Chapter 277
Kyle’s stupor only lasted for a moment, before his mind got back to work. The enhanced version of Storm Shelter exceeded anything he could have expected, easily rebuffing the attacks that sought to put an end to the test. Still, he wasn’t out of the woods. Despite the brief respite, his position wasn’t great. All of the mechs had reconvened at his position, and when the barrier inevitably ran out of power, he’d be exposed. Moreover, he felt that it would be a while before he could use Storm Shelter again, likely a consequence of the enhancements.
The silver lining was that the heavy blast of gravity had passed, the squadron of drones in the sky slowly accumulating energy for another shot. While the other attacks from the mechs were more dangerous, strictly speaking, Kyle felt like he had much better answers to each of them. Against amplified gravity, he’d need to rely on his lackluster Strength, a losing proposition by any measure.
With that being the case, he wracked his brain, considering his options. Most involved using a large blast of Repel, attempting to create distance while Kyle slipped through the cracks in the defense. Unfortunately, there wasn’t an angle Kyle could see that would allow him to gain a better position. The club-wielder was positioned directly between him and his destination, and Kyle would need to get exact positioning to knock that mech away.
He could also retreat, reattempting the approach from another side. Unfortunately, Kyle already lost the element of surprise. The security drones were in position, and the mechs were all on the field to intercept him. It would be easier for them to hold and adjust their formation than for Kyle to find an unexplored approach.
Looking at Storm Shelter with Identify, he pondered the concepts woven throughout. Many were familiar, at least to some degree. Stability, protection, and solidity were among the most prominent; giving his skill a density and presence unlike anything he’d seen from it before. And that gave him an idea. The interlocking plates of the skill were beginning to destabilize as its timer ran thin, and in an impulsive moment, Kyle reached out to the plates in front of him with tendrils of Parasitic Resonance.
This wasn’t the first time he’d connected to Storm Shelter, and the instant the connection formed, Kyle activated Repel. The shield exploded outward, resilient plates of mana rushing in all directions like a battering ram. Kyle staggered under all the backlash from Repel, then used it again from his back to propel himself forward. The club-wielder and crimson mechs were smashed by direct hits, though the one using water jets managed to pivot out of the way at the final moment.
Still, Kyle’s odds were better than before. Dodging slicing waves of water from the pursuing mech, he closed in on his destination. An arrow sliced his side, while another bullet slammed into the opposite shoulder. Gritting his teeth against the pain, Kyle activated a broad wave of Healing Impetus. The wounds closed quickly, the regenerative energy working in tandem with Tenacious Vigor to prime his cells for the next attacks.
Just as the destination got into sight, a faint glow enveloped the area. Suddenly Kyle felt as though he was walking through molasses. Despite Ignition being active, he was slowed to a crawl, buying time for the water user to regain the distance and pin Kyle down with a torrent of pressurized water. A moment later, the final mech walked through the glowing field, unbothered, and took the package out of Kyle’s hands.
[TEST CONCLUDED. DEFENSE SUCCESSFUL. MR. MAYHEW, PLEASE AWAIT MEDICAL EXAMINATION BEFORE MOVING.]
Kyle sighed, deactivating Ignition as he pushed a wave of Healing Impetus through his body. Even if the odds were stacked woefully against him, he was still disappointed in his performance. The most frustrating part was that, if he had to attempt the test again, he didn’t think the result would be any different. The test felt less about the security drones, and more about the mechs, at least in Kyle’s opinion.
The idea that any non-combat D Grade around his level would be strong enough to beat the high-tier D Grade mechs was laughable. It also highlighted for Kyle a fundamental flaw in his own career path, at least in his current state. The essence of being a Courier was being reliably able to make deliveries through challenging environments. For some, that meant a focus on mobility. Others, like Jarberry, prioritized stealth and infiltration.
As things currently stood, the only skill Kyle had that really lent itself to his role was Ignition. As boosting skills went, it was top-tier; allowing him to elevate his otherwise unremarkable physical attributes to the point that he could compete. Unfortunately, that wasn’t always going to be enough. While his other skills provided him with unique and powerful synergies, they didn’t contribute directly to his efficacy as a Courier.
Admittedly, handling the basic D Grade quests offered by the Courier’s Guild didn’t pose much of a challenge. Without gaining another level, Kyle was confident in being able to find plenty of work around the Hub and its surrounding systems to keep him employed and fed for the rest of his life. The challenge came down to whether or not he’d be able to succeed at the more challenging jobs that would inevitably arise.
If the special jobs were similar to Er’Mithren or Pokke where there was a survival component, he’d do just fine. The majority of special requests; however, involved subtlety or tight timelines. In a case like the test he just helped Marcus with, more dedicated mobility skills or stealth skills might have allowed him to bypass the mechs entirely, or otherwise move unimpeded through the various barriers. All of which begged the question; how willing was he to try and tie his path to his current profession?
Before he could ponder the question further, one of Marcus’s other medical drones flew up, completing a quick scan. When it was satisfied that Kyle was not in imminent danger, a S.T.U. arrived to take him back to the entrance, where Marcus and C.H.A.D.D. were waiting. Stepping out of the floating box, Kyle immediately felt a sense of confusion coming from C.H.A.D.D. through Pack Leader’s Instinct. Before he could comment on it, however, the drone spoke.
[THAT WAS WELL DONE, DR. MAYHEW.]
“Hardly,” Kyle said, looking at Marcus. “Those mechs of yours are incredible, Marcus. If you mass produced those, I bet they’d be quite the sensation.”
“They’re old models, and I have no interest in trying to replicate them. Besides, they’re too expensive and niche to take to the broader market.” He had a faraway look in his eye for a moment, before his gaze sharpened again, his usual expression returning. “In any event, there was a lot of good data from the test today. Most notably that there are still some flaws in the gravity amplification that I’ll need to try and fine-tune. I know the contract for C.H.A.D.D. is done, but if you’d be willing to help me test the next iterations, I’d be appreciative.”
“I’d be happy to, though after all of C.H.A.D.D.’s upgrades, a little trip is overdue.”
[I QUITE AGREE, DR. MAYHEW. I LOOK FORWARD TO TESTING MY NEW EQUIPMENT, AND REPORTING BACK THE RESULTS.]
Marcus gave them both a nod. “If that’s the case, you’ll want to have a means to contact me directly. I’ll have my information updated in your nav bracelet to coordinate your availability.” He pressed on his tablet for a couple moments, then looked at Kyle. “Also, before you go, I do have something else for you. I’ll head back to my workshop, feel free to meet me there once you’ve recovered a bit.”
Marcus still seemed a bit off, but Kyle wasn’t going to push. “That’s very generous, thank you. Give me two hours, and I’ll be there.”
“I’ll see you then,” Marcus replied, hopping into a nearby S.T.U.
Kyle slung the C.H.A.D.D. pack over his shoulders, stepping into another. He didn’t have too much to clean up, but the sense of anticipation coming from C.H.A.D.D. made it very clear that the drone had something it wanted to discuss. Of course, C.H.A.D.D. wasn’t the only one. With all the upgrades, he hoped that his companion would have some insights into the concepts behind his enhanced Storm Shelter. Even seeing a recording would be beneficial.
They traveled in silence until they returned to his residence. While privacy could never be guaranteed in somebody else’s territory, Marcus had done a great deal to create an environment of trust. Once inside, C.H.A.D.D. opened up. [DR. MAYHEW, WHAT WERE YOUR IMPRESSIONS OF THE COMBAT MECHS MR. KULHAVEY USED?]
“Powerful, to say the least. Honestly, I wouldn’t mind getting a little more time to train with them when we come back to visit. We may have to rent them out, but I think we could make it happen.”
[THEY ARE POWERFUL, BUT THAT IS ONLY TO BE EXPECTED, GIVEN WHO THEY ARE MODELED AFTER.]
Kyle felt a chill run up his spine at C.H.A.D.D.’s words. “Are you saying…” Kyle trailed off.
[INDEEED. THESE MECHS WERE CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF THE ORIGINATORS. FROM WHAT MARCUS TOLD ME, THEY WERE AMONG HIS CROWNING WORKS WHEN HE REACHED C GRADE, BEFORE THE ORIGINATORS LEFT EARTH.]
Kyle nodded slowly. Of course, the mechs lacked the ability to use skills, but they were nevertheless impressive. If they even closely approximated the total power the Originators possessed in late D Grade, Kyle definitely wanted to fight them again. Testing himself against replicas of the most powerful D Grades Earth produced would be a huge affirmation of his growth.
[DR. MAYHEW, MR. KULHAVEY DID NOT SEEM EAGER TO DISCUSS THE MATTER WITH ME. I CAN FEEL YOUR EXCITEMENT, AND WOULD ENCOURAGE A DEGREE OF CAUTION.]
“Marcus mentioned that he didn’t care if these projects got damaged or destroyed. There’s no way that creations like these would be easy to replace. I think you’re right, there’s more to it.”
[THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE STILL INTERESTING; WE SHOULD SIMPLY EXERCISE RESTRAINT. I BELIEVE WE OWE MR. KULHAVEY THAT MUCH RESPECT.]
“Then we’ll leave it for now. There’s still plenty of time before C Grade, after all. Before we go, how are the upgrades treating you? If were able to capture a recording of the exercise, it would be incredibly valuable.”
[I WAS ABLE TO WITNESS AND RECORD THE EXERCISE IN ITS ENTIRETY. THOUGH THE CONCEPTS AT PLAY WITH STORM SHELTER ARE STILL UNKNOWN TO ME, I DO BELIEVE THAT I HAVE A STRONG GRASP OF EVERY OTHER ASPECT OF THE ENCOUNTER.]
“Once we’re back and settled, I’d like to study the recordings.”
[CERTAINLY, DR. MAYHEW.] After a brief pause, C.H.A.D.D. continued. [AND MIGHT I SAY, YOU HAVE COME A LONG WAY SINCE WATCHING RECORDINGS OF UNARMED BRAWLS WITH MR. BOLTSBURY.]
Kyle chuckled. “We certainly have, haven’t we? Wouldn’t have made it without you.”
[LIKEWISE. NOW, SHALL WE GO SEE WHAT MR. KULHAVEY HAS PREPARED?]
The workshop was in a state of organized chaos when they arrived, machines buzzing back and forth carrying small components. Marcus was hovering over a workbench, a complex machine sitting on the table in front of him.
“Good of you to come, and early even,” he remarked, not looking up from the project in front of him. “Glad that you were able to come.”
“What can I say? I figure things out eventually,” Kyle replied.
“Just in time to leave and forget it all,” Marcus said with a snort. Gesturing to a rectangular indent in the workbench, he finally looked up. “Go on then, put the pack in here. I had a little spare time over the last few months, and it didn’t feel right sending some of my finest work away in a second-rate pack.”
Kyle stood dumbfounded for a moment, then slowly walked up to the work station. A series of complex mechanical components were strewn across the workbench, all tied to a central frame. Neither he nor C.H.A.D.D. said a word as he placed the pack in the center, the whole construction coming to life. Runes lit up as the frame wrapped around the existing pack, melding into it as Marcus reached over to place his hand on top.
A moment later, it was done. Visually, the pack looked nearly identical, only a few shades darker. Identify told him a different story. It looked as if each of the enchantments and inscriptions put in was enhanced. With one notable exception, of course.
A new set of inscriptions had been added, the runes familiar to Kyle, even if he was never able to replicate them. The new version of the C.H.A.D.D. pack had the ability to fly.