Tag Archives: Rachel

Arc 14.6.0: Stage Two

Stage Two: Part 8

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I wondered how much of a walk this would be, and a map Hal had created while using my bots as scouts appeared in my head. By taking out the Nine’s central command, we’d ended up on ground level. Magnus’ and the Nine’s leadership’s rooms were located on the top floor.

Well, unless they’d evacuated to the bunker below the main complex.

Knowing that the fight in the control center hadn’t been quiet in any way, I had to bet on the bunker. Either way, the stairway at the end of the hall went both up and down. Continue reading Stage Two: Part 8 →

Arc 14.6.0: Stage Two

Stage Two: Part 1

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“Nick?” Haley’s voice sounded in my head courtesy of our implants.

“I’m okay,” I said, still feeling the heat.

“For two more hits,” she said, because she could check my vitals and armor stats just like everyone else could. With our implant-to-armor connection, all we had to do was think about it, and we knew.

“And no one else has as much armor on as you do,” she said. “We need to take it down now.”

My armor noted that repairs were in process and that it was increasing protection against energy weapons. That was nice to see. It was a recent update, and I’d been worried it might not kick in soon enough when I needed it. Continue reading Stage Two: Part 1 →

Arc 14.5.5: Stage One

Stage One: Part 10

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Former photocopier technician? Was Hal making a joke? Either way, Ben was too stuck to the wall to get to the shattered photocopier.

I’d started with the people next to the far wall because of the high potential ratio of stuck people to goobot fired. It wasn’t a bad decision either. I covered more than 20 people in my version of Silly String before anyone on the far wall realized what was going on.

When they did realize it, they began moving away from the wall and running to the right—a reasonable move, given that I’d started from the left. Continue reading Stage One: Part 10 →

Arc 14.5.5: Stage One

Stage One: Part 8

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I hadn’t noticed. Glancing down, I found that one of the glossy black pouches on the glossy black belt of my glossy black armor had a small glow around the edges of the top flap.

Except for a moment where I concluded that Syndicate L had been going for looks rather than functionality with the design, my attention gravitated to the pouch. As it did, I remembered what was in the pouch.

Back when we’d met with the Wizards’ Council and a few other hidden immortals, Urin, a former Cabal member who dated back to Sumer, had given me a rock. Flat and white, it hadn’t looked like much, but he’d claimed it had a connection to Lee’s device and to the Artificers. Continue reading Stage One: Part 8 →

Arc 14.5.0: Bigger Things

Bigger Things: Part 3

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Everyone tensed, a reasonable response, given that I’d told them that the end of the world was on its way and that my social skills might be the only thing standing in the way of planetary destruction.

Jaclyn responded to me first, thinking back, “Coming to meet you or coming to kill you?”

I shrugged, “That remains to be seen, but Kee thought he’d be interested in meeting because to the degree that I’m an Artificer, I’m descended from Nataw, his brother. He was also a friend of Lee, but he probably feels a bit betrayed by him. So, mentioning that is to be avoided.”

Haley looked up at me and thought, “And he could randomly show up at any time? Anything we do could be interrupted and then—BOOM—end of the world?” Continue reading Bigger Things: Part 3 →

Arc 14.5.0: Bigger Things

Bigger Things: Part 2

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“I can see not mentioning Lee because Nataw’s brother is in the Destroy faction, but is there more than that? Does he just not like Lee?”

Kee sighed, “No. Lee and Govan were good friends. Back when Lee was in Destroy and I was pretending to be, they became closer—because they were both worried about Nataw. When Lee left with the Galaxy Core Device, Govan felt personally betrayed. Govan isn’t vengeful, but I think he feels very hurt. He’s not a terrible being, but I can imagine that he’s felt abandoned by us over the last few thousand years.” Continue reading Bigger Things: Part 2 →

Arc 14.5.0: Bigger Things

Bigger Things: Part 1

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“The one good thing is that we don’t have to worry about how to keep them imprisoned. The bad, I guess, is that we have no chance of that. Now that I think about it, the base had teleportation blockers. They shouldn’t have been able to take anyone from upstairs at all.”

Rachel glanced over at me, “I think they’re off. I tried to get over here and help as soon as they appeared, but I couldn’t float through the walls. I found that they’d ripped the door off its hinges outside, but they’d also blocked off the stairwell on the lowest floor and broken the elevator. I was about to give up and go outside, but then everything worked and I could float up the tower.” Continue reading Bigger Things: Part 1 →

Arc 14.4.5: Regression

Regression: Part 25

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Art had all of Haley’s power plus Magnus’ power-up, but he was carrying Jody. Haley didn’t have anything extra beyond her costume and now an implant.

Art had landed first and was already beginning to run across the lawn toward the street—probably trying to get far enough from the tower that the Nine could teleport him out.

Using my implant’s connection to Haley’s suit, I fired off a series of bots. I’d put a handful into other people’s armor, thinking that it would be better to have a few available for clutch moments. Continue reading Regression: Part 25 →

Arc 14.4.5: Regression

Regression: Part 24

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I adjusted my foot position and felt my feet shift naturally. Whatever “neutralization” turned out to be, it had worked.

I knew “Counterattack” had not come into play yet because Scream Eagle’s claws were now swinging in my direction. Possibly worse, the circle of metal was reforming in the air behind him.

He hadn’t seen my feet shift or recognized what it meant, though. I stepped back, swinging through his arms with the lightning sword. The sword didn’t chop them off, but I did feel resistance as I swung through the space. Continue reading Regression: Part 24 →

Arc 14.4.5: Regression

Regression: Part 12

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As I drew near, I saw the angel’s blade and felt a dull ache in my mind, realizing that the being I faced had some connection to the Artificers.

I also realized that even though I’d gotten a decent sleep, I’d used my minimal Artificer abilities to the limit yesterday in the jet.

Except for the time I’d manifested Lee’s blade and fought Magnus (?) in that vision, I’d only ever managed to use my abilities defensively. Knowing how I felt, I wasn’t sure I’d even manage to do that now. Continue reading Regression: Part 12 →