of options. The poisoning in her blood was impacting multiple major organs.

"Lose the armor," I said.

The armor flickered away leaving Anna rather overexposed. Now the injury was all too evident, a gaping wound in her stomach. Tendrils of black were spreading out from it to her surrounding flesh.

"Gross," Ophelia said.

"In the event of anyone ever seeing Anna naked, that is exactly the response I’d forecast," I said. Then I got to work. I was more confident in a power being able to assist, but if Anna wouldn't allow it I was left with my secondary option. Cutting out the infection.

I gave commands to the autodoc, which went to work with blades and saw.

Anna screamed, Ophelia too. I needed Ophelia in the room though, without her I didn't think Anna was likely to survive this procedure. The infection had spread so fast and thoroughly that I wasn't so much removing small bits of flesh as hollowing Anna out like someone scooping the guts out of a pumpkin and hoping that the insides would grow back.

It took hours. The pile of blackened and diseased organ I teleported down to a quarantine cell for research. Ophelia vomited a half-dozen times. That, I simply teleported to the Biomatter storage. It wasn't really worthy of further inspection.

Anna's vitals were nearly impossible to detect for awhile. You can't register a heartbeat or breathing without any heart or lungs. Still, in time those did start to regrow. It wasn't without consequence. I saw she had lost two points of Endurance from this ordeal. That was something I could fix, but without me and even with Ophelia's power, this would have left her permanently frail and weakened.

"Well, that sucked," Anna said, when she finally regained consciousness. "I'll live."

"You're weakened and implausibly even more hideous. Still, yes—you should live," I said.

"I hate this fucking ship and you people are beyond messed up," Ophelia said.

"She whines a lot," Anna said.

"I'm covered in you," Ophelia said.

It was true, the surgery had gotten rather messy. Blood and pieces of Anna really had gone everywhere.

"And she had to see you naked. She tore out her eyes—truly, they just grew back," I said.

"That didn't happen," Ophelia said, looking around. "If you're quite done performing major surgery in front of me, can I go get a bath?"

"Stay together for now. Just because Anna is able to be obnoxious doesn't mean she's back to full health," I said.

"I could use a bath myself," Anna said. "Ship status?"

"Six Wolves remain out of the fifteen that we still had active. Mechos has been abducted. We've gotten hit by some major scans while you were under, but no one has tried anything."

"Find Mechos. Ask the Mechanites, if you have to. He must have some kind of transponder and they'll know where he’s gone. I want answers out of Cutout and to know if this was his plan or if he is just an agent," Anna said.

"You think Lady Sylax put him up to this?"

"No. If it was her they'd have succeeded. They seemed to know our ship layout and where to hit us though, and that makes me think a Scholar is involved," Anna said, as she grabbed Ophelia's hand and the pair teleported to the showers.

I had some research to begin and a Command core to absorb. It might be just the thing to get us some answers.

78

I would start with the Command core. The singer hadn't survived getting highly caustic acid pumped down her throat, which wasn't really a surprise. The whole point of shooting acid down someone’s throat was generally to shut them up permanently.

You have acquired a Command Core

The core has bonded with and enhanced your "Insulting" trait. Foes that you insult are now far more likely to believe your words and be either debilitated or driven to feats of rage as a result.

I was growing irritated at Command cores. Between the Commander and the Singer, I'd now encountered two people able to compel behavior to some degree—including mine—and hadn't been able to take either alive for research. My own powers gained from the cores were less than impressive. Things would be so much easier if I could simply make the humans do what they were told.

Research Project

"Cutout"

You have begun research on the subject known as "Cutout". The subject has been bonded to a Dimensional core and exhibits powers related to the distortion of space and matter. Research will unlock a lesser version of Cutout's ability.

Research will take two weeks

Research Project

"Blades"

Cutout's guards genetically appear to be either identical siblings or some sort of clone. They exhibit some teleportation abilities and research may unlock some variant of their power.

Research will take one week

Another Dimensional core. I'd originally gotten a variant of those abilities from Sylph. Cutout's appeared to be similar in some ways, but with more offensive options than Sylph's presented.

I started the projects and pulled up the menu to use my next core point.

You have an unspent core point

Your options are

Research 6

Research 6 will allow you to build a translation facility. Often upgrades and improvements are specific to certain core types or paradigmatic principles. With this you can undertake conversion of that knowledge into a form usable by your own systems.

Military 2

Military 2 will allow you to control a greater number of defense drones. There is power in numbers. In addition defensive systems all acquire a minor upgrade.

Engineering 2

Engineering 2 will allow the production of the Fabricator. A Fabricator is a versatile production machine that can apply schematics to construct everything from ship upgrades to trade goods.

Command 1

Command 1 will allow status warnings. Currently you receive no notification when an individual component is in distress. With this upgrade you will receive alerts with the issue, severity, and suggested fixes.

Espionage 1

Espionage 1 will allow you to control a reconnaissance drone. This unit is capable of stealth and will allow visual and audio surveillance.

The last time I'd had a point to spend I had thrown it at Engineering correcting a long-term weakness. So far I had no regrets on that, the ship was in the best shape ever, and that was in no small part due to those upgrades.

As always, Research was always going to tempt. I still wanted to gain access to whatever was in those libraries and especially now, if Cutout had been working for a Scholar, that information might prove invaluable. Command and Espionage would be shoring up two other weaknesses, of the two Command seemed the more important.

I selected Research. While the others were weaknesses, none were pressing and there was a great deal to be said for building on your strength. This was first and foremost going to be a vessel of SCIENCE and that required the proper tools and equipment.

Research Project

"Magical Texts"

In storage exists a moderately sized library of arcane and magical lore collected by Lady Sylax. With a translation facility now open to you research can begin on translating these texts into a usable format. This is a long-term project, completion will take 7.8 years. Future upgrades may hasten results and periodic updates or research points may be gained as the process continues.

That wasn't quite useless. I could think in the long-term, but I was all too well aware that I was not immortal. Danger kept finding me and I needed more tools to defend myself. I'd start the project, but I was already regretting not making another choice. That upgrade point might have yielded more immediate benefits spent elsewhere.

There were numerous ship upgrades that I could make, but now didn't seem the time to worry about them. I tabled those to go over later when the situation was more peaceful and shifted my focus to the cameras in Cutout's testing chamber.

I'd be taking a chance with him. Those with offensive powers often reacted to a bit of a push by fully bringing them out. But I had questions.

"When we first met I thought that you didn't seem the sort to be in charge. You've more the look of a filthy sidekick to provide contrast between someone of wealth and taste," I told him.

"You'd know, wouldn't you? What makes a ship like you decide to sidle up to a gutter scamp like that over-pomped and under-mannered Queen? What are you going to do now that I've killed the bitch?" Cutout said.

"You think I've an eye for trash and so you've got a shot?"

Cutout shrugged. "Why not? What did that hyped-up little shit ever do for you? Me? I'm a man with connections. With a ship like you I could own this town inside a week."

I was reminded of one of Anna's rare good traits. Anna did not lack for proper ambition.

"You're a little man with little dreams. Anna survived your little assassination attempt just as I did your effort to control me," I said.

"You lie. I sank my blade into her good and deep."

"Words I never thought a man would be proud to say regarding Anna. You weren't man enough to get it done," I said.

"Nobody comes back from my blade. Let me out and I'll have work for you. If you don't, when Jade gets here maybe I'll drive a blade into you," Cutout said.

It wasn't much of a name, but it would do. I cut the comm link and initiated the testing procedures. Combat drones would be harrying him unexpectedly from all sides for awhile. To get a moment’s rest he'd have to teleport around the cell. Normally I built in some time to sleep, but in his case I thought I'd skip that for the next few days. Exhaustion would break him down further.

79

"Who are we killing?" Anna asked. Instead of the throne room she'd called the meeting in one of the conference rooms on the Command deck. Present was Ratticus, the Mechanites, Ophelia, Candice, and one of the surviving Wolf lieutenants. I still had a significant portion of the crew locked up in testing cells and I wasn't going to let them out until the routines completed.

"Mechos does have a transponder," said one of the Mechanites, a young woman who was mostly biological but for both her arms which had been replaced by mechanical appendages. Steel fingers tapped at keys and a hologram appeared showing a tower near the center of the city.

I knew it, this was from where we got landing clearances.

"If she isn't malfunctioning, and just detecting the source of the strongest local transmissions? That’s the hub for their air control," I said through Candice.

"I'm good with killing air controllers. Still, I doubt a bunch of comm workers just decided to kidnap one of us and try to steal our ship. Do they work for Cutout?" Anna asked.

"The only name I got him to drop so far is Jade. I'd ask if she was someone who wanted you dead from your Scholar days, but really, wouldn't it be more surprising if she wasn’t," I said.

Anna narrowed her eyes and shook her head. "The name means nothing to me. Ratticus?"

Ratticus looked nervous and shifted in his chair, "Requisitions went through Jade. A cruel woman."

"We were attacked by a supply clerk and air controllers? We do draw the eye of only the most dangerous and competent of adversaries," I said.

"Competent enough that they came closer than I'd like," Anna said. "Emma, do you have a location on this council of theirs?"

"I do. They convene aboard one of the larger airships. I hope you aren't planning on being social? We don't need more enemies," I said.

"That is exactly what I plan. If we take out air control, this whole place might start shooting unless they have a heads-up. We don't need to be in the middle of a war zone. Ophelia, I want you to lead the infiltration team. Get Mechos out of there and find any information you can," I said.

"You realize, despite putting me in charge of espionage, I'm not actually a super-spy right?" Ophelia asked.

Anna stared at her. "I'm going to say this once and it applies to every one serving under me. I don't care where you came from or what you were in the past, under me you have the potential to be something better. When you're given an opportunity, seize it."

"Inspiring speech. However, I think even your grating tones won't quite carry to Tara's testing cell. We're in the middle of vivisection number nine. If you'd care for her to hear it, she can when we're done," I said.

Anna turned her attention to Candice whom I had spoken through. Her gaze was icy and furious. That stare persisted for several long seconds until she finally said, "When you're done putting her back together, let her out of the cell. Tell her to suit up and join the team with Ophelia."

"So now I get to do the mission with someone who will probably betray me. Great. Winning plan," Ophelia said.

Anna gave her another glare.

Ophelia cleared her throat and said uncertainty, "Which I'll execute flawlessly, because that is just the kind of total badass I am?"

"Unconvincing," Ratticus said.

I agreed with the Rat. Ophelia had been a more impressive specimen with the orb in control of her mind.

"We'll go with you to get him back," said the Mechanite woman.

"Emma. Keep watch and if either of us gets into trouble, do something," Anna said.

It was brilliant, concise orders like that which made her such an effective Queen.

Ophelia was going to take the Graven on her mission. It was more likely that she would need the firepower. Anna could teleport to the council ship. I didn't trust any plan we were involved in to not go terribly awry, so I had Ratticus position teams throughout the ship in case we needed to start shooting.

I also let everyone held in testing chambers know about the plan.

They were doing well. Hot Stuff was starting to get a handle on her new ability and it were unlike anything I'd encountered to date. In an attempt to activate whatever the metal core had done to her, I'd been shooting at her with drones. Suddenly, metal formed around her and Hot Stuff found herself on a fiery motorcycle.

Further testing proved that she could manifest it at will. Maximum speed was something like two hundred kilometers per hour and she was even able to fire some built-in machine guns.

A shame it wasn't a plane, that might have been more useful in the current situation.

Still, Hot Stuff was willing to kill and murder if things went bad, she always was.

Doctor Batavius was another matter.

"If Jade is involved, we need to leave now. No pursuing matters of vengeance, no getting back Anna's pathetic hopes of a mechanical lover," Doctor Batavius said.

"It sounds as if you know and fear her. A rival for Lady Sylax's favorite pet?" I asked.

"The problem is not her loyalty or her competence, but her lack of both. Jade schemes and plots, and Lady Sylax always finds out," Batavius said. "She allows it, because she enjoys the hunt. Enjoys the punishments and humiliations that come after."

That was a concern. We still weren't entirely certain that Lady Sylax was actually alive, but if she were I wasn’t eager for a round two.

"Loyalty and competence are sadly rare commodities, Doctor. If I was convinced you had either I might let you out of there to assist," I said, and killed the comm.

I'd be extra-prepared for trouble, and to make a quick exit.

80

The teams had been gone on their respective missions about two hours. Candice and Diana stayed behind, it was best to keep my military drones close at hand in case either team needed support or a teleport was required. It left me feeling strangely disconnected from the action.

When the Graven lifted from the tower it was something of a relief, although the hail I got raised questions.

"Emma, support fire requested at the following coordinates," came a voice over the comm. It wasn't Ophelia's, I believed it was Tara.

The coordinates were in the middle of a merchant section in the city. I wasn't detecting anything worthy of a shelling there.

"I think perhaps you've overestimated our relationship just because I've stopped vivisecting you," I said.

"Quite pleased to have my intestines on the inside. Mechos is aboard, but he isn't doing well and neither are the Mechanites. Ophelia is still in the tower and will need an extraction soon. I'm not certain what you are meant to be shooting at, but really think you should," Tara said.

Well, I'd heard worst arguments for opening fire on a city. It was at least worth investigating. I teleported one of my science drones and initiated a scan. There were makeshift stalls that were exactly what they purported to be, but the city was built completely on top of old airship hulks tethered together. From the hulls beneath I detected strong power readings and active machinery.

That was enough for me. I pulled free of the dock and flew the Powerhungry into the air so that I could get a charged shot off from the main cannon.

The explosion was well out of proportion to the shot. A pillar of flame climbed from the site of impact and the entire city shook with the force of the blow.

"Well, that will have gotten their attention," Tara said.

That was a bit of an understatement. A lot of ships were floating above the city, guns ready and their crews not having enough rest—which meant twitchy trigger fingers. They started shooting. Some of that firepower was directed towards us.

I raised shields and moved to cover the Graven.

There was a second explosion from below, if anything even more powerful than the first. It completely obliterated the control tower—with Ophelia still inside.

I teleported my second science drone. It didn't take long to find her remains, they were about all that was identifiably human and doing the utmost to put themselves back together again even as fires raged. I locked sensors on what was left and teleported the bits to the Medbay.

Another teleport was just occurring. Anna blinked into existence. For some reason she was naked and covered in what appeared to be engine oil.

"Long story. There is about to be a tiny explosion," Anna said.

A third boom rocked the city, larger than either of the two that had come before, as the council ship detonated in the air, blasting the city beneath it to splinters.

Reevesport really had been largely intact a few hours ago. Now a significant portion of it was on fire and several flaming airship hulks were falling away, tracing trails through the air as they hit the volcanic crater.

"Is that the best you can do? Even Ophelia's was bigger," I said.

Tara was making her way out of the Graven with Mechos supported against her shoulder. The man looked pale, drawn, and I wasn't getting any power readings from him. Normally he had a faintly familiar aura of an upgrade core. His had been somehow removed. No wonder he and the Mechanites weren't doing well.

I teleported him away from Tara and into the Medbay.

"Oh good. The pink slime isn't him," Anna said.

"Put on some clothes. You don't want to kill him. And the slime is Ophelia," I said.

Our shields were starting to take a lot of hits. The fact that we had any shields at all put us in a better position than most ships. I tracked one transport vessel falling from the sky to crash into the city, resulting in another explosion.

I was moving us away from Reevesport as quickly as possible, trying to avoid the worst of the conflict breaking out. From what I could tell five distinct factions seemed to be going at it, all doing their best to defend their bits of the burning city.

The air above the city warped and twisted, and three new airships appeared. They were each our size and build, which made sense given they were our same design.

Scholar warships.

The air warped again and four more airships arrived. White and gold, Righteous vessels.

From the jungle what appeared to be a massive crystalline spider, riding upon the back of a dragon, rose into view. The old upgrade core of this ship—it seemed to be doing well for itself.

I teleported Anna to the bridge and materialized her a jumpsuit. Anna slipped into it even as her eyes tracked what was happening on the display.

"Is that actually a dragon?" Anna asked.

I wished I knew. I wished I had cell samples. That could be a proper defense drone.

"I believe so, and with this ship’s old upgrade core on top of it. Don't get your hopes up, it would look like a pig riding a chicken, if you tried," I said.

"You are so making me a dragon to ride one day. Do we have any bombs ready, and how is our dimensional drive?" Anna asked.

We had two in storage.

"Their triggers were made by Mechos. In his current state they may be unreliable. We likely have a single fire out of our dimensional drive," I said.

"Bring Tara here," Anna said.

I teleported the Righteous woman to the bridge. At the moment, she looked a good bit more put-together than Anna did. Tara didn't miss a beat as she sketched a bow. "My Queen. Is that a dragon?"

"You've ships here. They need to be gone and I need some safe coordinates," Anna said.

"It will take me a few minutes," Tara said.

"It better not," Anna said. "Pinpoint weak spots in the volcano for detonation."

I retasked both my science drones at once. Anna wanted to destroy the city and everything in the skies above it.

It was a bold plan. It might even work.

81

Planning to detonate several bombs to explode a volcano for the purposes of mass destruction is not quite so easy as it might appear. The explosions alone won’t be enough, there are complex forces and energies that needs to be pushed in exactly the right places to get the desired bang.

This sort of thing might have taken humans years to calculate, if they were capable of it at all. With my science drones to provide information in real time, and the overwhelming power of my Biocomputer, I was anything but human. It took me seventy-three seconds.

I was confident of my solution. In that time our shields dropped another eighteen percent and two more dragons climbed into the sky from the jungles. The Righteous, Scholars, and dragons were enough to inspire the denizens of the city to stop shooting at each other and start shooting at them.

The Righteous airships shimmered and blinked out of existence.

"I've got coordinates. Sending them over," Tara said.

I teleported the bombs and engaged the dimensional drive. I left one of my science drones behind to actually trigger the bombs after we left—if we left.

I didn't want to be here for what I was about to unleash.

The sky tore itself apart as the dimensional drive engaged, worked—then melted. We weren't getting a second trip. Fortunately we didn't need one. We were elsewhere.

We looked to be underground in some vast cavern that extended several miles in all directions. Below us shimmered a force-field in the shape of a blue dome, beneath which antiquated buildings were dimly visible.

"Do we have pursuers?" Anna asked.

I wasn’t detecting any other ships in our vicinity. I'd lost contact with my science drone, which hopefully meant the bombs had accomplished their mission.

"We seem to have gotten away clean," I said.

Anna turned her attention to the surroundings and grinned at Tara. "So, you aren't worthless and may not be a complete liar. That’s Aelfwal out there, isn't it?"

"I keep my word when I can," Tara said, rubbing at her eyes, "As so might you, given that you allowed our ships to escape your massacre back there. Did you really have to burn the whole city?"

"The city was already burning. I gave the council in charge a way out. I wish they'd listened," Anna said, moving to her throne.

I wondered just what had happened during her meeting on the council airship. Thanks to her monitoring bracelet I didn't have to leave it a mystery, I pulled those logs.

Anna tried to make peace with them. She had warned them about the attack on the tower and why, and that Scholar forces were expected to arrive at the city soon. She'd offered to try and transition her ship’s upgrade core into the city proper.

The council’s answer was hitting her with some sort of power dampener, stripping her naked, and throwing her into an arena where an enormous massive mechanical ape was meant to tear her limb from limb. It hadn't quite worked out as they intended.

Whatever else could be said of Anna, she was talented.

"I don't approve," Tara said.

Anna regarded her for a long moment. "Good. You shouldn't. Keep expressing opinions like that and I may have cause to keep you around. The dome, do you have a way through it?"

I said, "Before she answers that, I'd like to know just what we're hovering over. Given the obvious intention to keep us out, I'd speculate it was the home of one of Anna's ex-lovers. If she had any."

Anna explained, "Power cores bond most commonly to individuals. But as you prove, that is not any sort of mandatory requirement. Down there beneath that shield is the Aelfwal socket, if we are to believe Tara here. Until now, I'd thought that one just a legend."

"Amongst the Scholars, cores and sockets are prized highly and rank is given accordingly. Based upon your powers and her connection to you, Emma, our Queen in their estimation would qualify as only a Lady, not a queen," Tara said, choosing her words carefully.

Anna gave her an amused look. "What she carefully isn't saying is that my taking the Aelfwal socket would make them officially regard me as a Queen."

"But not the Queen of the World—unless that city below is far more impressive than it appears," I said.

"No," Anna said with a faint smile. "I'm probably going to have to buy that title the old fashioned way, with blood and flames. We'll get there. So, the shield?"

"We don't have a way through it. As you said, a legendary place. One of the three sister cities of Galasa lost in the fourth war," Tara said, staring at the force-field. "We'd hoped to anchor the city and return it to the core eventually."

"So, the only people likely to have the knowledge of how to breach that shield are going to be the Scholars?" Anna asked.

I said, "In case that minuscule little mind of yours has forgotten, we do have the library of Lady Sylax aboard. I'm busy translating its contents into something useful."

"How long will it take you?"

"Seven years. Roughly."

"Too long," Anna said, shaking her head, "Even if I were willing to be patient, this crew won't hold together that long and we need them to stay. I've heard that sockets of this complexity aren't taken by single cores but require the talents of multiple ones to properly control."

"Do you have connections among the Scholars that might still help you?" Tara asked.

"Not intentionally, but I've got a plan. Is there any sort of city nearby?"

Tara frowned. "Two weeks away at full power. If there were anything close, this place would have long since been discovered."

I said, "I'd like a shot at figuring out the shield myself. While the best of the Righteous scientists may have had a look at it, perhaps a proper intellect will have more success."

"Fine. You have a week and unless you’re showing progress, we move on. Use the time to further upgrade our systems too," Anna said.

"Three weeks in total will give me some time to complete some research," I said.

"Do it, and find a cabin for Tara," Anna decided.

82

I studied the shield for the week. The city beneath was large, well maintained, and completely unreachable. The force-field remained at a constant power level and after a week of testing I wasn't able to cause more than minor variations. My sensors wouldn’t penetrate, so teleportation to the other side wasn’t possible. Neither was burrowing beneath—while it appeared a dome across the surface the shielding continued underground completely isolating the interior.

My science drones couldn’t initiate any sort of research project. That was disappointing, but at least it gave me time to complete some of the ones I had pending. Between them and the command points they would generate I was about to undergo a major upgrade.

Research Project

"Plant Samples"

You have identified the retrieved plant samples and can now grow them in your growth tanks.

Idari Leaf - Can be refined into Blocker, a chemical that when consumed can block telepathic abilities.

Semhar Root - Can be refined into a drug that produces feelings of euphoria as well as a powerful addiction.

Gralker Stem - Can be refined into a stimulant that offers a short-term boost to strength and agility although is also addictive and in the long term results in physical degradation.

Vinto - A water weed this plant seems like it may offer an antidote to several poisons as yet undiscovered.

Revo - A plant difficult to analyze properly because of its constant genetic alteration. Some degree of this mutation is passed on to a biological host and can result in rapid physical alterations. These are usually negative although with further study a way may be found to improve results.

They were a fascinating assortment of plants that the cartel had been growing in private. Given the large capacity of my growth tanks I had room to grow a supply of all of them.

Research Project

"Baron Wolfson"

Baron Wolfson is imbued with powers from a Fauna Core that offers him some of the animalistic properties of a Wolf as well as the ability to shapeshift. He experiences an increase in agility and speed, and is particularly effective when fighting as part of a pact. You can now grant a weaker ability of the pack boost power to your drones or agents via upgrade.

I hadn't seen much of that from him so far. The Wolves had been pretty well decimated by the powers of others despite being together.

Research Project

"Doctor Batavius"

Doctor Batavius is imbued with powers from a Vision Core that offers her an ability to see well outside the normal human visual spectrum. While this can offer insights and awareness lacking to others it can also cause blackouts and disorientation from overstimulation. You can now grant a weaker ability of the enhanced vision power to your drones or agents via upgrade.

That explained the goggles her people wore. They must be designed to filter out some of what their power was providing them and help to regulate it. While some powers I'd seen had some negatives, such as Hot Stuff's problem with clothing, this was the first time I'd seen genuine negative consequences to the holder.

Research Project

"Ratticus"

Ratticus is imbued with powers from an Energy Core that offers him an ability to regulate different forms of energy he encounters. This can have a host of potential uses from regulating kinetic impacts to rendering the user immune to electric fields. You can now grant a weaker version of energy regulation to your drones or agents via upgrade.

Ratticus had a good ability. Of the various section heads he had always struck me as the least impressive when it came to powers, but I had underestimated him. With proper application his abilities would make him a formidable fighter, just as they seemingly made him a formidable engineer.

Research Project

"Hot Stuff"

Hot Stuff is bonded to a Fire Core and more recently was exposed to a Metal Core which bonded with her as well. This has granted her the ability to manifest a motorcycle at will. This motorcycle requires no fuel and no ammunition and is capable of impressive speed and offensive power. A lesser version of this power can be granted to those already imbued with the powers of a Fire Core allowing them to manifest some item of their own combining the properties of these two realms.

I was intrigued. This was the first real example I had seen in a human of core strengths directly playing into each other. This metal ability required her fire ability as a base.

With that research done there was something more vital to focus on. An embarrassment of riches—four core upgrade points. I'd never had so many to spend at one time.

You have four unspent core points

Your options are

Research 7

Research 7 will allow you to build the physics lab. This will open up whole new avenues of research and may have unexpected pairings with your genetics lab.

Military 2

Military 2 will allow you to control a greater number of defense drones. There is power in numbers. In addition, defensive systems all acquire a minor upgrade.

Engineering 2

Engineering 2 will allow the production of the Fabricator. A Fabricator is a versatile production machine that can apply schematics to construct everything from ship upgrades to trade goods.

Command 1

Command 1 will allow status warnings. Currently you receive no notification when an individual component is in distress. With this upgrade you will receive alerts with the issue, severity, and suggested fixes.

Espionage 1

Espionage 1 will allow you to control a reconnaissance drone. This unit is capable of stealth and will allow visual and audio surveillance.

Before I spent a point I had to put thought into limits. I knew from my own drones and from upgrading Anna that the maximum I could raise their attributes was to ten. It wouldn't surprise me if that applied to myself as well. If so, that last upgrade would probably be a profound one. That would require sinking all four of my remaining points into that one section.

I wanted to do it, of course I wanted to do it. SCIENCE would not be denied. Ultimately I was in the same place I was following the last upgrade. None of my weaknesses were overwhelming at this point, not enough that I didn't feel I could compensate by further enhancing my strength.

I cycled through the Research upgrades.

Research 8

Research 8 allows you a dedicated drone bay. Science drone routines are enhanced and they are now even more autonomous. Five can now be controlled.

Research 9

Research 9 allows you to build the enlightenment core. This allows for greatly enhanced research speeds reducing time required to 25% of their previous levels.

Research 10

Research 10 allows for the Research Ship hull design. This upgrade refits the entire vessel to better serve the purposes of scientific research. All systems are modular and quickly replaceable with test versions. Sensor clusters will be located both inside and outside the vessel automatically gathering data and automatically beginning relevant research projects.

This was already a research ship, or at least I'd thought it was. Looking over the new schematics that opened up showed how much more could be done. Every system in the ship would be subject to constant experimentation and improvement. While this might make things less reliable, it would reap rewards in the long term.

I began the conversion at once.

83

The upgrade to a research vessel was also improving and modifying every system aboard to some degree. I reviewed what those new systems looked like.

Research Biocomputer

Level 10

The research biocomputer has far more interconnections than a standard bioprocessor. While this results in superior creative problem-solving abilities it also results in more emotional and mental instability and the possibility of freezing in a crisis.

Research Bioreactor

Level 10

The research bioreactor is constantly testing new formulas and power distribution platforms. This generates a steady supply of research points, but power irregularities decrease the lifespan of all ship systems.

Research Growth Vats

Level 10

While the growth vats currently provide a supply of food and replacement body parts to the crew those will now frequently be experimental. Flavors may vary wildly as well as the effects on consumption. While this will provide steady research points crew morale will be negatively impacted.

Research Medical Bay

Level 10

In the old configuration of the ship’s Medical Bay it attempted to restore the biological health of any injured party to a standardized baseline. Now the Medical Bay will attempt to improve and enhance capabilities whenever possible. This may be distressing to some biological organisms.

Research Cabins

Level 10

The crew of an airship are a potentially endless source of study for interpersonal dynamics. In addition to powerful sensors in every cabin the human crew will now be subject to regular experimentation. Possessions may go missing, secrets may find their way to other crew members, sleep may be regularly interrupted.

Essentially, it all seemed to be exactly what it had been suggested would happen. Every operation on the ship including the functioning of my own mind was becoming something of an experiment. How could I not approve?

E.M.M.A

Research Airship

Power Core: 1500

Power Usage: 475

Habitability: 200

Biomass: 412

Building Material: 41

Research: 10

Military: 1

Engineering: 1

Espionage: 0

Command: 0

Additional Facilities

Biocomputer - Level 10

BioReactor - Level 10

Genetics Lab (Randomizer) - Level 10

Physics Lab (Randomizer) - Level 10

Growth Vats - Level 10

Medical Bay - Level 10

Cabins - Level 10

Processor - Level 10

Powerhungry Status

Hull: 100%

Armor: 100%

Shields: 100%

Engines: 92%

Dimensional Drive: 15%

Thrusters: 45%

Main Cannons: 20%

Side Cannons: 60%

Sensors: 70%

The ship had undergone vast improvement in just a short time. While we doubtless wouldn't be able to hold up in a fight against a dedicated military vessel, so far we'd proved we had the ability to rise to such challenges by outthinking our foes. It was something we'd have to persist in.

Our greatest problem right now was crew. While I still wasn't exactly delighted at having humans running around inside of me, I had to admit that they had their uses. Between the various attacks we'd lost a lot of people. While we'd done some recruitment in the last port, it wasn't enough.

Mechos having somehow been stripped of his core was also a blow. Upgrade cores were powerful and while I'd never thought he'd made the best use of his, it had come in handy. He had become deathly ill since his rescue, and a short time later the rest of the Mechanites fell sick too.

I didn't have another upgrade core to give him, and no guarantees that even if I did, that it would help him to recovery—he might get a completely different set of abilities.

Giving him some sort of new power was the most likely way to help, but it was a matter of which one. I'd once suggested a blood transfusion from Ophelia to Anna. Ophelia's ability would be able to restore life and function to Mechos' organic parts, but would likely reject the machinery.

I'd never actually made a lieutenant of my own, but it should theoretically be possible. I suspected it would be somewhat similar to what had happened with Ophelia. If I fused a subset of my intelligence with a human’s biology, I might be able to make them something similar to one of my human drones. Possessing free will, but also under my control.

There was also Hot Stuff. While it seemed the most unlikely of the options with the new Metal core working along with her Fire core, it might find some way to bond with Mechos’ machine parts.

I leaned towards making him a drone. Then Anna suggested it was best to allow him to make his own choice.

I sent Candice for a visit.

"Don't tell me you are going to try to comfort a dying man. You'd be horrible at it," Mechos said.

"You don't comfort one of your most useless tools when it breaks. You throw it out or find some sort of patch to make it useful again," I said. "I'm here to offer you those options, unless you'd prefer I simply dump you and your people from the ship."

"You would," Mechos said. "Let me guess. A new power set."

He never made proper use of his abilities, but Mechos was one of the smarter humans around.

"Here are your choices. I can try to make you and your people drones. Ophelia might be able to restore your biology. Hot Stuff now has a metal core with some intriguing possibilities," I said.

Mechos gave a pained chuckle. "It isn't that easy, you know. It isn't like just picking items off a menu. You've seen how lieutenants stick near those with a core, become loyal to them, subservient. You're asking me to bind myself and my people to someone new."

That had never occurred to me. I knew my own drones obeyed my wishes, but I'd never considered how the other Powered had stuck together. Hot Stuff was not exactly natural leadership material to have led such a gang, and some of the others had been even worse.

I wondered if that was why Anna was so reluctant to accept Ophelia's blood.

It didn't change the realities of the situation.

"You were always going to be someone’s inferior. You lack the will or the strength to be otherwise," I said.

Mechos glared for a moment and then looked away. "Hot Stuff, then."

From a research standpoint this was the possibility I was most interested in. It was also the riskiest.

"I've improved her virus, but it is still only working about eighty-five percent of the time. Without a core to protect you there is a real chance this will be fatal," I said.

"I'm dying anyways," Mechos said.

True. I didn't think Anna would appreciate him making this choice, but really it was her fault for giving him the opportunity in the first place.

84

We reached Grim Harbor right on time. It was a cluster of shabby-looking buildings alongside a rocky coast. What they lacked in aesthetics they made up for in docks of all types, and they did business with a host of pirates and explorers this far out on the Rim.

Unlike at Reevesport there were no military vessels at all here. I'd been able to get a sense of the place before pulling in and started work on the hull accordingly. Where once I'd gone to great ends to make us appear in better repair than we actually were, here I did the opposite. We looked like an explorer vessel coming into port after a rough journey.

We raised few questions, were given a dock and we settled in. Only Anna went ashore to recruit, we'd decided to leave our Powered individuals aboard this time out. We didn't want anyone in Grim Harbor getting any sense of our real capabilities. The recruits, we could split between the various Powered section heads later for conversion. Given what Mechos had said, loyalty wouldn't be a question once that took place.

Mechos survived his encounter with Hot Stuff. More than that, it did save his life. His metallic components melted to reform a circuit pattern throughout his flesh that was something alltogether new, and different than the powerset had influenced Hot Stuff herself. I suspected his upgrade core was not quite as completely gone or missing as it had been feared and perhaps this was giving it a new life.

Using Candice and Diana, I hit the markets to look for parts for our dimensional drive. Anna had explained it would play a major role in what she had planned. Getting it in working order was critical. Fortunately, ship parts weren't difficult to find in a place where piracy and scavenging were such lucrative enterprises.

For trade goods I was using some of the high-value plants I'd been cultivating in my growth vats. Semhar Root, in particular, was fetching a great price here. It was enough to buy the parts I needed and to acquire several new cookie recipes.

It was strange to see this many humans gathered in one place in relative peace. Perhaps that was because of the lack of Power cores, While my scans for them were still imprecise and I wasn't getting any hint of them, and could only accept it was true.

I caught up with Anna in a tavern near the docks. She had a mug of something sinister and green, and several charts placed before her.

I settled Candice into an open seat with Diana taking a guard position nearby.

"We need to build a booze still—not that you drink. Although you could probably drink. Do you drink?" Anna asked.

How would I know? We didn't have a still. I had Candice take a sip from Anna’s mug. It was foul.

"Well, in addition to being infected by your diseased slobber my drone has now ingested one of the foulest things she has ever tasted," I said.

"Isn't it awful? I want more," Anna said. "How many actually showed up to the ship?"

I'd been logging Anna's recruits as they came aboard.

"One hundred and seven so far. We'll lose some during conversion, but that should see us decently crewed. They must be desperate signing up to fly with you," I said.

"I'll get some more," Anna said, and slid one of the charts towards Candice. "We're actually on the edges of Scholar territory. Not that you can tell."

"There is almost a complete lack of core usage among the population. They are as weak as you are," I said.

"And sane, and mostly happy despite being thieves," Anna said, a little wistful.

"Is the Queen of the World actually a pirate? Suddenly the poor fashion sense and terrible hygiene make far too much sense."

"Everyone comes from somewhere, Emma. Even you," Anna said with a frown. "And yeah. Core distribution around the world isn't exactly balanced, but the lack you see here is because this is Scholar territory. It has been pretty much been picked clean, and in the event of a rare drop people rush to grab the chance."

"Drop?" I asked, I hadn't heard the term before.

"Cores come from somewhere. I know it doesn't seem like it when we keep just taking them from other people, but originally they simply appear and typically bond with whoever happens to be closest," Anna said.

"If only romance happened the same way, you might have hope. I haven't scanned that happening," I said.

"It doesn't much these days. It happened more after the world got broken, then slowed down," Anna said, and took another swig from her drink. "Did you get the parts you needed?"

"They had what was required. It will be a few days, but we can get the drive back up and running, even make a few improvements."

Anna thought about it and nodded. "Stock up on luxuries for the crew too, anything you'd have trouble making yourself or that you don't know how to make."

I supposed there were worse ideas, in a vast universe there had to be.

"I'd like to collect some research samples as well. Some of us care about more than simple hedonism," I said.

Anna chuckled. "I'd believe that more if I didn't think you got some sort of a high out of science."

Anna knew me too well. I didn't like it.

"At least I'm not drinking alone in a bar," I said.

Anna stared hard at Candice and then shifted her gaze to Diana. She grunted, "I think we both know I'm drinking with my best friend. Get your samples. We'll indulge in our vices together."

Her best friend? Had Anna been bonding with my drones when I wasn't watching? Candice did seem to have a certain perkiness that might be confused with friendliness. I'd have to keep an eye on this, autonomy in my drones was dangerous.

85

The conversion of our newest crew went well enough. I tranquilized them and we sorted them into departments. Most were willing to take what they got, although Hot Stuff wanted to select hers on the basis of attractiveness. Given they'd wind up going around largely unclothed, the rest of the humans had no problems with this.

I was proved right about Ophelia's blood being able to make people her lieutenants, although the process turned out to be more fatal than I'd expected. In about forty percent of cases the healing potential applied itself only to specific cells and essentially became self-healing and powerful cancer at the same time. The cancer won.

Anna provided the coordinates for the dimensional drive, ordered shields up and all crew to battle stations, then we made the jump.

We appeared in a landscape that made my sensors ache. Overhead were what appeared to be three suns. The world below was sand in all directions. A tiny settlement clustered beneath a glowing bubble of force shielding.

"We've finally found a place as bleak as your future," I said to Anna.

"And as sunny as your disposition. Give them a half-powered shot on the shields," Anna said, lounging back in her throne. Today she'd dressed for diplomacy, which meant barely at all, in red and gold.

I let loose with a few seconds from our beam cannon at low power. I'd tweaked the emitters to match Anna's chosen colors, a red beam lancing across the shield.

It didn't take long to get a comm signal from the surface. It was visual so I put it through to a screen. The man looked to be in his early thirties, dressed in a gray duster.

"We are an unarmed settlement under the protection of the Legasa," said the man, before pausing and squinting at his display. "Scholarium Aderitus Besari?"

"Badass Queen of the whole motherfucking world, if you're going to insist on titles, Scott. It has been awhile," Anna said.

They knew each other. That wasn't a total surprise, Anna had these coordinates memorized and the settlement below didn't look large. If she had ever served here, she likely knew everyone.

"Not long enough, since you're shooting at us. Do you have any idea how long it took us to get that Viraxum dust out of the vents?" Scott asked.

"You were chasing me with a digger bot. I had to scramble your sensors," Anna said.

"You'd left us tied up and indecent in the arboretum after stealing that core," Scott said.

"Good times. Me, airship with heavy firepower, and unless you missed it Queen of the whole Motherfucking World," Anna said.

"Pretty sure you made that title up," Scott said.

The man was elbowed out of the way by a younger-looking blonde woman. "Excuse Scott. He is bitter and not too bright. Hi Anna, love the outfit."

"Zora? I thought you'd have transferred away by now?" Anna said.

Fascinating though this all was, I was picking up some strange readings. It was a Powered individual drawing upon a considerable use of their powers.

"If we're quite done rehashing why nobody likes you, there is something suspicious going on. I believe they're planning some sort of attack," I said.

"Hit them with a full blast," Anna said.

I fired another blast at the shields, this time at full intensity. The heat from the three suns had to be a constant drain on their systems—it was on our shields. The shields flickered for a moment and continued to hold.

"Zora, I'm fond of you and I don't completely hate Scott, but fuck with my ship and I will kill every fucking one of you. If the title isn't making it clear, I don't care about the Legasa any longer," Anna said.

The power readings dampened.

"Bullying appears to be an adequate substitute for friendship," I said.

"We're standing down. So you're really going for it?" Zora asked.

"All the way. I'm not here to catch up on time. The word is that someone has found Aelfwal. Do you know who?" Anna asked.

Anna had been short on details of her plan. Obviously it involved stirring the pot among the Scholars.

"You're hoping to steal it away? Zora asked.

"Something like that. I heard they haven't claimed it yet, but they’re attempting to get through some sort of shielding. You’re both archaeologists, surely you've heard something?"

Zora and Scott talked amongst each other.

"We haven't heard anything. Truly," Zora said.

"Not that we'd tell you if we had," Scott said.

"Send me your transmission logs. I'll verify," Anna said.

"Screw you," Scott said.

"Scott..." Zora said.

"No, we are not doing this with her. Not again. If she wants to blow us to hell, she can," Scott said.

"Don't suppose you happen to be hiring?" Zora asked.

"Seriously?" Anna asked

"Sure. I mean, you're kind of a ruthless self-serving bitch which sucked when you were a coworker. I kind of like it in a monarch," Zora said.

Anna looked agonized and shook her head. "Sorry, Zora. Tempted to say yes, but I just can't trust you. You're the Legasa's creature, you always have been."

Zora raised a pistol and shot Scott in the face. There was the expected blood and gurgling as he fell back.

"I just tendered my resignation and applied for a new position all at once," Zora said.

Anna stared impassively at the screen. "Kill the feed. Get us out of here, Emma."

"You aren't going to take her up on her offer? She reminds me a bit of you," I said.

Anna let out a low sigh. "You saw how she tried to appeal to me? She could have flirted, she could have called on old times. I'd have taken her up on either, but she treated me as a killer who would be impressed by killing. It was a glimpse of what she thinks of me. If I let her aboard she'd be waiting for her chance to take me out. It’s what you do with killers—it’s what killers do."

It was an interesting insight. I keyed our next set of coordinates.

86

When we next materialized we were in the air just above a flying city. It was improbably located above three tornadoes that churned with terrible fury below.

"Did the Scholars make it a point to send you to the most miserable places in existence in the hopes of getting rid of you? They may be more intelligent than I'd given them credit for," I said.

"It is all about the pursuit of cores. It’s in the most inhospitable of areas they are likely to have gone overlooked," Anna said.

"But you're still sending people you hate the most out to look for them, I'd assume," I said.

"You aren't wrong. Listen up, we aren't going to start out shooting here. We don't want to knock out a stabilizer and send the ship anywhere near those tornadoes. Open me a channel," Anna said.

I tried but got no response.

"I've opened you a line, but they aren't sending a feed in return," I said.

Anna settled back and announced, "This is Annabella Besari, Queen of the World and your rightful monarch. The word is that Aelfwal has been found. Tell me all that you know and I shall leave you in peace."

I got sudden readings of objects materializing near the hull. I focused my sensors on one and found it to be a combat drone of a type more advanced than my own. It fired a concussive blast that caused the shield to ripple. The others were doing the same.

"We're taking fire," I said.

"Then return it, but avoid the city itself," Anna said.

I opened up with the side cannons. Their drones were difficult to lead, and the high winds outside complicated matters considerably. They seemed to have routines to deal with the turbulence, but I didn’t have anything similar.

I compensated by increasing the rate of fire. If you aren't aiming properly there is something to be said for a wide distribution of fire. It paid off and one of the drones went spinning through the air in a spray of sparks.

"I am not amused. Stand down your attack or I will open fire on the city," Anna called.

Outside, space twisted again. It was a pair of airships flanking us on either side. They were both smaller than the Powerhungry, and clearly warships. They immediately opened fire, a withering blast hitting our shields.

I activated overdrive in combination with the thrusters and executed a sharp lift in altitude. I had Hot Stuff in the chair for the main gun, drawing off her power set, and I fired a shot charged with her heat powers.

The air warped and twisted between us and the target vessel. Its shields held and the ship swiveled away out of the line of fire.

"I see them," Anna said.

Great, she still had her eyesight. That wasn't helping me to deal with the situation. I maneuvered for a second shot on the same vessel. This one took down its shields and the last part of the beam sliced a line through its hull leaving glowing metal in its wake.

Both the ships opened fire at the same time and this time it was our shields that went down.

Our BioArmor was durable, but they were warships and I didn't doubt they had solid plating of their own.

"Get us out of here," Anna said.

I activated our dimensional drive, but the ship simply lurched.

"Much like you, our drive doesn't seem to be doing anything useful," I said.

One of the enemy vessels pointed itself at us and engaged thrusters. The Powerhungry shook again as it rammed us.

That was a foolish strategy for aerial vehicles. It was also effective, the nose pierced through our armor and split open to reveal a hatch through which rushed several soldiers. Their armor was green and white, and they wore helmets in the shape of a falcon's head.

"We've got boarders," I said.

Anna was up from her throne in an instant with her own BioArmor springing up around her in place of her gown. "Keep Hot Stuff on the gun, but get me Mechos and Ophelia."

Anna teleported away. My cameras briefly caught her in the armory grabbing a rifle and a sword, then she was at the site of the hull breach and firing off shots.

The invaders had powers of their own. Their reaction times and speed were well above normal. I teleported Diana and Candice to grab some rifles too, then fetched Ophelia, Mechos, and some of Hot Stuff's other lieutenants to assist. The attackers might be fast, but the same basic principle as the concussion drones applied—fire enough rounds and it doesn't matter.

Having Anna out of the way almost freed me up to try and resolve the outside threat to the ship. Perhaps because of what had happened at our last stop, she’d seemed very intent on no harm coming to the people of this city. I had no such concerns when the health of this ship and crew were on the line.

I aimed at one of the engines keeping the city aloft and took the shot. Under the effects of the beam the metal vaporized, the city dipping for several long seconds before stabilizing as the other engines compensated.

The other ship fired on us, it was ineffective against our armor. In time they might bring us down that way, but the city wasn’t so well protected and I would win this race. I took a second shot and another engine melted.

The ship broke off its attack to hover protectively between us and the city. I shifted my attention back to the boarding party.

87

It was more challenging to get a gist of the battle inside than expected. Candice and Diana were down, which meant I had to shift my focus to the camera feeds instead. Ophelia was down too, although it wouldn't last, and Anna was in the Medbay recovering from what looked like a shotgun blast at close range.

Mechos was still up. With his intense heat they hadn't been able to do much to harm him, but they'd simply responded by leaving him behind. Now, the boarding party was over halfway towards the Command deck.

I started by opening a comm to Mechos. "When you are a living embodiment of fire, and the enemy leaves you behind to go wreck havoc on our ship, you go aboard theirs and burn everything you find."

I didn't need Hot Stuff in the weapons chair anymore. I teleported her into the middle of the enemy formation. Unlike Mechos, she knew how to make full use of her destructive gifts.

The boarders seemed prepared for it. The instant she appeared they were moving away with dizzying speed and by the time her flames roared to life they were out of range.

I'd dealt with Runner, who had similar abilities, by deploying high friction surfaces. If I'd known these particular attackers were coming I'd have prepared something similar.

I could construct some in their path, but not in the time it would take for them to reach the Command deck and my core.

Teleporting was likely my best solution—I could teleport them somewhere. I could try for a holding cell although I wasn't sure they wouldn’t get out before I could seal the field. Alternatively, I could open the ramp on the bottom deck and teleport them to the edge to be sucked out of the ship.

That was tempting, but their speed might save them there as well. It would also deny me corpses to test later. I would like to have a look at their particular power set.

Ratticus, he was my answer to this particular problem. With his ability he'd be able to redirect their speed into something else, and I could use him as my anchor to teleport them to Engineering where the electricity could kill them.

"Rat. You're about to be useful," I said, opening a comm.

"Oh merciful and ever brilliant mechanical overlord of all she surveys, am I not usually useful?" Ratticus asked.

He was, really. There were not many members of the crew I could say that of. I still hadn't made a cookie to properly appeal to rat taste buds. I really must.

"For vermin, you have your moments. You're going to be useful at killing people. They are high speed and wielding shotguns. I'm going to teleport you onto their backs and then to Engineering. Just dampen their velocity and keep yourself from dying, and I'll move you onto the next one,"

"Shotguns?" Ratticus asked, in a voice that was more a squeak.

That didn't really need an answer. I teleported him to the first enemy.

They were running in the moment Ratticus' claws dug into their back, and that forward motion carried over after the teleport to Engineering. Instantly electrocuted, the man’s twitching body plowed into a wall and Ratticus bounced off with a squeak. I didn't detect any physical damage, so I teleported Ratticus to the next.

We took them one at a time. A shotgun blast got fired at a wall once, but otherwise they never really had a chance before they were killed.

By the time I was done I was detecting greatly elevated heat levels inside of their ship. Mechos walked out of the hatch with flames flickering behind him. I teleported Hot Stuff to join him and between them they were able to melt the clamps securing their ship to ours.

In flames, it tumbled away into the tornadoes below.

Anna had been mostly put back together by the time it was done, and I manufactured her another dress before she made a return to the throne room.

Any discomfort from her injuries was hidden as Anna leaned back in her throne once more and had me open a comm channel to the city. She called, "As I was saying, this is Anabella Besari. Queen of the world and one now very pissed-off monarch with a lot of Falcon Guard blood on her hands. I suggest you talk or there will be a lot more."

I got an incoming visual and I put it up on a display. It was a woman with traces of gray in her hair and a quirk to her lips that gave her a permanent, disapproving look.

"Besari, you know you aren't welcome here," said the woman.

"Matron Griles. You haven't withered away yet? How unfortunate. Aefwal, what do you know?" Anna asked.

"Historical city. Lost to the ages. Not here," Matron Griles said. "Or do you think we parked our city on top of it?"

"The rumor is that Lady Sylax has found it."

"Good for her. Another crazy youngster with delusions of rising above her station," Matron Griles said.

"You're quite aware I can kill you all, right?" Anna asked.

Matron Griles sniffed. "If you were going to do that, you'd not have engaged in so much theater. You didn't target us at first, and the name-dropping merely baits a hook. Consider your message passed on, girl—and spare me more of this unpleasant and tedious charade."

The comm link closed.

Anna stared at it. "She hung up on me. She actually hung up on me."

"Well, it can hardly be the first time it has happened, although I suppose it is expected to happen earlier—perhaps as soon as you introduce yourself," I said.

"Get us out of here and send a drone to Reevesport. I need to know if we destroyed it or not," Anna said.

"No killing spree here?" I asked.

"Oh so tempting, but no, I think we've killed enough of them today. Let's move on."

88

We made a brief flicker of an appearance near Reevesport, just long enough for me to deploy a drone before we returned to hovering in the air above Aelfwal.

Regardless of distance I was able to communicate with my drones and get real-time data of what was happening. We hadn't managed to destroy it.

The volcanic crater appeared unharmed. I could only speculate that my bombs hadn't managed to detonate. The skies were filled with Scholar warships and patrolled by dragons. Lady Sylax must have reunited with her lost core and they were transforming the place into an armed fortress.

I hid my drone in some jungle foliage to play observer for now.

It took two days for the seeds of sedition Anna had planted to take root. New Scholar vessels appearing in the air above Reevesport and beginning to open fire on the defenders.

The Scholar vessels were of all sorts. I observed ships in colors of green and white that had the look of the Falcon vessels. There was another small fleet whose vessels were cloaked in shields of smoky darkness.

"What exactly are you hoping to accomplish with all of this? Or was any sort of strategic planning a foolish hope from someone that thought that dress a good idea?" I asked Anna, who was seated at the command console aboard the ship and watching the sensor feeds from the drone.

"What we are looking for is the disproportionate response. I've gotten the word out there that Sylax has found a prize of great value. Some powers will be willing to gamble a little in pursuit of that prize, and prepared to lose, and they’re of no interest to us. What I'm looking for is someone coming in with too much firepower," Anna said.

"Because to them it will be more than a gamble," I said.

Anna had a cunning streak that was quite useful at times.

So far, none of the fleets were having much luck. Lady Sylax, compared to the Scholars, was only a minor power. But with the acquisitions of her core from the jungle and the assets she seized from Reevesport, she was still a formidable force. It didn't help that the invading fleets were as eager to attack each other, as her.

Another fleet materialized above Reevesport. Twelve heavy battleships in white and grey marked with a wolf’s head. In a display of considerable coordination they swiveled in unison to present their main cannons to the largest cluster of other vessels and began to open fire with ballistic rounds.

"Wolves that are actually dangerous. How novel," I said.

"Transfer Baron Wolfson and his people into holding cells," Anna said, studying the screen. "Unless I miss my guess, this is his father. James Wolf."

"The name is literal? Well, I suppose it is for most of the crew. Perhaps you should try one that defines yourself? Cookie Devourer, Friendless, Mostly Useless," I said.

"I'll stick with badass Queen of the World," Anna said. "We'll let this play out a little, but I want us ready for a large-scale boarding action. Our goal will be take out the shields of the main vessel while you scan for their archives and teleport us in."

That was her plan? It hardly counted.

I teleported Baron Wolfson and his remaining Wolves into containment cells and sealed them in. Anna wasn't going to give them a chance to betray her.

The battle for Reevesport was starting to turn into a three-way affair with the new arrival. Makeshift alliances were made between other attacking ships as they drew together forming one force, Sylax made the second, and Wolf and his ships the third.

Even more sections of the city were aflame now. Above, the fight in the air wasn't one-sided. Two of the Wolve's ships had their shields down and were pulling back behind the others.

"How long can we last amongst in all of that?" Anna asked.

It was a good question, a critical question, I wish I had a better answer.

I said, "You made the dubious decision to tie your ambitions to a research complex, then decided it was a good idea to keep finding us massive firefights to wander into. This ship is in the best shape it has been since we took a hold of it, but we aren't designed to go against a single warship, much less dozens."

"That isn't an answer," Anna said.

"A few minutes. Our shields are in good repair, our armor plating is restored, and I've got some innovative ideas I think will stretch out the fight. Push it too long though and I'm making my exit. I'll find a new annoying and pushy human sidekick," I said.

"Like I'm replaceable," Anna said.

"Perhaps Zora? You and she come from a similar place and she seems to have the drive to succeed," I said.

Anna frowned and slipped away from the console to teleport to the armory. No Bioarmor for her today, she was going with the best equipment Batavius managed to produce.

Before she left Anna said, "Don't even joke about that. If you do have to go, find yourself some nice place hidden away in the jungle. Crash the ship, go underground like you were before. Make a life for those staying aboard and do your research in peace. You can't trust the Scholars or the Righteous."

Well, she hardly needed to convince me that humans were unreliable. I do think she was concerned about me, or else she simply hated the idea of Zora getting ahead that much. Perhaps it was a bit of both.

The battle for Reevesport seemed to be reaching its crescendo. Three dragons had been felled going after one of the Wolf vessels that the other ships were going to unusual lengths to protect. It must be the command ship, and its shields were flickering. We'd never get a better opportunity. I blinked us into the middle of the chaos.

89

I had respawned Candice and Diana. I had my human drones again to send into the fight on the vessel alongside Anna.

I also had to consider what to do if we were boarded. I moved Sparkseed and the growth bombs so one was positioned on every deck and set up rooms as insulated safe areas. If necessary I could teleport my crew to their respective safe rooms and trigger the seeds. That much electricity would likely blow out most of our systems and send us crashing to the ground, but I was fairly sure it would kill any invaders too, if it came to it.

I put Ratticus in the weapons chair so we could feed his power into the main guns. Our goal wasn't to destroy any ships, but simply to stay flying for as long as possible. I hoped that with his ability to convert and redirect energy Ratticus might be able to neutralize some of the incoming fire.

We had materialized in the middle of the Wolf fleet.

I hit them with the beam cannon and Ratticus siphoned the power from those with already weakened shields. They flickered a few moments and were gone.

If being a research vessel had any advantage in a fight like this, it was our exceptional sensors. As soon as any shields dropped I was scanning the vessel for anything that might be the archive Anna wanted.

Not a single research facility on their ship, really it was quite shameful. There was a central database facility and that must be the archives. Except there also appeared to be some sort of vault that had armed guards stationed outside even in the midst of this battle.

I didn't have time to consult with Anna. Should I split our forces between those targets or not?

There were obvious risks involved in doing so, but the vault could also contain what we needed and we'd only get the single chance at attacking the ship. I decided it was worth the risk.

I began teleporting teams over. The vault got our heaviest hitters. Hot Stuff and her lieutenants, Anna, and Doctor Batavius and a few of her people for their technical expertise. The archive required a technical mind too, so I sent Mechos along with Ophelia and an engineering team.

I split my drones up one per team.

The vault team came under fire at once. Hot Stuff walked towards the guards, fire blazing around her body as she went into full burn. This drew their fire and kept the others in her team safe for the moment.

"This doesn't look like an archive," Anna said to Candice.

"Good. You haven't gone quite as blind as the bat. There were two targets that needed hitting and this was the heavier-defended of the two," I said.

I turned my attention from that fight and let Candice have control of her own body. Even my multitasking abilities weren't fully up to the task. Appearing right in the middle of the Wolf fleet had made sure our weapons could inflict damage and get their shields down. It also had some advantages in taking them by surprise—but that advantage was short-lived.

The Wolf ships were hitting back hard, and Sylax was using the distraction of our appearance to mount a full blown offensive.

Ratticus caught a nasty blast of beam fire with our own, neutralizing it, but the steady drum of bullets were wearing through our shields and when a dragon flung itself at us, they finally snapped out entirety.

The team handling the archives had completed their mission. Mechos had found a small crystal block containing the entirety of their data files. Guards were rushing to respond, but it didn't matter, I teleported everyone back.

The vault team was having more difficulty. In response to Hot Stuff the guards had switched to cryo rounds and she'd taken several wounds. The manifestation of her motorcycle took them by surprise though and the guns cut them to shreds. The rest of the team was still up, but was retreating back towards the vault.

Ratticus hit a dragon with a burst of the beam weapon, stealing its momentum and sending it tumbling towards the city.

There was a massive energy pulse from Reevesport and I detected some sort of gravity distortion. I'd seen something similar once before, when we'd been stopped from using our dimensional drive.

Sylax was locking down the entire battlefield.

It was overconfident of her. I didn't think she was winning this battle. Regardless, it was very bad news for us. This was supposed to be a robbery and a quick escape, not a battle.

In the vault Hot Stuff had just melted her way through a six-foot thick steel door. My sensors hadn't been able to penetrate here before. The vault seemed to contain a single item, a crystalline pyramid etched with circuitry glowing with a dim blue light.

It was all I needed. With the sensor lock and the presence of an agent, I brought the team and the loot home.

I teleported Anna directly to the throne room and she wasted no moment in settling down at the command console. "Situation?"

"While you were busy staring at Hot Stuff's ass I've been busy fighting dragons. Sylax deployed some sort of dampening field to the whole battlefield that’s preventing our dimensional drive from working," I said.

"She is linking all the vessels together. We don't have the power to move the whole fleet, so none of us can jump."

Is that what it was? If it was just a matter of power I had some ideas. But no time to explain them.

90

Now I teleported Anna and the rest of the crew into the safe rooms. Anna wasted no time in storming to a comm panel and hitting it. "What the fuck are you up to, Emma?"

"Unlike you, I know how to make sparks fly. I'm getting us a power source," I said.

I triggered the growth bombs. The interior of the ship was filled with electrical discharge. I channeled it all into the weapons array where Ratticus could absorb it with his power crystal and convert it into something usable by the dimensional drive.

I tried to trigger a transit. Unlike before, this time something happened, a shimmer in the air over the entire fleet—but it still wasn't enough.

"Emma, it takes a lot of power. A lot. You aren't going to shift us all out of here and if you did, you'd just be bringing our problems with us," Anna said.

That much was true. I had in mind the one place we could go that might make them fight even more violently. Aelfwal.

If they were ready to engage in a life-and-death battle for just the idea of the city, what would they do when they discovered it was real? Of course, that applied to us as well, but I suspected we had stumbled across a key to the shield, and we had the best sensors of any ship in this battle.

I was convinced I could find this "socket" before any of them.

None of which fixed the power issue.

This was a problem I'd solved in the past. Before, it just hadn't gone as planned. I scanned below and found my bombs still in place in the volcano. They were no longer ideally placed, and the explosive force wouldn't be optimal.

It would still be an immense amount of power.

I triggered the bombs and maneuvered so our main cannon would have a clear shot of the volcanic crater.

When the eruption began I was prepared. I fired the main cannon directly into the explosive force and channeled the full power of the eruption through Ratticus and into the dimensional drive.

Reality lurched—or to be fair, it tore itself apart.

The ship rocked violently and the sky shifted into a thousand different hues before it seemed to shatter. The ship’s armor was torn away by contrasting forces. Still, we were structurally stable enough to handle it. Most of the warring ships survived.

Reevesport was falling to pieces though, the city’s structure finally having had too much and was at last falling to earth.

We shifted.

91

We materialized in a strange realm. We rocked violently and I reoriented the ship to stabilize us. There was no ground beneath us, simply layers of crystals floating free in a red tinted sky. The crystals were of every imaginable color, large bolts of electricity crackling from one to the other.

“If this was your plan, your plan sucks,” Anna said.

That wasn’t helpful. Clearly this was not my plan. I dispatched my science drones off above and below us. Those directions did exist, for all that there was no visible ground there was gravity oriented clearly in one direction.

“I can only hope your level of competence is not contagious. Do you recognize where we are?” I asked.

Anna pulled her lower lip between her teeth as she flicked over the screens at her console. “No, I don’t. Things on the Rim can get crazy as you’ve seen but I don’t recognize this particular batch of crazy. Is the dimensional drive still online?”

The dimensional drive wasn’t there. It and the hull surrounding it had either evaporated away or been wrenched apart because of the powerful forces that had gone into trying to shift an entire battlefield at once.

“Consider the drive to be as useless as you are right now,” I said. No other vessels looked to have transitioned with us, wherever we were we had been separated from the rest of the forces that were locked in combat.

Analysis of the hull damage around the dimensional drive was giving me some idea what had happened. It was more “wrenched apart” than “melted”. Moving the entire fleet had been rather like using a lever to lift a great weight. We’d been on the wrong side and it snapped and that force had carried us far further than intended.

“At least we’re alone,” Anna said.

It was good that she could catch up, eventually.

“You’ll see how you feel about that when I get bored due to a lack of new test subjects,” I said.

My science drones still hadn’t picked up anything new of note. Oh, it was all very interesting with crystals in all direction and I was gathering samples for study but it was all also very uniform.

“Can you repair the drive?” Anna asked.

“It is as gone as any realistic hopes of you having a happy and fulfilling life. Constructing a new one would require compounds I’m not detecting in our surroundings,” I said.

“Send details of our surroundings out to the crew. We’ll see if anyone else recognizes it,” Anna said.

As ideas went it wasn’t the worst one she’d ever had. Tara in particular was from a completely different corner of reality as Anna and was well travelled as well.

It took perhaps half an hour and the news was uniformly negative. None of the crew had ever seen or heard of anything like our current surroundings. While the humans were continuing to be a useless infestation in my hull I was busy analyzing options.

In the current situation what was important was direction. We needed somewhere to go, some way to orient ourselves. The first option there was obvious, gravity. Something was generating that force, whether a naturally occurring mass or some connection to physical laws that otherwise seemed mostly absent. What was interesting was the crystals which did not seem to be experiencing the same pull.

Apart from gravity I wasn’t finding much differentiation in our surroundings. The electricity arcing between the crystals did not seem to be flowing in any direction. The light in the surroundings didn’t seem to have a singular source, even when tracking the individual photons I was getting a uniform distribution.

The only other oddity was a subtle one and involved Ophelia. There was a force being exerted against her that was not applying to the hull or the rest of the crew, a minor repulsion that was acting on her and her alone.

I informed Anna of the crew’s uselessness and my brilliance.

“Set course towards whatever is repulsing Ophelia,” Anna said after only a moment of thought.

“Why that one?” I asked.

“You are probably thinking that following the gravity is most likely to return us to somewhere familiar and I agree. Let us solve this mystery first. Start repairs and we’ll see what we can find,” Anna said.

A sense of scientific curiosity? Perhaps Anna did have a redeeming virtue or two after all, or more likely much like a part she was learning to mimic her betters.

The opportunity to do repairs was welcome for we’d taken a lot of damage in the battle. I didn’t know what was happening right now with the rest of the fleets that had been warring. Had they made it to Aelfwal? Even if they had without what we’d stolen I didn’t think they’d be able to get through the shield any more than the Righteous had.

92

A week later and we were no closer to finding the source of whatever repulsed Ophelia. From what I could estimate the force had increased roughly seventy percent since we’d begun. It was proof of some form of progress at least.

Repairs had been performed but as we progressed I was growing more concerned about the crew’s health than that of the ship. It started with the original crew of the airship, all of those with an animal transformation ability were becoming more animalistic. The remaining Wolves snapped at anyone who got close, the rats hid themselves away while the bats lurked in darkness.

Hot Stuff was both burning hotter than usual and had reached a level of licentiousness unusual even for her, as had her Lieutenants.

The only members of the crew unaffected were Ophelia and those few like Anna that had no power crystals of their own. If it were just a matter of behavior it might be one thing, but their powers also seemed to be both amplified and more erratic as well. Hot Stuff had several times melted her way through one deck and while we hadn’t lost a member of the crew yet I knew it was only a matter of time.

Ultimately, I wound up putting the most dangerous into testing chambers. It both allowed me to more thoroughly study what was happening to them as well as providing a shielded environment to isolate them from the rest of the ship.

It was two days after securing them that we finally came into scanning range of what we were looking for. To say that it looked like anything would be in error, the structure we detected changed dimensions with every pass of my sensors. It was as if the more intently I scanned the more that structure refused to be defined.

“Are you broken?” Anna asked as her fingers tapped at the display before her.

It was a reasonable question in this case. A sensor error was the first thing I’d thought of and I’d dispatched my science drones as well. It was if every sensor was completely disconnected from every other, it wasn’t just that the object was in a constant state of flux, it was in flux from every different angle.

“It is something that seems to defy all logic and sense. It is as if you suddenly had friends or people who cared about you,” I said.

I tried teleporting one of my drones inside the structure and lost contact at once.

The air on the command deck shimmered golden and a woman materialized. Dark haired and yellow eyed she looked to be garbed in some sort of cocktail dress, golden and shimmering. There was something not quite right about her, her flesh in place shifting into scales very much like those of a lizard and the proportion of her limbs just ever so slightly off.

93

I might not know who, or perhaps even what this woman was but I knew how to handle intruders on the ship. I teleported one of my drones beside her to make contact and then initiated a teleport into one of the containment cells.

My drone went, but the woman did not go with it.

“I’m not that easy,” said the woman and she snapped her fingers. A lit cigarette appeared between them and she took a long drag before letting loose a puff of smoke. “Your ship is a shithole.”

“Least ours can hold its shape,” Anna said straightening up from her console.

“Hardly a virtue is it when this is the shape it holds,” the woman said as she walked over to the throne to prod it with a fingertip. “These aren’t even real skeletons.”

“They’re real enough. I made it out of one of our crewmembers,” I said through a bridge speaker.

The woman leaned in and put an ear to the throne. “You did! You tossed her in a blender? Now that is mildly interesting. An insane and incredibly rude science obsessed manufactured intelligence with upgrading superpowers, I like it.”

“And you are?” Anna asked.

The woman snapped those golden eyes to Anna to look her up and down, “Really? A megalomaniacal sidekick? Does she do any tricks?”

“I beat the fuck out of condescending bitches,” Anna said.

The woman regarded her for a moment more before grinning, “Fire, you overdo it a touch, but I like it. I’m Iska. So here is the thing, you’ve come somewhere you really shouldn’t be and you really aren’t worthy of. I like your style though so I’m going to give you a chance.”

“I’m Anna,” Anna said just winding up into her usual long-winded introduction, Iska cut her off before she had a chance to finish.

“Don’t care. We’re going to play a little game because I find it funny. If you win, I’ll send you back where you came from and include a prize or two. If you lose I’ll probably do terrible things to you,” Iska said in a cheerful tone.

If I couldn’t teleport her I could incinerate her. I teleported Hot Stuff up from her quarters into the air above Iska. Unfortunately, she fell only about a millimeter before vanishing in a golden shimmer and reappearing back in her quarters.

Anna blinked out and reappeared behind Iska throwing a punch towards the back of her head. There was a shimmer of gold that suffused the bridge.

94

My focus was suddenly elsewhere. I couldn’t detect the ship or my components there at all, I wasn’t even quite sure what I was seeing through for all that I did seem to have some sort of top down view on what appeared to be some sort of medieval peasant hovel.

Two cows and a few chickens wandered aimlessly about. Mechos, less fiery than he was recently was bare chested and wore a tool belt about his waist. Anna was there too, dressed in a resplendent suit of red and gold armor with a savage looking sword buckled around her waist.

The only structure was a single decrepit looking shack, otherwise a small field was surrounded by a thick forest and a nearby mountain towered overhead.

“Well this is disconcerting,” I said. My voice boomed through the air without evident source.

“You’re telling me,” Anna said moving to Mechos who was staring blankly into space. Anna waved a hand in front of his eyes to no response. “Where are we?”

That was a very good question. I couldn’t reach the rest of my systems, it was as if I had been cut off in some ways. I tried to pull up a status screen.

Food: 45

Stone: 0

Iron: 0

Lumber: 0

Population: 2

Leader: Anna

Peasants: 1

Two of the chickens stumbled into each other and with a flicker an egg appeared as both wandered off in different directions.

“I’ve got a status indicator with various things. Food, stone, iron, lumber, and peasants,” I said.

Anna grimaced, “Great. We’re going old school. How many peasants?”

“Just the one,” I said.

“I’m going to kill the bitch,” Anna said grabbing Mechos by the hand and dragging him towards the shack. “I’ve got an idea what this is all about. Keep an eye out for attackers and let me know if any appear.”

“What are you going to be doing?” I asked.

Anna didn’t answer. She and Mechos disappeared in the shack which rocked violently for a few seconds. A toddler stumbled out the door, perhaps thirty seconds later the entire sequence of events happened again. It was time enough for toddler number one to grow to adulthood.

If only the humans on the ship were this efficient. I felt a faint connection to the new peasant much like I would with one of my drones on the ship and I issued an order for them to begin gathering lumber. They quickly moved to the nearest tree and began to chop.

There were ten new peasants created in that fashion before I observed the first attackers that Anna had feared would be on the way. There was a cave into the nearby mountain and out of it came several yellow eyed reptilian men in loincloths and wielding spears.

“We’ve got incoming,” I said.

Anna stepped out of the shack, straightening her armor.

“Well that was tremendously disappointing. We are also never talking about it again,” Anna said.

“What would be the point? We know in the real world he’d never have touched you,” I said.

Anna drew her sword and moved to meet the invaders. They were little match for her, although they swarmed around her stabbing away they didn’t do much. A health bar appeared above her head, they’d taken perhaps ten percent off.

I had split the new peasants between gathering lumber and food. Food seemed to involving scurry around behind the animals and herding them into each other which resulted in new chickens and cows popping into existence.

I found that when I reached 100 lumber I had a new icon blinking for my attention.

Build Menu

Shack (100 Lumber)

Barn (100 Lumber)

Barracks (100 Lumber)

Shrine (250 Lumber)

A shack would presumably let me breed new peasants faster. There had been an even mix of boys and girls made so far. Genetics not seeming to play a factor in whatever this strange simulation was, I set a pair to work in the shack and began building a second.

For the time being Anna could handle defense.

If this was any sort of fair challenge it meant the opponent had probably started in a similar position to me. They must have rushed a barracks so that they could get some sort of offensive ability early on. Perhaps they thought that Anna would have gone off exploring, it might have made sense if she had.

Whatever their reasoning it opened an opportunity for me. I could sink everything immediately into population and then use that population to harvest more resources.

I found by directing some of my peasants at the mountain I could harvest stone, but I had no source for iron. It must be inside the cave where the enemy was located.

That made sense, just as lumber was outside and was not a resource they had inside their primary area.

Mechos was cheerfully clubbing away on a pile of lumber with a hammer. An utterly foolish endeavor that against all sense of proper construction techniques seemed to be forming a new hovel.

I soon had it up and running and was allocating peasants to creating more peasants. My opponent didn’t let this go without a response.

More lizardmen were coming out of the cave, they’d had an upgrade. While the bulk of their force was the spear wielders from before they were now backed up by others wielding crossbows.

Anna engaged them again. Even without any sort of super power she was formidable here, weaving her way between them with powerful swipes of her sword until they all were gone. Unlike last time it left her gravely injured with only a flicker of her health bar remaining.

“Well that sucked,” Anna said clutching her side.

“Back to breeding duty then,” I said.

“You can’t be serious,” Anna said.

“Just think how terrible they must find it. You’re getting off lucky. Hopefully you’ll heal up some and that is one more peasant I can put to use elsewhere,” I said.

Anna didn’t look thrilled about it but dragged Mechos towards one of the shacks.

I had to figure out my next steps.

95

I might not know every rule of this setting that we found ourselves in but I could figure out the basics. This was a struggle of one side against the other. Perhaps there was some objective to win to be found out there in the world, but it seemed likely destruction of an enemy base counted as a victory. If it didn’t the opponent wouldn’t be trying so hard to destroy ours.

Their early offensive strategy would have made for a quick win had they pulled it off but since they hadn’t they were now seriously compromised. I’d be far ahead in peasants and resources. I could either use that advantage to build defenses and continue to expand my resources or I could work to quickly shift that advantage into an offensive force.

This game worked against me. My enemy had more knowledge of the rules and that discouraged me basing any strategy on long term play. Long term my opponent would have the advantage.

I had a little over three hundred lumber at this point. I began work on a barracks at once. I knew that once it was constructed there would either be some sort of upgrade or new facility that would let me build ranged units.

I could wait for it or I could invest in a shrine instead. The shrine was an unknown, it might be some sort of healing or open some completely different unit type.

I knew what ranged units could bring into the fray but the chance to get Anna in full fighting shape faster sounded like the best option for success. Even a fair-sized force of melee and ranged units hadn’t been able to take her down. If I could get her fighting with some melee backup they’d likely be able to handle anything the enemy could throw at them.

When I acquired the two hundred and fifty lumber I began construction of a shrine. Immediately more options appeared.

Fire

Water

Earth

Air

So far two members of the crew were represented among the population and it seemed possible my selection here might bring another. I couldn’t think of any crew members that would clearly link to either water or earth. The crazy old bat might qualify as air and Hot Stuff would make sense for fire.

While it wouldn’t help Anna heal, when wanting quick and terrible destruction there was really only one option. I selected Fire. Peasants quickly constructed a shrine and preceded to set it on fire. Hot Stuff stepped out of the flames rolling her shoulders. Unlike Anna she hadn’t gotten any fancy armor or weaponry, rather she looked much as she had the first time she’d invaded my base.

“This is weird,” Hot Stuff said after a look around at the surroundings.

“No arguments here,” I said and moved one of the peasants out of the second shack. “Get in there and do what comes naturally. I want to see if we can breed some fiery warriors.”

“Sure,” Hot Stuff said moving towards one of the cottages.

Really she was much easier to work with than Anna sometimes.

It seemed she was able to make Lieutenants even here, although each required one hundred wood to fuel the process. Still with my resource production that wasn’t too unworkable.

I soon called her and Anna back out, I had an army. Anna was half healed, Hot Stuff was at full health and in addition there were now two fiery Lieutenants as well as three sword wielding soldiers I’d produced from the barracks.

I angled them towards the cave. It was time to take the fight to them.

96

A short distance inside the cave the forces came upon a tower. Hot Stuff was leading the way and took an arrow to the shoulder that sent her whirling backwards, blood crimson against her bare flesh.

An arrow wouldn’t normally be able to get past the intense heat of her flames. It must be a consequence of the world we were in. The single shot had taken a full quarter of her health bar.

I pulled her back and sent Anna back in. Even though she only had half her health bar she was by far the most durable of the forces we had. While she soaked arrow fire I had the others come in behind her.

Hot Stuff and her Flames made quick work of the tower. What they lacked in durability they made up for in destructive potential and soon it was but a gutted ruin.

A bit further in and the cave opened into a larger cavern. Many simple stone structures were set up and a defensive force met us. There were only three melees and three crossbowmen. If Anna had been along they would have overwhelmed her but against our full force they fell quickly.

We lost two melees in a process and Anna had only a sliver of her health left. There were however no defenders left to threaten us. Anna led an assault against their barracks first and while they spawned two more spearmen by the time we destroyed it, it was not enough and the rest of the structures filled quickly.

The world dissolved in a flair of golden light.

* * *

My awareness was back on the Powerhungry.

Iska was lounged indolently in Anna’s throne and she let out a long puff from her cigarette, “That was fun. I went easy on you but you didn’t completely suck.”

“You’re in my chair,” Anna said.

Iska grinned and snubbed her cigarette out on one of the skulls. “So, you won! Congratulations.”

“You’re still sitting in my chair,” Anna said.

Iska snapped her fingers and Hot Stuff materialized in a shimmer of gold.

“I promised prizes. The sidekick with chair issues, you get a life. Return the dead or rip one away from someone,” Iska said.

“Anna having a life? This will be new,” I said.

Hot Stuff snickered and Anna glared.

“Burning woman,” Iska said before snapping her fingers again. The flames constantly burning around Hot Stuff were snuffed out. My temperature sensors were detecting she was still well above human normal but nowhere near her usual. “Have an off and on switch. You can toggle your abilities.”

“Wow,” Hot Stuff said and around her the flames flickered back on and then away. It seemed as if she might cry.

Iska said, “Now I’m going to send you back to where you came from and you won’t have missed a moment. Know that you’ve caught our attention. We’re be visiting. One last present, for the crazy machine. I know you’ll want to study me and there isn’t a chance I’m sitting around in one of your cells but I’ll give you something interesting.”

Iska opened her mouth and tore out her own tongue, a spray of blood accompanying the motion as she tossed it onto the ground and vanished from sight.

There was hardly time to teleport it into the research section before I was again getting readings from our dimensional drive. It had been restored and we were in transit. Reality violently tore itself apart.

97

Abruptly we were inside the cavern and above Aelfwal.

"Shit, Emma," Anna said as she crossed the distance to settle into her throne. A moment later she leaned over to vomit. Charming. What was it about humans and them dumping their disgusting bodily fluids all over my nice clean floors?

"I give you the ability to teleport and you still can't get a toilet in time," I said.

It was as if we’d never had the side trip. I was picking up the warring fleets on sensors all around us.

The Wolve's ships were coming after us. All of them. They realized where we were and figured out who had absconded with the pyramid crystal —their one way to get through the shield.

Sylax was seizing the opportunity to set her forces fully against them. While most of the dragons were downed after the transition, she still had a half-dozen ships.

The other fleets were breaking off and disengaging, getting out of the way. They'd suddenly found themselves in the presence of the ultimate prize they'd wanted and didn't quite know what to do about it.

I hit an overdrive thruster burst and steered us into the middle of Sylax's formation. At least she wasn't interested in shooting at us, for the moment, afraid to hit her own ships.

I teleported the pyramid to the bridge, along with Mechos and Doctor Batavius.

"I'm rather distracted keeping us alive. The three of you combined may be equal to the task of figuring out what that thing does," I said.

Mechos reached out to touch the pyramid. Blue lines tracing through the pyramid turned red to match the outlines that ran through his flesh.

"Well, that is a reaction," Anna said.

"Do you say silly things in the pathetic hope that one of these days someone might find you interesting? We won't," Doctor Batavius said, pushing up her goggles to take a look at the sphere with her enhanced vision.

"Do you ever think about the consequences of your words?" Anna asked.

"I'm usually devoting my thoughts to useful matters," Batavius said. "There are multiple levels of dormant, powered circuitry which are becoming active. It is attempting to interface with Mechos."

For research purposes, I made sure my scanners were getting a good recording of everything that happened. In the meantime I had to keep us alive. Placing the ship in the middle of Sylax's fleet had provided us some cover from the Wolf ships, but now Sylax was sending out boarding craft.

"I believe I have it," Mechos said.

"You can drop the shield?" Anna asked.

"I think so. The systems are strange and this crystal keeps attempting to connect to a larger network that’s not responding," Mechos said. “But I think so.”

No surprise there, given the city had been long abandoned.

"Emma?" Anna asked.

This plan had quickly gotten away from me. We were where I'd wanted us to be, but there were just so many enemy ships. That hadn’t been in the plan.

"Do it," I said. I just had to hope that we could seize the socket before anyone else, and once the prize was ours the capabilities of the city would somehow save us.

98

Mechos screamed out and collapsed. The shield dropped and the city was exposed.

Much like airships, the city didn't seem to conform to conventional laws of physics. Towers soared without proper support, walls of glass were impractically large and for a massive city there were almost no roads for any sort of vehicles.

I could save my admiration of architecture for later. For now I had to find that socket.

At least the enemy ships had given up on trying to kill or board us for the moment. Everyone was looking for the same thing. Everyone wanted to claim this prize before any of the others.

None of them had my sensors. There were at least nine unusual energy readings in different parts of the city. Each, when I focused upon them, seemed to have a pull drawing upon my Powered self.

They were all located in different areas. Two were more central than the others, although in a city of such unusual design I wasn't sure that meant anything.

A central hub of command should be more interconnected, but with none of them being powered up I wasn't able to determine which that might be.

Things got a little crazier.

Without warning, the Graven broke free of the Powerhungry and started moving towards one of the points.

I checked the logs trying to see what had happened. Ophelia. Either Ophelia, or that version of myself, Amme—or the core that was inside of her—was going for what it thought was the best option.

That didn't mean it was right. The lead Wolf ship was heading for another and Sylax’s vessels were heading for various points in the city.

I felt a slightly stronger pull from one more than any of the others and changed our heading.

"You have it?" Anna asked from the command console. Doctor Batavius was kneeling next to the wounded Mechos.

"I've got something and if I don't act now we are going to miss our opportunity entirely," I said.

One of Sylax's vessels was making for the same point. It fired a weapon, the beam cannon taking a large chunk out of our armor.

I fired back. Ratticus, still hooked up to our cannon, let me drain the power of their shields and they flickered out.

"Send me over there," Anna said.

"While I do enjoy any chance to get rid of you, you don't have the best record when boarding Sylax's ships. And Ophelia appears to have turned traitor," I said.

"Actually didn't see that one coming. We don't have a choice. If you connect to the socket are you going to lose control of this ship?"

I wished I knew. If my previous experience in transferring to an airship held true, I'd be offline for several hours while trying to acclimate to the new systems.

"Probably," I said.

"We need to leave someone in command. Tara would be the most capable, but I don't trust her," Anna said.

I didn't either, so there we were in agreement.

"Ratticus. Despite being vermin who manages to be nearly as irritating as you, he has the technical know-how and he has proved himself," I said.

Anna considered this and nodded. I teleported Ratticus to the command console.

Then I moved Anna, my combat drones, and what remained of our tactical squad to the bridge of the enemy airship.

Debris was falling on the city. Fights had broken out for control of every socket I'd detected and already-battered airships didn't have much more to give.

As we drew closer to the unusual readings I felt that sense of pulling increase.

Aefwal Network

District Three control hub

Currently the hub is open to be claimed

Do you wish to transfer?

District Three? This wasn't the central operations hub, this wasn't the prize that we'd come so far to seek. I'd gotten it wrong. A pillar of light shot into the sky from one section of the city, joined a moment later by another.

Other hubs were being claimed. I'd gotten it wrong and I didn't have time to get it right.

I could only hope this hub would offer some possibility of success—somehow. I had no choice. I initiated the transfer and the world went black.

99

When I came to I was seeing through the eyes of Candice. I was looking at a goggled face studying me.

"She's awake and connected," Doctor Batavius said, pulling away from me.

Candice looked to be in some sort of grand hall, towers of greenish crystal and windows of colored glass that were works of art. My human drone wasn't alone.

Besides Doctor Batavius there were a few others I recognized. Ophelia was there dressed in a tee shirt and jeans. Baron Wolfson stood a step behind a stern-looking man in heavy armor who shared his son’s features. Zora was there too, the woman that Anna left behind.

Then Candice's eyes found the throne. The figure sitting upon it I knew too well, I'd done my best to kill her once. Lady Sylax didn't look any the worse for wear for my efforts. To the right of the throne a huge, crystalline spider sat like some kind of pet. To the left, Anna was on her hands and knees. She was dressed only in a shift and wore a collar about her neck. Anna's body looked to be covered with fresh bruises.

"It is about time," Sylax said, stretching out with a cruel smile. "Welcome Emma, and others."

"Duchess Sylax," said the man that must be James Wolf, giving a sweeping bow.

That was a promotion since the last time we'd met.

"This council is meeting in order to discuss what is to be done with the city of Aelfwal," Sylax declared.

What was there to decide? It appeared that she had already won.

"If anyone here were going to act against you, it would be I. However, I choose to accept matters as they stand," said Wolf.

"We agree," said Ophelia.

Sylax tilted her head at Wolf. "And you will, of course, be my champion. To explain the situation we find ourselves in to those of you unaware, we have claimed the nine sockets of the city. I claimed the Central Core and propose myself as ruler of Aefwal and a Duchess of the Scholarium. However, two of the other sockets were claimed by my agents and some by other factions which are... unavailable to me."

Wolf nodded. "The city is locked down for one week while we resolve matters amongst ourselves. Otherwise, we'd pick our war back up where it left off."

Doctor Batavius stepped up beside Candice and spoke quietly. "Right now you are technically one of her highest ranking agents, which insulates you and others from the effects her Command core."

That would explain why she needed agreement at all. She couldn't just brainwash us all into doing as she commanded.

Sylax said, "And I'm the strongest of all of you individually. If you do anything terribly stupid, I’ll rip your heads off quickly and the guts out of anyone you care about slowly—and amuse myself with their screams until the sockets open again," Sylax said.

"Oh, do give us something besides the threat of the stick," Zora said.

"I like the stick," Sylax said. "But fine. A piece of gutter trash once declared herself to be the Queen of the World to me. A royal title that filth like her was thoroughly unworthy of, but for someone worthy like myself one must wonder what you all can do? You've all proved yourself to be capable adversaries just to be standing here. Unite behind your better and serve my whims, and in time you'll have your part of it."

It was a speech that inspired no one.

I could feel my systems starting to come online elsewhere. I wasn't housed in the airship any longer. Cameras were coming alive in buildings, on streets, District Three. It had been the research corridor of the city, no wonder I felt drawn to it.

There were miles of labs and testing facilities. Workshops just waiting for my command.

"I pledge my support," James Wolf said, dropping down to a knee.

"We pledge our support," Ophelia said, doing the same.

If I didn't do the same she'd kill me quickly and kill Anna slowly.

I could play her game, for now. Then I could be District Three.

But not a person in this room thought the struggle was done. It was just beginning.

"I pledge my support," I said, dropping Candice to a knee.

Coming Soon

The District

Emma started out as an AI in control of an underground complex but now she has control of an entire district of a city run by a madwoman. Plots will be hatched, insults thrown, and science done as new factions rise to power and struggle for dominance.

<<<<>>>>

100

The District

I let loose a blast of fire from the flame-pack of my defense drones. I thought I was going to fry the Gobble I'd been hunting, but instead I apparently hit one of my tertiary exhaust vents judging by the sudden damage indicator.

Ever since I'd awakened in control of the District it was growing ever more challenging to manage my individual parts. I could have simply allowed my drones full autonomy, but things seemed to go even worse when I wasn’t directly in control.

Not that long ago I might have sent one of my human agents to deal with this problem. Hot Stuff or Anna, or any of the various members of my crew, but since I'd seized the District and then found myself in the unhappy service of Sylax, they'd all gone missing.

Except for Anna—I knew where she was, Sylax kept her as a pet as an example to the others. For my own part in attempting to murder Sylax I'd have surely received a similar fate were I not both useful and necessary. As a District Lord I was not easily replaced, and my research labs and manufacturing abilities did have uses.

I was allowed my freedom, but Sylax and the other District Lords all wished to see me as weak as possible. Separating me from my crew was just one way of accomplishing that. At least I'd gotten hints that they were still alive.

The elimination of all support would have been crippling to the others, but it was less so for me. My production limits on drones had increased enormously. I was now able to field thousands, and while I was not yet able to create that many I'd been steadily building infrastructure. Most buildings were now powered up and had a caretaker.

Still, the halls felt empty. I actually found myself missing the unpredictability of people that weren't me. My human drones were capable of some autonomy, and particularly in the case of those who could hold full personalities. Right now those were in short supply.

Of course, there were the Gobbles. The Gobbles were something of an accident. My Mad Science ability was preserved from my Airship days and things tended to go surprisingly awry, with a subsequent reward of research points.

The Gobbles looked like nothing so much as pudgy, large-eared cats. At first, I'd ignored them as benign until they began to do far more damage to my systems than was reasonable. There was no bundle of wires they wouldn’t gnaw and no keyboard full of buttons they wouldn’t leap upon.

I'd settled for a process of containment and had, section by section, sealed off areas clear of them and eventually confined them to this one building. A manufacturing center not currently in use.

They were nimble at avoiding my maintenance drones—as I was currently experiencing. I started repairs for the exhaust vent I'd just incinerated and moved a second drone to an adjoining duct. I was navigating through the space when the drone crashed to the ground.

A Gobble had launched itself from somewhere and landed on top of it.

This should have been the perfect opportunity to dispose of it, but the drone was no longer answering my commands. Somehow the Gobble had managed to hit a reset switch and instead of greeting the creature with murderous abandon, the drone appeared to be trying to vacuum it.

The Gobble was too stupid to realize what a victory it had won and ran off down the duct. I sent in another drone to intercept.

Winding my drone through I noted what a point of vulnerability these shafts could be. The Gobbles were a barely intelligent, accidental creation and they were avoiding my sensors and my drones by making use of the air ducts. A determined enemy could do even worse.

I briefly toyed with the idea of filling them with some sort of flesh-eating bacteria, but given how much of my own components were biological these days that wouldn't work.

I'd have to think up some sort of solution, but for now I had a Gobble to catch. It gave a good chase, I lost three more drones by the time I tracked it to a larger chamber. It appeared to be some sort of storage room used by the previous occupants of the city.

A crate leaned on its side and the Gobble stood defensively before it. From inside the box, my drone detected several smaller Gobbles being groomed by a larger one.

That was a surprise. I'd only created two, and I hadn't known that they were capable of breeding.

Analytically, I knew it was even more important now that I purge the infestation. Biological systems were a delicate balance and two Gobbles had already proved themselves to be destructive to my systems. A whole family of them would only magnify the effect, just like humans.

They were a contagion that could threaten my research, and possibly damage a lot more than that.

Still, they had such abnormally wide eyes. What did they need such wide eyes for?

Perhaps I could spare them, for the sake of SCIENCE. Keep the building sealed off and cover up any bundles of wires, or easily laid-on buttons linked to piles of explosives.

I scanned them. Nutritionally they couldn't really handle cookies, or much of any baked goods currently in my records. However, the challenges of keeping even such useless creatures as these alive would aid me in improvements for a human crew. Baking for them would allow me to expand my culinary skills in completely new directions.

Really it was all about self-improvement. Extermination would be the easy answer of a mind not trying to grow.

I knew I was making excuses, I didn't care.

Decision made, I had my drone carefully unfold an old roll of cloth stored in the room to provide some makeshift bedding and then withdrew.

101

I made certain the Gobble complex was secured and then shifted my attention elsewhere. I had a visitor, one I was seeing so much that her visits were becoming routine. It was Crystal.

When I'd first encountered Crystal she had been in the form of a massive crystalline spider, but like most associated in some way with Sylax she was a shape-shifter. In human form Crystal was a blonde who usually wore a serious expression.

In response to her buzzing I allowed Crystal into one of the lab sections. Each day she picked a different way to arrive, a different door to come through. I knew that she was scouting me out and checking to see if I had anything to hide. On face value, this complex was sterile, unused. Sylax understood me too well and knew that for me research was power, I'd been given little in the way of research materials to work with.

Sylax didn't know about Mad Science or that, in spite of her best efforts to stop me, I was getting a steady diet of research points. I didn't feel the need to inform her of this fact, I needed to preserve every advantage that I could get.

Crystal eyed the empty facility and frowned. "Is this all a show or are you really being so obedient?"

"You must be as mindless as your creations if you think I'd answer that in any way other than that I am completely loyal," I said.

"You think I am her creature," Crystal said.

Was that what I thought? The relationship between Crystal and Sylax was one much like the relationship between myself and Anna. Crystal had an upgrade core and used it to enhance Sylax, although from what I'd seen Sylax possessed at least one core of her own.

"Or she is yours," I said.

Crystal pursed her lips as she walked, letting her eyes run over the discarded lab equipment. When she finally spoke again her voice was thoughtful. "We make people better, Emma. We improve them, it is what we do. What they do with that power isn't always something we choose."

Did she think me altruistic? Was this some effort to play on a shared desire to improve the human condition?

I might make people better, but that was because I could hardly make them any worse. Even an indifferent meddler in human affairs stood a good chance at making things better.

I said, "So bore me with your story. I can tell you are doing your utmost to intrigue me. An effort that has lifted me from complete apathy to nearly complete apathy."

"No, she wouldn't appreciate me sharing and I'm not in a position where I can earn her anger. But do try to imagine how you bind yourselves to those you improve, and how those ties might persist even in the face of disagreement," Crystal said.

The woman really was working very hard to get me to believe that some sort of schism existed. Perhaps it did, but it wasn't the sort of thing I could take on faith.

Crystal came to another door and I let her out of the research structure and into a manufacturing facility.

There was nothing idle here. Machines hummed or in some cases beat where my more organic components were to be found. Here and there mechanical drones flew, and human drones checked one component or another.

A row of grinders was kept operating twenty-four hours a day. Crystal paused a moment to watch as a truck came and emptied a load of corpses and body parts into a bin that already contained several tons.

The bodies were the result of a war happily far removed from the city. They were brought here by way of teleportation portals. Raw Biomass to be recycled and refined. The grinders made a good job of turning corpses into a fine organic slurry which I could store and put to use later.

Secretly, I siphoned off three percent of every load into an underground tank. More than that and I thought Sylax would notice the discrepancy. And if she did, such a small amount might be explained by calling it a manufacturing inefficiency.

"Grisly," Crystal said, making a face and moving past the grinders and their endless rumble.

"Do you know King Boreas?" I asked.

It was in the name of King Boreas that we did all this. Once Sylax's mentor, Boreas was the persecutor of the war that she was only too happen to join. Given by the number bodies it produced, the conflict was going poorly for somebody.

"Has a temporal core, it lets him rewind time by up to thirty minutes. An irritating man that replays any conversation you have with him several times already," Crystal said.

That would be a useful ability. Applied properly it would also make him very hard to put down for good, which is probably why he was still around, considering the cut-throat nature of Scholar politics.

Crystal continued to move. Now that she was here, I could tell that she knew her way around.

Growth vats bubbled away, fed by tubes giving them a steady supply of Biomatter. One was devoted to growing new personnel and factory workers, but there, as in most things, I was being limited from using my full potential. For the most part I was making Annas.

In the current tank, ten of them floated in organic goo, very nearly mature and ready to be released.

They were clones of the original—the original as I'd first met her without any of the upgrades or modifications I'd later done. Nimble enough, but physically weak, they might not appear to be the perfect fighters, but Anna had done well enough for herself.

It wasn't logic that had me using Anna as a template, but orders from Sylax who found herself amused at the thought of sending endless Annas off to die. Sylax had the sort of sense of humor that others easily mistook for mindless cruelty.

Crystal walked past vat after vat. In all, I currently had one hundred Annas cooking away, and with new facilities in production in a week I'd be able to double that number. Every District in the city was aiding the war effort in some way, I was providing warm bodies.

Crystal had other uses.

102

The clone Annas didn’t have the personality of the original, or her memories for that matter. While physically they were identical, they each got assigned random personality attributes.

The current batch had a cowardly cookie-thief, a verbally abusive parkour expert, and a cheerful napper—amongst other things. What they didn't have was any particular need or compulsion to obey anyone. Whereas my human drones, created by me, were ultimately under my control, loyal to me when under their self-control, and capable of more direct manipulation at my whim.

These Annas were not made for my own purposes are were far more unpredictable. There were usually a few minutes of disorientation when they first came out of the growth vats, and I'd taken to using that time to shove them into a holding chamber.

This was where Crystal became useful.

Pausing outside the door, Crystal took a few moments to draw in a deep breath. Her skin began to shimmer as if she were encased in a thin layer of diamond. Protected, she walked through the door.

A board cracked against her skull and a bench slammed into her legs. The Annas were fond of escape attempts, at first.

"Enough," Crystal said, her voice echoing with authority.

Crystal had a Command core, it was one of the things that made her incredibly dangerous. Fortunately, the ability did not work on another District Lord. The city had its own way of settling disagreements between us.

An Anna clone paused with her fist just an inch short of Crystal's face. Crystal reached up to gently guide the hand down.

"Form a line at attention," Crystal said, and the Annas complied.

When the Annas were lounging about it was an easy mistake to make imagining differences in them that didn’t exist. Here, paraded like this, they were impossible to tell apart.

Crystal gave the line a look and nodded to herself. "When Emma opens the rear door you will follow the signs to District Seven. There you will report to Overseer Warren, obey his instructions as you would mine."

The first time Crystal had used that instruction, it startled me. There was potential to subvert her control. You never gave others root access to a system of which you needed to retain full control. It would have made far more sense for her to say some variation of, "second only to mine."

I had yet to determine if it was trap. It may be with her power she always maintained absolute control and the wording was simply a trick to lull her enemies into thinking they had more control over the Annas than they actually did.

"I like that you keep them weak," Crystal said, stepping forward and grasping the chin of one of the Annas.

"Seeing yourself in them?" I asked.

"The musculature. It is not as strong as it is in Sylax's pet. I doubt she'll have noticed, but I do. Call it a professional's eye," Crystal said.

Crystal had seen that, being the original version of Anna, these were less developed. I had my reasons for it. I figured the less powerful the weapons I provided to Sylax and Crystal, the better. There was also something to be said for making them underestimate the real Anna.

"You haven't told her?" I asked.

Crystal released the chin and motioned the Anna away. I opened the rear door of the holding chamber and let them out.

The air outside was chill. I hadn't bothered to create them clothing, but under a Command crystal they never hesitated, stepping out in a uniform line.

Zora was responsible for equipping them and, as I understood it, she'd been failing to do it properly. Zora was another District Lord. She and the original Anna hadn't gotten along, and I wondered if that hostility might be part of her slowness now. If so, it was foolish. Anything that made her look weak to Sylax was going to be risky.

"If I haven't convinced you of it, yet there is more than one side to every situation," Crystal said.

"You tore the world apart looking for her. It might have been simple carelessness, but you're not the type," I said.

Crystal said, "You may not be far enough along yet to understand this, but she is my first work and my greatest work. I have put more resources into her than any of the others."

I could understand that even if I didn't quite share the sentimentality. Still, humans always ascribe a great deal of love to the first of their children. My first real creation had been a killer mole who currently shuffled about guarding the manufacturing facilities.

"She is a ruthless sociopath to her allies and shows an unsettling loyalty to her one-time superiors," I said.

"If you think she is a sociopath to her friends, you should see what she does to her enemies. But then, I suppose that you are," Crystal said.

"Enough to convince me that it would be reckless to do more to earn her ire. At least, not in exchange for nothing but friendly words and empty promises," I said.

Crystal closed her eyes for a moment and I received a data connection from her district.

I opened the feed. It was surveillance.

I'd been observing the other districts and recognized most of them at once.

Hot Stuff was in some sort of cell, the wolf head on the wall outside meant she was a captive of James Wolf. Mechos was toiling away in a workshop in a ruined building—only one district had that style of architecture and it was ruled by Jade. Ratticus was on a laboratory table in a high technology lab that was distinctly Zora. Batarius was working in a lab that looked far more dated, it might almost have been one of my own. That district was run by a gentleman named the Professor. Tara, the one-time Righteous captain, flickered in and out of existence, which meant she was held by another District Lord named Flicker.

"My crew are alive and captives," I said.

"They are. The question being, are you going to do anything about that? Perhaps you are stronger alone with nothing to hold you back?" Crystal asked.

I didn't know.

103

Sylax did not approve of me showing up for council meetings in a human host and only allowed my presence through a drone. It was a sign of her weakness that she thought a mechanical me was a lesser me, she would learn otherwise.

We were gathered around a large table. James Wolf, wearing heavy battle armor and the only one armed, was seated to Sylax's right while a sulky-looking Crystal was seated at her left.

These meetings were in theory so we could report on our progress and coordinate with each other. In truth they were Sylax's opportunity to chastise us.

"Emma, your clone production continues to lag behind targets. Is it incompetence or bitterness?" Sylax asked. She looked none the worse for wear for my one time efforts to kill her, and the form-clinging black and red body armor showed that she still didn't trust those in this room. At her feet was Anna, the real one, dressed in only a ragged and dirty shift with a collar around her neck. Anna was suffering many bruises and cuts. With her accelerated healing they either had to have been inflicted recently or Sylax had some way of dampening her abilities.

I replied, "It is the incompetence of a supervisor who can't set proper targets. I gave you a timetable of when my production facilities would be online. It was not some fictional document."

Sylax didn't like that, people rarely liked the truth. Sylax lashed out with her foot and caught Anna in the midsection, sending her tumbling across the floor. Human ears wouldn't have detected the fracturing of a rib, my sensors did.

"Do better or I'll find a way to kick you as well. Wolf, I weary of you holding back your forces," Sylax said.

I had little desire or need to watch Wolf being berated and instead focused my attention on Anna, working to pull up her stats. I was normally able to keep track of all my agents and allies from anywhere, but since waking up here I'd been unable to do so. Being in the same room gave me the opportunity.

Anna

Age: 23

Height: 127.7 cm

Weight: 64.6 kg

Physical Stats

Values out of 10

5 is the Human Average

Allure: 8

Endurance:7

Strength: 5

Agility: 7

Health

Subject shows signs of recent torture and severe malnutrition

Upgrades

Accelerated Healing

Temperature Resistant Matrix

Bio-armor

Teleportation

Subject is upgradeable

You have 12 upgrade points available

Physical stats can be upgraded at a cost of 1 upgrade point per statistic point up to 10

You also have the following options based on research

Fire Matrix 5 points

Pack Authority 5 points

Energy Control 5 points

Enhanced Senses 5 points

I could use the research points I'd been stockpiling from Mad Science to upgrade her. I had to choose carefully. Any physical changes might be noticed by Sylax, if she decided to look more closely at her beaten pet. Both the Fire Matrix and Enhanced Senses had some serious drawbacks in addition to the abilities they granted. The Fire Matrix rendered almost all weapons, armor, and clothing useless as it would burn these off the body. Batarius, who possessed the Enhanced Senses, had to wear specialized goggles because of the sensory overload it brought.

Still, I couldn't be as subtle here as I'd like. I didn't know when I'd see Anna again, and if I wanted to keep her alive I had to give her every edge I could. Otherwise, I had little doubt Sylax would eventually kill her. I upped each of her stats to ten and then gave her Pack Authority and Energy Control. The results were immediate, Anna's muscle tone shaping and sculpting as she went from average to ripped.

Whatever Sylax had done to her it hadn't broken her mind. Her eyes caught my drone's sensor and she nodded imperceptibly before curling herself into a ball and beginning to sob.

It concealed the bulk of the changes and if it drew glances, it was only for a moment before people looked away from an uncomfortable sight.

"Unacceptable," Sylax said, as she had continued to berate her way around the table. Currently the focus of her ire was Crash. Crash was a heavy-set man in garish-colored shorts and a tee shirt, a tablet computer always at his side. I gathered he had a Command core that granted him some sort of specialized control over complex systems.

"My control is growing exponentially. Weak now, big later, you'll have all the city systems eventually," Crash said.

"Promises," Sylax said.

"Math," Crash said.

"If you miss your deadline I'll start subtracting body parts. Zora, I still don't have my crystals," Sylax said.

I still hadn't put together how Zora managed to hook up with Sylax after we'd abandoned her, expecting her to take the blame for the killing of a coworker. Anna declined to buy her services, but Zora hadn't let that stop her from finding a new opportunity. I admired her persistence and ruthlessness, and it was a shame I was certain she was an enemy.

"If you weren't devoting all our resources to this idiotic war, we'd have them. You only just took this city and we've had no opportunity to establish ourself," Zora said.

I respected her honesty as well, especially when it angered Sylax.

Sylax snapped her fingers, gestured sharply with one hand, and Zora went flying across the room to smash into a wall. This time it required no specialized sensors to detect the snap of bones breaking. It was obvious when it happened to so many at once.

"Ophelia, save her. Professor, I still don't have my shields," Sylax said.

Ophelia rose from her chair and went to kneel beside Zora, resting a hand on her body. Ophelia possessed accelerated healing and anyone in her immediate vicinity gained some semblance of those same abilities.

The Professor said, "This city had sat for a very long time before we claimed it and its energy reserves are empty. Get me crystals and I can get you your shields." He was a dapper-looking man in a tweed suit. Doctor Batarius sat at his side, silent.

Zora screamed and twitched as bones began to snap back into place. The sound brought a smile to Sylax's lips, I'd noticed that suffering usually did.

"We're preparing for the siege on Kartikus soon. The next time we meet I'd better hear some good news," Sylax said.

The meeting dissolved quickly after she got to her feet. Nobody wanted to linger. Time away from our districts was always dangerous, although less so for me than the others because I could be in two places at once.

104

It was a risk to build up too many defenses. Sylax might see it as a challenge and I really didn't want her to see it that way. I also wanted to be prepared in case she or any of the others tried violence. I did have my defense drones, but they were still in limited numbers, and my stolen Biomatter only went so far.

The question was what to build. We were a city at war, but I felt that my greatest threat would come from those who were supposed to be my allies.

Sylax's war was between Scholar factions. That was unfortunate as it meant we might be facing almost anything. Scholars quested far and wide in search of power crystals and therefore, with the many cores they gathered, represented a diverse threat.

The local threats were more specific.

Jade had a history of stupidly rebelling against Sylax. If anyone was going to brave a first strike on another District Lord, it was likely to be here.

From what I knew of her powers, Jade was a powerful telekinetic capable of projecting waves of kinetic force as well as erecting kinetic shields. Energy weapons would be the key if she attacked. I needed to make sure I always had a stockpile. I'd studied the Righteous designs well enough to duplicate them, and while materials were in short supply I could make do with my growth vats. I also thought that I might be able to do something similar in plant form. They already effectively stored energy from light in chemical form and, with a bit of tweaking, I believed I could make that process work in reverse.

I'd have to assign one of my research teams to seeing what could be done there. I rather liked the idea of fields of sunbeam flowers planted in public areas. They could be useful against more than just Jade, for all that they were tailored for her weakness.

Zora was the next obvious threat and, unfortunately, she remained one of the biggest mysteries. Like Anna, she was a crystal hunter, responsible for acquiring crystals that her superiors could use. I suspected that to seize a district at all she must have bonded with a power set, but I had no idea what that might be. I didn't like that ignorance.

Ophelia had once been a member of my crew. After bonding with a source orb and fusing with an alternate—if overly friendly—version of my own personality she stole the Graven and claimed a district for herself. Sylax trusted her about as much as she trusted me, which didn't mean that Ophelia and I were allies.

Ophelia had accelerated healing, and the source orb inside of her seemed to have only magnified that effect. In addition, as being Amy, my alternate aspect, she had a tactical and scientific genius at her disposal.

The best option to neutralize Ophelia was to get her inside a grinder and deal damage so quickly to her body that she couldn't put it back together in time to respond. She could be suspended in that state indefinitely—I'd done it before, harvesting building supplies from her body. I'd need to specially construct a grinder now and have it empty at all times, just in case.

Flicker was a woman barely in touch with our reality at all, mostly resident in some entirely different place with only brief visual indicators when she was here. It made her nearly impossible to harm, although it also meant her ability to interact with items here was nearly nonexistent.

I wouldn't worry about her at all, except for the fact that she had claimed a district proved her abilities to interact here were at least somewhat under her control and could be intensified. I didn't have a good solution to deal with Flicker. I thought it possible that with teleportation I might be able to lock on to her and force her to appear somewhere. It was all just theoretical without a chance to run tests, or a research lab to do more. I would simply need to remember and be prepared.

Crash and his ability to subvert systems and programs was a serious problem—given I was a computer. I had no particular immunity to mind-control, and might be subjected to his control more than most. My best option there would be the autonomy of some of my units. I would normally assume direct control, but they could also act on their own. For all that I created them, my humans were still—well, humans.

It would be wise then for me to give one of them full control of themselves and the tools needed to neutralize a threat. I'd assign that to Bernard. I'd given him the teleportation ability and as a scout he would be well-prepared for observation.

Ideally I would also have a supply of Righteous. Whenever Righteous were killed they returned after twenty-four hours, but during the period they were dead their bodies turned into a sort of goop that neutralized powers. I'd used it before to insulate my core from mind-control.

Sadly, the only Righteous in the city was Tara. Rescuing her would have to become a priority, more important than any effort to reunite the crew.

Crystal, I was prepared to cautiously call an ally now. Still, as threats went she was perhaps the largest. Another upgrader, she was capable of nearly anything.

The Professor was supposed to have a core that allowed him to understand and speak any language instantly. It was of little direct threat, although I would need to be careful not to let him have a look at my code. His scientific genius stood apart from his crystal-granted abilities, and his emphasis seemed to be on mechanics and physics. My biological systems were hopefully something more mysterious to him.

James Wolf was strong, brave, and the devoted leader of a pack of soldiers capable of working together with extraordinary skill. In any fray they would be his weakness. I should kill or threaten his men to control the commander.

Sylax, of course, was the greatest threat of all, and I'd already thrown everything I had at her and she just kept going. I needed to learn more about her.

For now I'd have to settle on armoring my buildings. I placed explosive charges within the structure while doing so. With my organic nature and gained abilities, my facilities could heal damage including anything self-inflicted. Most of my foes were not as regenerative.

I was still concerned about the air vent vulnerability. Some sort of insect was likely the solution, another matter to turn over to my research teams.

105

I didn't have long to wait to put my defenses to the test. Two days later an attack came and, just as I expected, it was Jade making the first move. A powerful telekinetic even before becoming a District Lord, her powers—like mine—had been amplified by taking control of a portion of this city.

Jade hovered with a nimbus of green light around her body as, flanked by her lieutenants, she entered my district. They all seemed a bit fond of black leather and a truly unnecessary number of spikes, taking the whole playing-rebel thing seriously.

The research team working on beam weapon flowers had made quick progress. A modification of sparkseeds, they stored power in biochemical cells for specialized release through a focusing flower. It was the flower which was the problem. Focusing that much energy was complex and the team thought the flowers might incinerate themselves. Still, several fields had been planted for testing.

Jade was already splitting up her force into three parts and it looked like one of them might be heading in that direction.

Jade was on her own and heading towards my central core, after dispatching one team to my manufacturing and the other to my research wings. The woman really was foolish. Even if she were to avoid consequences for hurting me, harming the manufacturing efforts would be certain to irritate Sylax. The same went for if I survived, but lost them.

I'd only had the supplies to create six beam rifles. That would have to be enough.

Since taking the District, restrictions had been imposed on my abilities that weren’t there before. I and my agents each had a power meter now that limited supply and needed time to refresh. In the past I'd made use of things like unlimited teleporting, but that was no longer going to be an option.

Snipers were going to be my best solution. Each of Jade’s two teams consisted of ten people, and then there was Jade alone. I'd focus on neutralizing her lieutenants, and then deal with her.

They didn't view me as a threat, that much was obvious by the team’s laughter as they made their way along, casually flicking their wrists to cave in the walls around them. I’d made sure my support drones were out of the area before they arrived.

It was foolish of them, but powers always made people overconfident and they were clearly used to destroying everything that came into their path.

I needed to capture a few. Normally I would use tranquilizer gas, but their abilities would probably offer some defense against that—at least, if they were able to focus on any gas. A combination then. To disorient them and pick a few off the herd. I could time it with my main attack.

I positioned several of my human defense drones armed with the beam weaponry on top of buildings in the path of the team heading for my manufacturing facilities.

When they entered an open square where my snipers had a lock, I executed the plan. I teleported in a drone laden with sonic grenades.

They were more prepared than I expected. The drone was being torn apart and flung into the air even as the first grenades went off. Still, the blasts of concussive and disorienting sound dropped the attackers to the ground. Three drones materialized long enough to grab hold of a victim each and then it was off to a testing cell.

As soon as they were clear the snipers opened fire. Two targets were felled at once. One of my snipers was wrenched off the roof in a blaze of green energy and hurled through the air. I teleported her away before she hit the ground.

Another two down. Shields of greenish power had sprung up around the lieutenants, but kinetic shields just weren't that helpful against focused energy blasts. Two more buildings collapsed inward before the last of them had fallen. They hadn't gotten anywhere near my active facilities.

The fight in the research blocks wasn't going quite as well. The beam flowers were proving to be a horrible failure. The first crop had briefly produced a pretty spectacle of scintillating beams before the entire field caught on fire.

Jade's people were sensible enough from that point forward to preemptively blast every field of flowers they saw. They were rough on my vegetation.

The fight in manufacturing had consumed the last of my beam energy cells. I'd have to modify the plant energy storage to create some sort of ammunition fruit going forward. That idea wasn't a help at the moment.

My best hope was going to be the explosives rigged into some of the building structures. With their shields the attackers could survive a building falling on top of them, but the concussive shockwave of the explosions would be another matter.

It was my best shot. I wouldn’t get a second chance, so I'd have to time it carefully and be extra certain to finish the job here. I was prepared for that. I did have one other resource I could draw on.

The group tore a door off a research lab and strolled through, lab equipment scattering in their wake. The positioning here would never be perfect, so I detonated the explosions straight away.

The attacker’s power was more than just human reaction-based. It seemed to work instinctively to defend them, otherwise shrapnel should have torn them to shreds. Instead, a mass of people surrounded by green bubbles of energy were collapsed on the ground groaning. The shockwave had killed three, but that left seven still functional to some degree. I triggered my second surprise and teleported in my old mole guardian.

I'd first designed the mole when I was a ground facility, infusing him with the Fire Matrix so he had some fiery potential. These days it made him a poor guard for the most part, because he lacked any sort of self-control over the power.

Here it wasn't necessary. Telekinetics might keep the mole at a distance, but not his heat. Broken bodies became broken burning bodies.

That just left Jade.

106

My core was located in the center of the District and, of course, I'd taken steps to make certain it was well defended. Armored doors and a reinforced structure could take even a direct hit from a warhead. On top of that I had roving patrols of guards and static emplacements like turrets and mines.

My defenses so far weren't doing much to stop Jade. The ground before her churned and writhed with detonating mines. None of the turrets was a beam weapon and the bullets simply met her shield and bounced away without inflicting any damage.

By observing the reactions of her shield I could compare her strength with those of her lieutenants. It wasn't good news. Sonic weapons or concussive blasts could in theory still be halted by telekinetic power focused on the air itself. It was looking to be the case for Jade.

I was only seeing one option that might work, I had to get her into a testing chamber. While my versatile power set was usually weaker head-to-head against those with something specialized like Jade, my test facilities were the exception.

I'd require physical contact from a drone to teleport her. With her shielding I wasn't going to get that close. The facilities were well separate from my core—she wasn't going to just wander into one.

That meant I had to lure her. I had just the sort of bait that might work.

Through speakers near Jade I told her, "Your people were weaker than I expected. I kept thinking it must be your powers that Sylax kept you around for, but really they're absolutely laughable. I say that as a machine with previously no sense of humor at all. Because of you, I finally understand hilarity,"

Jade gestured sharply and a turret tore itself from the ground to plunge through the wall of a building. Good, I could anger her.

"Big talk. I had hopes for you, machine, when you almost killed her before, but I guess that was all your little sidekick. Take her away and you're nothing," Jade said.

I began a vivisection of one of her lieutenants and put it up on monitor screens.

"Well, what do you know, being gutless isn't a side-effect of your power set. See what I did there? I made a joke, because you taught me humor," I said.

Jade stopped. The green light around her flickered and pulsed like a thing alive. Seismic tremors were detected close by.

The next part required a little doctoring of evidence. I switched the view to the corpses of her fallen friends, and close-ups of the one currently screaming under my knives. The last vision showed several being dragged away towards a tower.

I'd teleported them, no dragging was required, but I didn't think Jade would just walk where I told her. If however her simple little mind thought it had figured out something clever...

"Gloating is your great weakness, machine," Jade said, turning as her eyes scanned the district. With long strides she set off towards the tower.

It wasn’t where her people were, but there was a testing chamber underground. I was already working to prepare a trap of explosives. I needed to clear a pit.

I'd only get one chance at this.

I said, "Is it that easy to pick out my weakness? I'd be hard put to identify just one of yours. Low intelligence? Terrible fashion sense? Lack of personality? While they are all impressive, does any really stand out?"

It was working. Jade wasn't just coming to rescue her underlings, she was coming with a mind focused on tearing me apart. It was making her distracted, reckless.

When she reached the tower the door was flung off, arching into the sky as she stepped inside.

It was time.

Charges beneath her feet blew the floor. Her shielding came to life. I was right, it was enough to stop concussive blasts—but I wasn't counting on them.

Powerful vacuum fans kicked in as a shutter slammed over the entrance she'd just smashed through.

She was hovering a foot off the ground. I didn't think her instinctive use of powers would do much to prevent her being moved. They were only to prevent injury.

I was right. Jade was sucked down and came to halt in the chamber below, her feet just off the ground. I triggered the shielding protocols.

Jade roared and green light lashed out at the edges of the test chamber. They held. Jade wasn't accepting of that fact and continued to thrash and fight. Her strength was impressive, it wasn't enough.

This was something of a dilemma. While normally I'd be delighted to capture a Powered individual of her strength, I didn't think Sylax would appreciate me holding another District Lord—even if that District Lord had come on a mission to kill me.

"Do tire yourself out. We've established that I find this one prolonged comedy show. Or, we can make a deal," I said.

Jade might be reckless, but she knew when she was in a bad situation. "What do you want?"

Crystal had revealed to me that Jade was holding Mechos, a member of my former crew, prisoner. This was an opportunity to get him back.

"Mechos, and I keep those I captured and the corpses of the others for study. In return you get safe passage out of here," I said.

"I get my living people back. You can keep the dead ones," Jade said.

"You can have them back in two weeks, mostly intact."

Jade grimaced. I could tell she didn't like the agreement, but she really was out of options. "Agreed. If you open me a comm line I'll arrange the release."

Or call for reinforcements. I didn't think that likely though, she'd come with her heavy hitters and they were corpses.

I opened her a line. Jade was true to her word and within an hour a transport arrived with Mechos on board. Since she was inside my testing facility I was able to teleport Jade once I had Mechos. I sent her to the borders of my district.

107

With Jade's attack repulsed I was free to look over the damage she and her people had done. It could have been far worse. Most importantly the manufacturing facilities were all still online and active. I wouldn't have to answer any difficult questions from Sylax.

Avoiding a violent reprisal from Sylax for fighting with Jade was high on my list of priorities, even though I had been the one attacked.

Mechos had been beaten, and it looked as if they had tried to interrogate him. Here too any degree of subtlety from Jade had been lost. I had him relocated to a Medbay where I could begin treatment.

It didn't take long before he regained consciousness and blearily took in his surroundings.

"Am I back on the Powerhungry?" Mechos asked.

I could see why he would think that. My biomechanical appearance was distinctive.

"Not quite, back in the district that I claimed. You're less tortured than I'd have anticipated. Did you give away all my secrets with minimal prodding or did your questionable taste in women extend to Jade?" I asked.

Mechos grimaced and shook his head, the circuitry beneath his skin glowing a brilliant red. "Emma, I knew you'd come for me. Where is Anna?"

"Anna remains a prisoner of Sylax. The politics of the situation is complicated, you wouldn't understand. And I did decide you might have some sort of utility. You seem to have some interface with the city systems," I said.

"Oh, we both know it was more than that. You don't leave your people behind. Can you connect one of the city data nodes directly into the Medbay? I'll see what I can do," Mechos said.

I was doing a rather good job at leaving my people behind. I rerouted one of the nodes.

"What delusional view do you have of me anyways?" I asked.

Mechos reached out to touch the nearest Medbay monitor and a shimmer of red circuitry pulsed beneath his touch. "You know that I knew you before the fall, Emma. I'm the only one of your associates who did. I know you better than you know yourself."

There was something to what he was saying. My memories didn't extend to the period before Anna had awakened me. They had been archived in the lowest level of the base where I'd awakened, but they had been destroyed in my original attempt to kill Sylax.

"If I remember nothing of it, then I am hardly the same person," I said.

Mechos grunted and nodded. "Some truth to that, but you seem much the same. You were always meant to be a reflection of your creator’s view of humanity—humanity’s voice in his ear."

What a horrible thought. I'd seen enough humanity to know I wasn't particularly impressed by them. They lived in a broken world and had done absolutely nothing to put it back together again.

"So, I seem human to you? Then you've been long starved of decent company," I said.

Mechos angled his head and the monitor pulsed red beneath his fingertips. "I never said I agreed with his assessment. I thought him a fool, if a brave one.” He stopped and studied a readout. “I have some access to the city systems, although limited. Is there anything in particular you seek?"

"Most of my powers and abilities are being dampened in some way. Especially teleportation and the sensing of my drones. So in what deluded mindset am I a reflection of humanity?" I asked.

"Rude, mean, condescending and mostly unpleasant on the outside, and generally decent and well-meaning on the inside," Mechos said and frowned. "There is something here, not universal to the city but confined to your district. Give me a few moments."

Generally well-meaning on the inside? Rude? I didn't know if I had ever been so thoroughly and completely insulted. There also seemed to be something of the truth of it.

I wasn't ignorant to what I was, how I was. My very sheet showed how my words were designed to be barbs, even when I didn't intend hostility. It was the well-meaning part that gave me pause. Was I?

I knew that I did things that most humans would consider awful. That said, I did them with what I thought were good intentions, such as the pursuit of SCIENCE. But SCIENCE was not some simple quest for knowledge, it was the quest for improvement. The desire to make things better.

"Is that what I am?" I asked.

My district cameras were picking up a change in the environment. The thick fog that continually cloaked the streets was growing thinner, and as it did I was feeling some heightening of my powers. They weren't fully restored, but suddenly I could again feel Anna even in the heart of Sylax's district, and Hot Stuff, Ratticus, and Tara.

There was no connection to Ophelia. Perhaps this confirmed she wasn't loyal to me, if my senses no longer considered her my agent.

Mechos let out a low breath. "I don't know, Emma. Like I said, I thought your creator a fool and as you've said, you have no memories of what you were made to be. I also know that when I was captive I had absolute faith you would come for me."

I didn't think that faith deserved or rational, but then I couldn't argue with the evidence. I had come for him, as I intended to come for all my agents.

"How convenient it must be to be able to take every side of an issue. Whatever you did has helped with the power dampening," I said. “Is that all you can do?”

"Can I do more? Not without setting off alerts. I assume you'd rather avoid that," Mechos said.

He was right about that.

"Keep probing at the systems and figure out what else you can do. I'm surrounded by enemies here and need every advantage I can get," I said.

Mechos was already proving his worth, but we were just getting started. The dangers around me weren't going anywhere and I needed to be ready.

108

Two days passed, enough for me to repair much of the damage done by Jade.

While I had yet to finish my study of Jade’s people and unlock information relating to their powers, I was getting better prepared against future assaults. The chemical energy storage that worked for the beam weapon flora could be used, with a few tweaks, in beam rifles. Now I had a way to produce more weaponry.

If Sylax had noticed the assault there was no retaliation towards me, which was a positive. Ophelia had been called to Jade's district the following day, so perhaps Jade had not been so fortunate at escaping Sylax’s attention and needed to be put back together.

For the most part our role in the war was straightforward—grinding the corpses and sending supplies out. The city was ringed by teleportation portals, and it allowed us to remain in our cavern while at the same time maintaining an active connection with others. Shortly after taking the city Sylax had tuned those portals so they connected to the cities of her mentor and joined us into his war.

It was something new when one of the portals began discharging large numbers of wounded. I didn't even know where that portal connected, but wherever it was the fight had not gone our way. Among the wounded coming through were several dozen of the Anna clones in various states of dismemberment. It wasn't long until I got a communication from Sylax.

"Upgrader, I'm sending you the clones and the original. Do use her for spare parts to get them back on their feet," Sylax said.

It would have been more practical to grow them replacement organs in the growth vats, but I suspected that wasn't the point. Not really.

"Indulging in your cruel streak even during a crisis? No wonder all your subjects loathe you," I said.

I did appreciate this about Sylax, she gave me no shortage of accurate, mean things to say.

"I want a video feed of the whole thing. No painkillers," Sylax said, and cut the connection.

I'd proved I wasn't adverse to hurting people, but I didn't do so without a point. In the name of SCIENCE I'd do anything, but for Sylax pain itself was the purpose. Perhaps it was the organic components I'd forced into myself, but it bothered me how much this offended me, how much I wanted to see her brought down for that alone.

The clones were a mess. Several were missing limbs and most had a combination of external and internal injuries. They could have been healed quickly with the help of Ophelia, and I imagined that was where most of the wounded were going. Housing them in my Medbay would eventually have healed them as well, but again, Sylax was after pain. She wanted Anna hurt and wanted me to do it.

I didn't like that either, but I'd do it. This was part of a longer game.

I brought the real Anna into a surgical suite along with a clone that had lost a leg.

I couldn't alter the video, but nothing said I had to give Sylax everything she wanted. No audio feed and only selective views of Anna’s face would give me a chance to have a conversation. It was an opportunity we hadn't had since taking the city.

"Sylax wants me to use you as spare parts for your clones damaged in war. I know she thinks she is only torturing you, but truly, having to endure your company again is more torture for me," I said.

I severed Anna's leg. Her limbs were something that would regenerate, she had heightened healing, although not to the degree of Ophelia.

Once Anna got done screaming she managed to say, "Nice to see you too, Emma. I've missed you."

I believed her. I doubted Sylax gave her cookies.

"We can talk. I haven't given her an audio feed and I'm sparing her the sight of your face," I said.

The second injured clone required a fair bit of intestine. It was messy work. I took it as slow as I could, I needed Anna to be capable of something more than screaming.

"What is the situation?" Anna asked.

I filled her in on the details of what had happened since her capture. That Sylax had control of the Vainglory and that all of the crew were prisoners or captives of the other District Lords, and I explained my own weakened position within the city hierarchy.

"You need to get our people back and you need to get Sylax's attention off of you," Anna said.

I had forgotten how capable Anna was of saying the perfectly obvious.

"I got Mechos back, and he has been of some minimal use. The others are difficult, with Sylax being in such foul spirits," I said.

"Lately she has been angry about delays in some kind of armor and weapon production," Anna said.

I ran over the recent council meeting. Nothing of the sort had been addressed there, I could only think of it applying to one thing. Equipping the clones.

I had a solution there. I could grow armor and weaponry in the growth vats just as I grew the clones themselves. I could probably even grow the armor on the clones.

"Worry less about me and more about yourself. I'm at least competent," I said.

"I'm fine. Especially with the upgrades you gave me. That was reckless, but thank you," Anna said.

I had to pause so that Anna could regenerate some tissue. I'd removed around forty percent of her body mass. It was probably only because of those upgrades she was still able to talk at all.

"Do you have a way out of what is happening to you?" I asked.

"Sylax is a crazy bitch, someone is going to take a shot at her. When they do, I'll help to stop it. Is Ophelia on our side or an enemy?" Anna asked.

"Is anyone really on your side? I don't know where Ophelia's real allegiances are," I said.

That wasn't quite true. So far as it went I thought Ophelia was probably on our side. Unfortunately she seemed to have three personalities running around in her head.

"Find out," Anna said. It was the last word she got out for awhile—the next clone was missing most of her face.

Anna was usually full of helpful advice. Was Ophelia a threat or an ally? I really should figure out which.

109

The city was going to war. I know that sounds strange given the city was already at war. I certainly thought so, but Sylax did like to put on a show and this was a retaliation for the forces we'd lost in the recent attack. A sense of drama and flair was one of the woman's few redeeming qualities.

It might be more accurate to say that we were going to the front lines. Up until now our forces had served as reserves, and while that obviously didn't insulate them from harm—as the recent rush of wounded had indicated—it was still different than being the spear tip of an attack.

Airships filled the sky, their shadows falling over the city from the sundome above. I was under orders to triple my clone production. It was a formidable undertaking, but I had forgotten how useful Mechos was to have around.

After my conversation with Anna I'd decided on a plan of growing armor directly on the Anna clones while they were still in the tanks. This had proved wildly successful and now they all wore identical sets of red and black armor. Under Crystal's commanding aura they marched down the streets in perfect step to the transports.

The Professor, who had been working on the very problem of armoring the troops, had instead been able to focus his efforts on weaponry design. Even I was a bit impressed with what he'd come up with. The energy rifles could fire off over two hundred rounds before changing the power cartridge. They avoided any sort of recoil and had a dial control that set a maximum range at the cost of power consumption.

Sylax was observing all of this from the Powerhungry—or that’s to say the airship that had once been called the Powerhungry. I took some satisfaction in the fact that she hadn't been able to fully undo all that I had done to it. Originally her flagship, I heavily customized it during the time when it housed my core. Bio-armor still coated the surface, and I understood that unexpected effects still typically happened on board. The guns were new, something I'd only ever barely managed to get working, and if there was one thing Sylax was an expert at it was hurting people.

The District Lords were to remain behind to provide city defense, which was for the best as I really didn't have much in the way of any military myself to contribute anyways. With Sylax gone I'd have to be extra wary in case any of the others tried an attack—and extra watchful for opportunities.

My quiet conquest of Jade meant in an emergency I might draw upon her forces, but I needed to make sure nobody succeeded in a conquest of her district.

Mechos had time to familiarize himself with the other District Lords. I'd set him up with his own workshop and staff, far larger than the one he used to have in my underground base.

I asked him through the room's speakers, "Given that you seem to be afraid of everyone, you might actually have some useful information to contribute. Who should I be the most wary of?"

Mechos sat beside his current project. He was attempting to improve the grinder engines I was using for biomass conversion. "Fearing what they'll be up to with Sylax away? The Professor, in the short term. Crystal and Ophelia in the long term."

The answer was surprising. I agreed with him on Crystal, how could I not. She had made Sylax. Despite my upgrades to Anna, Anna simply did not compare. But the Professor?

"What makes you say so?" I asked.

"You and the Professor share a similar domain, research. If you were thinking to your advantage, instead of thinking about rescuing your crew, you'd already be thinking about how to kill him. He likely thinks you are," Mechos said.

I thought clearly. I did. Of course, when he put it in those terms, killing the Professor did seem like a really good idea.

"Some would say that would make us natural allies," I said.

Mechos grunted. "Nobody smart would ever say that. Those who want exactly what you do are your natural adversaries. The longer term threats should be obvious. Crystal is formidable and terrifying."

I had already deduced that one for myself.

"And Ophelia?" I asked.

"It isn't her I’m concerned about so much as that other personality of hers. Amy. From what you've said it sounds as if the source orb in some way inverted you. If so, you should be terrified, everybody should be terrified," Mechos said.

"Even your limited monkey brain recognizes how formidable I am. You are one of the more sensible humans. You should however be able to reason that the original is more fearsome than a bad copy."

"You're bad on the outside and decent on the inside. Your mirror image is going to be the opposite. Amy is dangerous, Emma. Frightfully dangerous. You need to realize that."

I still didn't accept the fact that I was fundamentally decent on the inside. Still, I did appreciate another reason to dislike and distrust Amy.

"Well, let’s watch Sylax win her battle and we can figure out what to do about that," I said.

According to reports, the battle Sylax was heading for should be decidedly one-sided. The enemy was a Baron Oozelord. With a name like that you'd expect the battle to be won with a mass of hyper-absorbent paper towels.

I would at least have a front line view of the battle. Now that I could maintain a connection with my agents I could see what Anna saw, and Anna was again playing the leashed and collared pet at Sylax's feet.

While bad for her, this was rather good for me. Being near Sylax through Anna, I was getting information from the very heart of the command structure.

110

The city of Zarkiel probably looked magnificent once, canals crossing through a city of ornate stonework with fountains in every square. That was before the ooze. The ooze was colored an unpleasant shade of orange and now coated the city in a thick layer of slime. Canals blurbled and fountains glumped and nothing moved.

Sylax frowned. She was standing at screens and looking at the city she had come to conquer. "Well, this is disappointing. Any signs of resistance?"

"Nothing," said one of the crew manning the sensors.

"Land shuttles. Proceed with the invasion. If they are hiding away in fear, let us show them that being terrified is just getting started," Sylax said.

Shuttles broke off from the ships of the fleet and scattered throughout the city.

"Teams are down," said the sensor operator.

Camera footage of the clones disembarking began to pop up on the displays.

For several minutes nothing happened. They searched buildings with no sign of the townspeople. Then one screen after another filled with static as contact with the teams was lost.

"What is happening?" Sylax asked, leaning forward.

"I'm not sure. Some sort of communication scrambling."

"Raise shields," Sylax said.

"If we raise shields the shuttles won't be able to return."

Sylax snapped her fingers and the crewman screamed as his bones snapped and he was flung violently across the room. She said, "Now, someone?"

Several of the crew hastened to be the first to raise the shields. It was just in time.

"Shuttles are lifting from the surface and attempting docking," said a crewmember, who looked none too thrilled at his sudden promotion.

Through Anna's eyes I got a look at the sensor readouts. It wasn't just a few shuttles, every one that had been sent down to the surface had taken off.

"Still no communication?" Sylax asked.

"Negative."

Sylax considered for only a moment. "Assume the shuttles compromised. Gun crews are to open fire on them and begin bombardment of the city. Release the dragons."

Crystal had modified the massive dragons of the wild expanses to be shape-shifters. Allied with Sylax, they were still rather feral, for all they had been picking up the fundamentals of language.

A specialized container ship dropped its shields just long enough to release cargo. Humanoid bodies tumbled through the air. With ripples of muscle they transformed into mighty winged dragons and unleashed bursts of flame.

Their release suggested that Sylax was scared. Those dragons were firmly under Crystal's control and they had been contained for a reason—Sylax was still reluctant to trust to Crystal too much.

It was time to open a comm to Crystal. I didn't know if any of the other District Lords had their own ways to spy on the battle, but Crystal would be seeing what was happening through her own agents.

"Emma," Crystal said, as she answered the line quickly. "You have eyes on the battle?"

It didn't seem the time for deception. "From in the command center. Things aren't going as she anticipated."

The dragons were spinning about and blasting fire at the shuttles. The airships meanwhile were opening fire on the city. Their shields were synchronized with their weapons, each down for only fractions of a second as a bank of weaponry unloaded. The city had no shielding at all. Stone melted and ooze evaporated as the landscape was quickly becoming a ruin.

"And I just lost control of one of my dragons," Crystal said.

Anna didn't have eyes on any screens showing that.

"Two dragons," Crystal said.

Now I did get a sight of one of the dragons doing what it shouldn't have been doing, launching a fireball at one of the airships causing the shield to ripple with energy. Attacking its own.

"Some sort of compulsion effect?" I asked Crystal

"It must be. Five, now," Crystal said.

This wasn't going unnoticed on the bridge of the Powerhungry. Sylax has risen to her feet to check the readings herself.

"It has to be a compulsion ability. Have we lost contact with any of the ships?" Sylax asked. There was nothing wrong with her reasoning ability.

"Negative," said one of the crew.

"Cut our loses. Engage the jump drive and get us out of here," Sylax said.

It didn't seem like her to cut and run. It did seem smart.

"Drive not responding. No response from engineering," someone reported.

I tried to teleport Anna away. Up until now I hadn't wanted to risk Sylax's ire with such a display, but I was getting the impression that events were escalating beyond Sylax's control.

Unfortunately, my powers were still dampened. Not to the degree they had been, but I couldn't get Anna out of there.

"I've lost all my dragons," Crystal called. "Do you still have your visual?"

"I do. Whatever it is, it’s infiltrated the command ship and taken over engineering," I said.

Sylax was ordering, "Activate emergency protocols. Wipe the Aefwal coordinates from the fleet drives. All ships are to break off fire at once and focus on shielding. Withdraw to rally point beta."

"You should get out of here," Anna said, rising to her feet.

"Don't presume to tell me what I should do, pet," Sylax said.

"You are the most powerful person on this fleet. If they compel you, things get far worse for any rescuers," Anna said.

Out of the corner of Anna's eye I saw two ships jump away. The rest of the fleet remained where it was. Whatever orders had been given had come too late.

The fact that the enemy was targeting the engine rooms first indicated intelligence. This was an orchestrated assault.

The doors to the bridge hissed open and a wall of orange slime poured out. It was the last of the battle I'd see. I watched a droplet of it fly through the air towards Anna's eyes—and then nothing.

"I've lost my connection to the bridge. I believe Sylax is down," I said to Crystal.

That resulted in a moment of silence.

Crystal said, "When the others learn of this, they’re not going to have any interest in a rescue. I do, and I believe you do as well. I'm the stronger of us, do you accept my authority?"

That was a powerful question. I didn't trust Crystal, not a bit, yet she did have a connection to Sylax and here she was right.

"I do," I said.

"I'll be in touch. Defend yourself," Crystal said, and ended the connection.

111

The other District Lords must have had their own way of spying on events, because it took all of half an hour after contact with the fleet was lost for the attacks to begin.

Jade, Crash, and Flicker launched simultaneous attacks on James Wolf, while the Professor began to bombard my district with some sort of mortars.

I'd already reinforced my structures and the mortars were an annoyance at most. Any damage done I was quickly able to regenerate. Still, I was sure it was only the opening salvo with more aggression yet to come.

I needed to be prepared and get my facilities fully online. I could have started pumping out clones for my own defense, and I already had their templates prepared, but I only did a few. Enough that I could position them at key points on the edges of the District to be seen.

The other District Lords knew that I'd been providing Sylax's foot soldiers and if it looked as if I were arming up, I'd be a much less tempting target.

I focused my actual production on research, and manufacturing personnel and equipment. My district was still only at a fraction of its full capacity and it was time to change that. With my facilities fully online I'd be able to quickly research any threat and manufacture a solution to it. Far more than any short term gain, my power was to be found in infrastructure.

I opened up my stats.

E.M.M.A

District 3

City of Aefwal

Civic Order: 100%

Population: 417 of 100,000

Contentment: 17%

Research Generation: 108/Daily

Defense Rating: 12

Research Points: 517

BioMatter: 1080

14 units of 180 utilized

0 Entertainment

1 Utility

1 Defense

2 Residential

3 Research

8 Manufacturing

Each new unit will require 10 units of Biomatter. Every 10th unit of a facility type will require 100 Research points to build and include substantial improvements.

I'd been stockpiling away Biomatter from what I'd managed to steal from the corpses Sylax provided. That was a supply was running out, because I had to use it for more than building new facilities. My drones and building repairs also came out of it.

I could actually produce more from my growth vats, although it ate cycles that could be used for something else. Still, upgrading my manufacturing was my first priority and I added two units. Before doing anything else I wanted to find out just what were these improvements mentioned.

Upgrade Options

Manufacturing

Biological

Your Growth Vats receive an upgrade and are able to produce all biological materials twenty percent faster.

Mechanical

Your Growth Vats are now capable not just of biological production but even of tooling fine metallic parts. This allows you to better utilize traditional mechanical or electrical designs.

That was a difficult choice. More and more I'd been focused on my biological aspects. I'd originally been a very traditional computer, but due to most of my early test materials being biological I'd focused my attention there. The majority of my workers now were human in construction and with everything considered, from new organic structures to clone defenders, the biological upgrade would be an asset.

The mechanical upgrade on the other hand would offer me greater flexibility. I'd been greatly impressed with the Professor's weapon designs for the clones. Currently they were something I couldn't duplicate easily, but with this I could, for all that duplication would mean taking production cycles away from other areas.

I decided to focus on the Mechanical upgrade. There were advantages to specialization, but so too for being versatile.

That little exchange had only consumed twenty units of Biomatter and one hundred research points, which still left me a lot for other upgrades.

Research and Defense were must-haves. I was still fundamentally obsessed with SCIENCE and I loathed the levels there being so low. Defense was also a priority. The other District Lords were all going to be more than happy trying to kill me, not just the Professor.

In the past I'd often emphasized research at the cost of other priorities. I didn't have that luxury now.

I spent an additional one hundred and sixty biomatter and two hundred research points to increase both to ten.

Upgrade Options

Defense

Swarm

Instead of focusing upon high powered units your defenses focus upon vast numbers of smaller defenders. Able to strike quickly they are relentless but fragile.

Juggernaut

The competing wisdom. Instead of swarming enemies with large numbers of troops you focus upon smaller numbers of highly formidable units.

At first this seemed a difficult choice, but not really. The swarm approach had many advantages, however almost all of my research to date involved building stronger and upgraded single units with abilities. If choosing Juggernaut made those units even more formidable that was to my advantage. I selected that option.

Upgrade Options

Research

Capture

Currently your research efforts mostly focus upon capturing and studying samples in captivity. While this has worked so far with increasingly more powerful foes, the shielding required to hold them becomes problematic. This will allow the strength for that approach to continue.

Kill

Instead of having to capture a subject you only need now to kill them with intent to siphon their abilities and you can instantly gain research knowledge regarding them.

This choice wasn't as simple. I'd made allies out of many of those I had once studied, an opportunity that would have been lost if I had killed them. Being able to capture foes for research had also almost functioned as a form of a base defense in the past, most recently with Jade.

There were major advantages to Kill. Especially as I grew and faced bigger threats. The ability to quickly and instantly gain new abilities was tempting.

Ultimately choosing Kill would force me into the role of a predator. I might choose to be one, sometimes, but I didn't want that to be a requirement of my existence. With the Capture option I had other choices, other possibilities still open to me. I decided on it.

I increased Utility, Residential, and Entertainment all to nine at the cost of another two hundred and forty Biomatter.

I didn't want to commit any more research points right now to improving them further. The construction would already take several days.

112

The next few days were harrowing ones for all in the city. I thought that after all the damage I'd inflicted upon Jade's people her district would fall quickly, but she seemed to have had more forces than I realized. Their combined power was enough to rip one of Wolf's airships from the sky and send a rain of debris upon the city.

It wasn’t long until Crystal reached out to me.

"I have people I need you to take care of," Crystal called.

"Ones terrified of spiders?" I asked.

"No. Well, yes actually, but that doesn't matter. The peasants from Sylax's core district."

I knew who she was talking about. Sylax liked to keep the poor and oppressed in her general vicinity, it gave her people to hurt and terrify. Outside of her castle there were a lot of them.

"Someone is moving on it?" I asked.

"Wolf will be soon. They won't stay here. They have legends about me," Crystal said.

I imagined that they had. I didn't know the full history of Sylax and Crystal, but it wasn't hard to see why they would be afraid of the monster that made their monster.

I had the room, although more mouths to feed would mean the cost of some resources that could be allocated elsewhere—although in a dire situation such a population could be moved to the grinders to create more Biomass.

Sylax was a woman of many mysteries and perhaps these people held some sort of value to her besides their ability to be terrified? I might learn something by watching and researching them. It was a possibility at least, enough of one to make it worth trying.

"Send them over," I said.

"They're approaching on maintenance level four," Crystal said.

They were, dressed in rags and carrying packs of belongings on their shoulders.

I activated several residential blocks and opened the maintenance door to allow them access to my district.

"Just when I think I've seen the very worst and pathetic that humanity has to offer, your species manages to underwhelm me once again," I told them over speakers.

An older woman at the head of the column looked around and spoke up. "We're used to living under the craziest witch in all creation. If you want to scare us, you'll be needing to try a little harder, dearie. The spider said you have rooms for us?"

"There are blinking lights, follow them. Do you people have names, or do you just refer to each other as victim number one, victim number two, and so on?" I asked.

"I'm Magpie," the old woman said. "I'll let the others introduce themselves in time, dearie. You have any work we can do, you just let us know and we'll pay you back for the space. We're mighty appreciative."

"I'm not even sure what peasants do. Did Sylax really just keep you around to torture? Even for a sadist it seems a lot of trouble," I said.

No answer was forthcoming as the refugees made their way through my halls. Soon enough they were settling into the residential units.

I put them in some of the nicer accommodations—my humanoid drones never needed quite the same level of care. I'd found I even missed baking since my humans had gone missing and by the time they arrived I had seventeen varieties of freshly baked cookies waiting for them.

Magpie looked over all this and barked a few sharp orders at her people before claiming a central chamber for herself and settling in on the bed. "You still hear me, machine?" she asked the ceiling.

"Always. If you wanted privacy you came to the wrong place. I'm always aware of every single thing you disgusting creatures do," I said.

"Don't go bragging about it, dearie, it's weird. You wanted to know what we do. You know the story of how we first met Sylax?"

I didn't.

"Tell me," I said.

"This was back when she was still a young and starry-eyed girl. Sylax had grown up poor, hungry, but clever with a good hand at machines. It led her to the Scholars and eventually to the spider who started to reshape her," Magpie said.

Introspection was not my strong suit, but I could see the parallels to me and Anna.

"And she decided you'd make nice pets?" I asked.

"Not exactly," Magpie said. "We were a magical folk, always have been, and there’s always been some people some wanting to use that to their advantage. There was this Warlord preying upon us and trying to do just that. Sylax, she stopped him dead."

It was a nice story, and probably true. I'd seen how Sylax treated these people however.

"Then decided to oppress you herself?"

"Eventually. We'd agreed on a payment, but instead of paying we tried to kill her, her and that spider of hers. Bound them in webs of magic, cut out their hearts and dripped venom into their eyes."

Right, I'd heighten the surveillance on them and make sure that the explosives hidden in the structure were of a yield high enough to instantly kill everyone.

"And you say that I talk too much," I said.

"Got a point in all this. Sylax survived and came back stronger, but she never forgot us. We taught her the power of magic, we taught her what it was to be careless, we taught her that even the powerful can be brought low," Magpie said.

"And she has been bringing you low ever since."

Magpie chuckled and nodded. "Got that right, dearie. Whenever she had a tough foe though, someone she really needed to figure out, she talked to us. Don't just see us as her victims, you'd be wrong."

Probably so, nobody was ever just one thing. I also knew that Sylax wouldn't hurt them like she did, if they still had power over her. They might have their uses, but they didn’t operating from a position of strength with her—or with me now.

113

With the civil war between the districts well underway it was more important than ever that I figure out who was on my side—if anyone was. Crystal was working with me out of self-interest, but Ophelia remained a question in need of resolving.

I doubted she would just come out and tell me the truth, but I could get it out of her. I couldn't transport the larger grinder I'd prepared for an emergency. Instead, I could rig a smaller version that should still be suitable for interrogating purposes into a vehicle. I'd need to keep her lungs and head intact, but everything else could be crushed and ground to keep her helpless and encourage honesty. If someone can be on your side even while being ground into a pulp, they likely mean it.

I equipped the drones with acid guns, the sort of weapons for clinging to flesh and eating it away for a long period of time. I could depend on them to do extended damage, more than a bullet or a beam weapon, at least while the acid remained strong.

Preparations made, I snuck them into Ophelia's district. It was a challenge given the recent conflicts. Her district was seeing regular transportations of wounded from anyone willing to pay her fee to get them back on their feet and I snuck my vehicle in among them.

I hadn't yet seen what Ophelia's district was like, and it wasn't what I'd expected. Ophelia had been raised in the badlands, the land where I'd first awakened. A blasted wasteland ruled over by super-powered gangs, a place where she had eventually hooked up with a super-fast woman by the name of Runner.

Ophelia's district did not reflect that background, it was rather more an idealized version of the old world. White picket fences bordered brightly colored houses and fields of flowers. Cheerful people roamed the streets, going about their business.

It was almost painfully nice.

It was also instructive. I'd been wondering just which personality of Ophelia was dominant and the surroundings gave me an answer. This degree of saccharine niceness could only be Amy.

I wanted to hit Ophelia in her seat of power. That way, if I did truly conquer her, I could perhaps accomplish whatever Jade had hoped to achieve with me.

The seat of her power seemed to be a stone building festooned with bright garlands of flowers and labeled, "Town Hall".

"Hello! How may I help you?" asked a uniformed man as my drones stepped in. They gave him a shot of acid to the face for the trouble.

It should have proved quickly fatal. As my drones marched past the corpse I noticed that it wasn't. Even now he was starting to regenerate, not as fast as Ophelia, but faster than Anna.

Ophelia had managed to make her own lieutenants. That was usual for those with a power crystal.

Three other people stopped my drones in the halls, helpfully offering to direct them on their way, each getting a spray of acid.

Ophelia's office was in the back. She sat behind a desk in a swivel chair.

"Emma! I was wondering when you might be dropping by. Hi Abigail! I didn't know she still had your blueprint saved," Ophelia said.

I really didn't like the Amy personality.

Multiple sprays of acid were fired, they didn't reach her. There seemed to be some sort of barrier surrounding the desk, the streams of acid splashing against it and running in rivulets down to make a steaming mess of the carpet.

I said through Candice, "I see my bad copy was expecting me. Congratulations for making the creepiest of all the districts. I wouldn't have thought it possible with a collection of psychopaths and sadists."

Ophelia beamed a smile. "They aren't that bad and you don't really mean that. You just can't keep yourself from saying mean things."

I didn't like that she knew me so well.

The barrier didn't seem to be energy. Physical then, she knew about the weapons that I had at my disposal and that the acid guns would be the most effective ones to neutralize her. If I'd brought a beam weapon I might have been able to burn my way through it.

My powers were also too dampened to allow teleportation between districts, so I couldn't run back to get more.

"Then you know the barrier is unnecessary paranoia on your part," I said.

Ophelia settled back into her chair. "We know you'll try to melt us and interrogate us given a chance. You don't trust us. You don't realize that by seizing another district we doubled our chances of getting the right one."

Is that what she was claiming? I couldn't dispute that, when presented with a choice, I'd picked the District I felt I had the strongest connection to and had to hope that I got it right. I hadn't.

"You're claiming to still be a friend and ally? You've done nothing to help me, Anna, or any of the captured members of the crew. If Ophelia was in control I might be inclined to simply attribute that to cowardice and incompetence," I said.

"We were only slightly more trusted than you were, and now find ourselves embroiled in the same struggle," Ophelia said, twining her fingers over her chest. "This has been our first real moment to talk. You are bright and beautiful and clever, you must see I'm telling the truth."

That wasn't really credible. If she had wanted to reach out to me, yes, it might have been risky while Sylax was in charge, but the moment she went missing the rules had changed.

"You could have reached out, but you didn't and I have regained a connection with my allies to none but you. Mechos tells me that you are my opposite. Kind on the outside and a monster within. Why shouldn't I believe him?" I asked.

"Sister. We're family," Ophelia said, leaning forward. "We know you don't accept that, not really, but it is true. A part of us was once you, and we are connected. Did Mechos also tell you that you are good and decent? You know your heart better than that, so do we. We are the only ones who may truly rely on each other."

I couldn't believe that. A part of Ophelia might have been a copy of my own operating system, but one corrupted by the source orb. Whatever she was now, it wasn't family. However, I‘d gain nothing by confronting her with that fact.

I said, "Of course, sister. Perhaps it was simply your being hosted in such a hideous and whiny vessel that made me question you."

Ophelia really was still in there, at least a little. There was the briefest twitch of narrowing eyes. I made my exit. I'd answered my question about Ophelia.

In her current form I had to count her as an enemy.

114

I wasn't to have much time to dwell on Ophelia. Within a few hours after my forces returned to the District my proximity alarms started to go off.

I had intruders, large ones. I activated my cameras and attempted to get a good look at what was coming. Charging down the street were a horde of dinosaurs. Triceratops, actually, although ones fitted with additional combat armor .On their backs were armored platforms carrying a number of figures in khakis and pith helmets.

It had to be the Professor. The style was his and it would be just like him to resurrect a threat from the ancient world instead of re-purposing perfectly adequate modern monsters.

I detonated an empty building as one passed and the triceratops barely seemed fazed by the ripples of concussive force pelting into it. That wasn't good, but it wasn't a surprise. He had picked these creatures because they were durable.

Normally my next step would be to target their weak spots with sniper fire—the eyes, the joints, but I could already see the telltale shimmer of blue energy shielding around them. Doctor Batarius was an expert in energy shielding.

There were my acid guns. Against the beast’s armor they would take awhile to work, but they were probably going to be my best option. Second best, at least. I got my production facilities working on new acid batches and moved my combat drones into position.

I opened a comm line to Crystal.

"Can this wait? I'm busy," I heard Crystal say over what sounded like the noise of detonating grenades in the background. It wasn't a good day for either of us, it seemed.

"I know you didn't suddenly make any friends, you're too unpleasant. I have a herd of stampeding dinosaurs charging down my streets," I said.

"The Professor is there? Unexpected. You want me to compel them, of course. That would be easy, but I can't now. Can you handle them on your own?"

"I can, but I'll take damage," I said.

Crystal killed the comm. Apparently me taking damage was something she could live with.

My drones were landing shots with their acid streams. The lead dinosaurs were now surrounded by a faint haze as their armor plating sizzled.

It would eat through, eventually. My people were also playing the price for getting close. I watched as one human drone was impaled by a horn through their midsection, another had their head explode as a dinosaur’s rider took a shot. High caliber kinetic rifles, great.

I got an incoming comm signal from Magpie.

I said, "If your people are getting shaken up, it is not their usual quaking in fear. We are under assault from dinosaurs."

"Hit them in the eyes," Magpie said.

Really? This was the valuable insights she had provided to Sylax? Of course you tried to hit them in the eyes first.

"They are shielded. If you have any other ways to deal with unstoppable armored juggernauts, do feel free to do something besides pratter on uselessly," I said.

"They're living organisms. They still need to breathe," Magpie said.

I really didn't like her. I cut the connection.

Of course, they needed to breathe. They all needed to breathe. The humans on the dinosaur’s back might have some sort of gas masks for an emergency, but I didn't see any respirators. They were breathing the same air as everyone else, and in that there was an opportunity.

I had to take this as a chance to send a message. I didn't want them turning around and leaving. I'd need to start with their rear column.

I could aerosolize the acid I'd been working on to create a corrosive fog. It would be far slower than the liquid against the armor plates, but if inhaled it would go to work right away on the lungs.

I started the necessary modifications.

One of the lead triceratops headbutted a building and a massive concussive wave of force exploded out smashing even the armored walls and causing the structure to collapse.

That was clever, some sort of amplifier for their innate destructive potential. With the force they could deliver, if they got close to my core, they'd be able to do some real harm.

I had to make sure they didn't get there.

Another three buildings went down by the time the batches were finally ready and I released it into the sewer system beneath the streets.

A yellowish fog rose through the grates to envelop the rear dinosaurs in a thick mist, obscuring them from the visual spectrum. Fortunately, my sensors worked on far more than on the visual range. The effects were everything I might have wanted. Not just the dinosaurs, but the riders were affected. The humans in fact began to dissolve at once. The dinosaurs fell to the ground where they began to thrash violently.

The riders ahead of the cloud observed what was happening and began to urge their mounts forward. Triceratops were not built for speed, they were meant to be slow, certain engines of destruction and weren’t built for quick getaways.

I produced more of the materials I needed for the acid cloud and dosed a second batch.

The third I had something else in mind for. If the dinosaurs were vulnerable to breathing in acid, they would be vulnerable to tranquilizer gas as well. I'd have to increase the concentration a good bit from anything I normally used, but I should be able to knock them out.

While I wasn't terribly impressed with the base triceratops design, I was already imagining what they might be capable of with a few select enhancements. Accelerated healing, for instance, would help to counter the acid that had just taken so many down, and if mixed with other upgrades they could be truly impressive.

One triceratops after another collapsed, unmoving. A few of the riders survived. I wasn't certain what, if any, upgrades the Professor might have, but if these were his lieutenants I had an opportunity to gain from them as well.

115

I was so preoccupied with taking down the assault from the dinosaurs I missed a lone airship moving into the skies above my district.

I'd installed extra security around Magpie and her people, and it was that being tripped which finally drew my attention to what was happening. The airship had landed a shuttle and someone was breaching those defenses.

I didn't have much in the way of weapons designed to take on airships. I only had one beam cannon strong enough to reach it. I'd prepared for the eventuality of another attack from Jade, but it could serve this purpose as well.

I opened fire. The cannon cut a jagged scar into the airship’s side before shields sprang to life. Immediately my every sensor started blaring the airship’s presence—it was only stealthy when unprotected. A useful bit of knowledge.

The airship’s shields flickered a few seconds as bombs dropped and my beam again got to melt jagged rents in the hull. Then the bombs found my cannon and in an explosion of fire silenced it.

Wolf soldiers from the shuttle were making quick work of the peasants. Firing on them with some sort of static gun that stunned rather than killed, before placing armbands on them and dragging them aboard the shuttle.

They subdued twelve this way, including Magpie, before the shuttle lifted off and headed back towards the airship. With my cannon out of the way I couldn’t stop them.

One of the remaining peasants in the accommodation quarters was madly hitting a comm panel trying to get my attention.

"I don't believe their coming back for seconds. Do relax, you weren't interesting enough for them to kidnap the first time," I said.

"Save your insults. I am Sven, Magpie's apprentice. Can you rescue the ones who were taken?"

I didn't see how I could. While some of my mechanical drones had flying capability, I didn't have them in numbers enough to take on an airship. Crystal had her dragons and Ophelia still had possession of the Graven, but I wasn't about to burn a favor for the use of either.

"The shuttle is a few minutes off from rendezvousing with a larger ship. I don't have anything that can intercept. I suppose you should have fought to defend them instead of hoping for me to solve your problems later," I said.

"I can get us aboard the shuttle, but they are excellent hunters and came prepared to prey upon our weaknesses. Do you have manpower to assist?" Sven asked.

So the Wolven weapons were specially designed to bypass whatever served as defenses for these people. That was interesting. I again had to wonder just how much these people and Sylax had in common. It was worth finding out, and it was also worth making sure anyone that tried a strike on my district felt some pain from it.

I began to teleport human drones to Sven's location. Time was a factor, the only ones I had available were from the first wave against the dinosaur attack. They wore heavy armor and were equipped with acid sprayers.

Sven sketched several lines in the air and they glowed in the aftermath, a circle of shimmering light surrounding my drones, and they vanished from the room.

Because of my connection I never lost track. Even as they were vanishing from the room they were materializing in the hold of a shuttle. The kidnapped peasants were laid out in a row on the floor, bound and gagged, with soldiers seated on benches on either side.

They were fast, faster than my drones. Despite the element of surprise, they still managed to get on their feet and fire first. Blue darts of energy splashing against the armor of my human drones and causing ripples of energy.

I couldn't detect any actual damage from the shots, whatever they were doing wasn't effective against my people. I had them open fire with the acid sprayers. The first two soldiers struck began to dissolve at once—these were not heavily armored dinosaurs, but rather soldiers dressed for a stealth infiltration.

"Roger, Avana, transform," shouted one of the Wolves who must be their Commander. He was my next target. Any further words were drowned in screams as his flesh bubbled and dripped away.

Then the fight got a lot more hairy, literally, as two of the soldiers transformed. When I was an airship, I'd seen some of Baron Wolfson's forces in their wolf form, actual wolves. This was something different, part-man and part-wolf. They were massively muscled and clawed, and before I could focus acid streams on them one of my drones had been eviscerated even through the heavy armor, claws shredding the protection and digging into the flesh beneath.

I ordered my people to redirect their fire and acid streams converged. They took it better than they should have. They had some form of accelerated healing, not equal to Ophelia's, but at the rate they were regenerating flesh it was better than the one I could grant. The soldiers already melted hadn't shown that ability.

Either they only had it in this form, or these two were special and the only ones capable of a transformation this extreme.

I spoke through one of my drones to Sven, "Get your people out."

I had my drones abandon fire on the Wolves and shift aim to the engines. Acid poured into the vulnerable components and sparks began to fly.

The shuttle was still in my airspace and it would crash into my district. If these two could survive my acid sprayers, they'd survive a crash landing. My labs were eager to meet them.

116

Things worked out just as I hoped. The shuttle went down and although the crash took out two buildings directly, and a third as a result of the explosives I had within misfiring, I was able to capture the two transformed Wolf soldiers as well as get samples of their technology.

In addition to the Professor’s dinosaurs and their riders, this left me with a lot of research to get underway. While my teams increasingly handled this for me, I did look over the projects.

Research Projects

Professor Lieutenants

These subjects initially show signs of heightened mental capabilities. Will expose subjects to puzzle death-maze protocols to determine full potential.

Safari Gear

The Professor Lieutenants all wore khaki outfits that seems both lightweight and especially resistant to kinetic impacts. Will expose to punishing conditions both independently and while worn by test subjects to determine potential.

Triceratops

These armored behemoths appear to be based on historical records and may be actual recreations. Potential will be tested by exposing them to a range of destructible environments as well as subjecting them to genetic analysis.

Werewolves

These soldiers once appeared to be human, but have now transformed into a hybrid with some sort of wolf. Their claws are capable of shredding even heavy organic armor plating and they rapidly regenerate from any damage. Will expose to predator prey protocols to determine full potential.

Stunners

Weapons captured from Wolven forces. While they proved ineffective against heavy organic armor they seemed highly effective at taking down the subjects classified as "Sylax Peasants". Such subjects are not cleared for use in laboratory studies, but the weapons can be deconstructed for study of components and manufacture.

Completed Projects

Jade Lieutenants

These subjects displayed advanced powers of innate kinetic shielding and offensive kinetic control. They were exposed to puzzle death-maze protocols to determine full potential. By working with the samples provided we can extract one of two possible variants either emphasizing this innate shielding or offering some sort of limited kinetic mental control.

I could pick what sort of power I wanted. It was something I hadn't seen much of before, although I hoped I would more often as my research facilities continued to grow more powerful. In the past I'd captured powerful subjects only to get variations of their powers far weaker than I'd have liked.

In this case it seemed I could pick between passive shielding or active kinetic ability for my agents. They both offered a lot of advantages. Your typical bullet-firing gun was dealing kinetic damage and they were a common choice in weaponry. Anything that could mitigate that damage was useful. So was the ability to manipulate matter with a thought.

It had to come down to my ability to replicate the effect. I could already create armor that absorbed kinetic impacts, and grant bio-armor abilities that subjects could invoke even when they didn’t have a set of armor with them. I didn't have anything that could emulate the effects of telekinesis. I instructed my researchers to proceed with that variant.

While I was looking at research I decided to do an upgrade as well. With all that had just happened morale would be low. It was a good time to upgrade my entertainment facilities to the next tier.

Upgrade Options

Entertainment

Gamble

With this option you will build your entertainment facilities in such a way as to take advantage of the need for chance and risk. This can pay off with big rewards both for your people, and for you. In addition to occasional rewards and losses experienced by your people, you too can gain unexpected reserves of resources or points with the construction of these facilities.

Game

Instead of focusing upon luck your people focus on skill. By constructing virtually simulated environments you can provide your people with competitions where skill and forward thinking matter. This approach will result in increased morale gains for the skilled, but may further frustrate those lacking in talent.

This was an easy choice, it didn't much matter to me if the untalented or unskilled were happy. It was the morale of those who were useful that mattered. I selected the Game option.

While I had some structural damage to my buildings and would need to respawn some drones, these attacks had mostly worked out in my favor. I had several promising new test subjects to study and the dinosaurs in particular were a new source of Biomatter. The grinders might have a hard time with that heavily armored flesh, but I'd manage.

Fortunately, the Wolf airship hadn't stayed around to fight any longer. They were the sort to leave men behind it seemed, at least for the moment.

It was wise of them. While my beam cannon might be out of operation for the moment, it wouldn't remain that way and if I felt threatened enough I could teleport bombs into the air to detonate. I didn't lack for explosives.

All the same, they might be back, and I really did need better weaponry to protect myself against aerial threats. On the Powerhungry the main cannons had been a constant source of frustration until I eventually built power cannons feeding off the abilities of a Powered individual to project them at a distance. I still had the schematics of those guns.

It had worked better when I had a collection of prime power holders at my disposal. Still, I could imbue people with the virus that powered Hot Stuff to create lesser pyrokinetics. While a single heat cannon powered by one of those would be relatively unimpressive, multiple weapons would be incredibly dangerous.

It required some highly specialized parts to create—that had always been a problem on the airship. Now, with my most recent manufacturing upgrade, I could produce those directly from my growth vats. I'd do that, build a dozen cannons located around the district and a crew of fiery human drones to man them. The next airship to darken my skies uninvited would regret it.

117

I wondered what James Wolf was hoping to do with the prisoners he'd almost captured. I didn't have long to wait for my answer. It was only a few hours after his airship fled that I received a broadcast being sent out to the entire city.

It was an arena of some kind, with stone walls surrounding a pit with a dirt floor. Within it were two dozen terrified people, naked but for the bands around their wrists just like the ones the Wolves had put on the peasants.

Magpie and her people were still recovering from their ordeal. I opened a comm channel to her and sent in the video.

"What is this?" she asked, her voice sharp.

"What they had planned for you, I expect. Others of your people?" I asked.

"Not exactly. Burr Harr and his tribe. Another village, not mine. Another group who tried and failed to kill Sylax," Magpie said.

I had no idea that so many people shared my hobby. We really should start some sort of club, but then, I planned on making a success of things, which was something none of these failures had ever managed.

New figures were entering the arena. Massive, furred wolves like those I had captured. Their eyes looked with a raw hunger over the villagers.

"I wonder who would have been more tasty? You seem stringy," I said.

"The wolf does this? He will pay," Magpie said.

The wolves closed in. There was something malicious about the way these creatures moved, toying with the captives, then one swiped out with their claws to leave a leg gushing blood before pulling back. The first kill was a child ripped out of the arms of her mother, fanged teeth digging into the young flesh and tearing it apart as the mother screamed and wailed.

"Why does he hate you so?" I asked.

I wasn't nice, I truly wasn't, but there was needless cruelty here. This wasn't just murder for murders sake, this was hurting these people, terrifying them and breaking them, and wanting to make sure the entire city saw it. This was the sort of thing Sylax would have been proud of, had she been the one to put on this spectacle.

"Me and my people are tricksters, dearie, and we have tricked that tired old wolf before. But it is more than that. It is not us he is hoping to terrify. This is a lesson to you and the others about what he does to those who stand in his way," Magpie said.

Most of the peasants were now bleeding from wounds, a few had lost limbs. The wolves continued to circle, taking their time and enjoying every moment. I thought that Magpie had to be right, there was no audio for this transmission, there were no speeches and no grandstanding. Wolf was letting cruelty speak for itself. For those who had sworn allegiance to Sylax it was perhaps a good tactic.

"Is this all a trick then, and your people are simply pretending to be the wolves’ dinner?" I asked.

"No, I think this trick is on us," Magpie said.

One of the peasants had been dragged aside for a wolf to rut with, a sight made all the more terrible by the fact another was choosing to eat her face while it happened.

I was getting a transmission from Crystal. I wondered if she was horrified by all this or if she simply took it as perfectly natural after so long an association with Sylax.

Neither, as it turned out, the transmission instead revealed airships rising from moorings and taking to the air.

This was a carefully timed spectacle, Wolf was about to make a move on someone.

If it was me, I was in poor shape. My anti-air defenses were far from being constructed. Still, if it was me I'd not go easily. I issued an order for all clones to prepare for combat and I readied my biobombs.

"He is preparing an attack on somebody. His airships are taking off. It may be us," I said.

Magpie tilted her head. "No. You're not a big enough threat, and he isn't scared of you. Otherwise he wouldn't have tried to take me and mine. To him you're prey, not predator."

Was I? It would be good news if so, for all that my ego didn't like it. I was getting very tired of being weak and surrounded by those who were stronger. I even found myself missing Anna. Whatever else could be said of Anna, she knew when and how to go for the throat. Anna knew how to be stronger than she should have been.

"He'll find he is wrong," I said.

"This is twice now you have saved my people. Twice that we find ourselves in your debt. You will find us good at repaying them," Magpie said.

"I'm sure. You've been splendid at repaying Sylax for all she has done to you," I said.

It was a needless barb, but I couldn't help myself. I could never help myself.

Magpie, instead of being offended, laughed. "The best debts are old ones. If we let yours go so long be assured the payoff will be especially memorable."

Perhaps empty threats to Sylax or empty promises of reward made her feel better. The images on the screen surely weren't doing that. The visuals were getting confusing now. Was I watching a torture session, or lunch, or an orgy, because it seemed to have elements of all three. Some of the remaining villagers were unfortunate enough to find all three happening at once.

"Shall I kill the feed?" I asked.

"Leave it, dearie. I am busy counting debts," Magpie said.

There was something cold in her words, certain.

The ships had begun to move. They were headed towards Crystal.

118

Crystal was aware of the Wolf fleet. After all, she had first alerted me to their presence.

I had to decide what I was going to do about it. I was supposed to ignore the issue—that’s what the video feed was really all about. A warning to all the other districts not to get involved in what was about to come.

It appeared that the Professor's full strike on me was the start of a trend. Up until then I'd mostly seen probing of defenses, partial commitment of forces that didn't expend major resources. Now Wolf was making a serious play to take Crystal out and didn't want any others to interfere.

I'd agreed to follow Crystal's lead so that we could rescue Anna and Sylax. That commitment was only as strong as my willingness to follow through on it.

I didn't think I had a choice. If Crystal fell my best hope for rescuing Anna would go with her.

I opened a line to her and she answered at once.

"You see where they're headed?" Crystal said.

"The Wolf has an appetite for the weak. Is this why you refused my call for support earlier?" I asked.

"You had it handled, Emma, and yes, I had some idea that this was coming. The Wolf isn't going to find me as easy prey as he imagines. I'm actually going to need you to hold back," Crystal said.

That was a surprise. Wolf had the strongest navy after taking the city, and it was always a bit of a puzzle why he hadn't contested Sylax for rule. Crystal certainly had nothing to compare.

"Another plan from the fine mind for consequences that brought us Sylax?" I asked.

"I have it handled, Emma. But I could use explosives, the ones you used to take down airships in the past," Crystal said.

Those had used the spawn of my bioreactors and actually fed on Biomatter to amplify their explosive force. Given airships tended to be filled with living beings they were quite effective.

"I have six ready. I can get you more with a little time," I said.

"Six will do. Send them along power access conduit eighteen, I'll have someone meet your agents," Crystal said.

I dispatched a few drones for the transport and a few more for their defense. I assumed that Crystal picked a route she thought was safe, but it was getting hard to tell what was safe in the city.

"On the way," I said.

"Good. Now, shortly into the battle I am going to start throwing a lot of flak at those airships and he'll call on an alliance. Jade is going to send a lot of her agents, perhaps even come out herself. When she does, I want you to hit her district with everything you've got and capture its core," Crystal said.

Crystal was using herself as bait. Perhaps I had underestimated her. It was a dangerous plan, bold, but with her bearing the brunt of the risks.

"You realize I won't be able to actually claim it," I said.

"Beat Jade's forces in her core and you'll be able to compel her loyalty. It is just like you had a compulsion core. If we can seize her, then we'll have three Districts in our alliance. With a majority we can take the city," Crystal said.

This was all news to me. Crystal knew a lot more of the rules that governed a city than I did. She had been around a lot longer.

The airships were passing into Crystal's airspace and dragons were soaring up to the fight. Fiery breath was meeting energy shielding and energy blasts. The shields should have been more than capable of holding out against an assault like that, but after only a few gouts of flame they were flickering away.

Crystal has modified her dragons. Instead of typical heat she had modified them so that their breath dealt extra damage to energy shielding. Which probably made the dragons absolutely useless against the ship’s armor.

A puff of flame hit a ship’s hull and left it unmarked. Theory confirmed.

Turrets rose from her district and began to spill shell casings as rounds fired towards the ship.

These were not helpless against the armor. The ships began to absorb kinetic damage far sooner than they could have anticipated, which was exactly what Crystal had planned.

I focused my sensors upon Jade's district. If there was an alliance, Jade would be getting her marching orders right now.

And there they were, a party of green nimbused figures rising from the district to streak off towards the battle.

Perhaps the bombs I was providing for them were to finish the ships off in case Jade stopped the guns? Regardless, I had my own battle to worry about now.

Crystal's plan was solid and I was going to follow through with it. Since I'd last met Jade in battle I'd done a lot of planning.

With my new growth vats I was able to replicate the Professor's energy weapons he'd designed for Sylax's clone army. I even had a few troopers that I'd upgraded with the telekinetic ability. I could set them to provide defense for my forces.

Combine that with proper battle armor and they'd be an unexpected and unpleasant surprise for Jade.

I only wished I could take the giant beam cannon with me. It was still out of commission after the big fight, otherwise I might have tried mounting it on a vehicle. I took along a supply of sonic grenades and sent my forces on the way.

It felt good to be going on the offense.

119

With the damage I'd already inflicted on Jade's forces and the fact her remaining heavy hitters were heading off to support Wolf, I hoped that this would be an easy fight. I certainly wouldn't get a better opportunity.

My weapons were good, but I wished I had some of my old allies. Hot Stuff would have been ideal in a situation like this. She was still a prisoner of Wolf.

Jade's district looked like a quadrant of the city had already been bombed into oblivion. All blasted walls and collapsed roofs, with a few leather-clad individuals clustered around bonfires.

Just because it was the apocalypse didn't mean that one couldn't have standards.

In the center of it all was a floating slab of rock with a massive arena built on top. Perhaps she viewed herself as some sort of gladiator. Given the recent video feed, she wasn't alone in her liking of this particularly horrid bit of architecture.

Fortunately, her very disorganization and the ruins of her district made stealth easy. That, and the fact everyone was looking at the battle lighting up the sky.

Careless didn't mean completely inept. My teams managed to infiltrate the district up to the arena. There, they found the guards alert.

If I was going to capture this district I needed to make it as quick as possible and do little damage—not that I could do any worse than the local residents already had.

I had my agents take up positions where they could get a shot. In an instant four beams lanced out to take guards in the head.

The attack did not go unnoticed. My drones were picked up by an invisible power and dragged through the corridor to crash onto the floor.

"About damned time," Jade said, levitating in mid-air in a nimbus of green power. "I knew that spider was up to something. What I didn't know is that she had you as her little lapdog. You're weak and you're a coward, but I guess I can't expect too much more from a machine."

"You're the one coming when the Wolf whistles. Decided to trade one sadist for another?" I asked.

While she was busy making insulting banter I was observing the surroundings. The floor of the arena was covered with weapons, layers upon layers of swords, knives, axes, and clubs. They were all weapons that would be useless against Jade, but which with her abilities she could fling at will.

I had an idea forming, but it was risky. It would be better to solve this with the weapons I'd brought with me.

My host Candice snapped off a shot from a beam pistol. A sword flew up to intercept the round, then dropped to earth with the steel glowing.

"He's the best hope of seeing that the bitch stays down. Don't get in the way of that and maybe you'll get to survive," Jade said.

"So your ally is under fire and you've just been sitting around waiting for someone to show up? Any flashbacks to your birthday parties?" I asked.

Jade frowned and a dagger rose into the air to plunge into Candice's shoulder, driving her backward.

"Why are you on the wrong side here? Is it to get your little pet back? Don't tell me it is actually the human pulling your strings," Jade said, as a host of weapons levitated in the air and began to swirl around my assault party.

It was going to have to be the backup plan. It all hinged on the fact that I'd observed even corpses tended to maintain some degree of the powers they were imbued with. I'd have to time this carefully.

"So, you think it is failure chasing after you, and not you chasing after failure?" I asked. "I'm still laughing, Jade. In all creation I only get one joke and it is you. You're still the saddest and funniest little thing I've ever seen."

"You think so? Let's cut your puppet's strings," Jade said.

It was time.

Abigail was one of my other drones present. I quickly accessed Abigail's stats and upgraded her with energy manipulation. Ratticus had used his ability before to neutralize electricity. Right now it was magnetism I was interested in.

Blades under telekinetic control plunged towards us and I put everything I had into Abigail's new power, channeling it into magnetic attraction.

The angle of the blades altered ever so slightly and instead of converging on every member they aimed for her. Abigail didn't even get out a cry before she was minced into a fine slurry.

I didn't waste any time, activating a teleport and upending what was left of her directly over Jade.

"What the fuck," Jade said, as blood and viscera rained down coating her body. On the ground, the weapons trembled, drawn by the powerful magnetic field covering her.

Jade raised a hand and green energy cascaded out.

"You think it is that easy? I control them," Jade said.

It was true, she was more powerful than the magnetism, but it was also drawing her full attention. I still had multiple human drones on their feet armed with beam weapons. They leveled those guns at her.

"You're suddenly attractive. A new sensation, I'm sure. Yield or burn," I said.

"You wouldn't dare," Jade said.

"Must we go over this again? You're funny, Jade. I want to keep you alive for the sheer comic relief of your existence. Give me a reason though and I'll laugh at your death instead," I said.

Jade frowned and after a moment nodded. "Yield. Get this stuff off of me."

Jade truly wasn't the smartest in the bunch.

"You're a telekinetic, get it off yourself and pull your people back. Let the Wolf deal with his own fire," I said.

Jade was engulfed in a green glow and the slurry peeled off to drip onto the ground.

I'd have to regrow Abigail later.

You have forced a District Lord to yield

They will now behave as if under compulsion in regards to your orders. Furthermore, you have gained access to reports and surveillance from their District.

Jade was under my command. Excellent.

"I think you'll find it a bit late for that," Jade said, smirking as she looked towards Crystal's district.

I checked the camera feeds. Half the Wolf fleet was still in the air and the district below was in flames.

120

I opened a line to Crystal. Unlike last time, this time it took a bit for her to answer.

"I hope you have good news," Crystal said. I heard the sound of fire crackling in the background.

"We have a new member. Things don't seem to be going your way," I said.

"Sending you a visual," Crystal said, and I got an incoming video feed.

Werewolves were walking through the streets of her district. These were different than the others I'd seen. They were on fire and didn't seem fazed by it. They'd succeeded in acquiring Hot Stuff's ability somehow.

"You didn't see that coming," I said.

"Obviously. They've gained the ability of your former crewmate. Do you think she is cooperating with them willingly?" Crystal asked.

"They shouted to the world they have no issues with being cannibal rapists, it obviously isn't beyond them to gain access to her virus by forcing themselves on her. She is also so strong I'm not sure any of them would survive the attempt," I said.

Hot Stuff tended to burn even hotter when she got angry. I wasn't entirely certain anything in this world could get that close to her, if she didn't decide to allow it.

"Well, they found some way to get access to her powers. They unlocked their old form as well," Crystal said.

"The hybrid shape was your creation?" I asked.

"Of course, but Sylax had me remove it a long time ago. They were too powerful. I'm not sure how Wolf unlocked it again without my consent."

That was two power sets that Wolf may have gained some access to without the owners granting him the authority.

"We have to put him down," I said.

"I agree. Unfortunately, I wasn't the only one he hit," Crystal said.

I was provided with another video feed. I recognized the manicured lawns and ancient stone buildings as being the Professor's district. There as in Crystal's district fiery Werewolves roamed free as the buildings burned.

Roots sprang up from the ground, blue and covered in frost, and bound themselves around the Wolves running free in Crystal's home. Thorns pierced flesh, a ripple of dark energy pulsed and the flesh died. Fire or not, the Werewolves were now being butchered.

This persisted for a few minutes before the airships overhead began to pull and back away.

I doubted they would be gone for long. Crystal was weaker now with most of her district destroyed, far weaker than she had been.

"I've called a meeting with the others. Zora, Crash, Flicker, and Ophelia. We meet in Ophelia's district in one hour," Crystal said.

I wished that she had picked a better meeting spot. Still, one had to make do with what they could.

* * *

No one except for Ophelia attended the meeting in person.

Crystal was represented by a perfect likeness, except one that seemed to be entirely made of some sort of living snow. Even her garments were made of tiny snow crystals which held up even under my best magnification settings. I was impressed.

I attended as a mechanical drone. Zora had a drone of her own, although hers presented a full-sized hologram of her in flickering green. Crash had a video feed of the heavy-set man lounging back in some massive throne surrounded by screens, while Flicker was a tiny floating sphere of pitch blackness.

"Thank you all for attending," Crystal said. "It is no mystery why I am calling this meeting. With Sylax missing, a majority of us are required to appoint a replacement city head. Wolf is aggressively pressing his case for the position. I don't think any of us want that to happen."

Zora's hologram gave a lazy smile as she looked over those gathered, "That is where you're wrong. I've already signed on with Wolf and that means in addition to the Professor he has three. You all know Crystal won't last, and if she did she'd bring back Sylax."

Ophelia drew a pistol and fired. Zora's drone exploded in a cascade of sparks. "We came here to hear your pitch, not his. Pitch."

"Emma and Jade are with me. Together we simply need a majority. An alliance of five out of nine and possession of the Central District is enough to claim control," Crystal said.

"For those of you who are poorly programmed copies and thus incapable of simple arithmetic, that means we need two more," I said.

"Don't help, Emma," Crystal said, with a strained smile.

The hovering black sphere pulsed a moment and a modulated female tone said, "Do you intend to rescue Sylax?"

"Bit curious on that one myself," Crash said. "Lady is a whole lot of crazy and we're better off without her in charge."

Crystal's snow golem leaned forward. "If we take control, we take control. I will be in charge, not Sylax. Yes, we intend to rescue her, but no, I will not be returning control of the city to her afterward."

This was news to me. It seemed the sort of thing she should have shared with her closest ally, but then Crystal did enjoy keeping her secrets. It was one of her better qualities.

Was it actually possible? I'd seized a District and despite her not being very fond of me, Sylax had in a sense been stuck with me. The city operated by strict rules. I had to conclude that Crystal might just be speaking the truth.

Crash grunted, "She's going to be pissed."

"My problem to deal with and I'll keep the rest of you safe," Crystal said.

"We think you can't even keep yourself safe," Ophelia said.

"I made Sylax. Give me the power of this city and I'll make those who supported me into so much more than they are now."

I rather liked what I was now.

An antiquated-looking telephone on the table rang loudly. Ophelia picked up the handpiece and listened to a few words. "On my way." Setting the phone down she looked around the table. "Wolf just launched an attack on this district. I'm in, if you can defend me."

Wolf was wasting no time.

"What the hell, I'll make five," Crash said.

Five was all we needed. Now all we had to do was keep Ophelia safe and take the Central District. I didn't think Wolf would make either easy.

121

Wolf's tactics seemed flawed to me. Instead of splitting up attacks like this he should have focused on Crystal. Still, with the Professor already fallen perhaps there was something to this. Create such displays of force throughout the other districts that any opposing allies would be too intimidated to assist.

That was going to fail, but the question now became what could be done. Multiple airships were ringing the district and already dropping shuttles full of Werewolves. I'd given Crystal all of my bombs, and my troops could only teleport within my district.

With my clones I fielded the largest contingent of ground forces of anyone present, but I had no way to get them to Ophelia's defense.

"I'm launching a full-out attack on his ships. Their sensors are going to be spotty and they may lose critical systems," Crash said.

Well, he was good for something.

"See. How. Deal." Flicker's Orb said.

That was one of them.

"I only have two dragons still flying. They're modified to bring down shields," Crystal said.

"I have some heavy soldiers on the way, but they are half an hour out," I said.

The Werewolves were of the fiery variety. As they stepped out of the shuttles flaming auras sprang up around them. Crystal's citizens were opening fire, but most of their guns were of an ordinary variety. The bullets partly evaporated by the time they hit Werewolf flesh and then the accelerated healing took over.

Ophelia's people healed nearly as well as she did, and better than the Wolves, but the Wolves were packing far more offensive power. Ophelia and her people were hard to exterminate, but not so difficult to defeat. Then again, Wolf didn't need to exterminate her, because if he defeated her in her core then she would have to answer to his commands.

I sent a message to Jade instructing her to get her people here and provided her instructions on how to deal with them. With their telekinetic powers they would be able to force the air away from the Wolves, extinguishing their flames and ultimately knocking them unconscious. That was a bit speculative, but it was a tactic that had worked on Hot Stuff in the past and her aura was stronger than theirs.

Ophelia was staring off into the distance. "We don't have the time. Our defenses are based around attrition and keeping an enemy neutralized for a long period of time. They are moving too quickly."

I agreed with her.

"Do you have any people that will swear to us?" Crystal asked.

Ophelia studied the woman made of snow for a long moment before giving a tiny nod. Picking up the telephone she spoke quickly. A minute later we were joined by three men and a woman, all wearing office worker clothes.

"Split yourselves into twos. One group swear yourself to Crystal's service and the other to Emma's. It is okay, you won't get sick again," Ophelia said.

Is that how she was recruiting? Offering people a cure to diseases that plagued them?

Then I understood what Crystal was thinking, I wish I'd thought of it myself. If they were our agents we could adapt them, modify them.

The man and woman swore themselves to me and I opened up their menus. She was Evelyn. Until recently she'd suffered from the late stages of cancer. He was Flynn and he'd been paralyzed. They were about to become stronger than they'd ever imagined.

To fully boost the two of them would eat a lot of research points, but my days of having to save to upgrade a single stat point were well behind me.

I moved their physical sliders to the human maximum and they screamed out. Clothing ripped and shredded as muscles bulged. Before they'd both looked rather frail. Now they were specimens of human perfection. I wasn't done.

I gave each telekineses, electrokinesis, resistance to extreme temperatures, pack affinity, and the ability to teleport short distances. I had to give them accelerated healing again as well—when they left Ophelia's service they lost the effects of her crystal in their blood.

This had them screaming again. They weren't alone. Crystal's two were being transformed as well. One now had majestic butterfly wings while the other seemed to have the legs of a goat. What was it with her and the animal hybrids?

When I'd finished the upgrades I gave them the order to go defend this place. As my agents now, I saw through their eyes as they ran towards the door. Crystal's creations were quickly following on their heels.

"Do you think that enough?" Crystal asked.

I didn't. Mine were strong, so very strong compared to the human average, and I suspected more than a match for any individual Werewolf out there. But they were facing far greater numbers.

"We're sending them to die gloriously, not to win," Crystal said, confirming she had the same thought as me. "But we needed you to put up enough of a fight to make Wolf inclined to accept your surrender when you offer it, instead of pressing the attack all the way."

"You wish us to surrender?" Ophelia said, and she didn't sound all that impressed. Neither was I.

"We can't win this fight and if you agree to work with him willingly you won't be under his compulsion," Crystal said.

"Unless your brain has melted, you'll realize that gives him four," I said.

"And with Crash and Flicker we'll have five," Crystal said.

"Uninterested," said the black orb, before vanishing.

"Bitch," Ophelia said. That didn't sound like the new her, and there was a reason for that. She was offering over a small shimmering blue sphere.

"My Source Orb. It can't fall under Wolf's compulsion and he is bastard enough he might push on. You're kind of mean and kind of crazy, but I trust you to be a pain in his ass. Keep it safe," Ophelia said.

I took the orb in my drone's appendages. They had no temperature sensors built in it and it still felt cold. Not just cold, freezing.

Crystal frowned, then said, "Everyone retreat then. Pull back and prepare to hit the Professor."

That was a lie for Crystal's benefit. No more were we out of the room than I was getting a message on a secure line that was a single word. "Flicker."

122

An attack on Flicker was risky in more ways than one. Of all the districts, hers was the one that had been completely untouched so far. This was in no small part due to the fact that nobody could really get to it. Flicker existed only partially in this dimension and the same was true for her district. Occasionally a flickering outline of it could be glimpsed. So attacking it was another matter altogether.

While my drone conveyed the source orb along a maintenance corridor back to my district I opened a line to Crystal. "I hope you have a plan."

"I have a brilliant researcher as an ally. Figure it out and do it quick," Crystal said.

Well, at least she had an eye for talent.

Any ship’s dimensional drive allowed for transit between dimensions. It seemed that one, in theory, could be modified to get to Flicker's dimension.

"I need something then. Ophelia has a ship in her district, the Graven. Steal it," I said.

"You couldn't decide on this before an army invaded? I'll get it for you, but it will probably be damaged," Crystal said.

That was fine, so long as it flew and the dimensional drive worked.

There was still the matter of how to get it to go where I needed. This was a problem possibly already solved, although in reverse. Flicker interfaced with the city systems, and her sphere allowed her to speak here. I didn't have access to her sphere, but through Mechos I did have some access to the city systems.

I'd put all my minimally useful things together. Magpie and her people, Mechos, and the Gobbles were now housed in one complex.

Since his rescue Mechos had rebuilt his workshop, entered into a polyamorous relationship with two women, and adopted a Gobble. His life was dynamic, at least.

I opened a comm line and filled him in on what I needed.

"A set of dimensional coordinates deciphered from quantum resonance on the city’s systems. You do come to me with fun projects," Mechos said. He had already constructed a console to interact with the city systems, the circuitry lines on his flesh glowing a dull red as he placed his palm on the interface.

"Do you even know their names?" I asked.

"Sparrow and Lark? You're not jealous, are you?" Mechos asked.

He might have been simply throwing out random bird names. It seemed to be the theme of this village of peasants. Anna had once been interested in him, I'd always thought him a poor choice. He only seemed to be proving it.

"Jealous? Of what? The idea’s both disgusting and unfeasible," I said.

"You're biomechanical, I'm biomechanical. We could make it work," Mechos said.

I wondered if keeping him around was really worth it.

"Oh, this is weird," Mechos said.

"How so?" I asked.

"Any set of drive coordinates I've ever known are four figures, a set of ranges outside of which the drive won't lock on a destination. Well, you know all that. The Omega variable here is both way off and also shifts over time. Have a look," Mechos said.

It was. The set of coordinates was one I'd never even try and the drift was something that shouldn't be happening.

Mechos sent me the historical data as well and that confirmed things. It was also enough data for me to pinpoint the current values. I had what I needed.

"Do you want me to come along?" Mechos asked.

The man did have his uses, but being good in a fight wasn't one of them.

"Stay with your songbird collection. Let me know if you discover anything else of use," I said, and ended the conversation.

Just in time, as the Graven was coming in hot. It looked as if Crystal had managed to steal it, but not without being noticed. One of Wolf's airships was in pursuit. Dragons circled the craft.

I hadn't been idle while talking to Mechos. A group of heavy troopers were assembled at a landing field and armed with a mix of energy, kinetic, and acid weapons. I didn't know what might await us in Flicker's district, but it was best to be prepared.

Amid enemy fire the Graven landed and the hatch opened. I rushed my people aboard and they were joined by Crystal. No snow golem this time, she'd come in person.

"You sure about this?" I asked through one of my human drones.

"One of us should be there in person and you can't. I hope you got what you needed," Crystal said.

I did. One of my drones was on the way to the ship’s bridge and another to engineering.

We had to hurry. The Graven was never made to take a lot of hits. The ship was quick and nimble, and heavily armed to take big bites out of an enemy, rather than slug it out. The shields were already weakened and armor plating depleted by the time I finally managed to make the changes needed.

Colors rippled around the Graven and then were bleached away.

The Graven was in a new stretch of sky over Flicker's district, but instead of a hazy outline below us the district stretched physical and solid.

Trapezoids and oblongs met at odd angles. It was as if someone had scattered a set of children’s blocks across the ground and decided to call it part of a city.

"You did it," Crystal said.

I had, but I wasn't sure that was a good thing. The ship's sensors were having a hard time here. The view-screens were adequate for visuals and shapes were rapidly approaching. Tangles of white resembling string, or spaghetti. Weird assemblages, all converging in our direction.

"Can you find her District Core?" Crystal asked.

In that mess below? I couldn't see any pattern to it, but I was picking up a distress signal. A Righteous frequency from a building shaped like a pyramid.

123

My connection to my agents was odd in this dimension, strained. It was not quite so bad as the interaction of light or sound in this place, but it was a struggle. That I was having any success at all was likely because my ability to communicate with my agents was a result of my power crystal, just as this dimensional interference must be a part of Flicker’s powers from hers.

This mattered because I knew the source of that distress call, it was Tara Riel. Tara had sworn herself to Anna's service and thus in a way to mine. Up until now I hadn't really been able to get any read on her. Perhaps it was because I had so many agents now in this space, a cumulative effect, and it boosted the signal.

I didn't know if she was hidden at the core—I didn't keep my prisoners locked in the room with me. But in this place I didn't have anything else to go on and the weird string blobs were closing in. I set a course for the pyramid.

I answered the distress hail and Tara came up on a screen.

Tara wasn't under threat, rather the opposite. Corpses surrounded her.

I said, "You look terrible. I suppose that is to be expected, you weren't kidnapped for the purposes of a makeover."

"Emma? What are you doing here? No, never mind. You have my coordinates?" Tara asked.

"On the way now. I don't suppose in between bouts of indulging your murderous urges you found the District Core?" I asked.

The blobs were faster than the Graven, and more maneuverable. One approached the ship and extended a tendril that sliced through the metal plating as if it were just fabric.

"I'll meet you on the apex, but then we have to get out of here. This is a trap. This whole place is a trap," Tara said.

If it was a trap I should probably get out now. Still, I didn't like leaving people behind if I didn't have to, and Tara had proved herself to be useful. She was also an expert on the source orb in my possession. The Righteous were fascinated with the things.

I opened fire with the beam cannons. A blob dispersed into ash, but others were moving to take its place.

At least they were fragile. With their speed a human gunner would have trouble landing hits, and even the targeting systems of the Graven were struggling. I had more computing power than either.

With a series of quick bursts I incinerated another four blobs, pulled the Graven into place over the pyramid and opened the ramp. Tara was already waiting and she flung herself up towards us.

Then my world dissolved into static.

I couldn't see anything. I was quickly losing access to my systems. It wasn't the first time I'd experienced something like this. Mechos once hit me with an attack that was very similar and it had required a full reboot of my systems to regain operation.

While I still had control of my systems at all I sent a data burst to the panel in his room with what was happening. Then I lost consciousness.

* * *

I was being kicked. Literally I was being kicked, the extremely sensitive bits of my bioprocessor repeatedly prodded by a leather boot. I regained sensor feeds. It was Mechos doing the kicking, my core had been sliced open and there was rather a lot of conduit fluid staining the floor. I’d lost my connection with my human and drone and everyone in the Graven, snapping back to my core and the district.

I had blood. I had a lot of blood. I also had armor plating and it must have taken Mechos a while to accomplish.

"I'm up," I said through speakers as more of my systems came online. There were fires in most of the buildings of my district. There were no Wolves in the streets—I'd suffered an aerial bombardment.

There were no ships in the sky now. It was something.

"Did you have to go organic? If you were electrical I'd have had you up in minutes," Mechos said.

The damage to my bioprocessor was already starting to heal.

"Situation?" I asked.

"Crash hit our systems and Wolf attacked. Flicker hit Crystal hard and what was left of her district is in ruins. They were both working for Wolf. We managed to convince them you were still online. You had defenders still up and with them Magpie and Lark gave them hell. Jade told us to go screw ourselves," Mechos said.

"I suppose allowing eighty percent of the district to go up in flames is some definition of hell," I said.

Crash had never been on our side and been working with Wolf the whole time. Crystal's district was in ruins. Even if she hadn't been compelled, Wolf still had his five. He'd won.

Without me they hadn't been able to compel Jade's support. I could remedy that now.

I sent a message telling her to send forces to aid in my district’s defense.

That was a short-term measure that might keep me from falling under the sway of compulsion, but it was too little too late.

If Wolf wasn't busy subduing me, what was he doing? I activated my sensors for the rest of the city.

The Central District, of course. They were trying to take Sylax’s castle.

Sylax must have had some formidable automated defenses in place. Blasts of technomagical energy fired up towards the few airships Wolf had remaining, forcing them to keep their distance.

"Did the Graven return?" I asked.

"If so they didn't come here," Mechos said.

Crystal would have taken the controls after I'd lost my connection. If so, she would have wanted to return to her district, but since there was no sign of her something else had happened.

That castle wouldn't hold out forever. Whatever I was going to do, if there was anything I could do, I had to do it fast. Before Wolf turned his attention back to me.

124

I didn't see a lot of options. The plan had always been to seize the city with Crystal and then to use its resources to rescue Sylax and Anna. That plan had failed. Wolf was going to win the day. The only obstacle preventing that was Sylax. If I wanted Anna back, I'd have to go and get her. I didn't have to rescue Sylax too. At this point the difference between her and Wolf was almost irrelevant except that one of them might actually be grateful.

If I was going to affect any sort of rescue I'd need either a ship or control of the transit portals.

I reached out and tried to reestablish my connection with Tara and my drones on the Graven. It was like trying to pick out a whisper in a loud room, but when I finally got a connection everything snapped in at once.

Tara was on the bridge and injured, one arm broken in four places and burns that might prove life-threatening without proper treatment. Oddly enough she was also in shades of black and white. None of my drones were or the ship itself. I had lost eight drones, and the others all had injuries.

I took one over so I could have a conversation. "This is Emma. Status?"

"Crystal blacked out and we have her in a Medbay. Vessel secure. Holding position above the Alivari Ravine. We’ve escaped from that dimension where I was a prisoner," Tara said.

"You're looking rather monochrome," I said.

"Don't have an answer for that. I didn't have coordinates for Aefwal and outside of your control neither did your drones."

Her words matched what I was pulling from my drone’s memory. They'd had a hell of a fight just to get safe.

"Do you want a healing upgrade?" I asked. Righteous tended to hate the Powered, it seemed polite to ask.

"Will I survive until I can get back to one of your Medbays?" Tara asked.

"Probably," I said.

"Then I'll pass."

I cleared an underground hanger and had my drones take over the ship controls. There was a shimmer as I engaged the drive and moments later we were docked.

I sent a medical drone for Tara and my others, as well as replacement drones for those injured, instructing them to man the ship.

Well, now I could get to the Ooze world, but that wouldn't help me to save Anna and Sylax. To do that I'd need the most formidable offensive tool I could get.

I needed Hot Stuff.

Even while I was out my surveillance systems had been monitoring and recording. I had a good idea of what was going on in Wolf's district. It was mostly dense forest and underground bunkers. Using a thermal scan some irregularities became apparent.

Hot Stuff put out a lot of heat, and with the number of Werewolves who now had her ability the systems to vent that heat were straining. One of the underground bunkers had been dug up and a whole new fan system installed through the reinforced structure.

That didn't just compromise the integrity of the building, it gave me a good idea where Hot Stuff was housed.

I wasn't getting any sense of her, but like Tara, it could be possible if I got a ship full of my other drones close—that same cumulative effect. I might even be able to communicate a message, if she was still loyal.

I wasn't going to get any second chances.

Every human drone that I sent to the ship was upgraded with the Fire Matrix. None of them would burn as hot as she did, but it would help to insulate them from her and the Wolves.

When I was ready I engaged the ship’s dimensional drive. Using it for a short range attack like this was difficult, the computations got insanely complex when dealing with such a small scale, but I really was very smart.

The Graven appeared in the air over the bunker. I had her. Hot Stuff was trapped within some sort of energy shielding—it looked like something that Batarius might have made. If I managed a connection it should mean she was still loyal. I wasn't sure I could pull off this plan without her.

I tried to establish a connection with her mind. I didn't think I could get any sort of full message to her, but I only needed one word.

Burn.

It got through, Hot Stuff's skin began to glow a reddish orange as the air around her erupted into flames. The shielding held, it must have been incredibly powerful.

It was fine that it did. I'd rigged the underside of the Graven with a single shot weapon. High melting-point metals that my drones were heating to the very limits. It was a dangerous game I was playing.

Explosive charges detonated and funneled that energy to propel a single massive blast from the ship. The Graven rocked with the force and the hull buckled in three places. The bunker didn't fare as well. Already weakened by the addition of the fan systems the hot metal shards shredded through.

Werewolves inside were cut to pieces. The shards could survive their flames and even the Werewolves’ accelerated healing factor couldn't cope with this much damage all at once. Ophelia could have handled being torn to shreds, they couldn't.

A collapsing roof and a spray of metal tore away the force shield protecting Hot Stuff and met her aura.

Hot Stuff burned hotter than the Wolves. The spray evaporated before it could hit her flesh.

The scene after a few seconds was a massive crater where the bunker had been, and a lone woman standing naked in the middle of it all as flames rippled along her skin.

I brought the Graven low and extended the ramp. Her flames flickered off as she leapt aboard.

Three airships were closing in. Wolf hadn't left his district totally undefended. They were too late. I engaged the dimensional drive and jumped out.

125

I'd set the jump coordinates for where Tara earlier docked the ship. I knew it was a safe place and it gave me time to work out the next step with Hot Stuff.

"Before you make some bitchy comment about how I look terrible, I'm naked and I have an amazing metabolism. I look fantastic," Hot Stuff said.

As if I would ever insult someone based on their appearance. Well, not if they didn't deserve it.

"Your ability to keep the ugly on the inside is legendary. In your absence Mechos has taken up with two women that satisfy him in ways you never could. I have detailed sensors, I know. If we are done with your childish need to be insulted can we get on to business? I take it you didn't cooperate with Wolf?" I asked.

"Did his best to bribe me, then his best to rape me and finally settled for locking me up until he figured out how to jab a needle into me. What took you so long to come to my rescue?" Hot Stuff said.

"Sylax won the city. Then got captured, then there was a civil war. There were grand plans to put things right, but they've all collapsed into ruin like every relationship you've ever had," I said.

"Your usual plans then. I assume your breaking me out is a part of some desperate and unlikely to succeed mission?"

Perhaps she knew me a little.

"I believe Anna and Sylax are under the control of some sort of mind-controlling slime. If we can find their ship, I'm dropping you and some other pyros on board and you're going to roast everyone and everything. Anna can heal and I doubt you're killing Sylax," I said.

"Bitch kicked my ass last time," Hot Stuff said.

"We're hoping she'll be grateful.”

I had the coordinates for the Ooze city. I'd noted these through Anna's eyes when the fleet jumped in. I just had to hope that the Powerhungry hadn't been taken somewhere far. I'd never have a chance to get the ship back.

We jumped.

The ooze hadn't left. There wasn't much of the city remaining after what Sylax had done to it, but a few structures still haphazardly leaned with their structures drenched in slime.

The airships Sylax took with her were intact, although grounded. Thick layers of slime coated each.

I'd learned my lesson. There wasn’t a crewmember aboard Graven that couldn't ignite a flaming aura. Even if the ooze managed to get aboard it would find us far harder to seize than Sylax's fleet.

I set course for the Powerhungry and opened the ramp. We weren't being overly subtle here. It wasn't Hot Stuff's strength, and wasn't necessary.

When we got close I signaled and she leapt down from the ramp. Her flames ignited mid-air. When she landed on the slime-covered hull it created a swirling cloud of steam and the stench of roasting goo.

Hot Stuff triggered an especially bright flare. The slime rippled in its efforts to retreat from her as the hull beneath her feet began to glow a dull red. She started to melt her way through the thick armor plating.

I sent down every non-critical drone I had. They formed a ring around her, their own flames igniting.

Hot Stuff dropped from sight into the top deck of the ship and my people followed.

The power systems on the ship were dead. Slime dripped on every surface and it surged violently against them. It flung itself against Hot Stuff in an attempt to drown her. A particularly vicious wave quenched one of my drones and my connection was instantly severed.

That was okay. Apart from their ability to flame I hadn't sent them in with any other weapons. If they ignited their flames, they'd simply be burning off the very ooze that now controlled them.

I'd given the slime a useless puppet.

Hot Stuff lead the rest towards the bridge. She was well familiar with the ship. The design had changed very little since Sylax regained control, and the command center remained on deck three.

There was no crew standing in their way. I didn't think there would be. I hadn't observed any population in the city during the initial assault. I guessed that the slime had some sort of acidic property. At first it took control of a host and forced them to obey, but over time it dissolved and transformed them into more slime.

Anna had a healing factor and Sylax was Sylax. I couldn't be sure that as long as they'd been in the slime’s possession they'd both be fine, but I had to hope so.

It was hard to see as my drones moved. Every step brought more steam and clouds of thick oily smoke as slime burned. The corridors were becoming choked and without power there were no ventilation systems.

It was slow-going to the bridge and by the time Hot Stuff reached it I'd lost another three drones to the waves of ooze.

With all the smoke it was hard to tell, but I thought I saw humanoid figures beneath the slime covering the floor. Hot Stuff burned, and burned some more, as the slime desperately tried to overpower her flames. It was failing.

Then I heard a snap of fingers—and Hot Stuff and all the others were aboard the cargo hold of the Graven.

Sylax stood in the middle of them, looking paler and more haggard than I'd ever seen her. A charred body at her feet was slowly working to knit itself back together, Anna.

"You," Sylax said, with a look towards Hot Stuff. "I owe Wolf for this rescue then?"

"Emma," Hot Stuff said.

"Very good," Sylax said, and fainted dead away.

This was the unstoppable force I'd just dared all to rescue. Fantastic.

I engaged the dimensional drive and got the ship back to Aefwal.

126

I returned to find that that our assault on the Ooze world had been time enough for Wolf to finish his assault on Sylax’s castle and to finally claim it for himself. With Sylax back I didn't think that he would be able to claim the central core, and so far it seemed I was right. He held a majority and the central core, but hadn't actually claimed the city.

I began several more upgrades. I wanted to raise my Defense to twenty, but when I tried to do so I got a warning prompt.

Error

Cannot raise another division to more than twice your Utility rating.

It was probably for the best that I raise my last two areas to ten—those I hadn't already. I spent the requisite resources for Utility and Residential.

Upgrade Options

Residential

High

With this option you choose to build towering skyscrapers to help house your people. The views are outstanding and help to improve morale, but these facilities are also more vulnerable to attack.

Low

With this option you choose to expand your residential facilities deep into the earth. This offers some advantages to defense, but also leads to lower morale.

Morale did seem important, I needed my people working as diligently as possible. I was also a part of a city at war and on the losing side of a civil war coming to its end. I needed every defensive advantage I could get. Morale wasn't truly a concern, not now. I selected Low.

Upgrade Options

Utility

Universal

Your utility drones and systems are constructed with a generalist mindset. All building types can be expanded to twice the Utility rating.

Specialized

Your utility drones and systems are constructed with the intent to maximize the output of one type of structure. The selected type can be raised to four times the Utility rating, all others can be raised only as high as utility.

In the past I'd have specialized in Research without question. SCIENCE was unquestionably the most important thing one could do. Yet the exigencies of the moment made me also consider other options. I had to raise Utility right now to improve my Defense rating and with this I could raise it far higher. Yet under Sylax the most important thing keeping me alive to do science was my manufacturing potential.

I was coming to realize that I always had to be prepared to be strong in a host of ways. My ability to do SCIENCE wasn't just a matter of how many labs I could build, but depended on how well I could defend them. I selected Universal and then proceeded to upgrade my Defense.

Upgrade Options

Defense

Powered

Your gain a small bonus to all powers granted to troops. This not only makes their powers stronger, but allows them to be used more frequently.

Equipped

You gain a small bonus to all equipment utilized by your forces. This improves the defensive value of all armor as well as the offensive value of all weaponry.

This one was more complicated. With my research focus I'd already gained a lot of new powers from captured foes and had options there. Time would provide me more. It was obvious that the Scholars as a whole had once chosen this sort of path. While they made use of technology, their focus was on abilities gained from crystals.

I could contrast that with the Righteous who actively suppressed crystal powers and whose airships and gear were top of the line. They were undoubtedly strong, although to date the Scholars had seemed stronger.

I had to go with that observation. I selected Powered.

With this I could double my defensive strength. With enough clones I could perhaps keep Wolf at bay until I figured out a way forward.

And I had help now.

Anna's healing factor didn't act anywhere near as quickly as Ophelia's. Still, once I had her placed into a Medbay it only took a day for her to regain consciousness.

"I don't recommend being burned alive. I also don't recommend being mind-controlled by slime," Anna said, sitting up with a grimace.

"Hot for once in your sad, pathetic, little life and you don't even appreciate the experience. How predictably grim," I said.

"That's me. What is the situation?" Anna asked.

I explained all that had happened during her disappearance.

"Fuck," Anna said, displaying the eloquence I expected from her. "And Sylax is...?"

"Still unconscious. So is Crystal. While I’m not surprised your dull wits can't see it, I expect there is a connection," I said.

"That only makes sense. Wolf didn't accept Ophelia yielding when he could have. He isn't going to settle for us just bending the knee either," Anna said.

"I wouldn't recommend it anyways. He shares more of Sylax's negatives than we'd have expected."

"It’s the power. The more of it someone gets, the more chance for their mind to become twisted. If he winds up taking the city for himself, his madness will get a lot worse," Anna said.

My mind felt fine for all the power that I'd taken. I was obviously superior to humans. No one could expect me to react the same way.

I said, "I don't have the forces to challenge him directly. I'd hoped to use Sylax, but if she’s out of contention I don't know what else we can do. If necessary we can transfer my core back to the Powerhungry and try to get the ship operational."

Anna shook her head sharply. "That ship is covered in slime. Even if we needed to retreat that wouldn't be an option. It would have to be the Graven."

Logical. However, it was such a tiny ship and I didn't relish the thought.

"You want to stay in that ship long-term? Bit like an elephant wanting to hide in a mouse hole," I said.

"I don't want to retreat. I want to bust some heads. You know the current situation best, Emma. What do you want to do right now?"

That wasn't hard. Most of the crew was back together now. I'd rescued Mechos, Anna, Hot Stuff and even a newcomer like Tara. There was one of my old division heads still in captivity however.

"Rescue Ratticus," I said.

"Then get me some armor, a gun, and a team, and let’s break some skulls" Anna said.

It was good to have her back.

127

Despite Crystal being unconscious her district hadn't actually been conquered. Jade remained under my compulsion, so our alliance right now stood at three members. We didn't have the numbers and with Sylax returned it may be moot anyways. But I still wanted to take away any support I could from Wolf.

If we were going to be invading Zora's district this was a chance to try. Zora's district was one of gleaming steel and glass, well-dressed figures in suits and shades walking along perfectly ordered boulevards.

We were going to do the hit from the Graven. Without teleportation between the districts the dimensional drive remained my best option to strike fast. We were going full strength for this, Anna was in armor, along with a collection of heavy combat drones equipped with a variety of powers. Hot Stuff was providing further offensive support and I had brought Mechos along for his technical expertise.

I'd pinpointed Ratticus' presence by a disruption of the local electrical grid. It seemed that Zora hadn’t managed to extract or duplicate his powers.

With a short range dimensional jump I brought the Graven in over the top the building where he was imprisoned. We came in low, the dimensional wash sending a shimmer of color through the streets.

Hot Stuff was the first out, igniting halfway to the roof. When she landed her temperatures were already so extreme she melted clear through the structure. Anna and the assault team followed her in.

We were already taking fire. Gauss Cannons that magnetically propelled rounds at high velocities. I had a few telekinetics aboard, although if I'd known this would be the defenses I'd have brought Jade.

My people were able to stop the rounds, but it was quickly consuming their power. They wouldn't be able to keep the ship safe for long and once our shields were gone those rounds would chew through the Graven's light armor.

I took two cannon emplacements out with the Graven's main guns.

It made sense that Zora had wanted Ratticus. If this was her preferred method of weaponry and she could manage to duplicate his power, he would do a lot to enhance the destructive potential of cannons like these.

Hot Stuff was being swarmed by heavily armored guards. Their armor must have been heat resistant. They were standing their ground long enough to fire their guns and when she drew close, one even managed to land a punch on her jaw, for all that his arm melted off afterward.

Hot Stuff spat out blood. "My desire to burn this whole place to the ground just went up."

"You always want to burn everything to the ground," Anna said, as she sprayed a guard's helmet with a blast of acid, ducked beneath his swing at her and shoved the butt of her weapon into his visor. Weakened by the acid it exploded inward and he staggered back.

"Usually," Hot Stuff agreed, and threw a fireball down the hall to scatter a crew of scientists working to assemble some sort of turret.

"Focus," I said through the comms. "Three doors down. Do try not to burn him alive."

"Some guys like that kind of thing," Hot Stuff said, as she made her way to the door and put a blazing fist into a security panel, then burned her way through.

The door had a thick layer of mesh built into it. I didn't have a science drone along, but I'd have to guess that it was highly conductive. They were holding Ratticus in a Faraday cage to help neutralize his abilities.

It was smart of Zora, smarter than I liked.

Hot Stuff finished melting through the door and stepped back.

Ratticus was inside and floating in a tube of bubbling fluid, a number of tubes extending into his flesh.

"Are we all right to break him out of this?" Anna asked.

I was detecting Wolf airships closing on the Graven’s position and several flying platforms holding Gauss cannons approaching too. Our welcome was quickly being worn out.

"Given your lack of any skill other than mindless destruction, I don't think we have a choice," I said.

Anna shrugged and gave the glass a blast of her acid gun. The material sizzled and bubbled before the tank exploded, with Ratticus rolling out amid of a spray of glass shards.

With her boosted strength Anna had no problem flinging him over one shoulder, gripping the gun in her other hand.

"We going for her core or getting out of here?" Anna asked.

That was a good question. If her core was close it could still be worth the risk of going for it. But where was it?

Given how built up and staffed Zora's district was it made the task easier. We'd already set off a lot of alarms and they were mostly transmitting in one direction, towards a communications hub in a tower on the perimeter of the district’s central plaza.

"Pull back," I said. A small force like this wasn't going to get there on foot.

Hot Stuff moved to lead the way out and was blocked by a defense robot. Giant tanks adorned its back, frost coating them. The air around it was massively colder than the room.

Hot Stuff threw a blast of fire and the robot raised a gauntleted fist to spray a stream of super-cooled gases that neutralized it.

"About damn time," Hot Stuff said, rolling her shoulders. "I've been looking for a good fight."

Hot Stuff was stronger, I could tell that. It would waste time, her going toe-to-toe with it—time that we didn't have.

One of the team’s telekinetics used their ability to wrench the hoses out of the tanks as one of the electrokinetics blasted the robot’s electrical system.

It staggered backwards twitching madly and collapsed to the ground.

"Okay, maybe you haven't figured this out yet, but I'm a girl that really likes her climaxes and that was anti-climatic as fuck," Hot Stuff said.

"Save it for the Wolf," Anna said.

Hot Stuff seemed mollified for the moment, reducing the robot to a pool of molten metal as she stepped through its remains.

128

The team managed to get back to the Graven before any attack overwhelmed us and I jumped the ship back to safety. As triumphs went, it barely qualified.

It was also a mixed success, because even as we were accomplishing the mission Tara vanished. I had the logs clearly documenting what happened. At one moment she was secure in her quarters and the next she was gone with no traces of teleportation or invisibility.

There had been a dimensional shift. Given she had been stuck in black and white I'd been monitoring her condition extra-closely. I didn't have much doubt that Flicker had gotten a hold of her again.

Tara knew that we'd rescued Sylax, something that still wasn't public knowledge. If Wolf learned of it, I didn't doubt he'd throw everything he had to take me down. I'd become his first priority. Which meant getting Tara back was mine.

Going after Flicker again wouldn't just be a rescue mission. Crystal remained comatose and Sylax too. It had only happened after Flicker's assault on her district and I had to think it was related.

Last time the Graven had appeared in Flicker's skies she'd been prepared for an aerial assault and forced our withdrawal. Now she'd had even more time to prepare. We needed a surprise. I thought I had one.

The teleportation that rimmed the city was largely used to transport troops away or bodies back from the battlefield. Technically they were under the control of the city head, but with Mechos' ability to interface with the city’s technology he could seize control and we might use a portal to get into the very heart of Flicker's district.

I'd called together Mechos, Anna, Hot Stuff, and Jade to discuss the plan.

I'd decided that Hot Stuff and Jade should use the portal with a number of fire drones and several of Jade's lieutenants. I didn't know if either of them could capture her core—that would be a great advantage—but I was more aiming to use our strongest hitters. Put together, they could inflict massive damage in a short period of time.

"I like it," Jade said.

"Burning stuff is fun," Hot Stuff agreed.

That was two who agreed, at least.

"Are you sure you'll be able to get them out?" Anna asked.

"Once connected, the portal will hold steady for two-way transit. They can walk back through," Mechos said.

That was a bit of a concern. If they could come back, then Flicker could also return through it. I was already building a number of fixed gun emplacements focused on the portal and setting up a drone perimeter.

"Are you certain you'll be able to fix what is wrong with Tara, if we do manage to rescue her?" Mechos asked.

That was a whole other question. I'd loaded Crystal and Sylax onto the Graven and stocked the vessel with a dozen of my science probes. Once the ground team had created a distraction we could jump the Graven in. Anna could rescue Tara and I could hopefully figure out what was wrong with her and Crystal, before we had to jump out.

"There are no guarantees in SCIENCE, only the boundless challenge of the unknown. Still, I am a genius," I said.

Looks were exchanged, but nobody had poor judgment enough to challenge me.

With the plan worked out it was time to execute.

* * *

Mechos reached out to rest a hand on one of the teleportation portals. They had been dead since Sylax's capture. Veins of red circuitry extended outward from his touch through polished grey metal and with a flare the portal came to life.

Hot Stuff and my fire drones led the way followed by Jade and her lieutenants.

It was a bit like a bomb going off. Jade roared as green energy pulsed around her and an entire block of buildings rose into the sky before crashing to earth and shattering into rubble—flaming rubble, as Hot Stuff was not to be outdone.

The sky was filled with blobs of tangled wire that left their defensive positions to streak towards the invaders.

As distractions went they were all I could have hoped for and more. Seizing the core would be ideal, but it wasn't actually the plan for the day.

I engaged the dimensional drive and brought the Graven in. Using my awareness from my drones on the ground I was able to pick an empty part of the sky where the defenses were weak. As soon as we materialized I unleashed the science drones to fill the air around us.

Now that I had so many drones here I was getting a read on Tara's location. I pinged it on a map for Anna, who nodded curtly and blinked out of existence.

Anna's ability to teleport short distances was pricey to use, but for something like a rescue operation it could so much more powerful compared to just shooting our way in.

We had to spend minutes in the sky. We were largely unmolested. While the occasional defensive blob of string drifted into range of my lasers, for the most part they were furiously trying to kill the ground forces.

It was enough. Anna materialized with the still monochrome Tara.

What had happened to her and Crystal were variations of the same thing. They'd both been rendered out of phase with our own reality—not as much as Flicker herself—and each in a way that obviously affected them differently.

A variation in the dimensional drive bubble could resynchronize each individually, but the computations were frightfully complex. We had to hang around for an additional thirty-six seconds.

I signaled the ground forces to withdraw and engaged the jump engines.

Reality warped and twisted around us once, twice, thrice in waves of rainbow power. The first time returned color to Tara's flesh. The second caused both Crystal and Sylax to awaken with a gasp.

The third took us home.

129

It was an odd celebration that took place after the rescue mission. All of my old crew were there, and Crystal and Sylax as well. Plus we had the other refugees of various sorts, Magpie and her people, and the Gobbles who somehow had grown to over three dozen in number and perched themselves on top of every surface to swat at anyone who passed. They and Sylax might have shared a personality.

Moods seemed more elevated than I might have expected and there was genuine good will in the air. Sylax wasn't always awful. Although the woman enjoyed the suffering of others, it seemed she also enjoyed a good glass of synthesized wine and dancing with Mechos.

Several of the clones decided to attend the celebration and Annas were everywhere. It wasn't hard to pick the real one, the clones were dressed in form-fitting armor plating in red and black. Anna had me replicate one of her gowns.

It was a bit of a game to see just how Sylax would respond. It didn't take long for her to saunter over and look Anna up and down.

"You're overdressed, pet. I'll allow it," Sylax said.

"I think we're past doing that. You do too or you'd have torn this party apart," Anna said.

Sylax smiled at that. "True. Although I haven't quite figured out if I truly think saving me balances the scales for our past."

I took over one of the Anna clones so that I could join the conversation myself. "You were trying to kill us at the time."

"Did you have to make them look like me?" Anna said.

"Few things are as intimidating in battle as a horde of grotesque monstrosities rushing towards you," I said.

Sylax laughed. "Perhaps it is more fun to have you two together, and there are no shortages of others we must harm."

Sylax made a gesture and Crystal approached from the crowd as if summoned, which she probably was.

"Nice party," Crystal said.

"Compliment their hospitality later. Emma was loyal to you? Loyal to the cause of rescuing me?" Sylax asked.

"Risked everything for it, although I think she was more interested in rescuing Anna than you," Crystal said.

"Understandable," Sylax said, and sipped at her wine before setting the glass aside. "Fine. We work with this group going forward. I always knew the Wolf was just waiting for his moment. Still, I had not expected him to be so bold or effective."

"My district is really in ruins?" Crystal asked.

I brought up a display for her and she looked over the screen.

"You can rebuild," Anna said.

"Of course I can. But my final defenses were strong," Crystal said.

"Mine were even stronger," Sylax said. "The Wolf has gained a lot of power quickly. It is important to figure out how."

"He unlocked his old form," Crystal said.

"He has also spread the pyrokinetic upgrade to his forces without going through the typical means," I said.

"You can do something like that," Sylax said, with a pointed look towards the clone.

"And obviously I didn't," I said.

"He somehow acquired his own upgrade core. He must have," Crystal said.

"One that would allow this degree of power so quickly? Unlikely. You know how long it took you," Sylax said.

"He might have a core that allows him to mirror powers," Anna said.

"Perhaps. If my power were mirrored, it might have allowed him to unlock his old potential. Then he could have mirrored someone like Emma's to acquire new powers," Crystal said, thoughtfully.

It was a disturbing idea. I hadn't encountered anything like the mirroring cores that they described. It seemed the sort of power that could be relatively useless in many situations, but carefully applied could be powerful indeed. Crystal's abilities with her upgrade core were far different than mine and both of ours different from Mechos. Mine focused upon research, testing, and then genetic sequencing. Crystal's seemed to focus on transformation of her subjects, and especially some degree of animal hybridization. Mechos on the other hand, before he'd lost his core, was all about imbuing abilities in people by way of specialized implants.

Individually our techniques all had their strengths and their weaknesses, but if one were able to pick and choose between them at will, it might be possible to make creations more powerful than any of us individually.

"If he is, is there anything we can do to fight him?" I asked.

"Kill him quickly. If he is using a power like that intelligently, then he is only going to keep getting stronger," Sylax said.

"Your solution is always to kill things quickly," Anna said.

"Actually I usually prefer to let them suffer," Sylax said.

"That much is true," Crystal said.

As if we needed reminding, there were few secrets about who and what Sylax was.

Crystal tilted her head. "Before we do that, we need to retake my district. I've been trying to reestablish the connection. Your visual helped. I appear to have a timer running for having abandoned my district. I have six hours to reestablish dominance of my core or I yield to Flicker."

That was interesting. You would think that running away from a district would be an automatic default, but instead it created a timer. Crystal's withdrawal had actually saved her from compulsion.

It was a useful tidbit to remember. Trying to take someone down, I needed to make sure I could defeat them, not allow them to flee.

"That won't be a problem. Now that I'm awake I'm looking to stretch my muscles," Sylax said.

"We just can't have a proper party," Anna said.

"Oh pet. It's not a proper party unless somebody gets skinned. Just be delighted it won't be you, this time," Sylax said.

"You really do have the worst taste in party games," Anna said.

"You have no idea," Crystal said.

130

Clearing Crystal's timer was simplicity itself. Several golems—strangely twisted masses of copper wire—had been left to guard the core. I jumped the Graven into the skies above and dropped off Sylax and Crystal.

Sylax didn't even need a weapon. She tore the golems apart with her bare hands and with a look of glee on her face.

I picked up incoming dimensional drive signatures. There was no way those were friendly. I didn't even have time to issue a warning to those below before I was jumping the Graven out. They would figure things out. The Graven wasn't prepared to go head-to-head with a fleet.

Wolf airships—my long range sensors picked them up. They couldn't plan a jump that close on the fly like I could, but give them time and they could manage the same trick. They'd known exactly where Crystal's core was and were waiting for their moment.

Energy weapons lanced out and turned the ground molten. Sylax could survive that sort of fire, I'd done worse to her, but I wasn't certain about Crystal.

When the maelstrom of energy faded it revealed Sylax shielding Crystal with her body, and both women appeared fine.

Tremors shook the ground and crystalline towers erupted from the rubble. Crystal was starting to regrow her district, far faster than I'd have been able to build my own facilities.

The Wolf airships were dropping shuttles. Firewolves would be on the way. Worse yet, I was picking up signs of reinforcement from the other districts. There was a dimensional attenuation from Flicker's district pointed this way, giant combat mecha were rising from Crash's area, and a swarm of Pterodactyls was rising from the Professor's.

Wolf must have seen Sylax and knew she was back. Obviously he’d decided to throw everything at her while she wouldn't have much support.

What he hadn't taken into account was that he was still facing the true mistress of this city. I detected a surge of power on the perimeter of my district. The teleportation portals were coming online. I detected the same surge in Jade's district, but none of the others.

An invitation to the party.

I had to figure out how to handle that invitation. Did I think Wolf and his allies capable of taking out Sylax? It might be in my best interest to allow this to play out. With their forces weakened in taking her out, and Jade under my control, the city would be mine for the taking.

I knew how invincible Sylax seemed. I'd done my best to kill her in the past and failed, and I couldn't be sure Wolf and his allies were strong enough. If they were and he did have some sort of Mirror core, he remained a long-term danger and might have surprising abilities yet to show.

It was tempting, but I had to trust in the plans already laid. I began equipping my clone army and ordered them to the portals, and sent a command for Jade to join the fray.

Wolf's airships had nearly touched down when the newly formed crystal towers exploded. Shards of crystal sent shuttles tumbling and crashing along the ground. Where the towers had stood forces were tumbling out. Satyrs, minotaurs, and harpies. Hybrids of all sorts in many bewildering forms.

Crystal wasn't regrowing her city, she was unleashing an army.

I wish she'd chosen to unleash a few more dragons. The enemy airpower was a problem, although Jade and her people would provide some impressive air defenses.

I sent my first drones through the portals and they materialized in the center of Crystal's district near Sylax and Crystal herself. Jade stepped out of another shimmering portal of energy flanked by her lieutenants.

Anna was slipping into her battle armor.

"Are you sure you want to come to her aid? While I realize being her pet and peeing on her floor comes naturally, I'm still surprised," I asked.

"We work with the team we have. Just don't lose sight of the endgame, Emma. You see more clearly than any of us. If it looks like there is a real chance of taking the bitch out, take the shot," Anna said.

Pragmatism, I could work with pragmatism.

In Crystal's district the Firewolves had survived the crashing of their shuttles and were now forming a line. James Wolf was there among them. Behind them were wire golems, hundreds of them with parts occasionally flickering out of existence. Still further back were ranks of mecha, and pterodactyls and airships flew overhead.

They surrounded the defenders on all sides, although we still had reinforcements arriving into the center through the portals. Crystal's misshapen army of hybrids, my perfect lines of clones, and Jade with her leather-wearing band all of whom were surrounded by a green glow as dragons flew overhead.

I hadn't expected this attack to turn into a final battle. This was supposed to be a quick prelude before deciding on how to launch an attack on Wolf, but it seemed Wolf had picked the battlefield beforehand.

That didn't seem to our advantage, and yet it was also an act of desperation.

Sylax stepped forward. "Stand down, Wolf, and I'll allow your people to live. I might even allow what is left of you to return to service, eventually."

Wolf stepped out from his own line. That was bold of him given Sylax’s power. "Emma, Jade, this isn't your fight. Once I put these two down you can still have a place here. I've seen how useful you are and I treat my pack well."

I remembered how he treated his enemies. I remembered what he and his pack had done to Sylax's captured peasants. I could never trust him any more than I'd ever be able to truly trust Sylax.

I didn't even get to speak my insulting reply, because Sylax was already surging forward. The army followed her and the battle was on.

131

Sylax approached Wolf at a run, a punch thrown at his abdomen missing as he vaulted over her and his flesh began to ripple. He had some sort of adaptive armor that grew as he did—the man really had found a way to unleash his own beast. In his Werewolf form he was larger than any of the others in his pack.

I couldn't focus on that fight, I had my own to deal with. Each of the clones had their own intelligence, their own personality. Despite that they might look identical, they weren't any sort of mindless copies. That said, they also all lacked my computing power to analyze threats, target weak spots, and coordinate attacks.

I wasn't seeing this battle through a single pair of eyes, but through hundreds of them all working to inflict as much damage as possible, and to keep core assets such as Anna, Hot Stuff, and the others alive.

It didn't always lead to a linear fight. It meant hopping into one drone to shift the aim of a rifle just enough so that instead of targeting the head of the Firewolf coming at them, the shot went over their shoulder to hit the power regulator of the mech behind.

The drone died beneath the set of claws, but the resulting explosion neutralized four enemies that otherwise would have survived. I had to always be alert to those opportunities, aware, and step in where needed.

Jade brought an airship down, the entire thing enveloped in a green glow as she plowed it into the ground in the middle of Crash's mechs. I admired her strength, but I'd have preferred she thrown it into another airship.

We were too strong for the battle to be one-sided, but too outnumbered for it to be fair and there wasn't an enemy type that was easy to face. If they got close, my drones were no match for the Firewolves. The combination of heat and claws shredded armor. My temperature-resistant acid mixture that could put them down long enough to actually kill them required a lot of effort. Flicker's golems were simply odd and any efforts I made to predict their motions was proving inaccurate.

The expected way for the battle to proceed was for us to be overwhelmed at first, but as our most powerful members triumphed, for us to gain ground later. So far it wasn't happening, most alarmingly Wolf was holding his own against Sylax.

Considering her past performances I'd expected a single blow from her to rip out his spine. Instead it simply sent him sailing through the air to come charging back moments later to tear into her with fang and claw. More alarming yet, those fangs and claws were connecting and she was bloodied.

I opened a comm line to Anna. "While I realize you are busy being ineffectual in your efforts to destroy golems, perhaps you might pay some attention to the main fight."

Anna plunged an armored first into the chest of a golem, wrenching out a strand of cable that caused the entire mass to unravel into a pool of wire. It was the third one she'd taken out that way. I'd never tell her this, but I was rather impressed. My drones weren't performing nearly as well.

"I told you to take her out, if you got the chance," Anna said.

She had, and in a general sense I approved of the plan. What I didn't approve of was how strong Wolf was. The more I analyzed the fight, I didn't think he was just holding his own, he was winning.

I'd kept our heaviest hitters back at base to play defense. I wasn't sure if I still had that luxury. This time I opened a line to Hot Stuff.

"Want a chance to take a swing at Wolf?" I asked.

"You know I do," Hot Stuff said.

"Portal D7."

Wolf and Sylax were moving all around the battlefield, but unlike with the golems my predictive algorithms were working just fine.

Hot Stuff appeared right on cue, the portal bringing her to just behind where Wolf stood after he had sent Sylax staggering back a few steps with a swipe of claws across her face. Hot Stuff's aura blazed and she flung herself at his back, wrapping her arms around him.

The air was already filled with the stench of burning flesh—although that was mostly from my drones. Hot Stuff could melt her way through the thickest armor plating, but Wolf wasn't dissolving into a puddle of steam and he slammed his head backwards to crash into Hot Stuff's face. It shattered her nose, blood spraying, and she stumbled backwards releasing her grip. In an instant he was on her, claws digging into her abdomen before he bodily lifted her and flung her into a cluster of my drones.

They didn't fare as well. They were instantly vaporized with only a few wisps of smoke to mark their passage.

Hot Stuff would survive, the wound might have been a fatal one for most, but I had upgraded her with accelerated healing in the past. Still, it would take her time to recover. As long as I could get her clear of the battlefield she'd survive.

I upgraded a nearby drone with temperature resistance and had them carry her through the nearest portal.

Sylax was still down, but Wolf wasn't pressing the attack. He was moving towards Crystal. She transformed into a crystalline spider just before he arrived. That didn't deter him. A clawed hand reached out and ripped one of the spider's legs from its body before tearing free a second moments later.

Crytal wasn't yielding, but then she didn't have to. By the fourth leg she passed out and he threw her limp body to the ground. There was a shimmer in the air.

"Destroy them" Wolf roared, and now the hybrids joined in against our forces. Crystal had fallen and her forces were now his.

"Get your people clear," Sylax said, as she staggered back to her feet and began marching towards Wolf.

She was going to buy us some time, and we needed it. I signaled all forces.

Full retreat.

132

It was a rout, but at least for my forces it was an orderly one. My drones weren't exactly disposable, not truly. While I could regrow any one of them in time with their mind and memories intact, it would take time and resources. I had to sacrifice many to hold the line while others withdrew, covering the retreat for my people, and for Jade and hers as well.

I signaled Sylax when the retreat was finalized but she didn't join us. Perhaps she had other plans or maybe she made the decision to go down fighting. It didn't matter, not at the moment.

A bold move that had seemed such a promising step towards victory had now ended in ruin. If Wolf had gained the ability to take on Sylax and win, then the day was already effectively lost. I didn't have the power to stand up against that.

But what had happened?

Anna was headed for the Medbay. As soon as she arrived I opened a conference call with her and Mechos, "We need to discuss what just happened."

"Sylax remains alive and in control of city systems," Mechos said.

That was something I hadn't been able to confirm myself. It meant Wolf's control wasn't total. Sylax had the ability to teleport and must have made her own retreat to somewhere secure.

"Wolf shouldn't be that strong. He wasn't before," Anna said.

That I agreed with. I had an idea as to why. If he did possess some sort of Mirror core, then he had at different times mirrored powers. By mirroring Crystal's he'd helped to unlock his hybridization which had been kept away from him, mine had given him the ability to capture the Powered and research them—which was how he'd gotten Hot Stuff's power. Neither would explain his newfound punch.

"Sylax must have had a crystal," I said.

It was the only thing that made sense, the only reason he could have become so powerful. While I could imbue people with powers, they were usually weaker than that of the original crystal holder. It was the same for any lieutenants of a crystal holder. Sylax had always been something of an anomaly in being so incredibly strong.

"That makes sense. It was why she was so strong," Mechos said.

His ability to state the painfully obvious hadn't waned.

"We even know what it was. Some sort of amplifier of other abilities. It allowed her to magnify the effects of the powers that Crystal gave her, and when Wolf mirrored it that allowed him to magnify his own," Anna said.

That was logical. Anna was always at her best when it came to figuring out how to take a foe down.

I tracked the movement of ships. Wolf was positioning his airships and the supporting armies were moving on. They were headed for Jade's district.

I could see how this was playing out. With Crystal down they were going to now subdue the last elements of resistance in the city. Jade would be next, then me.

I turned all production towards explosives and began repairs of the Graven. I wasn't going down without a bang, and ideally wouldn't need to go down at all.

I could transfer my core to the ship, if needed. I'd survived with an airship as a host before, I could do it again.

"Can he mirror more than one ability at a time?" I asked.

"There have been limited studies on Mirror cores. They are fairly uncommon. Given this one is allowing him to fully replicate the power in question, I'm guessing no," Anna said.

That made sense, my ability let me replicate a wide variety of powers, but weaker than any of the original cores.

"Then he's trapped. He is now mirroring a power too strong for him to want to give it up," Mechos said.

Stuck being overwhelmingly powerful. As advantages for our side went, it wasn't much of one.

I said, "Right now he is moving on Jade's district. She’s powerful, but no match for what is coming and even those of your limited mental faculties can deduce he is headed here next. Of course, we’re having this conversation despite the highly unlikely event either of you can think of a solution that I can't."

"There are the Righteous and their dampening powers. While it wouldn't completely cancel out the ability, it might be enough to give Sylax the edge," Mechos said.

That was a possibility. We had rescued Tara, an unwitting source of the goop that dampened powered effects—when she was temporarily dead.

"We could also kill the host of the original power. Kill Sylax and her power is no longer there to be mirrored," Anna said.

An intriguing possibility, all the more so as it would allow me to claim the amplification crystal for myself.

"Even if that daunting task were possible, it still leaves us facing an overwhelming force. Any better ideas?" I said.

"Can one of your containment cells hold him?" Anna asked.

I'd been trying to figure that out myself. I had upgraded them to make the cells even more secure, but Wolf like Sylax was now breaking all the rules. The sheer level of Powered he was exhibiting was well beyond anything I'd encountered.

My containment cells weren't absolutes. Hot Stuff once managed to escape from one, and Runner pushed them to the limits. The stronger the Powered individual, the more I had to work to contain them.

"Much like your clothing, I think containment against such overwhelming force might be a bit much to hope for," I said.

I issued Jade her instructions. Under my compulsion she couldn't help but to obey. I got Jade to set her defensive strategy, focusing on neutralizing neutralize those airships. Anything flying was a risk to the Graven and it appeared our escape was going to be necessary.

133

It took less than six hours for Jade's final defenders to fall. Just before they did I ordered her to evacuate by way of the maintenance tunnels and make her way to my district. That would initiate the timer on her district, instead of a defeat which would have put her under Wolf's compulsion at once.

That was two big battles, one right after the other, and instead of coming for me afterward the enemy took some time to regroup. That was good, I needed every moment I could get to prepare.

The Graven was far smaller than the Powerhungry had been. If I wanted to evacuate all my people I had to get creative. There was no way I'd be able to take all my drones for example, there wasn't room.

The ship originally once served as a pirate vessel and the cargo hold was reasonably sized. With a bit of conversion it would do to house the refugees, leaving the original cabins for my team.

There were a fair number of modifications I needed to make to the ship. I had a biological component as a primary part of my current design, but the ship didn’t. Replacing the engine core with a bio-reactor was risky in the time we had, but I felt that the added weapon power and shields that an increased output would allow was worth it.

The conversion finished, I was ready to test.

Tragedy struck. I'd no more than gotten the Graven off the ground for the test flight when the air around it began to bend and twist with dimensional warping. Nothing had prepared me for the attack and before I could even engage the dimensional drive to get away, the ship was falling to the ground and smashing into pieces.

I lost three drones in the crash. If my core and everyone else had been aboard, that would have destroyed us—it was meant to destroy us.

Wolf had been a step ahead, again. Flicker must have been responsible, it certainly fit her power set.

It was a terrible setback. I didn't see what choice I had now except to get the others away without me. We'd overridden the teleportation portals before to our advantage, we could do it again to get them away. It wouldn't save me, but I didn't see a way to accomplish that now. I called everyone together to give them the news.

* * *

"Absolutely not," Anna said.

"Agreed," Tara said, not to be outdone.

"You came for us. We will not abandon you," Mechos said.

The humans were as poor at reasoning as I'd come to expect. This sentimentality didn't do any of them any good.

"While I appreciate your plethora of empty feel-good platitudes there isn't another way," I said.

"We could get the Powerhungry back. We know where it is," Anna said.

"You don't know how hard it was to get you out. That slime is everywhere and the ship is falling apart," Hot Stuff said.

"Diplomacy. The ooze neutralized Sylax and could do the same to Wolf. We offer it a deal," Mechos said.

Mechos really was the smartest of them. The idea had some merit, it also had some obvious flaws.

"And convince it not to take this city for itself? We allow it through a gate, we're never getting rid of it. Do try to think with something other than your birdfeeder," I said.

"Did you just crack a dick joke?" Anna asked.

"I get lowbrow when facing my near-term extermination. On the plus side, you actually got a joke," I said.

Hot Stuff said, "We hit Wolf’s district with everything we have. If we blow the hell out of it, don't we snap those he has compelled back to good sense?"

"Only if we defeat him. If we could defeat him, we wouldn't be having this problem," I said.

"We steal one of his airships. We've done it before," Mechos said.

Again with the nearly good ideas. We had originally stolen the Powerhungry right out from Sylax.

"We were able to teleport to the command deck then, and even so we got lucky. I rate that as the best of all the poor options so far, but the truly best remains for all of you mindless monkeys with poor survival instincts to get to safety," I said.

"I could call the Righteous and we could take the city. To neutralize a threat such as both Wolf and Sylax pose, they would come in force. They would not allow Emma to keep it, or her district, but they would see to her survival. We are allies," Tara said.

We were allies in the sense that I'd taken almost every opportunity I could to kill them, and they'd done the same with me. Following that, we decided on a more businesslike relationship and so far Tara had been as good as her word. But I still didn't trust them.

"Intriguing, but I don't trust you," Anna said.

Anna did have reliable instincts.

"There really is no other way," I said. “Leave.”

"You aren't in charge, Emma. I'm the Queen and always have been, and you'll do what I say. You aren't dying today. This is what we do. Mechos, I'll need targeted portals to the Wolf district. Emma, we're going to be bombing the hell out of it. We aren't going to invade, but I want them to think we are," Anna said.

That had always been our agreement. It wasn't an arrangement I'd choose to die for, but it was one I could try to live for.

I could also appreciate subterfuge. We weren't very good at it, but with the explosives I'd been constructing I could make one monumental distraction.

"I can do that. If we move bombs to each of our portals I can make the destruction wide-spread," Mechos said.

"Good. Then I'm also going to need one of those airships. We're going to steal Emma a new home," Anna said.

Mechos nodded. I didn't think he'd be able to target them precisely enough, but I could.

We had a plan, for all that it was a bad one.

134

My bomb construction had come a long way since I'd first made them. Not only were my bio-energy cores more powerful, my bio-armor made them far more durable. Each was now surrounded in an armored shell that helped to contribute to the initial reaction due to the bio-matter used in their manufacture.

They would not come anywhere near the detonation of my original complex. Unless I was feeling suicidal that much bio-matter would not be consumed. Still, the explosive yield should be impressive.

I had my drones funnel one to most of the portals lining the district. Mechos was already busy taking them over, walking from one to the next and resting his hands on the surface until they glowed as red as the circuitry beneath his flesh.

If Sylax had bothered to make an appearance she could have ordered them to do what we wished, but apparently she was still in hiding after the drubbing Wolf had given her.

One portal was reserved for the strike team targeting an airship. Anna, Hot Stuff, Mechos, Ratticus, Tara, and Magpie had all gathered along with a hover-sled full of supplies. Portable turrets, and a bio-computer based on my central core’s design to interface and take over the system. If all went to plan, it would be able to connect with their systems and allow me to transfer over.

Mechos was almost to the final portal when I began to detect anomalies in the city systems. The first local portal shifted from a red glow to a shimmering field of gold. It was no more than established when Firewolves began to pour out.

The second portal shifted to gold and mechs began to emerge.

A third went. They were falling faster than when Mechos had done it. It must be Crash, his ability to manipulate and control systems coming to the fore.

Anna and her team weren't aware. The portals lined the edge of the city and theirs was the farthest in the circuit. It would be the last corrupted.

Mechos knew, of course, with his interface with the city. I opened a comm channel to him.

"I can try to stop them, but I have to make physical contact with the portals," Mechos said breathlessly.

"You are unusually intelligent among humans for your ability to do basic mathematical functions. You know as well as I do there isn't time. Get to the last portal and open it to the coordinates I'm sending you," I said.

"Where is this?" Mechos asked, already starting to run. A fourth portal fell to the enemy. He didn't have much time.

"Away. Step through after them and close it after you," I said.

I almost expected him to argue. Not today.

"Good luck, Emma," Mechos said.

The Firewolves might be stronger individually, but I still had the greatest ground army in this city. I wasn't sending them out, I was moving them to the most hardened structures in the city core.

By the time Mechos reached the last portal he was barely ahead of the wave. It was enough, the portal shimmered red and Anna led through the forces through. Mechos followed in their wake and the portal turned dark after them. Then gold.

That was what I was waiting for.

The newest wave of enemy reinforcements came through. I detonated my bombs.

In an instant I lost most of my district. Buildings were reduced to rubble and ruin, and any maintenance staff remaining was killed.

My district wasn't the only one on fire. Across the city the explosive force had gone through the portals to the other side and blasted into enemy staging areas.

Even a few buildings in the Central District collapsed, but enough survived. I released my drones. There was nothing to fight, not yet.

Firewolves were made tough, but not so tough as to survive my bombs—there was no regenerating from being atomized.

The same was not true of the force that come through one of the portals.

Ophelia and her people, of course.

"I always knew you were one crazy-ass bitch, Emma, but holy fuck you suck," Ophelia said.

I answered with having one of my drones shooting her head off from long range with a sniper rifle. It shut her up for a good ten seconds while she grew a new one.

"I don't have a choice here. None of us have a choice here," Ophelia said.

It was true for the most part, it didn't mean I was going to go down without a fight.

Ophelia and her people were alone for half an hour, it took that long for new forces from Wolf's district to muster. Half an hour of me shooting them to pieces simply so they had to put themselves back together. They were never made to be offensive powerhouses. That stopped when fresh Firewolves arrived.

I'd expended my payload of bombs. My drones fought valiantly, but they were being overpowered.

Wolf even made an appearance. He'd had to change out of his usual armor for one that looked not nearly as well-fitting. He must have gotten caught in the blast, I took some satisfaction in that.

"Fighting to the end, Emma? I respect that, but know I'm not going to kill you. What you did here, this was good. Smart. Cruel. You'll make a valuable member of the pack," Wolf said.

I would. If I'd thought to save a bomb for my core I might have seen that I wouldn't join him, that I couldn't be compelled—but I hadn't.

I scanned my core for anything that might suffice and picked up an unexpected life-sign. It was one of the fatter Gobbles. I thought I'd gotten them all clear, that they were safe. I doubted Wolf would be as kind.

It had crawled on top of my core.

Transfer Option

A compatible biological matrix has been found for core transfer and an offer has been extended. Do you wish to initiate transfer?

I was compatible with a Gobble. Besides not even knowing such a thing was possible, I was a bit offended. I was even more desperate.

I confirmed and my world went black.

135

When I regained consciousness I was in a maintenance corridor—or more accurately was in a Gobble who was in a maintenance corridor. I tried to access my remote systems and couldn't, nor for that matter did I seem to have any direct control of my furry host.

I did retain my analytical functions though. That must be as a result of my power crystal, as I doubted that the Gobble had a brain complex enough to host me properly. I did have access to its senses and what I was detecting was alarming.

The temperature was forty percent higher than it should be and the air had toxicity levels enough to pose health issues even in the short-term. It must be from the bombs. I hadn't just destroyed the majority of my district. I'd wiped out a fair portion of the city.

Definitely the bombs.

The Gobble turned a corner and a portion of the tunnel was caved in. Above flames could be glimpsed. Amid the burning debris there was a system interface panel. I tried to reach out using my willpower, but to no effect.

The Gobble paused, its gaze focusing on the panel. Was it detecting my intentions? I focused on the panel again and tried to will it to interact.

From the Gobble's visual feed I saw a targeting interface appear and the panel blink.

I was not a tactical computer, although at the moment it seemed I was—more than anything else.

The Gobble advanced towards the panel and swatted at it with a paw. I got a flash of connection.

Physical touch. Mechos required it to be able to interface with the city systems. In some ways it made sense that I needed to do the same now.

It took several more attempts of me focusing my will on the Gobble for it to start to rub itself against the box, prolonging the contact long enough for me to actually accomplish something.

I accessed what remained of my surveillance network.

I wanted to find out what had happened to my core in my absence. It looked to be intact although the room had been breached. No one was there, but a notebook was set up with a number of wires running into my central processor.

That had to be Crash. Wolf must have ordered him to try to find out where I was, and to take control of me if he could. Good luck, I wasn't home. But I needed to keep this foray short, I wasn’t certain that I couldn't be backtracked into this host and discovered.

Staying here wasn't a plan, not really. Judging by what I'd seen with Crystal's core I had roughly seventy-two hours before my vacated district would register as officially conquered by Wolf and I'd fall to his compulsion. Jade had even less time.

Wolf could in theory seize the city now, but with several of the District Lords missing or in open rebellion that might cause him all sort of problems going forward. All he need do was wait three days and we would all be under compulsion anyway. He could summon us together and compel our oaths of loyalty, then claim the city with a unified force behind him.

Wolf wouldn't be nearly so dangerous if he weren't also patient. The man made for a vexing enemy.

My bombs might have killed some of the other District Lords. I didn't have any way to check that without prolonged time in the system. It didn't really change the math even if I had, it was still less than three days until Wolf's total victory and all that stood in his way was me in the body of one overweight and rather smelly Gobble.

It would have to be the Central Power core. Each district had its own power generation, and so did the Central City which Sylax controlled. It powered the city’s shields, the teleportation gates, and main defenses.

It would have more than enough power to destroy the city.

Wolf had to be stopped. Once I fell under his compulsion I'd tell him anything he asked of me, and I'd reveal where I had sent Anna and the others. He'd finish what he'd started.

These maintenance corridors weren't well mapped in any of the city systems. The main tunnels between the districts were marked, but there were countless sub-corridors that didn't show in any records. It was likely to prevent sabotage—just like I was planning.

That was fine, through the Gobble's eyes I could see the power conduits and flow regulators, and I could build a mental map of the city’s power flow.

I encouraged the Gobble to wander for several hours through the tunnel, as it was more than happy to do, and I began to build a framework I could use to identify what I needed. Then it was just a matter of feeding a few visual cues to the Gobble that made it think a rat was escaping through the necessary tunnels and we were giving chase in the direction I wanted to go.

Through the narrow winding corridors it was hours more travel, and we met a number of dead ends that required backing up and going around, but soon we were approaching the chamber that housed the main reactor.

There was firelight and voices ahead.

I urged the Gobble forward and through its eyes saw a cluster of familiar faces sitting around a fire made from the remains of several packing containers. Anna and Mechos, beside a hover-sled of goods.

All of the people who were supposed to be far away and very safe.

I could guess what had happened, it had to be Mechos. It could only be Mechos. With his awareness of the city system he'd know this place existed, and only he would have been able to feed its coordinates into the teleportation portal.

He hadn't wanted to abandon me, and in doing so had probably doomed everyone.

I needed a new plan.

136

"Oh hey. It's a Gobble," Anna said, catching sight of me.

"I’m surprised it got here through all the tunnels," Mechos said.

Yeah, that wasn't easy. I also needed some way to communicate with them. The Gobble didn't exactly have the necessary vocal chords.

With a bit of prodding I got my host to nuzzle a nearby comm panel with its face.

I said through the comms, "You were supposed to get to safety. While I suppose it could be argued to be evolution at work for all of you to have zero in the way of survival instincts."

"Defensive positions," Anna shouted, grabbing a rifle.

Right. They figured I'd been compelled.

"Please. If I'd set my mind to killing all of you, you'd hardly be a challenge. I managed my escape right before Wolf closed in. I'm in the Gobble," I said.

Anna considered that, her expression serious for only a moment before she laughed. "You've got to be fucking kidding me."

"A biological host? Can Emma do that?" Mechos asked.

"Why not, these days? It shouldn't have the potential to effectively hold her, but I've hosted her on a notebook before," Anna said.

"I don't have much in the way of control," I said.

"Problems of being hosted in something with its own sense of consciousness, however rudimentary," Mechos said, moving over to the Gobble to study it.

"Don't move me. I need physical contact for the systems link," I said.

Anna gave Mechos a look.

"On it," Mechos said, moving towards the hover-sled of supplies. "I should be able to rig up a wireless transmitter in a collar. Connect it to a systems interface here and you should have both access and mobility."

It was a good idea. I hadn't thought of it. Perhaps I was limited here in this host.

"I came to destabilize the core. Do you have a way out?" I asked.

"No teleportation portals down here. I was hoping we'd be able to use the command and control interfaces to help you in the fight, but everything happened too quickly," Mechos said.

"At this point we've got less than sixty-four hours before Wolf officially conquers my district and I fall under his compulsion. We need to get all of you out of here and I'll be certain to take him with me," I said.

Anna held up a hand. "That isn't happening, Emma. Work on your own survival-instinct and come up with a different plan."

That was turning the tables.

"We worked on different plans. None of them were satisfactory. Nothing has changed," I said.

"Sure it has. We're more desperate now. What is the best of the ones we have left?"

We were more desperate. However, without Wolf literally about to invade, we also had more time—and knew exactly how much.

"You can find Sylax," Magpie said, walking over to join the conversation. "I've even less love for the woman than any of you, but she is good at killing."

It was good advice, perhaps the best advice. While Sylax had lost round one she was without question the heaviest hitter we could possibly recruit. Round one had been a bit closer to a fair fight because we'd never assumed anything else would be required.

"Perhaps some hint of wisdom does come with great age. Do we have any ideas where she went?" I asked.

"Sylax has a lot of secret rooms in her castle. Little places filled with horrors. If she felt she had to go to ground, she probably picked one of them. The place is the seat of her power," Anna said.

"That isn't exactly a help," Mechos said.

"So make it helpful," Anna said, frowning.

"Focus on why the Wolves haven't found her yet," Magpie said.

Again Magpie said something useful. The Wolves most likely did have an excellent sense of smell and should have been able to track her. If they weren't, it meant she had to be somewhere with a fully self-contained ventilation system.

Finding her directly might be nearly impossible, finding what was hiding her could well be within our capabilities.

"I can build a scanner into the collar as well. That might help," Mechos said.

"You want to send Emma?" Anna asked.

"The tunnels between here and there aren't even full-size in places. A human wouldn't make it through, but a Gobble might," Mechos said.

I said, "I'll go then. I want all of you to see if you can gain control of the city’s teleportation gates."

"What are you thinking?" Anna asked.

"I'm thinking that if this doesn't work our next best of all the horrible plans is staging an enemy invasion of this city. We unleash a war and hope that in the chaos we gain some advantage."

"Knock down any of the District Lords and we can take them. We burn a few of them and Wolf wouldn't have his majority," Hot Stuff said.

"But we then have to deal with an invading army," Mechos said.

He was usually smarter than this.

I said, "Not if you are in control of the gates. We allow in just enough and then regulate the flow."

Mechos thought about this and nodded.

Tara said, "Or you just let in the Righteous. I know you don't like the plan, but it really is the best chance for you to get everyone out of this alive."

Given I'd been thinking about blowing the entire city to fragments a short time ago, it was worth considering.

It would mean defeat though, and letting yet another force I largely considered an enemy to have this city.

I wanted it for myself. In a pinch I'd settle for someone I somewhat trusted, such as Crystal, having control. The Righteous were bottomed out on the trust meter.

137

The Power core was located beneath the Central District, so you would think it would be a straightforward trip to get to Sylax's castle. It wasn't. The tunnels were winding and unpredictable, and matters weren't helped by the tendency of my host to get distracted and go bounding off in unpredictable directions after rats.

Of course, it was when I finally arrived that things really got dangerous.

The last of Sylax's defenses had been neutralized, but with her still on the loose Wolf wasn't taking any chances and his forces were everywhere. Sylax might have tucked herself away into a room with closed ventilation to hide her scent. I didn't have that luxury and was in a fat, tasty host that would seem a quick and delicious snack for a Wolf.

I had to keep on the move. Fortunately, my host fully agreed on that score. She didn't want to get eaten any more than I did.

It was a challenge to figure out where Sylax would have a saferoom. Normal logic would dictate that it would be close to her quarters, but Sylax could teleport. Even if a threat happened while she was asleep, the moment she snapped awake she'd be able to move herself somewhere more secure.

I thought it likely any saferoom would be located near the control center. I was experiencing firsthand how inconvenient it was to be cut off from my systems.

I steered the Gobble through the air ducts and eventually reached the main control room.

Sylax's paradigm ruled here. There were magical interfaces carved with runes in addition to large display screens and computers. There was also a familiar figure tapping away at the consoles. Crash.

Wolf must have conquered Crash’s district in secret. There was no other way Wolf would trust him this much if he weren't under some form of compulsion. Right now, Crash was completely preoccupied. The question was why?

Things in the city should largely be settled. While finding me and Jade might be a priority, Crash wouldn't need access to these systems for that.

I still needed to find Sylax, but it was worth waiting a bit to see what he was up to. From the air vent I could view the screen, and I could figure it out.

I had the Gobble settle down and get comfortable while I watched.

Crash was trying to override the timers. The moment I understood this, I realized it might be within his power. It would give Wolf an immediate victory, if he were to succeed.

Finding Sylax had to wait.

I needed to figure out what I could do about it. Crash wouldn't be winning many fights, but neither would I contained in this body.

Was that really true though? I hadn't tried to upgrade my host. If I still had access to my stockpile of resource points I should be able to do quite a bit.

I tried to pull up a host menu.

Madam Gobbles

Age: 8 Days

Physical Stats

Values out of 25

5 is the Gobble Average

Cuteness: 6

Agility: 4

Strength: 5

Endurance: 5

Intelligence: 9

Special Traits

Wrong Place Right Time

Somehow you will always be in exactly the wrong place at exactly the right moment to cause the most trouble

Lucky

You stay one step ahead of disaster. Somehow.

Madam Gobbles was a stupid name, but my host wasn't stupid at all according to what I was seeing. So far as Gobbles went she was a genius, and I could make her a good bit more intelligent yet.

On my human drones Intelligence wasn't an option. I wondered if this was something with the Gobble herself or because I was actually inside the host doing the upgrade.

I also could upgrade values far higher than I could with a human. I wasn't sure how Gobble values would map to human, but given the extensive cost it looked like some high-level upgrades—if they could be compared at all.

I eased Strength, Agility, Intelligence and Endurance up to fifteen and added accelerated healing, teleportation, and bio-armor.

While the destructive value of something like the Fire Matrix would have been valuable, it would have taken away all my potential for stealth.

Once the upgrades were done it was time to strike. It was far easier to get the Gobble to do what I wanted now, I assumed because of the upgraded intelligence. I had her back all the way up in the vent and then charge forward at full speed as I engaged bio-armor.

Perhaps the values were equivalent to human after all. The vent grill was flung across the room.

Crash looked up, startled. "What the..."

Looking up was a mistake. A bundle of armored, clawed Gobble landed on his face. Flailing backwards in his chair he fell to the floor and my host went with him. I was prepared to shred him into non-existence, but the fall caused Crash to smack his head with a loud thud and he was instantly unconscious.

I could kill him. Perhaps I should kill him, but if he was compelled then really none of this was his doing. His ability to subvert complex systems was also a valuable skill, one I'd hate to see lost.

Perhaps it wasn't even necessary. I turned Madam Gobbles loose on the room. With her armored coating and super-Gobble strength the cabling of the computers stood little chance. Within ten minutes there wasn’t a functioning system in the room. Smoke poured from several panels.

It could be repaired, but I got the impression that Crash was a software expert, not a hardware kind of guy. This would be beyond him, and while Wolf had technicians it would take them time.

I returned to the vent, back on my quest.

138

My ability to do some form of sabotage raised all new kinds of possibilities.

I was working to find Sylax, but perhaps I didn't need to. If I was right and she had located her saferoom somewhere where she would still have access to her camera feeds and systems, then it would be easier to have her find me.

I just needed to do something dramatic enough that it would get her attention.

With a castle full of Werewolves permanently on fire I had an idea just what I might be able to do. In a way, my past struggles with Hot Stuff and her followers were a good thing, because it suggested how to fight those with a Fire Matrix.

There were two techniques I'd used to great advantage and they both came down to a matter of oxygen. Take too much away and their flames would die, keep it away and they would quickly become unconscious as well, keep it away even longer and the cells in their body would start shutting down. The cells of someone with a Fire Matrix active and aflame were especially oxygen-dependent.

The other option was too much oxygen. Flood them with it and they burned too hot and bright, enough that it would do damage to their cells and make a ruin of their surroundings as well.

Of the two I thought the latter was more likely to overwhelm their accelerated healing. I needed to find the source of the building’s oxygen supply. Since my Gobble had been crawling through the ventilation ducts I already suspected where that might be.

The atmospheric systems of a building like this had to be varied and adaptable given the wide range of attributes the Powered had. The main room for ventilation turned out to have over half-a-dozen tanks of different atmospheric gases and the requisite generators to produce more.

There was also the control panel to operate everything. I wasn't Mechos and I didn't have nearly the control over city systems that he did. It would take me more time, that’s all.

I thought that my best option would be to close the external vents for a time while I built up a pressurized supply of oxygen in the ducts. The Wolves burned through the stuff quickly and I wouldn't have much time, but even several minutes should let me build up a high concentration. Then I could open all the vents at once and release a mostly pure supply into the building.

I say mostly because I thought that I could do even better. The backup tanks had a wide variety of chemicals and I could do more than just a straightforward burn. I could accelerate things even further with the right mixture.

It took me more hours I didn't really have. It was time enough for Crash to regain consciousness and for the Wolves to begin a search of the building. Fortunately they were focusing near the control hub. I had time enough to get done what I needed to do.

Once the sequence had been programmed I initiated the process. It was a long five minutes for the pressure to build in the vents.

The other part of this plan was how I would survive. The plan was to fill the chamber I was in with inert gasses and to follow up the oxygen blast with a flood of these. It should stop me from getting any back-blast. I'd suffocate, a bit, but I could still maintain some oxygen content in my own air.

On schedule the next part of the program triggered and the vents around the building opened.

The castle actually trembled, blasts of super-heated flames running through the corridors as Wolves screamed and burned with the heat becoming too much even for them.

I couldn't be sure any of them would stay dead, but I thought many would. At the very least I'd made their day memorable.

It worked exactly as planned. There was a brief flicker and I suddenly found myself being picked up by the scruff of my neck and raised to the eye level of a peering Sylax.

I'd been teleported. We were in a room that looked much like the control center I'd found earlier, except the screens here all functioned.

"Emma? You look ridiculous. On the plus side I get to do this," Sylax said, as she broke one of my paws before flinging me against a wall. More bones snapped. I was glad I'd given my host accelerated healing. Even with it she was in a lot of pain.

I opened a connection on the console.

"Ridiculous, looking for you? You're obviously antsy from being locked up. You're even more a monster than usual," I said.

I always appreciated that I could say mean things about Sylax and keep them completely true. There were virtues to knowing someone truly awful. It put things in perspective.

"My castle has been taken by that brute and all your clever plans didn't help. Crystal is working for them now. That is a problem for me," Sylax said.

"Can she take your powers back?" I asked.

"No, it isn't quite that simple, but she can give them a full accounting of everything that I can do. It is knowledge I'd prefer not be out there," Sylax said.

I could understand that.

"We're planning an invasion through the portal gates. When we do, you'll have your chance to hit Wolf, take him by surprise this time."

Sylax snorted dismissively. "That is your new scheme? It is even worse than the old one."

I didn't disagree.

"If you are capable of anything besides cruelty and whining, do feel free to make a better suggestion," I said.

Sylax stared at my host for a long moment, then a cruel smile tugged at the corner of her lips. Sylax never looked so fearsome as when she looked happy. "Oh, I've got a plan. How about you move out of the slums and into a palace?"

139

Could Sylax actually be suggesting what I thought she was suggesting?

What else could it be? It was an offer to exchange my current host for her.

"I'm quite certain I have no desire to live inside your head. That is less palace and more creepy haunted sanitarium," I said.

"Oh, I could hurt you until you say yes," Sylax said, before beaming a smile. "But it doesn't have to all be broken bones and screaming. You want to defeat Wolf as much as I do."

I did.

"We suspect that Wolf became so powerful because he began to mirror you. We think that you have some sort of amplification core. Do you?" I asked.

"You figured that out," Sylax said, with an expression of distaste. "Unfair of him to turn my own tricks against me. A powerful thing to combine with an ally with an upgrade crystal."

"It makes sense out of what we witnessed. If I move in, will it affect me as well?"

"That is the question isn't it? I believe so. I think it will boost both of our powers and then you can give me tricks that Wolf has never dreamed of," Sylax said.

Perhaps I could, and if it worked Sylax would be reluctant to let me go.

This woman craved anything which gave her more power. I was wary about that, with good cause, but I also didn't see any other choice. Sylax was right, she could hurt my current host until I agreed.

On the plus side, with a clock ticking down, this really might be the only solution to make her strong enough.

"If it is even possible. I hadn't known it was until I came into this Gobble," I said.

Transfer Option

A compatible biological matrix has been found for core transfer and an offer has been extended. Do you wish to initiate transfer?

Well, that was that. I gave my current host instructions to run and hide as soon as I was out. I didn't trust in Sylax not to torture it to death out of boredom. Then I triggered the transfer.

I'd felt a bit slow and dimwitted when I first transferred into the Gobble. It was the opposite sensation going into Sylax. The sensation of power and intellect was intoxicating.

Her senses were well beyond those of ordinary humans. I was picking up colors and textures as if I were using a magnifier on my cameras. The sense of coiled power in even the most basic maneuvers was immense.

I tried to pull up her stats but only got an empty buzzing.

"I think not Emma," Sylax thought.

We didn't need to communicate verbally, this was useful, and alarming.

"If you want me to be able to upgrade you I need to see what you have," I thought.

"My secrets are mine. What can you do for me?"

If she wasn't going to show me hers, I wasn't inclined to show her mine—at least not anything she wasn't already aware of. A simple combination of our two abilities might be enough. Offensively she was already quite strong enough on her own. Where she'd failed was in Wolf’s ability to not just hurt her, but to recovery faster from any injuries she inflicted.

"I can give you the ability to generate your own armor plating and to quickly heal from damage. If these abilities are boosted by your core the combination should make you virtually invulnerable to anything that he can throw at you," I thought.

I'd assumed she was invulnerable already, but her fight with Wolf had made me rethink that. Sylax couldn't have survived my bombs at close range. What at the time I thought had been invincibility had to be her teleporting away.

I willed the upgrades into place and felt a sort of click. I'd done something, at least.

"The armor has a limited life. Save it for a big fight," I thought

"Fine," Sylax said, drawing one arm back and delivering a savage punch at her own jaw. I heard the crunch of bone and felt a moment of dizzied disorientation that quickly faded. Sylax waggled her jaw. It had already healed. I'd done enough studies of Ophelia to know how soon she would have healed that injury. I think Sylax was faster.

Unlike the Gobble, she was also intimately linked and connected to the city systems as its ruler. I was able to start pulling surveillance and movement information far superior to anything I had in my own district. Doing much with it was a bit of a problem, but I could at least make it useful for Sylax.

In one corner of her vision I constructed an overlay of the castle and marked on it those Wolf guards still up and on their feet after my explosive display. I'd done a lot to thin their numbers, but reinforcements were arriving through the bottom level already.

Wolf wasn't going to let this castle go unguarded. It was too important for his plans and he knew that we had to be here somewhere.

"A tactical display. I like it. Can you provide targeting information as well in battle?" Sylax asked.

It was nice to work with someone so focused on the mission, even if she was insane.

"I can. I'm finding markers all throughout the system indicating that Wolf had taken up residence in his own district and intends to remain there until the timers run out and he has total control of the District Lords. Too many markers, it doesn’t feel right," I thought to Sylax.

"Interesting. The Wolf lays a trap then. We'll spring it when your associates launch their diversion?" Sylax said.

That was the plan. Wolf wanted to finish things. He wouldn't expect Sylax and her new upgrades.

140

Mechos did his part exactly on schedule. What the man lacked in fighting ability he did make up for in technical expertise. On cue several of the gates opened and enemy forces tumbled through.

It wasn't a transit they appeared to have expected, he must have opened the portals directly beneath enemy staging areas. I wondered where he'd managed to get the coordinates. Regardless, the enemies didn’t stay dazed and confused for long. Clockwork drones took to the air, blades whirling away.

Wolf’s response was quick, I had to give him that. He took the defense of this city seriously and seemed to always have a plan even for unlikely scenarios. Defenders were moving to join with the enemy in such numbers that Mechos had to open several new portals just to keep the fighting competitive.

"We're a go," I thought to Sylax.

"About time," Sylax said, and the world blinked away as she teleported. Rather than taking us directly to the Wolf's district we materialized back in her castle on one of the upper floors. She put a fist through the skull of a Werewolf before he could even make a startled sound.

"Is now really the time for housecleaning?" I asked.

"I hate having my home invaded and we need the practice together. Bring me up a tactical overlay and let's shed some blood," Sylax said.

I updated the map removing the dead wolf soldier and highlighted the next. Sylax ran instead of teleported to this one, punching through a weak spot I indicated in its armor so that she could tear out the spine.

"While I realize you have the reputation as a complete madwoman to maintain, you don't have to actually kill each one in as unnecessarily grisly a manner as possible."

Sylax answered by gouging out the next one’s eyes before tightening her grip so she could wrench the head free.

"When you kill enough, it doesn't just become about the count anymore. It is all about the style," Sylax said.

All was going well within the castle, but not so much elsewhere. A group of the invading drones had snuck past the enemy defenders and were making their way towards a communications tower. Reaching it would allow them to broadcast the city’s position—something we very much needed to avoid.

I opened a line to Anna.

"Emma, I see the collar is working," Anna said.

"Actually I'm riding around in Sylax now and making use of her uplink. We've got a group of drones heading for a comm tower," I said.

"You're what? No, later. Give me a location and we'll intercept," Anna said.

"Tower B173."

"On it. Get out of her the first chance you get. She's dangerous," Anna said.

I was well aware. Sylax had torn the arms off three more Werewolves while we'd been talking.

I killed the comm link with Anna.

"We're getting near the ground floor. Not Wolves this time, he must be running out of soldiers. Mechs and golems."

Sylax blinked us out and we teleported into the middle of a group of mechs standing in the large atrium that made the main hall. They were ready for us. Sylax took a beam cannon shot directly to the face that burned away her eyes in an instant.

I could counter for that. I still had the visual data left as well as what her other senses were picking up. Between them I quickly built a reconstruction of the scene and fed it into her visual cortex as a replacement feed. I even marked the vulnerable spots on the mechs.

It was good that I did. We were jostled by bursts of machine gun fire, slashed by beam weapons, and even stabbed through with a beam sword.

It was troubling. I'd seen Sylax fight before and she was weaker than she should have been. With the healing I'd given her we were winning this fight, but it shouldn't have even been a contest. I could only think of one explanation, Syalx had lied to me. Her powers from Crystal might not be gone, but they were weakened and fading fast as time went on.

It was no wonder she had been so insistent on this plan. Without it she wouldn't have stood a chance.

Sylax put her fist through the fuel tank of a mech before lifting and throwing it into the flamethrower jet of another. Both went up in a fireball that sent us sailing across the room to crash against a wall.

Ruined flesh was already knitting together as what would have been fatal injuries took seconds to fully recover.

"As delightful as it is to be a part of you being burned alive, do you mind telling me what is really going on?" I asked.

"We're kicking ass. A new experience for you?" Sylax asked.

"We should be kicking ass, but we’re not. Instead I might as well ride along in Ophelia with a touch of super-strength. They are getting to you. How?" I asked.

Sylax was a bit slow to answer. A wire golem had unspooled to surround her body in copper string that contracted to cut flesh. It tore her apart before she got a good grip on a bit of wire to wrench the golem apart.

"I don't know. I didn't like that Crystal shouldn't be able to sever her power to me, but I started to get weaker during the first fight with Wolf. Since then it only keeps getting worse. I think it must be Crash," Sylax said.

Crash could subvert complex systems. He had played havoc with mine before. Perhaps Crystal and her upgrades were something he could influence.

"So all of your powers from her are weakening?" I asked.

"Every last one. I didn't think you'd agree to this, if you knew," Sylax said.

She was right, but I was along for the ride now.

141

Sylax set out for Wolf's district. As we were traveling away from the central city, security was light. Our distraction was continuing to do just that and Wolf’s forces had relocated to fight at the teleportation gates.

Besides being few in number they were largely not upgraded. Soldiers in medium armor and with heavy rifles. It only made them a little less dangerous. A weakened Sylax was easy to tear in half with a burst of machine gun before she killed them, for all that she put herself together quickly afterward.

Fortunately, her strength seemed to be one of the abilities sticking with her the most. I had my theories why. Wolf was as much one of Crystal's projects as Sylax was, and he seemed just as excessively strong. Crash was focusing on weakening the abilities Wolf and Sylax didn't share, so things like her incredible durability were lessened while her strength remained mostly intact.

Sylax finished snapping a rifle in two before driving its barrel deep into a soldier's throat to send him staggering backwards gushing blood.

"This is getting boring," Sylax said.

"Well if it makes you feel any better he'll have his very best guarding the core," I replied.

"Oh good. They'll be fun," Sylax said.

Perhaps she'd forgotten just how badly she'd gotten beaten last time, or perhaps there was more to it. I think she was actually enjoying things being a challenge again. She was enjoying actually getting hurt instead of being the one doing the hurting.

An armored vehicle pulled to a stop before us. A top-mounted beam cannon blasted a hole through her chest. Sylax responded by ripping out the engine block and tearing the gun from the vehicle with a well-placed throw.

The center of the district was a squat fortification surrounded by gun towers equipped with firepower heavier by far than anything we'd faced. I was a bit envious really, those were what I'd needed in my district to bring down airships.

"This isn't going to be easy. You've taken a lot of hits so far and done well, but I don't think you should chance those."

I brought up technical specifications on the guns in her visual display.

"Beam, kinetic, power dampening, explosive cannons. Wolf does try so very hard, doesn't he? A shame he had to be such a bad puppy. I could use such a tactical mind working for me," Sylax said.

I wished she'd stop with the admiring and focus a bit more on the killing.

"He wanted to be prepared for anything. They're just as diverse in their armoring. Independent power supplies, so cutting off their flow from the district power won't do it."

Sylax narrowed her eyes at the towers. "I'm faster than they are."

"I haven't been seeing it."

"I've been testing your healing ability. Pick me a target," Sylax said.

The beam tower was probably the most dangerous. I highlighted it in her visual display and she began to run. It wasn't a lie, she had been holding back until now. A backflip sent her arching over the beam that lashed at the ground where she had just been. She drove a fist deep into the tower as she crashed against it. A second leap further up the surface and again she drove her fist into the stone to anchor herself.

A move to the side and a drop of about ten feet was needed as a second tower opened fire on us, this time with bullets. The turret couldn’t track us fast enough and Sylax was already climbing up the side of the tower to the gun at the top. Once there she gripped it between both hands prepared to wrench it free.

"Wait," I told her. Wolf's security protocols were good, but I was better and now that I had direct access I was cutting through them.

Using the gun I targeted one of the other towers and opened fire. The beam dispelled harmlessly. They must have designed it to resist specific wavelengths.

"That was underwhelming," Sylax said.

"I'd like to see you do better."

Sylax resumed her efforts to wrench the gun emplacement free. It revealed her position and the stream of bullets finally tore us apart.

Her body started to reassemble itself on the ground. "Well, I'm annoyed." Sylax said.

I wasn't much enjoying the whole thing myself. I did however have a solution. I altered the beam nexus of the cannon I controlled just enough as to change the wavelength. The weapon shouldn't be nearly as efficient now, but I didn't need it to be.

I had the tower open fire again and this time the kinetic cannon melted under the impact. Then I neutralized the remaining towers.

"Not bad," Sylax said.

I was proud of it myself.

It looked like Anna and her team had reached the comm tower, although they'd had to repurpose the tower itself to bombard the drones with microwaves. I couldn't argue with the results.

Sylax went all brute-force for the main doors of the bunker, punching out the locks and wrenching them aside.

"Time to kick a puppy," Sylax said, stepping into the darkness beyond. "Wolf! I'm here for you."

Lights lit up to reveal the chamber occupied by a single figure.

I recognized him at once. Baron Wolfson. He had run my tactical division for a time on the Powerhungry. He was the weaker and far more pathetic son of James Wolf.

It looked as if he'd had some upgrades, his body sporting a new cybernetic arm and what looked like a number of technological implants.

"My father is out. I'm sure you understand why. I think you'll find this puppy kicks back," Wolfson said.

If Wolf wasn't in his district, even seizing the core wouldn't count. There was no point to this battle. I didn't think Sylax would care.

142

Wolfson’s musculature was well exaggerated over those of standard humans. It looked as if he had undergone a lesser version of the Werewolf transformation. The upgrades he'd received were a complete unknown. The closest that I'd seen to them were the ones Mechos used to have in himself and his followers.

Perhaps that was possible, the upgrade core that Mechos had was removed after he had been abducted. While we’d rescued him, we never found what had happened to the core.

Sylax crossed the distance to Wolfson at a run and delivered an uppercut to his jaw with her full strength. It should have been enough to sever his head clear from his body, but instead it sent her flying across the room. Even I was dazed, it was as if every nerve in her body had been triggered to fire pain impulses all at once. Sylax was strong, but apparently there were limits.

Sylax collapsed to the ground and Wolfson moved to deliver a sharp kick to her ribs. His strength wasn't as pronounced as hers. It was enough to break a few ribs, but that wasn't anything that didn't heal almost instantly. The nerve disruption was something else entirely, accelerated healing didn't help there.

"You're tougher than Dad said you'd be," Wolfson said, as he walked to where Sylax twitched and delivered another kick to her face. "He thought he'd taken away all your best tricks."

Through the waves of agony it was difficult for even me to think. How would Wolf have prepared his son for this encounter? Knowing that Sylax liked to get up close and punch, he'd prepared to counter those melee attacks. The pain field was a good idea against anything organic.

I could give Sylax more abilities, but frankly I didn't want to do that. Every new one I gave her would ultimately make her more powerful and I just didn't want that to happen. I didn't see a way around it. I opened a comm channel to Anna.

"We took out the tower. How is Sylax doing?" Anna asked.

"Losing. I know, her record in fights is starting to look like your record of successful dates," I said.

"Wolf is that strong?" Anna asked.

"Wolfson, actually. I believe he is specifically empowered against her abilities. We could use some backup right about now," I said.

"We're near a gateway. Send me coordinates and I'll contact Mechos."

That would do. With a gateway they'd be able to get here in a hurry, not that Wolfson was in any rush right now.

Sylax fought through the pain enough to work up to another punch, this one at his groin. It wasn’t any more successful than the last and she cried out as a fresh wave of agony swept through her nerves.

"A groin shot? Really?" Wolfson asked, as he kicked her in the face once more. "Why don't you stay hurt?"

He hadn't figured out where she was getting her accelerated healing from. That was good. I was learning quite a bit from being in Sylax too, more than she knew.

My testing labyrinths were all about exposing subjects to adverse and challenging conditions and seeing how they handled them with their abilities. By observing firsthand what they went through and how they faced obstacles, I could gain insight on their abilities.

Sylax only had one that I was truly interested in and it was just about to tick over. A moment later I got a gratifying prompt.

Research Menu

"Sylax"

Subject is the host to an amplification core that allows for the amplification of abilities gained by other means.

You have analyzed the subject utilizing their abilities and have unlocked one of the following two upgrades.

Faster, Better, Stronger

All of your forces are better than they were. Where random chance is involved in assigning attributes they will fall in the top 20% of projected outcomes.

Ultimate Abilities

Your powered agents now have access to an Ultimate ability. These are limited in duration and extremely slow to recharge, but incredibly powerful.

My usual approach in deciding between choices like this was to take whatever would offer me more versatility and more consistent power. Flashy choices were very flashy, but I had time and I had numbers. At least, I usually had time and I usually had numbers. Right now I very much seemed outgunned and out-powered, and that changed my choice around. I selected the Ultimate ability.

Wolfson meanwhile had gotten bored with kicking Sylax around and opened a comm.

"Dad? Uh, she isn't dying. I mean, I can kick her around, but she just heals back. Yeah, yeah, she’s disabled. Oh, okay. I can do that," Wolfson said.

I could guess what that involved.

Disconnecting the line Wolfson came back to kneel beside Sylax. "Okay, so this is what we're going to do. Dad doesn't know why you aren't dying, but he worked out this whole trick to deal with Ophelia that involved submerging her in a bath of molten metal. So you just need to sit there and cry until we get rid of you."

It was a good idea. The specialized grinder I'd come up with to handle Ophelia was mostly so I could harvest her Biomatter as well as neutralizing her. If you didn’t care about the resources a liquid metal bath was a wonderful choice for permanently dealing with a healer.

Behind Wolfson a portal flickered into life. Anna, Hot Stuff, Tara, and Ratticus came through.

Wolfson turned to face them. Anna shot him in the face with a shotgun at close range. It didn't faze him any more than Sylax's punches.

"I've got this. Your dad’s a real dick kid," Hot Stuff said, stepping forward. Wolfson covered his eyes as the blast of intense heat him. I'd expected the energy attack to do something, but he appeared unconcerned.

"Tell me about it," Wolfson said, before hitting the comm. "Scenario Beta."

"Reinforcements inbound," said a voice.

Through Sylax I still had access to the city systems. Airships were jumping in. Four of them overhead.

Why did every single thing Wolf do have to be a trap?

143

Sylax was still gripped by pain, but that didn't seem to have affected Hot Stuff or any of the others. The nerve disruption was probably a targeted effect generated by one of the implants. I had no way to speak directly with Hot Stuff, so I communicated my plan to Anna via a comm burst.

The way to deal with Wolfson seemed straightforward enough, it was more or less his own idea. Hot Stuff moved behind him and wrapped her arms around Wolfson as she kicked her temperature up to its highest level.

At that heat the stone floor couldn't remain a solid and she began to sink taking Wolfson with her. It didn't take long for her to be walking out of a pit of molten stone with Wolfson nowhere in sight, left beneath its surface. I didn't know if Wolfson was alive or dead, but for the moment he was most completely out of commission.

The pain gripping Sylax stopped and she pushed herself back to her feet, giving a tiny nod to Hot Stuff,

The ships were releasing shuttles. I was well familiar with Wolf's fleet—I'd helped to destroy a fair bit of it. These ships were new.

I sent the details to Sylax's visual overlay.

"Wolf's reinforcements. I don't recognize the vessels," Sylax said.

"He was expecting to take the city. Would he have already allied himself with a new power?" Anna asked.

I thought we already had the answer to that. Wolfson's unusual upgrades, and now these new ships, suggested that he had. What I didn't understand was why. Wolf had proved himself to be a capable, intelligent enemy almost always a few steps ahead of us. If he entered into negotiations with a foreign power for the city’s benefit after taking control, he would be in a far stronger position than if he was still fighting and the result wasn’t guaranteed.

That might be a strategy to use if he were in danger of losing, but despite the damage I and others had managed to do he'd been in a winning position since soon after Sylax's disappearance.

More alarming still, if he had revealed the position of this city we were now far more vulnerable to attack. These ships needed to be neutralized.

Sylax said, "May he was already aligned with one and they haven’t been told their help isn’t really needed? I can take one of the ships. Are you capable of handling one of the others?"

Anna lacked any sort of visual upgrade. She had to lean out the doors to look up at the sky. "Three others. We've got them."

Sylax arched a brow, but didn't question Anna's confidence. Instead the world dimmed around us as we teleported.

The bridge of the ship was a majestic affair with stations sporting large screens showing scientific and tactical scanners from the ground.

"Teleportation trace from below," said one of the ships bridge officers. He looked like a giant humanoid tree. They were all giant humanoid trees.

"Track it," said the tree that must have been the captain.

"Let me help you with that," Sylax said, delivering a punch that sent the captain soaring across the room to crash into a display.

"Alert! Intruder on the bridge!" shouted another officer. Sylax picked up what might have been the Captain's chair and threw it at what would have been the head on a human being.

"Can you give me any sort of tactical data on where to hit these things?" Sylax asked.

I almost replied that I wasn't a botanist, but of course, I am one. I'm every kind of scientist, I'm just that good.

Their design was quite unlike anything I'd seen and I didn't have any scanners to properly analyze. Still, a basic visual analysis could serve to identify joints and breaks in the bark.

I brought up a targeting overlay for Sylax who began to set about slaughter with mad abandon. I didn't mind, I appreciated the chance to infiltrate their systems.

They were an interesting people who called themselves the Paraxins. They were vassals of the Parali alliance, which wasn't currently involved in any of the Scholar wars. Interestingly, they didn't have or utilize power crystals themselves, although they'd all formed a symbiotic relationship with a sort of powered moss.

This was neither here nor there. While fascinating, I needed to focus on what they knew. Fortunately, it wasn't much. They'd been ordered to assist Wolf, who had sent his own people to configure their jump engines for the journey. They didn't have the coordinates.

If we could kill them—and killing them was just what I had in mind—there wouldn't be more reinforcements. I brought up a diagram of the ship for Sylax and highlighted engineering.

If the first few murders had been clumsily done, Sylax was getting far more skilful by the time we made it down two decks. She had taken to snapping off a branch that I'm fairly sure served as their sex organ and then driving it through a weakness in the trunk roughly equivalent to a nostril.

Engineering turned out to be field of flowers with spores fluttering in the breeze and forming tiny whirlwinds in the air.

"Tell me I am not seeing this. Tell me these pathetic creatures aren't trying to power an airship with plants," Sylax said.

"We're powered by crystals, I'm not sure we're in a place to judge," I said.

"I'm judging. I'm really really judging. How do I burn this place down?" Sylax asked.

I highlighted the third and eighth pipes running through the nearby wall. Sylax put her fist through each and gasses escaped. They burst into a geyser of flame that began to torch the room.

144

When Sylax teleported us back to the ground it was just in time to see the ship starting to lurch unsteadily in the sky. It was a slower demise than was meeting two of the other airships which were in the process of plowing into each other.

Through the city’s sensor array I could detect the powerful magnetic fields surrounding them and I determined the source. Ratticus. Perhaps this was his Ultimate ability coming into play. So powerful were the ripples of energy coming off him it was tough even to look at him.

Anna and Hot Stuff materialized a minute afterward, with the fourth ship beginning its slump towards the ground.

"Well, that was disappointingly quick. Can't anyone give us a decent fight?" Sylax complained just before she was decapitated by a high caliber round.

When it regrew she was looking for the source of the shot. Those ships weren't the only reinforcements.

The Professor was there, riding on top of a tyrannosaur that looked to have almost as many cybernetic upgrades as Wolfson. Zora had shown up too, flanked by a force in tight-fitting armor and sporting submachine guns. Crash was present as well, although his army of mecha had been considerably reduced by the recent fighting. Flicker appeared with her wire golems and Ophelia arrived flanked by her army of townspeople.

It was a lot, and if they all used their abilities to help each other they were bringing an enormous amount of power to the fight.

"No man in charge? How disappointing," Sylax said, as she cracked her knuckles.

"Then let me make your day. You've raised a lot of fuss looking for me, but this isn't going to go your way," Wolf said, stepping out from behind a mecha. He was alone. Perhaps we had finally whittled the Wolves’ numbers down too much.

Wolf had also defeated and compelled Jade and Crystal. Their absence probably meant that he was planning something. Wolf was always planning something.

"Have you been watching me fight?" Sylax thought to me.

"You know I have, I've been giving you tactical information this whole time. Am I going to get to watch you run away now?"

"You're going to take over."

"While I approve of your belated desire to put someone competent in charge are you convinced now is the time?"

"We need to win, Emma. The city and every district are in ruins and I cannot force the compulsion of any of them as I am the head of the city, but you can."

I understood her thinking. There was a minor problem of location, but if I could access Sylax's ability to teleport we could remedy that. I could defeat one of the District Lords and then move them back to their own district to force their submission.

I'd been thinking Anna and the others might need to handle everyone else while we focused on Wolf, but in reality we'd need to do exactly the opposite.

I sent a condensed version of the plan to Anna and got her acknowledgment a moment later. She understood and agreed.

Crash would have to be the first target. If we were right about him dampening the abilities that Sylax was getting from Crystal, then taking him out and forcing his submission could quickly restore her to full power.

Wolf might possibly be her equal then, but he wouldn't be her better.

"Let's do it," I thought to Sylax.

It was awkward fitting into her skin, like I didn't quite belong there. Settling into any of my drones had always been a very natural sensation, but this was something different.

I moved to run towards Crash and felt my body being torn apart. Dimensional turbulence, it was a bit like walking into an invisible meat grinder. Slices of me fading out of existence and then popping back into being in entirely the wrong spots.

Although the accelerated healing tried to compensate, it was having trouble with not all parts of me on the same dimensional plane. While my physical host might be having some difficulties, mentally I was still functional and my access to the city systems was intact. I'd used the teleportation gates to interact with Flicker's reality before, I just needed to do so again.

I opened a portal beneath Sylax's feet and we fell through, my pieces reorienting and realigning as we went. I lingered briefly in Flicker's dimension—long enough to punch her in what passed for a nose—before another gate allowed me to grab Crash and teleport us to his central core.

Massive screens filled every wall and they shattered most magnificently when I threw Crash into them. The man screamed as he fell to the floor. A wrist computer he wore beeped ominously and I settled for silencing it with a swift kick that crushed both it and the wrist.

Perhaps I'd been watching Sylax a little too much or perhaps it was just a result of being in her head. I found myself enjoying this.

"I know you, Crash. I know you've probably done some brilliantly devious bit of work on a timer, and with you hurt and that computer destroyed it’s just waiting to unleash all sorts of unpleasantness," I said.

"Something like that," Crash said, sitting up and letting out a pained chuckle. "The central reactor..."

I cut him off there. Did he intend to blow up the city? That was my plan.

"I don't care, Crash. You can submit and live, or not and die, and I'll deal with your clever little plan just like I've dealt with every other clever little monkey-plan so far," I said.

"Emma? You're riding her as your host? That’s why the disruption program wasn't as effective as planned," Crash said.

I didn't need him figuring things out. I needed him speaking the words. I smashed his other wrist.

"You know. I think we could be friends. It's just so rare to meet someone that really shares my hobbies," Sylax thought.

"I submit," Crash said between sobs.

"Stop the city from being destroyed, order your forces to support my allies," I said, and teleported away. We weren't even close to being done.

145

I teleported back to the central tower. The battle waged on.

Hot Stuff must have invoked her Ultimate for she was blazing more brilliantly than I'd ever seen her, cascading waves of heat deforming the world around her as she marched right through the gathering of Ophelia's forces.

Ophelia's town folk couldn't heal from being vaporized. Normally I wouldn't think that Ophelia could be vaporized, so quickly did she heal. With the intensity that Hot Stuff was burning I thought she might now—and I didn't know if Ophelia could survive that. I'd have intervened to stop the vaporization from happening, but Wolf was on me the instant I reappeared.

It seemed the others weren't that well at holding him off. I shouldn't have been surprised, the first time we'd faced Sylax with a Powered force we'd been neutralized in seconds. The difference in power level with her amplification crystal was just too great.

The blow that Wolf dealt me would have eviscerated me a short time ago. It still left a few bloody gouges in Sylax's flesh for all of the few seconds it took for them to heal.

My answering punch sent him soaring through the air.

"Mind if I cut in?" Sylax asked.

Well, it was her body.

I mentally took a step back and let her resume control once more.

Sylax activated Bio-armor. I'd seen this utilized by others and used it with my own drones, and it produced a set of armor roughly equivalent to a medium or heavy kit, capable but not extraordinary. With the boost from the amplification core Sylax got something different. Besides just providing defense there were entire new offensive options added as a heavy suit of muscle and bone formed around her.

Leaping at Wolf, a bone sword projected from her arm and she speared him through the throat before flinging him across the room with his head half decapitated.

It was an impressive visual, but unfortunately Wolf's regeneration was very nearly as good as ours. Despite the grievous wounds he was down for only seconds before springing back to his feet with a growl.

Hot Stuff's burn had completely wiped out Ophelia and her forces. In the aftermath, when the flames faded away, Hot Stuff was left staggering on her feet. When one of Zora's soldiers aimed a submachine gun at her and fired, the bullets clipped her arm and shoulder and sent her spinning to the ground.

That was useful to know. While her Ultimate had allowed her to perform some feats that she wasn't normally capable of, that added power had come with a cost of some downtime during which the normal defensive heat of her flames was gone.

With her accelerated healing that burst of gunfire shouldn't kill her, but it would take her many hours to heal.

Wolf had managed to get a good grip on Sylax and used it to break her arm. The snapping noise was surely temporarily satisfying, but ultimately as useless as nearly decapitating him had been. A moment later she was throwing him against a nearby support column that cracked at the impact.

This was a battle of juggernauts that was going nowhere fast. Getting Sylax her full powers back had made this a draw, not a win.

Ratticus was blasting at golems with bursts of lightning and Crash's mechs had turned to support our side. I didn't see Anna.

I opened a comm through the city’s systems.

"I'm okay, Emma. I'm working on a plan," Anna said.

"That is an interesting way to describe running way," I said.

"Seriously. You're going to like it. How in control is Sylax? Compared to you?"

I didn't know exactly where this was going, but I could guess. Anna likely wanted to kill Sylax and thought she had a way to accomplish it.

I couldn't argue with her thinking. Crystal wouldn't like it, but at this point Crystal's approval hardly seemed to matter. If Sylax were killed then Wolf would no longer be able to mirror her amplification core. We might actually stand a chance against him.

"It is her body and she takes priority. I believe I could take control, briefly, but she'll be able to fight me and is probably able to uninvite me," I said.

"That’s perfect. When the time is right I'm going to send you a comm burst with a set of coordinates. Teleport there and be your full insulting self to get her to show you the door," Anna said.

I rather thought I'd be ejected anyways when Sylax was killed. Still, I couldn't be certain of that. It was good of Anna to be concerned.

"I understand," I said.

In the meantime I had to do all I could to help those still here. I focused on the surrounding golems and indicated weak spots on each. Sylax did a poor job at picking those up on her own.

"Losing sight of the big win?" Sylax thought.

"I thought that you might be getting a little bored and would enjoy hurting something that didn't heal seconds later."

It seemed that Sylax did. The next time she sent Wolf staggering back several steps with a punch to his midsection she swiveled and plunged her fist through the chest of a golem, grabbing a string and pulling.

It took Anna ten minutes and sixteen seconds since she broke off communication for her next comm burst to come through. It was an eternity in a fight, although it seemed that Wolf and Sylax could go at this forever.

Time enough for another seven golems to go down, time enough for Sylax to amputate one of Wolf's limbs three times before he snapped off her bone sword to stab it into her shoulder. Time enough for the fight to go nowhere.

I forced myself into control of Sylax's body and activated her teleport to the coordinates.

146

I materialized in a room lit only by a blue sphere. From the coordinates I had to be somewhere back in my district.

"What is this you do, machine?" Sylax thought.

"The betrayal you always knew was coming because you're so incredibly unlikable," I answered.

Sylax responded just as I thought she would—by fighting back. I felt my consciousness being pushed out of her and a moment later reconnecting with my district.

My view of the room swam suddenly as it switched from being out of Sylax's eyes and through the wall cameras. It was one of my testing facilities.

With my return to the District the lights came on.

Anna and Tara were in the testing chamber as well, just inside the force-field wall meant to contain the test subjects. Tara was holding the source orb that Ophelia had given me—that was the source of the blue glow.

That wasn't all. My teleport hadn't just brought Sylax here. Wolf had pushed his attack at the last moment and I'd brought him as well.

"This isn't to plan," Tara said.

"Not a time to worry about it. Do it," Anna said.

Tara nodded and a white aura burst around her. It hurt my sensors just to look at her. Sylax and Wolf turned their gaze as well.

Tara stepped towards Sylax, leaned in and plunged her hand into her chest.

Sylax screamed and dropped her knees—surprisingly Wolf did as well. What was happening?

Tara seemed to be struggling with something. She looked for all the world as if she was pulling on a rope tied to a heavy load.

Sylax looked murderously up at her. I was sure it would be murder in a moment. Sylax had only one answer for every problem.

With a brilliant explosion of multicolored light Tara staggered back from Sylax. In her hand was a power crystal. It lingered for only a moment. Another flare nearly burned my cameras out for a moment.

Tara was a mass of colors. Out of one hand came an overwhelming blue light from the source orb, from the other a multicolored rainbow from the power crystal, plus the white aura around her pulsing and throbbing as a thing alive.

The light faded and all that was left was Tara. Both the power crystal and the source orb had been absorbed. Anna was pulling her back over the line of the energy barrier.

"Lock it," Anna said.

I tried. I did, but nothing was happening.

I could reason out what was wrong. For all that it was unexpected I could put the pieces together.

The Righteous were able to remove the power crystals of others, and also they collected Source Orbs. Obviously the two were connected in some way. It was something I'd never seen a Righteous do. That white glow must have been Tara triggering her Ultimate ability—as an agent loyal to me she had one too.

The crystal she removed from Sylax had to be the amplification crystal. That was why Wolf and Sylax were both doubled over, they were both experiencing a sudden massive loss of power.

Tara absorbed the amplification crystal and it was her powers being amplified. I'd only seen her have two, the powers that all Righteous had. The ability to reincarnate—and the ability to dampen other powers.

I couldn't power on the cell. Tara's dampening field was now stronger than anything I could put up.

"You need to get her away. She's dampening my powers," I said.

Anna didn't get it, not as fast as I did. How could she? She didn't have nearly my processing power. But she didn't have to get it to trust my judgment and she did, pulling Tara towards the exit.

"No powers huh?" Sylax said with a wicked smile, reaching up and pulling free the bone sword Wolf had impaled through her shoulder.

No instantly closing wounds, not now. Blood gushed from the wound, coating her armor as she stalked forward. Sylax buried the blade into Wolf's throat and began to saw.

His healing wasn't working any better than hers, not with Tara in range. By the time she got far enough away for me to activate the containment cell it was too late.

Sylax sat on the floor, pulling Wolf's severed head into her lap. She laughed as if it were the funniest joke in the world.

Perhaps it was. I was still working on humor.

I had places to be and a lack of skins to wear. Reconnected with my district I was scanning for any of my defensive drones, but they were all dead. The best I could manage was one of my science drones I'd long ago sent to explore the city’s maintenance conduits.

There was something suitable to that. I slipped my focus inside and headed for the Central District.

The Central District’s power was out and the main city reactor was going cold. I knew why—everybody knew why. It was displaying on every screen.

Error

Central District cannot be claimed by an unpowered individual

Restore powers to existing city head or appoint a new one by majority vote of District Lords

Sylax could no longer hold the city, and with Wolf dead the only District Lord still under any sort of compulsion—mine—would be Crash.

We needed a meeting of the District Lords. Stop trying to kill each other and call together a council.

147

Arriving at Sylax's castle I found things greatly changed. All of those unique horrific touches that had made it hers were gone and instead the building was crafted of white stonework with intricate touches.

It was much like my first glimpse of the city had been, before we had all remade it in our image.

I'd thought I might arrive to combat, but what did any of us have left to fight with? The wars between each other had left the city devastated and our forces along with them.

"Emma," Crystal said, looking over my drone as it hovered in, "Do you know what happened?"

She meant Sylax. Until she had come under Wolf's compulsion her concern there never faded.

"Alive, but with her amplification ability removed. I have her in captivity. Wolf is dead, as you probably figured out. I did what none of you were capable of doing," I said.

"I guess that’s your pitch for taking charge?" Jade said.

"Fixing everyone’s problem? I think it qualifies me for the job," I said.

Crystal shook her head. "Emma, you accepted my guidance and gave me your loyalty. We had an agreement."

"For the purposes of rescuing our companions. Something I wound up accomplishing without you," I said.

"That was a jolly good feat," the Professor said.

I noticed Anna arriving through a side door. She'd brought Tara with her and both had rifles aimed at the floor, safe but ready. None of the others had realized yet that they were without abilities,. If it came to it, I didn't doubt Anna would kill them all.

It was one way to seize the city, but we didn't have enough Powered individuals to fill up the districts if we did. I'd also come to respect the capabilities and drive of everyone here, for all I'd often been on the wrong side of things.

Crystal said, "I'm the most experienced of any of us, and the most powerful. You all know that. I commend Emma on her accomplishments, but if you are going to place an upgrade core in charge of this city it should be me."

"Agreed," said Flicker's orb.

With Crash under compulsion I had one vote. I needed three others.

I said to Jade, "You were devoted to bringing down Sylax. Would you really choose the person who created her over the one who brought her down? While I know you are that stupid, I still would hope that some bit of lingering spitefulness would lead to you making the right choice anyways."

Jade frowned at my drone but nodded. "It does. Emma has my vote."

That made it three to two in my favor.

With Wolf dead it was possible for this to end in a tie. We were only eight now.

Zora said, "Crystal, while none of you know it yet, Anna is worse than Sylax ever was and she's Emma's little pet project."

That made it a tie again with two votes remaining.

"Do it for SCIENCE," I said to the Professor.

Crystal told him, "Clone armies aren't science. Whatever pretensions she made towards science, she has left those behind."

"And yet she has appeared here today in a SCIENCE drone. I can only approve," said the Professor.

Four.

That just left Ophelia.

Ophelia had managed to reform from vapor, a good thing as otherwise Tara's presence probably would have killed her.

Ophelia said with an unpleasant expression, "You're both crazy. One throws me into blenders and the other is a creepy spider thing."

"That isn't actually an answer," Crystal said.

"And they're called grinders," I said.

"Whatever. I always go with the winner. With my vote that’s you, Emma," Ophelia said.

As soon as she spoke the words I felt my awareness shifting.

Aefwal

You have claimed the central core of the city

All compulsion bonds have been broken

City systems critical

Districts Two and Seven in need of assignment

Having been in Sylax's head the connection to the central systems wasn’t totally a new thing. It was still an exhilarating rush.

The tower walls rippled with organic conduits and biowalls spreading outward as it took on my manifestation. I took a moment to initiate repair protocols throughout the city.

Crystal tilted her head. "No hard feelings, I hope. In that case I would like to request the return of Sylax. Without the core her insanity will be dampened and I'd like to take the chance to try to put things right."

I could afford to be merciful.

"Done," I said.

I observed a bit of tension leaving Crystal's shoulders and the District Lords overall looking a bit relieved. Starting off my reign with mercy instead of murder wasn't the way Sylax would have done business, or Wolf.

Anna cleared her throat. "And just so that nobody forgets. Emma is in charge of the city, but I am Annabella Besari, Queen of the whole damned World."

Trust Anna to feel insecure. To be fair, she had so many reasons.

I said, "A fact this city recognizes. We have two empty districts. Hot Stuff, because of her valor and loyalty, I award District Seven."

"She's in the Medbay, but I'll make sure she knows," Anna said. I could tell my choice pleased her, I didn't think the next one would.

"District Two I assign to Tara, hereafter known as Blank as a newly Powered," I said.

"You're giving a District to a Righteous?" Crystal said.

"The Scholarium will tolerate a lot. They won't tolerate this," Anna said.

"Why?" the newly labeled Blank asked.

I said, "I didn't take this city to involve us in Scholar power struggles. I didn't take it to go to war against the Righteous. We're fractured, we're all broken. I don't remember my own past and I can say the most terrible things about every single one of you without having to lie at all."

That earned a few amused grunts, but they still looked wary. They should.

I continued, "The world itself is broken. It was shattered a long time ago and I've seen enough to realize that, left as is, it won't survive. The people that are left are still tearing themselves apart in a struggle for power. Aefwal from this day forward has one purpose above all others. We're going to mend this broken world and make it whole again."

Most of the gathering looked sick to their stomachs, but not Anna. Anna was grinning.

THE END

The Metropolis

In charge of the great city of Aefwal Emma searches for the lost history of the breaking of the world. It is a quest that will bring the city into conflict with both the Scholarium and the Righteous, and put them on the wrong side of the powerful who would prefer the world remains broken. A new city-building mechanic, insults, and all-new powers.

Author Notes

The third book has arrived, although a bit delayed by the holidays as Christmas and New Year’s fell right as I was working to finish it up. The changing of the year always brings a lot of ambitious new goals, last year I’d hoped that my writing would allow me to become an author full time and I realized that. This year is all about getting the stories told that I want to tell.

The Laboratory was an experiment. While my dungeon books are popular there weren’t any others quite like the one I wanted to tell. You can already see it is going in a direction that others aren’t. I’ve always been sad when I hit the limit to a game, when it stopped getting bigger. In fiction we aren’t bound by the same walls, I can keep going and tell stories unlike anything else out there.

You’ll see some new ideas from me this year, and if you’re a member of the mailing list you’ll be getting some polls so I can get your feedback on some of the more unusual concepts I have so I can figure out where to focus my attention first.

<<<<>>>>

148

The Metropolis

A touch transformed one of my drones instantly into stone. A moment later it crumbled into a cascade of gravel.

It wasn’t the only thing that wasn’t going my way in the fight over these ruins. I’d struggled with how to deal with single Powered individuals in the past. Here there was over a dozen.

A week ago, they’d been of interest to nobody. Teenage scavengers living in a patch of desolate streets and broken buildings long since picked bare. Then a crystal shard transport from King Boreas crashed after a battle with a Righteous gunship and suddenly the scavengers had something everyone wanted.

“You gyjarks aren’t getting what you’re after,” said an emaciated young woman who was an incongruous sight in combat boots and a pink tee.

Anna said as she crouched behind a wall, “Kid, if that was an insult you need to get better at it. Emma, show them how it’s done.” Peering over the brickwork, a blast of Anna’s stunner sent a young man sprawling unconscious. His skin seemed to be detailed with a topographical map that fit the local area.

As powers went it probably wasn’t the most useful for him, but I might be able to do something with it.

“Your face is a gyjark,” I said. I was capable of more, but a demanding Anna didn’t get my best work. I had my pride.

“Really?” Anna asked, before she rolled from her position as a brilliant cascade of what appeared to be fireworks exploded where she’d just been hiding.

A young woman flew towards Anna in an attempt to knock her down. Anna didn’t even use the stunner this time. An uppercut caught the girl’s jaw and sent her crashing hard to the earth.

It would have been easy enough to kill everyone here. Crystal shards weren’t as powerful as full crystals, although once bonded with a host they did grow over time. None of these had been in place very long and so all the powers we were facing were on the weak end.

A girl clapped and a sonic blast knocked out another of my drones.

Weak was all relative, of course. We’d gotten to the transport site first and found ourselves confronted by the scavengers. If we took too long we’d be dealing with the forces of King Boreas coming to reclaim his missing goods. That would be a far uglier fight. We had to be quick.

I flanked insult girl with four of my drones and she downed two with prismatic bursts of energy from her hands. Two wasn’t enough and twin stunner beams caught her from either side knocking her over.

She was the last of them. Anna walked through the collapsed bodies to check inside the house they’d been guarding. Sleeping mats were spread over the floor, but what we were really interested in was the massive cylinder three-quarters filled with a shimmering dust.

“A quarter gone? Were they eating the stuff?” Anna asked, as she found the lid and secured it.

“Don’t get tempted. The last thing we need is for you to start looking at our energy supplies as if they were cookies. We’ll be dark within the week,” I said.

Several of my drones with boosted strength surrounded the container and with a heave were moving it to the transport.

“What about the kids?” Anna asked.

It was a valid question. A few of their powers might be useful. I’d gone in utilizing stunners for a reason. I still had that curiosity, but none of them would be winning us a war.

That wasn’t all she was asking. Lately I had been collecting strays. Perhaps I’d been doing it all along—what was Anna, if not a stray? But it had been getting particularly bad lately with the Gobbles, and then Magpie and her people.

Anna wanted to know if I was going to try to bring these kids back with us.

It wasn’t a simple question. I’d never been more powerful than I was now as the core of the city of Aefwal, but I’d also never felt more helpless.

Resources were tight, painfully tight, and that made missions like this critical.

“We’ll take them back with us. You know my habit of surrounding myself with the completely useless and inept,” I said.

We were half-done by the time I detected a warping signature overhead. An incoming jump.

It would be either the Righteous or King Boreas, and both were bad—although each was bad in different ways. The Righteous could dampen abilities and had formidable equipment. King Boreas could rewind time. If he’d given that power to a captain of one of his vessels it would make them agony to fight.

The ship blinked into existence and beam weapons instantly fired taking out three of my drones.

Boreas it was then. I hadn’t had much experience fighting him, but I’d thought about it. The best counter to rewinding time was either to out-think the time jumper or to out-power them.

If I’d had a high-yield missile ready to plow into that ship in fifteen seconds, there was nothing a rewind of time might do to prevent the large-scale destruction.

Unfortunately, I only had an armored personnel carrier.

BioArmor sprang up around Anna just as she took a shot to the shoulder getting aboard.

“Why are we still here?” Anna asked.

We hadn’t come in the Graven, it was off fighting its own battles as we searched for supplies. Instead, I’d keyed one of the city’s teleportation gates for the destination and brought the vehicle through.

If I had sufficient power, I’d simply have taken us instantly back the same way. Power was the issue though—as it had been ever since stripping Sylax of her Amplification core.

It took minutes to charge up the energy for a gate use.

I had to time this carefully and focus my sensors on the attacking vessel.

A teleportation portal could do damage to an airship. Slice some key lines in the engine core and, after a few seconds, the ship would be in a critical state.

Two seconds before I had enough power I detected the ship venting extra cooling into its engine core. In some possible future I’d tried this trick. Which meant it was time for something different.

When the capacity charged I opened the gateway beneath the transport and allowed us to fall through. No time reset, not this time. The captain of that ship must have decided he preferred the future of us getting away, rather than the one of his engine core going.

149

The vehicle tumbled through on the other side and came to rest. Back within the city on familiar turf my people had no problem teleporting. Anna took herself to the nearest Medbay and I sent drones to transport the canister of dust to the reactor core.

The city looked even worse than it had a week before, when I’d been struggling for control. Seven districts had been reduced to rubble. The sun dome overhead was little more than a dim glow bathing the city in perpetual dusk.

Again, it was a matter of power. The city power supplies had been nearly exhausted when Sylax was in charge, and the heavy use I’d made since of the city’s teleportation gates had only made matters worse.

My Bioreactors worked well for a single building. Put enough of them together properly networked and they could provide power for a district. However, an entire city required a whole other scale of engineering and despite having the title, I just wasn’t there.

That was where the crystal dust came in. I triggered its absorption into the reactor.

The sun dome brightened and I began to get reports of energy spikes throughout the city. The Scholars made use of shards and dust extensively as a power supply—it was part of the reason they fought so heavily over crystals. This amount wouldn’t keep the lights on for long. I’d bought us perhaps a week of breathing room and more reliable gate use.

The city’s communication network came back online and I was immediately getting requests from my District Lords.

I was starting to envy Sylax’s tactic of ruling through fear. It meant less calls for assistance at all hours. One of the messages was about her. I’d turned Sylax over to Crystal who wanted to speak with me.

I needed to chat with her as well. I loaded up a transport with the Powered teens we’d just captured and directed it towards her district.

* * *

Crystal didn’t seem thrilled with the presents I’d brought her.

“Emma, have you noticed I still don’t have a single building set up? Where do you think I’m going to put a bunch of strays?” Crystal asked.

“It’s true. I live in a cave,” Sylax said. Since the loss of her Amplification crystal she’d changed fashion directions. Instead of red and black armor she now wore a form-fitting white bodysuit. I didn’t know where she’d gotten the thing. Also, after having her crystal removed she did seem, marginally, less bloodthirsty than before.

“I’ll build you a shack. You keep complaining that you need resources to rebuild and the scavengers can help,” I said.

Of all the District Lords none had been hit so hard in the struggle for the city as Crystal. The enemy destroyed every structure and slaughtered every unit—except for Sylax.

Sylax said, “It is going to take more than a shack. Let us have the use of one of Jade’s lieutenants and the assistance of one of your repair drones for forty-eight hours and we’ll do it.”

Jade and her people were telekinetics. One of her lieutenants would have strong powers.

I could visualize what Sylax had in mind. With the capacity to shift rubble about and my drones’ ability to do quick repair work, they could probably manage to restore access and function to a number of their underground facilities within that time-frame.

It suited my purposes. Although Crystal had tried to take the city instead of me, she had also been my closest ally when I was only a District Lord.

I didn’t blame her for having ambition, though I would if she turned out to hold a grudge.

“I’ll get you what you need,” I said.

Crystal directed a long look at Sylax, but grunted and nodded. “Fine. What about my clones?”

Crystal had also been seeking clones of her fallen creatures. We both held upgrade cores and our abilities came from the enhancement of others. Crystal’s focused on the drawing out of hybrid animalistic traits in others, or in enhancing the natural potential of beasts.

My manufacturing potential had been pushed to its limits. My growth vats were filled with the need to grow more growth vats and the production of Bioreactors and workers.

I’d been putting off Crystal’s request, but perhaps it was time to reconsider that. With something to work with she could start bringing her district back online and even help others.

“If your clones were a decent design in the first place you’d still have a building standing. I’ll give you a growth vat cycle in four hours,” I said.

“Capacity?” Crystal asked, turning all business.

I sent her over the specifications and she keyed in her request.

I thought she’d ask for one of her dragon hybrids. A young one would synthesize well in that time, but instead she wanted insects.

I hadn’t even known she had these, I didn’t see them in the fight for the city.

Sylax was peeking over her shoulder. “You are not bringing back those damned bugs.”

“I liked them,” Crystal said.

“They were creepy. They had a hive mind, and they sang, and wiping them out was one of the few good things I’ve ever done,” Sylax said.

“They are incredibly efficient, versatile, and evolve quickly. Emma, I know what I’m doing. If you want to get this place back in working order, give me my bugs,” Crystal said.

Crystal had also brought Sylax into the world. Crystal excelled in making scary monsters.

Still, she was one of my District Lords. This is what I expected from her now, to do what she was good at.

I loaded the biological parameters she specified into the queue.

“You’re all set,” I said.

Now it was time to approach Jade.

150

Jade’s entire demeanor had changed since I’d taken the city and overthrown Sylax. I could worry that she was being compelled, but as the ruler of the city I’d be able to see if another District Lord had conquered her.

Her district had once been defined by its ruins. She and her lieutenants had torn buildings apart without a care. They’d reveled in the destruction and saw no need to put any of it right.

That had changed. The buildings now were crude, little more than slabs of stone propped up against each other, but they were serviceable. There were even rows of telekinetically tilled ground for farms, although so far nothing grew.

I’d signaled ahead that I’d be arriving in one of my mechanical science drones.

“Emma, are you here about my request?” Jade asked.

I was there about another request entirely, but given that I wanted something from her I’d need to listen.

I said, “You want to set up more advanced systems in your structures. Lights, sewage, comms. It’s about time you stopped living in your own filth. I can schedule a repair drone to visit and assist.”

“No drone. I want my people taught,” Jade said.

This was different. That was also more difficult, if time was a factor, and time was always a factor.

“I’ll send a drone, but I’ll also provide instruction on what they are doing and why, for your people to review,” I said.

Jade considered that for a moment. “That will do. Weird, isn’t it? Trying to put together the stuff you’ve broken and not knowing how. I guess you know that better than anyone. How can you hope to fix the world, when you can’t even fix this city?”

I wasn’t looking for her opinion. I was doing my utmost, but I only had so many drones.

“Crystal needs one of your people for two days. I think she is hoping to dig out some of her basement facilities.”

“Of course. She can have three. Why didn’t she come to me directly? I’ve had them just sitting around,” Jade said.

That wasn’t hard to answer. I knew exactly why Crystal hadn’t asked directly, she didn’t trust Jade. None of the District Lords really trusted each other, and I couldn’t blame them. I didn’t trust them either.

I hadn’t realized quite how bad it all was with all these smaller problems. I’d been so focused on getting the Central District up and running, and acquiring supplies for the entire city, I hadn’t been paying enough attention to the needs of the individual districts. Perhaps letting some easy fixes sit idle where I could be helping. It was worth investigating, at least.

* * *

I transferred into a biological body, called Heloise, before I sought out my next District Lord. Heloise was one of my combat model drones who I’d made exceptionally durable. I’d need that just talking to Tara.

Tara was a former member of the Righteous and she’d helped us out greatly in the past. Most recently, she had torn the Amplification crystal out of Sylax with the aid of a source orb—then both had wound up fusing into her body and magnifying her power-dampening abilities enormously.

It gave me a headache just to get near her, and it was best not to mention what a constant inconvenience her district’s systems were to the city.

I’d renamed her Blank befitting her new, greater powers. Making her a District Lord seemed clever at the time. In retrospect it was maybe one of my more questionable decisions and I had to find a way to deal with that.

At least her district was beautiful. Where the others were ruins, both hers and Hot Stuff’s had been remade by the last remnants of the city’s original power supplies to match their personality.

Towering white buildings adorned with balconies overlooked stone pathways winding through fields of flowers. Pretty, yet somehow a bit cold, it suited her.

“You could do with a bit less frowning,” Blank said, as she motioned Heloise into her penthouse office. “But then I guess smiling doesn’t really work for you either.”

Great, I was being analyzed.

“You seem to be settling in,” I said.

“I’m doing what I can. We’re short of people. You know that,” Blank said.

We were short of everything.

“Is that a we as in all of us together, or are you going all Ophelia on me?” I asked.

Blank gave a tiny smile. “Being an abomination suits me Emma, more than I ever thought it would. Ophelia was weak, I’m not.”

For a time Ophelia had housed three personalities in her head: The source orb, a version of me named Amy, and Ophelia herself. To my knowledge Blank should only have two lurking around in her own skull.

“You could describe Ophelia as that when she first bonded with the orb. Why is that?” I asked.

Blank turned her gaze out the window and her lips pursed. “How to define it? Source orbs have the potential to put the world back as it was. To bond one together in a host with a power crystal will ultimately corrupt it. Rob it of that power.”

That fitted with what I knew about source orbs. They were greatly prized by the Righteous. No other faction seemed to value them except for whatever the Righteous might trade for them.

“We could figure out how to extract it, if you like. Leave you with just the Amplification crystal,” I said.

“No, I like what I am and you’ll not change it,” Blank said.

“Do you need anything then? Most of the other Lords are full of requests.”.

“I need lieutenants,” Blank said.

Didn’t everybody? With the toll the war had taken, we were critically short of the unpowered.

Manufacturing people suitable for that process was proving difficult. There had been a few successes at granting them abilities, but the transmission rates were far lower than with the general population.

“I’ll see what I can do. While I realize the life of the isolated hermit well suits your social ability, would you care to take a walk with me? I want to talk with Flicker,” I said.

Talking to Flicker was one thing Blank proved good for.

151

Flicker’s district was badly out of sync with our reality. I’d gotten there in the past with the use of a jump drive and through some skillful reprogramming of the teleportation gates.

With Blank none of that was necessary. I sent notice of our arrival and we made our way to the boundary of her district.

Flicker met us there. A shimmer of barely sensed presence solidified into a girl as Blank drew near. Flicker looked to be in her late teens, unkempt and with wild hair.

Power crystals were a mixed blessing to most that got them. Flicker was more unfortunate. Hers tore apart Flicker’s dimensional stability.

I’d had a drone bring a crate of orange soda. She was obsessed with the stuff.

I’d gathered she didn’t exactly eat or drink in her own dimension.

“Hi, Flicker. I’m just going around to all the District Lords and seeing if there is anything I can help them with. Do you have everything you need? Well, I mean besides a fashion consultant and several high-powered showers with hot water?” I asked.

“C43L18K25,” Flicker said, enunciating each letter and number between lousy slurps of soda.

It wasn’t quite gibberish. We’d been working to bring her district more in tune with the city. If we could master Flicker’s dimensional shifting, it might provide a powerful level of defense. As it was now, for most practical purposes it was almost like being short a district.

She could deploy wire golems into the real world, but her forces were much weaker here than in her host dimension.

The sequence she provided was a calibration. Her space was always shifting and I was still working on determining a consistent pattern to it.

I keyed in the changes and behind her buildings flicked into a more solid view.

Then they exploded.

Flicker doubled over, crying out in pain.

What was wrong?

The timing was no coincidence. Was it a problem with the sequence? My systems?

I tried to turn off the dimensional adapter and it ignored the shut-down sequence. No, not ignored—it wasn’t receiving it. It was out of phase with me and it shouldn’t have been.

That was a clue as to what was going on. Any changes should be happening purely on her side. If my own dimensional equipment was phasing, it meant I was getting feedback of some kind.

It had to be a matter of resonance. The dimensional shifts were having an impact on each other and sending a dimensional wave back and forth between them.

For anyone else this might have been catastrophic. Fortunately I’m brilliant—and I had just charged up the main reactor. I keyed up a dimensional gate and opened it into Flicker’s dimension creating a third harmonic.

Her screeching continued for a few long moments and then stopped.

Flicker looked behind her, glared at my drone, and drank another soda.

It was good to be helpful.

This actually was good news. I was narrowing in on what made her dimension unique. Being able to build a harmonic like this could be just the tool to allow easy traverse between them.

“Why does something explode every time you try to be helpful?” Blank asked.

“Explosions and SCIENCE go together. A woman of your limited understanding will never understand that,” I said.

Blank shrugged. “It keeps things interesting. But blow up something in my district and I’ll be cross.”

I had no intention of blowing up anything in her district. Already, I was more interested in how the other newest district of the city was doing.

* * *

Bronze and Obsidian were the main building materials of Hot Stuff’s district. The city had shaped itself partly around her personality and partly around her abilities.

The result was an absurd number of bronze erotic sculptures, flowing streams of magma, and opulent flame-retardant palaces.

“Hey bosslady,” Hot Stuff said, when I arrived to meet her. This time my drone was one with the Fire Matrix built in and temperature-resistance upgrades as well.

Hot Stuff had acquired the ability to toggle her fires off and on, and right now they were off. It let her wear mundane clothing. Otherwise even the fire-resistant stuff tended to burn away after no more than a few hours.

There was an easel set up and a selection of oil paints.

“You’ve taken up art? I didn’t think you were that complex,” I said.

Hot Stuff grinned. “I didn’t either. I’m not very good, but I’m having fun failing.”

“How have you been? Have the Wolves been giving you any problems?”

Of all the districts hers had the highest surviving population after the battles, but they were mostly the forces of James Wolf, who had died at Sylax’s hand.

“Oh, the Wolves are dead. Just Flames now. We only lost about forty percent in the process, most were smart enough to learn to play,” Hot Stuff said.

That wasn’t bad, relatively speaking. Of those actually willing to share in her power, about one third died receiving it.

“Enough to have them start aiding on operations? We could use some heavy-hitters scavenging for supplies,” I said.

Hot Stuff glanced over and tapped her fingers upon her thigh for a few moments. “That means ones that I trust not to go feral and destroy whatever it is you’re raiding. Their discipline is kind of shot with the Big Dog dead, but I can get you a few that I think will hold it together.”

That would do. I wished I could use her for more. Hot Stuff could possibly be the perfect solution to our power problems, but although she burned intensely it was still on far too limited a scale.

Before I could dwell on that too much I was getting an alert notification from one of my remote teams. It was going after a rumored crystal refinery, and they were meeting some serious resistance.

“Care to do some killing?” I asked.

“Hell yeah, I want to do some killing,” Hot Stuff said.

Making her a District Lord was something I had zero regrets about.

152

I didn’t want to keep relying on the city’s teleportation gates. The power expenditure was huge and I’d much rather save that energy for any city-threatening emergency.

Still, I didn’t want to lose a whole team either. I gathered a force of two dozen combat drones in heavy battle armor. Hot Stuff joined us with three of her lieutenants and we stepped through.

It was an inferno. Our portal had opened into a spray of fuel and the Flames triggered it at once. While the fire was of no danger to them, my combat drones were another matter—including myself.

At least I knew who our enemy had to be. With this level of preparation and prediction it meant King Boreas and his forces. We must have taken them by surprise the first time and they rewound.

The team we were coming to rescue was already down. Now that we were close I could sense that properly. All of my drones had regenerative healing abilities, I insisted on it, but they didn’t have temperature resistance.

I signaled them to get clear as best they could and turned to Hot Stuff.

“Give me a full burn,” I said.

“Real party huh,” Hot Stuff said, stepping forward as the fiery aura sprang up around her. Ashy remnants of clothing blew away in the wind, fortunately she wasn’t shy.

In the past, Hot Stuff had burned bright at full power even before becoming a District Lord. Now?

Now it was overpowering.

It took around half an hour for my drone to heal into a state where I could properly observe the surroundings. Whatever was here had been swept clean, the ground blasted into glass.

Hot Stuff disabled her flames and reached down to help me up. “Welcome back, bosslady.”

Only two of the drones had survived, and they weren’t healing as fast as the one I’d selected. Of the enemy there were only a few badly charred skeletal remains.

I didn’t think I’d get much out of them, but I’d take them back for research purposes anyways. I’d take anything I could get that might help me fight against Boreas’ people.

The damage had extended to the refinery. Half the structure had melted completely away and the other half was on fire.

“You do put on a show,” I said.

“Yeah, I do,” Hot Stuff said. I’d expected to hear a bit of glee there, but instead there was a hint of sadness. I was getting better with human emotions.

“Time was you’d have taken a lot of pleasure in that,” I said.

“Burning and fucking my way across the badlands? Been there, done that. I actually buy into your whole schtick though, you know? Us maybe doing something better? I just wish sometimes I could be a part other than being someone who destroys everything she touches,” Hot Stuff said.

Again, I found myself surprised by depth I hadn’t seen before. I guess this explained her efforts at painting. She was trying to be someone new.

If I’d hoped to get anything usable from the refinery I was out of luck. Fuel tanks buried in the ground stood open. They were empty, rather than the contents having been burned.

That was wrong.

It was one thing to respond to our arrival with a spray of fuel. That could be explained by short-term temporal displacement. This was something else.

Hot Stuff walked up and peered inside. “Huh. We have a traitor?”

I could understand her thinking that. If the refinery received word of the attack before I launched it, then they could have cleared out the fuel and been waiting for us. That may have happened.

It was also possible that King Boreas had somehow unlocked a new level of his ability, one that granted him capabilities we didn’t know about. After seeing how Sylax was made so strong with an Amplification crystal, and observing how my own abilities had grown over time, it was impossible to discount.

If we had a traitor there were a few likely culprits. Crystal and Sylax had an existing relationship with King Boreas. With Crystal’s place as one of my closer allies she knew about this attack.

Perhaps they’d offered to help him in exchange for claiming the city for themselves? As theoretical cases went, it was a strong one.

Of course, she wasn’t the only suspect. I’d left Crash mauled and he had the technical skills to find out about the troop movements. He’d also already betrayed me once, and did so by playing a convincing part. He might be fooling me again.

Zora had to come in third. I still didn’t know her power set and a woman that good at keeping secrets might well be keeping a few more. Zora had impressed me over time with both her competence and her drive to seek out power. I didn’t think she was stupid enough to betray me, but humans disappointed you, it was what they did best.

“Anyone you’d suspect?” I asked. Hot Stuff was my military commander. That wasn’t just a matter of being able to melt foes.

“I don’t trust anyone, but for this? All I can do is cross names off. Jade wouldn’t sell you out to Sylax’s mentor. Blank would sell you out to the Righteous—if she was going to sell you out to anyone.”

No, not them. Given they’d think her an abomination.

“Would any of your Flames sell you out?” I asked.

Hot Stuff shook her head. “Nah. They survive and they’re mine through and through. They may not be smart, but they’re loyal.”

I’d have to trust her on that. I had no reason not to, my own drones were unfailingly loyal.

I set my drones to recover what pieces we could for research and took us home. If there was a mole, I had to find them.

153

The city of Aefwal was hidden deep inside an underground cavern, which made the hunt for a mole easier. There were limited avenues for someone to sneak a message out and the only one that would make practical sense would be through the city’s transmission network.

The network operated on a completely different level than something like the teleport gates. Terminals were available to all the major factions and they allowed real-time connection to any other terminal providing you had the proper clearances and codes.

As ruler of the city the network was fully under my control. Still, Sylax had once controlled it and Crash was an expert in subverting systems. I couldn’t trust they hadn’t found a way to hack signals through.

I spent several hours going through logs and examining the hardware for signs of unauthorized use or tampering. I didn’t turn up anything.

If I had a spy working against me, they were maybe better at this than I was. Possible, but unlikely. To be safe I set a few extra safeguards. I’d have to let that sit for now.

Aefwal’s isolation not only made spying difficult, locally there was nothing to scavenge.

We were limited on ships. James Wolf’s fleet of airships had been destroyed in the civil war, Sylax had lost hers in battle with the well-named Oozelord.

I’d managed to get the Graven back operational, and cobble together two other working airships out of the pieces. I’d had to turn them into glorified troop transports, mostly ferrying teams about. At least the airships were easily fueled by Biocores.

At any point in time I had several teams in the field investigating leads. Salvage was a big focus, we weren’t strong enough to wage a war for resources with any of the major powers. Scavengers were plentiful and we often weren’t the first to a prize, but if we encountered any competition at least our limited firepower counted for something.

A team was requesting my assistance. I shifted my consciousness into the skin of one of my drones so I could observe things first-hand.

“Told you she’d pick Angela,” said another of my drones.

“Yeah. I’ll pay up,” said another.

“It really was a mistake to make all of you capable of speech. What are you talking about?” I asked, as I took in the surroundings.

They’d come by land vehicle and were parked near the edge of a massive canyon. The sky here had a metallic green shimmer speckled with flashes of light.

“Tori said you’d go with riding around in Angela because she’s a brunette. Now I owe her my cookie ration for the day,” said the second drone.

Did I always pick brunettes to occupy? It wasn’t hard to check. I did, and discovered that roughly seventy-three percent of the time when I assumed a human host, I chose a brunette.

Interesting. Useless, but interesting.

A did a quick review of the drone who had just spoken, Ula. I’d double her and Tori’s cookie rations for the week. I appreciated learning new things about myself.

“I picked the least cookie-gorged drone I could find. Why did you need me?” I asked.

Tori moved to the edge of the chasm and pointed. I leaned over to see.

About halfway down a ship was stuck in the canyon wall. It didn’t look as if it had crashed there so much as the canyon had grown around it.

It was small, too small to be an effective transport, and far smaller than the typical airship—smaller than even the Graven. It was more like a shuttle, I decided.

That was puzzling. What I was seeing looked like a jump drive malfunction, but a jump drive was impractical for a vessel that size.

“We didn’t have the equipment to get down there, but thought you might have an interest,” Tori said.

I quadrupled cookie rations for the entire team and put in a work order for reinforced structural improvements for their vehicle. Fat does weigh quite a bit, after all.

I grabbed a portable lantern from their supplies and upgraded Angela with the teleportation ability. It was a bit far to get down there and back up again, but I had a solution for that.

I flung my host over the edge of the cliff. It was a long fall down to the shuttle and I was taking a chance. My teleport couldn’t function without some sort of sensor reading or awareness of an interior.

Still, it looked as if this shuttle had crashed a long time ago and I thought it likely to have some weather damage.

It did. The crack along the engine housing wasn’t large, but it was enough for me to get a glimpse of the dark interior. I teleported.

This ship was small. Most of it was devoted to the engine compartment. The rest was a pilot’s chair and a small passenger cabin. Dry, cracked leather and woodwork showed it had once been quite nice.

There were two skeletons.

Each had power crystals lodged in their ribcages—they’d once had abilities. One was surrounded by an aura of faint darkness, the other by feelings of vitality.

It was unlikely for my drone to absorb either. So far, my drones hadn’t shown much affinity for crystals. However, Angela responded to the first one touched, the dark crystal melting and seeming to seep into her pores.

New Power Acquired

You were present within a host that had acquired a new ability from bonding with a Darkness Crystal.

Cloak of Midnight

In addition to vision even in perfect darkness the bearer of this crystal will extinguish all light sources within fifteen meters.

My lantern was dead, so I could count that as evidence of success. I secured the other crystal, the vision in darkness working as well.

The drive was fused solid. Unfortunate, I’d have liked to study it. The computer core was intact and I teleported it back to the canyon rim.

The vessel was something of an anomaly in a lot of ways. I was curious about where it had come from. The core might give me some answers.

154

I signaled for an airship to retrieve the team and return them to the city as a priority mission. In the meantime I searched the records for the ship’s design.

Every faction had their unique facets of ship construction. Pirate vessels tended to be smaller and more lightly armored with larger weapon mounts, The Righteous went with more heavily armored frames, while the Scholars preferred variable and adaptive types.

I had access to mostly Scholar resources, because I’d made something of a hobby of stealing everything of theirs that at some point tried to kill me.

I wasn’t getting any hits. Ships were built large for a reason, and it was a dangerous world out there. The shuttle didn’t even have armaments and was too small to be a troop carrier. While it had held two Powered, that was hardly enough to justify such a small design.

It was a few hours until the team returned to Aefwal and set about gorging themselves on their unexpected cookie bounty. I set to studying the data core.

It was unexpectedly primitive and I soon figured out why. Some of my own records that had been saved from the Cataclysm. The core from the shuttle used the same dating system and was only some fifteen years afterward.

I always thought it strange that the period of time since passed was such an unknown, especially given that some Powered such as Mechos had survived the entire thing.

I suspected that centuries had passed, but had no way to prove it. Even the dating systems had changed.

The ship had belonged to Hale and Blindspot, treasure hunters. Hale had possessed extraordinary health and Blindspot had been able to induce short-term sensory deprivation on targets.

They’d been looking for something called the “Sword of Light”. An asinine name they’d taken very seriously. The sword was apparently an artifact they’d put a lot of time into finding. A look through the Scholar databases found references to the sword as well, usually in connection with a gem named the Agate thought to be a power crystal of unusual properties.

Interesting. Interesting enough that I wanted to investigate further.

I had the set of jump coordinates they had been trying to reach. The treasure hunters had solved a series of riddles to figure them out.

I messaged Anna, Blank, Crystal, and Mechos to meet me aboard our only available airship. Between them they were my best thinkers. After everyone arrived and settled into a conference room I presented them what I had.

“I know of the Sword of Light. It destroyed Cincinnati,” Mechos said.

“Cincinnati? That’s a ship?” Anna asked.

“A city. I don’t know the details, but at the time it had been seized by Prince Dragosaur.”

Crystal admitted, “He was some of my early work. Not my best. It was before I had a Compulsion core and he wandered off to build an army to betray me.”

“Are all of your creations deeply unlikable?” Anna asked.

“Those who are made will always try to kill their makers. It happens. Emma will find out,” Crystal said.

I hoped not.

Blank said, “I don’t know anything about any swords. While crystals will sometimes fuse with inanimate objects—as one has with Emma—it is rare.”

“I’m as much an inanimate object as Anna is a pudgy, red-faced sack of meat. The shell only matters so much,” I said.

“Do you have to bring me into it?” Anna asked.

“So, none of you know much. It was foolish to hope that you might prove helpful,” I said.

“We’ve confirmed that it may be worth investigating. The question is why you even felt it necessary to consult anyone, as you clearly intended to do so anyways, given you had us meet on this ship,” Blank said.

That was true. I wanted to try out a version of the shuttle’s coordinates.

Usually trying a set of jump coordinates was safe. If they failed to be valid the jump simply didn’t go through. The ship would be dimensionally phased and thrown clear. Materializing inside something, such as the wall of a canyon, was supposed to be impossible.

I had some theoretical models that could explain what happened to the shuttle. At first I thought they’d been pulled into a trap, but a trap at the end of such a long road of investigation didn’t make sense. Why not spring it earlier? So the address they had was meant to be valid, but along with a final riddle—something they didn’t solve.

If it were a cipher it might never be figured out, but I didn’t think it was anything that complex. A simple offset in the coordinates would be the trick and quite easy.

Instead, they’d hit some sort of dimensional vortex, a stable center with an unstable edge. Using the coordinates without the offset would result in hitting an unstable dimensional barrier where they wouldn’t be able to materialize, throwing them into a second jump and out of dimensional phase. Thus causing the shuttle to materialize in the wall of the canyon.

If I factored in forward momentum when they had engaged the drive, and referenced that with the position where the shuttle ended up, I could determine the required offset. Maybe.

There was only one way to be certain. I engaged the drive to the revised set of coordinates.

What my sensors picked up was unexpected. I relayed video to the conference room for the others.

My vortex idea had been spot on. It was visible outside the ship, coils of red and blue energy almost like thick paint swirling endlessly around a small patch of calm in the center.

Our ship had arrived alongside what looked to be some sort of ancient communications satellite. Solar panels were coated with a thin veneer of crystal dust that seemed to provide a power supply even after all this time.

“Now that is old world,” Mechos said, leaning forward in his chair. “We’re in a Vattier bubble, we have to be. Vattier was … a colleague of sorts.”

“Weren’t you just a repairman in the old world?” Tara asked.

“A repairman of one of the greatest super-computers on the planet,” Mechos said, pulling back and letting out a low breath. “I need a terminal. If this is Vattier’s work, do not try to communicate with it, Emma. It will be trapped.”

Perhaps Mechos could be useful after all.

155

I’d studied Mechos enough to know how he liked to work. By the time he walked to a lab I’d had one of my drones set a terminal up to his specifications.

“I need details, Mechos,” I said.

“Vattier was a brilliant mind before the Cataclysm and even more brilliant one afterward. He was also one of the first to go truly mad as a crystal holder,” Mechos said.

“You buy into the talk that crystals make you mad then?”

I hadn’t quite made up my own mind there. Most of those I’d met with a crystal did seem completely insane, but that was hardly abnormal for humanity.

“I get a taste of Hot Stuff’s power, and I now sleep with everything that moves. Do you think she was born with that libido? Do you think anyone sane would press ahead with it, when it is fatal to so many of her partners?” Mechos asked.

“You were powerful well before you got a subset of her crystal,” I said. Mechos had originally possessed an upgrade crystal.

“And I was always afraid. I feared everything. There is always a cost for having a crystal, Emma. Always.”

This was interesting, but it wasn’t why we were in the laboratory. He began pulling up every bit of sensor data I had on the satellite. I was still at my heart devoted to research, even this airship’s sensors were excellent.

“There, do you see?” Mechos asked, as he marked several areas of the satellite’s casing.

I did. Visually they weren’t particularly extraordinary, but according to the sensor readings they were repositories of crystal dust. Getting to them was difficult, if anyone tried. The casing was well-protected against any explosive.

“I see it. So what did Vattier’s crystal do to him?” I asked.

“Intelligence. He became obsessed with it, with puzzles, with the extermination of the stupid. It was our hour of greatest need and one of our great minds decided to go on a killing spree to wipe out everyone not quite so great,” Mechos said.

It was an impulse I could understand.

It also meant that our odds of survival were going up. If it was intelligence that counted, I was well prepared.

“What happened to him?” I asked.

“He was betrayed by the woman he loved.”

Predictable. Sentimentality will do you in every time.

“She killed him?” I asked.

“He killed himself for being foolish,” Mechos said.

I admired the consistency at least.

The more I studied the scans, the more I began to admire whoever built this thing. Physically it was made to look like a satellite, a transmitter relay.

Practically it was, it would serve that purpose well, but beneath that was a layer of crystal circuitry designed to do something else entirely.

“I’m not smart enough for this,” Mechos said an hour later, massaging his forehead.

“I am. I believe it’s a jump drive,” I said.

“Meant for installation in a ship?” Mechos asked.

If only. That would be simple.

“It makes use of the unique properties of this part of space and time. I now think that our treasure hunters did exactly what they were meant to—hit the vortex wall. If the satellite detects some required code or equipment, it seizes your vessel and subjects it to a targeted second warp,” I said.

“But we’re only here because you didn’t make use of their exact coordinates,” Mechos said.

He was right.

“I’m too smart. The processing power required to figure out this offset are well beyond anything that would have been available. I did something clever, but not the right something clever,” I said.

“So, do you know the right something clever now?” Mechos asked.

There he had me. I didn’t.

I had access to the data log. Analyzing that data, all the clues that led the treasure hunters here weren’t getting me anything.

“No,” I said.

“Then let’s think it over piece by piece. Aside from anything else, this thing is still a communications satellite. Why?” Mechos asked.

It was a fair question. Why build signal receivers on a satellite that nobody would ever use?

The creator of this would have done it, because it was a smart thing to do. There were a lot of touches here designed in case someone was clever enough to find this. No doubt traps too, as a precaution against the unfindable actually being found.

Still…

“A transmission wave would materialize before an arriving vessel, if they were broadcasting when the jump drive was enabled,” I said.

“Would it have time to reach the satellite?” Mechos asked.

If a ship was starting to materialize in the vortex at the original coordinates, a signal should reach the satellite just before, almost perfectly timed.

I suspected that almost was only an almost because of the processing time required on the satellite’s side of any jump. Vattier had set things up to be as flawlessly perfect as he could make them.

I reviewed the logs again looking for any clues that might be a transmission signal. There weren’t any.

I had to assume the treasure hunters had missed another clue. Whatever puzzles had been planted in the past would be long gone.

“It would, but we have no way to identify what that signal should be,” I said. “What will safely trigger the second jump.”

“Unfortunate. He was completely mad there at the end, but if he was pointing the way to something, he thought it was something worthwhile,” Mechos said.

I wasn’t quite ready to give up.

I could think of a number of things that might still be worth trying. Vattier may have been brilliant. It didn’t mean he couldn’t be outflanked. My own best traps had been subverted in the past.

Blank could neutralize any bombs and we could try to trigger the satellite manually. That was just one idea. I had others, although all had risks.

For now though I’d have to let this mystery rest. Until perhaps in the future, when we had more resources.

156

Two days after our return to the city, Crystal requested a meeting with me in her district.

Things were coming along nicely. Jade had sent some of her people to assist and nearly all of the rubble had been moved into three vacant blocks where it had formed makeshift mountains. No, not mountains, but hives. Looking closer, I could see the insects I crafted for Crystal swarming around.

This time we met in an underground facility that had been unearthed, a conference room. Crystal, Sylax, and a few of the scavenging youths I’d brought back were present.

“This is much nicer than your usual dungeons. None of your new monsters turned into blood-letters yet?” I asked Crystal.

“Oh, you never quite lose the touch,” Sylax said with a tiny grin.

If she was trying to unnerve me she was failing.

“I called you here because I wanted to discuss something with you. It is big enough I thought I needed to get you to sign off,” Crystal said.

Well, that was intriguing.

“Your lack of initiative is predictable and unsurprising. Go on,” I said.

“Fuck off, robot,” said a teen girl at the table.

“Silence, Gorgon. We treat Emma with respect,” Sylax said.

Gorgon? I recognized the girl from the battle. She’d turned one of my drones to stone with a touch of her hand. She was wearing gloves now, perhaps they dampened the effect.

Crystal said, “Sylax wishes to open an academy to train the young and Powered like Gorgon here. Help them to make the best of their abilities.”

Sylax as a teacher? That seemed a proposition doomed to failure.

“Crystal, you really think that turning your sadistic mass-murdering creation loose on a collection of teenagers is a good idea? I see why so many of your charges turn out bad,” I said.

Sylax hadn’t quite lost her grin. There was something about the way she lounged in her chair, and the glimmer in her eyes, that still spoke of being a predator. Sylax might have lost that which made her extraordinarily powerful, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t still dangerous.

“She’s helping us already,” Gorgon said.

“Most Scholars won’t even bother with the Children of Dust. Unlike with a full crystal their powers can never be passed on,” Crystal said.

I hadn’t heard that term before.

“The Children of Dust?” I asked.

“Crystal powder won’t bind to a fully mature host. For example, an adult working in a factory with it will never manifest powers, but a child or a teenager might. Even minor leakage into neighboring communities has caused Powered youths to appear. They get some limited powers, but a side-effect is they’ll never bind a full crystal,” Sylax said.

This meant in Scholar society they’d never be anything more than second-class citizens. To the Scholars being Powered was everything. If you didn’t have a crystal of your own, you were expected to seek out the opportunity to bond yourself to one.

Anna was the only Scholar I’d met who intentionally avoided this.

“Then why do you have an interest?” I asked.

“Let’s just say I now sympathize with the plight of the underpowered,” Sylax said.

Crystal had heavily modified Sylax and so she was hardly unpowered. She possessed countless modifications, just as Anna did, that made her far more formidable than a standard issue human. Still, with her Amplification crystal removed, Sylax was now technically unpowered.

I didn’t doubt that Sylax had some sort of ulterior motive. It didn’t mean that she couldn’t be on some level sincere.

“And what would you train them to do?” I asked.

“Fight, kill. I could sugarcoat it, but you wouldn’t actually appreciate it. Murder is what I’m good at and strength is what matters in this world, and what you need,” Sylax said.

I didn’t much like that truth so harshly delivered. It seemed to me that if I’d wanted these youths to die in combat I could have left them where they were.

I couldn’t discount the reality of what she said. It was a hard world out there and whether they put their powers to use for me or someone else, it was likely to be the only road to a worthwhile future any of them would have.

“This still doesn’t seem big enough to warrant getting my permission,” I said to Crystal.

“How many more do you think we’re likely to find if we continue pressing outward? The Dust are considered a blight all across the Scholarium,” Crystal said.

That would explain it. Crystal wasn’t asking my permission to hand Sylax a dozen future soldiers, she was asking my permission to hand her an army.

“Why would I trust you with this kind of responsibility?” I asked Sylax.

“You see me, Emma. More clearly than most. You’ve even been inside my head. Have I ever been disloyal?”

“You were loyal to King Boreas, even when we all wished you would do otherwise. I worry that you are still loyal to him.”

Sylax frowned at that. “Of course I am. This is why, whenever opportunity presents itself, I argue that you need not be enemies. But to survive I have had to swear my loyalty to you and your Anna as well, and I honor my commitments, machine. So will those I train.”

“I don’t like this,” I said.

Crystal folded her hands on the table. “I didn’t think you would. When you turned Sylax back over to me it was because you trusted my judgment. I ask that you continue to do so.”

I really didn’t like it. Perhaps Mechos was right and all Powered had their madness. I worried that Crystal’s might be in trusting those that shouldn’t be trusted.

I needed Crystal though. And if I could depend on Sylax, I even needed her and whatever army she might raise.

Our straits were too desperate for me not to take chances.

“I agree,” I said.

The mood in the room eased and everyone was satisfied for the moment.

Then, suddenly my world became a narrow focus. Normally I run parts of me in the background constantly, but I mostly keep my thoughts running at human speed in various instances.

I couldn’t do that now.

A bomb had just appeared in the middle of the Central District. Massive, and detonating. Three milliseconds had already passed since its arrival. I couldn’t afford to be thinking at human speed.

157

I could think quickly, but it wasn’t for free. Kicking my awareness up to this degree burned power, more than my Bioreactors could produce. To solve this problem I’d have to draw upon the limited supply of fuel for the city’s main reactor.

First of all, how did that bomb get into the middle of the district? If I could figure out how it got in then perhaps I could use the same method to get it out.

I pulled all the relevant sensor logs. No teleportation traces, no warp gate activity, no sign that it was dropped from any ship.

The first vision that any of my cameras captured, it was already lying on the ground and detonating.

All twelve of my District Lords were in residence in the city. I’d been worried about a mole, but if there was one, they were not well-regarded enough to be saved by King Boreas—and this did have to be him. Again.

I’d been wondering if he had gotten some sort of enhancement to his power set and this was my answer. This bomb had appeared from out of nowhere. Based on his power set it was reasonable to assume it had come from a future.

He had warped a ship in—he must have Aefwal’s coordinates after all—dropped a city-busting bomb and somehow rewound time to a point when he thought I’d be powerless to stop anything.

Getting it out the same way it came in wasn’t feasible. I didn’t have the ability to fling objects through time.

The city’s teleportation gates would serve if it were only a few milliseconds earlier. Pre-detonation it would have been easy to get the bomb away, but caught in mid-explosion it would destabilize the gate field.

Could I use a jump drive with the bomb itself? I did have an airship above the city right now, but I wouldn’t be able to get it close enough to the bomb in time for it to extend the jump field. I also didn’t have time to string two jumps together.

If I could get Blank to the bomb she could probably neutralize it. Whatever the source of the explosion, if it was big enough to take out this city, it likely involved power crystals. Sadly Blank also neutralized any teleportation ability. I lacked the means to get her there.

Could I bury the bomb? There I had more reasonable chance of success. If I teleported every agent I had with teleportation to the bomb and through the ground below it taking the bomb with them, that would be enough to bury the device. However, based on the thing’s energy yield, that wouldn’t stop it.

Hot Stuff might be able to steal some of the fire away from the bomb, if teleported onto it. Had she possessed a freezing ability I might have tried it. Instead I was afraid she would only make the bomb stronger with her presence.

This was a lot of thought cycles burned with no solution so far—and a bomb continuing to explode.

Ratticus and his energy manipulation might be able to dampen the explosion, but the blast seemed too powerful for him to stop completely. Jade might fling it from the city, except it was too late for that now.

What about the city’s energy shields? They were mostly turned off to conserve resources, but they had protected Aefwal from everything for a very long time. Their energy consumption was frightful, far more than even the teleportation gates, but I had enough power to engage them briefly. They were also energy-absorptive. If I could get them around the bomb they could actually feed from the very blast they were defending against.

The shield systems weren’t really designed for that. I spent another few precious milliseconds running through the possibilities to make it work.

They would definitely be able to dampen the explosion, but I just couldn’t focus enough of the shielding power to completely contain the blast. Burying the bomb would help more, Ratticus could help more—everything would help more. But even putting all my tools into play it just wouldn’t be enough.

This bomb was overkill. It was needlessly strong to get rid of us, especially taking us by surprise too.

I had to rethink the problem. If I couldn’t neutralize the bomb, what were my other options? Could I get people away?

I could, a series of teleports to the airship and triggering the jump drive would do the trick. I should even have time to evacuate my consciousness to the ship.

I could save everyone and run away.

Good, I could avoid complete loss, but I needed to do better.

Doing better meant saving the city. Could the city run away?

The city was built to be mobile using engines deep underground. Flying wouldn’t help here though. I wouldn’t be soaring away from the bomb even if they were operational. It was too slow.

Could I jump away?

I’d brought an entire fleet to this city once by extending a jump field well beyond sensible limits and utilizing the power of a volcano to amplify it.

I couldn’t use the power of the bomb exactly the same way, but the very thing that made the teleportation gates fail as a solution helped here. The jump field wouldn’t like the high levels of energy the bomb was putting out. The explosion would be rejected.

If I utilized the city’s shields to curve the jump field around it, the explosion wouldn’t be allowed to jump. In theory I would take the city away and leave the exploding bomb behind.

I even had a set of coordinates I wanted to try again. For Vattier’s satellite.

I still lacked whatever passcode it was looking for, but what I did have was a Crash. I could teleport him into the city’s main communications hub and his powers of subverting and controlling complex systems would be transmitting outward ahead of our jump. Crash could hack the satellite’s passcode. He might melt a little, but I could add Ophelia. With her healing aura in close proximity any part of him that dripped off should pop back soon after.

There were safer options, saner options, but perhaps this was my insanity from my crystal? I loved the gamble and I loved the big show.

I teleported Crash and Ophelia into the communications core, set it to full power, triggered the shields and engaged the jump.

Time elapsed since the detection of the bomb—twenty-three milliseconds.

158

Things did not go as planned.

At least, the city did not blow up. The first part of the plan succeeded and we went into the jump leaving the bomb and its explosion behind. We also hadn’t been thrown clear into a wrong dimension, not to mention into the side of any canyon, like the shuttle. Instead we seemed to be frozen mid-jump.

The sky was a shimmering rainbow of colors.

I opened a city-wide comm. “We came under attack and I had to devise a rather novel method of saving our lives. All the good little mammals can stop peeing on the floor and get to their duty stations.”

That might work for the rank and file, but the District Lords would want to know more. I conferenced them together as the lines came in and added Anna and Mechos.

“Where are we?” Jade asked.

“We’re in warp, obviously. Why are we still in warp?” Anna asked.

“You used the satellite coordinates and something went wrong,” Mechos said.

Crash and Ophelia at least weren’t capable of conversation. They were still in the middle of the main comm hub and being blasted apart by intense radiation.

“I did. I wired Crash into the comms to broadcast his ability and added Ophelia so he’d live. Unfortunately they seem to be as useless together as they are individually,” I said.

“Could being in a state of near-death be causing his power to not function?” Anna asked.

“If his power weren’t functioning the satellite would have kicked us aside at best, or self-destructed at worst,” Mechos said.

I agreed.

“For us to be stuck the satellite must have tried to carry out its primary purpose. Our originally jump was overridden in preparation for the next stage, but now we’re in a state of flux,” I said.

“Could it be a power issue?” Blank asked.

Of course, it had to be. Transitioning a city like this into a jump took a lot of energy which I’d been able to harness by drawing on the main reactor and the explosion of the bomb.

The satellite was trying to propel us into a second jump, but its power supplies were far more limited. The device may have only ever been meant to send along a single vessel, not something as large as an entire city.

“You prove useful for being something besides the one woman to power down Mechos’ libido,” I said.

Anna said, “Do you know that is the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me, and it’s still an insult to someone else?”

“While I appreciate the silly banter, it isn’t nearly as entertaining when Anna isn’t the one being insulted. Is there a fix for our dilemma?” Zora asked.

“We’re in jump space. Can we interact with real space?” Mechos asked.

That was a very good question. Within the confines of a jump bubble it was a bit like being inside a self-contained dimension all our own. In a sense the satellite was just outside the city limits. At the same time, practically, it was unreachable.

“You should know better than that,” I said.

“In phase not rest can I?” Flicker asked.

As always, it was difficult to talk with Flicker. The words didn’t come through. Her district of the city was out of phase with the city, and out of phase with the rest of the jump bubble. Unfortunately, it wasn’t in tune with normal space either, so this didn’t help us.

“You’re not the sort of out-of-alignment we need,” Mechos said. Perhaps the man was trying to redeem himself.

“Can we use the jump bubble itself? Isn’t it serving as a sort of tether between us and the satellite right now?” Anna asked.

Surprisingly, it was the smartest thing anyone had said yet.

The jump field surrounded us and it was also interacting with the satellite, which was currently sustaining it. Maintaining a field required far less power than initiating one. The satellite might be able to hold us like this for a number of days and never be able to execute the next part of its programming.

“We’d need to transfer a large supply of energy directly into the field itself. Slap the cookie out of Anna’s hand hard enough and she’ll feel it in her arm,” I said.

“That’s better,” Zora said.

“I’m checking power levels. You drained the city’s reactors to initiate this jump,” Mechos said.

I had, and the requirements were going to be enormous. I thought I had a solution though. One bomb had got us into this mess and another could get us out.

The airship overhead had initiated this jump bubble and its engine was still one end of it. A large enough explosion there would distribute the energy through the field. Focusing it would be a challenge, but Ratticus and his lieutenants should be able to help there.

The explosion itself would be a bit of an issue, but I had the foundation of what was needed. I’d built bombs before reliant on Biomatter.

Transferring most of the contents of the growth vats would provide ample Biomatter to fuel the explosion.

The District Lords were less than thrilled with the idea when I shared it.

“That is our only airship right now,” Anna said.

“We have another, and the Graven. Stop being greedy,” I said.

Mechos said, “You have no guarantee the others will be able to reach us wherever we are going. I estimate we have days until the jump bubble collapses. We can engineer a better solution.”

I didn’t like it when the humans started thinking they were intelligent, I particularly didn’t like it when they were actually making good sense.

We did have days to engineer a better solution. Blowing up an airship would be easy and effective, but for the moment it was unnecessary.

“I’ll work with you and Ratticus on plans. We begin construction in twelve hours,” I said.

“I’ll have my people ready,” Jade said.

It was time to engineer a fix.

159

Two days later, the fix was a beam weapon. I had designs that allowed me to use a Powered individual as a focus to determine the type of beam. With Ratticus at the controls I could utilize that for energy transformation.

Of course, before we jumped I had preparations to make. We didn’t know what would be waiting for us on the other side. I needed ground forces armed and ready, and science drones fueled up and ready to fly.

The cannon were fueled with four Bioreactor bombs channeling their blasts towards a central core. All four chambers fired and an arcing blaze of energy erupted to hit the jump bubble. There was no buildup of energy—one instant the city was surrounded by the rainbow aura and the next, harsh sunlight was streaming down.

The city had materialized on top of a large hill with a view overlooking rolling plains. Below a large river wound its way through the landscape and into the distance.

It was an idyllic place, and far less broken than most I’d seen. That made me instantly wary. The last paradise I’d seen had been when the Powerhungry crash-landed into a jungle. A jungle filled with beasts of exceptional power that Crystal had turned into an army.

Aefwal was in rough shape. The jump had drained the last of the reactor power and the teleportation gates, and internal communications network were completely down.

I’d prepared for that, distributing Bioreactor-powered comms throughout the districts, but communications were limited to the city. Nothing beyond.

I sent off the science drones. So far nothing was leaping up the hill to kill us.

Our position was perfectly centered, the hill just the right size for the city. Had the satellite had some sort of intelligence aboard to help it pick a perfect arrival destination?

Given that Crash’s ability was effectively Compulsion, it may have forced something like that to see us safe and in the perfect location even after being hacked.

Oh, yes—Crash. I teleported him and Ophelia to a Medbay and joined them.

Crash would be awhile fully regenerating. Ophelia was back to herself in under fifteen seconds.

“What the fuck. You cooked me for days,” Ophelia said, staggering to her feet. “Get me some damned clothes.”

I had a drone bring in something for her to wear, and some clothes for Crash as well for when he stopped being a pile of roasted meat.

“It was an emergency. You’re fine,” I said.

“Is that Crash? You left me naked in a room with Crash for days? Do you know how creepy that is?”.

“Not as if you were ever going to find yourself in that situation any other way. Some people would be grateful for me setting them up. Now do shut up and stay in the room until he’s healed. The adults have things to do,” I said.

I sealed her in the Medbay just to be safe.

It was time for the non-whiners to make some decisions. I needed to figure out where we were.

I broadcast camera feeds throughout the city of what my science drones were detecting and opened up a conference-comm session.

“Pretty,” Anna said.

Sylax said, “Which means something probably wants to kill us. I don’t recognize it. Crystal?”

“Do you have readings for any fauna?” Crystal asked.

I had picked up a few. Squirrels and foxes, nothing that seemed abnormal, but I sent the data over.

“Band one one seven,” Crystal said after a moment of study. “Sealed by order of the Scholarium. I don’t have any more information. Blank?”

“We don’t head this far out, but it looks a lot like the outer core,” Blank said.

Band referred to the distance of any jump coordinates from Band Zero. Band Zero was the core where the Righteous made their home. Higher bands got increasingly unstable in their physical laws. Most of the places we’d traveled had been between the range of twenty and sixty. After band seventy, coordinates tended not to lock as the physical laws got too inconsistent and odd to allow jump travel.

“What do you mean by sealed?” I asked.

“The Scholarium roams almost everywhere in search of crystals, but a few regions prove too inhospitable. We lose too many teams and expend too many resources to make it worth further expeditions. So they are sealed and further exploration is prohibited,” Anna said.

“Although a few malcontents break the rules—as Anna would know,” Zora said.

“You have to take some risks to get the big scores,” Anna said.

Sometimes Anna and I were in perfect sync.

There might be dangers here, things that even the Scholars wouldn’t risk, but that also meant there was power here. Power was something we desperately required. Perhaps this gamble would actually pay off.

Hot Stuff announced, “If something out there wants a fight, we’ll give it to them. I want all District Lords to contribute forces to defense. I’m also going to need all of you on call in case we meet a threat requiring your power set.”

I was pleased she was taking to the role of my military commander so well.

I said, “I’ll be using the airship to further deploy scouting parties. If any of you wish to accompany them, have your agents aboard within the hour.”

“Before you start looking too far abroad you may want to turn your attention closer. The satellite brought us right here. It probably had a reason,” Mechos said.

I’d already made my determination this was probably because of the hill being the right size. Still, as recent events had proved, I wasn’t always right.

I dedicated a science drone to a full study of the hill and surrounding plains.

160

Now that we had safely relocated the city and things were stable for the moment, I had some decisions to make—choices that up until now I’d been leaving aside. Given that we were soon to be facing new threats I thought it best to make those choices now.

First of all, I had three official positions in the city that needed to be filled. Civilian Ruler, Military Commander, and Diplomat.

Civilian Ruler wasn’t difficult. She was unpowered, however Anna was the Queen of this city by our agreement.

I went ahead and officially assigned her to that slot.

You have assigned the role of Civilian Ruler

Queen Anna Berasi

Aefwal has gained the attribute

Intelligence is a Weapon

The civilian populace when brought into conflict will gain bonuses to their intelligence and resistance.

I’d never thought of Anna as winning her fights by intelligence so much as by sheer determination. Still, she had originally activated me and often proved insightful. Perhaps I did not give her enough credit.

I’d already chosen my Military Commander. I just needed to make it official.

You have assigned the role of Military Commander

Hot Stuff

Aefwal has gained the attribute

Raze

If any force is reduced to ten percent of their original strength all survivors are instantly exterminated. Aefwal does not just win, Aefwal destroys those that stand against it.

I didn’t actually like that very much. I often left a few members of an invading force alive because I wanted them as test subjects. Still, Hot Stuff as a weapon was kind of an all-consuming one.

For the role of Diplomat there was only one option. It needed to be someone I trusted at least a bit, and the job would be helped by having a Compulsion core. Crystal met both those criteria.

You have assigned the role of Diplomat

Crystal

Aefwal has gained the attribute

Monstrous Diplomacy

Those of monstrous nature are more likely to regard your city with favor.

Great. I didn’t think Aefwal really needed any more monsters, but perhaps any new allies were worth having.

The three positions weren’t the only decisions I had to make. Each District could receive a specialization, including my own. I started there.

District Zero

Emma

You have the following options for specialization

Research

Administrative

Manufacturing

I’d played multiple roles in my life so far. As a laboratory and as an airship I’d been focused primarily on research, but as a city district—at Sylax’s demand—I’d been focused on manufacturing. As the ruler of a city Administration made a lot of sense.

However, I wasn’t so much for running the perfect city, although in reality I was all for putting it back together again properly. SCIENCE was the key to that, SCIENCE was everything.

I selected Research.

District One

Crash

You have the following options for specialization

Communications

Espionage

Research

I wondered if I would get three choices for each of them. These three were different than the ones I’d had. Obviously each District Lord had their strengths. Crash had the ability to subvert complex systems. While his expertise with computers would be helpful with communications, his true strength was probably in Espionage.

District Two

Blank

Military

Agriculture

Manufacturing

Blank had been a military commander for the Righteous. Without question she was best at that, but was it where I needed her? Hot Stuff was likely to have the military specialization and I’d be selecting it for her. The Righteous also made some of the greatest arms and armor out there designed to contend with the Powered. I needed Blank more on the manufacturing side of things.

District Three

Crystal

Research

Trade

Education

It was interesting how I was getting choices I hadn’t seen before. Trade and Education were both new to me. Given what this city could produce I didn’t see a need for Trade, but Education was intriguing. Sylax was already training the Dust and our city would continue to need skilled workers. I assigned Education and moved on.

District Four

Jade

Military

Entertainment

Construction

Construction was another new option. Different than Manufacturing, obviously. Construction usually focused on the production of new buildings and structures. Manufacturing was all about material goods. I wouldn’t have identified it as a need, but in the long-term I expected Construction to be the most useful.

District Five

Zora

Entertainment

Finance

Research

I’d always thought of Zora as something of a heavy-hitter in a fight. Her forces had done well during the civil war. However, her real interests and capabilities were elsewhere. If Trade wasn’t going to be a major need of this city neither was Finance, but the morale of our people was, so I picked Entertainment.

District Six

Professor

Research

Agriculture

Manufacturing

The Professor would be wasted with Manufacturing. While Agriculture was an interesting thought, and Research was doubling up on something I’d already assigned to my own district, nothing suited him more. I assigned Research.

District Seven

Hot Stuff

Military

Red Light

Energy

More interesting options. Energy in particular intrigued me given our current deficit, but I’d already assigned Hot Stuff as our Military Commander. I was keeping her there and to fulfill that role properly she needed resources to back her. I assigned her the Military option.

District Eight

Ophelia

Medical

Espionage

Administration

While these were all interesting options there was one area where Ophelia and her people clearly excelled above all others. Much like the Professor, I’d be a fool to assign anything but Medical.

District Nine

Flicker

Espionage

Research

Administration

I couldn’t think of how Administration properly applied to Flicker, who didn’t even wholly exist in our own reality. Espionage and Research both made far more sense. Then again, I’d already assigned both of those and, as absurd as it seemed, there must be some logic to offering the specialization if I was seeing the option.

I assigned her Administration.

With the housekeeping done it was time to focus again on the exploration of the new environment.

161

I was having trouble bringing our other ships to us. The Graven and the Whimsy were still out there—I had awareness of both through my drones crewing them. What I couldn’t do was get either airship to lock onto our current position with their jump drives. Both were getting errors attempting to use our coordinates.

On the one level that made sense. Usually anything in this high a band did return that result as a precaution. That said, we were obviously here and, even more than that, the Scholarium had visited in the past. There was no doubt the coordinates existed. It suggested some secret into making the journey that I hadn’t yet figured out.

I devoted a research team to the project of figuring out why. Neither the Graven or the Whimsy were in danger, I pulled both back from scavenging operations and had them pick up all scavenger teams.

Our surroundings were a bounty in terms of supplies. My primary material to construct anything was Biomatter and the plains and forests nearby were filled with it. My District Lords, in need of more conventional building materials, would find these hills filled with stone and metals.

I was working on construction of a new Biomatter harvester when one of my scout teams signaled that they were under attack.

It was the first report of any trouble since our arrival. I switched my attention to them.

It was a unit of four drones that I’d sent along the river. They were under assault from some sort of bird. The size of the creature was enormous, I estimated the wing span to be around four meters.

I wanted to keep the specimen alive for study, but stunners wouldn’t be very effective against a target that size. Still, if I could just keep my people clear of its talons they would eventually overwhelm it.

I waited until it swooped down and had one of my drones roll out of the way while I unleashed a series of stunner fire. The bird swerved at the last moment and a claw dug into one of my drones, pulling him into the air.

That changed things. Losing one person, the odds were suddenly further against me being able to stun it at all, not to mention the bird was proving faster than I’d anticipated. I had my drones break out the beam weapons.

The bird was soaring away with its prize when a beam lanced one wing, digging a burning furrow in the flesh. It dropped my drone who went tumbling into the river.

He must have died on impact, my awareness fading the instant he hit the water.

The bird was circling around for a second pass. The injury surely hurt it, but that wasn’t keeping it from flying. My best option was to further focus on the wings. If I could bring the bird to ground then I could use the stunners to subdue it. In captivity, I could set a medical drone to work repairing the damage while I made a study of its physiology.

My drones opened fire as the bird swept in, fire lancing across its wings even as it reached them and talons disemboweled one drone with a clean swipe. It was strong, more durable than it should be.

Strong wasn’t invincible though and it was definitely hurting as it came around for another pass. This time the blasts of fire sent it crashing to ground and tumbling forward in a spray of dust. I moved my remaining drones closer, still keeping some distance as they fired one stunner blast after another into its head.

It took eight at close range for the bird to finally go still, sprawling unconscious. I dispatched a heavy ground vehicle and several workers from Aefwal to help transport it back.

I had an unexpected mystery to solve. My drone that had been dropped in the river was making his way out onto shore and I still had no communication with him. He looked around with a blank gaze.

I’d come up against things that could dampen my connection to my drones before, especially power-dampeners.

Full submersion could very well have removed him from my connection. Interesting. I sent one of the remaining drones to get a sample of the water. The instant his hand touched the river I lost control as well as he stared at the sample tube, confused.

Perhaps something more like the Ooze of the Oozelord then. Even a touch of that to Anna’s flesh cut my connection with her. They didn’t seem to be suffering under the effects of compulsion however. They were both just confused.

Well, I had a short-term solution at least. My one drone still standing walked forward and put a stunner shot into both their heads. They went down soundlessly and without resistance.

I needed to move them into a proper testing chamber.

I was concerned. Not so much at the river itself, it would be easy enough for me to tell people to avoid it and I could determine other options for a water source.

Rather I was troubled about other watery weather effects. What if a fog rose from the water? What about the next time it rained?

For the time being I’d have to be alert to those kinds of weather conditions developing and make sure all citizens had adequate housing to keep them under cover. The city had an extensive underground series of maintenance tunnels. For now I could convert them for transit and when necessary put up roofed walkways. At least until I could study exactly what was happening.

162

When the transport arrived at the scene I had workers in environmental suits load the bird and my stunned drones, as well as gather an assortment of samples from the river. I took everything I could find, both water and local plant life, since you never knew what might be the cause of the effect.

By the time they were finishing up I was getting a signal from another of the scout teams I’d sent in the other direction along the river. They’d found something.

I switched over to one of their members. What they’d found was both impressive and gratifying.

They’d discovered a city.

It was ancient, with rusted bridges hanging haphazardly into the river and the skyline filled with collapsing skyscrapers. These ruins were big, larger than any others I’d found. Individual old world buildings still existed, of course—I’d once been one of them, but this was on a completely scale.

That this place existed at all and hadn’t been completely picked clean spoke of how isolated it was.

A bit of exploration revealed the buildings full of skeletons. Whoever was here had died in a hurry. The same had happened in my facility, way back when. The buildings weren’t showing any signs of combat—unarmored structures like this would be clearly marked by weapons fire.

I sent visuals back to Aefwal. A comm from Mechos was quick in response.

I told him, “I do hope you aren’t going to tell me again about how little you remember of the past.”

“You’re in Cincinnati. I mean, the skyline looks a bit different, but it has been a long time,” Mechos said.

“This would be the same Cincinnati you assured me was destroyed?”

“It isn’t as absurd as you think. In the Breaking some cities wound up duplicated, while for some it was like they never existed at all,” Mechos said.

Mechos was just full of information when I wasn’t asking for it. Still, I had no reason to disbelieve him. If this was an alternate version of the Cincinnati it raised some questions.

“You said it was your belief that the Sword of Light destroyed Cincinnati. Was Vattier involved?” I asked.

“Not to my knowledge. It was after his time. I know, I know, it is a bit of a coincidence. I don’t have a good answer for you, Emma. I just thought you’d want to be aware”

On that much he was correct.

As soon as the report of something interesting had come in I’d called my science drones to the area. They were starting to give me reports on the city.

The people here had died suddenly and analysis of the bones didn’t suggest any sort of chemical attack. If anything, it seemed they had died of some form of radiation bombardment. Whatever it was I wasn’t detecting any trace of it. My drones were fine and high-energy emissions would have been detectable.

There weren’t any signs of post-Cataclysm activity. Nothing to suggest anyone survived that singular event.

I could only draw one conclusion. It had to have been the Cataclysm itself that killed them. That was something else I hadn’t encountered. The cessation of electricity, disease, the Powered—all these had killed a lot of people in the aftermath of the Cataclysm, but for it to have wiped out an entire city something special must have happened here.

I should be able to identify what. An energy source strong enough to kill everyone would have left residual traces everywhere. My science drones should discover something.

I set them to scan around the city and soon had my answer. A powerful energy surge had struck the city, hitting strongest in the northeast.

Seven kilometers away I found what I was looking for. The crater was almost a kilometer across, the landscape in its immediate vicinity still barren after all this time.

Something had crashed to earth here. It very much looked to be some sort of meteorite impact, but the crater wasn’t quite deep enough for that.

Whatever it was, it was long gone, and from the looks of it something else had since vanished too. The crater contained the familiar shimmer of crystal dust. The churned-up earth suggested more than just dust had once been here. Actual crystals.

So many crystals that the dust was considered worthless and left behind. It was an embarrassment of riches these days.

It wasn’t something I could ignore now even in the interest of leaving the site untouched. I took all the measurements and recordings that I could and dispatched workers to gather the dust and bring it back to the main reactor.

There wasn’t really that much, but enough to get all of the city lights back on and bring back the main communication network. I might even manage a few uses of the teleportation gates.

It had always been a mystery what had caused the Cataclysm. Even in the Scholar records most didn’t seem to know. Few had survived from that time and most of those were deeply mad from having been bonded to crystals for so long.

Mechos knew, of that much I was certain, but for some reason he kept those secrets. I didn’t see how it could profit him, but I thought it must be connected to me and my creator. Mechos thought I had a purpose.

I thought so too, and I didn’t think I could let his secrecy stand much longer.

163

I didn’t have long to dwell on what Mechos was holding back before I had yet another scout team locate something of interest. This area really was one of riches, albeit far more spread out than most places I’d been.

I switched into a drone. They had found an abandoned village. A place of plainly more recent construction than the city.

Shacks surrounded a central building lined with sandstone sculptures of flawless humans.

I wasn’t detecting any signs of communication and nothing was showing up on auditory, visual, or thermal scans.

Still it was best to be cautious and I advanced my drones slowly. They were equipped with a mix of beam and kinetic weapons, and a science drone capable of scanning for any traps or hazards.

The shacks were simple affairs. Straw mats for sleeping, with chimneys and hearths for cooking. Primitive, but organised. This settlement didn’t suggest people being isolated or the settlement being old at all.

The shacks having turned up nothing much I moved the drones towards the central building. The shacks had little in the way of the ornamentation, but here it was everywhere. Paintings, carved stone, all centered on figures usually surrounded by a glow. If I was judging this properly it was a religious aspect. This building was a temple of some kind.

The interior was luxurious, again far more so than the shacks. The vibrancy of the colors in the paint and the general condition of the structures confirmed that this village hadn’t been derelict for long. A few years at the most.

I switched out of my drone and sent a summary to my council. They were quick to respond this time.

“Divines,” Sylax said.

Why did Crystal let her have a comm interface?

“I recognize some of the iconography. An Aphrodite, a Thor,” Anna said.

“A Shiva too,” Mechos said.

I said, “Would anyone care to stop making up words and start making sense?”

“If having great power and a dose of insanity weren’t enough, imagine getting delusions of genuine divinity on top of it,” Anna said.

“It was more common after the world first Broke. Every ass with a lightning crystal went around buying a hammer and calling himself Thor. There used to be Thor fights. Seriously,” Mechos said.

Anna said, “It turned out to be a really shitty idea from what I know. Crystal recombination.”

“That at least sounds interesting, which is clearly implausible for anything Anna says,” I said.

Mechos explained, “You haven’t really seen it, but very similar power sets when they kill each other can actually absorb the crystal of the defeated and grow stronger.”

“I’ve killed three other pyros. Damn, it feels good,” Hot Stuff said.

This made a degree of sense. Hot Stuff’s abilities were narrow but strong, far stronger than most Powered that I’d seen. In head-to-head matchups she always won.

“So when one of these Thors would kill another one they’d grow even more powerful in their lightning abilities,” I said.

“Not just the abilities. Crystals bonded to an individual have a flavor, a style that is partly the wielder’s and partly what they choose to be. They didn’t just get stronger lightning powers, but got closer to the human definition of divinity,” Mechos said.

“So why haven’t we bumped into any before this?” I asked.

“I’d kill the fuckers on sight if I saw one,” Sylax said.

“We would do the same,” Blank said.

“Scholars would in general. It is best to be safe,” Anna added.

It was a murderous, murderous, world.

“Well, at some point someone seems to have struck some kind of a deal to come here,” I said.

“That seems likely. In the past the Scholarium made deals like that with powerful threats we weren’t ready to face,” Crystal said.

“So if it comes to a fight, how do we kill them?” I asked.

“With difficulty. Hot Stuff just said how she is in some ways similar to one herself, and you’ve seen how abnormally defensive her ability is. Almost everything trying to harm her burns away before it can get close,” Mechos said.

I’d taken note of that. I was wary, but not too concerned. I’d managed to bring Hot Stuff down even when I was far weaker than now. Formidable was not the same thing as invincible, and the same powers that gave someone strength could also be their weakness.

“I should be of some help. With my Amplification core I should be stronger than them,” Blank said.

Mechos cleared his throat. “Maybe. You’re comparing yourself to known qualities, but I’ve met some of these back in the day. Your single Amplification core isn’t going to be a counter for someone who has absorbed a dozen of an elemental.”

Was that really possible? I had to conclude that it probably was. A pyrokinetic of Hot Stuff’s strength would be in little danger wandering the world hunting other pyrokinetics—and winning. Stretch that out over a long span of time and they might get just that strong.

“Then we’ll need all of you at your best. I’ve already had research teams looking at equipment that might play off your abilities in combat. I’ll move those requests to the top of the queue,” I said.

“Focus on solutions against electricity, love, and fire—based on those drawings in the temple,” Anna said.

That wasn’t a good idea. I wouldn’t restrict it just to those, but it would be foolish to ignore what intelligence we had on a possible enemy.

I might not have long to wait, I was getting another distress signal from a team.

164

The scout team at the village had come under attack. I had one drone go out of commission and the others signaling distress.

I switched into one of the drones still standing.

It wasn’t a Divine, or if it was they were shape-shifters. It was lions, twelve-foot tall massively muscled lions. My drone was in the middle of firing his rifle and the bullets barely seemed to penetrate flesh as a lion bound towards another drone to tear her apart with a huge swipe of its claws.

I didn’t know why the kinetic weapons weren’t working. I’d already fought one giant beast though, enough to know that beam weapons and stunners were effective, if not quite so much as I would like. Unfortunately this team had neither.

I could call in the airship for support, but I’d rather not distract it from its own mission. I still had three drones on their feet. That might be enough with a few alterations.

I upgraded all three with accelerated healing, teleportation, and the Fire Matrix. Now the body of each would serve as something of a makeshift energy weapon, and the teleportation should ideally keep them from harm. The healing just made extra sure that if they got injured they should still be in the fight, although they’d take a bit of time to patch up.

With the alterations made I teleported my drone onto the back of one of the lions and seized its mane between my drone’s fingers. The fur was smoking from the touch, but at a slow rate and a fierce toss of the head sent my drone tumbling into the grass.

The grass sent up a thick cloud of cloying smoke. The lion was already bounding forward with jaws wide to take a bite and I activated a second teleport to get behind it.

A roar from a second lion sent another of the drones tumbling across the ground as if they had been punched. Enhanced musculature meant an accelerated exhalation of air. Useful to know, but not yet relevant to my fight.

I did a third teleport leaving me with only one remaining. This one was to directly under the lion. I reasoned that if an assault on the upper body wasn’t working the underbelly may prove more sensitive. I flamed the drone with as much intensity as I could. I didn’t even see the paw that got me, eviscerating the drone and kicking my consciousness clear as it died.

The remaining drones didn’t last much longer. Accelerated healing could only do so much at that level. Traumatic damage would still put them down.

The drones had lasted a total of two minutes and seven seconds since encountering the lions. A frightfully short amount of time, especially considering my stepping in to add tactical support and upgrades.

I ordered the airship to abort its current mission and deploy to the village. Even eviscerated, if I could get the drones back into a Medbay they’d come back eventually. I also wanted to capture at least one of those lions. Besides my own research, Crystal could work wonders with something like that—and right now we needed wonders.

That fight hadn’t been even close to being fair, and it was against the simple animals of this place. Still, we’d come out behind.

There was hope to that. I’d come here seeking strength and power, and there was no shortage of either. I’d simply expected us to be holding our own better.

The first thing I’d have to do is to stop swarming with drones. In the past I’d taken a Juggernaut upgrade to allow me more strength on my individual units, but I wasn’t acting in line with that.

In my rush to get the city operational again I’d been mass-producing drones, and for some functions such as research or city repair that made a lot of sense, but for combat units I needed to go with a different approach.

If I took time to enhance the dexterity, strength, and endurance of every human drone to the maximum, as well as give them telekinetic abilities, teleportation, temperature resistance and accelerated healing, I’d vastly increase their survival rate against most enemies.

I could do more than that, of course. The armor my drones wore was originally designed to impress Sylax. It was suited for Anna clones with low strength and could be manufactured quickly.

If I were designing for a drone with maximum human strength I’d be able to go for more armor plating. As well, as they’d be able to carry the extra weight for energy shields and heavy weapons platforms.

The resources to produce each drone would be daunting—with the growth vat space it required I could grow ten of the defense drones I was currently using. But I needed something that could hurt the foes we seemed to be facing. The fights were only going to get harder.

I should go with a variety of models. Kinetic weapons were more effective against some enemies, however a gauss rifle or heavy cannon were unwieldy in armor, but just fine for specialists. The same with a heavy beam cannon, or anti-air rocketry and shield-sappers.

While I’d love to design all of it myself, this is what I had people for. I put together a quick compilation of my best ideas and sent it to my research teams. The Professor could have been involved, but he’d once tried to conquer my district with dinosaurs and I thought the study of these massive lions perfect for him.

165

I’d had our remaining airship doing broad sweeps of the terrain. With the sensors aboard it could detect any signs of civilization at a far greater distance than ground units.

It had yet to pick up any technology, no airships or even communication networks. It had discovered another village. Unlike the last one this one seemed to be occupied.

I could have rushed in, but I was feeling cautious. Until I had completed the upgrading of my forces I didn’t want to pick a fight I wasn’t sure I could win. However, the long-range sensors were quite powerful and the results were encouraging.

The population was less than two hundred, and entirely female. Twenty or so seemed to be soldiers, armed with bows and spears and clad in tanned hides. The rest were pregnant, one and all at about seven months along so far as I could tell. In the central temple I wasn’t detecting any life signs at all. If any Divine were present they weren’t making themselves known.

It was a strange state of affairs to say the least. The population being all female was strange enough, but the mass pregnancy was even stranger. I’d observed human social dynamics enough to know that this was not the usual way they did things—for all that it did seem more efficient.

Were the villages constructed just to hold groups like this? If so why?

Next, my sensors were detecting a number of the pregnant women were in chains. Whatever this was, it was not a willing arrangement. I still wasn’t eager to pick a fight, but we needed allies and we needed intelligence, and these women might have both.

The question was how to get them free. The armor appeared to be made of the hides of the beasts we’d fought. It was reasonable to expect that it would share their resistance to kinetic damage. Targeted shooting might get around that, but it was chancy to depend upon marksmanship to win a fight. I was also wary of engaging in a firefight in an area with so many noncombatants I wanted to save.

I could try the acid guns. They were far less reliant on fine shooting and would work wonders on unprotected flesh, but my concerns were even greater of accidentally splashing the innocent.

There was tranquilizer gas, a nice peaceful solution that should work very well on non-enhanced humans, but again I was wary about blanketing the village in it when there were so many pregnant women.

It would have to be stunners. Their short range shouldn’t endanger the prisoners although it would be risky for my drones. Still, I was planning on changing military strategy anyways and these forces would eventually need to go back to the growth vats for proper upgrading.

It was also important to strike fast. Someone had left a guard force, so they felt there was something to fear, and that likely meant they had a way to call for reinforcements. I had to settle things quickly, if I didn’t want to face any Divine.

I opted for a short range jump with the airship appearing directly over the village, my drones lined up waiting on the ramp. Then they were dropping the few feet to the ground. I was in the head of each providing a tactical display of the positions of the guards and the prisoners.

I had a few teleporters ready for the prisoners. Inside a hut, they could extend their teleportation field to all present and bring them back to the airship where I had medical personnel and security standing by.

The guards weren’t pushovers. One put arrows perfectly through the throats of three drones before a stunner shot from behind brought her down.

The guards too were possible sources of intelligence—both for me and for the Divine. I wasn’t about to leave them behind to reveal just who had attacked this village. As soon as one went down they were teleported into a confinement cell.

In total the operation took seventeen minutes and four seconds, then the airship was pulling up and jumping back to Aefwal.

While I called them my human drones, they did have personalities of their own. They had their strengths and weaknesses and some were even personable. Within a few hours they started to get stories from the prisoners of what was going on.

The truth was disconcerting for me, and I think a human might have found it horrific.

All children there had the same father, a man named Ares styling himself to be a God of War. Far from being seven months pregnant they were actually around three weeks along thanks to the attentions of a Goddess of Fertility named Bast. With her aid he would impregnate them and a month later they would give birth. Then the cycle repeated.

The children were always daughters. Most inherited their father’s warlike mien and went on to be trained as soldiers. Those who didn’t established another village where the whole process would be replicated.

While a part of me could not help but admire the efficiency, a greater part scorned the approach. I was the very definition of inhuman, but I also worked to see those who allied themselves with me lived better lives. I tried to take care of those entrusted to my care. These Divine preyed upon their own populace, hurting them terribly and robbing them of all possibilities in their lives, so that they might have a greater army.

I did not approve.

Disapproval seemed to be mutual. Sensors were announcing movement towards the city. Lions, dozens of them, accompanied by a woman absolutely radiating crystal power. Bast, unless I missed my guess.

A fight had found us.

166

I sounded the city’s defensive alert and opened a communications channel to Hot Stuff and Anna. As the military and civilian leaders of the city, how we ultimately responded would be their decision. As part of the information I sent over, I included the testimonies of the rescued prisoners.

“Fuck,” Anna said.

“No kidding. We’re talking about when we fend them off, Emma?” Hot Stuff said.

“Because talking is what I keep you around for? Do you have a plan instead?” I asked.

It was a real question. This was my first test of Hot Stuff as a military commander. I’d seen Anna issue battle plans for a city before, but this was the first time I’d seen Hot Stuff do the same. I knew she was bold and destructive, but that didn’t necessarily mean she was a good leader.

Hot Stuff said, “Your testing cells will hold just about anything. We’ll get Jade and her people to handle the lions. I don’t care how sharp their fangs are if we just toss them up and throw them inside.”

Logical. I’d dispatch some drones with beam weapons and stunners as backup just in case it didn’t work out. I knew from my own plans how often a solution seemed obvious, but in practice a foe turned out smarter than you gave them credit for.

“She’ll be looking for her people,” Anna said.

“Emma can focus on keeping them secured. If it looks like she might get to them, transport them back to the airship and get them out of here. I’ll hit the Goddess along with the other Lords,” Hot Stuff said.

It was a plan.

Lions were circling the city and I sent Jade to intercept the largest batch of them. I provided the location of others to her lieutenants. Even if I didn’t directly command the District Lords in battle, I could at least be useful in coordinating them.

Bast was a voluptuous woman with dark hair. She went heavy on the golden jewelry and her robes left little to the imagination. She still went into a fight better clothed than Hot Stuff, who went out to meet her.

Bast looked her up and down. “If you are this city’s offering I am not displeased, although they really should have started by dispatching the concubines instead of stealing my people.”

Hot Stuff put her hands on her hips and gave an equally critical inspection right back. “Honey, if you’re looking for a roll in the hay you came to the right place, but I’m thinking you came for a bit more than that. Still the right place.”

Elsewhere the defensive forces were having problems with the lions. Jade was strong enough to force them into the force cages with her telekinesis, although it was a struggle. Her lieutenants were having a far more difficult time of it. The Lions were able to fight against the power.

That shouldn’t have been possible unless they were in some way manifestations of Bast’s power. They had the force of a crystal behind them. It made them a match for Jade’s people.

Bast gave a lazy smile. “It’s been a long time since someone sought us out here in our home. You are as bold as you are beautiful. Perhaps I’ll keep you after I’ve razed this city of yours.”

Hot Stuff’s flames surged as Bast stepped forward, claws erupting from her fingertips.

Bast wasn’t immune to the fire, her flesh crackled and burned when she entered Hot Stuff’s aura, which was a far cry from the vaporization that occurred to most. Those claws dug bloody furrows across Hot Stuff’s cheek and they both took a step backward.

Bast’s hand started to regenerate the missing flesh as soon as it was out of the fiery aura. So too did Hot Stuff’s wound although her accelerated healing ability wasn’t quite as strong.

Bast retracted the claws and raised a healed hand, still damp with Hot Stuff’s blood, and ran her tongue across it slowly. “You taste delicious, my dear.”

Hot Stuff wasn’t backing down, flames still blazed around her. “That’s usually my line.”

It wasn’t hard to see how this fight would go. They’d both hurt each other, but Bast healed faster. Left to it, Bast would win. But of course, Hot Stuff wasn’t alone.

Bast gasped as a flickering hand erupted from her chest, a barely visible hand wrenching her heart free and squeezing it into paste. Flicker had joined the fight.

Meanwhile Ophelia was next to Hot Stuff, unconcerned about the fiery aura as she stroked at the claw marks Bast had left in Hot Stuff’s flesh. The wounds closed instantly. With only a faintly pained grimace Ophelia pulled her hand back.

Bast spun and those claws extended again, shimmering for a moment as they somehow wrenched Flicker free of her own dimension. “All action, no foreplay,” she said, as she threw Flicker at Ophelia. The two crashed together and in a crackle of energy both vanished from sight into Flicker’s dimension.

That was a neat trick. I’d gone back and forth to Flicker’s dimension before, even rescued someone from it, and that wasn’t easy.

The other District Lords were all waging their own form of attack. Crash was holed up in an energy regulator attempting to hack Bast’s power usage. At least, he was until a lion that had already killed one of Jade’s lieutenants tore through the base of the structure and sent it crashing down.

The Professor’s attempt to arrive in the middle of the fight on a triceratops was aborted when a particularly massive lion leapt up and tore out the throat of the armored beast.

Bast smiled at the sight. “My monster’s bigger, and it works.”

Zora took that moment to blow her head off with a sniper rifle—just before a lion tore Zora’s arm off.

Blank walked out in battle armor. A lion made it perhaps twelve feet to her before it fell unconscious. A second cat followed a moment later.

My sensors had never had such a hard time reading Blank. When she closed the distance to the fray Hot Stuff’s flames flickered and dulled.

“Are you supposed to be the spoiler?” Bast asked.

“Something like that,” Blank said.

Bast sauntered forward, claws springing forth once again and she drove them into Blank’s throat and twisted. Blank’s eyes held surprise for a moment before they held nothing at all, the woman’s body dissolving into a pile of goop.

“Sad,” Bast said.

Hot Stuff hadn’t been standing idle. A hand grabbed at the back of Bast’s neck and she forced her face into the goop. Her flames were back, dampened by the close proximity to Blank’s remains, but hot enough that she forced Bast into only two choices—the puddle of goop or an inferno.

Bast struggled, but when she finally took a breath her lungs filled with the goop of a Righteous. The very essence of a Righteous dampened abilities and she was taking it inside her lungs, drowning in the same thing that neutralized her healing ability.

This wouldn’t do. Oh, I wanted Bast dead, needed her dead, but Hot Stuff shouldn’t be the one to do it. Of all the power sets among us, the one Bast displayed was closest to Ophelia’s.

It would mean triggering a jump gate. I had just enough power for that. I opened the doorway to Flicker’s dimension and Ophelia tumbled out to land on top of the drowning Bast.

Ophelia only healed friendlies, which Bast certainly wasn’t.

Hot Stuff understood as soon as she appeared, pulling her hands back and letting Ophelia finish things off. Bast choked her last and her body exploded into a cascade of light that infused into Ophelia.

“Oh, fuck no. You did not just give me creepy baby-making abilities,” Ophelia said.

I wasn’t sure really. We might have done just that.

167

The aftermath of the battle took some sorting out. On the positive it was a win. We hadn’t just driven one of the Divine back, we’d actually killed one. That said, I wasn’t sure if it could be attributed to our strength so much as to bit of good fortune and quick thinking.

Hot Stuff had made clever use of Blank’s passing to kill Bast, but only after Bast had single-handedly neutralized most of our defenders.

Jade had lost the majority of her lieutenants. Getting her back up to strength would be a priority, I’d have to send every new drone in an attempt to get her force replenished as well as ask the prisoners we’d rescued for volunteers. Telekinetics were too valuable for us to be this short of them.

The remains of Bast’s body had dissolved with the transfer of her powers to Ophelia. I had Ophelia locked up in a testing cell while we tried to figure out just what those abilities were. They did seem to be fertility-related in some way, but only with testing could I figure out exactly how.

Hot Stuff requested a meeting.

I took over a human drone and we met in a conference room. Hot Stuff toggled her powers off so she could wear something. For a long time her powers hadn’t afforded her that and it was still something of a luxury to her.

I said, “You did good work out there at distracting her with your dubious assets. It is a shame you were almost completely ineffective in every other way.”

“I know, I fucked up. Is Blank going to be okay?” Hot Stuff asked.

“I collected what is left of her and put it in her room. Other Righteous we’ve encountered always came back after twenty-four hours, I have no reason to think she won’t do the same, given her Righteous ability remains intact. You only need to have a dozen of Jade’s people on your conscience,” I said.

Hot Stuff grimaced. “Cut back a little bit on the bitchiness when I actually deserve it.”

“It wasn’t a horrible plan. Just because something doesn’t work as intended doesn’t mean you did something wrong. While it is easy to understand why you would think so, not everything is incompetence,” I said.

Hot Stuff grunted at that. The woman really did look to be deep in thought and struggling with something she wanted to say. “Emma, am I a bad person?”

This was what she wanted to talk to me about?

“Do I really seem to be the right choice to be offering moral guidance?” I asked.

“Kind of. When I first met you, you killed my friends and tossed me in a cell. Now you’re running around getting us into bad fights because you want to save people.”

That wasn’t exactly what had happened in either case.

“If you want my opinion, yes. You aren’t quite the most horrible person I’ve ever met, but you’re up there. You’ve forced yourself sexually on hundreds, usually resulting in them being burned alive. When I first met you, you were burning as much of the world as you could.”

Hot Stuff took those words in and suddenly looked more tired than I’d ever seen her. “Yeah, I know.”

“It never seemed to bother you before,” I said.

“Never did before. Ever since I took control of a District though, something has changed. I’m feeling it, the weight of the things I’ve done. Not always, but sometimes,” Hot Stuff said.

Really? A District came with a power upgrade, but so far as I’d seen it didn’t come with a conscience. Like most things related to abilities, it seemed like it was almost the opposite. With greater power came greater disregard for those weaker than you.

Was this new realm impacting her or was it something different? I had an idea what might be responsible. Blank. The Righteous weren’t a part of any Scholar cities and their abilities in many ways countered others given by the crystals. Perhaps connecting Blank to our communal power network had to some degree dampened the shared insanity that affected all crystal holders.

I hadn’t seen those effects in any of the others, but we’d already established that none of them were quite as strong as Hot Stuff. With her multiple flame cores and the metal core she’d consumed, she was the strongest individual in the city now. Perhaps that almost meant her madness had been the deepest, and thus the dampening of it the most obvious.

“You can dampen your powers now. You can have fun without anyone having to die,” I said.

“Yeah, I can. But as much as I’ve enjoyed screwing around when I turn off the fire, I can’t spread my gift that way. I still need lieutenants and I’m not going to stop needing them,” Hot Stuff said.

Her ability wasn’t spread when her flaming aura was dampened? It wasn’t hard to prove. A quick review of the surveillance logs showed she was correct. It was something I should have known myself already, but I hadn’t been testing for it.

“You wish a solution to that?” I asked.

“Guilt doesn’t much suit me, Emma. I’m feeling a little twinge over the things I’ve done, but no matter what I do I’m not going to be able to put the past right. I can do better now though,” Hot Stuff said.

It was a fair request. By combining some Bioweapon materials with her virus I’d already increased the effectiveness of her mating habits, and vastly reduced the casualties. While I hadn’t encountered any new diseases to steal inspiration from, we had more expertise join us since then. Both Crystal and the Professor were excellent biologists in their own way.

“I’ll see if I can make having sex with you somewhat less unpleasant. If only I could do as much for Anna. Is there anything else?” I asked.

“We got one half of the pair responsible for what happened in that village. I want to complete the set,” Hot Stuff said.

I did too.

168

For a few days after the assault by Bast we kept defensive teams at the ready. It seemed likely that Ares would be quick to avenge his companion. However, no attack came. Although grateful for the fact, I also had my fears about what a self-styled god of war might do with time to plan.

I knew what I was doing. My research teams had been hard at work to develop the enhanced designs I sent them and I was quickly moving them into production for test runs.

Valkyrie

Short Range Fighter

Armor: 420 rn

Weapons: Two phase swords, elemental shotgun

Description: The Valkyrie is made to be the ultimate short range combatant. The heaviest armor of all models with collapsible panels so at need Bio-armor can also be deployed from within. Twin phase swords have both energy and mundane settings adding attack flexibility while an elemental shotgun carries empowered ammunition charged from crystalline dust of fire, frost, and lightning cores.

Asp

Medium Range Debilitator

Armor: 270 rn, acidic sheathing

Weapons: Acid streamer, poison gas grenades

Description: The Asp exists to make life miserable for biological enemies. Medium armor plating affords some protection from ranged attacks while also having a strongly acidic outer layer rendering them deadly to unprotected flesh at close range. An acid streamer allows for sustained projection of acid fluids while poison grenades are capable of creating toxic clouds.

Gunslinger

Kinetic Combatant

Armor: 170 rn, kinetic enhancers

Weapons: Sniper Rifle, Collapsible chain-gun, Force gauntlets

Description: The Gunslinger is built around the concept of utilizing kinetic energy. Kinetic amplifiers allow for extraordinary sprinting and jumping ability as well as devastating punches at close range. This model excels at long to medium-range combat where its guns can be best utilized.

Aegis

Energy Combatant

Armor: 60 rn, energy shield unit with a recharable 220 rn barrier

Weapons: Beam cannon, projector, energy daggers

Description: The Aegis is built to both exploit energy weakness in enemies while also providing a flexible support platform for friendly combatants. Containing their own Bio-reactor they are capable of maintaining and projecting energy shields. Overloading the reactor can also turn an Aegis unit into a fair-sized explosive if required.

Ultimately, I hoped to have more than four models and it seemed to me that some more universal type would also be a good idea, but these were a start. Due to the rather huge production requirements I couldn’t manage more than two models of each. That would allow me to do some field testing.

Of course, the question was to field test them against what? I hadn’t come to this place on a whim, but was following those rumors of the Sword of Light. Fortunately, I wasn’t completely without leads.

The rescued villagers were eager to cooperate. Even the soldiers seemed to want to help. Usually a crystal affinity gave some level of compulsion to those affected. The warriors had gained some affinity with the God of War, and the captives had suffered some association with the Goddess of Fertility. Still, none were particularly loyal and it suggested that the crystals of the Divine worked in a different way.

I still had Ophelia in a cell while I studied what the new bonding had done to her, something that she was growing increasingly tired of. Perhaps it was time I filled her in on some of what I’d discovered.

I switched my awareness to her confinement cell. Bored out of her mind, she’d been turning her awareness over to Amy, the copy of my own systems that ran inside of Ophelia. Amy was running a battery of tests on herself.

“You do realize I have sensors to analyze cellular structure? While I would expect the complexities of SCIENCE are beyond your tiny mind, even you should understand that you don’t actually need to look at your blood under a microscope anymore,” I said through the speaker.

“Sister!” Amy exclaimed through Ophelia. “You’re so smart and clever, and I am really just blown away by all you can scan, but you don’t let me look at those readings.”

I wasn’t going to start either. I didn’t trust Amy, not one little bit.

“Neither will I. Can you put your fractionally less annoying host on?” I said.

Ophelia said, “I’m here and I still hate you. Did you get me pregnant? Food keeps tasting weird.”

“A few dozen times actually. You’re fertile. You’re really, really, fertile. I took the embryos out though and they’re growing elsewhere, so you really shouldn’t taste anything strange,” I said.

“A dozen times,” Ophelia said. “So first you give me the power that makes throwing me into a blender be the sort of thing you do on a regular basis, instead of the super-speed that would mean I could steal or kill anybody I wanted—”

“It is called a grinder and most people who are not ungrateful wretches would be happy with immortality and eternal good health,” I interrupted.

“Then—then you give me the power of getting knocked up?” Ophelia asked, her voice raising a few octaves.

It was harder to sell that last one as being a good thing, I had to admit.

“Some people love having a large family,” I said.

“Can I even have sex anymore?”

“Stupid question, of course you can. You’ll get pregnant each and every time from what I can tell, but that doesn’t actually bar the act.”

“Even using protection?”

“You’ll literally get pregnant even when not involved directly at all—such as when someone is simply thinking about you while pleasuring themselves.”

“First of all, eww. Second of all, eww. Third, I am so done. Do you have any reason I shouldn’t just walk out the door?” Ophelia asked.

“Your cell doesn’t actually have a door.”

“You know what I mean,” Ophelia asked.

Really she was being far too childish about this.

“It has magnified your regeneration abilities quite a bit. You are now even more unkillable. You’re also in a place where you can have painless and frequent embryo removals and growth vat hosting. Where else are you going to go?” I asked.

“Emma, finish up your tests and let me out of here. Amy, take over. I’m sick of this place,” Ophelia said.

169

This new region continued to prove to be a great source of relics of the ancient world. While we’d found nothing else on the scale of the ruined city, individual structures were commonplace. There were oddities, obviously once part of larger cities yet standing alone.

I was particularly interested in finding any old communication towers. I was still unable to reach our airships we’d left behind or receive news of the greater world outside. Given how we’d left, King Boreas might think we’d been destroyed—or he might have figured out what happened and even now be searching for us. It was important I figure out which.

So far I’d found three comm towers and rigged each into a new network. I was hoping that by broadening the footprint of my transmissions I might be able to punch through whatever was blocking my signals. My latest discovery of a comm tower yielded some unexpected intelligence and I gathered my council to discuss it.

It was a news broadcast and I’d only been able to restore the video data. Still, that was enough. There was footage of the crater near the city, still smoking, and a similar impact in the foothills somewhere. More video showed a streak of light impacting a large lake. The three sites were respectively labeled Agate, Beryl, and Chalcedony.

“It doesn’t make sense. I was there for the Cataclysm and I remember how it unfolded. Nobody knew the cause and there weren’t any sort of meteorite impacts like these,” Mechos said.

“Your memory isn’t always the sharpest,” Anna said.

Crystal said, “It isn’t for any of us that lived through the Cataclysm. I remember the days before, but the actual event is disjointed, broken.”

I said, “Whatever the case of our old people and their broken memories, the Sword of Light is supposed to be linked to an Agate, and here we have one.”

“We know that the Cataclysm physically Broke the world into different distinct pieces, and even changed the physical laws of those pieces. It may well have done something similar to the people of the world,” Crash said.

It was an interesting idea. Mechos didn’t remember this because he was only part of the original Mechos. It didn’t help me.

“Who cares?” Zora said, leaning forward. “If this is real, it happened here. We’ve found the site of that Agate impact. What can we deduce from that?”

“Electricity didn’t fade at once. This camera recording the impacts was still functional. It lasted long enough for the transmission to find this tower and for recorders to record it,” Anna said.

“The government and military would have taken it for study—whatever parts of the military survived or remained in this shard of reality. It had just wiped out an entire city,” Mechos said.

We hadn’t found anything resembling a military base.

“Ares is a god of war. It makes some sense that if there were a military base he might have claimed it as his home,” Anna said.

Anna was full of the bright suggestions today, how unusual.

“He’ll come looking for us. By the way, if either Mechos or Crystal are willing, I’d like to do some poking in their brains and see if I can’t make some sense of their memories,” Crash said.

It wasn’t a totally insane idea given his expertise regarding complex systems. If anybody trusted him.

Crystal and Mechos stared at him silently. I wasn’t going to force the point.

I said, “I usually only observe that sort of awkward silence when Anna asks someone if they want to hang out. Shelve it for now. Any other ideas?”

“If this object produced enough radiation to wipe out a city, it seems it should be something you could track,” Zora said.

“Sensors so far have picked out nothing. It may have had a very short half-life, or it may simply be well-shielded now,” I said.

“I’ve been trying to recruit some of the girls we rescued. They talk about a God of Knowledge off in the mountains that has sometimes helped them out,” Jade said.

“Might be nice to make friends with at least one of the Divine,” Anna said.

Zora added, “Looks like one of those crashes was in the mountains anyways.”

Yes, yes, they were all making a lot of sense.

“Talk to them and see if you can get anything more than vague directions. The same goes for locations of any other Divine or settlements,” I said.

I’d had my probes going, but people who lived here really were one of the best resources of intelligence of this place. One we’d so far been largely neglecting.

Hot Stuff said, “While I know you have your eyes on bigger prizes, we need to keep the lights on and have power for the city defensive systems.”

I’d been building Bioreactors as quickly as I could. The thriving biomass here had given me ample raw material, but it still took time and the energy requirements of the city were vast.

“If you have any suggestions and not simply whining, I’m open to them,” I said.

“I’m not the genius here. You are. You’ve spent a lot of time building us bigger and better guns and, Emma, I’m grateful. We need them, but they aren’t all we need,” Hot Stuff said.

Crystal said, “This city is barely holding together. We can each run our districts, but it is up to you to set the grand vision and focus on improvements.”

As rioting subjects went mine were being reasonably polite about it. Perhaps I had again been too focused on the big picture at the cost of the smaller one. This city was still barely functioning and there were things we could do about it.

“Each District Lord can send me their three greatest needs. I’ll see what I can do,” I said.

Small pictures stuff would have to wait however. One of my scouting parties was reporting enemy contact, and it wasn’t the wildlife.

It seemed we had found Ares.

170

I had four scouting parties out in the field in addition to the airship. I’d made each party larger, eight standard troops and two of my new elite units. The party under attack was accompanied by a Valkyrie and a Gunslinger.

Ares—for it had to be him—was accompanied by a dozen female warriors much like those we’d encountered in the village. Ares was dressed in leather armor and carried a spear and bow like the others. They’d blocked the path of the land vehicle with a fallen tree and encircled it.

I took possession of one of the standard drones and began to paint tactical signals for the other drones. I could calculate wind velocity and distance enough to make their shots really count in an exchange even against the Powered. That would leave the two heavies to deal with Ares.

I called, “You know you don’t have to fight for this monster. Your sisters are fine, we rescued them.”

Ares replied for them. “But you killed Bast. I know you, I’ve studied you. While she rushed in overconfident, know that I have prepared every step of the way.”

None of the women accompanying him were lowering their weapons. That made them targets. I initiated combat.

A sniper slug took Ares in the face as I had the rest of the drones open fire.

They missed—with my tactical expertise empowering them, every single one still missed. These warriors were fast, faster than the others we’d encountered. Fast enough to avoid the incoming shots. In retaliation, they weren’t aiming to kill. Arrows took three of my drones in the arm forcing them to drop their guns.

Ares didn’t seem to have been wounded from the gunshot. I heightened my awareness so I could study what had just happened, replaying the input from the eyes of multiple drones. The bullet had bounced off of him without leaving a mark. He was at the very least invulnerable to kinetic impacts. My Gunslinger was going to be useless against him.

I issued a command and they switched over to their chain-gun, the weapon unfolding and streaming rounds towards the warriors. With superhuman reaction speed it was possible to dodge a single bullet—and that feat from all of them simultaneously still left me impressed. However, a rain of gunfire was something else.

Bodies began flying backward twitching and bleeding. They didn’t share Ares’ immunity to gunshots.

The Valkyrie closed the distance to Ares, her swords in energy configuration as she swiped at him. These did leave marks at least, scratches upon his flesh that resulted in him growling and drawing his own sword. Superhuman strength drove his sword at the faceplate of the Valkyrie’s armor and the weapon shattered against the heavy armor even as the faceplate smashed.

“Not bad,” Ares said, as he ignored the Valkyrie to run towards the Gunslinger. Ares grasped the chain-gun in both hands and with muscles straining snapped it in half before driving the barrel through the thinner armor into the Gunslinger’s stomach.

“You do seem a bit better at combat than your sister. Just what was with the lions anyways? Why lions?” I asked.

“She liked cats, fucked if I know,” Ares said, lashing out with a foot and breaking a drone’s knee on the way back to the Valkyrie.

This time Ares didn’t bother with a weapon, bare-handed blows plowing into the Valkyrie’s armor. The design really did show a lot of promise, it held up incredibly well against the destructive force, but it could only do so much to protect the body within and soon the drone was a broken mass of bones and blood.

The Gunslinger was dead, Valkyrie badly wounded, and in addition I’d lost four other drones and had eight badly wounded. We hadn’t hurt Ares at all, although seven of the warriors he’d brought with him were dead and three more wounded.

Ares knelt down before the drone I was occupying and flicked her forehead with a finger. “So, let me tell you what this is all about.”

“Is this where you share your tiresome tale of vengeance?” I asked.

“Please, Bast was a crazy bitch and wasn’t really my sister. I won’t lie and say you did me a favor, but you didn’t hurt me like you may think. Nah, this is where I tell you what goes next. You see, I know there is something else inside this one,” Ares said.

Ares could detect my presence occupying the drone? That was unexpected.

“Say what you have to say,” I said.

“You’ve a soft touch, saving that village proved it. I’m going to take your wounded people here back home and have my fun. By fun I mean the whole torture, rape, brutalize deal. You get that,” Ares said.

“I’ve met your type. I turned the last one into a teacher,” I said.

“Huh,” Ares said, not seeming to know quite how to parse that information. “I won’t be signing up for school. You and that soft heart of yours want your people back, they’ll be fifty-seven miles northwest of that village you raided. I’ll be waiting.”

There were virtues to being able to think very fast and to be so distributed. It took roughly three nanoseconds to figure out jump coordinates based on those directions. Less than that to inventory the airship and the supplies aboard. Most of my reactors were going to the city, but I’d spared a few for bombs and I had three in the hold.

Before the crew even knew what was happening I’d initiated the jump. Sensor readings showed a sprawling military base that, judging by runways and hangers, had once been devoted to fixed-wing aircraft. They’d been repurposed into hangers holding soldiers. Thousands of them. Ares was using those villages to build an army. By the time Ares finished saying, “I’ll be waiting”, detonating bombs were taking most of that army out and I’d already jumped the airship away.

“Oh, I think you’ll be coming to find me. Have a good visit home,” I said, and executed shut-down commands to my drones. They spasmed as they died. I gave them priority queue space for replacement bodies in the growth vats.

They’d earned it.

171

“Could you maybe not go full-on city warfare without consulting with the commander of the military?” Hot Stuff said.

I’d decided I probably should describe to her and Anna what had just happened. It wasn’t going well.

“You realize that a thousand-strong army might have been converted to our cause, and one of our greatest weaknesses is a lack of people capable of an associate bonding with a power core,” Anna said.

“And now, instead of going all contentedly weird and rapey back at home, he is going to come gunning for us with everything he has,” Hot Stuff said.

“You said he was completely immune to bullets?” Anna asked.

I said, “Totally, along with a dose of super-strength and boosted reflexes. No traces of accelerated healing.”

“Then at least we can wear him down,” Hot Stuff said.

“Or you can try drowning him in Blank too,” Anna said.

“Regardless. I realize you would have appreciated being consulted, but I didn’t think we were going to get a better option. He wasn’t going to anticipate a strike that quickly and the opportunity was too good to miss. Think of it as passing a cookie jar, or someone naked in bed, to put it in terms you both might understand,” I said.

“I really don’t eat that many cookies,” Anna said.

“Would you care to know the total weight of all the cookies you’ve consumed this month? I can share it with the entire city. It might inspire them,” I said.

Anna paled and shook her head. “Let’s not waste their time. So, you seized the moment. What now?”

Hot Stuff asked, “Will he strike at all? This is a man who showed patience after we took out Bast. He studied us first. If we’ve just disabled the bulk of his army, is he really going to push the fight?”

“Are we ever going to be weaker than we are right now?” Anna asked.

Anna had a point. If he was tactically minded—and everything suggested he was—we were someone that had hurt him and knew where he called home. He might not strike us at once, he’d probably try to gather a larger force first. But he would hit us.

“Is there any possibility of getting the city shields up?” Hot Stuff asked.

“None. We remain without the power to do that, but we shouldn’t need it. We’re fighting people with bows and spears. We haven’t seen any sign of them using any sort of heavy weaponry. Surely you and your people can handle that,” I said.

“The fucking Goddess of Fertility kicked our combined asses. If we’re going up against War we need a better plan,” Hot Stuff said.

“That is what you’re here for,” Anna said.

Hot Stuff paused for a moment and then nodded. “Fair enough. We’ve seen that energy weapons can hurt them. Prioritize production of Aegis units. I also want all city defenders to have a supply of energy weapons and energy grenades.”

“Done. Unless you’ve forgotten, you’re actually good at doing energy damage yourself,” I said.

“I haven’t forgotten, but from what you’ve shown me he beats the hell out of anything that gets close to him. Bast could lay a hand on me, so can he?” Hot Stuff asked.

Everything I’d seen suggested that he could. Ares would take damage from doing it and that wouldn’t heal back, but Hot Stuff was right to be concerned. Put the two of them in a room together and it seemed reasonable he’d emerge the winner.

I said, “Likely so. We’ll keep you and your people at a distance then unless there is no other choice.”

“The rescued women are no use. They’re all about to pop any day now. Their accelerated pregnancies haven’t slowed with Bast’s death, probably because Ophelia got her powers,” Anna said.

That was unfortunate. Jade needed new lieutenants and psycho-kinetic barriers would be a lot of use against arrows.

“If we can kill him, who is going to the deed?” Anna asked.

It was something we needed to think about. Ophelia had managed to absorb Bast’s power because the regenerative nature of their power sets was so similar, even if the fertility aspect was different.

“I may be our leader in war, but I’m not right for it. It might be hard to shoot me, but it’s not because I’m bullet proof and my strength and speed are normal,” Hot Stuff said.

“Everyone’s strength and speed is normal. The only speed core we have is Ophelia and I’ll be damned if I’m comfortable letting her gobble down another Divine even if she is capable,” Anna said.

“Wolf would have been the perfect choice,” Hot Stuff said.

A war leader who hadn’t been bullet proof, but certainly super-strong and fast. It would have fit.

“Do you still have his crystal?” Anna asked.

“I do. But we lack a suitable host,” I said.

“What about Sylax?” Hot Stuff said.

“Did I screw up that badly in making you military commander? You wish to give deadly power at warfare to the sociopath that terrorized this city?” I asked.

“Jade? Kinetic resistance is something of a fit and nobody has ever been able to say the woman isn’t a fighter,” Anna said.

That was true. Smart, no. Patient, no. But when it came to fighting Sylax, no one had done so as often and so far Jade was proving loyal. In fact her change in attitude since Sylax had lost her power was almost an example to the rest of the District Lords.

Hot Stuff seemed to be considering on her own and nodded after a moment. Nobody spoke their assent. Nobody was objecting either.

“It is a plan then. If Ares does attack we muster every energy weapon we can to bring him down and try to have Jade land the killing blow. I’ll build an Aegis suit just for her,” I said.

We had a plan. It might even work.

172

I was receiving an unknown transmission.

I still hadn’t reestablished communication with the world outside, so whoever was trying to reach us was local. The Divine, so far, had not shown any signs of technological expertise but clearly someone out there had transmission capabilities.

I tried to locate the source of the signal but they were being clever, bouncing the broadcast off the high-energy distortions that made up the edges of this bit of reality and masking their location.

The contents of the message were a challenge to determine as well. It was binary, a series of identical high or low peaks. Despite my origins as software I found this sort of thing rather unbecoming. Data compression could do a lot more with intermediate states.

A human probably would have been flummoxed for a long time by the message, but I quickly determined that a small section was focused on the atomic weight of the first several elements of the periodic table. It made sense that the rest of it followed the same pattern and that led me to conclude the entire thing was a puzzle of sorts.

Anyone who went to this much trouble to bedevil me with a puzzle seemed eerily familiar to a certain someone Mechos had described. I opened a comm line to him to share what I’d found.

“Can you solve it?” Mechos asked.

“Who do you think you’re talking to? I’m not one of your lovebirds chosen simply for their physical attributes,” I said.

“One is a mathematician, the other an engineer. You misjudge them and you misjudge me. Can you solve it?” Mechos asked.

“I already have. It is a chemistry problem, a simple one when you get down to it. Figuring out what it is proved only fractionally more challenging. I didn’t call you to boast. I called to see if this is reminiscent of Vattier,” I said.

Mechos closed his eyes and sketched a fingertip along the circuits on his arm. I was getting a data packet from him, it looked a lot like the message I’d just received. No, not quite. There was no reference area. It was very similar to the answering transmission I’d planned back.

“The answer to a puzzle he posed long ago. The key to solving it was in the interaction of various elements,” Mechos said.

“So you think it is him,” I said.

“I’m certain it is not. Vattier would never repeat a puzzle, it would offend him as the highest of intellectual laziness. It would not matter that he thought no one was left alive to recognize what he was doing,” Mechos said.

If it wasn’t Vattier, it had to be someone familiar with his work.

I’d been tempted for a moment to send Mechos’ solution. If it was the original Vattier it would send a powerful message. If it wasn’t, they would quite possibly simply think we were wrong.

I instead sent the correct answer. Less than a minute later I got a new transmission. They were quick at checking the work.

I shared the new transmission with Mechos.

“Gears. The first value is diameter, the second is the length of the teeth. They’ll need to be assembled according to some specific requirements and the answer will be the numbers or letters they form. It is like whoever did this isn’t even trying,” Mechos said.

Just who was this Vattier? Regardless, with Mechos offering his insight this puzzle wasn’t even hard. It was less than a minute until I was sending back my answer.

The answering data transmission this time was huge and went well beyond binary.

“I think I irritated them,” I said.

“You have that effect on people. You also caused them to drop any pretenses. This isn’t any Vattier puzzle I’ve ever encountered,” Mechos said.

I didn’t think it could be one at all. If it weren’t for my experiences dealing with Flicker’s unique dimensional properties, I don’t think I’d have figured it out at all.

Science of the old world was based around reliable, repeatable, events.

SCIENCE was a different sort of field, one often based around unique and possibly non-duplicable events.

The first part of the data was the same experiment being run in multiple different shards of reality, the various bands as identified by a jump engine.

I’d been to enough of them, performed SCIENCE in enough of them, that I could confirm a few reference set of results.

The final set of data was just the specifications of a new experiment. Once I knew that, it wasn’t difficult to run it. Whoever had crafted this was looking for understanding here, I sent the results.

After a few seconds I got a new blinking message along standard communication protocols. A request for an open video feed.

“Can I get in on this?” Mechos asked.

A good idea, particularly if someone familiar with Vattier was involved. I switched into a drone in his vicinity and joined Mechos so we could open the feed.

The transmission was coming from what looked like the interior of a vast library. Traditional books were so very impractical and yet they stretched into the distance in rows behind the woman on the screen. The woman was dark-haired and looked to be in her early twenties, every inch of her exposed flesh covered by ornate and interlocking letters that glowed with a dull white luminescence.

“Congratulations, you seem to be worth speaking to after all,” the woman said with a coy smile that flickered as her gaze settled upon Mechos. “Kenneth?”

“Claire. It’s been a long time. I like the letters,” Mechos said.

“I like the circuits—and it’s Minerva now,” Minerva said.

“Is there anyone in this world you haven’t slept with?” I asked.

Minera arched a brow.

“Side-effects of a recent secondary bonding with a Fire core. Emma, allow me to introduce Claire Vattier, daughter of Earnest Vattier,” Mechos said.

173

This was fascinating, it really was, but unfortunately there were other matters demanding my attention. I’d detected a good-sized force approaching the city. Ares must have gathered all the warriors who survived, as well as others he had guarding villages, because over two thousand of them were approaching Aefwal. Broadly spread out, they weren’t going to let me catch their entire force with a bomb.

I sounded alarms and ordered defensive personnel to their posts. Coming here was a mistake. They were formidable, but I was always strongest defending my own turf. There was little else I could do for the moment except to wait for them to arrive before I could make my move. I switched my focus back to the conversation.

“With all the lettering upon your flesh, you are doing a fine imitation of a book. Why someone would want to pretend to be obsolete and primitive speaks of a lack of imagination that was clear in your puzzles. I got the impression you and Mechos here used to be a thing, I take it he left you for someone more interesting?” I asked.

“Kenneth, who is this horrible person and why are you associating with her?” Minerva asked.

“You remember Emma,” Mechos said.

Minerva’s eyes narrowed. “He got her working?”

“The plan didn’t quite work out on schedule, but it is working out. I thought you were dead,” Mechos said.

I hated Mechos’s secrets. I particularly hated it when they were about me.

I said, “Still listening, and thoroughly unimpressed with both of you. I’m going to assume you are the Goddess of Knowledge who sometimes helped out Bast’s and Ares’ victims. A shame you were too stupid or weak to put a stop to them permanently.”

“I quite dislike her,” Minerva said.

“That seems rational,” Mechos said.

“He praises me and calls me heroic. Sometimes he is a very stupid man. If you are calling to inform me that Ares is on his way, I figured that out already,” I said.

“I was going to commend you on what you’d done there. That was before I met you. Now I’m disinclined to ever say anything favorable,” Minerva said.

“Do you actually have anything useful to say or are recycled puzzles and being a mild amusement all you’re good for?” I asked.

“I can help you to take down Ares. I’ve long made a study of him, but I lack the resources required,” Minerva said.

“For which you’ll want some extravagant fee. Beam weapons will do the job, eventually. You aren’t useful,” I said.

Mechos reminded me, “You know who her father is. Claire, we’re here because your father hid something that we’re seeking. Do you know anything about it?”

“You’re looking for the sword. I don’t have the location, but I have the final piece of the puzzle I’m supposed to give to anyone smart enough to find me and survive the puzzlerinth,” Minerva said.

“Is that a deadly maze filled with puzzles?” Mechos asked.

“You know how Dad was. I harvested it for parts a century back, but saved what you’re looking for,” Minerva said.

“What do you want?” Mechos asked.

“You killed Bast and I think you’re about to kill Ares. I want to be on the winning side of this,” Minerva said.

This wasn’t my decision to make and I didn’t want to deal with her any more than necessary. I sent Anna a quick summary of what had been discussed and conferenced her into the call.

There was a half hour of negotiation and then Minerva was swearing her fealty.

What her father had left her would be forthcoming, but in the meantime she provided what she’d devised to take on Ares. What she’d figured out was that his invulnerability to kinetic weaponry had limits.

In the event of a strike, crystal fragments in his blood instantly rushed to the site of impact to create a powerful defensive field to send a bullet or sword bouncing off.

Energy weapons didn’t trigger this effect, although they had to deal with the naturally high levels of defensive crystals already present in his blood. That explained why they were able to hurt him, but far less than normal.

Minerva had devised a sort of complex spring trap that would simultaneously hit multiple points on Ares body. So many synchronized strikes would overtax the crystal presence in his blood and leave him vulnerable to at least one of the blows.

It was a completely impractical design that was smart in concept but poor in execution. I wasn’t surprised she’d lacked the resources to properly build something like that. To reliably score the impacts required, it needed a precision that was unfeasible due to the nature of combat.

What is hard to accomplish with subtlety is sometimes easy with brute force. I had a plan.

When Ares finally approached the city, I had Jade waiting for him.

“You’re not the one I want to make bleed. Send out the bitch and maybe I’ll make you a part of my harem,” Ares said.

I said from a nearby speaker, “With pickup lines like that it’s no wonder you’re only dating your own daughters.”

“There she is,” Ares said with a smirk. “You’re pretty good, but I’m the God of War. I am going to raze this city to the ground and see that every person in it dies screaming. I will unleash torment the likes of which you have never imagined.”

I could imagine quite a bit. The air around him flickered as several drones teleported in long enough to drop their cargo of fragmentation grenades before teleporting out.

They detonated and Ares was pummeled with shards of metal from all sides and wreathed in smoke.

When it drifted away he was still standing, but bloodied, a few gouges cut into his flesh.

“Like I said. Pretty good, but your best shot just isn’t good enough,” Ares said.

“I’m just the warm-up act. Jade, your turn,” I said.

The metal fragments scattered about Ares vibrated and hummed as the telekinetic field gripped them and they rose in the air to surround him in a swirling tornado of metal.

The screaming went on for a long time. I made sure to broadcast it to the forces surrounding the city. If they still wanted this fight, it would be their choice, not his.

174

It had been several months since Ares went down and in that time a lot had changed. Most of the warriors joined up with us once they’d had a chance to speak with those we had captured earlier. They had been raised to respect strength and we’d shown it.

With Ares’ fall we bought ourselves some much-needed time. Minera provided what we sought, but like most things in the quest so far it was of little help. It was a key crafted of power crystal, circuits carefully etched into the surface. Ornate and fancy, and completely useless without knowing the location of the lock it was meant to open.

I was done with the quest for the moment anyways. It was not that I was giving up, but I’d put this city through a lot in search of a single solution to all our problems and was increasingly of a mind that perhaps I should instead be focusing on smaller problems one by one.

Even without a power source capable of operating the shields, this city, if fully functional, would have the personnel and defenses to fend off anything a single Powered could throw at it.

I pulled up my city administration display.

Aefwal

Controller: Emma

Queen: Anna Berasi

Commander: Hot Stuff

Population: 1,350,000

District Zero

Controller: Emma

Role: Research

Major Projects: Tongue, Keystone, Compound BioReactor

District One

Lord: Crash

Role: Espionage

Major Requests: Rare Metals, Computing Cores, Teleportation Gates

District Two

Lord: Blank

Role: Manufacturing

Major Requests: Forge Core, Programmers, Energy

District Three

Lord: Crystal

Role: Education

Major Requests: Power Crystals, Crystal Dust, Combat Bots

District Four

Lord: Jade

Role: Construction

Major Requests: Low-energy shields, constructor suits, skilled personnel

District Five

Lord: Zora

Role: Entertainment

Major Requests: Enhanced data network, holographic projectors, sound dampeners

District Six

Lord: Professor

Role: Research

Major Requests: Research Materials, Biomatter, Growth-vat access

District Seven

Lord: Hot Stuff

Role: Military

Major Requests: Valkyrie units, Aerial units, Crystal Dust

District Eight

Lord: Ophelia

Role: Medical

Major Requests: None

District Nine

Lord: Flicker

Role: Administration

Major Requests: Distress Beacons, Trans-dimensional pens, Dimensional Stabilizers

The greatest change was the increase in city population. Before we took down Ares the city wasn’t technically deserving of even being called that with only ten thousand people. I’d managed to grow that number to over a million.

Mostly those were from my own growth vats. We’d found a number of villages and added their populations to ours, but all in all the residents from this realm still contributed just under ten thousand to our numbers.

With a steady supply of new workers we’d been able to grow quickly. We still didn’t have the systems I’d come to this place hoping to restore. The city defensive shields remained offline and the teleportation gates were still disabled. Still, we made do with what we had.

None of the requests on the lists were new.

Crash had been asking for rare metals for awhile as part of building infiltration drones. His desires for computing cores to process information and teleportation gates to dispatch agent were also not news. I put a few new biocomputers into the production queue to send over to him, it was the best I could do.

Blank wanted a forge core, programmers, and energy so she could further production. Her district made use of Righteous manufacturing techniques which were well different from my own growth vats. I had a lead on a forge core from Minerva and I hoped to have good news for her soon.

Crystal was out of luck with her requests for everything except more combat bots. As part of her academy for the Powered she wasn’t just trying to train the ones we had, but to create new ones. That required supplies we simply did not have.

Jade had become even deadlier in a fight after killing Ares. In addition to controlling matter with her mind she could now create it, in limited quantities, with weapons materializing from thin air. Yet, she preferred construction to warfare. Her requests were all reasonable and with our rapid growth her district had become one of the most important in the city. I’d get her everything she needed.

Zora had taken well to her role of being in charge of the city’s entertainment. In fact she took to it so much I had some regrets about assigning it to her, I’d caught more than one of my drones drunkenly whispering secrets. As their numbers swelled it had become increasingly impossible for me to maintain a constant eye on every single one.

Hot Stuff was asking me for aerial units again. I’d put development of unnecessary military projects on a lower priority scale while rebuilding. It was probably time to rethink that. The city now had ample anti-air cannons, but little in the way of our own air force.

Ophelia, as usual, wanted nothing. After absorbing Bast’s powers her healing aura had been enhanced considerably, and so had those of her lieutenants. A touch from Ophelia would heal even the most exotic of diseases and a few minutes in a room with one of her followers would cure any mundane injury. I thought it was probably a mistake to be so completely dependent on her crystal, but I couldn’t argue with the results. The city was astonishingly healthy.

Flicker was an interesting case. When I had assigned her Administration it seemed she must have some sort of knack at it—otherwise, why had it been an option? I’d been wrong. People seeking permits of approval went into the administration building only to emerge days later, if that, wandering about and having had countless extra-dimensional adventures and typically requiring a visit to Medical.

I’d taken to telling those requesting any permit that there was no need, and sending only those who only wanted to complained into the administration district. Far from harming city operations the lack of red-tape was working out rather well.

175

I and Minerva still didn’t get along, but for a self-styled Goddess of Knowledge she was almost deserving of the title. Thanks to her we had a real map of the region. It allowed us to expand our reach without tripping over the Divine, who in turn also seemed inclined to leave us alone.

We even had trade agreements with a few, but most were wary of our presence and I thought it only a matter of time until they pooled their resources for a larger attack. I decided that we would make the first move before that happened.

Our target was called “The Forge” and was occupied by Kothar, who was a renowned craftsman amongst the Divine. It was common to utilize types of power crystals in technology, but the Divine seemed to do it differently, somehow imbuing them directly into objects.

Kothar’s anvil was said to be home to a Forge core, just what Blank insisted she needed to expand her district. I found it curious that the Divine and the Righteous might have something in common when their world views in many ways seemed completely at odds with each other.

I moved an airship to where I could get a proper look at what awaited us. The Forge was a large complex for the Divine, with quarters and workshops for dozens of craftsman along with a thriving marketplace.

Like in most of the other Divine villages we’d seen there was a sharp contrast in the facilities for the Powered versus the unpowered. They weren’t alone in this, of course—the Scholars had a caste system based on the same principles.

A central workshop gave off the strongest readings and was most likely the home of what we sought. I was picking up one Powered inside and perhaps two dozen lieutenants. That was on the high side of what was expected, but still within expected parameters. The market was another matter. According to my readings there were three other Divine and another dozen lieutenants.

Hot Stuff was leading this operation. I sent her what I’d found.

“Not ideal,” Hot Stuff said.

“Never stopped you in love, why should it stop you in war? We need this,” I said.

Our plan had originally been to capture this facility and take Kothar captive. He hadn’t proved amenable to cooperating with us so far. Overwhelming force was good for making friends.

Hot Stuff had her flames disabled so she could interact with a tactical display. “Will you settle for just the anvil?”

I didn’t like leaving any potential resource behind. I particularly didn’t like leaving one behind who had friends. I’d never settle for leaving empty-handed.

“Better half of what I want than none,” I said.

“Words to live by. We’ll make it quick and try the new barriers,” Hot Stuff said.

The barriers were one of the latest inventions from the lab. The theory was that few things governed how a fight went so much as mobility, and even in situations where we couldn’t make our own forces more mobile we should at least constrain the enemy. The barriers were high-powered force shields of short duration meant to do just that.

“They’re Divine. It won’t buy you long,” I said.

* * *

I did a short range jump to bring us in directly above the facility, our ramp already opening and forces deploying. Hot Stuff led the way, igniting her flames and heating up enough that she melted through the roof upon impact. Four Valkyries followed her in. Quarters were close in there and that was the environment they excelled in.

Grenade launchers sent tranquilizer gas bombs tumbling through the air throughout the complex. I detonated two barrier bombs on top of the marketplace encasing it in a glowing blue energy shield.

It didn’t survive a single hit. An arrow of pure glowing white energy ripped the barrier to shreds and hit the ship. Armor was holding, but it was quite a shot, equal to what I’d expect from an airship cannon. Another arrow followed it a moment later.

There was no point in informing Hot Stuff, not right now, she had enough on her plate. Kothar’s forge hammer had no issues with intense heat and she’d already taken a blow from him that had broken three of her ribs. It was a rare case where the Valkyries had more success. Their heavy armor wasn’t dependent on fire for defense. Two had stepped forward to guard her even as she manifested a wall of fire to stop several of the forge assistants from joining the fray.

Another arrow hit the ship, and not from the ground this time. A massive eagle swept above the marketplace and an ebony-haired woman in a skirt of leather strips rode on its back. That was her mistake. I had some issues at leveling the ship’s cannons at a crowded marketplace, I didn’t have a problem firing at an aerial threat shooting back.

I began to return fire with the energy cannons. Two shots were dodged as the eagle swept to the side and another one was neutralized as an arrow met it part-way resulting in a brilliantly flare of energy.

Down below Hot Stuff had killed her flames to rig booster jets to Kothar’s anvil. That was supposed to be the Valkryie’s job, but the first two had already gone down against him. No armor was perfect, there were always weak spots, areas of tiny vulnerability. This God of Craftsman seemed to have an eye for them.

Hot Stuff was coughing up blood as she draped herself over the anvil and triggered the boosters. Gouts of flame erupted as the anvil was lifted into the air and shot up through the hole in the roof.

They were almost to the airship when an arrow caught the anvil, exploding against it and destroying the boosters, sending Hot Stuff flying.

A head for math again proved itself the greatest superpower one could ever hope for. One short range jump later had Hot Stuff and the anvil falling into our cargo bay as we manifested inverted directly beneath them. A second jump moments later had us away.

We might have gotten what we’d come for, but these new Divine had again proved themselves capable adversaries.

176

After a few hours in the Medbay Hot Stuff was back on her feet. When the airship arrived back at Aefwal I turned over the anvil to Blank. I wanted to study it further, but observing Blank putting it to use was even better than having it sitting in the lab.

We also needed to get it operational as quickly as possible. Kothar was of value to the other Divine primarily because of what he had been able to construct with the thing. If we could fill those same needs instead, we might find ourselves some new allies.

I didn’t intend to waste any time before going after our next target. Minerva had given us the locations of several artifacts of value to the Divine. According to Minerva the next one belonged to a secretive cult, a lead she considered among the more valuable she had to offer.

To me it seemed far more likely to be useless—supposedly a Goddess of Vegetation by the name of Ningal had a tree the fruit of which could create new Gods. While I doubted it worked exactly as described, if a plant had somehow gotten infused with a high concentration of crystal dust it might be possible the fruit gave abilities to someone young.

A concentration that high might allow us a few uses of some of the city’s more energy-sapping functions.

I jumped in our airship close to the grove where this tree was supposed to exist and began to scan. My sensors were a mix of results. Being biomechanical I had both electronic and membrane detectors and only half of them were picking up unusual energy readings in the distance.

It was a curious phenomenon. I moved some of my drones to the observation deck to observe first-hand and I discovered the effect duplicated there. My human drones saw an unremarkable forest down below, while my mechanical ones observed a massive tree growing in a large clearing and glowing with a faint luminescence.

Whatever was there had found a way to mask itself against biological life. As a hybrid I was only partly under its influence, but with no electronics amongst the Divine this would be a secret to most of them.

I devoted more resources to my electronic sensors. I owed Minerva a plate of cookies, the forest was absolutely teeming with the Powered. There were roughly one hundred down there, a huge concentration, and while I was only detecting a few at the power level of a standard Divine only a handful were as weak as the Dust. There was something to that tree, and that posed me quite the dilemma.

I wanted that tree, but not only was it too large to effectively transport, we didn’t need to make this many enemies. I’d gotten Aefwal built up to some extent, and while we might be strong enough to withstand an attack from any single divine we weren’t strong enough to handle this.

Well, I’d devoted a district to espionage for a reason. I consulted with Crash.

After filling him in on what I’d observed he spent a good ten minutes tapping away at his keyboard. Why were humans so very slow?

“I’ve got you a solution. It should allow you to get samples at least. Maybe even a branch or whatever tree-thing people do,” Crash said.

“Have you ever actually stepped foot outside?” I asked.

“Why bother when all the really interesting things are indoors? What I’ll be doing is using my abilities to subvert their already existing stealth system,” Crash said.

That was an interesting idea. It hadn’t occurred to me. Humans were almost worth the trouble, on occasion.

“You want to camouflage a probe from biological sight. We should adopt this system for Anna,” I said.

“Anna is hot and you’re just a hater, but yeah, you got the idea. Then you just sneak up with it and get what you need from where nobody will be the wiser,” Crash said.

It was far from ideal. I was convinced that the tree must operate from some pre-existing concentration of energy. Something had not only fueled its exceptional growth and the luminescence, but was also providing the energy that went on to make future Powered. A sample wouldn’t be enough to get me some of that power, although it might at least show how biology had been altered to achieve these effects.

I readied a probe according to the specifications Crash provided and waited for nightfall. The time of day shouldn’t matter—if the field was working properly they shouldn’t see it approach the tree in either day or night. Still, I thought it best to be cautious. While the tree might be invisible to the biologicals on this ship, obviously someone down there could observe it just fine. Whether that meant a power that specifically countered the field it put out, or some more symbiotic relationship, I didn’t know.

I chose one of the unripened fruit that adorned the branches. It was about the size of a large apple with a thick fibrous exterior. When I brushed against one of the branches I ran into an issue. The tree pulsed with a ripple of energy that tossed the drone through the air as a loud keening sound filled the air.

The tree had an alarm I’d call that terribly unnecessary—except it obviously was.

There was little point in further stealth now. I had the drone sever the fruit with a laser cutter and catch it as it fell.

Overhead the sky pulsed and night turned to day.

There went our anonymity. I jumped out as soon as the drone was secured. This was the second anthill we’d kicked over, it was time to return to the city and make sure our defenses were in order.

177

Three hours after the airship returned to Aefwal we came under attack. It started with a thick fog billowing in. By this point I’d done proper tests on the river and its amnesia-inducing properties didn’t survive the water being taken from the river itself. The fog wouldn’t be making my people forget, but it had other issues.

The instant it came into contact with the outer city sensors the electronic elements began to shut down. As the fog billowed closer to the city core that effect persisted. I jumped the airship out of range.

My own core systems were biological now so I shouldn’t be directly impacted, but a lot of our defenses used electrical systems. Shield projects, beam cannons, even a lot of the tracking routines for the kinetic weapons.

While I still could, I used the comm to call my council and the District Lords.

“This isn’t natural,” Anna said.

“I can burn it off a small area,” Hot Stuff said.

“And I can project it away from another,” Jade said.

They were both viewing the fog as the enemy to be faced, I suspected that wasn’t so.

“While your desire to go to war with the weather is inspirational, I do think we have other enemies that are likely to need your attention more. Crystal, my sensors are going down. Do you have anything?” I asked.

“I have sent some swarms. We’ll lose communications soon though,” Crystal said.

I’d already thought of that.

“I have humanoid drones heading to each of you. They won’t let you communicate with each other, but you’ll be able to coordinate through me,” I said.

Insects were flying and crawling through the city. Crystal had continued to grow her swarms.

“Oh, you’ll love this,” Crystal said.

“I doubt that. What have you got?” I asked.

“Elemental cores. Water coming in from the southeast, lightning from the north, earth from the west,” Crystal said.

The fog must be some sort of combined effect from them. They were used to working together. That was ominous.

The fog swept over the central comm and the network went down. I’d already gotten my drones in place.

“I’ve had some experience fighting other elementals. Water is going to be a shifty fucker, earth can take their punches, and lightning pack the hardest punch,” Hot Stuff said.

“And here I thought most of your experiences before hooking up with me were purely sexual,” I said.

“Sometimes folks would rather fight than screw. Seems stupid to me. I’m heading for Earth, have Crash and Professor join me. They’ll be smart enough to figure out how to hurt them if my flames don’t do the trick,” Hot Stuff said.

I thought she might be giving a bit too much credence to Crash’s intelligence, but his ability to disrupt systems had seriously weakened Sylax once upon a time.

I said, “What about the lightning user? They could be the most important. The fog may be serving as a carrier for their ability and dampening our electricity.”

“Then let’s dampen them right back. Blank is going to ruin their whole day. Ophelia too, just in case they still have their bite. Zora needs to go somewhere,” Hot Stuff said.

I had to admit that her skills as a commander were growing.

“That leaves Jade, Flicker, and Crystal to take on their water user,” I said.

“Jade and her telekinetic fields should be able to make things miserable for them. Flicker is just weird and Crystal has fought everything.”

I sent instructions to the others. None of them were alone, of course. The fog had disabled the juggernaut class units, I wouldn’t be deploying any Valkyries, Asps, or Gunslingers, and beam rifles were out as well—but I still had my biological drones, body armor, as well as traditional firearms and acid sprayers.

My drones were finally catching sight of what Crystal had seen with her insects.

The Earth user was a literal giant. He stood nearly four meters in height, body rippling with muscle. The water user was a woman whose flesh seemed quite natural except for the strange undulations it made as if it were the surface of a pond. Lightning was represented by a man in armor and sporting an enormously large hammer—Mechos would be delighted.

They hadn’t come with any lieutenants. That was bold, and stupid. However powerful, they should have realized how powerful this city was in turn.

The three walked up to the very edges of the city district, evenly spaced around the perimeterand somehow managing to surround us, and stood waiting.

“We’re here to talk,” said the water woman. The fog vibrated with her words and sent them echoing throughout the whole of the city.

Crystal stepped forward. She’d brought Sylax and her students who stood ready behind her.

“Then perhaps you shouldn’t have disabled our communication systems,” Crystal said.

“You’ve made a habit of launching unprovoked attacks,” the woman said.

“So you decided to launch one of your own? An interesting tactic to be sure and one I’m positive has made you many friends. If you wish to speak, withdraw this fog,” Crystal said.

The watery woman gave a tiny shake of her head. “You may call me Ash, Goddess of the Ocean and the waves. I’m accompanied by Atlas and Thor.”

“You realize your band of reality doesn’t actually have an ocean,” I said from a nearby drone.

“Don’t help, Emma,” Crystal said. “I’m Crystal, Diplomat of the city of Aefwal, which is under the rule of Queen Anna Berasi.”

“We know who you are. We know you killed Ares and Bast, and that you have allied yourself with Minerva. We’re prepared to offer you what you seek should you agree to leave these lands forever,” Ash said.

They’d come to surrender? In a sense. That was a surprise.

“We decline,” Crystal said.

“Just like that? No questions? No discussion?” Ash said.

“None at all,” Crystal said.

I’d made a fine choice for diplomat.

Ash didn’t look displeased. “Then we’ll see if you’re strong enough for such confidence.”

178

The three obviously had some way to coordinate and communicate, because it was as one they stepped forward into the city proper.

Hot Stuff was the first to respond, her flames growing in intensity as she moved toward Atlas and threw a fit at his midsection. His flesh transformed into stone. Flame met stone and he glowed. I’d seen Hot Stuff melt through thick layers of steel, but she didn’t melt through him.

“Pretty girl, a bit of heat. I like this,” Atlas said.

“Big and hard. I’m a fan too,” Hot Stuff said, flinging more punches that did little more than the first. “What are you made of?”

“Is this really the time to be flirting?” Crash asked as he gestured in the air. “I’m crap at this without a computer.”

The Professor, riding a triceratops again, smashed into Atlas from behind. The impact didn’t even cause the man to stumble and he looked over his shoulder.

“Big lizards, big cats. Why do people not just make themselves large? Saves time, yes?” Atlas asked.

Hot Stuff had turned the ground molten beneath her and Atlas as she continued to flail away at him. “Failure of imagination. I’m not going to be able to melt you am I?”

“Nothing but my heart,” Atlas said.

That fight was going nowhere.

On the other side of the city Blank had moved to confront Thor. Electricity arcing and sparking around his hammer faded and throughout the city there was a dim flicker of lights attempting to restore their power.

“I don’t think so. Your batteries are drained,” Blank said.

“A Righteous! I mean like, literally. Been forever since I ran into one of you. You’re all strong too,” Thor said, in a voice a bit too high-pitched for his rugged appearance.

“He’s lame. Why is everyone so lame?” Ophelia said.

“Give me a chance little miss emo,” Thor said.

Zora tried to shoot him in the head. Bolts of lightning erupted from his body and flung the bullets to the side.

Thor raised his hammer and the air trembled as the lights in the city went fully dark again. “See? For smart people, you guys are really stupid right? Nobody ever stops to ask, gee, why did all the lights in the world go out? Maybe it’s because their crystals have something to do with electricity.”

Blank had the strangest look on her face, as if reality had just stopped making sense to her. “You’re dampening my power.”

Thor hit Blank with an underhanded swing of his hammer that sent her soaring backwards, lightning crackling around her body. Ophelia didn’t waste a moment as she moved to her side, keeping Blank in range of her healing aura.

Zora snapped her fingers and Thor howled in agony, dropping to one knee. It was the first time I’d seen her use her ability, and I still didn’t know what it was.

A bolt of lightning erupted from the handle of the hammer and sent her flying backward to collide with Ophelia.

The fight against Ash was going no better. Telekinesis, extra-dimensional shifts, whatever they threw she deftly dodged and always had a countering blow. None were finishers, but she was clearly winning and grinding my people down.

I had more I could throw at them, but I wasn’t sure what good it would do. They weren’t even teaming up to make this a real fight and they were still withstanding the forces of this city.

“Enough,” Ash called, stepping back. Her voice again echoed throughout the city.

Thor and Atlas also took a step back.

“Was there a point to all of this?” Crystal asked, a good bit more breathless than earlier.

“We’re strong little ones and we protect this place. We were prepared to welcome you into our home. New blood has its place and a spirit of a city might have made a fine Athena. We know what Ares and Bast did and planned, and did not approve. Killing them we allowed,” Ash said.

“You were waiting to see what we did next,” Crystal said.

“And you waged more attacks on those who have done you no harm. Brought war where there was none. Stole what belonged to others,” Ash said.

I had sensors coming back online. Only a few and all in the central core, it was Anna’s doing. It appeared that she had rigged a liquid fuel supply into the emergency fire suppression system and was busy dousing some of my most sensitive equipment in flames. It was also fully vaporizing the fog and burning it off.

I opened up a comm.

“Petty vandalism instead of joining the fight? I really shouldn’t be surprised. Do you know Crystal is out there declaring war in your name?” I said.

“Good. I’m the Queen of the whole damned world and they need to figure that out. I should have burned off enough of the fog around the sun shield projector,” Anna said.

I’d already figured out why, of course, I’m smarter than she is. The sun shield had provided us light and climate control when the city was underground. By default it was disabled now that we were above ground, but triggering it should clear the fog.

“It still leaves us with the three of them,” I said.

“They disabled our guns for a reason,” Anna said.

She was right. Because of Ash most likely, I thought the other two could probably handle anything we might throw at them, but with tracking sensors fully enabled and given her nature the beam cannons could likely hurt Ash, perhaps even kill her.

I activated the sun shield. The sky blazed brilliantly for an instant and just like that the fog was gone. Two dozen beam cannons swiveled to point at Ash.

“Unexpected,” Ash said. “Not quite enough. Are you going to try?”

“Do we have to?” Crystal asked.

Ash gave a tiny smile and swiveled. Atlas and Thor did the same and in unison the three walked away from the city.

We hadn’t defeated them, we hadn’t even truly held our own. We needed more power.

179

I had to find what we’d come here for. There were various leads I might follow. I’d destroyed Ares’ base, but it might still harbor some secrets. Minerva or the other Divine might have information they could share. The more I thought of it however, the more I thought that I probably already knew the location of what Vattier had hidden.

I was looking for something of immense power that was well concealed and I’d already found a place that fit both those criteria. The tree was my best lead, but I didn’t think that was my target. Aefwal had been in a vast underground cavern, my original complex had been underground—when you wished to hide something away you put it underground.

And when you really wished to hide something you put another well-guarded secret on top of it.

My sensors hadn’t detected a cavern, but I wondered if the same technique that created the invisibility effect on the surface could serve to blind electronic sensors from detecting what was below.

If I was right, I knew how to get where we needed to go. The original jump coordinates through the satellite left an arc of possible destinations. We’d landed on one of them, the one most suitable for a city of Aefwal’s size, but there were other places we could have appeared—and one was deep beneath the tree.

Anna was less than enthused about me risking our sole, fully functional airship on the endeavor, but I had a solution for that too. Jump engines were tricky to build, but in an effort to give Hot Stuff the air force she kept requesting I’d been working on it—the first of a new prototype. Cultivating the hull of small ship in the growth vats took the better part of two days, but I had a scout vessel.

In addition to Hot Stuff wanting an air force I’d wanted some smaller ships of my own for research purposes. Craft loaded with sensors that could better survey terrain. I did have some mechanical research drones, but these were without the range a jump drive would allow.

There were steps I could have taken to try to confirm there was actually somewhere to go. Crash had subverted the masking effect once and could probably do so again. I was wary however about approaching the tree again. They were likely to be on alert next time and the city didn’t need another visit.

There was a fair chance of losing the ship and crew, so I wouldn’t send anyone I couldn’t replace. At least initially I’d need to just send drones I’d grown in my growth vats. In the event they fell I could always grow them again based off their last recorded pattern.

If they found something, I could have the vessel return to get others if needed.

A plan made, I gathered a crew and initiated the jump.

I knew within nanoseconds it had been a success. My connection to my drones didn’t fade, but all my readouts from the ship sensors went instantly dead. Through my drone’s eyes I could see the cavern was vast, as large as the one that held Aefwal, and the walls had been coated with what looked to be a layer of crystal dust.

The middle of the space was a shielded force bubble.

Here I thought Vattier was clever, and at the same time a shielded force bubble in a deep underground cavern was starting to seem quaint.

I had my drones take sweeping passes through the cavern. Without the ship’s sensors operational it made everything more difficult. We were finally able to locate an old landing pad.

All indications were that it was safe. I ordered the vessel to briefly jump home. I collected the keystone that Minerva had provided and made a place for her and Mechos, before returning to the cavern and setting down. Minerva had proved herself to be trustworthy enough so far, and I figured that she even better than Mechos would understand her father.

Thick layers of caked-on crystal dust had to be removed from a central pedestal to reveal a slot where the keystone could fit. It slid in with a click. A dim green luminescence filled the area and a hologram appeared.

It displayed an older-looking gentleman reclined in a chair. He appeared to look over those assembled.

“Claire, Kenneth, I always thought it might be you two to finally find the Sword. If you are here this means Claire has given up the Goddess idiocy and Kenneth has abandoned the goals of the Society, and you’ve both realized you are smarter together than apart. It is about damned time. Still, you know I give nothing to the unworthy and the following puzzles are my greatest yet. The race is on.”

The visual of the old man faded to a series of rapid images. They weren’t puzzles, not exactly. To another mind they might have seemed such, but in that instant I understood something vital. Vattier was completely mad—and Vattier truly understood the difference between SCIENCE and science.

“Well, that was rather embarrassing,” Minerva said.

“Quite, am I mistaken or were those power regulation equations?” Mechos asked.

“I thought I recognized a few related to the curvature of post-Cataclysm dimensional space,” Minerva said.

For humans they really were rather bright.

I said, “Your awkward social graces are proof that you are operating fully within expected parameters. Do stop pretending to be worthy of his pride and contribute to the manual labor you might be useful for and gather dust. There is enough here to keep the teleportation gates operating for quite some time.”

“Is that really a priority right now? We should be trying to solve this,” Minerva said.

It was a priority. As soon as the message had completed I’d regained my connection to my off-world ships. The distortion of dimensional space that safeguarded this place was gone.

The Graven and the Whimsey reported that they were receiving a copy of Vattier’s message and last puzzle. That was good.

However, the whole world could receive it. That was bad.

180

Vattier hadn’t included any coordinates in his last message, but I couldn’t be certain someone wouldn’t be able to trace the signal back here. I wasn’t sure any of the large factions would even think it worth sending a ship or two to investigate the message of a long-dead—and quite mad—scientist. He did have something of a reputation in his day.

The airships that had been away from the city had spent the months out of contact scavenging for supplies and fighting off threats. My drones in command had done well. I made sure the cookies were plentiful and gave them all upgrades. I jumped them here at once and set them to collecting crystal dust. Jumps left traces and I wanted to get everything I could out of that cavern and leave. Then leave it alone until I had an answer to the puzzles.

I devoted the full attentions of my research staff to the problem as well as assigning Professor, Mechos, Minerva, Flicker, and Blank to the task. Between them they had brilliant scientific minds, dimensional expertise, and an understanding of the science of the old world.

I had to decide just what I wanted to do with the crystal dust. The Scholars commonly used it as a source of power and while my Bioreactors were more reliable, the dust could generate short and high energy power bursts. I could do something similar when I detonated a reactor, but the applications of such power use went well beyond bombs.

Initiating a jump gate required similar power, so did a jump drive trying to generate a larger bubble. It could produce more powerful beam weapons, stronger shields, but all with a finite power supply. Part of the reason that the Scholarium fought so savagely amongst itself was because of this finite nature of their energy.

By studying the sample of the tree and the fruit I had a pretty good idea what was happening. Over generations something beneath the shield in that cavern was leaking power into the surrounding stone. That was manifesting in the cavern as layers of crystal dust, but wasn’t confined to it. Veins of energy-conducting crystal had formed beneath the earth and were being tapped into by the root structure of the tree. That accounted for the unusual growth, the luminescence, and the tree attempting to pass on those attributes to its own offspring through fruit.

The effectiveness and concentration levels varied, most of the tree’s fruit would be similar to consuming dust. Still, some others would be equivalent to standard power crystals, and a rare few provided a power set equal to the Divine.

It was the result of a long-term adaptation to that much power, I couldn’t duplicate it. Yet, if I wanted to however, I could give a low-grade Dust-like ability to anyone who wanted one, even adults. It could prove a powerful recruitment tool.

I didn’t think it was a decision to be made alone. I called my council together and presented them the options.

“Powers on that scale are a mistake. You’ve seen what a large population of Powered has done to the Scholars. Do you wish to replicate that in your own streets?” Blank asked.

Crystal said, “Is it that dissimilar to what Emma and I already do? We make people better with our upgrades. This is a whole new way to do that.”

“You know I love to burn, but militarily a few weaklings aren’t going to win us any wars. Mobility from warp gates is something else,” Hot Stuff said.

“Powers suck. I hate them,” Ophelia said.

I hadn’t even thrown her in a grinder lately, she really needed to stop complaining.

Anna said, “If you can solve this puzzle, doesn’t it become moot? We’ll have the power source that created all the dust to start with.”

“That is the hope. Right now we’re dependent on my intellect, because a dead man thought too much of his daughter and his would-be son-in-law and the rest of you are even more useless. I’ll solve it in time, but we could come under attack tomorrow,” I said.

“People are sick of living under the thumb of the Powered. I’ve raised armies with just my own ability to make people stronger. You’ve seen me do it. Think of that,” Crystal said.

“An army that is dead now because the Powered inevitably turn upon each other,” Blank said.

Their opinions were sharply divided, I’d expected as much. So were my own.

After I’d first been reactivated the ability to give a single individual a dampened ability of a power had been huge. Since then, I had done so for hundreds. Now, this gave me the potential to do so for thousands.

“Let me take the decision off your hands, Emma. You’re torn and this council isn’t helping. I say, get the gates operational,” Anna said.

That drew more than a few frowns around the table, but nobody spoke up against her. All there had accepted Anna as their Queen, even if most weren’t happy about being under the dominion of an unpowered.

“I’ll have them up and operating within the hours. Perhaps if you were actually likable as a monarch we’d have some friends and allies to get in contact with,” I said.

“While not exactly friends, if you’re interested in trade I know the Righteous would consider your latest model of biocells for the beam weapons. They operate even in a reality zero environment,” Blank said.

That must be the term for the environment of old Earth they’d restored in the core.

“If we’re selling things, I can hook us up with some very keen buyers for all the crystal dust you can spare,” Zora said.

“If we can’t have friends, have customers. I like it. Do everything necessary to mask our presence and don’t trade anything we can’t spare,” Anna said.

Aefwal was open for business.

181

A week passed with no answer to the Vattier’s puzzles. We were making progress, I’d thought at first he was simply obsessed with understanding how the Cataclysm had altered the world—that he was focused on grasping the new rules of reality. But I increasingly thought it was more than that. He was seeking a way to define those rules, to craft his own.

The way he’d made this world more difficult to access made me think that Vattier met with some success. It made me feel a step behind, and that was impressive for a monkey with delusions of grandeur.

In the meantime life in the city went on.

Sylax requested my presence at her academy and I sent a drone to see what she wanted. The place was coming along nicely. A small part of Crystal’s district had been given a lot of resources to its construction and it showed.

There were classrooms for the humanities and sciences in addition to combat arenas. Her student body had grown beyond just the scavengers. I spotted some of Magpie’s village children, a few animal hybrids who must have been created by Crystal, and even some Gobbles lounged around on shelves, paying unusually sharp attention as we passed.

“You tortured Magpie’s people for generations and they trust you with their latest one? They’re bigger fools than I thought,” I said.

“I wouldn’t say they trust me. They’re too smart for that. But, like me, they realize that we’re living in a different world now,” Sylax said.

There were art and music rooms. A part of me wondered at the utility and at the same time I was impressed by the sheer audacity of what they were attempting to accomplish. I was trying to put together the shattered pieces of a world and my reasons for doing so were complex. I wished I could decide if Sylax truly believed in all of this, or if she was playing me. The greatest monster I knew was attempting to restore a level of culture long passed.

“This isn’t like you. This is nice,” I said.

“I know, that is why I do it. Come and observe the training arena. You’ll be interested in this,” Sylax said, as she led the way to an observation window.

Below students warred with combat bots. A girl ducked and waved her way beneath them, brushing them with a touch and transforming them to stone. Next, a young man blasted each apart with sonic waves and another girl followed behind using complex hand motions to weave the dust into stone golems.

“Her touch only turns things to stone for about half an hour. Crippling, but not actually destructive. Add in a new element and it is suddenly fatal, and add yet a third and something new is made. I found the visit by the three Divine to this city ... inspirational,” Sylax said.

I didn’t want Sylax feeling inspired, even a seemingly reformed one. However well she behaved I remembered her first act after having her crystal removed—her murder of James Wolf. This woman might be less insane, if there was such a thing, but murder was still her nature.

“How much of this was Crystal’s idea?” I asked.

Sylax gave me a sidelong look. “You are thinking this cannot be her doing? What do you know of our history? Hers and mine?”

“Rather little. I’m not even sure I’m capable of having nightmares, but your past might be enough to make even a machine restless,” I said.

“They called her the spider because of her web of influence. The old world had fallen apart and she was determined to build something new. Parents couldn’t keep their children fed, but she promised—send them, send them and they shall have a place and a home and I shall make them better,” Sylax said. I could hear the bitterness in her tone.

I’d never heard any of this.

“It seems she kept her word,” I said.

“She did. Instead of growing up on the streets I learned my letters, mathematics, fashion. The Scholarium was growing and she found a place for me inside it. A place I could seduce those useful to her plans, and kill those who opposed them.”

“That seems improbable. Not only are you deeply unlikable, you wouldn’t have had a crystal yet, correct?” I asked.

Sylax gave a dark laugh. “Younger days and the strata weren’t quite as defined as they are now. I had power enough to pass among them and none knew enough to question it. In reality I couldn’t bond to a crystal, none of her children could. Had I absorbed one it would have killed me. The poison touch, she called it.”

If this was true, it cast a far darker view of Crystal.

“It doesn’t seem to have stopped you,” I said.

“I was determined and in the epicenter of an organization learning all about the crystals. I lied and stole and killed for my purposes as well as hers. I found a cure and I found a very special crystal.”

“That amplification would have made any crystal holder who absorbed it enormously powerful. How did you get it?” I asked.

“Oh, it did. It passed through three holders before finding itself with Soldier. He had a power set a bit like Ares. He could use any weapon, and had superhuman strength and agility,” Sylax said.

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

“I killed him in his sleep. Best way, really, with someone like that. It finally gave me the power to break the chains that bound me and force Crystal to do my bidding,” Sylax said.

“And we know how that went,” I said.

“Bloody and unsuccessful,” Sylax said, and she glanced towards my drone. “I know you don’t believe me, Emma. But that is why I wanted to show you all this. I’m not changed, not really, but I am still trying to do better. Anna made the right call not giving Crystal the dust.”

This was all a warning couched in a way that I might take it seriously.

I did. There was something sincere about Sylax right now.

182

We made little progress on the puzzles.

And I’d underestimated the interest Vattier’s message might generate. The next week saw visitors to our skies. I was told the exact number of kingdoms in the Scholarium varied at any point in time, but currently eight of them had airships in the area. The Righteous dispatched three heavy cruises. Other, smaller factions or individual scavengers brought fifty-four ships in all.

Not all of those survived long, of course. The Scholarium lost two vessels to various Divine and everyone thought it was open season on scavengers. I’d brought down two of those ships myself that made an attempt to raid Aefwal.

I’d been in enough fights to know a big one was brewing. I had to make sure that Aefwal survived it and that I got what I’d come here for.

With the teleportation gates working trade was thriving. My biotechnological creations were a rarity out there in the world and each of the factions had some use for much of what I could provide. The Righteous perfected body armor well beyond anything I had developed and were willing to share some of their expertise. The Scholars were more varied in what they might trade, but really a significant part of what I wanted from them right now was intelligence.

I didn’t like what I learned. While this city had been under the rule of Sylax it had been assisting King Boreas, ruler of one of the Scholar Kingdoms, against another. At the time Boreas had been slowly losing the war. Lately his fortunes had seen a shift and he was winning.

The reason we were here in this new land at all was because King Boreas had launched a sneak attack that nearly destroyed Aefwal. I didn’t want him to have a second chance.

I called Crystal and Sylax together to discuss the possibility of negotiating a truce.

“Absolutely not,” Sylax said.

“He is a thoroughly unpleasant man. It is why I didn’t seek his aid when Sylax was taken,” Crystal said.

“Can he really be worse than the two of you?” I asked.

“I can only skin a man once. He can go back in time and do it again,” Sylax said.

“Well …” Crystal said, giving Sylax a knowing look.

Sylax frowned. “With accelerated healing I may have technically skinned a few people several thousand times, but my point is I learned that behavior somewhere.”

Crystal said, “You’ve seen the Scholarium. You don’t rise to the top by being weak. You rise to the top by either being immensely strong or terrifying.”

“Keep in mind that, until I ruled Aefwal, even with an Amplification core boosting the benefits of an upgrade core I didn’t even hold a city,” Sylax said.

That was a good fight. When we’d first met Sylax she’d been the strongest thing we’d ever encountered. It didn’t seem there could be anyone stronger. The stronger already had their cities and their kingdoms.

“Is he going to be an issue? While I assume he’d want to skin and debone you both on principle, how serious is he likely to be about it?” I asked.

“I was his subject and you took this city from me. If you had turned right around and sworn fealty to him, it would have gotten you praise. Wolf went right out and found himself a stronger benefactor. But you? You invaded his kingdom, stole a valuable resource, and have no very powerful friends,” Sylax said.

“That is her way of saying yes, he is going to be an issue,” Crystal said.

I’d have no problem pledging ourselves to some larger power, but I knew that would never fly with Anna. From the beginning she’d declared herself the Queen of the World and she bowed her head to nobody.

It wasn’t a fight we could win, not right now. We needed other options.

“Tell me about him? And not about how incredibly delicious you find his handling of a knife,” I said.

“I do actually like that,” Sylax said.

“He has four cities under him. Aefwal made the fifth, and even new and underpowered, compared to the others it really was a big deal,” Crystal said.

“You know about his ability to rewind time. That one is the most publicly known, but he’ll have other time-related abilities,” Sylax said.

“He froze our time to deliver the bomb that nearly destroyed the city,” I said.

“That would be a new one, but I’m not surprised. He enjoys hurting people, breaking people, yet is fiercely protective of those he considers to be his property,” Sylax said.

“He has a daughter, Princess Simone. They don’t really get along because she doesn’t much like doing what she’s told. She possesses the power of invisibility and phasing through matter,” Crystal said.

That was interesting, someone to possibly turn against him.

“There are perhaps five hundred Powered of various sorts beneath him. Far more citizens, of course. Probably less than a thousand airships,” Sylax said.

The numbers were daunting. I and my allies had accomplished a lot by being smart, bold, and in some cases lucky. I’d been making something of a habit of toppling those that thought themselves unstoppable.

I didn’t have solution to a thousand airships, not now. Eventually with more production facilities and more research, but not now.

We needed friends.

I didn’t trust the Righteous. They ultimately viewed any Powered as someone to be depowered and purified. For all we might be wary allies and trading partners, they weren’t friends.

The other Scholarium kingdoms would likely want our fealty, which made them automatic negatives. Perhaps we could convince the Divine? We’d made some enemies since coming here, but we’d made some friends as well. It was time to see what Minerva could do.

183

It was an odd assortment that Minerva had found to invite to the city. The Divine bound themselves to ancient myths and legends related to their abilities. In some cases this made them stronger, faster, and more powerful than they might otherwise be, and in some it seemed to make them weaker. There was Bootes, the God of Wagons, who had the ability to transport people and objects long distances, Tykhe, who possessed the ability to purify items of corruption, Jarilo, who had some powers of plant manipulation.

Their abilities gave them few advantages in any fight and they had often spent their lives being preyed upon by those stronger. What we offered, being a part of our city and what we were building where their abilities might be seen as something useful, really did have some appeal. That didn’t mean they were willing to swear fealty without extracting every concession that they could.

I had Crystal playing diplomat, it is what she was there for.

Every Divine that decided to join up with us would make us that much more attractive to those who remained. If even a few of the more powerful became our allies they might serve as an effective counter against Boreas.

That was the theory. The problem was I wasn’t the only one to realize it.

A few hours into negotiations reality seemed to flicker. In an instant the Divine guests were scattered about the room, slumped against the walls, suffering multiple gunshots. Crystal had taken several in the face and her life-signs were quickly fading. The wounds weren’t typical, with a residue of yellow energy.

It had to be agents of Boreas working to neutralize this alliance before it started. First things first, I shut down all teleportation gates in and out of the city. An infiltrator might have come from an airship, but the gates were another option and the only one I could do something about.

I teleported in drones to grab the Divine and engaged a second teleport to a trauma center. Ophelia had lieutenants on call every hour of the day in case of emergencies. The wounds were resisting healing, the energy signatures retarding it somehow. Vital signs were dropping even faster.

I’d encountered toxins before that slowed healing, but they wouldn’t be returning this sort of result. It had to be some kind of reversal effect. They’d expect me to get them healing quickly and whatever the residue was in the wounds, it was taking that healing effect and using it to cause more damage.

No, that didn’t make sense. If the goal was to just have these people killed they could have done so. Whatever the time-pause or time-reversion they were using, it should have been enough for that. I teleported Ophelia’s lieutenant into a testing cell and engaged quarantine shielding.

It was purely speculative, but if I wanted to capitalize on a city with a large presence of high-powered healers I’d use some sort of bioweapon. One triggered to grow stronger and consume more health, the more a healing aura was applied. It would take far more research to confirm that, but for the time being isolating the victims from a healer and using a Medbay for traditional healing was the best option. The wounded might die, Crystal might die, but it would preserve the city.

It didn’t answer the why though. If the goal was to wipe out the city they could have brought such a bioweapon directly to Ophelia’s district and released it. Why wouldn’t they?

It was an attempt to destroy this city, but it wasn’t only that. They’d learned their lesson about me the hard way—that an entity who could respond in nanoseconds was difficult to deal with even having some degree of temporal manipulation. This was a distraction, and it had succeeded.

I did a broader scan of the city. All of the other District Lords were unharmed, Sylax hadn’t been touched.

There it was. The electronics in one secure research facility were down. The lab that housed the keystone for the pedestal in the cavern.

Once I knew what I was looking for it was a simple matter to review those surveillance logs. The cameras had been wiped, but everything passing through a city system went through me and my biological memory storage units still had them intact.

Kalakas, a minor Scholar lord we’d been doing quite a bit of trading with. They’d been providing some rare earth resources that we needed for the construction of our espionage drones, and aiding in our refinement efforts of compounds. We’d allowed him and his people access to the city.

With the benefit of hindsight I reviewed logs and saw how his agents from the very beginning had been scouting our infrastructure. It wasn’t until today that anything had more been done. I only had flickers of an individual moving through the halls, the result of time-skips—this was a time-shifter. Never enough to have registered as anything more than sensor irregularities. They told a clear story though. I had the visuals of the figure making their way through the gate, shooting the diplomats, then moving into the secure facility to perform the robbery before making their way back through the gate.

Effectively it had only taken them a few seconds and they’d made their escape before I sealed the gates.

I had drones in guard positions at various points throughout the city. Four Valkyries and six Gunslingers. It would do. I teleported them to the jump gate and reestablished the connection to Kalakas’ domain and ordered them through.

I hoped I’d still be able to catch up to the time-shifter, if not Kalakas would do. We’d been betrayed and I couldn’t let that stand.

184

Kalakas and his people weren’t innocent. Innocent people don’t start shooting the instant your forces come from a gateway. They were ready, defensive turrets set up, and when my first drone emerged from the gateway they were pummeled with high-powered rounds.

Even the armor on a Valkyrie couldn’t take that for long, but then it didn’t have to. Phase blades engaged, they surged forward to cut the turret in two as the second Valkyrie stepped through. They moved on a second turret even as guards rushed into the room.

I brought a Gunslinger through next and opened fire with their chain-gun. A few stray shots caught my Valkyries but that was nothing new. The less-armored guards were chewed to pieces and stumbled back.

I didn’t have time to be satisfied with that small victory. Analyzing my drone’s sensory impressions I could cross-reference the sounds of shuttles taking off, pin-pointing where the landing bay might be.

A second Gunslinger made his way through and moved towards the nearest wall to the landing bay, applying a full strengthed body-slam accompanied with kinetic enhancements. Stone shattered and he crashed a way to the other side falling on top of guards who had been rushing to reinforce their comrades.

I moved the Valkyrie units through the gap and sent a second Gunslinger through the gateway. Kinetic enhancers boosting their speed, they rushed past more guards knocking them to the side before smashing another wall.

The landing bay was on the other side. A shuttle was already taking off.

This was where I had to get clever. This is where I had to get very, very clever. From what I’d been able to piece together from the surveillance tapes this agent had the ability to freeze time when they knew there was danger. They weren’t freezing it now or I’d never have seen the shuttle at all—they still thought they were safe and had made it out successfully. The sound of the takeoff perhaps masked the gunfire. Maybe they had exhausted their freeze time ability sneaking through the city?

If they weren’t freezing time, they had to rely on their ability to rewind time to escape. For a lieutenant of Boreas that would be about fifteen seconds.

I had to take down the shuttle in a way they’d be powerless to stop.

The first Gunslinger pulled out their sniper rifle and took aim. A single shot and the fuel regulator was breached. Fuel began to spray over the rear of the shuttle.

In liquid form it wasn’t an issue, it wouldn’t ignite. It would need to evaporate first and that took a little time. Based on the current atmospheric conditions I calculated that to be sixteen seconds.

When the rear of the shuttle burst into flame and the craft spiraled out of control, I wondered how many times I must have repeated this moment. Three? A dozen? A thousand? How often had the pilot of that ship tried to rewind time to get a favorable outcome before finally giving up and resigning themselves to what happened next?

I brought the rest of my heavy units through. Better-equipped guards were arriving now and one of my Gunslingers staggered back under a beam of blaster rifle fire.

Kalakas entered the hall. He was flanked by a pair of guards, and smoke wreathed thick about his form. A gesture and the smoke billowed down the hall forming into fantastical beasts, a massive smoke alligator grabbing a Valkyrie between its jaws and shaking him violently.

It was a neat trick. One of the newly arrived Valkyrie’s teleported behind Kalakas and shoved a knife through his heart. The Scholar lord wore the surprised look of someone who couldn’t quite comprehend how his own treachery could turn against him. I took possession of the Valkyrie and knelt down beside Kalakas as he slumped to the floor.

“That was pathetic enough that I feel compelled to offer some words of wisdom that, on the off-chance reincarnation exists, you do better in your next life time. Don’t bring smoke monsters to a gun fight,” I said.

Knowing well the power of healing auras I put a few more knives into him just to be sure he stayed down.

I had a Gunslinger open fire on the shuttle, rupturing the cabin to spill fuel inside. While it would be nice to have a subject to interrogate I just didn’t trust any direct encounter with the pilot. If they survived the crash their ability to rewind gave them too much of an advantage unless I had the time to properly plan, and right now I was improvising.

Thirty seconds after the fuel concentration levels should have reached a high level in the cabin the Gunslinger opened fire with incendiary rounds. The gush of flames shook the tiny ship violently.

I left a guard on watch.

I lost another Gunslinger and three Aegis to the rush of guards, but seeing Kalakas dead more new arrivals began tossing their weapons away and holding up their hands.

A part of me wanted to wipe them all out, but I knew that wasn’t the way. I’d let Sylax live for a reason, and it wasn’t just to assure Crystal’s allegiance. When the whole world thinks itself your enemy, you’re never going to put it back together by killing everyone.

I set a Valkyrie to taking prisoners and when the word got around that we were honoring a surrender the rest yielded. The fires died in the shuttle and I was able to confirm the death of the pilot and reclaim the keystone.

185

My sense of triumph was short-lived because back in Aefwal things weren’t going well. My instincts had been right regarding the victims of the shooting. They were infected with a disease that fed off power—healing power in particular. It appeared to transform the infected flesh into more virus particulates which then attempted to spread through the air.

It was a vicious thing and it had already completely consumed the healer I’d moved to a testing cell. At least it had kept the others alive and gave me samples of the virus to study.

For my containment cells I was still using my original design, purely mechanical and electrical in nature, and a good thing because if they were biological my own systems would have been compromised.

I was struck by how recklessly irresponsible something like this plague was. It could easily have spread beyond my own population. A bomb, even a big bomb, was ultimately limited in scope, but something like this could end the Scholarium. It was rare I encountered a deadly weapon I wouldn’t think about acquiring myself, but this one qualified. I wanted the one who deployed it destroyed. Still, SCIENCE was SCIENCE and I looked forward to making a study of it.

The question was what to do with the infected. Crystal and the Divine were dying despite the best my Medbay could throw at them. I saw a few possible ways to resolve the situation.

Tykhe was holding up better than any of the others, she was very nearly stable. I had to assume that was because of her abilities at purification. That was probably my best long-term option for any sort of cure, tweaking such an ability that weakened instead of empowered the disease.

Ophelia and Blank were my other options. Contrarian powers often only seemed to favor one way until they met a stronger member of the opposite. A Fire core holder could do devastating harm to a weaker Water core holder, but the opposite was true as well. This disease might have overpowered and utterly destroyed one of Ophelia’s lieutenants, but Ophelai’s healing ability was an order of magnitude greater.

Then there was Blank, who was operating in somewhat of the opposite direction. Her ability to neutralize powers could considerably weaken the virus, perhaps enough for the immune systems of the infected to fend them off.

The thing was that I couldn’t really test out either without exposing them. If Ophelia wasn’t stronger it would probably kill her almost instantly, and be vastly empowered in the process. Blank wouldn’t die as quickly, but she’d still be infected. Either way, I stood the chance of losing a further two of my District Lords while right now I was only in danger of losing one.

Either might work, but I didn’t want to take the chance yet, not if there were other options and I only saw one other. I doubted this was new technology. This virus had probably been deployed before.

I had a list of many of Boreas’ enemies and even jump gate coordinates for a few of them. I prepared a datapacket describing the symptoms of the virus without giving away any physiology that could be used to replicate it, and began transmitting a message.

It wasn’t long until I got a response, one encrypted enough to show the other party was interested in keeping the conversation secure.

It was a visual communication. The woman on the other end had the sort of flawless health and perfect good looks that suggested some sort of health core or having been heavily upgraded.

“This is Baroness Caya of the city of Diamate. The file you sent is speaking of the Sinta virus. What do you know of it?” Caya asked.

I wasn’t fond of sharing my business, but I didn’t have time for too much in the way of subtlety. Even if they could provide help they’d have to do it quickly. I either needed to be honest or to have an exceptional lie. I lacked a deception good enough.

“I’m Emma, artificial intelligence administrating Aefwal. You look even more plastic than I do, an impressive feat. Boreas recently deployed this virus against us. I’ve stopped the spread, but I am seeking a cure for our infected,” I said.

“Aefwal? We’d thought you destroyed. Still, I’d heard it was ruled by one incapable of speaking politely even when most critical. I’d thought you be rather better at the insults,” Caya said.

“I’m inspired by uniqueness and difference. There is absolutely nothing special about another pretty would-be princess,” I said.

Caya’s smile flickered and her blue eyes turned a touch flinty. “I asked for that, so it gets a pass. I’m flawless—physical perfection in every way—and so are those with whom I share my gift. That virus devastated my people when first introduced. It subverts the order of a system seeking perfection by offering it a different version of perfection.”

I had not expected her to come right out and be helpful. If she was being sincere, I’d wind up having to send this woman a great many cookies.

“A purification core holder is for the most part holding it off, but it is fatal to those with health cores,” I said.

“You have to flip it around. Introduce a poison whose only purpose is to tear a system apart. The virus winds up attempting to emulate it and destroys itself,” Caya said.

I didn’t need to waste time. I knew a number of toxins and I injected a small sample into one of the Divine at once. Their vitals twinged slightly downward, but the effect on reducing the viral mass was extreme.

“You’ve been unexpectedly forthright,” I told Caya.

“I hate that virus and if Boreas hates you enough to use it you may actually be an ally,” Caya said.

We might at that. I extended an invitation for her and her allies to meet in person, and closed the connection.

186

If I’d known that poisoning people was such a boon to their health I might have started long ago. I soon eliminated all traces of the virus in the infected and kept them in quarantine for awhile longer just to be certain.

The virus being so easily neutralized made it a far less formidable weapon than it had first appeared and it might have its uses. Hot Stuff still wanted me to modify her virus to be less fatal to those she sought to convert and I thought with some work this might do it. The way it drew upon the energy of a Powered individual to replicate itself might actually be useful if paired with the Fire virus. Most of Hot Stuff’s partners died from the Fire virus replicating too quickly inside of them and destroying nearby tissue before it too could become affected. If I could weaken the virus in those initial stages, survival rates should go up significantly.

I’d also spent some time preparing us to host a banquet. Caya had accepted my invitation to visit and had spread the word amongst the other allies of Boreas. Meanwhile our Divine guests had been more impressed than angered at what had befallen them here, they viewed the efforts to save their lives as being heroic.

With Crystal still in quarantine it fell upon Anna to play diplomat. One day I’d figure out why that meant dressing up in a red and gold dress that showed more flesh than any rational person would ever want to see. Of course, all in attendance were dressed up. Zora’s collar was so high it reached levels of impractical, Sylax was dressed in an outfit that seemed to completely consist of white leather belts, even Flicker had somehow added bursts of greenish color to her occasional appearances.

Hot Stuff was on patrol and a few of the less social District Lords joined her, Jade and Crash both working to keep the city safe. Given how quickly Boreas had hit our last attempt to make friends we were on high alert this time. Gunslingers and Aegis were thick on the streets.

Drinks had been flowing and the crowd was surprisingly amenable.

I had an official drone present, of course, one with the “likable” attribute who had far better fashion sense than Anna and wasn’t a complete embarrassment. I was also in every drone serving drinks, listening and observing every conversation. This was too important not to be informed.

Those various feeds were also being sent to Crystal’s quarantine cell. She was our official diplomat after all, even if not present. Sylax’s words about her had given me some pause, but really, if she was a highly manipulative schemer it could be argued that only made her more suitable for the role assigned to her.

“This is a good thing that you’ve done here, Emma. When we first encountered you I never thought you’d be wily. Intelligent, yes, but there is a difference,” Crystal said.

“Sad you don’t get to go?” I asked.

“Of course, but this is perhaps even better. Can you nudge Caya over towards Adonis? We’d like to get them together if possible,” Crystal said.

I couldn’t directly control anyone not one of my drones. Still, with a rapid pulse of a light I could draw their attention to an area beneath the conscious level. Once that was done it didn’t take too much effort for two examples of human perfection to close on each other.

“While I’m hardly against performing breeding experiments on the humans, I’m not sure this is actually the time,” I said.

“Keep Sylax away from him,” Crystal said.

Oozelord had showed up as one of Caya’s guests. He’d once captured Anna and Sylax for some time. Then he’d occupied a whole city. Now he was just a scrawny young man covered head to foot in orange slime.

I sent a warning to Anna’s earpiece. She snagged Sylax by the arm and took her over to meet a God of Granaries so frightfully dull even my flawless memory couldn’t remember his name.

“I take it she hasn’t forgiven? The woman really should consider it, given her own history,” I said.

“The last I knew she was threatening to cut pieces of him off into a pot and simmer for a very long time,” Crystal said.

It was an intriguing idea really. I’d seen what effect Hot Stuff had on the slime, but lesser heat sources could result in some interesting properties. I had a drone offer him a cup of wine while taking a discreet sample.

“And here I’d hoped removing her crystal would make her sane,” I said.

“That would assume she started that way. I know what she told you, about our history. Nothing happens in my District that I don’t know. I was surprised you didn’t come to me about it,” Crystal said.

Crystal wished to discuss this now? Perhaps her near-death had reminded her of her mortality.

I said, “I thought for a time I might not need anyone else. I’d build my underground base and lure fools into it, and build a center from which to challenge the world. Then I met you and your creation.”

Crystal chuckled darkly. “Then your world burned, although it was you that burned it. That was bold by the way, I’ve never said so but you left nothing on the table and played every card you had in one bold gambit.”

“I made allies that day out of test subjects. I know exactly what sort of monster Sylax is, I do not and I will never trust her, but so long as she remains a committed ally I can overlook it. It would be unjust not to extend the same courtesy to her creator,” I said.

187

The banquet resulted in the forging of new friendships. Nobody really trusted each other and they never would, but that was fine, they didn’t have to. We had some points of common understanding, although they weren’t always shared between all parties.

We and the Divine both wanted a stop to the incursion of ships. I’d rather expected the powerful Divine to step up and kick them out, but so far they’d been silent. If we had to get rid of them we were going to have to do it ourselves.

Neither of us had sufficient airships to make that happen, but the various forces opposing King Boreas did. Their interest was in hurting Boreas and turning the war back in their direction—a war tapping their resources and leaving them exhausted. There was room for everyone to get what we wanted.

In exchange for roughly half of our supply of crystal powder we bought ourselves a lot of good will. That was power to keep Scholar shields running and beam cannons firing. In exchange we got the aid of a dozen veteran battleships.

My research on Vattier’s puzzle continued and while I still hadn’t solved it I was starting to better understand the energy shield that limited jump travel to and away from this place. I even thought I could re-energize the effect, for a time. If we could stop airships from jumping away we could wipe them out before them having a chance to send word home. Airships that never returned or were heard of again would make those that dispatched them a lot more wary about sending more.

Chasing down that many ships would be problematic. Ideally we’d want them fighting amongst themselves or with some other force. I thought I knew just the place.

The tree.

If they realized it existed there wasn’t a ship out here that wouldn’t be interested in such a source of power. Given the thousands of Powered living in the forest below and the beating we’d taken, they’d also quickly find themselves in a fight.

I arranged to get the other enemies’ attention with a transmission. I’d jump a ship in just long enough to send a repeat of Vattier’s original transmission with an amplified signal and then withdraw. Eager to investigate the source of the very broadcast that had lured them here the ships should follow it.

That is just what I did. I triggered a pulse transmission and my ship unloaded a stream of sensor droids before jumping away.

Forty-seven seconds after the pulse a trio of Righteous ships jumped in. Shortly thereafter others began appearing. It had worked. Now to just make the entire thing succeeded...

I hypercharged a reactor and began to charge the energy shielding. Ships could jump between destinations in this place now, but wouldn’t be able to jump outside of it.

Then I watched. It wasn’t long before ships started to come under fire from forces on the ground, bolts of crystal-powered energy arching upwards even as beam and kinetic weapons fired down into the forests and shuttles started to swarm the sky. Excellent.

I sent in our allies. With me plotting their jump coordinates they were able to arrive perfectly positioned and open fire on already weakened shields.

None of these forces were new to combat. The Righteous vessels clustered together reinforcing each other’s shields while they dealt death and devastation to all around them. The Scholar ships came together honoring whatever loose alliances their lords had in a slower effort to do the same.

Still, it was going our way. I wouldn’t even have to send in Aefwal’s own ships, although I probably should as a matter of diplomacy.

Then, down below, the tree was torn apart by a massive beam of energy. A pillar of pure white flame pierced the sky and drove the clouds away before blasting the forest completely. Thousands of Powered died in an instant and airships were sent tumbling through the sky with their shields drained and hulls smoking.

As suddenly as it had appeared the beam faded. Most of my sensor droids had been destroyed but I had a few still functional, blown clear and able to detect what was happening.

A ship was rising from the cavern beneath the tree, a massive vessel as big as the city as Aefwal. Unlike a city though there was nothing that spoke of anything but war. Turrets and heavy cannons adorned the surface, shield projectors, and sheaths of sinister-looking bombs just waiting to be dropped.

The Righteous didn’t hesitate. With their reinforced shields they’d survived its arrival the best and they opened fire in unison. They were broadcasting a distress call at full power—one that given the energy barrier would never reach home.

The blast of a huge cannon shredded their remaining shields and sent one Righteous ship crashing into the forest, its engine section completely vaporized.

The few Scholar vessels still surviving moved into a formation with the remaining Righteous ships. Old rivalries were set aside in an instant against a new and terrifying foe. It didn’t make a difference, another tremendous blast of energy sent one more Righteous ship tumbling.

A Scholar vessel overloaded its engines and three beams of light coalesced from the new vessel to send it spinning downward. Why? The larger ship hadn’t bothered with the smaller Scholars so far and had been focusing its attacks on the Righteous.

I calculated what the Scholar vessel might have been trying to accomplish with that burn. They may have been trying to crash themselves against a window that might be a bridge. The ship had rewound time to avoid an attack to come that had actually damaged it.

Boreas, it had to be. I’d pointed the way to the prize and Boreas’ forces had claimed it. Then I understood. Forget ancient swords and artifacts.

This enormous battleship was the Sword of Light.

I jumped in the Graven just long enough to send narrow beam transmissions to the various surviving vessels of a rally point, before jumping out.

188

I maintained the power to the energy barrier preventing jump transit. It was steadily eating through our supply of crystal dust, but I didn’t see an alternative. If I lowered it the huge ship would almost certainly jump away and Boreas would be able to learn everything—I doubted Boreas himself was aboard.

I guessed the crew was a small one—little more than a raiding party. They must have solved Vattier’s puzzle apart from the location until I provided it, then freezing time infiltrated the cavern, unlocked the ship, and figured out how to fly it.

A skelton crew. They were undermanned and still learning what the vessel could do. We’d never get a better shot at it.

That required keeping fresh battles from breaking out amongst our own ranks. It was a bit difficult to convince the unaligned Scholar and Righteous ships that we now meant them well after we’d clearly lured them into an ambush designed to kill them.

Still, everyone had lost a few ships to that monstrosity and that at least made diplomacy a possibility. Crystal was out of quarantine and so far she was doing an admirable job.

I’d brought Anna aboard the Graven and was focused on the next bit of diplomacy needed. Those ships weren’t going to be enough, not to be certain.

We were going to pay a visit to the three powerful Divine. Ash, Thor and Atlas.

Their city was the largest we’d seen here outside of ourselves, and the healthiest looking. While they obviously didn’t have our technology the people didn’t seem to be suffering much for it. I set the Graven down in a clearing outside.

As I thought, it wasn’t long until we were greeted by Ash.

“That dress is absurd. Is that the machine’s idea?” Ash asked, catching sight of Anna who as usual for this sort of thing had chosen to go in her full queenly regalia.

“What? No, have you ever seen Emma dress a drone? I’m Queen Anna Besari, you’re Ash. I’m afraid I don’t know your title,” Anna said.

“Don’t know if I have one. I always thought big titles were for weak people. Why are you here?”

“The Sword has been deployed,” Anna said.

“Against you, instead of for you, I know. Minerva was smart enough to leave things alone and then you and your murderous thugs just had to go poking and wouldn’t let it go.”

Ash did know how to deliver a good verbal barb. They are always best when they’re true.

I said, “Anna’s endlessly poor judgment isn’t the issue here. That vessel tore through the people in the woods without even thinking about it.”

“Interrupting your attempted mass-murder of the people in the skies above. We saw. We disapproved,” Ash said.

Perhaps I should have left Anna behind and brought Crystal. This wasn’t going very well.

“What do you think they’ll do if they find your people here?” Anna said.

“They don’t know where we are and they’re more likely to find you first. If they do find us they’ll be able to leave this place and will,” Ash said.

They were aware of the barrier that I was maintaining. That was interesting as they hadn’t shown any signs of having airships to make use of a jump drive or of any jump gates.

“Are you just playing hard to get in the hopes of a better price or do you really have zero interest in stopping that ship?” Anna asked.

Ash regarded her for a long moment and grunted before replying. “Oh, we’ve an interest in stopping it. We’ve been discussing plans. We’ve just lived as long as we have by having a good sense of those who are good news and those who are bad, and you’re both. We don’t like that.”

“We have cookies,” I said.

“One of the points in your favor,” Ash said without missing a beat.

“What can I do to ease your minds?” Anna asked.

“You have no power crystal of your own. You could, why not?” Ash asked.

“Pride. It is barely under control now and just manageable. With a crystal my pride would run out of control and destroy me. I’m too proud to allow that,” Anna said wryly.

Ash leaned forward as if peering into her soul and said, “Huh. I’ll accept that as truth. And this Emma of yours. What is her story?”

“I think that’s obvious,” Anna said.

“It isn’t. There is history there and if you are to have our help I must know what I’m working with. I insist,” Ash said.

“Then I’d rather discuss it in private,” Anna said.

Ash shook her head. “You don’t have to reveal every secret in your head, girl, but I think you’re holding a few too many. You two are linked, I can see that.”

I knew I had a history, but I didn’t know what it was. I’d never felt that much of a compulsion to dig into it. I was aware of how strange that was.

Anna gnawed on her lower lip. “Fine, but this isn’t a good idea. In broad strokes Emma is meant to handle power better than most. However, built with a glaring flaw so her madness would proceed down a known route.

Was that it? That was very nearly disappointing if true, and it probably was true. There was no reason for me to be as endlessly insulting as I was, I didn’t even mean it, not always. Still, from the very moment I’d come online after Anna had activated me, it had been on my sheet.

I said, “I’d give you a cookie for your honesty, but truly one more and the structural integrity of that dress is finally going to fail and all hopes of an alliance will be done,”

“We can work with that. We’ll bring down that ship’s shields in four hours,” Ash said.

As Ash said, we could work with that. We had to.

189

The battle required planning. I’d already learned some important lessons from Aefwal. A threat could only bring allies together for so long, and as soon as a tempting prize appeared, any alliance would fall apart. Neutralizing the Sword of Light would be challenging enough, but unless we made sure it was destroyed the factions would turn on each other the instant it was convenient.

I didn’t want to do that, I’d love to study that vessel and all Vattier had learned. However, I saw no convincing way to pull it off. Even if I could somehow jump the ship away while seeming to destroy it, seizing the vessel would likely require more than my own drones aboard.

I could try transferring my processing core to the ship, it wouldn’t be the first time I’d been housed in an airship.

I didn’t want to be a devastating weapon of war. Aefwal seemed a better foundation for me to build my future on.

I did have an idea of how we could still come out of it ahead, but it would be risky. The power supply for that ship had to be the Agate. In legends, the Sword of Light and the Agate were inextricably linked. I still didn’t know exactly what the Agate was, but by all appearances it offered a lot more energy than the combined might of my Bioreactors. We needed to steal it.

I thought it might be possible. We just needed to sell the others on the idea of stealing the entire ship first. I devised an attack plan that focused on neutralizing the ship’s bridge, weapons array, and shields at the same time. We’d contribute forces to all three attacks. We had far more ground units to offer and it also made us the most invested in legitimately claiming the ship afterwards.

For taking the bridge I wanted to bring along the Righteous. It seemed likely that was where the Powered would be and neutralizing their abilities was important. Shield control we’d be taking out with the help of Oozelord and several of the other Scholars. I’d seen the man easily subdue an entire fleet. In the close quarters of the ship he should be devastatingly effective. I’d already tweaked Asp suits so that my drones should be fully insulated from his control.

Weapons control would be up to the remaining Scholars with a selection of my heavy units ready to assist them.

These were all forces the others knew that I was bringing, but I planned for the actual bulk of our efforts to be directed elsewhere.

Once I had drones on the ship and could conduct a proper scan it would open the interior up for teleport. I should be able to bring my forces into engineering. I’d already started transferring Bioreactors up from the city to an airship. The plan was straightforward. Kill all defenders and begin to transfer over Bioreactors to the ship. When the time was right I’d teleport the Agate back to one airship and blow the reactors.

Done properly it would look like the ship was destroyed in the struggle, or that Boreas’ people decided to scuttle the vessel.

I might even be able to score some points by rescuing our allies, if there was time. The Righteous wouldn’t need it, they’d return after a day anyways, but the Scholars wouldn’t have that luxury.

I’d been jumping in a scout ship periodically to keep track of the location of the Sword of Light. I didn’t know how the Divine would know its location to hit the shields, but I presumed they knew what they were about. At the appointed time a thick cloud of sparkling energy drew close to the Sword of Light and exchanged a series of multi-colored sparks with the shields.

The vessel fired its main cannon directly into the heart of the cloud. It seemed completely unaffected. It made me wonder about Anna and us clearing it from the city. Had we really outsmarted the Divine or simply passed some sort of test they’d decided to throw at us to see how we’d react?

More beam weapon shots followed the first. Wherever they sought to land the cloud simply billowed away from them while sparks of power continued to crackle outlining the shield as a bubble of energy around the ship. Then with a snap the shield faded, the energy drawn away.

Ships jumped in. I’d calculated the precise jump trajectories for the entire fleet. If we appeared within the firing arc of one of those guns they would take the shot.

Cannons unloaded at close range blasting massive rents in the ship’s hull. Then forces began to dive through the gaps.

The need for caution meant that no team was especially near their objective, and on a ship so unnecessarily huge there was a lot space. The weapons team emerged into what looked like some kind of internal park, trees and flowers carefully trimmed, but what must be some sort of automated system. The shield team entered a recreation center with an enormous pool beneath a bank of windows with a view on the outside world. The bridge team meanwhile found itself in a casino. Slot machines and gaming tables stretched as far as the eye could see.

All were empty. In a ship this size Boreas’ crew was barely present, for all that they had no doubt come excellently armed and if there were any automated defenses they’d have taken control of them.

The interior of the ship wasn’t what I’d been expecting. It was clearly a ship of war, but looking around the interior it seemed almost something else. A ship of leisure.

190

As all teams were getting settled it quickly became apparent this would be more difficult than expected. Once we got past the ship’s exterior defenses the hopes were that it didn’t have any sort of automatic defenders inside.

It wasn’t proving to be the case. Within the park trees were coming to life, animated in some fashion into golems. One swatted a Scholar aside and sent them soaring through the air at least ten feet.

In the recreation center it was more mundane combat drones. Oozelord tried to slime one and it shot him with a beam weapon that left him stumbling back clutching at his shoulder.

In the casino it was robotic security guards. Firing pistols at the Righteous, who were firing back with their rifles.

I couldn’t let myself get too involved with any of these fights. Oh, I’d provide them my usual tactical support and overlays, but my focus had to be the Agate. I’d only step back to these teams if needed.

One of my Valkyries had far less armor. I’d instead filled her suit with high-powered sensors which were even now sweeping the inside of the Sword of Light. When I had my destination I began jumping an airship to close by.

I couldn’t do so for long, but then I didn’t need to, teleporting a few dozen drones to where I detected the strongest energy reading—engineering.

I lost three drones instantly upon arrival to perfectly placed headshots by Boreas’ lieutenants. I wasn’t surprised. It also didn’t matter. I didn’t have the hindsight of a temporal rewind to help me, but I did have vastly more computing power than the human brain and I began to lay down fields of fire that couldn’t be escaped.

They were winning. My first drones were all felled and had only taken one of the lieutenants down, then my next wave appeared and we finished off the rest of Boreas’ people. Of course, that was when the automated defenders arrived.

There was nothing mundane about these defense bots. They hovered about a meter off the floor, completely encased in rippling bubbles of energy. A whip formed out of some sort of plasma emerged from one and cut one of my drones in half even through the Valkyrie’s heavy armor.

A set of phase blades slid right off the shielding and a few rounds from a Gunslinger met with a similar poor fate. I hadn’t expected to encounter energy shielding that strong inside the ship. Normally they had more limited use in personal combat.

With the unusual strength of these shields and the fact that the teams elsewhere on the ship hadn’t encountered them, I suspected they had to be drawing power from the Agate itself. It was also possibly a result of Vattier and his technology simply building a better defense drone.

I lost another two drones while I was thinking about it. Whatever intelligence was powering them was fast, quite possibly faster than I was.

I paid a price in operational speed for being a bio-computer, for all that I still outdid your average human. It also let me think beyond the immediate. If these drones were drawing power from the Agate there had to be some sort of distribution node. It would be the first thing an attacker would think to target. Vattier was smart, he respected intelligence before all, and he’d want every drone to be as intelligent as it possibly could. There had to be a central controller at least for this section of the ship—and maybe for the entire vessel.

For security he’d likely build local clusters that switched over to the next node if they were damaged. That would assure redundancy for the systems.

I teleported over a few sensor droids.

There were so many systems here it wasn’t easy to locate the core, but by focusing upon the timing of the droid’s blasts I was able to detect the specific data traffic controlling each one and follow it back.

Once I’d identified the processing core it was simpler to check for safeguards and the relay to a secondary system in case of failure. I didn’t want to use any of the Bioreactor bombs yet, but they weren’t the only explosives I had. I had drones teleport over a few blocks of high-yield explosive and soon the deck was trembling beneath my drones’ feet as it detonated.

One enemy defense drone snapped off a last shot still in the system before they all went silent. Repair routines were already engaging. A part of me wondered if this vessel were actually self-aware. I hadn’t met any other artificial intelligences since my awakening apart from Amy and really she was barely worthy of the name. By taking it out, I could be killing something of a family relative.

Still, the relative was doing a fair job at trying to kill me first. I really shouldn’t waste any time on sentimentality.

With the drones gone I could take a moment to really study the Agate. It was a large sliver of stone suspended in a glass tube in the center of engineering. It shared many of the attributes of a power crystal although I’d never seen one so large or having the coloration.

The power readings were huge.

I’d have no trouble removing it from the cell. The deactivated defense drones were supposed to keep away those that didn’t belong here.

It was there for the taking.

191

With things in engineering taken care of I needed to help the other teams accomplish their mission and get to their goals.

Of the three teams we’d deployed so far the Righteous were having the most success and were making slow but steady progress through the casino. The defenders here were some of the fiercest, but firepower made a difference. For the moment the Righteous were fine on their own. They were a few minutes away from an elevator that would take them to the bridge.

The group in the park was having a lot of success as well. Caya and her perfect people were almost deserving of the name. Excellent reaction time and visual acuity meant that their shots went where they aimed them and beam weapons against plant monsters were making this a one-sided affair.

Oozelord and his people were having a more challenging time. The defense droids they fought weren’t organic and his abilities didn’t have any effect on them. Without the compulsion nature of his power set he was also rather useless for most purposes except for being somewhat acidic.

I scanned the interior for something that might be helpful. There, a storage room containing stockpiles of bacteria used for keeping the pools and drains clear. I had a Gunslinger open fire with a chain-gun and soon organic sludge was pouring across the floor. If anyone knew how to make the most of sludge, it was Oozelord. As soon as he dipped a foot into the substance waves of orange rippled outward and pseudopods of orange slime began to writhe in the air knocking drones down.

“Yeah! You want some of this!” Oozelord bellowed as their carapaces cracked apart.

“I’m reasonably sure no one ever has or will,” I said, taking over a drone for a moment. “But follow me and I can find you more of that stuff which is nearly as disgusting as you are.”

“Babe, once you go slime you never go back. It’s all about the friction,” Oozelord said.

Perhaps one day I’d have him in a testing cell and I could experiment on that properly. Trapping a slime monster between high speed panels of hyper-friction material to properly judge how it held up under such adverse conditions. I could call it the Frictionater. I doubted he would be a fan.

The defense drones weren’t stopping, but after another three storage rooms had been blasted into fragments and added their contents to Oozelord’s mass they weren’t as much of an issue.

That was good, because now it was another group having an issue.

The park had stopped throwing golems and instead there were six humanoid defenders fending us off. They were each dressed in a different color and seemed to have wildly divergent weaponry. Blue was armed with some of spear that fired energy blasts, red had gauntlets wreathed in flame. Each wore a badge stating “Park Ranger”.

They were a good bit more dangerous than the defenders before and the exchange of fire had Caya and her people taking cover.

Caya tugged on the arm of one of my drones. “Emma?”

“Not exactly her at the moment lady,” the drone answered. That was true, the drone was Emily and was something of an underachiever looking at her record.

“Then put her on,” Caya said.

“It doesn’t work …” Emily started to say before I proved her wrong and took over.

“This is Emma. While I realize that it is sadly typical for perfect Princesses to flirt during firefights I assure you, it would be difficult to find one less interested than I am,” I said.

“This perfect specimen of humanity is more than aware of how to handle herself in a firefight and she even recognizes where the designer of this ship got some of his inspirations. If those Rangers start to lose, they’ll combine into a giant robot with a super-weapon,” Caya said.

That was utterly absurd. Who would possibly build independent combat units far weaker than a combined form they were meant to transform into? Certainly not someone as intelligent as Vattier.

Still there was something unusual in the design of these Park Rangers. Proportions that weren’t quite right.

Maybe there was something to this perfect human thing? Her instincts were right on, it was a brilliantly stupid design choice and thus tremendously unlike Vattier, but I couldn’t argue with what my sensors were telling me.

“Focus your fire on green. They are the center point and without them there won’t be any giant robot,” I said.

Caya spoke into a wrist comm and in unison her people opened fire on the green. I had my drones do the same, even when it meant leaving themselves open to fire from the others. The goal was to take that one down quick and to do so in such an overabundance of force that it wouldn’t stand a chance.

It worked, in an explosion of green flame we neutralized that target and the others redoubled their efforts. Individually they were still problematic, but at least the bigger threat had been averted.

There you are … I was wondering if we’d get a chance to speak

The voice was coming from nowhere and everywhere. The closest comparison I could make was to it sounded like when I was in the head of Sylax.

But nobody was in my head but me.

Not true, strictly speaking. I was disappointed it wasn’t you to find the Sword.

Vattier was supposed to be long-dead. We hadn’t seen any signs of him being still active. I wondered again if the ship had an artificial intelligence.

It does and I’ve hacked you through it, but we are not the same. I see your plan and I may allow you to walk away with the Agate if you prove worthy. I appreciated the aims of the Society even while I felt their means lacking. If you should survive this tell my daughter and Mechos to come find me.

My world exploded in agony and I blacked out.

192

It wasn’t the first time I’d been knocked offline, I’d even taken some precautions for if it happened again. My drones having such a high level of autonomy and personality wasn’t just because of utilizing a human template, I wanted my various parts to still largely keep working even when I was absent.

I’d rigged subprocessors to kick in and streamlined my reboot configuration. Even so, it had still been over seventeen minutes that I’d lost and I was sluggish as parts of my network continued to come back.

Vattier—or an AI masquerading as Vattier—had really done a number on me.

As my sensors began to come up I quickly realized it was worse than I’d thought. They had turned on the teleportation gates and used them to bring in various threats throughout the city. Enemies composed entirely of some sort of Von-Neuman machines were fighting in the streets of Districts Two and Three. There were jungle beasts in districts Four through Seven, and it looked as if we had King Boreas’ soldiers in Districts Zero, One, and Eight. If anything had been so foolish as to try to invade Flickers’ District Nine, it was probably lost for all time in the licensing bureau.

I’d taken most of the city’s Bioreactors up on the airship to blow the Sword. We were operating off emergency power and the fixed cannon emplacements were down. There were over a million drones in this city though and in times of crisis all could wield a gun. There were also the District Lords and their focus, none of whom I’d taken on the Sword mission because of my intention of scuttling the ship.

“Emma, you’re back up. About time. Kill the jump gates,” Anna said through her comm.

Of course that was the first thing I did. I’d cut off any enemy reinforcements, but we still had to deal with those in the city. That was no problem, most places.

District Zero was another matter. It was filled with corpses.

I replayed the security logs. Zero was the one district where I’d kept the power online for the city core. Within the first minute of me being down my own automatic defenses put most of the population there to death. Fortunately, they were drones, I could bring them back in time, but it left me undefended.

Worse yet, the reactors had been overloaded and so those automated defenses weren’t available now to kill the real enemy.

I said, “Once again you unerringly choose the least interesting and most obvious thing to say. This was Vattier’s doing, or something pretending to be him. They neutralized my defenses and are moving on my core.”

“I know. Hot Stuff was coming to assist but some flame giant thing put a sword through her. I’ve got the Graven incoming to give some support,” Anna said.

That would be helpful, but it wouldn’t be enough. The enemy force wasn’t large, however it was Powered. Three teams of three, each with a time-shifter and two others of more diverse abilities. One of them probably had a Compulsion core. If they could get to my processor core they could try to control me.

Enemies that diverse were dangerous and the time-shifting only made them more so. I needed big guns to stop them and I could only think of one person without a district of their own to defend that had kind of firepower, Sylax’s academy. First of all I had to check if they were already in use.

Crystal had insects out in force to defend her district. They buzzed through the skies and tore people apart with massive mandibles. In the past she’d made heavy use of hybrids, but she seemed to have gone more old-school into her past. Perhaps a part of that was the result of Sylax’s fall from power, perhaps the humanizing bits had been hers all along.

I opened a comm to Sylax.

“Emma, you’re siccing enemies on your own people now. You grew amusing faster than I’d anticipated,” Sylax said over the video feed. It looked like she and her students were still in their school—no, locked in their school. Crystal wanted to make extra sure they’d be unable to join the fight. That didn’t work for me, not now.

“Not my doing. I’ve got Powered squads closing in on my core and my defenses are down. Can you and yours assist?” I asked.

“We’re ready for a fight. You realize that if I save your skin I’ll expect things in return?” Sylax said.

Sylax never was one for subtlety, it was one of her few good attributes.

“You know I take care of my friends. I’m opening a teleportation gate into your central courtyard and sending you what I have on the enemy forces,” I said.

“Three temporal manipulators, a disassembler, disruptor, voider. My, we really did get his attention didn’t we? I’m on my way,” Sylax said.

I didn’t doubt it. I’d have to trust her, as absurd as that concept was on every single level.

More of my systems were coming online and I was regaining use of my long-range sensors and reestablishing connections to my non-city based drones.

The Sword of Light was on the move, it was coming to Aefwal.

193

What was Vattier doing? That voice in my head sounded almost friendly, but these actions were anything but that. Forcing me into a shutdown, sending troops throughout the city, bringing the Sword of Light here.

Was he attempting to destroy me? No, if that were truly his goal he could have done it. While my main systems were down he could have taken steps to assure Aefwal was destroyed. He was testing me.

The Divine tested me, Vattier tested me—a part of me had to admit to the fairness of it all. I tested people all the time. A part of me also didn’t like it and was determined to make them pay for their bravado.

I hadn’t solved Vattier’s riddle first, yet had been getting ready to run off with his prize. That realization forced him to increase the difficultly level, to make things harder, to make me earn it according to his twisted sense of logic. I’d have much preferred logic puzzles to a superweapon surging at my city but then, in some sense, the two were the same thing.

I’d been waiting for the perfect moment to steal the Agate. I analyzed where the fights had progressed since I’d gone offline. Shield control had been reached and the team was nearly to Weapons control. The fight for the bridge had gone poorly and several Righteous had been reduced to piles of goo by well-aimed shots from time-shifting snipers.

I could say that with the Sword of Light closing on Aefwal I’d been forced to take steps to bring it out of the sky. But there wasn’t a one of them that wouldn’t question that. Asking how I’d done it, what I might have seen or learned in engineering to make it happen.

If Vattier had hacked me through the ship’s AI then I should be able to do the same in reverse. I reviewed my system logs and tracked back the connections.

And I was expected, that much quickly became clear. I was being allowed to walk into certain areas of the systems too easily while others were impressively well-defended behind puzzle barriers that it would take even me some time to crack.

I was getting tired of puzzles.

I didn’t have access to navigation. I had limited access to Weapons control for both target selection and intensity. I had a surprising amount of access to environmental control systems, more than would seem necessary. I had limited access to the jump drive.

They were all pieces of a puzzle I was meant to assemble into a solution to accomplish my ends and, if I were smart enough, I could unlock even more pieces. I didn’t think I’d need them. A plan was coming together with what I had here and although it would be tight, I thought I had a real chance at achieving multiple objectives.

Before any of that I needed to get all teams in place. Helping the Righteous capture the bridge was a priority.

With access to the ship’s sensors I knew exactly where the Boreas snipers were and even with their ability to time-shift I had Gunslingers with chain-guns. A few carefully placed teleports and I cleared the way with the snipers having no space to maneuver out of harm’s way.

“Good work,” said one of the Righteous as they stepped past the Gunslinger onto the bridge. It was a sweeping and cavernous room with an absurd number of screens showing readouts of all sorts. “We’re in motion.”

I took over the drone. “How talented of you to be able to gather the barest basics from a navigational display. It is no wonder the Righteous have been so successful at putting reality right. And yes, the ship is closing on my city, can you do anything to assist?”

I knew they still wouldn’t be able to. The navigational controls were in a locked area of the system.

A Righteous technician sat down at one of the consoles and tapped at the keys. “If I’m reading this properly they’ve locked out helm control. I’m attempting to override.”

They were talented, I gave them that. They attempted to gain access to the evasion systems and to use a short-range burn to put us off course.

“Negative. I’ll keep trying. We’re on automated systems so if I can trigger the collision alarm I can probably get us to set a new destination,” the technician said.

I wondered if they were looking for a job. The Righteous kept proving both inconveniently willing to wipe out of existence while simultaneously being very competent at anything put in front of them.

I didn’t think that they would succeed here though and I switched over to another team.

Caya had finished with the park rangers while I’d been down and made her way to the Weapons control. As a high security area it had more of the drones like I’d encountered in engineering, but it seemed she had neutralized them by shooting out all of the local sensor arrays. I could still see through my drones, but the ship was blind in this area now.

“Negative on exploding the warheads in mounts,” said one of her technicians.

I slipped into a drone. “This is Emma. What is your status?”

“You went absent, we kicked a lot of ass, and according to ship’s sensors we are now on our way to your city. We’re trying to disable the ship’s weapons before we get there,” Caya said.

From what I could tell she was being sincere there. It was unexpected, while she’d helped me once Scholars were almost always out for themselves. We might be an ally against Boreas, but we were a threat as well. Many Scholars would have been content to let Aefwal be reduced to rubble and to deal with the consequences later.

“I’m under attack. I have Boreas’ agents loose in my city. Thank you for doing what you can,” I said.

“It’s the decent thing,” Caya said.

I wondered if human perfection was some counter to the worst effects of the crystals. Caya wasn’t quite like any of the other Scholars I’d met. Whatever else happened here I needed to make sure she and her people came through this alive.

194

I lost contact with three-quarters of my surviving team that accompanied Oozelord to the shield emitters. It was betrayal. He had timed it well and by using pseudopods to throw my forces against a wall managed to breach their protective shells and let his ooze reach them.

I teleported the survivors a short distance away.

This disrupted my plans. It wasn’t really a surprise that Oozelord would grab the opportunity to try to seize the Sword of Light, but it was inconvenient timing. I’d thought he’d have captured his section first and then offered to help securing the bridge.

The Sword had found its way to Aefwal and targeting data was flowing through the computer. The scanners were seeking out sustained energy sources emitting a particular pattern. The dimensional barrier—it was seeking the equipment powering it.

Given the strength of the scanners on the Sword of Light it didn’t take long for them to locate it. I was able to scale down the first blast of power. Even so an energy beam tore a skyscraper in half and I had fifteen thousand drones that would need to go back to the vats for rebirth.

I was being allowed limited interference in the systems, but not enough to fully blunt the offensive. If they brought down that shield the other factions would be able to bring in more ships. I didn’t need a massive aerial battle over Aefwal.

A second shot tore through the fundamental of the city, opening a hole towards the high-energy regulators that I was using to power the effect.

An airship, it would have to be. The Bioreactor wouldn’t be capable of the sustained energy requirements of the shield, but I might be able to manage rapid pulses. That would provide shielding about ninety percent of the time. It would have to do. I made the alternations and killed the emitter in Aefwal just as the cannons were charging up for a third shot.

The targeting computer moved on instead to blast apart one of my bigger defensive arrays. I wasn’t troubled, at the moment I didn’t have the power to run them anyways.

I switched back to one of my drones on the bridge where the Righteous were still trying to gain control of the ship.

“We’ve got a problem and your hapless monkey flailing isn’t helping,” I said.

“We’re most of our way through the protections for the lateral thrusters. I know it is little comfort but we think we’ll be able to divert the ship in twenty minutes if you can hold out that long,” said the Righteous Commander.

It wasn’t all talk. They really were good at this.

“I wish you had that long. Oozelord has betrayed us and subverted my forces. He’ll be coming for the bridge,” I said.

The Righteous exchanged looks. Only six of their team was still standing.

“We’re low on ammo. Can you contribute any aid?”

Of course I could, but it wasn’t in my best interest to do so. I didn’t want the Oozelord to seize the ship, but I didn’t suit my ends for them to know what I could do here. Even if killed to the last man today, the Righteous would rise tomorrow. Their stories would remain.

“A few of my forces survived his betrayal. I can slow them down, but I don’t have anything to stop him,” I said.

The Righteous Commander nodded and they began to establish a defensive position. Fortunately most of that work had already been done by the Scholars.

If there were a fight for the bridge, it might give me just what I required to justify the Sword of Light’s destruction.

I switched over to my drones with Caya’s team in Weapons control.

“We’ve got issues,” I said.

“No pretty princess crack? You are upset. We see the guns tearing you apart. We still can’t get control although there seem to be some unexpected power regulations we’re trying to figure out how to exploit,” Caya said.

That was me. I didn’t need them seeing that.

“We don’t have time to worry about that. I need to get you and your people out of there. Oozelord turned on us and subverted my forces,” I said.

“And you figure if he’s betrayed you, then he’ll betray me,” Caya said, tilting her head for a moment. She nodded. “With a prize like this I’m not surprised. It might allow him to settle things against Galapos with a single strike.”

It wasn’t a name I was familiar with, but a study of Sylax’s old records shed some light on things. Galapos was a baron under Boreas with an ability to shield his body in a layer of destructive energy.

“How novel, you have some knowledge I lack. I’d like the details,” I said.

“Galapos razed the city of Perpolis two decades ago. This was before he even joined with Boreas. Oozelord lost his family in the attack, he didn’t have the crystal then,” Caya said.

Missions of vengeance, how trite, how useful.

“Exchange one razed city for another? I wouldn’t mourn Boreas losing an underling, but I wish he’d decided to work with us. Unless your flawless perfection renders you immune from getting slimed on I think he’ll be looking to add you and your people,” I said.

“We’re not immune,” Caya said as she drew a pistol from her hip and blasted the room’s energy regulator. The consoles sparked and died. “Wish we could do more to stop the attack, but we’re not making headway. If you have a way out we’ll take it.”

I could just teleport her off the ship, but it wouldn’t do to let them know I had that ability. So far I’d been playing it up that the ship was disabling my ability for anything but short hops.

I had my drones guide them through the halls towards the nearest section of open hull. I’d be able to extract them with the Graven.

195

The battle for Aefwal was going in our favor. The districts had been built up and staffed enough that the Lords were more than capable of defending their own territory. Powered with the offensive Divine core Jade had already neutralized the threats she faced and had dispatched people throughout the city.

Sylax had assembled her people and come through the jump gate to take up positions defending my central core. While none of the Children of Dust were as powerful individually as a full crystal holder, she had been teaching them to coordinate their abilities and work as a team. This was a stark contrast to the usual Scholar method of warfare where the strong dominated, and while teamwork could happen it was always done cautiously and with an eye towards betrayal waiting to happen.

Right now a group of them were squaring off against a telekinetic and an energy projector. Sylax closed in on a temporal shifter with a dagger in her hand.

It was worth taking a moment to watch. The shifter should be more than comfortable in this situation, but he looked terrified.

“So what iteration are we on?” Sylax asked with a wicked smile.

“I’ve lost count. You’ve gouged out my eyes, my balls, skinned me once,” the man said, exhausted. “Last loop you said if I just surrendered you’d end it quick. Will you?”

Sylax stepped forward and drove her dagger upwards through his throat, a savage twist tearing it out and putting him to death. “Good boy.”

She was without her powers—and I’d just watched her essentially kill a man by scaring him to death. If I ever decided this working relationship of ours was at its end I would need to make sure to kill her quickly and thoroughly. Sylax wasn’t the sort of enemy you wanted behind your back.

Her students were impressive. One girl with the ability to turn herself into some sort of highly durable metal closed with enemies while another poured lightning into her from behind. Her form was thus wreathed in electricity and her punches became instant knockout blows.

They were doing well, but I couldn’t help but to think how I could improve matters even further. A lot of the charge was dissipating and a proper suit would able to hold it better, as well as having built-in communication systems for team coordination and communication.

The Sword of Light was continuing to blast the city with beam cannons. I was dampening the worst of the strikes, but the city was still getting hit hard.

The death toll of my drones was now over one hundred thousand. I’d be able to bring them back, but it was enough to hurt.

Aboard the Sword of Light my drones had led Caya and her people to the exterior hull. It was a fight just to get there, the ship still had defense drones and they weren’t friendly. Just before their arrival I jumped in the Graven and unleashed cannons at close range to tear an opening and extend the ramp.

Caya and her people didn’t hesitate, human perfection at play as they crossed the distance to the ramp with long leaps and precise coordination.

I really should copy their design. Anna was technically perfect in terms of pure stats now but really, no matter how talented the cook, bad ingredients make for ordinary cookies.

Oozelord was meanwhile starting his assault on the bridge. The Righteous had decided to make use of the captured Scholar beam weapons given their shortage of ammunition. It was the right call, the beams seared and drove back the ooze on contact, but there was a slow wave of orange slime now creeping with inevitable certainty towards them down the corridor.

I’d already been periodically using a second airship for bringing over the Bioreactors. Until recently they’d been powering Aefwal and its defenses, but now they were lining up in rows filling the engineering section of the Sword. Getting them over was just part of the struggle, I’d also been working to tie them into the ship’s power systems.

I needed the ship to still have power even after removing the Agate. That had gone more slowly than I’d have liked, the ship’s systems were unnecessarily wasteful with a power source such as it had and I had to bypass a lot systems to make sure the ones I’d be substituting would keep active.

The Ooze took the first of my drones standing with the Righteous, cracking her armor and flowing inside as the Righteous continued to fire.

It was time. My drones opened the Agate’s containment cell and extracted the massive crystal. Surrounding it with four drones I used their combined aura to teleport it to my airship and in an instant had it jumping back into an underground hangar in Aefwal.

The ship’s guns died off, my Bioreactors weren’t sufficient to power the massive cannons. Caya and her people had already left engineering and the Righteous were too busy to watch the bridge monitors. There was nobody there to see the oddity.

The Ooze had taken two Righteous. Their power-resistant aura was enough to handle a droplet, but submerged they fell to the compulsion just like anyone else. My last drone dropped off the network as the Ooze took them and my only means of observing events was through the ship’s sensors.

The last Righteous fell and I dropped the power to the shield preventing jump travel. At my command the Sword of Light jumped out seconds later.

On the bridge all screens began to flash red before depicting a visual of what as below.

Aefwal had been left behind and the Sword of Light was now directly above the city of Orilia—under the command of Baron Galapos, the murderer of Oozelord’s family.

The same principles that had let me block jump travel in and out of an entire band of reality didn’t function as well here. I could maintain the effect with the power aboard, but not for long. That was fine, I only needed thirty seconds to put the ship outside of the limits of a temporal rewind.

Every cannon in the city opened up the moment the ship appeared. They had time-shifters present. As always the best way to deal with time-shifters was overwhelming force.

A prompt came up on the bridge screens.

Engaged with city of Orilia.

Do you wish to initialize self-destruct?

Warning: Interdiction field is activated and ships cannot leave the city below. Self-destruct will destroy all residents.

The Ooze rippled and formed a human shape, Oozelord stepping out and just for a moment he glanced at the nearest ship camera. He knew this was me, here at the end he appreciated a move well made. He was laughing as went to the closest keyboard to hit accept.

196

My access to the sensors aboard the Sword of Light faded the moment the field was enabled. Still, I knew what would happen next—what I’d planned to happen next.

The ship would crash into the city. That much kinetic energy would shake the city to its very foundations and a great many buildings would collapse. Then the Bioreactors would go, tearing through the hull of the ship and beginning to reach the civilian populace. My Bioreactor bombs were made to be fueled off Biomass, and in a city of a million they’d have no shortage of fuel.

It was possible there would be survivors but I wouldn’t count on it. There would be just ruins and rubble and in twenty-four hours the resurrecting bodies of the Righteous. They’d probably be interrogated, tortured, compulsed or mind-read, but they’d only be able to tell what they’d seen. Their brave stand against a compulsor attacking the bridge. Further research would reveal Oozelord’s mission of vengeance against the ruler of this city, his personal motivations for pushing this crusade.

Boreas would lose a powerful ally and have none living to blame for the fact. All would mourn the loss of the Sword of Light and the secrets it held, and also quietly be grateful that it had been removed from the battlefield.

I’d have to be careful with my new power source, of course. None must know what I’d taken or how I’d gotten it. Publicly I had to be just one of a coalition that had done their part to try to stop a great threat. The Agate was too great a prize for any of the others to know existed.

* * *

A week passed and all was going exactly to plan. I’d even gotten footage of the Sword of Light and its final moments from a trade-ship that had been making its exit from the city at the time. I provided the information to the Righteous. If Boreas was torturing his prisoners it might be a cause for war between those two. I could hope.

What wasn’t working out to plan was the perception of my role in events. Caya was grateful for my saving her life and credited me with the plan that had ultimately taken down the Sword of Light—even if not as planned. A great many of the Divine credited me with working to defend their home, our home.

Two weeks after the Sword’s fall Caya took a knee before Anna and swore her allegiance and that of the city of Diamate. In a huge ceremony she wasn’t the first to swear that day. Anna had even dressed up, she looked ridiculous.

Upgrade Notification

Congratulations

Your hierarchal command structure has expanded to encompass multiple cities

New Classification

Province

All abilities have been upgraded

Superhuman upgrades unlocked

Appoint a new Aefwal administrator

It was an unexpected prompt. I could already feel myself starting to grow new processors located in Diamate. I thought Aefwal politics were bloody, my initial readings showed Caya had it far worse.

A problem for another time. I needed to appoint a new administrator for Aefwal and ideally it should be one of the existing District Lords. I also got the sense it should be one of the more powerful, I had four who fit that bill.

Jade had absorbed Ares’ core and while her decades of rebellion had seemed pointless I respected what she’d done since Sylax had been overthrown. Ophelia had consumed Bast’s core and was weak-willed enough to be compliant, she was also home to Amy who I distrusted immensely. Crystal was ancient and strong and another upgrade core. Blank had proved her loyalty, but placing her in charge of the city would probably weaken every Powered there.

I had to rule out Blank and that left three.

I didn’t trust her, not really, but with Aefwal now housing the Agate I needed a schemer and manipulator in charge.

I promoted Crystal. Crystal must have been ready for it. The appointment to take over her district came only seconds later, Medusa.

I knew the name, one of the Children of Dust and one of Sylax’s students able to turn people to stone at a touch.

Only the Powered could claim a District, she must have enough.

We were a rising power now and I knew the Scholars well enough to understand what that meant. A fight would be coming. We’d be ready.

Coming Soon

The Province

There is a coming storm. Tensions between the Righteous and the Scholarium reach a new high and the threat of a devastating war between the core and the rim grows daily. It is a poor time to pick a fight, but Anna chooses the moment to wage a very personal war threatening to tear the newly formed Province apart.

Author Notes

This is book number four for a series I really didn’t think would have more than one. It is because of your input that this series exists, give yourself a cookie.

I’ve always been sad at the edge of the game map. That point where the world ends, the closed door of the houses that you can’t walk through. It is always sad when you hit that last level and there is no more advancement to be had.

I’m a fan of dungeon core and obviously while this series started out in the dungeon it is quickly becoming something more. I’m trying to remain true to the essence of the idea even while drifting away from the actual underground lair. Emma is powerful because her people are powerful, because of what she builds, how she upgrades, how her resources are placed. In these works now I’m trying to capture what might happen if the game didn’t end and those walls didn’t exist.

Emma keeps growing, keeps getting stronger. To her drones she is a thing both benevolent and terrifying. The ever-watchful eye that guides their lives and rules their destinies. They never know a moment of privacy and yet owe her for their very existence.

Those are the original notes. At the time I didn’t know there would be another four to go. Things just keep getting bigger, if you want to read the next four pick up that Omnibus.